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‘I’m still in shock’: Woman wins lottery jackpot while taking break from work
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT/Gray News) - A North Carolina woman won a triple-digit jackpot thanks to purchasing a lucky scratch-off ticket.
According to the North Carolina Educational Lottery, Jodi Owens won a $100,000 prize by putting her break time to good use and buying a lottery ticket.
Officials said Owens, a retired nurse practitioner, took a break from doing some work around her house and stopped at a Civietown Mini Mart in Shallotte. She picked up a few items including a Black Titanium scratch-off.
She returned home to scratch her winning ticket.
“I’m still in shock,” Owens said. “It’s truly a blessing.”
Owens claimed her prize on Friday and took home $71,259 after taxes.
“I’m going to pay my mortgage off and pay my car off,” she said. “I’m thinking about getting a manicure and pedicure too!”
Lottery officials said the Black Titanium scratch-off game just launched last month and is available for $30.
Copyright 2023 WECT via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wcjb.com/2023/07/29/im-still-shock-woman-wins-lottery-jackpot-while-taking-break-work/ | 2023-07-29T20:27:59 | 1 | https://www.wcjb.com/2023/07/29/im-still-shock-woman-wins-lottery-jackpot-while-taking-break-work/ |
(NEXSTAR) — Yet another new, unsafe trend is catching attention.
This time, some TikTok users are encouraging viewers to add borax to their water, claiming the common cleaning product can help reduce inflammation and joint pain, or even “detoxify” the body. As you may have guessed, health officials are warning of the consequences the trend could have on your health.
Borax, or sodium tetraborate decahydrate, is a chemical compound commonly available in the form of a white crystalline powder. It’s been utilized in a variety of ways since the Middle Ages, and today is often used a laundry detergent, kitchen/bathroom cleaner, and even a bug and weed killer.
Boric acid has also been found to have bacteriostatic properties, meaning it can prevent the growth of bacteria, Dr. S. Ruddy Rose, director of VCU Health’s Virginia Poison Center, told Nexstar.
Despite its endless safe uses, however, borax is not approved for ingestion by humans.
Ingesting borax can cause people to become quite sick, according to Dr. Rose, leading to convulsions, problems with the gastrointestinal tract, heat burns, and even kidney damage.
“This happens pretty quickly,” he adds.
Even the company behind 20 Mule Team Borax, a popular borax product, has warned against participating in the TikTok trend.
“20 Mule Team Borax has many uses but ingesting is not one of them,” the company warned on July 25.
“Do not bathe in, apply to skin, or ingest Borax, including drinking it diluted in water,” the company continued. “It is not intended for use as a personal care product or dietary supplement.”
Should your child fall victim to the trend, Dr. Rose said you can follow up with the child’s pediatrician, as long as they don’t have any symptoms. But if your child is vomiting, has abdominal pain, or experiences a seizure or other serious symptoms, it’s best to seek emergency medical attention.
Several videos recommending borax have been removed from TikTok, according to NBC News.
Social-media users, meanwhile, should always be cautious about taking medical advice from influencers or TikTok personalities.
“Just beware of these types of activities,” Dr. Rose said. “The people promoting it may not be doing it for the right reason.”
Borax uses
There are plenty of non-dangerous ways to use borax that you may not be aware of.
- It can unclog drains. As recommended by Southern Living, 1/2 cup of borax and two cups of boiling water down a clogged drain should clear it right out. Let the solution sit for 15 mins before flushing with warm water.
- It’s a pest deterrent/killer. Borax is a desiccant, which means it sucks up moisture. In this way, borax can be useful to sprinkle in places where bugs might ordinarily populate. The powder will keep the area dry and make it less optimal for insects to make home. Meanwhile, if bugs are already in your home, it’s not too late. The Spruce explains that insects, like cockroaches and ants, become “dried out” from the inside and die after eating the powder.
- It can help grow your fruit trees. Bob Vila recommends adding borax to the soil around your tree to help keep the plant’s pH levels desirable for growth.
- It’s in ingredient in “slime.” If your kids love making and playing with slime, Taste of Home has a recipe for using borax to make the stretchy, gooey stuff. | https://wgntv.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/why-are-people-drinking-borax-cleaning-powder-on-tiktok/ | 2023-07-29T20:28:00 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/why-are-people-drinking-borax-cleaning-powder-on-tiktok/ |
(NerdWallet) – Labor Day may mark the unofficial end of summer in the U.S. — but it’s hardly the end of airport crowds. In fact, given record-breaking crowds already this year, there’s a good chance this Labor Day weekend could be busier than any prior Labor Day weekend.
Already this summer, U.S. airports have set fresh passenger records. June 30, the Friday before July 4, marked a new record high of passengers on a single day when more than 2.884 million people passed through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints.
That figure topped the previous record of 2.882 million people from the Sunday after 2019’s Thanksgiving, according to a NerdWallet analysis of TSA data showing the number of passengers screened at U.S. TSA checkpoints over the last four years.
Roughly 12% more people passed through U.S. airports in June 2023 versus June 2022, which is perhaps unsurprising given the lingering effects of the pandemic through 2022.
The more impressive feat, though, is that 2023’s crowds have exceeded 2019 levels. TSA screened 0.6% more passengers in June 2023 versus June 2019, proving that summer is back and bigger than ever.
Expect Labor Day 2023 crowds to be no different, but some days around the long weekend are significantly busier than others.
The best and worst days to fly Labor Day weekend
TSA checkpoint data suggests most people use Labor Day — which is observed on the first Monday of September — as a long weekend. They depart on Friday, bask in two full days of vacation and return home on Monday.
To avoid crowds, and likely save money, book Labor Day travel on days that aren’t the start and end of the weekend. Based on an average of the past four years, here were the most to least crowded days for the week surrounding Labor Day, ranked:
- Friday before Labor Day (most crowded).
- Thursday before.
- Labor Day Monday.
- Sunday after.
- Friday after.
- Monday after.
- Monday before.
- Thursday after.
- Tuesday after.
- Wednesday before.
- Sunday before.
- Saturday before.
- Wednesday after.
- Tuesday before.
- Saturday after (least crowded).
When broken out by pre- and post-Labor Day travel, here are the three least crowded days to travel ranked from least to most crowded:
Pre-holiday:
- Tuesday before (overall least crowded day pre-holiday).
- Saturday before.
- Sunday before.
Post-holiday:
- Saturday after (overall least crowded day post-holiday).
- Wednesday after.
- Tuesday after.
During the seven days after and before Labor Day (including the holiday itself), the Friday before Labor Day has been the single busiest day to fly over each of the past four years.
As far as the period starting on Labor Day itself and spanning the subsequent seven days, Labor Day Monday has been the busiest day to fly over the past three years. If Labor Day Monday is excluded from the rankings, the Sunday after has been the busiest over the past three years. In 2019, the trends were flipped: the Sunday after was the busiest, and the holiday itself was the second busiest.
The smarter, cheaper Labor Day weekend itinerary
If you work a standard Monday-Friday workweek and have the holiday off, leaving Friday after work and returning on Labor Day seems logical. But following the same itinerary as everyone else means you’ll likely pay — both in airfares and navigating airport crowds. For lighter crowds (and perhaps better deals), try these travel days instead:
Fly on the Tuesday or Wednesday before: Let Labor Day weekend become closer to a week by jetting off earlier than the folks leaving Thursday or Friday, assuming you have enough vacation days to use (or can work remotely). You’ll have more time away from home and be more relaxed without the big airport crowds.
Travel on Saturday: Crowds are light on Saturdays before and after the holiday. So, rather than rushing out of work on Friday afternoon to catch a flight, opt for the morning flight the next day.
That Saturday morning flight might also reduce your risk of delays, too. According to travel booking site Hopper’s Flight Disruption Outlook for Spring 2023, flights departing after 9 a.m. are twice as likely to be delayed than departures scheduled from 5-8 a.m.
Fly home the Sunday before: While most folks fly home on Labor Day Monday, you might get a head start by flying home on Sunday. Sure, you’ll have one less vacation day than folks following your same itinerary departing Monday, but that’s not a bad thing. By returning Sunday night, you’ll have a whole day to refresh and prepare for the week ahead by doing laundry, meal prepping or catching up on potential jetlag. Sometimes the nicest way to relax is by taking a vacation from your vacation. | https://www.wfla.com/news/national/the-busiest-days-to-fly-around-labor-day-2023/ | 2023-07-29T20:28:05 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/news/national/the-busiest-days-to-fly-around-labor-day-2023/ |
Mobile food pantry in Hampton hands out hundreds of free groceries
HAMPTON, Fla. (WCJB) - Multiple organizations in Hampton worked together to end hunger in the city.
The food was provided by the Bradford Food Pantry, which gave out both fresh and canned items at Bobby Memorial Park.
The director of the pantry said there were no limitations and anyone was welcome to take home what they needed.
“The client was able to come in, take what they want off this type of deal,” said Linda Markmen. “It’s working out great because some of them [say], ‘I don’t need any oil,’ but they need a carton of milk.”
Some city council members volunteered to help residents bring free groceries to their cars. One councilman said he was happy with the turnout and hopes to see the event happen again.
“I love it. I think it’s a blessing for all the people the City of Hampton, some that are less fortunate have a good bag of food to go home with today and it’s because of the blessings of the people that give,” said Councilman Bill Goodge.
Asides from the food, people stopped by tents containing health and wellness resources in the community.
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Copyright 2023 WCJB. All rights reserved. | https://www.wcjb.com/2023/07/29/mobile-food-pantry-hampton-hands-out-hundreds-free-groceries/ | 2023-07-29T20:28:05 | 1 | https://www.wcjb.com/2023/07/29/mobile-food-pantry-hampton-hands-out-hundreds-free-groceries/ |
(NEXSTAR) – The astounding critical and commercial reception of the new “Barbie” movie has catapulted all-things-Barbie back to the forefront of pop culture.
Even Allan!
Mattel’s Allan dolls — first introduced in the earlier half of the ‘60s as a “buddy” for Ken dolls — are currently experiencing increased demand among collectors and Barbie fans, with early specimens selling for upwards of $200 on eBay over the last several days.
The value of Allan dolls has increased, no doubt, due to Allan’s inclusion in the film. But that’s about the only effect the movie has had on the price of vintage Barbies, according to Barbie expert Rebecca Chulew, who has been featured such shows as “Collector’s Call,” “Toy Hunter” and “My Crazy Obsession.”
“Many vintage Barbies were produced by the millions and are easy to find,” said Chulew, who has sold over 10,000 Barbies on eBay and Macari over the years. “Everybody thinks they have a valuable Barbie. The truth is, the majority aren’t.”
Certain vintage Barbie dolls, meanwhile, might still be worth a pretty penny, but their value really isn’t tied to the movie, according to Chulew.
“The doll now is kind of holding steady,” she said. “It has a good value, but I don’t see it going up or down a lot.”
The most valuable Barbies, she said, continue to be the very first series of dolls ever produced in 1959. Specifically, the No. 1 or No. 2 Ponytail Barbies, which can fetch anywhere from $4,000 to $8,000 per doll, depending on condition, the inclusion of the original box, and — perhaps more importantly — the hair color.
“They made three blondes for every brunette,” said Chulew, who noted that brunette Ponytail Barbies from 1959 can sell for up to $6,000, even out of the box.
Chulew further said that sealed or boxed dolls don’t matter as much to many Barbie collectors, seeing as the early opaque boxes were more akin to “shoeboxes” and didn’t showcase the dolls. (“There’s a lot of [online] box sales going on” for folks who want just the packaging, she said.)
Another coveted doll is the Side-Part American Girl Barbie produced in the mid-‘60s, which can go for “about $3,000” (and reportedly once sold for almost double), according to the expert.
Collectors also tend to prize “Twist ‘n Turn” Stacey dolls (not to be confused with Stacie dolls) from the late ‘60s, as well as “Steffie-face” Barbies (i.e., a type of doll using a certain face mold) introduced a few years later. Both can sell for hundreds to the right collectors.
Other valuable dolls include rarer Barbies that weren’t widely produced — like the brunette mentioned above — and, specifically, Black Barbies. According to Chulew, first- and second-issue Francie dolls from 1967-1969 are tough to find, while Alpha Kappa Alpha Barbies (which commemorated the historically African American sorority) can go for up to around $1,000.
And then, there’s Allan.
Allan dolls — including the original from 1964, the bendable-leg version from 1965 and the Wedding Day Allan doll from 1990 — have seen a “slight increase [in value] due to the movie,” said Chulew, adding that sellers might be able to get a few hundred for each one.
The rest of the Barbie line, and even vintage dolls that were mentioned in the movie, are likely worth no more than they were last year.
“I think what you’re going to see in the next 30 to 60 days are a lot of people selling their childhood dolls. And a lot of them aren’t going to be valuable,” Chulew said. “A few rarities might be unearthed, but it might cause stagnation in the market. It’s going to be tough for collectors to sort through all the barbies being advertised as ‘rare’ when they’re not.”
Barbie collectors, on the other hand, might be busy scooping up other “Barbie”-movie merchandise to complete their collections or prepare for any future scarcity. For example, the collectible “Barbie” popcorn buckets from AMC are very “hot” right now, Chulew said, and certain dolls from Mattel’s latest line of movie-inspired figures are becoming hard to find, even if they’re still selling at retail prices.
“But they don’t appear to have made the Allan doll from the movie,” she lamented, “which may be a mistake on their part.” | https://wgntv.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/your-vintage-barbie-dolls-might-be-worth-a-pretty-penny-if-you-have-the-right-ones/ | 2023-07-29T20:28:06 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/your-vintage-barbie-dolls-might-be-worth-a-pretty-penny-if-you-have-the-right-ones/ |
No clinical efficacy or safety issues raised
Citius committed to working toward approval
CRANFORD, N.J., July 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Citius" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: CTXR) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a Complete Response Letter regarding the Company's Biologics License Application (BLA) seeking approval for denileukin diftitox ("LYMPHIRTM"), an engineered IL-2-diphtheria toxin fusion protein for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) after at least one prior systemic therapy.
The FDA has required Citius to incorporate enhanced product testing, and additional controls agreed to with the FDA during the market application review. Importantly, there were no concerns relating to the safety and efficacy clinical data package submitted with the BLA, or the proposed prescribing information.
"We appreciate the FDA's expeditious review of our application. We intend to provide additional data and remain fully engaged with the FDA as we continue to work toward approval. We remain confident in the potential of LYMPHIR to become an important addition to the treatment landscape for patients with relapsed or refractory CTCL and make a meaningful difference in their lives," stated Leonard Mazur, Chairman and CEO of Citius.
About LYMPHIR™ (denileukin diftitox-cxdl)
LYMPHIR is a recombinant fusion protein that combines the interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor binding domain with diphtheria toxin fragments. The agent specifically binds to IL-2 receptors on the cell surface, causing diphtheria toxin fragments that have entered cells to inhibit protein synthesis. In 2011 and 2013, the FDA granted orphan drug designation to LYMPHIR for the treatment of PTCL and CTCL, respectively. In 2021, denileukin diftitox received regulatory approval in Japan for the treatment of CTCL and peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). Subsequently in 2021, Citius acquired an exclusive license with rights to develop and commercialize LYMPHIR in all markets except for Japan and certain parts of Asia.
About Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma
Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is a type of cutaneous non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) that comes in a variety of forms and is the most common type of cutaneous lymphoma. In CTCL, T-cells, a type of lymphocyte that plays a role in the immune system, become cancerous and develop into skin lesions, leading to a decrease in the quality of life of patients with this disease due to severe pain and pruritus. Mycosis Fungoides (MF) and Sézary Syndrome (SS) comprise the majority of CTCL cases. Depending on the type of CTCL, the disease may progress slowly and can take anywhere from several years to upwards of ten to potentially reach tumor stage. However, once the disease reaches this stage, the cancer is highly malignant and can spread to the lymph nodes and internal organs, resulting in a poor prognosis. Given the duration of the disease, patients typically cycle through multiple agents to control disease progression. CTCL affects men twice as often as women and is typically first diagnosed in patients between the ages of 50 and 60 years of age. Other than allogeneic stem cell transplantation, for which only a small fraction of patients qualify, there is currently no curative therapy for advanced CTCL.
About Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Citius is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and commercialization of first-in-class critical care products, with a focus on oncology, anti-infectives in adjunct cancer care, unique prescription products, and stem cell therapies. The Company's diversified pipeline includes two late-stage product candidates, Mino-Lok®, an antibiotic lock solution for the treatment of patients with catheter-related bloodstream infections, which is currently enrolling patients in a Phase 3 Pivotal superiority trial, and LYMPHIR, a novel IL-2R immunotherapy for an initial indication in CTCL. Mino-Lok® was granted Fast Track designation by the FDA. LYMPHIR has received orphan drug designation by the FDA for the treatment of CTCL and PTCL. At the end of March 2023, Citius completed enrollment in its Phase 2b trial of CITI-002, a topical formulation for the relief of hemorrhoids. For more information, please visit www.citiuspharma.com.
Safe Harbor
This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements are made based on our expectations and beliefs concerning future events impacting Citius. You can identify these statements by the fact that they use words such as "believe," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "plan," "should," and "may" and other words and terms of similar meaning or use of future dates. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could negatively affect our business, operating results, financial condition and stock price. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated are: the FDA may not approve our BLA for LYMPHIR; our need for substantial additional funds; the estimated markets for our product candidates and the acceptance thereof by any market; our ability to commercialize our products if approved by the FDA; our dependence on third-party suppliers; the ability of our product candidates to impact the quality of life of our target patient populations; our ability to successfully undertake and complete clinical and non-clinical trials and the results from those trials for our product candidates; risks relating to the results of research and development activities, including those from existing and new pipeline assets; uncertainties relating to preclinical and clinical testing; the early stage of products under development; market and other conditions; our ability to attract, integrate, and retain key personnel; risks related to our growth strategy; patent and intellectual property matters; our ability to obtain, perform under and maintain financing and strategic agreements and relationships; our ability to identify, acquire, close and integrate product candidates and companies successfully and on a timely basis; our ability to procure cGMP commercial-scale supply; government regulation; competition; as well as other risks described in our SEC filings. These risks have been and may be further impacted by Covid-19. Accordingly, these forward-looking statements do not constitute guarantees of future performance, and you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Risks regarding our business are described in detail in our Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") filings which are available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov, including in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2022, filed with the SEC on December 22, 2022 and updated by our subsequent filings with the SEC. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and we expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations or any changes in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.
Investor Contact:
Ilanit Allen
ir@citiuspharma.com
908-967-6677 x113
Media Contact:
STiR-communications
Greg Salsburg
Greg@STiR-communications.com
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SOURCE Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/citius-pharmaceuticals-inc-receives-complete-response-letter-us-food-drug-administration-fda-lymphir-denileukin-diftitox-treatment-patients-with-relapsed-or-refractory-cutaneous-t-cell-lymphoma/ | 2023-07-29T20:28:11 | 0 | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/citius-pharmaceuticals-inc-receives-complete-response-letter-us-food-drug-administration-fda-lymphir-denileukin-diftitox-treatment-patients-with-relapsed-or-refractory-cutaneous-t-cell-lymphoma/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Former Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon of Missouri is joining No Labels ‘ increasingly contentious effort to lay the groundwork for a moderate third-party presidential ticket in the 2024 election. He gives the embattled organization another prominent ally amid escalating concerns from Democratic officials that the No Labels campaign could unintentionally help Republican Donald Trump return to the White House.
Nixon, a 67-year-old lawyer, is stepping back into national politics for the first time since leaving office in 2017 and will serve as No Labels’ director of ballot integrity. He said in an interview that he was drawn to the role after learning that well-funded groups aligned with Democrats were working to stop No Labels from securing ballot access in key states.
He said that those seeking to block the group’s right to appear on the presidential ballot are attacking a pillar of American democracy.
“What do I say to those Democrats? I say, ‘You’re entitled to your opinion. But we are also entitled to use our constitutional and statutory rights to allow Americans to have another choice,’” Nixon told The Associated Press.
President Joe Biden and Trump have dominated the 2024 campaign conversation so far. But No Labels, a Washington-based group that promotes compromise, national unity and centrist policy solutions, has been preparing for the strongest third-party presidential bid at least since Texas businessman Ross Perot earned nearly 19% of the popular vote in 1992.
Working with an operating budget of roughly $70 million, No Labels is taking steps to secure presidential ballot spots in roughly 20 states this year; the group has done so already in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Oregon and Utah.
While No Labels has yet to nominate candidates for president and vice president, its leadership insists there is a path to victory for a centrist third-party ticket “if the two parties select unreasonably divisive presidential nominees.”
The group’s critics across the Democratic Party are terrified that No Labels will siphon votes that would otherwise go to Biden, who narrowly beat Trump in 2020 with a coalition that included moderate Democrats, independents and disaffected Republicans.
No Labels’ leadership has promised a series of checks and balances that would allow the organization to withdraw its presidential ticket if it appears the group’s participation would help Trump win. No Labels has not outlined a detailed plan about that, and leaders acknowledge privately there is some urgency to come out with their specific safeguards, which would vary state by state. They intend to do so by “early fall.”
Anxious Democrats are unconvinced.
On Thursday, two prominent Democratic groups, the centrist Third Way and more progressive MoveOn, hosted private meetings on Capitol Hill with dozens of chiefs of staff and senior aides to House and Senate Democrats to emphasize the need to stop No Label’s presidential ambitions. In a nod to the seriousness of the Democratic establishment’s concerns, the meetings were held in both the House and Senate Democrats’ campaign headquarters.
“We told them what we have been saying consistently now for a long time: This is dangerous,” said Third Way co-founder Matt Bennett, who helped lead the briefing along with MoveOn’s executive director, Rahna Epting.
The organizers detailed data showing that a No Labels ticket would undercut Biden in the general election and warned that it could handicap vulnerable House and Senate candidates is tight elections. They also questioned that No Labels’ promise to withdraw its ticket if necessary to stop Trump.
No Labels’ leaders are furious.
“They are telling the elected leaders of this country right now that our ballot is a runaway train. And that is categorically false. That is propaganda. And that is why we’re bringing on a director of ballot integrity to stop it because it’s outrageous,” said No Labels’ founder Nancy Jacobson, a former Democratic fundraiser.
For now, Democrats are not willing to take Jacobson’s word for it.
“I don’t want to be doing this. I’d much rather focus on other things. I am concerned, genuinely,” Epting said. “They’re in over their head. They have not given any assurances that they’re clear and sober in their analysis. And when they talk about being able to put the horse back in the barn, they are not consistent about when or how they’re going to do that.”
“They’re just saying, ‘Trust us,’” Epting said. “We can’t. We don’t know you. And the stakes are too high.”
Meanwhile, Nixon joins a growing roster of former elected officials in both parties now affiliated with No Labels. Among the others: Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.; former Govs. Jon Huntsman Jr., R-Utah, Larry Hogan, R-Md., and Pat McCrory, R-N.C.; and former Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, a Democrat who became an independent late in his political career.
Manchin and Huntsman, ambassador to China under President Barack Obama and to Russia under Trump, hosted a town hall in New Hampshire this month, driving speculation they may ultimately become the No Labels presidential ticket.
No Labels plans to hold a presidential nominating convention next April in Dallas, and the group is showing no signs of backing off its 2024 plans. With a massive budget fueled by anonymous donations, No Labels can afford to be patient in the fights ahead.
Democrats in Arizona filed a complaint this month with the secretary of state asking to have the group suspended until it discloses it donors. In May, Maine’s top elections official sent a cease-and-desist letter regarding No Labels voter registration efforts after claiming the group was misleading voters.
The group Citizens to Save Our Republic formed a super political action committee this month specifically designed to stop No Labels. The group’s members includes Bennett from Third Way, several advisers to the anti-Trump Lincoln Project and former House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo.
Nixon, who declined to criticize Biden or Trump, said he understands that he is walking into a political firestorm. But he said he is passionate about No Labels’ constitutional right to secure a place on the ballot.
“I feel calm. I feel correct. I think we have a high moral ground here,” he said. | https://wgntv.com/politics-3/ap-politics/ap-ex-missouri-gov-jay-nixon-joins-push-for-third-party-presidential-bid-as-democrats-try-to-stop-it/ | 2023-07-29T20:28:12 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/politics-3/ap-politics/ap-ex-missouri-gov-jay-nixon-joins-push-for-third-party-presidential-bid-as-democrats-try-to-stop-it/ |
WASHINGTON, July 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Amid a coordinated effort to undermine No Labels' work to secure ballot access in states nationwide, we have named Jay Nixon – a lifelong Democrat who spent 30 years serving Missouri as a governor, attorney general and state senator – as director of our new Ballot Integrity Project.
Since early last year, No Labels has gathered over 700,000 signatures and qualified for the ballot in five states. We have a strategy to get on the ballot in all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., with the aim of potentially offering our line to an independent Unity presidential ticket in 2024. No Labels is responding to the overwhelming desire of Americans for more choices and voices in our politics – with two-thirds of voters saying they don't want a rematch of the 2020 election – but we now face organized opposition from a group of political operatives and former elected officials intent on keeping us off the ballot.
"At a moment when so many Americans' are losing trust in our democracy, we need to hold even tighter to the pillars that have held our democracy up for almost 250 years. In our country, you win by persuading more people and getting more votes, not by limiting voters' choices and denying competitors a place on the ballot," said Nixon. "Americans have the constitutional right to put any person or party on the ballot and to vote for whomever they want. Anyone who is against that isn't standing up for democracy. They are standing in the way."
Former Gov. Larry Hogan will welcome Nixon to the No Labels community in his first scheduled public appearance at a town hall on Tuesday, August 1, at 5 p.m. ET. Register here to join the town hall.
In Nixon's decorated public service career, he established a stellar record as a champion for the civil and voting rights of Americans. In his new role with No Labels, Nixon will work closely with No Labels national co-chair and civil rights icon, Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., to monitor legal developments, provide strategic counsel and serve as a public advocate for No Labels' ballot access efforts.
Since the start of its ballot access effort, No Labels has rigorously followed the letter and spirit of all applicable election laws. In recent months, however, it has become the target of an undemocratic campaign by organized and powerful partisan interests determined to keep No Labels off the ballot.
Local parties and partisan election officials have filed baseless lawsuits, invented spurious charges and delayed certification without justification in Arizona, Maine and North Carolina. Now, a new well-resourced group, organized under the name "Citizens to Save our Republic," has embarked on an effort to pressure No Labels and its members to abandon our ballot access effort.
"No Labels is a movement dedicated to democracy, and democracy can't stop because the powers that be think it's 'dangerous' to have competition," said Chavis. "The way to unite this country and to restore Americans faith in our future is to have more democracy, not less. I'm eager to begin working side by side with former Gov. Nixon to protect Americans' most fundamental constitutional rights."
On July 18, No Labels launched its Common Sense policy booklet at an overflow town hall event at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H., featuring Dr. Chavis, his fellow No Labels co-chairs former Gov. Pat McCrory and Sen. Joe Lieberman and special guests Sen. Joe Manchin and Gov. Jon Huntsman. It was the first of many town halls No Labels will host in the months ahead – with different leaders in different states – to spur a long overdue discussion about where America needs to go in 2024 and beyond.
By early 2024, No Labels will gauge the mood of the American public and their openness to an independent Unity ticket and will offer our ballot line to a ticket if and only if, such a ticket has a viable path to victory in the 2024 presidential election.
Since its founding in 2009, No Labels has spent 13 years working to give voice to America's commonsense majority. We are now getting ballot access in states across the country to ensure Americans have the choice to vote for a 2024 presidential ticket that features strong, effective, and honest leaders who will commit to working closely with both parties to find commonsense solutions to America's biggest problems. www.nolabels.org.
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SOURCE No Labels | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/former-missouri-governor-attorney-general-jay-nixon-joins-no-labels-protect-constitutional-right-americans-choose-their-leaders/ | 2023-07-29T20:28:17 | 1 | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/former-missouri-governor-attorney-general-jay-nixon-joins-no-labels-protect-constitutional-right-americans-choose-their-leaders/ |
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The oldest historically Black collegiate fraternity in the U.S. says it is relocating a planned convention in two years from Florida because of what it described as Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration’s “harmful, racist and insensitive” policies towards African Americans.
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity said this week that it would move its 2025 convention from Orlando to another location that is yet undecided. The convention draws between 4,000 and 6,000 people and has an economic impact of $4.6 million, the fraternity said.
The decision comes after the NAACP and other civil rights organizations this spring issued a travel advisory for Florida, warning that recently passed laws and policies are openly hostile to African Americans, people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Willis Lonzer, the fraternity’s general president, said in statement on Wednesday that the decision was motivated in part by Florida’s new education standards that require teachers to instruct middle school students that slaves developed skills that “could be applied for their personal benefit.”
“Although we are moving our convention from Florida, Alpha Phi Alpha will continue to support the strong advocacy of Alpha Brothers and other advocates fighting against the continued assault on our communities in Florida by Governor Ron DeSantis,” Lonzer said.
An email seeking comment on Saturday about the fraternity’s decision was sent to Jeremy Redfern, the governor’s press secretary and the governor’s office.
DeSantis, who is running for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, has come under fire this week over Florida’s new education standards. Among those criticizing the Florida governor on Friday was a rival for the Republican nomination, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the sole Black Republican in the Senate.
Responding to the criticism, DeSantis said Friday that he was “defending” Florida “against false accusations and against lies. And we’re going to continue to speak the truth.”
In May, the NAACP joined the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), a Latino civil rights organization, and Equality Florida, a gay rights advocacy group, in issuing travel advisories for the Sunshine State, where tourism is one of the state’s largest job sectors. The groups cited recent laws that prohibited state colleges from having programs on diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as critical race theory, and the Stop WOKE Act that restricts certain race-based conversations and analysis in schools and businesses.
They also cited laws that they say made life more difficult for immigrants in Florida and limited discussions on LGBTQ topics in schools.
At least nine other organizations or associations have pulled the plug on hosting conventions in Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, two of the state’s most population convention cities, because of Florida’s political climate, according to local media reports.
Florida is one of the most popular states in the U.S. for tourists, and tourism is one of its biggest industries. More than 137.5 million tourists visited Florida last year, marking a return to pre-pandemic levels, according to Visit Florida, the state’s tourism promotion agency. Tourism supports 1.6 million full-time and part-time jobs, and visitors spent $98.8 billion in Florida in 2019, the last year figures are available.
___
Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at @MikeSchneiderAP | https://wgntv.com/politics-3/ap-politics/ap-historically-black-fraternity-drops-florida-for-convention-because-of-desantis-policies/ | 2023-07-29T20:28:18 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/politics-3/ap-politics/ap-historically-black-fraternity-drops-florida-for-convention-because-of-desantis-policies/ |
LOMPOC, Calif., July 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Return to Freedom Wild Horse Conservation this week thanked the Senate Interior Appropriations Committee for including language in its Fiscal Year 2024 funding package that can improve the management of America's wild horses and burros.
A national nonprofit advocacy organization, Return to Freedom (RTF) works with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to press the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on the immediate scaling up of safe, proven and humane fertility control for wild horses and burros as well as with a diverse array of public lands stakeholders to create broader acceptance of fertility control use.
If implemented correctly and robustly, fertility control would slow (not stop) the growth of wild herds, keeping them on their home ranges rather than relying on the costly and traumatic capture, removal and warehousing of wild horses and burros.
"We are grateful to the Senate for again supporting protections for wild horses by taking the vitally important step of directing — in clear language — that the Bureau of Land Management implement thoughtful management that results in the kinds of humane approaches for which Return to Freedom has tirelessly advocated," said Neda DeMayo, president of RTF.
The Senate Committee's guiding report language calls for $11 million "to be spent to continue implementation of a robust and humane fertility control strategy of reversible immunocontraceptive vaccines."
The Senate Committee's report emphasized that it "expects" the BLM to place "specific attention on:"
- "increasing the use of fertility control, including measurable objectives in reducing population growth with fertility controls,
- "targeting removals from the most heavily ecologically impacted and populated areas,
- "expanding long-term, off-range humane holding, and continuing adoptions while fully implementing and enforcing existing safeguards."
The Senate Committee on Thursday approved a total of $148 million for wild horse and burro management for 2024. Congress allocated the same amount in 2023.
By comparison, the House Interior Appropriations Committee on June 19 approved $155 million for wild horse management in 2024.
The House Committee's report language also sets aside $11 million for fertility control; however, it does not specify using the funding solely for immediate on-range implementation. The House also allows the money to be used for research, including on permanent sterilization, which RTF strongly opposes.
The Senate and House must now reconcile their differences.
RTF is calling on the House and Senate conferees to adopt the House's funding level alongside the Senate's guiding report language. RTF will continue to advocate for stricter wild horse and burro protections and for greater funding until the final bill is approved later this year.
Background
As it has for decades, the BLM continues to emphasize capture-and-removal, putting off fertility control use while also failing to reach the agency's own wild horse population targets. In FY 2022, for example, 20,193 wild horses and burros were removed from their home ranges while just 1,622 mares were treated and released with some form of fertility control.
Out of the BLM-estimated 141,000 federally protected wild horses and burros that the agency is charged with overseeing, 58,000 now live not on the range but in overcrowded government corrals or on leased pastures.
The cost to taxpayers of continued off-range holding of captured wild horses has climbed to more than $83 million annually. That has left little funding for prioritizing range management, restoration, personnel and administration, let alone fertility control.
Population modeling by RTF and other stakeholders has shown that immediately implementing fertility control alongside any removal that BLM conducts is the only way to catch up with and stabilize herd growth so that on-range management can replace removals.
Return to Freedom Wild Horse Conservation (RTF) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to wild horse preservation through sanctuary, education, conservation, and advocacy since 1998. It also operates the American Wild Horse Sanctuary at three California locations, caring for more than 450 wild horses and burros managing the population with fertility control since 1999. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates about wild horses and burros on the range and at our sanctuary.
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SOURCE Return to Freedom Wild Horse Conservation | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/return-freedom-applauds-senates-continued-emphasis-wild-horse-fertility-control/ | 2023-07-29T20:28:24 | 0 | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/return-freedom-applauds-senates-continued-emphasis-wild-horse-fertility-control/ |
PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — Not long ago, Marine Col. Jennifer Nash, a combat engineer with war deployments under her belt, made a vow to fellow officers as they headed to a dinner in Atlanta: She would get two new recruiting contacts by the end of the evening.
She admits recruiting is not the job that she or other Marines had in mind when they enlisted. But after stints as a recruiter and senior officer at the Eastern recruiting command, she has become emblematic of the Corps’ tradition of putting its best, battle-tested Marines on enlistment duty. They get results.
Marine leaders say they will make their recruiting goal this year, while the active-duty Army, Navy and Air Force all expect to fall short. The services have struggled in the tight job market to compete with higher-paying businesses for the dwindling number of young people who can meet the military’s physical, mental and moral standards.
On that night, Nash achieved her own goal. She had gotten the valet at the hotel and the hostess at the restaurant to provide their phone numbers and to consider a Marine career.
Nash’s boss, Brig. Gen. Walker Field, who head the Eastern recruiting region, says the Corps has historically put an emphasis on selecting top-performing Marines to fill recruiting jobs. He says that has been a key to the Marines’ recruiting success, along with efforts to increase the number of recruiters, extend those who do well and speed their return to high schools, where in-person recruiting stopped during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said his recruiters — who cover the territory between Canada and Puerto Rico and as far west as Mississippi — will meet their mission and expect to have 30% of their 2024 goal when they start the next fiscal year, Oct. 1. More broadly, Marine officials say they expect the Corps to achieve its recruiting target of more than 33,000.
Last year, the Navy, Air Force and Marines had to eat into their pools of delayed entry applicants in order to make their goals. The Marines will avoid that this year.
“That would be a great ending,” said Field, speaking to The Associated Press on a recent steamy day at South Carolina’s Parris Island, along the Atlantic Coast. “I’m bearish for not only concluding FY23 on a strong footing, but also how we set the conditions for FY24.”
The Marine Corps may get some help from its small size. The Army, for example, has a recruiting goal of 65,000 this year, which is nearly double the Corps’, and expects to fall substantially short of that. Air Force and Navy officials say they will also miss their goals, although the Space Force, which is the smallest service and does its recruiting within Air Force stations, is expected to meet its goal of about 500 recruits.
Sitting in the shadow of Parris Island’s replica of the Iwo Jima monument, Field said his biggest challenge is that a number of Marine hopefuls cannot pass the military’s academic test, known as the Armed Services Voluntary Aptitude Battery.
That is a widespread problem, but the Army recently set up a program that targets recruits who score below 30 on the test and provides schooling for several weeks to help them pass. Already more than 8,800 recruits have successfully gone through the classes, raised their scores and moved on to basic training.
The Navy is taking another route with a pilot program that allows up to 20% of their recruits to score below 30 on the test, as long as they meet specific standards for their chosen naval job. Marine leaders, however, do not take those lowest scoring recruits, and so far have no plans for any type of formal improvement program such as the Army’s.
Field said the Marines are repositioning recruiting stations, moving them around based on where population totals have increased in the latest census. More important, he said, the Corps maintains its focus on choosing the right recruiters, encouraging successful ones to stay in the job and increasing the number of Marine reservists tapped for recruit duties from the current 31 to 96 by the end of next year.
Nash, who until last month was assistant chief of staff for the Eastern region, said Marines are hand-selected for recruiting command jobs. Many three- and four-star Marines, including former Defense Secretary James Mattis, will cite their years doing enlistment duty.
“We put our best and brightest in those positions,” said Nash, adding that those chosen for recruiting posts have a proven track record of success in previous assignments and have demonstrated critical leadership skills. “That’s why they got selected, because they were above their peers.”
She acknowledged that the first time she was picked for a recruiting job she was “voluntold.” But now, recounting her sales pitch in Atlanta, her rapid fire pitch comes without taking a breath.
“I say, ‘Hey, ever thought about being Marine? We’re a bunch of Marines. And, you know, I think you potentially could be a good Marine. You ever thought about it?’ And usually you get, ‘Yeah, I thought about it.’ And I’m, like, ‘What’s holding you back? Would you like to learn more about your opportunities?’ ‘Absolutely.’ `OK. Mind giving me your name and phone number? I’ll have one of my recruiters give you a phone call.’”
The Marines have resisted increasing bonuses to attract recruits — something the other services have found helpful.
Gen. Eric Smith, the acting Marine Corps commandant, got some ribbing for his response when he was asked about bonuses during a naval conference in February.
“Your bonus is you get to call yourself a Marine,” he said. “That’s your bonus, right? There’s no dollar amount that goes with that.”
Field, Nash and others also say the Corps prefers to give a lot of recruits a few thousand dollars, rather than increasing the amount and giving money to far fewer people.
Field said that getting Marine recruiters in uniform back into high schools this year, after several years of COVID-19 restrictions, has been a key driver. There, young people line up to compete in pull-up contests, vying for a free T-shirt if they can do 20. And recruiters say many are drawn to the cache of being a Marine.
“If you told me you’ll give me $10 million worth of advertising and I can do something with it, or you’ll give me 10 great-looking Marines in a Marine uniform — what’s going to get the most value? Give me those 10 Marines and give me a day,” Nash said. “We’ll go out and we’ll get more out of that, I think, than $10 million in advertising.” | https://wgntv.com/politics-3/ap-politics/ap-the-few-and-the-proud-arent-so-few-marines-recruiting-surges-while-other-services-struggle/ | 2023-07-29T20:28:25 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/politics-3/ap-politics/ap-the-few-and-the-proud-arent-so-few-marines-recruiting-surges-while-other-services-struggle/ |
NEW YORK, July 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --
WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Tingo Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: TIO) between December 1, 2022 and June 6, 2023, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important August 7, 2023 lead plaintiff deadline.
SO WHAT: If you purchased Tingo securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.
WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Tingo class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=16856 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than August 7, 2023. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.
WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.
DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Tingo overstated its revenue and other accounting metrics, creating a false impression of success; (2) Tingo was not meaningfully engaged in many of the business activities that it claimed would drive future growth; (3) many of Tingo's supposed contracts with customers and suppliers did not exist; and (4) in light of the above, defendants' positive statements about Tingo's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.
To join the Tingo class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=16856 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.
No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Contact Information:
Laurence Rosen, Esq.
Phillip Kim, Esq.
The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
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SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A. | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/tio-deadline-rosen-ranked-leading-firm-encourages-tingo-group-inc-investors-with-losses-secure-counsel-before-important-august-7-deadline-securities-class-action-tio/ | 2023-07-29T20:28:30 | 1 | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/tio-deadline-rosen-ranked-leading-firm-encourages-tingo-group-inc-investors-with-losses-secure-counsel-before-important-august-7-deadline-securities-class-action-tio/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — A top Pentagon official has attacked this week’s widely watched congressional hearing on UFOs, calling the claims “insulting” to employees who are investigating sightings and accusing a key witness of not cooperating with the official U.S. government investigation.
Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick’s letter, published on his personal LinkedIn page and circulated Friday across social media, criticizes much of the testimony from a retired Air Force intelligence officer that energized believers in extraterrestrial life and produced headlines around the world.
Retired Air Force Maj. David Grusch testified Wednesday that the U.S. has concealed what he called a “multi-decade” program to collect and reverse-engineer “UAPs,” or unidentified aerial phenomena, the official government term for UFOs.
Part of what the U.S. has recovered, Grusch testified, were non-human “biologics,” which he said he had not seen but had learned about from “people with direct knowledge of the program.”
A career intelligence officer, Kirkpatrick was named a year ago to lead the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, or AARO, which was intended to centralize investigations into UAPs. The Pentagon and U.S. intelligence agencies have been pushed by Congress in recent years to better investigate reports of devices flying at unusual speeds or trajectories as a national security concern.
Kirkpatrick wrote the letter Thursday and the Defense Department confirmed Friday that he posted it in a personal capacity. Kirkpatrick declined to comment on the letter Friday.
He writes in part, “I cannot let yesterday’s hearing pass without sharing how insulting it was to the officers of the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community who chose to join AARO, many with not unreasonable anxieties about the career risks this would entail.”
“They are truth-seekers, as am I,” Kirkpatrick said. “But you certainly would not get that impression from yesterday’s hearing.”
In a separate statement, Pentagon spokeswoman Sue Gough denied other allegations made by Grusch before a House Oversight subcommittee.
The Pentagon “has no information that any individual has been harmed or killed as a result of providing information” about UFO objects, Gough said. Nor has the Pentagon discovered “any verifiable information to substantiate claims that any programs regarding the possession or reverse-engineering of extraterrestrial materials have existed in the past or exist currently.”
Kirkpatrick wrote, “AARO has yet to find any credible evidence to support the allegations of any reverse engineering program for non-human technology.”
He had briefed reporters in December that the Pentagon was investigating “several hundreds” of new reports following a push to have pilots and others come forward with any sightings.
Kirkpatrick wrote in his letter that allegations of “retaliation, to include physical assault and hints of murder, are extraordinarily serious, which is why law enforcement is a critical member of the AARO team, specifically to address and take swift action should anyone come forward with such claims.”
“Yet, contrary to assertions made in the hearing, the central source of those allegations has refused to speak with AARO,” Kirkpatrick said. He did not explicitly name Grusch, who alleged he faced retaliation and declined to answer when a congressman asked him if anyone had been murdered to hide information about UFOs.
Messages left at a phone number and email address for Grusch were not returned Friday. | https://wgntv.com/politics-3/ap-politics/ap-the-ufo-congressional-hearing-was-insulting-to-us-employees-a-top-pentagon-official-says/ | 2023-07-29T20:28:31 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/politics-3/ap-politics/ap-the-ufo-congressional-hearing-was-insulting-to-us-employees-a-top-pentagon-official-says/ |
2023 Amundi Evian Championship Betting Odds, Favorites & Insights – Round 4
Celine Boutier is the current leader (-100) at the 2023 Amundi Evian Championship after three rounds of play.
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Amundi Evian Championship Fourth Round Information
- Start Time: 12:45 AM ET
- Venue: Evian Resort Golf Club
- Location: Évian-les-Bains, France
- Par/Distance: Par 71/6,527 yards
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Amundi Evian Championship Best Odds to Win
Celine Boutier
- Tee Time: 6:25 AM ET
- Current Rank: 1st (-11)
- Odds to Win: -100
Boutier Round by Round Results
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Nasa Hataoka
- Tee Time: 6:25 AM ET
- Current Rank: 2nd (-8)
- Odds to Win: +400
Hataoka Round by Round Results
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Minjee Lee
- Tee Time: 6:15 AM ET
- Current Rank: 3rd (-7)
- Odds to Win: +700
Lee Round by Round Results
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Brooke Mackenzie Henderson
- Tee Time: 6:15 AM ET
- Current Rank: 3rd (-7)
- Odds to Win: +800
Mackenzie Henderson Round by Round Results
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Nelly Korda
- Tee Time: 6:05 AM ET
- Current Rank: 5th (-6)
- Odds to Win: +1200
Korda Round by Round Results
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Amundi Evian Championship Odds (Rest of Field)
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wcjb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/amundi-evian-championship-lpga-tournament-betting-odds-round-4/ | 2023-07-29T20:28:37 | 0 | https://www.wcjb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/amundi-evian-championship-lpga-tournament-betting-odds-round-4/ |
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The United States will expand its military industrial base by helping Australia manufacture guided missiles and rockets for both countries within two years, the allies announced on Saturday as they ramped up defense cooperation to counter China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific.
The new cooperation on guided weapon production follows a trilateral partnership announcement in March that will see Britain provide Australia with a fleet of eight submarines powered by U.S. nuclear technology.
The greater integration of U.S. and Australian militaries was announced after annual talks between U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken and their Australian counterparts, Defense Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong.
They agreed to cooperate on Australia producing Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems by 2025, a communique said.
U.S. companies Raytheon and Lockheed Martin only established an Australian enterprise to build such weapons last year. That followed the drain on Western countries’ munitions caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Austin said the move on missiles would strengthen the two allies’ defense industrial base and technological edge.
“We’re racing to accelerate Australia’s priority access to munitions through a streamlined acquisition process,” Austin told reporters in Brisbane, Australia.
Marles welcomed U.S. support to achieve Australian missile production within two years.
“We are really pleased with the steps that we are taking in respect of establishing a guided weapons and explosive ordnance enterprise in this country,” Marles said.
The two governments also agreed to upgrade joint military facilities in Australia and to increase U.S. nuclear submarine visits as the United States increases its focus on the South Pacific.
The region came to the forefront of the U.S. competition with China for influence last year, when Beijing signed a security pact with Solomon Islands and raised the prospect of a Chinese naval base being established there.
Austin became the first U.S. defense secretary to visit Papua New Guinea and Blinken visited New Zealand and Tonga before they arrived in Australia.
Saturday’s meeting was overshadowed by the loss of an Australian Army helicopter with four air crew late Friday, during military exercises with the U.S. off the northeastern coast of Australia.
U.S., Australian and Canadian militaries are taking part in the search for potential survivors near Whitsunday Islands off the Queensland state coast.
Austin and Marles will travel to north Queensland on Sunday to inspect Talisman Sabre, a biennial military exercise between the two countries that this year includes 13 nations and more than 30,000 military personnel. | https://wgntv.com/politics-3/ap-politics/ap-us-pledges-to-help-australia-manufacture-guided-missiles-by-2025/ | 2023-07-29T20:28:38 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/politics-3/ap-politics/ap-us-pledges-to-help-australia-manufacture-guided-missiles-by-2025/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Pamela Smith’s voice soared and quivered like a preacher in midsermon as she recalled her troubled childhood and how it helped prepare her for the challenges she faces as the new police chief in the nation’s capital.
“I stand before you as a child who had no hopes, who had no dreams — they were far beyond my reach. But I believe that all things are possible,” she said at her introductory news conference in Washington, in cadences honed by years as an ordained Baptist minister. “I believe I bring a fresh perspective, a different kind of energy, a different level of passion to what I’m going to do.”
Smith takes on the job at a precarious time.
Violent crime is rising sharply, fueled by more homicides and carjackings. The District of Columbia’s mayor, Muriel Bowser, and the D.C. Council have, at times, been at odds about crime legislation. On Capitol Hill, the Republican-led House has begun citing the city’s crime statistics while aggressively reviewing local public safety laws.
On July 24, the Mexican Consulate posted a tweet urging its nationals to “take precautions” in the city due to “a significant increase in crime in areas previously considered safe.”
Smith, 55, now becomes one of the public faces of this long-term fight even before the Council votes on her nomination as chief. She brings an inspirational story to her new role leading the Metropolitan Police Department. Raised in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, by a single mother who battled substance abuse, Smith and her siblings were at one point removed from their home and spent time in foster care. Smith emerged as a track star and went on to a 24-year career in the U.S. Park Police, where she served as the agency’s first Black female chief before retiring in 2022 to take up a senior leadership position at the MPD.
Law enforcement and government officials repeatedly point out that overall crime numbers in Washington have stayed relatively stable. But the crimes that have increased the most — murders and carjackings — are the ones most likely to damage public confidence.
“The scariest crimes are going up and regardless of what’s happening with other crimes, that’s what’s going to fuel the overall perception,” U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves told The Associated Press.
Graves’ office prosecutes most felonies in Washington, in a unique arrangement due to the district’s status as a nonstate. The city’s attorney general’s office prosecutes misdemeanors and juvenile crime, which is also on the rise.
This intricate dynamic among two separate sets of prosecutors, the city’s police force, Bowser’s administration and the Council has been publicly tested as the crime numbers have stayed high — all with Congress taking an increasing interest in the district’s affairs. Public safety was a primary topic of debate last year when Bowser, 50, successfully ran for a third term in office. She has spent this term sparring with both the Council and the House Oversight and Accountability Committee over how best to address crime.
July has been a particular bloody month, with 22 homicides as of Friday, including murders on the campuses of both Howard and Catholic universities. The victims include an Afghan man who survived years of working as a translator for the U.S. Army in Afghanistan only to be murdered in America while driving for Lyft. Nine people, including two children, were shot at a July Fourth party, when an assailant in an SUV opened fire on the crowd. A 12-year old girl remains hospitalized after being shot in the back Tuesday night by a bullet that penetrated the walls of her home.
Although the local murder rate is well below the levels in the 1980s and early 1990s, when Washington regularly led the nation in murders per capita, it has climbed steadily in recent years. In 2022, there was a roughly 10% drop in homicides, but now, homicides are up 15 percent compared with this time a year ago and the city is on pace to surpass 200 for the third year in a row. Police also reported 140 carjacking incidents in the month of June — the highest monthly total in more than five years.
Crime in Washington is now a national headline issue in Congress. In the spring, Bowser and Council members were summoned before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee for a heated session on local crime rates.
Congress voted to completely overturn the Council’s comprehensive rewrite of the district’s criminal code. Bowser was caught in the middle of the dispute. She had vetoed the overhaul, saying the reduction of maximum penalties for certain violent crimes “sent the wrong message,” but was overridden by the Council.
The mayor opposes congressional intervention in local affairs as part of Washington’s long push for statehood, but her initial veto was frequently cited by Republican lawmakers as proof that the rewrite was soft on crime. In an embarrassment for the heavily Democratic city, the move to cancel the criminal code revision drew support from dozens of congressional Democratic and was signed into law by President Joe Biden.
Earlier this month, the Council, with Bowser’s support, passed emergency public safety legislation meant to serve as a temporary fix. The bill makes it a felony to fire a gun in public and makes it easier for judges, in cases where people are charged with a violent crime, to detain them before trial. As an emergency bill, the changes will only last 90 days and will not be subject to congressional review; plans to make the changes permanent in the fall will face scrutiny by lawmakers.
“It is no secret … to the public that we are in a state of emergency right now,” said Brooke Pinto, the D.C. Council member who was the bill’s architect. “Like in any emergency, we have to act like it and we have to act urgently to address the problem we’re seeing.”
But some pushing for a criminal justice overhaul said city lawmakers were reverting to mass incarceration policies that had long ago been discredited.
“We’re way beyond thinking that we can just incarcerate more people,” said Patrice Sulton, executive director of the D.C. Justice Lab, who helped draft the now-canceled criminal code revision. “I think everybody who voted for it knows that it will not have an impact.”
The local branch of the American Civil Liberties Union said in a statement on Twitter that the new bill “essentially flips due process on its head — treating people as guilty and detaining them.”
All sides point to one primary factor fueling the violence: a flood to firearms entering Washington.
Graves, the district’s federal prosecutor, said the number of guns being used in crimes has skyrocketed, turning petty disputes into deadly battles. This includes a new wave of “ghost guns” — firearms that can be ordered in kits and assembled at home. Other kits can easily turn a semiautomatic weapon into an automatic, enabling a rapid-fire and generally less accurate spray of dozens of bullets. In 2018, authorities recovered three such guns; in 2022, the number was 461.
Graves compared the illegal guns to “a virus” in the neighborhood.
“The more virus there is in the community, the more people are going to get sick,” he said. “The more illegal firearms are in the community, the more likelihood those illegal firearms are going to be used.” | https://wgntv.com/politics-3/ap-politics/ap-violent-crime-is-rising-in-the-nations-capital-dc-seeks-solutions-as-congress-keeps-close-watch/ | 2023-07-29T20:28:44 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/politics-3/ap-politics/ap-violent-crime-is-rising-in-the-nations-capital-dc-seeks-solutions-as-congress-keeps-close-watch/ |
While the kids are on home instruction, there’s no better time than now to school them — on the 80s and 90s movies, that is. These decades are pop-culture treasure troves from which many of our fondest memories are plucked.
That’s why you and the kiddos should curl up on the couch and revisit your favorite flicks. Believe it or not, many of them are rich in educational value, even if it’s a matter of drawing the line with feathered bangs.
Our team rounded up essential 80s and 90s cinematic masterpieces for you to share with your kids as they begin their new favorite class, Film Studies 101: The Wonder Years.
Shop this article: Sister Act (1993), 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) and Sixteen Candles (1984)
Rated PG
Sister Act (1993)
Witness protection doesn’t need to be boring, especially when you send a Vegas lounge singer into a nunnery for selling out her mob boyfriend. Sister Mary Clarence brings a little jazz to the sisterhood, and you’ll probably sing along to this one — much to the chagrin of the kids.
Other subjects covered: Music theory, criminal justice, religion
Also available at Disney+
The Sandlot (1993)
The summer of 1962 is a formative one for this motley crew of young baseball players. From awkward interactions with girls to dealing with bullying, it’s an all-ages relatable story. And yes, there are plenty of inside jokes that only true baseball fans will appreciate.
Other subjects covered: Bildungsroman, baseball history, bullying
Also available at Starz
Beetlejuice (1988)
Introduce the kiddos to Lydia, a teen undergoing major life adjustments. Moving and making new friends in less-than-ideal situations isn’t easy, especially when you befriend the ghosts of tenants past in your new home — some of whom have colorful personalities.
Other subjects covered: Blended families, real estate ethics, exorcisms
Life is Beautiful (1998)
In an attempt to shield his son from the reality of Nazi occupation in Italy, a quirky Jewish bookshop owner turns their new way of life into a game. The lighthearted approach to keeping young Guido out of harm’s way without further traumatizing him is truly touching.
Other subjects covered: WW2 history, European geography, family dynamics
Hocus Pocus (1993)
Soul-sucking witches from 1693 surface 300 years later to give young Max a run for his money in Salem, Mass. Kids will be enthralled with his journey, as it shows how the actions of a single person has the potential to impact — or save — an entire town.
Other subjects covered: Early American history, time management, the effervescent Bette Midler
Also available at Disney+
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)
Whoa! Bill and Ted are the unintentional professors of this crash-course in world history. Join them as they adapt to ancient cultures and interact with historical figures — in a most excellent way.
Other subjects covered: the French Revolution, Greek philosophy, DIY repairs
Also available at Starz
Jungle 2 Jungle (1997)
The concrete jungle of New York City is a far cry from where Mimi-Siku was raised in the remote Canaima region of Venezuela. Upon arrival, he has to get used to Western traditions, a father he’s never met, and unexpected shenanigans involving the Russian mob.
Other subjects covered: Cultural diffusion, New York City architecture, table manners
Top Gun (1986)
Follow Kenny Loggins’s advice: Ride into the danger zone. Few things are as cool as Maverick rocking Ray-Bans and breaking the sound barrier. Cruise through the skies in style — and in preparation for this summer’s second installment to the iconic 80s blockbuster.
Other subjects covered: Aerospace engineering, gravity, classic 80s music
Rated PG-13
10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
A star-studded cast does Shakespeare justice in this modern spin on The Taming of the Shrew. High school can be the cruelest of times with unrequited love, impenetrable cliques, and popularity contests. Personality perseveres, though: being nice matters, and true love can prevail.
Other subjects covered: Courtly love, sibling rivalries, puberty
Also available at Disney+
Jurassic Park (1993)
Who doesn’t love a nature versus nurture story told through misadventures in a dinosaur theme park? Kids can flex their problem-solving skills by coming up with ways to escape velociraptors running amok — and may emerge as budding paleontologists.
Other subjects covered: Evolution, GMOs, the dangers of portable toilets
Titanic (1997)
Follow the larger-than-life story of Jack and Rose, star-crossed lovers divided by class, set on the ill-fated Titanic. Besides learning about the ship’s history, you’ll also explore how this mega-budget movie managed to pull off its special effects.
Other subjects covered: Early 20th century history, cinematic history, anatomy of a ship
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
Think it’s hard to relate to a high school slacker cutting class when you miss school? Think again. Ferris Bueller plays hooky and bites off more than he can chew trying to evade the principal. It’s a great lesson on the snowball effects of decision-making — not to mention joyriding.
Other subjects covered: Driver’s education, historic Chicago, the dramatic fourth wall
Clueless (1995)
This satirical commentary on 90s Valley Girls is very loosely based on Jane Austen’s Emma. Slice through the vivacious verbiage to see the true heart of the story. Cher’s tireless mission as a social butterfly reveals good intentions, despite hang-ups with designer clothing.
Other subjects covered: 90s fashion, British Romantic literature, epic closet organization
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Running with scissors is not encouraged, and neither is falling in love when you have them for hands. This Franken-fantasy love story is endearing and illustrates the importance of not judging others by their appearance. Besides, we’re all one snip away from having our hearts broken, too.
Other subjects covered: Human anatomy, Johnny Depp as a film icon, landscape architecture
Wayne’s World (1992)
Your kids will never hear an electric guitar the same way again. This 90s spectacle incorporates all things pop culture, including the music and fashion of the era. It’s also fascinating to draw similarities between this low-budget basement show and modern-day live-streaming.
Other subjects covered: History of social media, 80s classic rock and metal, fashionable flannel
Rated R
Sixteen Candles (1984)
Sixteen is already hard enough, and things get more complicated when your sister’s wedding overshadows your birthday. Follow Sam as she becomes embroiled in a challenging relationship with her crush and navigates the antics of nerdy teenage boys.
Other subjects covered: Sex education, Molly Ringwald as a cultural icon, event planning
Also available at Starz
Coming to America (1988)
When Crown Prince Akeem of Zamunda breaks with tradition and refuses an arranged marriage, he travels to none other than New York City to find an independent woman. East and West collide during Akeem’s courtship attempts, which are awkward and borderline inappropriate.
Other subjects covered: Cultural diffusion, courtship, international travel
Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1994)
To be fair, this film is technically PG-13, but it should be R. Set in jolly England, this comical delight is an un-PC retelling of Robin Hood. Toilet humor abounds, including a character named Latrine. The puns are awful, the names are worse, and if you do nothing else, duck and cover when Blinkin picks up a crossbow.
Other subjects covered: Medieval times, scriptwriting, personal hygiene
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://wgntv.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/internet-streaming-br/best-movies-to-watch-with-your-kids/ | 2023-07-29T20:28:50 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/internet-streaming-br/best-movies-to-watch-with-your-kids/ |
Types of residential water heaters
Residential water heaters come in tank, tankless and hybrid varieties. Each type has its own distinct characteristics; benefits as well as drawbacks. By looking at factors including cost, energy efficiency, maintenance and lifespan, you’ll be able to determine which type is right for your home.
Shop this article: Rheem 50-Gallon Residential Electric Water Heater, Stiebel Eltron Tempra 36 Plus Tankless Heater, A.O. Smith 50-Gallon Hybrid Heat Pump Water Heater
Tank water heaters
Traditional water heaters feature a tank that stores hot water until it’s needed. They range in size from 30-50 gallons and run on either gas or electricity. These units cost less upfront compared to tankless and hybrid water heaters. Since they’re the most common type, costs associated with installation, repairs and maintenance are relatively low in comparison. Tank water heaters are associated with the most energy loss, referred to as standby heat loss. They waste energy by maintaining hot water in the tank when not in use.
Traditional water heaters have the shortest lifespan compared to the other types, typically lasting 8-12 years. Exposure to water, oxygen and minerals corrodes the tank over time, causing it to leak; this process is usually what causes a tank water heater to cease functioning.
Tankless water heaters
Also referred to as on-demand water heaters, tankless models are powered by gas or electricity. According to the Department of Energy, “for homes that use 41 gallons or less of hot water daily, demand water heaters can be 24–34% more energy efficient than conventional storage tank water heaters.” While tankless water heaters cost more up-front and are pricier to install compared to tank units, energy savings make them more cost-effective in the long run. Tankless heaters also take up significantly less space compared to tank and hybrid models.
Tankless water heaters have the longest lifespan, capable of lasting around 15 to 20 years. This is in part due to the fact that they do not operate constantly the way a traditional tank heater does. However, tankless water heater components may also experience corrosion, eventually.
Hybrid water heaters
Hybrid water heaters run on minimal electricity, consisting of a tank and a heat pump. They’re larger than tank water heaters, with sizes ranging from 50 to 80 gallons. Unlike tank and tankless units, they don’t directly generate heat — heat is taken from the surrounding air and transferred into the tank. For this reason, hybrid water heaters are among the most energy-efficient options on the market. However, they are costly and more expensive to install compared to traditional storage tank heaters. Hybrid water heaters function best when the temperature of the surrounding air remains at or above 40 degrees.
Hybrid water heaters tend to last around 13-15 years. Similar to tankless water heaters, they do not run continuously, which increases their lifespan. They still contain a tank capable of corroding, though, so they won’t last as long as tankless units.
Best tank water heaters
Rheem 50-Gallon Residential Electric Water Heater
This electric water heater has a 50-gallon capacity suitable for households of 3-5 people. The water heater includes a 6-year tank and parts warranty.
Sold by Walmart
Rheem 40-Gallon Residential Electric Water Heater
If you’re looking for an electric model for a smaller household, this unit is a better option. It can reliably heat water for two to four people, with an included six-year tank and parts warranty.
Sold by Walmart
Rheem 40-Gallon Natural Gas Water Heater
This natural gas heater with a 40-gallon capacity can support households of 2-4 people. It features a push-button ignition for an easier startup process. You’re covered with a 6-year tank and parts warranty, as well.
Sold by Walmart
Best tankless water heaters
Stiebel Eltron Tempra 36 Plus Tankless Heater
This tankless electric option provides a continuous output of hot water for three to four bathrooms in warm climates or two to three bathrooms in cooler climates. It has a digital display and preset temperature buttons that simplify operation. This heater comes with seven-year leakage and three-year parts warranties.
Sold by Amazon
EcoSmart ECO 27 Tankless Water Heater
Another electric pick, this tankless model can heat up to 6 gallons of water per minute, ideal for apartment and condo units in warmer climates. It features a digital display and dial temperature controls. The lifetime warranty offers peace of mind.
Sold by Amazon
Eemax Electric Tankless Water Heater
In cold climates, this tankless electric model produces enough hot water for one shower and two sinks to run simultaneously. In warmer climates, this heater can support up to four showers running at once. It features a digital display and dial controls, plus 5-year leak and 1-year parts warranties with purchase.
Sold by Amazon
Best hybrid water heater
A.O. Smith 50-Gallon Hybrid Heat Pump Water Heater
This hybrid water heater has a 50-gallon tank capable of servicing households of three to five people. You can access efficiency, hybrid, electric and vacation operating modes using the electronic interface. The electric heater comes with a six-year tank and parts warranty.
Sold by Amazon
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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://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-aaron-judge-comes-off-injured-list-before-yankees-open-series-at-baltimore/ | 2023-07-29T20:29:02 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-aaron-judge-comes-off-injured-list-before-yankees-open-series-at-baltimore/ |
COLFAX, Iowa (AP) — In the small central Iowa town of Colfax, thousands of cyclists participating in the largest and oldest recreational bike ride in the world were stopped along its historic main street, staring ahead at a daunting climb that would lead them out of town.
The hill, coupled with soaring temps and the vibrant downtown, made a morning sitting in the shade quite appealing.
It’s become almost simplistic to say that “small-town America” is slowly dying. That opportunities for young people have dried up, just like businesses and main streets. That the only way forward in life involves moving to a big city. But the reality is towns such as Colfax are flourishing, and that was especially evident on RAGBRAI, the annual bike ride across the state, where dozens of small towns dotting the 500-mile route welcomed some 50,000 riders with open arms.
Colfax is a prime example. It experienced a nearly 8% increase in population from the 2010 census to the most recent in 2020, turning around two decades of decline. Its population of 2,255 represented its highest since the 1990s.
Sure, many small towns are still struggling, but what has allowed those such as Colfax to thrive?
“Mostly, a wonderful mayor and council and volunteers that just ensure a vital community,” explains Wade Wagoner, the former city manager for the small town of Lake Park, and now the city administrator for Colfax.
“Des Moines and the metro growing to the east doesn’t hurt,” Wagoner said. “Also, the fact that we still have a high school and citizens just approved a $14 million bond for athletic and academic improvements make people want to raise a family here.”
Wagoner underscores that location is important. After the COVID-19 pandemic, when many jobs became partially or fully remote, people who may have once worked in a city could suddenly live just about anywhere, including small towns across America.
Wagoner goes on to talk about the smallest Fareway grocery store in the state, the coffee shop and bank and city hall, all of which make for a bustling hub. There’s also a rich history with mineral water that makes Colfax’s downtown large for its size.
In other words, Colfax has leaned into its strengths to create a community that people want to call home.
And every few years, big events such as RAGBRAI roll through, giving them a chance to shine.
“Lots of trash and (Port-o-potties,” Wagoner said of the traveling circus, “but it is actually pretty cool. It lets us show off the town and certain businesses do make some money. Others find it a pain. But it’s only for a single day.”
If nothing else, the horde of cyclists are good for making money.
In Polk City, between the busy metros of Ames and Des Moines, high school students collected money to fund their after-prom party. Elsewhere on the ride, residents of Slater were using donations to build a new community center and library. In Breda, where the route went through Monday, the town was trying to raise $300,000 to replace the lights at its baseball grandstand, which was built in 1946 and has withstood the test of time.
Breda, population 500, is another example of a small town doing well. It has steadily gained residents for the past 30 years.
In the quiet hamlet of Oxford, just past the fire department and the Deja Brew Coffee House & Bakery, four boys took turns in a dunk tank Friday as cyclists passed through on a day of unrelenting heat — the index topped out at 112 degrees.
For just $5, riders got three shots at the tank. All the proceeds went to their little league program.
The boys were winning on two fronts: staying cool and making cash.
The population of Slater, just north of Polk City, has steadily grown the past three decades.
“Many young families have moved into Slater recently for the school system, and safety of our small town, and ease of getting around,” said Evy Raes of the Slater Area Historical Association. “Our sense of community was tested when a derecho roared through in August 2020. Never fear: anyone with a pickup truck, a chain saw and a six-pack was out in the streets after the storm, helping neighbors clear and dispose of the debris. People really pulled together and no one was a stranger.”
That sense of community isn’t always felt in bigger cities. And more than anything, Raes said, that has helped them to thrive.
“We are a small town with big ideals,” Raes said. “Many people who move into Slater feel an instant connection with the community. It is said though, ‘Don’t gossip about anybody who’s lived here awhile, because they may be related to the person you’re talking to.’ My family has lived here over 74 years, and some days we feel like the new people.”
Turns out that, at least in some small towns, there are in fact plenty of new people.
___
Dave Skretta is a Kansas City, Missouri-based AP Sports Writer. He grew up in the small-but-vibrant northeast Iowa town of Decorah and and has ridden RAGBRAI many times, though he’s never written about it while doing it. Skretta wrote periodic updates from the road. He covered 579 miles from start to finish.
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AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-bike-ride-across-iowa-puts-vibrant-small-town-america-into-sharp-focus/ | 2023-07-29T20:29:08 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-bike-ride-across-iowa-puts-vibrant-small-town-america-into-sharp-focus/ |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bronny James plays piano in a video posted by his father, LeBron James, on Saturday, five days after the teenager went into cardiac arrest during a basketball workout at the University of Southern California.
The 18-year-old plays a brief melody in front of his family, smiles and gets up without speaking in the video posted on his father’s Instagram account. The video doesn’t indicate where or when it was shot.
“A man of many talents,” the Los Angeles Lakers superstar can be heard saying in the background as Bronny finishes playing with his two younger siblings looking on.
TMZ posted photos of Bronny out to dinner with his family, which it says were taken Friday night. They show the teenager with his father outside celebrity hot spot Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica.
Wearing black pants and a zip-up hoodie, Bronny carried his phone while standing outside the Italian restaurant.
Bronny was released from the hospital on Thursday. He will continue to undergo tests to determine the cause of his cardiac arrest, which occurred Monday morning during a workout at USC’s Galen Center.
Bronny, whose full name is LeBron James Jr., committed to USC in May after the 6-foot-3 guard became one of the nation’s top prospects out of Sierra Canyon School in nearby Chatsworth.
___
AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/lebron-james | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-bronny-james-plays-piano-dines-out-in-video-photos-emerging-days-after-he-suffers-cardiac-arrest/ | 2023-07-29T20:29:15 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-bronny-james-plays-piano-dines-out-in-video-photos-emerging-days-after-he-suffers-cardiac-arrest/ |
FUKUOKA, Japan (AP) — Here’s why Katie Ledecky is one of the greatest freestyle swimmers in the history of the sport: She is never quite satisfied.
The 26-year-old American won the 800-meter freestyle on Saturday at the world championships to become the first swimmer to win six golds in the same event at worlds. It was also her 16th individual world title, breaking a tie with Michael Phelps for the most golds at worlds.
She also is a seven-time Olympic gold medalist and the world record holder in both the 800 and 1,500.
But that winning time — 8 minutes, 8.87 seconds, which is the seventh-quickest she’d ever swum — wasn’t quite good enough in her favorite event.
“I’m just always trying to think of new ways to improve. I mean I’ve already got everything turning in my head right now. I kind of wanted to be better than I was tonight,” she said, twirling her right hand beside her right ear, trying to stir up ideas.
“I’m pretty tough on myself,” she said. “But I think I have found the balance of being tough on myself but also having that grace.”
The 800 was Ledecky’s second individual gold following her win in the 1,500 free on Tuesday. She also took silver in the 400 free. Li Bingjie of China took silver in 8:13.31, and Ariarne Titmus of Australia got the bronze in 8:13.59.
“It’s fun to leave a meet with your favorite event, and I just wanted to leave it all in the pool,” Ledecky said.
It was only the fourth gold for the United States in the seventh of eight days in the pool. Meanwhile, Australia has been piling it on with 13 golds, matching its best at the worlds. Australia won three more golds on Saturday.
The Americans lead the overall table with 31 medals (16 silver), Australia has 20 and China 13.
Kaylee McKeown of Australia made history of her own with gold in the women’s 200 backstroke. McKeown’s victory gave her a sweep of all three backstroke events after earlier wins in the 50 and 100. She became the first swimmer to sweep all three backstrokes at the worlds.
It all made up for her disqualification earlier in the 200 IM.
“You can’t change the rules,” she said. “I got ruled out. It’s just the cards I was dealt with and I couldn’t do much more than that. So I just had to carry myself the best I could and channel all my anger and turn a huge negative into a positive.”
Regan Smith of the United States picked up the silver in 2:04.94, while Peng Xuwei of China got the bronze in 2:06.74.
Sarah Sjöström of Sweden continued her dominance with gold in the 50 butterfly. The 29-year-old won in 24.77 seconds and has now won the event five consecutive times at the worlds. The win brought Sjöström’s individual medals at the worlds to 20, equaling Phelps’ mark.
Sjöström also broke her own record in the 50 free, going 23.61 in a semifinal heat. Her old mark was 23.67 set in 2017.
“There are not too many secrets,” Sjöström said about her longevity. “Just do the work every day, go to practice, and stay humble.”
Zhang Yufei of China, who took gold in the 100 fly, claimed the silver in 25.05, while American Gretchen Walsh got the bronze in 25.46.
Japanese fan favorite Rikako Ikee finished seventh (25.78) in the 50 fly but was greeted warmly by the home crowd.
The 23-year-old Ikee won six gold medals at the 2018 Asian Games and was expected to be a favorite in the Tokyo Olympics. But she was diagnosed with leukemia in February 2019. Her comeback continues to resonate with both the Japanese public and her fellow competitors.
Cameron McEvoy of Australia led all the way to capture the gold in the 50 free in 21.06. It was his first individual gold in the worlds or Olympics.
American Jack Alexy collected his second silver of the worlds in 21.57 to go with his silver in the 100 free. Benjamin Proud of Britian, last year’s world champion, took the bronze in 21.58.
Caeleb Dressel won the event at the Olympics but did not qualify for the U.S. team. McEvoy’s time was quicker than Dressel’s winning time in Tokyo — 21.07.
Maxime Grousset of France won gold in the 100 fly in 50.14. The 24-year-old took the early lead and held on. Josh Liendo of Canada earned the silver in 50.34, while American Dare Rose made the podium with the bronze (50.46).
Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania equaled the world record of 29.30 in her semifinal in the 50 breaststroke.
Australia won the 4×100 mixed freestyle relay in a world record of 3:18.83. The Americans took silver in 3:20.82, with Britain getting the bronze in 3:21.68. The relay is not an Olympic event.
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AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-katie-ledecky-passes-michael-phelps-for-most-individual-golds-at-world-championships/ | 2023-07-29T20:29:21 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-katie-ledecky-passes-michael-phelps-for-most-individual-golds-at-world-championships/ |
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Wendie Renard was threatening to skip the Women’s World Cup and Eugénie Le Sommer wasn’t in selection contention just a few months ago under France’s previous coaching regime.
A management overhaul and a change of heart ultimately led to two of French football’s most experienced players combining for Les Bleues on Saturday to deliver a 2-1 win over Brazil that put them into a strong position to progress to the round of 16.
Le Sommer missed with a diving header in the 13th minute but needed only four more minutes to convert her next chance, beating Brazilian goalkeeper Leticia with a more emphatic header to score her record-extending 90th international goal.
Debinha equalized for Brazil as the hour approached, and the game opened up as both teams pressed for a winner. That’s when Renaud stepped in.
Renard, who’d been in doubt for the match because of a calf injury she picked up in France’s lackluster opening 0-0 draw against Jamaica, drifted unmarked to the back edge of the box to meet a corner kick with a powerful header in the 83rd and clinch victory.
It meant the well-traveled Hervé Renard, who was hired in March to replace Corinne Diacre, became the first head coach to win games at both the women’s and men’s World Cups.
His upset victory with Saudi Arabia over eventual champion Argentina was one of the highlights of the men’s World Cup in Qatar last year. His French women’s team showed signs against Brazil that it could go deep in the tournament.
He credited his veteran players, either recalled or convinced to remain, for the turnaround.
Wendie Renard “is the most important player in the dressing room. Always talking, motivating the the other girls,” the France coach said, describing his captain’s influence on the team. Of other veterans like Le Sommer and Kadidiatou Diani, he added: “You need leaders in the team — they have a good experience and we need them to motivate also the other players.”
Le Sommer, who missed selection for the 2022 Euros under former coach Diacre, was in the thick of the early action for France.
The French started with a high tempo and had three chances before Sakina Karchaoui’s long floating ball into the area found Diani, who leaped and headed square for Le Sommer to finish off from directly in front.
The Brazilian women had never beaten France but started to meet them for intensity as halftime approached, helped by the majority of an almost 50,000-strong crowd.
Debinha equalized in the 58th, finishing off a quick passing movement into the area, controlling a deflected ball with the outside of her leg before firing in a right-foot shot.
Leticia kept Brazil in the game with a string of impressive saves, and Selma Bacha hit the side netting with her shot from the right in the 75th, unable to break the deadlock for France.
After Renard broke the deadlock, Brazil sent Marta in the 86th for her 22nd World Cup appearance — moving her to outright second on the country’s all-time list — but she wasn’t able to equalize in a frenetic finish.
Brazil is now winless in 12 women’s internationals against France, a setback for a team that opened the Women’s World Cup with a thumping 4-0 win over Panama, with Ary Borges scoring three goals and providing the back-heel assist for one of the goals of the tournament.
Against a more disciplined defense, the Brazilians weren’t able to finish despite creating ample opportunities.
Coach Pia Sundhage said she was disappointed with her Brazilian team’s first half and overall lack of cohesion.
The defensive lapse on the set piece that led to France’s winning goal was discouraging, she said, before adding: “I’m more disappointed we couldn’t make this a game where we play like the Brazilian style.”
Jamaica edged Panama 1-0 later Saturday in Perth to join France on four competition points in Group F, one ahead of Brazil. On Wednesday, three teams will be vying for two spots in the next round when Brazil meets Jamaica in Melbourne and France takes on Panama in Sydney.
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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-le-sommer-renard-score-as-france-edges-brazil-2-1-at-the-womens-world-cup/ | 2023-07-29T20:29:27 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-le-sommer-renard-score-as-france-edges-brazil-2-1-at-the-womens-world-cup/ |
BALTIMORE (AP) — Anthony Santander said it felt like a playoff game at Camden Yards.
A few more performances like this, and the Baltimore Orioles will be there.
Santander homered off Tommy Kahnle in the ninth inning to give the Orioles a 1-0 victory over New York on Friday night, spoiling Aaron Judge’s return for the Yankees. Judge walked three times in his first game back from a toe injury, but the Orioles kept New York off the scoreboard with a spectacular defensive effort.
In the eighth inning alone, Santander made a lunging, sliding catch in right field, and second baseman Adam Frazier made a diving stop on Anthony Rizzo’s grounder with a man on second.
“Great defense, great pitching, that’s how we win baseball games,” Santander said.
Orioles rookie Grayson Rodriguez pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings, going toe to toe with New York’s Gerrit Cole, who went seven. Félix Bautista (6-1) struck out two in a scoreless ninth. Kahnle (1-1) couldn’t match that in the bottom half, allowing Santander’s one-out drive that went well beyond the fence in right-center field.
The Orioles remained 1 1/2 games ahead of Tampa Bay atop the AL East, and they now lead the last-place Yankees by nine.
The game was delayed 2 hours, 32 minutes by rain, but that did little to dampen the enthusiasm of a crowd that included a mix of Yankees fans cheering Judge and Orioles fans embracing their first-place team.
“Right before the start of the game, it felt like a playoff game,” Santander said. “That’s good to have those fans to support us. Hopefully they can continue to do that.”
Judge lined out to right field on the first pitch to him in the first, but he reached base the other three times he came up.
Anthony Volpe was robbed twice by stellar Baltimore defense. Third baseman Ramón Urías made a diving stop on his one-hopper in the fifth. In the eighth, Volpe led off with a fly to right that Santander reached out and caught before sliding on his stomach across the grass.
New York eventually had two on and two out that inning when Rizzo’s grounder looked headed to right field. Frazier’s diving play prevented that.
“Defense won us the game,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “Adam Frazier, diving play off Rizz. Santander with a great diving catch. We turned some double plays.”
Each team had only four hits. Rodriguez was one of Baltimore’s prized prospects, and after being sent back to the minors for a bit, he may be finding a groove.
“I just love his delivery right now and the tempo of his delivery,” Hyde said. “Just really, really competitive.”
DEADLINE OUTLOOK
Orioles general manager Mike Elias said it’s no secret that the Orioles are working on potentially adding pitching upgrades at the trade deadline. He said the team has the wherewithal to make “good baseball trades” even if it means adding payroll.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: Elias said he hopes OFs Cedric Mullins (right adductor groin strain) and Aaron Hicks (left hamstring strain) can return and play a large part of August. … Elias said LHP John Means (left elbow UCL surgery) and RHP Mychal Givens (right shoulder inflammation) will probably be pitching in games in the Florida Complex League in the early part of August.
UP NEXT
Baltimore’s Tyler Wells (7-5) takes the mound against New York’s Clarke Schmidt (6-6) on Saturday night. Schmidt will be on extended rest, having last pitched July 21.
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Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-santander-hits-9th-inning-homer-to-give-orioles-1-0-win-over-yankees-and-spoil-judges-return/ | 2023-07-29T20:29:33 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-santander-hits-9th-inning-homer-to-give-orioles-1-0-win-over-yankees-and-spoil-judges-return/ |
AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — United States midfielder Savannah DeMelo can speak some Portuguese and may be able to put it to use in the Women’s World Cup.
The U.S. plays Portugal on Tuesday to wrap up the tournament’s group stage, and a fter a disappointing 1-1 draw against the Netherlands, the Americans needs a win. At stake is both the top spot in Group E and also a much-needed boost to team confidence.
That’s where DeMelo can help.
The 25-year-old’s dad, Robert, is from Portugal and had a successful career as a player in that country before becoming a coach. DeMelo has dual citizenship and understands Portuguese.
“I’ll definitely be listening for it,” she laughed.
DeMelo made her first international start for the United States against Vietnam in the group opener, a 3-0 victory for the Americans.
Prior to the World Cup, DeMelo had played in only one other match for the United States: she was a substitute in the team’s send-off match against Wales in San Jose in early July. DeMelo, who plays for Racing Louisville FC in the National Women’s Soccer League, was the first U.S. player since Shannon Boxx in 2003 and third overall to be named to the World Cup roster without any previous appearances for the national team.
U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski started DeMelo in the both of the American’s World Cup matches. She played both opening halves before being subbed off for veteran Rose Lavelle, who has been playing limited minutes for the United States because of a knee injury suffered in April.
The journey from being named to the team to getting a start in the World Cup has “been a crazy roller coaster of emotions,” said DeMelo.
“But I think I’ve had a lot of great people, including the girls on the team, who have been super helpful with getting me acclimated to the team,” she said. “And I’m just super grateful to be here.”
The United States may need to switch up its tactics against Portugal.
The Americans are tied on points with the Netherlands in Group E and have an advantage over the Dutch on goal difference. The top two teams in the group advance to the knockout round.
But the results haven’t been as emphatic as they were in 2019, when the U.S. opened with a 13-0 victory over Thailand and went on to win their second straight World Cup title, and fourth overall.
The United States trailed the Netherlands by a goal in the first half before Lindsey Horan scored a game-tying header in the 62nd minute.
One reason for the less-than-dominant play could be inexperience. DeMelo is among 14 U.S. players appearing in their first World Cup.
Fellow midfielder Andi Sullivan, who is also making her tournament debut, said it takes some adjustment to play together as newcomers.
“That’s definitely a challenge that we’re going through, is that we just kind of came together,” Sullivan said. “It’s not like a team that you’re training with all year round, constantly. You’re in and out all the time. So I think you’re constantly adjusting.
“But the way that you get in sync is we watch a lot of stuff together, we communicate constantly. We’re very direct when something’s not going the way we want it to go,” Sullivan added. “You have to be direct and clear and honest and loud.”
DeMelo is also among six players at the World Cup who play for Racing Louisville. Among the Racing Louisville representatives are Ary Borges, who scored a hat trick for Brazil in its 4-0 victory over Panama to start the tournament.
DeMelo, who said her father never pushed her into soccer growing up, could have played for Portugal at the senior level.
“It could have been an option,” she said, “but I think my heart was always with the United States.”
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AP Women’s World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-savannah-demelos-ability-to-speak-portuguese-may-help-us-in-critical-womens-world-cup-match/ | 2023-07-29T20:29:39 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-savannah-demelos-ability-to-speak-portuguese-may-help-us-in-critical-womens-world-cup-match/ |
NEW YORK — Chatter on one of Prabha Rao’s WhatsApp groups exploded last week when India announced that it was severely curtailing some rice exports to the rest of the world, triggering worry among the Indian diaspora in the United States that access to a food staple from home might soon be cut off.
As in any crisis situation — think bottled water and toilet paper— some rushed to supermarkets to stock up, stacking carts with bags and bags of rice. In some places, lines formed outside some stores as panic buying ensued.
But Rao, who lives near Syracuse, New York, was reassured when the proprietor of her Indian market sent out an email to customers to let them know there was no need to worry: There was an ample supply of rice.
At least for now.
An earlier than expected El Niño brought drier, warmer weather in some parts of Asia and is expected to harm rice production. But in some parts of India, where the monsoon season was especially brutal, flooding destroyed some crops, adding to production woes and rising prices.
Hoping to stave off inflationary pressures on a diet staple, the Indian government earlier this month imposed export bans on non-Basmati white rice varieties, prompting hoarding in some parts of the world.
The move was taken “to ensure adequate availability” and “to allay the rise in prices in the domestic market,” India’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution announced July 20. Over the past year, prices have increased by more than 11%, and by 3% over the past month, the government said.
Non-Basmati white rice constitutes about a fourth of the rice exported by India.
“On WhatsApp, I got a lot of messages saying that rice was not going to be available. I think there was a lot of confusion in the beginning because, as you know, rice is very important for us,” Rao said.
“When we first heard the news, there was just mild confusion and people started panic buying because they thought that it may not be available,” she said.
There are scores of different varieties of rice, with people having their preference depending on taste and texture. India’s export ban does not apply to Basmati rice, a long-grain variety that is more aromatic.
The ban applies to short-grain rice that is starchier and has a relatively neutral flavor — which Rao says is preferable in some dishes or favored in specific regions of India, especially in southern areas of the country.
At Little India, a grocery store in New York City’s Curry Hill neighborhood in Manhattan, there was no shortage of Basmati rice and other varieties.
That wasn’t the case at other Indian groceries.
On its Facebook page, India Bazaar, an Indian grocery chain in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, told customers not to panic. “We are working hard to meet all our shoppers’ demands,” the post said.
Customers cleared shelves and waited in long lines to stockpile bags of rice, reported NBC Dallas affiliate KXAS.
“They really wanted to purchase ten, 12, 15 bags,” India Bazaar’s president, Anand Pabari, told the station. “It was a really crazy situation.”
India’s move came days after Russia backed out of a deal to allow Ukrainian wheat safe passage through the Black Sea, prompting warnings that the action could lead to surging prices.
Some economists say the ban might further hurt food supplies around the world, and some governments have urged the Indian government to reconsider the export ban.
At least in the United States, the supply of imported rice from India may not yet be a problem — despite the panic buying — but a long-term ban would certainly deplete that stock.
Roa says she and others will just have to adapt by purchasing rice grown in the United States or imported from other countries.
“I might have to substitute Basmati rice,” she said, “but it doesn’t taste that good, especially with South Indian dishes.”
A U.S. resident for three decades, Rao said she is accustomed to improvising.
“When we first came here, there was not even that much rice from India,” she said. “So I’ve learned to substitute, and I’m fine with the other brands that we get.” | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/29/india-rice-exports-us-climate/9e43c616-2e4b-11ee-a948-a5b8a9b62d84_story.html | 2023-07-29T20:30:43 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/29/india-rice-exports-us-climate/9e43c616-2e4b-11ee-a948-a5b8a9b62d84_story.html |
WASHINGTON, July 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Amid a coordinated effort to undermine No Labels' work to secure ballot access in states nationwide, we have named Jay Nixon – a lifelong Democrat who spent 30 years serving Missouri as a governor, attorney general and state senator – as director of our new Ballot Integrity Project.
Since early last year, No Labels has gathered over 700,000 signatures and qualified for the ballot in five states. We have a strategy to get on the ballot in all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., with the aim of potentially offering our line to an independent Unity presidential ticket in 2024. No Labels is responding to the overwhelming desire of Americans for more choices and voices in our politics – with two-thirds of voters saying they don't want a rematch of the 2020 election – but we now face organized opposition from a group of political operatives and former elected officials intent on keeping us off the ballot.
"At a moment when so many Americans' are losing trust in our democracy, we need to hold even tighter to the pillars that have held our democracy up for almost 250 years. In our country, you win by persuading more people and getting more votes, not by limiting voters' choices and denying competitors a place on the ballot," said Nixon. "Americans have the constitutional right to put any person or party on the ballot and to vote for whomever they want. Anyone who is against that isn't standing up for democracy. They are standing in the way."
Former Gov. Larry Hogan will welcome Nixon to the No Labels community in his first scheduled public appearance at a town hall on Tuesday, August 1, at 5 p.m. ET. Register here to join the town hall.
In Nixon's decorated public service career, he established a stellar record as a champion for the civil and voting rights of Americans. In his new role with No Labels, Nixon will work closely with No Labels national co-chair and civil rights icon, Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., to monitor legal developments, provide strategic counsel and serve as a public advocate for No Labels' ballot access efforts.
Since the start of its ballot access effort, No Labels has rigorously followed the letter and spirit of all applicable election laws. In recent months, however, it has become the target of an undemocratic campaign by organized and powerful partisan interests determined to keep No Labels off the ballot.
Local parties and partisan election officials have filed baseless lawsuits, invented spurious charges and delayed certification without justification in Arizona, Maine and North Carolina. Now, a new well-resourced group, organized under the name "Citizens to Save our Republic," has embarked on an effort to pressure No Labels and its members to abandon our ballot access effort.
"No Labels is a movement dedicated to democracy, and democracy can't stop because the powers that be think it's 'dangerous' to have competition," said Chavis. "The way to unite this country and to restore Americans faith in our future is to have more democracy, not less. I'm eager to begin working side by side with former Gov. Nixon to protect Americans' most fundamental constitutional rights."
On July 18, No Labels launched its Common Sense policy booklet at an overflow town hall event at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H., featuring Dr. Chavis, his fellow No Labels co-chairs former Gov. Pat McCrory and Sen. Joe Lieberman and special guests Sen. Joe Manchin and Gov. Jon Huntsman. It was the first of many town halls No Labels will host in the months ahead – with different leaders in different states – to spur a long overdue discussion about where America needs to go in 2024 and beyond.
By early 2024, No Labels will gauge the mood of the American public and their openness to an independent Unity ticket and will offer our ballot line to a ticket if and only if, such a ticket has a viable path to victory in the 2024 presidential election.
Since its founding in 2009, No Labels has spent 13 years working to give voice to America's commonsense majority. We are now getting ballot access in states across the country to ensure Americans have the choice to vote for a 2024 presidential ticket that features strong, effective, and honest leaders who will commit to working closely with both parties to find commonsense solutions to America's biggest problems. www.nolabels.org.
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RICHMOND, Va. — Denny Hamlin is not offering any apologies for the move he made last weekend at Pocono that caused Kyle Larson to hit the wall and let Hamlin sail on to victory.
“That is what it was geared to do — give us the sense of urgency to ramp up and that regular season performance matters to get to the final four with a shot,” he said at Richmond Raceway. “The system is doing what it was designed to do.”
Hamlin also has changed, he said, after getting spun several times while leading.
“If you have one person willing to be aggressive and one person not, aggressive will win every time,” he said.
Larson, who said things are “fine” between he and Hamlin after they exchanged text messages Friday night, agreed that the point system encourages the aggressive approach Hamlin took, but added that it “makes the guys on the receiving end more mad as well just because of what’s at stake and what’s taken.”
Larson said four or five restart battles with Kyle Busch at World Wide Technology Raceway in June showed how cleanly he tries to race other drivers.
“I respect Kyle and that’s why I raced him with respect at Gateway, and I respect Denny every bit as much, if not more, or I did,” he said.
“I tend to blow things over pretty quickly,” Larson said. “This time, I probably have let it linger on my attitude a little bit this week just because it’s happened more often with him than any other driver in my career and also a win was taken.”
Larson won the first Richmond race this season in April.
POINTS RACE
William Byron has dropped 30 points behind Martin Truex Jr. in the points race with five races remaining before the playoffs begin. The regular season champion gets a 15-point bonus, but Byron doesn’t expect to make any changes to the way he’s racing while trying to secure that top spot and bonus.
“It’s really important but we can’t get too focused on the result of the regular season points,” he said. “We obviously want those points, but our process has been like it is to this point, and if we start focusing on that carrot out in front of us too much, it’s going to get us off-track.”
CHASING SPEED
Chase Elliott said Richmond is “such a weird place” where his car never feels good, but he was pleased to make the second round of qualifying. He’ll start fourth.
“Any position you can gain is good ahead of 10th,” Elliott said. “I also know this is a place where you can qualify really good and be really bad.”
Elliott missed six races with an injury and another while serving a suspension. He hasn’t won yet and likely will need to win to make the playoffs. He’s 21st in points.
“There’s a few guys that I feel like have been consistently good at this track and the rest of us are kind of hit or miss,” Elliott said. “Hopefully we can hit it tomorrow and just put together a solid day, try to get some stage points and just get up in the mix.”
HEAT CHECK
The temperature was near 100 degrees when the cars went out for qualifying, and the heat index made it feel even hotter. It’s expected to be about 90 on Sunday.
“There’s less grip and more emphasis on tire management,” Brad Keselowski said. “It will be a different race here than it was in the spring, for sure.”
Truex and Larson are the betting favorites Sunday, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/auto-racing/2023/07/29/nascar-hamlin-larson-richmond/6714fe58-2e4b-11ee-a948-a5b8a9b62d84_story.html | 2023-07-29T20:31:07 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/auto-racing/2023/07/29/nascar-hamlin-larson-richmond/6714fe58-2e4b-11ee-a948-a5b8a9b62d84_story.html |
RICHMOND, Va. — Tyler Reddick won the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway.
Kyle Busch, the leader among active drivers with six career victories at Richmond, will also start on the front row after qualifying second, with Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott and Bubba Wallace completing the top five.
“We’ve been really strong when we’ve had the opportunities to qualify this year, and it is nice to get that first pole as a team,” Reddick said.
Points leader Martin Truex Jr. will start 10th. William Byron who trails Truex by 30 points, will start sixth.
The race is the first of five remaining in the regular season before the 10-race playoffs.
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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/auto-racing/2023/07/29/nascar-richmond-qualifying/b00f134e-2e4d-11ee-a948-a5b8a9b62d84_story.html | 2023-07-29T20:31:08 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/auto-racing/2023/07/29/nascar-richmond-qualifying/b00f134e-2e4d-11ee-a948-a5b8a9b62d84_story.html |
LOMPOC, Calif., July 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Return to Freedom Wild Horse Conservation this week thanked the Senate Interior Appropriations Committee for including language in its Fiscal Year 2024 funding package that can improve the management of America's wild horses and burros.
A national nonprofit advocacy organization, Return to Freedom (RTF) works with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to press the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on the immediate scaling up of safe, proven and humane fertility control for wild horses and burros as well as with a diverse array of public lands stakeholders to create broader acceptance of fertility control use.
If implemented correctly and robustly, fertility control would slow (not stop) the growth of wild herds, keeping them on their home ranges rather than relying on the costly and traumatic capture, removal and warehousing of wild horses and burros.
"We are grateful to the Senate for again supporting protections for wild horses by taking the vitally important step of directing — in clear language — that the Bureau of Land Management implement thoughtful management that results in the kinds of humane approaches for which Return to Freedom has tirelessly advocated," said Neda DeMayo, president of RTF.
The Senate Committee's guiding report language calls for $11 million "to be spent to continue implementation of a robust and humane fertility control strategy of reversible immunocontraceptive vaccines."
The Senate Committee's report emphasized that it "expects" the BLM to place "specific attention on:"
- "increasing the use of fertility control, including measurable objectives in reducing population growth with fertility controls,
- "targeting removals from the most heavily ecologically impacted and populated areas,
- "expanding long-term, off-range humane holding, and continuing adoptions while fully implementing and enforcing existing safeguards."
The Senate Committee on Thursday approved a total of $148 million for wild horse and burro management for 2024. Congress allocated the same amount in 2023.
By comparison, the House Interior Appropriations Committee on June 19 approved $155 million for wild horse management in 2024.
The House Committee's report language also sets aside $11 million for fertility control; however, it does not specify using the funding solely for immediate on-range implementation. The House also allows the money to be used for research, including on permanent sterilization, which RTF strongly opposes.
The Senate and House must now reconcile their differences.
RTF is calling on the House and Senate conferees to adopt the House's funding level alongside the Senate's guiding report language. RTF will continue to advocate for stricter wild horse and burro protections and for greater funding until the final bill is approved later this year.
Background
As it has for decades, the BLM continues to emphasize capture-and-removal, putting off fertility control use while also failing to reach the agency's own wild horse population targets. In FY 2022, for example, 20,193 wild horses and burros were removed from their home ranges while just 1,622 mares were treated and released with some form of fertility control.
Out of the BLM-estimated 141,000 federally protected wild horses and burros that the agency is charged with overseeing, 58,000 now live not on the range but in overcrowded government corrals or on leased pastures.
The cost to taxpayers of continued off-range holding of captured wild horses has climbed to more than $83 million annually. That has left little funding for prioritizing range management, restoration, personnel and administration, let alone fertility control.
Population modeling by RTF and other stakeholders has shown that immediately implementing fertility control alongside any removal that BLM conducts is the only way to catch up with and stabilize herd growth so that on-range management can replace removals.
Return to Freedom Wild Horse Conservation (RTF) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to wild horse preservation through sanctuary, education, conservation, and advocacy since 1998. It also operates the American Wild Horse Sanctuary at three California locations, caring for more than 450 wild horses and burros managing the population with fertility control since 1999. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates about wild horses and burros on the range and at our sanctuary.
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SOURCE Return to Freedom Wild Horse Conservation | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/return-freedom-applauds-senates-continued-emphasis-wild-horse-fertility-control/ | 2023-07-29T20:31:08 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/return-freedom-applauds-senates-continued-emphasis-wild-horse-fertility-control/ |
TORONTO — Los Angeles Angels manager Phil Nevin was suspended for one game and fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Baseball on Saturday for a postgame outburst at an umpire following a loss to the Toronto Blue Jays a night earlier.
Nevin was seen holding up a tablet computer and yelling at plate umpire Mike Estabrook as the crew left the field after the 4-1 loss Friday night.
The umpires access their locker room through the tunnel at the end of the visitor’s dugout on the first base side of Rogers Centre.
A Toronto police officer accompanied the umpire crew as it descended the dugout steps. Montgomery had to restrain Nevin as the umpires passed through the end of the dugout.
Nevin was angry about the game-ending called third strike against pinch hitter Michael Stefanic, who entered in the ninth inning with the bases loaded after Shohei Ohtani left because of cramping in both of his calves.
“I just explained to him that I thought the pitch to Stefanic was outside,” Nevin later told reporters.
Ohtani hit his major league-leading 39th home run in the series opener — part of a streak of three homers in three at-bats over two games — before exiting early.
___ | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/mlb/2023/07/29/angels-manager-nevin-suspended-outburst-umpire/dd32de30-2e45-11ee-a948-a5b8a9b62d84_story.html | 2023-07-29T20:31:14 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/mlb/2023/07/29/angels-manager-nevin-suspended-outburst-umpire/dd32de30-2e45-11ee-a948-a5b8a9b62d84_story.html |
NEW YORK, July 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --
WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Tingo Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: TIO) between December 1, 2022 and June 6, 2023, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important August 7, 2023 lead plaintiff deadline.
SO WHAT: If you purchased Tingo securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.
WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Tingo class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=16856 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than August 7, 2023. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.
WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.
DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Tingo overstated its revenue and other accounting metrics, creating a false impression of success; (2) Tingo was not meaningfully engaged in many of the business activities that it claimed would drive future growth; (3) many of Tingo's supposed contracts with customers and suppliers did not exist; and (4) in light of the above, defendants' positive statements about Tingo's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.
To join the Tingo class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=16856 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.
No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Contact Information:
Laurence Rosen, Esq.
Phillip Kim, Esq.
The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
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SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A. | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/tio-deadline-rosen-ranked-leading-firm-encourages-tingo-group-inc-investors-with-losses-secure-counsel-before-important-august-7-deadline-securities-class-action-tio/ | 2023-07-29T20:31:14 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/tio-deadline-rosen-ranked-leading-firm-encourages-tingo-group-inc-investors-with-losses-secure-counsel-before-important-august-7-deadline-securities-class-action-tio/ |
ATLANTA — Veteran slugger Carlos Santana joined the Brewers’ active roster on Saturday and was expected to make his debut with Milwaukee in a game against the Atlanta Braves later in the day.
Santana, 37, is hitting .235 with 12 home runs and 53 RBIs in 94 games.
To make room for Santana, the Brewers sent reserve infielder Jahmai Jones to Triple-A Nashville. Jones appeared in seven games for the Brewers this season and was 2 for 10 at the plate.
The Brewers also placed pitcher Justin Wilson on the 15-day injured list. Wilson was set to make his first appearance of the season on Friday night after recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he injured his left lat or triceps warming up in the bullpen in the seventh inning.
Right-hander Trevor Megill, who was sent down on Thursday to Triple-A Nashville to make room for Wilson, was recalled.
___ | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/mlb/2023/07/29/carlos-santana-brewers/4972f308-2e4d-11ee-a948-a5b8a9b62d84_story.html | 2023-07-29T20:31:20 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/mlb/2023/07/29/carlos-santana-brewers/4972f308-2e4d-11ee-a948-a5b8a9b62d84_story.html |
She never missed a beat and was lightning on her feet when the "Shake It Off" artist and her fans caused a "Swift Quake" in Seattle during her "Eras Tour" concerts.
According to seismologist Jackie Caplan-Auerbach, two of Taylor Swift's concerts generated seismic activity equivalent to a 2.3-magnitude earthquake, asCNN originally reported.
The data was gathered from Swift's sold-out "Eras Tour" performances at Lumen Field on July 22 and 23, after Swift's fans, and possibly the sound system, shook the ground so hard that it recorded a maximum ground acceleration of roughly 0.011 meters per second squared, causing what is now being called a "Swift Quake."
Caplan-Auerbach, who’s a geology professor at Western Washington University, told CNN that this data compares to a 2011 NFL game, when the Seattle Seahawk fans went crazy over Marshawn "Beast Mode" Lynch's touchdown during a game against the New Orleans Saints and caused a seismic activity that was then named a "Beast Quake."
"I grabbed the data from both nights of the concert and quickly noticed they were clearly the same pattern of signals," Caplan-Auerbach told CNN. "If I overlay them on top of each other, they’re nearly identical."
Caplan-Auerbach pointed out that even though there is only a 0.3 magnitude difference between the "Beast Quake" and the "Swift Quake," the Swifties are the MVPs for outperforming the Seahawks fans in terms of enthusiasm and excitement.
"The shaking was twice as strong as 'Beast Quake.' It absolutely doubled it," said Caplan-Auerbach, adding that the length of cheering played a big role in the data. "Cheering after a touchdown lasts for a couple seconds, but eventually it dies down. It’s much more random than a concert. For Taylor Swift, I collected about 10 hours of data where rhythm controlled the behavior. The music, the speakers, the beat. All that energy can drive into the ground and shake it."
After the concert, Swift tookto Instagram to thank her fans and said that "all the cheering, screaming, jumping, dancing, singing at the top of your lungs" made that one of her favorite weekends "ever."
Swift's Seattle concerts were played in front of a crowd of more than 144,000 fans over two nights, and they came towards the end of the U.S. leg of the "Eras Tour," according to the Seattle Times.
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.kgun9.com/taylor-swift-fans-cause-2-3-magnitude-swift-quake-in-seattle | 2023-07-29T20:31:21 | 0 | https://www.kgun9.com/taylor-swift-fans-cause-2-3-magnitude-swift-quake-in-seattle |
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – In states across the country this year, Republicans have talked a lot about restricting drag performances in front of children.
But that talk, and even their efforts, haven't amounted to much.
Bills restricting drag have failed to pass, passed as watered-down laws, have been vetoed or, in the case of three states that did manage to pass meaningful restrictions, laws have been temporarily halted by federal judges.
Friday, in fact, a judge temporarily blocked a law in the last remaining state with enforceable restrictions – Montana – just days before the start of Pride festivities.
A few states' lawmakers are still in session, though, so more efforts could be afoot.
In Arkansas, where Republican state Sen. Gary Stubblefield championed and sponsored a bill earlier this year, he said drag shows harm kids and "take away their innocence."
"I can't think of any redeeming quality, anything good that can come from taking children and putting them in front of a bunch of grown men that are dressed like women," Stubblefield said back in January as he introduced his bill on the floor of the Arkansas Senate.
'Prurient interest' and the First Amendment
Stubblefield's bill contained key language that showed up in a lot of states' attempted drag restrictions – an appeal to the "prurient interest." (Texas, Tennessee, Montana, Arizona, South Dakota, for example.)
"That word – prurient interest – means excessive interest in sexual matters," Stubblefield explained to lawmakers in committee.
"Most drag shows do not appeal to the prurient interest," says JT Morris, an attorney for the free-speech group Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
"Even if they did, saying something appeals to the 'prurient interest' under the First Amendment is not enough to regulate it," he says, noting that this kind of language makes it harder for a bill to hold up to basic legal scrutiny.
"You can't pass a state law based on disagreement with somebody's viewpoint. It's a textbook First Amendment violation."
And that disagreement has been palpable across the country. In Arkansas, Stubblefield's bill was met with large public backlash from those who say drag is about showmanship, not sex.
"I do drag as an art form," says Jeremy Stuthard, an Arkansas drag performer.
"I take a decent-looking guy and turn him into a statue-esk Barbie doll, and have a great time and put smiles on people's faces and that's all I really try to do."
Stuthard says most of the children he meets at drag brunches and story hours aren't there to indulge a 'prurient interest', but to have fun listening to a story read by a costumed actor.
Drag restrictions put on hold and watered down
In Tennessee, the day before that state's drag restrictions were due to go into effect, a Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge temporarily struck down the law due to its constitutional vagueness.
In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Thomas Parker wrote, "Whether some of us may like it or not," the U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted the First Amendment "as protecting speech that is indecent but not obscene."
A similar law in Florida has been temporarily blocked. For a while, that left Montana as the only state in the country with an enforceable drag law, until the courts temporarily blocked that one, too.
In Arkansas, Sen. Stubblefield's drag ban bill was amended until it hardly resembled a drag ban. The final version of the law, which passed by large margins, now regulates stripping, not drag shows.
"[The]Amended House Bill is the only way to really protect minors. For another reason, it's the only draft that will stand up in court," Stubblefield said of the amendment, which he didn't write but ultimately agreed to.
"None of us like to pass a bill that's going to get struck down by a judge and not help any children at all."
Josie Lenora is the politics/government reporter at KUAR in Little Rock, Ark.
Copyright 2023 KUAR | https://www.ijpr.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-29/despite-all-the-talk-no-states-have-active-laws-banning-drag-in-front-of-kids | 2023-07-29T20:31:22 | 1 | https://www.ijpr.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-29/despite-all-the-talk-no-states-have-active-laws-banning-drag-in-front-of-kids |
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got their training camp started Wednesday, and all eyes are on the quarterback battle to replace perhaps the greatest player of all time, Tom Brady.
Quarterback Battle
Former Florida Gators standout Kyle Trask, who has been with the franchise since 2021, is competing against new signee Baker Mayfield. Mayfield won the Heisman trophy in 2017, and he helped the Cleveland Browns win their first playoff game since 1994 in 2020. Both players were three-star recruits coming out of high school and had to compete for the starting jobs at their respective schools. Entering this battle, the two players have very different resumes.
Here. We. Go. pic.twitter.com/LUbBZgjVBq
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) July 26, 2023
Trask has been in the Buccaneers organization his entire career. The 25-year-old is familiar with the offense and the players around him. However, since being there, Trask has only played in one regular season game. Mayfield, 28, has much more experience with 71 starts for three different teams. The former No. 1 overall pick signed a one-year, $4 million contract with Tampa Bay this spring.
Other headlines
Other news coming from camp is the status of wide receiver Russell Gage, who is still nursing a leg injury.
A position battle at placekicker between Rodrigo Blankenship and Chase McLaughlin has started. Also, rookies are trying to make a name for themselves.
HC Todd Bowles on WR Russell Gage's status ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/D3jksQgeHq
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) July 26, 2023
The Bucs first three picks of the 2023 NFL Draft were all along the line of scrimmage. Defensive tackle Calijah Kancey looks to be the next major name for a franchise with a rich history at that position including Warren Sapp, Vita Vea and Ndamukong Suh.
https://twitter.com/briannadixNFL/status/1684258779078983680?s=20
Another position group in need of more production this season is the running back room. Tampa Bay had the worst running total last year, averaging 3.4 yards per carry. After the departure of Leonard Fournette, it’s up to Rachaad White and Ke’Shawn Vaughn to carry the load this season.
Expectations
The 2021 Super Bowl Champions have been division champs in back-to-back seasons but have fallen short in the playoffs on both occasions. The team is not expected to make a Super Bowl run this season with +6500 odds to win a championship, but Tampa Bay still has enough talent to rekindle some magic from the Super Bowl run. | https://www.wruf.com/headlines/2023/07/27/buccaneers-training-camp-underway/ | 2023-07-29T20:31:21 | 0 | https://www.wruf.com/headlines/2023/07/27/buccaneers-training-camp-underway/ |
TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays put closer Jordan Romano on the 15-day injured list Saturday because of a sore lower back, one day after the right-hander left with two outs in the ninth inning of a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels.
Romano pitched three more times before Friday, when he appeared uncomfortable on the mound. Manager John Schneider came out for a visit and left Romano in the game, but later replaced him with Yimi García.
A two-time All-Star, Romano is 4-5 with a 2.79 ERA and 28 saves in 31 chances. Entering play Saturday, Romano was tied with Baltimore’s Felix Bautista and Cleveland’s Emmanuel Clase for the AL lead.
The Blue Jays recalled right-hander Nate Pearson from Triple-A Buffalo. Pearson is 5-2 with a 4.75 ERA in 29 games.
___ | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/mlb/2023/07/29/jordan-romano-blue-jays-mlb/9237da30-2e49-11ee-a948-a5b8a9b62d84_story.html | 2023-07-29T20:31:24 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/mlb/2023/07/29/jordan-romano-blue-jays-mlb/9237da30-2e49-11ee-a948-a5b8a9b62d84_story.html |
SAO PAULO — Attacking midfielder James Rodríguez signed for Sao Paulo on a free transfer in a move announced by the Brazilian club on Saturday.
The 32-year-old Colombian said in a video posted online that he was happy to return to Brazil, where he impressed at the 2014 World Cup.
“It was here that I was shown to the world,” he said. “I could not miss the feeling of wearing the ‘heaviest’ shirt of this magical place. The shirt of the Brazilian club with most international titles. Amazing things happen here in Brazil. Amazing things happen here at Sao Paulo.”
He also played for Colombia at the 2018 World Cup. He has made a total of 90 appearances for Colombia, scoring 26 goals.
Rodríguez joined Portuguese club Porto in 2010. He left for Monaco three years later before moving to Madrid in 2014 as one of the most promising players in world soccer. He joined Bayern Munich in 2017 after disappointing seasons in Spain.
Rodriguez joined Everton in 2020, followed by Qatar’s Al-Rayyan and Olympiakos.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/soccer/2023/07/29/james-rodriguez-sao-paulo-free-transfer/9a7cc712-2e4b-11ee-a948-a5b8a9b62d84_story.html | 2023-07-29T20:31:30 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/soccer/2023/07/29/james-rodriguez-sao-paulo-free-transfer/9a7cc712-2e4b-11ee-a948-a5b8a9b62d84_story.html |
One of the biggest college football storylines this past season had to do with the coaching career of all-time great Deion Sanders. After an incredible season with HBCU Jackson State, Coach Prime made the move to the Pac-12 to be the head coach of Colorado. Sanders is entering his first season and will take over a Buffalo team that went 1-11 in 2022. He is immediately making an impact through transfers such as Travis Hunter Shedeur Sanders, Coach Prime’s son.
Recently, however, Coach Prime has taken a bit of a backseat to the latest Colorado Buffalo news, as the team has now decided to switch conferences entirely. Big 12 executives voted unanimously Wednesday night to accept Colorado as a new member and the school will join the conference in 2024. Colorado joined the Pac-12 in 2011 and the program has had only one full winning season since joining the Pac-12. Colorado was an original member of the Big 12 in 1996.
Colorado leaving Pac-12 to return to Big 12 in 2024, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. CU will receive full Big 12 share ($31.7M) from ESPN/Fox media deal. Buffs left because of Big 12 stability & Pac-12’s uncertainty, sources said. Announcement Thursdayhttps://t.co/IOo8LWAuTF pic.twitter.com/4Ilq91C0EO
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) July 26, 2023
Conference Consequences
This conference swap is one of many this impending season, joining Texas and Oklahoma in their trek over to another group of teams for conference play. Big 12 leadership has also discussed the possibility of trying to add UConn and Gonzaga. This season is historic in not only the amount of teams taking trips over to other locations, but also the ability of the players to switch conferences as well. Other reporters speculate that the trend of Pac-12 teams leaving the conference will only increase as the years go on, with possible candidates such as Arizona and Arizona State speculated to depart their home conference as well.
This increase in autonomy will be an interesting aspect of college sports to comment on in five to 10 years once the dust settles on all of these moves. As it stands right now, the Pac-12 in general does not look like they are doing well. USC and UCLA are preparing to move to the Big Ten, and with the recent Colorado news, more teams may follow. A merger seems likely, with the most likely outcome being the development of super-conferences that oversee as many as 32 teams, as many speculate.
.@DesmondHoward says we could LOSE the Pac-12 conference after the Big 12 voted to add Colorado:
"It seems like everything is headed in that direction right now. They're going to have to pull off something pretty incredible … if they're going to stay in existence." pic.twitter.com/4YyPc8ODwp
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) July 27, 2023 | https://www.wruf.com/headlines/2023/07/27/colorado-departs-pac-12-leaving-conferences-future-uncertain/ | 2023-07-29T20:31:29 | 1 | https://www.wruf.com/headlines/2023/07/27/colorado-departs-pac-12-leaving-conferences-future-uncertain/ |
Florida linebacker commit Myles Graham will be moving a little closer to his future home in The Swamp. Monday, Graham announced he will be transferring to Buchholz High School in Gainesville for his senior year. The surefire tackling linebacker will be a force for the Bobcats this fall. Graham will be expected to play the weakside linebacker position for Buchholz. Moreover, with the impressive athleticism that he possesses, he’ll be making plays all around the second level in 2023.
The 2024 recruiting class for the Florida Gators football team is nothing short of impressive. Head coach Billy Napier has done a strong job on the recruiting trail recently. As the Gators continue to build the culture for what it takes to be a premiere program, recruiting plays a major role in the process. The 2024 class is currently ranked third on both the 247Sports website and On3, as well. The beginning of this recruiting cycle started with the commitment of Graham, who was the very first player to commit to Florida for what would become the best recruiting class Gators fans have seen in recent history.
https://twitter.com/big_Ken8/status/1683599148740759552?s=20
Graham’s High School Journey
Graham is no stranger to changing high schools. He attended Evangelical Christian School as a sophomore in Fort Myers in 2021. Then for or his junior year, Graham would go on to transfer to Woodward Academy in Winter Park, Georgia. After a successful sophomore and junior campaign, the Gators came knocking on the door.
As the son of former Gators running back Earnest Graham, Myles hopes to continue the Graham legacy in Gainesville.
The Legacy Continues.. 🐊#GoGators 🐊 pic.twitter.com/6PNYBzfBpa
— Myles Graham (@MylesGraham2_) August 14, 2022
An Impressive Recruiting Profile
Graham is well-known for being one of the most talented linebackers in the 2024 class. The 247Sports composite currently has him as the eighth-ranked prospect in the state of Florida. This is an especially impressive ranking considering the state of Florida produces some of the best high school talent year in and year out. On a broader scale, Graham’s recruiting profile still impresses. 247 has him as the nation’s No. 43 overall player regardless of position. Within his linebacker position, he is the fourth-ranked linebacker in the class of 2024.
As Graham bounced around high schools his sophomore and junior year, his talents always shined on the field. He has proven to be an extremely productive defender, totaling 63 tackles and five sacks in 2022. As Graham relocates to Gainesville, Napier will have one of his most elite commits right in his backyard. Although Graham will have to wait another year to represent the Orange and Blue, he won’t be shy to show out for the Bobcats this season. | https://www.wruf.com/headlines/2023/07/27/gators-commit-myles-graham-to-play-final-year-at-buchholz/ | 2023-07-29T20:31:37 | 1 | https://www.wruf.com/headlines/2023/07/27/gators-commit-myles-graham-to-play-final-year-at-buchholz/ |
Two recent Florida Gators men’s basketball players were able to showcase their skills in the NBA Summer League. Now that the summer league has come to an end, players are beginning to see opportunities roll in. Alex Fudge, who played for the Gators during the 2022-23 season, signed a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday. Fudge displayed his efforts on the court showing his ability to make the right play for his team, and showed his NBA potential on the defensive end of the court.
OFFICIAL: Welcome to the squad, @iam_AlexFudge! pic.twitter.com/g0dfSXmBky
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 26, 2023
The Statistics
Fudge played two seasons in college for two different SEC schools. He played his freshman season at LSU and then transferred to UF for his sophomore year. With the Gators, he averaged 5.8 points per game and 4.5 rebounds per game with a field goal percentage of 39.7%. Additionally, he played 19.4 minutes per game.
Given the opportunity to showcase his athletic ability in the NBA 2k24 Summer League as a Laker, Fudge appeared in five games and averaged 10.4 minutes per game. Moreover, he averaged 3.0 points per game and 1.5 rebounds per game.
The Lakers were impressed with his basketball IQ and the athletic physique for a potential two-way defender that Los Angeles could use off the bench.
BREAKING: Alex Fudge signs a two-way contract with the Lakers.pic.twitter.com/Ll6aM6exOC
— NBALakersReport (@NBALakersReport) July 26, 2023
The Vision
To the regular basketball fan, this decision may seem uncommon due to the lack of scoring. Though, Fudge will be joining college teammate Colin Castleton, and this can add internal value in the organization for both players since they have chemistry with each other from playing in Gainesville. Rob Pelinka, the Lakers general manager, may see potential in both players and believe their staff can mold the new coming prospects into valuable role-players.
Los Angeles has a strong set of elite players including Lebron James, Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves, Jared Vanderbilt and D’Angelo Russell. Playing alongside veterans with major experience in the league will benefit Fudge, who is expected to play for the Lakers’ G League team and will most likely see minimum minutes in the NBA in his first professional season. | https://www.wruf.com/headlines/2023/07/27/lakers-sign-former-gator-alex-fudge/ | 2023-07-29T20:31:46 | 1 | https://www.wruf.com/headlines/2023/07/27/lakers-sign-former-gator-alex-fudge/ |
The Miami Marlins defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 7-1 Wednesday behind a complete game from Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara. The 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner gave up just one earned run and struck out seven Rays batters.
Tampa experienced some Miami Beach Sand(y) pic.twitter.com/DTyXW0T4u3
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) July 26, 2023
Game 2
With the win Wednesday, Miami snapped its 10-game road losing streak. Five players in the Marlins lineup recorded two hits. Luis Arraez, Garrett Hampson, Yuli Gurriel and Jacob Stallings all went 2-for-4 on the day. Additionally, Jon Berti went 2-for-3.
Arraez and Stallings knocked in two runs each, and the Marlins used a two-run second inning and a three-run fourth inning to pad their lead against Tampa Bay.
For the Rays, starting pitcher Zach Eflin struggled on the mound. He pitched just four innings, giving up five earned runs on seven hits.
Offensively, Brandon Lowe, Luke Raley, Harold Ramirez, Josh Lowe and Jose Siri each had one hit. Siri drove in the the Rays’ lone run on an RBI single in the bottom of the third.
Sandy's biggest supporter: Jacob Stallings 😊 pic.twitter.com/U3Bp884DDS
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) July 26, 2023
Rays Settle for Split
Despite the Wednesday loss, the Rays spilt the two-game series with Miami after defeating the Marlins 4-1 Tuesday. Tyler Glasnow went seven strong innings, allowing only one run, two hits and two walks while striking out eight batters.
Win with a hint of citrus 🍊#RaysUp
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) July 26, 2023
Up Next
Tampa Bay will travel to Houston to play the Astros in a three-game series beginning Friday. Shane McLanahan will start Game 1 of the series against the Astros, followed by Taj Bradley on Saturday and Glasnow on Sunday. Houston is one of the hottest team’s in the league, winning eight of its last 12 games.
The Marlins will start a three-game series with the Detroit Tigers Friday. Braxton Garrett will get the start on the mound in Game 1, and Johnny Cueto and Jesus Luzardo will get Games 2 and 3.
Currently, both the Rays and Marlins are in Wild Card positions. Tampa Bay sits just 1.5 games behind Baltimore in the American League East and hold the top AL Wild Card spot while Miami holds the final NL Wild Card spot with a little over two months left remaining in the regular season. | https://www.wruf.com/headlines/2023/07/27/marlins-beat-rays-7-1-behind-alcantara-complete-game/ | 2023-07-29T20:31:54 | 0 | https://www.wruf.com/headlines/2023/07/27/marlins-beat-rays-7-1-behind-alcantara-complete-game/ |
Bicyclist killed in hit-and-run crash; Police searching for driver
PINELLAS,Fla. - A bicyclist was killed in a hit-and-run crash on Saturday morning, according to authorities.
Police say, William Rothey, was traveling south on 66th St. on the paved shoulder and out of the curb lane when a vehicle traveling south on 66th St. left the curb lane and hit him.
According to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, the car involved in the crash was found abandoned in the Publix parking lot at 7333 Park Blvd.
Rothey was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
READ: One killed, three injured in Tampa shooting, police say
Police are looking for one suspect, Anaya Millan.
Anyone with information regarding Millan's whereabouts is asked to contact Crime Stoppers (1-800-973-TIPS) or the Pinellas Park Police Department (727-369-7840). | https://www.fox13news.com/news/bicyclist-killed-in-hit-and-run-crash-police-searching-for-driver | 2023-07-29T20:31:59 | 1 | https://www.fox13news.com/news/bicyclist-killed-in-hit-and-run-crash-police-searching-for-driver |
Bullard Family Foundation's Back to school bash helps thousands of Bay Area families
TAMPA, Fla. - It's the largest back-to-school bash in the entire country, and it happened right here in Tampa on Saturday, thanks to the efforts of Thaddeus Bullard, who you may know as WWE's Titus O'Neil, his Bullard Family Foundation and their partnering organizations.
"You always hear the saying every time, If we could just reach one if we could just reach one, the world would be a better place. Well, we're able to reach thousands," Bullard said.
About 30,000, to be exact.
That's how many children, families, and even teachers packed Raymond James Stadium to get backpacks filled with all the school supplies they'll need in the classroom.
RELATED: Volunteers stuff 30,000 backpacks in preparation for Titus O'Neil's annual Back to School Bash
"Our goal is to make sure that when kids come to school, they can focus on fun and learning," said Deputy Superintendent of Hillsborough County Schools, Chris Farkas. "We're trying to give them all the basics they need to get to school, so that means the backpack and the supplies that come with it, but also health screenings to get them ready for their physical, a dental screening, vision screening, glasses."
Now in its sixth year, Thaddeus says he's continued to watch the need across the Bay Area grow.
As a child, he knew firsthand what it was like to make the most of what he and his family had.
He wants to minimize the stress and financial burden in any way he can.
"While we are definitely seeing a lot of prosperity in this area, we're also seeing a lot of people that have been left behind, and it's our job to bring each other up," Bullard stressed. "Everybody has issues, everybody has needs, and even some of those who have resources still have needs to try and figure out this thing called life." | https://www.fox13news.com/news/bullard-family-foundations-back-to-school-bash-helps-thousands-of-bay-area-families | 2023-07-29T20:32:05 | 1 | https://www.fox13news.com/news/bullard-family-foundations-back-to-school-bash-helps-thousands-of-bay-area-families |
With NFL Training camps underway, the anticipation for the upcoming season is growing. After multiple offseason moves, star players ended up with new teams and multiple new faces join the league from college and look forward to getting accommodated in a new environment.
Raiders
Injuries before and during training camp are not uncommon to teams across the league. Thankfully, Las Vegas Raiders new quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo remains optimistic about his season-ending foot injury he suffered in the 2022 season.
Garoppolo had been with the San Francisco 49ers since 2017, and he started 55 games for the team. Before San Francisco, he spent three seasons with the New England Patriots before being traded to the 49ers. With New England, Garoppolo worked with current head coach Josh McDaniels when he was the offensive coordinator with the Patriots.
“We’ll do what we always do with players that are coming off of any rehabilitation — we’ll do it the right way,” McDaniels said.
You just love to see it 🤌@JimmyG_10 » @tae15adams pic.twitter.com/2hZaHfgUiw
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) July 26, 2023
Bills
What a year it has been for 25-year-old Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin. Back in January, Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest on the field during a game in Cincinnati. Fans, viewers and teammates held their breath as millions waited for news of his condition.
Now just over seven months, head coach Sean McDermott announced Wednesday that Damar Hamlin has been fully cleared for practice.
https://twitter.com/BuffaloBills/status/1684192188039585792?s=20
“With Damar’s situation, like I mentioned in the spring, he has our full support, and always will, and then we’ll continue to take it one day at a time, and we’ll go at his cadence,” McDermott said in his press conference.
Sharing his good news, Hamlin left a note for his teammates, thanking them for their support and his excitement to share the field with them again. Hamlin has had a busy summer between being honored at the ESPYS alongside the Bills training staff. Additionally, Hamlin has been preparing for the day he is cleared for his full-contact return.
Panthers
Former Alabama star quarterback and 2023 No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young has quickly made his impact with the Carolina Panthers. Expectations for Young have clearly been high and he has continued to prove his readiness for the league. As a result, head coach Frank Reich announced Young as the starting quarterback Wednesday.
“I think Bryce has made good progress,” Reich said in his Wednesday press conference. “You can just tell he and the whole group on offense is feeling more comfortable with it. Certainly, Bryce is as well. So, we feel good about where he’s at.”
Oh hey, @athielen19 👋 pic.twitter.com/6FhukMUMPo
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) July 26, 2023
As many anticipated the starting job to be assigned to Young, the rookie quarterback remains focused on his new responsibilities.
“That means a lot,” Young said in his press conference. “That’s a huge blessing. For me, it’s a day-by-day approach. We’ll watch the good and the bad from today. We’ll go back and we’ll learn from it and then we’ll get another opportunity to come out and try to perfect it tomorrow.”
The NFL season will begin with the Hall of Fame Game between the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets on Aug. 3. | https://www.wruf.com/headlines/2023/07/27/nfl-training-camps-in-full-swing/ | 2023-07-29T20:32:03 | 0 | https://www.wruf.com/headlines/2023/07/27/nfl-training-camps-in-full-swing/ |
One killed, three injured in Tampa shooting, police say
TAMPA, Fla. - The Tampa police are investigating a shooting that killed one person and injured three others on Friday night.
Police say they were called to the 3600 block of E. Shadowlawn Ave for the report of someone possibly being shot at 9.47 p.m.
When they arrived on the scene, officers say they found an abandoned black Infiniti parked on the side of the road. There were also pools of blood in and around the car, but no victims.
READ: Hernando County man doesn't make it far on stolen vessel, deputies say
Shortly after, Tampa Police was notified that four black males with gunshot wounds had been transported to a local hospital, according to authorities.
Police say that one of the victims who was in early thirties passed away due to his injuries.
Anyone who may have information that could help detectives identify and arrest those involved is being asked to call Tampa Police at 813-231-6130.
Those who wish to remain anonymous can contact Crimestoppers of Tampa Bay. | https://www.fox13news.com/news/one-killed-three-injured-in-e-shadowlawn-ave-shooting | 2023-07-29T20:32:11 | 1 | https://www.fox13news.com/news/one-killed-three-injured-in-e-shadowlawn-ave-shooting |
The Premier League is the highest level of English soccer. The league generally plays only in England, but the league is hosting a preseason series in the United States. It was announced earlier this year that the league would host a preseason event to showcase six teams across multiple cities in the U.S.
There has been a lot of excitement around soccer in the U.S. with Messi making his Major League Soccer debut and the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The summer series should do the same, bringing more exposure to the sport here in the States.
#PLSummerSeries begins in Philadelphia this weekend, at the home of the @Eagles 🦅
Get your tickets 🎟️ https://t.co/DSOCUfYrlr pic.twitter.com/YstvS8VMNg
— Premier League (@premierleague) July 22, 2023
Brighton Takes on Chelsea
Chelsea and Brighton played their friendly in Philadelphia Saturday which ended in a 4-3 Chelsea win. Chelsea got on the board first when Mykhailo Mudryk scored his first goal with the club. The Blues were behind for the majority of the match until Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke was penalized and taken off the field at the hour mark. Brighton was down to 10 players and Chelsea was able to take advantage and score three goals for the win.
https://twitter.com/ChelseaFC/status/1684435172874145793?s=20
Newcastle vs. Chelsea
Newcastle faced off against Chelsea Wednesday and the match finished in a 1-1 draw. The event took place at Mercedez-Benz stadium in Atlanta with Miguel Almiron scoring the only goal for Newcastle. Almiron received a warm welcome back in his return to Atlanta after winning the MLS Cup in 2018 with Atlanta United. For Chelsea, Nicholas Jackson was their loan scorer which came in the 12th minute of the game.
What a night in Atlanta! 🙌 #PLSummerSeries pic.twitter.com/N2jr6IwPGD
— Premier League USA (@PLinUSA) July 27, 2023
Newcastle vs. Aston Villa
Newcastle took on Aston Villa Sunday and the game ended in a 3-3 draw. Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa scored the first goal of the match with Emi Buendia assisting the goal at the seven minute mark. Watkins went on to score a second goal later in the match. Harvey Barnes made his debut for Newcastle during this match when he came off the bench at the 20 minute mark.
The Premier League Summer Series concludes Saturday and the first game of the Premier League regular season is Aug. 11. | https://www.wruf.com/headlines/2023/07/27/premier-league-in-action-in-united-states/ | 2023-07-29T20:32:12 | 1 | https://www.wruf.com/headlines/2023/07/27/premier-league-in-action-in-united-states/ |
UFO whistleblower testimony 'insulting' and not credible, Pentagon officials say
A top Pentagon official has attacked this week's widely watched congressional hearing on UFOs, calling the claims "insulting" to employees who are investigating sightings and accusing a key witness of not cooperating with the official U.S. government investigation.
Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick's letter, published on his personal LinkedIn page and circulated Friday across social media, criticizes much of the testimony from a retired Air Force intelligence officer that energized believers in extraterrestrial life and produced headlines around the world.
Retired Air Force Maj. David Grusch testified Wednesday that the U.S. has concealed what he called a "multi-decade" program to collect and reverse-engineer "UAPs," or unidentified aerial phenomena, the official government term for UFOs.
Part of what the U.S. has recovered, Grusch testified, were non-human "biologics," which he said he had not seen but had learned about from "people with direct knowledge of the program."
David Grusch, former National Reconnaissance Office representative on the Defense Departments Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, testifies during the House Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign
A career intelligence officer, Kirkpatrick was named a year ago to lead the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, or AARO, which was intended to centralize investigations into UAPs. The Pentagon and U.S. intelligence agencies have been pushed by Congress in recent years to better investigate reports of devices flying at unusual speeds or trajectories as a national security concern.
Kirkpatrick wrote the letter Thursday and the Defense Department confirmed Friday that he posted it in a personal capacity. Kirkpatrick declined to comment on the letter Friday.
He writes in part, "I cannot let yesterday’s hearing pass without sharing how insulting it was to the officers of the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community who chose to join AARO, many with not unreasonable anxieties about the career risks this would entail."
READ MORE: World UFO Day: New investigations show growing acceptance in science, government
"They are truth-seekers, as am I," Kirkpatrick said. "But you certainly would not get that impression from yesterday’s hearing."
In a separate statement, Pentagon spokeswoman Sue Gough denied other allegations made by Grusch before a House Oversight subcommittee.
The Pentagon "has no information that any individual has been harmed or killed as a result of providing information" about UFO objects, Gough said. Nor has the Pentagon discovered "any verifiable information to substantiate claims that any programs regarding the possession or reverse-engineering of extraterrestrial materials have existed in the past or exist currently."
Kirkpatrick wrote, "AARO has yet to find any credible evidence to support the allegations of any reverse engineering program for non-human technology."
He had briefed reporters in December that the Pentagon was investigating "several hundreds" of new reports following a push to have pilots and others come forward with any sightings.
Kirkpatrick wrote in his letter that allegations of "retaliation, to include physical assault and hints of murder, are extraordinarily serious, which is why law enforcement is a critical member of the AARO team, specifically to address and take swift action should anyone come forward with such claims."
"Yet, contrary to assertions made in the hearing, the central source of those allegations has refused to speak with AARO," Kirkpatrick said. He did not explicitly name Grusch, who alleged he faced retaliation and declined to answer when a congressman asked him if anyone had been murdered to hide information about UFOs.
Messages left at a phone number and email address for Grusch were not returned Friday. | https://www.fox13news.com/news/ufo-whistleblower-testimony-pentagon | 2023-07-29T20:32:17 | 1 | https://www.fox13news.com/news/ufo-whistleblower-testimony-pentagon |
José Siri doubles, scores tiebreaking run in Rays 4-3 win
HOUSTON, ( AP) - Brandon Lowe hit a three-run homer early and José Siri doubled and scored the tiebreaking run in the ninth inning in the Tampa Bay Rays' 4-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Friday night.
The game was tied entering the ninth when Siri, who played for Houston last season, doubled to left field off Ryan Pressly (3-3) and moved to third on a sacrifice fly by Christian Bethancourt. The Rays took a 4-3 lead when Siri scored on a sacrifice fly by Yandy Díaz.
Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash raved about Siri's work in the ninth.
"It was a big at-bat against a really tough pitcher … that’s what he can do," Cash said. "He can change the game with his speed and certainly impacted it right there."
Siri said that it meant "very much" to lead the Rays to a win against his former team.
"They know the capabilities and the abilities that I have from when I played here," he said in Spanish through a translator. "And that’s life that I was able to do it against them."
Houston manager Dusty Baker noted that not many people would have gotten to second on a ball hit to shallow left field.
"That was a hustle double and Siri, out of the box he was thinking two," Baker said. "That was good baserunning on his part."
Wander Franco singled after that before Pressly hit Luke Raley with a pitch. But Randy Arozarena popped out to leave them stranded.
Pete Fairbanks walked Chas McCormick with one out in the ninth, but he was erased when pinch-hitter Yainer Díaz grounded into a force out. Fairbanks then struck out pinch-hitter Mauricio Dubon to get his 13th save.
The victory was just Tampa Bay’s third in the last 11 games and the team’s sixth this month.
Lowe's three-run homer came in the first inning and Houston tied it on a two-run shot by José Abreu in the fourth.
Tampa Bay starter Shane McClanahan allowed eight hits and three runs in five innings. Colin Poche (8-3) pitched a scoreless eighth for the win.
Houston’s Cristian Javier yielded three hits and three runs with eight strikeouts in six innings to remain winless since June 3.
"His velocity was good ... he was, he was a lot better tonight than he had been in probably four or five starts," Baker said.
Franco tripled with one out in the first before Javier plunked Arozarena with two outs in the inning. Lowe then smacked his homer to the seats in right field to make it 3-0.
Jose Altuve led off the bottom of the inning with a triple and scored on a groundout by Jeremy Peña to cut it to 3-1.
Javier retired seven straight after Lowe’s homer before walking Arozarena to start the fourth. Arozarena stole second before moving to third on a single by Lowe. Javier hit Isaac Paredes with a pitch to load the bases.
But he escaped the jam by striking out Josh Lowe and Siri before René Pinto lined out to end the inning.
Yordan Alvarez singled with no outs in the fourth before Abreu’s soaring shot to left field tied it at 3-3.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cash said RHP Zach Eflin (left knee discomfort) is still day to day after injuring his knee Wednesday. Cash said they’re hoping he can make his next start but that they’ll know more in the next day or two.
UP NEXT
Tampa Bay RHP Taj Bradley (5-6, 5.30 ERA) opposes RHP Hunter Brown (6-7, 4.19) when the series continues Saturday night. | https://www.fox13news.com/sports/jose-siri-doubles-scores-tiebreaking-run-in-rays-4-3-win | 2023-07-29T20:32:23 | 1 | https://www.fox13news.com/sports/jose-siri-doubles-scores-tiebreaking-run-in-rays-4-3-win |
In a rematch of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final, the U.S. Women’s National Team secured a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands Wednesday night.
A second half goal from captain Lindsey Horan erased an early goal from the Dutch to grab an important point for the U.S. The USWNT outshot the Netherlands 18-4 as they dominated in attack, but could not jump ahead.
https://twitter.com/USWNT/status/1684397972887588865
U.S. Trails Early
The USWNT had a few chances early in the match. Midfielder Savannah DeMelo had the first shot of the game in the ninth minute from just outside the six-yard box, but it went wide.
In the 17th minute, the Netherlands put together an attack from their own half led by striker Lieke Martens. She cut through the defense before laying it off to Victoria Pelova on the right wing. Pelova passed it to Jill Roord at the top of the box, who drove a low shot into the bottom left corner of the net to open the scoring for the Dutch.
This was the first time the USWNT trailed at the World Cup in their last 17 games.
One minute later, the U.S. had its best opportunity of the half. Winger Trinity Rodman saw the Netherlands keeper off her line and tried to lob one into the top right corner. However, Daphne Van Domselaar was quick to get back, making a diving save.
Despite outshooting the Netherlands and having five corner kicks in the first half, the U.S. trailed 1-0 after 45 minutes.
United States Gets the Equalizer
The U.S. was firing on all cylinders to begin the second half. Head coach Vlatko Andonovski subbed on Rose Lavelle to replace DeMelo to open the half. She sparked the attack for the U.S. as they were very aggressive with possession.
The USWNT earned a corner 15 minutes into the half after a malicious challenge on Horan from her Lyon teammate Danielle Van de Donk. The two exchanged words and had to be separated by the referee. On the ensuing corner, Lavelle sent in a left-footed inswinging ball that Horan met with her head five yards out and put it past the keeper to tie the game at one.
62' – GOAL: USA!!!!!
Horan sends Lavelle's corner into the back of the net and we're level!!!!
🇺🇸 USA 1 – 1 NED 🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/vHl7XRpHo7
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) July 27, 2023
After the equalizing goal, the U.S. kept their foot on the gas pedal in attack. Just four minutes after the first goal, Alex Morgan thought she had one of her own. Rodman sent a through ball to her, but Morgan was called offside as the game stayed tied.
Although they had 11 corners and 18 shots in the game, the U.S. was unable to find the net a second time as they drew with the Netherlands 1-1.
Eyes on Knockout Stages
The USWNT, after securing a point against the Netherlands, sits atop Group E. They are tied with the Dutch with four points each, but the U.S. has the goal difference advantage. The Americans will play their final group stage match on Tuesday against Portugal at 3 a.m.
Even with the draw, the U.S. has its hopes set on repeating as champions of the world for a third straight time. | https://www.wruf.com/headlines/2023/07/27/uswnt-forces-draw-with-netherlands/ | 2023-07-29T20:32:21 | 1 | https://www.wruf.com/headlines/2023/07/27/uswnt-forces-draw-with-netherlands/ |
I have this playlist on my phone that is called “Almost There” which I am not allowed to play until we get within two weeks of the first game of the season.
We are almost there to “Almost There.”
And today, the High Five will take a look at the early parts of the schedule.
This week, the five most difficult Septembers in the SEC (with an August game thrown in) and next Friday in the High Five the five easiest.
The Five most difficult Septembers
1. LSU: Not only do the Tigers open with a team that is on a lot of preseason playoff lists, they do it in that team’s home state. FSU is the opener in Orlando and LSU is one of only three teams in the conference to play four Power 5 teams in September with games at the two Mississippi schools and a home game with mighty Arkansas.
2. Florida: Certainly, playing at Utah is never easy for anybody even if the stadium only seats 51,000. Also on the early schedule – games against two teams who beat the Gators last year (Tennessee and at Kentucky).
3. South Carolina: I heard someone say on the radio they couldn’t jump on the Gamecocks bandwagon because of the schedule. In September, they have the neutral site game against Drake Maye and North Carolina and also have games at Georgia and Tennessee. Yuchhh.
4. Miss. State: I don’t know much about Arizona in Game Two. But I know about the next three – LSU, at South Carolina and Alabama. Won’t be a cushy birth for Zach Arnett.
5. Ole Miss: Normally, at Tulane wouldn’t concern anybody but you saw what that team did to USC last year in the Cotton Bowl. Then it’s at Alabama and LSU at home. Weeee doggie, that’s going to be fun. | https://www.wruf.com/headlines/2023/07/28/pat-dooleys-high-five-july-28th-2/ | 2023-07-29T20:32:31 | 1 | https://www.wruf.com/headlines/2023/07/28/pat-dooleys-high-five-july-28th-2/ |
(The Hill) – A majority of Americans believe former President Trump has done “something illegal” or “unethical,” according to a new poll.
The NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist National Poll released Friday, found that 51% of Americans believe the former president has done “something illegal,” 27% said he’s done something “unethical,” but “not illegal,” and 19% said he’s done “nothing wrong.”
The results of the new poll come just one day after the Department of Justice (DOJ) levied new charges against Trump in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case for attempting to delete surveillance footage. The superseding indictment brings the total number of counts facing the former president in the classified documents case to 40.
The poll, however, was conducted before the new charges against Trump were announced.
The survey also found that the percentage of Democrats who think Trump has done “something illegal” has increased — up from 78% in June to 84%. The number of independents that believe the same also increased from 50% to 52% in the same period, according to the poll.
The number of Republicans that believe Trump’s actions are “illegal,” however, has remained steady at around 13%. But, as the poll notes, there was a dip the number of Republicans that believe Trump has done “nothing wrong” — going from 50% to 41% since June.
DOJ special counsel Jack Smith has been investigating Trump and his allies’ efforts to upend the 2020 election. The former president also faces another indictment from New York district attorney Alvin Bragg for 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection to a 2016 hush money payment.
The survey of 1,285 respondents was conducted from July 25-27, with a margin of error of 3.6 percentage points. | https://wgntv.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/majority-of-americans-believe-trump-has-done-something-illegal-poll/ | 2023-07-29T20:34:00 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/majority-of-americans-believe-trump-has-done-something-illegal-poll/ |
‘I’m still in shock’: Woman wins lottery jackpot while taking break from work
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT/Gray News) - A North Carolina woman won a triple-digit jackpot thanks to purchasing a lucky scratch-off ticket.
According to the North Carolina Educational Lottery, Jodi Owens won a $100,000 prize by putting her break time to good use and buying a lottery ticket.
Officials said Owens, a retired nurse practitioner, took a break from doing some work around her house and stopped at a Civietown Mini Mart in Shallotte. She picked up a few items including a Black Titanium scratch-off.
She returned home to scratch her winning ticket.
“I’m still in shock,” Owens said. “It’s truly a blessing.”
Owens claimed her prize on Friday and took home $71,259 after taxes.
“I’m going to pay my mortgage off and pay my car off,” she said. “I’m thinking about getting a manicure and pedicure too!”
Lottery officials said the Black Titanium scratch-off game just launched last month and is available for $30.
Copyright 2023 WECT via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.newschannel6now.com/2023/07/29/im-still-shock-woman-wins-lottery-jackpot-while-taking-break-work/ | 2023-07-29T20:34:00 | 0 | https://www.newschannel6now.com/2023/07/29/im-still-shock-woman-wins-lottery-jackpot-while-taking-break-work/ |
BROOKLYN, Wis. (WFRV) – The Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office has released more information on the single-engine aircraft that crashed into a cornfield on Thursday.
According to deputies, a pilot and a passenger were on their way to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh from South Bend, Indiana, when the aircraft lost power. The pilot attempted an emergency landing in the cornfield.
Authorities say that the aircraft flipped upon impacting the corn while attempting to land, causing injuries to both occupants.
The Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office says they’ve been informed that both occupants were treated and released at a local hospital. | https://wgntv.com/news/wisconsin/aircraft-lost-power-on-way-to-eaa-airventure-oshkosh-flipped-upon-impact-with-cornfield/ | 2023-07-29T20:34:06 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/news/wisconsin/aircraft-lost-power-on-way-to-eaa-airventure-oshkosh-flipped-upon-impact-with-cornfield/ |
Melting ice near Matterhorn reveals remains of climber missing for 37 years
(CNN) - The remains of a climber who disappeared while hiking along a glacier near Switzerland’s Matterhorn 37 years ago have been found.
Police say the melting ice on the glacier helped lead to the discovery of the remains.
They were found on July 12 by climbers hiking along the Theodul Glacier.
Several pieces of equipment were also found.
Police say a DNA analysis helped identify the remains as belonging to a 38-year-old German mountain climber who was reported missing in September 1986.
Police also say they had searched for the climber at the time, but they were unsuccessful.
No further details about the climber’s identity or his cause of death have been revealed.
Police say the melting glaciers have led to the reemergence of bodies of those who were reported missing several decades ago.
Scientists announced earlier this week that July is on track to be Earth’s hottest month ever recorded.
Copyright 2023 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.newschannel6now.com/2023/07/29/melting-ice-near-matterhorn-reveals-remains-climber-missing-37-years/ | 2023-07-29T20:34:07 | 1 | https://www.newschannel6now.com/2023/07/29/melting-ice-near-matterhorn-reveals-remains-climber-missing-37-years/ |
Medical board calls on Caitlin Bernard to keep patient info private in final order, letter
In a newly-published letter of reprimand and final order, Indiana's medical licensing board called on obstetrician-gynecologist Caitlin Bernard to keep confidential "all knowledge and information" about her patients, bringing an end to Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita's administrative charges against the doctor.
Now, Bernard's team has roughly a month to decide if they want to fight her punishment - which also includes a $3,000 fine - by asking a Marion County judge to scrutinize how the board reached its decision that Bernard violated patient privacy laws when she provided limited details about an abortion patient to an IndyStar reporter.
In a statement provided Saturday, Bernard's legal team said it was evaluating "next steps."
Caitlin Bernard:Indiana doctor violated 10-year-old's privacy in abortion case, medical board finds
“In May, the Indiana Medical Licensing Board exonerated Dr. Caitlin Bernard on Attorney General Rokita’s most serious and baseless allegations," the statement, attributed to attorneys with the law firms DeLaney & DeLaney, Hoover Hull Turner and Arnold & Porter, read. "While we’re grateful that the board reaffirms this ruling in their written decision, we continue to dispute the MLB’s finding that Dr. Bernard violated patient privacy."
Bernard is still providing medical care, according to the statement.
Rokita's office, which can also challenge the decision, didn't have any comment when reached Saturday.
Letter and final order follow 15-hour hearing
The letter and final order were made public nearly two months after the board's 15-hour hearing in May over whether Bernard violated privacy laws and child abuse reporting requirements in her handling of the case of a 10-year-old rape victim who traveled from Ohio to Indiana for an abortion.
Read the final order and letter of reprimand below.
Rokita's team argued during the hearing that Bernard ran afoul of the standards governing her profession because she shared details about the patient with IndyStar reporter Shari Rudavsky at an abortion rights rally and didn't report the child's abuse to Indiana law enforcement.
Bernard did report the abuse to a social worker at IU Health, her employer, and Ohio law enforcement visited Indianapolis to collect evidence as they investigated the child's rapist. The board members overseeing the hearing unanimously agreed that Bernard properly reported the abuse, and that she's still fit to practice medicine.
Gerson Fuentes:Ohio man charged in rape of 10-year-old that led to Indiana abortion
But a majority of the board did find that the information she disclosed amounted to violations of HIPAA federal privacy law, and state law stating doctors have to keep private all information about their patients. The information Bernard shared included the patient’s age, the state she was traveling from, the fact that she was pregnant and her gestational age.
Rokita lauded the board's decision.
"What if it was your child or your parent or your sibling who was going through a sensitive medical crisis, and the doctor, who you thought was on your side, ran to the press for political reasons?" his office said in a statement after the marathon hearing. "It’s not right, and the facts we presented today made that clear."
Licensing discipline experts previously told IndyStar a letter of reprimand and $3,000 fine amount to a slap on the wrist.
What does the final order say?
The final order summarizes the details discussed during the hearing and provides a timeline of events surrounding the case, starting from when Bernard was told about the patient by a doctor in Ohio around June 27, 2022.
Bernard told the IU Health social worker about the child on that date, and the next day the social worker passed that information along to child services authorities in Ohio.
Bernard attended an abortion rights rally on June 29, 2022, as Indiana was considering stricter abortion laws following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health. The doctor spoke with Rudavsky and another doctor about her patient at that rally.
On the same day as the rally the 10-year-old arrived at IU Health with her mom, according to the order. Bernard provided her abortion care the next day.
"This is not a normal case":Legal outcome murky in privacy ruling against Caitlin Bernard
The order states that HIPAA allows for disclosures in a few circumstances, including when a patient authorizes the release. Bernard "has not provided any information to demonstrate her disclosure ... fell within one of those limited circumstances," it states.
It also states disclosures under HIPAA can occur when information that could be used to identify the patient is removed. The order doesn't specify which details Bernard provided could have been used to identify the 10-year-old, instead saying that "when taken in their entirety" the disclosures to Rudavsky and the other doctor fell outside the bounds of HIPAA's allowances.
A HIPAA enforcement expert testifying on behalf of Rokita's team reached a similar conclusion during May's hearing. Andrew Mahler, former official with the federal Office for Civil Rights, said it “certainly is possible” the patient could have been identified.
'Chilling effect':National experts decry decision against abortion doctor Caitlin Bernard
But Donna Shalala, one of the authors of HIPAA, told IndyStar in May that no violation occurred, saying Bernard “was very careful in what she did reveal.” Shalala wasn't at the hearing.
During the hearing, Bernard gave insight as to why she decided to relate the patient's experience. "I think that it's incredibly important for people to understand the real-world impacts of the laws of this country," she said, when Rokita's attorneys asked why she didn't share a hypothetical story instead.
"That's not your patient's conclusion, right?" Indiana Deputy Attorney General Cory Voight replied.
"I can't know what her conclusion would be," Bernard said. "But I can imagine that she would also have knowledge and experience of the impact that the anti-abortion legislation in Ohio could have on her."
IndyStar reporter Brittany Carloni contributed.
Call IndyStar courts reporter Johnny Magdaleno at 317-273-3188 or email him at jmagdaleno@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @IndyStarJohnny | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2023/07/29/medical-board-urges-caitlin-bernard-to-protect-patient-info-in-letter/70480600007/ | 2023-07-29T20:35:25 | 0 | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2023/07/29/medical-board-urges-caitlin-bernard-to-protect-patient-info-in-letter/70480600007/ |
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – In states across the country this year, Republicans have talked a lot about restricting drag performances in front of children.
But that talk, and even their efforts, haven't amounted to much.
Bills restricting drag have failed to pass, passed as watered-down laws, have been vetoed or, in the case of three states that did manage to pass meaningful restrictions, laws have been temporarily halted by federal judges.
Friday, in fact, a judge temporarily blocked a law in the last remaining state with enforceable restrictions – Montana – just days before the start of Pride festivities.
A few states' lawmakers are still in session, though, so more efforts could be afoot.
In Arkansas, where Republican state Sen. Gary Stubblefield championed and sponsored a bill earlier this year, he said drag shows harm kids and "take away their innocence."
"I can't think of any redeeming quality, anything good that can come from taking children and putting them in front of a bunch of grown men that are dressed like women," Stubblefield said back in January as he introduced his bill on the floor of the Arkansas Senate.
'Prurient interest' and the First Amendment
Stubblefield's bill contained key language that showed up in a lot of states' attempted drag restrictions – an appeal to the "prurient interest." (Texas, Tennessee, Montana, Arizona, South Dakota, for example.)
"That word – prurient interest – means excessive interest in sexual matters," Stubblefield explained to lawmakers in committee.
"Most drag shows do not appeal to the prurient interest," says JT Morris, an attorney for the free-speech group Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
"Even if they did, saying something appeals to the 'prurient interest' under the First Amendment is not enough to regulate it," he says, noting that this kind of language makes it harder for a bill to hold up to basic legal scrutiny.
"You can't pass a state law based on disagreement with somebody's viewpoint. It's a textbook First Amendment violation."
And that disagreement has been palpable across the country. In Arkansas, Stubblefield's bill was met with large public backlash from those who say drag is about showmanship, not sex.
"I do drag as an art form," says Jeremy Stuthard, an Arkansas drag performer.
"I take a decent-looking guy and turn him into a statue-esk Barbie doll, and have a great time and put smiles on people's faces and that's all I really try to do."
Stuthard says most of the children he meets at drag brunches and story hours aren't there to indulge a 'prurient interest', but to have fun listening to a story read by a costumed actor.
Drag restrictions put on hold and watered down
In Tennessee, the day before that state's drag restrictions were due to go into effect, a Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge temporarily struck down the law due to its constitutional vagueness.
In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Thomas Parker wrote, "Whether some of us may like it or not," the U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted the First Amendment "as protecting speech that is indecent but not obscene."
A similar law in Florida has been temporarily blocked. For a while, that left Montana as the only state in the country with an enforceable drag law, until the courts temporarily blocked that one, too.
In Arkansas, Sen. Stubblefield's drag ban bill was amended until it hardly resembled a drag ban. The final version of the law, which passed by large margins, now regulates stripping, not drag shows.
"[The]Amended House Bill is the only way to really protect minors. For another reason, it's the only draft that will stand up in court," Stubblefield said of the amendment, which he didn't write but ultimately agreed to.
"None of us like to pass a bill that's going to get struck down by a judge and not help any children at all."
Josie Lenora is the politics/government reporter at KUAR in Little Rock, Ark.
Copyright 2023 KUAR | https://www.wbaa.org/2023-07-29/despite-all-the-talk-no-states-have-active-laws-banning-drag-in-front-of-kids | 2023-07-29T20:35:25 | 0 | https://www.wbaa.org/2023-07-29/despite-all-the-talk-no-states-have-active-laws-banning-drag-in-front-of-kids |
No clinical efficacy or safety issues raised
Citius committed to working toward approval
CRANFORD, N.J., July 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Citius" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: CTXR) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a Complete Response Letter regarding the Company's Biologics License Application (BLA) seeking approval for denileukin diftitox ("LYMPHIRTM"), an engineered IL-2-diphtheria toxin fusion protein for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) after at least one prior systemic therapy.
The FDA has required Citius to incorporate enhanced product testing, and additional controls agreed to with the FDA during the market application review. Importantly, there were no concerns relating to the safety and efficacy clinical data package submitted with the BLA, or the proposed prescribing information.
"We appreciate the FDA's expeditious review of our application. We intend to provide additional data and remain fully engaged with the FDA as we continue to work toward approval. We remain confident in the potential of LYMPHIR to become an important addition to the treatment landscape for patients with relapsed or refractory CTCL and make a meaningful difference in their lives," stated Leonard Mazur, Chairman and CEO of Citius.
About LYMPHIR™ (denileukin diftitox-cxdl)
LYMPHIR is a recombinant fusion protein that combines the interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor binding domain with diphtheria toxin fragments. The agent specifically binds to IL-2 receptors on the cell surface, causing diphtheria toxin fragments that have entered cells to inhibit protein synthesis. In 2011 and 2013, the FDA granted orphan drug designation to LYMPHIR for the treatment of PTCL and CTCL, respectively. In 2021, denileukin diftitox received regulatory approval in Japan for the treatment of CTCL and peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). Subsequently in 2021, Citius acquired an exclusive license with rights to develop and commercialize LYMPHIR in all markets except for Japan and certain parts of Asia.
About Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma
Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is a type of cutaneous non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) that comes in a variety of forms and is the most common type of cutaneous lymphoma. In CTCL, T-cells, a type of lymphocyte that plays a role in the immune system, become cancerous and develop into skin lesions, leading to a decrease in the quality of life of patients with this disease due to severe pain and pruritus. Mycosis Fungoides (MF) and Sézary Syndrome (SS) comprise the majority of CTCL cases. Depending on the type of CTCL, the disease may progress slowly and can take anywhere from several years to upwards of ten to potentially reach tumor stage. However, once the disease reaches this stage, the cancer is highly malignant and can spread to the lymph nodes and internal organs, resulting in a poor prognosis. Given the duration of the disease, patients typically cycle through multiple agents to control disease progression. CTCL affects men twice as often as women and is typically first diagnosed in patients between the ages of 50 and 60 years of age. Other than allogeneic stem cell transplantation, for which only a small fraction of patients qualify, there is currently no curative therapy for advanced CTCL.
About Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Citius is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and commercialization of first-in-class critical care products, with a focus on oncology, anti-infectives in adjunct cancer care, unique prescription products, and stem cell therapies. The Company's diversified pipeline includes two late-stage product candidates, Mino-Lok®, an antibiotic lock solution for the treatment of patients with catheter-related bloodstream infections, which is currently enrolling patients in a Phase 3 Pivotal superiority trial, and LYMPHIR, a novel IL-2R immunotherapy for an initial indication in CTCL. Mino-Lok® was granted Fast Track designation by the FDA. LYMPHIR has received orphan drug designation by the FDA for the treatment of CTCL and PTCL. At the end of March 2023, Citius completed enrollment in its Phase 2b trial of CITI-002, a topical formulation for the relief of hemorrhoids. For more information, please visit www.citiuspharma.com.
Safe Harbor
This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements are made based on our expectations and beliefs concerning future events impacting Citius. You can identify these statements by the fact that they use words such as "believe," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "plan," "should," and "may" and other words and terms of similar meaning or use of future dates. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could negatively affect our business, operating results, financial condition and stock price. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated are: the FDA may not approve our BLA for LYMPHIR; our need for substantial additional funds; the estimated markets for our product candidates and the acceptance thereof by any market; our ability to commercialize our products if approved by the FDA; our dependence on third-party suppliers; the ability of our product candidates to impact the quality of life of our target patient populations; our ability to successfully undertake and complete clinical and non-clinical trials and the results from those trials for our product candidates; risks relating to the results of research and development activities, including those from existing and new pipeline assets; uncertainties relating to preclinical and clinical testing; the early stage of products under development; market and other conditions; our ability to attract, integrate, and retain key personnel; risks related to our growth strategy; patent and intellectual property matters; our ability to obtain, perform under and maintain financing and strategic agreements and relationships; our ability to identify, acquire, close and integrate product candidates and companies successfully and on a timely basis; our ability to procure cGMP commercial-scale supply; government regulation; competition; as well as other risks described in our SEC filings. These risks have been and may be further impacted by Covid-19. Accordingly, these forward-looking statements do not constitute guarantees of future performance, and you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Risks regarding our business are described in detail in our Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") filings which are available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov, including in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2022, filed with the SEC on December 22, 2022 and updated by our subsequent filings with the SEC. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and we expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations or any changes in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.
Investor Contact:
Ilanit Allen
ir@citiuspharma.com
908-967-6677 x113
Media Contact:
STiR-communications
Greg Salsburg
Greg@STiR-communications.com
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SOURCE Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/citius-pharmaceuticals-inc-receives-complete-response-letter-us-food-drug-administration-fda-lymphir-denileukin-diftitox-treatment-patients-with-relapsed-or-refractory-cutaneous-t-cell-lymphoma/ | 2023-07-29T20:35:44 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/citius-pharmaceuticals-inc-receives-complete-response-letter-us-food-drug-administration-fda-lymphir-denileukin-diftitox-treatment-patients-with-relapsed-or-refractory-cutaneous-t-cell-lymphoma/ |
LOMPOC, Calif., July 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Return to Freedom Wild Horse Conservation this week thanked the Senate Interior Appropriations Committee for including language in its Fiscal Year 2024 funding package that can improve the management of America's wild horses and burros.
A national nonprofit advocacy organization, Return to Freedom (RTF) works with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to press the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on the immediate scaling up of safe, proven and humane fertility control for wild horses and burros as well as with a diverse array of public lands stakeholders to create broader acceptance of fertility control use.
If implemented correctly and robustly, fertility control would slow (not stop) the growth of wild herds, keeping them on their home ranges rather than relying on the costly and traumatic capture, removal and warehousing of wild horses and burros.
"We are grateful to the Senate for again supporting protections for wild horses by taking the vitally important step of directing — in clear language — that the Bureau of Land Management implement thoughtful management that results in the kinds of humane approaches for which Return to Freedom has tirelessly advocated," said Neda DeMayo, president of RTF.
The Senate Committee's guiding report language calls for $11 million "to be spent to continue implementation of a robust and humane fertility control strategy of reversible immunocontraceptive vaccines."
The Senate Committee's report emphasized that it "expects" the BLM to place "specific attention on:"
- "increasing the use of fertility control, including measurable objectives in reducing population growth with fertility controls,
- "targeting removals from the most heavily ecologically impacted and populated areas,
- "expanding long-term, off-range humane holding, and continuing adoptions while fully implementing and enforcing existing safeguards."
The Senate Committee on Thursday approved a total of $148 million for wild horse and burro management for 2024. Congress allocated the same amount in 2023.
By comparison, the House Interior Appropriations Committee on June 19 approved $155 million for wild horse management in 2024.
The House Committee's report language also sets aside $11 million for fertility control; however, it does not specify using the funding solely for immediate on-range implementation. The House also allows the money to be used for research, including on permanent sterilization, which RTF strongly opposes.
The Senate and House must now reconcile their differences.
RTF is calling on the House and Senate conferees to adopt the House's funding level alongside the Senate's guiding report language. RTF will continue to advocate for stricter wild horse and burro protections and for greater funding until the final bill is approved later this year.
Background
As it has for decades, the BLM continues to emphasize capture-and-removal, putting off fertility control use while also failing to reach the agency's own wild horse population targets. In FY 2022, for example, 20,193 wild horses and burros were removed from their home ranges while just 1,622 mares were treated and released with some form of fertility control.
Out of the BLM-estimated 141,000 federally protected wild horses and burros that the agency is charged with overseeing, 58,000 now live not on the range but in overcrowded government corrals or on leased pastures.
The cost to taxpayers of continued off-range holding of captured wild horses has climbed to more than $83 million annually. That has left little funding for prioritizing range management, restoration, personnel and administration, let alone fertility control.
Population modeling by RTF and other stakeholders has shown that immediately implementing fertility control alongside any removal that BLM conducts is the only way to catch up with and stabilize herd growth so that on-range management can replace removals.
Return to Freedom Wild Horse Conservation (RTF) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to wild horse preservation through sanctuary, education, conservation, and advocacy since 1998. It also operates the American Wild Horse Sanctuary at three California locations, caring for more than 450 wild horses and burros managing the population with fertility control since 1999. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates about wild horses and burros on the range and at our sanctuary.
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SOURCE Return to Freedom Wild Horse Conservation | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/return-freedom-applauds-senates-continued-emphasis-wild-horse-fertility-control/ | 2023-07-29T20:35:50 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/return-freedom-applauds-senates-continued-emphasis-wild-horse-fertility-control/ |
NEW YORK, July 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --
WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Tingo Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: TIO) between December 1, 2022 and June 6, 2023, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important August 7, 2023 lead plaintiff deadline.
SO WHAT: If you purchased Tingo securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.
WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Tingo class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=16856 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than August 7, 2023. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.
WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.
DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Tingo overstated its revenue and other accounting metrics, creating a false impression of success; (2) Tingo was not meaningfully engaged in many of the business activities that it claimed would drive future growth; (3) many of Tingo's supposed contracts with customers and suppliers did not exist; and (4) in light of the above, defendants' positive statements about Tingo's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.
To join the Tingo class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=16856 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.
No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
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SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/tio-deadline-rosen-ranked-leading-firm-encourages-tingo-group-inc-investors-with-losses-secure-counsel-before-important-august-7-deadline-securities-class-action-tio/ | 2023-07-29T20:35:56 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2023/07/29/tio-deadline-rosen-ranked-leading-firm-encourages-tingo-group-inc-investors-with-losses-secure-counsel-before-important-august-7-deadline-securities-class-action-tio/ |
GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — A North Carolina man’s long-lost 1967 Mustang coupe was found after being stolen 21 years ago.
Detectives in Guilford County, and the owner of the car, were also surprised to find the vehicle was still in decent shape.
“Twenty-one years. That is unbelievable,” David Tucker said.
The blue Mustang was Tucker’s dream car. He and his son even formed a bond during the boy’s childhood, riding together in the coupe.
“Riding in it with my son … he was in a car seat in the back,” Tucker said. “He finally got out of the car seat and was able to sit up front with me. Just riding around with him, and seeing the look on his face. That’s the best.”
In 2002, Tucker decided to sell the car. He left it sitting at a friend’s house in Oak Ridge, where it might have more visibility for potential buyers.
But somebody decided to just take it.
“I can’t even describe the sadness,” Tucker said. “That was like my baby, you know? A member of the family just got gone. I never thought I would see it again.”
For years, Tucker worked along with the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office to try to find it.
He checked in on his VIN number every year.
“The VIN number had been changed on it,” said Detective Sergeant Ryan Seals with the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office. “The initial VIN number … came back to a vehicle that had already been scrapped.”
But a few weeks back, deputies said that VIN number eventually led to a crack in the case: The car was found states away in Florida — and only a little worse for wear.
In addition to a little bit of damage on the inside and outside, the car, too, had been painted white.
“It’s nowhere near what it used to be. It’s going to take some work,” Tucker said.
Tucker is currently trying to figure out how to get the car back to North Carolina.
“It means a lot, there was a lot of memories.” he said. “That was my dream car, and my son loved it. We rode in and all the time. So I’m just anxious to get it back and maybe get it back to where it was when it got stolen.”
Tucker is also working with DMV to get his title back. He says it could still take several weeks or even months to get his car back to North Carolina. | https://www.wfla.com/nextstar-news-wire/dream-car-mans-stolen-mustang-found-21-years-later/ | 2023-07-29T20:36:35 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/nextstar-news-wire/dream-car-mans-stolen-mustang-found-21-years-later/ |
(The Hill) – A majority of Americans believe former President Trump has done “something illegal” or “unethical,” according to a new poll.
The NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist National Poll released Friday, found that 51% of Americans believe the former president has done “something illegal,” 27% said he’s done something “unethical,” but “not illegal,” and 19% said he’s done “nothing wrong.”
The results of the new poll come just one day after the Department of Justice (DOJ) levied new charges against Trump in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case for attempting to delete surveillance footage. The superseding indictment brings the total number of counts facing the former president in the classified documents case to 40.
The poll, however, was conducted before the new charges against Trump were announced.
The survey also found that the percentage of Democrats who think Trump has done “something illegal” has increased — up from 78% in June to 84%. The number of independents that believe the same also increased from 50% to 52% in the same period, according to the poll.
The number of Republicans that believe Trump’s actions are “illegal,” however, has remained steady at around 13%. But, as the poll notes, there was a dip the number of Republicans that believe Trump has done “nothing wrong” — going from 50% to 41% since June.
DOJ special counsel Jack Smith has been investigating Trump and his allies’ efforts to upend the 2020 election. The former president also faces another indictment from New York district attorney Alvin Bragg for 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection to a 2016 hush money payment.
The survey of 1,285 respondents was conducted from July 25-27, with a margin of error of 3.6 percentage points. | https://www.wfla.com/nextstar-news-wire/majority-of-americans-believe-trump-has-done-something-illegal-poll/ | 2023-07-29T20:36:41 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/nextstar-news-wire/majority-of-americans-believe-trump-has-done-something-illegal-poll/ |
GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — A North Carolina man’s long-lost 1967 Mustang coupe was found after being stolen 21 years ago.
Detectives in Guilford County, and the owner of the car, were also surprised to find the vehicle was still in decent shape.
“Twenty-one years. That is unbelievable,” David Tucker said.
The blue Mustang was Tucker’s dream car. He and his son even formed a bond during the boy’s childhood, riding together in the coupe.
“Riding in it with my son … he was in a car seat in the back,” Tucker said. “He finally got out of the car seat and was able to sit up front with me. Just riding around with him, and seeing the look on his face. That’s the best.”
In 2002, Tucker decided to sell the car. He left it sitting at a friend’s house in Oak Ridge, where it might have more visibility for potential buyers.
But somebody decided to just take it.
“I can’t even describe the sadness,” Tucker said. “That was like my baby, you know? A member of the family just got gone. I never thought I would see it again.”
For years, Tucker worked along with the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office to try to find it.
He checked in on his VIN number every year.
“The VIN number had been changed on it,” said Detective Sergeant Ryan Seals with the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office. “The initial VIN number … came back to a vehicle that had already been scrapped.”
But a few weeks back, deputies said that VIN number eventually led to a crack in the case: The car was found states away in Florida — and only a little worse for wear.
In addition to a little bit of damage on the inside and outside, the car, too, had been painted white.
“It’s nowhere near what it used to be. It’s going to take some work,” Tucker said.
Tucker is currently trying to figure out how to get the car back to North Carolina.
“It means a lot, there was a lot of memories.” he said. “That was my dream car, and my son loved it. We rode in and all the time. So I’m just anxious to get it back and maybe get it back to where it was when it got stolen.”
Tucker is also working with DMV to get his title back. He says it could still take several weeks or even months to get his car back to North Carolina. | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/dream-car-mans-stolen-mustang-found-21-years-later/ | 2023-07-29T20:36:42 | 0 | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/dream-car-mans-stolen-mustang-found-21-years-later/ |
NEW HOPE, Pa. - The 13th annual "Road Rally" event will be held Sunday in New Hope, two weekends ahead of the town's automobile show.
According to a press release, the event is designed to "drum up excitement and raise awareness" for the New Hope Automobile show on Aug. 12-13. This event is organized by Solebury Parks and Recreation, and its proceeds go toward scholarships, school programs and nonprofits supporting New Hope-Solebury High School students.
Sunday's Road Rally will depart at 10 a.m. from the high school, located at 182 W. Bridge St. Participants and spectators are encouraged to arrive by 9:30 a.m.
Each vehicle has a driver and a navigator who are given a series of questions that will lead them to the finish line at a "secret" location unknown to participants. | https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/southeastern-pa/road-rally-to-be-held-sunday-ahead-of-new-hope-automobile-show/article_ecc1e9fc-2e38-11ee-9ea9-038bdd3a9137.html | 2023-07-29T20:36:44 | 0 | https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/southeastern-pa/road-rally-to-be-held-sunday-ahead-of-new-hope-automobile-show/article_ecc1e9fc-2e38-11ee-9ea9-038bdd3a9137.html |
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday signed a law moving the official Christmas Day holiday to Dec. 25 from Jan. 7, the day when the Russian Orthodox Church observes it.
The explanatory note attached to the law said its goal is to “abandon the Russian heritage,” including that of “imposing the celebration of Christmas” on Jan. 7, and cited Ukrainians’ “relentless, successful struggle for their identity” and “the desire of all Ukrainians to live their lives with their own traditions, holidays,” fueled by Russia’s 17-month-old aggression against the country.
Last year, some Ukrainians already observed Christmas on Dec. 25, in a gesture that represented separation from Russia, its culture and religious traditions.
The law also moves the Day of Ukrainian Statehood to July 15 from July 28, and the Day of Defenders of Ukraine to Oct. 1 from Oct. 14.
The Russian Orthodox Church, which claims sovereignty over Orthodoxy in Ukraine, and some other Eastern Orthodox churches continue to use the ancient Julian calendar. Christmas falls 13 days later on that calendar, or Jan. 7, than it does on the Gregorian calendar used by most church and secular groups.
The Catholic Church first adopted the modern, more astronomically precise Gregorian calendar in the 16th century. Protestants and some Orthodox churches have since aligned their own calendars for the purpose of calculating Christmas and Easter.
Ukraine’s religious landscape has fractured for years. There are two branches of Orthodox Christianity in the country, one aligned with the Russian church, even as it enjoys broad autonomy, the other completely independent of it. The Orthodox Church of Ukraine, the branch that is separate from the Russian church, announced earlier this year that it was switching to the Revised Julian calendar, which marks Christmas on Dec. 25.
Its leadership last year allowed believers to celebrate the holiday on Dec. 25.
Russia’s state news agency RIA Novosti reported on Saturday that the rival Orthodox Church, which is aligned with the Russian Orthodox Church, vowed to continue observing Christmas on Jan. 7.
Zelenskyy on Saturday traveled to the war-torn Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, which Russia has illegally annexed, but only partially occupies, and met with members of the country’s Special Operation Forces. Zelenskyy noted in an online statement that Saturday marks their official day of recognition and also the anniversary of the deadly attack on the Olenivka prison in the Russian-held part of the region in which dozens of prisoners of war were killed.
Russia and Ukraine accused each other of the attack, with both sides saying that the assault was premeditated in a bid to cover up atrocities. A United Nations fact-finding mission requested by Russia and Ukraine was sent to investigate the killings, but the team was disbanded in January 2023 due to security concerns.
Zelenskyy described the attack as one of Russia’s “most vile and cruel crimes” in a video statement Saturday. | https://www.wfla.com/nextstar-news-wire/ukraine-moves-date-of-christmas-day-to-distance-itself-from-russian-tradition/ | 2023-07-29T20:36:45 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/nextstar-news-wire/ukraine-moves-date-of-christmas-day-to-distance-itself-from-russian-tradition/ |
(The Hill) – A majority of Americans believe former President Trump has done “something illegal” or “unethical,” according to a new poll.
The NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist National Poll released Friday, found that 51% of Americans believe the former president has done “something illegal,” 27% said he’s done something “unethical,” but “not illegal,” and 19% said he’s done “nothing wrong.”
The results of the new poll come just one day after the Department of Justice (DOJ) levied new charges against Trump in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case for attempting to delete surveillance footage. The superseding indictment brings the total number of counts facing the former president in the classified documents case to 40.
The poll, however, was conducted before the new charges against Trump were announced.
The survey also found that the percentage of Democrats who think Trump has done “something illegal” has increased — up from 78% in June to 84%. The number of independents that believe the same also increased from 50% to 52% in the same period, according to the poll.
The number of Republicans that believe Trump’s actions are “illegal,” however, has remained steady at around 13%. But, as the poll notes, there was a dip the number of Republicans that believe Trump has done “nothing wrong” — going from 50% to 41% since June.
DOJ special counsel Jack Smith has been investigating Trump and his allies’ efforts to upend the 2020 election. The former president also faces another indictment from New York district attorney Alvin Bragg for 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection to a 2016 hush money payment.
The survey of 1,285 respondents was conducted from July 25-27, with a margin of error of 3.6 percentage points. | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/majority-of-americans-believe-trump-has-done-something-illegal-poll/ | 2023-07-29T20:36:48 | 1 | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/majority-of-americans-believe-trump-has-done-something-illegal-poll/ |
Saturday was yet one more very humid day as high temperatures reached climbed well into the 80s with heat index values several degrees into the 90s. The sticky and uncomfortable conditions are about to come to a triumphant end however as a cold front slides on through this evening. Before we get to some much more pleasant weather however, we’ll need to watch the skies for some showers and gusty t-storms with the passage of our front. Most of any showers and storms should be done with by late this evening and then we’ll welcome the arrival of cooler and less humid air along with ample sunshine for Sunday. Our weather then looks to remain quiet, largely dry, and sunny through the middle of next week with very pleasant temperatures and humidity values. Nights will be refreshingly cool and much more comfortable for sleeping as well so you’ll be able to shut off the A/C and open the windows!
DETAILED FORECAST
TONIGHT
We’re tracking a cold front dropping in from our northwest this evening bringing with it scattered showers and thunderstorms. While not everyone will get hit by a thunderstorm, a few cells could bring damaging wind gusts, large hail, torrential downpours, and even a brief spin-up of a tornado. By later this evening, most of any activity should be exiting the region to the south and east and moving offshore. Look for a bit of a breeze to then increase tonight with the direction turning north or northwesterly in the wake of our front. This will usher in a cooler and much drier air mass that will lead to more comfortable conditions Sunday and beyond. Look for skies to gradually clear overnight as the rush of cool and dry air settles in. Overnight lows should eventually settle back into the low and mid 60s.
SUNDAY
The latter half of the weekend is shaping up to be fantastic as a much more pleasant air mass will be fully entrenched behind the aforementioned cold front. A nice north to northwesterly breeze Sunday will lead to much more comfortable dew points in the 50s, and the region will also see cooler high temperatures back in the low 80s along with mostly sunny skies. A weak disturbance may track through Sunday night possibly sparking an isolated shower late, but at this point we think most locations stay dry. Low temperatures Sunday night should once again drop to more seasonable levels in the lower 60s.
MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY
Thanks to surface high pressure gradually building in from the Great Lakes and Canada as we move through the first half of the upcoming week, the region should be experiencing several days of some very pleasant weather, something that hasn’t happened in some time (yes it hasn’t necessarily been that hot, but humidity has been high for a while and we’ve had multiple days of thunderstorms). The first half of the week should be mainly dry and mostly sunny with high temperatures around 80 degrees and very comfortable humidity values. Nights will also be mainly clear and refreshing with low temperatures falling back into the mid and upper 50s. A weak cold front may drop in from the north Tuesday possibly sparking a few showers for northern parts of the Poconos, but at this point we think much of the region remains dry. On Thursday, high pressure will start to move off the coast allowing our wind direction to turn out of the south. This will probably lead to some slightly warmer high temperatures back in the low to mid 80s, but the humidity still won’t be all that bad.
FRIDAY
Another cold front is expected to approach the region from the west Friday, and a wave of low pressure may ride along the front as well. While it’s a ways out right now and things can certainly change, the forecast at this time calls for a fairly good chance of showers and thunderstorms with mostly cloudy skies. Humidity will also be much higher Friday, but the clouds and unsettled conditions will keep temperatures in check as highs are only expected to reach the upper 70s at this point.
TRACK THE WEATHER: | https://www.wfmz.com/weather/turning-much-more-comfortable-sunday-and-beyond/article_19235776-2e46-11ee-999a-d39e76d02c58.html | 2023-07-29T20:36:50 | 1 | https://www.wfmz.com/weather/turning-much-more-comfortable-sunday-and-beyond/article_19235776-2e46-11ee-999a-d39e76d02c58.html |
(NerdWallet) – Labor Day may mark the unofficial end of summer in the U.S. — but it’s hardly the end of airport crowds. In fact, given record-breaking crowds already this year, there’s a good chance this Labor Day weekend could be busier than any prior Labor Day weekend.
Already this summer, U.S. airports have set fresh passenger records. June 30, the Friday before July 4, marked a new record high of passengers on a single day when more than 2.884 million people passed through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints.
That figure topped the previous record of 2.882 million people from the Sunday after 2019’s Thanksgiving, according to a NerdWallet analysis of TSA data showing the number of passengers screened at U.S. TSA checkpoints over the last four years.
Roughly 12% more people passed through U.S. airports in June 2023 versus June 2022, which is perhaps unsurprising given the lingering effects of the pandemic through 2022.
The more impressive feat, though, is that 2023’s crowds have exceeded 2019 levels. TSA screened 0.6% more passengers in June 2023 versus June 2019, proving that summer is back and bigger than ever.
Expect Labor Day 2023 crowds to be no different, but some days around the long weekend are significantly busier than others.
The best and worst days to fly Labor Day weekend
TSA checkpoint data suggests most people use Labor Day — which is observed on the first Monday of September — as a long weekend. They depart on Friday, bask in two full days of vacation and return home on Monday.
To avoid crowds, and likely save money, book Labor Day travel on days that aren’t the start and end of the weekend. Based on an average of the past four years, here were the most to least crowded days for the week surrounding Labor Day, ranked:
- Friday before Labor Day (most crowded).
- Thursday before.
- Labor Day Monday.
- Sunday after.
- Friday after.
- Monday after.
- Monday before.
- Thursday after.
- Tuesday after.
- Wednesday before.
- Sunday before.
- Saturday before.
- Wednesday after.
- Tuesday before.
- Saturday after (least crowded).
When broken out by pre- and post-Labor Day travel, here are the three least crowded days to travel ranked from least to most crowded:
Pre-holiday:
- Tuesday before (overall least crowded day pre-holiday).
- Saturday before.
- Sunday before.
Post-holiday:
- Saturday after (overall least crowded day post-holiday).
- Wednesday after.
- Tuesday after.
During the seven days after and before Labor Day (including the holiday itself), the Friday before Labor Day has been the single busiest day to fly over each of the past four years.
As far as the period starting on Labor Day itself and spanning the subsequent seven days, Labor Day Monday has been the busiest day to fly over the past three years. If Labor Day Monday is excluded from the rankings, the Sunday after has been the busiest over the past three years. In 2019, the trends were flipped: the Sunday after was the busiest, and the holiday itself was the second busiest.
The smarter, cheaper Labor Day weekend itinerary
If you work a standard Monday-Friday workweek and have the holiday off, leaving Friday after work and returning on Labor Day seems logical. But following the same itinerary as everyone else means you’ll likely pay — both in airfares and navigating airport crowds. For lighter crowds (and perhaps better deals), try these travel days instead:
Fly on the Tuesday or Wednesday before: Let Labor Day weekend become closer to a week by jetting off earlier than the folks leaving Thursday or Friday, assuming you have enough vacation days to use (or can work remotely). You’ll have more time away from home and be more relaxed without the big airport crowds.
Travel on Saturday: Crowds are light on Saturdays before and after the holiday. So, rather than rushing out of work on Friday afternoon to catch a flight, opt for the morning flight the next day.
That Saturday morning flight might also reduce your risk of delays, too. According to travel booking site Hopper’s Flight Disruption Outlook for Spring 2023, flights departing after 9 a.m. are twice as likely to be delayed than departures scheduled from 5-8 a.m.
Fly home the Sunday before: While most folks fly home on Labor Day Monday, you might get a head start by flying home on Sunday. Sure, you’ll have one less vacation day than folks following your same itinerary departing Monday, but that’s not a bad thing. By returning Sunday night, you’ll have a whole day to refresh and prepare for the week ahead by doing laundry, meal prepping or catching up on potential jetlag. Sometimes the nicest way to relax is by taking a vacation from your vacation. | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/the-busiest-days-to-fly-around-labor-day-2023/ | 2023-07-29T20:36:54 | 1 | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/the-busiest-days-to-fly-around-labor-day-2023/ |
The Heat is Gone, So Are Storms
This weekend and most of next week are trending pretty quiet. Temperatures for the rest of the weekend are right around average for this time of year. Highs are in the upper-70s and low-80s on Sunday with mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies. A couple showers cannot be ruled out if you live in northern Iowa over by I-35, but don’t count on anything from them. If they do move through, rainfall totals will be very light.
Temperatures get warmer during the work week, but only back up into the mid-80s at their highest. With temperatures cooled back off and air quality in the green, it will be a good time to make up for any lost time outdoors due to the heat.
Rain chances are very sparse this week. Outside of an isolated shower on Sunday, we have a slight chance for thunderstorms on Wednesday. Both of these are far from a guarantee though, and neither of these opportunities look to bring the steady rainfall that we need to help drought conditions. | https://www.kaaltv.com/kaal-weather/the-heat-is-gone-so-are-storms/ | 2023-07-29T20:37:00 | 0 | https://www.kaaltv.com/kaal-weather/the-heat-is-gone-so-are-storms/ |
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday signed a law moving the official Christmas Day holiday to Dec. 25 from Jan. 7, the day when the Russian Orthodox Church observes it.
The explanatory note attached to the law said its goal is to “abandon the Russian heritage,” including that of “imposing the celebration of Christmas” on Jan. 7, and cited Ukrainians’ “relentless, successful struggle for their identity” and “the desire of all Ukrainians to live their lives with their own traditions, holidays,” fueled by Russia’s 17-month-old aggression against the country.
Last year, some Ukrainians already observed Christmas on Dec. 25, in a gesture that represented separation from Russia, its culture and religious traditions.
The law also moves the Day of Ukrainian Statehood to July 15 from July 28, and the Day of Defenders of Ukraine to Oct. 1 from Oct. 14.
The Russian Orthodox Church, which claims sovereignty over Orthodoxy in Ukraine, and some other Eastern Orthodox churches continue to use the ancient Julian calendar. Christmas falls 13 days later on that calendar, or Jan. 7, than it does on the Gregorian calendar used by most church and secular groups.
The Catholic Church first adopted the modern, more astronomically precise Gregorian calendar in the 16th century. Protestants and some Orthodox churches have since aligned their own calendars for the purpose of calculating Christmas and Easter.
Ukraine’s religious landscape has fractured for years. There are two branches of Orthodox Christianity in the country, one aligned with the Russian church, even as it enjoys broad autonomy, the other completely independent of it. The Orthodox Church of Ukraine, the branch that is separate from the Russian church, announced earlier this year that it was switching to the Revised Julian calendar, which marks Christmas on Dec. 25.
Its leadership last year allowed believers to celebrate the holiday on Dec. 25.
Russia’s state news agency RIA Novosti reported on Saturday that the rival Orthodox Church, which is aligned with the Russian Orthodox Church, vowed to continue observing Christmas on Jan. 7.
Zelenskyy on Saturday traveled to the war-torn Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, which Russia has illegally annexed, but only partially occupies, and met with members of the country’s Special Operation Forces. Zelenskyy noted in an online statement that Saturday marks their official day of recognition and also the anniversary of the deadly attack on the Olenivka prison in the Russian-held part of the region in which dozens of prisoners of war were killed.
Russia and Ukraine accused each other of the attack, with both sides saying that the assault was premeditated in a bid to cover up atrocities. A United Nations fact-finding mission requested by Russia and Ukraine was sent to investigate the killings, but the team was disbanded in January 2023 due to security concerns.
Zelenskyy described the attack as one of Russia’s “most vile and cruel crimes” in a video statement Saturday. | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/ukraine-moves-date-of-christmas-day-to-distance-itself-from-russian-tradition/ | 2023-07-29T20:37:00 | 1 | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/ukraine-moves-date-of-christmas-day-to-distance-itself-from-russian-tradition/ |
(NEXSTAR) — Yet another new, unsafe trend is catching attention.
This time, some TikTok users are encouraging viewers to add borax to their water, claiming the common cleaning product can help reduce inflammation and joint pain, or even “detoxify” the body. As you may have guessed, health officials are warning of the consequences the trend could have on your health.
Borax, or sodium tetraborate decahydrate, is a chemical compound commonly available in the form of a white crystalline powder. It’s been utilized in a variety of ways since the Middle Ages, and today is often used a laundry detergent, kitchen/bathroom cleaner, and even a bug and weed killer.
Boric acid has also been found to have bacteriostatic properties, meaning it can prevent the growth of bacteria, Dr. S. Ruddy Rose, director of VCU Health’s Virginia Poison Center, told Nexstar.
Despite its endless safe uses, however, borax is not approved for ingestion by humans.
Ingesting borax can cause people to become quite sick, according to Dr. Rose, leading to convulsions, problems with the gastrointestinal tract, heat burns, and even kidney damage.
“This happens pretty quickly,” he adds.
Even the company behind 20 Mule Team Borax, a popular borax product, has warned against participating in the TikTok trend.
“20 Mule Team Borax has many uses but ingesting is not one of them,” the company warned on July 25.
“Do not bathe in, apply to skin, or ingest Borax, including drinking it diluted in water,” the company continued. “It is not intended for use as a personal care product or dietary supplement.”
Should your child fall victim to the trend, Dr. Rose said you can follow up with the child’s pediatrician, as long as they don’t have any symptoms. But if your child is vomiting, has abdominal pain, or experiences a seizure or other serious symptoms, it’s best to seek emergency medical attention.
Several videos recommending borax have been removed from TikTok, according to NBC News.
Social-media users, meanwhile, should always be cautious about taking medical advice from influencers or TikTok personalities.
“Just beware of these types of activities,” Dr. Rose said. “The people promoting it may not be doing it for the right reason.”
Borax uses
There are plenty of non-dangerous ways to use borax that you may not be aware of.
- It can unclog drains. As recommended by Southern Living, 1/2 cup of borax and two cups of boiling water down a clogged drain should clear it right out. Let the solution sit for 15 mins before flushing with warm water.
- It’s a pest deterrent/killer. Borax is a desiccant, which means it sucks up moisture. In this way, borax can be useful to sprinkle in places where bugs might ordinarily populate. The powder will keep the area dry and make it less optimal for insects to make home. Meanwhile, if bugs are already in your home, it’s not too late. The Spruce explains that insects, like cockroaches and ants, become “dried out” from the inside and die after eating the powder.
- It can help grow your fruit trees. Bob Vila recommends adding borax to the soil around your tree to help keep the plant’s pH levels desirable for growth.
- It’s in ingredient in “slime.” If your kids love making and playing with slime, Taste of Home has a recipe for using borax to make the stretchy, gooey stuff. | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/why-are-people-drinking-borax-cleaning-powder-on-tiktok/ | 2023-07-29T20:37:06 | 0 | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/why-are-people-drinking-borax-cleaning-powder-on-tiktok/ |
India cuts rice exports, triggering panic-buying of food staple by some Indian expats in the US
NEW YORK (AP) — Chatter on one of Prabha Rao’s WhatsApp groups exploded last week when India announced that it was severely curtailing some rice exports to the rest of the world, triggering worry among the Indian diaspora in the United States that access to a food staple from home might soon be cut off.
As in any crisis situation — think bottled water and toilet paper— some rushed to supermarkets to stock up, stacking carts with bags and bags of rice. In some places, lines formed outside some stores as panic buying ensued.
But Rao, who lives near Syracuse, New York, was reassured when the proprietor of her Indian market sent out an email to customers to let them know there was no need to worry: There was an ample supply of rice.
At least for now.
An earlier than expected El Niño brought drier, warmer weather in some parts of Asia and is expected to harm rice production. But in some parts of India, where the monsoon season was especially brutal, flooding destroyed some crops, adding to production woes and rising prices.
Hoping to stave off inflationary pressures on a diet staple, the Indian government earlier this month imposed export bans on non-Basmati white rice varieties, prompting hoarding in some parts of the world.
The move was taken “to ensure adequate availability” and “to allay the rise in prices in the domestic market,” India’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution announced July 20. Over the past year, prices have increased by more than 11%, and by 3% over the past month, the government said.
Non-Basmati white rice constitutes about a fourth of the rice exported by India.
“On WhatsApp, I got a lot of messages saying that rice was not going to be available. I think there was a lot of confusion in the beginning because, as you know, rice is very important for us,” Rao said.
“When we first heard the news, there was just mild confusion and people started panic buying because they thought that it may not be available,” she said.
There are scores of different varieties of rice, with people having their preference depending on taste and texture. India’s export ban does not apply to Basmati rice, a long-grain variety that is more aromatic.
The ban applies to short-grain rice that is starchier and has a relatively neutral flavor — which Rao says is preferable in some dishes or favored in specific regions of India, especially in southern areas of the country.
At Little India, a grocery store in New York City’s Curry Hill neighborhood in Manhattan, there was no shortage of Basmati rice and other varieties.
That wasn’t the case at other Indian groceries.
On its Facebook page, India Bazaar, an Indian grocery chain in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, told customers not to panic. “We are working hard to meet all our shoppers’ demands,” the post said.
Customers cleared shelves and waited in long lines to stockpile bags of rice, reported NBC Dallas affiliate KXAS.
“They really wanted to purchase ten, 12, 15 bags,” India Bazaar’s president, Anand Pabari, told the station. “It was a really crazy situation.”
India’s move came days after Russia backed out of a deal to allow Ukrainian wheat safe passage through the Black Sea, prompting warnings that the action could lead to surging prices.
Some economists say the ban might further hurt food supplies around the world, and some governments have urged the Indian government to reconsider the export ban.
At least in the United States, the supply of imported rice from India may not yet be a problem — despite the panic buying — but a long-term ban would certainly deplete that stock.
Roa says she and others will just have to adapt by purchasing rice grown in the United States or imported from other countries.
“I might have to substitute Basmati rice,” she said, “but it doesn’t taste that good, especially with South Indian dishes.”
A U.S. resident for three decades, Rao said she is accustomed to improvising.
“When we first came here, there was not even that much rice from India,” she said. “So I’ve learned to substitute, and I’m fine with the other brands that we get.”
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/india-cuts-rice-exports-triggering-panic-buying-of-food-staple-by-some-indian-expats-in-the-us/ | 2023-07-29T20:37:06 | 0 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/india-cuts-rice-exports-triggering-panic-buying-of-food-staple-by-some-indian-expats-in-the-us/ |
(NEXSTAR) – The astounding critical and commercial reception of the new “Barbie” movie has catapulted all-things-Barbie back to the forefront of pop culture.
Even Allan!
Mattel’s Allan dolls — first introduced in the earlier half of the ‘60s as a “buddy” for Ken dolls — are currently experiencing increased demand among collectors and Barbie fans, with early specimens selling for upwards of $200 on eBay over the last several days.
The value of Allan dolls has increased, no doubt, due to Allan’s inclusion in the film. But that’s about the only effect the movie has had on the price of vintage Barbies, according to Barbie expert Rebecca Chulew, who has been featured such shows as “Collector’s Call,” “Toy Hunter” and “My Crazy Obsession.”
“Many vintage Barbies were produced by the millions and are easy to find,” said Chulew, who has sold over 10,000 Barbies on eBay and Macari over the years. “Everybody thinks they have a valuable Barbie. The truth is, the majority aren’t.”
Certain vintage Barbie dolls, meanwhile, might still be worth a pretty penny, but their value really isn’t tied to the movie, according to Chulew.
“The doll now is kind of holding steady,” she said. “It has a good value, but I don’t see it going up or down a lot.”
The most valuable Barbies, she said, continue to be the very first series of dolls ever produced in 1959. Specifically, the No. 1 or No. 2 Ponytail Barbies, which can fetch anywhere from $4,000 to $8,000 per doll, depending on condition, the inclusion of the original box, and — perhaps more importantly — the hair color.
“They made three blondes for every brunette,” said Chulew, who noted that brunette Ponytail Barbies from 1959 can sell for up to $6,000, even out of the box.
Chulew further said that sealed or boxed dolls don’t matter as much to many Barbie collectors, seeing as the early opaque boxes were more akin to “shoeboxes” and didn’t showcase the dolls. (“There’s a lot of [online] box sales going on” for folks who want just the packaging, she said.)
Another coveted doll is the Side-Part American Girl Barbie produced in the mid-‘60s, which can go for “about $3,000” (and reportedly once sold for almost double), according to the expert.
Collectors also tend to prize “Twist ‘n Turn” Stacey dolls (not to be confused with Stacie dolls) from the late ‘60s, as well as “Steffie-face” Barbies (i.e., a type of doll using a certain face mold) introduced a few years later. Both can sell for hundreds to the right collectors.
Other valuable dolls include rarer Barbies that weren’t widely produced — like the brunette mentioned above — and, specifically, Black Barbies. According to Chulew, first- and second-issue Francie dolls from 1967-1969 are tough to find, while Alpha Kappa Alpha Barbies (which commemorated the historically African American sorority) can go for up to around $1,000.
And then, there’s Allan.
Allan dolls — including the original from 1964, the bendable-leg version from 1965 and the Wedding Day Allan doll from 1990 — have seen a “slight increase [in value] due to the movie,” said Chulew, adding that sellers might be able to get a few hundred for each one.
The rest of the Barbie line, and even vintage dolls that were mentioned in the movie, are likely worth no more than they were last year.
“I think what you’re going to see in the next 30 to 60 days are a lot of people selling their childhood dolls. And a lot of them aren’t going to be valuable,” Chulew said. “A few rarities might be unearthed, but it might cause stagnation in the market. It’s going to be tough for collectors to sort through all the barbies being advertised as ‘rare’ when they’re not.”
Barbie collectors, on the other hand, might be busy scooping up other “Barbie”-movie merchandise to complete their collections or prepare for any future scarcity. For example, the collectible “Barbie” popcorn buckets from AMC are very “hot” right now, Chulew said, and certain dolls from Mattel’s latest line of movie-inspired figures are becoming hard to find, even if they’re still selling at retail prices.
“But they don’t appear to have made the Allan doll from the movie,” she lamented, “which may be a mistake on their part.” | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/your-vintage-barbie-dolls-might-be-worth-a-pretty-penny-if-you-have-the-right-ones/ | 2023-07-29T20:37:12 | 1 | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/your-vintage-barbie-dolls-might-be-worth-a-pretty-penny-if-you-have-the-right-ones/ |
More Trader Joe’s recalls? This soup may contain bugs and falafel may have rocks, grocer says
NEW YORK (AP) — Trader Joe’s is recalling a broccoli cheddar soup that may contain insects and cooked falafel that may contain rocks, about one week after the grocery chain recalled two cookie products over similar concerns.
The soup recall impacts Trader Joe’s Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup with “Use By” dates ranging from July 18 to Sept. 15, according to a Thursday announcement from the company. On Friday, the grocer announced that Trader Joe’s Fully Cooked Falafel sold in 35 states and Washington, D.C., was also under recall.
On July 21, Trader Joe’s announced that it was recalling Trader Joe’s Almond Windmill Cookies and Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cookies with “sell by” dates ranging from Oct. 17 to Oct. 21. Like the falafel, the cookies may also contain rocks, the company said.
When asked for further information about how the insects and rocks may have gotten into these products, a Trader Joe’s spokesperson said that “there was an issue in the manufacturing processes in the facilities.” Suppliers alerted Trader Joe’s of the possible foreign material for each recall, the company said.
“We pulled the product from our shelves as soon as we were made aware of the issue. Once we understood the issue we notified our customers,” the spokesperson said in a statement sent to The Associated Press Saturday.
All of the recalled cookies, soup and falafel have been removed from sale or destroyed, Trader Joe’s said in its announcements. But the Monrovia, California-based company is still urging consumers to check their kitchens for the products.
Trader Joe’s says customers who have the recalled products should throw them away or return them to any store for a full refund. Lot codes and further details about the products under recall, as well as customer service contact information, can be found on the company’s website.
Trader Joe’s did not specify how many products were impacted with each recall or identify suppliers. But one Food and Drug Administration notice cited by NBC News says that the Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup recall impacts around 10,889 cases sold in seven states. Winter Gardens Quality Foods, Inc. is identified as the recalling firm, per the notice.
No formal releases about the three recalls were published on the FDA’s Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts page as of Saturday. The Associated Press reached out to the FDA and Winter Gardens Quality Foods for information on Saturday.
“We have a close relationship with our vendors and they alerted us of these issues. We don’t hesitate or wait for regulatory agencies to tell us what to do,” the Trader Joe’s spokesperson said. “We will never leave to chance the safety of the products we offer.”
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/more-trader-joes-recalls-this-soup-may-contain-bugs-and-falafel-may-have-rocks-grocer-says/ | 2023-07-29T20:37:12 | 1 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/more-trader-joes-recalls-this-soup-may-contain-bugs-and-falafel-may-have-rocks-grocer-says/ |
HAMPTON, Tenn. (WJHL) – As students prepare to return to school, a church in Hampton is helping to distribute school supplies to families that have trouble affording them.
Harmony Free Will Baptist Church has been hosting its Back to School Bash for 16 years, and this year’s event took place at Hampton High School. Each year, the bash features a backpack handout, where participating students receive a free backpack filled with school supplies.
Brandon Young, the senior pastor at Harmony, said this year’s bash saw the largest number of backpacks.
“It’s our largest bash to date,” said Young. “2,400 bags. Carter County Schools got involved this year, so they all helped us with those supplies.” Young said the backpacks are not just for Carter County students.
“We welcome all schools, all school systems,” he said. “No child is turned away at the Back to School Bash.”
While the church organizes the event, Young said they receive assistance and donations from the community.
“We accept donations from the community. We have churches and nonprofits and businesses and individuals who give. We have to raise between $25,000-$30,000 to put on an event this large.”
This year’s bash also saw a collaboration with Johnson City Toyota and the Kids In Need Foundation. Toyota contributed 400 backpacks to the event. Young said he also serves as the principal at Valley Forge Elementary School. For him, the backpack drive helps his students start the school year off strong.
“It gives them that step in the right direction, right off the bat, to go into the school having their supplies set in their backpack,” he said. “And it’s exciting to know that we had a hand in this.”
Now that this year’s bash is over, Young said it’s time to start planning for the next one.
“So we coordinate that throughout the entire year for this day. As soon as this event ends today, we’ll start planning for next year.” | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/back-to-school-news/local-church-hosts-annual-backpack-handout-in-hampton/ | 2023-07-29T20:38:22 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/back-to-school-news/local-church-hosts-annual-backpack-handout-in-hampton/ |
GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — A North Carolina man’s long-lost 1967 Mustang coupe was found after being stolen 21 years ago.
Detectives in Guilford County, and the owner of the car, were also surprised to find the vehicle was still in decent shape.
“Twenty-one years. That is unbelievable,” David Tucker said.
The blue Mustang was Tucker’s dream car. He and his son even formed a bond during the boy’s childhood, riding together in the coupe.
“Riding in it with my son … he was in a car seat in the back,” Tucker said. “He finally got out of the car seat and was able to sit up front with me. Just riding around with him, and seeing the look on his face. That’s the best.”
In 2002, Tucker decided to sell the car. He left it sitting at a friend’s house in Oak Ridge, where it might have more visibility for potential buyers.
But somebody decided to just take it.
“I can’t even describe the sadness,” Tucker said. “That was like my baby, you know? A member of the family just got gone. I never thought I would see it again.”
For years, Tucker worked along with the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office to try to find it.
He checked in on his VIN number every year.
“The VIN number had been changed on it,” said Detective Sergeant Ryan Seals with the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office. “The initial VIN number … came back to a vehicle that had already been scrapped.”
But a few weeks back, deputies said that VIN number eventually led to a crack in the case: The car was found states away in Florida — and only a little worse for wear.
In addition to a little bit of damage on the inside and outside, the car, too, had been painted white.
“It’s nowhere near what it used to be. It’s going to take some work,” Tucker said.
Tucker is currently trying to figure out how to get the car back to North Carolina.
“It means a lot, there was a lot of memories.” he said. “That was my dream car, and my son loved it. We rode in and all the time. So I’m just anxious to get it back and maybe get it back to where it was when it got stolen.”
Tucker is also working with DMV to get his title back. He says it could still take several weeks or even months to get his car back to North Carolina. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/dream-car-mans-stolen-mustang-found-21-years-later/ | 2023-07-29T20:38:28 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/dream-car-mans-stolen-mustang-found-21-years-later/ |
Chick-fil-A plans to test 2 new restaurant concepts
ATLANTA (WANF/Gray News) - Chick-fil-A is set to open two new restaurant concepts aimed at cutting down wait times.
The fast-food chain will test a two-story drive-thru restaurant in Atlanta and a walk-up restaurant in New York City for digital orders only.
“Digital orders make up more than half of total sales in some markets – and growing – so we know our customers have an appetite for convenience,” said Khalilah Cooper, Chick-fil-A’s executive director.
According to Cooper, the Atlanta restaurant will feature four drive-thru lanes that allow guests to choose to place their order with a team member or use the mobile app.
“The kitchen will also be twice as large as at typical Chick-fil-A locations and it will be above the drive-thru,” a company spokesperson said. “Orders will travel through an overhead conveyor belt connected with chutes that run down the sides.”
Meanwhile, the walk-up concept in New York is said to be designed to fit in urban areas with heavy foot traffic.
The company said its digital-focused restaurants are designed to make getting orders more convenient than before.
The restaurants are scheduled to open in 2024 with more details expected to be released regarding the locations.
Copyright 2023 WANF via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/07/29/chick-fil-a-plans-test-2-new-restaurant-concepts/ | 2023-07-29T20:38:32 | 1 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/07/29/chick-fil-a-plans-test-2-new-restaurant-concepts/ |
(The Hill) – A majority of Americans believe former President Trump has done “something illegal” or “unethical,” according to a new poll.
The NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist National Poll released Friday, found that 51% of Americans believe the former president has done “something illegal,” 27% said he’s done something “unethical,” but “not illegal,” and 19% said he’s done “nothing wrong.”
The results of the new poll come just one day after the Department of Justice (DOJ) levied new charges against Trump in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case for attempting to delete surveillance footage. The superseding indictment brings the total number of counts facing the former president in the classified documents case to 40.
The poll, however, was conducted before the new charges against Trump were announced.
The survey also found that the percentage of Democrats who think Trump has done “something illegal” has increased — up from 78% in June to 84%. The number of independents that believe the same also increased from 50% to 52% in the same period, according to the poll.
The number of Republicans that believe Trump’s actions are “illegal,” however, has remained steady at around 13%. But, as the poll notes, there was a dip the number of Republicans that believe Trump has done “nothing wrong” — going from 50% to 41% since June.
DOJ special counsel Jack Smith has been investigating Trump and his allies’ efforts to upend the 2020 election. The former president also faces another indictment from New York district attorney Alvin Bragg for 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection to a 2016 hush money payment.
The survey of 1,285 respondents was conducted from July 25-27, with a margin of error of 3.6 percentage points. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/majority-of-americans-believe-trump-has-done-something-illegal-poll/ | 2023-07-29T20:38:34 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/majority-of-americans-believe-trump-has-done-something-illegal-poll/ |
Suncoast students ready for school year after “Hugs and Smiles” drive
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Hundreds of Suncoast students are ready to tackle the new school year after this weekends “Hugs and Smiles” initiative, which provided everything from free haircuts to school supplies and gift cards to students.
Dozens of volunteers gave their time, while companies donated services and products to give the young students a jump start on their future.
“I have four kids and sending them all back to school can be very expensive,” said Sarasota resident Jasmanny Haywood.
Haywood showed up at the Robert Taylor Community Center Saturday morning with his five-year-old daughter Arelle, who will be a kindergartener this fall.
“All my kids want something different depending on their age, so it costs a lot,” said Haywood.
The Eternal Bread of Life Outreach organized the event and explained that the back-to-school program helps many.
“The need is great for families, especially since COVID and inflation,” said Eternal Bread Of Life Outreach Executive Director Shirley McArthur.
McArthur said her program has been a summer staple for years in Sarasota, and now requires families to register prior to attending.
Copyright 2023 WWSB. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/07/29/suncoast-students-ready-school-year-after-hugs-smiles-drive/ | 2023-07-29T20:38:38 | 0 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/07/29/suncoast-students-ready-school-year-after-hugs-smiles-drive/ |
(NerdWallet) – Labor Day may mark the unofficial end of summer in the U.S. — but it’s hardly the end of airport crowds. In fact, given record-breaking crowds already this year, there’s a good chance this Labor Day weekend could be busier than any prior Labor Day weekend.
Already this summer, U.S. airports have set fresh passenger records. June 30, the Friday before July 4, marked a new record high of passengers on a single day when more than 2.884 million people passed through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints.
That figure topped the previous record of 2.882 million people from the Sunday after 2019’s Thanksgiving, according to a NerdWallet analysis of TSA data showing the number of passengers screened at U.S. TSA checkpoints over the last four years.
Roughly 12% more people passed through U.S. airports in June 2023 versus June 2022, which is perhaps unsurprising given the lingering effects of the pandemic through 2022.
The more impressive feat, though, is that 2023’s crowds have exceeded 2019 levels. TSA screened 0.6% more passengers in June 2023 versus June 2019, proving that summer is back and bigger than ever.
Expect Labor Day 2023 crowds to be no different, but some days around the long weekend are significantly busier than others.
The best and worst days to fly Labor Day weekend
TSA checkpoint data suggests most people use Labor Day — which is observed on the first Monday of September — as a long weekend. They depart on Friday, bask in two full days of vacation and return home on Monday.
To avoid crowds, and likely save money, book Labor Day travel on days that aren’t the start and end of the weekend. Based on an average of the past four years, here were the most to least crowded days for the week surrounding Labor Day, ranked:
- Friday before Labor Day (most crowded).
- Thursday before.
- Labor Day Monday.
- Sunday after.
- Friday after.
- Monday after.
- Monday before.
- Thursday after.
- Tuesday after.
- Wednesday before.
- Sunday before.
- Saturday before.
- Wednesday after.
- Tuesday before.
- Saturday after (least crowded).
When broken out by pre- and post-Labor Day travel, here are the three least crowded days to travel ranked from least to most crowded:
Pre-holiday:
- Tuesday before (overall least crowded day pre-holiday).
- Saturday before.
- Sunday before.
Post-holiday:
- Saturday after (overall least crowded day post-holiday).
- Wednesday after.
- Tuesday after.
During the seven days after and before Labor Day (including the holiday itself), the Friday before Labor Day has been the single busiest day to fly over each of the past four years.
As far as the period starting on Labor Day itself and spanning the subsequent seven days, Labor Day Monday has been the busiest day to fly over the past three years. If Labor Day Monday is excluded from the rankings, the Sunday after has been the busiest over the past three years. In 2019, the trends were flipped: the Sunday after was the busiest, and the holiday itself was the second busiest.
The smarter, cheaper Labor Day weekend itinerary
If you work a standard Monday-Friday workweek and have the holiday off, leaving Friday after work and returning on Labor Day seems logical. But following the same itinerary as everyone else means you’ll likely pay — both in airfares and navigating airport crowds. For lighter crowds (and perhaps better deals), try these travel days instead:
Fly on the Tuesday or Wednesday before: Let Labor Day weekend become closer to a week by jetting off earlier than the folks leaving Thursday or Friday, assuming you have enough vacation days to use (or can work remotely). You’ll have more time away from home and be more relaxed without the big airport crowds.
Travel on Saturday: Crowds are light on Saturdays before and after the holiday. So, rather than rushing out of work on Friday afternoon to catch a flight, opt for the morning flight the next day.
That Saturday morning flight might also reduce your risk of delays, too. According to travel booking site Hopper’s Flight Disruption Outlook for Spring 2023, flights departing after 9 a.m. are twice as likely to be delayed than departures scheduled from 5-8 a.m.
Fly home the Sunday before: While most folks fly home on Labor Day Monday, you might get a head start by flying home on Sunday. Sure, you’ll have one less vacation day than folks following your same itinerary departing Monday, but that’s not a bad thing. By returning Sunday night, you’ll have a whole day to refresh and prepare for the week ahead by doing laundry, meal prepping or catching up on potential jetlag. Sometimes the nicest way to relax is by taking a vacation from your vacation. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/the-busiest-days-to-fly-around-labor-day-2023/ | 2023-07-29T20:38:40 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/the-busiest-days-to-fly-around-labor-day-2023/ |
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday signed a law moving the official Christmas Day holiday to Dec. 25 from Jan. 7, the day when the Russian Orthodox Church observes it.
The explanatory note attached to the law said its goal is to “abandon the Russian heritage,” including that of “imposing the celebration of Christmas” on Jan. 7, and cited Ukrainians’ “relentless, successful struggle for their identity” and “the desire of all Ukrainians to live their lives with their own traditions, holidays,” fueled by Russia’s 17-month-old aggression against the country.
Last year, some Ukrainians already observed Christmas on Dec. 25, in a gesture that represented separation from Russia, its culture and religious traditions.
The law also moves the Day of Ukrainian Statehood to July 15 from July 28, and the Day of Defenders of Ukraine to Oct. 1 from Oct. 14.
The Russian Orthodox Church, which claims sovereignty over Orthodoxy in Ukraine, and some other Eastern Orthodox churches continue to use the ancient Julian calendar. Christmas falls 13 days later on that calendar, or Jan. 7, than it does on the Gregorian calendar used by most church and secular groups.
The Catholic Church first adopted the modern, more astronomically precise Gregorian calendar in the 16th century. Protestants and some Orthodox churches have since aligned their own calendars for the purpose of calculating Christmas and Easter.
Ukraine’s religious landscape has fractured for years. There are two branches of Orthodox Christianity in the country, one aligned with the Russian church, even as it enjoys broad autonomy, the other completely independent of it. The Orthodox Church of Ukraine, the branch that is separate from the Russian church, announced earlier this year that it was switching to the Revised Julian calendar, which marks Christmas on Dec. 25.
Its leadership last year allowed believers to celebrate the holiday on Dec. 25.
Russia’s state news agency RIA Novosti reported on Saturday that the rival Orthodox Church, which is aligned with the Russian Orthodox Church, vowed to continue observing Christmas on Jan. 7.
Zelenskyy on Saturday traveled to the war-torn Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, which Russia has illegally annexed, but only partially occupies, and met with members of the country’s Special Operation Forces. Zelenskyy noted in an online statement that Saturday marks their official day of recognition and also the anniversary of the deadly attack on the Olenivka prison in the Russian-held part of the region in which dozens of prisoners of war were killed.
Russia and Ukraine accused each other of the attack, with both sides saying that the assault was premeditated in a bid to cover up atrocities. A United Nations fact-finding mission requested by Russia and Ukraine was sent to investigate the killings, but the team was disbanded in January 2023 due to security concerns.
Zelenskyy described the attack as one of Russia’s “most vile and cruel crimes” in a video statement Saturday. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/ukraine-moves-date-of-christmas-day-to-distance-itself-from-russian-tradition/ | 2023-07-29T20:38:46 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/ukraine-moves-date-of-christmas-day-to-distance-itself-from-russian-tradition/ |
(NEXSTAR) — Yet another new, unsafe trend is catching attention.
This time, some TikTok users are encouraging viewers to add borax to their water, claiming the common cleaning product can help reduce inflammation and joint pain, or even “detoxify” the body. As you may have guessed, health officials are warning of the consequences the trend could have on your health.
Borax, or sodium tetraborate decahydrate, is a chemical compound commonly available in the form of a white crystalline powder. It’s been utilized in a variety of ways since the Middle Ages, and today is often used as a laundry detergent, kitchen/bathroom cleaner, and even a bug and weed killer.
Boric acid has also been found to have bacteriostatic properties, meaning it can prevent the growth of bacteria, Dr. S. Ruddy Rose, director of VCU Health’s Virginia Poison Center, told Nexstar.
Despite its endless safe uses, however, borax is not approved for ingestion by humans.
Ingesting borax can cause people to become quite sick, according to Dr. Rose, leading to convulsions, problems with the gastrointestinal tract, heat burns, and even kidney damage.
“This happens pretty quickly,” he adds.
Even the company behind 20 Mule Team Borax, a popular borax product, has warned against participating in the TikTok trend.
“20 Mule Team Borax has many uses but ingesting is not one of them,” the company warned on July 25.
“Do not bathe in, apply to skin, or ingest Borax, including drinking it diluted in water,” the company continued. “It is not intended for use as a personal care product or dietary supplement.”
Should your child fall victim to the trend, Dr. Rose said you can follow up with the child’s pediatrician, as long as they don’t have any symptoms. But if your child is vomiting, has abdominal pain, or experiences a seizure or other serious symptoms, it’s best to seek emergency medical attention.
Several videos recommending borax have been removed from TikTok, according to NBC News.
Social media users, meanwhile, should always be cautious about taking medical advice from influencers or TikTok personalities.
“Just beware of these types of activities,” Dr. Rose said. “The people promoting it may not be doing it for the right reason.”
Borax uses
There are plenty of non-dangerous ways to use borax that you may not be aware of.
- It can unclog drains. As recommended by Southern Living, 1/2 cup of borax and two cups of boiling water down a clogged drain should clear it right out. Let the solution sit for 15 mins before flushing with warm water.
- It’s a pest deterrent/killer. Borax is a desiccant, which means it sucks up moisture. In this way, borax can be useful to sprinkle in places where bugs might ordinarily populate. The powder will keep the area dry and make it less optimal for insects to make homes. Meanwhile, if bugs are already in your home, it’s not too late. The Spruce explains that insects, like cockroaches and ants, become “dried out” from the inside and die after eating the powder.
- It can help grow your fruit trees. Bob Vila recommends adding borax to the soil around your tree to help keep the plant’s pH levels desirable for growth.
- It’s an ingredient in “slime.” If your kids love making and playing with slime, Taste of Home has a recipe for using borax to make the stretchy, gooey stuff. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/why-are-people-drinking-borax-cleaning-powder-on-tiktok/ | 2023-07-29T20:38:52 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/why-are-people-drinking-borax-cleaning-powder-on-tiktok/ |
(NEXSTAR) – The astounding critical and commercial reception of the new “Barbie” movie has catapulted all things Barbie back to the forefront of pop culture.
Even Allan!
Mattel’s Allan dolls — first introduced in the earlier half of the ‘60s as a “buddy” for Ken dolls — are currently experiencing increased demand among collectors and Barbie fans, with early specimens selling for upwards of $200 on eBay over the last several days.
The value of Allan dolls has increased, no doubt, due to Allan’s inclusion in the film. But that’s about the only effect the movie has had on the price of vintage Barbies, according to Barbie expert Rebecca Chulew, who has been featured such shows as “Collector’s Call,” “Toy Hunter” and “My Crazy Obsession.”
“Many vintage Barbies were produced by the millions and are easy to find,” said Chulew, who has sold over 10,000 Barbies on eBay and Macari over the years. “Everybody thinks they have a valuable Barbie. The truth is, the majority aren’t.”
Certain vintage Barbie dolls, meanwhile, might still be worth a pretty penny, but their value really isn’t tied to the movie, according to Chulew.
“The doll now is kind of holding steady,” she said. “It has a good value, but I don’t see it going up or down a lot.”
The most valuable Barbies, she said, continue to be the very first series of dolls ever produced in 1959. Specifically, the No. 1 or No. 2 Ponytail Barbies, which can fetch anywhere from $4,000 to $8,000 per doll, depending on condition, the inclusion of the original box, and — perhaps more importantly — the hair color.
“They made three blondes for every brunette,” said Chulew, who noted that brunette Ponytail Barbies from 1959 can sell for up to $6,000, even out of the box.
Chulew further said that sealed or boxed dolls don’t matter as much to many Barbie collectors, seeing as the early opaque boxes were more akin to “shoeboxes” and didn’t showcase the dolls. (“There’s a lot of [online] box sales going on” for folks who want just the packaging, she said.)
Another coveted doll is the Side-Part American Girl Barbie produced in the mid-‘60s, which can go for “about $3,000” (and reportedly once sold for almost double), according to the expert.
Collectors also tend to prize “Twist ‘n Turn” Stacey dolls (not to be confused with Stacie dolls) from the late ‘60s, as well as “Steffie-face” Barbies (i.e., a type of doll using a certain face mold) introduced a few years later. Both can sell for hundreds to the right collectors.
Other valuable dolls include rarer Barbies that weren’t widely produced — like the brunette mentioned above — and, specifically, Black Barbies. According to Chulew, first- and second-issue Francie dolls from 1967-1969 are tough to find, while Alpha Kappa Alpha Barbies (which commemorated the historically African American sorority) can go for up to around $1,000.
And then, there’s Allan.
Allan dolls — including the original from 1964, the bendable-leg version from 1965 and the Wedding Day Allan doll from 1990 — have seen a “slight increase [in value] due to the movie,” said Chulew, adding that sellers might be able to get a few hundred for each one.
The rest of the Barbie line, and even vintage dolls that were mentioned in the movie, are likely worth no more than they were last year.
“I think what you’re going to see in the next 30 to 60 days are a lot of people selling their childhood dolls. And a lot of them aren’t going to be valuable,” Chulew said. “A few rarities might be unearthed, but it might cause stagnation in the market. It’s going to be tough for collectors to sort through all the Barbies being advertised as ‘rare’ when they’re not.”
Barbie collectors, on the other hand, might be busy scooping up other “Barbie”-movie merchandise to complete their collections or prepare for any future scarcity. For example, the collectible “Barbie” popcorn buckets from AMC are very “hot” right now, Chulew said, and certain dolls from Mattel’s latest line of movie-inspired figures are becoming hard to find, even if they’re still selling at retail prices.
“But they don’t appear to have made the Allan doll from the movie,” she lamented, “which may be a mistake on their part.” | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/your-vintage-barbie-dolls-might-be-worth-a-pretty-penny-if-you-have-the-right-ones/ | 2023-07-29T20:38:58 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/your-vintage-barbie-dolls-might-be-worth-a-pretty-penny-if-you-have-the-right-ones/ |
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Clear The Shelters
Finding forever homes across the country | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/clear-the-shelters/clear-the-shelters-meet-maddie/3614267/ | 2023-07-29T20:39:28 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/clear-the-shelters/clear-the-shelters-meet-maddie/3614267/ |
Vice President Kamala Harris joins NAACP national president and CEO Derrick Johnson for an armchair conversation at the NAACP national convention in Boston on Saturday.
The chat takes place at the conference’s opening public mass meeting, which will also feature actors Adrian Holmes and Essence Atkins, along with NAACP board chairman Leon W. Russell, Boston Branch president Tanisha Sullivan, and national board of directors member Michael Curry.
Watch it live:
See more coverage from the NAACP convention:
- ‘We fight for democracy and a better future’: Thousands gather at NAACP convention in Boston Saturday
- Weekend brings free music and entertainment to Seaport during the 114th NAACP National Convention
- For local leaders, the NAACP’s return to Boston is an opportunity to change the city’s image
- Photos: How Boston grappled with racial tensions the last time the NAACP convention was in town
- More news from the conference | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/29/metro/watch-live-kamala-harris-speaks-naacp-convention-boston/ | 2023-07-29T20:40:04 | 1 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/29/metro/watch-live-kamala-harris-speaks-naacp-convention-boston/ |
Madison’s Williamson “Willy” Street is a local favorite, thanks to its wide variety of restaurants, bars and locally owned businesses. On July 29 and 30, the inaugural Willy Street Sidewalk Sale will showcase the best of some of these small businesses while offering great deals for customers.
The owners of Stillgoods, Hazel General Store and Green Life Trading Co. came up with the idea.
“Gwynne, Tammy and I grabbed coffee to brainstorm an event to get folks exploring Willy Street this summer,” says Sasha Stone, the owner of Green Life Trading Co. The sale is also a great opportunity for small businesses to offer deals, sell “seconds” (imperfect or slightly damaged items) and move summer inventory to make space for next season’s products.
For Madison residents, it’s an opportunity to browse a diverse array of products under the summer sun — and take advantage of special promotions and sale prices.
Green Life Trading Co. — Display items (baskets and boxes) for sale as well as summer items and seconds
“My hopes for this event are to promote these businesses, offer great deals and get people outside on a beautiful Wisconsin summer weekend,” says Stone.
Anna Kottakis is an editorial intern at Madison Magazine.
COPYRIGHT 2023 BY MADISON MAGAZINE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED. | https://www.channel3000.com/madison-magazine/check-out-the-inaugural-willy-street-sidewalk-sale-this-weekend/article_9ba3fae4-2ca1-11ee-a0d7-535948bfbbf7.html | 2023-07-29T20:40:04 | 0 | https://www.channel3000.com/madison-magazine/check-out-the-inaugural-willy-street-sidewalk-sale-this-weekend/article_9ba3fae4-2ca1-11ee-a0d7-535948bfbbf7.html |
DEAR ABBY: I am adopted, and 10 years ago I met my birth mom and her family. I go to their family gatherings and see them for holidays. I am getting married, and I’ve asked my birth mom to be my matron of honor, which my parents are okay with.
After the ceremony, we are going to have a reception at the church and then a dinner with 20 people hours later. I’m not sure if I should invite my birth mom to the dinner or not. My parents said it might be awkward for her and for them. I am just trying to do the right thing. What should I do? -- NERVOUS IN NEW MEXICO
DEAR NERVOUS: This is something you should discuss with your birth mother. While one would think that as part of the wedding party she would be welcome at all of the festivities, if it would make the couple who raised you uncomfortable, she should understand why she isn’t being asked to attend.
***
MORE FROM DEAR ABBY:
Dear Abby: Woman expecting quadruplets is devastated when her fiancé unexpectedly leaves her
Dear Abby: I’m madly in love with a man who only wants to drink when not sleeping or working
Dear Abby: Father fails to show up for teen son
Dear Abby: Painting is a painful reminder of a former friend
Dear Abby: I want out, but he has nowhere to go. I feel guilty.
***
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
***
To receive a collection of Abby’s most memorable -- and most frequently requested -- poems and essays, send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby -- Keepers Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)
COPYRIGHT 2023 ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION
1130 Walnut, Kansas City, MO 64106; 816-581-7500 | https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/advice/2023/07/dear-abby-soon-to-wed-woman-meets-birth-mother-and-wonders-do-i-invite-her-to-wedding-reception.html | 2023-07-29T20:40:04 | 0 | https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/advice/2023/07/dear-abby-soon-to-wed-woman-meets-birth-mother-and-wonders-do-i-invite-her-to-wedding-reception.html |
Kevin Costner enjoys Aspen vacation while estranged wife Christine moves out
'Yellowstone' star Kevin Costner's estranged wife Christine Baumgartner filed for divorce on May 1
Kevin Costner was spotted vacationing in Colorado on Friday as his estranged wife Christine Baumgartner moves out of their former shared home.
Baumgartner was ordered by the court to move out of the Carpinteria, California, home by July 31. U-Hauls and moving trucks were photographed outside the Beach Road residence Friday as the moving deadline approaches.
Judge Thomas Anderle ruled July 14 that Baumgartner cannot take items from the home as she moves into a new space in response to a petition filed by Costner. The judge ruled Baumgartner could only remove "toiletries, clothing, hand bags and jewelry" from the $145 million estate. Baumgartner can take other property if there is written agreement or a court order.
Costner's petition, filed July 13, insisted that Baumgartner has $1.5 million at her disposal, which is "plenty of money to buy furniture, pots and pans and dishes." Baumgartner's legal team slammed the ex parte hearing as a smear campaign by Costner's team.
"Clearly Kevin is angry about the court's recent ruling on the child support and fee request, and his legal team is using this ex parte hearing as an opportunity to play the press and smear Christine," Baumgartner's objection, also filed July 13, read. Baumgartner claimed to have provided photographs and a list of items she planned to take.
The objection claimed that Costner was "concerned Christine would take too many pots and pans – a complaint quite trivial given his 2022 income of about $24,000,000 and claimed net worth of about $200,000,000 (which we believe is understated)."
Meanwhile, Costner was spotted vacationing with the couple's three children – shortly after they returned from Hawaii with Baumgartner.
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The move and vacation come as the estranged couple prepares for another set of court hearings regarding child support. Judge Anderle originally gave Baumgartner $129,755 in monthly child support. Costner and Baumgartner will each be required to pay for 50% of their three children's health care expenses, sports and extracurricular activities.
However, a new set of court hearings will determine if the number should be increased or decreased.
Costner and Baumgartner will also go to trial over the validity and enforceability of the pre-marital agreement (PMA) in November.
Baumgartner initially filed for divorce from Costner on May 1. The purse designer cited "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the split after 18 years of marriage. The date of separation was listed as April 11, 2023. | https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/kevin-costner-enjoys-aspen-vacation-estranged-wife-christine-moves | 2023-07-29T20:40:04 | 1 | https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/kevin-costner-enjoys-aspen-vacation-estranged-wife-christine-moves |
In the Pixar film "Ratatouille," a food critic is wowed by a simple peasant dish mom used to make.
The reviewer felt an emotional connection to the meal. That's how Fort Wayne nurse Ashley Boettcher describes buying local food and produce.
"It just means more," said the 38-year-old Fort Wayne mom, who was among crowds of people on the Electric Works campus during a Local Food Week event at Union Street Market on Saturday.
"We travel all over the place, and we're always looking for unique things," Boettcher said.
She and her 7-year-old son, Elliott, and his friend, Alyssa, bought honey, coffee and specialty drinks.
"We haven't been to the crafts yet," Boettcher said.
The fourth annual Local Food Week puts the spotlight on more than 30 regional farmers and merchants. The 10-day multi-venue event began Friday and includes farm tours, cooking demonstrations, an edible scavenger hunt and other activities.
On Saturday, Union Street visitors sampled items pleasing to the palate during free food tastings.
Sandy Schmidt picked up something for her pooch, Bunny – a terrier-mix who got chauffeured around in a stroller while "mom" pushed. Bunny got a "bully stick," a chewable bone to gnaw.
"I like buying local because the dollars stay in the community," said Schmidt, a 50-something woman who visited Union Street paired up with a friend who wheeled her dog around in a stroller as well. "It's important to help the local economy."
The Northeast Indiana Local Food Network is the event's organizer. Janet Katz, the group's founding director, says local foodies are pretty loyal.
"It's really about building connections and awareness," she said. "There is a trust and transparency you get when you purchase locally. You know where your food is coming from."
Indiana Grown is the state Department of Agriculture's initiative to bring attention to its farming business. The Hoosier landscape spans nearly 19 million acres of farms and forests.
More than 55,000 farming operations make Indiana the 10th largest farming state in the nation. State officials say agribusiness annually pumps at least $35 billion into Indiana's economy.
And the state is the eighth largest agricultural exporter in the nation, shipping to other countries just over $6.6 billion in crops and other products in 2021.
So, yeah, there's a lot at stake.
"When farmers grow food, they create value," said Jain Young, chief financial officer of Plowshares Food Hub, a cooperative that seeks to make healthier, higher-quality local foods available to residents.
"When you buy locally," she said, "there's a multiplier effect at play." | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/fort-wayne-foodies-rejoice-about-local-food-week/article_d1cbc23e-2d67-11ee-a4cb-cb1ec5a6c2e4.html | 2023-07-29T20:40:06 | 0 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/fort-wayne-foodies-rejoice-about-local-food-week/article_d1cbc23e-2d67-11ee-a4cb-cb1ec5a6c2e4.html |
IRVINE, Calif. — On a Thursday evening in late June, Clarissa Champlain learned that her 15-year-old son Brodee had been in a terrible crash, the latest teen victim of an e-bike accident.
He had been riding from home to shot-putting practice. The e-bike, a model made by Rad Power, had a top speed of 20 mph, but his route took him on a busy road with a 55 mph. While turning left, he was clipped by a Nissan van and thrown violently.
Champlain rushed to the hospital and was taken to Brodee’s room. She could see the marks left by the chin strap of his bike helmet. “I went to grab his head and kiss him,” she recalled. “But there was no back of his head. It wasn’t the skull, it was just mush.”
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Three days later, another teenage boy was taken to the same hospital after the e-bike he was riding collided with a car, leaving him sprawled beneath a BMW, hurt but alive. In the days following, the town of Encinitas, California, where both incidents occurred, declared a state of emergency for e-bike safety.
The e-bike industry is booming, but summer 2023 has brought sharp questions about how safe e-bikes are, especially for teenagers. Many e-bikes can exceed the 20 mph speed limit that is legal for teenagers in most states; some can go 70 mph. But even when ridden at legal speeds, there are risks, especially for young, inexperienced riders merging into traffic with cars.
“The speed they are going is too fast for sidewalks, but it’s too slow to be in traffic,” said Jeremy Collis, a sergeant at the North Coastal Station of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, which is investigating the fatal accident involving Brodee.
To some policymakers and law enforcement officials, the technology has far outpaced existing laws, regulations and safety guidelines. Police and industry officials charge that some companies appear to knowingly sell products that can easily evade speed limits and endanger young riders.
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“It’s not like a bicycle,” Collis said. “But the laws are treating it like any bicycle.”
Two federal agencies, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said they were evaluating “how best to oversee the safety of e-bikes,” according to a statement provided by the highway safety agency.
Communities have begun to alert their residents to the dangers of e-bikes. In June, the police department in Bend, Oregon, ran a public service campaign acquainting the public with the e-bike laws that were frequently being broken there. Days later, a 15-year-old boy was killed when the e-bike he was riding was struck by a van.
Sheila Miller, who is the spokesperson for Bend police and helped develop the public service campaign, emphasized that not everything that calls itself an e-bike qualifies as one, or is safe or legal for minors. Under Oregon law, which is more restrictive than those in most states, a person must be at least 16 to ride an e-bike of any kind.
“Parents, please don’t buy these bikes for kids when they are not legally allowed to ride them,” Miller said. “And if you own an e-bike, make sure that everyone who is using them knows the rules of the road.”
The typical e-bike has functioning pedals as well as a motor that is recharged with an electrical cord; the pedals and the motor can be used individually or simultaneously. Unlike a combustion engine, an electric motor can accelerate instantly, which makes e-bikes appealing to ride.
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E-bikes are also seen as vital in shifting the transportation system away from emission-spewing cars and the congestion they create, said Rachel Hultin, policy and governmental affairs director for Bicycle Colorado, a nonprofit advocacy group for bicycle safety and policy. E-bikes and electric scooters are part of the so-called micromobility movement, propelling commuters and other people short distances across crowded spaces.
The number of e-bikes being sold is unclear because, like regular bikes, they do not need to be registered with the government. (Cars, motorcycles and mopeds must be registered through a state’s Department of Motor Vehicles.)
Many are sold directly to consumers over the internet, rather than through physical retailers that often track sales. John MacArthur, an e-bike industry expert with the Transportation Research and Education Center at Portland State University, estimated that roughly 1 million e-bikes would be sold in the United States this year.
The minimal regulation around e-bikes is a selling point for the industry. Super73, a company in Irvine, California, that makes popular models, advertises on its website: "RIDE WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS. No license, registration, or insurance required."
“It’s one of the very unique categories of vehicle that there really isn’t any kind of onerous regulation,” a company co-founder, LeGrand Crewse, said in an interview, noting that helmet requirements were also modest, depending on the state and the rider’s age.
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Law enforcement officials have begun to express concerns about the minimal training required of teenage e-bike owners, and about their behavior. Car drivers ages 16 to 19 are three times as likely to be killed in a crash as drivers 20 or older, and bicyclists ages 10 to 24 have the highest rate of emergency room visits for crashes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some states have begun to raise training requirements for young drivers, including adding graduated license programs that require extended hours of supervised driving, limiting night driving or restricting the number or age of passengers.
The California Legislature is considering a bill that would prohibit e-bike use by people younger than 12 and “state the intent of the Legislature to create an e-bike license program with an online written test and a state-issued photo identification for those persons without a valid driver’s license.”
“I know the e-bike situation is evolving,” said Collis of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office. “But personally, with all these bikes, you should have at least a permit or a license to ride them at the speed they’re going.”
As a transportation solution, e-bikes seem promising. “I’m really bullish about middle and high schoolers being able to use e-bikes,” said Hultin of Bicycle Colorado. She noted that e-bikes offered children and busy families more transportation options at lower cost. But she worried that the vehicles could lead to an unsafe mix of untrained e-cyclists and unaware car drivers.
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That problem, Hultin said, was exacerbated by “an algae bloom of noncompliant e-bikes.” She was referring to products on the market that call themselves e-bikes but are not, either because they can go faster than allowed by law or because, once purchased, they can be modified to do so.
One vehicle that has drawn attention for its speed is made by Sur-Ron, whose products have been involved in several recent deaths. In June in Cardiff, Wales, two boys on a Sur-ron bike died in a crash while being followed by police; days earlier, a boy riding a Sur-ron in Greater Manchester had died after colliding with an ambulance.
In its marketing materials, Sur-Ron describes one model, the Light Bee Electric Bike, as “easy to maneuver like a bicycle, with the torque and power of an off-road motorcycle.” Its operating manual cautions the owner to “please follow the traffic rules and with the safe speed (the top speed for this electric vehicle is 20 km/h).”
But the speed restraint — equivalent to about 12 mph — can be removed by simply clipping a wire, a procedure that is widely shared in online videos, and which law enforcement officials said appeared to be there by design.
“There are all kinds of videos on how to jailbreak your Sur-ron,” said Capt. Christopher McDonald of the Sheriff’s Department in Orange County, California, where e-bike accidents and injuries are rising. With the speed wire clipped, the vehicle can approach 70 mph, he said. Several requests for comment were sent through the Sur-ron website but did not receive a response.
Matt Moore, general counsel for PeopleForBikes, the main trade group for bicycles and e-bikes, said he worried about products such as Sur-ron’s. “Some products are sold as ostensibly compliant but are easily modified by the user with the knowledge and presumably the blessing of the manufacturer,” he said. “Unfortunately, there appears to be a lack of resources at the federal level to investigate and address e-mobility products that may actually be motor vehicles.”
The day after Brodee entered the hospital, his family sat at his bedside. They played his favorite music, including Kendrick Lamar and early Wu-Tang Clan. “I read to him for hours,” his mother said. “We wanted to wake up his brain.”
Three days later, as Brodee clung to life, Niko Sougias, owner of Charlie’s Electric Bike, a popular e-bike shop in town, was driving in Encinitas on Highway 101 when he saw two teenage boys riding Sur-rons in the opposite direction.
“They were doing wheelies,” Sougias said. He has grown concerned about the e-bike industry, he said, and does not sell many models that are popular with teenagers.
His route that Saturday followed the path of the boys on the Sur-rons. Moments later, after a turn, Sougias saw that one of the Sur-ron riders had collided with an SUV, had been thrown from his bike and was under a BMW.
According to police, the Sur-ron rider had been seen driving recklessly and was found at fault. “He was lucky to escape with his life,” Sougias said.
Champlain was at the hospital with Brodee when the boy who had been riding the Sur-ron was brought in. Paramedics stopped by Brodee’s room to check in. “I can’t believe I’m here again for this,” she said one of them had told her; the same paramedic had brought in Brodee by ambulance.
Hours later, Brodee was pronounced dead. He was a beloved young man with a bright future. He was fluent in Spanish and had a college-level knowledge of Japanese; he could dead-lift 300 pounds and, in 2020, was named student of the year at his high school. “I had so many people call me to tell me they’d lost their best friend,” his mother said.
Champlain said witnesses had told her that her son “did everything right,” including signaling to make a left turn.
“There should be more education for drivers with the change that’s happened,” she said. “I’d never seen an e-bike on the road until three years ago. Now I see hundreds.”
“They’re treated like bicycles when they’re not. They’re not equal.” | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/29/nation/dangerous-combination-teenagers-accidents-expose-e-bike-risks/ | 2023-07-29T20:40:08 | 1 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/29/nation/dangerous-combination-teenagers-accidents-expose-e-bike-risks/ |
Second Amendment advocates celebrate Alaska Gov. Dunleavy signing gun store law: 'A protective shield'
'Today is indeed a great victory for all freedom-loving Alaskans,' the NRA told Fox News Digital
Alaska Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Saturday signed into law a measure that seeks to block state and local officials from closing gun stores during disasters declared by the governor, unless such closures apply to all other businesses.
Regarded as a win for Second Amendment supporters and Alaska residents, House Bill 61 — which was championed by Republican House Speaker Cathy Tilton and backed by the NRA — came in response to business closures in Alaska and other states during the coronavirus pandemic and protects a plethora of firearm businesses throughout the state.
"Today is a remarkable day for Alaskans, NRA members, and Second Amendment advocates," Aoibheann Cline, the NRA Alaska State Director, told Fox News Digital in a statement. "A decade has passed since the last major pro-Second Amendment legislation, House Bill 24, was signed into law on April 11, 2013, reinforcing our 'Stand Your Ground' rights. Now, with the NRA-backed House Bill 61, championed by Speaker Cathy Tilton, we witness another significant milestone."
JUDGE SET TO CONSIDER WHETHER HAWAII CAN CONTINUE TO ENFORCE LAW BANNING FIREARMS ON BEACHES
"The NRA, along with our millions of members, applauds Governor Mike Dunleavy for his unwavering support of our Second Amendment rights and for signing this House Bill 61 into law. This bill is not just legislation; it's a protective shield for our fundamental rights during states of emergency, reinforcing the core principles of the Second Amendment we deeply respect and uphold," Cline added. "Today is indeed a great victory for all freedom-loving Alaskans."
The bill also restricts state and local government entities from restricting an individual's access to firearms, ammunition, and component parts during declared states of emergency. Prohibitions on gun possession would still apply to individuals who are otherwise restricted from having guns.
Defending the measure, Dunleavy told Fox News Digital that "firearms are an integral part of the Alaskan way of life."
"We use them for protection and to feed our families, so during an emergency our Second Amendment rights become more important then ever," he added. "This bill reflects the constitutional right Alaskans have to keep and bear arms by protecting access to both firearms and ammunition when Alaskans need it the most."
'TACTICAL RETREAT': DEMOCRATS POSTPONE BLUE STATE GUN REFORM BILL AFTER CHAMBERS CLASH
Prior to Dunleavy signing the measure into law, the bill passed the state Senate 17-3 in May and was returned to the House for a concurrence vote. The House agreed 28-12 to pass the bill one day later.
State Sen. Jesse Kiehl, a Democrat from Juneau, Alaska, was against the measure, calling it a "special rights bill" and objecting to the NRA's lobbying efforts on the legislation. The bill "elevates in Alaska law the Second Amendment above all the rest of our rights," Kiehl said, according to the Juneau Empire.
State law allows a governor to declare an emergency if the governor finds a disaster has occurred or is "imminent or threatened." Disaster emergency proclamations are not to remain in effect for longer than 30 days unless extended by the legislature.
Dunleavy issued a series of public health disaster emergency declarations during the pandemic. A 2020 order by Anchorage's then-mayor was cited by Tilton's office as an example of a situation in which there were gun store or shooting range closures during an emergency declaration. The city had issued its own emergency proclamation.
Dunleavy's signing of the measure comes one decade after the state enacted House Bill 24 – also known as the "Stand Your Ground" law – in 2013.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/second-amendment-advocates-celebrate-alaska-gov-dunleavy-signing-gun-store-law-protective-shield | 2023-07-29T20:40:09 | 0 | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/second-amendment-advocates-celebrate-alaska-gov-dunleavy-signing-gun-store-law-protective-shield |
DEAR MISS MANNERS: What is your opinion on replying to a compliment with “I know”? My children have tried to assure me it is the appropriate response for the new generation, but it rankles me every time. Has “thank you” really gone out of fashion?
GENTLE READER: Amusingly, this approach may be an overcorrection of the equally irksome response -- “No, I look terrible!” -- some older generations had adopted.
Miss Manners assures you that neither brazen confirmation nor self-deprecating denial is necessary when given a compliment. “Thank you” is the only proper response, fashionable or not. It is timeless.
***
MORE FROM MISS MANNERS:
Miss Manners: I nearly regifted an item to the friend who gave it to me ... I’m mortified
Miss Manners: How should I respond to colleagues who act like I’ve exceeded my time in the restroom?
Miss Manners: I overheard an awkward question asked at checkout ... should I have intervened?
Miss Manners: Bride’s parents extend two hospitable invitations to guests
Miss Manners: Isn’t a fiancé someone you will marry in the next year, two at most?
***
(Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)
***
COPYRIGHT 2023 JUDITH MARTIN
DISTRIBUTED BY ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION
1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106; 816-581-7500 | https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/advice/2023/07/miss-manners-it-rankles-me-every-time-someone-responds-to-a-compliment-with-the-words-i-know.html | 2023-07-29T20:40:09 | 0 | https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/advice/2023/07/miss-manners-it-rankles-me-every-time-someone-responds-to-a-compliment-with-the-words-i-know.html |
Couple, 76, robbed of $150K in cryptocurrency by hostage takers who threatened to cut off man's body parts
The husband said the suspects threatened to cut off his genitalia and rape his wife during the home invasion
Three alleged kidnappers held a 76-year-old couple hostage in their North Carolina home and stole more than $156,000 in cryptocurrency while threatening to cut off the husband’s genitalia and rape the wife, a newly unsealed federal criminal complaint said this week.
The suspects came to the couple’s Durham, North Carolina, residence around 7:30 in the morning on April 12, claiming they were construction workers inspecting pipes, the Thursday complaint said.
After knocking on the door a second time, the suspects, who were dressed in reflective vests to look the part, allegedly forced their way into the home and grabbed the wife by her legs and shoved her into a bathroom where she was zip-tied and watched after by a suspect named Elmer Ruben Castro.
The husband was forced into his home office where a suspect named Remy Ra St. Felix allegedly demanded at gunpoint with a semiautomatic handgun that he log in to his Coinbase cryptocurrency account.
CAREER FLORIDA CRIMINAL ACCUSED IN COLD CASE KIDNAPPING, MURDER OF 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL DECADES LATER
While on the phone with suspect Jarod Gabriel Seemungal, who the complaint was for, he told him details about the man’s account, making the FBI believe it had previously been compromised.
SEE IT: BANK ROBBER DROPS FROM CEILING STRAIGHT INTO TRASH BIN: CAUGHT BY POLICE
The suspects stole $156,853 in three transactions, according to the complaint. A fourth transaction was denied by Coinbase.
St. Felix allegedly struck the husband in the head and threatened to cut off "his toes and genitalia, to shoot him, and to rape his wife if he didn’t access his Coinbase account."
The husband was then allegedly thrown in the bathroom with his wife after the suspects destroyed his computer and their cellphones. The wife was eventually able to remove her zip-tie and they were able to get to a neighbor for help.
They suffered minor injuries, according to WRAL-TV.
Durham police found surveillance video that allegedly showed the suspects surveilling the home three days before the crime in a BMW and uncovered text exchanges that allegedly showed them planning the robbery.
Hours after the invasion, West Palm Beach, Florida-based Coinbase accounts were allegedly opened under the suspects' names and thousands of dollars were deposited in each account, according to the complaint.
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Seemungal and St. Felix have been charged with kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping. Castro’s charges weren’t listed. | https://www.foxnews.com/us/couple-robbed-ryptocurrency-hostage-takers-threatened-cut-mans-body-parts | 2023-07-29T20:40:09 | 1 | https://www.foxnews.com/us/couple-robbed-ryptocurrency-hostage-takers-threatened-cut-mans-body-parts |
The 85th Annual Warren County Farmers’ Fair and 23rd Annual Hot Air Balloon Festival opened Saturday at the fairgrounds between Route 519 and Strykers Road in Harmony Township.
Running through Saturday, Aug. 5, the attraction continues a tradition dating to 1859, with the fair officially incorporated in 1937.
“Where else can you thrill to a hot air balloon ride, eat cotton candy on a carnival midway, watch traditional craftsmen at work, get down-and-dirty in a Mud Bog competition, and cheer your neighbor on, in a tractor pull ... all in the same place?” organizers say. “Yes, the Farmers’ Fair, featuring one of New Jersey’s popular Hot Air Balloon Festival is truly a family affair.”
Admission covering the fair and balloon festival is $10, or $5 for children ages 6-12 and free for kids 5 and under. Parking is free. Carnival rides, some Main Arena events and tethered balloon rides cost extra, and vendors offer up a variety of food and drink for purchase.
Sunday is veterans’ day at the fair, with free admission for all veterans with proper ID, sponsored by Carl D. Archer Post 528 in White Township. A food drive is being held in support of active-duty troops and their families. The first 100 supporters bringing a box or bag of 10 non-perishable food items to the American Red Cross truck from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday in the main parking lot receive a Post 528 cloth shopping bag.
Fair hours are noon to 10 p.m. weekends and 3 to 10 p.m. weekdays.
Visit warrencountyfarmersfair.org for the full schedule of events, including demolition derbies held Sunday and Friday evenings.
Scroll through the photo gallery above for a look at Saturday’s opening day.
2023 Warren County Farmers’ Fair brochure
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Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. | https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/warren-county/2023/07/founded-in-1937-warren-county-farmers-fair-opens-2023-run-photos.html | 2023-07-29T20:40:10 | 0 | https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/warren-county/2023/07/founded-in-1937-warren-county-farmers-fair-opens-2023-run-photos.html |
The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm watch Saturday across a wide region encompassing the Lehigh Valley.
The watch, which is not as urgent as a warning, is in effect until 9 p.m. across the region covering all of New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania.
At Lehigh Valley International Airport outside Allentown, showers and thunderstorms are forecast with an 80% chance of precipitation Saturday afternoon, the weather service said. Some storms could be severe, with large hail, heavy rain and damaging winds, according to the forecast.
The 80% chance of precipitation with showers and thunderstorms, some potentially severe, continues Saturday night, mainly before 10 p.m., the weather service said.
Sunday at the airport is forecast as mostly sunny, with a high near 81, following a cold front moving through the area Saturday.
Stay up-to-date with National Weather Service advisories for our region at weather.gov/phi, and visit lehighvalleylive.com/weather for your local forecast from AccuWeather, plus radar. Check airnow.gov for current air quality conditions in your area.
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Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. | https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/weather/2023/07/lehigh-valley-weather-thunderstorms-could-be-severe-weather-service-says.html | 2023-07-29T20:40:12 | 1 | https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/weather/2023/07/lehigh-valley-weather-thunderstorms-could-be-severe-weather-service-says.html |
SUN CITY, AZ — A man is seriously hurt after a crash involving a golf cart in Sun City Saturday morning.
The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office says traffic investigators were called to the area near 103rd and Grand Avenues in Sun City.
They found a crash involving a golf cart and an SUV.
The golf cart was driven by a man who reportedly has serious injuries.
MCSO Traffic investigators are on scene in reference a serious collision involving a golf cart and an SUV in the area of 103rd Avenue and CherryHills Drive in Sun City. Please avoid the area, the roads will be shut down during the investigation. Thank you pic.twitter.com/cvuUyMnLd6
— @SgtJEnriquez (@SgtJEnriquez) July 29, 2023
It's not clear if anyone in the SUV was hurt.
MCSO warns that the area along 103rd Avenue just south of Grand will be closed while investigators do their work on the crash.
Drivers are being asked to avoid the area. | https://www.abc15.com/traffic/man-seriously-hurt-in-crash-involving-golf-cart-in-sun-city | 2023-07-29T20:40:36 | 0 | https://www.abc15.com/traffic/man-seriously-hurt-in-crash-involving-golf-cart-in-sun-city |
PHOENIX — A Phoenix police officer was reportedly hurt in a crash Friday night in north Phoenix.
Phoenix police say around 9:45 p.m., the officer was involved in a crash near 7th Avenue and Bell Road.
Police say the other vehicle turned left in front of the police officer.
She was taken to the hospital for precautionary reasons. She has since been released.
The man driving the other vehicle was not hurt.
He was processed for DUI as a result of the investigation.
That driver has not been identified. | https://www.abc15.com/traffic/phoenix-police-officer-hurt-in-reported-dui-crash-in-north-phoenix-friday-night | 2023-07-29T20:40:42 | 0 | https://www.abc15.com/traffic/phoenix-police-officer-hurt-in-reported-dui-crash-in-north-phoenix-friday-night |
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Fayetteville police are investigating a shooting Saturday that left one person dead.
Officers were called to the area of Stanberry Street at Primrose Drive just before noon for a shooting. When officers arrived they found Lorenzo Darnell McLaughlin Jr. with a gunshot wound. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to call Detective R. Vernon at (910) 729-2525.
Tracking crime and safety across Raleigh, Durham and your neighborhood | https://abc11.com/fayetteville-fatal-shooting-man-killed/13569271/ | 2023-07-29T20:42:01 | 1 | https://abc11.com/fayetteville-fatal-shooting-man-killed/13569271/ |
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.
VIDEO: 'The everything app': What Musk's rebranding of Twitter to X could mean for future of his companies
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://abc11.com/twitter-x-elon-musk-sign-san-francisco-investigation/13569490/ | 2023-07-29T20:42:07 | 1 | https://abc11.com/twitter-x-elon-musk-sign-san-francisco-investigation/13569490/ |
Police call regarding man assaulting woman turns into standoff in Madison subdivision
MADISON, Miss. (WLBT) - A man was taken into custody after a standoff in a Madison subdivision on Saturday.
It began around 9:32 a.m. when Madison officers responded to the area of Beaumont Drive and Farwell Boulevard in the Cypress Lake Subdivision.
The original call, police say, was concerning a man assaulting a female and possibly kicking her on the ground.
When officers got to the home, the female was discovered on the sidewalk suffering from multiple injuries.
Medical attention was provided to her while officers attempted to make contact with the male suspect, Brandon Stephen Bly, 26.
The woman was taken to a local hospital where she was treated for her injuries.
According to a press release, attempts to make contact with Bly were unsuccessful, and it was determined that a 4-year-old child was also inside the home.
Special Response Teams from the Madison Police Department, the Madison County Sheriff’s Department, and the Ridgeland Police Department were activated and responded to the scene.
Officers began attempting negotiations with Bly but were initially unsuccessful, the press release stated.
At 12:29 p.m., contact was made with Bly and he was taken into custody without incident.
Special Response Teams entered the home and discovered the 4-year-old child unharmed. The child was checked out by medical personnel and returned to the grandfather.
Bly was initially taken to the Madison Police Department for booking. After booking, Bly was taken to the Madison County Detention Center where he awaits his initial appearance on the charges of aggravated domestic violence and kidnapping.
The case will be forwarded to District Attorney John “Bubba” Bramlett and the Madison County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
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Copyright 2023 WLBT. All rights reserved. | https://www.wlbt.com/2023/07/29/police-call-regarding-man-assaulting-woman-turns-into-standoff-madison-subdivision/ | 2023-07-29T20:43:21 | 1 | https://www.wlbt.com/2023/07/29/police-call-regarding-man-assaulting-woman-turns-into-standoff-madison-subdivision/ |