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WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Over 100 mercenaries belonging to the Russian-linked Wagner group in Belarus have moved close to the border with Poland, the Polish prime minister said Saturday.
Mateusz Morawiecki said at a news conference that the mercenaries had moved close to the Suwalki Gap, a strategic stretch of Polish territory situated between Belarus and Kaliningrad, a Russian territory separated from the mainland.
Poland is a member of both the European Union and NATO, and it has worried about its security with Russian ally Belarus and Ukraine on its eastern border.
Those fears have grown since Wagner group mercenaries arrived in Belarus since the group’s short-lived rebellion earlier this summer.
The Poland-Belarus border has already been a tense place for a couple of years, ever since large numbers of immigrants from the Middle East and Africa began arriving, seeking to enter the EU by crossing into Poland, as well as Lithuania.
Poland’s government accuses Russia and Belarus of using the migrants to destabilize Poland and other EU countries. It calls the migration a form of hybrid warfare, and has responded by building a high wall along part of its border with Belarus.
“Now the situation becomes even more dangerous,” Morawiecki told reporters.
He added that “this is certainly a step towards a further hybrid attack on Polish territory.”
Morawiecki spoke during a visit to an arms factory in Gliwice, in southern Poland, where Leopard tanks used by the Ukrainian army are being repaired. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/international/ap-wagner-mercenaries-in-belarus-move-closer-to-the-polish-border-polands-prime-minister-says/ | 2023-07-30T13:20:19 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/international/ap-wagner-mercenaries-in-belarus-move-closer-to-the-polish-border-polands-prime-minister-says/ |
NIAMEY, Niger -- The African Union has issued a 15-day ultimatum to the junta in Niger to reinstall the country's democratically elected government just as the coup leaders met with senior civil servants to discuss how they would run the country and as the U.S. and the European Union threatened sanctions against the regime.
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Toumba, one of the soldiers who ousted President Mohamed Bazoum on Wednesday, told state television that the junta met with civil servants Friday and asked them to continue their work as usual following the suspension of the constitution.
"The message given was not to stop the processes underway, to keep on with things," Toumba said.
"Everything that must be done will be done," he said, signaling the intention of the regime led by Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, who also goes by Omar, to remain in power.
After its meeting Friday, the African Union Peace and Security Council said it was concerned by the "alarming resurgence" of coups that undermine democracy and stability on the continent. It asked the soldiers to "return immediately and unconditionally to their barracks and restore constitutional authority, within a maximum of 15 days."
Bazoum, whose condition and that of his officials remains unknown since the government was overthrown, should also be released immediately and unconditionally, the union said. Failure to do so would compel the bloc to take "necessary action, including punitive measures against the perpetrators."
On the streets of the Nigerien capital Niamey Saturday, things appeared to be returning to normal, though many in the international community were still on lockdown with hotels full of foreigners, many given instructions not to leave.
Locals say they're waiting to see what unfolds, with many still in support of Bazoum who has not yet resigned. "I'm with him, he does a good work. [But] what can we do?" said Mohamed Cisse, a street merchant. "This is [the new leader's] time, Bazoum's time is over," he said.
Tchiani, the junta leader and commander of Niger's presidential guard, is close to former Nigerien president Mahamadou Issoufou, who stepped down in 2021 after a decade in office. Tchiani's takeover of power will reinforce speculation that Issoufou is behind the coup, said Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, a German think tank and consultancy.
The U.S. threatened to halt its economic support to Niger while the European Union announced the immediate indefinite suspension of budgetary support and security assistance.
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who is in Australia as part of a Pacific tour, estimated America's economic and security partnership with Niger at hundreds of millions of dollars and said its continuity depends on "the continuation of the democratic governance and constitutional order."
"So that assistance, that support, is in clear jeopardy as a result of these actions, which is another reason why they need to be immediately reversed," Blinken said.
While there are no signs of the junta backing down amid growing international pressure, analysts called for synergy in the interventions of the international community and continental organizations such as the African Union and the regional bloc of ECOWAS, which is scheduled to meet over the coup today.
A successful coup in Niger and the sanctions in the aftermath could cause more hardship for millions of poor and hungry people in West Africa and could further threaten international relations with the region, which is seeing a resurgence of coups in recent years, according to Idayat Hassan, senior Africa program fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
"A non-reversal of the coup also means that we are defining a new world order in West Africa in particular as you are pitching the west and other countries against few military regimes which may be backed by Russia," said Hassan. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/group-sends-ultimatum-to-coup-leaders-in-niger/ | 2023-07-30T13:20:22 | 1 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/group-sends-ultimatum-to-coup-leaders-in-niger/ |
SYDNEY — Manuela Vanegas scored in the seventh minute of stoppage time as Colombia upset Germany 2-1 at the Women’s World Cup on Sunday.
But Vanegas came up with a late twist to huge celebrations from Colombia fans who dominated the Sydney Football Stadium crowd.
The Germans thought they’d secured a point after Colombia goalkeeper Catalina Perez was penalized for bringing down Lena Oberdorf in the box.
Popp, who scored twice in her country’s 6-0 rout of Morocco in its opening game of the tournament, fired straight down the middle to level the game.
That had disappointed the crowd, which passionately cheered Colombia on throughout and erupted after Caicedo’s goal in the 52nd.
The Real Madrid teenager had suffered a health scare earlier in the week, but produced a moment of moment of magic to score her second of the tournament.
It was all the more special coming after she’d dropped to the ground holding her chest in training during the week.
Caicedo scored from distance in the 2-0 win against South Korea on Tuesday. But while that goal involved an error from goalkeeper Yoon Young-geul, on this occasion it was all about individual brilliance.
Collecting the ball from just inside the area after a corner, she worked her way into space by bewildering two German defenders in a fast-stepping move before lashing a shot into the top corner.
Caicedo, followed by her teammates, charged toward the corner to get closer to the crowd as it went wild.
Germany has never failed to advance from the group stage of the World Cup. It is still expected to beat South Korea in its last game of Group H, but will likely have to settle for second place.
The runners up at last year’s Euros should have been ahead in the first half when Popp was guilty of missing the target with a with a volley from close range shortly before the break.
Earlier Lina Magull had the chance to test Perez from close range, but mis-kicked and the opportunity was wasted.
WHAT’S NEXT
In the last games in Group H, Germany faces South Korea and Colombia plays Morocco, with three teams still able to advance to the knockout stage.
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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
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More AP Women’s World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/soccer/2023/07/30/womens-world-cup-germany-colombia-match-summary/43b07612-2ece-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-30T13:20:26 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/soccer/2023/07/30/womens-world-cup-germany-colombia-match-summary/43b07612-2ece-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
OSHKOSH, Wis. (AP) — Two people were killed and two others injured Saturday in a midair collision at an airport in Wisconsin.
A Rotorway 162F helicopter and an ELA Eclipse 10 gyrocopter collided shortly after noon local time at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, authorities said. The aircraft belonged to individuals attending the Experimental Aircraft Association’s annual fly-in convention in Oshkosh but were not involved in the air show, a statement from the organization said.
The association, citing the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office, said two people were killed and two injured. The injured were taken to a local hospital and were in stable condition.
The association said further information would be released as additional details are confirmed. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.
Separately, a plane earlier Saturday crashed into Lake Winnebago near Oshkosh, killing two people, according to the sheriff’s office. The NTSB is also investigating that case, which involved a single-engine North American T-6 aircraft. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national/ap-4-dead-2-injured-in-separate-aircraft-accidents-in-wisconsin-authorities-say/ | 2023-07-30T13:20:26 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national/ap-4-dead-2-injured-in-separate-aircraft-accidents-in-wisconsin-authorities-say/ |
Editor's Note: A Tuesday evening performance was added after our press time. Email kaileymiller25@gmail.com or visit Venmo AR Sings @heathersatthemedium for information.
"If jukebox musicals are for baby boomers, musicals inspired by films are emphatically for their children and grandchildren," says Hadley Freeman, writing for The Guardian in 2018. Among those musicals on London's West End at the time was "Heathers," a reimagining of the 1988 cult film starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater. Described as a "high-energy black comedy," it tackles tough topics like bullying, teen suicide, sexual assault and school violence with songs like "Dead Girl Walking," "The Me Inside of Me," "Lifeboat" and "Seventeen."
"Heathers" comes to life for two nights only this summer as an indie production helmed by Kailey Miller Erwin, who produced a night of Broadway music titled "All Together Now" in 2021 and wrote an original opera, "the game," as her master's thesis in 2022. She answered these questions about "Heathers" for What's Up!
Q. How did this production come about? Was it a show you wanted to do so much you decided on an indie production?
A. I suggested it to other companies and just decided to do it myself this summer! I wanted to provide another opportunity for local actors this summer and just decided to make it happen.
Q. What do you love about the show? What are the challenges and rewards it offers for your cast?
A. I love how this show has the ability to provoke deep thought and feeling among the cast and audience. The songs are great, the actors are great, but the emotional impact of this show is one of its better aspects. However, this is certainly one of the challenges of this show for the cast: there are characters that exhibit personality extremes that are difficult to portray. I think the cast is rewarded by this show because it stretches them as performers.
Q. How did you mount it as an indie production? Did you get any grants or any kind of support?
A. The first important thing to me was securing the venue, so I did that before I even advertised auditions or secured the rights for the show. The Medium has been awesome to work with and is super reasonably priced. We didn't get any grants, but I'm hoping we can in the future. The actors paid to cover a portion of the rights and venue.
Q. I know you have cast members juggling other shows. How do you work around that logistically, but more important, how do you work around it creatively?
A. Logistics have been difficult. We have been rehearsing on the weekends with whoever can come, and sporadically throughout the week with cast members not involved with other shows. I've tried to hold off on doing any deep dives into the material until the other shows are wrapped up to try to take some pressure off those cast members involved in another production. Starting July 31, we will be consumed with "Heathers" until we close, so we'll have nine days to weave it together.
Q. What do you hope audience members are talking about when they leave the theater?
A. I hope audience members are talking about the importance of the issues featured in the show. Our lobby will feature ways audience members can help in our community relating to the issues as well. I would love to see you at this show, but keep these topics in mind as trigger warnings: physical violence, gun violence, sexual harassment, attempted rape, suicide, and homicide.
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FAQ
'Heathers: The Musical'
WHEN -- 6:30 p.m. Aug. 9-10; doors open at 5:45 p.m.
WHERE -- The Medium, 214 S. Main St. in Springdale
COST -- $35 general admission, $20 student; you can also pay at the door with a credit card, but a small fee will apply
INFO -- Email kaileymiller25@gmail.com; for tickets Venmo AR Sings @heathersatthemedium
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Look Here!
Watch some video from rehearsal at nwaonline.com/730heathers/
__
FYI
Thoughts From The Cast
Claire Ward of Fayetteville plays Veronica Sawyer, the wanna-be sucked in by the Heathers.
"Shockingly enough, I hadn't heard about the show," she says. "My voice teacher picked 'Lifeboat' from this show as a good song to add to my audition portfolio, and then heard someone was producing the show through the grapevine. This is my first show after 10-plus years away from the theater world, so I was excited to put my all into this one and I'm grateful I did -- it's one pretty great cast.
"What I love about this show is that it doesn't shy away from the harsh reality of being human. Being human is being uncool -- 'we're all freaks and that's all right.' It dismantles what 'cool' really means, and I think that's why this show has such a cult following."
Trey Smith of Fayetteville plays the destructive JD.
"I don't really believe that there is such a thing as a totally good or totally bad character. That is, except for Jason Dean. He is just bad. He's got the charisma of a Ted Bundy, but the moral compass of ... just kidding; he doesn't have a moral compass.
"I was pretty involved in high school, but I was also an extroverted AP kid who loved people, so finding JD has been pretty difficult just because we would have been polar opposites. A lot of the work has been me saying 'OK, how would Trey have handled this situation?' Then doing the opposite."
None
FAQ
'Heathers: The Musical
WHEN — 6:30 p.m. Aug. 9-10; doors open at 5:45 p.m.
WHERE — The Medium, 214 S. Main St. in Springdale
COST — $35 general admission, $20 student; you can also pay at the door with a credit card, but a small fee will apply
INFO — Email kaileymiller25@gmail.com; for tickets Venmo AR Sings @heathersatthemedium | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/heathers-tackles-tough-teen-topics-with-high/ | 2023-07-30T13:20:29 | 1 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/heathers-tackles-tough-teen-topics-with-high/ |
From street performers to visitors from all over the world, New York City is full of fascinating folks. Here’s a look at the personalities that make up the five boroughs, reimagined as cats. Illustrator Cat Willett offers a part two to her previous “Dogs of NYC” series, but this time she’s celebrating the feline residents of the city that never sleeps. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2023/07/30/new-york-cats-cartoon/ | 2023-07-30T13:20:32 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2023/07/30/new-york-cats-cartoon/ |
The planned execution of a 45-year-old Missouri man with schizophrenia is back on after an appellate court reversed course Saturday.
Johnny Johnson is scheduled to receive a lethal injection Tuesday at the state prison in Bonne Terre for killing 6-year-old Casey Williamson after trying to sexually assault her in 2002.
With questions swirling about his mental competency, the execution was halted last Tuesday by a divided three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court. But after the Missouri Attorney General’s Office asked that the full court reconsider, that decision was reversed in a 7-3 ruling.
The case will likely end up before the U.S. Supreme Court before the scheduled execution date.
Attorneys for Johnson have claimed his schizophrenia prevents him from understanding the link between his crime and the punishment. They have also said Johnson has delusions about the devil using his death to bring about the end of the world.
The Missouri Supreme Court in June declined to halt the execution based on the mental health claim. The attorney general’s office challenged the credibility of psychiatric evaluations of Johnson and contended that medical records indicate he is able to manage his mental illness through medication.
Johnson lured the girl to an abandoned glass factory, even carrying her on his shoulders on the walk to the dilapidated site. When he tried to sexually assault her, Casey screamed and tried to break free. He killed her with bricks and rocks, then washed off in the Meramec River. Johnson confessed to the crimes.
Casey’s disappearance set off a frantic search involving first responders and volunteers. Her body was found in a pit less than a mile (1.6 kilometers) from her home, buried beneath rocks and debris.
The execution would be the fourth in Missouri this year. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national/ap-appellate-court-rules-that-missouri-man-with-schizophrenia-can-be-executed-after-all/ | 2023-07-30T13:20:34 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national/ap-appellate-court-rules-that-missouri-man-with-schizophrenia-can-be-executed-after-all/ |
When Dennis Lawler's friends began to contemplate their choices for retirement communities, he couldn't help but wonder about the places they were considering...
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Print Headline: Finding a place for golden years best considered carefully | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/hidden-gems-dennis-lawler-asks-retirement/ | 2023-07-30T13:20:35 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/hidden-gems-dennis-lawler-asks-retirement/ |
KHAR, Pakistan — A powerful bomb ripped through a rally by supporters of a hard-line cleric and political leader in the country’s northwestern Bajur district that borders Afghanistan on Sunday, killing 10 people and wounding more than 50, police said.
He said some of the wounded were taken to the city’s main hospital in critical condition and the death toll could increase.
Rehman is considered to be a pro-Taliban cleric and his political party is part of the coalition government in Islamabad. It is not known whether Rehman was present. Meetings are being organized across the country to mobilize supporters for the coming elections.
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Riaz Khan in Peshawar, Pakistan contributed to this report. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/07/30/pakistan-bomb-bajur-maulana-fazlur-rehman/4f2637da-2ed7-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-30T13:20:39 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/07/30/pakistan-bomb-bajur-maulana-fazlur-rehman/4f2637da-2ed7-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
Artist, musician and an associate professor of art in the University of Arkansas School of Art, Sam King recently joined us for a podcast to talk about his upcoming improvisational performance, "Untight," happening near sunset (7:45-8 p.m.) Aug. 3 inside James Turrell's "Skyspace The Way of Color," located on the south lawn of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville. King stopped by the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's Fayetteville studio to discuss his project. Listen to the full interview at nwaonline.com/730skyspace/
Below is an excerpt from that interview.
Q. Where did you start off making music that kind of pushed the boundaries of genre, so to speak?
A. A lot of the bands that I've been in, when people ask you what kind of music you play, you end up giving this long hyphenated, you know, attempt at an answer, because the goal is not necessarily to occupy a genre, but to just do something that's interesting. And a lot of times, for me and for my friends, maybe that would be something that puts you in that kind of territory.
Q. How do you prepare for a project like this one where the light and sound coincide with one another?
A. I'm spending some time out there this month to take some notes about the light program itself, like how often it changes, how long any particular color projected on the ceiling will be there, how consistent the program is from one day to another.
I should just say that, when I perform under the name Untight, it's usually a fully improvised performance. I don't usually write music. I just play it ... one of the key differences for this particular manifestation of the project and others is the planning. I'm going to have more of a program written in advance, so that I can interact meaningfully with what's happening in the space.
Q. What are the challenges that you think you're going to face with putting on this performance?
A. Acoustics would be one of them, I think because the space is circular, right? Which makes for a really cool experience for anybody that sits down in it. And is a little bit of a puzzle from an acoustics standpoint. ... I guess the other is, you know, there's a limit to how many people can sit down inside of this space. It's going to be intimate, for sure. But I don't see that as an inherently bad thing.
Q. I was about to say, on the flip side, I'm sure that gives you some really cool benefits that you wouldn't foresee. And as a painter, I'd imagine that you're approaching with that sort of mindset of, you know, creating colors and the connection between the colors and the music.
A. One of the things that endures about painting is its material character. That's what sets it apart from other forms of image, is that it has this particular kind of material life. One thing that might be sort of similar with music is that when you go to a live music performance, you are confronted with the materiality of the performer, instruments, space, time in a way that just putting something on a streaming service on your phone distances you from. In the same way that a jpg you see on a screen, it's not the same thing as looking at an actual work of art. You know what I mean?
I mean, I think it's always an opportunity to have a more direct experience, a less mediated experience, you know? At the same time, I'm a contemporary, creative person. And so some of the things that I use to make the music involve these kinds of tools of mediation, like a loop station peddle. I use these kinds of things to build up the sound. And so it's happening in real time, but it's also kind of little micro moments of something being recorded and spat back out.
Due to limited seating, Trillium Salon Series asks guests to RSVP for the free Thursday night "Untight" performance with Sam King. More information at trilliumsalonseries.com.
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FYI
'Untight'
WHAT -- Artist and musician Sam King will present his improvisation-driven sound art project "Untight" in harmony with the light changes within the James Turrell "Skyspace." The event is hosted by Trillium Salon Series.
WHEN -- 7:45 p.m. Aug. 3
WHERE -- The James Turrell Skyspace on the south lawn of Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville
COST -- Free, but seating limited; RSVP to trilliumsalonseries.com/news/2023/7/14/immersive-color-light-amp-sound
NEXT -- Trillium Salon Series hosts monthly performances at 6 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month through October at Crystal Bridges. Visit trilliumsalonseries.com for details.
None
FYI
'Untight
WHAT — Artist and musician Sam King will present his improvisation-driven sound art project "Untight" in harmony with the light changes within the James Turrell "Skyspace." The event is hosted by Trillium Salon Series.
WHEN — 7:45 p.m. Aug. 3
WHERE — The James Turrell Skyspace on the south lawn of Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville
COST — Free, but seating limited; RSVP to trilliumsalonseries.com/news/2023/7/14/immersive-color-light-amp-sound | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/in-the-studio-sam-king-discusses-art-and-sound/ | 2023-07-30T13:20:41 | 1 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/in-the-studio-sam-king-discusses-art-and-sound/ |
ATLANTA (AP) — “Excuse me, are you a city of Atlanta voter? Do you know about ‘Cop City?’”
Clipboards in hand, canvassers Sienna Giraldi and Gabriel Sanchez approached shopper after shopper at a Kroger supermarket lot on a recent evening collecting signatures for a referendum over whether to cancel the city’s lease of a proposed police and firefighter training center that’s become a national rallying cry for environmentalists and anti-police protesters.
Most people kept on walking. Others said they weren’t registered to vote or didn’t live within the city limits, both of which are required. Many seemed to have no idea what “Cop City” was and weren’t interested in finding out. The fact that it began raining certainly didn’t help. By the end of a 90-minute shift, 21 people had signed.
“We definitely need to come back here,” Sanchez said. “I was on a roll before the rain started.”
Over the past month, hundreds of people like them — many volunteers, some paid — have spread out across the city of about 500,000, in hopes of persuading more than 70,000 registered voters to sign on to the petition drive. The deadline had been mid-August, but the effort got a boost Thursday when a federal judge extended it to late September, though significant logistical and legal hurdles remain.
Technically, organizers say, they need just 58,203 signatures by Aug. 14 to qualify for the November ballot — the equivalent of 15% of registered voters as of the last city election — but they set the higher goal knowing some will be disqualified. If that’s not reached until late August or September, the referendum wouldn’t happen until March, when a competitive GOP presidential primary could turn out conservative voters and hurt its chances. The city also could move forward with construction in the meantime, unless a judge intervenes.
As of July 25, the drive had collected more than 30,000 signatures, according to Paul Glaze, a spokesperson for the Vote to Stop Cop City Coalition. And with the paid canvassing effort still ramping up, he expects the pace to pick up significantly.
“We’re confident of hitting our number,” Glaze said. “How much extra padding we’re able to get is still a question. … Our experience is that when you talk about this with people, when they hear the price tag, when you ask them if they would choose this or something else to spend the money on, the vast majority are against it.”
Organizers of the drive say Mayor Andre Dickens and the City Council have failed to listen to a groundswell of opposition to the $90 million, 85-acre (34-hectare) training center, which they fear will lead to greater militarization of the police and exacerbate environmental damage in the South River Forest in a poor, predominantly Black area.
Officials counter that the campus would replace outdated, far-flung facilities and boost police morale, which is beset by hiring and retention struggles, especially in the wake of 2020 protests over racial injustice. Dickens has said that the facility will teach the “most progressive training and curriculum in the country” and that officials have repeatedly revised their plans to address concerns about noise pollution and environmental impact.
In June, after hearing about 14 hours of public testimony that was overwhelmingly against the training center, council members voted 11-4 to approve $67 million toward the project. Outraged but not surprised, organizers of the petition drive announced it the next day.
Outside the Kroger, located in a majority-Black neighborhood a few miles south of a Wendy’s parking lot where officers fatally shot Rayshard Brooks in 2020, Giraldi chatted with Lee Little, a Black construction worker who stopped to talk despite the rain, his hands full of bagged groceries.
Little was working near the proposed training center in March and saw the helicopters and mass of armed officers that descended on the area after about 150 masked activists stormed the site and torched construction equipment. He hadn’t thought about it much since, but he signed the petition after hearing Giraldi’s pitch.
“She was just saying that City Council approved 60-something million dollars without listening to the taxpayers. Does that sound fair to you? That should be for the voters to decide,” Little said afterward.
Another who signed was Makela Atchison, who was wearing a “Black Voters Matter” T-shirt as she left the store with her two children.
“I’m not saying I’m for it or against it,” Atchison said, “but I want to be able to have my input.”
The signature drive is the most ambitious in terms of numbers that has ever been launched in a Georgia city, but it has precedent from last year in Camden County, where voters overwhelmingly rejected a planned launchpad for blasting commercial rockets into space. The Georgia Supreme Court in February unanimously upheld the legality of that referendum, though it remains an open question whether citizens can veto decisions of city governments.
In a recent court filing seeking to quash the Atlanta referendum, attorneys for the city said residents can’t force officials to retroactively revoke the lease agreement, which was made in 2021. They called organizers’ efforts “futile” and “invalid.” The state agreed with the city in a separate filing, though that dispute is on hold for now.
Still, activists see the referendum as the best remaining option to block the project. They’ve gotten support from numerous groups, including the Working Families Party and the New Georgia Project Action Fund, which pledged to get 15,000 signatures over the next few weeks.
Activist Hannah Riley tries to collect a handful of them whenever she is out in public, including on a recent afternoon as she worked remotely from Muchacho, a popular taco restaurant in the ultra-liberal Reynoldstown neighborhood. At the end of her table, she taped a sign that read: “Voter? Sign Stop Cop City Petition Here.”
“This is a bit of a Hail Mary, but it’s a Hail Mary that makes a lot of sense,” Riley said. “They’ve begun to clear-cut the trees. They’re getting close to pouring concrete. … Our options are quite limited right now, so this does feel like the most practical, effective next step.”
At the same time, a small number of activists have continued taking a more violent tack, including torching eight police motorcycles over the Fourth of July weekend, actions that canvass organizers have not condemned.
Curtis Duncan, 40, said the first day he went out canvassing, a man approached and accused him of being one of the vandals.
“I said, ‘Well, sir, respectfully, I wasn’t burning cars, and the majority of people within this movement have not been engaging in any type of violent actions,’” Duncan said. He added that troopers fatally shot an activist in the forest and that authorities have brought dozens of “very flimsy” domestic terrorism charges against “Stop Cop City” protesters this year — actions he considers far worse.
Sanchez, who works for a voting rights nonprofit, said that even if the signature drive falls short, it will have made an important impact.
“I feel like we’ve exhausted all the other options, aside from full-on revolution, which I don’t think we need for this,” he said. “There’s a lot of obstacles in our way. … If we only get to 50,000, I think that still shows a real warning sign for these politicians for the 2025 election.” | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national/ap-atlanta-cop-city-activists-say-theyre-confident-of-getting-70k-signatures-but-big-hurdles-remain/ | 2023-07-30T13:20:41 | 0 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national/ap-atlanta-cop-city-activists-say-theyre-confident-of-getting-70k-signatures-but-big-hurdles-remain/ |
HOT SPRINGS -- A Jessieville woman was arrested Monday on a felony stalking warrant stemming from allegations she has been tracking and harassing her ex-boyfriend and posting his personal information online.
Nequila Rae Bahner, 31, was arrested at her residence shortly after 3 p.m. and was initially held on zero bond.
Bahner, who lists no prior felony history, appeared via video Wednesday in Garland County District Court and pleaded innocent.
According to court records, Bahner was arrested on May 5 on a misdemeanor charge of harassing communications involving the same man and pleaded not guilty on May 8.
According to a probable cause affidavit, a man told Hot Springs Village Detective Mike Kliewer on June 12 that his ex-girlfriend, Bahner, was posting his locations on Facebook. He noted he had a no-contact order against her stemming from the earlier harassment complaint.
Kliewer reported finding three different Facebook profiles with Bahner's name that included numerous posts about the accuser. The majority of the posts "expressed her dislike and displeasure" with the victim, authorities said. The detective also found a social media post by Bahner that contained an image showing all the information the man's driver's license, authorities said. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/jessieville-woman-held-in-felony-stalking-case/ | 2023-07-30T13:20:47 | 1 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/jessieville-woman-held-in-felony-stalking-case/ |
Police said at least eight dogs being transported inside an uncooled cargo van in Indiana died of heat-related injuries this week as temperatures soared amid an intense heat wave gripping much of the United States. The heat was not letting up Saturday in many areas, including in New York City, where temperatures were expected to surge into the lower 90s (around 35 C). Officials say the humid, thick air could make it feel well over the century mark for many Americans.
The sizzling air has heated up everything from the ocean to pools, making it difficult to cool off. One woman in the Southwest has been throwing blocks of ice in her pool.
Metro Phoenix hit its 30th consecutive day of record-breaking heat on Saturday. Scientists calculate this month will be the hottest globally on record and likely the warmest human civilization has seen.
Here’s what’s happening related to extreme weather and the climate right now:
— Police said the eight dogs that died were among 18 Shepherds being transported from O’Hare International Airport in Chicago to a K-9 training facility in Michigan City, Indiana. The driver told police he was unaware that the air conditioning unit was not cooling the back of the van until he heard dogs barking. He pulled over in Lake Station, Indiana, to open the back. Lake Station police said he then found several dogs dead and others suffering.
— Heat advisories continued in New York City, where high humidity has made it uncomfortable and dangerous. Some 500 cooling centers have opened across the city’s five boroughs, and the governor authorized the state’s swimming pools to stay open later. The extreme heat was forecast to ease Sunday.
— Parts of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut were under a heat advisory through Saturday night. In northern New England, temperatures were down 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit after getting into the 90s (around 35 degrees Celsius) on Friday, but the humidity lingered throughout the region.
— The weather was equally stifling and muggy in the center of the United States. An excessive heat warning was issued for much of Missouri, Kansas and western Illinois, where the sweaty mix of heat and humidity could make it feel like up to 112 degrees Fahrenheit (44.4 degrees Celsius) in some areas. St. Louis health director Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis said the risk of heat stroke was high and warned that interior car temperatures could reach lethal levels in minutes.
— Similar warnings were issued for much of the Deep South, which encompasses Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi, with temperatures in the 90s (around 35 Celsius) and heat indexes past 100 (43.3 Celsius).
— The extreme heat has refocused attention on the lack of air conditioning in prisons. The Prison Policy Initiative, a national think tank, included Missouri and Kansas in a 2019 list of 13 “famously hot states” that lack universal air conditioning in prisons. In Missouri, only half of the prisons are fully air conditioned. And in Kansas, adding air conditioning to the newest prison sparked outrage among some lawmakers who saw it as coddling inmates.
— Phoenix broke another heat record Saturday, marking the 30th consecutive day of temperatures reaching or surpassing 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius). With the arrival of monsoon rains, temperatures are forecast to start to drop in the hottest areas in the U.S. Southwest, especially Phoenix. Temperatures are also expected to ease in Las Vegas, Albuquerque and Death Valley, California.
— With the scorching heat, even going for a swim offered little to no relief. Sea surface temperatures rose above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 Celsius) at a spot off Florida’s southern tip, while swimming pools in the Southwest gave the sensation of being in soup.
— The high temperatures are reaching across the globe, including in Bolivia, where a drought alert has been declared for Lake Titicaca after water levels of the world’s highest navigable lake receded to a critically low threshold.
___
Associated Press writers Bobby Caina Calvan in New York; Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas; Ken Ritter in Las Vegas; Chevel Johnson in New Orleans; John O’Connor in Springfield, Illinois; and Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire, contributed to this report.
___
Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
) | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national/ap-climate-glimpse-heres-what-you-need-to-see-and-know-today-8/ | 2023-07-30T13:20:48 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national/ap-climate-glimpse-heres-what-you-need-to-see-and-know-today-8/ |
A federal judge Friday dismissed Donald Trump's lawsuit against CNN, in which the former president said the network defamed him by associating him with Adolf Hitler.
Trump argued that by using the phrase the "big lie" in reference to his unfounded claim that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, the network created an unfair association between him and the Nazi regime.
Hitler and Nazi minister of propaganda Joseph Goebbels used the term as a propaganda tool that involved repeating a falsehood until the public started to believe it. A quote, "If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it," is often attributed to Goebbels, though it's unclear where the comment actually came from.
Trump argued that the network's references to the "big lie" created a "false and incendiary association" between him and Hitler and caused "readers and viewers to hate, contempt, distrust, ridicule and even fear" him. U.S. District Judge Raag Singhal ruled that the comments did not constitute defamation.
CNN declined to comment on the dismissal. Trump adviser Steven Cheung said in an email that "CNN will be held responsible for their wrongful mistreatment" of the former president and his supporters, but did not elaborate.
"We agree with the highly respected judge's findings that CNN's statements about President Trump are repugnant," Cheung said.
This is the latest in the former president's series of legal woes.
In the CNN case, Trump's lawsuit pointed to five examples of times the network's coverage referenced the "big lie," which Trump's attorneys said CNN refused to retract. The instances ranged from opinion articles to analysis from CNN's editor-at-large Chris Cillizza and an on-air mention from host Jake Tapper.
In one article, the judge's ruling says, Cillizza wrote that Trump "continued to push the Big Lie that the election was somehow stolen despite there being zero actual evidence to back up that belief." Those references did not rise to the level of defamation, according to Singhal's order.
"CNN's use of the phrase 'the Big Lie' in connection with Trump's election challenges does not give rise to a plausible inference that Trump advocates the persecution and genocide of Jews or any other group of people," the judge wrote. "No reasonable viewer could (or should) plausibly make that reference."
The 1964 Supreme Court case New York Times Co. v. Sullivan raised the bar for what could be legally considered defamation against a public figure, solidifying the precedent that a statement about a public figure must be false and its publisher must have acted with "actual malice" for it to be found defamatory. Trump asked Singhal to reconsider the precedent-setting case, which the judge said he couldn't do, despite misgivings he has about it.
The judge, nominated by Trump in 2019, said the state of media is far different from when the Sullivan decision was made.
"The problem is essentially two-fold. First, the complained of statements are opinion, not factually false statements, and therefore are not actionable," he wrote of the lawsuit against CNN. "Second, the reasonable viewer, unlike when Sullivan [was] decided, no longer takes the time to research and verify reporting that often is not, in fact, news."
Two Supreme Court justices, including Trump appointee Neil M. Gorsuch, have also suggested that the standard set by Sullivan needs review.
CNN isn't the only source of comparisons, directly or indirectly, of Trump to members of the Nazi regime. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/judge-tosses-out-trump-suit-against-cnn/ | 2023-07-30T13:20:51 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/judge-tosses-out-trump-suit-against-cnn/ |
Compared with the devil, angels carry more credence in America.
Angels even get more credence than, well, hell. More than astrology, reincarnation, and the belief that physical things can have spiritual energies.
In fact, about 7 in 10 U.S. adults say they believe in angels, according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
“People are yearning for something greater than themselves — beyond their own understanding,” said Jack Grogger, a chaplain for the Los Angeles Angels and a longtime Southern California fire captain who has aided many people in their gravest moments.
That search for something bigger, he said, can take on many forms, from following a religion to crafting a self-driven purpose to believing in, of course, angels.
“For a lot of people, angels are a lot safer to worship,” said Grogger, who also pastors a nondenominational church in Orange, California, and is a chaplain for the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks.
People turn to angels for comfort, he said. They are familiar, regularly showing up in pop culture as well as in the Bible. Comparably, worshipping Jesus is far more involved; when Grogger preaches about angels it is with the context that they are part of God’s kingdom.
American’s belief in angels (69%) is about on par with belief in heaven and the power of prayer, but bested by belief in God or a higher power (79%). Fewer U.S. adults believe in the devil or Satan (56%), astrology (34%), reincarnation (34%), and that physical things can have spiritual energies, such as plants, rivers or crystals (42%).
The widespread acceptance of angels shown in the AP-NORC poll makes sense to Susan Garrett, an angel expert and New Testament professor at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Kentucky. It tracks with historical surveys, she said, adding that the U.S. remains a faith-filled country even as more Americans reject organized religion.
But if the devil is in the details, so are people’s understandings of angels.
“They’re very malleable,” Garrett said of angels. “You can have any one of a number of quite different worldviews in terms of your understanding of how the cosmos is arranged, whether there’s spirit beings, whether there’s life after death, whether there’s a God … and still find a place for angels in that worldview.”
Talk of angels, Garrett said, is often also about something else, like the ways God interacts with the world and other hard-to-articulate ideas.
The large number of U.S. adults who say they believe in angels includes 84% of those with a religious affiliation — 94% of evangelical Protestants, 81% of mainline Protestants and 82% of Catholics — and 33% of those without one. And of those angel-believing religiously unaffiliated, that includes 2% of atheists, 25% of agnostics and 50% of those identified as “nothing in particular.”
The broad acceptance is what fascinates San Francisco-based witch and author Devin Hunter: Angels show up independently in different religions and traditions, making them part of the fabric that unites humanity.
“We’re all getting to the same conclusion,” said Hunter, who spent 16 years as a professional medium, and started communicating as a child with what he believed were angels.
Hunter estimates that a belief in angels applies to about half of those practicing modern witchcraft today, and for some who don’t believe, their rejection is often rooted in the religious trauma they experienced growing up.
“Angels become a very big deal” for long-time practitioners who’ve made occultism their primary focus, said Hunter, an angel-loving occultist. “We cannot escape them in any way, shape or form.”
Jennifer Goodwin of Oviedo, Florida, also is among the roughly seven in 10 U.S. adults who say they believe in angels. She isn’t sure if God exists and rejects the afterlife dichotomy of heaven and hell, but the recent deaths of her parents solidified her views on these celestial beings.
Goodwin believes her parents are still keeping an eye on the family — not in any physical way or as a supernatural apparition, but that they manifest in those moments when she feels a general sense of comfort.
“I think that they are around us, but it’s in a way that we can’t understand,” Goodwin said. “I don’t know what else to call it except an angel.”
Angels mean different things to different people, and the idea of loved ones becoming heavenly angels after death is neither an unusual belief nor a universally held one.
In his reading of Scripture as an evangelical Protestant, Grogger said he believes angels are something else entirely — they have never been human and are on another level in heaven’s hierarchy. “We are higher than angels,” he said. “We do not become an angel.”
Angels do interact with humans though, said Grogger, but what “that looks like we’re not 100% sure.” They worship God who created this angelic legion of unknown numbers, he said, adding that evangelicals often attribute the demonic forces in the world to the angels who fell from heaven when the devil rebelled.
The Western ideas about angels can be traced through the Bible — and to the worldviews of its monotheistic authors, Garrett said. Those beliefs have changed and developed for millennia, influenced by cultures, theologians and even the ancient polytheistic beliefs that came before the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, she said.
“There are sort of lines of continuity from the Bible that you can trace all the way up to the New Age movement,” said Susan Garrett, who wrote “No Ordinary Angel: Celestial Spirits and Christian Claims about Jesus.”
The angels in the Bible do God’s bidding, and angelic violence is one part of their job description, said Esther Hamori, author of the upcoming book, “God’s Monsters: Vengeful Spirits, Deadly Angels, Hybrid Creatures, and Divine Hitmen of the Bible.”
“The angels of the Bible are just as likely to assassinate individuals and slaughter entire populations as they are to offer help and protect and deliver,” said Hamori. She doesn’t believe in these angels, but studies them as a Hebrew Bible professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York where she teaches a popular “Monster Heaven” class.
“They’re just God’s obedient soldiers doing the task at hand, and sometimes that task is in human beings’ best interests, and sometimes it’s not,” she said.
The perception that angels act angelic and look like the idyllic, winged figurines atop Christmas trees could be attributed to an early centuries belief that people are assigned one good angel and one bad — or have a good and bad spirit to guide them, Garrett said.
This idea shows up on the shoulders of cartoon characters and is likely what Abraham Lincoln was alluding to in his famous appeal for unity when he referenced “the better angels of our nature” in his first inaugural address, she said.
“It’s also tied in with ideas about guardian angels, which again, very ancient views that got developed over the centuries,” Garrett said.
For Sheila Avery of Chicago, angels are protectors, capable of keeping someone from harm. Avery, who belongs to a nondenominational church, credits them with those moments like when a person’s plans fall through, but ultimately it saves them from being in the thick of an unexpected disaster.
“They turn on the news and a terrible tragedy happened at that particular place,” Avery said, suggesting it was an “angel that was probably watching over them.”
___
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national/ap-do-you-believe-in-angels-about-7-in-10-u-s-adults-do-a-new-ap-norc-poll-shows/ | 2023-07-30T13:20:51 | 0 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national/ap-do-you-believe-in-angels-about-7-in-10-u-s-adults-do-a-new-ap-norc-poll-shows/ |
Notorious Los Angeles rock band Buckcherry bring their infectious energy, powerful anthems and unapologetic attitude to Fort Smith. The rock concert happens Aug. 23 at TempleLive. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25-$39 plus fees.
Next up at TempleLive are Flatland Cavalry, Oct. 20; Phillip Phillips, Oct. 27; Josh Abbott Band, Nov. 3; and Donnie Baker, Dec. 2 at 200 N. 11th St. in Fort Smith. 222-6186; fortsmith.templelive.com.
ELSEWHERE
Loud and Local fest with Sabertooth, Fist of Rage, South Aberdeen, FaceDancer, Oklahoma Blood and Dragons Keep starts at 5 p.m Aug. 11 at the Muskogee Civic Center, 425 Boston St., Muskogee, Okla. Tickets are $12. facebook.com/MuskogeeCivicCenter.
All of Her plays at 8 p.m. Aug. 4; War Pony plays at 8 p.m Aug. 5; Troy Marlin plays at 8 p.m. Aug. 11; Thru It All plays at 7 p.m. Aug. 18; Shady Oak Tree plays at 8 p.m. Aug. 19; Mud Lung, Mammoth Caravan, Stash Hag and Ghost Hollow play at 8 p.m. Aug. 26 at Hero's, 1002 Garrison Ave. in Fort Smith.
Kody West and Trent Fletcher perform at 8 p.m. Aug. 4; Trey Taylor and Who Shot JR perform for an Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fundraiser starting at 6 p.m. Aug. 12; Christian Parker plays at 8 p.m. Aug. 14; Triston Marez plays at 8 p.m. Aug. 19; The Bynum Project with Jackie Darlene performs at 8 p.m. Aug. 26 at Majestic Fort Smith, 817 Garrison Ave. in Fort Smith. majesticfortsmith.com.
Exile performs at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 1; Hotel California happens at 7:30 p.m Aug. 19; Breaking Grass at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Arc Best Performing Arts Center, 55 S. Seventh St.
Oreo Blue performs at 1 p.m. Aug. 20 for the monthly blues jam at The Bakery District, 70 S. Seventh St. in Fort Smith.
Robert Rauch Band plays at 9 p.m. Aug. 11 at Cherokee Casino & Hotel, 109 Cherokee Blvd. in Roland, Okla.
Gone So Long performs at 11 a.m. Sept. 9 at the Chaffee Crossing Farmers & Artisans Market, 7317 Terry St. in Fort Smith.
Send info about your upcoming concerts and events to Monica Hooper, music editor, at mhooper@nwaonline.com. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/live-music-buckcherry-comes-to-templelive-aug-23/ | 2023-07-30T13:20:57 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/live-music-buckcherry-comes-to-templelive-aug-23/ |
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — 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. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national/ap-judge-blocks-arkansas-law-allowing-librarians-to-be-criminally-charged-over-harmful-materials/ | 2023-07-30T13:20:58 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national/ap-judge-blocks-arkansas-law-allowing-librarians-to-be-criminally-charged-over-harmful-materials/ |
Chicago sounds will vibrate throughout George's Majestic Lounge as Chicago based label mates Horsegirl and Lifeguard perform at 8 p.m. Aug. 9.
The all teenage band Lifeguard will open the show with post-punk, Fugazi vibes, followed by Horsegirl. The shoe-gazey, noisy best friend trio released "Versions of Modern Performance" last year and will share stages with the likes of Modest Mouse and The Breeders later this year. Fans of Sleater-Kinney, Stereolab and Sonic Youth will find a reason to tap their toes.
Also coming up at George's Majestic Lounge are the Bel Airs at 6 p.m. followed by Green Acres at 9 p.m Aug. 4. Ozark Mountain Soul with Opal Agafia, Aaron Kamm & the One Drops, Brickfields Duo, Patti Steel Band, & Michael Schembre's Hip Hop Fiddle starts at 8 p.m. Aug. 5. Fred Armisen's "Comedy for Musicians But Every One Is Welcome" is sold out for Aug. 6, but Mildenhall and Ted Hammig & the Campaign perform at 8:30 p.m. Aug. 10 whether you're funny or not. Catch more shows at georgesmajesticlounge.com/shows.
Jon Wolfe
Oklahoma's Jon Wolfe brings an evening of country music to West Siloam Springs. The "It All Happened in a Honky Tonk" crooner hits the stage at 8 p.m. Aug. 3 at SEVEN Bar inside Cherokee Casino & Hotel.
Wolfe made his Grand Ole Opry debut this past September. He has released four studio albums, two live albums and an EP, with singles taking over Texas radio. His latest album, "Dos Corazones," was produced by Grammy-nominated producer Dave Brainard. More information at www.JonWolfeCountry.com.
Wolfe's Aug. 3 show is free and open to the public ages 21 and older. The casino is located off U.S. 412 and Arkansas 59 at the Arkansas-Oklahoma state line. More information on this and other shows at cherokeecasino.com.
BENTONVILLE
Mike Mains & The Branches and Kyle Jackson perform a house show at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 3 hosted by City Sessions. More information at citysessions.org.
Justin Logan performs at 7 p.m. Aug. 4; TownHouseFire perform at 7 p.m. Aug. 5; Ashtyn Barbaree and Jacob Campbell perform at 7 p.m. Aug. 11; Bellwether Sirens and Gardensnakes play at 7 p.m. Aug. 18; Fight Dream performs at 7 p.m. Aug. 25 for the free Live on the Patio Concert Series at Bike Rack Brewing, 801 S.E. Eighth St., Suite 61.
Alvvays with special guest Julia Jacklin performs at 8 p.m. Sept. 9; Rina Sawayama performs Oct. 6; Wilco on Oct. 27; and Wu-Tang Clan on Oct. 28 at The Momentary, 507 S.E. E St. Format Festival will take place at the Momentary Sept. 22-24.
Bubba Sparxxx performs at 6 p.m. Aug. 11; Riley Downing and Nikki & The Phantom Callers perform at 7 p.m. Aug. 13; Songwriters in the Round returns at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 17 with David Starr, Ashtyn Barbaree, Alvin Lopez and Dominic B. Roy; "A Run for More" film screening happens at 5 p.m. Aug. 19; Oreo Blue with Blew Reed and the Flatheads perform at 8 p.m. Aug. 18 at Meteor Guitar Gallery, 128 W. Central Ave. meteorguitargallery.com.
EUREKA SPRINGS
Townsend performs at 7 p.m. Aug. 4; Bryan Copeland plays at 7 p.m Aug. 5; Shelly Watson performs at 5 p.m. Aug. 6 at Wanderoo Lodge and Gravel Bar, 216 W. Van Buren.
Drumming in the Park happens at 6 p.m. Aug. 5; Alyssa Galvan plays at 4 p.m. Aug. 11; Dandelion Heart plays at 4 p.m. Aug. 12 in Basin Park next to the Basin Park Hotel at 12 Spring St.
Kristine W performs at 8:30 p.m. Aug. 5; John McEuen and The Circle Band perform at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 12; Joe Nichols plays at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 15 at the Aud, 36 S. Main St.
FAYETTEVILLE
Steel Panther performs at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 1; Colt Ford and Midnight South perform at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 3; Alter Bridge and Sevendust play at 8 p.m. Aug. 17; Steve Aoki performs at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 8. Coming up later this year are Pecos & the Rooftops, Switchfoot, Avatar, Chris Renzema, Cradle of Filth and Devildriver, Death Grips, Greensky Bluegrass with special guest Lindsay Lou, Drake White and William Clark Green and Kevin Gates at JJ's Live, 3615 N. Steele Blvd. jjslive.com.
Buddy Shute plays from 4-6 p.m. Aug. 4; Charlie Memphis plays from 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 12 at Jammin Java on the Fayetteville square.
Rachel B Band plays at 7 p.m. July 30; James Miller plays at 6 p.m. Aug. 1; Peter Rexford plays at 6 p.m Aug. 3; Bryan Bielanski plays at 7 p.m. Aug. 8; Todd Arkyn plays at 6 p.m Aug. 9; Tyler George plays at 7 p.m. Aug. 10 at Six Twelve Coffeehouse & Bar, 3980 W. Wedington Drive in Fayetteville.
Florist and Skullcrusher perform at 7 p.m. Aug. 19 at Clapp Auditorium at Mount Sequoyah, 150 N. Skyline Drive. (linktr.ee/onthemapshows)
Step Mom, Audio Book Club and The Phlegms play at 9 p.m. Aug. 12; Thru It All plays at 9 p.m. Aug. 17; Jude Brothers, Creekbed Carter and Mckain Lakey perform at 8 p.m. Aug. 27 at Smoke and Barrel Tavern, 324 W. Dickson St.
Chucky Waggs & the Company of Raggs play at 9 p.m. Aug. 11; Charlie Memphis and Clancy Jones Band play at 9 p.m. Aug. 17; Korey McKelvy Band and The Birthday Boyz perform at 8 p.m Aug. 18 at Kingfish, 262 N. School Ave.
LOWELL
Matthew Broussard performs Aug. 4-5; Connor Larsen performs Aug. 11-12; CJ Star performs Aug. 18-19; Lynne Koplitz performs Aug. 25-26; and Coleman Green performs Sept. 1-2 at The Grove Comedy Club, 808 S. Bloomington St. grovecomedy.com.
ROGERS
Railyard Live's Jazz & Blues Block Party starts at 5:45 p.m. Aug. 4 with Michael Fields Jr., King Cabbage Brass Band, Dawn Cate Band and Abstract Citizen and picks back up at 4 p.m. Aug. 5 with Rodney Block, Jimmie Bratcher, YoungJoo Song Quartet, Jeremy Thomas Quartet, and Austin Farnam Trio; Charlie Redd & the Full Flava Kings with Branjae perform at 8 p.m. Aug. 11 at the Railyard Live Concert series on the Butterfield Stage next to Railyard Park, 101 E. Cherry St., Rogers. Shows are free; tables and chairs are available for reservation. railyardlive.com.
Magic Tuber and Austin Cash perform at 7 p.m. Aug. 9 at The Creamery, 216 W. Birch in Rogers. RSVP at trilliumsalonseries.com/news/2023/7/20/experimental-folk-in-the-creamery.
Three Doors Down and Candlebox play Aug. 9; Luke Bryan with Chayce Beckham, Ashley Cooke, Jackson Dean and DJ Rock on Aug. 10; Pantera with Lamb of God on Aug. 15; Beck and Phoenix with Weyes Blood and Sir Chloe on Aug. 18; KidzBop Never Stop tour on Aug. 19; Sam Hunt with Brett Young & Lily Rose on Aug. 20; Jelly Roll and Struggle Jennings, Caitlynne Curtis with host Josh Adam Meyers on Aug. 24 at the Walmart AMP, 5079 W. Northgate Road.
RIVER VALLEY
Loud and Local fest with Sabertooth, Fist of Rage, South Aberdeen, FaceDancer, Oklahoma Blood and Dragons Keep starts at 5 p.m Aug. 11 at the Muskogee Civic Center, 425 Boston St., Muskogee, Okla. Tickets are $12. facebook.com/MuskogeeCivicCenter
The Blackwood Quartet performs at 7 p.m. Sept. 30 at King Opera House, 427 Main St. in Van Buren.
All of Her plays at 8 p.m. Aug. 4; War Pony plays at 8 p.m Aug. 5; Troy Marlin plays at 8 p.m. Aug. 11; Thru It All plays at 7 p.m. Aug. 18; Shady Oak Tree plays at 8 p.m. Aug. 19; Mud Lung, Mammoth Caravan, Stash Hag and Ghost Hollow play at 8 p.m. Aug. 26 at Hero's, 1002 Garrison Ave. in Fort Smith.
Buck Cherry plays at 6:30 p.m Aug. 23; Flatland Cavalry plays at 7 p.m. Oct. 20; Phillip Phillips performs Oct. 27; Josh Abbott Band plays at 8 p.m. Nov. 3; Donnie Baker performs at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2 at TempleLive, 200 N. 11th St. in Fort Smith. 222-6186; fortsmith.templelive.com.
Kody West and Trent Fletcher perform at 8 p.m. Aug. 4; Trey Taylor and Who Shot JR perform for an Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fundraiser starting at 6 p.m. Aug. 12; Christian Parker plays at 8 p.m. Aug. 14; Triston Marez plays at 8 p.m. Aug. 19; The Bynum Project with Jackie Darlene performs at 8 p.m. Aug. 26 at Majestic Fort Smith, 817 Garrison Ave. in Fort Smith. majesticfortsmith.com.
Exile performs at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 1; Hotel California happens at 7:30 p.m Aug. 19; Breaking Grass at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Arc Best Performing Arts Center, 55 S. Seventh St.
Oreo Blue performs at 1 p.m. Aug. 20 for the monthly blues jam at The Bakery District, 70 S. Seventh St. in Fort Smith.
Robert Rauch Band plays at 9 p.m. Aug. 11 at Cherokee Casino & Hotel, 109 Cherokee Blvd. in Roland, Okla.
Gone So Long performs at 11 a.m. Sept. 9 at the Chaffee Crossing Farmers & Artisans Market, 7317 Terry St. in Fort Smith.
SPRINGDALE
Fayetteville Jazz Collective performs at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 31 for the LIVE! at Turnbow Concert Series at Turnbow Park on the Shiloh Square in downtown Springdale. downtownspringdale.org/live-at-turnbow-concerts.
Black Apple Comedy starts at 8 p.m. with Julie Drake on Aug. 3; Katie Bowman on Aug. 10; Stef Bright on Aug. 17; Dayton Bissett Aug. 24; Cori Stewart and Tiel Pierce on Aug. 31 at Black Apple Hard Cider, 321 E Emma Ave.
Sip & Sing starts at 7 p.m. with Take Cover and 96 Miles during the Grape Fest Aug. 4-5; Jenna and the Soul Shakers Aug. 11; Jacob Paul and the Family Aug. 12; The Rumours Aug. 18; The Atlantics Aug. 19; Old Dime Box play Aug. 25 at Tontitown Winery, 33. N. Barrington St. tontitownwinery.com.
Sam Albright performs at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 25 for the Johnson Square Summer Series on Johnson Square at 5519 Hackett St. in Johnson. Food and drinks are available from local restaurants, and the park is an outdoor beverage district.
WINSLOW
One Penny Shy performs at 6 p.m. Aug. 12; Squirrel Jam starts at 5 p.m. Aug. 27; and Brick Fields Duo performs at 6 p.m. Aug. 26 at Ozark Folkways, 22733 U.S. 71 North. ozarkfolkways.org
Send info about your upcoming concerts and events to Monica Hooper, music editor, at mhooper@nwaonline.com. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/live-music-lifeguard-and-horsegirl-head-to/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:04 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/live-music-lifeguard-and-horsegirl-head-to/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Six straight days of 12-hour driving. Single digit paychecks. The complaints come from workers in vastly different industries: UPS delivery drivers and Hollywood actors and writers.
But they point to an underlying factor driving a surge of labor unrest: The cost to workers whose jobs have changed drastically as companies scramble to meet customer expectations for speed and convenience in industries transformed by technology.
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated those changes, pushing retailers to shift online and intensifying the streaming competition among entertainment companies. Now, from the picket lines, workers are trying to give consumers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to produce a show that can be binged any time or get dog food delivered to their doorstep with a phone swipe.
Overworked and underpaid employees is an enduring complaint across industries — from delivery drivers to Starbucks baristas and airline pilots — where surges in consumer demand have collided with persistent labor shortages. Workers are pushing back against forced overtime, punishing schedules or company reliance on lower-paid, part-time or contract forces.
At issue for Hollywood screenwriters and actors staging their first simultaneous strikes in 40 years is the way streaming has upended entertainment economics, slashing pay and forcing showrunners to produce content faster with smaller teams.
“This seems to happen to many places when the tech companies come in. Who are we crushing? It doesn’t matter,” said Danielle Sanchez-Witzel, a screenwriter and showrunner on the negotiating team for the Writers Guild of America, whose members have been on strike since May. Earlier this month, the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists joined the writers’ union on the picket line.
Actors and writers have long relied on residuals, or long-term payments, for reruns and other airings of films and televisions shows. But reruns aren’t a thing on streaming services, where series and films simply land and stay with no easy way, such as box office returns or ratings, to determine their popularity.
Consequently, whatever residuals streaming companies do pay often amount to a pittance, and screenwriters have been sharing tales of receiving single digit checks.
Adam Shapiro, an actor known for the Netflix hit “Never Have I Ever,” said many actors were initially content to accept lower pay for the plethora of roles that streaming suddenly offered. But the need for a more sustainable compensation model gained urgency when it became clear streaming is not a sideshow, but rather the future of the business, he said.
“Over the past 10 years, we realized: ‘Oh, that’s now how Hollywood works. Everything is streaming,’” Shapiro said during a recent union event.
Shapiro, who has been acting for 25 years, said he agreed to a contract offering 20% of his normal rate for “Never Have I Ever” because it seemed like “a great opportunity, and it’s going to be all over the world. And it was. It really was. Unfortunately, we’re all starting to realize that if we keep doing this we’re not going to be able to pay our bills.”
Then there’s the rising use of “mini rooms,” in which a handful of writers are hired to work only during pre-production, sometimes for a series that may take a year to be greenlit, or never get picked up at all.
Sanchez-Witzel, co-creator of the recently released Netflix series “Survival of the Thickest,” said television shows traditionally hire robust writing teams for the duration of production. But Netflix refused to allow her to keep her team of five writers past pre-production, forcing round-the-clock work on rewrites with just one other writer.
“It’s not sustainable and I’ll never do that again,” she said.
Sanchez-Witzel said she was struck by the similarities between her experience and those of UPS drivers, some of whom joined the WGA for protests as they threatened their own potentially crippling strike. UPS and the Teamsters last week reached a tentative contract staving off the strike.
Jeffrey Palmerino, a full-time UPS driver near Albany, New York, said forced overtime emerged as a top issue during the pandemic as drivers coped with a crush of orders on par with the holiday season. Drivers never knew what time they would get home or if they could count on two days off each week, while 14-hour days in trucks without air conditioning became the norm.
“It was basically like Christmas on steroids for two straight years. A lot of us were forced to work six days a week, and that is not any way to live your life,” said Palmerino, a Teamsters shop steward.
Along with pay raises and air conditioning, the Teamsters won concessions that Palmerino hopes will ease overwork. UPS agreed to end forced overtime on days off and eliminate a lower-paid category of drivers who work shifts that include weekends, converting them to full-time drivers. Union members have yet to ratify the deal.
The Teamsters and labor activists hailed the tentative deal as a game-changer that would pressure other companies facing labor unrest to raise their standards. But similar outcomes are far from certain in industries lacking the sheer economic indispensability of UPS or the clout of its 340,000-member union.
Efforts to organize at Starbucks and Amazon stalled as both companies aggressively fought against unionization.
Still, labor protests will likely gain momentum following the UPS contract, said Patricia Campos-Medina, executive director of the Worker Institute at the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, which released a report this year that found the number of labor strikes rose 52% in 2022.
“The whole idea that consumer convenience is above everything broke down during the pandemic. We started to think, ‘I’m at home ordering, but there is actually a worker who has to go the grocery store, who has to cook this for me so that I can be comfortable,’” Campos-Medina said.
___
Associated Press video journalist Leslie Ambriz contributed from Los Angeles. | https://www.wane.com/entertainment-news/ap-entertainment/ap-consumer-demand-for-speed-and-convenience-drives-labor-unrest-among-workers-in-hollywood-and-at-ups/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:05 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/entertainment-news/ap-entertainment/ap-consumer-demand-for-speed-and-convenience-drives-labor-unrest-among-workers-in-hollywood-and-at-ups/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Trader Joe’s is recalling a broccoli cheddar soup that may contain insects and cooked falafel that may contain rocks, about one week after the grocery chain recalled two cookie products over similar concerns.
The soup recall impacts Trader Joe’s Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup with “Use By” dates ranging from July 18 to Sept. 15, according to a Thursday announcement from the company. On Friday, the grocer announced that Trader Joe’s Fully Cooked Falafel sold in 35 states and Washington, D.C., was also under recall.
On July 21, Trader Joe’s announced that it was recalling Trader Joe’s Almond Windmill Cookies and Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cookies with “sell by” dates ranging from Oct. 17 to Oct. 21. Like the falafel, the cookies may also contain rocks, the company said.
When asked for further information about how the insects and rocks may have gotten into these products, a Trader Joe’s spokesperson said that “there was an issue in the manufacturing processes in the facilities.” Suppliers alerted Trader Joe’s of the possible foreign material for each recall, the company said.
“We pulled the product from our shelves as soon as we were made aware of the issue. Once we understood the issue we notified our customers,” the spokesperson said in a statement sent to The Associated Press Saturday.
All of the recalled cookies, soup and falafel have been removed from sale or destroyed, Trader Joe’s said in its announcements. But the Monrovia, California-based company is still urging consumers to check their kitchens for the products.
Trader Joe’s says customers who have the recalled products should throw them away or return them to any store for a full refund. Lot codes and further details about the products under recall, as well as customer service contact information, can be found on the company’s website.
Trader Joe’s did not specify how many products were impacted with each recall or identify suppliers. But one Food and Drug Administration notice cited by NBC News says that the Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup recall impacts around 10,889 cases sold in seven states. Winter Gardens Quality Foods, Inc. is identified as the recalling firm, per the notice.
No formal releases about the three recalls were published on the FDA’s Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts page as of Saturday. The Associated Press reached out to the FDA and Winter Gardens Quality Foods for information on Saturday.
“We have a close relationship with our vendors and they alerted us of these issues. We don’t hesitate or wait for regulatory agencies to tell us what to do,” the Trader Joe’s spokesperson said. “We will never leave to chance the safety of the products we offer.” | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national/ap-more-trader-joes-recalls-this-soup-may-contain-bugs-and-falafel-may-have-rocks-grocer-says/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:06 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national/ap-more-trader-joes-recalls-this-soup-may-contain-bugs-and-falafel-may-have-rocks-grocer-says/ |
Trike Theatre Advanced Acting Class
Trike Theatre will have auditions for its Advanced Acting Class for youth ages 12-18 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, August 19 and Saturday, August 26 at 902 SW 2nd Street Suite E in Bentonville. Those auditioning need to only attend one Saturday of auditions.
Advanced Production is a nine month program that will meet from 6 - 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays beginning in September. Students will learn advanced theater skills designed to prepare them for theatre at the college and professional level.
It will conclude in spring with a student-produced 10 minute play festival. Prior theatre experience is required. Students auditioning should prepare two 1 minute contrasting monologues. Learn more and sign up for an audition slot at bit.ly/trike-auditions.
Contact Justin@triketheatre.org with any questions.
Trike Theatre Season Auditions
Trike Theatre will have auditions for adult and youth performers ages 8-18 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 19 and Saturday, August 26. Those auditioning need to only attend one Saturday of auditions.
The new season shows will include Bear State of Mind by Ashley Edwards for October 2023, The Velveteen Rabbit adapted by James Still in January 2024 and Journey to Oz by Christopher Parks in March 2024.
Actors should prepare two 1 minute contrasting monologues. Singers/actors should prepare one 1 min monologue and 16-32 bars of a song. A bluetooth speaker with aux cable will be provided.
Learn more and sign up for an audition slot at bit.ly/trike-auditions. Contact info@triketheatre.org with any questions.
University of Arkansas graduate retires after 30 years naval service
The U.S. Navy and Naval Aviation Schools Command (NASC) bid farewell to Capt. Edgardo Moreno after 30 years of naval service.
Moreno is a native of South Gate, Calif. and 2008 graduate of University of Arkansas with a master's in operations management. He retired from the Navy during a change of command and retirement ceremony at the National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. on July 20.
"What truly sets Capt. Moreno apart is his character," said Rear Adm. Pete Garvin, president, Naval War College. "A man of unparalleled positivity and genuine empathy, he wore his heart on his sleeve."
Garvin was the guest speaker and served with Moreno during his tenure as commander, Naval Education and Training Command (NETC).
Miss Arkansas Jr. Preteen
Miss Julianna Rogers, daughter of Savannah Rogers was crowned 2023 National American Miss Arkansas Jr. Preteen Queen at the state pageant, which took place July 15 at the Marriott Tulsa Hotel Southern Hills in Tulsa, Okla.
Rogers received her official state crown, banner and trophy. She also received a special invitation to compete at the National Pageant that is planned for Thanksgiving Week in Orlando, Fla. At the pageant, Rogers received actress, top model, dream model, art competition winner and first runner up in casual wear modeling, runway modeling, photogenic and resume competitions.
Miss Julianna Rogers' activities include swimming, surfing, modeling, acting, reading to preschool children, litter clean up and donating books, school supplies and clothing to people in need. Her sponsors for the pageant were her mother, father and family.
The National American Miss Pageants are dedicated to celebrating America's greatness and encouraging its future leaders. Each year the National American Miss Pageants award $1.5 million in cash, scholarships and prizes to recognize and assist the development of young women nationwide.
Prize for Contemporary Southern Art
The Gibbes Museum of Art is pleased to announce the 2023 1858 Prize for Contemporary Southern Art.
Each year, Society 1858, the museum's young professionals auxiliary group, awards a $10,000 cash prize to one artist whose work demonstrates the highest level of artistic achievement in any media, while contributing to a new understanding of art in the South.
Submissions for 2023 will be accepted online at www.1858prize.org through August 31.
"The Gibbes strives to celebrate diverse Southern artists through the 1858 Prize for Contemporary Southern Art," says Angela Mack, executive director of Gibbes Museum of Art. "We are looking for innovative and thought-provoking artists and works that explore the complexities of the South today. We encourage artists from all backgrounds to submit their work, and we look forward to honoring another up-and-coming artist with this distinguished prize."
Artists from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia are eligible to apply.
All submissions are thoughtfully reviewed by a panel of visual arts professionals, Society 1858 representatives and Gibbes Museum of Art staff members. The winner will be awarded $10,000 and a feature at the Amy P. Coy Forum on Friday, February 9, 2024.
In addition to the monetary award, artwork will be chosen by the Gibbes curatorial team, in collaboration with the artist, to display in the Mary Jackson Modern and Contemporary Galleries for the duration of the year following the winner's announcement.
Artists must submit a completed registration form, a brief artist statement in 150 words or less, a resume or CV, a portfolio of work up to 10 images, including title, date, medium, and dimensions for each work and a$25 non-refundable entry fee.
Submissions can be made at 1858prize.org. For general questions about the 1858 Prize, contact the Gibbes Museum of Art at 1858prize@gibbesmuseum.org. For technical support while submitting your application, contact SlideRoom at support@slideroom.com.
The winner will be announced in October on the 1858 Prize website and via press release.
Tour battlefield, homes
Several activities are set for the weekend of August 4, 5 and 6 at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park.
Friday events include:
10:30-11:30 a.m. Historic homes tour. Visitors see how families lived in 1862 when the Battle of Prairie Grove took place: Cost is $6 for adults and $4 for children ages 6-12. Kids 5 and under are admitted free.
1 p.m. Nature journaling. Learn about accounts written during the battle and then visitors may write their own journal.
6 p.m. Ozark Women of the Civil War.
7-7:30 p.m. Pioneer chores. Learn how housekeeping was done in the Civil War era.
8-9 p.m. Dutch oven cooking. Cooks will prepare biscuits and honey in a Dutch oven for visitors.
Saturday 9-10 a.m. Battlefield tour.
Sunday events:
1-4:30 p.m., Curator corner. See artifacts from the Battle of Prairie Grove.
6:6:30 p.m. Maps of the past. Study historic maps to see how things have changed or remain the same.
7-7:45 p.m. Civil War letters. Handwritten accounts help historians describe hardships of battle and yearning for home.
For details call the park, 479-846-2990. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/local-notes/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:10 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/local-notes/ |
Marriages
The following marriage licenses were recorded in the Jefferson County Clerk's Office:
Shamario Jamell Allmond, 29, and Marzella Denise Davis, 32, both of Pine Bluff, recorded July 21.
Garrett David Spears, 30, of Bryant, and Bridget Gail Taylor, 32, of White Hall, recorded July 21.
Steven L. Kress Sr., 39, and Evelia Lachelle Fleming, 45, both of Pine Bluff, recorded July 21.
Steven Ray Scogins, 50, of Pine Bluff, and Kathryn L. Hathcoat, 56, of White Hall, recorded July 26.
Anthony Chase Jones, 38, and Amy Michelle Roberts, 37, both of Pine Bluff, recorded July 21.
Divorces
The following divorces were granted, according to the Jefferson County Circuit Clerk's Office:
Curtis Straus v. Brenda Straus, granted July 19.
Gary Lee Drummond v. Dena Louise Drummond, granted July 19.
Essie Miller v. Eugene Miller, granted July 19.
Sally M. Slaughter v. Gary N. James, granted July 27. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/marriages-and-divorces/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:11 | 1 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/marriages-and-divorces/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Six straight days of 12-hour driving. Single digit paychecks. The complaints come from workers in vastly different industries: UPS delivery drivers and Hollywood actors and writers.
But they point to an underlying factor driving a surge of labor unrest: The cost to workers whose jobs have changed drastically as companies scramble to meet customer expectations for speed and convenience in industries transformed by technology.
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated those changes, pushing retailers to shift online and intensifying the streaming competition among entertainment companies. Now, from the picket lines, workers are trying to give consumers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to produce a show that can be binged any time or get dog food delivered to their doorstep with a phone swipe.
Overworked and underpaid employees is an enduring complaint across industries — from delivery drivers to Starbucks baristas and airline pilots — where surges in consumer demand have collided with persistent labor shortages. Workers are pushing back against forced overtime, punishing schedules or company reliance on lower-paid, part-time or contract forces.
At issue for Hollywood screenwriters and actors staging their first simultaneous strikes in 40 years is the way streaming has upended entertainment economics, slashing pay and forcing showrunners to produce content faster with smaller teams.
“This seems to happen to many places when the tech companies come in. Who are we crushing? It doesn’t matter,” said Danielle Sanchez-Witzel, a screenwriter and showrunner on the negotiating team for the Writers Guild of America, whose members have been on strike since May. Earlier this month, the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists joined the writers’ union on the picket line.
Actors and writers have long relied on residuals, or long-term payments, for reruns and other airings of films and televisions shows. But reruns aren’t a thing on streaming services, where series and films simply land and stay with no easy way, such as box office returns or ratings, to determine their popularity.
Consequently, whatever residuals streaming companies do pay often amount to a pittance, and screenwriters have been sharing tales of receiving single digit checks.
Adam Shapiro, an actor known for the Netflix hit “Never Have I Ever,” said many actors were initially content to accept lower pay for the plethora of roles that streaming suddenly offered. But the need for a more sustainable compensation model gained urgency when it became clear streaming is not a sideshow, but rather the future of the business, he said.
“Over the past 10 years, we realized: ‘Oh, that’s now how Hollywood works. Everything is streaming,’” Shapiro said during a recent union event.
Shapiro, who has been acting for 25 years, said he agreed to a contract offering 20% of his normal rate for “Never Have I Ever” because it seemed like “a great opportunity, and it’s going to be all over the world. And it was. It really was. Unfortunately, we’re all starting to realize that if we keep doing this we’re not going to be able to pay our bills.”
Then there’s the rising use of “mini rooms,” in which a handful of writers are hired to work only during pre-production, sometimes for a series that may take a year to be greenlit, or never get picked up at all.
Sanchez-Witzel, co-creator of the recently released Netflix series “Survival of the Thickest,” said television shows traditionally hire robust writing teams for the duration of production. But Netflix refused to allow her to keep her team of five writers past pre-production, forcing round-the-clock work on rewrites with just one other writer.
“It’s not sustainable and I’ll never do that again,” she said.
Sanchez-Witzel said she was struck by the similarities between her experience and those of UPS drivers, some of whom joined the WGA for protests as they threatened their own potentially crippling strike. UPS and the Teamsters last week reached a tentative contract staving off the strike.
Jeffrey Palmerino, a full-time UPS driver near Albany, New York, said forced overtime emerged as a top issue during the pandemic as drivers coped with a crush of orders on par with the holiday season. Drivers never knew what time they would get home or if they could count on two days off each week, while 14-hour days in trucks without air conditioning became the norm.
“It was basically like Christmas on steroids for two straight years. A lot of us were forced to work six days a week, and that is not any way to live your life,” said Palmerino, a Teamsters shop steward.
Along with pay raises and air conditioning, the Teamsters won concessions that Palmerino hopes will ease overwork. UPS agreed to end forced overtime on days off and eliminate a lower-paid category of drivers who work shifts that include weekends, converting them to full-time drivers. Union members have yet to ratify the deal.
The Teamsters and labor activists hailed the tentative deal as a game-changer that would pressure other companies facing labor unrest to raise their standards. But similar outcomes are far from certain in industries lacking the sheer economic indispensability of UPS or the clout of its 340,000-member union.
Efforts to organize at Starbucks and Amazon stalled as both companies aggressively fought against unionization.
Still, labor protests will likely gain momentum following the UPS contract, said Patricia Campos-Medina, executive director of the Worker Institute at the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, which released a report this year that found the number of labor strikes rose 52% in 2022.
“The whole idea that consumer convenience is above everything broke down during the pandemic. We started to think, ‘I’m at home ordering, but there is actually a worker who has to go the grocery store, who has to cook this for me so that I can be comfortable,’” Campos-Medina said.
___
Associated Press video journalist Leslie Ambriz contributed from Los Angeles. | https://www.wdtn.com/entertainment-news/ap-entertainment/ap-consumer-demand-for-speed-and-convenience-drives-labor-unrest-among-workers-in-hollywood-and-at-ups/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:12 | 1 | https://www.wdtn.com/entertainment-news/ap-entertainment/ap-consumer-demand-for-speed-and-convenience-drives-labor-unrest-among-workers-in-hollywood-and-at-ups/ |
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Shawn Steik and his wife were forced from a long-term motel room onto the streets of Anchorage after their rent shot up to $800 a month. Now they live in a tent encampment by a train depot, and as an Alaska winter looms they are growing desperate and fearful of what lies ahead.
A proposal last week by Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson to buy one-way plane tickets out of Alaska’s biggest city for its homeless residents gave Steik a much-needed glimmer of hope. He would move to the relative warmth of Seattle.
“I heard it’s probably warmer than this place,” said Steik, who is Aleut.
But the mayor’s unfunded idea also came under immediate attack as a Band-Aid solution glossing over the tremendous, and still unaddressed, crisis facing Anchorage as a swelling homeless population struggles to survive in a unique and extreme environment. Frigid temperatures stalk the homeless in the winter and bears infiltrate homeless encampments in the summer.
A record eight people died of exposure while living outside last winter and this year promises to be worse after the city closed an arena that housed 500 people during the winter months. Bickering between the city’s liberal assembly and its conservative mayor about how to address the crisis, and a lack of state funding, have further stymied efforts to find a solution.
With winter fast approaching in Alaska, it’s “past time for state and local leaders to address the underlying causes of homelessness — airplane tickets are a distraction, not a solution,” the American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska said in a statement to The Associated Press.
About 43% of Anchorage’s more than 3,000 unsheltered residents are Alaska Natives, and Bronson’s proposal also drew harsh criticism from those who called it culturally insensitive.
“The reality is there is no place to send these people because this is their land. Any policy that we make has to pay credence to that simple fact. This is Dena’ina land, this is Native land,” said Christopher Constant, chair of the Anchorage Assembly. “And so we cannot be supporting policies that would take people and displace them from their home, even if their home is not what you or I would call home.”
Bronson’s airfare proposal caps a turbulent few years as Anchorage, like many cities in the U.S. West, struggles to deal with a burgeoning homeless population.
In May, the city shut down the 500-bed homeless shelter in the city’s arena so it could once more be used for concerts and hockey games after neighbors complained about open drug use, trespassing, violence and litter. A plan to build a large shelter and navigation center fell through when Bronson approved a contract without approval from the Anchorage Assembly.
That leaves a gaping hole in the city’s ability to house the thousands of homeless people who have to contend with temperatures well below zero for days at a time and unrelenting winds blasting off Cook Inlet. At the end of June, Anchorage was estimated to have a little more than 3,150 homeless people, according to the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness. Last week, there were only 614 beds at shelters citywide, with no vacancies.
New tent cities have sprung up across Anchorage this summer: on a slope facing the city’s historic railroad depot, on a busy road near the Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson and near soup kitchens and shelters downtown.
Assembly members are slated to consider a winter stop-gap option in August falling far short of the need: a large, warmed, tent-like structure for 150 people.
Summer brings its own challenges: hungry bears last year roamed a city-owned campground where homeless people were resettled after the arena closed. Wildlife officials killed four bears after they broke into tents.
Bronson said he prefers to spend a few hundred dollars per person for a plane ticket rather than spending about $100 daily to shelter and feed them. He said he doesn’t care where they want to go; his job is to “make sure they don’t die on Anchorage streets.”
It’s not clear if his proposal will move forward. There is not yet a plan or a funding source.
Dr. Ted Mala, an Inupiaq who in 1990 became the first Alaska Native to serve as the state’s health commissioner, said Anchorage should be working with social workers and law enforcement to discover people’s individual reasons for homelessness and connect them with resources.
Buying the unsheltered a ticket to another city is a political game that’s been around for years. A number of U.S. cities struggling with homelessness, including San Francisco, Seattle and Portland, Oregon, have also offered bus or plane tickets to homeless residents.
“People are not pawns, they’re human beings,” Mala said.
The mayor’s proposal, while focused on warmer cities, also would fund tickets to other Alaska locations for those who want them.
Clarita Clark became homeless after her medical team wanted her to move from Point Hope to Anchorage for cancer treatment because Anchorage is warmer. The medical facility wouldn’t allow her husband to stay with her, so they pitched a tent in a sprawling camp to stay together.
Having recently found the body of a dead teenager who overdosed in a portable toilet, Clark yearns to return to the Chukchi Sea coastal village of Point Hope, where her three grandchildren live.
“I got a family that loves me,” she said, adding she would use the ticket and seek treatment closer to home.
Danny Parish also is leaving Alaska, but for another reason: He’s fed up.
Parish is selling his home of 29 years because it sits directly across the street from Sullivan Arena. Bad acts by some homeless people — including harassment, throwing vodka bottles in his yard, poisoning his dog and using his driveway as a toilet — made his life “a holy hell,” he said.
Parish is convinced the arena will be used again this winter since there isn’t another plan.
He, too, hopes to move to the contiguous U.S. — Oregon, for starters — but not before asking Anchorage leaders for his own plane ticket out.
“If they’re going to give them to everybody else,” Parish said, “then they need to give me one.” | https://www.wane.com/health-2/ap-health/ap-anchorage-homeless-face-cold-and-bears-a-plan-to-offer-one-way-airfare-out-reveals-a-bigger-crisis/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:11 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/health-2/ap-health/ap-anchorage-homeless-face-cold-and-bears-a-plan-to-offer-one-way-airfare-out-reveals-a-bigger-crisis/ |
Aaron Donald has become one of the finest players of the past decade. He’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer, an immediate candidate for the upper room proposed by Deion Sanders.
So what does Donald have to prove in season number ten?
“I’ve got a lot to prove,” Donald told reporters on Saturday. “I didn’t have the season I wanted, obviously coming off of an injury and things like that. I feel like to get to where you need to be, it’s like starting over from scratch again. It’s a brand new year. Last year was last year, but there’s a little fire lit into me. I got a little motivation towards that to push me to feel like I’m back on ground one. So I’m trying to get back to where I want to be as a player, as a teammate, as a team overall, and that’s been kind of pushing me a little bit.”
He’s also getting motivation from the fact that people don’t expect the Rams to be very good.
“Right now we are just trying to get back on top,” Donald said. “Obviously, we didn’t have a season we wanted as a team last year. Now you’re kind of looked over as a team, so I feel like we have got something to prove. So that’s the motivation right there.”
Some players and coaches get indignant when media and/or fans dare to point out that a team wasn’t very good last year and might not be much better this year. Donald doesn’t mind it.
“We all need some type of fire, something to push you, something to get you going and that’s something that I’m hanging on to right now,” Donald said. “And I feel like we’ve got something to prove as a team. I think I got something to prove as a player and that’s how we’re going to take it.”
When Donald signed his latest contract last year, the structure suggested that he could retire or seek a trade after this season. Donald was asked how he plans to keep going.
“I’m just here today and just focused on what I got to do today,” Donald said. “I’m not really worried about what’s next right now. I’m just in this camp moment trying to get myself going. I haven’t played football in a while, so I’m trying to knock the rust off. And at the same time, I got a bunch of new guys I’m playing with so we are trying to get everything clicking so come game time it’s where we want to be.”
The clear message is that Donald is where he wants to be, for now. We’ll see where he wants to be after this season. Or perhaps during this season, if it’s another tough year for the Rams and if a contender comes calling as the trade deadline approaches. | https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/aaron-donald-in-tenth-season-ive-got-a-lot-to-prove | 2023-07-30T13:21:12 | 0 | https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/aaron-donald-in-tenth-season-ive-got-a-lot-to-prove |
A boom in apartment construction is helping to curb rents but not all renters will benefit
LOS ANGELES (AP) — When viewed through a wide lens, renters across the U.S. finally appear to be getting some relief, thanks in part to the biggest apartment construction boom in decades.
Median rent rose just 0.5% in June, year over year, after falling in May for the first time since the pandemic hit the U.S. Some economists project U.S. rents will be down modestly this year after soaring nearly 25% over the past four years.
A closer look, however, shows the trend will likely be little comfort for many U.S. renters who’ve had to put an increasing share of their income toward their monthly payment. Renters in cities such as Cincinnati and Indianapolis are still getting hit with increases of 5% or more. Much of the new construction is located in just a few metro areas, and many of the new units are luxury apartments, which rent for well north of $2,000.
Median U.S. rent has risen to $2,029 this June from $1,629 in June 2019, according to rental listings company Rent, which tracks rents in 50 of the largest U.S. metropolitan areas. Demand for apartments exploded during the pandemic as people who could work remotely sought more space or decided to relocate to another part of the country.
The steep rent increases have left tenants like Melissa Lombana, a high school teacher who lives in the South Florida city of Miramar, with progressively less income to spend on other needs.
The rent on her one-bedroom apartment jumped 13% last year to $1,700. It climbed another 6% to $1,800 this month when she renewed her lease.
“Even the $1,700 was a stretch for me,” said Lombana, 43, who supplements her teaching income with a side job doing educational testing. “In a year, I will not be able to afford living here at all.”
Lombana’s rent is now gobbling up nearly half her monthly income. That puts her in a category referred to as “cost-burdened” by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, denoting households that pay 30% or more of their income toward rent. Last year, the average rent-to-income ratio per household rose to 30%. This March, it was 29.6%.
Lombana hasn’t had any luck finding a more affordable apartment. While South Florida is one of the metropolitan areas seeing a rise in apartment construction, the units are mostly high-end and not a viable option.
That scenario is playing out across the nation. Developers are rushing to complete projects that were green-lit during the pandemic-era surge in demand for rentals or left in limbo by delays in supplies of fixtures and building materials. Nearly 1.1 million apartments are currently under construction, according to the commercial real estate tracker CoStar, a pace not seen since the 1970s.
Increasing the supply of apartments tends to moderate rent increases over time and can give tenants more options on where to live. But more than 40% of the new rentals to be completed this year will be concentrated in about 10 high job growth metropolitan areas, including Austin, Nashville, Denver, Atlanta and New York, according to Marcus & Millichap. In many areas, the boost to overall inventory will be barely noticeable.
Even within metros where there’ll be a notable increase in available apartments, such as Nashville, most of it will be in the luxury category, where rents average $2,270, nationally. Some 70% of the new rental inventory will be the luxury class, said Jay Lybik, national director of multifamily analytics at CoStar.
That will leave most tenants unlikely to see a big enough reduction in rent to make a difference, industry experts and economists say.
“I think we’re in a period of rent flattening for 12 or 18 months, but it’s certainly not a big rent decline,” said Hessam Nadji, CEO of commercial real estate firm Marcus & Millichap.
“We’re building a multi-decade record number of units,” Nadji said. “It’s going to cause some softening and some pockets of overbuilding, but it’s not going to fundamentally resolve the housing shortage or the affordability problem for renters across the U.S.”
The surge in rents has made it difficult for workers to keep up with inflation despite solid wage gains the past few years and exacerbated a long-term trend. Between 1999 and 2022, U.S. rents soared 135%, while income grew 77%, according to data from Moody’s Analytics.
Realtor.com is forecasting that rents will drop an average of 0.9% this year. But while down nationally, rents are still rising in many markets around the country, especially those where hiring remains robust.
In the New York metro area, the median rent climbed 4.7% in June from a year earlier to $2,899, according to Realtor.com. In the Midwest, rents surged 5.6% in the Cincinnati metro area to $1,188, and 6.9% to $1,350 in the Indianapolis metro area.
The current spike in apartment construction alone isn’t going to be enough to address how costly renting has become for many Americans.
“For the rest of the 2020s rents will continue to grow because millennials are such a big generation and we’re very much in the hole in terms of building housing for that generation,” said Daryl Fairweather, chief economist at Redfin. “It will take many good years of new construction to build adequate housing for millennials.”
The bigger challenge is building more work force housing, because the cost of land, labor and navigating the government approval process incentivize developers to put up luxury apartments buildings.
Expanding the supply of modestly priced rentals would help alleviate the strain from so many new apartments targeting renters with high incomes, “although additional subsidies will be needed to make housing affordable to households with the lowest incomes,” researchers at Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies wrote in a recent report.
Despite the overall pullback in U.S. rents, Joey Di Girolamo, in Pembroke Pines, Florida, worries that he’ll face more sharp rent increases in coming years.
Last year, the web designer left a two-bedroom, two-bath townhome he rented for $2,200 a month to avoid a $600 a month increase. This year, his rent went up by $200, a nearly 10% jump.
“That blew me away,” said Di Girolamo, 50. “I’m just kind of dreading what it’s going to be like next year, but especially 3 or 4 years from now.”
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wcjb.com/2023/07/30/boom-apartment-construction-is-helping-curb-rents-not-all-renters-will-benefit/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:12 | 1 | https://www.wcjb.com/2023/07/30/boom-apartment-construction-is-helping-curb-rents-not-all-renters-will-benefit/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Former Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon of Missouri is joining No Labels ‘ increasingly contentious effort to lay the groundwork for a moderate third-party presidential ticket in the 2024 election. He gives the embattled organization another prominent ally amid escalating concerns from Democratic officials that the No Labels campaign could unintentionally help Republican Donald Trump return to the White House.
Nixon, a 67-year-old lawyer, is stepping back into national politics for the first time since leaving office in 2017 and will serve as No Labels’ director of ballot integrity. He said in an interview that he was drawn to the role after learning that well-funded groups aligned with Democrats were working to stop No Labels from securing ballot access in key states.
He said that those seeking to block the group’s right to appear on the presidential ballot are attacking a pillar of American democracy.
“What do I say to those Democrats? I say, ‘You’re entitled to your opinion. But we are also entitled to use our constitutional and statutory rights to allow Americans to have another choice,’” Nixon told The Associated Press.
President Joe Biden and Trump have dominated the 2024 campaign conversation so far. But No Labels, a Washington-based group that promotes compromise, national unity and centrist policy solutions, has been preparing for the strongest third-party presidential bid at least since Texas businessman Ross Perot earned nearly 19% of the popular vote in 1992.
Working with an operating budget of roughly $70 million, No Labels is taking steps to secure presidential ballot spots in roughly 20 states this year; the group has done so already in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Oregon and Utah.
While No Labels has yet to nominate candidates for president and vice president, its leadership insists there is a path to victory for a centrist third-party ticket “if the two parties select unreasonably divisive presidential nominees.”
The group’s critics across the Democratic Party are terrified that No Labels will siphon votes that would otherwise go to Biden, who narrowly beat Trump in 2020 with a coalition that included moderate Democrats, independents and disaffected Republicans.
No Labels’ leadership has promised a series of checks and balances that would allow the organization to withdraw its presidential ticket if it appears the group’s participation would help Trump win. No Labels has not outlined a detailed plan about that, and leaders acknowledge privately there is some urgency to come out with their specific safeguards, which would vary state by state. They intend to do so by “early fall.”
Anxious Democrats are unconvinced.
On Thursday, two prominent Democratic groups, the centrist Third Way and more progressive MoveOn, hosted private meetings on Capitol Hill with dozens of chiefs of staff and senior aides to House and Senate Democrats to emphasize the need to stop No Label’s presidential ambitions. In a nod to the seriousness of the Democratic establishment’s concerns, the meetings were held in both the House and Senate Democrats’ campaign headquarters.
“We told them what we have been saying consistently now for a long time: This is dangerous,” said Third Way co-founder Matt Bennett, who helped lead the briefing along with MoveOn’s executive director, Rahna Epting.
The organizers detailed data showing that a No Labels ticket would undercut Biden in the general election and warned that it could handicap vulnerable House and Senate candidates is tight elections. They also questioned that No Labels’ promise to withdraw its ticket if necessary to stop Trump.
No Labels’ leaders are furious.
“They are telling the elected leaders of this country right now that our ballot is a runaway train. And that is categorically false. That is propaganda. And that is why we’re bringing on a director of ballot integrity to stop it because it’s outrageous,” said No Labels’ founder Nancy Jacobson, a former Democratic fundraiser.
For now, Democrats are not willing to take Jacobson’s word for it.
“I don’t want to be doing this. I’d much rather focus on other things. I am concerned, genuinely,” Epting said. “They’re in over their head. They have not given any assurances that they’re clear and sober in their analysis. And when they talk about being able to put the horse back in the barn, they are not consistent about when or how they’re going to do that.”
“They’re just saying, ‘Trust us,’” Epting said. “We can’t. We don’t know you. And the stakes are too high.”
Meanwhile, Nixon joins a growing roster of former elected officials in both parties now affiliated with No Labels. Among the others: Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.; former Govs. Jon Huntsman Jr., R-Utah, Larry Hogan, R-Md., and Pat McCrory, R-N.C.; and former Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, a Democrat who became an independent late in his political career.
Manchin and Huntsman, ambassador to China under President Barack Obama and to Russia under Trump, hosted a town hall in New Hampshire this month, driving speculation they may ultimately become the No Labels presidential ticket.
No Labels plans to hold a presidential nominating convention next April in Dallas, and the group is showing no signs of backing off its 2024 plans. With a massive budget fueled by anonymous donations, No Labels can afford to be patient in the fights ahead.
Democrats in Arizona filed a complaint this month with the secretary of state asking to have the group suspended until it discloses it donors. In May, Maine’s top elections official sent a cease-and-desist letter regarding No Labels voter registration efforts after claiming the group was misleading voters.
The group Citizens to Save Our Republic formed a super political action committee this month specifically designed to stop No Labels. The group’s members includes Bennett from Third Way, several advisers to the anti-Trump Lincoln Project and former House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo.
Nixon, who declined to criticize Biden or Trump, said he understands that he is walking into a political firestorm. But he said he is passionate about No Labels’ constitutional right to secure a place on the ballot.
“I feel calm. I feel correct. I think we have a high moral ground here,” he said. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/politics/ap-ex-missouri-gov-jay-nixon-joins-push-for-third-party-presidential-bid-as-democrats-try-to-stop-it/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:13 | 0 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/politics/ap-ex-missouri-gov-jay-nixon-joins-push-for-third-party-presidential-bid-as-democrats-try-to-stop-it/ |
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.wdtn.com/hill-politics/frustration-emerges-among-gop-spending-cardinals-as-conservatives-push-for-cuts/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:18 | 0 | https://www.wdtn.com/hill-politics/frustration-emerges-among-gop-spending-cardinals-as-conservatives-push-for-cuts/ |
Matty Davis' "Die No Die (Arkansas)" is not his first production created in the state.
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Matty Davis brings unique dance performance to The Momentary
Momentary hosts unique performance by Matty Davis by Becca Martin-Brown | Today at 1:00 a.m.
"The performance itself feels like this really beautiful movement through the whole campus," Cynthia Post Hunt, curator of performance at The Momentary, says of "Die No Die (Arkansas)." "And there's something really exciting about being led through this journey through the eyes and the movement of other artists. Also, it's this really beautiful deep dive into the details of a specific place."
(Courtesy Image/Matty Davis)
Print Headline: Journey Through Time, Space
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BEIRUT (AP) — Clashes Sunday in Lebanon’s largest Palestinian refugee camp near the southern port city of Sidon left five people dead and seven others wounded, Palestinian officials said.
The officials, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said the fighting broke out after an unknown gunman tried to assassinate Islamist militant Mahmoud Khalil, killing a companion of his instead.
Later, Islamist militants assassinated a Palestinian military general from the Fatah group and three escorts, another Palestinian official told the AP.
Factions used assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenade launchers in the overcrowded Ein el-Hilweh camp as ambulances zoomed through its narrow streets to take the wounded to the hospital. Several residents fled the crossfire.
Palestinian factions in the camp for years have cracked down on militant Islamist groups and fugitives seeking shelter in the camp’s overcrowded neighborhoods. In 2017, Palestinian factions engaged in almost a week of fierce clashes with a militant organization affiliated with the extremist Islamic State group.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said two children were among those wounded.
The clashes stopped for several hours in the morning, though state media said there was still sporadic sniper fire. But they began again after the killing of the Palestinian general and his escorts.
The Lebanese Army in a statement said a mortar shell landed in a military barracks outside the camp wounding one soldier, whose condition is stable.
Ein el-Hilweh is notorious for its lawlessness and violence is not uncommon. The U.N. says it is home to some 55,000 people.
It was established in 1948 to host Palestinians displaced by Israeli forces during the establishment of Israel. | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-1-killed-6-wounded-in-overnight-clashes-in-crowded-palestinian-refugee-camp-in-lebanon/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:18 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-1-killed-6-wounded-in-overnight-clashes-in-crowded-palestinian-refugee-camp-in-lebanon/ |
Rays vs. Astros Predictions & Picks: Odds, Moneyline, Spread - July 30
Sunday's game that pits the Houston Astros (59-46) versus the Tampa Bay Rays (63-44) at Minute Maid Park has a good chance to be a tight matchup based on our computer prediction, which projects a final score of 5-3 in favor of the Astros. First pitch is at 2:10 PM ET on July 30.
The probable pitchers are Brandon Bielak (5-5) for the Astros and Zack Littell (0-2) for the Rays.
Rays vs. Astros Game Info & Odds
- When: Sunday, July 30, 2023 at 2:10 PM ET
- Where: Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas
- How to Watch on TV: SportsNet SW
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
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Rays vs. Astros Score Prediction
Our pick for this game is Astros 5, Rays 4.
Total Prediction for Rays vs. Astros
- Total Prediction: Under 9 runs
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Discover More About This Game
Rays Performance Insights
- The Rays have been underdogs three times over their past 10 games and lost every one of those contests.
- In its last 10 games with an over/under, Tampa Bay and its opponents have combined to eclipse the total three times.
- Bookmakers have not posted a runline in any of the Rays' past 10 contests.
- The Rays have been chosen as underdogs in 16 games this year and have walked away with the win four times (25%) in those games.
- Tampa Bay has a win-loss record of 4-12 when favored by -110 or worse by oddsmakers this year.
- Sportsbooks have implied with the moneyline set for this matchup that the Rays have a 52.4% chance of pulling out a win.
- Tampa Bay scores the fourth-most runs in baseball (553 total, 5.2 per game).
- Rays pitchers have a combined ERA of 3.82 ERA this year, fourth-best in baseball.
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Rays Schedule
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wcjb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/rays-astros-mlb-picks-predictions/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:18 | 0 | https://www.wcjb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/rays-astros-mlb-picks-predictions/ |
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The oldest historically Black collegiate fraternity in the U.S. says it is relocating a planned convention in two years from Florida because of what it described as Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration’s “harmful, racist and insensitive” policies towards African Americans.
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity said this week that it would move its 2025 convention from Orlando to another location that is yet undecided. The convention draws between 4,000 and 6,000 people and has an economic impact of $4.6 million, the fraternity said.
The decision comes after the NAACP and other civil rights organizations this spring issued a travel advisory for Florida, warning that recently passed laws and policies are openly hostile to African Americans, people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Willis Lonzer, the fraternity’s general president, said in statement on Wednesday that the decision was motivated in part by Florida’s new education standards that require teachers to instruct middle school students that slaves developed skills that “could be applied for their personal benefit.”
“Although we are moving our convention from Florida, Alpha Phi Alpha will continue to support the strong advocacy of Alpha Brothers and other advocates fighting against the continued assault on our communities in Florida by Governor Ron DeSantis,” Lonzer said.
An email seeking comment on Saturday about the fraternity’s decision was sent to Jeremy Redfern, the governor’s press secretary and the governor’s office.
DeSantis, who is running for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, has come under fire this week over Florida’s new education standards. Among those criticizing the Florida governor on Friday was a rival for the Republican nomination, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the sole Black Republican in the Senate.
Responding to the criticism, DeSantis said Friday that he was “defending” Florida “against false accusations and against lies. And we’re going to continue to speak the truth.”
In May, the NAACP joined the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), a Latino civil rights organization, and Equality Florida, a gay rights advocacy group, in issuing travel advisories for the Sunshine State, where tourism is one of the state’s largest job sectors. The groups cited recent laws that prohibited state colleges from having programs on diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as critical race theory, and the Stop WOKE Act that restricts certain race-based conversations and analysis in schools and businesses.
They also cited laws that they say made life more difficult for immigrants in Florida and limited discussions on LGBTQ topics in schools.
At least nine other organizations or associations have pulled the plug on hosting conventions in Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, two of the state’s most population convention cities, because of Florida’s political climate, according to local media reports.
Florida is one of the most popular states in the U.S. for tourists, and tourism is one of its biggest industries. More than 137.5 million tourists visited Florida last year, marking a return to pre-pandemic levels, according to Visit Florida, the state’s tourism promotion agency. Tourism supports 1.6 million full-time and part-time jobs, and visitors spent $98.8 billion in Florida in 2019, the last year figures are available.
___
Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at @MikeSchneiderAP | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/politics/ap-historically-black-fraternity-drops-florida-for-convention-because-of-desantis-policies/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:19 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/politics/ap-historically-black-fraternity-drops-florida-for-convention-because-of-desantis-policies/ |
Word on Saturday was that the Vikings were exploring trade options for Danielle Hunter, but things wound up taking a different turn with the edge rusher and he’s set to remain in Minnesota for the 2023 season.
NFL Media reports that Hunter and the Vikings have agreed to a new one-year deal to take the place of the one that was set to pay him $5.5 million this season. The new deal guarantees Hunter $17 million and is worth up to $20 million.
Per the report, the deal also includes a clause barring the Vikings from using the franchise tag at Hunter after this season.
That puts Hunter on track for unrestricted free agency next year and the size of his payday will be related to how productive he is while playing out his new pact with the Vikings. | https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/danielle-hunter-agrees-to-new-one-year-deal-with-vikings | 2023-07-30T13:21:22 | 1 | https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/danielle-hunter-agrees-to-new-one-year-deal-with-vikings |
NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — Thousands of supporters of the junta that took over Niger in a coup earlier this week marched Sunday through the streets of the capital, Niamey, waving Russian flags, chanting the name of the Russian president and forcefully denouncing former colonial power France.
The protesters marched through the city to the French Embassy, where a door was lit on fire, according to someone who was at the embassy when it happened and videos seen by The AP. Black smoke could be seen rising from across the city. The Nigerien army broke up the crowd of the protesters.
Russian mercenary group Wagner is already operating in neighboring Mali, and Russian President Vladimir Putin would like to expand his country’s influence in the region. However, it is unclear yet whether the new junta leaders will move toward Moscow or stick with Niger’s Western partners.
On Sunday at an emergency meeting in Abjua, Nigeria the West African bloc said it was suspending relations with Niger and authorized the use of force if the president was not reinstated within a week.
“In the event the authorities’ demands are not met within one week, take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger. Such measures may include the use of force. To this effect, the chiefs of defense staff of ECOWAS are to meet immediately,” Omar Alieu Touray, president of the ECOWAS commission, said after the meeting.
Days after the coup, uncertainty is mounting about Niger’s future, with some calling out the junta’s reasons for seizing control.
President Mohamed Bazoum was democratically elected two years ago in Niger’s first peaceful transfer of power since independence from France in 1960.
The mutineers said they overthrew him because he wasn’t able to secure the nation against growing jihadi violence.
But some analysts and Nigeriens say that’s just a pretext for a takeover that is more about internal power struggles than securing the nation.
“Everybody is wondering: why this coup? That’s because no one was expecting it. We couldn’t expect a coup in Niger because there’s no social, political or security situation that would justify that the military take the power,” Prof. Amad Hassane Boubacar, who teaches at the University of Niamey, told The Associated Press.
He said Bazoum wanted to replace the head of the presidential guard, Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, who is now in charge of the country. Tchiani, who also goes by Omar, was loyal to Bazoum’s predecessor and that sparked the problems, Boubacar said. The AP cannot independently verify his assessment.
While Niger’s security situation is dire, it’s not as bad as neighboring Burkina Faso or Mali, which have also been battling an Islamic insurgency linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. Last year, Niger was the only one of the three to see a decline in violence, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project.
Niger had been seen as the last reliable partner for the West in efforts to battle the jihadists in Africa’s Sahel region, where Russia and Western countries have vied for influence. France has 1,500 soldiers in the country who conduct joint operations with the Nigeriens. The United States and other European countries have helped train the nation’s troops.
Regional bodies, including the West African economic bloc ECOWAS, have denounced the coup. Some taking part in Sunday’s rally warned them to stay away. “I would like also to say to the European Union, African Union and ECOWAS, please, please stay out of our business,” said Oumar Barou Moussa, who was at the demonstration.
“It’s time for us to take our lives, to work for ourselves. It’s time for us to talk about our freedom and liberty. We need to stay together, we need to work together, we need to have our true independence,” he said.
Conflict experts say out of all the countries in the region, Niger has the most at stake if it turns away from the West, given the millions of dollars of military assistance the international community has poured in. On Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the continued security and economic arrangements that Niger has with the U.S. hinged on the release of Bazoum — who remains under house arrest — and “the immediate restoration of the democratic order in Niger.”
On Sunday, France’s President, Emmanuel Macron said attacks on France and its interests would not be tolerated. Anyone who attacked French nationals, the army, diplomats and French authorities would see an immediate response, he said.
Macron said he’d spoken to Bazoum and his predecessor as Nigerien President, Mahamadou Issoufou, hours earlier, who both condemned the coup and appealed for calm.
The attack follows France’s move on Saturday to suspend all development and financial aid for Niger.
The African Union has issued a 15-day ultimatum to the junta in Niger to reinstall the country’s democratically elected government. ECOWAS is holding an emergency summit Sunday in Abuja, Nigeria.
The 15-nation ECOWAS bloc has unsuccessfully tried to restore democracies in nations where the military took power in recent years. Four nations are run by military regimes in West and Central Africa, where there have been nine successful or attempted coups since 2020.
If ECOWAS imposes economic sanctions on Niger, which is what normally happens during coups, it could have a deep impact on Nigeriens, who live in the third-poorest country in the world, according to the latest U.N. data.
However, in a televised address Saturday, Col. Major Amadou Abdramane, one of the soldiers who ousted Bazoum, accused the meeting of making a “plan of aggression” against Niger and said the country would defend itself.
Niger experts say it’s too soon to know how things will play out.
“Tensions with the military are still ongoing. There could be another coup after this one, or a stronger intervention from ECOWAS, potentially military force, even if it is difficult to foresee how specifically that may happen and what form that may take,” said Tatiana Smirnova, a researcher in conflict resolution and peace missions at the Centre FrancoPaix.
“Many actors are also trying to negotiate, but the outcome is unclear,” she said.
___
Associated Press reporters Angela Charlton in Paris and Chinedu Asadu in Abuja, Nigeria contributed. | https://www.wdtn.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-as-regional-and-global-powers-decry-nigers-coup-the-countrys-future-remains-uncertain/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:24 | 0 | https://www.wdtn.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-as-regional-and-global-powers-decry-nigers-coup-the-countrys-future-remains-uncertain/ |
MOSCOW (AP) — At least nine people — including three children — have died after high winds tore through central Russia, emergency services and a local official reported Sunday.
Eight of the dead were part of a group of tourists camping close to Lake Yalchik in the Mari-El region when the storm hit Saturday, Russia’s emergencies ministry said.
The strong winds caused a large number of trees to fall in the area, including where the group’s tents had been pitched on a stretch of wild beach, regional leader Yuri Zaitsev wrote on social media. He said that three children were among the dead.
Across the wider Volga Federal District, 76 people were injured in the storm, with thousands of households losing power, emergency services said. | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-9-die-including-3-children-as-strong-winds-hit-tourist-camp-in-central-russia-officials-say/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:24 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-9-die-including-3-children-as-strong-winds-hit-tourist-camp-in-central-russia-officials-say/ |
The Mega Millions jackpot climbed to an estimated $1.05 billion Friday night, only the fifth time in the history of the game that the grand prize has reached into the billions.
No one managed to beat the massive odds and match all six numbers for Friday's estimated $940 million jackpot. The numbers drawn were: 5, 10, 28, 52, 63 and the gold ball 18.
There have been 29 straight draws without a Mega Millions jackpot winner since the last grand prize ticket April 18.
The $1.05 billion prize up for grabs in the next drawing Tuesday night would be for a sole winner choosing to be paid through an annuity, with annual payments over 30 years. Jackpot winners almost always opt for a lump sum payment, which for Tuesday's drawing would be an estimated $527.9 million.
The potential jackpot is the fourth-largest in the game and the fifth over $1 billion, Mega Millions said in a statement early Saturday.
Although there were no jackpot winners, one ticket in Pennsylvania was worth $5 million and another in the state connected for $1 million. There also were $1 million winners in Arizona, California and New York, Mega Millions said.
It has been less than two weeks since someone in Los Angeles won a $1.08 billion Powerball prize that ranked as the sixth-largest in U.S. history. The winner of the prize is still a mystery.
Lottery jackpots grow so large because the odds of winning are so small. For Mega Millions, the odds of winning the jackpot are about 1 in 302.6 million.
Winners also would be subject to federal taxes, and many states also tax lottery winnings.
Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/mega-millions-hits-billion-dollar-prize/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:24 | 1 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/mega-millions-hits-billion-dollar-prize/ |
How to Watch the Rays vs. Astros Game: Streaming & TV Channel Info for July 30
Kyle Tucker and Wander Franco will be among the stars on display when the Houston Astros play the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday at 2:10 PM ET, at Minute Maid Park.
Sign up for Fubo to watch this matchup and make sure you don't miss any of the action all year long!
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Rays vs. Astros Live Stream, TV Channel and Game Info:
- Date: Sunday, July 30, 2023
- Time: 2:10 PM ET
- TV Channel: SportsNet SW
- Location: Houston, Texas
- Venue: Minute Maid Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
Bet on this matchup with BetMGM Sportsbook and use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
Discover More About This Game
Rays Batting & Pitching Performance
- The Rays have hit 154 homers this season, which ranks fourth in the league.
- Fueled by 356 extra-base hits, Tampa Bay ranks fifth in MLB with a .445 slugging percentage this season.
- The Rays' .255 batting average is among the best in baseball, ranking 10th in MLB.
- Tampa Bay is among the highest scoring teams in baseball, ranking fourth with 553 total runs this season.
- The Rays have the 11th-ranked on-base percentage in MLB this season (.327).
- The Rays rank 17th in strikeouts per game (8.6) among MLB offenses.
- Tampa Bay strikes out 9.2 batters per nine innings as a pitching staff, eighth-best in MLB.
- Tampa Bay has pitched to a 3.82 ERA this season, which ranks fourth in baseball.
- The Rays have a combined 1.193 WHIP as a pitching staff, second-lowest in MLB.
Rays Probable Starting Pitcher
- Zack Littell (0-2) will take to the mound for the Rays and make his fourth start of the season.
- The right-hander last pitched on Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles, throwing two scoreless innings of relief and allowing one hit.
- In 16 appearances this season, he has finished six without allowing an earned run.
Rays Schedule
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wcjb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/rays-vs-astros-mlb-live-stream-tv/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:24 | 0 | https://www.wcjb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/rays-vs-astros-mlb-live-stream-tv/ |
PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — Not long ago, Marine Col. Jennifer Nash, a combat engineer with war deployments under her belt, made a vow to fellow officers as they headed to a dinner in Atlanta: She would get two new recruiting contacts by the end of the evening.
She admits recruiting is not the job that she or other Marines had in mind when they enlisted. But after stints as a recruiter and senior officer at the Eastern recruiting command, she has become emblematic of the Corps’ tradition of putting its best, battle-tested Marines on enlistment duty. They get results.
Marine leaders say they will make their recruiting goal this year, while the active-duty Army, Navy and Air Force all expect to fall short. The services have struggled in the tight job market to compete with higher-paying businesses for the dwindling number of young people who can meet the military’s physical, mental and moral standards.
On that night, Nash achieved her own goal. She had gotten the valet at the hotel and the hostess at the restaurant to provide their phone numbers and to consider a Marine career.
Nash’s boss, Brig. Gen. Walker Field, who head the Eastern recruiting region, says the Corps has historically put an emphasis on selecting top-performing Marines to fill recruiting jobs. He says that has been a key to the Marines’ recruiting success, along with efforts to increase the number of recruiters, extend those who do well and speed their return to high schools, where in-person recruiting stopped during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said his recruiters — who cover the territory between Canada and Puerto Rico and as far west as Mississippi — will meet their mission and expect to have 30% of their 2024 goal when they start the next fiscal year, Oct. 1. More broadly, Marine officials say they expect the Corps to achieve its recruiting target of more than 33,000.
Last year, the Navy, Air Force and Marines had to eat into their pools of delayed entry applicants in order to make their goals. The Marines will avoid that this year.
“That would be a great ending,” said Field, speaking to The Associated Press on a recent steamy day at South Carolina’s Parris Island, along the Atlantic Coast. “I’m bearish for not only concluding FY23 on a strong footing, but also how we set the conditions for FY24.”
The Marine Corps may get some help from its small size. The Army, for example, has a recruiting goal of 65,000 this year, which is nearly double the Corps’, and expects to fall substantially short of that. Air Force and Navy officials say they will also miss their goals, although the Space Force, which is the smallest service and does its recruiting within Air Force stations, is expected to meet its goal of about 500 recruits.
Sitting in the shadow of Parris Island’s replica of the Iwo Jima monument, Field said his biggest challenge is that a number of Marine hopefuls cannot pass the military’s academic test, known as the Armed Services Voluntary Aptitude Battery.
That is a widespread problem, but the Army recently set up a program that targets recruits who score below 30 on the test and provides schooling for several weeks to help them pass. Already more than 8,800 recruits have successfully gone through the classes, raised their scores and moved on to basic training.
The Navy is taking another route with a pilot program that allows up to 20% of their recruits to score below 30 on the test, as long as they meet specific standards for their chosen naval job. Marine leaders, however, do not take those lowest scoring recruits, and so far have no plans for any type of formal improvement program such as the Army’s.
Field said the Marines are repositioning recruiting stations, moving them around based on where population totals have increased in the latest census. More important, he said, the Corps maintains its focus on choosing the right recruiters, encouraging successful ones to stay in the job and increasing the number of Marine reservists tapped for recruit duties from the current 31 to 96 by the end of next year.
Nash, who until last month was assistant chief of staff for the Eastern region, said Marines are hand-selected for recruiting command jobs. Many three- and four-star Marines, including former Defense Secretary James Mattis, will cite their years doing enlistment duty.
“We put our best and brightest in those positions,” said Nash, adding that those chosen for recruiting posts have a proven track record of success in previous assignments and have demonstrated critical leadership skills. “That’s why they got selected, because they were above their peers.”
She acknowledged that the first time she was picked for a recruiting job she was “voluntold.” But now, recounting her sales pitch in Atlanta, her rapid fire pitch comes without taking a breath.
“I say, ‘Hey, ever thought about being Marine? We’re a bunch of Marines. And, you know, I think you potentially could be a good Marine. You ever thought about it?’ And usually you get, ‘Yeah, I thought about it.’ And I’m, like, ‘What’s holding you back? Would you like to learn more about your opportunities?’ ‘Absolutely.’ `OK. Mind giving me your name and phone number? I’ll have one of my recruiters give you a phone call.’”
The Marines have resisted increasing bonuses to attract recruits — something the other services have found helpful.
Gen. Eric Smith, the acting Marine Corps commandant, got some ribbing for his response when he was asked about bonuses during a naval conference in February.
“Your bonus is you get to call yourself a Marine,” he said. “That’s your bonus, right? There’s no dollar amount that goes with that.”
Field, Nash and others also say the Corps prefers to give a lot of recruits a few thousand dollars, rather than increasing the amount and giving money to far fewer people.
Field said that getting Marine recruiters in uniform back into high schools this year, after several years of COVID-19 restrictions, has been a key driver. There, young people line up to compete in pull-up contests, vying for a free T-shirt if they can do 20. And recruiters say many are drawn to the cache of being a Marine.
“If you told me you’ll give me $10 million worth of advertising and I can do something with it, or you’ll give me 10 great-looking Marines in a Marine uniform — what’s going to get the most value? Give me those 10 Marines and give me a day,” Nash said. “We’ll go out and we’ll get more out of that, I think, than $10 million in advertising.” | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/politics/ap-the-few-and-the-proud-arent-so-few-marines-recruiting-surges-while-other-services-struggle/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:25 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/politics/ap-the-few-and-the-proud-arent-so-few-marines-recruiting-surges-while-other-services-struggle/ |
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Shawn Steik and his wife were forced from a long-term motel room onto the streets of Anchorage after their rent shot up to $800 a month. Now they live in a tent encampment by a train depot, and as an Alaska winter looms they are growing desperate and fearful of what lies ahead.
A proposal last week by Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson to buy one-way plane tickets out of Alaska’s biggest city for its homeless residents gave Steik a much-needed glimmer of hope. He would move to the relative warmth of Seattle.
“I heard it’s probably warmer than this place,” said Steik, who is Aleut.
But the mayor’s unfunded idea also came under immediate attack as a Band-Aid solution glossing over the tremendous, and still unaddressed, crisis facing Anchorage as a swelling homeless population struggles to survive in a unique and extreme environment. Frigid temperatures stalk the homeless in the winter and bears infiltrate homeless encampments in the summer.
A record eight people died of exposure while living outside last winter and this year promises to be worse after the city closed an arena that housed 500 people during the winter months. Bickering between the city’s liberal assembly and its conservative mayor about how to address the crisis, and a lack of state funding, have further stymied efforts to find a solution.
With winter fast approaching in Alaska, it’s “past time for state and local leaders to address the underlying causes of homelessness — airplane tickets are a distraction, not a solution,” the American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska said in a statement to The Associated Press.
About 43% of Anchorage’s more than 3,000 unsheltered residents are Alaska Natives, and Bronson’s proposal also drew harsh criticism from those who called it culturally insensitive.
“The reality is there is no place to send these people because this is their land. Any policy that we make has to pay credence to that simple fact. This is Dena’ina land, this is Native land,” said Christopher Constant, chair of the Anchorage Assembly. “And so we cannot be supporting policies that would take people and displace them from their home, even if their home is not what you or I would call home.”
Bronson’s airfare proposal caps a turbulent few years as Anchorage, like many cities in the U.S. West, struggles to deal with a burgeoning homeless population.
In May, the city shut down the 500-bed homeless shelter in the city’s arena so it could once more be used for concerts and hockey games after neighbors complained about open drug use, trespassing, violence and litter. A plan to build a large shelter and navigation center fell through when Bronson approved a contract without approval from the Anchorage Assembly.
That leaves a gaping hole in the city’s ability to house the thousands of homeless people who have to contend with temperatures well below zero for days at a time and unrelenting winds blasting off Cook Inlet. At the end of June, Anchorage was estimated to have a little more than 3,150 homeless people, according to the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness. Last week, there were only 614 beds at shelters citywide, with no vacancies.
New tent cities have sprung up across Anchorage this summer: on a slope facing the city’s historic railroad depot, on a busy road near the Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson and near soup kitchens and shelters downtown.
Assembly members are slated to consider a winter stop-gap option in August falling far short of the need: a large, warmed, tent-like structure for 150 people.
Summer brings its own challenges: hungry bears last year roamed a city-owned campground where homeless people were resettled after the arena closed. Wildlife officials killed four bears after they broke into tents.
Bronson said he prefers to spend a few hundred dollars per person for a plane ticket rather than spending about $100 daily to shelter and feed them. He said he doesn’t care where they want to go; his job is to “make sure they don’t die on Anchorage streets.”
It’s not clear if his proposal will move forward. There is not yet a plan or a funding source.
Dr. Ted Mala, an Inupiaq who in 1990 became the first Alaska Native to serve as the state’s health commissioner, said Anchorage should be working with social workers and law enforcement to discover people’s individual reasons for homelessness and connect them with resources.
Buying the unsheltered a ticket to another city is a political game that’s been around for years. A number of U.S. cities struggling with homelessness, including San Francisco, Seattle and Portland, Oregon, have also offered bus or plane tickets to homeless residents.
“People are not pawns, they’re human beings,” Mala said.
The mayor’s proposal, while focused on warmer cities, also would fund tickets to other Alaska locations for those who want them.
Clarita Clark became homeless after her medical team wanted her to move from Point Hope to Anchorage for cancer treatment because Anchorage is warmer. The medical facility wouldn’t allow her husband to stay with her, so they pitched a tent in a sprawling camp to stay together.
Having recently found the body of a dead teenager who overdosed in a portable toilet, Clark yearns to return to the Chukchi Sea coastal village of Point Hope, where her three grandchildren live.
“I got a family that loves me,” she said, adding she would use the ticket and seek treatment closer to home.
Danny Parish also is leaving Alaska, but for another reason: He’s fed up.
Parish is selling his home of 29 years because it sits directly across the street from Sullivan Arena. Bad acts by some homeless people — including harassment, throwing vodka bottles in his yard, poisoning his dog and using his driveway as a toilet — made his life “a holy hell,” he said.
Parish is convinced the arena will be used again this winter since there isn’t another plan.
He, too, hopes to move to the contiguous U.S. — Oregon, for starters — but not before asking Anchorage leaders for his own plane ticket out.
“If they’re going to give them to everybody else,” Parish said, “then they need to give me one.” | https://www.wdtn.com/news/health-news/ap-health/ap-anchorage-homeless-face-cold-and-bears-a-plan-to-offer-one-way-airfare-out-reveals-a-bigger-crisis/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:30 | 0 | https://www.wdtn.com/news/health-news/ap-health/ap-anchorage-homeless-face-cold-and-bears-a-plan-to-offer-one-way-airfare-out-reveals-a-bigger-crisis/ |
Central Florida will see sunshine this morning with scattered to numerous showers and storms this afternoon, the National Weather Service said.
Frequent lightning, gusty winds, and heavy down pours are forecast to be the rains main threats, NWS said.
The high today is 92 degrees the low is 77 degrees. Rain coverage is 50%. | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/29/afternoon-showers-expected-in-central-florida-on-saturday/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:30 | 0 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/29/afternoon-showers-expected-in-central-florida-on-saturday/ |
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — 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.” | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-african-leaders-leave-russia-summit-without-grain-deal-or-a-path-to-end-the-war-in-ukraine/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:30 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-african-leaders-leave-russia-summit-without-grain-deal-or-a-path-to-end-the-war-in-ukraine/ |
Celebrating its centennial, Mount Sequoyah Center couldn't find a band that had been around 100 years, jokes Ezra Idlet. But Trout Fishing in America was close.
That's a bit of an exaggeration. Idlet and his musical partner Keith Grimwood have only been playing together for 44 years -- from Houston to Northwest Arkansas and throughout almost all of the 50 states plus Canada and across families that have expanded from three children -- two for Idlet, one for Grimwood -- to three grandchildren -- one for Idlet and two for Grimwood.
Now, as they have since they were busking on the streets of Santa Cruz, Calif., to eat, Grimwood and Idlet sing about things they know. These days, that's looking for the keys they've misplaced in the ignition versus the keys stolen by toddlers and how home turned into a "Safe House" during the pandemic.
They admit that some of the effects of covid-19 have lasted, too. One is that they're playing closer to home every chance they get. Another is that they "would make the adult decision and not travel during ice and snow," Idlet says. A third is no flying unless absolutely necessary. "I am so done with flying," says Grimwood. In a radical departure from the norm, they even took time off to vacation in Hawaii when a fan booked them on Maui for a private party.
But what their forced covid hiatus taught the duo above everything else, they agree, is that they still want to play music, and they want to play it together. They were in Pennsylvania when covid hit in March 2020, came home to their separate houses in Northwest Arkansas and didn't see each other for an entire month.
"That was the longest separation in 40-plus years," Idlet said when their album "Safe House" came out in 2022.
"It wasn't like a divorce, it was worse," Grimwood added. "It was deeper than just the two of us; it was life itself, the essence of being. It was ... jarring."
It didn't take long -- 37 days, to be exact -- before the two families -- Grimwood and wife Beth, Idlet and wife Karen and their wrangler and "Girl Friday," Susan Billimek -- decided they'd be a pandemic "pod" so they could play music together.
"At the end of one month, we decided we could not live without being together, honestly," says Grimwood.
Music is still at the heart of every day.
"When I wake up" -- after digging himself out from a pile of cats -- "I sit and make some coffee and start looking at music, listening to music, playing music," Grimwood says. "The learning process interests me right now. I'm reading books about how to learn and how to focus. And I've been playing the violin -- the fiddle -- which is a good way to keep the brain working
"I think I'm more relaxed these days. I'm still wound a little tight," -- at which Idlet laughs -- "but not so attached to every outcome."
Idlet, who plays acoustic guitar, electric guitar, 12 string guitar, electric banjo and electric bouzouki, has added a new instrument to his repertoire from the trip to Hawaii -- the eight-string ukulele.
"Picture the big guy with the little instrument and the little guy with the big instrument," says Grimwood, who predominantly plays bass. Idlet's versatility "adds a lot of color. He starts pulling out all these different instruments, and we're able to explore more soundscapes than ever before. We've even written some songs for ukulele -- and resurrected one from 'Big Round World.'
"I only have four strings to tune," he adds. "He had 45 the other day."
"Thank God for electronic tuners," agrees Idlet with another laugh.
"We've learned the journey is more important than the arrival," Idlet says seriously. "You'd better enjoy the journey."
"If someone has never been to Mount Sequoyah, I want them to know that we are so much more than just a beautiful view overlooking the city of Fayetteville," says Emily Gentry, Mount Sequoyah president and CEO. "We have the wonderful Cross Overlook, but we also have a 27 acre campus with outdoor art installations, historic buildings, and all kinds of fun programming and events. I encourage everyone to check us out and at least walk the grounds if they have not yet done so before!
"Other things that we have planned for 2023 include an October sock hop dance and tailgate celebration, and our 2023 Festival of Trees," she adds. "These will both be fun ways for community members to come celebrate with us at Mount Sequoyah. [And] we will have a final night celebration called 'Cheers to 100 Years' to ring out the 100th year celebrations."
_
FAQ
Trout Fishing in America
WHEN -- 2 p.m. & 7 p.m. Aug. 5
WHERE -- 2 p.m. for kids inside Clapp Auditorium at Mount Sequoyah in Fayetteville; 7 p.m. for adults near the Cross Overlook
COST -- $15-$25 includes access to the 100th anniversary carnival with games, activities, face painting and food trucks
INFO -- mountsequoyah.org; troutmusic.com
[] | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/mount-sequoyah-reels-in-some-trout-music-for-aug/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:30 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/mount-sequoyah-reels-in-some-trout-music-for-aug/ |
Rays vs. Astros: Odds, spread, over/under - July 30
Tampa Bay Rays (63-44) will take on the Houston Astros (59-46) at Minute Maid Park on Sunday, July 30 at 2:10 PM ET. Currently stuck at 29 steals, Wander Franco will be looking to nab his 30th stolen base of the year.
The Astros are favored in this one, at -110, while the underdog Rays have -110 odds to play spoiler. The matchup's over/under is set at 9 runs.
Rays vs. Astros Time and TV Channel
- Date: Sunday, July 30, 2023
- Time: 2:10 PM ET
- TV: SportsNet SW
- Location: Houston, Texas
- Venue: Minute Maid Park
- Probable Pitchers: Brandon Bielak - HOU (5-5, 3.62 ERA) vs Zack Littell - TB (0-2, 5.11 ERA)
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Rays vs. Astros Betting Odds, Run Line and Total
Here's a look at the odds, run line and over/under for this matchup across several sportsbooks.
Wanting to wager on the Rays and Astros game but aren't sure how to get started? Here's a quick breakdown. Some of the most common betting types include the moneyline, run line, and total. A moneyline bet means that you think one of the teams -- the Rays (-110), for instance -- will win. It's that easy! If the Rays bring home the win, and you bet $10, you'd get $19.09 back.
There are tons of other ways to bet, including on player props (will Yandy Díaz hit a home run?), parlays (combining picks from multiple games to multiply your winnings), and more. Check out the BetMGM website and app for more details on the multitude of ways you can play.
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Read More About This Game
Rays vs. Astros Betting Trends and Insights
- This season, the Astros have been favored 68 times and won 40, or 58.8%, of those games.
- The Astros have a record of 43-33 when they have played as moneyline favorites with odds of -110 or shorter (56.6% winning percentage).
- The sportsbooks' moneyline implies a 52.4% chance of a victory for Houston.
- The Astros have a 6-2 record from the eight games they were moneyline favorites over their last 10 matchups.
- Over its last 10 matchups -- all had a set run total -- Houston and its opponents combined to hit the over on the total four times.
- The Rays have been victorious in four, or 25%, of the 16 contests they have been chosen as underdogs in this season.
- This season, the Rays have been victorious four times in 16 chances when named as an underdog of at least -110 or worse on the moneyline.
- The Rays have played as underdogs in three of their past 10 games and lost each of those contests.
- Tampa Bay and its opponents have combined to hit the over three times in the last 10 games with a total.
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Rays Futures Odds
Think the Rays can win it all? Check out the latest futures odds for Tampa Bay and place your bets with BetMGM Sportsbook! Be sure to use our link and enter the bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers.
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wcjb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/rays-vs-astros-mlb-odds-over-under/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:30 | 0 | https://www.wcjb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/rays-vs-astros-mlb-odds-over-under/ |
"I shake it off, I shake it off," Taylor Swift sang. And boy did her fans deliver. A Swift concert in downtown Seattle last weekend shook the ground so hard that it registered signals on a nearby seismometer roughly equivalent to a magnitude 2.3 earthquake, seismologists said. "It's certainly the biggest concert we've had in a while," said Mouse Reusch of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, which monitors earthquake activity in the region. "We're talking about 70,000 people and all the music and paraphernalia associated with the concert." Seismometers can pick up ground vibrations of all types -- including from cars and stampeding cattle -- but the magnitude of the "Swift Quake" has drawn comparisons to the pro football "Beast Quake" of 2011. That seismic activity was triggered when Seattle Seahawks fans roared in celebration for a last-minute touchdown by Marshawn Lynch, a running back whose nickname is "Beast Mode." The Swift readings occurred at both of her weekend concerts and were sustained throughout. The likely cause was a combination of the music from the concert's sound system and Swift's fans -- known as Swifties -- dancing in sync with it, seismologists said. The pop megastar is four months into her Eras Tour -- a sold-out, 52-date national tour that has drawn immense crowds to hear her perform songs spanning her 10-album career.
Rapper Travis Scott has released "Utopia," his first album in five years and his first major release since 10 people died at his 2021 Astroworld music festival in Houston. The star-studded, 19-track album features Beyoncé, SZA, Drake, Sampha, Young Thug, Playboi Carti, Daft Punk's Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, Future, Bon Iver, James Blake, Kid Cudi, 21 Savage and many more. It spans genres -- an eclectic mix of autotune ambient ballads ("My Eyes"), ferocious bars ("Looove"), futuristic trap ("Lost Forever," "Telekinesis") and beyond. Scott's fourth full-length LP, it follows 2018's "Astroworld." In November 2019, 10 people died as a result of compression asphyxia during a huge crowd surge during Scott's Astroworld festival. A grand jury declined to file charges against Scott earlier this year. Also Friday, Houston police released files showing that some workers were concerned about the crowd conditions at the show. The 1,300-page report also includes a summary of an interview with Scott in which he said he did not hear calls from the crowd to stop the show. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/names-and-faces/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:31 | 1 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/names-and-faces/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — At a moment of growing legal peril, Donald Trump ramped up his calls for his GOP rivals to drop out of the 2024 presidential race as he threatened to primary Republican members of Congress who fail to focus on investigating Democratic President Joe Biden and urged them to halt Ukrainian military aid until the White House cooperates with their investigations into Biden and his family.
“Every dollar spent attacking me by Republicans is a dollar given straight to the Biden campaign,” Trump said at a rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Saturday night. The former president and GOP front-runner said it was time for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and others he dismissed as “clowns” to clear the field, accusing them of “wasting hundreds of millions of dollars that Republicans should be using to build a massive vote-gathering operation” to take on Biden in November.
The comments came two days after federal prosecutors unveiled new criminal charges against Trump as part of the case that accuses him of illegally hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago club and refusing to turn them over to investigators. The superseding indictment unsealed Thursday alleges that Trump and two staffers sought to delete surveillance at the club in an effort to obstruct the Justice Department’s investigation.
The case is just one of Trump’s mounting legal challenges. His team is currently bracing for additional possible indictments, which could happen as soon as this coming week, related to his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election brought by prosecutors in both Washington and Georgia. Trump already faces criminal charges in New York over hush money payments made to women who accused him of sexual encounters during his 2016 presidential campaign.
Nevertheless, Trump remains the dominant early figure for the Republican nomination and has only seen his lead grow as the charges have mounted and as his rivals have struggled to respond. Their challenge was on display at a GOP gathering in Iowa Friday night, where they largely declined to go after Trump directly. The only one who did — accusing Trump of “running to stay out of prison” — was booed as he left the stage.
In the meantime, Trump has embraced his legal woes, turning them into the core message of his bid to return to the White House as he accuses Biden of using the Justice Department to maim his chief political rival. The White House has said repeatedly that the president has had no involvement in the cases.
At rallies — including Saturday’s — Trump has tried to frame the charges, which come with serious threats of jail time, as an attack not just on him, but those who support him.
“They’re not indicting me, they’re indicting you. I just happen to be standing in the way,” he told the arena crowd in Erie, adding that, “Every time the radical left Democrats, Marxists, communists and fascists indict me, I consider it actually a great badge of honor…. Because I’m being indicted for you.”
But the investigations are also sucking up enormous resources that are being diverted from the nuts and bolts of the campaign. The Washington Post first reported Saturday that Trump’s political action committee, Save America, will report Monday that it spent more than $40 million on legal fees during the first half of 2023 defending Trump and all of the current and former aides whose lawyers it is paying. The total is more than the campaign raised during the second quarter of the year.
“In order to combat these heinous actions by Joe Biden’s cronies and to protect these innocent people from financial ruin and prevent their lives from being completely destroyed, the leadership PAC contributed to their legal fees to ensure they have representation against unlawful harassment,” said Trump’s spokesman Steven Cheung.
At the rally — held in a former Democratic stronghold that Trump flipped in 2016, but Biden won narrowly in 2020 — Trump also threatened Republicans in Congress who refuse to go along with efforts to impeach Biden. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said this past week that Republican lawmakers may consider an impeachment inquiry into the president over unproven claims of financial misconduct.
Trump, who was impeached twice while in office, said Saturday that, “The biggest complaint that I get is that the Republicans find out this information and then they do nothing about it.”
“Any Republican that doesn’t act on Democrat fraud should be immediately primaries and get out — out!” he told the crowd to loud applause. “They have to play tough and … if they’re not willing to do it, we got a lot of good, tough Republicans around … and they’re going to get my endorsement every singe time.”
Trump, during the 2022 midterm elections, made it his mission to punish those who had voted in favor of his second impeachment and succeeded in unseating most who had by backing primary challengers.
At the rally, Trump also called on Republican members of Congress to halt the authorization of additional military support to Ukraine, which has been mired in a war fighting Russia’s invasion, until the Biden administration cooperates with Republican investigations into Biden and his family’s business dealings — words that echoed the call that lead to his first impeachment.
“He’s dragging into a global conflict on behalf of the very same country, Ukraine, that apparently paid his family all of these millions of dollars,” Trump alleged. “In light of this information,” Congress, he said, “should refuse to authorize a single additional payment of our depleted stockpiles … the weapons stockpiles to Ukraine until the FBI, DOJ and IRS hand over every scrap of evidence they have on the Biden crime family’s corrupt business dealings.”
House Republicans have been investigating the Biden family’s finances, particularly payments Hunter, the president’s son, received from Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company that became tangled in the first impeachment of Trump.
An unnamed confidential FBI informant claimed that Burisma company officials in 2015 and 2016 sought to pay the Bidens $5 million each in return for their help ousting a Ukrainian prosecutor who was purportedly investigating the company. But a Justice Department review in 2020, while Trump was president, was closed eight months later with insufficient evidence of wrongdoing.
Trump’s first impeachment by the House resulted in charges that he pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to dig up dirt on the Bidens while threatening to withhold military aid. Trump was later acquitted by the Senate. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/politics/ap-trump-amid-legal-perils-calls-on-gop-to-rally-around-him-as-he-threatens-primary-challenges/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:31 | 0 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/politics/ap-trump-amid-legal-perils-calls-on-gop-to-rally-around-him-as-he-threatens-primary-challenges/ |
At 24, Alberto Rodriguez has grandparents younger than Joe Biden. But he’s more interested in the 80-year-old president’s accomplishments than his age.
“People as young as me, we’re all focusing on our day-to-day lives and he has done things to help us through that,” Rodriguez, a cook at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, said of Biden’s support among young voters. Rodriguez pointed specifically to federal COVID-19 relief payments and government spending increases on infrastructure and other social programs.
Voters like him were a key piece of Biden’s winning 2020 coalition, which included majorities of young people as well as college graduates, women, urban and suburban voters and Black Americans. Maintaining their support will be critical in closely contested states such as Nevada, where even small declines could prove consequential to Biden’s reelection bid.
His 2024 campaign plans to emphasize messages that could especially resonate with young people in the coming weeks as the anniversary of the sweeping Inflation Reduction Act approaches in mid-August. That legislation includes provisions that the White House will embrace to argue that Biden has done more than any other president to combat climate change.
Such efforts, however, could collide with Biden’s personal reality — like when he recalled that, while attending a St. Patrick’s Day parade at age 14, he appeared in a photo with President Harry S. Truman.
“Purely by accident — I assume it was an accident — the photographer from the newspaper got a picture of me making eye contact with Harry Truman,” Biden said to chuckles last week at the Truman Civil Rights Symposium in Washington.
In 2020, 61% of voters under age 30 — and 55% of those between 30 and 44 — supported Biden, according to AP VoteCast, a nationwide survey of the electorate.
It’s an age group with which Republicans hope to make inroads. Former President Donald Trump, who is the early front-runner in the GOP presidential primary and is only 3 1/2 years younger than Biden, said Friday, “We are hitting the young person’s market like nobody’s ever seen before.”
Kevin Munoz, a spokesman for Biden’s campaign, referred to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement in arguing that “young people are acutely impacted by the issues front and center in this election, driven by the extreme MAGA agenda.” He said that included inaction on climate change, gun violence and student debt.
“We will meet younger Americans where they are and turn their energy into action,” Munoz said in a statement.
That might not defuse questions about age, though, when it comes to Biden or Trump.
“There’s a frustration and exhaustion that they feel with the rematch,” Terrance Woodbury, co-founder & CEO of the Democratic polling firm HIT Strategies, said of young voters.
“That’s more of a problem than either of those two candidates individually, is that a system can just keep reproducing,” Woodbury added. “And I think a lot of people just find that untenable.”
An April poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that just 25% of Democrats under 45 said they would definitely support Biden in a general election, compared with 56% of older Democrats. A majority of Democrats across age groups said they would probably support him as the party’s nominee, however.
Biden’s campaign is relying heavily on the Democratic National Committee, which during last year’s midterms, hired campus organizers in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona and other battleground states and offered weekly youth coordinating meetings to encourage in-class contacts and “dormstorms.” The DNC sees young people as some of the most critical voters it will need to reach in 2024 and promises “significant investments” to mobilize them. Plans are underway to expand on its work last cycle, including trainings it held on how best to turn out voters.
The Republican National Committee is trying to use Biden’s age against him, posting online videos of Biden seeming frail or making verbal gaffes, such as when he declared in June “God save the queen,” nearly nine months after the death of England’s Queen Elizabeth II.
Rodriguez shrugged off online attacks, “People can make all the hit pieces and memes and TikToks all they want.”
A starker contrast might be between the president and rising Democrats such as 46-year-old California Rep. Ro Khanna and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, 41, one of Biden’s primary rivals in 2020. Neither seriously entertained running for the White House in 2024 and have backed Biden’s reelection.
“The only thing that really matters is your ability to do the job,” Buttigieg, who was 37 when he launched his 2020 presidential bid, said recently on CNN. Khanna told Fox News Channel that age will “obviously” be a 2024 factor, but suggested that Biden’s staff “overprotects” him and “the more he’s out there, the better.”
Other top young Democrats have lined up to back Biden. Florida Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost, who was elected to Congress last year at 26, is on the Biden campaign’s advisory board, as is Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, 44. New York Rep. Alexandra Ocasio Cortez, 33, recently endorsed Biden.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a progressive who says strong turnout among young voters helped him win a runoff election this spring, said Biden’s policies transcend his age. Johnson noted that the president’s work “around climate justice speaks not just to this generation, but generations to come.”
“The excitement that I believe that we’re going to have is going to speak to the incredible work and organizing that we are committed to doing as a party,” said Johnson, 47. “And we’re looking forward to working with the president over the course of his next four years.”
Still, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, acknowledged that even the president’s supporters understand how demanding the White House can be.
“People worry about Joe Biden. They worry like you would worry about a beloved father or grandfather,” said Weingarten, 65. “What you normally hear from Democrats is this sense of, ‘OK, I just want him to be OK.’ And you’re hearing just the consternation of, ’This is a hard job.’”
Biden said he “took a hard look” at his age while deciding to seek a second term. But he’s also tried to suggest his age and experience are assets rather than liabilities by joking repeatedly about them. That’s a departure from 2020, when Biden called himself a “transition candidate” and pledged to be a “bridge” to younger Democrats.
Santiago Mayer, the founder of Voters of Tomorrow, which has 20-plus chapters nationwide and works to increase political engagement among young voters, argues that Biden is not defying his past promise by running for reelection, but keeping it.
“He just needs more time,” said Mayer, who graduated from California State University at Long Beach in May. “I think the second term is a very important part of that pledge. He’s building a progressive future for young people and he can’t actually pass the baton until that’s done.”
One key policy piece of Biden’s efforts to appeal to young voters, providing student debt relief, was recently struck down by the Supreme Court. The White House has launched a new effort, but it will take longer.
“Of course it’s going to dampen some of that because people are disappointed,” Weingarten said of the ruling’s effect on enthusiasm for Biden. But she said the decision could also motivate young Biden supporters anxious show their support for the president’s alternative plan.
“It is also about the fight,” Weingarten said “not just about the results.”
___
AP polling director Emily Swanson in Washington contributed to this report. | https://www.wdtn.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-joe-biden-americas-oldest-sitting-president-needs-young-voters-to-win-again-will-his-age-matter/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:36 | 0 | https://www.wdtn.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-joe-biden-americas-oldest-sitting-president-needs-young-voters-to-win-again-will-his-age-matter/ |
Dear Amy: Should I decline opportunities to see friends or family if it is to attend an unpleasant activity?
My friends love watching painfully terrible movies and discussing the plot and production in excruciating detail.
And my family is upset that I don’t want to attend sporting events that I no longer enjoy due to my poor vision, auditory sensitivities and overall lack of interest.
I just want to enjoy their company without these dreadful background distractions that are not in my wheelhouse, and they show disappointment when I decline or offer a quieter alternative.
I’ve tried to make the best of it, but I can’t even attend ironically.
Unironic in IL
Dear Unironic: It’s a shame you can’t attend these movie events, even ironically, because a sense of irony (or of seeing the humor) can be extremely helpful – especially when listening to others gasbag on about a terrible movie.
I wonder, also, if these friends might be interested in viewing a movie of your choosing?
Overall, if you don’t want to attend a gathering – for any reason – then don’t attend. Your best strategy is to learn to tolerate others’ disappointment if you choose not to attend a gathering where you will be uncomfortable.
Your friends and family are trying to include you, and even when declining – you should thank them for the invitation.
Dear Amy: My friend “Annie” and I are both in our mid-20s and love musicals. We decided to travel to New York in October to see a few shows.
The tickets are fairly pricey, so I was planning on saving money by staying with a friend who lives in the city. I thought my friend could probably make room for Annie, too.
After we agreed on the dates and shows, Annie sent me a screenshot with an order confirmation for her tickets, accompanied by a message saying she’d invited her husband and hoped that was OK.
I was frustrated. It was the first time in our planning she’d mentioned her husband coming. The way she did it really boxed me in.
Her husband and I are friends, but the past few times he joined us for shows he fell asleep and audibly snored.
If she had brought it up earlier, I would have pushed back.
I now have two questions. First, my friend can’t host three extra people in a tiny apartment. Is it all right if I leave Annie and her husband to find a hotel on their own?
Second, how do I express that even though I like her husband, I don’t always want him included on every trip; and that she needs to ask way earlier in the planning process if she wants to bring him?
Broadway Blues
Dear Broadway: Younger couples sometimes feel the need to do every single thing together (more seasoned couples offer one another more latitude), and I have a theory that Annie’s husband might have wheedled his way in just as she was perusing the online theater seating chart for her ticket.
But even if Annie felt danced into a corner, she absolutely should have run this change past you before committing.
You fear that your friend’s choice has transformed your fun two-person Broadway weekend into a production of Sartre’s famous three-character play “No Exit” (“Hell is other people…”), but I hope you will take this as a valuable lesson to always communicate and clarify. (Trust me, this lesson is worth the price of a Broadway ticket.)
Tell her now, “I’m frustrated. I thought this was a two-person weekend. I like your husband, but now I feel like a third wheel. I really wish you had discussed this with me beforehand. Also, unfortunately there is no way my friend can squeeze in three extra people, so can you two find a place to stay?”
After telling her this, I hope you will simply will yourself into having a fun time in New York. If you let this frustration defeat you, the weekend really will have been a waste.
Dear Amy: I am flabbergasted by the letter from “Disturbed” telling about the wedding invitation she received that was asking for donations toward the honeymoon, the wedding cake, etc.
I hope most potential newlyweds would understand how off-putting it actually is.
I had a beautiful wedding and requested nothing from my guests, except their treasured attendance!
Put Off
Dear Put Off: Marrying couples may have misunderstood my off-repeated advice that they need to finance their own weddings.
(I never intended that their guests should pay.)
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. | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/29/ask-amy-i-cant-abide-bad-movies/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:36 | 0 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/29/ask-amy-i-cant-abide-bad-movies/ |
BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) — The Central African Republic went to the polls Sunday in a highly anticipated vote on a new constitution, which would remove presidential term limits.
President Faustin Archange Touadera wants to extend presidential terms from five to seven years and remove the previous two-term limit, enabling him to run again in 2025.
The new constitution would replace the one adopted at Touadera’s inauguration in 2016, when the country was in a civil war and 80% of it was not under state control. If the new constitution is passed, it could entrench the ruling party’s power indefinitely, analysts say.
“This referendum basically confirms the fears of authoritarian drift (in CAR),” said Enrica Picco, Central Africa project director with the International Crisis Group. The new constitution would weaken checks on the executive by opposition parties, closing the space for Central Africans to participate in democratic decision-making, she said.
The proposed changes also would lift requirements that executive decisions be debated by the legislative and permit Central Africans with dual nationalities to vote.
The mineral-rich but impoverished nation has faced intercommunal fighting since 2013, when predominantly Muslim Seleka rebels seized power and forced then-President Francois Bozize from office. Mostly Christian militias later fought back, also targeting civilians in the streets. The United Nations, which has a peacekeeping mission in the country, estimates the fighting had killed thousands and displaced over a million people, one fifth of the country’s population.
When Touadera won re-election in 2020, barely a third of Central Africans made it to the polls, largely due to threats of violence by rebel groups. Touadera’s government has relied on support from UN peacekeepers, soldiers from neighboring Rwanda and Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group to keep rebels out of the capital Bangui.
“Now that there is peace … the time has come for us to take action,” said Fidel Gouandjika, a presidential advisor.
Opposition groups accuse the ruling party of making a draft of the new constitution publicly available too late for people to make informed decisions, less than three weeks before the referendum, said Picco.
Together with opposition parties they are calling on Central Africans to vote against the proposed constitution, or abstain from the referendum.
“Touadera wants to see himself as an emperor, and he wants to make our country what he wants, not what Central Africans want,” said former Prime Minister Nicolas Tiangaye. | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-constitutional-referendum-to-remove-presidential-term-limits-divides-central-african-republic/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:36 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-constitutional-referendum-to-remove-presidential-term-limits-divides-central-african-republic/ |
Rays vs. Astros Probable Starting Pitchers Today - July 30
The Tampa Bay Rays (63-44) match up against the Houston Astros (59-46), a game after Isaac Paredes went deep twice in a 17-4 defeat to the Astros, at 2:10 PM ET on Sunday.
This contest's pitching matchup is set, as the Astros will send Brandon Bielak (5-5) to the mound, while Zack Littell (0-2) will answer the bell for the Rays.
Bet Now: Get the latest odds for this matchup and pitcher props on BetMGM. New depositors can use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
Rays vs. Astros Pitcher Matchup Info
- Date: Sunday, July 30, 2023
- Time: 2:10 PM ET
- TV: SportsNet SW
- Location: Houston, Texas
- Venue: Minute Maid Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Probable Pitchers: Bielak - HOU (5-5, 3.62 ERA) vs Littell - TB (0-2, 5.11 ERA)
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Rays Probable Starting Pitcher Tonight: Zack Littell
- The Rays are sending Littell (0-2) to the mound to make his fourth start of the season. He is 0-2 with a 5.11 ERA and 26 strikeouts over 24 2/3 innings pitched.
- The right-hander last appeared in relief on Sunday, when he tossed two scoreless innings against the Baltimore Orioles while giving up one hit.
- During 16 games this season, the 27-year-old has put up a 5.11 ERA and 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings, while allowing a batting average of .301 to opposing hitters.
- In six of his 16 total appearances this season he has not allowed an earned run.
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Astros Probable Starting Pitcher Tonight: Brandon Bielak
- Bielak (5-5) will take the mound for the Astros, his 13th start of the season.
- The right-hander last pitched on Tuesday, when he gave up three earned runs and allowed six hits in 4 2/3 innings against the Texas Rangers.
- The 27-year-old has pitched in 13 games this season with an ERA of 3.62, a 1.83 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a WHIP of 1.435.
- In 12 starts this season, he's earned a quality start in two of them.
- In 12 starts, Bielak has pitched through or past the fifth inning nine times. He has a season average of 5.3 frames per outing.
- He has made 13 appearances and finished two of them without allowing an earned run.
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wcjb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/rays-vs-astros-mlb-probable-starting-pitchers/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:36 | 1 | https://www.wcjb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/rays-vs-astros-mlb-probable-starting-pitchers/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Pamela Smith’s voice soared and quivered like a preacher in midsermon as she recalled her troubled childhood and how it helped prepare her for the challenges she faces as the new police chief in the nation’s capital.
“I stand before you as a child who had no hopes, who had no dreams — they were far beyond my reach. But I believe that all things are possible,” she said at her introductory news conference in Washington, in cadences honed by years as an ordained Baptist minister. “I believe I bring a fresh perspective, a different kind of energy, a different level of passion to what I’m going to do.”
Smith takes on the job at a precarious time.
Violent crime is rising sharply, fueled by more homicides and carjackings. The District of Columbia’s mayor, Muriel Bowser, and the D.C. Council have, at times, been at odds about crime legislation. On Capitol Hill, the Republican-led House has begun citing the city’s crime statistics while aggressively reviewing local public safety laws.
On July 24, the Mexican Consulate posted a tweet urging its nationals to “take precautions” in the city due to “a significant increase in crime in areas previously considered safe.”
Smith, 55, now becomes one of the public faces of this long-term fight even before the Council votes on her nomination as chief. She brings an inspirational story to her new role leading the Metropolitan Police Department. Raised in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, by a single mother who battled substance abuse, Smith and her siblings were at one point removed from their home and spent time in foster care. Smith emerged as a track star and went on to a 24-year career in the U.S. Park Police, where she served as the agency’s first Black female chief before retiring in 2022 to take up a senior leadership position at the MPD.
Law enforcement and government officials repeatedly point out that overall crime numbers in Washington have stayed relatively stable. But the crimes that have increased the most — murders and carjackings — are the ones most likely to damage public confidence.
“The scariest crimes are going up and regardless of what’s happening with other crimes, that’s what’s going to fuel the overall perception,” U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves told The Associated Press.
Graves’ office prosecutes most felonies in Washington, in a unique arrangement due to the district’s status as a nonstate. The city’s attorney general’s office prosecutes misdemeanors and juvenile crime, which is also on the rise.
This intricate dynamic among two separate sets of prosecutors, the city’s police force, Bowser’s administration and the Council has been publicly tested as the crime numbers have stayed high — all with Congress taking an increasing interest in the district’s affairs. Public safety was a primary topic of debate last year when Bowser, 50, successfully ran for a third term in office. She has spent this term sparring with both the Council and the House Oversight and Accountability Committee over how best to address crime.
July has been a particular bloody month, with 22 homicides as of Friday, including murders on the campuses of both Howard and Catholic universities. The victims include an Afghan man who survived years of working as a translator for the U.S. Army in Afghanistan only to be murdered in America while driving for Lyft. Nine people, including two children, were shot at a July Fourth party, when an assailant in an SUV opened fire on the crowd. A 12-year old girl remains hospitalized after being shot in the back Tuesday night by a bullet that penetrated the walls of her home.
Although the local murder rate is well below the levels in the 1980s and early 1990s, when Washington regularly led the nation in murders per capita, it has climbed steadily in recent years. In 2022, there was a roughly 10% drop in homicides, but now, homicides are up 15 percent compared with this time a year ago and the city is on pace to surpass 200 for the third year in a row. Police also reported 140 carjacking incidents in the month of June — the highest monthly total in more than five years.
Crime in Washington is now a national headline issue in Congress. In the spring, Bowser and Council members were summoned before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee for a heated session on local crime rates.
Congress voted to completely overturn the Council’s comprehensive rewrite of the district’s criminal code. Bowser was caught in the middle of the dispute. She had vetoed the overhaul, saying the reduction of maximum penalties for certain violent crimes “sent the wrong message,” but was overridden by the Council.
The mayor opposes congressional intervention in local affairs as part of Washington’s long push for statehood, but her initial veto was frequently cited by Republican lawmakers as proof that the rewrite was soft on crime. In an embarrassment for the heavily Democratic city, the move to cancel the criminal code revision drew support from dozens of congressional Democratic and was signed into law by President Joe Biden.
Earlier this month, the Council, with Bowser’s support, passed emergency public safety legislation meant to serve as a temporary fix. The bill makes it a felony to fire a gun in public and makes it easier for judges, in cases where people are charged with a violent crime, to detain them before trial. As an emergency bill, the changes will only last 90 days and will not be subject to congressional review; plans to make the changes permanent in the fall will face scrutiny by lawmakers.
“It is no secret … to the public that we are in a state of emergency right now,” said Brooke Pinto, the D.C. Council member who was the bill’s architect. “Like in any emergency, we have to act like it and we have to act urgently to address the problem we’re seeing.”
But some pushing for a criminal justice overhaul said city lawmakers were reverting to mass incarceration policies that had long ago been discredited.
“We’re way beyond thinking that we can just incarcerate more people,” said Patrice Sulton, executive director of the D.C. Justice Lab, who helped draft the now-canceled criminal code revision. “I think everybody who voted for it knows that it will not have an impact.”
The local branch of the American Civil Liberties Union said in a statement on Twitter that the new bill “essentially flips due process on its head — treating people as guilty and detaining them.”
All sides point to one primary factor fueling the violence: a flood to firearms entering Washington.
Graves, the district’s federal prosecutor, said the number of guns being used in crimes has skyrocketed, turning petty disputes into deadly battles. This includes a new wave of “ghost guns” — firearms that can be ordered in kits and assembled at home. Other kits can easily turn a semiautomatic weapon into an automatic, enabling a rapid-fire and generally less accurate spray of dozens of bullets. In 2018, authorities recovered three such guns; in 2022, the number was 461.
Graves compared the illegal guns to “a virus” in the neighborhood.
“The more virus there is in the community, the more people are going to get sick,” he said. “The more illegal firearms are in the community, the more likelihood those illegal firearms are going to be used.” | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/politics/ap-violent-crime-is-rising-in-the-nations-capital-dc-seeks-solutions-as-congress-keeps-close-watch/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:38 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/politics/ap-violent-crime-is-rising-in-the-nations-capital-dc-seeks-solutions-as-congress-keeps-close-watch/ |
WASHINGTON -- A top Pentagon official has attacked last week's widely watched congressional hearing on UFOs, calling the claims "insulting" to employees who are investigating sightings and accusing a key witness of not cooperating with the official U.S. government investigation.
Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick's letter, published on his personal LinkedIn page and circulated Friday across social media, criticizes much of the testimony from a retired Air Force intelligence officer that energized believers in extraterrestrial life and produced headlines around the world.
Retired Air Force Maj. David Grusch testified Wednesday that the U.S. has concealed what he called a "multi-decade" program to collect and reverse-engineer "UAPs," or unidentified aerial phenomena, the official government term for UFOs.
Part of what the U.S. has recovered, Grusch testified, were non-human "biologics," which he said he had not seen but had learned about from "people with direct knowledge of the program."
A career intelligence officer, Kirkpatrick was named last year to lead the Pentagon's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, which was intended to centralize investigations into unidentified aerial phenomena. The Pentagon and U.S. intelligence agencies have been pushed by Congress in recent years to better investigate reports of devices flying at unusual speeds or trajectories as a national security concern.
Kirkpatrick wrote the letter Thursday and the Defense Department confirmed Friday that he posted it in a personal capacity. He declined to comment on the letter Friday.
He writes in part, "I cannot let yesterday's hearing pass without sharing how insulting it was to the officers of the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community who chose to join AARO, many with not unreasonable anxieties about the career risks this would entail."
"They are truth-seekers, as am I," Kirkpatrick said. "But you certainly would not get that impression from yesterday's hearing."
In a separate statement, Pentagon spokeswoman Sue Gough denied other allegations made by Grusch before a House Oversight subcommittee.
The Pentagon "has no information that any individual has been harmed or killed as a result of providing information" about UFOs, Gough said. Nor has the Pentagon discovered "any verifiable information to substantiate claims that any programs regarding the possession or reverse-engineering of extraterrestrial materials have existed in the past or exist currently."
Kirkpatrick wrote, "AARO has yet to find any credible evidence to support the allegations of any reverse-engineering program for non-human technology."
He briefed reporters in December that the Pentagon was investigating "several hundreds" of new reports after a push to have pilots and others come forward with any sightings.
Kirkpatrick wrote in his letter that allegations of "retaliation, to include physical assault and hints of murder, are extraordinarily serious, which is why law enforcement is a critical member of the AARO team, specifically to address and take swift action should anyone come forward with such claims."
"Yet, contrary to assertions made in the hearing, the central source of those allegations has refused to speak with AARO," Kirkpatrick said. He did not explicitly name Grusch, who alleged that he faced retaliation and declined to answer when a congressman asked him if anyone had been murdered to hide information about UFOs.
Messages left at a phone number and email address for Grusch were not returned Friday. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/official-calls-ufo-hearing-insulting/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:38 | 1 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/official-calls-ufo-hearing-insulting/ |
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — With less than a month to go until the first Republican presidential debate of the 2024 campaign, seven candidates say they have met qualifications for a spot on stage in Milwaukee.
But that also means that about half the broad GOP field is running short on time to make the cut.
To qualify for the Aug. 23 debate, candidates needed to satisfy polling and donor requirements set by the Republican National Committee: at least 1% in three high-quality national polls or a mix of national and early-state polls, between July 1 and Aug. 21, and a minimum of 40,000 donors, with 200 in 20 or more states.
A look at who’s in, who’s (maybe) out and who’s still working on making it:
DONALD TRUMP
The current front-runner long ago satisfied the polling and donor thresholds. But he is considering boycotting and holding a competing event.
Campaign advisers have said the former president has not made a final decision about the debate. One noted that “it’s pretty clear,” based on Trump’s public and private statements, that he is unlikely to appear with the other candidates.
“If you’re leading by a lot, what’s the purpose of doing it?” Trump asked on Newsmax.
In the meantime, aides have discussed potential alternative programming if Trump opts for a rival event. One option Trump has floated is an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who now has a program on X, the site formerly known as Twitter.
RON DESANTIS
The Florida governor has long been seen as Trump’s top rival, finishing a distant second to him in a series of polls in early-voting states, as well as national polls, and raising an impressive amount of money.
But DeSantis’ campaign has struggled in recent weeks to live up to the sky-high expectations that awaited him when he entered the race. He let go of more than one-third of his staff as federal filings showed his campaign was burning through cash at an unsustainable rate.
If Trump is absent, DeSantis may be the top target on stage at the debate.
TIM SCOTT
The South Carolina senator has been looking for a breakout moment. The first debate could be his chance.
A prolific fundraiser, Scott enters the summer with $21 million cash on hand.
In one debate-approved poll in Iowa, Scott joined Trump and DeSantis in reaching double digits. The senator has focused much of his campaign resources on the leadoff GOP voting state, which is dominated by white evangelical voters.
NIKKI HALEY
She has blitzed early-voting states with campaign events, walking crowds through her electoral successes ousting a longtime incumbent South Carolina lawmaker, then becoming the state’s first woman and first minority governor. Also serving as Trump’s U.N. ambassador for about two years, Haley frequently cites her international experience, arguing about the threat China poses to the United States.
The only woman in the GOP race, Haley has said transgender students competing in sports is “the women’s issue of our time” and has drawn praise from a leading anti-abortion group, which called her “uniquely gifted at communicating from a pro-life woman’s perspective.”
Bringing in $15.6 million since the start of her campaign, Haley’s campaign says she has “well over 40,000 unique donors” and has satisfied the debate polling requirements.
VIVEK RAMASWAMY
The biotech entrepreneur and author of “Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America’s Social Justice Scam” is an audience favorite at multicandidate events and has polled well despite not being nationally known when he entered the race.
Ramaswamy’s campaign says he met the donor threshold earlier this year. He recently rolled out “Vivek’s Kitchen Cabinet” to boost his donor numbers even more, by letting fundraisers keep 10% of what they bring in for his campaign.
CHRIS CHRISTIE
The former New Jersey governor opened his campaign by portraying himself as the only candidate ready to take on Trump. Christie called on the former president to “show up at the debates and defend his record.”
Christie will be on that stage, even if Trump isn’t, telling CNN this month that he surpassed “40,000 unique donors in just 35 days.” He also has met the polling requirements.
DOUG BURGUM
Burgum, a wealthy former software entrepreneur now in his second term as North Dakota’s governor, has been using his fortune to boost his campaign.
He announced a program this month to give away $20 gift cards — “Biden Relief Cards,” as a critique of President Joe Biden’s handling of the economy — to as many as 50,000 people in exchange for $1 donations. Critics have questioned whether the offer violated campaign finance law.
Within about a week of launching that effort, Burgum announced he had surpassed the donor threshold. Ad blitzes in the early-voting states also helped him meet the polling requirements.
MIKE PENCE
Trump’s vice president has met the polling threshold but has yet to amass a sufficient number of donors, raising the possibility that he might not qualify for the party’s first debate.
Pence and his advisers have expressed confidence he will do so, noting that most other Republican hopefuls took a month or two of being active candidates to meet the mark. Pence entered the race on June 7, the same day as Burgum and one day after Christie.
“We’re making incredible progress toward that goal. We’re not there yet,” Pence told CNN in a recent interview. “We will make it. I will see you at that debate stage.”
ASA HUTCHINSON
According to his campaign, the former two-term Arkansas governor has met the polling requirements but is working on satisfying the donor threshold. As of Wednesday, Hutchinson marked more than 11,000 unique donors.
Hutchinson is running in the mold of an old-school Republican and has differentiated himself from many of his GOP rivals in his willingness to criticize Trump. He has posted pleas on Twitter for $1 donations to help secure his slot.
FRANCIS SUAREZ
The Miami mayor has been one of the more creative candidates in his efforts to boost his donor numbers. He offered up a chance to see Argentine soccer legend Lionel Messi’s debut as a player for Inter Miami, saying donors who gave $1 would be entered in a chance to get front-row tickets.
Still shy of the donor threshold, he took a page from Burgum’s playbook by offering a $20 “Bidenomics Relief Card” in return for $1 donations. A super political action committee supporting Suarez launched a sweepstakes for a chance at up to $15,000 in tuition, in exchange for a $1 donation to Suarez’s campaign.
Suarez’s campaign did not return a message seeking details on his number of donors or qualifying polls.
LARRY ELDER
The conservative radio host wrote in an op-ed that the RNC “has rigged the rules of the game by instituting a set of criteria that is so onerous and poorly designed that only establishment-backed and billionaire candidates are guaranteed to be on stage.”
His campaign last week declined to detail its number of donors, saying only that there had been “a strong increase the last few weeks.” He has not met the polling requirements.
PERRY JOHNSON
Johnson, a wealthy but largely unknown businessman from Michigan, said in a recent social media post that he had notched 23,000 donors and was “confident” he would make the debate stage. He added that all donors were “eligible to attend my free concert in Iowa featuring” country duo Big & Rich next month.
Johnson, who has reached 1% in one qualifying poll, has also offered to give copies of his book “Two Cents to Save America” to anyone who donated to his campaign.
WILL HURD
The former Texas congressman — the last candidate to enter the race, on June 22 — has said repeatedly that he would not pledge to support the eventual GOP nominee, a stance that would keep him off the stage even if he had the qualifying donor and polling numbers.
___
Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP | https://www.wdtn.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-whos-in-whos-out-a-look-at-which-candidates-have-qualified-for-the-1st-gop-presidential-debate/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:42 | 1 | https://www.wdtn.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-whos-in-whos-out-a-look-at-which-candidates-have-qualified-for-the-1st-gop-presidential-debate/ |
MIAMI GARDENS — One week of training camp down for the Miami Dolphins, and a few more weeks of camp to go, although hopefully none is as dramatic as this past week.
Cornerback Jalen Ramsey’s left knee injury dealt a crippling blow to the team and the defense. Ramsey, according to reports, could be out until December.
But, as we learned from last season’s rash of injuries, the Dolphins have good depth and a good mentality. So far, it appears they’ve already drawn on both in 2023 in the first week of training camp and the results have been positive.
Coach Mike McDaniel and his players were upbeat and in good spirits Friday, one day after Ramsey sustained his injury.
For the most part, they emerged from the first week of training camp in good health, meaning there hasn’t been an injury wave. Ramsey’s injury, and make no mistake, it’s a biggie, is the only known major injury that’s new, at this point.
However, there could be a cause for concern with cornerback Keion Crossen, who has been out the past two days with an unannounced ailment.
Still, overall, the attitude is upbeat and the arrow is pointed upward for the Dolphins in training camp.
Big things are expected from this team, and they’ll probably start happening next week.
The Dolphins were off Saturday, and they’re back on the field Sunday, when fans can attend practices for the first time. The Dolphins are scheduled to have their first practices in pads Monday, so expect the excitement level to double or triple. And expect to know much more about the team at this time next week.
For now, here’s what we learned in the first week of training camp:
Tua has been good, but not Pro Bowl good yet
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has made a few magical throws, and through three practices he’s been good, although not win-a-playoff-game good yet. There’s no cause for concern. There’s probably not many quarterbacks that are win-a-playoff-game good one week into training camp. On top of that, the entire passing game needs to pick up the pace as dropped passes have been a common theme.
Skylar Thompson seems ahead of Mike White in backup QB battle
Thompson, the second-year seventh-round pick has outshined White, the veteran acquisition from the New York Jets, in organized team activities, minicamp and the first week of training camp. We aren’t privy to classroom work, but the outsider’s view says Thompson is winning this competition. Of course, we still have to see the remainder of training camp, joint practices and preseason games so this battle has a long way to go. But for those keeping score weekly, Thompson seems to have the early lead.
Vic Fangio’s defense shines … for a day
Let’s not get overly excited about the defense’s dominance Friday, and yeah, they were butt-kicking dominant with 12 sacks. The biggest takeaway is it was promising to see them play so well without Ramsey. However, no one was wearing pads so it’s tough to accurately judge the front seven’s accomplishments. The thing that’s been apparent is this defensive system, with its reliance on zone defense, two-deep safety looks, and fewer blitzes, is different from what the Dolphins have fielded in recent years. And it might fit their talent better. But again, let’s see what happens when they put on pads.
Backup left tackle seems OK so far … and so does right tackle Austin Jackson
Kendall Lamm, Cedric Ogbuehi, Geron Christian have had their moments at left tackle as Pro Bowl starter Terron Armstead recovers from offseason knee surgery. The replacements have done some good things. The same goes for starting right tackle Austin Jackson; he’s done some good things. Yes, edge rushers Bradley Chubb and Emmanuel Ogbah have been effective (Jaelan Phillips has been limited after sustaining a leg injury in Wednesday’s opening practice), but they’re veterans and should outshine the reserve offensive tackles at this point, especially without pads. Overall, the offensive tackles, all of the aforementioned, have been adequate, but they’ll need to show more when they’re wearing pads.
Tyreek Hill is off to a slow start, but there’s no need to worry
Hill, the speedy All Pro wide receiver, had at least one drop Wednesday and Thursday, and even on Friday he didn’t seem himself, to a certain extent. We’ve grown accustomed to seeing Hill highly energetic on the practice field, making big plays, dancing, yapping and just having fun. We haven’t seen that side of him through the first week of camp, which might be understandable considering he recently settled an off-field issue.
Draft class has been decent
The four-man draft class, led by cornerback Cam Smith, the second-round pick, and running back DeVon Achane, the third-round pick, have had their moments, but mostly they’ve been low-key. Perhaps the bigger thing is they haven’t made head-turning mistakes, and that’s a good thing. Very few rookies make plays in their first week of training camp so there’s no need for worry. As for tight end Elijah Higgins, the sixth-round pick, and offensive tackle Ryan Hayes, the seventh-round pick, they’ve been relatively anonymous, and, considering they haven’t made any memorable errors, perhaps there’s value in that, too.
Tough to draw conclusions at this point, but…
Among the things we’ve learned, or think we’ve learned: this team’s depth seems as good as last year’s, and remember depth helped get them to the playoffs; cornerback Kader Kohou seems capable of replacing Ramsey (no, he’s not as talented); the Dolphins are popular nationally as out-of-town media appearances and interview requests are way beyond what they were at this time last year. | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/29/chris-perkins-things-we-learned-in-dolphins-first-week-of-training-camp/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:42 | 0 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/29/chris-perkins-things-we-learned-in-dolphins-first-week-of-training-camp/ |
BEIJING (AP) — The French finance minister said Sunday he pressed Chinese leaders to open their markets wider to foreign companies and lobbied for investment in France’s electric car industry, as the European Union’s second-largest economy followed Washington in reviving post-COVID economic talks amid tension over Beijing’s surging trade surpluses.
Bruno Le Maire also defended Paris’s controls on foreign access to technology after authorities said two Chinese citizens are under investigation for what news reports say is possible smuggling of French-made processor chips with military uses to China and Russia.
Le Maire met Saturday with Vice Premier He Lifeng, Beijing’s top envoy on economic issues. He followed Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who visited Beijing on July 9-10 as part of U.S. efforts to revive frosty relations with China.
Chinese officials gave Le Maire and Yellen a warm welcome as part of efforts to reverse an economic slump by reviving foreign investor interest. But Beijing has given no indication of possible changes in technology and other policies that its trading partners say violate Chinese market-opening commitments.
Officials of the 27-nation European Union are trying to narrow a trade deficit with China that swelled to 396 billion euros ($432 billion) last year. Le Maire cited cosmetics, aerospace and agriculture as possible areas for more French exports.
“There is a need to improve access to the Chinese market. I think that it was at the core of our discussions,” Le Maire said in an interview at the French Embassy. “We want to have a stronger economic relationship between Europe and China, between France and China, which means to get access for all European goods.”
Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government has looked to Europe as an alternative market and source of technology since Washington tightened controls on access to U.S. processor chips and other high-tech goods and hiked tariffs on imports from China in a feud over its industry development ambitions.
Le Maire and Chinese officials pledged to cooperate on climate change, financing for developing countries and nuclear power. They announced plans to set up a group to settle a dispute over access to China’s market for cosmetics, a major French export.
Le Maire also lobbied for investment from China’s fast-growing electric car industry. He was due to fly to the southern city of Shenzhen to meet Wang Chuanfu, founder of BYD Auto, one of the world’s biggest electric vehicle producers. BYD Auto and other Chinese brands are starting to sell in developed markets including Europe and Japan. Chinese battery supplier CATL has set up a factory in Germany to supply automaker BMW.
“We want China to make investments in France in electric vehicles,” Le Maire said. “In the climate transition, there is a place for Chinese investment in France, which allows us to reinforce our economic relations and also speed up action against global warming.”
The talks were overshadowed by Russia’s war against Ukraine and complaints China might be helping Moscow evade Western sanctions, but Le Maire said he didn’t discuss the war with Chinese officials. However, he said it was in Beijing’s interest to end the 17-month-old war. President Emmanuel Macron’s security adviser, Emmanuel Bonne, said this month China was delivering “military equipment” to Russia but gave no details.
“I want to make very clear that we want this war to go to an end as soon as possible,” Le Maire said. “Indeed, (it is) in the interest of China, it is in the interests of the global growth to have peace as soon as possible.”
Le Maire also defended French controls on technology exports and foreign investment in high-tech industry. French authorities are investigating two Chinese citizens associated with chip producer Ommic who the newspaper Le Parisien said face possible charges of exporting chips to a Chinese armaments maker using forged documents.
French counter-espionage officials believe a Chinese investor who bought control of Ommic in 2018 was trying to transfer chip manufacturing technology to China, according to the newspaper. The ruling Communist Party is trying to develop its own chip industry, but Washington has blocked access to advanced manufacturing tools and persuaded allies Japan and the Netherlands to impose their own restrictions.
Chinese authorities complain their companies are unfairly targeted by restrictions on access to foreign technology. They have warned curbs on access to semiconductors will disrupt smartphone and other industries.
“Everybody can understand that France wants to protect its key technologies,” Le Maire said. “We don’t want any foreign country to get access to those French sovereign technologies.” | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-frances-le-maire-presses-china-on-market-access-and-lobbies-for-electric-car-investment/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:42 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-frances-le-maire-presses-china-on-market-access-and-lobbies-for-electric-car-investment/ |
Maybe history likes repeating itself, did you ever think of that?
I sure like repeating myself.
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Print Headline: Poison pen letters spur mail scandal | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/old-news-spectacular-poison-pen-scandal-of-1923/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:44 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/old-news-spectacular-poison-pen-scandal-of-1923/ |
Healthy morning routines for kids
If you’re a parent, you know mornings can be chaotic. Not only do you have to get up and out of bed to prepare for work or the rest of your day, but you also need to wrangle your kids and get them moving. Unfortunately, they don’t always cooperate. Not only is a family morning routine ideal to help things run smoothly but by getting organized, you and your family can lower stress, increase your productivity, boost your energy and even improve your relationships.
Start by sitting down with the entire family and creating a schedule that allows everyone the proper amount of time to get what they need done and walk out the door happy, excited and eager to start the day.
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Benefits of a Healthy Routine for Kids
- Helps kids adopt healthy habits early on: Establishing a solid daily routine helps kids implement healthy habits, such as washing their teeth and cleaning their room. Since habits require practice and repetition, you won’t have to worry about reminding them once they adopt them into their morning routine.
- Decreases parental exhaustion: Having to worry about your own routine alongside your tasks can leave you feeling exhausted and overwhelmed. Involving your entire family in creating a morning routine can make things less stressful for you.
- Limits screen time: Kids consume several hours of games, social media, TV shows and other forms of entertainment daily, which can take away from healthy habits. A healthy morning routine encourages them to step away from their devices to spend more time with family and prepare for the school day.
- Gives kids responsibility: A morning routine tells kids that they have tasks they need to complete before heading to school. Once they adapt to their routine, they understand that there are things they must do every day without being reminded. In addition, it can help them develop independence early.
- Bedtime is much easier: When your kids have a healthy morning routine, it helps them better navigate their days and makes it easier to go to bed at night. A daily routine establishes your child’s body clock, alerting them when it’s time for bed.
Helpful tips for creating a healthy morning routine
Start preparing the night before
Before you go to bed, pick out clothes that you and your kids will wear the next day, and prepare all of your food options, so you won’t be left scrambling at the last minute. You can spend Sunday preparing meals and picking out clothes to focus on other weekly tasks. In addition, it can be fun to involve your kids by having them help you in the kitchen.
Stock up on organizational items
JanSport SuperBreak One Backpacks
If it’s school you need to get your kids ready for, make sure their backpacks are packed and their lunch boxes are ready to go in the mornings. Aim to keep your pantry and fridge stocked and additional school supplies handy when your kids need them.
There are some excellent organizational items below that you can utilize during the school year or over the summer to make sure you and your kids know where their necessary supplies will be before everyone has to be out the door.
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Make sure you have the essentials
KINCMAX Shower Caddy Bathroom Shelf
Household essentials such as alarm clocks, toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash and any shower items your family needs can keep everyone on track. If you have a lot of products or a large family, consider investing in a shower caddy so everyone has exactly what they need at arm’s reach.
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Avoid the screens
As mentioned, kids can spend a lot of time on their phones and tablets, causing morning distractions. Make a no TV rule in the morning once everyone is awake and out of bed. That means taking away any video games, iPads and cell phones.
Create a positive atmosphere
Playco Reward Chart for Kids Chores
Preparing the night before and planning can reduce stress and urgency. Not only will this make things more convenient, but it will free up time to make positive strides in the right direction. Group activities, like meditation, can be a healthy way to get the entire family in the proper mindset.
And if you’re having trouble motivating your kids, it wouldn’t hurt to provide a little extra incentive with a rewards chart.
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The best organizational items for a healthy morning routine
Humble Crew Modern Toy Organizer
Give your kids the opportunity to tidy their environment with this organizer designed for their height. Having an organized space to wake up in helps start your kids off on the right foot for the morning while teaching them to sort and improve their cognitive skills.
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Eslite Toothbrush Toothpaste Holder Stand
Morning hygiene maintenance is an imperative part of a morning routine. This bathroom organizer allows kids to have everything they need to do in the bathroom each morning and evening together. It can hold five toothbrushes and has holes for toothpaste, combs and cups for water and mouthwash.
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Xoxo Parents Magnetic Chore Chart for Multiple Kids
Help keep everyone in the family organized in the morning with a dry-erase calendar, complete with daily to-do’s. This calendar lets kids know what to expect for the day and help them create a healthy routine while laying out all their tasks.
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Colgate Smart Manual Kids Toothbrush
Make brushing teeth fun for kids with this toothbrush. It includes augmented reality to help kids brush their teeth properly. It has an app that teaches kids to establish healthy hygiene habits, as well as a fun game they unlock when they brush their teeth.
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Gamenote Wooden Pen Holder and Pencil Holders
Having a clean environment in the morning can boost your family’s mood. If you have crafty kids, giving them a pen holder can help them tidy up before departing for school. This rainbow holder includes six different size compartments to fit pencils, pens, crayons and more.
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Zicoto Simplified To-Do List Notebook and Aesthetic Daily Planner
A planner is an excellent tool both kids and adults use to plan their days and stick to healthy routines. This planner has space to write daily to-do list notes, health tracking, appointments and meal plans. It has perforated pages, perfect for tearing them out after completing daily tasks.
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Rewards are a great way to incentivize your kids to stick to a morning routine. This reward chart encourages good behavior and promotes healthy habits. It is designed for kids ages 3 and up. It is laboratory-certified and safe for kids to use.
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The best food items to promote a healthy morning routine
Rubbermaid Brilliance BPA-Free Food Storage Containers with Lids
Plan ahead for your kids’ breakfasts and lunches with these food storage containers that are bisphenol A-free. These 100% leak-proof, splatter-resistant and microwave-safe containers easily stack in the refrigerator to keep you organized from morning till night.
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Kitch’nMore 38 Ounce Meal Prep Containers
Prepare up to 30 meals in advance and keep them neatly packaged in these microwave, dishwasher and freezer-safe containers. Each container holds up to 2.4 pounds of food. They are made of BPA-free material, leak-proof and durable.
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Pre-pack healthy, protein-rich breakfasts and lunches for your children in this eco-friendly bento lunch box. The smaller-sized compartments allow all your kids’ favorite foods to be packed separately for perfect meals that can be eaten whenever their schedule permits.
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Oniva Disney Mickey Mouse Lunch Bag
Your kids will never forget to bring their lunch box to school when it’s this cute! This Mickey Mouse lunch bag is insulated to ensure food stays at the correct temperature. It comes with a knife, fork, spoon, napkin and salt and pepper shakers.
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Lerine 10-Pack Dishwasher-Safe Reusable Bags
Save money and be environmentally friendly using reusable bags for your and your kids’ lunches. They are leakproof, BPA-free and dishwasher safe. They include three 1-gallon bags, four sandwich bags and three snack bags.
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Thermos Funtainer 10-Ounce Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated
This thermos keeps kids’ food cold for up to seven hours, and up to five hours for hot food. It has a lightweight, compact design with a push-button lid that’s easy for kids to carry and open. It also includes a spoon stored in the thermos.
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Topbooc Travel Utensils, Reusable Silverware Set-To-Go
Pack your kids’ lunches with reusable silverware to save money and be environmentally conscious. This set comes with a knife, fork, spoon, two straws, a straw cleaner, chopsticks and a compact case. It is available in a variety of colors and is dishwasher safe.
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The best items for a positive morning atmosphere
Meditation for Kids: 40 Activities to Manage Emotions, Ease Anxiety and Stay Focused
Meditation is an amazing way to start the day with a healthy and positive outlook. This book has options for 40 meditation activities kids can do in the morning to help them remain calm, relaxed and focused.
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Gaiam Kids Yoga Mat Exercise Mat
Yoga is a positive and healthy activity for a child’s morning routine. This adorable yoga mat is perfect for kids ages 5 to 8 and is decorated with a unicorn, lamb and lion. These kids’ yoga mats are non-toxic and phthalate-free while constructed with a textured surface to reduce slips.
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Hatch Rest+ Baby Sound Machine, Night Light
This sound machine helps kids to fall asleep and wake up easily. The time-to-rise programs help them handle the difficult transition from being sound asleep to starting their day. Waking up comfortably and naturally is the ideal first step in any morning routine.
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Big Red Rooster Sleep Training Alarm Clock
This alarm clock notifies your kids if it’s time to wake up or if more sleep is necessary. The ball glows green if it’s time to wake up or red if they should go back to sleep. The hidden parent compartment makes sure the alarm can’t be adjusted.
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The 3-Minute Gratitude Journal for Kids
Practicing gratitude is a great way for kids to start the morning with positivity. This journal teaches kids how to be thankful and enjoy the simple things in life. It contains daily pages where kids list out three things and people they’re grateful for and how they’re feeling each day.
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Sonoma Lavender Microwaveable Aromatherapy Pillow
Having a cuddly bear to snuggle in the morning can help kids prepare for the day. This plush bear not only provides snuggles but releases a lavender scent for aromatherapy benefits. It has 10 different animals, such as an elephant, bunny, monkey and lamb.
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Antdalis Sunrise Alarm Clock Wake-Up Light
After a long summer, it might be challenging for kids to readjust to waking up in the mornings. This alarm clock’s light gradually increases over 30 minutes to fill the room with bright, white light. It has two alarms, seven natural sounds and a 10-sound volume.
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Worth checking out
- Slip encouraging notes into your kids’ lunch bags with the Outus 120 Pieces Motivational Encouragement Quote Cards.
- Make mornings more exciting for your children with the Ainibab Boys Girls Hooded Robe.
- Ensure your kids stay hydrated throughout the day with a Bubba Brands Flo Kids Water Bottle with Leak-Proof Lid.
- Give your kids healthy, satisfying snacks such as the GoGo SqueeZ Fruit on the Go Variety Pack.
- This Be Prepared. Period Menstruation Kit is a great starter kit for teens to take to school.
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/reviews/br/baby-kids-br/health-safety-br/how-to-develop-a-healthy-morning-routine-for-you-and-your-kids/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:44 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/reviews/br/baby-kids-br/health-safety-br/how-to-develop-a-healthy-morning-routine-for-you-and-your-kids/ |
KHAR, Pakistan (AP) — A powerful bomb ripped through a rally by supporters of a hard-line cleric and political leader in the country’s northwestern Bajur district that borders Afghanistan on Sunday, killing 10 people and wounding more than 50, police said.
Senior police officer Nazir Khan said the workers convention of Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s Jamiat Ulema Islam party was taking place on the outskirts of Khar, the capital of Bajur district, when the explosion took place.
He said some of the wounded were taken to the city’s main hospital in critical condition and the death toll could increase.
Rehman is considered to be a pro-Taliban cleric and his political party is part of the coalition government in Islamabad. It is not known whether Rehman was present. Meetings are being organized across the country to mobilize supporters for the coming elections.
___
Riaz Khan in Peshawar, Pakistan contributed to this report. | https://www.wdtn.com/news/u-s-world/ap-international/ap-a-bomb-at-a-political-rally-in-northwest-pakistan-kills-10-people-and-wounds-more-than-50/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:48 | 1 | https://www.wdtn.com/news/u-s-world/ap-international/ap-a-bomb-at-a-political-rally-in-northwest-pakistan-kills-10-people-and-wounds-more-than-50/ |
Leigh Steinberg studied Justin Herbert’s new $262.5 million contract, just as he has NFL quarterback contracts since negotiating Steve Bartkowski’s deal in 1975.
The veteran agent highlighted the Los Angeles Chargers quarterback’s signing bonus in the first year and the option bonus in the second year as a, “means to keep the salary-cap number down, showing a sensitivity that, yes, the quarterback wants to be maximally contracted but the goal is to win the Super Bowl. If he can get there, he’ll be properly rewarded.”
Steinberg knows the coming domino.
“Joe Burrow’s next,” he said of the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback. “His contract will be another bump in the market.”
Then, it’ll be Tua Tagovailoa’s time next offseason as the other top quarterback in the 2020 draft?
“I’ve got to be careful here,” Steinberg said.
He was Tagovailoa’s agent when the Miami Dolphins quarterback came in the league. He’s not now.
“First of all, he had his best year last year,” he said. “Second of all, in any scenario for any team, if not that quarterback, if they don’t sign him, then who?”
Third of all, which is really first of all this season, is Tagovailoa’s health.
“I don’t want to get into all that,” Steinberg says.
Does anyone? Doesn’t everyone wish this becomes a non-issue across the rest of Tagovailoa’s career?
This is the $269 million question that holds sway over the franchise’s future. The Dolphins threw every dollar and draft pick into this season without looking too hard at what’s coming next year. The moment is now.
Still, the Tua question, starting with his health, sets the course of the next several years. There’s no sense thinking this or that will happen to him this year, to cite this doctor saying one thing or a study about the repetitive effects of concussions. This will decide itself over this season.
Tagovailoa spent the offseason trying to prevent the concussions that were as much his story last year as his break-out play. He gained 20 pounds and looks noticeably, uh, thicker on the field. He practiced jiu-jitsu to learn how to fall to the ground better. He no doubt was coached again to throw the ball away, as he can be hesitant to do, and go to the next play.
How much all that helps is anyone’s guess. All you know is if he gets through this year healthy, if the concussion concern goes to the back burner, he’ll probably be looking at the kind of contract Herbert got this week.
Probably, because the Dolphins haven’t shown any inclination to play hardball with him. It’s been just the opposite since coach Mike McDaniel came in the door.
Probably, too, because this assumes his play continues last year’s upward arc. The question that takes on importance is whether the Dolphins win because of Tagovailoa or with him. His leadership, his attitude always have been first class. He’s always said and done the right things.
His big season last year doesn’t make him a finished product. For instance, he was the second-rated passer between the numbers last year, according to Warren Sharp’s analytics. He ranked 22nd passing outside the numbers. Starting in the December game against the Chargers last season, teams began taking away the middle of the field. McDaniel and Tagovailoa surely spent the offseason plotting how to counteract that.
As Steinberg says, the concern for every team is the “Kirk Cousins problem,” when a quarterback is good but paid like a franchise quarterback. That’s Minnesota and Cousins. It’s where the New York Giants will find themselves after giving Daniel Jones a big contract this offseason.
The Dolphins spent lavishly in bringing on Tyreek Hill, Terron Armstead and Bradley Chubb the past couple of seasons. That time is done. Christian Wilkins and Zach Sieler are negotiating deals in a defense-tackle market that’s skyrocketed. Players like Jaylen Waddle and Jevon Holland will be moving off rookie-friendly contracts next winter.
Not everyone can get paid coming up. Tua’s contract hangs over all that. Kansas City traded Hill to the Dolphins after signing Patrick Mahomes to a massive deal. Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane has talked of the “constraints,” that Josh Allen’s contract put on the roster.
Those are the constraints every team wants. It means they have the player every team needs.
Steinberg notes the NFL rule changes and mega-TV deals have led to quarterbacks’ values moving off the charts. Look at Herbert’s deal. Tagovailoa said in the wake of the Chargers quarterback’s contract there’s been no negotiation toward his deal.
There can’t be.
“I hope he has a great year,” Steinberg said.
Everyone does. Everyone hopes he gets the happy ending Herbert got this past week. Everyone will just hold their breath over his health as this season plays out. | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/29/dave-hyde-justin-herberts-deal-shows-the-happy-ending-tua-tagovailoa-can-reach/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:48 | 0 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/29/dave-hyde-justin-herberts-deal-shows-the-happy-ending-tua-tagovailoa-can-reach/ |
SANTA MARIA DE JESUS, Guatemala (AP) — Presidential candidate Bernardo Arévalo stood before a few hundred residents of this small Indigenous community on the slopes of the Agua Volcano and told them they could be the seeds of a brighter, more corruption-free spring in Guatemala.
The metaphor fits neatly with his political party, the Seed Movement, and allows the 64-year-old academic and former diplomat to riff on themes of renewal and growth.
But it also alludes to Guatemala’s “democratic spring,” considered a more inclusive period in the country’s history during the presidency in the 1940s and early 1950s of his late father, Juan José Arévalo.
Bernardo Arévalo won just 11% of the vote in the presidential election’s first round June 25, but it was enough to give him the surprise second slot in the Aug. 20 runoff ballot. He will face Sandra Torres, a conservative and former first lady who was the leading vote-getter in the first round and is making her third bid for the presidency.
Arévalo’s recent speech in Santa Maria de Jesus was similar to those he has given in Guatemala’s capital, but the imagery could be especially important in rural Indigenous communities as he seeks to rapidly expand his largely urban, youthful base before the runoff.
He won in Guatemala City and other important cities, including Sacatepequez and Quetzaltenango. It remains to be seen whether he can convince people in rural communities that he can address their daily problems.
The delayed certification of the first round results shortened the already small window that Arévalo has to reintroduce himself to much of the country as his opponents rush to paint their own negative picture.
“Do you feel what is happening?” Arévalo told the crowd in Santa Maria de Jesus. “The new spring is arriving, that’s what you feel, and you all are the seeds of that new spring.”
“A new spring that is going to bring us well-being, the water we lack, the education they owe us, the health that they have denied us thanks to those corrupt contracts that serve few,” Arévalo said, standing in front of an old, damaged Roman Catholic church, in a wide-brimmed hat and untucked shirt against the tropical heat.
Among those listening was Juana Orón, a 67-year-old homemaker of the Kaqchikel people. She is one of the older voters who remember hearing about Arévalo’s father, one of only two leftist presidents in Guatemala’s democratic era.
The elder Arévalo, who governed from 1945 to 1951, is credited with establishing key social programs that remain in place today, including Guatemala’s labor code and social security. Guatemala’s democratic spring was cut short in 1954 by the CIA-backed overthrow of his successor, President Jacobo Arbenz.
Under Juan José Arévalo, the state advocated for rights for Indigenous peoples and others beyond the country’s small elite.
“I remember I was little and (my parents) said he had done good things,” said Orón whose first language as a child was Kaqchikel. If his father was good, Arévalo could be a good president, too, she said.
Opponents have tried to frame Arévalo’s candidacy as a step toward some of the region’s more notorious leftist regimes, such as Cuba and Nicaragua. They warn that the progressive candidate will bring expropriations, abortion and same-sex marriage to the conservative country.
Arévalo has been the election’s surprise.
In the days before the June 25 vote, he was polling below 3% and trailing at least seven of the other 21 candidates. But his anti-corruption message resonated in the country where gains against corruption have been erased and the justice system reoriented to pursue the prosecutors and judges who formerly led that fight.
In the month since that initial result, the Attorney General’s Office announced an investigation into his party and had a judge suspend its legal status until the Constitutional Court stepped in to block that move.
In Santa Maria de Jesus, people wanted to compare Arévalo in person to what they were hearing about him. Some handed him flowers, posed for photos or reached out to touch him as he made his way through the throng.
Arévalo pushed back against attempts to frame him as a left-wing radical — he has said private property rights are not up for discussion — and pounded the issue of corruption.
“Let us work, let us get ahead on our own effort, let’s get rid of the corrupt once and for all,” he said.
For Francisco Jiménez, a political scientist at Rafael Landivar University, Arévalo will need concrete proposals to make inroads with the base of Torres, who has spent two decades assembling it.
“He will have to make governing proposals with a social agenda, where the people see that he is going to have an impact on their lives and communities,” Jiménez said. “The other part is continuing to present himself as the different model. That has been his success, someone totally different from the other candidates.”
Evangelical churches in Guatemala have painted Arévalo as an existential threat to the family.
Gladys Sunun, a 35-year-old Kaqchikel vendor from an evangelical family, said she came to hear Arévalo for herself. She said she had heard that Arévalo would convert Guatemala into another Cuba or Nicaragua, but left feeling that might not be true, though she wants to investigate more.
“He came to tell us not to worry,” she said. “It sounds real, but we don’t know.”
Her sister July Sunun said she wanted to hear more about Arévalo’s positions on gender ideology. “As a mother I’m afraid, because we’ve grown up with a Christian background. I don’t want to marry my daughter with another woman,” she said.
July Sunun acknowledged that Arévalo said he would respect the identities and decisions of the people, “but what he hasn’t said is that he won’t allow (same-sex marriage) to happen here.” | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-guatemala-presidential-candidate-rushes-to-expand-base-beyond-urban-youth/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:49 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-guatemala-presidential-candidate-rushes-to-expand-base-beyond-urban-youth/ |
OPINION | Curtis Varnell: Chalmers Ferguson’s true legacy was years he served as the hermit poet of Magazine Mountain
by
Curtis Varnell The Timepiece
|
Today at 1:00 a.m.
The Ouachita Mountains has produced its share of distinctive and eccentric individuals, but none more unique than Chalmers Ferguson, the hermit poet of...
Print Headline: Tragedy gave way to the hermit poet of Magazine Mountain | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/opinion-curtis-varnell-chalmers-fergusons-true/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:51 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/opinion-curtis-varnell-chalmers-fergusons-true/ |
Five-year anniversary gifts
Shop this article: Roses, I Love You Anniversary Card and 2-Stem Natural Wood Roses with Vase
Spending a half-decade together is a reason to celebrate. Roses, chocolate and champagne are fitting gifts for almost any anniversary or milestone. However, when you hit the five-year mark in your relationship, you might want to take things up a notch.
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Tradition dictates that the five-year wedding anniversary gift is wood and meant to signal long-lasting strength, wisdom and forgiveness. Still, nowhere does it say that you have to stick to that, and some great gift ideas include perfume, jewelry, shoes, bags and self-care options.
Five-year anniversary wooden gift ideas
I Love You Anniversary Card
If you’re a stickler for tradition and want to make sure you give a gift of wood, one simple way to achieve this is with your card. This laser-cut classic hearts design is more than just any old anniversary card. It’s a keepsake that can last for years to come.
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Kate Posh 5-Years of Marriage Photo Frame
Simple yet also sentimental. This wooden picture frame is engraved and comes in multiple sizes. It has a back-stand easel to display on a table and clips to mount it on the wall.
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2-Stem Natural Wood Roses with Vase
Carved from sugar wood and stained rich chocolate, this stylish, sentimental and symbolic anniversary gift comes with two wooden roses in an oak vase.
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The best fragrance gifts for her
With dazzling floral accents and woodsy notes, this scent exudes femininity and mystery. The may rose and jasmine with citrus notes and soft bourbon vanilla help create this sensual Chanel fragrance, making the perfect gift for a romantic anniversary.
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This scent oozes femininity without being overpowering, with an intoxicating blend of warm and spicy, with keynotes of jasmine, orange blossom and woods and patchouli. It’s also ageless, which makes it perfect for either your 5th or 50th anniversary.
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The best self-care gifts for her
Goop “The Martini” Emotional Detox Bath Soak
Treat your loved one to some peace and tranquility with a soothing bath to relax the mind and body. The pink salt will ease muscles. The chia seed oil hydrates and moisturizes the skin, while the wildcrafted frankincense will soothe the mind. This combination is just as good as a day at the spa.
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Give the gift that spoils your loved one night after night with this slip silk pillowcase that’s a known beauty secret of both beauty experts and dermatologists. Cover her pillow in the highest-grade mulberry silk to help create the ultimate night’s rest.
Herbivore Coco Rose Exfoliating Body Scrub
Pamper your partner with a body scrub made from virgin coconut oil, sugar and Moroccan rose to leave her skin moisturized and smelling of rose petals and coconuts. This luxe body scrub has been clinically tested and proven to offer softer, smoother and less dry skin.
The best jewelry gifts for her
TruMiracle Diamond Stud Earrings
These exquisite half-carat diamonds with side accents will dazzle and sparkle from every angle. They are available in 14-carat gold, white gold and rose gold.
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Sarah Chloe Andi Initial Pendant Necklace in 14k Gold-Plate Over Sterling Silver
This is a delicate and sophisticated pendant necklace you can wear casually or when dressing to impress. It’s set in 14 carat-gold-plate over sterling silver, with a lobster clasp for closure and a beaded chain.
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Le Vian Deep-Sea Blue Topaz & Diamond Statement Ring in 14k Rose Gold
Give her something she can’t help but show off with this dazzling deep-blue-sea topaz ring. It’s enhanced with nude and chocolate diamond rings that add to the color and sparkle. These gorgeous stones are set in a beautiful strawberry gold that will make your anniversary one to remember.
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The best handbag gifts for her
Michael Kors Bedford Legacy Logo Ladies Leather Crossbody Bag
There’s just something about a new handbag that makes a girl smile, so make her grin ear-to-ear with a stylish yet practical black, leather crossbody. This sleek and structured silhouette is an ideal everyday bag to match all outfits while remaining chic.
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The best shoes gifts for her
Badgley Mischka Kiara Embellished Peep-Toe Evening Pumps
You can never go wrong with super sexy shoes, and these sapphire satin peep-toe pumps with embellished detail fit the bill. These showstoppers will make her feel like a million bucks and make for one extraordinary anniversary.
Nine West Women’s Toe Dress Pumps
These shoes will be a gift for you and your loved one because you won’t be able to keep your eyes off her when she’s in these ultra-sexy t-strap stilettos. A mix of faux leather and skinny straps from the toe to the ankle make this exotic heel a special occasion in itself.
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/tools-accessories-br/best-five-year-anniversary-gifts-for-her/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:51 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/tools-accessories-br/best-five-year-anniversary-gifts-for-her/ |
Which camera accessories are best for vacation?
During a trip, you want to make sure that your camera is safe and secure while at the same time easily accessible and at the ready to snap pics. From camera bags to straps, having the right accessories will be sure to save you from headaches while traveling.
Aside from accessories to keep your camera safe while on the move, there are tons of accessories on the market to make getting that perfect travel shot easy.
Shop this article: NOMATIC McKinnon Camera Pack, ONA The Presidio Cross-Body Strap and VSGO V-P01E Professional Lens Cleaning Pen
Best camera bags for vacation
Best of the best camera bag for vacation
What you need to know: This 35L pack has space for your camera and whatever other accessories you’re taking along for the adventure. It can expand up to 42L and even has extra space for traveling essentials.
What you’ll love: This bag is designed with travelers in mind. It features full access to the main compartment, a luggage handle pass-through, an external laptop pocket and is made with water-resistant material.
What you should consider: This pack is on the pricier side, but the quality is worth it.
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Best anti-theft camera bag for vacation
PacSafe Camsafe X25 Anti-theft Camera Backpack
What you need to know: This camera pack is designed for traveling with expensive equipment. If you want some extra peace of mind while traveling, this bag is the right choice.
What you’ll love: This bag comes with a ton of features to keep your equipment safe, such as a Robar Sport locking system for protection against pickpocketing and hidden stainless steel wire mesh to protect against snatch and grab theft.
What you should consider: If you’re not too worried about theft while traveling, you could opt for a bag that has more room and better organization for a comparable price.
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Best camera bag for multiple cameras on vacation
Think Tank Photo Streetwalker V2.0 Backpack
What you need to know: The Streetwalker is an excellent bag if you’re planning on bringing more than one camera on your trip as it can comfortably house two DSLR cameras.
What you’ll love: This bag is designed with comfort in mind with its padded shoulder straps. It has plenty of pockets and compartments to accommodate all of your accessories as well.
What you should consider: This bag is a smaller model which makes it great for vacation, but be sure to consider the amount of gear that you’ll be bringing along.
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Best bang for your buck camera bag for vacation
BAGSMART DSLR Waterproof Camera Bag
What you need to know: This bag from BAGSMART is not only stylish but also well-equipped to handle any travel situation. Comfortable and secure, this is a great camera bag to bring on vacation.
What you’ll love: The design is sleek without cutting corners on space. It comes with a rain cover to keep your gear safe from the elements. This bag also features some anti-theft protection.
What you should consider: This bag is hard to beat with its cheap price tag, but when it comes to camera bags the price is a good indicator of quality.
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Best camera straps for vacation
Best of the best camera strap for vacation
ONA The Presidio Cross-Body Strap
What you need to know: This strap is stylish, strong and durable. It can be used with camera kits up to 6 lb and is easily adjustable.
What you’ll love: This strap offers comfort while keeping your camera gear close and ready for snapping pics.
What you should consider: The strap is more expensive due to the material being leather. If you don’t like leather, a different strap would work better for you.
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Best bang for your buck camera strap for vacation
What you need to know: This over-the-shoulder strap is durable and comfy thanks to its neoprene shoulder pad and reinforced metal fasteners.
What you’ll love: It’s fully adjustable and even works well with tripods, as you can attach the camera to the tripod without having to unhook the strap.
What you should consider: This strap’s anchor plate may come undone with time, so proceed with caution if you use a heavier camera.
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Best camera accessories for vacation
Best tripod for vacation
What you need to know: The GorillaPod is great for traveling photographers since it’s adjustable and compact.
What you’ll love: This camera tripod is great for hiking trips especially, as the legs can be adjusted to fit all types of terrain.
What you should consider: This travel tripod works with cameras 2 lbs and under, so if you shoot with a larger camera, this won’t work for you.
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Best portable lighting for vacation
What you need to know: The Lume Cube Panel Mini is very portable and fits most DSLR cameras. It’s great for getting the perfect lighting in darker spaces.
What you’ll love: The Lume Cube Panel Mini has adjustable color temp and brightness with an internal battery life of 14 hours to ensure you’ll always have great lighting.
What you should consider: Be sure to check to see if this light is compatible with your camera, as it does not attach to all models. It can still be used without being attached to a camera.
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Best camera cleaning tool for vacation
VSGO V-P01E Professional Lens Cleaning Pen
What you need to know: A lens pen is a great option for travel, as you can store it in your bag without having to worry about it getting dirty.
What you’ll love: The brushes both cover up for seamless storage.
What you should consider: Depending on your needs, you may have to carry some additional lens-cleaning products while traveling.
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Best waterproof camera cover for vacation
Altura Photo Professional Camera Rain Cover
What you need to know: This camera rain cover is great for keeping your gear dry when shooting outside in rainy places.
What you’ll love: It’s made from waterproof nylon and has a great viewing window for rainy-day shooting.
What you should consider: The viewing window may fog up over time.
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/camera-photo-br/must-have-camera-accessories-for-your-next-vacation/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:51 | 0 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/camera-photo-br/must-have-camera-accessories-for-your-next-vacation/ |
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — The discovery of four dead women in a drainage ditch just outside Atlantic City was shocking news in 2006.
International media flocked to the seaside gambling resort. More than 100 detectives and prosecutors were assigned to investigate. Casino guests worried about safety, and the victims’ fellow sex workers began carrying hidden knives.
But as the years passed, the public’s attention and fear faded, and the case of the “Eastbound Strangler” – so named for the direction the victims’ heads were facing – remained unsolved.
The arrest earlier this month of a man charged with killing three women whose remains were found on a Long Island beach in 2010 has breathed fresh life into another long-dormant case with obvious parallels; the Gilgo Beach serial killings involve a total of 11 victims, most of whom were young, female sex workers. Yet the recent breakthrough, and the rekindling of public interest, only highlights a painful truth: Many similar cases – like the one in Atlantic City — remain open.
The FBI would not say how many killings of sex workers in the U.S. remain unsolved. Media accounts and statements from local authorities show a long trail of open cases, from nine women whose bodies were found along highways in Massachusetts, to 11 found dead in New Mexico, and eight more found amid the crawfish farms and swamps of southern Louisiana. The killings of other sex workers in Chicago, New Haven, Connecticut and Ohio, among other places, also remain mysteries.
From the days of London’s Jack The Ripper in the 1880s, serial killers, particularly those preying on sex workers, have often gotten away with it, in part because their victims were easy targets living on the margins of society.
Gary Ridgway, the so-called Green River killer convicted of 49 killings in Washington state, said at during a 2003 court hearing in which he pleaded guilty that he chose sex workers as victims because he knew they would not be missed quickly, if at all.
“I picked prostitutes because I thought I could kill as many of them as I wanted without getting caught,” he said.
Two women were out for an afternoon walk near Atlantic City in November 2006 when they found a body in a ditch. They called police, who quickly found three others nearby.
The $15-a-night motel in Egg Harbor Township behind which the four bodies were found is long gone. It was torn down in an attempt to clear a seedy area known for crime, drugs and disturbances – and the murders of Barbara Breidor, 42, Molly Jean Dilts, 20, Kim Raffo, 35, and Tracy Ann Roberts, 23.
Because it is near the ocean, like Gilgo Beach, the location has prompted much speculation by amateur detectives about a single killer, but some other online sleuths have pointed out that oceanside areas are often the remotest locations after hours on the densely packed East Coast. Gilgo Beach is about 3.5 hours drive from Atlantic City.
Gone in New Jersey are the four small wooden crosses someone erected on the site, along with the folded-up paper note bearing a Biblical quote promising justice that someone left there on one of the anniversaries of the discovery of the bodies.
For families left behind, each new day without word in the case of their loved one brings fresh pain.
“I kind of lost hope that anyone was even searching for the killer anymore,” said Joyce Roberts, whose daughter Tracy Ann was one of the four Atlantic City-area victims. “The first six months, the prosecutor did get on the phone with me and told me they were working on it.
“Then it just fell off the radar,” she said. “It was like nobody cared anymore.”
That is a sentiment echoed by Phoenix Calida, a former sex worker from Chicago who now advocates for them through the Sex Workers Outreach Project.
“Police departments often refer to it as an ‘NHI’ case: No humans involved,” she said. ”You feel like the only way you’ll be remembered is when they catch the serial killer who killed you, and then they’ll make five movies about him and no one will remember your name.”
Massachusetts State Police are investigating “nine unsolved homicides possibly committed by the same person,” said David Procopio, a spokesperson for the agency. He said two additional missing persons cases may be homicides related to the other nine.
Gilbert Gallegos, a spokesman for the Albuquerque Police Department, said the New Mexico cases remain actively investigated, with “multiple detectives” working them. The 11 victims were all involved in drugs and prostitution, police said.
A reward of $100,000 has been offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case, which involved two victims who were just 15 years old.
Despite the decade-long efforts of a local, state and federal task force, Louisiana has at least eight unsolved apparent homicide cases involving sex workers between the ages of 17 and 30. Their bodies were found in marshy areas in Jennings, a small town in the area known as Cajun Country, between 2005 and 2009.
Prosecutors in New York’s Suffolk County investigating the Gilgo Beach cases have been in touch with multiple law enforcement agencies, but District Attorney Ray Tierney would not say which ones.
“Everything is being examined and looked at, and this is an active investigation,” said Anthony Carter, Suffolk County’s deputy police commissioner. He would not say if his agency was investigating any connection between Heuermann and the Atlantic City murders.
Atlantic County Prosecutor William Reynolds said the four cases from the drainage ditch outside Atlantic City remain active, with detectives assigned to them, but would not say how many. He declined comment on the Long Island case “as we are not involved.”
Joyce Roberts, the victim’s mother, said no one from law enforcement has called her since the arrest was made in the Long Island cases.
Police in Las Vegas, where Heuermann owns a time share, said they are investigating whether Heuermann may be involved in cases involving the killings of sex workers there.
In the months immediately after the bodies’ discovery near Atlantic City, the local prosecutor’s office and a dozen other law enforcement agencies had 140 people assigned to the cases, Ted Housel, who was prosecutor at the time, said in 2008. By the first anniversary, the total had fallen to 85, and those investigators were also working other cases.
Calida, the former sex worker from Chicago, said women involved the sex trade are frequently robbed by people who know they’re carrying cash, and are sometimes coerced into sexual activity by police in return for not being arrested.
She said an attacker “knows you can’t or won’t report it. You’re an easy target and they know it.”
Three of her friends who were also sex workers in Chicago also turned up dead.
“You see someone, you become friends with them and then one day they’re suddenly just not there,” she said. “We’d all go out asking around and looking for them, and then a few days later a body would be found. There’s always this specific fear that it’s a serial killer. Sometimes we never even get a body back to bury. And we wonder: Will law enforcement take it seriously because it’s ‘just another sex worker?’”
___
AP writers Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque; Steve LeBlanc in Boston; Julie Walker and Robert Bumsted in Suffolk County, New York; Sara Cline in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed to this story.
Follow Wayne Parry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WayneParryAC | https://www.wdtn.com/news/u-s-world/ap-us-news/ap-breakthrough-in-long-island-serial-killings-shines-light-on-the-many-unsolved-murders-of-sex-workers/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:54 | 1 | https://www.wdtn.com/news/u-s-world/ap-us-news/ap-breakthrough-in-long-island-serial-killings-shines-light-on-the-many-unsolved-murders-of-sex-workers/ |
By HANK KURZ Jr.
Associated Press
RICHMOND, Va. — Denny Hamlin is not offering any apologies for the move he made last weekend at Pocono that caused Kyle Larson to hit the wall and let Hamlin sail on to victory.
Truth be told, it’s what NASCAR was hoping to see more of when it established the system that divides races into three stages, rewards drivers with points for doing well in those stages and allows them to accrue playoff points, Hamlin said.
“That is what it was geared to do — give us the sense of urgency to ramp up and that regular season performance matters to get to the final four with a shot,” he said at Richmond Raceway. “The system is doing what it was designed to do.”
Hamlin also has changed, he said, after getting spun several times while leading.
“If you have one person willing to be aggressive and one person not, aggressive will win every time,” he said.
Larson, who said things are “fine” between him and Hamlin after they exchanged text messages July 28, agreed that the point system encourages the aggressive approach Hamlin took but added that it “makes the guys on the receiving end more mad as well just because of what’s at stake and what’s taken.”
Larson said four or five restart battles with Kyle Busch at World Wide Technology Raceway in June showed how cleanly he tries to race other drivers.
“I respect Kyle and that’s why I raced him with respect at Gateway, and I respect Denny every bit as much, if not more, or I did,” he said.
“I tend to blow things over pretty quickly,” Larson said. “This time, I probably have let it linger on my attitude a little bit this week just because it’s happened more often with him than any other driver in my career and also a win was taken.”
Larson won the first Richmond race this season in April.
POLE POSITION
Tyler Reddick earned his first NASCAR Cup Series pole the season — and first with his new team, 23XI Racing — Saturday afternoon with a lap of 113.669 mph in the No. 45 Toyota at Richmond Raceway. He outpaced Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch — the track’s winningest active driver — by 11-thousandths of a second.
“Really excited to be on the pole for the first time this year with 23XI and nice to finally get that first pole with the team,’’ said Reddick, who made slight contact with the Turn 4 wall during the first session of qualifying and wasn’t sure if the team would need to make any repairs before Sunday’s 3 p.m. Cook Out 400.
“I pretty much knew I was going to hit the wall, but I knew if I lifted, I wasn’t going to be able to make that second round, so I stayed in it,’’ Reddick said of the close call. “Hit the wall pretty good but was able to transfer into that second round.’’
Reddick, a 27-year-old Californian, won this year at the Circuit of the Americas road course in Austin, Texas.
POINTS RACE
William Byron has dropped 30 points behind Martin Truex Jr. in the points race with five races remaining before the playoffs begin. The regular-season champion gets a 15-point bonus, but Byron doesn’t expect to make any changes to the way he’s racing while trying to secure that top spot and bonus.
“It’s really important but we can’t get too focused on the result of the regular season points,” he said. “We obviously want those points, but our process has been like it is to this point, and if we start focusing on that carrot out in front of us too much, it’s going to get us off-track.”
CHASING SPEED
Chase Elliott said Richmond is “such a weird place” where his car never feels good but he was pleased to make the second round of qualifying. He’ll start fourth.
“Any position you can gain is good ahead of 10th,” Elliott said. “I also know this is a place where you can qualify really good and be really bad.”
Elliott missed six races with an injury and another while serving a suspension. He hasn’t won yet and likely will need to win to make the playoffs. He’s 21st in points.
“There’s a few guys that I feel like have been consistently good at this track and the rest of us are kind of hit or miss,” Elliott said. “Hopefully we can hit it tomorrow and just put together a solid day, try to get some stage points and just get up in the mix.”
HEAT CHECK
The temperature was near 100 degrees when the cars went out for qualifying, and the heat index made it feel even hotter. It’s expected to be about 90 on July 30.
“There’s less grip and more emphasis on tire management,” driver/owner Brad Keselowski said. “It will be a different race here than it was in the spring, for sure.” | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/29/denny-hamlin-says-nascars-point-system-encourages-in-race-urgency-and-aggression/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:54 | 0 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/29/denny-hamlin-says-nascars-point-system-encourages-in-race-urgency-and-aggression/ |
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — High winds blowing across the North Sea are delaying efforts to tow a burning cargo ship loaded with thousands of new cars to safety off the Dutch coast, the government said Sunday.
The Fremantle Highway was unlikely to be moved Sunday because of the southwesterly wind, according to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.
“The wind will continue to blow from the southwest for the next few days. The towing of the Fremantle Highway to the new temporary location may therefore still take several days to start,” the ministry said in an update Saturday night.
“The smoke from the fire and the wind direction mean that during the towing operation of the ship smoke is blowing over the tugboat,” it added.
Salvage crews on Saturday attached a second towing cable to the ship, which is transporting 3,783 new vehicles, including 498 electric vehicles, from the German port of Bremerhaven to Singapore. The salvage teams ultimately want to tow the stricken ship to a port but it is not yet clear where or when that will happen.
The ship has been burning since Tuesday. Firefighters decided not to douse the flames with water for fear of making the nearly 200-meters (219-yard) ship unstable as it floats close to North Sea shipping lanes and a world-renowned migratory bird habitat.
One crew member died and others were injured after the fire broke out. The crew was evacuated in the early hours of Wednesday.
The cause of the fire has not been determined. | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-high-winds-stall-efforts-to-tow-a-burning-cargo-ship-packed-with-cars-off-northern-dutch-coast/ | 2023-07-30T13:21:56 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-high-winds-stall-efforts-to-tow-a-burning-cargo-ship-packed-with-cars-off-northern-dutch-coast/ |
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabia will host a Ukrainian-organized peace summit in early August seeking to find a way to start negotiations over Russia’s war on the country, an official said Saturday night. The kingdom and Kyiv did not immediately acknowledge the planned talks.
The summit will be held in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity as no authorization had been given to publicly discuss the summit.
Those taking part in the summit will include Ukraine, as well as Brazil, India, South Africa and several other countries, the official said. A high-level official from U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration also is expected to attend, the official said. Planning for the event is being overseen by Kyiv and Russia is not invited, the official said.
Details regarding the summit, however, remain in flux and the official did not offer dates for the talks. The Wall Street Journal, which first reported on the summit, said the talks would take place Aug. 5 and 6 with some 30 countries attending, citing “diplomats involved in the discussion.”
Saudi officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press, nor did Ukraine’s Embassy in Riyadh. News of the summit comes after U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan visited the kingdom on Thursday.
The official who spoke to the AP said the summit would be the next step after talks that took place in Copenhagen in June.
Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the talks come as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in May attended an Arab League summit in Jeddah to press those nations to back Kyiv. Arab nations largely have remained neutral since Russia launched the war on Ukraine in February 2022, in part over their military and economic ties to Moscow.
Saudi Arabia also has maintained a close relationship with Russia as part of the OPEC+ group. The organization’s oil production cuts, even as Moscow’s war on Ukraine boosted energy prices, have angered Biden and American lawmakers.
But hosting such talks also help raise the profile of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has sought to reach a détente with Iran and push for a peace in the kingdom’s yearslong war in Yemen. However, ties also remain strained between Riyadh and the West over the 2018 killing and dismemberment of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, which U.S. intelligence agencies assess that Prince Mohammed ordered.
___
Madhani reported from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-official-tells-ap-that-saudi-arabia-will-host-ukrainian-organized-peace-summit-in-august/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:05 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-official-tells-ap-that-saudi-arabia-will-host-ukrainian-organized-peace-summit-in-august/ |
The Dolphins, who were rocked by the loss of All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey to a left knee injury late in Thursday’s practice, are signing cornerback Eli Apple, the Sun Sentinel has confirmed.
Apple’s signing, first reported by NFL Network, is a quick response to Ramsey’s surgery, which was Friday afternoon and might keep him sidelined until December.
Apple will add depth behind starters Xavien Howard and Kader Kohou, but he could contend for a starting job in the nickel package as well as the base package.
Apple was a 2016 first-round pick by the New York Giants out of Ohio State, interestingly the second cornerback selected (No. 10) after Ramsey, the No. 5 selection.
Apple spent two-and-a-half seasons with the Giants, falling out of favor in his second season before being traded to New Orleans in October 2018. He has since bounced around among New Orleans (2018-19), Carolina (2020) and Cincinnati (2021-22).
Apple has 71 starts in 81 games and five interceptions.
You might remember Apple has previously had a beef with Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill.
You might also recall Hill being excited to hear the Dolphins were playing the Bengals last season.
Once Tyreek Hill was informed the Dolphins are playing the Bengals Thursday, he immediately started talking trash to Eli Apple #Bengals #Dolphins
"I owe you, boy" pic.twitter.com/FYkTa7c9k8
— Yianni Kourakis (@WPBF_Yianni) September 26, 2022
Hill tweeted a reply Saturday afternoon to the news of Apple’s signing:
🥹 Monday practice gone be fun https://t.co/UpsL3FzGAB
— Ty Hill (@cheetah) July 29, 2023
Setting aside that projected drama, Apple could be a welcome addition to the Dolphins’ cornerbacks rotation and secondary.
Rookie Cam Smith, the second-round pick, would seem to be the favorite to be the third cornerback in the nickel package alongside Howard and Kohou, most likely on the boundary with Kohou in the slot.
Cornerback Nik Needham, who has experience in the slot, is on the PUP list (Physically Unable to Perform) as he recovers from an Achilles injury
Apple would likely be a boundary cornerback. | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/29/dolphins-to-sign-cornerback-eli-apple/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:10 | 0 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/29/dolphins-to-sign-cornerback-eli-apple/ |
Three Ukrainian drones attacked Moscow in the early hours on Sunday, Russian authorities said, injuring one person and prompting a temporary closure of traffic in and out 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.
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 Vnukovo airport on the southern outskirts of the city for about an hour, according to Tass, and the airspace over Moscow and the outlying regions was temporarily closed to all aircraft. Those restrictions have since been lifted.
Moscow authorities have also closed a street to traffic near the site of the crash in the Moscow City area.
Without directly acknowledging that Ukraine was behind the attack on Moscow, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian airforce said that the Russian people were seeing the consequences of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“All of the people who think the war ‘doesn’t concern them,’ it’s already touching them,” spokesperson Yurii Ihnat told journalists Sunday.
“There’s already a certain mood in Russia: that something is flying in, and loudly,” he said. “There’s no discussion of peace or calm in the Russian interior any more. They got what they wanted.”
Ihnat also referenced a drone attack on Russian-occupied Crimea overnight. Moscow announced Sunday that it had shot down 16 Ukrainian drones and neutralized eight more with an electronic jamming system. There were no casualties, officials said.
In Ukraine, the air force reported that it had destroyed four Russian drones above the country’s Kherson and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Information on the attacks could not be independently verified.
Meanwhile, two people were killed and 20 wounded by a Russian missile strike late Saturday evening on the city of Sumy in northeast Ukraine. A four-story building belonging to a vocational college was hit, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry said. Local authorities said that dormitories and teaching buildings were damaged in the blast and the fire that followed.
Russia’s Defense Ministry reported shooting down a Ukrainian drone outside Moscow on Friday. Four days earlier, two drones struck the Russian capital, 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.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-overnight-drone-attack-on-moscow-injures-1-prompts-temporary-airport-closure/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:11 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-overnight-drone-attack-on-moscow-injures-1-prompts-temporary-airport-closure/ |
The front page of Tontitown's website reads, "A Little Town, A Lot of Tradition." Grape symbolism sprawls across park signs and the local water tower, an homage to the Italian immigrants who put down the town's roots.
Real grapes used to populate the fields of Tontitown as well, but only one vineyard remains: Ranalli Farms. Chris Ranalli's grandfather came to Arkansas from Italy in 1906 and worked until he could afford a plot of land to cultivate in 1923, which makes the farm 100 years old this year. Ranalli says he learned how to grow a hundred acres of grapes from his grandfather, and he is now passing down the family knowledge.
"We're going to keep this tradition going with my grandson," Ranalli says. "I'm teaching him how to take care of all these crops. He's the best there is and learns really fast, so I'm very proud."
The pair had just finished working amid rows of ripened Mars grapes in the 90-degree heat to prepare for the annual Tontitown Grape Festival.
The festival celebrates more than just its namesake or the carnival rides and live music. It memorializes the journey of 40 Italian families to the state in 1898, led by Father Pietro Bandini, to escape sociopolitical turmoil in their home country.
The lively festival was voted America's 37th favorite 2023 summer event by FamilyDestinationsGuide.com, but it all stems from a picnic in the woods during the families' first year in America. The women of the new Italian settlement prepared what little food they had for a night of song and dance to celebrate a bountiful grape harvest.
Ranalli's daughter, Heather Ranalli-Peachee, says the festival has surprisingly never lost its focus on grapes. The event has drawn larger crowds, even as the number of grape farmers has dwindled down to just one: her father.
"We grew up with him making wine in the basement," Ranalli-Peachee recalls. "He still foot-stomps grapes, but now he uses rubber boots and bleaches them first. I've foot-stomped lots of grapes."
She says the grape stomp at the festival is just for the experience -- and the purple feet. The grapes are not used for food or wine.
"I bet there's a lot of toe jam mixed in those grapes," she says with a laugh.
Ranalli-Peachee and her husband opened the Tontitown winery about two miles away from the vineyard and walking distance from St. Joseph Catholic Church, where the festival is held. The business begins preparations about six months before the festival to ensure they have enough wine and staff.
Kara Jo Engle works with Heather at the winery and was crowned Queen Concordia in 2007. Her great-aunt and mother are also former queens.
She says she is glad her neighbors without Italian roots want to share a seat at the table for the festival's spaghetti dinners. Neighbors of the original Italian settlement did not like the foreigners and burned down the church several years after their arrival.
"There was so much disagreement at that time about the Italian settlement in Tontitown, but now their kids and grandkids are anticipating coming out here and celebrating with us," Engle says.
"Even though they didn't have any original settlers here, they still feel a connection with it. Everybody comes in as strangers or friends and leaves as family."
FYI
Tontitown Grape Festival
Aug. 1 -- Carnival opens at 5 p.m.; grape stomp at 7 p.m.; music at 7 & 9 p.m.
Aug. 2 -- Carnival opens at 5 p.m.; grape stomp at 7 p.m.; music at 7 & 9 p.m.
Aug. 3 -- Museum open from 3-7 p.m.; arts and crafts fair from 3-10 p.m.; spaghetti dinner from 4:30-8:30 p.m.; carnival opens at 5 p.m.; bingo at 6 p.m.; music at 7 & 9 p.m.
Aug. 4 -- Museum open from 1-7 p.m.; arts and crafts fair from 3-10 p.m.; spaghetti dinner from 4:30-8:30 p.m.; carnival opens at 5 p.m.; bingo at 6 p.m.; music at 6 & 9 p.m.; Queen Concordia coronation at 8 p.m.
Aug. 5 -- Run for the Grapes 5K at 7 a.m.; kids' fun run at 8 a.m.; museum opens at 10 a.m.; arts and crafts fair at 10 a.m.; local musician performances at noon; carnival opens at noon; spaghetti dinner from 4:30-8:30 p.m.; bingo at 6 p.m.; music at 7 & 9 p.m.; grand prize giveaway by Queen Concordia at 11 p.m.
INFO -- tontitowngrapefestival.com
[] | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/ranalli-farm-and-winery-anticipates-tontitown/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:11 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/ranalli-farm-and-winery-anticipates-tontitown/ |
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – The U.S. Geological Survey has a morbid request: they want you to mail in deceased butterflies, moths, and skippers if you live in one of six states.
According to the USGS, the pilot program hopes to collect specimens that can help “identify contaminants and environmental factors which may be contributing to the decline of insect populations.” said USGS.
“There are some questions that can’t effectively be answered without help from a lot of people. It’s what makes citizen science so special and valuable,” said Julie Dietze, USGS scientist-in-charge of the effort. “Collections like this one are important because they have the potential to provide scientists now, and 20 years from now, access to specimens.”
“Citizen scientists” have been submitting their butterflies, moths, and skippers since April, but based on how many specimens have been received, collections may continue through November 2024.
The USGS is hoping to collect these dead insects to establish a Lepidoptera Research Collection and all the specimens collected will be added to the USGS Research Scientific Collections database.
If you live in Alabama, Georgia, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, or Texas, you can participate in the USGS’s pilot program. These states were selected because they’re relatively close the migration pathway of Monarch butterflies, their proximity to the Corn Belt, and the number of Confined Animal Feeding Operations.
Before you run out to catch butterflies for submission, USGS says it will only accept insects that are already dead that have not been collected alive. The insect must also be larger than two inches.
Additionally, species that are protected by the U.S.’s Endangered Species Act or by state law are not accepted. Within the six participating states, that includes only the Mitchell’s satyr Butterfly, which is found in Alabama.
Once you’ve found your dead bug, the USGS recommends putting it in a resealable plastic bag. Insects that are damaged or not fully intact will be accepted, and bugs can be put into the same bags. If you aren’t able to ship your bugs within three days, you can freeze them.
Specimens should then be placed into a sealed envelope addressed to:
USGS LRC
1217 Biltmore Drive
Lawrence, KS 66049
You do not need to include a return address.
Species that are mailed in will be evaluated for the occurrence of antibiotics, pesticides, hormones, and mycotoxins, according to USGS.
Officials say the ‘dead’-line is November 1, 2023. | https://www.wdtn.com/news/u-s-world/scientists-want-your-dead-butterflies-moths-if-you-live-in-these-states/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:12 | 0 | https://www.wdtn.com/news/u-s-world/scientists-want-your-dead-butterflies-moths-if-you-live-in-these-states/ |
While the kids are on home instruction, there’s no better time than now to school them — on the 80s and 90s movies, that is. These decades are pop-culture treasure troves from which many of our fondest memories are plucked.
That’s why you and the kiddos should curl up on the couch and revisit your favorite flicks. Believe it or not, many of them are rich in educational value, even if it’s a matter of drawing the line with feathered bangs.
Our team rounded up essential 80s and 90s cinematic masterpieces for you to share with your kids as they begin their new favorite class, Film Studies 101: The Wonder Years.
Shop this article: Sister Act (1993), 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) and Sixteen Candles (1984)
Rated PG
Sister Act (1993)
Witness protection doesn’t need to be boring, especially when you send a Vegas lounge singer into a nunnery for selling out her mob boyfriend. Sister Mary Clarence brings a little jazz to the sisterhood, and you’ll probably sing along to this one — much to the chagrin of the kids.
Other subjects covered: Music theory, criminal justice, religion
Also available at Disney+
The Sandlot (1993)
The summer of 1962 is a formative one for this motley crew of young baseball players. From awkward interactions with girls to dealing with bullying, it’s an all-ages relatable story. And yes, there are plenty of inside jokes that only true baseball fans will appreciate.
Other subjects covered: Bildungsroman, baseball history, bullying
Also available at Starz
Beetlejuice (1988)
Introduce the kiddos to Lydia, a teen undergoing major life adjustments. Moving and making new friends in less-than-ideal situations isn’t easy, especially when you befriend the ghosts of tenants past in your new home — some of whom have colorful personalities.
Other subjects covered: Blended families, real estate ethics, exorcisms
Life is Beautiful (1998)
In an attempt to shield his son from the reality of Nazi occupation in Italy, a quirky Jewish bookshop owner turns their new way of life into a game. The lighthearted approach to keeping young Guido out of harm’s way without further traumatizing him is truly touching.
Other subjects covered: WW2 history, European geography, family dynamics
Hocus Pocus (1993)
Soul-sucking witches from 1693 surface 300 years later to give young Max a run for his money in Salem, Mass. Kids will be enthralled with his journey, as it shows how the actions of a single person has the potential to impact — or save — an entire town.
Other subjects covered: Early American history, time management, the effervescent Bette Midler
Also available at Disney+
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)
Whoa! Bill and Ted are the unintentional professors of this crash-course in world history. Join them as they adapt to ancient cultures and interact with historical figures — in a most excellent way.
Other subjects covered: the French Revolution, Greek philosophy, DIY repairs
Also available at Starz
Jungle 2 Jungle (1997)
The concrete jungle of New York City is a far cry from where Mimi-Siku was raised in the remote Canaima region of Venezuela. Upon arrival, he has to get used to Western traditions, a father he’s never met, and unexpected shenanigans involving the Russian mob.
Other subjects covered: Cultural diffusion, New York City architecture, table manners
Top Gun (1986)
Follow Kenny Loggins’s advice: Ride into the danger zone. Few things are as cool as Maverick rocking Ray-Bans and breaking the sound barrier. Cruise through the skies in style — and in preparation for this summer’s second installment to the iconic 80s blockbuster.
Other subjects covered: Aerospace engineering, gravity, classic 80s music
Rated PG-13
10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
A star-studded cast does Shakespeare justice in this modern spin on The Taming of the Shrew. High school can be the cruelest of times with unrequited love, impenetrable cliques, and popularity contests. Personality perseveres, though: being nice matters, and true love can prevail.
Other subjects covered: Courtly love, sibling rivalries, puberty
Also available at Disney+
Jurassic Park (1993)
Who doesn’t love a nature versus nurture story told through misadventures in a dinosaur theme park? Kids can flex their problem-solving skills by coming up with ways to escape velociraptors running amok — and may emerge as budding paleontologists.
Other subjects covered: Evolution, GMOs, the dangers of portable toilets
Titanic (1997)
Follow the larger-than-life story of Jack and Rose, star-crossed lovers divided by class, set on the ill-fated Titanic. Besides learning about the ship’s history, you’ll also explore how this mega-budget movie managed to pull off its special effects.
Other subjects covered: Early 20th century history, cinematic history, anatomy of a ship
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
Think it’s hard to relate to a high school slacker cutting class when you miss school? Think again. Ferris Bueller plays hooky and bites off more than he can chew trying to evade the principal. It’s a great lesson on the snowball effects of decision-making — not to mention joyriding.
Other subjects covered: Driver’s education, historic Chicago, the dramatic fourth wall
Clueless (1995)
This satirical commentary on 90s Valley Girls is very loosely based on Jane Austen’s Emma. Slice through the vivacious verbiage to see the true heart of the story. Cher’s tireless mission as a social butterfly reveals good intentions, despite hang-ups with designer clothing.
Other subjects covered: 90s fashion, British Romantic literature, epic closet organization
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Running with scissors is not encouraged, and neither is falling in love when you have them for hands. This Franken-fantasy love story is endearing and illustrates the importance of not judging others by their appearance. Besides, we’re all one snip away from having our hearts broken, too.
Other subjects covered: Human anatomy, Johnny Depp as a film icon, landscape architecture
Wayne’s World (1992)
Your kids will never hear an electric guitar the same way again. This 90s spectacle incorporates all things pop culture, including the music and fashion of the era. It’s also fascinating to draw similarities between this low-budget basement show and modern-day live-streaming.
Other subjects covered: History of social media, 80s classic rock and metal, fashionable flannel
Rated R
Sixteen Candles (1984)
Sixteen is already hard enough, and things get more complicated when your sister’s wedding overshadows your birthday. Follow Sam as she becomes embroiled in a challenging relationship with her crush and navigates the antics of nerdy teenage boys.
Other subjects covered: Sex education, Molly Ringwald as a cultural icon, event planning
Also available at Starz
Coming to America (1988)
When Crown Prince Akeem of Zamunda breaks with tradition and refuses an arranged marriage, he travels to none other than New York City to find an independent woman. East and West collide during Akeem’s courtship attempts, which are awkward and borderline inappropriate.
Other subjects covered: Cultural diffusion, courtship, international travel
Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1994)
To be fair, this film is technically PG-13, but it should be R. Set in jolly England, this comical delight is an un-PC retelling of Robin Hood. Toilet humor abounds, including a character named Latrine. The puns are awful, the names are worse, and if you do nothing else, duck and cover when Blinkin picks up a crossbow.
Other subjects covered: Medieval times, scriptwriting, personal hygiene
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Sian Babish writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/internet-streaming-br/best-movies-to-watch-with-your-kids/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:11 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/internet-streaming-br/best-movies-to-watch-with-your-kids/ |
TAMPA — The reputation is pristine. The likability is off the charts.
He’s had a home in the NFL practically his entire adult life, despite walking into the league as an undrafted free agent out of Temple in the mid-1980s. He spent eight years as a player, two as a scout and the last 24 as a coach. He’s drawn paychecks, at one time or another, from 10 of the NFL’s 32 teams.
Todd Bowles is a fixture in a league where few survive.
So why does it feel like his days in Tampa Bay are numbered?
It’s uncomfortable talking about a man’s job security before a season even begins, but it’s reality for a team caught between hope and the salary cap. Not many expect the Bucs to be a formidable opponent in 2023, and Bowles could be the scapegoat whether he is responsible or not.
Just minutes before his season-opening news conference early last week, an email arrived with the odds from betonline.ag for the coach most likely to be fired first this season. Bowles was No. 2 at 6-to-1, right behind Dallas coach Mike McCarthy.
The speculation is as logical as it is unfair. At 59, Bowles is no longer the hotshot up-and-comer who was named an assistant head coach in Miami in 2008 or who was honored as the NFL Assistant Coach of the Year in Arizona in 2014.
Bowles’ acumen as a defensive coordinator is still considered top of the charts, but as a head coach in the NFL he is standing on shaky ground.
His career 32-49 record with the N.Y. Jets and Bucs sounds like something out of a bygone era of Lindy Infante or Joe Bugel. In today’s NFL, coaches are not often afforded the opportunity of a sixth season in headsets when their winning percentage is below .400.
That Bowles is getting another shot speaks to his standing in the league. Also, to the unique circumstances surrounding his hiring.
It was 16 months ago that Bowles was unexpectedly handed the keys to the huddle in a rare hiring of a head coach so late in the offseason. His hasty ascension from defensive coordinator was necessitated by Bruce Arians’ sudden retirement or, if you prefer the sinister version, Tom Brady’s he-goes-or-I-go ultimatum.
The Bucs tumbled from a 24-9 record the previous two seasons to 8-9 under Bowles. Depending on your point of view, his lack of imagination was either the culprit or his steady hand was the glue that held a deteriorating roster together long enough to win a weak NFC South.
Either way, there will be no circumstantial hall pass this season. Either the Bucs show improvement in wins and losses — or at least a recognizable direction forward — or Bowles will likely pay the price.
“Getting into year two and having a full offseason to really think through what you want for the identity, being able to meet with me and my staff as much as he did, I think it will naturally become a little bit more of what Todd was envisioning,” general manager Jason Licht said. “Every coach is different, every coach has different thoughts of what they want. Todd is no different in that. Like I’ve said before, we’re in lockstep. I agree with Todd on everything he wants for this football team.”
What he wants and what the roster can provide could be drastically different.
Bowles has a team with a first-time offensive coordinator, either an unproven or a journeyman quarterback, nearly 30% of the salary cap tied up in dead money going to players no longer in Tampa Bay and a boatload of rookies replacing departed veterans.
Surely, he can see the potential pitfalls ahead?
“Predictions don’t bother me,” Bowles said. “It’s how you finish it.”
There’s an argument to be made that Bowles has stepped into two unenviable situations as a head coach. The Jets have not won a division title in more than 20 years, and the Bucs were destined to take a step backward as Brady grew older and the roster got thinner.
Unfortunately, the NFL is not a league built for excuses. Not for the dozens of players who get released every summer and not for the handful of coaches relieved of their duties every winter.
There are two head coaches in Tampa Bay history who reached the playoffs in their debut season.
The first was Jon Gruden, who won the Super Bowl in 2002.
The second was Bowles, who won a division title in 2022.
Gruden parlayed that Super Bowl victory into a lengthy stay in Tampa Bay, despite never winning another playoff game and going 45-51 in the next six seasons.
As for Bowles?
The odds say he won’t be given that much slack. | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/29/even-before-first-snap-bucs-coach-todd-bowles-has-to-know-job-is-on-the-line/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:16 | 1 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/29/even-before-first-snap-bucs-coach-todd-bowles-has-to-know-job-is-on-the-line/ |
CAIRO (AP) — Palestinian factions kicked off a meeting Sunday in Egypt to discuss reconciliation efforts as violence in the occupied West Bank surged between Israel and Palestinian militants.
The main groups, Hamas and Fatah, have been split since 2007. With repeated reconciliation attempts having failed, expectations for the one-day meeting are low. According to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, the gathering in the Egyptian city of el-Alamein on the Mediterranean Sea was discussing “ways to restore national unity and end the division.”
The meeting comes amid soaring violence in the West Bank, where Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah group are based and exert limited self-rule. Israel has been staging near-nightly raids in Palestinian areas of the territory in what it says is an attempt to stamp out militancy, especially in areas where Abbas’ security forces have less of a foothold.
Those raids have led to some of the worst fighting in nearly two decades in the West Bank. Palestinians also say the Israeli raids undermine their own security forces and weaken their leadership.
The meeting in Egypt was chaired and initiated by Abbas, presents the aging and longtime Palestinian leader with a chance to portray an image of control and statesmanship to both Palestinians and the international community at a time when he is deeply unpopular at home and his room for maneuver is constrained by the Israeli incursions.
The meeting was attended by other Palestinian leaders including Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas. the militant group which rules the Gaza Strip. Fatah and Hamas have been rivals since Hamas violently routed forces loyal to Abbas in Gaza in 2007, taking over the impoverished coastal enclave. Israel and Egypt have imposed a blockade on the territory.
For Hamas, joining the meeting is an opportunity to show Gazans that it is making an effort to mend the rift, even if nothing changes as a result.
Another key group playing a central role in the fighting with Israel, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, boycotted the gathering to protest the detentions by the Palestinian Authority of its members, according to the group’s leader, Ziyad al-Nakhala.
Egypt has for years acted as a mediator to try to end the infighting between Palestinian factions. It also helped broker truces in multiple rounds of fighting between Israel and Hamas. | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-palestinian-factions-meet-in-egypt-to-try-to-reconcile-as-violence-surges-in-the-west-bank/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:17 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-palestinian-factions-meet-in-egypt-to-try-to-reconcile-as-violence-surges-in-the-west-bank/ |
Regional medical center gains recognition
The North Arkansas Regional Medical Center in Harrison has received three awards from the American Heart Association. The awards are The Mission: Lifeline STEMI Referring Center Silver Plus award; the Get With The Guidelines -- Stroke Rural Recognition Bronze award; and the Mission: Lifeline EMS Silver achievement award.
Wound center receives award
The Northwest Medical Center, Bentonville Wound & Hyperbaric Center recently received RestorixHealth's Clinical Distinction Award. Recipients of this award meet or exceed national quality benchmarks over a set period of time. RestorixHealth started its program to recognize those centers that have demonstrated success by meeting or exceeding patient safety goals along with a 90% healing rate.
Briefs are for businesses in Northwest Arkansas that are new, have moved or closed, opened a new branch, changed owners or have been honored by an independent organization. Also, businesses with upcoming events open to the public may submit them for publication. Email items to lthompson@nwaonline.com. Information will be published as space allows. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/regional-medical-center-nationally-recognized/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:18 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/regional-medical-center-nationally-recognized/ |
Rare Beauty products by Selena Gomez are going viral
Since its debut in 2019, Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty company has taken the makeup industry by storm, mostly by dominating social media. The brand offers tinted moisturizer, bronzer, highlighter, setting powder, blush and other facial products; eye makeup such as eyeshadow, mascara and eyebrow pencils; products to enhance the lips, including lipstick, lip liner, lip oil and more. We researched the trendiest, most popular products from this celebrity-owned beauty brand worth adding to your makeup routine.
Shop this article: Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Brightening Concealer, and Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara
About Rare Beauty
Selena Gomez’s vision for Rare Beauty breaks down unrealistic standards of perfection in the makeup industry. The brand’s mission is to help wearers celebrate the rarity that is their individuality, the main objective being “to create a safe, welcoming space in beauty — and beyond — that supports mental well-being across age, gender identity, sexual orientation, rare, cultural background, physical or mental ability and perspective,” according to the Rare Beauty site.
Rare Beauty products are cruelty-free, meaning they were developed without experimentation on animals. Depending on the product type, they’re also ophthalmologist- and/or dermatologist-tested. Many of the products have noncomedogenic ingredients that won’t clog or block pores, and there are various options for sensitive skin. Rare Beauty has a selection of vegan products, as well. They’re a skin-friendly, self-aware brand that wants to make the world a better place.
Top Rare Beauty products, according to customers
Rare Beauty Kind Words Matte Lipstick
This buttery matte lipstick comes in 10 pigment-rich shades ranging from natural to bold. Suitable for sensitive skin, the creamy formula lasts all day while keeping lips soft and moisturized throughout wear.
Sold by Sephora
Rare Beauty Kind Words Matte Lip Liner
This creamy, waterproof lip liner defines and shapes the lips while staying put all day — it’s perfect for outlining the lips or coloring them in. The lightweight formula keeps the lips feeling soft and won’t smudge. It features a built-in sharpener and comes in the same 10 shades as the Kind Words Matte Lipstick for effortless color matching.
Sold by Sephora
Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush
This lush liquid blush is Rare Beauty’s top-seller, having received Allure’s Best of Beauty award in 2022. The lightweight, buildable formula gives you a soft flush of color with long-lasting pigments for all-day wear. It’s suitable for sensitive skin and has 13 beautiful matte and dewy finishes.
Sold by Sephora
Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Brightening Concealer
This medium-coverage concealer hides blemishes, dark circles, redness and fine lines while evening out skin texture. It’s made with botanical ingredients that soothe and nourish the skin. The creamy formula is lightweight, buildable and sweat-resistant, with 48 shades to match virtually every skin tone.
Sold by Sephora
Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation
This liquid foundation feels like a serum with a layerable, medium-coverage formula and a blend of botanical ingredients that soothe and nourish the skin. It’s best used with normal and combination skin types, available in 48 shades that accommodate nearly every skin tone.
Sold by Sephora
Rare Beauty Positive Light Liquid Luminizer
This silky liquid highlighter feels like a second skin, creating a dewy, healthy-looking glow with superfine, light-catching pearls. Botanical ingredients have a soothing and nourishing effect on the skin. It layers well over makeup and provides all-day coverage with seven luminous shades.
Sold by Sephora
Rare Beauty Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Stick
This cream bronzer gives you a sun-kissed glow and adds gentle warmth to the skin with its natural finish. The formula is buildable, water-resistant and won’t clog your pores. It features Rare Beauty’s signature botanical ingredients for a calming and hydrating effect on the skin. The brand sells seven natural-looking shades, and the stick application makes it easy to use.
Sold by Sephora
Rare Beauty Always an Optimist Soft Radiance Setting Powder
This loose setting powder smooths skin texture, blurring the look of pores and controlling shine for a radiant yet natural finish. It helps makeup stay in place all day and is especially useful for those who struggle with oily skin. The container has a locking sifter for keeping the application process and storage mess-free. This setting powder comes in five sheer shades.
Sold by Sephora
Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara
This volumizing mascara was created for all lash types, featuring castor oil that conditions and nourishes your lashes. The unique curvy brush design combines long bristles that add length and short bristles for increasing volume. It’s an ultra-black, buildable, water-resistant formula that performs well all day. This mascara is safe for those with sensitive eyes and contact lenses.
Sold by Sephora
Rare Beauty Positive Light Under Eye Brightener
If you struggle with dark circles or discoloration under the eyes, this liquid brightener will visibly brighten and smooth out the under-eye area for a refreshed look. The lightweight formula is enriched by hydrating white peony and vitamin E extracts. It’s easy to blend and layer using your fingertip, with six shades covering various skin tones.
Sold by Sephora
Rare Beauty Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer
This tinted moisturizer blurs and evens skin tone while minimizing the look of pores and fine lines. It offers glowy, light to medium coverage, with a hydrating formula containing vitamin E and SPF 20 broad-spectrum sunscreen. The long-lasting moisturizer is nongreasy and comes in 24 flexible shades.
Sold by Sephora
Rare Beauty Always an Optimist 4-In-1 Mist
This unique facial mist contains a layer of water-based active ingredients and another with nourishing oils that work together to hydrate, prime and set the skin. The refreshing mist boosts the foundation’s performance, and the natural, radiant finish won’t feel greasy. Suitable for sensitive skin, this versatile product comes in 0.12- and 2.87-fluid-ounce bottles.
Sold by Sephora
Worth checking out
- With a glossy finish and gentle plumping effect on the lips, the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil is a beauty-lover favorite.
- If you prefer using a powder highlighter, the Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter is an excellent option for a soft, natural-looking glow.
- The award-winning Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Melting Blush offers a natural satin finish with a subtle blurring effect.
- The Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Longwear Gel Eyeliner is a waterproof product that will stay in place — even on the waterline — with a built-in sharpener for precise application.
- The waterproof Rare Beauty Brow Harmony Precision Pencil is another stellar pick among fans for fuller-looking, more defined brows.
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Amy Evans writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wdtn.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/makeup-palettes-sets-br/these-are-the-most-popular-rare-beauty-products/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:18 | 0 | https://www.wdtn.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/makeup-palettes-sets-br/these-are-the-most-popular-rare-beauty-products/ |
Types of residential water heaters
Residential water heaters come in tank, tankless and hybrid varieties. Each type has its own distinct characteristics; benefits as well as drawbacks. By looking at factors including cost, energy efficiency, maintenance and lifespan, you’ll be able to determine which type is right for your home.
Shop this article: Rheem 50-Gallon Residential Electric Water Heater, Stiebel Eltron Tempra 36 Plus Tankless Heater, A.O. Smith 50-Gallon Hybrid Heat Pump Water Heater
Tank water heaters
Traditional water heaters feature a tank that stores hot water until it’s needed. They range in size from 30-50 gallons and run on either gas or electricity. These units cost less upfront compared to tankless and hybrid water heaters. Since they’re the most common type, costs associated with installation, repairs and maintenance are relatively low in comparison. Tank water heaters are associated with the most energy loss, referred to as standby heat loss. They waste energy by maintaining hot water in the tank when not in use.
Traditional water heaters have the shortest lifespan compared to the other types, typically lasting 8-12 years. Exposure to water, oxygen and minerals corrodes the tank over time, causing it to leak; this process is usually what causes a tank water heater to cease functioning.
Tankless water heaters
Also referred to as on-demand water heaters, tankless models are powered by gas or electricity. According to the Department of Energy, “for homes that use 41 gallons or less of hot water daily, demand water heaters can be 24–34% more energy efficient than conventional storage tank water heaters.” While tankless water heaters cost more up-front and are pricier to install compared to tank units, energy savings make them more cost-effective in the long run. Tankless heaters also take up significantly less space compared to tank and hybrid models.
Tankless water heaters have the longest lifespan, capable of lasting around 15 to 20 years. This is in part due to the fact that they do not operate constantly the way a traditional tank heater does. However, tankless water heater components may also experience corrosion, eventually.
Hybrid water heaters
Hybrid water heaters run on minimal electricity, consisting of a tank and a heat pump. They’re larger than tank water heaters, with sizes ranging from 50 to 80 gallons. Unlike tank and tankless units, they don’t directly generate heat — heat is taken from the surrounding air and transferred into the tank. For this reason, hybrid water heaters are among the most energy-efficient options on the market. However, they are costly and more expensive to install compared to traditional storage tank heaters. Hybrid water heaters function best when the temperature of the surrounding air remains at or above 40 degrees.
Hybrid water heaters tend to last around 13-15 years. Similar to tankless water heaters, they do not run continuously, which increases their lifespan. They still contain a tank capable of corroding, though, so they won’t last as long as tankless units.
Best tank water heaters
Rheem 50-Gallon Residential Electric Water Heater
This electric water heater has a 50-gallon capacity suitable for households of 3-5 people. The water heater includes a 6-year tank and parts warranty.
Sold by Walmart
Rheem 40-Gallon Residential Electric Water Heater
If you’re looking for an electric model for a smaller household, this unit is a better option. It can reliably heat water for two to four people, with an included six-year tank and parts warranty.
Sold by Walmart
Rheem 40-Gallon Natural Gas Water Heater
This natural gas heater with a 40-gallon capacity can support households of 2-4 people. It features a push-button ignition for an easier startup process. You’re covered with a 6-year tank and parts warranty, as well.
Sold by Walmart
Best tankless water heaters
Stiebel Eltron Tempra 36 Plus Tankless Heater
This tankless electric option provides a continuous output of hot water for three to four bathrooms in warm climates or two to three bathrooms in cooler climates. It has a digital display and preset temperature buttons that simplify operation. This heater comes with seven-year leakage and three-year parts warranties.
Sold by Amazon
EcoSmart ECO 27 Tankless Water Heater
Another electric pick, this tankless model can heat up to 6 gallons of water per minute, ideal for apartment and condo units in warmer climates. It features a digital display and dial temperature controls. The lifetime warranty offers peace of mind.
Sold by Amazon
Eemax Electric Tankless Water Heater
In cold climates, this tankless electric model produces enough hot water for one shower and two sinks to run simultaneously. In warmer climates, this heater can support up to four showers running at once. It features a digital display and dial controls, plus 5-year leak and 1-year parts warranties with purchase.
Sold by Amazon
Best hybrid water heater
A.O. Smith 50-Gallon Hybrid Heat Pump Water Heater
This hybrid water heater has a 50-gallon tank capable of servicing households of three to five people. You can access efficiency, hybrid, electric and vacation operating modes using the electronic interface. The electric heater comes with a six-year tank and parts warranty.
Sold by Amazon
Want to shop the best products at the best prices? Check out Daily Deals from BestReviews.
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Amy Evans writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/reviews/br/home-br/heating-cooling-air-quality-br/which-type-of-water-heater-is-best-for-you/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:18 | 0 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/reviews/br/home-br/heating-cooling-air-quality-br/which-type-of-water-heater-is-best-for-you/ |
General Daily Insight for July 30, 2023
A lack of clarity can lead to hurt feelings. Perfectionist Venus scoffs at wispy Neptune in a messy quincunx at 12:25 pm EDT, making it difficult to know what’s appropriate. As the Moon supports Mars, we at least have the courage to work past any misunderstandings and take ownership of our mistakes. Finally, the Moon agrees with Jupiter, showering us with luck and wisdom that should help us make sense of what was previously a confusing haze of emotion. We can find our way through.
Aries
March 21 – April 19
You could get the sense that you’re feeling your way through the dark. It’s possible that a statement of yours won’t land well with your audience, potentially because you weren’t aware that they were sensitive to the topics that you were addressing. While this isn’t completely unavoidable, there’s nothing wrong with taking ownership of what you said and apologizing for your ignorance. They’ll likely appreciate your willingness to grow from your mistakes, and you should be able to move past any awkwardness.
Taurus
April 20 – May 20
Your friends may feel like you’re avoiding them at the moment. While this probably isn’t the case, you may have recently spent a while on your own, handling situations that you needed to take care of — it might be time to reach out to your friends and remind them that you haven’t cut them off out of the blue. We all have periods of our lives where we’re not able to be as social, but a quick hello can make a big difference.
Gemini
May 21 – June 20
Speak from the heart, not from the mind. You could be struggling with an authority figure, like a parent or a supervisor, whom you find difficult to understand. You are different people who have unique styles of communicating and thinking, so your methods may not make sense to each other. It’s easy to dismiss someone’s way of life when you don’t know their story, but there’s likely a reason they operate like this. Keep an open mind when puzzling things out with them.
Cancer
June 21 – July 22
You might be avoiding learning something new. You could feel like you don’t need help or advice at this time, but you’re allowed to need a little boost getting to wherever you’re going. Trying to do it on your own may lead you to do things wrong or to take a lot more time — instead, make a point of listening to someone who knows tips and tricks to get you there much faster or more accurately. Don’t shut yourself off from growth.
Leo
July 23 – August 22
Your fears might distort what’s actually happening. Speaking onstage could feel like everyone is just waiting for you to finish, when really they’re engrossed in what you’re saying. Auditioning for a part or requesting funding could feel like you gave the worst performance of anyone, when really you knocked it out of the park! It’s understandable, since we all have insecurities, but try to see the people around you as being on your side rather than against you. Don’t create an enemy in your head.
Virgo
August 23 – September 22
Someone may be refusing to speak up. It’s possible that a peer is dancing around specific topics with you, or avoiding speaking to you entirely, but seems as though they have something that they want to say. Perhaps they feel hurt but don’t want to look weak, or a secret is weighing on them. Whatever they’re keeping inside, they could be struggling to bring it to the surface. Give them the space to figure it out, and until then, that’s all you can do.
Libra
September 23 – October 22
Someone who currently claims to be your friend might not be what they seem. They may feel enamored with you for myriad reasons, but their intentions could be less simple than companionship — what might they want from you? Whether this is love, money, influence, or just your kindness, you should be aware of the people that you’re sharing your life with during this time. Make sure that those in your circle want the best for you, as you do for them.
Scorpio
October 23 – November 21
You may not be sure what to say today. Someone could bring you shocking information, leaving you unsure whether to try and make them feel better with lighthearted humor or be serious and give them a shoulder to cry on. It might be best to ask them directly what would make them feel most supported or loved, and go from there, because attempting to figure it out through trial and error won’t be fun. As long as they know you care, that’s what matters.
Sagittarius
November 22 – December 21
You might be torn between moving on and trying again. In particular, it could be almost easy to see a future where you go your separate ways from someone in your life that you have fallen out with or just drifted apart from, even if at one point in time you couldn’t imagine your life without them in it. While it will take hard work to repair the relationship should you choose to try, preserving a meaningful connection with a friend may be worth it.
Capricorn
December 22 – January 19
It’s hard to know if you should speak up now — especially if you want to talk to someone about a tough topic or say something that won’t be easy for them to hear. You’re possibly not sure if you should clam up and keep the information to yourself, or if they would want to know so that they can promptly address the subject. This decision is difficult, and there’s probably no right answer. It’s more about what you feel inside. So use your intuition.
Aquarius
January 20 – February 18
Social risks may presently be dangerously uncertain. No matter how fun an acquaintance seems or how long you’ve been interested in getting to know them, listen to your gut. Set aside any shared interests and ask yourself why you haven’t fully approached them yet. Does anything about them endanger your sense of security? While it might still feel tempting to try and form a bond, it’s probably not worth the gamble you would be making. Not everyone has to be your friend.
Pisces
February 19 – March 20
A current choice between the easy way and the hard way isn’t as simple as it sounds. The easy way is potentially riskier or less aligned with your morals, while the hard way is challenging, but should be more stable and provide long-term benefits. Giving yourself an out and taking the simple path is enticing, but life might be more difficult later due to taking such shortcuts. Avoid punishing your future self and take the path that’s more likely to fully satisfy you. | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/29/general-daily-insight-for-july-30-2023/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:22 | 0 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/29/general-daily-insight-for-july-30-2023/ |
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The fight itself didn’t match the hype, but Terence Crawford’s performance exceeded it.
He 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, made Crawford the first undisputed champion in the 147-pound division 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 at 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 in the four-belt era.
“I only dreamed of being a world champion,” Crawford said. “I’m an over-achiever. Nobody believed in me when I was coming up, but I made everybody a believer. I want to thank Spence and his team because without him none of this would have been possible.”
A big fight night on the Strip still brings out the stars, with recording artist Andre 3000 of Outkast, 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 before a sellout crowd of 19,990 at T-Mobile Arena.
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.
“He was just better tonight,” Spence said. “I make no excuses. He was throwing a harder jab. He was timing with his jab, and he had his timing down on point.”
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 fight was essentially over at that point, though Crawford backed off in the eighth round. He came roaring back in the ninth to end it for sure.
Crawford didn’t waste the chance to gloat afterward, directly responding to his critics.
“They said I wasn’t good enough and I couldn’t beat these welterweights,” Crawford said. “I just kept my head to the sky and kept praying to God that I would get the opportunity to show the world how great Terence Crawford is. Tonight, I believe I showed how great I am.”
Spence, however, said he would be up for a rematch, but wants to move up to the 154-pound division.
“We’ve got to do it again,” Spence said. “I would be a lot better.”
Crawford said he would have no problem moving up a weight class.
“I’m in the hurt business,” Crawford said. “Forty-seven is kind of hard for me, too. I was already talking about moving up in weight and challenging (champion Jermell) Charlo.”
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.
___
AP boxing: https://apnews.com/hub/boxing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wdtn.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-crawford-unifies-welterweight-division-with-9th-round-tko-in-dominant-performance-over-spence/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:24 | 1 | https://www.wdtn.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-crawford-unifies-welterweight-division-with-9th-round-tko-in-dominant-performance-over-spence/ |
PAVLIVKA, Ukraine (AP) — The summer winds carried the smell of burned grain across the southern Ukrainian steppe and away from the shards of three Russian cruise missiles that struck the unassuming metal hangars.
The agricultural company Ivushka applied for accreditation to export grain this year, but the strike in mid-July destroyed a large portion of the stock, days after Russia abandoned the grain deal that would have allowed the shipments across the Black Sea without fear of attack.
Men shirtless and barefoot, with blackened soles from ash, swept unburnt grain into piles and awaited the loader, whose driver deftly steered around twisted metal shrapnel, bits of missile and craters despite his shattered windshield.
They hoped to beat the next rain to rescue what was left of the crop. According to the Odesa Regional Prosecutor’s Office, Russia struck the facility July 21 with three Kalibr- and Onyx-class cruise missiles.
“We don’t have a clue why they did it,” explained Olha Romanova, the head of Ivushka. Romanova, who worked in the debris alongside the others, wore a red headscarf and an exhausted expression and was too frazzled to even estimate her losses.
She cannot comprehend why the Russians targeted Ivushka, as there are no nearby military facilities and the frontlines are far from the village in the Odesa region.
“They spent so much money on us,” she said, puzzled. The missiles that ruined the silos are worth millions of dollars — far more than the crop they destroyed.
But Ivushka wasn’t the only target in Odesa. The main port also was struck, leaving Black Sea shipping companies that relied upon the grain deal to keep them safe and food supplies flowing to the world at a standstill.
The Black Sea handled about 95% of Ukrainian grain exports before Russia’s invasion and the U.N.-brokered initiative allowed Ukraine to ship much of what farmers harvested in 2021 and 2022, said Joseph Glauber, senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute.
Ukraine, a major supplier of corn, wheat, barley and vegetable oil, shipped 32.9 million metric tons (36.2 million U.S. tons) of grain under the nearly yearlong deal designed to ease a global food crisis. It has been able to export an additional 2 million to 2.5 million metric tons (2.2 to 2.7 million U.S. tons) monthly by the Danube River, road and rail through Europe.
Those are now the only routes to ship grain, but have stirred divisions among nearby European countries and generated higher costs to be absorbed by Ukrainian farmers, said Glauber, former chief economist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Russian missiles strikes against the Danube port last Monday also raised questions about how much longer that route will remain viable.
That’s a disincentive to keep planting fields already threatened by missiles and strewn with explosive mines. Corn and wheat production in agriculture-dependent Ukraine is down nearly 40% this year from prewar levels, analysts say.
From the first of July last year until June 30 this year, Ukraine exported 68 million tons of grain, according to data from Mykola Horbachov, the president of the Ukrainian Grain Association. Ukrainian farmers shipped 11.2 million tons via railways, 5.5 million tons by road transport and around 18 million tons through Danube ports. Additionally, nearly half of the total exported grain, 33 million tons, was delivered through seaports under the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
Ihor Osmachko, the general director of Agroprosperis Group, was unsurprised by Russia’s withdrawal from the deal leading to its collapse. His company had never considered it a reliable or permanent solution during wartime.
He said Russians frequently stymied the deal, even while it was functioning, by delaying ship inspections until the cargos were sent back, leading to $30 million in losses for his company alone. Now, they are once again forced to pay to reroute 100,000 tons of grain trapped in ports that are no longer safe, Osmachko said.
“We have been preparing for this whole time,” Osmachko said. “We haven’t stopped. We are moving forward.”
Osmachko estimated around 80% to 90% of the approximately 3.2 million tons of grain Agroprosperis exported to China, Europe and African countries during the past year went through the grain corridor.
“The most significant problem today is the cost of logistics,” explained Mykola Horbachov, president of the Ukrainian Grain Association. Before the war, farmers paid approximately $20 to $25 per ton to transport grain to the Odesa ports. Now, logistics costs have tripled as they are forced to pay more than $100 to transport a single ton via alternative routes through the Danube port to Constanta, Romania.
“If we were to go on the Danube with the grain corridor closed, practically all our production would be unprofitable,” Osmachko said.
The Danube ports can’t handle the same volume as seaports. The most Agroprosperis has sent through this route is 75,000 tons per month, compared with a monthly average of 250,000 tons through Black Sea ports.
The Ukrainian harvest this year is the lowest in a decade, according to a July report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Horbachov said shipping costs to export around the world and uncertainty about the length of the war will last could quickly make new planting unprofitable for Ukrainian farmers.
Ukraine currently produces three times more grain than it consumes, while global prices will inevitably rise if the country’s exports decrease.
“I think you’re looking at a diminished Ukraine for at least the next couple of years and maybe longer,” said Glauber, the former U.S. agricultural official. “That’s something the rest of the world just needs to make up.”
The war from all sides poses risks for Agroprosperis.
In the Sumy region on the Russian border, farmers harvest their crops wearing body armor. Sometimes they must stop their combines in the middle of the wheat fields to pick up shrapnel from Russian projectiles.
“It can get tough at times,” Osmachko acknowledged. “But there are responsibilities — some have duties on the front. Some must grow food and ensure the country’s and world’s security.”
___
Volodymyr Yurchuk in Lviv, Ukraine, and Courtney Bonnell in London contributed.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-russian-missile-attacks-leave-few-options-for-ukrainian-farmers-looking-to-export-grain/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:23 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-russian-missile-attacks-leave-few-options-for-ukrainian-farmers-looking-to-export-grain/ |
In July 2004, thousands lined up in Arkansas for a chance to get former President Bill Clinton's autograph on one or more copies...
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Remember when Arkansans stood for 24 hours in the rain to have Clinton sign his book?
by Celia Storey | Today at 1:30 a.m.
(From left) Sara Calvilla and Anita Avila both of San Jose, Calif. stand at the front of the line with Rita Fierro of San Diego, Calif. while holding copies of Bill Clinton's autobiography "My Life" on the afternoon of July 31, 2004, at the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Fayetteville. They arrived at the store at 6 p.m. July 30 and were the first three in line to meet Clinton. (Democrat-Gazette file photo)
Print Headline: Remember when, Arkansas?
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ADVERTISEMENT | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/remember-when-arkansans-stood-for-hours-in-the/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:24 | 1 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/remember-when-arkansans-stood-for-hours-in-the/ |
Best time to fertilize your lawn
Whether you’re creating a comfortable space for your family to spend their free time or increasing the curb appeal of your property, maintaining a green and healthy lawn can be difficult. One of the most effective steps you can take is applying fertilizer, but correctly applying it can be tricky. And an incorrect application can do more harm than good.
We at BestReviews want you to be knowledgeable when utilizing fertilizer and have created this guide to help you feel confident you’re adding the correct amount at the appropriate time.
Shop this article: EGO Power+ 21-inch 56-volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Mower, Scotts Turf Builder Classic Drop Spreader and Flexzilla Garden Hose
Fertilizer nutrients
Most fertilizers found in a store will have three numbers printed on the packaging, referring to nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Though all these nutrients are necessary for a better lawn, each performs a specific role in facilitating healthy grass growth.
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is the most important nutrient required for a healthy lawn. All plants, including grass, need nitrogen to produce chlorophyll. Chlorophyll not only acts as food for the plant but also gives the plant its green color. Applying a nitrogen fertilizer helps your grass grow faster, recover from environmental stresses and deters disease and invasive weeds.
Although nitrogen needs to be applied in the correct amount, too much nitrogen can lead to rapid growth with an underdeveloped root system. Too little nitrogen and the yard may become nitrogen deficient, causing the grass to yellow.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus promotes vigorous root growth and helps the grass pull water from the soil. A robust root system encourages proper hydration, helps plants reach full maturity, aids in survival during dry weather and keeps soil and nutrients from blowing away during strong winds and storms.
Potassium
Potassium helps a plant’s cells maintain ‘turgor pressure,’ also known as hydrostatic pressure. Simply put, turgor pressure is what gives the plant’s cell its structural integrity. This allows the plant to survive harsh conditions, like cold weather or drought.
Best grass mowers
EGO Power+ 21-inch 56-volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Mower
Cordless, self-propelled, and able to run 80 minutes on a single charge, the EGO Power 21-inch 56-volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Mower is the rare full-electric mower that feels like a gas model.
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Black & Decker 6.5A 12-inch Electric 3-in-1 Trimmer/Edger and Mower
This Black and Decker lawn edger is an affordable and quality option for those with medium to small yards looking for a versatile machine.
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Types of fertilizer
Fast-release vs. slow-release
With nitrogen as the most critical component in facilitating plant growth, you should pay careful attention to how you introduce it into your yard’s ecosystem. Fast-release nitrogen fertilizers provide rapid growth and greening but increase the risk of nitrogen oversaturation.
Slow-release nitrogen fertilizers, also known as controlled-release fertilizers, allow for a more gradual introduction of nitrogen. Plant greening and maturation won’t be rapid, but you can expect even grass growth and lessen the chance of lawn damage.
Liquids vs. granules
Most home fertilizers come in either liquid or granule form. Though both contain the same nutrients needed to facilitate healthy lawn growth, they each have specific benefits and drawbacks.
Liquid fertilizers have a consistent distribution of nutrients and are easy to apply. Liquid fertilizers do not have a slow-release nitrogen option, and the initial cost of a distribution system can be steep.
Granular fertilizers are cheap to purchase, especially in bulk, are easy to store and provide slow-release nitrogen fertilizer options. Though granular fertilizers don’t spread as evenly as their liquid counterparts, the cost of granule distribution systems is far less.
Best granular spreaders
Scotts Turf Builder Classic Drop Spreader
With its straightforward operation and ease of use, the Turf Builder Classic Drop Spreader is an ideal fit for those who need to distribute fertilizer over a large area.
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Scotts Turf Builder EdgeGuard Mini Broadcast Spreader
For gardeners on a budget, Scotts Turf Builder EdgeGuard Mini Broadcast Spreader has plenty of capacity to cover most lawns and gardens.
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Scotts Wizz Hand-Held Spreader
Lightweight and handheld, the Scotts Wizz Hand-Held Spreader is an excellent fit for the gardener with a small or atypical-shaped yard in need of fertilizing.
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When is the best time to fertilize your lawn?
Depending on the needs of your soil and climate, your lawn may require multiple applications of fertilizer throughout the year. However, there are two critical times during the year when spreading fertilizer can most benefit your yard.
Spring
When fertilizer is applied to frozen soil, the plants cannot absorb nitrogen and other nutrients. Instead, the nitrogen rests on top of the soil and can be washed away, collecting in the low parts of a yard or into storm drains and ditches. These areas become damaged from an over-concentration of nitrogen and will need further attention and maintenance.
In spring, wait until the soil has sufficiently thawed and warmed before applying fertilizer. Creating a solid root system early will lead to a healthier and greener yard later, so be cautious not to apply too much nitrogen too fast.
Fall
Late fall is arguably the most critical time to apply fertilizer, as the winter months will be the hardest on your lawn. Research the expected climate in your area and spread fertilizer 2-3 weeks before the soil will freeze. The morning dews during those few weeks will bring the essential nutrients from the fertilizer into the soil. The result will be a lawn more prepared for the cold winter months and a healthier root system when the soil thaws again in the spring.
When to water the lawn after fertilizing
If you decide to apply granular fertilizer to your lawn, water the area immediately to ensure the nutrients are absorbed. Never apply granular fertilizer to wet grass, as wet grass can cause nitrogen to wash away before entering the soil, damaging your lawn.
Rugged enough to discourage kinks, yet flexible and easy to use, the Flexzilla garden hose is an ideal purchase for the gardener who prefers a hands-on approach to lawn maintenance.
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Gerrad Frei writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/fertilizers-br/when-to-fertilize-your-lawn/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:26 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/fertilizers-br/when-to-fertilize-your-lawn/ |
The National Hurricane Center turned its focus back to a lone system with the chance to form into the season’s next tropical depression or storm.
After keeping tabs on both a system off the coast of Florida that drenched the state for the last couple of days as well as one that was headed toward Central America, the NHC now has its eyes on a tropical wave in the Atlantic located about 1,000 miles east-northeast of the Leeward Islands.
“Environmental conditions are expected to be favorable for gradual development of this system during the next few days, and a tropical depression is likely to form during the early part of next week,” forecasters said.
Its projected path, though, is expected to swing west-northwest away from the Caribbean remaining in the open Atlantic chugging along at about 15 mph. It will then swing north-northwest into the central subtropical Atlantic by Monday.
Chances have risen for it to spin up into a tropical cyclone, though, with the NHC giving it a 30% chance to form in the next two days and 70% in the next seven.
If it does gain enough strength to be a named storm, it would become Tropical Storm Emily.
An area of low pressure just off the coast of North Florida will keep skies cloudy for much of the area today, which will bring some relief from the heat this afternoon. Rain chances increase as showers move in from the coast over the next few hours. #scwx #gawx #caewx pic.twitter.com/SXDmtuNWsr
— NWS Columbia (@NWSColumbia) July 28, 2023
Florida’s wet weather from a tropical wave the moved up the coast and dropped 1-3 inches of rain setting daily records along the Space Coast has moved to the north.
The system prompted flood advisories up Florida’s east coast with the National Weather Service at one point Friday reporting a rain gauge in Fellsmere measured 5 inches of rain.
For now, though, Florida is out of the tropical weather spotlight.
The hurricane season runs from June 1-Nov. 30. | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/29/hurricane-center-back-to-tracking-1-system-that-could-develop/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:28 | 0 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/29/hurricane-center-back-to-tracking-1-system-that-could-develop/ |
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Justin Gaethje knocked out Dustin Poirier with a head kick one minute into the second round to win the main event lightweight bout at UFC 291 on Saturday night.
The third-ranked Gaethje (26-4) celebrated his victory by climbing to the top of the Octagon fence and doing a backflip off it. His perfectly timed headshot helped him avenge a loss to Poirier in 2018 when he suffered a fourth-round technical knockout via strikes.
“This chance at redemption was amazing,” Gaethje said. “It drove me to work harder to be ready.”
It was Gaethje’s 20th win by knockout or TKO and his seventh victory in his last nine fights. He also scored his first knockout win since UFC 249 in 2020.
“I was surprised by myself and how good I fought,” Gaethje said.
Second-ranked Poirier (29-8) entered the rematch between the two former interim lightweight champions as a minus-152 favorite according to FanDuel. He matched Gaethje blow for blow in the first round – earning a 10-9 advantage on two of three scorecards – before being quickly dispatched in the second.
The decisive high kick from one former champ caught the other by surprise because it wasn’t a move that he expected to see from Gaethje.
“I thought I had four more rounds,” Poirier said. “I didn’t know I had two more minutes.”
With the victory, Gaethje earned a BMF belt – the second UFC fighter to be awarded that belt.
Beating Poirier opens the door for Gaethje to have a potential title bout against the winner of Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira, who are set to square off at UFC 294 in October.
Gaethje’s BMF win over Poirier headlined five main card bouts.
Alex Pereira defeated Jan Blachowicz by split decision in a light heavyweight bout billed as the co-main event for his eighth win in his last nine fights.
Pereira (8-2), ranked second as a middleweight, made his debut in the light heavyweight division at UFC 291 after losing the middleweight title belt via knockout to Israel Adesanya at UFC 287 in April. Blachowicz (29-10-1) did not make the transition in weight class a smooth one for the former champion.
He weathered early takedowns in the first two rounds and rallied in the third round.
Derrick Lewis earned a record 14th knockout win over Marcos Rogerio de Lima just 33 seconds into the first round of the heavyweight bout. The No.10-ranked Lewis (27-11) scored an immediate takedown with a flying knee and pummeled 15th-ranked Rogerio de Lima (21-10-1) with repeated punches to score the early finish. He celebrated snapping a three-fight slide by stripping off his shorts and dancing around the Octagon.
“The win means a lot to me,” Lewis said. “I had a lot of pressure on me coming into this fight and I just wanted to prove to everyone I’m still one of the best fighters in the world.”
Bobby Green beat Tony Ferguson by submission via choke with six seconds left in the third round of the lightweight bout. Green (30-14-1) dominated the final two rounds to earn his second career submission, scoring takedowns in both rounds while raining repeated blows that left his opponent battered. He denied Ferguson (26-9) a shot at earning his first UFC victory since 2019, sending the 39-year-old fighter home with his sixth straight loss.
Kevin Holland made quick work of Michael Chiesa to win the welterweight bout. Holland (25-9) beat the 12th-ranked Chiesa — fighting for the first time following a two-year hiatus — by submission at 2:39 in the first round. He used his length and striking abilities to trap Chiesa (18-7) in a D’arce choke, forcing a quick tap out.
Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith, Jazz coach Will Hardy, and former Jazz stars Deron Williams and Karl Malone were among those in attendance at the second UFC pay-per-view event in 11 months in the Beehive State.
UFC reported a live gate of $6.5 million, breaking the previous venue record set at UFC 278 in August 2022. A sellout crowd of 18,467 was in attendance.
___
AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wdtn.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-gaethje-knocks-out-poirier-in-second-round-to-win-ufc-291-lightweight-bout/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:30 | 0 | https://www.wdtn.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-gaethje-knocks-out-poirier-in-second-round-to-win-ufc-291-lightweight-bout/ |
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — With less than a month to go until the first Republican presidential debate of the 2024 campaign, seven candidates say they have met qualifications for a spot on stage in Milwaukee.
But that also means that about half the broad GOP field is running short on time to make the cut.
To qualify for the Aug. 23 debate, candidates needed to satisfy polling and donor requirements set by the Republican National Committee: at least 1% in three high-quality national polls or a mix of national and early-state polls, between July 1 and Aug. 21, and a minimum of 40,000 donors, with 200 in 20 or more states.
A look at who’s in, who’s (maybe) out and who’s still working on making it:
DONALD TRUMP
The current front-runner long ago satisfied the polling and donor thresholds. But he is considering boycotting and holding a competing event.
Campaign advisers have said the former president has not made a final decision about the debate. One noted that “it’s pretty clear,” based on Trump’s public and private statements, that he is unlikely to appear with the other candidates.
“If you’re leading by a lot, what’s the purpose of doing it?” Trump asked on Newsmax.
In the meantime, aides have discussed potential alternative programming if Trump opts for a rival event. One option Trump has floated is an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who now has a program on X, the site formerly known as Twitter.
RON DESANTIS
The Florida governor has long been seen as Trump’s top rival, finishing a distant second to him in a series of polls in early-voting states, as well as national polls, and raising an impressive amount of money.
But DeSantis’ campaign has struggled in recent weeks to live up to the sky-high expectations that awaited him when he entered the race. He let go of more than one-third of his staff as federal filings showed his campaign was burning through cash at an unsustainable rate.
If Trump is absent, DeSantis may be the top target on stage at the debate.
TIM SCOTT
The South Carolina senator has been looking for a breakout moment. The first debate could be his chance.
A prolific fundraiser, Scott enters the summer with $21 million cash on hand.
In one debate-approved poll in Iowa, Scott joined Trump and DeSantis in reaching double digits. The senator has focused much of his campaign resources on the leadoff GOP voting state, which is dominated by white evangelical voters.
NIKKI HALEY
She has blitzed early-voting states with campaign events, walking crowds through her electoral successes ousting a longtime incumbent South Carolina lawmaker, then becoming the state’s first woman and first minority governor. Also serving as Trump’s U.N. ambassador for about two years, Haley frequently cites her international experience, arguing about the threat China poses to the United States.
The only woman in the GOP race, Haley has said transgender students competing in sports is “the women’s issue of our time” and has drawn praise from a leading anti-abortion group, which called her “uniquely gifted at communicating from a pro-life woman’s perspective.”
Bringing in $15.6 million since the start of her campaign, Haley’s campaign says she has “well over 40,000 unique donors” and has satisfied the debate polling requirements.
VIVEK RAMASWAMY
The biotech entrepreneur and author of “Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America’s Social Justice Scam” is an audience favorite at multicandidate events and has polled well despite not being nationally known when he entered the race.
Ramaswamy’s campaign says he met the donor threshold earlier this year. He recently rolled out “Vivek’s Kitchen Cabinet” to boost his donor numbers even more, by letting fundraisers keep 10% of what they bring in for his campaign.
CHRIS CHRISTIE
The former New Jersey governor opened his campaign by portraying himself as the only candidate ready to take on Trump. Christie called on the former president to “show up at the debates and defend his record.”
Christie will be on that stage, even if Trump isn’t, telling CNN this month that he surpassed “40,000 unique donors in just 35 days.” He also has met the polling requirements.
DOUG BURGUM
Burgum, a wealthy former software entrepreneur now in his second term as North Dakota’s governor, has been using his fortune to boost his campaign.
He announced a program this month to give away $20 gift cards — “Biden Relief Cards,” as a critique of President Joe Biden’s handling of the economy — to as many as 50,000 people in exchange for $1 donations. Critics have questioned whether the offer violated campaign finance law.
Within about a week of launching that effort, Burgum announced he had surpassed the donor threshold. Ad blitzes in the early-voting states also helped him meet the polling requirements.
MIKE PENCE
Trump’s vice president has met the polling threshold but has yet to amass a sufficient number of donors, raising the possibility that he might not qualify for the party’s first debate.
Pence and his advisers have expressed confidence he will do so, noting that most other Republican hopefuls took a month or two of being active candidates to meet the mark. Pence entered the race on June 7, the same day as Burgum and one day after Christie.
“We’re making incredible progress toward that goal. We’re not there yet,” Pence told CNN in a recent interview. “We will make it. I will see you at that debate stage.”
ASA HUTCHINSON
According to his campaign, the former two-term Arkansas governor has met the polling requirements but is working on satisfying the donor threshold. As of Wednesday, Hutchinson marked more than 11,000 unique donors.
Hutchinson is running in the mold of an old-school Republican and has differentiated himself from many of his GOP rivals in his willingness to criticize Trump. He has posted pleas on Twitter for $1 donations to help secure his slot.
FRANCIS SUAREZ
The Miami mayor has been one of the more creative candidates in his efforts to boost his donor numbers. He offered up a chance to see Argentine soccer legend Lionel Messi’s debut as a player for Inter Miami, saying donors who gave $1 would be entered in a chance to get front-row tickets.
Still shy of the donor threshold, he took a page from Burgum’s playbook by offering a $20 “Bidenomics Relief Card” in return for $1 donations. A super political action committee supporting Suarez launched a sweepstakes for a chance at up to $15,000 in tuition, in exchange for a $1 donation to Suarez’s campaign.
Suarez’s campaign did not return a message seeking details on his number of donors or qualifying polls.
LARRY ELDER
The conservative radio host wrote in an op-ed that the RNC “has rigged the rules of the game by instituting a set of criteria that is so onerous and poorly designed that only establishment-backed and billionaire candidates are guaranteed to be on stage.”
His campaign last week declined to detail its number of donors, saying only that there had been “a strong increase the last few weeks.” He has not met the polling requirements.
PERRY JOHNSON
Johnson, a wealthy but largely unknown businessman from Michigan, said in a recent social media post that he had notched 23,000 donors and was “confident” he would make the debate stage. He added that all donors were “eligible to attend my free concert in Iowa featuring” country duo Big & Rich next month.
Johnson, who has reached 1% in one qualifying poll, has also offered to give copies of his book “Two Cents to Save America” to anyone who donated to his campaign.
WILL HURD
The former Texas congressman — the last candidate to enter the race, on June 22 — has said repeatedly that he would not pledge to support the eventual GOP nominee, a stance that would keep him off the stage even if he had the qualifying donor and polling numbers.
___
Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP | https://www.wane.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-whos-in-whos-out-a-look-at-which-candidates-have-qualified-for-the-1st-gop-presidential-debate/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:30 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-whos-in-whos-out-a-look-at-which-candidates-have-qualified-for-the-1st-gop-presidential-debate/ |
BAGHDAD -- The leader of Lebanon's Shiite militant group Hezbollah said Saturday if governments of Muslim-majority nations do not act against countries that allow the desecration of the Quran, Muslims should "punish" those who facilitate attacks on Islam's holy book.
The comments by Hassan Nasrallah came in a video address to tens of thousands gathered in Beirut's southern suburbs to mark Ashoura -- a Shiite holy day commemorating the seventh century martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson Hussein.
Nasrallah often uses religious occasions to send political messages to followers, and Saturday he slammed recent incidents in which the Quran was burned or otherwise desecrated at authorized demonstrations in Sweden and Denmark.
He said Muslims should watch for the outcome of an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, scheduled to take place Monday in Baghdad to discuss the organization's response to the Quran burnings.
The organization and its member states should "send a firm, decisive and unequivocal message to these governments that any repeat of the attacks will be met with a boycott," Nasrallah said. If they do not, he said, Muslim youth should "punish the desecrators."
He did not elaborate what such a boycott and punishment should entail.
Members of the crowd, who carried banners with religious slogans alongside the flags of Hezbollah, Lebanon and Palestine, chanted, "Oh, Quran, we are at your service; Oh, Hussein, we are at your service."
Shiites represent more than 10% of the world's 1.8 billion Muslims and view Hussein as the rightful successor to the Prophet Muhammad. Hussein's death in battle at the hands of Sunnis at Karbala, south of Baghdad, ingrained a deep rift in Islam and continues to this day to play a key role in shaping Shiite identity.
Millions of Shiite Muslims in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and around the world commemorated Ashoura on Friday, while Saturday marked the culmination of the observances in countries such as Lebanon, Iraq and Syria.
Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims gathered in the Iraqi city of Karbala, where Hussein is entombed in a gold-domed shrine. In the streets of the Baghdad suburb of Sadr City, mourners gathered to watch reenactments of the Battle of Karbala and Hussein's death.
In the streets, young men clad in black and white slashed their heads with swords and knives to demonstrate their grief. Friends swabbed each other's heads with tissues and handed each other water.
In Syria's capital, Damascus, the crowds were mourning not only the death of Hussein but a deadly attack in the suburb of Sayida Zeinab, home to a shrine to Zeinab, the daughter of the first Shiite imam, Ali, and granddaughter of the Prophet Muhammad.
A bomb hidden in a motorcycle exploded there Thursday, killing at least six people and wounding dozens more. On Tuesday, another bomb in a motorcycle had wounded two people.
On Friday, the Islamic State group -- a Sunni militant group that often targets Shiites -- claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying Thursday's bombing came "during their annual polytheistic rituals." The group's extreme interpretation of Islam holds Shiite Muslims to be apostates.
Information for this article was contributed by Anmar Khalil and Hassan Ammar of The Associated Press, | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/retaliation-for-quran-abuse-urged/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:31 | 1 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/retaliation-for-quran-abuse-urged/ |
Invest in art supplies to spark creativity
Art is a fun, hands-on way for kids to play and express themselves. Whether they’re doodling, designing or painting, each art project taps into their creativity and provides hours of fun.
If you’re thinking of investing in art supplies for kids, you might be wondering where to begin. Start with foundational supplies, which include coloring, sketching and painting sets. Beyond these, opt for supplies and tools that cater to your kids’ unique artistic interests. Kids who are fascinated with fashion design, for example, will appreciate sewing machines, while others may want to dabble in sculpting with modeling clay.
Shop this article: Elmer’s Rainbow Glitter Glue Pen Set, Desk Organizer for Kids and Magic Erasers
What to know about art supplies for kids
Safety
Elmer’s Rainbow Glitter Glue Pen Set
Art supplies made for kids are designed to be safe and age-appropriate. Many of them have non-toxic components or ingredients, such as Elmer’s Rainbow Glitter Glue Pen Set. Like certain toys, some art supplies may have small parts warnings. Additionally, if art supplies or kits require adult supervision, manufacturers usually indicate it clearly on the packaging.
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Storage
It’s common to amass a modest collection of kids’ art supplies, which is why it’s smart to think about storage options, too.
- Markers, colored pencils and crayons can be placed in desktop organizers or caddies.
- Small or loose supplies, such as beads or card-making supplies, can be stored in stacking storage bins.
- When several types of art supplies are used on a regular basis, a utility rolling cart keeps them accessible and organized.
- Art supplies brought on trips can be stored in portable craft organizers.
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How to handle art project messes
It’s no secret that art projects can get messy. Even if you take precautionary measures — including laying a newspaper on the floor or wearing smocks — accidents happen. Fortunately, most messes can be cleaned up quickly with the right products.
Adhesive removers are ideal for lifting residue left by glue and stickers. Magic Erasers can remove stubborn pen and marker stains from walls and other hard surfaces. Stain-fighting detergent and pre-treat spot cleaners are effective at lifting most paint and ink stains from kids’ clothing.
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How much you can expect to spend on art supplies for kids
Basic art supplies for kids, including entry-level coloring and craft sets, cost $10 or less. Mid-range art supplies, such as deluxe painting, coloring or sculpting sets, run between $10-$30. High-end supplies, like artist-grade colored pencils, run $30-$75.
Best art supplies for kids
Deluxe marker set
Deluxe marker sets include dozens of markers in a wide variety of colors. In addition to the basic rainbow colors, they may have several unique shades.
Crayola Super Tips Marker Set includes 100 markers in 100 colors. Their tapered tips are suitable for fine color work or everyday doodling. The markers, intended for ages 3 and older, are non-toxic and washable.
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Graphite pencils
Graphite pencils are used for sketching and shading. Sets include a range of grades, which vary based on hardness and how much lead the pencil deposits on paper. The higher the grade, the lighter the mark it will leave.
Staedtler Mars Lumograph Art Pencil Set
Staedtler Mars Lumograph Art Pencil Set includes 12 graded pencils ranging from 6B through 4H. Considered an artist-grade set, they’re easy to sharpen and erase and are packaged in a sleek, protective tin.
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Sketchbook
Sketchbooks are blank canvases for budding artists. They’re available in more than one type of paper to accommodate various types of ink, pencils or paint.
Strathmore Sketch Pad, considered an ideal “first sketchbook,” is suitable for pencil, charcoal, pastel and sketch work. The spiral-bound design features a heavy cardboard front and back to protect pages.
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Modeling clay
Modeling clay is soft and malleable, which makes it a kid-friendly medium for sculpting. Some types of modeling clay air dry into tiny creations, whereas others are non-drying and lend themselves to repeated reshaping.
Faber-Castell Modeling Clay Set
Faber-Castell Modeling Clay Set comes with clay in 10 classic colors. The kit includes a few sculpting tools as well, such as shape cutters and push molds. Suitable for ages 4 and older, this non-drying clay is gluten-free and non-toxic.
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Easel
A kids’ easel is a versatile investment in art, as it can be used for upright sketching or painting. Many of these easels have built-in tables that hold art supplies, including paint pots or chalk.
Light box
Light boxes are designed for animation, comic book art and stenciling. Their illumination comes from bright white LED lights, which last through hours of use. Many light boxes offer more than one brightness option.
TickTeckLab A4 Ultra-Thin Portable LED Tracer
TickTeckLab A4 Ultra-Thin Portable LED Tracer is appreciated for its flicker-free glow. The portable light box comes with a micro USB port for easy charging through power banks, PCs or compatible AC adapters.
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Construction paper
Construction paper remains one of the most versatile types of paper for art projects. Its heavyweight design and bright colors make it ideal for designing cards, mobiles and other crafts.
Crayola Construction Paper comes with a set of 96 9×12-inch sheets in eight colors. The paper is suitable for all types of pencils and most types of ink, including bold markers and high-pigment pens.
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Acrylic paint set
Acrylic paint is considered a multipurpose paint since it can be used on a variety of surfaces, including glass, ceramic, stone, canvas and wood. It blends easily and is ideal for beginner painters.
Arteza Craft Acrylic Paint includes 20 popular colors packaged in squeezable bottles. The fast-dry formula minimizes smearing and messes. The paint is non-toxic and can be cleaned from most surfaces with soap and water.
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Lettering kit
Creative lettering, or calligraphy, is done with a diverse range of pens with contoured tips. These pens create unique designs and shapes, resulting in artistic signs, words, logos or monograms.
Prismacolor Premier Beginner Hand Lettering Set
Prismacolor Premier Beginner Hand Lettering Set is a popular introductory set that includes two graphite pencils and four pens. The kit comes with a tips pamphlet that explains basic techniques on letter shaping and design.
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Sewing machine
Sewing machines let users experiment with fashion design, home decor and other types of fabric crafting. While they’re more expensive than most art supplies, sewing machines lend themselves to considerable use and may last for the better part of a decade — or longer.
Singer M3330 Making the Cut Sewing Machine
Singer M3330 Making the Cut Sewing Machine, a user-friendly model, is equipped with 97 stitches and has a convenient front-loading bobbin. In addition to its compact design, the Singer sewing machine has a full-metal frame for lasting durability.
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/tools-br-lawn-garden-br/arts-crafts-br/best-art-supplies-for-kids/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:33 | 0 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/tools-br-lawn-garden-br/arts-crafts-br/best-art-supplies-for-kids/ |
By STEPHEN WADE
Associated Press
FUKUOKA, Japan — Here’s why Katie Ledecky is one of the greatest freestyle swimmers in the history of the sport: She is never quite satisfied.
The 26-year-old American won the 800-meter freestyle on Saturday at the world championships to become the first swimmer to win six golds in the same event at worlds. It was also her 16th individual world title, breaking a tie with Michael Phelps for the most golds at worlds.
She also is a seven-time Olympic gold medalist and the world record holder in both the 800 and 1,500.
But that winning time — 8 minutes, 8.87 seconds, which is the seventh-quickest she’d ever swum — wasn’t quite good enough in her favorite event.
“I’m just always trying to think of new ways to improve. I mean I’ve already got everything turning in my head right now. I kind of wanted to be better than I was tonight,” she said, twirling her right hand beside her right ear, trying to stir up ideas.
“I’m pretty tough on myself,” she said. “But I think I have found the balance of being tough on myself but also having that grace.”
The 800 was Ledecky’s second individual gold following her win in the 1,500 free on Tuesday. She also took silver in the 400 free. Li Bingjie of China took silver in 8:13.31, and Ariarne Titmus of Australia got the bronze in 8:13.59.
“It’s fun to leave a meet with your favorite event, and I just wanted to leave it all in the pool,” Ledecky said.
It was only the fourth gold for the United States in the seventh of eight days in the pool. Meanwhile, Australia has been piling it on with 13 golds, matching its best at the worlds. Australia won three more golds on Saturday.
The Americans lead the overall table with 31 medals (16 silver), Australia has 20 and China 13.
Kaylee McKeown of Australia made history of her own with gold in the women’s 200 backstroke. McKeown’s victory gave her a sweep of all three backstroke events after earlier wins in the 50 and 100. She became the first swimmer to sweep all three backstrokes at the worlds.
It all made up for her disqualification earlier in the 200 IM.
“You can’t change the rules,” she said. “I got ruled out. It’s just the cards I was dealt with and I couldn’t do much more than that. So I just had to carry myself the best I could and channel all my anger and turn a huge negative into a positive.”
Regan Smith of the United States picked up the silver in 2:04.94, while Peng Xuwei of China got the bronze in 2:06.74.
Sarah Sjöström of Sweden continued her dominance with gold in the 50 butterfly. The 29-year-old won in 24.77 seconds and has now won the event five consecutive times at the worlds. The win brought Sjöström’s individual medals at the worlds to 20, equaling Phelps’ mark.
Sjöström also broke her own record in the 50 free, going 23.61 in a semifinal heat. Her old mark was 23.67 set in 2017.
“There are not too many secrets,” Sjöström said about her longevity. “Just do the work every day, go to practice, and stay humble.”
Zhang Yufei of China, who took gold in the 100 fly, claimed the silver in 25.05, while American Gretchen Walsh got the bronze in 25.46.
Japanese fan favorite Rikako Ikee finished seventh (25.78) in the 50 fly but was greeted warmly by the home crowd.
The 23-year-old Ikee won six gold medals at the 2018 Asian Games and was expected to be a favorite in the Tokyo Olympics. But she was diagnosed with leukemia in February 2019. Her comeback continues to resonate with both the Japanese public and her fellow competitors.
Cameron McEvoy of Australia led all the way to capture the gold in the 50 free in 21.06. It was his first individual gold in the worlds or Olympics.
American Jack Alexy collected his second silver of the worlds in 21.57 to go with his silver in the 100 free. Benjamin Proud of Britian, last year’s world champion, took the bronze in 21.58.
Caeleb Dressel won the event at the Olympics but did not qualify for the U.S. team. McEvoy’s time was quicker than Dressel’s winning time in Tokyo — 21.07.
Maxime Grousset of France won gold in the 100 fly in 50.14. The 24-year-old took the early lead and held on. Josh Liendo of Canada earned the silver in 50.34, while American Dare Rose made the podium with the bronze (50.46).
Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania equaled the world record of 29.30 in her semifinal in the 50 breaststroke.
Australia won the 4×100 mixed freestyle relay in a world record of 3:18.83. The Americans took silver in 3:20.82, with Britain getting the bronze in 3:21.68. The relay is not an Olympic event. | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/29/katie-ledecky-passes-michael-phelps-for-most-individual-golds-at-world-championships/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:34 | 1 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/29/katie-ledecky-passes-michael-phelps-for-most-individual-golds-at-world-championships/ |
FUKUOKA, Japan (AP) — The American swim team has had a so-so meet at the world championships in Japan. Meanwhile, Australia and China have been pouring it on.
The American gold-medal count at the worlds is the lowest in at least two decades, although the overall medal count of gold, silver, and bronze, is similar to most years.
“Obviously, we’d like to win more gold medals and I think we will,” American coach Bob Bowman said going into Sunday’s final day.
The slight predicament for Bowman is that two of the swimmers he coaches at Arizona State University, Leon Marchand of France and Hungary’s Hubert Kos, have won four gold medals. Marchand has three, and he’s sure to be a star in next year’s Paris Olympics, and Kos has one.
That’s the same gold-medal total for the entire American team through seven of eight days — four gold. The average for the Americans over the last nine championships has been about 15 golds.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, two of the first three questions Bowman fielded were about Marchand and Kos, from French and Hungarian news outlets.
“If you look at swimming, every coach on the U.S. team is coaching a foreign swimmer, an international swimmer. There’s always that dynamic,” said Bowman, who has legendary status for helping Michael Phelps win 23 Olympic gold medals.”
Bowman was cautious about taking credit for Kos, who came to Arizona State late last year. He went from being a good individual medley swimmer to a world champion a few days ago in the 200-meter backstroke.
“I think it’s just the Bob Bowman effect,” said Kos, son of an American father and Hungarian mother. ”That’s as simple as it is.”
He said Bowman had a “magic” touch.“
Bowman played down his role.
“He (Kos) had an excellent coach at home for 10 years before me,” Bowman said. “He deserved the credit for this. I just helped a little bit at the end.”
Bowman compared Marchand to Phelps. But can he produce and endure the pressure, particularly with the Olympics in his home country.
“It remains to be seen what he can do next year. It’s going to be a lot of expectations,” Bowman said. “But I feel like he’s done a very good rehearsal this year and last year. They’ve been good preparations for what will happen next year and we’ll try to carry that over to Paris.”
Swimming is an individual sport, separate from team sports like soccer. It would be unthinkable for the coach of Real Madrid to be also coaching Barcelona players on the side. But it’s normal in swimming, and Bowman said he was “ethically” comfortable with it.
“I mean, the bottom line is I get paid to coach these guys at ASU,” he said. “I’m representing my country for the love of my country and happy to do that. I don’t think there’s an ethical question. It’s not a zero-sum. I’m not taking away from the U.S. guys.”
He said he was interested in coaching the Americans at next year’s Olympics, but suggested any decision was still pending.
“I don’t think we know yet,” he said. “I have to go through this week, get home, think about what the scenarios look (like) and then we’ll decide. I always want to do. But we’ll see how it goes.”
___
AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wdtn.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-legendary-coach-bob-bowman-keeps-turning-out-winning-swimmers-and-not-just-americans/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:36 | 1 | https://www.wdtn.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-legendary-coach-bob-bowman-keeps-turning-out-winning-swimmers-and-not-just-americans/ |
Rare Beauty products by Selena Gomez are going viral
Since its debut in 2019, Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty company has taken the makeup industry by storm, mostly by dominating social media. The brand offers tinted moisturizer, bronzer, highlighter, setting powder, blush and other facial products; eye makeup such as eyeshadow, mascara and eyebrow pencils; products to enhance the lips, including lipstick, lip liner, lip oil and more. We researched the trendiest, most popular products from this celebrity-owned beauty brand worth adding to your makeup routine.
Shop this article: Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Brightening Concealer, and Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara
About Rare Beauty
Selena Gomez’s vision for Rare Beauty breaks down unrealistic standards of perfection in the makeup industry. The brand’s mission is to help wearers celebrate the rarity that is their individuality, the main objective being “to create a safe, welcoming space in beauty — and beyond — that supports mental well-being across age, gender identity, sexual orientation, rare, cultural background, physical or mental ability and perspective,” according to the Rare Beauty site.
Rare Beauty products are cruelty-free, meaning they were developed without experimentation on animals. Depending on the product type, they’re also ophthalmologist- and/or dermatologist-tested. Many of the products have noncomedogenic ingredients that won’t clog or block pores, and there are various options for sensitive skin. Rare Beauty has a selection of vegan products, as well. They’re a skin-friendly, self-aware brand that wants to make the world a better place.
Top Rare Beauty products, according to customers
Rare Beauty Kind Words Matte Lipstick
This buttery matte lipstick comes in 10 pigment-rich shades ranging from natural to bold. Suitable for sensitive skin, the creamy formula lasts all day while keeping lips soft and moisturized throughout wear.
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Rare Beauty Kind Words Matte Lip Liner
This creamy, waterproof lip liner defines and shapes the lips while staying put all day — it’s perfect for outlining the lips or coloring them in. The lightweight formula keeps the lips feeling soft and won’t smudge. It features a built-in sharpener and comes in the same 10 shades as the Kind Words Matte Lipstick for effortless color matching.
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Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush
This lush liquid blush is Rare Beauty’s top-seller, having received Allure’s Best of Beauty award in 2022. The lightweight, buildable formula gives you a soft flush of color with long-lasting pigments for all-day wear. It’s suitable for sensitive skin and has 13 beautiful matte and dewy finishes.
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Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Brightening Concealer
This medium-coverage concealer hides blemishes, dark circles, redness and fine lines while evening out skin texture. It’s made with botanical ingredients that soothe and nourish the skin. The creamy formula is lightweight, buildable and sweat-resistant, with 48 shades to match virtually every skin tone.
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Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation
This liquid foundation feels like a serum with a layerable, medium-coverage formula and a blend of botanical ingredients that soothe and nourish the skin. It’s best used with normal and combination skin types, available in 48 shades that accommodate nearly every skin tone.
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Rare Beauty Positive Light Liquid Luminizer
This silky liquid highlighter feels like a second skin, creating a dewy, healthy-looking glow with superfine, light-catching pearls. Botanical ingredients have a soothing and nourishing effect on the skin. It layers well over makeup and provides all-day coverage with seven luminous shades.
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Rare Beauty Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Stick
This cream bronzer gives you a sun-kissed glow and adds gentle warmth to the skin with its natural finish. The formula is buildable, water-resistant and won’t clog your pores. It features Rare Beauty’s signature botanical ingredients for a calming and hydrating effect on the skin. The brand sells seven natural-looking shades, and the stick application makes it easy to use.
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Rare Beauty Always an Optimist Soft Radiance Setting Powder
This loose setting powder smooths skin texture, blurring the look of pores and controlling shine for a radiant yet natural finish. It helps makeup stay in place all day and is especially useful for those who struggle with oily skin. The container has a locking sifter for keeping the application process and storage mess-free. This setting powder comes in five sheer shades.
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Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara
This volumizing mascara was created for all lash types, featuring castor oil that conditions and nourishes your lashes. The unique curvy brush design combines long bristles that add length and short bristles for increasing volume. It’s an ultra-black, buildable, water-resistant formula that performs well all day. This mascara is safe for those with sensitive eyes and contact lenses.
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Rare Beauty Positive Light Under Eye Brightener
If you struggle with dark circles or discoloration under the eyes, this liquid brightener will visibly brighten and smooth out the under-eye area for a refreshed look. The lightweight formula is enriched by hydrating white peony and vitamin E extracts. It’s easy to blend and layer using your fingertip, with six shades covering various skin tones.
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Rare Beauty Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer
This tinted moisturizer blurs and evens skin tone while minimizing the look of pores and fine lines. It offers glowy, light to medium coverage, with a hydrating formula containing vitamin E and SPF 20 broad-spectrum sunscreen. The long-lasting moisturizer is nongreasy and comes in 24 flexible shades.
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Rare Beauty Always an Optimist 4-In-1 Mist
This unique facial mist contains a layer of water-based active ingredients and another with nourishing oils that work together to hydrate, prime and set the skin. The refreshing mist boosts the foundation’s performance, and the natural, radiant finish won’t feel greasy. Suitable for sensitive skin, this versatile product comes in 0.12- and 2.87-fluid-ounce bottles.
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Worth checking out
- With a glossy finish and gentle plumping effect on the lips, the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil is a beauty-lover favorite.
- If you prefer using a powder highlighter, the Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter is an excellent option for a soft, natural-looking glow.
- The award-winning Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Melting Blush offers a natural satin finish with a subtle blurring effect.
- The Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Longwear Gel Eyeliner is a waterproof product that will stay in place — even on the waterline — with a built-in sharpener for precise application.
- The waterproof Rare Beauty Brow Harmony Precision Pencil is another stellar pick among fans for fuller-looking, more defined brows.
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/makeup-palettes-sets-br/these-are-the-most-popular-rare-beauty-products/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:36 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/makeup-palettes-sets-br/these-are-the-most-popular-rare-beauty-products/ |
Want a dependable burger, fresh-cut fries and a milkshake? If you're in Russellville, you have several choices. Ever since the old Waffle House on the north side of I-40 was converted into CJ's Butcher Boy Burgers, it's been one of those go-to spots. But if you're looking for anything else, you're out of luck.
That's because CJ's -- located at 2803 N. Arkansas Ave. -- knows exactly what it does best, and sticks with it. With a limited menu of burgers, fries, beverages and milkshakes, there's little to choose from, but that's the beauty of it. You go to CJ's for these things, and these things alone. And they're good.
Ever since Richard Wilson started CJ's over on Knoxville, by the fairgrounds, in 2005, the focus has been on high-quality beef. Add in the marvelously seasoned old grill in the Arkansas Avenue location, and you have a winning formula for a good burger that never, ever changes. It's just fresh-ground chuck shoulder, which you see when you walk into the restaurant, hand-patted, lightly seasoned, grilled and set on a bun with your choice of toppings. You can go the standard L-TOP (lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle) or choose to add on grilled mushrooms or onions. Cheese. Condiments. You're done.
And the burgers themselves are identical, no matter how many times you go. The brioche-style bun, the red and white checkered paper in the little red baskets, the made-to-order fries created by staff who will take your order, turn around, grab a potato, put it in the slicer and pull the lever, fry them up, lightly salt them and toss them alongside that burger -- a perfect meal that never needs to be accompanied. The third-of-a-pound patties are always thick and lightly crusted from being seared on the griddle. You can get one or two. If there were any complaint, it might be that the way the fries are made leaves them soft, with a barely crispy exterior, but that's the style the restaurant serves.
The milkshakes, always available in vanilla, chocolate or strawberry, are always thick. They're good. Sometimes there are special flavors, but that's hit or miss. Whatever flavor you choose, you can get yours malted. That's it.
Though Wilson passed away in 2018, the restaurant has continued his exact tradition, along with the motto he had written on the outside wall: "When all you do is burgers, they have to be the BEST." And that's all you really can say about that.
INFO -- (501) 968-2300
Kat Robinson travels Arkansas searching for great stories and good food to share. Her latest book, "The Great Arkansas Pie Book," is available nationwide and at bookstores such as Chapters on Main in Van Buren. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/river-valley-eats-kat-robinson-says-cjs-butcher/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:37 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/river-valley-eats-kat-robinson-says-cjs-butcher/ |
Thanks to midfielder Wilder Cartegena’s 92nd-minute goal, Orlando City advanced in the 2023 Leagues Cup with a thrilling 3-2 win over Liga MX side Santos Laguna on Saturday night at Exploria Stadium.
“We gave a great step today toward our objectives and keep working forward in this tournament,” Lions coach Oscar Pareja said. “We faced one of the best teams in Mexico with great players and we knew there were moments where they could hurt us and we resisted.”
Santos Laguna tallied the initial goal in the 41st minute after a turnover by Ivan Angulo set up defender Raul Lopez with a clear shot that skipped past the outstretched arms of Orlando City goalkeeper Pedro Gallese.
The lead didn’t last long, however, as Orlando forward Duncan McGuire continued his impressive run of form with a goal in the 44th minute. Defender Rafael Santos delivered a perfect ball into the box that McGuire skillfully headed past Santos goalkeeper Gibran Lajud to even the score 1-1 going into halftime.
The Lions came roaring out after halftime. Captain Mauricio Pereyra delivered, scoring a beautiful goal from outside the box in the 46th minute to give Orlando a 2-1 lead.
Santos tied the match in the 58th minute when forward Harold Preciado headed the ball past Gallese.
A dramatic goal in the 92nd minute for Orlando proved to be the decider. Cartegena received a pass from Cesar Araujo and coolly slotted it past Lajud to secure the triumph.
“After the victory, we have to face a team that has been playing well,” Pareja said about the upcoming match against Inter Miami in the next round. “We know who we are. We’re going to get that victory.”
The Lions’ Leagues Cup knockout-stage match against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami is scheduled for Wednesday. | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/29/orlando-city-prevails-at-home-to-advance-in-leagues-cup/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:40 | 0 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/29/orlando-city-prevails-at-home-to-advance-in-leagues-cup/ |
What’s the best way to crate train a dog with separation anxiety?
Crate training can be a useful tool for many dog owners. Some may want their dog in a crate when they’re sleeping or when they leave the home, while others may want to give the dog space all their own. Crate training is also helpful for dogs with separation anxiety since the crate can provide calm and protection. Dogs that do not like being alone may welcome the crate during moments of distress. Crate training takes time and patience. Relieving separation anxiety requires an owner’s full attention and dedication. Don’t miss our testing insights on the Furbo Dog Camera.
Shop this article: MidWest Homes for Pets Dog Crate, Furbo Dog Camera and Merrick Power Bites Salmon Treats.
What is separation anxiety?
Separation anxiety is the fear of being alone. Dogs that have been abandoned, have moved to a new space or have undergone a sudden shift in lifestyle may develop separation anxiety. In particular, dogs that develop a strong bond with their owners may become anxious when alone. Especially if the owner has been home frequently only to have a new schedule in which they are often away. Separation anxiety may develop at any age among any breed. It can also be exacerbated by a lack of mental and physical stimulation, leading to a bored dog that may start to lash out.
How to identify separation anxiety
Separation anxiety is easy to identify and can manifest in a variety of ways. Most commonly, your dog barks excessively while you’re gone. They may also develop destructive behavior such as chewing furniture, rummaging for food or ripping up anything left out. They may also mark or relieve themselves when left alone. Some behavior may be noticeable before you leave. Dogs can associate certain sounds and actions, such as the handling of keys or putting on a coat, as signs they are about to be left alone. As a result, they may begin to pace, pant, drool, shake or even try to sneak out the door with you.
Crate training advantages
When afraid or anxious, a trained dog may retreat to its crate. If it becomes a place of refuge, dogs can be more comfortable when alone. It gives them security and confidence and offers you peace of mind while away. Many owners prefer to crate train a rescue dog since past trauma may be unknown and it’s likely they are in need of stability.
How to crate train
Crate training can take weeks or months and requires strict discipline and patience by the owner. The first step is to choose the right crate. Your dog should be able to comfortably stand up and turn around within the crate. Wire crates are most popular as they are durable and easy to set up and take down. Some have two doors for easier access, while others feature a bottom platform that can pull out for easy cleaning.
Initially, the crate should be a place your dog can safely explore without owners nearby. Fill it with a comfortable bed or blankets, especially ones that have a familiar smell to them. You may put in calming toys or clothes that have your scent on it to make the dog feel safe.
Spending time in the crate should be relaxing. If your dog does not initially explore the crate, a favorite toy or tasty treat might entice them. Let them enter and exit as they wish and keep your distance if they seem hesitant. Early on, their time in the crate needs to be rewarding and stimulating. A challenging puzzle or a treat-dispensing toy is useful to get them to make positive associations.
As they grow more comfortable, you can experiment with closing the door but keeping it unlocked, allowing your dog to push it open and leave if they wish. Over time, begin to lock the door, keeping them in for a few minutes. Slowly increase the time they stay in there as they grow more comfortable, building up to longer periods away.
Crate safety
There are some precautions to take when crate training your dog.
- Dogs with severe separation anxiety may seek to break free, which can be dangerous.
- They should never wear a collar or apparel within the crate as it may get caught.
- They should have water if you’re going away for more than an hour. Some water bowls can affix to the side so they don’t step in it or knock it over.
- Avoid leaving your dog in a crate for more than six to eight hours. Especially younger dogs that may not have full bladder control.
- If your dog is anxious and prone to chewing while stressed, do not leave any toys within that they could destroy and ingest.
Additional solutions
Crate training is only one way to curb separation anxiety. Before leaving, your dog should enjoy both physical and mental exertion. Tiring them out with a walk and playtime, even something as simple as fetch, can help them settle and relax. Some dogs also benefit from having the sides and top of the crate covered to create a cozier, more protective space with less stimulation.
Some dogs may enjoy calming treats and supplements. Popular ingredients include hemp and chamomile to soothe the dog and help them sleep. Some dog owners may want to keep an eye on their dog while they’re away to better see how they are coping with being alone; a dog camera may be a worthy investment. Our tester found the Furbo Dog Camera‘s treat-tossing feature excellent for interacting with your pet while away. They also liked the recording feature, saying it made training out their puppy’s bad behaviors much easier. For serious anxiety, your vet may prescribe medication in conjunction with dedicated training.
Best treats for crate training for separation anxiety
Merrick Power Bites Salmon Treats
Delicious, high-value dog treats should only be for training. These nutritious chews feature salmon and potatoes. Use these only for crate training so your dog makes positive associations.
Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/reviews/br/pets-br/training-br/how-to-crate-train-a-dog-with-separation-anxiety/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:40 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/reviews/br/pets-br/training-br/how-to-crate-train-a-dog-with-separation-anxiety/ |
AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Megan Rapinoe is adjusting to her new role at the Women’s World Cup, even if it means she’s not on the field as much as she’d like to be.
The outspoken 38-year-old known for her eclectic hair colors and the iconic victory pose she struck at the 2019 World Cup is the oldest player on the team. She already announced that her fourth World Cup would be her last.
“Ultimately, we’re at the World Cup. This is where everybody wants to be, whether you’re playing 90 minutes, whether you’re a game changer, whatever,” she said Sunday. “I think it’s a lot similar to what I thought it would be — bringing all the experience that I can, all the experience that I have, and ultimately being ready whenever my number is called up.”
Rapinoe has played limited minutes so far, coming in as a substitute in the 3-0 victory over Vietnam in the tournament opener, which was her 200th career appearance for the team.
She was available but didn’t play in the disappointing 1-1 draw with the Netherlands on Thursday in Wellington. U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski made just one substitution in the match, bringing in midfielder Rose Lavelle after the first half.
“I think all of us on the bench, it’s like we think we should be on the field as much as the players on the field believe that they should be on the field,” Rapinoe said. “Every player on the field that starts the game thinks that they should play 90 minutes, and every player who doesn’t, who is a sub, thinks that they should be on at some point.”
The United States has won the last two World Cups, but the players find themselves in a more precarious position as they chase an unprecedented third consecutive title. The Americans need at least a draw going into the final group match against Portugal on Tuesday at Eden Park in Auckland.
The Americans top Group E, even on points with the Netherlands, but hold the edge because of goal difference. Portugal, which beat Vietnam, could send the United States home early with a win over the Americans.
“We’re unsatisfied with the way we played, but we know there are areas that we can be better and I think there’s some really simple fixes we can do to put ourselves in a better position to have more joy on the ball, especially in the final third,” Rapinoe said. “I think everybody’s looking at this like `Let’s go.’”
At the 2019 World Cup in France, Rapinoe scored six goals over the course of the tournament, including a penalty in a 2-0 victory over the Netherlands in the final. She also finished with three assists and claimed both the Golden Boot and the Golden Ball for the best overall player.
Rapinoe, who is engaged to former WNBA star Sue Bird, has been a leader on and off the field.
She made headlines during the 2019 tournament when she said she wouldn’t visit the White House if the United States won. Her decision was based on her disdain for then-President Donald Trump, and the team did not go to the White House after winning its second World Cup.
And in the midst of a dispute with U.S. Soccer over equal pay with the men’s national team, Rapinoe helped the women hold firm on their position.
“I just think back to 2019 in particular. We didn’t really talk about it a lot as a group but we were like, `Well, we have to win. This is kind of like a must-win World Cup for us.’ And I think it did give us confidence,” she said. “It pressured us, but I think we also knew that we could handle it and it was almost a mandatory upping of our level to be able to match everything that we were saying off the field. I think in so many ways we were betting on ourselves.”
Rapinoe has won two Women’s World Cup titles and an Olympic gold medal with the United States. She also took home the Ballon d’Or and the Best FIFA Women’s Player awards — the game’s top individual honors — for her play in 2019.
As a fierce advocate for social justice issues, including gender equity and LGBTQ rights, she was awarded the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, by President Joe Biden last year.
The team also won a new contract that pays the players the same as their male counterparts.
“I’ve always tried to use whatever platform we have, and this platform was built long before I got here. We just continue to add to to it, to grow the game, to make the world a better place, to use our voices, to advocate for more,” she said.
At this World Cup, she’s passing that legacy on to younger generation. Fourteen of the U.S. players are playing in their first World Cup. In 2019, Carli Lloyd was in a similar role of a player who was also something of a coach who led by example.
Rapinoe is doing that now.
“Still every day in training I’m like, `I’m gonna try to bust your ass,’ and that makes them better, that makes me better,” she said. “That makes the whole team better. So I think it’s been really rewarding. And I think ultimately, and I think that this gets lost, but I get to play in another World Cup.”
___
AP Women’s World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wdtn.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-megan-rapinoe-adjusts-to-new-role-at-womens-world-cup-while-still-savoring-final-days-in-spotlight/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:42 | 0 | https://www.wdtn.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-megan-rapinoe-adjusts-to-new-role-at-womens-world-cup-while-still-savoring-final-days-in-spotlight/ |
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The fight itself didn’t match the hype, but Terence Crawford’s performance exceeded it.
He 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, made Crawford the first undisputed champion in the 147-pound division 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 at 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 in the four-belt era.
“I only dreamed of being a world champion,” Crawford said. “I’m an over-achiever. Nobody believed in me when I was coming up, but I made everybody a believer. I want to thank Spence and his team because without him none of this would have been possible.”
A big fight night on the Strip still brings out the stars, with recording artist Andre 3000 of Outkast, 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 before a sellout crowd of 19,990 at T-Mobile Arena.
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.
“He was just better tonight,” Spence said. “I make no excuses. He was throwing a harder jab. He was timing with his jab, and he had his timing down on point.”
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 fight was essentially over at that point, though Crawford backed off in the eighth round. He came roaring back in the ninth to end it for sure.
Crawford didn’t waste the chance to gloat afterward, directly responding to his critics.
“They said I wasn’t good enough and I couldn’t beat these welterweights,” Crawford said. “I just kept my head to the sky and kept praying to God that I would get the opportunity to show the world how great Terence Crawford is. Tonight, I believe I showed how great I am.”
Spence, however, said he would be up for a rematch, but wants to move up to the 154-pound division.
“We’ve got to do it again,” Spence said. “I would be a lot better.”
Crawford said he would have no problem moving up a weight class.
“I’m in the hurt business,” Crawford said. “Forty-seven is kind of hard for me, too. I was already talking about moving up in weight and challenging (champion Jermell) Charlo.”
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.
___
AP boxing: https://apnews.com/hub/boxing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wane.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-crawford-unifies-welterweight-division-with-9th-round-tko-in-dominant-performance-over-spence/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:42 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-crawford-unifies-welterweight-division-with-9th-round-tko-in-dominant-performance-over-spence/ |
Rogers Historical Museum plays up the fun of favorite toys
Magic of toys endures across generations
by
Becca Martin-Brown
|
Today at 1:00 a.m.
On The Cover
In this photograph from around 1918, Elsa Juhre plays with her Schoenhut Humpty Dumpty Circus Set, on display at the Rogers Historical Museum as part of the "Toys Well Played exhibit" open now.
(Courtesy Photo)
There is no Barbie doll in the "Toys Well Played" exhibit just opened at the Rogers Historical Museum. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/rogers-historical-museum-plays-up-the-fun-of/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:43 | 1 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/rogers-historical-museum-plays-up-the-fun-of/ |
As an assistant coach for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants for three years, Dylan Murphy sometimes questioned the career path he was taking.
Although he was passionate about the sport he grew to love, Murphy found himself doing just about everything for the NBA G League team located in Indiana. That included doing the team’s laundry in his own apartment when local cleaners were closed.
“There were times where I was doing laundry at 2 in the morning in February and it’s minus-10 degrees outside,” Murphy recently told the Sentinel. “And I asked myself certain questions, ‘Is this what I want to be doing?’
“But everyone is on their own grind and has to work super hard to where they get.”
Where Murphy ended up is a spot he never could have imagined.
In addition to coaching the Magic’s summer league team earlier this month in Las Vegas, Murphy was recently named the head coach of the organization’s G League affiliate, the Osceola Magic, after spending the last five seasons with Orlando.
“Dylan came into the interview overly prepared,” Osceola general manager Kevin Tiller told the Sentinel. “Knocked it out of the park. Every question we asked, he had a perfect answer.
“Not that we’re looking for a ‘perfect’ response but just the way he articulated everything, it showed us how much he’s been preparing for this. Longer than just, ‘Hey, you’re going to interview for this next Tuesday.’ This has been years in the making.”
Magic set to revisit Mexico City for NBA regular-season game
That’s because Murphy’s route to this moment was not exactly traditional.
The New York native earned a bachelor’s degree in classics from Columbia University in 2012 and was planning on attending law school. While education was on the top of his mind due to his upbringing with teachers as parents, Murphy’s hobby was writing about sports.
He held internships in college and wrote for multiple basketball blogs before eventually getting his first break into the coaching industry.
At summer league in 2013, Murphy met Sebastian Pruiti, who had gone from writing about basketball for Grantland to becoming the video coordinator and assistant coach for Fort Wayne. Pruiti, however, was soon leaving that role to become a video analyst for the Oklahoma City Thunder, leaving the Mad Ants with a staff opening.
Murphy decided to take the plunge and move to Indiana for the new job. While he continued writing about basketball for sites such as Bleacher Report and SBNation, Murphy’s career as he knew it changed.
“I had always kind of done the sports writing thing on the side because I enjoyed it,” he said. “That was something I did in college a little bit. I did that for a year after I graduated. Like a lot of people, you get lucky, meet the right person and it sets you down a path.”
That path led him to Fort Wayne, where he served as an assistant from 2013-16. The next year he worked as G League scout for the Atlanta Hawks before serving as a graduate assistant with the men’s basketball team at Ball State in 2018.
The sports writing continued throughout that time. He even launched his own website called The Basketball Dictionary where he broke down NBA lingo and complex on-court strategies in simple terms.
Murphy then landed in Orlando as a basketball operations analyst and eventually was promoted to assistant coach, a role he held for the past three seasons.
He still looks back on his time with the Mad Ants.
“I definitely remember those first practices, first few weeks of the season and just [had] a new appreciation for how smart basketball coaches were and how little I knew,” Murphy said. “It was a sink-or-swim situation.”
Just as much as Murphy as grown as a coach from the early days of doing his team’s laundry in Indiana, the G League has grown too. The league now features 31 teams — 29 with one-to-one affiliations with NBA franchises.
In Murphy’s first year in Fort Wayne, the G League, which was then known as the Developmental League, had just 17 teams, and the Mad Ants were affiliated with multiple NBA teams compared to just one.
“It’s just a different situation,” Murphy said of the modern G League. “In my first year, we played the Iowa Energy, at the time, nine times in one season. That doesn’t happen anymore.
“Leaning on Kevin with what the league is like now, there’s still a lot of learning for me. Certainly, [it is] a little bit easier because I’ve been through it and have a feel for what the league is like in some sense.”
Now, Murphy gets his first chance as a head coach in a league that gave him his first opportunity in basketball.
“I wouldn’t be where I am without the G League,” he said. “To see it continue to grow and become part of every NBA franchise is really exciting. I always tell coaches that there’s no better experience than being in the G League. Your contributions really matter.
“It makes you better in every way so I’m really excited to be back and have this opportunity.”
Email Jason Beede at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @therealBeede. | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/29/orlando-magic-dylan-murphy-osceola-nba-g-league/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:46 | 0 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/29/orlando-magic-dylan-murphy-osceola-nba-g-league/ |
DUNEDIN, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand outshot Switzerland and even moved goalkeeper Victoria Esson into an attack position several times, but failed to break a 0-0 tie Sunday in the Women’s World Cup and became the first host nation to be eliminated in group play in tournament history.
The Football Ferns are co-hosting the World Cup with Australia, which must win Monday against Canada to avoid its own early elimination.
Switzerland advanced to the round of 16. The Swiss also played to a scoreless draw against Norway, but won the group with the draw against New Zealand, coupled with the Norwegians’ simultaneous 6-0 rout of the Philippines.
New Zealand controlled the pace for long stretches of the match and had its chances to score, outshooting Switzerland 12-3. Jacqui Hand knocked a shot off the right post in the 24th minute.
All 25,947 seats at Forsyth Barr Stadiums were filled — the only one of Dunedin’s six tournament matches to sell out. The raucous crowd stomped and cheered all night, to no avail.
The tournament began July 20 with New Zealand upsetting Norway 1-0, but the Ferns failed to score from the 48th minute of that match through two more games. They lost their previous match 1-0 against the Philippines.
KEY MOMENTS
Esson moved into an offensive position several times in the last minutes of the match as New Zealand pressed for a winner. She managed a header off a corner kick but was off target.
WHY IT MATTERS
Switzerland becomes one of two teams from Group A to advance to the round of 16. It’s only the team’s second time in the knockout round — the first was in the Swiss’ only previous Women’s World Cup in 2015.
The New Zealanders’ failure to score put an end to their Women’s World Cup run.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
“Just gutted, I think. Obviously we talked and we were proud of ourselves and what we’ve been able to accomplish, but at the end of the day we wanted to get out of this group stage and we just didn’t. It’s just black and white. So, obviously gutted,” said New Zealand midfielder Malia Steinmetz of the elimination.
“We expected it to be really tough. New Zealand really tried everything they could, and I think we knew how to respond, especially defensively. We did a lot right,” said Inka Grings, Switzerland’s coach.
WHAT’S NEXT
Switzerland will play either Spain or Japan from Group C, pending a match between those teams on Monday to decide the top two places in that group.
New Zealand is done for the Women’s World Cup.
__
Ellen McIntyre is a student in the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State.
—-
AP Women’s World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wdtn.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-new-zealand-out-of-womens-world-cup-following-0-0-draw-with-switzerland-as-swiss-advance/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:48 | 1 | https://www.wdtn.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-new-zealand-out-of-womens-world-cup-following-0-0-draw-with-switzerland-as-swiss-advance/ |
Adult lawn games
When you’re a kid, outdoor games help you develop both fine and gross motor skills. They can increase your coordination, teach you admirable character traits such as good sportsmanship and help you burn off excess energy.
However, when you become an adult, outdoor games serve a different purpose. While they still provide entertainment and recreation, outdoor games encourage and facilitate social interaction. The best outdoor games for adults create an atmosphere that sparks conversation and healthy but not too serious competition.
Read on for a list of favorite outdoor games that are best suited for backyard gatherings of adult friends and family members. To make it easy for you to find one that’s best for your needs, they’re organized in five categories: classic games, tossing games, active games, supersized games and novelty options.
Shop this article: Franklin Sports Croquet Set, Hey! Play! Family Bocce Ball Set and St. Pierre American Professional Series Horseshoes
Classic games
These lawn games are timeless favorites that have been around for a hundred years or more.
Croquet is a fun game of skill that’s been around for nearly 200 years. It involves hitting a ball through a course made of wire hoops and a peg. This set comes with everything you need: six durable mallets, six balls, nine hoops, two pegs and a carrying case.
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Hey! Play! Family Bocce Ball Set
Bocce is a simple game of skill that’s been around for over 7,000 years. This set from Hey! Play! offers quality materials at a low price, which translates to value. The balls come in two colors with two distinct patterns to facilitate four-person play.
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You thought bowling was only an indoor sport? In 5,000 B.C., ancient Egyptians used to have fun knocking down objects by rolling stones. With this quality set of ten hardwood pins and two hardwood balls, you can carry on the tradition at your next picnic. This game works best on level, short-cut lawns or dirt.
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Tossing games
Whether tossing steel or beanbags, these fun adult games are designed to test your underarm throwing skills.
St. Pierre American Professional Series Horseshoes
This is not a set for kids. The durable blue and gray horseshoes in this kit are manufactured using forged steel. The set also includes two solid steel 24-inch stakes, an official rule book and a carrying case.
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GoSports Premium Metal Ladder Toss Game Set
If you’re looking for a high-quality ladder toss game, this model is made out of steel, is easy to assemble and comes with a carrying case. The bolos are manufactured using soft rubber with thicker strings to help prevent tangles.
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This regulation-size cornhole game has a vintage style and is manufactured to look like steel-framed barnwood planks but is UV- and water-resistant. The set comes with eight 16-ounce, all-weather beanbags.
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Active games
These active games are best for individuals who like to get a little workout in while playing.
For the individual who takes paddle ball seriously, this high-quality, solid wooden set is made using pine, sapele and beechwood to create a distinctive design. The handles are wrapped in neoprene to provide a confident grip, and the set comes with a canvas drawstring bag for storage and transport.
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Franklin Sports Family Badminton Set
If you’d like to save a little money and still get a great badminton set, this is the way to go. This family-friendly unit features a net that is 20 feet x 1 foot, 6 inches. It’s easy to set up and comes with four steel badminton rackets, two nylon birdies and six ropes and stakes.
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Park & Sun Sports Permanent Outdoor Tetherball Set
Tetherball is a fun and challenging game that is permanently installed so you can play whenever you’d like. The object is simply to wrap the rope completely around the pole. This kit features a two-piece galvanized steel pole to resist rusting along with a soft-touch ball with a durable nylon-wound bladder.
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Supersized games
The fun only gets bigger when you play these tabletop games in extra-large size.
This is the official Hasbro version of the popular stacking game. However, in this supersized version, you can use the 54 hardwood blocks to create towers that are over 5 feet tall.
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ECR4Kids Jumbo 4-to-Score Game Set
Yes, this is the popular kids’ game that goes by a slightly different name when sold by other manufacturers. The object is to connect four giant rings in a straight line on the huge 4-foot-tall game grid. It’s manufactured using lightweight, weather-resistant material so it can be played either indoors or outdoors.
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Triumph Sports 28-Piece Lawn Domino Set
If you’ve ever wanted to play dominoes outside, this is your chance. This wooden set features 28 pieces that are 3 1/2 x 7 inches, making them large enough to play on a picnic table or in the grass. The color-coded pips add a splash of fun while the varnish finish helps with durability.
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Novelty options
If you’d like to look a little off the beaten path for backyard entertainment, these outdoor novelty games might be the best option for you.
University Games Flickin’ Chicken
This creative novelty game is modeled after golf. There’s a target that serves as the hole, and each round, players see who can land their chicken on the target with the least number of throws. Up to four players can play a game.
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GoSports Foam Fire Trophy Hunt
Admittedly, this game was designed for kids, but that doesn’t mean adults can’t have just as much fun playing. Players take turns shooting foam balls at a target that features big game animals to try and earn the most points. The set includes two blasters, 40 foam balls, a target, a carrying case and a rule book.
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GoPong 8-Foot Portable Beer Pong Table
Yes, we’ve saved the best for last! This regulation-size beer pong table is what every serious competitor needs. The compact, fold-up design turns this table into a 2-foot square case in a matter of seconds. While the table comes with six pong balls, you need to supply your own red Solo cups.
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/reviews/br/toys-games-br/outdoor-toys-br/best-adult-lawn-games/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:47 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/reviews/br/toys-games-br/outdoor-toys-br/best-adult-lawn-games/ |
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Justin Gaethje knocked out Dustin Poirier with a head kick one minute into the second round to win the main event lightweight bout at UFC 291 on Saturday night.
The third-ranked Gaethje (26-4) celebrated his victory by climbing to the top of the Octagon fence and doing a backflip off it. His perfectly timed headshot helped him avenge a loss to Poirier in 2018 when he suffered a fourth-round technical knockout via strikes.
“This chance at redemption was amazing,” Gaethje said. “It drove me to work harder to be ready.”
It was Gaethje’s 20th win by knockout or TKO and his seventh victory in his last nine fights. He also scored his first knockout win since UFC 249 in 2020.
“I was surprised by myself and how good I fought,” Gaethje said.
Second-ranked Poirier (29-8) entered the rematch between the two former interim lightweight champions as a minus-152 favorite according to FanDuel. He matched Gaethje blow for blow in the first round – earning a 10-9 advantage on two of three scorecards – before being quickly dispatched in the second.
The decisive high kick from one former champ caught the other by surprise because it wasn’t a move that he expected to see from Gaethje.
“I thought I had four more rounds,” Poirier said. “I didn’t know I had two more minutes.”
With the victory, Gaethje earned a BMF belt – the second UFC fighter to be awarded that belt.
Beating Poirier opens the door for Gaethje to have a potential title bout against the winner of Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira, who are set to square off at UFC 294 in October.
Gaethje’s BMF win over Poirier headlined five main card bouts.
Alex Pereira defeated Jan Blachowicz by split decision in a light heavyweight bout billed as the co-main event for his eighth win in his last nine fights.
Pereira (8-2), ranked second as a middleweight, made his debut in the light heavyweight division at UFC 291 after losing the middleweight title belt via knockout to Israel Adesanya at UFC 287 in April. Blachowicz (29-10-1) did not make the transition in weight class a smooth one for the former champion.
He weathered early takedowns in the first two rounds and rallied in the third round.
Derrick Lewis earned a record 14th knockout win over Marcos Rogerio de Lima just 33 seconds into the first round of the heavyweight bout. The No.10-ranked Lewis (27-11) scored an immediate takedown with a flying knee and pummeled 15th-ranked Rogerio de Lima (21-10-1) with repeated punches to score the early finish. He celebrated snapping a three-fight slide by stripping off his shorts and dancing around the Octagon.
“The win means a lot to me,” Lewis said. “I had a lot of pressure on me coming into this fight and I just wanted to prove to everyone I’m still one of the best fighters in the world.”
Bobby Green beat Tony Ferguson by submission via choke with six seconds left in the third round of the lightweight bout. Green (30-14-1) dominated the final two rounds to earn his second career submission, scoring takedowns in both rounds while raining repeated blows that left his opponent battered. He denied Ferguson (26-9) a shot at earning his first UFC victory since 2019, sending the 39-year-old fighter home with his sixth straight loss.
Kevin Holland made quick work of Michael Chiesa to win the welterweight bout. Holland (25-9) beat the 12th-ranked Chiesa — fighting for the first time following a two-year hiatus — by submission at 2:39 in the first round. He used his length and striking abilities to trap Chiesa (18-7) in a D’arce choke, forcing a quick tap out.
Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith, Jazz coach Will Hardy, and former Jazz stars Deron Williams and Karl Malone were among those in attendance at the second UFC pay-per-view event in 11 months in the Beehive State.
UFC reported a live gate of $6.5 million, breaking the previous venue record set at UFC 278 in August 2022. A sellout crowd of 18,467 was in attendance.
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AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wane.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-gaethje-knocks-out-poirier-in-second-round-to-win-ufc-291-lightweight-bout/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:48 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-gaethje-knocks-out-poirier-in-second-round-to-win-ufc-291-lightweight-bout/ |
KYIV, Ukraine -- Russian forces struck a grain terminal in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, Ukrainian officials said Saturday, extending a bombardment of the country's infrastructure that has raised alarm about Kyiv's ability to ship grain to the world.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has vowed to enhance air defenses around the port and the southern coast, but Kyiv's resources are stretched thin and it faces difficult choices about where to deploy the limited number of air defense systems that can shoot down Russia's most sophisticated missiles.
Ukraine continues to ask its Western allies to speed up the delivery of more air defense systems and warn that continued Russian bombardment could leave it without the necessary infrastructure to ship grain even if Black Sea shipping lanes reopen. Moscow has struck Ukrainian ports nearly daily since pulling out of a deal last week that allowed Ukraine to ship its grain despite the war.
The attack reported Saturday hit a grain terminal in the Beryslav district and was one of 29 attacks by Russian forces directed at Kherson in the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian military said. At least four civilians have been injured in those attacks, which were carried out with mortars, artillery, tanks and aircraft, the Ukrainian military said.
The bombardment of the port city came as tensions in the waters off the southern coast of Ukraine continued to rise, with Kyiv accusing Russian warships of threatening a civilian vessel and Russia's Black Sea fleet running drills off Ukraine's southern coast this month. Russia has warned that any ships sailing to Ukraine's ports would be considered potentially hostile.
Ukraine has vowed to step up its efforts to target Russian warships and vessels using Russian ports and has been working to expand its fleet of naval drones, which it has used to attack and harass the Russian Black Sea fleet.
Against this backdrop, it seemed unlikely that Moscow would bend to international pressure and rejoin a deal that for nearly a year had allowed Ukraine to export tens of millions of tons of grain from its ports.
Russia has complained that the deal is one-sided in Ukraine's favor and Western sanctions imposed after its invasion of Ukraine have continued to restrict the sale of its own agricultural products.
Zelenskyy traveled Saturday to the war-torn Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, which Russia has illegally annexed, but only partially occupies, and met with members of the country's Special Operations Forces.
In a separate Telegram statement, he hailed the soldiers in the Donetsk region for "bringing closer the day when all our land and all our people will be free from the occupiers" and underscored the Special Operations Forces' role in the recent retaking of the village of Staromaiorske in the area.
His visit to the east comes just days after Western and Russian officials said Kyiv's forces intensified attacks in the southeast of the country as part of Ukraine's counteroffensive.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that the intensity of Ukrainian attacks along the front line has gone down "compared to two days ago." He reiterated that Russian forces are successfully repelling all attacks and in some parts of the front line are even mounting successful counteroffensive operations.
MOVING CHRISTMAS
On Friday, Zelenskyy signed a law moving the official Christmas holiday to Dec. 25 from Jan. 7, the day when the Russian Orthodox Church observes it.
The explanatory note attached to the law said its goal is to "abandon the Russian heritage," including that of "imposing the celebration of Christmas" on Jan. 7. It cited Ukrainians' "relentless, successful struggle for their identity" and "the desire of all Ukrainians to live their lives with their own traditions, holidays," fueled by Russia's 17-month-old aggression against the country.
Last year, some Ukrainians already observed Christmas on Dec. 25, in a gesture that represented separation from Russia, its culture and religious traditions.
The law also moves the Day of Ukrainian Statehood to July 15 from July 28 and the Day of Defenders of Ukraine to Oct. 1 from Oct. 14.
The Russian Orthodox Church, which claims sovereignty over Orthodoxy in Ukraine, and some other Eastern Orthodox churches continue to use the ancient Julian calendar. Christmas falls 13 days later on that calendar, or Jan. 7, than it does on the Gregorian calendar used by most church and secular groups.
The Catholic Church first adopted the Gregorian calendar in the 16th century. Protestants and some Orthodox churches have since aligned their calendars for the purpose of calculating Christmas and Easter.
The Orthodox Church of Ukraine, the branch that is separate from the Russian church, announced earlier this year that it was switching to the revised Julian calendar, which marks Christmas on Dec. 25.
Russia's state news agency RIA Novosti reported Saturday that the rival Orthodox Church, which is aligned with the Russian Orthodox Church, vowed to continue observing Christmas on Jan. 7.
Putin told reporters Saturday that the move "is a sign of something that has been happening for centuries" and that "has to do with the relations between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox one."
ON THE MOVE
Meanwhile, more than 100 mercenaries belonging to the Russia-linked Wagner group in Belarus have moved close to the border with Poland, the Polish prime minister said Saturday.
Mateusz Morawiecki said at a news conference that the mercenaries had moved close to the Suwalki Gap, a strategic stretch of Polish territory situated between Belarus and Kaliningrad, a Russian territory separated from the mainland.
Poland is a member of the European Union and NATO, and it has worried about its security with Russian ally Belarus and Ukraine on its eastern border.
Those fears have grown since Wagner mercenaries arrived in Belarus after the group's short-lived rebellion earlier this summer.
Poland's government accuses Russia and Belarus of using the mercenaries to destabilize Poland and other EU countries. It calls the migration a form of hybrid warfare and has responded by building a high wall along part of its border with Belarus.
"Now the situation becomes even more dangerous," Morawiecki told reporters.
He added that "this is certainly a step toward a further hybrid attack on Polish territory."
Morawiecki spoke during a visit to an arms factory in Gliwice, in southern Poland, where Leopard tanks used by the Ukrainian army are being repaired.
Information for this article was contributed by Marc Santora and Victoria Kim of The New York Times and by Felipe Dana, Dasha Litvinova and staff members of The Associated Press. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/russian-forces-attack-grain-terminal-in-kherson/ | 2023-07-30T13:22:49 | 1 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/30/russian-forces-attack-grain-terminal-in-kherson/ |