text string | url string | crawl_date timestamp[ms] | label int64 | id string |
|---|---|---|---|---|
For generations of Phillips County musicians and music lovers Gist Music Store at 307 Cherry St., in downtown Helena was the place to go for a new instrument, the latest albums and singles, sheet music, guitar strings or just to gawk at the inventory and daydream of what it would it would be like to play that Fender Telecaster up there on the shelf.
The store opened in the '30s and rented jukeboxes to area businesses and developed into a full-on music shop. In his 1993 autobiography, "This Wheel's On Fire," Levon Helm, who grew up in nearby Marvell, wrote about his father taking him to a then-bustling downtown Helena on a Saturday afternoon to buy his first guitar, a Martin acoustic.
The business was run by Morris Gist, Sr., the son of the original owner, until he closed it in 2014. Gist died a year later.
For a while it seemed the store would end up like so many others on Cherry Street, empty and slowly crumbling, but Delta Magic, a new Helena-based nonprofit, has other plans. The group, founded by Drew Smith and Harvey Williams, is renting the two-story building from Morris Gist, Jr., with an option to buy in November.
The plan is to reopen it as a music shop, record store, performance space, recording studio and record label.
"It's ambitious, but we want to do it right," the 33-year-old Smith says.
Williams grew up on a farm in Lee County and opened the award-winning Delta Dirt Distillery in 2021 a few blocks north of Gist Music at 430 Cherry St. Smith is the son of former Helena Mayor Kevin Smith and the grandson of Joann Smith, who served two terms as mayor in the 1990s.
"Everybody in town grew up shopping [at Gist Music]," says Smith, who is vice president of the Helena West-Helena School Board. "If I'm working in there and have the door open, people constantly come in and tell me about their experiences and want to see the building. There is a lot of history in there."
An immensely cool discovery, he adds, is that beginning in 1951 Gist kept every receipt of sales made in the store.
"We're in the process of digitizing those so people can see their own receipt, or receipts of famous people," Smith says.
Smith taught Spanish at KIPP Delta Public Schools in Helena and then spent five years teaching in San Francisco before returning home to a place that has long struggled economically.
"People ask me all the time why I moved back here," he says.
"It's more motivation to do something even more ambitious ... this is part of a larger plan. We're not just doing Gist, we're part of this push that is going to revitalize downtown, and not just bring the buildings back, but bring the customer base back, bring the people back."
email: sclancy@adgnewsroom.com | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/opinion-paper-trails-iconic-helena-music-shop/ | 2023-07-30T10:59:54 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/opinion-paper-trails-iconic-helena-music-shop/ |
100 years ago
July 30, 1923
MADRID -- A bitter battle between the old style, serious toreadors and the new fangled "Charley Chaplin" burlesque bull fighters has developed to the legal stage. In all seriousness, a committee of veteran toreadors here announced their intention of demanding a court injunction to prevent the comic bull fighters from entering the area, on the amazing grounds of cruelty to animals. The old-fashioned, pig-tailed toreadors gravely charge their Chaplin rivals with "inflicting unnecessary suffering and pain on the animals," alleging that the antics of the burlesquors in kicking and slapping the bulls are cruel. The deadly rivalry between the two schools of bull "fighters" threatens eventually to kill the sport in Spain.
50 years ago
July 30, 1973
McALESTER, Okla. -- Armed highway patrolmen occupied the smoking ruins of the Oklahoma State Prison Sunday morning and officials said a 43-hour rebellion of more than 600 inmates was over. ... Inmates took over the prison Friday afternoon, holding 21 hostages. The last of the hostages were released Saturday and at various times during the week end the outbreak seemed ended, only to be revived.
25 years ago
July 30, 1998
Roger Walls, former head of the 7th Judicial District Drug Task Force, will spend 28 months behind bars for conspiring to extort money from a Texas man, a federal judge decided Wednesday. U.S. District Judge Stephen M. Reasoner also ordered Walls to pay $12,500 in restitution to Ernest Varnardo of Fort Worth and a $10,000 fine while serving two years of supervised release following his incarceration. ... The conspiracy to commit extortion charge also ensnared former Prosecuting Attorney Dan Harmon, who was convicted of that and four other felonies in June 1997. Harmon and Walls were charged with extorting more than $5,000 from Varnardo, who was facing drug charges in Saline County after getting caught with illegal narcotics in a traffic stop.
10 years ago
July 30, 2013
Neither the law nor the evidence supports arguments by a former Adoption Advantage owner that she should not be held responsible for wrongdoing at the now-closed Little Rock adoption agency, the Arkansas attorney general's office argued in recent court filings. Donna Gail Hight of Prairie Grove faces fines and restitution of up to $1.4 million after an April trial that determined the agency, founded by Hight's ex-husband, Ed Webb, violated the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act over a period of 3½ years. ... Webb was found in default after he failed to satisfactorily respond to Attorney General Dustin McDaniel's 2010 consumer-protection lawsuit on behalf of clients who complained the agency had taken their money but had not followed through with the promised adoption services. Webb's whereabouts are unknown. The agency failed to complete any adoptions for 48 couples from Arkansas and seven other states that the attorney general's office claims the agency scammed between February 2005 and November 2008. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/other-days/ | 2023-07-30T11:00:00 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/other-days/ |
Early voting on a millage increase election for the Pine Bluff School District will begin Tuesday and run through Aug. 7 at the Jefferson County Courthouse. Voting will be available from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. each week day.
Election day is Aug. 8, when polls will be open from 7:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.
The purpose of the increase is to fund a $67,340,000 construction bond issue toward a new high school at the present location of Pine Bluff High School, 711 W. 11th Ave. The district has received more than $12.8 million in state funding toward the project.
Voters in the district are asked to decide for or against an increase in the millage rate to 47.7, which would be a 6.9-mill rise in the former Dollarway School District and 6-mill jump in the pre-annexed Pine Bluff School District.
According to millage information from the PBSD, for a homeowner with an appraised value of $100,000 in property, the increase would represent an extra $138 in the old Dollarway district and $120 per year in the old PBSD.
The extension of debt mills is being requested through 2053.
The deadline to return absentee applications is Tuesday, and the deadline for county-to-county transfers is Aug. 4. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/pb-millage-increase-voting-begins-tuesday/ | 2023-07-30T11:00:06 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/pb-millage-increase-voting-begins-tuesday/ |
Before the advent of specialty physicians, every community had local doctors who knew their patients on a personal level, and who treated all ages with all types of conditions.
That's the type of physician Dr. Anna Redman grew up wanting to be. As she retires after 36 years in private practice, Redman of Pine Bluff believes she has accomplished that goal.
"I knew I wanted to be a doctor in junior high," she said. "I had always liked science, liked taking care of people, and I had some teachers who suggested I might enjoy medicine. But the real inspiration for me was my mom, who actually went to medical school back in the 1940's. She didn't finish because she got married, but it had a big impact on me because women just didn't go to medical school back then."
After graduating from high school, Redman received her undergraduate degree from Hendrix College, and attended the School of Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock. She completed a family practice residency at Jefferson Regional Medical Center through the Area Health Education Center, now known as UAMS South Central-Pine Bluff, and opened a private practice in 1987.
In addition to her mother, other women who had a significant influence on Redman were female physicians who had already established themselves in Pine Bluff.
"Pediatrician Lloyene Bruce-Reid was always an inspiration, so was family physician Atiya Waheed. Neurologist Sue Frigon was a little ahead of me, so she was already practicing. I had plenty of people to serve as mentors, which was nice," Redman said.
Even though she could have practiced medicine just about anywhere, it was an easy decision to stay in her hometown.
"You know, I never really thought much about staying here, but I did most of my rotations in Pine Bluff during my senior year, I loved the medical community and the program at AHEC. I realized there were lots of opportunities to do things as a primary care physician that you might not be able to do at a larger institution. I liked the people, I liked the environment and I believed there was a need, so it felt natural to stay here."
Redman's practice grew quickly, and her days have been fully booked for many years, something she calls a huge blessing.
"I've seen as many as four generations from some families. It's so rewarding to be able to walk with people through some of the hardest times of their lives, and be able to celebrate the high points with them as well. The nature of our practice has been that personal care and contact. My attitude has always been that if something's not going right, let me know and we'll try to make it better, " she said.
Now, however, after nearly four decades of seeing patients, she is ready to slow down and spend more time with her husband, Dr. John Redman, a pediatric urologist.
"He retired in 2009 -- he's a little older than I am -- and we wanted to be free to enjoy things at the same time without being so burdened with a work schedule. We do a lot of mission work and we want to do more of that, and more Bible study, and some more traveling. But it will be nice to have no job responsibilities," she said.
In addition to those types of projects, the couple will still be seen at activities around town, as well, because they have no plans to move from Pine Bluff.
Despite the excitement of starting a new chapter, there will also be some adjustments to make after seeing patients every day for so long.
"I always say that I'm going to go from talking to 25 people a day to talking to one," she said with a laugh, "so we'll see how that works out! I do consider it a great privilege and a calling to be here, helping others navigate through their health issues, emotional issues, spiritual issues .... I think that's what I'm going to miss the most."
And what part of her practice brings her the most pride?
"I feel my patients really have known that I cared, that they were not just a number. I really wanted to listen to them, to hear their concerns and problems and try to work through them together. I think they know they are loved, and I know they love me, and that's a legacy that no one can take away."
Lisa Rhodes is a communications specialist with Jefferson Regional Medical Center. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/physician-ends-public-service-career/ | 2023-07-30T11:00:12 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/physician-ends-public-service-career/ |
Port City Blues Society will host a special presentation, Sounds of Blue -- Blues Along the Bayou Bartholomew, at 8 p.m. Aug. 19 at RJ's Grill & Bar, 128 S. Main St. The event is free for all.
The event will feature the award-winning blues artist DK Harrell. Harrell recently released an album on Little Village Records, signed with Intrepid Artists International and is now touring in Brazil.
At 7 p.m. before the concert, there will be an informal meet and greet, followed by a special Delta art exhibit and presentation on the blues and bayou culture of the region with updates on various cultural projects.
Harrell's album, "The Right Man" is receiving rave reviews, according to a news release.
"The 25-year-old blues phenomenon from Ruston, La., placed third in the 2022 International Blues Challenge and received the BB King 'King of the Blues' award from the Jus Blues Music Foundation," according to the release.
The artist has performed with recognizable contemporary blues artists Gary Clark Jr., Mr. Sipp, Tedeschi-Trucks band and Christine "Kingfish" Ingram.
In addition to the month-long tour of Brazil, Harrell is having a busy year playing at New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, King Biscuit Blues Festival, San Jose Jazz Fest, Portland's Waterfront Festival and the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise, among others.
"Harrell is dedicated to the preservation of the traditional blues created and performed by B.B. King, Little Milton and other similar great blues artists," according to the release.
"Sounds of Blue" is made possible by the Delta Rhythm & Bayous Alliance, Midtown Tire & Auto, Foster Towing, Stereo Junction, BluezArt Records and Music Warehouse.
Port City Blues Society, an affiliated member of The Blues Foundation, seeks to preserve and promote blues music and the culture of Delta blues and educate the public about the history of blues in the region. Port City Blues Society also hosts a blues jam every Wednesday from 8-11 p.m. at RJ's Grill & Bar where area musicians converge to play live blues.
For details on Sounds of Blue and Port City Blues Society, visit pc-blues.com or Facebook.com/PCBluesSociety. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/port-city-blues-to-present-dk-harrell/ | 2023-07-30T11:00:18 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/port-city-blues-to-present-dk-harrell/ |
The United Soccer League's Northwest Arkansas club will have potential rivalries nearby when it starts play in 2026.
The
The United Soccer League's Northwest Arkansas club will have potential rivalries nearby when it starts play in 2026.
The
Print Headline: Northwest Arkansas soccer club could have rivals nearby | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/potential-rivals-a-drop-kick-away-as-northwest/ | 2023-07-30T11:00:25 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/potential-rivals-a-drop-kick-away-as-northwest/ |
A shortage of penicillin to treat a skyrocketing number of syphilis cases is so dire that U.S. health officials are debating the need to declare a public health emergency, according to people familiar with the matter.
Major U.S. medical centers are rationing the recommended treatment for the deadly sexually transmitted disease because of a supply crunch. From Michigan to Missouri to Texas, some health care providers are prioritizing giving a key treatment -- penicillin G benzathine -- to pregnant patients and babies, because the drug can pass through the placenta and also treat the fetus.
Syphilis has been sickening more people over the past few years, but the latest surge in cases has been especially worrying to the federal government. The Department of Health and Human Services is mobilizing a new federal task force to tackle the problem, and staff members are discussing the possibility of declaring a public health emergency, which could give officials access to more funding to address the crisis, according to people familiar with the matter.
"This is a remarkable shortage," said Joseph Cherabie, an assistant professor at Washington University in St. Louis' medical school, who treats syphilis patients. Because of the need to conserve the drug for pregnant patients, other people are getting less-than-ideal treatments for the infection.
The government's efforts are being led by Assistant Secretary for Health Adm. Rachel Levine, according to one of the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private information. Levine has spent months recruiting experts to tackle the syphilis crisis, including officials at HHS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration, which has been brought in to address ongoing drug shortages.
Levine and U.S. health officials at the CDC are weighing the benefits of the public health emergency declaration, such as the additional flexibility and money it would give HHS, one of the people said. They're also considering the potential drawbacks. Some are wary that a pandemic-fatigued public may consider it an overreaction and ignore similar declarations in the future. Ultimately, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra has the power to make a declaration.
"The department is closely monitoring the alarming rise in cases of syphilis and will continue working to address this public health threat," an HHS spokesperson said.
Drug shortages, though not uncommon, have hit nine-year highs in the U.S. Over the past year there have been shortages of antibiotics, chemotherapies and ADHD medicines, to name a few.
The situation is partly a result of under-investment in manufacturing after years of falling generic drug prices. Companies have also been caught off-guard by unexpected changes in demand, creating far-reaching consequences that imperil lives.
The penicillin shortage began in April. The FDA said it was caused by increases in cases of syphilis and strep throat. Because a common antibiotic used to treat strep was in short supply this winter, patients were prescribed penicillin as an alternative, driving up demand for the drug.
That created an acute problem at a time when syphilis cases were rising precipitously. Rates of syphilis in 2021 were the highest since 1990, according to the most updated government data. In 2021, at least 176,000 cases of syphilis were reported, 32% more than the year before. The infection disproportionately impacts gay and bisexual men.
Pfizer Inc. is the only company that makes penicillin G benzathine for the U.S., selling it under the brand name Bicillin L-A.
The company has told the FDA that supply disruptions for the two most common doses of penicillin G benzathine will likely continue into the second quarter of 2024. Pfizer has added night and weekend shifts to increase production. To free up manufacturing resources, it's also deprioritized production of a smaller dose of Bicillin L-A that's not widely used.
Syphilis is especially dangerous for pregnant people, who can pass it on to a fetus, which often results in pregnancy loss, death of a baby shortly after birth or severe disability in children. Cases of this type of syphilis, called congenital syphilis, are also at their highest rates since the 1990s. In 2021, there were 2,855 cases reported, up 32% from the year prior. The disease is completely preventable with penicillin G benzathine.
Penicillin G benzathine is also often the most recommended treatment for people who aren't pregnant. Yet with supplies running short, the CDC is advising that doctors turn to another antibiotic, doxycycline. That's less convenient for patients, because doxycycline is a pill given twice a day for at least two weeks, whereas penicillin G benzathine is an injection that can sometimes clear the disease completely with one dose.
That makes doctors worry that some patients might not complete their treatment with doxycycline. Syphilis particularly affects people suffering from substance abuse, housing instability or homelessness, which makes it more difficult to sustain long-term medical care.
There's also less evidence backing the drug than there is for penicillin, according to physicians.
"We're learning in real time how effective doxycycline can be," Cherabie said.
Some states or health systems are directing doctors to use doxycycline for syphilis. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has instructed state-funded clinics to use doxycycline for certain patients because of the shortage, spokesperson Chelsea Wuth said.
At Houston Methodist, a health system with seven hospitals in the Houston area, penicillin G benzathine is reserved for pregnant patients and babies with syphilis, spokesperson Gale Smith said.
Some clinics have been able to get sufficient amounts of the Pfizer drug, at least for the time being. State-operated health clinics in South Carolina have been able to purchase as much as they need, a spokesperson for the health and environment department said.
While rates of HIV have been declining, other sexually transmitted diseases have become more prevalent in recent years. Condom use has fallen as more effective medications for HIV have become available, leaving people vulnerable to illnesses like syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea.
There are also fewer resources to identify people who need treatment and get them help. STD prevention work happens largely at local and state public-health departments, which have been losing money and staff over the years. The covid-19 pandemic diverted already scarce public health resources away from STD work.
The rise in syphilis cases is also prompting concern at a state level. Last year, New Mexico renewed a statewide public health order mandating that health care providers screen pregnant women for syphilis multiple times to catch the disease. The state had only one case of congenital syphilis reported in 2017. It had 42 in 2020. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/rise-in-syphilis-lack-of-penicillin-worry/ | 2023-07-30T11:00:31 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/rise-in-syphilis-lack-of-penicillin-worry/ |
Thirteenth in a series previewing SEC football teams
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The final column in the SEC football standings is abbreviated "STRK" and it stands for streak, and that "L4" at the end of the Ole Miss row means the Rebels lost their last four games of the 2022 season.
For a team that opened 8-1 for the dashing and daring Coach Lane Kiffin, that four-game skid loomed as a big bummer over the last seven months.
The Rebels (8-5, 4-4 SEC) tied their Egg Bowl rival Mississippi State for third in the SEC West behind LSU and Alabama, but they were in title consideration before the late meltdown. Kiffin's last two teams had compiled an 18-4 run before the skid, which featured losses to Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi State and Texas Tech by a combined 138-98.
"We were on a really good run," Kiffin said at SEC media days. "I'm not going to say a great run, because we have extremely high standards.
"But, you know, coming off the 10-3 season, and really last year, we were 8-1, and with the ball in our hands ... 14-yard line, 1st and 10 with a chance to beat Alabama to have a great home win and to go to 9-1."
That didn't happen. Alabama held on downs to preserve a 30-24 win in Oxford, Miss., then Arkansas raced to a 42-7 lead the following week before a late rally brought the Rebels within 15 points to the final score of 42-27.
Kiffin said the team did not hold together for the final month of the season, possibly due to so many newcomers on the roster in the transfer portal era.
"Even if you look at the NBA, when they put together these good free agent teams, if seasons don't go great it's very hard to keep everybody playing at a high level because the expectations were so high," Kiffin said.
Ole Miss faces the same kind of roster makeup this fall with 40 new scholarship players.
But the Rebels have a solid foundation to build around, beginning with quarterback Jaxson Dart and tailback Quinshon Judkins, the most productive duo in yards from scrimmage in the SEC last year. Ole Miss rushed for a school-record 3,336 yards, an average of 256.5 per game that led all schools that aren't service academies. Center Caleb Warren and the duo of Jeremy James and Micah Pettus on the right side of the line are returning starters.
Transfers Chris Marshall (Texas A&M) and Tre Harris (Lousiana Tech) could be starters at wideout to supplement returner Jordan Watkins after the departures of Jonathan Mingo and Malik Heath.
Dart could be in for a fight for the starting job as the Rebels landed former Oklahoma State star Spencer Sanders and former LSU signee Walker Howard.
Judkins led the conference and broke school records with 1,565 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns as a true freshman. The 5-11, 200-pounder was a rare sophomore at SEC media days and he discussed the need to branch out his skill set in 2023.
"Definitely later on you could see teams started packing the box on us," Judkins said of his rookie year.
He said the Rebels have a plan to keep him active this season.
"Just not by being in the backfield only," he said. "By being used everywhere on the field. Not just by running the ball like I did, vertically down hill.
"As a freshman you don't really know that much about the game, you can only do so much, even though I knew a lot about the game. That's why I played a lot. As far as just being able to do a lot of things, going into your second year the more knowledge you have, the greater your skill set, everything that you can do makes it only better."
The youngster from Pike Road, Ala., averaged 120.4 rushing yards per game and a healthy 5.71 yards on a league-high 274 carries.
"Quinshon is really special," Kiffin said. "Think about what he did as a freshman, to come in and have that workload. I think he led the SEC in carries and yards and touchdowns as a freshman. And like any freshman, you can get a lot better in Year 2."
Kiffin re-hired running backs coach Kevin Smith, the former Central Florida and Detroit Lions standout, to help tutor Judkins.
"I think that that's really beneficial for him to have him as someone that also was a great college player that's gone through all this hype and all that comes with it," Kiffin said.
The Rebels are in for another transition defensively as Kiffin hired former Alabama coordinator Pete Golding, whose Crimson Tide units ranked in the top 20 in scoring defense all five of his years. However, Alabama forced a mere 14 turnovers last season, second fewest in the league behind Auburn's 13.
Judkins seemingly falls in line with the Name, Image and Likeness cautionary tale Kiffin warned about during his opening remarks at media days, though he made sure to point out Judkins is "really mature and a great kid" entering his sophomore year.
"Those kids are young and now that they are getting all that attention around the country: You're the best player, all the rat poison, from your coach, and now they've got money," Kiffin said. "So now it's kind of like, whoa, you talk about ego coming in.
"I mean, so this is a lot of challenges on these kids. Again, it's great they get paid, but here is a whole new set of challenges, because a big motivation for a lot of players is to get to the NFL to get money. Well, now they already have money. So there's a lot of challenges in here in dealing with ego, which is really dangerous."
An opposing SEC assistant coach used this description in Athlon magazine for the Ole Miss roster: "This is a portal team, 110%. Maybe they can set the culture from the very top down and not fall into the trap other teams do with that mentality."
That's the issue Kiffin felt impacted his club late last year, and with a tougher start to the schedule this time around, his concerns could come into play again by October.
[] | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/roster-turnover-an-issue-again-for-ole-miss-in-23/ | 2023-07-30T11:00:37 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/roster-turnover-an-issue-again-for-ole-miss-in-23/ |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- It was a great competition mostly overshadowed last season by Georgia's great play, the surprise turnaround at LSU, a slippage at Alabama and Texas A&M losing to Appalachian State.
Arkansas' Raheim Sanders and Ole Miss' Quinshon Judkins race to be the season's leading rusher in the SEC was mightily contested and could have gone either way.
After they faced off on Nov. 19 in Fayetteville, Sanders -- who had 232 yards in Arkansas' 42-27 win -- led Judkins by 3 yards. Sanders had 1,389 to 1,386 for the Rebels freshman running back.
The next week against Missouri, though, Sanders had only 10 carries -- seven in the first quarter, indicating he got dinged up -- for 47 yards, and he had even less against Kansas in the Liberty Bowl with three carries and 17 yards before being helped off the field.
Judkins finished with a pair of 91-yard efforts and won the rushing title 1,567 to 1,443.
Now both are back for another run and they were both, naturally, first- team preseason All-SEC.
In some ways, their stories are similar.
Sanders, a 4-star recruit, grew up in Rockledge, Fla., 163 miles from the University of Florida campus, and while he was offered a scholarship by all the other major programs in his state, the Gators overlooked him.
Judkins grew up in Pike Road, Ala., 150 miles from Tuscaloosa and even though he had dozens of offers including ones from Notre Dame, Arkansas and a handful of other SEC schools, the 5-11, 200-pound battering ram was ignored by Alabama.
The Tide did sign two running backs that year, including one from the transfer portal.
No one knows what either running back's Name Image and Likeness worth is, although there has been legislation proposed to not only reveal the amount each athlete makes, but to have it controlled.
At SEC media days, Judkins told ESPN's Chris Lowe he had bought a car -- not just any car, a new Mercedes Benz and not from just any dealership, but one where Alabama Coach Nick Saban is a partner.
Judkins said he did not initially know Saban was a partner, but it didn't matter, he didn't have any hard feelings about Alabama not recruiting him.
On his second visit to the dealership, he did meet Nicolas Saban, the assistant general manager and the Tide coach's son.
"I'm right where I want to be at Ole Miss and got the car I wanted," Judkins said.
He re-signed his NIL deal with The Grove Collective last December but said he bought the car before signing that deal. Judkins said he had inquiries from other schools about transferring after his freshman season but added, "I never thought about leaving my school."
Judkins' rushing total were second-most in SEC history behind only Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker's 1,616 yards in 1980.
The 1,567 yards is an Ole Miss record that was previously held by Kay Dottley, who rushed for 1,312 yards in 1949.
Dottley was born in Birmingham, Ala., but spent most of his life before college in Southeast Arkansas and graduated from high school in McGehee. He also spent three years in the NFL and is a member of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.
Don't see a route for Judkins to be inducted into the ASHOF, but he appears to be on the bullet train for the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.
No doubt Sanders will some day be nominated for the ASHOF.
Today, though, both are eager for an encore season and another shot at the rushing title. Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman declared at media days that Sanders has gained 10 pounds and is as fast as ever. His nickname, of course, is "Rocket." | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/sanders-judkins-set-for-another-epic-battle/ | 2023-07-30T11:00:44 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/sanders-judkins-set-for-another-epic-battle/ |
A roughly 60-mile trail from Little Rock to Hot Springs has been a dream for residents and local officials for years, but top county executives say they hope to begin construction on the pathway within half a year.
Citizens in Saline County hope the project, alongside an effort to refurbish a historic bridge that played a recurring role in the 1996 movie "Sling Blade," will promote well-being and economic development across the area.
The trail system will begin at Little Rock Central High School in Pulaski County, run over the Old River Bridge in Saline County and end at Hot Springs National Park in Garland County. It roughly follows the Natchitoches Trace and Military Road, historic paths that were part of a network of routes once known as the "Southwest Trail." This older trail network connected the mid-Mississippi River Valley to the Red River Valley, according to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas.
While the historic system was traveled by walking, on horseback and by wagon, cyclists and joggers are likely to be among those most often seen along the new trail, once it's completed. An executive summary for the Central Arkansas Regional Greenways Plan, of which the Southwest Trail will be a part, states the latter is the "first long-distance trail effort in Central Arkansas."
Saline County Judge Matt Brumley said the trail will stretch across over 20 miles of his county, which he believes makes it the longest portion of the trail when compared with those in Pulaski and Garland counties.
The system will provide residents and others with a path that is easy to access, easy to travel and will be safe, he said. Spurs branching off the main trail would provide options for reaching into population centers, such as Benton, Alexander and Bauxite. One planned in the county will lead to downtown Benton, with its historic courthouse, a museum that is said to be the world's only building made out of bauxite, and a collection of restaurants, shops and boutiques.
The result will bolster commerce in these cities and communities, according to Brumley.
Bill White, the owner of White's Furniture in downtown Benton, said he was excited to hear about the plan.
"I think it'll put new life in the town," he said.
White said he believes older parts of Benton, such as the downtown area where the spur will run, are especially likely to benefit.
The spur will break off from the main trail at the Old River Bridge, an old span that once crossed the Saline River. Restoration of the bridge, a historic landmark, has also been a yearslong project.
William Lockhart, known as the first white man to settle in Saline County, built a bridge there in 1831. In 1891 another bridge, now known as the Old River Bridge, was put in its place. Malvern native and actor, writer and director Billy Bob Thornton featured the bridge in "Sling Blade."
White, who owned the land around the bridge, donated the span. It was dismantled and sent to be refurbished in 2018. When the Old River Bridge is put back into place it will be the oldest bridge in Arkansas in its original location, according to Brumley.
The county judge said he believes the entirety of the trail, extending from one national park to another, will draw visitors from across the U.S. and, possibly, internationally.
Brumley recalled that, during a visit with other members of MetroPlan to the 40-mile Razorback Greenway in Northwest Arkansas, they stopped at a coffee shop along the trail and met a group of cyclists. He thought they were in town for an event hosted by Walmart. Instead, he discovered they planned their vacation around visiting the greenway.
"It just kind of struck me that here's a group of people that could have traveled anywhere in the world with their passports, and they came to Northwest Arkansas because of its trail system," he said. "What will that mean for Central Arkansas when it's complete?"
CYCLISTS
Paige Halpain, a BMX rider in Saline County, is part of a group that meets every Wednesday at a church that was once the site of an old skating rink and sets out on rides. One of the group's goals is to establish a community of area cyclists, as well as to increase the number of children and older adults who take up the activity.
She said the Southwest Trail would help "bring bicycling to Benton" and other areas.
Having a nearby system would mean cyclists like her would no longer have to travel to Bentonville or Little Rock to find quality trails.
"Little Rock is the closest place that has trails for mountain bikers and all other cyclists," she said.
Halpain's 2-year-old daughter has started riding a bike, a tiny one that "doesn't even have pedals on it," she said. "It'll be nice to be able to take her close and have a safe spot to ride."
The cyclist also said she thinks the trail system would support local businesses.
"We ride hard, and after we ride hard we like to eat," Halpain said, speaking about cyclists at large. "And there's so many great places in downtown Benton to eat. I think it's going to help those businesses as well."
Small businesses that don't serve food are also likely to benefit from visitors who come from out of the area to ride the trails, she said. Driving through towns in order to reach trailheads, for instance, means being more likely to learning about shops a visitor might otherwise be unaware of.
The counties are in a prime position to benefit from the development of the network, due in part to their low cost of living, said Dan Lynks, cyclist and president of the Friends of the Southwest Trail. Such networks can play a role in convincing potential jobseekers to move to the area.
"It's all about building livable communities," he said. "People want to live where they can have recreation out their back door."
Lynks cited the Razorback Greenway and the Arkansas River Trail as "proofs of concept."
A study published in May by the University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business Center for Business & Economic Research states, "the bicycling ecosystem in Northwest Arkansas generates an economic impact of $159 million."
When the River Trail and Big Dam River Bridge were proposed, the projects faced opposition that wanted to put the money toward other efforts, according to Lynks.
"Now we have bicycle traffic jams every weekend," he said.
TRAIL PROGRESS
Much of the planning phase for the trail in Saline County is complete, said Brumley, who hopes at least one section of the path can be used by residents and visitors next year.
The trail is divided into 117 segments. Saline County will be responsible for 40 of them, Brumley said. Officials there are hopeful that construction on their portions of the trail will begin within the next six months, he said.
The first segment of the trail to be developed in Saline County will stretch from Germania Road in Alexander to the border with Pulaski County, according to Brumley. It's also expected to be the longest. He said that over 80% of the sections easements and right-of-ways have been satisfied, and that construction is likely to begin in January of next year.
"It's my hope there's going to be a walkable section of that trail from Germania all the way to Pulaski County in 2024," he said.
Pulaski County officials plan to begin at the border as well, working from there and moving toward Little Rock. Their first section, which reaches from the Saline County line to Hilaro Springs Road in southeast Little Rock, has been released for bids, according to Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde. It will be about four miles in length, he said.
The next section, from Hilaro Springs Road to Baseline Road, is in the final design stages, according to Hyde.
Pulaski County officials are acting as the lead on the project, though Saline County has been "really, really active in this process," he said.
Brumley, who became Saline County Judge at the beginning of this year, said he began his time in the role "in the thrall of a very dynamic project."
The requirements for the Southwest Trail to be successful are high, according to the county judge. The project demands cooperation between Saline, Pulaski and Garland counties while finding funding where available and communicating with landowners and community members about its progress.
The effort to develop the Southwest Trail has been going on for nearly a decade. Hyde said that design on the system began about eight-and-a-half years ago, funded through federal land management grants. In April 2018, North Little Rock-based engineering firm Garver LLC was selected to design the route.
Though the arrival of the covid pandemic in Arkansas in March 2020 slowed progress on the trail, the Army Corps of Engineers approved a permit for the entirety of the system within the past couple of months, according to Hyde.
The three counties are sharing the design expenses, though each county is paying for the construction of their portions of the pathway themselves, he said.
The Southwest Trail will become part of the larger Southwest Corridor, itself a crucial arm of the Central Arkansas Regional Greenways Plan. A technical report on the Regional Greenways Plan estimates the cost to develop the section in Saline County will cost about $47.3 million. Brumley, however, said the actual cost could vary significantly.
Much of the money to fund the trail is expected to come from the federal government, according to the county judge. Brumley said the funds will be put to work in a manner that will provide the county's citizens with something to enjoy while also generating tax dollars from visitors who come to ride the trail from elsewhere.
"We'll be able to do that with tax dollars that have already been paid from a federal perspective and are coming back home to help generate local tax dollars from visitors so that the place they call home is a better place to live." | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/southwest-trail-construction-will-start-within-6/ | 2023-07-30T11:00:50 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/southwest-trail-construction-will-start-within-6/ |
Tommie L. reacts, Thursday, July 27, 2023 at a residence at the Spring Meadows senior housing community. The Spring Meadows senior housing community is celebrating its 40th year. The project was started and built through the efforts of the Springdale Kiwanis Club, which still supports the community. Visit nwaonline.com/photos for today's photo gallery.
(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)
SPRINGDALE -- Framed photographs cover the walls in Shirley Hill's living room.
"These
Print Headline: Springdale Kiwanis celebrates 40 years of housing seniors
Sponsor Content | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/springdale-kiwanis-celebrates-40-years-of-housing/ | 2023-07-30T11:00:56 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/springdale-kiwanis-celebrates-40-years-of-housing/ |
A new paradigm for Arkansas education begins Tuesday when Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' education overhaul, the LEARNS Act, comes into effect.
In March, Sanders signed Act 237, the LEARNS Act into law, which Sanders called "the biggest, most far-reaching, conservative education reform in America." The LEARNS Act, which passed mostly along partisan lines in the Republican-dominated General Assembly, is Sanders' vision of how to improve education in Arkansas.
The LEARNS Act -- which standards for Literacy, Empowerment, Accountability, Readiness, Networking and Safety -- includes a new universal school choice program, increased starting pay for teachers and higher literacy standards for third graders. The LEARNS Act will cost $297.5 million in its first year and $343.3 million in the second year.
Most of the hotly debated 145-page education bill was originally supposed to come into effect in March when the Republican governor signed it, but because of a lawsuit from a group of Phillips County residents and two education activists, the law instead will take effect Tuesday.
While the law officially comes into effect this week, many of its key provisions will be phased in over the next three years. Along with the LEARNS Act, the Legislature passed an increase in per-student funding, part of what lawmakers call the adequacy process. The increased state funding for public schools includes for raises for school support staff and cost-of-living raises for teachers.
Under the LEARNS Act, the new minimum annual salary for teachers increases from $36,000 to $50,000, putting Arkansans only behind Washington, Hawaii, New Jersey and the District of Columbia for starting teacher pay. according to the National Education Association.
Teachers making above the new $50,000 minimum will receive a $2,000 pay increase. Sanders pledged the state will cover the raises in perpetuity. According to an estimate from the Arkansas Department of Education, the teacher raises will cost the state $180 million each year.
The law also creates a "Merit Teacher Incentive Fund Program" that will offer bonuses worth up to $10,000 to teachers who "demonstrate outstanding growth in student performance."
The law also repeals the Teacher Fair Dismissal Act, which will make it easier for schools to fire teachers for poor performance.
The new salaries are part of an effort to recruit and retain teachers, as many school districts have had trouble filling positions. The LEARNS Act also offers full-time school employees 12 weeks of paid maternity leave, with the cost being split by the state and the school district.
To ease the financial burden for those going into the profession, the LEARNS Act increases student loan debt forgiveness from $3,000 to $6,000 for teachers who agree to stay in Arkansas to teach. Additionally, the law creates a teacher academy where the state would pay a prospective student's tuition in exchange for the student agreeing to teach in a designated public school in Arkansas.
SCHOOL CHOICE
The most controversial aspect of the LEARNS Act is the program that gives students state funds to attend a private or home school. The program, called Educational Freedom Accounts, sometimes referred to as vouchers by both detractors and supporters, will allow students to use 90% what public schools receive in per-pupil funding from the previous year to cover the costs of attending a private or home school, which amounts to $6,672 in the first year.
The program will be phased in over three years, beginning this upcoming school year, with students who are enrolled in kindergarten for the first time; attend an F-rated school or a district considered to be in Level 5 of the state's accountability system; have an eligible disability; are homeless; participated in the Succeed Scholarship program last year, are or were in foster care; or a child of an active-duty military parent.
For the 2024-2025 school year, the program will be available to students attending a D-rated school; have a parent who is a military veteran or first-responders. By the 2025-2026 school year, every student who is eligible to enroll in a public school will be eligible for a voucher.
Arkansas is one of several state to expand school choice, part of a national trend by red states that began after the covid-19 pandemic, said Robert Enlow president and CEO of EdChoice, an Indianapolis-based nonprofit that advocates for school choice.
"I think the pandemic supercharged already what was happening," he said. "I think parents began to realize they had a new way of running schools."
In 2023, seven states -- Arkansas, Iowa, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Utah -- created new school choice programs, according to Enlow, who said Arkansas' school choice program was "top of the class," when compared to similar initiatives in other states.
LITERACY
The LEARNS Act also sets new literacy standards for students to reach by the third grade. By the 2025-2026 school year if students do not meet the new benchmarks on reading they won't be permitted to move on to the fourth grade, with built-in exceptions for special needs, non-native English speakers and other kinds of students.
For students who do not meet the reading requirements, including those with exemptions, schools will be required to offer 90-minutes of literacy instruction every day during the following summer and school year.
The state will place an emphasis on schools to follow a "science of reading" approach to literacy and require schools to help students struggling to meet literacy standards with an "at-home" reading plan.
To help students hit the new benchmarks, the state plans to hire 120 literacy coaches who will be deployed to schools rated a D or F by the state. Students struggling to read at grade level will also be able to apply for a $500 grant to hire a tutor. So far the Arkansas Department of Education has received more than 130 applications for literacy coaches, with interview ongoing according to Department spokeswoman Kimberly Mundell.
OTHER ASPECTS
Starting in the 2024-2025 school year, ninth graders will have the option to pursue a non-traditional diploma by entering a career-ready pathway for students to center their education on "modern career and technical studies aligned with high-wage, high-growth jobs in Arkansas."
The LEARNS Act also bans Critical Race Theory codifying an executive order Sanders signed into law early in her term, requiring the Department of Education to review any materials, policies or rules that promote the teaching of "Critical Race Theory," or other similar "indoctrination." The law defines prohibited indoctrination as ideas "that conflict with the principle of equal protection under the law or encourage students to discriminate against someone based on the individual's color, creed, race, ethnicity, sex, age, marital status, familial status, disability, religion, national origin, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law."
Critics have said the ban on Critical Race Theory will prevent teachers from discussing racism in the classroom, while Secretary of Education Jacob Oliva has said slavery, Jim Crow and the Civil Rights Movement will still be taught in Arkansas classrooms.
The LEARNS Act also moves the state's early childhood education from the Department of Human Services to the Department of Education. The law creates an office of early childhood education, which will be under the authority of the secretary of education.
On school safety, the law requires a school safety expert review and advise on architectural plans before new construction of the public school facility and schools to develop a plan "to increase the presence of uniformed law enforcement on all public school campuses." School districts will also have to select a person to be responsible for overseeing school safety and requires the state to conduct a review to make sure schools are following state-mandated safety protocols.
ADEQUACY
Separate from the LEARNS Act, lawmakers approved a 2.8% increase in the per-student funding schools get for the upcoming school year. The funding is a part of what lawmakers refer to as the "adequacy process," a biannual review of public school funding.
The law, Act 744, increases the per-pupil funding schools receive from $7,413 the last school year to $7,618 for the 2023-2024 school year. For the 2024-2025 school year, schools will receive $7,771 per student.
The law increases spending by $75 million for fiscal year 2024 and $132 million for fiscal year 2025, the second-largest in the past 10 years for per-student funding, according to House Education Chairman Brian Evans.
The law includes state funding for $2-an-hour raises to full-time classified school staff, which are non-teaching positions such as bus drivers, custodians and special education paraprofessionals. However, the law only includes suggestions on how school districts should spend the funding, meaning classified staff in some districts may not receive a raise. Under the law, teachers will receive a 1.8% cost of living adjustment in fiscal year 2024 and a 2.2% raise in fiscal year 2025. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/states-learns-act-takes-effect-this-week/ | 2023-07-30T11:01:02 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/states-learns-act-takes-effect-this-week/ |
There's a ton of methods to use for a defensive player whenever they're about to play in a football game, but there's only one that seems appropriate for a guy who labels himself as an avid hunter.
Hunt.
That's precisely what Kaleb James said he intends to do when he suits up for the University of Arkansas this fall.
"I'm really an outdoors person," James said. "I'm a big fisher, big hunter. I love doing all of that kind of stuff, and there's plenty of spots here to do that. But hunting, man I really love it."
That love is sure to be reciprocated by Razorback fans once they get a glimpse of James' ability to track and stalk opposing offensive players.
The agile 6-4, 260-pound freshman was the first defensive lineman to sign with Arkansas in its class of 2023, and he did so after putting together a dominant senior season at Mansfield (Texas) High School.
In the state's largest classification, James finished the 2022 season with 82 tackles, including 20 for a loss, 11.5 sacks and 34 quarterback hurries. He also had 2 fumble recoveries, 1 blocked kick and 1 pass breakup while making the move from the outside to the interior of the defensive line.
Those kinds of jaw-dropping numbers are enough to catch the eye of any top-tier university, but James had big-name schools knocking on his door long before he played his final year of high school football.
He had more than 160 tackles and 20 sacks combined during his sophomore and junior seasons, which attracted a who's who of programs toward his direction. James was initially offered a scholarship by the Razorbacks following a camp during the summer of 2021, but he made his commitment official in January 2022 on his 17th birthday.
"The community was a big factor in me wanting to be here," James said. "The fan base is just amazing, they really are. And then, the coaching staff just added to that. Coach [Sam] Pittman is really good, Coach Deke [Adams], the defensive line coach, those guys made me feel at home.
"I could tell from meeting with all the coaches that they're about their business. They're really good people, so humble about everything. They handled everything accordingly, and I really liked that."
James also said he has really taken a liking to everything Arkansas has to offer.
He's already gotten a feel for how different his days are now as opposed to what they were in Mansfield. That includes not being able to see his main backers on a regular basis.
"I've met a lot of new people, and everybody has been great," James said. "But being away from my family, being by myself, has taken some getting used to. Being away from my little brother, being away from my parents, that was a little tough because they're my biggest supporters. They're my backbone, and I could always lean on them.
"The first couple of days after I got here was pretty hard on me. But after a few weeks, it got better. Now things are good."
Arkansas will be counting on James to be good on a defensive front that's set to shift to a 4-2-5 look. The Razorbacks broke the school's single-season sack record in 2022 with 42, and of that total, 22 of those were registered by defensive linemen, paced by edge rusher Jordan Domineck with 7.5. However, Domineck has since left to play at Colorado, forcing Pittman and Adams to seek additional help by way of transfers.
Despite having Zach Williams, Landon Jackson and Jashaud Stewart -- a trio who had 9.5 sacks and 9 quarterback hurries between them last season -- all back, Arkansas added several proven transfers, starting with Trajan Jeffcoat and John Morgan III. But playing in the SEC routinely requires quality depth along the line, and that's what the Razorbacks appear to have.
"I want to come in and honestly, just try to see the field," James said. "I want to make plays here and there, and just keep growing on that. The workouts, at least for the first couple of days, were pretty tough just because of that fear of the unknown when you come into college. I really didn't know what to expect.
"It was pretty hard earlier, but I got acclimated and just worked my tail off. Ever since then, it's been pretty much a breeze because I'm use to everything now."
That mentality has also brought a sense of pleasantness for James.
"I'm comfortable now," he said. "I just work as hard as I can and try to keep getting better every day."
[NOTEWORTHY] | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/time-to-hunt/ | 2023-07-30T11:01:08 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/time-to-hunt/ |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Even with sweltering heat, outside linebacker Harold Landry III couldn't be happier about being back on the practice field for the Tennessee Titans.
Losing the 2022 season to an ACL torn Aug. 31 will do that to an NFL player.
Making his return even sweeter? Landry finally has his chance to prove he can follow up his best season yet, which earned him a big contract extension last year.
"I'm ecstatic to be back," said Landry, who started training camp on the active roster.
He's not alone. Two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons made clear Saturday how happy he is with Landry back on the field. Offensive linemen won't be able to sit on Simmons and smother him with double-teams.
"Guys like Harry, tackles are scared of his speed," Simmons said. "They never know what may happen with him."
Landry was the 41st pick overall in 2018 out of Boston College, and he had started 52 of 64 games before his injury last August in a practice closed to reporters. He went into 2021 as a contract season, and he produced a career-high 12 sacks that ranked 10th in the NFL.
He led the Titans with 14 tackles for loss and also ranked second on the team with a career-high 49 quarterback pressures. He has a team-high 31 sacks since 2018. Only Jevon Kearse had more sacks with 38 in his first four seasons for this team since sacks became an official stat in 1982.
That's why the Titans declined to use the franchise tag on him, instead agreeing to a five-year extension worth $87.5 million with $52.5 million guaranteed in March 2022.
Landry seemed primed to build on that season along with both he and Simmons coming off Pro Bowl seasons. They helped the Titans tie for ninth with 43 sacks in 2021, then tied a league postseason record with nine sacks in a playoff loss to Cincinnati.
The Titans placed Landry on injured reserve Sept. 2 -- nine days before the season opener. That was among the most costly injuries in a season where the Titans wound up using a league-high 86 players.
That left Tennessee in the middle of the pack with only 39 sacks last season with Simmons playing without Landry on the outside and on an bum ankle half the season. The Titans cut outside linebacker Bud Dupree as a salary cap saving move and signed Arden Key.
Landry tried to make the best of his injury, not only working on recovering but also spending the offseason working to learn more nuances of rushing passers and defending receivers.
"They got me right where we're right on schedule for the season, and I'm excited about that," Landry said.
Landry also has shared what he knows with backup linebacker Rashad Weaver, a fourth-round pick out of Pittsburgh in 2021. Weaver called Landry, "super smart, and he just knows everything about the defense."
The Titans have been working Landry back in during the first days of camp, and Coach Mike Vrabel said the linebacker's energy and understanding of the defense has helped.
"He's been great to communicate with as far as adding things each day," Vrabel said. "We're just getting started. But stringing some plays together, see how he responds, see how he feels, and then we'll add more ... if that warrants." | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/titans-lb-aims-to-make-up-for-lost-time/ | 2023-07-30T11:01:14 | 1 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/titans-lb-aims-to-make-up-for-lost-time/ |
Basketball target Jase Richardson's relationship with University of Arkansas men's Coach Eric Musselman and recruiting coordinator Ronnie Brewer Jr. and player development has him high on the Hogs.
Richardson, 6-3, 175 pounds, narrowed his list of possible schools to Arkansas, Alabama, Stanford, Southern Cal, Cincinnati, Virginia, Michigan State and San Diego State in May.
He made an unofficial visit to Fayetteville for the Hogs' football game weekend against Cincinnati in September. His communication with Musselman and Brewer is strong.
"It's been going good. I've been hearing from Coach Muss and Coach Brewer," Richardson said. "Just talking about what they've done and how they sent Anthony Black, Nick Smith and Jordan Walsh to the league. Touched on how they can send freshmen to the league and they could see me coming in and doing the same thing."
Seeing Black, Smith and Walsh selected in the recent NBA Draft as freshmen grabbed his attention.
"That's really special to have three guys to have an impact at a big time school to go to the league after one year," Richardson said.
ESPN rates Richardson a 4-star prospect, the No. 8 point guard and No. 36 overall recruit in the nation for the 2024 class. He played his sophomore and junior seasons at Las Vegas Bishop Gorman but has transferred to Christopher Columbus High School in Miami for his senior year.
He recalled his Arkansas trip and noted the atmosphere was very intense at the football game.
"I felt like the fan atmosphere was something I've never seen at a college," Richardson said. "It felt like a pro level atmosphere. It was just a wild experience."
His father, Jason, played for Musselman while with the Golden State Warriors after being selected as the No. 5 pick of the 2001 NBA Draft out of Michigan State.
Richardson said his father's and Musselman's relationship helps the Hogs' chances some.
"Just a little bit because hearing from my dad on how hard Muss coached, it's definitely something I could see me going through because I always love a coach that's passionate about winning and cares about the development of me," Richardson said.
Musselman and staff are trying to get Richardson back to Fayetteville for an official visit.
"They're trying to get me out for another visit but right now, I'm in the process of moving down to Florida, so I have to see when I can, if I can," Richardson said.
Richardson has officially visited Michigan State and has two more scheduled.
"Alabama and Cincinnati are the only two I have planned right now," Richardson said.
Richardson had an outstanding spring and summer while playing for California-based Paul George Elite. He averaged 20.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists per game while shooting 56% from the field and 45% from beyond the three-point line at Peach Jam in July.
He was named one of 10 players to earn first-team honors at the prestigious event, while ESPN national recruiting director Paul Biancardi named him one of the top performers.
"This summer was actually the first time I could play full minutes this whole season," Richardson said. "I just felt like I had the make the best of it and be a leader on my team."
Richardson had a hole in his femur that required a bone graft in March of last year.
"I still couldn't play full minutes during the high school season," he said. "I had to play limited minutes. I couldn't play but like 15 to 17 minutes. So I would play three minutes and I would have to sit out for four and then come back in and play three minutes and sit out for four."
He said he's a different person because of going through the adversity.
"It just made me mentally tougher," Richardson said. "Just being off the court and being away from the game made me realize just how much I love this game of basketball. I can't take this for granted, so not being out there, it just made me tougher."
A time frame for his college decision is fluid.
"I'm looking before the season in October, but if I still haven't decided on one yet, I'm pretty flexible on moving it," he said.
Richardson broke down where Arkansas stood for his services.
"I feel like they're really high on my list right now," Richardson said. "I feel like we've communicated a lot. When I was on campus, it felt like a great situation for me, hearing from Coach Muss and all. All the players about what they think about it and what they think about playing for Muss. I feel like it's pretty high school on my list."
E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/tradition-of-player-development-intrigues-recruit/ | 2023-07-30T11:01:20 | 1 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/tradition-of-player-development-intrigues-recruit/ |
NAIROBI, Kenya — African leaders are leaving two days of meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin with little to show for their requests to resume a deal that kept grain flowing from Ukraine and to find a path to end the war there.
Putin in a press conference late Saturday following the Russia-Africa summit said Russia's termination of the grain deal earlier this month caused a rise in grain prices that benefits Russian companies. He added that Moscow would share some of those revenues with the "poorest nations."
That commitment, with no details, follows Putin's promise to start shipping 25,000 to 50,000 tons of grain for free to each of six African nations in the next three to four months — an amount dwarfed by the 725,000 tons shipped by the U.N. World Food Program to several hungry countries, African and otherwise, under the grain deal. Russia plans to send the free grain to Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, Eritrea and Central African Republic.
Fewer than 20 of Africa's 54 heads of state or government attended the Russia summit, while 43 attended the previous gathering in 2019, reflecting concerns over Russia's invasion of Ukraine even as Moscow seeks more allies on the African continent of 1.3 billion people. Putin praised Africa as a rising center of power in the world, while the Kremlin blamed "outrageous" Western pressure for discouraging some African countries from showing up.
The presidents of Egypt and South Africa were among the most outspoken on the need to resume the grain deal.
"We would like the Black Sea initiative to be implemented and that the Black Sea should be open," South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said. "We are not here to plead for donations for the African continent."
Putin also said Russia would analyze African leaders' peace proposal for Ukraine, whose details have not been publicly shared. But the Russian leader asked: "Why do you ask us to pause fire? We can't pause fire while we're being attacked."
The next significant step in peace efforts instead appears to be a Ukrainian-organized peace summit hosted by Saudi Arabia in August. Russia is not invited.
Africa's nations make up the largest voting bloc at the United Nations and have been more divided than any other region on General Assembly resolutions criticizing Russia's actions in Ukraine. Delegations at the summit in St. Petersburg roamed exhibits of weapons, a reminder of Russia's role as the top arms supplier to the African continent.
Putin in his remarks on Saturday also downplayed his absence from the BRICS economic summit in South Africa next month amid a controversy over an arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court. His presence there, Putin said, is not "more important than my presence here, in Russia."
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.nprillinois.org/2023-07-30/african-leaders-leave-russia-summit-without-grain-deal-or-path-to-peace-in-ukraine | 2023-07-30T11:01:23 | 1 | https://www.nprillinois.org/2023-07-30/african-leaders-leave-russia-summit-without-grain-deal-or-path-to-peace-in-ukraine |
Russian authorities say three Ukrainian drones attacked Moscow in the early hours on Sunday, injuring one person and prompting a temporary closure for traffic of one of four airports around the Russian capital.
It was the fourth such attempt at a strike on the capital region this month and the third this week, fueling concerns about Moscow's vulnerability to attacks as Russia's war in Ukraine drags into its 18th month.
The Russian Defense Ministry referred to the incident as an "attempted terrorist attack by the Kyiv regime" and said three drones targeted the city. One was shot down in the surrounding Moscow region by air defense systems and two others were jammed. Those two crashed into the Moscow City business district in the capital.
Photos from the site of the crash showed the facade of a skyscraper damaged on one floor. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the attack "insignificantly damaged" the outsides of two buildings in the Moscow City district. A security guard was injured, Russia's state news agency Tass reported, citing emergency officials.
No flights went into or out of the Vnukovo airport on the southern outskirts of the city for about an hour, according to Tass, and the air space over Moscow and the outlying regions was temporarily closed for any aircraft. Those restrictions have since been lifted.
Moscow authorities have also closed a street for traffic near the site of the crash in the Moscow City area.
There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian officials, who rarely if ever take responsibility for attacks on Russian soil.
Russia's Defense Ministry reported shooting down a Ukrainian drone outside Moscow on Friday. Two more drones struck the Russian capital on Monday, one of them falling in the center of the city near the Defense Ministry's headquarters along the Moscow River about 3 kilometers (2 miles) from the Kremlin. The other drone hit an office building in southern Moscow, gutting several upper floors.
In another attack on July 4, the Russian military said four drones were downed by air defenses on the outskirts of Moscow and a fifth was jammed by electronic warfare means and forced down.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wvasfm.org/2023-07-30/a-drone-attack-on-moscow-briefly-shut-the-airport-and-injured-one | 2023-07-30T11:01:23 | 0 | https://www.wvasfm.org/2023-07-30/a-drone-attack-on-moscow-briefly-shut-the-airport-and-injured-one |
Two people were killed and another injured in crashes on Arkansas roads Thursday and early Saturday, according to preliminary fatality reports from law enforcement.
Wanda McCurrie, 84, of Pottsville, died Thursday when the vehicle she was a passenger in struck the back of a street sweeper on Arkansas 331, south of East 19th Street in Russellville, a report from police in that city states.
The report lists the time of the collision as 10:17 but does not indicate if it was in the morning or the night. It also does not identify the type of vehicle McCurrie was in.
The driver of the vehicle, Kimberly Darter, 35, also of Pottsville, was taken to an area hospital for treatment.
An unidentified male was killed around 5:02 a.m. Saturday when he was struck by two vehicles while lying in the westbound ramp to Interstate 40 from Crystal Hill Road in North Little Rock, according to a report from the Arkansas State Police.
No other injuries were reported.
Authorities investigating both crashes reported that the weather was clear and the road was dry at the time. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/two-killed-one-injured-in-roadway-crashes/ | 2023-07-30T11:01:26 | 1 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/two-killed-one-injured-in-roadway-crashes/ |
PHOENIX — A historic heat wave that has gripped the U.S. Southwest throughout July, blasting residents and baking surfaces like brick, is beginning to abate with the late arrival of monsoon rains.
Forecasters expect that by Monday, people in metro Phoenix will begin to see high temperatures fall under 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius) for the first time in a month.
But not on Saturday. The high temperature in the desert city with more than 1.6 million residents climbed past 110 F for the 30th straight day, the National Weather Service said. The previous record stretch of 110 F or above was for 18 days in 1974.
There are increased chances on Sunday of cooling monsoon thunderstorms. Though wet weather can also bring damaging winds, blowing dust and the chance of flash flooding, the weather service warned. Sudden rains running off hard-baked surfaces can quickly fill normally dry washes.
Already this week, the overnight low at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport fell under 90 F (32.2 C) for the first time in 16 days, finally giving residents some respite from the stifling heat once the sun goes down.
Temperatures also were expected to ease in Las Vegas, Albuquerque and even in Death Valley, California, where the weather service said the expected high of 122 F (50 C) on Saturday is forecast to lower to 113 F (45 C) by Tuesday — along with a slight chance of rain.
Also in California, triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the San Joaquin Valley from Saturday through Monday, according to the National Weather Service in Hanford, California.
Gusty, late-afternoon winds were expected Saturday and Sunday in Santa Barbara County, posing an elevated risk of fire weather, the weather service in Los Angeles said. Hot, dry weather was also expected across nearby valleys, lower mountains and desert areas.
In Riverside County, more than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes and another 1,400 were facing evacuation warnings as crews battled a wildfire that charred 3.2 square miles (8.3 square kilometers) in the community of Aguanga, about 60 miles (96 kilometers) northeast of San Diego, authorities said Saturday. One firefighter was reported to have been injured in the so-called Bonny Fire, which authorities said was about 5% contained.
The heat is impacting animals, as well. Police in the city of Burbank, California, found a bear cooling off in a Jacuzzi behind a home on Friday. Police released a video of the animal in a neighborhood about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Los Angeles near the Verdugo Mountains and warned residents to lock up food and garbage.
A downward trend in Southwest heat started Wednesday night, when Phoenix saw its first major monsoon storm since the traditional June 15 start of the thunderstorm season. While more than half of the greater Phoenix area saw no rainfall from that storm, some eastern suburbs were pummeled by high winds, swirling dust and localized downfalls of up to 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) of precipitation.
Storms gradually increasing in strength are expected over the weekend.
Scientists calculate that July will prove to be the hottest globally on record and perhaps the warmest human civilization has seen. The extreme heat is now hitting the eastern part of the U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places are seeing their warmest days so far this year.
The new heat records being set this summer are just some of the extreme weather being seen around the U.S. this month, such as flash floods in Pennsylvania and parts of the Northeast.
"Anyone can be at risk outside in this record heat," the fire department in Goodyear, a Phoenix suburb, warned residents on social media while offering ideas to stay safe.
For many people such as older adults, those with health issues and those without access to air conditioning, the heat can be dangerous or even deadly.
Maricopa County, the most populous in Arizona and home to Phoenix, reported this week that its public health department had confirmed 25 heat-associated deaths this year as of July 21, with 249 more under investigation.
Results from toxicological tests that can takes weeks or months after an autopsy is conducted could eventually result in many deaths listed as under investigation as heat associated being changed to confirmed.
Maricopa County confirmed 425 heat-associated deaths last year, and more than half of them occurred in July.
Elsewhere in Arizona next week, the agricultural desert community of Yuma is expecting highs ranging from 104 to 112 (40 C to 44.4 C) and Tucson is looking at highs ranging from 99 to 111 (37.2 C to 43.9 C).
The highs in Las Vegas are forecast to slip as low as 94 (34.4 C) next Tuesday after a long spell of highs above 110 (43.3 C). Death Valley, which hit 128 (53.3 C) in mid-July, will cool as well, though only to a still blistering hot 116 (46.7 C).
In New Mexico, the highs in Albuquerque next week are expected to be in the mid to high 90s (around 35 C), with party cloudy skies.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.nprillinois.org/2023-07-30/the-historic-heatwave-that-has-hit-the-u-s-southwest-is-set-to-cool-a-little | 2023-07-30T11:01:29 | 0 | https://www.nprillinois.org/2023-07-30/the-historic-heatwave-that-has-hit-the-u-s-southwest-is-set-to-cool-a-little |
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas is temporarily blocked from enforcing a law that would have allowed criminal charges against librarians and booksellers for providing "harmful" materials to minors, a federal judge ruled Saturday.
U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks issued a preliminary injunction against the law, which also would have created a new process to challenge library materials and request that they be relocated to areas not accessible by kids. The measure, signed by Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders earlier this year, was set to take effect Aug. 1.
A coalition that included the Central Arkansas Library System in Little Rock had challenged the law, saying fear of prosecution under the measure could prompt libraries and booksellers to no longer carry titles that could be challenged.
The judge also rejected a motion by the defendants, which include prosecuting attorneys for the state, seeking to dismiss the case.
The ACLU of Arkansas, which represents some of the plaintiffs, applauded the court's ruling, saying that the absence of a preliminary injunction would have jeopardized First Amendment rights.
"The question we had to ask was — do Arkansans still legally have access to reading materials? Luckily, the judicial system has once again defended our highly valued liberties," Holly Dickson, the executive director of the ACLU in Arkansas, said in a statement.
The lawsuit comes as lawmakers in an increasing number of conservative states are pushing for measures making it easier to ban or restrict access to books. The number of attempts to ban or restrict books across the U.S. last year was the highest in the 20 years the American Library Association has been tracking such efforts.
Laws restricting access to certain materials or making it easier to challenge them have been enacted in several other states, including Iowa, Indiana and Texas.
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin said in an email Saturday that his office would be "reviewing the judge's opinion and will continue to vigorously defend the law."
The executive director of Central Arkansas Library System, Nate Coulter, said the judge's 49-page decision recognized the law as censorship, a violation of the Constitution and wrongly maligning librarians.
"As folks in southwest Arkansas say, this order is stout as horseradish!" he said in an email.
"I'm relieved that for now the dark cloud that was hanging over CALS' librarians has lifted," he added.
Cheryl Davis, general counsel for the Authors Guild, said the organization is "thrilled" about the decision. She said enforcing this law "is likely to limit the free speech rights of older minors, who are capable of reading and processing more complex reading materials than young children can."
The Arkansas lawsuit names the state's 28 local prosecutors as defendants, along with Crawford County in west Arkansas. A separate lawsuit is challenging the Crawford County library's decision to move children's books that included LGBTQ+ themes to a separate portion of the library.
The plaintiffs challenging Arkansas' restrictions also include the Fayetteville and Eureka Springs Carnegie public libraries, the American Booksellers Association and the Association of American Publishers.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wvasfm.org/2023-07-30/an-arkansas-judge-has-blocked-a-law-targetting-librarians-over-harmful-books | 2023-07-30T11:01:29 | 1 | https://www.wvasfm.org/2023-07-30/an-arkansas-judge-has-blocked-a-law-targetting-librarians-over-harmful-books |
Editor's note: This is part two of a three-part series.
With less than a year under their belt as City Council members, LaTisha Brunson and Lanette Frazier took office with a determined mindset to fulfill their purpose for the betterment of the city of Pine Bluff.
From taking the hot seat during debates to fulfilling the seats of their predecessors, both are supporters of Go Forward Pine Bluff. With a second vote now on the calendar for November to renew the sales tax that funds Go Forward initiatives, the two offer their thoughts on the nonprofit.
LATISHA BRUNSON
"My role is to always listen and hear my constituents and to let them know I have their best interest in all that is done," said Brunson, who also said she gives them the necessary information on what a tax will mean for them, their family and for the city. "We all want the same thing...a thriving Pine Bluff."
Though Brunson does not serve on any committees that align with Go Forward Pine Bluff, she did say council members are privy to the information and legislation.
"Legislation is presented within committee meetings and the committee votes to send it to the full council for final approval," she said. "All council members are invited to committee meetings."
She also said that any citizen or council member has a right to present a plan, but the important factor for her is that it has to be detailed with financials to support it.
"A plan without vital information is just a dream," she said.
Brunson supports the private-public partnership and has seen it successfully change lives firsthand during her recent trip to Tulsa.
"A private-public partnership was used in the development of Oasis Fresh Market, which we are actively recruiting to come to the city of Pine Bluff," said Brunson. "They have been able to attract more investors as well as increase economic and financial development for their city. I believe in things done right, decent and in order to grow our community and city. I am here for whatever helps and makes us better."
Brunson did have reservations about the partnership with the Delta Rhythm & Bayous District when it came to funding the project. Director Jimmy Cunningham had asked the city of Pine Bluff for $2 million for the first phase of the project, which has an overall price tag of $6 million.
"My concern with Mr. Cunningham's project was if the plan has been discussed and/or in existence since 2018, why haven't any private funds/grants been acquired prior to now?" she asked. "Yes, the other six million that is needed concerns me and I have expressed that directly to Mr. Cunningham and others."
LANETTE FRAZIER
Many argue the same concerns that some council members had for Cunningham's project when it came to funding could also be said for Go Forward Pine Bluff's projects which would have to raise private funds and grants to meet the needs of their plan.
The difference, however, according to Frazier, is Cunningham. Since the inception of his plan, he has not come up with tangible funding for the balance of the program -- whereas Go Forward Pine Bluff has raised private funding to assist with projects.
"To compare the two is not the same, and they [GFPB] are still raising funds, which part [of] was raised while in a pandemic," said Frazier. "Both Mr. Cunningham and GFPB have to demonstrate they are able to not just present a plan but execute it for completion. The standard I'm for is for making our city better. So, I'll work with anyone with the same intention to make our city thrive."
Frazier said she is perplexed why Cunningham didn't ask for full funding from the council with the funds spread over years until completion versus just asking for $2 million when he knew the total cost would be more than $2 million.
"I was not in place when Mr. Cunningham brought his plan to the council," said Frazier. "Recently at the last city council meeting, it was stated that he just applied for grants. My question is why was it not done before now so he could have the funds from the grants for the rest of the project?"
Frazier also questioned whether the match for the grant came from the $2 million that he asked for or if that was in addition to the $2 million. "How we have processed match grants previously is that whoever applied for the grant received approval and then came to the city council for the match portion," said Frazier.
Frazier said it will be up to the voters to decide what they will and won't support, but said if the tax did not pass it would be a real struggle to accomplish the destination city vision for Pine Bluff.
"A plan is only as good as the ability of those behind the plan to execute it because it is not enough to have just a plan," she said. "The plan has to have the manpower and financial support to be executed."
Frazier has studied the inner workings of other municipalities and believes Pine Bluff can excel in the same way as others.
"I went to a Zoning and Planning meeting in Little Rock this year and there was a speaker who stated that it could be a win-win situation if a city could do a private-public partnership," she said. "He did state that with that partnership each party needs to be held accountable."
Frazier continued by stating there needs to be checks and balances.
"There are always pros and cons to any given situation," she said. "If a decision is made to do a private-public partnership, everyone must do their part to ensure success. Success does not mean that problems will not arise, but when they do they are immediately handled."
Part three, presented Tuesday, will feature Council Members Bruce Lockett and Glen Brown Sr. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/two-on-council-give-views-on-go-forward/ | 2023-07-30T11:01:32 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/two-on-council-give-views-on-go-forward/ |
CHENGDU, China , July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from Xinhua:
On July 28, the Chengdu 2021 FISU World University Games officially commenced, captivating university athletes from various parts of the world with an opening ceremony that seamlessly blended historical and cultural elements with youthful passion.
The cultural performances showcased Chengdu's unique cultural features, with the "Sun and Immortal Birds" being a symbol of Chinese cultural heritage and a spiritual emblem. From the very first second of the countdown to the ignition, the presence of the "Sun and Immortal Birds" captivated the audience until the final moment of ignition. "Sunlight", serving as the core element, permeated the entire opening ceremony. Without the "Sun and Immortal Birds", the grand finale of igniting the flame would not have been possible. The countdown to the opening commenced amid the radiance of the "Sun and Immortal Birds," not only demonstrating the harmonious and inclusive spiritual character that the Chinese people have embraced since ancient times but also expressing best wishes for university students worldwide to shine as bright and warm as sunlight.
The opening ceremony combined the sense of technology with artistic beauty. During the entrance segment, colorful silk threads were projected onto the ground, creating a breathtaking display of traditional Chinese patterns formed by over 300 circular lines that adorned the entirety of the stadium's track. This symbolic imagery represents the aspirations of young athletes from around the world, as they embark on a glorious journey paved with the splendor of Shu embroidery. The guide signs held high by the ushers were made of Shu brocade, a renowned textile originating from the Chengdu region, with a history spanning over 2,000 years. Shu brocade stands as one of the four prestigious brocades of China. Meanwhile, Shu embroidery, one of the four famous embroideries in China, has a history of more than 3,000 years, originating from the Chengdu region. Both Shu embroidery and Shu brocade are hailed as treasures of the region.
In celebration of the 31st edition of FISU World University Games, 31 torchbearers were selected to light the flame tower. Among them, the illustrious Chengdu astronaut, Ye Guangfu, shone as a notable figure. Recognizing astronauts as the "closest beings to the sun," chief director Chen Weiya harnessed the brilliance of sunlight, transforming it into a dazzling blaze. After the 31 torchbearers jointly completed the ignition, the Sun and Immortal Birds radiated a stunning brilliance. They spiraled and ascended, igniting the 12 golden fireworks in the sky. Ultimately, they ignited the flame tower outside the stadium.
During the fireworks performance, the chief designer of the opening ceremony fireworks, Cai Canhuang, aptly named it "Golden Dreams." Golden fireworks illuminated the sky, accompanied by welcoming messages in both Chinese and English. As the flame tower of the Chengdu 2021 FISU World University Games was ignited, the fireworks displayed the U-shaped emblem of the Games and the English theme "Make Dreams Come True." The fireworks artfully portrayed the image of a golden hibiscus flower, representing the city flower of Chengdu. Beyond symbolizing youth and vitality, the hibiscus also embodies the values of openness and friendliness, expressing the theme of "flowers welcoming guests."
The Chengdu 2021 FISU World University Games will feature a total of 18 sports events, and is scheduled to conclude on August 8. With athletes from 113 countries and regions, a staggering 6,500 athletes will compete across these 18 sports.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Xinhua | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/30/chengdu-2021-fisu-world-university-games-opening-ceremony-impresses-audiences-worldwide/ | 2023-07-30T11:01:32 | 0 | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/30/chengdu-2021-fisu-world-university-games-opening-ceremony-impresses-audiences-worldwide/ |
People have asked me what I've learned so far through this series. Have I gotten any clarity on what makes up my own spiritual identity? And the answer is, not really. I'm still in the research phase of this project. I'm still collecting experiences and perspectives and I imagine I'll keep doing that forever, but it's too early to draw any definitive conclusions — except for one.
I believe each and every one of us is capable of making our own meaning. Some of us do that by living according to a set of religious principles. Or by feeling the beauty and sanctity of nature. Or by choosing to see spiritual connections in what others might call mere coincidence.
I don't need anyone to validate those experiences for them to be meaningful to me. But according to Lisa Miller, a professor in the Clinical Psychology Program at Teachers College, Columbia University, having a spiritual life is good for your mental health.
Miller is a psychologist and has dedicated most of her career to the study of neuroscience and spirituality. Her newest book is called The Awakened Brain, and in it she makes some really bold claims about how holding spiritual beliefs can decrease our rates of anxiety and depression and generally make us most likely to lead happier lives. I can hear your skepticism already! I get it. I'm a spiritually inclined kind of person but it's still hard for me to understand how, scientifically speaking, believing in something bigger than yourself can make you healthier and happier.
I needed to understand how Miller came to these conclusions. But before she got to the actual science, she told me a story.
It was the mid '90s. Miller was in the early stages of her career and working at a residential mental health facility in New York City. After she'd been there a few months, Yom Kippur rolled around — the day of atonement, considered the most significant of the Jewish religious holidays. One of the older male patients with severe bipolar disorder asked if there were any plans to mark the day. The doctor in charge shrugged his shoulders and said, no — there's no service planned. The patient walked out of the room with his shoulders slumped and Lisa, who is Jewish, saw an opportunity.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Lisa Miller: I approached the unit chief and said, "I'm certainly not a rabbi, but I've been to two-and-a-half decades of Yom Kippur services. I'd be happy to facilitate if that might be OK with you." So I showed up on Yom Kippur and the patients had arrived early to the kitchen, which was to be our sanctuary. The fluorescent lights were quite strong and as we crowded around the linoleum table there was an extraordinary feeling of specialness.
As we started the prayers that we all knew from our childhood, joining together saying in Hebrew the prayers of Yom Kippur, I looked over and noticed that as the gentleman with bipolar was davening, he could not have been further from explosive. He was holding our group in the cadence of the prayers and we were actually following him.
I took a pause and I said, "I feel so grateful to be here today in our Yom Kippur ceremony. Would anyone like to say anything?" We went around the table and the first person to speak was a very otherwise withdrawn woman with recurrent depression. She said, "You know, I always knew on Yom Kippur we could ask for forgiveness. But sitting here now with you all, I'm aware that we can be forgiven. God can forgive us." And she looked liberated.
As I looked around the table at the patients, whatever their symptoms had been yesterday, they were free in that moment. They were free of suffering. They were free of the characteristic patterns that had dragged them down in a way that was equal and opposite to their main symptoms. And so I thought a mental health system minus spirituality made no sense, and that became my life's work, to understand the place of spirituality in renewal, in recovery, in resilience, and to put this in the language of science.
Rachel Martin: What happened when you brought these kinds of questions to your peers, to the other people in your scientific community? Like when you said for the first time, "Hey, I think we need to look at the effect of spirituality on mental health." What did people say to you?
Miller: Well, the vast majority were very respectful, nodded, and didn't pick up the thread. Some of them would say, "That's not psychology, that's not psychiatry." And in fact, I remember early on giving a grand rounds presentation and I opened up saying, "I'm going to speak today about a body of data using nationally representative samples on spirituality and mental health with all the gold standard methods." And about 10 people got up and walked out. It was absolutely not of interest.
Martin: Using the gold standard, what did that mean in terms of the experiments you were running and the studies and the data you were collecting? How did you make sure that it would hold water in the scientific community?
Miller: If I were to characterize the first five years of my investigation, I would say I used the data sets that everyone else knew and trusted. I only asked one new question, which was: "What's the impact of spirituality on the DSM diagnosis of addiction and depression?" The findings were jaw dropping.
The protective benefit of personal spirituality, meaning someone who says their personal spirituality is very important, is 80% against addiction. They have 80% decreased relative risk for the DSM diagnosis of addiction to drugs or alcohol.
Martin: Wait, so someone who self-identifies as having a meaningful spiritual life is 80% less likely to get addicted to drugs or alcohol than someone who says they don't?
Miller: Yes.
Martin: Wow. And how can you prove that it is a spiritual life that is doing that and not some external factor? Because you heard this from other critics, too, some of your peers said you can't attribute that to spirituality, it's gotta be some other social conditioning.
Miller: Well, that's a very important point because in every study we controlled for all of the usual interpretations about this being social support or having resources. So we plugged into our equation every other possible explanation that was generally taken in mental health to explain the road to depression. And nonetheless, it actually turned out that the more high risk we are, the more that there's stress in our lives, the more that we might be genetically at risk for depression, the greater the impact of spirituality as a source of resilience as preventative against major depression.
Martin: What does that look like in the brain?
Miller: One of the most beautiful findings in my 20 years as an investigator was from an MRI study conducted together with our colleagues at Yale Medical School. We looked at people of many different faith traditions and the first finding was that there is one neuro seat of transcendent perception and we share it. Now there's human variability of course, and we can strengthen components.
Martin: How are you actually doing that with people? Are you asking your subjects to pray? What are the spiritual inputs that are going into them so that you can measure it on their brains?
Miller: The very specific prompt was, "Tell us about a time where you felt a deep connection to God, your higher power, the source of life." Everyone had a story like that and as they told their story, we recorded them and it was then played back in their ears while they were inside the scanner.
Martin: Ah, they heard themselves recounting their spiritual experience.
Miller: It was tailor made to their own moment.
Martin: And you saw their brains light up?
Miller: Oh yes. Connecting to these memories, the bonding network comes up online just as when we were held in the arms of our parents or grandparents.
Martin: Wait, when you say the bonding network you mean you can literally see that the brain will respond to spiritual stimuli in the same way that it does to a hug from a family member when you're a baby?
Miller: Precisely.
Martin: Can you tell me how this manifests in the real world? I'm thinking about this anecdote you include in the book about a client of yours. A girl you refer to as Iliana.
Miller: Iliana adored her father, I mean, he was the sun and the moon and the stars to her. They were so close. And one night two men who her father knew, came into his corner store, robbed him and murdered him. And she was devastated. This was a grief that was so deep. She simply could not free herself from the grief that was shackling her heart.
One day, Iliana skips into my office. There's a levity and joy. She plops into the seat and says, "Dr. Miller, you're never gonna believe this. My cousin and my cousin's girlfriend chaperoned me so I could go to a party and I met the most wonderful boy. We talked so long, it must have been 20 minutes. He was so polite and so kind. But here's the best part, his name." Which was the same very usual name as her father.
She said, "Don't you see? My father sent him. My father is looking out after me." And from that day on she was in the world of the living. What changed everything for Iliana was the awareness that her father walked with her. She maintained a deep transcendent relationship with her father, as most people around the world do.
Iliana trusted her deep inner knowing that this was far too probabilistic to have happened by chance. That this very rare name held both by this new boy and her father could possibly mean nothing.
Martin: Can I ask, what are you thinking as you hear this? I mean, are you thinking that is just a crazy coincidence, but if she needs to believe that this is a sign from God, who am I to tell her otherwise? Because it seems to be working.
Miller: Well, at the time, that was certainly the most common interpretive framework amongst psychologists and psychiatrists. But I could see plain as day that this was a tremendously sacred moment. This was a living miracle. This was a gift.
For me to have treated it like some kind of cultural diversity variable or that it's just the meaning she makes would've actually taken all of the energy and spirit out of that transformative awakening moment. I joined her.
Now I did that authentically because it was my view as well that this is far too nonprobabilistic to have happened by chance, that there are very few people by that very same name and that the first boy she met in a year and a half since her father's passing should have the name of the father. It was a synchronicity. There was a deeper meaning being revealed.
Martin: When you're talking to people who aren't scientists, someone who's skeptical, someone who doesn't have faith, who doesn't have what they define as a spiritual life, what do you want them to take away from your research and your message?
Miller: I've given a number of talks to audiences who, prior to seeing the science, would not necessarily consider themselves spiritual people. And, in fact, I oftentimes hear from people who consider themselves skeptics and very left-brained and when they see the peer reviewed science that says we're naturally spiritual beings, that when we cultivate our spirituality we're 80% less likely to be addicted, 82% less likely to take our lives, it speaks to the left side of their brains long enough that it quiets down the skepticism.
In other words, three cheers for the skeptic. Here is published, peer reviewed science for skeptical audiences to begin to explore, to be curious about our spiritual nature. You know, at the inner table of human knowing we all have an empiricist, a logician, an intuitive, a mystic, and a skeptic. And the skeptic is very welcome, but the skeptic is not the bouncer at the door.
It is not scientific to put a skeptic as a bouncer at the door. It is not more rigorous to toss out an idea before being examined in every way. We are wired to be able to investigate. So I simply say to the biggest skeptic of all, you are most welcome to your own inner table of inquiry, but be sure to invite everyone else.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.nprillinois.org/2023-07-30/this-ivy-league-researcher-says-spirituality-is-good-for-our-mental-health | 2023-07-30T11:01:35 | 0 | https://www.nprillinois.org/2023-07-30/this-ivy-league-researcher-says-spirituality-is-good-for-our-mental-health |
People have asked me what I've learned so far through this series. Have I gotten any clarity on what makes up my own spiritual identity? And the answer is, not really. I'm still in the research phase of this project. I'm still collecting experiences and perspectives and I imagine I'll keep doing that forever, but it's too early to draw any definitive conclusions — except for one.
I believe each and every one of us is capable of making our own meaning. Some of us do that by living according to a set of religious principles. Or by feeling the beauty and sanctity of nature. Or by choosing to see spiritual connections in what others might call mere coincidence.
I don't need anyone to validate those experiences for them to be meaningful to me. But according to Lisa Miller, a professor in the Clinical Psychology Program at Teachers College, Columbia University, having a spiritual life is good for your mental health.
Miller is a psychologist and has dedicated most of her career to the study of neuroscience and spirituality. Her newest book is called The Awakened Brain, and in it she makes some really bold claims about how holding spiritual beliefs can decrease our rates of anxiety and depression and generally make us most likely to lead happier lives. I can hear your skepticism already! I get it. I'm a spiritually inclined kind of person but it's still hard for me to understand how, scientifically speaking, believing in something bigger than yourself can make you healthier and happier.
I needed to understand how Miller came to these conclusions. But before she got to the actual science, she told me a story.
It was the mid '90s. Miller was in the early stages of her career and working at a residential mental health facility in New York City. After she'd been there a few months, Yom Kippur rolled around — the day of atonement, considered the most significant of the Jewish religious holidays. One of the older male patients with severe bipolar disorder asked if there were any plans to mark the day. The doctor in charge shrugged his shoulders and said, no — there's no service planned. The patient walked out of the room with his shoulders slumped and Lisa, who is Jewish, saw an opportunity.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Lisa Miller: I approached the unit chief and said, "I'm certainly not a rabbi, but I've been to two-and-a-half decades of Yom Kippur services. I'd be happy to facilitate if that might be OK with you." So I showed up on Yom Kippur and the patients had arrived early to the kitchen, which was to be our sanctuary. The fluorescent lights were quite strong and as we crowded around the linoleum table there was an extraordinary feeling of specialness.
As we started the prayers that we all knew from our childhood, joining together saying in Hebrew the prayers of Yom Kippur, I looked over and noticed that as the gentleman with bipolar was davening, he could not have been further from explosive. He was holding our group in the cadence of the prayers and we were actually following him.
I took a pause and I said, "I feel so grateful to be here today in our Yom Kippur ceremony. Would anyone like to say anything?" We went around the table and the first person to speak was a very otherwise withdrawn woman with recurrent depression. She said, "You know, I always knew on Yom Kippur we could ask for forgiveness. But sitting here now with you all, I'm aware that we can be forgiven. God can forgive us." And she looked liberated.
As I looked around the table at the patients, whatever their symptoms had been yesterday, they were free in that moment. They were free of suffering. They were free of the characteristic patterns that had dragged them down in a way that was equal and opposite to their main symptoms. And so I thought a mental health system minus spirituality made no sense, and that became my life's work, to understand the place of spirituality in renewal, in recovery, in resilience, and to put this in the language of science.
Rachel Martin: What happened when you brought these kinds of questions to your peers, to the other people in your scientific community? Like when you said for the first time, "Hey, I think we need to look at the effect of spirituality on mental health." What did people say to you?
Miller: Well, the vast majority were very respectful, nodded, and didn't pick up the thread. Some of them would say, "That's not psychology, that's not psychiatry." And in fact, I remember early on giving a grand rounds presentation and I opened up saying, "I'm going to speak today about a body of data using nationally representative samples on spirituality and mental health with all the gold standard methods." And about 10 people got up and walked out. It was absolutely not of interest.
Martin: Using the gold standard, what did that mean in terms of the experiments you were running and the studies and the data you were collecting? How did you make sure that it would hold water in the scientific community?
Miller: If I were to characterize the first five years of my investigation, I would say I used the data sets that everyone else knew and trusted. I only asked one new question, which was: "What's the impact of spirituality on the DSM diagnosis of addiction and depression?" The findings were jaw dropping.
The protective benefit of personal spirituality, meaning someone who says their personal spirituality is very important, is 80% against addiction. They have 80% decreased relative risk for the DSM diagnosis of addiction to drugs or alcohol.
Martin: Wait, so someone who self-identifies as having a meaningful spiritual life is 80% less likely to get addicted to drugs or alcohol than someone who says they don't?
Miller: Yes.
Martin: Wow. And how can you prove that it is a spiritual life that is doing that and not some external factor? Because you heard this from other critics, too, some of your peers said you can't attribute that to spirituality, it's gotta be some other social conditioning.
Miller: Well, that's a very important point because in every study we controlled for all of the usual interpretations about this being social support or having resources. So we plugged into our equation every other possible explanation that was generally taken in mental health to explain the road to depression. And nonetheless, it actually turned out that the more high risk we are, the more that there's stress in our lives, the more that we might be genetically at risk for depression, the greater the impact of spirituality as a source of resilience as preventative against major depression.
Martin: What does that look like in the brain?
Miller: One of the most beautiful findings in my 20 years as an investigator was from an MRI study conducted together with our colleagues at Yale Medical School. We looked at people of many different faith traditions and the first finding was that there is one neuro seat of transcendent perception and we share it. Now there's human variability of course, and we can strengthen components.
Martin: How are you actually doing that with people? Are you asking your subjects to pray? What are the spiritual inputs that are going into them so that you can measure it on their brains?
Miller: The very specific prompt was, "Tell us about a time where you felt a deep connection to God, your higher power, the source of life." Everyone had a story like that and as they told their story, we recorded them and it was then played back in their ears while they were inside the scanner.
Martin: Ah, they heard themselves recounting their spiritual experience.
Miller: It was tailor made to their own moment.
Martin: And you saw their brains light up?
Miller: Oh yes. Connecting to these memories, the bonding network comes up online just as when we were held in the arms of our parents or grandparents.
Martin: Wait, when you say the bonding network you mean you can literally see that the brain will respond to spiritual stimuli in the same way that it does to a hug from a family member when you're a baby?
Miller: Precisely.
Martin: Can you tell me how this manifests in the real world? I'm thinking about this anecdote you include in the book about a client of yours. A girl you refer to as Iliana.
Miller: Iliana adored her father, I mean, he was the sun and the moon and the stars to her. They were so close. And one night two men who her father knew, came into his corner store, robbed him and murdered him. And she was devastated. This was a grief that was so deep. She simply could not free herself from the grief that was shackling her heart.
One day, Iliana skips into my office. There's a levity and joy. She plops into the seat and says, "Dr. Miller, you're never gonna believe this. My cousin and my cousin's girlfriend chaperoned me so I could go to a party and I met the most wonderful boy. We talked so long, it must have been 20 minutes. He was so polite and so kind. But here's the best part, his name." Which was the same very usual name as her father.
She said, "Don't you see? My father sent him. My father is looking out after me." And from that day on she was in the world of the living. What changed everything for Iliana was the awareness that her father walked with her. She maintained a deep transcendent relationship with her father, as most people around the world do.
Iliana trusted her deep inner knowing that this was far too probabilistic to have happened by chance. That this very rare name held both by this new boy and her father could possibly mean nothing.
Martin: Can I ask, what are you thinking as you hear this? I mean, are you thinking that is just a crazy coincidence, but if she needs to believe that this is a sign from God, who am I to tell her otherwise? Because it seems to be working.
Miller: Well, at the time, that was certainly the most common interpretive framework amongst psychologists and psychiatrists. But I could see plain as day that this was a tremendously sacred moment. This was a living miracle. This was a gift.
For me to have treated it like some kind of cultural diversity variable or that it's just the meaning she makes would've actually taken all of the energy and spirit out of that transformative awakening moment. I joined her.
Now I did that authentically because it was my view as well that this is far too nonprobabilistic to have happened by chance, that there are very few people by that very same name and that the first boy she met in a year and a half since her father's passing should have the name of the father. It was a synchronicity. There was a deeper meaning being revealed.
Martin: When you're talking to people who aren't scientists, someone who's skeptical, someone who doesn't have faith, who doesn't have what they define as a spiritual life, what do you want them to take away from your research and your message?
Miller: I've given a number of talks to audiences who, prior to seeing the science, would not necessarily consider themselves spiritual people. And, in fact, I oftentimes hear from people who consider themselves skeptics and very left-brained and when they see the peer reviewed science that says we're naturally spiritual beings, that when we cultivate our spirituality we're 80% less likely to be addicted, 82% less likely to take our lives, it speaks to the left side of their brains long enough that it quiets down the skepticism.
In other words, three cheers for the skeptic. Here is published, peer reviewed science for skeptical audiences to begin to explore, to be curious about our spiritual nature. You know, at the inner table of human knowing we all have an empiricist, a logician, an intuitive, a mystic, and a skeptic. And the skeptic is very welcome, but the skeptic is not the bouncer at the door.
It is not scientific to put a skeptic as a bouncer at the door. It is not more rigorous to toss out an idea before being examined in every way. We are wired to be able to investigate. So I simply say to the biggest skeptic of all, you are most welcome to your own inner table of inquiry, but be sure to invite everyone else.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wvasfm.org/science/2023-07-30/this-ivy-league-researcher-says-spirituality-is-good-for-our-mental-health | 2023-07-30T11:01:36 | 1 | https://www.wvasfm.org/science/2023-07-30/this-ivy-league-researcher-says-spirituality-is-good-for-our-mental-health |
FORT SMITH -- The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith Foundation and the university's Center for Economic Development plan to give money to...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
University of Arkansas at Fort Smith to support local entrepreneurs with ‘Community Investment Fund’ grants in early 2024
by Thomas Saccente | Today at 1:00 a.m.
Attendees listen to a presentation, Wednesday, July 19, 2023, during a small business administration event inside the University of Arkansas-Fort Smiths Center for Economic Development at the Bakery District in downtown Fort Smith. The center and the UAFS Foundation announced the creation of the Community Investment Fund, which will provide money to small business owners in the River Valley who have faced barriers to accessing capital, markets and essential networks for growth, according to a UAFS news release. They plan to launch the program in early 2024. Visit nwaonline.com/photo for today's photo gallery.
(River Valley Democrat-Gazette/Hank Layton)
Print Headline: UAFS to launch ‘Community Investment Fund’ for small businesses
Sponsor Content
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/university-of-arkansas-at-fort-smith-to-support/ | 2023-07-30T11:01:38 | 1 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/university-of-arkansas-at-fort-smith-to-support/ |
Alexei Popyrin vs. Stan Wawrinka: Prediction and Match Betting Odds | Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag
In the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag final on Sunday, Alexei Popyrin meets Stan Wawrinka.
Wawrinka is favored (-200) to win the title versus Popyrin (+155).
Looking to place a bet on this or other tennis matches? Head over to BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks, and sign up today with our link!
Alexei Popyrin vs. Stan Wawrinka Match Information
- Tournament: The Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag
- Round: Finals
- Date: Sunday, July 30
- Venue: Stadium Goran Ivanisevic in ITC Stella Maris
- Location: Umag, Croatia
- Court Surface: Clay
Watch live tennis and many more sports and shows without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
Alexei Popyrin vs. Stan Wawrinka Prediction and Odds
Based on the moneyline in this match, Stan Wawrinka has a 66.7% chance to win.
Bet on tennis with BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks!
Alexei Popyrin vs. Stan Wawrinka Trends and Insights
- In the semifinals on Saturday, Popyrin beat Matteo Arnaldi 6-7, 7-5, 6-3.
- Wawrinka was victorious 6-3, 6-4 versus Lorenzo Sonego in the semifinals on Saturday.
- Popyrin has played 47 matches over the past 12 months across all court surfaces, and 28.0 games per match (25.3 in best-of-three matches).
- On clay, Popyrin has played 16 matches over the past year, totaling 26.7 games per match (26.0 in best-of-three matches) while winning 51.5% of games.
- In the past year, Wawrinka has competed in 40 total matches (across all court surfaces), winning 51.1% of the games. He averages 27.3 games per match (24.6 in best-of-three matches) and 10.6 games per set.
- On clay, Wawrinka has played 11 matches and averaged 28.7 games per match (23.4 in best-of-three matches) and 10.9 games per set.
- Popyrin and Wawrinka have not matched up against each other since 2015.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.kalb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/alexei-popyrin-vs-stan-wawrinka-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-plava-laguna-croatia-open-umag/ | 2023-07-30T11:01:39 | 0 | https://www.kalb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/alexei-popyrin-vs-stan-wawrinka-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-plava-laguna-croatia-open-umag/ |
BRISBANE, Australia -- Wendie Renard was threatening to skip the Women's World Cup and Eugenie 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 Renard 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 Herve 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.
Renard "is the most important player in the dressing room. Always talking, motivating 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."
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.
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, Marta entered the game for Brazil 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.
Jamaica 1, Panama 0
PERTH, Australia -- Defender Allyson Swaby scored in the 56th minute and Jamaica hung on to edge Panama 1-0 on Saturday for its first-ever win at the Women's World Cup.
Swaby, who grew up in West Hartford, Conn., and played for Boston College, knocked in a header off Trudi Carter's corner kick to clinch the win that moved the Jamaicans into a surprising share of the top spot in Group F with France.
The Reggae Girlz were without captain and leading scorer Khadija Shaw, who received a red card in second-half stoppage time of the team's opening 0-0 draw against France.
Born to a Jamaican father, Allyson and her younger sister, Chantelle, a former Rutgers player, both are starting in their second Women's World Cup.
Jamaica goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer made four saves in the game, which was the first group-stage meeting between two CONCACAF teams.
Spencer's first save came in the 40th minute, stopping a Marta Cox shot on goal.
Las Canaleras had one final chance to equalize in the dying seconds off a Katherine Castillo corner. The kick traveled to just outside the box, but Cox's bicycle attempt wasn't enough to score.
Jamaica will have Shaw back in the lineup to face Brazil on Wednesday. Panama plays France in Sydney the same day.
Sweden 5, Italy 0
WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- After leaving it to the last minute against South Africa, Sweden left nothing to chance Saturday in a 5-0 win over Italy which sealed its place in the knockout rounds of the Women's World Cup.
Sweden relied on Amanda Ilestedt's 90th-minute winner to salvage a 2-1 win from a sub-par performance in its opener against South Africa.
Ilestedt was Sweden's first scorer Saturday, this time in the 39th, and her glancing header from a corner sparked a flood of four Swedish goals in 11 minutes on either side of halftime. Her second goal came in the 50th and was a mirror image of the first.
Rebecka Blomqvist finished it off in stoppage time with Sweden's fifth goal.
Joanna Andersson curled the ball in from the right in the 39th and Ilestedt rose highest at the near post to glance the ball on a narrow angle into the net.
Fridolina scored in the first minute of stoppage time. Sent clear by a neat back-heel she passed low and beyond Francesca Durante, finding Stina Blackstenius, who tapped in. Arsenal's Blackstenius couldn't score against South Africa but she was pivotal to the Swedish attack Saturday; her goal was her 29th for the national team.
Sweden led 3-0 at halftime, and the scoring continued after the break. On a corner in the 50th, Ilestedt was on station at the near post to head home.
The clinical nature of Sweden's attack was highlighted by the fact possession was almost evenly shared. But Sweden had 14 shots on target, Italy four and the Italians will be haunted by Sweden's seven corners, all of which represented an immediate danger.
While Sweden is into the knockout rounds, there is much still to play for in Group G with Argentina, Italy and South Africa all still with a chance of progressing. Sweden has six points, Italy has three points from its victory over Argentina. South Africa and Argentina have one point each after their draw in Dunedin. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/veterans-capitalize-for-france-in-win-over-brazil/ | 2023-07-30T11:01:44 | 1 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/veterans-capitalize-for-france-in-win-over-brazil/ |
How to Watch NASCAR, F1, IndyCar & More: Auto Racing Streaming Live - Sunday, July 30
Published: Jul. 30, 2023 at 5:36 AM CDT|Updated: 24 minutes ago
True auto racing fans know that there's no such thing as too many races. From the starting gun to the checkered flag, you want to see it all. Check out the article below to find out how to watch or live stream the Formula 1, Formula E, Motocross, NASCAR Cup Series, and NHRA Drag Racing action airing on Fubo on Sunday, July 30.
Watch even more auto racing coverage with ESPN+!
Auto Racing Streaming Live Today
Watch Formula 1: Belgium Grand Prix
- Series: Formula 1
- Game Time: 8:55 AM ET
- TV Channel: ESPN
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Watch Motocross: MXGP Finland - Race 1
- Series: Motocross
- Game Time: 9:00 AM ET
- TV Channel: CBS Sports Network
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Watch Formula E: Round 16: London - Race
- Series: Formula E
- Game Time: 11:30 AM ET
- TV Channel: CBS Sports Network
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Watch NASCAR Cup Series: Cook Out 400
- Series: NASCAR Cup Series
- Game Time: 3:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: USA Network
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Watch NHRA Drag Racing: DENSO Sonoma Nationals
- Series: NHRA Drag Racing
- Game Time: 4:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: FOX
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Make sure you're following along with racing action all year long on Fubo and ESPN+!
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.kalb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/auto-racing-live-stream/ | 2023-07-30T11:01:46 | 0 | https://www.kalb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/auto-racing-live-stream/ |
Rising in power and respected on both sides of the aisle, Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., has grown so fed up with his party's leadership kowtowing to a small band of hard-right lawmakers that he is considering retiring next year, according to The Washington Post.
Womack, 66, was jolted out of the often-mundane work of presiding over the House when liberal activists in the public gallery started shouting and protesting. Just a few months into office, he didn't know what to do.
"The chair has observed a disturbance," Womack recalled saying, delivering a brief speech while banging the gavel to bring the chamber back to order. Once things settled down, the parliamentarian's staff found the formal script for such moments -- Womack had, on instinct, delivered the almost perfect response.
A gavel-wielding star was born. By the last day of his first term -- a contentious New Year's Day session in 2013, with Womack presiding again -- he logged more hours in the chair than any member of the huge freshman class.
He instantly loved what many saw as a cumbersome task with little reward, and now, after four years in the minority, Womack is once again the go-to officer to preside over tense debates in the House.
"I came in as an institution guy," Womack, a former mayor and 30-year member of the Army National Guard, said during an hourlong interview. He won't even allow the slightest misstep of words when a member rises to speak until that member properly asks for "unanimous consent."
"I want people to have enough respect for the institution that they adhere to the institutional norms, and when things go haywire, and they often do, it breaks my heart," he added.
That is why these next 45 or so days will be the longest late-summer recess of his 13 years in Congress.
Expecting to make a decision around Labor Day, he will weigh whether Republican dysfunction is "so unpleasant" that he can no longer "be a difference-maker" in the chamber he loves.
"Then I'll go do something else," he said.
After this story was published in the Post, Womack pushed back Saturday on the notion that he was considering retiring.
"An article published in the Washington Post unfortunately intimated I was considering retirement," the congressman said on X, formerly known as Twitter. "To be clear, I am frustrated with the state of play in Congress; however I have every intention of running for re-election and using my work to fix the institution I love."
"I have always used Labor Day as the time frame for these decisions. I take nothing for granted and I'm honored every day to serve my constituents in Arkansas' Third District."
Womack has not hidden his frustrations with Congress and the culture on Capitol Hill. He told the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/Associated Industries of Arkansas in May that the legislative body's biggest challenge is overcoming the "division of the body politic."
"There are so many issues facing us right now, and yet we are so politically divided," he said. "Everything up here is a weapon. Everything up here has some political weaponization to it."
'LIFE IS TOO SHORT'
Womack recounted to the Post leaving his longtime Methodist church during a late-1990s mayoral race because fellow congregants attacked him in the local press.
"Life is too short to sit in misery," Womack said.
His friends are giving him space to make the decision but worry that his retirement would lead to his conservative northwestern Arkansas district replacing him with a more fire-breathing Republican. And some fear that Womack's would not be the only retirement from the workhorse wing of the House GOP.
"He's one of the brightest guys here in Congress. And he loves the institution and is frustrated, like I and others are, about what's happening to it," said Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, who is in his 25th year in Congress and has been a mentor to Womack. "I think there's a lot of people like that, to tell you the truth. It's just people considering: Is this really worth it?"
Simpson gave an equivocal answer about his own reelection bid in 2024.
"Right now, I'm running again," he said, pausing for effect. "Right now."
That Womack has ended up so frustrated is an indictment of the state of congressional politics. He arrived 12½ years ago fairly awestruck.
While serving in the Guard, he won his first campaign, in 1996, for mayor of Rogers, a few miles east of Bentonville. The thousands of outsiders who've moved to the region to work at Walmart have softened the edge of a congressional district that has been in Republican hands for more than 55 years -- Donald Trump's 60% support there in 2016 and 2020 fell well below Mitt Romney's 66% of the vote in 2012.
So after winning the 2010 House race, Womack immediately sought out a path toward traditional, insider influence. He bumped into Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Ky., the incoming chairman of the Appropriations Committee, during orientation and gave a brief pitch about why Rogers should put him on the committee, citing all his prior work.
"You might be interested in knowing the name of the city where I was mayor," Womack recalled saying, growing a bit desperate. "Rogers, Arkansas."
"You're exactly what I'm looking for," Rogers replied, poking him in the chest.
Two years later, after that chaotic New Year's Day conclusion to the term, then-House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, apologized for how Womack got stuck presiding as Democrats protested the delay of emergency funding after Superstorm Sandy. Womack politely asked to get a spot on the defense subcommittee, a plum gig funding the Pentagon, and Boehner said yes.
By the summer of 2016, Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., appointed Womack to preside over that summer's contentious rules fights during the Republican National Convention, and by 2018, Womack became chairman of the House Budget Committee.
He was a joyful soul, sitting down in the front row of the chamber happily trading stories with veterans like Rogers, Simpson and others. He even served on the secretive-but-influential steering committee, deciding which lawmakers were assigned to which committees and who served as chairs.
While others sought cable news and social media highs, Womack stuck to his committee work, focusing on his district, and, so far anyway, he has not faced a credible primary challenge from his right while winning every general election by at least 2 to 1.
Then Republicans lost the 2018 midterms, and Ryan, like Boehner before him, retired. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., now the speaker, became minority leader and, slowly but surely, the House GOP's center of gravity started drifting away from people like Womack.
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, one of McCarthy's biggest antagonists from the right, became McCarthy's confidant. And McCarthy leaned in heavily to President Donald Trump as the 2020 election approached, and whenever some Republican acted up, very few faced any real punishment.
TURNING POINT
Womack's turning point came Jan. 6, 2021, when then-Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., spoke at the Trump rally that preceded the joint session of Congress held to certify Joe Biden's presidential election victory. Brooks called for "taking down names" of Republicans who didn't back Trump's false claim of victory.
When the dust settled after the ensuing riot, Womack voted with one-third of his conference to certify Biden's win. He then sought to punish Brooks for his pointed attacks on fellow Republicans by using his steering committee perch to try to remove Brooks from the Armed Services Committee.
"I think I had the votes," Womack said. McCarthy and leaders delayed that vote and eventually tipped the scales for Brooks.
"Keeping him on Armed Services was rewarding him for comments that were just completely out of line," Womack said during the interview, explaining how he quit the steering committee in protest. "And I felt so principled about it that I just didn't want to be associated with an organization that was going to be populating committees with people like that."
The joy of winning back the majority last November, giving him a subcommittee chairman's gavel overseeing roughly $30 billion of federal funds, began to fade when McCarthy had to go 15 rounds of balloting to secure the votes to become speaker. A series of closed-door sessions between McCarthy and far-right lawmakers led them to proclaim that they had secured secret promises from McCarthy.
"That's not how you want to govern as speaker, where there is a feeling out there that you cut a deal with some other people and we don't really know what the deal is," Womack said.
Contrasting McCarthy with Boehner, Womack said some members have trouble taking the speaker at his word.
"I want him to mean what he says and stand by his position among a conference that sometimes can get sideways with him. That's kind of the military in me," the former Army colonel said. In defending his soft touch as House speaker where discipline is concerned, McCarthy has said he prefers to reprimand wayward Republicans in private discussions rather than with public admonishment or actual punishments.
In the late spring, after McCarthy and President Joe Biden clinched a budget framework deal, the far-right flank objected to those spending levels and the Appropriations Committee was told to drop more than $100 billion from its dozen bills. Womack's bill cut funding for agencies such as the IRS and the Securities and Exchange Commission by billions of dollars while also adding policy riders that restrict D.C. traffic cameras and other culture-war items.
Democrats generally respect Womack and accuse McCarthy of caving to the ideologues, but Womack does vote for these bills.
"Awful things are put in bills," said Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the top Democrat on Womack's subcommittee. "And people who don't believe in awful things are voting for the bills."
Early this year, during the first major slog of amendments, Womack took over as presiding officer and explained that the nearly two dozen votes would be completed in two-minute increments.
"Two minutes is two minutes," he said, eliciting cheers from both sides of the aisle. He felt good about his standing in the institution.
Now he's going to spend the next few weeks deciding whether the institution itself is fixable, with him or without him.
"We can't afford to lose people like him," Simpson said.
Information for this article was contributed by Paul Kane of The Washington Post and by Alex Thomas of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/womack-reportedly-mulls-exit/ | 2023-07-30T11:01:51 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/womack-reportedly-mulls-exit/ |
Clara Burel vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto: Prediction and Match Betting Odds | Ladies Open Lausanne
On Sunday, Clara Burel (No. 84 in the world) takes on Elisabetta Cocciaretto (No. 42) in the final of the Ladies Open Lausanne.
Cocciaretto is favored to win the tournament championship over Burel, with -150 odds compared to the underdog's +115.
Looking to place a bet on this or other tennis matches? Head over to BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks, and sign up today with our link!
Clara Burel vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto Match Information
- Tournament: The Ladies Open Lausanne
- Round: Finals
- Date: Sunday, July 30
- Venue: Tennis Club du Stade-Lausanne
- Location: Lausanne, Switzerland
- Court Surface: Clay
Watch live tennis and many more sports and shows without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
Clara Burel vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto Prediction and Odds
Based on the moneyline in this match, Elisabetta Cocciaretto has a 60.0% chance to win.
Bet on tennis with BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks!
Clara Burel vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto Trends and Insights
- Burel defeated Diane Parry 4-6, 7-6, 6-3 in the semifinals on Saturday.
- Cocciaretto came out on top 6-7, 7-6, 7-5 against Anna Bondar in the semifinals on Saturday.
- Through 28 matches over the past year (across all court surfaces), Burel has played 23.2 games per match and won 50.9% of them.
- Burel has played 11 matches on clay over the past year, and 22.7 games per match.
- In her 41 matches in the past year across all court surfaces, Cocciaretto is averaging 21.5 games per match while winning 52.1% of those games.
- On clay, Cocciaretto has played 13 matches and averaged 23.2 games per match and 9.7 games per set.
- Burel and Cocciaretto have played one time dating back to 2015, in the WTA 125K Bol, Croatia Women Singles 2022 quarterfinals. Cocciaretto claimed victory in that bout 6-2, 6-4.
- In terms of sets, Cocciaretto has won two against Burel (100.0%), while Burel has clinched zero.
- Cocciaretto has the edge in 18 total games against Burel, claiming 12 of them.
- In their one match against each other, Burel and Cocciaretto are averaging 18.0 games and 2.0 sets.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.kalb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/clara-burel-vs-elisabetta-cocciaretto-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-ladies-open-lausanne/ | 2023-07-30T11:01:52 | 1 | https://www.kalb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/clara-burel-vs-elisabetta-cocciaretto-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-ladies-open-lausanne/ |
Taylor Fritz vs. Aleksandar Vukic: Prediction and Match Betting Odds | Truist Atlanta Open
In the Truist Atlanta Open final on Sunday, Taylor Fritz takes on Aleksandar Vukic.
Fritz is favored (-550) bring home the title versus Vukic (+375).
Looking to place a bet on this or other tennis matches? Head over to BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks, and sign up today with our link!
Taylor Fritz vs. Aleksandar Vukic Match Information
- Tournament: The Truist Atlanta Open
- Round: Finals
- Date: Sunday, July 30
- Venue: Atlantic Station
- Location: Atlanta, Georgia
- Court Surface: Hard
Watch live tennis and many more sports and shows without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
Taylor Fritz vs. Aleksandar Vukic Prediction and Odds
Based on the moneyline in this match, Taylor Fritz has an 84.6% chance to win.
Bet on tennis with BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks!
Taylor Fritz vs. Aleksandar Vukic Trends and Insights
- By defeating No. 46-ranked Jeffrey John Wolf 6-3, 7-5 on Saturday, Fritz reached the finals.
- Vukic reached the finals by beating No. 38-ranked Ugo Humbert 3-6, 7-6, 7-5 on Saturday.
- Fritz has played 68 matches over the past year (across all court types), and 26.2 games per match (24.1 in best-of-three matches).
- Fritz has played 44 matches on hard courts over the past 12 months, and 25.8 games per match (24.3 in best-of-three matches).
- In the past year, Vukic has played 34 total matches (across all court types), winning 51.5% of the games. He averages 24.6 games per match (23.3 in best-of-three matches) and 9.8 games per set.
- Vukic has averaged 23.8 games per match (22.8 in best-of-three matches) and 9.6 games per set through 21 matches on hard courts in the past 12 months, winning 52.1% of those games.
- Dating back to 2015, Fritz and Vukic have not met on the court.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.kalb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/taylor-fritz-vs-aleksandar-vukic-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-truist-atlanta-open/ | 2023-07-30T11:01:55 | 0 | https://www.kalb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/taylor-fritz-vs-aleksandar-vukic-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-truist-atlanta-open/ |
The last Apollo mission launched a few weeks before I was born. I grew up hearing people describe an audacious goal as a “moonshot.”
What excites me lately is how poised for a comeback this country is for the environment and the economy. I think of it as our “Earth shot,” and my home state of Maryland is emerging as Cape Canaveral’s successor.
Sparrows Point is one of our launchpads. That’s where Orsted, a wind energy company, will manufacture what it needs to power about 300,000 Maryland homes as part of a state goal for offshore windfarms to provide electricity to about 3 million homes. That also will create 125 good jobs that pay well. All on a site that once housed the world’s largest steel mill.
The Free State is showing what can happen when bold leadership and real dollars meet to address climate concerns.
Gov. Wes Moore and the state legislature last year set a goal for Maryland to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 60% by 2031 and reach net zero emissions by 2045.
They’ve begun pursuing those goals, from demanding dealers offer more options for zero-emissions cars and trucks each year until reaching 100% of sales in 2035 to permitting community solar power projects to bring that renewable energy to more homes and businesses.
The White House and Congress did their part last year by passing a historic spending package directing nearly $400 billion to growing clean energy and revitalizing American manufacturing. In Baltimore this month, Vice President Kamala Harris announced a $20 billion loan program for underserved neighborhoods that she called “the largest investment in financing for community-based climate projects in our nation’s history.”
The unprecedented clean energy package provides tax incentives, grants and loans for much of what Maryland seeks to accomplish. There are tax credits of up to $7,500 for buying new and used electric cars and trucks. Pretty soon, the neighbors I see at our local watering hole near the Chesapeake Bay will be far less interested in my electric Ford F-150 because they’ll have one of their own.
Similarly, there are rebates of up to $8,000 for home energy efficiency upgrades like heat pumps and rooftop solar panels. This helps balance the upfront costs that hit immediately with the energy cost savings that only accrue over time. Owners of multifamily buildings can get rebates of up to $400,000.
Transportation and electricity use make up nearly 60% of Maryland’s greenhouse gas emissions, which makes this federal support vital and targeted.
The real test is to make sure the benefits of clean energy and the good jobs that will come with it are shared widely and fairly across Maryland and every state.
“The climate crisis impacts everybody, but it does not impact all communities equally,” the vice president noted. “Poor communities, rural communities, Native communities and communities of color are often the hardest hit and the least able to recover.”
We see this in places like West Baltimore where I spent summers with my grandparents and where the childhood asthma rate is five times higher.
We need more contractors to do those energy upgrades, and there are federal dollars to provide that, for example. We must ensure that people from the communities most in need have a place in that training, as they’re the ones most likely to serve their neighbors.
“When the president and I invest in climate, we intend to invest in jobs, invest in families, and invest in America,” Harris told the crowd at Coppin State University.
In the 1920s, National Geographic called Maryland “America in Miniature” for its terrain and waters. Let’s hope that nickname takes on a broader meaning as my state becomes the clean energy model it aspires to be and does it in a way that allows all residents feel the benefit. It’s then we’ll know that this Earth shot led to that “one giant leap for mankind” we’ve heard about.
Ben Jealous is executive director of the Sierra Club, the nation’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization. He is a professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania and author of “Never Forget Our People Were Always Free,” published in January.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article. | https://www.phillytrib.com/commentary/bold-leadership-and-historic-investment-are-launching-climate-renewal/article_dffc096e-939a-53f8-a7b4-9875a935db39.html | 2023-07-30T11:05:34 | 0 | https://www.phillytrib.com/commentary/bold-leadership-and-historic-investment-are-launching-climate-renewal/article_dffc096e-939a-53f8-a7b4-9875a935db39.html |
Hamtramck, Michigan, a city of 28,000 just north of Detroit, is a case study in the promise and perils of American pluralism, and a window on the political forces working to destroy it.
A working-class enclave that’s home to thousands of Muslim immigrants from Yemen and Bangladesh, Hamtramck made news in 2015 when it became the first U.S. city with a majority-Muslim city council. At a time when Donald Trump was falsely claiming to have witnessed “thousands and thousands” of Muslims celebrating the 2001 destruction of the World Trade Center, Hamtramck’s political trajectory seemed a renunciation of the bigotry and lies engulfing the Republican presidential primary.
It looks different now. With socially conservative Muslims in control of the local government, Hamtramck was in the news again last month, this time after the city council passed legislation banning Pride flags from flying on city property.
The ban didn’t take place in a vacuum. In May, national polling by Gallup showed a 7-point decline from the previous year, to 64%, when people were asked whether gay or lesbian relations are “morally acceptable.” Similarly, the percentage of Americans supportive of transgender athletes playing on teams that “match their current gender identity” declined to 26% in 2023 from 34% in 2021.
The decline in acceptance of LGBTQ Americans accompanies a GOP campaign targeting them with discriminatory laws and demonizing rhetoric. Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, in particular, has waged a relentless attack on LGBTQ rights and dignity, including seeking to remove mention of LGBTQ Americans from classrooms. While DeSantis and other GOP leaders wage a war on “woke” — formerly known as “empathy” — conservative activists, from Fox News hosts to the censorship advocates Moms for Liberty, have sought to make LGBTQ synonymous with sexual predation and exploitation of children.
It’s an ugly game, intended to strike a responsive chord of bigotry in conservative communities. Of course, residents of Hamtramck were very recently on the receiving end of such a campaign themselves. One of Trump’s first acts as president was an unconstitutional ban on Muslims entering the U.S. (which he subsequently revised to pass court scrutiny). No doubt some of the hundreds who descended on U.S. airports to protest that ban were LGBTQ Americans seeking to protect the rights of Muslims.
But finding fault lines in American society, and driving wedges into them, is the work of contemporary politics, and the chief occupation of the Republican Party. Mexican “rapists.” LGBTQ “groomers.” Urban “criminals.” Such epithets are the product of the political laboratory. The targets of past GOP attacks — the purveyors of what Trump in 2016 called the “violence and oppression of a hateful foreign ideology” — are now recruited to join in current GOP attacks. “Republicans are wooing Muslim voters by promising to protect them from LGBTQ rights advocates,” David Weigel reported in Semafor last month.
As Michelle Goldberg wrote in the New York Times, “the backlash against what’s sometimes called gender ideology is so strong that it’s creating space for strange new political bedfellows.”
The turnaround in Hamtramck suggests how easily the Democrats’ multiracial coalition can be unwound under pressure from the right’s culture war. The long conservative war against affirmative action in university admissions sought to recruit Asian-Americans to the grievance politics of white conservatives, turning them against Black and Brown minorities. Anti-Black sentiment among some Hispanics, and xenophobia among some Black Americans, are likewise wedges to turn racial minorities against each other, in service of white conservative rule. Feminist success in the American workplace and culture is easily recast as a victory that threatens to turn American men into losers. For men without valuable college degrees, including minority men who already perceive that their opportunities are too limited, the misogyny of bro politics may seem like self-defense. Meanwhile, affluent liberals, the most cosseted part of the Democratic coalition, may soon have to live their principles as the need for diverse housing shifts more attention to carefully cultivated suburbs. Will they act in short-term self-interest or long-term community interest?
Multiracial pluralism, and the political coalitions that make it work, is difficult to build and hard to sustain. The Democratic Party has traveled too far and is too dependent on its diverse constituents to turn back now. But the threats to that coalition will not stop even as the white majority recedes; they will evolve. Each piece of what the late New York City Mayor David Dinkins used to call the “gorgeous mosaic” is vulnerable, capable of being pried from the picture, leaving a gaping wound. The politics of scapegoating and reaction is in a race against the politics of multiracial liberalism. Given the corrosive effects of reaction and scapegoating, it’s a battle that American liberals can’t afford to lose, and one that American conservatives can’t afford to win.
Francis Wilkinson is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering U.S. politics and policy.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article. | https://www.phillytrib.com/commentary/michigan-city-shows-vulnerability-of-democrats-multiracial-coalition/article_5b10890a-71c2-595c-892a-6ee36f8c7b68.html | 2023-07-30T11:05:40 | 0 | https://www.phillytrib.com/commentary/michigan-city-shows-vulnerability-of-democrats-multiracial-coalition/article_5b10890a-71c2-595c-892a-6ee36f8c7b68.html |
In June, I completed my first school year as superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia, the eighth largest district in the country where 197,288 public school students are educated. A few weeks ago, the Board of Education unanimously approved Accelerate Philly — a five-year strategic plan for 2023 to 2028 designed to accelerate student achievement by preparing them to imagine and realize the future they desire.
Leading one of the nation’s largest public school districts is a tremendous privilege, particularly in Philadelphia. Historians remind me that I stand on the shoulders of great education and political leaders, as Philadelphia is the birthplace of our democracy and was once the nation’s capital where our Declaration of Independence and Constitution were both signed in 1776 and 1787, respectively. Over the past generations, students who have attended these public schools have had an indelible impact across the region and country by helping to build the middle class, developing the world’s strongest military, and growing the world’s largest economy during the 20th century.
But, superintendency today comes with enormous challenges, as well. In a 2022 survey from the Education Advisory Board, nearly half of superintendents said they were considering or planning to leave their jobs in the next two to three years. Another report from ERS found superintendent turnover is the highest it’s been in the last seven years. A similar study was conducted by the American Association of School Administrators in 2010.
In recent years, the education sector has faced a variety of hurdles. On a macro level, what began as the emergence of increased stress, anxiety and social-emotional challenges during the pandemic has evolved into attacks on the content of school libraries, textbooks and the teaching of accurate history. Couple this with the issues our cities are facing every day: Philadelphia, like other large, urban cities, has battled generational and systemic poverty and a continued rise in gun violence. It is hard to prepare our students — 81% of whom identify as students of color — to compete globally when they are facing societal barriers that impact their ability to not only learn but excel.
Despite these challenges, along with years of underfunding, we must remain committed to the success of public education. Because as a product of public schools, with a resume that reads like a school district jobs board — bus driver, school custodian, teacher, principal, and district administrator — I know firsthand how public schools can serve as the bedrock on which the American dream rests. Although we cannot control political shifts in opinion on the role that public education plays in a democracy, as education leaders, we can utilize the proven tools and resources that we have to best position our young people for post-secondary success.
So, how did we establish this new vision for Philadelphia students?
Immediately after the Board of Education hired me on April 1, 2022, and long before introducing a plan, or even before meeting with stakeholders and tapping into the decades of knowledge that so many of our public and private sector partners have, we needed to look at the numbers. We had to review existing data and seek out additional data where there are gaps in our understanding of how children are performing.
I’ve studied the Pennsylvania assessment data and the 2022 Nation’s Report Card data, which allows us to look at our growth compared to the nation. We must admit, it’s a sobering picture. In comparison to our counterparts across the country, the majority of public school districts in large cities continue to outperform the School District of Philadelphia across all four tested areas.
But the data also presented some signs of resilience.
For example, while students nationwide experienced steep score declines in fourth- and eighth-grade reading and math on the most recent assessments, Philadelphia students saw no score change from 2019 to 2022, with the exception of declines in fourth-grade math. Given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education during this period, we considered this progress to build upon.
With data in hand, our next step was to listen and learn from those who are closest to the work and those who experience our work. Instead of telling our stakeholders what I think the ultimate plan should be, we intentionally listened and heard directly from them: what the District does well, what needs improvement, and what they think needs to be prioritized.
For years, they’ve been rolling up their sleeves, doing the hard work. They have the most skin in the game and the institutional knowledge. So, in my first 100 days, we hosted 90 Listening and Learning sessions that engaged more than 3,000 educators, school leaders, students, family members, central office and school-based staff, citywide groups, faith leaders, and community-based organizations.
We then assembled a transition team that harnessed the collective power of more than 100 members of the Philadelphia community, including a few local and national K-12 education experts. These members brought their local knowledge, experiences and expertise to review quantitative and qualitative information, educational research and best practices to develop recommendations to shape the District’s future priorities.
All of this work — alongside the engagement of more than 200 members of the District community — resulted in Accelerate Philly, the School District of Philadelphia’s new five-year strategic plan with five priority areas and 63 strategic actions, each accompanied by supporting research. The District will begin to implement the year one research-based strategies outlined in the plan in the 2023-2024 school year.
I recognize that superintendent tenures, especially at the nation’s largest districts, are becoming notoriously brief. And it’s a luxury to have a year to plan. I also know that superintendents who fail to cultivate a “nothing for us without us” culture in their first year are less likely to marshal the community support and drive to do the heavy lifting or boots-on-the-ground efforts that are needed to improve academic outcomes for all children, particularly Black and Brown children.
For superintendents, time is of the essence and the community wants results now, plus we must invest in our children with urgency to provide every student with the opportunity to achieve positive life outcomes in partnership with diverse families, educators and community members who are valued and respected.
That is why during my first year, we also identified and began monthly reporting on four immediate focus areas: student attendance, teacher attendance, dropout rates and graduation rate based on new state requirements.
We can’t teach kids if they’re not in school. So we became laser-focused on tracking student attendance and the dropout rate.
Additionally, we began monitoring and reporting on teacher attendance, as research indicates that teachers have the greatest impact on students’ academic performance. Our children learn more when they are consistently taught by high-quality teachers — not substitutes.
As a result of these efforts, statistical research shows student regular attendance increased from 57% in the previous school year to 60% this year. Teacher regular attendance increased from 77% in the previous school year to 84% this year. Student dropouts decreased from 3,917 in the previous school year to 3,652 this year, remarkably 265 fewer students dropped out of school.
Despite this progress, there is still much work to be done. Now it’s time to implement and execute. I am eager to continue bringing our key stakeholders to the table as we launch Accelerate Philly and implement this new vision.
As school system leaders, we can’t do our part as a team of one. We have to link arms with our communities and work together collectively to meet our goals, using data-based evidence to make the best decisions possible. That’s a formula for sustainable and effective leadership and, more importantly, for student well-being and success.
Tony B. Watlington Sr., Ed.D is the superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia. He previously served as superintendent of Rowan-Salisbury Schools in North Carolina and served in a variety of other roles over the course of a three-decade career in public education.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article. | https://www.phillytrib.com/improving-student-achievement-focus-on-data-and-link-arms-with-the-community/article_8170b5e4-b91c-589a-b3c4-8996312b82f0.html | 2023-07-30T11:05:46 | 1 | https://www.phillytrib.com/improving-student-achievement-focus-on-data-and-link-arms-with-the-community/article_8170b5e4-b91c-589a-b3c4-8996312b82f0.html |
Errol Spence Jr., right, and Terence Crawford fight during their undisputed welterweight championship boxing match, Saturday, July 29, 2023, in Las Vegas. — AP Photo/John Locher
Terence Crawford celebrates his undisputed welterweight championship boxing match win over Errol Spence Jr., Saturday, July 29, 2023, in Las Vegas. — AP Photo/John Locher
Errol Spence Jr., right, and Terence Crawford fight during their undisputed welterweight championship boxing match, Saturday, July 29, 2023, in Las Vegas. — AP Photo/John Locher
Terence Crawford celebrates his undisputed welterweight championship boxing match win over Errol Spence Jr., Saturday, July 29, 2023, in Las Vegas. — AP Photo/John Locher
LAS VEGAS — Terence Crawford knocked down Errol Spence Jr. three times Saturday night before finally ending the fight at 2:32 of the ninth round on a technical knockout to cement himself as one of the greatest welterweights in history.
The fight, the most-anticipated boxing match in several years, unified the division for the first time in the four-belt era that began in 2004.
Crawford (40-0, 31 knockouts) already owned the WBO belt, and took the WBC, WBA and IBF titles from Spence (28-1). Crawford also ran his KO streak to 11 matches, the second-longest active stretch.
Crawford, 35, has won titles in super lightweight and lightweight in addition to welterweight, capturing the latter after moving up in 2018. The Omaha, Nebraska, fighter became the first male boxer to become the undisputed champion in two divisions.
A big fight night on the Strip still brings out the stars, with recording artists Cardi B and Andre 3000 of Outkast, actor and Las Vegas resident Mark Walhberg, NBA star Damian Lillard and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones at T-Mobile Arena. They were among the celebrities that also included former boxing champions such as Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao.
Eminem introduced Crawford and his song "Lose Yourself" played as he walked into the ring.
Spence was the aggressor early on, but Crawford sent him to the floor with a right hand with 20 seconds left in the second round. Then Crawford went after Spence, but time ran out before he could finish him off.
Crawford, a minus-154 favorite, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, then took control of the fight, landing several major blows, often on counters. But Crawford also picked his spots to go after Spence, his punching power taking a heavy toll.
In the seventh round, Crawford knocked down Spence twice — with a short right at 1:02 and with another right with just a second left.
The 33-year-old Spence who lives in DeSoto, Texas, won the IBF title in 2017, claimed the WBC championship in 2019 and took the WBA championship last year.
In the co-main event, Isaac "Pitbull" Cruz (25-2-1) of Mexico beat Chicago resident Giovanni Cabrera (21-1) by split decision in a WBC and WBA lightweight match. Judges Benoit Roussel (114-113) and Don Trella (115-112) scored the fight in favor of Cruz, and Glenn Feldman gave Cabrera the fight by a 114-113 score. Cruz had a point deducted because of a head butt.
Also, Alexandro Santiago (28-3-5) of Mexico won the vacant WBC bantamweight title with a 115-113, 116-112, 116-12 decision over Nonito Donaire (42-8), who lives in Las Vegas.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article. | https://www.phillytrib.com/sports/crawford-unifies-welterweight-division-with-9th-round-tko-in-dominant-performance-over-spence/article_54f5ab72-2e92-11ee-80b3-b7bb88603303.html | 2023-07-30T11:05:52 | 0 | https://www.phillytrib.com/sports/crawford-unifies-welterweight-division-with-9th-round-tko-in-dominant-performance-over-spence/article_54f5ab72-2e92-11ee-80b3-b7bb88603303.html |
Scientists have discovered a worm that managed to stretch its short life expectancy — by tens of thousands of years.
A tiny roundworm was revived after it was frozen in Siberian permafrost 46,000 years ago, when Neanderthals still walked the Earth.
The worm, a previously unknown species of nematode, survived after entering a dormant state known as cryptobiosis, during which the animal doesn't eat and lacks a metabolism. The finding was detailed in a recent study published in the journal PLOS Genetics.
The most stunning part of the discovery was the length of time the worm had endured cryptobiosis, said Philipp Schiffer, one of the study's authors and a group leader at the Institute of Zoology at the University of Cologne in Germany.
Nematodes are among the planet's most ubiquitous life forms. Scientists had known that some could survive long periods of suspended animation in subzero environments. One Antarctic species spent over 25 years in frozen moss before resuscitation, the previous longest record of cryptobiosis recorded for a nematode.
"Nobody had thought that this process could be for millennia, for 40,000 years — or even longer," Schiffer said. "It's just amazing that life can start again after such a long time, in the stage between life and death."
Scientists used radiocarbon dating to determine that the soil from the permafrost sample was 46,000 years old.
Some nematodes are also known to survive parched climates, like in Chile's Atacama Desert, the driest nonpolar desert on Earth. One species was revived after spending nearly 40 years desiccated in a dry herbarium.
"Everything seems to be possible for these animals and that's what makes them so fascinating," the scientist said.
Schiffer says his worm lab in Cologne was able to analyze and identify the novel worm, which researchers named Panagrolaimus kolymaensis, using genome sequencing.
The nematode was found about 130 feet deep within the permafrost inside a burrow once home to Arctic gophers. After the chunk of frozen sediment was taken to the lab to thaw, the resurrected nematode crawled out and started making babies. The nematode, a female-only species, reproduces asexually, after about eight to 12 days.
The original worm, found five years ago, has died. Scientists are using its descendants to continue their research on the species, which will primarily involve investigating the genetic machinery behind these organisms to learn how these worms evolve to adapt in extreme environments.
That work could reveal how other animals might harbor the genetic superpowers to adapt to extreme environments today, as climate change drives more frequent heat waves and uninhabitable environments, Schiffer says.
"You might learn a lot about how and what's happening right now on Earth, and maybe even inform protection of endangered species," he said.
One challenge in researching the DNA sequences of this particular species, he adds, is how quickly the nematode evolves during its short life. The lifespan of Panagrolaimus kolymaensis is just one to two months.
Unless, of course, it happens to get frozen in time.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wlrn.org/npr-breaking-news/2023-07-30/a-worm-that-survived-46-000-years-in-permafrost-wows-scientists | 2023-07-30T11:06:39 | 1 | https://www.wlrn.org/npr-breaking-news/2023-07-30/a-worm-that-survived-46-000-years-in-permafrost-wows-scientists |
NAIROBI, Kenya — African leaders are leaving two days of meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin with little to show for their requests to resume a deal that kept grain flowing from Ukraine and to find a path to end the war there.
Putin in a press conference late Saturday following the Russia-Africa summit said Russia's termination of the grain deal earlier this month caused a rise in grain prices that benefits Russian companies. He added that Moscow would share some of those revenues with the "poorest nations."
That commitment, with no details, follows Putin's promise to start shipping 25,000 to 50,000 tons of grain for free to each of six African nations in the next three to four months — an amount dwarfed by the 725,000 tons shipped by the U.N. World Food Program to several hungry countries, African and otherwise, under the grain deal. Russia plans to send the free grain to Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, Eritrea and Central African Republic.
Fewer than 20 of Africa's 54 heads of state or government attended the Russia summit, while 43 attended the previous gathering in 2019, reflecting concerns over Russia's invasion of Ukraine even as Moscow seeks more allies on the African continent of 1.3 billion people. Putin praised Africa as a rising center of power in the world, while the Kremlin blamed "outrageous" Western pressure for discouraging some African countries from showing up.
The presidents of Egypt and South Africa were among the most outspoken on the need to resume the grain deal.
"We would like the Black Sea initiative to be implemented and that the Black Sea should be open," South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said. "We are not here to plead for donations for the African continent."
Putin also said Russia would analyze African leaders' peace proposal for Ukraine, whose details have not been publicly shared. But the Russian leader asked: "Why do you ask us to pause fire? We can't pause fire while we're being attacked."
The next significant step in peace efforts instead appears to be a Ukrainian-organized peace summit hosted by Saudi Arabia in August. Russia is not invited.
Africa's nations make up the largest voting bloc at the United Nations and have been more divided than any other region on General Assembly resolutions criticizing Russia's actions in Ukraine. Delegations at the summit in St. Petersburg roamed exhibits of weapons, a reminder of Russia's role as the top arms supplier to the African continent.
Putin in his remarks on Saturday also downplayed his absence from the BRICS economic summit in South Africa next month amid a controversy over an arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court. His presence there, Putin said, is not "more important than my presence here, in Russia."
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wlrn.org/npr-breaking-news/2023-07-30/african-leaders-leave-russia-summit-without-grain-deal-or-path-to-peace-in-ukraine | 2023-07-30T11:06:45 | 1 | https://www.wlrn.org/npr-breaking-news/2023-07-30/african-leaders-leave-russia-summit-without-grain-deal-or-path-to-peace-in-ukraine |
Seventy years ago, the Korean War ended with a cease-fire, not a victory or a peace deal, and veterans marked the occasion Thursday at the Korean War Memorial in Washington, D.C., with some even joining activists pushing for a formal end to the war.
But as most Korean War vets are well into their 90s, they still struggle with America's perceptions of what has been called "the Forgotten War."
"We don't call it the Forgotten War, we call it the forgotten victory," said retired U.S. Marine Col. Warren Wiedhahn. "We saved South Korea from becoming a communist country."
Wiedhahn said it might not have been clear at the time, but it sure is now. South Korea is democratic and among the world's leading economies, while the North is an impoverished, brutal dictatorship. Wiedhahn just wishes the United Nations force, led by the U.S., had held on to more of the Korean peninsula before the cease-fire. At a certain point they had driven North Korean forces all the way to the Chinese border before being pushed south again.
"Now don't get me wrong. The [cease-fire] was welcomed because that meant that the Marines and soldiers were not getting killed anymore. But to me, to us who had fought in the beginning, it was kind of an anti-climactic," he said.
At 94, Wiedhahn is president of the Chosin Few, a group of vets who fought at Chosin Reservior, a freezing 17-day battle with the Chinese army.
Membership is now being gradually passed on to the next generation.
"I actually had no idea my dad was involved with the Chosin Reservoir. He didn't say one word about it," said Nancy Weigle, whose father, Gerald, was a Navy corpsman who died in 2018. Like many Korea vets he didn't talk about it much for the first few decades, Weigle said.
"The World War II vets had obviously been celebrated. There was a clear victory. And when these guys came back, nobody even knew what Korea was," she said. That came later, as Korean products and culture spread across the globe. Her dad was one of many Korean War vets who were invited by South Korea to visit Seoul.
Weigle is now a legacy member of the Chosin Few, carrying on their stories.
Robert Grier, 90, served in Korea just a few years after the U.S. military desegregated, a memory that stood out for him even as he finds it harder to recall many other details of his service.
"Black soldiers didn't get promoted very much back then. It was always in the lower ranks," he said.
Grier eventually made captain. He has just one memory of the armistice in 1953.
"We were not happy," he said. "[We] didn't like to lose things. We thought that we lost that."
Korea was the first of many wars after World War II with, at best, ambiguous endings that most Americans didn't see as success. That includes Afghanistan and Iraq.
"I sympathize with the Korean War vets," said Welton Chang, who served two tours in Iraq.
"Their experience was much more intense, and certainly the casualties were higher," he adds.
Before Iraq, Chang also deployed to Korea for a year, during which North Korea detonated its first nuclear weapon and tested intercontinental ballistic missiles. His time there showed him the value of what Americans and others did for South Korea.
"Older Koreans are still very thankful for U.S. involvement and were often the ones who would come up to us on the street or hiking a mountain somewhere and shake our hands and say 'thank you,' " Chang said.
"It was always super awkward because you kind of have to remind them that, like, I wasn't even born when any of this stuff happened," he said. "But they saw it as this long, unbroken line of U.S. commitment in Asia."
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wlrn.org/npr-breaking-news/2023-07-30/as-living-memories-of-the-korean-war-fade-its-consequences-become-clearer | 2023-07-30T11:06:52 | 0 | https://www.wlrn.org/npr-breaking-news/2023-07-30/as-living-memories-of-the-korean-war-fade-its-consequences-become-clearer |
As the hour creeps past three in the afternoon, New Orleans' streets are devoid of tourists and locals alike. The heat index is over 105 degrees.
At the city's ambulance depot, the concrete parking lot seems to magnify the sweltering heat, circulating the air like a convection oven.
New Orleans Emergency Medical Services has been busy this summer, responding to heat-related emergency calls and rushing patients to nearby hospitals.
Capt. Janick Lewis and Lt. Titus Carriere demonstrate how they can load a stretcher into an ambulance using an automated loading system.
Lewis wipes sweat from his brow as the loading arm whirs and hums, raising the stretcher into the ambulance — "unit" in official terminology.
But the mechanical assistance isn't the best thing about the new vehicle. "The nicest thing about being assigned a brand new unit, is it's a brand-new air conditioning system," Lewis says.
The new AC is much more than just a luxury for the hard-working crews. These days they need the extra cooling power to help save lives.
"The number one thing you do take care of somebody is get them out of the heat, get them somewhere cool," Lewis says. "So the number one thing we spend our time worrying about in the summertime is keeping the truck cool."
Like much of the country, New Orleans has been embroiled in an almost relentless heat wave for weeks. As a result, more people are falling ill with heat-related conditions than ever before. Just last week, EMS responded to 29 heat-related calls — more than triple compared to the same period last year.
As the city's emergency medical systems deal with the influx of patients, scientists say these dangerous heat levels — and the increasing stress they put on human bodies and medical systems — may be the new norm.
At the same time, New Orleans EMS has struggled with funding and staffing challenges. It's currently operating with only 60% of its needed staff. The city's chief of EMS has called for increased funding for higher wages to attract more workers.
Lewis says they're making do with the resources they have, and prioritizing one-time expenses like new ambulances to help them meet the challenges they're facing.
"We're going to provide the care everybody needs, regardless of how hot it gets," Lewis says. "We'd love to have all the help in the world, but we're getting the job done with what we have right now."
Health dangers above 100℉
When a human being is exposed to high levels of heat for too long, it starts to raise the core body temperature. Once that exceeds 100 degrees, hyperthermia can develop. That can prompt an escalating cascade of health problems if it isn't quickly addressed.
The first stage is heat exhaustion, Lt. Carriere explains: "That means you're hot, you may have an elevated temp, but you also have what's called diaphoresis, which means your body is sweating, is still trying to compensate and cool yourself off." You'll also likely have other symptoms like weakness, dizziness, and headache.
Carriere says that if you can quickly get out of the heat and into some AC, generally you'll recover from heat exhaustion on your own. But if you don't, your core temperature will continue to rise.
Near 104° the dangers escalate
If internal body temperature approaches 104 degrees, you could succumb to the next stage — heat stroke.
"Once you move to heat stroke, your body stops compensating," Carriere says. "You stop sweating. You're hot. You're dry, and your organs are basically like frying themselves from the inside out."
When you stop sweating, it becomes even harder for your body to cool itself down. During heat stroke, you may also experience other severe symptoms like an altered state of mind, confusion, and a rapid, erratic pulse. You may even lose consciousness.
Heat illness can develop after unrelieved exposure to incessant heat, but high humidity compounds the problem by making it harder for the body to cool itself by sweating.
Working outdoors, dehydration, alcohol or drug use, and sunburn all increase the risk. The very old, children under 4, and those who are obese or have certain medical conditions are particularly vulnerable.
Without medical intervention, heat stroke can be deadly. EMS starts treatment immediately after they arrive on the scene.
"We'll get them on a gurney, get them into the unit, start removing their clothing and put ice packs wherever applicable to try to cool them down," says Carriere.
Saving lives in the ER with ice, fluids, and medical support
Once you're loaded into the ambulance, they'll race you to a nearby hospital, Carriere says. At University Medical Center (UMC), the city's largest hospital, doctors and nurses will continue efforts to quickly lower body temperature, and replace fluids by IV if necessary..
"When the patient ends up at the hospital, we're going to continue that cooling process," Elder says. "We're going to put them in an ice water bath," says Dr. Jeffrey Elder, the Medical Director for Emergency Management at UMC. "We may use some misting fans and some cold fluids to get their body temperature down to a reasonable temperature while we're supporting all the other bodily functions."
Getting your core temperature down as quickly as possible is the highest priority, Elder explains, and is what will ultimately save your life. One way they can speed that along is by burying you in ice. In other parts of the country, doctors actually place patients inside body bags pre-packed with pounds of ice. Body bags are useful in these cases because they're waterproof and are designed to closely fit the human form.
They don't use body bags at UMC's emergency room, but during the summer, staffers do keep bags of ice ready to go at all times.
"On the stretcher, we'll use some of the sheets as kind of a barrier," Elder says. "And while they're on the stretcher, we'll just put the ice on them right then and there."
Hospital staff will continue to work to cool you down until your temperature gets back below 100. That's when you're considered to be in the medical safe zone.
Elder admits that while it always gets hot in New Orleans during the summer, his emergency room has been treating more heat-related illness in 2023 than ever before. A few patients have died from the heat.
Like many other hospital systems, UMC is struggling with staffing challenges since the pandemic. But UMC has prioritized staffing of the emergency department in order to handle things like an influx of patients from heat-related illness, Elder says.
Burden on health infrastructure heats up
Across the country, meteorological events like heat waves and heat domes will become more frequent and intense in the future, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Extreme summer heat is increasing in the United States," says Claudia Brown, a health scientist with the CDC's Climate and Health Program. "And climate projections are indicating that extreme heat events will be more frequent and intense in the coming decades."
Health infrastructure will be challenged to keep up in order to treat patients suffering from extreme heat exposure. In New Orleans, both first responders and doctors say they expect to see more patients with heat-related illness. July is merely the halfway point of a Louisiana summer.
"We haven't even gotten to the hottest part yet, which is typically August to September," says EMS Lt. Titus Carriere. "So I'm expecting it to get pretty bad."
Copyright 2023 Gulf States Newsroom. To see more, visit . | https://www.wlrn.org/npr-breaking-news/2023-07-30/in-broiling-cities-like-new-orleans-the-health-system-faces-off-against-heat-stroke | 2023-07-30T11:06:58 | 1 | https://www.wlrn.org/npr-breaking-news/2023-07-30/in-broiling-cities-like-new-orleans-the-health-system-faces-off-against-heat-stroke |
People have asked me what I've learned so far through this series. Have I gotten any clarity on what makes up my own spiritual identity? And the answer is, not really. I'm still in the research phase of this project. I'm still collecting experiences and perspectives and I imagine I'll keep doing that forever, but it's too early to draw any definitive conclusions — except for one.
I believe each and every one of us is capable of making our own meaning. Some of us do that by living according to a set of religious principles. Or by feeling the beauty and sanctity of nature. Or by choosing to see spiritual connections in what others might call mere coincidence.
I don't need anyone to validate those experiences for them to be meaningful to me. But according to Lisa Miller, a professor in the Clinical Psychology Program at Teachers College, Columbia University, having a spiritual life is good for your mental health.
Miller is a psychologist and has dedicated most of her career to the study of neuroscience and spirituality. Her newest book is called The Awakened Brain, and in it she makes some really bold claims about how holding spiritual beliefs can decrease our rates of anxiety and depression and generally make us most likely to lead happier lives. I can hear your skepticism already! I get it. I'm a spiritually inclined kind of person but it's still hard for me to understand how, scientifically speaking, believing in something bigger than yourself can make you healthier and happier.
I needed to understand how Miller came to these conclusions. But before she got to the actual science, she told me a story.
It was the mid '90s. Miller was in the early stages of her career and working at a residential mental health facility in New York City. After she'd been there a few months, Yom Kippur rolled around — the day of atonement, considered the most significant of the Jewish religious holidays. One of the older male patients with severe bipolar disorder asked if there were any plans to mark the day. The doctor in charge shrugged his shoulders and said, no — there's no service planned. The patient walked out of the room with his shoulders slumped and Lisa, who is Jewish, saw an opportunity.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Lisa Miller: I approached the unit chief and said, "I'm certainly not a rabbi, but I've been to two-and-a-half decades of Yom Kippur services. I'd be happy to facilitate if that might be OK with you." So I showed up on Yom Kippur and the patients had arrived early to the kitchen, which was to be our sanctuary. The fluorescent lights were quite strong and as we crowded around the linoleum table there was an extraordinary feeling of specialness.
As we started the prayers that we all knew from our childhood, joining together saying in Hebrew the prayers of Yom Kippur, I looked over and noticed that as the gentleman with bipolar was davening, he could not have been further from explosive. He was holding our group in the cadence of the prayers and we were actually following him.
I took a pause and I said, "I feel so grateful to be here today in our Yom Kippur ceremony. Would anyone like to say anything?" We went around the table and the first person to speak was a very otherwise withdrawn woman with recurrent depression. She said, "You know, I always knew on Yom Kippur we could ask for forgiveness. But sitting here now with you all, I'm aware that we can be forgiven. God can forgive us." And she looked liberated.
As I looked around the table at the patients, whatever their symptoms had been yesterday, they were free in that moment. They were free of suffering. They were free of the characteristic patterns that had dragged them down in a way that was equal and opposite to their main symptoms. And so I thought a mental health system minus spirituality made no sense, and that became my life's work, to understand the place of spirituality in renewal, in recovery, in resilience, and to put this in the language of science.
Rachel Martin: What happened when you brought these kinds of questions to your peers, to the other people in your scientific community? Like when you said for the first time, "Hey, I think we need to look at the effect of spirituality on mental health." What did people say to you?
Miller: Well, the vast majority were very respectful, nodded, and didn't pick up the thread. Some of them would say, "That's not psychology, that's not psychiatry." And in fact, I remember early on giving a grand rounds presentation and I opened up saying, "I'm going to speak today about a body of data using nationally representative samples on spirituality and mental health with all the gold standard methods." And about 10 people got up and walked out. It was absolutely not of interest.
Martin: Using the gold standard, what did that mean in terms of the experiments you were running and the studies and the data you were collecting? How did you make sure that it would hold water in the scientific community?
Miller: If I were to characterize the first five years of my investigation, I would say I used the data sets that everyone else knew and trusted. I only asked one new question, which was: "What's the impact of spirituality on the DSM diagnosis of addiction and depression?" The findings were jaw dropping.
The protective benefit of personal spirituality, meaning someone who says their personal spirituality is very important, is 80% against addiction. They have 80% decreased relative risk for the DSM diagnosis of addiction to drugs or alcohol.
Martin: Wait, so someone who self-identifies as having a meaningful spiritual life is 80% less likely to get addicted to drugs or alcohol than someone who says they don't?
Miller: Yes.
Martin: Wow. And how can you prove that it is a spiritual life that is doing that and not some external factor? Because you heard this from other critics, too, some of your peers said you can't attribute that to spirituality, it's gotta be some other social conditioning.
Miller: Well, that's a very important point because in every study we controlled for all of the usual interpretations about this being social support or having resources. So we plugged into our equation every other possible explanation that was generally taken in mental health to explain the road to depression. And nonetheless, it actually turned out that the more high risk we are, the more that there's stress in our lives, the more that we might be genetically at risk for depression, the greater the impact of spirituality as a source of resilience as preventative against major depression.
Martin: What does that look like in the brain?
Miller: One of the most beautiful findings in my 20 years as an investigator was from an MRI study conducted together with our colleagues at Yale Medical School. We looked at people of many different faith traditions and the first finding was that there is one neuro seat of transcendent perception and we share it. Now there's human variability of course, and we can strengthen components.
Martin: How are you actually doing that with people? Are you asking your subjects to pray? What are the spiritual inputs that are going into them so that you can measure it on their brains?
Miller: The very specific prompt was, "Tell us about a time where you felt a deep connection to God, your higher power, the source of life." Everyone had a story like that and as they told their story, we recorded them and it was then played back in their ears while they were inside the scanner.
Martin: Ah, they heard themselves recounting their spiritual experience.
Miller: It was tailor made to their own moment.
Martin: And you saw their brains light up?
Miller: Oh yes. Connecting to these memories, the bonding network comes up online just as when we were held in the arms of our parents or grandparents.
Martin: Wait, when you say the bonding network you mean you can literally see that the brain will respond to spiritual stimuli in the same way that it does to a hug from a family member when you're a baby?
Miller: Precisely.
Martin: Can you tell me how this manifests in the real world? I'm thinking about this anecdote you include in the book about a client of yours. A girl you refer to as Iliana.
Miller: Iliana adored her father, I mean, he was the sun and the moon and the stars to her. They were so close. And one night two men who her father knew, came into his corner store, robbed him and murdered him. And she was devastated. This was a grief that was so deep. She simply could not free herself from the grief that was shackling her heart.
One day, Iliana skips into my office. There's a levity and joy. She plops into the seat and says, "Dr. Miller, you're never gonna believe this. My cousin and my cousin's girlfriend chaperoned me so I could go to a party and I met the most wonderful boy. We talked so long, it must have been 20 minutes. He was so polite and so kind. But here's the best part, his name." Which was the same very usual name as her father.
She said, "Don't you see? My father sent him. My father is looking out after me." And from that day on she was in the world of the living. What changed everything for Iliana was the awareness that her father walked with her. She maintained a deep transcendent relationship with her father, as most people around the world do.
Iliana trusted her deep inner knowing that this was far too probabilistic to have happened by chance. That this very rare name held both by this new boy and her father could possibly mean nothing.
Martin: Can I ask, what are you thinking as you hear this? I mean, are you thinking that is just a crazy coincidence, but if she needs to believe that this is a sign from God, who am I to tell her otherwise? Because it seems to be working.
Miller: Well, at the time, that was certainly the most common interpretive framework amongst psychologists and psychiatrists. But I could see plain as day that this was a tremendously sacred moment. This was a living miracle. This was a gift.
For me to have treated it like some kind of cultural diversity variable or that it's just the meaning she makes would've actually taken all of the energy and spirit out of that transformative awakening moment. I joined her.
Now I did that authentically because it was my view as well that this is far too nonprobabilistic to have happened by chance, that there are very few people by that very same name and that the first boy she met in a year and a half since her father's passing should have the name of the father. It was a synchronicity. There was a deeper meaning being revealed.
Martin: When you're talking to people who aren't scientists, someone who's skeptical, someone who doesn't have faith, who doesn't have what they define as a spiritual life, what do you want them to take away from your research and your message?
Miller: I've given a number of talks to audiences who, prior to seeing the science, would not necessarily consider themselves spiritual people. And, in fact, I oftentimes hear from people who consider themselves skeptics and very left-brained and when they see the peer reviewed science that says we're naturally spiritual beings, that when we cultivate our spirituality we're 80% less likely to be addicted, 82% less likely to take our lives, it speaks to the left side of their brains long enough that it quiets down the skepticism.
In other words, three cheers for the skeptic. Here is published, peer reviewed science for skeptical audiences to begin to explore, to be curious about our spiritual nature. You know, at the inner table of human knowing we all have an empiricist, a logician, an intuitive, a mystic, and a skeptic. And the skeptic is very welcome, but the skeptic is not the bouncer at the door.
It is not scientific to put a skeptic as a bouncer at the door. It is not more rigorous to toss out an idea before being examined in every way. We are wired to be able to investigate. So I simply say to the biggest skeptic of all, you are most welcome to your own inner table of inquiry, but be sure to invite everyone else.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wlrn.org/npr-breaking-news/2023-07-30/this-ivy-league-researcher-says-spirituality-is-good-for-our-mental-health | 2023-07-30T11:07:04 | 0 | https://www.wlrn.org/npr-breaking-news/2023-07-30/this-ivy-league-researcher-says-spirituality-is-good-for-our-mental-health |
Russian authorities say three Ukrainian drones attacked Moscow in the early hours on Sunday, injuring one person and prompting a temporary closure for traffic of one of four airports around the Russian capital.
It was the fourth such attempt at a strike on the capital region this month and the third this week, fueling concerns about Moscow's vulnerability to attacks as Russia's war in Ukraine drags into its 18th month.
The Russian Defense Ministry referred to the incident as an "attempted terrorist attack by the Kyiv regime" and said three drones targeted the city. One was shot down in the surrounding Moscow region by air defense systems and two others were jammed. Those two crashed into the Moscow City business district in the capital.
Photos from the site of the crash showed the facade of a skyscraper damaged on one floor. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the attack "insignificantly damaged" the outsides of two buildings in the Moscow City district. A security guard was injured, Russia's state news agency Tass reported, citing emergency officials.
No flights went into or out of the Vnukovo airport on the southern outskirts of the city for about an hour, according to Tass, and the air space over Moscow and the outlying regions was temporarily closed for any aircraft. Those restrictions have since been lifted.
Moscow authorities have also closed a street for traffic near the site of the crash in the Moscow City area.
There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian officials, who rarely if ever take responsibility for attacks on Russian soil.
Russia's Defense Ministry reported shooting down a Ukrainian drone outside Moscow on Friday. Two more drones struck the Russian capital on Monday, one of them falling in the center of the city near the Defense Ministry's headquarters along the Moscow River about 3 kilometers (2 miles) from the Kremlin. The other drone hit an office building in southern Moscow, gutting several upper floors.
In another attack on July 4, the Russian military said four drones were downed by air defenses on the outskirts of Moscow and a fifth was jammed by electronic warfare means and forced down.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wlrn.org/npr-breaking-news/npr-breaking-news/2023-07-30/a-drone-attack-on-moscow-briefly-shut-the-airport-and-injured-one | 2023-07-30T11:07:11 | 1 | https://www.wlrn.org/npr-breaking-news/npr-breaking-news/2023-07-30/a-drone-attack-on-moscow-briefly-shut-the-airport-and-injured-one |
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas is temporarily blocked from enforcing a law that would have allowed criminal charges against librarians and booksellers for providing "harmful" materials to minors, a federal judge ruled Saturday.
U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks issued a preliminary injunction against the law, which also would have created a new process to challenge library materials and request that they be relocated to areas not accessible by kids. The measure, signed by Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders earlier this year, was set to take effect Aug. 1.
A coalition that included the Central Arkansas Library System in Little Rock had challenged the law, saying fear of prosecution under the measure could prompt libraries and booksellers to no longer carry titles that could be challenged.
The judge also rejected a motion by the defendants, which include prosecuting attorneys for the state, seeking to dismiss the case.
The ACLU of Arkansas, which represents some of the plaintiffs, applauded the court's ruling, saying that the absence of a preliminary injunction would have jeopardized First Amendment rights.
"The question we had to ask was — do Arkansans still legally have access to reading materials? Luckily, the judicial system has once again defended our highly valued liberties," Holly Dickson, the executive director of the ACLU in Arkansas, said in a statement.
The lawsuit comes as lawmakers in an increasing number of conservative states are pushing for measures making it easier to ban or restrict access to books. The number of attempts to ban or restrict books across the U.S. last year was the highest in the 20 years the American Library Association has been tracking such efforts.
Laws restricting access to certain materials or making it easier to challenge them have been enacted in several other states, including Iowa, Indiana and Texas.
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin said in an email Saturday that his office would be "reviewing the judge's opinion and will continue to vigorously defend the law."
The executive director of Central Arkansas Library System, Nate Coulter, said the judge's 49-page decision recognized the law as censorship, a violation of the Constitution and wrongly maligning librarians.
"As folks in southwest Arkansas say, this order is stout as horseradish!" he said in an email.
"I'm relieved that for now the dark cloud that was hanging over CALS' librarians has lifted," he added.
Cheryl Davis, general counsel for the Authors Guild, said the organization is "thrilled" about the decision. She said enforcing this law "is likely to limit the free speech rights of older minors, who are capable of reading and processing more complex reading materials than young children can."
The Arkansas lawsuit names the state's 28 local prosecutors as defendants, along with Crawford County in west Arkansas. A separate lawsuit is challenging the Crawford County library's decision to move children's books that included LGBTQ+ themes to a separate portion of the library.
The plaintiffs challenging Arkansas' restrictions also include the Fayetteville and Eureka Springs Carnegie public libraries, the American Booksellers Association and the Association of American Publishers.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wlrn.org/npr-breaking-news/npr-breaking-news/2023-07-30/an-arkansas-judge-has-blocked-a-law-targetting-librarians-over-harmful-books | 2023-07-30T11:07:17 | 0 | https://www.wlrn.org/npr-breaking-news/npr-breaking-news/2023-07-30/an-arkansas-judge-has-blocked-a-law-targetting-librarians-over-harmful-books |
PHOENIX — A historic heat wave that has gripped the U.S. Southwest throughout July, blasting residents and baking surfaces like brick, is beginning to abate with the late arrival of monsoon rains.
Forecasters expect that by Monday, people in metro Phoenix will begin to see high temperatures fall under 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius) for the first time in a month.
But not on Saturday. The high temperature in the desert city with more than 1.6 million residents climbed past 110 F for the 30th straight day, the National Weather Service said. The previous record stretch of 110 F or above was for 18 days in 1974.
There are increased chances on Sunday of cooling monsoon thunderstorms. Though wet weather can also bring damaging winds, blowing dust and the chance of flash flooding, the weather service warned. Sudden rains running off hard-baked surfaces can quickly fill normally dry washes.
Already this week, the overnight low at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport fell under 90 F (32.2 C) for the first time in 16 days, finally giving residents some respite from the stifling heat once the sun goes down.
Temperatures also were expected to ease in Las Vegas, Albuquerque and even in Death Valley, California, where the weather service said the expected high of 122 F (50 C) on Saturday is forecast to lower to 113 F (45 C) by Tuesday — along with a slight chance of rain.
Also in California, triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the San Joaquin Valley from Saturday through Monday, according to the National Weather Service in Hanford, California.
Gusty, late-afternoon winds were expected Saturday and Sunday in Santa Barbara County, posing an elevated risk of fire weather, the weather service in Los Angeles said. Hot, dry weather was also expected across nearby valleys, lower mountains and desert areas.
In Riverside County, more than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes and another 1,400 were facing evacuation warnings as crews battled a wildfire that charred 3.2 square miles (8.3 square kilometers) in the community of Aguanga, about 60 miles (96 kilometers) northeast of San Diego, authorities said Saturday. One firefighter was reported to have been injured in the so-called Bonny Fire, which authorities said was about 5% contained.
The heat is impacting animals, as well. Police in the city of Burbank, California, found a bear cooling off in a Jacuzzi behind a home on Friday. Police released a video of the animal in a neighborhood about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Los Angeles near the Verdugo Mountains and warned residents to lock up food and garbage.
A downward trend in Southwest heat started Wednesday night, when Phoenix saw its first major monsoon storm since the traditional June 15 start of the thunderstorm season. While more than half of the greater Phoenix area saw no rainfall from that storm, some eastern suburbs were pummeled by high winds, swirling dust and localized downfalls of up to 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) of precipitation.
Storms gradually increasing in strength are expected over the weekend.
Scientists calculate that July will prove to be the hottest globally on record and perhaps the warmest human civilization has seen. The extreme heat is now hitting the eastern part of the U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places are seeing their warmest days so far this year.
The new heat records being set this summer are just some of the extreme weather being seen around the U.S. this month, such as flash floods in Pennsylvania and parts of the Northeast.
"Anyone can be at risk outside in this record heat," the fire department in Goodyear, a Phoenix suburb, warned residents on social media while offering ideas to stay safe.
For many people such as older adults, those with health issues and those without access to air conditioning, the heat can be dangerous or even deadly.
Maricopa County, the most populous in Arizona and home to Phoenix, reported this week that its public health department had confirmed 25 heat-associated deaths this year as of July 21, with 249 more under investigation.
Results from toxicological tests that can takes weeks or months after an autopsy is conducted could eventually result in many deaths listed as under investigation as heat associated being changed to confirmed.
Maricopa County confirmed 425 heat-associated deaths last year, and more than half of them occurred in July.
Elsewhere in Arizona next week, the agricultural desert community of Yuma is expecting highs ranging from 104 to 112 (40 C to 44.4 C) and Tucson is looking at highs ranging from 99 to 111 (37.2 C to 43.9 C).
The highs in Las Vegas are forecast to slip as low as 94 (34.4 C) next Tuesday after a long spell of highs above 110 (43.3 C). Death Valley, which hit 128 (53.3 C) in mid-July, will cool as well, though only to a still blistering hot 116 (46.7 C).
In New Mexico, the highs in Albuquerque next week are expected to be in the mid to high 90s (around 35 C), with party cloudy skies.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wlrn.org/npr-breaking-news/npr-breaking-news/2023-07-30/the-historic-heatwave-that-has-hit-the-u-s-southwest-is-set-to-cool-a-little | 2023-07-30T11:07:23 | 1 | https://www.wlrn.org/npr-breaking-news/npr-breaking-news/2023-07-30/the-historic-heatwave-that-has-hit-the-u-s-southwest-is-set-to-cool-a-little |
AUCKLAND, New Zealand — Megan Rapinoe watched from the bench Thursday as the U.S. women’s national soccer team labored to a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands. Five days earlier, she had been a second-half substitute in a World Cup opener against Vietnam that was decided by halftime.
The star of World Cups and Olympics past, Rapinoe has accepted a secondary role at the final major tournament of her stellar career.
“I’m always shocked when I don’t play,” she said jokingly. “All of us on the bench, we think we should be on the field, as much as the players on the field think they should be on the field. ... We know at some point during this tournament, the bench will be huge. That’s a huge asset of ours.”
Coach Vlatko Andonovski used the maximum five subs in the opener, including Rapinoe and Rose Lavelle, but in the second match, Lavelle was the only player to enter.
“The conversations I’ve had with Vlatko were, in general: When the time is right and the situation and the game is ready, I’ll be ready,” Rapinoe said Sunday during her first news conference since the tournament began. “I think I could have helped [against the Netherlands], but I think [Lynn Williams] could have helped and [starter Trinity Rodman] was helping and [starter Sophia Smith] was helping. We had chances, and it was right there for us.”
Before announcing three weeks ago that she would retire at the end of the year, Rapinoe accepted her lesser role in the World Cup campaign. At 38, she no longer has the skill set and speed that have defined her 17-year national team career.
But there is a place for her on a young roster, allowing her to offer leadership, guidance and wisdom. She still hopes to contribute a few magical moments on the field, too.
“It’s been pretty much what I’ve been expecting,” Rapinoe said of her role. “We just have such experience on the bench and such a calm. And that’s our job. That’s our job to use everything I’ve seen over the last however many years and go in the locker room at halftime and be like, ‘This is what we see.’ ... Ultimately [it’s about] being ready whenever my number is called up.”
That could come Tuesday against Portugal at Eden Park. The top-ranked United States (1-0-1) has yet to clinch a berth in the round of 16, and unless it wins by several goals and bolsters its goal differential (the first tiebreaker), it could end up second to the Netherlands (1-0-1) in Group E. Two teams will advance, but securing first place means avoiding third-ranked Sweden next weekend.
A loss to Portugal (1-1-0) would all but surely knock the Americans out of the tournament; they’ve never been eliminated before the semifinals. A draw would almost definitely leave them in second place in their group.
The United States has won all 10 meetings with Portugal by a 39-0 aggregate score. The Netherlands closes against Vietnam (0-2-0).
Rapinoe is the third consecutive U.S. superstar in her twilight to fill a secondary role at the World Cup, following Abby Wambach (2015) and Carli Lloyd (2019).
“Maybe you’re not going to be a starter playing the bulk of the games, but sometimes as a bench player, that’s not what you need,” Rapinoe said. “You need the 20 minutes in two games that wins the team the tournament or wins the team the game and gets to the next round.”
She said Wambach and Lloyd have been “an amazing example of being able to transition into that role. Wanting to do that and being willing to do that while also not just being like, ‘Oh, yeah, you guys go ahead.’ Every day in training, I’m like, ‘I’m going to bust your ass.’ That makes them better. That makes me better. That makes the whole team better.”
Pressure on the U.S. team to play to its potential Tuesday has been growing, Rapinoe said.
“That is something that just always gets passed down through the generations of this team,” she said. “Now we go into these moments like, ‘Hell yeah, this is exactly where we want to be.’ ”
Although she is caught up in the moment, Rapinoe said she has allowed herself to reflect on her last big event and the growth of women’s soccer.
“The level of football being played right now ... is incredible,” she said. “All the players should feel an immense sense of pride about the quality of the tournament. We’ve had to bet on ourselves so much, and we hit it every time.”
From a personal standpoint, Rapinoe said she appreciates seeing her friends and family, including fiancée Sue Bird, the retired basketball star, in the crowd.
“I’m trying to straddle sort of both realities of taking everything in and realizing this is one of the most special things I’ll ever do,” she said. “But also just being very much in the moment and doing whatever it is that’s necessary or whatever it takes to win another championship.” | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/07/30/megan-rapinoe-uswnt-world-cup/ | 2023-07-30T11:08:11 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/07/30/megan-rapinoe-uswnt-world-cup/ |
CHENGDU, China , July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from Xinhua:
On July 28, the Chengdu 2021 FISU World University Games officially commenced, captivating university athletes from various parts of the world with an opening ceremony that seamlessly blended historical and cultural elements with youthful passion.
The cultural performances showcased Chengdu's unique cultural features, with the "Sun and Immortal Birds" being a symbol of Chinese cultural heritage and a spiritual emblem. From the very first second of the countdown to the ignition, the presence of the "Sun and Immortal Birds" captivated the audience until the final moment of ignition. "Sunlight", serving as the core element, permeated the entire opening ceremony. Without the "Sun and Immortal Birds", the grand finale of igniting the flame would not have been possible. The countdown to the opening commenced amid the radiance of the "Sun and Immortal Birds," not only demonstrating the harmonious and inclusive spiritual character that the Chinese people have embraced since ancient times but also expressing best wishes for university students worldwide to shine as bright and warm as sunlight.
The opening ceremony combined the sense of technology with artistic beauty. During the entrance segment, colorful silk threads were projected onto the ground, creating a breathtaking display of traditional Chinese patterns formed by over 300 circular lines that adorned the entirety of the stadium's track. This symbolic imagery represents the aspirations of young athletes from around the world, as they embark on a glorious journey paved with the splendor of Shu embroidery. The guide signs held high by the ushers were made of Shu brocade, a renowned textile originating from the Chengdu region, with a history spanning over 2,000 years. Shu brocade stands as one of the four prestigious brocades of China. Meanwhile, Shu embroidery, one of the four famous embroideries in China, has a history of more than 3,000 years, originating from the Chengdu region. Both Shu embroidery and Shu brocade are hailed as treasures of the region.
In celebration of the 31st edition of FISU World University Games, 31 torchbearers were selected to light the flame tower. Among them, the illustrious Chengdu astronaut, Ye Guangfu, shone as a notable figure. Recognizing astronauts as the "closest beings to the sun," chief director Chen Weiya harnessed the brilliance of sunlight, transforming it into a dazzling blaze. After the 31 torchbearers jointly completed the ignition, the Sun and Immortal Birds radiated a stunning brilliance. They spiraled and ascended, igniting the 12 golden fireworks in the sky. Ultimately, they ignited the flame tower outside the stadium.
During the fireworks performance, the chief designer of the opening ceremony fireworks, Cai Canhuang, aptly named it "Golden Dreams." Golden fireworks illuminated the sky, accompanied by welcoming messages in both Chinese and English. As the flame tower of the Chengdu 2021 FISU World University Games was ignited, the fireworks displayed the U-shaped emblem of the Games and the English theme "Make Dreams Come True." The fireworks artfully portrayed the image of a golden hibiscus flower, representing the city flower of Chengdu. Beyond symbolizing youth and vitality, the hibiscus also embodies the values of openness and friendliness, expressing the theme of "flowers welcoming guests."
The Chengdu 2021 FISU World University Games will feature a total of 18 sports events, and is scheduled to conclude on August 8. With athletes from 113 countries and regions, a staggering 6,500 athletes will compete across these 18 sports.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Xinhua | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/30/chengdu-2021-fisu-world-university-games-opening-ceremony-impresses-audiences-worldwide/ | 2023-07-30T11:08:22 | 1 | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/30/chengdu-2021-fisu-world-university-games-opening-ceremony-impresses-audiences-worldwide/ |
Alexei Popyrin vs. Stan Wawrinka: Prediction and Match Betting Odds | Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag
In the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag final on Sunday, Alexei Popyrin meets Stan Wawrinka.
Wawrinka is favored (-200) to win the title versus Popyrin (+155).
Looking to place a bet on this or other tennis matches? Head over to BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks, and sign up today with our link!
Alexei Popyrin vs. Stan Wawrinka Match Information
- Tournament: The Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag
- Round: Finals
- Date: Sunday, July 30
- Venue: Stadium Goran Ivanisevic in ITC Stella Maris
- Location: Umag, Croatia
- Court Surface: Clay
Watch live tennis and many more sports and shows without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
Alexei Popyrin vs. Stan Wawrinka Prediction and Odds
Based on the moneyline in this match, Stan Wawrinka has a 66.7% chance to win.
Bet on tennis with BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks!
Alexei Popyrin vs. Stan Wawrinka Trends and Insights
- In the semifinals on Saturday, Popyrin beat Matteo Arnaldi 6-7, 7-5, 6-3.
- Wawrinka was victorious 6-3, 6-4 versus Lorenzo Sonego in the semifinals on Saturday.
- Popyrin has played 47 matches over the past 12 months across all court surfaces, and 28.0 games per match (25.3 in best-of-three matches).
- On clay, Popyrin has played 16 matches over the past year, totaling 26.7 games per match (26.0 in best-of-three matches) while winning 51.5% of games.
- In the past year, Wawrinka has competed in 40 total matches (across all court surfaces), winning 51.1% of the games. He averages 27.3 games per match (24.6 in best-of-three matches) and 10.6 games per set.
- On clay, Wawrinka has played 11 matches and averaged 28.7 games per match (23.4 in best-of-three matches) and 10.9 games per set.
- Popyrin and Wawrinka have not matched up against each other since 2015.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/alexei-popyrin-vs-stan-wawrinka-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-plava-laguna-croatia-open-umag/ | 2023-07-30T11:08:29 | 1 | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/alexei-popyrin-vs-stan-wawrinka-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-plava-laguna-croatia-open-umag/ |
How to Watch NASCAR, F1, IndyCar & More: Auto Racing Streaming Live - Sunday, July 30
Published: Jul. 30, 2023 at 6:36 AM EDT|Updated: 32 minutes ago
True auto racing fans know that there's no such thing as too many races. From the starting gun to the checkered flag, you want to see it all. Check out the article below to find out how to watch or live stream the Formula 1, Formula E, Motocross, NASCAR Cup Series, and NHRA Drag Racing action airing on Fubo on Sunday, July 30.
Watch even more auto racing coverage with ESPN+!
Auto Racing Streaming Live Today
Watch Formula 1: Belgium Grand Prix
- Series: Formula 1
- Game Time: 8:55 AM ET
- TV Channel: ESPN
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Watch Motocross: MXGP Finland - Race 1
- Series: Motocross
- Game Time: 9:00 AM ET
- TV Channel: CBS Sports Network
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Watch Formula E: Round 16: London - Race
- Series: Formula E
- Game Time: 11:30 AM ET
- TV Channel: CBS Sports Network
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Watch NASCAR Cup Series: Cook Out 400
- Series: NASCAR Cup Series
- Game Time: 3:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: USA Network
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Watch NHRA Drag Racing: DENSO Sonoma Nationals
- Series: NHRA Drag Racing
- Game Time: 4:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: FOX
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Make sure you're following along with racing action all year long on Fubo and ESPN+!
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/auto-racing-live-stream/ | 2023-07-30T11:08:35 | 1 | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/auto-racing-live-stream/ |
Clara Burel vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto: Prediction and Match Betting Odds | Ladies Open Lausanne
On Sunday, Clara Burel (No. 84 in the world) takes on Elisabetta Cocciaretto (No. 42) in the final of the Ladies Open Lausanne.
Cocciaretto is favored to win the tournament championship over Burel, with -150 odds compared to the underdog's +115.
Looking to place a bet on this or other tennis matches? Head over to BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks, and sign up today with our link!
Clara Burel vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto Match Information
- Tournament: The Ladies Open Lausanne
- Round: Finals
- Date: Sunday, July 30
- Venue: Tennis Club du Stade-Lausanne
- Location: Lausanne, Switzerland
- Court Surface: Clay
Watch live tennis and many more sports and shows without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
Clara Burel vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto Prediction and Odds
Based on the moneyline in this match, Elisabetta Cocciaretto has a 60.0% chance to win.
Bet on tennis with BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks!
Clara Burel vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto Trends and Insights
- Burel defeated Diane Parry 4-6, 7-6, 6-3 in the semifinals on Saturday.
- Cocciaretto came out on top 6-7, 7-6, 7-5 against Anna Bondar in the semifinals on Saturday.
- Through 28 matches over the past year (across all court surfaces), Burel has played 23.2 games per match and won 50.9% of them.
- Burel has played 11 matches on clay over the past year, and 22.7 games per match.
- In her 41 matches in the past year across all court surfaces, Cocciaretto is averaging 21.5 games per match while winning 52.1% of those games.
- On clay, Cocciaretto has played 13 matches and averaged 23.2 games per match and 9.7 games per set.
- Burel and Cocciaretto have played one time dating back to 2015, in the WTA 125K Bol, Croatia Women Singles 2022 quarterfinals. Cocciaretto claimed victory in that bout 6-2, 6-4.
- In terms of sets, Cocciaretto has won two against Burel (100.0%), while Burel has clinched zero.
- Cocciaretto has the edge in 18 total games against Burel, claiming 12 of them.
- In their one match against each other, Burel and Cocciaretto are averaging 18.0 games and 2.0 sets.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/clara-burel-vs-elisabetta-cocciaretto-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-ladies-open-lausanne/ | 2023-07-30T11:08:41 | 0 | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/clara-burel-vs-elisabetta-cocciaretto-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-ladies-open-lausanne/ |
Mystics vs. Dream Injury Report, Betting Odds - July 30
The injury report for the Washington Mystics (12-12) heading into their matchup with the Atlanta Dream (13-11) currently has four players on it. The matchup begins at 3:00 PM ET on Sunday, July 30 from Gateway Center Arena.
Watch live WNBA games without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
The Mystics are coming off of a 90-62 loss to the Wings in their most recent outing on Friday.
Rep your team with officially licensed Mystics gear! Head to Fanatics to find jerseys, shirts, and much more.
Washington Mystics Injury Report Today
Start playing daily fantasy basketball today at FanDuel. Sign up with our link for a first-time deposit bonus!
Atlanta Dream Injury Report Today
Mystics vs. Dream Game Info
- Game Day: Sunday, July 30, 2023
- Game Time: 3:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: ESPN3, NBCS-DC, Monumental, and BSSO
- Location: College Park, Georgia
- Arena: Gateway Center Arena
Use our link to sign up for a free trial of Fubo, and start watching live sports without cable today!
Mystics Player Leaders
- Brittney Sykes is the Mystics' top scorer (14.1 points per game) and assist person (3.6), and posts 5 rebounds.
- Natasha Cloud is putting up a team-leading 6 assists per game. And she is producing 12.8 points and 3.3 rebounds, making 38.9% of her shots from the floor and 26.5% from beyond the arc, with 1 treys per game.
- Tianna Hawkins tops the Mystics in rebounding (5 per game), and produces 7.5 points and 1.5 assists. She also averages 0.7 steals and 0.3 blocked shots.
Mystics vs. Dream Betting Info
Check out the latest odds and place your bets on the Dream or Mystics with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use our link for the best new user offer, no promo code required!
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/mystics-vs-dream-wnba-injury-report/ | 2023-07-30T11:08:47 | 1 | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/mystics-vs-dream-wnba-injury-report/ |
Taylor Fritz vs. Aleksandar Vukic: Prediction and Match Betting Odds | Truist Atlanta Open
In the Truist Atlanta Open final on Sunday, Taylor Fritz takes on Aleksandar Vukic.
Fritz is favored (-550) bring home the title versus Vukic (+375).
Looking to place a bet on this or other tennis matches? Head over to BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks, and sign up today with our link!
Taylor Fritz vs. Aleksandar Vukic Match Information
- Tournament: The Truist Atlanta Open
- Round: Finals
- Date: Sunday, July 30
- Venue: Atlantic Station
- Location: Atlanta, Georgia
- Court Surface: Hard
Watch live tennis and many more sports and shows without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
Taylor Fritz vs. Aleksandar Vukic Prediction and Odds
Based on the moneyline in this match, Taylor Fritz has an 84.6% chance to win.
Bet on tennis with BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks!
Taylor Fritz vs. Aleksandar Vukic Trends and Insights
- By defeating No. 46-ranked Jeffrey John Wolf 6-3, 7-5 on Saturday, Fritz reached the finals.
- Vukic reached the finals by beating No. 38-ranked Ugo Humbert 3-6, 7-6, 7-5 on Saturday.
- Fritz has played 68 matches over the past year (across all court types), and 26.2 games per match (24.1 in best-of-three matches).
- Fritz has played 44 matches on hard courts over the past 12 months, and 25.8 games per match (24.3 in best-of-three matches).
- In the past year, Vukic has played 34 total matches (across all court types), winning 51.5% of the games. He averages 24.6 games per match (23.3 in best-of-three matches) and 9.8 games per set.
- Vukic has averaged 23.8 games per match (22.8 in best-of-three matches) and 9.6 games per set through 21 matches on hard courts in the past 12 months, winning 52.1% of those games.
- Dating back to 2015, Fritz and Vukic have not met on the court.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/taylor-fritz-vs-aleksandar-vukic-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-truist-atlanta-open/ | 2023-07-30T11:08:53 | 0 | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/taylor-fritz-vs-aleksandar-vukic-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-truist-atlanta-open/ |
Alexei Popyrin vs. Stan Wawrinka: Prediction and Match Betting Odds | Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag
In the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag final on Sunday, Alexei Popyrin meets Stan Wawrinka.
Wawrinka is favored (-200) to win the title versus Popyrin (+155).
Looking to place a bet on this or other tennis matches? Head over to BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks, and sign up today with our link!
Alexei Popyrin vs. Stan Wawrinka Match Information
- Tournament: The Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag
- Round: Finals
- Date: Sunday, July 30
- Venue: Stadium Goran Ivanisevic in ITC Stella Maris
- Location: Umag, Croatia
- Court Surface: Clay
Watch live tennis and many more sports and shows without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
Alexei Popyrin vs. Stan Wawrinka Prediction and Odds
Based on the moneyline in this match, Stan Wawrinka has a 66.7% chance to win.
Bet on tennis with BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks!
Alexei Popyrin vs. Stan Wawrinka Trends and Insights
- In the semifinals on Saturday, Popyrin beat Matteo Arnaldi 6-7, 7-5, 6-3.
- Wawrinka was victorious 6-3, 6-4 versus Lorenzo Sonego in the semifinals on Saturday.
- Popyrin has played 47 matches over the past 12 months across all court surfaces, and 28.0 games per match (25.3 in best-of-three matches).
- On clay, Popyrin has played 16 matches over the past year, totaling 26.7 games per match (26.0 in best-of-three matches) while winning 51.5% of games.
- In the past year, Wawrinka has competed in 40 total matches (across all court surfaces), winning 51.1% of the games. He averages 27.3 games per match (24.6 in best-of-three matches) and 10.6 games per set.
- On clay, Wawrinka has played 11 matches and averaged 28.7 games per match (23.4 in best-of-three matches) and 10.9 games per set.
- Popyrin and Wawrinka have not matched up against each other since 2015.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/alexei-popyrin-vs-stan-wawrinka-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-plava-laguna-croatia-open-umag/ | 2023-07-30T11:08:54 | 1 | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/alexei-popyrin-vs-stan-wawrinka-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-plava-laguna-croatia-open-umag/ |
How to Watch NASCAR, F1, IndyCar & More: Auto Racing Streaming Live - Sunday, July 30
Published: Jul. 30, 2023 at 6:36 AM EDT|Updated: 32 minutes ago
True auto racing fans know that there's no such thing as too many races. From the starting gun to the checkered flag, you want to see it all. Check out the article below to find out how to watch or live stream the Formula 1, Formula E, Motocross, NASCAR Cup Series, and NHRA Drag Racing action airing on Fubo on Sunday, July 30.
Watch even more auto racing coverage with ESPN+!
Auto Racing Streaming Live Today
Watch Formula 1: Belgium Grand Prix
- Series: Formula 1
- Game Time: 8:55 AM ET
- TV Channel: ESPN
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Watch Motocross: MXGP Finland - Race 1
- Series: Motocross
- Game Time: 9:00 AM ET
- TV Channel: CBS Sports Network
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Watch Formula E: Round 16: London - Race
- Series: Formula E
- Game Time: 11:30 AM ET
- TV Channel: CBS Sports Network
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Watch NASCAR Cup Series: Cook Out 400
- Series: NASCAR Cup Series
- Game Time: 3:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: USA Network
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Watch NHRA Drag Racing: DENSO Sonoma Nationals
- Series: NHRA Drag Racing
- Game Time: 4:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: FOX
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Make sure you're following along with racing action all year long on Fubo and ESPN+!
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/auto-racing-live-stream/ | 2023-07-30T11:09:00 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/auto-racing-live-stream/ |
Alexei Popyrin vs. Stan Wawrinka: Prediction and Match Betting Odds | Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag
In the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag final on Sunday, Alexei Popyrin meets Stan Wawrinka.
Wawrinka is favored (-200) to win the title versus Popyrin (+155).
Looking to place a bet on this or other tennis matches? Head over to BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks, and sign up today with our link!
Alexei Popyrin vs. Stan Wawrinka Match Information
- Tournament: The Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag
- Round: Finals
- Date: Sunday, July 30
- Venue: Stadium Goran Ivanisevic in ITC Stella Maris
- Location: Umag, Croatia
- Court Surface: Clay
Watch live tennis and many more sports and shows without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
Alexei Popyrin vs. Stan Wawrinka Prediction and Odds
Based on the moneyline in this match, Stan Wawrinka has a 66.7% chance to win.
Bet on tennis with BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks!
Alexei Popyrin vs. Stan Wawrinka Trends and Insights
- In the semifinals on Saturday, Popyrin beat Matteo Arnaldi 6-7, 7-5, 6-3.
- Wawrinka was victorious 6-3, 6-4 versus Lorenzo Sonego in the semifinals on Saturday.
- Popyrin has played 47 matches over the past 12 months across all court surfaces, and 28.0 games per match (25.3 in best-of-three matches).
- On clay, Popyrin has played 16 matches over the past year, totaling 26.7 games per match (26.0 in best-of-three matches) while winning 51.5% of games.
- In the past year, Wawrinka has competed in 40 total matches (across all court surfaces), winning 51.1% of the games. He averages 27.3 games per match (24.6 in best-of-three matches) and 10.6 games per set.
- On clay, Wawrinka has played 11 matches and averaged 28.7 games per match (23.4 in best-of-three matches) and 10.9 games per set.
- Popyrin and Wawrinka have not matched up against each other since 2015.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/alexei-popyrin-vs-stan-wawrinka-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-plava-laguna-croatia-open-umag/ | 2023-07-30T11:09:04 | 0 | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/alexei-popyrin-vs-stan-wawrinka-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-plava-laguna-croatia-open-umag/ |
Chicago Sky vs. Phoenix Mercury: Betting Trends, Record ATS, Home/Road Splits
Marina Mabrey and the Phoenix Mercury will battle when the Chicago Sky (9-15) meet the Mercury (6-17) at Wintrust Arena on Sunday, July 30 at 4:00 PM ET.
Chicago lost to Seattle 83-74 in its last game. Kahleah Copper led the way with 17 points, eight rebounds and four steals, followed by Dana Evans with 12 points. Phoenix lost to Atlanta 78-65 in their last game. Megan Gustafson (19 PTS, 8 REB, 3 BLK, 53.8 FG%) ended the game as Phoenix's top scorer.
Check out the latest odds on this matchup and place your bets with BetMGM Sportsbook. New to BetMGM? Use our link and promo code GNPLAY for a bonus offer for first-time players!
Sky vs. Mercury Game Time and Info
- Who's the favorite?: Sky (-275 to win)
- Who's the underdog?: Mercury (+230 to win)
- What's the spread?: Sky (-7.5)
- What's the over/under?: 156.5
- When: Sunday, July 30, 2023 at 4:00 PM ET
- Where: Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois
- TV: ESPN3 and AZFamily
Watch the WNBA live, along with tons of other live sports and TV, with a free trial to Fubo.
Sky Season Stats
- The Sky have struggled to put up points this season, ranking second-worst in the league with 78.1 points per game. They've played better defensively, ranking sixth by giving up 82.5 points per contest.
- Chicago is ninth in the WNBA with 33.8 boards per game this season. Meanwhile, it ranks eighth with 35.1 rebounds allowed per game.
- So far this season, the Sky rank fourth in the league in assists, putting up 19.8 per game.
- Chicago is averaging 13.9 turnovers per game (eighth-ranked in WNBA) this season, while forcing 13 turnovers per contest (eighth-ranked).
- The Sky are sinking 7.3 treys per game (fourth-ranked in WNBA) this year, while owning a 35% three-point percentage (fifth-ranked).
- In terms of defending three-pointers, things are clicking for Chicago, who is allowing 6.1 three-pointers per game (best in WNBA) and a 32.4% shooting percentage from three-point land (third-best).
Ready to put your picks to the test? Use code GNPLAY at this link to get a bonus offer for new players at BetMGM.
Sky Home/Away Splits
- The Sky have been significantly better offensively at home, where they average 80.6 points per game, compared to on the road, where they score 75.2 per game. Defensively, they are worse when playing at home, where they allow 84.3 points per game, versus on the road, where they let their opponents to average 80.5 per game.
- Chicago rebounds worse at home than on the road (31.9 RPG at home, 35.9 on the road), but it holds its opponents to fewer boards in home games than road games (34.9 at home, 35.3 on the road). On average, the Sky collect more assists at home than they do on the road (20.6 at home, 18.8 on the road).
- In the 2023 WNBA campaign, Chicago is turning the ball over less often in home games (13 per game) than away (14.9), and is alse forcing fewer turnovers at home (11.9 per game) compared to on the road (14.3).
- This year, the Sky are averaging 7.9 made three-pointers per game at home and 6.6 on the road (while shooting 38.3% from distance in home games compared to 31.2% on the road).
- This year, Chicago averages 6.5 three-pointers conceded per game at home and 5.5 on the road (while allowing 33.7% shooting from distance in home games compared to 30.7% on the road).
Sky Moneyline and ATS Records
- The Sky have won four of the nine games they were favored on the moneyline this season (44.4%).
- The Sky have yet to play a game with moneyline odds of -275 or shorter.
- Chicago is 11-12-0 against the spread this year.
- The Sky have a 73.3% chance to win this contest based on the moneyline's implied probability.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/chicago-sky-vs-phoenix-mercury-wnba-betting-trends-stats/ | 2023-07-30T11:09:07 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/chicago-sky-vs-phoenix-mercury-wnba-betting-trends-stats/ |
How to Watch NASCAR, F1, IndyCar & More: Auto Racing Streaming Live - Sunday, July 30
Published: Jul. 30, 2023 at 5:36 AM CDT|Updated: 32 minutes ago
True auto racing fans know that there's no such thing as too many races. From the starting gun to the checkered flag, you want to see it all. Check out the article below to find out how to watch or live stream the Formula 1, Formula E, Motocross, NASCAR Cup Series, and NHRA Drag Racing action airing on Fubo on Sunday, July 30.
Watch even more auto racing coverage with ESPN+!
Auto Racing Streaming Live Today
Watch Formula 1: Belgium Grand Prix
- Series: Formula 1
- Game Time: 8:55 AM ET
- TV Channel: ESPN
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Watch Motocross: MXGP Finland - Race 1
- Series: Motocross
- Game Time: 9:00 AM ET
- TV Channel: CBS Sports Network
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Watch Formula E: Round 16: London - Race
- Series: Formula E
- Game Time: 11:30 AM ET
- TV Channel: CBS Sports Network
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Watch NASCAR Cup Series: Cook Out 400
- Series: NASCAR Cup Series
- Game Time: 3:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: USA Network
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Watch NHRA Drag Racing: DENSO Sonoma Nationals
- Series: NHRA Drag Racing
- Game Time: 4:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: FOX
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Make sure you're following along with racing action all year long on Fubo and ESPN+!
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/auto-racing-live-stream/ | 2023-07-30T11:09:10 | 1 | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/auto-racing-live-stream/ |
Clara Burel vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto: Prediction and Match Betting Odds | Ladies Open Lausanne
On Sunday, Clara Burel (No. 84 in the world) takes on Elisabetta Cocciaretto (No. 42) in the final of the Ladies Open Lausanne.
Cocciaretto is favored to win the tournament championship over Burel, with -150 odds compared to the underdog's +115.
Looking to place a bet on this or other tennis matches? Head over to BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks, and sign up today with our link!
Clara Burel vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto Match Information
- Tournament: The Ladies Open Lausanne
- Round: Finals
- Date: Sunday, July 30
- Venue: Tennis Club du Stade-Lausanne
- Location: Lausanne, Switzerland
- Court Surface: Clay
Watch live tennis and many more sports and shows without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
Clara Burel vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto Prediction and Odds
Based on the moneyline in this match, Elisabetta Cocciaretto has a 60.0% chance to win.
Bet on tennis with BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks!
Clara Burel vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto Trends and Insights
- Burel defeated Diane Parry 4-6, 7-6, 6-3 in the semifinals on Saturday.
- Cocciaretto came out on top 6-7, 7-6, 7-5 against Anna Bondar in the semifinals on Saturday.
- Through 28 matches over the past year (across all court surfaces), Burel has played 23.2 games per match and won 50.9% of them.
- Burel has played 11 matches on clay over the past year, and 22.7 games per match.
- In her 41 matches in the past year across all court surfaces, Cocciaretto is averaging 21.5 games per match while winning 52.1% of those games.
- On clay, Cocciaretto has played 13 matches and averaged 23.2 games per match and 9.7 games per set.
- Burel and Cocciaretto have played one time dating back to 2015, in the WTA 125K Bol, Croatia Women Singles 2022 quarterfinals. Cocciaretto claimed victory in that bout 6-2, 6-4.
- In terms of sets, Cocciaretto has won two against Burel (100.0%), while Burel has clinched zero.
- Cocciaretto has the edge in 18 total games against Burel, claiming 12 of them.
- In their one match against each other, Burel and Cocciaretto are averaging 18.0 games and 2.0 sets.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/clara-burel-vs-elisabetta-cocciaretto-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-ladies-open-lausanne/ | 2023-07-30T11:09:13 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/clara-burel-vs-elisabetta-cocciaretto-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-ladies-open-lausanne/ |
Clara Burel vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto: Prediction and Match Betting Odds | Ladies Open Lausanne
On Sunday, Clara Burel (No. 84 in the world) takes on Elisabetta Cocciaretto (No. 42) in the final of the Ladies Open Lausanne.
Cocciaretto is favored to win the tournament championship over Burel, with -150 odds compared to the underdog's +115.
Looking to place a bet on this or other tennis matches? Head over to BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks, and sign up today with our link!
Clara Burel vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto Match Information
- Tournament: The Ladies Open Lausanne
- Round: Finals
- Date: Sunday, July 30
- Venue: Tennis Club du Stade-Lausanne
- Location: Lausanne, Switzerland
- Court Surface: Clay
Watch live tennis and many more sports and shows without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
Clara Burel vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto Prediction and Odds
Based on the moneyline in this match, Elisabetta Cocciaretto has a 60.0% chance to win.
Bet on tennis with BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks!
Clara Burel vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto Trends and Insights
- Burel defeated Diane Parry 4-6, 7-6, 6-3 in the semifinals on Saturday.
- Cocciaretto came out on top 6-7, 7-6, 7-5 against Anna Bondar in the semifinals on Saturday.
- Through 28 matches over the past year (across all court surfaces), Burel has played 23.2 games per match and won 50.9% of them.
- Burel has played 11 matches on clay over the past year, and 22.7 games per match.
- In her 41 matches in the past year across all court surfaces, Cocciaretto is averaging 21.5 games per match while winning 52.1% of those games.
- On clay, Cocciaretto has played 13 matches and averaged 23.2 games per match and 9.7 games per set.
- Burel and Cocciaretto have played one time dating back to 2015, in the WTA 125K Bol, Croatia Women Singles 2022 quarterfinals. Cocciaretto claimed victory in that bout 6-2, 6-4.
- In terms of sets, Cocciaretto has won two against Burel (100.0%), while Burel has clinched zero.
- Cocciaretto has the edge in 18 total games against Burel, claiming 12 of them.
- In their one match against each other, Burel and Cocciaretto are averaging 18.0 games and 2.0 sets.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/clara-burel-vs-elisabetta-cocciaretto-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-ladies-open-lausanne/ | 2023-07-30T11:09:16 | 0 | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/clara-burel-vs-elisabetta-cocciaretto-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-ladies-open-lausanne/ |
Lions Odds to Make Playoffs and Win Super Bowl
At +2000, the Detroit Lions are No. 8 in the NFL in terms of Super Bowl-winning odds as of December 31.
Watch the Lions this season on Fubo!
Lions Super Bowl Odds
- Odds to Win the NFC North: +130
- Odds to Win the Super Bowl: +2000
Looking to place a futures bet on the Lions to win the Super Bowl this season? Head to BetMGM using our link and enter the bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
Detroit Betting Insights
- Detroit put together a 10-5-0 ATS record last year.
- Last season, 10 Lions games went over the point total.
- While Detroit ranked worst in the in total defense with 392.4 yards allowed per game last season, it was a different story on the other side of the ball, as it ranked fourth-best in the (380 yards per game).
- Last year the Lions were 5-4 at home and 4-4 on the road.
- As favorites, Detroit went 3-2. As underdogs, the Lions went 5-5.
- In the NFC North the Lions were 5-1, and in the conference overall they went 7-5.
Lions Impact Players
- Jared Goff threw for 4,438 yards (261.1 per game), completing 65.1% of his passes, with 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 17 games last year.
- In the passing game, Amon-Ra St. Brown scored six TDs, catching 106 balls for 1,161 yards (72.6 per game).
- In 16 games for the Bears a season ago, David Montgomery rushed for 801 yards (50.1 per game) and five TDs.
- Kalif Raymond had 47 catches for 616 yards (36.2 per game) and zero touchdowns in 17 games.
- Alex Anzalone had one interception to go with 125 tackles, 7.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks, and five passes defended last year.
Bet on Lions to win the Super Bowl and plenty more with BetMGM. Head to BetMGM using our link and enter the bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
2023-24 Lions NFL Schedule
Odds are current as of July 30 at 5:25 AM ET. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/lions-nfl-playoffs-super-bowl-odds/ | 2023-07-30T11:09:20 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/lions-nfl-playoffs-super-bowl-odds/ |
Dream vs. Mystics Injury Report, Betting Odds - July 30
The Atlanta Dream (13-11) have just one player on the injury report for their matchup with the Washington Mystics (12-12) at Gateway Center Arena on Sunday, July 30 at 3:00 PM ET.
Watch live WNBA games without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
The Dream are coming off of a 95-84 loss to the Liberty in their last game on Thursday.
Rep your team with officially licensed Dream gear! Head to Fanatics to find jerseys, shirts, and much more.
Atlanta Dream Injury Report Today
Start playing daily fantasy basketball today at FanDuel. Sign up with our link for a first-time deposit bonus!
Washington Mystics Injury Report Today
Dream vs. Mystics Game Info
- Game Day: Sunday, July 30, 2023
- Game Time: 3:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: ESPN3, NBCS-DC, Monumental, and BSSO
- Location: College Park, Georgia
- Arena: Gateway Center Arena
Use our link to sign up for a free trial of Fubo, and start watching live sports without cable today!
Dream Player Leaders
- Rhyne Howard paces the Dream at 18.2 points per game, while also averaging 3.4 assists and 4.6 rebounds.
- Allisha Gray averages a team-best 3.5 assists per contest. She is also averaging 17.9 points and 5.2 rebounds, shooting 48% from the floor and 38% from downtown with 1.1 made 3-pointers per game.
- Cheyenne Parker paces her squad in rebounds per game (7.2), and also posts 13.5 points and 1.6 assists. At the other end, she posts 1.2 steals and 1.5 blocked shots (sixth in the WNBA).
- Nia Coffey averages 6.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists per contest, shooting 43.4% from the floor and 40.7% from beyond the arc (seventh in league) with 1 made 3-pointers per contest.
- Haley Jones is putting up 4.1 points, 2.8 assists and 2.6 rebounds per contest.
Dream vs. Mystics Betting Info
Check out the latest odds and place your bets on the Dream or Mystics with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use our link for the best new user offer, no promo code required!
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/dream-vs-mystics-wnba-injury-report/ | 2023-07-30T11:09:22 | 1 | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/dream-vs-mystics-wnba-injury-report/ |
Taylor Fritz vs. Aleksandar Vukic: Prediction and Match Betting Odds | Truist Atlanta Open
In the Truist Atlanta Open final on Sunday, Taylor Fritz takes on Aleksandar Vukic.
Fritz is favored (-550) bring home the title versus Vukic (+375).
Looking to place a bet on this or other tennis matches? Head over to BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks, and sign up today with our link!
Taylor Fritz vs. Aleksandar Vukic Match Information
- Tournament: The Truist Atlanta Open
- Round: Finals
- Date: Sunday, July 30
- Venue: Atlantic Station
- Location: Atlanta, Georgia
- Court Surface: Hard
Watch live tennis and many more sports and shows without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
Taylor Fritz vs. Aleksandar Vukic Prediction and Odds
Based on the moneyline in this match, Taylor Fritz has an 84.6% chance to win.
Bet on tennis with BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks!
Taylor Fritz vs. Aleksandar Vukic Trends and Insights
- By defeating No. 46-ranked Jeffrey John Wolf 6-3, 7-5 on Saturday, Fritz reached the finals.
- Vukic reached the finals by beating No. 38-ranked Ugo Humbert 3-6, 7-6, 7-5 on Saturday.
- Fritz has played 68 matches over the past year (across all court types), and 26.2 games per match (24.1 in best-of-three matches).
- Fritz has played 44 matches on hard courts over the past 12 months, and 25.8 games per match (24.3 in best-of-three matches).
- In the past year, Vukic has played 34 total matches (across all court types), winning 51.5% of the games. He averages 24.6 games per match (23.3 in best-of-three matches) and 9.8 games per set.
- Vukic has averaged 23.8 games per match (22.8 in best-of-three matches) and 9.6 games per set through 21 matches on hard courts in the past 12 months, winning 52.1% of those games.
- Dating back to 2015, Fritz and Vukic have not met on the court.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/taylor-fritz-vs-aleksandar-vukic-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-truist-atlanta-open/ | 2023-07-30T11:09:26 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/taylor-fritz-vs-aleksandar-vukic-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-truist-atlanta-open/ |
Falcons Odds to Make Playoffs and Win Super Bowl
Right now the Atlanta Falcons are 19th in the NFL in terms of odds to win the Super Bowl, listed at +6600.
Watch the Falcons this season on Fubo!
Falcons Super Bowl Odds
- Odds to Win the NFC South: +220
- Odds to Win the Super Bowl: +6600
Looking to place a futures bet on the Falcons to win the Super Bowl this season? Head to BetMGM using our link and enter the bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
Atlanta Betting Insights
- Atlanta compiled a 9-7-0 record against the spread last season.
- A total of seven Falcons games last season hit the over.
- Atlanta totaled 318.3 yards per game offensively last year (24th in ), and it surrendered 362.1 yards per game (27th) on the defensive side of the ball.
- The Falcons were 6-3 at home last season, but they won only one game away from home.
- When an underdog, Atlanta went 3-9 last season. When favored, however, went unbeaten (4-0).
- The Falcons were 6-6 in the NFC, including 2-4 in the NFC South.
Falcons Impact Players
- In 16 games last year, Tyler Allgeier rushed for 1,035 yards (64.7 per game) and three touchdowns.
- Allgeier also had 16 receptions for 139 yards and one TD.
- On the ground, Cordarrelle Patterson scored eight touchdowns and picked up 695 yards (53.5 per game).
- In nine games for the Commanders a season ago, Taylor Heinicke passed for 1,859 yards (206.6 per game), with 12 touchdowns and six interceptions, and a completion percentage of 62.2%.
- Drake London had 72 receptions for 866 yards (50.9 per game) and four touchdowns in 17 games.
- Richie Grant had two interceptions to go with 122 tackles, 3.0 TFL, and seven passes defended last year.
Bet on Falcons to win the Super Bowl and plenty more with BetMGM. Head to BetMGM using our link and enter the bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
2023-24 Falcons NFL Schedule
Odds are current as of July 30 at 5:27 AM ET. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/falcons-nfl-playoffs-super-bowl-odds/ | 2023-07-30T11:09:29 | 0 | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/falcons-nfl-playoffs-super-bowl-odds/ |
Top Player Prop Bets for Tigers vs. Marlins on July 30, 2023
Player prop bet odds for Luis Arraez, Spencer Torkelson and others are available when the Miami Marlins host the Detroit Tigers at LoanDepot park on Sunday at 1:40 PM ET.
Bet on this matchup or its props with BetMGM!
Tigers vs. Marlins Game Info
- When: Sunday, July 30, 2023 at 1:40 PM ET
- Where: LoanDepot park in Miami, Florida
- How to Watch on TV: BSFL
- Live Stream: Watch the MLB on Fubo!
Explore More About This Game
MLB Props Today: Detroit Tigers
Spencer Torkelson Props
- Hits Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: -149)
- Runs Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: +155)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: +475)
- RBI Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: +200)
Torkelson Stats
- Torkelson has 23 doubles, a triple, 15 home runs, 43 walks and 58 RBI (90 total hits). He has stolen two bases.
- He's slashed .230/.308/.408 on the season.
Torkelson Recent Games
Javier Báez Props
- Hits Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: -179)
- Runs Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: +185)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: +700)
- RBI Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: +260)
Báez Stats
- Javier Baez has 12 doubles, four triples, seven home runs, 17 walks and 47 RBI (86 total hits). He has swiped nine bases.
- He has a slash line of .223/.263/.329 on the year.
Báez Recent Games
Bet on player props for Spencer Torkelson, Javier Báez or other Tigers players with BetMGM.
Buy officially licensed gear for your favorite teams and players at Fanatics!
MLB Props Today: Miami Marlins
Jesús Luzardo Props
- Strikeouts Prop: Over/Under 7.5 (Over Odds: -125)
Luzardo Stats
- The Marlins' Jesus Luzardo (8-5) will make his 22nd start of the season.
- He has started 21 games this season, earning a quality start (6 or more IP, 3 or fewer ER) in 12 of them.
- Luzardo has made 17 starts of five or more innings in 21 chances this season, and averages 5.7 frames when he pitches.
- He has finished four appearances without allowing an earned run in 21 chances this season.
- Among qualified pitchers in the majors this campaign, the 25-year-old ranks 12th in ERA (3.22), 23rd in WHIP (1.147), and eighth in K/9 (10.8).
Luzardo Recent Games
Check out the latest odds and place your bets on any of Tarik Skubal's player props with BetMGM.
Luis Arraez Props
- Hits Prop: Over/Under 1.5 (Over Odds: +155)
- Runs Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: +125)
- RBI Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: +225)
Arraez Stats
- Arraez has 24 doubles, two triples, three home runs, 30 walks and 51 RBI (146 total hits). He's also stolen one base.
- He's slashing .381/.429/.478 so far this season.
- Arraez hopes to build on a three-game hitting streak in this matchup. In his last five games he is hitting .500 with three doubles, a walk and four RBI.
Arraez Recent Games
Jorge Soler Props
- Hits Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: -175)
- Runs Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: +100)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: +330)
- RBI Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: +175)
Soler Stats
- Jorge Soler has 19 doubles, 24 home runs, 47 walks and 54 RBI (89 total hits). He has stolen one base.
- He's slashed .240/.331/.485 so far this season.
- Soler brings a two-game streak with at least one hit into this matchup. In his last five games he is batting .150 with a walk.
Soler Recent Games
Bet on player props for Luis Arraez, Jorge Soler or other Marlins players with BetMGM.
Not all offers available in all states. Please gamble responsibly. If you or someone you know has developed a gambling problem or addiction, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/tigers-vs-marlins-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-30T11:09:33 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/tigers-vs-marlins-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
Taylor Fritz vs. Aleksandar Vukic: Prediction and Match Betting Odds | Truist Atlanta Open
In the Truist Atlanta Open final on Sunday, Taylor Fritz takes on Aleksandar Vukic.
Fritz is favored (-550) bring home the title versus Vukic (+375).
Looking to place a bet on this or other tennis matches? Head over to BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks, and sign up today with our link!
Taylor Fritz vs. Aleksandar Vukic Match Information
- Tournament: The Truist Atlanta Open
- Round: Finals
- Date: Sunday, July 30
- Venue: Atlantic Station
- Location: Atlanta, Georgia
- Court Surface: Hard
Watch live tennis and many more sports and shows without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
Taylor Fritz vs. Aleksandar Vukic Prediction and Odds
Based on the moneyline in this match, Taylor Fritz has an 84.6% chance to win.
Bet on tennis with BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks!
Taylor Fritz vs. Aleksandar Vukic Trends and Insights
- By defeating No. 46-ranked Jeffrey John Wolf 6-3, 7-5 on Saturday, Fritz reached the finals.
- Vukic reached the finals by beating No. 38-ranked Ugo Humbert 3-6, 7-6, 7-5 on Saturday.
- Fritz has played 68 matches over the past year (across all court types), and 26.2 games per match (24.1 in best-of-three matches).
- Fritz has played 44 matches on hard courts over the past 12 months, and 25.8 games per match (24.3 in best-of-three matches).
- In the past year, Vukic has played 34 total matches (across all court types), winning 51.5% of the games. He averages 24.6 games per match (23.3 in best-of-three matches) and 9.8 games per set.
- Vukic has averaged 23.8 games per match (22.8 in best-of-three matches) and 9.6 games per set through 21 matches on hard courts in the past 12 months, winning 52.1% of those games.
- Dating back to 2015, Fritz and Vukic have not met on the court.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/taylor-fritz-vs-aleksandar-vukic-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-truist-atlanta-open/ | 2023-07-30T11:09:35 | 1 | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/taylor-fritz-vs-aleksandar-vukic-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-truist-atlanta-open/ |
Tigers vs. Marlins Probable Starting Pitchers Today - July 30
The Miami Marlins (56-49) host the Detroit Tigers (47-58) at 1:40 PM ET on Sunday, with both teams hoping to win the series.
This contest's pitching matchup is set, as the Marlins will send Jesus Luzardo (8-5) to the mound, while Tarik Skubal (1-1) will take the ball for the Tigers.
Bet Now: Get the latest odds for this matchup and pitcher props on BetMGM. New depositors can use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
Tigers vs. Marlins Pitcher Matchup Info
- Date: Sunday, July 30, 2023
- Time: 1:40 PM ET
- TV: BSFL
- Location: Miami, Florida
- Venue: LoanDepot park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Probable Pitchers: Luzardo - MIA (8-5, 3.22 ERA) vs Skubal - DET (1-1, 3.71 ERA)
Watch live MLB games on all your devices! Sign up now for a free trial to Fubo!
Read More About This Game
Tigers Probable Starting Pitcher Tonight: Tarik Skubal
- The Tigers will send Skubal (1-1) to the mound to make his fifth start of the season. He is 1-1 with a 3.71 ERA and 23 strikeouts through 17 2/3 innings pitched.
- In his most recent outing on Monday against the San Francisco Giants, the left-hander threw five scoreless innings while surrendering two hits.
- The 26-year-old has an ERA of 3.71, with 12.2 strikeouts per nine innings in four games this season. Opponents are batting .200 against him.
- Skubal is trying to pick up his second start of five or more innings this season in this game.
- In three of his appearances this season he has not surrender an earned run.
Try FanDuel Fantasy today with our link and make your perfect team!
Marlins Probable Starting Pitcher Tonight: Jesús Luzardo
- The Marlins' Luzardo (8-5) will make his 22nd start of the season.
- The left-hander gave up one earned run in seven innings pitched on Sunday in his last outing, a matchup with the Colorado Rockies.
- The 25-year-old has an ERA of 3.22, a 4.5 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a WHIP of 1.147 in 21 games this season.
- He has 12 quality starts in 21 chances this season.
- In 21 starts this season, Luzardo has lasted five or more innings 17 times, with an average of 5.7 innings per appearance.
- In 21 appearances this season, he has finished four without allowing an earned run.
- Among qualified pitchers in the majors this year, the 25-year-old ranks 12th in ERA (3.22), 23rd in WHIP (1.147), and eighth in K/9 (10.8).
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/tigers-vs-marlins-mlb-probable-starting-pitchers/ | 2023-07-30T11:09:39 | 1 | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/tigers-vs-marlins-mlb-probable-starting-pitchers/ |
How to Watch the WNBA on Sunday: TV Channel, Game Times and Odds
Today's WNBA slate has lots in store. Among those six games is the Minnesota Lynx taking on the Connecticut Sun.
Catch live WNBA games, plus tons of other sports and shows, with a free trial to Fubo!
Today's WNBA Games
The Connecticut Sun take on the Minnesota Lynx
The Lynx look to pull off an away win at the Sun on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.
How to Watch
- TV Channel: CBS Sports Network
- Stream Live: Fubo (regional restrictions may apply)
- Game Time: 1:00 PM ET
Records and Stats
- CON Record: 18-6
- MIN Record: 12-13
- CON Stats: 84.0 PPG (fifth in WNBA), 78.6 Opp. PPG (first)
- MIN Stats: 80.2 PPG (eighth in WNBA), 85.4 Opp. PPG (10th)
Players to Watch
- CON Key Player: Alyssa Thomas (14.5 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 8.0 APG)
- MIN Key Player: Kayla McBride (12.6 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.8 APG)
Vegas Odds and Betting Lines
- Spread: -11.5
- CON Odds to Win: -818
- MIN Odds to Win: +525
- Total: 159.5 points
The Atlanta Dream host the Washington Mystics
The Mystics travel to face the Dream on Sunday at 3:00 PM ET.
How to Watch
- TV Channel: Bally Sports
- Stream Live: Fubo (regional restrictions may apply)
- Game Time: 3:00 PM ET
Records and Stats
- ATL Record: 13-11
- WAS Record: 12-12
- ATL Stats: 85.0 PPG (fourth in WNBA), 85.1 Opp. PPG (ninth)
- WAS Stats: 81.1 PPG (seventh in WNBA), 80.3 Opp. PPG (third)
Players to Watch
- ATL Key Player: Rhyne Howard (18.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.4 APG)
- WAS Key Player: Brittney Sykes (14.1 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 3.6 APG)
Vegas Odds and Betting Lines
- Spread: -6.5
- ATL Odds to Win: -250
- WAS Odds to Win: +197
- Total: 164.5 points
Watch live WNBA games on all your devices! Sign up now for a free trial to Fubo.
The Los Angeles Sparks take on the New York Liberty
The Liberty hit the road the Sparks on Sunday at 4:00 PM ET.
How to Watch
Records and Stats
- LAS Record: 9-15
- NYL Record: 18-6
- LAS Stats: 78.5 PPG (ninth in WNBA), 81.7 Opp. PPG (fourth)
- NYL Stats: 88.7 PPG (second in WNBA), 82.7 Opp. PPG (seventh)
Players to Watch
- LAS Key Player: Nneka Ogwumike (20.3 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 2.7 APG)
- NYL Key Player: Breanna Stewart (23.1 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 3.7 APG)
Vegas Odds and Betting Lines
- Spread: -9
- NYL Odds to Win: -503
- LAS Odds to Win: +373
- Total: 167 points
The Indiana Fever face the Seattle Storm
The Storm hope to pick up a road win at the Fever on Sunday at 4:00 PM ET.
How to Watch
Records and Stats
- IND Record: 6-18
- SEA Record: 5-19
- IND Stats: 81.4 PPG (sixth in WNBA), 85.7 Opp. PPG (11th)
- SEA Stats: 78.5 PPG (ninth in WNBA), 85.7 Opp. PPG (11th)
Players to Watch
- IND Key Player: Aliyah Boston (14.4 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.2 APG)
- SEA Key Player: Jewell Loyd (24.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.5 APG)
Vegas Odds and Betting Lines
- Spread: -3.5
- IND Odds to Win: -161
- SEA Odds to Win: +133
- Total: 164.5 points
Buy gear from your favorite teams and players NOW at Fanatics!
The Chicago Sky host the Phoenix Mercury
The Mercury go on the road to face the Sky on Sunday at 4:00 PM ET.
How to Watch
- TV Channel: ESPN3 and AZFamily
- Game Time: 4:00 PM ET
Records and Stats
- CHI Record: 9-15
- PHO Record: 6-17
- CHI Stats: 78.1 PPG (11th in WNBA), 82.5 Opp. PPG (sixth)
- PHO Stats: 75.8 PPG (12th in WNBA), 83.5 Opp. PPG (eighth)
Players to Watch
- CHI Key Player: Courtney Williams (9.2 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 6.0 APG)
- PHO Key Player: Brittney Griner (18.2 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.0 APG)
Vegas Odds and Betting Lines
- Spread: -7
- CHI Odds to Win: -285
- PHO Odds to Win: +228
- Total: 156 points
The Las Vegas Aces take on the Dallas Wings
The Wings hit the road the Aces on Sunday at 6:00 PM ET.
How to Watch
- TV Channel: CBS Sports Network
- Stream Live: Fubo (regional restrictions may apply)
- Game Time: 6:00 PM ET
Records and Stats
- LVA Record: 22-2
- DAL Record: 14-10
- LVA Stats: 94.1 PPG (first in WNBA), 78.7 Opp. PPG (second)
- DAL Stats: 86.0 PPG (third in WNBA), 81.7 Opp. PPG (fourth)
Players to Watch
- LVA Key Player: A'ja Wilson (20.8 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 2.0 APG)
- DAL Key Player: Satou Sabally (17.6 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 4.0 APG)
Vegas Odds and Betting Lines
- Spread: -10
- LVA Odds to Win: -653
- DAL Odds to Win: +462
- Total: 173.5 points
See links for offer details, offers not available in all states and areas. Must be 21+ to gamble. Please gamble responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/wnba-odds-how-to-watch/ | 2023-07-30T11:09:41 | 0 | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/wnba-odds-how-to-watch/ |
How to Watch the WNBA on Sunday: TV Channel, Game Times and Odds
Today's WNBA slate has lots in store. Among those six games is the Minnesota Lynx taking on the Connecticut Sun.
Catch live WNBA games, plus tons of other sports and shows, with a free trial to Fubo!
Today's WNBA Games
The Connecticut Sun take on the Minnesota Lynx
The Lynx look to pull off an away win at the Sun on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.
How to Watch
- TV Channel: CBS Sports Network
- Stream Live: Fubo (regional restrictions may apply)
- Game Time: 1:00 PM ET
Records and Stats
- CON Record: 18-6
- MIN Record: 12-13
- CON Stats: 84.0 PPG (fifth in WNBA), 78.6 Opp. PPG (first)
- MIN Stats: 80.2 PPG (eighth in WNBA), 85.4 Opp. PPG (10th)
Players to Watch
- CON Key Player: Alyssa Thomas (14.5 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 8.0 APG)
- MIN Key Player: Kayla McBride (12.6 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.8 APG)
Vegas Odds and Betting Lines
- Spread: -11.5
- CON Odds to Win: -818
- MIN Odds to Win: +525
- Total: 159.5 points
The Atlanta Dream host the Washington Mystics
The Mystics travel to face the Dream on Sunday at 3:00 PM ET.
How to Watch
- TV Channel: Bally Sports
- Stream Live: Fubo (regional restrictions may apply)
- Game Time: 3:00 PM ET
Records and Stats
- ATL Record: 13-11
- WAS Record: 12-12
- ATL Stats: 85.0 PPG (fourth in WNBA), 85.1 Opp. PPG (ninth)
- WAS Stats: 81.1 PPG (seventh in WNBA), 80.3 Opp. PPG (third)
Players to Watch
- ATL Key Player: Rhyne Howard (18.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.4 APG)
- WAS Key Player: Brittney Sykes (14.1 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 3.6 APG)
Vegas Odds and Betting Lines
- Spread: -6.5
- ATL Odds to Win: -250
- WAS Odds to Win: +197
- Total: 164.5 points
Watch live WNBA games on all your devices! Sign up now for a free trial to Fubo.
The Los Angeles Sparks take on the New York Liberty
The Liberty hit the road the Sparks on Sunday at 4:00 PM ET.
How to Watch
Records and Stats
- LAS Record: 9-15
- NYL Record: 18-6
- LAS Stats: 78.5 PPG (ninth in WNBA), 81.7 Opp. PPG (fourth)
- NYL Stats: 88.7 PPG (second in WNBA), 82.7 Opp. PPG (seventh)
Players to Watch
- LAS Key Player: Nneka Ogwumike (20.3 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 2.7 APG)
- NYL Key Player: Breanna Stewart (23.1 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 3.7 APG)
Vegas Odds and Betting Lines
- Spread: -9
- NYL Odds to Win: -503
- LAS Odds to Win: +373
- Total: 167 points
The Indiana Fever face the Seattle Storm
The Storm hope to pick up a road win at the Fever on Sunday at 4:00 PM ET.
How to Watch
Records and Stats
- IND Record: 6-18
- SEA Record: 5-19
- IND Stats: 81.4 PPG (sixth in WNBA), 85.7 Opp. PPG (11th)
- SEA Stats: 78.5 PPG (ninth in WNBA), 85.7 Opp. PPG (11th)
Players to Watch
- IND Key Player: Aliyah Boston (14.4 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.2 APG)
- SEA Key Player: Jewell Loyd (24.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.5 APG)
Vegas Odds and Betting Lines
- Spread: -3.5
- IND Odds to Win: -161
- SEA Odds to Win: +133
- Total: 164.5 points
Buy gear from your favorite teams and players NOW at Fanatics!
The Chicago Sky host the Phoenix Mercury
The Mercury go on the road to face the Sky on Sunday at 4:00 PM ET.
How to Watch
- TV Channel: ESPN3 and AZFamily
- Game Time: 4:00 PM ET
Records and Stats
- CHI Record: 9-15
- PHO Record: 6-17
- CHI Stats: 78.1 PPG (11th in WNBA), 82.5 Opp. PPG (sixth)
- PHO Stats: 75.8 PPG (12th in WNBA), 83.5 Opp. PPG (eighth)
Players to Watch
- CHI Key Player: Courtney Williams (9.2 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 6.0 APG)
- PHO Key Player: Brittney Griner (18.2 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.0 APG)
Vegas Odds and Betting Lines
- Spread: -7
- CHI Odds to Win: -285
- PHO Odds to Win: +228
- Total: 156 points
The Las Vegas Aces take on the Dallas Wings
The Wings hit the road the Aces on Sunday at 6:00 PM ET.
How to Watch
- TV Channel: CBS Sports Network
- Stream Live: Fubo (regional restrictions may apply)
- Game Time: 6:00 PM ET
Records and Stats
- LVA Record: 22-2
- DAL Record: 14-10
- LVA Stats: 94.1 PPG (first in WNBA), 78.7 Opp. PPG (second)
- DAL Stats: 86.0 PPG (third in WNBA), 81.7 Opp. PPG (fourth)
Players to Watch
- LVA Key Player: A'ja Wilson (20.8 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 2.0 APG)
- DAL Key Player: Satou Sabally (17.6 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 4.0 APG)
Vegas Odds and Betting Lines
- Spread: -10
- LVA Odds to Win: -653
- DAL Odds to Win: +462
- Total: 173.5 points
See links for offer details, offers not available in all states and areas. Must be 21+ to gamble. Please gamble responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/wnba-odds-how-to-watch/ | 2023-07-30T11:09:45 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/wnba-odds-how-to-watch/ |
Russian authorities say three Ukrainian drones attacked Moscow in the early hours on Sunday, injuring one person and prompting a temporary closure for traffic of one of four airports around the Russian capital.
It was the fourth such attempt at a strike on the capital region this month and the third this week, fueling concerns about Moscow's vulnerability to attacks as Russia's war in Ukraine drags into its 18th month.
The Russian Defense Ministry referred to the incident as an "attempted terrorist attack by the Kyiv regime" and said three drones targeted the city. One was shot down in the surrounding Moscow region by air defense systems and two others were jammed. Those two crashed into the Moscow City business district in the capital.
Photos from the site of the crash showed the facade of a skyscraper damaged on one floor. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the attack "insignificantly damaged" the outsides of two buildings in the Moscow City district. A security guard was injured, Russia's state news agency Tass reported, citing emergency officials.
No flights went into or out of the Vnukovo airport on the southern outskirts of the city for about an hour, according to Tass, and the air space over Moscow and the outlying regions was temporarily closed for any aircraft. Those restrictions have since been lifted.
Moscow authorities have also closed a street for traffic near the site of the crash in the Moscow City area.
There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian officials, who rarely if ever take responsibility for attacks on Russian soil.
Russia's Defense Ministry reported shooting down a Ukrainian drone outside Moscow on Friday. Two more drones struck the Russian capital on Monday, one of them falling in the center of the city near the Defense Ministry's headquarters along the Moscow River about 3 kilometers (2 miles) from the Kremlin. The other drone hit an office building in southern Moscow, gutting several upper floors.
In another attack on July 4, the Russian military said four drones were downed by air defenses on the outskirts of Moscow and a fifth was jammed by electronic warfare means and forced down.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/2023-07-30/a-drone-attack-on-moscow-briefly-shut-the-airport-and-injured-one | 2023-07-30T11:09:46 | 0 | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/2023-07-30/a-drone-attack-on-moscow-briefly-shut-the-airport-and-injured-one |
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas is temporarily blocked from enforcing a law that would have allowed criminal charges against librarians and booksellers for providing "harmful" materials to minors, a federal judge ruled Saturday.
U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks issued a preliminary injunction against the law, which also would have created a new process to challenge library materials and request that they be relocated to areas not accessible by kids. The measure, signed by Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders earlier this year, was set to take effect Aug. 1.
A coalition that included the Central Arkansas Library System in Little Rock had challenged the law, saying fear of prosecution under the measure could prompt libraries and booksellers to no longer carry titles that could be challenged.
The judge also rejected a motion by the defendants, which include prosecuting attorneys for the state, seeking to dismiss the case.
The ACLU of Arkansas, which represents some of the plaintiffs, applauded the court's ruling, saying that the absence of a preliminary injunction would have jeopardized First Amendment rights.
"The question we had to ask was — do Arkansans still legally have access to reading materials? Luckily, the judicial system has once again defended our highly valued liberties," Holly Dickson, the executive director of the ACLU in Arkansas, said in a statement.
The lawsuit comes as lawmakers in an increasing number of conservative states are pushing for measures making it easier to ban or restrict access to books. The number of attempts to ban or restrict books across the U.S. last year was the highest in the 20 years the American Library Association has been tracking such efforts.
Laws restricting access to certain materials or making it easier to challenge them have been enacted in several other states, including Iowa, Indiana and Texas.
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin said in an email Saturday that his office would be "reviewing the judge's opinion and will continue to vigorously defend the law."
The executive director of Central Arkansas Library System, Nate Coulter, said the judge's 49-page decision recognized the law as censorship, a violation of the Constitution and wrongly maligning librarians.
"As folks in southwest Arkansas say, this order is stout as horseradish!" he said in an email.
"I'm relieved that for now the dark cloud that was hanging over CALS' librarians has lifted," he added.
Cheryl Davis, general counsel for the Authors Guild, said the organization is "thrilled" about the decision. She said enforcing this law "is likely to limit the free speech rights of older minors, who are capable of reading and processing more complex reading materials than young children can."
The Arkansas lawsuit names the state's 28 local prosecutors as defendants, along with Crawford County in west Arkansas. A separate lawsuit is challenging the Crawford County library's decision to move children's books that included LGBTQ+ themes to a separate portion of the library.
The plaintiffs challenging Arkansas' restrictions also include the Fayetteville and Eureka Springs Carnegie public libraries, the American Booksellers Association and the Association of American Publishers.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/2023-07-30/an-arkansas-judge-has-blocked-a-law-targetting-librarians-over-harmful-books | 2023-07-30T11:09:52 | 0 | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/2023-07-30/an-arkansas-judge-has-blocked-a-law-targetting-librarians-over-harmful-books |
Russian authorities say three Ukrainian drones attacked Moscow in the early hours on Sunday, injuring one person and prompting a temporary closure for traffic of one of four airports around the Russian capital.
It was the fourth such attempt at a strike on the capital region this month and the third this week, fueling concerns about Moscow's vulnerability to attacks as Russia's war in Ukraine drags into its 18th month.
The Russian Defense Ministry referred to the incident as an "attempted terrorist attack by the Kyiv regime" and said three drones targeted the city. One was shot down in the surrounding Moscow region by air defense systems and two others were jammed. Those two crashed into the Moscow City business district in the capital.
Photos from the site of the crash showed the facade of a skyscraper damaged on one floor. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the attack "insignificantly damaged" the outsides of two buildings in the Moscow City district. A security guard was injured, Russia's state news agency Tass reported, citing emergency officials.
No flights went into or out of the Vnukovo airport on the southern outskirts of the city for about an hour, according to Tass, and the air space over Moscow and the outlying regions was temporarily closed for any aircraft. Those restrictions have since been lifted.
Moscow authorities have also closed a street for traffic near the site of the crash in the Moscow City area.
There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian officials, who rarely if ever take responsibility for attacks on Russian soil.
Russia's Defense Ministry reported shooting down a Ukrainian drone outside Moscow on Friday. Two more drones struck the Russian capital on Monday, one of them falling in the center of the city near the Defense Ministry's headquarters along the Moscow River about 3 kilometers (2 miles) from the Kremlin. The other drone hit an office building in southern Moscow, gutting several upper floors.
In another attack on July 4, the Russian military said four drones were downed by air defenses on the outskirts of Moscow and a fifth was jammed by electronic warfare means and forced down.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.kcbx.org/npr-top-news/2023-07-29/a-drone-attack-on-moscow-briefly-shut-the-airport-and-injured-one | 2023-07-30T11:10:47 | 1 | https://www.kcbx.org/npr-top-news/2023-07-29/a-drone-attack-on-moscow-briefly-shut-the-airport-and-injured-one |
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas is temporarily blocked from enforcing a law that would have allowed criminal charges against librarians and booksellers for providing "harmful" materials to minors, a federal judge ruled Saturday.
U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks issued a preliminary injunction against the law, which also would have created a new process to challenge library materials and request that they be relocated to areas not accessible by kids. The measure, signed by Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders earlier this year, was set to take effect Aug. 1.
A coalition that included the Central Arkansas Library System in Little Rock had challenged the law, saying fear of prosecution under the measure could prompt libraries and booksellers to no longer carry titles that could be challenged.
The judge also rejected a motion by the defendants, which include prosecuting attorneys for the state, seeking to dismiss the case.
The ACLU of Arkansas, which represents some of the plaintiffs, applauded the court's ruling, saying that the absence of a preliminary injunction would have jeopardized First Amendment rights.
"The question we had to ask was — do Arkansans still legally have access to reading materials? Luckily, the judicial system has once again defended our highly valued liberties," Holly Dickson, the executive director of the ACLU in Arkansas, said in a statement.
The lawsuit comes as lawmakers in an increasing number of conservative states are pushing for measures making it easier to ban or restrict access to books. The number of attempts to ban or restrict books across the U.S. last year was the highest in the 20 years the American Library Association has been tracking such efforts.
Laws restricting access to certain materials or making it easier to challenge them have been enacted in several other states, including Iowa, Indiana and Texas.
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin said in an email Saturday that his office would be "reviewing the judge's opinion and will continue to vigorously defend the law."
The executive director of Central Arkansas Library System, Nate Coulter, said the judge's 49-page decision recognized the law as censorship, a violation of the Constitution and wrongly maligning librarians.
"As folks in southwest Arkansas say, this order is stout as horseradish!" he said in an email.
"I'm relieved that for now the dark cloud that was hanging over CALS' librarians has lifted," he added.
Cheryl Davis, general counsel for the Authors Guild, said the organization is "thrilled" about the decision. She said enforcing this law "is likely to limit the free speech rights of older minors, who are capable of reading and processing more complex reading materials than young children can."
The Arkansas lawsuit names the state's 28 local prosecutors as defendants, along with Crawford County in west Arkansas. A separate lawsuit is challenging the Crawford County library's decision to move children's books that included LGBTQ+ themes to a separate portion of the library.
The plaintiffs challenging Arkansas' restrictions also include the Fayetteville and Eureka Springs Carnegie public libraries, the American Booksellers Association and the Association of American Publishers.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.kcbx.org/npr-top-news/2023-07-30/an-arkansas-judge-has-blocked-a-law-targetting-librarians-over-harmful-books | 2023-07-30T11:10:53 | 0 | https://www.kcbx.org/npr-top-news/2023-07-30/an-arkansas-judge-has-blocked-a-law-targetting-librarians-over-harmful-books |
D.C. public schools has cut its technology budget for students by $9 million ahead of the upcoming school year, scrapping plans to replace aging laptops for students who have been using them since the start of the pandemic.
“It is the 21st century, we purport to provide a 21st-century education for our students,” said Melody Molinoff, a co-lead of Digital Equity in DC Education, which advocates for expanded technology access in schools. “That means having a robust, stable technology infrastructure that is refreshed in a predictable manner, and supported by the appropriate manner to do so.”
School officials say the fault lies with the D.C. Council. Earlier this year the council cut $20 million from the district’s current fiscal year budget — which ends in September — to give individual schools more money and satisfy a new budget model that aims to provide campuses with at least the same amount of money they received the year prior.
Now, the public school system says that cut is preventing it from buying new laptops. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, however, said the school system can move money from elsewhere in its budget to purchase new devices.
“It’s real easy for DCPS to blame the council,” Mendelson said. “I worry that it’s not good for kids because if the adults at DPCS want to follow through to make the council look bad, kids are going to suffer.”
D.C. Public Schools had intended to spend $18 million this summer to purchase devices, including almost 16,000 new Lenovo laptops to replace older Microsoft Surface Go models that have reached the end of their three-year life cycle, according to a request for task order from June. In D.C. public schools, every student, starting in third grade, receives a device to use throughout the year.
The district now plans to spend about half that amount.
The remaining $9 million will go toward reimaging and refreshing the older laptops — a process that usually includes updating the operating system and getting rid of unnecessary applications to reduce stress on the machine — so that they can last another year. The district will also purchase a small number of new Lenovo laptops to replace machines that were either lost over the course of last school year or cannot be refreshed.
Reimaging can be an effective way to extend a laptop’s life, said Adam Phyall, director of professional learning and leadership at the advocacy group Future Ready Schools. Phyall has also worked with school districts to expand technology access for students. But keeping devices around for too long could also create a security risk, he said.
“As machines get older, they’re not able to handle the security upgrades, therefore, making them more at-risk to bad actors out there” who want to compromise student or district data, he said.
D.C. schools officials said the reimaging process should prevent security issues, but the older devices may be slower than newer machines — raising questions about equity. “The slower a machine is going for a student, that could be the one thing that impedes their learning process,” Phyall said.
Molinoff warned of potential gaps in academic performance between students who have faster laptops and those who use slower ones.
“Within one classroom, you get a two-tiered system where some kids are going to be using devices that are right-sized for education and then others are going to be struggling on these older devices,” she said, adding that the effects will be particularly acute for children who do not have access to technology at home. “That is not equity, plain and simple.”
The cuts by the council largely targeted federal coronavirus relief dollars that had been earmarked to be spent this fiscal year. Those dollars were pushed to next year’s budget — which starts in October — Mendelson wrote in a letter to Paul Kihn, the city’s deputy mayor for education.
Those reductions helped fund the Schools First in Budgeting Act, the D.C. law that mandates individual campuses receive at least the same amount of money as they did the year prior. School officials criticized the measure, passed late last year because it overhauled an existing funding model the city’s mayor said was more equitable and continues to be a point of contention between lawmakers and education leaders.
Lewis D. Ferebee, chancellor of the nearly 50,000-student system, warned of “more significant impacts to DCPS operations” — from the elimination of full-time substitutes to delays in paying out teacher bonuses — because of the council’s actions.
“Under the Schools First in Budgeting Act (SFIB), we anticipate continued funding pressure for the 2024-25 school year (FY25),” Ferebee wrote in a letter to principals this summer, adding the situation will worsen when federal coronavirus dollars intended to help schools recover from the pandemic expire in September 2024.
There are more cuts to come this upcoming fiscal year, which starts in October. The school system will take a $20.7 million hit to its central office — which oversees functions such as human resources, but also certain school supports including technology and curriculum, according to Kihn.
“This is an unprecedented budget cut for our school system and poses a legitimate risk for our students’ educational progress by reducing targeted interventions and services,” Kihn wrote to D.C. Council members this month.
Those cuts are now forcing the district to make “hard spending decisions,” Ferebee’s letter said adding the council’s actions have diverted “funding from projects funded and managed centrally that directly support students and schools across fiscal years.”
Mendelson, however, rejected the notion that the council took money away from the system’s technology budget, and encouraged the district to tap into $195 million in unused coronavirus relief aid.
“The point here is if they really go through with this, it’s the chancellor’s choice to cut digital, not the council,” Mendelson said. “And the chancellor needs to own it.” | https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/07/30/dc-schools-technology-budget-cuts/ | 2023-07-30T11:12:33 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/07/30/dc-schools-technology-budget-cuts/ |
Alexei Popyrin vs. Stan Wawrinka: Prediction and Match Betting Odds | Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag
In the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag final on Sunday, Alexei Popyrin meets Stan Wawrinka.
Wawrinka is favored (-200) to win the title versus Popyrin (+155).
Looking to place a bet on this or other tennis matches? Head over to BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks, and sign up today with our link!
Alexei Popyrin vs. Stan Wawrinka Match Information
- Tournament: The Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag
- Round: Finals
- Date: Sunday, July 30
- Venue: Stadium Goran Ivanisevic in ITC Stella Maris
- Location: Umag, Croatia
- Court Surface: Clay
Watch live tennis and many more sports and shows without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
Alexei Popyrin vs. Stan Wawrinka Prediction and Odds
Based on the moneyline in this match, Stan Wawrinka has a 66.7% chance to win.
Bet on tennis with BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks!
Alexei Popyrin vs. Stan Wawrinka Trends and Insights
- In the semifinals on Saturday, Popyrin beat Matteo Arnaldi 6-7, 7-5, 6-3.
- Wawrinka was victorious 6-3, 6-4 versus Lorenzo Sonego in the semifinals on Saturday.
- Popyrin has played 47 matches over the past 12 months across all court surfaces, and 28.0 games per match (25.3 in best-of-three matches).
- On clay, Popyrin has played 16 matches over the past year, totaling 26.7 games per match (26.0 in best-of-three matches) while winning 51.5% of games.
- In the past year, Wawrinka has competed in 40 total matches (across all court surfaces), winning 51.1% of the games. He averages 27.3 games per match (24.6 in best-of-three matches) and 10.6 games per set.
- On clay, Wawrinka has played 11 matches and averaged 28.7 games per match (23.4 in best-of-three matches) and 10.9 games per set.
- Popyrin and Wawrinka have not matched up against each other since 2015.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/alexei-popyrin-vs-stan-wawrinka-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-plava-laguna-croatia-open-umag/ | 2023-07-30T11:12:43 | 1 | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/alexei-popyrin-vs-stan-wawrinka-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-plava-laguna-croatia-open-umag/ |
How to Watch NASCAR, F1, IndyCar & More: Auto Racing Streaming Live - Sunday, July 30
Published: Jul. 30, 2023 at 5:36 AM CDT|Updated: 36 minutes ago
True auto racing fans know that there's no such thing as too many races. From the starting gun to the checkered flag, you want to see it all. Check out the article below to find out how to watch or live stream the Formula 1, Formula E, Motocross, NASCAR Cup Series, and NHRA Drag Racing action airing on Fubo on Sunday, July 30.
Watch even more auto racing coverage with ESPN+!
Auto Racing Streaming Live Today
Watch Formula 1: Belgium Grand Prix
- Series: Formula 1
- Game Time: 8:55 AM ET
- TV Channel: ESPN
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Watch Motocross: MXGP Finland - Race 1
- Series: Motocross
- Game Time: 9:00 AM ET
- TV Channel: CBS Sports Network
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Watch Formula E: Round 16: London - Race
- Series: Formula E
- Game Time: 11:30 AM ET
- TV Channel: CBS Sports Network
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Watch NASCAR Cup Series: Cook Out 400
- Series: NASCAR Cup Series
- Game Time: 3:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: USA Network
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Watch NHRA Drag Racing: DENSO Sonoma Nationals
- Series: NHRA Drag Racing
- Game Time: 4:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: FOX
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Make sure you're following along with racing action all year long on Fubo and ESPN+!
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/auto-racing-live-stream/ | 2023-07-30T11:12:49 | 1 | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/auto-racing-live-stream/ |
Clara Burel vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto: Prediction and Match Betting Odds | Ladies Open Lausanne
On Sunday, Clara Burel (No. 84 in the world) takes on Elisabetta Cocciaretto (No. 42) in the final of the Ladies Open Lausanne.
Cocciaretto is favored to win the tournament championship over Burel, with -150 odds compared to the underdog's +115.
Looking to place a bet on this or other tennis matches? Head over to BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks, and sign up today with our link!
Clara Burel vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto Match Information
- Tournament: The Ladies Open Lausanne
- Round: Finals
- Date: Sunday, July 30
- Venue: Tennis Club du Stade-Lausanne
- Location: Lausanne, Switzerland
- Court Surface: Clay
Watch live tennis and many more sports and shows without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
Clara Burel vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto Prediction and Odds
Based on the moneyline in this match, Elisabetta Cocciaretto has a 60.0% chance to win.
Bet on tennis with BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks!
Clara Burel vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto Trends and Insights
- Burel defeated Diane Parry 4-6, 7-6, 6-3 in the semifinals on Saturday.
- Cocciaretto came out on top 6-7, 7-6, 7-5 against Anna Bondar in the semifinals on Saturday.
- Through 28 matches over the past year (across all court surfaces), Burel has played 23.2 games per match and won 50.9% of them.
- Burel has played 11 matches on clay over the past year, and 22.7 games per match.
- In her 41 matches in the past year across all court surfaces, Cocciaretto is averaging 21.5 games per match while winning 52.1% of those games.
- On clay, Cocciaretto has played 13 matches and averaged 23.2 games per match and 9.7 games per set.
- Burel and Cocciaretto have played one time dating back to 2015, in the WTA 125K Bol, Croatia Women Singles 2022 quarterfinals. Cocciaretto claimed victory in that bout 6-2, 6-4.
- In terms of sets, Cocciaretto has won two against Burel (100.0%), while Burel has clinched zero.
- Cocciaretto has the edge in 18 total games against Burel, claiming 12 of them.
- In their one match against each other, Burel and Cocciaretto are averaging 18.0 games and 2.0 sets.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/clara-burel-vs-elisabetta-cocciaretto-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-ladies-open-lausanne/ | 2023-07-30T11:12:56 | 0 | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/clara-burel-vs-elisabetta-cocciaretto-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-ladies-open-lausanne/ |
Lynx vs. Sun: Odds, spread, over/under and other Vegas lines - July 30
Published: Jul. 30, 2023 at 4:36 AM CDT|Updated: 2 hours ago
The Connecticut Sun (18-6), on Sunday, July 30, 2023 at 1:00 PM ET, aim to build on a three-game home winning streak when hosting the Minnesota Lynx (12-13).
In this article, you will check out the spread and odds across multiple sportsbooks for the Lynx vs. Sun matchup.
Click on our link to sign up for a free trial of Fubo, and start watching live sports without cable today!
Lynx vs. Sun Game Info
- Game Day: Sunday, July 30, 2023
- Game Time: 1:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: CBS Sports Network and NBCS-BOS
- Location: Uncasville, Connecticut
- Arena: Mohegan Sun Arena
Lynx vs. Sun Odds, Spread, Over/Under
Check out the odds, spread and over/under for this WNBA matchup posted on several sportsbooks.
Lynx vs. Sun Betting Trends
- The Sun have put together a 13-10-0 record against the spread this season.
- The Lynx have won 12 games against the spread this year, while failing to cover 12 times.
- Connecticut has not covered the spread when favored by 11.5 points or more this season (in one opportunity).
- Minnesota has covered the spread once when an underdog by 11.5 points or more this season (in five opportunities).
- So far this season, 14 out of the Sun's 23 games have gone over the point total.
- A total of 13 Lynx games this year have gone over the point total.
Not all offers available in all states. Please gamble responsibly! Contact 1-800-GAMBLER if you or someone you know has developed a gambling problem or addiction.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/lynx-sun-wnba-odds-spread-over-under/ | 2023-07-30T11:13:02 | 0 | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/lynx-sun-wnba-odds-spread-over-under/ |
Taylor Fritz vs. Aleksandar Vukic: Prediction and Match Betting Odds | Truist Atlanta Open
In the Truist Atlanta Open final on Sunday, Taylor Fritz takes on Aleksandar Vukic.
Fritz is favored (-550) bring home the title versus Vukic (+375).
Looking to place a bet on this or other tennis matches? Head over to BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks, and sign up today with our link!
Taylor Fritz vs. Aleksandar Vukic Match Information
- Tournament: The Truist Atlanta Open
- Round: Finals
- Date: Sunday, July 30
- Venue: Atlantic Station
- Location: Atlanta, Georgia
- Court Surface: Hard
Watch live tennis and many more sports and shows without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
Taylor Fritz vs. Aleksandar Vukic Prediction and Odds
Based on the moneyline in this match, Taylor Fritz has an 84.6% chance to win.
Bet on tennis with BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks!
Taylor Fritz vs. Aleksandar Vukic Trends and Insights
- By defeating No. 46-ranked Jeffrey John Wolf 6-3, 7-5 on Saturday, Fritz reached the finals.
- Vukic reached the finals by beating No. 38-ranked Ugo Humbert 3-6, 7-6, 7-5 on Saturday.
- Fritz has played 68 matches over the past year (across all court types), and 26.2 games per match (24.1 in best-of-three matches).
- Fritz has played 44 matches on hard courts over the past 12 months, and 25.8 games per match (24.3 in best-of-three matches).
- In the past year, Vukic has played 34 total matches (across all court types), winning 51.5% of the games. He averages 24.6 games per match (23.3 in best-of-three matches) and 9.8 games per set.
- Vukic has averaged 23.8 games per match (22.8 in best-of-three matches) and 9.6 games per set through 21 matches on hard courts in the past 12 months, winning 52.1% of those games.
- Dating back to 2015, Fritz and Vukic have not met on the court.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/taylor-fritz-vs-aleksandar-vukic-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-truist-atlanta-open/ | 2023-07-30T11:13:08 | 0 | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/taylor-fritz-vs-aleksandar-vukic-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-truist-atlanta-open/ |
The House Republicans who craft the conference’s government funding bills are showing signs of frustration as hard-line conservatives pressure leadership for further cuts to spending that some worry could be too aggressive.
Some of the 12 Appropriations subcommittee chairs — the so-called cardinals — told reporters that they are struggling to see where those additional cuts could come from, as September’s shutdown deadline looms.
“I just don’t see the wisdom in trying to further cut to strengthen our hand. I don’t know how that strengthens our hand,” Rep. Steve Womack (R-Ark.), a House Appropriations subcommittee chairman, said of conservatives’ push to further cut the already-scaled-back spending bills.
“I do think it puts some of our members in a very difficult spot, particularly those in tough districts, because they’re going to be taking some votes that become problematic,” he added.
The House left Washington for a long summer recess Thursday after being forced to punt a bill to fund agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration.
Conservatives are dug in on their demand for steeper spending cuts, to the chagrin of moderates who are wary of slashing funding even more. The chamber has passed just one appropriations bill, funding military construction and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The internal divisions are gripping the party as time is running out: The House has just 12 days in September to move the remaining 11 appropriations measures and hash out their disagreements with the Senate, which is marking up its spending bills at higher levels, setting the scene for a hectic fall that could bring the U.S. to the brink of a shutdown.
Those dynamics are putting GOP appropriators in a bind, leaving them searching for ways to appease conservative requests without gutting their spending bills.
“We’ve done a lot of cuts, a lot of cuts,” House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Kay Granger (R-Texas) told The Hill this week. “And so if it’s cuts just for cut’s sake, I don’t agree with it. But if it’s something that we can do without, that’s fine.”
‘Not a lot of wiggle room left’
Republican appropriators in the House announced earlier this year that they would mark up their bills for fiscal 2024 at fiscal 2022 levels, as leaders sought to placate conservatives who thought the debt ceiling deal struck by President Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) earlier this year didn’t do enough to curb spending.
The Senate is crafting its bills more in line with the budget caps agreed to in the deal, but House Republicans are already fuming about a bipartisan deal in the upper chamber that would allow for more than $13 billion in additional emergency spending on top of those levels.
House GOP negotiators also said they would pursue clawing back more than $100 billion in old funding that was allocated for Democratic priorities without GOP support in the previous Congress.
While that move drew support from hard-line conservatives, the right flank was far from pleased when it heard appropriators planned to repurpose that old funding — known as rescissions — to plus-up the spending bills.
In a letter to McCarthy earlier this month, a group of hard-line conservatives called for all 12 appropriations bills to be in line with fiscal 2022 spending levels “without the use of reallocated rescissions to increase discretionary spending above that top-line.”
Otherwise, the 21 lawmakers threatened, they would vote against the measures. But that request could prove difficult for GOP appropriators to fulfill.
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), chairman of the panel that proposes funding for the Department of State and foreign operations, said that appropriators are already “dramatically reducing spending,” suggesting that there are not too many remaining areas to trim from.
“My bill is below the 2016 levels,” he said, later adding, “When you’re below the 2016 level — and we’re still confronting China — I think there’s not a lot of wiggle room left.”
“It’s a challenge, but I think we’ll get through it. I really do,” he added.
Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), who heads the subcommittee that oversees funding for the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Interior, scoffed at the idea of even steeper cuts to his bill.
“Then you just drop it on the floor and stomp on it. What else do you do with it?” he told reporters. “You can’t make logical cuts in there.”
Republicans appropriators are voicing optimism that the conference will be able to sort out its differences on spending, but some also hope their levels will stick — even though they include rescissions.
Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) — whose panel handles funding for the Department of Energy, which is proposing offsetting billions of dollars in spending with clawbacks — said it would be “extremely difficult” to craft his bill without the rescinded funds.
“And given our priorities in my bill, national defense with the nuclear weapons portfolio, nuclear cleanup, Army Corps including, all the community-directed fundings, I feel good about my bill, and I hope my numbers hold,” he said.
“Because it’s gonna have to be in negotiations with the Senate and the White House as well,” he added.
Womack — whose subcommittee crafts funding for the IRS and the Treasury Department — said he doesn’t think “moving the goalposts on these numbers is helpful in strengthening our ability to negotiate with the Senate.”
August preparations for a busy September
Frustrations among appropriators are bubbling up as Congress inches closer to the fall, when lawmakers are facing a Sept. 30 deadline to approve funding or risk a government shutdown.
With time running out, some House lawmakers say conversations may continue over the long August recess to try to hash out remaining differences.
“We’ll have to see,” Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) said when asked about potential plans for talks between leaders and House Freedom Caucus members over the break. “I mean, we got a lot of work to do.”
“I think a lot of work [has] got to be done behind the scenes,” he said. “If not, you know, here — You gotta beg the question about whether we should be gone for six weeks. We should be getting our job done.”
Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.) echoed that sentiment, saying “I would think so” when asked if lawmakers will have conversations over the break.
Adding to the August workload, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) suggested earlier this week that bicameral negotiations could take place over the weeks-long recess as lawmakers stare down the shutdown deadline.
Not all Republicans, however, are viewing a shutdown as a risk.
During a House Freedom Caucus press conference this week, Good said “we should not fear a government shutdown,” claiming that “most of what we do up here is bad anyway; most of what we do up here hurts the American people.”
But that perspective does not jive with the view of McCarthy, who declared Thursday: “I don’t want the government to shut down.”
Multiple Republicans are ultimately expecting Congress to eventually pass what’s known as a continuing resolution (CR), or a measure that temporarily allows the government to be funded at the previous fiscal year’s levels, to prevent a lapse at the end of September.
But they also understand the task could be difficult in the GOP-led chamber, where Republicans aren’t happy about the idea of continuing funding at the current levels — which were last set when Democrats held control of Congress.
“I think there’s a very good chance that we’ll see a CR, but I know there’s a lot of work to get a CR done,” Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.), another appropriator, said Thursday, noting there are “a lot of members that don’t want CRs that are tired of them.”
But Aderholt suggested a CR could notch sufficient GOP backing if there’s a larger plan in sight that the party can support.
“The Speaker’s been very good about having a plan,” he said, adding, “I think that’s what he’s good at, and I’m optimistic that he can come up with something.”
Emily Brooks contributed. | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/hill-politics/frustration-emerges-among-gop-spending-cardinals-as-conservatives-push-for-cuts/ | 2023-07-30T11:13:12 | 1 | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/hill-politics/frustration-emerges-among-gop-spending-cardinals-as-conservatives-push-for-cuts/ |
Vikings Odds to Make Playoffs and Win Super Bowl
Published: Jul. 30, 2023 at 4:26 AM CDT|Updated: 2 hours ago
The Minnesota Vikings have +4000 odds to win the Super Bowl as of December 31.
Watch the Vikings this season on Fubo!
Vikings Super Bowl Odds
- Odds to Win the NFC North: +280
- Odds to Win the Super Bowl: +4000
Looking to place a futures bet on the Vikings to win the Super Bowl this season? Head to BetMGM using our link and enter the bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
Minnesota Betting Insights
- Minnesota covered seven times in 17 games with a spread last season.
- Vikings games hit the over 11 out of 17 times last season.
- Despite having a bottom-five defense that ranked second-worst in the (388.7 yards allowed per game) last season, Minnesota played better offensively, ranking seventh in the by averaging 361.5 yards per game.
- At home last year, the Vikings were 8-1. Away, they were 5-3.
- Minnesota won every game when favored (11-0) but just one as the underdog (1-4).
- In the NFC North the Vikings were 4-2, and in the conference as a whole they went 8-4.
Vikings Impact Players
- Kirk Cousins passed for 4,547 yards (267.5 per game), completing 65.9% of his throws, with 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 17 games last year.
- Cousins also rushed for 97 yards and two TDs.
- In the passing game, Justin Jefferson scored eight TDs, catching 128 balls for 1,809 yards (106.4 per game).
- T.J. Hockenson had 86 receptions for 914 yards (53.8 per game) and six touchdowns in 17 games a season ago.
- K.J. Osborn had 60 catches for 650 yards (38.2 per game) and five touchdowns in 17 games.
- On defense last year, Jordan Hicks helped set the tone with one interception to go with 130 tackles, 2.0 TFL, three sacks, and 10 passes defended in 17 games.
Bet on Vikings to win the Super Bowl and plenty more with BetMGM. Head to BetMGM using our link and enter the bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
2023-24 Vikings NFL Schedule
Odds are current as of July 30 at 5:27 AM ET. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/vikings-nfl-playoffs-super-bowl-odds/ | 2023-07-30T11:13:14 | 0 | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/vikings-nfl-playoffs-super-bowl-odds/ |
How to Watch the WNBA on Sunday: TV Channel, Game Times and Odds
Today's WNBA slate has lots in store. Among those six games is the Minnesota Lynx taking on the Connecticut Sun.
Catch live WNBA games, plus tons of other sports and shows, with a free trial to Fubo!
Today's WNBA Games
The Connecticut Sun take on the Minnesota Lynx
The Lynx look to pull off an away win at the Sun on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.
How to Watch
- TV Channel: CBS Sports Network
- Stream Live: Fubo (regional restrictions may apply)
- Game Time: 1:00 PM ET
Records and Stats
- CON Record: 18-6
- MIN Record: 12-13
- CON Stats: 84.0 PPG (fifth in WNBA), 78.6 Opp. PPG (first)
- MIN Stats: 80.2 PPG (eighth in WNBA), 85.4 Opp. PPG (10th)
Players to Watch
- CON Key Player: Alyssa Thomas (14.5 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 8.0 APG)
- MIN Key Player: Kayla McBride (12.6 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.8 APG)
Vegas Odds and Betting Lines
- Spread: -11.5
- CON Odds to Win: -818
- MIN Odds to Win: +525
- Total: 159.5 points
The Atlanta Dream host the Washington Mystics
The Mystics travel to face the Dream on Sunday at 3:00 PM ET.
How to Watch
- TV Channel: Bally Sports
- Stream Live: Fubo (regional restrictions may apply)
- Game Time: 3:00 PM ET
Records and Stats
- ATL Record: 13-11
- WAS Record: 12-12
- ATL Stats: 85.0 PPG (fourth in WNBA), 85.1 Opp. PPG (ninth)
- WAS Stats: 81.1 PPG (seventh in WNBA), 80.3 Opp. PPG (third)
Players to Watch
- ATL Key Player: Rhyne Howard (18.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.4 APG)
- WAS Key Player: Brittney Sykes (14.1 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 3.6 APG)
Vegas Odds and Betting Lines
- Spread: -6.5
- ATL Odds to Win: -250
- WAS Odds to Win: +197
- Total: 164.5 points
Watch live WNBA games on all your devices! Sign up now for a free trial to Fubo.
The Los Angeles Sparks take on the New York Liberty
The Liberty hit the road the Sparks on Sunday at 4:00 PM ET.
How to Watch
Records and Stats
- LAS Record: 9-15
- NYL Record: 18-6
- LAS Stats: 78.5 PPG (ninth in WNBA), 81.7 Opp. PPG (fourth)
- NYL Stats: 88.7 PPG (second in WNBA), 82.7 Opp. PPG (seventh)
Players to Watch
- LAS Key Player: Nneka Ogwumike (20.3 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 2.7 APG)
- NYL Key Player: Breanna Stewart (23.1 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 3.7 APG)
Vegas Odds and Betting Lines
- Spread: -9
- NYL Odds to Win: -503
- LAS Odds to Win: +373
- Total: 167 points
The Indiana Fever face the Seattle Storm
The Storm hope to pick up a road win at the Fever on Sunday at 4:00 PM ET.
How to Watch
Records and Stats
- IND Record: 6-18
- SEA Record: 5-19
- IND Stats: 81.4 PPG (sixth in WNBA), 85.7 Opp. PPG (11th)
- SEA Stats: 78.5 PPG (ninth in WNBA), 85.7 Opp. PPG (11th)
Players to Watch
- IND Key Player: Aliyah Boston (14.4 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.2 APG)
- SEA Key Player: Jewell Loyd (24.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.5 APG)
Vegas Odds and Betting Lines
- Spread: -3.5
- IND Odds to Win: -161
- SEA Odds to Win: +133
- Total: 164.5 points
Buy gear from your favorite teams and players NOW at Fanatics!
The Chicago Sky host the Phoenix Mercury
The Mercury go on the road to face the Sky on Sunday at 4:00 PM ET.
How to Watch
- TV Channel: ESPN3 and AZFamily
- Game Time: 4:00 PM ET
Records and Stats
- CHI Record: 9-15
- PHO Record: 6-17
- CHI Stats: 78.1 PPG (11th in WNBA), 82.5 Opp. PPG (sixth)
- PHO Stats: 75.8 PPG (12th in WNBA), 83.5 Opp. PPG (eighth)
Players to Watch
- CHI Key Player: Courtney Williams (9.2 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 6.0 APG)
- PHO Key Player: Brittney Griner (18.2 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.0 APG)
Vegas Odds and Betting Lines
- Spread: -7
- CHI Odds to Win: -285
- PHO Odds to Win: +228
- Total: 156 points
The Las Vegas Aces take on the Dallas Wings
The Wings hit the road the Aces on Sunday at 6:00 PM ET.
How to Watch
- TV Channel: CBS Sports Network
- Stream Live: Fubo (regional restrictions may apply)
- Game Time: 6:00 PM ET
Records and Stats
- LVA Record: 22-2
- DAL Record: 14-10
- LVA Stats: 94.1 PPG (first in WNBA), 78.7 Opp. PPG (second)
- DAL Stats: 86.0 PPG (third in WNBA), 81.7 Opp. PPG (fourth)
Players to Watch
- LVA Key Player: A'ja Wilson (20.8 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 2.0 APG)
- DAL Key Player: Satou Sabally (17.6 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 4.0 APG)
Vegas Odds and Betting Lines
- Spread: -10
- LVA Odds to Win: -653
- DAL Odds to Win: +462
- Total: 173.5 points
See links for offer details, offers not available in all states and areas. Must be 21+ to gamble. Please gamble responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/wnba-odds-how-to-watch/ | 2023-07-30T11:13:20 | 0 | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/wnba-odds-how-to-watch/ |
CHENGDU, China , July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from Xinhua:
On July 28, the Chengdu 2021 FISU World University Games officially commenced, captivating university athletes from various parts of the world with an opening ceremony that seamlessly blended historical and cultural elements with youthful passion.
The cultural performances showcased Chengdu's unique cultural features, with the "Sun and Immortal Birds" being a symbol of Chinese cultural heritage and a spiritual emblem. From the very first second of the countdown to the ignition, the presence of the "Sun and Immortal Birds" captivated the audience until the final moment of ignition. "Sunlight", serving as the core element, permeated the entire opening ceremony. Without the "Sun and Immortal Birds", the grand finale of igniting the flame would not have been possible. The countdown to the opening commenced amid the radiance of the "Sun and Immortal Birds," not only demonstrating the harmonious and inclusive spiritual character that the Chinese people have embraced since ancient times but also expressing best wishes for university students worldwide to shine as bright and warm as sunlight.
The opening ceremony combined the sense of technology with artistic beauty. During the entrance segment, colorful silk threads were projected onto the ground, creating a breathtaking display of traditional Chinese patterns formed by over 300 circular lines that adorned the entirety of the stadium's track. This symbolic imagery represents the aspirations of young athletes from around the world, as they embark on a glorious journey paved with the splendor of Shu embroidery. The guide signs held high by the ushers were made of Shu brocade, a renowned textile originating from the Chengdu region, with a history spanning over 2,000 years. Shu brocade stands as one of the four prestigious brocades of China. Meanwhile, Shu embroidery, one of the four famous embroideries in China, has a history of more than 3,000 years, originating from the Chengdu region. Both Shu embroidery and Shu brocade are hailed as treasures of the region.
In celebration of the 31st edition of FISU World University Games, 31 torchbearers were selected to light the flame tower. Among them, the illustrious Chengdu astronaut, Ye Guangfu, shone as a notable figure. Recognizing astronauts as the "closest beings to the sun," chief director Chen Weiya harnessed the brilliance of sunlight, transforming it into a dazzling blaze. After the 31 torchbearers jointly completed the ignition, the Sun and Immortal Birds radiated a stunning brilliance. They spiraled and ascended, igniting the 12 golden fireworks in the sky. Ultimately, they ignited the flame tower outside the stadium.
During the fireworks performance, the chief designer of the opening ceremony fireworks, Cai Canhuang, aptly named it "Golden Dreams." Golden fireworks illuminated the sky, accompanied by welcoming messages in both Chinese and English. As the flame tower of the Chengdu 2021 FISU World University Games was ignited, the fireworks displayed the U-shaped emblem of the Games and the English theme "Make Dreams Come True." The fireworks artfully portrayed the image of a golden hibiscus flower, representing the city flower of Chengdu. Beyond symbolizing youth and vitality, the hibiscus also embodies the values of openness and friendliness, expressing the theme of "flowers welcoming guests."
The Chengdu 2021 FISU World University Games will feature a total of 18 sports events, and is scheduled to conclude on August 8. With athletes from 113 countries and regions, a staggering 6,500 athletes will compete across these 18 sports.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Xinhua | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/30/chengdu-2021-fisu-world-university-games-opening-ceremony-impresses-audiences-worldwide/ | 2023-07-30T11:14:15 | 0 | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/30/chengdu-2021-fisu-world-university-games-opening-ceremony-impresses-audiences-worldwide/ |
LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Lexington police are investigating after a juvenile girl was shot in the city early Sunday morning.
Officers say the shooting happened just after 2 a.m. on West New Circle Road.
According to police, the girl was in the passenger seat of a car going down New Circle when another car pulled up alongside hers and opened fire.
Police were able to treat the girl's wounds on scene before she was taken to the hospital.
There's no information on any suspects in this shooting right now.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Lexington Police. | https://www.lex18.com/news/young-girl-recovering-after-being-shot-in-lexington-overnight | 2023-07-30T11:14:26 | 0 | https://www.lex18.com/news/young-girl-recovering-after-being-shot-in-lexington-overnight |
DEAR AMY: My husband’s brother and his wife announced about a year ago that they had irreconcilable differences; they divorced after a long and loveless marriage.
To be honest we have no idea why they stayed together as long as they did.
About a month later, my brother-in-law introduced us to his new girlfriend.
I was initially very happy that he had found someone new who really seemed to fit into the family dynamic better than his ex.
But then his new girlfriend reached out on Facebook. I accepted her friend request and was trying to get to know her by looking at her past posts.
That’s when I realized that she and my brother-in-law had been in a relationship for at least five years.
I haven’t mentioned this to anyone else in the family except for my husband.
I was raised with a strong belief in the sanctity of marriage, and I unfortunately find their infidelity and lack of shame about it to be disturbing.
I try not to let this knowledge get in my way of being friendly with them, but it’s always sitting in the back of my mind, and I’ve found myself avoiding them so I don’t have to think about it.
Do you have any suggestions on what I can do to keep this relationship friendly? I don’t want to damage my husband’s family dynamic.
– Don’t Want to be Judgmental
DEAR JUDGMENTAL: No one knows what goes on in another couple’s marriage, but my observation is that even long and loveless marriages can hang on until another potential partner enters the scene, which often serves as the impetus for the couple to finally separate.
Generally, when a separated or very recently divorced person introduces another partner to the family very quickly after parting with the spouse, it’s a sign that the new person has been on the scene for a while.
Your brother-in-law and his former wife might have had an understanding or were negotiating about how to handle their marriage and outside relationships prior to their divorce.
The girlfriend’s public posts indicate that there is an overall lack of shame regarding the relationship, and whether this is because they are actually shameless or perhaps reacting to a much more complicated personal situation remains to be seen. It is really none of your business, but if you’re curious, you could ask – but I suggest you work hard to keep your harsher judgment in check.
***
DEAR AMY: I thought your response to “Basically a Single Parent,” was, basically, awful. This father of two young children is addicted to his phone screen, and instead of telling him to pay attention to his kids, you suggest that he listen to music?!
– Disappointed
DEAR DISAPPOINTED: Other readers agree with you, and yes I also agree that the core issue is that this father was so disengaged with his very young children.
However, I raised children with the help of Broadway cast albums and NPR.
As long as your hands are free and you’re not too distracted, I think it’s fine to have some audio going in the background.
***
MORE FROM ASK AMY:
Ask Amy: Father/daughter trip leaves mother feeling left out
Ask Amy: Neighbor opens misdirected mail ... not once, but twice
Ask Amy: My son’s wife made it clear he was too close to his mother and that it must stop
Ask Amy: Vietnam vet hopes to reconcile with his sister and her husband, who dodged the draft
Ask Amy: Life with a low-level pot dealer
***
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)
©2023 Amy Dickinson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. | https://www.nj.com/advice/2023/07/ask-amy-i-find-my-brother-in-laws-infidelity-and-lack-of-shame-about-it-to-be-disturbing.html | 2023-07-30T11:14:26 | 0 | https://www.nj.com/advice/2023/07/ask-amy-i-find-my-brother-in-laws-infidelity-and-lack-of-shame-about-it-to-be-disturbing.html |
NAIROBI, Kenya — African leaders are leaving two days of meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin with little to show for their requests to resume a deal that kept grain flowing from Ukraine and to find a path to end the war there.
Putin in a press conference late Saturday following the Russia-Africa summit said Russia's termination of the grain deal earlier this month caused a rise in grain prices that benefits Russian companies. He added that Moscow would share some of those revenues with the "poorest nations."
That commitment, with no details, follows Putin's promise to start shipping 25,000 to 50,000 tons of grain for free to each of six African nations in the next three to four months — an amount dwarfed by the 725,000 tons shipped by the U.N. World Food Program to several hungry countries, African and otherwise, under the grain deal. Russia plans to send the free grain to Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, Eritrea and Central African Republic.
Fewer than 20 of Africa's 54 heads of state or government attended the Russia summit, while 43 attended the previous gathering in 2019, reflecting concerns over Russia's invasion of Ukraine even as Moscow seeks more allies on the African continent of 1.3 billion people. Putin praised Africa as a rising center of power in the world, while the Kremlin blamed "outrageous" Western pressure for discouraging some African countries from showing up.
The presidents of Egypt and South Africa were among the most outspoken on the need to resume the grain deal.
"We would like the Black Sea initiative to be implemented and that the Black Sea should be open," South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said. "We are not here to plead for donations for the African continent."
Putin also said Russia would analyze African leaders' peace proposal for Ukraine, whose details have not been publicly shared. But the Russian leader asked: "Why do you ask us to pause fire? We can't pause fire while we're being attacked."
The next significant step in peace efforts instead appears to be a Ukrainian-organized peace summit hosted by Saudi Arabia in August. Russia is not invited.
Africa's nations make up the largest voting bloc at the United Nations and have been more divided than any other region on General Assembly resolutions criticizing Russia's actions in Ukraine. Delegations at the summit in St. Petersburg roamed exhibits of weapons, a reminder of Russia's role as the top arms supplier to the African continent.
Putin in his remarks on Saturday also downplayed his absence from the BRICS economic summit in South Africa next month amid a controversy over an arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court. His presence there, Putin said, is not "more important than my presence here, in Russia."
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.iowapublicradio.org/news-from-npr/2023-07-30/african-leaders-leave-russia-summit-without-grain-deal-or-path-to-peace-in-ukraine | 2023-07-30T11:14:26 | 1 | https://www.iowapublicradio.org/news-from-npr/2023-07-30/african-leaders-leave-russia-summit-without-grain-deal-or-path-to-peace-in-ukraine |
Alexei Popyrin vs. Stan Wawrinka: Prediction and Match Betting Odds | Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag
In the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag final on Sunday, Alexei Popyrin meets Stan Wawrinka.
Wawrinka is favored (-200) to win the title versus Popyrin (+155).
Looking to place a bet on this or other tennis matches? Head over to BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks, and sign up today with our link!
Alexei Popyrin vs. Stan Wawrinka Match Information
- Tournament: The Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag
- Round: Finals
- Date: Sunday, July 30
- Venue: Stadium Goran Ivanisevic in ITC Stella Maris
- Location: Umag, Croatia
- Court Surface: Clay
Watch live tennis and many more sports and shows without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
Alexei Popyrin vs. Stan Wawrinka Prediction and Odds
Based on the moneyline in this match, Stan Wawrinka has a 66.7% chance to win.
Bet on tennis with BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks!
Alexei Popyrin vs. Stan Wawrinka Trends and Insights
- In the semifinals on Saturday, Popyrin beat Matteo Arnaldi 6-7, 7-5, 6-3.
- Wawrinka was victorious 6-3, 6-4 versus Lorenzo Sonego in the semifinals on Saturday.
- Popyrin has played 47 matches over the past 12 months across all court surfaces, and 28.0 games per match (25.3 in best-of-three matches).
- On clay, Popyrin has played 16 matches over the past year, totaling 26.7 games per match (26.0 in best-of-three matches) while winning 51.5% of games.
- In the past year, Wawrinka has competed in 40 total matches (across all court surfaces), winning 51.1% of the games. He averages 27.3 games per match (24.6 in best-of-three matches) and 10.6 games per set.
- On clay, Wawrinka has played 11 matches and averaged 28.7 games per match (23.4 in best-of-three matches) and 10.9 games per set.
- Popyrin and Wawrinka have not matched up against each other since 2015.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/alexei-popyrin-vs-stan-wawrinka-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-plava-laguna-croatia-open-umag/ | 2023-07-30T11:14:32 | 0 | https://www.wibw.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/alexei-popyrin-vs-stan-wawrinka-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-plava-laguna-croatia-open-umag/ |
Jalin Hyatt acknowledged after the second day of his first NFL training camp that the competition level is intense among the best football players in the world.
The Giants’ rookie receiver does, however, believe he had the best possible training for his line of work. | https://www.nj.com/giants/2023/07/giants-are-going-to-make-jalin-hyatt-earn-his-playing-time.html | 2023-07-30T11:14:32 | 0 | https://www.nj.com/giants/2023/07/giants-are-going-to-make-jalin-hyatt-earn-his-playing-time.html |
People have asked me what I've learned so far through this series. Have I gotten any clarity on what makes up my own spiritual identity? And the answer is, not really. I'm still in the research phase of this project. I'm still collecting experiences and perspectives and I imagine I'll keep doing that forever, but it's too early to draw any definitive conclusions — except for one.
I believe each and every one of us is capable of making our own meaning. Some of us do that by living according to a set of religious principles. Or by feeling the beauty and sanctity of nature. Or by choosing to see spiritual connections in what others might call mere coincidence.
I don't need anyone to validate those experiences for them to be meaningful to me. But according to Lisa Miller, a professor in the Clinical Psychology Program at Teachers College, Columbia University, having a spiritual life is good for your mental health.
Miller is a psychologist and has dedicated most of her career to the study of neuroscience and spirituality. Her newest book is called The Awakened Brain, and in it she makes some really bold claims about how holding spiritual beliefs can decrease our rates of anxiety and depression and generally make us most likely to lead happier lives. I can hear your skepticism already! I get it. I'm a spiritually inclined kind of person but it's still hard for me to understand how, scientifically speaking, believing in something bigger than yourself can make you healthier and happier.
I needed to understand how Miller came to these conclusions. But before she got to the actual science, she told me a story.
It was the mid '90s. Miller was in the early stages of her career and working at a residential mental health facility in New York City. After she'd been there a few months, Yom Kippur rolled around — the day of atonement, considered the most significant of the Jewish religious holidays. One of the older male patients with severe bipolar disorder asked if there were any plans to mark the day. The doctor in charge shrugged his shoulders and said, no — there's no service planned. The patient walked out of the room with his shoulders slumped and Lisa, who is Jewish, saw an opportunity.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Lisa Miller: I approached the unit chief and said, "I'm certainly not a rabbi, but I've been to two-and-a-half decades of Yom Kippur services. I'd be happy to facilitate if that might be OK with you." So I showed up on Yom Kippur and the patients had arrived early to the kitchen, which was to be our sanctuary. The fluorescent lights were quite strong and as we crowded around the linoleum table there was an extraordinary feeling of specialness.
As we started the prayers that we all knew from our childhood, joining together saying in Hebrew the prayers of Yom Kippur, I looked over and noticed that as the gentleman with bipolar was davening, he could not have been further from explosive. He was holding our group in the cadence of the prayers and we were actually following him.
I took a pause and I said, "I feel so grateful to be here today in our Yom Kippur ceremony. Would anyone like to say anything?" We went around the table and the first person to speak was a very otherwise withdrawn woman with recurrent depression. She said, "You know, I always knew on Yom Kippur we could ask for forgiveness. But sitting here now with you all, I'm aware that we can be forgiven. God can forgive us." And she looked liberated.
As I looked around the table at the patients, whatever their symptoms had been yesterday, they were free in that moment. They were free of suffering. They were free of the characteristic patterns that had dragged them down in a way that was equal and opposite to their main symptoms. And so I thought a mental health system minus spirituality made no sense, and that became my life's work, to understand the place of spirituality in renewal, in recovery, in resilience, and to put this in the language of science.
Rachel Martin: What happened when you brought these kinds of questions to your peers, to the other people in your scientific community? Like when you said for the first time, "Hey, I think we need to look at the effect of spirituality on mental health." What did people say to you?
Miller: Well, the vast majority were very respectful, nodded, and didn't pick up the thread. Some of them would say, "That's not psychology, that's not psychiatry." And in fact, I remember early on giving a grand rounds presentation and I opened up saying, "I'm going to speak today about a body of data using nationally representative samples on spirituality and mental health with all the gold standard methods." And about 10 people got up and walked out. It was absolutely not of interest.
Martin: Using the gold standard, what did that mean in terms of the experiments you were running and the studies and the data you were collecting? How did you make sure that it would hold water in the scientific community?
Miller: If I were to characterize the first five years of my investigation, I would say I used the data sets that everyone else knew and trusted. I only asked one new question, which was: "What's the impact of spirituality on the DSM diagnosis of addiction and depression?" The findings were jaw dropping.
The protective benefit of personal spirituality, meaning someone who says their personal spirituality is very important, is 80% against addiction. They have 80% decreased relative risk for the DSM diagnosis of addiction to drugs or alcohol.
Martin: Wait, so someone who self-identifies as having a meaningful spiritual life is 80% less likely to get addicted to drugs or alcohol than someone who says they don't?
Miller: Yes.
Martin: Wow. And how can you prove that it is a spiritual life that is doing that and not some external factor? Because you heard this from other critics, too, some of your peers said you can't attribute that to spirituality, it's gotta be some other social conditioning.
Miller: Well, that's a very important point because in every study we controlled for all of the usual interpretations about this being social support or having resources. So we plugged into our equation every other possible explanation that was generally taken in mental health to explain the road to depression. And nonetheless, it actually turned out that the more high risk we are, the more that there's stress in our lives, the more that we might be genetically at risk for depression, the greater the impact of spirituality as a source of resilience as preventative against major depression.
Martin: What does that look like in the brain?
Miller: One of the most beautiful findings in my 20 years as an investigator was from an MRI study conducted together with our colleagues at Yale Medical School. We looked at people of many different faith traditions and the first finding was that there is one neuro seat of transcendent perception and we share it. Now there's human variability of course, and we can strengthen components.
Martin: How are you actually doing that with people? Are you asking your subjects to pray? What are the spiritual inputs that are going into them so that you can measure it on their brains?
Miller: The very specific prompt was, "Tell us about a time where you felt a deep connection to God, your higher power, the source of life." Everyone had a story like that and as they told their story, we recorded them and it was then played back in their ears while they were inside the scanner.
Martin: Ah, they heard themselves recounting their spiritual experience.
Miller: It was tailor made to their own moment.
Martin: And you saw their brains light up?
Miller: Oh yes. Connecting to these memories, the bonding network comes up online just as when we were held in the arms of our parents or grandparents.
Martin: Wait, when you say the bonding network you mean you can literally see that the brain will respond to spiritual stimuli in the same way that it does to a hug from a family member when you're a baby?
Miller: Precisely.
Martin: Can you tell me how this manifests in the real world? I'm thinking about this anecdote you include in the book about a client of yours. A girl you refer to as Iliana.
Miller: Iliana adored her father, I mean, he was the sun and the moon and the stars to her. They were so close. And one night two men who her father knew, came into his corner store, robbed him and murdered him. And she was devastated. This was a grief that was so deep. She simply could not free herself from the grief that was shackling her heart.
One day, Iliana skips into my office. There's a levity and joy. She plops into the seat and says, "Dr. Miller, you're never gonna believe this. My cousin and my cousin's girlfriend chaperoned me so I could go to a party and I met the most wonderful boy. We talked so long, it must have been 20 minutes. He was so polite and so kind. But here's the best part, his name." Which was the same very usual name as her father.
She said, "Don't you see? My father sent him. My father is looking out after me." And from that day on she was in the world of the living. What changed everything for Iliana was the awareness that her father walked with her. She maintained a deep transcendent relationship with her father, as most people around the world do.
Iliana trusted her deep inner knowing that this was far too probabilistic to have happened by chance. That this very rare name held both by this new boy and her father could possibly mean nothing.
Martin: Can I ask, what are you thinking as you hear this? I mean, are you thinking that is just a crazy coincidence, but if she needs to believe that this is a sign from God, who am I to tell her otherwise? Because it seems to be working.
Miller: Well, at the time, that was certainly the most common interpretive framework amongst psychologists and psychiatrists. But I could see plain as day that this was a tremendously sacred moment. This was a living miracle. This was a gift.
For me to have treated it like some kind of cultural diversity variable or that it's just the meaning she makes would've actually taken all of the energy and spirit out of that transformative awakening moment. I joined her.
Now I did that authentically because it was my view as well that this is far too nonprobabilistic to have happened by chance, that there are very few people by that very same name and that the first boy she met in a year and a half since her father's passing should have the name of the father. It was a synchronicity. There was a deeper meaning being revealed.
Martin: When you're talking to people who aren't scientists, someone who's skeptical, someone who doesn't have faith, who doesn't have what they define as a spiritual life, what do you want them to take away from your research and your message?
Miller: I've given a number of talks to audiences who, prior to seeing the science, would not necessarily consider themselves spiritual people. And, in fact, I oftentimes hear from people who consider themselves skeptics and very left-brained and when they see the peer reviewed science that says we're naturally spiritual beings, that when we cultivate our spirituality we're 80% less likely to be addicted, 82% less likely to take our lives, it speaks to the left side of their brains long enough that it quiets down the skepticism.
In other words, three cheers for the skeptic. Here is published, peer reviewed science for skeptical audiences to begin to explore, to be curious about our spiritual nature. You know, at the inner table of human knowing we all have an empiricist, a logician, an intuitive, a mystic, and a skeptic. And the skeptic is very welcome, but the skeptic is not the bouncer at the door.
It is not scientific to put a skeptic as a bouncer at the door. It is not more rigorous to toss out an idea before being examined in every way. We are wired to be able to investigate. So I simply say to the biggest skeptic of all, you are most welcome to your own inner table of inquiry, but be sure to invite everyone else.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.iowapublicradio.org/news-from-npr/2023-07-30/this-ivy-league-researcher-says-spirituality-is-good-for-our-mental-health | 2023-07-30T11:14:33 | 0 | https://www.iowapublicradio.org/news-from-npr/2023-07-30/this-ivy-league-researcher-says-spirituality-is-good-for-our-mental-health |
How to Watch NASCAR, F1, IndyCar & More: Auto Racing Streaming Live - Sunday, July 30
Published: Jul. 30, 2023 at 5:36 AM CDT|Updated: 37 minutes ago
True auto racing fans know that there's no such thing as too many races. From the starting gun to the checkered flag, you want to see it all. Check out the article below to find out how to watch or live stream the Formula 1, Formula E, Motocross, NASCAR Cup Series, and NHRA Drag Racing action airing on Fubo on Sunday, July 30.
Watch even more auto racing coverage with ESPN+!
Auto Racing Streaming Live Today
Watch Formula 1: Belgium Grand Prix
- Series: Formula 1
- Game Time: 8:55 AM ET
- TV Channel: ESPN
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Watch Motocross: MXGP Finland - Race 1
- Series: Motocross
- Game Time: 9:00 AM ET
- TV Channel: CBS Sports Network
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Watch Formula E: Round 16: London - Race
- Series: Formula E
- Game Time: 11:30 AM ET
- TV Channel: CBS Sports Network
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Watch NASCAR Cup Series: Cook Out 400
- Series: NASCAR Cup Series
- Game Time: 3:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: USA Network
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Watch NHRA Drag Racing: DENSO Sonoma Nationals
- Series: NHRA Drag Racing
- Game Time: 4:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: FOX
- Live Stream: Watch on Fubo!
Make sure you're following along with racing action all year long on Fubo and ESPN+!
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/auto-racing-live-stream/ | 2023-07-30T11:14:33 | 0 | https://www.wibw.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/auto-racing-live-stream/ |
Clara Burel vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto: Prediction and Match Betting Odds | Ladies Open Lausanne
On Sunday, Clara Burel (No. 84 in the world) takes on Elisabetta Cocciaretto (No. 42) in the final of the Ladies Open Lausanne.
Cocciaretto is favored to win the tournament championship over Burel, with -150 odds compared to the underdog's +115.
Looking to place a bet on this or other tennis matches? Head over to BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks, and sign up today with our link!
Clara Burel vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto Match Information
- Tournament: The Ladies Open Lausanne
- Round: Finals
- Date: Sunday, July 30
- Venue: Tennis Club du Stade-Lausanne
- Location: Lausanne, Switzerland
- Court Surface: Clay
Watch live tennis and many more sports and shows without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
Clara Burel vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto Prediction and Odds
Based on the moneyline in this match, Elisabetta Cocciaretto has a 60.0% chance to win.
Bet on tennis with BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks!
Clara Burel vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto Trends and Insights
- Burel defeated Diane Parry 4-6, 7-6, 6-3 in the semifinals on Saturday.
- Cocciaretto came out on top 6-7, 7-6, 7-5 against Anna Bondar in the semifinals on Saturday.
- Through 28 matches over the past year (across all court surfaces), Burel has played 23.2 games per match and won 50.9% of them.
- Burel has played 11 matches on clay over the past year, and 22.7 games per match.
- In her 41 matches in the past year across all court surfaces, Cocciaretto is averaging 21.5 games per match while winning 52.1% of those games.
- On clay, Cocciaretto has played 13 matches and averaged 23.2 games per match and 9.7 games per set.
- Burel and Cocciaretto have played one time dating back to 2015, in the WTA 125K Bol, Croatia Women Singles 2022 quarterfinals. Cocciaretto claimed victory in that bout 6-2, 6-4.
- In terms of sets, Cocciaretto has won two against Burel (100.0%), while Burel has clinched zero.
- Cocciaretto has the edge in 18 total games against Burel, claiming 12 of them.
- In their one match against each other, Burel and Cocciaretto are averaging 18.0 games and 2.0 sets.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/clara-burel-vs-elisabetta-cocciaretto-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-ladies-open-lausanne/ | 2023-07-30T11:14:34 | 0 | https://www.wibw.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/clara-burel-vs-elisabetta-cocciaretto-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-ladies-open-lausanne/ |
Taylor Fritz vs. Aleksandar Vukic: Prediction and Match Betting Odds | Truist Atlanta Open
In the Truist Atlanta Open final on Sunday, Taylor Fritz takes on Aleksandar Vukic.
Fritz is favored (-550) bring home the title versus Vukic (+375).
Looking to place a bet on this or other tennis matches? Head over to BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks, and sign up today with our link!
Taylor Fritz vs. Aleksandar Vukic Match Information
- Tournament: The Truist Atlanta Open
- Round: Finals
- Date: Sunday, July 30
- Venue: Atlantic Station
- Location: Atlanta, Georgia
- Court Surface: Hard
Watch live tennis and many more sports and shows without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
Taylor Fritz vs. Aleksandar Vukic Prediction and Odds
Based on the moneyline in this match, Taylor Fritz has an 84.6% chance to win.
Bet on tennis with BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks!
Taylor Fritz vs. Aleksandar Vukic Trends and Insights
- By defeating No. 46-ranked Jeffrey John Wolf 6-3, 7-5 on Saturday, Fritz reached the finals.
- Vukic reached the finals by beating No. 38-ranked Ugo Humbert 3-6, 7-6, 7-5 on Saturday.
- Fritz has played 68 matches over the past year (across all court types), and 26.2 games per match (24.1 in best-of-three matches).
- Fritz has played 44 matches on hard courts over the past 12 months, and 25.8 games per match (24.3 in best-of-three matches).
- In the past year, Vukic has played 34 total matches (across all court types), winning 51.5% of the games. He averages 24.6 games per match (23.3 in best-of-three matches) and 9.8 games per set.
- Vukic has averaged 23.8 games per match (22.8 in best-of-three matches) and 9.6 games per set through 21 matches on hard courts in the past 12 months, winning 52.1% of those games.
- Dating back to 2015, Fritz and Vukic have not met on the court.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/taylor-fritz-vs-aleksandar-vukic-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-truist-atlanta-open/ | 2023-07-30T11:14:36 | 1 | https://www.wibw.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/taylor-fritz-vs-aleksandar-vukic-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-truist-atlanta-open/ |
On a recent hot, sticky July morning, the 100-foot American Star sightseeing vessel embarked from its dock just north of the bridge into historic Cape May as a few dozen people milled about on deck.
Some scrolled through phones as the boat, operated by the Cape May Whale Watch & Research Center, motored past the U.S. Coast Guard training facility. Others watched as the Atlantic Ocean’s waves ebbed and flowed in a ceaseless rhythm. | https://www.nj.com/news/2023/07/jersey-shores-delightful-dolphins-a-deep-dive.html | 2023-07-30T11:14:38 | 1 | https://www.nj.com/news/2023/07/jersey-shores-delightful-dolphins-a-deep-dive.html |
Russian authorities say three Ukrainian drones attacked Moscow in the early hours on Sunday, injuring one person and prompting a temporary closure for traffic of one of four airports around the Russian capital.
It was the fourth such attempt at a strike on the capital region this month and the third this week, fueling concerns about Moscow's vulnerability to attacks as Russia's war in Ukraine drags into its 18th month.
The Russian Defense Ministry referred to the incident as an "attempted terrorist attack by the Kyiv regime" and said three drones targeted the city. One was shot down in the surrounding Moscow region by air defense systems and two others were jammed. Those two crashed into the Moscow City business district in the capital.
Photos from the site of the crash showed the facade of a skyscraper damaged on one floor. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the attack "insignificantly damaged" the outsides of two buildings in the Moscow City district. A security guard was injured, Russia's state news agency Tass reported, citing emergency officials.
No flights went into or out of the Vnukovo airport on the southern outskirts of the city for about an hour, according to Tass, and the air space over Moscow and the outlying regions was temporarily closed for any aircraft. Those restrictions have since been lifted.
Moscow authorities have also closed a street for traffic near the site of the crash in the Moscow City area.
There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian officials, who rarely if ever take responsibility for attacks on Russian soil.
Russia's Defense Ministry reported shooting down a Ukrainian drone outside Moscow on Friday. Two more drones struck the Russian capital on Monday, one of them falling in the center of the city near the Defense Ministry's headquarters along the Moscow River about 3 kilometers (2 miles) from the Kremlin. The other drone hit an office building in southern Moscow, gutting several upper floors.
In another attack on July 4, the Russian military said four drones were downed by air defenses on the outskirts of Moscow and a fifth was jammed by electronic warfare means and forced down.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.iowapublicradio.org/news-from-npr/news-from-npr/2023-07-30/a-drone-attack-on-moscow-briefly-shut-the-airport-and-injured-one | 2023-07-30T11:14:39 | 1 | https://www.iowapublicradio.org/news-from-npr/news-from-npr/2023-07-30/a-drone-attack-on-moscow-briefly-shut-the-airport-and-injured-one |
New Jersey has sued the federal government for allowing New York City’s congestion pricing plan to advance, shrieking that it will result in a pollution spike, a specious claim that will likely be consigned to history as pointless political chest-puffing.
Beneath the hysterical warnings from New Jersey politicians about environmental impacts – which will be monitored and mitigated throughout the process – the reality is that the Metropolitan Transit Authority conducted an exhaustive assessment, the Federal Highway Administration gave its approval, and the projections show that air quality will improve by thinning out vehicle traffic that is choking the entire region. | https://www.nj.com/opinion/2023/07/congestion-pricing-is-coming-stop-the-fearmongering-editorial.html | 2023-07-30T11:14:44 | 1 | https://www.nj.com/opinion/2023/07/congestion-pricing-is-coming-stop-the-fearmongering-editorial.html |
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas is temporarily blocked from enforcing a law that would have allowed criminal charges against librarians and booksellers for providing "harmful" materials to minors, a federal judge ruled Saturday.
U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks issued a preliminary injunction against the law, which also would have created a new process to challenge library materials and request that they be relocated to areas not accessible by kids. The measure, signed by Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders earlier this year, was set to take effect Aug. 1.
A coalition that included the Central Arkansas Library System in Little Rock had challenged the law, saying fear of prosecution under the measure could prompt libraries and booksellers to no longer carry titles that could be challenged.
The judge also rejected a motion by the defendants, which include prosecuting attorneys for the state, seeking to dismiss the case.
The ACLU of Arkansas, which represents some of the plaintiffs, applauded the court's ruling, saying that the absence of a preliminary injunction would have jeopardized First Amendment rights.
"The question we had to ask was — do Arkansans still legally have access to reading materials? Luckily, the judicial system has once again defended our highly valued liberties," Holly Dickson, the executive director of the ACLU in Arkansas, said in a statement.
The lawsuit comes as lawmakers in an increasing number of conservative states are pushing for measures making it easier to ban or restrict access to books. The number of attempts to ban or restrict books across the U.S. last year was the highest in the 20 years the American Library Association has been tracking such efforts.
Laws restricting access to certain materials or making it easier to challenge them have been enacted in several other states, including Iowa, Indiana and Texas.
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin said in an email Saturday that his office would be "reviewing the judge's opinion and will continue to vigorously defend the law."
The executive director of Central Arkansas Library System, Nate Coulter, said the judge's 49-page decision recognized the law as censorship, a violation of the Constitution and wrongly maligning librarians.
"As folks in southwest Arkansas say, this order is stout as horseradish!" he said in an email.
"I'm relieved that for now the dark cloud that was hanging over CALS' librarians has lifted," he added.
Cheryl Davis, general counsel for the Authors Guild, said the organization is "thrilled" about the decision. She said enforcing this law "is likely to limit the free speech rights of older minors, who are capable of reading and processing more complex reading materials than young children can."
The Arkansas lawsuit names the state's 28 local prosecutors as defendants, along with Crawford County in west Arkansas. A separate lawsuit is challenging the Crawford County library's decision to move children's books that included LGBTQ+ themes to a separate portion of the library.
The plaintiffs challenging Arkansas' restrictions also include the Fayetteville and Eureka Springs Carnegie public libraries, the American Booksellers Association and the Association of American Publishers.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.iowapublicradio.org/news-from-npr/news-from-npr/2023-07-30/an-arkansas-judge-has-blocked-a-law-targetting-librarians-over-harmful-books | 2023-07-30T11:14:46 | 1 | https://www.iowapublicradio.org/news-from-npr/news-from-npr/2023-07-30/an-arkansas-judge-has-blocked-a-law-targetting-librarians-over-harmful-books |
Did you hear that Mike Pence is looking for a position in the next Trump White House?
He wants to be the doormat.
The former vice president certainly acts that way. He tiptoes around the issue of whether The Donald should be blamed for the events of Jan. 6, 2021, when the Secret Service had to protect him from a mob chanting “Hang Mike Pence.” | https://www.nj.com/opinion/2023/07/joe-biden-vs-donald-trump-not-if-chris-christie-has-his-way-mulshine.html | 2023-07-30T11:14:50 | 1 | https://www.nj.com/opinion/2023/07/joe-biden-vs-donald-trump-not-if-chris-christie-has-his-way-mulshine.html |
PHOENIX — A historic heat wave that has gripped the U.S. Southwest throughout July, blasting residents and baking surfaces like brick, is beginning to abate with the late arrival of monsoon rains.
Forecasters expect that by Monday, people in metro Phoenix will begin to see high temperatures fall under 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius) for the first time in a month.
But not on Saturday. The high temperature in the desert city with more than 1.6 million residents climbed past 110 F for the 30th straight day, the National Weather Service said. The previous record stretch of 110 F or above was for 18 days in 1974.
There are increased chances on Sunday of cooling monsoon thunderstorms. Though wet weather can also bring damaging winds, blowing dust and the chance of flash flooding, the weather service warned. Sudden rains running off hard-baked surfaces can quickly fill normally dry washes.
Already this week, the overnight low at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport fell under 90 F (32.2 C) for the first time in 16 days, finally giving residents some respite from the stifling heat once the sun goes down.
Temperatures also were expected to ease in Las Vegas, Albuquerque and even in Death Valley, California, where the weather service said the expected high of 122 F (50 C) on Saturday is forecast to lower to 113 F (45 C) by Tuesday — along with a slight chance of rain.
Also in California, triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the San Joaquin Valley from Saturday through Monday, according to the National Weather Service in Hanford, California.
Gusty, late-afternoon winds were expected Saturday and Sunday in Santa Barbara County, posing an elevated risk of fire weather, the weather service in Los Angeles said. Hot, dry weather was also expected across nearby valleys, lower mountains and desert areas.
In Riverside County, more than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes and another 1,400 were facing evacuation warnings as crews battled a wildfire that charred 3.2 square miles (8.3 square kilometers) in the community of Aguanga, about 60 miles (96 kilometers) northeast of San Diego, authorities said Saturday. One firefighter was reported to have been injured in the so-called Bonny Fire, which authorities said was about 5% contained.
The heat is impacting animals, as well. Police in the city of Burbank, California, found a bear cooling off in a Jacuzzi behind a home on Friday. Police released a video of the animal in a neighborhood about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Los Angeles near the Verdugo Mountains and warned residents to lock up food and garbage.
A downward trend in Southwest heat started Wednesday night, when Phoenix saw its first major monsoon storm since the traditional June 15 start of the thunderstorm season. While more than half of the greater Phoenix area saw no rainfall from that storm, some eastern suburbs were pummeled by high winds, swirling dust and localized downfalls of up to 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) of precipitation.
Storms gradually increasing in strength are expected over the weekend.
Scientists calculate that July will prove to be the hottest globally on record and perhaps the warmest human civilization has seen. The extreme heat is now hitting the eastern part of the U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places are seeing their warmest days so far this year.
The new heat records being set this summer are just some of the extreme weather being seen around the U.S. this month, such as flash floods in Pennsylvania and parts of the Northeast.
"Anyone can be at risk outside in this record heat," the fire department in Goodyear, a Phoenix suburb, warned residents on social media while offering ideas to stay safe.
For many people such as older adults, those with health issues and those without access to air conditioning, the heat can be dangerous or even deadly.
Maricopa County, the most populous in Arizona and home to Phoenix, reported this week that its public health department had confirmed 25 heat-associated deaths this year as of July 21, with 249 more under investigation.
Results from toxicological tests that can takes weeks or months after an autopsy is conducted could eventually result in many deaths listed as under investigation as heat associated being changed to confirmed.
Maricopa County confirmed 425 heat-associated deaths last year, and more than half of them occurred in July.
Elsewhere in Arizona next week, the agricultural desert community of Yuma is expecting highs ranging from 104 to 112 (40 C to 44.4 C) and Tucson is looking at highs ranging from 99 to 111 (37.2 C to 43.9 C).
The highs in Las Vegas are forecast to slip as low as 94 (34.4 C) next Tuesday after a long spell of highs above 110 (43.3 C). Death Valley, which hit 128 (53.3 C) in mid-July, will cool as well, though only to a still blistering hot 116 (46.7 C).
In New Mexico, the highs in Albuquerque next week are expected to be in the mid to high 90s (around 35 C), with party cloudy skies.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.iowapublicradio.org/news-from-npr/news-from-npr/2023-07-30/the-historic-heatwave-that-has-hit-the-u-s-southwest-is-set-to-cool-a-little | 2023-07-30T11:14:52 | 0 | https://www.iowapublicradio.org/news-from-npr/news-from-npr/2023-07-30/the-historic-heatwave-that-has-hit-the-u-s-southwest-is-set-to-cool-a-little |
The Belgian Grand Prix, a Formula 1 race featuring Sergio Pèrez and Max Verstappen, takes place at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Stavelot, Belgium, on Sunday, July 30, 2023 (7/30/23).
How to watch: Fans can watch the event for free via a trial of fuboTV or via a subscription to Sling TV, which is offering 50% off the first month. Both of these streaming services have ESPN.
Here’s what you need to know:
What: Belgium Grand Prix
Who: Formula 1
When: Sunday, July 30, 2023
Time: 9 a.m. ET
Where: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
TV: ESPN
Channel finder: Verizon Fios, AT&T U-verse, Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, Cox, DIRECTV,Dish, Hulu, fuboTV, Sling.
Live stream: fuboTV (free trial), Sling TV (50% the first month)
More on Formula 1, via the Associated Press:
After taking pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix on Saturday, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton sat on the grid’s No. 1 bollard as he waited for a rarely beaten Max Verstappen to climb out of his Red Bull.
Hamilton watched and savored every second, because It’s been a long time coming.
Hamilton’s pole was his first since the penultimate Formula One race of 2021, and ended defending champion Verstappen’s bid for a sixth straight pole.
Hamilton pumped his left fist several times after placing just .003 seconds ahead of Verstappen on his last lap to secure a record-extending 104th pole but first since Saudi Arabia in December 2021.
“Get in there, let’s go boys!” So good!” Hamilton shouted on team radio before letting out a high-pitch whoop.
“It’s been a crazy year and a half ... I didn’t think today we’d be fighting for pole,” Hamilton said. “I just need to try and see if I can sleep tonight.”
It might not be easy, given the rush of joy he felt.
“I just had a grin on my face, what an uplifting feeling for the whole team,” the seven-time F1 champion said. “When I went into the last run I gave it absolutely everything.”
Wins and poles used to be as common for Hamilton as they are becoming for Verstappen, but Hamilton feels Mercedes is finally giving him a better shot at a first victory since his record 103rd race win, also in Saudi Arabia two years ago.
“I always have that belief. I guess it was just a question of how long that would be,” the 38-year-old British driver said. “Last year I had no confidence in the car. Now there’s no fear that it’s going to throw you into the wall.”
McLaren driver Lando Norris qualified third behind Verstappen at the Hungaroring, the track where Hamilton won his first race for Mercedes in 2013.
Norris is well placed to push for a second straight podium after finishing second at the British GP.
“I feel excited. Race pace was as strong as Silverstone,” Norris said. “With cars up there tomorrow, hopefully we can use them.”
His teammate Oscar Piastri, who finished fourth at Silverstone, maintained his form when he qualified fourth ahead of Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
Valtteri Bottas qualified seventh for Alfa Romeo, ahead of Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), Sergio Perez (Red Bull) and Nico Hulkenberg (Haas).
Perez finally ended a terrible run.
Since taking the Miami GP pole in May, the Mexican driver has failed to qualify in the top 10 — qualifying 16th, 11th, 12th, 15th and 15th. His struggles continued when he crashed just three minutes into the first practice session on Friday.
Verstappen, meanwhile, complained he felt like he was “driving on ice” in qualifying due to a lack of balance.
“We should be ahead with the car we have, but so far this weekend we haven’t been on it,” he said.
But qualifying second will hardly faze the Dutchman, considering he won from 10th place on the grid last year.
He is cruising toward a third straight F1 title. He has won the past six races and eight in a campaign where he already leads Perez by 99 points, so Hamilton knows the task facing him.
“We’ll bring our A game as a team,” he said. “It’s going to be difficult to fight these guys tomorrow.”
Hamilton’s teammate, George Russell, took the pole here last yearbut was among the five drivers eliminated from the first part of qualifying after getting stuck in traffic, prompting team principal Toto Wolff to bang his fist on the table and Russell to let fly with an expletive.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. starts a lowly 11th while Daniel Ricciardo qualified 13th on his unexpected return to F1 with the AlphaTauri team. American Logan Sargeant was last for Williams.
Ricciardo was released by McLaren last year but the Australian veteran was given an AlphaTauri seat after Nyck de Vries was cut last week by team principal Franz Tost after failing to score a point in 10 races.
“It was a very difficult and also emotional decision,” Tost said. “Unfortunately this didn’t work as expected, and therefore we decided then to take Daniel.”
Earlier Saturday, Hamilton led the final practice ahead of Verstappen and Perez.
Rampaging Red Bull will take some stopping.
The team has won every race, with Perez getting the other two, and 11 in a row including the final race of 2022 to match the record for consecutive wins set by McLaren in 1988.
The good news for Hamilton was securing pole at the Hungaroring was often decisive on the sinewy 4.4-kilometer (2.7-mile) track, which is one of the most difficult to overtake on and is known as “Monaco without walls.”
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.
Cayden Steele may be reached at CSteele@njadvancemedia.com | https://www.nj.com/sports/2023/07/belgian-grand-prix-free-live-stream-73023-watch-formula-1-online-time-tv-channel.html | 2023-07-30T11:14:57 | 1 | https://www.nj.com/sports/2023/07/belgian-grand-prix-free-live-stream-73023-watch-formula-1-online-time-tv-channel.html |
The New York Yankees face the Baltimore Orioles in an MLB regular season game on Sunday, July 30, 2023 (7/30/23) at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland.
HOW TO WATCH (LOCAL): Local fans can watch the game for free via a trial of DirecTV Stream, which carries YES Network (New York) and Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (Baltimore).
HOW TO WATCH (NATIONAL): Fans can also watch the game via a free trial to fuboTV or Sling TV, which offers 50% off the first month.
BUY YANKEES TICKETS: STUBHUB, VIVID SEATS, TICKETSMARTER
Here’s what you need to know:
What: MLB regular season
Who: Yankees vs. Orioles
When: Sunday, July 30, 2023
Where: Camden Yards
Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN Deportes (national) Yes Network, Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (local)
Channel finder: Verizon Fios, Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, Cox, DIRECTV, Dish, Hulu, fuboTV, Sling.
Live stream: DirecTV Stream (free trial), fuboTV (free trial), Sling TV (offers 50% off the first month)
Here’s a recent AP story on the Yankees:
NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson was transferred to the 60-day injured list, a decision that means he can’t play until Sept. 14 at the earliest.
Donaldson hurt his right calf while running to first base Saturday at Colorado, and the 37-year-old was put on the 10-day IL the next day. New York said he was diagnosed with a grade 3 strain.
A three-time All-Star, Donaldson was on the IL from April 5 to June 2 because of a strained right hamstring. The 2015 AL MVP with Toronto, Donaldson is hitting .142 with 15 RBIs. Ten of his 15 hits have been home runs.
New York acquired Donaldson from Minnesota in March 2022 along with shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa and backup catcher Ben Rortvedt for catcher Gary Sánchez and third baseman Gio Urshela, Donaldson hit .222 last year with 15 homers and 62 RBIs.
He has a $21 million salary in the final season of a $92 million, four-year contract he signed with Minnesota. The deal includes a $24 million mutual option for 2024 with an $6 million buyout if declined by the team.
New York selected the contract of 32-year-old right-hander Matt Bowman and optioned him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Bowman, who last pitched in the major leagues with Cincinnati in 2019, is 4-0 with a 3.29 ERA in 30 relief appearances this year with the RailRiders.
Infielder/outfielder Jake Bowers started a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment Thursday with Scranton and outfielder Willie Calhoun began one with Double-A Somerset. Bauers bruised his left rotator cuff while trying for a diving catch on July 5. Calhoun strained his left quadriceps on June 21.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.
Cayden Steele may be reached at CSteele@njadvancemedia.com | https://www.nj.com/sports/2023/07/what-channel-is-the-yankees-game-on-tonight-free-live-stream-time-tv-channel-for-new-york-yankees-vs-baltimore-orioles.html | 2023-07-30T11:15:03 | 1 | https://www.nj.com/sports/2023/07/what-channel-is-the-yankees-game-on-tonight-free-live-stream-time-tv-channel-for-new-york-yankees-vs-baltimore-orioles.html |
BALTIMORE — Welcome to one of the most exciting times of the baseball season, trade-deadline week. The Yankees are out of a playoff position and general manager Brian Cashman only has until 6 p.m., EST Tuesday to address season-long scoring woes with a quick fix.
There is an alternative. The Yankees wouldn’t dare make like their neighbors over in Queens and wave the white flag, would they?
BUY YANKEES TICKETS: STUBHUB, VIVID SEATS, TICKETSMARTER, TICKETMASTER
The Mets, who boasted the industry’s highest payroll, officially pulled up stakes on the ‘23 season when they dramatically started selling off assets the last few days. First, they traded closer David Robertson on Thursday. On Saturday they doubled down by agreeing to even an bigger deal, sending three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer to the Rangers.
The Yankees, second in payroll, could also decide to dump salary or stand pat if the hierarchy concludes the roster is too deeply flawed to be fixed with one or two deals, especially if the cost would inflate the payroll above the highest luxury-tax threshold.
Perhaps depending on how the Yankees do Sunday in Baltimore and Monday at home against the Rays, they still may chase a quality bat. The possibilities would include MVP Cody Bellinger to play left field if the surging Cubs opt to sell, or a less sexy outfield option like the Rockies’ Randal Grichuk.
But should the Yankees opt to make room for Bellinger, a willing trade partner awaits.
While the Yankees don’t a Scherzer-type available, they nevertheless have intriguing veteran pieces to move that don’t have a no-trade clause:
Such as …
Center fielder Harrison Bader (free agency after 2023), infielder/outfielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa (free agency after 2023), pitcher Domingo German (likely demoted to the bullpen soon) and ...
The Marlins were fixated on Gleyber Torres this time a year ago. They’re still trying to deal for the second baseman, NJ Advance Media learned from a source who is close to Marlins management.
According to the source, the Marlins have been pushing hard for Torres, but the Yankees’ asking price has been too steep for their liking — two 25-year-old starting pitchers, right-hander Edward Cabrera and lefty Braxton Garrett, plus two prospects.
Both Marlins arms whom the Yankees covet currently hold big-league rotation spots after being top 10 organization prospects two years ago. Cabrera is 5-6 with a 4.74 ERA in 16 starts and regarded as a future star by the Marlins. The seventh-overall pick of the 2016 draft, Garrett is 5-3 with a 4.08 ERA in 20 games, 19 as a starter.
It’s believed the Marlins are willing to part with some of their biggest organizational strengths for Torres, minor-league pitching prospects (but not Eury Perez, a 6-foot-8, 20-year-old phenom who pitched to a 2.36 ERA in 11 big-league starts this season before being farmed out because he’s on an innings limit).
The Marlins want Torres to play second base and be a veteran presence on a small-market, low-payroll club that currently is a half-game out of a National League wild-card spot.
The Marlins would move Luis Arraez, who leads the majors in hitting with a .381 average after winning the AL batting title in 2022, from second base to first, the source added.
Miami acquired Arraez in January from the Twins for pitcher Pablo Lopez, a right-handed starter who reportedly was close to being dealt to the Yankees for Torres just before last summer’s trade deadline before Cashman pulled out.
Torres, 26, is controlled for just this season and next, his walk year to free agency. He’s making $9.95 million this season and will be arbitration eligible next year.
If the Yankees trade Torres, they’d be giving up one of their most productive offensive players. In 103 games, he’s hitting .258 with 16 homers, 44 RBI and a .749 OPS through Saturday night’s 8-3 win over the Orioles.
If the Yankees move Torres, DJ LeMahieu could become the starter at second base instead of moving around the infield. Isiah Kiner-Falefa and rookie Oswald Peraza, who was optioned to Triple-A last week, would become permanent fixtures at third base.
Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.
Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com. | https://www.nj.com/yankees/2023/07/source-marlins-want-yankees-gleyber-torres-badly-but-not-for-brian-cashmans-price.html | 2023-07-30T11:15:09 | 1 | https://www.nj.com/yankees/2023/07/source-marlins-want-yankees-gleyber-torres-badly-but-not-for-brian-cashmans-price.html |
CHENGDU, China , July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from Xinhua:
On July 28, the Chengdu 2021 FISU World University Games officially commenced, captivating university athletes from various parts of the world with an opening ceremony that seamlessly blended historical and cultural elements with youthful passion.
The cultural performances showcased Chengdu's unique cultural features, with the "Sun and Immortal Birds" being a symbol of Chinese cultural heritage and a spiritual emblem. From the very first second of the countdown to the ignition, the presence of the "Sun and Immortal Birds" captivated the audience until the final moment of ignition. "Sunlight", serving as the core element, permeated the entire opening ceremony. Without the "Sun and Immortal Birds", the grand finale of igniting the flame would not have been possible. The countdown to the opening commenced amid the radiance of the "Sun and Immortal Birds," not only demonstrating the harmonious and inclusive spiritual character that the Chinese people have embraced since ancient times but also expressing best wishes for university students worldwide to shine as bright and warm as sunlight.
The opening ceremony combined the sense of technology with artistic beauty. During the entrance segment, colorful silk threads were projected onto the ground, creating a breathtaking display of traditional Chinese patterns formed by over 300 circular lines that adorned the entirety of the stadium's track. This symbolic imagery represents the aspirations of young athletes from around the world, as they embark on a glorious journey paved with the splendor of Shu embroidery. The guide signs held high by the ushers were made of Shu brocade, a renowned textile originating from the Chengdu region, with a history spanning over 2,000 years. Shu brocade stands as one of the four prestigious brocades of China. Meanwhile, Shu embroidery, one of the four famous embroideries in China, has a history of more than 3,000 years, originating from the Chengdu region. Both Shu embroidery and Shu brocade are hailed as treasures of the region.
In celebration of the 31st edition of FISU World University Games, 31 torchbearers were selected to light the flame tower. Among them, the illustrious Chengdu astronaut, Ye Guangfu, shone as a notable figure. Recognizing astronauts as the "closest beings to the sun," chief director Chen Weiya harnessed the brilliance of sunlight, transforming it into a dazzling blaze. After the 31 torchbearers jointly completed the ignition, the Sun and Immortal Birds radiated a stunning brilliance. They spiraled and ascended, igniting the 12 golden fireworks in the sky. Ultimately, they ignited the flame tower outside the stadium.
During the fireworks performance, the chief designer of the opening ceremony fireworks, Cai Canhuang, aptly named it "Golden Dreams." Golden fireworks illuminated the sky, accompanied by welcoming messages in both Chinese and English. As the flame tower of the Chengdu 2021 FISU World University Games was ignited, the fireworks displayed the U-shaped emblem of the Games and the English theme "Make Dreams Come True." The fireworks artfully portrayed the image of a golden hibiscus flower, representing the city flower of Chengdu. Beyond symbolizing youth and vitality, the hibiscus also embodies the values of openness and friendliness, expressing the theme of "flowers welcoming guests."
The Chengdu 2021 FISU World University Games will feature a total of 18 sports events, and is scheduled to conclude on August 8. With athletes from 113 countries and regions, a staggering 6,500 athletes will compete across these 18 sports.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Xinhua | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/30/chengdu-2021-fisu-world-university-games-opening-ceremony-impresses-audiences-worldwide/ | 2023-07-30T11:15:08 | 1 | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/30/chengdu-2021-fisu-world-university-games-opening-ceremony-impresses-audiences-worldwide/ |
Local
Sports
Things To Do
Business
eNewspaper
Politics
Advertise
Obituaries
Legals
Arizona Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon on the start of training camp
Arizona Cardinals' Jonathan Ledbetter, on his foundation, Led-a-Better Way
Watch Next
Arizona Cardinals' Zach Ertz, on watching wife Julie's Women's World Cup games
Arizona Cardinals' Budda Baker, on talks with team about his contract
Cardinals running back James Conner on why he enjoys the position he plays | https://www.azcentral.com/videos/sports/nfl/cardinals/2023/07/29/arizona-cardinals-quarterback-kyler-murray-where-he-mentally-his-rehab/12301255002/ | 2023-07-30T11:17:34 | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/videos/sports/nfl/cardinals/2023/07/29/arizona-cardinals-quarterback-kyler-murray-where-he-mentally-his-rehab/12301255002/ |