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The Mega Millions jackpot grew to a whopping $1.05 billion after no ticket matched all six numbers in Friday night's draw. The last winning ticket was sold on April 18.
The next drawing for the grand prize, which is currently equal to the fourth-largest Mega Millions jackpot to date, is on Tuesday. A lump-sum payment would be an estimated $528 million.
Friday's jackpot was $940 million, and had been growing steadily, finally passing the $1 billion mark after 29 straight draws without someone matching all six winning numbers.
Just last week, a winning ticket for a $1.08 billion Powerball drawing was sold in Los Angeles, but the winner is still unknown.
The odds of winning the Mega Millions are slim — just about 1 in 302.6 million.
The largest Mega Millions winning jackpot was sold in South Carolina in 2018 — a massive $1.537 billion.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.apr.org/2023-07-29/mega-millions-jackpot-passes-1-billion-after-no-one-draws-all-6-winning-numbers | 2023-07-29T13:00:35 | 0 | https://www.apr.org/2023-07-29/mega-millions-jackpot-passes-1-billion-after-no-one-draws-all-6-winning-numbers |
MIAMI (AP) — A federal judge in Miami on Friday criticized prosecutors for an apparent attempt to undercut a court order and take control of a oceanside condo belonging to a former Republican congressman ahead of a high-profile trial connected to a $50 million consulting contract with Venezuela’s socialist government.
When David Rivera and an associate were charged last November with money laundering and acting as unregistered foreign agents for President Nicolás Maduro’s government, prosecutors obtained a judge’s order freezing several banking and brokerage accounts as well as Florida properties that they said were the product of some $24 million in ill-gotten gains.
Prosecutors also blocked eight more properties belonging to Rivera and his associate in Florida and Georgia that, while unrelated to criminal activity, would likely be seized if the two are found guilty.
This month, in a harshly worded ruling, Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres said that the government had no right to take the “innocent” Florida assets without a conviction. Rather than lift the restraining order, the government then asked the court to reconsider and said that it had since determined that three of the properties — including a condo that Rivera and his wife purchased in 2019 for $301,000 in New Smyrna Beach, Florida — could also be traced to the defendants’ alleged lobbying on behalf of Maduro’s government.
Judge Darrin Gayles on Friday expressed frustration with the government’s change in strategy.
“This reeks of gamesmanship,” said Gayles, who reversed his own sealed order of a week ago granting prosecutors’ request that the real estate properties once again be frozen. “It seems like the government simply filed this because it lost.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nalina Sombuntham said prosecutors first learned from investigators that the property could be directly “tainted” by Rivera’s consulting work with Venezuela in May or June but didn’t alert the court until July 14 — a week after Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres issued his 23-page order freeing up the properties.
Gayles, who is overseeing the criminal case, was unimpressed. “It seems like you’re wasting the court’s time,” he said.
Rivera has been marred by scandals stretching back to his days in Congress from 2011 to 2013. He was arrested late last year on an eight-count criminal indictment alleging that at the start of the Trump administration he was part of a conspiracy to lobby on behalf of Venezuela to lower tensions with the U.S., resolve a legal dispute with a U.S. oil company and end U.S. sanctions against the South American nation — all without registering as a foreign agent.
As part of that effort, he arranged meetings in Washington, New York and Dallas for allies of Maduro with U.S. lawmakers and a top aide to former President Donald Trump, according to the indictment. To hide the sensitive nature of his work, prosecutors allege Rivera referred to Maduro in chat messages as the “bus driver,” a congressman as “Sombrero” and millions of dollars as “melons.”
Court records show Rivera’s consulting work was closely coordinated with Raúl Gorrín, a Venezuelan insider and media tycoon who has himself been sanctioned and indicted in the U.S. on money laundering charges. Part of the more than $20 million that Rivera was alleged to have received from Venezuela was used to pay maintenance on one of Gorrin’s yachts, according to prosecutors.
Rivera maintains that Gorrín was his attorney in Venezuela and that all of his work was conducted on behalf of PDV USA — a Delaware-based affiliate of Venezuelan-owned Citgo — and didn’t require he register as a foreign agent.
The dispute over Rivera’s assets has slowed the government’s prosecution of the high-profile case. Eight months after being charged, Rivera has yet to be formally arraigned — normally a routine procedural step — because he said he needs access to the disputed assets to pay his attorneys.
Rivera’s attorneys in filings have accused prosecutors of waging a “scorched earth attack” against the south Florida GOP stalwart who once shared an apartment in Tallahassee with now Sen. Marco Rubio when both were state lawmakers.
“They lost, they got caught and they came to this court and it is wrong,” David Oscar Markus, an attorney for Rivera’s co-defendant Esther Nuhfer said.
Rivera was triumphant following Friday’s hearing, accusing the prosecutors of “misconduct.” Judge Gayles was more restrained, making no such finding of wrongdoing even as he questioned prosecutors’ actions.
“Today’s decision shows that there are still honorable judges in America who will not tolerate misconduct from dishonest government prosecutors,” Rivera wrote The Associated Press in a text message. “Another victory for truth and justice.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Florida didn’t immediately comment.
___
Joshua Goodman on Twitter: @APJoshGoodman | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-judge-blasts-prosecutors-handling-of-venezuela-case-against-ex-miami-congressman/ | 2023-07-29T13:00:37 | 0 | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-judge-blasts-prosecutors-handling-of-venezuela-case-against-ex-miami-congressman/ |
This may be the most scorching month in the most scalding summer of what may become the hottest year in recorded history.
From Arizona, where it's been above 110 degrees Fahrenheit every day for a month, to Sardinia which hit 118 F this week, to Xinjiang, China, where the temperature soared to 126 F.
It felt a little mournful, then, to turn on summer playlists and hear lyrics like, "Summer breeze makes me feel fine." And, "Summer's here and the time is right / For dancing in the street."
This summer — these past few summers, really — has meant weeks of swelter, smoke, wildfires, and peril, across much of the hemisphere.
It was 107 degrees Fahrenheit in Rome last week. The Italian health ministry put 23 cities under a red alert, and cautioned people not to walk outside, and to avoid wine and coffee.
Too hot in Italy to stroll, enjoy a glass of soave, or sip an espresso. Next they'll say stop boiling pasta.
170 million people in America were under heat alerts this week. The National Weather Service warns, "Take the heat seriously and avoid time outdoors."
Isn't being outdoors the beauty of summer?
For most of my life, summer has been a time to shuck off all the layers of winter cold and gloom, to feel warmth and sunlight. School is out. Vacations are planned. We can go coatless, feel carefree, dawdle, travel, and play.
But this summer in America many outdoor shows, concerts, and festivals have been canceled, and sporting events postponed because of unsafe heat, and wildfire smoke in the skies. How many families have avoided picnics, camping trips, or games of catch in the yard, because it's just too darn hot?
The temperature of the water in Manatee Bay at Everglades National Park in Florida has been 101.1 F. The heat of ocean water — water — may be too dangerous for fish to survive.
This excruciating heat, driven by human activity, can be dangerous for every living creature, as well as the plants that bear the fruits and vegetables we need to survive. For humans, the heat is especially hazardous for seniors, children, and people who are unsheltered.
Will red alerts, heat emergencies, wildfires and temperatures in the triple digits become the new signs of summer? And will that make summer, as my friends and I used to dream about through frigid and forbidding Chicago winters, now seem a season to fear?
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.apr.org/2023-07-29/opinion-its-too-hot-in-here | 2023-07-29T13:00:41 | 0 | https://www.apr.org/2023-07-29/opinion-its-too-hot-in-here |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Justice Samuel Alito says Congress lacks the power to impose a code of ethics on the Supreme Court, making him the first member of the court to take a public stand against proposals in Congress to toughen ethics rules for justices in response to increased scrutiny of their activities beyond the bench.
“I know this is a controversial view, but I’m willing to say it. No provision in the Constitution gives them the authority to regulate the Supreme Court—period,” Alito said in an interview he gave to the Wall Street Journal opinion pages. An account of the interview, which the paper said took place in New York in early July, was published Friday.
Democrats last week pushed Supreme Court ethics legislation through a Senate committee, though the bill’s prospects in the full Senate are dim.
All federal judges other than the justices already adhere to an ethics code that was developed by the federal judiciary. But the Supreme Court’s unique status — it’s the only federal court created by the Constitution — puts it outside the reach of those standards that apply to other federal jurists.
Democrats first sought to address that after ProPublica reported earlier this year that Justice Clarence Thomas participated in lavish vacations and a real estate deal with a top Republican donor — and after Chief Justice John Roberts declined to testify before the committee about the ethics of the court.
Since then, ProPublica also revealed that Alito had taken a luxury vacation in Alaska with a Republican donor who had business interests before the court. The Associated Press reported in early July that Justice Sonia Sotomayor, aided by her staff, has advanced sales of her books through college visits over the past decade.
The 73-year-old Alito, who joined the court in 2006, has rejected the idea that he should have disclosed the Alaska trip or stepped away from cases involving the donor, hedge fund owner Paul Singer. Alito penned his own Wall Street Journal op-ed, which was published hours before ProPublica posted its story.
Alito said that he is unwilling to leave allegations unanswered, though he acknowledged judges and justices typically don’t respond to their critics.
“And so at a certain point I’ve said to myself, nobody else is going to do this, so I have to defend myself,” he said in the newest column.
While no other justice has spoken so definitively about ethics legislation, Roberts has raised questions about Congress’ authority to oversee the high court.
In his year-end report in 2011, Roberts wrote that the justices comply with legislation that requires annual financial disclosures and limits their outside earned income. “The Court has never addressed whether Congress may impose those requirements on the Supreme Court. The Justices nevertheless comply with those provisions,” Roberts wrote.
The justices have so far resisted adopting an ethics code on their own, although Roberts said in May that there is more the court can do to “adhere to the highest standards” of ethical conduct, without providing specifics.
The column is co-written by James Taranto, the paper’s editorial features editor, and David Rivkin, a Washington lawyer. Rivkin represents Leonard Leo, the onetime leader of the conservative legal group The Federalist Society, in his dealings with Senate Democrats who want details of Leo’s dealings with the justices. Leo helped arrange Alito’s trip to Alaska.
Rivkin, in a letter Tuesday to leading Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the request was politically motivated and violates Leo’s constitutional rights. Rivkin also wrote that a congressionally imposed ethics code for the Supreme Court would falter on constitutional grounds. Separately, Rivkin represents a couple whose tax case will be argued before the court in the fall.
Alito talked with the Taranto and Rivkin for four hours in interviews in April and July, they wrote. They published an account of the earlier interview in April. | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-justice-alito-says-congress-lacks-the-power-to-impose-an-ethics-code-on-the-supreme-court/ | 2023-07-29T13:00:44 | 0 | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-justice-alito-says-congress-lacks-the-power-to-impose-an-ethics-code-on-the-supreme-court/ |
National parks and hiking trail networks around the country are facing dual pressures - crowds and changing weather. Preservationists in New Hampshire are painstakingly restoring one such trail.
Copyright 2023 NPR
National parks and hiking trail networks around the country are facing dual pressures - crowds and changing weather. Preservationists in New Hampshire are painstakingly restoring one such trail.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.apr.org/2023-07-29/preservationists-are-trying-to-restore-national-park-trails-destroyed-by-the-weather | 2023-07-29T13:00:47 | 0 | https://www.apr.org/2023-07-29/preservationists-are-trying-to-restore-national-park-trails-destroyed-by-the-weather |
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s navy located the boat of a missing American sailor off the country’s southern coast, but the Maryland man who had been piloting it solo wasn’t found, authorities said Friday.
Donald Lawson’s capsized trimaran was found Thursday night by a patrol boat involved in the search 356 nautical miles (about 410 miles or 660 kilometers) southwest of the resort city of Acapulco, according to the navy’s press office.
The navy said that it would continue its search for Lawson, 41, an experienced sailor.
A plane had reported spotting a boat similar to the description of Lawson’s on July 23 about 320 nautical miles (370 miles or 595 kilometers) south of Acapulco. The navy sent boats to the area, but it wasn’t until Thursday night that they found it.
Port authorities in Acapulco said that Lawson had arrived on Jan. 26 for repairs to a motor and hull of the boat. After the repairs were completed, Lawson left Acapulco on July 5, headed for the Panama Canal, where he planned to cross to the Caribbean Sea and continue north to Baltimore, Maryland.
His wife, Jacqueline Lawson, told local media outlets that on July 9, he had sent her a message saying he was having mechanical problems and the motor was losing power. Three days later, he told her a storm had knocked out his wind generator and he would try to return to Acapulco. The last satellite positioning message received for the Defiant was July 13.
Lawson, who is Black, grew up in Baltimore and from his first sailing opportunity at age 9, set his sights on making it his career.
“From that day forward, that was my goal – become a professional sailor,” Lawson said in a profile published by U.S. Sailing last year.
He started out cleaning boats, folding sails and stowing gear in Annapolis. Later, he and his wife founded the Dark Seas Project, an effort to increase diversity in the sport of sailing. He is the chairman of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee for U.S. Sailing.
Lawson was working toward challenging records for circumnavigating the globe solo. | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-mexicos-navy-finds-boat-but-not-missing-us-sailor/ | 2023-07-29T13:00:50 | 0 | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-mexicos-navy-finds-boat-but-not-missing-us-sailor/ |
Scott Simon is one of America's most admired writers and broadcasters. He is the host of Weekend Edition Saturday and is one of the hosts of NPR's morning news podcast Up First. He has reported from all fifty states, five continents, and ten wars, from El Salvador to Sarajevo to Afghanistan and Iraq. His books have chronicled character and characters, in war and peace, sports and art, tragedy and comedy.
News from Alabama Public Radio is a public service in association with the University of Alabama. We depend on your help to keep our programming on the air and online. Please consider supporting the news you rely on with a donation today. Every contribution, no matter the size, propels our vital coverage. Thank you. | https://www.apr.org/2023-07-29/saturday-sports-the-week-ahead-in-the-womens-world-cup-orioles-defeat-yankees | 2023-07-29T13:00:53 | 0 | https://www.apr.org/2023-07-29/saturday-sports-the-week-ahead-in-the-womens-world-cup-orioles-defeat-yankees |
Federal investigators renewed their recommendation that major freight railroads equip every locomotive with the kind of autonomous sensors that could have caught the track flaws that caused a fatal 2021 Amtrak derailment in northern Montana.
But installing the sensors on the tens of thousands of locomotives in the fleet could be cost prohibitive, and it’s not entirely clear if one would have caught the combination of rail flaws that the National Transportation Safety Board said caused the crash near Joplin, Montana, that killed three people and injured 49 others. And rail unions caution that no technology should be a substitute for human inspectors.
The NTSB report laid blame in part on BNSF railroad, which owns the tracks, and “a shortcoming in its safety culture.” But it noted that even if track inspections had been more frequent, the severity of the problems may not have been noticed the day of the crash without devices and technology designed to enhance the inspections.
“It is unlikely that the track deviations would have been detected through the current track inspection process,” the board concluded in the report released Thursday. But “autonomous monitoring systems … have the ability to monitor track conditions and provide real-time condition monitoring that could be used for early identification and mitigation of unsafe track conditions.”
BNSF defends its safety record and said it already employs a number of the sensors that the NTSB is recommending, but spokeswoman Lena Kent said the Fort Worth, Texas-based railroad will review the report for any additional lessons and ways to improve safety.
But track problems have long been a safety concern for the NTSB, which can recommend but not mandate changes. In a 2021 report on the Joplin derailment, it attributed 592 U.S. derailments over a decade-long timespan to “track geometry,” which includes the distance between the rails and their horizontal and vertical alignment. Those issues were the second-leading cause of derailment in 2021.
Railroad safety expert Dave Clarke, the former director of University of Tennesse’s Center for Transportation Research, said it is important to remember that the NTSB doesn’t do any kind of cost-benefit analysis on its recommendations.
“If they think something is a good idea for safety they put it out there. In the real world there may be no way to economically or practically do everything NTSB recommends,” Clarke said.
Clarke said it’s also not clear that these sensors would have definitely caught the problems that caused the Montana derailment because none of the individual factors was severe enough to be considered a defect under Federal Railroad Administration rules. The NTSB said it was the combination of all those factors that caused the derailment.
The major freight railroads have more than 23,000 locomotives in their fleets, including thousands that have been put into storage in recent years as the railroads have overhauled their operations to rely more on longer trains that don’t need as many locomotives.
It would require a major investment to add detectors to every locomotive, although the Association of American Railroads trade group couldn’t immediately provide an estimate of how much each sensor costs. BNSF and the five other major U.S. freight railroads already spend roughly $23 billion every year on improving and maintaining their networks and investing in new equipment.
But attorney Jeff Goodman, who represented family members of the three passengers who died in the derailment, said he believes his clients would have lived if trains that had passed through the area before the Amtrak train had been equipped with these sensors.
Tracks will always bend or get out of sync because they’re exposed to the elements, but monitoring allows trains to know when to slow down and prevent accidents, he said.
“If the recommendations that the NTSB issued today were implemented prior to this tragedy, Zach Scheider and Don and Marjorie Varnadoe would all be alive today,” he said, naming the deceased family members of his clients.
Railroads have long resisted new regulations, Although there aren’t any rules requiring these automated inspection sensors or the thousands of trackside detectors they employ, railroads have spent millions developing the technology and installed them voluntarily to improve safety. But regulators are considering drafting rules for them in the wake of recent derailments.
An AAR trade group spokeswoman said that the type of sensors the NTSB singled out measure the force a locomotive exerts on the track and hasn’t proven as useful as other kinds of sensors railroads have developed.
“This technology has been difficult to maintain in real-world operations and lacks a strong correlation to track geometry defects,” Jessica Kahanek said.
Railroads are experimenting with a variety of technologies to find the best way to spot problems.
Another kind of autonomous sensor that can be installed on locomotives as well as the trucks inspectors use to ride along the rails can spot problems like misaligned track and wear on the rails by testing the track continuously.
Vehicle track interaction systems, like the ones the NTSB singled out, must be mounted on locomotives because they measure the force a train puts on the tracks.
Both kinds of sensors can help identify areas of concern for a human inspector to follow up on after computers analyze the data they generate. But the VTI sensors tend to be so sensitive that they flag areas where there aren’t true defects.
Kent said BNSF’s use of both kinds of sensors allows the railroad to check its track network multiple times — more than 450,000 miles (720,000 kilometers) of track each year — and that the technology has helped the railroad reduce the rate of defects that it finds by 82% over the past five years.
In the past, BNSF and other railroads have even petitioned the Federal Railroad Administration to get a waiver releasing them from some inspection requirements because they believe the track geometry sensors provide enough information that the frequency of human inspections can be safely reduced.
Federal officials approved a waiver allowing BNSF to reduce inspections on a couple of areas of its more than 30,000-mile (48,000-kilometer) network after the railroad successfully tested the devices for several years, but later declined to let the railroad expand that practice, including its tracks that cross Montana. BNSF took the FRA to court over that decision and the dispute is still pending.
Rail unions have opposed the waivers. They argue that while the new technology is helpful, it shouldn’t replace human inspections. Even with an interest in preserving jobs, they say safety is their primary concern.
Already, the unions say the widespread job cuts the major railroads have made — eliminating nearly one-third of all rail jobs over the past six years — have made it difficult for employees to keep up with inspection demands and meet all FRA requirements. The NTSB pointed out that the inspector responsible for the territory where the Montana derailment happened had worked an average of 13 hours a day in the four weeks prior to the crash.
Former NTSB director Bob Chipkevich, who spent years investigating rail crashes, said it often takes multiple derailments to force railroads to implement new safety technology.
One of the biggest recent advances in rail safety came after a commuter train collided head-on with a freight train near Los Angeles in 2008, killing 25 people and injuring more than 100. Congress mandated a $15 billion automatic braking system that stops trains when they’re in danger of colliding, derailing and other situations — but it took 12 years to complete.
“When there are safety issues that have been raised after multiple accidents that occurred again and again, the question is to the industry,” Chipkevich said. “Why haven’t you done it after all these years?”
___
Funk reported from Omaha, Nebraska, and Metz reported from Salt Lake City.
___
Follow Josh Funk on Twitter at www.twitter.com/funkwrite | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-montana-train-derailment-report-renews-calls-for-automated-systems-to-detect-track-problems/ | 2023-07-29T13:00:57 | 1 | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-montana-train-derailment-report-renews-calls-for-automated-systems-to-detect-track-problems/ |
The coup in Niger, this week, raises questions about the future of democratic leadership in the West African country. NPR's Scott Simon speaks with Rama Yade of the Atlantic Council's Africa Center.
Copyright 2023 NPR
The coup in Niger, this week, raises questions about the future of democratic leadership in the West African country. NPR's Scott Simon speaks with Rama Yade of the Atlantic Council's Africa Center.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.apr.org/2023-07-29/the-coup-in-niger-is-a-blow-to-democracy-in-the-west-african-country | 2023-07-29T13:00:59 | 0 | https://www.apr.org/2023-07-29/the-coup-in-niger-is-a-blow-to-democracy-in-the-west-african-country |
Amber Alert issued for 2 missing girls in North Carolina
RALEIGH, N.C. (Gray News) - An Amber Alert was issued for two endangered girls missing in North Carolina.
The Durham Police Department is searching for 7-year-old Makayla Grace Gnije Hatch and 8-year-old Kaylee Amira Grace Hatch. The two girls were last seen July 28 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Makayla is described to be 4 feet and 3 inches tall and weighs about 41 pounds. She has black braided hair with clear beads and brown eyes. Makayla was last seen wearing a pink and coral lace dress, white ruffle socks and black shoes.
Kaylee is described to be 4 feet and 8 inches tall and weighs about 105 pounds. She has black braided hair with clear beads and brown eyes. Kaylee was last seen wearing a lavender, pink and white floral dress with a silver belt and white sandals.
The girls may be traveling with 34-year-old Garrett Hatch. He is described to be 5 feet and 3 inches and weighs about 230 pounds. He has black hair styled in long dreads and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a pink, black and white block shirt with white pants and black shoes.
Anyone with information on their whereabouts is asked to call 911 or the Durham Police Department 919-560-4440.
Copyright 2023 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/07/29/amber-alert-issued-2-missing-girls-north-carolina/ | 2023-07-29T13:01:05 | 0 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/07/29/amber-alert-issued-2-missing-girls-north-carolina/ |
NPR's Scott Simon talks with Henry Bushnell of Yahoo Sports about the American connection to the Philippines women's soccer team competing in the World Cup.
Copyright 2023 NPR
NPR's Scott Simon talks with Henry Bushnell of Yahoo Sports about the American connection to the Philippines women's soccer team competing in the World Cup.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.apr.org/2023-07-29/the-upset-scoring-philippines-womens-soccer-team-has-strong-roots-in-the-u-s | 2023-07-29T13:01:06 | 0 | https://www.apr.org/2023-07-29/the-upset-scoring-philippines-womens-soccer-team-has-strong-roots-in-the-u-s |
DENVER (AP) — A Colorado police officer who put a handcuffed woman in a parked police vehicle that was hit by a freight train was found guilty of reckless endangerment and assault but was acquitted of a third charge of criminal attempt to commit manslaughter during a trial Friday.
Jordan Steinke was the first of two officers to go to trial over the Sept. 16, 2022, crash that left Yareni Rios-Gonzalez seriously injured.
“There’s no reasonable doubt that placing a handcuffed person in the back of a patrol car, parked on railroad tracks, creates a substantial and unjustifiable risk of harm by the train,” said Judge Timothy Kerns.
But the evidence didn’t convince Kerns that Steinke “knowingly intended to harm Ms. Rios-Gonzalez,” and he added that Stienke had shown “shock and remorse.”
Steinke testified that she did not know that the patrol car of another officer she was helping was parked on the tracks even though they can be seen on her body camera footage along with two railroad crossing signs. Steinke said she was focused on the threat that could come from Rios-Gonzalez and her pickup truck, not the ground.
Steinke said she put Rios-Gonzalez in the other officer’s vehicle because it was the nearest spot to temporarily hold her. She said she didn’t know the train was coming until just before it hit.
The judge found that Steinke observed the tracks, but failed to “appreciate the risk.”
There was no jury in Steinke’s trial, which started Monday. Instead, Kerns listened to the evidence and issued the verdict. Mallory Revel, Steinke’s attorney, didn’t immediately respond to requests by phone and email for comment.
Steinke, who was working for the Fort Lupton Police Department at the time of the crash, was charged with criminal attempt to commit manslaughter, a felony; and reckless endangerment and third-degree assault, both misdemeanors.
The other officer, Pablo Vazquez, who worked for the police department in nearby Platteville, is being prosecuted for misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment and traffic offenses. He hasn’t entered a plea yet. His lawyer, Reid Elkus, didn’t immediately respond to a request by phone for comment.
Vazquez pulled over Rios-Gonzalez on a rural road that intersects U.S. Highway 85 after she was accused of pointing a gun at another driver. Trains pass on tracks that parallel the highway about a dozen times a day, prosecutors said, and the sound of their horns is common in the area north of Denver.
Rios-Gonzalez, who suffered a traumatic brain injury, is suing over her treatment. She later pleaded no contest to misdemeanor menacing, said one of her lawyers, Chris Ponce, who was in court to watch the trial. Rios-Gonzalez did not testify or attend herself.
Steinke said she placed Rios-Gonzalez in the other police car temporarily because it was the nearest place to keep her secure, a move that is standard practice for high-risk traffic stops, said defense expert witness Steve Ijames. He also testified that in dangerous situations officers can become hyperfocused on particular threats and overlook things that turn out to be important in hindsight.
Steinke, who drove at around 100 mph (161 kph) at times on her way to backup Vazquez, testified that she was surprised to see him sitting in his vehicle when she arrived, rather than pointing a gun at Rios-Gonzalez’s truck. She said she quickly parked her patrol vehicle behind his and got out because it was the quickest way “to get a gun in the fight.”
Steinke also said she did not notice the tracks or the ground when she squatted down to arrest a kneeling Rios-Gonzalez along the tracks after the suspect was ordered out of her pickup truck.
When pressed by Deputy District Attorney Christopher Jewkes, Steinke replied, “I am sure I saw the tracks sir, but I did not perceive them.” She said she was focused on the suspect and the potential threat she posed and was “fairly certain” that the traffic stop would end in gunfire.
“I never in a million years thought a train was going to come plowing through my scene,” Steinke said.
The Weld County District Attorney’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request by phone for comment.
___
This story has been updated to correct that the officer was acquitted of the charge of criminal attempt to commit manslaughter, not manslaughter.
___
Bedayn is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-officer-who-put-suspect-in-car-hit-by-train-found-guilty-of-reckless-endangerment/ | 2023-07-29T13:01:05 | 0 | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-officer-who-put-suspect-in-car-hit-by-train-found-guilty-of-reckless-endangerment/ |
Rays vs. Astros: Betting Trends, Odds, Records Against the Run Line, Home/Road Splits
Alex Bregman and the Houston Astros take on Brandon Lowe and the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday at 7:15 PM ET, in the second of a three-game series at Minute Maid Park.
The Rays are +115 moneyline underdogs in this matchup with the favored Astros (-140). An 8.5-run over/under has been set in the matchup.
Rep your team with officially licensed Rays gear! Head to Fanatics to find jerseys, shirts, and much more.
Rays vs. Astros Odds & Info
- Date: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Time: 7:15 PM ET
- TV: FOX
- Location: Houston, Texas
- Venue: Minute Maid Park
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
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Rays Recent Betting Performance
- Over their last 10 contests, the Rays were named underdogs twice and lost each contest.
- When it comes to the total, the Rays and their opponents are 2-8-0 in their last 10 games.
- The past 10 Rays matchups have not had a spread posted by bookmakers.
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Rays Betting Records & Stats
- The Rays have been victorious in four, or 26.7%, of the 15 contests they have been chosen as underdogs in this season.
- Tampa Bay is 1-3 this season when entering a game as the underdog by +115 or more on the moneyline.
- The moneyline set for this matchup implies the Rays have a 46.5% chance of walking away with the win.
- Tampa Bay and its opponents have gone over the total this season in 55 of its 106 opportunities.
- The Rays have an against the spread mark of 10-7-0 in 17 games with a line this season.
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/rays-vs-astros-mlb-betting-trends-stats/ | 2023-07-29T13:01:12 | 0 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/rays-vs-astros-mlb-betting-trends-stats/ |
Scott Simon is one of America's most admired writers and broadcasters. He is the host of Weekend Edition Saturday and is one of the hosts of NPR's morning news podcast Up First. He has reported from all fifty states, five continents, and ten wars, from El Salvador to Sarajevo to Afghanistan and Iraq. His books have chronicled character and characters, in war and peace, sports and art, tragedy and comedy.
News from Alabama Public Radio is a public service in association with the University of Alabama. We depend on your help to keep our programming on the air and online. Please consider supporting the news you rely on with a donation today. Every contribution, no matter the size, propels our vital coverage. Thank you. | https://www.apr.org/arts-life/arts-life/2023-07-29/an-artist-explains-why-marvels-use-of-ai-to-animate-a-sequence-is-worrying | 2023-07-29T13:01:12 | 1 | https://www.apr.org/arts-life/arts-life/2023-07-29/an-artist-explains-why-marvels-use-of-ai-to-animate-a-sequence-is-worrying |
JEFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The nation’s top health official implored states to do more to keep lower-income residents enrolled in Medicaid, as the Biden administration released figures Friday confirming that many who had health coverage during the coronavirus pandemic are now losing it.
Though a decline in Medicaid coverage was expected, health officials are raising concerns about the large numbers of people being dropped from the rolls for failing to return forms or follow procedures.
In 18 states that began a post-pandemic review of their Medicaid rolls in April, health coverage was continued for about 1 million recipients and terminated for 715,000. Of those dropped, 4 in 5 were for procedural reasons, according to newly released data from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra sent a letter Friday to all governors encouraging them to bolster efforts to retain people on Medicaid. He particularly encouraged them to use electronic information from other federal programs, such as food stamps, to automatically confirm people’s eligibility for Medicaid. That would avert the need to mail and return documents.
“I am deeply concerned about high rates of procedural terminations due to ‘red tape’ and other paperwork issues,” Becerra told governors.
During the pandemic, states were prohibited from ending people’s Medicaid coverage. As a result, Medicaid enrollment swelled by nearly one-third, from 71 million people in February 2020 to 93 million in February 2023. The prohibition on trimming rolls ended in April, and states now have resumed annual eligibility redeterminations that had been required before the pandemic.
The new federal data captures only the first month of state Medicaid reviews from states that acted the most expeditiously. Since then, additional states also have submitted reports on those renewed and dropped from Medicaid in May and June.
Though the federal government hasn’t released data from the most recent reports, information gathered by The Associated Press and health care advocacy groups show that about 3.7 million people already have lost Medicaid coverage. That includes about 500,000 in Texas, around 400,000 in Florida and 225,000 in California. Of those who lost coverage, 89% were for procedural reasons in California, 81% in Texas and 59% in Florida, according to the AP’s data.
Many of those people may have still been eligible for Medicaid, “but they’re caught in a bureaucratic nightmare of confusing forms, notices sent to wrong addresses and other errors,” said Michelle Levander, founding director of the Center for Health Journalism at the University of Southern California,
Top CMS officials said they have worked with several states to pause Medicaid removals and improve procedures for determining eligibility.
South Carolina is one state that voluntarily slowed down. It reported renewing Medicaid coverage for about 27,000 people in May while removing 118,000. Of those dropped, 95% were for procedural reasons. In a recent report to the federal government, South Carolina said it removed no one from Medicaid in June because it extended the eligibility renewal deadline from 60 days to 90 days.
Michigan reported renewing more than 103,000 Medicaid recipients in June and removing just 12,000. It told the federal government that the state opted to delay terminations for those who failed to respond to renewal requests while instead making additional outreach attempts. As a result, the state reported more than 100,000 people whose June eligibility cases remained incomplete.
People who are dropped from Medicaid can regain coverage retroactively if they submit information within 90 days proving their eligibility. But some advocacy groups say that still poses a challenge.
“State government is not necessarily nimble,” said Keesa Smith, executive director of Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families. “When individuals are being disenrolled, the biggest concern … is that there is not a fast track to get those individuals back on the rolls.”
Arkansas officials have been at the forefront of defending Medicaid cuts. They contend that many people likely don’t return forms because they no longer need Medicaid.
People are “transitioning off of Medicaid” because “they are working, making more money, and have access to health care through their employers or the federal marketplace,” Arkansas Medicaid Director Janet Mann said earlier this month. “This should be celebrated, not criticized.”
Insurance companies that run Medicaid programs for states said they are trying to reduce procedural terminations and enroll people in new plans.
The Blue Cross-Blue Shield insurer Elevance Health lost 130,000 Medicaid customers during the recently completed second quarter, as Medicaid eligibility redeterminations began. Chief Financial Officer John Gallina said earlier this month that many people lost Medicaid coverage for administrative reasons but are likely to reenroll in the near future.
Leaders of the insurer Molina Healthcare told analysts Thursday that the company lost about 93,000 Medicaid customers in the recently completed second quarter, mostly due to eligibility redeterminations. Molina officials said they are trying to switch people who no longer qualify for Medicaid to one of the individual insurance plans they sell through state-based marketplaces.
Federal data for April indicates that some states did a better job than others at handling a crush of questions from people about their Medicaid coverage.
In 19 states and the District of Columbia, the average Medicaid call center wait time was one minute or less in April. But in Idaho, the average caller to the state’s Medicaid help line waited 51 minutes. In Missouri, the average wait was 44 minutes, and in Florida 40 minutes.
___
Associated Press writer Tom Murphy in Indianapolis contributed to this report. | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-paperwork-problems-drive-surge-in-people-losing-medicaid-health-coverage/ | 2023-07-29T13:01:12 | 0 | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-paperwork-problems-drive-surge-in-people-losing-medicaid-health-coverage/ |
SAN FRANCISCO — 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.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.apr.org/business-education/2023-07-28/x-logo-installed-atop-twitter-building-spurring-san-francisco-to-investigate | 2023-07-29T13:01:18 | 0 | https://www.apr.org/business-education/2023-07-28/x-logo-installed-atop-twitter-building-spurring-san-francisco-to-investigate |
The rapper G Herbo pleaded guilty Friday to his role in a scheme that used stolen credit card information to pay for a lavish lifestyle including private jets, exotic car rentals, a luxury vacation rental and even expensive designer puppies.
Under a deal with prosecutors, the 27-year-old Chicago rapper, whose real name is Herbert Wright III, entered a guilty plea in federal court in Springfield, Massachusetts, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and making false statements. In exchange, prosecutors dismissed several counts of aggravated identity theft.
He also agreed to forfeit nearly $140,000, the amount he benefited from what prosecutors have said was a $1.5 million scheme that involved several other people.
“Mr. Wright used stolen account information as his very own unlimited funding source, using victims’ payment cards to finance an extravagant lifestyle and advance his career,” acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy said in a statement.
Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 7, and he faces a maximum of 25 years in prison. A voicemail seeking comment was left with his attorney.
From at least March 2017 until November 2018, G Herbo and his promoter, Antonio Strong, used text messages, social media messages and emails to share account information taken from dark websites, authorities said.
On one occasion, the stolen account information was used to pay for a chartered jet to fly the rapper and members of his entourage from Chicago to Austin, Texas, authorities said. On another, a stolen account was used to pay nearly $15,000 for Wright and seven others to stay several days in a six-bedroom Jamaican villa.
In court documents, prosecutors said G Herbo “used the proceeds of these frauds to travel to various concert venues and to advance his career by posting photographs and/or videos of himself on the private jets, in the exotic cars, and at the Jamaican villa.”
G Herbo also helped Strong order two designer Yorkshire terrier puppies from a Michigan pet shop using a stolen credit card and a fake Washington state driver’s license, according to the indictment. The total cost was more than $10,000, prosecutors said.
When the pet shop’s owner asked to confirm the purchase with G Herbo, Strong directed her to do so through an Instagram message, and G Herbo confirmed he was buying the puppies, authorities said.
Because the stolen credit card information was authentic, the transactions went through and it wasn’t until later that the real credit card holders noticed and reported the fraud.
G Herbo was also charged in May 2021 with lying to investigators by denying that he had any ties to Strong when in fact the two had worked together since at least 2016, prosecutors said.
Strong has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.
G Herbo’s music is centered on his experiences growing up on the East Side of Chicago in a neighborhood dubbed Terror Town, including gang and gun violence.
He released his debut mix tapes “Welcome to Fazoland” and “Pistol P Project” in 2014, both named for friends who had been killed in the city. His first album was 2017’s “Humble Beast,” and his latest is “Survivor’s Remorse,” released last year.
His 2020 album “PTSD” debuted at number 7 on the Billboard 200.
G Herbo also started a program in Chicago called Swervin’ Through Stress, aimed at giving urban youths tools to navigate mental health crises, after publicly acknowledging his own struggle with PTSD. In 2021 he was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 music list. | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-rapper-g-herbo-pleads-guilty-in-credit-card-fraud-that-paid-for-private-jets-and-designer-puppies/ | 2023-07-29T13:01:19 | 0 | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-rapper-g-herbo-pleads-guilty-in-credit-card-fraud-that-paid-for-private-jets-and-designer-puppies/ |
Gene X Hwang knew his days on Twitter as @x were numbered.
"Elon had been kind of tweeting about X previously," Hwang said. "So I kind of knew, you know, I had an inkling that this was going to happen. I didn't really know when."
Since 2007, Hwang's username on the site was @x — but after Elon Musk renamed the social media platform to X earlier this week, it was only a matter of time before the company commandeered the handle.
The news came shortly after Hwang had competed in a pinball tournament in Canada.
"So when I landed and fired up my phone, I just got all these messages and I was like: 'What is what is going on?' "
Hwang received an email from the company explaining that his account data would be preserved, and he'd get a new handle. It offered Hwang merchandise, a tour of its offices and a meeting with company management as compensation.
Hwang's account is one of the latest casualties in the chaos following Musk's takeover of the social media company. On Monday, Twitter's iconic blue bird logo was replaced with the letter "X."
Our headquarters tonight pic.twitter.com/GO6yY8R7fO
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 24, 2023
The rebrand is the company's next step in creating what Musk has called "the everything app." Musk and CEO Linda Yaccarino envision the platform becoming a U.S. parallel to WeChat — a hub for communication, banking and commerce that's become a part of everyday life in China.
X is the future state of unlimited interactivity – centered in audio, video, messaging, payments/banking – creating a global marketplace for ideas, goods, services, and opportunities. Powered by AI, X will connect us all in ways we’re just beginning to imagine.
— Linda Yaccarino (@lindayacc) July 23, 2023
But experts are skeptical X will be able to become an "everything app."
"I'm not sure he has enough trust from his user base to get people to actually exchange money or attach any type of financial institution to his app," Jennifer Grygiel, a professor at Syracuse University, told NPR.
Hwang is among those who have been looking for Twitter alternatives.
"I've been checking out, you know, other options like Threads and Mastodon and Bluesky," he said. "I'm still on Twitter for now, but ... it's changed a lot. So we'll see how much longer I'm on there."
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.apr.org/business-education/2023-07-29/after-rebranding-x-took-x-from-its-original-twitter-owner-and-offered-him-merch | 2023-07-29T13:01:24 | 1 | https://www.apr.org/business-education/2023-07-29/after-rebranding-x-took-x-from-its-original-twitter-owner-and-offered-him-merch |
A New York man who stole a badge and radio from a police officer brutally beaten by other rioters during the attack on the U.S. Capitol was sentenced on Friday to more than four years in prison.
Thomas Sibick, of Buffalo, pleaded guilty in March for his role in the attack on Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone, who has described fighting for his life to defend the Capitol as lawmakers inside fled from the angry mob on Jan. 6, 2021.
In a letter to the judge, Sibick, 37, called the trauma Fanone experienced “undeniably sickening” and said he takes full responsibility for his “uncivilized display of reckless behavior.”
“It was an attack on the institutions of our democracy and not as some would make you believe legitimate political discourse. The attack was far from peaceful, my actions played a role that will follow me for the rest of my life,” Sibick wrote.
Judge Amy Berman Jackson sentenced him to 50 months in prison during a hearing in Washington’s federal court.
Sibick’s attorney Stephen Brennwald did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Following his arrest, Sibick spent eight months behind bars but was released on home confinement in October 2021 after his lawyer pressed the judge to free him while his case played out.
Sibick’s attorney had asked for a sentence of home confinement, writing in court papers that a mental health misdiagnosis resulted in his client taking medication on Jan. 6 that “severely and negatively impacted him.” Sibick’s attorney said, unlike other rioters, his client did not physically assault Fanone, and their interaction was limited to Sibick grabbing Fanone’s radio and badge.
“Mr. Sibick has made a remarkable change in his life since he received his correct mental health diagnosis and has begun cognitive behavioral therapy,” Brennwald wrote. “Because he sees January 6 for what it was, he is not a threat to re-offend in the future.”
Rioters kicked, punched, grabbed and shocked Fanone with a stun gun after pulling him away from other officers who were guarding a tunnel entrance on the Capitol’s Lower West Terrace. Another rioter threatened to take Fanone’s gun and kill him. Fanone said the attack gave him a heart attack and a traumatic brain injury and ultimately cost him his career.
Fanone’s body camera captured Sibick removing the officer’s badge and radio from his tactical vest, according to a court filing accompanying his guilty plea.
Others in the crowd escorted Fanone back to the police line. Before FBI agents showed Sibick the body camera video, he initially claimed that he tried in vain to pull the officer away from his attackers.
Sibick said he buried Fanone’s badge in his backyard after returning home to Buffalo. He returned the badge, but Fanone’s $5,500 radio hasn’t been recovered.
Other rioters have been charged with attacking Fanone, who lost consciousness and was taken to an emergency room.
Albuquerque Cosper Head, a Tennessee man who dragged Fanone into the crowd, was sentenced in October 2022 to seven years and six months in prison. Another man, Daniel Rodriguez of California, was sentenced last month to more than 12 years in prison for driving a stun gun into Fanone’s neck as the officer screamed out in pain. | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-rioter-who-stole-badge-radio-from-beaten-officer-on-jan-6-gets-more-than-4-years-in-prison/ | 2023-07-29T13:01:27 | 1 | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-rioter-who-stole-badge-radio-from-beaten-officer-on-jan-6-gets-more-than-4-years-in-prison/ |
Trader Joe's has recalled its frozen falafel for potentially having rocks in it, after it recalled two of its cookie products for the same reason recently.
The company's supplier informed them of the concern, and Trader Joe's said in a statement Friday that "all potentially affected product has been removed from sale and destroyed."
Customers who purchased the product should discard it or return it to a Trader Joe's location for a full refund, the company said.
The falafel, which is fully cooked and frozen, has the SKU number 93935 and is sold in Washington, D.C., and 34 states.
Last Friday, Trader Joe's said rocks could also possibly be found in its Almond Windmill Cookies and Dark Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cookies.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.apr.org/business-education/business-education/2023-07-28/trader-joes-recalls-its-frozen-falafel-for-possibly-having-rocks-in-it | 2023-07-29T13:01:30 | 1 | https://www.apr.org/business-education/business-education/2023-07-28/trader-joes-recalls-its-frozen-falafel-for-possibly-having-rocks-in-it |
Republicans floating impeachment risk making unpopular Biden a 'martyr,' critics warn
Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Randy Weber of Texas previously drafted impeachment articles against Biden
As some Republican lawmakers speak cautiously about the prospect of the House launching an impeachment inquiry against President Biden, while bribery and influence peddling allegations mount, other critics warned such a probe could help the struggling president win reelection.
In a Tuesday interview with "Hannity," House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., predicted that evidence of foreign money flowing to Biden family members "through shell companies" will lead to serious consideration of an impeachment inquiry in the chamber.
McCarthy said he was making such an assertion based only on the direction the information and evidence House Republicans gleaned through their investigations has taken the storyline.
"[T]his is rising to the level of impeachment inquiry, which provides Congress the strongest power to get the rest of the knowledge and information needed," McCarthy said Tuesday, while comparing Biden's behavior at times to that of former President Richard Nixon.
MCCARTHY: BIDEN CASE WILL RISE TO IMPEACHMENT AS 16 ROMANIAN PAYMENTS TO ‘SHELL COMPANIES’ SURFACE
Since then, somewhat of an impeachment fervor has been mounting, as Democrats stand essentially universally opposed while Republicans appear to have differing views on the prospect.
Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., a fierce Biden administration critic, said Wednesday it is however irresponsible for Republicans to be "raising the I-word" because it "sends a message to the public and sets expectations. Buck said the House committees' probes are fair and that such investigation is indeed the chamber's responsibility.
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., separately added that no official should be impeached unless the threshold of "high crimes and misdemeanors" has been definitively reached.
"I'm not going to support impeaching somebody just because I don't like their politics," he said.
IRS WHISTLEBLOWER: 'INDEPENDENT ATTORNEY' NEEDED IN HUNTER BIDEN DELAWARE CASE
Media critic Joe Concha appeared to echo such warnings in an interview Friday with Fox News, saying impeachment talk at this juncture risks the prospect of gaining Biden sympathy and potentially sympathy-votes in his reelection bid.
"While it appears their case is getting stronger and stronger through credible whistleblower testimony… and some obvious questions to ask during an impeachment inquiry, such as how does Joe Biden afford multimillion dollar homes in Wilmington, Delaware, and on the beach in Rehoboth, the latter of which she purchased for nearly $3 million shortly after leaving the vice presidency -- Because it didn't come from a vice president or senator salary," Concha said on "The Story."
"But we already know, and this is a challenge for Republicans if they decide to go down the road of impeachment, the media will largely dismiss a Biden impeachment. They will call weaponization of the gavel as a witch hunt to hurt him as a candidate in 2024 to distract from Donald Trump."
Concha said an impeachment proceeding will similarly need 17 Democratic senators to join Republicans to vote to convict and remove Biden from office. He noted Trump's pro-impeachment critics faced a similar conundrum with a narrowly divided Senate.
Former Bush White House press secretary Ari Fleischer also told Fox News that Republicans should be wary of moving in an impeachment direction too quickly, comparing the Democrats' crusade against Trump to be turning the procedure into a United Kingdom-style "no-confidence" vote – as former Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced last year.
JORDAN ROASTS DEMS AFTER RFK JR HEARING: PARTY TURNED AGAINST ITS MOST FAMOUS NAME
"The only thing I have heard that could touch Joe Biden so far is the allegation that the FBI has a confidential informant saying he, as vice president, took a $5 million bribe. If that becomes solid 100% unimpeachable proof, then that is something," he said. "But otherwise, this will backfire on Republicans."
Seven Republican senators voted to impeach Trump in 2021, with the only one facing reelection since – Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska – politically surviving her vote against a president of her own party.
"In the end, you're going to have another situation like we had with Trump impeachment, but not removal," Concha added.
"And then perhaps that makes Joe Biden into a martyr and actually helps his campaign on some level."
At the time of President Clinton's 1998-99 impeachment proceedings, some observers said the Arkansas Democrat similarly benefited from such a dynamic, as the House voted to impeach, but the Senate did not convict-and-remove.
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With the then-45 Senate Democrats remaining united in Clinton's defense, ten Republicans on the perjury count and five Republicans on the obstruction count joined them in helping him weather the Whitewater and Lewinsky scandal-related affair.
In June, House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik of New York and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., introduced resolutions to expunge Trump's two impeachments, while Greene has recently floated potentially impeaching Biden.
The Georgia lawmaker previously drafted impeachment articles in 2021 alleging Biden "enabl[ed] bribery and other high crimes & misdemeanors."
Following Biden's heavily-criticized Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021, Rep. Randy Weber, R-Texas drafted articles of impeachment in response. Reps. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., and Robert Gibbs, R-Ohio, drafted similar articles shortly thereafter.
A December 2022 resolution from now-former Rep. Louis Gohmert, R-Texas, resolved that Biden should be impeached for "treason." | https://www.foxnews.com/media/republicans-floating-biden-impeachment-risk-making-unpopular-biden-martyr-critics-warn | 2023-07-29T13:01:32 | 1 | https://www.foxnews.com/media/republicans-floating-biden-impeachment-risk-making-unpopular-biden-martyr-critics-warn |
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Bills training camp this year doesn’t have a clever motivational phrase hanging on banners and being sold on T-shirts at St. John Fisher University.
But back home in Orchard Park, coach Sean McDermott this summer ordered for new banners and wall coverings to go up inside the team’s indoor practice field.
On the far wall of the field, stretching almost the length of the end zone, is a banner reading “Buffalo Football,” and “One Team, One Goal.” In the middle of the banner, framed perfectly by the goal posts, is a giant Lombardi Trophy.
The Lombardi Trophy that the Bills’ organization has never won in the Super Bowl’s 57 years. The Lombardi Trophy that has painfully eluded one of the NFL’s most talented teams the last three seasons.
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“That’s it. That’s the mission,” said former Bills great Steve Tasker, who hosts a daily radio show for the team. “They’re not shying away from anything. It’s right there on the building. That’s the only reason they’re playing football this year, is to go to it and win it.”
Most players haven’t seen the new banner yet. But when they get back to Orchard Park in three weeks, they will see it every day. Obviously on days when they practice inside. But even when the Bills practice outside, they walk across the indoor practice field to get there.
McDermott may be tempting fate by plastering a giant championship trophy across his practice facility. Adding unnecessary pressure. Getting too far ahead of himself.
McDermott doesn’t see it that way.
“It’s just a daily reminder of what we’re here to do and what we’re trying to accomplish,” McDermott told the Globe before Friday’s practice. “It’s just really a standard for us, what we’re trying to accomplish every year. And more than anything internally, it’s to keep us focused on that through the course of the season, when that can get clouded with the journey.”
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Dawson Knox on any differences he’s noticed within a Sean McDermott-called defense: “They do a great job disguising different coverages. There a few different stunts we’ve seen from the D-lineman.” pic.twitter.com/jQEaPI59IT
— alex brasky (@alexbrasky) July 27, 2023
The image of the Lombardi Trophy at practice every day underscores the seriousness of the Bills’ quest in 2023. No more messing around in Buffalo. It’s time to win a championship already.
In 2021, they had the “13 seconds” fiasco in the playoff loss to the Chiefs. Last year, they got demolished by the Bengals in the playoffs after being hit by an avalanche of tough circumstances — the Tops supermarket shooting, two deadly blizzards, Kim Pegula’s stroke, and Damar Hamlin’s near-death in Cincinnati.
“I thought there might be a handful of players on their roster that needed to leave, because I don’t think they could put the helmet on and feel good about playing football ever again,” Tasker said. “It was that deep. I thought there was some real healing that needed to happen from what they witnessed in Cincinnati that night.”
But the Bills are back in 2023, minus a couple of changes such as the sacking of defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier. It’s still Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, and Dawson Knox leading the offense. Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer, Tre’Davious White, and Matt Milano are back on defense. Von Miller is returning from a torn ACL and should be himself by midseason.
And they are back with a singular, unwavering purpose.
“My main focus and my only focus is winning Super Bowls,” Diggs said. “Regarding last year, obviously, the way we lost was just terrible in any regard. You don’t want to lose any game. But we’ve lost for a couple of years at this point. We’ve been trying to get over the hump. And obviously it’s cause for a lot of frustration.”
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The Bills will go as far as Allen, 27, will take them. And he acknowledged this past week that he needs to change his style for the Bills to take the next step.
Allen and the Bills’ offense were the NFL’s most wild ride in 2022. They had the fewest punts in the league (46), finished second in points per game (28.4), second in points per drive (2.5), and second in the percentage of drives ending with a score (45 percent).
Josh Allen with a perfect ball to Diggs ⚔️
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) July 28, 2023
(via @BuffaloBills)pic.twitter.com/WjqsxMKzZp
But the Bills’ 27 giveaways also ranked 31st. They led the NFL with eight turnovers inside the red zone. Allen led the NFL with six interceptions in the red zone — no one else had more than three.
“Being smart but not conservative, [offensive coordinator Ken] Dorsey talks about that all the time,” Allen said. “There were times last year I was trying to force too many things to happen instead of letting the game come to me.”
It’s tempting for Allen to put the team on his back and try to make plays. He’s the biggest, toughest, strongest-armed quarterback out there, and the play is never dead when he has the ball.
But playing heroball leads to trouble — interceptions, fumbles, big hits. Allen needs to start looking more for the checkdowns.
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“He needs to play quarterback a little bit like you have to play golf — you’ve got to take the triple bogey off the card by playing the safe shot,” Tasker said. “Last year, he took the club cover off for every shot. There’s plenty of times where if he would take the easy one to Devin Singletary, to Dawson Knox — Josh has got to get used to moving the ball instead of trying to move the scoreboard on every play.”
Dorsey, entering his second year as offensive coordinator, said it will be tricky trying to rein in Allen while not inhibiting his playmaking abilities too much.
“It’s a balancing act, you don’t want to just come back and be, ‘OK, check down, check down,’ ” Dorsey said. “If we make good decisions, then everything else takes care of itself, with the personnel that we have and the type of player that Josh is.”
In the last three years, the Bills have won 37 games and three straight AFC East titles. But playoff success has eluded them.
The Lombardi Trophy hangs above their end zone. They have six months to earn one for the team’s mantel.
“We’re here to win a world championship,” McDermott said. “It’s trying to keep our vision, and one of the goals that we have as an organization, in front of us at all times.”
Ben Volin can be reached at ben.volin@globe.com. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/29/sports/bills-arent-shy-about-it-2023-season-is-all-about-winning-super-bowl/ | 2023-07-29T13:01:32 | 0 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/29/sports/bills-arent-shy-about-it-2023-season-is-all-about-winning-super-bowl/ |
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian military says it shot down a Ukrainian missile over a southern Russian city, accuses Kyiv of a “terror attack.”
Russian military says it shot down a Ukrainian missile over a southern Russian city, accuses Kyiv of a “terror attack.”
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Subscribe Now | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-russian-military-says-it-shot-down-a-ukrainian-missile-over-a-southern-russian-city-accuses-kyiv-of-a-terror-attack/ | 2023-07-29T13:01:34 | 1 | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-russian-military-says-it-shot-down-a-ukrainian-missile-over-a-southern-russian-city-accuses-kyiv-of-a-terror-attack/ |
The Lincoln Dinner in Iowa hosts the candidates for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024 - as hopefuls try to stand out against front-runner Donald Trump.
Copyright 2023 NPR
The Lincoln Dinner in Iowa hosts the candidates for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024 - as hopefuls try to stand out against front-runner Donald Trump.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.apr.org/politics-government/politics-government/2023-07-29/new-charges-against-trump-didnt-keep-him-off-the-campaign-trail-in-iowa | 2023-07-29T13:01:36 | 0 | https://www.apr.org/politics-government/politics-government/2023-07-29/new-charges-against-trump-didnt-keep-him-off-the-campaign-trail-in-iowa |
Country boys will survive the woke warriors
The same fools who are fake mad over Aldean's song were probably silent while cities burned
The "coexist" crowd is at it again, and they’re coming for country music.
Turns out good old-fashioned American values like God, family and country are no bueno for the "tolerant" wokesters. Add in a politically conservative White boy and now you have contrived antics and an epic temper tantrum.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, by now you know the woke warriors’ latest target is country megastar Jason Aldean. With screams of "racism," (their favorite "ism") they leveled their rage at his music video "Try That In A Small Town." Never mind the song makes zero references to race — cue your shocked face.
But that’s just a minor detail that celebrities, bottom feeders in the Twitterverse and their cohorts in the media can’t concern themselves with. They’re like a bunch of guppies in a fish tank lurking around ready to suck up and spit out the next fake "ism" or "phobe" that drops in their tank.
JASON ALDEAN THANKS FANS FOR SUPPORT AFTER ‘SMALL TOWN’ BACKLASH: ‘THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN’
Not only does Aldean’s song not mention race, it literally speaks out against violent crime in our country. Something everyone could get behind once upon a time.
"Sucker punch somebody on a sidewalk
Carjack an old lady at a red light
Pull a gun on the owner of a liquor store
Ya think it's cool, well, act a fool if ya like
Cuss out a cop, spit in his face
Stomp on the flag and light it up
Yeah, ya think you're tough"
The video, which was censored by Country Music Television, features real news coverage of violent riots, looting, spitting in a police officer’s face, and protesters burning cities, cop cars and flags.
And perhaps that’s the problem. These are the protests the left tried to sell us as "mostly peaceful."
I would venture a pretty hefty wager the same fools who are fake mad and setting their keyboards on fire over Aldean’s song calling out violent criminal behavior were stone-cold silent while cities were burning.
Just a guess.
The same CMT that pulled Aldean’s video gave Kelsea Ballerini its blessing to perform "If You Go Down (I'm Goin' Down Too)" with drag queen dancers at the CMT awards earlier this year to protest a now blocked Tennessee law preventing drag performers from shaking their junk in front of kids.
It should not be a footnote that this CMT spectacle "went down" just days after a person identifying as transgender killed six people at The Covenant School in Nashville, including three 9-year-old children.
Salt meet wound.
CMT should ask Bud Light what happens when you forget where you came from. Because I promise you, wherever they’re going, loyal country fans aren’t following.
CMT COULD FACE BUD LIGHT SITUATION AFTER CANCELING JASON ALDEAN'S VIDEO, FINANCIAL GURU SAYS
Aldean may be the left’s latest bull’s-eye, but with his fans they didn’t even hit the dartboard.
After CMT flipped its audience the bird, "Try That In A Small Town" flew to No. 1 on the iTunes chart. Fans sent the message to the woke mob: "Go cry in your can of Bud Light."
And thus the divide that appears to be deepening in Nashville between the woke brass and their bread and butter.
Outspoken conservative country singer John Rich claims the gulf started to widen several years ago between country music fans and the tone-deaf powers that be when suits from big cities started replacing Nashville executives who knew the business.
Tweeting once that he was "blackballed by Music Row," Rich — in a genius move — found a way around the machine last year when he released "Progress," which makes the point that the left’s "progressive" agenda has given us anything but progress.
He knew nobody in Nashville would want to release the song uncensored, so he skipped the industry chain of command and released it on Truth Social and Rumble, where free speech is celebrated.
The result: he immediately shot to No. 1 on iTunes, unseating the likes of Billie Eilish and Lizzo.
With all the streaming choices today, Aldean and any other conservative country singer has options. The woke machine no longer holds all the cards. The people who buy the music do, and they’re speaking up.
They’re calling bull on all the idiocy. The week before they set their sights on Aldean, the wokesters unsuccessfully tried a takedown of Luke Combs for his cover of Tracy Chapman’s "Fast Car."
The Washington Post and the Black Opry were hyper-focused on race and gender, because everything comes back to race and gender with the left. Chapman is Black and queer and Combs is a White dude so, according to their logic, him covering her song naturally showed she could never succeed in country music — or some ridiculousness.
Fans didn’t buy it.
The cover topped the country charts and introduced Tracy Chapman to a whole new generation, who are no doubt downloading her original.
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Chapman reacted by saying, "I never expected to find myself on the country charts, but I’m honored to be there. I’m happy for Luke and his success and grateful that new fans have found and embraced ‘Fast Car.’"
I’ve been a country music fan my entire life. The music app on my phone is almost exclusively country, I’ve been to Jason Aldean’s bar on Lower Broadway in Nashville at least four times, and I have tickets to his "Highway Desperado" concert this summer.
And there are millions of people just like me.
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The screeching keyboard warriors and soapbox celebrities mock our values, have a flare for the dramatic, and think we care for a pretentious glass of their opinion. They can go pound sand.
The fans continue to speak. Whether it’s Jason Aldean, John Rich, Luke Combs or others, Hank Jr. said it best — "A Country Boy Can Survive."
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM LAUREN DEBELLIS APPELL | https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/country-boys-will-survive-woke-warriors | 2023-07-29T13:01:38 | 0 | https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/country-boys-will-survive-woke-warriors |
Congress leaves for recess despite a big to-do list. New charges filed against former President Donald Trump. Promising new economic numbers.
Copyright 2023 NPR
Congress leaves for recess despite a big to-do list. New charges filed against former President Donald Trump. Promising new economic numbers.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.apr.org/politics-government/politics-government/2023-07-29/week-in-politics-congress-on-recess-new-charges-against-trump-economy-looks-up | 2023-07-29T13:01:43 | 1 | https://www.apr.org/politics-government/politics-government/2023-07-29/week-in-politics-congress-on-recess-new-charges-against-trump-economy-looks-up |
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Salvage crews dealing with a cargo ship loaded with cars that has been burning for more than two days off the northern Dutch coast boarded the vessel for the first time Friday as heat, flames and smoke eased, the Netherlands’ coast guard said.
“In the course of the morning, after measurements by the recovery companies, it turned out that the temperature on board the Fremantle Highway had dropped sharply. The fire is still raging but decreasing. The smoke is also decreasing,” the coast guard said in a statement.
Salvage workers boarded the ship and established “a new more robust towing connection,” the agency added. “This makes it easier to move the ship and keep it under control.”
Government officials are now “looking at various scenarios to determine the next steps,” the coast guard said.
One crew member died and others were injured after the blaze started. The entire crew was evacuated from the ship in the early hours of Wednesday, with some leaping into the sea and being picked up by a lifeboat. The cause of the fire hasn’t been established.
The Fremantle Highway was 23 kilometers (14 miles) north of the island of Terschelling on Friday afternoon, close to busy North Sea shipping lanes and an internationally renowned migratory bird habitat.
K Line, the company that chartered the ship, said Friday that it was carrying far more electric vehicles than initially reported by the coast guard.
Company spokesman Pat Adamson said the ship was carrying a total of 3,783 new vehicles, including 498 electric vehicles. The coast guard, citing an early freight list, had said it was carrying 2,857 cars, including 25 electric cars.
Adamson said K Line didn’t know the source of the initial lower number.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board has warned about the possible dangers of electric vehicle battery fires, a hazard that stems from thermal runaway, a chemical reaction that causes uncontrolled battery temperature and pressure increases.
The burning vessel was close to the shallow Wadden Sea, a World Heritage-listed area that is considered one of the world’s most significant habitats for migratory birds. It’s also close to the Netherlands’ border with Germany, whose environment minister, Steffi Lemke, said Thursday that if the ship were to sink, it “could turn into an environmental catastrophe of unknown proportions.”
Earlier this month in Newark, New Jersey, firefighters took nearly a week to extinguish a similar blaze in a car transport ship. Two firefighters were killed and five others were injured battling the flames. | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-salvage-crews-board-a-cargo-ship-burning-off-the-netherlands-the-smoke-and-flames-are-easing/ | 2023-07-29T13:01:41 | 1 | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-salvage-crews-board-a-cargo-ship-burning-off-the-netherlands-the-smoke-and-flames-are-easing/ |
Biden administration announces estimated $345 million weapons package for Taiwan
Significant U.S. aid to Taiwan is likely to anger China
President Biden on Friday authorized a new weapons aid package to Taiwan worth up to $345 million, an action likely to anger China.
Congress approved up to $1 billion worth of Presidential Drawdown Authority weapons aid for Taiwan, which strongly rejects Chinese sovereignty claims, in the 2023 budget. Beijing has repeatedly demanded the United States, Taiwan's most important arms supplier, halt the sale of weapons to the island.
The White House did not disclose details of what's in the package, though Reuters reports it is expected to include four unarmed MQ-9A reconnaissance drones if U.S. officials can remove some of the advanced equipment installed on the drones that only the U.S. Air Force is permitted access to.
In a statement, Taiwan's defense ministry thanked the U.S. for its "firm security commitment," adding that it will not comment on the details because of a "tacit agreement" between the two parties.
Reuters previously reported that an issue over who would pay for the drone alterations was an obstacle to their inclusion in the weapons package. The outlet could not determine if the drones were still included.
CHINA SENDS SWARMS OF WARPLANES, NAVY SHIPS TO TAIWAN AHEAD OF ANNUAL INVASION TRAINING
Taiwan had previously agreed to purchase four — more advanced — MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones made by General Atomics, which are slated for delivery in 2025.
China considers close U.S. ally Taiwan its own province and regularly sends planes and warships to harass the island's military and intimidate its 23 million citizens. It has never renounced the use of force to annex the island. Taiwan strongly opposes China's sovereignty claims and has asserted its independence.
LITHUANIA BOLSTERS TIES WITH TAIWAN AHEAD OF NATO SUMMIT AMID CHINA ‘THREAT’
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin previewed additional U.S. aid to Taiwan in comments made to the Senate on May 16. "I'm pleased that the United States will soon provide significant additional security assistance to Taiwan through the Presidential Drawdown Authority that Congress authorized last year," he said.
Earlier this month, U.S. Army General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the U.S. and its allies need to speed up the delivery of aid to Taiwan.
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"The speed at which we, the United States, or other countries assist Taiwan in improving (their) defensive capabilities, I think that probably needs to be accelerated in the years to come," Milley told reporters during a visit to Tokyo.
The Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) has been used on an emergency basis to expedite security assistance to Ukraine by allowing the president to transfer articles and services from U.S. stockpiles. The Taiwan PDA, however, is a non-emergency authority approved by Congress last year.
Reuters contributed to this report. | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-administration-announces-estimated-345-million-weapons-package-taiwan | 2023-07-29T13:01:44 | 0 | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-administration-announces-estimated-345-million-weapons-package-taiwan |
A group of crafters has come together to finish items for those who can no longer work on them, or for those who have recently died. (This story first aired on All Things Considered on June 20, 2023.)
Copyright 2023 NPR
A group of crafters has come together to finish items for those who can no longer work on them, or for those who have recently died. (This story first aired on All Things Considered on June 20, 2023.)
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.apr.org/science-health/science-health/2023-07-29/when-illness-or-death-leave-craft-projects-unfinished-these-strangers-step-in-to-help | 2023-07-29T13:01:49 | 0 | https://www.apr.org/science-health/science-health/2023-07-29/when-illness-or-death-leave-craft-projects-unfinished-these-strangers-step-in-to-help |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court ruling that upended President Joe Biden’s plan to forgive student loan debt changed his budget math, modestly lowering the projected deficit for this year, his budget office reported Friday.
The White House expects to pare back $259 billion in spending that otherwise would have gone to erasing student loans. This contributed to lowering expected red ink this year under Biden’s budget plans from $1.569 trillion to $1.543 trillion.
The Office of Management and Budget’s Mid-Session Review represents the administration’s first recalculations of the loan program since the court’s June decision, which will affect millions of borrowers.
The court decision initially was expected to reduce the deficit by $400 billion. But a portion of that money will instead be used to pay for a smaller income-driven loan repayment program that goes into effect this summer, according to the report.
Millions of Americans with student loans will be able to enroll in the new SAVE repayment plan that offers some of the most lenient terms the government has ever offered borrowers.
Looking ahead to 2024, the report projects that inflation will continue to decline and the unemployment rate will average 3.8% for the rest of the year. Unemployment is expected to hit 4.4 % in 2024, then decline over the rest of the 10-year budget window to an annual average of 3.8%.
The new forecast comes as Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell earlier this week said staff economists no longer foresee a recession.
“There is clear evidence that the President’s economic plan — Bidenomics — is growing our economy from the middle out and bottom up, not the top down,” said Biden’s budget director Shalanda Young in a statement accompanying the report.
The administration has been pushing “Bidenomics” as an approach that spurs economic growth through promoting domestic supply chains and favoring firms that use those supply chains through tax credits and other measures. | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-supreme-courts-student-loan-decision-will-lower-us-deficit-according-to-new-white-house-projection/ | 2023-07-29T13:01:49 | 1 | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-supreme-courts-student-loan-decision-will-lower-us-deficit-according-to-new-white-house-projection/ |
How a reliably red state transformed into a key general election battleground
What's behind Georgia's recent political transformation from a reliably red state to a premiere top of the ticket battleground?
Republican Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia, celebrating a comfortable re-election victory, joked that "it looks like the reports of my political death have been greatly exaggerated."
The conservative governor topped Democratic challenger Stacey Abrams last November in a rematch of their razor-thin 2018 gubernatorial showdown, as Republicans swept all the statewide offices decided on election night and kept their majorities in both houses of the legislature.
But a month later, Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock narrowly edged Republican challenger and University of Georgia football legend Herschel Walker to secure a full six-year term representing the Peach State in the Senate.
The Kemp and Warnock split decision exemplified Georgia's tilt toward the center. Once a reliably red state, Georgia has transformed into a premiere general election battleground in statewide contests.
HOW RON DESANTIS AND FLORIDA REPUBLICANS TOOK CONTROL OF THE SUNSHINE STATE
In 2020, President Biden won Georgia’s 16 electoral votes, thanks to a razor-thin victory over then-President Donald Trump, to become the first Democrat in over a quarter-century to carry the state in a presidential contest. And two months later, Warnock and fellow Democrat Jon Ossoff secured narrow victories to sweep Georgia’s twin Senate runoff elections. The wins — the first by any Democrat in a Senate election in Georgia in 20 years — gave their party the majority in the chamber.
HOW THIS ONETIME SWING STATE IN AMERICA'S HEARTLAND TURNED BRIGHT RED
So what happened in Georgia?
Veteran Georgia-based political scientist M.V. (Trey) Hood noted that "there’s a continuing demographic shift" which he says is "having an effect."
Hood, director of the University of Georgia’s survey research center, pointed to the "increasing number of racial minorities living" in Atlanta’s suburbs and exurbs. He also noted that "you’ve got a lot of in-migration from other states, especially outside of the South… Those people tend to be — at least from what we can tell — Democrats rather than Republicans."
Hood also spotlighted ticket splitting. "There are a small number of people willing to split their tickets... not a whole lot, but it doesn’t take a whole lot," he said.
Some credit needs to go to Democratic organizers and activists who put in the hard work in the 2020 and 2022 cycles to mobilize hundreds of thousands of new voters, which helped put Biden, Warnock (twice) and Ossoff over the top.
Former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan noted that "the Democrats did certainly figure out how to sign up with a higher level of intensity that Republicans did." He also criticized the state GOP for being "asleep at the wheel."
But Duncan, a vocal conservative critic of Trump, also placed plenty of blame on the former president.
"Georgia’s State House, State Senate, and all eight statewide constitutional officers continue to be dominated by Republicans. The only thing that makes us purple is our two U.S. senators. And that has one common denominator — that’s Donald Trump got involved in those elections," Duncan told Fox News. "And I think Georgians have figured this out quicker than the rest of the country — as far as Republicans, we like conservative, but we don’t like crazy."
Trump encouraged and backed Walker’s controversial Senate run. Plenty of Republicans in the Peach State argue that if the GOP had a different Senate nominee last year, Warnock would have likely gone down to defeat.
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But Duncan looks to Kemp’s resounding victory last November over the well-financed Abrams and sees plenty of hope for Republicans going forward.
"He just continued to put on display what steady, conservative leadership looks like," Duncan emphasized. | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/how-onetime-reliably-red-state-transformed-key-general-election-battleground | 2023-07-29T13:01:50 | 1 | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/how-onetime-reliably-red-state-transformed-key-general-election-battleground |
Sen. Fetterman reflects on 6-week hospitalization for depression: 'I don’t even like me. That’s the truth'
Fetterman expressed dissatisfaction with the Senate and discussed his depressive episode at the beginning of his term
Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania reflected on his first six months in office in an interview published Friday in The New York Times.
The senator gave an overall negative appraisal of the legislature, saying his first half-year in the upper house has left him with the impression that the Senate is more focused on drama than governance.
"There’s a fixation on a lot of dumb sh-t. Bad performance art is really what it gets down to. The debt ceiling — there should have been no drama with any of that," Fetterman told the outlet. "The fact that we’re playing with something like that is antithetical to the stability of our democracy. It really is. Everything is turning into a culture war. Not everything has to be a think piece, you know."
FETTERMAN TURNS HEADS WITH SPEECH STRUGGLES DURING SENATE INFRASTRUCTURE HEARING: 'HE'S NOT WELL'
Fetterman spoke at length about his bout of depression, which kept him working out of a hospital for over a month.
"It’s a burden, but a privilege, too, to talk about it. It’s also an opportunity to be very bipartisan," he said. "Red or blue, if you have depression, get help, please. Don’t ever, ever, ever harm yourself. Do not leave behind a blueprint of that."
Fetterman spent approximately six weeks at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center earlier this year seeking treatment for clinical depression.
FETTERMAN APPROACHES BIDEN-LEVEL UNPOPULARITY IN HOME STATE: POLL
"In my own situation, in my very lowest, I started thinking about [self-harm]," he continued. "And I realized that if I do harm myself, I will leave behind for my children a blueprint that, if something happens with you, that’s the answer. I can’t do that to anyone."
Responding to a question on his prominence in the legislature as an individual, Fetterman said he did not understand why anyone liked him.
"I don’t know; it doesn’t make any sense to me at all. I don’t get it," he told the outlet.
NBC REPORTER GETTING ‘BULLIED’ BY MEDIA FOR FETTERMAN REPORT WAS ‘PATHETIC,’ ‘WRONG,’ SAY INSIDERS
He continued, "I’ll never understand it. I don’t know why my wife married me. In the movie 'Groundhog Day,' Bill Murray’s character says something like, ‘You think I’m arrogant? No, I don’t even like me.’ That’s me. I don’t even like me. That’s the truth."
The New York Times' "lightly edited" transcript of the interview noted repeated communicative struggles as Fetterman tried to answer questions.
Fetterman’s abilities have been widely questioned since he suffered a stroke during his campaign for U.S. Senate last year and offered limited media appearances.
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His audio and visual deficiencies from the stroke have been so profound that he is forced to use closed-captioned questions for interviews, including during his senatorial debate.
Fetterman has floundered through Senate hearings and other public events since taking office, often coming across as incoherent due to his injuries from the stroke.
His office has repeatedly slammed critics for drawing attention to the issue and maintains he is fine outside of auditory processing problems.
Fox News Digital's Joe Schoffstall and Gabriel Hays contributed to this report | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sen-fetterman-reflects-6-week-hospitalization-depression-dont-even-like-me-truth | 2023-07-29T13:01:56 | 1 | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sen-fetterman-reflects-6-week-hospitalization-depression-dont-even-like-me-truth |
PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — A teenager recalled Friday how she helped save a girl who was severely wounded during a Michigan school shooting in 2021, telling a judge that she moved her to an empty classroom, applied pressure to stop the bleeding and prayed with her.
“I asked her if she knew who God was. She said, ‘Not really,’” Heidi Allen, 17, recalled.
“I think I’m supposed to be here right now,” she said, describing how she felt at the time. “Because there’s no other reason that I’m OK, that I’m in this hallway, completely untouched.”
Heidi testified at a hearing to determine whether Ethan Crumbley, 17, will get a life prison sentence, or a shorter term with an opportunity for parole, for killing four students and wounding seven other people at Oxford High School.
She said she recognized him as soon as he exited a bathroom and brandished a gun.
“It fired,” Heidi recalled. “Everything kind of slowed down for me. It was all slow motion. I had covered my head. I dropped down. … It sounded like a balloon popping or a locker slamming. It was very loud.
“I just prayed and covered my head,” she said. “I didn’t know if those were my last moments.”
Heidi wasn’t shot but others were. She said she took a girl into a classroom, installed a portable lock on the door and applied pressure to the girl’s wounds. The victim survived.
“I just kept reassuring her she was going to be OK. She was crying,” Heidi testified. “I don’t fully remember what she was saying. I was trying to stay calm.”
The shooter, who was 15 at the time, pleaded guilty to murder, terrorism and other crimes. But a life sentence for minors isn’t automatic after a series of decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court and Michigan’s top court.
Defense attorneys are arguing that he can be rehabilitated in prison and eventually released. They said the shooting followed years of a turbulent family life, grossly negligent parents and untreated mental illness.
A former warden, Ken Romanowski, testified about a variety of programs available in prison, such as mental health therapy, anger management, education and trade skills.
“Honestly, I think everybody has the potential for change. But he has to be the one who makes that choice,” Romanowski said, appearing for the defense.
A psychiatrist, Dr. Fariha Qadir, said Crumbley discussed having depression, hallucinations and hearing voices when they first met after his arrest. She has talked to him more than 100 times while in jail and prescribed medication for depression, mood and sleep.
James and Jennifer Crumbley are separately charged with involuntary manslaughter. They’re accused of buying a gun for their son and ignoring his mental health needs.
Earlier Friday, Judge Kwame Rowe denied a request by the shooter’s lawyers to stop students from testifying. They argued that it’s irrelevant when applying key factors set by the U.S. Supreme Court when determining a sentence for a minor.
“I’m able to discern what’s relevant to the… factors and what’s not relevant,” the judge said.
Prosecutors presented other witnesses Friday. An assistant principal, Kristy Gibson-Marshall, tearfully described how she tried to revive Tate Myre, a student whom she had known since he was 3 years old. He died.
“It was crushing. I had to help him,” Gibson-Marshall testified. “I could feel the entrance wound in the back of his head. … I just kept talking to him, that I love him, that I needed him to hang with me.”
It took “months to get the taste of Tate’s blood out of me,” she said.
Gibson-Marshall also knew the shooter, who passed by but didn’t harm her.
Separately, a 16-year-old boy explained how he hid in a bathroom with another student, Justin Shilling, who was killed by the shooter. Keegan Gregory said he suddenly found an opportunity to run behind the shooter’s back and escape.
“I realized if I stayed I was going to die,” said Keegan, who now wears a tattoo to honor the victims. “I just kept running as fast as I could, making turns so if he chased me I’d lose him.”
The hearing will resume Tuesday.
If the shooter doesn’t get a life sentence, he would be given a minimum prison sentence somewhere from 25 years to 40 years. He would then be eligible for parole, though the parole board has much discretion to keep a prisoner in custody.
There were opportunities to possibly prevent the shooting earlier that day. The boy and his parents met with school staff after a teacher was troubled by drawings that included a gun pointing at the words: “The thoughts won’t stop. Help me.”
The teen was allowed to stay in school, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) north of Detroit, though his backpack was not checked for weapons.
___
Follow Ed White at http://twitter.com/edwritez | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-teen-says-she-just-prayed-while-saving-girl-in-michigan-school-shooting/ | 2023-07-29T13:01:56 | 1 | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-teen-says-she-just-prayed-while-saving-girl-in-michigan-school-shooting/ |
True crime stories you missed this week: July 24-28, 2023
Catch up on the hottest crime stories, mysteries, investigations, cold cases and missing person files every Saturday with Fox News Digital
Retired pastor kidnapped, killed another pastor's young daughter on walk to Bible camp: DA
A retired Georgia pastor has confessed to kidnapping and killing 8-year-old Gretchen Harrington while she was walking to Bible camp in Pennsylvania one morning in August 1975.
David Zandstra, 83, of Marietta, Georgia, was charged with criminal homicide; first, second, and third-degree murder; kidnapping; and possession of an instrument of crime, according to the Delaware County District Attorney's office.
"The murder of Gretchen Harrington has haunted members of law enforcement since that terrible day in August 1975. The families of victims often say that their lives are forever altered into the ‘before’ time and the ‘after’ time," District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said in a Monday statement. "Gretchen’s murder created a ‘before’ time and an ‘after’ time for an entire community – and for an entire county. This heinous act left a family and a community forever changed."
Bryan Kohberger might claim 'alibi' in Idaho murders case, court filing reveals
Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger "might rely on an alibi" during his upcoming trial, according to a recent court filing and criminal defense attorney John Henry Browne, who represented serial killer Ted Bundy.
Kohberger, 29, who is "standing silent" in the case accusing him of fatally stabbing four University of Idaho students in November 2022, reiterated his right to silence in a Monday filing responding to the state's demand to present an alibi.
The suspect's defense team said it "continues investigating and preparing his case." His lawyers also said they have "[e]vidence corroborating" the suspect being at a location other than the crime scene at 1122 King Road in Moscow — an off-campus house where three of the four victims lived — when the murders occurred on Nov. 13, 2022.
Cellphone data ties Kentucky man to teen mom's disappearance, death 13 years ago
An Ohio jury on Monday convicted a Kentucky man in the September 2010 disappearance of Paige Johnson, a 17-year-old single mom.
Jacob Bumpass, 35, was found guilty of abusing a corpse and tampering with evidence in connection with Johnson's mysterious death.
"We are pleased to have been able to bring some semblance of justice to the Johnson family", Clermont County Assistant Prosecutor Clay Tharp said in a Monday statement after the jury reached its decision.
Gilgo Beach search warrant wraps up at suspect Rex Heuermann's house
MASSAPEQUA PARK, N.Y. – The New York prosecutor handling the Long Island serial killer case visited the suspect's house Tuesday, where police have been executing search warrants for more than a week.
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said outside the Massapequa Park, New York, home of Gilgo Beach killings suspect Rex Heuermann that police had effectively concluded their search of the property Tuesday.
"The evidence doesn't point one way or the other that someone was killed in the house," he told reporters. "We have obtained a massive amount of material that has to be cataloged and analyzed."
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PHOENIX (AP) — The backup Uber driver for a self-driving vehicle that killed a pedestrian in suburban Phoenix in 2018 pleaded guilty Friday to endangerment in the first fatal collision involving a fully autonomous car.
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge David Garbarino, who accepted the plea agreement, sentenced Rafaela Vasquez, 49, to three years of supervised probation for the crash that killed 49-year-old Elaine Herzberg. Vasquez told police that Herzberg “came out of nowhere” and that she didn’t see Herzberg before the March 18, 2018, collision on a darkened Tempe street.
Vasquez had been charged with negligent homicide, a felony. She pleaded guilty to an undesignated felony, meaning it could be reclassified as a misdemeanor if she completes probation.
Authorities say Vasquez was streaming the television show “The Voice” on a phone and looking down in the moments before Uber’s Volvo XC-90 SUV struck Herzberg, who was crossing with her bicycle.
Vasquez’s attorneys said she was was looking at a messaging program used by Uber employees on a work cellphone that was on her right knee. They said the TV show was playing on her personal cellphone, which was on the passenger seat.
Defense attorney Albert Jaynes Morrison told Garbarino that Uber should share some blame for the collision as he asked the judge to sentence Vasquez to six months of unsupervised probation.
“There were steps that Uber failed to take,” he said. By putting Vasquez in the vehicle without a second employee, he said. “It was not a question of if but when it was going to happen.”
Prosecutors previously declined to file criminal charges against Uber, as a corporation. The National Transportation Safety Board concluded Vasquez’s failure to monitor the road was the main cause of the crash.
“The defendant had one job and one job only,” prosecutor Tiffany Brady told the judge. “And that was to keep her eyes in the road.”
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said in a statement after the hearing that her office believes the sentence was appropriate “based on the mitigating and aggravating factors.”
The contributing factors cited by the NTSB included Uber’s inadequate safety procedures and ineffective oversight of its drivers, Herzberg’s decision to cross the street outside of a crosswalk and the Arizona Department of Transportation’s insufficient oversight of autonomous vehicle testing.
The board also concluded Uber’s deactivation of its automatic emergency braking system increased the risks associated with testing automated vehicles on public roads. Instead of the system, Uber relied on the human backup driver to intervene.
It was not the first crash involving an Uber autonomous test vehicle. In March 2017, an Uber SUV flipped onto its side, also in Tempe when it collided with another vehicle. No serious injuries were reported, and the driver of the other car was cited for a violation.
Herzberg’s death was the first involving an autonomous test vehicle but not the first in a car with some self-driving features. The driver of a Tesla Model S was killed in 2016 when his car, operating on its Autopilot system, crashed into a semitrailer in Florida.
Nine months after Herzberg’s death, in December 2019, two people were killed in California when a Tesla on Autopilot ran a red light, slammed into another car. That driver was charged in 2022 with vehicular manslaughter in what was believed to be the first felony case against a motorist who was using a partially automated driving system.
In Arizona, the Uber system detected Herzberg 5.6 seconds before the crash. But it failed to determine whether she was a bicyclist, pedestrian or unknown object, or that she was headed into the vehicle’s path, the board said.
The backup driver was there to take over the vehicle if systems failed.
The death reverberated throughout the auto industry and Silicon Valley and forced other companies to slow what had been a fast march toward autonomous ride-hailing services. Uber pulled its self-driving cars out of Arizona, and then-Gov. Doug Ducey prohibited the company from continuing its tests of self-driving cars.
Vasquez had previously spent more than four years in prison for two felony convictions — making false statements when obtaining unemployment benefits and attempted armed robbery — before starting work as an Uber driver, according to court records. | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-the-backup-driver-in-the-1st-death-by-a-fully-autonomous-car-pleads-guilty-to-endangerment/ | 2023-07-29T13:02:03 | 0 | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-the-backup-driver-in-the-1st-death-by-a-fully-autonomous-car-pleads-guilty-to-endangerment/ |
SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Tom Durden, the Georgia district attorney who kick-started the prosecution of Ahmaud Arbery’s killing by calling in state investigators to take over the languishing case, has died at age 66.
The Atlantic Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, which Durden led for 24 years before stepping down last year, confirmed Durden’s death in a Facebook post Friday. No cause of death was given.
During his career of nearly four decades, Durden served briefly as the second outside prosecutor overseeing the investigation into the February 2020 killing of Arbery. The 25-year-old Black man was fatally shot as he ran from white men in pickup trucks who chased him through their Georgia neighborhood. The shooter said he fired in self-defense.
The case stalled without charges for more than two months before Durden asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to take over from local police. GBI agents rapidly made arrests that led to three murder convictions. Durden stepped aside soon after the arrests, saying the case needed a DA with a larger staff.
“He played a significant role, as we know the others before him did nothing,” said Thea Brooks, one of Arbery’s aunts. “No matter how long he had it on his desk, he did the right thing.”
Following Arbery’s killing outside the port city of Brunswick in 2020, the local district attorney recused herself and the first outside prosecutor assigned, George Barnhill, opposed bringing criminal charges before he stepped aside.
Georgia’s attorney general then appointed Durden, who had the case for roughly a month amid a growing outcry for arrests. Durden asked the GBI to get involved after cellphone video of the killing leaked online May 5, 2020.
Father and son Greg and Travis McMichael were arrested on murder charges the day after GBI agents arrived in Brunswick. A neighbor, William “Roddie” Bryan, was charged soon after.
“The fact that he sent it to the GBI was a positive turn in the case for us, and I think he deserves credit for it,” said the Rev. John Perry, who led Brunswick’s NAACP chapter at the time Arbery was killed.
The job of prosecuting the McMichaels and Bryan was passed to the district attorney for Cobb County in metro Atlanta. All three men were ultimately convicted of murder in 2021 and sentenced to life in prison.
Durden joined the district attorney’s office as an assistant prosecutor in 1984, two years after earning his law degree from Mercer University. He was elected DA after his predecessor retired in 1998.
Durden prosecuted hundreds of criminal cases in the Atlantic Circuit, which covers six southeast Georgia counties outside Savannah.
“Mr. Durden was a true public servant to the State of Georgia for close to 40 years,” Pete Skandalakis, executive director of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, said in a statement. “My sincerest condolences to Tom’s family.”
In 1998, Durden successfully prosecuted four family members and a friend in the killing of Thurmon Martin, a case that would become known as Georgia’s infamous “tomato patch” murder.
Martin, 64, was shot while sleeping in May 1997 and buried behind his home in rural Ludowici. The case gained notoriety for the tomato plants growing atop Martin’s grave, as well as the defendants’ harrowing courtroom accounts of being abused by the slain man. | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-tom-durden-georgia-da-who-ordered-takeover-of-stalled-ahmaud-arbery-investigation-dies-at-66/ | 2023-07-29T13:02:09 | 1 | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-tom-durden-georgia-da-who-ordered-takeover-of-stalled-ahmaud-arbery-investigation-dies-at-66/ |
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Typhoon Doksuri weakened into a tropical storm late Friday night after bringing heavy winds and rain that left more than a million people without power in southern China.
After making landfall Friday morning in southern Fujian province, where at least 400,000 people were evacuated, the storm flooded streets and toppled electric transmission towers in the province. Over a million households were left without power, according to the state-backed Xiamen Evening News.
The typhoon was downgraded to a tropical storm at 11 p.m. Friday night, China’s state-owned broadcaster CCTV announced.
Businesses and summer school classes had been ordered suspended and the public was urged to stay indoors. In the city of Quanzhou by China’s southern coast, authorities reported some 50 individuals sustained minor injuries. Residents shared photos on social media showing downed trees with roots fully out of the ground Saturday morning.
The tropical storm is expected to move its way farther inland in China, bringing heavy rains to the capital, Beijing.
Earlier in the week, the storm grazed past Taiwan’s main island after hitting the Philippines ‘ main island of Luzon, where it produced landslides, flooding and downed trees. The storm displaced thousands and caused 41 deaths — including 27 killed in the capsizing of a passenger ship. About 20 others remained missing, including four coast guard personnel whose boat overturned while on a rescue mission in hard-hit Cagayan province, officials said Saturday, adding that they were monitoring another approaching storm. | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-typhoon-doksuri-is-downgraded-to-tropical-storm-status-as-it-leaves-southern-china/ | 2023-07-29T13:02:16 | 1 | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-typhoon-doksuri-is-downgraded-to-tropical-storm-status-as-it-leaves-southern-china/ |
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. It cut its caseload by 60%, or 200,000 people. 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.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-un-says-its-forced-to-cut-food-aid-to-millions-globally-because-of-a-funding-crisis/ | 2023-07-29T13:02:24 | 1 | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-un-says-its-forced-to-cut-food-aid-to-millions-globally-because-of-a-funding-crisis/ |
ROLLING FORK, Miss. (AP) — Streams of air whirled by Ida Cartlidge in every direction, but she couldn’t breathe.
Between the thin walls and above the shaky foundation of a mobile home, Cartlidge, 32, miraculously survived a March tornado that carved a path of destruction through Rolling Fork, Mississippi. Mobile home residents in the path of a twister’s fury often don’t live to recount the experience.
“It sounded like a real loud train coming through,” Cartlidge said. “And I could feel the wind, it was so powerful you couldn’t even breathe while you were in the air.”
Cartlidge and her husband, Charles Jones, 59, had forged a quiet life in Rolling Fork with their three sons. She worked in customer service for an appliance company and Jones for a local auto parts shop. They viewed Rolling Fork as a refuge from city life and an ideal place to raise kids. The family lived in a mobile home park behind Chuck’s Dairy Bar, a diner that had long been a nexus of local life for Rolling Fork residents.
Then the tornado tore through the park, making it a point of misery.
Most of the 14 people who died in Rolling Fork when the March 24 tornado hit the Mississippi Delta lived in the mobile home park, with large families crowding into one or two-bedroom units. Such living arrangements have been a way to offset the financial strain endemic to the Mississippi Delta, where poverty is prevalent and stable jobs are scarce.
Tornadoes in the United States are disproportionately killing more people in mobile or manufactured homes, especially in the South. Since 1996, tornadoes have killed 815 people in mobile or manufactured homes. That’s 53% of all the people killed in their homes during a tornado, according to an Associated Press data analysis of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration tornado deaths.
Cramped living arrangements forced mobile home inhabitants to shelter just as they lived: with little space between them.
“The only thing I could tell them to do was get on the floor,” said Charles Jones, Cartlidge’s husband. “And I got on top. I got on top of my family.”
Just seconds before Cartlidge found herself burrowed beneath her husband on the mobile home’s living room floor, her father had called her. He had been watching the news and saw that a tornado had touched down in Rolling Fork.
Cartlidge heard car windows shattering outside. The home’s windows shattered next. She scooped up her 1-year-old son and dove to the floor, with her 11- and 12-year-old sons next to her and Jones atop them. They didn’t know the incoming winds had reached 200 mph (320 kph). The storm’s force was instead measured by the fear it induced.
“The only thing that’s holding a mobile home down are the little straps in the ground,” Cartlidge said. “It picked up the home one time, set it down. It picked it up again, set it down. It picked it up a third time, and we were in the air.”
Her future was suspended in the air alongside her home. “You don’t know what’s happening next, whether you’re going to live it through it or not,” she said.
The next thing Cartlidge remembers is lying with her back on the ground and the baby resting on her chest. He was the only member of the family who made it through the storm unscathed.
Her fear didn’t subside. “All you could hear were people screaming and hollering for help,” she recalled.
Cartlidge propped herself up with a piece of wood and walked to the highway. She could feel her bones shifting with every step.
She suffered a crushed pelvis bone and broken shoulder. One of her sons punctured a lung and had shattered bones in his spine and shoulder blade. Jones injured his ribs and spine.
Since returning from the hospital, the family has been living in a motel room only minutes down the highway from where their mobile home used to be. Rain storms still make Cartlidge and Jones anxious, as they experienced the raw force of twister first-hand.
“The tornado’s going to win every time,” Jones said. “It’s just like when a nail meets a tire.”
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Michael Goldberg is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mikergoldberg.
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Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-we-were-in-the-air-mississippi-family-recounts-surviving-tornado-that-tore-mobile-home-apart/ | 2023-07-29T13:02:31 | 1 | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-we-were-in-the-air-mississippi-family-recounts-surviving-tornado-that-tore-mobile-home-apart/ |
HOUSTON (AP) — Just moments before rap superstar Travis Scott took the stage at the deadly 2021 Astroworld festival, a contract worker had been so worried about what might happen after seeing people getting crushed that he texted an event organizer saying, “Someone’s going to end up dead,” according to a police report released Friday.
The texts by security contract worker Reece Wheeler were some of many examples in the nearly 1,300-page report in which festival workers highlighted problems and warned of possible deadly consequences. The report includes transcripts of concertgoers’ 911 calls and summaries of police interviews, including one with Scott conducted just days after the event.
The crowd surge at the Nov. 5, 2021, outdoor festival in Houston killed 10 attendees who ranged in age from 9 to 27. The official cause of death was compression asphyxia, which an expert likened to being crushed by a car. About 50,000 people attended the festival.
“Pull tons over the rail unconscious. There’s panic in people eyes. This could get worse quickly,” Reece Wheeler texted Shawna Boardman, one of the private security directors, at 9 p.m. Wheeler then texted, “I know they’ll try to fight through it but I would want it on the record that I didn’t advise this to continue. Someone’s going to end up dead.”
Scott’s concert began at 9:02 p.m. In their review of video from the concert’s livestream, police investigators said that at 9:13 p.m., they heard the faint sound of someone saying, “Stop the show.” The same request could also be heard at 9:16 p.m. and 9:22 p.m.
In an Aug. 19, 2022, police interview, Boardman’s attorneys told investigators that Boardman “saw things were not as bad as Reece Wheeler stated” and decided not to pass along Wheeler’s concerns to anyone else.
A grand jury declined to indict anyone who was investigated over the event, including Scott, Boardman and four other people.
During a police interview conducted two days after the concert, Scott told investigators that although he did see one person near the stage getting medical attention, overall the crowd seemed to be enjoying the show and he did not see any signs of serious problems.
“We asked if he at any point heard the crowd telling him to stop the show. He stated that if he had heard something like that he would have done something,” police said in their summary of Scott’s interview.
Hip-hop artist Drake, who performed with Scott at the concert, told police that it was difficult to see from the stage what was going on in the crowd and that he didn’t hear concertgoers’ pleas to stop the show.
Drake found out about the tragedy later that night from his manager, while learning more on social media, police said in their summary.
Marty Wallgren, who worked for a security consulting firm hired by the festival, told police that when he went backstage and tried to tell representatives for Scott and Drake that the concert needed to end because people had been hurt and might have died, he was told “Drake still has three more songs,” according to an interview summary.
Daniel Johary, a college student who got trapped in the crush of concertgoers and later used his skills working as an EMT in Israel to help an injured woman, told investigators hundreds of people had chanted for Scott to stop the music and that the chants could be heard “from everywhere.”
“He stated staff members in the area gave thumbs-up and did not care,” according to the police report.
Richard Rickeada, a retired Houston police officer who was working for a private security company at the festival, told investigators that from 8 a.m. the day of the concert, things were “pretty much in chaos,” according to a police summary of his interview. His concerns and questions about whether the concert should be held were “met with a lot of shrugged shoulders,” he said.
About 23 minutes into the concert, cameraman Gregory Hoffman radioed into the show’s production trailer to warn that “people were dying.” Hoffman was operating a large crane that held a television camera before it was overrun with concertgoers who needed medical help, police said.
The production team radioed Hoffman to ask when they could get the crane back in operation.
Salvatore Livia, who was hired to direct the live show, told police that following Hoffman’s dire warning, people in the production trailer understood that something was not right, but “they were disconnected to the reality of (what) was happening out there,” according to a police summary of Livia’s interview.
Concertgoer Christopher Gates, then 22, told police that by the second or third song in Scott’s performance, he came across about five people on the ground who he believed were already dead.
Their bodies were “lifeless, pale, and their lips were blue/purple,” according to the police report. Random people in the crowd – not medics – provided CPR.
The police report was released about a month after the grand jury in Houston declined to indict Scott on any criminal charges in connection with the deadly concert. Police Chief Troy Finner had said the report was being made public so that people could “read the entire investigation” and come to their own conclusions about the case. During a news conference after the grand jury’s decision, Finner declined to say what the overall conclusion of his agency’s investigation was or whether police should have stopped the concert sooner.
The report’s release also came the same day that Scott released his new album, “Utopia.”
More than 500 lawsuits were filed over the deaths and injuries at the concert, including many against concert promoter Live Nation and Scott. Some have since been settled.
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Finley reported from Norfolk, Virginia.
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Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70
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Find more AP coverage of the Astroworld festival: https://apnews.com/hub/astroworld-festival-deaths | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-worker-warned-organizer-someones-going-to-end-up-dead-before-crowd-surge-at-21-travis-scott-show/ | 2023-07-29T13:02:38 | 1 | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-worker-warned-organizer-someones-going-to-end-up-dead-before-crowd-surge-at-21-travis-scott-show/ |
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.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-x-logo-installed-atop-twitter-building-spurring-san-francisco-to-investigate-permit-violation/ | 2023-07-29T13:02:46 | 0 | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ap-x-logo-installed-atop-twitter-building-spurring-san-francisco-to-investigate-permit-violation/ |
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://www.pahomepage.com/automotive/internet-brands/2023-f1-belgian-grand-prix-preview/ | 2023-07-29T13:02:48 | 0 | https://www.pahomepage.com/automotive/internet-brands/2023-f1-belgian-grand-prix-preview/ |
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.wric.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/shirts-tops-br/amazon-has-barbie-fever-too-and-the-fashion-deals-to-prove-it/ | 2023-07-29T13:02:52 | 0 | https://www.wric.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/shirts-tops-br/amazon-has-barbie-fever-too-and-the-fashion-deals-to-prove-it/ |
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://www.pahomepage.com/automotive/internet-brands/lamborghini-revuelto-already-sold-out-for-next-2-years/ | 2023-07-29T13:02:56 | 0 | https://www.pahomepage.com/automotive/internet-brands/lamborghini-revuelto-already-sold-out-for-next-2-years/ |
A large explosion at a fireworks warehouse in Thailand kills at least 9 people and wounds scores
BANGKOK (AP) — A large explosion at a fireworks warehouse in southern Thailand on Saturday killed at least nine people and wounded scores, officials said.
The governor of the province of Narathiwas, Sanan Pongaksorn, told public broadcaster Thai PBS that also at least 115 people were hurt, and that many were in serious condition. He said about 500 to 800 people who live nearby may have to be moved to a temporary shelter. He did not elaborate.
Videos posted on social media from the site show a huge plume of smoke over the area and many damaged structures, cars and motorbikes, as well as streets covered with debris. Many of the houses and other buildings have collapsed roofs and walls.
About 100 residences in the area were also damaged, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.
Sanan, the local governor, said the blast was likely ignited by construction work that was taking place in the warehouse, with flares from metal welding causing the fireworks stored inside to catch fire and explode.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/a-large-explosion-at-a-fireworks-warehouse-in-thailand-kills-at-least-9-people-and-wounds-scores/ | 2023-07-29T13:02:59 | 1 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/a-large-explosion-at-a-fireworks-warehouse-in-thailand-kills-at-least-9-people-and-wounds-scores/ |
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.wric.com/reviews/br/bed-bath-br/bedding-br/these-mattress-toppers-make-upgrading-your-bedroom-easy-and-inexpensive/ | 2023-07-29T13:02:59 | 0 | https://www.wric.com/reviews/br/bed-bath-br/bedding-br/these-mattress-toppers-make-upgrading-your-bedroom-easy-and-inexpensive/ |
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://www.pahomepage.com/automotive/internet-brands/mercedes-updates-v-class-ahead-of-dedicated-ev-successors-arrival/ | 2023-07-29T13:03:03 | 0 | https://www.pahomepage.com/automotive/internet-brands/mercedes-updates-v-class-ahead-of-dedicated-ev-successors-arrival/ |
With one eye on China, Japan backs Sri Lanka as a partner in the Indo-Pacific
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said Saturday that Sri Lanka is a key partner in a Tokyo-led initiative aimed at building security and economic cooperation around the Indo-Pacific but also at countering an increasingly assertive China.
Sri Lanka, strategically located in the Indian Ocean, is integral to realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific, Hayashi said. He was speaking after a meeting with his Sri Lankan counterpart, Ali Sabry, in the capital, Colombo.
The initiative, announced by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in March includes Japan’s assistance to emerging economies, support for maritime security, a provision of coast guard patrol boats and equipment and other infrastructure cooperation.
Last year Sri Lanka, which owed $51 billion in foreign debt, became the first Asia-Pacific country since the late 1990s to default, sparking an economic crisis.
While Japan is Sri Lanka’s largest creditor, about 10% of its debt is held by China, which lent Colombo billions to build sea ports, airports and power plants as part of its Belt and Road Initiative. In March, China agreed to offer Sri Lanka a two-year moratorium on loan repayments.
Hayashi said that he conveyed expectations for further progress in Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring process. He welcomed Sri Lanka’s efforts under an agreement with the International Monetary Fund, which includes anti-corruption measures and transparency in the policy-making process.
Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Sabry said that he, along with Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, invited Japan to resume investment projects already in the pipeline and to consider fresh investments in sectors such as power generation, ports and highways, and dedicated investment zones, as well as in the green and digital economy.
Over many decades, Japan became one of Sri Lanka’s key donors, carrying out key projects under concessionary terms. However, relations between the two countries came under strain after Wickremesinghe’s predecessor Gotabaya Rajapaksa unilaterally scrapped a Japan-funded light railway project following his election in 2019.
Sri Lanka’s Cabinet has already approved a proposal to restart the railway project.
Rajapaksa was forced to resign in July 2022 amid angry public protects over the country’s worst economic crisis.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/with-one-eye-on-china-japan-backs-sri-lanka-as-a-partner-in-the-indo-pacific/ | 2023-07-29T13:03:04 | 0 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/with-one-eye-on-china-japan-backs-sri-lanka-as-a-partner-in-the-indo-pacific/ |
Do you believe in angels? About 7 in 10 U.S. adults do, a new AP-NORC poll shows
Compared with the devil, angels carry more credence in America.
Angels even get more credence than, well, hell. More than astrology, reincarnation, and the belief that physical things can have spiritual energies.
In fact, about 7 in 10 U.S. adults say they believe in angels, according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
“People are yearning for something greater than themselves — beyond their own understanding,” said Jack Grogger, a chaplain for the Los Angeles Angels and a longtime Southern California fire captain who has aided many people in their gravest moments.
That search for something bigger, he said, can take on many forms, from following a religion to crafting a self-driven purpose to believing in, of course, angels.
“For a lot of people, angels are a lot safer to worship,” said Grogger, who also pastors a nondenominational church in Orange, California, and is a chaplain for the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks.
People turn to angels for comfort, he said. They are familiar, regularly showing up in pop culture as well as in the Bible. Comparably, worshipping Jesus is far more involved; when Grogger preaches about angels it is with the context that they are part of God’s kingdom.
American’s belief in angels (69%) is about on par with belief in heaven and the power of prayer, but bested by belief in God or a higher power (79%). Fewer U.S. adults believe in the devil or Satan (56%), astrology (34%), reincarnation (34%), and that physical things can have spiritual energies, such as plants, rivers or crystals (42%).
The widespread acceptance of angels shown in the AP-NORC poll makes sense to Susan Garrett, an angel expert and New Testament professor at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Kentucky. It tracks with historical surveys, she said, adding that the U.S. remains a faith-filled country even as more Americans reject organized religion.
But if the devil is in the details, so are people’s understandings of angels.
“They’re very malleable,” Garrett said of angels. “You can have any one of a number of quite different worldviews in terms of your understanding of how the cosmos is arranged, whether there’s spirit beings, whether there’s life after death, whether there’s a God … and still find a place for angels in that worldview.”
Talk of angels, Garrett said, is often also about something else, like the ways God interacts with the world and other hard-to-articulate ideas.
The large number of U.S. adults who say they believe in angels includes 84% of those with a religious affiliation — 94% of evangelical Protestants, 81% of mainline Protestants and 82% of Catholics — and 33% of those without one. And of those angel-believing religiously unaffiliated, that includes 2% of atheists, 25% of agnostics and 50% of those identified as “nothing in particular.”
The broad acceptance is what fascinates San Francisco-based witch and author Devin Hunter: Angels show up independently in different religions and traditions, making them part of the fabric that unites humanity.
“We’re all getting to the same conclusion,” said Hunter, who spent 16 years as a professional medium, and started communicating as a child with what he believed were angels.
Hunter estimates that a belief in angels applies to about half of those practicing modern witchcraft today, and for some who don’t believe, their rejection is often rooted in the religious trauma they experienced growing up.
“Angels become a very big deal” for long-time practitioners who’ve made occultism their primary focus, said Hunter, an angel-loving occultist. “We cannot escape them in any way, shape or form.”
Jennifer Goodwin of Oviedo, Florida, also is among the roughly seven in 10 U.S. adults who say they believe in angels. She isn’t sure if God exists and rejects the afterlife dichotomy of heaven and hell, but the recent deaths of her parents solidified her views on these celestial beings.
Goodwin believes her parents are still keeping an eye on the family — not in any physical way or as a supernatural apparition, but that they manifest in those moments when she feels a general sense of comfort.
“I think that they are around us, but it’s in a way that we can’t understand,” Goodwin said. “I don’t know what else to call it except an angel.”
Angels mean different things to different people, and the idea of loved ones becoming heavenly angels after death is neither an unusual belief nor a universally held one.
In his reading of Scripture as an evangelical Protestant, Grogger said he believes angels are something else entirely — they have never been human and are on another level in heaven’s hierarchy. “We are higher than angels,” he said. “We do not become an angel.”
Angels do interact with humans though, said Grogger, but what “that looks like we’re not 100% sure.” They worship God who created this angelic legion of unknown numbers, he said, adding that evangelicals often attribute the demonic forces in the world to the angels who fell from heaven when the devil rebelled.
The Western ideas about angels can be traced through the Bible — and to the worldviews of its monotheistic authors, Garrett said. Those beliefs have changed and developed for millennia, influenced by cultures, theologians and even the ancient polytheistic beliefs that came before the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, she said.
“There are sort of lines of continuity from the Bible that you can trace all the way up to the New Age movement,” said Susan Garrett, who wrote “No Ordinary Angel: Celestial Spirits and Christian Claims about Jesus.”
The angels in the Bible do God’s bidding, and angelic violence is one part of their job description, said Esther Hamori, author of the upcoming book, “God’s Monsters: Vengeful Spirits, Deadly Angels, Hybrid Creatures, and Divine Hitmen of the Bible.”
“The angels of the Bible are just as likely to assassinate individuals and slaughter entire populations as they are to offer help and protect and deliver,” said Hamori. She doesn’t believe in these angels, but studies them as a Hebrew Bible professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York where she teaches a popular “Monster Heaven” class.
“They’re just God’s obedient soldiers doing the task at hand, and sometimes that task is in human beings’ best interests, and sometimes it’s not,” she said.
The perception that angels act angelic and look like the idyllic, winged figurines atop Christmas trees could be attributed to an early centuries belief that people are assigned one good angel and one bad — or have a good and bad spirit to guide them, Garrett said.
This idea shows up on the shoulders of cartoon characters and is likely what Abraham Lincoln was alluding to in his famous appeal for unity when he referenced “the better angels of our nature” in his first inaugural address, she said.
“It’s also tied in with ideas about guardian angels, which again, very ancient views that got developed over the centuries,” Garrett said.
For Sheila Avery of Chicago, angels are protectors, capable of keeping someone from harm. Avery, who belongs to a nondenominational church, credits them with those moments like when a person’s plans fall through, but ultimately it saves them from being in the thick of an unexpected disaster.
“They turn on the news and a terrible tragedy happened at that particular place,” Avery said, suggesting it was an “angel that was probably watching over them.”
___
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/us-world-news/do-you-believe-in-angels-about-7-in-10-u-s-adults-do-a-new-ap-norc-poll-shows/ | 2023-07-29T13:03:05 | 1 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/us-world-news/do-you-believe-in-angels-about-7-in-10-u-s-adults-do-a-new-ap-norc-poll-shows/ |
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.wric.com/reviews/br/education-br/homeschooling-br/back-to-school-on-a-budget-check-off-your-school-supply-list-with-these-affordable-essentials/ | 2023-07-29T13:03:06 | 0 | https://www.wric.com/reviews/br/education-br/homeschooling-br/back-to-school-on-a-budget-check-off-your-school-supply-list-with-these-affordable-essentials/ |
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://www.pahomepage.com/automotive/internet-brands/porsche-hints-a-future-ev-may-utilize-400-kw-fast-charging/ | 2023-07-29T13:03:10 | 1 | https://www.pahomepage.com/automotive/internet-brands/porsche-hints-a-future-ev-may-utilize-400-kw-fast-charging/ |
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.wric.com/reviews/br/education-br/test-prep-br/back-to-school-2022-these-retailers-are-offering-deep-discounts-on-clothing-and-supplies/ | 2023-07-29T13:03:13 | 1 | https://www.wric.com/reviews/br/education-br/test-prep-br/back-to-school-2022-these-retailers-are-offering-deep-discounts-on-clothing-and-supplies/ |
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.wric.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/gaming-accessories-br/how-to-pre-order-the-spider-man-2-ps5-and-accessories/ | 2023-07-29T13:03:21 | 0 | https://www.wric.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/gaming-accessories-br/how-to-pre-order-the-spider-man-2-ps5-and-accessories/ |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two weeks into the the actors strike, Max Greenfield is urging the studios and their CEOs to return to the bargaining table.
“Be the heroes, come to the table, make a deal,” said Greenfield, who co-stars in the CBS sitcom “The Neighborhood.” “My hope is these guys get organized and have a real conversation with both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA so that we can get to a resolution,” he said, referencing the unions for the writers and actors, respectively.
Greenfield spoke at a charity ping pong event at Dodger Stadium on Thursday night, joined by his co-star Cedric the Entertainer.
“We struck because our deal was up and it’s time to adjust to what has changed in the business. To make a minor adjustment feels disproportionate to what has obviously changed in a massive, massive way,” Greenfield said. “Until we feel like we’re getting fair compensation and we feel like we’re protected, this is going to continue to go on.”
Bryan Cranston, who had fiery words for Disney CEO Bob Iger at a New York rally on Tuesday, acknowledged things are “going very, very slowly.”
“Until we’re able to get back to the table, which we are more than willing to do and we’ve told them so, we want to keep talking through this strike,” he said. “We want to end this as soon as possible.”
On July 14, actors joined striking screenwriters who walked out in May. The stoppage has shuttered nearly all film and television production.
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Writers Guild of America are striking for fair pay and protections involving the use of artificial intelligence, among other issues.
There has reportedly been no negotiating between the unions and the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers since shortly after the actors hit the picket lines.
“I think when people realize that the artists are the people that are making this and nothing is going to get made without the actors and the writers, maybe that will force a little more flexibility in the negotiations,” Oscar-winning actor Casey Affleck said.
Actor and entrepreneur Danny Trejo urged the studios to look beyond Hollywood’s highest-paid actors and consider the financial plight of those working behind the scenes.
“One of the problems is people on top are making a lot of money right now and they don’t want to share,” he said. “We’ve got people that are in SAG that can’t even afford to live in LA. It’s like, wait a minute guys, we got to just be fair.
“Figure if one of your kids was trying to get into the movies and was working as an extra or just made it into SAG, they couldn’t live in LA,” Trejo said, imagining the offspring of a Hollywood CEO. “Oh no wait, yes they could. They could live in Beverly (expletive) Hills with you, punk.”
Trejo filed for Chapter 11 reorganization bankruptcy earlier this year and owes over $2 million in back taxes to the IRS, according to a report by KABC-TV.
“I make good money, but right now I’m buried in taxes, so I have to work that out,” he said. “This strike is killing me. I can’t pay what I’m supposed to be paying for my taxes, so man, imagine the guy that’s making $18 an hour and not working all the time.”
Actor Holly Robinson-Peete, a SAG member since 1977, said it’s important for the actors’ union to communicate the economic issues behind the strike.
“We’re not just a bunch of spoiled people that want more and we’re greedy,” she said. “The majority of our union are people who are not working very often, can’t really make a living at this. It’s going to take an incredible amount of patience and messaging, and we just got to stick to it.” | https://www.pahomepage.com/entertainment-news/ap-actor-max-greenfield-urges-studio-ceos-to-be-the-heroes-and-make-a-deal-in-hollywood-strikes/ | 2023-07-29T13:03:24 | 1 | https://www.pahomepage.com/entertainment-news/ap-actor-max-greenfield-urges-studio-ceos-to-be-the-heroes-and-make-a-deal-in-hollywood-strikes/ |
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.wric.com/reviews/br/home-br/vacuums-br/roomba-i3-evo-vs-i7-which-is-best-for-you/ | 2023-07-29T13:03:28 | 1 | https://www.wric.com/reviews/br/home-br/vacuums-br/roomba-i3-evo-vs-i7-which-is-best-for-you/ |
DALLAS (AP) — The combat boots and dog tags Alan Alda wore while playing the wisecracking surgeon Hawkeye on the beloved television series “M-A-S-H” sold at auction Friday for $125,000.
Alda held onto the boots and dog tags for more than 40 years after the show ended but decided to sell them through Heritage Auctions in Dallas to raise money for his center dedicated to helping scientists and doctors communicate better.
The buyer’s name wasn’t released.
Alda, 87, said he wore the boots and dog tags for the 11-season run of the show about a Korean War medical unit. His character, Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce, was a talented surgeon who helped ease the stress of working in a war zone with quips and practical jokes. The show’s final episode, which aired in 1983 and was written and directed by Alda, was the most watched TV show in U.S. history.
The boots and dog tags, given to him by the costume department, “made an impression on me every day that we shot the show,” said Alda, who won five Emmys for his work on the sitcom.
Alda said auctioning off the dog tags and boots now made sense. “I saw this as a chance to put them to work again,” he said.
The money raised from the auction will go to the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University in New York, which aims to help scientists and doctors communicate better through the use of improvisational exercises and other strategies.
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Associated Press writer Ken Miller in Oklahoma City contributed to this report. | https://www.pahomepage.com/entertainment-news/ap-boots-and-dog-tags-alan-alda-wore-on-m-a-s-h-sell-at-auction-for-125000-that-will-go-to-charity/ | 2023-07-29T13:03:31 | 0 | https://www.pahomepage.com/entertainment-news/ap-boots-and-dog-tags-alan-alda-wore-on-m-a-s-h-sell-at-auction-for-125000-that-will-go-to-charity/ |
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.wric.com/reviews/br/home-br/vacuums-br/we-tested-10-roombas-in-3-days-heres-what-we-learned/ | 2023-07-29T13:03:36 | 0 | https://www.wric.com/reviews/br/home-br/vacuums-br/we-tested-10-roombas-in-3-days-heres-what-we-learned/ |
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A judge in Florida on Friday refused to dismiss a lawsuit brought by Gov. Ron DeSantis appointees against Disney’s efforts to neutralize the governor’s takeover of Disney World’s governing district.
The judge in state court in Orlando denied Disney’s motion in the lawsuit that says the company wrongly stripped appointees of powers over design and construction at Disney World when it made agreements with predecessors, who were supporters.
The case is one of two lawsuits stemming from the takeover, which was retaliation for the company’s public opposition to the so-called Don’t Say Gay legislation championed by DeSantis and Republican lawmakers. In the other lawsuit, in federal court in Tallahassee, Disney says DeSantis violated the company’s free speech rights.
The governor has touted his yearlong feud with Disney in his run for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, often accusing the entertainment giant of being too “woke.” Disney has accused the governor of violating its First Amendment rights.
Attorneys for Disney had argued that any decision in state court would be moot since the Republican-controlled Legislature already has passed a law voiding agreements that the company made with a prior governing board made up of Disney supporters that gave design and construction powers to the company.
The entertainment giant had asked that the state court case be put on hold if it’s not dismissed until the federal lawsuit in Tallahassee was resolved since they covered the same ground and that lawsuit was filed first.
In that case, Disney sued DeSantis and his appointees to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District in an effort to stop the takeover, saying the governor was violating the company’s free speech and “weaponizing the power of government to punish private business.”
DeSantis wasn’t a party in the state court lawsuit.
The fight between DeSantis and Disney began last year after the company, facing significant pressure internally and externally, publicly opposed a state law banning classroom lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades, a policy critics call “Don’t Say Gay.”
As punishment, DeSantis took over the district through legislation passed by Florida lawmakers and appointed a new board of supervisors to oversee municipal services for the sprawling theme parks and hotels. But before the new board came in, the company made agreements with previous oversight board members who were Disney supporters that stripped the new supervisors of their authority over design and construction.
In response, DeSantis and Florida lawmakers passed the legislation that repealed those agreements.
Disney announced in May that it was scrapping plans to build a new campus in central Florida and relocate 2,000 employees from Southern California to work in digital technology, finance and product development. Disney had planned to build the campus about 20 miles (30 kilometers) from the giant Walt Disney World theme park resort.
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Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at @MikeSchneiderAP | https://www.pahomepage.com/entertainment-news/ap-judge-refuses-to-dismiss-lawsuit-against-disneys-efforts-to-neutralize-governing-district-takeover/ | 2023-07-29T13:03:38 | 1 | https://www.pahomepage.com/entertainment-news/ap-judge-refuses-to-dismiss-lawsuit-against-disneys-efforts-to-neutralize-governing-district-takeover/ |
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — The troubled brother of the late NFL player Aaron Hernandez was charged Friday, now in federal court, with new counts of threatening and stalking after authorities say he threatened to shoot up the University of Connecticut and kill three people in another state.
Dennis Hernandez was ordered to be held in custody after his appearance in the court in Hartford. A message seeking comment was sent Friday night to his attorney.
The new charges came days after it emerged that Hernandez was arrested July 18 on state charges after police said he threatened to kill officers and then urged them to shoot him at his home in Bristol. Officers had gone there after two people close to him raised concerns about his mental health, police said.
The arrest report said the 37-year-old had sent threatening messages, including ones about carrying out a shooting at UConn. He was a Huskies quarterback and wide receiver who went by DJ Hernandez in the mid-2000s.
Court filings in the new federal case include the same messages. Some say the writer is struggling financially, is frustrated at seeing other people get hired as coaches, feels owed by UConn, is planning on “taking down everything” and doesn’t care “who gets caught in the crossfire.”
“I’ve died for years now and now its others peoples turn,” read a July 7 message sent to a woman in Hernandez’s life. It followed a message the day before that warned: “UConn’s gonna see how accurate I am too with my targets.”
Hernandez told another person that he drove July 7 to UConn’s campus in Storrs and to Brown University, in Providence, Rhode Island, where he coached quarterbacks during the 2010-11 season, according to court papers.
He had been due in state court that day on another case stemming from allegations that he threw a bag containing a brick and a note over a fence and onto ESPN’s property in Bristol.
UConn police confirmed that a vehicle linked to Hernandez was on campus that day. Brown has said that its investigation didn’t indicate Hernandez had been on campus in recent weeks.
Hernandez is due back in state court Tuesday and in federal court Aug. 11.
His younger brother, former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, killed himself in 2017 while serving a murder sentence. | https://www.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-aaron-hernandezs-brother-now-facing-federal-charges-over-alleged-threatening-messages/ | 2023-07-29T13:03:43 | 1 | https://www.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-aaron-hernandezs-brother-now-facing-federal-charges-over-alleged-threatening-messages/ |
The 75th Emmy Awards are the latest production to be put on pause due to the Hollywood strikes and will not air as planned in September.
A person familiar with the postponement plans but not authorized to speak publicly pending an official announcement confirmed the delay Friday. No information about a new date was immediately available.
The Emmy Awards were scheduled to be broadcast on Fox on Sept. 18. Rules laid out by the actors’ union, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, say stars cannot campaign for the Emmys or attend awards shows while on strike.
Writers are also not permitted to work on awards shows until the strike ends.
Whenever the next Emmy Awards are held, HBO will walk in as the leading contender. The network is up for 74 awards for three of its top shows: “ Succession,” “The White Lotus” and “The Last of Us.”
“Ted Lasso” has the most comedy category nominations with 21, including best comedy series and best actor for Jason Sudeikis.
Roughly 65,000 SAG-AFTRA actors and 11,500 Writers Guild of America screenwriters are on strike, calling for better pay, structure with residual payments and protection from the use of artificial intelligence. | https://www.pahomepage.com/entertainment-news/ap-the-emmy-awards-are-postponed-due-to-the-hollywood-actors-and-writers-strike-source-says/ | 2023-07-29T13:03:45 | 0 | https://www.pahomepage.com/entertainment-news/ap-the-emmy-awards-are-postponed-due-to-the-hollywood-actors-and-writers-strike-source-says/ |
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 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 Yankees lost 1-0 to the Orioles on Anthony Santander’s ninth-inning homer. Judge lined out to right field on the first pitch he saw in the top of the first. Then he walked his next three times up.
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. In the eighth inning Friday, he appeared to foul a pitch off his foot, but it was his left one.
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 was 19-23 since Judge got hurt in Los Angeles. After Friday’s loss, the Yankees are 30-20 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 .290 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 before the game. “So we’ll have to pitch to him well.”
Baltimore has a 1 1/2-game lead in the AL East over Tampa Bay. The Yankees are five games over .500 but at the bottom of the ultracompetitive division. New York is nine games behind the Orioles and 3 1/2 behind the Toronto Blue Jays and Houston Astros for the American League’s final two wild cards.
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.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-aaron-judge-comes-off-injured-list-before-yankees-open-series-at-baltimore/ | 2023-07-29T13:03:50 | 1 | https://www.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-aaron-judge-comes-off-injured-list-before-yankees-open-series-at-baltimore/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Rapper Travis Scott has released “Utopia,” his first album in five years and his first major release since 10 people died at his 2021 Astroworld music festival.
The star-studded 19-track “Utopia” features Beyoncé, SZA, Drake, Sampha, Young Thug, Playboi Carti, Daft Punk’s Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, Future, Bon Iver, James Blake, Kid Cudi, 21 Savage, and many more.
The LP, Scott’s fourth full-length, was originally announced back in 2020 and follows 2018’s “Astroworld.” In November 2019, 10 people died as a result of compression asphyxia during a massive crowd surge during Scott’s Astroworld festival. A grand jury declined to file charges against Scott earlier this year.
Also Friday, Houston police released files that showed that some workers were concerned about the crowd conditions at the show. The 1,300-page report also included a summary of an interview with Scott in which he said he did not hear calls from the crowd to stop the show.
The first track from the album, the popetón -adjacent “K-pop”, was released on July 21 and features the Weeknd and Bad Bunny. The release spans genres — an eclectic mix of autotune ambient ballads (“My Eyes”), ferocious bars (“Looove”), futuristic trap (“Lost Forever,” Telekinesis”), and beyond.
In addition to the album, Scott hosted a one-night-only release of his feature film, “Circus Maximus” at select theaters on Thursday night.
“Utopia” was originally scheduled to be celebrated with a livestreamed concert at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, but was canceled due to “complex production issues,” Live Nation said in a statement. | https://www.pahomepage.com/entertainment-news/ap-travis-scott-drops-utopia-his-first-album-since-the-astroworld-festival-tragedy/ | 2023-07-29T13:03:53 | 0 | https://www.pahomepage.com/entertainment-news/ap-travis-scott-drops-utopia-his-first-album-since-the-astroworld-festival-tragedy/ |
You don't expect to walk into one of the world's great art museums and hear car horns honking.
It's a soundtrack for New Photography 2023, an ambitious new exhibit of 151 works at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) that seeks to capture the essence of Lagos, Nigeria, the bustling home to upward of 17 million people.
The exhibit, which runs through September 16, is notable for other reasons. With seven photographers represented, the exhibit marks the first time MoMA has presented a group show by living West African photographers. And it's the launch of an ongoing series of exhibits that MoMa says will focus on "specific art scenes across the globe."
Oluremi C. Onabanjo, associate curator of MoMA's department of photography, who organized the show with the assistance of curatorial fellow Kaitlin Booher, welcomes the shift to international perspectives. "Lagos until now hasn't had a home at MoMA. Why not let this be the moment of encounter?"
What you'll encounter is a compelling collage of a massive cityscape whose clogged congestive sprawl co-exists with serene waterscapes and beaches, where ultra-modern skyscrapers tower over the abandoned buildings and artifacts of the colonial past — and where as many protesters as pedestrians sometimes fill the streets.
These contrasting photos create a conversation in the three galleries. In the first gallery, for instance, the gritty, vibrant black-and-white photos of Logo Oluwamuyiwa lining one wall are pitted against Amanda Iheme's colorful photos of colonial-era buildings in decay.
Oluwamuyiwa's "Monochrome Lagos" series shows how vibrant Lagos is – and how cameras and cellphones are everywhere. One of the first images a visitor sees is iPhone, in which a stylishly dressed young woman reluctantly raises her eyes from her cell phone to meet the gaze of the photographer.
Like the sounds of honking horns that boom through the gallery, many of the photos display a cacophony of heavily trafficked streets and bridges, flowing water, hazy smoke from a nearby fire, people of all ages and classes.
There are two stacks of large-sized prints for visitors to take home as souvenirs: one a wide-angle shot of a highway bridge so uncharacteristically empty one wonders if it has been abandoned, the other a super-close-up of the back of a bus bearing a poster declaring "Lagos Hosts the World."
By contrast to Oluwamjhkwa's bustling modern urban scenes, Iheme in her series "The Way of Life explores the past that remains embedded in the present. Her large color photos portray older buildings that have fallen into states of decay and abandonment. In addition to her focus on their current neglect, the buildings she depicts share a common origin, dating to Nigeria's years under British rule, from 1851 to the country's independence in 1960.
"She is attuned to how the houses hold the traces of history and the impact of history on our beings," Onanbanjo comments. The most intriguing photo focuses on a single brownish-red brick, which Iheme, who is a psychotherapist in addition to a photograher, herself recovered from an 1846 house as it was being torn down. It had been built for an Afro-Brazilian slave-trading family and was later refitted for use as a post office, restaurant and bar.
Another photo captures shadowy stairs inside an abandoned building, a scene that evokes shadows lurking from the past. In yet another, pedestrians in Western and traditional African dress walk side by side down a street whose pavement is in visible disrepair. She also shows a sense of humor in her depiction of a grand pink building with no evidence of anyone living there 00 but with laundry drying on the outside hedges.
The next gallery emphasizes the sensual beauty of the city. In his finely detailed black-and-white series, "Sea Never Dry," Akinbode Akinbiyi conjures the sense of an unending ebb and flow of life in Lagos, which is located on a lagoon and consists of several islands famed for their beaches. Onabanjo describes this series as "photographic constellations of people, animals, and objects" found at Bar Beach on Victoria Island in Lagos. Among the most striking is a woman dressed all in white, holding a book (perhaps a Bible) as she strides alone by the surf's edge, a place where the foam from the sea and the gritty grains of sand blend one into the other.
On display nearby is what Onabanjo calls "the spectral spine of the exhibit," a series of collages that artist Abraham Oghobase, calls "Constructed Realities." The photographer juxtaposes blurrily reconfigured archival images of local African and colonial figures with legal documents and lawbook pages that spell out the racist basis of imperial rule.
The second work in the set, shows Ọba Ọvonramwen, the last king who ruled the independent Benin Kingdom, in 1897, as the British rulers to whom he has just surrendered prepare to send him into exile. "He was humiliated. You could see the leg chains, you could see the security guards," the photographer notes on the MoMA website. Oghobase uses the same historic image of Ọba Ọvonramwen in another piece in the series, but here, he says, "I've scaled it down to the point that you can't even see the leg chains ... I cut things up, scan them, digitally crop them" in order to tell the story from an African point of view.
The exhibit's final gallery further illuminates the interplay between the city's fading past and vibrant political present. Nostalgia and memory from the early decades of Nigerian independence are the dominant themes of "Casing History" by Kelani Abass and "The Archive of Becoming" by Karl Ohiri.
Abass repurposes the tools of his late father's printing trade: Thin wooden letter press cases, whose compartments were commonly used to sort out printers' letters. Abass transforms them into display cases for snapshots from the 1960s and 1970s documenting all manner of life, work and educational celebrations and milestones of people of different ages and generations. Time itself has aged the photos, giving them different shades and tints of yellow and sepia. Mixed together this way, the cases and images form a kaleidoscopic landscape of the early years of Nigerian independence, notes Onanbanjo.
Ohiri call his collage of old negatives and prints, collected from commercial photographers, "The Archive of Becoming" — a reference to the often psychedelic colors and transformations wrought by heat, humidity and time. "They are also unbelievably striking, strange, beautiful, swirling, unexpected pictures," says Onabanjo.
Ohiri's two-pronged video, "Rolling Footage" also offers a social critique, in its depiction of a Lagos community of the homeless and the disabled who are forced to construct their own makeshift vehicles — in this case, a skateboar, which is also on display — to navigate the congested streets of an indifferent-seeming city.
The exhibit closes with the photos of photojournalist Yagazie Emezi documenting Nigeria's October 2020 country-wide protest of the police brutality of the country's Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). These photos document her own participation in the protests and contain "extraordinary power. They show the anger, joy and celebration inside a political movement feels like," says Onanbanjo.
In these photos, Emezi has said, "It's like the crowd breathes in and out." In the same way, visitors to the show can see, feel and hear the breath and pulse of the city of Lagos.
Diane Cole writes for many publications, including The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, and is book columnist for The Psychotherapy Networker. She is the author of the memoir After Great Pain: A New Life Emerges. Her website is DianeJoyceCole.com.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.kasu.org/health-science/2023-07-29/unusual-photos-at-moma-conjure-the-beaches-bustle-and-history-of-nigerias-capital | 2023-07-29T13:03:55 | 0 | https://www.kasu.org/health-science/2023-07-29/unusual-photos-at-moma-conjure-the-beaches-bustle-and-history-of-nigerias-capital |
The third annual Williston Basin Airshow is set to takeoff on August 19 at the Williston Basin Airport.
There will be no shortage of performers as this event continues to grow each year with high-profile acts such as Kent Pietsch in his Jelly Bean airplanes. Pietsch's shows include aerobatic stunts featuring airplanes that lose parts, engines that quit in mid-flight and landing onto runways mounted on moving vehicles. Pietsch was also recently inducted into the Airshow Hall of Fame and will be back to Williston for the second time in three years.
Melissa Burns will be in the sky and in 2006 became the youngest female member of the United States Unlimited Aerobatic Team in history, at 22 years old. She placed third overall in the 2015 World Aerobatic Championships and was named the Fasted Woman in the World at the World Champion Wingsuit B.A.S.E. Jumping Race in Norway in 2015.
Skip Stewart flies an aircraft nicknamed Prometheus, which started life as a Pitts S-2S. A recipient of the 2013 Bill Barber Award for Showmanship and the 2015 Art Scholl Award, Stewart will bring his show to Williston this August.
Michael Lents is a hometown pilot. Lents is an assistant professor of aviation at the University of North Dakota. Lents has over 2,500 hours instructing students in spin recoveries and aerobatic flight and coaches the UND Aerobatic team, leading them to 10 National IAC Collegiate Championship titles. Lents was the top scoring pilot on the US Advanced Aerobatic team, finishing fifth in the world at the 2018 World Advanced Aerobatic Championships in Romania. In 2022, Lents was National Champion flying a Super Decathlon in the Intermediate category.
The Misty Blues skydiving team, an all female team since the 1980's, will be in Williston to thrill audiences.
Miss Mitchell, a fully restored B-25 will take show-goers up into their sky with its two Wright R-2600 engines that generate 1,700hp, for a price. At $495, you can experience the airshow like never before.
On the ground, you will get to see Hot Streak II, a jet powered truck. This 1957 Chevy pickup is equipped with two jet engines from a Navy T-2A Buckeye that puts out 12,500 pounds of thrust and reaches speeds over 350 mph.
All of this will be announced by none other than Danny "Hollywood" Clisham for the third straight year. Clisham has 60 years of airshow announcing experience and has landed him in the ICAS Hall of Fame.
Tickets to the show are available now at flywilliston.net/tickets.php. Gates open at 7 a.m., and close at 3 p.m. with flying scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. | https://www.willistonherald.com/news/airshow-to-take-place-august-19/article_73b7852a-2d4e-11ee-a0e9-5f07639fd976.html | 2023-07-29T13:03:55 | 1 | https://www.willistonherald.com/news/airshow-to-take-place-august-19/article_73b7852a-2d4e-11ee-a0e9-5f07639fd976.html |
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.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-beleaguered-pac-12-says-it-will-pursue-expansion-with-colorado-usc-and-ucla-all-leaving-next-year/ | 2023-07-29T13:03:57 | 0 | https://www.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-beleaguered-pac-12-says-it-will-pursue-expansion-with-colorado-usc-and-ucla-all-leaving-next-year/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — The entertainment publication Variety, under fire this week for an article it published about former CNN chief Jeff Zucker’s interest in his old employer, revised the piece on Friday to reflect some of the complaints about it.
None of its changes affected what was written about Zucker, however. He has called for the story to be retracted.
The article by Tatiana Siegel, which initially ran online Tuesday, depicted Zucker as badmouthing his successor at CNN, Chris Licht, while simultaneously trying to buy the news organization that fired him in early 2021. Licht’s unsuccessful run atop the struggling news network ended with his firing in May.
The dispute also points to the dangers inherent in the use of confidential sources by journalists. There are at least a dozen claims made in the story that Variety did not attribute to a named source that were denied on the record, either in the story or after publication, leaving it up to readers to decide who to believe.
“There used to be a time when Variety held its content and its reporters to a high standard of truth and facts in journalism, but those days are clearly over,” said Risa Heller, a spokeswoman for Zucker. “It is stunning to read a piece that is so patently and aggressively false. On numerous occasions, we made it clear to the reporter and her editors that they were planning to publish countless anecdotes and alleged incidents that never happened. They did so anyway. The piece is a total joke.”
Variety’s co-editor-in-chiefs, Cynthia Littleton and Ramin Setoodeh, said in a statement Friday that they have been carefully following the conversation about the story.
“The story was heavily vetted and deeply sourced,” they said. “Everyone included in the story was asked to comment and given the chance to respond. We stand by our reporting and our award-winning reporter.”
The piece is also critical of two reporters who have covered CNN, Tim Alberta of The Atlantic and Dylan Byers of Puck. Both of those news organizations complained of inaccuracies and, in the changes made on Friday, Variety added their specific denials.
Zucker’s team hasn’t sought to hide ill feelings toward Licht, but strongly denied he has tried to buy CNN.
The story begins with an anecdote about Zucker, “with tears in his eyes,” approaching David Zaslav in Miami Beach in March. Zaslav is CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, current owners of CNN, and Variety said Zucker complained that Licht was unfairly maligning him in the press. Zaslav wanted to know if Zucker was trying to assemble investors to buy CNN.
Byers, writing for Puck, said “multiple sources” said no such run-in at the Faena Hotel ever took place and Zucker’s spokeswoman said that anecdote wasn’t checked with them; Variety says it was.
The story outlines several specific efforts made by Zucker, or on his behalf, to convince investors to join him in buying CNN. The story includes his denials: “Any allegation or insinuation that Jeff has made any effort to purchase CNN is unequivocally false,” Heller said. Zucker is now head of a private equity firm, RedBird IMI.
At one point, Variety also floated the theory that a secret group of investors was using Zucker’s name without his knowledge to approach Warner Bros. Discovery about buying CNN.
In a June 4 article, The New York Times reported that Zucker was not in talks to buy CNN, although “he has told some associates he would be interested in acquiring the network” if it came up for sale one day, the newspaper said.
The Variety article “struck me as utterly implausible and sophomoric,” Byers wrote for Puck this week.
Variety’s piece called Byers “a former Zucker disciple at CNN who, by his own admission, wrote about Licht incessantly and even took a victory lap after his exit.” The piece described Byers as a writer of “Zucker fan fiction” and criticized him for a conflict of interest in not disclosing in any of his articles that Zucker once had discussions about funding Puck, an online subscription news service.
In its revision on Friday, Variety quoted Puck’s co-founder, Jon Kelly, saying the discussions with RedBird were not disclosed by Byers because “Dylan was intentionally unaware of them.”
For The Atlantic, Alberta wrote a widely-read story that seen by many as being instrumental in Licht’s dismissal by Zaslav. Variety was critical of Alberta, and accused the reporter of using material in his story that he had agreed to keep off the record — a serious charge of malfeasance against a journalist.
As with Byers, Variety didn’t change what it had written about Alberta. But it added a paragraph to its story using some of what Alberta had written on social media, including a denial that he had used off-the-record material, and disputing Variety’s claim of how many times he had met with Licht while reporting the story.
The story was reposted on Variety’s home page. The only indication that it had been changed was a note at its end: “This story was updated on July 28 to reflect new statements from Kelly and Alberta.” | https://www.pahomepage.com/entertainment-news/ap-variety-revises-article-on-former-cnn-chief-jeff-zucker-that-was-sharply-criticized/ | 2023-07-29T13:04:00 | 1 | https://www.pahomepage.com/entertainment-news/ap-variety-revises-article-on-former-cnn-chief-jeff-zucker-that-was-sharply-criticized/ |
Front row, L to R: Chennille Currier, Basin Hearing Solutions Accountant; Jennifer Johnson, Basin Hearing Patient Care Coordinator; Dr. Kelci Jackson, Basin Hearing Solutions Owner/Audiologist, Anna Nelson, Williston Area Chamber of Commerce (WACC) President; Andrew Jackson (Spouse)
Back row, L to R: Jessica George, WACC Board Chair/MWEC; Aimee Easton, WACC Ambassador/ND Vocational Rehabilitation; Kayla Wilson, WACC Ambassador/Manger Insurance
Basin Hearing Solutions, previously known as professional Hearing Services, has provided audiological services to the Williston area for over 15 years. Dr. Kelci Jackson has worked in the community for the past eight years and took over ownership in September of 2022.
Dr. Jackson is a Nebraska native and attended the University of Nebraska for her doctorate in audiology.
Basin Hearing Solutions is more than hearing aids, offering a range of services such as diagnostic testing for pediatric and neonatal patients in addition to adults and providing customize care for every individual that walks through the doors.
BHS also specializes in custom hearing protection including industrial and recreational protection, while also providing cerumen (wax) management and also working alongside many companies in the area with industrial hearing screening programs. | https://www.willistonherald.com/news/basin-hearing-solutions-cuts-the-ribbon/article_5dfdda44-2ca5-11ee-aae0-6f700b074cb8.html | 2023-07-29T13:04:02 | 0 | https://www.willistonherald.com/news/basin-hearing-solutions-cuts-the-ribbon/article_5dfdda44-2ca5-11ee-aae0-6f700b074cb8.html |
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.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://www.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-bengals-qb-joe-burrow-could-miss-several-weeks-with-calf-strain-coach-taylor-says/ | 2023-07-29T13:04:05 | 0 | https://www.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-bengals-qb-joe-burrow-could-miss-several-weeks-with-calf-strain-coach-taylor-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.pahomepage.com/news/ap-authorities-charge-alabama-woman-who-acknowledged-fabricating-story-about-kidnapping-toddler/ | 2023-07-29T13:04:06 | 1 | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/ap-authorities-charge-alabama-woman-who-acknowledged-fabricating-story-about-kidnapping-toddler/ |
Williston Mayor Howard Klug was back at the most recent Board of City Commissioners meeting last Tuesday.
Joining Klug were commissioners Deanette Piesik, James Bervig, Brad Bekkedahl and Tate Cymbaluk.
Administration
City Administrator, Shawn Wenko, met with the board to discuss Domestic Fowl - section 4-3 of the Williston Code of Ordinances.
Members of the community have approved the City of Williston leadership to allow domestic fowl in city limits.
Commissioner Cymbaluk suggested that a committee be formed and stated that he is willing to serve on the committee, to which Bekkedahl, Piesik and the City Attorney all agreed.
Mayor Klug stated that the way this happened, there was already an ordinance in place and they either didn't know the ordinance or chose to ignore it. Klug continued that this has been going on at least before Mother's Day and believes the fine for violating this ordinance is $30 per day and the total would be around $2,400. Klug suggested to suspend those fines until after this committee meets.
"We also need to remember that if the fine is there and we ignore the fines, then our ordinances will mean nothing," said Klug.
Piesik added "We don't want to have people think that by reviewing the Domestic Fowl Ordinance now, that this is setting a precedent that they don't need to follow the city ordinance. It's very important, lack of knowledge is not an excuse, all our ordinances are available on our website."
Bekkedahl made the motion, seconded by Cymbaluk that the City Commission authorize the City Administrator to form a committee on this issues with commission representation and the possibility of public input as well.
The motion carried 5-0. unanimously.
In other business, Flex Pace application for purchase of a building located at 14854 Highway 2 to relocate an oilfield service business form Dickinson to Williston. The request for buydown is $58,000 to be split with Williams county.
The flex pace request approval was motioned by Cymbaluk and seconded by Bervig and carried 5-0, unanimously.
There were also requests for funds of up to $75,000 to construct one of two drone pads to create ground infrastructure for the network in the area. That passed 5-0.
Airport
Airport Director, Anthony Dudas, presented bids for land rent for agricultural hay operations on July 19. The proposed lease is for approximately 300 tillable acres for a total of three receives. One bit came in from Dustin Mortenson for $2,000 to which Bervig motioned to approve the lease, seconded by Bekkedahl which passed unanimously.
City Attorney
Taylor Olson, city attorney, met with the board to discuss a dangerous building at 607 7th Ave. West.
A continuation of a hearing back in March 2023, the homeowner had appeared and agreed to the request to give him time to contact the building department to set up an inspection to make sure this house wasn't going to fall to make sure it was safe.
Nothing has been done since March and an inspection was scheduled, not by the homeowner, which no one was home, and no phone calls or letters have been answered.
Mark Schneider, development services director, added there were several other cases on the property and it has been a nuisance for years.
The homeowner, Leroy Goebel, stated he sold the home to Wilder Peterson and that they claim they had talked to Mark Schneider. Goebel stated he didn't have his bill of sale or proof that he sold his home with him but that he signed a letter of promise to sell.
The problems with the home are still tied to it, despite being sold and something will have to be done, stated Olson.
Olson also confirmed that the property is still in Goebel's name.
A motion by Klug, seconded by Cymbaluk to demolish the property passed 5-0, unanimously.
City Engineer
David Juma, city engineer, met with the board to discuss a grant application for the US-2/Williston Square Intersection.
The Williston Engineering Department has been working with the NDDOT to prepare a grant application for a grant to help with the intersection improvements at the intersection of US Highway 2, 26th Street West and 2nd Avenue West. Resolution 23-015 was prepared in support of the grant application and will assist in solidifying the City’s support of this much needed project.
Bekkedahl made a motion, seconded by Cymbaluk to approve the letter of support endorsement of the project support. The motion passed 5-0. | https://www.willistonherald.com/news/city-commissioners-vote-to-demolish-nuisance-home/article_46f4193e-2d55-11ee-92fe-738cf9ca4d6b.html | 2023-07-29T13:04:08 | 1 | https://www.willistonherald.com/news/city-commissioners-vote-to-demolish-nuisance-home/article_46f4193e-2d55-11ee-92fe-738cf9ca4d6b.html |
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.
___
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-boutier-holds-a-1-shot-lead-after-2nd-round-of-evian-championship/ | 2023-07-29T13:04:12 | 1 | https://www.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-boutier-holds-a-1-shot-lead-after-2nd-round-of-evian-championship/ |
The Rainbow Rendezvous, an organization for Williston's LGBT community and its supporters, will hold their annual picnic today (Sunday) at Spring Lake Park, starting at 12 p.m.
"It's a safe environment, it's always a lot of fun," explained Alex Johnson, president of Rainbow Rendezvous, regarding the annual picnic. "It's just about creating community. That's what we're here for: to create a safe, empowering community where people have a space to share their story. This is a place people can come talk. They can come meet people who are like-minded in the same community that they don't always get to connect with."
The picnic, which will include lawn games and other activities, hot dogs, snacks, chips "and definitely a lot of water," is a departure from the earlier events hosted by Rainbow Rendezvous, which started in 2016, Johnson said.
"It definitely has changed over the years," he said. "When we first started it, it was a party, a celebration. It was 21 and over, it was all about the beer garden. People drank, they had fun."
However, to include families who wanted to join in the fun, the annual event took a family-friendly turn to a picnic at the park.
"We try to create a safe environment for everybody," Johnson said. "It's definitely changed from party hard to family friendly."
This year, Johnson said the Rainbow Rendezvous committee debated on whether to do a live event, "but we always find people are always happy to converse and talk and share thheir stories. We leave it pretty simple for that purpose." | https://www.willistonherald.com/news/rainbow-rendezvous-to-host-annual-picnic-sunday/article_fa492dee-2d5a-11ee-8b4d-8f450acde065.html | 2023-07-29T13:04:14 | 1 | https://www.willistonherald.com/news/rainbow-rendezvous-to-host-annual-picnic-sunday/article_fa492dee-2d5a-11ee-8b4d-8f450acde065.html |
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.pahomepage.com/news/ap-churchill-downs-to-resume-racing-at-fall-meet-with-no-changes-after-horse-deaths/ | 2023-07-29T13:04:14 | 0 | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/ap-churchill-downs-to-resume-racing-at-fall-meet-with-no-changes-after-horse-deaths/ |
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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.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-cardinals-mikolas-suspended-5-games-and-fined-for-intentionally-throwing-at-cubs-happ/ | 2023-07-29T13:04:19 | 1 | https://www.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-cardinals-mikolas-suspended-5-games-and-fined-for-intentionally-throwing-at-cubs-happ/ |
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.pahomepage.com/news/ap-count-of-ballots-from-spaniards-abroad-gives-edge-to-right-wing-block-and-deepens-the-stalemate/ | 2023-07-29T13:04:21 | 0 | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/ap-count-of-ballots-from-spaniards-abroad-gives-edge-to-right-wing-block-and-deepens-the-stalemate/ |
11 teams from across North Dakota traveled to Williston this week to come compete in the Babe Ruth 14-year old State Tournament that began on Wednesday July 26 and lasts until Sunday July 30 at both Ardean Aafedt and Grondahl Fields. The tournament was a two game elimination bracket where if your team lost you would have one move to the consolation bracket.
Williston began their tournament on Wednesday in a game against Devils Lake Firebirds. Williston fought the entirety of the game but would lose the matchup 11-0.
Williston would get one more loss in the tournament and matched up to their next opponent Jamestown Eagles in the consolation bracket game on Thursday morning. Williston bats would get hot in the third inning with a five run inning from the team. Unfortunately for Williston the Eagles would score also get hot in the second and fourth inning to put Williston in a deficit. Williston would put their rally caps on in the seventh and final inning of the season and score a run but would fall short in the 11-6 win.
Williston finished their regular season strong with three straight wins heading into the tournament, but conclude their summer season with the Thursday loss with a record of 20-27.
The tournament will conclude with the championship game held at Ardean Aafedt Field on Sunday at 11 o'clock. | https://www.willistonherald.com/sports/babe-ruth-14-year-old-state-tournament-underway-in-williston/article_f951cb2a-2cac-11ee-b783-4f1c40ad51a6.html | 2023-07-29T13:04:27 | 1 | https://www.willistonherald.com/sports/babe-ruth-14-year-old-state-tournament-underway-in-williston/article_f951cb2a-2cac-11ee-b783-4f1c40ad51a6.html |
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.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-ioc-assures-ukraine-fencer-of-paris-games-spot-after-dq-for-not-shaking-hands-with-russian-opponent/ | 2023-07-29T13:04:27 | 0 | https://www.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-ioc-assures-ukraine-fencer-of-paris-games-spot-after-dq-for-not-shaking-hands-with-russian-opponent/ |
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://www.pahomepage.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-an-inflation-gauge-that-is-closely-tracked-by-the-fed-falls-to-its-lowest-level-in-more-than-2-years/ | 2023-07-29T13:04:28 | 1 | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-an-inflation-gauge-that-is-closely-tracked-by-the-fed-falls-to-its-lowest-level-in-more-than-2-years/ |
Tomatoes are a staple in any home cook’s vegetable arsenal, even though they’re technically a fruit. Whether you mix them into a paste, cut them into salad-ready cubes or eat them whole, they’re a key component in literally thousands of dishes. The only thing they can’t do? Last for a long time without help.
Most foodies know that summer is prime time for buying tomatoes at your grocery store, but there’s a solution that can extend their lifespan by months: Put them in the freezer.
Most people don’t think of preserving fresh tomatoes in the freezer, and there’s usually a good reason for that. If you don’t prep them before tossing them in, the fibers in the tomato can break down, giving them a mushy texture and robbing them of flavor. The secret is chilling them in an uncovered bowl or on a sheet pan, then sealing them up for the long haul after they’ve gone through the initial freeze.
Mind you, they won’t be quite the same texture, and will be better suited to using in a sauce or stew than eaten whole. If that’s your plan, you’ll also want to blanche them before freezing. For those not familiar with the technique, blanching means simply boiling things for a short while, then cooling them quickly. Not only will this curb the enzyme action that causes tomatoes to lose their flavor, it will also let the skins peel right off.
Here are the basic steps to follow for whole tomatoes:
- Wash them thoroughly under cold water, then wipe them completely dry with a cloth or paper towel.
- Cut off the stems, or any remnant of the stems (that little “belly button” that tomatoes often have at the top).
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add the tomatoes. Remove them after a short while — anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute.
- Place the tomatoes in an ice bath or run them under cold water. If you want to remove the skins at this point, you’ll find they should peel off easily.
- Dry off the tomatoes again and put them into a bowl or some other container with no lid. Put them into the freezer.
- Once they’re completely frozen (which should take no more than 3 hours), transfer them into a plastic bag or some other closed container, being careful to squeeze out as much air as you can.
If you already know you’re using the tomatoes for a sauce or gravy, you can liquefy them ahead of time. The process is much the same:
- Repeat the first four steps above.
- Slice your tomatoes (preferably peeled) into fourths.
- Let them simmer in a saucepan for at least five minutes.
- Liquefy them with a tomato press, or put them into a blender.
- Put the juice or paste into an airtight container, leaving an inch or two of space under the lid.
- Put the container into the freezer.
And there you have it! No matter what state they’re in, your tomatoes should last for up to eight months. It’s always a good idea to put a date on the container so that you can make sure they don’t overstay their welcome in the freezer. Also, resist the urge to season your tomatoes before you put them in storage. Onion, garlic and many herbs will undergo changes in flavor at different rates when frozen, so it’s best to use those when fresh.
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Check out Simplemost for additional stories. | https://www.kivitv.com/how-to-freeze-tomatoes-so-they-last-for-months | 2023-07-29T13:04:31 | 0 | https://www.kivitv.com/how-to-freeze-tomatoes-so-they-last-for-months |
The Williston Keybirds are currently competing in Dickinson in the North Dakota American Legion Baseball Class AA State Tournament. The tournament is double elimination and a seven games are required to win the championship.
In the first game of the tournament on Tuesday the Keybirds matched up against number one seed Fargo. Fargo would get the early lead in the game that put the Keybirds in an early hole. Williston would drop the first game of the tournament in a 8-0 loss. The Keybirds would need to win out the remainder of the tournament to win the championship.
The following day the Keybirds played fifth seeded Jamestown in second round of the tournament and would waste no time getting points on the board. In the first two innings the Keybirds produced 10 runs with an eight run second inning. The Keybirds would cruise to a 14-4 victory along with defense from the team and a solid outing from pitcher Ashton Collings. Collings pitched a complete game and struck three batters out. Conner Ekblad and and Alex Bloom both led the team with three RBI's a piece in the win.
On Thursday night Williston looked to continue their match up against the second seed Minot. Minot grabbed the early two run lead in the first two innings, but the Keybirds responded by scoring four runs in the next three innings to take the lead. The game was tied heading into the final inning and the Keybirds were up to bat after a defensive stand. After an intentional walk that put Alex Ewert on base to load the bases with two outs Max Heen stepped up to bat. The pitcher wasted no time giving Heen the perfect pitch and Heen would hit the RBI single off the first pitch of the at bat to win the Keybirds the game and extend their tournament run. The Keybirds had six players bat in a run in the win.
The North Dakota American Legion Baseball Class AA State Tournament ends with the championship game on Saturday. | https://www.willistonherald.com/sports/prep_sports/heen-walks-off-to-extend-keybirds-state-run/article_11bf832a-2d5a-11ee-a287-9f31db55158d.html | 2023-07-29T13:04:33 | 0 | https://www.willistonherald.com/sports/prep_sports/heen-walks-off-to-extend-keybirds-state-run/article_11bf832a-2d5a-11ee-a287-9f31db55158d.html |
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.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-juventus-removed-from-european-competition-by-uefa-for-financial-wrongdoing/ | 2023-07-29T13:04:35 | 0 | https://www.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-juventus-removed-from-european-competition-by-uefa-for-financial-wrongdoing/ |
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://www.pahomepage.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-automaker-tesla-is-opening-more-showrooms-on-tribal-lands-to-avoid-state-laws-barring-direct-sales/ | 2023-07-29T13:04:36 | 0 | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-automaker-tesla-is-opening-more-showrooms-on-tribal-lands-to-avoid-state-laws-barring-direct-sales/ |
WILLISTON (WSC) Williston State College has named Alex Herman the interim athletic director. He will succeed Jayden Olson who announced his resignation July, 16th. Olson's last day on campus was July, 18th after accepting a coaching position at the University of Utah with the men's basketball team.
Herman will continue to serve as head men's basketball coach and begin his work as interim athletic director immediately. The interim athletic director appointment is for the 2023-2024 academic year and will expire June, 30th 2024.
Head baseball coach Mason Przybilla, will serve as the assistant athletic director during this transition period to help alleviate some of the duties. Przybilla's appointment will also expire June, 30th 2024.
"A special 'Thank you' to Coach Herman and Coach Prybilla for assuming these duties for the upcoming seasons of Teton Athletics. Both possess a solid level of understanding of the position and the commitment needed to ensure that all Teton Athletic Teams are supported and have a successful season" said, WSC President Dr. Bernell Hirning
"I would like to thank President Hirning for trusting us with this honor for the year. I am excited to continue to support our student athletes and coaches. You can expect to see a strong community presence from Teton coaches and student athletes. We will work hard to continue to involve more business and community members with Teton Athletics," said Herman. "We cannot provide a great student athlete experience with out the help of our supporters."
Later this fall, a search committee will be assembled, and the job will be posted for a full-time Athletic Director. The posting will tentatively take place in late November-early December, with interviews to be held in a January-February time frame. | https://www.willistonherald.com/sports/prep_sports/herman-named-interim-athletic-director-for-2023-2024/article_aab5878e-2d5d-11ee-bef0-1bd4913066ee.html | 2023-07-29T13:04:39 | 1 | https://www.willistonherald.com/sports/prep_sports/herman-named-interim-athletic-director-for-2023-2024/article_aab5878e-2d5d-11ee-bef0-1bd4913066ee.html |
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.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-lance-lynn-and-joe-kelly-are-heading-to-the-dodgers-in-a-trade-with-the-white-sox-source-tells-ap/ | 2023-07-29T13:04:42 | 1 | https://www.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-lance-lynn-and-joe-kelly-are-heading-to-the-dodgers-in-a-trade-with-the-white-sox-source-tells-ap/ |
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://www.pahomepage.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-europes-banks-could-survive-a-drastic-economic-downturn-stress-test-shows/ | 2023-07-29T13:04:43 | 0 | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-europes-banks-could-survive-a-drastic-economic-downturn-stress-test-shows/ |
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.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-lee-hodges-leads-the-3m-open-while-justin-thomas-misses-the-cut-to-hurt-his-playoff-hopes/ | 2023-07-29T13:04:49 | 1 | https://www.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-lee-hodges-leads-the-3m-open-while-justin-thomas-misses-the-cut-to-hurt-his-playoff-hopes/ |
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://www.pahomepage.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-fukushima-plant-official-says-the-coming-release-of-treated-water-a-milestone-for-decommissioning/ | 2023-07-29T13:04:51 | 1 | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-fukushima-plant-official-says-the-coming-release-of-treated-water-a-milestone-for-decommissioning/ |
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.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-miguel-cabreras-farewell-tour-makes-a-stop-miami-where-his-career-started-years-ago/ | 2023-07-29T13:04:57 | 0 | https://www.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-miguel-cabreras-farewell-tour-makes-a-stop-miami-where-his-career-started-years-ago/ |
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://www.pahomepage.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-merger-talks-end-between-large-health-care-systems-in-minnesota-south-dakota/ | 2023-07-29T13:04:58 | 0 | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-merger-talks-end-between-large-health-care-systems-in-minnesota-south-dakota/ |
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.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-mike-mcdaniel-confident-in-dolphins-cb-depth-amid-jalen-ramsey-injury/ | 2023-07-29T13:05:04 | 0 | https://www.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-mike-mcdaniel-confident-in-dolphins-cb-depth-amid-jalen-ramsey-injury/ |
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://www.pahomepage.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-pgs-better-than-expected-4q-results-show-consumers-appetite-for-iconic-brands-despite-price-hikes/ | 2023-07-29T13:05:05 | 0 | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-pgs-better-than-expected-4q-results-show-consumers-appetite-for-iconic-brands-despite-price-hikes/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA told teams Friday that Damian Lillard and his agent confirmed that the All-Star guard would honor his contract in any potential trade, despite the agent saying Lillard only wanted to be dealt to the Miami Heat.
A memo sent to general managers and obtained by The Associated Press also warned that Lillard would be subject to discipline by the league if he or Aaron Goodwin make additional comments suggesting he won’t fully perform the requirements of his contract in the event of a trade.
Lillard told the Portland Trail Blazers earlier this month he wanted to be traded and Goodwin subsequently made clear his preference was Miami.
“Dame’s position won’t change,” Goodwin told AP on July 6. “This entire situation was about building an opportunity for Portland to win or giving him another opportunity that he wants, which is Miami.”
The league said it interviewed Lillard and Goodwin, along with several teams with whom Goodwin spoke. Goodwin denied telling teams that Lillard would refuse to play for them and the teams provided descriptions that were “mostly, though not entirely, consistent with Goodwin’s statements to us.”
Players are not allowed to publicly request trades. The league also stated in the memo that it told the Players Association that further comments such as Goodwin’s will be subject to discipline.
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More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-nba-tells-teams-lillard-would-honor-contract-in-any-trade-warns-of-discipline-for-saying-otherwise/ | 2023-07-29T13:05:11 | 0 | https://www.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-nba-tells-teams-lillard-would-honor-contract-in-any-trade-warns-of-discipline-for-saying-otherwise/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — The fate of U.S. trucking company Yellow Corp. isn’t looking good.
After years of financial struggles, Yellow is reportedly preparing for bankruptcy and seeing customers leave in large numbers — heightening risk for future liquidation. While no official decision has been announced by the company, the prospect of bankruptcy has renewed attention around Yellow’s ongoing negotiations with unionized workers, a $700 million pandemic-era loan from the government and other bills the trucker has racked up over time.
Yellow, formerly known as YRC Worldwide Inc., is one of the nation’s largest less-than-truckload carriers. The Nashville, Tennessee-based company has some 30,000 employees across the country.
Here’s what you need to know.
Not yet. But industry experts suspect that a bankruptcy filing could come any day now.
People familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal that the company could seek bankruptcy protection as soon as this week — with some noting that a significant amount of customers have already started to leave the carrier.
Meanwhile, according to FreightWaves, employees were told to expect the filing Monday. Yellow laid off an unknown number of employees Friday, the outlet later reported, citing a memo that stated the company was “shutting down its regular operations.”
According to Satish Jindel, president of transportation and logistics firm SJ Consulting, Yellow handled an average of 49,000 shipments per day in 2022. As of this week, he estimates that number is down to between 10,000 and 15,000 daily shipments.
With customers leaving — as well reports of Yellow stopping freight pickups earlier this week — bankruptcy would “be the end of Yellow,” Jindel told The Associated Press, noting increased risk for liquidation.
“The likelihood of them surviving and remaining solvent diminishes really by the day,” added Bruce Chan, a research director at investment banking firm Stifel.
Yellow media contacts did not immediately respond to the Associated Press’ requests for comment on Friday. In a Wednesday statement to The Journal, the company said it was continuing “to prepare for a range of contingencies.” On Thursday, Yellow said it was in talks with multiple parties about selling its third-party logistics organization.
Even if Yellow was able to sell its logistics firm, it would “not generate a sufficient amount of cash to keep them operational on any sort of permanent basis,” Chan said. “Without a major equity injection, it would be very difficult for them to survive.”
As of late March, Yellow had an outstanding debt of about $1.5 billion. Of that, $729.2 million was owed to the federal government.
In 2020, under the Trump administration, the Treasury Department granted the company a $700 million pandemic-era loan on national security grounds. Last month, a congressional probe concluded that the Treasury and Defense Departments “made missteps” in this decision — and noted that Yellow’s “precarious financial position at the time of the loan, and continued struggles, expose taxpayers to a significant risk of loss.”
The government loan is due in September 2024. As of March, Yellow had made $54.8 million in interest payments and repaid just $230 million of the principal owed, according to government documents.
Yellow’s current finances and prospect of bankruptcy “is probably two decades in the making,” Chan said, pointing to poor management and strategic decisions dating back to the early 2000s. “At this point, after each party has bailed them out so many times, there is a limited appetite to do that anymore.”
In May, Yellow reported a loss of $54.6 million, a decline of $1.06 per share, for its first quarter of 2023. Operating revenue was about $1.16 billion in the period.
A Wednesday investors note from financial service firm Stephens estimated that Yellow could be burning between $9 million and $10 million each day. Using a liquidity disclosure from earlier this month, Yellow had roughly $100 million in cash at the end of June, the note added — estimating that the company has been burning through increasing amounts of money through July.
“It is reasonable to believe that the Company could breach its $35 mil. liquidity requirement at any moment,” Stephens analyst Jack Atkins and associate Grant Smith wrote.
The reports of bankruptcy preparations arrive just days after a strike from the Teamsters, which represents Yellow’s 22,000 unionized workers, was averted.
A series of heated exchanges have built up between the Teamsters and Yellow, who sued the union in June after alleging it was “unjustifiably blocking” restructuring plans needed for the company’s survival. The Teamsters called the litigation “baseless” — with general president Sean O’Brien pointing to Yellow’s “decades of gross mismanagement,” which included exhausting the $700 million federal loan.
On Sunday, a pension fund agreed to extend health benefits for workers at two Yellow Corp. operating companies, averting a strike — and giving Yellow “30 days to pay its bills,” notably $50 million that Yellow failed to pay the Central States Health and Welfare Fund on July 15, the union said. While the strike didn’t occur, talks of a walkout may have caused some Yellow customers to pull back, Chan said.
Talks between Yellow and the Teamsters, which also represents UPS’s unionized workers, are ongoing. The current contract expires in March 2024.
“The financial struggles of Yellow are not related to the union and the contracts,” Jindel said, pointing to management’s responsibility around its services and prices. He added the union wages from Yellow are “lower than any competitor.”
If Yellow files for bankruptcy and customers continue to take their shipments to other carriers, like FedEx or ABF Freight, prices will go up.
Yellow’s prices have historically been the cheapest compared to other carriers, Jindel said. “That’s why they obviously were not making money,” he added. “And while there is capacity with the other LTL carriers to handle the diversions from Yellow, it will come at a high price for (current shippers and customers) of Yellow.”
Chan adds that we’re in an interesting time for the LTL marketplace — noting that, if Yellow declares bankruptcy and liquidates, “the freight would find a home” with other carriers, which may not have been true in recent years.
“It may take time, but there’s room for it to be absorbed,” he said. | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-trucking-company-yellow-corp-is-reportedly-preparing-for-bankruptcy-heres-what-you-need-to-know/ | 2023-07-29T13:05:12 | 1 | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-trucking-company-yellow-corp-is-reportedly-preparing-for-bankruptcy-heres-what-you-need-to-know/ |
TORONTO (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 39th home run for the Angels before leaving 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. Ohtani was lifted because of cramping in both of his calves, Angels manager Phil Nevin said.
“We’ll evaluate it tomorrow when he gets up,” Nevin said. “It’s just cramping right now. It’s kind of in both legs. He’s done a lot of work the last two days and wasn’t able to go.”
A day earlier, Ohtani left the second game of a doubleheader at Detroit because of cramps. 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.
Nevin said Ohtani’s soreness developed after he grounded out to begin the eighth.
“He came in and was trying to get some work done and just kept cramping up,” Nevin said.
Stefanic struck out looking at a 3-2 pitch from right-hander Jordan Romano as Toronto ended the Angels’ four-game winning streak.
After the game, an angry Nevin was seen holding up a tablet computer and yelling at plate umpire Mike Estabrook as the crew left the field.
“I just explained to him that I thought the pitch to Stefanic was outside,” Nevin said.
Matt Chapman, Danny Jansen and Whit Merrifield homered for the Blue Jays, who are 24-11 when they hit two or more home runs.
“Our team has been playing a good brand of baseball for a while now,” Chapman said. “I think maybe we’re just starting to find ways to come out on top of some of those close games.”
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.
“I felt relatively sharp, throwing a lot of strikes, but they hammered my mistakes pretty good,” Giolito said.
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.
Ohtani’s 397-foot drive came off Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman. Ohtani homered in consecutive games for the ninth time this season.
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.
“Not getting one across, that hurts,” Nevin said.
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.
“He’s doing alright,” manager John Schneider said of Romano. “Just lower back discomfort, it kind of locked up on him a little bit. Just kind of wanted to play it safe there.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Angels: Before the game, Nevin said Ohtani would get an extra day of rest before his next start, which was scheduled for next Thursday’s home game against Seattle. … SS Zach Neto (sore back) was scratched from the starting lineup and replaced by Andrew Velazquez. Rengifo took over in the leadoff spot.
Blue Jays: LHP Hyun Jin Ryu (Tommy John surgery) will start on Tuesday against Baltimore, Schneider said. With the Blue Jays beginning a stretch of 17 games in 17 days Friday, Schneider said Ryu will be part of a six-man rotation. … RHP Chad Green (Tommy John surgery) will make a rehab appearance with Class-A Dunedin Saturday, his third.
ANGRY WORDS
Cameras caught Chapman yelling at Schneider in the dugout after the top of the first.
“That’s just everybody being competitive, wanting to win baseball games,” Chapman said. “Just a heat-of-the-moment kind of thing. What was said and what it’s about, I’m just going to keep between us.”
NEW-LOOK LINEUP
Blue Jays OF George Springer, who came in stuck in an 0-for-16 slump, was dropped from the leadoff spot to fifth. Springer finished 0 for 4. Merrifield moved up to hit leadoff.
ROSTER MOVES
The Angels optioned RHP Gerardo Reyes to Triple-A Salt Lake to make room on the roster for Giolito.
UP NEXT
RHP Alek Manoah (2-8, 6.10 ERA) starts for the Blue Jays on Saturday afternoon. LHP Reid Detmers (2-7, 4.38) goes for the Angels.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-ohtani-hits-majors-best-39th-hr-before-leaving-with-leg-cramps-in-angels-4-1-loss-to-blue-jays/ | 2023-07-29T13:05:19 | 1 | https://www.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-ohtani-hits-majors-best-39th-hr-before-leaving-with-leg-cramps-in-angels-4-1-loss-to-blue-jays/ |
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Two taxi drivers have been arrested in the Mexican city of Cancun for assaulting a van carrying foreign tourists, prosecutors said Friday.
The events in the Caribbean coast resort on Thursday were the latest in a months-long string of assaults on vehicles that medallion-cab drivers suspect of being operated by ride-hailing apps such as Uber.
Prosecutors in the Caribbean coast state of Quintana Roo said such behavior will not be tolerated.
“Strong action will be taken to ensure that the state is a safe destination for local inhabitants and visitors,” the state prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
Local residents posted video on social media showing at least two uniformed cab drivers bashing a Chevy Suburban with poles and other objects.
The van driver attempts to escape with the vehicle’s tailgate open, according to the footage, and the tourists’ luggage spills into the street. Three women can later be seen retrieving their luggage from the street.
“What are you doing?” cries one woman in English as belligerent cabbies mill around the scene, carrying what looked like improvised cudgels. “That is not okay.”
A local business owner who filmed the incident invited the women to take refuge in her store. The video shows the taxi drivers chasing the driver of the Suburban down the street until he reached a police officer.
The state prosecutors’ office said two taxi drivers were charged with robbery, and causing damage and injuries.
Local media reported the Suburban was not run through a ride-hailing app but by a local, non-medallion limousine service. Past incidents of taxi drivers attacking private vehicles in Cancun were based on the mistaken assumption they were Uber cars.
Cancun residents organized a boycott of medallion taxis in January following a week of blockades and violent incidents by drivers protesting the ride-hailing app Uber.
Road blockades, stone throwing and cabbies physically getting in the way had prevented tourists from boarding Uber vehicles. The U.S. issued a travel advisory warning that “past disputes between these services and local taxi unions have occasionally turned violent, resulting in injuries to U.S. citizens in some instances.”
Ride-hailing app s were blocked in Cancun until January, when a court granted an injunction allowing Uber to operate. | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-two-taxi-drivers-arrested-in-mexican-resort-of-cancun-for-assaulting-van-carrying-foreign-tourists/ | 2023-07-29T13:05:20 | 1 | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-two-taxi-drivers-arrested-in-mexican-resort-of-cancun-for-assaulting-van-carrying-foreign-tourists/ |
TORONTO (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 39th home run — for a streak of three homers in three at-bats over two games — before being sidelined due to cramping for a second consecutive game.
Ohtani was replaced by pinch-hitter Michael Stefanic when his at-bat came up with the bases loaded in the ninth inning due to leg cramps. The Blue Jays beat the Angels 4-1 Friday.
Los Angeles manager Phil Nevin said Ohtani was removed because of cramping in both of his calves.
“We’ll evaluate it tomorrow when he gets up,” Nevin said. “It’s just cramping right now. It’s kind of in both legs. He’s done a lot of work the last two days and wasn’t able to go.”
Ohtani homered twice in the second game of a doubleheader at Detroit on Thursday before leaving with cramps. He threw an eight-strikeout, 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.
Nevin said Ohtani’s soreness developed after he grounded out to begin the eighth inning.
“He came in and was trying to get some work done and just kept cramping up,” Nevin said.
Stefanic struck out looking at a 3-2 pitch from right-hander Jordan Romano as Toronto ended the Angels’ four-game winning streak.
On Friday, Ohtani homered on the first pitch he faced, going deep in three straight at-bats. His drive to right came off Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman and traveled 397 feet.
Ohtani streak of homers ended when he struck out swinging on a 2-2 pitch from Gausman in the third. He singled off Gausman in the sixth and grounded out to shortstop against left-hander Tim Mayza in the eighth, slowing up as he approached first base.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-ohtani-hits-majors-leading-39th-home-run-against-blue-jays-extends-hr-streak-to-3-at-bats/ | 2023-07-29T13:05:26 | 0 | https://www.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-ohtani-hits-majors-leading-39th-home-run-against-blue-jays-extends-hr-streak-to-3-at-bats/ |
DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. government wants to raise the fuel economy of new vehicles 18% by the 2032 model year so the fleet would average about 43.5 miles per gallon in real world driving.
The proposed numbers were released Friday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which eventually will adopt final mileage requirements.
Currently the fleet of new vehicles must average 36.75 mpg by 2026 under corporate average fuel economy standards adopted by the administration of President Joe Biden, who reversed a rollback made by former President Donald Trump.
The highway safety agency says it will try to line up its regulations so they match the Environmental Protection Agency’s reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. But if there are discrepancies, automakers likely will have to follow the most stringent regulation.
In the byzantine world of government regulation, both agencies essentially are responsible for setting fuel economy requirements since the fastest way to reduce greenhouse emissions is to burn less gasoline.
“I want to make clear that EPA and NHTSA will coordinate to optimize the effectiveness of both agency standards while minimizing compliance costs,” NHTSA Acting Administrator Ann Carlson said.
A large auto industry trade group which includes General Motors, Toyota, Ford, Stellantis and others said requirements from the agencies should be lined up. “If an automaker complies with EPA’s yet-to-be-finalized greenhouse gas emissions rules, they shouldn’t be at risk of violating CAFE rules (from NHTSA) and subject to civil penalties,” John Bozzella, CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, said in a statement.
However the alliance has said the EPA’s proposed cut in carbon emissions will require a huge increase in electric vehicle sales that’s not attainable by 2032. The EPA says the industry can reach the greenhouse gas emissions goals if 67% of new vehicles sold in 2032 are electric. Currently, EVs make up about 7% of new vehicle sales.
NHTSA said its proposal includes a 2% annual improvement in fuel mileage for passenger cars, and a 4% increase for light trucks. It’s proposing a 10% improvement per year for commercial pickup trucks and work vans. Automakers can meet the requirements with a mix of electric vehicles, gas-electric hybrids and efficiency improvements in gas and diesel vehicles.
The agency says the new regulations will save more than $50 billion on fuel over the vehicles’ lifetimes and save more than 88 billion gallons of gasoline through 2050 if NHTSA’s preferred alternative is adopted. The standards would cut new-vehicle fuel consumption nearly in half by the 2035 model year, and benefits will exceed costs by $18 billion, the agency said.
NHTSA will take comments from the public for 60 days before drafting a final regulation. | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-us-proposes-18-fuel-economy-increase-for-new-vehicle-fleet-from-2027-through-2032/ | 2023-07-29T13:05:27 | 0 | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-us-proposes-18-fuel-economy-increase-for-new-vehicle-fleet-from-2027-through-2032/ |
CANBERRA, 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 Lindeman Island, a Great Barrier Reef tourist resort, at about 11 p.m. Friday, exercise director Australian Army Brigadier Damian Hill said.
A search involving U.S., Canadian and Australian personnel was underway to find the crew who are all Australian men, officials said.
Debris that appeared to be from a helicopter had been recovered, Queensland Police Assistant Commissioner Douglas McDonald said.
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.
Defense Minister Richard Marles said the helicopter ditched, which refers to an emergency landing on water.
“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.”
Hill said the exercise was postponed on Saturday morning but had restarted limited activity later in the day. Australia had grounded its Taipan fleet as a precaution, Hill said.
It was 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.
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.”
Marles thanked the United States for their contribution to the search and rescue effort.
The missing helicopter had just dropped off two Australian commandos before it hit the water, Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported.
Australia announced in January that its army and navy would stop flying the European-built Taipans by December 2024, 13 years earlier than originally planned, because they had proven unreliable. They will be replaced by 40 U.S. Black Hawks. Marles said at the time the Lockheed Martin-designed Black Hawks “have a really good proven track record in terms of their reliability.”
Australia’s Taipans had been plagued by problems since the first helicopter arrived in the country in 2007.
Australia’s entire fleet of 47 Taipans was grounded in 2019 to fix a problem with their tail rotor blades. A year later, 27 Taipans were grounded because of a problem with doors.
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Find more of AP’s Asia-Pacific coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/international/ap-4-air-crew-members-are-missing-after-australian-army-helicopter-ditched-off-australias-coast/ | 2023-07-29T13:05:29 | 0 | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/international/ap-4-air-crew-members-are-missing-after-australian-army-helicopter-ditched-off-australias-coast/ |
A British court ruled Friday against London suburbs that tried to block a pollution tax on older cars as green policies become a hot political issue in the U.K. amid increasingly dramatic impacts of global climate change.
The High Court ruled that Mayor Sadiq Khan had the authority to expand the Ultra Low Emission Zone, or ULEZ, which charges drivers of older gas and diesel vehicles 12.50 pounds ($16) a day they operate, to the city’s outskirts next month.
Five conservative councils challenged Khan’s right to impose the measure. They criticized the expansion to an area where there are fewer public transport options and people are more reliant on cars, and because of a disproportionate impact on lower-income drivers who can’t afford newer, cleaner cars.
Khan said the ruling would allow the expanded zone to take effect Aug. 29 and help reduce air pollution. He said he would also expand a program that provides financial assistance to some families and small businesses to scrap older cars.
“The ULEZ has already reduced toxic nitrogen dioxide air pollution by nearly half in central London and a fifth in inner London,” said Khan, a member of the Labour Party. “The coming expansion will see 5 million more Londoners being able to breathe cleaner air.”
The five councils that challenged the zone issued a joint statement saying they were “hugely disappointed”. While they accepted that Khan may have the legal right to implement the measure, they questioned whether it was morally right.
“It is evident that the mayor of London and (Transport for London) do not realize the damage the extension will have to the lives of residents and businesses in outer London as well as those outside of its borders,” the group said.
The city’s transportation agency said most gas vehicles under 16 years old and diesel vehicles less than 6 years old comply with the standard.
In April, a study from London City Hall found levels of nitrogen dioxide exceeded the legal limit in 14 of the city’s 32 boroughs. Khan argued he had a statutory responsibility to take measures to improve air quality.
Nine out of 10 cars on the road in outer London on an average day comply with standards, Transport for London said. The Royal Automobile Club said nearly 700,000 licensed cars in London are unlikely to comply.
Fury over the the ULEZ expansion was credited last week with helping Tories hold one of three seats in Parliament in a special election. Conservatives had been expected to lose all three but they retained their seat in Uxbridge and South Ruislip.
Interestingly, the emissions charge was first imposed in 2015 by then-Mayor Boris Johnson, the Conservative who went on to become prime minister before resigning last year amid several scandals and quitting Parliament last month. It was his House of Commons seat Tories retained in the by-election.
The issue has now caused a crisis for the Labour Party, which is seen as likely to return to power next year after being ousted by Conservatives in 2010.
Labour Party leader Keir Starmer said there was no doubt ULEZ cost them the Uxbridge election and said Khan should “reflect” on the policy.
Former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair was widely quoted this week in a New Statesman magazine interview in which he cautioned: “Don’t ask us to do a huge amount when frankly whatever we do in Britain is not really going to impact climate change.” The interview was conducted before the special elections.
The dust-up over how to control emissions comes as July is on target to be the hottest month in recorded human history and the effects of a warming planet can be seen in catastrophic wildfires, flooding and alarming ocean temperatures. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres this week declared: “The era of global warming has ended; the era of global boiling has arrived.”
While the by-election has caused consternation for Labour over how best to stick to a green agenda, it is also sparking a rethink for Conservatives who have been accused recently of backing away from pledges to combat climate change.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak signaled this week he was open to revisiting net-zero policies, saying he’d take a pragmatic approach that didn’t add more hassles or costs to people’s lives. He caused confusion by not recommitting to a ban on gas and diesel cars by 2030, though cabinet minister Michael Gove later insisted that deadline was firm. | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/international/ap-a-pollution-tax-on-older-cars-can-be-extended-to-londons-suburbs-after-a-british-court-ruling/ | 2023-07-29T13:05:35 | 1 | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/international/ap-a-pollution-tax-on-older-cars-can-be-extended-to-londons-suburbs-after-a-british-court-ruling/ |