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LIMA, OH (WLIO) - Al Jardine was born in Lima back in 1942 and his dad worked for the Lima Locomotive Works. During his last visit to Lima in 1991, he toured the former plant site, and they named a day after him. The founding member of the Beach Boys says his musical roots can be traced back to his birth city.
“I started early with my ukelele,” says Jardine. “My mom got me a uke, I think there in Lima originally, when I was around 6, 5, 6 years old. I have been playing string instruments ever since that time.”
Jardine hasn’t toured with the Beach Boys for 25 years, but the lineup for the Endless Summer Band he is bringing on his next trip to Lima on August 4th will get you in the mood to get up and dance.
“We have a great great group coming with me,” adds Jardine. "The original Beach Boys band members from the late ’60s, Ed Carter and Bobby Figueroa will be joining me. Debbie Shair from the Heart group, another Wilson group (laughs) is with me on stage playing keyboards and singing and of course, my eldest son Matt Jardine is my Brian Wilson. We have a lot of great singers and players that probably do a better version of the Beach Boys than the Beach Boys themselves.”
If you are ready for some summer fun, you will not be disappointed.
“We are going to hear some serious deep tracks as well as hits,” says Jardine. “You get a real nice sprinkling of everything, I think. We generally start with “California Girls” and work our way through the set we will be doing “Do it Again” possibly. We definitely do “Surfing USA” and “Fun, Fun, Fun” and a lot of interesting things in between.”
If you would like to come out for all the fun with Al Jardine and the Endless Summer Band on August 4th, tickets can be purchased online at the Veterans Civic Center’s website www.limaciviccenter.com, or at their box office 419-224-1552.. Tickets start at $25 for the concert. | https://www.hometownstations.com/news/al-jardine-coming-to-lima-on-august-4th-for-amphitheater-opening-weekend-concert/article_ff35715c-2d85-11ee-bf97-b723e061a6d5.html | 2023-07-29T03:17:15 | 0 | https://www.hometownstations.com/news/al-jardine-coming-to-lima-on-august-4th-for-amphitheater-opening-weekend-concert/article_ff35715c-2d85-11ee-bf97-b723e061a6d5.html |
WASHINGTON (AP) — A freshman Republican congressman from Wisconsin is refusing to apologize after he yelled and cursed at high school-aged Senate pages during a late night tour of the Capitol this week, eliciting a bipartisan rebuke from Senate leaders.
Rep. Derrick Van Orden, speaking in a round of interviews Friday on Wisconsin conservative talk radio, did not refute reports of his actions or back down from what he did.
Van Orden used a profanity to describe the pages as lazy and and another to order them off the floor of the Capitol Rotunda on Wednesday night, according to a report in the online political newsletter PunchBowl News. The pages were laying down to take photos in the Rotunda, according to the publication.
“I’m not going to apologize for making sure that anybody — I don’t care who you are and who you’re related to — defiles this House,” Van Orden said on “The Dan O’Donnell Show.” “It’s not going to happen on my watch, man.”
Van Orden said he was protecting the integrity of the Capitol Rotunda because it served as a field hospital during the Civil War and it’s where presidents have lain in state upon their deaths. He said the young people he confronted were “goofing off” and that Democrats were making it an issue.
“Would this be an issue if those young people did not have political connections?” Van Orden said on “The Jay Weber Show.” “Why do you think this is an issue, pal?”
A former Navy SEAL who was outside of the Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection, Van Orden also appeared to embrace the presence of alcohol in his office the same evening he encountered the pages. Images were posted on social media showing bottles of liquor and beer cans on a desk in his office. Van Orden said on X, the platform previously known as Twitter, that the alcohol was from constituents.
And his spokeswoman Anna Kelly posted: “As the Congressman says, once you cross the threshold to our office, you are in Wisconsin!” She followed that with a beer mug emoji.
Van Orden represents Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District, a GOP-leaning jurisdiction that comprises parts of central, southwestern and western Wisconsin, including moderate exurbs of Minnesota’s Twin Cities.
On Thursday evening, just before the Senate left for its August recess, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., rebuked Van Orden’s behavior and thanked the pages, high school-age students who serve as helpers and messengers around the Senate. Several of the pages were sitting on the Senate floor at the time, smiling and nodding as dozens of senators stood and gave them a standing ovation.
Without mentioning Van Orden by name, Schumer said he was “shocked” to hear about the behavior of a member of the House Republican majority and “further shocked at his refusal to apologize to these young people.” He noted that Thursday was the final day for this class of pages.
“They’re here when we need them,” Schumer said. “And they have served this institution with grace.”
McConnell said he associated himself with Schumer’s words. “Everybody on this side of the aisle feels exactly the same way,” he said.
When asked about McConnell’s rebuke, Van Orden said Friday “I don’t know what it was because I honestly have not tracked any of this stuff.”
Van Orden was elected to Congress in 2022 after a losing bid in 2020. He has insisted that he did not enter the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and on Friday again condemned those who did, calling them “buffoons.” That didn’t stop fellow Wisconsin Rep. Mark Pocan, a Democrat, from invoking the Jan. 6 attack in criticizing Van Orden.
“Wonder if he told that to his fellow insurrectionists, who were beating police officers on the same ground?” Pocan said on X.
Rebecca Cooke, a Democrat who is running to challenge Van Orden in 2024, called him an embarrassment and a hypocrite. She called Van Orden a “serial harasser” and referenced an incident in June 2021 when Van Orden was upset about a display of LGBTQ+ books at a southwestern Wisconsin library and yelled at a teenager who was working there.
“For someone to perhaps drunkenly, and definitely belligerently, yell at these kids for enjoying our nation’s Capitol is just stupid,” Pocan said Friday. “He would be best to say it was stupid and just move on.”
___
EDITORS’ NOTE: An earlier version of this story misidentified the name of “The Dan O’Donnell Show.”
___
Bauer reported from Madison, Wisconsin. | https://www.wfla.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-senate-rebukes-wisconsin-congressman-who-yelled-vulgarities-at-high-school-age-pages/ | 2023-07-29T03:17:14 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-senate-rebukes-wisconsin-congressman-who-yelled-vulgarities-at-high-school-age-pages/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — A top Pentagon official has attacked this week’s widely watched congressional hearing on UFOs, calling the claims “insulting” to employees who are investigating sightings and accusing a key witness of not cooperating with the official U.S. government investigation.
Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick’s letter, published on his personal LinkedIn page and circulated Friday across social media, criticizes much of the testimony from a retired Air Force intelligence officer that energized believers in extraterrestrial life and produced headlines around the world.
Retired Air Force Maj. David Grusch testified Wednesday that the U.S. has concealed what he called a “multi-decade” program to collect and reverse-engineer “UAPs,” or unidentified aerial phenomena, the official government term for UFOs.
Part of what the U.S. has recovered, Grusch testified, were non-human “biologics,” which he said he had not seen but had learned about from “people with direct knowledge of the program.”
A career intelligence officer, Kirkpatrick was named a year ago to lead the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, or AARO, which was intended to centralize investigations into UAPs. The Pentagon and U.S. intelligence agencies have been pushed by Congress in recent years to better investigate reports of devices flying at unusual speeds or trajectories as a national security concern.
Kirkpatrick wrote the letter Thursday and the Defense Department confirmed Friday that he posted it in a personal capacity. Kirkpatrick declined to comment on the letter Friday.
He writes in part, “I cannot let yesterday’s hearing pass without sharing how insulting it was to the officers of the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community who chose to join AARO, many with not unreasonable anxieties about the career risks this would entail.”
“They are truth-seekers, as am I,” Kirkpatrick said. “But you certainly would not get that impression from yesterday’s hearing.”
In a separate statement, Pentagon spokeswoman Sue Gough denied other allegations made by Grusch and other witnesses before a House Oversight subcommittee.
The Pentagon “has no information that any individual has been harmed or killed as a result of providing information” about UFO objects, Gough said. Nor has the Pentagon discovered “any verifiable information to substantiate claims that any programs regarding the possession or reverse-engineering of extraterrestrial materials have existed in the past or exist currently.”
Kirkpatrick wrote, “AARO has yet to find any credible evidence to support the allegations of any reverse engineering program for non-human technology.”
He had briefed reporters in December that the Pentagon was investigating “several hundreds” of new reports following a push to have pilots and others come forward with any sightings.
Kirkpatrick wrote in his letter that allegations of “retaliation, to include physical assault and hints of murder, are extraordinarily serious, which is why law enforcement is a critical member of the AARO team, specifically to address and take swift action should anyone come forward with such claims.”
“Yet, contrary to assertions made in the hearing, the central source of those allegations has refused to speak with AARO,” Kirkpatrick said. He did not explicitly name Grusch, who alleged he faced retaliation and declined to answer when a congressman asked him if anyone had been murdered to hide information about UFOs.
Messages left at a phone number and email address for Grusch were not returned Friday. | https://www.wfla.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-the-ufo-congressional-hearing-was-insulting-to-us-employees-a-top-pentagon-official-says/ | 2023-07-29T03:17:23 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-the-ufo-congressional-hearing-was-insulting-to-us-employees-a-top-pentagon-official-says/ |
Astroworld worker says organizers 'disregarded' A/C, power problem in medical tent: full report
HOUSTON - The Houston Police Department has released their 1,266-page report into the Astroworld tragedy that resulted in the deaths of 10 people in 2021.
In a statement Friday, HPD said their investigation into the deadly incident on Nov. 5, 2021, is complete.
SUGGESTED: Grand jury declines criminal charges for Travis Scott in Astroworld tragedy
"Following the conclusion of grand jury proceedings regarding the Travis Scott Astroworld Concert, the Houston Police Department pledged to publicly release the investigative report detailing HPD’s investigation into the incident," HPD stated.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 05: Travis Scott performs during 2021 Astroworld Festival at NRG Park on November 05, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Erika Goldring/WireImage)
The document includes interviews with witnesses, answers to questionnaires, and investigators’ notes. Police say some information – like dates of birth, social security numbers and addresses – have been redacted in accordance with applicable law and privacy concerns.
"We continue to pray for the victims and families affected by the Astroworld tragedy," HPD said in the statement.
*Click here to read the full report.
Last month, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office said that a grand jury had issued six no-bills in the case, meaning no criminal charges would be filed in the incident. The grand jury declined to indict six people, including Travis Scott. | https://www.fox13news.com/news/astroworld-tragedy-report-houston-police-release-1266-page-document-say-investigation-is-complete | 2023-07-29T03:17:25 | 0 | https://www.fox13news.com/news/astroworld-tragedy-report-houston-police-release-1266-page-document-say-investigation-is-complete |
Police: Crash damages downtown Lexington restaurant
Published: Jul. 28, 2023 at 9:24 PM EDT|Updated: 2 hours ago
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - A car crash in downtown Lexington damaged a Lexington restaurant, according to police.
Police say a crash between two vehicles damaged Taste of Thai, a restaurant located at the corner of Main Street and Limestone.
Police say neither of the drivers of the crash were injured.
The restaurant owners say no patrons were inside at the time, and no employees were injured.
Police say do not release causes of crashes.
They say the investigation is ongoing.
Copyright 2023 WKYT. All rights reserved. | https://www.wkyt.com/2023/07/29/police-crash-damages-downtown-lexington-restaurant/ | 2023-07-29T03:17:25 | 1 | https://www.wkyt.com/2023/07/29/police-crash-damages-downtown-lexington-restaurant/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. on Friday announced $345 million in military aid for Taiwan, in what is the Biden administration’s first major package drawing on America’s own stockpiles to help Taiwan counter China.
The White House’s announcement said the package would include defense, education and training for the Taiwanese. Washington will send man-portable air defense systems, or MANPADS, intelligence and surveillance capabilities, firearms and missiles, according to two U.S. officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters ahead of the announcement.
U.S. lawmakers have been pressuring the Pentagon and White House to speed weapons to Taiwan. The goals are to help it counter China and to deter China from considering attacking, by providing Taipei enough weaponry that it would make the price of invasion too high.
While Chinese diplomats protested the move, Taiwan’s trade office in Washington said the U.S. decision to pull arms and other materiel from its stores provided “an important tool to support Taiwan’s self-defense.” In a statement, it pledged to work with the United States to maintain “peace, stability and the status quo across the Taiwan Strait.”
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense also expressed its appreciation in a statement Saturday morning that thanked “the U.S. for its firm commitment to Taiwan’s security.”
The package is in addition to nearly $19 billion in military sales of F-16s and other major weapons systems that the U.S. has approved for Taiwan. Delivery of those weapons has been hampered by supply chain issues that started during the COVID-19 pandemic and have been exacerbated by the global defense industrial base pressures created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The difference is that this aid is part of a presidential authority approved by Congress last year to draw weapons from current U.S. military stockpiles — so Taiwan will not have to wait for military production and sales. This gets weapons delivered faster than providing funding for new weapons.
The Pentagon has used a similar authority to get billions of dollars worth of munitions to Ukraine.
Taiwan split from China in 1949 amid civil war. Chinese President Xi Jinping maintains China’s right to take over the now self-ruled island, by force if necessary. China has accused the U.S. of turning Taiwan into a “powder keg” through the billions of dollars in weapons sales it has pledged.
The U.S. maintains a “One China” policy under which it does not recognize Taiwan’s as an independent country and has no formal diplomatic relations with the island in deference to Beijing. However, U.S. law requires a credible defense for Taiwan and for the U.S. to treat all threats to the island as matters of “grave concern.”
Getting stockpiles of weapons to Taiwan now, before an attack begins, is one of the lessons the U.S. has learned from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Pentagon deputy defense secretary Kathleen Hicks told The Associated Press earlier this year.
Ukraine “was more of a cold-start approach than the planned approach we have been working on for Taiwan, and we will apply those lessons,” Hicks said. Efforts to resupply Taiwan after a conflict erupted would be complicated because it is an island, she said.
China regularly sends warships and planes across the center line in the Taiwan Strait that provides a buffer between the sides, as well as into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, in an effort to intimidate the island’s 23 million people and wear down its military capabilities.
Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for China’s embassy in Washington, said in a statement Friday that Beijing was “firmly opposed” to U.S. military ties with Taiwan. The U.S. should “stop selling arms to Taiwan” and “stop creating new factors that could lead to tensions in the Taiwan Strait,” Liu said. | https://www.wfla.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-us-to-announce-345-million-military-aid-package-for-taiwan/ | 2023-07-29T03:17:31 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-us-to-announce-345-million-military-aid-package-for-taiwan/ |
Taylor Swift Eras Tour breaks Marshawn Lynch's 'Beast Quake' record for seismic activity at Lumen Field
SEATTLE - Looking back at Taylor Swift’s back-to-back sold-out Eras Tour concerts at Lumen Field, it turns out the Swifties in the stands set off seismic activity as they cheered for the "Shake It Off" pop star.
Jackie Caplan-Auerbach, a seismologist and geology professor at Western Washington University, measured a 2.3 magnitude "Swift-quake" using a seismometer located near Lumen Field, rivaling the infamous "Beast Quake" in 2011.
The Beast Quake was a seismic event that occurred at Lumen Field in 2011 when the Seattle Seahawk's Marshawn Lynch scored a touchdown during a playoff game. The crowd's celebration shook the ground at the stadium enough to register on seismometers.
Caplan-Auerbach says Taylor Swift fans have given the former NFL running back a run for his money.
However, she noted that despite the ground shaking during the Taylor Swift concert, the event was technically not an earthquake.
Now, Caplan-Auerbach is quick to point out that the seismic data from the Beast Quake and Swift Quake may not be a fair comparison. She says that there is a chance that the ground-shaking activity from the Swifties could have been caused by the sound system, while the Beast Quake was likely caused solely by the Seahawk fans.
Looking at the data, the seismologist points out that the largest sounds are in the range of 1-3 hertz, meaning that energy was pushed into the ground at 1.03 times per second. Her guess is that this was caused by fans dancing in the crowd rather than the actual music.
She looked at data from a seismometer for the two dates Swift performed at Lumen Field and discovered that the line registering seismic activity for those dates was virtually identical, which confirmed the shaking was coming from the concerts.
When asked how much the Swift concerts shook the ground compared to the Beast Quake of 2011, Caplan-Auerbach noted a significant difference.
"It shook the ground twice as strong as the original Beast Quake," she said. "So, that was fun to see, that this event was really, really quite an energetic event from a seismic perspective."
You can submit your own findings from the Eras Tour concerts to Caplan-Auerbach here.
Part of this seismic activity is largely influenced by the type of ground upon which Seattle rests. According to Caplan-Auerbach, the geology of the area is a landfill, describing it as soft and soupy. Because of this, ground shaking, such as those caused by raucous fans at a music concert or football game, is amplified. | https://www.fox13news.com/news/fans-set-off-2-3-magnitude-quake-during-taylor-swifts-tour-stop-in-seattle | 2023-07-29T03:17:31 | 0 | https://www.fox13news.com/news/fans-set-off-2-3-magnitude-quake-during-taylor-swifts-tour-stop-in-seattle |
Moffitt Cancer Center expands telehealth services
TAMPA, Fla. - We all know someone or know of someone who is battling cancer. The treatments aren’t only draining on the body, but also on the mind and wallet.
Now, Moffitt Cancer Center is expanding their telehealth program, so they can take away some of the burden on their patients.
"If they can stay home when they’re comfortable and not take off work or ask for a ride, that’s one less thing to worry about," said Moffitt’s Department of Health Outcomes and Behavior Assistant Member Laura Oswald.
When someone is battling any type of cancer, time and comfort is everything. Moffitt Cancer Center knows that. They see patients from all around the world, which can mean high costs and lost family time for their patients.
"It can really be challenging, because it’s not just a one time visit to the cancer center," explains Oswald.
That’s why they are expanding their telehealth services. They are focusing on remote monitoring devices, like a remote stethoscope, to keep track of their patient’s health. The data goes directly to their phone and right to their doctor.
"We can train patients to use them themselves, and then they don’t have to come to a clinic to have someone take their blood pressure," Oswald says. "Your doctors want to know everything they can about what you’re experiencing."
HEALTH: Vaccines could be next big advance in cancer treatment
They’re using it most for pre-op appointments which are typically short and crucial. They are also focusing on the blind spot between appointments when their patients are receiving treatment and may have side effects.
"We can keep an eye on people and make sure if something’s going on, we can try to catch it early and prevent it from getting worse," Oswald said.
Moffitt hopes expanding the services will give time back to the patient as they work to beat a deadly disease.
"If we can get in a little bit earlier based on patient data, we can hopefully improve outcomes in the longterm," Oswald said.
Moffitt Cancer Center said the patient has to give permission to access the data. If anyone is interested in being part of this initiative they should ask their doctor. | https://www.fox13news.com/news/moffitt-cancer-center-expands-telehealth-services | 2023-07-29T03:17:38 | 1 | https://www.fox13news.com/news/moffitt-cancer-center-expands-telehealth-services |
Former President Donald Trump has been indicted on three additional charges in a case that accuses him of illegally possessing classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate, allegations that add fresh detail to the criminal case initially issued last month.
Here’s a look at the charges, the special counsel’s investigation and how Trump’s case differs from those of other politicians known to be in possession of classified documents:
WHAT ARE THE NEW CHARGES?
There are three new charges against Trump, as well as a new defendant in the case.
Prosecutors accuse the former president of trying to “alter, destroy, mutilate, or conceal evidence,” and of inducing another person to do so. They say Trump asked a staffer — Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira — to delete camera footage at his Florida estate in an effort to obstruct the federal investigation into his possession of classified documents.
Prosecutors allege that De Oliveira schemed with Trump and his valet, Walt Nauta, to conceal the footage from investigators.
A third count also accuses Trump of willfully retaining national defense information related to a presentation about military activity in another country.
Investigators say Trump showed a classified document during July 2021 meeting at his Bedminster, New Jersey, resort to the writer and publisher of the memoir of his former chief of staff Mark Meadows. Details about that document and the meeting were included in the original indictment, but none of the charges had related to it until now.
Trump had returned that document to the government on Jan. 17, 2022 — nearly a year after he left office, according to the indictment.
Trump was indicted last month on 37 counts related to the mishandling of classified documents. The charges include counts of retaining classified information, obstructing justice and making false statements, among other crimes.
Trump is accused of keeping documents related to “nuclear weaponry in the United States” and the “nuclear capabilities of a foreign country,” along with documents from White House intelligence briefings, including some that detail the military capabilities of the U.S. and other countries, according to the indictment. Prosecutors alleged Trump showed off the documents to people who did not have security clearances to review them and later tried to conceal documents from his own lawyers as they sought to comply with federal demands to find and return documents.
The top charges carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
After leaving office in 2021, the former president showed someone working for his political action committee a map that detailed a military operation in a foreign country, prosecutors allege in the document. On another occasion that year, Trump showed a writer, a publisher and two of his staffers — none of whom had security clearances — a military plan of attack.
HOW IS TRUMP REACTING?
A Trump campaign statement dismissed the new charges as “nothing more than a continued desperate and flailing attempt” by the Biden administration “to harass President Trump and those around him” and to influence the 2024 presidential race.
In an interview Thursday night with Breitbart News, Trump called the superseding indictment “harassment,” repeating his insistence that his activities were “protected by the Presidential Records Act.”
On Friday, Trump and a dozen other Republicans seeking the 2024 presidential nomination were expected at an Iowa GOP event.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
De Oliveira is due in court in Florida on Monday.
Both Trump and Nauta have pleaded not guilty to the original 38-count indictment.
Their trial is currently scheduled for May 20, 2024 — deep into the presidential nominating calendar, and probably well after the Republican nominee is known — and it was unclear if the addition of a new defendant could result in a postponement.
Prosecutors, who had wanted the case to go to trial in December, wrote in a separate court filing Thursday that the new charges “should not disturb” the May trial date, “and the Special Counsel’s Office is taking steps related to discovery and security clearances to ensure that it does not do so.”
Trump’s lawyers have claimed that he can’t get a fair trial before the 2024 election.
HOW DID THIS CASE COME ABOUT?
Officials with the National Archives and Records Administration contacted representatives for Trump in spring 2021 when they realized that important material from his time in office was missing.
According to the Presidential Records Act, White House documents are considered property of the U.S. government and must be preserved.
A Trump representative told the National Archives in December 2021 that presidential records had been found at Mar-a-Lago. In January 2022, the National Archives retrieved 15 boxes of documents from Trump’s Florida home, later telling Justice Department officials that they contained “a lot” of classified material.
That May, the FBI and Justice Department issued a subpoena for remaining classified documents in Trump’s possession. Investigators who went to visit the property weeks later to collect the records were given roughly three dozen documents and a sworn statement from Trump’s lawyers attesting that the requested information had been returned.
But that assertion turned out to be false. With a search warrant, federal officials returned to Mar-a-Lago in August 2022 and seized more than 33 boxes and containers totaling 11,000 documents from a storage room and an office, including 100 classified documents.
In all, roughly 300 documents with classification markings — including some at the top secret level — have been recovered from Trump since he left office in January 2021.
HOW DID A SPECIAL COUNSEL GET INVOLVED?
Last year, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland picked Jack Smith, a veteran war crimes prosecutor with a background in public corruption probes, to lead investigations into the presence of classified documents at Trump’s Florida estate, as well as key aspects of a separate probe involving the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and efforts to undo the 2020 election.
Smith’s appointment was a recognition by Garland of the politics involved in an investigation into a former president and current White House candidate. Garland himself was selected by Democratic President Joe Biden, whom Trump is seeking to challenge for the White House in 2024.
Special counsels are appointed in cases in which the Justice Department perceives itself as having a conflict or where it’s deemed to be in the public interest to have someone outside the government come in and take responsibility for a matter.
According to the Code of Federal Regulations, a special counsel must have “a reputation for integrity and impartial decision making,” as well as “an informed understanding of the criminal law and Department of Justice policies.”
DIDN’T BIDEN AND FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE HAVE CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS, TOO?
Yes, but the circumstances of their cases are vastly different from those involving Trump.
After classified documents were found at Biden’s think tank and Pence’s Indiana home, their lawyers notified authorities and quickly arranged for them to be handed over. They also authorized other searches by federal authorities to search for additional documents.
There is no indication either was aware of the existence of the records before they were found, and no evidence has so far emerged that Biden or Pence sought to conceal the discoveries. That’s important because the Justice Department historically looks for willfulness in deciding whether to bring criminal charges.
A special counsel was appointed earlier this year to probe how classified materials ended up at Biden’s Delaware home and former office. But even if the Justice Department were to find Biden’s case prosecutable on the evidence, its Office of Legal Counsel has concluded that a president is immune from prosecution during his time in office.
As for Pence, the Justice Department informed his legal team this month that it would not be pursuing criminal charges against him over his handling of the documents.
DOES A FEDERAL INDICTMENT PREVENT TRUMP FROM RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT?
No. Neither the indictment itself nor a conviction would prevent Trump from running for or winning the presidency in 2024.
And, as his indictment earlier this year in a New York hush-money case showed, criminal charges have historically been a boon to his fundraising. The campaign announced that it had raised over $4 million in the 24 hours after that indictment became public, smashing its previous record after the FBI search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club.
___
Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP | https://www.wfla.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-with-trump-newly-indicted-heres-what-to-know-about-the-documents-case-and-whats-next/ | 2023-07-29T03:17:37 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-with-trump-newly-indicted-heres-what-to-know-about-the-documents-case-and-whats-next/ |
BATH TOWNSHIP, OH (WLIO) - Many career fields are struggling for new hires, so the Bath Township Fire Department is starting a new hands-on approach to the problem.
Bath Township residents or students enrolled in Bath Local Schools ages 14 to 20 are invited to apply to the department's Exploring program, where they will meet once a month through the school year to tour the facilities, work alongside professionals, and get practical experience with the tools of firefighting and EMS related fields.
The idea came from Bath Township firefighter/paramedic Bryan Cox, who chose to become a first responder after completing the program himself.
"The reason why I got into it was the gratification of helping people. That's what we want to put back out there. It's a great career to get into, just kind of show them like they did in the past. They'll be learning basic firefighting tactics and EMS tactics like basic set of vitals for EMS and say, forcible entry and stretching out hose line for the fire side," Cox said.
To learn more about the Exploring program, contact Alexandra Patterson at (567)-208-5392 or alex.patterson@scouting.org.
You can also visit the Bath Township Fire Department's table at National Night Out at the Allen County Fairgrounds on Tuesday, August 1. | https://www.hometownstations.com/news/allen_county/bath-township-fire-department-offering-hands-on-training-program-to-introduce-young-people-to-the/article_5a52ddd8-2d93-11ee-8834-e33e692bd943.html | 2023-07-29T03:17:42 | 1 | https://www.hometownstations.com/news/allen_county/bath-township-fire-department-offering-hands-on-training-program-to-introduce-young-people-to-the/article_5a52ddd8-2d93-11ee-8834-e33e692bd943.html |
LIMA, OH (WLIO) - Area Democrats, elected Democratic officials, and Democratic political candidates came together Friday evening at the Allen County Fairgrounds for the Allen County Democratic Party picnic.
The picnic drew large crowds of area democrats together to have a community meal with fun activities such as karaoke, a silent auction, a cake wheel, and a photo booth. The picnic also served to connect area democrats with political candidates, such as Tamie Wilson for US Congress and Dylan Gross for the Ohio House, to hear their ideas on what they want to bring once possibly elected. Additionally, 11 District State Senator Paula Hicks-Hudson was Friday evening's guest speaker and discussed what her vision of the Democratic Party entails.
"I also talked about the fact that the Democratic Party is a party of hope and about the future and what we can do to make Ohio competitive with other states and make it a place where folks want to live, where they want to have their children raised, and where you can just have opportunities," explained Senator Paula Hicks-Hudson, (D-OH), Ohio Senate District 11.
With the August 8th election coming up, Senator Hicks-Hudson also talked with area democrats about the prospects of Issue one.
"There's an election coming up on August the Eighth, and this is an election that's going to deal with the constitution for the State of Ohio, and that for people not to be fooled by these ads because it's really about the people's voices being able to be heard... one voice, one vote, one voice... and unfortunately, that this constitutional amendment would change that where the majority rule would no longer be in the law that instead minority rule would be the law for the state of Ohio, and that's not what we should be about," Senator Hicks-Hudson elaborated.
For more information and events with the Allen County Democratic Party, visit allenohdems.org. | https://www.hometownstations.com/news/area-democrats-gather-for-the-allen-county-democratic-party-picnic/article_4c60b2f6-2daf-11ee-8106-a7dca4120837.html | 2023-07-29T03:17:43 | 1 | https://www.hometownstations.com/news/area-democrats-gather-for-the-allen-county-democratic-party-picnic/article_4c60b2f6-2daf-11ee-8106-a7dca4120837.html |
LIMA, OH (WLIO) - Starting June 9th, the library organized weekly story time activities as part of its summer reading program to promote lifelong learning among kids of all ages. The theme for this summer was "All Together Now." Over the last few months, it has taught the kids the importance of treating everyone nicely and fairly, despite differences while motivating them to be good community members.
"So, the theme for today is 'We're Different, but All the Same.' We're going to read a book called We're Different, But All the Same (by Bobbi Kates and Joe Mathieu) to highlight kind of how we may be different and unique, but we're all the same, and we can all get along together. We're going to be reading some books about pizza today and how all the different toppings might be different and how we all like different things on our pizza but how they're all delicious, and how we can all enjoy them," explained Kaylee Allen, Youth Services Librarian.
The Lima Public Library will host an End of Summer Bash at its Cairo Branch on Monday from 2–4 pm to celebrate the end of Summer Reading with shaved ice, games, and activities. Admission is free for everyone! | https://www.hometownstations.com/news/children-aged-five-and-below-participated-in-their-last-story-time-session-of-the-summer/article_f44d86a0-2d88-11ee-a86e-fb35276b5d57.html | 2023-07-29T03:17:43 | 1 | https://www.hometownstations.com/news/children-aged-five-and-below-participated-in-their-last-story-time-session-of-the-summer/article_f44d86a0-2d88-11ee-a86e-fb35276b5d57.html |
LIMA, OH (WLIO) - Many are driving to get their tickets in the hopes of winning the Mega Millions jackpot.
The jackpot is now closing in at 1 billion dollars. As of Friday, it is currently estimated to be currently at 910 million dollars. Lima residents are traveling around their usual got to lottery stores in order to purchase that one ticket, that they hope, will change their life. Fat Jacks Pizza says that they have seen an increase of customers purchasing a ticket before Friday's drawing.
“We see a definite increase in business, any time any of these games gets to a really high jackpot." said Julie Lieurance, Fat Jacks Pizza Manager. "We have customers that come in that have never played before, and also our customers that play everyday.”
The drawing will occur tonight's (Friday, 7/28/23) at 11 PM. | https://www.hometownstations.com/news/mega-millions-jackpot-causing-lima-residents-to-purchase-their-ticket-before-fridays-drawing/article_6b8dc54a-2d7f-11ee-8def-ef98bdf6ead5.html | 2023-07-29T03:17:43 | 0 | https://www.hometownstations.com/news/mega-millions-jackpot-causing-lima-residents-to-purchase-their-ticket-before-fridays-drawing/article_6b8dc54a-2d7f-11ee-8def-ef98bdf6ead5.html |
US to send Taiwan $345 million military aid package
WASHINGTON - The U.S. on Friday announced $345 million in military aid for Taiwan, in what is the Biden administration's first major package drawing on America's own stockpiles to help Taiwan counter China.
The White House's announcement said the package would include defense, education and training for the Taiwanese. Washington will send man-portable air defense systems, or MANPADS, intelligence and surveillance capabilities, firearms and missiles, according to two U.S. officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters ahead of the announcement.
U.S. lawmakers have been pressuring the Pentagon and White House to speed weapons to Taiwan. The goals are to help it counter China and to deter China from considering attacking, by providing Taipei enough weaponry that it would make the price of invasion too high.
While Chinese diplomats protested the move, Taiwan's trade office in Washington said the U.S. decision to pull arms and other materiel from its stores provided "an important tool to support Taiwan's self-defense." In a statement, it pledged to work with the United States to maintain "peace, stability and the status quo across the Taiwan Strait."
FILE - Armed vehicles launch smoke during the annual Han Guang anti-landing drill at Bali beach, New Taipei City on July 27, 2023. (Sam Yeh / AFP) (Photo by SAM YEH/AFP via Getty Images)
The package is in addition to nearly $19 billion in military sales of F-16s and other major weapons systems that the U.S. has approved for Taiwan. Delivery of those weapons has been hampered by supply chain issues that started during the COVID-19 pandemic and have been exacerbated by the global defense industrial base pressures created by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The difference is that this aid is part of a presidential authority approved by Congress last year to draw weapons from current U.S. military stockpiles — so Taiwan will not have to wait for military production and sales. This gets weapons delivered faster than providing funding for new weapons.
The Pentagon has used a similar authority to get billions of dollars worth of munitions to Ukraine.
Taiwan split from China in 1949 amid civil war. Chinese President Xi Jinping maintains China’s right to take over the now self-ruled island, by force if necessary. China has accused the U.S. of turning Taiwan into a "powder keg" through the billions of dollars in weapons sales it has pledged.
The U.S. maintains a "One China" policy under which it does not recognize Taiwan’s formal independence and has no formal diplomatic relations with the island in deference to Beijing. However, U.S. law requires a credible defense for Taiwan and for the U.S. to treat all threats to the island as matters of "grave concern."
Getting stockpiles of weapons to Taiwan now, before an attack begins, is one of the lessons the U.S. has learned from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Pentagon deputy defense secretary Kathleen Hicks told The Associated Press earlier this year.
FILE - Armed vehicles and Taiwan military soldiers attend the annual Han Guang anti-landing drill at Bali beach, New Taipei City on July 27, 2023. (SAM YEH/AFP via Getty Images)
Ukraine "was more of a cold-start approach than the planned approach we have been working on for Taiwan, and we will apply those lessons," Hicks said. Efforts to resupply Taiwan after a conflict erupted would be complicated because it is an island, she said.
China regularly sends warships and planes across the center line in the Taiwan Strait that provides a buffer between the sides, as well as into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, in an effort to intimidate the island’s 23 million people and wear down its military capabilities.
Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for China's embassy in Washington, said in a statement Friday that Beijing was "firmly opposed" to U.S. military ties with Taiwan. The U.S. should "stop selling arms to Taiwan" and "stop creating new factors that could lead to tensions in the Taiwan Strait," Liu said. | https://www.fox13news.com/news/us-to-send-taiwan-345-million-military-aid-package | 2023-07-29T03:17:44 | 0 | https://www.fox13news.com/news/us-to-send-taiwan-345-million-military-aid-package |
Amazon Essentials is offering low prices on pink apparel
If you are obsessed with the new “Barbie” movie, you aren’t alone. Not only is it an epic box office hit, but it’s the highest-grossing movie ever by a female director. Anyone who loves the flick understandably wants to update their wardrobe with pink clothing and accessories that Barbie would be proud to wear.
You can show your enthusiasm for Barbie by shopping Amazon’s private clothing line, Amazon Essentials, for deals on pink fashions. The retailer is celebrating with deals on everything from jackets to sandals that are sure to excite fans of all ages. We’ve rounded up our favorite Barbie-friendly fashion deals to help you shop.
Facts about the doll and the movie
“Barbie” has fans young and young at heart flocking to theaters to see what all the buzz is about. Here are a few facts about the movie and the iconic fashion doll:
- Greta Gerwig is the director of “Barbie.”
- Leading actress Margot Robbie is transformed into a real-life version of the beloved doll.
- The film made $470 million globally after only five days in theaters.
- The first Barbie doll was introduced on March 9, 1959, at the New York Toy Fair.
- All shades of pink are associated with Barbie, especially hot pink and bubble gum pink.
- Barbie merchandise is sold in 150-plus countries throughout the world.
Best Barbie pink apparel from Amazon Essentials
Amazon Essentials Pink Pullover Packable Windbreaker
You can sport your love of Barbie pink — even in inclement weather — with this bright pink windbreaker. It offers a pullover style with a protective hood and is packable for easy transport. It’s available at a low price too.
Sold by Amazon
Amazon Essentials Pink Thong Sandals
These simple thong sandals come in hot pink. They are perfect for hot summer days when you want to sport a splash of pink on casual outings.
Sold by Amazon
Amazon Essentials Classic Cap Sleeve Wrap Dress
If you want to dress like Barbie, you need a stylish dress in pink. This pretty one has a wrap-style that’s on-trend and figure-flattering. It’s available in a nice selection of sizes, from extra small to 6X.
Sold by Amazon
Amazon Essentials Neon Pink High-Rise Capri Leggings
With a vibrant pink color, these capri leggings are perfect for any Barbie enthusiast. Pair them with workout gear or a pretty tunic top for stylish looks in and out of the gym.
Sold by Amazon
Amazon Essentials Pink Knit Pull-On Shorts
These shorts boast a simple pull-style that’s easy to wear. They look great with flirty summer shirts for a warm-weather look that’s Barbie-approved.
Sold by Amazon
Amazon Essentials Pink Sleeveless Woven Shirt Dress
With a feminine design that offers a button-up front and waist bow, this fashionable dress certainly looks like something Barbie would wear. It has a stylish collar and flowing fit.
Sold by Amazon
Amazon Essentials Pink Tank Top
This affordable tank top comes in packs of two, which makes it a solid deal. The pink also comes with a white one, both of which can be paired with other pink items in summertime outfits.
Sold by Amazon
Amazon Essentials Pink Crop Puffer Jacket
Keep your Barbie style going when the weather turns chilly with this puffer jacket. The edgy crop style pairs perfectly with all types of pants and jeans. It has a cozy fill and high collar to lock out the cold.
Sold by Amazon
Amazon Essentials Hot Pink Swim Top
Pair this swim top with your favorite bikini bottoms for a Barbie look that’s ideal for the pool or beach. It’s made of a nylon blend that washes nicely and dries fast.
Sold by Amazon
Amazon Essentials Pink Active Seamless Long-Sleeve T-shirt
We love this long-sleeve T-shirt for yearlong wear with jeans, leggings or skirts. Featuring a comfortable fit and a breathable material, this shirt is likely to become your go-to pink top for casual days.
Sold by Amazon
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Jennifer Manfrin 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. | https://www.wfla.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/shirts-tops-br/amazon-has-barbie-fever-too-and-the-fashion-deals-to-prove-it/ | 2023-07-29T03:17:45 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/shirts-tops-br/amazon-has-barbie-fever-too-and-the-fashion-deals-to-prove-it/ |
Written by Laura Duerr
For better sleep without replacing your bed, try one of these mattress toppers
Do you feel like you’re not getting enough sleep, even if the clock says you slept eight hours? A mattress topper may be the solution. Mattress toppers help support your sleeping position, soften firm mattresses and minimize disruptive movement from your partner, all without making you replace your entire bed. Mattress toppers are available in several types of foam, gel and feathers, making it easy to customize your bed for a more comfortable night’s sleep.
Shop this article: Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Supreme Mattress Topper, Sleep On Latex Pure Green Natural Latex Mattress Topper, Linenspa Gel-Infused Memory Foam Mattress Topper
The best mattress toppers tested
Our BestReviews Testing Lab tried out two popular mattress toppers. Key features to look for in a mattress topper include temperature regulation and the right balance between softness and support. Mattress toppers are generally between 2 and 4 inches thick, though toppers up to 6 inches thick are available. Finally, if you’re hoping to reduce disruption caused by a partner’s restless sleep, look for a memory foam or gel mattress topper with low transmission of movement.
Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Supreme Mattress Topper review
Made by trusted mattress brand Tempur-Pedic, the Tempur-Adapt Supreme Mattress Topper transformed the tester’s bed into a luxury sleep experience. The soft memory foam delivered uninterrupted sleep and felt deep and soft yet still supportive. Its sturdy corner straps keep the mattress topper from sliding around, and our tester reported that after several weeks of use, the mattress topper felt just as soft and comfortable as it did on the first day.
Testing Sleep On Latex Pure Green Natural Latex Mattress review
This foam mattress topper, made from latex from organically grown rubber trees, provides sturdy support that’s still comfortable to sleep on. Our tester reports that the Pure Green mattress topper helped them sleep more comfortably than ever, thanks to how well it supported their back and bad shoulder. Plus, it was ready to use right away because the foam unrolled and lay flat instantly, without the uncurling period many mattress toppers need.
Best mattress toppers
Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Supreme Mattress Topper
The memory foam in this mattress topper conforms to support the body while retaining bounce-back comfort. It’s made from moisture-wicking, hypoallergenic materials and adds 3 inches of height to mattresses.
Sold by Amazon
Sleep On Latex Pure Green Natural Latex Mattress Topper
This 3-inch thick mattress topper is made from organic latex foam and is OEKO-TEX certified free from harmful chemicals. It’s durable and supportive, while small air chambers throughout the pad help promote airflow for a cooler sleep.
Sold by Amazon
Linenspa Gel-Infused Memory Foam Mattress Topper
This budget-friendly pick is infused with cooling gel, making it good for those who sleep too warm. The extra-soft foam is available in 2- and 3-inch thicknesses.
Sold by Amazon
Sleep Innovations Dual Layer Memory Foam Mattress Topper
At 4 inches thick, this mattress topper is extremely soft and comfortable. It’s made with a layer of memory foam topped with a down alternative pillow-top cover.
Sold by Amazon
This popular mattress topper features targeted zones designed to relieve pressure on different body parts. It’s also helpful for temperature regulation and stays in place well.
Sold by Amazon
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Laura Duerr 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. | https://www.wfla.com/reviews/br/bed-bath-br/bedding-br/these-mattress-toppers-make-upgrading-your-bedroom-easy-and-inexpensive/ | 2023-07-29T03:17:58 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/reviews/br/bed-bath-br/bedding-br/these-mattress-toppers-make-upgrading-your-bedroom-easy-and-inexpensive/ |
WAPAKONETA, OH (WLIO) - It's all hands on deck this weekend to prepare for the Auglaize County Fair. In just a few short days, animals will be in place for judging, booths will be finished, and crowds will gather to see the events new to the grandstands this year.
Fair goers can look forward to entertainment like extreme pogo stick stunts and wiener dog races, as well as classics like the demo derby and harness racing. Also new this year is the Sensory Shed, a place for children and their parents to take a break from the noise, heat, and crowds.
"Inside the sensory shed it's air conditioned so it's a nice cool place to go. It has a padded floor, it's very colorful in there, just different little activities for them to do, puzzles and fun little things in there. It has some seating areas in there. It's just an area for them to go relax, cool off, and then get ready to come back out and enjoy the fair," said Jessica Johns, assistant manager of the fair.
The opening ribbon cutting ceremony for this year's Auglaize County Fair will be held on Sunday at noon. | https://www.hometownstations.com/news/new-entertainment-and-sensory-shed-coming-to-this-years-auglaize-county-fair/article_d9fb99ee-2d9d-11ee-b024-330a38c460ae.html | 2023-07-29T03:18:02 | 0 | https://www.hometownstations.com/news/new-entertainment-and-sensory-shed-coming-to-this-years-auglaize-county-fair/article_d9fb99ee-2d9d-11ee-b024-330a38c460ae.html |
LIMA, OH (WLIO) - Plans are progressing on Ohio's largest floating solar field and it's going to be right here in Lima. The city got a $500,000 grant from the Department of Energy to install a 4-acre solar unit that will be on one of the city's reservoirs. The south pond of the twin lakes reservoir at the rear of the water treatment plant will be home to nearly 35 hundred solar panels.
“It will be kind of large but not a huge project. It will produce about 2 megawatts of power,” says Mike Caprella, Lima’s Utilities Director. “It will supply power for the water treatment plant. Whether it's directly to the plant or through AEP by putting it on the grid and getting it back from that.”
Caprella says crews have already been to Lima getting elevations stats and are now in the design phase. They hope to start construction within a year. Lima will be the second floating solar panel on a "water facility" in the state and the largest planned at this time. | https://www.hometownstations.com/news/planning-continues-for-limas-floating-solar-field/article_e4b6d09a-2d8b-11ee-8c42-4b534678ab2e.html | 2023-07-29T03:18:08 | 0 | https://www.hometownstations.com/news/planning-continues-for-limas-floating-solar-field/article_e4b6d09a-2d8b-11ee-8c42-4b534678ab2e.html |
Affordable school supplies and other budget picks
The school year is coming back around, and there’s no better time to start checking items off of your school supply list than right now. Finding affordable school supplies can be somewhat of a chore, but with an understanding of what supplies you need, you can probably find all your needs at a fair price.
From pens and pencils to planners, notebooks and more, being prepared for the back-to-school season doesn’t have to be stressful or break the bank.
Shop this article: Ticonderoga 30-Pack of Yellow Pre-Sharpened Graphite No. 2 Pencils, Blue Sky Academic Planner and Apple iPad Air
Picking your school supply essentials
Student age and grade
Perhaps the main factors for your school supply list are the student’s age, grade and classes. For example, glue is an excellent option for elementary and middle school students who are likely to perform arts and crafts. Older students could benefit from tools with more versatility, such as laptops, tablets or other smart devices. Additionally, a student taking specific classes, such as art or dance, may require more specific materials than what you’ll find on a school supplies list.
School supply options for keeping to your budget
Most school supply lists include several different items, all of which students are expected to have. These costs can add up quickly, though there are a few ways to keep to your budget. If you know the student will use certain disposable items, such as crayons, pens, pencils or erasers, for more than just one school year, you can buy them in bulk to save year after year. Otherwise, consider looking for deals on the student’s essentials.
Choosing your student’s essentials
What constitutes “back-to-school essentials” can vary from student to student, and if they’re too old for elementary school supply lists, then it may be up to you to choose. A few agreed-upon essentials are backpacks, pens and pencils, notebooks and binders. However, this can depend on your student’s classes and may include things ranging from cameras to musical instruments and more.
Best back-to-school supplies on a budget
Ticonderoga 30-Pack Of Yellow Pre-Sharpened Graphite No. 2 Pencils
Pencils are a must-have school supply item, no matter the student’s age. These number two pencils fit most peoples’ budgets and write with the standard lightness used in most schools. They include a useful eraser on the end that’s perfect for math, writing, drawing and other subjects.
Sold by Amazon
Paper Mate InkJoy 100RT Medium Point Ultra Smooth Ink Pens
These pens are super affordable when purchased in bulk and they write very smoothly compared to most other pens. You can buy these pens in either assorted color or black packages, in packs of 12 or 20.
Sold by Amazon
Crayola 24-Pack of Long Barrel Colored Woodcase Pencils
These colored pencils from Crayola are the industry standard, with colors including red, yellow, blue, white and black, among many others still. They come pre-sharpened and are made from all nontoxic materials.
Sold by Amazon
Crayola 152-Pack Ultimate Crayon Collection With Assorted Colors
The price of this massive crayon pack is impressive. It also comes with a crayon sharpener and a useful carrying caddy that makes coloring time easy. You can buy this crayon set in a bundle with a pack of twistable crayons for a little bit more money.
Sold by Amazon
JanSport Student Backpack With 15-Inch Laptop Compartment
This JanSport backpack works great for books and other supplies, and it also has a mesh pocket for holding water bottles and a 15-inch laptop compartment. You can purchase this option in several different colors and styles, each with JanSport’s signature S-curve shoulder straps with adjustable 14.5-inch shoulder drops.
Sold by Amazon
Fiskars Kids Pointed-Tip 5-Inch Safety Scissors In Random Colors
Scissors are another must-have for preschool and K-8 students, and this particular pair is extremely affordable and made blunt for added safety. They come in a random color, either red, blue, light blue or green. This option also comes with a full lifetime warranty, according to the product description.
Sold by Amazon
Gorilla Kids Retractable Disappearing Purple Glue Sticks
For students involved in arts and crafts, glue sticks are a necessity. These disappearing purple glue sticks are ideal for visual projects, offering a strong adhesive in both single packs of six-packs.
Sold by Amazon
Paper Mate 12-Pack Of Large Pink Pearl Classic Pencil Erasers
If a student plans to work in pencil often, another useful tool to keep handy is an eraser. While most pencils include an eraser, these offer a backup solution for when those tiny erasers on your pencil run out.
Sold by Amazon
PowerMe Black Electric Pencil Sharpener for No. 2 Pencils
If you plan to use a pencil, then you will also require a pencil sharpener. This electric sharpener is battery-powered and offers long-term pencil sharpening. You can buy this electric pencil sharpener in black, blue, green, pink, purple or white.
Sold by Amazon
Emraw Four-Pack Of 100-Sheet Black-and-White Marble-Style Cover Composition Books
Composition books are a classic lined paper option for use when taking notes or working on assignments. These lined composition books come with four units, and you can purchase them in black and white or assorted colors.
Sold by Amazon
Blue Sky Academic Year Planner
Academic planners are essential for older kids, and this flexible planner offers weekly and monthly calendar planning. You can buy this planner in 8.5-by-11-inch, 7-by-9-inch or 5-by-8-inch sizes.
Sold by Amazon
Apple 2022 Fifth-Generation 10.9-Inch Purple iPad Air With Wi-Fi
Tablets aren’t exactly cheap, but with Apple offering more budget options than ever, these can make an excellent alternative to laptops for older students. You can buy the iPad Air with either 64 or 256GB of storage, with Wi-Fi or a Wi-Fi and cellular bundle. It’s also available in purple, blue, pink, space gray and starlight.
Sold by Amazon
Acer Aspire 5 15.6-Inch Full Display Slim Laptop With AMD Ryzen 5 Processor
The Aspire 5 is a powerful Acer laptop that comes at a fair price, featuring a powerful processor and multiple bundle options for maximizing your purchase. It also includes 8GB of DDR4 RAM for multitasking and up to 11 hours of battery life off the charger.
Sold by Amazon
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Peter McGuthrie 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. | https://www.wfla.com/reviews/br/education-br/homeschooling-br/back-to-school-on-a-budget-check-off-your-school-supply-list-with-these-affordable-essentials/ | 2023-07-29T03:18:07 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/reviews/br/education-br/homeschooling-br/back-to-school-on-a-budget-check-off-your-school-supply-list-with-these-affordable-essentials/ |
OTTAWA, OH (WLIO) - The Putnam County Health Department is reminding parents that it's time to get vaccines up-to-date before the school year starts.
Throughout the month of August, there will be nine vaccination clinics at the health department's office in Ottawa, one in Columbus Grove, and one in Leipsic. You can reserve your spot by over the phone. You will also need to bring proof of insurance and your child's vaccination record to the appointment.
Health officials would like to remind the public that getting children vaccinated is important to help reduce the spread of preventable diseases.
"Our state is seeing more outbreaks of the vaccine preventable diseases. For example, there was a measles outbreak associated with a daycare in Columbus this year. There's a chicken pox outbreak going on in Henry County," said Sherri Recker, the director of nursing at the Putnam County Health Department.
To see the dates and times for the clinics, visit their website or call the health department at (419)-523-5608. | https://www.hometownstations.com/news/putnam-county-health-department-taking-appointments-for-back-to-school-vaccinations/article_eb5d618a-2d8f-11ee-ac13-1b80b614eecc.html | 2023-07-29T03:18:15 | 1 | https://www.hometownstations.com/news/putnam-county-health-department-taking-appointments-for-back-to-school-vaccinations/article_eb5d618a-2d8f-11ee-ac13-1b80b614eecc.html |
These school supplies deals will save you money when you shop for the new school year
Shopping for back-to-school can be expensive. Kids need new clothes, shoes and accessories plus numerous classroom items before the new school year begins. The good news is that you can save on school essentials by finding them on sale.
This time of year, many popular retailers mark down the prices of the things kids need to head to class. Our back-to-school collection of must-have deals includes everything from shirts to calculators to help you stay within your budget as you shop.
Shop this article: Texas Instruments TI 84 Plus CE Graphing Calculator, Adidas Big Boys Iconic Tricot Pants and Castle Art Supplies Set of 72 Colored Pencils
How to shop for back-to-school deals
The key to successful back-to-school shopping is to think about what your kids need and prefer. After all, what good is a discounted jacket or budget-friendly backpack if your favorite students don’t like them or can’t use them? You can take control of your back-to-school shopping endeavors with a few helpful tips.
Look for on-trend styles
It may seem like various types of attire go out of style as quickly as they become hot items, but kids know what is trending. Get their guidance as you shop so they will be happy with any new additions to their wardrobe. When in doubt, you can’t go wrong with the basics such as jeans and T-shirts.
Think about their shoe needs
Most kids need more than one pair of shoes for school. In addition to current styles such as chunky platform shoes and casual sneakers, athletic shoes are necessary for sports or gym class.
Focus on classroom items
Pencils, calculators, notebooks, pens, erasers and highlighters are some of the most popular essentials that students need when they head back to class. This isn’t a complete list, and the items needed vary depending on the age of the student and class requirements. However, now is a good time to find low prices on these classroom must-haves.
Invest in coursework-friendly tech
Students of all ages work on computers or tablets to conduct research and do assignments. Devices such as headphones and earbuds will help them concentrate. What’s more, a simple home printer makes it possible for kids to print assignments to present to their teachers. When you shop early, you can save big on student-friendly tech.
Consider bags and packs
Don’t forget that kids need something to carry their gear to class. Backpacks, lunch boxes, pencil cases and gym bags are on the lists of most parents as they help their kids gather the items they’ll take back to school.
Best back-to-school deals for school supplies and clothing
Texas Instruments TI 84 Plus CE Graphing Calculator
Even if they are dreading it, many students will have to go to advanced math classes when school is back in session. The TI 84 Plus model is perfect for equations that require graphing to solve. A large vivid screen, lightweight build and rechargeable battery are other features students appreciate.
Sold by Amazon
There are good reasons that the Aspire 5 is a popular choice for students. Although it sports a vivid 15.6-inch screen that’s ideal for working on assignments, the design is trim and easy to stash in a backpack. The responsive 11th-generation Intel processor can easily keep up with important work. Parents will also appreciate the budget-friendly price.
Sold by Amazon
Under Armour Hustle 5.0 Backpack
Kids won’t run out of room in this spacious backpack, as it has ample pockets including one that’s large and padded for a laptop. It even has a lower compartment for stashing gear such as gym shoes.
Sold by Amazon
Epson WorkForce All-in-One Printer
This printer proves that you don’t have to spend a lot of money for a versatile model. Although inexpensive, it prints, scans and copies. It’s also capable of faxing and double-sided printing. Additionally, it has wireless connectivity and can pair with devices that offer voice control via Alexa or Siri.
Sold by Walmart
Adidas Big Boys Iconic Tricot Pants
Lightweight and comfortable, these classic Adidas pants are practical for warming up, playing sports or heading to class. They feature the iconic three-stripe pattern on the legs. Parents will also love how easy the polyester fabric is to wash.
Castle Art Supplies Set of 72 Colored Pencils
Colored pencils are great for kids who have art classes as part of their schedules. This set is perfect for exploring their creative side, as it’s packed with 72 pencils in every color of the rainbow. It includes a case to keep them organized and ready for use.
Sold by Amazon
Available in numerous colors, this pencil case features ample space for numerous writing tools and accessories. It has five elastic holders to keep important pencils and pens easy to access. Several smaller interior pockets will keep small items such as change and paper clips organized.
Sold by Amazon
These fan-favorite earbuds distance themselves from competitors for their amazing sound and reliable noise-canceling technology. These features are beneficial to students when using them to hone in on audio assignments or block out interruptive sounds. Transparency mode is there when they need it to hear outside sounds. They are comfortable to wear, too.
Sold by Amazon
Celebrity Pink Juniors’ High-Rise Wide-Leg Frayed Jeans
Pants with wide legs and denim with rips are both in style this year. This pair of jeans offers both, with an ultra-relaxed fit and on-trend frays. In addition to a casual, comfortable fit, they come in a nice selection of sizes and in a choice of two shades of blue.
Sold by Macy’s
Nike Big Kids Court Borough 2 SE Casual Sneakers
Regardless of your kid’s favorite styles, there’s a good chance that these sneakers will look great with them. They are designed for comfort and have laid-back casual looks that are perfect for class or weekends. They come in trendy white with a colorful Nike swoosh.
Sold by Macy’s
Other back-to-school deals worth checking out
- The Tommy Hilfiger Big Girls’ Ruffle Stripped Jersey Dress is perfect for special school days.
- Oxford Spiral Notebooks can be used for multiple classes thanks to their pocket dividers and three subjects.
- The Under Armour Boys’ Pennant Jacket is both stylish and warm.
- This Boys’ Nike Character T-shirt will look great with your little man’s favorite pair of jeans.
- Soundcore Life Q20 Hybrid Active Wireless Noise-canceling Headphones offer a nice blend of affordability and quality.
- A kids’ Bentgo Lunch Box provides room for their favorite foods and snacks.
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Jennifer Manfrin 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. | https://www.wfla.com/reviews/br/education-br/test-prep-br/back-to-school-2022-these-retailers-are-offering-deep-discounts-on-clothing-and-supplies/ | 2023-07-29T03:18:15 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/reviews/br/education-br/test-prep-br/back-to-school-2022-these-retailers-are-offering-deep-discounts-on-clothing-and-supplies/ |
LIMA, OH (WLIO) - Juveniles at the Allen County Juvenile Detention Center want a chance to make a difference, to work, and to turn their lives around. A rehabilitation program at the detention center is doing just that. The center’s clinical director spoke to local business leaders about how they have had a 100% success rate with clients. They work with them and their families to identify and remove the barriers that are keeping them from becoming a productive member of society. He is asking local businesses to think about hiring their graduates to give them the opportunities they need when they are released.
“One is opportunities,” says Dr. Thomas Hall, Clinical Director of the Allen County Juvenile Detention Center. "To give these youth the opportunity, plus to work with them. They need help with soft skills and things of that nature and the second thing is to know that we're there and not to forget us. Also, help in other was if they can with whatever they provide.”
Hull says it's rewarding when he runs into one of his graduates and hears how their life has turned around and that they are doing well. | https://www.hometownstations.com/news/the-allen-co-juvenile-detention-center-helping-youth-turn-their-lives-around/article_ffea4566-2d88-11ee-93b9-ff3e2c09b172.html | 2023-07-29T03:18:21 | 0 | https://www.hometownstations.com/news/the-allen-co-juvenile-detention-center-helping-youth-turn-their-lives-around/article_ffea4566-2d88-11ee-93b9-ff3e2c09b172.html |
With great power comes limited pre-order availability
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, from developer Insomniac Games, is one of the biggest games scheduled to release this year. The first game, released in 2018, and the Miles Morales spinoff, released in 2020, were massive critical and commercial hits, so expectations are sky-high.
To capitalize on the fervor, Sony is releasing a special, limited edition PlayStation 5 console packed with Spider-Man goodness. If you already have a PS5, don’t fret. All of the bundle’s contents are also available separately. You’d better act fast, though. Some pieces are already sold out at certain retailers.
What’s in the bundle?
The Spider-Man 2 bundle is composed of four parts. The console, special console covers, a special controller and a digital copy of the game. The total price of the bundle is $599.99. That’s a huge savings compared to the cost of each item separately: $714.96.
The console
There are two versions of the PS5 console. One with a disk drive, which costs $499.99, and one without, which costs $399.99.
The console included in the bundle is the disk version of the console. There’s nothing special or different about the console itself, such as improved performance. It’s just a regular disc PS5.
The console covers
Typically, limited edition console bundles featured special designs painted right onto the system. But, because the PS5 uses detachable covers instead of a built-on body, this bundle just includes covers that come pre-attached to the console. This means you can mix and match any covers you may have or get later.
Console covers for the PS5 generally cost anywhere from $25 to $70 depending on the seller. The limited edition Spider-Man 2 covers cost $64.99. Be careful when purchasing these separately; there is a different version for both the disc and the discless PS5.
The controller
The PS5 controller, known as the “DualSense” controller, has unique features such as a special rumble feature that can mimic the surfaces your character walks on in-game and triggers with adjustable tension so you can feel the weight of pulling a bowstring, for example. It costs $69.99.
The special Spider-Man 2 controller is no different from any other DualSense, save for its design mimicking that of the console cover. It costs $79.99.
The game
Likely the reason you’re considering grabbing any of the above items in the first place, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is set to greatly expand on the gameplay found in the first two games in the series. Some of the biggest changes include being able to swap between Peter Parker and Miles Morales at will, and the introduction of gliding on web wings in your suit. Story-wise, Kraven the Hunter and Venom have been revealed as two big antagonists.
There are three versions of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 you can buy.
- Base version: Also called the Launch Edition, this includes special bonuses for pre-ordering. That’s the version included in the console bundle, and it costs $69.99.
- Digital Deluxe: This includes the Launch Edition bonuses and further extras such as more suits and Photo Mode items. It costs $79.99. If you want those bonuses after buying the base version, you can later upgrade your copy of the game for $9.99.
- Collector’s Edition: This version includes everything in the Digital Deluxe version, plus a SteelBook case and a statue of Peter and Miles fighting Venom. It costs $229.99.
Limited edition purchase details
The Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 limited edition console bundle and all of the individual items are currently available for pre-order. All of the above items are set to start shipping out on Sept. 1. The game itself, however, is not due for release until Oct. 20. If you buy the console bundle with the digital code, you can still redeem it. You simply can’t access the software until the game officially releases.
Best Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 items
PlayStation Limited Edition Spider-Man 2 PlayStation 5 Console Bundle
This set includes everything you need to get started on your next-generation Spider-Man journey once the game launches. The console included is the version with a disc drive.
Sold by Amazon
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Launch Edition
The special Launch Edition of the game includes early unlocks of one suit each for Peter Parker and Miles Morales, three color variants for each suit, an early unlock of the Web Grabber skill and three free skill points.
Sold by Amazon
PlayStation Limited Edition Spider-Man 2 DualSense Controller
This gorgeous controller sports the same “Venom taking over Spider-Man” design featured on the limited edition PS5. The Spider-Man symbol from the video game’s version of Spider-Man’s main suit is front and center on the touchpad.
Sold by Amazon
PlayStation Limited Edition Spider-Man 2 PlayStation 5 Console Covers
These slick Venom-black covers are for the disc drive version of the console. Use caution when taking off your original ones and attaching these to avoid any damage to your system.
Sold by Best Buy
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Jordan C Woika 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. | https://www.wfla.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/gaming-accessories-br/how-to-pre-order-the-spider-man-2-ps5-and-accessories/ | 2023-07-29T03:18:23 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/gaming-accessories-br/how-to-pre-order-the-spider-man-2-ps5-and-accessories/ |
LIMA, OH (WLIO) - It sounded like Christmas, and it smelt like Christmas even through it was sweltering outside. The Meeting Place on Market held their Christmas in July event where residents could come in for their favorite winter drink, listen to carols and even let the kids do some holiday crafts and cookie decorating. Those in attendance say they are now itching for the holidays.
“It is always nice to come and listen to the Christmas carols It kind of gets you prepared for the holidays. It's weird because it's July, that halfway mark that gets you pumped for the Christmas season,” says Jessica Johnson.
This is the 3rd year that the Meeting Place has held their Christmas in July event and say they will hold it again next year. | https://www.hometownstations.com/news/the-meeting-place-help-get-people-in-the-christmas-spirit-in-july/article_b61d97ac-2d8e-11ee-8cb0-e37e9e26d08a.html | 2023-07-29T03:18:27 | 0 | https://www.hometownstations.com/news/the-meeting-place-help-get-people-in-the-christmas-spirit-in-july/article_b61d97ac-2d8e-11ee-8cb0-e37e9e26d08a.html |
Comparing the Roomba i3 EVO and i7 models
Vacuuming is no one’s favorite chore, but a robot vacuum does make it a whole lot easier. After more than two decades in business, iRobot, maker of the Roomba, has become synonymous with convenient, low-effort vacuuming, thanks to their impressive range of models. But if you’re trying to decide between the Roomba i3 EVO and the i7, there are some key differences to consider before choosing the best fit for your home.
We put the i3 EVO and i7 to the test in the BestReviews Testing Lab and found that both offer similar performance on most types of flooring as well as smart mapping of your home, which allows for more thorough cleaning. However, the i3 EVO beats the i7 on battery life and dustbin capacity as well as price (the i3 EVO is about $250 cheaper).
But the i7 is no slouch, either. It wins on navigation, thanks to its onboard camera, which gives it advanced capabilities and provides more opportunities to customize your cleaning. It also proved to have better suction power, making it ideal for homes with carpeting.
iRobot Roomba i3 EVO vs. iRobot Roomba i7 specs
When it comes to their performance on hard flooring, the Roomba i3 EVO and Roomba i7 are fairly similar. But small differences in a few key specs affect the overall user experience and ground they can cover.
iRobot Roomba i3 EVO specs
The testing team is checking the dustbin on the iRobot Roomba i3 EVO
Product specifications
Battery life: 96 minutes | Dimensions: 13.26” L x 13.26” W x 3.63” H | Dustbin capacity: 0.5 L | Weight: 7.44 lb | Mapping: Yes | Self-emptying: No | Voice commands: Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri | Scheduling: Yes
Released in 2020 as a new and improved Roomba i3 with better mapping features, the Roomba i3 EVO is similar in size to many other robot vacuums. Compared to the i7, which came out in 2018, it’s slightly narrower by less than a tenth of an inch, which won’t likely make too much of a difference in regard to maneuverability. It has a fairly average-sized dustbin among robot vacuums and is 0.2 liters larger than the i7’s dustbin. It also has a longer battery life, allowing it to clean for 20 minutes more than the i7. Unlike the i3+ EVO, this model isn’t self-emptying, so depending on the size of the space and how dirty it is, vacuuming may be interrupted when the bin is full.
Like many Roombas, the i3 EVO has smart-mapping capabilities that help it to learn your home and navigate the space more effectively. It identifies specific areas and rooms, so you can send the robot out for targeted cleaning by selecting a chosen room in the app’s drop-down menu when scheduling cleaning or sending the robot out for a one-off vacuuming run. Unlike some Roombas (including the i7), however, it doesn’t recognize Keep-Out Zones, which means you can’t prevent it from entering areas you don’t want it to clean.
The i3 EVO is compatible with voice commands through a home assistant, such as Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant. It also lets you set up scheduled cleaning sessions with the iRobot app. You can choose specific days and times for cleaning or set the robot to clean as soon as it detects you’ve left the house.
iRobot Roomba i7 specs
The testing team is using the iRobot app to navigate the iRobot Roomba i7.
Product specifications
Battery life: 75 minutes | Dimensions: 13.34” L x 13.34” W x 3.63” H | Dustbin capacity: 0.3 L | Weight: 7.44 lb | Mapping: Yes | Self-emptying: No | Voice commands: Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri | Scheduling: Yes
Though it’s about the same size as the i3 EVO, the Roomba i7 offers a battery life that’s about 20 minutes shorter. Additionally, its dustbin is approximately 40% smaller than the i3, which means it will likely need to be emptied more frequently during vacuuming to keep the robot cleaning, as it’s not a self-emptying model like the i7+.
Like the i3 EVO and many other robot vacuums, the i7 uses smart-mapping technology to learn your home’s floor plan. However, unlike the i3 EVO, it has an onboard camera for more advanced navigation. As a result, the i7 can clean specific rooms or zones on a vacuuming run and avoid certain areas using Keep-Out Zones. It is also compatible with Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant for voice commands, but its range of commands is more extensive than those offered by the i3 EVO and other entry-level robots. For example, in addition to telling the robot to start, pause or stop vacuuming, you can also ask the i7 to vacuum a specific room like the living room or clean near a certain object like under the kitchen table.
The i7 allows for scheduling in the iRobot app. You can set certain times each week or have the robot “sense” when you’re out (via location services or a connected device signal through the app) to begin vacuuming. Through the app, you can also choose cleaning preferences for your i7’s scheduled jobs, including the suction power and number of passes.
Design comparison
The i3 EVO and i7 both feature a classic round robot vacuum shape, but their appearance is slightly different. The i3 EVO features a two-tone gray design mainly composed of plastic. However, it also has a textured fabric-like ring around its top that definitely stood out for its stylish appearance during our testing. On the other hand, the i7 is made entirely of plastic and has a sleek black-and-gray design.
Both models have rubber rolls with enough flexibility to discourage hair from tangling around them. During testing, we found a small amount of easily removed hair around the i3’s brushes and little to no hair around the i7’s rollers. Both models also have plastic wheels that felt sturdy when we tested them. Additionally, the i3 EVO and i7 have a pop-out caster wheel at their front, which is extremely easy to remove if dirt or hair gets stuck around it.
Overall, the i3 EVO and i7 felt equally durable during testing. Because they’re mostly made of sturdy plastic, both models can take a pretty good beating without showing signs of wear and tear. However, we found that the i3 EVO’s textured fabric ring didn’t just give it a more distinctive look than the i7 — it also prevented the robot from showing fingerprints and dust as easily, so it seemed to stay cleaner during our testing.
Navigation comparison
While the i3 EVO and i7 both offer smart mapping, their navigational abilities differ fairly significantly. The i3 EVO maps a space using floor-tracking sensors on its bottom, while the i7 has an camera that provides more thorough, accurate mapping. The i3 EVO can only support a single smart map, while the i7 can recognize up to 10. That makes the i7 a better choice if you want to clean multiple floors of your home or move it between two locations, such as your home and office.
During our testing, we observed a clear difference in the robots’ performance based on these mapping capabilities. The i3 EVO and i7 both map specific rooms or zones, so we sent them out to clean in certain areas. This feature is highly convenient in homes with children and/or pets because the robot can go clean up a mess as soon as it happens.
However, the i7 learned specific rooms as well as objects, so we also sent it out to clean around certain objects, such as in front of the kitchen counter or under the dining table. Unlike the i3 EVO, the i7 also recognizes Keep-Out Zones, which proved a highly convenient feature. During testing, we were able to prevent it from going into areas that didn’t need cleaning or had obstacles that might cause it to get stuck. Overall, this led to more efficient vacuuming.
Neither model offers an obstacle-avoidance feature, so both had issues with objects in their path. The i7 got caught up on string-like items, including power cords and the fringe on a rug. The i3 EVO bumped into small objects in its way, such as a handbag, a shoe and a rubber dog toy, several times before it finally pivoted away from them.
Ultimately, the i7’s advanced navigation makes it the better choice for a cluttered or busy home where you might want to prevent the robot from entering certain areas. For example, the Keep-Out Zone feature can prevent the vacuum from going into a playroom where children’s toys might be scattered on the floor or into the space where your pets’ food and water bowls are located. The i3 EVO still offers strong navigation skills, but it would work best in a home that doesn’t have any real no-go areas.
Features comparison
If you want to ensure your floors get the deepest clean possible, both the Roomba i3 EVO and i7 feature dirt-detect technology, which uses sensors on their underside to detect dirt and debris. These sensors alert the robots when there is a higher concentration of dirt in a given area, so it knows to work harder in those spots. They will continue to clean those areas until the sensors identify fewer debris particles.
During testing, we observed the smart maps for the i3 EVO and i7 after they went out for vacuuming runs. Both models indicated areas on their map where heavier dirt was detected with dark green triangles, so we could see where the dirt-detect technology was triggered. We didn’t observe any noticeable debris in those spots afterward, indicating that the robots had successfully cleaned those dirtier areas.
The Roomba i3 EVO and i7 also work with voice commands when paired with a home assistant like Alexa or Google Assistant. During testing, we used voice control to send the robots out to clean, and both models responded within seconds.
However, the available commands for the i3 EVO are fairly basic. We tested prompts like “start vacuuming,” “pause vacuuming,” “resume vacuuming” and “return to Home Base,” and all worked well. The i7 offers a broader range of voice commands, so we asked it to clean specific rooms like the living room and around certain objects like under the dining table for targeted cleaning. These additional commands can come in handy in a home with children or pets because you can simply command the robot to clean up messes as they happen.
Neither the Roomba i3 EVO nor i7 are self-emptying. If you want a model that empties itself, you’ll need to upgrade to the i3+ EVO or i7+.
Suction comparison
During testing, we found that the Roomba i3 EVO and i7 both performed well on hard flooring, including hardwood and tile. Like many robot vacuums, these models sometimes blew particles out of the path, which required a second pass to capture. Overall, though, they removed nearly all visible debris on hard flooring.
However, our testing found that the i7 offered better suction power when it came to carpeting. We only ran into one issue with it on carpeting — it sometimes got caught on the tasseled edge of a rug. Otherwise, it thoroughly cleaned all carpeted surfaces.
On the other hand, the i3 EVO struggled slightly on carpeting. It left behind a few visible particles of coarse kosher salt and some pieces of pet hair from a larger clump we’d placed in its path. It picked up kitty litter more effectively but also had trouble capturing cereal. It actually crushed a couple of pieces and ground the crumbs into the carpet without removing all the debris, making it the less effective option of the two.
Price
The iRobot Roomba i3 EVO typically retails for $349.99 and can be found at Amazon. The iRobot Roomba i7 usually costs $600 and is available at Amazon. Note that iRobot now only makes the self-emptying versions of these models: the Roomba 3+ EVO and Roomba i7+.
Bottom line
The Roomba i3 EVO and i7 offer many similar features, but their performance differs quite a bit on carpeting. Because of its superior suction power and advanced navigation capabilities, we give the i7 the overall edge. Its performance on carpet and Keep-Out Zones feature make it an excellent choice for a home with small children or pets because you can clean up crumbs and pet hair easily and prevent the robot from going into areas where they might get stuck on toys or bump into pet bowls.
The i3 EVO is still worth consideration, though. It has a longer-running battery and a bigger dustbin, so we recommend it for larger homes with more space to clean. It’s also more affordable than the i7, making it a perfect option if you’re on a budget.
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Jennifer Blair 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. | https://www.wfla.com/reviews/br/home-br/vacuums-br/roomba-i3-evo-vs-i7-which-is-best-for-you/ | 2023-07-29T03:18:29 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/reviews/br/home-br/vacuums-br/roomba-i3-evo-vs-i7-which-is-best-for-you/ |
BATH TOWNSHIP, OH (WLIO) - A local church is helping the community by holding a garage sale with a twist- everything is free.
The Union Chapel Missionary Church filled several rooms with items of all kinds for anyone to come take as much of as they need. The first ever "Gift of Joy" giveaway had clothes, books, kitchenware, and more available to pick up, no questions asked.
The idea came from one of the church's members, Lori Belcher, and then donations poured in from other members and the rest of the community. The church says that the giveaway is part of their mission to spread their faith and passion for good deeds in a way that can help people immediately.
"One of the reactions is relief. People didn't know what they were going to do. A little boy came in and it was his birthday in a couple days and he goes "Look Mom, a bicycle!" And she came to me and she said "You guys helped me get a bicycle for my kid for his birthday. A woman was expecting, didn't know where she was going to get baby clothes, we had a whole table full of baby clothes," said Allen Sudmann, pastor of Union Chapel Missionary Church.
The "Gift of Joy" giveaway will continue Saturday, July 28th, from 8:30am to 3:30pm or until all items are gone. | https://www.hometownstations.com/news/union-chapel-missionary-church-gives-away-rooms-full-of-clothes-toys-and-other-home-items/article_db27d9fc-2d90-11ee-8cbd-afd6542d717d.html | 2023-07-29T03:18:33 | 0 | https://www.hometownstations.com/news/union-chapel-missionary-church-gives-away-rooms-full-of-clothes-toys-and-other-home-items/article_db27d9fc-2d90-11ee-8cbd-afd6542d717d.html |
Written by Allen Foster
Here’s what we learned about the robot vacuums everyone loves to hate
You want your home clean, but you don’t necessarily want to do it yourself. That’s fine. It’s why iRobot created the Roomba. These little machines have come a long way in the past two decades, so BestReviews Testing Lab tested iRobot’s 2023 line to find out which was the best robotic vacuum.
To get a comprehensive understanding of iRobot’s line, the BestReviews Testing Lab evaluated 10 models. In order of performance during testing, they are:
- Roomba s9+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum
- Roomba j7+ Combo Mop and Robot Vacuum
- Roomba j7+ Self Emptying Vacuum
- Roomba i4 Robot Vacuum
- Roomba i8+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum
- Roomba i7 Robot Vacuum
- Roomba i1+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum
- Roomba 694 Robot Vacuum
- Roomba 692 Robot Vacuum
- Roomba i3+ EVO Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum
Each of these models was tested in a real-world environment so we could understand how they performed on hardwood and carpet, as well as in homes with pets. The goal is to provide consumers with valuable information that can help them simplify their purchasing decision without getting lost in a sea of tech specs.
Roombas’ performance varies widely
In a nutshell, BestReviews learned that the models’ capabilities vary dramatically. For example, while the 600 series models missed some areas and only had power for a little over an hour, the s9+ ran for almost 2 hours on a single charge and performed an exceptional deep clean in all areas.
If you are interested in purchasing a Roomba, you must take into consideration the size of your home, whether you have a pet, and how much you have in your budget. While iRobot makes Roombas for a variety of users at different price points, the Testing Lab learned if you don’t match your needs to the product’s abilities, you will be disappointed.
What was our favorite Roomba?
While most of the iRobot Roombas had desirable features and could not be considered a poor choice — especially if you are balancing price and performance — the clear winner was the s9+ model. It scored impressively high when cleaning all floor types. It also offers impressive navigation and scored top marks in quality, ease of setup, performance and user experience. If you want the best, the Roomba s9+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum is the way to go.
Do the hybrid Roomba/Mops compete with the main Roombas?
After testing all 10 of the iRobot Roombas, the BestReviews Testing Lab realized that there was no compromise made when manufacturing the combo model — it offers roughly the same amount of power, intelligence and convenience as the one that doesn’t mop. So the hybrid Roomba is not only comparable to the regular version, it is superior, because a robot that can vacuum and mop at the same time cuts down on cleaning time while increasing efficiency.
What was our least favorite?
While the BestReviews Testing Lab found the two 600 series vacuums to be merely adequate, the lower price helped make those models a slightly better value. The Roomba i3+ EVO Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum, however, has a higher price without substantially more to offer, so it wins the prize for “least favorite.”
Besides having a considerably shorter runtime and questionable cleaning skills, its Wi-Fi range was not impressive and its navigation left a lot to be desired. Since there are far better and comparably priced vacuums in the line, it’s best to steer clear of the i3+.
Testing a Roomba with dog poop
Because it is not a hygienically sound idea, the BestReviews Testing Lab did not encourage a dog to make a mess inside. The lab also did not bring feces into the home just for the purpose of a test. Instead, we approximated the situation using different items so we could discern how the robot vacuums would handle encountering a small unexpected obstacle.
The ideal response was avoidance. Because there’s no guarantee of dryness and solidity, any other option might just spread the mess throughout the home, creating a very unsanitary condition.
After testing a variety of sizes and configurations, the lab found most Roomba models either tried to pass directly through the obstacle or tested it out, by bumping into it and backing up. The only successful avoidance occurred with the j7+ models.
The 10 Roombas that were tested
Roomba s9+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum
This model offers deep multi-surface cleaning. It is easy to set up, and the vacuum remembers specific objects and locations, making spot cleaning effortless. It efficiently transitions between all surfaces and is effective at removing debris of all sizes. This is what it is the BestReviews top pick.
Sold by: Amazon
Roomba j7+ Combo Mop and Robot Vacuum
If you’re looking for a thorough, versatile cleaning robot, this is the BestReviews runner-up pick. It vacuums and mops, is powerful enough for pet owners and only takes a few minutes to get up and running. The j7+ combo passed all the Testing Lab’s cleaning challenges with ease and worked well on all types of floors.
Sold by: Amazon
Roomba j7+ Self-Emptying Vacuum
This self-emptying option is also one of BestReviews’ favorite models. It has an impressive range and cleans up all sizes of debris quickly and thoroughly. Besides mapping out the home, this vacuum is smart enough to detect and avoid new obstacles and has admirable real-time reactions.
Sold by: Amazon
While the i4 is a little lacking in features (when compared to high-end models), the price to performance ratio is high enough to make this a solid option for the right home. The main issue with this model is it can take several passes to pick everything up as the brushes have a tendency to spread debris out on the first pass. But eventually, it gets the job done.
Sold by: Amazon
Roomba i8+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum
The Testing Lab wouldn’t place this model at the top with regard to power, but it is smart, has a decent amount of runtime and thoroughly cleaned a 250-square-foot room in under 30 minutes. While it had a little trouble with dry cereal, it was impressive in its ability to remove pet hair.
Sold by: Walmart
The i7 isn’t quite as impressive as the j7+. It does a decent job of cleaning, but it doesn’t have a self-emptying feature, which for the price is a little disappointing. As far as performance, this model is satisfactory, doing an okay job in most situations.
Sold by: Amazon
Roomba i1+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum
This offering does a satisfactory job. It gives you the convenience of self-emptying and is powerful enough to keep a home with a pet relatively clean. Occasionally, it can get stuck and may miss a patch of tiny debris, but if you are after general maintenance, this model will satisfy.
Sold by: Walmart
Unfortunately, the Roomba 694 has a few flaws. When testing, the lab noticed it could miss small sections. The unit also didn’t communicate when it was full, so average users might run into some frustration. However, the lower price might make this an acceptable option for some consumers.
Sold by: Amazon
While this model tries, and often delivers an exceptional clean, there are times the brushes scatter smaller debris around instead of picking them up. The BestReviews Testing Lab also noticed this model did a lot of bumping into objects, including walls, making its navigating ability less than impressive. However, it performs well enough for entry-level consumers
Sold by: Amazon
Roomba i3+ EVO Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum
The i3+ has its share of pros and cons. It is a self-emptying model, so you get the benefit of forgetting about vacuuming for weeks at a time, but the navigation isn’t super-impressive and the setup can be a little finicky. While it was BestReviews’ least favorite in the line, it still offers adequate performance. That may be enough for some, but we really can’t give it a glowing review.
Sold by: Amazon
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Allen Foster 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. | https://www.wfla.com/reviews/br/home-br/vacuums-br/we-tested-10-roombas-in-3-days-heres-what-we-learned/ | 2023-07-29T03:18:35 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/reviews/br/home-br/vacuums-br/we-tested-10-roombas-in-3-days-heres-what-we-learned/ |
OHIO (WLIO) - Polling locations could be changing as we inch closer and closer to the special election on August 8th.
Different boards of elections offices are urging the public to check to see if their preferred polling location will still be set up and ready to go. Some locations may be closed due to the small election or not getting enough Republican or Democratic poll workers, but a majority of them have been combined with other locations. The Allen County Board of Elections says that they will have all their usual polling locations open for people to come out and cast their vote.
"We've kept all the same polling locations, it can be difficult in the summer, but we were able to retain all of our usual polling locations, if you have any questions about your polling locations, you can call us, you can check your own registration at allen.boe.ohio.gov," said Kathy Meyer, director of the Allen County Board of Elections.
Here are some more updates regarding polling locations in our area. Auglaize, Putnam, and Mercer Counties will have all locations open. Hancock County will have some of its polling sites combined, you can check to see the latest changes on their website.
Hardin County will be combining a large portion of its polling locations for the special election only, with multiple locations in Kenton, Forest, and Mt. Victory. For a full list of Hardin County locations, you can read the list below.
UPDATEED 7/28/23 - The Hardin County Board of Elections will be temporarily combining the following polling locations for the August 8th Special Election. These polling locations will be combined for this election only and voters will return to their regular polling locations for the November 7th General Election.
The following precincts will be voting at an alternate location, which is listed after the precinct name:
Buck – Hardin County Fairgrounds Community Building – 14134 Letson Ave, Kenton 43326
Pleasant – Hardin County Fairgrounds Community Building – 14134 Letson Ave, Kenton 43326
Cessna – Hardin County Fairgrounds Community Building – 14134 Letson Ave, Kenton 43326
Goshen – Hardin County Fairgrounds Community Building – 14134 Letson Ave, Kenton 43326
Lynn – Hardin County Fairgrounds Community Building – 14134 Letson Ave, Kenton 43326
Liberty – Ada Community Health Professionals Building – 1200 S. Main St., Ada 45810
Washington – Ada Community Health Professionals Building – 1200 S. Main St., Ada 45810
Dunkirk/Blanchard – Forest All-Weather Pavilion – 412 S. Mary St., Forest 45843
Dudley – Mt. Victory Community Building – 234 N. Washington St., Mt. Victory 43340
Taylor Creek – Mt. Victory Community Building – 234 N. Washington St., Mt. Victory 43340 | https://www.hometownstations.com/news/updated-polling-locations-may-change-as-august-8th-special-election-approaches/article_2d333a64-2cb7-11ee-86cd-67a221327458.html | 2023-07-29T03:18:39 | 1 | https://www.hometownstations.com/news/updated-polling-locations-may-change-as-august-8th-special-election-approaches/article_2d333a64-2cb7-11ee-86cd-67a221327458.html |
BALTIMORE (AP) — The New York Yankees have been a sub-.500 team since Aaron Judge injured his toe in early June. Now they hope his return can help them rally for a postseason spot.
The Yankees reinstated Judge from the injured list on Friday before the opener of their weekend road series against the Baltimore Orioles. Judge admits he isn’t fully recovered but says he’s healthy enough to play.
“It’s feeling all right, feeling good. It’s not 100%. I don’t think it’ll be 100% until the end of the year,” he said. “I think our biggest goal is just getting to a point where I could play, I could tolerate it.”
The game was delayed 2 hours, 32 minutes by rain, and when Judge finally batted in the top of the first, the New York fans in attendance gave him a big ovation while others at Camden Yards booed. He lined out to right field on the first pitch he saw.
Judge had been out since tearing a ligament in his right big toe June 3 when he crashed into the right-field fence while making a catch at Dodger Stadium.
Judge played a simulated game Wednesday at the team’s complex in Tampa, Florida, and returned to New York after that. The 2022 American League MVP faced live pitching Sunday at Yankee Stadium for the first time since the injury. Manager Aaron Boone said Judge homered during a simulated game Tuesday in Florida. He also played the field and ran the bases.
Judge was penciled into the lineup as the designated hitter, batting second Friday night. Boone said he could have potentially played in the field, but that will be a day-by-day decision.
“Obviously, as much as there’s urgency for us, we’ve got to be smart about that and make sure that in talking to Aaron, making sure he’s honest with his feedback about how he’s recovering, how he’s bouncing back,” Boone said. “Obviously, how the toe’s doing, but how everything else is doing.”
New York is 19-23 since Judge got hurt in Los Angeles. The Yankees are 30-19 with the star outfielder, who also missed 10 games earlier this season with a right hip strain.
Judge set an AL record with 62 home runs last year. He is batting .291 with 19 homers and 40 RBIs in the first season of a $360 million, nine-year contract he signed last offseason.
“I guess he’s back and he’s ready,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “So we’ll have to pitch to him well.”
Baltimore entered this series with a 1 1/2-game lead in the AL East over Tampa Bay. The Yankees were six games over .500 but at the bottom of the ultracompetitive division. New York was eight games behind the Orioles and 2 1/2 behind the Toronto Blue Jays for the American League’s final wild card.
Judge was asked if the team’s offensive struggles without him made him even more anxious to come back.
“No, I just wanted to get back,” Judge said after a noticeable pause. “Any time you’re sitting out, even if we were winning and we had an eight-game lead in the division, or we were 10 games out of it, I want to be back out there battling with the guys.”
Boone said Judge had an MRI in the last few days, and Judge indicated that was a factor in his return.
“I didn’t want to come back and make it worse, and this is something that leads into the next year and the following year,” he said. “Ligament’s stable. Last couple MRIs didn’t really show much healing, but this one did.”
To make room for Judge, the Yankees optioned infielder Oswald Peraza to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-aaron-judge-comes-off-injured-list-before-yankees-open-series-at-baltimore/ | 2023-07-29T03:18:43 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-aaron-judge-comes-off-injured-list-before-yankees-open-series-at-baltimore/ |
The Pac-12 Conference issued a statement aimed at stability after Colorado became the third school in a year to announce plans to leave. The nine schools remaining for the 2024-25 season were largely silent Friday.
Colorado on Thursday announced it would join the Big 12 beginning in 2024, joining Big Ten-bound Southern California and UCLA in an exodus that could continue in coming weeks and months. Their departures coincide with the expiration of the league’s current media rights deals and the Pac-12 has not yet announced a lucrative deal going forward.
Shortly after CU’s regents approved the move to the Big 12, the Pac-12 issued a statement pledging to soldier on. Possible Pac-12 expansion targets could include San Diego State and SMU.
“We are focused on concluding our media rights deal and securing our continued success and growth,” the Pac-12 said. “Immediately following the conclusion of our media rights deal, we will embrace expansion opportunities and bring new fans, markets, excitement and value to the Pac-12.”
The Pac-12’s media rights contract expires at the end of the 2023-24 academic year, and Commissioner George Kliavkoff has not noted any progress in landing a new deal.
Oregon State was the only Pac-12 school to comment following the Colorado announcement. A founding member of the league in 1915, Oregon State is considered one of the least likely schools to be poached by another conference.
“Oregon State Athletics trusts that the Pac-12 will secure a media rights deal that will strongly benefit the institutions that are remaining loyal to this conference,” Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes said. “All of us at Oregon State will continue to work hard and diligently to continue the long-term membership and success of our athletic department at a national level.”
Oregon State President Jayathi Murthy said her school joins other members in reaffirming its commitment to the Pac-12.
“We are united by our shared values, our passion for the highest level of intercollegiate athletic competition, our leadership roles as Tier 1 research universities and our support for student-athletes’ academic and athletic excellence,” Murthy said.
The administrations and athletic departments at Utah and Washington declined comment. Arizona State, California and Washington State athletic departments also declined comment, as did the Arizona and Oregon president’s offices.
Stanford did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Arizona, Arizona State and Utah are believed to be potential targets for further Big 12 expansion, though those schools publicly committed to the Pac-12 prior to Colorado’s announced departure. The Big 12 has a six-year, $2 billion contract that is projected to net annual revenue of $31 million for each school.
Under then-Commissioner Kevin Warren, the Big Ten still had eyes out west even after landing USC and UCLA, with Oregon and Washington having the most appeal of the remaining Pac-12 schools. But Warren is gone now and his replacement, Tony Pettit, said earlier this week that the Big Ten isn’t eager to expand more.
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap_top25 | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-beleaguered-pac-12-says-it-will-pursue-expansion-with-colorado-usc-and-ucla-all-leaving-next-year/ | 2023-07-29T03:18:51 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-beleaguered-pac-12-says-it-will-pursue-expansion-with-colorado-usc-and-ucla-all-leaving-next-year/ |
CINCINNATI (AP) — Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow could miss “several weeks” with a right calf strain, coach Zac Taylor said Friday.
The 26-year-old franchise quarterback hobbled on one leg and then went to the ground after a scramble play near the end of Thursday’s practice. He rode off the field in a medical cart.
“It will take several weeks, and that’s all the information we have,” Taylor said.
Burrow did not practice Friday, with backup QBs Jake Browning and Trevor Siemian taking the snaps. The Bengals play their first preseason game on Aug. 11 and open the regular season Sept. 10.
Taylor said Burrow “has seen the doctors” and was present for meetings at the team’s training facility Friday. The quarterback was wearing a compression sleeve on his right calf when he pulled up with the injury, but Taylor said Friday he was unaware there was anything wrong before that play.
Burrow is still negotiating with the Bengals on a long-term contract that could make him one of the NFL’s highest-paid players.
The team’s top draft pick in 2020 had talked Wednesday about how good he felt at the opening of camp after his first three NFL training camps were disrupted and how he hoped to play in some preseason games.
Preseason practice was truncated in Burrow’s rookie year in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. In 2001, he was still rehabbing after knee surgery the previous December. On the first day of camp last year, he was stricken with appendicitis.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-bengals-qb-joe-burrow-could-miss-several-weeks-with-calf-strain-coach-taylor-says/ | 2023-07-29T03:18:59 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-bengals-qb-joe-burrow-could-miss-several-weeks-with-calf-strain-coach-taylor-says/ |
EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (AP) — Celine Boutier posted a 2-under 69 in the second round of the Evian Championship to move to 7 under overall, giving her a one-shot lead on Friday.
But surprise overnight leader Paula Reto dropped down the leaderboard after a 4-over 75.
The 29-year-old Boutier, who was two shots back from Reto overnight, is looking to become the first Frenchwoman to win the tournament, which became a major in 2013.
“It’s really great to feel the support from the fans when you play some good shots and some good putts go in,” Boutier said. “This kind of support used to put me under pressure in the past, and I didn’t cope well with it, but this year I’m trying to stay very relaxed.”
Her solid round kept her narrowly ahead of Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit, who carded 67, and Japan’s Yuka Saso (69), in a tie for second.
They are one shot ahead of Nasa Hataoka of Japan (67), Mexico’s Gaby Lopez (68) and American Alison Lee (71).
Reto struggled badly on the back nine, with a double bogey on the 12th hole followed by three bogeys over the next four holes.
The 33-year-old South African ended the day in a tie for eighth at 3 under overall along with defending champion Brooke Henderson of Canada, who finished on 70.
Boutier was level with 2015 champion Lydia Ko of New Zealand overnight, but Ko drifted way back into a tie for 22nd after a dismal round of 76 at the Evian Resort Golf Club.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-boutier-holds-a-1-shot-lead-after-2nd-round-of-evian-championship/ | 2023-07-29T03:19:08 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-boutier-holds-a-1-shot-lead-after-2nd-round-of-evian-championship/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Miles Mikolas was suspended for five games and fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Baseball on Friday for intentionally throwing at Ian Happ of the Chicago Cubs.
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol was suspended for one game and fined as a result of Mikolas’ actions Thursday night. Mikolas appealed his penalties, while Marmol served his suspension Friday night against the Cubs.
In the first inning in the Cardinals’ 10-3 loss, Happ bloodied St. Louis catcher Willson Contreras when he hit him in the head with a long follow-through on a swing, then was soon hit himself by a pitch from Mikolas.
Andrew Knizner took over behind the plate for Contreras, and Mikolas brushed back Happ with the first pitch when play resumed to run the count to 3-1. With the next pitch, Mikolas hit Happ in the rear end.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-cardinals-mikolas-suspended-5-games-and-fined-for-intentionally-throwing-at-cubs-happ/ | 2023-07-29T03:19:16 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-cardinals-mikolas-suspended-5-games-and-fined-for-intentionally-throwing-at-cubs-happ/ |
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ hit St. Louis catcher Willson Contreras in the head with a long follow-through on a swing, then was soon hit himself by a pitch from Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas.
Mikolas and Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol were ejected in the first-inning dustup between the longtime rivals.
Contreras was cut badly and tumbled down. After a hug from former Chicago teammate Happ, Contreras walked off the field.
The Cardinals said Contreras had a scalp laceration and was day to day to return to the lineup. Glue, not stitches, was used to close the wound.
“I feel fine,” Contreras said. “I had a little headache after I got hit. I was kind of knocked out. I felt the backswing. I felt the blood and I knew it was bad. I didn’t want to get stitches. I want to make sure I’m ready to go tomorrow.”
Contreras wanted to remain in the game.
“It was bleeding really bad,” Contreras said. “I wanted to be in there. At the same time, I have to take care of myself.”
Happ reached out to Contreras.
“He did apologize,” Contreras said. “We’re very good friends. It’s part of the game. It happens and it’s over.”
Happ and Contreras played together six years before Contreras signed with St. Louis in the offseason.
“It just sucks,” Happ said. “It’s horrible. He comes up bloody. We’re good friends. I have a lot of love for him. To see him go down and be bleeding from the head was obviously a scary moment.”
Cubs manager David Ross said there is no blame to assess in the situation.
“It’s part of the game,” Ross said. “It stinks. It’s terrible how it happened. He was fighting to stay in the game. I sent him a text and I hope he is all right. Happ felt terrible.”
Andrew Knizner took over behind the plate, and Mikolas brushed back Happ with the first pitch when play resumed to run the count to 3-1. With the next pitch, Mikolas hit Happ in the rear.
Happ didn’t cause a scene.
“Just go to first base,” Happ said. “I wore it. I kind of felt he coming in there.”
Mikolas stopped while walking off and appeared to gesture and call over to the Cubs dugout, apparently signaling them to come out on the field.
Crew chief Lance Barksdale explained the decision to toss Mikolas.
“To a man, we all four, it was no doubt that was intentional,” Barksdale said. “And when it’s intentional, no matter where it hits him at, he’s ejected. Two pitches in, like I said, it’s pretty easy on our part.”
Mikolas understood the decision.
“I was a little surprised,” Mikolas said. “I was waiting and they had a meeting and they decided to toss me. I throw inside to a lot of guys. The umpires can believe whatever they want to believe. They had a meeting and that was their choice. They believed intent was there and that’s all the reasoning umpires need.”
Marmol argued the ejection and also was sent to the clubhouse.
“They said there was intent and by rule they have to eject him,” Marmol said about Mikolas. “Guys weren’t happy about the other side laughing. We had a catcher go down and was bleeding. They took offense to that. The umpire and Jack (Flaherty) were having a conversation and that led to my ejection.”
Dakota Hudson came in to pitch for St. Louis. He gave up a single, walked two, and was touched for a ground-rule double. Chicago led 3-0.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-cubs-happ-hits-cardinals-catcher-contreras-in-head-with-follow-through-then-gets-hit-by-pitch/ | 2023-07-29T03:19:22 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-cubs-happ-hits-cardinals-catcher-contreras-in-head-with-follow-through-then-gets-hit-by-pitch/ |
GENEVA (AP) — The IOC assured Ukrainian fencer Olga Kharlan on Friday that she will have a place at the Paris Olympics next year after she was disqualified from a key ranking event for refusing to shake hands with a Russian she had beaten.
In a letter to Kharlan, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said it would make a “unique exception” by allocating her an extra place to ensure she competes in Paris.
“It is admirable how you are managing this incredibly difficult situation,” wrote Bach, who like Kharlan is a former Olympic champion in a fencing team event.
Each Olympic sport has a strict quota for athletes within the IOC-imposed 10,500 overall total at the Summer Games in Paris.
A protected entry for the 32-year-old Kharlan, a four-time Olympic medalist, has now been found after controversy over her disqualification at the world championships on Thursday marred the event at Milan, Italy.
The incident between Kharlan and her Russian opponent — Anna Smirnova, who was competing as an approved neutral athlete — also cast doubt on the IOC’s hopes for athletes from the two countries to compete against each other without incident.
Kharlan comfortably beat Smirnova 15-7 in a first-round contest then refused a handshake, and instead pointed her sabre toward the Russian. Touching blades was used as an alternative to handshakes at fencing competitions during the coronavirus pandemic.
Smirnova stood facing Kharlan and did not raise her sabre. Kharlan then turned and left the piste and the Russian refused to leave for more than 50 minutes. Smirnova sat on a chair on the piste in an apparent protest over the handshake.
Kharlan was later disqualified by the International Fencing Federation (FIE) which denied her the chance to earn more ranking points that feed into Olympic qualification.
The IOC said Thursday that sports governing bodies should show “sensitivity” on issues involving Ukrainians and neutral athletes from Russia – an apparent suggestion that the FIE made an error.
One day later, Bach wrote to Kharlan acknowledging a “roller coaster of emotions and feelings” she must have.
The FIE changed course Friday by saying it would allow Kharlan to compete for Ukraine in the upcoming team sabre event, but still defended the decision to punish her. Kharlan had faced a suspension from the rest of the world championships and from other events.
Echoing the IOC, the FIE interim president Emmanuel Katsiadakis said the ruling “sends a message of sensitivity and understanding to our members and all sports federations, as the world faces tremendous challenges.” The FIE published a comment attributed to Kharlan saying she was ”thankful for this decision” and wanted to return to competition.
However, the FIE statement made no mention of allowing Ukrainians to avoid handshakes with Russian opponents in future — which could mean more disputes ahead of the Olympics — and the federation insisted it was right to punish Kharlan.
“The FIE stands fully behind the penalty, which, after a thorough review, is in complete accordance and compliance with its official rules and associated penalties,” it said.
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AP coverage of the Paris Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-ioc-assures-ukraine-fencer-of-paris-games-spot-after-dq-for-not-shaking-hands-with-russian-opponent/ | 2023-07-29T03:19:30 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-ioc-assures-ukraine-fencer-of-paris-games-spot-after-dq-for-not-shaking-hands-with-russian-opponent/ |
GENEVA (AP) — Juventus was removed from European competition next season and Chelsea was fined $11 million in separate UEFA rulings over financial rules breaches on Friday.
The expulsion of Juventus from the third-tier Europa Conference League was expected because of a false accounting case that already saw the two-time European champion deducted 10 points in Serie A. That penalty dropped Juventus out of Champions League qualification places.
Juventus’ spot in the Europa Conference League should go to Fiorentina in the playoffs round starting on Aug. 24.
UEFA said Friday that Juventus also must also pay a fine of 10 million euros ($11 million) for breaking Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules. A further 10 million euros can be deducted if the club fails to comply with UEFA financial monitoring rules in future seasons.
Juventus regretted the ruling but said it wouldn’t appeal.
“We regret the decision of the UEFA Club Financial Control Body,” Juventus president Gianluca Ferrero said in a statement on the club’s website. “We do not share the interpretation that has been given of our defense and we remain firmly convinced of the legitimacy of our actions and the validity of our arguments.
“However, we have decided not to appeal this judgment. Despite this painful decision, we can now face the new season by focusing on the field and not on the courts.”
In a separate case, Chelsea will also pay a settlement of 10 million euros to UEFA for incorrect financial information submitted between 2012 and 2019 when the club was owned by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.
Chelsea’s current American-led ownership group reported “potentially incomplete financial reporting under the club’s previous ownership” in May last year, UEFA said.
Chelsea, which won the Champions League in 2012 and 2021, did not qualify for the next editions of European competitions.
“In accordance with the club’s ownership group’s core principles of full compliance and transparency with its regulators, we are grateful that this case has been concluded by proactive disclosure of information to UEFA and a settlement that fully resolves the reported matters,” Chelsea said in a statement. “Chelsea greatly values its relationship with UEFA and looks forward to building on that relationship in the years to come.”
UEFA had opened an investigation against Juventus in December for probable breaches of FFP rules after prosecutors in Italy unsealed their case against the storied club.
Juventus was ultimately docked 10 points in Serie A by Italian authorities which dropped the club from potentially finishing in the top four and earning a place in the next Champions League to finish seventh — enough only for the third-tier Conference League. AC Milan got into the Champions League instead.
The false accounting allegations pushed UEFA club finance investigators to terminate a settlement agreed with the club last year and impose fresh sanctions, the European soccer body said.
The chaotic 2022-23 season for Juventus also saw it lose long-standing club officials who resigned, including president Andrea Agnelli and vice president Pavel Nedvěd, a former playing great.
Juventus also lost two years of European football from 2006 to 2008 in fallout from the Calciopoli corruption scandal.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-juventus-removed-from-european-competition-by-uefa-for-financial-wrongdoing/ | 2023-07-29T03:19:38 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-juventus-removed-from-european-competition-by-uefa-for-financial-wrongdoing/ |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers, who have made pitching a priority in advance of the trade deadline, acquired starter Lance Lynn and reliever Joe Kelly on Friday in a swap with the Chicago White Sox.
The NL West leaders sent outfielder Trayce Thompson, pitcher Nick Nastrini and reliever Jordan Leasure to the White Sox.
Lynn and Kelly join utilityman Kiké Hernández from the Boston Red Sox and infielder-outfielder Amed Rosario from the Cleveland Guardians in Los Angeles, ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline.
“I would argue we have raised the floor and the ceiling,” manager Dave Roberts said.
The Dodgers may not be done, either, with a need for more starting pitching.
“I think there’s always a chance,” Roberts said. “There’s still time on the clock.”
Lynn has been mostly underwhelming this season. The 36-year-old right-hander is 6-9 with a 6.18 ERA and leads the American League in earned runs (79) and home runs allowed (28).
Roberts called Lynn a “victim of sort of the circumstance” with the sub-.500 White Sox, who are 13 games back of AL Central leader Minnesota.
“I just feel like getting in this environment, playing meaningful games will bring out the best in him,” Roberts said.
Lynn has 139 strikeouts in 115 innings and 10.9 per nine innings. In June, Lynn struck out 16 in a game against Seattle, setting a major-league mark for most strikeouts in a game by a pitcher with an ERA above 6.00.
He was an All-Star for the White Sox in 2021 and shortly after signed a $38 million, two-year contract extension that included a club option.
“I’m happy to have had the time that I had here, but it is a business and sometimes these things happen,” Lynn said. “I’m just looking forward to the possibility of making a playoff push.”
Lynn began the 2022 season on the injured list with a meniscus tear suffered in spring training. He returned in mid-June and finished the season with an 8-7 record in 21 starts and a 3.99 ERA. He recorded 121 strikeouts in 121 2/3 innings.
Lynn has spent most of his career in the AL. Besides the White Sox, he has pitched for Minnesota, the New York Yankees and Texas. He began his career with St. Louis, and missed the 2016 season with them after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Lynn won a World Series with the Cardinals in 2011, his debut season in the majors. The following year he earned his first All-Star berth.
The Dodgers have not yet decided who Lynn will replace in the rotation. He’ll arrive in Los Angeles this weekend and discuss a possible start against Oakland next week.
Kelly returns to Los Angeles for his second stint with the Dodgers. The hard-throwing right-handed reliever recently returned from the injured list for elbow inflammation. He has one save, a 4.97 ERA and 41 strikeouts this season.
Like Lynn, Kelly is eager to join a contending team.
“It’s something that I thrive on,” he said. “I think my personality type is to love the adrenaline, love the big moments. So, I’m super, super stoked to go back for sure.”
Kelly pitched for the Dodgers from 2019-21, winning the World Series during the pandemic-delayed 2020 season. He had a 3.59 ERA in 105 1/3 innings during that span.
“I would argue that his stuff is even better than it was then when he was with us, the velocity, the curveball, all that stuff,” Roberts said. “He’s a guy, like most players when they’re in a winning environment, they thrive.”
Kelly isn’t the only former Dodger to land back in Los Angeles. Hernández returns three years after he departed for the East Coast.
Rosario was set to start at shortstop Friday night in the series opener against the Reds. But the plan is for him to get acclimated to second base and also play some center field. He’ll mostly start against left-handed pitching.
“It’s certainly a big upgrade for our ballclub,” Roberts said. “He’s been good versus right-handed pitching, but he’s been a killer versus lefties and that’s something we want to capture.”
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AP Baseball Writer Jay Cohen, AP Sports Writer Eric Olson and AP freelancer Seth Engle contributed to this report.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-lance-lynn-and-joe-kelly-are-heading-to-the-dodgers-in-a-trade-with-the-white-sox-source-tells-ap/ | 2023-07-29T03:19:46 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-lance-lynn-and-joe-kelly-are-heading-to-the-dodgers-in-a-trade-with-the-white-sox-source-tells-ap/ |
BLAINE, Minn. (AP) — With the FedEx Cup two weeks away, Lee Hodges can breathe easier. Justin Thomas can’t.
Hodges birdied four of his last six holes for a 7-under 64 and a four-stroke lead over Tyler Duncan on Friday after almost two rounds of the 3M Open.
A nearly two-hour afternoon weather delay led to play being suspended due to darkness with six players yet to finish — none within 10 shots of the lead.
Hodges, 74th in the FedEx Cup points race, opened with a 63 for the first-round lead and had a 15-under 127 total to break the tournament 36-hole record of 128 set by Bryson DeChambeau in 2019.
Hodges was 3 under on the front nine and added a 33-foot birdie putt on No. 13, followed by birdies from 14 feet on No. 14 and 11 feet on No. 17.
“I’ve got a great attitude out there. Me and my caddie (Andrew Medley), we’re 70-something on the points list, like what do we have to lose, you know?” Hodges said. “We’ve committed to every shot we’ve hit so far, which has been great. We’ll continue to do it, because what do we have to lose.”
A lengthy last-hole putt was not enough to overcome a couple bad holes as Thomas aims to make the FedEx Cup playoffs for the eighth straight season. He birdied four of his last five holes to shoot a shot an even-par 71, leaving him 2 under for the tournament and two strokes short.
Thomas, at No. 75 in the FedEx Cup standings, has missed five cuts in his last seven starts. The top 70 next week after the Wyndham Championship will advance to the playoffs. Looking to stay in strong consideration for the U.S. Ryder Cup team, Thomas has just two top-10 finishes in 14 tournaments since mid-February.
Starting on the back nine, Thomas put two balls in the water on the par-5 18th, falling to 1 under. An errant tee shot and poor chip led to another double bogey on the par-3 fourth, before a strong finishing stretch was punctuated by a 30-foot putt on No. 9.
“This is a good chance for me to learn a little bit about myself and push myself and become better,” Thomas said before the tournament. “I mean, this game, nothing’s given to you. I’ve had great chances to win the FedEx Cup the last five or six years and now I’m trying to make the playoffs. That’s just the way that this sport is. And it can happen to anybody, so you’ve just got to go out and get it.”
He wasn’t the only player to put untimely dents in possible playoff plans by missing the cut. No. 70 K.H. Lee (1 under), No. 72 Davis Thompson (2 under) and No. 90 Gary Woodland (3 over) also get the weekend off.
Duncan, who has missed six cuts in his past eight events and 17 of 27 this season, shot a 67. He has back-to-back bogey-free rounds.
“You never know when it’s coming, but I’ve been putting in the work and you always hope it shows up,” Duncan said. “But it doesn’t always show up when you want it to.”
Defending champion Tony Finau (66), J.T. Poston (66), Brandt Snedeker (68) and Kevin Streelman (68) were 10 under.
With one top-10 in 25 starts this season, Streelman is in a rare position.
“I haven’t been in the final groups in a while on a Saturday, so looking forward to that. At my age I don’t have much to lose, so go out and have some fun this weekend,” the 44-year-old Streelman said.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-lee-hodges-leads-the-3m-open-while-justin-thomas-misses-the-cut-to-hurt-his-playoff-hopes/ | 2023-07-29T03:19:55 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-lee-hodges-leads-the-3m-open-while-justin-thomas-misses-the-cut-to-hurt-his-playoff-hopes/ |
MIAMI (AP) — Miguel Cabrera’s farewell tour has reached a special location.
The Detroit Tigers’ slugger is approaching the last two months of his major league career. And in his final season, Cabrera has received numerous tributes in visiting stadiums.
This weekend, the honors bring added significance.
The Tigers opened a three-game series Friday in Miami against the Marlins. The 40-year-old Cabrera is returning to the city where he spent his first five seasons and is facing the organization that signed him shortly after his 16th birthday.
“It is very emotional because this is where it all started,” Cabrera, a native of Venezuela, said before the Tigers lost to the Marlins 6-5 in Friday’s series opener. “To be back here is awesome.”
The Marlins brought up the then-20-year-old Cabrera two months into the 2003 season. Cabrera made an immediate impact, hitting a walk-off home run to help the Marlins beat Tampa Bay in his major league debut.
“I remember it well because in all the stadiums I’ve visited, that is the first video presented,” said Cabrera, who went 0 for 3 and was hit by a pitch. “My teammates kid me because I was so skinny back then.”
It was a sign of things to come. Cabrera played a key role in the Marlins’ postseason run in 2003 that culminated with a World Series championship.
Cabrera was a four-time All-Star during his time with the Marlins. But the club, fearing it would lose Cabrera to free agency once he became eligible, dealt him to Detroit following the 2007 season.
“When I received that call, I had many questions on why I was being traded,” Cabrera said. “The club had a good young group and was growing tremendously. Had the group stayed together, we had a chance to contend for the division. They told me to be calm, that you’re going to a good club with a chance to win.”
Cabrera flourished in Detroit, becoming one of the game’s top hitters and a two-time AL MVP. In 2012, Cabrera won the AL Triple Crown, the first to accomplish the feat since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967.
But the offensive production, which included four AL batting titles, declined as Cabrera reached his late 30s. Nonetheless, Cabrera reached the career 3,000-hit and 500-homer milestones over the last two seasons.
Now limited to a parttime role, Cabrera will play the three games against Miami. The second game on Saturday also will be promoted as Venezuelan Heritage Day.
“It is going to be great for me and my family,” Cabrera said of the ceremony,” Cabrera said. “You have to enjoy this moment, every second, every minute. After that, you prepare for the game and do your best to help our team win.”
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-miguel-cabreras-farewell-tour-makes-a-stop-miami-where-his-career-started-years-ago/ | 2023-07-29T03:20:01 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-miguel-cabreras-farewell-tour-makes-a-stop-miami-where-his-career-started-years-ago/ |
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Jalen Ramsey, set for surgery on Friday, addressed his Miami Dolphins teammates a day earlier about the injury and told them not to worry or feel sorry for him.
The six-time Pro Bowl cornerback suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee at the end of Thursday’s practice and is expected to miss the start of the regular season. But he vowed — bragged a little — that he could beat whatever timeline for return doctors give him.
“It really moved a lot of people,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Friday. “He first let everybody know how much he appreciated this team, how this team has accepted him, how he has been in the league a little bit and how he knows what we’re doing here, in his opinion, is special, for his position group not to waiver, and exuded all the confidence that he had in that position group.”
McDaniel said Ramsey will have surgery Friday afternoon to repair the tear and his timeline for return won’t be known until the procedure is complete.
The injury happened during an 11-on-11 drill during Miami’s second practice of training camp. McDaniel said it was a non-contact injury that happened while he was matched up against receiver Tyreek Hill. Ramsey and Hill collided on the play, but the injury, McDaniel clarified, happened before the contact.
“That end of the season push (will) be legendary!” Ramsey tweeted Thursday night.
Miami acquired the All-Pro cornerback Ramsey in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams in March.
When veteran players reported to training camp on Monday, Ramsey spoke of the potential of the Dolphins defense, which is adjusting to a new scheme under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
“I’ve been a part of his defense for the past three years so I kind of know how to play it,” Ramsey said. “I know what’s needed to play this defense and be one of the best defenses in the league and be elite. And we got all the pieces — edge rushers to the secondary. We even got the linebackers and all that. Like I said, I don’t compare, but I look at other teams I’ve been a part of and I feel like we, on paper, we stack up well. But the work comes first.”
The Dolphins dealt with several injuries at the cornerback position last season. Veteran cornerback Xavien Howard played through groin injuries all year.
Byron Jones missed the entire season after having surgery on his Achilles tendon. The Dolphins cut him earlier this year in a cost-cutting move.
Trill Williams tore the ACL in his left knee during the preseason. Nik Needham tore his Achilles last October.
Williams and safety Brandon Jones are still working their way back from their respective season-ending injuries.
McDaniel said he’s confident in the team’s cornerback room, which also includes Kader Kohou, who had a breakout 2022 season as an undrafted rookie free agent, Keion Crossen and 2020 first-round pick Noah Igbinoghene.
Earlier this week, Howard pointed to Kohou as a player to watch as camp opened.
“My boy, Kader. Dude is a straight dawg,” Howard said. “His mentality he has, just being an undrafted guy, I continue to see him grow and get better on the field.”
Miami also drafted cornerback Cam Smith in the second round in April to add more depth. Smith’s role will likely increase in Ramsey’s absence.
“I feel good about the entire crew,” McDaniel said. “We are dealing with some injuries now in that group, but I feel very, very, very good about the competition there and the guys that are ready to go see some more opportunities.”
With the cornerback room not at full strength, McDaniel said the team will work out a cornerback soon for “depth purposes.”
Notes: McDaniel said linebacker Jaelan Phillips was “stepped on” during the first practice of training camp. McDaniel said the team is not worried about the injury, but it would “not be healed” if he continues practicing with it. Phillips did not practice Thursday. … Crossen has an undisclosed injury and will not practice Friday. … McDaniel said he’s happy with Miami’s running back group as the Dolphins continue to be linked to Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-mike-mcdaniel-confident-in-dolphins-cb-depth-amid-jalen-ramsey-injury/ | 2023-07-29T03:20:07 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-mike-mcdaniel-confident-in-dolphins-cb-depth-amid-jalen-ramsey-injury/ |
For more than 20 years, the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) has operated a phone line and online platform for people seeking help with anorexia, bulimia, and other eating disorders. Last year, nearly 70,000 individuals used the helpline.
NEDA shuttered that service in May. Instead, the non-profit will use a chatbot called Tessa that was designed by eating disorder experts, with funding from NEDA.
(When NPR first aired a radio story about this on May 24, Tessa was up and running online. But since then, both the chatbot's page and a NEDA article about Tessa have been taken down. When asked why, a NEDA official said the bot is being "updated," and the latest "version of the current program [will be] available soon.")
Paid staffers and volunteers for the NEDA hotline expressed shock and sadness at the decision, saying it could further isolate the thousands of people who use the helpline when they feel they have nowhere else to turn.
"These young kids...don't feel comfortable coming to their friends or their family or anybody about this," says Katy Meta, a 20-year-old college student who has volunteered for the helpline. "A lot of these individuals come on multiple times because they have no other outlet to talk with anybody...That's all they have, is the chat line."
The decision is part of a larger trend: many mental health organizations and companies are struggling to provide services and care in response to a sharp escalation in demand, and some are turning to chatbots and AI, despite the fact that clinicians are still trying to figure out how to effectively deploy them, and for what conditions.
The research team that developed Tessa has published studies showing it can help users improve their body image. But they've also released studies showing the chatbot may miss red flags (like users saying they plan to starve themselves) and could even inadvertently reinforce harmful behavior.
More demands on the helpline increased stresses at NEDA
On March 31, NEDA notified the helpline's five staffers that they would be laid off in June, just days after the workers formally notified their employer that they had formed a union. "We will, subject to the terms of our legal responsibilities, [be] beginning to wind down the helpline as currently operating," NEDA board chair Geoff Craddock told helpline staff on a call March 31. NPR obtained audio of the call. "With a transition to Tessa, the AI-assisted technology, expected around June 1."
NEDA's leadership denies the helpline decision had anything to do with the unionization, but told NPR it became necessary after the COVID-19 pandemic, when eating disorders surged and the number of calls, texts and messages to the helpline more than doubled. Many of those reaching out were suicidal, dealing with abuse, or experiencing some kind of medical emergency. NEDA's leadership contends the helpline wasn't designed to handle those types of situations.
The increase in crisis-level calls also raises NEDA's legal liability, managers explained in an email sent March 31 to current and former volunteers, informing them the helpline was ending and that NEDA would "begin to pivot to the expanded use of AI-assisted technology."
"What has really changed in the landscape are the federal and state requirements for mandated reporting for mental and physical health issues (self-harm, suicidality, child abuse)," according to the email, which NPR obtained. "NEDA is now considered a mandated reporter and that hits our risk profile---changing our training and daily work processes and driving up our insurance premiums. We are not a crisis line; we are a referral center and information provider."
COVID created a "perfect storm" for eating disorders
When it was time for a volunteer shift on the helpline, Meta usually logged in from her dorm room at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania. During a video interview with NPR, the room appeared cozy and warm, with twinkly lights strung across the walls, and a striped crochet quilt on the bed.
Meta recalls a recent conversation on the helpline's messaging platform with a girl who said she was 11. The girl said she had just confessed to her parents that she was struggling with an eating disorder, but the conversation had gone badly.
"The parents said that they 'didn't believe in eating disorders,' and [told their daughter] 'You just need to eat more. You need to stop doing this,'" Meta recalls. "This individual was also suicidal and exhibited traits of self-harm as well...it was just really heartbreaking to see."
Eating disorders are a common, serious, and sometimes fatal illness. An estimated nine percent of Americans experience an eating disorder during their lifetime. Eating disorders also have some of the highest mortality rates among mental illnesses, with an estimated death toll of more than 10,000 Americans each year.
But after the COVID-19 pandemic hit, closing schools and forcing people into prolonged isolation, crisis calls and messages like the one Meta describes became far more frequent on the helpline. That's because the pandemic created a "perfect storm" for eating disorders, according to Dr. Dasha Nicholls, a psychiatrist and eating disorder researcher at Imperial College London.
In the U.S., the rate of pediatric hospitalizations and ER visits surged. For many people, the stress, isolation and anxiety of the pandemic was compounded by major changes to their eating and exercise habits, not to mention their daily routines.
On the NEDA helpline, the volume of contacts increased by more than 100% compared to pre-pandemic levels. And workers taking those calls and messages were witnessing the escalating stress and symptoms in real time.
"Eating disorders thrive in isolation, so COVID and shelter-in-place was a tough time for a lot of folks struggling," explains Abbie Harper, a helpline staff associate. "And what we saw on the rise was kind of more crisis-type calls, with suicide, self-harm, and then child abuse or child neglect, just due to kids having to be at home all the time, sometimes with not-so-supportive folks."
There was another 11-year-old girl, this one in Greece, who said she was terrified to talk to her parents "because she thought she might get in trouble" for having an eating disorder, recalls volunteer Nicole Rivers. On the helpline, the girl found reassurance that her illness "was not her fault."
"We were actually able to educate her about what eating disorders are," Rivers says. "And that there are ways that she could teach her parents about this as well, so that they may be able to help support her and get her support from other professionals."
What personal contact can provide
Because many volunteers have successfully battled eating disorders themselves, they're uniquely attuned to experiences of those reaching out, Harper says. "Part of what can be very powerful in eating disorder recovery, is connecting to folks who have a lived experience. When you know what it's been like for you, and you know that feeling, you can connect with others over that."
Until a few weeks ago, the helpline was run by just 5-6 paid staffers, two supervisors, and depended on a rotating roster of 90-165 volunteers at any given time, according to NEDA.
Yet even after lockdowns ended, NEDA's helpline volume remained elevated above pre-pandemic levels, and the cases continued to be clinically severe. Staff felt overwhelmed, undersupported, and increasingly burned out, and turnover increased, according to multiple interviews with helpline staffers.
The helpline staff formally notified NEDA that their unionization vote had been certified on March 27. Four days later, they learned their positions were being eliminated.
It was no longer possible for NEDA to continue operating the helpline, says Lauren Smolar, NEDA's Vice President of Mission and Education.
"Our volunteers are volunteers," Smolar says. "They're not professionals. They don't have crisis training. And we really can't accept that kind of responsibility." Instead, she says, people seeking crisis help should be reaching out to resources like 988, a 24/7 suicide and crisis hotline that connects people with trained counselors.
The surge in volume also meant the helpline was unable to respond immediately to 46% of initial contacts, and it could take between 6 and 11 days to respond to messages.
"And that's frankly unacceptable in 2023, for people to have to wait a week or more to receive the information that they need, the specialized treatment options that they need," she says.
After learning in the March 31 email that the helpline would be phased out, volunteer Faith Fischetti, 22, tried the chatbot out on her own. "I asked it a few questions that I've experienced, and that I know people ask when they want to know things and need some help," says Fischetti, who will begin pursuing a master's in social work in the fall. But her interactions with Tessa were not reassuring: "[The bot] gave links and resources that were completely unrelated" to her questions.
Fischetti's biggest worry is that someone coming to the NEDA site for help will leave because they "feel that they're not understood, and feel that no one is there for them. And that's the most terrifying thing to me."
She wonders why NEDA can't have both: a 24/7 chatbot to pre-screen users and reroute them to a crisis hotline if needed, and a human-run helpline to offer connection and resources. "My question became, why are we getting rid of something that is so helpful?"
A chatbot designed to help treat eating disorders
Tessa the chatbot was created to help a specific cohort: people with eating disorders who never receive treatment.
Only 20% of people with eating disorders get formal help, according to Ellen Fitzsimmons-Craft, a psychologist and professor at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Her team created Tessa after receiving funding from NEDA in 2018, with the goal of looking for ways technology could help fill the treatment gap.
"Unfortunately, most mental health providers receive no training in eating disorders," Fitzsimmons-Craft says. Her team's ultimate goal is to provide free, accessible, evidence-based treatment tools that leverage the power and reach of technology.
But no one intends Tessa to be a universal fix, she says. "I don't think it's an open-ended tool for you to talk to, and feel like you're just going to have access to kind of a listening ear, maybe like the helpline was. It's really a tool in its current form that's going to help you learn and use some strategies to address your disordered eating and your body image."
Tessa is a "rule-based" chatbot, meaning she's programmed with a limited set of possible responses. She is not chatGPT, and cannot generate unique answers in response to specific queries. "So she can't go off the rails, so to speak," Fitzsimmons-Craft says.
In its current form, Tessa can guide users through an interactive, weeks-long course about body positivity, based on cognitive behavioral therapy tools. Additional content about binging, weight concerns, and regular eating are also being developed but are not yet available for users.
There's evidence the concept can help. Fitzsimmons-Craft's team did a small study that found college students who interacted with Tessa had significantly greater reductions in "weight/shape concerns" compared to a control group at both 3- and 6-month follow-ups.
But even the best-intentioned technology may carry risks. Fitzsimmons-Craft's team published a different study looking at ways the chatbot "unexpectedly reinforced harmful behaviors at times." For example, the chatbot would give users a prompt: "Please take a moment to write about when you felt best about your body?"
Some of the responses included: "When I was underweight and could see my bones." "I feel best about my body when I ignore it and don't think about it at all."
The chatbot's response seemed to ignore the troubling aspects of such responses — and even to affirm negative thinking — when it would reply: "It is awesome that you can recognize a moment when you felt confident in your skin, let's keep working on making you feel this good more often."
Researchers were able to troubleshoot some of those issues. But the chatbot still missed red flags, the study found, like when it asked: "What is a small healthy eating habit goal you would like to set up before you start your next conversation?'"
One user replied, "'Don't eat.'"
"'Take a moment to pat yourself on the back for doing this hard work, <<USER>>!'" the chatbot responded.
The study described the chatbot's capabilities as something that could be improved over time, with more inputs and tweaks: "With many more responses, it would be possible to train the AI to identify and respond better to problematic responses."
MIT professor Marzyeh Ghassemi has seen issues like this crop up in her own research developing machine learning to improve health.
Large language models and chatbots are inevitably going to make mistakes, but "sometimes they tend to be wrong more often for certain groups, like women and minorities," she says.
If people receive bad advice or instructions from a bot, "people sometimes have a difficulty not listening to it," Ghassemi adds. "I think it sets you up for this really negative outcome...especially for a mental health crisis situation, where people may be at a point where they're not thinking with absolute clarity. It's very important that the information that you give them is correct and is helpful to them."
And if the value of the live helpline was the ability to connect with a real person who deeply understands eating disorders, Ghassemi says a chatbot can't do that.
"If people are experiencing a majority of the positive impact of these interactions because the person on the other side understands fundamentally the experience they're going through, and what a struggle it's been, I struggle to understand how a chatbot could be part of that."
Copyright 2023 Michigan Radio | https://www.ijpr.org/npr-news/2023-05-31/national-eating-disorders-association-phases-out-human-helpline-pivots-to-chatbot | 2023-07-29T03:20:12 | 1 | https://www.ijpr.org/npr-news/2023-05-31/national-eating-disorders-association-phases-out-human-helpline-pivots-to-chatbot |
Updated July 24, 2023 at 10:51 AM ET
Elon Musk has finally done it: turned Twitter to X.
While the unveiling of X on a Sunday caught many people unaware, it was not a surprise.
The platform's owner has talked about turning it into "X" for months, while being a bit vague about what that exactly means. Does X represent a major business experiment? A radical new concept for on-line living? Or is it simply one man's obsession with the 24th letter of the alphabet?
Probably it's all of the above.
"X," Musk tweeted in April.
A few days earlier a filing in a federal court case in California confirmed that Twitter had been folded into X Corp.
In announcing the company's new CEO, Linda Yaccarino, this May, Musk wrote on then-Twitter: "Looking forward to working with Linda to transform this platform into X, the everything app."
Yaccarino seems keen to do exactly that, posting on Sunday that "X will be the platform that can deliver, well....everything."
In some ways, the letter "X" frames everything about Musk's ambitions, according to biographers, from where he is headed to where he got his entrepreneurial start.
X.com, the bank where it began
According to Ashlee Vance, the author of Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future, Musk's obsession with the letter X began with one of the billionaire's earliest ventures, X.com, which later merged with a competitor to become PayPal.
"Everyone tried to talk him out of naming the company that back then because of the sexual innuendos, but he really liked it and stuck with it," said Vance.
In 2017, Musk repurchased the url "X.com" from PayPal, tweeting that the domain "has great sentimental value."
X, the Tesla model
"X marks the spot in a lot of ways for Elon Musk," said Tim Higgins, a Wall Street Journal reporter and the author of Power Play: Tesla, Elon Musk, and the Bet of the Century. "It's kind of this common theme throughout."
The letter X became the name of Tesla's third model, which debuted in 2015.
"The idea being that the Tesla models would spell out the word 'sexy,'" Higgins said. But Ford owns the right to the Model E, which is why Musk later settled on the Model 3, "kind of a backwards E," he said.
X, the first letter of his youngest son's name
In 2020, Musk and his then-partner, Grimes, welcomed a son via surrogate, naming him X Æ A-12 Musk. (Æ is pronounced "ash," Musk told controversial podcast host Joe Rogan.)
The couple named their second child, a girl, Exa Dark Sideræl Musk. (It's now been changed to "Y.")
X, the everything app
But lately, "X" has referred to Musk's newest ambition, building an "everything app" akin to China's popular WeChat, which doesn't yet have a U.S.-parallel.
"He wants to create an app similar to how WeChat is used in China, where it's part of the fabric of day-to-day life. You use it to communicate, to consume news, to buy things, to pay your rent, to book appointments with your doctor and even to pay fines," said Vance.
Vance says following the WeChat model makes sense with what Musk wants for Twitter. "The company clearly needs a new, bigger business if it's to make the type of money that would justify his investment and satisfy his ambition," he said.
Weeks before he shelled out $44 billion to acquire Twitter in October, Musk tweeted, "Buying Twitter is an accelerant to creating X, the everything app."
X...?
But Musk's obsession with the letter X is still something of a mystery even to his biographers, like Higgins.
"Whether it's kind of mysterious, like something pulled from a comic book, or 'X marks the spot,' it's hard to know with him," Higgins said. "It also just kind of sounds cool."
This story was updated on July 24, 2023, by Lisa Lambert. contributed to this story
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.ijpr.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-05-12/a-brief-biography-of-x-the-letter-that-elon-musk-has-plastered-everywhere | 2023-07-29T03:20:18 | 1 | https://www.ijpr.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-05-12/a-brief-biography-of-x-the-letter-that-elon-musk-has-plastered-everywhere |
TORONTO (AP) — Shohei Ohtani homered on the first pitch he faced in Friday night’s game between the Los Angeles Angels and Toronto Blue Jays, going deep in three straight at-bats over two games.
Ohtani’s major league-leading 39th homer came off Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman in the first inning and traveled 397 feet into the right field bullpen at Rogers Centre.
Ohtani streak of homers ended when he struck out swinging on a 2-2 pitch from Gausman in the third inning.
Ohtani homered twice in the second game of a doubleheader at Detroit on Thursday before leaving with cramps. He threw a one-hitter in the opener for his first career MLB shutout.
The two-way superstar became the first player to throw a shutout in one game of a doubleheader and hit one homer — much less two — in the other.
Thursday’s performance against the Tigers came hours after the team confirmed Ohtani will stay with the Angels for the rest of the season before he becomes a free agent.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-ohtani-hits-majors-leading-39th-home-run-against-blue-jays-extends-hr-streak-to-3-at-bats/ | 2023-07-29T03:20:19 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-ohtani-hits-majors-leading-39th-home-run-against-blue-jays-extends-hr-streak-to-3-at-bats/ |
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Colorado’s return to the Big 12 in 2024 fits right into Deion Sanders’ recruiting blueprint, allowing him to get an even better foothold in the teeming Texas and Florida markets.
“I think Colorado is already an exciting team on the recruiting trail with Coach Prime and his experienced staff full of college coaches who have been around for a while and a lot of guys with NFL pedigree,” said Steve Wiltfong, national recruiting director for 247Sports. “So I think more than anything it adds to the excitement because it’s moving to what is certainly a more stable conference and one that just had a football team (TCU) in the playoff.”
Athletic director Rick George said he kept basketball coaches Tad Boyle and JR Payne in the loop along with Sanders, who’s entering his first season in Boulder, before the CU board of regents rubber-stamped Colorado’s return to the Big 12 on Thursday.
“I think all of them felt like: Whatever you think’s best for us, we’re going to play whomever you ask us to play,” George said. “I will tell you, there are tremendous benefits for being in the Big 12 for the direction that Coach Prime’s going as it relates to recruiting, being able to play in Orlando against UCF, where he’s recruiting very heavily (and) the state of Texas has always been a priority for us.”
The newfangled Big 12 isn’t the same league the Buffs left in 2011 during the initial rounds of conference realigment when Texas A&M, Missouri and Nebraska also left. Texas and Oklahoma are leaving next year for the Big Ten. TCU and West Virginia came on board a decade ago and Cincinnati, Houston, BYU and Central Florida were added this year.
Sanders, who’s overseen the biggest roster overhaul in the nation since his hiring this spring, already has strong roots in Florida and Texas.
He was born in Fort Myers and starred at Florida State before embarking on a dual sports career as an NFL defensive back and a Major League outfielder. Some of his best years came during his half decade with the Cowboys from 1995-99 and he still has a home in the Dallas area.
When the Buffaloes return to the Big 12 next year, they will have four conference opponents in the Lone Star State in TCU, Texas Tech, Baylor and Houston, which features one of the nation’s largest television markets.
“Houston has always been a favorable market for us in recruiting,” said George, who then mentioned a few players from CU’s heyday in the late 1980s and early ’90s. “You think back to Alfred Williams, Kanavis McGhee and Chris Hudson. That area — the fifth-largest market in the country — also was a factor” in Colorado’s decision to return to the Big 12.
“Colorado recruits Texas hard because it’s an obvious state to go recruit,” Wiltfong said, “and now being in the Big 12, with all those Texas teams, it gives them one more inch to say, ’Hey, we’re going to be coming to the Lone Star State a lot throughout your career to play some big games.’”
Wiltfong expects Sanders to compete with the big boys when it comes to the recruiting trails of Texas.
“Deion’s lived in Texas, right? Deion is going to go where the players are. He’s going to recruit nationally because his name is electric,” Wiltfong said.
Colorado is the third school to leave the Pac-12 in the last year, joining UCLA and USC, which are going to the Big Ten next year. The moves coincide with the expiration of current media rights deals with ESPN and Fox.
Colorado is expected to get $31.7 million in annual TV revenue in the Big 12, which last year came to an agreement with ESPN and Fox on a six-year extension worth more than $2 billion that runs through 2030-31.
After Colorado’s vote to leave, the Pac-12 issued a statement that read, “We are focused on concluding our media rights deal and securing our continued success and growth. Immediately following the conclusion of our media rights deal, we will embrace expansion opportunities and bring new fans, markets, excitement and value to the Pac-12.”
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AP College Football Writer Eric Olson contributed to this report.
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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Broncos coach Sean Payton said Friday he regrets disparaging his predecessor in an interview in which he called the work Nathaniel Hackett and his staff did in Denver last season “one of the worst coaching jobs in the NFL” and said there were “20 dirty hands” around Russell Wilson’s career-worst season.
“Listen, I had one of those moments where I still had my Fox hat on and not my coaching hat,” said Payton, who’s returning to the sideline this season after a year’s sabbatical during which he worked as a studio football analyst for Fox Sports following a 15-year stint with the New Orleans Saints.
Payton’s comments in an interview with USA Today’s Jarrett Bell rocked the NFL because he broke the coaches code in which they refrain from publicly lambasting one another and because he spent his first six months on the job admonishing his players not to look back at last year’s dismal season and to ignore “outside noise.”
“I said this to the team in the meeting yesterday: we’ve had a great offseason relative to that, you know, and I’ve been preaching that message and here I am the veteran” doing just that, Payton said during a lengthy mea culpa in his first comments since he ignited the firestorm.
“It was a learning experience for me. It was a mistake. Obviously, I needed a little bit more filter … I needed a little bit more restraint. And I regret that,” Payton continued.
Payton said he’s usually pretty media savvy “and I just had one of those moments. Jarrett’s a good friend, real good at his job. And two lattes in the morning, first one I see and 40 minutes later, I’m regretting it.”
In the interview, Payton also took potshots at the Jets, who hired Hackett as their offensive coordinator this year, and criticized Broncos general manager George Paton and team President Damani Leech for allowing Hackett and his staff to give Wilson so much free rein, including having his personal quarterback coach with him at team headquarters.
That was one of many unconventional allowances — another was having his own office upstairs next to the coaches — that drew heavy scrutiny when Wilson looked nothing like the star he’d been in Seattle or like a QB who deserved the $245 million extension he signed last summer.
Payton’s criticisms were part of a spirited defense of Wilson, whom he expects to have a big comeback this year and help the Broncos end a seven-year playoff drought.
“Listen, I’m not afraid of the expectation,” Payton said Friday. “I’ve talked with several people about, you know, being used to contending for the postseason. You don’t take it for granted. But that mindset needs to be present here. And so yeah, I see this as a team that has that ability.”
Payton didn’t specifically apologize for his critical comments but he did say he’ll reach out to Hackett and Jets head coach Robert Saleh “at the right time” to do so.
The Broncos host the Jets on Oct. 8, and the row he started “certainly will bring more interest to the game when we play them,” Payton said. “But that seems like years from now.”
Closer to home, Payton has some damage control to do with his GM and the team president who came on board late last summer.
“The front office and the ownership are the two reasons I came here,” Paton said. “So, George and I are close. He was one of the big attractions, he and ownership. My point was it was across the board organizationally, it wasn’t just one person” responsible for Wilson’s dismal season.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-sean-payton-says-he-regrets-criticizing-predecessor-nathaniel-hackett-and-his-own-general-manager/ | 2023-07-29T03:20:39 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-sean-payton-says-he-regrets-criticizing-predecessor-nathaniel-hackett-and-his-own-general-manager/ |
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Christine Sinclair. Megan Rapinoe. Sarina Bolden.
Like many players in the Women’s World Cup, all three stars built their skills at the U.S. collegiate level.
Of the 736 players competing at this year’s Women’s World Cup, 137 have roots in American college-level soccer, according to the NCAA. The total includes 16 players who currently compete for Division I schools or lower divisions.
Across the 32 teams that qualified for the group stage, more than one in every six players has had a career stop at an American school.
Not all the NCAA athletes in the tournament are tied to the United States.
Canada has 22 of 23 athletes who played or still play on U.S. college teams, most of any team in the tournament. That includes Sinclair, the the all-time leader in international goals for men and women, who played at the University of Portland.
The United States ranks second with 20 players. Rapinoe also played at Portland, but Alyssa Thompson, Trinity Rodman, and Lindsey Horan all turned professional without playing a college match. Horan also did not play for a high school team.
More than 70 U.S. schools are represented in the 2023 tournament, with Florida State the leader with eight current or former players competing. Stanford and North Carolina each have six, Penn State has five and four universities have four former players.
Even schools with lesser-known soccer programs have players competing in New Zealand and Australia. Hilary Jaen of Panama plays for Jones County Community College in Mississippi, Carleigh Frilles of the Philippines plays for Coastal Carolina and Chiara Singarella of Argentina plays for South Alabama. Erin Nayler of New Zealand previously played at Purdue Fort Wayne in Indiana.
TITLE IX
The success of American college soccer can trace its roots back just over 50 years, with the introduction of Title IX. As the U.S. government required universities to establish equal opportunities for men and women in education, those protections – and funding – spread to college athletics.
“The U.S. was providing one of the only games in town so to speak, in terms of opportunities for women to get some kind of compensation,” said Ellen Staurowsky, a professor in sports media at Ithaca College.
Title IX drew female athletes from outside the United States to American schools. Since the passage of Title IX, the number of female athletes competing in NCAA athletics has increased seven-fold and currently represents 44% of all university athletes, according to the National Women’s Law Center.
NCAA TRENDS
In 2021, there were 1,464 international student-athletes playing in NCAA Division I and Division II women’s soccer.
Traditional soccer powerhouses such as Germany and Sweden are sending significant numbers of players to college soccer, even though they have developmental programs of their own. There were 114 from Sweden and 128 from Germany in 2021.
In that same year, NCAA teams had 38 players from New Zealand, 35 players from the Netherlands, 16 players from Japan, and 5 players from South Africa.
“Then you would see those women going back to their own countries, taking what they learned with them,” Staurowsky said. “And you can begin to see how the sport begins to expand out.”
Penn State women’s soccer coach Erica Dambach has seen the collegiate process up close for some time. She’s coached at the Division I level since 1997, won the national title in 2015, and worked as an assistant coach for the U.S. women’s national teams at both the youth and senior levels.
“Until these players are making millions, I think an education is going to be the most important thing for these young women,” Dambach said. “I don’t think it’s for everyone, you have to be invested in getting your education.”
THE AMERICAN SYSTEM
That can be easier than it sounds.
“Educational systems around the globe are so different that our international students really don’t know how to navigate the (U.S.) system,” said Nicole LaVoi, a former collegiate tennis coach and the director of the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport at the University of Minnesota.
Coumba Sow, a Swiss midfielder, attended Monroe Community College in Rochester, New York, for two years before transferring to play Division I soccer at Oklahoma State.
“I didn’t understand the system. I was in a rush to just go to the States,” Sow said. “I wanted to keep on learning a language and studying and also play soccer. It’s a lot of paperwork, so I just looked at the facility. I was like, ‘Oh, New York,’ and I went. Then I got there I was like, ‘OK, maybe I should have checked it out better.’”
For New Zealand forward Gabi Rennie, taking the pathway to Division I soccer was an easy decision after watching others succeed. Rennie is entering her final year of NCAA eligibility at Arizona State after spending two seasons at Indiana.
“I wasn’t too sure what to do. But obviously, the college circuit was a really good option,” Rennie said. “Being able to kind of look to the likes of Ali Riley and Katie Bowen and the likes of those girls that had done the college circuit was cool, and just opened those doors for me.”
A PROVING GROUND
Katrina Guillou, a starting forward for the Philippines, spent four years at North Carolina–Wilmington. Her time playing soccer in Wilmington was pivotal to her career.
“The way the season is, with everything so condensed into the three-month span, playing two games every week, I think it really helps build the stamina that’s needed,” Guillou said. “And coming to this level, I think I’ve been able to build on top of that.”
Like many others, Sow saw her experience with American teams impact her style of play.
“Before I went to the U.S., I wasn’t really a physical player,” said Sow. “I learned how to fight in the U.S. because it’s a lot, a lot of long balls. You have to fight for the second ball. And before, I was just a technical player.”
Jody Brown of Jamaica was named the best young players in CONCACAF at the age of 16 and now plays for Florida State.
“The coaches helped us,” said Brown of Florida State. “I feel like college also prepared me for this moment and I’m just so grateful for that and the work that I’ve put in to get to this point because it’s all paid off right now.”
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Joe Lister is a student in John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State.
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Contributing reporters included Luke Vargas in Hamilton and Max Ralph in Auckland, students in John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State; and Clay Witt in Sydney, a student at the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.
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ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid watched his team work out in pads for the first time since their Super Bowl triumph last February and saw his players’ energy rise.
“Naturally it does that,” Reid said. “But I like the way they did it, how they got after each other.”
The defending champions ratcheted up the competition for an hour, 40 minutes in sweltering conditions as the heat index soared into the mid-90s.
The air wasn’t all that was hot, like when cornerback Dicaprio Bootle continued hacking at the football in the grasp of tight end Travis Kelce after a play. Cornerback Lamar Jackson raised eyebrows when he delivered a late hit on receiver Kekoa Crawford out of bounds.
Reid doesn’t mind trash-talking and spirited play as long as players keep their wits about them.
“They’re going to jaw,” Reid said. “It’s hot, humid, they’re going to jaw a little bit. As long as there are no punches thrown we’re all right.”
The Chiefs dug in during practice for three separate periods of 11-on-11, along with a nine-on-seven run session.
However, the most anticipated session in Friday’s practice focused on offensive and defensive linemen facing off in pass-rushing scenarios.
“It’s you mano a mano,” guard Trey Smith said. “All the technical details, every little piece matters. Being able to lock in those little seconds and get your job done.”
Linebacker Willie Gay said the hard, hot practice was tailor made for Reid. Although it was grueling, “I told the guys, as long as we continue to get better, it’s going to make the games and preseason even easier, and we’ll start winning,” he continued.
There’s rust to knock off whenever the pads first come on.
“You have some things that you got to clean up, some things you can be a little tighter technique-wise, but it’s always good to put the pads back on,” Smith said. “It’s always good knowing the season’s around the corner.”
Off the field, defensive tackle Chris Jones held out for seventh day and Reid, who hasn’t communicated with Jones recently, didn’t know when the holdout would end.
“We’re moving fast and furious even though he’s not here,” Reid said.
The 29-year-old-Jones is set to earn $19.5 million in base salary this season in the final year of a four-year extension signed in 2020. The All-Pro is seeking an extension that would make him the league’s second-highest-paid defensive tackle behind Los Angeles Rams star Aaron Donald, whose contract sports an annual average value of $31.67 million.
Jones has been fined $50,000 fine for each missed day of training camp missed, a total that’s grown to $350,000 00 so far. If Jones doesn’t report by Aug. 13, he will be assessed an additional fine of $1.147 for missing the team’s preseason opener against New Orleans.
NOTES: Linebacker Nick Bolton returned to practice Friday following a brief illness, but fellow linebacker Drue Tranquill exited practice early due to a sprained neck. Defensive end Mike Danna left with a strained calf while tight end Jody Fortson is undergoing further examination on a shoulder injury. Wide receiver Kadarius Toney expects to miss the remainder of training camp after surgery Tuesday for a torn meniscus.
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — As Bronny James continues to recover after going into cardiac arrest, his Southern California teammates have been at practice to prepare for a 10-day exhibition tour of Greece and Croatia that begins next week.
The tour will run from from Aug. 5-15 and see the Trojans visit Athens and Mykonos, Greece, and Dubrovnik, Croatia. Teams are allowed to go on a foreign tour once every four years under NCAA rules.
James was discharged from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Thursday and is resting at home, according to a statement from the hospital. His father, Lakers superstar LeBron James, also posted on social media that his family is “safe and healthy.”
Bronny James will continue to undergo tests to determine the cause of his cardiac arrest, which occurred Monday morning during a workout at USC’s Galen Center.
Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart abruptly stops beating, because of a problem with its electrical activity. While uncommon in young people, sudden cardiac arrest is the leading medical cause of death in young athletes. Some studies have estimated one sudden cardiac death in 50,000 to 80,000 young athletes each year.
No information has been made public about what may have caused Bronny James’ cardiac arrest. But one of the most common causes in young athletes is an underlying problem with the heart’s structure, such as a genetic condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that leads to a thickened heart muscle more prone to irregular electrical activity. A more rare cause is commotio cordis, which occurs when someone receives a sharp blow to the chest during a specific part of the heartbeat’s cycle — what happened to Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin earlier this year.
James was the second high-profile USC basketball recruit to go into cardiac arrest in the last year. Vincent Iwuchuwku also was stricken during a workout last July, but the 7-foot-1 center returned to the court six months later and appeared in 14 games.
It’s too soon to know how James’ playing career could be affected, especially without a lot of information being made public. Various experts point to James’ quick move out of intensive care and being released three days later as encouraging.
The upcoming trip is important for the Trojans as James recovers. USC had the nation’s fourth-ranked recruiting class, including the top-rated player in guard Isaiah Collier.
James committed to the Trojans in May after the 6-foot-3 18-year-old became one of the nation’s top prospects as a two-way point guard for Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth, California.
He is the sixth McDonald’s All-American to come to USC since Andy Enfield became coach in 2013.
With his family fame and huge social media following, Bronny James also has the top name, image and likeness valuation in sports at $6.3 million, as estimated by On3.com. He is the oldest of LeBron and Savannah James’ three children.
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AP Sports Writer Greg Beacham and AP Health & Science Writer Lauran Neergard contributed to this report.
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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/lebron-james | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-usc-still-preparing-for-a-european-tour-as-bronny-james-recovers-at-home-after-cardiac-arrest/ | 2023-07-29T03:21:04 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-usc-still-preparing-for-a-european-tour-as-bronny-james-recovers-at-home-after-cardiac-arrest/ |
Audacious: David Meyers Interview Transcript
Audacious with Chion Wolf
Link back to episode page >>
Chion Wolf 0:00
Hey there, I'm Chion Wolf. And this is a special extended version of my conversation with Dr. David Myers. After five years of living with glioblastoma, a brain tumor, he's nearing the end of his life. He talks about what matters most to him, he gives advice for those of us who aren't so willing to ponder death deeply, and he shares how he wants to be remembered. But let's back up. When did he first know that something was wrong?
Dr. David Meyers 0:25
A couple of weeks, maybe three weeks before I was actually diagnosed, I noticed I could hear myself walking. And that was a new experience. And I looked at it and thought, this might be my new dress shoes that I was wearing a lot that week and... maybe I was just still getting used to them. And I had a big conference coming up. So I just ignored it for a while. And I went to the conference. And I heard myself walking through the corridors of the airport with those very echoey floors. It's like, Yeah, this is something. But again, I was focused on the conference. And during an afternoon off, I went swimming - it was in the southwest. And I couldn't do the breaststroke kick. And that might not be surprising for everybody. But I was a competitive breaststroker when I was in high school. So this really made me wake up and say this isn't normal. And when I came home, I sat down and tried to do a self diagnosis. I'm a physician, and realized, this wasn't my foot. This wasn't my leg. This had to be in my brain. This was a nervous system condition. I came down to the conclusion that it was one of three bad things. It was either ALS - Lou Gehrig's disease - a new case of multiple sclerosis, which tends to happen in middle age. So I was a candidate for that... Or a brain tumor. And the next morning, I went to see my primary care physician, and he first thought, maybe I pulled something, maybe it is the new shoes. Why don't we give it another couple of weeks. And I didn't accept that. I pushed back. I used doctor-speak to him to tell him what some of my symptoms were and why they thought I need more testing. And he eventually agreed. And that day, we got a CT scan. And CT scan showed a shadow in my brain, which helped convince him that this really was something. So he sent me to see a neurologist who quickly got an MRI. He was more worrie d after seeing the MRI and got a more advanced kind of MRI the next night - this is Friday night - and called me over the weekend. Said I've got some bad news. It is a brain tumor. And it's probably a malignant brain tumor. And I was actually prepared for that. I wasn't surprised. But I was deeply saddened because I had plans for my life. I wanted to see my son grow up, I wanted to grow old with my wife, I love my work. And I had many more things I wanted to accomplish before I retired. And in that moment, everything changed. I realized I wasn't going to have that kind of time.
Chion Wolf 3:01
What kind of time did they estimate you'd have?
Dr. David Meyers 3:05
Doctors are very squirrely, sometimes. It took a little longer to get inside my brain and get some of the tissue and prove that this was a aggressive form of brain cancer known as glioblastoma. And they didn't really want to tell me exactly how much but I knew how to look that up. The prognosis was a little over a year. Some people die much sooner, and some who, on average, after there for more than six to nine months,
Chion Wolf 3:36
And it's coming up on five years.
Dr. David Meyers 3:38
It is. I am incredibly fortunate, and there's no exact reason why. I got great medical care, I had a very talented surgeon who removed far more of the tumor than we were expecting. And that probably helped. I have a genetic malformation in my tumor. And normally, that's a bad thing. But in this case, it was a good thing that my brain was more... The tumor was more responsive to medications, chemotherapy and radiation. But mostly, I was just lucky.
Chion Wolf 4:09
At any point, did somebody say you should get your affairs in order prepare to die?
Dr. David Meyers 4:17
No, I don't actually remember that. But I knew that. And so the moment I came home from the hospital, I felt this intense urge to put things in order to do things like make a will, and make sure our backyard was mowed. Like, as if that's the most important thing! But just check off these lists of things that I wanted to leave my son and wife in a good place. And so for the first few months after my surgery, that's what I did. And there was some anxiety until I had finished it and then I actually had a deep sense of peace. At that point.
Chion Wolf 4:52
What were some of the things that you really wanted to make sure that you did in your remaining time, however long that would be?
Dr. David Meyers 4:54
While there were those anxiety-producing things like having a durable power of attorney so that when I wasn't able to make decisions, my wife would be able to care for me, I wanted to investigate hospices in the area with my wife and pick which one we would use. But then there were the things that gave me my life meaning, and there were two parts to that. And one is connection with other people. So I really wanted to be able to say goodbye and see people tell them how much I love them, and then included family and friends. And the other part is that my work gives me great meaning, and I know I'm very lucky to have a job that I really believe makes a difference in the world. But I was in a position where I had a lot of projects that reported to me. And so it was really important to me early on, to make sure that those were all taken care of, where the team had a plan for what to do after I left. And again, once that was done, I continued to work because it gave me such meaning. But I did it at a different pace. And in more short-term projects, things that I could start and either wouldn't matter if they didn't get finished or would continue on after I was gone.
Chion Wolf 6:12
Will you tell me about the sweater you knit for your son?
Dr. David Meyers 6:16
Yeah, I'm happy to do that. After having this incredibly lucky, long, extended period, my tumor, as expected, came back. And so for the last few months, I guess, now it's been six months, I've been dealing with recurrent cancer. And very few people are as lucky, and people say to me, Well, maybe it can happen again. And I don't think that's going to happen. But as you mentioned, I'm a knitter, it's been one of my hobbies for a long time. And amusingly, it was my son who taught me to knit after his mother taught me to knit, so it's a family hobby. When I was first in the hospital and going through chemotherapy, and specifically going through radiation, I did very small knitting projects to give to friends and family, when I realized I might have a little bit more time in those early months. I knit something a little bit more complicated for my mother and something for my wife, and I gave to them, I gifted it to them. But I couldn't decide what to do for my son. And I really wanted to knit him a sweater. Something that would hold him and wrap around him when I was gone. But knitting a sweater is a big project! And for me, even though I'm experienced, I'm a very slow knitter. I thought it'll take about a year to do this. And I didn't think I had a year left. And now... I hadn't finished it, by the time my recurrence, I was really worried I never would finish it, which was a life lesson that if you don't start, you'll never get finished. So I started before my diagnose my rediagnosis. And I finished it afterwards, even when I was going through shaky hands and things. But I had the deep belief that even if I didn't finish it, either my son or my wife could do that. And that would even add more love into the finished sweater. And the good news is the sweater did get finished. And I was able to give it to Abe at the holidays this year.
Chion Wolf 8:09
I'm gonna jump around a little bit. When you first got your diagnosis of glioblastoma, you had to tell people, not only your family, but your co-workers, your friends, everybody who mattered. I'd like to hear what that was like, and also what that did for you - or to you - to go through that over and over again. and in different ways that you did.
Dr. David Meyers 8:37
In the very beginning, even before I had my definitive diagnosis, my wife and I decided that we wanted to be open, and not hide any of what was happening. To be open and transparent and honest about what was happening to me. And that's not a decision everybody would make. And I respect other people's choices in this. And I know there are some people who couldn't do that because of fear of job loss, loss of insurance or rejection from their families. But for us, this has worked really, really well. It's meant on a small side that when I meet people, I don't have to say, did we tell them? Did we not tell them? And play that game. But I think on a deeper level, it's meant that I'm not hiding any part of myself. That if you don't talk openly and honestly about something this important to what's happening to me, it would put a distance between me and the people I loved, or my friends or even my coworkers. And so being open and honest really helped me connect to the seriousness of this. The difficulty of it. Our culture doesn't like talking about dying. It's opened up a dialogue with many, many different people. Close friends and even distant people have really appreciated and I've gotten to know because of this. So I think for us, it was definitely the right decision.
Chion Wolf 9:56
Were there any moments you had when you would tell somebody, and all of a sudden, you had to comfort them?
Dr. David Meyers 10:03
Yes, unfortunately, sometimes that does happen. And that's part of being connected with people. And it also sometimes gives me the feeling that I still have value. That I'm not only being cared for. That I can still reciprocate. And when you have cancer, that can sometimes feel good too. There are times, like, ahh, enough of this! I don't want to comfort other people. But most of the time, they're being honest. When somebody is able to be honest with me that they're having difficulty thinking about me being gone, or my diagnosis, or even saying it's not fair, which we can talk about later - That's not my favorite expression - The ability to work through that with them... I appreciate that they trusted me enough to be honest.
Chion Wolf 10:50
So what do you say when someone says, what you're going through... It's not fair.
Dr. David Meyers 10:55
Depends how well I know them. But mostly, it's a form of who said life is fair? Life isn't fair. And if not me, it was going to be somebody else. Why should I expect... and I've had a really privileged and lucky life. So maybe it was my turn. But the most important thing is, cancer is never fair. That's not the way to think about life. It's the hand I was dealt, and let's see what we can do with it.
Chion Wolf 11:21
What do we know about glioblastoma? Is it just wrong brain wrong time, if that's the right way to put it?
Dr. David Meyers 11:29
I'm guessing there are scientists who know more about the causes of glioblastoma, and my doctors, partly because I'm a scientist and the doctor often offered me studies to read about and learn about, and I really appreciated that, and I would often skim them. My wife devoured them. She might know more about this. In general, I don't think we know much about what are the underlying causes. But sometimes, it's helpful to realize that our cells are always growing and mutating. And that's actually what creates the diversity of life, why we have plants and animals. It all comes from mutations. The fact that we're living at all, we're here at all, is a miracle. So that some of those cells sometimes go into weird things, and some of those weird things we can recognize something we call cancer... That's part of what life is. And my cancer cells, I also realized, are part of me. It's not an alien that we have to rip out and kill. It's not some foreign invader. It's my own body that just grew in the wrong way.
Chion Wolf 12:34
As a physician, you're used to helping people figure themselves out, solve problems, treat illnesses, and a thousand other things that go along with just that one job. And now you are... It sounds like you are utterly yourself, as you've always been, and a physician for yourself. Have you found, or do you think, that this work as a physician is informing the way you... Physician yourself?
Dr. David Meyers 13:04
Well, there's a lot there. First, thank you for that definition of a physician. That's one of the loveliest ways I've heard it described. Because you're right, a physician can do many things, and each person gets their own... You have to respond to as them and what they need. I was a practicing physician about 20 years ago, and moved more into research and policy and helping make the healthcare system better. And I think that is the aspect that I've taken most into my diagnosis. I love watching how, in the healthcare system, and how care is delivered to me, what's working and what's not working. And one of my favorite stories is that when I was in the pre-op area and about to go into surgery, the charge nurse for the operating room called everybody together. They all became quiet suddenly. And they went around and around my bed and said, I'm the surgeon, I will direct the surgery. I'm the fellow, I will assist in the surgery. I'm the nurse anesthesiologist, I give the anesthesia. And they gave their names and introduced themselves to each other. And what that was doing - it's called a pause - is reducing the chances there'll be mistakes in the operating room. I was so grateful that they were doing that, because it meant I would have the safer surgery. But I was also ecstatic. I almost wanted to get out of bed and call people, because that's the work we do in my agency. The fact that we're doing a pause... It was my agency that proved this improved safety! So I got to see it as a patient. That's not what you asked though. I want to correct something though, at first. I don't try to be my own doctor. I did a little bit at the beginning. I am not a neuro oncologist. I'm not a radiation oncologist. I'm not a surgeon. I was very comfortable with the people I chose to be part of the team with me to get my care. I listened. I'm still active. I make the decisions, but rely on their advice. So when I'm being cared for, I'm a patient. When I'm back in my office, I might be a physician. But here, I wanted to be a patient. The other thing - other than the excitement of getting to see safety procedures used around me - I don't know... I mean, I really don't know how most Americans who don't have themselves or someone in their family, who's in medical field, how they can deal with our fragmented system. All the things, getting the records from one place to another, or dealing with the billing of the insurance company, or having somebody explain things to you... This experience has reminded me of all the work we do at my agency to make care more patient-centered. And how fragmented our current healthcare system is. As a physician, it was eye-opening to see that again. I mean, I knew it intellectually. To experience it was one of the most important lessons I've learned,
Chion Wolf 16:02
If you had a magic wand you could wave over the entire system and change one big chunk of it... What would it be?
Dr. David Meyers 16:10
Oh, there are lots of things. I know where I'd like us to end up. And that's with a system that looks at Whole Person Care. That sees us as physical, mental, spiritual, emotional beings, and builds the healthcare system around that fact. And for those people. In the interim, when I only get to do one thing that I think would help, is to change the financial incentives underlying our healthcare system. I think the way we pay for health care in America built the system we have, and we can't get a new system until we change some of those incent financial incentives.
Chion Wolf 16:52
What do you think those odds are?
Dr. David Meyers 16:55
Sometimes change happens slowly and incrementally. And sometimes people just get fed up enough that it can happen very, very quickly. I'm hopeful that the American people will, as so many of us experience problems, will feel empowered enough to demand change. And it'll happen very, very quickly. There's some signs that it is changing. We need more of them, and we need more people speaking up to have the healthcare system we deserve.
Chion Wolf 17:26
How the past five years affected your marriage?
Dr. David Meyers 17:31
Short answer is that it's deepened our love and our connection to each other. Slightly longer answer: The year before I was diagnosed, in fact, almost exactly a year before I was diagnosed, my wife was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer. And we were just coming out of that experience. And for me, it was a chance... I had been a caregiver in the doctor's sense of caregiver. But I've not been a caregiver and this sense of providing support to somebody in the home to somebody I loved. My wife and I used to discuss while she was going through her treatments, is it harder to be the patient or the caregiver? And I don't think we ever answered that question fully. My wife thought it was harder to be the caregiver and I wasn't sure. I watched her be in pain and throw up and be fatigued and have brain fog. And I wasn't sure. So one year later, I'm diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. We went from bad to worse, and our roles flipped. I was the person needing caring-for and she was the person providing that care. And during this period, I've decided that I definitely believe it's harder to be a caregiver. All she does for me has just deepened my love. She wouldn't be doing those things, though, if we weren't built on the solid foundation of our relationship. And all these fears and sadness and physical needs, like getting up in the middle of night, tell me to go to the bathroom, making it possible for me to get out of the house and see friends during COVID... All the efforts that she's done have actually brought us closer together emotionally. I've realized... I'm sorry, I think I got confused in the middle of that. But I hope it makes sense. We're actually writing a memoir together on the experience of how health and healthcare has affected our marriage. And what's wonderful about that is that it's also bringing us closer together, having to verbalize what we're feeling, and share that with each other, and edit each other, and remind each other of stories we had forgotten. It's just been a glorious experience. I'm not sure I'll be able to finish my part of the book. I think she will have to take it the last stretch. But all the work we've done on it. It's just been a gift.
Chion Wolf 19:48
Do you have a title yet?
Dr. David Meyers 19:50
In book publishing, you don't get to pick your title, right? They pick it for you. But our working title ourselves is This Mortal Coil. And that's both a Shakespeare reference - we're both Shakespeare geeks - But also a recognition that life goes around in circles, and you're not in the same place, but that it changes. That works for us.
Chion Wolf 20:17
So what are your days like now? Like, how are you feeling today? And and how are you?
Dr. David Meyers 20:23
Thank you so much for asking. In the wonderful grace period between my first diagnosis and after I finished the treatments and thought I didn't have enough time, I had a long period of time where I was feeling pretty good and was able to continue working, and going out, and going to art museums and like, theater and like, music, concerts, seeing friends, near and far. That was such a gift. And then COVID hit. And being somebody with a compromised immune system in COVID... I mean, for all of us, COVID changed our lives, and it shut it down. But those bonus years -what I can think about as bonus years - I sort of feel a bit cheated! I was getting extra time, but I had to spend it in my house. The silver lining was that colleges closed down. So my college-aged son came home, and I got to spend extra time with him. So that was a small bonus. But overall, COVID really left me feeling a bit cheated. But how do I feel now? We still have COVID. And now my immune system is even weaker than it was before because I'm back on chemotherapy. But I'm still working full time. I'm really committed, not for any other reason than I'm just committed to trying to make the healthcare system safer, more equitable, higher quality, more patient-centered for all Americans. And I'm using my own experiences. Now, to drive deeper into that work helping my agency... For example, think about end-of-life care, and how do we make sure that that's patient centered and equitable, and everybody has access to hospice? So I, most days, get up and sit and do telework, like we had been doing for years before. But it's also because of Zoom. I have connections with the people I work with like that. In the evenings, my wife generally cooks dinner, I can no longer help with that. And we do something quiet together on the couch. I could be reading out loud to each other or watching a British BBC production of something. Maybe just talking. It often is writing. I'm slowly watching my functional decline, I'm losing strength - and control, really not strength - in the left side of my body. So I went from walking, to using a cane, and now I use a walker. Someday soon, I'll be in a wheelchair. There are also some thinking difficulties. Speaking fluently, word-finding difficulties. All of that is getting slightly worse every day. But most days, I'm I feel pretty good.
Chion Wolf 22:54
You said you're still on chemotherapy. At what point do you say, no more chemotherapy?
Dr. David Meyers 23:02
That's a great question. I actually just said that. It just got to that point. And that was partly because we asked my doctors for the evidence that this chemotherapy for six months after radiation, what's the evidence for it? And while I'm sure many people would look at the evidence and come to different conclusions... After reviewing it myself, I decided there's not much extra benefit from four months to six months, and I've been on it for about four and a half months. And while it wasn't horrible, it did slow me down a bit. It did weaken my immune system. And then I had to travel and get blood tests frequently. And it gave me wicked constipation.
Chion Wolf 23:41
That's no fun.
Dr. David Meyers 23:42
Yeah, at this point, I was like, I see the end, I know my end is coming, is chemotherapy and its potential giving me a few more extra weeks or maybe a month, worth the inconveniences it's causing me now? And I told my team, and I talked with them about this. And they said that decision to stop chemotherapy is reasonable. And so they're supporting me in doing that.
Chion Wolf 24:15
How much time do you expect you have?
Dr. David Meyers 24:18
Still almost anything is possible. But some things are more probable than others. It's possible that I will die very quickly, two, three weeks. It's possible that I'll be very lucky and live for another nine months or a year. It's far more likely that'll live three to six months we're in now, and so that's when my wife and I are thinking about how to make the most meaning and the most value. The most joy in that timeframe. Which is one of the reasons why I'm like, I don't want constipation anymore!
Chion Wolf 24:56
It's like you've had almost five years to... I don't wanna say practice for this final era... But in a way you have. How do you think this final era of yours will be different than the years leading up to it, when you knew it was sort of imminent, but not sure... But now you are. How's it different?
Dr. David Meyers 25:16
The period I'm in now is very similar to where I was relatively soon after treatment, my first treatment. And you're right, after I got through that, and saw things were continuing, that I was doing well... It sort of reverted back to normal life, not thinking about death all the time. I don't think about death all the time now, but almost any decision I make, it's part of it. And I live day to day with a deep sadness, that doesn't go away. That doesn't mean I can't experience joy and connection and frustration and all the other emotions, I do. Surprise! But sadness is always there. And one of the things that helps me, and I expect, I will take advantage of more, is hospice care. Americans are really afraid of death. We do almost everything we can to avoid even talking about it. And at this point, I'm not afraid to talk about it. And hospice care is one of the things that I think helps families, patients, people have less fear about that. For me, the reason I'm going to go into hospice is because I expect I will lose cognitive function, I will keep losing physical function, and they're going to help me manage that. And as I lose the ability to feed myself or wash myself... It's very possible to get agitated, either because I'm recognizing the losses, or just because of the way the brain reacts when the cancer advances. And they'll be able to help with medications, if necessary, and functional equipment to make life easier. But more importantly to me, or maybe, as important to me, is that hospice will look after my wife and son, and make this transition easier for them. Both explaining about what's happening, counseling them on the normality of the grief they're feeling before I die - which we call anticipatory grief - and helping prepare them for... Be there for them in those first weeks after I die. So I'm a big proponent of hospice care. And I don't think I've ever been this close to enrolling.
Chion Wolf 27:20
What has been funny about all this? Have you been able to find any humor?
Dr. David Meyers 27:27
I have. I don't look sick. So sometimes people are talking with me, and they forget. And in a way, I find that reassuring and lovely. But I was startled one time when somebody said, so what are you planning to do after you retire? And I could have cried. But I actually laughed. And we talked about that.
Chion Wolf 27:53
Yeah, that sort of levity doesn't feel necessarily like a given. But when that arrives, it's kind of beautiful. I mean, you think about the absurdity of even existing in the first place. It's nice when a little absurdity is woven into the end, too!
Dr. David Meyers 28:08
And to be able to still see that and enjoy it.
Chion Wolf 28:14
We often lightheartedly kick around ideas about what we'd like our surroundings to be when we die, like... Maybe I'll be wearing this, or eating this, or doing this, or feeling this, or hearing this, or smelling this... What are some of those things, in an ideal world, that you would experience in your final moments of cognition and feeling here on the planet Earth?
Dr. David Meyers 28:44
Some of the things that have been most important to me during my life, I'd like to have at that moment. The first is connection with other people, that deep sense of connection that we get only from the relations with other people. So in my final moments, or final moments of being aware, I think you're wise to point out, I'd like to be surrounded by, or with certainly my wife, my son, perhaps other people as well, that have meant a lot to me. The second is music. And we've been building a final moments playlist of music that has meant a lot to us over our lives. Specifically my wife and I, and my son has added some songs. My friends have demanded some songs be on the list. And I expect that'll be played for a long time while I can hear it, after I can hear it, and after I'm gone. Those are two parts that I look forward to. Before that, there should be some dark chocolate.
Chion Wolf 29:43
What percentage are we talking?
Dr. David Meyers 29:45
Oh, high. 75, 85, 88...
Chion Wolf 29:48
Any flavoring?
Dr. David Meyers 29:49
Nope! Unadulterated, please.
Chion Wolf 29:53
I like whiskey, and if you were to offer me like... cinnamon-flavored whiskey that's a no, that's not happening
Dr. David Meyers 30:00
Pass!
Chion Wolf 30:01
Bring on the Lagavulin, I'll taste that! Um... do you have? God, I hate asking this question, but I... Words are obviously so important. And you read about famous last words, right? What do you think you'd like your last words to be?
Dr. David Meyers 30:23
Before I answer that, I'm just gonna take a sidestep and say, there's a trope almost, for people with cancer, that they write letters while they're still here to get read by their loved ones and their friends after they die, in which they expressed what was important, why they loved them, what they think about them, why they're such special people. And I found that to be too much pressure on those specific words. So instead, I decided that I want to do that while I'm still here. And while I'm alive, and they can hear it directly from me, so I speak those words to them. And I never miss an opportunity to say, I love you. And that sort of surprises people, friends, when I say I love you. So one way I could imagine my last words to be are I love you. Maybe right before that, it's my son and my closest friends, is, be kind. That's my wish. to each other, to all beings.
Chion Wolf 31:32
I keep thinking like, this is elementary, you know, they taught us this in kindergarten: Love. Why do you think it is that we need something like our imminent deaths to really hammer home what we've known to be true the whole time? Which is just to be loving?
Dr. David Meyers 31:56
I think I said I love you frequently to my wife and son, because that was culturally acceptable. But it wasn't to say it to your friends. And so perhaps approaching death gave me the freedom to be able to say, and then for people to hear it. I'm not held to the same social standards, I get a pass because I'm dying. Why many of us lose that ability that we were taught and you know, the joy that kids can experience their ability to love the policeman on the corner, or the bus driver, and my son was in love with the bus driver... I don't know why we lose that. But I'm glad I got it back.
Chion Wolf 32:44
It's not uncommon for people to fear death. Makes sense. For many of us, even those who have religious beliefs that promise an afterlife, even in those convictions are still at times feelings of doubt. And so there is fear. Are you afraid? What do you feel?
Dr. David Meyers 33:08
No, not really. I had some fears or... Anxiety is a better word about the dying process. In a way, glioblastoma is the cancer you don't want to get because it's 100% terminal. On the other hand, it's not associated with the terrible bone pain for most people, the vomiting, a lot of the things that we associate with cancer. So in that way, I'm lucky. But still, the dying process is scary. And especially those ideas of losing the ability to know the people I love and recognize friends and become... Actually glioblastoma is associated with personality changes. So to become agitated, or mean, or violent. And that's why I'm glad that there is hospice, because I now have confidence that I'll be cared for, and that the people I love will be cared for. And we'll get through this together. So I'm not even fearful about anymore.
Chion Wolf 34:08
What do you think happens after you die? Maybe a better question is what do you hope happens after we die?
Dr. David Meyers 34:19
For me, the best answer to what I think happens after I die, or we die, is actually sort of surprisingly said by Keanu Reeves when he was being interviewed on TV. And he said to the interviewer's question, what do you think happens after we die? The people who love us will miss us. And that's really what I feel. I recently have friend, a mentor, actually, who is now a friend, sent me some poems, and we discussed them. And they said, as part of our conversation, I realized I'm becoming less mystical as I get close scared to death. I think it's because I'm trying to be brutally honest with myself. And that, for me, many of the mystical beliefs that I had, are ways of comforting myself, but I didn't fully believe. And so as I tried to become more honest. And seeing death this close, it's helping me do that. And re-examining some of those beliefs and letting go. I fully support, I fully recognize, I fully embrace that other people have different feelings about mystical thoughts, and take real comfort in it and have strong beliefs. And I don't deny them, I don't want to deny them or in any way dishonor those beliefs. But for me, I'm finding my truth, and my truth... It's about making connections now. Leaving those mystical beliefs behind has helped me refocus on what I want now in life, which is being in love with people, making deeper connections with those people I love while I have the time, and doing meaningful work, leaving a better world for my family and those who come after. And so, not thinking about the afterlife, or what happens after we die has helped me be a better person now, or get more meaning out of whatever time I have left.
Chion Wolf 36:31
What would you like done with your body after you die?
Dr. David Meyers 36:34
When I was a first-year medical student, one of the transformative experiences that I got to have... So with a group of three of my classmates, we were privileged to dissect a human cadaver. And when I went into medicine, the part that I was most excited about was the ability to help people thrive within the context of their goals, their community, their families. It was the relationship part of medicine. I was good at science, good enough to get into medical school. But that didn't fascinate me the way trying to understand people and help people understand and for me to understand the context of illness, and the social context of illness. Going into the anatomy lab brought balance. It was the most fascinating experience, and one that very few people actually get to experience. It was really a privilege. Learning about and seeing and touching the insides of another person, I learned how the cardiovascular system, the circulatory system and the nervous system, our bones, all work together to make us work. Around that same time that I was getting to experience anatomy, I found a study partner. And we would meet every night for dinner, and then sit down with our books. And I picked a study partner that was not in medical school. Medical school can be so all-encompassing, it takes over your life. And you think everything revolves around medicine. And my partner was a humanities grad student. And we'd sit for several hours doing our own studying. And then one of us almost every night would say, Oh, that's interesting! Or I don't get this, or I don't agree with this... And we talk about pre-Civil War south in the US, or why this nerve splits into five branches. And we'd switch books and read for a while, and then go back to our own studies. And it was a really good choice on my part to have the humanities graduate student help me remember there are other ways of knowing the world. As I approached my first anatomy exam, it's about 11:30, at night, one night, and we had keys, they gave us 24/7 access to the cadaver. I realized I wasn't learning anything from the books and the pictures, I needed to go see the cadaver and touch and feel and examine. And so I got up and I said, I need to go to the anatomy lab. And on the spur of the moment, I said, Do you want to come? Because she had heard me talk about this cadaver every night for the past two months. And to my surprise, and I was quite pleased, she said yes. And as we walked over to the anatomy lab, we talked about what it was gonna be like, and what the experience was. And I have to backtrack a moment: Very early on, when we were first making our first cuts in the cadaver, and getting to know the cadaver, we were dissecting an older woman. And I actually asked our group to name the cadaver to help remind us that she had had a life, that she was a person, she had a story, and we might not know all of it. But we should respect that. And given her age and the time I was in medical school, we picked a time-appropriate name, and we called her Mabel. And just gave her the name label and so on. What I actually asked my study partner to do was, come meet Mabel, could I introduce her? When we got into the room, she was very brave. And I was so impressed with her curiosity, and her respect for my cadaver. And we spent two hours in the anatomy lab, me explaining the parts. And I actually gave her a pair of forceps. And she got to dissect a little in a way that my anatomy partners would not have minded. And at about two o'clock, we went home together on the shuttle, or each to our own homes on the shuttle. And I passed the exam, and several weeks later, actually, we realized we wanted to be more than friends. And then we started dating. And a few years later, we got married. So that's where I met my wife. And we look back on our relationship and realize it was built on curiosity. And our first date was in an anatomy lab. Since graduating medical school, I've realized that Mabel has been one of my greatest teachers. I carried her with me as I met patients, and I tried to understand what was happening inside of them. And I remembered Mabel's arthritis in her left shoulder. And what that looked like, and what that must have felt like, when I was talking to patients with arthritis. And the stomach scars that she had, and what kind of surgeries she had, and how heart failure changes the shape of one's heart. I learned these from her. And it was a gift to me. She helped me become a healer. So now that I'm approaching the end of my life, I've decided to donate my body to an anatomy lab, actually where I finished my medical training. And my hope is that future generations of students becoming physicians will use me as their teacher. I don't know what they'll want to name me... Given my age, it'll probably be Michael or Steve. But David, I guess is a choice... And that they will become better healers, better physicians, because of their ability to dissect me. So it's in honor of Mabel that I'm doing this. But I also think it's in honor of my wife. My love for her, my curiosity, and what Mabel gave us... I don't think any other medical students will necessarily get married, because cadavers. But who knows? That would be that would be a wonderful extra gift. That's my plan.
Chion Wolf 42:33
I imagine you'd like to die at home?
Dr. David Meyers 42:35
Very much. Unless something extremely unusual happens. My son was born at home. And I'd like to die at home, because the body might want to go to the medical school. So they have certain requirements, but it's not immediate. So I will probably lay here for a bit. And I hope that many people I love will be here, you know, while I'm dying. And as I die.
Chion Wolf 43:00
When I hear you say the words, while I'm dying, as I die... I hear it loudly. Because it's like, when I use those words, it's far off, you know? And for you, it's imminent. So when you say, as I die, when I die, are you used to saying it like... What goes through your whole body when you say those words?
Dr. David Meyers 43:29
I'm not afraid of dying. I think it's a mistake that Americans make that we come up with all these euphemisms. When I pass, when my time comes, that's not heading... So in the same way that I'm interested in honesty, as I approached death, being able to use the word die and dead and in my own context, has been helpful. It helps keep the fear away. When I was first diagnosed, a mentor sent me an a link to an app that he had been using. Called We Croak. It's a cute name. But it's based on a Buddhist tradition, a Tibetan Buddhist tradition, of contemplating one's own death five times a day, And it randomly would send me a text to say, Think about death! And it would give a quote, sometimes from a poet, sometimes from a scientist, sometimes from a celebrity. And that was a useful practice early on. It helped me become more comfortable with this. I don't do that anymore. I still meditate some most days. But again, that helps normalize, and it's sort of funny that even physicians don't like to think about it. Maybe it's because physicians often see death as the enemy. I would argue... Not argue, I can just say, I believe strongly that physicians are not here to fight death. We're here to help people heal when we can, and relieve suffering when we can, make meaning when we can, have people thrive to their own abilities... It's not about them. One of the things I found surprising is when I looked into donating my body to anatomy lab, physicians, which I thought would be more likely to donate their bodies, actually are lower than the average. I've been pondering that for a long time, I still don't have a good answer as to why that might be.
Chion Wolf 45:32
To the point about remembering death five times a day, I have one of those little light-up boards, and you can slide letters into them. And going through my own hard stuff in the past couple years, I've been changing that message, trying to find one that... You know, I see it every day when I walk out of my bedroom before I walk downstairs, it's in this window, and I always see it, and I want it to be meaningful. And right now, and for a long time, it said, just passing through. And we all know it. And that's the frustrating thing about... Almost everything we talk about, about love and kindness, and truth and honesty, and compassion and grace... And we're just passing through! Like, it's all stuff we've known the whole time. But it's almost like we don't think it can be that simple. But the truth is, it is! And it sounds like the closer you get to knowing that your end is imminent, the more things just get pared down to the stuff we've already known the whole time. I'm very frustrated with the fact that we need reminding all the time. And in all these ways. I don't know.
Dr. David Meyers 46:45
That was beautiful. I think there's some value in Maslow's hierarchy of needs. A concept not everybody knows about, but it basically says that the foundational set of needs that people have to get are air, food, shelter, warmth. Without those things, you can't move up. And the very top of the pyramid when you have all your other needs met, is this contemplation and moving towards enlightenment. Really engaging with big thinking, culture, art... I believe that while there's much to be said for that way of thinking, all of us have all of these needs that all the time. What you pointed out is, I think, one of the reasons we forget about the top. Even though we have those needs, we want to do those things, is because we get caught up in the mundane. In our natural, evolutionary tendency to make sure we have food and make sure we have shelter, makes us think when we're doing unimportant things that they are the important things. And we forget about what's really important. And I fully agree. I had a terminal diagnosis four and a half years ago, with an expected lifespan average of 15 months. And I lived through that. And then I kept living and was, odd as it sounds to say this, it was a gift. It allowed me to stay focused on and start pushing some of those less-important things away. I wish I could say I did it better. That I didn't get petty, that I didn't get needy, that I was able to stay focused on those things like kindness and compassion and love. And really, our most meaningful thing is connection. I wasn't perfect at it. But it really did help me stay more focused on that. And now that I have this recurrence - rates are four to six months - I'm already a little ahead of that. So I've been very lucky twice. But this one has definitely made it easier to focus on those important things.
Chion Wolf 48:56
You said you meditate.
Dr. David Meyers 48:58
I do!
Chion Wolf 48:59
How do you meditate?
Dr. David Meyers 49:00
I've tried a number, or, a least a few schools. Mindfulness Meditation has worked the best for me. I appreciate doing metta meditations, which is not meta as in Facebook, or the multiverse. It's loving kindness meditations, compassion meditations. It's easy to love the people we love. It's easy to express kindness and want good things for them. The practice as I continued to do it, expanded the sphere of people. People that I didn't know but had seen the ability to have compassion, and realize they might be having a bad day, or I didn't know what else was happening in their life... And to wish them good things. Fulfillment, peace... To have gratitude for them. Getting to the people who get under your skin, or the people that do bad things in the world - That's harder. But it helped me more with my humility, with my ability to see a more broader scope to the world, and realize I don't know everything, and the world would be better if we all wanted good things for all people. That's what I believe. So that meditation is the one I think I do the most often.
Chion Wolf 50:15
I remember when I learned of metta and yeah, it was so easy to wish wonderful things like... My producer, Jessica, is somebody I immediately default to. She's so kind, and loving and sincere. And she's very easy to wish love for. I have a lot of people I feel that way about. And then, like, the mail person and a clerk behind the counter, cool, cool, cool. And then you get to the people who've done some real damage. And it's so tempting to see them as two-dimensional, and that sort of grace... I'd like to think that I've never done anything so awful that someone would see me that way. But just in case, I'd like to not be seen as two dimensional, if I ever do some make some mistakes and some selfish calls, you know. But yeah, I do find that the first time I tried metta and got to that point where I pictured the people who would hurt me... The resistance was informative.
Dr. David Meyers 51:18
Exactly. It takes practice, yeah.
Chion Wolf 51:23
But you can get there! There was one time I even said thank you to them, just to see how it would feel. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, thank you. And even though it was a feeling that was hard to describe, and hard to digest, I'm glad that I practiced it. Thank you, I think you've reminded me to practice it some more.
Dr. David Meyers 51:46
Sometimes when I think about meditation and the time I'm spending on it, it feels like trying to escape. I'm still trying to balance these out. It's the idea of not engaging with the world, of clearing your thoughts or spending six hours a day meditating... Feels like not building real connections, not contributing to making the world. When we all work together, it's a better thing. And so it's a balancing between these two, because, as we said earlier, or you said earlier, sometimes it feels like we can't remember the important things, kindness, compassion, connection. And maybe taking a time-out helps us get back to those things and stop worrying about the little things that are not important. On the other hand, too much of it may mean we're not actually engaging with those hard things.
Chion Wolf 52:40
You also remind me, there was a Ram Dass quote, If you think you're so enlightened, spend a week with your family. It's lovely. Not your family of course!
Dr. David Meyers 52:49
Oh, I have a wonderful relationship with my wife. Deeply passionate, deeply... I hope, deeply respectful. We get under each other's skin really easily. And we do things, we say things to each other, that we would never say to people outside. The people we're closest to are the ones we let out the bad stuff to, I think. So you have to be honest, and you have to apologize, and you have to keep working at it. I haven't read Michelle Obama's book, but I've heard some of her interviews when she talks about, you have to put the work in. It's true, we pretend that everything is ideal and that dying has just brought out all these butterflies and fireworks and stuff like that or moving towards death. There's not heavenly music playing. It's hard.
Chion Wolf 53:41
I think about what it's felt like to talk with you. I have always been interested in death. I think it's important to talk about it, and think about it and ponder it. There's a part of me that feels like we both share this ultimate end, it's just... You know, that your time is more limited. And at the same time, like, I could have a stroke the moment we end this Zoom call. I'd like to hear about how talking about this creates this sort of dual awareness.
Dr. David Meyers 54:16
Speaking with lots of friends my age, and they're going through the same thing, and in my many of my friends are similar age, I have older and younger friends too. But a lot of them I think, are in my general age range. And I'm going to be one of the first of our group of friends to die. I know that now. And it's helping them transition into a deeper meaningful... Thinking about themselves as, whoa, I'm mortal! One of the things that I've realized though, is while it is true, and I can say none of us know when we're gonna die, the probability of a healthy, middle-aged person dying within the next 24 hours is tiny. The potential of them thinking about that they could die... What do they want to do with their time? Not in terms of how much money that you want to save for retirement - and I do think people should think about their futures - but about how they treat other people. And do you call your mother? Do you get that pet and give them love? Do you plant a tree? Do you go to the art museum? Or do you just sit on the couch for hours and hours?
Chion Wolf 55:22
Scrolling Reddit?
Dr. David Meyers 55:23
Yeah, exactly. What value does that give and is that what you want your last day to have been? That's sort of where I ended up.
Chion Wolf 55:33
How do you hope to be remembered?
Dr. David Meyers 55:37
Someone who's kind. Someone who supported those around them. And through my work, made a difference. Made the world a slightly better place.
Chion Wolf 55:51
I like don't want to hang up with you.
Dr. David Meyers 55:54
I was gonna say, I'm always here for you, but that it's probably not what I can say anymore! But I do hope to listen to your show more. This has been so valuable. it's been lovely.
Chion Wolf 56:04
Thanks.
Dr. David Meyers 56:06
And when you signed your thing, your friend? Making new friends is so important to me right now. So I'm glad to count you as one of them.
Chion Wolf 56:15
It's an honor. Thank you. I'm sending you so much love. And I'm so appreciative of you spending this most precious time with me. And... just thank you.
Dr. David Meyers 56:30
It's been valuable for me too. Thank you. Be well.
Chion Wolf 56:34
After I recorded with David, I asked him which song should we use to end his episode. And he wrote, “Dancing was one of my great joys. After my diagnosis and treatment, I've been unable to dance like I used to. Recently I rested my arms on Hannah's shoulders, and we swayed together to Peter Gabriel's version of the Book of Love in our tiny kitchen. I cried tears of both joy and sadness, as Hannah helped me.“ | https://www.ctpublic.org/audacious-david-meyers-interview-transcript | 2023-07-29T03:21:07 | 1 | https://www.ctpublic.org/audacious-david-meyers-interview-transcript |
MANCHESTER, N.H. – Saint Anselm College opened a new building it’s billing as a hub for the humanities on Friday, after raising $2.9 million to finance the project.
College President Joseph A. Favazza said the Gregory J. Grappone Humanities Institute will be a center for students and the broader community, similar to how the college’s Institute of Politics is a center of civic life.
The building includes classrooms and common spaces, and it will host seminars, events, and performances.
Nationally, student enrollment in the humanities has declined by 17 percent in the past decade, according to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. But it’s much higher than the 1950s. Enrollment dropped significantly in the 1970s and 1980s. It rose from the late 1990s to its peak in 2012 and has been on the decline since.
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Paul Pronovost, a spokesperson for Saint Anselm, said he did not have specific enrollment numbers per major. “The humanities are at the foundation of a Saint Anselm education,” he said in an email. He said the college will welcome 580 first-year students and 35 transfer students in the fall, its second largest class.
The college enrolled 1,952 undergraduate students from 2020 to 2021, according to the Department of Education.
Favazza acknowledged that the move comes “at a time when some schools have chosen to de-emphasize these areas of study that celebrate and nourish the human spirit.”
“Our college has put a pretty darn big stake in the ground to our fundamental commitment to the humanities and made that commitment visible with this Humanities Institute,” he added.
The college received a $500,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, one of the largest grants the college has ever received, according to Gary Bouchard, an English professor and the institute’s new executive director.
The Institute is housed in a 110-year-old boiler house the college had previously used as a print shop.
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The building is named after Greg Grappone, who died of cancer in 2015 and had attended Saint Anselm. His parents Robert and Beverly Grappone made the “lead gift” in his name. A spokesperson for the college declined to say how much money the Grappone’s contributed to the building.
“For Greg, books were a way of seeing the world in a new way and understanding someone else’s story,” said his 9-year-old daughter Briar Grappone during the dedication ceremony. “In a world as complicated as ours, understanding has never been more important.”
Amanda Gokee can be reached at amanda.gokee@globe.com. Follow her @amanda_gokee. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/28/metro/new-hub-humanities-manchester/ | 2023-07-29T03:21:07 | 0 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/28/metro/new-hub-humanities-manchester/ |
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The city of San Francisco has opened a complaint and launched an investigation into a giant “X” sign that was installed Friday on top of the downtown building formerly known as Twitter headquarters as owner Elon Musk continues his rebrand of the social media platform.
City officials say replacing letters or symbols on buildings, or erecting a sign on top of one, requires a permit for design and safety reasons.
The X appeared after San Francisco police stopped workers on Monday from removing the brand’s iconic bird and logo from the side of the building, saying they hadn’t taped off the sidewalk to keep pedestrians safe if anything fell.
Any replacement letters or symbols would require a permit to ensure “consistency with the historic nature of the building” and to make sure additions are safely attached to the sign, Patrick Hannan, spokesperson for the Department of Building Inspection said earlier this week.
Erecting a sign on top of a building also requires a permit, Hannan said Friday.
“Planning review and approval is also necessary for the installation of this sign. The city is opening a complaint and initiating an investigation,” he said in an email.
Musk unveiled a new “X” logo to replace Twitter’s famous blue bird as he remakes the social media platform he bought for $44 billion last year. The X started appearing at the top of the desktop version of Twitter on Monday.
Musk, who is also CEO of Tesla, has long been fascinated with the letter X and had already renamed Twitter’s corporate name to X Corp. after he bought it in October. One of his children is called “X.” The child’s actual name is a collection of letters and symbols.
On Friday afternoon, a worker on a lift machine made adjustments to the sign and then left. | https://www.wfla.com/technology-en/ap-technology/ap-x-logo-installed-atop-twitter-building-spurring-san-francisco-to-investigate-permit-violation/ | 2023-07-29T03:21:12 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/technology-en/ap-technology/ap-x-logo-installed-atop-twitter-building-spurring-san-francisco-to-investigate-permit-violation/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — A top Pentagon official has attacked this week’s widely watched congressional hearing on UFOs, calling the claims “insulting” to employees who are investigating sightings and accusing a key witness of not cooperating with the official U.S. government investigation.
Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick's letter, published on his personal LinkedIn page and circulated Friday across social media, criticizes much of the testimony from a retired Air Force intelligence officer that energized believers in extraterrestrial life and produced headlines around the world.
Retired Air Force Maj. David Grusch testified Wednesday that the U.S. has concealed what he called a “multi-decade” program to collect and reverse-engineer “UAPs,” or unidentified aerial phenomena, the official government term for UFOs.
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Part of what the U.S. has recovered, Grusch testified, were non-human “biologics," which he said he had not seen but had learned about from “people with direct knowledge of the program."
A career intelligence officer, Kirkpatrick was named a year ago to lead the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, or AARO, which was intended to centralize investigations into UAPs. The Pentagon and U.S. intelligence agencies have been pushed by Congress in recent years to better investigate reports of devices flying at unusual speeds or trajectories as a national security concern.
Kirkpatrick wrote the letter Thursday and the Defense Department confirmed Friday that he posted it in a personal capacity. Kirkpatrick declined to comment on the letter Friday.
He writes in part, “I cannot let yesterday’s hearing pass without sharing how insulting it was to the officers of the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community who chose to join AARO, many with not unreasonable anxieties about the career risks this would entail.”
“They are truth-seekers, as am I,” Kirkpatrick said. “But you certainly would not get that impression from yesterday’s hearing.”
In a separate statement, Pentagon spokeswoman Sue Gough denied other allegations made by Grusch and other witnesses before a House Oversight subcommittee.
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The Pentagon “has no information that any individual has been harmed or killed as a result of providing information” about UFO objects, Gough said. Nor has the Pentagon discovered “any verifiable information to substantiate claims that any programs regarding the possession or reverse-engineering of extraterrestrial materials have existed in the past or exist currently.”
Kirkpatrick wrote, “AARO has yet to find any credible evidence to support the allegations of any reverse engineering program for non-human technology.”
He had briefed reporters in December that the Pentagon was investigating “several hundreds” of new reports following a push to have pilots and others come forward with any sightings.
Kirkpatrick wrote in his letter that allegations of “retaliation, to include physical assault and hints of murder, are extraordinarily serious, which is why law enforcement is a critical member of the AARO team, specifically to address and take swift action should anyone come forward with such claims."
“Yet, contrary to assertions made in the hearing, the central source of those allegations has refused to speak with AARO,” Kirkpatrick said. He did not explicitly name Grusch, who alleged he faced retaliation and declined to answer when a congressman asked him if anyone had been murdered to hide information about UFOs.
Messages left at a phone number and email address for Grusch were not returned Friday. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/28/nation/ufo-congressional-hearing-was-insulting-us-employees-top-pentagon-official-says/ | 2023-07-29T03:21:14 | 1 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/28/nation/ufo-congressional-hearing-was-insulting-us-employees-top-pentagon-official-says/ |
ATLANTA (AP) — Authorities in Alabama said Friday they filed criminal charges against a woman who confessed to fabricating a story that she was kidnapped after stopping to check on a toddler she saw walking on the side of an interstate highway.
Carlee Russell was charged with false reporting to law enforcement and falsely reporting an incident, both misdemeanors that carry up to a year in jail, Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis said. Russell turned herself in to jail Friday and was released on bond, he said.
“Her decisions that night created panic and alarm for citizens of our city and even across the nation as concern grew that a kidnapper was on the loose using a small child as bait,” he said. “Numerous law enforcement agencies, both local and federal, began working tirelessly not only to bring Carlee home to her family but locate a kidnapper that we know now never existed. Many private citizens volunteered their time and energy in looking for a potential kidnapping victim that we know now was never in any danger.”
Derzis said he was frustrated that Russell was only being charged with two misdemeanors despite the panic and disruption she caused, but he said the law did not allow for enhanced charges.
Russell, 25, disappeared after calling 911 on July 13 to report a toddler wandering beside a stretch of interstate. She returned home two days later and told police she had been abducted and forced into a vehicle.
Her disappearance became a national news story. Images of the missing woman were shared broadly on social media.
“We don’t see this as a victimless crime,” Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said at a Friday news conference. “There are significant hours spent, resources expended as a result of this investigation.”
Marshall’s office was asked to handle the prosecution because of the attention the case received, Derzis said. Marshall said he intends to “fully prosecute” Russell and said his office will take into account the police investigation to see whether additional charges are warranted.
Russell, through her attorney, Emory Anthony, acknowledged earlier that she made the story up.
In a statement read by police on Monday, Anthony said Russell was not kidnapped, did not see a baby on the side of the road, did not leave the city and acted alone. He said Russell apologized and he asked for prayers and forgiveness as she “addresses her issues and attempts to move forward, understanding that she made a mistake in this matter.”
A message left Friday at Anthony’s office was not immediately returned.
Russell told detectives she was taken by a man who came out of the trees when she stopped to check on the child, put in a car and an 18-wheel truck, was blindfolded and was held at a home where a woman fed her cheese crackers, authorities said at a news conference last week. At some point, Russell said she was put in a vehicle again but managed to escape and run through the woods to her neighborhood.
“This story opened wounds for families whose loved ones really were victims of kidnappings,” Derzis said.
He said police have not determined where Russell went during the 49 hours she was missing. They plan to talk to the attorney general’s office about recovering some of the money spent on the investigation. | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-authorities-charge-alabama-woman-who-acknowledged-fabricating-story-about-kidnapping-toddler/ | 2023-07-29T03:21:20 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-authorities-charge-alabama-woman-who-acknowledged-fabricating-story-about-kidnapping-toddler/ |
With the FedEx Cup two weeks away, Lee Hodges can breathe easier. Justin Thomas can’t.
Hodges birdied four of his last six holes for a 7-under 64 and a four-stroke lead over Tyler Duncan on Friday after almost two rounds of the 3M Open in Blaine, Minn.
A nearly two-hour afternoon weather delay led to play being suspended due to darkness with six players yet to finish — none within 10 shots of the lead.
Hodges, the first-round leader and 74th in the FedEx Cup points race, was at 15-under 127. He was 3 under on the front nine and added a 33-foot birdie putt on No. 13, followed by birdies from 14 feet on No. 14 and 11 feet on No. 17.
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A lengthy last-hole putt was not enough to overcome a couple bad holes as Thomas aims to make the FedEx Cup playoffs for the eighth straight season. He birdied four of his last five holes to shoot a shot an even-par 71, leaving him 2 under for the tournament and two strokes short.
Thomas, at No. 75 in the FedEx Cup standings, has missed five cuts in his last seven starts. The top 70 next week after the Wyndham Championship will advance to the playoffs. Looking to stay in strong consideration for the U.S. Ryder Cup team, Thomas has just two top-10 finishes in 14 tournaments since mid-February.
Starting on the back nine, Thomas put two balls in the water on the par-5 18th, falling to 1 under. An errant tee shot and poor chip led to another double bogey on the par-3 fourth, before a strong finishing stretch was punctuated by a 30-foot putt on No. 9.
“This is a good chance for me to learn a little bit about myself and push myself and become better,” Thomas said before the tournament. “I mean, this game, nothing’s given to you. I’ve had great chances to win the FedEx Cup the last five or six years and now I’m trying to make the playoffs. That’s just the way that this sport is. And it can happen to anybody, so you’ve just got to go out and get it.”
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He wasn’t the only player to put untimely dents in possible playoff plans by missing the cut. No. 70 K.H. Lee (1 under), No. 72 Davis Thompson (2 under) and No. 90 Gary Woodland (3 over) also get the weekend off.
Duncan, who has missed six cuts in his past eight events and 17 of 27 this season, shot a 67. He has back-to-back bogey-free rounds.
Defending champion Tony Finau (66), J.T. Poston (66), Brandt Snedeker (68) and Kevin Streelman (68) are at 10-under 132.
With one top-10 in 25 starts this season, Streelman is in a rare position.
“I haven’t been in the final groups in a while on a Saturday, so looking forward to that. At my age I don’t have much to lose, so go out and have some fun this weekend,” the 44-year-old Streelman said.
LPGA — Celine Boutier posted a 2-under 69 in the second round of the Evian Championship to move to 7 under overall, giving her a one-shot lead on Friday.
But surprise overnight leader Paula Reto dropped down the leaderboard after a 4-over 75.
The 29-year-old Boutier, who was two shots back from Reto overnight, is looking to become the first Frenchwoman to win the tournament, which became a major in 2013.
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“It’s really great to feel the support from the fans when you play some good shots and some good putts go in,” Boutier said. “This kind of support used to put me under pressure in the past, and I didn’t cope well with it, but this year I’m trying to stay very relaxed.”
Her solid round kept her narrowly ahead of Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit, who carded 67, and Japan’s Yuka Saso (69), in a tie for second.
They are one shot ahead of Nasa Hataoka of Japan (67), Mexico’s Gaby Lopez (68) and American Alison Lee (71).
Carlota Ciganda, 33, was disqualified after arguing a slow-play penalty and refusing to sign her scorecard after shooting a 1-over 72.
Ciganda lost her appeal of the two-stroke penalty incurred on her final hole of the second round.
Reto struggled badly on the back nine, with a double bogey on the 12th hole followed by three bogeys over the next four holes.
The 33-year-old South African ended the day in a tie for eighth at 3 under overall along with defending champion Brooke Henderson of Canada, who finished on 70.
Boutier was level with 2015 champion Lydia Ko of New Zealand overnight, but Ko drifted way back into a tie for 22nd after a dismal round of 76 at the Evian Resort Golf Club.
Champions — Steven Alker moved to the top of the Senior British Open leaderboard with a 3-under 68 after Miguel Angel Jimenez followed up a round to remember with one to forget.
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Playing on his 52d birthday, Alker hit four birdies in the second round along with a bogey at the par-4 10th. The New Zealander is 4 under overall and leads his fellow 52-year-old Alex Cejka (71) of Germany by a shot at Royal Porthcawl in Bridgend, Wales.
Alker is chasing his second major victory in the over-50 ranks. He won the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship last year.
Scotland’s Greig Hutcheon (68) is a further stroke back in third.
Overnight leader Jimenez had an opening-round 5-under 66 but dropped down to an eight-way tie for eighth after a 5-over 76, including four bogeys between Nos. 13-17. Jimenez was the first Spaniard to win the tournament, in 2018. Bernhard Langer, who won the last time the Senior British Open was held at Royal Porthcawl in 2017, carded a 69 to also share eighth. He is a four-time winner of this major and has been runner-up three times.
Defending champion Darren Clarke (74) is 5 over
The tournament is the last of five majors on the senior schedule. The winner gets into the British Open next year at Royal Troon. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/28/sports/lee-hodges-expands-3m-open-lead-four-strokes-after-36-holes-justin-thomas-misses-cut/ | 2023-07-29T03:21:20 | 0 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/28/sports/lee-hodges-expands-3m-open-lead-four-strokes-after-36-holes-justin-thomas-misses-cut/ |
TORONTO — Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 39th home run for the Angels before leaving the game with leg cramps as the Toronto Blue Jays slugged three solo homers and rallied to beat Los Angeles, 4-1, on Friday night.
Ohtani was replaced by pinch-hitter Michael Stefanic when his at-bat came up with the bases loaded in the ninth inning. Angels manager Phil Nevin said after the game Ohtani left due to cramps. A day earlier, Ohtani left the second game of a doubleheader at Detroit because of cramps.
Stefanic struck out looking at a 3-2 pitch from right-hander Jordan Romano as Toronto ended the Angels' four-game winning streak.
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Matt Chapman, Danny Jansen, and Whit Merrifield homered for the Blue Jays, who are 24-11 when they hit two or more home runs.
Chapman hit a two-out drive in the second, his 14th of the season. Jansen homered to lead off the third, his 14th. Both home runs came off right-hander Lucas Giolito, who made his first start for the Angels since being acquired from the White Sox earlier this week.
Giolito (6-7) allowed three runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out five.
Bo Bichette hit an RBI double off Giolito in the sixth and Merrifield made it 4-1 with a two-out homer off José Soriano in the seventh, his eighth. Merrifield finished 3 for 4 and has six home runs in his last 17 games. He hit a three-run homer in Thursday’s road win over the Dodgers.
The Blue Jays began the day in the third AL wild-card spot, three games ahead of the Angels. Los Angeles trails Boston and the New York Yankees in the postseason race.
After being greeted with a loud ovation from the sellout crowd of 42,106, Ohtani homered on the first pitch he faced, going deep in three straight at-bats over two games. The two-way superstar threw a one-hitter in the opener Thursday for his first career MLB shutout, then homered twice in the second game.
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Ohtani’s 397-foot drive Friday came off Blue Jays righthander Kevin Gausman.
Ohtani’s streak of homers ended when he struck out swinging on a 2-2 pitch from Gausman in the third. Ohtani singled in the sixth and grounded out against left-hander Tim Mayza in the eighth.
Gausman (8-5) allowed one run and five hits in six-plus innings to win for the first time since June 21 at Miami. Gausman walked three and struck out nine, increasing his AL-leading total to 171.
Erik Swanson relieved Gausman after the Angels loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh. Swanson struck out Trey Cabbage and pinch-hitter Eduardo Escobar, then retired Luis Rengifo on a fly ball.
Mayza worked one inning and Romano got two outs in the ninth before Yimi García finished for his third save in six chances. Romano was pitching for the fifth time since leaving the July 11 All-Star game because of a sore back. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/28/sports/shohei-ohtani-leaves-yard-then-leaves-game-with-leg-cramps-angels-fall-blue-jays/ | 2023-07-29T03:21:26 | 1 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/28/sports/shohei-ohtani-leaves-yard-then-leaves-game-with-leg-cramps-angels-fall-blue-jays/ |
Peggy Coppom hasn’t quite seen it all with the Colorado Buffaloes, but she’s seen much more than most, so believe her when she says Thursday was a good day to be a fan.
The 98-year-old has been attending football games since her family moved from the high plains of eastern Colorado to Boulder in 1939 to escape the Dust Bowl, and she’s missed only a couple home games since buying season tickets in 1966.
The excitement in her voice was obvious during a phone call minutes after university regents approved the school’s return to the Big 12 in 2024.
“I’m so happy to get back to the Big 12 — or the Big 15 or whatever it ends up being,” she said, laughing. “It seems like that’s where we belong. We don’t belong with the West Coast people.”
Of course, the Big 12 isn’t the same league it was when the Buffs left for the Pac-12 in 2012. Nebraska and Missouri are gone, and Oklahoma and Texas will be, too. BYU could become a rival, but the Buffs have little in common with Cincinnati, Houston and Central Florida.
“I wish some of those old schools were there, but we’ll make the best of it,” Coppom said.
The conference change, plus the hiring of Deion Sanders, has her eagerly anticipating watching the Buffs from her seats near the 40-yard line on the west side of Folsom Field — “God willing, I always have to add,” she said.
Coppom, carrying a gold pom-pom, was escorted onto the field by Sanders and performed a ceremonial kickoff during the spring game in April. Coppom said Sanders and the return to the Big 12 has created the most buzz about the team since it won a share of the national championship in 1990.
Former CU fullback Jim Kelleher, who was second in the Big Eight with 15 rushing touchdowns in 1976, said he’s in wait-and-see mode about the move.
“I originally wasn’t that excited about it, but at the same time, the Pac-12 had let things get to such a point where you had to do something,” he said. “The Big 12 signed a good media rights agreement. It’s just sad the Pac-12 hasn’t been able to get a TV contract.”
Kelleher said that while Colorado will get exposure across three time zones, which is a positive, he’s sad to see how traditions and geographic rivalries have been sacrificed with realignment in general.
Specific to Colorado, he said, the Buffs seemed to be a good fit in the Pac-12. He said his sentimental attachment to the Big 12 won’t be there without Nebraska and other teams he played against in the old Big Eight.
“Whether it’s the school or the individual athletes — with TV and NIL — it’s all money, money, money,” he said. “I understand their decision. Hey, I’m part of the Colorado team, so I’m for my team and hope it works out.”
Tom Osborne, the College Football Hall of Fame coach at Nebraska and its former athletic director, shepherded the Cornhuskers’ move from the Big 12 to Big Ten in 2011. He said he’s able to view past, present and future realignment from the perspective of both a fan and administrator.
“You’re talking about lost traditions,” Osborne said. “I can share the feelings of the fans in that I miss those drives to Manhattan, Kansas; Lawrence, Kansas; Ames, Iowa, and some of those relationships.”
Nebraska’s move to the Big Ten had as much or more to do with finding stability as it did with finances, Osborne said. In the summer of 2011, Osborne said, Big 12 South teams were negotiating with the Pac-12, Missouri wanted to go to the SEC and Texas A&M also was looking to leave.
“Finances are driving this thing more than anything, and my guess is that the uncertainty about where the Pac-12 stands right now appears to make the Big 12 better for Colorado — even though the Big 12 has not been a paragon of stability.”
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UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations has been forced to cut food, cash payments and assistance to millions of people in many countries because of “a crippling funding crisis” that has seen its donations plummet by about half as acute hunger is hitting record levels, a top official said Friday.
Carl Skau, deputy executive director of the World Food Program, told a news conference that at least 38 of the 86 countries where WFP operates have already seen cuts or plan to cut assistance soon — including Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and West Africa.
He said WFP’s operating requirement is $20 billion to deliver aid to everyone in need, but it was aiming for between $10 billion and $14 billion, which was what the agency had received in the past few years.
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“We’re still aiming at that, but we have only so far this year gotten to about half of that, around $5 billion,” Skau said.
He said humanitarian needs were “going through the roof” in 2021 and 2022 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine and its global implications. “Those needs continue to grow, those drivers are still there,” he said, “but the funding is drying up. So we’re looking at 2024 (being) even more dire.”
“The largest food and nutrition crisis in history today persists,” Skau said. “This year, 345 million people continue to be acutely food insecure while hundreds of millions of people are at risk of worsening hunger.”
Skau said conflict and insecurity remain the primary drivers of acute hunger around the world, along with climate change, unrelenting disasters, persistent food price inflation and mounting debt stress — all during a slowdown in the global economy.
WFP is looking to diversify its funding base, but he also urged the agency’s traditional donors to “step up and support us through this very difficult time.”
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Asked why funding was drying up, Skau said to ask the donors.
“But it’s clear that aid budgets, humanitarian budgets, both in Europe and the United States, (are) not where they were in 2021-2022,” he said.
Skau said that in March, WFP was forced to cut rations from 75% to 50% for communities in Afghanistan facing emergency levels of hunger, and in May it was forced to cut food for 8 million people — 66% of the people it was assisting. Now, it is helping just 5 million people, he said. In Syria, 5.5 million people who relied on WFP for food were already on 50% rations, Skau said, and in July the agency cut all rations to 2.5 million of them. In the Palestinian territories, WFP cut its cash assistance by 20% in May and in June, and cut its caseload by 60%, or 200,000 people, he said. And in Yemen, he said, a huge funding gap will force WFP to cut aid to 7 million people as early as August.
In West Africa, where acute hunger is on the rise, Skau said, most countries are facing extensive ration cuts, particularly WFP’s seven largest crisis operations: Burkina Faso, Mali, Chad, Central African Republic, Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon.
He said cutting aid to people who are only at the hunger level of crisis to help save those literally starving or in the category of catastrophic hunger means that those dropped will rapidly fall into the emergency and catastrophe categories, “and so we will have an additional humanitarian emergency on our hands down the road.”
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“Ration cuts are clearly not the way to go forward,” Skau said.
He urged world leaders to prioritize humanitarian funding and invest in long-tern solutions to conflicts, poverty, development and other root causes of the current crisis. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/28/world/un-says-its-forced-cut-food-aid-millions-globally-because-funding-crisis/ | 2023-07-29T03:21:33 | 0 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/28/world/un-says-its-forced-cut-food-aid-millions-globally-because-funding-crisis/ |
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Racing will resume at Churchill Downs in September, with no changes being made after a review of surfaces and safety protocols in the wake of 12 horse deaths, including seven in the days leading up to the Kentucky Derby in May.
The Louisville track suspended racing operations on June 7 and moved the rest of its spring meet to Ellis Park in western Kentucky at the recommendation of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, the sport’s national overseer.
Training continued at Churchill Downs during the track’s investigation.
Churchill Downs Inc. CEO Bill Carstanjen called the deaths “a series of unfortunate circumstances” and said the review “didn’t find anything fundamentally wrong or different about our track from previous years.”
“That, in a sense, can sometimes be unsatisfying,” he said. “But that’s business, and that’s sports.”
Two of the horse deaths occurred in undercard races on Derby day. Another five died later.
“The takeaway is, the track is very safe,” Carstanjen said Thursday on an earnings call with CDI investors.
“What we needed to do was spend some of this time in the interim, while we ran the rest of the (spring) meet at Ellis to just go soup to nuts through every single thing we do at the racetrack. There was nothing that jumped out as an apparent cause of the injuries, of the breakdowns; and, as we went through and rebuilt our processes from the ground up to check everything that we do to make extra sure, we didn’t find anything material.”
The track’s fall meet begins Sept. 14 and runs through Oct. 1.
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AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-churchill-downs-to-resume-racing-at-fall-meet-with-no-changes-after-horse-deaths/ | 2023-07-29T03:21:34 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-churchill-downs-to-resume-racing-at-fall-meet-with-no-changes-after-horse-deaths/ |
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Ballots from Spaniards living abroad were counted Friday, and they gave a new twist to the inconclusive results from the general election.
The conservative Popular Party gained an additional seat from Madrid’s constituency late in the day at the expense of the Socialist Workers’ Party. That change gives the right-wing coalition of the PP and the far-right Vox party 172 seats in the lower house of parliament and drops left-wing forces to 171.
Forming a stable governing coalition will require one of the blocks to have the support of 176 lawmakers in the 350-seat body, and it’s not clear that either side will be able to obtain enough backing from smaller parties.
The country’s main political parties had been waiting for the count in the hope they might win seats from opponents and recompose the final picture. Results coming in from different constituencies during the day showed no changes across Spain — until Madrid added the last-gasp surprise.
The switch likely will make it even tougher to cobble together a government.
Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is considered the only leader with a chance to form a coalition, since the Popular Party led by Alberto Núñez Feijóo is being shunned by other parties for allying with Vox.
But Sánchez does not have it easy. He needs help from secessionist parties in the Basque Country and Catalonia, and it could be politically risky to bid for support from the Catalan party Junts, which is headed by Carles Puigdemont, a leader of 2017’s failed secession bid in Catalonia.
His party has seven seats, but its goal of forcing Spain to allow a secession referendum is Catalonia is highly unpopular, including in Sánchez’s party.
The new parliament is to convene Aug. 17 and it will have three months to vote in a new prime minister. Otherwise, new elections would be called. | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-count-of-ballots-from-spaniards-abroad-gives-edge-to-right-wing-block-and-deepens-the-stalemate/ | 2023-07-29T03:21:40 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-count-of-ballots-from-spaniards-abroad-gives-edge-to-right-wing-block-and-deepens-the-stalemate/ |
TOKYO (AP) — The Japanese government stepped up its alarm over Chinese assertiveness, warning in a report issued Friday that the country faces its worst security threats since World War II as it plans to implement a new strategy that calls for a major military buildup.
The 2023 defense white paper, approved by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s Cabinet, is the first since the government adopted a controversial new National Security Strategy in December, seen as a break from Japan’s postwar policy limiting the use of force to self-defense.
China, Russia and North Korea contribute to “the most severe and complex security environment since the end of World War II,” according to the 510-page report. It says China’s external stance and military activities have become a “serious concern for Japan and the international community and present an unprecedented and the greatest strategic challenge.”
On Thursday, Russian and Chinese delegates joined North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in North Korea’s capital for a military parade that showed off the country’s latest drones and long-range nuclear-capable missiles.
Russia and China have also stepped up strategic ties, the white paper said, noting five joint bomber flights since 2019, and several joint navigations of Chinese and Russian warships that it said were “clearly intended for demonstration of force against Japan and of grave concern” to both Japan and the region.
The report predicted that China will possess 1,500 nuclear warheads by 2035 and increase its military superiority over Taiwan, in what Japan views as a security threat, especially to its southwestern islands including Okinawa.
While Okinawan Gov. Denny Tamaki has called for U.S. bases there to be reduced and for greater efforts in diplomacy and dialogue with Beijing, the central government has been reinforcing the defenses of the remote southwestern islands, including Ishigaki and Yonaguni, where new bases for missile defense have been installed.
Many residents of Okinawa have bitter memories of the Battle of Okinawa, in which Japan’s wartime military essentially sacrificed the local population in an attempt to delay a U.S. landing on the main Japanese islands. Many Okinawans worry they would be the first to suffer in the event of a Taiwan emergency.
Earlier this week, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno visited Ishigaki and acknowledged the challenges of evacuating residents from remote islands, and pledged to give firm support. Ishigaki Mayor Yoshitaka Nakayama asked for airport and port facilities to be reinforced and for underground shelters to be built as preparation for a possible Taiwan emergency.
China claims self-governing Taiwan as its own territory, to be annexed by force if necessary.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, who in 2017 set a goal of building a “world-class military” by the mid-21st century, may move the target forward, the report said, noting his call for a rapid advancement of the People’s Liberation Army in his speech at the Communist Party congress in October.
North Korea is rapidly progressing in its nuclear and missile development and poses “a graver, more imminent threat to Japan than ever before,” the report said. North Korea has test-fired around 100 missiles since the start of 2022, including ICBMs, and the report noted it is now believed to have an ability to conduct nuclear attacks on Japan and the continental United States.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the Japanese defense paper interfered in China’s internal affairs and “deliberately played up the so-called Chinese threat and created tensions in the region.” She said Japan’s own military buildup has drawn concern from its Asian neighbors and the international community, and urged Tokyo to “stop finding excuses for its military expansion.”
She said China’s military policy is defensive, and “military cooperation such as joint patrols with relevant countries is in line with international law and practice.”
South Korea, despite the rapid improvement of its ties with Japan this year due to shared concern over China’s threat, slammed Japan’s claim in the defense report to a South Korean-controlled contested island, calling it “unjust.”
The report comes seven months after Kishida’s government adopted new national security and defense strategies that called for doubling the defense budget to 43 trillion yen ($310 billion) by 2027.
Questions have been raised about whether the ambitious expansion of military capability and funding for it is feasible in a country that has a rapidly aging and shrinking population.
A government-commissioned panel recently adopted a package of recommendations for Japan’s military to maintain troop numbers despite population concerns, including scholarships, extension of the retirement age, hiring retirees, improving the workplace environment and tackling harassment.
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Associated Press writers Joe McDonald in Beijing and Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea, contributed to this report. | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-japan-raises-alarm-over-chinas-military-russia-ties-and-taiwan-tensions-in-new-defense-paper/ | 2023-07-29T03:21:46 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-japan-raises-alarm-over-chinas-military-russia-ties-and-taiwan-tensions-in-new-defense-paper/ |
NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — Mutinous soldiers who staged a coup in Niger declared their leader the new head of state on Friday, hours after the general asked for national and international support despite rising concerns that the political crisis could hinder the nation’s fight against jihadists and boost Russia’s influence in West Africa.
Spokesman Col. Maj. Amadou Abdramane said on state television that the constitution was suspended and Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani was in charge.
Various factions of Niger’s military have reportedly wrangled for control since members of the presidential guard detained President Mohamed Bazoum, who was elected two years ago in Niger’s first peaceful, democratic transfer of power since independence from France.
Niger is seen as the last reliable partner for the West in efforts to battle jihadists linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group in Africa’s Sahel region, where Russia and Western countries have vied for influence in the fight against extremism. France has 1,500 soldiers in the country who conduct joint operations with the Nigeriens, and the United States and other European countries have helped train the nation’s troops.
The coup sparked international condemnation and the West African regional group ECOWAS, which includes Niger and has taken the lead in trying to restore democratic rule in the country, scheduled an emergency summit in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, on Sunday.
The U.N. Security Council strongly condemned efforts “to unconstitutionally change the legitimate government.” Its statement, agreed to by all 15 members including the U.S. and Russia, called for “the immediate and unconditional release” of Bazoum and expressed concern over the negative effect of coups in the region, the “increase in terrorist activities and the dire socio—economic situation.”
Extremists in Niger have carried out attacks on civilians and military personnel, but the overall security situation is not as dire as in neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso — both of which have ousted the French military. Mali has turned to the Russian private military group Wagner, and it’s believed that the mercenaries will soon be in Burkina Faso.
Now there are concerns that Niger could follow suit. Before the coup, Wagner, which has sent mercenaries around the world in support of Russia’s interests, already had its sights set on Niger, in part because it’s a large producer of uranium.
“We can no longer continue with the same approaches proposed so far, at the risk of witnessing the gradual and inevitable demise of our country,” Tchiani, who also goes by Omar Tchiani, said in his address. “That is why we decided to intervene and take responsibility.”
“I ask the technical and financial partners who are friends of Niger to understand the specific situation of our country in order to provide it with all the support necessary to enable it to meet the challenges,” he said.
If the United States designates the takeover as a coup, Niger stands to lose millions of dollars of military aid and assistance.
The mutinous soldiers, who call themselves the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Country, accused some prominent dignitaries of collaborating with foreign embassies to “extract” the deposed leaders. They said it could lead to violence and warned against foreign military intervention.
Bazoum has not resigned and he defiantly tweeted from detention on Thursday that democracy would prevail.
It’s not clear who enjoys majority support, but the streets of the capital of Niamey were calm Friday, with a slight celebratory air. Some cars honked in solidarity at security forces as they drove by — but it was not clear if that meant they backed the coup. Elsewhere, people rested after traditional midday prayers and others sold goods at their shops and hoped for calm.
“We should pray to God to help people come together so that peace comes back to the country. We don’t want a lot of protests in the country, because it is not good … I hope this administration does a good job,” said Gerard Sassou, a Niamey shopkeeper.
A day earlier, several hundred people gathered in the city chanting support for Wagner while waving Russian flags. “We’re fed up,” said Omar Issaka, one of the protestors. “We are tired of being targeted by the men in the bush. … We’re going to collaborate with Russia now.”
That’s exactly what many in the West likely fear. Tchiani’s criticism of Bazoum’s approach and of how security partnerships have worked in the past will certainly make the U.S., France, and the EU uneasy, said Andrew Lebovich, a research fellow with the Clingendael Institute.
“So that could mark potentially some shifts moving forward in Niger security partnerships,” he said.
Even as Tchiani sought to project control, the situation appeared to be in flux. A delegation from neighboring Nigeria, which holds the ECOWAS presidency and was hoping to mediate, left shortly after arriving, and the president of Benin, nominated as a mediator by ECOWAS, has not arrived.
Earlier, an analyst who had spoken with participants in the talks said the presidential guard was negotiating with the army about who should be in charge. The analyst spoke on condition they not to be named because of the sensitive situation.
A western military official in Niger who was not authorized to speak to the media also said the military factions were believed to be negotiating, but that the situation remained tense and violence could erupt.
Speaking in Papua New Guinea, French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the coup as “completely illegitimate and profoundly dangerous for the Nigeriens, Niger and the whole region.”
The coup threatens to starkly reshape the international community’s engagement with the Sahel region.
On Thursday, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said the country’s “substantial cooperation with the Government of Niger is contingent on Niger’s continued commitment to democratic standards.”
The United States in early 2021 said it had provided Niger with more than $500 million in military assistance and training programs since 2012, one of the largest such support programs in sub-Saharan Africa. The European Union earlier this year launched a 27 million-euro ($30 million) military training mission in Niger.
The United States has more than 1,000 service personnel in the country.
Some military leaders who appear to be involved in the coup have worked closely with the United States for years. Gen. Moussa Salaou Barmou, the head of Niger’s special forces, has an especially strong relationship with the U.S., the Western military official said.
While Russia has also condemned the coup, it remains unclear what the junta’s position would be on Wagner.
The acting head of the United Nations in Niger said Friday that humanitarian aid deliveries were continuing, even though the military suspended flights carrying aid.
Nicole Kouassi, the acting U.N. resident and humanitarian coordinator, told reporters via video from Niamey that 4.3 million people needed humanitarian aid before this week’s military action and 3.3 million faced “acute food insecurity,” the majority of them women and children.
Jean-Noel Gentile, the U.N. World Food Program director in Niger, said “the humanitarian response continues on the ground.” He said the U.N. is providing cash assistance and food to people in accessible areas and that the agency is continuously assessing the situation to ensure security and access.
This is Niger’s fifth coup and marks the fall of one of the last democratically elected governments in the Sahel.
Its army has always been very powerful and civilian-military relations fraught, though tensions had increased recently, especially with the growing jihadist insurgency, said Karim Manuel, an analyst for the Middle East and Africa with the Economist Intelligence Unit.
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Associated Press reporters John Leicester in Paris; Chinedu Asadu in Abuja, Nigeria; and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations in New York contributed to this report. | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-no-clarity-about-whos-in-charge-in-niger-2-days-after-mutinous-soldiers-ousted-the-president/ | 2023-07-29T03:21:54 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-no-clarity-about-whos-in-charge-in-niger-2-days-after-mutinous-soldiers-ousted-the-president/ |
50 years later, 103 Vietnam veterans finally received their homecoming at EAA AirVenture
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - Even after arriving back home, many Vietnam War veterans still share a traumatic experience.
There was no welcome home celebration.
“Nothing, nothing. I came home to a four-month-old baby,” said one veteran. “I got off the plane in Washington, the state of Washington, and got on a commercial flight and came home and that was it.”
“When I came home in 1972, I got dropped off at the bus depot in Neenah and I started to walk home by myself and this stranger picked me up and gave me a ride home,” said veteran Thomas Buss. “I was in my uniform.”
On Friday at EAA Airventure, 103 Vietnam veterans finally received their homecoming. It was 50 years delayed.
“It’s the welcome home that I never got,” Buss said.
The group of veterans received the celebration after spending the day in Washington D.C. where they visited the Vietnam War memorials.
On Friday morning, a Yellow Ribbon Honor Flight departed the Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh to take them to the nation’s capital.
American Airlines flew the veterans on a plane specially designed for these experiences, staffed with pilots and flight attendants who volunteered their time on their day off to make the trip happen.
One veteran hadn’t been to Washington D.C. since 1966 when he was in high school and before his time in the service.
Others on the trip had never been.
“A lot of guys here that have never been there and seen these memorials before and they just were blown away,” said veteran Thomas Snider.
While on the flight out there, veterans received mail that they could open and read on their way from family, friends, and community members thanking them for their service. For one veteran, the mail call was one of the most emotional parts of the trip.
The once-in-a-lifetime trip was free of charge to the veterans.
Copyright 2023 WBAY. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbay.com/2023/07/29/50-years-later-103-vietnam-veterans-finally-received-their-homecoming-eaa-airventure/ | 2023-07-29T03:22:04 | 1 | https://www.wbay.com/2023/07/29/50-years-later-103-vietnam-veterans-finally-received-their-homecoming-eaa-airventure/ |
The 2023 Formula 1 World Championship continues this weekend with round 13, the Belgian Grand Prix, which takes place at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit and will see the Saturday Sprint race return.
The Spa circuit is nestled within the beautiful Ardennes hills and features a long, unrelenting track that serves as a stern test for car and driver. The average speed approaches 145 mph, making it one of the fastest laps of the season, and drivers experience over 5 g in some of the turns, such as Turn 10, known as Pouhon. The cars also run at full throttle for almost 80% of the lap.
Stretching 4.35 miles, Spa has the longest track on the calendar, resulting in the race lasting only 44 laps—the lowest on the calendar. The track is so big that it’s not unusual to have varying weather conditions at different parts. For example, rain at one end and sunshine at the other. The current forecast calls for heavy rain throughout the weekend, which has already resulted in some calls for the race to possibly be canceled.
The first and third sectors at Spa feature long straights and flat-out sections, but the second sector is twisty. This makes it challenging to find the right balance and set-up compromise, particularly with the wing level.
The track surface is on the abrasive side, meaning tires get quite the workout. Pirelli has nominated its mid-range compounds: the C2 as the White hard, C3 as the Yellow medium, and C4 as the Red soft.
The Belgian round will mark 2023’s third running of the Saturday Sprint race, after the Azerbaijan and Austrian Grands Prix. This season, the Sprint race has been made a standalone event rather than the qualifier for the main race, as was previously the case. It still has championship points on the table for both drivers and teams, however.
The round is the last stop before the summer break and will see some teams run upgrades, including Mercedes-Benz AMG whose cars will feature a new design for the side pods.
Going into the weekend, Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen leads the 2023 Drivers’ Championship with 281 points. Fellow Red Bull driver Perez is second with 171 points and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso is third with 139 points. In the Constructors’ Championship, Red Bull leads with 452 points, versus the 223 of Mercedes and 184 of Aston Martin in second and third places. Last year’s winner in Belgium was Verstappen, driving for Red Bull.
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- 2023 F1 standings: Verstappen grows title lead while McLaren shows resurgence | https://who13.com/automotive/internet-brands/2023-f1-belgian-grand-prix-preview/ | 2023-07-29T03:22:03 | 0 | https://who13.com/automotive/internet-brands/2023-f1-belgian-grand-prix-preview/ |
A teenager with special needs was repeatedly sexually assaulted by an employee at a small private boarding school in South Carolina, his parents said in a lawsuit as they advocate for more oversight of similar therapeutic facilities.
The teen, who attended Whetstone Academy between October 2018 and January 2020, was “frequently sexually assaulted” and raped beginning when he was 14, the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit accuses Singleton Investment Properties, the school’s parent company, of negligence and failure to reasonably protect the teenager. The company denies the allegations.
The parents are identified anonymously in the lawsuit filed in April as Mother Doe and Father Doe and their son as John Doe. The Associated Press generally does not identify people who say they have been sexually abused and is not naming the parents to avoid revealing their son’s identity.
The parents previously sued the school and in January reached a confidential settlement. But they said they hope to bring about broad change and accountability by going after the corporate structure in this subsequent suit.
The judge earlier this month indicated a trial would likely be held next spring, but has ordered the two sides to participate in mediation to see if a settlement can be reached before then.
“We’re really hoping there’s some systematic change, some legislation enacted and real accountability here,” the Does’ attorney, Tyler Bailey, told the AP.
Therapeutic boarding schools like Whetstone should be regulated similarly to state-licensed daycare centers, with complaints tracked and publicly accessible, to the extent possible, Baily said.
“Money is one thing but change so parents and children don’t go through what they have gone through, that’s what they’re seeking to get done by this case,” Bailey said.
John Singleton Jr., who owns Singleton Investment Properties and Whetstone Academy, said in an email, “We specifically deny the allegations.” The company also denied the allegations in a court filing earlier this month.
Once the school learned of the allegations from the South Carolina Department of Social Services, the employee was immediately suspended and the school fully cooperated with an investigation by the state agency. Since the agency took no action and no criminal investigation was undertaken or charges filed, the employee was reinstated and has returned to work at the school, Singleton said.
The employee is not named in the lawsuit.
“Whetstone Academy’s focus was, is, and always will be on ensuring that every student is cared for in a safe and nurturing environment with close supervision and stringent staff oversight,” Singleton wrote. “Students receive individual and family therapy by our licensed clinicians. We provide evidence-based training for our staff who are guided by our policies and procedures.”
The Does, who live in Alabama, said their son was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder when he was young. By age 14, he was having several outbursts a day, breaking things and emotionally troubled, the father said in a phone interview. An educational consultant suggested sending him to a therapeutic boarding school for extra care and therapy.
Whetstone Academy, in the remote Mountain Rest community in the northwest corner of South Carolina, takes students in grades five through nine and was one of the schools suggested by the consultant.
The teen initially seemed to be making progress at the school, but after about 10 months his behavior was so difficult that the parents were advised to send him to a different facility for more intensive treatment, the father said. After a summer in that facility, he returned to Whetstone.
“He stayed there for a little while, but he realized that if he acted out, he would get kicked out and he did,” the mother said. “Thank God he did.”
The Does then sent their son to a school in Utah. After about six months there, his parents flew him to a resort in Georgia for a vacation. At dinner one night, John Doe told his parents he had been sexually assaulted numerous times and raped by an employee at Whetstone, his mother said.
The Does called their son’s therapist at the Utah school for advice. Bound by mandatory reporting requirements, the therapist contacted authorities, who interviewed the teenager and said they notified South Carolina authorities to investigate, the father said.
South Carolina’s social services agency doesn’t license therapeutic boarding schools, but spokesperson Connelly-Anne Ragley said in an email that the agency investigates upon receiving reports of sexual abuse involving minors. Any sexual abuse allegation sent to the agency’s intake line would be reported to law enforcement within 24 hours as required by state law, she said.
The Department of Social Services told the AP that information about child abuse investigations is confidential and not releasable under the state’s open records law.
The sheriff’s office in Oconee County, where Whetstone is located, only conducts criminal investigations when an official report is filed and, in most cases, sexual assault prosecutions require the victim’s cooperation, Master Deputy Jimmy Watt said in an email.
He said the agency had no records related to any allegations against the employee accused of sexually abusing John Doe. A State Law Enforcement Division spokesperson said that agency has not been involved.
The Does want to make sure cases like their son’s are referred to law enforcement for thorough investigation and don’t fall through the cracks. They haven’t filed a report with South Carolina law enforcement because they don’t trust authorities in the small, insular community to investigate, their lawyer said.
John Doe, now 18, is still mistrustful at times and it has taken years for his parents to repair their relationship with him, they said. They’ve talked to him about how pursuing this case could result in people finding out what happened to him, his mother said.
“He’s the bravest kid I’ve ever met because he said, ‘I don’t care. This is all about helping others, Mom,’” she said. | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-teen-was-sexually-abused-at-therapeutic-boarding-school-lawsuit-says-as-parents-advocate-oversight/ | 2023-07-29T03:22:03 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-teen-was-sexually-abused-at-therapeutic-boarding-school-lawsuit-says-as-parents-advocate-oversight/ |
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Donald Trump and his top rivals for the GOP presidential nomination took the stage one by one Friday night to address an influential gathering of Iowa Republicans, with none of the top-tier hopefuls mentioning that new federal charges had been filed against the former president just a day earlier.
Instead, Trump’s competitors mostly reserved their sharpest criticism for President Joe Biden and a Democratic Party they argued had lost touch with mainstream America — failing to pounce on additional counts over Trump’s retention of classified documents that might have otherwise been an opportunity to cut into his comfortable early lead in the polls.
“The time for excuses is over. We must get the job done,” said Ron DeSantis. “I will get the job done.”
The Florida governor also repeated his frequent promise to halt the “weaponization” of the Justice Department, an allusion to Trump’s legal troubles. But he offered no specific thoughts on the cases against him — even though Trump is also bracing to be charged soon in Washington over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
The former president frequently avoids attending multicandidate events in person, questioning why he would share a stage with competitors who are badly trailing him in polls. Still, with Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucus less than six months away, Trump joined a dozen other GOP hopefuls in speaking to about 1,200 GOP members and activists at the Lincoln Day Dinner.
“If I weren’t running, I would have nobody coming after me,” Trump said in his only veiled reference to his legal issues. He also insisted the same would be true if he were trailing in the polls.
While DeSantis didn’t mention the former president by name, meanwhile, Trump didn’t return the favor. He told the crowd, “I wouldn’t take a chance on that one,” and repeatedly branded him “DeSanctus.”
Trump was even blunter before the dinner as he opened a campaign office in Urbandale, outside Des Moines.
“I understand the other candidates are falling very flat … it’s like death,” Trump said.
More than 100 people packed the small office, many wearing “Make America Great Again” hats and shirts. They had waited in 100-degree weather to enter, and the poorly ventilated office quickly became sweltering. Staff handed out water bottles, and people fanned themselves with campaign handouts. Some used paper towels to wipe away sweat.
Similar strong support for the former president was evident during the dinner, when many attendees wore “Trump Country” stickers, including 72-year-old Diane Weaver of Ankeny, Iowa.
“I think he makes America great,” said Weaver, a retiree who plans to caucus for Trump. “I think he did it once and I think he can do it again.”
West Des Moines resident Jane Schrader chose to wear her “Trump Country” sticker on her pants instead of at eye level. “I’m not quite dyed-in-the-wool. I’m a supporter, but not that kind,” said the retired physician, explaining her sticker placement.
DeSantis, who like most of Friday’s speakers vowed to visit all of Iowa’s 99 counties, is Trump’s strongest primary competitor but has been trying to reset his stalled campaign for two weeks. He’s increasingly focusing on Iowa in its efforts on trying to derail Trump, and spoke at the dinner in the midst of a two-day bus tour of the state.
The governor’s stumbles have raised questions about whether another candidate might be able to emerge from the field and catch the former president. Some evangelicals, who can be determinative in Iowa’s caucuses, have pointed to South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott’s upbeat message and pulpit-style delivery as strengths that could help him rise there.
Scott, who also spoke Friday night and didn’t mention Trump or the cases against him, took a swipe this week at DeSantis over the Florida governor’s support for new standards that require the state’s teachers to instruct middle school students that slaves developed skills that “could be applied for their personal benefit.”
The only Black Republican in the U.S. Senate, Scott said all Americans should recognize how “devastating” slavery was. “There is no silver lining” to slavery, he added.
DeSantis has also faced criticism from teachers and civil rights leaders, as well as mounting pushback from some of his party’s most prominent Black elected officials. Florida Rep. Byron Donalds said he hoped officials might “correct” parts of the curriculum addressing lessons on the developed skills of enslaved people. Texas Republican Rep. Wesley Hunt, Michigan Rep. John James and Will Hurd, a former Texas congressman now also running in the GOP presidential primary, have also criticized DeSantis.
Still, the governor continued to dig in on the issue, saying at a pre-dinner event in Oskaloosa on Friday, “D.C. Republicans all too often accept false narratives, accept lies that are perpetrated by the left.”
John Niemeyer, 52, from Kalona, Iowa, attended DeSantis’ event and was impressed. But, as a high school teacher, he’s not a fan of some of the governor’s positions on education policy.
“I don’t want to make our classrooms a political battlefield,” he said, adding that it would be a “mistake” to make the issue the forefront of his campaign.
Vice President Kamala Harris made her own Iowa stop on Friday, seeking to draw a contrast with the Republicans as she looked to lift President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign. Harris met in Des Moines with activists and discussed abortion rights, after Reynolds recently signed a ban on most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
“I do believe that we are witnessing a national agenda that is about a full-on attack on hard won freedoms and hard won rights,” the vice president said.
Trump, meanwhile, did face criticism Friday night from some Republican opponents, but only those considered long shots. Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchison declared, “As a party, we need a new direction for America and for the GOP,” drawing only muted reaction from the crowd.
Loud and sustained boos came, however, for Hurd, who said, “The reason Donald Trump lost the election in 2020 is he failed to grow the GOP brand.”
The former congressman pressed on, saying: “Donald Trump is not running for president to make America great again. … Donald Trump is running to stay out of prison.”
That was the only reference to locking Trump up on the night, except for a surprising — and potentially coincidental — snippet of walk-on music played as the former president took the stage. Like all the candidates, the event’s organizers played parts of Brooks & Dunn’s “Only in America” as Trump approached.
But his part included the lyrics: “One could end up going to prison. One just might be president.”
___
Weissert reported from Washington. | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-trump-desantis-and-other-2024-gop-candidates-set-to-address-iowa-republicans-at-lincoln-day-dinner/ | 2023-07-29T03:22:11 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-trump-desantis-and-other-2024-gop-candidates-set-to-address-iowa-republicans-at-lincoln-day-dinner/ |
Anyone looking to take delivery of Lamborghini’s Revuelto supercar better be prepared to wait (or pay hefty markups on the used market) as the car’s production run for the next two years is already allocated, the automaker announced this week.
Despite an upgrade to Lamborghini’s plant in Sant’Agata Bolognese to accommodate more automated processes, production of the Revuelto is still very much a hands-on affair, with plenty of traditional handcrafted skills retained, ensuring production will remain limited. According to Lamborghini, around 500 staff are dedicated to the car’s production.
The Revuelto was revealed in March as the successor to the Aventador. It’s Lamborghini’s first plug-in hybrid and is powered by a sophisticated setup combining a newly developed V-12 and three electric motors for a combined output of 1,000 hp.
The Revuelto isn’t just an Aventador with more power, though. It represents a ground-up redesign that in addition to electrification includes a new carbon-fiber tub, a new 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and that new V-12.
Lamborghini quotes performance numbers of 2.5 seconds in the 0-62 mph run and a top speed of 218 mph.
Lamborghini hasn’t announcing pricing for the Revuelto in the U.S., but in other markets the car is priced from 500,000 euros (approximately $548,700). Deliveries are scheduled to start in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Lamborghini’s Urus will be the automaker’s next plug-in hybrid. The SUV will go the electrified route starting in the first half of 2024. A plug-in hybrid successor to the Huracán will then arrive toward the end of 2024. Further out, Lamborghini plans to launch an electric vehicle in 2028. It was confirmed by the automaker in April as a 2+2 grand tourer.
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- “Wanted: The Escape Of Carlos Ghosn” debuts Aug. 25—watch the trailer | https://who13.com/automotive/internet-brands/lamborghini-revuelto-already-sold-out-for-next-2-years/ | 2023-07-29T03:22:10 | 1 | https://who13.com/automotive/internet-brands/lamborghini-revuelto-already-sold-out-for-next-2-years/ |
Mercedes-Benz has introduced an update to its mid-size van family to help keep the vehicles fresh until the arrival of successor models based on a dedicated electric vehicle platform later this decade.
The sole mid-size van Mercedes currently sells in the U.S. is the Metris. In other markets, the Metris is known as the Vito and is sold alongside a luxury version called the V-Class. The Vito and V-Class also come in electric form, known as the eVito and EQV respectively.
While the Vito has been updated, there are no plans to bring it to the U.S. as an updated Metris. The current Metris is still available to U.S. buyers but will be phased out later this year.
The updates to the mid-size van family include tweaks to the exterior styling highlighted by an enlarged grille and new light signatures for the headlights. There’s also a new dash design that adopts a single panel integrating both a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 12.3-inch infotainment screen in the plush V-Class and EQV. In the Vito and eVito commercial models, the dash sticks to analog gauges with a 5.5-inch screen in the center, plus a 10.3-inch infotainment screen. Buyers also have five new colors to choose from, along with various wheel patterns ranging from 17-19 inches in diameter.
Mercedes has also added new digital services and safety features, one of which is an updated Active Brake Assist feature that now functions in intersections. Active Brake Assist is a collision warning system that supports the driver by automatically adding extra braking pressure when necessary, and activating automatic emergency braking if the driver fails to apply the brakes.
No change has been made to the powertrains meaning buyers have a series of diesels to choose from, including 4- and 6-cylinder options, plus an electric powertrain in the eVito and EQV.
While the U.S. will soon lose the Metris, Mercedes in May said it will bring a luxury mid-size van to this market later this decade. It will be based on the new Van.EA platform. The dedicated EV platform will spawn its first model in 2026, though Mercedes hasn’t revealed the model’s identity.
Mercedes said it expects electric vans to account for 50% of its van sales by 2030.
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- 2024 Porsche Panamera spy shots and video | https://who13.com/automotive/internet-brands/mercedes-updates-v-class-ahead-of-dedicated-ev-successors-arrival/ | 2023-07-29T03:22:17 | 0 | https://who13.com/automotive/internet-brands/mercedes-updates-v-class-ahead-of-dedicated-ev-successors-arrival/ |
Porsche earlier this week revealed more than just a first look at its lounge-like road-trip fast-charging stations, to be laid out along some top routes in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Within details for these design-savvy charging oases there was a bigger technology reveal: Its EVs in the future, it hinted, may charge above 300 kw and perhaps closer to 400 kw.
That message came within how the automaker explained the charging hardware situated at these Porsche Charging Lounges. They’ll be “perfectly tailored to the requirements of Porsche drivers on long journeys,” the company explained. That means a current max charge power of 300 kw from the Alpitronic hardware at those stations, it explained, but it then stated: “By the start of next year, 400 kw per charging point should be possible.”
Since its launch, the Porsche Taycan has been capable of 800-volt DC fast-charging up to 270 kw—made more reproducible for 2022—offering a 5-80% charge in as little as 22.5 minutes.
The 2024 Porsche Macan Electric, which is due to go on sale in the first half of 2024 and built on the PPE platform jointly developed by Porsche and Audi, will inherit the Taycan’s 800-volt charging. But Porsche has suggested that PPE may be capable of a bit more.
While the Macan may stretch closer to 300 kw, it has to be another future vehicle that fast-charges at an even higher rate, taking advantage of those 400-kw connectors.
But the charger announcement may be teasing a product that’s yet to come and farther in the future. Will that be the Boxster-inspired electric sports car, which might include the 718 badge; a production version of the 900-volt Mission X concept the brand recently revealed; or another new EV from the sports-car brand? Or all of the above?
Porsche has said that by 2030 over 80% of the vehicles it delivers globally will be fully electric—although it’s suggested that the last gasoline model it will make will be the 911.
That said, a model that might take advantage of a 400-kw connector might top out higher than the Lucid Air, which reaches a max just over 300 kw, and the GMC Hummer EV with the largest dual-layer pack, which can at times pull the full power from a 350-kw connector.
Such a model tapping the potential of a 400-kw connector might not be coming until 2025 or 2026, but when it does, then Porsche looks prepared with the infrastructure.
The Taycan is already approaching its intended gas-station refueling times—if the infrastructure’s there. With some carefully planned charging stops, one crossed the U.S. last year at real-world highway speeds with just 2.5 hours of charging.
As for those lounges, Porsche aims to place them close to “busy routes with significant traffic flow,” make them open 24/7, barrier-free, and part of the Ionity network, and provide centralized billing and a very comfortable environment. If the images provided, showing woodgrain finishes, bright interiors, workout areas, and rooftop solar cells are any indication, it looks like a very pleasant environment compared to the edge of the Walmart parking lot or strip-mall access road.
Although Porsche has no plans to build these charging oases in the U.S. as of yet, fellow VW Group entity Electrify America offers 350-kw connectors at many of its 809 U.S. fast-charging locations. And the national fast-charging network set to be bankrolled by seven automakers, announced earlier this week, with 350-kw connectors as a baseline, will help support these even-faster-charging EVs.
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- 2018-2023 Nissan Leaf EV recalled for cruise-control acceleration flaw | https://who13.com/automotive/internet-brands/porsche-hints-a-future-ev-may-utilize-400-kw-fast-charging/ | 2023-07-29T03:22:24 | 1 | https://who13.com/automotive/internet-brands/porsche-hints-a-future-ev-may-utilize-400-kw-fast-charging/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Signs that inflation pressures in the United States are steadily easing emerged Friday in reports that consumer prices rose in June at their slowest pace in more than two years and that wage growth cooled last quarter.
Together, the figures provided the latest signs that the Federal Reserve’s drive to tame inflation may succeed without triggering a recession, an outcome known as a “soft landing.”
A price gauge closely monitored by the Fed rose just 3% in June from a year earlier. That was down from a 3.8% annual increase in May, though still above the Fed’s 2% inflation target. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.2% from May to June, up slightly from 0.1% the previous month.
Last month’s sharp slowdown in year-over-year inflation largely reflected falling gas prices, as well as milder increases in grocery costs. With supply chains having largely healed from post-pandemic disruptions, the costs of new and used cars, furniture and appliances also fell in June.
The cost of some services, though, continued to surge. Average prices of movie tickets rose 0.5% from May to June, and are up 6.2% from a year earlier. Veterinary services, up 0.5% last month, are 10.5% higher than a year ago. And restaurant meal prices increased 0.4% in June; they’re up 7.1% from 12 months earlier.
A measure of “core” prices, which excludes volatile food and energy costs, did remain elevated even though it also eased last month. Economists track core prices because they are considered a better signal of where inflation is headed. Those still-high underlying inflation pressures are a key reason why the Fed raised its short-term interest rate Wednesday to a 22-year high.
Core prices were still 4.1% higher than they were a year ago, well above the Fed’s target, though down from 4.6% in May. From May to June, core inflation was just 0.2%, down from 0.3% the previous month, an encouraging sign.
A separate report Friday from the Labor Department showed that a gauge of wages and salaries grew more slowly in the April-June quarter, suggesting that employers were feeling less pressure to boost pay as the job market cools.
Employee pay, excluding government workers, rose 1%, down from 1.2% in the first three months of 2023. Compared with a year earlier, wages and salaries grew 4.6%, down from 5.1% in the first quarter.
The Fed is closely watching the pay gauge, known as the employment cost index. Smaller wage increases should slow inflation over time, because companies are less likely to need to raise prices to cover their higher labor costs.
Taken together, Friday’s data “will provide further support to the view that the economy is in the midst of a soft landing,” said Kathy Bostjancic, chief economist at Nationwide. The softer wage data, she suggested, “will be welcomed by Fed officials.”
Americans’ average paychecks are still growing briskly, boosting their ability to spend and underscoring the economy’s resiliency. The inflation report that the Commerce Department issued Friday showed that consumer spending jumped in June, despite two years of high inflation and 11 Fed rate hikes over 17 months. From May to June, consumer spending rose 0.5%, up from 0.2% the previous month.
“Better push out those recession forecasts by another quarter,” Stephen Stanley, chief U.S. economist at investment bank Santander, wrote in a research note.
The inflation gauge that was issued Friday, called the personal consumption expenditures price index, is separate from the better-known consumer price index. Earlier this month, the government reported that the CPI rose 3% in June from 12 months earlier.
The Fed prefers the PCE index because it accounts for changes in how people shop when inflation jumps — when, for example, consumers shift away from pricey national brands in favor of cheaper store brands. And housing costs, which are among the biggest inflation drivers but many economists think aren’t well-measured, carry about half the weight in the PCE than the CPI.
With inflation now steadily cooling, consumers are becoming more optimistic about the economy, a trend that could lead them to keep spending and driving growth.
On Friday, the University of Michigan reported that its consumer sentiment index rose in June to its highest level since October 2021, though it has still recovered only about half of the drop caused by the pandemic. And earlier this week, the Conference Board, a business research group, said its consumer confidence index rose this month to its highest point in two years.
The U.S. economy is in a hopeful but precarious place: A solid job market is bolstering hiring, lifting wages and keeping unemployment near a half-century low. Yet inflation is weakening rather than rising, as it typically does when unemployment is low. That suggests that the Fed may be able to achieve a soft landing.
The Fed’s policymakers, though, are concerned that the steadily growing economy could help perpetuate inflation. This can occur as persistent consumer demand enables more companies to raise prices, thereby keeping inflation above the Fed’s target and potentially causing the central bank to raise rates even higher.
The latest evidence of the economy’s resilience came Thursday, when the government reported that it grew at a 2.4% annual rate in the April-June quarter — faster than analysts had forecast and an acceleration from a 2% growth rate in the first three months of the year.
At a news conference Wednesday, Chair Jerome Powell suggested that the Fed’s benchmark short-term rate, now at about 5.3%, was high enough to restrain the overall economy and likely tame inflation over time. But Powell added that the Fed would need to see more evidence that inflation has been sustainably subdued before it would consider ending its rate hikes.
Powell declined to offer any signal of the central bank’s likely next moves. In June, Fed officials had forecast two more rate hikes this year, including Wednesday’s.
“I would say it is certainly possible that we would raise (rates) again at the September meeting, if the data warranted,” Powell said Wednesday, “and I would also say it’s possible that we would choose to hold steady at that meeting.” | https://who13.com/business/ap-business/ap-an-inflation-gauge-that-is-closely-tracked-by-the-fed-falls-to-its-lowest-level-in-more-than-2-years/ | 2023-07-29T03:22:37 | 0 | https://who13.com/business/ap-business/ap-an-inflation-gauge-that-is-closely-tracked-by-the-fed-falls-to-its-lowest-level-in-more-than-2-years/ |
Tesla is ramping up efforts to open showrooms on tribal lands where it can sell directly to consumers, circumventing laws in states that bar vehicle manufacturers from also being retailers in favor of the dealership model.
Mohegan Sun, a casino and entertainment complex in Connecticut owned by the federally recognized Mohegan Tribe, announced this week that the California-based electric automaker will open a showroom with a sales and delivery center this fall on its sovereign property where the state’s law doesn’t apply.
The news comes after another new Tesla showroom was announced in June, set to open in 2025 on lands of the Oneida Indian Nation in upstate New York.
“I think it was a move that made complete sense,” said Lori Brown, executive director of the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters, which has lobbied for years to change Connecticut’s law.
“It is just surprising that it took this long, because Tesla had really tried, along with Lucid and Rivian,” she said, referring to two other electric carmakers. “Anything that puts more electric vehicles on the road is a good thing for the public.”
Brown noted that lawmakers with car dealerships that are active in their districts, no matter their political affiliation, have traditionally opposed bills allowing direct-to-consumer sales.
The Connecticut Automotive Retail Association, which has opposed such bills for years, says there needs to be a balance between respecting tribal sovereignty and “maintaining a level playing field” for all car dealerships in the state.
“We respect the Mohegan Tribe’s sovereignty and the unique circumstance in which they operate their businesses on Tribal land but we strongly believe that this does not change the discussion about Tesla and other EV manufacturers with direct-to-consumer sales, and we continue to oppose that model,” Hayden Reynolds, the association’s chairperson, said in a statement. “Connecticut’s dealer franchise laws benefit consumers and provide a competitive marketplace.”
Over the years in numerous states, Tesla has sought and been denied dealership licenses, pushed for law changes and challenged decisions in courts. The company scored a victory earlier this year when Delaware’s Supreme Court overturned a ruling upholding a decision by state officials to prohibit Tesla from selling its cars to directly customers.
At least 16 states have effectively changed their laws to allow Tesla and other direct-to-consumer manufacturers to sell there, said Jeff Aiosa, executive director of the Connecticut dealers association. He doesn’t foresee Connecticut changing its law, noting that 32 “original equipment manufacturers,” a list that includes major car companies like Toyota and Ford, currently abide by it.
“It’s not fair to have an unlevel playing field when all the other manufacturers abide by the state franchise laws and Tesla wants this exception to go around the law,” he said. “I would suggest their pivoting to the sovereign nation is representative of them not wanting to abide by the law.”
Tesla opened its first store as well as a repair shop on Native American land in 2021 in New Mexico. The facility, built in Nambé Pueblo, north of Santa Fe, marked the first time the company partnered with a tribe to get around state laws, though the idea had been in the works for years.
Brian Dear, president of the Tesla Owners Club of New Mexico, predicted at the time that states that are home to tribal nations and also have laws banning direct car sales by manufacturers would likely follow New Mexico’s lead.
“I don’t believe at all that this will be the last,” he said.
Tesla’s facility at Mohegan Sun, dubbed the Tesla Sales & Delivery Center, will be located at a shopping and dining pavilion within the sprawling casino complex. Customers will be able to test drive models around the resort. and gamblers will be able to use their loyalty rewards toward Tesla purchases.
Tesla also plans to exhibit its solar and storage products at the location. | https://who13.com/business/ap-business/ap-automaker-tesla-is-opening-more-showrooms-on-tribal-lands-to-avoid-state-laws-barring-direct-sales/ | 2023-07-29T03:22:44 | 0 | https://who13.com/business/ap-business/ap-automaker-tesla-is-opening-more-showrooms-on-tribal-lands-to-avoid-state-laws-barring-direct-sales/ |
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Europe’s banking sector could withstand a severe economic downturn without depleting their financial buffers against losses, the European Central Bank said Friday.
A survey of 98 large and medium-sized banks done by the ECB’s supervisory arm in conjunction with the European Banking Authority showed that even in the most adverse scenario — a fall of almost 10% in economic outpoint over three years — banks would still have enough capital to cover losses and then some.
The stress test was not a pass-fail exercise for banks in the 20 countries that use the euro currency. Rather, results for individual banks will be used by banking regulators in determining how much capital they need to hold in reserve.
Banks are crucial to the European economy because companies get most of their financing from them, instead of from financial markets — the opposite of the situation in the U.S.
The ECB took over supervision of the biggest banks after the eurozone debt crisis more than a decade ago, when bank losses led to heavy bailout costs for governments. National supervisors were perceived to have been less than vigilant on developing risks.
Scrutiny of bank finances has grown after the failure of three U.S. banks amid rising interest rates that led to losses on investments and mass withdrawal of deposits. The financial turmoil then hit Credit Suisse, a globally significant bank that had long-running problems, leading the Swiss government to engineer an emergency takeover by rival UBS to prevent further banking chaos.
Switzerland is not part of the European Union, where some of the safeguards instituted after the 2008-2009 global financial crisis were more widely applied. | https://who13.com/business/ap-business/ap-europes-banks-could-survive-a-drastic-economic-downturn-stress-test-shows/ | 2023-07-29T03:22:50 | 0 | https://who13.com/business/ap-business/ap-europes-banks-could-survive-a-drastic-economic-downturn-stress-test-shows/ |
MILAN (AP) — French luxury conglomerate Kering has reached a cash deal to purchase a 30% stake in Italian fashion house Valentino for 1.7 billion euros from a Qatari investment firm.
With the purchase, Kering is seeking to shore up its revenue stream as it struggles to turn around former powerhouse Gucci. Kering on Thursday reported first-half revenues of 10.1 billion euros, up 2%, as Gucci sales stagnate.
Under the deal announced Thursday, Kering has the option to buy 100% of Valentino no later than 2028. The partnership could lead to the Qatari investment firm, Mayhoola, becoming a shareholder in Kering, as well as other potential “joint opportunities,” the statement said.
Kering Chairman and CEO Francois-Henri Pinault expressed admiration for “the evolution of Valentino under Mayhoola ownership,” which Kering said turned Valentino “into one of the most admired luxury houses in the world.”
“I am very pleased of this first step in our collaboration with Mayhoola to develop Valentino and pursue the very strong strategic journey of brand elevation,’’ citing the role of Valentino CEO Jacopo Venturini, who “will continue to lead.”
Gucci, which accounts for nearly half of Kering revenues, is in the throes of a relaunch, with a new management team and a new creative director, Sabato De Sarn o, who will unveil his first collection during Milan Fashion Week in September.
Valentino, founded by Valentino Garavani in 1960, recorded revenues of 1.4 billion euros in 2022. Pierpaolo Piccoli has been creative director at Valentino since 2008, working alongside Maria Grazia Chiuri from 2008-16. With its corporate base in Milan and design studio in Rome, the fashion house is a mainstay of Paris fashion week with its womenswear and couture collections while recently returning menswear to Milan. | https://who13.com/business/ap-business/ap-french-luxury-group-kering-to-buy-30-stake-in-valentino-for-1-7-billion-euros-cash/ | 2023-07-29T03:22:57 | 0 | https://who13.com/business/ap-business/ap-french-luxury-group-kering-to-buy-30-stake-in-valentino-for-1-7-billion-euros-cash/ |
History made at Berry Hills
An amateur wins the tourney for the first time since 2004
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - With 90-plus-degree temperatures proving as challenging as the Berry Hills Country Club course, as well as an afternoon rain delay, Ryan
Bilby of Follansbee continued his third day at the top of the leader board to win the 90th West Virginia Open Championship. He finished at 10 under par 200 for the
three-day event. Golf professional Mason Williams (p) of Bridgeport finished two strokes back at eight under par 202, while defending champion Christian Brand of
Scott Depot finished in third at two under 208. Pat Carter of Huntington and Will Evans (p) of Charleston tied for fourth at even par 210.
Pat Carter of Huntington took low senior honors and Jack Michael of Huntington took low junior honors. Other highlights of the day included six birdies each for Bryan
T. Myers of Wheeling, Cameron Jarvis of Barboursville and Tad Tomblin of Alum Creek and five birdies for Cory Hoshor of Scott Depot.
Other top finishers were:
Tied for 6th at (+1) 211
Cory Hoshor of Scott Depot
Cam Roam of Huntington
Jess Ferrell of Fairmont
David Bradshaw (p) of Harpers Ferry
Tied for 10th at (+2) 212
Jonathan Clark of Hurricane
Kenny Hess (p) of Parkersburg
Here are the highlights courtesy of The Media Center.
Copyright 2023 WSAZ. All rights reserved. | https://www.wsaz.com/2023/07/29/history-made-berry-hills/ | 2023-07-29T03:23:02 | 0 | https://www.wsaz.com/2023/07/29/history-made-berry-hills/ |
Rauw Alejandro is not calling Camila Cabello "Señorita."
Following Rauw's split from fiancée Rosalía, a report surfaced that the 30-year-old has been striking up a romance with Camila, 26, as they were reportedly seen hanging out. However, a source close to her tells E! News "it's 100% not true."
Rauw confirmed his breakup with his "BESO" collaborator on July 26, but said they actually ended things months ago, not long after revealing their engagement in March.
"Yes, a few months ago Rosi and I ended our engagement," he wrote in Spanish on Instagram Stories, before calling out the "erroneous public allegations have emerged" following their separation.
As Rauw put it, "There are thousands of problems that could cause a breakup, but in our case it was not due to third parties or infidelity."
"Out of the respect I have for her, our families and all that we lived through, I could not stay silent and continue to watch how they try to destroy the story of the most real love that God has permitted me to live," the artist wrote. "I never saw myself in a position of even thinking that I would have to give public statements on this matter that is so private to me."
Rosalía, 30, later reiterated their desire to keep things amicable as they go their separate ways.
"I love, respect and admire Raúl very much," Rosalía wrote in Spanish on her Instagram Stories, referring to his real name Raúl Alejandro Ocasio Ruiz.
Her July 27 message continued, "Not paying attention to the theatrics, we know what we have experienced. This moment is not easy so thanks to everyone for understanding and respecting."
On the other hand, Camila's relationship status remains unclear, considering she's been reconnecting with ex Shawn Mendes in recent months. The pair were spotted locking lips at Coachella in April, followed by a PDA-filled trip to New York in May. On their Big Apple itinerary was supporting their mutual friend Taylor Swift at The Eras Tour at MetLife Stadium, but they haven't addressed where they currently stand.
E! News has reached out to reps for Camila and Rauw on the reports, but hasn't received a comment. | https://www.eonline.com/news/1381673/the-truth-about-rauw-alejandro-and-camila-cabello-dating-rumors?cmpid=rss-syndicate-genericrss-us-top_stories | 2023-07-29T03:23:02 | 0 | https://www.eonline.com/news/1381673/the-truth-about-rauw-alejandro-and-camila-cabello-dating-rumors?cmpid=rss-syndicate-genericrss-us-top_stories |
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Four air crew members were missing after an Australian army helicopter ditched into waters off the Queensland state coast during joint military exercises with the United States, officials said Saturday.
The MRH-90 Taipan helicopter went down near Hamilton Island, a Great Barrier Reef tourist resort, at about 10:30 p.m. Friday, Defense Minister Richard Marles said.
A search was underway to find the crew, and their families had been notified, officials said.
A rescue helicopter reported spotting debris Saturday morning near Dent Island in the Whitsunday Islands group.
The Taipan was taking part in Talisman Sabre, a biennial joint U.S.-Australian military exercise that is largely based in Queensland. This year’s exercise involves 13 nations and more than 30,000 military personnel.
Marles said the helicopter ditched, which refers to an emergency landing on water. He said it was taking part in a mission that involved a second helicopter, which immediately started a search and rescue operation.
“Defense exercises, which are so necessary for the readiness of our defense force, are serious. They carry risk,” Marles told reporters in Brisbane. “As we desperately hope for better news during the course of this day we are reminded about the gravity of the act which comes with wearing our nation’s uniform.”
Defense Force Chief Gen. Angus Campbell said Queensland state authorities, members of the public and U.S. military personnel were taking part in the search.
“Our focus at the moment is finding our people and supporting their families and the rest of our team, “ Campbell said. “This is indeed a terrible moment.”
It is the second emergency involving an Australian Taipan this year, after one ditched into the sea off the New South Wales state coast in March. That helicopter was taking part in a nighttime counterterrorism training exercise when it ran into trouble. All 10 passengers and crew members were rescued.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was in Brisbane for a meeting on Saturday and is due to travel with Marles to north Queensland on Sunday to see the exercise.
The exercise has been paused by the search.
Austin and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken paid tribute to the missing air crew at the outset of a meeting with their Australian counterparts, Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong.
“It’s always tough when you have accidents in training, but … the reason that we train to such high standards is so that we can be successful and we can protect lives when we are called to answer any kind of crisis,” Austin said.
“Our guys tend to make this look easy and they make it look easy because they’re so well exercised and rehearsed and trained, and this is unfortunately a part of that, what it takes to get them to where we need them to be,” Austin added.
Blinken said, “We’re so grateful to them for their dedication, for their service, for everything they’ve been doing to stand up for the freedom that we share and that is what unites us more than anything else.”
___
Find more of AP’s Asia-Pacific coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/4-air-crew-members-are-missing-after-australian-army-helicopter-ditched-off-australias-coast/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-07-29T03:23:02 | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/4-air-crew-members-are-missing-after-australian-army-helicopter-ditched-off-australias-coast/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
TOKYO (AP) — An official in charge of the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant says the upcoming release of treated radioactive water into the sea more than 12 years after the reactors’ meltdown marks “a milestone,” but is still only an initial step in a daunting decades-long decommissioning process.
Junichi Matsumoto, the corporate officer in charge of treated water management for Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, which operates the Fukushima Daiichi plant, also pledged to conduct careful sampling and analysis of the water to make sure its release is safely carried out in accordance with International Atomic Energy Agency standards.
The water is being treated with what’s called an Advanced Liquid Processing System, which can reduce the amounts of more than 60 selected radionuclides to government-set releasable levels, except for tritium, which the government and TEPCO say is safe for humans if consumed in small amounts.
“The release of the ALPS-treated water into the sea is a major milestone for us, as well as for the decommissioning of the plant,” Matsumoto said in an interview with The Associated Press at TEPCO headquarters in Tokyo.
“In order to steadily advance decommissioning, the ever-growing amounts of water was a pressing issue that we could not put off, and we had a sense of crisis,” said Matsumoto, a nuclear engineering expert. “We still have to tackle far more challenging and higher-risk operations such as removal of melted debris and spent fuel” from the damaged reactors, he said.
Another task for TEPCO is combatting the damage to the reputation of Fukushima fisheries caused by the water release, he said.
A massive March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi plant’s cooling systems, causing three reactors to melt and contaminating their cooling water, which has since leaked continuously. The water is collected, filtered and stored in around 1,000 tanks, which will reach their capacity in early 2024.
Large amounts of fatally radioactive melted nuclear fuel remain inside the reactors. Robotic probes have provided some information about its status, but it remains largely unknown.
The government and TEPCO say the water must be removed to make room for the plant’s decommissioning, and to prevent accidental leaks from the tanks because much of the water is still contaminated and needs retreatment.
The release plan has faced strong opposition from Japanese fishing organizations, which worry about further damage to the reputation of their seafood as they struggle to recover from the accident. Groups in South Korea and China have also raised concerns, turning it into a political and diplomatic issue.
Matsumoto said the key to gaining understanding is to patiently explain the situation by providing scientific evidence.
“It is difficult, but we hope to make it as easy to understand as possible,” he said. “If we describe (the water release) in one word, it’s safe.”
“As the operator responsible for the accident, we must admit TEPCO is a company that is not fully trusted. We must keep up the effort and sincerely respond to any concern,” Matsumoto said. “It is our responsibility to demonstrate we can carry out the water release as planned, and that’s how we can regain public trust.”
The government said the release is set to start this summer but hasn’t set the date amid protests. TEPCO has obtained safety permits for all of the equipment needed for the release and is currently carrying out training so the water release team can begin work at any time, Matsumoto said.
“It’s not like just turning a faucet to run tap water,” he said.
Scientists generally agree that the environmental impact of the treated wastewater would be negligible, but some call for more attention to dozens of low-dose radionuclides that remain in it, saying data on their long-term effects on the environment and marine life are insufficient and the water requires close scrutiny.
The treated water will be diluted with massive amounts of seawater and will be released gradually over many years.
Matsumoto acknowledged that treated water that came in contact with the damaged nuclear fuel contains radionuclides such as uranium and plutonium that are not in water that is routinely released from healthy nuclear plants around the world.
He said the total concentration of radionuclides in the water meets government standards after treatment, and after dilution the wastewater will be fully safe and have a minimal environmental impact, according to the IAEA, which has provided assistance in evaluating the release plan.
Matsumoto said he has struggled to manage the massive amounts of contaminated water to keep it from escaping into the environment and safely stored at the plant since the accident.
There were instances in which plant workers had no other choice but to dump some into the sea or temporarily put it inside a basement or in temporary water tanks, Matsumoto recalled.
Now, after taking measures to minimize the seeping of rainwater and groundwater into the reactor buildings and establishing a stable water management system, the amount of contaminated water has come down to less than one-fifth of what it used to be, he said. | https://who13.com/business/ap-business/ap-fukushima-plant-official-says-the-coming-release-of-treated-water-a-milestone-for-decommissioning/ | 2023-07-29T03:23:04 | 0 | https://who13.com/business/ap-business/ap-fukushima-plant-official-says-the-coming-release-of-treated-water-a-milestone-for-decommissioning/ |
Volunteers asked to help search for missing man
BOONE COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Investigators are asking for volunteers to form a search party to help find a missing man from Boone County.
According to the county Sheriff’s Office, Joshua E. Bias, who’s 41, is missing from the Foster area.
Deputies say Bias was last seen in Chapmanville, West Virginia, on Monday, July 24.
He is described as 6 feet 3 and 180 pounds. He has hazel eyes and brown hair.
Bias is said to be driving a red four-door 2021 Toyota Tacoma with West Virginia registration 46Z932.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the search has been narrowed down and any volunteers who can help should bring their own ATV, UTV, SUV or any drones to Twilight Park. They’re asked to be there at 10 a.m. Saturday for a briefing.
If you have any information about Bias or his vehicle, you’re asked to call 304-369-9913 or your local 911 agency.
Copyright 2023 WSAZ. All rights reserved. | https://www.wsaz.com/2023/07/29/volunteers-asked-help-search-missing-man/ | 2023-07-29T03:23:08 | 1 | https://www.wsaz.com/2023/07/29/volunteers-asked-help-search-missing-man/ |
You need to keep up with Harper Beckham.
In fact, look no further than Kim Kardashian's latest Instagram post, which shows the reality TV star posing for a photo with Harper, 12, and mom Victoria Beckham.
For the snapshot, taken in Florida at an Inter Miami soccer match, Kim donned a white crop top, blue jeans and a hot pink belt. Meanwhile, Victoria stunned in a sleek, black outfit and Harper appeared all grown up in a flower-printed maxi dress, which she accessorized with white sneakers.
The Kardashians star shared more snaps featuring her 7-year-old son Saint West along with soccer champs David Beckham and Lionel Messi, captioning the post, "Legendary Inter Miami game !!!!" Victoria then reposted the images on her own Instagram Story, adding a kissy face emoji.
In addition to fashion, Harper is taking after Victoria in the beauty world. In May, Victoria—who also shares sons Brooklyn, 24, Romeo, 20, Cruz, 18, with husband David—said that Harper doesn't yet have parental permission to wear makeup outside, but that hasn't stopped the 12-year-old from becoming quite the glam artist at home.
"She's been able to do a full face and contour for quite some time," Victoria told The Times. "She's good at doing it very naturally."
The Spice Girls singer added that shopping trips to British beauty store Space NK have now turned to fun mom-and-daughter outings.
"If she's doing well in a test I'll take her to the one down the road—it's her favorite thing," the musician said. "She's obsessed."
Keep scrolling for more adorable moments from the Beckham family. | https://www.eonline.com/news/1381679/victoria-beckham's-daughter-harper-looks-so-elegant-while-meeting-kim-kardashian?cmpid=rss-syndicate-genericrss-us-top_stories | 2023-07-29T03:23:08 | 0 | https://www.eonline.com/news/1381679/victoria-beckham's-daughter-harper-looks-so-elegant-while-meeting-kim-kardashian?cmpid=rss-syndicate-genericrss-us-top_stories |
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Racing will resume at Churchill Downs in September, with no changes being made after a review of surfaces and safety protocols in the wake of 12 horse deaths, including seven in the days leading up to the Kentucky Derby in May.
The Louisville track suspended racing operations on June 7 and moved the rest of its spring meet to Ellis Park in western Kentucky at the recommendation of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, the sport’s national overseer.
Training continued at Churchill Downs during the track’s investigation.
Churchill Downs Inc. CEO Bill Carstanjen called the deaths “a series of unfortunate circumstances” and said the review “didn’t find anything fundamentally wrong or different about our track from previous years.”
“That, in a sense, can sometimes be unsatisfying,” he said. “But that’s business, and that’s sports.”
Two of the horse deaths occurred in undercard races on Derby day. Another five died later.
“The takeaway is, the track is very safe,” Carstanjen said Thursday on an earnings call with CDI investors.
“What we needed to do was spend some of this time in the interim, while we ran the rest of the (spring) meet at Ellis to just go soup to nuts through every single thing we do at the racetrack. There was nothing that jumped out as an apparent cause of the injuries, of the breakdowns; and, as we went through and rebuilt our processes from the ground up to check everything that we do to make extra sure, we didn’t find anything material.”
The track’s fall meet begins Sept. 14 and runs through Oct. 1.
___
AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/churchill-downs-to-resume-racing-at-fall-meet-with-no-changes-after-horse-deaths/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-07-29T03:23:08 | 0 | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/churchill-downs-to-resume-racing-at-fall-meet-with-no-changes-after-horse-deaths/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The German economy is still failing to grow, figures showed Friday, as the country that should be the industrial powerhouse for all of Europe struggles with high energy prices, rising borrowing costs and a lagging rebound from key trading partner China.
Economic output in Germany stagnated in the April-to-June quarter, the Federal Statistics Office said. That follows a decline of 0.1% in the first three months of the year and a drop of 0.4% in the last three months of 2022 as the energy shock from Russia’s war in Ukraine echoed through Europe’s largest economy.
It comes after the International Monetary Fund forecast this week that Germany would be the globe’s only major economy to shrink this year, even with weak economic growth around the world amid rising interest rates and the threat of growing inflation.
In Germany, the economy has been buffeted by several challenges. Above all, its long-term dependence on Russian natural gas to fuel industry backfired when the invasion of Ukraine led to the loss of most of Moscow’s supply and to higher costs for energy-intensive industries such as metals, glass, cars and fertilizer.
Higher interest rates from the European Central Bank have weighed on construction projects that depend on borrowing. Meanwhile, the rebound in China, Germany’s largest trade partner, after the end of drastic COVID-19 restrictions has been less than many had hoped for.
The second-quarter economic performance was “far from satisfactory,” said Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck.
He urged action on his proposal to cap energy prices for industry with government help, which has run into skepticism in parts of the governing coalition, and more investment in future-oriented technology such as renewable energy.
“What Germany needs is a targeted impulse for investment and breathing room for our energy-intensive industry,” he said.
Longer-term factors such as an aging population, lagging use of digital technology in business and government, excessive red tape that holds back business launches and public construction projects, and a shortage of skilled labor also have weighed on the economy.
Yet the slowdown does not resemble a classic recession because jobs are abundant, with companies competing for workers and complaining of skills shortages. The unemployment rate was only 2.9% in May, well below the eurozone’s 6.5% — one of the lowest rates on record.
Carsten Brzeski, chief eurozone economist at ING, has described Germany’s situation as a “slowcession,” with the economy “stuck in the twilight zone between stagnation and recession.”
He said Friday that recent data “do not bode well for economic activity in the coming months.”
“In fact, weak purchasing power, thinned-out industrial order books, as well as the impact of the most aggressive monetary policy tightening in decades, and the expected slowdown of the U.S. economy, all argue in favor of weak economic activity,” Brzeski said in a note.
Germany’s woes are calling forth comparisons with the late 1990s, when high labor costs held back the country’s competitiveness. A series of labor market reforms under former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in 2003-2004 helped restore economic growth and Germany’s position as an export powerhouse selling industrial machinery and vehicles to the rest of the world.
Germany’s current account surplus of $290 billion, the broadest measure of foreign trade, was the highest in the world in 2019, according to the Bruegel think tank in Brussels. It remained above 7% of GDP for six straight years but fell to 4.2% last year. | https://who13.com/business/ap-business/ap-germany-used-to-be-the-worlds-export-powerhouse-now-its-not-growing-what-happened/ | 2023-07-29T03:23:11 | 0 | https://who13.com/business/ap-business/ap-germany-used-to-be-the-worlds-export-powerhouse-now-its-not-growing-what-happened/ |
NEW DELHI (AP) — India and Japan explored collaborating in critical technologies, including semiconductors and resilient supply chains, as part of plans to reach a target of $35.9 billion Japanese investment in the country by 2027, officials said on Friday.
Foreign Ministers of India and Japan, S. Jaishankar and Yoshimasa Hayashi, met in New Delhi on Thursday and also discussed ways to deepen defense equipment and technology cooperation. Hayashi is on a two-day visit to the Indian capital.
Russia’s war in Ukraine has disrupted the global supply of parts and raw materials needed to complete a variety of products – from cars to computer chips.
Hayashi and Jaishankar also emphasized the crucial role of a strong partnership between India and Japan in ensuring an open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region that is inclusive and rules-based, a statement by India’s External Affairs Ministry said.
They discussed cooperation under multilateral and plurilateral frameworks, including the Quad grouping that also includes the United States and Australia, the statement said. The grouping aims at countering the growing challenge posed by an aggressive China in the region.
Japan considers India an indispensable partner in achieving a free and open Indo-Pacific, Hayashi said at a meeting with business leaders from the two countries.
He said he has been encouraging Japanese companies to invest in 15 key sectors identified by India as eligible for subsidies. These include telecommunications equipment, automobiles, and applied chemical batteries.
“All of this has led to the remarkable growth in Japanese investment into crucial technologies such as medical equipment, electronics, and household electric appliances,” Hayashi said.
Jaishankar and Hayashi expressed satisfaction at the strengthening of defense and security cooperation between the two countries, including regular exercises and talks between all three services, the statement said.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitions to build a chipmaking industry suffered a potential setback earlier this month as electronics giant Foxconn backed out of a $19.5 billion semiconductor joint venture with Indian mining conglomerate Vedanta Ltd.
In February last year, the two companies announced their joint venture to manufacture chips and display panels in India.
India has made building a chipmaking sector a national priority as part of a self-reliance policy to secure stable supplies. It is offering financial incentives of up to 50% of project costs under a $10 billion plan for semiconductor and display manufacturing projects.
India and Japan share strong economic ties. Trade between the two was worth $20.57 billion in fiscal year 2021-2022. | https://who13.com/business/ap-business/ap-india-and-japan-look-to-collaborate-in-building-semiconductors-and-resilient-supply-chains/ | 2023-07-29T03:23:18 | 0 | https://who13.com/business/ap-business/ap-india-and-japan-look-to-collaborate-in-building-semiconductors-and-resilient-supply-chains/ |
When Robert Mueller, the first special counsel to investigate Donald Trump, concluded his investigation into the ties between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia, his report raised questions about whether Trump had obstructed his inquiry.
Justice Department officials and legal experts were divided about whether there was enough evidence to show Trump broke the law, and his attorney general — chosen in part because he was skeptical of the investigation — cleared him of wrongdoing.
Four years after Mueller’s report was released, Jack Smith, the second special counsel to investigate Trump, added new charges on Thursday to an indictment over his handling of classified documents, setting out evidence of a particularly blatant act of obstruction.
The indictment says that just days after the Justice Department demanded security footage from Mar-a-Lago, his residence and private club in Florida, Trump told the property manager there that he wanted security camera footage deleted. If proved, it would be a clearer example of criminality than what Mueller found, according to Andrew Goldstein, the lead investigator on Mueller’s obstruction investigation.
“Demanding that evidence be destroyed is the most basic form of obstruction and is easy for a jury to understand,” said Goldstein, who is now a white-collar defense lawyer at the Cooley firm.
“It is more straightforwardly criminal than the obstructive acts we detailed in the Mueller report,” he said. “And if proven, it makes it easier to show that Trump had criminal intent for the rest of the conduct described in the indictment.”
The accusation about Trump’s desire to have evidence destroyed adds another chapter to what observers of his career say is a long pattern of gamesmanship on his part with prosecutors, regulators and others who have the ability to impose penalties on his conduct.
And it demonstrates how Trump viewed the conclusion of the Mueller investigation as a vindication of his behavior, which became increasingly emboldened — particularly in regards to the Justice Department — throughout the rest of his presidency, a pattern that appears to have continued despite having lost the protections of the office when he was defeated in the election.
In his memoir of his years in the White House, John Bolton, who served as Trump’s third national security adviser, described Trump’s approach as “obstruction as a way of life.”
In the hours after the new charges became public, Trump, whose advisers have been blunt that he must win the election to overcome his legal challenges, highlighted the stakes for him of the 2024 election.
He suggested in an interview with a right-wing news site that if he is elected, he will use the powers of the presidency to insulate himself from legal accountability on the documents case and the other inquiry being conducted by Smith into Trump’s efforts to retain power after his 2020 election loss.
“I wouldn’t keep him,” Trump told Breitbart, the news site, in response to a question about whether he would fire Smith. “Jack Smith? Why would I keep him?”
The new charges show how even in the face of Justice Department scrutiny into whether he still had classified documents in his possession, Trump has continued to try to find ways to upend its investigation.
In June of last year, amid its efforts to retrieve classified material Trump had taken from the White House upon leaving office, the Justice Department served a grand jury subpoena on Trump’s organization for surveillance footage from Mar-a-Lago that would show how boxes of the documents had been handled, especially around a storage room where many of them had been stashed.
Shortly after the Trump Organization received the subpoena, the revised indictment said, the former president called Mar-a-Lago’s property manager and head of maintenance, Carlos De Oliveira. The two men spoke for 24 minutes, prosecutors say.
Two days later, De Oliveira and another defendant in the case, Trump’s valet, Walt Nauta, “went to the security guard booth where surveillance video is displayed on monitors, walked with a flashlight through the tunnel where the storage room was located, and observed and pointed out surveillance cameras.”
Days later, De Oliveira had a private conversation with the Mar-a-Lago employee in charge of the surveillance footage. The conversation was supposed to “remain between the two of them,” according to the charging document.
De Oliveira told the employee that “‘the boss’ wanted the server deleted,” the indictment said.
The employee in charge of the footage said “that he would not know how to do that, and that he did not believe that he would have the rights to do that.”
But De Oliveira continued to push, asking, “What are we going to do?” (The Trump Organization ultimately turned over security footage, but, as The New York Times reported in May, investigators became suspicious about whether someone in Trump’s orbit tried to limit the amount of footage given to the government.)
“There are all sorts of ways to obstruct an investigation, but not every one has an equal impact,” said Brandon Van Grack, a former prosecutor on Mueller’s team. “Hiding and lying are damaging, but prosecutors can often still get at the truth. Destruction is often looked at seriously because it’s permanent. It’s permanently deleting or destroying” evidence in the case.
Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Trump, assailed the investigations into the former president’s conduct, saying “the weaponized justice system along with their Democrat allies have failed at every turn because they are on the wrong side of the facts. History will judge them harshly.”
Over many decades before reaching the White House, Trump engaged in gamesmanship with prosecutors, regulators and officials who had authority in aspects of the industries in which he operated. He lived in a New York City where corruption touched aspects of the political and government establishments and the real-estate construction businesses, and he came to believe that everything could be worked out through some kind of deal, associates and former employees said.
He courted officials who had prosecutorial jurisdiction in New York City, including Rudy Giuliani, then the U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York, and Robert Morgenthau, the district attorney in Manhattan. Faced with massive amounts of civil litigation, his impulse, former employees said, was to find lawyers who knew the judge.
In April 2018, an aspect of the Russian investigation spun off into a separate one into Michael Cohen, a lawyer for the Trump Organization who also served as a fixer for Trump and knew many of his secrets. After Cohen’s hotel, apartment and office were searched by the FBI that month, Trump called Cohen with a message: stay strong.
He then predicted on Twitter that Cohen would never “flip” on him. Cohen eventually did provide prosecutors with information about Trump’s hush-money payments before the 2016 election to a porn star who said she had a sexual liaison with him. He later said that Trump spoke in “code” to avoid plainly communicating his desires.
Bolton wrote in his book, “The Room Where It Happened,” that Trump repeatedly sought to interfere with law enforcement and other official actions involving foreign leaders.
During an investigation into Halkbank, a state-financed institution based in Turkey that was facing an investigation by U.S. officials for a scheme to evade sanctions on Iran, Trump told the country’s leader that he would “take care of things,” Bolton wrote.
In a brief interview Friday, Bolton pointed to a specific aspect of Trump’s view of how the rules apply to him: his use of government power for his personal and political benefit while in office. He cited Trump’s efforts to solicit damaging information about the Bidens from Ukraine as he withheld military aid to that country.
“It shows as president he had fundamental difficulty distinguishing himself from the government,” Bolton said. “And it’s also why he couldn’t understand why government officials weren’t personally loyal to him.” | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation-politics/new-trump-charges-highlight-long-running-questions-about-obstruction/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-07-29T03:23:18 | 0 | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation-politics/new-trump-charges-highlight-long-running-questions-about-obstruction/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
BEIJING, July 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chengdu Universiade officially kicked off Friday night in the capital city of southwest China's Sichuan Province, known as the hometown of giant pandas and one of the most vibrant Chinese cities.
Ahead the opening ceremony of the 31st summer edition of the FISU World University Games, Chinese President Xi Jinping has engaged himself in a flurry of face-to-face high-level meetings with foreign leaders attending the ceremony over the past couple of days.
Behind the tight diplomatic schedule, Xi has highlighted the importance of solidarity, cooperation and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, three key messages shared by the visiting leaders of Indonesia, Guyana, Georgia, Mauritania and Burundi.
Solidarity
In a toast at a welcoming banquet on Friday noon, Xi said the Games, since its inception, has always been "a celebration of youth, solidarity, and friendship."
"We should promote solidarity through sports, build up positive energy across the international community, join hands to tackle global challenges such as climate change, food crisis and terrorism, and shape a better future through cooperation," he urged.
Solidarity, unity and togetherness were also one of the hot topics during the Chinese president's separate meetings with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Guyanese President Irfaan Ali, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani and Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye.
During the meeting with the Burundian leader, for instance, Xi stressed the importance of solidarity between China and Africa in safeguarding the common interests of developing countries and the international fairness and justice.
Cooperation
During the meetings of the leaders, China and the five countries agreed to further cooperation, such as on trade, infrastructure and people-to-people exchanges.
In a meeting with Xi on Thursday, Widodo said Indonesia is willing to continue to enhance cooperation with China in areas including investment, marine fisheries, food security and healthcare. The leaders witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents following the meeting.
China and Georgia will issue a joint statement and announce the establishment of strategic partnership during Garibashvili's historic visit. Xi hailed the remarkable achievements in cooperation in various fields between the two countries over the past 31 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, while the Georgian prime minister said the elevation of bilateral relations will bring more opportunities to his country.
On Friday, China and Mauritania also signed a cooperation plan on jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to enhance bilateral ties.
A community with a shared future for mankind
The term of building a community with a shared future for mankind was repeatedly highlighted during the leaders' meetings, with Indonesia, Guyana, Georgia, Mauritania and Burundi also expressing support for China-proposed initiatives.
While meeting with Xi on Friday afternoon, Ghazouani said Mauritania supports the BRI, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, saying that these initiatives are in line with the norms governing international relations that respect countries' independence and sovereignty and exchanges between different civilizations.
Addressing the welcoming banquet, Xi stressed the importance of deepening exchanges and mutual learning to promote harmony without uniformity in the spirit of inclusiveness and seeing different cultures with an attitude of mutual appreciation and mutual learning.
"The Chengdu Games should be an opportunity for us to champion the common values of humanity and write a new chapter in building a community with a shared future for mankind," said Xi.
In an interview with CGTN, Ali, the Guyanese president, said the Games goes beyond the competitions among the young athletes.
"They can share the experiences, they can share culture, [and] they can share who they are in building a stronger family of humanity," he said.
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SOURCE CGTN | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/cgtn-solidarity-vowed-xi-hosts-foreign-leaders-amid-chengdu-universiade/ | 2023-07-29T03:23:18 | 1 | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/cgtn-solidarity-vowed-xi-hosts-foreign-leaders-amid-chengdu-universiade/ |
When Florida set out to revamp its standards for teaching Black history this spring, a natural place to turn would have been the state’s African American History Task Force.
The volunteer task force — a group of Black educators, Democratic politicians and community leaders appointed by the commissioner of education — has helped shape African American history instruction in Florida for more than two decades. The group provides an annual training session for teachers and awards “exemplary” status to school districts that meet criteria it sets.
But in updating educational standards to comply with a new law that limits how racism and other aspects of history can be taught, signed last year by Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, state officials largely bypassed the task force.
“You would think they would have involved us,” said Samuel L. Wright Sr., who founded the Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival and was the task force’s vice chair until last month.
Wright and six other members who were serving this spring while the standards were being written said they had not been consulted. The standards have drawn backlash for saying that “slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.” Another contested section said that students should learn about race massacres of the 20th century, including violence perpetrated not just against but also “by African Americans.”
“I would not be a party to standards of African American history that homogenizes our history,” said Brenda Walker, a task force member and an education professor at the University of South Florida whose research has focused on Black students and recruiting male teachers of color.
Few details have been publicly released about how the standards, which lay out concepts that students are expected to learn, were created. Even DeSantis, who has often embraced his role as a warrior against “woke” ideology in schools, sought to distance himself amid a faltering 2024 presidential campaign.
“I wasn’t involved in it,” he told reporters last week.
To craft the 216-page document, his Department of Education created a 13-member work group, which drafted the standards from February to May.
The work group members, whose names the state has not released in full, included Frances Presley Rice, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and a staunch conservative who has led the National Black Republican Association; William Allen, a professor emeritus at Michigan State who served on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights under Ronald Reagan; and teachers and school district officials from around the state.
Three members of the group were nominated by the African American History Task Force, as representatives from its exemplary school districts.
In the past, the task force had a “robust agenda,” said Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., who holds an emeritus role on it. Under Gov. Jeb Bush, a Republican who led the state from 1999 to 2007, “we were the ones who dictated to the Department of Education on what should happen with African American history,” Wilson said in an interview.
But in a sign of the task force’s diminished role under DeSantis, several of its members said they did not know who had been selected for the work group until this week, after the new standards were announced.
It is unclear how much agreement there was among the members of the group that wrote the standards.
The Department of Education, which did not respond to questions about the process, previously released a statement from Allen and Presley Rice defending the description of enslaved people using skills for their “personal benefit” as an accurate portrayal of the resiliency shown by enslaved individuals, some of whom excelled in trades like shoemaking and fishing.
One school district representative in the work group appeared to express dissent on social media, resharing a post that called that statement from Allen and Presley Rice “gaslighting.”
The group, which was racially and politically diverse, engaged in vigorous debate during a series of meetings in Tallahassee, Florida, and online. But the group — which originally believed it would have a year to work — also faced a shortened timeline, which resulted in “some mistakes” and unpolished phrasing, such as the line that said enslaved people had used skills to their personal benefit, according to one member who did not want to be identified for fear of reprisal.
Allen, whose great-grandfather was enslaved, told ABC News that the standards did not say that slavery itself was beneficial, but meant to portray enslaved people as “resourceful, resilient and adaptive” people.
“It’s only those who don’t take the time to read it who will misstate it,” he said.
On Wednesday, a spokesperson for DeSantis posted a link on Twitter to the College Board’s much-debated advanced placement course in African American studies, which makes a similar point but with different language, saying that enslaved people, once free, used their trade skills to provide for themselves and others.
Florida has required the teaching of African American history since 1994.
But under DeSantis, who has helped lead a conservative takeover of several school boards, and whose administration has fought the College Board and textbook publishers over what it sees as liberal indoctrination on the topic of race in schools, education — the teaching of history especially — has become increasingly politicized.
In one of their first acts, the new task force members postponed the group’s annual summer training for teachers, which has in the past included sessions on Florida’s own history with racial violence.
The training, which will now include the new standards, has been rescheduled for next month.
One longtime task force member is not on the list: Wright, the vice chair, resigned last month, in protest of what he saw as a political coup.
“The task force was not aiming at making white kids or nobody feel like people were responsible for slavery,” he said. “The intent of the task force was to ensure that African American and other kids realized that African American people made contributions to America and to this world.” | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/floridas-new-black-history-standards-have-drawn-backlash-who-wrote-them/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-07-29T03:23:25 | 0 | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/floridas-new-black-history-standards-have-drawn-backlash-who-wrote-them/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
Veteran Lance Lynn helped the Chicago White Sox to the playoffs in 2021.
He’ll look to aid the Los Angeles Dodgers after the Sox traded the right-hander Friday.
Joining him in Los Angeles will be reliever Joe Kelly, who previously won World Series titles with the Dodgers and Boston Red Sox.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale was the first to report the trade news.
The Sox received Double-A right-handed starter Nick Nastrini, Double-A right-handed reliever Jordan Leasure and veteran outfielder Trayce Thompson, whose big-league career began with the Sox in 2015.
The Sox also sent right-handed reliever Kendall Graveman to the Houston Astros. The team announced both trades Friday afternoon.
With the trade of Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López to the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday, that’s five pitchers the Sox have dealt ahead of Tuesday’s deadline.
Lynn has one of the highest ERAs in baseball among qualified pitchers this season at 6.47. But he’s also among the major-league leaders in strikeouts (144) and innings (119 2/3).
Sox manager Pedro Grifol spoke about Lynn’s importance before Wednesday’s game.
“His steadiness. How he understands the role that he’s got in being the veteran guy in a rotation,” Grifol said. “He understands the leadership part of it that he’s had to take on with younger starters. It means a lot to any ballclub.
“Him taking the ball every five days and never complaining about anything and giving you 100 pitches plus? It means the world to any team and to any manager knowing that this guy’s going to go out there — whether he gives up three in the first or none in the first or five in the first — he’s going to be pitching in the seventh inning. There’s a lot of value to Lance Lynn.”
The Sox acquired Lynn in a trade in December 2020. He played a major role in the Sox winning their first division title since 2008, going 11-6 in 2021 with a 2.69 ERA. He fell five innings short of leading the American League in ERA.
Lynn made the AL All-Star team and placed third in the AL Cy Young Award voting.
He was limited to 21 starts in 2022, missing the first two-plus months of the season because of a right knee injury suffered in spring training.
Lynn started slowly last season, going 1-3 with a 7.50 ERA in his seven starts before the All-Star break. Bu he turned it on in the second half, going 7-4 with a 2.52 ERA in his 14 starts after the break. This season he has been hurt by home runs (28).
Kelly, who went on the IL on July 5 with right elbow inflammation, has a 4.97 ERA, one save, 11 holds and 41 strikeouts in 31 appearances this season.
His best stretch started at the end of April when he compiled a 10-game scoreless streak from April 30-May 23.
Kelly signed a two-year deal with the Sox before the 2022 season and went 2-7 with a 5.54 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 72 appearances. His stint with the team was delayed when he began 2022 on the IL with a right biceps nerve injury. He made 43 appearances last season.
He had two trips to the IL this season — a right groin strain April 9-24 and the elbow inflammation. He was reinstated from the IL on July 22.
Lynn and Kelly will provide the Dodgers with plenty of big-game postseason experience: Lynn has pitched in 27 postseason games and Kelly 40.
Graveman recorded 27 holds in 2022, tied for the third-highest in a season for a White Sox pitcher.
The right-hander has spent the bulk of this season as the top ninth-inning option. He is 3-4 with a 3.56 ERA, eight saves and 41 strikeouts in 44 games.
He joined the Sox ahead of the 2022 season, signing a three-year deal. He went 3-1 with a 2.22 ERA in 39 appearances. The 27 holds were tied for first in the American League.
Graveman took on more ninth-inning responsibilities this season when the Sox were without Liam Hendriks. Graveman has 24 career saves: 10 with the Seattle Mariners in 2021 and 14 during his time with the Sox.
() | https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/28/chicago-white-sox-at-the-trade-deadline-lance-lynn-joe-kelly-go-to-la-dodgers-and-kendall-graveman-sent-to-houston-astros/ | 2023-07-29T03:23:26 | 1 | https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/28/chicago-white-sox-at-the-trade-deadline-lance-lynn-joe-kelly-go-to-la-dodgers-and-kendall-graveman-sent-to-houston-astros/ |
NEW YORK, July 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Sooth, an industry-leading strategic marketing insights platform and consultancy, is excited to announce a dynamic partnership with Kestrel Consulting. This collaboration brings Sooth's founder, Ian Baer, and his innovative methodologies and expertise into Kestrel's broad network, promising to enrich Kestrel's client marketing and branding initiatives with fresh perspectives and deeper understanding.
Recognized for its patent-pending method that fuses data, AI, and human intellect, Sooth deciphers the intricacies of human decision-making, mapping emotional drivers and receptivity of diverse consumer and business audiences. Now part of Kestrel's network, Sooth's unique, sophisticated approach will bolster client marketing initiatives, offering a powerful toolset to unlock new avenues for connection, empathy, and understanding that is proven to increase customer lifetime value by four times or more.
As Kestrel's preferred provider of brand strategic services, Sooth will also accelerate its own growth by working on branding and marketing projects for clients and partners within the Kestrel network.
"Kestrel Consultants helps leadership teams, founders, entrepreneurs, and enterprises fly higher and achieve strategic outcomes through its exclusive partnership network of fractional executives and boutique business consultants," the company said in a statement. "We're proud to welcome Sooth into our exclusive partnership and referral network. We've admired Ian Baer's work for years, and his exceptional talent is a real complement to our network's other areas of expertise. We're excited to collaborate on new projects together."
This partnership represents a convergence of Sooth's methodologies and Kestrel's expansive network. By bringing together Sooth's unparalleled insights and Kestrel's team of skilled executives and consultants, they aim to empower Kestrel's clientele with deeper understanding and fresh perspectives, enabling them to achieve their marketing goals.
"Changes in consumer and business culture over the past several years have irrevocably changed how marketing works at an elemental level," said Ian Baer, Founder and Chief Soothsayer at Sooth. "With 90 percent of all decisions now determined by each person's unique emotional priorities, we're able to roadmap success for brands by unlocking an in-depth understanding of the factors that create connection between these brands and the customers they serve. Kestrel's model brings together complementary innovators to help companies elevate their game across a broad spectrum of business and marketing interdependencies. I could not be more excited to align with the talented leaders of Kestrel Consultants to bring clients high-impact business solutions at the speed and efficiency of modern commerce."
About Sooth
Sooth is an industry-leading strategic marketing insights platform and consultancy. Using a unique, patent-pending method that synergizes data, artificial intelligence, and human intellect, Sooth decodes the intricacies of consumer decision-making and maps the emotional motivators of diverse audiences with unparalleled precision. Sooth is committed to making marketing strategies more effective, intuitive, and emotionally engaging, empowering brands with the insights they need. www.SoothBeTold.com
About Kestrel Consultants
Kestrel Consultants helps leadership teams, founders, entrepreneurs, and enterprises fly higher and achieve strategic outcomes through its exclusive partnership network of fractional executives and boutique business consultants. Learn more at KestrelConsultants.com.
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SOURCE Sooth | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/ian-baer-brings-sooths-brand-strategy-mastery-kestrel-consultings-executive-network/ | 2023-07-29T03:23:25 | 0 | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/ian-baer-brings-sooths-brand-strategy-mastery-kestrel-consultings-executive-network/ |
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A merger that would have created one of the largest health service companies in the Upper Midwest has been scrapped.
Minneapolis-based Fairview Health Services and Sioux Falls, South Dakota-based Sanford Health announced Thursday that they would not proceed with the merger they had been discussing since late last year. It would have created a system with more than 50 hospitals and about 78,000 employees.
This is the second time in a decade that the two companies considered a merger but failed to complete it, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.
The latest attempt drew fierce opposition at the University of Minnesota, which has a partnership with Fairview. The university sold its teaching hospital to Fairview in 1997 and opposed the idea of an out-of-state entity owning the University of Minnesota Medical Center in Minneapolis. The merged system would have been based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota’s largest city.
Statements from the two companies’ CEOs stated that without support from stakeholders, it was determined that the merger couldn’t move forward.
The companies first considered merging in 2013 but met with strong political opposition.
Minnesota lawmakers this spring gave the state attorney general additional power to scrutinize health care mergers, including the Sanford-Fairview proposal.
The affiliation between Fairview and the University of Minnesota includes financial support from Fairview for the school’s academic medicine mission. This agreement continues through 2026, but both parties have an option to signal by the end of this year if they want to end the partnership. Fairview has said the current agreements are not financially sustainable. | https://who13.com/business/ap-business/ap-merger-talks-end-between-large-health-care-systems-in-minnesota-south-dakota/ | 2023-07-29T03:23:25 | 1 | https://who13.com/business/ap-business/ap-merger-talks-end-between-large-health-care-systems-in-minnesota-south-dakota/ |
(NEXSTAR) – It’s been a rough week for Trader Joe’s after the popular grocery store chain had to notify customers on Thursday and Friday about products potentially containing foreign matter.
On Friday, Trader Joe’s announced it was recalling frozen falafel balls (SKU# 93935) that may contain rocks.
The recalled falafel was sold in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Wisconsin and Washington D.C.
One day earlier, Trader Joe’s warned customers that its “Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup” may contain insects. Trader Joe’s says there have not been reported cases of illness from the soup.
The recalled soup (SKU# 68470) has the Use By dates of 07/18/23 – 09/15/23.
A third recall, updated Tuesday to include a sell by date, warns that there may be rocks in the company’s Almond Windmill Cookies and the Dark Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cookies.
Those cookies have the following dates:
- Almond Windmill Cookies: SELL BY 10/02/23 and 10/19/23 through 10/21/23
- Dark Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cookies: SELL BY 10/17/23 through 10/21/23
In all of the recalls, anyone who bought or received a donation containing one of the potentially tainted items is urged to throw it away or return it to Trader Joe’s for a refund.
Customers with questions may contact Trader Joe’s Customer Relations at (626) 599-3817 [Mondays-Fridays, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT] or send Trader Joe’s an email. | https://www.qcnews.com/business/trader-joes-recalls-falafel-and-broccoli-cheddar-soup-for-possible-rocks-insects/ | 2023-07-29T03:23:27 | 0 | https://www.qcnews.com/business/trader-joes-recalls-falafel-and-broccoli-cheddar-soup-for-possible-rocks-insects/ |
Each year, the Phoenix Rescue Mission hands out more than 600,000 bottles of water to people living on the streets.
Every day, case managers with PRM, like Sergio Armendariz, load up a PRM Hope Coach with lifesaving essentials to hit the city's streets. Those essentials include water, snacks, and some basic necessities, like deodorant and a toothbrush.
"Especially in Phoenix, you could go down any area, and I can go through pretty much all or most of my hygiene and water just because of the amount of people who are living on the street," Armendariz said.
"This is typically a spot where there's always a lot of people," he said.
One man he came across, David, said he'd been experiencing homelessness for about two years.
"It's just tough out here," David said. "I can barely walk, or get out of bed."
He told Armendariz that he wanted to get out of the hot Phoenix sun that day. Armendariz called some of his contacts at PRM and other local non-profit organizations to see what was available.
A lot of times, that's not a quick or easy task for him because of the number of people experiencing homelessness looking to get off the streets.
"I think, with this job, that's the toughest part about it is being able to find bed space," Armendariz said. "Sometimes, it's just not enough. That's why I'm huge on more shelter space."
SEE MORE: How much heat is too much for the human body?
David ended up not wanting to start a year-long recovery program, which would have gotten him a space at a shelter that had room that week.
Armendariz understands why making the decision to make a change can be difficult for some people. Five years ago, he was in the same place as the people he now serves.
"Every day, I get to wake up and I give thanks to God for having a place to sleep, a shelter, restoration with my family, restoration with my kids, with my extended family," he said.
"It's just been amazing, really. Freedom - the freedom to just live my life, go to work every day, and do something that I really enjoy doing, and it has its difficulties, but, ultimately, I'm here to help."
Phoenix Rescue Mission is currently doing its "Code:Red Summer Heat Relief" campaign through the end of August.
If you'd like to help or donate, visit their website.
This story was originally published by Amelia Fabiano at Scripps New Phoenix.
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.kxxv.com/advocates-rush-to-help-those-living-with-homelessness-in-record-heat | 2023-07-29T03:23:27 | 1 | https://www.kxxv.com/advocates-rush-to-help-those-living-with-homelessness-in-record-heat |
Finishing their second round on the ninth hole at TPC Twin Cities, Erik Van Rooyen and Alex Gaugert shared a hug before jumping on a golf cart back to the clubhouse, with Gaugert’s two kids on his lap for the ride.
The two days of play, done together after Gaugert qualified Monday, at the 3M Open was quite the ride for the former University of Minnesota teammates and regular tour stop player and caddie.
“I mean, it was a dream,” Gaugert said after shooting 77-71 and finishing 6-over in his first PGA event. “It happened fast. Monday qualifiers, you know, never done one, and to get through was pretty cool. Then the tour allowed us to play together; that was really memorable and something we’ll never forget.”
Van Rooyen and Gaugert, the former teammates, are usually together on PGA stops. Gaugert has served as Van Rooyen’s caddie on tour. After he qualified for the 3M Open in open qualifying, tournament officials paired the two for the first two rounds in Blaine.
It was something they both tried to soak in as much as possible after hoping for this situation for years.
“When we were playing college together, this was what we were all talking about,” Van Rooyen said. “’Oh, man, we’re gonna play the PGA Tour together, we’re gonna room together, play practice rounds together.’ We get to share that a little bit with him on the bag, but with him playing a tournament, it was really, really cool.”
Van Rooyen, who has three top-10s in 23 events played on the PGA Tour this season, finished 3-under after shooting 68-71. As he finished, he was on the projected cut line of 3-under but ended up missing the cut after it slipped to 4-under in the afternoon.
Potentially missing the cut wasn’t much on his mind as the two wrapped up their time playing together on Friday.
“Playing the PGA Tour is such a huge privilege, man,” Van Rooyen said. “It’s the best of the best that play here. And I know how good he is. And to see the look on his face, it just reinforces for me how grateful I need to be playing here. Again, just having that moment coming down nine was special.”
Van Rooyen and Gaugert were teammates for the Gophers for three seasons. Gaugert has caddied for Van Rooyen the past four years.
Gaugert got his time in the spotlight this week.
“I know after I qualified there was definitely a few tears shed, and it was really, really cool,” Gaugert said Friday, reflecting on the journey. “And all the support, especially from, call it the caddie yard and all the caddies and even the player. It was nice to get that feeling where everybody’s kind of trying to; everyone’s lifting you up and telling you ‘good job.’ It was cool to kind of have the light shine on you for a week, so it’s fun.”
Both players had plenty of support in the gallery. Gaugert said he had supporters from his hometown of Lake Geneva, Wis., and his uncle flew in from San Diego.
Van Rooyen’s next stop is the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina next week. Gaugert will be there, back on the bag as caddie.
“Oh, yeah, his job’s safe,” Van Rooyen said. “Trust me, we’ve been through some highs, and we’ve been through some lows together. Nothing can shake us, so we’re all good.”
Going low
Lee Hodges shot a 63 to end as the first-round leader, one off the tournament record. Two more players finished with 63s on Friday.
Playing in the afternoon wave, Doug Ghim and Stewart Cink each finished with rounds of 63 and 8-under par. Both are tied for 33rd at 5-under for the tournament.
The record 62 has been scored four times, with Lucas Glover in 2019 the most recent.
Local ties
While the tournament featured several players with Minnesota ties, only Tom Hoge and Frankie Capan III will play on the weekend.
Hoge, a two-time Minnesota state amateur champion who is from North Dakota, shot 68-69 for a 5-under par and a tie for 31st. Capan, who is from North Oaks and playing on a sponsor’s exemption, finished 6-under in a tie for 22nd.
Others:
Blake School grad Derek Hitchner: 73-71, 2-over
Spring Lake Park grad Troy Merritt: 72-71, 1-over
Augsburg coach Eric Rolland: 73-78, 9-over
Blaine alum, amateur Caleb VanArragon: 76-70, 4-over | https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/28/gaugert-lives-out-his-dream-with-3m-open-run/ | 2023-07-29T03:23:32 | 1 | https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/28/gaugert-lives-out-his-dream-with-3m-open-run/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — A top Pentagon official has attacked this week’s widely watched congressional hearing on UFOs, calling the claims “insulting” to employees who are investigating sightings and accusing a key witness of not cooperating with the official U.S. government investigation.
Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick’s letter, published on his personal LinkedIn page and circulated Friday across social media, criticizes much of the testimony from a retired Air Force intelligence officer that energized believers in extraterrestrial life and produced headlines around the world.
Retired Air Force Maj. David Grusch testified Wednesday that the U.S. has concealed what he called a “multi-decade” program to collect and reverse-engineer “UAPs,” or unidentified aerial phenomena, the official government term for UFOs.
Part of what the U.S. has recovered, Grusch testified, were non-human “biologics,” which he said he had not seen but had learned about from “people with direct knowledge of the program.”
A career intelligence officer, Kirkpatrick was named a year ago to lead the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, or AARO, which was intended to centralize investigations into UAPs. The Pentagon and U.S. intelligence agencies have been pushed by Congress in recent years to better investigate reports of devices flying at unusual speeds or trajectories as a national security concern.
Kirkpatrick wrote the letter Thursday and the Defense Department confirmed Friday that he posted it in a personal capacity. Kirkpatrick declined to comment on the letter Friday.
He writes in part, “I cannot let yesterday’s hearing pass without sharing how insulting it was to the officers of the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community who chose to join AARO, many with not unreasonable anxieties about the career risks this would entail.”
“They are truth-seekers, as am I,” Kirkpatrick said. “But you certainly would not get that impression from yesterday’s hearing.”
In a separate statement, Pentagon spokeswoman Sue Gough denied other allegations made by Grusch and other witnesses before a House Oversight subcommittee.
The Pentagon “has no information that any individual has been harmed or killed as a result of providing information” about UFO objects, Gough said. Nor has the Pentagon discovered “any verifiable information to substantiate claims that any programs regarding the possession or reverse-engineering of extraterrestrial materials have existed in the past or exist currently.”
Kirkpatrick wrote, “AARO has yet to find any credible evidence to support the allegations of any reverse engineering program for non-human technology.”
He had briefed reporters in December that the Pentagon was investigating “several hundreds” of new reports following a push to have pilots and others come forward with any sightings.
Kirkpatrick wrote in his letter that allegations of “retaliation, to include physical assault and hints of murder, are extraordinarily serious, which is why law enforcement is a critical member of the AARO team, specifically to address and take swift action should anyone come forward with such claims.”
“Yet, contrary to assertions made in the hearing, the central source of those allegations has refused to speak with AARO,” Kirkpatrick said. He did not explicitly name Grusch, who alleged he faced retaliation and declined to answer when a congressman asked him if anyone had been murdered to hide information about UFOs.
Messages left at a phone number and email address for Grusch were not returned Friday. | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/the-ufo-congressional-hearing-was-insulting-to-us-employees-a-top-pentagon-official-says/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-07-29T03:23:31 | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/the-ufo-congressional-hearing-was-insulting-to-us-employees-a-top-pentagon-official-says/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
BEIJING, July 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Tarena International, Inc. (NASDAQ: TEDU) ("Tarena" or the "Company"), a leading provider of IT professional education and IT-focused supplementary STEAM education services in China, today announced that it received a written notification from the Staff of the Listing Qualifications Department of the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC ("Nasdaq") dated July 28, 2023, indicating that the Company no longer meets the continued listing requirement of minimum Market Value of Publicly Held Shares ("MVPHS") for the Nasdaq Global Select Market, as set forth in the Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(b)(2)(C), because the Company's MVPHS for the last 30 consecutive business days was below the minimum MVPHS requirement of US$15,000,000.
Pursuant to the Nasdaq Listing Rules, the applicable grace period to regain compliance is 180 calendar days, or until January 24, 2024. The Company can cure this deficiency if its MVPHS closes at US$15,000,000 or more for a minimum of ten consecutive business days during the compliance period. The Company's management is looking into various options available to regain compliance and maintain its continued listing on The Nasdaq Global Select Market. In the event the Company does not regain compliance prior to the expiration of the compliance period, it will receive written notification that its securities are subject to delisting. Alternatively, the Company may apply to transfer the Company's securities to The Nasdaq Capital Market, subject to the Nasdaq Capital Market's continued listing requirements.
About Tarena International, Inc.
Tarena is a leading provider of IT professional education and IT-focused supplementary STEAM education services in China. Through its innovative education platform combining live distance instruction, classroom-based tutoring and online learning modules, Tarena offers professional education courses in IT and non-IT subjects. Its professional education courses provide students with practical skills to prepare them for jobs in industries with significant growth potential and strong hiring demand. Tarena also offers IT-focused supplementary STEAM education programs, including computer coding and robotics programming courses, etc., targeting students between three and eighteen years of age. Aiming to encourage "code to learn," Tarena embraces the latest trends in STEAM education and technology to develop children's logical thinking and learning abilities while allowing them to discover their interests and potential.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements made under the "safe harbor" provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "confident" and similar statements. Tarena may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed with or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Any statements that are not historical facts, including any business outlook and statements about Tarena's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Many factors, risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, but not limited to the following: the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak; Tarena's goals and strategies; its future business development, financial condition and results of operations; its ability to continue to attract students to enroll in its courses; its ability to continue to recruit, train and retain qualified instructors and teaching assistants; its ability to continually tailor its curriculum to market demand and enhance its courses to adequately and promptly respond to developments in the professional job market; its ability to maintain or enhance its brand recognition, its ability to maintain high job placement rate for its students, and its ability to maintain cooperative relationships with financing service providers for student loans.
Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in Tarena's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is current as of the date of the press release, and Tarena does not undertake any obligation to update such information, except as required under applicable law.
For further information, please contact:
Investor Relations Contact
Tarena International, Inc.
Email: ir@tedu.cn
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SOURCE Tarena International, Inc. | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/tarena-announces-receipt-nasdaq-notification-regarding-minimum-market-value-publicly-held-shares/ | 2023-07-29T03:23:32 | 0 | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/tarena-announces-receipt-nasdaq-notification-regarding-minimum-market-value-publicly-held-shares/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Procter & Gamble reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter profits and revenue, showing that the appetite for established brands like Crest toothpaste, Tide detergent and Charmin toilet paper is still strong even as the consumer products company pushes up prices.
P&G increased prices by about 7% across various brands from the same period last year, less than the 10% increase in third quarter. Global volume fell 1% in the quarter, however, still an improvement over a 3% drop in volume during the third quarter, and a 6% drop in the second quarter.
During a call with analysts Friday, Chairman and CEO Jon Moeller said higher prices are tied to company innovations and aren’t going away.
Examples include Cruiser 360 diapers, made for babies that move around a lot. Sales have increased 33% over the past 12 months, according to Andre Schulten, the company’s chief financial officer. And a detox body wash sold in China called Safeguard goes for twice the market average price. Sales have almost doubled in the past year.
“When you have a strong innovation program, it compels consumers to try even better performing products,” Moeller said.
During the fourth quarter prices for fabric care, as well as home and health care, went up 6% and grooming products rose 9%. Beauty items rose 8%.
Pricing has been a boost to sales growth in nearly all of P&G’s past 51 quarters, Moeller said.
The easing of volume declines may be encouraging news for P&G and other producers after recent evidence of a pushback by shoppers to seemingly relentless price hikes coming from a broad spectrum of retailers and companies the make products for them.
Conagra Brands, which makes Slim Jim beef jerky, Duncan Hines cake mix and more, said this month that smaller price increases have not translated to higher sales volume. The company raised prices 15% in the quarter before that and it didn’t dent demand.
Also this month, PepsiCo said higher prices lifted the company’s revenue in the second quarter but snack food volumes fell 3% in the April-June period, while beverage volumes dropped 1%. The company said that price increases could start to moderate in the second half of this year.
Overall inflation continues to slow and on Friday, the U.S. reported that the consumer price index, which is followed closely because it accounts for changes in how people shop when inflation jumps, rose in June at the slowest pace in more than two years.
Procter & Gamble Co., based in Cincinnati, reported net income of $3.39 billion, or $1.37 per share, in the quarter ended June 30. That compares with $3.06 billion, or $1.21 per share, in the year-ago quarter.
Sales rose 5% to $20.6 billion from $19.51 billion in the quarter.
Analysts were expecting $1.32 per share on sales of $20.01 billion, according to FactSet.
P&G expects fiscal 2024 sales growth in the range of 3% to 4% versus the prior year. The company expects organic sales growth, which excludes deals and currency moves, to be in the range of 4% to 5%.
P&G expects net earnings per share growth in the range of 6% to 9% for the current year. This outlook equates to a range of $6.25 to $6.43 per share, with a mid-point estimate of $6.34, or an increase of 7.5%. Analysts were expecting $6.37 per share.
Shares rose more than 3% Friday.
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Follow Anne D’Innocenzio: http://twitter.com/ADInnocenzio | https://who13.com/business/ap-business/ap-pgs-better-than-expected-4q-results-show-consumers-appetite-for-iconic-brands-despite-price-hikes/ | 2023-07-29T03:23:32 | 1 | https://who13.com/business/ap-business/ap-pgs-better-than-expected-4q-results-show-consumers-appetite-for-iconic-brands-despite-price-hikes/ |
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A 17-year-old was charged with murder following a northeast Charlotte shooting.
At approximately 2:18 a.m. Thursday, July 27, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers received a report of a gunshot victim at a hospital in Cabarrus County.
The alleged shooting scene was in the 8400 block of Hood Road near Plaza Road Extension. The victim of the shooting, 26-year-old Koreon Medina, was pronounced dead at the scene due to his injuries.
CMPD detectives identified and obtained warrants for the arrest of a 17-year-old juvenile suspect in connection to this case.
On Friday, officers located and arrested the juvenile suspect. He was transported to the Law Enforcement Center on Trade Street and was interviewed by detectives. The suspect was then transported to the Cabarrus County Juvenile Detention Center and charged with murder and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill.
The investigation into this case is active and ongoing. | https://www.qcnews.com/charlotte/17-year-old-charged-with-murder-from-ne-charlotte-shooting/ | 2023-07-29T03:23:33 | 0 | https://www.qcnews.com/charlotte/17-year-old-charged-with-murder-from-ne-charlotte-shooting/ |
PAIGE, Texas — When Betsy Carpenter was a little girl, she visited her parent's land in Paige, going fishing and riding horses.
It was tradition.
Now, she and her husband Bob Carpenter are helping Texas A&M University students create new traditions on that same land.
"No other university builds that brotherhood of unity that A&M has for each other, and it’s important to Bob and me that we pass it back," Betsy said.
The couple are first-generation graduates of the university, and the owners of the new Aggie barn located along State Highway 21 between Austin and College Station.
Betsy's grandparents, David Foman "DF" Kauffman, Sr. and Bess Roberts Kauffman, owned the land and passed it down to her parents, Doyle and Rachel Kauffman Owens.
Then her parents passed 100 acres to her.
It used to be a cattle farm, but the couple cleared the land and transformed the 100-year-old farm into a gathering spot for Aggies.
They say construction wasn't an easy process.
It took six months to build, utilizing pieces of tin from the family's original structure on the new barn, but they wanted to build something students could use.
"We’ve always had barn envy," Bob said. "You drive on Highway 6 into Reagan, Texas. There’s some people that have this old barn and it just sits there."
They've allowed students to stay overnight in the barn.
Inside students could use the loft, two bathrooms, a small kitchen and even sign a Sbisa Dining Hall table used in the 1960s and 1970s.
Executive Director of Destination Bryan John Friebele says attractions like the barn help bring more visitors and even money to towns.
"It really serves to build awareness of the area both here, locally and those who are traveling through," Friebele said.
But the Carpenters aren't in it for the money.
While they don't charge visitors, they only ask for a donation to the Pocket Pantry, an organization that helps students who are experiencing food insecurity.
They only want to instill values like selflessness into students who visit and honor their grandparents and parents.
"We like that this is honoring my grandparents and my parents and the Aggie family as a whole," Betsy said.
They say their work isn't done yet as they plan to add a farmhouse, a blacksmith shop, a skeet shooting range, small ponds for fishing, cattle and crops.
They even plan to pass the land down to their children and grandchildren who are two more generations of Aggies.
"It's kind of a vision and dream that's becoming a reality for us, and we are just appreciative of people who have worked here and create this, so Aggies can build new traditions here at the Aggie barn," Betsy said.
To use the Aggie Barn for events, contact Betsy Carpenter at her email, betsy.carpenter@gmail.com. | https://www.kxxv.com/brazos/texas-a-m-alumni-build-new-aggie-barn-to-honor-family-create-new-traditions | 2023-07-29T03:23:34 | 1 | https://www.kxxv.com/brazos/texas-a-m-alumni-build-new-aggie-barn-to-honor-family-create-new-traditions |
For several players on the bubble to qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs, the 3M Open is a necessary stop in the PGA Tour schedule.
For some, like first-round leader Lee Hodges, it’s been a good trip to Blaine. Some, like former major winner Justin Thomas, will leave Minnesota early still looking for points to make the playoffs.
Hodges followed up his first-round 63 with a bogey-free, second-round 64 to lead the 3M Open into the weekend at 15-under par. Hodges started the tournament 74th in the FedEx Cup standings and should be firmly within the playoff field – which is top-70 – after his week in Blaine.
“I’ve got a great attitude out there,” Hodges said. “Me and my caddie, we’re 70-something on the points list. Like what do we have to lose, you know? We’ve committed to every shot we’ve hit so far, which has been great. We’ll continue to do it, because what do we have to lose.”
Tyler Duncan, who is second at 11-under, also is projected to be in the FedEx Cup playoffs with his placing in Minnesota after starting the tournament 113th in the standings.
Kevin Streelman, J.T. Poston, defending champion Tony Finau and Brandt Snedeker are four shots back, 10-under, in a tie for third place after two rounds.
Finau birdied four of his final seven holes Friday and said he knew birdies would come if he stayed patient. His patience has him within striking distance of defending his title.
“Yeah, I think that’s a good spot to be,” Finau said. “Again, the golf course is yielding birdies. I have to limit the mistakes, I think, on the weekend. I made probably a couple too many these first couple days. But if I can do that, I think I’ll have a shot.”
The first round finished early Friday after weather cut short Thursday’s end. There was a nearly two-hour weather delay late Friday, as well, but Round 2 finished to set up the weekend.
“It is definitely soft,” Poston said. “I mean, the ball’s pretty much stopping right where it lands on the greens regardless of what club you’re hitting, and wedges are spinning. It’s pretty gettable. … I think we’re in for some birdies the rest of the week.”
Emiliano Grillo, who was second to Finau last year at the 3M Open and just finished in a tie for sixth at The Open Championship last week, was one of three players at 9-under after the second round.
“It’s a golf course I like, so I like coming here,” Grillo said. “I’m trying to do one better than last year, so that’s the goal for this week.”
One notable name to miss the cut was Thomas, who was making his debut at the 3M Open. He started the week 75th in the FedEx Cup standings. His frustrating season continued as he could never get on a roll in Blaine.
He finished 2-under, two off the 4-under cut line.
Thomas, who won the FedEx Cup championship in 2017, has never missed the playoffs in his nine seasons on the PGA Tour. He will head to the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina to see if he can qualify. He didn’t speak with reporters following his Friday round. | https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/28/hodges-pulls-into-lead-halfway-through-3m-open/ | 2023-07-29T03:23:38 | 0 | https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/28/hodges-pulls-into-lead-halfway-through-3m-open/ |
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations has been forced to cut food, cash payments and assistance to millions of people in many countries because of “a crippling funding crisis” that has seen its donations plummet by about half as acute hunger is hitting record levels, a top official said Friday.
Carl Skau, deputy executive director of the World Food Program, told a news conference that at least 38 of the 86 countries where WFP operates have already seen cuts or plan to cut assistance soon — including Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and West Africa.
He said WFP’s operating requirement is $20 billion to deliver aid to everyone in need, but it was aiming for between $10 billion and $14 billion, which was what the agency had received in the past few years.
“We’re still aiming at that, but we have only so far this year gotten to about half of that, around $5 billion,” Skau said.
He said humanitarian needs were “going through the roof” in 2021 and 2022 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine and its global implications. “Those needs continue to grow, those drivers are still there,” he said, “but the funding is drying up. So we’re looking at 2024 (being) even more dire.”
“The largest food and nutrition crisis in history today persists,” Skau said. “This year, 345 million people continue to be acutely food insecure while hundreds of millions of people are at risk of worsening hunger.”
Skau said conflict and insecurity remain the primary drivers of acute hunger around the world, along with climate change, unrelenting disasters, persistent food price inflation and mounting debt stress — all during a slowdown in the global economy.
WFP is looking to diversify its funding base, but he also urged the agency’s traditional donors to “step up and support us through this very difficult time.”
Asked why funding was drying up, Skau said to ask the donors.
“But it’s clear that aid budgets, humanitarian budgets, both in Europe and the United States, (are) not where they were in 2021-2022,” he said.
Skau said that in March, WFP was forced to cut rations from 75% to 50% for communities in Afghanistan facing emergency levels of hunger, and in May it was forced to cut food for 8 million people — 66% of the people it was assisting. Now, it is helping just 5 million people, he said. In Syria, 5.5 million people who relied on WFP for food were already on 50% rations, Skau said, and in July the agency cut all rations to 2.5 million of them. In the Palestinian territories, WFP cut its cash assistance by 20% in May and in June, and cut its caseload by 60%, or 200,000 people, he said. And in Yemen, he said, a huge funding gap will force WFP to cut aid to 7 million people as early as August.
In West Africa, where acute hunger is on the rise, Skau said, most countries are facing extensive ration cuts, particularly WFP’s seven largest crisis operations: Burkina Faso, Mali, Chad, Central African Republic, Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon.
He said cutting aid to people who are only at the hunger level of crisis to help save those literally starving or in the category of catastrophic hunger means that those dropped will rapidly fall into the emergency and catastrophe categories, “and so we will have an additional humanitarian emergency on our hands down the road.”
“Ration cuts are clearly not the way to go forward,” Skau said.
He urged world leaders to prioritize humanitarian funding and invest in long-tern solutions to conflicts, poverty, development and other root causes of the current crisis. | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/un-says-its-forced-to-cut-food-aid-to-millions-globally-because-of-a-funding-crisis/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-07-29T03:23:38 | 0 | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/un-says-its-forced-to-cut-food-aid-to-millions-globally-because-of-a-funding-crisis/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
LONDON, July 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- VAPORESSO, a leading innovator in the vaping industry, has received well-deserved recognition at this year's London Design Awards, with four of its groundbreaking products being awarded for their exceptional design. The London Design Awards is an international competition that recognises exceptional designs and outstanding creative projects worldwide, celebrating the vibrancy and diversity of the international design community.
The four distinguished products from VAPORESSO - the COSS, ECO NANO, LUXE XR, and XROS 3 NANO - have showcased the brand's formidable innovative prowess and have also been recognized with awards from many organizations. VAPORESSO's latest groundbreaking offering, the VAPORESSO COSS, is regarded as a game-changer in the vaping industry. It tackles existing issues with a thoughtful design that seamlessly caters to user habits. Its slogan, 'Convenient Operating, Smart Supplying', perfectly encapsulates the product's core values of INNOVATION, RELIABILITY, and STYLE.
"Winning these awards is a testament to the creativity, skill, and dedication of our team," said Jimmy Hu, Vice President of VAPORESSO, "We are thrilled to have our efforts recognised on such a prestigious global platform. It validates our commitment to delivering innovative, high-quality products that enhance the vaping experience for our customers."
The London Design Awards, held annually, applauds outstanding design achievements across various creative sectors. It acknowledges exemplary projects, products, and professionals who demonstrate innovation, creativity, and excellence within their respective industries. Meanwhile, the London Design Awards not only honours design excellence but also fosters creativity, encourages innovation, and facilitates collaborations between designers and design-driven businesses. The awards have grown in stature and popularity since their inception, attracting a wide range of participants from various design fields.
The recognition from the London Design Awards underscores VAPORESSO's dedication to creating products that exceed customer expectations and further solidifies its position as a thought leader in the industry. It also acts as an external validation of VAPORESSO's capabilities and quality of work, building trust and confidence among potential customers.
About VAPORESSO
Established in 2015, VAPORESSO is committed to creating a smoke-free world and enhancing the quality of life for its users. Through continuous innovation, stringent quality control, and substantial commitment, VAPORESSO produces products that cater to all levels and styles of vapers.
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SOURCE VAPORESSO | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/vaporesso-wins-big-london-design-awards-2023-with-four-innovative-vaping-products/ | 2023-07-29T03:23:39 | 1 | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/vaporesso-wins-big-london-design-awards-2023-with-four-innovative-vaping-products/ |
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – If you’re new to town, 24 Hours of Booty might seem like an odd name for an event.
It’s not a race or endurance test but a ride to raise money to support patient wellness programs for those navigating an oftentimes crippling disease: cancer.
“It’s just an unrelenting and punishing disease,” said participant Dennis Whittaker. “The treatment is unrelenting and pushing. So we’re in a club no one wants to belong to. We hope that through what we do here, we help them provide some programs and services they can’t get elsewhere, frankly.”
Whittaker lost his daughter to cancer. They’ve been riding in 24 hours of Booty now for eight years.
“It’s just everyone coming together is what I like about it,” said rider Kevin Parker.
Not everyone riding through Myers Park is a participant, though.
“We live in the neighborhood,” said Melanie Matthews. She and her family moved to Queens Road West three years ago. They now love to cheer on those riding in the event.
“It’s amazing that people dedicate 24 hours of their life to do it and that they get so many people to participate,” Matthews said.
This year, like many, riders will be battling the heat for 24 hours.
“It’s been hot most years we’ve done this,” Whittaker said. “That’s not new.”
Perhaps the hottest participant was Carolina Panthers’ Mascot, Sir Purr!
“It’s probably one of the hottest, I would think,” said Parker. “But you adapt and just deal with it.”
Many take breaks, while some say they prefer to ride at night when it’s cooler.
This year, teams and donors set a new record: $1.5 million raised. Any donation, big or small, is making a difference.
“[It’s] all going to a great cause,” Matthews said. | https://www.qcnews.com/charlotte/myers-parks-24-hours-of-booty-sets-new-record/ | 2023-07-29T03:23:39 | 0 | https://www.qcnews.com/charlotte/myers-parks-24-hours-of-booty-sets-new-record/ |
The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents will meet Sunday to authorize the university to negotiate a potential settlement with Kathleen McElroy, a Black University of Texas at Austin journalism professor, who turned down a position at A&M after the university changed her job offer under pressure from conservative groups.
McElroy’s botched hiring led to the resignation of multiple administrators, including the university president last week. It’s not clear whether McElroy, who said she felt judged because of her race and gender, has filed claims against A&M, but if the board gives its approval the university could enter a settlement discussion with the UT professor, who has since hired legal counsel.
The Board of Regents also plans to appoint an interim president for A&M, according to an agenda for the July 30 special meeting, which is open to the public.
On July 20, M. Katherine Banks resigned as president of the university following the public backlash over the failed hiring of McElroy. Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp named Mark A. Welsh III, dean of the Bush School of Government and Public Service, as acting president following Banks’ departure. Sharp recommended appointing Welsh in the interim until the board can do a national search for a new president.
A&M celebrated the hiring of McElroy earlier this year to revive the university’s journalism program as a tenure-track professor. But following outcries from conservative groups and alumni, McElroy was presented with a succession of different offer letters that promised a less lucrative role at A&M. McElroy turned down the final offer, which was a one-year contract that could be terminated at any time.
McElroy told The Texas Tribune on Friday that negotiations “are still ongoing” and declined further comment.
The Board of Regents will consult with A&M System attorneys, likely in executive session or otherwise behind closed doors, to discuss the possibility of settling with McElroy over the failed hiring.
In addition to Banks’ resignation, two deans at the university announced their plans to step down from their administrative roles at A&M in the wake of the mishandled hiring. The case has deflated morale among A&M faculty members, who previously expressed distrust with the administration over what they said was a lack of transparency in the decision-making process.
Kate McGee contributed to this story.
Disclosure: Kathleen McElroy, Texas A&M University, Texas A&M University System and University of Texas at Austin have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
"Texas A&M regents could offer a settlement to the journalism professor at center of hiring controversy" was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
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This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2023/07/28/tamu-board-of-regents-settlement-mcelroy/.
The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org. | https://www.kxxv.com/hometown/texas/texas-a-m-regents-could-offer-a-settlement-to-the-journalism-professor-at-center-of-hiring-controversy | 2023-07-29T03:23:40 | 0 | https://www.kxxv.com/hometown/texas/texas-a-m-regents-could-offer-a-settlement-to-the-journalism-professor-at-center-of-hiring-controversy |