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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An Iranian general on Monday acknowledged that more than 300 people have been killed in the unrest surrounding nationwide protests, giving the first official word on casualties in two months.
That estimate is considerably lower than the toll reported by Human Rights Activists in Iran, a U.S.-based group that has been closely tracking the protests since they erupted after the Sept. 16 death of a young woman being held by the country’s morality police.
The activist group says 451 protesters and 60 security forces have been killed since the start of the unrest and that more than 18,000 people have been detained.
The protests were sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was detained for allegedly violating the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code. They quickly escalated into calls for the overthrow of Iran’s theocracy and pose one of the most serious challenges to the ruling clerics since the 1979 revolution that brought them to power.
Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of the aerospace division of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, was quoted by a website close to the Guard as saying that more than 300 people have been killed, including “martyrs,” an apparent reference to security forces. He also suggested that many of those killed were ordinary Iranians not involved in the protests.
He did not provide an exact figure or say where his estimate came from.
Authorities have heavily restricted media coverage of the protests. State-linked media have not reported an overall toll and have largely focused on attacks on security forces, which officials blame on shadowy militant and separatist groups.
Hajizadeh reiterated the official claim that the protests have been fomented by Iran’s enemies, including Western countries and Saudi Arabia, without providing evidence. The protesters say they are fed up after decades of social and political repression, and deny having any foreign agenda.
The protests have spread across the country and drawn support from artists, athletes and other public figures. The unrest has even cast a shadow over the World Cup, with some Iranians actively rooting against their own national team because they see it as being linked to the government.
The niece of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei recently called on people to pressure their governments to cut ties with Tehran over its violent suppression of the demonstrations.
In a video posted online by her France-based brother, Farideh Moradkhani urged “conscientious people of the world” to support Iranian protesters. The video was shared online this week after Moradkhani’s reported arrest on Nov. 23, according to the activist group.
Moradkhani is a long-time activist whose late father was an opposition figure married to Khamenei’s sister and is the closest member of the supreme leader’s family to be arrested. The branch of the family has opposed Khamenei for decades and Moradkhani has been imprisoned on previous occasions for her activism.
“I ask the conscientious people of the world to stand by us and ask their governments not to react with empty words and slogans but with real action and stop any dealings with this regime,” she said in her video statement.
The protests, now in their third month, have continued despite a brutal crackdown by Iranian security forces using live ammunition, rubber bullets and tear gas.
Iran refuses to cooperate with a fact-finding mission that the U.N. Human Rights Council recently voted to establish.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran will not engage in any cooperation, whatsoever, with the political committee,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said Monday.
In a separate development, Iran released a 76-year-old dual Iranian-Austrian citizen from prison for health reasons, the Austria Press Agency reported.
APA quoted the Austrian Foreign Ministry confirming that Massud Mossaheb was given indefinite medical leave. The ministry said “intensive diplomatic efforts” had led to his release, which was first reported by Austrian daily Die Presse. There was no immediate comment from Iran.
Mossaheb was arrested on suspicion of espionage in early 2019 during a visit to the capital, Tehran, and later sentenced to 10 years in prison. He must remain in Iran and report to authorities every other week, APA reported.
Iran has detained several dual nationals in recent years on charges of threatening national security. Analysts and rights groups accuse hard-liners in Iran’s security agencies of using foreign detainees as bargaining chips in negotiations or prisoner swaps with the West, which Tehran denies. | 2022-11-28T21:08:12+00:00 | everythinglubbock.com | https://www.everythinglubbock.com/news/international/ap-niece-of-supreme-leader-asks-world-to-cut-ties-with-iran/ |
City of Lawton looking for volunteers to help clean up local creeks
They’ll provide everything you need to help
Published: Feb. 6, 2023 at 3:23 PM CST|Updated: 43 minutes ago
LAWTON, Okla. (KSWO) - City of Lawton’s Stormwater Management Division needs your help.
They’re asking for volunteers to come out and help clean up creeks found across Lawton.
Officials with Stormwater Management says they’ve received an increase in calls talking about litter found in creeks across the city.
All you have to do to volunteer is to call them at 580-581-3478 and let them know which creek you’d like to clean, and they’ll supply everything you need like gloves, trash bags, and litter pickers.
If you clean up a specific creek two or more times a year, you can even have a sign placed at the creek, with you or your organization’s name, through their Adopt-a-Stream program.
Copyright 2023 KSWO. All rights reserved. | 2023-02-06T22:08:02+00:00 | kswo.com | https://www.kswo.com/2023/02/06/city-lawton-looking-volunteers-help-clean-up-local-creeks/ |
Hefty as the fees were for advertising time on this year's Super Bowl — up to $7 million per 30 seconds — there weren't that many commercials whose concepts and execution seemed worthy of the price tag.
Instead, viewers were stuck watching commercials that stranded some big name celebrities in thoughtless concepts (Jon Hamm and Brie Larson inside a giant refrigerator for Hellmann's mayonnaise?) or spots which made the products they were advertising look bad (Jennifer Coolidge getting her face stuck to a glass door by e.l.f. Cosmetics).
And, after cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase made waves with a QR code embedded in a Super Bowl ad in 2022, it felt like every other advertiser this year found a way to stick them inside their commercials.
Ironically, this year saw almost no crypto ads — perhaps the only good outcome from the spectacular collapse of FTX (seems their Super Bowl ad last year with Larry David expressing a comical level of skepticism about the company was right after all). We also saw lots of nostalgia and more partnerships, including Netflix passing up ads of its own to partner with GM and Anheuser-Busch's Michelob Ultra.
Another trend also stuck out: a rise in ads for products normally considered adult vices, including liquor (via the Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl for Crown Royal), sports betting and a wider variety of beers (since Anheuser-Busch gave up its exclusivity, allowing Molson-Coors to come play).
Here's a sampling of what worked — and didn't — in the most expensive advertising showcase on American television.
Best culture war head fake: M&M's "They're Back for Good"
M&M's cultivated a controversy announcing they would pause use of their animated "spokescandies" — pundits like Tucker Carlson had criticized changes in the characters as being too "woke." New pitchwoman Maya Rudolph was selected to take over, but her ad during the game changed the name of the candies and put clams in the center of every pellet. After the game, M&M's aired their spot with the punchline: The candies were coming back for good, with the purple M&M, which Carlson had specifically criticized, saying, "I'm glad to be back, because this is what I was made for." Well played, candies.
Best "I'm not crying, you're crying" ad: The Farmer's Dog's "Forever"
The company, which specializes in fresh dog food, didn't create the Super Bowl's most moving ad by hiring a famous pitchperson or filling their spot with fancy effects. They traced the story of a woman who promised to love her dog forever, starting when she was a little girl and the dog was a puppy and ending when the owner has a baby of her own and her trusty pet is still there — but with a little gray in his coat. Viewers on social media said the ad brought them to tears. (I just got a speck of dirt in my eye while watching it. Honest.) The buzz proved that strong storytelling and a cute puppy trumps most other advertising gimmicks come Super Bowl time.
Best team up: GM and Netflix's "Why Not an EV?"
There may be no surer sign of tightening belts in showbusiness than Netflix teaming with GM to share the cost of a Super Bowl ad. But this one's a winner, with Saturday Night Live alum Will Ferrell inserted into Netflix shows like Squid Game and Army of the Dead, promising that the streamer will feature more electric vehicles in their shows (okay, probably not a period piece like Bridgerton, though seeing Ferrell trying to pronounce "shan't" in a frilly shirt and fancy coat was still kind of funny.)
Best use of nostalgia, Part I: PopCorners' "Breaking Good"
It may be a little odd to call an ad centered on characters from a show that ended barely 10 years ago "nostalgic." Still, this hoary TV fan couldn't help feeling a thrill, watching Bryan Cranston's Walter White, Aaron Paul's Jesse Pinkman and Raymond Cruz's Tuco Salamanca revive the spirit of Breaking Bad while pretending air popped crisps are some kind of controlled substance. And it's a pleasure to see a Super Bowl ad used to remind viewers of one of the best TV series ever to hit the small screen.
Best ad that probably came from a hallucinogenic experience: Squarespace's "The Singularity"
Having Adam Driver in your Super Bowl ad is cool. So I don't blame Squarespace for deciding even more Drivers would be even cooler. But the ad that resulted, featuring multiple copies of the actor standing in a desert field muttering about the wonder of a "website that makes websites" before getting sucked into a giant glowing ball called The Singularity....? It's an ad that tells you almost nothing about the product, with a storyline that looks like it was hatched during a peyote bender. (I liked the "teaser" ad featuring multiple Drivers hanging out backstage much better.)
Best use of a superhero catchphrase: Warner Bros. Pictures' "The Flash"
This film has been plagued with problems, including the public meltdown of star Ezra Miller. But the Super Bowl ad for The Flash is so packed with compelling revelations — from the return of Zod to a new Supergirl — that it seems more understandable why Warner Bros. is committed to getting this movie in theaters. And after I saw Michael Keaton utter the words he first made famous back in 1989 — "I'm Batman" — I decided they can have all my money.
Best use of nostalgia, Part II: Michelob Ultra's "New Members Day"
If someone had told me Michelob was planning a homage to Caddyshack with Serena Williams as Chevy Chase's character, Brian Cox as Ted Knight's character and Tony Romo doing a passable Bill Murray impression, I would have told them to save their $7 million. And I would have been wrong. Because somehow this ad — with an added cameo from original co-star Michael O'Keefe — references just enough of Caddyshack's absurdly fun spirit to be entertaining, while stacking the cast with faces the Netflix generation might actually know.
Weirdest use of a Travolta: T-Mobile's "New Year, New Neighbor"
Much as I love me some John Travolta, the bald, bearded guy who keeps making uncomfortable appearances in Super Bowl ads — he did the Grease dance with grown daughter Ella in a spot two years ago — is not my favorite. This year, he recreated the classic number from Grease, "Summer Nights," with Scrubs co-stars Zach Braff and Donald Faison. Viewers got a multi-generational shot of nostalgia and celebrity, but it mostly just reminded me of how strange Travolta seems these days.
Worst use of nostalgia (tie): Rakuten's "Not-so-Clueless" and Uber One's "One Hit for Uber One"
Points to Rakuten for realizing Alicia Silverstone could easily slip right back into the red beret of her Clueless character, Cher. But those points fade once you realize they don't have much of idea what to do with her, once she's used Rakuten to rack up purchases at a few big retailers. As if...that would fly in a Super Bowl ad.
Uber One suffers from the same problem; snagging a cool celebrity — in this case, Sean "P.Diddy" Combs — and then trapping that Big Name in a terribly unfunny commercial. In this case, Diddy is asked to write one hit for Uber One, so he turns to a bunch of artists considered one hit wonders for terrible, Uber-centric versions of their old hits. Unfortunately, I don't think most viewers are going to recognize the current look of artists like Montell Jordan — and the cheesy jingle they make out of Haddaway's dance classic "What Is Love" just makes Diddy look like the derivative hack his critics have always said he was.
Ad where the teasers were better than the commercial: Pepsi's "Great Acting or Great Taste?"
This is another problem which often crops up in Super Bowl ads; in this case, the "teaser" spots — short blips of content, usually dropped early to preview the Big Game ad — are more entertaining than the actual commercial. Steve Martin and Ben Stiller are the stars here, and the teaser featuring them bickering over who is the better actor is way funnier than Martin's spot, where he's in various locations daring the audience to guess if he's acting. Stiller's Super Bowl spot is more entertaining, in part because he calls back to his Derek Zoolander character — more nostalgia! — and he's in funnier situations overall.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2023-02-13T12:27:52+00:00 | klcc.org | https://www.klcc.org/npr-arts-culture/npr-arts-culture/2023-02-13/super-bowl-commercials-from-adam-drivers-to-m-m-candies-the-hits-and-the-misses |
WFO NEW YORK CITY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Sunday, April 30, 2023
_____
AREAL FLOOD ADVISORY
Flood Advisory
National Weather Service New York NY
731 PM EDT Sun Apr 30 2023
...FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING...
* WHAT...Minor flooding caused by heavy rainfall is expected.
* WHERE...A portion of southeast New York, including the following
counties, Bronx, Kings (Brooklyn), New York (Manhattan), Queens
and Richmond (Staten Island).
* WHEN...Until 900 PM EDT.
* IMPACTS...Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas.
Ponding of water in urban or other areas is occurring or is
imminent.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- At 729 PM EDT, Minor flooding is already occurring in the
advisory area. Between 1 and 2 inches of rain have fallen.
Additional rainfall over the next hour will be light, but
heavier rain is expected later this evening. A flash flood
warning may be needed later this evening.
- Some locations that will experience flooding include...
Jamaica, Flatbush, Flushing, Mott Haven, East Tremont, Coney
Island, Rockaway Beach, Todt Hill, Crown Heights, Midtown
Manhattan, RFK Bridge, Laguardia Airport, The Verrazano
Narrows Bridge, Kennedy Airport, Throgs Neck Bridge,
Huguenot, Harlem, Jackson Heights, Forest Hills and Canarsie.
- http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.
Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the
dangers of flooding.
Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.
_____
Copyright 2023 AccuWeather | 2023-05-01T01:15:42+00:00 | lmtonline.com | https://www.lmtonline.com/weather/article/ny-wfo-new-york-city-warnings-watches-and-17999225.php |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Gun manufacturers have made more than $1 billion from selling AR-15-style guns over the past decade, and for two companies those revenues have tripled over the past three years, according to a House investigation unveiled Wednesday.
Those profits have come as the weapons have been used in mass shootings that have horrified the nation, including one that left 10 people dead at a grocery store in Buffalo and another where 19 children were shot to death in Uvalde, Texas.
Those guns are often marketed to young men as a way to prove their masculinity, the Committee on Oversight and Reform said. Some ads mimic popular first-person shooter video games, while others claim the weapons will put buyers “at the top of the testosterone food chain.”
Those sales tactics are “deeply disturbing, exploitative and reckless,” said Democratic Rep. Carolyn Maloney of New York. “In short, the gun industry is profiting off the blood of innocent Americans.”
The committee she chairs focused its investigation on five major gunmakers, and found they took in a combined total of more than $1 billion in revenue over the past 10 years from the sale of AR-15-style firearms, which mimic the look of military-style weapons. The revenue numbers were released ahead of a committee hearing examining the marketing and sales of the firearms that have gained notoriety because of their use in the mass killings.
Two of those companies tripled their revenue from the weapons over the past three years, the committee found. Daniel Defense, the company that made the gun used in Uvalde, raised its revenue from $40 million in 2019 to more than $120 million last year. The company sells weapons like the one used in that shooting on credit and advertises that financing can be approved “in seconds.”
Sturm, Ruger & Co.’s gross earnings, meanwhile, have gone from $39 million to over $103 million since 2019, and Smith and Wesson reported that its revenues from all long guns doubled from 2019 to 2021.
Those increases are against a backdrop of a record-setting overall increase in gun sales that began around the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Gun manufacturers, the committee said, don’t gather or analyze safety data related to firearms.
The hearing comes amid a push by House Democrats to get legislation passed that would ban certain semi-automatic weapons. It’s the lawmakers’ most far-reaching response yet to this summer’s mass shootings.
It also comes a time when such violence appears to be on the rise.
There have been 15 mass killings this year, according to the Associated Press/USA TODAY/Northeastern University Mass Killing Database. According to that research, those incidents have left 86 dead and 63 injured. Guns were used in all of them. Mass killings are defined as incidents where at least four people were killed. | 2022-07-27T16:19:28+00:00 | wboy.com | https://www.wboy.com/news/politics/ar-15-style-guns-have-brought-in-over-1-billion-in-10-years/ |
Which snow chains should you buy?
Road safety is always important, but driving during cold weather brings its own challenges. Snow and ice are hazards standard vehicle tires can’t always overcome on their own.
Adding snow chains to your tires helps prevent skidding and sliding when driving in bad road conditions. But to ensure they’re effective, you need chains that are suitable for the terrain and fit your tires correctly.
Types of snow chains
The types of snow chains you can buy mainly comes down to the chain material and different types of links.
- Hardened steel: Hardened steel is usually less expensive and highly durable. But rust can develop on these chains more easily than on other materials.
- Manganese nickel steel: This type of steel is lighter than hardened steel but just as strong. It’s also less prone to rust.
- Titanium alloy: Titanium alloy combines strength and durability with being lightweight. It won’t get rusty, but it’s more expensive than hardened or nickel steel.
- Cables: Cable chains are made with relatively thin steel rollers. Since they don’t have links, they are subtle and cause less discomfort while driving. However, they don’t provide the same level of traction as linked chains.
- Linked chains: This type of tire chain uses either twisted links or D-links to connect one piece of steel to the next. They give a lot more traction than cable chains, making them more suitable for deep snow or thick ice.
What to consider before buying snow chains
- Clearance restrictions: Depending on the fit of your tires, some chains may be too thick to apply. Putting snow chains on tires that sit too close to the wheel arches can cause them to scrape against the car and cause damage. Vehicles with low clearance should stick to cable chains or check the fit of their chains before driving.
- Tire size: Tires come in different sizes, and so do snow chains. It’s essential that your chains fit the tires properly or you risk them coming off, damaging the chains or your tires. The size of your tires should be indicated on the wall of each tire. Make sure you select chains that are suitable for that size.
- Road conditions: Snow tires should only be used when there is snow on the ground. In fact, even driving with chains in very light snow can damage the chains and your tires.
- Terrain: If you’re driving in an area with well-maintained roads, you may only need light cable chains. However, dirt roads can become more slippery and dangerous in the snow. In that case, consider more heavy-duty tire chains.
- Chain pattern: Tire chains come in different patterns to provide various levels of traction and flexibility when turning. The ladder pattern is the most traditional, but you can also find diamond chains and full-pattern chains.
- Fit type: With manual chains, you’ll need to lay them on the ground and drive your tires onto them before tightening. More sophisticated chains have self-tightening features to make application much more straightforward.
- Rim protection: Similar to clearance problems that can damage the tire well, some snow chains can harm the alloys on your tires. It depends on the type of alloys you have and the way the snow chains fit onto your wheels. But if your snow chains might scratch or scuff your alloys, you can pick up tire rim protectors to apply before putting them on.
- Legal requirements: Putting chains on your tires may be required or illegal, depending on where you are. For example, it may be a requirement in winter if you’re headed into a national park. Some states prohibit chains unless there’s ice on the ground, because they can damage the roads’ asphalt. In other states, you must use snow chains during bad weather, regardless of vehicle type. You can even get a hefty fine for not adhering to the rules. If you’re driving somewhere unfamiliar, it’s always best to check the local requirements before your trip.
Best snow chains to buy
Security Chain Company Super Z6 Cable Tire Chain
These alloy steel cable chains are made for vehicles with restricted clearance around the tires. The split outside cable and fastening positions mean you can quickly install the chains without having to move the vehicle.
Sold by Amazon
Security Chain Company Peerless Auto-Trac Light Truck/SUV Tire Chain
The self-tightening ratchets on these chains let them automatically tighten and center on the tire, so they stay in good condition longer and are less likely to slip. The diamond-pattern chain provides excellent traction.
Sold by Amazon
Security Chain Company Radial Tire Chain
These lightweight cable chains are great for passenger cars so you can still have a relatively smooth ride. They improve safety when driving over snow and ice, including taking corners.
Sold by Amazon
Quality Chain Cobra Cable Passenger Car Tire Chains
If you live in an area that only gets snow or ice on rare occasions, these affordable cable chains are handy to have in the trunk for an emergency. They’re lightweight and easy to install, but you’ll need to buy a tensioning tool separately to fit them on the tires.
Sold by Amazon
Security Chain Company Shur Grip Super Z Passenger Car Tire Chain
These cable chains are suitable for most passenger vehicles and include a rubber tightener for simple installation. The cables cross over your tires in a “Z” pattern to improve traction and performance.
Sold by Amazon
Aosuyou Adjustable Anti-Skid Snow Chains
Rather than wrapping around the entire tire, these chains consist of five adjustable straps that wrap individually around it. They’re suitable for cars, SUVs and light trucks, and the hardened steel nails on the outside of the straps provide the traction needed in all kinds of snow cover.
Sold by Amazon
Security Chain Company Quik Grip Traction Chain
The durable square links made from steel alloy on these chains provide superior traction, making them ideal for extreme snow and ice. They’re designed for use on large vehicles such as light trucks.
Sold by Amazon
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Lauren Farrell writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | 2023-02-08T14:37:19+00:00 | pix11.com | https://pix11.com/reviews/br/automotive-br/tires-wheels-br/7-best-snow-chains-for-your-vehicle/ |
BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union stepped up its rule-of-law fight with member state Poland on Monday when the bloc’s highest court confirmed that Warsaw had refused to comply with EU rules on judicial independence for which it has already lost more than 500 million euros ($535 million) in fines.
The Court of Justice of the EU ruled that Poland’s 2019 justice reform infringed EU law after the European Commission, the bloc’s executive branch, said that the Polish Supreme Court lacked the necessary independence and impartiality.
“By today’s judgment, the Court upholds the Commission’s action,” a court statement said.
It was the latest in a streak of setbacks for the nationalist conservative ruling party in Poland, with many Poles furious at what they consider a dramatic erosion of democracy in the country. That sentiment boiled over into a massive anti-government protest in Warsaw on Sunday, probably the largest demonstration in Poland’s post-communist era, with an election coming up in the autumn.
Opposition leader Donald Tusk, who had called for the march, estimated that 500,000 Poles turned out.
“Bad news for the government,” declared the conservative Do Rzeczy news portal about the EU court ruling. The state broadcaster, TVP, which acts as a propaganda arm of the ruling party, said that the EU court had overstepped its powers and “attack Poland again. The court exceeds its powers.”
The court decision was, however, welcomed by lawyers and other legal experts who hope it might restore independence to the judiciary.
The EU court argued that “the value of the rule of law is an integral part of the very identity of the European Union as a common legal order and is given concrete expression in principles containing legally binding obligations for the Member States.” It said Poland didn’t meet these obligations.
Amid a plethora of condemnation and criticism, the court said that “the measures thus adopted by the Polish legislature are incompatible with the guarantees of access to an independent and impartial tribunal.”
Poland’s minister for the European Union, Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk, said that some parts of the ruling were no longer valid or had been abolished.
The court said that Polish law requires judges to divulge membership in an association or party and allows that information to be made public. The court ruling said that the provisions were “liable to expose judges to risks of undue stigmatization.”
The disagreement over the functioning of the Supreme Court is only one of several disputes that the conservative government in Warsaw has with the EU institutions. It claims the bloc is undermining Poland’s inalienable rights to make independent decisions.
The EU institutions have insisted that Poland, under the populist Law and Justice party, has been on a slippery slope away from the EU’s rule of law principles.
The dispute centers on the independence of Polish Supreme Court judges when they review EU law.
Only last week, the United States and the EU’s top justice official criticized Polish plans for another law that could keep political opponents from holding public office without full legal recourse. The EU threatened to take measures if it became fully clear such a law would undermine democratic standards.
In the standoff centering on Monday’s ruling by the Luxembourg court, Polish authorities already have had to pay about 550 million euros ($588 million) in fines since October 2021, when the system of 1 million euros in daily fines started. The daily fines were halved in April.
In the legal standoff between Brussels and Warsaw, EU authorities are also withholding the release of around 35 billion euros ($37 billion) in pandemic recovery funds.
After the collapse of the Soviet empire, Poland joined the EU along with other Central and Eastern European nations. Since they emerged from autocracy, they were long models for other emerging democracies. Critics now say that Poland and Hungary are slipping again toward one-party authoritarian rule.
___
Vanessa Gera contributed to this report from Warsaw, Poland. | 2023-06-05T18:14:40+00:00 | wearegreenbay.com | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/international/ap-international/eu-top-court-says-that-polands-justice-reform-infringes-eu-law/ |
, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The greatest risk after an earthquake is not knowing if your house is safe to enter again. Millions of homes and structures are constantly exposed to small and large trembles year after year. A California-based technology company, Seismocon Systems Inc., has been awarded a patent for a system that uses AI to monitor and analyze your home so that you can stay up to date on the safety of your family.
The Seismocon system delivers an answer to your safety questions within minutes after an earthquake. The U.S. Geological Survey [USGS] reports that "each year the Southern California area has about 10,000 earthquakes. Most of them are so small that they are not felt". USGS also reports "If there is a large earthquake, however, the aftershock sequence will produce many more earthquakes of all magnitudes for many months."
Seismocon CEO Mike Sjoblom says, "We have been working behind the scenes for the past eight years. Now we can finally show the world what we've got."
A top priority after a natural disaster is to get people back into their homes and workplaces safely. The Seismocon system only takes minutes to determine any risk levels for entering a structure, compared to the weeks or months it takes to have the structure inspected by engineers. A Seismocon user receives an alert moments after an earthquake happens with the results of an analysis of their house, based on actual values from the Seismocon sensor unit that records and processes the building's data, which is run through a proprietary AI analytic system.
"Inspections by engineers are still important, but now they have a tool that enables them to really understand what happened to the structure," Sjoblom says. Buildings that are safe after an earthquake can quickly be cleared using real data from the structures and actual data from the earthquake, rather than the current use of estimations.
Seismocon has been likened to a "black box" that records details and analyzes an event.
The accuracy of the risk assessment algorithms is guaranteed by one of the largest earthquake institutes in the world, Global Earthquake Model [GEM]. They were contracted to build the Seismocon analyzing system.
Contact: Mike Sjoblom
707-363-6035
mike@seismocon.com
www.seismocon.com
https://www.usgs.gov/programs/earthquake-hazards/cool-earthquake-facts
https://www.usgs.gov/news/featured-story/nearly-half-americans-exposed-potentially-damaging-earthquakes
View original content:
SOURCE Seismocon Systems, Inc. | 2022-08-11T21:14:25+00:00 | kalb.com | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2022/08/11/patent-approved-post-earthquake-warning-system/ |
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday evening's drawing of the Texas Lottery's "Daily 4 Evening" game were:
9-3-9-1, FIREBALL:
(nine, three, nine, one; FIREBALL: zero)
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday evening's drawing of the Texas Lottery's "Daily 4 Evening" game were:
9-3-9-1, FIREBALL:
(nine, three, nine, one; FIREBALL: zero) | 2022-09-27T23:32:15+00:00 | seattlepi.com | https://www.seattlepi.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Daily-4-Evening-game-17471294.php |
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks rose just enough for Wall Street to barrel into a new bull market Thursday as the S&P 500 keeps rallying off its low from last autumn.
The index rose 0.6% to carry it 20% above a bottom hit in October. That means Wall Street’s main measure of health has climbed out of a painful bear market, which saw it drop 25.4% over roughly nine months.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 168 points, or 0.5%, Thursday. The Nasdaq composite, meanwhile, led the way with a 1% rise. That’s been the norm so far this bull market, as chip maker Nvidia and a handful of other big tech stocks have been responsible for the lion's share of Wall Street’s gains.
Declaring the end of a bear market may seem arbitrary, but it offers a useful marker for investors. It also provides a reminder that investors able to hold on through downturns have nearly always made back all their losses in S&P 500 index funds eventually.
Even though it was driven by so many superlatives — the worst inflation in generations and the fastest hikes to interest rates in decades, for example— this most recent bear market lasted only about nine months. It stretched from Jan. 3, 2022, when the S&P 500 set a record, until Oct. 12, when it hit bottom. That’s shorter than the typical bear market, and it also resulted in a shallower loss than average.
“In hindsight, it might not look that bad, but it certainly feels bad in the moment,” said Brent Schutte, chief investment officer at Northwestern Mutual.
What made last year even more painful for investors is that both stocks and bonds lost money, he said, something that hasn’t happened in decades.
Much of this bull market’s gains have been because the economy has refused to fall into a recession despite repeated predictions for one. It’s withstood the highest interest rates since 2007, three high-profile collapses for U.S. banks, another threat by the U.S. government of an economy-shaking default on its debt and a series of other challenges.
“Bottom line, the economy has been very resilient,” said Anthony Saglimbene, chief markets strategist at Ameriprise Financial.
“So much negativity was built into the market,” he said. “While it’s too early to know this for sure, stocks look like they’re doing what they normally do when all the negativity has been discounted into the stock market: They start moving higher in anticipation of better days ahead.”
Not only has the economy avoided a recession because of a remarkably solid job market and spending by consumers, hopes are also rising that the Fed may soon stop hiking interest rates as inflation has come down from its peak last summer.
High rates work to undercut inflation by slowing the entire economy and dragging on prices for stocks and other investments.
The broad expectation among traders is that the Fed will hold rates steady next week, which would mark the first meeting where it hasn't raised rates in more than a year. While it may hike rates one more time in July, the hope on Wall Street is that it won't go beyond that. Inflation has been coming down from its peak last summer.
But many challenges still remain for the stock market.
Chief among them is that no one can be sure about when Fed will be done hiking rates. Even if inflation has been coming down, it’s remained stubbornly above the Fed’s comfort level and is still causing pain for all kinds of households, particularly ones with lower incomes.
That has some investors continuing to prepare for a coming recession, even if they keep pushing out predictions for when it will arrive by a few months.
“It’s been an odd and uneven recovery” coming out of the recession caused the COVID pandemic, Northwestern Mutual’s Schutte said. “It’s been an odd and even push into recession.”
Another warning sign for skeptics is how much of the S&P 500’s gains have been concentrated this year within just a handful of stocks.
Hopes for a pause by the Fed have helped big, high-growth stocks in particular. Investors see them benefiting the most from easier interest rates because that’s what’s happened in the past.
Add on top of that euphoria around artificial intelligence fanned by last month’s tremendous sales forecast by Nvidia, and just seven stocks have been responsible for the majority of the S&P 500’s gain this year.
Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft and other Big Tech giants have so much influence on the S&P 500 because they’re the biggest, and the index gives more weight to stocks based on their size. Nearly half the stocks in the S&P 500, meanwhile, are down for the year so far.
Thursday’s gains for the S&P 500 offered a good example. It rose largely because of Big Tech, which gained as expectations built for the Fed to take a pause on rates next week.
That was because a report showed the highest number of U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week since October 2021. It helped push against pressure that may have built for tougher policy after central banks in Canada and Australia hiked their own rates recently.
But the S&P 500 was nearly split between winners and losers. Smaller stocks in the Russell 2000 index, meanwhile, slipped 0.4%.
The arrival of a bull market also doesn’t mean the stock market has made it back to its prior heights. Because of math, a 25% drop for the S&P 500 requires a 33% rally to follow in order to just get back to even.
GameStop was one of Wall Street's bigger movers Thursday, falling 17.9% after ousting its CEO who was brought in to turn around the struggling video game retailer. The company, whose stock became a sensation in 2021 during the meme-stock craze, also reported weaker revenue for the latest quarter than expected.
Adobe rose 5% for one of the biggest gains in the S&P 500 after it announced a new artificial-intelligence offering for businesses. It joined the AI frenzy that supporters say will be the next revolution to remake the economy. Critics say it's inflating the next bubble.
All told, the S&P 500 rose 26.41 points to 4,293.93. The Dow gained 168.59 to 33,833.61, and the Nasdaq rose 133.63 to 13,238.52.
After the unemployment data hit the market, Treasury yields gave up gains from earlier in the morning. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 3.71% from 3.78% late Wednesday. It helps set rates for mortgages and other important loans.
The two-year yield, which moves more on expectations for the Fed, fell to 4.51% from 4.55%.
——
AP Business Writers Yuri Kageyama and Matt Ott contributed. | 2023-06-08T20:40:14+00:00 | daytondailynews.com | https://www.daytondailynews.com/nation-world/stock-market-today-bulls-run-again-on-wall-street-as-sp-500-climbs-20-above-october-low/REBY7MGWXZGYJE54L7EH4VLDZ4/ |
Sounil Yu honored with SANS Difference Makers Award at annual Cyber Defense Initiative Conference
MORRISVILLE, N.C. and WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- JupiterOne, the industry's leading provider of cyber asset attack surface management (CAASM) technology, today announced that CISO and Head of Research Sounil Yu was recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the SANS Difference Makers Awards committee.
Sounil Yu is a security innovator with a deep knowledge of computer systems and a career spanning over three decades as an executive leader of information technology and security in the federal government, military, and private sectors. He may be best known for developing the influential DIE Triad and Cyber Defense Matrix, frameworks that have shaped the way the cybersecurity industry operates today.
The Cyber Defense Matrix, which is detailed in Sounil's book of the same name and is the impetus for the upcoming Cyber Defense Matrix Conference in February, was initially developed while he was working as Bank of America's Chief Security Scientist and further refined when he was CISO-in-Residence for cybersecurity venture capital firm YL Ventures. The matrix plots the five distinct functions of the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (identify, protect, detect, respond, and recover) against the five classes of assets in need of defense (devices, apps, network, data, and users) and includes a gradient of dependencies on technologies and on people across specific functions — all with the intent to provide a greater understanding of the entire cybersecurity landscape and where there may be gaps in coverage.
In addition to his work at JupiterOne, Sounil is a Board Member of the FAIR Institute, co-chairs Art into Science: A Conference on Defense, is a visiting fellow at GMU Scalia Law School's National Security Institute, guest lectures at Carnegie Mellon University, and is an advisor to various startups. He joined JupiterOne in 2021 to serve as the company's Chief Information Security Officer and lead its research practice.
The Difference Makers Awards ceremony was held at the SANS Cyber Defense Initiative conference in Washington, DC. This annual celebration is hosted by SANS to recognize the most dedicated and innovative people who made a difference in the cybersecurity community. The prestigious awards program honors individuals and teams who have made a measurable and significant difference in security. Each nominee was recognized as having raised the bar in enabling secure business operations and reducing risk through the implementation of security processes or technology.
To learn more about Sounil's work with JupiterOne, please visit: https://www.jupiterone.com/
Quotes
Erkang Zheng, Founder and CEO at JupiterOne
"There is no one more deserving of this award than Sounil Yu. He's one of the smartest people I have ever met and regularly makes the people around him better. We are privileged to have amazing people like him on the JupiterOne team to help us be as successful as we can be, and I sincerely congratulate him on his achievements."
Sounil Yu, CISO and Head of Research at JupiterOne
"It is an honor to have been chosen by the SANS Institute from an impressive field of candidates who have all made significant contributions to our industry. While I don't feel quite deserving of such accolades, I sincerely appreciate the SANS committee and everyone who voted for me. I hope to contribute more to the security industry in my remaining years."
Related Links
- Sounil Yu: LinkedIn
- Cyber Defense Matrix: https://cyberdefensematrix.com/
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About JupiterOne
JupiterOne is a cyber asset attack surface management (CAASM) platform company, providing visibility and security into your entire cyber asset universe. Using graphs and relationships, JupiterOne provides a contextual knowledge base for an organization's cyber asset operations. With JupiterOne, teams can discover, monitor, understand, and act on changes in their digital environments. Cloud resources, ephemeral devices, identities, access rights, code, pull requests, and much more are collected, graphed, and monitored automatically by JupiterOne.
Contact:
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SOURCE JupiterOne | 2022-12-15T22:54:22+00:00 | wcjb.com | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/12/15/jupiterone-ciso-head-research-wins-sans-lifetime-achievement-award/ |
BEL AIR, Md., Nov. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SuperGreen Solutions (www.supergreensolutions.com), is thrilled to unveil its highly anticipated referral app, which will allow our clients, other business owners and the general public to earn $1,000 for every referral of theirs that goes solar through SuperGreen.
As a company that strives to make a global impact, the SuperGreen Solutions Referral App makes it easy for anyone to earn thousands of extra dollars per year in additional side income, right from their phone, while also being good stewards of the environment.
When a user downloads the app, they instantly become an advocate (referral partner) and receive access to a personalized dashboard. There, they can add their referrals, easily track referral progress, and view earnings. Advocates will automatically be notified each time their referrals move from stage to stage throughout the solar sale journey and track that in the dashboard under "Referral History". Once their referral goes solar, advocates can select from several payout options such as bank direct deposit, Visa Gift Card, or a multitude of other gift card options!
Within the app, there are several resources to help maximize referral earnings such as training videos, easy social media sharing functionalities, QR codes for in-person sharing, and more.
Daniel Dubell, CEO of SuperGreen Solutions, stated: "The launch of our Referral App is monumental for our company and the environment. This incredibly simplistic tool allows friends, family, other business owners and the general public to be rewarded financially for helping us get the word out about solar and other energy efficiency products for the global good!"
The SuperGreen Solutions App is FREE to download and is available in the Apple App Store, or Google Play. Make your network, your net-worth.
SuperGreen Solutions (www.supergreensolutions.com) is a growing renewable energy company that is innovatively working to serve commercial and residential clients in achieving their sustainability goals. We are a Franchise organization and are aggressively offering opportunities across the nation. Our primary verticals include Solar, EV Charging and Air Purification. We welcome inquiries to partner with us as we become a dominant force in the years ahead.
SuperGreen Solutions
Email: pr@supergreensolutions.com
Phone: +1-410-855-4096
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SOURCE SuperGreen Solutions | 2022-11-16T16:57:00+00:00 | mysuncoast.com | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/11/16/supergreen-solutions-launches-solar-referral-app-which-pays-1000-every-referral-that-goes-solar/ |
Yellen: ‘No good options’ if Congress fails to act on debt
WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Sunday that there are “no good options” for the United States to avoid an economic “calamity” if Congress fails to raise the nation’s borrowing limit of $31.381 trillion in the coming weeks. She did not rule out President Joe Biden bypassing lawmakers and acting on his own to try to avert a first-ever federal default.
Her comments added even more urgency to a high-stakes meeting Tuesday between Biden and congressional leaders from both parties.
Democrats and Republicans are at loggerheads over whether the debt limit should even be the subject of negotiation. GOP lawmakers, led by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California, are demanding spending cuts in return for raising the borrowing limit, while Biden has said the threat of default shouldn’t be used as leverage in budget talks.
Yellen, interviewed on ABC’s “This Week,” painted a dire picture of what might happen if the borrowing limit is not increased before the Treasury Department runs out of what it calls “extraordinary measures” to operate under the current cap. That time, she said, is expected to come in early June, perhaps as soon as June 1.
“Whether it’s defaulting on interest payments that are do on the debt or payments for Social Security recipients or to Medicare providers, we would simply not have enough cash to meet all of our obligations,” she said. “And it’s widely agreed that financial and economic chaos would ensue.”
An increase in the debt limit would not authorize new federal spending. It would only allow borrowing to pay for what Congress has already approved.
Biden’s White House meeting with McCarthy, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., will be the first substantive talks between Biden and McCarthy in months.
House Republicans on April 26 passed a bill that would raise the debt limit but impose significant federal spending cuts. But those cuts are unlikely to win the support of all Republicans in the Democratic-controlled Senate, and Biden has said he will only negotiate about government spending once Congress takes the risk of default off the table.
Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an independent who left the Democratic Party in December, encouraged Biden and McCarthy to meet each other half way.
“There’s not going to be just a simple clean debt limit — the votes don’t exist for that,” she told CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “So the sooner these two guys get in the room and listen to what the other one needs, the more likely they are to solve this challenge and protect the full faith and credit of the United States of America.”
Yellen was asked on ABC whether Biden could bypass Congress by citing the Constitution’s 14th Amendment that the “validity” of U.S. debt “shall not be questioned.” Yellen did not answer definitively, but said it should not be considered a valid solution.
“We should not get to the point where we need to consider whether the president can go on issuing debt. This would be a constitutional crisis,” she said.
“What to do if Congress fails to meet its responsibility? There are simply no good options,” she added.
Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., agreed about the risks of invoking the 14th Amendment, He told ABC that the Constitution is “very clear that spending — all those details around spending and money actually has to come through Congress.”
The 14th Amendment question was studied by Obama administration lawyers during the 2011 debt limit showdown, which informed Biden’s refusal to negotiate now with Republicans on raising the debt limit. At the time, Justice Department lawyers said they did not believe the president had the unilateral power to issue new debt.
Biden, in an interview with MSNBC on Friday, was asked about the 14th Amendment proposal, saying, “I’ve not gotten there yet.”
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | 2023-05-07T15:43:42+00:00 | kaaltv.com | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/yellen-no-good-options-if-congress-fails-to-act-on-debt/ |
NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- InvestorsObserver issues critical PriceWatch Alerts for META, D, ROKU, QNGY, and SONN.
To see how InvestorsObserver's proprietary scoring system rates these stocks, view the InvestorsObserver's PriceWatch Alert by selecting the corresponding link.
- META: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=META&prnumber=103120224
- D: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=D&prnumber=103120224
- ROKU: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=ROKU&prnumber=103120224
- QNGY: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=QNGY&prnumber=103120224
- SONN: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=SONN&prnumber=103120224
(Note: You may have to copy this link into your browser then press the [ENTER] key.)
InvestorsObserver's PriceWatch Alerts are based on our proprietary scoring methodology. Each stock is evaluated based on short-term technical, long-term technical and fundamental factors. Each of those scores is then combined into an overall score that determines a stock's overall suitability for investment.
InvestorsObserver provides patented technology to some of the biggest names on Wall Street and creates world-class investing tools for the self-directed investor on Main Street. We have a wide range of tools to help investors make smarter decisions when investing in stocks or options.
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SOURCE InvestorsObserver | 2022-10-31T15:58:39+00:00 | kcbd.com | https://www.kcbd.com/prnewswire/2022/10/31/thinking-about-buying-stock-meta-platforms-dominion-energy-roku-quanergy-systems-or-sonnet-biotherapeutics/ |
- Sponsorship honors employee Meaghan Addante, who passed away from Cystic Fibrosis (CF) last year at the age of 28.
- Under Meaghan's leadership, TK Elevator raised more than CA$500,000 over five years for Cystic Fibrosis Canada, a nonprofit organization dedicated to a finding a cure for CF.
- CF is the most common fatal genetic disease affecting more than 4,300 Canadian children and young adults.
TORONTO, May 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TK Elevator Canada was proud to support the Walk to Make Cystic Fibrosis History as a national sponsor, which took place on May 29 across Canada. The Walk to Make Cystic Fibrosis History is Cystic Fibrosis Canada's largest and most successful national event and fundraiser. Participants across more than 70 locations in Canada as well as virtual participants walked and raised money for CF Canada, supporting its mission to find a cure for CF.
Six years ago, Meaghan Addante joined TK Elevator Canada tasked with raising CF awareness within the organization and communities. Through her inspirational advocacy, TK Elevator employees participated in a variety of fundraisers including bake sales, raffles, curling bonspiels, bowling events, golf tournaments and art contests.
Since adopting CF Canada as its charity of choice in 2016, TK Elevator Canada has consistently exceeded the company's annual goal of raising CA$100,000 for Cystic Fibrosis Canada. To date, TK Elevator Canada has raised more than CA$500,000 as it continues Meaghan's mission after she passed away from the disease last year.
"We are proud to support Cystic Fibrosis Canada and its mission to end CF once and for all. This is very personal to us. Meaghan was an inspiration to everyone who met her and her courageous battle with CF and to raise awareness around this disease is a fight we are proud to continue fighting on her behalf," said Kevin Lavallee, CEO BU North America and Group COO Field.
A native of Oshawa, Ontario, Addante was diagnosed with CF when she was seven months old. Although Meaghan ultimately succumbed to the disease in 2021, she never let CF stop her from living her life to the fullest nor in her pursuit to inspire and educate others.
"This world was a much better place because of Meaghan, and her efforts around CF inspired so many people throughout Canada and around the world. She was relentless in her fight, and that is a tradition we will continue in her honor as we continue working closely with CF Canada," added Gary Medeiros, President and CEO, TK Elevator Canada.
Cystic Fibrosis Canada is one of the world's top three charitable organizations committed to finding a cure for Cystic Fibrosis and is an internationally recognized leader in advancing CF research and clinical care. Cystic Fibrosis Canada invests more funding in life-saving CF research and care than any other non-governmental agency in Canada. Since 1960, Cystic Fibrosis Canada has invested more than $261 million in leading research, care and advocacy, resulting in one of the world's highest estimated median age of survival for Canadians living with CF.
In 2019, TK Elevator Canada was selected as the recipient of CF Canada's prestigious National Champion Award. The Award recognizes service groups, corporations, companies and businesses that have a presence in at least three regions and have provided exceptional leadership and/or financial support for CF Canada at the national level. This recognition would not have possible without the support of the entire Canada team and the tireless efforts of Meaghan.
As Meaghan previously shared: "Maybe I myself won't be saved, and maybe I won't find the cure, but maybe one day people will look back and say, 'that girl made a difference'."
PRESS CONTACT
Dennis Van Milligen
Manager, Public Relations
TK Elevator North America
P +1 312 525 3190
dennis.vanmilligen@tkelevator.com
www.tkelevator.com/ca-en/
ABOUT US
TK Elevator
With customers in over 100 countries served by more than 50,000 employees, TK Elevator achieved sales of around €8 billion in the fiscal year 2020/2021. Over 1,000 locations around the world provide an extensive network that guarantees closeness to customers. Over the past decades, TK Elevator has established itself as one of the world's leading elevator companies and became independent since its separation from thyssenkrupp AG in August 2020. The company's most important business line is the service business represented by over 24,000 service technicians. The product portfolio covers commodity elevators for residential and commercial buildings to cutting-edge, highly customized solutions for state-of-the-art skyscrapers. In addition, it also consists of escalators and moving walks, passenger boarding bridges, stair and platform lifts. Integrated cloud-based service solutions, such as the MAX platform, are gaining in importance. With these digital offerings, there are no limits to urban mobility anymore. TKE – move beyond.
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SOURCE TK Elevator | 2022-05-31T12:48:25+00:00 | kmvt.com | https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2022/05/31/tk-elevator-canada-sponsors-walk-make-cystic-fibrosis-history/ |
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Springfield Pension Reserve Fund and Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) Trust for city retirees is expected to get a boost.
An announcement that came on Wednesday, declared that it will build upon last month’s motion of investing $45 million from the city’s stabilization reserve account. Which goes into the United States Treasury Notes. This money is expected to see a Return on Investment (ROI) of about $2 million. However, wouldn’t be distributed until the end of the year, according to a news release from the Springfield Mayor’s Office.
Residents can expect this to give them continued tax relief initiatives and programs. Two additional orders for the City Council are to be sponsored by Mayor Domenic J. Sarno. In order to boost the Springfield Pension Reserve Fund and the OPEB Trust.
According to Springfield Mayor’s Office, these are the orders to be issued:
- The first order, sponsored by Mayor Sarno, will increase the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for city retirees up to 5%. This was made possible thanks to a State law that was signed by former Governor Charlie Baker last year. In October 2022, Mayor Sarno had previously sponsored an order that was approved by the City Council to increase the COLA for city retirees to 3%. On November 16, 2022, Governor Baker signed into law, Chapter 269 of the Acts of 2022, which provides a local option to increase the COLA to up to 5%.
- The second order will request that the City Council approves a transfer of $15 million from the certified free cash account into the Springfield Pension Reserve Fund. This transfer, if approved, would bring the total amount in the Pension Reserve Fund to approximately $17 million. CAFO Plante and Treasurer/Collector Lonergan, who continue to monitor the interest rates of US Treasury Notes (which currently sit at around 4.873%), will seek to invest these monies into 1-year US Treasury Notes. The approximate rate of return from investing the $17 million from the Pension Reserve Fund, based on an interest rate of 4.873%, would yield an estimated $769,000.
- The third order Mayor Sarno will sponsor for the City Council to approve, is a transfer of $6.7 million from the certified free cash account into the Springfield OPEB Trust. This transfer, if approved, would bring the total amount in the OPEB Trust to approximately $13 million. CAFO Plante and Treasure/Collector Lonergan, again, will continue to monitor the interest rates of 1-year US Treasury Notes to invest in. The approximate rate of return from investing the $13 million from the OPEB Trust, based on an interest rate of 4.873%, would yield an estimated $590,000.
Springfield Pension Reserve Fund
OPEB Trust
These approaches are to bring fiscal management policies to guide key municipal financial accounts. All done by taking advantage of high federal interest rates.
Mayor Sarno states, “Since taking office, one of my administration main focus and priorities continues to be practicing sound fiscal management policies that have brought us back from the brink of bankruptcy to having the highest bond rating in the city’s history, with a healthy reserve that prepares us for any unforeseen emergencies. This is a safe and prudent plan that we have researched and been working on for some time and allows us to take advantage of innovative investment strategies when they present themselves. Once again, as we have done with investing approximately $45 million from our stabilization reserve account to yield over $2 million so we can continue to provide tax relief initiatives and programs for residents. I will again, ask the City Council to approve two sound financial orders that will help boost both our Pension Reserve Fund and the OPEB account with an approximate total return on investment of over $1.35 million.”
“With interest rates as high as they are, now is the time to take advantage and advance this beneficial and innovative investment strategy for our city retirees/seniors,” Mayor Sarno continued. “Springfield is believed to be the first community in the Commonwealth to utilize this unique approach. I want to thank City Councilors Attorney Michael Fenton, Tim Allen and Maria Perez for working with my administration on this innovative plan. I also want to thank my award-winning finance team, led by CAFO TJ Plante, Treasurer/Collector Stephen Lonergan and Comptroller Patrick Burns for their continued efforts and monitoring these interest rates so that we can strike while they are hot.”
CAFO TJ Plante stated, “We have always tried to be strategic with our investments and now we have a rare opportunity to generate a significant return on investment by investing in Treasury Notes. We are at the perfect time with the percentage of the yield being the highest in decades and having the cash to invest.”
City Councilor Attorney Michael Fenton said, “Once again, this is a shrewd, inventive, and unprecedented way to invest in and boost our Pension Reserve Fund and OPEB Trust for our city retirees and employees. Our sound fiscal management policies have enabled us to take advantage of this opportunity and capitalize on the high interest rates in US Treasury Bills. Our prior announcement regarding the investment of stabilization reserves attracted attention from across Massachusetts, the region, and the country, and this latest announcement is an expansion of this prudent program. Over the last decade Springfield has emerged from bankruptcy to leading the region in fiscal prudence. Today, we again, reap the literal profits from over a decade of sound financial management.”
Councilor and Chair of the Finance Committee Tim Allen added, “Since taking office as the Ward 7 City Councilor, one of my priorities has been increasing the funding to our underfunded pension liability. I want to applaud Mayor Sarno, CAFO TJ Plante and Treasure/Collector Stephen Lonergan for working with me and my colleagues on the Council to make sure that the pensions and benefits for our city retirees are properly funded. This innovative and prudent investment strategy takes advantage of the historic high interest rates in US Treasury Notes and will continue to support our retirees, much like what we previously announced last month on investing our stabilization reserves to provide continued tax relief for our residents.” | 2023-02-09T22:34:45+00:00 | wwlp.com | https://www.wwlp.com/news/local-news/hampden-county/boost-in-springfield-pension-reserve-fund-and-opeb-trust-for-city-retirees/ |
On Friday and Saturday, Westmont swimming traveled down the coast to the Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool at Pepperdine to compete in the Rodionoff Invitational. The meet included nine schools competing in separate competitions based on school association. In the NAIA competition, Westmont defeated The Master’s 315-268.
The Warrior highlight of the day was the 200 yard freestyle relay. Bailey Lemmon, Olivia Garrison, Emma Diehl and Rian Lewandowski posted a time of 1:38.13 to win the event, which was the best time of the day. Pepperdine won the NCAA Division I event in a time of 1:38.75.
“I saw a lot of potential in freshman Emma Diehl at last week’s pentathlon, so I put her on all of our ‘A’ relays at this meet,” noted head coach Jill Jones Lin. “She did a great job racing and helping out our relaying today. She also improved all her times from last week. Emma has been working very hard to improve her technique and skill and it’s showing in her results. I’m really excited to see her progress this season.”
Diehl was not the only Warrior to show time improvements. Lemmon dropped her time in the 100 yard backstroke to 1:03.18 to finish second in the event.
“Bailey had a great anchor leg in the 400 freestyle relay, but was barely out touched by a Master’s swimmer,” reported Jones Lin.
Newcomers to the team also showed improvement over the previous weekend with Leighton Bell and Lauren Healy each recording faster times in the 100 yard freestyle and the 200 yard freestyle. Bell also notched a better time in the 50 yard freestyle while Healy bettered her time in the 500 yard freestyle. Also posting a better mark was McKenzie Rion in the 100 yard freestyle.
Two other freshman that lowered times were Abby Rickard in the 200 yard individual medley and the 100 yard breaststroke as well as Daisy Marquardt in the 100 yard breaststroke.
Ella Chaisson continued to shine in medley events, winning both the 200 yard and 400 yard individual medleys in times of 2:14.23 and 4:41.91 respectively. Both of those times beat the NAIA National Championship provision qualifying time. Marquardt finished second in the 400 yard event.
Chaisson received Pacific Collegiate Swim Conference Athlete of the Week honors last week after finishing fourth in the PCSC Relays in the distance pentathlon and posting NAIA qualifying times in the 100 yard backstroke (1:01.63) and the 200 yard individual medley relay (2:14.15).
“Overall we had a good meet,” summarized Jones Lin. “We only have a few more weeks until our mid-season taper meet and have some more things to improve before then. I’m hoping they can all stay healthy so we can keep putting in the work in the pool.”
Westmont will compete next on October 28-29 at the Westmont Pool in a dual meet with Alaska Fairbanks.
Ron Smith is the sports information director at Westmont College.
email: sports@newspress.com | 2022-10-10T20:37:00+00:00 | newspress.com | https://newspress.com/westmont-swimming-competes-in-rodionoff-invitational/ |
NEWARK, Del. (AP)(AP) – Jameer Nelson Jr. scored a career-high 39 points and Delaware beat UNC Wilmington 75-66 on Saturday night.
Nelson also had three steals for the Fightin’ Blue Hens (14-15, 6-10 Colonial Athletic Association). Johnny McCoy scored nine points, finishing 4 of 6 from the floor. Cavan Reilly finished 2 of 3 from the field to finish with six points.
Trazarien White led the Seahawks (21-8, 11-5) in scoring, finishing with 20 points and eight rebounds. Maleeck Harden-Hayes added 14 points and nine rebounds for UNC Wilmington. In addition, Donovan Newby had 14 points.
NEXT UP
Both teams next play Thursday. Delaware visits N.C. A&T while UNC Wilmington hosts Stony Brook.
—
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. | 2023-02-19T07:32:47+00:00 | kxnet.com | https://www.kxnet.com/scoreboard/nelson-scores-39-delaware-takes-down-unc-wilmington-75-66/ |
NEW YORK, May 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ProofPilot, the industry's first digital protocol automation platform for clinical trials, and VersaTrial, the clinical research site enablement and engagement platform, today announced a strategic integration between their two technologies to improve clinical research speed, quality, and satisfaction for site staff and their patients.
"Managing multiple protocols is a daunting task for sites, who must navigate hundreds of complex steps for each study," said Chris Venezia, CEO of ProofPilot. "Attempts to organize the wide variety of study technologies leads to confusion, workplace fatigue and protocol deviations. Together with VersaTrial we will further streamline the study workflow and reduce errors, leading to measurable efficiencies for research sites."
VersaTrial offers a centralized location for all study technologies and contacts, providing persistent access for coordinators, PIs, and CRAs. ProofPilot reduces guesswork and confusion by creating a digital protocol and automating study tasks for sites and patients. Seamlessly integrating ProofPilot and Versatrial will deliver even more efficiency for sites to manage and conduct trials.
"The digital transformation of clinical research is creating as many challenges as it's solving," said Mike Wenger, Founder and CEO of VersaTrial. "Sponsors are seeking ways to enable research sites to address the complexities of technology management. Our partnership with ProofPilot automates and simplifies this for site staff, enhancing the industry's ability to continue innovating with technology."
About ProofPilot
ProofPilot supports clinical trials with the industry's first fully automated digital protocol platform. The platform orchestrates stakeholder tasks and technology, optimizing clinical workflows, improving stakeholder experiences, and maximizing data quality. ProofPilot eliminates guesswork and reduces protocol deviations to create high-performance experiences for sites and patients. To learn more, visit https://www.proofpilot.com
About VersaTrial
VersaTrial is the all-in-one site portal that lets Sponsors and CROs improve clinical trial speed, quality, and collaboration. Enabling sites to spend more time with patients and less time navigating technology systems unlocks faster trials with fewer mistakes, wider tech adoption, and stronger site relationships. Only VersaTrial's clinical trial site engagement platform provides Sponsors and CROs with real-time operational insights, bi-directional communication, and access management alerts to ensure measurable partner oversight and quality execution. Learn more at https://www.versatrial.io
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SOURCE ProofPilot | 2023-05-02T11:54:07+00:00 | kcrg.com | https://www.kcrg.com/prnewswire/2023/05/02/proofpilot-versatrial-partner-set-clinical-trial-sites-sponsors-up-success/ |
WAUKEE, Iowa , June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Frog announced June 17 that it reached the elite tier of HubSpot's Solutions Partner Program. HubSpot, a leading CRM platform for scaling companies, works hand-in-hand with partner experts to grow their businesses through inbound software, services and support.
"Our experience with the team at Blue Frog has been nothing short of extraordinary. Their years of experience and quality of skilled staff has earned them a trusted reputation within the HubSpot ecosystem as a reliable partner capable of delivering remarkable experiences for our most sophisticated clients," said Brian Garvey, VP, Solutions Partner Program at HubSpot.
Blue Frog is a member of HubSpot's Solutions Partner Program, an ecosystem of experts offering marketing, sales, customer service, web design and CRM services. It's a global community that believes putting customers first is the key to growth, and enables its members to offer a wide variety of sophisticated solutions across the entire customer experience.
To achieve elite tier status, a solutions partner must generate $65,000 in sold monthly recurring revenue and manage $170,000 in recurring monthly revenue.
President John Campbell, since founding the company in 2009, has grown Blue Frog into one of the leading strategic growth firms in the United States. The company's growth can largely be attributed to a commitment to customer success along with HubSpot's inbound marketing philosophy, incorporating strategies that attract, engage and delight customers.
ABOUT BLUE FROG
Established in 2009 by John Campbell, Blue Frog is a privately-owned strategic growth firm offering services ranging from website design and development, data orchestration, branding, inbound marketing, digital advertising, HubSpot and ZoomInfo strategy, and content marketing.
Recognized by "Inc. Magazine" as one of the "Best Places to Work" and an elite tier HubSpot solutions partner, Blue Frog is recognized as one of the leading growth consultancies in the US. To learn more about Blue Frog, visit www.bluefrogdm.com.
MEDIA CONTACT
Name: Kelsey Halverson
Company Name: Blue Frog
Phone: 515-221-2214
Email: khalverson@bluefrogdm.com
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SOURCE Blue Frog | 2022-06-17T18:37:44+00:00 | ksla.com | https://www.ksla.com/prnewswire/2022/06/17/blue-frog-becomes-an-elite-tier-hubspot-solutions-partner/ |
DETROIT (AP) — A 26-year-old man was charged Sunday with buying a firearm that police say a 19-year-old later used to fatally shoot a Detroit police officer last week.
U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison said the Detroit man is charged with making a false statement in the acquisition of the firearm. He appeared in federal court Sunday and is being held until a detention hearing on Tuesday, according to a news release from prosecutors. It was unclear Sunday if the man has a defense attorney who could comment on his behalf.
Officer Loren Courts, 40, died after he and his partner were “ambushed” on Wednesday night as they responded to a report of a man firing a weapon, Detroit Police Chief James White said. Police say the gunman, Ehmani Davis, 19, was fatally shot by another officer as Courts’ partner was rendering medical aid to Courts.
Ison said investigators traced the firearm used in the crime and determined the 26-year-old bought it at a Michigan gun store last month, where he said he was buying it for himself. He was later seen on surveillance video meeting with Davis in a nearby parking lot. | 2022-07-11T01:59:30+00:00 | expressnews.com | https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/Man-charged-with-buying-gun-used-to-kill-Detroit-17295764.php |
AUSTIN, Texas — On Friday, 42 World War II, Korean Conflict, Vietnam War/Era and Cold War veterans will be getting the "trip of lifetime," thanks to Honor Flight Austin.
The nonprofit group, now celebrating its 10th year, will be hosting its landmark 75th flight, sending the vets to Washington, D.C., to visit the memorials there that honor their service.
“The Central Texas community loves and supports its veterans. Through their donations, Honor Flight Austin has hit the landmark of taking its 75th flight to Washington, D.C., to pay tribute to our heroes,” said Matt Mathias, chairman of the organization.
SABOT Development is sponsoring the flight. Jim Young, CCIM, the managing partner of SABOT Development, is a second-generation, former Army Armor officer himself.
Friday's Southwest Airlines flight will take off for Ronald Reagan National Airport from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport around 12:40 p.m. The vets will then return on Saturday.
All Honor Flight trips are funded by donations and come at no cost to the veterans.
To learn more, visit the Honor Flight website.
PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING: | 2022-09-24T21:26:13+00:00 | wfmynews2.com | https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/life/heartwarming/75th-honor-flight-veterans-trip-washington-dc/269-55530d35-9ed4-44c1-9128-dace1b6d6ca7 |
THURSDAY’S SCORES
BOYS BASKETBALL
Bishop Feehan 68, North Attleboro 48
Boston English 78, New Mission 72
Bristol-Plymouth 66, South Shore Voke 41
Brockton 80, Bridgewater-Raynham 70
Brooks 52, MacDuffie 50
Cardinal Spellman 75, Southeastern 43
Case 49, Diman 32
Cathedral 71, Boston United 32
Charlestown 93, Brighton 20
Dighton-Rehoboth 66, Bishop Connolly 59
Georgetown 69, Billerica 56
Gloucester 55, East Boston 54
Reading 58, Somerville 40
St. Mary’s (L) 61, Burke 50
Saugus 60, Danvers 27
Snowden 79, CASH 42
Sturgis West 34, St. John Paul II 30
Swampscott 70, North Reading 58
Wayland 60, Greater Lawrence 41
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Boston Excel 40, Boston English 31
Brighton 50, Charlestown 35
Cambridge 58, Boston Latin 41
Case 77, Diman 30
Cathedral 84, Dracut 72
Chelmsford 49, Westford Academy 43
Danvers 60, Saugus 27
Dighton-Rehoboth 58, Nauset 34
Fenway 70, EMK 35
Greater Lowell 55, Lowell Catholic 50
Hopedale 37, Milford 33
Littleton 56, Lunenburg 45
Malden 57, Whittier 56
Middleboro 43, Seekonk 18
Minuteman 51, Innovation 23
Notre Dame (T) 40, Cristo Rey 13
Notre Dame Academy (W) 41, Fontbonne 40
Oliver Ames 47, Canton 32
St. John Paul II 50, Sturgis West 16
Sandwich 23, Mashpee 15
Saugus 60, Danvers 27
Shawsheen 44, Somerville 29
Tech Boston 66, Randolph 14
Wakefield 56, Acton-Boxboro 37
GYMNASTICS
Salem 99.35, Peabody 96.55
BOYS HOCKEY
Shawsheen 7, Northeast 0
GIRLS HOCKEY
Bishop Feehan 3, Medway/Ashland 0
Duxbury 3, Whitman-Hanson/Silver Lake 0
Malden Catholic 2, Latin Academy 0
GIRLS SKIING
Andover 71, Newburyport 64
Manchester-Essex 72, Haverhill 63
Newburyport 68, Hamilton-Wenham 67
BOYS TRACK
Catholic Central League Championship:
St. Mary’s (L) 100, Cardinal Spellman 77, Archbishop Williams 32, Bishop Fenwick 20, Arlington Catholic 13
GIRLS TRACK
Catholic Central League Championship:
Archbishop Williams 74, Bishop Fenwick 53, St. Mary’s (L) 38, Cardinal Spellman 36, Arlington Catholic 27
THURSDAY’S ROUNDUP
BOYS BASKETBALL
Nomar Tejada knocked down three shots from beyond the arc and 21 total points as Brooks (12-7) edged MacDuffie 52-50 in a nonleague matchup. … Kyle Benjamin scored 17 points and Jerry Brown notched 12 points for Cathedral (8-8) in a 71-32 win over Boston United. … Grant Larsen buried 15 points, while Ridley Keegan collected 12 points and 10 rebounds as Wayland defeated Greater Lawrence, 60-41.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Annie Brosnan poured in five 3-pointers on the way to 20 points as Minuteman (16-1) beat Commonwealth Athletic Conference foe Innovation 51-23. … Kendra O’Brien scattered 16 points, 12 in the second half, to help Greater Lowell (13-2) overtake Lowell Catholic 55-50 and clinch a second consecutive Large Division title.
In nonleague action, Emma Shinney dropped 26 points as Wakefield (16-2) won 56-37 over Acton-Boxboro. … Jasmine Day-Cox scored 17 points for Cathedral to help her earn her 1,000th point, adding to Yedidya Lubunga’s 23 points as Cathedral topped Dracut 84-72.
Kamyrn Derba put up 20 points, while Avery Gambale finished with 11 points and eight rebounds for Oliver Ames in a 47-32 Hockomock League win over Canton.
BOYS HOCKEY
Chase Darcey, Dylan Higson, and Dominic DiMambro netted two goals apiece to steer Shawsheen in a 7-0 Commonwealth Athletic Conference victory over Northeast.
GIRLS HOCKEY
Samantha Crowley and Antonia DiZoglio scored a goal each, and Danielle DeJon secured her third shutout in net for Malden Catholic (9-4-2) in a 2-0 nonleague win over Latin Academy. … Avery Blanchard racked up 33 saves and Molly Braga dished two assists to power Bishop Feehan in a 3-0 shutout of Medway/Ashland. | 2023-02-10T13:11:37+00:00 | bostonherald.com | https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/02/10/eastern-massachusetts-high-school-scores-and-highlights-from-thursday-55/ |
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Jan. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- MCCi, an IT services company focused on delivering end-to-end content services and intelligent automation solutions, has been named to the 2023 GovTech 100.
The GovTech 100 is an annual list compiled and published by Government Technology as a compendium of 100 companies focused on, making a difference in, and selling to state and local government agencies across the United States. This recognition is decided by industry experts, government employees, investors and the Government Technology magazine editorial team.
This marks the first time MCCi has made the GovTech 100 list.
According to Dustin Haisler, chief innovation and strategy officer for Government Technology, the recognized companies showed their ability to serve customers across multiple industry segments.
"This year we have seen an exponential increase in gov tech market activity – from new companies starting up to help government tackle complex challenges, to existing companies joining forces for scale through consolidations," Haisler said. "Gov tech as an industry is clearly showing its recession-proof characteristics. Each of the GovTech 100 companies demonstrates the energy of our market across all gov tech segments."
As a Laserfiche Solution Provider for more than 20 years, MCCi has deployed technology to help governments perform mission-critical work to serve their communities effectively. Their commitment to drive modernization efforts and increase efficiencies has improved both the citizen experience and back-office operations for award-winning government agencies across the U.S.
It is an effort that requires technology and expert implementation that is flexible enough to adapt to changing needs, according to MCCi CEO and President Donny Barstow.
"We have seen a shift in our clients' strategies in the last two years," Barstow said. "Cloud deployments and system integrations are part of every conversation from the outset. Our public sector clients seek resilient and scalable infrastructure and low/no-code platforms to drive enterprise adoption. Other drivers for this shift include supporting remote and hybrid work, increased demand for business process automation, and improving employee experience."
"The 2023 GovTech 100 recognition reflects the company's pride to be a trusted partner to more than 1,200 agencies who support our great nation," Barstow said.
"It is a privilege to work side-by-side with our clients to build solutions to their unique challenges. We are honored that Government Technology has selected us for this prestigious list among peers that truly drive resilient innovation in the public sector."
More about MCCi's technology, services and careers can be found at mccinnovations.com.
MCCi is a business process automation company that accelerates digital transformation by adding intelligence to your processes. As an IT services company with expertise in delivering end-to-end professional services provider, we provide our clients some of the leading technologies for business process automation, including Laserfiche for content services, Blue Prism for robotic process automation, ABBYY for intelligent capture, and One Span for digital signatures. We are a trusted partner to over 1,200 government organizations, including cities, counties, state agencies, special districts, K-12, and higher education.
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SOURCE MCCi | 2023-01-04T19:11:57+00:00 | witn.com | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2023/01/04/mcci-named-govtech-100-company/ |
An appeals court on Wednesday ruled that federal wildlife regulators incorrectly marked parts of the U.S. as critical habitat for endangered jaguars.
The three-judge panel found that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had not done enough to prove that the land in question was critical to jaguars' survival.
The Fish and Wildlife Service had marked certain parts of southern Arizona as critical jaguar habitat. This ruling applies only to that contested land, not to jaguars' entire known range within the United States.
The ruling comes as part of a copper mining case. Rosemont Copper Co., an arm of Canada-based Hudbay Minerals, plans to build a $1.9 billion open-pit copper mine in southern Arizona.
In 2014, more than 350,000 acres in southern Arizona were classified as critical habitat for jaguars. An Arizona district court affirmed that designation in 2020, and the mining company appealed.
SEE MORE: US agency: Environmental impact study to look at threat to sea turtles
According to the Fish and Wildlife Service, the jaguar's range extends into small portions of Arizona and New Mexico, on the border with Mexico.
Judge Danielle Forrest pointed out that only a very small portion of the jaguars' overall range is in the United States.
Forrest wrote in the majority opinion for the court: "Habitat that 'may (or may not) be important to the conservation of jaguars' definitionally is not essential to conservation. To conclude otherwise would render meaningless Congress’s limitations on the government's authority to designate land as unoccupied critical habitat."
SEE MORE: U.S. Sues Arizona Over Shipping Containers Along Mexico Border
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | 2023-05-19T01:08:32+00:00 | wrtv.com | https://www.wrtv.com/jaguars-lose-habitat-protections-in-arizona-mining-case |
By MEHMET GUZEL, GHAITH ALSAYED and SUZAN FRASER
ADANA, Turkey (AP) — A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked wide swaths of Turkey and neighboring Syria on Monday, killing more than 2,800 people and injuring thousands more as it toppled thousands of buildings and trapped residents under mounds of rubble.
Authorities feared the death toll would keep climbing as rescuers searched through tangles of metal and concrete for survivors in a region beset by Syria’s 12-year civil war and a refugee crisis.
Residents jolted out of sleep by the pre-dawn quake rushed outside in the rain and snow to escape falling debris, while those who were trapped cried for help. Throughout the day, major aftershocks rattled the region, including a jolt nearly as strong as the initial quake. After night fell, workers were still sawing away slabs and pulling out bodies as desperate families waited for news on trapped loved ones.
“My grandson is 1 1/2 years old. Please help them, please. We can’t hear them or get any news from them since morning. Please, they were on the 12th floor,” Imran Bahur wept by her destroyed apartment building in the Turkish city of Adana. Her daughter and family were still not found.
Tens of thousands who were left homeless in Turkey and Syria faced a night in the cold. In Turkey’s Gaziantep, a provincial capital about 33 kilometers (20 miles) from the epicenter, people took refuge in shopping malls, stadiums and community centers. Mosques around the region were opened to provide shelter.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared seven days of national mourning.
The quake, which was centered on Turkey’s southeastern province of Kahramanmaras, sent residents of Damascus and Beirut rushing into the street and was felt as far away as Cairo.
The quake piled more misery on a region that has seen tremendous suffering over the past decade. On the Syrian side, the area is divided between government-held territory and the country’s last opposition-held enclave, which is surrounded by Russian-backed government forces. Turkey, meanwhile, is home to millions of refugees from the civil war.
In the rebel-held enclave, hundreds of families remained trapped in rubble, the opposition emergency organization, called the White Helmets said in a statement. The area is packed with some 4 million people displaced from other parts of the country by the war. Many of them live in buildings that are already wrecked from past bombardments.
Strained health facilities quickly filled with injured, rescue workers said. Others had to be emptied, including a maternity hospital, according to the SAMS medical organization.
More than 6,400 people were rescued across 10 provinces, according to Orhan Tatar, an official with Turkey’s disaster management authority.
The region sits on top of major fault lines and is frequently shaken by earthquakes. Some 18,000 were killed in similarly powerful earthquakes that hit northwest Turkey in 1999.
The U.S. Geological Survey measured Monday’s quake at 7.8, with a depth of 18 kilometers (11 miles). Hours later, a 7.5 magnitude temblor struck more than 100 kilometers (60 miles) away.
The second jolt in the afternoon caused a multistory apartment building to topple face-forward onto the street in the Turkish city of Sanliurfa. The structure disintegrated into rubble and raised a cloud of dust as bystanders screamed, according to video of the scene.
Thousands of buildings were reported collapsed in a wide area extending from Syria’s cities of Aleppo and Hama to Turkey’s Diyarbakir, more than 330 kilometers (200 miles) to the northeast.
In Turkey alone, more than 5,600 buildings were destroyed, authorities said. Hospitals were damaged, and one collapsed in the Turkish city of Iskenderun.
Bitterly cold temperatures could reduce the time frame that rescuers have to save trapped survivors, said Dr. Steven Godby, an expert in natural hazards at Nottingham Trent University. The difficulty of working in areas beset by civil war would further complicate rescue efforts, he said.
Offers of help — from search-and-rescue teams to medical supplies and money — poured in from dozens of countries, as well as the European Union and NATO. The vast majority were for Turkey, with Russian and even an Israeli promise of help to the Syrian government, but it was not clear if any would go to the devastated rebel-held pocket in the northwest.
The opposition’s Syrian Civil Defense described the situation in the enclave as “disastrous.”
The opposition-held area, centered on the province of Idlib, has been under siege for years, with frequent Russian and government airstrikes. The territory depends on a flow of aid from nearby Turkey for everything from food to medical supplies.
At a hospital in Idlib, Osama Abdel Hamid said most of his neighbors died. He said their shared four-story building collapsed just as he, his wife and three children ran toward the exit. A wooden door fell on them and acted as a shield.
“God gave me a new lease on life,” he said.
In the small Syrian rebel-held town of Azmarin in the mountains by the Turkish border, the bodies of several dead children, wrapped in blankets, were brought to a hospital.
Television stations in Turkey aired screens split into four or five, showing live coverage from rescue efforts in the worst-hit provinces.
In the city of Kahramanmaras, rescuers pulled two children alive from the rubble, and one could be seen lying on a stretcher on the snowy ground. Turkish broadcaster CNN Turk said a woman was pulled out alive in Gaziantep after a rescue dog detected her.
In Adana, 20 or so people, some in emergency rescue jackets, used power saws atop the cement mountain of a collapsed building to saw out space for any survivors to climb out or be rescued.
“I don’t have the strength anymore,” one survivor could be heard calling out from beneath the rubble of another building in Adana earlier in the day, as rescue workers tried to reach him, said a resident, journalism student Muhammet Fatih Yavuz.
In Diyarbakir, hundreds of rescue workers and civilians formed lines across a mountain of wreckage, passing down broken concrete pieces, household belongings and other debris as they searched for trapped survivors while excavators dug through the rubble below.
At least 1,762 people were killed in 10 Turkish provinces, with more than 12,000 injured, according to Turkish authorities. The death toll in government-held areas of Syria climbed to 593 people, with some 1,400 injured, according to the Health Ministry. In the country’s rebel-held northwest, groups that operate there said the death toll was at least 450, with many hundreds injured.
Huseyin Yayman, a legislator from Turkey’s Hatay province, said several of his family members were stuck under the rubble of their collapsed homes.
“There are so many other people who are also trapped,” he told HaberTurk television by phone. “There are so many buildings that have been damaged. People are on the streets. It’s raining, it’s winter.”
___
Alsayed reported from Azmarin, Syria, while Fraser reported from Ankara, Turkey. Associated Press writers Zeynep Bilginsoy in Istanbul, Bassem Mroue and Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut, and Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea, contributed to this report. | 2023-02-06T20:27:04+00:00 | twincities.com | https://www.twincities.com/2023/02/06/powerful-quake-rocks-turkey-and-syria-kills-more-than-2800-2/ |
NEW YORK (PIX11) — We may be right in the middle of winter, but instead, we had a taste of spring. Temperatures on Wednesday soared into the 60s for much of the region.
Central Park’s high of 66 degrees tied the current record that was set back in 1950. Islip’s high of 65 degrees broke the previous record of 64 degrees set back in 1998. Cooler air will move into the region as we head into the weekend, but it will only bring down the temperatures toward where they should be for this time of the year.
Some light showers associated with the cold front will be possible through the night. Otherwise, it will still be mild. Expect temperatures to only dip into the lower 50s.
On Thursday, there may be a fair amount of clouds around in the morning. A northwesterly wind will keep temperatures in the mid-50s during the day, and then it will back down into the lower 40s at night.
A weak disturbance will bring the chance of showers late Thursday night into Friday morning. Skies should then clear out during the day on Friday, with temperatures topping out in the upper 40s.
Saturday looks to feature mostly sunny skies. There will be a brisk breeze around as temperatures top out in the mid-40s.
Sunday starts out with some sun as well, with temperatures right around where they should be, at around 40 degrees.
A weak system may pass to the south before taking a turn and track just off the coast from Sunday night into Monday. As temperatures may be marginally cold, there is a chance that we may see some snow showers for some before it warms up and changes over to rain.
It looks like the type of system that could be more of a nuisance rather than one that could be disruptive. It is to be monitored as we head toward the end of the week. Expect temperatures to start out in the 30s, then climb into the mid-40s by Monday afternoon. | 2023-01-05T03:48:08+00:00 | pix11.com | https://pix11.com/weather/nyc-forecast-cooling-down-after-a-day-of-record-warmth/ |
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Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music and video game platforms this week.
NEW MOVIES TO STREAM
— In her young, flourishing career, Ana de Armas has already made three films with Chris Evans. Following “Knives Out” and “The Gray Man" — both of which positioned them as foes, either in family squabbles or assassin melees — they're more closely aligned in “Ghosted.” In the Apple TV+ release, premiering Friday, April 21, “Rocketman” director Dexter Fletcher pairs them in a film that fuses rom-com with action thriller. After a promising first date between Cole (Evans) and Sadie (de Armas), Cole pursues the unreachable Sadie and becomes ensnarled in an international spy adventure.
— One of 2022's best films arrives Tuesday on the Criterion Channel. For years, Iranian director Jafar Panahi has been finding intrepid ways to make films that cleverly reflect Iranian society despite government control. In “No Bears," Panahi — who has made acclaimed movies from within his apartment or the confines of a car — again plays a fictionalized version of himself, this time while he endeavors to remotely direct a film. When his collaborators' unwittingly capture a moment some locals don't want documented, scrutiny and pressure falls on Panahi. When “No Bears” opened in theaters, Panahi was in prison in Tehran. After declaring a hunger strike, he was freed on bail in February.
— Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok's lively bio-doc “Judy Blume Forever” profiles an author who's had a lasting impact on generations of young readers. The film, which debuts Friday, April 21, on Prime Video, mixes interviews with Blume, now 85, and her many fans, ranging from kids to Lena Dunham and Molly Ringwald. The documentary, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, debuts just as a big-screen adaptation of one of Blume's most beloved books, “Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret," hits theaters.
NEW MUSIC TO STREAM
— Guitar virtuosos Rodrigo y Gabriela — Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quintero — return with a new album, “In Between Thoughts... A New World,” out Friday, April 21. It’s the pair’s first collection since their 2019 Grammy -winning “Mettavolution,” which meld the power of thrash metal with fiery Spanish melodies. Self-produced by Rodrigo y Gabriela at their studio in Ixtapa, Mexico, the new album sees the duo “expanding their traditional approach to include inventive electronic and orchestral elements.” Superb single “Descending to Nowhere” even has a little funk and danceability.
— U.K. group Everything But the Girl will make a comeback this spring with their first studio album since 1999, when “The Matrix” came out. The duo of Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt — known for the dreamy hit “Missing” — will release “Fuse” on Friday, April 21. Work on the 10-track project began in the spring of 2021 at the couple’s home. “Of course, we were aware of the pressures of such a long-awaited comeback, so we tried to begin instead in a spirit of open-minded playfulness, uncertain of the direction, receptive to invention,” Thorn says. First single “Nothing Left to Lose” is an electronic flashback that feels modern filled with thick slabs of synth.
— Have you been praying for some old-school punk and garage rock? Then say “Amen,” the new album from The Heavy, their first in four years. The band — known for the song “How You Like Me Now?” — return with their humor intact as one of the singles shows — “Stone Cold Killer,” a song about guitarist Dan Taylor’s new kitten. “We got a new cat, a female Burmese. She’s the cutest thing you’ve ever seen, but an absolute enemy of every living thing in the garden,” he explains. The 10 new songs also include “I Feel the Love” and “Hurricane Coming.”
— AP Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy
NEW TELEVISION TO STREAM
— Galey Alix used to work on Wall Street in finance and dabble in interior design and renovations on the side. She would post about her projects on social media and amassed millions of followers. She’s now doing design full-time and has her own HGTV show, “Home in a Heartbeat.” Alix chooses a social follower and takes a weekend to renovate their home and provide positive change. “Home in a Heartbeat” debuts Wednesday, April 19.
— Netflix already used the title “Warrior Nun” so in Peacock’s new series about a nun out for vengeance they went with “Mrs. Davis.” The quirky, sci-fi show stars Betty Gilpin (“Nurse Jackie,” “GLOW”) as Simone, a nun determined to destroy a powerful artificial intelligence, known as the innocuous-sounding Mrs. Davis. The algorithm, is viewed by society as a whole as a way technology makes life easier but Simone sees it as a big problem infringing on people’s individual freedoms. Jake McDorman and Margo Martindale also co-star. “Mrs. Davis” is co-created by Damon Lindelof (“Lost”, “The Watchmen.”) “Mrs. Davis” premieres Thursday, April 20, with the first four episodes on Peacock.
— Keri Russell returns to TV in the Netflix series “The Diplomat,” as Kate Wyler, a career envoy with a passion for Mideast affairs who randomly gets reassigned as the new U.S. ambassador in the UK. It’s a major change for Wyler because diplomacy in the UK is much lower stakes than her previous post. She’s placed in an estate that resembles Downton Abbey, complete with butlers and maids, and is now expected to be more of a social figurehead. The job ends up being more complicated than expected, and Kate must establish relationships and trust with those around her, plus navigate the red tape and bureaucracy that comes with a government job. Another daily obstacle she must navigate is her her husband Hal, (Rufus Sewell) who was also a career diplomat (until he was fired). “The Diplomat” drops its eight-episode season on Thursday, April 20.
— Alicia Rancilio
NEW VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY
— Ten years ago, it seemed like every kid I knew was playing Minecraft. It’s still hugely popular, but some of those kids have graduated to more complex games. Enter Minecraft Legends, in which developer Mojang turns its blocky sandbox into a battleground. The idyllic Overworld has been invaded by nasty piglins from the hellish Nether. Your mission is to unite the assorted Overworld mobs of golems, zombies, skeletons and such while building defensive structures and attacking enemy outposts. There’s also a competitive mode in which you and your friends can try to destroy each other’s fortresses. Dig in Tuesday, April 18, on Xbox X/S/One, PlayStation 5/4, Nintendo Switch and PC.
— The online battle arena League of Legends is an esports phenomenon, but it’s somewhat daunting for newcomers. So publisher Riot Games has been expanding the franchise with the well-received Netflix series “Arcane” as well as a line of single-player games. The Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story takes place in a kingdom where sorcery has been banned; the protagonist, Sylas, is a mage who is determined to liberate his spell-wielding cohorts. It’s a lively-looking 2D role-playing adventure that could be just the thing to ease you into the sprawling LoL universe. Mageseeker arrives Tuesday, April 18, on Xbox X/S/One, PlayStation 5/4, Nintendo Switch and PC.
— Dead Island 2 is set in Los Angeles — which, as of the last time I checked, is not an island. If that sort of deliberate knuckleheadedness amuses you, this long-awaited sequel may be your cup of blood. The zombie infection that plagued a tropical paradise in the 2011 original has landed stateside, but you can build an arsenal, from baseball bats to machine guns, to fend off the undead hordes. Publisher Deep Silver promises loads of gory, squishy ultraviolence, and who wouldn’t want some brainless fun when you’re about to get your brains eaten? The mayhem begins Friday, April 21, on Xbox X/S/One, PlayStation 5/4 and PC.
___
Catch up on AP’s entertainment coverage here: https://apnews.com/apf-entertainment. | 2023-04-14T18:12:52+00:00 | ourmidland.com | https://www.ourmidland.com/entertainment/article/new-this-week-judy-blume-rodrigo-y-gabriela-17897763.php |
ST. CHARLES, Mo. — During a lull in her overnight nursing shift last month, Donna Herter of St. Charles made a Facebook post about her 24-year-old son, Christian Bowers, who has Down syndrome.
“I’ll pay you to be my son’s friend,” it read. “All you have to do is sit with him and play video games in his room.”
She left work, got home and went to bed.
When she woke up and checked her phone, she thought something was broken. Tens of thousands of people had shared her post. Her inbox was flooded.
“It was mind-blowing,” Herter said.
Life has improved for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities over the past few decades: Children who were once institutionalized at birth now attend classes with their nondisabled peers. Cringe-inducing labels have mostly disappeared. And medical advancements have mitigated the health conditions that often accompany Down syndrome.
But one of the most basic of human needs — enduring social connections — remains elusive for many people with developmental delays.
“Helping people with disabilities make friends is one of the most important and difficult things we do,” said Wendy Sullivan, CEO of Easterseals Midwest in Maryland Heights.
Life expectancy for those with Down syndrome has more than doubled — to 60 — since the 1980s, prompting service agencies to expand programming into adulthood. But across the board, barriers to engagement remain high.
Demand for day programs often exceeds available spots. Nonprofits are grappling with longstanding problems exacerbated by the pandemic: increased costs, reduced government funding and dwindling pools of volunteers.
Few people with Down syndrome drive, and not everyone can navigate public transportation. The unwritten rules of casual interactions can be challenging.
“It’s a huge concern for families as they approach their child’s last day of school,” said Erin Suelmann, executive director of the Down syndrome Association of Greater St. Louis in Brentwood. “Families try to piece together a meaningful life for their loved ones.”
School is the only place 12-year-old Makayla West of Overland interacts with her peers. The seventh grader, who has Down syndrome, has a difficult time with conversational back-and-forth and the physical demands of popular extracurriculars, such as parties at a trampoline park.
Her mother, Amy West, is already thinking about what will happen when Makayla turns 18. For now, West would be delighted to see her daughter invited to a sleepover.
“She has no friends outside of school,” West said.
After graduation, the world shrinks for many people with intellectual disabilities. Some go on to college or career-readiness programs, but many do not.
Bowers, Herter’s son, doesn’t read or write, and his math skills are rudimentary — putting a lot of jobs out of reach.
Homecoming king
Herter has been advocating for her son since he was a baby. She became a single mother at 18, and the diagnosis after he was born was a jolt.
“I didn’t know anyone who had Down syndrome,” she said. “I sat in my bedroom for a month.”
But her baby needed her. She started researching, found tutors and learned sign language to facilitate communication. For the first three years of his life, Bowers saw five therapists, five days a week.
When he was ready for kindergarten, Herter moved away from her hometown of Warrenton to Jefferson City because she had heard its school district was better equipped to support kids like her son.
Bowers thrived in school. He made friends and competed as a Special Olympian in baseball, bowling and basketball — “my three favorite sports,” he said.
He came into his own during his senior year, when he was elected homecoming king. The day he was handed his diploma was one of Herter’s best as a mother.
“When they tell you your son has Down syndrome, all this stuff goes through your mind,” she said. “He’ll never get married, move out, have kids. Graduating high school was a huge thing.”
Soon after, the family moved to St. Charles. Bowers got involved with activities through the Down syndrome Association and worked a part-time job making snack boxes for local businesses.
“He absolutely loved it,” Herter said.
The pandemic put an end to that. Virtual recreation during that time was also mostly inaccessible to Bowers. He doesn’t do social media or have a long attention span for Zooms. He loves video games, but playing online overwhelms him.
“One of the guys”
Bowers has always known how to work a room, even as a kid. He gives out high-fives and handshakes like they are business cards. At Pizza Ranch, his favorite restaurant, the servers know him by name. When his mom goes to Walmart, the shopping trip becomes an extended meet-and-greet.
He is quick to laugh at his own jokes and appreciates the shock value of a well-placed curse word.
“I don’t know what is going to come out of his mouth,” said his sister, Kylee Bowers.
They visit arcades and watch movies together. Bowers has a knack for cheering her up.
But a few months ago, Herter noticed loneliness creeping into Bowers’ life. Whenever he would run errands with his mom, he’d invite people to their house.
“Everybody he asks says, ‘Someday, someday,’ ” said Herter.
Each morning, Bowers would interrogate his family on whether someone was coming over. It was heartbreaking for his mom.
Bowers loves mixing and mingling at Down syndrome Association events — he scrapped his usual overalls in favor of a suit with a matching blue tie and pocket square for a dance last month — but he craved an everyday kind of friend. Someone he could sit on the couch and eat chips with. Someone to trash talk during “Call of Duty” or “Tomb Raider.” Someone to rely on, to whom he wasn’t related.
“He just wants to feel like one of the guys,” Herter said.
If a friend would bring him joy, she wanted to make it happen.
“We should do better”
When Herter first saw the crush of reactions to her Facebook post, she almost took it down.
“I didn’t mean to invite the world into my living room,” she said.
But her candor had hit a nerve with other parents whose children were experiencing the same struggles, and she wanted them to feel heard, too.
“We should do better,” a woman from Louisiana wrote.
“It’s such a heavy burden,” commented a mother from North Carolina.
By the next day, almost 60,000 people had shared Herter’s plea. Marines from Fort Leonard Wood invited Bowers to the base to go bowling. He got offers for FaceTime dates and a visit from Glamorous Gertie, a pink-and-black pig. Bowers’ story was told by local television stations, on the “Today” show and in an Icelandic newspaper.
Most important, the family has connected to three men, around Bowers’ age, who have scheduled regular meetups with him.
Before James Hastings of Troy, Missouri, became a police officer, he had a job teaching life skills to people with disabilities. And he’s a gamer himself. He messaged Herter and visited her son for the first time last month.
They got to know each other and played “Resident Evil.” It went so well, Hastings brought his motorcycle club to meet Bowers the following week.
“He just has a big heart,” Hastings said.
Bowers has been eating up the outpouring of attention. When the hubbub dies down, his mom’s hope is that he will have two or three committed companions. She wants that for other people with disabilities, too.
“It just takes an hour,” said Herter. “One hour would change that child’s or adult’s world.” | 2023-03-08T15:07:37+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/life/a-mom-wanted-one-friend-for-her-son-thousands-responded/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world |
LOS ANGELES , May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sona Arakelyan is a top attorney at DLaw (aka Davtyan Law Firm), an accredited, 4.5+ star rated legal firm that has protected the rights of hundreds of thousands of workers and recovered over $150 million for California's blue-collar community.
Sona, a Southwestern Law School Juris Doctor graduate, specializes in a broad range of employment disputes that impact California's working class.
To reinforce DLaw's mission of "Champion for California's working class," Sona shares valuable tips to help workers who may be victims of unlawful treatment and wrongful termination.
1. What advice do you give workers who are currently employed and are concerned about wrongful termination?
If you feel you are treated unlawfully and are at risk of being wrongfully terminated, resigning may not be the best option. Walking away from a job could impact a potential lawsuit, access to evidence, and recovery of damages.
2. What advice do you give workers who are fired and are considering a wrongful termination lawsuit against their employer?
Before the company cuts access to your employee portal, make sure to save all your paystubs, employer handbook/policies, and any relevant communications with the company. You should also gather any helpful photos, videos, text messages, social media messages, voicemails, medical reports, witness statements, and any written complaints to the company.
Companies typically do not want to give you a reason for the termination. This is because anything they say can be used against them down the line. Regardless, try to be persistent in requesting this information. Find out the reasons behind your termination.
3. What are common examples of wrongful termination?
Common examples of wrongful termination include being fired for:
- Reporting an incident of sexual harassment or any other unlawful activities to human resources;
- Submitting a doctor's note requesting accommodations for a medical condition or disability;
- Taking a sick day or going on a medical leave;
- Bringing to the company's attention that you have been underpaid.
An employer, however, will likely not reveal the true reason when wrongfully terminating an employee.
4. What does at-will employment mean?
Wrongful termination cases can be difficult to identify and prove because California is an at-will state. At-will employment means that a company can terminate an employee for almost any reason or no reason at all, with or without notice. The law, however, provides many exceptions to this general rule. Skillful employment attorneys can help identify the right exceptions to be able to successfully claim wrongful termination.
5. How are California workers protected under state law?
California law has several key provisions to protect employee rights, which include:
- Discrimination (if the worker has been specifically targeted and treated differently due to his or her status as a protected class member);
- Harassment (there was a hostile work environment because of a worker's status as a protected class member);
- Retaliation (the company retaliated against a worker after they engaged in a protected activity, such as taking a sick day or going on a medical leave).
6. What are the protected classes in California?
The protected classes in California include race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age over 40, religion, medical condition, disability, military status, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, and childbirth.
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SOURCE Davtyan Law Firm, Inc. | 2022-05-24T18:42:46+00:00 | waff.com | https://www.waff.com/prnewswire/2022/05/24/dlaws-sona-arakelyan-shares-her-top-tips-helping-california-workers-deal-with-wrongful-termination/ |
The Manufacturing Institute will honor DENSO's Hannah Pearl in the Emerging Leader category of the Women MAKE Awards
SOUTHFIELD, Mich., March 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Manufacturing Institute—the workforce development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers—announced that DENSO Industrial Engineer Hannah Pearl has been recognized as a 2023 Women MAKE Awards Emerging Leader. This annual national awards program honors women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers and represent all levels of the manufacturing industry, from the factory floor to the C-suite. As an Emerging Leader, Pearl joins 100 women leaders and 30 other women under the age of 30 who have achieved unique accomplishments early in their careers.
After multiple internships at DENSO's thermal manufacturing facility in Battle Creek, Michigan, Pearl was hired in 2021 at the site as a full-time engineer, a role in which she improves manufacturing processes, teaches other groups about lean manufacturing and makes teammates' jobs safer. Beyond her daily responsibilities, she launched the first formal mentor program at her location, helping new and future DENSO team members receive in-depth and ongoing career support. She is also chair of the DENSO Women's Network, a business resource group at the Battle Creek site focused on supporting and creating community among women colleagues.
Outside DENSO, she and her DENSO Women's Network team are involved in several impactful projects, including raising funds to support a local domestic violence shelter and leading manufacturing workshops with organizations like Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan to spark young women's interest in STEM.
"I'm so honored to be recognized as a 2023 Emerging Leader," said Pearl. "DENSO has given me the opportunity to successfully contribute in my engineering job and also foster my love for people as DENSO Women's Network chair. In joining this accomplished group of nominees, it only strengthens my passion for continuing to help make DENSO an inclusive place for all and to bring more women into the manufacturing space."
The Women MAKE Awards are part of the MI's Women MAKE America initiative, which is the nation's marquee program to close the gender gap in manufacturing. Women account for about half of the U.S. labor force but represent less than one-third of the manufacturing workforce. Women MAKE America aims to create a 21st-century manufacturing workforce by empowering and inspiring women in the industry.
"There is no doubt that the 2023 Women MAKE Awards Honorees and Emerging Leaders are immensely talented and accomplished," said Cornerstone Building Brands President and CEO Rose Lee. "They serve as excellent role models committed to inspiring and supporting women and girls of all ages. Their example is how we will create an industry that is as diverse as the communities we serve."
The Women MAKE Awards honor exceptional women in manufacturing and motivate them to mentor the next generation through an annual awards gala and associated leadership training program. The stories of these women and the leadership they exemplify will help inspire the next generation of women leaders in manufacturing and support talent already within the industry.
"Hannah's passion and impact on not only DENSO, but also her community, is an inspiration," said Denise Carlson, vice president of DENSO's North America Production Innovation Center and executive lead of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. "Through her hard work and endless enthusiasm, she's earned this incredible award, but even more importantly, she's helping uphold DENSO's mission of contributing to a better world. We're grateful to the Manufacturing Institute for the recognition and for their ongoing collaboration, which helps push our industry forward."
"The biggest challenge facing manufacturers continues to be the growing workforce crisis, and women are the industry's largest talent opportunity; bringing just 6% more women into manufacturing would fill all open jobs in the sector today," said MI President Carolyn Lee. "That is exactly why the Women MAKE Awards are so important and powerful. These are the women who will inspire our next generation of female talent to pursue a career in this industry."
On April 20, the MI will recognize the 130 recipients of the Women MAKE Awards in Washington, D.C.
Past DENSO winners of the Women MAKE Awards, formerly known as the STEP Ahead Awards, include Denise Carlson in 2021 and Monique Radersma in 2022.
For those interested in working at a company committed to creating a more inclusive workplace to accelerate innovation, visit densocareers.com.
About DENSO
DENSO is a $45.1 billion global mobility supplier that develops advanced technology and components for nearly every vehicle make and model on the road today. With manufacturing at its core, DENSO invests in its 198 facilities to produce electrification system, powertrain system, thermal system, mobility electronics, & advanced devices, to create jobs that directly change how the world moves. The company's 167,000+ employees are paving the way to a mobility future that improves lives, eliminates traffic accidents, and preserves the environment. Globally headquartered in Kariya, Japan, DENSO spent 9.0 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022. For more information about global DENSO, visit https://www.denso.com/global/en/.
In North America, DENSO is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, and employs 27,000+ engineers, researchers, and skilled workers across 51 sites in the U.S, Canada and Mexico. In the United States alone, DENSO employs 17,700+ employees across 14 states (and the District of Columbia) and 41 sites. In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022, DENSO in North America generated $9.5 billion in consolidated sales. DENSO is committed to advancing diversity and inclusion inside the company and beyond – a principle that brings unique perspectives together, bolsters innovation, and pushes DENSO forward. Join us, and craft not only how the world moves, but also your career: densocareers.com. For more information, go to https://www.denso.com/us-ca/en/
About The Manufacturing Institute
The Manufacturing Institute builds, diversifies and strengthens the modern manufacturing workforce, with the goal of furthering individual opportunity, community prosperity and a more competitive manufacturing industry. The MI engages underrepresented communities and shifts perceptions about careers in modern manufacturing, leads skilled training and career development programs, provides thought leadership and research on the changing state of the workforce and builds partnerships to scale up its impact on manufacturing in the United States. As the 501(c)3 nonprofit workforce development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers, the MI is a trusted adviser to manufacturers, equipping them with solutions for the industry's toughest challenges. For more information, please visit www.themanufacturinginstitute.org.
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SOURCE DENSO | 2023-03-01T15:46:49+00:00 | ksla.com | https://www.ksla.com/prnewswire/2023/03/01/women-make-awards-recognize-denso-engineer-excellence-manufacturing/ |
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Subscribe Now | 2023-02-25T09:15:12+00:00 | wivb.com | https://www.wivb.com/news/political-news/us-political-news/ |
Microsoft Adds AI Tools To Office Apps Like Outlook, Word
NEW YORK (AP) — Microsoft is infusing artificial intelligence tools into its Office software, including Word, Excel and Outlook emails.
The company said Thursday the new feature, named Copilot, is a processing engine that will allow users to do things like summarize long emails, draft stories in Word and animate slides in PowerPoint.
Microsoft is marketing the feature as a tool that will allow workers to be more productive by freeing up time they usually spend in their inbox, or allowing them to more easily analyze trends in Excel.
The tech giant based in Redmond, Washington, will also add a chat function called Business Chat, which resembles the popular ChatGPT. It takes commands and carries out actions — like summarizing an email about a particular project to co-workers — using user data.
“Today marks the next major step in the evolution of how we interact with computing, which will fundamentally change the way we work and unlock a new wave of productivity growth,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in a statement.
Mattel, Instacart and other companies have also been integrating generative AI tools like ChatGPT and the image generator Dall-E to come up with ideas for new toy cars and answer customers’ food questions.
Microsoft rival Google said this week it is integrating generative AI tools into its own Workspace applications, such as Google Docs, Gmail and Slides. Google says it will be rolling out the features to its “trusted testers on a rolling basis throughout the year.”
Microsoft spokesperson Jessica Dash said the new Office features are currently only available for 20 enterprise customers. It will roll it out for more enterprise customers over the coming months.
The announcement came two days after OpenAI, which powers the generative AI technology Microsoft is relying on, rolled out its latest artificial intelligence model, GPT-4. | 2023-03-17T00:39:06+00:00 | wlip.com | https://www.wlip.com/microsoft-adds-ai-tools-to-office-apps-like-outlook-word/ |
LAWRENCE, Kan. — There have been plenty of years that Kansas has struggled to beat teams from the Football Championship Subdivision to open the season, and second-year coach Lance Leipold is keenly aware of that fact.
“You play who is on the schedule and you go from there. It’s a game we should win by that margin and we did that,” Leipold said. “We know this program hasn’t had enough wins to be overly critical of how it plays out.”
There wasn’t much to be critical about against the Golden Eagles.
Jalon Daniels threw for 182 yards with touchdowns on the ground and through the air before giving way to backup Jason Bean, who added a TD run of his own. Devin Neal took a handoff 80 yards for a score and finished with 108 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Nebraska transfer Sevion Morrison and Daniel Hishaw also reached the end zone.
Kansas even got a 61-yard TD return by Jacobee Bryant off a blocked field goal that set the tone early.
“We’ve talked about just gaining confidence and this team hasn’t had a lot of that,” said Leipold, whose team piled up 297 yards rushing and 502 total yards. “This is definitely a step in the right direction.”
The Jayhawks’ revamped defense was just as good: Golden Eagles starter Jeremiah Oatsvall was just 10-of-18 passing for 76 yards with a TD and an interception. The Jayhawks held Tennessee Tech to 93 yards rushing on 43 carries.
“I told our guys, ‘We played the best football team were going to play all year,’ ” Golden Eagles coach Dewayne Alexander said. “There were some things we’ll show big improvement from Week 1 to Week 2, but our guys did fight.”
After more than a decade of just about everything going wrong, the Jayhawks must have felt good about a first half — albeit against a lower-level opponent — in which just about everything went right.
Daniels connected on 14 of 15 passes for 182 yards, scoring on an 11-yard second-quarter run before passing to Mason Fairchild for a 2-yard score. Three different Jayhawks reached the end zone on the ground. And when Bryant scooped up that blocked field goal late in the first quarter and returned it 61 yards for a score, Kansas had its first such touchdown since Patrick Brown did it against Oklahoma in 1996.
Perhaps more importantly, the Jayhawks’ rebuilt defense shut down the Golden Eagles.
Kansas forced a three-and-out on Tennessee Tech’s first two possessions, then blocked the field goal on the next. And after Tennessee Tech finally converted a field goal to make it 21-3, the Jayhawks forced two more three-and-outs.
The second half wasn’t nearly as clean for Kansas. Daniels nearly fumbled the ball away on their first possession before Jacob Borcila missed a 40-yard field-goal try, then the Jayhawks’ quarterback threw a pick on his very next snap.
But the Golden Eagles missed a chip-shot field-goal attempt of their own, and on the Jayhawks’ next offensive play, Neal split the defense over the right side and ran untouched 80 yards for the score.
“We executed at a high level,” Neal said. “We obviously made mistakes. I won’t ever be satisfied. But where we are compared to last year, it’s night and day.”
THE TAKEAWAY
Tennessee Tech: The Golden Eagles were pushed around at the line of scrimmage while making far too many mistakes on special teams. The blocked field goal was the big one, but Devin Parker’s miss on a 29-yarder in the second half hardly helped.
Kansas: The Jayhawks revamped their defense with an influx of Division I transfers, and several made a difference. Lonnie Phelps, a pass rusher from Miami-Ohio, had three sacks and four tackles-for-loss. Ex-Ohio State linebacker Craig Young was always near the ball. And Eriq Gilyard, a transfer from Central Florida, picked off a pass early in the fourth quarter.
UP NEXT
Tennessee Tech: The Golden Eagles play their home opener Sept. 10 against Texas A&M-Commerce.
Kansas: The Jayhawks visit West Virginia on Sept. 10 for their Big 12 opener.
___
More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25 | 2022-09-03T04:36:52+00:00 | washingtonpost.com | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/jayhawks-pound-away-in-56-10-victory-over-tennessee-tech/2022/09/02/4e747fd4-2b38-11ed-a90a-fce4015dfc8f_story.html |
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Tyler Reddick will start from the pole in the NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Kansas Speedway.
Reddick leaned on his extensive background driving dirt late models to ride the rim around the mile-and-a-half track on Saturday. He stopped the clock in 29.899 seconds, denying Joey Logano a second straight pole.
“It took off fast. I was really happy with the car,” Reddick said. “It definitely likes the top two or three grooves of this race track, but just really happy with the entire performance of our team today.”
It’s the first time that Reddick, who is fifth in the playoff standings, has earned the pole on an oval.
“I’m really excited about that,” he said, “and it’s crazy — I think my first Xfinity pole came here, too.”
The drivers who made the final round had to contend with changing conditions — the first few qualifying laps were made under cloud cover, while the sun began peeking out for Austin Cindric and remained out the rest of the session.
They also had to decide whether to ride the far outside groove or a line that was slightly lower on the track.
Christopher Bell, who opted for the rim, was the fastest in the first group of five with a lap of 30.057 seconds. And he was pleased with the time for Joe Gibbs Racing, telling his team over the radio, “That’s all I got, buddy.”
It was enough to start alongside Alex Bowman on the outside of the second row.
Bowman took a slightly lower line around the track and posted a time of 29.964 seconds before Logano overtook him down the back stretch and carried enough speed through Turn 3 and Turn 4 to set a new best time of 29.936.
“I thought we had a pretty good lap,” Logano said. “Our car was tighter than it was the first run. It was so good the first run that we didn’t want to adjust too much. We picked up a lot from practice and laid down a pretty good lap.”
Just not quite as good as Reddick, who landed the No. 8 of Richard Childress Racing up front.
“This place continues to change. It’s the kind of track you can move around a lot,” he said. “Just the amount of on-throttle time you have is a big adjustment and, thankfully, we got it pretty good and got to the last round.”
The top five starting spots belong to playoff drivers with Ross Chastain rounding it out. Bubba Wallace qualified sixth, ahead of three more playoff drivers in Kyle Larson, Cindric and William Byron. Chris Buescher will start 10th.
The rest of the playoff field has some ground to make up.
Austin Dillon will start 11th with Chase Briscoe in 13th, Kevin Harvick behind him, and Daniel Suárez in 15th. Ryan Blaney qualified 17th with Kyle Busch in 20th, Chase Elliott in 22nd and Denny Hamlin 25th.
___
More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2022-09-10T18:59:38+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/tyler-reddick-captures-cup-playoff-pole-at-kansas-speedway/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Former President George W. Bush took part in a first ball ceremony in Texas, Aaron Judge put on special cleats at Yankee Stadium and the New York Mets wore first responder caps as Major League Baseball paused Sunday to remember the Sept. 11 attacks.
There were moments of silence, remembrances and tributes at ballparks all across America on the 21st anniversary of 9/11.
“It’s a moment in our country’s history. We all have certain things we remember, where we were when it happened and how we felt. So many people involved, so it’s a chance to honor those people today. Realizing the people and families that were affected by this that are still feeling the pain from it,” Mets manager Buck Showalter said before a game in Miami.
Bush, who was president on the day of the attacks, was at Globe Life Field as the Rangers played Toronto. He joined Jimmy Pollozani, a police officer in nearby Fort Worth, and Pollozani’s 13-year-old daughter, Andita, in the ceremony.
They represented police officers, firefighters and first responders across the state. Andita threw the pitch to Rocky Wolfe, a firefighter from the central Texas city of Killeen.
Bush famously delivered a perfect strike before Game 3 of the 2001 World Series at Yankee Stadium between the Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks weeks after New York City’s twin towers fell.
There was a moment of silence before the Blue Jays and Rangers played. During the Canadian and U.S. national anthems, Bush stood between Texas interim manager Tony Beasley and first base coach Corey Ragsdale in front of the home dugout.
Bush delivered the ball to Andita and gave her a hug and a word of advice before she threw from just in front of the mound. Afterward, Bush gave a fist bump to her father before they left the field.
Bush received rousing applause when he was announced. As he headed toward the Rangers’ dugout afterward, some fans chanted, “USA! USA!”
All Rangers and Blue Jays personnel in uniform wore a special Patriot Day patch on their caps. Special lineup cards and base jewels were used.
Bush was part of the investment group that owned the Rangers from April 1989 until June 1998 and remains involved with the club. He and wife Laura have lived in Dallas since he left the White House in January 2009.
At Yankee Stadium as New York played Tampa Bay, Judge wore cleats marking the day. His left cleat had “9/11 Patriot Day” on the back and the right one had “9-11-01.”
The Yankees wore hats in tribute of 9/11 responders rather than their interlocking NY.
Starter Domingo Germán’s cap said NYPD and there was a mix of FDNY. He sprinted to the bullpen to warm up holding an American flag in his right hand, drawing cheers from a crowd that had been sitting through a rain delay.
Manager Aaron Boone placed a wreath at the monument in Monument Park that was dedicated on the first anniversary of the attacks.
Yankee Stadium public address announcer Paul Olden began a brief pregame ceremony by calling the attacks “an unsuccessful attempt to break the spirit of our great nation.”
Firefighter Regina Wilson sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” after the Port Authority Honor Guard presented the colors.
The Mets wore caps with insignias representing New York first responder departments. Featured were the city’s police and fire departments as well as Port Authority Police and departments of sanitation and correction.
Anthony Varvaro, a former big league pitcher who retired in 2016 to become Port Authority police officer, was killed in a car accident Sunday morning in New Jersey on his way to work at the Sept. 11 memorial ceremony in Manhattan.
Varvaro, 37, was born in Staten Island and played at St. John’s before becoming a reliever for Seattle, Atlanta and Boston from 2010-15.
“We are deeply saddened on the passing of former Braves pitcher Anthony Varvaro,” the Braves said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and colleagues.”
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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | 2022-09-12T00:11:00+00:00 | wtmj.com | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/09/11/george-w-bush-part-of-mlbs-9-11-anniversary-tribute-2/ |
Top UL Monroe Players to Watch vs. Southern Miss - February 11
Saturday's 3:30 PM ET matchup between the Southern Miss Golden Eagles (22-4, 11-2 Sun Belt) and the UL Monroe Warhawks (11-15, 7-6 Sun Belt) at Reed Green Coliseum features the Golden Eagles' Austin Crowley and the Warhawks' Thomas Howell as players to watch.
In the article below, we'll give you all the info you need to know about who to keep your eye on in this matchup on ESPN+.
Use our link to get a free trial of fuboTV, where you can watch college hoops and tons of other live sports without cable!
How to Watch UL Monroe vs. Southern Miss
- Game Day: Saturday, February 11
- Game Time: 3:30 PM ET
- Arena: Reed Green Coliseum
- Location: Hattiesburg, Mississippi
- TV: ESPN+ | Watch College Basketball all season live on FuboTV
Watch college hoops all season without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to fuboTV!
UL Monroe's Last Game
UL Monroe dropped its most recent game to the Appalachian State, 52-45, on Thursday. Tyreke Locure was its leading scorer with 13 points.
UL Monroe Players to Watch
Locure is averaging 13.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game, making 36.2% of his shots from the floor and 34.8% from 3-point range, with 1.9 triples per game.
Howell is the Warhawks' top rebounder (7.7 per game), and he puts up 9.7 points and 2.0 assists.
The Warhawks get 7.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game from Victor Baffuto.
Savion Gallion is putting up 7.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists per contest, making 37.6% of his shots from the floor.
Top Performers (Last 10 Games)
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | 2023-02-10T14:25:54+00:00 | kalb.com | https://www.kalb.com/sports/betting/2023/02/11/ul-monroe-southern-miss-college-basketball-players-to-watch/ |
A 99-day run of falling gasoline prices — a streak that gave consumers a glimmer of hope that red-hot inflation might be cooling — has ended, with pump prices still much higher than a year ago.
The nationwide average price for a gallon ticked up less than a penny Wednesday, to $3.68 a gallon, according to AAA. That’s down from the record $5.02 average in mid-June.
The question now is whether Wednesday’s increase is just a blip or the precursor to the return of higher prices. The answer matters to motorists and to President Joe Biden, who has taken credit for driving prices lower by releasing millions of barrels of oil from the nation’s reserves.
The 14-week decline in prices was the longest streak since 2015.
Gasoline prices mostly reflect trends in global oil prices, and crude — both the U.S. benchmark and the international Brent — have been slumping since mid-June on growing fears of a global recession that would reduce demand for energy.
Many energy analysts believe that prices are more likely to rise than fall in the next few months. However, changes in sentiment about the economy, Russia’s war against Ukraine, and even hurricane season — always a threat to disrupt refineries along the Gulf Coast — make predictions uncertain.
“I suspect that we will see choppy prices for gasoline through year end, with some down days and up days,” said Tom Kloza of the Oil Price Information Service. He predicted that the next streak will be a run of price increases early next year, driven by investors, speculators and “the fear that there won’t be enough fuel to go around.”
Phil Flynn, an analyst with the Price Futures Group, said prices will head higher once withdrawals from U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve — a million barrels per day for six months — end this fall.
“The market is going to start pricing that in, and refiners are not going to be getting this cheap oil from the reserve,” Flynn said. “The odds are we’ll see a significant price spike of oil come winter.”
Some businesses, such as airlines, have been able to pass higher fuel prices on to their customers. Others haven’t been able to do that.
“We haul for farmers, and we can’t raise (prices) for the farmer because they are struggling too,” said Mike Mitchell, part owner of Mitchell Milk Hauling, which carries about 10 million pounds of milk a year from farms in northwestern Pennsylvania.
The company’s seven trucks burn through about $20,000 in gasoline a month, and the drop in gas prices this summer provided only limited relief.
“Everything else you buy goes up,” Mitchell said. “Every part for the truck has doubled, just about.”
Al DeGennaro, a lawyer for Pennsylvania waste hauler J.P. Mascaro & Sons, said high gas prices have taken a toll, and their unpredictability is hard to handle.
“It creates uncertainty as to how you’re bidding in the future … a lot of government contracts are three to five years,” said DeGennaro, whose company has a fleet of about 300 trucks.
The nationwide average price soared above $5 a gallon — and over $6 in California — in June, as economic recovery and an increase in travel boosted demand for gasoline, and Russia’s war in Ukraine caused a spike in oil prices.
The surge in prices caused financial pain for families and a political headache for the Biden administration. With the midterm elections for Congress less than two months away, it’s hard to know whether voters will reward Biden and the Democrats for the recent fall in prices — down $1.34 a gallon from the record set on June 14 — or blame them because prices are still well above the $3.19 average one year ago.
Besides releasing oil from the strategic reserve, Biden pressed other oil-producing countries to boost output, and he clashed with oil company executives after accusing them of making unseemly profits while Americans struggled with high pump prices.
“Every time prices go down they are taking a victory lap, even though prices are substantially higher than they were when they took office,” analyst Flynn said of administration officials.
U.S. and international oil prices rose above $120 a barrel in June but have fallen since. On Wednesday, West Texas Intermediate crude was trading around $83, while the international benchmark, Brent crude, was about $90.
Unexpected events can affect gasoline prices. A BP refinery in Toledo, Ohio, was shut down Wednesday after an explosion and fire killed two workers. There are several weeks remaining in peak hurricane season in the Gulf of Mexico. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the likelihood of increased hurricane activity this year is 65%.
___
Mark Scolforo in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, contributed to this report. | 2022-09-22T12:40:44+00:00 | wivb.com | https://www.wivb.com/news/business/ap-after-99-days-in-decline-price-for-gasoline-up-a-penny/ |
Deputy hit with forklift on Florida construction site and killed, sheriff says
CLEARWATER, Fla. (Gray News) - A deputy is dead after a hit-and-run on an interstate construction site on Thursday.
The suspect in the deputy’s death fled but was caught early Friday morning, WFTS reported.
The fatal crash happened on a construction site on I-575 in Clearwater.
Police said Pinellas County Deputy Michael Hartwick was working Thursday night when Victor Vazquez-Real, a member of the construction crew, hit the 51-year-old deputy with a forklift, killing him instantly.
Vazquez-Real ran off after he told another worker what happened, authorities said.
Police arrested that worker as an accessory to the crime for hiding Vazquez-Real’s vest and helmet in the woods.
Hartwick was a 19-year veteran with the department.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. WFTS via CNN Newsource contributed to this report. | 2022-09-23T13:41:29+00:00 | ktiv.com | https://www.ktiv.com/2022/09/23/deputy-hit-with-forklift-construction-site-killed-florida-sheriff-says/ |
Dear Amy: I have two daughters and a son. All are adults. I am divorced from their father and am still single after 17 years since the divorce.
My girls both remain in my life — the youngest especially. “Chloe” is always there for me.
“Nancy,” the eldest, is like a cat toward me — she only makes time and effort for me if it’s on her terms and she is in the right mood, which is not very often.
My son, “Bradley” however, completely avoids me. He never answers his phone if I call. He doesn’t respond to contact from myself, his father, or his older sister, but he sometimes relates with Chloe.
Now that I’m over 60 and have battled cancer, I’m feeling my mortality and starting to think about things like getting a will done.
I’m a person of simple means so there won’t be much money left, but there will be a few thousand dollars in a 401K account and some life insurance money.
My dilemma is: Should I leave Bradley completely out of the will?
It seems the sad, sobering thing to do, but it would be based on how he has treated me.
Since Nancy is lukewarm toward me, should I leave her one-third, and then two-thirds goes to Chloe, who has been the most loving and giving child?
I suspect that if I do an even three-way split, the girls, especially Chloe, will feel resentful that their “deadbeat brother” got anything at all.
What do you think?
— Conflicted
Dear Conflicted: The daughter closest to you, “Chloe,” has already reaped the consequences and rewards of her behavior: she has a nice, positive, and active relationship with her mother. Your son “Bradley” has through his own choices been denied that.
Estate planning can be a complicated business, because it inspires some people to essentially reward or punish after death, when neither you nor they can do anything further.
Worrying about what others may think after you’ve died should be a non-starter.
There is no “right” answer to this question, but in my opinion, you should leave an equal amount to all three children who came into the world loved equally by you.
In addition to any funds, you can leave special material items to your favored daughter — or give them to her while you’re still around to enjoy the relationship.
You could also notify her ahead of time of your intentions and your reasoning.
Talk things through, but no matter what — you should make the choice that feels best, kindest, and most ethical to you.
Dear Amy: My long-term friend decided to ghost me a few months after his wife went in for a “routine heart procedure” and tragically never woke up.
He was devastated — as was everyone that knew her.
I know he has alcohol and drug problems.
The last thing he told me was that he was chasing a widow in town who “has a lot of money” and that he was done with me.
I asked, “So this is the end of our friendship?” He never responded.
Many years ago, he sent me a piece of artwork he made out of wood. There are many hours of work that went into this.
I don’t want it in my house anymore. I thought about donating it to Goodwill here, but it’s kinda weird and I doubt if they’d want it.
I thought to simply mail it back to him with no explanation, but is that cruel?
I thought to just burn it in my fireplace, but that seems hateful.
I am not actually angry with him, but I don’t want this piece, and I never really liked this odd thing very much.
Do YOU want it?
— Wood Burned
Dear Burned: You could try reaching out to this man — one more time — to see if he would like this piece returned to him. Keep your tone very neutral and tell him you are “downsizing.”
Depending on his response, Goodwill would definitely want this item. I hope you choose to donate it.
As someone who scours flea markets, second-hand stores, and Goodwill for home-made treasures, this piece actually sounds totally up my alley.
Dear Amy: I snorted my coffee when I read your (excellent) response to “Happy Teetotaler,” the young woman who felt pressured to drink when going out.
My favorite of your snappy excuses: “I need to stay sober so I won’t slip in your vomit later.”
— Cleaning Up
Dear Cleaning: I do enjoy supplying some snap.
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.) | 2022-06-11T11:19:08+00:00 | denverpost.com | https://www.denverpost.com/2022/06/11/ask-amy-an-aging-mother-ponders-her-legacy/ |
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
This time of year is often felt as a season of hope. But there are persisting problems all across the planet and millions of people endangered by hunger, by climate destruction, and threats to democracy and freedom. The International Rescue Committee released its watchlist this week of crises that are expected to worsen and to which attention must be paid. David Miliband, president and CEO of the IRC, who, of course, is a former British foreign secretary, joins us from New York. David, thanks so much for being with us.
DAVID MILIBAND: Thank you, Scott. Good to be with you.
SIMON: Please draw our attention to two or three areas that you believe the world has to pay particular note to right now.
MILIBAND: The International Rescue Committee's emergency watchlist is a really unique resource. It draws on 67 different data sources and on the advice of our staff in 200 field offices around the toughest parts of the world to signal which of the 20 countries are most likely to experience humanitarian distress in the next year. Top is Somalia, then Ethiopia, then Afghanistan, then Yemen, then the Democratic Republic of Congo. Those are the top five. And these 20 countries on the watchlist represent 90% of total humanitarian need.
SIMON: And you say in the course of this report that there is often next to no attention given to these many countries. And my next to no attention is not metaphorical. Just about 1% of media coverage is on these countries.
MILIBAND: Yes. I mean, obviously there are problems at home, and all politics is local. But this is a connected world today. Risks are global. We learned that in the pandemic. We can learn that from the climate crisis. And our point is that there's a moral reason why we shouldn't let people starve in Somalia or in Ethiopia when we know we can stop that starvation. But it's also a strategic point that if the world continues to believe that while risks are global, resilience can just be done nation by nation, we're going to fail.
SIMON: You do make the point that there are notes of hope in places like Yemen and Bangladesh. I wonder if I could get you to talk about that.
MILIBAND: Yes. The ceasefire agreement in Yemen, the climate resilience adaptation in Bangladesh that has prevented thousands of people dying as a result of the cyclones that are hitting that country. And too often, I think in the aid sector and the charity sector, people focus on suffering. And we want to combat the idea that, quote-unquote, "nothing can be done." It's actually a choice to weaken the guardrails, to weaken the protection of civilians in conflicts, to fail to address the climate crisis or to adapt to its impacts.
And our report - it shows in three key areas how we can turn the tide. One, we have to break the cycle that leads from food insecurity to famine. Second, we have to protect civilians better in conflicts, and we have a suggestion about how to combat the climate of fear that prevents NGOs and the U.N. speaking out against governments that are abusing the rights of their own citizens. And thirdly, we have to manage global risks like pandemics, like the climate crisis, in a far more effective way.
SIMON: I want to draw you out a little bit on how the climate of fear can be combated as far as you're concerned.
MILIBAND: Yeah, the climate of fear that I'm referring to is that for aid organizations, for U.N. officials, they're in countries which are very, very sensitive to criticism and where aid is being denied to civilians. We propose, for example, the creation of an independent office for the protection and promotion of humanitarian access that could speak without fear or favor to those governments and non-state actors who are preventing the delivery of aid.
SIMON: What would you suggest the resources of the world can do to both make migration unnecessary, which is is often the result of conflict or climate change, and at the same time to, if I might put it this way, unlock the hearts of Western nations who - some seem increasingly resistant to receiving larger numbers of refugees?
MILIBAND: Well, I think those two questions are connected. The first thing to say about migration is that untended humanitarian crisis inevitably leads to the flow of people. No problem that starts in Syria or starts in Ethiopia or starts in Myanmar ends there. In terms of unlocking the hearts, the pope several years ago spoke about the globalization of indifference. I don't know if one's allowed to argue with the pope on WEEKEND EDITION, but my perspective is slightly different - not a globalization of indifference, but a global feeling about not knowing how to make a difference. And Ukraine is a good example. The humanitarian and refugee response - just leaving aside the military - the humanitarian and refugee response has set a standard. The world can do it. The question is whether it decides to.
SIMON: David Miliband is president and CEO of the International Rescue Committee. Thank you so much for being with us.
MILIBAND: Thank you so much, Scott. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. | 2022-12-18T17:53:19+00:00 | mtpr.org | https://www.mtpr.org/2022-12-17/these-are-the-humanitarian-crises-expected-to-worsen-in-2023 |
Broadband provider prepares network and response teams to address potential service issues in addition to sharing safety tips and resources
ENGLEWOOD, Colo., June 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- WOW! Internet, TV & Phone (NYSE: WOW), a leading broadband services provider, today announced the company is preparing for the 2023 hurricane season. While a less active hurricane season is expected this year, WOW! continues to ensure its response teams are prepared to quickly and safely address service interruptions that may result from severe weather. WOW! is proactively testing resilience, fortifying its network, and updating crisis and business continuity plans in its southern markets.
According to the latest forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June through November, will have near-normal activity and the Atlantic region is predicted to experience between 12-17 named storms and five to nine could become hurricanes. In response to imminent storms, WOW! will mobilize mission critical teams and resources to respond to any reported outages as safely and quickly as possible.
"While the hurricane season is anticipated to be less intense this year, WOW! remains steadfast in urging residents in its southern footprint to follow the tips provided below to stay connected in the event of a storm," said Ed Sesi, vice president of operations and sales for WOW!. "Internet access is crucial to accessing critical services and staying in touch with loved ones, and WOW! is well prepared to quickly respond to storm-related service issues."
WOW! is sharing the following tips and resources with all residents in its markets where hurricanes are prone to occur.
WOW! Hurricane and Tropical Storm Tips:
- Preload the wowway.com website on mobile devices prior to a storm and have the WOW! customer service phone number 1-855- 4-WOW-WAY written down in the event they need to report an outage.
- The most effective way for residents to receive real-time updates on their WOW! services in areas impacted by a hurricane or tropical storm is to visit wowway.com or to call 1-855-4-WOW-WAY.
- Program emergency contact numbers and e-mail addresses into your phone including the police and fire departments, nearest hospital and important friends or family members.
- Keep mobile devices fully charged and dry while electrical power is still functional. Have a backup power supply, like a car charger or a portable battery, if possible and a safe, dry place to keep devices. Plastic zipper bags can be utilized for additional protection from water damage.
- If you are likely to lose electrical power, WOW! recommends unplugging equipment or using surge protectors to protect devices from damage when power is restored.
- If customers have electrical power but WOW! service is not functional, WOW! recommends customers restart or reset devices, including wireless gateways, modems, routers and cable boxes.
About WOW! Internet, TV & Phone
WOW! is one of the nation's leading broadband providers, with an efficient and high-performing network that passes nearly 2 million residential, business and wholesale consumers. WOW! provides services in 15 markets, primarily in the Midwest and Southeast, including Michigan, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, including the new all-fiber network in Central Florida. With an expansive portfolio of advanced services, including high-speed Internet services, cable TV, home phone, mobile phone, business data, voice, and cloud services, the company is dedicated to providing outstanding service at affordable prices. WOW! also serves as a leader in exceptional human resources practices, having been recognized nine times by the National Association for Business Resources as a Best & Brightest Company to Work For in the Nation, winning the award for the last five consecutive years and making the 2022 Top 101 National Winners list. Visit wowway.com for more information.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE WideOpenWest, Inc. | 2023-06-01T13:43:09+00:00 | wlox.com | https://www.wlox.com/prnewswire/2023/06/01/wow-prepares-2023-hurricane-season/ |
Art class sparks coast-to-coast student postcard exchange
LEON COUNTY, Fla. (WCTV/Gray News) - Inside the art classroom at a Florida school, students have been busting out crayons and getting busy crafting colorful postcards.
Their creations are shipped all across the country.
Chaires Elementary art teacher Colleen Nottingham said she came up with the idea after visiting a conference in Orlando. There she heard of an exchange between students and sailors.
“I kind of wanted to have it be student to student rather than student to adult,” she said.
She knew exactly where to take the idea: “there’s a secret society on Facebook of art teachers.”
Within minutes, teachers from all across the country started to reply. Three weeks in, she’s lined up connections with 27 different states.
The students draw Florida-inspired imagery on one side. On the other, they write a question they want to be answered by a student in another state.
Fourth-grader Emma Prine said she loved getting the chance to research other states.
“We get to interact with other kids who are from all over the world,” she said.
All grades, K-5, are getting involved.
“They really want to connect with another student. Once I tell them someone is really going to read it, they get really excited about it,” Nottingham said.
A group of fourth and fifth-grade students worked Monday morning to craft cards for a class in Augusta, Maine. Later that day, Nottingham received the first batch from Long Island, NY.
“When they see that envelope, and they know, they’re going to be really excited to see what their answers are,” she said.
Nottingham is hoping to get connections in all 50 states. She asked anyone who knows an art teacher, or any other educator, who lives in one of those states, help make a connection by emailing her at nottinghamc@leonschools.net.
Here are the states she has not yet heard from: Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia.
Copyright 2022 WCTV. All rights reserved. | 2022-11-14T23:12:48+00:00 | ktiv.com | https://www.ktiv.com/2022/11/14/art-class-sparks-coast-to-coast-student-postcard-exchange/ |
MIAMI (AP) — Don Mattingly went out as a winner in his final game as Miami’s manager when rookie Peyton Burdick homered and drove in four runs to lead the Marlins over the NL East champion Atlanta Braves 12-9 on Wednesday.
Matt Olson hit his 34th homer and Marcell Ozuna hit his 23rd for the Braves, who finished 101-61 and have a bye into the Division Series next week. The defending World Series champions won the season series against Miami 13-6.
The 61-year-old Mattingly announced Sept. 25 he would not seek a new contract. Miami’s final 69-93 record, fourth in the NL East, surpassed its 2021 finish by two games.
“I think this thing very easily could turn very quickly,” Mattingly said. “You see the makings of it. Obviously with our pitching staff, it gives you a huge chance. We were in so many close games this year.”
Mattingly finished his Marlins tenure 443-587, highlighted by a playoff berth in the 2020 pandemic-shortened season. It was Mattingly’s only winning year in seven seasons with the club.
“It feels good to be a part of this,” Mattingly said. “It’s the end of what I’m doing right now in this position. I don’t know what’s going to happen and what door opens or what road I take.”
Continuing a final-game custom during his years in Miami, Mattingly allowed a veteran player to manage the team. Catcher Jacob Stallings ran the Marlins Wednesday with Mattingly available for advice.
“We were going through all the scenarios in the dugout, it was obviously stressful pitching wise,” Stallings said. “But it was fun. Stressful but fun.”
After they clinched their fifth consecutive division title Tuesday, the Braves fielded a lineup without several of their top players.
All-Stars Ronald Acuña Jr. and Austin Riley and NL Rookie of the Year contender Michael Harris II rested. Shortstop Dansby Swanson grounded out to lead off the game and was replaced by rookie Vaughn Grissom in the bottom of the first.
“I’m so proud of the group, how they hung in there,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “Everybody withstands adversity in this sport. It’s how some teams handle it and come out of it, and these guys did. It’s a really impressive group.”
JJ Bleday tripled and singled while Nick Fortes homered for Miami. Eight Marlins starters had hits against four Atlanta pitchers.
Fortes’ two-run homer capped a five-run sixth and gave Miami a 10-6 lead. Jon Berti hit a two-run triple and scored on Bleday’s triple off reliever Jesse Chavez (4-3).
Olson’s two-run drive off Andrew Nardi (1-1) in the seventh got Atlanta within 10-8 before Burdick connected with a two-run homer in the bottom half.
“It was definitely a good way to go out,” Burdick said. “It’s been a great year learning from Donnie, one of the best players to ever do it.”
In addition to his first three-hit game, Burdick robbed Olson of an extra-base hit with his leaping catch at the wall in the fourth.
“I’m just glad we won and send Donnie out on a good note,” Burdick said.
Dylan Floro inherited two runners with one out in the ninth and walked Robbie Grossman and allowed Guillermo Heredia’s RBI single. Ehire Adrianza lined out to left before Floro struck out Grissom in a 13-pitch at-bat for his 10th save.
Ozuna’s three-run homer in the sixth put Atlanta ahead 6-5. He drove reliever Bryan Hoeing’s sinker over the wall in left.
Jackson Stephens worked the first three innings for the Braves. The right-hander gave up three runs on five hits and two walks.
Marlins starter Elieser Hernández was lifted after four innings. He allowed three runs and four hits and struck out three.
DOWN TIME
The Braves will have Thursday and Friday off before they begin workouts Saturday for the NL Division Series that begins at home on Tuesday. After his club spent months chasing and eventually overtaking the New York Mets for the division crown, Snitker believed the players deserved a short break from baseball activities.
MATTINGLY TRIBUTE
A brief video honoring Mattingly was played before the bottom of the fifth. The video drew applause from the crowd of 12,195 and the Braves dugout.
STALLINGS’ STAFF
In his “manager for a day” role, Stallings had teammates assist in coaching capacities. Sandy Alcantara and Pablo López were co-pitching coaches, infielder Joey Wendle was the bench coach and infielder-outfielder Brian Anderson served as hitting coach.
SMALL UPTICK
The Marlins drew an NL-low 907,487 for their 81 home games in the first season since 2019 that stadium capacity wasn’t limited because of COVID-19 restrictions. The total exceeded final attendance of 811,302 in 2019.
UP NEXT
Braves: Will play the winner of the NL wild card series between St. Louis and Philadelphia next Tuesday in Atlanta.
Marlins: Will face the Mets in their 2023 spring training opener Feb. 25.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2022-10-06T17:09:57+00:00 | fox59.com | https://fox59.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-mattingly-wins-his-last-game-as-marlins-manager-tops-braves/ |
Which HP gaming laptop is best?
HP is by no means new to the computing or computer gaming industries. In fact, it’s responsible for some innovations throughout history. The 2016 introduction of the HP Omen sub-brand included a gaming laptop equipped with the now-legendary GTX 1080 graphics card and an optional liquid cooling system.
Despite its large presence in the PC world, HP doesn’t currently have much of a reputation for premium gaming laptops. Evaluating their active lineup, though, might have you wondering why. After all, the HP Omen 16-c0035nr, the best HP gaming laptop right now, is relatively affordable considering the impressive hardware inside.
What to know before you buy an HP gaming laptop
The model numbers are confusing
HP doesn’t make a huge range of gaming laptops. Generally speaking, the Omen lineup contains premium models and the Victus family moderately powerful and well-priced options. Meanwhile, the Pavilion class is reserved for the most budget-friendly laptops.
Within those lineups, HP refers to specific models using esoteric strings of numbers and letters. Some of these characters do have meaning. For example, the first two-digit number in each refers to the laptop’s approximate screen size in inches. Overall, though, the model numbers aren’t meant to give consumers a ton of information.
To keep different HP laptop models straight, take a look at the website to ensure you’re looking at the most recent release. One good way to reliably compare similar units is by looking at how recent their central processing units are.
They’re effective for work
They may not be the most portable. Even the lightest still tips the scales at 5 pounds. However, HP gaming laptops can easily double as productivity machines. For example, they all have backlit keyboards, and most have number pads, both of which can make long days and common professional tasks easier.
They don’t cost a fortune
When you buy an HP laptop, you’re not paying a premium for flashy RGB lights or a popular brand name. Instead, you’ll get a well-engineered laptop with powerful hardware and durable, professional build quality. With HP gaming laptops, all those things come at relatively moderate prices compared to other brands.
What to look for in a quality HP gaming laptop
This section should detail the primary features available in different models of this product, both fundamental features and optional features (upgrades). On average, expect to have three to six features. If there are a few key players synonymous with the product type that cover their key points of differentiation.
Graphics card model
The graphics processing unit lies at the heart of any gaming laptop. Few current gaming laptops feature a mobile AMD Radeon graphics processing unit. The three Nvidia GPUs that most people should consider are the RTX 3050 Ti, 3060 and 3070. Those three will run many advanced, modern games at playable frame rates using low, medium and high graphics settings, respectively.
CPU age
To ensure you’re looking at the most refined HP gaming laptops available, stick to the ones with at least 11th-generation Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 5000-series CPUs or newer ones.
Screen size
HP’s selection is limited to 15- and 16-inch gaming laptops. That doesn’t look like a huge difference on paper. In real life, though, an extra diagonal inch of screen space can make a decent difference. The larger display makes gaming more immersive and your work more convenient and easier to see.
How much you can expect to spend on an HP gaming laptop
HP gaming laptops range from roughly $900-$1,700, which is a bit less than gaming laptops from other brands more known for high-powered and flashy laptops.
HP gaming laptop FAQ
Do HP gaming laptops have a long battery life?
A. Unlike nearly all other gaming laptops, some HP models do offer respectable battery life. Of course, that doesn’t include time spent actively gaming, as a resource-intensive AAA title will drain your battery in a couple of hours.
You’re more likely to get an all-day battery life with the high-end HP Omen laptop lineup, but pay close attention to each model’s specs, as battery life can vary based on other hardware.
Do HP gaming laptops support Windows 11?
A. Yes. All new HP gaming laptops include recent enough CPUs in addition to the Trusted Platform Module chipset that Windows 11 requires. For that matter, your new laptop will almost certainly ship with Windows 11 already installed if you order it directly from HP.
What’s the best HP gaming laptop to buy?
Top HP gaming laptop
What you need to know: It’s outfitted with an effective combination of components that can run some of today’s most cutting-edge games easily.
What you’ll love: Inside this high-powered model is an AMD Ryzen 7 processor and RTX 3070 GPU, both of which get high marks for portable performance. The screen measures 16.1 inches, and it has a 1080p resolution and 144-hertz refresh rate. The laptop is engineered to avoid using the high-powered graphics chipset when it’s not needed, which leads to a manufacturer’s claimed battery life of roughly nine hours. That’s considerably more than nearly every other gaming laptop.
What you should consider: While it’s not exactly cheap, it’s still relatively economical compared to most gaming laptops. The only other minor gripe is that it weighs over 5 pounds, but once again, it’s not the heaviest option out there.
Where to buy: Sold by HP
Top HP gaming laptop for the money
What you need to know: It’s part of HP’s entry-level lineup and proves to be one of the least expensive laptops to feature modern gaming hardware.
What you’ll love: While it seems like a small difference, its upgraded Ti variant of the RTX 3050 graphics card marks a considerable improvement to the vanilla version. Otherwise, a powerful Ryzen processor, plenty of system memory and a half-terabyte of solid-state storage make this a capable gaming machine.
What you should consider: You’ll need to temper your expectations in terms of frame rates and visual quality, as the hardware can’t handle the newest games on anywhere near the highest settings. Also, some people find 15-inch laptops a bit too small for a satisfying gaming experience.
Where to buy: Sold by HP
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This midrange laptop isn’t the absolute cheapest, but it offers stellar performance for the price.
What you’ll love: In light of its 16 gigabytes of RAM, Intel Core i7 central processor and RTX 3060 graphics chipset, it can pump out enough Full HD frames for a smooth gaming experience. It has several advanced technologies that make it great for getting work done in addition to playing games. Things like an HDMI 2.1 output, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity and a fast-charging battery make this 16-inch laptop ideal for productivity.
What you should consider: The GPU is highly cost-effective, but it will bog down if you try run new titles at max settings and enable resource-intensive features such as ray tracing.
Where to buy: Sold by HP
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | 2022-06-10T17:48:01+00:00 | kxnet.com | https://www.kxnet.com/reviews/best-hp-gaming-laptop/ |
NEW ORLEANS, July 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq., a partner at the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF"), announces that KSF has commenced an investigation into World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. ("WWE") (NYSE: WWE).
On June 17, 2022, the Company disclosed that Chairman and CEO Vincent McMahon was stepping back from his responsibilities as CEO and Chairman of the Board pending an investigation into allegations reported by media sources that he paid $3 million to a departing employee with whom he allegedly had an affair, and that since the investigation began in April, the board had uncovered multiple, older nondisclosure agreements with former WWE employees that involved claims against McMahon and John Laurinaitis, head of talent relations.
KSF's investigation is focusing on whether WWE's officers and/or directors breached their fiduciary duties to the Company's shareholders or otherwise violated state or federal laws.
If you have information that would assist KSF in its investigation, or have been a long-term holder of WWE shares and would like to discuss your legal rights, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-wwe/ to learn more.
About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients – including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors – in seeking to recover investment losses due to corporate fraud and malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California, Louisiana and New Jersey.
To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com.
Contact:
Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner
lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com
1-877-515-1850
1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200
New Orleans, LA 70163
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC | 2022-07-09T04:22:44+00:00 | live5news.com | https://www.live5news.com/prnewswire/2022/07/09/world-wrestling-entertainment-investigation-initiated-by-former-louisiana-attorney-general-kahn-swick-amp-foti-llc-investigates-officers-directors-world-wrestling-entertainment-inc-wwe/ |
BY JONATHAN D. EPSTEIN
March 7, 2023
Busy times in Clarence
From a new mixed-use community at the northwest corner of Sheridan Drive and Harris Hill Road, and two major residential-and-retail complexes on Transit Road, to a new retail plaza, car wash and Genesis car dealership, there's a lot going on in Clarence.
Furthest along is the planned new Harris Hill Commons, a complex of 31 two-story buildings on 11.45 acres at 8450 Sheridan that is being proposed by MJ Peterson Corp.'s Pete Peterson, Randaccio Builders' Alan Randaccio and veteran homebuilder Elliot Lasky.
In the works for the past couple of years, the three-phase project by their Windsor Ridge Partners would consist of 18 two-unit townhouse buildings arrayed in two rows in the rear, two more doubles and five four-unit townhouse and four-plex buildings in the middle, and eight identical small mixed-use buildings in front with three apartments and first-floor commercial space in each.
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That's 80 residential units in all, plus 24,800 square feet of commercial or retail space, according to the plans by Silvestri Architects and Greenman-Pedersen Inc.
Parking would include 239 spaces along the streets, 16 accessible spaces, 40 garage spots and 40 driveway spaces.
The project received final site plan approval Jan. 11.
Then there's the planned $5 million GO Car Wash at 6685 Transit, at the 2.27-acre former Urban Brothers Funeral Home property, as well as Northtown Automotive Cos.' proposal for a Genesis car dealership at 8143 Main St.
For the car wash, plans call for demolition of the funeral home, followed by construction of a 4,096-square-foot red- and tan-brick car-wash building and a looping outside area with pay stations, vacuums and other features. The site will include three stacking lanes, for 80 cars, and 31 parking spaces.
Critics have complained about the expected impact of additional traffic on Transit, plus pollution, while the owners of the nearby Bubble Boy Car Wash – Calvin and Karen Caruso – objected to more competition, especially from an out-of-town company. But project representatives say the car wash will not bring significantly more traffic than what is already there.
At the dealership, Northtown wants to turn an automobile storage lot in the Auto Place complex into a sales and service shop for Genesis vehicles.
The new Genesis of Amherst would consist of a 19,700-square-foot building on 2.6 acres.
Both projects received concept plan approval and a "negative declaration" for environmental impact, but are still under municipal review.
Additionally, Joseph Mattina's Mattina Development of Clarence Center wants to develop a 2.14-acre vacant light industry property at the corner of County Road and James Ryan Parkway into an 11,088-square-foot retail plaza, with 83 parking spaces. And Pallet Services wants to build a 61,883-square-foot pre-engineered metal warehouse expansion for its existing facility on 8.92 acres at 4055-4075 Casilio Parkway.
Meanwhile, a pair of large developments proposed by Paul Bliss' PB Investors and Jonathan Bevilacqua's Bevilacqua Development at 5695-5731 Transit and at 6625 Transit, respectively, continue to wind through the municipal review process.
Bevilaqua – whose $20 million project with 142 housing units and retail space is down the street from the car wash – received concept plan approval, while that is still pending for Bliss, who also needs zoning variances for his $20 million project to build a mixed-use project with 61 apartments, 24 townhomes, a fitness center, pool, retail shops and restaurants.
– Jonathan D. Epstein
Welcome to Buffalo Next. This newsletter from The Buffalo News will bring you the latest coverage on the changing Buffalo Niagara economy – from real estate to health care to startups. Read more at BuffaloNext.com.
WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH ...
BuffSci's high school
Then: Buffalo Academy of Science Charter School already has an elementary, middle and high school in three locations, and opened a second elementary school in a former convent at 335 Doat St. It thought it had a location for a new high school all locked up, at the 81,500-square-foot former Western New York Maritime Charter School building on Genesee Street, until a disagreement over an environmental study prompted BuffSci to back out.
Now: BuffSci has found a site for its fifth local school building – a new high school, set to open in September 2024 at 241 Kensington Ave., with capacity to serve 800 students. Architects are working on final site plans and drawings, and construction on the $20 million project is expected to begin in June 2023.
BuffSci already owns the land for the 70,000-square-foot building, but the project nevertheless represents "a significant expansion for the school," and the price tag "is a challenge," Chief Operations Officer Murat Kucukdugenci said. The school is seeking individual and corporate donations, and even considering a formal capital campaign.
THE LATEST, IN CONTEXT
Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, already the largest real estate brokerage in the state, is getting bigger downstate.
The Pittsburgh-based firm – which had acquired Orchard Park-based RealtyUSA to gain its dominant position in New York – has acquired Coach Realtors, a real estate agency based on Long Island. Howard Hanna did not say how much it paid to buy Northport-based Coach, which will be rebranded as Howard Hanna-Coach Realtors and will retain its local leadership.
Coach has 700 agents and 19 offices extending from the New York City borough of Queens to Suffolk County on eastern Long Island. Hanna, the largest family-owned brokerage firm in the country, has nearly 500 offices and 15,000 agents and staff in 13 states.
“The partnership of two industry powerhouses will transform into even more amazing opportunities for our agents and clients,” said Howard “Hoby” Hanna IV, Hanna's president. “Our combined strength, talents and resources will be such an advantage in the industry.”
THE LATEST
Catch up on the latest news from the Buffalo Niagara economy:
The top executive at Lake Shore Savings Bank is retiring on Friday, rather than in May, as regulators press for reforms.
Some local businesses are backing a push to increase the state's minimum wage and index it to inflation. Others aren't so agreeable.
The new director of the United Auto Workers Region 9, Daniel Vicente, was working as a machine operator at a Dometic plant outside Philadelphia until last week.
A visit by a controversial conservative media figure has the University at Buffalo walking a fine line between free speech and its commitment to inclusivity.
A federal agency says Starbucks must rehire some workers it fired in Buffalo and reopen a store it closed.
Buffalo development officials are hoping to pick a developer for the LaSalle Metro station project within a year.
The state is preparing new rules to crack down on price gouging.
A Buffalo Niagara union leader, who raised concerns about construction work going to out-of-town laborers, is dropping his opposition to Buffalo Bills stadium agreements.
An orthopedic surgeon is suing Wyoming County Community Health System and others over the termination of his firm's contract last year.
Yellow Freight is consolidating its Buffalo Niagara truck terminals in a move that is expected to lead to job losses.
A site in the Northland complex once was coveted by two businesses. Now, neither wants it and the search is on for a business that does.
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown is touting $9 billion in development projects over the last decade for the city.
Uniland Development Co. backed out of its deal to buy The Buffalo News office building.
Four apartment projects, involving more than 300 units, are moving forward.
Bitwise is getting $80 million in funding for its technology workforce development programs in 10 cities, including Buffalo.
Niagara University and Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center are launching a Career Pathways Program that will help students get paying jobs at the hospital.
Community health providers, like Evergreen and Neighborhood Health Center, are concerned about losing a critical funding stream if the state makes changes to its Medicaid pharmacy benefit program.
Ciminelli Real Estate Corp. hopes to increase the size of its planned new warehouse facility in Lackawanna's Renaissance Commerce Park by at least 25%.
ICYMI
Four reads from Buffalo Next:
1. Health advocates praise a state initiative to ban the sale of menthol cigarettes, saying it will help curb smoking. But the proposal also has plenty of critics.
2. For 50 years, fans have been flocking to Highmark Stadium to watch the Buffalo Bills. But the stadium has never spurred much activity around it, and now Orchard Park officials are looking for ways to change that with a new stadium on the way.
3. Focusing on health equity in the City of Buffalo: After the traumatic events that hit the area last year, Rev. George F. Nicholas, CEO of the Buffalo Center for Health Equity, says now is the time to make it a priority.
4. UB resident doctors and fellows feeling 'overworked and underpaid': The group, which includes 810 residents, fellows and interns at the University at Buffalo, has launched a union campaign.
The Buffalo Next team gives you the big picture on the region's economic revitalization. Buying a building? Redeveloping a property? Got a tip? Reach Real Estate & Development reporter Jonathan D. Epstein at 716-849-4478 or email him at jepstein@buffnews.com.
Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up to get the latest in your inbox five days a week. | 2023-03-08T01:47:57+00:00 | buffalonews.com | https://buffalonews.com/buffalo-next-clarences-bustling-activity/article_c5982ea6-abc3-11ed-80e1-ebea7064d6b0.html |
WIMBLEDON, England — (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz said he wanted another shot at Novak Djokovic. Said it would make winning a Wimbledon championship more special. Well, Alcaraz got his chance to face Djokovic. And he beat him.
Alcaraz put aside a poor start and surged down the stretch to end Djokovic's 34-match winning streak at the All England Club by edging him 1-6, 7-6 (6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 in an engaging, back-and-forth final on Sunday, claiming his first title at Wimbledon and second Grand Slam trophy overall.
The No. 1-ranked Alcaraz prevented No. 2 Djokovic from collecting what would have been a record-tying eighth title, and fifth in a row, at the grass-court tournament. Djokovic also was kept from earning a 24th career major.
“Playing a final against a legend of our sport — for me, it’s incredible,” said Alcaraz, who was competing in just his fourth career event on grass.
“I have to congratulate Novak. It’s amazing to play against him. What can I say about him? It’s unbelievable. You inspire me a lot. I started playing tennis watching you,” Alcaraz said, then joked: “I mean, since I was born, you already were winning tournaments.”
That's not exactly accurate. Still, instead of Djokovic, a 36-year-old from Serbia, becoming the oldest male champion at Wimbledon in the Open era, Alcaraz, a 20-year-old from Spain, became the third-youngest. The age gap between the two was the widest in any men’s Slam final since 1974.
So Alcaraz had youth on his side, which he also did, of course, when they met at the French Open last month. That one was extraordinary for two sets before Alcaraz cramped up and faded. This time, he had the stamina and the strokes to get past Djokovic.
“You never like to lose matches like this. I guess when all the emotions are settled, I have to still be very grateful because I won many, many tight and close matches in the past here,” said Djokovic, whose last loss at Wimbledon was in 2017.
“I lost to a better player,” said Djokovic, who paused to wipe away tears, “so I have to congratulate him.”
Alcaraz is faster and capable of more power — serves topping 130 mph, forehands topping 100 mph — but Djokovic is equipped with an abundance of talents and so much muscle memory. He’s been there, and done that, in ways Alcaraz, for now, can only dream of.
But if this victory on a windy and cloudy day at Centre Court, where Djokovic last lost in the 2013 final, was any indication, Alcaraz is on his way to achieving quite a bit himself.
Still, this is all relatively new to him: Djokovic’s record 35th Grand Slam final was Alcaraz’s second.
Yet it was Alcaraz who won a 32-point, 25-minute mini-masterpiece of a game on the way to taking the third set. It was Alcaraz who was not intimidated when Djokovic forced things to a fifth set.
And it was Alcaraz who moved out front for good by breaking to go up 2-1 in the fifth with a backhand passing winner. Djokovic, who fell during the point but quickly popped back up, reacted by slamming his racket into the net post, letting go on impact. He destroyed his equipment and earned a code violation from chair umpire Fergus Murphy.
They would play on for another 24 minutes, bringing the total to more than 4 1/2 hours, but Alcaraz never relented, never gave way. And it was Alcaraz, not Djokovic, who covered his face and rolled in the grass after the final point, then received the gold trophy.
“What quality in the end of the match,” Djokovic told Alcaraz during the post-match ceremony. “You deserve it, absolutely.”
Alcaraz possesses a sledgehammer of a forehand, one he unleashes in such a manner as to make an observer believe every ounce of strength, indeed every fiber of his being, is invested in each swing. The smack of the racket, and his “Uhhh-ehhh!” exhale of exertion — along with the gasps of impressed onlookers — reverberated around the arena on Sunday.
That’s not to say, of course, that Alcaraz’s attributes end at that big forehand. He is so much more than that, displaying as varied an all-court game as possible, which is why stardom is predicted of him. He does everything well, including well-disguised drop shots that helped him get back into the thick of it in the second and third sets.
Djokovic, of course, already has achieved greatness, spending more weeks at No. 1 than any man or woman in the half-century history of the computerized rankings and accumulating those 23 Grand Slam triumphs — one more than Rafael Nadal and three more than Roger Federer, the only man with eight Wimbledon titles.
So often on Sunday, Djokovic would hustle and stretch and slide nearly into the splits to get Alcaraz’s apparent point-ending shots back over the net in ways no one else could.
Things began to shift, though, at 4-all in the second set. Djokovic slipped on a worn patch behind the baseline under the Royal Box, flinging his racket away as he fell. At the next changeover, Djokovic flexed one leg by bending it over the other. Before heading back on court to resume play, he plopped his left heel on the net for additional stretching. Soon, his legs were not providing quite the same coverage they had been, the force of his forehand was reduced.
They would head to a tiebreaker, Djokovic’s dominion: He had won all six such set-enders he played at Wimbledon leading up to the final, and 15 straight in Grand Slam action, dating to the Australian Open.
This time, Djokovic had a set point while ahead 6-5 in the tiebreaker, sparking the day’s first chants of his two-syllable nickname from his backers: “No-le! No-le!” But he put a backhand into the net to make it 6-all, and as the players switched sides, a competing chorus of “Car-los! Car-los!” emerged.
Another backhand into the net from Djokovic put Alcaraz within a point of the set. He converted by striking a backhand passing winner off the return of a 118 mph serve, then held the pose of his follow-through. As people in the stands rose to roar, Alcaraz spun around with his right hand to his ear, soaking in the moment.
Two hours and two sets in.
One set each.
Now it was a match.
Now this began to feel memorable.
The fifth game of the third set might have been worth the high price of admission, in and of itself. Neither man wanted to bend. Neither wanted to cede a thing. It was one game, yes, but it felt far more meaningful than that.
When Djokovic slapped a forehand into net to give Alcaraz a break — one of five in the match, more than the three combined that Djokovic’s previous six opponents managed across 103 service games over the past two weeks — and a 4-1 edge in the set, the Spaniard threw his head back and screamed, “Vamos!”
Djokovic headed to the locker room with a white equipment bag slung over his right shoulder. He’s used these sorts of intermissions to gather himself and shift momentum and, sure enough, he pushed this terrific match to a fifth set.
One of several reasons to like Djokovic’s chances at that juncture: He went into Sunday with a 10-1 record in five-setters at Wimbledon and 35-9 at all majors.
Those matches, however, were in the past.
Alcaraz is the future.
“I’ve learned really, really fast,” said Alcaraz, who got a hug from Spain's King Felipe VI afterward, "and I’m really, really proud.”
___
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | 2023-07-16T19:43:25+00:00 | wsbtv.com | https://www.wsbtv.com/sports/carlos-alcaraz-beats/7UKWVBIHMY5QPA5AVK7YG6VLWQ/ |
Death Valley National Park visitor found dead after walking for gas, say park officials
Stella Chan, CNN
A Death Valley National Park tourist was found dead Tuesday after his car ran out of gas, the National Park Service (NPS) reports.
A park ranger noticed a lone car in the parking lot on June 8 at Zabriskie Point, a popular spot to view sunrise and sunset, according to an NPS press release. The same ranger noticed the car still in the lot three days later.
A note that read “Out of gas” was found inside the car, which was registered to David W. Kelleher, 67, of Huntington Beach, California. Temperatures hit a sweltering 123 degrees, say NPS, limiting search efforts. He had not been reported missing but officials noted that Kelleher was cited for off-road driving on May 30 and had mentioned he was low on gas when a park ranger contacted him.
“Kelleher’s body was found by park visitors around 2 p.m. on June 14. Kelleher was about 2.5 miles from their vehicle, but only about 30 feet from California Highway 190, obscured by terrain and a mesquite tree,” according to NPS. During extreme heat, visitors are advised to stay by their vehicles and wait for assistance.
Kelleher’s death isn’t the first this month for the park, which straddles California and Nevada.
According to NPS, John McCarry, 69, of Long Beach, was found dead in Panamint Valley on June 1. And in late May, park officials initiated a search for Peter Harootunian whose vehicle was found abandoned in Emigrant Campground; he has not been found.
“In this below-sea-level basin, steady drought and record summer heat make Death Valley a land of extremes,” according to the NPS. “Despite its morbid name, a great diversity of life survives in Death Valley.”
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | 2022-06-16T16:17:41+00:00 | keyt.com | https://keyt.com/news/national-world/cnn-national/2022/06/16/death-valley-national-park-visitor-found-dead-after-walking-for-gas-say-park-officials/ |
Rhode Island Democratic Women's Caucus makes history with new group chair
PROVIDENCE — The Rev. Donnie Anderson has made Rhode Island political history by winning an election to chair the breakaway Rhode Island Democratic Women's Caucus.
Earlier this month, the 75-year-old Anderson, who identified as a transgender woman, told the group: "If you choose me to be your next executive, you will make a statement to the world about my community.
"There are young people and adults who live so deeply in the shadows they are almost unknown, because they don't see people like them in public positions," she said.
Anderson ran unopposed for the chair, and told the group assembled on Zoom earlier this month to hear from all of the candidates for leadership positions:
"I don't want you to vote for me because I am transgender," she said at the time. "Please don't do that. And I hope you won't vote against me because I am transgender either. But I want you to understand that I will work my tail off for you and I have already made arrangements to change some of my other commitments so that I can do that."
More on Donnie Anderson:Transgender minister seeks to lead RI Democratic Women's Caucus. Here's why she wants the job
Other officers elected
The caucus also elected as its officers: former Sen. Cynthia Mendes, vice chair; Stephanie Beauti, secretary and Pearl Holloway, treasurer. The elected executive committee members are: Sen. Linda Ujifusa, former Sen. Jeanine Calkin, Jen Douglas, Clara Read, Adamaris Villar, Lauren Neidel, Diane Hill, and Allison Bryant.
“I’m eager to increase the Caucus’ ability to recruit and empower a diverse and bold group of democratic women in every zip code of our beloved state!” said Mendes in a statement released by the caucus on Friday morning..
Rev. Donnie Anderson currently pastors in New Bedford
Anderson is the former Executive Minister of the Rhode Island State Council of Churches, former co-chair of the State Advisory Committee for the United States Commission on Civil Rights, and co-chair of the Rhode Island Commission on Prejudice and Bias.
She is currently the Pastor at Pilgrim United Church of Christ in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
The Democratic Women's Caucus that famously split from the state Democratic Party in 2019 in angry protest over efforts by party leaders to clip their wings with new rules banning them from endorsing candidates, spending money or making statements – as a group – without the party chairman’s approval. | 2023-01-27T18:29:51+00:00 | providencejournal.com | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/politics/2023/01/27/rev-donnie-anderson-elected-as-first-trans-chair-of-ri-dem-womens-caucus/69847265007/ |
WENDOVER, Utah (AP) — In the Utah desert, a treeless expanse of pristine white salt crystals has long lured daredevil speed racers, filmmakers and social media-obsessed tourists. It’s so flat that on certain days, visitors swear they can see the curvature of the earth.
The glistening white terrain of the Bonneville Salt Flats, a remnant of a prehistoric lakebed that is one of the American West’s many other-worldly landscapes, serves as a racetrack for land speed world records and backdrop for movies like “Independence Day” and “The World’s Fastest Indian.”
But it’s growing thinner and thinner as those who cherish it clamor for changes to save it.
Research has time and again shown that the briny water in the aquifer below the flats is depleting faster than nature can replenish it. As nearby groundwater replaces the mineral-rich brine, evaporation yields less salt than historic cycles of flooding and evaporation left on the landscape.
It’s thinned by roughly one-third in the last 60 years. The overall footprint has shrunk to about half of its peak size in 1994. The crust keeps tires cool at high speeds and provides an ideal surface for racing — unless seasonal flooding fails to recede or leaves behind an unstable layer of salt. Racers struggle to find a track long enough to reach record speeds with only 8 miles of track compared 13 miles (20 kilometers) several decades ago.
Scientists largely agree that years of aquifer overdraws by nearby potash mining have driven the problem, yet insist that there’s no hard evidence that simply paying the mining company to return water to the area will solve it amid detrimental human activity like extracting minerals or driving racecars.
Potash is potassium-based salt primarily used throughout the world as a fertilizer for crops such as corn, soy, rice and wheat. It’s extracted in more than a dozen countries throughout the world, mainly from prehistoric lakebeds like Bonneville’s.
It’s mined from other iconic salt flats, including in Chile, where the thickness is not shrinking in a similar manner.
In Utah, after three decades of studies examining the salt flats, nothing has slowed the deterioration. But officials are funding a new study as they try to find a solution. Researchers are seeking to pinpoint why the salt is fading and what can be done to stop it. Under a $1 million research project spearheaded by the Utah Geological Survey, scientists are gathering data to understand the effects climate change, racing, repaving the salt and operating the mine on leased federal land have on preserving the Salt Flats.
The salt is thinning as climate change drags the West into its third decade of drought, yet it’s unclear how that affects the seasonal flood patterns the landscape relies on to maintain its size and footprint.
Frustration is boiling over for Dennis Sullivan, a car-builder and racer who set a land speed record in his 1927 Model T street roadster. His organization, the Salt Flats Racing Association, is convinced the potash mining company that extracts minerals from the flats is the primary reason that the aquifer is being depleted. But rather than point fingers that direction, he and other racers blame the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, which oversees the area and is required by federal law to balance multiple uses and preserve it now and into the future.
To save the landscape, Sullivan says, the U.S. government needs to find $50 million over 10 years to pay Intrepid Potash, the mining company, to pour briny water it’s drawn from the land back on to the flats. He bristles at seeing more time and money spent on research when to him the solution is clear.
“In the world I came from, you study something, you figure out what changes you need to make, you make the changes and then you go back and study it again to see if your changes had an effect on it,” said Sullivan. “It’s ludicrous to just keep studying it until you do something.”
The fragile landscape has become less reliable for racers, who had to cancel “Speed Week” events scheduled for this fall after the salt flats flooded and left them without enough space to drive on.
Though racers insist the answer is obvious, scientists contend that there’s no hard evidence that simply returning briny water will reverse the effects of extraction and maintain the salt flats.
Sullivan doesn’t blame Intrepid Potash; it has a leasing agreement with the federal government. He says land managers haven’t invested in preserving the landscape or replenishing the salt taken off of it.
Intrepid Potash did not respond to questions from The Associated Press.
Jeremiah Bernau, a geologist working on the study with the Utah Geological Survey, said the mining company has already been pouring salt and it’s unclear if that’s the answer.
A 2016 study found that the areas most susceptible to thinning were places where races are organized. In simple terms, it changes how water can flow through the crust, Bernau said.
“Every use is going to have some sort of impact upon it. It’s just trying to rank those, understand how much that impact is and what we can do to mitigate or understand it,” Bernau said on a recent tour of the area, where reporters accompanied him as he measured the thickness of the salt and depth of the aquifer.
“My work is trying to understand how is that working and what are the actions that we can do in terms of helping to preserve this landscape,” he said.
Backers of the study currently underway hope, if successful, the federal government will consider returning more salt in order to preempt conflict and allow the racers and miners to continue as they have been.
If the study shows salt laydown is effective, Utah state geologist Bill Keach said he expects racers will use the information to push for federal funding to keep up the project.
In 2019, when Utah lawmakers greenlit the initiative, they allocated $5 million, on the condition that the federal government would also provide funding, to return the briny water needed to preserve the salt crust.
Rep. Steve Handy, a Republican who spearheaded the effort, said the racers’ lobbyists initially suggested the federal government would meet Utah’s investment with an additional $45 million, giving the program the $50 million that Sullivan and other racers say is needed to maintain the status quo.
U.S. Rep Chris Stewart, who represents the area, assured Handy his office was working to secure the funds. Without hard evidence the salt laydown would restore the crust, the $45 million hasn’t materialized but Stewart said in a statement that he “remains absolutely committed to finding science-based solutions” to save the crust.
Utah clawed back the majority of the funding after it got no matching federal funds.
“They’re doing what they can with $1 million, which has not spread nearly far enough,” Handy said, noting that it was ultimately the job of the federal government, not Utah, to manage the land.
But while solutions and the extent to which different parties are responsible is debatable, nobody disagrees that the landscape is a jewel worth preserving. Kneeling down, the crust of fused crystals looks like popcorn. From afar, the surface is moon-like, and draws hundreds of visitors daily, some coming in brightly colored dresses at sunset in search of the perfect picture.
“The fact that you can go out here and see this vast, white expanse with such a beautiful texture on the crust. It unleashes something, maybe more primal in yourself,” Bernau said, looking off into the distance.
___
The story has been updated to correct the name of the Utah agency overseeing a study into the Bonneville Salt Flats. It is the Utah Geological Survey. | 2022-11-02T16:56:59+00:00 | wdtn.com | https://www.wdtn.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-search-for-solutions-drives-race-to-save-utah-salt-flats/ |
Why ‘undated’ ballots have sparked a new election lawsuit in Pennsylvania
In the key swing state of Pennsylvania, there’s been a tangle of litigation over mail-in ballots that arrive on time to be counted but in envelopes that are missing dates handwritten by voters.
A new federal lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania on behalf of the Pennsylvania State Conference of the NAACP and other groups is now trying to stop local election officials from rejecting what are often called “undated ballots.”
The fate of these hotly contested ballots may affect the state’s final midterm results, including for a closely watched race for an open U.S. Senate seat.
Here’s what you need to know about undated ballots in Pennsylvania:
Why do mail-in voters in Pennsylvania have to write a date on a ballot’s envelope?
Pennsylvania state law requires voters to “fill out, date and sign” a declaration that’s printed on the official return envelope.
But it’s an open legal question whether a vote can be disqualified for missing that handwritten date, which election officials have not used to verify whether a person is allowed to vote. In past elections, counties have also included mail-in ballots with incorrect dates in their final vote tallies.
Can undated ballots be counted in Pennsylvania’s midterm elections?
For now, no, according to a ruling the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued Tuesday.
After the Republican National Committee and other GOP groups filed a special lawsuit that bypassed the state’s lower courts, Pennsylvania’s deadlocked high court decided that for this year’s general elections, local election officials in the state should hold off on counting any ballots mailed inside envelopes without dates, as well as any ballots in incorrectly dated envelopes.
The state’s Supreme Court also ordered those kinds of ballots to be set aside.
On Friday, the Pennsylvania State Conference of the NAACP, League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania and other groups filed a federal lawsuit asking a judge to stop election officials from rejecting any ballots in undated or incorrectly dated envelopes and to ensure those votes are included in the final tallies.
In their complaint, the groups argue that not counting these kinds of ballots would violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a federal law that prohibits denying a person’s right to vote for a reason that is “not material” in determining voting eligibility.
More federal lawsuits may be coming, especially if there are any tight races that may ultimately be determined by small margins of votes.
Why is it not clear yet whether it’s legal to count undated ballots?
There’s been a lot of legal back-and-forth in the courts over undated ballots, which were also caught up in the 2020 election legal fights after a surge of mail-in voting during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This May, a federal court ordered undated ballots to be included in the final count of a 2021 race for a judge position in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh County. A panel of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that not counting undated ballots would be a violation of the Civil Rights Act.
But last month, the U.S. Supreme Court legally voided that lower court ruling after David Ritter, the Republican candidate who brought the lawsuit over undated ballots, conceded the county judge’s race.
So far this year, registered Democrats have turned in far more mail ballots than Republicans, according to the United States Elections Project’s analysis of data from Pennsylvania and other states. Many Republicans have been pushing back on the expansion of voting by mail since the 2020 elections, driven in part by misinformation about the security of mail ballots.
If this new federal lawsuit over undated ballots is appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, any signs of how the justices would rule?
Three of the Supreme Court’s conservative justices have signaled they’re not convinced that not counting undated ballots would violate federal law.
In a dissenting opinion related to an effort to block the 3rd Circuit panel’s ruling in Ritter’s case, Justice Samuel Alito — who was joined by Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch — wrote that it appears to him that the lower court’s interpretation of the Civil Rights Act is “very likely wrong.” | 2022-11-06T01:22:22+00:00 | whyy.org | https://whyy.org/npr_story_post/why-undated-ballots-sparked-new-election-lawsuit-pennsylvania/ |
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A federal judge on Tuesday sentenced an eco-activist to community service but no extra time in custody, rejecting the government’s call for a yearslong prison term for the Seattle man related to arsons decades ago.
Joseph Dibee, 54, was a fugitive for more than a decade.
In April, Dibee pleaded guilty to the 1997 arson of a slaughterhouse in central Oregon that butchered wild horses and sold the meat in Europe. He also pleaded to the 2001 arson of a Bureau of Land Management wild horse corral in Litchfield, California. As part of his plea agreement, federal prosecutors dropped arson charges in Washington state.
He told U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken Monday by video in federal court in Eugene that he was truly sorry, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.
“I haven’t been involved in this type of activity for many years,” Dibee told the judge. “I’ve moved on with my life. It was a mistake many years ago -- many, many years ago -- and I paid a really heavy price for it.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Quinn Harrington sought a prison term of more than seven years, arguing Dibee shouldn’t be “rewarded with a lower sentence after fleeing accountability.”
Dibee took more of a leadership role in igniting fires when some of his co-defendants served more as lookouts, Harrington said.
Defense lawyer Matthew Schindler argued for a sentence of time-served — the two years and five months Dibee spent in jail. During that time, a white supremacist broke Dibee's jaw, permanently disfiguring him, and Dibee was the first to contract COVID-19 in Multnomah County’s Inverness Jail, his lawyer said.
Aiken, who has been with the case since the start, said she believed Dibee has recognized his wrongs. She remains impressed with his work now to use his “incredible engineering skills” to help Indigenous tribes in Alaska, she said.
Since his release from jail to care for his terminally-ill father, Dibee has not violated any of his supervision conditions, the judge said.
She ordered him to complete 1,000 hours of community service in the next three years and pay about $1.3 million in restitution, an amount shared by his co-defendants.
Federal investigators said Dibee was part of the largest group of eco-saboteurs ever taken down by the FBI. They called themselves “The Family” -- more than a dozen people who committed crimes in the name of the Earth Liberation Front and Animal Liberation Front -- and caused an estimated $40 million in damage from 1996 to 2005.
Dibee was eventually tracked down in Cuba in August 2018.
He’s the 12th person to be sentenced. One alleged group member, Josephine Sunshine Overaker, is still listed on a FBI terrorism most wanted list. The sentences of his co-defendants have ranged from about three years to 13 years in prison. | 2022-11-01T22:42:30+00:00 | expressnews.com | https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/Eco-activist-sentenced-to-community-service-no-17550834.php |
WAHPETON, N.D. (AP) — When North Dakota State College of Science suffered a heartbreaking loss in early September — foiled at the goal line as time expired in a jolt to their national championship ambitions — it was a backup defensive lineman who stepped forward with a pep talk to lift the locker room.
Forget it, 49-year-old Ray Ruschel said, according to his junior college teammates. Focus on the rest of the season and things will work out.
“There were just kind of emotions everywhere. Everybody did not handle it,” wide receiver Marselio Mendez said after the loss to rival Minnesota State Community Technical College. “Ray came up and said, you know, it’s not really failing, right? He said we just have to put the emotion to the side and we still got the rest of the season and playoffs to show who we are.”
When it comes to inspiration, the Wildcats could do worse than look to Ruschel's own story, and the path that brought him to a small, vocational-minded school in the wide shadow cast by nearby NCAA power North Dakota State.
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After nearly two decades in the Army and National Guard, Ruschel was working as a night-shift mechanic at a North Dakota sugar beet factory when he decided to enroll at the College of Science. The school offers two-year programs in manufacturing, skilled trades, health care, and the liberal arts.
That sounded good to Ruschel, who hoped to move up at the factory and decided to study business management. Then he learned the school had a football team among its six sports — and that, despite his age, he was eligible.
“Something just clicked in my head, like why not play?” recalled Ruschel, whose last game action came when he was a high school senior in Pennsylvania, more than 30 years ago.
When Ruschel asked head coach Eric Issendorf — one year younger — for a tryout, Issendorf said sure, even though he worried that Ruschel might get hurt.
Instead, Ruschel has held his own and earned the respect of the other players. He now plays about a dozen snaps a game.
“Guys that he’s playing against are bigger, faster, stronger than him,” Issendorf said. “But he’s been able to manage it. His personality .... he’s just a really likable guy with an ambition not to leave any stone unturned. As long as he’s here on this earth.”
Wahpeton, a mostly industrial town of about 7,800, is home to the Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative, one of the largest sugar beet producers in North Dakota and Minnesota. That's where Ruschel works an overnight shift, then fits in a couple of hours at the gym after he gets off at 8 a.m. each day.
After a few hours of schoolwork online at his apartment near campus, Ruschel grabs some rest before afternoon practice, which runs until about 7 p.m. Then it's back to his apartment, where Ruschel showers and eats before lying down for whatever rest he can get before it all begins again with his overnight shift.
How does he pull off such a grueling schedule?
“That’s a good question.” said Ruschel, a single father of two grown children. “It’s because I choose to prioritize certain things and other things have to be sacrificed. They just have to be sacrificed right now.”
The college campus is home to about 3,000 students, anchored by its historic Old Main that dates to its founding in 1903. A recruiting brochure boasts of a 97% employment rate for graduates.
When it comes to football, it's no North Dakota State — a perennial national champion in the NCAA's second tier, with a $25 million budget, a dome that seats 19,000 and numerous alumni in the NFL.
But it's not bad, with facilities among the best in junior college football, including a 4,100-seat stadium, four practice fields and a locker room with 90 modern stalls.
The Wildcats went 9-1 last season, second-best in school history, and finished at No. 4 in the Division III junior college rankings. After a 37-6 win over Vermillion Community College — a six-hour bus ride to far northeastern Minnesota — and a homecoming win last weekend t hey are 4-1 in a season they hope can end with a national championship.
Players say Ruschel fits in with his teammates despite the obvious musical and cultural differences that come with such a big age gap. On that bus ride to Minnesota, for example, Ruschel spent the hours scrolling through Facebook, listening to music on his head phones and “staring out the window mostly.” No Instagram or TikTok for him.
“The players will come up to me and ask me what I'm listening to,” Ruschel said, chuckling. “I tell them country music and that will be the end of that.”
Ruschel, who made sergeant while in the Army and said he aims to stay active in the National Guard until he's 60, has served in Afghanistan and Jordan, though he declined to talk about the tours.
Linebacker Manny Garcia said Ruschel's Army experience and his willingness to take on players less than half his age give him credibility with his teammates.
“You know, we hear Ray's stories about the military and listen to those and make sure we try to translate those to the football field, for sure,” Garcia said.
Five games into the season, the 6-foot, 225-pound Ruschel, a workout buff, said he feels no pain on the field.
“All in all I'm no more sore than the rest of these kids," he said. "I've just got to keep stretching.”
Word of a 49-year-old college football player has attracted national media attention and Ruschel has at times apologized for taking the spotlight away from others, Issendorf said. Before Ruschel arrived, the program’s claim to fame was Errol Mann, who kicked for the NFL's Oakland Raiders and was part of their Super Bowl-winning 1976 team.
“I told Ray, you know, we’re embracing it,” Issendorf said. "Our institution loves it. Our administration loves the attention. It's great marketing. But it’s also a really good story."
___
More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://bit.ly/3pqZVaF | 2022-10-06T16:56:15+00:00 | lmtonline.com | https://www.lmtonline.com/news/article/College-football-at-49-North-Dakota-lineman-has-17491300.php |
Krewe of Centaur parade rolls through Shreveport
Published: Feb. 11, 2023 at 10:02 PM CST|Updated: 10 minutes ago
SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) - Let the good times roll!
On Saturday, Feb. 11, the Krewe of Centaur rolled through the streets of Shreveport to the delight on onlookers and Mardi Gras celebrators. The krewe started their parade at 3 p.m. They began their trek in downtown Shreveport and ended on Broadmoor.
[Take a look below at some pictures from the parade.]
Copyright 2023 KSLA. All rights reserved. | 2023-02-12T04:14:25+00:00 | ksla.com | https://www.ksla.com/2023/02/12/krewe-centaur-parade-rolls-through-shreveport/ |
Info-Tech's latest report explores five priorities for emerging or leading-edge technologies and practices that can improve on capabilities needed to meet an organization's goals.
TORONTO, Feb. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - With current economic, social, and regulatory conditions continuing to impact businesses and marketplaces globally, modern technologies often act as a lifeline by minimizing operating and delivery costs while providing a foundation for growth. However, relying solely on technology to keep the lights on is not a sufficient or sustainable approach to business. Applications teams must continue modernizing applications portfolios and strengthening business continuity and disaster recovery plans, as many economists agree that times of economic uncertainty are likely. To help applications and IT leaders be more pragmatic in prioritizing and planning application initiatives, global IT research and advisory firm Info-Tech Research Group has published its annual Applications Priorities 2023 report.
"Applications are critical components in any business strategy plan and can directly influence an organization's internal and external brand and reputation," explains Andrew Kum-Seun, research director at Info-Tech Research Group. "Business leaders are continuously looking for innovative ways to better position their application portfolios to satisfy their goals and objectives. Given the scope and costs often involved, these priorities must be carefully crafted to clearly state achievable business outcomes that satisfy the different needs of very different customers, stakeholders, and users."
The applications priorities for 2023 were determined by evaluating responses within the Info-Tech Tech Trends 2023 survey and report, the CEO-CIO Alignment diagnostic, and the CIO Business Vision diagnostic. Combined with signals from secondary research, industry organizations, and member interviews, the data-based insights have been analyzed and compiled to help technology leaders plan and align their application priorities to their organizational business goals and objectives.
The priorities identified in the new report explore emerging and leading-edge technologies and practices that can improve upon capabilities needed to meet the ambitions and goals of an organization.
Info-Tech's research has revealed the following five key priorities to assist applications and IT leaders in the design, planning, and marketing of their applications priorities over the coming months:
- Digital Experience (DX) – Digital transformation is not just about new tools and technologies – it's also about delivering a valuable digital experience. This requires adopting good management, governance, and operational practices to accommodate stakeholder, employee, customer, and end-user expectations of digital experiences. Applications and IT leaders must develop a digital business strategy and choose technologies based on what best enables, delivers, and supports these expectations.
- Intelligent Automation – Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are rapidly growing and are largely considered to be the next step in the business process automation journey. Intelligent automation combines AI and ML with traditional automation technologies, such as business process management and robotic process automation. Technology leaders must build a business process automation playbook and thoughtfully introduce AI and ML with a clearly defined plan.
- Proactive Application Management – Application management ensures valuable software is successfully delivered and maintained for continuous and sustainable business operations. However, application management is often viewed as a support function rather than an enabler of business growth, drawing organizational focus and investment only when it becomes problematic. Applications and IT leaders must reinforce proactive application management practices, define and manage their technical debt, and adopt site reliability engineering and DevOps practices.
- Multisource Systems – A multisource system is an ecosystem of integrated internally and externally developed applications, data, and infrastructure. These technologies can be custom-developed, heavily configured vendor solutions or commercial, off-the-shelf solutions. An effective sourcing model provides key skills, resources, and capabilities to meet the business's innovation, time to market, financial, and quality goals. However, organizations often struggle with how best to support sourcing partners and allocate the right number of resources to maximize success. Technology leaders need to define the product vision in tandem with the goals of the applications department, strengthen enterprise integration practices, and develop a sourcing partner strategy.
- Digital Organization as a Platform – Digital organization as a platform (DOaaP) is a collection of integrated digital services, products, applications, and infrastructure that is used to meet and exceed an organization's digital strategies. A digital platform enables organizations to leverage a flexible, reliable, and scalable foundation to create a valuable digital experience, ease delivery and management efforts, maximize existing investments, and motivate the broader shift to digital. Applications and IT leaders must define the organization's platform vision, assess and modernize their applications, understand and evaluate the needs of their end users, and then architect the platform.
Info-Tech's latest priorities report also includes insights in the form of case studies from technology experts at organizations such as Mastercard, University Hospitals, Cognizant, and e-Estonia.
Download and read the complete Applications Priorities 2023 report, and register for the upcoming webinar to learn more about each priority for the year ahead.
To learn more about Info-Tech Research Group, visit infotech.com and connect via LinkedIn and Twitter.
Info-Tech Research Group is one of the world's leading information technology research and advisory firms, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals. The company produces unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For 25 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with IT teams to provide them with everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.
Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and over 200 IT and Industry analysts through the ITRG Media Insiders Program. To gain access, contact pr@infotech.com.
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SOURCE Info-Tech Research Group | 2023-02-06T17:40:25+00:00 | kcbd.com | https://www.kcbd.com/prnewswire/2023/02/06/info-techs-2023-applications-priorities-report-highlights-technology-initiatives-organizational-growth/ |
BONDURANT, Iowa (WHO) — A Johnston man was arrested for allegedly threatening to shoot his co-workers at the Bondurant Amazon Fulfillment Center.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office received a report that Jordan Tyler Laurie, 20, an Amazon employee, had threatened to shoot his co-workers at around 6 p.m. Tuesday.
According to an affidavit, Laurie admitted to planning a mass shooting at the facility to Amazon’s Human Resources department and filled out a written statement confirming he said this. The affidavit also stated that Laurie responded to an email stating “several ambulances would be needed because it’s going to get bloody.”
After learning of the threats, Amazon sent all of their employees at this facility home with pay.
A spokesperson for Amazon said “we take threats to our employees very seriously and are thankful to our team and the police who acted quickly to ensure our employee’s safety.”
Laurie was arrested around 10:45 p.m. Tuesday night and charged with Harassment in the First Degree. Laurie is being held on a cash only $50,000 bond. | 2022-07-06T23:16:08+00:00 | siouxlandproud.com | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/iowa-news/man-arrested-after-shooting-threats-made-to-iowa-amazon-facility/ |
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – The accused gunman in the shooting after Huguenot High School’s graduation in June is no longer charged in the death of one of the two people killed that day.
A Richmond General District judge dropped second-degree murder charges Friday against the suspect, Amari Ty-Jon Pollard, in the June 6 shooting, Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Colette McEachin confirmed to 8News.
The decision comes two days after a grand jury upgraded charges against Pollard in the shooting death of Shawn Jackson to first-degree murder.
Jackson had just walked across the Altria Theatre stage during Huguenot’s graduation not long before the shooting. He was 18 years old.
Pollard, 19, was initially charged with two counts of second-degree murder in the shooting deaths of Jackson and Jackson’s stepfather, Renzo Smith.
The grand jury indicted Pollard Wednesday on one count of first-degree murder and one count of use of a firearm in the commission of murder in Jackson’s death.
McEachin said in a statement that the upgraded charges came after an investigation, including a review of the physical evidence and video surveillance footage obtained by authorities. McEachin told 8News she could not comment on whether additional charges could be filed in the case.
Michael E. Hollomon, Richmond deputy commonwealth’s attorney and the prosecutor on the case, told 8News “As with any ongoing criminal investigation, additional charges may, or may not, be forthcoming.”
This story is developing. Check back for updates. | 2023-07-28T18:22:02+00:00 | wric.com | https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/richmond/accused-gunman-in-richmond-graduation-shooting-no-longer-charged-in-1-of-2-deaths/ |
CDC adds these destinations to 'high' risk category for travel as COVID-19 cases rise
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention added three island destinations to its "high" risk category for travelers on Tuesday.
Anguilla, Jamaica and Turks and Caicos Islands were all moved to Level 3, or "high" risk for COVID-19.
In April, the CDC overhauled its ratings system for assessing COVID-19 risk for travelers.
The Level 3 "high" risk category is now the top rung in terms of risk level. Level 2 is considered "moderate" risk, and Level 1 is "low" risk.
Level 4, previously the highest risk category, is now reserved only for special circumstances, such as extremely high case counts, emergence of a new variant of concern or health care infrastructure collapse. Under the new system, no destinations have been placed at Level 4 so far.
To recap, the three destinations moved up to the "high" risk column on Tuesday are:
• Anguilla
• Jamaica
• Turks and Caicos
All three destinations moved up from Level 2.
The "Level 3: COVID-19 High" category now applies to countries that have had more than 100 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days.
There were about 110 destinations at Level 3 on May 31. Level 3 locations now account for just under half of the roughly 235 places monitored by the CDC.
Most of the Caribbean region is now at Level 3 with a handful of exceptions, including Cuba, Dominican Republic and Saint Kitts and Nevis, which all moved to Level 2 on Tuesday.
Level 3
Many other popular travel destinations are also at Level 3.
Much of Europe has been stubbornly lodged there as the summer travel season starts. As of May 31, the following popular European destinations were among those remaining at Level 3:
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Ireland
• Italy
• The Netherlands
• Portugal
• Spain
• United Kingdom
It's not just European favorites that find themselves at Level 3. Numerous notable travel destinations around the world are among those in the high risk category, including the following:
• Brazil
• Canada
• Costa Rica
• Malaysia
• South Korea
• Thailand
The CDC advises that you get up-to-date with your COVID-19 vaccines before traveling to a Level 3 destination. Being "up-to-date" means you have had not only the full initial vaccinations but any boosters for which you're eligible.
Level 2
Destinations carrying the "Level 2: COVID-19 Moderate" designation reported 50 to 100 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days. Eight places were moved to this level on Tuesday:
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Cuba
• Dominican Republic
• Guyana
• Moldova
• Poland
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Tunisia
Dominican Republic, Guyana and Saint Kitts and Nevis all moved up from Level 1. The rest of the destinations moved down in risk level from Level 3.
There were about 20 destinations listed in Level 2 on May 31.
You can view the CDC's risk levels for any global destination on the agency's travel recommendations page.
In its broader travel guidance, the CDC has recommended avoiding all international travel until you are fully vaccinated.
If you're concerned about a travel-specific health situation not related to COVID-19, check here.
Level 1
To be in "Level 1: COVID-19 Low," a destination must have had 49 or fewer new cases per 100,000 residents over the past 28 days. Two destinations were added to the category on May 31:
• Kuwait
• Mauritania
Level 1 had more than 50 entries as of Tuesday.
Unknown
Finally, there are destinations the CDC has deemed to be of "unknown" risk because of a lack of information. Usually, but not always, these are small, remote places or places with ongoing warfare or unrest.
There were no additions to this category on Tuesday.
The CDC advises against travel to these places precisely because the risks are unknown. Destinations in this category include French Polynesia, the Azores, Cambodia and Tanzania.
A medical expert weighs in on risk levels
Transmission rates are just "one guidepost" for travelers' personal risk calculations, according to CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen.
We've moved into "a phase in the pandemic where people need to make their own decisions based on their medical circumstances as well as their risk tolerance when it comes to contracting COVID-19," said Wen, who is an emergency physician and professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health.
There are other factors to weigh in addition to transmission rates, according to Wen.
"Another is what precautions are required and followed in the place that you're going and then the third is what are you planning to do once you're there," she said.
"Are you planning to visit a lot of attractions and go to indoor bars? That's very different from you're going somewhere where you're planning to lie on the beach all day and not interact with anyone else. That's very different. Those are very different levels of risk."
Vaccination is the most significant safety factor for travel, since unvaccinated travelers are more likely to become ill and transmit COVID-19 to others, Wen said.
And it's also important to consider what you would do if you end up testing positive away from home. Where will you stay and how easy will it be to get a test to return home? | 2022-06-01T10:47:29+00:00 | kcra.com | https://www.kcra.com/article/cdc-adds-island-destinations-to-high-risk-category-for-travel/40157842 |
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Municipal Governments are reacting to Governor Healey’s state budget proposal, particularly funding levels for local road projects.
The proposal approves bonds for Chapter 90 funding for the next two years, giving cities and towns a better idea of they money they have to spend. However, local leaders say transparency was only one issue. Now, they just need more money.
Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno among them, penning written testimony for the Joint Committee on Transportation, asking for a long-awaited increase.
According to the Massachusetts Municipal Association, cities and towns have received $200 million a year as a base rate for Chapter 90 funding since 2012 but those dollars don’t carry the same weight as they did 11 years ago. That $200 million with 2023 inflation equivalent to just $68 million.
Mayor Sarno and others asking for that base rate to increase by at least 65%.
“This is New England. Roadway preventative care is very important. The budget that I have is around three quarters of a billion dollars. Two thirds of that goes to schools. So, the more Chapter 90 funding I have the more infrastructure investments we can do,” said Sarno.
The latest survey of need across the state, indicated that cities and towns need $715 million total to bring all local roads in the state up to good repair. | 2023-03-09T01:28:17+00:00 | wwlp.com | https://www.wwlp.com/news/local-news/hampden-county/springfield-looks-to-receive-more-funding-for-road-projects/ |
Moderna shares slipped Tuesday morning after the COVID-19 vaccine developer said its potential flu vaccine needs more study in a late-stage clinical trial.
The company said an independent data and safety monitory board found that the potential vaccine “did not meet the statistical threshold necessary to declare early success” in the study.
The board recommended that the trial should continue.
Moderna is developing the vaccine, labeled mRNA-1010, to guard against seasonal flu. It is testing the vaccine in two, late-stage studies in the Southern and Northern hemispheres.
The vaccine developer said Tuesday it expects to launch six vaccines in the next few years.
The company’s COVID-19 vaccine, Spikevax, has been its main revenue generator so far. It brought in more than $18 billion in sales last year.
Moderna also is developing potential vaccines for respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, and the human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS.
Shares of Moderna Inc., based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, fell nearly 5% to $152.50 before markets opened Tuesday.
The stock had already slipped about 11% so far this year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has climbed slightly. | 2023-04-12T13:09:03+00:00 | everythinglubbock.com | https://www.everythinglubbock.com/news/business/moderna-says-potential-flu-vaccine-needs-more-study/ |
Amazon is locking some laid-off employees out of its offices and their company-issued laptops on Wednesday, about a week after the company started notifying workers that their positions were being cut.
Amazon told laid-off employees from the division that works on the Alexa virtual assistant to collect their belongings, pack up company-issued laptops and prototypes, and download Amazon’s email and messaging service on their personal devices by 5 p.m. Wednesday, according to an email viewed by The Seattle Times.
Amazon began notifying employees they had lost their jobs last Tuesday, the first round in a string of layoffs that Amazon expects will last into 2023 and impact around 10,000 jobs. That number is fluid, as team leaders continue to make decisions, CEO Andy Jassy told employees last week.
It’s still not clear how Amazon’s job cuts will impact its Puget Sound headquarters but the losses are part of a wave of layoffs sweeping the tech industry and the state. Washington’s information sector shed 5,900 jobs in October, according to a report from the Employment Security Department. With the most recent layoff announcements, it’s set to lose up to 18,000 tech or tech-related jobs over barely two months.
Amazon is making cuts across several divisions, including devices, books, human resources and stores. The devices group includes Amazon’s voice assistant Alexa, its health device Halo and its home robot Astro, as well as Kindle, smart home products and the Echo speaker. Stores covers most of Amazon’s consumer business, including online and physical stores, the marketplace for third-party sellers and Prime.
Laid-off employees can still use personal devices to access company email, Amazon’s communication platform Chime and its AtoZ app, which provides resources on pay, benefits and internal job openings. That’s important for laid-off workers because Amazon has given them 60 days to search for new roles inside the company. Laid-off workers will lose access to Slack, an instant messaging system.
“As you know, for the next few months, we are focused on supporting you in your efforts to find your next role, either internally at Amazon or externally,” the email read. “Since you are not expected to work during this time period, we will be making some changes to your corporate access.”
In response to questions about the lockout announcement, Amazon said Monday it is working to support those who are affected and help them find new roles, including by ensuring they can access resources relevant to internal job searches. The timeline for access changes varies, Amazon said.
The company confirmed the layoffs last Wednesday, a day after it started making cuts. Jassy told employees Thursday that the cuts will roll into 2023 — leaving some Amazon employees to wait until next year to learn if their jobs are safe.
“Our annual planning process extends into the new year, which means there will be more role reductions as leaders continue to make adjustments,” Jassy wrote in a note to employees.
That news left employees scrambling to grasp what the next few months could look like, from questioning whether they could close on a new home to worrying about finding another job before their Amazon-sponsored work visa expires.
“How can we expect to be ‘Earth’s Greatest Employer’ if literally everyone in the company is trying to figure out if they will be keeping their jobs?” one employee asked in an internal Slack channel, #layoff-discussion, viewed by The Seattle Times.
Some workers got an answer quickly when a 15-minute meeting with their manager and a representative from human resources appeared on their calendars last Tuesday. Those workers were told they had 60 days to find a new job, inside Amazon or externally, according to interviews with former employees.
But, in November, Amazon froze hiring for corporate roles “for the next few months.”
An employee who was recently laid off from Amazon’s devices organization, and asked to remain anonymous because she is searching for a new role, said the several internal roles she has applied for led to dead ends.
Some managers declined her request for an informational interview because her skills didn’t align with the role on offer. Most said there were simply too many applicants to schedule time for them all, or cited the hiring freeze as a reason to say no.
Losing access to resources like Slack and a company laptop feels like “salt in the wound,” that employee said, because it adds an extra layer of complexity to the job search.
That employee, who is 39, and from Federal Way, said her team had an on-site meeting in August where managers first mentioned that the group had gotten a “little bloated” and that Amazon would be looking for ways to “trim the fat.” But, leadership went out of its way to assure employees they were trying hard to avoid layoffs.
Now, she says it’s not clear how Amazon decided whom to cut and whom to keep. She and her co-workers are “hungry for answers,” she said.
“We talk about being a data-driven company and it’s like, ‘Give us the breakdown so we can see what the competition is that we’re up against [for new roles] and give us some reason,’ ” she said.
“I have to wonder, why me?” she continued. “Everyone says it’s not my performance, but I want someone who had to actually make that decision answer for it.”
Amazon has maintained that it will help laid-off workers find new jobs. Describing what steps employees should take before losing access to corporate devices and buildings, the company wrote to employees “our focus is on helping make these steps as seamless as possible so you can focus on your job search.”
Almost a week since Amazon began scheduling meetings to discuss layoffs, some employees say it’s still unclear what their severance package will look like. Employees in the human resources division have been offered voluntary buyouts.
Amazon has declined to share how the job cuts will impact its Puget Sound workforce, which includes about 75,000 people across offices in Seattle, Bellevue and Redmond, fulfillment centers in Kent, Sumner, Dupont and an air hub in SeaTac.
The company has not yet filed any information with Washington’s Employment Security Department, which records job losses in the state.
If the layoffs impact 10,000 workers, Amazon would shed roughly 3% of its corporate employees and less than 1% of its global workforce of more than 1.5 million, which is primarily composed of hourly workers. | 2022-11-22T04:19:15+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/business/amazon-to-begin-locking-out-some-laid-off-employees-on-wednesday/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_business |
Maryland's largest HBCU connects students and therapists
BALTIMORE, Oct. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- If 95% of surveyed students feel their mental health has been negatively affected within the past year, why is it that only 1 in 3 BIPOC Americans receive the help they need? This question begins to offer insight into the difficulties faced by many young adults from diverse backgrounds who do not get necessary mental health support. "Opportunities for economic mobility will not be possible unless we provide the counseling and support that is a major factor in ensuring student success," said Dr. Aisha Francis, President of Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology, a private institution with 74% students of color. To reduce stigma and increase accessibility surrounding mental health, many institutions are turning to scalable technologies designed to assist their current campus counseling centers to provide inclusive, flexible, and equitable mental health resources and support.
Morgan State University is one of many schools launching a solution that gives students immediate access to licensed therapists based on needs and preferences including gender and ethnicity. "As the largest HBCU in Maryland, we are committed to expanding the promise and opportunity of higher education to a multiethnic, multiracial, and multinational student body. This means prioritizing mental health and wellness so our students can pursue academic success," said Dr. Sonya Clyburn, Director of Counseling Services at Morgan State University. "By using Uwill's environment, students can select counselors who match their ethnicity, language, or demographic preferences, which reflects our mission to offer students resources that are responsive to their unique needs."
"As the leading teletherapy platform within higher education, we seek to provide a personalized approach to telehealth that allows students to get the support they need, when they need it, from a counselor they can connect with and relate to," said Michael London, Uwill Founder and CEO. "An emerging technology like ours helps colleges respond to the ongoing challenges students face."
Uwill aims to remove barriers by providing free and accessible therapy. According to the US Census Bureau, African Americans are approximately 1.5 times less likely to be covered by health insurance, one barrier noted in accessing therapy.
"Remaining free to students has been a priority. Insurance is not needed to receive help from Uwill, " said London. "One of the greatest difficulties facing underrepresented populations today is a lack of access to sufficient care because of stigma, family disapproval, or lack of opportunity," said Uwill counselor Stephanie Black Dos Santos, "Uwill's goal to ensure free therapy for all college students with easy and discreet access helps to overcome these obstacles."
Ultimately, In order to best support the whole student for success in college and beyond, it is critical to build a strong mental health foundation and provide all students with ample opportunities to get the help they need. "The past eighteen months have exacerbated a nationwide campus mental health crisis that affects both students and faculty alike," said Dr. Russell Swagger, president of Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University, a Wisconsin tribal university also partnered with Uwill. "Tribal colleges like LCOOC have felt this pain more acutely than other institutions — making it especially important that we meet the university community where they are and provide access to a diverse group of counselors. Uwill's ecosystem and broad counselor team are enabling us to do just that."
Morgan State University's partnership with Uwill also includes an immediate and direct crisis connection that has quickly gained popularity because it eliminates the common approach consisting of a combination of an in-take assessment, phone-tree, or triage. The solution has been designed to expand the capacity of Morgan State's counseling center and provide more students with the support they need. Utilizing its proprietary technology and counselor team, Uwill pioneered the first Higher Education therapist matching platform and wellness environment. The solution offers an immediate connection to an available licensed counselor based on student preferences, all modalities of teletherapy, a 24/7/365 crisis connection, wellness programming, detailed reporting, and support.
Uwill has become the leading mental health and wellness solution for colleges and students. The most cost-effective way to complement a college's mental health offering, Uwill partners with more than 100 institutions including Boston College, University of Michigan, American Public University System, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Uwill is also the teletherapy education partner for NASPA. For more information, visit uwill.com
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SOURCE Uwill, Inc | 2022-10-13T15:34:01+00:00 | kwch.com | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2022/10/13/emerging-technology-allows-underserved-student-population-access-college-mental-health-support/ |
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas’ wide receivers looked good in preseason, but so far Sam Pittman is hoping to get a few more in that group to step up.
Oklahoma transfer Jadon Haselwood leads the Razorbacks with eight catches for 72 yards and one touchdown. Matt Landers is next with seven for 88 yards while Warren Thompson has five receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown. Ketron Jackson and Malik Hornsby each have caught one pass.
A pair of redshirt freshmen and three true freshmen are wide receivers Pittman is hoping can get involved in the passing game. The redshirt freshman are Bryce Stephens and Jaedon Wilson. The true freshmen are Isaiah Sategna, Quincey McAdoo and Sam Mbake.
“Yeah, there really is,” Pittman said of a chance for more cracking the rotation. “I’ve said it before you know how I like this group. Of course, you prefaced the four guys who have been playing a little bit. But you’ve got Wilson, Stephens, McAdoo. I really like McAdoo. Mbake is coming on, and he’s going to play more special teams wise. Sategna, I like him a lot. We have big plans for him. He rolled his ankle yesterday. I don’t know exactly where he’s going to be on that. Those guys are good players, but we just haven’t had the situations really right yet.
“Even Ketron Jackson, who I think is a really good player, we haven’t got him the reps really yet that I would like to. Those are good problems at times. To answer your question, I’m really high on McAdoo and Sategna and Mbake. They’re all really good players, and of course we have the other guys in Stephens and Wilson who aren’t playing that I like as well. I would have no problem putting them in the game, but the situation hasn’t quite been there yet where we were able to do that.”
Landers came over from Toledo where in 2021 he caught 20 passes for 514 yards and five touchdowns in 12 games. Prior to that, Landers had played in 25 games at Georgia with one start.
“He’s a very quiet and business like personality,” Pittman said. “A mature guy. I didn’t know him quite as well, obviously wasn’t his position coach when I was at Georgia. But I knew that he was fast and was a good person. But our relationship has grown since he’s been here. Obviously had more time to visit with him and talk to him and I’ve tried to be of help to him and he’s been a joy to have on the team.”
Haselwood came over from Oklahoma where he led the Sooners with 39 receptions and six touchdowns. The catches went for 399 yards. Pittman said Haselwood is having fun with the Hogs.
“I think yeah, I think he’s having a good time,” Pittman said. “He’s a physical kid. He’s a man. He’s a mature kid. He’s not afraid to say his opinion, which helps the football team. He’s not afraid to lead. Brings a lot of confidence to the offensive football team. He just does. He brings a lot of confidence. He’s never down. I like everything about him. I think he’s tough and physical, a good player. I hope he’s having fun because I’m having fun because he’s on the team.”
Arkansas (2-0) will host Missouri State (2-0) at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 on ESPN+/SECN+. | 2022-09-15T18:59:10+00:00 | nwahomepage.com | https://www.nwahomepage.com/sports/pig-trail-nation/sam-pittman-looking-for-more-wide-receiver-help/ |
By KEN MILLER
Associated Press
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Prominent death penalty opponent Sister Helen Prejean, whose book “Dead Man Walking” was turned into a movie, on Wednesday joined others calling on Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt to grant death row inmate Richard Glossip a 60-day reprieve from his scheduled execution.
Prejean joined Republican Reps. Kevin McDugle and Justin Humphrey and others in asking Stitt for a 60-day delay similar to the one he granted Glossip in November to give the state Court of Criminal Appeals time to rule on claims of innocence and prosecutorial misconduct that were eventually denied.
“The people of Oklahoma need to be the one to get to Gov. Stitt, who has that power to grant a reprieve,” Prejean, a spiritual advisor to Glossip said during a news conference at the state Capital.
Spokespeople in Stitt’s office did not immediately return phone calls and messages asking for comment.
McDugle, who says he supports the death penalty, called for Stitt to delay the execution while two appeals by Glossip are pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.
“Allowing this case to play out in federal courts would be following the law. Following the law means not rushing the execution process,” McDugle said.
The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board voted 2-2 last week to reject a clemency recommendation for Glossip with one member recusing himself because his spouse is a prosecutor who was previously involved in Glossip’s case, despite state Attorney General Gentner Drummond supporting clemency.
Stitt can not grant clemency without a recommendation from the parole board, but can grant a delay.
Glossip’s attorney, Don Knight, objected at the start of the hearing to proceeding without a replacement for the recused board member.
On Tuesday, Knight amended a lawsuit challenging the Pardon and Parole Board meeting with four members present, instead of the full five-member board.
The amended lawsuit, filed in Oklahoma County District Court, asks for a stay of execution until Glossip has a clemency hearing before a full board and that the parole board’s vote denying clemency be declared null and void.
“The State of Oklahoma has already agreed that Richard Glossip was denied a fair trial … he has now been denied a fair clemency hearing,” Knight said in a statement. “The Board’s split decision is precisely the outcome this lawsuit sought to avoid, and it underscores the grave injustice of allowing (Glossip’s) execution to proceed without a proper clemency hearing before a fully constituted Board.”
Drummond on Monday filed a request that the U.S. Supreme Court stay the execution after taking the unusual step of supporting the clemency request.
“Absent this Court’s intervention, an execution will move forward under circumstances where the Attorney General has already confessed error—a result that would be unthinkable,” according to the stay request.
During the clemency hearing, Drummond said he believes Glossip is guilty, at least, of accessary after the fact, but has numerous concerns about the fairness of the trial, including that Justin Sneed, the key witness against Glossip, lied to the jury about his psychiatric treatment and reasons for taking the mood-stabilizing drug lithium.
Glossip, now 60, was convicted of the 1997 murder-for-hire killing of his boss, motel owner Barry Van Treese, at two separate trials based largely on the testimony of Sneed, a co-defendant in the case. Sneed admitted robbing and killing Van Treese, but claims he only did so after Glossip agreed to pay him $10,000. Sneed received a sentence of life in prison.
Glossip has been scheduled to be executed three times, only to be spared shortly before the sentence was set to be carried out. He was only hours from being executed in September 2015 when prison officials realized they had received the wrong lethal drug, a mix-up that helped prompt a nearly seven-year moratorium on the death penalty in Oklahoma.
Glossip’s case attracted international attention after actress Susan Sarandon — who won an Academy Award for her portrayal of Prejean’s fight to save a man on Louisiana’s death row in the 1995 movie based on Prejean’s book — took up his cause in real life. His case also was featured in a 2017 documentary film titled “Killing Richard Glossip.” | 2023-05-04T20:37:40+00:00 | wtmj.com | https://wtmj.com/entertainment/2023/05/04/oklahoma-inmate-supported-by-dead-man-walking-author-nun/ |
Bob McGrath, the smooth-voiced tenor, actor and children’s book author best known for his nearly 50-year run on “Sesame Street,” where he was a founding cast member, died at his home in New Jersey on Dec. 4. He was 90 years old.
The Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization that produces “Sesame Street,” remembered Mr. McGrath as “a beloved member of the Sesame Street family,” writing in a statement Sunday: “A founding cast member, Bob embodied the melodies of Sesame Street like no one else, and his performances brought joy and wonder to generations of children around the world, whether teaching them the ABCs, the people in their neighborhood, or the simple joy of feeling music in their hearts.”
Mr. McGrath joined the inaugural cast of “Sesame Street” in 1969 as Bob Johnson, the affable neighborhood music teacher, alongside three other human characters who sang, lived, worked and learned alongside their fluffy, fuzzy — and occasionally grouchy — Muppet counterparts.
But the iconic role almost didn’t happen. Mr. McGrath had spent much of the 1960s performing on TV and enjoying a blockbuster career as a folk singer in Japan. He was back in the United States when he bumped into his fraternity brother, Dave Connell, who had worked on the children’s show “Captain Kangaroo,” Mr. McGrath recounted in a 2004 interview with the Television Academy. Connell asked if Mr. McGrath was interested in auditioning for a new children’s program he was working on.
“No, not in the least,” Mr. McGrath recalled. “I thought, ‘Hmm, here’s another silly kiddie’s show that doesn’t mean that much.’”
Mr. McGrath ended up going forward with the audition and landed the role he would continue until 2017.
As Sesame Street’s music teacher, Bob Johnson, Mr. McGrath helped young viewers cultivate kindness and curiosity about the world around them through songs like “People in Your Neighborhood” and “Morning Town Ride.”
The show also tackled complex realities like death and loss with gentleness, such as in a 1983 special episode in which Bob and the other cast members explain to Big Bird that Mr. Hooper, the grocer, had died following the real-life death of Will Lee, the actor who had portrayed Mr. Hooper since 1969.
“They wrote this beautiful script,” Mr. McGrath said in the Television Academy interview. “When we saw it we wondered, are we ever going to get through this? And we barely did.”
In the scene, Bob holds back tears as he acknowledges to Big Bird that things will never be the same now that their beloved friend had died.
“But you know something?” Mr. McGrath’s character says. “We can all be very happy that we had a chance to be with him, and to know him and to love him a lot when he was here.”
Robert Emmet McGrath was born on June 13, 1932, on a farm with no electricity in Ottawa, Ill., a small town about 80 miles southwest of Chicago.
Mr. McGrath described his mother in the 2004 interview as “tremendously musical” and credited her with his success in the music business, where he spent his early years performing in radio competitions. By age 9, he had won first place in an NBC radio contest in Chicago, according to his official bio.
He went on to study music at the University of Michigan, where he was a soloist in the University of Michigan Men’s Glee Club, and graduated in 1954. After college, Mr. McGrath spent two years in the Army, mostly based in Stuttgart, Germany, for his work with the Seventh Army Symphony. When he returned, he earned a master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music, where he met his wife, Ann, a schoolteacher.
After two years of freelance music work that ranged from Gregorian chants at funerals to commercial radio jingles, he joined the televised “Sing Along With Mitch Miller,” singing as a featured soloist for the American band leader for four years, before becoming a popular draw in Japan.
But the bulk of Mr. McGrath’s fan base stemmed from “Sesame Street,” on which he appeared in more than 460 episodes. Fans were outraged when in 2016, Mr. McGrath and two other longtime cast members — Roscoe Orman, who played Gordon, and Emilio Delgado, who played Luis — were fired; their contracts were not renewed ahead of the program’s move to HBO in 2015 for first-run broadcast rights.
Mr. McGrath was sanguine through it all, telling attendees at the comic convention Florida Supercon later that year that he welcomed the chance to spend more time with family. “I’d be so greedy if I wanted five minutes more,” he said.
Mr. McGrath is survived by his wife Ann McGrath, 89, his sister Eileen Strobel, five children and eight grandchildren. | 2022-12-05T09:53:59+00:00 | washingtonpost.com | https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2022/12/05/bob-mcgrath-death-sesame-street/ |
HAVANA (AP) — Fiona strengthened into a hurricane Sunday as it bore down on Puerto Rico, where it had already left hundreds of thousands without power and threatened to dump potentially “historic” levels of rain.
Forecasters said the downpour was expected to produce landslides and heavy flooding, with up to 25 inches (64 centimeters) possible in isolated areas.
“It’s time to take action and be concerned,” said Nino Correa, Puerto Rico’s emergency management commissioner.
Fiona was centered 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Ponce, Puerto Rico, on Sunday morning. It had maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (130 kph) and was moving west-northwest at 8 mph (13 kph).
The storm knocked out power to more than half a million customers and several health institutions, including Puerto Rico’s largest public hospital, which was running on generators. Health Secretary Carlos Mellado said crews were working to repair generators as soon as possible at the Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Anxiety ran high across the island with Fiona due just two days before the anniversary of Hurricane Maria, a devastating Category 4 storm that hit on Sept. 20, 2017, destroying the island’s power grid and causing nearly 3,000 deaths.
More than 3,000 homes still have only a blue tarp as a roof, and infrastructure remains weak.
“I think all of us Puerto Ricans who lived through Maria have that post-traumatic stress of, ‘What is going to happen, how long is it going to last and what needs might we face?’” said Danny Hernández, who works in the capital of San Juan but planned to weather the storm with his parents and family in the western town of Mayaguez.
He said the atmosphere was gloomy at the supermarket as he and others stocked up before the storm hit.
“After Maria, we all experienced scarcity to some extent,” he said.
The storm was forecast to pummel cities and towns along Puerto Rico’s southern coast that have not yet fully recovered from a string of strong earthquakes that hit the region starting in late 2019.
Officials reported several road closures across the island as trees and small landslides blocked access.
More than 640 people with some 70 pets had sought shelter across the island by Saturday night, the majority of them in the southern coast.
Many Puerto Ricans also were concerned about blackouts. Luma, the company that operates power transmission and distribution, warned of “widespread service interruptions.”
Puerto Rico’s power grid was razed by Hurricane Maria and remains frail, with reconstruction starting only recently. Outages are a daily occurrence.
In the southwest town of El Combate, which is in the storm’s path, hotel co-owner Tomás Rivera said he was prepared but worried about the “enormous” amount of rain he expected. He noted that a nearby wildlife refuge was eerily quiet.
“There are thousands of birds here, and they are nowhere to be seen,” he said. “Even the birds have realized what is coming, and they’re preparing.”
Rivera said his employees brought bedridden family members to the hotel, where he has stocked up on diesel, gasoline, food, water and ice, given how slowly the government responded after Hurricane Maria.
“What we’ve done is prepared ourselves to depend as little as possible on the central government,” he said.
It’s a sentiment shared by 70-year-old Ana Córdova, who arrived Saturday at a shelter in the north coastal town of Loiza after buying loads of food and water.
“I don’t trust them,” she said, referring to the government. “I lost trust after what happened after Hurricane Maria.”
Puerto Rico’s governor, Pedro Pierluisi, said he was ready to declare a state of emergency if needed and activated the National Guard as the Atlantic hurricane season’s sixth named storm approached.
“What worries me most is the rain,” said forecaster Ernesto Morales with the National Weather Service in San Juan.
Fiona was predicted to drop 12 to 16 inches (30 to 41 centimeters) of rain over eastern and southern Puerto Rico, with as much as 25 inches (64 centimeters) in isolated spots. Morales noted that Hurricane Maria in 2017 had unleashed 40 inches (102 centimeters).
The National Weather Service warned late Saturday that the Blanco River in the southeast coastal town of Naguabo had already surpassed its banks and urged people living nearby to move immediately.
Pierluisi announced Sunday that public schools and government agencies would remain closed on Monday.
Fiona was forecast to swipe the Dominican Republic on Monday and then northern Haiti and the Turks and Caicos Islands with the threat of heavy rain. It could threaten the far southern end of the Bahamas on Tuesday.
A hurricane warning was posted for the Dominican Republic’s eastern coast from Cabo Caucedo to Cabo Frances Viejo.
Fiona previously battered the eastern Caribbean, killing one man in the French territory of Guadeloupe when floods washed his home away, officials said. The storm also damaged roads, uprooted trees and destroyed at least one bridge.
St. Kitts and Nevis also reported flooding and downed trees, but announced its international airport would reopen on Sunday afternoon. Dozens of customers were still without power or water, according to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency.
In the eastern Pacific, Tropical Storm Madeline was forecast to cause heavy rains and flooding across parts of southwestern Mexico. The storm was centered about 155 miles (245 kilometers) south-southwest of Cabo Corrientes Sunday morning, with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 kph). | 2022-09-18T18:43:55+00:00 | ourquadcities.com | https://www.ourquadcities.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-hurricane-threat-as-tropical-storm-fiona-aims-at-puerto-rico/ |
LONDON — Ringo Starr has cancelled shows in North America after the former Beatles drummer tested positive for COVID-19.
The five Canadian shows cancelled included Winnipeg, Manitoba; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; Lethbridge in Alberta; as well as arenas in Abbotsford and Penticton in British Columbia.
The rest of his tour will remain on hold while Starr recovers.
“Ringo hopes to resume as soon as possible and is recovering at home,” a statement said. “As always, he and the All Starrs send peace and love to their fans, and hope to see them back out on the road soon.” | 2022-10-03T18:10:53+00:00 | washingtonpost.com | https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/ringo-starr-cancels-canadian-shows-after-catching-covid-19/2022/10/03/f12fbfbc-433f-11ed-be17-89cbe6b8c0a5_story.html |
I love summertime. Warm days. Vacations. Travel. Summer is my favorite season of the year.
Imagine having all your expenses paid for a destination vacation, but not knowing how to get there? That may sound impossible with the prevalence of GPS in today’s world. There was a time not too long ago, however, when GPS was not readily available like it is now.
Years ago, our friends made reservations for my family to stay at a hotel in a Chicago suburb. I did not know how to get there. Our friends had us follow them to the hotel. On the way across town, I said to my wife, “I’m glad they know where we are going because I would be completely lost without them.” From the back seat our daughter said, “You can get to where you are going when you follow someone who knows the way.” How true!
Most everyone wants to go to heaven. Not everyone knows the way. Nor do people realize that Jesus paid the expense through his death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus declared, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6, ESV).
We are all travelers on a road called life. There are detours and side streets. Multitudes lose their way. There is no need to be confused, however. God has shown us the way. All we need to do is follow Jesus. He will take us there. He in fact, is the way. He will lead us, and He will guide us.
Trust Jesus. He has a place for you. Surrender to Jesus. He will show you the way. Follow Jesus. He will take you there. The door is open to you. A meal is ready for you. Heaven is prepared for you. Friends and family, who are with Jesus now, will be waiting for you. The light is on for you. Accept Jesus as Savior and Lord and we will see you there!
Clark Killingsworth is Executive Pastor at Journey Church, Normal. Contact him at clark@journeybn.com. | 2022-07-15T10:07:22+00:00 | pantagraph.com | https://pantagraph.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/from-the-pulpit-the-light-is-on-for-you/article_24f4213e-fedb-11ec-879f-2bd5f1511a4a.html |
NEW YORK, Oct. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- InvestorsObserver issues critical PriceWatch Alerts for AAPL, INTC, GILD, TMUS, and CVX.
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SOURCE InvestorsObserver | 2022-10-28T17:33:18+00:00 | kcrg.com | https://www.kcrg.com/prnewswire/2022/10/28/thinking-about-trading-options-or-stock-apple-intel-corp-gilead-sciences-t-mobile-or-chevron/ |
Among the 37 felony counts former President Donald Trump faces in federal court, 31 of them are for his alleged mishandling of classified documents. The charges filed last week indicate Trump possessed these documents at his Mar-a-Lago resort after leaving office.
Trump has not denied possessing the documents but has claimed he is being unfairly singled out.
In recent months, Joe Biden and Mike Pence both revealed possessing classified documents after leaving the vice presidency. Neither Pence nor Biden have been charged for having the documents.
Both Pence and Biden said they handed over the documents as soon as they were discovered.
Trump and allies have also noted that Hillary Clinton was not charged for having thousands of emails stored on a private server.
SEE MORE: GOP candidate Asa Hutchinson not offering Trump a pardon
What makes the cases similar
Pence, Biden and Trump all apparently left federal office with classified documents. The documents were among other records kept by them after leaving office.
In testimony to Congress, National Archives Chief Operating Officer William Bosanko said that every administration since President Ronald Reagan has mishandled classified documents when leaving office.
President Biden reported in January that classified documents were found at his former offices at the Penn Biden Center. He then reportedly asked the FBI to review documents at his home, which turned up more classified documents that were improperly stored.
Pence asked for outside counsel to review his documents after Biden revealed he possessed classified documents. Pence's attorney wrote to the National Archives that "a small number of documents bearing classified markings that were inadvertently boxed and transported" were transported to his residence.
For both Biden and Pence, the indication is that they self-reported having the documents. In the case of Trump, it appears he was first notified that documents were missing.
What makes the cases different
Unlike in the Biden and Pence cases, Trump was notified that presidential records, like a letter addressed to Trump from North Korean President Kim Jong-un, were missing. The National Archives and Records Administration said it requested documents pursuant to the Presidential Records Act in May 2021. The DOJ said that the National Archives made "repeated" requests for records from May through December 2021.
In an affidavit released by the Department of Justice, the National Archives and Records Administration notified the DOJ in February 2022 that it received 15 boxes of documents from the Trump administration, some containing classified documents.
After reviewing the documents, it was concluded that more documents were likely remaining at his Mar-a-Lago residence. In August 2022, federal authorities conducted a search warrantand found additional classified documents, the DOJ said.
In Clinton's case, the documents were not physical but stored on a hard drive.
"Although there is evidence of potential violations of the statutes regarding the handling of classified information, our judgment is that no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case," James Comey, then FBI director, said. "Prosecutors necessarily weigh a number of factors before bringing charges. There are obvious considerations, like the strength of the evidence, especially regarding intent. Responsible decisions also consider the context of a person's actions, and how similar situations have been handled in the past."
SEE MORE: What Republicans think of Donald Trump's federal indictment
Expert says wilfulness is what got Trump charged
According to Joshua Dressler, a criminal law professor at the Ohio State University, the fact that Trump didn't immediately hand over classified documents was what got him charged.
"What makes it a crime is if while I'm in unauthorized possession of the document, I willfully retain it and fail to deliver it to the proper person," he said. "The term willfully is the crucial word. It's what lawyers call the mens rea word, the mental state word in the statute, that is crucial to the case and which distinguishes Pence or Biden or Clinton from the Trump situation."
While getting an indictment means legally, Trump likely committed a crime, getting a conviction would mean Trump is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Proving that Trump willfully mishandled classified documents could be a challenge, according to Dressler.
"It always is a challenge because, with all crimes, you have to prove not just the physical aspect of the crime but the mental aspects, and getting into the head of a defendant is not easy unless they say something or do something that makes it obvious," he said.
The statute Trump is chargedwith mentions willfulness.
But as attorney Katie Cherkasky noted to Scripps News' "Morning Rush," Trump is facing additional charges of obstruction. She said that obstruction and unlawful record retention are two separate issues.
"The distinction is that the offenses in retaining those documents actually occur at the time that they are mishandled or misappropriated," she said. "It's irrelevant if you would later return those because the crime has already been committed after that fact. So the timing of the retention is really important. The obstruction is a completely different analysis altogether, but the retention offenses are not necessarily dependent on that."
She added, "The actual crime that occurs is when it is taken without authorization."
In the case of Biden, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed an independent special counsel to investigate Biden's handling of classified documents. That investigation is still ongoing, meaning criminal charges have not been completely ruled out.
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | 2023-06-14T17:45:27+00:00 | fox17online.com | https://www.fox17online.com/trump-and-biden-had-classified-docs-why-is-only-trump-being-charged |
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed a bill that blocks public colleges from using federal or state funding on diversity programs, addressing a concern of conservatives ahead of the Republican governor’s expected presidential candidacy.
The law, which DeSantis proposed earlier this year, comes as Republicans across the country target programs on diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education.
The signing builds on the governor’s larger push to shape Florida’s education system through regulating how schools deal with subjects such as race and gender, with DeSantis arguing that he is challenging inappropriate liberal ideology in the classroom.
DeSantis, who is expected to announce his presidential run in the coming weeks, has focused heavily on divisive cultural issues as he moves to win over the conservative voters who typically decide Republican primary elections.
Diversity, equity and inclusion offices in higher education often spearhead services tailored to students of various races, genders, sexual orientations, cultures and abilities. Some college administrators also consider so-called DEI factors when admitting students, providing scholarships or deciding which faculty to hire and promote.
The law blocks public universities from diverting state or federal funds toward programs or campus activities that advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion or promote political or social activism.
“In reality what this concept of DEI has been is to attempt to impose orthodoxy on the university,” DeSantis said at a bill signing ceremony in Sarasota. “This has basically been used as a veneer to impose an ideological agenda, and that is wrong.”
The measure also bars curriculums that teach “identity politics” or “theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political, and economic inequities.” The provision is aimed at curtailing education about critical race theory, a way of thinking about U.S. history through the lens of racism.
In a signal of DeSantis’ reach on education, he chose to sign the bill at New College of Florida, a small, traditionally-progressive school that became nationally known this year after the governor appointed a group of conservatives to its board of trustees. Among the DeSantis appointees’ first moves was to eliminate the New College’s diversity, equity and inclusion office.
The takeover has led to pushback among students at New College, long known for its progressive thought and creative course offerings that don’t use traditional grades.
On Monday, a small group of protestors gathered outside the signing ceremony. DeSantis, as well as most of the speakers at the event, ridiculed them.
“You know, I saw some of the protestors out there. I was a little disappointed. I was hoping for more,” DeSantis said with a smile as his supporters clapped.
Sen. Shevrin Jones, a Democrat, issued a statement after the signing that said the law continues DeSantis’ “overreach” into education.
“Education ought to be about teaching kids how to think through issues, not what to think about issues,” Jones said. “The exposure to wide-ranging experiences and fresh perspectives encourages understanding and creativity. By restricting what students can learn, the state is actively suppressing students’ academic and intellectual freedom.” | 2023-05-16T02:46:24+00:00 | kxnet.com | https://www.kxnet.com/news/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/desantis-curtails-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-programs-in-florida-state-colleges/ |
Rookie tight end Isaiah Likely has added some intrigue and possibly a new dimension to the Ravens’ offense.
The fourth-round pick from Coastal Carolina turned in a second strong performance in Baltimore’s 24-17 win against the Arizona Cardinals Sunday night with eight catches for 100 yards and a touchdown while playing only the first half.
In two preseason contests, Likely has 12 catches for 144 yards, but maybe the most impressive part of his game is the yards he gets after the catch. He had 53 versus the Cardinals, which doesn’t happen often from a 6-foot-4, 235-pound receiver.
“Everybody wants to be able to catch the ball, but it’s what you can do after that catch,” Likely said. “And that’s something I preach, whether it’s in games or in practice. Just really just getting that burst in practice [and] having that in-game feel, so when I get in the game, it’s not the first time that I’ve ever done it. It’s repetition, it’s consistency.”
The Ravens have worked hard to modify and improve the offense, with emphasis on a two-tight end look because that was the base when quarterback Lamar Jackson was the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 2019 with tight ends Mark Andrews and Hayden Hurst.
Likely’s biggest problem is being able to block, an area a lot of young tight ends struggle with during their rookie seasons, but putting him opposite of Andrews will create a lot of problems.
It forces defenses to balance up where it becomes hard to overload a side, and having either Andrews or Likely matched up outside one-on-one creates a lot of mismatches.
Regardless of Likely’s possible impact, the Ravens still need an effective receiver to develop on the outside and open up the middle of the field. The Ravens got a big boost from veteran tight end Nick Boyle, who got in extensive playing time and performed well as a blocker. If he can stay healthy, it just gives the offense another dimension as far as playing power football.
James struggles
In two games, left offensive tackle Ja’Wuan James hasn’t been impressive and he struggled versus the Cardinals against speed and power rushes while in pass protection.
He is fortunate Arizona used outside linebacker Victor Dimukeje (Boys’ Latin) sparingly or he would have been in for a long night.
The Ravens need Ronnie Stanley back as soon as possible and for him to anchor the line in the season opener against the New York Jets on Sept. 11.
Catching Webb
Raleigh Webb, from The Citadel, is my favorite little rookie receiver to keep an eye on.
Few talk about him, but he keeps hustling to make the roster. He had two catches for 46 yards, including one for a 38-yard touchdown, and had another reception of about 15 yards nullified because of a penalty.
He is a good blocker in the team’s run-oriented offense and plays well on special teams. He is an ideal candidate for the slot position, and I bet New England coach Bill Belichick or the Los Angeles Rams Sean McVay might take a look at him if he doesn’t make it in Baltimore.
Pass rush potential
Like the Ravens, the Cardinals didn’t play a lot of starters, but there were signs of hope that Baltimore will be able to pressure opposing quarterbacks this season.
Second-year outside linebacker Odafe Oweh has gotten so much better using his hands and improving hand speed, and the Ravens got some pressure up the middle with rookie tackle Travis Jones.
That’s a huge development for this team. There is a dire need to find a player in the middle of the line who can make a quarterback move or step up in the pocket when dropping back.
The Ravens haven’t had a top pass-rushing tackle since Sam Adams at the turn of the century. Haloti Ngata was effective, but more as a run stopper.
Pepe in position
There are certain defensive players that really do have “a nose” for the ball, and rookie cornerback Demarion “Pepe” Williams is one of them. And he’ll let you know about it when he makes a play; there have been times at practices where he has strutted around at practice like the NBC Peacock.
Williams picked off a Trace McSorley pass and it wasn’t because he made a great play, but because he was right where he was supposed to be in coverage and McSorley threw a bad pass.
As former Baltimore Blast coach Kenny Cooper used to say: “You have to be in a position to be in position.”
That’s Williams.
Phillips’ penalties
Memo to left guard Tyre Phillips: You can’t become a starter with three penalties, two of those false starts and another for being an illegal lineman downfield.
Penalties are a part of the game and some, like pass interference or face masks, are more acceptable, but coaches get irritated by presnap flags. Those are clearly avoidable.
A Stout performance
One of the keys to the Ravens’ success in selecting punters is they at least look like good athletes.
Former Ravens punter Sam Koch was 6-1 and 220 pounds, a former tight end and linebacker at his Nebraska high school. Very seldom did opposing teams return punts for touchdowns against the Ravens because Koch, while a great punter, was also a good tackler and athlete.
New punter Jordan Stout is 6-3, 210 pounds. I don’t know if he is as athletic as Koch was, but there isn’t much body fat on that frame. Against the Cardinals, he averaged 51.3 yards on three punts, including a long of 58.
He can also kick extra points and kickoff.
Time to step up
I wasn’t too impressed with the inside linebacking play of Kristian Welch or Malik Harrison. Harrison, in his third year, got better as the game went on and finished with five tackles.
Another player who seemed to come up late or short was defensive back Brandon Stephens. He was flagged for unnecessary roughness early and allowed a first-down completion on a third-and-long. Later in the game, he had a pass interference penalty that cost the Ravens 37 yards.
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EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — Residents of the Ohio village upended by a freight train derailment packed a school gym on Wednesday to seek answers about whether they were safe from toxic chemicals that spilled or were burned off.
Hundreds of worried people gathered to hear state officials tell them — as they did earlier in the day — that testing so far has shown local air is safe to breathe and to promise that safety testing of the air and water would continue.
But residents had many questions over health hazards and they demanded more transparency from the railroad operator, Norfolk Southern, which did not attend the gathering, citing safety concerns for its staff.
"They just danced around the questions a lot," said Danielle Deal, who lives about three miles from the derailment site. "Norfolk needed to be here."
In a statement, Norfolk Southern said it was not attending Wednesday's open house gathering with local, state and federal officials because of a "growing physical threat to our employees and members of the community around this event."
Deal called that a "copout" and noted the seriousness of the incident.
Deal and her two children left home to stay with her mother, 13 miles away "and we could still see the mushroom cloud, plain as day," she said.
Wednesday's meeting came amid continuing concerns about the huge plumes of smoke, persisting odors, questions over potential threats to pets and wild animals, any potential impact on drinking water and what was happening with cleanup.
Even as school resumed and trains were rolling again, people were worried.
"Why are they being hush-hush?" Kathy Dyke said of the railroad. "They're not out here supporting, they're not out here answering questions. For three days we didn't even know what was on the train."
"I have three grandbabies," she said. "Are they going to grow up here in five years and have cancer? So those are all factors that play on my mind."
In and around East Palestine, near the Pennsylvania state line, residents said they wanted assistance navigating the financial help the railroad offered hundreds of families who evacuated, and they want to know whether it will be held responsible for what happened.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost advised Norfolk Southern on Wednesday that his office is considering legal action against the rail operator.
"The pollution, which continues to contaminate the area around East Palestine, created a nuisance, damage to natural resources and caused environmental harm," Yost said in a letter to the company.
The state's Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday that the latest tests show water from five wells supplying the village's drinking water are free from contaminants. But the EPA also is recommending testing for private water wells because they are closer to the surface.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources estimates the spill affected more than seven miles (11.2 kilometers) of streams and killed some 3,500 fish, mostly small ones such as minnows and darters.
There hadn't been any confirmed deaths of other wildlife, including livestock, state officials said.
Norfolk Southern announced Tuesday that it is creating a $1 million fund to help the community of some 4,700 people while continuing remediation work, including removing spilled contaminants from the ground and streams and monitoring air quality.
It also will expand how many residents can be reimbursed for their evacuation costs, covering the entire village and surrounding area.
"We will be judged by our actions," Norfolk Southern President and CEO Alan Shaw said in a statement. "We are cleaning up the site in an environmentally responsible way, reimbursing residents affected by the derailment, and working with members of the community to identify what is needed to help East Palestine recover and thrive."
No one was injured when about 50 cars derailed in a fiery, mangled mess on the outskirts of East Palestine on Feb. 3. As fears grew about a potential explosion, officials seeking to avoid an uncontrolled blast had the area evacuated and opted to release and burn toxic vinyl chloride from five rail cars, sending flames and black smoke billowing into the sky again.
A mechanical issue with a rail car axle is suspected to be the cause of the derailment, and the National Transportation Safety Board said it has video appearing to show a wheel bearing overheating just beforehand. The NTSB said it expects its preliminary report in about two weeks.
Misinformation and exaggerations spread online, and state and federal officials have repeatedly offered assurances that air monitoring hasn't detected any remaining concerns. Even low levels of contaminants that aren't considered hazardous can create lingering odors or symptoms such as headaches, Ohio's health director said Tuesday.
Precautions also are being taken to ensure contaminants that reached the Ohio River don't make it into drinking water.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2023-02-16T08:05:52+00:00 | iowapublicradio.org | https://www.iowapublicradio.org/news-from-npr/2023-02-16/upset-ohio-town-residents-seek-answers-over-train-derailment |
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Vietnam's economy slowed sharply in the first quarter of this year, with growth coming in at a much weaker than expected 3.3%, as its exporters were hit by rising costs and weaker demand, the General Statistics Office reported Wednesday.
The slowdown in the January-March quarter from 5.9% year-on-year growth in the last quarter of 2022 was nearly as severe as that during the beginning of the pandemic and the second lowest for the first quarter in 12 years, it said.
Vietnam has been one of the most dynamic economies in Asia in recent years, buoyed by strong foreign investment in manufacturing of electronics and other light industries. But efforts to slow economies to fight stubbornly high inflation are denting demand for consumer goods and other products.
The vital manufacturing and construction sectors grew just 0.4% from a year earlier amid a severe downturn in the property sector.
“The primary risk facing Vietnam's growth is the worsening real estate sector crunch that is triggering an episode of defaults,” Theng Theng Tan of Oxford Economics said in a report. “An ongoing crackdown on corruption has also deterred investors and caused disruptions in investment approvals.”
The report said total trade, including both imports and exports, fell 13%.
In 2022, the Vietnamese economy grew at an 8% pace as the country recovered from restrictions on travel and disruptions to trade from the pandemic. Inflation remained relatively moderate, at 2.6% excluding volatile food and energy costs.
Estimates for growth this year have been lowered sharply, to roughly half last year's robust pace. Tourism is one bright spot in the economy, though, after the country opened its borders wider late last year. | 2023-03-29T06:37:16+00:00 | sfgate.com | https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/vietnam-economy-slows-on-rising-costs-weaker-17865922.php |
How to Watch the Tigers vs. Phillies Game: Streaming & TV Channel Info for June 7
The Philadelphia Phillies and Detroit Tigers will meet on Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park, at 6:05 PM ET, with Nicholas Castellanos and Zach McKinstry among those expected to produce at the plate.
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Tigers vs. Phillies Live Stream, TV Channel and Game Info:
- Date: Wednesday, June 7, 2023
- Time: 6:05 PM ET
- TV Channel: NBCS-PH
- Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Venue: Citizens Bank Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
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Read More About This Game
Tigers Batting & Pitching Performance
- The Tigers rank 27th in Major League Baseball with just 48 home runs as a team.
- Detroit ranks last in the majors with a .343 team slugging percentage.
- The Tigers have a team batting average of just .221 this season, which ranks 28th among MLB teams.
- Detroit is among the lowest scoring teams in baseball, ranking last with just 210 total runs (3.6 per game) this season.
- The Tigers have an OBP of just .298 this season, which ranks 28th in MLB.
- The Tigers rank 20th in MLB in strikeouts per game with an average of 9.2 whiffs per contest.
- Detroit strikes out 8.2 batters per nine innings as a pitching staff, 25th in MLB.
- Detroit has pitched to a 4.45 ERA this season, which ranks 20th in baseball.
- The Tigers have a combined WHIP of just 1.253 as a pitching staff, which is the eighth-best in baseball this season.
Tigers Probable Starting Pitcher
- The Tigers will send Reese Olson to the mound for his second start of the season.
- The right-hander last pitched on Saturday against the Chicago White Sox, throwing five innings and giving up two earned runs.
Tigers Schedule
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | 2023-06-07T18:22:58+00:00 | wnem.com | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/06/07/tigers-vs-phillies-mlb-live-stream-tv/ |
FORT MYERS, Fla. — Earlier this week, Chris Sale told the Herald that other than his own family, Pedro Martinez is probably his biggest fan in the Red Sox organization.
The Hall of Famer agrees, but explains that it goes deeper than that; he also sees them as kindred spirits, even twin flames.
“Every time I see him, I see myself,” Martinez says.
Anyone who’s seen the 6’6″ Florida lefty and 5’11” Dominican righty discussing a bullpen session may have some questions.
“I came to Boston pretty much with the same hype and same kind of expectations,” he explains, “I was also skinny.” Classic Pedro quip.
Famed Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda was among those who thought Martinez was too small to be an MLB starting pitcher, and relegated him to the bullpen in the early years of his big-league career.
“I can totally relate to everything that goes on with [Sale]. From the moment he got here, the competitor he was. I knew about him, though,” Martinez said. “He was no stranger to anybody about what he was doing and what he intended to do when he got to Boston. And he actually did it really well. And we got a championship with him, and he’s just a warrior out there. That’s exactly who I was. So everything he does, and the way he approaches the game is very common to the way I used to be.”
Sale came to Boston in a blockbuster trade with the White Sox. Between 2010-16, he threw 1,111 innings with a 3.00 ERA, 1.065 WHIP, and the ability to limit home runs (2.5%) and walks (5.8%) while putting up towering strikeout numbers (27.9%). Opposing batters hit .224/.280/.352 against him during his South Side days. In 2012, he began a streak of seven consecutive All-Star seasons that stretched into his first two seasons with the Red Sox.
Martinez arrived in Boston in 1998, the reigning National League Cy Young with the gone-but-not-forgotten Montreal Expos. 1997 had been his second consecutive (and second career) All-Star season, and he’d led MLB with a minuscule 1.90 ERA and 0.932 WHIP, plus 13 complete games; nowadays, a pitcher getting through one complete game in a season is something to write home about.
By the end of the 2000 season, Martinez would have two more Cy Young Awards. He came close to four in a row; in his first season in Boston, he finished runner-up to Roger Clemens, who’d left the Red Sox for the Blue Jays two years prior.
Sale also finished as the AL Cy Young runner-up in his first Red Sox season. After leading MLB with a 2.45 FIP, 214 1/3 innings, and a career-high 308 strikeouts, his first (and thus far only) 300-strikeout season, he came in second to one of his new teammates this year, Corey Kluber.
Watching Sale pitch, “It’s like I’m watching myself in another body frame and in another person,” Pedro says, “But the attitude on the mound, the way he approaches the game, how aggressive and intimidating he is, is pretty much how I used to be.”
But he acknowledges one key difference, too, “I was never very very very vocal out here where the media would probably find out, but inside the clubhouse I was, I was someone that took pride in keeping everybody together, keeping everybody as a unity, and Chris Sale does that as good as anybody in baseball.”
Leadership comes in many forms. Down 4-0 in the seventh inning of Game 4 of the 2018 World Series, footage of Sale screaming and swearing in the dugout went viral on social media. “That kind of lit a fire under everybody, we didn’t wanna see him mad anymore,” Brock Holt said after the Red Sox came back to win the game.
The four seasons since that championship haven’t been kind to Sale. After he signed a five-year, $145 million extension (with a vesting option for 2025) with the Red Sox before Opening Day in 2019, he’s made 36 starts for a grand total of 195 2/3 innings. All but 48 1/3 of those frames were before his April 2020 Tommy John surgery.
Though the southpaw returned to the mound in August 2021, his career has since been derailed several times more, first by a rib stress fracture that pushed his 2022 debut to July, then a fractured pinky in the first inning of his second start, and finally, a broken wrist that ended his season before he could return. This is his first “normal” spring training since 2019.
“He got hurt, I’ve been there. He’s had success. I’ve been there,” Martinez said.
Martinez never had Tommy John, a common surgery in today’s game, but he understands what it feels like to be a competitor whose body won’t let him compete. During the 1999 postseason, Martinez’s strained back injury and incredible emergency relief appearance were a focal point of Boston’s latest attempt to reverse The Curse. The hip, calf, and hamstring injuries that plagued his Mets and Phillies tenures began occurring when he was about Sale’s age (he turns 34 in March).
Chris Sale is Pedro Martinez’s guy, and vice versa.
Set the last few seasons to the side for a minute and consider what a powerful duo they are: one of the orchestrators of the greatest comebacks in sports history, and a pitcher currently attempting to mount a comeback of his own. Jedi Master and Padawan is a fitting descriptor for the pitcher who once wore a Yoda mask in the Fenway dugout.
“I’ll tell you, I absolutely love him dearly,” Martinez says. “Like he says, I’m a big fan. He’s not wrong when he says I’m probably his biggest fan here, because I am, and I’m not ashamed to say that I’m a fan of someone. But if that someone is going to be like Chris Sale, I’m extremely proud to be his fan.”
There’s something Martinez wants fans to understand, too.
“I can relate to his struggles,” he reiterates, “Physically, mentally, I can totally relate to everything else. I just hope that many more people will probably stop to think about him as a human being.” | 2023-02-24T11:59:02+00:00 | bostonherald.com | https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/02/24/red-sox-notebook-pedro-martinez-brayan-bello-spring-training/ |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Fifth-year Verena Zaisberger of the West Virginia University rifle team has been named to the 2022-23 Academic All-America Division I Women’s At-Large First Team, announced by College Sports Communicators (CSC) on Wednesday.
Zaisberger is the seventh Mountaineer in program history to be named to the CSC Academic All-America First Team. She is the second shooter to earn the honor in back-to-back seasons, with Elizabeth Gratz the last to do so in 2017 and 2018.
With Zaisberger’s honor, West Virginia has now seen 12 different shooters earn 25 total CSC, formerly CoSIDA, Academic All-America honors since 1984. Nineteen of those honors have come under Head Coach Jon Hammond’s leadership.
A native of Hohenems, Austria, Zaisberger is one of 10 student-athletes on this year’s Division I First Team to earn a 4.0-grade point average (GPA).
She has filled the record book academically during her career, earning the Dr. Gerald Lage Academic Achievement Award from the Big 12 Conference, a two-time recipient of the NCAA Elite 90 Award, a multiple Academic All-Big 12 and Great American Rifle Conference’s (GARC) Scholar-Athlete Team selection.
Zaisberger received her bachelor’s degree in music and French in May of 2022 and was awarded the 2022 Dr. Prentice Gautt Postgraduate Scholarship from the Big 12. She is currently enrolled in the Master of Sport Management program.
On the range, Zaisberger owns six All-America honors from the Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association (CRCA) and has been named to the All-GARC Teams 10 times during her five seasons at West Virginia. | 2023-06-22T18:33:48+00:00 | wboy.com | https://www.wboy.com/goldandbluenation/zaisberger-selected-to-academic-all-america-first-team/ |
The tourism minister of Israel’s new hardline government on Sunday promised to invest in developing the West Bank, calling the occupied area “our local Tuscany.”
Haim Katz made the comments days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new government took office, promising in its coalition guidelines to make West Bank settlement construction a top priority. His coalition includes far-right settler leaders in top posts.
Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war and has built dozens of settlements that are now home to roughly 500,000 Israelis.
The Palestinians claim the entire area as part of a future independent state and consider the settlements illegal — a position that is widely shared by the international community. Israel’s commitment to deepening its control of the West Bank has threatened to put it on a collision course with some of its closest allies.
At a ceremony Sunday, Katz said he would channel resources to promote tourism in the West Bank. “We will invest in areas that may not have received sufficient support to date,” he said. “For example, our local Tuscany in Judea and Samaria,” he added, using the biblical term for the West Bank favored by religious and right-wing Israelis.
The West Bank settler community has developed a small tourism sector that includes hotels, bed and breakfasts and wineries. Israel considers these industries to be part of the country’s broader tourism sector, while international human rights groups have said they deepen control of occupied territory.
Airbnb in 2018 said it would bar listings in the Israeli settlements, but it quickly backed down under heavy Israeli pressure. Last year, Booking.com said it was adding warnings to its listings there.
On Friday, the U.N. General Assembly asked the U.N.’s highest judicial body to give its opinion on the legality of Israeli policies in the occupied West Bank.
Netanyahu called the resolution “disgraceful” and said Israel is not obligated to cooperate with the International Court of Justice. | 2023-01-01T19:13:30+00:00 | kfor.com | https://kfor.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-new-israeli-government-vows-to-develop-west-bank-tourism/ |
U.S. safety regulators are investigating possible electrical problems in older Dodge Journeys after a woman was trapped and died when her SUV caught fire in December.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it's investigating whether inoperative door locks and windows can prevent people from getting out of the SUVs during an emergency.
Documents posted Friday on the agency's website say the probe covers more than 82,000 Journeys from the 2009 model year. The investigation was opened after the woman's death on Dec. 9.
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A complaint filed with the agency says the woman pulled to the side of a road when warning lights started flashing, windshield wipers came on, the horn started honking, windows wouldn't go down and the doors wouldn't unlock. The complaint alleged that fire apparently started in the engine and spread, trapping the woman inside.
“The driver was unable to exit the vehicle, resulting in her death,” the agency wrote in documents.
Stellantis, which makes Dodge vehicles, offered sympathy to the woman's family and said it is cooperating with NHTSA.
Agency documents don't say where the fire happened, but the Wisconsin State Journal reported in January that 73-year-old Mary Frahm died when her Journey caught fire Dec. 9 near Madison.
Frahm had called her fiance and told him she pulled to the side of the road after the Journey started having electrical problems. Later she called back and said smoke was coming from the dashboard and she could smell burning, the newspaper said. She called 911, but by the time first responders had arrived, flames had engulfed the SUV, the newspaper reported.
In 2009, Chrysler LLC recalled about 17,000 Journeys because an unused electrical connector could corrode and short circuit, potentially causing a fire, according to NHTSA documents.
The Journey owner’s manual says the doors can be unlocked manually by pulling up a plunger on the top of the door trim panel.
Michael Brooks, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, says drivers should try to pull up the plunger first to escape if their vehicle's electrical system malfunctions.
Beyond that, escape is difficult because many windows now have plastic laminated between two layers of glass and are difficult to shatter. He suggests keeping a metal tool in the car and becoming familiar with which windows are tempered glass and can be shattered with the tool.
Laminated glass, he said, helps to prevent people from being thrown from cars in a crash.
He said there's a need to standardize a way to unlock doors or somehow escape from all cars. | 2023-05-05T18:42:27+00:00 | nbcchicago.com | https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/feds-probe-2009-dodge-journeys-after-woman-was-trapped-in-flaming-suv/3135024/ |
A 15-year-old boy from Chicago drowned in a pond at a campground in Wisconsin Tuesday.
The teen went under the water around 5:40 p.m. at a swimming pond at the Smokey Hollow Campground in Lodi, about 20 miles northwest of Madison, the Columbia County sheriff’s office said in a statement.
A dive team found the teen about 50 minutes later. He was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead.
The Columbia County medical examiner’s office has not released the teen’s name. | 2022-07-20T20:58:12+00:00 | nbcchicago.com | https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-teen-drowns-at-wisconsin-campground/2886795/ |
Tonight's weather conditions in Waterloo: Watching a potential winter storm. Snow in the evening will give way to lingering snow showers overnight. Low 29F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 100%. Snow accumulating 3 to 5 inches. It might be a good day to stay inside, with temperatures barely hitting 32 though it will feel much colder at . Tomorrow's forecasted low temperature is 18 degrees. Thursday, there is a 46% chance of rain in the forecast. Check the radar before you head outside, and don't forget an umbrella. Waterloo could see periods of brisk winds tomorrow, with forecast models showing 18 mph wind conditions coming up from northwest. This report is created automatically with weather data provided by TownNews.com. Visit wcfcourier.com for more weather updates.
Jan. 18, 2023 evening weather update for Waterloo and Cedar Falls
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It will be a cold day in Waterloo, with temperatures in the 30s. The forecast calls for it to be a bitter 38 degrees. We'll see a low temperat…
This evening's outlook for Waterloo: Rain showers in the evening will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low 38F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 …
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Waterloo people should be prepared for temperatures just above freezing. It looks like it will be a nippy 36 degrees. Today's forecasted low t…
Waterloo's evening forecast: Partly cloudy. Low around 15F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Saturday, Waterloo people should be prepared for tempera…
The forecast is calling for cold temperatures in Waterloo Sunday. The forecast calls for it to be a nippy 42 degrees. 38 degrees is today's lo…
Waterloo temperatures will reach the 50's today. It looks to reach a cool 51 degrees. We'll see a low temperature of 33 degrees today. Scatter…
It might be a good day to stay inside, with temperatures barely hitting 28. 15 degrees is today's low. Today's conditions are expected to be c… | 2023-01-18T22:17:45+00:00 | wcfcourier.com | https://wcfcourier.com/weather/jan-18-2023-evening-weather-update-for-waterloo-and-cedar-falls/article_0d747b41-6b7e-5df5-af42-48af30398d04.html |
OAKLAND, Calif., May 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Clorox Company (NYSE: CLX) announced today that it will be presenting at three investor conferences next month. Chief Executive Officer Linda Rendle and Chief Financial Officer Kevin Jacobsen will be featured speakers during these events at the following times:
2022 RBC Capital Markets Global Consumer & Retail Conference, Boston
June 1, 11:20-11:50 a.m. ET
Bernstein 38th Annual Strategic Decisions Conference, New York
June 2, 1:30-2:20 p.m. ET
dbAccess Global Consumer Conference 2022, Paris
June 15, 11:15-11:55 a.m. Central European Summer Time (5:15-5:55 a.m. ET)
Live webcasts of these fireside chats can be accessed on the company's website. Replays will be posted there following the events.
The Clorox Company
The Clorox Company (NYSE: CLX) is a leading multinational manufacturer and marketer of consumer and professional products with about 9,000 employees worldwide and fiscal year 2021 sales of $7.3 billion. Clorox markets some of the most trusted and recognized consumer brand names, including its namesake bleach and cleaning products; Pine-Sol® cleaners; Liquid-Plumr® clog removers; Poett® home care products; Fresh Step® cat litter; Glad® bags and wraps; Kingsford® grilling products; Hidden Valley® dressings and sauces; Brita® water-filtration products; Burt's Bees® natural personal care products; and RenewLife®, Rainbow Light®, Natural Vitality CALM™, and NeoCell® vitamins, minerals and supplements. The company also markets industry-leading products and technologies for professional customers, including those sold under the CloroxPro™ and Clorox Healthcare® brand names. More than 80% of the company's sales are generated from brands that hold the No. 1 or No. 2 market share positions in their categories.
Clorox is a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. The company has been broadly recognized for its corporate responsibility efforts, included on the Barron's 2022 100 Most Sustainable Companies list, 2022 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, the Human Rights Campaign's 2022 Corporate Equality Index and the 2021 Parity.org Best Places for Women to Advance list, among others. In support of its communities, The Clorox Company and its foundations contributed about $20 million in combined cash grants, product donations and cause marketing in fiscal year 2021. For more information, visit TheCloroxCompany.com and follow the company on Twitter at @CloroxCo.
CLX-F
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SOURCE The Clorox Company | 2022-05-12T23:46:06+00:00 | kcbd.com | https://www.kcbd.com/prnewswire/2022/05/12/clorox-present-upcoming-rbc-bernstein-deutsche-bank-investor-conferences/ |
BEIJING (AP) — Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin will visit Beijing next week for talks, China’s Foreign Ministry said Friday, marking the latest exchange in a relationship in which Russia is becoming increasingly reliant on China for economic and diplomatic support.
“During the visit, the two sides will have an in-depth exchange of views on practical cooperation in bilateral relations and issues of common concern,” ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a daily briefing.
“We look forward to further strengthening cooperation between the two sides, deepening people-to-people and local exchanges (and) injecting strong momentum into the recovery of the world economy,” Wang added.
Mishustin’s visit is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.
Meanwhile, China’s Deputy Permanent U.N. Representative Geng Shuang again criticized Western arms sales to Ukraine, saying it would only lead to escalation, more civilian casualties and displacement, and make it harder to obtain a ceasefire and start peace negotiations.
China says it does not and will not provide arms to either side in the Ukraine conflict, a point Geng reiterated at a Security Council meeting Thursday.
“The constant feeding of weapons to the battlefield will … also pose serious challenges to post-war reconstruction and, if such weapons are diverted to terrorists or armed groups, likely cause new turmoil in a wider geographic area,” Geng was cited as saying on the U.N.’s website.
“All parties should promote a political settlement with sincerity and urgency and create conditions conducive to a ceasefire,” Geng added.
China says it is a neutral party and wants to help broker an end to the 15-month-old conflict, but has refused to criticize the invasion and blamed the West for provoking Moscow.
China is now seen as the senior partner in the relationship, helping Moscow deflect condemnation at the United Nations and maintaining what it calls “normal trade” with Russia, providing a market for Russian oil and other resources and selling the country needed manufactured goods.
At the same time, Beijing is making inroads into what has traditionally been Russia’s strategic backyard, this week hosting a summit of five former Soviet Central Asian republics.
China’s special envoy met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other government officials during talks in Kyiv earlier this week. The visit followed a phone call last month between the Ukrainian leader and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping that Zelenskyy described as “long and meaningful” and which marked the first known contact between the two since the Russian invasion began.
Beijing released a peace plan in February but Ukraine’s allies largely dismissed it, insisting that Russian President Vladimir Putin must withdraw his forces. Zelenskyy’s own 10-point peace plan includes a tribunal to prosecute war crimes committed by Russia. | 2023-05-19T20:13:31+00:00 | wjhl.com | https://www.wjhl.com/news/international/ap-russian-pm-to-visit-beijing-as-china-renews-criticism-of-western-arms-sales-to-ukraine/ |
GLAMIS, Calif. (KSWB) – Five Marines were killed after an aircraft based at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton crashed Wednesday near Glamis in Imperial County, California, a Marine Corps official said.
The crash happened around 12:25 p.m., First Lt. Duane Kampa said. The aircraft was a MV-22B Osprey with Marine Aircraft Group 39 and belongs to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
“We mourn the loss of our Marines in this tragic mishap. Our hearts go out to their families and friends as they cope with this tragedy,” said Maj. Gen. Bradford J. Gering, commanding general of 3rd MAW.
The aviation mishap happened during a training mission in Glamis, east of San Diego County. The cause of the crash is still under investigation and crews have also begun equipment recovery operations, 1st Lt. Kampa said.
The identities of the five service members killed have not yet been released, pending notification of next of kin.
Nexstar’s KSWB spoke with military aviation expert and crash investigator Richard Martindell, who says Ospreys do seem to have higher crash rates.
“Looking at the Air Force statistics for the Osprey, they’re running about a 6.0 per hundred thousand hours accident rate, which is high. Most transport aircraft run around under 2.0, so that’s three times the transport aircraft number,” Martindell said.
Martindell, a retired U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, says the sand dunes in Glamis stir up dust that “causes problems for the pilot on landing and on takeoff.”
“If they’re saying near Glamis, that means they’re not near the airport. It’s out — there’s a training area out in the area of Glamis where they train a lot. What they were doing out there, whether they were in transit or if they were trying to make a pick up or delivery, what they call an in-fill or ex-fill, then that could be part of it too,” Martindell said. | 2022-06-10T02:32:10+00:00 | wate.com | https://www.wate.com/news/5-marines-killed-in-california-aircraft-crash/ |
STOCKHOLM, Oct. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Skanska has signed a contract with the Metropolitan Transport Authority to replace escalators in subway stations in New York, New York, USA. The contract is worth USD 113M, about SEK 1.1 billion, which will be included in the US order bookings for the third quarter 2022.
Skanska will replace a total of 17 escalators in six subway stations throughout the city, including Lexington Ave/59th Street station, South Ferry/Whitehall Street station, 145th Street station, 5th Ave/53rd Street Station, Smith-9th Street Station, and 59th Street Station. The project also includes associated repair work and upgrades to those stations.
Construction began August 2022 and expected completion is August 2026.
For further information please contact:
Maritza Ferreira, VP Communications, Skanska USA, tel +1 (678) 492 20 03
Jacob Birkeland, Head of Media Relations and Public Affairs, Skanska AB, tel +46 (0)10 449 19 57
Direct line for media, tel +46 (0)10 448 88 99
This and previous releases can also be found at www.skanska.com.
This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com
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SOURCE Skanska | 2022-10-06T07:39:27+00:00 | wbrc.com | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2022/10/06/skanska-replace-escalators-subway-stations-new-york-usa-usd-113m-about-sek-11-billion/ |
BLOOMINGTON, Minn., Dec. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Greenspring Media, publisher of Midwest Home magazine, recognized the best of the best in design for the home and commercial industries at the Midwest Home Design Awards Gala, bestowing 177 awards to 60 different companies at a black-tie event at the Radisson Blu – Mall of America on Friday, December 2, 2022.
James McNeal Architecture & Design (JMAD) and Rehkamp Larson Architects, both based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, earned the most first place awards with five each, and Sustainable Nine Design + Build, also based in Minneapolis, received the highest total number of individual awards with 10. The Best in Show honor—awarded to the project that received the highest average score across all categories from the panel of judges—was bestowed on Alexander Design Group Inc. for its, "Coastal Bay" project, which was also recognized as the first-place winner in Lakeside Home.
More than 480 entries were evaluated across 61 categories from 82 companies, honoring first, second, and third places in each category. An independent panel of judges evaluated the entries, and the 10 judges were drawn from national media, respected academic institutions, and private practices. Their expertise reflects a broad spectrum of related professions, including architecture, building, remodeling, interior design, and landscape design. The judges were:
- Katelyn Bloomquist, editor of Midwest Home
- Kyoungmee Byun, Northern State University
- Raúl Rodríguez García, REX Architecture
- Kevin Hart, Kevin Hart Associates
- André Hilton, JORDANHILTON Interiors
- Jenna LeBlanc, Jenna Sue Designs
- Amy Nelson, editor of Minnesota Monthly (former editor of Spaces)
- Jonathan Rachman, Jonathan Rachman Design
- Breanna Robles, Studio Zewde
- Nahal Sohbati, Topophyla Landscape Design
An elite group of industry-leading companies helped Greenspring Media bring the 2022 Midwest Home Design Awards to life: Vetter Stone, ABC Arrow Building Center, Manomin Resawn Timbers, and Phantom Screens. All winners will be featured in the January/February issue of Midwest Home magazine and through an omni-channel marketing campaign across Greenspring Media's print and digital mediums and in-person events. Additional information is available at MidwestHome.com/DesignAwards.
Greenspring Media is a 57-year-old multi-platform communications company specializing in the creation and distribution of lifestyle content that connects readers and viewers to advertisers and marketing partners. Greenspring Media publishes over 50 publications, including Minnesota Monthly, Midwest Home, Meetings + Events, and Group Tour Magazines; a full service suite of digital services including Google Display and Programmatic Advertising, Paid Social Media Advertising, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Website Remarketing, Video and OTT Advertising.
Media Contact
Arthur Morrissey
Midwest Home & Greenspring Media
amorrissey@greenspring.com
O: 612-371-5811
C: 612-310-8972
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SOURCE Greenspring Media | 2022-12-03T04:37:06+00:00 | wlox.com | https://www.wlox.com/prnewswire/2022/12/03/greenspring-media-announces-winners-second-annual-midwest-home-design-awards/ |
Knights’ net remains in flux after winning Stanley Cup
The last month of Adin Hill’s life — from his iconic stick save in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final to the Larry Johnson UNLV jersey he wore at the Golden Knights’ championship parade — will forever make him a Las Vegas sports legend.
What the 27-year-old and the team have to decide is whether that story will continue to be written.
Hill is an unrestricted free agent after a career-best stretch that saw him prove his playoff mettle against three of the NHL’s top seven offenses in Edmonton, Dallas and Florida. So is the man he replaced during the postseason in Laurent Brossoit and his backup in Jonathan Quick.
How the Knights — who still have Logan Thompson and Robin Lehner under contract — address the position this summer could define their chase for a second crown. They dealt with inconsistency in the crease all season. It’s up to them to build another group with enough depth to carry them all the way.
“You have to have a good stable of goaltenders,” president of hockey operations George McPhee said. “It’s really hard to rely on one guy. I think that model is, it’s changed over the last five or six years. The tandem approach is probably the best way to go.”
‘Unprecedented’ year
General manager Kelly McCrimmon called the Knights’ experience with goaltending last season “unprecedented.”
They started a franchise-record five netminders. That total doesn’t even include Lehner, who missed the entire year after undergoing one shoulder and two hip surgeries. His readiness remains unclear. McCrimmon did say any potential talk of Lehner retiring is “premature.”
The Knights, despite the revolving door in net, were never held back by the position. Thompson was named an All-Star as a rookie. Brossoit was outstanding down the stretch. Quick went 5-2-2 after costing only a seventh-round pick and goaltender Michael Hutchinson to acquire, and even rookie Jiri Patera earned two wins when called upon.
All were helped by coach Bruce Cassidy’s defensive system. He refers to it as “goaltender friendly” because it’s supposed to limit opportunities in the slot and allow shots from predictable places. The Knights had a .911 team save percentage in their first year using it, the seventh-best mark in the NHL. The league average was .899.
“I just think it’s a system that shouldn’t be highly stressful night after night after night with high-danger chances,” Cassidy said. “It doesn’t always work out that way, but that’s how it’s designed to be. We happen to have the right defensemen to play it as well. We’re very fortunate they mix well with it.”
That scheme — and having arguably the best blue line in the NHL to execute it — poses an interesting question for the Knights. Is it worth breaking the bank on a goaltender when they’ve shown they can succeed with different players?
It likely means the Knights have a limit in contract talks, even for Hill. They have about $79.25 million in cap commitments to 11 forwards, seven defensemen and two goalies already. That gives the team about $4.25 million to play with in discussions with Hill and other free agents like left wings Ivan Barbashev (unrestricted) and Brett Howden (restricted).
The Knights would gain an additional $5 million in flexibility if it’s determined Lehner will begin the season on long-term injured reserve again.
The reigning No. 1
The first thing the team will need to figure out is what kind of offer Hill, who is coming off a two-year, $4.35 million deal, is willing to accept.
He may never have more leverage than he does now coming off a championship. He could use that to cash in, or he could find a compromise that keeps him in an enviable environment.
There are reasons for both sides to reunite.
From Hill’s side, he said multiple times during the playoffs he’s never had as much fun playing hockey. He could also begin to put down roots somewhere after playing for three organizations in the last three seasons.
Hill would know he’d be set up to succeed as well. Not just because of the players in front of him, but because fellow Calgary native Thompson would be under contract to help share the workload. Hill has never made more than 25 starts in a season. He needs to be somewhere with a reliable second option.
The Knights have their own reasons to try to meet him halfway. There may not be a better fit on the market.
Hill stood out for a number of reasons when the team identified options in August in the wake of Lehner’s injuries. The Knights did an analytic study that showed Hill’s strengths and weaknesses would pair well with Cassidy’s system. Goaltending coach Sean Burke also gave a strong recommendation because his son played with Hill in junior hockey.
The Knights decided to send a fourth-round pick to the rival San Jose Sharks, and the rest is history. Hill went 11-5 in his first playoff run and led all starters with a .932 save percentage. He finished third in the Conn Smythe Trophy voting for playoff MVP.
His performance, which McCrimmon called “unbelievable,” was even more impressive considering he missed the last month of the regular season with a lower-body injury.
Other options
The Knights will need to act fast if they can’t come to an agreement with Hill.
Thompson at least gives them one solid half of a tandem. The 26-year-old was 21-13-3 with a .915 save percentage last season and has two years left on his deal. He only made two appearances after the All-Star Game due to lower-body injuries, but Cassidy said Thompson is expected to be 100 percent for training camp.
Brossoit, 30, could be an easy fallback plan as Thompson’s partner. His .927 save percentage in 11 games ranked third in the NHL among goaltenders with at least five starts. His main question mark is health.
Brossoit has never played more than 24 games in a season. He spent most of last year in the minors recovering from a summer hip surgery, then suffered two separate lower-body injuries upon returning to the NHL in February.
The first caused him to miss a month. The second, which came in Game 3 of the second round against Edmonton on May 8, knocked him out for the rest of the playoffs. McCrimmon said Brossoit was close to ready when the season ended.
Quick, 37, may be an option if the Knights want an experienced mentor for Thompson. He is one of the best American goaltenders ever and is one of 21 netminders in NHL history with three Stanley Cups. It’s just a matter of what Quick has left in the tank. His .901 save percentage and 3.13 goals-against average post-trade were the worst on the Knights.
Quick’s agent George Bazos said his client plans to play next season. He said Quick loved his time with the Knights, but it’s a “wait and see” situation in terms of a possible return with the team sorting out its goaltending options.
Other pending free agents include Carolina’s Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta, Los Angeles’ Joonas Korpisalo, the New York Islanders’ Semyon Varlamov, Ottawa’s Cam Talbot and Pittsburgh’s Tristan Jarry. There are potential trade candidates as well like Anaheim’s John Gibson and Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck.
Price will be a primary concern for the Knights heading into the start of free agency July 1. They can’t commit too many resources in net when the infrastructure around their goaltenders is what helped them win a championship. They also can’t leave themselves too vulnerable at one of hockey’s most critical positions.
“The most important thing is you have a team that plays well in front of these guys and protects them and gives them a chance to be good goalies,” McPhee said. “That’s really what matters, and this team did that.”
Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.
Golden Knights goaltenders
(Cap hit)
Under contract
— Robin Lehner ($5 million)
— Logan Thompson ($766,667)
Unrestricted free agents
— Laurent Brossoit ($2.325 million last year)
— Adin Hill ($2.175 million last year)
— Jonathan Quick ($5.8 million last year)
Restricted free agent
— Jiri Patera ($800,000 last year)
Notable free-agent goaltenders
(Last year’s cap hit)
— Frederik Andersen, Carolina ($4.5 million)
— Tristan Jarry, Pittsburgh ($3.5 million)
— Joonas Korpisalo, Los Angeles ($1.3 million)
— Antti Raanta, Carolina ($2 million)
— Cam Talbot, Ottawa ($3.67 million)
— Semyon Varlamov, New York Islanders ($5 million) | 2023-06-24T15:02:30+00:00 | reviewjournal.com | https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/goldenknights/knights-net-remains-in-flux-after-winning-stanley-cup-2799229/ |
Rep. Mary Miller is expected to win the Republican nomination in Illinois’ 15th Congressional district, NBC News projects, with incumbent Rep. Rodney Davis offering his concession in the race.
Miller, who won the endorsement of former President Donald Trump and the support of presumptive Republican gubernatorial nominee Darren Bailey, will likely be headed back to Congress after defeating Davis in a primary matchup between two sitting members of the legislature.
In a statement, Davis congratulated Miller and Trump on the triumph, and said he will work with Republicans to try to retake the House this November.
“It’s been the honor of a lifetime to serve the people of Illinois,” he said. “I’m proud of the work our team has done for our constituents since 2013. Helping citizens cut through red tape and navigate the federal bureaucracy has always been one of my top priorities.”
Miller found herself facing intense scrutiny after she called the Supreme Court’s reversal of the Roe v. Wade decision a “victory for white life” during a rally with Trump over the weekend.
“President Trump, on behalf of all MAGA patriots in America, I want to thank you for the historic victory for white life in the Supreme Court yesterday,” she said.
Miller spokesman Isaiah Wartman said that it was a “mix-up of words.”
Local
Miller had previously come under fire in Jan. 2021 after she quoted Adolf Hitler during a speech in Washington.
“Hitler was right on one thing: he said ‘whoever has the youth has the future,’” she said in the clip, published by WCIA-TV.
She later apologized for the remarks after Democrats called for her resignation. | 2022-06-29T02:54:10+00:00 | nbcchicago.com | https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/illinois-primary-election-2022-mary-miller-wins-nomination-in-15th-congressional-district-nbc-news/2868862/ |
Actor in cult favorite ‘American Movie’ dead at 56
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Musician Mike Schank, best known for his good guy role in the award-winning documentary film “American Movie,” has died at age 56, according to a close friend.
Jackie Bogenberger told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Schank had been battling cancer in recent months. He died on Wednesday.
“It spread quickly everywhere throughout his body in a matter of weeks, touching almost everything except his brain,” Bogenberger said. “He did some chemo and radiation. One of the last things Mike said to me was, ‘Hey Jackie, I feel really bad for children who have cancer. They should never have to.’”
“American Movie” won best documentary at the Sundance Film Festival and became a cult favorite over the years. It gave Schank several opportunities, including a role in the 2001 film “Storytelling” and a voice cameo as himself on the animated sitcom “Family Guy.”
The 1999 documentary chronicles the making of the short horror film “Coven” by independent filmmaker Mark Borchardt. Schank was Borchardt’s best friend, helped him film “Coven,” and was a prominent part of the movie, including composing its music.
Schank’s quiet humor and his honesty about his struggles with alcoholism and gambling addiction made him a fan favorite. Among Schank’s most memorable moments in “American Movie” was a bloodcurdling scream he recorded for “Coven.”
Bogenberger said that throughout his battles with addiction and cancer, Schank remained “one of the most kind and selfless human beings this earth was ever blessed with.”
Friends, family members and others paid tribute on Twitter.
“Lord of the Rings” star Elijah Wood called Schank a “legend,” adding “Mike Schank forever.” Comedian Patton Oswalt tweeted a simple “RIP.” Rainn Wilson, best known for playing Dwight Schrute on “The Office,” tweeted, “This is sad. LOVED this wonderful human.”
Schank’s best friend Borchardt simply tweeted: “Stay strong forever, Mike...”
In August, Schank announced on Twitter that he was 27 years sober.
Roughly three months before Schank’s announcement, he began to tell friends and family that he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, according to Bogenberger.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2022-10-17T16:27:30+00:00 | mysuncoast.com | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/10/17/actor-cult-favorite-american-movie-dead-56/ |
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The Biden administration said Monday that Iran’s sale of lethal drones to Russia for use in its ongoing invasion of Ukraine means the country may be “contributing to widespread war crimes.”
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan leveled the charge against Iran on Monday as he spoke to reporters accompanying President Joe Biden on a trip to Mexico. While it did not signal a policy shift, the charge marked some of the sharpest U.S. rhetoric against Iran since it began providing weapons to Russia to support its nearly year-long war in Ukraine. It comes as the U.S. and European partners are looking to further ostracize both nations in the court of public opinion, as they face challenges with physically stopping the transfers of weapons on which Russia is increasingly reliant.
Sullivan said Iran had chosen “to go down a road where their weapons are being used to kill civilians in Ukraine and to try to plunge cities into cold and darkness, which from our point of view, puts Iran in a place where it could potentially be contributing to widespread war crimes.”
Sullivan pointed to European and U.S. sanctions on Iran put in place after the U.S. exposed Iran’s weapons sales to Russia last year as examples of how they are trying to “make these transactions more difficult.” But he acknowledged that “the way that they are actually carrying them out physically makes physical interdiction a challenge.”
___
Miller reported from Washington. | 2023-01-09T19:43:32+00:00 | nwahomepage.com | https://www.nwahomepage.com/news/politics/ap-us-says-iran-may-be-contributing-to-war-crimes-in-ukraine/ |
FLINT TWP, MI – Communities First, Inc. will purchase and redevelop Baker College’s closed Flint Township campus location with a $4 million grant from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
The property will be turned into a mixed-use space for social service organizations, businesses, vocational and technical training and housing units, according to a news release from the foundation.
Formerly Baker College’s Flint Township campus, the property stretches more than 40 acres along West Bristol Road.
Multiple buildings, including dorms, classrooms, a library and offices, are still on the property. It has been vacant since 2020 when Baker College closed the location.
“This site represents an important investment in our community,” said Glenn Wilson, president and CEO of Communities First. “We plan to locate resources and opportunities there that will empower people to reach their personal and professional goals.”
Ridgway White, president and CEO of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, said this grant will help turn a liability in the community into an asset.
“The former Baker College campus has tremendous potential for providing enhanced social and educational services, as well as additional safe and affordable housing opportunities,” White said.
The redevelopment of vacant buildings is important to the revitalization of Genesee County, Wilson said in the release.
Wilson did not immediately respond to a request for comment by MLive-The Flint Journal on Thursday.
Baker College closed in Flint in August 2020 and moved its local operations to its site in Owosso.
It closed as a part of its consolidation plan, where multiple Detroit-area schools also closed to be combined into one location.
Read more at The Flint Journal:
Baker College president talks Flint-area campus closure, consolidation
First of ‘revolutionary’ new cancer treatment tech coming to McLaren Flint
Parks and recreation funding, school millages on Aug. 2 ballot in Genesee County | 2022-07-21T20:28:40+00:00 | mlive.com | https://www.mlive.com/news/flint/2022/07/communities-first-will-purchase-baker-college-campus-property-with-4m-grant.html |
Philly’s MLK Day of Service will focus on gun violence prevention
More than 50 years after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, Philadelphia will honor his memory and legacy with a day of service, with a special focus on combatting gun violence.
The 28th annual MLK event will feature volunteers assembling kits designed to help victims of gun violence, according to Todd Bernstein who heads up the King Day of Service.
The kits will “include tourniquets and other materials that will actually allow treatment to be given onsite after a victim suffers gun violence,” he said.
The event began in 1994 after then-U.S. Senator Harris Wofford of Pennsylvania called for King’s birthday to be commemorated with a day “on” instead of a day “off.”
The event has grown over the years, with thousands coming out to do community service projects. As he announced details of this year’s commemoration, Bernstein reminded those in attendance both in person and virtually that Dr. King himself was a victim of gun violence in 1968. 55 years later, gun violence has claimed hundreds of lives in Philadelphia.
Kent Julye lost his son to gun violence on the Fourth of July. He called for everyone to join together to fight the epidemic.
“Everyone gathered for the day of service should remember their collective stories, should remember their brothers and sisters and sons and grandsons who have been murdered,” Julye said. “We need to do better.”
Karen Asper Jordan of the Cecil B. Moore Freedom Fighters says there needs to be a united effort to stop the violence in the country.
“A lot of these killings. It’s not senseless. There’s a reason for children to act the way they act because people failed them, to be perfectly honest,” she said. “Every part of the government, city, state, federal, parents, me, and you. We’ve all failed our children somewhere along the line.”
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney echoed the frustration in fighting the war on guns and encouraged all to join the effort.
“Reducing the pervasive gun violence impacting our city is our top priority as an administration. I share the frustration that we all feel in search of difficult solutions,” Kenney said. “We must harness all the resources we have, government, law enforcement, grassroots, anti-violence organizations, communities of faith, social services. In short, we need everybody.”
Following the announcement, Mayor Kenney and Bernstein presented the 25th annual Harris Wofford Active Citizenship Award to Scott Charles, trauma outreach manager for Temple University Hospital in recognition of his support for gun violence victims and their families.
Charles was surprised to receive the award. “I am somebody who has had the luxury and the misfortune of working on the front lines of this issue for almost 20 years,” he said. “I can admit that it’s hard to do this sometimes.”
He said focusing on gun violence prevention is a great way to honor Dr. King. “This is a very tough challenge that we have in front of us, and nothing reminds us more of this fact than we are honoring a man who is at the forefront of humanity who lost his life to gun violence.”
The rally for peace and justice will be held on the Girard College campus at noon on January 16th, and the Philadelphia Orchestra will have a free concert at 3, with tickets available online at the orchestra’s website.
Get daily updates from WHYY News!
WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today. | 2023-01-04T22:29:01+00:00 | whyy.org | https://whyy.org/articles/mlk-day-of-service-gun-violence-prevention/ |
MADRID (AP) —
Spain said Wednesday it’s enacting a new ethics code to discourage toy manufacturers from using sexist stereotypes such as dolls for girls and action figures for boys in advertisements as the Christmas season kicks off.
A government statement said the new “self-regulatory” code urges companies to run adverts that engender an image of pluralism and equality, free from stereotypes.
“The characterization of girls with sexual connotations will be prohibited and the exclusive association of toys with roles such as caring, domestic work or beauty with them (girls), and action, physical activity or technology with boys will be avoided,” the statement said.
The idea is that companies will no longer use colors such as blue or pink to indicate products intended for boys or girls, the government said.
The code follows an agreement between the Consumer Affairs Ministry, toy manufacturers and publicity companies in April.
The code, which updates another from 2005, goes into effect Thursday. It’s directed at advertising geared toward children under 15 and especially kids under seven.
Other European countries have similar codes. | 2022-11-30T20:29:39+00:00 | texomashomepage.com | https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/business/ap-spain-starts-new-code-to-avoid-sexism-in-ads-for-kids-toys/ |
- Of the 86% interested in serving cultivated meat or poultry, 22% of chefs indicated they are "very interested"
- 84% of chefs would consider replacing traditional meat with cultivated meat or poultry on their menus, if pricing were similar
- 77% of chefs would be willing to pay a premium for cultivated meats and poultry due to its benefits, most importantly food safety and environmental friendliness – in fact, two thirds of chefs are willing to pay an 11-15% markup
- Chefs are most interested in trying cultivated poultry compared to other meat at 51%, followed by cultivated beef at 38%
TEL AVIV, Israel, Oct. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SuperMeat, a foodtech company working to supply the world with high-quality cultivated meat, today reveals a survey of chefs across America, spanning fine dining to fast food, showing sentiment on the emerging cultivated meat industry and their candid thoughts on serving it on restaurant menus. Results show consumers are becoming more conscious of the impact of their dietary choices and chefs are interested in the benefits and appeal of cultivated meat options, even if it means paying more. As cultivated meat nears the market, these results signify that the premiere foodservice professionals across the country are prepared and awaiting the opportunity to try it for themselves.
"It is great to see the interest and positivity from the professional culinary community for cultivated meat. This demonstrates that chefs are more than intrigued by cultivated meat, understand the benefits, and are ready to see it served in mainstream dining," says Ido Savir, CEO of SuperMeat. "SuperMeat is thrilled to continue our work to commercialize cultivated meat products and be among the first to bring these options to menus across the US."
Reflective of US dining habits, the type of cultivated meat chefs are most interested in trying is poultry with 51% indicating they would be interested in tasting it, while the remaining choices of beef, exotic meats, seafood and pork were pretty evenly split from 38% to 35%.
There were, however, some notable differences in meat preferences based on region and type of restaurant:
- While most regions had similar opinions, chefs from the South were vastly different with beef and exotic meats being tied as the top choice at 44%, and poultry being selected by only 26% of chefs
- Pork was the top choice for fine dining chefs at 52%, whereas poultry was by far the highest choice for those working in fast food at 62%
- Those who cook mainly American cuisine also heavily favored poultry (64%), while those focused on Italian cuisine leaned toward seafood (56%), with chefs in Japanese, French and Indian cuisines favoring exotic meats
Concern for the environment and animal wellness, health and dietary restrictions and other lifestyle choices have all contributed to higher interest in meat alternatives on menus. In fact, 65% of chefs have seen increased demand in the last five years – in particular, 87% of restaurants in the Midwest and 82% of fast-food establishments noted the rise in consumer interest for meat alternatives.
- 86% of chefs who cook mainly Japanese cuisine saw an increase in demand for alternative meat compared with only 48% of Italian cuisine chefs
- Today, 60% use plant-based ingredients to create their own alternative options, and 45% use existing/off-the-shelf plant-based meat alternatives
- If it were an option, 80% would consider cultivated meat in place of meat alternatives on their menu
Chefs have a lot to consider when choosing menu items including taste, cost, customer demand and more – and these major factors determine if and why they would incorporate cultivated meat into their menus. Food safety was cited as chefs' top motivator for serving cultivated meat, with more than half indicating it was important (51%). Other key factors are environmental benefits and customer demand. Motivators differed significantly based on type of establishment as well, fine dining chefs pointed to environmental benefits as a top motivator (52%), followed by control of taste and texture (48%), whereas those working in fast food establishments were more concerned about food safety (60%).
Understanding the multiple benefits of cultivated meat, 77% of chefs are willing to pay a premium to include it on their menu, with two-thirds of chefs saying they'd be willing to pay between 11-15% more than traditional meat.
- More chefs in the Midwest (87%) than any other region indicated they'd be willing to pay a premium of some kind for cultivated meat options
- Meanwhile, chefs in the West were the most willing to pay a high-ticket premium – with 16% saying they would pay 16-20% more; only 6% of chefs nationally indicated they'd be willing to pay this high of a markup
- Chefs cooking Mediterranean were overwhelmingly (83%) willing to pay a premium of 11-15%, whereas chefs cooking Italian and Mexican cuisine largely considered a lower premium of 5-10%
- Two-thirds of chefs surveyed pointed to high cost as the greatest potential deterrent to trying cultivated meat
- When it came to motivating factors for purchasing cultivated meat, chefs in French and Japanese cuisines pointed to product quality and flavor and customer demand as top reasons, while chefs cooking Italian cuisine were most motivated by environmental benefits and animal welfare. The majority of other cuisines selected health benefits as the top motivator
Most chefs indicated they would be early adopters once cultivated meat became available, with more than half (52%) saying they would be willing to add cultivated meat and poultry to their menu one to two months after it became available. Chefs in the West and Northeast are likely to add cultivated meat much more quickly with 23% and 21% respectively saying they would include it on their menu immediately after it became available, while chefs from the South were much more hesitant with more than half (51%) saying they would wait three to six months.
Chefs are optimistic that cultivated meat will become fully integrated into mainstream hospitality culture and restaurants relatively soon, with 79% believing it will happen in less than one year – indicating diners and consumers alike are eager for the commercialization of cultivated meat.
For more information, visit www.SuperMeat.com.
SuperMeat, headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel, is a food-tech company working to supply the world with high-quality meat grown directly from animal cells. The company's products offer a delicious meat experience and a high-quality nutritional profile, while being manufactured in a sustainable, slaughter-free way. SuperMeat's proprietary cultivated meat platform allows food companies to be at the forefront of the emerging cultivated meat industry and manufacture a wide range of products containing cultivated meat inside. SuperMeat is the first B2B company to address the entire category of poultry meat from fat to muscle, providing a complete solution to cultivated meat production. The company has been showcasing the versatility of its meat platform in various events at its pilot production plant, The Chicken, the world's first farm-to-fork facility for local meat production, and is planning to host additional events in the near future.
The research was conducted by Censuswide, an independent market research consultancy. The survey took place online with 251 Chefs and/or food-service professionals in the US between 07.09.2022 - 20.09.2022. Censuswide abide by and employ members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles and are members of the British Polling Council.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE SuperMeat | 2022-10-19T13:59:15+00:00 | kcrg.com | https://www.kcrg.com/prnewswire/2022/10/19/industry-first-survey-supermeat-american-chefs-reveals-86-are-interested-serving-cultivated-meat-most-are-willing-pay-premiums-first-taste/ |
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Abortion will remain legal in Wyoming while a lawsuit that contests a ban on the procedure in nearly all cases moves ahead, a judge ruled Wednesday.
The lawsuit will likely succeed because the ban appears to violate the state constitution and is vague, Teton County District Judge Melissa Owens, in Jackson, wrote in granting the preliminary injunction.
In the meantime, the abortion ban would likely harm pregnant women, such as those with serious complications, and their doctors, who would risk prosecution by giving abortions in an attempt to help, Owens wrote.
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon, a Republican, signed Wyoming’s abortion “trigger” ban into law in March. The law was written to take effect if the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision, which happened June 24.
The new Wyoming law would ban abortion except in cases of rape or incest or to protect the mother’s life or health, not including psychological condition. Those who violate the ban would be charged with a felony punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
The ban took effect July 27. But within hours Owens granted a temporary restraining order suspending the law, finding it would harm pregnant women and their doctors. Her latest ruling keeps the law suspended after the restraining order expired Wednesday.
With both rulings, Owens sided with four women, including two obstetricians, and two nonprofits, including a planned Casper women’s health care and abortion clinic that was firebombed in May, who sued to contest the law.
The ruling is an “important victory for abortion access,” Julie Burkhart, founder of the Wellspring Health Access clinic, said in a statement.
“While we are heartened by today’s outcome, we know the fight to keep abortion legal in Wyoming is far from over,” Burkhart said.
Wyoming will continue to defend the law in court, Gordon spokesman Michael Pearlman said by email Wednesday.
Areas where the ban appears to violate the Wyoming constitution include a 2012 amendment guaranteeing the right to make one’s own health care decisions, Owens wrote.
Voters passed the amendment amid resistance to the federal Affordable Care Act, which sought to expand health insurance coverage and lower health care costs nationwide. The amendment had nothing to do with abortion, Wyoming special assistant attorney general Jay Jerde said in a hearing in the case Tuesday.
“It’s just not within the facts that were kicking around at the time,” Jerde said in court.
A judge can’t assume that voters didn’t understand the full effect of the constitutional amendment, Owens wrote in keeping the abortion law suspended.
The abortion ban also appears to violate the state constitution by discriminating against women, she wrote.
___
Follow Mead Gruver at https://twitter.com/meadgruver | 2022-08-10T23:30:00+00:00 | kfor.com | https://kfor.com/news/national/ap-us-news/abortion-to-remain-legal-in-wyoming-while-lawsuit-proceeds/ |
Georgia special grand jury wraps up probe of Trump, allies
ATLANTA (AP) — A special grand jury investigating whether then-President Donald Trump and his allies illegally tried to overturn his defeat in the 2020 election in Georgia appears to be wrapping up its work, but many questions remain.
The investigation is one of several that could result in criminal charges against the former president as he asks voters to return him to the White House in 2024.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who began investigating nearly two years ago, has said she will go where the facts lead. It would be an extraordinary step if she chooses to bring charges against Trump himself.
“Even if he’s acquitted by a jury, for him to face trial and to have a public trial with evidence on the record would be an epic thing for American history,” Georgia State University law professor Clark Cunningham said.
Here’s what we know as the special grand jury appears to be winding down:
WHAT’S THE LATEST?
Over about six months, the grand jurors have considered evidence and heard testimony from dozens of witnesses, including high-profile Trump associates and top state officials. A prosecutor on Willis’ team said during a hearing in November that they had few witnesses left and didn’t anticipate the special grand jury continuing much longer.
The grand jurors are expected to produce a final report with recommendations on potential further action. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney, who’s supervising the panel, will review the report and recommend to the court’s chief judge that the special grand jury be dissolved. The judges of the county Superior Court will then vote on whether to let the special grand jurors go or whether more investigation is necessary.
The special grand jury cannot issue indictments. Willis will decide whether to go to a regular grand jury to pursue criminal charges.
WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION?
For more than a year after opening the investigation, Willis revealed little. But, ironically, once the special grand jury began meeting in June, its proceedings shrouded in mandatory secrecy, hints about where the investigation was headed began to come out.
That’s because whenever Willis wanted to compel the testimony of someone who lives outside Georgia, she had to file paperwork in a public court docket explaining why that person was a “necessary and material witness.” Additionally, anyone fighting a summons had to do so in public court filings and hearings.
In the paperwork Willis filed seeking to compel testimony from some Trump associates, she said she wanted to know about their communications with the Trump campaign and others “involved in the multi-state, coordinated efforts to influence the results of the November 2020 election in Georgia and elsewhere.”
Prominent Trump allies whose testimony was sought included former New York mayor and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and former national security adviser Michael Flynn, as well as John Eastman and other lawyers who participated in Trump’s attempts to stay in power.
“We learned from the identity of the witnesses that this is a far-ranging conspiracy that she’s looking at,” said Norm Eisen, who served as special counsel to the House Judiciary Committee during the first Trump impeachment and co-wrote a Brookings Institution report analyzing the “reported facts and applicable law” in the Fulton County investigation.
HAVE THERE BEEN SETBACKS?
A number of Trump advisers and allies fought Willis’ attempts to bring them in for testimony, but Willis prevailed in most cases.
“I think that augurs well for the pretrial skirmishing to come if she charges,” Eisen said.
Willis had a notable misstep when she hosted a fundraiser for a Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor even as her investigation zeroed in on the state’s fake electors, including Burt Jones, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor. McBurney said that created “a plain — and actual and untenable — conflict” and ruled that Willis could not question or pursue charges against Jones, who won election in November.
WHAT’S BEEN THE FOCUS OF THE INVESTIGATION?
The information that has come out publicly has indicated that Willis was looking at the following:
— Phone calls by Trump and others to Georgia officials in the wake of the 2020 election
— A group of 16 Georgia Republicans who signed a certificate in December 2020 falsely stating that Trump had won the state and that they were the state’s “duly elected and qualified” electors
— False allegations of election fraud made during meetings of state legislators at the Georgia Capitol in December 2020
— The copying of data and software from election equipment in rural Coffee County by a computer forensics team hired by Trump allies
— Alleged attempts to pressure Fulton County elections worker Ruby Freeman into falsely confessing to election fraud
— The abrupt resignation of the U.S. attorney in Atlanta in January 2021
WHAT ABOUT THAT INFAMOUS PHONE CALL?
In a Jan. 2, 2021, phone call between Trump and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, the president suggested that the state’s top elections official, a fellow Republican, could “find” the votes needed to overturn his narrow loss in the state to Democrat Joe Biden.
A month later, Willis sent letters to Raffensperger and other top state officials instructing them to retain records because she was investigating “attempts to influence the administration of the 2020 Georgia General Election.”
Trump told Raffensperger he needed 11,780 votes, one more than Biden won. That was a mistake, Cunningham said, because the specific and transactional nature of that comment makes it hard to say he was just generally urging Raffensperger to look into alleged fraud.
But other legal experts have said prosecutors could struggle to prove criminal intent, which requires showing that actions were taken purposely, knowingly, recklessly or negligently.
WHAT CHARGES MIGHT BE CONSIDERED?
In her February 2021 letters to state leaders, Willis said she was looking into potential crimes that included “solicitation of election fraud, the making of false statements to state and local governmental bodies, conspiracy, racketeering, violation of oath of office and any involvement in violence or threats related to the election’s administration.”
Many believe Willis will pursue charges under the state Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations statute, commonly known as RICO. In a high-profile prosecution when she was an assistant district attorney, she used that law successfully to secure charges against Atlanta educators in a test cheating scandal. She has also used it more recently to target alleged gang activity.
The state RICO law, which is broader than the federal version, requires prosecutors to prove a pattern of criminal activity by an enterprise, which could be a single person or a group of associated individuals. It allows prosecutors to assert involvement in a pattern of criminality without having to prove that each person participated in every act.
Eisen said RICO seems “most commensurate with the nature of the people testifying and the questions that she wanted to ask.”
As the special grand jury was working, Willis informed some people that they were targets of the investigation, including Giuliani and the state’s 16 fake electors. It’s possible others received similar notifications but haven’t disclosed that publicly.
WHAT HAS TRUMP SAID?
The former president has consistently called his phone call with Raffensperger “perfect” and has dismissed the Fulton County investigation as a witch hunt.
Criminal defense attorney Drew Findling, part of Trump’s legal team in Georgia, in August said the focus on Trump “is clearly an erroneous and politically driven persecution.”
Trump allies have also denied any wrongdoing.
Copyright 2022 WANF. All rights reserved. | 2022-12-27T17:18:19+00:00 | atlantanewsfirst.com | https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2022/12/27/georgia-special-grand-jury-wraps-up-probe-trump-allies/ |
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Veteran Chris Tierney scored his first goal of the season in his second game with Florida, and the Panthers scored four times in the second period to beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-1 on Thursday night.
Rookie Matt Kiersted also scored his first goal for the Panthers, who have won seven straight against the Red Wings and 17 of the last 19 meetings. Tierney and Kiersted were recalled this week from Charlotte of the AHL and provided a boost for a team that’s been dealing with injuries and illness.
Eetu Luostarinen, Josh Mahura and Matthew Tkachuk had Florida’s other goals, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 19 saves.
Jonatan Berggren scored for the Red Wings, and Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 36 shots.
The Panthers played at home for the first time in December after a five-game trip out West.
“It was so nice to be able to come back home and play that way in front of our fans,” Tkachuk said. “It was such a complete effort as guys really stepped up. I’m not going to lie, it is not easy going from the road to coming back for this one. It was very important for us to take care of this home ice.”
Tierney scored with 1:55 left in the first period, Luostarinen made it 2-0 1:47 into the second, and Mahura scored 58 seconds later.
Berggren’s goal came at 8:08 of the second to get Detroit within 3-1. Kiersted and Tkachuk scored within a 45-second span for the Panthers later in the period.
“We didn’t give ourselves much of a chance,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said. “Turnovers, lost battles, lost battles at the blue line. We’re a team that prided itself on not giving up much in space. … We retreated. I’m disappointed. It was a really easy night for Florida. Interesting to see how our team responds from this.”
Tierney played his 563rd career game. He spent his first four seasons with San Jose and the next four with Ottawa.
BARKOV RETURNS
The Panthers had their captain back as Aleksander Barkov returned after missing the past two weeks with pneumonia.
Barkov missed the Panthers’ home game against the St. Louis Blues on Nov. 26 as well as the team’s five-game trip.
“He is not just a good player, he is an elite player,’’ Florida coach Paul Maurice said.
NOTES: Panthers center Anton Lundell and goalie Spencer Knight both missed Thursday’s game because of illness. … Florida was also without defenseman Radko Gudas and forward Patric Hornqvist, both of whom remain in concussion protocol after being knocked out of a game at Seattle on Saturday night. The Panthers have since placed Hornqvist on long-term injured reserve. … Detroit was without defenseman Olli Maata (illness) and Jake Walman was a healthy scratch.
UP NEXT
Red Wings: Visit Dallas on Saturday.
Panthers: Visit Tampa Bay on Saturday.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | 2022-12-09T06:09:51+00:00 | wsvn.com | https://wsvn.com/sports/tierney-gets-1st-goal-for-panthers-in-5-1-win-over-red-wings/ |
WOLFFORTH, TX (FOX 44) — The 11th ranked McLennan Highlassies are headed to the semifinals of the Region V Tournament, as they beat Odessa College on Thursday night.
The Highlassies were paced offensively by Saneea Bevley who had a game high 23 points.
With the win, MCC will now take on South Plains on Friday, March 10th at 7:00 pm. | 2023-03-10T05:16:35+00:00 | fox44news.com | https://www.fox44news.com/sports/mcc/no-11-mclennan-wbb-advanced-in-the-region-v-tournament/ |
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