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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://wgntv.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/tools-accessories-br/best-five-year-anniversary-gifts-for-her/ | 2023-07-30T20:27:51 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/tools-accessories-br/best-five-year-anniversary-gifts-for-her/ |
A comprehensive guide to pop-up campers
A pop-up camper provides a tentlike experience without having to sleep on the ground. When hitting the road in your pop-up camper, consider what and how to eat, what to sleep in, what toiletries to bring and what to do in case of an emergency.
Shop this article: Eagles Nest Outfitters Spark Camp Quilt, Sea to Summit X-Pot Collapsible Camping Cookpot and Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight Watertight .5 Medical First Aid Kit
What is a pop-up camper?
Pop-up campers are lightweight, compact vehicles that can park in more secluded areas due to their size. They are more affordable than the average camper and are quick to pack up and hook up, making the road trip easier. They can also keep you warmer than a tent in colder months but cooler in the heat of summer.
Pop-up camper setup
There are five aspects of pop-up camper setup.
- Location: Locate where you want to set up your camper and consider the slope of the ground, nearby trees and electrical hookups. This is where to check if your camper is level. If it is not level, you can use blocks to prop up one of the sides before unhooking the tow vehicle.
- Power: To power up the camper, run its electrical cord to the campsite’s electrical hookup after turning off the breaker. Once connected, you can turn the breaker on to provide electricity to amenities such as the sink and the refrigerator. At this point, users can crank down the leg support and crank up the roof.
- Beds: Make sure that the canvas is not holding onto anything and pull the first bed handle out to start setting up the beds. From there, pull the support pole free and position this onto the stud on the frame. Repeat this process for the remaining poles. Lastly, lift both beds to latch the supports until the beds sit down firmly.
- Water and propane: To set up water and propane in your pop-up camper, lift and lower the galley handle until it is in position. Then, link the male end of the propane hose to the female end on the lower frame of the camper. Finally, connect a sanitary water hose from your trailer to the water spigot at the campsite.
- Water heater: To set up the water heater, you need to access the hot water tank, turn the gas knob to “pilot” and hold down. Place a flame on the pilot end of the tube using a long lighter. Hold this down until it stays lit. You should be able to turn on the knob, and the hot water tank should start to heat your water.
Pre-make your food
Before hitting the road in your pop-up camper, make your meals ahead of time. These meals can be complete meals stored in a cooler or prepped to be quickly cooked at a campsite. Also, pre-pack any portion meals that you plan to make by the fire for convenience.
Stock your pop-up camper with necessities
Buy a set of camping pots and pans in advance to prepare for every meal and anything that goes on in the kitchen. This ensures that you do not have to go back and forth for camping utilities or go without food for a short time because you were unprepared. Moreover, pack extra sleeping bags and sheets of various insulation to prepare for any situation that may occur.
Air out your pop-up camper after it rains
Mold and other bacteria are more likely to form when it rains. Due to the foldable nature of the pop-up camper, this bacteria can get into crevices and breed. Before packing up your camper after it rains, make sure everything is dry so that it can be clean to use for the next trip.
Tips for hitting the road in a pop-up camper
If you are a first-time camper, keep your trip close to home in case something goes wrong, or it turns out that you are underprepared. This ensures that you are close to safety and have everything that you need. Additionally, make a grocery list and a checklist for all items that you think you need to bring in advance.
Pop-up camper FAQ
Where do I go to the bathroom while camping?
A. If there is no bathroom in your pop-up camper and you do not want to go out in nature, travel with a portable camping toilet. This item is best for rooftop tents, car campers and drive-up camp spots.
What style of chair is best to bring on a camping trip?
A. Classic camp chairs are a good choice. These chairs have four legs and are very stable. They make sitting and standing an act of ease in comparison to low chairs and rocking chairs. They’re also affordable.
Sleep essentials
Eagles Nest Outfitters Spark Camp Quilt
This 3-in-1 blanket, quilt and sleeping bag provides warmth and comfort in 40- to 60-degree weather. The weather-resistant materials help protect the sleeping bag from rain and any other damage caused by the elements.
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Kelty Mistral Sleeping Bag: 40 Fahrenheit Down
This mummy-style sleeping bag keeps heat in while being lightweight and durable. It comes with a stuff sack for storage and features an offset quilt construction to prevent cold spots. CloudLoft insulation locks in heat. The zipper is anti-snag, and the bag fits up to 6 feet in length. Use it inside or outside the pop-up tent.
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Kitchen essentials
Sea to Summit X-Pot Collapsible Camping Cookpot
This camping cook pot is heat-resistant and BPA-free to ensure food safety. The entire pot is collapsible for storage in small spaces. Its aluminum base conducts heat evenly for the best cooking experience and it comes with a strainer lid.
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MalloMe Camping Cookware Mess Kit Gear
This camping cookware kit is portable and made with food-safe, non-toxic anodized aluminum. The kit includes an aluminum nonstick pot, a pot cover, a nonstick pan, two bowls, a folding stainless steel spork, a soup spoon, a wooden spoon spatula, a cleaning sponge and a nylon travel drawstring pouch. It can be easily attached to a backpack and carried to campsites.
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First-aid essentials
Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight Watertight .5 Medical First Aid Kit
This first aid kit provides all the needed materials for any accidents that could happen while camping in your pop-up camper. It includes a wide array of medical supplies to treat pain, inflammation and common allergies. The wraps and bandages assist in immobilizing fractures and provide support. The antiseptic wipes and butterfly bandages help clean small wounds.
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Adventure Medical Sportsman Series Medical Kit
This medical kit provides items that treat common camping injuries. It is organized by injury type for quick access in an emergency and provides all the basic tools needed. This kit is also lightweight and portable.
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://wgntv.com/reviews/br/travel-br/travel-essentials-br/pop-up-camper-guide-everything-you-need-in-order-to-hit-the-road/ | 2023-07-30T20:27:57 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/reviews/br/travel-br/travel-essentials-br/pop-up-camper-guide-everything-you-need-in-order-to-hit-the-road/ |
BALTIMORE (AP) — Aaron Judge is giving the New York Yankees an immediate boost — at a time when their front office has some tough decisions to make.
Judge homered and singled twice in his second game back from the injured list and the Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-3 on Saturday night. Giancarlo Stanton and Kyle Higashioka went deep as well for New York, which is still 3 1/2 games behind Toronto and Houston for the last two wild cards in the American League.
That’s a tricky spot with Tuesday’s trade deadline approaching.
“We’ve had years where we stick with who we got. We’ve had years where we get some bullpen arms, starters, a big bat,” Judge said. “It comes down to us doing our job on the field and then letting them take care of the rest. We’ll see what happens.”
The Yankees knocked out struggling Orioles starter Tyler Wells (7-6) in the third inning. In the sixth, Isiah Kiner-Falefa capped a 10-pitch at-bat with a three-run double to make it 8-3.
Judge has three walks and three hits in nine plate appearances since returning Friday from the toe injury that kept him out since early June.
Ryan Mountcastle homered for the Orioles, but Clarke Schmidt (7-6) made it through five tough innings and the New York bullpen took it from there.
The Orioles remained 1 1/2 games ahead of Tampa Bay atop the AL East.
Judge walked three times Friday night, but the Yankees lost that game 1-0 on a ninth-inning homer by Baltimore’s Anthony Santander. New York’s offense was relentless a night later.
Stanton’s first-inning drive easily cleared the big wall in left field at Camden Yards. Mountcastle tied it in the second, and Baltimore went ahead 2-1 on an RBI infield single by Ramón Urías. That lead was short-lived.
Judge hit a two-run shot — 442 feet to center field — in the third. Then Gleyber Torres added a sacrifice fly an inning later.
Santander made it 4-3 with an RBI groundout in the fifth, but New York broke the game open in the sixth. Cole Irvin allowed a leadoff homer by Higashioka — his third hit of the night — and then one-out singles to Judge, Stanton and Anthony Rizzo.
Bryan Baker came in and struck out DJ LeMahieu, but after fouling off five pitches, Kiner-Falefa cleared the bases with a line drive to left.
“One of the best at-bats of the season right there,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
Wells entered the game with a major league-leading WHIP of 0.99, but he allowed three runs, three hits and three walks in 2 2/3 innings. In three starts since the All-Star break, he’s lasted just nine innings total.
“I think we’re going to be talking about a lot of things here coming up,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “Obviously, we’re in a weird week. He’s had tough times his last few starts. I think there are going to be discussions going on.”
Boone said he’s leaning toward giving Judge a day off in the series finale Sunday night. The Yankees are in a stretch of 13 games in 13 days.
“I kind of look at it as, hopefully he’s in a position to start nine or 10 of them,” Boone said. “Forget the toe. He hasn’t come close to playing games for almost two months. As much as I want him in there, we’ve got to be smart here a little bit, especially in this run.”
DIFFERENT ORDER
The Orioles used catcher Adley Rutschman in the leadoff spot because of his ability to get on base. He was hit by a pitch, walked and scored a run.
UP NEXT
New York’s Luis Severino (2-4) starts Sunday night against Baltimore’s Dean Kremer (10-4). It’s the final game of the season series, which is tied 6-all.
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Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-aaron-judge-has-a-homer-and-3-hits-in-his-2nd-game-back-to-help-the-yankees-top-the-orioles-8-3/ | 2023-07-30T20:28:03 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-aaron-judge-has-a-homer-and-3-hits-in-his-2nd-game-back-to-help-the-yankees-top-the-orioles-8-3/ |
BALTIMORE (AP) — Aaron Judge homered for the first time since returning from a toe injury, sending a 442-foot drive over the wall in center field in the third inning against Baltimore on Saturday night.
The two-run shot gave the New York Yankees a 3-2 advantage. Giancarlo Stanton hit a solo homer in the first.
Judge was hitless since returning Friday, although he drew three walks in that game. He hit a towering flyout in his first plate appearance Saturday. Then he connected off Tyler Wells two innings later.
It was his 20th home run of the season. Judge started in right field Saturday after he was the designated hitter Friday.
Judge had been out since tearing a ligament in his right big toe June 3.
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Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-aaron-judge-slugs-442-foot-homer-in-2nd-game-back-for-yankees-from-toe-injury/ | 2023-07-30T20:28:10 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-aaron-judge-slugs-442-foot-homer-in-2nd-game-back-for-yankees-from-toe-injury/ |
TORONTO (AP) — Los Angeles Angels manager Phil Nevin was suspended for one game and fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Baseball on Saturday for a postgame outburst at an umpire following a loss to the Toronto Blue Jays a night earlier.
Bench coach Ray Montgomery managed the Angels during the second game of the three-game series as Nevin served his suspension.
Nevin was seen holding up a tablet computer and yelling at plate umpire Mike Estabrook as the crew left the field after the 4-1 loss Friday night.
The umpires access their locker room through the tunnel at the end of the visitor’s dugout on the first base side of Rogers Centre.
A Toronto police officer accompanied the umpire crew as it descended the dugout steps. Montgomery had to restrain Nevin as the umpires passed through the end of the dugout.
Nevin was angry about the game-ending called third strike against pinch hitter Michael Stefanic, who entered in the ninth inning with the bases loaded after Shohei Ohtani left because of cramping in both of his calves.
“I just explained to him that I thought the pitch to Stefanic was outside,” Nevin later told reporters.
Ohtani hit his major league-leading 39th home run in the series opener — part of a streak of three homers in three at-bats over two games — before exiting early.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-angels-manager-phil-nevin-suspended-1-game-for-outburst-at-umpire/ | 2023-07-30T20:28:17 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-angels-manager-phil-nevin-suspended-1-game-for-outburst-at-umpire/ |
TORONTO (AP) — Los Angeles Angels outfielder Taylor Ward was taken to a Toronto hospital for tests after being hit in the head by a pitch from Blue Jays right-hander Alek Manoah in the fifth inning Saturday.
Angels manager Phil Nevin said he planned to visit Ward in the hospital after leaving the stadium following the Angels’ 6-1 loss.
Batting with the bases loaded, Ward was hit by a 2-0 pitch clocked at 91 mph. The ball appeared to strike Ward next to his next left eye, knocking off his batting helmet.
“It got him pretty flush,” Nevin said.
Plate umpire Andy Fletcher motioned to the Angels’ dugout for the trainer as Ward went down with blood running down his face.
“It’s scary,” Angels left-hander Reid Detmers said. “You’re just hoping and praying that he’s all right, that he gets up.”
Angels trainers rushed to the plate and held a towel to Ward’s face. After a couple of minutes, Ward got to his feet and left the field on a cart. His left eye appeared to be swollen shut.
“Obviously it didn’t look very good,” Angels infielder Mike Moustakas said. “Hopefully we get some good news here in a little bit. We’re all praying for him.”
Manoah put his hands on his head as he stood on the mound. It was the second hit batter of the game for Manoah, who hit Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani on the left foot in the first.
Andrew Velazquez ran for Ward, who drove in the first run of the game. Velazquez went to shortstop and Luis Rengifo, who scored on the play, moved to left field in the bottom of the inning.
Asked whether the Angels might visit Ward in hospital, Moustakas said he thought it was better to let his teammate rest.
“I’m sure we’ll all send him some text messages and see how he’s doing, but I don’t know if going over there is a good thing,” Moustakas said. “I don’t think that’s the right thing to do right now. Let him rest and recover, get healthy.”
Before play resumed, Blue Jays manager John Schneider came to the mound and replaced Manoah with left-hander Génesis Cabrera.
After the game, Manoah called it “a terrible moment.”
“That’s probably the worst feeling ever,” Manoah said. “Definitely want to pray for him and his family. That’s the last thing you want to do, no matter the situation, no matter the team, no matter anything. I feel really bad about it. I’ll definitely be looking to see how he’s doing.”
In September 2021, Manoah hit Oakland’s Starling Marte in the helmet with a 92 mph pitch. Marte stayed in the game to run the bases but was later replaced.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-angels-outfielder-taylor-ward-leaves-game-after-being-hit-in-head-by-alek-manoah-pitch/ | 2023-07-30T20:28:23 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-angels-outfielder-taylor-ward-leaves-game-after-being-hit-in-head-by-alek-manoah-pitch/ |
Bomb squad investigates mysterious packages parachuted into neighborhood
SAN DIMAS, Calif. (Gray News) – A bomb squad was called in to investigate after packages were apparently parachuted into a city in California.
The San Dimas Sheriff’s Station said deputies responded to a call Thursday for a suspicious package in San Dimas. When they arrived at the location, they said they discovered a parachute with two packages attached to it.
The responding deputies then evacuated the residents of nearby homes and called in the arson and explosives unit.
After an investigation, officials determined the packages did not contain explosives or other dangerous materials and seemed to be a science project.
Officials informed the neighborhood of the finds, and the residents returned safely to their homes.
Copyright 2023 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/30/bomb-squad-investigates-mysterious-packages-parachuted-into-neighborhood/ | 2023-07-30T20:28:27 | 0 | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/30/bomb-squad-investigates-mysterious-packages-parachuted-into-neighborhood/ |
ÉVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (AP) — Céline Boutier carded a 4-under 67 in the third round of the Évian Championship on Saturday to increase her lead to four shots going into the final day.
The 29-year-old Boutier aims to become the first Frenchwoman to win the tournament, which became a major in 2013.
“I didn’t start that good to be honest. I missed the first three greens but got a good break on 2 and was able to chip in. Then I just had really good chances on the two par-fives, seven and nine, and was able to take advantage of that,” said Boutier, who had a bogey on the 12th hole in a round of five birdies.
“I was just trying to focus on making, hitting a good shot, and if I happen to have a birdie opportunity, I hit a solid putt. It was definitely positive and felt pretty good to start very good on the front.”
Boutier’s closest challenger is Japan’s Nasa Hataoka, who posted a 68 on Saturday after rounds of 70 and 67.
“Hopefully I will get more birdies tomorrow. It was good iron shots and distance control,” Hataoka said. “Also I was good too with my putting stroke, so I was really comfortable. Tomorrow is another new day, and I want to enjoy the next 18 holes.”
Minjee Lee of Australia and Brooke Henderson of Canada are joint-third, a shot behind Hataoka.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-boutier-takes-4-shot-lead-into-final-round-of-evian-championship/ | 2023-07-30T20:28:29 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-boutier-takes-4-shot-lead-into-final-round-of-evian-championship/ |
PHOENIX (AP) — The Phoenix Mercury say All-Star center Brittney Griner will not travel for the team’s next two games so she can focus on her mental health.
The 6-foot-9 center — who became an international story during her 10-month detainment in Russia last year — is averaging 18.2 points and 6.7 rebounds over 20 games this season.
“The Mercury fully support Brittney and we will continue to work together on a timeline for her return,” the team said in a statement on Saturday.
Griner’s impressive individual season hasn’t translated to success for the Mercury, who have a 6-17 record and fired Vanessa Nygaard earlier in the season.
The Mercury’s tough season and coaching change are among the multiple challenges Griner has faced in her return to the WNBA following her ordeal in Russia on drug-related charges that caused her to miss the entire 2022 season.
Griner and her teammates were confronted by what the WNBA called a “provocateur” at the Dallas airport in June and she’s also dealt with a hip injury that caused her to miss a handful of games.
Griner will miss road games against Chicago on Sunday and Indiana on Tuesday.
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Follow David Brandt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/davidbrandtAP | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-brittney-griner-wont-travel-for-next-2-games-to-focus-on-her-mental-health-team-says/ | 2023-07-30T20:28:35 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-brittney-griner-wont-travel-for-next-2-games-to-focus-on-her-mental-health-team-says/ |
Bomb squad investigates mysterious packages parachuted into neighborhood
SAN DIMAS, Calif. (Gray News) – A bomb squad was called in to investigate after packages were apparently parachuted into a city in California.
The San Dimas Sheriff’s Station said deputies responded to a call Thursday for a suspicious package in San Dimas. When they arrived at the location, they said they discovered a parachute with two packages attached to it.
The responding deputies then evacuated the residents of nearby homes and called in the arson and explosives unit.
After an investigation, officials determined the packages did not contain explosives or other dangerous materials and seemed to be a science project.
Officials informed the neighborhood of the finds, and the residents returned safely to their homes.
Copyright 2023 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbay.com/2023/07/30/bomb-squad-investigates-mysterious-packages-parachuted-into-neighborhood/ | 2023-07-30T20:28:42 | 1 | https://www.wbay.com/2023/07/30/bomb-squad-investigates-mysterious-packages-parachuted-into-neighborhood/ |
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Kyler Murray’s football career was nearly flawless for the first 25 years of his life: First, he was a Texas high school phenom, then a Heisman Trophy winner, then the No. 1 overall pick for the Arizona Cardinals, then a two-time Pro Bowl selection.
In all those situations, Murray was being compared to other football players.
These days, the competition is with himself.
“This is different,” Murray said. “This is you-on-you. Nobody really knows what you’re going through except for yourself and whoever you’re working out with.”
Murray, who turns 26 on Aug. 7, is working his way back to football relevancy following an underwhelming fourth season that was cut short by a torn ACL in his right knee against the New England Patriots on Dec. 12.
The quarterback acknowledged some tough days after the surgery — nights when it was tough to sleep because of the pain — but said he’s not feeling sorry for himself as he works to get back to the field.
“I get to do what I love every day — play quarterback in the NFL,” Murray said. “Did I get hurt? Yeah. Did I experience something no one wants to experience? Yeah. But it’s nothing for me to get up and work out. I was already doing that before I got hurt.”
Murray’s expected to miss at least a few games of the upcoming season while he continues to recover, and the quarterback watched Saturday’s practice at State Farm Stadium in a gray hooded sweatshirt and long black sleeve over his entire right leg.
His impending return is the hottest topic for the Cardinals during camp, but says he’s not committing to a certain return date.
“I don’t have a timetable,” Murray said.
Murray said he saw Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow at a recent UFC event and the two discussed the perils of an ACL injury. Burrow tore the ACL in his left knee during his rookie season in 2020, but returned to play 16 games in 2021.
“I wouldn’t want to go out there and hurt the team or hurt myself,” Murray said. “The advice that I’ve gotten from a lot of people around me is to go when you’re ready. Don’t listen to outside noise. Don’t feel pressure to come back because of this situation or that situation.
“Whenever you’re ready, you’ll know you’re ready.”
Murray has been very good — at times spectacular — for much of his first four seasons. His uncanny scrambling ability has produced several highlight-reel plays and he’s got plenty of arm to make all the throws he needs to make.
The apex of his pro career came in 2021, when the Cardinals started the season with a 10-2 record and looked like a Super Bowl favorite. But the franchise collapsed, losing four of the next five games before getting blown out against the Los Angeles Rams in an embarrassing playoff performance.
With high hopes in 2022, the Cardinals were one of the league’s most disappointing teams, finishing with a 4-13 record. Murray was far from the only reason for those struggles, but also wasn’t blameless, as his performance regressed in several areas.
“It’s not a bad thing to sit back, watch, and try to make this a positive deal,” Murray said. “I feel good. Getting better each and every day, taking one day at a time. Just trying to be there for my teammates and learn as much as possible before I do stuff on the field.”
Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill made big changes after last season’s debacle, bringing in a defensive-minded coach in Jonathan Gannon and a new general manager in Monti Ossenfort. The new regime seems just as smitten with Murray as the previous one — Gannon said one major reason he took the Cardinals job was Murray’s presence.
Murray says he’s excited about what the changes can bring.
The Cardinals have a large monetary interest in making things work: Murray signed a $230.5 million, five-year deal before last offseason that keeps him in the desert until 2028.
“It’s been great so far,” Murray said. “We’re actually establishing a run game. I believe we’ll be able to run the ball a lot better, which will only be a weapon for us. Get under center, mix it up, not be as predictable.”
Veteran Colt McCoy is the Cardinals’ most likely quarterback while Murray continues to recover. The 36-year-old has been the team’s backup for the past two seasons and has a 3-3 record in the six games he’s started.
The other current options are David Blough, who played decently in two starts last season, and Clayton Tune, a rookie fifth-round pick out of Houston.
“To me, whoever is available, we’re trying to put the best guy out there to win football games,” Gannon said. “Obviously, Kyler’s not available right now, but we’ve got a lot of guys who are very capable who I’m excited to see play and compete if he’s not ready to go.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-cardinals-kyler-murray-says-his-knee-rehab-is-going-well-but-has-no-timetable-for-his-return/ | 2023-07-30T20:28:41 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-cardinals-kyler-murray-says-his-knee-rehab-is-going-well-but-has-no-timetable-for-his-return/ |
(CNN) — A 21-year-old woman was killed and eight other women were injured when gunfire erupted after a Jeep approached a group on the West Side of Chicago early Sunday, according to police.
The shooting in the North Lawndale neighborhood happened shortly before 1 a.m., the Chicago Police Department said in a news release.
The victims’ ages range from 20 to 33 years old.
Police say the women were gathering when a black Jeep drove up to them. Multiple people were seen coming out of the vehicle with guns and began shooting towards the group, according to the release.
The 21-year-old was shot in the face and transported to Mt. Sinai Hospital, where she was pronounced dead a short time later, authorities said.
A 28-year-old woman was shot eight times in the torso and transported to the hospital in critical condition, according to police. Five of the women sustained various gunshot wounds to their extremities and two women sustained graze wounds.
No one is yet in custody and detectives are investigating, police said. The department asked anyone with information on the incident to contact police.
The shooting is among 416 mass shootings to occur in the United States so far in 2023, according to the Gun Violence Archive. The archive, like CNN, defines a mass shooting as one in which at least four people are shot, excluding the shooter.
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Fire in Fond du Lac is affecting 16 people - not many details are known at this point
Published: Jul. 30, 2023 at 3:08 PM CDT|Updated: 18 minutes ago
FOND DU LAC, Wis. (WBAY) - According to a written statement by the American Red Cross, a fire broke out on Spring Street in Fond du Lac on the morning of Sunday, July 30, 2023.
The statement further reads that 16 people are affected - it did not specify in what way. There are eight units in the building, according to the American Red Cross, which is also providing food service for roughly 100 firefighters on the scene.
Volunteers and staff from the American Red Cross are onsite. They are asking anyone displaced by this fire and who needs assistance to please call the Red Cross at 1-800-RED CROSS.
As soon as more details have been released by officials, we will update this article.
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SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium (AP) — Two-time reigning Formula One champion Max Verstappen won the rain-hit sprint race at the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday to extend his huge lead over Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez to 118 points.
It was Verstappen’s ninth straight win including the two sprint races he has won this season. He collected eight points for the victory and will look to extend his overall lead further in Sunday’s main race as he continues his march to a third straight world title.
“That was not bad,” Verstappen said with casual understatement.
He finished a comfortable 6.7 seconds ahead of McLaren driver Oscar Piastri and 10.7 clear of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.
“I’m getting more and more comfortable with the car, which is much better than it was at the start of the year,” said the 22-year-old Piastri. “It’s been amazing for me.”
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton crossed the line in fourth but dropped down to seventh after being given a five-second time penalty for causing a collision when trying to overtake Perez, who scored no points after retiring near the end.
“Lewis crashed into me and took the whole right hand side of my car off,” said Perez, blaming that incident on his failure to finish.
Hamilton’s penalty moved Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. into fourth spot ahead of his teammate Charles Leclerc, with McLaren’s Lando Norris sixth and Mercedes driver George Russell in eighth behind his teammate Hamilton
This was the third of six scheduled sprint races this season, with Perez winning in Azerbaijan and Verstappen winning in Austria and here. The top eight drivers all score points from eight down to one.
The sprint race was delayed by more than one hour due to heavy rain, getting underway with a rolling start procedure after several laps behind a safety car, in order to clear more water off the track for the sprint, which lasted 11 laps.
“I think the rolling start was the smart thing to do,” Verstappen said. “(But) I think we could have a raced a little earlier, maybe two laps earlier.”
Safety was paramount at the Spa track, which has seen two drivers from other racing series killed in the past four years.
F2 driver Anthoine Hubert died in a multi-car crash at the track in 2019, on the eve of the F1 race.
Dutch teenage driver Dilano van ’t Hoff was killed earlier this month on the same circuit while competing in the Formula Regional European Championship.
Two years ago, six drivers from the all-female W Series needed medical checks following a heavy crash during a qualifying session on the same track.
Spa’s layout features a notorious flat-out uphill section known as Eau Rouge, which is followed by a blind corner sequence into Radillon.
The most serious issue during rain is a lack of visibility with so much spray from the cars flying up.
“The water just stayed in the air. I couldn’t see anything so I can only imagine how bad it was at the back,” said Gasly, who was close friends with Hubert. “I was hoping no car (goes) off the track or collides on the straight because we know what happened (in the past).”
Even Verstappen was unsighted when at slow speed.
“I couldn’t even see the safety car sometimes and I was the first car,” Verstappen said. “Unfortunately we had these accidents happen over the years.”
It was a welcome result for Gasly, who crashed out of the Hungarian GP last weekend and whose team is undergoing an overhaul after some disappointing results.
The encouraging performance was also a poignant one for Gasly.
“It feels very special to have done it here in Spa,” he said. “So obviously a thought for Anthoine.”
Earlier, Verstappen edged out Piastri by just .011 seconds to take the sprint pole.
The shortened qualifying format — known as the “sprint shootout” — was delayed by 35 minutes because of wet and rainy conditions, with air blowers used to clear water from the track.
Piastri shot to the top of the leaderboard on his last run, only for Verstappen to typically find extra pace.
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll pushed too hard in the final seconds of Q2, the second part of qualifying, and slid off into the barriers, mangling his right tire and bringing out a red flag. His teammate Fernando Alonso was on his out lap when the crash happened and couldn’t set a time, meaning he also failed to make it into Q3.
Heavy rain had also impacted Friday’s running at the 7-kilometer (4.3-mile) Spa-Francorchamps circuit, which is nestled in a forest amid the Ardennes countryside and is often impacted by gloomy weather.
Verstappen also set the fastest time in qualifying for Sunday’s main race, but Leclerc will start from pole because of Verstappen’s five-place grid penalty for a gearbox change. He begins Sunday’s race from sixth, but that will not bother Verstappen considering he won here last year from 14th.
Verstappen and Perez have won every F1 race and sprint race between them in the ultra-dominant Red Bull car.
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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-f1-leader-verstappen-wins-rain-hit-belgian-gp-sprint-race-piastri-is-second/ | 2023-07-30T20:28:48 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-f1-leader-verstappen-wins-rain-hit-belgian-gp-sprint-race-piastri-is-second/ |
(CNN) — Four people are dead and two are injured after two aircraft collided in midair and another crashed into a lake Saturday shortly before an air show at a major aviation convention in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, authorities said.
Two people died when a North American T-6, a vintage military training craft, crashed around 9 a.m. into Lake Winnebago, according to the Coast Guard, who recovered the bodies of the two people on board Saturday night.
The plane descended rapidly from an altitude of around 3,000 feet, the Coast Guard said. Several agencies, including the Oshkosh Fire Department and the Coast Guard responded to the crash, according to a statement from the Experimental Aircraft Association, which organizes the annual AirVenture convention.
Two people were killed in a separate crash Saturday around noon, when a RotorWay 162F helicopter and an ELA 10 Eclipse gyrocopter collided midair. The accident happened in an area of Wittman Regional Airport designated for the event, organizers said.
Gyrocopters look like small helicopters, but their propellers spin naturally, without the help of an engine.
Two people who were injured in the accident were transported to a local hospital and are in stable condition, the statement said.
It is unclear which victims were on which aircraft, but event organizers said the helicopter and gyrocopter belonged to event attendees and were not involved in the air show.
Authorities have not released the names of people who died in either accident, pending notification of relatives.
The airshow began around 2:45 p.m. after a short delay, organizers said.
The AirVenture convention is a multiday event, featuring air shows, fly-in campgrounds and fireworks. It boasts “the highest concentration of aircraft in the world.”
Organizers published guidelines from the Federal Aviation Administration for participants planning to fly an aircraft into the festival. The National Transportation Safety Board said it is sending an investigator to begin determining the causes of both accidents.
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METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Jimmy Graham offered a few reasons why — at age 36 and without having played football last year — he could become a playmaker again for the New Orleans Saints.
“I’m feeling better than ever. I’m still 6-(foot)-7 and I like the red zone,” the veteran tight end said Saturday in his first public comments since rejoining his first NFL team Tuesday. “I definitely came into this with a chip on my shoulder and with something to prove.”
Estimating he weighed as much as 285 pounds in his previous stint with the Saints, when he worked out like “a meathead,” Graham said he has been cycling “hundreds of miles a week” and has changed his workout and eating habits to suit to his age.
“I know I’m definitely in shape,” said Graham, now listed at 265 pounds. “That’s not a problem at all.”
Graham, who has caught at least eight touchdown passes in six of his 12 NFL seasons, was a favorite target of former star quarterback Drew Brees and among the most popular players in New Orleans before the club surprisingly traded him to Seattle in 2015.
Many fans were upset, including general manager Micky Loomis’ own daughter. So, too, was Graham.
“For me, it was pretty shocking,” Graham said. “I thought I would never leave this place. … I woke up to the part of the business that hurt.”
Alluding to a difficult childhood in which he sometimes lived in an orphanage, Graham added, “at first it was very difficult because of my connection with Drew as an ‘older brother’ and all the people in this building.”
“It was family, you know?” Graham continued. “So, for me, a guy who didn’t have a lot of family, it was definitely a difficult time.”
Graham played three seasons with the Seahawks — where he had a major knee injury 2015, but also his last 10-TD season in 2017 — before spending two seasons each at Green Bay and Chicago. He said he spent several of those seasons avoiding interviews because he “didn’t really have a lot to say that was positive.”
In recent years, Graham said, he longed for another chance to play in New Orleans.
“I’ve been trying to come home for a long time,” Graham said, adding that by last season, he didn’t want to play anywhere else. He said several teams reached out to him in 2022, but he told his agent, Jimmy Sexton, “that if I don’t retire as a Saint that I wasn’t going to play again.”
Sitting out last season was “extremely weird, especially after you spend a whole offseason preparing (to play), working out and making sure you’re in shape,” he said. “I think everything happens for a reason and I think it’ll be to my benefit.”
The Saints used a third-round pick to draft Graham in 2010, despite the fact that he’d played just one season of football at Miami after spending four seasons as a basketball power forward for the Hurricanes.
In just his second NFL season, Graham caught 99 passes for 1,310 yards and 11 touchdowns and was selected to his first of five Pro Bowls. He had another banner season in 2013, with 1,215 yards and a career-high 16 TDs receiving.
Around that time, current Saints tight end Foster Moreau was playing for Jesuit High School in New Orleans and had a signed No. 80 Graham Saints jersey in a shadow box in his room.
“Jimmy was a dog, and he still is. Honestly, he runs great,” Moreau said. “So, it’s just such a funny situation. You walk into the locker room and, ‘Oh my God! Jimmy Graham right there.’”
Graham’s production plummeted in his final season with the Bears in 2021, when he caught 14 passes for 167 yards and three TDs in 15 games.
And while the Saints cannot be sure how well he’ll play this season, they expressed confidence he’ll be a leader in the locker room. Graham sounded ready to embrace that role, noting that he, along with 13th-year defensive end Cameron Jordan, are the only players on the roster who’d once been teammates with most of the stars of the Saints’ 2009 championship team.
“I understand what that culture was like and what that looks like, the sacrifice that it takes and the brotherhood – that bond – that needs to be molded,” Graham said.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-jimmy-graham-is-grateful-to-be-back-with-the-saints-and-confident-he-can-still-play/ | 2023-07-30T20:28:55 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-jimmy-graham-is-grateful-to-be-back-with-the-saints-and-confident-he-can-still-play/ |
(CNN) — A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department recruit died eight months after he was struck by a driver who hit around two dozen recruits on a training run in Whittier, California, according to authorities.
Alejandro Martinez, 27, died Friday at the Ronald Reagan University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center surrounded by friends, family, and members of the sheriff’s department after months of fighting for his life, according to a statement from the department.
“Today, Alejandro succumbed to his injuries,” the sheriff’s department said in an online statement. “Tragically, he was not able to fulfill his calling of helping others.”
Martinez was on a training run with around 75 other recruits the morning of November 16, 2022, when an SUV drove into the group. Twenty-five of the recruits suffered injuries, with five initially listed in critical condition.
The driver, 22-year-old Nicholas Joseph Gutierrez, was driving the wrong way when the incident occurred, according to the sheriff’s department. He showed no signs of impairment and blew a zero in a Breathalyzer test administered after the incident.
He was alone in the vehicle at the time of the crash, the sheriff’s department told CNN.
“It looked like an airplane wreck – so many bodies scattered everywhere in different states of injury,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said in a news conference after the crash. “It was pretty traumatic for all individuals.”
Officials initially said the crash appeared to have been “a horrific accident.” That characterization changed dramatically when the department arrested Gutierrez on suspicion of attempted murder of peace officers. However, he was released from jail a day later, according to records that indicated the initial complaint was insufficient to hold him.
“I have no doubt that an in-depth investigation will confirm that Nicholas is a hard working young man who holds no animosity towards law enforcement, and this was an absolutely tragic accident,” an attorney for Gutierrez, Alexandra Kazarian, told CNN affiliate KABC after the incident.
The California Highway Patrol is still investigating the incident, the agency told CNN Sunday in an email.
“The CHP continues to actively conduct a fair and impartial investigation to determine the cause of the crash and Gutierrez’s criminal culpability,” the highway patrol said. “Currently, there are no further updates to provide.”
Flags at the state capital will be flown at half-staff in honor of Martinez’s memory, Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement Sunday.
“Jennifer and I are heartbroken by the tragic passing of Alejandro Martinez, our deepest condolences are with his family, friends, and academy classmates at this difficult time,” Newsom said. “Recruit Martinez was dedicated to serving his community, and his commitment to California will never be forgotten.”
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WESTFIELD, Ind. (AP) — Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor has requested a trade, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Saturday night.
Taylor, the 2021 NFL rushing champ, has been seeking a contract extension before his rookie contract expires at the end of this season and he’s been one of several running backs to publicly air their grievances throughout the offseason.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the request hadn’t been made public. NFL Network first reported Taylor’s request to be traded.
It came shortly after Taylor left team owner Jim Irsay’s motorhome after a meeting that lasted nearly an hour as the Colts conducted a night practice.
“It was just a good conversation and, you know, hopeful going forward,” Irsay told reporters after practice. “We’re looking forward to a great season, hoping that Jonathan’s a big part of that and I think we had a good conversation.”
Taylor has not spoken with reporters since being placed on the physically unable to perform list Tuesday. General manager Chris Ballard said then the Colts wanted to wait for a new deal until they could see how a healthy Taylor fit the new offense installed by first-year coach Shane Steichen.
Taylor topped the 2,000-yard mark twice in college at Wisconsin and rushed for 2,980 yards and 29 TDs in his first two NFL seasons. He was a unanimous All-Pro selection in 2021, when he led the league with 2,171 total yards and tied for the league lead in total touchdowns with 20.
Last year, he rushed for 861 yards despite missing six games with an ankle injury that required offseason surgery. Indy also struggled, finishing the season 4-11-1.
Irsay posted on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, on Wednesday suggesting some player agents were acting in bad faith by complaining about how much running backs earned with a franchise tag designation after the collective bargaining agreement was negotiated in good faith. The $10.1 million price tag is the lowest of any position other than kickers or punters.
On Saturday, in front of a capacity crowd at Grand Park in Westfield a staff member took Taylor to the nearby motorhome. Irsay did not divulge details of the meeting afterward, but did talk about two other former Colts star runners — Marshall Faulk, who was traded after Peyton Manning’s rookie season in 1998, and Edgerrin James, who left as a free agent between the 2005 and 2006 seasons.
“I’m responsible for everyone on the team and to look at the cap money as you go forward,” Irsay said. “It’s a great responsibility and you try to be as fair as you possibly can be with the whole football team. So again, I’m hopeful.”
Now the Colts may be looking to move Taylor before he even gets a chance to team up rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick in April.
“We need to make sure he (Taylor) is healthy, and we expect he should have an outstanding year,” Irsay said. “(Linebacker) E.J. Speed had the same surgery and is doing well, but it’s early in the process and we want to make sure Jonathan is 100%.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-jonathan-taylor-requests-trade-after-meeting-with-owner-jim-irsay-at-colts-practice-source-says/ | 2023-07-30T20:29:02 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-jonathan-taylor-requests-trade-after-meeting-with-owner-jim-irsay-at-colts-practice-source-says/ |
2 people die in shooting near University of Florida campus
Two people were killed during a shooting early Sunday across the street from the University of Florida campus, the Gainesville Police Department said.
The shooting occurred in the area of 900 W. University Ave. at 2:42 a.m., the city's police department posted on Facebook.
The area is across the street from University of Florida Human Resources and near a Checkers and Bodytech.
Police officers had been conducting crowd control in downtown Gainesville in a commercial corridor several blocks from the University of Florida campus when they heard gunshots, police said.
Officers made contact with several victims, two of whom succumbed to their injuries.
Police were seeking the public's help for any information on the shootings.
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(CNN) — A 30-year-old man was killed and other people were taken to a hospital after a shooting at a party in Indiana, authorities said Sunday.
Police in Muncie responded an early morning call for “multiple people shot” at a large party, the city said in a Facebook post.
CNN affiliate WISH reported a witness said people at the block party were carrying weapons and began firing, according to the news station.
As of Sunday morning, victims were receiving treatment at a hospital and “more critical patients were airlifted to other facilities,” officials said.
“We are heartbroken to learn of this terrible incident, and our deepest condolences go to the families of the young man who was killed and everyone who was injured,” the city added.
No further details were released about the victims. Authorities also did not share information about suspects and motive.
Authorities said there was no immediate threat to public safety.
Muncie is roughly 50 miles northeast of Indianapolis.
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BLAINE, Minn. (AP) — Chasing his first PGA Tour victory Lee Hodges shot a 5-under 66 on Saturday to stretch his lead to five strokes with a round left in the 3M Open.
Hodges had a 20-under 193 total at the TPC Twin Cities to break the tournament 54-hole mark of 195 set last year by Scott Piercy. Hodges led at 8 under after the first round and a record 15 under after the second.
“I have nothing to lose,” Hodges said. “I’m out here playing with house money. I have a job next year on the PGA Tour, this is all great. This is just icing on the cake.”
J.T. Poston was second after a 66. Defending champion Tony Finau was another stroke back at 14 under after a 67.
Hodges’ best finish in 64 prior events was a tie for third at The American Express in 2022, the only other time the 28-year-old Alabama player has led or shared the lead after 54 holes.
And he almost certainly has played himself into the playoffs that begin in two weeks. He began the week 74th in the FedEx Cup standings, with the top 70 players qualifying.
“I honestly don’t think I’ll be that nervous tonight.” Hodges said. “I’ll hang out with my wife. We’ll go do something fun. I mean, yeah, it’s just golf at the end of the day. I’m lucky to be here.”
Hodges opened with an up-and-down even nine holes, then had five birdies on the back nine.
“I didn’t think I played bad on the front nine, I just couldn’t really get it close to the hole and when I did, I couldn’t make the putt,” he said.
Things were much different after the turn.
Hodges dropped birdie putts from 12 feet on No. 10 and nearly 11 feet on No. 11. His tee shot on the par-3 13th stopped 4 1/2 feet from the cup for another birdie. He added a 5-foorter for birdie on 16 and a 7-footer on 18.
He’ll be paired with Poston on Sunday the final group.
“We play some practice rounds together and I know him really well,” Poston said. “He’s a good friend. So, if I can’t get it done tomorrow, I’ll be pulling for him.”
Finau birdied four of his final eight holes. Last year, he trailed by five shots early in the final round and won by three at 17 under.
“It was just nice to make a run on the back nine today just to give myself a chance,” Finau said. “If I’m eight back, that’s a whole different feeling than five or six. I was just happy with the way I finished my round today and to creep up and just be a little closer to the lead.”
Aaron Baddeley was fourth at 13 under after a 65.
Sam Ryder (65), Keith Mitchell (67), Billy Horschel (68) and Kevin Streelman (69) were 12 under. Ryder birdied in his final five holes — and seven of nine — to toe the tournament back-nine record of 29. Mitchell set that mark two years ago.
Kevin Yu shot 29 on his first nine, tying a score recorded by five others, but he was 5 over for his final six holes to finish with a 67. He was tied for 11th.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-looking-for-1st-pga-tour-title-lee-hodges-takes-5-shot-lead-onto-3m-open-final-round/ | 2023-07-30T20:29:09 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-looking-for-1st-pga-tour-title-lee-hodges-takes-5-shot-lead-onto-3m-open-final-round/ |
(NerdWallet) – Inflation has rattled nearly every aspect of Americans’ finances, including vacation budgets. But one major travel cost isn’t just lower than it was last year — it’s even lower than pre-pandemic.
June 2023 airfares are 18.9% lower than what they were in June 2022, according to July 2023 consumer price index data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Considering that booming demand — alongside other factors like high jet fuel costs — led to record-high airfares last summer, it’s not surprising to see prices normalize. Not only have air travel costs come back down to earth from 2022’s highs, they’re even lower than pre-pandemic prices.
According to BLS data, June 2023 airfares are down 1.33% from what they were in 2019, when airfares were already trending lower. Relative to what prices were a decade ago, they’re even cheaper.
Pandemic aside, airfares have been trending cheaper
Before the pandemic, airfares had steadily been trending downward since 2014, save for a small bump in 2019. In 2020, prices dropped sharply with the onset of the pandemic, with June 2020 airfares averaging 27% lower than June 2019 airfares.
But as travel returned, so did higher prices. June 2021 airfares spiked 25% over the prior year, and airfares rose 34% more between June 2021 and June 2022.
If you take a long-term view, those increases aren’t necessarily as big as they seem. In fact, in June 2022, airfares averaged just 0.4% more than in 2014.
Here’s a look at how airfares have changed relative to prices in 2014, using June prices from BLS inflation data:
In 2023, airfares are 19% lower than a decade ago.
Compare that with something like the cost of milk, which is up 9% over that same period, according to BLS data. Hotel prices are up 28%. Admission to movies, theaters and concerts is up 33%.
If airfares are lower, why do they feel so high?
Over the past decade, prices for most items have increased. But if airfares are down 19%, why do they feel so expensive?
For starters, not every route is necessarily cheaper. Data from travel booking app Hopper indicates airfares to Europe this summer are averaging nearly $1,200 per ticket, the highest prices in the past six years. That’s perhaps a response to people who might usually book a low-cost domestic flight finally taking extravagant bucket list trips.
And given recent major flight cancellations on airlines including United and Southwest, more travelers might opt for more expensive direct flights to reduce risk of flight disruptions.
Hayley Berg, Hopper’s lead economist, has her own theories as to why people feel like airfares are higher, including recency bias, shorter booking windows and unbundling.
Recency bias
Berg pointed to how many people traveled for this summer’s major holidays.
For example, Fourth of July weekend set records for U.S. air travel, with more than 2.884 million people passing through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints on the Friday before July 4, according to TSA checkpoint data. That topped the previous record of 2.882 million people flying on the Sunday after Thanksgiving 2019.
“A lot of times, we anchor the cost of travel to our most recent trips,” Berg says. “For many, that meant July Fourth and Memorial Day. It’s always expensive to travel on those weekends.”
Shorter booking windows
Airfares typically get more expensive the closer they’re booked to departure, and Berg says people are booking trips later than usual — perhaps a holdover from those pandemic times when people intentionally booked last minute given the extreme uncertainty.
Berg recommends typically booking one to two months in advance for domestic travel and three to four months ahead for most international travel.
“Now, people are searching for travel three weeks later than they did pre-pandemic, and they’re subsequently booking later,” she says. “If I’m booking a trip today that I intend to take two weeks from now, it’s going to be expensive because it’s always more expensive to book at the last minute.”
Unbundling
Then there’s unbundling, where airlines advertise lower fares, often in the form of basic economy seats that offer few frills. But low base fares typically entail upcharges in the form of ancillary fees to check bags or to guarantee a window seat or early boarding.
“On the whole, unbundling is a good thing because you’re not paying a premium for things you may not necessarily want,” Berg says. “I don’t care if I’m in the middle seat if it means I save $100.”
Berg acknowledges that it can be painful when you search for a flight that has a low advertised price but doesn’t turn out to be that cheap.
“It feels like death by a thousand cuts when you add in all those fees,” she says. | https://www.kxnet.com/news/national-news/airfares-are-back-to-normal-so-why-do-they-feel-so-high/ | 2023-07-30T20:29:11 | 0 | https://www.kxnet.com/news/national-news/airfares-are-back-to-normal-so-why-do-they-feel-so-high/ |
Bomb squad investigates mysterious packages parachuted into neighborhood
SAN DIMAS, Calif. (Gray News) – A bomb squad was called in to investigate after packages were apparently parachuted into a city in California.
The San Dimas Sheriff’s Station said deputies responded to a call Thursday for a suspicious package in San Dimas. When they arrived at the location, they said they discovered a parachute with two packages attached to it.
The responding deputies then evacuated the residents of nearby homes and called in the arson and explosives unit.
After an investigation, officials determined the packages did not contain explosives or other dangerous materials and seemed to be a science project.
Officials informed the neighborhood of the finds, and the residents returned safely to their homes.
Copyright 2023 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wflx.com/2023/07/30/bomb-squad-investigates-mysterious-packages-parachuted-into-neighborhood/ | 2023-07-30T20:29:11 | 0 | https://www.wflx.com/2023/07/30/bomb-squad-investigates-mysterious-packages-parachuted-into-neighborhood/ |
SYDNEY (AP) — Some of the biggest names in soccer have yet to show up at the Women’s World Cup.
That’s literally been the case of Australian star Sam Kerr, who missed the first two games with a calf injury.
Kerr has recovered in time to play for Australia in a crucial final Group B game against Canada on Monday. The Matildas need to beat the Canadians to ensure they advance to the knockout round, and the Chelsea striker’s return to the lineup brings needed energy to the team.
“Mentally, it’s massive. It brings so much to our team and obviously also a lot to the opposition knowing that we have Sam available for this game,” Australia defender Ellie Carpenter said.
Kerr’s injury on the eve of Australia’s opening game against Ireland set the tone for a tournament that hasn’t been kind to some of its biggest stars. She was the face of co-host Australia’s preparations for the tournament, which is also being staged in New Zealand.
She dominated the covers of magazines across newsstands, while the autobiography she released late last year chronicled her rise to become arguably the best player in the women’s game right now. Kerr’s popularity transcends women’s soccer and she is considered a national icon.
So the disappointment was palpable when news broke about an hour before the opening match that Kerr was going to be sidelined at least two games in this tournament.
Kerr’s absence was felt in the 3-2 loss to Nigeria in Australia’s second game, a loss that put the Matildas in danger of elimination. It is not known what her role will be against Canada, but Australia needs Kerr to deliver in the final game of group play.
“I’m definitely going to be available, but how we decide to use that is not to be given to the opposition,” said Kerr.
The World Cup is supposed to be a showcase for the finest talent and biggest names, but injuries have always robbed the tournament of some its star players.
Norway forward Ada Hegerberg has had her playing time curtailed. Often referred to as “the Lionel Messi of women’s soccer,” Hederberg was part of a Norway’s 1-0 upset loss to New Zealand in the opening game of the World Cup.
It got worse for the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner when she suffered a groin injury in the warm-up ahead of Norway’s game against Switzerland, and she’s been ruled out of the final Group A game against the Philippines.
Keira Walsh of England suffered a knee injury against Denmark that will sidenline her for the Lionesses’ final Group D game against China. Described as irreplaceable, it is not known how much she will be able to play.
Even for some stars who have seen plenty of playing time, it has been difficult to make an impact.
American icon Alex Morgan has underwhelmed so far at her fourth World Cup, where she is hoping to help the United States to an unprecedented third consecutive title.
Morgan, the co-leading scorer at the last World Cup, has yet to score at this year’s event and missed a penalty in the 3-0 win against Vietnam. U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski said Morgan was adapting to playing in a forward line with Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman.
“I think it’s not hard to realize that Alex’s role is slightly different than the Alex that we’re used to maybe in the past,” Andonovski said. “She does set up the other two forwards a lot more. It’s not that she’s not capable of scoring goals or getting behind crosses, but we can also see her playing balls to Trinity and Soph, but also getting crosses for them as well.”
Morgan, at 34, is now one of the older players at the tournament.
Christine Sinclair of Canada is also searching for first goal of the tournament. Sinclair is highest scorer in international soccer — men or women — with 190 goals.
Like Morgan, she also missed a penalty, in a 0-0 draw with Nigeria that could still prove costly. She was benched for Canada’s second game against Ireland before coming in as a substitute at halftime as the gold medalist from the Tokyo Olympics logged a come-from-behind 2-1 win.
At 40 years old, Sinclair is having to accept a more limited role for Canada.
Brazil great Marta, at 37, has also been used sparingly in her sixth World Cup.
Her teammate, Debinha, who is also an iconic figure to Brazil fans, has been one of the standout players for her country so far. But she wasn’t able to stop a 2-1 loss to France on Saturday despite scoring in that match.
The gap appears to be closing in the women’s game, with underdogs proving more of a test for the more established nations. That’s one reason some of the big name stars have yet to impress in tournament.
One of the few standouts who has not disappointed so far has been Alexandra Popp, who scored twice in Germany’s 6-0 rout of Morocco.
Major tournaments are traditionally a mix of rising talents coming to the surface, while established stars have the chance to confirm their status among the greats.
Linda Caicedo of Colombia, Lauren James of England and Melchie Dumornay of Haiti have proven their worth as some of the brightest prospects in the game. But as the second round of games nears its completion, it feels like the tournament is still waiting for many of its big hitters to make an impact.
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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://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-some-of-soccers-biggest-stars-are-struggling-to-make-an-impact-at-the-womens-world-cup/ | 2023-07-30T20:29:16 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-some-of-soccers-biggest-stars-are-struggling-to-make-an-impact-at-the-womens-world-cup/ |
(The Conversation) – Should smartphones be allowed in classrooms? A new report from UNESCO, the education arm of the United Nations, raises questions about the practice. Though smartphones can be used for educational purposes, the report says the devices also disrupt classroom learning, expose students to cyberbullying and can compromise students’ privacy.
About 1 in 7 countries globally, such as the Netherlands and France, have banned the use of smartphones in school – and academic performance improved as a result, particularly for low-performing students, the report notes.
As school leaders in the U.S. wrestle with whether or not to ban smartphones, The Conversation has invited four scholars to weigh in on the issue.
Daniel G. Krutka: Use smartphones to encourage ‘technoskepticism’
While the issue of smartphone use in schools is complicated, evidence suggests that spending more time on smartphones is associated with young people being less happy and less satisfied with life.
Technology scholars have long argued that the key to living well with technology is in finding limits. However, in banning smartphones, I worry educators might be missing opportunities to use smartphones to encourage what I and other researchers refer to as technoskeptical thinking; that is, questioning our relationship with technology.
For example, students might be encouraged to consider the benefits and drawbacks of using navigational apps to travel from one place to another, as opposed to old-fashioned paper maps. Or, students might explore their social media feeds to critique what algorithms feed them, or how notifications get their attention.
In my research, I have looked at how teachers can encourage students to go on techno-fasts – that is, abstaining from the use of technology for a certain period of time. This, I argue, will give students time to reflect on the time they spend away from their devices.
Policy debates often focus on whether or not to put smartphones out of reach during the school day. But I believe educators might find it more beneficial to make the phones an object of inquiry.
Sarah Rose: Consult parents, teachers and students
While there is evidence that classroom phone usage can be a distraction, it can also promote engagement and learning. While research about the potential positive and negative consequences of classroom phones can be used to inform school phone policies, the views of those who are most directly impacted by the policies should also be taken into account.
The views of parents matter because their views may influence the extent to which their children follow the policy. The views of children matter because they are the ones being expected to follow the policy and to benefit from it. The views of teachers matter because they are often the ones that have to enforce the policies. Research shows that enforcing cellphone policies is not always a straightforward issue.
In my research, I have found that children – aged 10 and 11 years old – in collaboration with their parents, were able to come up with ideas for ideal policies and solutions to help enforce them. For example, one parent-child pair suggested mobile phone use in school could be banned but that a role of “telephone monitor” could be given to an older pupil. This “telephone monitor” would have a class mobile phone that children and parents could use to contact each other during the school day when necessary.
This recommendation reflected how parents and middle and high school students – whether from rural and urban areas – felt cellphones were important to keep in touch with each other during the school day. Beyond safety, children and parents also told us that phones were important for keeping in touch about changing plans and for emotional support during the school day.
I believe policies that simply ban phones in schools may be missing an opportunity to educate children about responsible mobile device use. When parents and children are involved in policy development, it has the potential to increase the extent to which these policies are followed and enforced.
Arnold L. Glass: Cellphone use in college lectures hurts performance in ways that are hard to see
The intrusion of internet-enabled electronic devices, such as laptops, tablets and cellphones, has transformed the modern college lecture. Students now divide their attention between the lecture and their devices. Classroom studies reveal that when college students use an electronic device for a nonacademic purpose during class, it hurts their performance on exams.
When attention is divided between an electronic device and the classroom lecture, it does not reduce comprehension of the lecture – at least, not when measured by within-class quizzes. Instead, divided attention reduces long-term retention of the classroom lecture, which hurts performance on unit exams and final exams.
When some students open electronic devices, it also negatively affects the performance of all the students around them. Research has shown that student performance on final exams was worse when electronic devices were permitted during classes that covered exam material versus when the devices were not.
Many students won’t think their divided attention is affecting their retention of new information. It may not be for the moment, but a couple of weeks later or down the line, research shows, it does.
Louis-Philippe Beland: Bans help low-achieving students the most
Numerous studies indicate that low-achieving students stand to benefit the most from the implementation of mobile phone bans in schools.
In a 2015 study, my co-author, Richard Murphy, and I examined the impact of banning mobile phones on student performance in high schools, using data from England. By comparing schools with phone bans to similar schools without the bans, we isolated the effect of mobile phones on performance. Our study found that banning mobile phones significantly increased test scores among 16-year-old students. The effect is equivalent to adding five days to the school year or an extra hour per week. Low-achieving students benefited more, while high-achieving students remained unaffected.
Similar studies in Spain and Norway using a similar approach demonstrated compelling evidence supporting the benefits of banning mobile phones. In Spain, grades improved and bullying incidents decreased. In Norway, the ban raised middle school students’ grade-point averages and their likelihood of attending academic high schools while reducing bullying. Evidence from Belgium suggests banning mobile phones can be beneficial for college student performance.
Psychological research sheds light on potential mechanisms behind the impact of mobile phones and technology on student performance. Multitasking, common with mobile phone use, has been found to hinder learning and task execution. Taking notes by hand has been shown to better enhance memory retention compared to typing on a computer.
In sum, banning mobile phones in schools can yield positive effects, improve academic performance and narrow the achievement gap between high- and low-achieving students. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that mobile phones and technology can also be valuable educational tools when used appropriately. | https://www.kxnet.com/news/national-news/do-smartphones-belong-in-classrooms-four-scholars-weigh-in/ | 2023-07-30T20:29:17 | 1 | https://www.kxnet.com/news/national-news/do-smartphones-belong-in-classrooms-four-scholars-weigh-in/ |
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — 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 he and Hamlin after they exchanged text messages Friday night, agreed that the point system encourages the aggressive approach Hamlin took, but added that it “makes the guys on the receiving end more mad as well just because of what’s at stake and what’s taken.”
Larson said four or five restart battles with Kyle Busch at World Wide Technology Raceway in June showed how cleanly he tries to race other drivers.
“I respect Kyle and that’s why I raced him with respect at Gateway, and I respect Denny every bit as much, if not more, or I did,” he said.
“I tend to blow things over pretty quickly,” Larson said. “This time, I probably have let it linger on my attitude a little bit this week just because it’s happened more often with him than any other driver in my career and also a win was taken.”
Larson won the first Richmond race this season in April.
POINTS RACE
William Byron has dropped 30 points behind Martin Truex Jr. in the points race with five races remaining before the playoffs begin. The regular season champion gets a 15-point bonus, but Byron doesn’t expect to make any changes to the way he’s racing while trying to secure that top spot and bonus.
“It’s really important but we can’t get too focused on the result of the regular season points,” he said. “We obviously want those points, but our process has been like it is to this point, and if we start focusing on that carrot out in front of us too much, it’s going to get us off-track.”
CHASING SPEED
Chase Elliott said Richmond is “such a weird place” where his car never feels good, but he was pleased to make the second round of qualifying. He’ll start fourth.
“Any position you can gain is good ahead of 10th,” Elliott said. “I also know this is a place where you can qualify really good and be really bad.”
Elliott missed six races with an injury and another while serving a suspension. He hasn’t won yet and likely will need to win to make the playoffs. He’s 21st in points.
“There’s a few guys that I feel like have been consistently good at this track and the rest of us are kind of hit or miss,” Elliott said. “Hopefully we can hit it tomorrow and just put together a solid day, try to get some stage points and just get up in the mix.”
HEAT CHECK
The temperature was near 100 degrees when the cars went out for qualifying, and the heat index made it feel even hotter. It’s expected to be about 90 on Sunday.
“There’s less grip and more emphasis on tire management,” Brad Keselowski said. “It will be a different race here than it was in the spring, for sure.”
Truex and Larson are the betting favorites Sunday, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-unapologetic-hamlin-says-nascars-point-system-encourages-in-race-urgency-and-aggression/ | 2023-07-30T20:29:22 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-unapologetic-hamlin-says-nascars-point-system-encourages-in-race-urgency-and-aggression/ |
CLEVELAND (WJW) – Verizon customers with older phone plans could see their bill go up next month.
According to the company, starting Aug. 29, some older plans will be charged an additional $3 or $5 per mobile phone line every month.
Customers with Go Unlimited 2.0, Beyond Unlimited 2.0, Above Unlimited, and 5G Start 1.0 plans will see the $3 monthly increase, while single basic phone plans will see the $5 monthly increase.
The company says unlimited plans that are currently available to new customers won’t get hit with the additional charge.
Verizon says lines with tablets, smartwatches, and other devices also won’t be affected.
This comes after a price hike back in April, which, as reported by USA Today, saw a $2 monthly increase for some wireless plans.
In June 2022, Verizon raised some plan fees in response to “pressure,” the company’s head of business said at the time. It led to a $1.35 increase on its administrative fees, and an “Economic Adjustment Charge” for companies using the business plans. It was the first time the fees had been increased since 2019. | https://www.kxnet.com/news/national-news/have-an-older-verizon-phone-plan-your-bill-could-increase-soon/ | 2023-07-30T20:29:23 | 0 | https://www.kxnet.com/news/national-news/have-an-older-verizon-phone-plan-your-bill-could-increase-soon/ |
(The Hill) – A bipartisan group of lawmakers on the House Oversight Committee say a high-profile hearing on UFOs is just the start of their push for answers.
And they are threatening to use heavier handed tactics if the Pentagon and intelligence agencies stand in their way.
Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) and Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) want more information on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) — commonly referred to as UFOs — beginning with new laws, a classified hearing and the possible creation of a select committee.
The lawmakers said they are willing to use subpoena power if needed to get the answers they’re seeking from the federal government.
“If there’s not a cover up, the government and the Pentagon are sure spending a lot of resources to stop us from studying it,” Burchett told The Hill.
He added that they hope House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) can aid them in setting up a select committee to study the issue of UAPs — as well as any government program that addresses them. If they don’t get leadership approval, they’ll “just start holding field hearings because the public is demanding that we have transparency,” Burchett said.
The effort comes after three former military officials earlier this week and under oath gave bombshell testimony on the unexplained aerial objects, telling lawmakers that for years they’ve been kept in the dark about the mysterious sightings and encounters.
David Grusch, a former Air Force intelligence officer, gave the most shocking testimony when he said he was told of a “multi-decade UAP crash retrieval and reverse-engineering program,” accusing the military of misdirecting funds to keep such operations secret.
The shocking testimony now has committee members questioning how Congress should begin to investigate the witness claims and demand more answers from the executive branch on programs it claims doesn’t exist.
Lawmakers hope to start with obtaining additional information and documents that Grusch said he submitted to the Pentagon’s inspector general after serving on two Defense Department task forces looking into UAPs.
To get the information from Grusch — who said he was unable to discuss specifics on what he told the Pentagon’s watchdog arm — lawmakers want to sit down with the former official in a sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF) to get additional information from him.
The group has been blocked, however, by officials that have informed them that Grusch doesn’t currently have security clearance to discuss the issues in a SCIF, according to Burchett.
“I think we’ll get there eventually, it’s just frustrating. I’m ready to go and the American public are ready to go,” he said.
Luna argued the SCIF with Grusch would help lawmakers better understand the type of legislation they need to write regarding UAPs. She said she supports legislation that would declassify information on the phenomena.
With a growing amount of bipartisan interest for more government transparency surrounding the issue, a need for reporting procedures for UAP’s both in the miliary and commercial airspace, and “stronger and stricter punishment for those that try to silence whistleblowers,” the topic is more important than ever, she said.
There is currently a provision in the Senate’s version of the annual defense authorization bill, inserted by Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), which would force federal government agencies to hand over UAP records to a review panel with the power to declassify them. The bill, known as the National Defense Authorization Act, was passed by the Senate on Thursday and now must be reconciled with the House’s version, so the initiative could still be stripped out.
Burchett also made an attempt to put an amendment into a Federal Aviation Administration bill to improve air travel, passed July 20, that would have required UAP sightings be reported to Congress. The initiative was blocked, which Luna said was an indication that “we clearly have a battle ahead of us.”
Another avenue for lawmakers should they not receive access to a SCIF would be invoking the Holman rule.
During Wednesday’s hearing Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) vowed to do just that, saying that he would “personally volunteer to initiate the Holman rule against any personnel, or any program, or any agency that denies access to Congress.”
The Holman rule is a House power through which they can strip the salary of a specific government position, fire civil servants or cut a particular program.
Ogles’s pledge came after Grusch told lawmakers that the federal government for decades has secretly funded a “UAP crash retrieval and reverse engineering program” and that he believes the government is in possession of non-human crafts, based on interviews with 40 witnesses.
Moskowitz told The Hill that while it’s too early to use the Holman rule — as Congress must first “figure out where these positions exist and then examine whether or not they should be funded” — he hopes that by discussing the rule it will create more transparency with the federal government.
“This is about government transparency. I’m all for protecting national security, but that can’t just be a shield to deny the American people the basics of what we know about UAPs,” he said.
And Burchett said if lawmakers “start getting stonewalled” by the Pentagon and intelligence agencies, he will have “no hesitation,” to invoke the rule.
Luna, meanwhile, said whether lawmakers use the rule depends on the response they receive from various agencies, programs and appointees.
That process could start as soon as September when lawmakers consider the Defense Appropriations bill on the House floor.
“We know that enormous sums of money are being spent on UAP related activity, whether it’s retrieval/recovery, research and reverse engineering, or just security for whatever the government is hiding,” she told The Hill. “But none of that is on the books, so from a basic governance perspective, Congress needs to know where money is being misappropriated.”
The Hill’s Sarakshi Rai contributed reporting. | https://www.kxnet.com/news/national-news/ufo-curious-lawmakers-brace-for-a-fight-over-government-secrets/ | 2023-07-30T20:29:29 | 0 | https://www.kxnet.com/news/national-news/ufo-curious-lawmakers-brace-for-a-fight-over-government-secrets/ |
(NEXSTAR) — For five days this year, all national parks will be offering free admission to all visitors. One of those special days is nearly upon us.
The National Park Service announced the 2023 free days late last year. There are more than 400 parks, monuments, seashores and other NPS lands, the majority of which do not require an entrance fee. For the roughly 100 that do, these free admission days open the gates to everyone.
We’ve already had two free days this year: Jan. 16, which is Martin Luther King Day, and April 22, which was the first day of National Park Week.
Now, on Friday, Aug. 4, we’ll have another, which marks the anniversary of the Great Americans Outdoors Act.
The act, GAOA, was signed in 2020 and brought bipartisan investments to “improve visitor experiences, bolster climate resilience, and invest in the economy by creating good-paying jobs” at the parks, the Department of the Interior explains.
In honor of the bill signing anniversary, you won’t need to pay entrance fees at parks that usually require them. Fees will, however, still be necessary for overnight camping, cabin rentals, transportation, group day use and use of special areas.
The next two free admission days are Sept. 23, National Public Lands Day, and Nov. 11, Veterans Day.
Last year, there were roughly 312 million recreational visits to 395 national parks that track attendance, a 15 million increase over 2021. The most visited park was Blue Ridge Parkway, which received 15.7 million visits last year, edging out the Golden Gate National Recreation Area by slightly more than 72,000 visits. | https://www.kxnet.com/news/national-news/you-can-get-into-the-national-parks-for-free-this-week-heres-when/ | 2023-07-30T20:29:35 | 0 | https://www.kxnet.com/news/national-news/you-can-get-into-the-national-parks-for-free-this-week-heres-when/ |
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — There’s another motorcycle rally in a town called Sturgis and it’s in Kentucky.
The annual Kentucky Biker Rally was held in mid-July. Sturgis is a town of about 2,000 people in Union County Kentucky. The county is on the northern border of Kentucky, near Indiana and Illinois. The Ohio River forms its northwestern border.
Carlene Thomas, a local business owner and one of the organizers of the rally, said this year’s rally drew an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 attendees. Thomas said the state has four rallies a year.
“I’d say this is the biggest one in Kentucky,” Thomas said.
The crowd nearly doubles the size of Sturgis but it’s less than the early years of the rally’s history.
Paul Monsour, the tourism director for Union County, said the rally drew 20,000 attendees roughly 25 to 30 years ago.
The rally started in the mid-1990s.
Back then, the rally included the name “Little Sturgis Rally”.
The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota wasn’t a fan of the name of the Kentucky rally. The Sturgis Chamber of Commerce and sued the organizers/group in Kentucky. In 2011, the Associated Press reported a federal judge in South Dakota signed a consent agreement and permanent injunction that barred the Kentucky group called “Little Sturgis Rally” from using the word Sturgis when referring to any motorcycle event.
Today’s Kentucky Bike Rally in Sturgis grew from the roots of the original event. Thomas estimated the second stage of the rally started about 12 years ago.
The lawsuit with Sturgis, South Dakota, wasn’t the only obstacle. Monsour said churches and others in the community were not supportive of the idea of a bike rally. But opposition lessened as rally organizers began to work with churches and others, Monsour said.
Now, there are many media reports of area churches offering showers, meals and preaching to rally attendees.
Monsour said the rally also offers rally work opportunities for churches and others to raise money.
The rally is also an economic benefit for many businesses in the town, Monsour said.
Kathy Utley of Hucks, a gas station and convenience store, said “we see an increase” in business during the rally.
Attendees buy gas, food and other items during the rally. Rally business was good this year, she said.
Sonya West, the manager of Sweet Shop Bakery, said the rally “brings a lot of extra business to town.”
The bakery “gets some bikers,” West said. But restaurants, the grocery stores and convenience stores get more rally attendees, she said.
Yet, “we have seen (some) increase,” West said. | https://www.kxnet.com/news/the-bike-rally-in-the-other-sturgis/ | 2023-07-30T20:29:41 | 0 | https://www.kxnet.com/news/the-bike-rally-in-the-other-sturgis/ |
BISMARCK, N.D. (KXNET) — During the previous week’s Weekend BRB event showcase, we showed you that the summer stage scene in Bismarck is alive and well — and a large part of that is due to the ever-enduring popularity of the Sleepy Hollow Theatre and Arts Park, the city’s largest outdoor stage. For this week’s One-Day ND Destinations, we took a closer look at the past, present, and future of the park, and exactly why it remains a favorite location of those looking to combine a night out in nature with a night out on the town.
Sleepy Hollow Theatre and Arts Park was originally founded in 1989, when the theatre’s executive director Susan Lundberg asked the question, ‘what does Bismarck need?’. The answer, it would seem, was more culture — and as such, Lundberg and others came together with an idea and a plan. The first instance of play production at Sleepy Hollow began in 1990, and would later go on to inspire over thirty years of Bismarck history. But, of course, it wasn’t always the massive spectacle that it is now. The rise of the park is one that is seeped in time, practice, and goodwill from the surrounding community.
“We had nothing starting out,” Lundberg explains. “Burlington Northern gave us some rebar. The State Industrial School built our first stage. It was all volunteer — we didn’t have anything, but there were good people involved. We just kept growing, and somehow, it just worked.”
Over the years, the theatre has grown from its humble beginnings. What was once a simple park stage is now a massive mainstay of the Bismarck summer event scene, and the crowds who come to visit it have only expanded as well — and considering how anticipated the first show was, this is no small statement. This same trend can be seen in how many kids sign up to participate in the program, as well as the unexpected boost shows have brought to the local economy.
“We had people lined up to the street for the first show,” recalls Lundberg. “The appeal of outdoor theatre, the education and benefit of our young people, and the cultural enrichment of our communities have led to economic benefits as well. That was 34 years ago, and our mission and program have not changed — but they have certainly enlarged. This year, our Matilda show features 52 on-stage actors, singers, and dancers — as well as 52 members in the orchestra that sits in the pit under the stage.”
In total, the park has produced over 50 musicals throughout its existence, and involved over 185,000 people in the process — including children from as far away as New Salem and Turtle Lake. This number only grows as more people sign up — both to perform and to act behind the scenes. This, combined with the popularity of the shows, means that Sleepy Hollow has easily become one of the biggest draws in the area during the summer season. And in this edition of our summer travel series, we’ve snapped a few photographs to show you just how much goes on at the park — both in front of and behind the curtain.
Stage
The main draw of Sleepy Hollow, to many, is of course the stage. This sturdy wood and metal structure features large walls, a series of sliding panels that allow for scene changes, and plenty of open space for guests. Those who bring their own towels are free to lay them out near the front of the stage, and others are more than welcome to use the various chairs, benches, and tables throughout the park to spectate.
Backstage
In the elevated area behind the main stage, one can find not only small carts holding the props that will be used for the show’s various scenes and musical numbers, but also the stage workshop. This area is where a majority of the sets and props for Sleepy Hollow’s many structures are built — and even in between construction periods, one can see the many previous performances that owe their spectacular staging to the tools housed within.
To say that there is a particular ‘backstage’ area besides this, however, is somewhat inaccurate when it comes to most of Sleepy Hollow. The term ‘Belowstage’ would be more accurate in terms of the dressing rooms. These areas lie underneath the main stage structure, and have enough room to hold both vanity mirrors for makeup application and costume changing areas.
An orchestra pit also lurks beneath the stage and near the storage room, allowing plays to feature a full live soundtrack courtesy of local musicians without taking up space at the front of the venue. Although there was no band present during our visit, it’s still a great place for those who will soon be on stage to practice their lines or songs.
Concessions
Any good show is made even better when one can eat, drink, and be merry during the performance — and as movie theaters have shown us, these refreshments can be iconic parts of the theatregoing experience. Thankfully, Sleepy Hollow is no slouch when it comes to snacks. Their concession booth features a full array of them, including chips, candy, nachos, and ice-cold drinks. Over time, the services at the stand have also grown to include pizza by the slice, and hot dogs grilled to order. Those who are in the mood for a more unique sweet treat can also visit the smaller table set up near concessions, which sells root beer floats and apple slices with caramel.
The food additions don’t end at those just provided by the concessions staff, either: this year, food trucks have also parked near the audience seating area, serving burgers and mini donuts to the crowds during their stay at the park. If you’re looking for something to take home from the theatre, however, visitors can also stop by another nearby stand — which offers not only more sweet treats, but also souvenirs directly related to the show. In the case of Willy Wonka Jr., guests could purchase books, board games, and specialized candy — the most notable of which were ‘Wonka Bars’, which had a chance to reward their buyers with a ‘Golden Ticket’ that could be exchanged for a photo with the show’s cast.
Recreation
While your attention will undoubtedly be glued to the stage during the show, there is quite a bit of time between when the gates to Sleepy Hollow open and the performance actually begins. A few of the other more recent additions to the park include multiple activities near the food trucks and far end of the park — including a large game of Jenga, cornhole boards, and ladder toss (better known as ‘that game where you throw the balls attached to strings’).
For those who are seeking a more quiet outdoor experience, the park also features a 3.9 mile loop trail nearby that is accessible to hikers, runners, and even mountain bikers. If you arrive at the theatre early enough, it can serve as a great way to stretch your legs or take some time away from the chaos of the stage.
Although Sleepy Hollow is continuously expanding and evolving, the theatre’s executive directors state that it is a long way from having everything they need to create a safe and unforgettable experience for everyone.
“As we know in life, you always have to go forward,” Lundberg explains. “You can stand still a little bit, but not long. And so, we’re always building things — because we need young people, but also the facilities to support them. We have put every dime back into this theatre. Every light you see, and every board, is paid for by us.”
Of all of the group’s needs, though, there are two that tend to be much more pressing than the rest — including more protection from the weather and added security.
“Our vision for the future is North Dakota outside,” Lundberg continues. “But our stage gets very warm, and we have no security — so we often have to take everything down and put it away ourselves. If we had a pavilion, we’d be able to close the door, and if we had security, we’d also be able to do more and go longer into the evening. You always have to plan ahead, and for now, we’re planning for the next 34 years.”
In spite of staff concerns, the lack of these functions does very little to diminish the popularity of the theatre. As its shows continue into the years, so do they expand –meaning there is always room to improve. At the end of the day, however, Lundberg notes that as long as Sleepy Hollow continues to benefit the children of North Dakota, these factors are worth doing without for the time being.
“It’s all about people,” she states. “And we’re doing this for the right reasons — it’s for the kids, it’s for our community, and it’s to enrich people’s lives. None of us want to live in dull places.”
If you’re interested in doing your part to make Sleepy Hollow a better place to spend summer nights, there are plenty of ways to do so. The theatre and arts park is always accepting donations to help reach its goals, and during the summer season, they’re more than happy to bring more volunteers on board to ensure tickets are taken, snacks are sold, and the show goes off without a hitch. To donate to or volunteer with the organization, visit this page on their website.
There’s also still time to catch a show during this year’s summer series. On Monday, July 31, KX News, and anchors Brooke Williams and Jamarlo Phillips will be emceeing the show, and various members of the news team will be attending the performance. | https://www.kxnet.com/news/top-stories/one-day-nd-destinations-sleepy-hollow-theatre-and-arts-park/ | 2023-07-30T20:29:47 | 0 | https://www.kxnet.com/news/top-stories/one-day-nd-destinations-sleepy-hollow-theatre-and-arts-park/ |
BISMARCK, N.D. (KXNET) — The NFL’s game season is coming up quickly, and while there may be a month before the games actually begin, people across the country are already excited about their favorite sport. When talking about football, however, there are always things to take into consideration, one of which is the level of sport one is interested in. We all know that there’s a difference between high school, college, and NFL-level football — but does this difference affect how much one cares for the sport?
With game season on the horizon, Onlinecasinos.com set out to determine which state in the US was the most obsessed with the National Football League. To do this, they analyzed Google searches using Google Keyword Planner in order to identify the 50 most-Googled terms relating to the NFL. The number of searches for each term stemming from each state was then totaled, and weighed against the population to reveal each state’s search rate per 100,000 people. When these numbers were tallied, it was noted that despite not having a football team of our own, North Dakota is one of the most passionate states when it comes to its love of the sport. Below is a list of the ten states that are the most ‘obsessed’ with the National Football League:
In contrast to these numbers, it was noted that some of the lowest-ranking states were those that have a larger focus on college football (particularly Alabama and Oklahoma).
Ironically, despite Tennessee being the home to an NFL team, it was the lowest-ranked state in regard to its’ NFL obsession — its population of seven million individuals averaged out at only 30,902 NFL-related searches per 100,000 people.
“NFL is America’s favorite league,” stated an Onlinecasinos spokesperson in a press release, “so it was interesting to delve into the data and find out where it’s loved more than anywhere else. Nationally, the figures show that each month, there is an average of 137,621,053 searches for the top 50 most common NFL-related terms. The true scale of the country’s love for NFL becomes even clearer when you consider that those 50 search terms don’t even include any team-specific searches.” | https://www.kxnet.com/news/top-stories/study-north-dakotans-are-nuts-for-the-nfl/ | 2023-07-30T20:29:53 | 0 | https://www.kxnet.com/news/top-stories/study-north-dakotans-are-nuts-for-the-nfl/ |
STACKER — The ever-expanding American military footprint covers nearly every continent. While the United States has long had a military presence in other nations, the scope significantly expanded following the passage of the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force, which, in the wake of 9/11, permitted the support of foreign forces against various terrorist groups. The U.S. has since had 173,000 troops deployed in 159 countries as of 2020 and currently maintains at least 750 foreign military bases across 80 countries, according to the Conflict Management and Peace Science journal.
As the top military power in the world, according to the Global Firepower index, the U.S. has a vested interest in the national security of countries across the globe. In situations that do not warrant combative military intervention or would threaten relations with allies, the government may oversee or aid more minor disputes within countries, such as counterterrorism efforts. This type of involvement is known as a “shadow war,” a somewhat covert military operation conducted on behalf of a smaller power.
Stacker compiled a list of 15 “shadow wars” the U.S. is currently involved in and how those conflicts began, using various news, government, and investigative sources.
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AFP // Getty Images
Yemen
The U.S. has supported the Yemen government against terrorist organizations—including the Islamic State, or ISIS, and al-Qaeda—since the country’s civil war began in 2014. According to the World Bank, this civil war has prompted one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. In February 2023, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced $444 million in humanitarian aid to the region, bringing the United States’ total assistance to $5.4 billion.
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ALLISON JOYCE // Getty Images
Russia
The U.S. has provided military assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded the country in February 2022. However, such support has been strategically targeted to avoid further escalating tensions with Russia; for example, the White House is reportedly reluctant to send advanced equipment to Ukraine, such as fighter jets that could instigate deadlier conflict. Since January 2021, the U.S. has provided Ukraine with $42 billion in security assistance for equipment such as aircraft systems, ammunition, and more.
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DELIL SOULEIMAN // Getty Images
Syria
Since 2014, the U.S. has engaged in efforts to destabilize terrorist groups in Syria, including deploying nearly 900 U.S. troops. American support of the region began with the pro-democracy protests of the Arab Spring of 2011. During that time, the Syrian government’s destabilization led to a civil war. To this day, the U.S. continues providing military intelligence, surveillance, and air support.
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NIPAH DENNIS // Getty Images
Cameroon
Cameroon is one of 11 African nations with which the U.S. is engaged in military activity under Operation Juniper Shield, a military operation supporting the Global War on Terror. The campaign targets terrorist organizations Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa. The U.S. has provided Cameroon with nearly $67 million in support of counterterrorist missions, including intelligence and reconnaissance, and $10 million to bolster its national security.
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Scott Nelson // Getty Images
Iraq
The Iraq War officially ended in December 2011, but U.S. troops returned to the region in 2014 to support counterterrorism operations. Military support aims to prevent and suppress the resurgence of ISIS in the area. Approximately 2,500 American troops remain in the region as of March 2023, providing instruction and assistance to Iraqi troops.
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Egypt
The U.S. has maintained a military presence in Egypt since 1978 to enforce the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty. The U.S. has provided more than $50 billion in military aid to the country. American troops have recently taken a more active role in the nation’s national security by partnering with the Egyptian military in Enigma Hunter, a counterterrorist effort targeting ISIS.
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MAINA // Getty Images
Kenya
The U.S. maintains a military task force in Kenya in opposition to threats posed by the terrorist organization al-Shabaab. In 2020, the group launched an attack on a Kenyan military base in Manda Bay, where American troops were providing training, resulting in the deaths of an American soldier and two contractors. As of 2021, the Department of Defense funds $69 million in regional projects aimed toward counterterrorism measures.
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Marwan Tahtah // Getty Images
Lebanon
American and Lebanese militaries have joined forces in opposition to Lebanon-based terrorist organizations, including ISIS, Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Since 2012, the U.S. has provided the region with $2 billion in humanitarian aid, including $72 million specifically to increase the wages of the Lebanese Army and police forces.
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ABDULLAH DOMA/AFP // Getty Images
Libya
American forces have been engaged in several military operations in Libya since the 2012 Benghazi attack, which resulted in the deaths of a U.S. ambassador and two CIA contractors, instigating a campaign geared toward improving the safety of American diplomats. The U.S. has launched drone strikes against the region’s terrorist groups since 2020.
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Sia KAMBOU // Getty Images
Mali
Mali is another of the 11 African countries with which the U.S. has engaged in Operation Juniper Shield. To combat terrorist organizations in the region—including al-Shabaab, al-Qaeda, and Boko Haram—the U.S. provides training and equipment to Mali military groups. The country is also the site of Operation Objective Voice, an anti-propaganda information campaign.
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THOMAS SAMSON/AFP // Getty Images
Mauritania
Mauritania is another African country within the scope of the counterterrorism campaign Operation Juniper Shield. The country is also site to a base partially involved in the anti-propaganda campaign Operation Objective Voice. Additionally, during an annual event known as Exercise Flintlock, the U.S. provides the country with military training support in partnership with Canada and some European countries.
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ISSOUF SANOGO // Getty Images
Niger
The U.S. provides counterterrorism support in numerous military campaigns currently operating within Niger, including Juniper Shield, Jukebox Lotus, and Objective Voice. The U.S. officially opened Niger Air Base 201 in 2019, serving as a base for American troops to operate drones and some small aircraft for military missions. The airfield cost approximately $110 million to construct.
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STEFAN HEUNIS // Getty Images
Nigeria
The U.S. government maintains a steady military presence in Nigeria, supporting Operation Juniper Shield and Operation Objective Voice. The African nation has long been a military ally of the U.S., and in 2022, the White House approved the controversial selling of $1 billion in arms to the country. American support of the country dates back nearly two decades; since 2000, the U.S. has provided over 41,000 training courses to Nigerian military personnel.
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Hasan Ali Elmi // Getty Images
Somalia
Over the past decade, the U.S. government has provided $3 billion to Somalia in the fight against terrorist groups al-Shabaab and ISIS. Aid given thus far also includes combat raids and military training and equipment. Under the Trump administration, American troops withdrew from Somalia, leading al-Shabaab to regain its grip on the region. However, the group’s presence waned amid the return of U.S. troops under the Biden administration.
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John Moore // Getty Images
Afghanistan
Though American troops withdrew from Afghanistan in February 2020, the CIA remains involved in the region. Specifically, the agency is monitoring developments concerning the Taliban’s takeover of the area at sites located in Pakistan. Additionally, some American troops remain on guard at the U.S. embassy in Kabul.
This article originally appeared on Stacker, and was produced and distributed through a partnership with Stacker Studio. This article has been republished pursuant to a CC by NC 4.0 License. | https://www.kxnet.com/news/top-stories/the-us-is-presently-involved-in-15-shadow-wars-heres-where-and-why/ | 2023-07-30T20:29:59 | 0 | https://www.kxnet.com/news/top-stories/the-us-is-presently-involved-in-15-shadow-wars-heres-where-and-why/ |
Remarkable fossil shows dinosaur, mammal forever frozen in epic battle
Dinosaurs roamed the Earth hundreds of millions of years ago and were among the most feared creatures on the planet. But the discovery of a remarkable fossil in China suggests smaller mammals may have been brave enough to hunt them for dinner – and were successful.
The 125 million-year-old fossil was discovered in the Lujiatun Member of the Lower Cretaceous Yixian formation in China back in 2012 and shows the small mammal Repenomamus robustus engaged in an epic battle with the dinosaur Psittacosaurus lujiatunensis.
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That attack was frozen in time after the pair were killed when hot volcanic mud covered them both just as the smaller mammal was chomping down on the larger dinosaur for food.
Life restoration showing Repenomamus robustus grappling with Psittacosaurus lujiatunensis. (Michael Skrepnick)
Findings from a study recently published in Scientific Reports now suggest that smaller mammals attacking larger dinosaurs may have occurred more frequently than initially thought. According to the study, the fossil of another Repenomamus robustus was found to have the remains of a young Psittacosaurus lujiatunensis within its stomach.
And while there have been cases of fossil forgeries in the past, the study’s authors believe this isn’t the case with this discovery because of how the two creatures were intertwined when they met their doom.
PREHISTORIC SABERTOOTH SKULL FOUND IN IOWA LIKELY LAST OF SPECIES TO WALK EARTH, RESEARCHERS SAY
The lack of bite marks on the dinosaur’s skeleton, the position of the mammal on top of the dinosaur and the grasping and biting actions of the mammal suggest that it was preying on the weaker dinosaur, which was three times its size, according to the study.
Details of the fossil show the mammal gripping the dinosaur’s jaw and leg while biting into its rib cage. That position suggests, according to the study, that the mammal was likely preying on the dinosaur and wasn’t scavenging the carcass of one that was already dead before they were both buried for 125 million years.
Read more of this story from FOX Weather. | https://www.fox5ny.com/news/remarkable-fossil-shows-dinosaur-mammal-forever-frozen-in-epic-battle | 2023-07-30T20:31:06 | 1 | https://www.fox5ny.com/news/remarkable-fossil-shows-dinosaur-mammal-forever-frozen-in-epic-battle |
Roosevelt Hotel reaches full capacity as asylum seekers line up outside in Midtown
NEW YORK - The Roosevelt Hotel, which is the Arrival and Humanitarian Relief Center for asylum seekers, is at capacity.
Outside the hotel, located in Midtown, Manhattan we found asylum seekers wrapped around the sidewalk.
Some said they have been there for days. They are humanitarian workers providing food and water.
The Roosevelt is only a location for families with children.
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NEW YORK, NY - JULY 29: Migrants are seen as they wait outside the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan, NY on July 29, 2023. (Photo by Fatih Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
There are currently more than 56,000 migrants in New York's care, with more people arriving daily, officials said.
As NYC faces growing pressure to expand its shelter system, it relies on vacant hotels to help those that need a place to stay.
It’s not new for the city to turn to hotels into shelters, but the city is currently scrambling to find more shelter for migrants.
During the pandemic, the city was forced to rent out hundreds of hotel rooms as COVID wards. As the pandemic eased, the city became less reliant on hotels.
That changed as thousands of migrants began arriving by bus last year.
Many of those waiting, according to city officials, are waiting for placement at other locations. Fox 5 NY confirmed that families with children are being put up in other locations too.
A spokesperson for the Mayor’s office said in a statement:
"As we've said for a while now, with more than 93,000 asylum seekers coming through our intake system since last spring, our teams run out of space every single day and we do our best to offer placements wherever we have space available. Children and families continue to be prioritized and are found a bed every night. While we at least offered all adults a temporary place to wait off the sidewalks last night, some may have chosen to sleep outside and, in all honesty, New Yorkers may continue to see that more and more as hundreds of asylum seekers continue to arrive each day."
Associate Press wire services contributed to this report. | https://www.fox5ny.com/news/the-roosevelt-hotel-reaches-full-capacity-asylum-seekers-line-up-outside-in-midtown | 2023-07-30T20:31:12 | 0 | https://www.fox5ny.com/news/the-roosevelt-hotel-reaches-full-capacity-asylum-seekers-line-up-outside-in-midtown |
Video shows Cardi B throw mic at woman who hurled drink at her
LAS VEGAS - Rapper Cardi B became the latest performer to have something thrown at her while performing this weekend, but the rapper quickly retaliated.
Cardi B was performing at Drai’s Beach Club in Las Vegas Saturday when a woman in the crowd appeared to throw a drink in Cardi’s face, social media video shows. Cardi B shared the video on her Twitter page.
A visibly angry Cardi B immediately threw her microphone at the woman, appearing to strike her in the arm. Security guards circled the woman and escorted her out of the crowd.
The incident is the latest in a disturbing trend of artists getting hit with objects on stage.
It started in June when Rexha was hit in the face with a cellphone while onstage and had to get stitches. A man in the crowd was arrested. Harry Styles and Ballerini have also been hit with objects on stage, and Pink had a bag with an unknown substance in it thrown on stage while she performed.
Adele addressed the issue at one of her recent shows, warning her concert-goers that "I’ll f—ing" kill you" if they threw something at the stage.
READ MORE: Tim McGraw reveals the one thing he won’t do at his concerts: ‘I'm scared to death’
"Have you noticed how people are like forgetting f---ing show etiquette at the moment because [they're] throwing s--- on stage? Have you seen them," Adele told her Caesars Palace audience.
"I f---ing dare you. Dare you throw something at me and I'll f---ing kill you," she said.
Cardi B, a New York City native whose real name is Belcalis Almanzar, has been open about her hot temper. She’s rapped about her anger issues in the past, and in 2018, she pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges stemming from fights at a strip club. Ten other counts, including two felonies, were dismissed.
Offset and Cardi B backstage during the Hot 107.9 Birthday Bash 2023 at State Farm Arena on June 17, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Prince Williams/WireImage)
According to prosecutors, Cardi B and her entourage were targeting employees of Angels Strip Club in Flushing, Queens, over an apparent personal dispute. In one fight, chairs, bottles and hookah pipes were thrown as the group argued with a bartender. She and another employee had minor injuries.
The plea deal required her to perform 15 days of community service to avoid a 15-day jail sentence.
One of those service days included an NYPD "Girls Talk" event, where she shared "her rags to riches story" and danced with teens and posed for photos.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | https://www.fox5ny.com/news/video-cardi-b-throws-mic-woman-hurled-drink-at-her | 2023-07-30T20:31:18 | 1 | https://www.fox5ny.com/news/video-cardi-b-throws-mic-woman-hurled-drink-at-her |
UPLAND, Calif. (AP) — A pilot and two passengers were killed Sunday when a single-engine plane crashed into a hangar and burst into flames at a Southern California airport, authorities said.
The Beechcraft P35 with three people on board crashed during departure around 6:30 a.m. at Cable Airport in Upland, the Federal Aviation Authority said.
San Bernardino County firefighters doused the fire and pronounced the three victims dead at the scene, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) east of downtown Los Angeles, Upland Police said in a statement.
The hangar had moderate damage, and no one else was injured, police said.
The crash will be investigated by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board. | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/three-killed-when-small-plane-hits-hangar-catches-fire-at-southern-california-airport/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-07-30T20:31:32 | 0 | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/three-killed-when-small-plane-hits-hangar-catches-fire-at-southern-california-airport/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
Bomb squad investigates mysterious packages parachuted into neighborhood
SAN DIMAS, Calif. (Gray News) – A bomb squad was called in to investigate after packages were apparently parachuted into a city in California.
The San Dimas Sheriff’s Station said deputies responded to a call Thursday for a suspicious package in San Dimas. When they arrived at the location, they said they discovered a parachute with two packages attached to it.
The responding deputies then evacuated the residents of nearby homes and called in the arson and explosives unit.
After an investigation, officials determined the packages did not contain explosives or other dangerous materials and seemed to be a science project.
Officials informed the neighborhood of the finds, and the residents returned safely to their homes.
Copyright 2023 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wsaz.com/2023/07/30/bomb-squad-investigates-mysterious-packages-parachuted-into-neighborhood/ | 2023-07-30T20:31:32 | 0 | https://www.wsaz.com/2023/07/30/bomb-squad-investigates-mysterious-packages-parachuted-into-neighborhood/ |
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Several thousand people briefly took to the streets across the Gaza Strip on Sunday to protest chronic power outages and difficult living conditions, providing a rare public show of discontent with the territory’s Hamas government. Hamas security forces quickly dispersed the gatherings.
Marches took place in Gaza City, the southern town of Khan Younis and other locations, chanting “what a shame” and in one place burning Hamas flags, before police moved in and broke up the protests.
Police destroyed mobile phones of people who were filming in Khan Younis, and witnesses said there were several arrests. Dozens of young supporters and opponents of Hamas briefly faced off, throwing stones at one another.
The demonstrations were organized by a grassroots online movement called “alvirus alsakher,” or “the mocking virus.” It was not immediately known who is behind the movement.
Hamas rules Gaza with an iron fist, barring most demonstrations and quickly stamping out public displays of dissent.
The Islamic militant group seized control of Gaza in 2007 from the forces of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, prompting Israel and Egypt to impose a crippling blockade on the territory. Israel says the closure is needed to prevent Hamas, which does not recognize Israel’s right to exist, from building up its military capabilities.
The closure has devastated Gaza’s economy, sent unemployment skyrocketing and led to frequent power outages. During the current heat wave, people have been receiving four to six hours of power a day due to heavy demand.
“Where is the electricity and where is the gas?” the crowds shouted in Khan Younis. “What a shame. What a shame.”
Protesters also criticized Hamas for deducting a roughly $15 fee from monthly $100 stipends given to Gaza’s poorest families by the wealthy Gulf state of Qatar.
There was no immediate comment from the Hamas authorities. | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/world/thousands-take-to-streets-in-gaza-in-rare-public-display-of-discontent-with-hamas/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-07-30T20:31:38 | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/world/thousands-take-to-streets-in-gaza-in-rare-public-display-of-discontent-with-hamas/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
As Seattle hosted the inaugural APEC meeting in 1993, Microsoft had just surpassed selling 25 million copies of Windows, Starbucks had launched 250 stores nationwide, Chukar Cherries had just opened in Pike Place Market and companies like Amazon, Expedia, and Zillow were not yet created.
Over the course of 30 years, our hometown companies have grown to more than a billion users on Windows, coffee at over 36,000 stores in more than 80 countries, and our companies are recognized in households across the world delivering online shopping and travel, cloud computing and a $4.99 rotisserie chicken.
As more than 3,000 senior officials and delegates from the 21 member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation convene again from late July to mid-August, every Washingtonian has a stake in our state’s close ties with members of APEC as our jobs, small businesses, and companies are deeply connected.
The conference allows us to spotlight the Evergreen State and showcases our region’s thought leadership and values, deepens critical relationships, creates ongoing economic impact and supports the Emerald City’s restaurants and small businesses. The meeting comes as Seattle has surged once again to become the fastest-growing big city in the U.S. — driven by our innovative companies that are shaping the global economy in industry sectors such as aviation, clean energy, food, technology, life science, health and transportation. Our regional GDP is now a staggering $479 billion, establishing us as the ninth largest metro economy in the nation. This success would not be possible without connecting our innovation with free, fair and open trade with APEC’s member economies.
In Greater Seattle, our total trade with APEC member economies surpassed $1 trillion from 2012 to 2022, averaging over $90 billion annually, or 76% of the region’s total trade. Our deep connections have created jobs and fueled economic engines such as Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and our deep water ports in Seattle, Tacoma, and Everett — these are some of the largest global connectors and international gateways in North America.
As governors, we’ve seen the impact of trade both here and overseas. Abroad, we’ve promoted Rainier cherries in South Korea, french fries in Vietnam, and Almond Roca in Beijing. This was made possible solely by the hard work of Washingtonians: our farmers, entrepreneurs and workers. Right here at home, our trade relationships support more than 931,000 Washington jobs and 12,000 small businesses who produce and export billions of dollars of recognized products the world wants and needs.
To see the dependence of jobs on exports and trade, one only needs to look at Boeing, where 70% of their planes are sold to foreign airlines. Boeing’s 64,000 employees here in Washington, and the employees of its more than 1,000 suppliers across our region, would be dramatically fewer without these exports. These workers are not only our friends, neighbors, and family, but they support so many more jobs in our region as they visit their favorite coffee shops, restaurants and small businesses. This impact is repeated with companies large and small in our state.
APEC also plays a vital role in shaping our economy by providing an opportunity for all of us to collaborate and develop solutions to complex challenges such as climate change, digital access, energy diversification, gender inequities, global health and regulatory practices. Our state is leaning into many of these challenges to effect positive change and create more equitable prosperity across Washington, but we will accomplish much more when we work collaboratively with global partners.
As governors, we have seen how Washington state’s workers and families benefit from robust trade partnerships. We have heard from business and labor leaders alike that strong global demand for our products bolsters our economy. We share a rich history and connectivity with the Asia-Pacific region, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to grow our economic ties within APEC, recognizing the significant benefits that such engagement brings to our workers, families, and businesses. By fostering strong public and private partnerships and encouraging participation in APEC, we will ensure sustainable and inclusive economic growth for now and the next great Seattle companies. | https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/apec-is-advancing-the-inclusive-growth-we-all-seek-in-washington/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-07-30T20:31:41 | 0 | https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/apec-is-advancing-the-inclusive-growth-we-all-seek-in-washington/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
If there ever was a time to sound the alarm about a national epidemic that has killed millions of Americans, it was 20 years ago when the second wave of opioid deaths spiked. But since little has been done on a national basis to prevent deaths from fentanyl, Washington state and its local communities and schools must step up.
Many lawmakers like to address the opioid crisis through sound bites that focus on law enforcement and treatment. Indeed, the FEND Off Fentanyl Act passed the U.S. Senate Thursday and will, among other things, finally declare the international trafficking of fentanyl a national emergency and allow the Treasury Department to utilize special measures to combat fentanyl-related money laundering.
But U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and mothers like Gen Pehlivanian and Carol Schweigert understand the need for an education component as well to prevent the illicit use of opioids by those who have yet to take the risk, and to prevent deaths of those who are currently using.
King County recorded 1,004 deaths by overdose in 2022, 712 from fentanyl. The county is on track to break that record this year, with 647 overdose deaths as of July 25. And Washington had the biggest increase in the nation — more than 21% — in fatal overdoses reported between February 2022 and February 2023.
Cantwell has been ringing the alarm for years, and has launched a listening tour across the state to educate herself and others of the dangers of fentanyl and to seek solutions from public health officials, elected officials and those intimately affected by the crisis. The latest tour stop was in Seattle on Monday.
Teens and young adults are two groups where education can surely help decrease the usage and deaths. Schweigert and Pehlivanian each lost their sons — both in their 20s — to fentanyl poisoning. In both deaths, the men took pills from acquaintances under the mistaken belief they were the painkiller Percocet. Both pills were laced with fentanyl.
“It needs to start much earlier than high school,” Pehlivanian said of schools teaching about drug use. Both women have presented their stories at schools and advocate for school districts to create more formal curricula centered on drug use.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration launched the “One Pill Can Kill” presentation in 2021 and works to build more relationships with school districts each year.
Testing has shown that, of the more than 58 million pills the DEA confiscates each year, 4 out of 10 fentanyl-laced fake pills often made to look like OxyContin, Percocet or Xanax contain a potentially lethal dose.
There is much to be done to help save lives and grief when it comes to the opioid epidemic. Education provides a good chance at prevention. | https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/make-education-part-of-fentanyl-battle/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-07-30T20:31:45 | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/make-education-part-of-fentanyl-battle/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
I have (well-managed) arthritis and take pain reducers every day. I normally buy generic acetaminophen; but many people still buy brand-name Tylenol, even though it costs much more.
There’s a long-running debate among economists about why people are willing to pay a premium for name brands. Some emphasize ignorance — one influential study found that health professionals are more likely than the public at large to buy generic painkillers, because they realize that they’re just as effective as name brands. Others suggest that there may be a rational calculation involved: The quality of name brands may be more reliable, because the owners of these brands have a reputation to preserve. It doesn’t have to be either-or; the story behind the brand premium may depend on the product.
What’s clear is that brand names that for whatever reason inspire customer loyalty have real value to the company that owns them and shouldn’t be changed casually.
So what the heck does Elon Musk, the owner of TAFKAT — the app formerly known as Twitter — think he’s doing, changing the platform’s name to X, with a new logo many people, myself included, find troubling?
It’s important to distinguish between corporate rebranding — changing the official name of a company — and changing the names of the company’s products. Google renamed itself Alphabet, presumably to convey to investors its aspiration to be more than a search engine, but the search engine itself is still named Google. Philip Morris renamed itself Altria, presumably in part to diminish its perceived association with lung cancer, but its customers still smoke Marlboros.
Changing product names is more problematic, because it risks losing customer loyalty, so it tends to happen only when there’s a real problem with the existing name. It was definitely a good idea to change the name of Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda to 7UP. It’s actually remarkable that it took PepsiCo so long to realize that in an America that has changed (for the better), the Aunt Jemima brand name had to go. But absent such good reasons, sensible businesses keep the brand names their customers keep buying.
So what was wrong with Twitter as a brand name? Nothing, as far as I can tell. It was friendly sounding and a bit funny, and resonated with the role of the platform as a place for people to chatter about a variety of subjects. The Twitter logo was also fine — distinctive, instantly recognizable and without any obvious negative connotations.
But Musk has nonetheless ditched all of that in favor of X, a harsh-sounding name with no relationship to what the platform does.
Furthermore, the new logo — a slightly embellished version of the letter X — is problematic in several ways. It probably can’t be trademarked, because it’s more or less indistinguishable from a lowercase x in an existing font. Many TAFKAT users say that they’re embarrassed by the logo, which makes them feel as if they’re visiting a porn site. My reaction was a bit different. To me, and I’m sure others, the new logo has the vibes of an authoritarian political symbol, like the Z emblem of Russians invading Ukraine — or some other historical symbols I’m sure you can think of.
Modern corporations normally give a lot of thought to choosing brand names and logos. So what was Musk thinking with his renaming of TAFKAT? It’s really hard to see any business rationale for junking a perfectly good brand identity and replacing it with a name and logo almost everyone finds off-putting.
Well, everything we know suggests that he basically wasn’t thinking. For some reason he has always had a thing about the letter X — his rocket company is SpaceX and he tried to get PayPal to rename itself X.com (and was ousted as CEO immediately afterward, perhaps because his colleagues thought it sounded like, yes, a porn site). And that awful logo didn’t go through the usual design process (Twitter’s bird logo evolved over seven years). It was casually outsourced — he asked his followers to suggest symbols and chose one he liked.
But then, Musk’s sudden change of brand name and symbol, without a clear rationale, fits the pattern of everything else he’s done at TAFKAT.
He clearly suffers from a severe case of Tech Bro Syndrome, that weird combination of hubris and conspiracy theorizing so prevalent in his social set. He accused Twitter of censoring conservatives, ignoring the reality that in a MAGA-ridden nation any attempt to limit the spread of dangerous misinformation will hit the right harder than the left. He purchased Twitter in the belief that his personal brilliance could easily make the company profitable, no need for hard thinking about business strategy.
And he’s been flailing wildly ever since.
Will the Xification of Twitter finally be a flail too far? Social networks tend to be especially durable because — like international currencies — they benefit from self-reinforcement: People use them because other people use them. It will take many bad decisions to push TAFKAT to the tipping point where people abandon it for another platform.
But Musk is working on it. | https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/the-xification-of-twitter/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-07-30T20:31:48 | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/the-xification-of-twitter/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
Four people in their 20s died Saturday after the ATV they were in rolled over and burst into flames near the town of Liberty, the Kittitas County Sheriff’s office said.
At around 4 p.m. Saturday, deputies responded to a 911 report of the Polaris Razor side-by-side ATV rolling over and catching fire on a dirt road in the Wenatchee-Okanogan National Forest west of Liberty.
Fire and medic units arrived within minutes to treat survivors and stop the fire from spreading, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
Killed in the accident were Conner Jenkins, 24, of Orting, Pierce County, the owner of the ATV, as well as Jenkins’ friend, Benjamin Gomez Santana, 23, of Covington. Also killed were a couple they met that day, 26-year-old Devon Anonson, of Kent, and 24-year-old Halle Cole, of Maple Valley.
Gomez Santana and Cole died at the scene. Helicopters transported Jenkins and Anonson to Harborview Medical Center’s burn unit in critical condition, but neither survived the night, according to the sheriff’s office.
Polaris has recalled some models of its RZR ATVs after repeated reports of fire hazards, according to media reports and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The open field where the rollover occurred is a popular recreational spot for campers and ATVs. The cause of the accident and fire are under investigation. | https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/4-dead-in-atv-rollover-in-kittitas-county/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-07-30T20:31:52 | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/4-dead-in-atv-rollover-in-kittitas-county/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Officials who work for the Democratic governor in Kansas are challenging a court ruling that has temporarily halted the state from allowing transgender people to change the gender on their driver’s licenses.
The state Department of Revenue says Attorney General Kris Kobach, a Republican, didn’t have legal authority to file a lawsuit that led to a district judge temporarily stopping transgender people from changing their licenses, at least until Nov. 1. The latest court response by Democrats was dated Friday.
Kobach argues that allowing people to change their gender identity on state IDs — which the state labels as their “sex” — violates a Kansas law that took effect July 1 and rolled back transgender rights. He sued after Gov. Laura Kelly said the changes would continue despite that new law. Kansas for now is among only a few states that don’t allow any such changes, along with Montana, Oklahoma and Tennessee.
The state Department of Revenue oversees driver’s license issues in Kansas through its Division of Vehicles. The department argued in court papers filed Friday that the attorney general needed authorization from the governor, the Legislature or the local district attorney to file a case in state district court. Kobach contends that past court precedents and legal traditions allowed him to sue.
The case is being argued in Shawnee County, home to the state capital of Topeka.
“This is a most serious misrepresentation and without more, requires the immediate dismissal of this case,” attorneys for the Revenue Department argued in their most recent filing.
The attorney general’s office did not immediately respond to text and email requests Sunday seeking a response.
District Judge Teresa Watson initially sided with Kobach when she scheduled a Nov. 1 hearing on whether to block changes in driver’s licenses past that date. She also has an Aug. 16 hearing on a request from five transgender Kansas residents to intervene in the case, something Kobach opposes.
The new law rolling back transgender rights defines male and female based on a person’s “reproductive system” at birth, preventing legal recognition of a change in gender identity, and applying the rule in “any” other law or regulation. The Republican-controlled Legislature overrode Kelly’s veto of the measure.
The Department of Revenue initially argued unsuccessfully that it still must follow older and more specific laws regarding driver’s licenses that conflict with the new law.
It’s new arguments also are technical. They rely on a strict reading of the law setting out the attorney general’s power and other laws detailing when agency actions can be reviewed by district courts.
The transgender people seeking to intervene in the lawsuit argue that the anti-trans rights law violates civil liberties protected by the Kansas Constitution, including a right to bodily autonomy.
Kobach also is trying to stop the state from changing transgender people’s Kansas birth certificates in a separate federal court case.
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Follow John Hanna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjdhanna | https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/kansas-transgender-people-find-democratic-allies-in-court-bid-to-restore-their-right-to-alter-ids/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-07-30T20:31:58 | 0 | https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/kansas-transgender-people-find-democratic-allies-in-court-bid-to-restore-their-right-to-alter-ids/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Dalvin Cook got an up-close view of Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets while watching practice from the sideline Sunday.
The free agent running back has to see if he’ll spend the rest of training camp in their backfield — or elsewhere.
Cook spent Sunday meeting with the Jets as he ponders the next stop of his playing career. The four-time Pro Bowl selection was released by the Vikings on June 8 for salary cap savings, according to a person familiar with Minnesota’s decision.
The Jets are the first team Cook has officially visited as a free agent, with his hometown Miami Dolphins also among possible suitors. New York also must consider whether to make him an offer before he leaves the team’s practice facility.
Cook, who turns 28 on Aug. 10, was greeted by chants of “Dal-vin Cooook! Sign that contract!” from fans in the stands as he walked onto the field. He later responded to the post on X, formerly known as Twitter, with a green heart emoji.
Several Jets players, including Rodgers, greeted Cook and he spent a few moments chatting with owner Woody Johnson.
“He’s a good young man, a very good young man,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said. “We didn’t interact too much. There’s a lot of stuff going on, especially when it’s open to the public. But it was good to say hello.”
Cook has talked up the Jets in TV interviews in recent days, telling NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” on Friday they “are right at the top of the list” and the odds of him signing with them were “pretty high.”
“It’s a unique situation because I think they’re building something special over there,” Cook told “Good Morning Football” during the interview. “When you look at it, you always want to be around a great QB, you always want to be around somebody you can pick his brain and just learn from. A-Rod is a four-time MVP. So, just being around a guy like that you can learn a lot more and just develop as a player.
“That’s what I’m looking to do.”
He reiterated those comments Saturday during an interview with ESPN, saying he thinks “the coaching staff, I think everything about what they got going on, just says winning.”
But Cook, a former Florida State star, also said in the interview he was interested in the Dolphins and it would be “a Cinderella story” to play for his hometown team.
He was the guest of the Jets on Sunday, though. And now they have to wait to see if they offer Cook a deal and he accepts — or explores his options.
Both sides have expressed interest, and the Jets wanted Cook to take a physical to be sure his surgically repaired shoulder is healthy.
“That’s pretty much it,” Saleh said. “Call it a meet and greet.”
Cook, who has run for at least 1,000 yards in each of the past four seasons, was scheduled to count more than $14.1 million against the Vikings’ salary cap before he was released. He’s third on Minnesota’s career rushing list with 5,993 yards in six seasons.
With the Jets, Cook could give New York some insurance in the backfield with Breece Hall working his way back from a knee injury that cut short a promising rookie season. New York also has Michael Carter, Zonovan Knight, Damarea Crockett, fifth-round draft pick Israel Abanikanda and undrafted free agent Travis Dye at the position.
NOTES: Saleh said WR Garrett Wilson has a lower right ankle injury and the Jets are being cautious by holding him out of practice. Wilson appeared to have a slight limp and his right ankle was wrapped. … WR Corey Davis remains out with an illness, but Saleh said he could return to practice Monday. … WR Randall Cobb was activated from the physically unable to perform list and participated in practice. … Saleh said the starters aren’t expected to play Thursday night in the Hall of Fame game against Cleveland in Canton, Ohio. Among those players who will play include QB Zach Wilson and OT Mekhi Becton.
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AP Pro Football Writers Dave Campbell and Rob Maaddi contributed.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/nfl/dalvin-cook-visits-with-the-jets-and-watches-practice-as-he-considers-his-options/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-07-30T20:32:05 | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/nfl/dalvin-cook-visits-with-the-jets-and-watches-practice-as-he-considers-his-options/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers is sticking by his offensive coordinator and firing his hardest throw of the summer at Sean Payton.
The Jets quarterback was bothered by critical comments Payton, the Denver Broncos’ head coach, recently made about offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. Payton told USA Today for a story published Thursday that Hackett’s 15-game stint with the Broncos last season ”was one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL.″
Payton also said there were “20 dirty hands” around Russell Wilson’s career-worst season, and took some shots at the Jets — Hackett’s new team where he and Rodgers are reunited after enjoying success together in Green Bay.
“It made me feel bad that someone who has accomplished a lot in the league is that insecure that they have to take another man down to set themselves up for some sort of easy fall if it doesn’t go well for that team this year,” Rodgers told NFL Network on Sunday. “I think it was way out of line, inappropriate, and I think he needs to keep my coaches’ names out of his mouth.”
Rodgers, acquired by New York in April from Green Bay, said Hackett is “arguably my favorite coach I’ve ever had in the NFL.” The pair was together for two of Rodgers’ four NFL MVP awards in 2020 and 2021 with the Packers.
During the interview with USA Today’s Jarrett Bell, Payton also criticized the Jets being the latest NFL team “trying to win the offseason” — something he said the Broncos under Hackett tried to do and were “embarrassed.”
Jets coach Robert Saleh said Thursday “Hackett’s doing a phenomenal job here” when asked about Payton’s comments. He also said the Jets are just focused on themselves, but recognizes “there’s a lot of people that are hatin’ on us and a lot of people looking for us to fail.”
Payton on Friday said he regretted his comments in which he disparaged Hackett, and said he would reach out to Hackett and Saleh “at the right time” to do so.
“Listen, I had one of those moments where I still had my Fox hat on and not my coaching hat,” said Payton, who’s returning to the sideline this season after a year’s sabbatical during which he worked as a studio football analyst for Fox Sports following a 15-year stint with the New Orleans Saints.
Rodgers told NFL Network he thought Payton’s initial comments “were very surprising, for a coach to do that to another coach.”
Meanwhile, the back-and-forth made the Jets’ matchup in Denver in Week 5 on Oct. 8 a bit juicier. Payton acknowledged Friday his comments “certainly will bring more interest to the game when we play them, but that seems like years from now.”
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AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton in Englewood, Colorado, contributed.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/nfl/jets-aaron-rodgers-defends-nathaniel-hackett-and-fires-back-at-the-broncos-sean-payton/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-07-30T20:32:12 | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/nfl/jets-aaron-rodgers-defends-nathaniel-hackett-and-fires-back-at-the-broncos-sean-payton/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
Lightning and thunderstorms hit east Mesa near Broadway and Hawes roadsWatch: Rare ocelot 'Lil Jefe' roams southeast ArizonaCar cooking in Phoenix during Arizona's heat wave of July 2023Cesar Chavez community mourns Christopher Hampton at vigil
Watch 90-year-old Marg Burg go skydiving for her birthdayVideo: Fire burns after propane tanks explode in PhoenixVideos show 'QAnon shaman' Jake Angeli at the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot | https://www.azcentral.com/videos/news/local/scottsdale/2023/07/30/hangry-donkey-sanctuary-founder-discusses-water-issues/12299723002/ | 2023-07-30T20:32:15 | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/videos/news/local/scottsdale/2023/07/30/hangry-donkey-sanctuary-founder-discusses-water-issues/12299723002/ |
(NerdWallet) – Inflation has rattled nearly every aspect of Americans’ finances, including vacation budgets. But one major travel cost isn’t just lower than it was last year — it’s even lower than pre-pandemic.
June 2023 airfares are 18.9% lower than what they were in June 2022, according to July 2023 consumer price index data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Considering that booming demand — alongside other factors like high jet fuel costs — led to record-high airfares last summer, it’s not surprising to see prices normalize. Not only have air travel costs come back down to earth from 2022’s highs, they’re even lower than pre-pandemic prices.
According to BLS data, June 2023 airfares are down 1.33% from what they were in 2019, when airfares were already trending lower. Relative to what prices were a decade ago, they’re even cheaper.
Pandemic aside, airfares have been trending cheaper
Before the pandemic, airfares had steadily been trending downward since 2014, save for a small bump in 2019. In 2020, prices dropped sharply with the onset of the pandemic, with June 2020 airfares averaging 27% lower than June 2019 airfares.
But as travel returned, so did higher prices. June 2021 airfares spiked 25% over the prior year, and airfares rose 34% more between June 2021 and June 2022.
If you take a long-term view, those increases aren’t necessarily as big as they seem. In fact, in June 2022, airfares averaged just 0.4% more than in 2014.
Here’s a look at how airfares have changed relative to prices in 2014, using June prices from BLS inflation data:
In 2023, airfares are 19% lower than a decade ago.
Compare that with something like the cost of milk, which is up 9% over that same period, according to BLS data. Hotel prices are up 28%. Admission to movies, theaters and concerts is up 33%.
If airfares are lower, why do they feel so high?
Over the past decade, prices for most items have increased. But if airfares are down 19%, why do they feel so expensive?
For starters, not every route is necessarily cheaper. Data from travel booking app Hopper indicates airfares to Europe this summer are averaging nearly $1,200 per ticket, the highest prices in the past six years. That’s perhaps a response to people who might usually book a low-cost domestic flight finally taking extravagant bucket list trips.
And given recent major flight cancellations on airlines including United and Southwest, more travelers might opt for more expensive direct flights to reduce risk of flight disruptions.
Hayley Berg, Hopper’s lead economist, has her own theories as to why people feel like airfares are higher, including recency bias, shorter booking windows and unbundling.
Recency bias
Berg pointed to how many people traveled for this summer’s major holidays.
For example, Fourth of July weekend set records for U.S. air travel, with more than 2.884 million people passing through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints on the Friday before July 4, according to TSA checkpoint data. That topped the previous record of 2.882 million people flying on the Sunday after Thanksgiving 2019.
“A lot of times, we anchor the cost of travel to our most recent trips,” Berg says. “For many, that meant July Fourth and Memorial Day. It’s always expensive to travel on those weekends.”
Shorter booking windows
Airfares typically get more expensive the closer they’re booked to departure, and Berg says people are booking trips later than usual — perhaps a holdover from those pandemic times when people intentionally booked last minute given the extreme uncertainty.
Berg recommends typically booking one to two months in advance for domestic travel and three to four months ahead for most international travel.
“Now, people are searching for travel three weeks later than they did pre-pandemic, and they’re subsequently booking later,” she says. “If I’m booking a trip today that I intend to take two weeks from now, it’s going to be expensive because it’s always more expensive to book at the last minute.”
Unbundling
Then there’s unbundling, where airlines advertise lower fares, often in the form of basic economy seats that offer few frills. But low base fares typically entail upcharges in the form of ancillary fees to check bags or to guarantee a window seat or early boarding.
“On the whole, unbundling is a good thing because you’re not paying a premium for things you may not necessarily want,” Berg says. “I don’t care if I’m in the middle seat if it means I save $100.”
Berg acknowledges that it can be painful when you search for a flight that has a low advertised price but doesn’t turn out to be that cheap.
“It feels like death by a thousand cuts when you add in all those fees,” she says. | https://phl17.com/nmw/airfares-are-back-to-normal-so-why-do-they-feel-so-high/ | 2023-07-30T20:32:15 | 0 | https://phl17.com/nmw/airfares-are-back-to-normal-so-why-do-they-feel-so-high/ |
This week, Canada and parts of the United States have confronted unprecedented declines in air quality due to smoke from Canadian wildfires, but people elsewhere in the world have long had to adjust and adapt to living with hazardous pollution levels. In some cases, those levels have improved over time.
NPR correspondents Anthony Kuhn and Eyder Peralta and freelance reporters Shalu Yadav and Kate Bartlett share what it's like in Beijing, Seoul, New Delhi, Mexico City and Johannesburg.
From Beijing to Seoul
I first visited Beijing in 1982, and lived there much of the time between 1992 and 2018.
In most of my years there, the pollution was terrible, especially in winter, although we didn't have ways to measure it. The air had an acrid, sulfurous smell, and soot was everywhere. To me, it was simply the cost of covering — and living — an epic story. People were less aware than they are now of the difference between weather and pollution, fog and smog.
Ahead of the 2008 Olympics, Beijing started to get rid of the coal stoves commonly used in the courtyard dwellings ("siheyuan" in Chinese) of Beijing's old city, and coal-fired heating plants, to help clean up the air ahead of the Games. Factories were moved farther and farther out of the city center. Coal-burning stoves in the courtyards were slowly replaced by electric heat.
While air quality in Beijing has improved in recent years, even now, occasional dust storms blow in from the Gobi desert, turning Beijing's skies yellow in spring and covering everything in gritty dust. AQI readings of 500 or worse are still occasional facts of life.
When I moved to Seoul in 2018, I cheerfully assumed I'd be leaving the air pollution behind. But it has followed me.
In China, we usually spoke of PM2.5, particulate matter that penetrates deep into the lungs. In Seoul, people call it "fine dust."
Much of it blows eastward from northern China over the Korean peninsula. But South Korea's automobiles and heavy industry add their own smog to the miasma — as does, reportedly, North Korea. The pollution is one reason South Koreans were already quite accustomed to wearing face masks, even before COVID.
South Korean and Chinese environmental officials have met numerous times to try to find a joint solution, but with little immediate or visible result. There are plenty of days of AQI over 100 or 150. There's little I can do but cancel outdoor activities, and wait until the air clears.
--Anthony Kuhn, NPR Seoul correspondent
New Delhi
My beloved city is famous for its heritage and Mughlai food — and infamous for its horrid pollution, which reaches AQI levels of 500 to 600 in the winter.
When it's that time of the year, my mornings start with opening my AQI app to check the level of pollution outside. That level decides whether I go for an outdoor run or find a safe indoor space in a gym where air purifiers are showcased as a premium facility.
But some days I don't need my AQI app. It's so bad that my eyes burn as soon as I wake up, I can taste the pollutants in my mouth and my lungs feel like an overworked machine that needs a break!
The pollution is so bad that some studies suggest that breathing it in is as dangerous as smoking about two dozen cigarettes a day.
"Craving a smoke? Come to Delhi!" is an overused joke that circulates in WhatsApp groups here, to share a light moment amid the gloom overcasting the sky and our lives in the city.
Jokes apart, it's a very serious health issue. An estimated 1.7 million Indians died of pollution-related disease in 2019.
It has in fact become a big factor in making my future decisions.
My husband and I have been intently discussing if we should plan our first baby and raise her in this city or move to another city. It's a scary thought — seeing our future kid gasping for breath, and suffering breathing problems like so many other kids in Delhi.
--Shalu Yadav, freelance reporter
Mexico City
Mexico City was once known as the most polluted city in the world.
The air quality here is still bad — on Thursday, the AQI reached 123, which is unhealthy for people with respiratory problems. And you feel it — your eyes get watery, your throat scratchy and the sky looks hazy. But in the 1990s and early 2000s, air quality would routinely hit the 200s. So, how did it get better?
Essentially, the government got tough on pollution with a complex system of countermeasures. Less efficient cars are allowed limited time on the road. And as soon as the air quality gets bad — either too high a concentration of ozone or particulate matter — the government orders even newer, more efficient cars off the streets. They order factories to reduce their output, food vendors are prohibited from using charcoal and road work stops.
If the air quality doesn't improve, the countermeasures get tougher. It often means residents can't drive to work or school, for example, so they have to walk, bike or take public transportation. If it gets bad enough, government offices shut down.
All of this has made a difference. In the 1990s, measures like these were put in place every month. Mexicans used to joke the air was so bad, so often, that birds would die mid-flight. These days, really bad days are rare. We have only a handful of environmental contingencies a year.
--Eyder Peralta, NPR Mexico City correspondent
Johannesburg
Africa is well known for its stunning sunsets and wide open skies – Paul Simon even sung about them in his song "Under African Skies."
So when I moved to Johannesburg as a correspondent, after previously working in heavily polluted Hong Kong, I found the fresh air in my leafy suburb a welcome change.
But in South Africa, one of the world's most unequal countries, air quality depends a lot on where you live.
According to the 2022 World Air Quality Report, the wealthy city of Cape Town had some of the best air quality in the country, while Thabazimbi, an iron mining town in northern Limpopo province had some of the worst.
Such disparities led environmental groups to sue the government last year in a groundbreaking case in which the judge ruled the unsafe levels of air pollution in the coal mining region of Mpumulanga were in breach of residents' constitutional rights to clean air.
Elsewhere on the continent, things are a mixed bag, with countries like Chad, Burkina Faso, Sudan and Egypt all showing high levels of pollution, while Angola and Kenya had relatively low levels.
One of the main impediments to monitoring air quality in Africa is the limited availability of reliable data, according to IQAir, with only 19 countries across the continent monitored.
Chad was found to be the most polluted of those, actually topping the global list as the country with the worst air quality in the world in 2022 – beating New Delhi. IQAir credited the country's regular dust storms as one of the reasons behind the poor levels of air quality.
--Kate Bartlett, freelance reporter
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.ijpr.org/npr-news/2023-06-09/heres-how-npr-reporters-around-the-world-are-dealing-with-air-pollution | 2023-07-30T20:32:15 | 0 | https://www.ijpr.org/npr-news/2023-06-09/heres-how-npr-reporters-around-the-world-are-dealing-with-air-pollution |
HOUSTON (AP) — Quarterback C.J. Stroud, taken second overall in this year’s draft, isn’t worried that the Panthers picked No. 1 selection Bryce Young as their starter on Day 1 of training camp while the Houston Texans are making him compete for the job.
“I’m happy for him, but his situation is his situation, and my situation is mine,” Stroud said Sunday. “So, I know that I’ve got to work on my end and do whatever I’ve got to do to make this team better. It’s not about the starter (or) who’s not the starter, it’s about getting better for Week 1 against Baltimore.”
Stroud is vying with Davis Mills to be the team’s quarterback. The Texans have split first-team snaps between the two in the first few days of camp.
Houston drafted Stroud after Mills struggled as the team’s starter for the past two years after Deshaun Watson sat out following a trade request before being shipped to Cleveland before last season.
Mills went 5-22-1 in 28 games, including 26 starts, as the Texans were among the NFL’s worst teams.
Stroud is just the third quarterback the Texans have drafted in the first round, joining Watson, taken 12th in 2017 and David Carr, the team’s first draft pick who was taken first overall in 2002.
After using such a high pick on Stroud it’s hard to imagine that he won’t end up as the team’s starter. But for now, new coach DeMeco Ryans is adamant that it’s an open competition between the former Ohio State star and Mills.
While Ryans won’t answer questions about what Stroud will have to do to win the job, he’s had plenty to say about the dedication the 21-year-old has shown since joining the team.
“What you see about C.J. is the work and preparation that he does when he’s not here,” Ryans said. “He’s a true football junkie. He loves football, always watching football, always asking for extra cut-ups from our coaches. I’m so impressed with the mental part of him and just how much he loves the game of football. When a guy has that much love for the game of football, he’s (only) going to continue to get better.”
Stroud was a two-year starter for Ohio State, where he threw for 8,123 yards with 85 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions as the Buckeyes went 21-4. His 85 touchdowns over two seasons broke a Big Ten record held by Drew Brees.
Despite competing with Mills for the job, the rookie said that he and fellow quarterback Case Keenum have both helped him a lot as he’s made the jump from college to the pros.
“I’ve learned everything from Davis,” Stroud said. “Davis and Case are great vets. And just because we may be competing against each other, doesn’t mean that we’re not going to learn from each other. I’ve had a really great time being in the room with those guys.”
Stroud certainly knows what’s at stake for him in this camp, but he’s trying not to let the competition change how he approaches his job day to day.
“I feel like when you try to have a different mindset you confuse yourself,” he said. “So, for me, I just try to keep my head down and I work — just try to work harder and harder every day. Just trying to … be the best person I can be on and off the field.”
As Stroud prepares for his first NFL season, he certainly has plenty of goals. However, his approach to goals has never been to list only lofty, far down the road ones.
“I have goals written down,” he said. “I did it in college and I’ll do it now. But I have a lot of things that I put down, like really small goals. I think the more you can accomplish small goals in your life, the big ones can come kind of natural. And they come as you get the small ones checked off.”
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/nfl/no-2-pick-stroud-competes-with-mills-for-starting-qb-job-with-houston-texans/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-07-30T20:32:18 | 0 | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/nfl/no-2-pick-stroud-competes-with-mills-for-starting-qb-job-with-houston-texans/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
SCOTTSDALEHangry Donkey Sanctuary in Rio Verde FoothillsArizona RepublicRose Carroll, founder of Hangry Donkey Sanctuary, pets Grace, a blind pony (left) at the sanctuary in the Rio Verde Foothills on July 28, 2023.Joel Angel Juarez/The RepublicRose Carroll, founder of Hangry Donkey Sanctuary, stands near one of her wells at the sanctuary in the Rio Verde Foothills on July 28, 2023.Joel Angel Juarez/The RepublicRose Carroll, founder of Hangry Donkey Sanctuary, pets Clancy (left) at the sanctuary in the Rio Verde Foothills on July 28, 2023.Joel Angel Juarez/The RepublicRose Carroll, founder of Hangry Donkey Sanctuary, hugs Clancy at the sanctuary in the Rio Verde Foothills on July 28, 2023.Joel Angel Juarez/The RepublicRose Carroll, founder of Hangry Donkey Sanctuary, pets Clancy at the sanctuary in the Rio Verde Foothills on July 28, 2023.Joel Angel Juarez/The RepublicGrace, a blind pony, (right) stands in shade at the Hangry Donkey Sanctuary in the Rio Verde Foothills on July 28, 2023.Joel Angel Juarez/The RepublicA view of the Hangry Donkey Sanctuary in the Rio Verde Foothills on July 28, 2023.Joel Angel Juarez/The RepublicA view of the Hangry Donkey Sanctuary in the Rio Verde Foothills on July 28, 2023.Joel Angel Juarez/The RepublicBill, a rescue, at Hangry Donkey Sanctuary on June 22, 2023, in Rio Verde Foothills.Mark Henle/The RepublicA portrait of Rose Carroll at her Hangry Donkey Sanctuary on June 22, 2023, in Rio Verde Foothills.Mark Henle/The RepublicRose Carroll operates her water well and filter system at Hangry Donkey Sanctuary on June 22, 2023, in Rio Verde Foothills.Mark Henle/The RepublicGroundwater is transferred to the storage tank at Hangry Donkey Sanctuary on June 22, 2023, in Rio Verde Foothills.Mark Henle/The RepublicColtin Carroll (left) and Kevin Carroll transfer water to the storage tank at Hangry Donkey Sanctuary on June 22, 2023, in Rio Verde Foothills.Mark Henle/The Republic | https://www.azcentral.com/picture-gallery/news/local/scottsdale/2023/07/30/hangry-donkey-sanctuary-in-rio-verde-foothills-arizona-photos/12299899002/ | 2023-07-30T20:32:21 | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/picture-gallery/news/local/scottsdale/2023/07/30/hangry-donkey-sanctuary-in-rio-verde-foothills-arizona-photos/12299899002/ |
(The Conversation) – Should smartphones be allowed in classrooms? A new report from UNESCO, the education arm of the United Nations, raises questions about the practice. Though smartphones can be used for educational purposes, the report says the devices also disrupt classroom learning, expose students to cyberbullying and can compromise students’ privacy.
About 1 in 7 countries globally, such as the Netherlands and France, have banned the use of smartphones in school – and academic performance improved as a result, particularly for low-performing students, the report notes.
As school leaders in the U.S. wrestle with whether or not to ban smartphones, The Conversation has invited four scholars to weigh in on the issue.
Daniel G. Krutka: Use smartphones to encourage ‘technoskepticism’
While the issue of smartphone use in schools is complicated, evidence suggests that spending more time on smartphones is associated with young people being less happy and less satisfied with life.
Technology scholars have long argued that the key to living well with technology is in finding limits. However, in banning smartphones, I worry educators might be missing opportunities to use smartphones to encourage what I and other researchers refer to as technoskeptical thinking; that is, questioning our relationship with technology.
For example, students might be encouraged to consider the benefits and drawbacks of using navigational apps to travel from one place to another, as opposed to old-fashioned paper maps. Or, students might explore their social media feeds to critique what algorithms feed them, or how notifications get their attention.
In my research, I have looked at how teachers can encourage students to go on techno-fasts – that is, abstaining from the use of technology for a certain period of time. This, I argue, will give students time to reflect on the time they spend away from their devices.
Policy debates often focus on whether or not to put smartphones out of reach during the school day. But I believe educators might find it more beneficial to make the phones an object of inquiry.
Sarah Rose: Consult parents, teachers and students
While there is evidence that classroom phone usage can be a distraction, it can also promote engagement and learning. While research about the potential positive and negative consequences of classroom phones can be used to inform school phone policies, the views of those who are most directly impacted by the policies should also be taken into account.
The views of parents matter because their views may influence the extent to which their children follow the policy. The views of children matter because they are the ones being expected to follow the policy and to benefit from it. The views of teachers matter because they are often the ones that have to enforce the policies. Research shows that enforcing cellphone policies is not always a straightforward issue.
In my research, I have found that children – aged 10 and 11 years old – in collaboration with their parents, were able to come up with ideas for ideal policies and solutions to help enforce them. For example, one parent-child pair suggested mobile phone use in school could be banned but that a role of “telephone monitor” could be given to an older pupil. This “telephone monitor” would have a class mobile phone that children and parents could use to contact each other during the school day when necessary.
This recommendation reflected how parents and middle and high school students – whether from rural and urban areas – felt cellphones were important to keep in touch with each other during the school day. Beyond safety, children and parents also told us that phones were important for keeping in touch about changing plans and for emotional support during the school day.
I believe policies that simply ban phones in schools may be missing an opportunity to educate children about responsible mobile device use. When parents and children are involved in policy development, it has the potential to increase the extent to which these policies are followed and enforced.
Arnold L. Glass: Cellphone use in college lectures hurts performance in ways that are hard to see
The intrusion of internet-enabled electronic devices, such as laptops, tablets and cellphones, has transformed the modern college lecture. Students now divide their attention between the lecture and their devices. Classroom studies reveal that when college students use an electronic device for a nonacademic purpose during class, it hurts their performance on exams.
When attention is divided between an electronic device and the classroom lecture, it does not reduce comprehension of the lecture – at least, not when measured by within-class quizzes. Instead, divided attention reduces long-term retention of the classroom lecture, which hurts performance on unit exams and final exams.
When some students open electronic devices, it also negatively affects the performance of all the students around them. Research has shown that student performance on final exams was worse when electronic devices were permitted during classes that covered exam material versus when the devices were not.
Many students won’t think their divided attention is affecting their retention of new information. It may not be for the moment, but a couple of weeks later or down the line, research shows, it does.
Louis-Philippe Beland: Bans help low-achieving students the most
Numerous studies indicate that low-achieving students stand to benefit the most from the implementation of mobile phone bans in schools.
In a 2015 study, my co-author, Richard Murphy, and I examined the impact of banning mobile phones on student performance in high schools, using data from England. By comparing schools with phone bans to similar schools without the bans, we isolated the effect of mobile phones on performance. Our study found that banning mobile phones significantly increased test scores among 16-year-old students. The effect is equivalent to adding five days to the school year or an extra hour per week. Low-achieving students benefited more, while high-achieving students remained unaffected.
Similar studies in Spain and Norway using a similar approach demonstrated compelling evidence supporting the benefits of banning mobile phones. In Spain, grades improved and bullying incidents decreased. In Norway, the ban raised middle school students’ grade-point averages and their likelihood of attending academic high schools while reducing bullying. Evidence from Belgium suggests banning mobile phones can be beneficial for college student performance.
Psychological research sheds light on potential mechanisms behind the impact of mobile phones and technology on student performance. Multitasking, common with mobile phone use, has been found to hinder learning and task execution. Taking notes by hand has been shown to better enhance memory retention compared to typing on a computer.
In sum, banning mobile phones in schools can yield positive effects, improve academic performance and narrow the achievement gap between high- and low-achieving students. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that mobile phones and technology can also be valuable educational tools when used appropriately. | https://phl17.com/nmw/do-smartphones-belong-in-classrooms-four-scholars-weigh-in/ | 2023-07-30T20:32:21 | 1 | https://phl17.com/nmw/do-smartphones-belong-in-classrooms-four-scholars-weigh-in/ |
Updated July 7, 2023 at 2:58 PM ET
Barbequing, for some people, is all about the gear. But British cookbook author James Whetlor is not impressed by your Big Green Egg or your Traeger grill. You want a tandoori oven? Just go to Home Depot.
"You buy one big flowerpot and a couple bags of sand and two terracotta pots, and you've got yourself a tandoor," he advises.
More specific instructions for safely building homemade grills and smokers can be found in Whetlor's The DIY BBQ Cookbook. It illustrates simple ways of cooking outside by, for example, digging a hole in the ground. Or draping skewers over cinderblocks. All you need is a simple square of outside space and fireproof bricks or rocks. You do not even need a grill, Whetlor insists. There's a movement you may have missed, known as "dirty cooking."
"It's like cooking directly on the coals, that's exactly what it is," says the James Beard-award winning writer (who, it should be said, disdains the term "dirty cooking" as offputtingly BBQ geek lingo.) "You can do it brilliantly with steak. You've got nice, really hot coals; just lay steaks straight on it."
Brush off the ash and bon appétit! When a reporter mentioned she'd be too intimidated to drop a a steak directly on the coals, Whetlor said not to worry.
"You should get over it," he rebuked. "Remember that you're cooking on embers, what you call coals in the U.S. You're not cooking on fire. You should never be cooking on a flame, because a flame will certainly char or burn. Whereas if you're cooking on embers, you have that radiant heat. It will cook quite evenly and quite straightforwardly. And it's no different than laying it in a frying pan, essentially."
Whetlor is attentive to vegetarians in The DIY BBQ Cookbook, including plenty of plant-based recipes. He writes at length about mitigating BBQ's environmental impact. For example, by using responsibly-sourced charcoal. And he is careful to acknowledge how BBQ developed for generations among indigenous and enslaved people.
"I am standing on the shoulders of giants," he says, citing the influece of such culinary historians and food writers as Adrian Miller, Michael Twitty and Howard Conyers. "Any food that we eat, I think we should acknowledge the history and the tradition and the culture behind it. Because it just makes it so much more interesting, and it makes you a better cook because you understand more about it. "
And today, he says, building your own grill and barbequing outdoors is a surefire way to start up conversations and connect with something primal: to nourish our shared human hunger for a hearth.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.ijpr.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-06-16/no-grill-no-problem-you-can-diy-bbq-with-bricks-cinderblocks-even-flower-pots | 2023-07-30T20:32:22 | 0 | https://www.ijpr.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-06-16/no-grill-no-problem-you-can-diy-bbq-with-bricks-cinderblocks-even-flower-pots |
'We're really hurting': Donkey sanctuary confronts Phoenix Valley heat, water shortage
A rescue burro has already died partly due to the hot weather
One of the biggest pleasures Rose Carroll, 67, takes in her retirement is watching the morning sun rise over Four Peaks, the mountain range overlooking her Rio Verde Hills property.
But the stinging sun rays lately have been searing at Carroll’s primary passion of caring for neglected or abused donkeys at her nonprofit Hangry Donkey Sanctuary. Some of the burros are rescued from being shipped off across the border to low-regulated slaughterhouses that sell their flesh for consumption overseas.
At 43, the dark brown-and-white-coated Otis was the oldest donkey at Carroll’s equid haven. His laminitis, an inflammatory condition targeting hooves, was exacerbated by the Valley’s record-setting heat. Carroll tried relieving Otis of his pain by putting ice on his hooves and giving him medication, all to no avail. With no other recourse available, Otis was euthanized on July 14.
"We're really hurting" because of the heat, Carroll said. "All my old donkeys are having a really hectic time."
Saturday marked the 30th consecutive day Phoenix hit 110 degrees or hotter. And the burn is being felt at the sanctuary with Carroll struggling to provide watery relief to the 24 surviving donkeys at the refuge, eight of whom are of senior age.
New government entity, GoFundMe to help
The neighborhood’s water supply was cut off Jan. 1 by the City of Scottsdale. Where Carroll would typically pay $500 on the city’s water hauler, she said this month’s bill is $1,600 since the supply is now coming from as far away as Apache Junction some 50 or more miles away.
Through a GoFundMe set up in February, Carroll managed to purchase a filtration tank that processes about 800 gallons of drinking water weekly for the donkeys from a well on her property.
But the high temperatures are only increasing the demand, and Carroll said the water lasts less than 48 hours.
The burros consume an estimated 50 gallons a day, with the total household’s monthly intake reaching 5,000 gallons.
"I sat down and talked to the donkeys about their drinking problem, but they don't seem to care," she said jokingly.
A new GoFundMe has been set up to raise money to help Hangry Donkey pay for the spike in water-hauling expenses.
Last month, state legislators and Gov. Katie Hobbs established the Rio Verde Foothills Standpipe District to address residents’ water supply issues.
After that new government entity’s first meeting was held June 20, Carroll expressed cautious optimism while talking with The Republic.
"That was great news, but bureaucracy runs slowly," Carroll said.
Providing forever homes
Since childhood, the Buffalo, New York native has had a deep affection for donkeys. She argues a donkey’s contemplative nature and reluctance to take command in the face of danger proves the long-eared animal is smarter than its cousin the horse.
"They're like equine dogs. They love people," Carroll said. "They've all got such unique personalities. And people are really surprised when they come here (at) how friendly they (the donkeys) are and how personable they are."
After retiring as a Conoco oilfield production operator in Alaska’s North Slope, Carroll moved to the Valley. She started the sanctuary about nine years ago while residing in the Scottsdale subdivision of Shea when a friend traveling through North Texas spotted a wild burro and thought Carroll could give him a good home.
Bowie, as Carroll christened him, stands just below 3 feet high and was initially too scared to train and had even kicked her. But a persistent Carroll sat down in a stall with him and read him a book about a man learning compassion from a donkey.
"You have to negotiate with a donkey," she said.
Within a week, Bowie was dressed up in a bedsheet as a ghost for Halloween. Now 15, Bowie visits retirement homes dressed as an elf during Christmastime.
Carroll has been at Rio Verde Hills for two and a half years. A long dirt road leads to the property where she built fencing and roofed stalls for the donkeys’ 3-acre space.
Children with special needs regularly visit Hangry Donkey, Carroll said, describing the burros’ calmness as beneficial to the children.
Carroll keeps the older donkeys she rescues. To get them adopted, she will train the younger ones to socialize with humans, wear halters, board trailers and get their hooves shoed.
Wendy Ashland, 57, is a Rio Verde Hills resident who was hiking past a friend’s home when she noticed a new four-legged companion the family had adopted from Carroll.
Carroll introduced Ashland to Blue, a lonesome, little donkey who had been severely abused. She adopted the "handsome" 6-year-old donkey in October.
"I fell in love with him immediately," said Ashland, who later adopted Lucky, another previously abused donkey Carroll cared for.
One who was recently adopted had been burned with acid before Carroll housed him at her sanctuary.
"Most of them have pretty tragic stories," Carroll said of the donkeys she takes in.
Of the couple dozen donkeys she has now, the oldest is a 38-year-old female named Sugar, and the youngest is a 2-year-old male named Clancy. Along with the burros, the sanctuary houses Gracie, a blind pony, and two mules, Taylor and Whiskey.
Challenges across the region
A chief volunteer at Carroll’s sanctuary is Karen Will, a 64-year-old speech therapist who started at Hangry Donkey to get out of her home during the height of the pandemic.
Will goes to Hangry Donkey three times a week to replenish the burro’s water troughs, shovel poop, help with storing harnesses and occasionally do welding repairs.
"A lot of people who are interested in volunteering, and then it gets to be 115 and you never see them again. It is really rough in this heat," Will said.
The heat’s intensity this summer is doing more than scaring away volunteers at Hangry Donkey.
As of July 26, Maricopa County had seen at least 25 heat-associated deaths in 2023.
Phoenix experienced 108 degrees in its day average on July 19, making the date the highest day average on record.
The daily low temperatures this summer have been higher than in previous years, a National Weather Service meteorologist explained to The Republic at the time. July 19’s low was 97 degrees.
Back at Hangry Donkey Sanctuary, Carroll is extending relief from the heat to all the creatures she can. The premises have small watering stations scattered throughout that draw wild bunnies and desert quail looking to sate their thirst.
Pointing to a few bowls near the filtration tank, Carroll said, "It’s been so dry that everybody needs a drink."
Reach breaking news reporter Jose R. Gonzalez at jose.gonzalez@gannett.com or on Twitter @jrgzztx.
Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/scottsdale/2023/07/30/hangry-donkey-sanctuary-rio-verde-confronts-heat-water-shortage/70482830007/ | 2023-07-30T20:32:27 | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/scottsdale/2023/07/30/hangry-donkey-sanctuary-rio-verde-confronts-heat-water-shortage/70482830007/ |
CLEVELAND (WJW) – Verizon customers with older phone plans could see their bill go up next month.
According to the company, starting Aug. 29, some older plans will be charged an additional $3 or $5 per mobile phone line every month.
Customers with Go Unlimited 2.0, Beyond Unlimited 2.0, Above Unlimited, and 5G Start 1.0 plans will see the $3 monthly increase, while single basic phone plans will see the $5 monthly increase.
The company says unlimited plans that are currently available to new customers won’t get hit with the additional charge.
Verizon says lines with tablets, smartwatches, and other devices also won’t be affected.
This comes after a price hike back in April, which, as reported by USA Today, saw a $2 monthly increase for some wireless plans.
In June 2022, Verizon raised some plan fees in response to “pressure,” the company’s head of business said at the time. It led to a $1.35 increase on its administrative fees, and an “Economic Adjustment Charge” for companies using the business plans. It was the first time the fees had been increased since 2019. | https://phl17.com/nmw/have-an-older-verizon-phone-plan-your-bill-could-increase-soon/ | 2023-07-30T20:32:27 | 0 | https://phl17.com/nmw/have-an-older-verizon-phone-plan-your-bill-could-increase-soon/ |
The debate over equal pay in pro sports has continued for decades.
"Everyone thinks women should be thrilled when we get crumbs. I want women to be able to have the cake, the icing, and the cherry on top too," said Billie Jean King at the 2016 Miami Open.
In late 2022, Congress passed the Equal Pay for Team USA law, ensuring that women playing for international teams must make the same as men.
For national teams and athletes, tennis leagues have made significant moves toward equal pay here in the U.S.
Earlier this year, the Women's Tennis Association announced there would be equal prize money offered to both male and female athletes at more competitions, including the grand slam tournaments.
But a fair solution for the pay gap across the rest of the sports world seems elusive.
A recent CNN analysis found that internationally, women playing in the 2023 World Cup earn 25 cents to the dollar of men, a quadruple jump from the last cup but still far below their peers.
Other pro sports have seen low wages for women.
In hockey, about half of Team USA holds second and third jobs to pay the bills despite training and playing year-round.
The average salary for WNBA athletes was just over $102,000 in 2022, and many athletes sought work overseas for higher pay. Countries like China and Russia can offer contracts for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The average NBA salary is $8.2 million per year.
Of the top 50 highest-paid athletes, according to Forbes, there is just one woman: Serena Williams, at number 49.
But some prominent athletes and sports officials have voiced skepticism over a blanket equal pay policy in a number of sports. Critics saythe pay gap is an unfortunate but fair distribution based on revenue generated and viewership. Major men's sports in the U.S. still bring in bigger revenues and audiences than women's sports.
But it's difficult to make a direct comparison between revenues and viewership without examining sports media coverage itself and the lucrative broadcast rights.
SEE MORE: Fewer Coaching Jobs In Women's Sports Are Going To Women
"It takes time now for women to catch up after 50 years of lack of investment. It takes time for them to catch up, and now develop the audience in the same way. And how do you develop an audience? You get on television," said Donna Lopiano.
Broadcast rights make up the biggest share of revenue for major sports teams in the U.S.
Skeptics for equal pay argue women’s sports have less interest and thus aren't worth the bigger deals.
But is it a matter of less interest or less exposure? Would more people be interested in seeing women play if the hype levels and ability to tune in were the same?
A University of Southern California and Purdue University study found 95% of total television sports coverage in 2019 focused on men’s sports.
The imbalance was similar in social media posts and sports newsletters.
"This has nothing to do with whether or not there are great, you know, women athletes. This has everything to do with who is controlling mass communications," said Lopiano.
There are signs that the existing TV deals for women aren't as rich as they could be.
A 2021 NCAA analysis of March Madness tournaments found the broadcast rights for the women’s teams were undervalued by millions.
Even though fewer people watched the final for women's college basketball between 2015 and 2021, total viewers for the women’s final increased by 32%. While for men it has declined by 40%.
The women’s game was only available on cable, while the men's had a wider reach with free network TV.
A 2021 white paper for YouGov surveyed reasons why viewers around the world don't engage with women’s sports as much.
The top reasons given were: "less media coverage," "lack of knowledge of teams and athletes," and "limited marketing."
When women athletes share a broadcast and marketing promotion with men, we see the gap in interest disappear.
For example, U.S. audiences tend to be equally interested in male and female athletes when it comes to the Olympics, compared to pro sports and college sports.
Pro tennis players also receive equal media coverage and are broadcast together.
Female tennis matches and players draw similar viewership numbers as the men's.
As American interest in women’s sports grows and major sports leagues prepare for new TV rights deals, we may see slow progress toward more equal media coverage.
And as the playing field slowly evens out, the rise of media coverage may bring higher revenues, viewership, interest, and pay for women athletes.
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.abc15.com/equal-pay-in-women-s-sports-the-challenge-for-female-athletes | 2023-07-30T20:32:31 | 1 | https://www.abc15.com/equal-pay-in-women-s-sports-the-challenge-for-female-athletes |
1 dead, 2 injured in street race shooting in Tucson
One person was found dead and two were found injured by law enforcement at a Tucson intersection after responding to a call regarding street racing early Sunday morning.
Around 2:30 a.m., Pima County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to the intersection of NogalesHighway and Aerospace Parkway for a report of street racing. While driving to the scene, they received additional information that someone had been shot.
When they arrived at the scene, they found three people who had been shot, according to the department. One person was pronounced dead on scene, and the two other individuals, one with injuries that were life threatening, were transported to a hospital.
Anyone with information is asked to call 911. You can also submit an anonymous tip, with the potential for a reward, by text or phone at 88crime (520-822-7463) or by going to 88Crime.org. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2023/07/30/1-dead-2-injured-street-race-shooting-tucson/70494617007/ | 2023-07-30T20:32:33 | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2023/07/30/1-dead-2-injured-street-race-shooting-tucson/70494617007/ |
(The Hill) – A bipartisan group of lawmakers on the House Oversight Committee say a high-profile hearing on UFOs is just the start of their push for answers.
And they are threatening to use heavier handed tactics if the Pentagon and intelligence agencies stand in their way.
Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) and Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) want more information on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) — commonly referred to as UFOs — beginning with new laws, a classified hearing and the possible creation of a select committee.
The lawmakers said they are willing to use subpoena power if needed to get the answers they’re seeking from the federal government.
“If there’s not a cover up, the government and the Pentagon are sure spending a lot of resources to stop us from studying it,” Burchett told The Hill.
He added that they hope House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) can aid them in setting up a select committee to study the issue of UAPs — as well as any government program that addresses them. If they don’t get leadership approval, they’ll “just start holding field hearings because the public is demanding that we have transparency,” Burchett said.
The effort comes after three former military officials earlier this week and under oath gave bombshell testimony on the unexplained aerial objects, telling lawmakers that for years they’ve been kept in the dark about the mysterious sightings and encounters.
David Grusch, a former Air Force intelligence officer, gave the most shocking testimony when he said he was told of a “multi-decade UAP crash retrieval and reverse-engineering program,” accusing the military of misdirecting funds to keep such operations secret.
The shocking testimony now has committee members questioning how Congress should begin to investigate the witness claims and demand more answers from the executive branch on programs it claims doesn’t exist.
Lawmakers hope to start with obtaining additional information and documents that Grusch said he submitted to the Pentagon’s inspector general after serving on two Defense Department task forces looking into UAPs.
To get the information from Grusch — who said he was unable to discuss specifics on what he told the Pentagon’s watchdog arm — lawmakers want to sit down with the former official in a sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF) to get additional information from him.
The group has been blocked, however, by officials that have informed them that Grusch doesn’t currently have security clearance to discuss the issues in a SCIF, according to Burchett.
“I think we’ll get there eventually, it’s just frustrating. I’m ready to go and the American public are ready to go,” he said.
Luna argued the SCIF with Grusch would help lawmakers better understand the type of legislation they need to write regarding UAPs. She said she supports legislation that would declassify information on the phenomena.
With a growing amount of bipartisan interest for more government transparency surrounding the issue, a need for reporting procedures for UAP’s both in the miliary and commercial airspace, and “stronger and stricter punishment for those that try to silence whistleblowers,” the topic is more important than ever, she said.
There is currently a provision in the Senate’s version of the annual defense authorization bill, inserted by Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), which would force federal government agencies to hand over UAP records to a review panel with the power to declassify them. The bill, known as the National Defense Authorization Act, was passed by the Senate on Thursday and now must be reconciled with the House’s version, so the initiative could still be stripped out.
Burchett also made an attempt to put an amendment into a Federal Aviation Administration bill to improve air travel, passed July 20, that would have required UAP sightings be reported to Congress. The initiative was blocked, which Luna said was an indication that “we clearly have a battle ahead of us.”
Another avenue for lawmakers should they not receive access to a SCIF would be invoking the Holman rule.
During Wednesday’s hearing Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) vowed to do just that, saying that he would “personally volunteer to initiate the Holman rule against any personnel, or any program, or any agency that denies access to Congress.”
The Holman rule is a House power through which they can strip the salary of a specific government position, fire civil servants or cut a particular program.
Ogles’s pledge came after Grusch told lawmakers that the federal government for decades has secretly funded a “UAP crash retrieval and reverse engineering program” and that he believes the government is in possession of non-human crafts, based on interviews with 40 witnesses.
Moskowitz told The Hill that while it’s too early to use the Holman rule — as Congress must first “figure out where these positions exist and then examine whether or not they should be funded” — he hopes that by discussing the rule it will create more transparency with the federal government.
“This is about government transparency. I’m all for protecting national security, but that can’t just be a shield to deny the American people the basics of what we know about UAPs,” he said.
And Burchett said if lawmakers “start getting stonewalled” by the Pentagon and intelligence agencies, he will have “no hesitation,” to invoke the rule.
Luna, meanwhile, said whether lawmakers use the rule depends on the response they receive from various agencies, programs and appointees.
That process could start as soon as September when lawmakers consider the Defense Appropriations bill on the House floor.
“We know that enormous sums of money are being spent on UAP related activity, whether it’s retrieval/recovery, research and reverse engineering, or just security for whatever the government is hiding,” she told The Hill. “But none of that is on the books, so from a basic governance perspective, Congress needs to know where money is being misappropriated.”
The Hill’s Sarakshi Rai contributed reporting. | https://phl17.com/nmw/ufo-curious-lawmakers-brace-for-a-fight-over-government-secrets/ | 2023-07-30T20:32:33 | 1 | https://phl17.com/nmw/ufo-curious-lawmakers-brace-for-a-fight-over-government-secrets/ |
PHOENIX — An infant is dead after the child was found not breathing Sunday morning in central Phoenix.
Phoenix police say just after 9:30 a.m., they were called to a home near 7th Avenue and Hatcher Road regarding a young child not breathing.
When officers arrived, they located the infant.
Phoenix fire personnel arrived and attempted life-saving measures, but the infant was pronounced dead at the scene.
The child has not been identified.
Police have not said what may have led to the infant's death.
Detectives have taken over the case to investigate. | https://www.abc15.com/news/region-phoenix-metro/central-phoenix/infant-dead-after-found-not-breathing-near-7th-avenue-and-hatcher-road | 2023-07-30T20:32:37 | 0 | https://www.abc15.com/news/region-phoenix-metro/central-phoenix/infant-dead-after-found-not-breathing-near-7th-avenue-and-hatcher-road |
(NEXSTAR) — For five days this year, all national parks will be offering free admission to all visitors. One of those special days is nearly upon us.
The National Park Service announced the 2023 free days late last year. There are more than 400 parks, monuments, seashores and other NPS lands, the majority of which do not require an entrance fee. For the roughly 100 that do, these free admission days open the gates to everyone.
We’ve already had two free days this year: Jan. 16, which is Martin Luther King Day, and April 22, which was the first day of National Park Week.
Now, on Friday, Aug. 4, we’ll have another, which marks the anniversary of the Great Americans Outdoors Act.
The act, GAOA, was signed in 2020 and brought bipartisan investments to “improve visitor experiences, bolster climate resilience, and invest in the economy by creating good-paying jobs” at the parks, the Department of the Interior explains.
In honor of the bill signing anniversary, you won’t need to pay entrance fees at parks that usually require them. Fees will, however, still be necessary for overnight camping, cabin rentals, transportation, group day use and use of special areas.
The next two free admission days are Sept. 23, National Public Lands Day, and Nov. 11, Veterans Day.
Last year, there were roughly 312 million recreational visits to 395 national parks that track attendance, a 15 million increase over 2021. The most visited park was Blue Ridge Parkway, which received 15.7 million visits last year, edging out the Golden Gate National Recreation Area by slightly more than 72,000 visits. | https://phl17.com/nmw/you-can-get-into-the-national-parks-for-free-this-week-heres-when/ | 2023-07-30T20:32:39 | 0 | https://phl17.com/nmw/you-can-get-into-the-national-parks-for-free-this-week-heres-when/ |
The debate over equal pay in pro sports has continued for decades.
"Everyone thinks women should be thrilled when we get crumbs. I want women to be able to have the cake, the icing, and the cherry on top too," said Billie Jean King at the 2016 Miami Open.
In late 2022, Congress passed the Equal Pay for Team USA law, ensuring that women playing for international teams must make the same as men.
For national teams and athletes, tennis leagues have made significant moves toward equal pay here in the U.S.
Earlier this year, the Women's Tennis Association announced there would be equal prize money offered to both male and female athletes at more competitions, including the grand slam tournaments.
But a fair solution for the pay gap across the rest of the sports world seems elusive.
A recent CNN analysis found that internationally, women playing in the 2023 World Cup earn 25 cents to the dollar of men, a quadruple jump from the last cup but still far below their peers.
Other pro sports have seen low wages for women.
In hockey, about half of Team USA holds second and third jobs to pay the bills despite training and playing year-round.
The average salary for WNBA athletes was just over $102,000 in 2022, and many athletes sought work overseas for higher pay. Countries like China and Russia can offer contracts for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The average NBA salary is $8.2 million per year.
Of the top 50 highest-paid athletes, according to Forbes, there is just one woman: Serena Williams, at number 49.
But some prominent athletes and sports officials have voiced skepticism over a blanket equal pay policy in a number of sports. Critics saythe pay gap is an unfortunate but fair distribution based on revenue generated and viewership. Major men's sports in the U.S. still bring in bigger revenues and audiences than women's sports.
But it's difficult to make a direct comparison between revenues and viewership without examining sports media coverage itself and the lucrative broadcast rights.
SEE MORE: Fewer Coaching Jobs In Women's Sports Are Going To Women
"It takes time now for women to catch up after 50 years of lack of investment. It takes time for them to catch up, and now develop the audience in the same way. And how do you develop an audience? You get on television," said Donna Lopiano.
Broadcast rights make up the biggest share of revenue for major sports teams in the U.S.
Skeptics for equal pay argue women’s sports have less interest and thus aren't worth the bigger deals.
But is it a matter of less interest or less exposure? Would more people be interested in seeing women play if the hype levels and ability to tune in were the same?
A University of Southern California and Purdue University study found 95% of total television sports coverage in 2019 focused on men’s sports.
The imbalance was similar in social media posts and sports newsletters.
"This has nothing to do with whether or not there are great, you know, women athletes. This has everything to do with who is controlling mass communications," said Lopiano.
There are signs that the existing TV deals for women aren't as rich as they could be.
A 2021 NCAA analysis of March Madness tournaments found the broadcast rights for the women’s teams were undervalued by millions.
Even though fewer people watched the final for women's college basketball between 2015 and 2021, total viewers for the women’s final increased by 32%. While for men it has declined by 40%.
The women’s game was only available on cable, while the men's had a wider reach with free network TV.
A 2021 white paper for YouGov surveyed reasons why viewers around the world don't engage with women’s sports as much.
The top reasons given were: "less media coverage," "lack of knowledge of teams and athletes," and "limited marketing."
When women athletes share a broadcast and marketing promotion with men, we see the gap in interest disappear.
For example, U.S. audiences tend to be equally interested in male and female athletes when it comes to the Olympics, compared to pro sports and college sports.
Pro tennis players also receive equal media coverage and are broadcast together.
Female tennis matches and players draw similar viewership numbers as the men's.
As American interest in women’s sports grows and major sports leagues prepare for new TV rights deals, we may see slow progress toward more equal media coverage.
And as the playing field slowly evens out, the rise of media coverage may bring higher revenues, viewership, interest, and pay for women athletes.
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.kivitv.com/equal-pay-in-women-s-sports-the-challenge-for-female-athletes | 2023-07-30T20:34:05 | 0 | https://www.kivitv.com/equal-pay-in-women-s-sports-the-challenge-for-female-athletes |
BOISE, Idaho — The City of Boise will debut a brand new skate park on Tuesday at Molenaar Park in southwest Boise.
Molenaar Skate Park is a 15,000 square foot park made possible from a donation by the J.A. and Kathryn Albertsons Family Foundation and built by the same company (Grindline Skateparks) that designed Rhodes Skate Park in downtown.
"We really wanted to create a park that would be a stepping stone and create some features that will allow skaters to be more comfortable," said Josh Davis of the Boise Skateboard Association. "We put a little bowl in here on the back end of the park that is going to be really good for kids learn just how to drop in, do 50-50 grinds and tail stalls."
The park is geared toward beginner and intermediate skaters with the idea of getting them ready for other skate parks, but another goal of the Boise Skateboard Association is making skateboarding more accessible for kids who can't make it to Rhodes.
"I’m so excited for Molenaar," said Wayne Gaston, who we caught up with at Rhodes. "I have driven by there a couple of times and seen what they have been working on, it looks really good and more kids can have access to skateboarding."
The popularity of skateboarding has been on the rise in Boise spurred by hosting theX-Games qualifier three years in a row.
"To see where and what Boise has becoming in the skateboard community is so impressive," said Davis. "It’s known across the country, it is known worldwide and people know what Rhodes is."
The Boise Skateboard Association has made it there mission to add neighborhood skate parks like Molenaar and even smaller parks with a couple features to make provide more opportunities for kids.
"One of the things that always comes up is resiliency," said Davis. "Skateboarding definitely teaches you resilience, skateboarding is difficult, it is hard."
The new park will also spread out the crowds, Rhodes is almost always packed no matter what time of year it is. Wayne Gaston really enjoys the skateboarding community here in Boise.
"I love skateboarding because it helps me express my creativity," said Gaston. "It helps me connect with people I like the sense of community everyone here is really nice to me and I'm really nice to them."
The ribbon cutting ceremony will happen from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, the park has already opened if you want to check it out.
Also on Tuesday night some skateboarding legends from northern California will be in town to premiere their new film N-Men: The Untold Story at the Egyptian Theater at 7:30. | https://www.kivitv.com/news/molenaar-skate-park-will-increase-accessibility-for-skateboarders-in-boise | 2023-07-30T20:34:12 | 0 | https://www.kivitv.com/news/molenaar-skate-park-will-increase-accessibility-for-skateboarders-in-boise |
The search continues for four missing crew members after an Australian Army helicopter went down during joint military exercises with the United States.
The helicopter went down around 11 p.m. Friday off of Queensland near Lindeman Island, which is a Great Barrier Reef tourist spot. Some debris believed to be from the aircraft has been recovered.
In a meeting with their Australian counterparts, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken paid tribute to the missing crew members, who are all men, the Associated Press said.
"It’s always tough when you have accidents in training, but... the reason that we train to such high standards is so that we can be successful and we can protect lives when we are called to answer any kind of crisis," Austin said.
Blinken said, "We’re so grateful to them for their dedication, for their service, for everything they’ve been doing to stand up for the freedom that we share, and that is what unites us more than anything else."
In January, Australia announced it would discontinue the use of those MRH-90 Taipan helicopters by December 2024 because they have been plagued with issues and proven unreliable.
SEE MORE: US Army grounds aviators after 12 soldiers die in recent crashes
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.kivitv.com/search-continues-for-4-missing-in-australian-army-helicopter-crash | 2023-07-30T20:34:18 | 0 | https://www.kivitv.com/search-continues-for-4-missing-in-australian-army-helicopter-crash |
CHICAGO — There were four confirmed tornadoes that touched down in the Chicagoland area, according to National Weather Service.
NWS Chicago confirmed an EF- 1 tornado far north Minooka to Shorewood to the west side of Joliet.
They confirmed another EF-0 tornado in the Central part of Minooka eastward to the Des Plaines River.
NWS said they will continue additional survey work on Sun from Kendall and Grundy counties east into northwest Indiana. Another EF-0 tornado confirmed near Kankakee and an EF-1 tornado was confirmed near Momence. | https://wgntv.com/news/4-tornadoes-touchdown-in-south-suburbs-friday-nws/ | 2023-07-30T20:35:28 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/news/4-tornadoes-touchdown-in-south-suburbs-friday-nws/ |
CHICAGO — An off-duty Chicago firefighter died Sunday morning while swimming with his family in Lake Michigan after finishing a shift.
According to the Chicago Fire Department, emergency personnel were called to help and they found him underwater.
He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center where he died.
“The loss of any of our members is a loss for the first responder community and the city as a whole,” Chicago Fire Department Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt said in a statement.
A full investigation is being conducted into his death, Nance-Holt said.
The man started working for CFD in 2008. | https://wgntv.com/news/chicago-news/off-duty-chicago-firefighter-dies-while-swimming-with-his-family-in-lake-michigan/ | 2023-07-30T20:35:34 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/news/chicago-news/off-duty-chicago-firefighter-dies-while-swimming-with-his-family-in-lake-michigan/ |
DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) — The FBI has issued arrest warrants and released disturbing details in the armed home invasion and kidnapping of an elderly North Carolina couple and the theft of more than $150,000 of their cryptocurrency in April.
The incident took place at gunpoint at the couple’s home the morning of April 12 after thieves allegedly posed as construction workers and forced their way into the home, according to the Durham Police Department and the FBI.
According to an FBI criminal complaint obtained by Nexstar’s WNCN, the incident began when two men, dressed as construction workers, came to the victims’ home around 7:30 a.m. The duo claimed they would be inspecting pipes for damage and told the husband they would be “walking around the house.”
After a few minutes, the pair knocked on the door again and the wife answered the door. The suspects, who allegedly both had guns, then pushed their way inside.
“The men restrained and zip-tied the husband’s hands and the wife’s hands,” the FBI complaint said.
A man armed with a pink gun showed the wife it was loaded by opening the cylinder and then dragged her into a bathroom by her legs, the criminal complaint said.
The husband was taken to his Apple iMac and forced at gunpoint to log in and install a remote desktop application called AnyDesk. A person on the phone with a thief already knew “details about the account without being told,” the FBI complaint said.
The FBI believes the husband’s email account was compromised in the past, allowing the thieves to learn the details ahead of the trip to Durham and the home invasion.
The suspects were able to transfer $156,853 worth of cryptocurrency during the next 45 minutes, the FBI said. Before leaving, the thieves allegedly smashed the couple’s cellphones and the iMac.
The elderly couple managed to get out of their home and ask neighbors to call 911 for help. The pair suffered minor injuries and were transported to a nearby hospital, Durham police said.
The arrest warrants released Thursday for kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping indicate two West Palm Beach, Florida, men are wanted — Jarod Gabriel Seemungal and Remy Ra St. Felix.
According to the FBI criminal complaint filed the same day, the suspects began targeting retirees who had cryptocurrency as early as February. The accused men even had the license plate number for the husband’s car, authorities said. A third man is also named in the criminal complaint, but no arrest warrant was issued for him as of Thursday.
Messages sent between those involved identified actual cryptocurrency amounts and their locations, the criminal complaint said. One suspect had a photo of the husband’s North Carolina driver’s license in his email account, according to the FBI.
The two suspects also discussed in internet messages how potential victims “have so much” money in accounts that it would be “retirement licks” — the FBI explained in the complaint that “licks” is slang for a robbery.
The thieves apparently rented a car in Florida and visited the Millennium Hotel in Durham a couple of days before the actual robbery, according to the complaint. Video from a home near the victims’ showed the thieves’ BMW SUV “conducting surveillance” at the couple’s home each of the three days before the alleged kidnapping, the FBI said.
The FBI also noted that a person driving a similar vehicle purchased costumes — a clipboard, reflective vest, sunglasses and a pair of khaki pants — at a nearby Walmart that allowed the suspected thieves to get into the victims’ home. Both suspects were seen on surveillance video from the store.
Additional details about potential victims wasn’t immediately available. As of Sunday, authorities have not said whether either man is in custody. | https://wgntv.com/news/elderly-couple-bound-held-at-gunpoint-during-north-carolina-home-invasion-fbi-investigating/ | 2023-07-30T20:35:40 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/news/elderly-couple-bound-held-at-gunpoint-during-north-carolina-home-invasion-fbi-investigating/ |
(NerdWallet) – Inflation has rattled nearly every aspect of Americans’ finances, including vacation budgets. But one major travel cost isn’t just lower than it was last year — it’s even lower than pre-pandemic.
June 2023 airfares are 18.9% lower than what they were in June 2022, according to July 2023 consumer price index data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Considering that booming demand — alongside other factors like high jet fuel costs — led to record-high airfares last summer, it’s not surprising to see prices normalize. Not only have air travel costs come back down to earth from 2022’s highs, they’re even lower than pre-pandemic prices.
According to BLS data, June 2023 airfares are down 1.33% from what they were in 2019, when airfares were already trending lower. Relative to what prices were a decade ago, they’re even cheaper.
Pandemic aside, airfares have been trending cheaper
Before the pandemic, airfares had steadily been trending downward since 2014, save for a small bump in 2019. In 2020, prices dropped sharply with the onset of the pandemic, with June 2020 airfares averaging 27% lower than June 2019 airfares.
But as travel returned, so did higher prices. June 2021 airfares spiked 25% over the prior year, and airfares rose 34% more between June 2021 and June 2022.
If you take a long-term view, those increases aren’t necessarily as big as they seem. In fact, in June 2022, airfares averaged just 0.4% more than in 2014.
Here’s a look at how airfares have changed relative to prices in 2014, using June prices from BLS inflation data:
In 2023, airfares are 19% lower than a decade ago.
Compare that with something like the cost of milk, which is up 9% over that same period, according to BLS data. Hotel prices are up 28%. Admission to movies, theaters and concerts is up 33%.
If airfares are lower, why do they feel so high?
Over the past decade, prices for most items have increased. But if airfares are down 19%, why do they feel so expensive?
For starters, not every route is necessarily cheaper. Data from travel booking app Hopper indicates airfares to Europe this summer are averaging nearly $1,200 per ticket, the highest prices in the past six years. That’s perhaps a response to people who might usually book a low-cost domestic flight finally taking extravagant bucket list trips.
And given recent major flight cancellations on airlines including United and Southwest, more travelers might opt for more expensive direct flights to reduce risk of flight disruptions.
Hayley Berg, Hopper’s lead economist, has her own theories as to why people feel like airfares are higher, including recency bias, shorter booking windows and unbundling.
Recency bias
Berg pointed to how many people traveled for this summer’s major holidays.
For example, Fourth of July weekend set records for U.S. air travel, with more than 2.884 million people passing through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints on the Friday before July 4, according to TSA checkpoint data. That topped the previous record of 2.882 million people flying on the Sunday after Thanksgiving 2019.
“A lot of times, we anchor the cost of travel to our most recent trips,” Berg says. “For many, that meant July Fourth and Memorial Day. It’s always expensive to travel on those weekends.”
Shorter booking windows
Airfares typically get more expensive the closer they’re booked to departure, and Berg says people are booking trips later than usual — perhaps a holdover from those pandemic times when people intentionally booked last minute given the extreme uncertainty.
Berg recommends typically booking one to two months in advance for domestic travel and three to four months ahead for most international travel.
“Now, people are searching for travel three weeks later than they did pre-pandemic, and they’re subsequently booking later,” she says. “If I’m booking a trip today that I intend to take two weeks from now, it’s going to be expensive because it’s always more expensive to book at the last minute.”
Unbundling
Then there’s unbundling, where airlines advertise lower fares, often in the form of basic economy seats that offer few frills. But low base fares typically entail upcharges in the form of ancillary fees to check bags or to guarantee a window seat or early boarding.
“On the whole, unbundling is a good thing because you’re not paying a premium for things you may not necessarily want,” Berg says. “I don’t care if I’m in the middle seat if it means I save $100.”
Berg acknowledges that it can be painful when you search for a flight that has a low advertised price but doesn’t turn out to be that cheap.
“It feels like death by a thousand cuts when you add in all those fees,” she says. | https://wgntv.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/airfares-are-back-to-normal-so-why-do-they-feel-so-high/ | 2023-07-30T20:35:46 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/airfares-are-back-to-normal-so-why-do-they-feel-so-high/ |
(The Conversation) – Should smartphones be allowed in classrooms? A new report from UNESCO, the education arm of the United Nations, raises questions about the practice. Though smartphones can be used for educational purposes, the report says the devices also disrupt classroom learning, expose students to cyberbullying and can compromise students’ privacy.
About 1 in 7 countries globally, such as the Netherlands and France, have banned the use of smartphones in school – and academic performance improved as a result, particularly for low-performing students, the report notes.
As school leaders in the U.S. wrestle with whether or not to ban smartphones, The Conversation has invited four scholars to weigh in on the issue.
Daniel G. Krutka: Use smartphones to encourage ‘technoskepticism’
While the issue of smartphone use in schools is complicated, evidence suggests that spending more time on smartphones is associated with young people being less happy and less satisfied with life.
Technology scholars have long argued that the key to living well with technology is in finding limits. However, in banning smartphones, I worry educators might be missing opportunities to use smartphones to encourage what I and other researchers refer to as technoskeptical thinking; that is, questioning our relationship with technology.
For example, students might be encouraged to consider the benefits and drawbacks of using navigational apps to travel from one place to another, as opposed to old-fashioned paper maps. Or, students might explore their social media feeds to critique what algorithms feed them, or how notifications get their attention.
In my research, I have looked at how teachers can encourage students to go on techno-fasts – that is, abstaining from the use of technology for a certain period of time. This, I argue, will give students time to reflect on the time they spend away from their devices.
Policy debates often focus on whether or not to put smartphones out of reach during the school day. But I believe educators might find it more beneficial to make the phones an object of inquiry.
Sarah Rose: Consult parents, teachers and students
While there is evidence that classroom phone usage can be a distraction, it can also promote engagement and learning. While research about the potential positive and negative consequences of classroom phones can be used to inform school phone policies, the views of those who are most directly impacted by the policies should also be taken into account.
The views of parents matter because their views may influence the extent to which their children follow the policy. The views of children matter because they are the ones being expected to follow the policy and to benefit from it. The views of teachers matter because they are often the ones that have to enforce the policies. Research shows that enforcing cellphone policies is not always a straightforward issue.
In my research, I have found that children – aged 10 and 11 years old – in collaboration with their parents, were able to come up with ideas for ideal policies and solutions to help enforce them. For example, one parent-child pair suggested mobile phone use in school could be banned but that a role of “telephone monitor” could be given to an older pupil. This “telephone monitor” would have a class mobile phone that children and parents could use to contact each other during the school day when necessary.
This recommendation reflected how parents and middle and high school students – whether from rural and urban areas – felt cellphones were important to keep in touch with each other during the school day. Beyond safety, children and parents also told us that phones were important for keeping in touch about changing plans and for emotional support during the school day.
I believe policies that simply ban phones in schools may be missing an opportunity to educate children about responsible mobile device use. When parents and children are involved in policy development, it has the potential to increase the extent to which these policies are followed and enforced.
Arnold L. Glass: Cellphone use in college lectures hurts performance in ways that are hard to see
The intrusion of internet-enabled electronic devices, such as laptops, tablets and cellphones, has transformed the modern college lecture. Students now divide their attention between the lecture and their devices. Classroom studies reveal that when college students use an electronic device for a nonacademic purpose during class, it hurts their performance on exams.
When attention is divided between an electronic device and the classroom lecture, it does not reduce comprehension of the lecture – at least, not when measured by within-class quizzes. Instead, divided attention reduces long-term retention of the classroom lecture, which hurts performance on unit exams and final exams.
When some students open electronic devices, it also negatively affects the performance of all the students around them. Research has shown that student performance on final exams was worse when electronic devices were permitted during classes that covered exam material versus when the devices were not.
Many students won’t think their divided attention is affecting their retention of new information. It may not be for the moment, but a couple of weeks later or down the line, research shows, it does.
Louis-Philippe Beland: Bans help low-achieving students the most
Numerous studies indicate that low-achieving students stand to benefit the most from the implementation of mobile phone bans in schools.
In a 2015 study, my co-author, Richard Murphy, and I examined the impact of banning mobile phones on student performance in high schools, using data from England. By comparing schools with phone bans to similar schools without the bans, we isolated the effect of mobile phones on performance. Our study found that banning mobile phones significantly increased test scores among 16-year-old students. The effect is equivalent to adding five days to the school year or an extra hour per week. Low-achieving students benefited more, while high-achieving students remained unaffected.
Similar studies in Spain and Norway using a similar approach demonstrated compelling evidence supporting the benefits of banning mobile phones. In Spain, grades improved and bullying incidents decreased. In Norway, the ban raised middle school students’ grade-point averages and their likelihood of attending academic high schools while reducing bullying. Evidence from Belgium suggests banning mobile phones can be beneficial for college student performance.
Psychological research sheds light on potential mechanisms behind the impact of mobile phones and technology on student performance. Multitasking, common with mobile phone use, has been found to hinder learning and task execution. Taking notes by hand has been shown to better enhance memory retention compared to typing on a computer.
In sum, banning mobile phones in schools can yield positive effects, improve academic performance and narrow the achievement gap between high- and low-achieving students. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that mobile phones and technology can also be valuable educational tools when used appropriately. | https://wgntv.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/do-smartphones-belong-in-classrooms-four-scholars-weigh-in/ | 2023-07-30T20:35:52 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/do-smartphones-belong-in-classrooms-four-scholars-weigh-in/ |
Mets GM denies team's rebuilding as Max Scherzer trade to Rangers becomes official
Scherzer joined Mets in 2022
The Texas Rangers and New York Mets officially completed the Max Scherzer trade on Sunday.
The Rangers acquired the three-time Cy Young Award winner and cash considerations in exchange for utility man Luisangel Acuna. Both teams announced the deal after it was initially reported Saturday night.
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While the move is head-scratching on paper as the Mets entered Sunday seven games out of the final wild-card spot in the National League with many games left to play, New York general manager Billy Eppler denied the organization was rebuilding.
"Given the place we're in and the odds we're facing, it was a strategic decision, and we kind of took this opportunity to kind of serve another goal of the organization, which is to enhance the farm system," Eppler said before Sunday’s game against the Washington Nationals, per SNY.
"But I do want to be clear that it's not a rebuild, it's not a fire sale, it's not a liquidation. This is just a repurposing of [owner Steve Cohen's] investment in the club and kind of shifting that investment from the team into the organization."
Acuna was among the best prospects in the Rangers’ system. He was hitting .315 with seven home runs at Double-A Frisco before the trade. Eppler lauded his versatility in the news conference.
Acuna will start in Double-A Binghamton.
The Mets signed Scherzer before the start of the 2022 season. He was 20-9 with a 3.02 ERA and 294 strikeouts in 42 starts for the Mets during his stint.
He made his last start on Friday – a win over the Nationals behind his seven strikeouts in seven innings. He could make his first appearance for the Rangers by Wednesday.
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Texas entered Sunday with a one-game lead on the Houston Astros in the American League West. | https://www.foxnews.com/sports/mets-gm-denies-teams-rebuilding-max-scherzer-trade-rangers-becomes-official | 2023-07-30T20:35:52 | 0 | https://www.foxnews.com/sports/mets-gm-denies-teams-rebuilding-max-scherzer-trade-rangers-becomes-official |
A woman was stabbed near Boston Common late Thursday night and later died, according to Boston police.
Jazreanna Sheppard, 21, of South Boston, was stabbed multiple times near 121 Tremont St., police said in a statement released Saturday.
Officers arrived at the address at 11:34 p.m. Thursday for a report of a woman suffering from stab wounds, the statement said.
Sheppard was suffering from life-threatening wounds. She was taken to a hospital where she later died, police said.
The stabbing is under investigation.
Anyone with information about her death should contact Boston police at the CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 1 (800) 494-TIPS or by texting the word ‘TIP’ to CRIME (27463), the statement said.
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Adam Sennott can be reached at adam.sennott@globe.com. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/30/metro/police-identify-woman-fatally-stabbed-near-boston-common/ | 2023-07-30T20:35:52 | 0 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/30/metro/police-identify-woman-fatally-stabbed-near-boston-common/ |
Garrett Kentucky a year after the flood
Town on the mend
Published: Jul. 29, 2023 at 10:54 PM EDT|Updated: 18 hours ago
Garrett,Ky. (WSAZ) -It has been one year now since the devastating flooding in the Kentucky Highlands. Among the small rural towns hit hard is Garrett in Floyd County. A day after the Beaver Creek swamped the business district, Tony Cavalier toured the flood zone along Magnolia and Front Streets. On Saturday, Tony made a return visit to see how townspeople are coping.
Copyright 2023 WSAZ. All rights reserved. | https://www.wymt.com/2023/07/30/garrett-kentucky-year-after-flood/ | 2023-07-30T20:35:52 | 1 | https://www.wymt.com/2023/07/30/garrett-kentucky-year-after-flood/ |
CLEVELAND (WJW) – Verizon customers with older phone plans could see their bill go up next month.
According to the company, starting Aug. 29, some older plans will be charged an additional $3 or $5 per mobile phone line every month.
Customers with Go Unlimited 2.0, Beyond Unlimited 2.0, Above Unlimited, and 5G Start 1.0 plans will see the $3 monthly increase, while single basic phone plans will see the $5 monthly increase.
The company says unlimited plans that are currently available to new customers won’t get hit with the additional charge.
Verizon says lines with tablets, smartwatches, and other devices also won’t be affected.
This comes after a price hike back in April, which, as reported by USA Today, saw a $2 monthly increase for some wireless plans.
In June 2022, Verizon raised some plan fees in response to “pressure,” the company’s head of business said at the time. It led to a $1.35 increase on its administrative fees, and an “Economic Adjustment Charge” for companies using the business plans. It was the first time the fees had been increased since 2019. | https://wgntv.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/have-an-older-verizon-phone-plan-your-bill-could-increase-soon/ | 2023-07-30T20:35:58 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/have-an-older-verizon-phone-plan-your-bill-could-increase-soon/ |
SANDY HOOK, N.J. (AP) — Four people found clinging to the hull of an overturned boat off New Jersey were rescued and taken to a hospital, authorities said.
Coast Guard officials in New York say Coast Guard crews and New York police and fire units were deployed to the area off Sandy Hook after receiving a distress call about 1 a.m. Sunday over VHF Channel 16 from the sailing vessel Eagle, which reported having run aground and was taking on water.
Petty Officer Logan Kaczmarek told the Asbury Park Press that rescue crews found a floating debris field of items from the boat. They then found the four people about 2:15 a.m. Sunday holding onto the floating hull near the Romer Shoal Light Station about 2½ nautical miles (4.6 kilometers) from the tip of Sandy Hook.
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Crews from Station Sandy Hook pulled two people from the water while the other two were rescued by New York fire crews. All four, who had all been wearing life jackets, were taken to Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch for treatment. There was no immediate word on their conditions. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/30/nation/four-found-clinging-hull-overturned-boat-off-new-jersey-rescued-taken-hospital/ | 2023-07-30T20:35:58 | 1 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/30/nation/four-found-clinging-hull-overturned-boat-off-new-jersey-rescued-taken-hospital/ |
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A man died at a Disney Resort in Orlando on Wednesday.
According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, deputies received a call around 5:30 a.m. regarding an unresponsive person at Disney’s Contemporary Resort near Magic Kingdom.
The man, identified as 39-year-old Jeffrey Vanden Boom of Greendale, Wisconsin, was pronounced dead on the scene.
The Orange County Medical Examiner determined Vanden Boom fell from a hotel room balcony, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. The fall was ruled as accidental.
Walt Disney World did not immediately respond to Nexstar’s request for comment.
The death remains an ongoing investigation.
Last fall, an 83-year-old man died after riding the Tomorrowland Authority PeopleMover at Disney World. Authorities said he experienced a “cardiac event,” and his death was “deemed natural” by medical officials.
Earlier this year, a wrongful death lawsuit was filed against Disneyland, accusing park employees of laughing at a 66-year-old disabled woman who fell while getting off the Jungle Cruise ride in 2021 and later died. | https://wgntv.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/man-dies-at-disney-resort-deputies-investigating/ | 2023-07-30T20:36:04 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/man-dies-at-disney-resort-deputies-investigating/ |
UPLAND, Calif. (AP) — A pilot and two passengers were killed Sunday when a single-engine plane crashed into a hangar and burst into flames at a Southern California airport, authorities said.
The Beechcraft P35 with three people on board crashed during departure around 6:30 a.m. at Cable Airport in Upland, the Federal Aviation Authority said.
San Bernardino County firefighters doused the fire and pronounced the three victims dead at the scene, about 40 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, Upland Police said in a statement.
The hangar had moderate damage, and no one else was injured, police said.
The crash will be investigated by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board.
Advertisement | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/30/nation/three-killed-when-small-plane-hits-hangar-catches-fire-southern-california-airport/ | 2023-07-30T20:36:04 | 0 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/30/nation/three-killed-when-small-plane-hits-hangar-catches-fire-southern-california-airport/ |
(The Hill) – A bipartisan group of lawmakers on the House Oversight Committee say a high-profile hearing on UFOs is just the start of their push for answers.
And they are threatening to use heavier handed tactics if the Pentagon and intelligence agencies stand in their way.
Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) and Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) want more information on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) — commonly referred to as UFOs — beginning with new laws, a classified hearing and the possible creation of a select committee.
The lawmakers said they are willing to use subpoena power if needed to get the answers they’re seeking from the federal government.
“If there’s not a cover up, the government and the Pentagon are sure spending a lot of resources to stop us from studying it,” Burchett told The Hill.
He added that they hope House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) can aid them in setting up a select committee to study the issue of UAPs — as well as any government program that addresses them. If they don’t get leadership approval, they’ll “just start holding field hearings because the public is demanding that we have transparency,” Burchett said.
The effort comes after three former military officials earlier this week and under oath gave bombshell testimony on the unexplained aerial objects, telling lawmakers that for years they’ve been kept in the dark about the mysterious sightings and encounters.
David Grusch, a former Air Force intelligence officer, gave the most shocking testimony when he said he was told of a “multi-decade UAP crash retrieval and reverse-engineering program,” accusing the military of misdirecting funds to keep such operations secret.
The shocking testimony now has committee members questioning how Congress should begin to investigate the witness claims and demand more answers from the executive branch on programs it claims doesn’t exist.
Lawmakers hope to start with obtaining additional information and documents that Grusch said he submitted to the Pentagon’s inspector general after serving on two Defense Department task forces looking into UAPs.
To get the information from Grusch — who said he was unable to discuss specifics on what he told the Pentagon’s watchdog arm — lawmakers want to sit down with the former official in a sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF) to get additional information from him.
The group has been blocked, however, by officials that have informed them that Grusch doesn’t currently have security clearance to discuss the issues in a SCIF, according to Burchett.
“I think we’ll get there eventually, it’s just frustrating. I’m ready to go and the American public are ready to go,” he said.
Luna argued the SCIF with Grusch would help lawmakers better understand the type of legislation they need to write regarding UAPs. She said she supports legislation that would declassify information on the phenomena.
With a growing amount of bipartisan interest for more government transparency surrounding the issue, a need for reporting procedures for UAP’s both in the miliary and commercial airspace, and “stronger and stricter punishment for those that try to silence whistleblowers,” the topic is more important than ever, she said.
There is currently a provision in the Senate’s version of the annual defense authorization bill, inserted by Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), which would force federal government agencies to hand over UAP records to a review panel with the power to declassify them. The bill, known as the National Defense Authorization Act, was passed by the Senate on Thursday and now must be reconciled with the House’s version, so the initiative could still be stripped out.
Burchett also made an attempt to put an amendment into a Federal Aviation Administration bill to improve air travel, passed July 20, that would have required UAP sightings be reported to Congress. The initiative was blocked, which Luna said was an indication that “we clearly have a battle ahead of us.”
Another avenue for lawmakers should they not receive access to a SCIF would be invoking the Holman rule.
During Wednesday’s hearing Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) vowed to do just that, saying that he would “personally volunteer to initiate the Holman rule against any personnel, or any program, or any agency that denies access to Congress.”
The Holman rule is a House power through which they can strip the salary of a specific government position, fire civil servants or cut a particular program.
Ogles’s pledge came after Grusch told lawmakers that the federal government for decades has secretly funded a “UAP crash retrieval and reverse engineering program” and that he believes the government is in possession of non-human crafts, based on interviews with 40 witnesses.
Moskowitz told The Hill that while it’s too early to use the Holman rule — as Congress must first “figure out where these positions exist and then examine whether or not they should be funded” — he hopes that by discussing the rule it will create more transparency with the federal government.
“This is about government transparency. I’m all for protecting national security, but that can’t just be a shield to deny the American people the basics of what we know about UAPs,” he said.
And Burchett said if lawmakers “start getting stonewalled” by the Pentagon and intelligence agencies, he will have “no hesitation,” to invoke the rule.
Luna, meanwhile, said whether lawmakers use the rule depends on the response they receive from various agencies, programs and appointees.
That process could start as soon as September when lawmakers consider the Defense Appropriations bill on the House floor.
“We know that enormous sums of money are being spent on UAP related activity, whether it’s retrieval/recovery, research and reverse engineering, or just security for whatever the government is hiding,” she told The Hill. “But none of that is on the books, so from a basic governance perspective, Congress needs to know where money is being misappropriated.”
The Hill’s Sarakshi Rai contributed reporting. | https://wgntv.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/ufo-curious-lawmakers-brace-for-a-fight-over-government-secrets/ | 2023-07-30T20:36:10 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/ufo-curious-lawmakers-brace-for-a-fight-over-government-secrets/ |
(NEXSTAR) — For five days this year, all national parks will be offering free admission to all visitors. One of those special days is nearly upon us.
The National Park Service announced the 2023 free days late last year. There are more than 400 parks, monuments, seashores and other NPS lands, the majority of which do not require an entrance fee. For the roughly 100 that do, these free admission days open the gates to everyone.
We’ve already had two free days this year: Jan. 16, which is Martin Luther King Day, and April 22, which was the first day of National Park Week.
Now, on Friday, Aug. 4, we’ll have another, which marks the anniversary of the Great Americans Outdoors Act.
The act, GAOA, was signed in 2020 and brought bipartisan investments to “improve visitor experiences, bolster climate resilience, and invest in the economy by creating good-paying jobs” at the parks, the Department of the Interior explains.
In honor of the bill signing anniversary, you won’t need to pay entrance fees at parks that usually require them. Fees will, however, still be necessary for overnight camping, cabin rentals, transportation, group day use and use of special areas.
The next two free admission days are Sept. 23, National Public Lands Day, and Nov. 11, Veterans Day.
Last year, there were roughly 312 million recreational visits to 395 national parks that track attendance, a 15 million increase over 2021. The most visited park was Blue Ridge Parkway, which received 15.7 million visits last year, edging out the Golden Gate National Recreation Area by slightly more than 72,000 visits. | https://wgntv.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/you-can-get-into-the-national-parks-for-free-this-week-heres-when/ | 2023-07-30T20:36:16 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/you-can-get-into-the-national-parks-for-free-this-week-heres-when/ |
OGDEN DUNES, Ind. — Steve Coombs’ lakefront home used to quake when waves crashed along Ogden Dunes’ receding shoreline.
“At one point, my wife said, ‘Should we just move out? Should we just go to a hotel?’ I mean, it’s very unnerving,” he recalled.
But fleeing the “biggest asset that we own” wasn’t an option for Coombs, who said he enjoyed 60 yards of sand between his home and the lake when he bought it a decade ago.
“There are some people who say, ‘Well, you folks built houses where they shouldn’t have been built,’ but that’s not the case,” Coombs said. “Years ago, there was all kinds of shoreline and sand here. In Ogden Dunes, we have houses over 100 years old.”
Today, an international port impedes sand flow to Ogden Dunes’ shore. That, combined with recent near-record high water levels, intense storms and dwindling ice coverage, has caused severe erosion.
Without stretches of sand to separate their homes from the lake, residents in the Indiana town of 1,200 are seeking to build revetments, or stone retaining walls that break the waves. However, environmentalists oppose these structures, citing the long-term consequences they will have on Lake Michigan’s shoreline.
It’s a battle that involves multiple projects, state and federal officials, a national park, and the expanded application of a legal principle rooted in 16th century British common law.
To craft their argument, environmentalists are leaning on the public trust doctrine, which has historically been used to protect navigation and commerce. It requires governments to preserve certain natural resources such as the Lake Michigan shore for public benefit and is likely to become a common legal tool in disputes along the Great Lakes as climate change worsens erosion and courts roll back environmental regulations.
Landowners versus public interest
The revetments Ogden Dunes wants to build would stop the water from reaching residents’ doorsteps in most cases. But, they would also harden the shoreline, hindering the natural wax and wane of beaches, and interrupt the flow of sand to neighboring beaches.
In June, Save the Dunes, an environmental organization committed to conserving Indiana’s famous sand dunes, cited the public trust doctrine in an administrative appeal against Ogden Dunes’ latest revetment project. It accuses the Indiana Department of Natural Resources of prioritizing the interests of a small group of private property owners over those of the public.
The revetment will encroach on public beach access, destroy lakefront habitats and cause erosion in the Indiana Dunes National Park, according to the organization. It is asking for the Natural Resources Commission, an autonomous DNR oversight board, to rescind the permit.
“You have the interests of a few beachfront landowners versus that broader public interest. And in our view, the public interest must prevail here, not only as a matter of law, but for future generations and for the sake of Lake Michigan,” said Kim Ferraro, senior attorney at the Conservation Law Center, which is representing Save the Dunes.
Indiana’s public trust doctrine gives the government ownership of the land below Lake Michigan’s ordinary high-water mark — the point where vegetation is no longer able to survive if regularly wet.
In a statement, the DNR said it approved the permit because, “nearly all of this project is located landward of the ordinary high-water mark, which means that most of it is beyond the state’s public trust area and jurisdiction.”
Save the Dunes disputes this assessment.
“We really want to make sure that the public understands and knows what their rights are when it comes to accessing the beach and how private interests can chip away at that. That’s why we need to stand up sometimes and say, ‘No, this is the line. Yeah, this line,’” said Betsy Maher, Save the Dunes’ executive director.
Regardless of where a revetment is built, the doctrine requires the DNR to assess the impact any project will have on public trust land.
“Every Indiana citizen has a stake in this. (The public trust doctrine) is not a private property right in that you can’t divide it up. It’s not divisible. It is a collective right,” said Robert Fischman, a professor of law and public and environmental affairs at Indiana University at Bloomington.
While each state’s public trust doctrine varies, use of the legal principle along the shoreline has not been exclusive to Indiana. In Illinois, for example, a billionaire private equity executive is currently at odds with Winnetka residents who say his plans to build breakwater structures would cut off the lakefront access endowed to them by the Illinois’ doctrine.
The public trust doctrine is based in property law so it is more durable than the variety of environmental regulations across the country that can be subject to political whims. As recently appointed justices and government officials have taken anti-regulatory stances, the doctrine has become more important for environmentalists, said Fischman.
“We — environmental lawyers — are looking at common law doctrines like nuisance and trespass, negligence and the public trust, to fill in the gaps where environmental regulations are failing,” echoed Ferraro.
Impeding the flow of sand
Coombs got lucky. During near record-high water levels in 2020, the town organized to build a revetment in front of 32 homes, including his. It was an emergency measure funded by $5.5 million in homeowner contributions, of which he paid $210,000.
“The house no longer shakes … and as a family, we feel a sense of relief and safety,” Coombs said.
Now, more lakefront residents in Ogden Dunes want to armor the shoreline in front of their homes. The plans being challenged by Save the Dunes would permit a 2,970-foot long, 10-foot wide revetment in front of 34 more houses.
While such a revetment is a relatively low-cost, effective protective measure in the absence of ample sand, it is not a long-term, holistic solution, according to Cary Troy, an associate professor of civil engineering and principal investigator at the Great Lakes Coastal Processes Lab at Purdue University.
“If you’re not prepared for high water periods, it’s really the only measure that you have in the short-term that can keep property safe from the erosion of the lake. But they do have these long-term effects that you can’t undo once you put them in place,” he said.
Lake Michigan’s current moves sand in a conveyor belt fashion along the coastline. The biggest waves come from the north. Since the Indiana shoreline angles down from east to west, the large waves from the north carry sand the same direction. However, revetments restrict wave action, impeding this natural flow of sand.
Indiana Dunes National Park is to Ogden Dunes’ west, so armoring the town’s shoreline with revetments will likely starve the park’s beaches of sand, enabling waves to eat away at the dunes over time.
Ironically, Ogden Dunes has been experiencing similar sand blockage since 1966 when the Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor was built to its east. The port’s 5,830 feet of breakwater structures jet into the lake and catch sand before it can continue its westward journey to Ogden Dunes.
“All we’re trying to do is protect ourselves from the wrong that has been perpetuated for decades now,” Coombs said.
Save the Dunes advocates say they understand Ogden Dunes is suffering the consequences of the international harbor’s infrastructure, but shoreline hardening needs to stop somewhere, especially before it threatens the Indiana Dunes National Park.
“We’re really sympathetic to the challenges (Ogden Dunes is) facing,” Maher said. “But we’re also concerned about the national parkland that will be directly impacted.”
Ultimately, “it’s hard to paint Ogden Dunes as a villain here. I think Ogden Dunes is both a victim as well as a potential victimizer,” said Fischman, the Indiana law professor.
Sustainable but slow
While revetments might not be the most environmentally sound solution, Ogden Dunes Town Council President Scott Kingan said the potential fallout from inaction can’t be dismissed.
“If protective measures are not taken, homes, septic systems, roads, power lines, public water systems, and other debris will eventually be consumed by the lake and may cause an environmental disaster with far-reaching consequences,” he wrote in a statement responding to the appeal.
Save the Dunes agrees that something must be done but, instead of revetments, advocates for beach nourishment, the process of manually adding sand to the beach.
“(Beach nourishment) is the best solution,” Maher said. “If we bring the sand in, the sand will accumulate.”
This was also the erosion control measure recommended in a 2014 environmental impact statement conducted by the National Park Service and is routinely used to maintain Miami’s iconic South Beach.
The catch: Beach nourishment is a slow process, and residents whose homes are being threatened do not feel that they have the time to pursue it, especially with the recent high water levels.
While the damage to the lakefront was extensive during 2019 and 2020, it would have been much worse if the lake hadn’t receded to record-low water levels in 2013 that significantly expanded the beaches.
“This should be sort of a near-miss or a cautionary tale for the shoreline because there’s no guarantee that when we have the next high water period, we’re going to have a nice long period of low water where the beaches can grow to buffer that high-water erosion,” Troy said.
The lake rose 6 feet between 2013 and the summer of 2020, when it reached near-record highs. Lake levels have always fluctuated, but climate change is contributing to more pronounced variations over shorter periods of time, according to researchers.
Water levels are currently closer to the lake’s long-term average, but the next rise could be right around the corner.
“We’re in sort of a luxury period where we actually have the time to develop some longer-term, more holistic measures to alleviate the erosion. Now would be the time to engage coastal engineers and consultants to develop that menu of options for the shoreline,” he continued.
But beach nourishment year-over-year is significantly more expensive than a one-time revetment installation, and Ogden Dunes’ proposed revetment would be built entirely from homeowner contributions.
“(The town) certainly does not have the resources or means to fix a problem that it did not create, which would entail replacing nearly 10,000,000 cubic yards of sand that has been blocked by the (Burns Harbor) structures since they were first built in 1966 or the estimated 194,000 cubic yards per year needed on an ongoing basis,” said Kingan, citing a 2012 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers analysis.
Beach nourishment is a large project that Ogden Dunes has been interested in for decades. More than 20% of households contribute to Restore the Shore, a charitable fund run by the municipal government with eventual goals of financing beach nourishment. But, the town will need state and federal support to pursue the time-intensive, costly project in the foreseeable future.
The prospect of material government support seems unlikely, however. Despite the Army Corps devising plans for beach nourishment along the Ogden Dunes shoreline in 1984 and a formal National Park Service recommendation for the remediation process in 2014, there has been no coordinated effort to assist the town.
This year, another Army Corps study to explore long-term solutions for erosion along Lake Michigan’s shoreline was approved.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Ports of Indiana said port stakeholders support the study and moving toward a federally funded long-term solution.
“Sand migration in this area has negative impacts on the federal shipping channel and regional industry as well as the recreational beaches on the national park and private residences,” the statement said.
But Ogden Dunes residents remain cynical.
“Politicians just love to pass the buck and say, ‘Hey, look at this agreement, the state’s responsible.’ Then, the state’s like ‘Wow, you know, you can read that two different ways, the Army Corps is responsible.’ And, really we’re caught in between big governmental forces,” Coombs said.
Through its appeal of Ogden Dunes’ latest revetment permit, Save the Dunes aims to urge the state and federal governments to think about the Indiana shoreline holistically and support erosion measures that protect the lakefront for all, not just a few.
“We’re calling out DNR and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the National Park Service to find a solution that gets the beach nourishment that the town needs,” said Ferraro. “Those big businesses, the big industries over there (in Burns Harbor) also need to be part of finding a solution here because they’re creating that problem for the town,” said Ferraro.
While Save the Dunes’ appeal is under review by the DNR’s oversight committee, a small town with limited resources remains at odds with the long-term health of Indiana’s iconic sand dunes and the rights of all Hoosiers to enjoy the lakefront. | https://pantagraph.com/news/state-regional/climate-change-and-erosion-fuel-disputes-along-lake-michigan-s-shoreline/article_685fd29e-2ef8-11ee-9484-2f9524c68289.html | 2023-07-30T20:37:47 | 0 | https://pantagraph.com/news/state-regional/climate-change-and-erosion-fuel-disputes-along-lake-michigan-s-shoreline/article_685fd29e-2ef8-11ee-9484-2f9524c68289.html |
Bomb squad investigates mysterious packages parachuted into neighborhood
SAN DIMAS, Calif. (Gray News) – A bomb squad was called in to investigate after packages were apparently parachuted into a city in California.
The San Dimas Sheriff’s Station said deputies responded to a call Thursday for a suspicious package in San Dimas. When they arrived at the location, they said they discovered a parachute with two packages attached to it.
The responding deputies then evacuated the residents of nearby homes and called in the arson and explosives unit.
After an investigation, officials determined the packages did not contain explosives or other dangerous materials and seemed to be a science project.
Officials informed the neighborhood of the finds, and the residents returned safely to their homes.
Copyright 2023 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.kold.com/2023/07/30/bomb-squad-investigates-mysterious-packages-parachuted-into-neighborhood/ | 2023-07-30T20:37:47 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/2023/07/30/bomb-squad-investigates-mysterious-packages-parachuted-into-neighborhood/ |
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) — Pratt’s BBQ, Catering and Honey Glazed Ham said over social media that its Sunday buffet opening was delayed after the business was reportedly broken into.
The social media post said Pratt’s Kingsport-based business was broken into on Sunday morning. Management went on to say their buffet’s opening was around an hour late; however, they are still serving food on Sunday.
A spokesperson with the Kingsport Police Department (KPD) told News Channel 11 that this is an active and ongoing investigation, and more details will be released as the investigation allows.
This is a developing story and updates will be provided as they become available. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/crime/alleged-break-in-at-pratts-bbq-delays-sunday-opening-kpd-investigating/ | 2023-07-30T20:37:50 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/crime/alleged-break-in-at-pratts-bbq-delays-sunday-opening-kpd-investigating/ |
DECATUR — U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will highlight federal infrastructure investments in a visit to central and southern Illinois on Monday.
Buttigieg will make two stops in the Champaign area and one in East St. Louis, according to a media advisory. He will be joined by U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield.
Budzinski, in a telephone town hall meeting with constituents last week, said she was "excited" to bring Buttigieg to her congressional district.
Buttigieg's first stop will be a news conference in Savoy, where he will highlight a recent $22.6 million federal grant for a grade separation project on Curtis Road just east of U.S. 45. Funds for the grant came from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed by President Joe Biden in November 2021.
Next, Buttigieg, Durbin and Budzinski will hold a "fireside chat" with students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign about the future of transportation infrastructure.
They will finish the day in East St. Louis touring a rail management facility operated by MetroLink, the mass transit system serving Greater St. Louis. Buttigieg is also expected to announce "major new funding" for the system.
Buttigieg, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate and the former two-term mayor of South Bend, Indiana, before being tapped to serve as Biden's transportation secretary, last visited Central Illinois in February 2022.
During that trip, Buttigieg toured Heartland Community College's advanced training academy in Bloomington. The facility is designed to train students in the manufacture, diagnosis, service and repair of electric vehicles.
Photos: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visits Bloomington-Normal
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg attends a meeting with President Joe Biden's "Investing in America Cabinet" Friday in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. | https://pantagraph.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/transportation-secretary-pete-buttigieg-to-visit-central-southern-illinois-on-monday/article_0c5052fa-2efb-11ee-8457-57b6a89ef9c1.html | 2023-07-30T20:37:53 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/transportation-secretary-pete-buttigieg-to-visit-central-southern-illinois-on-monday/article_0c5052fa-2efb-11ee-8457-57b6a89ef9c1.html |
Josh Rojas Player Prop Bets: Diamondbacks vs. Mariners - July 30
Published: Jul. 30, 2023 at 12:33 PM MST|Updated: 1 hour ago
Josh Rojas -- hitting .226 with a double, three walks and four RBI in his past 10 games -- will be in action for the Arizona Diamondbacks against the Seattle Mariners, with Luis Castillo on the hill, on July 30 at 4:10 PM ET.
He had a hitless showing in his most recent game (0-for-3) against the Mariners.
Josh Rojas Game Info & Props vs. the Mariners
- Game Day: Sunday, July 30, 2023
- Game Time: 4:10 PM ET
- Stadium: Chase Field
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Mariners Starter: Luis Castillo
- TV Channel: ARID
- Hits Prop: Over/under 0.5 hits (Over odds: -161)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +850)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +260)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: +185)
Looking to place a prop bet on Josh Rojas? Check out what's available at BetMGM and use bonus code "GNPLAY" when you sign up with this link!
Discover More About This Game
Josh Rojas At The Plate
- Rojas is hitting .231 with 13 doubles and 18 walks.
- Rojas has recorded a hit in 28 of 56 games this year (50.0%), including 11 multi-hit games (19.6%).
- He has not hit a home run in his 56 games this season.
- In 18 games this season (32.1%), Rojas has picked up an RBI, and in six of those games (10.7%) he had two or more. He has also driven home three or more of his team's runs in two contests.
- He has scored at least once 19 times this year (33.9%), including four games with multiple runs (7.1%).
Ready to play FanDuel Daily Fantasy? Get in the game using our link.
Josh Rojas Home/Away Batting Splits
Mariners Pitching Rankings
- The Mariners pitching staff is eighth in the league with a collective 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings.
- The Mariners have a 3.88 team ERA that ranks seventh among all MLB pitching staffs.
- Mariners pitchers combine to give up 115 home runs (1.1 per game), the ninth-fewest in the league.
- Castillo gets the start for the Mariners, his 22nd of the season. He is 6-7 with a 3.09 ERA and 142 strikeouts in 125 1/3 innings pitched.
- The righty last appeared on Monday against the Minnesota Twins, when he went seven innings, allowing two earned runs while giving up four hits.
- This season, the 30-year-old ranks seventh in ERA (3.09), fifth in WHIP (1.045), and 13th in K/9 (10.2) among pitchers who qualify.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.kold.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/josh-rojas-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-30T20:37:53 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/josh-rojas-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
BALTIMORE — With Aaron Judge leading the way in his second game back from a toe injury, the Yankees’ offense looked a lot different in Saturday’s 8-3 win over the Orioles.
Giancarlo Stanton started the scoring with a solo home run in the first, and Kyle Higashioka added one of his own in the sixth. But it was Judge’s two-run homer in the third — part of a three-hit night for the reigning MVP — that had his peers in awe after the outfielder missed nearly two months.
“That’s why he gets the big bucks,” said Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who ripped a three-run double in the sixth. “He’s the captain for a reason. He means everything to this organization, and you see the difference in the energy with or without [him]. Pretty self-explanatory. The fans rise up when he’s in the lineup.
“I felt like when he wasn’t there, it was kind of just everybody flying open and trying to do too much.”
The Yankees have been a sub-.500 team without Judge this season, and their offense became one of baseball’s worst after he tore a ligament in his right big toe on June 3.
On Saturday, Aaron Boone said that Judge’s presence in the lineup is “enormous.” But the manager also loved what he saw from the rest of the offense.
“That’s us, and that’s who we want to be, and that’s what we’re working to be,” Boone said. “That was really good to see.”
The Yankees entered Sunday’s rubber match against the first-place O’s with a 55-49 record. They are in last place, but they’re 3.5 games away from the American League’s third and final Wild Card slot. The Yankees’ next two opponents, the Rays and Astros, hold the first two Wild Cards, while the Blue Jays are in possession of the third.
The Red Sox are also ahead of the Yankees, as Boston is 2.5 games behind Toronto.
While the Yankees have some ground to make up, Judge believes his team is capable of making a run.
“I wouldn’t count us out,” the slugger said. “We’re gonna take it one day at a time, we’re gonna continue to show up every single day. And I think that’s all we can do at this point. I’m not going to look down the road or look past tomorrow’s game, but if we just keep showing up, doing our job, and playing the way we’re supposed to, I think we’ll be in a good spot.”
Of course, it would help if the Yankees added more than just Judge to their lineup.
The trade deadline is Tuesday, and the Bombers could use a bat or two, in addition to defensive and pitching upgrades. The Yankees entered the weekend feeling they were in a position to be buyers, but they wanted to see how the squad looked against a talented Orioles team.
With Judge in the lineup, they looked pretty good on Saturday after losing the series-opener, 1-0, on Friday night. Judge, in his grand return, walked three times in that game, but the rest of the Yankees’ offense sputtered.
While it’s clear that the Yankees could use more assistance, Boone avoided trade speculation prior to Saturday’s game, insisting that his focus is on who he has right now.
Judge echoed similar sentiments when asked about what the front office should do ahead of the deadline. Instead, he repeated that “it’s out of our control,” a reference to Yankees players.
“We got a job to do on the field,” Judge said. “We’re here. We’re fully capable with the guys we got in this clubhouse to go out there and compete on a daily basis until the end of the year. So that’s out of our hands. We’ll let them do their part. We’ll do ours.”
() | https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/30/aaron-judge-gives-yankees-energy-and-vote-of-confidence-as-deadline-nears-i-wouldnt-count-us-out/ | 2023-07-30T20:37:55 | 1 | https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/30/aaron-judge-gives-yankees-energy-and-vote-of-confidence-as-deadline-nears-i-wouldnt-count-us-out/ |
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — A Johnson City man was arrested on Saturday after he allegedly discharged a stolen firearm in close proximity to people.
A release from the Johnson City Police Department (JCPD) said Horace Bruce is charged with reckless endangerment, unlawful carrying of a weapon and possession of stolen property.
The release said officers responded to the 900 block of King Springs Road at around 1:20 pm. regarding shots fired and located Bruce, who reportedly matched a description given by witnesses.
Investigation revealed Bruce was in possession of a stolen handgun and was not of legal age to carry one, according to the release. The JCPD said the firearm “discharged in close proximity of a nearby resident.”
Horace Bruce was arrested and taken to the Washington County Detention Center on a $12,000 bond, according to the release. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/crime/jcpd-man-arrested-for-reckless-endangerment-after-gun-discharges-near-homes/ | 2023-07-30T20:37:56 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/crime/jcpd-man-arrested-for-reckless-endangerment-after-gun-discharges-near-homes/ |
3 killed when departing plane crashes in hangar of Cable Airport in Upland
By IRIS SALEM
Click here for updates on this story
UPLAND, California (KCAL) — Three people died when a plane crashed during a departure in an airport hangar in Upland, authorities said.
The incident a single-engine Beechcraft P35 unfolded around 6:30 a.m. Sunday morning at Cable Airport in San Bernardino County.
The FAA says the plane crashed during a departure. The impact caused a fire, which was knocked down. Three occupants onboard the aircraft were located as deceased.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are expected to investigate.
This is a breaking news story. More information will be provided as soon as it becomes available.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform. | https://kion546.com/cnn-regional/2023/07/30/3-killed-when-departing-plane-crashes-in-hangar-of-cable-airport-in-upland/ | 2023-07-30T20:37:56 | 0 | https://kion546.com/cnn-regional/2023/07/30/3-killed-when-departing-plane-crashes-in-hangar-of-cable-airport-in-upland/ |
With the Aug. 1 trade deadline rapidly approaching, the Yankees, as of Thursday morning, feel they are in a position to be buyers. But with a big series in Baltimore starting on Friday, the team is taking things day-by-day.
The Yankees, 54-48, entered Thursday in last place but just 2.5 games out of the American League’s third and final wild card spot. The Rays, Astros and Blue Jays all held wild card positions, while the Red Sox were 1.5 games out. The Yankees are currently exploring ways to improve, but three games against the first-place Orioles could change things before the Bombers return home for a three-game series against Tampa Bay, which overlaps with Tuesday’s deadline.
Should the Yankees buy, adding outfield help makes perfect sense. They could use a left-handed bat and solid defender, especially in left field. The Cubs’ Cody Bellinger, the Rockies’ Randal Grichuk, the Cardinals’ Dylan Carlson, and the Nationals’ Lane Thomas are some of the outfielders the Yankees have been linked to.
Each player is having close to or above average offensive seasons based on wRC+, but their gloves and costs — in terms of salaries and what it would take to acquire them — vary. Carlson is a switch-hitter who is much better from the right side, while Thomas and Grichuk are right-handed hitters.
While catching is less of a priority, even after Jose Trevino’s season-ending wrist injury, the Yankees are considering upgrading other areas of the roster. That includes the rotation and the bullpen.
However, the Yankees can only fill so many holes with the trade chips — at the minor and major league levels — that they have available. The competitive balance tax is also a factor. According to Cot’s Contracts, the Yankees’ payroll is already over $295 million. The highest tax threshold is $293 million. Exceeding it comes with a 60% surcharge.
There is also the matter of rehabbing Yankees. The team views the expected returns of OF Aaron Judge, SP Nestor Cortes and RP Jonathan Loáisiga as additions. While that doesn’t necessarily mean the Yankees won’t venture outside of the organization for help, those players would impact three areas of concern, though Judge won’t play left field, and he doesn’t hit from the left side.
While the Yankees weigh their options, one team trailing them in the wild card race has already gone all in on buying.
The Angels, who woke up four games out of a wild card spot on Thursday, decided to keep Shohei Ohtani, an impending free agent, on Wednesday, per Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci. They then went ahead and traded two top prospects to the White Sox for SP Lucas Giolito and RP Reynaldo López. With Mike Trout also expected back from injury, the Angels are in a similar — though slightly worse — place than the Yankees, but they’ve pushed all their chips to the middle.
Time will tell if the Yankees do the same or take a different approach to this year’s deadline.
() | https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/30/big-weekend-in-baltimore-could-impact-yankees-trade-deadline-plans/ | 2023-07-30T20:38:01 | 0 | https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/30/big-weekend-in-baltimore-could-impact-yankees-trade-deadline-plans/ |
(NerdWallet) – Inflation has rattled nearly every aspect of Americans’ finances, including vacation budgets. But one major travel cost isn’t just lower than it was last year — it’s even lower than pre-pandemic.
June 2023 airfares are 18.9% lower than what they were in June 2022, according to July 2023 consumer price index data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Considering that booming demand — alongside other factors like high jet fuel costs — led to record-high airfares last summer, it’s not surprising to see prices normalize. Not only have air travel costs come back down to earth from 2022’s highs, they’re even lower than pre-pandemic prices.
According to BLS data, June 2023 airfares are down 1.33% from what they were in 2019, when airfares were already trending lower. Relative to what prices were a decade ago, they’re even cheaper.
Pandemic aside, airfares have been trending cheaper
Before the pandemic, airfares had steadily been trending downward since 2014, save for a small bump in 2019. In 2020, prices dropped sharply with the onset of the pandemic, with June 2020 airfares averaging 27% lower than June 2019 airfares.
But as travel returned, so did higher prices. June 2021 airfares spiked 25% over the prior year, and airfares rose 34% more between June 2021 and June 2022.
If you take a long-term view, those increases aren’t necessarily as big as they seem. In fact, in June 2022, airfares averaged just 0.4% more than in 2014.
Here’s a look at how airfares have changed relative to prices in 2014, using June prices from BLS inflation data:
In 2023, airfares are 19% lower than a decade ago.
Compare that with something like the cost of milk, which is up 9% over that same period, according to BLS data. Hotel prices are up 28%. Admission to movies, theaters and concerts is up 33%.
If airfares are lower, why do they feel so high?
Over the past decade, prices for most items have increased. But if airfares are down 19%, why do they feel so expensive?
For starters, not every route is necessarily cheaper. Data from travel booking app Hopper indicates airfares to Europe this summer are averaging nearly $1,200 per ticket, the highest prices in the past six years. That’s perhaps a response to people who might usually book a low-cost domestic flight finally taking extravagant bucket list trips.
And given recent major flight cancellations on airlines including United and Southwest, more travelers might opt for more expensive direct flights to reduce the risk of flight disruptions.
Hayley Berg, Hopper’s lead economist, has her own theories as to why people feel like airfares are higher, including recency bias, shorter booking windows and unbundling.
Recency bias
Berg pointed to how many people traveled for this summer’s major holidays.
For example, the Fourth of July weekend set records for U.S. air travel, with more than 2.884 million people passing through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints on the Friday before July 4, according to TSA checkpoint data. That topped the previous record of 2.882 million people flying on the Sunday after Thanksgiving 2019.
“A lot of times, we anchor the cost of travel to our most recent trips,” Berg says. “For many, that meant July Fourth and Memorial Day. It’s always expensive to travel on those weekends.”
Shorter booking windows
Airfares typically get more expensive the closer they’re booked to departure, and Berg says people are booking trips later than usual — perhaps a holdover from those pandemic times when people intentionally booked last minute given the extreme uncertainty.
Berg recommends typically booking one to two months in advance for domestic travel and three to four months ahead for most international travel.
“Now, people are searching for travel three weeks later than they did pre-pandemic, and they’re subsequently booking later,” she says. “If I’m booking a trip today that I intend to take two weeks from now, it’s going to be expensive because it’s always more expensive to book at the last minute.”
Unbundling
Then there’s unbundling, where airlines advertise lower fares, often in the form of basic economy seats that offer few frills. But low base fares typically entail upcharges in the form of ancillary fees to check bags or to guarantee a window seat or early boarding.
“On the whole, unbundling is a good thing because you’re not paying a premium for things you may not necessarily want,” Berg says. “I don’t care if I’m in the middle seat if it means I save $100.”
Berg acknowledges that it can be painful when you search for a flight that has a low advertised price but doesn’t turn out to be that cheap.
“It feels like death by a thousand cuts when you add in all those fees,” she says. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/airfares-are-back-to-normal-so-why-do-they-feel-so-high/ | 2023-07-30T20:38:02 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/airfares-are-back-to-normal-so-why-do-they-feel-so-high/ |
Asylum seekers camp outside Roosevelt Hotel for 2nd night after being told the Manhattan relief center is at capacity
By ALECIA REID, CHRISTINA FAN
Click here for updates on this story
NEW YORK (WCBS) — Asylum seekers camped outside the Roosevelt Hotel for a second straight night Saturday as the Manhattan relief center is at capacity.
Overnight, buses pulled up to the hotel and some asylum seekers were able to spend the night on board. But many waited all day in the heat and rain, without knowing what would happen next.
Things got contentious Saturday night with asylum seekers pushing to get inside the hotel while a small group of workers tried to manage the crowd.
“They tell us there is no room. There is going to be like, they’re all full. We have to wait. Maybe two weeks, maybe two days, who knows?” Mohamed Mokhtar said. “They give us the ticket. They said they’re going to call us and they didn’t.”
Community affairs officers were called in to keep things under control. The line went down the block and around the corner, and was moving slowly.
Throughout the day, men and women napped, ate or did whatever they needed to pass the time.
The Roosevelt Hotel fed asylum seekers, and trash was left behind as the hours passed.
“We’re put on the street. They have to do something to help us,” one man said in Spanish.
A spokesperson for the mayor’s office sent CBS New York the following statement:
“As we’ve said for a while now, with more than 93,000 asylum seekers coming through our intake system since last spring, our teams run out of space every single day and we do our best to offer placements wherever we have space available. Children and families continue to be prioritized and are found a bed every night. While we at least offered all adults a temporary place to wait off the sidewalks last night, some may have chosen to sleep outside and, in all honesty, New Yorkers may continue to see that more and more as hundreds of asylum seekers continue to arrive each day. We still desperately need help from our state and federal partners, but, in the meantime, we encourage migrants to take us up placements available outside of New York City as they become available.”
Saturday was quite the scorcher. MTA buses lined East 45th Street in front of the hotel for people to cool off. By the time the rain came, buses were gone and folks had to fend for themselves.
“I think it’s incredibly unfortunate that this where we’re at over a year after we started to see an increase of asylum seekers coming to New York,” said Murad Awawdeh, executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition. “We need to get out of this emergent moment and this emergent way of thinking and start thinking for the long-term and being able to get people out of this emergency shelter and pseudo-shelter situation and into permanent housing.”
We’re told children and families are being given beds every night. Although some asylum seekers decided to wait on the sidewalk until their numbers were called, the city spokesperson says they were offered a place to wait.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform. | https://kion546.com/cnn-regional/2023/07/30/asylum-seekers-camp-outside-roosevelt-hotel-for-2nd-night-after-being-told-the-manhattan-relief-center-is-at-capacity/ | 2023-07-30T20:38:02 | 0 | https://kion546.com/cnn-regional/2023/07/30/asylum-seekers-camp-outside-roosevelt-hotel-for-2nd-night-after-being-told-the-manhattan-relief-center-is-at-capacity/ |
Two moments in two days at Busch Stadium could mean the difference between the Chicago Cubs selling one or two of their biggest stars or going for broke at the trade deadline.
It began when St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Miles Mikolas suffered a brain cramp and intentionally hit Ian Happ on Thursday in response to Happ accidentally hitting former teammate Willson Contreras in the head with his backswing. Had Mikolas kept his cool and not been ejected, he wouldn’t have been replaced in the first inning by Dakota Hudson, who promptly imploded in what turned into a 10-3 Cubs win.
And if Cubs center fielder Mike Tauchman didn’t make a sensational, over-the-wall catch with two outs in the ninth inning Friday to rob pinch hitter Alec Burleson of a three-run home run, the Cubs would have suffered a tough, walk-off loss instead of eking out a 3-2 win.
A moment of stupidity and a moment of splendor added up to two huge wins for a surging Cubs team that might not have capitalized on them a couple of months ago.
Those weren’t the only reasons the Cubs pulled within 3 1/2 games of the first-place Milwaukee Brewers and three games of the third wild-card spot after a rain-delayed 5-1 victory against the Cardinals on Saturday.
But if President Jed Hoyer was looking for an omen as an excuse to roll the dice before the Tuesday deadline, those W’s on Thursday and Friday were made to order. If he saw the reaction of Cubs players to Friday’s pulsating ending, he would know there’s only one direction to go.
“When you build momentum, you keep riding it,” shortstop Dansby Swanson told me after Friday’s win. “It’s a big thing in this game, and we’ve been playing such good baseball recently, I just think it’s rewarding to see the work everybody has put in and what this group has done and what we’ve battled through so far to get to this point.
“This isn’t the end-all, right? This isn’t where we want to be. But you can definitely take so many great things from what we’ve been doing recently. Players making plays when they need to be made.
“We can talk about analytics, or we can talk about this, that and the other thing. But players making plays, that’s the name of the game in any sport, and tonight we made some big plays, and none was bigger than Mike’s catch at the end.”
Emotions already were running high on a sweltering summer night, with thousands of road-tripping Cubs fans on their feet and ready to sing. Perhaps the second-best feeling to a walk-off home run is robbing the other team of a walk-off homer, and the Cubs celebrated like they had won the World Series.
“One of the coolest moments I’ve been a part of,” first baseman Trey Mancini said afterward. “It was awesome. You take all that excitement into the clubhouse with you, and it’s fun. That’s why we do this. I’m really proud of this team, the way we’ve been playing the last couple weeks. Tonight’s game really epitomizes that.”
A late-afternoon downpour might have delayed Saturday’s game, but it couldn’t stop the trade-deadline talk that has been the focus of the media the last few weeks. When the Texas Rangers reportedly agreed to a deal to acquire Max Scherzer from the New York Mets on Saturday, some wondered whether the Cubs would be interested in the other Mets ace, 40-year-old Justin Verlander, who also could be on the market.
Verlander wanted to be dealt from the Detroit Tigers to the Cubs late in the 2017 season, but the Cubs’ interest was lukewarm. Hoyer later told WSCR-AM 670: “There’s ones that you beat yourself up over because you think: ‘What could we have seen differently? Could we have predicted this?’ Obviously we didn’t. (Verlander’s) late-career resurgence has been amazing.”
Would Hoyer jump at another shot at Verlander, who has a no-trade clause and another year left on a two-year, $87 million deal, plus a conditional $35 million option for 2024? Would Verlander even agree to come to the Cubs if asked for what likely would be the end of his career?
It’s not a crime to dream. Nothing gets a clubhouse geeked like the addition of a superstar, as happened in 2016 when the Cubs acquired closer Aroldis Chapman from the New York Yankees.
“If not now, when?” President Theo Epstein famously said that day, referring to the team’s quest to end its championship drought.
Hoyer can’t really say the same. The Cubs have only gone seven years without a championship. So if it’s not now, it could be the winter or even next year’s trade deadline before the Cubs go all in.
That 2016 team was already headed to the postseason, and Epstein was looking to shore up a weakness. This year’s edition was only one game over .500 on Saturday and still a long shot to make the playoffs, much less win it all.
Asked Saturday if there’s value in the clubhouse with management making even a small move at the deadline, manager David Ross told the Tribune’s Meghan Montemurro “your question is set up for controversy, to me,” adding that “every player would say that.”
Not sure where the controversy is in that, but maybe Ross is feeling more pressure than we know. He has been asked about the trade deadline for weeks and never seemed to take it personally.
The closer the Cubs get to the deadline, and the longer this hot streak continues, the greater the pressure is on Hoyer to make the right call. And if he does decide to go for it, the pressure will be on Ross to keep the train rolling.
Meanwhile, Cubs fans have been scoreboard watching to see how the other division and wild-card contenders were faring. Mancini said it’s too early for the players to follow suit, and Swanson agreed.
“What’s the point?” Swanson asked. “At the end of the day, we have to do our job.”
Of course. But the closer the Cubs get to a playoff spot, the harder it would be for management to sell off some key pieces, right?
“If we just keep playing good baseball, man, we’ll be in good shape,” Swanson said.
The countdown to Tuesday is on.
Do you know where your Cubs are?
() | https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/30/column-pressure-mounts-as-the-chicago-cubs-inch-closer-to-a-playoff-spot-before-the-trade-deadline/ | 2023-07-30T20:38:07 | 0 | https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/30/column-pressure-mounts-as-the-chicago-cubs-inch-closer-to-a-playoff-spot-before-the-trade-deadline/ |
(The Conversation) – Should smartphones be allowed in classrooms? A new report from UNESCO, the education arm of the United Nations, raises questions about the practice. Though smartphones can be used for educational purposes, the report says the devices also disrupt classroom learning, expose students to cyberbullying and can compromise students’ privacy.
About 1 in 7 countries globally, such as the Netherlands and France, have banned the use of smartphones in school – and academic performance improved as a result, particularly for low-performing students, the report notes.
As school leaders in the U.S. wrestle with whether or not to ban smartphones, The Conversation has invited four scholars to weigh in on the issue.
Daniel G. Krutka: Use smartphones to encourage ‘technoskepticism’
While the issue of smartphone use in schools is complicated, evidence suggests that spending more time on smartphones is associated with young people being less happy and less satisfied with life.
Technology scholars have long argued that the key to living well with technology is in finding limits. However, in banning smartphones, I worry educators might be missing opportunities to use smartphones to encourage what I and other researchers refer to as technoskeptical thinking; that is, questioning our relationship with technology.
For example, students might be encouraged to consider the benefits and drawbacks of using navigational apps to travel from one place to another, as opposed to old-fashioned paper maps. Or, students might explore their social media feeds to critique what algorithms feed them, or how notifications get their attention.
In my research, I have looked at how teachers can encourage students to go on techno-fasts – that is, abstaining from the use of technology for a certain period of time. This, I argue, will give students time to reflect on the time they spend away from their devices.
Policy debates often focus on whether or not to put smartphones out of reach during the school day. But I believe educators might find it more beneficial to make phones an object of inquiry.
Sarah Rose: Consult parents, teachers and students
While there is evidence that classroom phone usage can be a distraction, it can also promote engagement and learning. While research about the potential positive and negative consequences of classroom phones can be used to inform school phone policies, the views of those who are most directly impacted by the policies should also be taken into account.
The views of parents matter because their views may influence the extent to which their children follow the policy. The views of children matter because they are the ones being expected to follow the policy and to benefit from it. The views of teachers matter because they are often the ones that have to enforce the policies. Research shows that enforcing cellphone policies is not always a straightforward issue.
In my research, I have found that children – aged 10 and 11 years old – in collaboration with their parents, were able to come up with ideas for ideal policies and solutions to help enforce them. For example, one parent-child pair suggested mobile phone use in school could be banned but that a role of “telephone monitor” could be given to an older pupil. This “telephone monitor” would have a class mobile phone that children and parents could use to contact each other during the school day when necessary.
This recommendation reflected how parents and middle and high school students – whether from rural and urban areas – felt cell phones were important to keep in touch with each other during the school day. Beyond safety, children and parents also told us that phones were important for keeping in touch about changing plans and for emotional support during the school day.
I believe policies that simply ban phones in schools may be missing an opportunity to educate children about responsible mobile device use. When parents and children are involved in policy development, it has the potential to increase the extent to which these policies are followed and enforced.
Arnold L. Glass: Cellphone use in college lectures hurts performance in ways that are hard to see
The intrusion of internet-enabled electronic devices, such as laptops, tablets and cellphones, has transformed the modern college lecture. Students now divide their attention between the lecture and their devices. Classroom studies reveal that when college students use an electronic device for a nonacademic purpose during class, it hurts their performance on exams.
When attention is divided between an electronic device and the classroom lecture, it does not reduce comprehension of the lecture – at least, not when measured by within-class quizzes. Instead, divided attention reduces long-term retention of the classroom lecture, which hurts performance on unit exams and final exams.
When some students open electronic devices, it also negatively affects the performance of all the students around them. Research has shown that student performance on final exams was worse when electronic devices were permitted during classes that covered exam material versus when the devices were not.
Many students won’t think their divided attention is affecting their retention of new information. It may not be for the moment, but a couple of weeks later or down the line, research shows, it does.
Louis-Philippe Beland: Bans help low-achieving students the most
Numerous studies indicate that low-achieving students stand to benefit the most from the implementation of mobile phone bans in schools.
In a 2015 study, my co-author, Richard Murphy, and I examined the impact of banning mobile phones on student performance in high schools, using data from England. By comparing schools with phone bans to similar schools without the bans, we isolated the effect of mobile phones on performance. Our study found that banning mobile phones significantly increased test scores among 16-year-old students. The effect is equivalent to adding five days to the school year or an extra hour per week. Low-achieving students benefited more, while high-achieving students remained unaffected.
Similar studies in Spain and Norway using a similar approach demonstrated compelling evidence supporting the benefits of banning mobile phones. In Spain, grades improved and bullying incidents decreased. In Norway, the ban raised middle school students’ grade-point averages and their likelihood of attending academic high schools while reducing bullying. Evidence from Belgium suggests banning mobile phones can be beneficial for college student performance.
Psychological research sheds light on potential mechanisms behind the impact of mobile phones and technology on student performance. Multitasking, common with mobile phone use, has been found to hinder learning and task execution. Taking notes by hand has been shown to better enhance memory retention compared to typing on a computer.
In sum, banning mobile phones in schools can yield positive effects, improve academic performance and narrow the achievement gap between high- and low-achieving students. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that mobile phones and technology can also be valuable educational tools when used appropriately. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/do-smartphones-belong-in-classrooms-four-scholars-weigh-in/ | 2023-07-30T20:38:08 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/do-smartphones-belong-in-classrooms-four-scholars-weigh-in/ |
Crash victim rescued in Vernonia after screams for help, alert from Apple device
By FOX 12 Staff
Click here for updates on this story
VERNONIA, Oregon (KPTV) — A person was rescued after driving off a 30-foot embankment when first responders were first alerted to the crash because of an Apple device on Friday in Vernonia.
The Mist-Birkenfield Fire District responded to assist Friday with the crash in Vernonia. It said the driver’s Apple device sensed they were in a crash and alerted the Columbia 911 Communications District.
The Vernonia Fire District and paramedics responded to the incident but could not find the crash. Dispatchers reported they got a second call from a neighbor saying they could hear someone screaming for help. This allowed the first responders to find the crash 30 feet down an embankment and in heavy brush.
The Banks Fire District and Mist-Birkenfield responded to assist with a high-angle rope rescue to bring the patient up to the road. The patient was taken to be treated at a trauma center. An updated condition was not available.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform. | https://kion546.com/cnn-regional/2023/07/30/crash-victim-rescued-in-vernonia-after-screams-for-help-alert-from-apple-device/ | 2023-07-30T20:38:08 | 0 | https://kion546.com/cnn-regional/2023/07/30/crash-victim-rescued-in-vernonia-after-screams-for-help-alert-from-apple-device/ |
Lakeville swimmer Regan Smith completed her World Championship schedule with a bang, bringing home gold in the women’s 4×100-meter medley relay Sunday in Japan.
Smith swam the backstroke — the opening leg — of the relay for the U.S. team, turning in a time of 57.68 seconds. Smith, Lilly King, Gretchen Walsh and Kate Douglass combined to win the race with a time of 3 minutes, 52.08 seconds. That was more than a second faster than Australia, which finished second.
“I think Team USA knows how to do medley relays really well, and I think we had something to prove tonight,” Smith said. “We’ve all had great weeks, but we’ve also had our ups and downs, and I think we wanted to end on a really positive note. I think we all really executed (this race) perfectly and did just that.”
Smith leaves Japan with five medals — gold in the relay, silver in the 50-, 100- and 200-meter backstroke races and bronze in the 200-meter butterfly. The 21-year-old, who turned pro last year, is likely to make her second Olympics appearance next summer in France. | https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/30/lakeville-star-swimmer-regan-smith-wins-relay-gold-to-wrap-up-world-championships/ | 2023-07-30T20:38:13 | 1 | https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/30/lakeville-star-swimmer-regan-smith-wins-relay-gold-to-wrap-up-world-championships/ |
CLEVELAND (WJW) – Verizon customers with older phone plans could see their bill go up next month.
According to the company, starting Aug. 29, some older plans will be charged an additional $3 or $5 per mobile phone line every month.
Customers with Go Unlimited 2.0, Beyond Unlimited 2.0, Above Unlimited, and 5G Start 1.0 plans will see the $3 monthly increase, while single basic phone plans will see the $5 monthly increase.
The company says unlimited plans that are currently available to new customers won’t get hit with the additional charge.
Verizon says lines with tablets, smartwatches, and other devices also won’t be affected.
This comes after a price hike back in April, which, as reported by USA Today, saw a $2 monthly increase for some wireless plans.
In June 2022, Verizon raised some plan fees in response to “pressure,” the company’s head of business said at the time. It led to a $1.35 increase on its administrative fees, and an “Economic Adjustment Charge” for companies using the business plans. It was the first time the fees had been increased since 2019. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/have-an-older-verizon-phone-plan-your-bill-could-increase-soon/ | 2023-07-30T20:38:14 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/have-an-older-verizon-phone-plan-your-bill-could-increase-soon/ |
Driver falls asleep, crashes in Cass County
By Gabe Swartz
Click here for updates on this story
CASS COUNTY, Missouri (KCTV) — A driver who fell asleep at the wheel suffered serious injuries in a crash in Cass County.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol said a 65-year-old man from Garden City, Missouri, crashed a 1999 Ford F-250 on East 243rd Street near Staley Mound Road. MSHP said the man fell asleep while driving at 5:20 p.m. Saturday.
As the man fell asleep, the vehicle traveled off the right side of the road and struck an embankment, launching the vehicle airborne. The truck hit the ground and came to rest in a field on the south side of the road, according to MSHP.
The male driver was not wearing a seatbelt and suffered serious injuries in the crash. Cass County Sheriff’s Department officers also responded to the scene.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform. | https://kion546.com/cnn-regional/2023/07/30/driver-falls-asleep-crashes-in-cass-county/ | 2023-07-30T20:38:14 | 0 | https://kion546.com/cnn-regional/2023/07/30/driver-falls-asleep-crashes-in-cass-county/ |
Two dead, two hurt in crash at EAA AirVenture - names of deceased released
OSHKOSH, Wis. (WBAY) -
On Sunday, July 30, 2023, the names of the fatalities in this crash were released by EAA officials. They are identified as pilot 68-year-old Mark Peterson of Foley, Alabama, and passenger 72-year-old Thomas Volz of Amelia, Ohio.
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They lost their lives when a helicopter and gyrocopter crashed in the air near the Ultralight Runway at EAA AirVenture just before 12:30 Saturday.
The collision sent both aircraft to the ground and one landed on a parked plane. The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office tells EAA two more people are hurt, but stable, right now.
“Obviously somebody was in the wrong place at some time and that will be part of the investigation,” EAA Spokesperson Dick Knapinski said.
The National Transportation Safety Board reported the aircraft involved were a Rotorway 162F and an ELA 10 Eclipse. Neither aircraft was involved in an airshow. Both belonged to AirVenture attendees.
The crash closed Wittman Regional Airport for close to two hours as emergency crews stepped in.
“People were there willing to help and people stepped in immediately trying to help even before the fire department and first responders arrived,” Knapinski explained.
Knapinski told Action 2 News EAA, the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office, and Oshkosh Fire Department responded. United States Air Force firefighters extinguished fire coming from the helicopter.
NTSB investigating a mid-air collision between a Rotorway 162F aircraft and an ELA Eclipse 10 aircraft near Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
— NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) July 29, 2023
The aviation community is reflecting on losing two of their own.
“Well, you know that stuff happens. You know that you have to be careful and you know the unexpected does happen,” Pilot Bob Payton expressed.
“It’s always tragic when you do lose aviators. Certainly, it’s one of those things you take a look at. We are one family,” Knapinski said. “It’s always a sad day, especially for those aviators and their families.”
Pilot Payton said a lot of pilots fly using visual flight rules, meaning they must maintain a clear space and are responsible for constantly looking out for other aircraft.
“The primary thing about flight is it’s a 360-degree 3D environment. It’s not just like on the road when you’re looking down the road. You’re looking all over for other aircraft,” Payton said.
He describes pilots as very proactive:
“You need to get as much background as you can. You’re addressing multiple situations at the same time and you just work from that standpoint.”
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash, putting together the pieces to figure out how the crash happened.
“The investigators will take a look at that and see what the causes may be and from that other aviators may learn something,” Knapinski said.
Action 2 News is continuing to follow the crash and will bring you the latest both on-air, online and on our First Alert app.
Copyright 2023 WBAY. All rights reserved. | https://www.weau.com/2023/07/29/two-dead-two-hurt-crash-eaa-airventure-names-deceased-released/ | 2023-07-30T20:38:18 | 1 | https://www.weau.com/2023/07/29/two-dead-two-hurt-crash-eaa-airventure-names-deceased-released/ |
The Mets’ blockbuster trade of Max Scherzer to the Texas Rangers left much more than a void atop the team’s rotation.
Saturday night’s deal also presents new challenges for the players within the Mets’ clubhouse, manager Buck Showalter acknowledged Sunday, even though he continues to say no trade has been completed.
“It’s a challenge for them and us,” Showalter said before Sunday’s game against the Washington Nationals. “I talk to them every day whether someone’s been traded or not. Sometimes it’s just sitting down in the food room. Sometimes it’s just sitting down in the locker room before the doors open. I’ve got a feel for it. There’s a lot of things that they kind of let me in on, what they’re feeling and thinking that’s certainly not public.”
Showalter’s comments came the morning after Mets stars Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo expressed shock over the trade.
Scherzer, 39, is in the second season of a three-year, $130 million contract he signed with the Mets before the 2022 campaign. Sending the three-time Cy Young Award winner to Texas established the disappointing Mets as full-blown sellers ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline.
“Honestly, shocked,” Alonso said after Saturday’s game. “Max wasn’t around the clubhouse and I didn’t really see him around today, so that’s when I knew it was like, ‘Oh man, this is legit. This isn’t just, like, clickbait.’ … It’s a loss for us for sure.”
Scherzer has a 4.01 ERA this season, his worst mark in over a decade. The 23 home runs he’s surrendered are the fifth-most among MLB pitchers. The Rangers hope the right-hander can return to form with pitching coach Mike Maddux, who held the same role during Scherzer’s Cy Young seasons with Washington in 2016 and 2017, and bolster a rotation that lost ace Jacob deGrom to elbow surgery.
The trade came two days after the Mets — who remain outside the playoff picture despite the highest payroll in MLB history — sent closer David Robertson to the Marlins.
“We kind of knew that anything could be on the table now,” Nimmo said after Saturday’s game. “We weren’t sure how far this might go but knew these were possibilities. I would say ‘shocked’ is definitely the right word.”
Candidates to fill Scherzer’s spot in the rotation include Tylor Megill, who allowed two runs in six innings Saturday with Triple-A Syracuse, and David Peterson, who has a 6.12 ERA for the Mets but has found success this month pitching in relief.
“We know we’re gonna need someone if Max leaves,” Showalter said Sunday. “We talked about it. I think you can probably figure out the candidates.”
DIAZ CONTINUES PROGRESS
Mets reliever Edwin Diaz continues to progress from the torn patellar tendon he suffered during March’s World Baseball Classic, but he’s not ready to return to a mound, Showalter said Sunday in his latest update.
Diaz hasn’t ruled out returning this season, but tests on his injured left knee indicate it still isn’t as strong as his healthy knee, according to the Mets manager.
“He’s right where he needs to be, meeting all the benchmarks,” Showalter said. “Nothing’s changed about how we’re looking at it.”
Diaz threw in the outfield last week. The 29-year-old signed a 5-year, $102 million deal with the Mets in the offseason after posting a 1.31 ERA and 32 saves as the team’s closer last year.
MARTE ALSO DOING WELL
Starling Marte is also making strides toward returning from the migraine headaches that have kept him out since July 16.
The speedy outfielder feels “a lot better” after getting a second medical opinion on the medical issue, Showalter said Saturday.
“I think he feels a lot more confident about having his arms around what he’s dealing with,” Showalter added Sunday. “He’s gonna go on the trip with us. Yesterday, we weren’t sure if that was gonna happen. … He’s planning on going to Kansas City and continuing his work to get back into baseball-playing mode.”
Marte, 34, has batted .254 with five home runs in 84 games this season, his second with the Mets.
() | https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/30/mets-notebook-team-braces-for-future-without-max-scherzer-after-trade-to-rangers/ | 2023-07-30T20:38:19 | 1 | https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/30/mets-notebook-team-braces-for-future-without-max-scherzer-after-trade-to-rangers/ |
(The Hill) – A bipartisan group of lawmakers on the House Oversight Committee say a high-profile hearing on UFOs is just the start of their push for answers.
And they are threatening to use heavier-handed tactics if the Pentagon and intelligence agencies stand in their way.
Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) and Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) want more information on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) — commonly referred to as UFOs — beginning with new laws, a classified hearing and the possible creation of a select committee.
The lawmakers said they are willing to use subpoena power if needed to get the answers they’re seeking from the federal government.
“If there’s not a cover-up, the government and the Pentagon are sure spending a lot of resources to stop us from studying it,” Burchett told The Hill.
He added that they hope House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) can aid them in setting up a select committee to study the issue of UAPs — as well as any government program that addresses them. If they don’t get leadership approval, they’ll “just start holding field hearings because the public is demanding that we have transparency,” Burchett said.
The effort comes after three former military officials earlier this week and under oath gave bombshell testimony on the unexplained aerial objects, telling lawmakers that for years they’ve been kept in the dark about the mysterious sightings and encounters.
David Grusch, a former Air Force intelligence officer, gave the most shocking testimony when he said he was told of a “multi-decade UAP crash retrieval and reverse-engineering program,” accusing the military of misdirecting funds to keep such operations secret.
The shocking testimony now has committee members questioning how Congress should begin to investigate the witness claims and demand more answers from the executive branch on programs it claims don’t exist.
Lawmakers hope to start with obtaining additional information and documents that Grusch said he submitted to the Pentagon’s inspector general after serving on two Defense Department task forces looking into UAPs.
To get the information from Grusch — who said he was unable to discuss specifics on what he told the Pentagon’s watchdog arm — lawmakers want to sit down with the former official in a sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF) to get additional information from him.
The group has been blocked, however, by officials that have informed them that Grusch doesn’t currently have security clearance to discuss the issues in a SCIF, according to Burchett.
“I think we’ll get there eventually, it’s just frustrating. I’m ready to go and the American public are ready to go,” he said.
Luna argued the SCIF with Grusch would help lawmakers better understand the type of legislation they need to write regarding UAPs. She said she supports legislation that would declassify information on the phenomena.
With a growing amount of bipartisan interest for more government transparency surrounding the issue, a need for reporting procedures for UAP’s both in the military and commercial airspace, and “stronger and stricter punishment for those that try to silence whistleblowers,” the topic is more important than ever, she said.
There is currently a provision in the Senate’s version of the annual defense authorization bill, inserted by Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), which would force federal government agencies to hand over UAP records to a review panel with the power to declassify them. The bill, known as the National Defense Authorization Act, was passed by the Senate on Thursday and now must be reconciled with the House’s version, so the initiative could still be stripped out.
Burchett also made an attempt to put an amendment into a Federal Aviation Administration bill to improve air travel, passed July 20, that would have required UAP sightings to be reported to Congress. The initiative was blocked, which Luna said was an indication that “we clearly have a battle ahead of us.”
Another avenue for lawmakers should they not receive access to a SCIF would be invoking the Holman rule.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) vowed to do just that, saying that he would “personally volunteer to initiate the Holman rule against any personnel, or any program, or any agency that denies access to Congress.”
The Holman rule is a House power through which they can strip the salary of a specific government position, fire civil servants or cut a particular program.
Ogles’s pledge came after Grusch told lawmakers that the federal government for decades has secretly funded a “UAP crash retrieval and reverse engineering program” and that he believes the government is in possession of non-human crafts, based on interviews with 40 witnesses.
Moskowitz told The Hill that while it’s too early to use the Holman rule — as Congress must first “figure out where these positions exist and then examine whether or not they should be funded” — he hopes that by discussing the rule it will create more transparency with the federal government.
“This is about government transparency. I’m all for protecting national security, but that can’t just be a shield to deny the American people the basics of what we know about UAPs,” he said.
And Burchett said if lawmakers “start getting stonewalled” by the Pentagon and intelligence agencies, he will have “no hesitation,” to invoke the rule.
Luna, meanwhile, said whether lawmakers use the rule depends on the response they receive from various agencies, programs and appointees.
That process could start as soon as September when lawmakers consider the Defense Appropriations bill on the House floor.
“We know that enormous sums of money are being spent on UAP-related activity, whether it’s retrieval/recovery, research and reverse engineering, or just security for whatever the government is hiding,” she told The Hill. “But none of that is on the books, so from a basic governance perspective, Congress needs to know where money is being misappropriated.”
The Hill’s Sarakshi Rai contributed reporting. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/ufo-curious-lawmakers-brace-for-a-fight-over-government-secrets/ | 2023-07-30T20:38:20 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/ufo-curious-lawmakers-brace-for-a-fight-over-government-secrets/ |
Florida man arrested after allegedly spitting on, attacking woman with infant in arms
By CBS MIAMI TEAM
Click here for updates on this story
KEY WEST, Florida (WFOR) — A 33-year-old Florida man was arrested Saturday for attacking a woman holding an infant, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s office.
Officials say, Jeanty Falando Altenor was charged with battery, child abuse, and false imprisonment.
The incident was reported on Maloney Avenue on Stock Island, Florida around 7:30 a.m., according to a statement.
According to a police statement, the 34-year-old woman claimed Altenor spit on her, and hit her in the face with his fists, feet, and child’s scooter, with three small children present at the time.
The woman also claimed Altenor threatened to kill her if she were to report the incident to police.
No life-threatening injuries were reported.
Monroe County Officials stated that warrants were obtained for Altenor’s arrest and he was booked into jail on Saturday.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform. | https://kion546.com/cnn-regional/2023/07/30/florida-man-arrested-after-allegedly-spitting-on-attacking-woman-with-infant-in-arms/ | 2023-07-30T20:38:21 | 0 | https://kion546.com/cnn-regional/2023/07/30/florida-man-arrested-after-allegedly-spitting-on-attacking-woman-with-infant-in-arms/ |
Chippewa Falls Fire Department responds to structure fire
Published: Jul. 30, 2023 at 3:26 PM CDT|Updated: 10 minutes ago
CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. (WEAU) - The Chippewa Falls Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 816 Dover Street at 8:15 p.m. Saturday night.
In a press release, Battalion Chief John Bowe, said when crews arrived on scene they found heavy smoke and flames visible on the first floor of the residence. Firefighters were able to contain the fire to the first floor. While searching the residence they found a dog and cat, both were removed from the residence and are doing well.
The release states the fire appeared to start in the kitchen and the house is estimated to have $75,000 in damage.
The fire is under investigation.
Copyright 2023 WEAU. All rights reserved. | https://www.weau.com/2023/07/30/chippewa-falls-fire-department-responds-structure-fire/ | 2023-07-30T20:38:24 | 1 | https://www.weau.com/2023/07/30/chippewa-falls-fire-department-responds-structure-fire/ |
Eleven people were arrested on suspicion of attempting to solicit minors for sex or promoting prostitution in connection with a sex-trafficking sting, authorities announced Saturday.
The sting on Thursday and Friday in St. Paul was led by investigators with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s Human Trafficking Investigators Task Force and the St. Paul Police Department.
During the operation, undercover agents and investigators posed as minors or sex buyers and chatted with the suspects online. After a meeting place was arranged for an encounter, the suspects were arrested and booked into the Ramsey County Jail.
Ten people were booked on suspicion of felony solicitation of a minor under 18 years of age for prostitution. One person was booked on suspicion of felony promotion of prostitution. They are expected to be charged in the next few days.
Four females were recovered from trafficking situations as a result of the arrests.
“We are committed to helping Minnesota’s trafficking victims escape the reprehensible actions of those who would buy or sell them for sex,” BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said in a statement. “Our predatory crimes agents will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and advocates to end this terrible crime in Minnesota.”
“Good police work doesn’t happen without law enforcement coming together, and because of that partnership these individuals can no longer do harm,” St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry said.
Authorities say if you, or someone you know, is in immediate danger of being trafficked, call 911. To report a suspected trafficking situation, call the BCA at 877-996-6222 or email bca.tips@state.mn.us. | https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/30/sex-trafficking-sting-nets-11-arrests-in-st-paul-authorities-say/ | 2023-07-30T20:38:25 | 1 | https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/30/sex-trafficking-sting-nets-11-arrests-in-st-paul-authorities-say/ |