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ORLANDO, Fla. – Classified documents, the debt ceiling and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dominated national political headlines last week.
Former Vice President Mike Pence joined former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden in the growing controversy of keeping classified documents from their time in office.
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Meanwhile, the United States reached its $31.4 trillion debt ceiling, setting the stage for a monthslong political battle over how to move forward.
News 6 political analyst Jim Clark sat down with anchor Justin Warmoth on “The Weekly” to explain the saga surrounding the documents, what could happen if the government defaults on its debt and DeSantis’ potential 2024 presidential run.
“The governor of Florida is getting more publicity than the 49 other governors combined,” Clark said. “I’ve never seen anything like this. He’s dominating the national conversation.”
Clark expects Gov. DeSantis to announce he’s running for president sometime in the spring. Former President Trump already announced his candidacy in November.
Watch the full interview in the video player above.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | 2023-01-29T14:42:46+00:00 | clickorlando.com | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/politics/2023/01/29/news-6-political-analyst-talks-classified-documents-potential-desantis-presidential-run/ |
POM Wonderful Kicks Off Pomegranate Season and National Pomegranate Month by Continuing to Showcase the Unique Sweet Taste and Health Benefits of Pomegranates
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- This fall, POM Wonderful is proud to celebrate its 20th anniversary, along with its achievement of making pomegranates and their health benefits more widely-known in the U.S. In 20 years, POM Wonderful has become the world's largest grower of Wonderful variety pomegranates, the number one supplier of the nation's fresh pomegranates, and the number one-selling 100-percent pomegranate juice in North America.
November marks the start of California pomegranate season and National Pomegranate Month. Thanks to POM Wonderful, pomegranates are now a household staple and a beloved fruit of the fall and winter months. Before POM only 12% of Americans had awareness about pomegranates. What serendipitously started as 100 acres of pomegranate trees found in the back of a pistachio orchard has turned into a $200+ million business, now with more than 9,000 acres of pomegranate trees.
"When we created POM Wonderful, it's hard to believe but pomegranates were essentially unknown in the U.S.," said Lynda Resnick, co-founder of POM Wonderful and co-owner of The Wonderful Company. "Twenty years later, because of POM Wonderful the world knows how important this amazing, historic, romantic fruit can be to a healthy diet. We take enormous pride in the part our juice has played in that evolution. We have been uncompromising in leveraging the pureness of the pomegranate, bottling 100% pomegranate juice with no added sugar or preservatives, and in an iconic, bottle recognized around the world. In this milestone year, I am excited to celebrate everything that's been achieved."
Jared Diamond, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "Guns, Germs, and Steel," geographer, historian, and professor at UCLA has called Lynda Resnick a singularity in history. He points to her as an example of a business leader who changed the course of history, by creating an entirely new industry and category – introducing pomegranates and pomegranate juice to America 20 years ago.
The full POM Wonderful product line-up includes POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice, Blueberry Juice and Cherry Juice, Wonderful variety pomegranates, POM Wonderful Pomegranate Fresh Arils and five flavors of POM Antioxidant Super Tea flavors. POM Juice is delicious to sip out of the bottle, but also makes a great addition to cocktails, mocktails, and smoothies and as a culinary ingredient. POM Arils offer a convenient way to enjoy the sweet and tart flavor of pomegranates while adding a festive pop of color to any dish.
For more information about POM Wonderful, to discover POM recipes, and to learn how to open a pomegranate, visit www.POMWonderful.com.
About POM Wonderful
POM Wonderful is the largest grower and producer of fresh pomegranates and pomegranate juice in the United States as well as the worldwide leader in fresh California pomegranates and pomegranate-based products including our 100% pomegranate juices, healthy juice blends, and teas. We grow, handpick, and juice our own pomegranates to ensure the highest quality. POM Wonderful is part of The Wonderful Company, a privately held company with a portfolio that includes other No. 1 brands such as Wonderful® Pistachios, FIJI® Water, Wonderful® Halos®, JUSTIN® wine, and Teleflora®. To learn more about The Wonderful Company, visit www.wonderful.com, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. To view the current Corporate Social Responsibility report, visit www.wonderful.com/csr.
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SOURCE POM Wonderful | 2022-11-01T15:16:10+00:00 | wbrc.com | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2022/11/01/pom-wonderful-now-1-seller-pomegranates-pomegranate-juice-celebrates-20-years/ |
Prosecution: Woman planned the killings of her 3 children
Plymouth, Mass. – A Massachusetts woman used exercise bands to strangle her three children in the family home in a well-planned assault while her husband was out for about 20 minutes picking up medicine at a pharmacy and takeout, a prosecutor said at her arraignment Tuesday.
Not guilty pleas were entered on behalf of Lindsay Clancy, 32, to charges including two counts of murder, three counts of strangulation and three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
Clancy, with a surgical mask over her face, was arraigned in Plymouth District Court remotely from the hospital, where she is recovering from spinal injuries suffered when she jumped out the window of the home. She will likely never walk again, her defense attorney said.
Judge John Canavan III did not set monetary bail or send her to jail, but ordered she remain in the hospital until she is well enough to be moved to a rehabilitation facility.
She did not speak except to say “Yes, your honor” when the judge asked if she could hear the proceedings.
The prosecution and the defense painted widely divergent pictures of Clancy, a labor and delivery nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, in the weeks and days before she allegedly assaulted her children in the family home in Duxbury.
The children were found by their father with the exercise bands still around their necks. Cora, 5, and Dawson, 3, were pronounced dead at the hospital. Callan, 7 months, was also taken to the hospital where doctors restored his pulse but could not restore brain activity. He died several days later, prosecutors said.
The deaths have shocked the coastal town about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Boston.
The prosecution said Clancy behaved and appeared normal to everyone she interacted with, including her mother and husband.
On the day of the killings, she asked her husband if he wanted takeout and went online to measure how much time it would take him to get to the restaurant and pick up some medicine for the children at the pharmacy, prosecutor Jennifer Sprague said.
“She planned these murders, gave herself the time and privacy needed to commit the murders, and then she strangled each child in the place where they should have felt the safest – at home with their Mom," Sprague said. “She did so with deliberate premeditation, extreme atrocity and cruelty.”
Defense attorney Kevin Reddington, who has indicated that he plans an insanity defense, painted a picture of a woman struggling with mental illness, who had been prescribed about a dozen medications to try and control it.
“This is not a situation, your honor, that was planned by any means," he said. “This was a situation that was clearly the product of mental illness." Clancy may have been suffering from post-partum depression or post-partum psychosis, he said.
Reddington has hired a psychologist to evaluate her.
The prosecution countered that Clancy had been evaluated by mental health professionals before and was told she did not have post-partum depression and no symptoms of post-partum depression.
Clancy's husband, Patrick, forgave his wife in a post on a fundraising site to assist with medical bills, funeral services and legal help.
“She’s recently been portrayed largely by people who have never met her and never knew who the real Lindsay was,” he wrote. “Our marriage was wonderful and diametrically grew stronger as her condition rapidly worsened. I took as much pride in being her husband as I did in being a father and felt persistently lucky to have her in my life.” | 2023-02-07T23:42:14+00:00 | detroitnews.com | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/nation/2023/02/07/prosecution-woman-planned-the-killings-of-her-3-children/69882672007/ |
New application portal will help advance the submission, evaluation, and acceptance of laser research projects globally
LAKE FOREST, Calif., Oct. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BIOLASE, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIOL), the global leader in dental lasers, announced today that it is inviting clinicians and researchers from around the world to submit research proposals via the Research Grant Portal at biolase.com/researchgrants.
BIOLASE's continued leadership and commitment to research and development in the dental field has been evident for over 30 years, resulting in hundreds of published articles, along with 302 issued and 31 pending patents on its technologies. This new research application portal is designed to help accelerate the submission, evaluation, and acceptance of research projects, while continuing to build upon the strong foundation of clinical evidence supporting BIOLASE laser technology. In particular, BIOLASE is seeking studies in pediatric dentistry, endodontics, periodontics, implantology and photobiomodulation (PBM) to help further the advancement of minimally invasive laser technology in these fields.
"BIOLASE recognizes the importance of clinical research around the continued advancement of dental lasers and adoption of this breakthrough technology," said BIOLASE President and CEO, John Beaver. "Our new Research Grant Portal will allow us to evaluate and accept high-quality research proposals from all over the world and continue to demonstrate how BIOLASE lasers provide biologically and clinically superior performance with a more comfortable patient experience and faster recovery times."
To learn more about the grant application process and research topics of interest, please visit biolase.com/researchgrants.
BIOLASE is a medical device company that develops, manufactures, markets, and sells laser systems in dentistry and medicine. BIOLASE's products advance the practice of dentistry and medicine for patients and healthcare professionals. BIOLASE's innovative products provide cutting-edge technology at competitive prices to deliver superior results for dentists and patients. BIOLASE's principal products are revolutionary dental laser systems that perform a broad range of dental procedures, including cosmetic and complex surgical applications. BIOLASE has sold over 43,300 laser systems to date in over 80 countries around the world. Laser products under development address BIOLASE's core dental market and other adjacent medical and consumer applications.
For updates and information on Waterlase iPlus®, Waterlase Express™, and laser dentistry, find BIOLASE online at www.biolase.com, Facebook at www.facebook.com/biolase, Twitter at www.twitter.com/biolaseinc, Instagram at www.instagram.com/waterlase_laserdentistry, and LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/biolase.
BIOLASE®, Waterlase® and Waterlase iPlus® are registered trademarks of BIOLASE, Inc.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, as that term is defined in the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that involve significant risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements can be identified through the use of words such as may," "might," "will," "intend," "should," "could," "can," "would," "continue," "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "estimate," "predict," "outlook," "potential," "plan," "seek," and similar expressions and variations or the negatives of these terms or other comparable terminology. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect BIOLASE's current expectations and speak only as of the date of this release. Actual results may differ materially from BIOLASE's current expectations depending upon a number of factors. These factors include, among others, those risks and uncertainties that are described in the "Risk Factors" section of BIOLASE's annual report filed on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, BIOLASE does not undertake any responsibility to revise or update any forward-looking statements.
For further information, please contact:
EVC Group LLC
Michael Polyviou / Todd Kehrli
(732) 933-2754
mpolyviou@evcgroup.com / tkehrli@evcgroup.com
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SOURCE BIOLASE, Inc. | 2022-10-05T11:17:44+00:00 | wlox.com | https://www.wlox.com/prnewswire/2022/10/05/biolase-launches-research-grant-portal-accelerate-clinical-studies-innovative-dental-laser-technology/ |
AKRON, Ohio (WJW) — Police are investigating after a DoorDash delivery driver was fatally shot on the job in Akron, Ohio.
When investigators arrived around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, they found a 22-year-old man in a parking lot with a gunshot wound. He was taken to Cleveland Clinic Akron General Medical Center in critical condition, where he was pronounced dead Thursday morning.
According to police, the victim was making a DoorDash delivery when he was shot.
Investigators say the victim got into an altercation with two men around 11 p.m. in the city’s Highland Square area. The pair then allegedly followed the victim to the delivery spot and shot him.
Two suspects, 21 year-old Matthew Couch and 19 year-old Derek Ransome-Fromby were arrested at an area home and taken to the Summit County Jail.
They were initially charged with felonious assault, but now murder charges are pending. | 2023-04-21T00:00:15+00:00 | wate.com | https://www.wate.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/ohio-doordash-driver-killed-while-on-delivery-police/ |
Following graduate school in public administration I worked for the state of Indiana adjudicating Social Security disability claims. As adjudicators, we were state employees contracted to the federal government. Everything we did was governed by federal rules under the Social Security Administration. Since every claim for benefits filed in the district Social Security Office could eventually be appealed to a court, the files we kept were legal documents. I learned to appreciate that nearly error-proof filing system employed by Social Security. I relate components of that system here in comparison to the vexing problems of “Classified” documents.
I learned to appreciate the system designed to prevent individuals from ever having control over a physical file. The file you were adjudicating was brought to your desk at 8 a.m. It came from a master filing system that you as an adjudicator did not have access to. Once you received the file, your actions on that file were recorded that day in the file. By 5 p.m. that file was taken from your desk and re-filed. Before it was re-filed the adjudicator was required to note what actions remained to be completed and set a date (known as a tickle date) on the edge of the file for its return. Incoming medical records would be associated with that file by the file clerks. If the tickle date depended on the arrival of medical records, the file would be brought to you as soon as they arrived and were associated with the file.
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The Social Security Administration completed semi-impromptu audits of our filing system to insure any file could be found anytime immediately. There was a reconsideration unit that upon request from the claimant, would review that file for completeness of the review and decision. That unit could overturn the initial decision. There was a medical unit that reviewed and signed off on every decision, since all decisions were based on medical evidence. If the medical staff didn’t think the adjudicator properly interpreted the medical evidence, they would flag the case and send it back to the adjudicator. All these possible locations and individuals were connected through a chain of control that protected the claimant from human forgetfulness.
I don’t understand the system used by the federal government aimed at protecting federal government documents from being read by potential enemies. I don’t understand who stamps a document with a “Classified” stamp. I don’t know the rules for that procedure. I don’t completely understand how security clearance to review “Classified” documents is granted. I am sure it is thorough and should be. But I do understand that if there are multiple copies of documents stamped as “Classified” and those so stamped now total in the millions, there is not some file clerk who knows where all of them are. I think we have a systems failure in record keeping rather than criminal activity by forgetful presidents or vice presidents. Let us put some thought into how to seriously protect classified documents rather than relying on the record management skills of politicians. | 2023-03-02T08:22:34+00:00 | bismarcktribune.com | https://bismarcktribune.com/opinion/columnists/speaking-out-classified-docs-issue-is-failure-of-larger-system/article_4d9e0e88-b489-11ed-bb76-9baea2d51a83.html |
Indiana middle school shooter who wounded teacher, student in 2018 will remain in custody
Jun 7, 2023, 12:56 PM
(Robert Scheer/The Indianapolis Star via AP, File)
ANDERSON, Ind. (AP) — A judge on Wednesday ordered a former student who opened fire at an Indiana middle school in 2018, wounding another student and a teacher, to remain in custody until an investigation of a separate assault allegation against the teenager is completed.
Madison County Circuit Court Judge Stephen Koester cited the youth’s “lack of remorse and empathy shown throughout the case,” and his “flippant attitude” about a corrections employee’s allegation that the boy “fist-bumped” her breasts twice, as his reasons for keeping the teen detained.
The former student, who was 13 at the time of the shooting, had been detained since shortly after he opened fire at Noblesville West Middle School in May 2018. He shot a seventh-grade science teacher and another 13-year-old student. The teacher, Jason Seaman, cut the shooting short when he tackled the shooter and pinned him to the ground.
Seaman was shot three times, and the student, Ella Whistler, was shot seven times. No one was killed.
Following his 18th birthday, the shooter was due to be released on home detention with GPS monitoring until he turned 21, according to his attorney, Ben Jaffe. A psychological evaluation had found that the teen posed a low-to-moderate risk for violence.
But in April, authorities reported that a corrections officer at the Pendleton Juvenile Correctional Facility said the boy “fist-bumped” her breasts. Madison County’s prosecutor is weighing whether the teen will face assault charges for that alleged incident.
“Based on the totality of the circumstances in this case, the Court cannot say that it is in the best interest of the safety and security of the community for the Youth to be released pending the outcome of this new matter,” Koester wrote in his ruling.
The teen will be transferred from the Hamilton County Juvenile Detention Center in Noblesville to the Madison County Youth Center Secure Detention Unit in Anderson, The Indianapolis Star reported. | 2023-06-08T01:12:22+00:00 | mynorthwest.com | https://mynorthwest.com/3897967/indiana-middle-school-shooter-who-wounded-teacher-student-in-2018-will-remain-in-custody/ |
On Tuesday, federal, local and NFL officials had a press conference to address the security that the Super Bowl will have this year.
Super Bowl LVII will have the highest level of security called SEAR level 1 rating. “There are no known specific or credible threats to the game or any of our events,” said Cathy Lanier, Chief Security Officer for the NFL.
The Department of Homeland Security ranks special events on the SEAR level scale of one to five. An event like the Super Bowl requires the most resources.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was also in Phoenix and assured that all visitors to the host city are screened and vetted.
Secretary Mayorkas went on to say that personnel from the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office have deployed their equipment to make sure that the air is safe and secure.”
Super Bowl LVII will be played Sunday when the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles square off in State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. | 2023-02-08T16:28:52+00:00 | wric.com | https://www.wric.com/sports/the-big-game/no-known-threats-to-the-super-bowl/ |
The College Board says changes will be made to its new AP African American studies course, after critics said the agency bowed to political pressure and removed several topics from the framework, including Black Lives Matter, slavery reparations and queer life.
In a statement on Monday, the College Board said the development committee and experts charged with authoring the Advanced Placement course “will determine the details of those changes over the next few months.”
“We are committed to providing an unflinching encounter with the facts and evidence of African American history and culture,” the company said.
It remains unclear what the changes are or when they will be made public.
The course gained national attention this winter when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a possible Republican presidential candidate in 2024, said he would ban the course in his state because it pushed a political agenda.
“In the state of Florida, our education standards not only don’t prevent, but they require teaching Black history, all the important things. That’s part of our core curriculum,” DeSantis previously said. “We want education and not indoctrination.”
But the official curriculum for the course, released after DeSantis’ administration rejected it, downplayed some components that had drawn objections from the governor and other conservatives. The College Board faced an onslaught of criticism from activists and African American scholars outraged at the notion the course changed because of political controversy.
The course was launched in 60 schools in the U.S. and will be expanded to 800 schools and 16,000 students this upcoming school year.
The nonprofit testing company previously said revisions to the course were substantially complete and not shaped by political influence before DeSantis shared his objections. College Board officials said developers consulted with professors from more than 200 colleges, including several historically Black institutions, and took input from teachers piloting the class.
The company said Monday the creation of the course had prioritized access to a discipline that is not widely available to high schoolers, plus bringing that content to as many students as possible — a possible reference to students in states run by conservatives. “Regrettably,” the nonprofit testing company said, those two goals “came into conflict.”
The College Board offers AP courses across the academic spectrum, including in math, science, social studies, foreign languages and fine arts. The courses are optional and taught at a college level. Students who score high enough on the final exam usually earn course credit at their university.
___
Mumphrey reported from Phoenix.
___
The Associated Press education team receives support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | 2023-04-25T11:55:20+00:00 | ourquadcities.com | https://www.ourquadcities.com/news/politics/ap-politics/black-history-class-to-undergo-changes-college-board-says/ |
GENEVA (AP) — FIFA’s choice of Brazilian supermodel Adriana Lima as its first global fan ambassador five months before the Women’s World Cup was described Tuesday as “tone deaf” by the former leader of the soccer body’s task force for women’s soccer.
Lima’s appointment to “develop, promote and participate in several global initiatives” was announced by FIFA on Monday hours before the former Victoria’s Secret runway model helped present the fan prize in Paris at its annual award ceremony.
“Seriously, FIFA, is this the fan engagement ambassador we need as the (Women’s World Cup) approaches?” wrote Moya Dodd, who was part of the co-hosting bid campaign for her native Australia and New Zealand, on her Twitter account.
Dodd, a former FIFA executive committee member and longtime advocate for women’s soccer, used the hashtag “tonedeaf” and posted the glamor photo from the profile of Lima’s Twitter account that has 2.4 million followers.
A former Australia national-team player, Dodd also recalled recent speculation FIFA could sign the Saudi Arabia tourism board as an official sponsor of the month-long tournament that starts July 20.
“Honestly baffled by the marketing strategy. First FIFA wants to send an LGBTQ-friendly audience to ‘Visit Saudi’,” Dodd wrote. “Now it’s targeting who exactly?”
Lima was photographed Monday in Paris at the FIFA gala event with its president Gianni Infantino and posted on Twitter her new role “means the world to me.”
She also posted to her 15.4 million followers on Instagram: “It is a great honor to be part of the FIFA Family.”
“As a fan myself, I hope to connect at a greater level this family to the life of this beautiful sport: the fans!” she wrote.
FIFA did not specify details Monday of the projects involving Lima, nor if it would involve the biggest-ever marquee women’s tournament which now has 32 teams.
“When you get to meet Adriana, you feel right away her warmth, kindness, and how approachable and passionate she is about our game,” Infantino said Monday in the FIFA statement.
“She lives and breathes ‘futebol’ and that is also why she can be an excellent link between FIFA and fans worldwide,” he said.
FIFA noted Lima is a “supermodel, actress and businesswoman” but offered no details about her links to the sport besides being a fan. Lima posted her condolences after Pelé’s death in December.
Infantino and Dodd served together on FIFA’s ruling committee for more than a year after he was elected in 2016.
She was the first woman, in 2013, to represent the Asian soccer confederation at FIFA and gained a reputation as an independent voice during the presidency of Sepp Blatter. Dodd lost her re-election bid four years later to an opponent from Bangladesh.
Her latest criticism of FIFA follows an op-ed article she wrote for an Australian newspaper four weeks ago. She suggested that FIFA asking LGBTQ players and fans to visit Saudi Arabia was “to send them to a jurisdiction where they are regarded as criminals.”
Dodd also wrote then she was “thrilled by the progress women’s football has made there (in Saudi Arabia) in recent times.”
The pending “Visit Saudi” sponsor deal also provoked the soccer federations of Australia and New Zealand to urge FIFA not to sign the agreement.
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2023-02-28T18:49:44+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/news/fifa-faces-questions-for-supermodel-role-before-womens-wcup/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
Study defines a mechanism by which prostate cancer cells resist immunotherapy and a possible new approach to reprogram them in an aggressive form of advanced disease.
LOS ANGELES, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Although immunotherapies can successfully treat many types of cancer, they have shown limited effectiveness in advanced prostate cancer that has become resistant to treatment, known as metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). New findings from a Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF)-funded investigator reveal the mechanisms underlying anti-tumor immune responses and immunotherapy resistance in one of the most aggressive molecular subsets of prostate cancer, as well as a promising new combination therapy that could prevent them from developing this ability.
The research led by 2016 Izzy Englander - PCF Challenge Award recipient Akash Patnaik, MD, PhD, MMSc, and his team at the University of Chicago was recently published in the peer-reviewed journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. The first author on the study, the late Brian Olson, PhD, was the recipient of the 2014 Stephen A. Schwarzman-PCF Young Investigator Award.
"These findings represent an exciting new opportunity to reprogram prostate cancer cells to be more sensitive to immunotherapy and a promising combination therapy approach for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer," said Howard R. Soule, PhD, Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer of the Prostate Cancer Foundation. "PCF commends Dr. Patnaik and the research team on their achievement and proudly supports their work to bring us closer to our mission to eliminate death and suffering from prostate cancer."
In prostate and many other cancers, an increase of tumor-infiltrating T cells and other genomic alterations within the tumor microenvironment (TME) – a 'T cell inflamed gene signature' – enhances responsiveness to immunotherapy, and non-inflamed or immunologically "cold" TMEs have the opposite effect. One of the most common alterations, seen in approximately 75% of mCRPC patients and enriched following treatment with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), is loss or silencing of the retinoblastoma (Rb) tumor suppressor signaling pathway, leading to cancer progression, and poor prognosis and responsiveness to standard treatments. Patnaik and colleagues looked at how loss of Rb alters the tumor in order to potentially target these molecular pathways to make immunotherapy more effective.
To better understand the mechanisms of this highly aggressive Rb-deficient form of mCRPC, the researchers analyzed human tumor samples for expression of a T cell inflamed gene signature and found that Rb loss was predominantly associated with an immunologically cold microenvironment. Critical factors in regulating gene transcription downstream of Rb are the bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) family of DNA readers. Finding similar decreased immune infiltration in Rb-deficient prostate cancer in mice as they observed in Rb-deficient mCRPC patients, researchers then tested a BET inhibitor alone and in combination with immune checkpoint blockade and ADT. Mice treated with the BET inhibitor had a 4-fold increase in infiltrating T cells compared to controls. Those treated concurrently with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy and ADT had significantly enhanced anti-cancer response, showing that BET inhibition can reprogram the cold Rb-deficient microenvironment and sensitize mCRPC to immunotherapy.
In parallel with these mechanistic insights from the laboratory, Patnaik and colleagues are conducting a phase 2 clinical trial to test the efficacy of this combination approach in mCRPC patients who have developed Rb-deficient disease following intensified ADT treatment. If successful, the research could result in a new precision immunotherapy regimen for these patients.
About the Prostate Cancer Foundation
The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world's leading philanthropic organization dedicated to funding life-saving prostate cancer research. Founded in 1993 by Mike Milken, PCF has been responsible for raising close to $1 billion in support of cutting-edge research by more than 2,200 research projects at 245 leading cancer centers in 28 countries around the world. Since PCF's inception, and through its efforts, patients around the world are living longer, suffering fewer complications, and enjoying better quality of life. PCF is committed to creating a global public square for prostate cancer, in service to our mission of ending death and suffering from the disease. Learn more at pcf.org.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Staci L. Vernick
Prostate Cancer Foundation
svernick@pcf.org
press@pcf.org
610-812-6092
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SOURCE Prostate Cancer Foundation | 2023-04-05T14:31:38+00:00 | wagmtv.com | https://www.wagmtv.com/prnewswire/2023/04/05/prostate-cancer-foundation-funded-research-identifies-promising-precision-immunotherapy-approach-advanced-prostate-cancer/ |
Many hosts amuse their guests by pouring drinks and mixing cocktails at home. While you don’t need to be a professional mixologist to keep things interesting, adventurous entertainers might find the usual shaking, stirring and zesting to have lost its novelty. If you’re in search of new ways to entertain thirsty friends, as well as adding some new flavor complexity to old favorites, consider using a cocktail smoker.
In this article: PolyScience Smoking Gun, Boruit Portable Cocktail Smoker and Breville Food Smoking Gun.
What is cocktail smoking?
Cocktail smoking is the infusion of smoke into a beverage. While bourbon and whiskey have long been aged in smoked barrels, the notion of adding your own smoke to any beverage you choose from the convenience of your kitchen is a new, trendy idea.
Cocktail smoker types
- Smoking guns are handheld devices. A battery-powered fan carries smoke from the gun’s burning chamber into a hose. The hose lets you direct the smoke into a chamber covering your drink or right into the glass.
- Glass top smokers offer a more traditional experience. These wooden lids are placed on top of the beverage to be infused. Wood chips are then piled into the lid’s burn chamber and set ablaze. Holes in the lid let the resulting smoke seep down into the glass, where it is absorbed into the drink.
- Smoking boxes make for the most entertaining preparation. Made of transparent glass, these boxes let you and your guests view the beverage placed inside it as it is enveloped in smoke, typically pumped in using a gun.
What do I need to smoke a beverage?
Aside from a cocktail smoker that suits your style, you need the following items to get the party started:
- Torch-style butane lighter. Gas station lighters won’t get your wood chips hot enough to produce consistent smoke. Torch-style lighters also let you more accurately aim their flames into the smoker’s burn chamber.
- Batteries. If you opt for a smoking gun, make sure you have the batteries you need to keep it running.
- Wood chips. Have a variety of wood chips available so you can try out different combinations and find your favorites.
- Fire extinguisher. Cocktail smoking isn’t particularly dangerous, but precautions should be taken any time you’re burning indoors.
Experiment with flavors
If smoking drinks with wood chips isn’t pushing the envelope enough for you, consider burning the following ingredients in your smoker:
- Cinnamon sticks result in sweetness and mild heat. Perfect for entertaining around the holidays.
- Corn husks can be used to accentuate the flavors already present in bourbon and other corn-based spirits.
- Coffee beans let you blur the lines between bartender and barista and add earthy undertones to your cocktails.
- Citrus peels complement the light flavor of Japanese whiskies or vodka.
- Vanilla beans add a mellow, velvety sweetness to any drink.
Best cocktail smokers
This commercial-grade infuser has an anodized aluminum smoking chamber, a metal fan that won’t melt and a dial that you can use to precisely control its smoke output. It runs on four AA batteries and its 17.5-inch hose makes it easy to get the smoke where you need it.
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Boruit Portable Cocktail Smoker
With its wide base and upright design, this smoker sits conveniently on your bar or countertop where its flexible hose is within easy reach. It turns on with the press of a single button and runs on two AA batteries.
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This smoker’s removable burn chamber makes it easy to load, clean and maintain. This kit includes apple and hickory wood chips and four AA batteries, giving you everything you need to get started.
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A great value, this set includes a smoker, a smoking lid, a cocktail smoking ball, seven flavors of wood chips, four AA batteries and a cleaning brush. The smoker has two power options, letting you adjust it to your needs.
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This infuser comes with four wood chip flavors to experiment with, four AA batteries, a cleaning brush and additional accessories. Unlike many kits, it also includes a stand you can use to hold the infuser gun in place while you use its hose to smoke your drinks or food.
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Crafthouse by Fortessa Stainless Steel and Glass Smoking Box
This smoke gun kit includes a stainless steel and glass box you can use to amuse your guests while you infuse their beverages. The box features a black walnut base, making it a classy addition to any bar or man cave.
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With its included dome and two containers of wood chips, this well-crafted smoker is great for beginners or experienced mixers. A built-in rechargeable battery means you won’t ever be out of power when it’s time to entertain.
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This budget-friendly smoker has a hose nearly 10 inches long and runs off of a pair of AA batteries. It comes in either gold or silver and pressing a single button gets the smoke rolling.
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Keep the smoking elegant with this wood infuser that sits atop your drink glass. It comes with four wood chip varieties and is great for traditionalists who prefer to keep the technology out of their mixing technique.
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Taigin Cocktail Smoker Kit with Torch
This wooden smoker includes four wood chip flavors, as well as a refillable butane torch. It perches on top of the glass letting you impress your guests while infusing each person’s beverage with a flavor of their choice.
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | 2023-03-17T16:45:02+00:00 | ksn.com | https://www.ksn.com/reviews/br/kitchen-br/bar-wine-br/impress-your-guests-with-these-10-cocktail-smokers/ |
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What do you need to start playing Dungeons and Dragons?
Few games have as loyal a following as Dungeons and Dragons. The tabletop game franchise has become so popular that it’s almost a separate culture and lifestyle in the gaming community.
Called “D and D” for short, the game is all about adventuring with a group of friends in search of mystery and treasure. It generally consists of several players who choose a character based on the game’s premise and setting. The dungeon master acts as the story’s director, driving forward what happens to the players and what kind of creatures they encounter.
It’s highly interactive and incredibly detailed, and games can take several weeks to complete. But you can’t simply start a D and D game unless you have the necessary tools.
A short history of D and D
The modern version of D and D has its roots in the early days of pen-and-paper role-playing games. The concept is largely the same, but dungeon masters didn’t have all the intricate tools they do today. Instead of having apps, rule books or other fancy equipment, everything was planned out and carefully noted using a pen and many reams of paper. Each player had to keep track of their character’s statistics, inventory and plot using this method.
The concept was launched in 1974 and designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Taking inspiration from miniature wargames, the pair devised a tabletop game that uses individual characters instead of military formations. For a more immersive experience, the game includes several accessories , such as small-scale monsters, dungeons and passages, and non-player characters to interact with.
At the beginning of the 2000s, D and D became so popular that an estimated 20 million people played at least one game, and it had over $1 billion in book and equipment sales worldwide. The current version of the “Player’s Handbook” is in the fifth edition, with revised editions of it, the “Monster Manual” and the “Dungeon Master’s Guide” set to be available in 2024.
Everything you need to start your Dungeons and Dragons campaign
“The Game Master’s Book of Traps, Puzzles and Dungeons”
This book is an essential addition to any dungeon master’s arsenal. It’s packed full of challenging riddles, puzzles, spiked pits, and Rube Goldberg-style death traps to make any game session an epic adventure. It features 60 traps and 50 modular dungeon chambers and comes with top-down location maps and three one-shot adventures.
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Dungeons and Dragons: Adventure Begins Cooperative Board Game
This is a great starting point for anybody who isn’t familiar with the D and D concept. The fantasy board game is best suited for two to four players and tasks them to work together as they journey through the lands of Neverwinter. It comes with four plastic mini-figures, four dungeon boards and four adventure decks.
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Tidyboss D and D Starter Set Battle Game Mat
These game mats are perfect for dungeon masters who enjoy planning their own environments. They don’t crease as others do, and the four straightening clips let you flatten your mat instantly. The set includes six terrains that are easily marked out with dry erase markers. It comes with multi-sided dice, an eraser and four markers.
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Wildspire Heroes, Animals and Troll Miniatures for D and D
Having a battle mat and dungeons is great, but there is nothing better for injecting visual representations into a game than miniatures. These 29 figurines are ready to be painted as you wish and include several 1-inch animals, monsters and props. The set comes with a digital file that includes 18 mini-quests, custom artwork and maps.
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Dungeons and Dragons Core Rulebooks Gift Set
This is perfect for anybody who wants to be a dungeon master, with special foil cover editions of the “Players Handbook,” “Dungeon Master’s Guide” and “Monster Manual.” It also comes with a dungeon master’s screen and slipcase for easy carrying.
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Spelljammer: Adventures in Space (D and D Campaign Collection)
This collection has everything a dungeon master needs to run a successful adventure. It includes the “Light of Xaryxis” adventure book, the “Astral Adventurer’s Guide” setting book, “Boo’s Astral Menagerie” book of monsters, a double-sided poster map of the Rock of Bral and a dungeon master’s screen.
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QMay D and D Dice Set 42 Pieces
No Dungeons and Dragons game is complete without a set of durable, high-quality dice. This 42-piece set consists of six double-color polyhedral dice sets with easy-to-read numbers on each surface. It comes with six drawstring bags with different patterns on each.
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The Deck of Many Things & The Deck of Many Fates
These 49 hand-illustrated cards make for the perfect addition to any tabletop adventure. The Deck of Many Things cards contain a game-changing effect, while the Deck of Many Fates has new powers, curses or opportunities. The cards come in a cardboard box.
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It can be challenging for players and the dungeon master to track who is wounded, cursed or exhausted. These 96 condition rings make that easy, as each player’s status is color-coded and indicated with text. The rings are made from hard plastic and have a 1-inch-diameter hole in the center.
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Forged Dice Co. Draco Castle Foldable Dice Tray and Dice Tower
A great dungeon master has a great set of dice, and this is the perfect accessory to show you mean business. The 8-inch dice tower resembles an ancient castle with three levels inside, giving your polyhedral dice excellent rolls before landing in the tray. It’s made of faux leather and felt and folds up into a neat square.
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | 2022-12-29T14:48:19+00:00 | wdtn.com | https://www.wdtn.com/reviews/br/toys-games-br/hobby-collectibles-br/everything-you-need-to-start-your-dungeons-and-dragons-campaign/ |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Actor Anne Heche died from inhalation injury and burns after her fiery car crash and the death was ruled an accident, according to coroner's results released Wednesday.
Heche, 53, also had a fractured sternum caused by “blunt trauma," according to information on the website of the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner.
A full autopsy report was still being completed, the coroner's office said.
The Emmy-winning film and television actor was removed from life support Sunday at a burn center. She was injured when her car jumped a curb and smashed into a West Los Angeles home on Aug. 5. The car and the home burst into flames. Only Heche was injured.
Heche suffered a “severe anoxic brain injury” caused by a lack of oxygen, according to a statement released last week on behalf of her family and friends.
She was declared brain-dead but was kept on life support until her organs could be donated.
Detectives looking into the crash had said narcotics were found in a blood sample taken from Heche. However, police ended their investigation after she was declared brain-dead.
The coroner’s office listed Aug. 11 as her date of death.
Heche first came to prominence on the NBC soap opera “Another World” in the late 1980s before becoming one of the hottest stars in Hollywood in the late 1990s. She was a constant on magazine covers and in big-budget films opposite actors including Johnny Depp and Harrison Ford. | 2022-08-18T00:14:40+00:00 | seattlepi.com | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Anne-Heche-s-death-ruled-accidental-after-fiery-17380626.php |
Let's get to work! Here are 8 Valley companies hiring NOW!
For more jobs resources, visit our Virtual Job Fair at abc15.com/JobFair.
1. ONE Community, a statewide business coalition, is hosting a free virtual career fair for area job seekers. The Virtual Diversity Career Expo connects those looking for a job with top companies who value diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within their companies. Locally and nationally recognized companies registered to take part in the Expo include a variety of organizations in the tourism/hospitality sector, as well as healthcare, technology and more. More than 25 employers are registered to take part. Job seekers can submit their resume directly online prior to the event and speak with employers directly during the Expo through private, one-on-one chats and interviews on the day of the virtual event. Last year, several hundred high quality jobs were available through the Expo. Find your next career by signing up to take part in this marquee virtual event here!
2. Are you an out-of-the-box thinker with an insatiable zest for learning, a passion for helping people, and unmatched problem-solving abilities? Desert Financial is currently hiring for Customer Service, Technology, Mortgage Loan Officers, and more at their Phoenix office locations. When you join the Desert Financial team, you’ll play an integral role in the community, united by shared values and common goals. Desert Financial was recently named a Phoenix Business Journal Best Places to Work and one of Arizona’s Most Admired Companies. Learn more about Desert Financial and apply here.
3. Workiva is a 2021 Fortune Best Workplaces in Technology and they're hiring in Arizona! Workiva's culture of diversity and inclusion increases employee engagement, empowerment, and satisfaction. A career with Workiva includes award-winning perks and benefits like paid time off, parental leave, volunteer time off, health and wellness perks and more! Grow your career with this award-winning technology company by exploring open careers today. Now hiring for Engineers, Accountants, Analysts, Sales, and more. Get the details here.
4. Recruit Military is holding a Job Fair for Valley veterans on June 9th at State Farm Stadium. Positions include government, transportation, cyber security and more. Register online here.
5. Door Sales & Installations is hiring. This door and trim company has openings for Trim Carpenter, Estimator of Trim Carpentry, and Foreman. Positions are in Maricopa County, Tempe, and Pima County – Tucson area. For more information and to apply online click here.
6. Upgrade is a fintech unicorn founded in 2017. In 2021 they became the fastest-growing company in the Americas (Financial Times) and had the fastest growing credit card in America (Nilson Report). Upgrade has been named a “Best Place to Work in the Bay Area” three years in a row, one of the “Top Companies to work for in Arizona” two years in a row, and has received awards for being a best company for Diversity, Women, Culture, and Veterans. Upgrade has been growing the Downtown Phoenix Service Center where they deliver the mission of affordable credit to their customers. They offer competitive pay, fully paid benefits, 401k matching, stock options, and incredible growth and learning potential. Upgrade is hiring for a wide variety of Customer Service, Underwriting, and Operations positions. Learn more about Upgrade and apply here.
7. Build a lucrative and lasting career with Freedom Financial Network recently named the #1 Best Places to Work in the valley! Freedom Financial Network knows more diversity brings more value to their business, which is why they are driven to add talent from every background to their team. Freedom is hiring immediately for Sales, Customer Service roles and more at their Tempe office. If you are driven to help improve the financial lives of those around the country, check out openings with Freedom Financial today here!
8. Do you want to work hard for a mission that matters? Axon is on a mission to protect life. Working for Axon, you’ll be motivated to work on projects you believe in and have the support of your colleagues who will empower you to make change. Even Better? You don’t have to give up your work-life balance when starting your career at Axon, with benefits like parental leave, gym and fitness discounts, and discretionary PTO you can keep a balanced healthy life. Axon was recently named a 2021 Top Workplaces by azcentral. Axon is now hiring for remote roles in Sales, Engineering, and more. Check out their open positions here and apply today. | 2022-06-03T16:38:55+00:00 | abc15.com | https://www.abc15.com/news/rebound/hiring-during-coronavirus/now-hiring-8-valley-companies-hiring-now-06-05 |
SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — A police officer shot and wounded an armed man during a weekend traffic stop in Southern California, authorities said.
The 20-year-old motorist was pulled over around 7 p.m. Friday in Santa Ana, the city's police department said in a statement.
“During the traffic stop, officers encountered a subject armed with a handgun and an officer-involved shooting occurred,” the statement said.
The driver was shot in his lower and upper torso, officials said. It wasn't clear whether he had reached for a weapon or fired at officers.
A gun was recovered from the vehicle but police didn't immediately say if it belonged to the driver or his 30-year-old male passenger.
The passenger was arrested on suspicion of weapons violations, the Orange County Register reported Saturday.
Neither the passenger nor the officers were injured, according to the statement.
The investigation was ongoing. | 2023-04-09T19:11:56+00:00 | sfgate.com | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/police-man-shot-by-officer-at-traffic-stop-was-17887328.php |
Mercedes-Benz’s design chief, Gorden Wagener, took to social media last week to post a teaser photo of what’s described as the first virtual concept from the automaker.
The concept is covered in a semi-transparent shroud and appears to be a coupe. The wheels also appear to be partially concealed, which may or may not be a nod to Audi’s RSQ concept from 2004, whose proportions are strikingly similar to the Mercedes.
While the Audi RSQ appeared in the 2004 sci-fi film “I, Robot,” Mercedes’ concept is tied with the 2022 “League of Legends” World Championship video game tournament, though in what capacity remains uncertain.
We should have more details soon as the “League of Legends” World Championship, an esports competition, kicks off on Sept. 29.
Mercedes since 2020 has been the exclusive automotive partner of the video game publisher Riot Games, and in 2021 Wagener and his team designed the championship ring for the “League of Legends” Championship. The ring features tiny Mercedes stars, as well as a synthetic diamond made from CO2 captured from the atmosphere.
“Winning the hearts of gaming fans is an exciting challenge,” Britta Seeger, Mercedes’ head of sales and marketing, said in a statement. “Together with Riot Games we are in the best condition to inspire the community and to successfully shape the future of esports.”
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- Renault revives the R5 Turbo with an electric twist | 2022-09-26T22:12:54+00:00 | nwahomepage.com | https://www.nwahomepage.com/automotive/internet-brands/mercedes-benz-teases-concept-designed-for-virtual-world/ |
Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is looking to stage a comeback as Israelis head to polls in their fifth election in less than four years.
Here & Now‘s Robin Young speaks with NPR’s Daniel Estrin in Jerusalem.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2022-11-01T20:38:28+00:00 | kgou.org | https://www.kgou.org/2022-11-01/israel-votes-in-fifth-election-in-less-than-four-years |
(Motor Authority) — Continental is looking at trash heaps and recycling bins to find sustainable materials for future tires.
The company hopes to make all of its tires entirely from sustainable materials by 2050 at the latest, up from 15% to 20% renewable or recycled content today. In a press release, Continental explained how it’s looking at agricultural waste like rice husks and dandelions, as well as recycled plastic bottles, to help achieve that goal.
A passenger car tire can be composed of up to 100 different materials, according to Continental, and one of the most important is natural rubber, which the company said accounts for 10% to 40% of the weight of a modern tire.
Tire manufacturers are looking for alternative sources of natural rubber that can be more sustainably grown on an industrial scale, as Bridgestone has done by using a desert shrub called guayule in some racing tires. Continental aims to use specially cultivated dandelions as a source of natural rubber.
Continental is also developing silica tire fillers made from the ash of rice husks, waste material that can’t be used for food or animal feed, the company noted. The process of turning them into silica is also more energy efficient than conventional production processes, Continental claims.
Other tire fillers are currently made from crude oil, but Continental believes plant-based rapeseed oils and resins made from the leftovers of paper and wood processing could serve as substitutes. As with rice husks, these are waste materials that have no other practical use, the company said.
Carbon black is another major ingredient, and in this case Continental wants to recycle old tires to recover the material. It recently signed an agreement with Pyrum Innovations to use the latter’s pyrolysis process, which involves using high heat to break down old tires to extract usable material. Continental is also using “mechanical processing” to separate out other materials, including rubber, steel, and textile, from old tires.
Another recycled material Continental wants to make use of is PET plastic from drink bottles, which can be made into polyester yarn for tire casings. Between nine and 15 bottles can go into each tire, depending on tire size, according to Continental.
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- Google Maps update includes EV charging integration
Other tire manufacturers are also looking to make their products more environmentally friendly. Goodyear in January showed a prototype tire containing 90% sustainable materials, and plans to start making tires with 70% sustainable materials this year. Michelin and Hyundai have also partnered on sustainable materials for future EV tires. | 2023-02-18T15:43:29+00:00 | siouxlandproud.com | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/automotive/continental-developing-tires-made-from-rubber-rice-husks-and-plastic-bottles/ |
Trump grand jury poised to take pre-planned hiatus from case
NEW YORK (AP) — The Manhattan grand jury investigating hush money paid on Donald Trump’s behalf is scheduled to consider other matters next week before taking a previously scheduled two-week hiatus, a person familiar with the matter said Wednesday. That means a vote on whether or not to indict the former president likely wouldn’t come until late April at the earliest.
The break, which was scheduled in advance when the panel was convened in January, coincides with Passover, Easter and spring break for the New York City public school system.
The person who confirmed the grand jury’s schedule was not authorized to speak publicly about secretive grand jury proceedings and did so on condition of anonymity. A message left with the district attorney’s office was not immediately returned.
In a statement released through a lawyer, Trump said: “I HAVE GAINED SO MUCH RESPECT FOR THIS GRAND JURY.”
The grand jury has been meeting regularly Monday and Wednesday afternoons. It met Monday and a longtime Trump friend and potential key witness in the investigation was seen leaving the building where the grand jury has been meeting. The grand jury was not scheduled to meet Wednesday.
News earlier this month that Trump had been invited to appear before the grand jury fueled widespread speculation that an indictment would soon be forthcoming. Trump himself added to that anticipation with a post on his social media platform saying that he expected to be arrested soon, though his representatives later said that they had not received any such indication from prosecutors.
But the district attorney’s office has made no public statements on the timing of any possible indictments, continuing its work in secret over the last two weeks. On March 20, the grand jury heard from a witness favorable to Trump.
People familiar with how grand jury processes typically unfold cautioned that the schedule could change and that prosecutors could still ask jurors to consider charges or vote on an indictment on one of the days they’re expected to meet on other matters.
Few people — Manhattan District Alvin Bragg and the prosecutors in charge of the grand jury investigation — know precisely how the grand jury investigation is proceeding and at what pace. They control when witnesses are called to testify and will be the ones deciding whether, and when, to seek an indictment.
Since Trump’s March 18 post, authorities ratcheted up security, deploying additional police officers, lining the streets around the courthouse with barricades and dispatching bomb-sniffing dogs.
They’ve also had to respond to myriad threats, including bomb and death threats, a suspicious powder scare and a protester who was arrested Tuesday after witnesses say she pulling a knife on passersby outside the courthouse.
The grand jury is investigating money paid during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign to two women who alleged that they had extramarital sexual encounters with him. Trump has denied the allegations.
Trump’s former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen, who has testified as a key prosecution witness, paid porn actress Stormy Daniels $130,000 through a shell company he set up and was then reimbursed by Trump, whose company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses.
Earlier in 2016, Cohen also arranged for former Playboy model Karen McDougal to be paid $150,000 by the publisher of the supermarket tabloid the National Enquirer, which squelched her story in a journalistically dubious practice known as “catch-and-kill.”
Meanwhile, other Trump investigations have been busily proceeding with crucial wins for prosecutors.
A Trump lawyer appeared last week before a federal grand jury in Washington investigating Trump’s possible mishandling of classified documents after prosecutors were able to persuade a judge they had evidence that the former president was using his legal representation in furtherance of a crime.
And a judge has also ruled that former Vice President Mike Pence must provide some grand jury testimony in a separate investigation into efforts by Trump and his allies to undo the results of the 2020 presidential election.
If the Manhattan grand jury’s schedule holds, that panel wouldn’t return to the Trump matter until April 24. That’s five days after Trump’s longtime finance chief Allen Weisselberg is slated to be released from jail for his role in a unrelated tax fraud scheme involving fringe benefits from Trump’s company.
Weisselberg made key decisions in how Trump and his Trump Organization kept their books, and Cohen alleges he was involved in the hush-money arrangements, but Weisselberg does not appear to be cooperating with the grand jury investigation.
Meanwhile, a former magazine columnist’s rape lawsuit against Trump is set to go to trial April 25 at a federal courthouse steps away from where the hush-money grand jury has been meeting. Both Trump and rape accuser E. Jean Carroll are expected to testify in the civil trial.
She alleges he raped her in a luxury department store dressing room in the mid-1990s. He denies it and says he had no idea who she was before she went public with the allegation in 2019.
The AP does not identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted unless they come forward publicly.
__ Associated Press reporters Jennifer Peltz and Eric Tucker contributed to this report. __ Follow Michael Sisak on Twitter at twitter.com/mikesisak. Send confidential tips by visiting https://www.ap.org/tips/.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2023-03-29T19:19:38+00:00 | wbrc.com | https://www.wbrc.com/2023/03/29/trump-grand-jury-poised-take-pre-planned-hiatus-case/ |
DA Krasner sues to stop lawmakers from removing him
HARRISBURG - Philadelphia's elected prosecutor asked a state court Friday to halt a Republican-led effort to remove him from office, arguing that the process ended when the Legislature's two-year session ran out earlier in the week.
District Attorney Larry Krasner, a Democrat, wants Commonwealth Court to declare that the General Assembly lacks constitutional authority to remove local officials like him — as opposed to state officials — and that the claims against him do not amount to the "misbehavior in office" required for impeachment.
Philadelphia, not the state House or Senate, has oversight over potential impeachment and removal of its district attorney, the lawsuit claims.
Krasner sued the Senate's top-ranking Republican, Sen. Kim Ward of Westmoreland County, unnamed members of the Senate committee that will oversee the case and the three impeachment managers designated by the House of Representatives.
"Never before has the legislature exercised its power to impeach and remove someone duly elected twice for things that do not come close to a crime," Krasner's lawyers told the court. "And never before has the statewide legislature exercised its power to impeach a locally elected officer like District Attorney Krasner."
Ward’s spokesperson, Erica Clayton Wright, said Friday that the filing was under review and a response will be made "once we have had time to evaluate the case." Clayton Wright has previously said congressional impeachment proceedings have spanned more than one legislative session.
The state House voted on nearly party lines to impeach Krasner on Nov. 16, sending the matter to the state Senate for trial next month. Removal will require support from two-thirds of senators, a tall order in the politically divided chamber.
All but one of the House Republicans voted in favor of impeachment, a move driven by opposition to the progressive policies Krasner has pursued during a time of rising violent crime in the city. All Democrats voted against it.
Krasner was overwhelmingly reelected by Philadelphia voters last year and is not accused of breaking the law.
The argument for his removal includes his failure to prosecute some minor crimes and his bail request policies, criticism of his management of the DA's office and reports his office did not properly notify crime victims about developments in some cases. House Republicans also assert that Krasner obstructed the House investigation.
Krasner has called the move a "drastic remedy" that lacks "a single shred of evidence connecting our policies to any uptick in crime."
Democrats said lawmakers have only removed two officials — both of them judges — through impeachment: the first a county judge in 1811 and then state Supreme Court Justice Rolf Larsen in 1994.
Larsen was impeached after the state Supreme Court had removed him from the bench following a felony conviction, Krasner's lawyers wrote.
"Here, the District Attorney of Philadelphia has been impeached by a lame-duck House based primarily on policy disagreements, which could not be more different than the criminal conduct at issue" in Larsen's case, they wrote.
Last month, Republican House Speaker Bryan Cutler of Lancaster County named Republican Reps. Tim Bonner of Mercer County and Craig Williams of Delaware County, and Democratic Rep. Jared Solomon of Philadelphia, to manage the Senate trial. Solomon voted against impeachment.
Williams said the filings were expected. "If I were him, I'd be quite concerned, too," he said.
Solomon said Friday that he has not read the filings and that he is involved to ensure fairness.
"This is an attempt by Trump-style Republicans to once again blow out the votes of residents in Philadelphia," Solomon said from New York, where he was attending the annual Pennsylvania Society political event. "If it can happen in Philadelphia, it can happen in any one of our 67 counties. We need to protect democracy and that's what I’m in the room to do."
Bonner said he had not reviewed the filing and so declined to comment.
The Senate has given Krasner until Dec. 21 to file an answer, and the trial is set to start Jan. 18. The GOP won a 28-22 Senate majority last month, although one Republican has since resigned. | 2022-12-03T02:52:42+00:00 | fox29.com | https://www.fox29.com/news/da-krasner-sues-to-stop-lawmakers-from-removing-him |
Two people were killed on one was in critical condition after a head-on collision on Route 1 & 9 in Newark Sunday morning, authorities said.
The driver of one of the vehicles survived the 2:38 a.m. crash and was in critical condition at University Hospital in Newark, Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens II announced later on Sunday. The crash occurred at mile marker 49.6, opposite Newark Liberty International Airport.
A passenger in the same car and the driver of another car were killed in the crash, the announcement stated. The office did not identify the victims, nor announce any charges.
A law enforcement source said that, according to witness statements and video of the crash, the car with two occupants was headed south in the northbound lanes of Route 1 & 9, when it collided head-on with a northbound car.
The southbound car was being driven by a 21-year-old woman, with a 20-year-old female in the passenger’s seat, while the northbound car was being driven by a 49-year-old Milburn man with no one else in the vehicle, the source said.
The source said passersby pulled the driver of the southbound car from the vehicle, but they could not save the passenger or the driver of the other car.
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Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com | 2023-04-03T00:44:06+00:00 | nj.com | https://www.nj.com/essex/2023/04/head-on-wrong-way-crash-kills-2-critically-injures-one-authorities-say.html |
Seventy percent of companies have increased their investment in internal mobility this year
SAN FRANCISCO, May 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lever, a leading Talent Acquisition Suite, recently partnered with Aptitude Research to conduct their latest report, Internal Mobility: Challenges, Strategies, and Technology, uncovering how the investment in internal mobility has changed, where responsibilities lie, challenges, and strategies. While almost three quarters of companies surveyed have increased investment in internal mobility this year, only less than a quarter (22%) plan to keep the same investment going into next year, but well over half (84%) of these companies are incorporating internal mobility in their talent acquisition strategy moving forward.
With companies using more internal mobility tactics during The Great Resignation, recent estimates suggest that managers can expect to receive an average of 10 internal applications for every open job, meaning that 9 employees — 10 if hiring an external candidate — hear "no" each time a job is posted. This same research indicates that rejected internal candidates are nearly two times as likely to leave their organizations, compared to those who were either hired for an internal job or had not applied for a new job at all [1].
"The amount of lost productivity, combined with the costs of finding replacements for these employees and length of time to hire can be substantial," said Nate Smith, CEO and founder of Lever. "There are many benefits to offering jobs to internal candidates that companies tend to overlook - these are more meaningful opportunities and deeper insights into talent while supporting broader talent acquisition goals."
The report revealed that technology alone will not fix internal mobility, as internal mobility's key to success is the company itself. While technology can assist with components of internal mobility, companies should start with ensuring their processes, communication, and company culture are set up for success. One in two companies have higher turnover this year than last year, and well over half (70%) of companies believe that employee burnout has increased this year. Given the competitive candidate market, employees have greater demands, greater expectations, and a greater influence over their employers, and employers need to keep this in mind while deploying internal mobility strategies.
"We found that key drivers forcing companies to prioritize internal mobility has become a critical part of Talent Acquisition teams' responsibility," said Madeline Laurano, Founder, Aptitude Research. "Internal mobility needs to be seen as high reward and less work; the future of internal mobility and a company's success is dependent on companies embracing a strategy for both internal and external candidates, personalizing these communications, and better leveraging technology to increase business results."
Additional findings from the report include:
The Main Gap for Internal Mobility Success is Communication
- Slightly over a quarter (26%) of companies personalize communication to internal candidates and 55% of internal candidates go through the same interview process as external candidates.
- Only one out of two companies personalize feedback and learning opportunities for internal candidates.
- Under half (37%), state that internal and external candidates have the same apply process.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Impact on Internal Mobility
- More than four out of five companies (85%) stated that DEI is impacted by internal mobility.
- Barely a quarter (23%) of companies believe that internal mobility efforts may hurt DEI initiatives because their organization lacks diverse talent, while 58% of companies believe it will strengthen DEI initiatives.
Lack of Manager Support for Internal Mobility
- Nearly half (50%) of companies surveyed stated that their top challenge to internal mobility is the lack of manager support.
- Over a quarter (30%) of companies stated that managers make it difficult for internal candidates to apply for a job and 27% stated that they do not have the support they need to hire internal candidates when asked why companies are not incorporating internal mobility into their talent acquisition strategies.
To download the full Report, see here.
[1] Research: Why rejected internal candidates end up quitting. Harvard Business Review. (2021, September 17). Retrieved 2022, from https://hbr.org/2021/07/research-why-rejected-internal-candidates-end-up-quitting.
About Lever
Lever is a leading Talent Acquisition Suite that makes it easy for talent teams to reach their hiring goals and to connect companies with top talent. Lever is the only platform that provides all talent acquisition leaders with complete ATS and robust CRM capabilities in one product, LeverTRM. The Lever Hire and Lever Nurture features allow leaders to scale and grow their people pipeline, build authentic and long-lasting relationships, and source the right people to hire. Lever Analytics provides customized reports with data visualization, see offers completed and interview feedback, and more, to inform strategic decisions between hiring managers and executives alike.
Lever's platform also enables companies to hire with inclusivity in mind, helping eliminate any hiring bias. Lever supports the hiring needs of over 5,000 companies around the globe including the teams at Netflix, Spotify, Atlassian, KPMG, and Nielson. For more information, visit https://www.lever.co.
About Aptitude Research
Aptitude Research is a leading human capital management (HCM) research and advisory firm. Our in-depth research and vendor assessments help HR leaders develop a deep understanding of the HCM technology landscape, including talent acquisition and engagement, to ultimately make better purchase decisions.
Our flagship research, The Aptitude Index Report: Talent Acquisition Systems (2021), delivers a comprehensive look at talent acquisition trends and technology. This knowledge, combined with our consulting and advisory services, enables companies to save time, money and improve the recruiting, hiring and workforce management experience.
Founded by leading analyst Madeline Laurano and based in the Boston area, Aptitude Research provides a wealth of HCM expertise to companies, vendors and investors. View our recent and upcoming research at AptitudeResearch.com or connect with us on Twitter or LinkedIn.
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SOURCE Lever | 2022-05-05T17:40:48+00:00 | kcrg.com | https://www.kcrg.com/prnewswire/2022/05/05/lever-partners-with-aptitude-research-new-findings-state-internal-mobility/ |
PHOENIX (AP) — The sheriff in metropolitan Phoenix said Monday he's stepped up security around ballot drop boxes after a series of incidents involving people keeping watch on the boxes and taking video of voters after they were apparently inspired by lies about the 2020 election.
On Friday, deputies responded when two masked people carrying guns and wearing bulletproof vests showed up at a drop box in Mesa, a Phoenix suburb. The secretary of state said her office has received six cases of potential voter intimidation to the state attorney general and the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as a threatening email sent to the state elections director.
People watching the boxes and voters showing up to vote have covered their license plates, according to photos shared on social media.
“Every day I’m dedicating a considerable amount of resources just to give people confidence that they can cast a vote safely, and that is absurd,” Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone said during a news conference. Penzone said his office has referred two incidents to county prosecutors for potential criminal charges.
Fueled by former President Donald Trump's false claims of fraud in 2020 and the debunked film "2,000 Mules," drop boxes have become a hotbed for conspiracy theories alleging without evidence that people illegally collected and deposited ballots in them.
Election security experts and Trump's own national security and Justice Department officials said there was no fraud sufficient to alter the outcome of the 2020 election. Dozens of lawsuits filed after the election were rejected, many by Trump-appointed judges.
Arizona, the state with the smallest margin of victory for President Joe Biden two years ago, now has some of the highest-profile midterm races in the country, including a Senate race that could tip the balance of power in Congress.
“Uninformed vigilantes outside Maricopa County’s drop boxes are not increasing election integrity,” Stephen Richer, the Maricopa County recorder, and Bill Gates, chairman of the county board of supervisors, said in a joint statement over the weekend. “Instead they are leading to voter intimidation complaints.”
Richer and Gates are both Republicans.
Voters who filed with Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs allege they were filmed and in some cases followed by people keeping watch on drop boxes.
“As we were getting up to our car, two individuals took pictures of our license plate and our car,” one voter wrote. “I got out and asked what they were doing. They claimed they were taking pictures for ‘election security’ and I took pictures of them to report them to the DOJ for voter intimation and harassments.”
Asked at an unrelated event Monday whether he was concerned about reported intimidation in states like Arizona, and if the Justice Department would get involved, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the department has an obligation to “guarantee a free, fair vote by everyone who is qualified to vote, and will not permit voters to be intimidated.”
A group of drop box watchers seen filming a drop box in Maricopa County last week told a local reporter they were with Clean Elections USA, a group that is gathering teams to watch drop boxes in several states this midterm season.
The group’s founder, Melody Jennings, said in a podcast interview last month that she wants 10 volunteers videotaping drop boxes nationwide, in shifts, day and night.
Jennings said that she wants volunteers to keep their distance from drop boxes and abide by local laws. But she added that they should sit in a visible place to act as a “human shield” that deters potential ballot “mules” from coming to drop boxes.
There’s no evidence for the notion that a network of Democrat-associated ballot “mules” has conspired to collect and deliver ballots to drop boxes, despite claims made in a film about the 2020 election.
Two left-leaning advocacy groups filed a lawsuit Monday against Clean Elections USA alleging the group's ballot watching activities violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871. The Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans and Voto Latino are asking the U.S. District Court in Phoenix to ban the group from gathering within site of drop boxes and filming voters.
Arizona state Sen. Kelly Townsend, who earlier this year praised and encouraged “all you vigilantes that want to camp out at these drop boxes,” wrote on Twitter Monday that wearing tactical gear while watching drop boxes “could be considered voter intimidation.”
“Don’t do it,” Townsend wrote.
Penzone, the sheriff, implored people to respect everyone’s right to vote and leave it to law enforcement officers to investigate suspected violations of the law. He said the intense focus on securing elections has pulled resources away from investigating crimes.
“But we’ll come and we’ll babysit polling sites because people have to misbehave if that’s what we have to do to protect democracy,” said Penzone, a Democrat.
___
Associated Press writers Eric Tucker in Washington and Ali Swenson in New York contributed to this report. | 2022-10-25T01:26:58+00:00 | daytondailynews.com | https://www.daytondailynews.com/nation-world/arizona-sheriff-steps-up-security-around-ballot-drop-boxes/5KBEZYEICNEPPNL52MS65YV6PY/ |
ASHA Stresses Effectiveness of Early Intervention for Communication Disorders
ROCKVILLE, Md., May 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A new national poll of audiologists and speech-language pathologists who work with children ages birth to 5 years reveals that most respondents have experienced an increase in referrals for concerns about hearing, speech, and language delays or disorders over the past 2 years—a time marked by pandemic-related transformations in the lives of many young children. The poll was conducted by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), which is releasing its results today as Better Hearing and Speech Month begins.
Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9121551-asha-poll-shows-hearing-speech-language-referral-increases-more-communication-challenges-in-young-children/
"In addition to more requests for evaluations, our members have seen an increasing number of children with behavioral, social, and language difficulties—as well as more children with hearing loss that has gone undetected," said 2023 ASHA President Robert Augustine, PhD, CCC-SLP. "However, we want to assure families that if they have concerns about their child's communication skills, help at any stage can be extremely effective—and they should seek an evaluation as soon as possible."
Fielded this past winter, the poll of roughly 1,000 ASHA member audiologists and speech-language pathologists shows that backlogs of children who weren't referred to them during stay-at-home periods, or whose families waited to seek help due to concerns about virus exposure, are a major factor in the increase. Three-quarters (75%) of audiologists and 62% of speech-language pathologists reported such backlogs. Other pandemic-related trends that these professionals report include the following:
- Among audiologists, 34% report seeing more children with a delayed diagnosis of hearing loss, and 36% report more children with untreated (persistent) ear infections that could interfere with communication development, compared with before the pandemic.
- Among speech-language pathologists, 84% report more children with emotional or behavioral difficulties, 79% report more children with delayed language or diagnosed language disorders, and 78% report more children with social communication difficulties than before the pandemic.
- When it comes to factors contributing to increases in referrals beyond backlogs, audiologists and speech-language pathologists point to limited opportunities for social interaction and play with peers (59%); limited formal pre-K and daycare or interaction with outside adults (57%) such as child care providers, preschool teachers, and extended family; and young children (51%) spending more time using screens and technology such as tablets and smartphones compared with pre-pandemic years.
Continued Need for Early Identification, Intervention
The findings come as ASHA's Identify the Signs public education campaign, which informs families of the early signs of communication disorders and the benefits of early intervention, marks its 10th anniversary. The audiologists and speech-language pathologists who were polled reported progress in this regard: 67% said parental awareness of the early warning signs of communication disorders has improved during the past decade. A majority (71%) said that most families with young children are at least "somewhat" aware of the importance of early detection of speech, language, and hearing difficulties when families first see them.
However, much room for improvement remains. ASHA's poll also found the following:
- Lack of awareness of the early signs of disorders remains the leading factor hindering parents and caregivers from taking action on communication disorders in young children.
- Less than one quarter (21%) of audiologists say that most parents know the early warning signs of hearing disorders—and only 28% of speech-language pathologists say that most parents know the early warning signs of speech-language disorders.
- About 40% of audiologists indicated that, on average, symptoms of hearing loss in young children go unrecognized by parents/caregivers for 6 months to 1 year. About 41% of speech-language pathologists indicated that, on average, symptoms of a speech-language delay or disorder in young children go unrecognized by parents/caregivers for 1–2 years.
- Even after noticing signs, families often delay seeking help. Nearly half (48%) of audiologists indicated that, on average, parents/caregivers wait 6 months to 1 year after observing symptoms of hearing loss in their children before acting. The same percentage (48%) of speech-language pathologists indicated that, on average, parents/caregivers wait 6 months to 1 year after observing symptoms of a speech-language delay or disorder to get help.
According to Augustine: "It's important for parents to be aware of the signs, and to really trust their intuition and seek out an evaluation from a certified audiologist or speech-language pathologist, should they have questions. The earlier we are able to intervene, the more successful the outcomes generally are for children."
What Families Can Do
ASHA recommends that families do the following:
Learn the signs of communication disorders. Families can visit the Identify the Signs website to see signs of disorders by age.
Connect with early intervention or a private clinician if you have concerns. Families don't need a referral from a pediatrician to connect with their early intervention program. Find contacts by state at this link: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/parents/states.html. Access a searchable database of private providers at www.asha.org/profind.
Focus on daily interactions with your child. Talking, singing, playing, and reading books together are simple yet immensely effective ways to boost communication and social skills. These activities actually build a child's brain. Birth to 3 years is a time when the brain is most adaptable, but these activities are crucial beyond that period. Limit recreational screen time when possible.
Visit www.IdentifytheSigns.org to learn more about communication disorders.
Media Contact:
Francine Pierson
FPierson@asha.org
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SOURCE American Speech-Language-Hearing Association | 2023-05-01T13:02:39+00:00 | kcrg.com | https://www.kcrg.com/prnewswire/2023/05/01/poll-shows-increases-hearing-speech-language-referrals-more-communication-challenges-young-children/ |
CHICAGO, Aug. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nine organizations are joining forces to present the second annual ILD Day on Wednesday, Sept. 14, to drive awareness of interstitial lung disease (ILD).
There are over 200 causes of ILD, which is characterized by inflammation and/or scarring in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe and get oxygen to the bloodstream.
There are more than 50,000 new cases of ILD diagnosed annually in the U.S., and more than 250,000 Americans are living with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and ILD. PF can be seen in many types of ILD and the damage caused by ILD can be irreversible and worsen over time.
"Awareness of ILD remains extremely low, and its symptoms are similar to other common illnesses, which makes it difficult to diagnose," said William T. Schmidt, president and CEO of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. "The goal of ILD Day is to expand the understanding of ILD among patients and healthcare providers, and to share resources and support for those who are living with the disease."
Symptoms and Risk Factors of ILD
The most common symptoms of ILD include shortness of breath, dry cough, and fatigue.
Causes of ILD include the use of certain medications, radiation to the chest, and environmental and occupational exposures. In addition, patients with some diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, myositis, including dermatomyositis and polymyositis (DM and PM), sarcoidosis and Sjögren's, may develop ILD. A specific form of ILD, namely idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), occurs in older individuals.
"We are proud to collaborate with eight healthcare organizations to educate at-risk patients about interstitial lung disease so those who experience symptoms can be diagnosed more quickly to receive proper care and treatment to manage their condition," added Schmidt.
Educational Webinar
An educational webinar hosted by internationally recognized ILD expert, Dr. Anna Podolanczuk, will be held at 12 p.m. CDT on Wednesday, Sept. 14. The presentation will focus on "Progressive Pulmonary Fibrosis: What Patients Need to Know," and provide information to help patients better understand the disease and its progression, its symptoms, and available treatments. Webinar registration is available here.
ILD Day is a collaboration between the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, Arthritis Foundation, Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research, The Myositis Association, PF Warriors, Scleroderma Foundation, Scleroderma Research Foundation, Sjögren's Foundation, and Wescoe Foundation for Pulmonary Fibrosis.
To register for the ILD Day webinar or for more information about ILD, visit www.ILDDay.org.
About ILD Day
ILD Day was created to drive awareness of interstitial lung disease (ILD) in 2021 and is recognized annually on the second Wednesday in September. It is presented by a collaboration of nine organizations representing patients affected by interstitial lung disease: Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, Arthritis Foundation, Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research, The Myositis Association, PF Warriors, Scleroderma Foundation, Scleroderma Research Foundation, Sjögren's Foundation, and Wescoe Foundation for Pulmonary Fibrosis. For more information, visit www.ILDDay.org.
About the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation
The mission of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation is to accelerate the development of new treatments and ultimately a cure for pulmonary fibrosis. Until this goal is achieved, the PFF is committed to advancing improved care of patients with PF and providing unequaled support and education resources for patients, caregivers, family members, and health care providers. The PFF has a three-star rating from Charity Navigator and is an accredited charity by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) Wise Giving Alliance. The Foundation has met all of the requirements of the National Health Council Standards of Excellence Certification Program® and has earned the Guidestar Platinum Seal of Transparency. For more information, visit pulmonaryfibrosis.org or call 844.TalkPFF (844.825.5733).
Contact: Anna Figy
L.C. Williams & Associates
312-565-4634
afigy@lcwa.com
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SOURCE The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation | 2022-08-24T15:35:18+00:00 | wafb.com | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/08/24/second-annual-ild-day-drive-awareness-interstitial-lung-disease-sept-14/ |
It’s official. The Big 12 Conference will be a 14-team league beginning on July 1, 2023.
Four teams – BYU, Central Florida, Cincinnati, and Houston – will join the conference next summer, giving the Big 12 its largest membership in the history of the league.
While we are still more than 12 full months away from that taking place, it’s never too early to get to know the new conference foes that West Virginia will be competing against.
First, let’s take a look at what the landscape of the Big 12 will look like once those four teams join.
As you can see, the Big 12’s footprint will be vast. It will be the farthest-stretching conference among the Power 5 by a long shot.
More than 2,300 miles separate Brigham Young and Central Florida, the two schools with the most distance between them in the league.
The 306-mile route from Morgantown to Cincinnati is a familiar one for WVU fans. West Virginia and the Bearcats squared off from 2005 to 2012 in the Big East.
The Mountaineers own an all-time record of 16-3-1 against the Bearcats on the gridiron.
Among the four schools joining the Big 12, Cincinnati not only has the most on-field history with West Virginia, but also is the closest program to the Mountaineers, geographically.
BYU, meanwhile, is the farthest away. More than 1,900 miles and multiple time zones separate Morgantown and Provo, Utah.
While Central Florida isn’t exactly a common opponent of the Mountaineers, Florida is familiar territory. Some of the best athletes in WVU history have come from the Sunshine State.
North Central Regional Airport (Clarksburg) is among the many airports in and around the Mountain State that offer frequent flights to Orlando.
The trip from WVU to UCF is 902 miles, which will be the third-shortest trip on West Virginia’s schedule. However, the trek from Morgantown to Houston will register as the third-longest for the Mountaineers.
Below is how far away each member of the Big 12 is from WVU’s campus.
Cincinnati – 306 miles
Iowa State – 862 miles
Central Florida – 902 miles
Kansas – 903 miles
Kansas State – 983 miles
Oklahoma State – 1,085 miles
Oklahoma – 1,138 miles
Texas – 1,205 miles
Texas Christian – 1,239 miles
Baylor – 1,297 miles
Houston – 1,320 miles
Texas Tech – 1,467 miles
Brigham Young – 1,930
Beginning in July of 2023, eight of WVU’s road opponents will require a journey of more than 1,000 miles.
That means that only five are located within that 1,000-mile threshold. However, for the first time since joining the Big 12, the Mountaineers will have an opponent that is under a five-hour drive away.
The Big 12 will continue to operate as a 10-team conference for the 2022-23 academic year. It will then be a 14-member league for up to two years, at which time Oklahoma and Texas will exit for the SEC.
West Virginia has been part of the Big 12 since 2012. | 2022-06-11T00:01:09+00:00 | wboy.com | https://www.wboy.com/goldandbluenation/mapping-out-the-new-makeup-of-the-big-12-conference/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — The pitch clock has sped up baseball as hoped — and it might be leading to more exciting endings, too.
A quarter of the way through Major League Baseball’s first season with the pitch timer, relief pitchers seem to be bearing the most stress from it, with save conversions dropping to 61.4% from 67.8% at a similar point last season.
The save percentage is near the bottom range of the past decade, which averaged 65.1%, MLB said Monday. The high was 70% in 2015 and the low 61% in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
“Whenever relievers are coming in, it’s mostly a stressful situation,” said Toronto Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano, whose time between pitches dropped from to 14.8 seconds from 20.5 last season. “It was nice before when you did have those extra few seconds.
“Now you’ve just got to get your thoughts together and go,” the 2022 All-Star added. “I haven’t noticed it too much but yeah, I guess in the times I’ve struggled, a couple extra seconds would have been nice.”
The average time of nine-inning games fell to 2 hours, 37 minutes from 3:05. That is on track to be the fastest since 1984 and would result in an everyday player being on the field about 80 fewer hours this season.
Batting average is up 14 percentage points for left-handed hitters and nine percentage points overall. Scoring has increased 8% and stolen bases are up 40%. The clock has caused an average of 0.72 violations per game.
Just over a quarter of the season had been played through Sunday, 610 of 2,430 scheduled games. There had been 307 saves in 500 save chances — a 10-year-high in opportunities.
Pitchers have 15 seconds to deliver a pitch with the bases empty and 20 seconds with runners on base, with a limit of two disengagements from the rubber per plate appearance.
“I think back-end relievers, guys that have closed in the past, I think that’s been the biggest adjustment for them, just because they can’t reset,” Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said. “There’s so much adrenaline, the moment’s so big at that point.”
Starters have been impacted, too. Lucas Giolito of the Chicago White Sox has cut his time between pitches to 16.4 seconds from 20.7.
“It’s been useful for just like developing rhythm, not letting myself think too much and take too much time,” he said. “It’s like you’ve got to get the ball back and get it going and fire it. You can’t be overthinking.”
Other rules added for this season also seem to be having intended results, including a limit on infield shifts that requires two infielders on either side of second base and within the outer boundary of the infield, as well as an increase in the size of bases to 18-inch squares from 15-by-15.
The big league batting average of .247 was up from .236 at this point last season, when final average was .243. Offense usually increases in warmer summer months, and last year’s first month was plagued by unusually cold and wet weather in a significiant number of cities.
Left-handed batting average is up 14 points to .245, and there are more runs per game (9.1 from 8.4) and stolen bases per game (1.4 from 1.0).
The stolen base success rate of 78.4% was the highest on record, up from 74.1% at a similar point last year.
“Pace of play, pro. Dislike everything that leads to more stolen bases, hate that,” said Cleveland pitcher Shane Bieber, the 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner. “For myself, obviously, but for catchers, as well, it sucks. People look at the stolen base rate and go directly to catchers, but there’s so much more that goes into it.”
Of 437 timer violations, 287 were called on pitchers (65.7%), 126 on batters (28.8%) and five on catchers (1.1%).
San Diego’s Joe Musgrove leads pitchers with five violations, followed by Cincinnati’s Hunter Greene with four. Among batters, Boston’s Yu Chang, San Francisco’s J.D. Davis, Atlanta’s Eddie Rosario and Pittsburgh’s Carlos Santana are tied for the high of three apiece.
___
AP Baseball Writer Jay Cohen, AP Sports Writer Tom Withers and AP freelance writer Ian Harrison contributed to this report.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2023-05-16T19:17:04+00:00 | ourquadcities.com | https://www.ourquadcities.com/sports/mlbs-new-pitch-clock-may-be-leading-to-more-blown-saves/ |
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ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Thursday afternoon's drawing of the New York Lottery's "Win 4 Midday" game were:
1-5-3-2
(one, five, three, two)
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Thursday afternoon's drawing of the New York Lottery's "Win 4 Midday" game were:
1-5-3-2
(one, five, three, two) | 2022-05-12T19:53:36+00:00 | ourmidland.com | https://www.ourmidland.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Win-4-Midday-game-17168659.php |
Surgeon General proposes ways to improve worker and patient health – including stronger workplace violence protections – that largely align with a survey of Massachusetts nurses released in May 2022
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc on healthcare workers, staffing levels and patient care quality, executives often fail to listen to and support caregivers
CANTON, Mass., June 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- An advisory distributed by the U.S. Surgeon General sounding an alarm about the COVID-19 pandemic worsening healthcare worker burnout and offering a series of recommendations echoes the traumatic experiences shared by nurses in the "State of Nursing in Massachusetts" survey released for National Nurses Week in May.
The advisory presents recommendations that match many of the solutions proposed by the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), including stronger workplace violence protection, which the MNA and lawmakers on Beacon Hill have advocated for as part of legislation that has advanced in the House and Senate. Unfortunately, many of the recommendations from the Surgeon General and Massachusetts nurses have fallen on deaf ears in the executive suites and board rooms of the healthcare industry.
"The U.S. Surgeon General advisory on healthcare worker burnout highlights the trauma that has been inflicted on nurses and healthcare professionals by the COVID-19 crisis and the failure of healthcare executives to put people above profits," said Katie Murphy, a practicing ICU nurse and President of the MNA. "The MNA joins with the Surgeon General in calling for solutions to address our broken healthcare system, including empowering the voices of caregivers, and protecting the health and safety of healthcare workers."
"Unfortunately, still missing from the Surgeon General's advisory and the failed response of healthcare executives are enforceable staffing standards that decades of peer-reviewed research have shown to reduce burnout and improve patient care quality," Murphy said. "We hope the Surgeon General's advisory will spur action in Massachusetts and nationwide to address the exhaustion and moral injury felt by nurses and healthcare workers who simply want to feel safe and supported while they pursue their passion."
The advisory, "Addressing Healthcare Worker Burnout: The U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory on Building a Thriving Health Workforce," states in its introduction:
"Health workers, including physicians, nurses, community and public health workers, nurse aides, among others, have long faced systemic challenges in the health care system even before the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to crisis levels of burnout. The pandemic further exacerbated burnout for health workers, with many risking and sacrificing their own lives in the service of others while responding to a public health crisis. Promoting the mental health and well-being of our nation's frontline health workers is a priority for the Biden-Harris Administration and a core objective of President Biden's national mental health strategy, within his Unity Agenda."
Many of the recommendations in the advisory align with priorities identified by the nurses and healthcare professionals of the MNA, and by the randomized survey of Massachusetts nurses conducted for "The State of Nursing in Massachusetts." This breakdown summarizes those areas of alignment and illustrates ways in which healthcare executives have failed to act.
Protecting Healthcare Workers from Violence and Infection
Surgeon General Advisory
- "Organizations, communities, and policies must prioritize protecting health workers from workplace violence and ensure that they have sufficient personal protective equipment."
- "In a national survey among health workers in mid-2021, eight out of 10 experienced at least one type of workplace violence during the pandemic, with two-thirds having been verbally threatened, and one-third of nurses reporting an increase in violence compared to the previous year."
State of Nursing in Massachusetts Survey
- There was an 11-point uptick in nurses calling violence a "major challenge" from 2021 to 2022 and a 16-point increase from 2019.
- 38% of nurses said workplace violence was such as challenge that it would impact their decision to leave the profession sooner.
- 37% of nurses said a lack of PPE was a major challenge during the pandemic.
Efforts of MNA Nurses and Healthcare Professionals
- On June 2, the day after a deadly shooting at a Tulsa hospital, Massachusetts lawmakers recommended that legislation filed on behalf of the MNA – An Act requiring health care employers to develop and implement programs to prevent workplace violence – be passed favorably out of committee and sent to House Ways and Means.
- The House bill is very similar to Senate legislation bearing the same name that lawmakers advanced to the Senate Ways and Means committee on March 31.
- The legislation, sponsored by Senator Joan Lovely and Representative Denise Garlick, would require healthcare employers to perform an annual safety risk assessment and, based on those findings, develop, and implement programs to minimize the danger of workplace violence to employees and patients.
- In addition, the legislation would provide time off for health care workers assaulted on the job to address legal issues, allow nurses and healthcare professionals to use their health care facility address instead of their home address to handle legal issues related to an assault, and require semiannual reporting of assaults on health care employees to District Attorneys.
- Following significant struggles with PPE availability and non-scientific PPE policies at Massachusetts healthcare facilities when the pandemic began, the MNA filed legislation that would require public reporting of PPE levels at healthcare facilities, and create a Joint Oversight Committee to determine the current personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies on hand at acute care hospitals and state-operated facilities to meet pre-crisis standards.
- The MNA is also advocating at the State House for a bill that would presume that any frontline healthcare worker who contracts COVID-19 acquired it at work. It would also prohibit employers from requiring healthcare workers to use their own sick time, vacation time or other PTO to quarantine, treat or recover from COVID-19.
Healthcare Executives' Failed Response
- For many years, Massachusetts healthcare executives have pushed back against efforts to require a rigorous, consistent, and employee-informed standard to prevent workplace violence.
- Without strengthened protections, healthcare workers have suffered from an epidemic of violence which has only worsened during the pandemic:
- Last October, WBUR reported that two to three Massachusetts General Hospital nurses are assaulted every day.
- In July 2021, a Lowell General Hospital nurse was severely assaulted in the emergency department, hit in the head with a fire extinguisher by a patient. Two months later, WHDH reported on a "troubling rise in patient violence" in Massachusetts emergency departments.
- PPE decisions by healthcare executives and the government, especially during the first months of the pandemic, have been a well-documented failure:
- Boston Herald, March 31, 2020: "Coronavirus in Massachusetts: Nurses 'deeply disturbed' by PPE protocols outlined in memo from state."
- Boston Globe, April 30, 2020: "Mass. nurses union balks at reused face masks"
- Boston 25, May 13, 2020: "Mass. nurses saying no to decontaminated masks"
- Boston.com, May 27, 2020: "Nurses union calls out Steward Health Care for donating PPE amid apparent shortages for hospital staff"
- WBUR, June 16, 2020: "Nurses Renew Calls To Stop Cleaning, Reusing N95 Masks"
- Boston Globe, June 21, 2020: "'It's like pulling teeth': There's still a PPE shortage — and a second wave could send medical workers into crisis mode"
- Becker's Hospital Review, October 8, 2020: "FDA warns Battelle about mask sterilization system"
- CBS Boston, January 17, 2022: "I-Team: Mass General Brigham Nurses Concerned About Limited Supply Of N95 Masks."
- 51% of nurses in the State of Nursing in Massachusetts survey said their employer did a fair or poor job providing PPE.
- 68% of nurses said their employer did a fair or poor job helping with donning and doffing of PPE.
Burnout and Healthcare Workers
Surgeon General's Advisory
- "Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, health workers were experiencing alarming levels of burnout – broadly defined as a state of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low sense of personal accomplishment at work. Burnout can also be associated with mental health challenges such as anxiety and depression."
- In 2019, the National Academies of Medicine (NAM) reported that burnout had reached "crisis" levels, with up to 54% of nurses and physicians, and up to 60% of medical students and residents, suffering from burnout.
- The pandemic has since affected the mental health of health workers nationwide, with more than 50% of public health workers reporting symptoms of at least one mental health condition, such as anxiety, depression, and increased levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
State of Nursing in Massachusetts Survey
- 33% of MA RNs reported planning to leave nursing sooner than originally planned due to the stress of COVID. Among newer nurses with 0 to 5 years of experience, 37% are planning to leave sooner – the highest percentage of any experience group.
- Newer nurses, with five years or less of experience, are more likely to leave the profession now, with 25% this year saying they plan to leave nursing within two years, up from 18% in that experience range last year and 10% in 2019.
- Among nurses who said they will leave nursing sooner because of COVID, 99% said that they always or sometimes feel emotionally drained from work and 83% feel disengaged.
Healthcare Executives' Failed Response
- 59% of nurses in the State of Nursing survey reported a lack of hospital support with emotional challenges during COVID, up from 51% in March 2021. 79% of nurses planning to leave the profession reported this concern.
- Nurses across age ranges, facility types and geographical areas in Massachusetts have reported in the State of Nursing survey for years that understaffing and having too many patients to care for at one time has taken a toll on them physically and emotionally and has led to increasing problems with patient care quality.
Empowering Healthcare Workers
Surgeon General's Advisory
- "Transform workplace culture to empower health workers and be responsive to their voices and needs."
- "We can begin by listening to health workers and seek their involvement to improve processes, workflows, and organizational culture."
State of Nursing in Massachusetts Survey
- 73% of nurses said their employer did a fair or poor job of involving frontline staff in COVID planning/response.
Efforts of MNA Nurses and Healthcare Professionals
- The MNA represents more than 25,000 members working in 85 healthcare facilities, including 51 acute care hospitals, as well as a growing number of nurses and health professionals working in schools, visiting nurse associations, public health departments and state agencies.
- This number has increased by 2,000 in recent years as the demand for healthcare workers has grown and the MNA has responded to requests from nurses and healthcare professionals to help them join the union and advocate for themselves and patients.
- At the State House, the MNA has also advocated for various legislation that would require the state and healthcare employers to include the voices of union and non-union healthcare workers in decision-making, including around workplace violence, the preservation of essential services, and workforce development and patient safety.
Healthcare Executives' Failed Response
- Healthcare executives have dropped pizza off in the break room, left Hershey kisses on the nurses' station and published glossy advertisements thanking "healthcare heroes," but they have refused to give healthcare workers an equal seat at the table unless forced to by law or unionization.
- The MNA has requested healthcare employers voluntarily recognize nurses and healthcare professionals seeking to unionize at facilities like the Berkshire VNA and Milford Regional Medical Center, but the consistent response is no. Healthcare executives would rather spend money better spent on patient care to hire consultants to fight their employees' efforts to gain a stronger voice.
Staffing, Wages and Worker Support
Surgeon General Advisory
- "Provide living wages, paid sick and family leave, rest breaks, evaluation of workloads and working hours, educational debt support, and family-friendly policies including childcare and care for older adults for all health workers."
- "Ensure adequate staffing, including surge capacity for public health emergencies, that is representative of the communities they serve. This is critical to protect and sustain health workers and communities."
State of Nursing in Massachusetts Survey
- 55% of nurses in the survey said understaffing is the biggest obstacle to providing quality care, and particularly for newer nurses, with 68% of nurses with 0 to 5 years of experience saying understaffing is the biggest obstacle they face.
- The number of RNs who said they do not feel that they have enough time to provide patients with the care and attention each one needs jumped to a record high of 71%, up from 60% last year.
- This connects with an alarming finding from the survey: The percentage of nurses who said this year that the overall quality of care in Massachusetts hospitals has gotten worse (83%) is higher by nearly 30 points than any other year.
- Almost two-thirds (64%) of nurses said inadequate pay or benefits is a major challenge. This response is up from 48% reporting lack of pay or benefits in 2021 and 27% in 2019 – a 37-point increase in nurses having a concern about pay and benefits over three years.
- 55% of nurses planning to leave the profession sooner said separation from their families during COVID was a major challenge.
Efforts of MNA Nurses and Healthcare Professionals
- For decades, the MNA has advocated for safe staffing levels and enforceable patient limits at the local, state, and national level. The impact of how many patients a nurse is assigned at one time is one of the most studied topics in healthcare. Voluminous peer-reviewed evidence shows maintaining a safe patient limit helps shield nurses from burnout and protects the quality of patient care.
- MNA legislation entitled The Workforce Development and Patient Safety Act would examine current nursing practice, including the impact on quality of patient care, the makeup of the current nursing workforce, and future needs of nursing care in the state.
- Across Massachusetts, MNA nurses and healthcare professionals work together as union members to negotiate improved staffing levels, wages, benefits and working conditions.
Healthcare Executives' Failed Response
- Healthcare executives have spent tens of millions of dollars fighting against efforts to require safe staffing levels in Massachusetts, and countless more around the country.
- At hospitals across Massachusetts, nurses have had to hold rallies, pickets, community forums and in some cases strikes and strike authorization votes to get healthcare executives to agree to staffing improvements and wage increases that are critical to nurse recruitment and retention.
- 82% of nurses in the State of Nursing in Massachusetts survey said their employer did a fair or poor job of providing emotion support services.
- 84% of nurses said their employer did a fair or poor job of providing time off to deal with working during COVID.
- 89% of nurses said their employer did a fair or poor job of compensating nurses for efforts during the crisis.
- 66% of nurses said their employer did a fair or poor job of providing childcare options.
"I have never seen nurses so demoralized by conditions at the bedside and how difficult it is to provide the kind of care our patients deserve," said Murphy, the MNA President. "The coronavirus has made it even harder to be a healthcare professional dedicated to safe patient care, but the pandemic alone did not create these problems.
"One of the most concerning set of findings from this survey is the devastating impact current working conditions are having on our newly graduated and novice nurses, as these are the nurses who constitute the hope for the future of our profession," Murphy said. "Nurses across Massachusetts join the U.S. Surgeon General in calling for improved staffing, pay and support services to address the healthcare profession's intense stress and help recruit and retain the nurses necessary to provide safe patient care."
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Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 25,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.
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SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association | 2022-06-16T14:45:50+00:00 | kwtx.com | https://www.kwtx.com/prnewswire/2022/06/16/us-surgeon-general-advisory-healthcare-worker-burnout-matches-covid-19-experiences-massachusetts-nurses-exposes-failure-healthcare-executives-follow-recommendations/ |
JGR co-owner Coy Gibbs, 49, dies hours after son wins title
AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Coy Gibbs, the vice chairman of Joe Gibbs Racing for his NFL and NASCAR Hall of Fame father, died Sunday morning just hours after his son won the Xfinity Series championship. He was 49.
“It is with great sorrow that Joe Gibbs Racing confirms that Coy Gibbs (co-owner) went to be with the Lord in his sleep last night. The family appreciates all the thoughts and prayers and asks for privacy at this time,” the team said in a statement released shortly before the start of the NASCAR season finale.
Joe Gibbs has lost both of his sons. J.D. Gibbs died in 2019 of degenerative neurological disease, and was also 49 at the time of his death. Coy Gibbs succeeded his older brother as vice chairman of the family-run NASCAR organization.
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Coy Gibbs. On behalf of the France Family and all of NASCAR, I extend my deepest condolences to Joe, Pat, Heather, the Gibbs family and everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing on the loss of Coy, a true friend and racer,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France.
NASCAR held a moment of silence for Coy Gibbs before the start of the Cup championship Sunday at Phoenix Raceway, where JGR’s Christopher Bell was racing for the title. Kyle Busch, in his final race after 15 years with the team, was crying on pit road before the start of the race.
“Today we will do what we don’t want to do, but we will unite as a family and race for the name on our chest,” JGR driver Denny Hamlin tweeted.
Ty Gibbs had been scheduled to drive the No. 23 for 23XI Racing but was replaced by Daniel Hemric for what 23XI called “a family emergency.” Jackson Gibbs, son of the late J.D. Gibbs, was on Bell’s pit crew Sunday and worked the race.
Coy Gibbs had just closed a tumultuous week with his 20-year-old son, who won the Xfinity title on Saturday and is soon expected to be named Kyle Busch’s replacement at JGR.
But Ty Gibbs has been criticized this year for aggressive driving and last week wrecked teammate Brandon Jones out of the lead at Martinsville Speedway on the final lap. Jones needed to win the race to make the Xfinity championship and JGR and Toyota would have had two cars in the finale had Gibbs just stayed in second.
“Racing is a family and the relationships within the entire garage go so much deeper than on-track competition. Today, we lost a dear part of our family. The loss of Coy Gibbs is devastating to everyone at Toyota and TRD,” said David Wilson, president of Toyota Racing Development.
On Saturday, shortly before Ty Gibbs won his title, Hamlin said it had been a difficult week at JGR. He had tweeted after Ty Gibbs crashed Jones “I miss J.D.” and explained he was referring to the atmosphere at JGR established by J.D. Gibbs, which he called a “tight family unit.”
“We really have to treat (teammates) like they’re our brother and our family, and I think at times at JGR, we probably work with each other the least amount of any other team, and that’s just the facts,” he said. “I’m not saying it’s anyone’s fault currently, but J.D. was just different because he really wrapped his arms around everyone. I told Coy, ‘J.D. was my dad.’ He was really my dad as soon as I came into the series, so when you lose that, it changes the culture a little bit, and we just have to get it back.”
Joe Gibbs and Coy Gibbs spent the days after Martinsville defending their young driver, who was resoundingly booed at both Martinsville and Phoenix after his back-to-back victories. Ty Gibbs made his own humbling apology tour before holding off Noah Gragson for the championship.
“Prayers to the Gibbs family,” tweeted Gragson, who had open animosity toward Ty Gibbs most of the Xfinity season before congratulating him following Saturday’s title.
Coy Gibbs played linebacker at Stanford from 1991-94 and served as an offensive quality control assistant during his father’s second stint as the Washington NFL coach. Gibbs had a short racing career, including two years in the then-NASCAR Busch Series and three in NASCAR’s Trucks Series before helping his father launch Joe Gibbs Racing Motocross in 2007.
Coy Gibbs was born in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and lived in Cornelius, North Carolina, with his wife Heather and four children.
___
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Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2022-11-06T22:01:04+00:00 | kttc.com | https://www.kttc.com/2022/11/06/jgr-co-owner-coy-gibbs-49-dies-hours-after-son-wins-title/ |
Peters Twp. came here Monday the top-ranked team in the state, two runs away from undefeated.
Its leadoff hitter, Drew Ripepi, sent the first pitch of his team’s Class 5A state-tournament game with Ephrata into the football bleachers for a towering, and intimidating, 400-foot home run.
“Welcome to the state playoffs,’’ said Ephrata coach Adrian Shelley.
Any concerns, Mounts?
“Yeah, honestly,’’ admitted catcher Coy Schwanger. “I saw their roster and their stats and stuff, … little nervousness there.’’
By the third inning, the Indians had sent another bomb into the football bleachers and led 4-0.
The Mounts, having been seasoned by gut-punch losses for the Lancaster-Lebanon League Section Two title, the league playoff title and the District Three 5A title, are used to absorbing shots and staying in the fight.
In the bottom of the third, Schwanger sent his own two-run homer into the cheap seats, and everything changed.
Ephrata kept on keeping on, and soon had a remarkable, dramatic 9-7 win, the first state-tournament win in school history, and a berth in Thursday’s state quarterfinals.
Home runs aren’t usually the Mounts’ thing, but Schwanger’s shot, “provided a spark, strategically speaking, cutting a four-run lead in half with one swing,’’ said Shelley. “After that, OK, we can get two. We can get more than two.’’
They got way more than two - seven, in fact - in a wild and very Ephrata-esque bottom of the fourth.
The Mounts strung together a bunch of doggedly tough at-bats, four singles, a huge triple by Aaron Hershberger and then a cool baseball moment - a pop-foul out near the Peters Twp. dugout, less than 60 feet from the plate, on which Tanner McCracken tagged up, flew home and dove under the tag at the plate.
“I took a look at the catcher and the first baseman but, more important, I took a peek at the pitcher,’’ said Shelley, who was coaching third. “I said, ‘You’re going.’
“We actually work on that. It might happen once every 10 years. That play kind of explains who we are.’’
Peters Twp. used three pitchers in that inning, but not ace Sam Miller, who did not appear on the mound. He had thrown 95 pitches straddling a rain delay in the 5A District Seven championship game last Wednesday.
“We could have put him out there,’’ said coach Rocky Plassio. “But we have other guys we believe in. Sometimes you have to think about (what’s best for) the kid.’’
The Indians kept hitting - the teams combined for 24 hits - and scored three in the sixth to pull within 9-7.
Ephrata cut off a critical run at the plate for the second out of that inning on a relay from Hagen to Hershberger to Schwanger.
In the seventh, Shelley gave the ball to Ben Burkey, a change-up artist whose very off-speed, very elusive-looking stuff was just right for the moment. The Indians went down 1-2-3.
Thursday’s opponent, site and time to be determined, will be L-L brethren Donegal, which beat Southern Lehigh Monday. Ephrata (18-7) beat Donegal 11-1 in last week’s district semifinals.
Lancaster Catholic 8, Philadelphia Academy 0: In the second half of a doubleheader at Ephrata’s War Memorial Field, the Crusaders put together a six-run fifth inning to advance to the Class AAA quarterfinals.
Catholic, 21-2, got key singles in the fifth from Noah Zimmerman, Levi Hackman and Reese Van Scoten in the sixth, along with a torrent of walks and wild pitches.
Nathan Wingenroth led off a two-run seventh for Catholic with a home run to left-center.
Hackman took a two-hit shutout into the fifth inning. Hackman, Noah Zimmerman and Jackson Gates combined on a two-hitter with 14 strikeouts.
The Crusaders will face Central Columbia, which edged Scranton Prep 5-4 in their first-rounder Monday. That quarterfinal will be played Thursday at a site and time to be determined. | 2022-06-07T03:38:19+00:00 | lancasteronline.com | https://lancasteronline.com/sports/highschool/ephrata-lancaster-catholic-advance-to-state-baseball-quarterfinals/article_382817ac-e607-11ec-9f92-87b69752496f.html |
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — A student opened fire at a Dallas-area school Monday morning, killing one student and injuring another before being arrested on a capital murder charge, police said.
The shooting began on a high school campus in the suburb of Arlington around 6:55 a.m., before many students arrived for the first day back to classes after the spring break, according to police and school district officials.
Arlington police Chief Al Jones said Monday that a male student who was shot died at a hospital and a female victim was receiving medical care after being “grazed” by shrapnel, causing injures that aren’t life threatening. He declined to give their ages or grades.
Another male student was arrested at the scene and charged with capital murder, Jones said at an afternoon news conference. The police chief declined to identify the suspected shooter because he is a minor, but said he is being held at a juvenile detention center in the area.
The gunman ran from the scene without ever entering the Lamar High School building and was taken into custody by responding officers “within minutes,” Jones said. He said investigators recovered a gun used in the shooting but the shooter’s motive and where he got the weapon remain unclear.
Jones said the police officers normally stationed at the school weren’t there during the shooting, which began shortly before the officers were set to start duty.
Arlington Independent School District spokeswoman Anita Foster said the school went into lockdown during the shooting but school buses and other arriving students were diverted from the campus before classes were set to begin. Police said they completed their search of the school at 10:40 a.m.
School staff began reuniting students who’d been sheltering inside the building with their parents or guardians around 11 a.m., according to Superintendent Marcelo Cavazos. He said there would be no classes Tuesday and counselors would be available to students and staff on Wednesday.
In Texas, people convicted of capital murder can be sentenced to death. Prosecutors make the ultimate decision about what charges to pursue in a case, and those are not always the same as the charges brought upon arrest. | 2023-03-21T11:58:59+00:00 | myfox8.com | https://myfox8.com/news/national/ap-us-news/officials-2-hurt-after-shooting-at-texas-school/ |
INDIANAPOLIS — A student was placed in police custody Thursday after bringing a firearm to Herron-Riverside High School, according to a press release from the school.
In a weapon report released, the school says that they followed safety protocols and law enforcement was immediately brought in. While a search was conducted, the students remained in classrooms and the weapon was found.
Families were notified that they could pick up their student or allow them to remain safely on campus through the afternoon.
This is an active investigation, information will be updated as it becomes available. | 2023-05-25T21:02:08+00:00 | fox59.com | https://fox59.com/indiana-news/gun-found-at-herron-riverside-high-school-student-placed-in-custody/ |
April Jeppson: Being honest with friends helps us grow
Published 8:45 pm Friday, October 21, 2022
Every Little Thing by April Jeppson
“All of your ‘friends’ who let you sit in the comfort of your bad habits don’t love you as much as the people who dare to challenge you to be better.”
I think it has been established that I read a lot of inspirational quotes. I see things like this, read it twice then usually forget about it. Occasionally, something will happen in my life, and I’ll be reminded of it. I’ll search my phone to see if I saved it and then, sometimes, I’ll even write an entire article about it. This is one of those times.
I’m a very positive, supportive friend. If you tell me that you want to start a rock band, or grow a garden, I will support you. If you talk to me about problems in your relationships or your job, I will listen and give thoughtful advice. I will encourage you to keep going and not give up. I’m aware that sometimes people just need to vent, and I will happily be that friend.
However, there are times when I can not sit quietly by. If you’ve come to me with the same problem time and time again, and I see there is an easy solution, I will tell you. Even if it may hurt your feelings, I’m required to say something. If you are my friend, that means I love you. With that love, comes a level of care and concern for you. Because I care about you, sometimes my job as your friend is to protect you from yourself.
Let me tell you about my best friend. She and I tell each other everything. We share our struggles and our joys. We root for each other and when needed, we call each other out on our bologna.
A few years ago when she was trying to lose weight she talked about how nothing was working. I listened and let her vent. Then I gave it to her straight. I suggested that she’s eating more than she thinks she does, and we went through a few of her recent dinners and some of the after dinner drinks. As we started to count up calories, it became apparent that maybe she wasn’t trying as hard as she thought she was. Or rather that she was grossly misjudging the calories in a bowl of pasta. Recently, she called me out on the exact same thing.
I try to surround myself with people who challenge me. Don’t get me wrong, I love supportive people. I love to be encouraged and cheered on. But I’ll never grow or get better if I’m surrounded by a bunch of “yes” men. Especially if I’m the thing that’s holding me back. If you really care about me and my happiness, I fully expect you to nicely call me out when needed. If you see that I’m lying to myself, or getting in my own way, say something.
I mean, if we are truly friends, then we need to be honest with each other. We should be able to have disagreements and work through them. I want to be a better person, and I know that I’ll only get there with the help of my friends.
Albert Lean April Jeppson is a wife, mom, coach and encourager of dreams. Her column appears every Saturday. | 2022-10-22T06:10:19+00:00 | albertleatribune.com | https://www.albertleatribune.com/2022/10/april-jeppson-being-honest-with-friends-helps-us-grow/ |
Official: Man who made synagogue threat has been identified
(AP) - A law enforcement official says that federal agents have identified the man they believe posted a broad online threat against synagogues in New Jersey but that they do not believe he was planning to carry out a specific plot.
The official said Friday that the man was questioned by law enforcement and told agents he had been bullied in the past and harbored anger toward Jewish people.
His name has not been released.
The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity and could not discuss details of the investigation publicly.
The FBI on Thursday said it had received credible information about a “broad” threat to synagogues in New Jersey.
The warning prompted some municipalities to send extra police officers to guard houses of worship.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2022-11-04T15:18:42+00:00 | wfsb.com | https://www.wfsb.com/2022/11/04/official-man-who-made-synagogue-threat-has-been-identified/ |
Ten foreign fighters, including Americans who joined the war effort in Ukraine before they were captured and held by Russian forces, were released as part of an exchange of prisoners of war between Russia and Ukraine.
Two American veterans, Alexander John-Robert Drueke, 39, and Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh, 27, were captured by Russian forces in June and held by its proxies in the contested Donbas region that remains at the center of the war.
“We are thrilled to announce that Alex and Andy are free," Dianna Shaw and Bunny Drueke, the aunt and mom of Alexander Drueke, said in a statement. "They are safely in the custody of the US embassy in Saudi Arabia and after medical checks and debriefing they will return to the States."
Stay informed about local news and weather during the hurricane season. Get the NBC 6 South Florida app for iOS or Android and pick your alerts.
For more on this story, go to NBC News. | 2022-09-21T20:34:09+00:00 | nbcmiami.com | https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/national-international/two-american-soldiers-among-10-foreign-fighters-released-by-russia/2863609/ |
4 takeaways from Bulls' first quarter of season originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
SAN FRANCISCO --- After 21 games, the Chicago Bulls sit outside the Eastern Conference play-in picture and are on pace to finish 35-47.
Given that, according to multiple advanced metrics, they have faced the NBA’s toughest schedule to this point, that they own the third-easiest remaining schedule and they, well, hope that Lonzo Ball returns, the record certainly could improve.
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It will have to if the Bulls want to meet Artūras Karnišovas’ publicly stated goal of improving on last year’s first-round playoff exit.
With two victories over the Boston Celtics, a road victory over the Milwaukee Bucks and a road victory to open the season in Miami, the Bulls have proved several times that when they’re engaged and active, they can beat anybody. Disturbingly, they have proved the opposite more often.
Here are four takeaways from roughly the first quarter of the season.
Local
Zach LaVine isn’t himself
Any talk of the Bulls reaching their ceiling begins and ends with their two-time All-Star guard regaining his game.
The NBA is a star-driven league. The Bulls signed LaVine to a maximum five-year $215 million extension this offseason to not only play like one but continue the ascent he appeared to be on before injuring his left knee in January. At that point, LaVine had displayed elite shotmaking and improved defensive attention for a season and a half.
It’s well documented how LaVine’s arthroscopic knee procedure and limited offseason training has affected his lift, explosion, rhythm and timing. While LaVine has shown flashes of his elite scoring ability, he also has consistently admitted he’s “getting there” when it comes to fully finding his rhythm.
LaVine is shooting 40.7 percent, the second-lowest of his career. After cracking the vaunted 60 percent true shooting mark in the last two seasons, he’s at 53.1 percent this season. That’s the third-lowest mark of his career.
Worse, LaVine has occasionally resorted to shot-hunting in an attempt to find his rhythm. This played out most dramatically in a 1-for-14 outing against the Orlando Magic in which coach Billy Donovan benched him for closing minutes in favor or second-year guard Ayo Dosunmu.
Simply put, LaVine needs to play better if the Bulls want to become a playoff team, much less one which wins a series.
The Bulls keep getting outshot from 3-point line
Granted, LaVine, at 34.8 percent, shooting almost four percentage points below his career average of 38.4 and Ball’s continued absence aren’t helping in this department.
Nevertheless, the discrepancy borders on shocking at times, particularly when adding shooting was talked about and written about as an offseason priority since the Bulls limped out of the playoff series versus the Bucks.
Through 21 games, the Bulls rank 28th in made 3-pointers and last in attempts. Their opponents have shot 95 more 3-pointers and converted 51 more. Over their 12 losses, the Bulls have been outscored by 108 points from the 3-point line.
Granted, the 3-point shot isn’t the be-all, end-all. DeMar DeRozan, for instance, remains a midrange assassin and the Bulls wanted to emphasize more paint touches in their attempt not to rely so much on isolation.
“A lot of our games are not about shooting 3-pointers. That is not the M.O. Guys that do take shots have to make them. Obviously, I have to shoot better and try to make more threes. But we have to do what we are good at,” LaVine said. “If we are not going to take or make a lot of threes, then we have to eliminate them. It can’t be that much of a discrepancy to where, you know, it’s almost like a 10 to one.”
That’s the thing. The Bulls are tied for 29th in allowing opponents to shoot 37.9 percent from 3-point range. So not only would making more be beneficial but stopping more is essential as well.
Defense does it
Most acutely in Milwaukee, the Bulls have displayed the ability to play playoff-level defense. In that game, Coby White kept diving on the floor for loose balls, DeRozan took charges from Giannis Antetokounmpo and Patrick Williams blocked the two-time NBA most valuable player at the rim twice.
This is when the Bulls are at their best---forcing turnovers and getting out in transition. They rank fifth in deflections, seventh in defensive loose balls recovered and second in percentage of points off turnovers.
Unsurprisingly, Alex Caruso stands---or sprawls, given his ability to take charges---at the center of this. The Bulls are plus-6.2 points per 100 possessions when he’s on the court and minus-8.18 points per 100 possessions when he’s off it.
Overall, the Bulls’ defensive rating is 11th. But the discrepancy between games in which the Bulls are active and locked in and when they’re not is jarring. Players have talked consistently about this dynamic.
This is where the cloud of Ball’s absence continues to hang over this franchise. His impact is so apparent at both ends; in fact, when healthy, he can address most of the aforementioned needs, including 3-point shooting and defensive identity. Ball could even help LaVine get going given his ability to push the ball in transition and space the floor.
But there is no timetable for Ball’s return.
Clutching in the clutch
The Bulls are a league-worst 2-8 in “clutch” games this season, defined by NBA.com as games within a five-point margin and five minutes or less to play.
The Bulls sit middle of the pack in terms of amount of time spent in such situations, tied for 15th with the Washington Wizards at 43. But their net rating of minus-17.2 in such minutes ranks 25th.
That’s a far cry from last season. That’s when the Bulls went 25-16 in “clutch” games, including a net rating of plus-15.3 that ranked third.
Plenty of factors are at play here. But much of them boil down to the team’s inconsistent ways. Offensively, the Bulls typically get stagnant down the stretch. Defensively, they’ve been prone to surrendering one big play---a missed boxout or slow rotation.
Late Wednesday in Phoenix, coach Billy Donovan said the Bulls’ ideal offensive identity is finishing a game with five to seven players in double figures and 25-30 assists. The Bulls are 6-2 when that happens, including both victories over the Celtics and the one over the Bucks.
Donovan isn’t wrong. It’s on the Bulls now to make it happen.
Click here to follow the Bulls Talk Podcast. | 2022-12-01T19:21:01+00:00 | nbcchicago.com | https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/4-takeaways-from-bulls-inconsistent-first-quarter-of-season/3010491/ |
HAVANA (AP) — Search crews with dogs on Sunday hunted through the ruins of a luxury hotel in Cuba’s capital for survivors of a devastating explosion while officials raised the number of known dead to 30.
The Hotel Saratoga, a five-star 96-room hotel in Old Havana, was preparing to reopen after being closed for two years when an apparent gas leak ignited, blowing the outer walls into the busy, midmorning streets just a block from the country’s Capitol building on Friday.
Cuban officials on Sunday raised the known death toll to 30 from 27 even as crews continued to search for victims buried beneath piles of shattered concrete. Several nearby structures also were damaged, including the historic Marti Theater and the Calvary Baptist Church, headquarters for the denomination in western Cuba.
The church said on its Facebook page that the building suffered “significant structural damage, with several collapsed or cracked walls and columns (and) the ceiling partially collapsed,” though no church workers were hurt.
The Health Ministry said 84 people had been injured in Friday's explosion. The dead included four minors, a pregnant woman and a Spanish tourist, whose companion was seriously injured.
The ministry on Sunday also released the names of those who died. Some 24 people remained hospitalized.
On Saturday, a representative of Grupo de Turismo Gaviota SA, which owns the hotel, said 13 of its workers remained missing. Gov. Reinaldo García Zapata said Saturday evening that 19 families had reported loved ones missing and that rescue efforts would continue.
Authorities said the cause of the explosion was still under investigation, but believed it to have been caused by a gas leak. A large crane hoisted a charred gas tanker out of the rubble Saturday.
Burials for victims have begun, according to municipal authorities. But some were still waiting for news of missing friends and relatives.
“We are hoping that something will be known about my cousin’s mother,” Angela Acosta told The Associated Press near the site of the explosion. Her relative, María de la Concepción Alard, lived in an apartment adjacent to the hotel with a black Labrador, which was rescued along with another dog Sunday.
Crews have worked to clean up streets around the hotel and by late Saturday, substantial pedestrian traffic had resumed.
“There are mothers who are without their children today,” Matha Verde, a manicurist who was walking near the Saratoga, said Sunday, when Mother’s Day was celebrated in Cuba. She said she tells women who lost their sons or daughters in the explosion that they “have to keep going.”
The explosion added to the woes of a crucial tourism industry that had been stifled by the coronavirus pandemic as well as tightened sanctions imposed by former U.S. President Donald Trump and kept in place the Biden administration. Those limited visits by U.S. tourists to the islands and restricted remittances from Cubans in the U.S. to their families in Cuba.
Tourism had started to revive somewhat early this year, but the war in Ukraine deflated a boom of Russian visitors, who accounted for almost a third of the tourists arriving in Cuba last year.
The Saratoga, which had been closed through the pandemic, was one of the elite lodgings in Havana, often hosting visiting VIPs and celebrities.
Some attention in Cuba began to shift to an official visit by Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who arrived Saturday night at the end of a five-country tour that began in Central America.
López Obrador met Sunday with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, who awarded him the Order of Jose Marti “for his great achievements for humanity.” It is the most important award the country gives to a foreigner.
Díaz-Canel's office stated in a tweet that López Obrador said he would insist to U.S. President Joe Biden that Cuba not be excluded from the Summit of the Americas it will host in Los Angeles in June.
López Obrador said the objectives of the trip included signing agreements on trade, health, education and cooperation with the island, while he ratified his foreign policy stance.
“We are not in favor of hegemonies,” he said. “Let no one exclude anyone because we are independent countries, we are sovereign countries, and no one can place themselves above the rights of peoples and nations.”
Díaz-Canel visited Mexico during its independence day celebrations last year. López Obrador has recently spoken out against the apparent U.S. government intention of to exclude Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua from the upcoming summit.
Credit: Ismael Francisco
Credit: Ismael Francisco
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Credit: Ismael Francisco
Credit: Ismael Francisco
Credit: Ismael Francisco
Credit: Ismael Francisco
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Credit: Ramon Espinosa
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Credit: Yamil Lage
Credit: Yamil Lage
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Credit: Yamil Lage | 2022-05-08T22:05:52+00:00 | springfieldnewssun.com | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/havana-hotel-death-toll-at-30-as-dogs-search-for-survivors/SOAYOJWZGBDONOA4NCDBDH7GLE/ |
WFO ALBANY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Monday, September 19, 2022
_____
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Albany NY
1159 AM EDT Mon Sep 19 2022
...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of central Hamilton and
northwestern Warren Counties through 1245 PM EDT...
At 1158 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from near Golden Beach Campground to near Moffitt
Beach Campground to 11 miles southwest of Lake Pleasant. Movement was
east at 30 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Indian Lake, Speculator, Johnsburg, Lake Pleasant, Wells, Blue
Mountain Lake, Lake Durant Campground, Lewey Lake Campground, North
Creek, Sacandaga Campground, Golden Beach Campground, Moffitt Beach
Campground, Harrisburg, Eagle Nest, Gilmantown, Sodom, Girards
Sugarbush, Perkins Clearing, Clockmill Corners and Edwards Hill.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with these storms and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
LAT...LON 4392 7434 4381 7422 4383 7415 4381 7412
4380 7405 4374 7406 4375 7397 4357 7394
4338 7404 4337 7415 4334 7416 4330 7470
4352 7459 4388 7464 4394 7430
TIME...MOT...LOC 1558Z 264DEG 28KT 4383 7451 4354 7447 4335 7457
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
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Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | 2022-09-19T17:28:28+00:00 | lmtonline.com | https://www.lmtonline.com/weather/article/NY-WFO-ALBANY-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17451772.php |
After 11 seasons in the National Football League, wide receiver Cole Beasley has announced he's retiring.
"He is ready to be with his family after playing 11 seasons and it's time to be a full-time dad and husband," his agent Joel Turner told the NFL Network and ESPN.
Beasley signed two weeks ago with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, appearing in two games for them - against the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs, before hanging up his cleats on Wednesday, CBS Sports reported.
Prior to signing with Tampa Bay on Sept. 20, the 30-year-old hadn't played a single down this season since the Buffalo Bills released him in March after spending three seasons with the team, the sports networks reported.
During his time with the Bills, ESPN reported that the unvaccinated player made headlines for his stance on COVID-19, even getting fined $100,000 for violating the league's COVID-19 protocols last season.
The media outlets reported that Beasley began his NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys, an organization he spent seven seasons with after signing with them as an undrafted free agent in 2012.
ESPN reported that Beasley finished his career with 554 receptions for 5,726 yards and 34 touchdowns. | 2022-10-06T00:25:39+00:00 | kivitv.com | https://www.kivitv.com/news/national/cole-beasley-retires-from-nfl-2-weeks-after-signing-with-buccaneers |
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 symptoms have “almost completely resolved,” according to a new note from his doctor released Monday.
Although he still has some nasal congestion and hoarseness, his vital signs remain “absolutely normal,” wrote Dr. Kevin O’Connor.
Biden has been taking Paxlovid, an antiviral drug that helps reduce the chance of severe illness from COVID-19, and he plans to continue isolating in the White House residence.
“He continues to be very specifically conscientious to protect any of the Executive Residence, White House, Secret Service and other staff whose duties require any (albeit socially distanced) proximity to him,” O'Connor wrote.
On Monday afternoon, Biden is scheduled to deliver virtual remarks to the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives conference in Orlando, Fla. He's also expected to participate in a virtual meeting with business executives and labor leaders to discuss the Chips Act, a proposal to bolster domestic manufacturing.
Biden has held no public events since Friday, when he held another virtual meeting with economic advisers.
Biden tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday morning. O'Connor said Saturday that the president likely became infected with a highly contagious variant, known as BA.5, that is spreading throughout the country, and Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House COVID-19 response coordinator, said Sunday, “It is the BA.5 variant.”
"Thank goodness our vaccines and therapeutics work well against it, which is why I think the president's doing well," Jha told CBS' “Face the Nation."
That variant is an offshoot of the omicron strain that emerged late last year. It is believed responsible for the vast majority of coronavirus cases in the country. He has been isolating in the White House residence since then. | 2022-07-25T17:22:54+00:00 | wtsp.com | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/nation-world/doctor-says-biden-covid-symptoms-almost-completely-resolved/507-729fb93e-7895-4214-b860-297eb1850d3b |
Mauricio Dubon Player Prop Bets: Astros vs. Rangers - July 25
Published: Jul. 25, 2023 at 12:24 PM CDT|Updated: 31 minutes ago
On Tuesday, Mauricio Dubon (batting .200 in his past 10 games) and the Houston Astros play the Texas Rangers, whose starting pitcher will be Cody Bradford. First pitch is at 8:10 PM ET.
In his last appearance, he went 1-for-5 against the Rangers.
Mauricio Dubon Game Info & Props vs. the Rangers
- Game Day: Tuesday, July 25, 2023
- Game Time: 8:10 PM ET
- Stadium: Minute Maid Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Rangers Starter: Cody Bradford
- TV Channel: SportsNet SW
- Hits Prop: Over/under 1.5 hits (Over odds: +175)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +550)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +200)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: +110)
Looking to place a prop bet on Mauricio Dubon? Check out what's available at BetMGM and use bonus code "GNPLAY" when you sign up with this link!
Discover More About This Game
Mauricio Dubon At The Plate
- Dubon is batting .268 with 18 doubles, two triples, five home runs and 10 walks.
- In 73.2% of his games this year (60 of 82), Dubon has picked up at least one hit, and in 23 of those games (28.0%) he recorded at least two.
- Looking at the 82 games he has played this year, he's hit a home run in five of them (6.1%), and in 1.4% of his trips to the plate.
- In 23 games this year (28.0%), Dubon has picked up an RBI, and in four of those games (4.9%) he had two or more.
- He has scored in 45 games this season (54.9%), including nine multi-run games (11.0%).
Ready to play FanDuel Daily Fantasy? Get in the game using our link.
Mauricio Dubon Home/Away Batting Splits
Rangers Pitching Rankings
- The 8.1 strikeouts per nine innings put together by the Rangers pitching staff ranks 25th in MLB.
- The Rangers have a 4.19 team ERA that ranks 16th across all MLB pitching staffs.
- Rangers pitchers combine to rank 13th in baseball in home runs given up (114 total, 1.1 per game).
- The Rangers are sending Bradford (2-1) out to make his sixth start of the season. He is 2-1 with a 4.78 ERA and 29 strikeouts through 32 2/3 innings pitched.
- The lefty last appeared in relief on Saturday, when he tossed 1 1/3 innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers, allowing one earned run while giving up one hit.
- The 25-year-old has an ERA of 4.78, with 8.2 strikeouts per nine innings, in 10 games this season. Opponents are batting .237 against him.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | 2023-07-25T17:58:13+00:00 | kalb.com | https://www.kalb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/25/mauricio-dubon-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
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Top shopping picks | 2022-07-17T08:22:33+00:00 | sfgate.com | https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Houston-Team-Stax-17310234.php |
Man caught on camera urinating on ex-wife’s grave, family says
BERGEN COUNTY, N.J. (News 12) - A New Jersey man is in shock after he says he caught his mother’s ex-husband urinating on her grave while investigating months of desecration.
Michael Murphy choked up as he described what he witnessed last Sunday at Tappan Cemetery in Rockland County. He shot video of the man who has allegedly been desecrating the grave of his mother, Linda Torello.
“I could see him up there like this, and I could hear the urine hitting the ground,” Murphy said. “I promised my wife and kids the day before, I promised my sisters - because I was fuming - I would not hurt the man. But we wanted to do it the right way. We thought we’d get justice this way.”
It all started back in April when Murphy and his sister started finding deli bags filled with feces near their mother’s headstone. They initially thought it may have been left behind by a careless dog walker or dog owner, but after the second bag was found, they knew they’d been left there intentionally.
“We contacted the police. They came and took a report and said if you find another one, let us know. So, we found another one a couple of weeks later,” Murphy said.
Murphy and his family then got the greenlight from the cemetery to install cameras to catch the culprit. Camera timestamps recently showed a man coming to the grave with his wife waiting in the car around 6:15 a.m. for four consecutive days.
On the fifth day, Murphy propped his camera on a nearby headstone and shot video of the suspect, a man he says is his mother’s ex-husband, whom she divorced four decades ago.
“There’s been no contact since ‘76. I know they were married for a year. They had a bad breakup. This should never happen to anybody,” Murphy said.
Right now, it’s unclear to Torello’s family why or even how long this has been going on, but they want more serious charges than just public urination. They also hope legislation could make this a crime.
“No one should ever endure what I and my family had to endure,” Murphy said.
Copyright 2022 News 12 New Jersey via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | 2022-09-27T07:22:43+00:00 | wlbt.com | https://www.wlbt.com/2022/09/27/man-caught-camera-urinating-ex-wifes-grave-family-says/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon announced a number of new programs Thursday that are aimed at helping service members who are struggling with housing shortages and steep food and living expenses as they move from base to base.
Gil Cisneros, undersecretary for personnel, told reporters that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the moves, which also include programs to expand child care and make it easier for spouses to find work.
The new programs, he said, will help “ensure we continue to offer a competitive suite of benefits that makes DOD the employer of choice for those who so selflessly serve.”
With growing competition from corporations seeking to hire young people in the tight job market, the military services are struggling to meet their recruiting goals.
A key problem in the past year or two has been housing. Service members transferring to new duty stations have complained about difficulties finding rentals, particularly ones they can afford as escalating housing costs surpass their military allowance. In response, Austin ordered increases in the basic housing allowance in 28 areas where rent has spiked more than 20% above current allowances.
Austin also directed a permanent increase in temporary lodging expenses for service members moving into areas where there are housing shortages. Troops will now get 14 days — rather than the previous 10 — in temporary living costs for moves within the U.S., and up to 60 days in areas where there are housing shortages.
Both of the housing changes take effect next month.
Austin also ordered price cuts at base commissaries.
Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, said the department is eliminating the requirement that commissaries maintain a specific profit margin to cover their operating costs, allowing them to lower prices on staples like bread, milk and eggs. He said that within about two weeks service members should see some prices go down by about 25%.
Austin also has directed the department to increase funding for child care centers so they can take more children. And he made it standard policy to give service members working at the centers a 50% discount for one child to go there.
And he said the department will work more quickly to set up interstate agreements to help military spouses transfer their professional licenses when they move to a different state. Spouses often have a difficult time getting new jobs when the service member is deployed to a new base because their licenses or professional certifications aren’t recognized in that state. | 2022-09-23T21:13:51+00:00 | texomashomepage.com | https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/political-news/ap-pentagon-lays-out-new-food-housing-programs-for-troops/ |
The report marks another solid month of job growth. But the growth was slower than in previous months — an indication that a hot labor market could be cooling.
Copyright 2023 NPR
The report marks another solid month of job growth. But the growth was slower than in previous months — an indication that a hot labor market could be cooling.
Copyright 2023 NPR | 2023-07-07T15:08:00+00:00 | delawarepublic.org | https://www.delawarepublic.org/2023-07-07/labor-department-reports-employers-added-209-000-jobs-in-june |
(NEXSTAR) – The people of Massachusetts, more so than any other state, are really itching to spend their cash on scratch-offs and lottery tickets.
That’s one of the major takeaways from a new study conducted by LendingTree, which sought to determine which states’ residents spend — and lose — the most cash on lottery games per capita.
The study, based on lottery data from the U.S. Census Bureau 2020 Annual Survey of State Government Finance, found that residents of Massachusetts spent a whopping $805.30 cents per capita on lottery and scratch-off tickets that year. For perspective, New York —where residents spent the second-most on lottery tickets in the country — had a per capita average of $455.93, according to the study.
Rhode Islanders, Georgians and Michiganders rounded out the top five, spending an average of $429.88, $429.51, and $408.51, respectively, per capita in 2020.
The top ten states where residents spent the most on lottery tickets in 2020, according to LendingTree’s study, are listed below. (The full rankings can be found at LendingTree.com.)
In addition to buying spending the most on lottery tickets, Massachusetts residents also spent the largest percentage of their income on these games when compared with the rest of the country: For every $1,000 of personal income, Bay Staters spent an average of $10.26 per capita trying to hit the lottery jackpots in 2020, the study suggests.
Somewhat surprisingly, the residents of Massachusetts weren’t the biggest lottery losers in the country. When comparing sales to payouts, lottery players in Rhode Island won back only $148.25 after spending an average of $429.88, for a net loss of 281.63 per capita. West Virginians lost about $249.81 per capita, while folks in Massachusetts lost around $244.49.
“If you only play the lottery occasionally and only spend a few dollars a time, no real harm is done,” said Matt Schultz, the chief credit analyst for LendingTree, in a statement that probably comes as no surprise to the people of Rhode Island or Massachusetts. “However, if you’re consistently playing $10 or $20 or more each week, that adds up over time. You’re dropping more than $1,000 a year on lottery tickets if you play just $20 per week. That’s real money that could be earning interest and growing your wealth or bulking up your emergency fund instead.”
On the other end of the spectrum, the states where residents spent the least on lottery games in 2020 (aside from Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah, where there currently are no state lottery programs) included North Dakota ($32.24 per capita), Wyoming ($40.97), Montana ($58.62), New Mexico ($63.83) Oklahoma ($71.23), according to LendingTree’s analysis.
Across all states, U.S. residents considered among the “baby boomer” generation were also found least likely to play the lottery at all, with only 51% saying they buy some sort of lottery ticket, according to a LendingTree survey of over 2,000 U.S. adults. Gen Zers were somewhat more likely at 55%, while millennials and Gen Xers were found to be the most likely to play, at 64% and 66%.
More information, including the states which appear to boast the highest payout per dollar spent, can be found at LendingTree’s official site. | 2022-12-18T18:35:41+00:00 | ksn.com | https://www.ksn.com/news/the-lottery-which-states-residents-spend-the-most-on-tickets-and-scratch-offs/ |
NEW YORK, April 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --
WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues its investigation of potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of Fox Corporation (NASDAQ: FOX, FOXA) resulting from allegations that FOX may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public. The prospective class includes those who purchased FOX call options and/or sold put options.
SO WHAT: If you purchased FOX securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses.
WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=13327 mailto:or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.
WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: In the wake of the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election, Dominion Voting Systems sued FOX for defamation. Dominion's lawsuit alleges that FOX defamed Dominion's business by endorsing, repeating or broadcasting a series of "verifiably false yet devastating lies about Dominion." Dominion claims that various statements that were made on FOX News, including that Dominion committed election fraud by rigging the 2020 election, that Dominion's software and algorithms manipulated vote counts in the 2020 election, that Dominion was founded for the purpose of rigging elections, and that Dominion paid kickbacks to government officials who used its machines, were defamatory and false. Dominion and Fox eventually agreed to settle the case for $787 million.
Beginning in February 2023, specific details emerged of internal discussions at FOX in the wake of the 2020 election, revealing that FOX's senior leaders understood that claims to the effect that Dominion and other entities had rigged the 2020 election were false. As a consequence, FOX faces significant potential legal liability.
As a result of ongoing revelations about FOX's legal exposure in the Dominion lawsuit, FOX's Class A stock has declined from a closing price of $37.03 on February 17, 2023 to a closing price of $32.52 on March 15, 2023, a 12% decline. FOX's Class B stock has declined from a closing price of $34.22 on February 17, 2023 to a closing price of $29.83 on March 15, 2023, a 12% decline.
WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Contact Information:
Laurence Rosen, Esq.
Phillip Kim, Esq.
The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
Fax: (212) 202-3827
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www.rosenlegal.com
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SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A. | 2023-04-24T12:35:05+00:00 | wlbt.com | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2023/04/24/fox-investor-news-rosen-leading-national-firm-encourages-fox-corporation-investors-inquire-about-class-action-investigation-fox-foxa/ |
Top Massachusetts politicians and guests gathered in a jam-packed union call in South Boston on Sunday morning for the annual St. Patrick’s Day breakfast, with a cacophony of singing, quips, and self-deprecating jabs from the new governor.
The breakfast, which was held at the Ironworkers Local 7 Hall and hosted by Nick Collins, the state senator who represents South Boston, kicked off with a festive start, featuring live music and baskets of pastries. Some people sang along to Irish songs as they sat shoulder-to-shoulder and ate eggs, bacon, sausage, and potatoes. Others stood lining the perimeter of the room, packed into any open spot they could.
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The venue was much “more intimate” than the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, where the event had been held in recent years, the emcee joked, as servers maneuvered around attendees dressed festively in bright emerald, shamrock prints, and green boutonnieres. Senate President Karen Spilka had a lime-green streak in her hair.
They joined members of the state’s congressional delegation. the Legislature, and other notables who packed the stage, including Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Attorney General Andrea Campbell, Auditor Diana DiZoglio, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden, and members of the Boston City Council.
In her first appearance at the event as governor, Maura Healey opened the breakfast by joking about the recorded greeting at Logan Airport, a jab at the hiring crisis at the embattled MBTA.
“Here’s what I really wanted to say: Welcome to Logan Airport. Do you want to run the T?” said the governor, who has yet to hire a general manager of the embattled MBTA.
She joked about being asked, “What does the lieutenant governor do?”
“Frankly, I’ve been wondering myself,” she said, inviting Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll to the microphone.
Healey and Driscoll held up two jars full of dollar bills, joking that speakers will have to pay up if they reference the T or, in a self-aware joke, basketball. The two, who were college basketball players, heavily referenced basketball in TV ads, fund-raising emails, and campaign events during the gubernatorial election.
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The city’s politics have shifted significantly since its power brokers last gathered for the event.
In 2022, Healey was still one of several candidates for governor, and Wu had recently been elected as mayor. Republican Charlie Baker was still in the corner office, and was the subject of jokes about his decision not to run for a third term.
At that breakfast, Spilka handed Baker a large inflated duck: “a lame duck.”
Baker, who now leads the NCAA as its president, was not in attendance at this year’s breakfast.
Viewers can watch live coverage on Boston Neighborhood Network and WROL Irish Radio.
Samantha J. Gross can be reached at samantha.gross@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @samanthajgross. | 2023-03-19T14:54:56+00:00 | bostonglobe.com | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/03/19/metro/politicians-trade-jabs-jokes-annual-st-patricks-day-breakfast/ |
Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses Exceeding $100,000 In F45 Training To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options
NEW YORK, Dec. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against F45 Training Holdings Inc. ("F45 Training" or the "Company") (NYSE: FXLV) and reminds investors of the February 6, 2023 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company.
If you suffered losses exceeding $100,000 investing in F45 Training common stock in or traceable to F45 Training's July 16, 2021 initial public offering (the "IPO")and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310). You may also click here for additional information: www.faruqilaw.com/FXLV.
There is no cost or obligation to you.
Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading minority and Woman-owned national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia.
F45 Training Holdings Inc., a Mark Wahlberg-backed fitness franchisor based in Texas, went public in July 2021, when it sold 18.75 million shares priced at $16 per share, while touting a "Predictable, Asset-Light Model Driving Rapid Growth." The company reported results and issued guidance that was generally expected by the market for about a year after the IPO.
However, on July 26, 2022, F45 issued a press release in which it drastically reduced its financial guidance; disclosed that would open about 60% fewer exercise studios than promised just two months earlier; said that a $250 million credit line was no longer available to the company; disclosed that the company was letting go of about 110 employees; and announced that the CEO, Adam Gilchrist, had resigned.
The disclosures in the press release sent the price of F45 shares down over 60% on July 27, 2022, and it has continued since that time to trade at less than $4.00 per share.
The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not.
Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding F45 Training's conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others.
Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner.
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SOURCE Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP | 2022-12-17T18:49:40+00:00 | wafb.com | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/12/16/f45-training-investor-alert/ |
Walt Disney World is celebrating the birth of two rare cotton-top tamarin monkeys that arrived last week — the first new births of the species at the Florida destination since 2001.
So far, workers don't know if the white-haired twins born on June 12 are male or female, so they don't have names yet.
But the four-inch-long newborn monkeys living at Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park have already been spotted clinging to their mom and dad, who will carry the babies around on their backs for up to 14 weeks.
Cotton-top tamarins are native to the tropical forests of northwestern Colombia, and park officials say there are fewer than 7,500 left in the wild.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the species is critically endangered due to factors such as habitat loss and the illegal pet trade, and their population is declining.
But the addition of the newborn twins, which weigh about as much as a "common chicken egg" and will grow to be roughly the size of a squirrel, have been a welcome addition to the threatened species.
Cotton-top tamarins forage for fruit and insects in the forest canopy where they live and use at least 38 different calls to communicate with each other, the park said.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2023-06-20T19:13:29+00:00 | kunm.org | https://www.kunm.org/npr-news/2023-06-20/a-pair-of-rare-cotton-top-tamarin-monkeys-were-just-born-at-walt-disney-world |
CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago police officers will no longer be allowed to chase people on foot simply because they run away or they’ve committed minor offenses, the department said Tuesday, more than a year after two foot pursuits ended with officers fatally shooting a 13-year-old boy and 22-year-old man.
The new policy adheres closely to a draft policy put in place after those shootings and gives the department something it has never had: permanent rules about when officers can and can’t engage in an activity that can endanger themselves, those they’re chasing and bystanders.
Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said he expects the new policy will make the officers and the public safer, as has happened in other cities with similar policies.
“The impact on crime has been studied (and) we can look back at what has made officers safer, has made communities safer for over a decade,” he told reporters at a press briefing on the policy, which he expects to be in place by the end of the summer after all officers receive training.
Under the policy, officers may give chase if they believe a person is committing or is about to commit a felony, a Class A misdemeanor such as domestic battery, or a serious traffic offense that could risk injuring others, such as drunken driving or street racing.
Officers won’t be allowed to chase people on foot if they suspect them of minor offenses such as parking violations, driving on suspended licenses or drinking alcohol in public. But they will still have discretion to chase people who they’ve determined are committing or about to commit crimes that post “an obvious threat to any person.”
Perhaps most significantly, the policy makes clear that the days of officers giving chase just because someone tries to avoid them are over.
“People may avoid contact with a member for many reasons other than involvement in criminal activity,” the policy states.
The names of 13-year-old Adam Toledo and 22-year-old Anthony Alvarez, who were armed when they ran from police in separate March 2021 pursuits, are not mentioned in the news release announcing the policy or the policy itself. But those pursuits — particularly that of Alvarez — cast a shadow over the policy.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot demanded that the department create an interim policy after the shootings and the county’s top prosecutor harshly criticized police over the Alvarez pursuit. It also appears that the police department took pains to prohibit just that kind of foot chase.
Under the policy, the chase of Alvarez would apparently not have been allowed for two key reasons. First, when police chased him for a traffic violation they knew who he was and where he lived, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx told reporters in March when she announced that the officers involved in the two shootings wouldn’t be charged. Second, officers are no longer allowed to chase on foot people who are suspected of the kind of minor offense that led to the chase.
The policy includes a number of circumstances in which an officer must call off a chase, including a requirement that the pursuit must end if a third party is injured and needs immediate medical attention that can’t be provided by anyone else. If officers realize they do not know exactly where they are, which is possible in a chaotic situation in which they are running through alleys and between houses, they must stop. And if they find themselves unable to communicate with other officers, because they drop their radios or for another reason, they must stop.
The policy also makes a point of reminding officers that they or their supervisors will not be criticized or disciplined for deciding against a foot pursuit or calling one off — the significance of which a law professor who has studied the department and was part of a legal team that successfully fought the city over its refusal to release video of a police shooting said can’t be overstated.
“How do you change the culture that you have to chase those bad guys no matter what, no matter how dangerous to everyone who is around you?” University of Chicago Law Professor Craig Futterman said. ”You create polices that make it so you can’t be disciplined, chewed out, criticized for following a policy and not engaging in an inherently dangerous act.”
Officers are also prohibited from provoking chases, such as by employing a tactic in which they speed in their squad cars toward a group of people, stop suddenly and jump out “with the intention of stopping anyone in the group who flees.”
The city has been waiting for a policy since long before the shootings of Toledo and Alvarez.
Five years ago, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a scathing report saying that too many police chases in the city were unnecessary or ended with officers shooting people they did not have to shoot. And three years ago, a judge signed off on a consent decree that included a requirement to adopt a foot pursuit policy.
The city also had plenty of evidence about the dangers of foot pursuits, including a Chicago Tribune investigation that found that a third of the city’s police shootings from 2010 through 2015 involved someone being wounded or killed during a foot pursuit.
Police officials have denied any suggestion they have been dragging their feet, pointing out that the department has met the established deadlines.
But Chicago has not taken the lead on the issue, with other major cities such as Baltimore, Philadelphia and Portland, Oregon, already having implemented foot pursuit policies and Futterman said the department has resisted following suit for years despite knowing how dangerous foot pursuits can be.
Still, he praised the department.
“Lives have been lost and having one (foot pursuit policy) and having one that has some teeth … will save lives,” he said. | 2022-06-22T00:43:54+00:00 | myfox8.com | https://myfox8.com/news/chicago-police-cant-chase-people-just-because-they-run-away-says-new-policy/ |
Courtside seats 166 and 167 at the arena where the Los Angeles Lakers play their home games are pretty much as good as it gets.
The people occupying those chairs when LeBron James breaks Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s NBA scoring record will have an up-close view, with their feet on the very hardwood where the history-making shot happens.
History, in this case, comes with a cost.
On Monday, those seats for Tuesday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder could have been had for $75,000 — each. Total price for the two seats with Ticketmaster fees: $181,500. And there’s no guarantee James will even break the record Tuesday; in fact, at his current scoring pace, he would be just shy of the mark when the Thunder game ends.
Which is why those same seats are even pricier Thursday for the Lakers’ next game against the Milwaukee Bucks — the two teams Abdul-Jabbar played for during his Hall of Fame career. For that game: $242,000, including the fees. But history suggests prices will come down; industry experts have long said extravagantly priced tickets rarely fetch the giant number listed.
Don’t be mistaken, though. The best seats will still cost plenty.
“For the game on Thursday, we did sell a pair of tickets, courtside seats, for $24,000 a ticket, $48,000 total,” said Kyle Zorn, a brand manager at the online ticket marketplace TickPick. “I feel like people are betting on the storyline that he does it against Kareem’s former team, but he could easily score 36 points Tuesday and then the market for the game Thursday could completely crash.”
Whenever the record falls — maybe Tuesday, maybe Thursday, and it’s doubtful the chase goes past that unless James isn’t playing for some reason — it will be an event.
The NBA has already changed the national television schedule for Tuesday, rearranging things to get the Lakers-Thunder game into the second slot of the usual TNT doubleheader for that night — with Commissioner Adam Silver saying the league wanted to make sure it got as many eyeballs on the record-breaking moment as possible.
The Lakers will be back on TNT against the Bucks on Thursday, plus have another national TV audience awaiting Saturday when they visit Golden State on ABC. Those were previously scheduled that way, no rearranging required.
Silver said the NBA will pay tribute when James passes Abdul-Jabbar’s total of 38,387 points, with likely a larger-scale celebration of the record at All-Star weekend in Salt Lake City later this month.
“There’s no doubt we will stop that game and make sure we record for history, the ball, the basket, the uniform,” Silver said. “We’ll stop and make sure that we’ve done our jobs as the archivists of the NBA. At the same time, there’s that balance that they will be playing against a team that will very much want to win that night and not be distracted. Most likely we will do something in the moment.”
Common sense will likely prevail there: If James gets the record with a minute to go in a close game, for example, the NBA probably won’t interrupt the proceedings with a lengthy stoppage. If it happens early, a brief halting of play wouldn’t be unprecedented.
But for those who want to see it all happen in person, whether that’s from courtside seats or the upper levels of the arena, it’ll still cost a pretty penny.
Speaking Monday, and with the market likely to fluctuate until game time, Zorn said the cheapest get-in-the-door price for Tuesday’s game was around $176 — about half what it was a week ago, with most people guessing the record falls against the Bucks — and $796 for Thursday’s game.
“It’s weird how prices for the game on Tuesday have decreased so significantly, as if it’s like a guarantee that he’s breaking it on Thursday,” Zorn said.
Many price points are likely out of reach for most fans. Then again, if there’s a Thunder fan in L.A. who really wants to see their team, they might just want to wait for March 24. The Thunder will be back that night.
Cheapest ticket right now for that game — about $60.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2023-02-07T18:13:08+00:00 | cbs42.com | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/ap-ticket-demand-anticipation-grows-as-lebron-nears-kareem/ |
Racist, vulgar messages spray painted on cars
ARLINGTON, Texas (WFAA) - Texas authorities are looking for the people who spray-painted racist words and vulgar images on cars parked across Arlington.
It took elbow grease and a little oven cleaner, but Dexter Smith and his brother finally got the spray paint off of the Corvette and the F-150 they park outside of their home.
Someone tagged each vehicle with racist slurs and vulgar drawings Saturday morning. They also dumped Smith’s trash on his porch.
“The first thing was disbelief, shock, then after the shock, it was like I got angry,” Smith said.
About 15 minutes north, two security cameras caught nearly identical acts of vandalism.
In both cases, people appear to get out of the same minivan and both vehicles they approached were marked with the same racist word.
Smith says it is hard to ignore the vandal’s vocabulary.
“They’ve got stuff called a hate crime, now,” he said.
Police are not yet certain the same group is responsible for each incident, but WFAA confirmed at least six vehicles were tagged with similarly racist language and police say they are still getting new reports.
Smith says he has now seen the worst side of his community and yet he found hope on the same day.
“A lady drove by, passed, stopped and backed up. She rolled the window down and she just said, ‘I’m so sorry,’” he said.
Smith says that moment helped him “a lot.”
Each of the five homes police responded to are within four miles of each other.
There is no word of any suspects or arrests, but investigators are asking locals to check their surveillance video for any information about the perpetrators.
Copyright 2023 WFAA via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | 2023-07-30T16:44:05+00:00 | kfyrtv.com | https://www.kfyrtv.com/2023/07/30/racist-vulgar-messages-spray-painted-cars/ |
DeJong, Contreras lead Cards past White Sox 4-3 in 10 innings
By MATT CARLSON Associated Press
CHICAGO (AP) — Paul DeJong had an RBI double in the 10th inning and the St. Louis Cardinals edged the Chicago White Sox 4-3 on Sunday.
DeJong lined a pitch from Keynan Middleton (2-1) down the left field line to score Nolan Gorman, who started the inning on second base. It was DeJong’s second straight hit, following a 1 for 19 slide.
“I was looking for something up that I could hit to the outfield and I just kind of flipped it out there are and got to second,” DeJong said.
The Cardinals won their second straight on the South Side despite three errors that led to all of Chicago’s runs being unearned.
“We kept our composure and didn’t give in,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said.
St. Louis catcher Willson Contreras drilled a two-run homer and reached base four times with two hits, a walk and a hit by pitch. He’s 11 for 17 with two homers and five RBIs in his last five games.
“He’s been settling in and feeling a lot better at the plate and driving the baseball to all fields,” Marmol said. “We’re seeing the Contreras we’re used to seeing.”
Contreras batted fourth and returned behind the plate after missing two games following a dental procedure on Friday. The catcher was charged with two passed balls and a throwing error.
JoJo Romero (1-0), the fourth Cardinals reliever, pitched two innings for his first career win.
Romero thought he had earned a victory on May 7 in a the Cardinals 12-6 win over Detroit. But the 26-year-old left-hander got just one out and allowed two runs in that one, and the official scorer awarded the win to Drew VerHagen.
“This one’s special,” Romero said. “It’s one hopefully they can’t take away.”
The Cardinals tied it at 3 in the top of the ninth after they loaded the bases against Kendall Graveman with one out.
Alec Burleson’s chopper up the middle glanced off Graveman’s glove, and the White Sox were able to get only an out at second, instead of a game-ending double play. Lars Nootbar, who had doubled to open the inning, scored from third.
Zach Remillard scored Chicago’s third unearned run of the game on Luis Robert Jr.’s sacrifice fly in the eighth to put Chicago ahead 3-2.
In his first start since May 24, St. Louis left-hander Steven Matz allowed one unearned run and struck out nine in 5 1/3 innings. He yielded just two hits and walked none.
Matz dueled with Chicago righty Lucas Giolito, who allowed only two hits, both to Contreras, and two runs in seven innings.
“Gio was spectacular,” Chicago manager Pedro Grifol said. “On the offensive side we couldn’t get much going today. This one hurt to finish up the first half.”
Matz made 10 starts to begin this season, going 0-6 with a 5.72 ERA, before moving to the bullpen. He was 0-1 with a 2.81 ERA as a reliever and his longest outing was 3 1/3 innings.
The 32-year-old probably earned a spot back in the rotation with this outing, throwing 57 of 75 pitches for strikes.
“He pitched with a little bit of edge today,” Marmol said. “Today we say him very convicted.”
Matz struck out six of the first 10 hitters he faced, but the White Sox pushed across an unearned run in the third to take a 1-0 lead.
Oscar Colas reached when first baseman Paul Goldschmidt flubbed his chopper. Colas advanced to second on a passed ball, then third when Contreras’ throw to second sailed into center field.
Colas scored on Elvis Andrus’ single to left.
Contreras lined his 10th homer to the back of the left-field bullpen for the first hit off Giolito and a 2-1 St. Louis lead in the fourth.
The White Sox tied it at 2 in the seventh. Gorman couldn’t come up with pinch hitter Carlos Perez’s bouncer and the error allowed Robert Jr. to score.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cardinals: LHP Jordan Montgomery (right hamstring) will be checked by a doctor on Sunday night, giving the team a clearer timeline for his return. Montgomery abruptly left Friday night’s series opener in the fifth inning after he slipped on the mound. … INF/OF Brendan Donovan (sore throwing arm), restricted to DH since late June, is expected to start throwing during the All-Star break. … OF Tyler O’Neill (lower left back strain) went 0-for-2 with two walks as DH in his fourth rehab appearance with Triple-A Memphis on Saturday night.
White Sox: OF Andrew Benintendi sat out a second straight game with a right wrist injury.
UP NEXT
The Cardinals host Washington starting Friday.
The White Sox open a three-game series at nine-game trip at Atlanta on Friday.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP–Sports | 2023-07-10T15:43:24+00:00 | wlip.com | https://www.wlip.com/dejong-contreras-lead-cards-past-white-sox-4-3-in-10-innings/ |
Just two days before students were to begin summer break, a lone gunman clad in body armor entered a Texas elementary school and opened fire, killing 19 young children and two adults, officials said, in the deadliest school shooting in almost a decade.
The violent act shook a nation still reeling from a mass shooting just 10 days ago. Parents in Uvalde, Texas, waited late into Tuesday night at a civic center to learn whether their children had survived, some having given DNA to help authorities identify victims, they told CNN.
Now, the city about 90 miles west of San Antonio and just east of the US-Mexican border finds itself on the long list of American communities devastated by mass shootings.
LIVE UPDATES: Deadly shooting at Texas elementary school
The 18-year-old gunman, who was killed by law enforcement, is believed to have shot his grandmother before driving to Robb Elementary to carry out to attack, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. She was at a hospital in critical condition Tuesday evening.
The shooter crashed his vehicle near the school, then got out with a rifle and a backpack, DPS spokesperson Sgt. Erick Estrada said. As he tried to enter the school, the gunman was engaged by school district police officers but got into the building and opened fire, Estrada told CNN.
So far, two 10-year-olds and a fourth-grade teacher have been identified publicly by relatives as among the dead.
Tuesday's massacre is the second-deadliest school shooting since 2012, when 26 children and adults were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School. It is at least the 30th shooting at a K-12 school in 2022, according to a CNN tally.
President Joe Biden in a national address Tuesday night recalled the Sandy Hook shooting, which happened when he was vice president.
"I had hoped when I became President I would not have to do this again," he said. "How many scores of little children who witnessed what happened -- see their friends die as if they're in a battlefield, for God's sake. They'll live with it the rest of their lives."
As the last day of school was drawing near, Robb Elementary students were celebrating with special themed dress days, including Tuesday's theme of "Footloose and Fancy." Students were encouraged to come dressed in nice outfits and show off their fun footwear, according to a post on the school's Facebook page.
But by Tuesday afternoon, shaken students were being bussed to the civic center-turned-reunification site. As the evening stretched on, some parents began to learn their young children had not survived.
"We see people coming out just terrorized. They're crying one by one. They're being told that their child has passed on," state Sen. Roland Gutierrez told CNN Tuesday night from the site.
Here are the latest developments:
• Shooter acted alone: The gunman, identified by officials as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos from Uvalde, did not have any assistance, said Pete Arredondo, chief of police for the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District.
• 'The school year's done,' superintendent says: The Uvalde school district canceled the rest of its school year, which was set to end Thursday, said its superintendent, Hal Harrell. Grief counseling and support for students will be available at the civic center starting at 10 a.m. Wednesday, the district said.
• US Customs and Border Protection agents responded to the scene: More than 20 CBP agents responded to the shooting and provided aid, a law enforcement official told CNN. One CBP agent was injured and is stable. CBP is the largest federal law enforcement agency in the Uvalde area.
• Reaction pours in from around the world: Pope Francis shared his condolences with the victims' families and called for stronger gun control, saying "such tragedies can never happen again." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose country is at war, said via video conference: "This is terrible to have victims of shooters in peaceful time." Leaders of France, Germany and Spain also expressed condolences.
Community shattered by sudden tragedy
As news of the shooting broke in Uvalde, Robb Elementary parents were told students were being taken to the SSGT Willie de Leon Civic Center, according to a post on the school district's Facebook page. The civic center quickly became the epicenter for families looking for their children, and scenes of devastation began to play out as victims were identified.
Parents were asked for DNA swabs to confirm their relationships to their children and instructed to wait an hour for an answer, at least four families told CNN.
A father, who had just learned his child was dead, fought tears as several of his cousins embraced him. A few yards away, a grandmother who had just driven from San Antonio said she would not stop praying for her 10-year-old granddaughter as they waited for the DNA results.
Inside, city workers handed out pizza, snacks and water to families. Some parents waited in silence, while others sobbed quietly as a group of children sat on the floor playing with teddy bears. A group of local pastors and chaplains arrived and offered their support to the families.
By Tuesday night, some families had still not been reunited with their children and had no news, said Gutierrez, who represents Uvalde.
"We have people that still have not had their children identified," he told CNN Tuesday night. "Right now, they're still doing a DNA match."
In his address, Biden evoked his own experience as a parent who has lost children, saying there are now "parents who will never see their child again, never have them jump in bed and cuddle with them, parents who will never be the same. To lose a child is like having a piece of your soul ripped away."
Robb Elementary includes second through fourth grades and had 535 students in the 2020-21 school year, state data shows. About 90% of students are Hispanic, and about 81% are economically disadvantaged, according to the data. Uvalde County had a population of about 25,000 in the 2020 census.
Hours after the shooting, people in the neighborhood surrounding the school sat with their families outside their homes, some gathering with neighbors seeking to understand what occurred just blocks away.
Adela Martinez and her husband Paul Martinez, a former city council member, could sense the grief and sadness spreading through their town, they said.
"We are like a big family here. You can expect something like this (shooting) in big cities like New York but in Uvalde? If this happened here, now I believe it can happen anywhere," Adela Martinez said.
10-year-olds, teacher identified as victims
Two of the children killed have been identified publicly by their parents.
Ten-year-old Xavier Lopez's mother confirmed her son was killed and recalled her fourth grader's unforgettable smile. Xavier was days away from finishing elementary school, his mother told the Washington Post, and he "couldn't wait" to attend middle school.
Martinez had been at the school earlier Tuesday to cheer on Xavier during the honor roll ceremony, at which he got a certificate. She took a picture of her boy and told him she was proud of him and loved him, she said. Then, she hugged her "mama's boy" goodbye.
Elsewhere in the hours after the shooting, Angel Garza pleaded on Facebook for help finding his daughter, 10-year-old Amerie Jo Garza.
He followed up early Wednesday morning: "She's been found. My little love is now flying high with the angels above."
"Please don't take a second for granted," Garza wrote. "Hug your family. Tell them you love them."
Fourth-grade teacher Eva Mireles was also killed, her aunt, Lydia Martinez Delgado, told CNN.
Mireles had been an educator for 17 years and in her off time enjoyed running, hiking, biking and spending time with her family, according to her profile on the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District website.
What we know about the shooter
Just three days before Tuesday's massacre, a photo of two AR-15-style rifles appeared on an Instagram account tied to the 18-year-old shooter, who was a student at Uvalde High School.
Ramos had stopped attending school regularly, one of his former classmates told CNN. "He barely came to school," said the friend, who did not wish to be identified. Ramos had recently sent him a picture of an AR-15, a backpack with rounds of ammunition and several gun magazines, the friend added.
"I was like, 'Bro, why do you have this?' and he was like, 'Don't worry about it,'" the friend said. "He proceeded to text me, 'I look very different now. You wouldn't recognize me.'"
Ramos worked at a local Wendy's, the restaurant's manager, Adrian Mendes, confirmed to CNN.
Ramos "kept to himself mostly," said Mendes, an evening manager. He "didn't really socialize with the other employees. ... He just worked, got paid, and came in to get his check."
Communities that have endured shootings express solidarity
The victims' loved ones and community members grieving the loss of 21 Uvalde residents join a growing number of Americans whose lives have been ravaged by mass shootings -- and school shootings in particular. It's a "club that no one wants to be a part of," said Erica Lafferty, whose mother, Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung, was killed in the Sandy Hook shooting.
So far, there have been more mass shootings than days in 2022 -- including the racist attack at a Buffalo, New York, grocery store a little over a week ago that left 10 dead. At least 213 mass shootings had been recorded this year as of Tuesday, the 144th day of the year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. CNN and the archive define a mass shooting as one which four or more people were injured or killed, not including the shooter.
Parents of children who died in the Sandy Hook Elementary and Parkland, Florida, school shootings expressed support for the Uvalde community and aired frustrations about the shared language of loss that gun violence has created for so many families.
Fred Guttenberg's daughter Jaime was one of 17 people killed in the 2018 shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.
"I can't stop thinking about these families today who need to figure out how they're going to bury their children, who need to figure out how they are going to console their other children," he said. "And I can't stop thinking about this community that needs to figure out how they're all going to rally, how they're all going to take care of one another in this aftermath."
Nicole Hockley, whose son Dylan was killed at Sandy Hook, cofounded the Sandy Hook Promise Foundation, a nonprofit that works to prevent gun violence. Working on the nonprofit gave her a purpose after Dylan's death, she said, and she encouraged parents to know joy is still possible after their loss.
"It's possible, but it sure as heck isn't easy. I have a surviving son who I love with my whole life. He brings me joy," she said.
For Uvalde, there is now "an army of survivors" to support them, Guttenberg said, sharing as advice for those now in mourning the words of his rabbi at his daughter's funeral: "We don't move on, we move forward."
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | 2022-05-25T14:15:33+00:00 | wthitv.com | https://www.wthitv.com/news/parents-waited-late-into-the-night-for-dead-children-to-be-identified-after-texas-elementary/article_c1a45208-8925-5dcb-9547-c0bfaaaf0bab.html |
CHAMPAIGN – Ludacris is coming home for Homecoming.
The Champaign-born rapper will take the stage at State Farm Center on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 8 p.m., during the University of Illinois’ Homecoming weekend, along with TikTok-famous Seattle rapper charlieonnafriday,
Tickets go on sale Monday, Sept. 19 at noon, ranging from $49.50 to $69.50 before fees. Current UI students get a $10 discount.
Chris “Ludacris” Bridges was born in Champaign in 1977, and lived there until age nine. His albums have sold more than 24 million copies worldwide, with the help of hit singles like “My Chick Bad,” “Southern Hospitality,” “Stand Up,” and “Rollout (My Business)” — the latter earned him a Grammy nomination in 2003.
Ludacris’ role as Tej Parker in the Fast and Furious franchise kick started his acting career.
Tickets can be purchased at the State Farm Center’s Illinois Ticket Office, online at StateFarmCenter.com/Ludacris, or by calling 866-ILLINI-1. | 2022-09-13T20:51:54+00:00 | news-gazette.com | https://www.news-gazette.com/arts-entertainment/ludacris-to-take-stage-for-homecoming-weekend/article_e0aa72da-837a-5338-b15a-4e789f355865.html |
WESLACO, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A Weslaco High School student who was arrested in February for invasive recordings is facing new charges.
Joseph Trevino was booked into the Hidalgo County Jail Monday on a charge of possession of child pornography, records show.
On Feb. 14, the Weslaco Police Department held a press conference where they announced that Trevino was arrested after a search warrant of a cell phone revealed “intimate records” of people on campus without their knowledge.
Police said the investigation into Trevino began when they received a tip through the Weslaco Crime Stoppers app, accusing the student of being in possession of child pornography.
“A preliminary review of the digital forensic evidence shows individuals exposing their ‘intimate areas’ in a school setting without their knowledge or consent,” Weslaco police stated in the release.
Weslaco Police Chief Joel Rivera said authorities used the analysis of metadata to determine where the photos were taken. Rivera added that the images appeared to be in a school setting, “like a locker room or restroom, or something of that nature.”
Trevino was issued a $15,000 bond for his February arrest. His bond was set at $40,000 for his recent arrest on one count of possession of child pornography. Records indicate that he was released from jail Tuesday. | 2023-03-28T18:14:34+00:00 | valleycentral.com | https://www.valleycentral.com/news/local-news/weslaco-student-facing-new-charge-after-invasive-recording-arrest-records-show/ |
(KTLA) – Officials in Santa Monica, California, are working to remove a crumbling portion of the bluffs above Pacific Coast Highway after the potential hazard was noticed by Suzanne Yankovic — wife of musician “Weird Al” Yankovic — and other passersby.
Suzanne Yankovic posted an Instagram video of the bluff earlier this month. It was then seen by Los Angeles County supervisors who alerted the city of Santa Monica.
“I noticed this crack from the bluffs, seems precarious fyi,” Suzanne Yankovic wrote in the post, tagging city officials.
If the cliffside were to collapse, it could be catastrophic to those driving on the freeway below.
It is unclear whether a collapse would have occurred within days or years, so officials took action right away. A crane was brought in to break apart the top portion of the unstable bluff with debris being hauled away in dump trucks.
The PCH and a portion of the 10 Freeway approaching the coast were also closed late Tuesday. The road closures are expected to continue until about noon Wednesday. | 2023-07-26T16:43:19+00:00 | mytwintiers.com | https://www.mytwintiers.com/news-cat/national-news/weird-al-yankovics-wife-suzanne-alerts-california-officials-to-potentially-dangerous-road-hazard/ |
PLANO, Texas, April 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Dogness (International) Corporation ("Dogness" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: DOGZ), a developer and manufacturer of a comprehensive line of Dogness-branded, OEM and private label pet products, today announced its unaudited financial results for the six months ended December 31, 2022.
The Company noted it was not immune to macroeconomic headwinds facing the broader industry, which resulted in revenue declines in all geographic markets, with the exception of Australia. While total revenues decreased by approximately $7.8 million, or 42.8%, to approximately $10.4 million for the six months ended December 31, 2022 from approximately $18.2 million for same period last year, 47.3% of revenue in the most recent period was from intelligent pet products, with 45.4% from traditional pet products. The ongoing mix shift to higher value, higher average selling price, or ASP, and higher margin products reflects the Company's ongoing investment in R&D and successful commercialization of its expanding line of intelligent pet products, ranging from smart feeders and GPS trackers to home monitoring robots and interactive treaters.
Continued Focus on Intelligent Pet Products
Dogness continues to collaborate with large retail chains in the US and Canada to distribute its intelligent pet products under its own brand, rather than just serving as an OEM supplier. Furthermore, it continues to expand its sales on online shopping platforms, such as Amazon and Chewy, to reach more potential customers. Dogness anticipates that these efforts, coupled with the global economic recovery and the release of its new generation of intelligent pet products, will result in an increase in revenue in the near future, with its new generation of intelligent pet products continuing to be the primary source of revenue for its international sales.
As a result of the decline in revenue, the Company's gross profit decreased by approximately $4.4 million or 61.6%, to approximately $2.7 million for the six months ended December 31, 2022 from approximately $7.1 million for the same period of 2021. Overall gross profit margin was 26.1%, a decrease of 12.8 percentage points, as compared to 38.9% for the six months ended December 31, 2021.
Net loss was approximately $3.0 million for the six months ended December 31, 2022, as compared to net income of approximately $1.1 million for the six months ended December 31, 2021. The net loss was the result of decreased sales and gross profit, as well as increased operating expenses, primarily selling and research and development.
Silong Chen, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Dogness, commented, "We expect our financial results will better reflect our successful mix shift to intelligent products in the second half of this year. The underlying long-term fundamentals of our business remain strong, and we have several high volume customer orders in advanced stages that we believe will meaningfully contribute to our growth as we move into the second half of the year. We also expect to realize a higher return on investments we have made in customer support, R&D, and sales as we move forward. Our team remains focused on cultivating the extensive growth opportunities in front of us as we capitalize on the further expansion of our sales, design and development pipeline."
Established Integrated Sales Platforms
Dogness has built an integrated sales platform across all channels, with major customers including Petco, PetSmart, Costco Wholesale Corporation, Xiuhu, Sam's Club, Walmart, Target, QVC®, Pet Value, Pets at Home, PETZL, Petmate, Trendspark, Anyi Trading, IKEA, SimplyShe, and online shopping platforms, such as Amazon, Chewy.com, Boqii Holding Limited, Target.com, HomeDepot.com, Lowes.com, Wayfair.com, JD, Tmall and Taobao, as well as live streaming sales platforms hosted by influencers.
About Dogness
Dogness (International) Corporation was founded in 2003 from the belief that dogs and cats are important, well-loved family members. Through its smart products, hygiene products, health and wellness products, and leash products, Dogness' technology simplifies pet lifestyles and enhances the relationship between pets and pet caregivers. The Company ensures industry-leading quality through its fully integrated vertical supply chain and world-class research and development capabilities, which has resulted in over 200 patents and patents pending. Dogness products reach families worldwide through global chain stores and distributors. For more information, please visit: ir.dogness.com.
Forward Looking Statements
No statement made in this press release should be interpreted as an offer to purchase or sell any security. Such an offer can only be made in accordance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and applicable state securities laws. Certain statements in this press release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements regarding our future business expectations intended to qualify for the "safe harbor" under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on our customers' businesses and end purchasers' disposable income, our ability to raise capital on any particular terms, fulfillment of customer orders, fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, our ability to realize revenue from expanded operation and acquired assets in China and the U.S., our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, client concentration, industry segment concentration, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, and unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Dogness may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. In addition, please note that any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable as of the date of this press release. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law.
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SOURCE Dogness International Corporation | 2023-04-07T01:40:03+00:00 | uppermichiganssource.com | https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/prnewswire/2023/04/06/dogness-reports-financial-results-six-months-ended-december-31-2022/ |
GENOA, Italy (AP) — Fifty-nine people went on trial Thursday for the 2018 collapse of Genoa’s Morandi bridge, accused of manslaughter and other charges in the deaths of 43 people.
The defendants include former executives and experts of the company that manages many of Italy’s bridges and highways, as well as former officials of the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.
A huge section of the Morandi Bridge broke off during a violent rainstorm on Aug. 14, 2018, when highways were packed with vacationers, sending cars plunging into the dry riverbed below.
Prosecutors have alleged the defendants knew the bridge, which was built in the 1960s, was at risk of collapsing and that corners were cut on maintenance to save money.
The bridge’s designer had recommended regular upkeep to remove rust, especially due to the corrosive effect of moist air from the nearby Ligurian Sea, and maintenance to counter the effect of pollution on concrete.
In April, a Genoa judge approved plea bargain requests by both the highway company, Autostrade per Italia, and the Spea engineering company, to pay 29 million euros ($33 million) to the Italian government in exchange for avoiding a trial.
The lawyer for former Austostrade CEO Giovanni Castellucci, who is among the defendants, said the trial would show that the bridge collapsed not as a result of maintenance negligence but due to an original “construction defect.”
“This is why 43 people died in a terrifying and absurd way,” lawyer Giovanni Paolo Accinni told reporters Thursday outside the Genoa tribunal, the LaPresse news agency reported.
A replacement bridge, designed by renowned architect Renzo Piano, a Genoa native, features 43 lamps in memory of people who perished.
The governor of Liguria, Giovanni Toti, said the start of the trial was important for the region but also relatives of the 43 victims.
“Starting today, justice and truth are closer and we hope will arrive quickly,” Toti wrote on Facebook. “It’s the only way to rebuild the trust between citizens and the state that collapsed on that Godforsaken Aug. 14.”
After the collapse, the Italian government forged a deal in which the Benetton fashion family agreed to sell its ownership stake in Autostrade.
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Winfield reported from Rome. | 2022-07-08T01:51:21+00:00 | cbs4indy.com | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-international/trial-opens-in-deadly-collapse-of-italys-morandi-bridge/ |
Teens’ brains aged faster during the first year of the pandemic, study says, and stress may be to blame
By Jen Christensen, CNN
The brains of US teens have physically changed during the Covid-19 pandemic, aging faster than normal, a new study says.
The young study participants also reported more severe symptoms of anxiety, depression and what scientists call internalized problems — meaning feelings of sadness, low self-esteem and fear and trouble regulating their emotions — after the first year of the pandemic.
Dozens of studies have found that teens’ and adolescents’ mental health has suffered during the pandemic. They have been taken out of school, away from their friends and familiar support structures, and had to live with the uncertainty and fear that came with the coronavirus. Many parents lost jobs. Millions of children lost parents and grandparents to Covid-19.
The study, published Thursday in the journal Biological Psychiatry: Global Open Science, is one of the first to look at the physical changes in the brain brought by that the stress and anxiety.
The research comes out of a larger study in which scientists were trying to understand the gender differences in depression among adolescents.
Eight years ago, they set out with a plan to take MRI scans of 220 children ages 9 to 13 every two years. The team had completed two sets of scans when the pandemic interrupted their research, and they weren’t able to start scanning again until the end of 2020.
When their research was interrupted, the team decided it would be interesting to study the effects that this stressful event was having on kids’ developing brains. The pre-pandemic scans would help them make this comparison.
The researchers matched children in the same demographics — including gender, age, exposure to stress and socioeconomic status.
To find the average brain age, they put the MRI scans through a model that pools data from other scans.
The researchers compared the MRI scans of 128 children. Half the scans were taken before the pandemic and the other half at the end of 2020.
They found that the children who had lived through the first year of the pandemic had brain ages that were older than their chronological age.
The brains that had gone through the beginning of the pandemic had growth in the area that can help regulate fear and stress, called the amygdala, and in the hippocampus, the area of the brain that can controls access to memories. Tissues had thinned in the part of the brain that controls executive functioning, the cortex.
A child’s brain changes naturally over time, but research has found that these physical changes can speed up when a person goes through significant adversity in childhood.
Studies have shown that people who are exposed to violence, neglect, poverty and family problems early in life have faster brain aging and can have problems with their mental health later on.
Ian Gotlib, lead author of the new study, said the research team had expected to find the problems with anxiety, depression and internalized problems. “The pandemic has not been kind to adolescent mental health,” said Gotlib, a psychology professor at Stanford University.
But they weren’t exactly sure what they would find with the MRI scans.
“It’s always interesting to do research like this when you’re not really sure what’s going to happen,” Gotlib said. “These effects were interesting and happened pretty quickly.
“This was just a one-year shutdown, so we didn’t know that the effects on the brain would be this pronounced after that short a period of stress,” he added. “It tracks with the mental health difficulties that we’re seeing.”
What isn’t clear, he said, is whether the brain changes will have an impact later in life. The research team plans to scan the same kids later to track their brain development. There is a chance that their brain changes could have just been an immediate response to a stressor that will normalize over time, he said.
The team also plans to look at the 10 children in the study who had Covid-19 to see whether there is a different effect. The physical differences seem to be “a little more pronounced” in the children who had Covid, Gotlib said.
Dr. Max Wiznitzer, diversion chief of pediatric neurology at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, said the changes in the brain were interesting, but what’s important is whether the mental health problems persist.
“The anatomy is not important. It’s the functionality that’s important,” said Wiznitzer, who wasn’t involved in the research. “The clinical consequence here is the functional impact, the mental health condition clinically and how it’s functioning and how you deal with it.”
With appropriate mental health interventions, problems like anxiety or depression can be managed. “The brain has that capacity for reorganization — or call it improvement, if you will,” Wiznitzer added.
Gotlib hopes parents and guardians keep in mind that although lockdowns and school closures may be over, the mental health consequences may be lingering.
“Be sure that your adolescent or your teen is getting any help that he or she, that they, might need if they’re experiencing symptoms of depression, anxiety” or being withdrawn.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | 2022-12-02T21:03:30+00:00 | krdo.com | https://krdo.com/health/cnn-health/2022/12/02/teens-brains-aged-faster-during-the-first-year-of-the-pandemic-study-says-and-stress-may-be-to-blame-2/ |
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Vincent Viola has a problem. It’s a good problem.
Viola is one of the owners of Forte, the presumed favorite for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby. He also owns the Florida Panthers, who just knocked off the favorites to win the Stanley Cup. And this weekend, with racing and hockey on his calendar, Viola might need to be in two places at once.
It beats the alternative. For the first time, the Panthers have reached the NHL’s second round in back-to-back years — getting there this year after stunning the Boston Bruins. The dark days for the franchise are gone, and Viola feels like the team is getting closer on making good on its promise to bring a Stanley Cup to South Florida.
“It’s everything that we anticipated around this process and on this journey,” Viola said Monday in an interview with The Associated Press. “We feel that we got through some pretty tough roller-coaster years. It means an awful lot. And it means an awful lot because I see the confidence reflected in the fan base. I truly feel that the fan base truly believes in a way, quite frankly, that was not warranted in the past.
“They gave us a lot of confidence and a lot of support on credit. They kind of surrendered it to us on credit, and it took us a while to earn it. Now I feel we have an organization that they can be proud of.”
It’s hard to win in anything, and hockey is no different. Last season’s Stanley Cup finalists — champion Colorado and runner-up Tampa Bay — both lost this season in Round 1. Florida, Carolina and Edmonton are the only teams so far to qualify for the second round both this year and last year; the New York Rangers can join that list if they beat New Jersey in Game 7 of their series.
The Panthers, for years, made winning seem impossible. Last year’s first-round series win over Washington was the franchise’s first playoff triumph since 1996. A second-round meeting with Toronto awaits Florida now; the winner will be going to the conference finals for the first time in a generation. Florida got there most recently in that 1996 run, Toronto in 2002.
“We have people believing in this team,” Viola said.
He’s among them, of course, his faith not even wavering even in the final moments of Game 7 on Sunday night. The Panthers sent the game to overtime on a goal by Brandon Montour, then sent the team with the best regular-season record in hockey history home for the summer on an overtime game-winner by Carter Verhaeghe.
“My exact emotions, 51% of me really had this inexplicable optimism — don’t ask me why — and 49% of me was thinking through all of the hard work, the staff and the players, and all of the dedication of the fans, and the feeling of ‘Man, we let the fans down again,'” Viola said. “I was not giving up. I’ll put it that way. I hadn’t given up as a fan.”
And the win further validated two big moves the Panthers made last summer.
One of those was trading Jonathan Huberdeau — then the franchise’s all-time scoring leader — to Calgary as part of a package that brought Matthew Tkachuk to Florida. Tkachuk had 109 points and 123 penalty minutes this season; the last person to have 100 in each of those categories was Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby in 2006.
The Panthers nearly balked at making the deal, simply because they thought so highly of Huberdeau. Viola called it “heartbreaking,” but added that the team’s ownership group — including his sons — and front office “had to think with our head, not our heart.”
“We were really blessed by good fortune when we brought on a true champion in Matthew Tkachuk,” Viola said. “A definitional player. You could call him a unicorn, you can call him a generational talent, call him what you want. He just is the quintessential modern hockey player leader. And his relationship with Aleksander Barkov, it’s like one and one makes four. That was good fortune.”
The other big change last summer was hiring coach Paul Maurice — another tough decision for Florida to make, especially after then-interim coach Andrew Brunette led the Panthers to the NHL’s best regular-season record a year ago.
“Paul Maurice was not given, let’s say, a long leash by the fans,” Viola said. “I think his job is worthy of consideration right up there with the best coaches in the league for the job he’s done.”
There’s a Kentucky Derby to chase with Forte. There’s a Stanley Cup to chase with the Panthers.
These are busy days for Viola, and he’s not complaining whatsoever.
“The Kentucky Derby’s a very difficult event to really predict because so many things have to go right,” Viola said. “But all things being equal, if he has a fair trip, he has a very fair shot at winning the race.”
His hockey team is surprising many. His horse, if it wins Saturday, will surprise very few. Either way, he’s enjoying the journey.
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AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2023-05-02T11:19:12+00:00 | wcia.com | https://www.wcia.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-interview-owner-vincent-viola-talks-panthers-forte/ |
ROME (AP) — Pope Francis said he would not live in the Vatican or return to his native Argentina if and when he ever retires, but would instead like to find a church in Rome where he could continue hearing confessions.
“I’m the bishop of Rome, in this case the emeritus bishop of Rome,” Francis said in an interview segment with Spanish-language broadcaster TelevisaUnivision that aired Tuesday.
Francis, 85, denied he was planning to retire any time soon but repeated that “the door is open” after Pope Benedict XVI in 2013 became the first pope in 600 years to step down.
While having a retired pope on hand has gone well, the Vatican needs to better regulate the figure of an emeritus pope, Francis said in the interview.
Some cardinals and canon lawyers have long questioned Benedict’s decisions in retirement, including his continuing to wear the white cassock of the papacy and keeping his papal name, Benedict, rather than reverting back to his birth name, Joseph Ratzinger.
They say those choices and Benedict’s continued presence in the Vatican created confusion among the faithful and enabled Francis’ traditionalist critics to use Benedict as a conservative point of reference, threatening the unity of the Catholic Church.
“The first experience went rather well because he’s a saintly and discreet man, and he handled it well,” Francis said of Benedict in the interview. “But in the future, things should be delineated more, or things should be made more explicit.”
“I think for having taken the first step after so many centuries, he gets 10 points. It’s a marvel,” Francis added.
Francis said he would also step if the time was right before he died while still serving, “if I survive.” He answered “surely no” when asked if he would live in the Vatican as a retired pope or would return to Argentina, and said “maybe” when it was suggested that he might take up residence in the Basilica of St. John Lateran, which is the traditional seat of the bishop of Rome.
He recalled that he had planned to retire as archbishop of Buenos Aires at the time of the 2013 conclave that resulted in him becoming pope. Francis said he had prepared a nice apartment in Buenos Aires where he could continue hearing confessions at a nearby church and visiting the sick at a hospital.
“This is what I thought for Buenos Aires. I think this scenario, if I survive until a resignation – it’s possible I might die before – … I’d like something like this,” he said.
The interview covered other topics. On whether Catholic politicians who support abortion rights should continue receiving the sacraments, Francis repeated it was a matter of conscience for elected officials to work out for themselves. While the Catholic Church opposes abortion, Francis added that priests and bishops should remain pastors.
“When a pastor loses the pastoral dimension, he creates a political problem,” Francis said, referring to the “polarized” debate in the United States concerning President Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, both Catholics who support abortion rights.
U.S. bishops considered rebuking Biden for his support of abortion rights, but ultimately backed off a formal rebuke. Pelosi’s bishop, San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, has barred her from receiving Communion in his archdiocese, though she recently received Communion during a papal mass at the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Basilica.
Asked what such Catholic politicians should do, Francis said: “I leave it to his conscience and that he speaks to his bishop, his pastor, his parish priest, about that inconsistency.” | 2022-07-13T02:48:16+00:00 | ourquadcities.com | https://www.ourquadcities.com/news/international/pope-i-wouldnt-live-in-vatican-or-argentina-if-i-retire/ |
SAN JUAN COMALAPA, Guatemala (AP) — Just days away from electing a new president, many Guatemalans remain undecided, unimpressed by the leading candidates and even considering casting a protest vote to express their disapproval.
Concerns about extortion and violent crime cross class lines, and rural and urban communities, perhaps explaining why candidates leading the polls are promising heavy-handed security tactics, including reinstating the death penalty or hammering criminal gangs into submission.
The machinations of electoral authorities keeping some popular candidates out of the race and cancelling others drew headlines in the capital and expressions of concern abroad. But for the average Guatemalan the controversies surrounding the election are nowhere near as concerning as the rising cost of feeding their families and protecting their loved ones.
Ahead of Sunday’s election, the AP interviewed Guatemalans in rural San Juan Comalapa about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northwest of the capital and in Chimaltenango, a chaotic city of 100,000, 30 miles (50 kilometers) west of Guatemala City. These are some of their thoughts.
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María Rosita Yoc Suruy is a 56-year-old homemaker from a hamlet called Cruz de Piedra, nestled in the mountains northwest of Guatemala City. On a recent day, she had taken a number of buses with her mother to a street market in larger San Juan Comalapa, a town of 30,000 inhabitants.
Both women wore the traditional huipils – brightly colored embroidered blouses – as they rested in front of the town’s main church with their bags of purchases beside them.
Yoc Suruy, animated and chatty, said she planned to vote Sunday in the presidential race. Though she said she had not entirely decided, only one candidate’s name came to mind: Zury Ríos Sosa, the candidate for the far-right Valor party and daughter of the late dictator José Efraín Ríos Montt.
Keeping her family safe is a priority for Yoc Suruy.
“We need a new president who will be tough on crime because there’s a lot of kidnapping, crime, killings and they rob a lot of people,” Yoc Suruy said. She recalled her eldest son who works in a pharmacy coming home upset recently because an organized crime group had demanded $100 per week in extortion payments. She said her daughter was pickpocketed in a market.
Yoc Suruy wants the next president to implement the death penalty in Guatemala, something Ríos Sosa has pledged to do. Guatemala’s highest court abolished the death penalty for civil crimes in 2017.
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First grade teacher Ingrid Jhanet Simón Perén admits that with her 20-plus students to look after and a new baby at home she has not had enough time to learn much about all of the 22 candidates seeking Guatemala’s presidency.
The 39-year-old San Juan Comalapa native is mostly concerned by ever-rising prices for basic foodstuffs, Guatemala’s deep inequality and a lack of jobs that could dim the future prospects of her rural students.
“The country is supposedly developing, but the truth is that it’s not like that,” Simón Perén said. “There’s a lot of crime, there’s a lot of poverty and society is divided in different levels. It’s always going to be that way if we, the people with limited resources, don’t prepare ourselves to deeply understand our society, our economy and above all to study and know our country’s history.”
She did not always want to be a teacher. The youngest in her family, Simón Perén had wanted to be a secretary, but her older siblings warned her the job could be fleeting and suggested she either go into teaching or accounting.
Simón Perén mentioned two candidates for the presidency: Ríos Sosa and Sandra Torres, both of whom have sought the post before. She said a friend recently tried to convince her to support Torres, a former first lady who also has a conservative platform and an evangelical preacher for a running mate. The teacher said she was interested in Guatemala having its first female president, but needed to do more research before deciding her vote.
Her choice would be someone who seeks “the welfare (of all) and not the welfare of themselves.”
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Aníbal Simón is worried about his country’s future. The soft-spoken 29-year-old call center worker cites a lack of investment in education, courses that haven’t kept up with a rapidly changing world and young people who study but give in to the conformism promoted in schools.
“They don’t investigate why we have the problems we have,” Simón said. “It’s like they’re all indifferent to the situation. So I think we’re to blame for being a poor country, for not being able to get ahead.”
Simón does not consider himself to be very political. He’s grateful for the remote call center job that allows him to work from rural San Juan Comalapa rather than making the arduous commute to the capital. He said he has been robbed and is unnerved by the level of crime.
He said he was still deciding between two candidates.
Bernardo Arévalo, candidate for the centrist Seed Movement, is the son of former President Juan José Arévalo Bermejo, Guatemala’s first democratically elected president who served from 1945 to 1951, and was inspired by U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt’s progressive New Deal. The other candidate is Giovanni Reyes, a university professor and Fulbright scholar running for president with the conservative BIEN party.
Simón said he believes the two men’s proposals most closely track with Guatemala’s reality.
But at the end of the day, he says, “a president isn’t Superman; he’s not the only one who makes changes. The changes start with us.”
___
In the central square of Chimaltenango, a bustling department capital west of Guatemala City, Herbert Gudiel Pemech Estrada waited with a camera slung across his chest. Beside him stood a toy horse and a selection of gaudy sombreros for children to wear astride the spotted steed.
The 30-year-old followed in his father’s footsteps as a children’s photographer. He remembers his dad bringing him along to work in the plaza since the age of 10.
With only a few days before voters go the polls, Pemech Estrada was leaning toward casting a null vote, essentially a protest vote.
Pemech Estrada wasn’t impressed by any of the candidates leading the polls. He thinks the government party is also somehow manipulating the parties in this election and that real change will be unattainable through any of them.
As a father of three, he worries about his children’s future and whether they will be able to find jobs and stay out of trouble.
But he said he was still wrestling with the decision.
“If you vote, you’re contributing your grain of sand so that all of this stays the same,” he said. | 2023-06-25T14:12:51+00:00 | wdtn.com | https://www.wdtn.com/news/ap-top-headlines/guatemalans-worry-about-security-unimpressed-by-leading-candidates-ahead-of-election/ |
Americans are expected to spend more than $2 billion dollars on flowers this Valentine's Day but experts say the card that accompanies those roses might actually be more important than the flowers themselves.
As a florist in Southwest Florida for more than five decades, Barbara Gradito has learned most men are utterly lost when it comes to the card.
"The ones I worry about the most is when they say, 'Anonymous,'" Gradito said.
Gradito and her colleagues at Bee Ridge Florists in Sarasota have heard all kinds of crazy things when guys call in to order flowers for their girlfriend, wife or mistress.
"There's a lot of 'I'm sorry,' We see a lot of those on Valentine's Day," store owner Gigi Joseph said.
But it's when a guy asks to leave a card blank that these ladies are left to wonder whether Cupid's arrow has missed the mark.
"Often time it's us crafting the card. I think it makes the flowers more special if you have a meaning behind it," Joseph added.
It turns out the card that comes with the flowers may actually be more important than the arrangement itself.
That's according to University of South Florida professor Anthony Coy. He has a Ph.D. in psychology and, admittedly, spends at least an hour each Valentine's Day writing a card to his wife.
"I want to spend that time making sure the words are meaningful. I'm reaffirming that commitment I made ten years ago when we got married," he noted.
Professor Coy said people should write something on a card even if they are struggling to find the right words to convey their feelings. He adds that words don't have to be perfect to be meaningful.
"It's really the thought behind the words. You don't have to get the words exactly right every single time. No one is going to be able to do that," Coy said.
Greeting cards are another option for people who may not be able to express their feelings in writing.
"I think people want to express the sentiment but they don't trust themselves," said Andrea Hillebrand of Elysian Fields gift store in Sarasota.
As for Barbara Gradito and her colleagues at Bee Ridge Florist, they do put a few gems on paper from time to time.
"Though miles may separate us today, my love for you crosses oceans and continents," a card reads.
The lesson here— whatever you do this Valentine's Day, just don't blank on the card. | 2023-02-14T17:42:58+00:00 | wrtv.com | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/the-card-you-send-for-valentines-day-may-be-more-important-than-the-flowers |
HAMMOND, Ind. (AP) — The faculty senate of Purdue University Northwest is demanding the resignation of CEO and Chancellor Thomas Keon after he mocked Asian languages during commencement.
The open letter signed by eight members of the senate’s executive committee called for Keon to step down because the remark insulted Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and the “inexcusable behavior caused national and international outrage.”
“His behavior does not reflect the diversity and inclusiveness that Purdue faculty, staff and students value,” said the letter released Friday.
Keon apologized Thursday for the Dec. 10 remark.
“I made a comment that was offensive and insensitive,” Keon said. “I am truly sorry for my unplanned, off-the-cuff response to another speaker, as my words have caused confusion, pain and anger.”
Keon’s gaffe came after keynote speaker James Dedelow referenced a made-up language he sometimes uses on a radio show he hosts with family. Keon responded with an impression that he said was “sort of my Asian version” of Dedelow’s offering.
A message left with a spokesperson for Purdue University Northwest was not immediately returned on Sunday. | 2022-12-19T12:57:23+00:00 | kfor.com | https://kfor.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-faculty-purdue-northwest-ceo-must-resign-for-racist-remarks/ |
Senate Democrats sought political cover on Thursday as Republicans forced a vote on whether to maintain a Trump-era immigration policy that has Democrats divided.
Eight Democratic senators — Jon Tester (Mont.), Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), Jacky Rosen (Nev.), Jon Ossoff (Ga.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.), Mark Kelly (Ariz.), Sherrod Brown (Ohio) and Maggie Hassan (N.H.) — along with Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) voted for an alternate amendment to protect Title 42, which allows for migrants to be quickly expelled at the border without asylum processing.
Five of the nine are up for reelection in 2024.
The amendment, brought by Sinema and Tester, sought to extend the Trump-era policy and boost border funding. It is one of more than a dozen amendments senators had to vote on Thursday to pass a larger government funding omnibus.
Only one Republican, Sen. Thom Tillis (N.C.) voted “yes” on the measure, which failed 10-87, despite broad GOP support for Title 42.
Democrats offered the amendment after efforts to pass a bipartisan $1.7 trillion omnibus for fiscal 2023 hit a roadblock the day before over another amendment, brought by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), that aimed to cut funding for the office of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas if Title 42 was not reinstated.
No Democrats voted for Lee’s amendment and it failed in a 47-50 vote along party lines shortly after.
Republicans claimed ahead of the vote that the Sinema-Tester amendment, which needed to meet a 60-vote threshold for approval, was designed to fail.
Pressed by reporters about the amendment on Thursday, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) argued it shows Democrats “don’t want to continue Title 42.”
“It was set up not to pass,” he added.
Title 42 has spurred division amongst Democrats. Republican leaders claimed late Wednesday that Democrats didn’t want to agree to a simple majority-vote threshold for Lee’s amendment because they were concerned it would pass with some Democratic support.
Democrats also said attaching the amendment to the omnibus could have hurt support within the party for the larger funding bill, especially in the House, where Republican leaders are actively urging rank-and-file members to vote against the entire bill.
The push by Lee also arrived as Republicans face an internal rift in the party over whether to pass the omnibus.
Republicans like Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) have championed the omnibus for funding boosts secured for defense programs above the rate of inflation, as well as the opposite for nondefense spending.
But many Republicans between the House and Senate have pushed for Congress to temporarily freeze government funding at fiscal 2022 levels into next year to allow the incoming GOP-led House more influence in talks.
“Since 1954, the party in control of the House of Representatives has shifted from one party to another a total of just five times,” Lee, one of those Republicans, said days back while leading an effort to kick a deadline to set new government funding to the next Congress.
“And [in] exactly zero of those instances did Congress come back after that election and during a lame-duck session enact sweeping, comprehensive spending legislation,” he added.
Al Weaver contributed. | 2022-12-22T18:38:37+00:00 | wcia.com | https://www.wcia.com/hill-politics/democrats-try-to-find-cover-on-title-42/ |
WFO SAN ANGELO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Saturday, November 19, 2022
_____
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service San Angelo TX
942 PM CST Fri Nov 18 2022
...Light snow possible across the Big Country Overnight...
Light snow will possible tonight, mainly over the eastern Big
Country. Accumulations will be very light and will be mainly on
vegetation and elevated surfaces. This could result in some slick
spots on bridges and overpasses. Please use caution if you are
driving this evening and Saturday morning. Precipitation chances
look to continue through Saturday morning, although rain may mix
in with snow at times if the temperature warms above freezing.
...Light Wintry Mix Possible Late Tonight through Saturday
morning...
A light wintry mix is possible late tonight through at least
midday Saturday. Rain showers are starting to develop over the
Hill Country late this evening. By sunrise, light snow, sleet, and
may mix in with freezing drizzle. Regardless of precipitation
type, accumulation will be light, and will occur mainly on
vegetation and elevated surfaces. Please use caution if you are
driving on bridges and overpasses on Saturday morning.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | 2022-11-19T04:49:39+00:00 | lmtonline.com | https://www.lmtonline.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-SAN-ANGELO-Warnings-Watches-and-17596721.php |
WASHINGTON (AP) — He twice voted in favor of convicting former President Donald Trump in impeachment trials. He excoriated his fellow senators who objected to certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election. He even scolded New York Rep. George Santos for his audacity in grabbing a prominent seat at the State of the Union address after admitting to fabricating much of his biography.
After four years in Washington, Republican Mitt Romney has established himself as a rare senator willing to publicly rebuke members of his own party.
But the Utah senator’s outspoken stances, along with his willingness to work with Democrats, have angered some Republicans in the deep-red state he represents and led them to cast about for someone to try to dethrone him a primary race next year.
The 75-year-old said that he hasn’t made a decision on whether to run for reelection in 2024 and doesn’t expect to until the start of summer.
“I’m sort of keeping my mind open,” Romney said in an interview. “There’s no particular hurry. I’m doing what I would do if I’m running with staffing and resources, so it’s not like I have to make a formal announcement.”
His decision about whether to run again comes as Trump is making his third campaign for the White House, presenting Romney an opportunity to continue to serve as a chief foil to the former president.
But that could also sustain the backlash Romney has faced for serving as a check on Trump, including being heckled at the airport, narrowly avoiding censure by the state GOP and becoming an insult that other Republicans use to slam their rivals as suspect: “A Mitt Romney Republican.”
Romney said he didn’t know if the prospect of Trump becoming the Republican presidential nominee was something that would spur him to run for reelection or stay out. But he said it was among the things he would be weighing, along with personal considerations regarding his wife, Ann Romney, and family, and his goals for what he wants to accomplish in the Senate.
“We’ll look and see what happens in the rest of the Republican landscape and the national landscape, the presidential race and the other Senate races,” he said. “There is just a lot of elements that I will ultimately take into account. But I haven’t begun that process yet.”
Romney has earned a reputation for bipartisanship, from his role helping broker a sweeping 2021 infrastructure law with Democrats to his being one of only three Republicans to vote to confirm President Joe Biden’s nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson as a Supreme Court justice. He helped negotiate legislation to protect same-sex marriages in December by demanding language ensuring that the rights of religious institutions would not be affected. And he joined 14 other Republican senators in supporting a sweeping gun control measure last summer in the wake of mass shootings.
“I didn’t come to the Senate to just fight and lose,” Romney said. “I came to actually fight and win. And I fell in with a group of Republicans and some Democrats who felt the same way and wanted to work together on issues of significance for the country and for our respective states.”
But what garnered Romney heavy booing two years ago and a near censure from the Utah GOP was his vote in 2020 that made him the first senator in U.S. history to vote to convict a president of his own party in an impeachment trial. Romney voted to convict Trump on House charges that he had abused his power by urging the president of Ukraine to investigate then-candidate Biden. He voted to acquit on a separate charge that Trump had obstructed the impeachment investigation.
Romney did it again in the weeks after the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, becoming one of seven Republicans to vote to convict Trump of incitement of insurrection.
Stan Lockhart, a former chair of the Utah Republican Party, said that while Romney’s votes in the impeachment trials drew a “huge negative outpouring,” he thinks that, nearly two years later, some of the support for Trump has softened and the hostility has “mellowed.”
“I think there are people today that were not big fans of Mitt Romney after that impeachment vote who like him better today,” Lockhart said.
Romney said he doesn’t have a measure of whether the backlash has eased, but said he was following an oath he took “to apply impartial justice.”
“People elect you and then you follow your conscience,” he said. “It would be sad if people who got elected to office tried to calculate their decisions based upon how popular it was at home. They have to do what they feel is absolutely right and then live with the consequences of that.”
No GOP challenger has stepped forward to run against Romney, but several prominent Utah Republicans are seen as potential candidates and at least one major conservative group is looking at spending in the race.
The anti-tax group Club For Growth, which used the phrase “Mitt Romney Republican” in attack ads in 2022, said the Utah Senate race is one where its political super PAC could likely get involved, throwing heft behind a conservative challenger.
“Even if he stays, I think there’s a desire among conservatives to have a real choice in Utah,” said Club For Growth President David McIntosh. “If somebody steps forward and is a credible candidate, we would definitely take a look at that.”
Former U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz, who gained the national spotlight leading the House Oversight committee through aggressive investigations of Hillary Clinton, said he is considering a campaign.
“I do think about it. It’s not something I’m working on,” Chaffetz said in an interview. “It’s something I don’t think I need to decide right now and consequently I haven’t.”
He declined to say whether he thinks Romney is vulnerable but said, “I don’t think anybody should ever assume that they will continue to be there in perpetuity.”
Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, a Republican and staunch Trump ally, is among those seen as a potential challenger. Reyes’ longtime political consultant Alan Crooks told the AP last year that Reyes was getting pressure to run and was well-positioned but wouldn’t say if he would launch a campaign.
The Western state allows candidates to secure a spot on the primary election ballot by collecting voter signatures — something a well-funded or popular candidate can generally do with ease — or by winning the support of 4,000 conservative-leaning delegates at the state GOP party convention.
Romney is unlikely to win the support of delegates — he didn’t in 2018 — and the impeachment votes made it worse.
“Trump is still very popular among the base,” Utah GOP Chair Carson Jorgensen said. “Many Republicans felt it was a waste of time and taxpayer dollars to vote for impeachment.”
In a primary election, where a larger pool of more moderate and independent Republicans cast ballots, the race is seen as Romney’s to lose.
Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, had long been among the most popular figures in Utah by the time he moved to the state after his unsuccessful 2012 presidential campaign.
A Brigham Young University graduate, Romney was brought on to help the 2002 Winter Olympics in Utah, turning the games that had been overshadowed by a bribery scandal into a successful showcase for the small Western state. As the Republican presidential nominee a decade later, he became the most visible member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a faith to which more than half of Utah residents belong.
The church’s culture of decorum made the state a place where Trump, with his brazen personality and comments about women and people of color, initially received a chilly reception, losing the state’s 2016 caucuses.
Romney that year delivered a scathing speech against Trump, deeming him a “fraud” who was unfit to be president, but later warmed to him and accepted his endorsement during his Senate campaign.
Kirk Jowers, the former chairman and general counsel of Romney’s leadership PACs who remains in touch with Romney, said he has positioned himself at the center of much of what goes on in Washington and probably feels “that he has an incredibly important role to play in our state’s and our country’s and his party’s affairs.”
“I think it would be incredibly difficult for him to walk away from that role as things stand right now,” Jowers said.
Romney said he found it “fun” to get things passed in Washington but said he doesn’t “understand someone who just wants to stay in the Senate.”
“I had a life before I came here, and I’ll have a life after I go,” Romney said. “And I came to actually do things and I’ve been part of a group that allowed me to do that.”
___
Price reported from New York. Associated Press writer Sam Metz in Salt Lake City contributed to this report. | 2023-02-17T22:37:41+00:00 | fox59.com | https://fox59.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-romney-outspoken-about-his-own-party-weighs-reelection-run/ |
What are the best Amazon Prime Day deals available now?
With Amazon Prime Day just around the corner, it’s time to make your lists and check them twice. It feels like a summertime Christmas with deep discounts on your favorite products, including tech, toys and kitchen gadgets. However, if you’re impatiently waiting for the mega 48-hour sales event, you’ll be excited to know that we already see big markdowns on items in every category.
For those who have already started preparing by adding items to your cart, it’s a great idea to double-check the prices and see if you can snag one of your must-have products early. If you haven’t finalized your lists yet, take a look at these 15 best deals available now.
Best Prime Day deals available now
Tech
Amazon Fire TV 65-inch Omni Series 4K UHD smart TV
With this TV, you’ll never have to worry about losing your remote control again. It’s equipped with built-in microphones, so you can ask Alexa to turn on the TV, launch your favorite streaming service and more. You’ll also receive true-to-life picture quality and brilliant colors.
Sold by Amazon
Amazon eero Pro Mesh Wi-Fi Router
As a replacement for your traditional Wi-Fi router, this pro mesh router features the brand’s most intelligent Wi-Fi technology and hardware, making it faster than ever. It automatically updates overnight with the latest features and security and only takes a few minutes to set up.
Sold by Amazon
This Chromebook features military-grade durability to handle bumps and drops, making it ideal for commuting college students or busy professionals. With lightning-fast Gigabit Wi-Fi technology, you can download or stream files instantly. It’s also under three pounds, offers over 12 hours of battery life and is equipped with Google Assistant for hands-free requests.
Sold by Amazon
If you need a little help around the house, the Echo Show 5 is ready to assist. Without ever touching a button, this household assistant can set a timer, add items to your grocery list, check your calendar, make video calls and more. You can also control compatible devices, such as lights or cameras. Plus, it’s equipped with privacy protection measures, including a microphone and camera off button and camera shutter.
Sold by Amazon
Kindle Oasis Essentials Bundle
If you’re going on vacation before Prime Day and need an e-reader, pick up this waterproof Kindle to read by the pool or next to the waves without worrying about splashes or immersion. With a glare-free display, you can sit in the brightest sun and still read as if it were paper. This bundle also includes a leather cover and a power adapter.
Sold by Amazon
Toys
Nerf Longstrike Modulus Toy Blaster
Whether you need a gift for one of the many summer birthday parties or want something fun to do with the family this summer, don’t pass up this Nerf toy blaster. Feel free to modify the blaster by attaching the included barrel extension, scope and bipod. As a bonus, it comes with 18 official elite darts and three six-dart clips.
Sold by Amazon
Lego Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker Millennium Falcon Building Kit
Whether you’re 10 or 100, no one is too old to have fun while building a LEGO millennium falcon, especially if you’re a Star Wars fan. It features over 1,350 pieces, including fan-favorite action figures such as C-3PO, Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian.
Sold by Amazon
Kitchen
KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-quart Stand Mixer With Pouring Shield
Those who have been patiently waiting to pick up the most beloved kitchen gadgets are in luck. This KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer comes with a 5-quart stainless steel bowl, which is large enough to mix nine dozen cookies or four loaves of bread in a single batch. Plus, included is a convenient pouring shield for mess-free mixing.
Sold by Amazon
Since it prepares food with up to 75% less fat than traditional cooking methods, this air fryer allows anyone to enjoy guilt-free meals. It ranges from 105 degrees to 150 degrees to gently remove moisture from food and ensure a crisp coating.
Sold by Amazon
Audio
JBL Flip 5 Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Summer is packed with pool parties and beach trips begging for fun music. Since this speaker has an IPX7 waterproof design, you can bring it to any activity without worrying about splashing or accidental immersion up to 3 feet deep. It also comes in a ton of fun colors and designs.
Sold by Amazon
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 True Wireless Earbuds
With active noise cancellation, you can block out all unwanted noise and focus on the task at hand. It comes with a convenient charging and carrying case and has a long battery life. Plus, you can answer calls or control your playlist with just the tap of your finger.
Sold by Amazon
Beats Studio3 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones
These over-ear headphones are packed with high-end features, including pure adaptive noise cancellation, real-time audio calibration and industry-leading Bluetooth technology. As a bonus, it has up to 22 hours of battery life and comes with fast fuel, giving you three hours of battery with just a 10-minute charge.
Sold by Amazon
Wearable
Under Armour Adult Hustle 5.0 Backpack
Whether you’re preparing for back to school, commuting to college or need a bag for vacation, this Under Armour option is ideal. It features the brand’s storm technology to battle the elements and deliver a highly water-resistant finish. It also comes in over 40 colors.
Sold by Amazon
Apple Watch Series 6 Smartwatch (Refurbished)
This fitness tracker and smartwatch features a sleep monitor, heart rate monitor, GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, pedometer and retina display. Since it’s water-resistant, you never have to worry about the weather, and it’s swim-proof. It also features an always-on retina display.
Sold by Amazon
New Balance Men’s 608 V5 Cross Trainer
If you’re in the market for new kicks, don’t miss out on these New Balance cross-trainers. They come in three widths to fit a wide array of sizes. Plus, the midsole absorbs impact thanks to quality cushioning and compression.
Sold by Amazon
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Bre Richey writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | 2022-07-09T13:57:17+00:00 | wate.com | https://www.wate.com/reviews/with-prime-day-around-the-corner-here-are-the-15-best-deals-available-now/ |
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BEIRUT (AP) — An armed woman and a dozen activists broke into a Beirut bank branch on Wednesday, taking over $13,000 from what the activists say were her trapped savings.
Lebanon’s cash-strapped banks have imposed strict limits on withdrawals of foreign currency since 2019, tying up the savings of millions of people. About three-quarters of the population has slipped into poverty as the tiny Mediterranean country’s economy continues to spiral.
The woman said she needs the money to fund her sister's cancer treatment, witnesses said.
Armed with a handgun, she and the activists entered the BLOM Bank branch and stormed into the manager's office, they said.
“They doused gasoline everywhere inside, and took out a lighter and threatened to light it,” Nadine Nakhal, a customer at the bank, told The Associated Press. She said the armed woman threatened to shoot the manager if she did not receive her money.
The activists accompanying the woman were from a group called Depositors' Outcry. Some entered the bank with her, while others staged a protest at the entrance. The woman eventually left with cash in a plastic bag, witnesses said.
Security forces standing outside arrested several of the activists, including a man carrying a handgun.
The incident occurred weeks after a food delivery driver broke into another bank branch in Beirut and held 10 people hostage for seven hours, demanding tens of thousands of dollars in his trapped savings. Most hailed him as a hero.
Lebanon has scrambled for over two years to implement key reforms in its decimated banking sector and economy. It has so far failed to reach an agreement with the International Monetary Fund on a recovery program that would unlock billions of dollars in international loan and aid to make the country viable again.
In the meantime, millions are struggling to cope with rampant power outages and soaring inflation.
“We need to put a stop to everything that is happening to us in this country," Nakhal said. "Everyone's money is stuck in the banks, and in this case, it's someone who is sick. We need to find a solution." | 2022-09-14T10:15:22+00:00 | expressnews.com | https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/Armed-woman-breaks-into-Beirut-bank-takes-17440552.php |
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Sweden’s Foreign ministry on Wednesday summoned the Russian ambassador after Moscow’s diplomatic mission to Stockholm posted on its website that the Scandinavian country would become a “legitimate target for Russia’s retaliatory measures” if it joins NATO.
Foreign Minister Tobias Billström decried what he called an ”obvious attempt at influence.” Billström told Swedish news agency TT that the country’s security policy is determined by its government and no one else.
It's unclear when the Russian ambassador will appear at the Foreign Ministry.
In May, Sweden and neighboring Finland angered Moscow after jointly applying for NATO membership, abandoning decades of non-alignment in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Sweden’s bid has stalled due to opposition from Turkey whose president has said his country wouldn’t ratify membership before disputes between Ankara and Stockholm are resolved. The Turkish government has accused Sweden of being too soft on groups that it deems to be terror organizations.
Moreover, Hungary’s parliament has yet to ratify Sweden’s NATO membership bid and it remains unclear when it will do so. | 2023-03-29T10:40:47+00:00 | ourmidland.com | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/world/article/sweden-summons-russian-envoy-over-retaliation-17866152.php |
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Wednesday accused U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of “an extremely unfair and imbalanced attitude,” as it lambasted him for condemning its recent missile test but ignoring alleged U.S. hostility against the North.
The accusation came as U.S., South Korean and Japanese destroyers were holding trilateral anti-missile training near the Korean Peninsula, a move the North could regard as a provocation.
After the North’s intercontinental ballistic missile test on Saturday, Guterres strongly condemned the launch and reiterated his call for the North to immediately desist from making any further provocations. In a statement, Guterres also urged North Korea to resume talks on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
“To be most deplorable, the U.N. secretary-general is going on the rampage of illogical and miserable remarks, which are little different from those of U.S. State Department officials over the years,” Kim Son Gyong, the North’s vice foreign minister for international bodies, said in a statement carried by state media.
Kim said North Korea’s ICBM test was a response to the security threat the U.S. posed to the North by temporarily deploying long-range bombers for joint training with South Korea earlier this year. Kim said the test was also a warning to the earlier convocation of the U.N. Security Council on the North.
North Korea views U.S.-South Korea military drills as an invasion rehearsal and is particularly sensitive to the U.S. mobilization of B-1B bombers that can carry a massive conventional payload of both guided and unguided weapons. After the North’s ICBM test, the United States flew B-1B bombers again for separate drills with South Korean and Japanese warplanes.
“The U.N. secretary-general should clearly understand that his unreasonable and prejudiced stand on the Korean Peninsula issue is acting as a factor inciting the hostile acts of the U.S. and its followers against (North Korea),” Kim said.
Last November, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui called Guterres “a puppet of the United States” for condemning an earlier ICBM test by the North.
Saturday’s ICBM test, the North’s first missile test since Jan. 1, was made on a steep angle to avoid neighboring countries. The reported launch details again suggested the North has missiles that can reach the U.S. mainland. But many foreign experts say the North still must master some last remaining technologies to acquire functioning nuclear-tipped missiles, such as one shielding missiles from the harsh conditions during atmospheric reentry.
In response to the latest U.S. deployment of B1-B bombers on Sunday, North Korea said its 600-millimeter multiple rocket launcher fired two rounds off its east coast the next day. North Korea has said its rockets can carry nuclear warheads. South Korea views the weapons as a short-range ballistic missile.
In a closed-door briefing at parliament Wednesday, South Korea’s military intelligence authorities said that North Korea could conduct further provocations such as a nuclear test, a spy satellite launch or an ICBM test on a standard trajectory, according to Yoo Sang-bum, a lawmaker who attended the meeting.
South Korea and the United States are to hold a set of joint military drills in coming weeks, including a table-top exercise set to take place at the Pentagon on Wednesday.
The U.S.-South Korea-Japan exercise Wednesday took place in international waters off the Korean Peninsula’s east coast. The three countries were meant to practice procedures to detect, track and intercept missiles while sharing related information among themselves, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. It was their first trilateral training in four months.
Last year, North Korea test-launched more than 70 missiles, the most ever in a single year, as part of its efforts to enlarge its weapons arsenal. Observers say the North would eventually want to win international recognition as a legitimate nuclear state and use that status as a way to get U.N. and other international sanctions on it lifted. | 2023-02-22T21:43:33+00:00 | localsyr.com | https://www.localsyr.com/news/international/ap-n-korea-calls-un-chiefs-remarks-on-missile-test-unfair/ |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A woman accused of smuggling drugs into a Tennessee Department of Correction facility is facing murder charges after the overdose death of an inmate.
Rachal Dollard was taken into custody by TDOC special agents and the Dickson County Sheriff’s Department on a warrant from a sealed indictment in Hickman County.
In February 2022, Dollard was observed passing drugs to inmate Joshua Brown as the two exchanged a kiss during visitation at the Turney Center Industrial Complex, according to a release. Brown reportedly swallowed a balloon pellet containing half an ounce of methamphetamine and died later at a local hospital.
Joshua Brown (Courtesy: Tennessee Department of Correction) Rachal Dollard (Courtesy: Tennessee Department of Correction)
“This incident points to the real dangers of introducing contraband into prisons and the consequences that follow,” said David Imhof, Director of TDOC’s Office of Investigations and Conduct. “Our agency will pursue prosecution against any individual who threatens the safety and security of our staff, the men and women in our custody, and our facilities.”
Dollard is being held in the Hickman County jail on charges of second-degree murder and introduction of contraband into a penal facility. Brown was serving an 11-year sentence on drug-related charges and his sentence was set to expire in 2029.
The Department of Correction reported it employs a variety of tools to try to prevent the introduction of contraband into Tennessee prisons including pat searches of anyone entering a facility, vehicle and cell searches and drug detection dogs. Body scanners are also currently being placed in all facilities, according to TDOC. | 2022-08-16T17:42:37+00:00 | wate.com | https://www.wate.com/news/tennessee/woman-charged-with-murder-after-tennessee-inmate-overdoses/ |
As the number of teens using opioids goes up, California debates whether they should have access to drug treatment without parental consent.
Copyright 2023 KQED
As the number of teens using opioids goes up, California debates whether they should have access to drug treatment without parental consent.
Copyright 2023 KQED | 2023-06-01T09:56:37+00:00 | upr.org | https://www.upr.org/2023-06-01/california-debates-whether-teens-can-get-drug-treatment-without-parental-consent |
Trump’s potential indictment caps decades of legal scrutiny
NEW YORK (AP) — For 40 years, former President Donald Trump has navigated countless legal investigations without ever facing criminal charges. That record may soon come to an end.
Trump could be indicted by a Manhattan grand jury as soon as this week, potentially charged with falsifying business records connected to hush money payments during his 2016 campaign to women who accused him of sexual encounters.
It’s one of several investigations that have intensified as Trump mounts his third presidential run. He has denied any allegations of wrongdoing and accuses prosecutors of engaging in a politically motivated “witch hunt” to damage his campaign.
An indictment in New York would mark an extraordinary turn in American history, making Trump the first former president to face a criminal charge. And it would carry tremendous weight for Trump himself, threatening his long-established ability to avoid consequences despite entanglement in a dizzying number of cases.
Indictment, says biographer Michael D’Antonio, would be a “shocking event, both because of the fact that a former president is being indicted for the first time, but also because one of the slipperiest people at the highest level of business, whose devotion to abusing the system is so well established, is being caught.”
“Throughout his life, he has done things for which he could have been investigated and potentially prosecuted and learned from those experiences that he could act with impunity,” he said.
Trump first faced legal scrutiny in the 1970s when the Department of Justice brought a racial discrimination case against his family’s real estate business.
Trump and his father fiercely fought the suit, which accused them of refusing to rent apartments to black tenants in predominantly white buildings. Testimony showed that applications filed by prospective black tenants were marked with a “C” for “colored.” Trump counter-sued for $100 million, accusing the government of defamation.
The case ended with a settlement that opened the way for some black tenants but did not force the Trumps to explicitly acknowledge they had “failed and neglected” to comply with the Fair Housing Act.
Since then, Trump and his businesses have been the subject of thousands of civil lawsuits and numerous investigations. There have been probes into his casino and real estate dealings, allegations of bribery and improper lobbying, fraud allegations against the now-defunct Trump University and charitable Trump Foundation and a probe by the Manhattan district attorney into sales at the Trump SoHo hotel-condominium in Lower Manhattan.
Indeed, according Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a government watchdog group abbreviated CREW, as of November 2022, Trump had been accused of committing at least 56 criminal offenses since he launched his campaign in 2015, not including allegations of fraudulent business dealings. But he has never been formally indicted.
Trump is a master of delay tactics, “finding ways to endlessly delay in the hopes that the investigation and litigation will go away. And he’s had remarkable success,” says CREW president Noah Bookbinder, a former federal corruption prosecutor.
“It makes accountability absolutely essential because we can’t have people in a functioning democracy operating in positions of power with total impunity where they can commit crimes and never have to face any consequences,” he said.
Trump’s retort to such strong talk: He commits no crimes, so consequences would themselves be unjust.
As president, Trump continued to face legal scrutiny. For two years, the Justice Department investigated his 2016 campaign’s ties to Russia. While special counsel Robert Mueller never found direct evidence of collusion, his final report did lay out evidence for obstruction. He noted that, because of a department opinion that bars indicting a sitting president, he couldn’t recommend Trump be criminally charged, even in secret.
Since Trump left office, the investigations have circled ever closer.
In January, his namesake company was fined $1.6 million for tax crimes, including conspiracy and falsifying business records. The company’s longtime executive, Allen Weisselberg, is currently serving jail time as punishment for dodging taxes on job perks.
Additional cases are still being pursued. In Georgia, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has been investigating whether Trump and his allies illegally meddled in the 2020 election. The foreperson of a special grand jury, which heard from dozens of witnesses. said last month that the panel had recommended that numerous people be indicted, and hinted Trump could be among them. It is ultimately up to Willis to decide whether to move forward.
In Washington, Trump is under scrutiny from special counsel Jack Smith for his handling — allegations say mishandling — of classified documents after leaving office, as well as for his much-publicized efforts to stay in power, despite his 2020 election loss. Justice Department lawyers in the documents probe have said they have amassed evidence of potential crimes involving Trump’s retention of national defense information as well as potential efforts to obstruct their work.
Some legal experts have questioned the wisdom of having the Manhattan case be the first brought against Trump, when more serious charges could be looming. Trump is expected to be charged with falsifying business records, a misdemeanor unless prosecutors can prove it was done to conceal another crime. And the case dates back years.
“Clearly it’s not the cleanest criminal case that could be brought of all of them that are existing right now,” said Michael Weinstein, an attorney and former Justice Department prosecutor, who said Trump would likely use its potential weaknesses to his political advantage.
“By this case coming first, it gives him a opening to go on offense and attack, which for him is the only way he knows,” Weinstein said.
Still, he said the possible charges felt like a natural culmination of the “unbelievable array of investigations” the former president “has lived through and battled for the last 40 years.”
“There’s a history and pattern of him saying and doing things without resulting in any consequences,” Weinstein said. “After 40 years, do the criminal chickens come home to roost? He’s been fighting a long time, and it could be in the next 12 months he’s facing two or three criminal cases that carry serious criminal liability for him.”
The New York case involves payments made by Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, who served prison time after pleading guilty in 2018 to federal charges, to porn actor Stormy Daniels and model Karen McDougal. Cohen was reimbursed by Trump, whose company logged the reimbursements as “legal expenses.”
Politically, Trump allies believe the case actually will benefit the former president in the short term by energizing his base in a competitive Republican primary, and would provide another boost later on if it ultimately fails to yield a conviction.
“The prosecutor in New York has done more to help Donald Trump get elected,” says Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., echoing other GOP officials, who have also argued the probe will likely help Trump in the short term, even if it could prove damaging in a general election.
An indictment wouldn’t stop Trump from continuing his campaign. There is no prohibition against running while facing criminal charges — or even following conviction. Indeed, convicted felons have run for president before, including from behind bars.
“It boggles the mind to think that we have an ex-president on the eve of being indicted still the frontrunner for the Republican Party in 2024,” says presidential historian Douglas Brinkley. “You would have thought (potentially) being arrested would have been a disqualifying factor in presidential politics. But Trump constantly surprises people by his devious and inappropriate behavior that he transcends by turning it into being a victim of a witch hunt.”
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | 2023-03-22T00:20:53+00:00 | kob.com | https://www.kob.com/news/business-money/trumps-potential-indictment-caps-decades-of-legal-scrutiny/ |
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Saturday evening's drawing of the Missouri Lottery's "Lotto" game were:
02-10-13-29-37-39
(two, ten, thirteen, twenty-nine, thirty-seven, thirty-nine)
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Saturday evening's drawing of the Missouri Lottery's "Lotto" game were:
02-10-13-29-37-39
(two, ten, thirteen, twenty-nine, thirty-seven, thirty-nine) | 2023-01-15T03:35:45+00:00 | lmtonline.com | https://www.lmtonline.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Lotto-game-17718857.php |
VESTAVIA HILLS, Ala. (AP) — A lone suspect fired on a small group meeting at a suburban church near one of Alabama’s major cities Thursday evening, fatally wounding two people and injuring a third before being taken into custody, authorities said.
The attack occurred at Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church in the Birmingham suburb of Vestavia Hills, Police Capt. Shane Ware said. He said officers rushed to the chuch after dispatchers received a call reporting an active shooter at the church at 6:22 p.m.
“From what we’ve gathered from the circumstances of this evening, a lone suspect entered a small church group meeting and began shooting. Three people were shot. Two people are deceased. One person is being treated for an unknown injury at a local hospital,” Ware said at a late Thursday news briefing.
He added that a suspect was in custody and that there was “no threat to the community at this time.”
At an earlier briefing, he had initially said one person had died and two wounded by the shooting had been hospitalized.
Meanwhile, he has declined to identify the suspect or the victims or provide further details of the attack, saying his next briefing would be Friday.
The FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives dispatched agents to the scene. Investigators remained hours past nightfall, with yellow police tape cordoning off the church complex and emergency police and fire vehicles with flashing lights blocked the route to the church. Nearby, people huddled and prayed.
The Rev. Kelley Hudlow, an Episcopal priest in the Diocese of Alabama, told broadcast outlet WBRC that the church and the community were stunned by the shooting.
“It is shocking. Saint Stephen’s is a communty built on love and prayers and grace and they are going to come together,” she said in a live interview with the station. “People of all faiths are coming together to pray to hope for healing.”
She added that the church was receiving supportive messages from all over the U.S. and the world. “We need everybody out there. Pray, think, meditate and send love to this community because we are going to need all of it,” she said.
The church’s website had listed a “Boomers Potluck” for Thursday night. “There will be no program, simply eat and have time for fellowship,” the flyer read.
News outlet al.com said two wounded people had been rushed to UAB Hospital in Birmingham — before police reported one of them had died.
It was the latest in a string of deadly shootings that has rattled the nation. On Saturday thousands of people rallied in the U.S. and at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to renew calls for stricter gun control measures after recent deadly mass shootings from Buffalo, New York, to Uvalde, Texas. Survivors of mass shootings and other incidents of gun violence also have lobbied legislators and testified on Capitol Hill this month.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey issued a statement lamenting what she called the shocking and tragic loss of life at the church. Though she said she was glad to hear the suspect was in custody, she added, “This should never happen — in a church, in a store, in the city or anywhere.”
Vestavia Hills is a residential community just southeast of Birmingham, one of Alabama’s two most populous cities. | 2022-06-17T04:54:40+00:00 | wishtv.com | https://www.wishtv.com/news/national/police-2-dead-1-hurt-in-alabama-church-shooting-suspect-detained/ |
Brandenburg (Ward), Paula K.
Paula K. Brandenburg, 79, passed away Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at Primrose in Findlay, Ohio.
She was born in Fostoria on May 4,1943 to Paul and Eloise (Huff) Ward. She married Larry L. Brandenburg on January 29,1967 and they were happily married 53 years before his passing.
Paula is survived by her brother Steve "Sam" (Deb) Ward of
Fostoria and sisters, Tanya Abbott of Centerville, Lana Schlosser of Port Clinton, and Sara Ward of Bettsville.
After receiving her degree in education from The Ohio State
University, Paula dedicated her entire teaching career of 30 years to the 5th grade students at Middletown Madison.
Paula was an avid sports fan and provided loving support to her husband and his student-athletes during his entire coaching career at Middletown Madison High School. She enjoyed OSU football and basketball and was a season ticket holder to Dayton Flyers mens and womens basketball.
She loved her P. Buckley Moss prints and collected beautiful
pottery on her trips to and from Myrtle Beach. She enjoyed
spending her summers camping and boating at Lake Erie.
As did her husband, Paula donated her body to Wright State
Anatomical Gift Program to provide educational opportunities for those in the medical field of study.
No services are planned at this time. Donations may be made in her memory to the Larry L. Brandenburg Scholarship, c/o Middletown Community Foundation. | 2023-05-08T05:45:31+00:00 | springfieldnewssun.com | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/obituaries/brandenburg-paula/NDCPO2BKRVBZRJKNV2DOL4ZDGU/ |
First round high school playoff matchups revealed for teams around Siouxland
SIOUX CITY (KTIV) - Playoff time is here!
The Iowa High School Athletic Association announced first round playoff assignments Saturday morning. All games are scheduled for Friday, October 21.
Class 2A:
Iowa Falls-Alden (2-6) at Central Lyon/George-Little Rock (8-0)
Sheldon (4-4) at Spirit Lake (8-0)
Unity Christian (3-5) at OABCIG (7-1)
Estherville Lincoln Central (3-5) at West Lyon (6-2)
Class 1A:
Ridge View (4-4) at South Hamilton (7-1)
East Sac County (2-6) at West Sioux (7-1)
Emmetsburg (4-4) vs. Kuemper Catholic (7-1) at Buena Vista University
South Central Calhoun (4-4) at Western Christian (6-2)
Class A:
Westwood, Sloan (4-4) at AHSTW, Avoca (8-0)
North Union (5-3) at Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn (6-2)
South O’Brien (4-4) at Woodbury Central (8-0)
Tri-Center, Neola (4-4) at Gehlen Catholic (7-1)
Hinton (5-3) at Logan-Magnolia (5-3)
Class 8-Man:
Kingsley-Pierson (4-4) at GTRA (7-1)
Audubon (4-5) at St. Mary’s, Remsen (8-0)
Harris-Lake Park (6-2) at Newell-Fonda (7-1)
Playoff information from the Nebraska School Activities Association with all games scheduled for Thursday, October 20 -
Class D1:
#1 North Platte St. Patrick’s (8-0) vs. #16 Elkhorn Valley (3-5)
#3 Neligh-Oakdale (7-1) vs#14 Cambridge (4-4)
#1 Laurel-Concord-Coleridge (8-0) vs #16 Mead (4-4)
#5 Clarkson/Leigh (7-1) vs #12 Wisner-Pilger (5-3)
#11 Plainview (5-3) vs #6 Elmwood-Murdock (7-1)
#7 Crofton (5-3) vs #10 Freeman (5-3)
#15 Pender (4-4) vs #2 Stanton (8-0)
Class D2:
#7 Twin Loup (6-2) vs #10 EPPJ (6-2)
#9 Falls City Sacred Heart (4-4) vs #8 Humphrey St. Francis (5-3)
#5 Johnson-Brock (7-1) vs #12 Wausa (5-3)
#13 Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family (5-3) vs #4 Bloomfield (7-1)
#11 Fullerton (4-4) vs #6 Osceola (7-1)
#15 Winside (4-4) vs #2 Wynot (7-1)
South Dakota-
Class 11B:
#3 Elk Point Jefferson (8-0) vs. #14 Rapid City Christian (4-4) October 20
Copyright 2022 KTIV. All rights reserved. | 2022-10-16T05:36:51+00:00 | ktiv.com | https://www.ktiv.com/2022/10/16/first-round-high-school-playoff-matchups-revealed-teams-around-siouxland/ |
What do MLB fans think of baseball's new rules? Published April 1, 2023 at 3:19 PM MDT Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Listen • 3:43 NPR's Scott Detrow visits Nationals Park on Opening Day to talk to fans about the new rules coming to baseball this season. Copyright 2023 NPR | 2023-04-01T22:35:16+00:00 | upr.org | https://www.upr.org/2023-04-01/what-do-mlb-fans-think-of-baseballs-new-rules |
HILVERSUM, Netherlands, Nov. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Music Group N.V. (EURONEXT: UMG) announced today that its EVP, CFO and President of Operations, Boyd Muir, will participate in a question-and-answer session at the Morgan Stanley European Technology, Media & Telecom Conference on Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at 14:00pm CET.
To listen to the webcast, please visit investors.universalmusic.com.
At Universal Music Group, we exist to shape culture through the power of artistry. UMG is the world leader in music-based entertainment, with a broad array of businesses engaged in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising, and audiovisual content. Featuring the most comprehensive catalogue of recordings and songs across every musical genre, UMG identifies and develops artists and produces and distributes the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music in the world. Committed to artistry, innovation, and entrepreneurship, UMG fosters the development of services, platforms, and business models in order to broaden artistic and commercial opportunities for our artists and create new experiences for fans. For more information, visit www.universalmusic.com.
Media
James Murtagh-Hopkins – communicationsnl@umusic.com
Investors
Erika Begun – investorrelations@umusic.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Universal Music Group N.V. | 2022-11-10T17:44:46+00:00 | mysuncoast.com | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/11/10/universal-music-group-nv-participate-morgan-stanley-european-technology-media-amp-telecom-conference-2022/ |
BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – The man wanted for his involvement in a deputy-involved shooting and an armed robbery was arrested Thursday, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office.
According to BSO, 33-year-old Leandro Fernandez Sanchez was brought into custody after they say he carjacked a paratransit bus after at least one deputy opened fire on him on Feb 17. near Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
Authorities said detectives were conducting proactive surveillance on Sanchez in reference to an armed burglary of a vehicle and stolen firearm in a parking garage at the airport.
The shooting occurred just before 5 a.m. near the 1400 block of Perimeter Road in Fort Lauderdale, according to BSO spokeswoman Claudinne Caro.
Detectives said Sanchez committed an aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer by driving a stolen car into a deputy’s vehicle.
Authorities said at least one BSO deputy fired their weapon at the vehicle.
Detectives said while attempting to arrest Fernandez Sanchez, he then fled the area in a stolen Paratransit TOPS Bus.
Deputies confirmed that the driver of the bus sustained minor injuries.
BSO authorities said Tuesday evening that the stolen Paratransit TOPS Bus was located and unoccupied on President’s Day Weekend in Miami-Dade County.
Local 10 News reporter Annaliese Garcia was at the scene as a silver sedan was seen riddled with bullet holes.
No passengers were onboard the bus at the time, Caro said.
BSO detectives and U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force with assistance of the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office took Sanchez into custody at an Econo Lodge Inn and Suites in Kissimmee.
Authorities said the suspect attempted to evade arrest disguised by wearing a wig.
According to BSO, Fernandez Sanchez is expected to be extradited to Broward County to face numerous felony charges including aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, aggravated fleeing and eluding, carjacking and armed burglary. | 2023-02-25T17:26:11+00:00 | local10.com | https://www.local10.com/news/local/2023/02/25/bso-man-wanted-in-deputy-involved-shooting-carjacking-in-broward-county-arrested/ |
When a generational talent like Victor Wembanyama comes along, it’s clear that he would make any team that he’s with better in a multitude of ways.
DETROIT
Odds: 14%, or about 7-1
Outlook: A new coach is coming, and if Wembanyama goes to the Pistons he’d be teaming up with Killian Hayes — whose mother is French, so there would be some comforts of home at least.
Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey were All-Rookie picks this season. Cade Cunningham was one last season, after he was the No. 1 pick in 2021. It’s hard to envision how exactly Wembanyama and Cunningham would play together, since there’s still so much mystery about Cunningham’s game, especially after he missed much of this season. But two great young talents surely would figure it out.
HOUSTON
Odds: 14%, or about 7-1
Outlook: Ime Udoka is in place as the new coach, there’s a belief around the league that the Rockets will change their roster considerably in free agency — bringing James Harden back, perhaps — and Wembanyama would energize the fan base in many of the same ways Yao Ming’s arrival did.
It would take some shots away from Houston’s young players and adjustments would have to be made. And the pairing of Wembanyama with Alperen Sengun would be so interesting on defense.
SAN ANTONIO
Odds: 14%, or about 7-1
Outlook: Gregg Popovich would get another incredibly talented big to build around, just as was the case with David Robinson and Tim Duncan.
The Spurs have flourished with international players, such as Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. The Spurs haven’t won a playoff series since 2017 and haven’t played in one since 2019. But all the losing, all the drafting, all the player development has built them for this — and Wembanyama would be the springboard to make San Antonio a playoff town again right away.
CHARLOTTE
Odds: 12.5%, or 8-1
Outlook: Maybe this would convince Michael Jordan to not sell the majority stake of the Hornets after all. (Or maybe it’ll just raise his price.) Imagine — the most recognizable player maybe ever, with an iconic brand, getting to draft a kid who is surely going to be a global marketing dream.
As often is the case with top draft picks, much of the attention goes to Wembanyama’s offensive game. But Charlotte is desperately in need of more defense, and Wembanyama will make an immediate impact on that end — which would only further endear him to Hornets coach Steve Clifford. And Wembanyama and LaMelo Ball together would be instantly something to watch.
PORTLAND
Odds: 10.5%, or about 10-1
Outlook: Damian Lillard is tired of waiting and wants the Trail Blazers to become a contender. This would be a great start to that plan.
There is a ton of talent in Portland, led by the all-world guard, and the Blazers packed it in early this season with an eye on the draft. And the ping-pong balls don’t care about fairness, but after Sam Bowie and Greg Oden, it surely could be argued that Portland deserves a draft break.
ORLANDO
Odds: 9%, or about 11-1
Outlook: Now this would be spicy. If the Magic win the lottery again, the pairing of Paolo Banchero with Wembanyama would give Orlando an immediate shot in the arm.
The Magic were 5-20 and refused to tank. They went 29-28 the rest of the way, and the young core — Banchero, Franz Wagner, Markelle Fultz, etc. — seems like it’s poised for bigger things in the Eastern Conference already. Fultz, like Banchero, was a No. 1 pick as well.
INDIANA
Odds: 6.8%, or about 15-1
Outlook: With Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers want to play fast. And he would benefit greatly from an athletic big to play pick-and-roll with (as would plenty of other people in the NBA, of course).
There’s a lot to like about Indiana as a landing spot. Championship coach in Rick Carlisle. One of the league’s best atmospheres. Basketball is a religion in Indiana. Make no mistake, they’d be good right away.
WASHINGTON
Odds: 6.7%, or about 15-1
Outlook: Two things immediately jump off the page with the Wizards. One, Bradley Beal would probably become an even better version with Wembanyama. And two, with Kristaps Porzingis, this might be the rare spot for Wembanyama to not be the tallest player on his own roster.
UTAH
Odds: 4.5%, or about 22-1
Outlook: Wembanyama is obviously familiar with the Jazz, given his relationship with former Utah center Rudy Gobert. It would be a unique parallel; the Jazz trade Gobert in 2022, fall into the lottery a year later, get Wembanyama to add to a good young cast led by Lauri Markkanen.
DALLAS
Odds: 3%, or about 33-1
Outlook: Dallas raised the NBA’s ire by tanking at the end to protect its lottery odds. If the Mavericks win the lottery and can pair Wembanyama with Luka Doncic — and perhaps Kyrie Irving — the $750,000 tanking fine might end up as the best money Mark Cuban ever spent.
CHICAGO
Odds: 1.8%, or about 55-1
Outlook: DeMar DeRozan would be a great first vet for Wembanyama to open his NBA career with and learn from.
OKLAHOMA CITY
Odds: 1.7%, or about 60-1
Outlook: The Thunder were one of the best stories in the league this season with a budding star like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and last year’s No. 2 pick — Chet Holmgren — set to make his NBA debut this fall. Put Wembanyama on the Thunder, and it’ll be scary.
TORONTO
Odds: 1%, or 100-1
Outlook: The Raptors will have a new coach and nobody knows what direction they’re going yet this summer. Wembanyama would surely change some of their plans.
NEW ORLEANS
Odds: 0.5%, or 200-1
Outlook: Everyone can see the Pelicans’ potential, even with the annual mystery of how durable Zion Williamson will (or won’t) be. To overcome 200-1 odds would be just amazing luck, and as the city’s motto goes, it would truly mean that the good times will roll in New Orleans.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2023-05-10T16:50:53+00:00 | washingtonpost.com | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nba/2023/05/10/wembanyama-wemby-nba-draft-lottery/86ac80f4-ef46-11ed-b67d-a219ec5dfd30_story.html |
Rams, Chargers to meet for first time in stadium they share
By The Associated Press
The Los Angeles Chargers will “host” the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, the first time the two SoFi Stadium tenants will face off in the regular season. The Chargers clinched a playoff berth with a 20-3 win at the Indianapolis Colts on Monday. The Rams turned in their best performance of the season in routing the Denver Broncos 51-14 on Christmas, scoring on eight straight possessions before taking a knee. Chargers coach Brandon Staley was the Rams defensive coordinator in 2020 under coach Sean McVay. | 2022-12-30T02:59:38+00:00 | krdo.com | https://krdo.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/12/29/rams-chargers-to-meet-for-first-time-in-stadium-they-share/ |
ALLEN, Ky. — Three law enforcement officers were killed and five wounded in eastern Kentucky when a man with a rifle opened fire on police attempting to serve a warrant, authorities said.
Police took 49-year-old Lance Storz into custody late Thursday night after an hourslong standoff at a home in Allen, a small town in the hills of Appalachia.
An emergency management official was also injured and a police dog was killed, according to the arrest citation.
The responding officers encountered "pure hell" when they arrived on the scene, Floyd County Sheriff John Hunt told reporters Friday afternoon.
"They had no chance," he said.
Hunt said four deputies initially responded, then called for backup when they were shot at. The sheriff said Storz surrendered after negotiations that included his family members. Hunt had told local media the deputies were serving a court-issued warrant Thursday evening related to a domestic violence situation.
Hunt said one of his deputies, William Petry, and Prestonsburg Police Capt. Ralph Frasure were killed in the shooting. Frasure worked for 39 years in law enforcement in Floyd County. Another Prestonsburg officer, Jacob Chaffins, died after being hospitalized, the police department said in a social media post Friday night.
Storz was arraigned Friday morning by a judge in Pike County. He pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder of a police officer and was jailed on a $10 million bond. One of the charges was originally attempted murder of a police officer, but a judge said at the hearing that was upgraded to murder. He is also facing another attempted murder charge and assault on a service animal.
Few details were available Friday. State police had said in a brief statement that they were investigating an officer-involved shooting.
"This is a tough morning for our commonwealth," Gov. Andy Beshear said in a social media post Friday morning. "Floyd County and our brave first responders suffered a tragic loss last night. I want to ask all of Kentucky to join me in praying for this community."
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron posted on social media that he was heartbroken over news of the officers' deaths.
"Our law enforcement exhibited unimaginable heroism and sacrifice last night in the face of evil," he said.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2022-07-02T16:51:33+00:00 | wbfo.org | https://www.wbfo.org/2022-07-02/3-police-officers-were-killed-in-kentucky-by-a-suspect-with-a-rifle |
Upgraded Product Simplifies Logistics, Achieves Unified Network Operations for U.S. Defense
AUGUSTA, Ga., Aug. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CodeMettle, an innovative developer of NetOps software, today announced the launch of Terminus 2.0 at TechNet Augusta 2022. Developed with a strategic focus on Warfighter requirements, Terminus 2.0 is the only commercial grade software developed from the ground up to manage and control tactical diverse communications nodes at scale in contested and congested networks.
"Tactical DoD networks are critical infrastructure that need to adapt to changes at the speed of battle," said Richard Graham, CEO of CodeMettle. "Terminus 2.0 was built in collaboration with soldiers, for soldiers. It is a complete nodal management product designed to make the stand-up and operation of any tactical node simple. Terminus 2.0 has been designed to meet or exceed the Army's known objectives for Unified Network Operations at the tactical edge."
CodeMettle software simplifies node management by reducing the software tools and the cognitive load required to run the network at the tactical edge. Terminus 2.0 is designed to be run out-of-the-box by relatively untrained soldiers with little experience. Because of this, soldiers operating with Terminus 2.0 can more quickly and easily than ever before stand up and run a node for critical communications services at the edge.
In the 2.0 release, Terminus is now compatible with any baseband kit out the box, i.e., it manages baseband systems with no specialized configuration required. In 2.0, the process of setting up systems has been streamlined to lower training requirements and accelerate node setup. The UI is built to the Google Material UI standard, making it intuitive for anyone to use, enhanced by a visualization technique called progressive disclosure to expose only what is needed, when it is needed to simplify node operations.
CodeMettle serves defense, government and commercial partners through innovative and scalable commercial software products. Our agile solutions solve the most complex data integration, network operations and process challenges. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, CodeMettle provides a suite of distributed and scalable Network Operations products that enable enterprises to analyze, organize and consolidate complex data, processes and operations. Learn more.
Contact:
Joyce Bosc
On behalf of CodeMettle
(301) 717-9529
jbosc@boscobel.com
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SOURCE CodeMettle | 2022-08-15T12:32:28+00:00 | kwtx.com | https://www.kwtx.com/prnewswire/2022/08/15/codemettle-launches-terminus-20-technet-augusta-2022/ |
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Budget carrier Norwegian Air Shuttle on Monday said it had reached an agreement with Boeing to buy 50 737 MAX 8 aircraft, saying the planes are due to be delivered between 2025 and 2028, at a schedule closely corresponding to current aircraft lease expirations.
The company said it intends to finance the outstanding balance of pre-delivery payments through positive cash flow from operating activities, and that “a significant share of the aircraft” will be owned by Norwegian, “ensuring an optimized and balanced aircraft financing structure.”
Board chairman Svein Harald Øygard called it “a landmark deal.”
“This will result in lower all-in costs and increased financial robustness, enabling us to further solidify our Nordic stronghold,” Øygard said in a statement. “The deal also allows us to serve our customers with state-of-the-art aircraft that can run increasingly on sustainable aviation fuel.”
Norwegian CEO Geir Karlsen said the deal “will also strengthen the company’s equity considerably, further solidifying Norwegian’s financial position.”
Subsequent to the conclusion of these agreements, Norwegian estimates to record a net gain of around 2 billion kroner ($211 million).
Norwegian operates a short-haul network across the Nordics and to key European destinations. | 2022-05-30T09:59:36+00:00 | expressnews.com | https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/Low-cost-carrier-Norwegian-Air-buys-50-Boeing-737-17207475.php |
Tuesday started off with cloudy skies, but by mid afternoon Helena and Great Falls both experienced what I like to call "Toy Story Blue Skies". The comfortable conditions and mostly clear skies should stick around through sunset. Overnight into early Wednesday morning a cold front will push into Montana through the southwestern corner of the state. Ahead of that cold front, some slight bands of precipitation, mostly snow, will move through the state. By the afternoon hours most of the precipitation should have moved out of central Montana and skies will begin trending towards party cloudy/mostly sunny by sunset. As always: A cloudy day is no match for a sunny disposition.
Be nice to each other.
- Trey Tonnessen -
Posted at 5:12 AM, Apr 20, 2022
and last updated 2022-04-20 07:12:57-04
Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. | 2022-04-20T13:20:31+00:00 | ktvh.com | https://www.ktvh.com/weather/throwing-shade |
The Phoenix Suns’ star quartet of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton looked mighty average in their Game 1 loss to the Denver Nuggets.
Now it’s gut check time when the Suns try to even the series in Game 2 on Monday in Denver.
There’s certainly reason to believe the Suns have what it takes to bounce back. Phoenix lost Game 1 to the Los Angeles Clippers in the opening round before reeling off four straight wins to advance.
“This group has been here already so we understand what it takes to emotionally settle down,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “Understand it’s a big game coming up. And our guys have played a number of big games.”
The biggest problem for Phoenix? This Denver team appears vastly superior to the Clippers team the Suns eliminated in round one.
Jamal Murray scored a game-high 34 points and Nikola Jokic added 24 points and 19 rebounds in the Nuggets’ 125-107 Game 1 victory on Saturday. It was a thoroughly dominant win for Denver, which broke the game open in the second quarter and never looked back.
Denver had a 49-38 advantage in rebounding, including 16-8 on the offensive glass. The Suns turned the ball over 16 times while the Nuggets only had nine.
“The difference is in possessions, turnovers, and offensive rebounds,” Williams said. “They just destroyed us tonight. We have to regroup and do a much better job at playing with pace on offense. I thought we slowed down tonight for whatever reason.”
The Suns made it to the NBA Finals in 2021, sweeping the Nuggets in the second round along the way. But Murray missed that series with an injury and now that he’s returned, the balance of power might have shifted.
Murray shot 13 of 24 from the field, including 6 of 10 on 3-pointers in Game 1.
“When Jamal Murray is fully healthy, locked, and loaded, we know what he is capable of and it is just so fun to watch him perform at the level he’s performing at,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said.
76ERS AT CELTICS
Game 1, 7:30 p.m. EDT, TNT
— NEED TO KNOW: Philadelphia and Boston have a rich postseason history, meeting 21 times, with the Celtics winning 14 of the series. The last time the 76ers won was the 1982 Eastern Conference finals matchup when Philadelphia took Game 7 in Boston.
— KEEP AN EYE ON: Celtics forward Jaylen Brown had a terrific scoring series in the opening round against the Hawks. He averaged 26.7 points per game and shot better than 51% from 3-point range.
— INJURY WATCH: All eyes are on 76ers star Joel Embiid, who missed the final game of the Nets series with a sprained right knee. Embiid was spotted going through a handful of drills after Philadelphia’s practice on Sunday and was “still improving” according to coach Doc Rivers. But his status remains doubtful, Rivers told reporters Sunday. He’s averaged 20 points and 11.3 rebounds in the three games he has played this postseason.
— PRESSURE IS ON: Celtics. The 76ers might be the lower seed but looked like the team to beat in the Eastern Conference after an impressive sweep of the Brooklyn Nets in the opening round.
SUNS AT NUGGETS
Denver leads 1-0. Game 2, 10 p.m. EDT, TNT
— NEED TO KNOW: The top-seeded Nuggets try to take a 2-0 lead against Durant, Booker and the Suns. Denver dominated in a 125-107 Game 1 win on Saturday, led by Jamal Murray’s 34 points.
— KEEP AN EYE ON: The Nuggets outrebounded the Suns 49-38, exposing a problem that has plagued Phoenix at times this season. The Suns need Ayton to produce more than his 14 points and seven rebounds in Game 1.
— INJURY WATCH: The Suns and Nuggets are both relatively healthy. Phoenix backup guard Cameron Payne missed most of the opening round againt the Clippers with a sore back and has yet to re-establish a role in his return. He was instrumental in the Suns’ run to the Finals in 2021.
— PRESSURE IS ON: Suns. The team’s star foursome of Ayton, Booker, Paul, Durant played decent against the Nuggets in Game 1 and Phoenix was still blown out by nearly 20 points. They’re going to have to kick if up a notch — and get more help from role players — if the Nuggets continue to play this well.
___
AP Sports Writer Pat Graham in Denver and Kyle Hightower in Boston contributed to this report.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2023-04-30T22:49:55+00:00 | kfor.com | https://kfor.com/sports/ap-sports/nuggets-try-to-make-star-studded-suns-look-average-again/ |
The founder of the Hawaii Proud Boys chapter and a Texas man who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and posed for a picture in front of a door on which one of them had written “Murder the Media” each pleaded guilty Friday in federal court to a felony charge in connection with the riot.
Nicholas Ochs, founder of the far-right extremist group’s Hawaii chapter and a onetime Republican state House candidate, and Nicholas DeCarlo, of Fort Worth, Texas, admitted to obstructing the congressional certification of President Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory.
They shared a social media channel called “Murder the Media” and initially claimed to be working as journalists on Jan. 6, according to the government.
Federal guidelines for Ochs, 36, and DeCarlo, 32, call for sentences between about 3 1/2 years and four years behind bars, although the judge can decide to go above or below that. In exchange for pleading guilty, prosecutors agreed to dismiss several other charges against them. They are to be sentenced in December.
Edward MacMahon, a lawyer for Ochs, noted after the hearing that his client did not injure anyone at the Capitol and said he hopes Ochs is sentenced consistent with others who did not participate in any violence. A lawyer for DeCarlo did not immediately reply to an email seeking comment.
Ochs and DeCarlo attended the “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House in support of then-President Donald Trump on the morning of Jan. 6 and then marched together to the Capitol. The men admitted to throwing smoke bombs at a line of police trying to keep the mob from the stage set up for Biden’s inauguration.
DeCarlo admitted to writing “Murder The Media” in permanent marker on a door in the Capitol building, prosecutors said. The men then posed in front of the door with a thumbs-up sign. DeCarlo also rummaged through a Capitol police officer’s bag and stole a pair of plastic handcuffs, prosecutors said.
Ochs posted on Twitter a picture of the men smoking cigarettes inside the Capitol, and the caption said: “Hello from the Capital lol,” according to court papers.
After leaving the building, they filmed a video together in which Ochs said they came to “stop the steal” and DeCarlo declared: “We did it,” the government said. “Sorry we couldn’t go live when we stormed the f—-in’ U.S. Capitol and made Congress flee,” Ochs said in a video with the Capitol visible in the background.
Ochs told CNN that he was working as a “professional journalist” and that he did not have to break into the Capitol, but just “walked in and filmed.” Before his arrest, DeCarlo also told The Los Angeles Times that they were journalists.
“What I did was journalism: Follow the events and show people what happened,” DeCarlo told the newspaper.
Ochs was the Republican Party’s candidate to represent Waikiki in the Hawaii House in the November 2020 election. Ochs lost to Democrat Adrian Tam.
Ochs and DeCarlo are among dozens of members and associates of the Proud Boys who have been charged in the Capitol riot. The group’s former chairman, Enrique Tarrio, and other leaders have been charged with seditious conspiracy — the most serious charges brought so far in the insurrection.
The leader and members of another far-right extremist group, the Oath Keepers, are heading to trial later this month on the charge of seditious conspiracy. The Oath Keepers are the first Jan. 6 defendants facing the rare and difficult-to-prove charge to go to trial.
Also on Friday, a lawyer for the Oath Keepers, Kellye SoRelle, pleaded not guilty to a charge of conspiracy to obstruct the certification of the Electoral College vote. SoRelle, a close associate of Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, was arrested this month in Texas.
More than 870 people have been charged so far in the Capitol riot. Nearly 400 have pleaded guilty to charges ranging from low-level misdemeanors for illegally entering the building to felony seditious conspiracy.
___
For full coverage of the Capitol riot, go to https://www.apnews.com/capitol-siege | 2022-09-09T22:05:11+00:00 | wjhl.com | https://www.wjhl.com/news/politics/ap-proud-boys-hawaii-leader-friend-plead-guilty-in-jan-6-riot/ |
As we continue to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop’s founding, the City of Durham honored the art form and some of its local heroes during last night’s City Council meeting.
Durham-based Hip-Hop duo Little Brother and K975’s own Brian Dawson was on hand as the proclamation was presented by Durham Mayor Pro Tem Mark-Anthony Middleton on behalf of Mayor Elaine O’Neal. You can watch video of the presentation (at 14:47) and read the proclamation below!
Proclamation:
Whereas, Hip-Hop is a form of Black music born in New York City in the 1970s, up in the Bronx;
And whereas, the genre originated as a cultural exchange among Black, Latino, and Caribbean youth and has grown into one of the most consumed genres of music in the United States;
And whereas, Hip-Hop is now an international cultural force that has influenced the speech, clothing, dance, politics, economics, and worldview of millions and millions of people of every race, culture, and religion around the globe;
And whereas, the influence of Hip-Hop has been used to foster messages of unity, self-esteem, respect for others, uplift, peace, self-knowledge, justice, and general positivity by artists such as Queen Latifah, Public Enemy, and KRS-One;
And whereas, the City of Durham is extremely proud of Durhamites that have contributed to the growth and success of Hip-Hop, such as Dewey “Pigmeat” Markham, Little Brother, 9th Wonder, DJ NABS, and DJ Brian Dawson to name a few;
And whereas, 2023 marks the 50th year of Hip-Hop.
The City of Durham celebrates the enduring genius of Black youth and the ability of Hip-Hop to aid in the struggle against violence, negativity, and self-destruction.
Therefore, I, Elaine O’Neal, Mayor of the City of Durham, North Carolina, do hearby proclaim the month of June as Hip-Hop Appreciation Month in Durham, and hearby urge all residents to encourage all residents to celebrate the joy and power of the pulsating beats of the art form, as well as the force for good many Hip-Hop artists have been over the last 50 years and to recognize Durham’s continued leadership in promoting art that transforms, challenges, enriches, and uplifts us all;
Witness my hand and the corporate seal of the City of Durham, North Carolina, This 20th Day of June 2023.
Elaine O’Neal, Mayor
City of Durham Presents Proclamation Honoring 50 Years of Hip Hop was originally published on hiphopnc.com | 2023-06-22T16:43:27+00:00 | hot1009.com | https://hot1009.com/3673955/city-of-durham-presents-proclamation-honoring-50-years-of-hip-hop/ |
SEOUL, South Korea, Oct. 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "SWESD 2022," The Joint World Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development will be held for four days starting from October 26.
This is the world's biggest event about social welfare, organized by the International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW) and the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW), and managed by the Korea National Council on Social Welfare, Seoul Welfare Foundation, Korean Journal of Social Welfare Education, and the Korea Association of Social Workers.
The event will be held under the theme "Redefining Social Policy and Social Work Practice in A Post-Pandemic Society: Social Welfare Programs and Social tWork Education at A Crossroads."
Experts and employees from more than 50 countries around the world working in the field of social welfare will discuss pending issues related to international social development and seek ways to develop them.
Korea held this conference in Seoul in 2016 as well. This year, the event will be held virtually to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and to encourage more international participation.
The opening ceremony, plenary, special session, and welcome remarks will be held on the first day of the event at the Seoul Garden Hotel, Online concurrent sessions in several themes and workshops will be held on the second and third day at the main conference room of the Korea Human Resource Development Institute for Health & Welfare.
The first day of the event will be live streamed on Korea Human Resource Development Institute for Health & Welfare's YouTube channel (Bit.ly/withmomsmind), and the second and third days of the event will be available through the event's official website (http://www.swesd2022.com).
Seo Sang-mok, chairman of the International Council on Social Welfare, said, "It is the first international academic conference in the field of social welfare since the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is a meaningful place for social welfare experts from all over the world to put their heads together on social development in the new post-COVID-19 era."
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SOURCE Korea National Council on Social Welfare | 2022-10-26T07:10:59+00:00 | uppermichiganssource.com | https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/prnewswire/2022/10/26/swesd-2022-joint-world-conference-social-work-education-social-development-be-held-seoul-four-days-starting-26th-oct/ |
LAAYOUNE, Western Sahara (AP) — After the final whistle of every match Morocco won in its history-making World Cup run, crowds poured out of homes and cafes in the biggest city of Western Sahara, celebrating for hours.
The revelers included some Sahrawi people, members of an ethnic group that has sought independence for Western Sahara since Morocco annexed the disputed territory in 1975. Other Sahrawis rooted for Morocco’s defeat on the soccer field or refused to take part in the celebrations.
They accuse Moroccan authorities of increasingly cracking down on independence activists, and of touting the World Cup team’s success in Qatar to distract the population from economic challenges.
But the presence of some Sahrawi fans cheering for Morocco in the streets of Laayoune illustrates the unifying power of the first Arab or African team to advance so far in the world’s biggest sporting event. Morocco’s national team, known as the Atlas Lions, faces defending champion France in Wednesday’s semifinal.
Al-Salik Al-Yazid, a young Sahrawi in Laayoune, said “the historic success of the Moroccan national team” has created a collective feeling of “overwhelming joy that included all Arabs and Africans, despite the constant discontent with the Moroccan state.”
He called it a sign of gradually shifting mindsets among younger Sahrawis who grew up under Moroccan rule and under a 1991 cease-fire that ended a 16-year conflict between Moroccan forces and Algeria-backed Polisario Front independence fighters.
“With the growth of generations merging and coexisting in one common environment, it has become natural to find Sahrawi individuals celebrating the victory of the Moroccan national team,” Al-Yazid said. “Many Sahrawis have overcome the problem of identity caused by decades of political struggle.”
However, a long-promised referendum on the territory’s future never took place. Low-intensity hostilities have reignited, leaving the truce at risk of unraveling in Morocco-controlled Western Sahara.
Sahrawi people make up a minority of the estimated population of 350,000 in the territory, a Colorado-sized region rich in phosphates and fishing grounds. The rest, following nearly a half-century of resettlement efforts are mainly Moroccans. Other Sahrawis live in the sliver of Western Sahara ruled by the Polisario, or in refugee camps in Algeria.
On World Cup game nights, the atmosphere is festive but complex.
In past tournaments, Sahrawis generally supported the Algerian team. Activists accused Moroccan police of violently suppressing celebrations of Algerian victories. Algeria didn’t qualify for this year’s World Cup.
When Morocco played Spain last week, some Sahrawis welcomed Morocco’s win and others wore T-shirts supporting Spain, the Western Sahara’s former colonial ruler. Some threw stones at people celebrating the Moroccan victory.
Mohamed El-Yousefi, a Moroccan resident of Laayoune, said he understands the resentment, calling it “closely linked to the conflict in the desert.”
Some Sahrawi people, he said, rejoice in good faith, and others “hate everything that comes from Morocco.”
“Happy Moroccans also sometimes fall into the trap of politics and chant phrases such as ‘We won out of spite against the enemy’ in reference to Sahrawis who are dissatisfied with Morocco’s victory,” El-Yousefi said.
Sahrawi independence activists say it’s not possible to separate the Moroccan team from the Kingdom of Morocco itself.
The team represents the Royal Football League and by extension the monarchy, “which for us is the cause of the tragedy of our people through its forceful occupation of Western Sahara,” said Mubarak Mamine, a Laayoune-based Polisario Front activist.
“Football is a tool used by the Moroccan regime to divert the attention of the Moroccan people from their basic issues, especially in light of the deteriorating economic and social conditions in the country,” Marmine said.
Morocco denies there is an armed conflict in what it calls its “southern provinces,” and has grown increasingly assertive in defending its claim over the Western Sahara in recent years.
The kingdom received a major boost – and independence activists suffered a major blow – when the United States in 2020 recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the territory in exchange for Morocco normalizing ties with Israel.
Morocco’s climb up the World Cup ladder has taken fans everywhere by surprise, including in Western Sahara.
Sports journalist Balfater Abdel-Wahhab said the celebrations he covered in Laayoune were unlike any the city had seen.
“All the masses in the city of Laayoune came out” as Morocco beat rival after rival to make it to the semifinal. He called it a “wonderful celebration of sportsmanship, decorated with national (Moroccan) flags and traditional (Sahrawi) desert costumes.”
___
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2022-12-15T04:30:15+00:00 | wric.com | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-morocco-world-cup-wins-stir-mixed-feelings-in-western-sahara/ |
The 12 matches today in the Hamburg qualifying qualification round 1 include No. 151-ranked Polina Kudermetova matching up against No. 220 Magali Kempen.
Check out the latest odds for the entire Hamburg field at BetMGM.
Hamburg Info
- Tournament: Hamburg
- Round: Qualifying round
- Date: July 22
- TV Channel:
- Venue: Am Rothenbaum
- Location: Hamburg, Germany
- Court Surface: Clay
Who will win the Hamburg?
Want to bet on your pick to win the tournament? Head to BetMGM using our link for a bonus bet special offer for new players!
Today's Matches Info
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Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER. | 2023-07-22T09:37:13+00:00 | wymt.com | https://www.wymt.com/sports/betting/2023/07/21/hamburg-wta-tennis-preview-how-to-watch-odds/ |
When an 18-year-old gunman targeted an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, "systemic failures and egregiously poor decision making" on behalf of law enforcement and school officials failed to stop the shooter from killing 19 students and two teachers, a new investigative report found.
Hundreds of law enforcement officials prioritized their own safety over the lives of students and teachers that day as they waited more than an hour to confront the shooter, according to the 77-page report from a Texas House of Representatives committee.
After weeks of conflicting and inconsistent accounts of the police response, the report gives the public the most complete picture yet of the May 24 massacre at Robb Elementary School. As police fumbled without clear leadership or organization, school staff had grown less vigilant, straying from locked door policies and active shooter procedures.
"There were multiple systemic failures," Rep. Dustin Burrows, a Republican member of the investigative committee, said in summarizing its findings at a press conference on Sunday, hours after the report's release.
He warned that those breakdowns in safety aren't just a problem that exist in Uvalde, adding, "some of the same systems that we found here that failed that day are across the entire state and country."
Here are some of the key revelations the committee found in their probe.
A lack of leadership despite a robust police presence
In all, 376 law enforcement officers arrived at a scene that was chaotic and uncoordinated, the report says. The group of federal, state and local officials lacked any clear leadership, basic communication and enough urgency to take down the gunman, according to the committee.
Previous official accounts of the shooting placed primary blame on the school district's Police Chief Pete Arredondo – who has since resigned as Uvalde school police chief — and other local police.
After arriving at the school, Arredondo fumbled around with and eventually abandoned his radio at the fence, the report stated, reasoning that one of the other sergeants was on the scene and was "fully uniformed" with a radio, he testified to the committee.
Uvalde school district's active shooter policy called for Arredondo to be the incident commander who would've been responsible for leaving the building in order to organize a response and to inform other officers that he was in charge. Instead, Arredondo stayed inside the building.
After Arredondo entered the school, he went to classroom 110, which had bullet holes, but no children were inside. He then "prayed" the kids in rooms 111 and 112, where the gunman fired more than 100 rounds, had been emptied as well, he testified.
They had not been, and Arredondo proceeded to handle the incident as one of a "barricaded subject" and not an active shooter, according to the report.
"With the benefit of hindsight, we now know this was a terrible, tragic mistake," the committee wrote.
Officers said they knew the gunman was in one of the rooms, but did not know what was happening behind the closed doors because they did not hear screams or cries, despite hearing several gunshots ringing out.
Arredondo testified that his assessment of the situation was to prevent the shooter from moving to other classrooms.
"[T]o me ... once he's ... in a room, you know, to me, he's barricaded in a room," he said. "Our thought was, 'If he comes out, you know, you eliminate the threat,' correct? And just the thought of other children being in other classrooms, my thought was, 'We can't let him come back out. If he comes back out, we take him out, or we eliminate the threat. Let's get these children out."
The report revealed that most of the officers who responded to the incident were from state and federal forces, with 149 from U.S. Border Patrol and 91 from the state police department.
There were 25 city police officers and 16 from the county sheriff's office. Arredondo's school police force comprised five of the officers there.
The committee also faults those officers — "many of whom were better trained and better equipped than the school district police" — who it says should have filled the leadership void when they saw the chaotic scene.
"They should've begun asking questions and offered their support and guidance, and maybe eventually they would've gotten command to have a better response from that," Rep. Burrows said.
Two officers with the Uvalde Police Department arrived at rooms 111 and 112 minutes after the attacker opened fire. The attacker shot at the officers, who were grazed by bullet fragments and retreated. They did not fire back. One left the building, the report said.
Although law enforcement made multiple missteps that disregarded active shooter training, the report says, it's not clear that a quicker response from officers once they were on the scene could have prevented the loss of some lives.
Relaxed school security allowed the gunman to attack quickly
Although Robb Elementary had safeguards and active shooter procedures in place, school staff had developed a culture of complacency around such measures. Out of convenience, some teachers frequently left doors unlocked or propped open — a violation of school policy. Due to a shortage of keys, substitute teachers were often told to circumvent locks.
The school was also set up with an intruder alert system. But the frequency of "bailout" alerts, which flag the presence of fleeing human traffickers in the area, desensitized teachers to their urgency. No prior bailout alert had ever resulted in a violent incident at the school.
On the day of the attack, the gunman scaled a 5-foot tall exterior fence before multiple unlocked doors allowed the gunman to enter the classrooms unimpeded, the report found.
"But had school personnel locked the doors as the school's policy required, that could have slowed his progress for a few precious minutes—long enough to receive alerts, hide children, and lock doors; and long enough to give police more opportunity to engage and stop the attacker," it read.
Instead, the gunman likely killed most of the victims before any responder entered the building, the committee found: "Of the approximately 142 rounds the attacker fired inside the building, it is almost certain that he rapidly fired over 100 of those rounds before any officer entered."
The gunman opened fire in his former 4th grade classroom
At 11:33 a.m., the attacker spent two-and-a-half minutes firing more than 100 rounds into rooms 111 and 112.
Room 111 was the same classroom the gunman attended fourth grade, the report revealed. Just weeks before the attack, the shooter had spoken with an acquaintance about bad memories of fourth grade.
His former fourth-grade teacher, who was in the building at the time of the shooting, told the committee he reported being bullied while in the fourth grade. She consulted with the gunman's mother, and said he eventually began making friends.
The attacker's family testified that he continued being picked on for his clothes and speech impediment. By 2018, when the gunman was in the ninth grade, he had accumulated more than 100 absences and had failing grades. In 2021, when the attacker was 17, Uvalde High School withdrew him.
"It is unclear whether any school resource officers ever visited the home of the attacker," the report said.
When he returned to Robb Elementary on the day of the attack, the shooter was able to enter room 111, as the door was not properly secured, according to the report. The lock on room 111 was known to be faulty, and teachers and students would often enter to use the printer.
"Room 111 could be locked, but an extra effort was required to make sure the latch engaged," the report's authors said.
The teacher of that classroom, who was injured during the shooting, testified that he would often be admonished by school police about the door, and notified school administration, who said a request had been submitted. The teacher never submitted a work order himself, "as was the apparent practice among Robb Elementary teachers," the report said.
The head custodian at the school testified that he never knew of any problems with the door, or would have submitted a work order. The principal said administration had been alerted about the door in March.
On the day of the shooting, the teacher for room 111 said he could not remember receiving an alert about an active shooter or if he used extra effort to secure the door.
The attacker shot his grandmother after an altercation about his phone plan
Three minutes after the gunman fired into rooms 111 and 112, Uvalde Police Department dispatch received a call that a woman had been shot in the head, according to the report. It was the gunman's grandmother.
Before leaving for Robb Elementary School, the gunman and his grandmother had an altercation about his phone that resulted in her making a call to AT&T to remove him from the plan, according to the report.
During the incident, he contacted a female acquaintance in Germany for an hour, and upon hanging up, texted her of his plans to harm his grandmother, the report showed.
"Ima do something to her rn," he wrote, along with "I just shot my grandma in her head" and "Ima go shoot up a elementary school rn."
The acquaintance initially responded with "cool," which she deleted before saying, "I just saw the news."
He shot his grandmother in the face before stealing her truck, despite not having a driver's license, and drove to Robb Elementary.
She survived the attack and was released from the hospital June 29, according to CNN.
The attacker began buying firearms accessories in February, and when he turned 18 in May, spent almost $5,000 on two assault rifles and hollow point bullets, which expand upon impact.
The attacker's uncle drove him to the gun store twice to pick up the rifles, and after his grandmother told him he couldn't keep guns in her home, his uncle allowed him to stow one of the weapons at his house.
The gunman told an acquaintance he hid the second rifle outside of his grandmother's home, and brought it inside the night before the massacre.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2022-07-18T11:26:00+00:00 | iowapublicradio.org | https://www.iowapublicradio.org/news-from-npr/news-from-npr/2022-07-18/these-are-the-4-key-takeaways-from-the-uvalde-shooting-investigation-report |
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