text string | url string | crawl_date timestamp[ms] | label int64 | id string |
|---|---|---|---|---|
July keeps sizzling as Phoenix hits another 110-degree day and wildfires spread in California
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix sizzled through its 31st consecutive day of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) and other parts of the country grappled Sunday with record temperatures after a week that saw significant portions of the U.S. population subject to extreme heat.
The National Weather Service said Phoenix was expected to climb to 112 F (44.4 Celsius) before the day was through.
July has been so steamy thus far that scientists calculate it will be the hottest month ever recorded and likely the warmest human civilization has seen. The World Meteorological Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service on Thursday proclaimed July beyond record-smashing.
The historic heat began blasting the lower Southwest U.S. in late June, stretching from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California’s desert.
On Sunday, a massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve spread rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the south that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the preserve sent up a huge plume of smoke visible nearly 100 miles (160 kilometers) away across the state line in Nevada.
Flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots have charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometers) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to a Sunday update.
“The dry fuel acts as a ready ignition source, and when paired with those weather conditions it resulted in long-distance fire run and high flames, leading to extreme fire behavior,” authorities said. No structures were threatened, but there was also no containment.
To the southwest, the Bonny Fire was holding steady at about 3.4 square miles (8.8 square kilometers) in rugged hills of Riverside County. More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday near the remote community of Aguanga, California.
Triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the central San Joaquin Valley through Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
And in Burbank, California, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, the summer heat may have been responsible for some unusual behavior in the animal kingdom: Police in the city responded to a report of a bear sighting in a residential neighborhood and found the animal sitting in a Jacuzzi behind one of the homes.
As climate change brings hotter and longer heat waves, record temperatures across the U.S. have killed dozens of people, and the poorest Americans suffer the most. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
Last year, all 86 heat-related deaths indoors were in uncooled environments.
“To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills,” said Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor who researches heat and health. “Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours.”
It’s the poorest and people of color, from Kansas City to Detroit to New York City and beyond, who are far more likely to face grueling heat without air conditioning, according to a Boston University analysis of 115 U.S. metro areas.
Back in Phoenix, slight relief may be on the way as expected seasonal thunderstorms could drop temperatures Monday and Tuesday.
“It should be around 108 degrees, so we break that 110 streak,” meteorologist Tom Frieders said. “Increasing cloud cover will put temperatures in a downward trend.”
The relief could be short-lived, however. Highs are expected to creep back to 110 F (43.3 C) Wednesday with temperatures reaching 115 F (46.1 C) by the end of the week.
Phoenix has also sweated through a record 16 consecutive nights when the lows temperature didn’t dip below 90 F (32.2 C), making it hard for people to cool off after sunset.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas continues to flirt with its hottest July ever. The city is closing in on its 2010 record for the average of the high and low each day for July, which stands at 96.2 F (35.5 C).
The extreme heat is also hitting the eastern U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places recorded their warmest days so far this year.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ | 2023-07-31T02:21:15 | 0 | https://www.wbtv.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ |
WASHINGTON, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Teamsters Union was served legal notice today that Yellow Corp. is ceasing operations and filing for bankruptcy.
"Today's news is unfortunate but not surprising. Yellow has historically proven that it could not manage itself despite billions of dollars in worker concessions and hundreds of millions in bailout funding from the federal government. This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry," said Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien.
The Teamsters are committed to ensuring members are protected and notified with all the latest information. The International is putting infrastructure in place to help affected members get the assistance they need to find good union jobs throughout freight and other industries.
The situation is developing. Additional details are forthcoming.
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.
Contact:
Daniel Moskowitz, (770) 262-4971
dmoskowitz@teamster.org
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-notified-that-yellow-corp-operating-companies-have-closed/ | 2023-07-31T02:21:16 | 0 | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-notified-that-yellow-corp-operating-companies-have-closed/ |
Updated July 30, 2023 at 10:09 PM ET
It's the end of the road for one of the nation's largest freight carriers.
Yellow, a trucking company that just three years ago took a $700 million federal pandemic loan, is shutting down, according to the Teamsters union, which represents the company's 22,000 unionized workers.
The company is expected to file for bankruptcy as soon as Monday, according to industry experts, following a recent exodus of customers amid union strife and on top of years of financial troubles.
With 30,000 jobs at stake, it's poised to be the largest trucking bankruptcy in the history of the U.S., experts said. The company, formerly known as YRC Worldwide, is the third largest less-than-truckload carrier by revenue, behind FedEx and Old Dominion. LTL companies move pallet-sized shipments — smaller than a container, but bigger than a parcel.
Yellow has not publicly announced any plans for bankruptcy or a potential shutdown.
Here's what we know.
Employees were told to prepare for a company shutdown
The Teamsters union, which had been locked in contentious contract negotiations for a new contract with Yellow, said it received a legal notice that Yellow is ceasing operations and filing for bankruptcy, according to a news release posted Sunday night.
"Today's news is unfortunate but not surprising," said Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien. "This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry."
The union's announcement comes hours after The Wall Street Journal reported that Yellow shut down on Sunday afternoon, citing internal notices sent to customers and employees.
Yellow says it will issue a public statement on Monday about "the state of the company and the operation," according to the industry outlet FreightWaves, which also obtained internal documents.
Yellow has not responded to NPR's requests for comment.
Yellow laid off an unknown number of its employees on Friday, reported FreightWaves, citing a memo sent to staff informing them that the company is "shutting down its regular operations" and "laying off employees at all of its locations."
The same day, Teamsters had advised Yellow employees to "prepare for the worst."
"Yellow appears to be headed to a complete shutdown within the next few days," said Teamsters National Freight Director John Murphy in a Friday memo shared with NPR.
A strike threat delivered the final blow to cash-poor Yellow
The shutdown comes just days after a Teamsters strike at the company was averted. A week ago, a pension fund agreed to extend health benefits for workers at two Yellow operating companies after the carrier missed its $50 million benefits payment to the fund on July 15, the union said.
While the extension held off a July 24 strike, the threat of a walkout that could disrupt operations prompted a wave of Yellow customers to bolt.
"The Teamsters actions induced a high level of variability and uncertainty in the market for Yellow's customers. The market abhors variability and uncertainty," wrote Mike Regan, co-founder of TranzAct Technologies, which manages transportation services for retailers. "Consequently, Yellow lost substantial and much needed volume."
After the strike threat, Yellow's freight volumes fell 80% within the span of a week, according to Jack Atkins, a managing director at the financial services firm Stephens who researches the transportation sector.
At the same time, he said, Yellow's cries that it was running out of cash during union negotiation attempts scared off customers. After fleeing to rival carriers like FedEx and ABF Freight, customers didn't return.
"Both sides bear fault," Atkins said. "Once that freight left, there was nothing left to really restructure," he added. "It was really too late to save the company."
The company has been at risk of bankruptcy for years
Animus between Yellow and Teamsters has grown in recent months, with each party blaming one another for the company's problems.
After the trucking carrier tried to restructure its operations this spring as a cost-saving measure that would allow it to refinance its debt. In June, Yellow sued the union for blocking the restructuring plan it said was "essential to the company's survival." The Teamsters in turn called the lawsuit "baseless," instead blaming Yellow for "decades of gross mismanagement," that included its alleged exhaustion of the $700 million bailout loan.
The company reported a net income of $21.8 million last year. Yellow has $1.3 billion in loan debt due in fall 2024, $729 million of which is owed to the federal government, according to the company's latest quarterly report.
Yellow received a $700 million loan from the government in 2020 as part of a COVID-19 rescue package. In return, the Treasury Department took a 30% stake in the company's shares, which have since plummeted to less than a dollar apiece as of Friday.
In June, a congressional probe found that the Treasury Department's disbursement of the loan was a mistake; the freight company — whose customers included the Department of Defense — did not actually meet the standards to qualify for the business loan because its survival was not "critical to maintaining national security."
"Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Yellow was a financially struggling company that had a long-term non-investment grade (i.e., junk) rating and previous close calls with bankruptcy over the years. The pandemic did not cause Yellow's longstanding problems, nor is the Treasury's loan to the company likely to solve those problems," the Congressional Oversight Commission report read.
A world without Yellow
An end to the Nashville-based company would mean the loss of 30,000 jobs.
In its Sunday statement, the Teamsters union said it's working to help "affected members get the assistance they need to find good union jobs throughout freight and other industries."
Atkins doesn't expect the federal government to come to the rescue this time. While there may be some slight disruptions, the analyst anticipates other freight carriers will have some capacity to absorb Yellow's business because of a recent dent in freight volumes.
"This is not going to create a supply-chain crisis," he said.
Retailers and manufacturers are likely to see higher shipping rates if the company folds, he said. Yellow is known for its low shipping rates compared to its rivals.
Atkins visited the Yellow terminal in Little Rock, Ark., on Sunday to find all gates chained up, a sign of ceased operations.
"They've been in wind-down mode, clearing the network out of all the remaining freight," he said. "This is the end."
NPR's Camila Domonoske contributed to this story.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.kbia.org/2023-07-30/the-yellow-trucking-company-meltdown-explained | 2023-07-31T02:21:22 | 1 | https://www.kbia.org/2023-07-30/the-yellow-trucking-company-meltdown-explained |
SUZHOU, China, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Transcenta Holding Limited ("Transcenta") (HKEX: 06628), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company with fully-integrated capabilities in discovery, research, development and manufacturing of antibody-based therapeutics, announces that it has received approval from China Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) to initiate Phase II clinical trial of TST002(Blosozumab). This study aims to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of TST002(Blosozumab) after single and multiple intravenous administrations in patients with reduced bone mineral density.
Osteoporosis is a significant health concern for the middle-aged and elderly population in China. It is estimated that by 2050, the number of osteoporosis patients will reach 120 million. Compared with RANKL mAbs, sclerostin mAbs successfully achieve the dual goal of preventing bone loss and rebuilding the bone. Evenity (Romosozumab) of Amgen is the only anti-sclerostin antibody drug that has been approved by the FDA in the United States. Up to the present, there was no anti-sclerostin antibody drug approved in China.
In May 2023, Transcenta presented Phase I unblinded data, which showed that the overall safety and tolerability of TST002 (Blosozumab) in all dose cohorts is favorable. On the efficacy side, all dose cohorts from 200-1,200 mg have shown a clinically meaningful increase in lumbar spine BMD on Day 85 (D85) after a single dose of TST002 (Blosozumab) and comparable to those of Blosozumab single dose study at the similar dose levels. The average increase of lumbar spine BMD at Day 85 (D85) from baseline ranged from 3.52% to 6.20% across dose cohorts, all exceeding the least significant difference (2.77%). The increase of lumbar spine BMD in the placebo group was only 0.30% even with optimal calcium and vitamin D supplemental treatment. In addition, encouraging BMD increase in total hip from 1.30% to 2.24% across dose cohorts were observed after single dose of TST002 (Blosozumab). In comparison, the mean percent change in lumbar spine BMD from baseline to month 12 was 5.4% after one year of Denosumab treatment.1
"We are excited to have received the clearance to move forward from CDE. Our Phase II will assess several regimens of TST002 (Blosozumab) with reduced dosing frequency, bringing us closer to our Phase III. We look forward to fully exploring the differentiated profile of TST002 to address the unmet medical need of the large patient population who suffers from osteoporosis," said Dr. Caroline Germa, Transcenta's Executive Vice President, Global Medicine Development and Chief Medical Officer.
Reference:
1 https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/105/3/e255/5607536
About TST002 (Blosozumab)
TST002 (Blosozumab) is a humanized anti-sclerostin monoclonal antibody as a drug candidate for osteoporosis and other bone loss diseases. It has a dual effect possessing both anabolic and anti-resorptive effects, which stimulates bone formation and inhibits bone absorption, resulting in fast increase in bone mineral density and bone strength. Blocking sclerostin activity in human treated with anti-sclerostin antibody or with naturally occurring genetic deletion has been shown to be an effective approach in increasing bone mineral density (BMD) and reducing bone fracture. Currently there is no approved anti-sclerostin antibody therapy in China yet although Romosozumab from Amgen has been approved in the United States, Europe and Japan.
About Transcenta Holding Limited
Transcenta (HKEX: 06628) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company with fully integrated capabilities in antibody-based biotherapeutics discovery, research, development and manufacturing.
Transcenta has established global footprint, with Headquarters and Discovery, Clinical and Translational Research Center in Suzhou, Process and Product Development Center and Manufacturing Facility in Hangzhou, and Clinical Development Centers in Princeton, US and in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou of China, and External Partnering Center in Boston and Los Angeles, US. Transcenta has also initiated the construction of the Group Headquarters and the second high-end biopharmaceutical facility with ICB as its core technology in Suzhou Industrial Park. Transcenta is developing 13 therapeutic antibody molecules for oncology and selected non-oncology indications including bone and kidney disorders.
For more information, please visit www.transcenta.com and https://www.linkedin.com/company/transcenta.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain certain forward-looking statements that are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to Transcenta, are intended to identify certain of such forward-looking statements. Transcenta does not intend to update these forward-looking statements regularly.
These forward-looking statements are based on the existing beliefs, assumptions, expectations, estimates, projections and understandings of the management of Transcenta with respect to future events at the time these statements are made. These statements are not a guarantee of future developments and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond Transcenta's control and are difficult to predict. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of future changes or developments in our business, Transcenta's competitive environment and political, economic, legal and social conditions.
Transcenta, the Directors and the employees of Transcenta assume (a) no obligation to correct or update the forward-looking statements contained in this site; and (b) no liability in the event that any of the forward-looking statements does not materialize or turn out to be incorrect.
View original content:
SOURCE Transcenta Holding Limited | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/transcenta-anti-sclerostin-monoclonal-antibody-tst002-blosozumab-received-approval-china-cde-initiate-phase-ii-clinical-trial-patients-with-reduced-bone-mineral-density/ | 2023-07-31T02:21:23 | 1 | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/transcenta-anti-sclerostin-monoclonal-antibody-tst002-blosozumab-received-approval-china-cde-initiate-phase-ii-clinical-trial-patients-with-reduced-bone-mineral-density/ |
Chris Buescher pulled away on a restart with three laps to go to win at Richmond Raceway on Sunday and snag one of the final spots in NASCAR's playoff field.
Buescher led 88 laps and was ahead by nearly six seconds when a caution came out with under 10 laps to go. That erased his lead over Virginia native Denny Hamlin, who was booed by his hometown crowd in pre-race.
But Hamlin got a poor final restart and Buescher easily pulled away for his first Cup Series win of the season, third of his career.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
"I knew that last restart was going to be tough, but I knew we had the speed in this thing," Buescher said.
He and RFK Racing teammate Brad Keselowski led a combined 190 of the 400 laps in their Fords. Keselowski, now a part owner of the team, led 102 laps on the 0.75-mile oval.
Buescher started 26th and had to drive the field for the win that locked him into the 16-driver playoff field with four races remaining in the regular season. Buescher became the 13th race winner this year and there are three playoff spots up for grabs over the next month.
It was the 139th Cup win for primary team owner Jack Roush, second since Keselowski joined the ownership group.
Ford now has 723rd wins in NASCAR's top Cup Series.
"Everybody at RFK Racing who has worked so hard to get us to this point," said Buescher.
Hamlin, winner last week at Pocono, finished second in a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. Kyle Busch was third in a Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, followed by the Fords of Joey Logano from Team Penske and Ryan Preece of Stewart-Haas Racing.
"One win is good, but you get three or four or five and then you feel a lot better," said Keselowski. "It sure beats not having any at all, but we want to keep going. It’s nice to have one car locked in the playoffs. We need to get both cars locked in the playoffs. We have a good points gap, but we want wins and this is where we need to be."
Keselowski, despite being winless this season, is still mathematically in contention for the playoffs.
The race was slowed just three times by caution flags, with the final yellow sending the leaders to pit road for four tires with eight laps to go. When the green flag was shown again, Buescher used the inside line to pull away for his third career victory.
CARSON HOCEVAR STARTS FIRE AT RICHMOND DURING VICTORY CELEBRATION
Hamlin's bid for the victory ended on the second lap of the final sprint when he drove in too deep in the first turn and slid up the track. He finished 0.549-seconds behind Buescher.
"I got a bad restart," Hamlin said. "I had to recover too much ground from what I lost on the frontstretch. Almost got to the outside, and then in turn four, almost got to the outside again, and then in turn one, I was like ‘I’m just going to ship it in there and try to get to the outside one more time’ and I just carried way too much speed and locked up the left front tires."
LARSON-HAMLIN
Kyle Larson, angered last week when Hamlin caused him to hit the wall while leading while Hamlin went on to win, was running a few laps down when he nudged Hamlin out of the way with 70 laps to go during Sunday's race.
Larson, who won at Richmond in April, finished 19th.
"I think he was having a frustrating day," Hamlin said. "It's all good."
SCORCHER
With temperatures in the mid-80s, it was about 15 degrees cooler than Saturday, when the temperature approached 100 and the heat index was at least 105.
Nevertheless, points leader Martin Truex Jr. still struggled.
"It was definitely really, really hot," he said. "It felt longer than 400 laps. I’ll be honest, when we got to the end of stage two —– I thought there was no way. I thought that was the checkered flag. It just felt really, really long."
Truex finished seventh.
CLEAN RACE
All 36 cars that started the race were still running at the end.
UP NEXT
The series moves to Michigan where Kevin Harvick, winless so far in this his final season, is the defending champion. | https://www.foxbangor.com/sports/national-sports/chris-buescher-secures-nascar-playoff-spot-with-richmond-win/article_b9dabd5f-abf1-50ff-a75a-ddb17bb35e48.html | 2023-07-31T02:21:57 | 1 | https://www.foxbangor.com/sports/national-sports/chris-buescher-secures-nascar-playoff-spot-with-richmond-win/article_b9dabd5f-abf1-50ff-a75a-ddb17bb35e48.html |
Defending Formula One champion Max Verstappen enters the mid-season break in unstoppable form, after emphatically winning the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday for an eighth straight win and 10th overall of a crushingly dominant season.
Despite starting from sixth place he finished 22.3 seconds ahead of teammate Sergio Perez to give Red Bull an easy 1-2. It moved Verstappen ominously closer to a third straight world title and his own F1 record of 15 wins from last year.
Verstappen is 125 points ahead of Perez after just 12 races, and his next target is matching Sebastian Vettel’s F1 record of nine straight wins with a victory at the Dutch GP when the lopsided season resumes on Aug. 27.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
"I just want to have a nice time now, have a bit of time with family and friends," Verstappen said.
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc finished in third spot for a third podium of the season, with Lewis Hamilton in fourth for Mercedes ahead of Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso.
George Russell was sixth for Mercedes, with Lando Norris (McLaren), Esteban Ocon (Alpine), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), and Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) completing the top 10.
Leclerc started on pole ahead of Perez, with Hamilton and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr. behind them. McLaren rookie Oscar Piastri was on the next row alongside Verstappen — who was fastest in Friday's qualifying but took a five-place grid penalty for a gearbox change and had to avoid early traffic.
"It was just about surviving turn one. I could see it was all getting really tight," Verstappen said. "I’ve been in that position before myself so I am just going to stay out of that and it worked out. From there onwards I made the right overtakes."
Last year Verstappen won from 14th, and once he overtook Perez on Lap 17 of 44 his 45th career win was seemingly inevitable.
"Really enjoyable to drive once I got in the lead," Verstappen said. "It was again a great race."
Red Bull extended its record to 13 straight wins, including the final race of last season.
Hamilton came in on the penultimate lap for a tire change and the move paid off as he took the bonus point for fastest lap from Verstappen — a very minor blip for the dominant Dutchman.
It was yet another stellar weekend for Verstappen, who also won Saturday’s sprint race. The only issue was some more bickering with his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase over radio, as they continued their spat from Friday’s qualifying.
"Don’t forget Max, use your head, please," Lambiase told Verstappen when he questioned why Perez was making his first tire change on Lap 14.
Verstappen defused any talk of tension with Lambiase.
DANIEL RICCIARDO REPLACES NYCK DE VRIES ON RED BULL'S JUNIOR TEAM ALPHATAURI FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR
"It’s fine. We know each other very well and we have a very good relationship," he said. "I think it’s really important."
With some rain forecast, Verstappen boxed on the next lap and came out about 2 seconds behind Perez. Just minutes later he cruised past Perez and, as so often this season, the rest was just about control.
Perez, meanwhile, pledged to stay on the podium for the rest of the season.
"It’s been a bit of a rough patch," the 33-year-old Mexican said. "I really need this summer break, it’s been really intense. I’ll come back really strong for Zandvoort."
Conditions were dry for the race start, in stark contrast to the two previous days, which were impacted by heavy rain at the 7-kilometer (4.3-mile) Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
Leclerc, who won his first F1 race here in 2019, made a solid start but Perez’s extra pace soon put him in front.
"I knew it was quite crucial for my race to get Charles on Lap 1," Perez said.
Verstappen rose two places to fourth after Sainz bumped into Piastri on the first corner.
Piastri had to retire, while Verstappen overtook Hamilton on Lap 6, Leclerc three laps later and made short work of Perez just before some rain fell briefly.
Some good overtaking from Ocon moved the Frenchman up from 10th to eighth in the closing stages.
It was an early end for Piastri, who had impressed with a second place in Saturday’s sprint race.
A bad day for Sainz saw him retiring on Lap 25 and Leclerc moving above him in the standings.
"Of course the race was good on my side, a shame for Carlos as we had good pace," Leclerc said. "When you look at the Red Bulls we still have a lot of work to do ... This was the best we could achieve today, no doubt."
After the F1 break there will be 10 races left, but most of the competition for places will be behind Verstappen.
Alonso is one point ahead of Hamilton in third overall, with Leclerc and Russell level and Sainz seven points behind them. | https://www.foxbangor.com/sports/national-sports/max-verstappen-takes-home-victory-at-rainy-belgian-grand-prix/article_4c9a1d32-0c86-576b-b29e-2825bcad1eda.html | 2023-07-31T02:22:03 | 0 | https://www.foxbangor.com/sports/national-sports/max-verstappen-takes-home-victory-at-rainy-belgian-grand-prix/article_4c9a1d32-0c86-576b-b29e-2825bcad1eda.html |
Paige Spiranac is one of the most followed golf influencers in the sport, with millions of followers between Instagram and TikTok with her brand. However, she seemed to take issue with her views recently.
Spiranac has 1.5 million followers on her TikTok account alone. She said in a video last week that she was "shadow banned" over the content she puts out.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
"So I was told that all of my content is shadow banned because of the girls," she said as she zoomed in on her breasts. "I don’t get it, because when I’m scrolling through the ‘For You page,’ I have girls in bikinis dancing to ‘One Margarita,’ and I’m like, ‘Yes, girl, get it!’ but I also want to get it!"
She asked in the screencap, "make the guidelines make sense." It wasn't immediately clear who told Spiranac she had been "shadow banned."
Spiranac’ views went from more than a million down to just over 100,000 on some of her posts to barely 60,000 on others. The last time she received more than 1 million views came in May when she was showing fans how to hit a certain shot – with some sexual innuendo thrown in there as well.
She received more than 2 million views on that post and 2 million on the one video before that.
GOLFER JUSTIN DOEDEN ADMITS TO CHEATING AT CANADA EVENT: 'I PRAY FOR YOUR FORGIVENESS'
She had more than 450,000 views on a separate golf-swing video at the beginning of the month.
The term "shadow ban" refers to a user’s videos being restricted without the user being notified.
A TikTok spokesperson told Fox News Digital the company doesn’t "shadow ban" creators on its app. The spokesperson added that the company only takes measures against creators if there have been repeated violations of the guidelines and the creator is notified of the discipline.
The community guidelines state that its content moderation process is built on four pillars – remove content that violates its policies, age-restrict mature content so it's viewed by those who are 18 years or older, maintain the "For You Feed" so that any content promoted by the recommendation system is appropriate for the broader audience, and "empower" the community with info, tools and resources.
The company also has specific guidelines about different types of mature content, including "nudity and body exposure" and "sexually suggested content." Users also have the ability to view their account status and a reports records page where creators can see the status of reports they have made on other content.
About two of Spiranac’s videos have been marked as age-restricted content since she opened her account in March 2019, the spokesperson said. The spokesperson declined to give a time frame, citing user privacy.
Spiranac routinely takes down those who disrespect her on social media, especially when it comes to the way she looks. In April, she clapped back at one commenter.
"This is so insulting to men," the comment reads. "Don’t toy with our love of golf. You’re beautiful, yes. But you don’t need to be overt. Dress proper and u’d still be hot."
Spiranac lost the robe she was wearing in the video and responded.
"So, what I’m gathering is that you hate boobs," she said. "But everyone loves boobs. Boobs are great!" | https://www.foxbangor.com/sports/national-sports/paige-spiranac-says-the-girls-got-her-shadow-banned-on-tiktok/article_c954a0ea-2238-54e9-893b-c670db093dfe.html | 2023-07-31T02:22:09 | 1 | https://www.foxbangor.com/sports/national-sports/paige-spiranac-says-the-girls-got-her-shadow-banned-on-tiktok/article_c954a0ea-2238-54e9-893b-c670db093dfe.html |
The Texas Rangers have loaded up the pitching rotation for a run at the Fall Classic.
The Rangers on Sunday acquired Jordan Montgomery from the St. Louis Cardinals – just a day after the team received Max Scherzer in a deal with the New York Mets. Texas also received pitcher Chris Stratton and international pool bonus money for pitchers John King and T.K. Roby and infielder Tommy Saggese.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
St. Louis dealt Jordan Hicks to the Toronto Blue Jays earlier in the day.
Montgomery was in his second season with the Cardinals. He had spent more than six seasons with the New York Yankees before he was traded to the Cardinals last season.
METS GM DENIES TEAM'S REBUILDING AS MAX SCHERZER TRADE TO RANGERS BECOMES OFFICIAL
In 21 starts this year, Montgomery is 6-9 with a 3.42 ERA and 108 strikeouts. He now joins a race for the American League West with the likes of Scherzer, Dane Dunning, Martin Perez, Cody Bradford, Jon Gray and Andrew Heaney.
Stratton also heads to the Rangers with Montgomery. The reliever has a 4.36 ERA in 42 appearances.
King made 15 appearances for the Rangers this season. He has a 5.79 ERA with 10 strikeouts. Roby has spent his time in Double-A Frisco this year. He has a 5.05 ERA in 10 starts. Saggese has also spent his year in Frisco. He’s hitting .314 with 15 home runs and 78 RBI.
Texas has made clear it’s locked and loaded for a postseason run. | https://www.foxbangor.com/sports/national-sports/rangers-acquire-jordan-montgomery-from-cardinals-in-latest-move-to-bolster-rotation-for-postseason-push/article_52cae4cd-e4a2-59b0-bb5e-34f02dc40f89.html | 2023-07-31T02:22:16 | 0 | https://www.foxbangor.com/sports/national-sports/rangers-acquire-jordan-montgomery-from-cardinals-in-latest-move-to-bolster-rotation-for-postseason-push/article_52cae4cd-e4a2-59b0-bb5e-34f02dc40f89.html |
Amid a wave of incidents involving fans at concerts throwing objects at artists, it happened again this weekend.
This time to rapper Cardi B, who returned the favor.
A video from her performance in Las Vegas on Saturday shows someone in the crowd, close to the stage, throwing a drink at Cardi. The rapper then throws her microphone back at the person.
Security got involved, and the rapper reportedly continued with her set.
So far, no charges have been filed against the person who threw the drink at Cardi or against Cardi for throwing her microphone.
Cardi later posted on socialmedia a video where she says, “not the girl who threw the water yelling she’s sorry after.”
This comes after an alarming string of incidents where people keep throwing things on stage, sometimes even hurting performers.
In June, Pop star Bebe Rexha was hit by a cellphone in the face during a show in New York, forcing her to stop the music. The strike left the singer with a black eyeand in need of stitches.
Also in June, country artist Kelsea Ballerini was hit in the face by an object. She too stopped her set before returning with a message to fans.
This month, Harry Styles was also hit in the eye with an object while performing in Vienna, and rapper Drake was hit in the arm by a phone thrown during his concert in Chicago.
SEE MORE: Why do fans keep throwing things at artists during concerts?
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.wrtv.com/cardi-b-throws-microphone-at-concertgoer-after-they-throw-drink-at-her | 2023-07-31T02:22:24 | 0 | https://www.wrtv.com/cardi-b-throws-microphone-at-concertgoer-after-they-throw-drink-at-her |
Music streaming is through the roof this year.
With acts from all over the world taking over the charts and doing so in record fashion.
American music acts are on the list of chart-topping hits from Miley Cyrus, whose single "Flowers" reached one billion streams faster than any song in Spotifyhistory in 2023. To SZA's smash hit "Kill Bill," which has also amassed more than a billion streams this year.
Luminate, one of the leaders in global entertainment data and research, says global streams have already topped one trillion this year.
The fastest climb to a trillion streams since the inception of music streaming reached just three months into the year, a full month faster than last year. And with that growth comes an increasing interest in non-English-language music.
Luminate’s report found nearly 40% of music listeners in the U.S. enjoy music in languages other than English.
Spanish and K-pop are leading the surge in global pop music.
"They both have incredibly loyal and passionate fan bases, and that really creates an environment where fans are always on the lookout for new music," said Jaime Marconette.
Marconette is Luminate’s senior director of music insights and industry relations.
When asked if English-speaking artists are losing their global appeal, Marconette said what we're seeing is most likely due to the increase of people speaking other languages other than English in the country.
"I think that's a fair question, but I think that's a really complicated answer because I don't know if they're losing their appeal," said Marconette. "But I think that what we're seeing is probably a bit of a rise of native languages, or languages that are specific to certain regions, or even diasporas as they move to other countries, starting to grow."
SEE MORE: Why are Mexican Corridos gaining popularity on the music charts?
Latin megastar Bad Bunny’s "Un Verano Sin Ti," which dropped in the Spring of 2022, continues to dominate Luminate’s mid-year top album chart in 2023.
When it comes to both physical and digital sales, K-pop is as pop as it gets.
"The number one source of discovery for K-pop fans here in the U.S. is video and then also audio streaming services; you know, these K-pop fans are also 76% more likely to stream music than the average listener," said Marconette.
Spanish, French, Japanese, Korean, Italian, German, and Arabic have all emerged as popular languages for non-anglophonic music.
The cultural melting pot that is the U.S. is also helping the rise of non-English music.
"But one of the things that we're seeing is that changing population demographics is definitely making the import of music from other countries easier," said Marconette.
Content platforms like YouTube and social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram also bring the world’s music to U.S. listeners and make it easier for people to share new songs.
"There are really no borders; there are really no geographical barriers," said Marconette. "We're finding that fans in other countries are very easily able to access all sorts of music; you know, really, the world's music library is essentially available."
While it's safe to say English-speaking music will always be around, American music executives are certainly paying attention to the shift. That means they're scoping out international talent more than ever.
"Understanding population changes, you know, those sorts of things together can really guide the way for, you know, music to cross borders, whether, you know, internationally or coming into the U.S. as well," said Marconette.
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.wrtv.com/music-streams-for-2023-hit-1-trillion-in-record-time | 2023-07-31T02:22:30 | 1 | https://www.wrtv.com/music-streams-for-2023-hit-1-trillion-in-record-time |
Amid a wave of incidents involving fans at concerts throwing objects at artists, it happened again this weekend.
This time to rapper Cardi B, who returned the favor.
A video from her performance in Las Vegas on Saturday shows someone in the crowd, close to the stage, throwing a drink at Cardi. The rapper then throws her microphone back at the person.
Security got involved, and the rapper reportedly continued with her set.
So far, no charges have been filed against the person who threw the drink at Cardi or against Cardi for throwing her microphone.
Cardi later posted on socialmedia a video where she says, “not the girl who threw the water yelling she’s sorry after.”
This comes after an alarming string of incidents where people keep throwing things on stage, sometimes even hurting performers.
In June, Pop star Bebe Rexha was hit by a cellphone in the face during a show in New York, forcing her to stop the music. The strike left the singer with a black eyeand in need of stitches.
Also in June, country artist Kelsea Ballerini was hit in the face by an object. She too stopped her set before returning with a message to fans.
This month, Harry Styles was also hit in the eye with an object while performing in Vienna, and rapper Drake was hit in the arm by a phone thrown during his concert in Chicago.
SEE MORE: Why do fans keep throwing things at artists during concerts?
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.wmar2news.com/cardi-b-throws-microphone-at-concertgoer-after-they-throw-drink-at-her | 2023-07-31T02:23:09 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/cardi-b-throws-microphone-at-concertgoer-after-they-throw-drink-at-her |
July keeps sizzling as Phoenix hits another 110-degree day and wildfires spread in California
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix sizzled through its 31st consecutive day of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) and other parts of the country grappled Sunday with record temperatures after a week that saw significant portions of the U.S. population subject to extreme heat.
The National Weather Service said Phoenix was expected to climb to 112 F (44.4 Celsius) before the day was through.
July has been so steamy thus far that scientists calculate it will be the hottest month ever recorded and likely the warmest human civilization has seen. The World Meteorological Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service on Thursday proclaimed July beyond record-smashing.
The historic heat began blasting the lower Southwest U.S. in late June, stretching from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California’s desert.
On Sunday, a massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve spread rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the south that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the preserve sent up a huge plume of smoke visible nearly 100 miles (160 kilometers) away across the state line in Nevada.
Flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots have charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometers) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to a Sunday update.
“The dry fuel acts as a ready ignition source, and when paired with those weather conditions it resulted in long-distance fire run and high flames, leading to extreme fire behavior,” authorities said. No structures were threatened, but there was also no containment.
To the southwest, the Bonny Fire was holding steady at about 3.4 square miles (8.8 square kilometers) in rugged hills of Riverside County. More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday near the remote community of Aguanga, California.
Triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the central San Joaquin Valley through Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
And in Burbank, California, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, the summer heat may have been responsible for some unusual behavior in the animal kingdom: Police in the city responded to a report of a bear sighting in a residential neighborhood and found the animal sitting in a Jacuzzi behind one of the homes.
As climate change brings hotter and longer heat waves, record temperatures across the U.S. have killed dozens of people, and the poorest Americans suffer the most. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
Last year, all 86 heat-related deaths indoors were in uncooled environments.
“To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills,” said Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor who researches heat and health. “Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours.”
It’s the poorest and people of color, from Kansas City to Detroit to New York City and beyond, who are far more likely to face grueling heat without air conditioning, according to a Boston University analysis of 115 U.S. metro areas.
Back in Phoenix, slight relief may be on the way as expected seasonal thunderstorms could drop temperatures Monday and Tuesday.
“It should be around 108 degrees, so we break that 110 streak,” meteorologist Tom Frieders said. “Increasing cloud cover will put temperatures in a downward trend.”
The relief could be short-lived, however. Highs are expected to creep back to 110 F (43.3 C) Wednesday with temperatures reaching 115 F (46.1 C) by the end of the week.
Phoenix has also sweated through a record 16 consecutive nights when the lows temperature didn’t dip below 90 F (32.2 C), making it hard for people to cool off after sunset.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas continues to flirt with its hottest July ever. The city is closing in on its 2010 record for the average of the high and low each day for July, which stands at 96.2 F (35.5 C).
The extreme heat is also hitting the eastern U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places recorded their warmest days so far this year.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ | 2023-07-31T02:23:09 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ |
JESSUP, Md. — The Howard County Police Department is investigating a motorcycle crash that left one person dead Sunday evening.
Just before 6 p.m., a 2023 Kawasaki Motorcycle was driving eastbound on Route 175 between Route 1 and Pocomoke Avenue.
According to police, the rider, 23-year-old Devinn Dwight Gleaton of Odenton, lost control of the motorcycle and struck a curb and a pole.
Gleaton was pronounced dead at the scene.
No other vehicles were involved in the crash.
Route 175 eastbound was closed for about three hours after the crash. | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/motorcycle-crash-leaves-one-person-dead-in-howard-co | 2023-07-31T02:23:15 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/motorcycle-crash-leaves-one-person-dead-in-howard-co |
HOWARD COUNTY — A mother who lost her son to a drug overdose held a fundraiser to raise awareness, highlighting the dangers of fentanyl.
Debbie Santini lost her son Jesse Byrd last February due to an overdose on fentanyl while he was at a recovery house in Annapolis.
Now she says she has a mission to advocate for change in recovery housing, raise public awareness, and talk about the dangers of illicit drugs while supporting those in recovery.
"Hopefully, save another family from going through the devastation of losing a child," said Santini. "No family is immune to this."
Carin Miller is a member of the Maryland Heroin Awareness Advocates. She says fentanyl is being replaced with Narcan-resistant drugs.
"Fentanyl is now being replaced by zylozine. It's a large animal tranquilizer, and they are selling it on the streets as fentanyl,and it's killing people because it is Narcan-resistant," said Miller.
To learn more about the organizations supporting this fundraiser, click here. | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/no-family-is-immune-to-this-mother-raises-awareness-of-fentanyl-dangers-after-sons-death | 2023-07-31T02:23:21 | 0 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/no-family-is-immune-to-this-mother-raises-awareness-of-fentanyl-dangers-after-sons-death |
Music streaming is through the roof this year.
With acts from all over the world taking over the charts and doing so in record fashion.
American music acts are on the list of chart-topping hits from Miley Cyrus, whose single "Flowers" reached one billion streams faster than any song in Spotifyhistory in 2023. To SZA's smash hit "Kill Bill," which has also amassed more than a billion streams this year.
Luminate, one of the leaders in global entertainment data and research, says global streams have already topped one trillion this year.
The fastest climb to a trillion streams since the inception of music streaming reached just three months into the year, a full month faster than last year. And with that growth comes an increasing interest in non-English-language music.
Luminate’s report found nearly 40% of music listeners in the U.S. enjoy music in languages other than English.
Spanish and K-pop are leading the surge in global pop music.
"They both have incredibly loyal and passionate fan bases, and that really creates an environment where fans are always on the lookout for new music," said Jaime Marconette.
Marconette is Luminate’s senior director of music insights and industry relations.
When asked if English-speaking artists are losing their global appeal, Marconette said what we're seeing is most likely due to the increase of people speaking other languages other than English in the country.
"I think that's a fair question, but I think that's a really complicated answer because I don't know if they're losing their appeal," said Marconette. "But I think that what we're seeing is probably a bit of a rise of native languages, or languages that are specific to certain regions, or even diasporas as they move to other countries, starting to grow."
SEE MORE: Why are Mexican Corridos gaining popularity on the music charts?
Latin megastar Bad Bunny’s "Un Verano Sin Ti," which dropped in the Spring of 2022, continues to dominate Luminate’s mid-year top album chart in 2023.
When it comes to both physical and digital sales, K-pop is as pop as it gets.
"The number one source of discovery for K-pop fans here in the U.S. is video and then also audio streaming services; you know, these K-pop fans are also 76% more likely to stream music than the average listener," said Marconette.
Spanish, French, Japanese, Korean, Italian, German, and Arabic have all emerged as popular languages for non-anglophonic music.
The cultural melting pot that is the U.S. is also helping the rise of non-English music.
"But one of the things that we're seeing is that changing population demographics is definitely making the import of music from other countries easier," said Marconette.
Content platforms like YouTube and social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram also bring the world’s music to U.S. listeners and make it easier for people to share new songs.
"There are really no borders; there are really no geographical barriers," said Marconette. "We're finding that fans in other countries are very easily able to access all sorts of music; you know, really, the world's music library is essentially available."
While it's safe to say English-speaking music will always be around, American music executives are certainly paying attention to the shift. That means they're scoping out international talent more than ever.
"Understanding population changes, you know, those sorts of things together can really guide the way for, you know, music to cross borders, whether, you know, internationally or coming into the U.S. as well," said Marconette.
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.wmar2news.com/music-streams-for-2023-hit-1-trillion-in-record-time | 2023-07-31T02:23:27 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/music-streams-for-2023-hit-1-trillion-in-record-time |
July keeps sizzling as Phoenix hits another 110-degree day and wildfires spread in California
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix sizzled through its 31st consecutive day of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) and other parts of the country grappled Sunday with record temperatures after a week that saw significant portions of the U.S. population subject to extreme heat.
The National Weather Service said Phoenix was expected to climb to 112 F (44.4 Celsius) before the day was through.
July has been so steamy thus far that scientists calculate it will be the hottest month ever recorded and likely the warmest human civilization has seen. The World Meteorological Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service on Thursday proclaimed July beyond record-smashing.
The historic heat began blasting the lower Southwest U.S. in late June, stretching from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California’s desert.
On Sunday, a massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve spread rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the south that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the preserve sent up a huge plume of smoke visible nearly 100 miles (160 kilometers) away across the state line in Nevada.
Flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots have charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometers) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to a Sunday update.
“The dry fuel acts as a ready ignition source, and when paired with those weather conditions it resulted in long-distance fire run and high flames, leading to extreme fire behavior,” authorities said. No structures were threatened, but there was also no containment.
To the southwest, the Bonny Fire was holding steady at about 3.4 square miles (8.8 square kilometers) in rugged hills of Riverside County. More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday near the remote community of Aguanga, California.
Triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the central San Joaquin Valley through Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
And in Burbank, California, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, the summer heat may have been responsible for some unusual behavior in the animal kingdom: Police in the city responded to a report of a bear sighting in a residential neighborhood and found the animal sitting in a Jacuzzi behind one of the homes.
As climate change brings hotter and longer heat waves, record temperatures across the U.S. have killed dozens of people, and the poorest Americans suffer the most. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
Last year, all 86 heat-related deaths indoors were in uncooled environments.
“To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills,” said Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor who researches heat and health. “Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours.”
It’s the poorest and people of color, from Kansas City to Detroit to New York City and beyond, who are far more likely to face grueling heat without air conditioning, according to a Boston University analysis of 115 U.S. metro areas.
Back in Phoenix, slight relief may be on the way as expected seasonal thunderstorms could drop temperatures Monday and Tuesday.
“It should be around 108 degrees, so we break that 110 streak,” meteorologist Tom Frieders said. “Increasing cloud cover will put temperatures in a downward trend.”
The relief could be short-lived, however. Highs are expected to creep back to 110 F (43.3 C) Wednesday with temperatures reaching 115 F (46.1 C) by the end of the week.
Phoenix has also sweated through a record 16 consecutive nights when the lows temperature didn’t dip below 90 F (32.2 C), making it hard for people to cool off after sunset.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas continues to flirt with its hottest July ever. The city is closing in on its 2010 record for the average of the high and low each day for July, which stands at 96.2 F (35.5 C).
The extreme heat is also hitting the eastern U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places recorded their warmest days so far this year.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbrc.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ | 2023-07-31T02:23:38 | 0 | https://www.wbrc.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ |
Dream vs. Aces Prediction & Picks: Line, Spread, Over/Under - August 1
The Las Vegas Aces (23-2) will try to build on a seven-game winning stretch when hosting the Atlanta Dream (14-11) on Tuesday, August 1, 2023 at Michelob ULTRA Arena. This game is at 10:00 PM ET on BSSE.
The game has no line set.
Rep your team with officially licensed Dream gear! Head to Fanatics to find jerseys, shirts, and much more.
Dream vs. Aces Game Info & Odds
- When: Tuesday, August 1, 2023 at 10:00 PM ET
- Where: Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada
- TV: BSSE
Check out the latest odds and place your bets on the Aces or Dream with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use our link for the best new user offer, no promo code required!
Dream vs. Aces Score Prediction
Prediction: Aces 90 Dream 76
Spread & Total Prediction for Dream vs. Aces
- Computer Predicted Spread: Las Vegas (-14)
- Computer Predicted Total: 166.3
Dream vs. Aces Spread & Total Insights
- Atlanta's record against the spread is 13-10-0.
- This year, 12 of Atlanta's 24 games have hit the over.
Watch live WNBA games without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
Dream Performance Insights
- The Dream are fourth in the WNBA in points scored (84.8 per game) and ninth in points allowed (84.6).
- On the glass, Atlanta is third-best in the WNBA in rebounds (36.8 per game). It is ninth in rebounds allowed (35.8 per game).
- In 2023, the Dream are second-worst in the league in turnovers committed (14.5 per game) and sixth in turnovers forced (13.2).
- In 2023 the Dream are fifth in the league in 3-point makes (7.2 per game) and third-best in 3-point percentage (35.9%).
- Defensively, the Dream are fourth in the league in 3-pointers allowed per game at 7.4. They are second-best in 3-point percentage conceded at 32.6%.
- In 2023, Atlanta has attempted 70.9% percent of its shots from inside the arc, and 29.1% percent from beyond it. In terms of made shots, 76.0% of Atlanta's buckets have been 2-pointers, and 24.0% have been 3-pointers.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/08/01/dream-aces-wnba-picks-predictions/ | 2023-07-31T02:23:45 | 0 | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/08/01/dream-aces-wnba-picks-predictions/ |
Updated July 30, 2023 at 10:09 PM ET
It's the end of the road for one of the nation's largest freight carriers.
Yellow, a trucking company that just three years ago took a $700 million federal pandemic loan, is shutting down, according to the Teamsters union, which represents the company's 22,000 unionized workers.
The company is expected to file for bankruptcy as soon as Monday, according to industry experts, following a recent exodus of customers amid union strife and on top of years of financial troubles.
With 30,000 jobs at stake, it's poised to be the largest trucking bankruptcy in the history of the U.S., experts said. The company, formerly known as YRC Worldwide, is the third largest less-than-truckload carrier by revenue, behind FedEx and Old Dominion. LTL companies move pallet-sized shipments — smaller than a container, but bigger than a parcel.
Yellow has not publicly announced any plans for bankruptcy or a potential shutdown.
Here's what we know.
Employees were told to prepare for a company shutdown
The Teamsters union, which had been locked in contentious negotiations for a new contract with Yellow, said it received a legal notice that Yellow is ceasing operations and filing for bankruptcy, according to a news release posted Sunday night.
"Today's news is unfortunate but not surprising," said Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien. "This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry."
The union's announcement comes hours after The Wall Street Journal reported that Yellow shut down on Sunday afternoon, citing internal notices sent to customers and employees.
Yellow says it will issue a public statement on Monday about "the state of the company and the operation," according to the industry outlet FreightWaves, which also obtained internal documents.
Yellow has not responded to NPR's requests for comment.
Yellow laid off an unknown number of its employees on Friday, reported FreightWaves, citing a memo sent to staff informing them that the company is "shutting down its regular operations" and "laying off employees at all of its locations."
The same day, Teamsters had advised Yellow employees to "prepare for the worst."
"Yellow appears to be headed to a complete shutdown within the next few days," said Teamsters National Freight Director John Murphy in a Friday memo shared with NPR.
A strike threat delivered the final blow to cash-poor Yellow
The shutdown comes just days after a Teamsters strike at the company was averted. A week ago, a pension fund agreed to extend health benefits for workers at two Yellow operating companies after the carrier missed its $50 million benefits payment to the fund on July 15, the union said.
While the extension held off a July 24 strike, the threat of a walkout that could disrupt operations prompted a wave of Yellow customers to bolt.
"The Teamsters actions induced a high level of variability and uncertainty in the market for Yellow's customers. The market abhors variability and uncertainty," wrote Mike Regan, co-founder of TranzAct Technologies, which manages transportation services for retailers. "Consequently, Yellow lost substantial and much needed volume."
After the strike threat, Yellow's freight volumes fell 80% within the span of a week, according to Jack Atkins, a managing director at the financial services firm Stephens who researches the transportation sector.
At the same time, he said, Yellow's cries that it was running out of cash during union negotiation attempts scared off customers. After fleeing to rival carriers like FedEx and ABF Freight, customers didn't return.
"Both sides bear fault," Atkins said. "Once that freight left, there was nothing left to really restructure," he added. "It was really too late to save the company."
The company has been at risk of bankruptcy for years
Animus between Yellow and Teamsters has grown in recent months, with each party blaming one another for the company's problems.
After the trucking carrier tried to restructure its operations this spring as a cost-saving measure that would allow it to refinance its debt. In June, Yellow sued the union for blocking the restructuring plan it said was "essential to the company's survival." The Teamsters in turn called the lawsuit "baseless," instead blaming Yellow for "decades of gross mismanagement," that included its alleged exhaustion of the $700 million bailout loan.
The company reported a net income of $21.8 million last year. Yellow has $1.3 billion in loan debt due in fall 2024, $729 million of which is owed to the federal government, according to the company's latest quarterly report.
Yellow received a $700 million loan from the government in 2020 as part of a COVID-19 rescue package. In return, the Treasury Department took a 30% stake in the company's shares, which have since plummeted to less than a dollar apiece as of Friday.
In June, a congressional probe found that the Treasury Department's disbursement of the loan was a mistake; the freight company — whose customers included the Department of Defense — did not actually meet the standards to qualify for the business loan because its survival was not "critical to maintaining national security."
"Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Yellow was a financially struggling company that had a long-term non-investment grade (i.e., junk) rating and previous close calls with bankruptcy over the years. The pandemic did not cause Yellow's longstanding problems, nor is the Treasury's loan to the company likely to solve those problems," the Congressional Oversight Commission report read.
A world without Yellow
An end to the Nashville-based company would mean the loss of 30,000 jobs.
In its Sunday statement, the Teamsters union said it's working to help "affected members get the assistance they need to find good union jobs throughout freight and other industries."
Atkins doesn't expect the federal government to come to the rescue this time. While there may be some slight disruptions, the analyst anticipates other freight carriers will have some capacity to absorb Yellow's business because of a recent dent in freight volumes.
"This is not going to create a supply-chain crisis," he said.
Retailers and manufacturers are likely to see higher shipping rates if the company folds, he said. Yellow is known for its low shipping rates compared to its rivals.
Atkins visited the Yellow terminal in Little Rock, Ark., on Sunday to find all gates chained up, a sign of ceased operations.
"They've been in wind-down mode, clearing the network out of all the remaining freight," he said. "This is the end."
NPR's Camila Domonoske contributed to this story.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-30/the-yellow-trucking-company-meltdown-explained | 2023-07-31T02:24:03 | 1 | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-30/the-yellow-trucking-company-meltdown-explained |
BEIJING, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- President Xi Jinping visited the site of a section of an ancient road system known as "Shudao" in Guangyuan on July 25, which winds its way through rugged mountains and ancient trees. There, Xi learned about efforts surrounding ecological conservation.
This visit marks Xi's attention to China's ecological development, which has achieved remarkable progress over the past 10 years, said experts.
Witnessing the government's recent remarks on ecology, they believed that the country's road of building a Beautiful China has demonstrated the nation's wisdom in balancing the needs of economic development and improving the environment.
Before heading to Sichuan, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered a speech at a national conference on ecological and environmental protection held from July 17 to 18.
Xi said that the country's ecological conservation has undergone a historic, transformative and comprehensive changes both in theory and practice, with significant strides made in building a Beautiful China.
Noting that China's economy and society have entered a stage of high-quality development marked by accelerated progress in promoting green and low-carbon growth, Xi called for higher standards, a broader perspective and stronger efforts in planning and advancing ecological and environmental protection on the new journey, as well as writing a new chapter of ecological conservation in the new era.
Xi stressed the need to properly handle the relationships between high-quality development and high-level protection, between tackling major challenges and coordinating governance, between natural recovery and human-assisted restoration, between external constraints and internal driving forces, as well as between "dual carbon" commitments and self-determined actions.
Xi said that the country's ecological conservation has undergone historical, transformative and comprehensive changes both in theory and practice, with significant strides made in building a Beautiful China.
This conference again showed us how importance the central government attaches to ecological protection, an official from environment protection bureau in Wuhai, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, who requested anonymity, told the Global Times on Friday. He said during the past 10 years, ecological protection has become an increasingly important indictor in evaluating government's performance in his city, which was famous for coal production.
"Although planting trees costs more in Inner Mongolia than in other parts of China due to lack of water and dry weather, we learned in the past 10 years that making our city greener brings more benefits than leaving the mountains bare. The city becomes more beautiful, residents are happy, and more tourists visit; also we saw less sandstorms," the official said.
During a press conference on Thursday, Huang Runqiu, China's minister of ecology and environment, highlighted China's achievement on ecological protection over recent years.
From 2013 to 2022, China's average PM2.5 concentration decreased by 57 percent and the number of heavily polluted days decreased by 93 percent, while the nation's GDP doubled during the same period, Huang said. This made China the country with the fastest improvement in air quality worldwide. Specifically, in Beijing, the average PM2.5 concentration decreased from 89.5 micrograms per cubic meter in 2013 to 30 micrograms per cubic meter in 2022, and the number of heavily polluted days decreased from 58 to only 3, said Huang. The United Nations Environment Agency praised this achievement as the "Beijing Miracle."
Lin Boqiang, director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University, told the Global Times that "China has engaged in a sustained top-down efforts for many years to enhance ecological protection. The central and local governments march together toward the same goal, with continuous environmental policies. Moreover, the country has demonstrated its wisdom in how to balance ecological development and maintain fast economic growth at the same time."
Perfect balance
We should protect nature and preserve the environment like we protect our eyes, and endeavor to foster a new relationship where man and nature can both prosper and live in harmony, President Xi once said.
Xi has given important instructions on the rational utilization and friendly protection of the ecological environment during his numerous visits to the frontlines of ecological protection, such as to the Maanshan forest farm in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the Qilian Mountains, the Shandan Horse Ranch in Gansu, an ecological wetland of the Dianchi Lake in Kunming, and many other places.
In June 2022, Xi visited Yibin, Sichuan Province, where the Jinsha and Minjiang rivers converge into the Yangtze River. He noted that sound ecological conservation along the Yangtze River basin is the precondition for advancing high-quality development in the Yangtze River Economic Belt.
The Yellow River and the Yangtze River are the mother rivers of the Chinese nation. The protection of the mother rivers is a crucial project concerning the great rejuvenation and sustainable development of the Chinese nation, Xi said at the time.
From June 5 to 6 this year, accompanied by officials from Inner Mongolia, Xi was on a fact-finding mission at a nature reserve, a modern agricultural demonstration park, a forest farm and a water resources department in the city of Bayannur.
On June 6, Xi presided over a symposium in Bayannur on strengthening the comprehensive prevention and control of desertification and promoting the construction of crucial ecological projects, including the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program.
Xi, who was then the Party Chief of Zhejiang, put forward the famous "two mountains" concept - clear waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets comparable to the gold and silver of legend - in August 2005 during his visit to Anji county.
Nowadays, residents in the county has sought out ways to make a living that they enjoy, with many becoming businessmen, running their own hostels, shops and tourism companies, thanks to the improved natural environment.
Pan Chunlin, a former miner, who now runs a hostel after local mines were shut down, explained the transformation to the Global Times "My annual income is now hundreds of times higher than before. Today, I can earn in a day what I used to make in one year".
Following the development approach referred to as the "two mountains" concept, in the past decade, Anji has modeled itself into a place known for its beautiful ecology and prosperous green industries, which have completely changed the villagers' lives, Jin Peihua, head of the "Two Mountains" Concept Research Institute affiliated with Huzhou University, said.
Global bellwether
Apart from domestic efforts, China is also making efforts in unifying a global effort on ecological preservation.
The 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, known as COP15, was convened in Kunming, Yunnan Province in 2021.
As the first global conference convened by the United Nations on the topic of ecological civilization, a philosophy proposed by China, it offered a platform for countries to find common ground on "Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth."
During an official trip to Zimbabwe in 2015, Xi visited a local wildlife sanctuary, where he fed an orphaned elephant. He reiterated China's commitment to wildlife protection and pledged to help Zimbabwe do so by donating equipment and exchanging experience with China.
Recalling Xi's explanation of China's initiatives to breed giant pandas and expand protected areas, Roxy Danckwerts, the founder of the sanctuary, said, "I thought that was very significant that he is making such big strides in his own country."
Bradley Blankenship, a Prague-based American journalist, columnist and political commentator, recently spent a week in Beijing. Speaking with the Global Times, he said that "I must admit that based on the antiquated view of China that many Americans have and discuss publicly, I expected the city to be smoggy and congested. To the contrary, it has beautiful blue skies.
"China has been successful in beautifying Beijing, as well as other cities and towns, by transitioning from coal power to gas, establishing emission standards for coal-fired stations, implementing tougher standards for other industries such as steel and cement and seeking high-quality development with a high-quality ecological environment. These achievements have been so successful that Beijing now stands as an example for mega-cities around the globe, particularly those in the Global South," Blankenship said.
During a visit to Guizhou in June, Manasa R. Tagicakibau, Fiji's Ambassador to China, said China is "so advanced" when it comes to ecological civilization. "You look at the development that's been achieved by Guizhou authorities together with the local people, ethnic minorities and the population at large, in terms of developing the area to make this mountainous area a very safe and harmonious and happy place to live in. I'm impressed."
The ambassador said Guizhou shares a lot of similarities to some of the mountainous regions in Fiji, but there is a lot to be done in Fiji in terms of accessibility and this is an area that Fiji can learn from China.
However, some Western countries, so-called pioneering initiatives on environment protection, take a laissez-afire attitude in face of environment disasters. Recently, Chinese scientists used scientific methods to assess it and concluded that, as of Wednesday, the carbon dioxide emissions from Canadian wildfires have reached approximately 1 billion tons, which has already developed into a global environmental event.
It is worth mentioning that the forest area in China is approximately 2.31 million square kilometers, which is roughly two-thirds of that in Canada. However, the average annual emission of carbon dioxide caused by forest fires in China from 2000-21 was approximately 15 million tons, only 0.2 percent of the global forest fire emissions, demonstrating China's responsible role as a major country, experts noted.
View original content:
SOURCE Global Times | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-times-xis-footsteps-sichuan-demonstrate-chinas-wisdom-balancing-economic-devt-ecological-protection/ | 2023-07-31T02:25:06 | 0 | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-times-xis-footsteps-sichuan-demonstrate-chinas-wisdom-balancing-economic-devt-ecological-protection/ |
WASHINGTON, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Teamsters Union was served legal notice today that Yellow Corp. is ceasing operations and filing for bankruptcy.
"Today's news is unfortunate but not surprising. Yellow has historically proven that it could not manage itself despite billions of dollars in worker concessions and hundreds of millions in bailout funding from the federal government. This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry," said Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien.
The Teamsters are committed to ensuring members are protected and notified with all the latest information. The International is putting infrastructure in place to help affected members get the assistance they need to find good union jobs throughout freight and other industries.
The situation is developing. Additional details are forthcoming.
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.
Contact:
Daniel Moskowitz, (770) 262-4971
dmoskowitz@teamster.org
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-notified-that-yellow-corp-operating-companies-have-closed/ | 2023-07-31T02:25:13 | 0 | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-notified-that-yellow-corp-operating-companies-have-closed/ |
The Los Angeles Angels have agreed to a deal to acquire Colorado Rockies outfielder Randal Grichuck and first baseman C.J. Cron, according to multiple reports.
The deal furthers the team's commitment to building around and attempting to retain Shohei Ohtani after the team declined to deal the two-way superstar before the upcoming trade deadline. | https://www.star945.com/news/national/angels-continue/H3PFRKEUC4LJTIS4NBC4EH6OAQ/ | 2023-07-31T02:25:17 | 1 | https://www.star945.com/news/national/angels-continue/H3PFRKEUC4LJTIS4NBC4EH6OAQ/ |
SUZHOU, China, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Transcenta Holding Limited ("Transcenta") (HKEX: 06628), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company with fully-integrated capabilities in discovery, research, development and manufacturing of antibody-based therapeutics, announces that it has received approval from China Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) to initiate Phase II clinical trial of TST002(Blosozumab). This study aims to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of TST002(Blosozumab) after single and multiple intravenous administrations in patients with reduced bone mineral density.
Osteoporosis is a significant health concern for the middle-aged and elderly population in China. It is estimated that by 2050, the number of osteoporosis patients will reach 120 million. Compared with RANKL mAbs, sclerostin mAbs successfully achieve the dual goal of preventing bone loss and rebuilding the bone. Evenity (Romosozumab) of Amgen is the only anti-sclerostin antibody drug that has been approved by the FDA in the United States. Up to the present, there was no anti-sclerostin antibody drug approved in China.
In May 2023, Transcenta presented Phase I unblinded data, which showed that the overall safety and tolerability of TST002 (Blosozumab) in all dose cohorts is favorable. On the efficacy side, all dose cohorts from 200-1,200 mg have shown a clinically meaningful increase in lumbar spine BMD on Day 85 (D85) after a single dose of TST002 (Blosozumab) and comparable to those of Blosozumab single dose study at the similar dose levels. The average increase of lumbar spine BMD at Day 85 (D85) from baseline ranged from 3.52% to 6.20% across dose cohorts, all exceeding the least significant difference (2.77%). The increase of lumbar spine BMD in the placebo group was only 0.30% even with optimal calcium and vitamin D supplemental treatment. In addition, encouraging BMD increase in total hip from 1.30% to 2.24% across dose cohorts were observed after single dose of TST002 (Blosozumab). In comparison, the mean percent change in lumbar spine BMD from baseline to month 12 was 5.4% after one year of Denosumab treatment.1
"We are excited to have received the clearance to move forward from CDE. Our Phase II will assess several regimens of TST002 (Blosozumab) with reduced dosing frequency, bringing us closer to our Phase III. We look forward to fully exploring the differentiated profile of TST002 to address the unmet medical need of the large patient population who suffers from osteoporosis," said Dr. Caroline Germa, Transcenta's Executive Vice President, Global Medicine Development and Chief Medical Officer.
Reference:
1 https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/105/3/e255/5607536
About TST002 (Blosozumab)
TST002 (Blosozumab) is a humanized anti-sclerostin monoclonal antibody as a drug candidate for osteoporosis and other bone loss diseases. It has a dual effect possessing both anabolic and anti-resorptive effects, which stimulates bone formation and inhibits bone absorption, resulting in fast increase in bone mineral density and bone strength. Blocking sclerostin activity in human treated with anti-sclerostin antibody or with naturally occurring genetic deletion has been shown to be an effective approach in increasing bone mineral density (BMD) and reducing bone fracture. Currently there is no approved anti-sclerostin antibody therapy in China yet although Romosozumab from Amgen has been approved in the United States, Europe and Japan.
About Transcenta Holding Limited
Transcenta (HKEX: 06628) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company with fully integrated capabilities in antibody-based biotherapeutics discovery, research, development and manufacturing.
Transcenta has established global footprint, with Headquarters and Discovery, Clinical and Translational Research Center in Suzhou, Process and Product Development Center and Manufacturing Facility in Hangzhou, and Clinical Development Centers in Princeton, US and in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou of China, and External Partnering Center in Boston and Los Angeles, US. Transcenta has also initiated the construction of the Group Headquarters and the second high-end biopharmaceutical facility with ICB as its core technology in Suzhou Industrial Park. Transcenta is developing 13 therapeutic antibody molecules for oncology and selected non-oncology indications including bone and kidney disorders.
For more information, please visit www.transcenta.com and https://www.linkedin.com/company/transcenta.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain certain forward-looking statements that are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to Transcenta, are intended to identify certain of such forward-looking statements. Transcenta does not intend to update these forward-looking statements regularly.
These forward-looking statements are based on the existing beliefs, assumptions, expectations, estimates, projections and understandings of the management of Transcenta with respect to future events at the time these statements are made. These statements are not a guarantee of future developments and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond Transcenta's control and are difficult to predict. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of future changes or developments in our business, Transcenta's competitive environment and political, economic, legal and social conditions.
Transcenta, the Directors and the employees of Transcenta assume (a) no obligation to correct or update the forward-looking statements contained in this site; and (b) no liability in the event that any of the forward-looking statements does not materialize or turn out to be incorrect.
View original content:
SOURCE Transcenta Holding Limited | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/transcenta-anti-sclerostin-monoclonal-antibody-tst002-blosozumab-received-approval-china-cde-initiate-phase-ii-clinical-trial-patients-with-reduced-bone-mineral-density/ | 2023-07-31T02:25:20 | 0 | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/transcenta-anti-sclerostin-monoclonal-antibody-tst002-blosozumab-received-approval-china-cde-initiate-phase-ii-clinical-trial-patients-with-reduced-bone-mineral-density/ |
MUNCIE, Ind. — One person was killed and at least 17 others were injured early Sunday after a gunman opened fire at a party in central Indiana, authorities said.
The shooting occurred during a street party in the eastern section of Muncie at about 1:14 a.m. EDT, the Star-Press reported.
According to a news release from the Muncie Police Department, the shooting happened in the area of South Hackley and Willard Street, WRTV reported.
Delaware County Coroner Gavin Greene identified the man fatally shot as Joseph E. Bonner III, 30, of Muncie, the Star-Press reported.
“Due to the number of victims and nature of the incident, multiple agencies were contacted to assist,” Deputy Police Chief Melissa Criswell told the newspaper in a statement.
Police officers from the nearby town of Eaton provided assistance, along with the the Delaware County Sheriff’s Department, the Indiana State Police and officers from Ball State University, the Star-Press reported.
A spokesperson for Indiana University Health Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie said that 18 people between the ages of 14 and 25 were treated at the facility, WXIN-TV reported.
Four victims were airlifted to other hospitals, according to WRTV.
“All scenes are contained and there is no immediate threat to public safety,” Criswell said in the news release to the Star-Press.
It is unclear what led to the shooting.
The Muncie Homecoming Festival Committee, which was hosting events on Saturday, said that the block party was not part of their weekend activities, WTHR-TV reported.
“This tragedy will not stop the hard work and dedication of those who endeavor to make Muncie a peaceful and loving community,” the committee said in a statement. “Acts of violence will not be tolerated here and we are united and moving forward in a positive manner even in grief.”
The Muncie Police Department has not released any other information or whether any arrests have been made, WRTV reported.
“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 police department said in a statement.
In a statement Sunday night, Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman said it was “too early in the investigation for me to say much,” the Star-Press reported.
“There are far too many guns on the street and I certainly question the wisdom of someone having a huge outdoor party with several hundred people, including juveniles, carrying on into the early morning hours,” Hoffman said. “Let’s take a dose of reality. This is not the Vegas Strip or Times Square. This is a residential neighborhood.” | https://www.star945.com/news/trending/muncie-shooting-1-dead-17-injured-after-gunman-opens-fire-party/VGZLRFWEWNGLXLB5QVG5MGNZDM/ | 2023-07-31T02:25:24 | 0 | https://www.star945.com/news/trending/muncie-shooting-1-dead-17-injured-after-gunman-opens-fire-party/VGZLRFWEWNGLXLB5QVG5MGNZDM/ |
BOSTON — A 16th-century document signed by Spanish conquistador Hernando Cortes has been returned to Mexico’s national archives by the U.S. government, officials said.
According to a news release from the FBI, the document, written and signed in 1527, was returned to the Mexican government on July 19.
The manuscript is a payment order signed by Cortés on April 27, 1527, authorizing the purchase of rose sugar for the pharmacy in exchange for 12 gold pesos, WFXT-TV reported. It is believed to be one of several documents unlawfully removed from a collection of documents sometime before 1993. The documents chronicled a Spanish expedition to Central America in 1527 that is currently housed in Mexico’s national archives, according to the television station.
The United States has returned a manuscript signed by Conquistador Hernando Cortés in 1527 to Mexico, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. https://t.co/SBWP0KDGzc
— Boston 25 News (@boston25) July 25, 2023
In the order, Cortes instructed his butler, Nicolás de Palacios Rubios, to purchase the sugar, The New York Times reported. One side of the document shows the request, while the back side records the payment, according to the newspaper.
The receipt was handwritten in Spanish, penned in iron gall ink on rag paper, the Times reported. It measures about 8.5 inches by 6 inches.
Cortes is credited with commanding a large-scale expedition from Spain to Mexico between 1519 and 1521 that led to the downfall of the Aztec empire.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, along with representatives for the FBI, participated in a formal repatriation ceremony at Mexico’s national archives.
“After missing for decades, thanks to incredible international collaboration and persistence the Cortés manuscript is finally where it belongs back in Mexico, where it will remain a treasured part of Mexico’s history and heritage,” Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy said in a statement. “I want to commend the asset recovery prosecutors in the U.S. attorney’s office whose hard work and dedication led to the return of this priceless and historically important artifact. We were honored to have assisted in this effort.”
According to an FBI investigation, the manuscript was purchased at an auction in the 1990s by the founder of the Museum of World Treasures in Wichita, Kansas, the Times reported. His family consigned the document to Goldberg Coins and Collectibles in Los Angeles, and in 2019, a Florida resident bought it auction. That person then contracted with Massachusetts-based RR Auction in Massachusetts and the document was put on the auction block in June, according to the newspaper.
In November 2022, Levy said the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture action against the manuscript to ensure its lawful return, WFXT reported. Mexican authorities contacted the U.S. government that the manuscript appeared to be stolen, and RR Auction removed the item from its sale.
It is a violation of federal law to transport or receive stolen goods valued at more than $5,000 that have traveled in foreign or interstate commerce, according to the television station.
“We are incredibly honored to be able to assist in the return of this national treasure to the people of Mexico,” Christopher DiMenna, acting special agent in charge of the FBI Boston Division, said in a statement. “This manuscript, which is nearly five centuries old, preserves an important part of Mexico’s history and reflects the FBI’s ongoing commitment to protect cultural heritage, not only in the United States but around the world. The recovery of this priceless artifact is a direct result of our close and ongoing collaboration with the government of Mexico, and we are very thankful for their partnership.” | https://www.star945.com/news/trending/us-returns-manuscript-signed-by-hernando-corts-1527-mexicos-national-archives/2WUENGKMJJG2VMGRLW6TLNYHF4/ | 2023-07-31T02:25:30 | 1 | https://www.star945.com/news/trending/us-returns-manuscript-signed-by-hernando-corts-1527-mexicos-national-archives/2WUENGKMJJG2VMGRLW6TLNYHF4/ |
Fundraiser hosted for children in need
JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - A fundraiser was hosted to benefit the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Jonesboro Clinic Sunday.
“River of Hope” was founded by Rohni Bonds. She was inspired by her son, River, who was born with a heart blockage.
“That’s the scariest thing to happen to me in my life,” she said.
Her son is now a 21-year-old, but Bonds never forgot what she went through in those first days.
“The time that it takes off work and the emotional strain on families to go to Little Rock, it hit me and I wanted to do something to give back,” Bonds said.
The fundraiser also wants to make people in Jonesboro aware of the options available.
“A lot of people still don’t know that we have this clinic,” she said.
This was the fundraiser’s tenth year at the Elk’s Lodge, this year featured a pool party.
Bonds expressed how their main goal is to focus on the babies...” that’s what this is all about“.
People were able to donate food and money toward the clinic. Leah Hillyer is a development officer with the Arkansas Children’s Foundation and she said the Jonesboro office is integral for parents in Northeast Arkansas.
“This clinic has allowed us to provide access to Northeast Arkansas and allow a lot of our patients to no longer have to travel two hours to Little Rock to just go see a doctor ten to twenty minutes for a check-up,” she said.
People can make donations by clicking here.
Copyright 2023 KAIT. All rights reserved. | https://www.kait8.com/2023/07/31/fundraiser-hosted-children-need/ | 2023-07-31T02:26:25 | 1 | https://www.kait8.com/2023/07/31/fundraiser-hosted-children-need/ |
Dear Heloise: I have a helpful hint for the Ohio reader who constantly returns merchandise via UPS, FedEx or another shipping service: Purchase it locally at a brick-and-mortar store. I, too, live in Ohio, and unless you live out on a farm, most of us live fairly close to shopping centers with a wide variety of stores.
Most Popular
Articles
- New retail store opens in Belton
- Temple man charged with felony after fight at Walmart store; incident caught on video
- Temple woman killed while walking on US 190
- Little River-Academy man accused of injuring grandmother
- UPDATE: Axe-wielding suspect shot at, arrested after attempted burglary
- Lori Deanne Farmer, age 38, of Little River-Academy died Saturday, July 22, 2023
- Niagara Bottling plans $48 million Temple plant expansion
- Temple felon involved in fatal hit-and-run indicted for allegedly threatening officer
- Killeen man tased and charged after attempting to take officer’s gun during scuffle
- Avots-Avotins, Luck to be honored by TEF on Oct. 4 | https://www.tdtnews.com/life/advice_columns/article_c2ecf738-2cc7-11ee-b7e9-0ba295a2caaf.html | 2023-07-31T02:27:30 | 1 | https://www.tdtnews.com/life/advice_columns/article_c2ecf738-2cc7-11ee-b7e9-0ba295a2caaf.html |
Dear Annie: I would like to respond to relatives who are upset when they are not thanked for giving children/teens gifts. Just tell them how you feel! When I was growing up, my grandmother was a loving but stern influence in my life and I now appreciate all the lessons she taught me. She always gifted us $20 each birthday in brand-new, crisp $1 bills that she specially requested at the bank.
Most Popular
Articles
- New retail store opens in Belton
- Temple man charged with felony after fight at Walmart store; incident caught on video
- Temple woman killed while walking on US 190
- Little River-Academy man accused of injuring grandmother
- UPDATE: Axe-wielding suspect shot at, arrested after attempted burglary
- Lori Deanne Farmer, age 38, of Little River-Academy died Saturday, July 22, 2023
- Niagara Bottling plans $48 million Temple plant expansion
- Temple felon involved in fatal hit-and-run indicted for allegedly threatening officer
- Killeen man tased and charged after attempting to take officer’s gun during scuffle
- Avots-Avotins, Luck to be honored by TEF on Oct. 4 | https://www.tdtnews.com/life/advice_columns/article_d1cb971e-2cc7-11ee-9943-57c19139dd26.html | 2023-07-31T02:27:36 | 0 | https://www.tdtnews.com/life/advice_columns/article_d1cb971e-2cc7-11ee-9943-57c19139dd26.html |
Flying saucers will once again appear over West Temple early next month as Holy Trinity Catholic High School hosts its annual disc golf tournament at Crossroads Park.
Disc golf tournament to benefit Holy Trinity Catholic High School fine arts dept.
- Staff Report
Most Popular
Articles
- New retail store opens in Belton
- Temple man charged with felony after fight at Walmart store; incident caught on video
- Temple woman killed while walking on US 190
- Little River-Academy man accused of injuring grandmother
- UPDATE: Axe-wielding suspect shot at, arrested after attempted burglary
- Lori Deanne Farmer, age 38, of Little River-Academy died Saturday, July 22, 2023
- Niagara Bottling plans $48 million Temple plant expansion
- Temple felon involved in fatal hit-and-run indicted for allegedly threatening officer
- Killeen man tased and charged after attempting to take officer’s gun during scuffle
- Avots-Avotins, Luck to be honored by TEF on Oct. 4 | https://www.tdtnews.com/life/article_0ac4517c-2cc4-11ee-b375-c725546a1824.html | 2023-07-31T02:27:42 | 1 | https://www.tdtnews.com/life/article_0ac4517c-2cc4-11ee-b375-c725546a1824.html |
Celebrities, voice actors, superheroes and fans are gearing up for the annual Bell County Comic Con, scheduled for Aug. 5-6 at the Bell County Expo Center.
According to the convention’s website, 25 celebrity and comic artist guests are expected to attend along with 70 artists, more than 300 exhibitors bringing collectibles and memorabilia, and more than 30 Q&A panels and workshops for guests.
“Bell County Comic Con is a wholesome family friendly event for our community,” convention officials said on the website. “BCCC focuses on bringing comics, pop culture, gaming, movies and fantasy together in one epic Expo.”
Among the most anticipated guests is legendary martial artist and actor Chuck Norris, known for his titular role in “Walker, Texas Ranger” and a slew of other action roles.
Norris was popular during a 2016 appearance in Belton, during which he drew a crowd of 2,400 to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor as a McLane Lecture speaker.
Other actors you can expect to see are Erik Estrada from police drama television series “CHiPs” and Joseph Marcell, best known for his role as Geoffrey Butler on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” television show.
Anime fans will have a chance to get pictures and autographs with dub voice actors from some of the most popular animes including Bryce Papenbrook (Eren Yeager from “Attack on Titan” and Inosuke Hashibira from “Demon Slayer”) and J. Michael Tatum (Tenya Iida from “My Hero Academia” and Erwin Smith from “Attack on Titan”).
Bell County Comic Con has the full list of guests (as well as estimated prices for autographs and photos) available on its website. All guests are expected to appear both days.
The full photo op schedule should be released two weeks before the convention, according to the website.
The convention will also feature four categories of cosplay contests: One for kids up to age 12, one for 13 to 17-year-olds and two for adults.
The child and teen categories are both masquerade competitions, while adults can enter in masquerade and craftsmanship competitions.
Comic con officials described the masquerade contests as “a fun, pressure-free way to show off your cosplay on state regardless of how it was made.”
The craftsmanship competition has three rules:
1. At least 60% of entrant’s costume must be handcrafted by the participant. Purchased or commissioned costumes (or anything considered not original work) do not qualify for the craftsmanship category.
2. The costume’s creator(s) may have a model wearing the costume for the contest. In these cases, the creator(s) must be present for judging, must be the owner of the costume, and would be credited for any awards (not the model).
3. Costumes that have won any award in any other costume contest are not permitted.
The child and teen categories will be at 3:30 p.m. Aug. 5 in Panel Hall D on the second floor. The adult contest will be at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 6 on the Main Panel State in Hall B.
Adult weekend passes will cost $35. Teenagers 13-17 years old can get their weekend passes for $15, and passes for children ages 4 to 12 cost $10.
Tickets are available for purchase online at www.bellcountycomiccon.com, and the convention is still accepting volunteer applications. | https://www.tdtnews.com/life/article_107882ce-2cc3-11ee-9d0c-5b6f6ccc3ba4.html | 2023-07-31T02:27:48 | 1 | https://www.tdtnews.com/life/article_107882ce-2cc3-11ee-9d0c-5b6f6ccc3ba4.html |
Bell County Master Gardeners Association
The Bell County Master Gardener Association, “Ask a Master Gardener” and Carter Blood Care will host a blood drive from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Aug. 12, at the Texas Agrilife Extension Office, 1605 N. Main St. in Belton. Donors must be at least 16 years old, weigh 110 pounds and feel well and healthy the day of donation. Walk-ins are welcome or participants may schedule an appointment by calling 800-366-2834 or visiting www.carterbloodcare.org/donate-blood.
Bell County Historical Commission
The Bell County Historical Commission is offering grants to nonprofit organizations and institutions for projects that promote and preserve Bell County’s historic and prehistoric cultural resources. The 2024 grant application period is open until Aug. 15. Grant applications and guidelines can be obtained via email at HistoricalCommission@bellcounty.texas.gov or in person at the office on the first floor (room 117) of the historic Bell County Courthouse, 101 E. Central Ave. in Belton. For information call 254-933-5917.
Temple Belton Ladies Lions Club
The Temple Belton Ladies Lions Club meets at 6:30 p.m. the second and fourth Monday of the month at VFW Post 4008, 2311 S. Pearl St. in Belton.
Meetings are open to the public and newcomers are welcome.
Temple Breakfast Lions Club
The Temple Breakfast Lions Club meets the first and third Thursdays of each month in the Ava room at the Hilton Garden Inn, 1749 Scott Boulevard in Temple. The group gathers at 7 a.m. to order breakfast and the meeting starts at 7:30 a.m.
Meetings also are broadcast by the Zoom online meeting platform. For information email Lmeeker53@gmail.com. Meetings are open to the public and the club is open to anyone with a heart for service.
Belton Lions Club
The Belton Lions Club meets each week at noon at the Dead Fish Grill, 2207 Lake Road in Belton.
The Belton Lions Club will hold its first “Picnic in the Park” and “Lions on The Leon Wacky Boat Race” on Oct. 7 on the Leon River at Heritage Park in Belton. The event will include live music, food, vendors, a car show and a homemade “Wacky Open” and cardboard boat elimination race. Awards will be given for the People’s Choice favorite boat. Judging starts at 11 a.m. and the boat race will begin at 1 p.m. The event is open to the public. For rules and information visit beltonlionsclub.com.
Central Texas Tea Party
The Central Texas Tea Party will meets the third Tuesday of each month at the Harris Community Center, 401 Alexander St. in Belton. Social time starts at 6:30 p.m. and the main program will begin at 7 p.m.
O.J. Thomas Alumni Association homecoming
The O.J. Thomas Alumni Association will hold a homecoming event Friday and Saturday, Aug. 11-12, at 1600 W. Sixth St. in Cameron.
A memorial program will take place at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 11, in the school cafeteria. A tailgate on the school grounds will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 12. The fee for this event is $50. A “Bulldog Luncheon” featuring barbecue plates will be served from noon to 2 p.m. Plates will cost $15 each.
A dance with music by Joe Tex II and The Legacy Continues band will take place from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 12, in the school cafeteria. For tickets and more information contact Paul Brown at 214-202-2365, Myra Loyd at 301-655-4373, or Virgie Hardeman at 254-541-8254. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.
Tuesday Solace
A Tuesday Solace group meets 1-4 p.m. every Tuesday at St. Francis Parish Hall, 5001 Hickory Road in Temple.
The program is open to families affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. The program offers caregivers of patients with early-stage dementias a much-needed break while their loved one is in a safe, stimulating environment. Participants are provided a structured program of hymns, a devotional, chair exercises, refreshments, games and arts and crafts. For information call 254-773-4255.
Bell County Genealogical Society
The Bell County Genealogical Society meets the fourth Saturday of each month on the second floor of the Temple Public Library, 100 W. Adams Ave. in downtown Temple.
The group offers free genealogy guidance on a come-and-go basis from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the group’s general meeting begins at 1:30 p.m.
Members of the Bell County Genealogical Society will be present to help those with questions on researching their family trees.
Bell Fine Arts
The Bell Fine Arts organization meets from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesdays at 305 E. Fifth Ave. in Belton.
The group is open to artists of all mediums and skill levels. For information call Jeanne at 409-313-0611.
Rotary Club of Belton
The Rotary Club of Belton meets at noon on Tuesdays at The Gin at Nolan Creek, 219 S. East St. in Belton.
The meeting is open to Rotarians and guests.
Thursday Club
The Thursday Club assists caregivers of those with early stage Alzheimer’s or other dementias. It meets from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays at the First Lutheran Church, 1515 W. Adams Ave. in Temple.
The group provides initial education, ongoing information and support for caregivers. The Thursday Club offers time on Thursdays for the caregiver to run errands, rest, and have some time to themselves which volunteers care for their family member at no cost.
For information contact Craig Pitrucha at 254-541-0610 or Linda Eimen at 254-773-5207.
Beekeepers association
The Temple Area Beekeepers Association will meet at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 10, at the Troy Community Center, 201 E. Main St. in Troy.
Dr. Ferhat Ozturk, an assistant professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, will give a presentation on the healing properties of honey.
The meeting is open to the public. For information email Robin Battershell at battershell@gmail.com.
Newcomers Club
The Newcomers Club, Inc. is looking for new members and extends a warm welcome to ladies that are new (within the past three years) to Bell County and surrounding counties. The group also welcomes ladies that have just retired, are recent empty nesters, or have experienced another life change within the past three years and would like to connect with other ladies. Join the fun and check out the Newcomers Club Inc. at www.bellcountynewcomers.com. For information about joining, contact Jan Fisher at 2txgrl@gmail.com or 951-751-4002. | https://www.tdtnews.com/life/article_627ae296-2cc4-11ee-ac12-e33d21f85e6b.html | 2023-07-31T02:27:54 | 0 | https://www.tdtnews.com/life/article_627ae296-2cc4-11ee-ac12-e33d21f85e6b.html |
The first show of the 2023-24 Central Texas Orchestral Society concert series isn’t until September, but music and dance lovers are already buying season tickets to see world-renowned artists perform at the Azalee Marshall Cultural Activities Center in Temple.
Andrew Bill, CTOS assistant executive director, said anyone looking to see all four performances shouldn’t wait to buy season tickets and secure their seats.
“We’re having really good sales,” Bill said. “We want to make sure everyone who wants to come has an opportunity, but we have some really high-quality entertainment this year, and we want packed houses.”
Here is a look at this year’s performances
The Empire Wild, a jazz blues group described on its website as a “genre-bending, crossover trio featuring classically-trained musicians,” will perform Sunday, Sept. 24 at 4 p.m. This will be the group’s second time performing in a CTOS concert series.
Jon Nakamatsu, whose concert was made possible with help from the Temple Symphony Orchestra, will perform Saturday, Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m. Nakamatsu is the only American to win gold at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition since 1981.
“Honestly, we’re quite honored to have (Nakamatsu) here,” Bill said, “His presence is a collaboration between the Temple Symphony Orchestra and CTOS, so part of this performance is being supported by the Barbara Weiss Probe Concert and the Temple Symphony Orchestra. That’s a really exciting concert we’re looking forward to.”
New York City dance troupe Ailey II will perform Friday, Feb. 16, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. Ailey II is the second company of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and focuses on honing the skills of emerging dancers and choreographers. Bill said the troupe also has a special tie to Central Texas.
“Alvin Ailey was actually from Rogers, Texas,” Bill said. “This is a tribute to Alvin Ailey, and being able to bring this kind of performance from New York City to Central Texas helps us enhance the quality of life in Temple and Bell County. That’s our mission as a nonprofit organization.”
World renowned classical and flamenco guitarist Grisha Goryachev will have his concert Saturday, March 2, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. Goryachev “strives to keep alive older flamenco masterpieces that now exist only on records by performing them in concerts,” according to his website.
Bill said this season will be CTOS’ first time using tiered and reserved seating for their concerts. While single adult tickets will be available for purchase for $125 to $299 beginning Sept. 1, season ticket sales are already underway, allowing season members to secure the best available seats before individual ticket sales begin.
“Before it was first come, first served at each performance even though we were selling season tickets,” Bill said. “If you were a patron, an adult member or if you paid for the Maestro Circle tickets, if somebody got here early and got front-row seats then you had to sit further back. This year with the tiered and assigned seating we’re seeing an increase in the number of tickets we’re selling. This year when you buy a season ticket for the CTOS concert series you’ll be sitting in the same seat for the entire season.”
Ticket sales
Bill said season ticket sales will continue until the end of Empire Wild’s Sept. 24 performance, but he warned there could be consequences for buyers who wait until after individual sales are live.
“It’s going to be harder to find seats that are the same for every performance because you might have more people going to one show than the other,” Bill said. “So you want to get those season tickets as soon as possible, and that ensures you have the best seats.”
Season tickets also include access to pre-concert social events held an hour before each show and “flex” tickets which allow buyers to bring guests to the Empire Wild’s performance and Goryachev’s concert and workshop.
Anyone looking to purchase season tickets can choose between the following tiers:
Patron ($300-$649) - Includes one adult ticket for all four shows and one flex ticket.
Benefactor ($650-$1,249) – Includes two adult season tickets for all four shows, plus two flex tickets.
Maestro Circle ($1,250 and up) – Includes four adult season tickets for all four shows, plus two flex tickets.
Bill said all money raised will go right back to bringing more artists to the area.
“We use the money for advertising and the cost of the performance,” Bill said “We are a non-profit organization, so every bit of the dollars contributed for this concert series goes into next season. By making higher contributions, by making ad sales or making just general donations to the organization allows us to bring higher quality, bigger-name performers.”
Active Duty Military (with ID) and dependents are admitted free of charge. Children younger than six are not allowed at the performances.
All seating is reserved online. All concerts will be at CAC, located at 3011 N. 3rd St. in Temple. | https://www.tdtnews.com/life/article_bd8a3b92-2cc3-11ee-8dc6-6b377611add0.html | 2023-07-31T02:28:10 | 1 | https://www.tdtnews.com/life/article_bd8a3b92-2cc3-11ee-8dc6-6b377611add0.html |
Bridge Studio, July 19
Most Popular
Articles
- New retail store opens in Belton
- Temple man charged with felony after fight at Walmart store; incident caught on video
- Temple woman killed while walking on US 190
- Little River-Academy man accused of injuring grandmother
- UPDATE: Axe-wielding suspect shot at, arrested after attempted burglary
- Lori Deanne Farmer, age 38, of Little River-Academy died Saturday, July 22, 2023
- Niagara Bottling plans $48 million Temple plant expansion
- Temple felon involved in fatal hit-and-run indicted for allegedly threatening officer
- Killeen man tased and charged after attempting to take officer’s gun during scuffle
- Avots-Avotins, Luck to be honored by TEF on Oct. 4 | https://www.tdtnews.com/life/article_e1783ec4-2cc7-11ee-81db-6377aacc3569.html | 2023-07-31T02:28:16 | 0 | https://www.tdtnews.com/life/article_e1783ec4-2cc7-11ee-81db-6377aacc3569.html |
Jessica Leigh Medrano of Hampton, Va., became the bride of Ryan John Huber of Hampton, Va., in a double-ring ceremony on July 21 at Covered Bridge Venue in Springtown with Leslie Weber officiating.
Most Popular
Articles
- New retail store opens in Belton
- Temple man charged with felony after fight at Walmart store; incident caught on video
- Temple woman killed while walking on US 190
- Little River-Academy man accused of injuring grandmother
- UPDATE: Axe-wielding suspect shot at, arrested after attempted burglary
- Lori Deanne Farmer, age 38, of Little River-Academy died Saturday, July 22, 2023
- Niagara Bottling plans $48 million Temple plant expansion
- Temple felon involved in fatal hit-and-run indicted for allegedly threatening officer
- Killeen man tased and charged after attempting to take officer’s gun during scuffle
- Avots-Avotins, Luck to be honored by TEF on Oct. 4 | https://www.tdtnews.com/life/weddings/article_9aaed17e-2cc7-11ee-b27d-3b6e5e2e7d98.html | 2023-07-31T02:28:22 | 0 | https://www.tdtnews.com/life/weddings/article_9aaed17e-2cc7-11ee-b27d-3b6e5e2e7d98.html |
I was very intrigued by the article in the Telegram about two outstanding Temple citizens, Dr. Andrejs E. Avots-Avotins and Susan Pitts Luck. What an outstanding pair of people.
I worked at Baylor Scott & White for 25 years and often heard his name uttered in high esteem I was a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. I never actually worked with Dr. Avots-Avotins but knew of his reputation. He was not only an outstanding practitioner but a true leader and educator.
He studied and read many journals to stay abreast of new findings in his particular expertise. He was the one you wanted to go see if you had gastrointestinal problems. He was extremely active with the residents and medical education as well as numerous projects and committees. His mind never stopped from wanting to learn more and do more. He was a true leader and active in many roles.
Then comes Susan Pitts Luck. The true epitome of a Southern Lady. Wow. If anyone could impress you she could.
As her mother aged Susan was often the weekend hostess at the iconic Bluebonnet Cafe. When you enter the restaurant there stood this icon. Perfect hair. Perfect dress. Perfect smile. You were greeted by name and she would often ask about your family.
But stop. Look. Listen. Behind that outstanding lady was an educated, professional woman dedicated to serve and help others.
Besides being involved in Temple ISD and health care, she served in too many community projects to mention. Anything to help Temple she was involved in. A go getter. A fine representative for our city
Hats off to these two dazzling diamonds. Thank you.
Jim Fry
Temple | https://www.tdtnews.com/news/letters_to_the_editor/article_b64c4e68-2d92-11ee-b60c-2bd76acc1944.html | 2023-07-31T02:28:28 | 0 | https://www.tdtnews.com/news/letters_to_the_editor/article_b64c4e68-2d92-11ee-b60c-2bd76acc1944.html |
MUNCIE, Ind. (WXIN) — A street party in Muncie, Indiana, turned into the scene of a deadly shooting early Sunday morning.
One man died and nearly two dozen others were injured. Of those wounded, 19 were treated at Ball Memorial Hospital’s emergency room, and four were taken to other hospitals. Thirteen victims remained hospitalized in stable condition Sunday afternoon.
After the mass shooting, police announced that there was no further danger to the general public.
”Stranger comes up and decides to take it personal on somebody he knows in the crowd,” said one anonymous man who claimed his nephew was the block party’s disc jockey. “And you can’t fight against an AR. He let loose in the crowd. Everywhere in the crowd.”
The Delaware County coroner identified the deceased victim as 30-year-old Joseph Bonner. There’s no indication if Bonner played an active role in the shooting, whether any other victims are suspected of firing guns, or if any firearms were recovered.
A witness at IU/Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie described a scene of emergency department chaos with more than 100 people descending on the facility — many of whom were victims that were taken to the hospital by private vehicles.
Officers from several agencies — including a Muncie-based FBI agent — secured the crime scene and collected evidence while doctors and nurses treated the wounded from the mass casualty event.
By midday, detectives were still walking the debris-strewn street and parking lot with brown bags filled with collected evidence. A tow truck was also seen hauling away a bullet-riddled red Buick that appeared to have crashed during an attempt to leave the scene.
The Muncie Homecoming Festival committee said the street party where the shooting happened was not part of the official MHF celebration going on this week.
Muncie Parks Superintendent Carl Malone told Nexstar’s WXIN he chaired a neighborhood crime watch meeting last Thursday, and residents expressed fear that this weekend could turn volatile.
”We was a little concerned about violence that we thought might happen,” said Malone, who described Muncie Homecoming as a city-wide welcome home celebration held once every four years for former residents and family members to reconnect with their hometown. ”You had a lot of people congregating in one area, just hanging out and wanting to be part of the neighborhood activities. And then, at that point at time, it got into late night, and when you get into late nights, you usually have some sort of curfew violations, alcohol, guns and drugs seem to be a problem.”
Malone said Muncie has not had a community-wide gun violence initiative since 2015.
”We’ve always had concerns about this area and teenagers involved with handguns,” said Malone, whose niece attended the party. ”She just got out of surgery. She’s doing well. She’s whole. And then my godson was being treated out at Ball Hospital.”
Malone said he will meet with the city’s police leadership Monday morning to review the shooting and plans for keeping Muncie streets safe the rest of the summer.
”The mayor knows my push for gun violence, the lack of gun violence education, the lack of gun violence awareness, the lack of how to report gun violence in and out of our homes,” Malone said. “There’s a way to report crime, there’s a way to report guns, and we just have to report guns in and out of our backpacks and homes.”
Muncie is about 60 miles northwest of Indianapolis. The city is home to about 65,000 people. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/1-dead-23-wounded-after-street-party-shooting-in-indiana/ | 2023-07-31T02:28:33 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/1-dead-23-wounded-after-street-party-shooting-in-indiana/ |
Alice Palomino Reza
Alice Palomino Reza, age 93 of Temple, died Monday, July 24, 2023 at her residence.
Mrs. Reza was born on October 1, 1929 in Temple to Trinidad Palomino and Concepcion Estrada Palomino.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00am Tuesday, August 1, 2023 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 707 S. 6th St., Temple, Texas 76504. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Cemetery. The family will receive visitors from 5-7:00pm Monday, July 31, 2023 at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home with recitation of the rosary at 7:00pm.
Paid Obituary | https://www.tdtnews.com/obituaries/article_10cfa720-2d9a-11ee-8664-abcd5cab67d3.html | 2023-07-31T02:28:34 | 0 | https://www.tdtnews.com/obituaries/article_10cfa720-2d9a-11ee-8664-abcd5cab67d3.html |
BALTIMORE — Aaron Judge playing instead of resting on his third day off the injured list wouldn’t have prevented the Yankees from embarrassing themselves on national television Sunday night.
This was all on Luis Severino, who should be banished from the Yankees rotation forever after giving his club absolutely no chance of winning.
Again.
BUY YANKEES TICKETS: STUBHUB, VIVID SEATS, TICKETSMARTER, TICKETMASTER
The bottom of the first inning at Oriole Park was as brutal as it gets in baseball.
The first-place Orioles batted around and then some, scored seven times and were on cruise control the rest of the way.
The final score was 9-3 Birds, and it wasn’t that close.
The Yankees were held to three-or-fewer runs for the 48th time in 105 games and they struck out 18 times, but blame all of this on Severino, who latest dreadful outing left him with a 7.49 ERA.
The Yankees need to drop someone from their rotation next week when left-hander Nestor Cortes comes off the IL. The thinking had been it would be Domingo German, who has past experience in a multi-innings relief role.
Forget that. Severino has to be the one losing his spot, via demotion to the bullpen or something more drastic,
How about a change-of-scenery trade before Tuesday’s 6 p.m., deadline? And if nobody wants him, designated him for assignment because there’s zero chance the free-agent-to-be is with the Yankees next season.
Here’s how the Orioles’ first went:
Adley Rutschman single to right … Gunnar Henderson single to right … Anthony Santander RBI double to right … Austin Hays five-pitch walk … Adam Frazier three-run homer over the right-field scoreboard … Raman Urias strikeout … Jordan Westburg single and stolen base … James McCann strikeout … Rutschman RBI single to center …. Henderson strikeout.
With the Yankees down 7-0 right away, the MLB.com’s Gameday app gave the Orioles’ a 94.3 percent chance of winning.
Should have been 100.
Severino somehow worked scoreless second and third innings, but he allowed two more in the fourth to finish with a career-worst pitching line:
3 1/3 innings, 10 hits, 9 runs (all earned), 2 walks, 5 strikeouts.
It’s time for the Yankees to give up on Severino, who has been hurt or not coming close to living up to his 2017 and 2018 heyday for five seasons.
This is Severino’s walk year to free agency, and he’s cost himself probably more than $100 million this year. He was hurt again in spring training, shelved until late May and since returning has had four good starts in 12.
Severino gave up seven runs in three of them, then topped them facing the Orioles, who were fired up hosting their first ESPN Sunday Night Baseball game in five years.
In the last before Sunday, the Yankees beat the Orioles 5-3 with Severino allowing two runs over 5 2/3 innings to improve his record to 16-6. He finished the season 19-8
Aug. 26, 2018.
Since, Severino is 11-9 in just 38 outings from 2019-23, including 2-5 this season.
NOTABLE
-- Anthony Rizzo had a terrible night going 0-for-5 with five strikeouts.
--Jake Bauers led off for the Yankees and was 2-for-5 with a solo homer playing right field.
-- Reliever Jonathan Loaisiga began a rehab assignment by pitching two 1-2-3 innings with a pair of strikeouts for Low-A Tampa. The righty is expected to get into two or three more minor-league games before coming off the IL. He’s been sidelined since April 6 with a right elbow inflammation.
-- Boone said it wasn’t a difficult sitting Judge after he was 3-for-6 with a homer and three walks playing Friday and Saturday nights after missing 42 games with a toe injury. Judge is still working his way into game shape, Boone said.
LOOKING AHEAD
Monday: Rays at Yankees, 7:05 p.m., YES. RHP Tyler Glasnow (4-3, 3.36) vs. RHP Domingo German (5-7, 4.77).
Tuesday: Rays at Yankees, 7:05 p.m., YES & TBS. RHP Zach Eflin (11-6, 3.64) vs. LHP Carlos Rodon (1-3, 5.75).
Wednesday: Rays at Yankees, 7:05 p.m., Amazon Prime. LHP Shane McClanahan (11-1, 3.00) vs. RHP Gerrit Cole (9-2, 2.64).
Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.
Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com. | https://www.nj.com/yankees/2023/07/yankees-must-act-after-luis-severinos-latest-disgrace.html | 2023-07-31T02:28:33 | 0 | https://www.nj.com/yankees/2023/07/yankees-must-act-after-luis-severinos-latest-disgrace.html |
Natchitoches Central’s Joe Cryer drops Ole Miss; to deliver ‘big news’ soon
Natchitoches Central interior offensive linemen Joe “Big Hoss” Cryer, who recently committed to Ole Miss has changed his mind.
The transfer from Many’s 2022 state championship team announced Sunday afternoon he was decommitting
“First I would like to thank God for putting me in this position that I am in today,” Cryer posted on Twitter. “I also want to thank Coach Kiffin and Coach Garrison for giving me the opportunity to play at Ole Miss. After talks with my family, I’ve decided to decommit from the University of Ole Miss!! Please respect my decision.”
Cryer played his first three seasons at Many and winning two state titles and finishing as state runner-up the other season. His dad is a coach on the staff at NCHS with coach Jess Curtis.
“Just didn’t feel the same vibe at Ole Miss — and big news coming soon,” Cryer told The Times.
NO CRIER:Times Elite 11: Natchitoches Central’s Joe Cryer is no crier about sibling rivalry
ABRAM MURRAY:Shreveport Times Elite 11: Byrd’s Abram Murray is sold on sticking with Miami
The 6-foot-4, 290-pound Shreveport Times All-Area first-team member said the strong relationships he developed on his initial visit to Ole Miss made it feel like home.
He also has offers from TCU, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State and Penn State.
“I’m the most physical lineman in Louisiana and I have great feet and I have grit and the mentality that football is supposed to be played with,” Cryer said.
Jimmy Watson covers Louisiana sports for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at jwatson@shreveporttimes.com and follow him on Twitter @JimmyWatson6. | https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/sports/2023/07/30/natchitoches-centrals-joe-cryer-drops-ole-miss-to-deliver-big-news-soon/70495429007/ | 2023-07-31T02:28:37 | 1 | https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/sports/2023/07/30/natchitoches-centrals-joe-cryer-drops-ole-miss-to-deliver-big-news-soon/70495429007/ |
(NewsNation) — While questions remain about a mystery company buying 52,000 acres of land near an Air Force base, a congressman says farmers in the area are being targeted in a lawsuit.
Rep. John Garamendi, D-Calif., has been speaking out over the past five years about the $800 million in land acquisitions by Flannery Associates near Travis Air Force Base in Northern California.
In an interview with NewsNation, Garamendi said he’s been in contact with the families of farmers who handed over their land to Flannery. He said they didn’t want to sell in the first place.
Since no California laws require them to sell, the land was bargained for by both parties at a much higher price. But now, Flannery is suing those families for $510 million, accusing them of conspiring together to inflate the value of the land.
“It’s a suit designed to force the farmers to lawyer up, spend tens of thousands of dollars on lawyering and maybe at the end of the day, bankrupt themselves,” Garamendi said. “In fact, that has happened to at least one family that I know of and I’ve heard rumors that another family simply said we can’t afford the lawyers.”
NewsNation reviewed a copy of the lawsuit. Attorneys for Flannery said they believe “this is a simple case about a group of wealthy landowners who saw an opportunity to conspire, collude, price fix and illegally overcharge Flannery.”
But Garamendi said there was no viable economic reason to justify spending several times more than what the land is worth in the first place.
The suit comes as companies with ties to China have been ramping up efforts to buy American farmland in recent years.
Public records show “Flannery Associates” has invested more than $800 million on more than 50,000 acres of land surrounding the Travis Air Force Base since 2018.
Legal representation for Flannery said the group is controlled by U.S. citizens, with 97% of its capital coming from U.S.-based investors. But after eight months of investigation, federal officials can’t confirm or deny this to be true and have not been able to determine exactly who is backing the company.
The Air Force’s Foreign Investment Risk Review office is currently investigating Flannery Associates. Garamendi said there are valid concerns that Flannery’s land acquisitions could be tied to foreign enemies.
“The fact they chose to buy all three sides of the Travis Air Force Base even raises immediate questions about national security,” Garamendi said. “So, is this Chinese money? We don’t know, but we do know that the Chinese money was being used in North Dakota and we have a very deep suspicion, given the amount of money, given the lack of attention to values, that they simply want to acquire all of this land.”
NewsNation investigated the now thwarted deal with a Chinese-owned company in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Last year, 300 acres of farmland were purchased near the Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota by Chinese-owned Fufeng – a deal that raised red flags about potential spying.
After pushback from the community, the city council ultimately voted to end the project, citing national security risks.
Garamendi said local residents near Travis Air Force Base are riled up, just like the residents in Grand Forks, due to how critical the area is for the U.S. military.
“Travis Air Force Base is absolutely essential. It is the gateway to the Pacific,” Garamendi said, later adding, “A good deal of the munitions that are going to Ukraine also passed through Travis Air Force Base.”
China has been buying up American farmland for years. Nearly 384,000 acres of agricultural land in the U.S. is controlled by China, and the rate at which they are purchasing land is growing, the USDA reports.
Chinese ownership of American farmland has increased 55% in the past five years, with almost 75% of it located in the South and about 16% on the West Coast. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/mystery-group-buying-land-near-air-force-base-is-suing-farmers-congressman-says/ | 2023-07-31T02:28:39 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/mystery-group-buying-land-near-air-force-base-is-suing-farmers-congressman-says/ |
Richard “Dick” Johnston
Richard “Dick” Johnston, father, grandfather, watchmaker, singer actor, and theater enthusiast passed away peacefully in his home on July 14th, 2023 at the age of 72. Dick was born on January 20th, 1951 in Carrollton, IL to Charlie and Hazel Johnston. Dick was the middle child of three. Dick spent his childhood listening to Cardinal Baseball on a console radio, playing baseball, marching with his clarinet in the band and singing in the choir. He lived in Jerseyville, Il until 1980, graduating from Jersey Community High School in 1969.
Dick graduated with an associates in horology (watchmaking). He worked in several high end jewelry stores, Anderson Jewelers in Jerseyville, Beimer’s in Temple and Stanley and Weaver in Waco and even owned his own watch repair business, RJ Time Services. He was a member of the Elks Lodge, Temple Music Club, The Country Gentlemen, Temple College Chorale, as well as the Christ Episcopal Choir. He served as a lay reader for three decades with two different churches. Dick enjoyed working on watches, acting and working backstage at the Temple Civic Theater and singing in the choir at church.
He married his former wife, Sue, in 1972 and had two sons, Matt and Nathan. Dick enjoyed playing baseball in the backyard, watching all the boys sporting events, and working outside in the yard with his boys. Matt and Nathan could always count on him being there to support them.
Dick will be remembered for his kindness, gentleness and unselfish ways. Fondly nicknamed Sunshine in college, he left an impression on those around him. He was a quiet man who didn’t ask for much. Although he didn’t show emotion often, his children and grandchildren always brought proud tears to his eyes.
Dick is survived by his sons, Matt and his wife, Niki, Nathan, his sister, Janet Schroeder and her husband, Barry, five grandchildren, Jake, McKenna, Preston, Gracie and Collin and his former wife, Sue Johnston.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Charlie and Hazel Johnston and his sister, Bobbi Carter.
Please join us for a celebration of Dick’s life to be held on August 5th, 2023 at 10 a.m. at Christ Episcopal Church, located at 300 N. Main St. in Temple, Tx with a reception to follow.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Temple Civic Theater or Churches Touching Lives for Christ-Food Pantry.
Scanio-Harper Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Paid Obituary | https://www.tdtnews.com/obituaries/article_49d6754e-2d81-11ee-9df5-f7f6bf841312.html | 2023-07-31T02:28:40 | 0 | https://www.tdtnews.com/obituaries/article_49d6754e-2d81-11ee-9df5-f7f6bf841312.html |
At 24, Alberto Rodriguez has grandparents younger than Joe Biden. But he’s more interested in the 80-year-old president’s accomplishments than his age.
“People as young as me, we’re all focusing on our day-to-day lives and he has done things to help us through that,” Rodriguez, a cook at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, said of Biden’s support among young voters. Rodriguez pointed specifically to federal COVID-19 relief payments and government spending increases on infrastructure and other social programs.
Voters like him were a key piece of Biden’s winning 2020 coalition, which included majorities of young people as well as college graduates, women, urban and suburban voters and Black Americans. Maintaining their support will be critical in closely contested states such as Nevada, where even small declines could prove consequential to Biden’s reelection bid.
His 2024 campaign plans to emphasize messages that could especially resonate with young people in the coming weeks as the anniversary of the sweeping Inflation Reduction Act approaches in mid-August. That legislation includes provisions that the White House will embrace to argue that Biden has done more than any other president to combat climate change.
Such efforts, however, could collide with Biden’s personal reality — like when he recalled that, while attending a St. Patrick’s Day parade at age 14, he appeared in a photo with President Harry S. Truman.
“Purely by accident — I assume it was an accident — the photographer from the newspaper got a picture of me making eye contact with Harry Truman,” Biden said to chuckles last week at the Truman Civil Rights Symposium in Washington.
In 2020, 61% of voters under age 30 — and 55% of those between 30 and 44 — supported Biden, according to AP VoteCast, a nationwide survey of the electorate.
It’s an age group with which Republicans hope to make inroads. Former President Donald Trump, who is the early front-runner in the GOP presidential primary and is only 3 1/2 years younger than Biden, said Friday, “We are hitting the young person’s market like nobody’s ever seen before.”
Kevin Munoz, a spokesman for Biden’s campaign, referred to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement in arguing that “young people are acutely impacted by the issues front and center in this election, driven by the extreme MAGA agenda.” He said that included inaction on climate change, gun violence and student debt.
“We will meet younger Americans where they are and turn their energy into action,” Munoz said in a statement.
That might not defuse questions about age, though, when it comes to Biden or Trump.
“There’s a frustration and exhaustion that they feel with the rematch,” Terrance Woodbury, co-founder & CEO of the Democratic polling firm HIT Strategies, said of young voters.
“That’s more of a problem than either of those two candidates individually, is that a system can just keep reproducing,” Woodbury added. “And I think a lot of people just find that untenable.”
An April poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that just 25% of Democrats under 45 said they would definitely support Biden in a general election, compared with 56% of older Democrats. A majority of Democrats across age groups said they would probably support him as the party’s nominee, however.
Biden’s campaign is relying heavily on the Democratic National Committee, which during last year’s midterms, hired campus organizers in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona and other battleground states and offered weekly youth coordinating meetings to encourage in-class contacts and “dormstorms.” The DNC sees young people as some of the most critical voters it will need to reach in 2024 and promises “significant investments” to mobilize them. Plans are underway to expand on its work last cycle, including trainings it held on how best to turn out voters.
The Republican National Committee is trying to use Biden’s age against him, posting online videos of Biden seeming frail or making verbal gaffes, such as when he declared in June “God save the queen,” nearly nine months after the death of England’s Queen Elizabeth II.
Rodriguez shrugged off online attacks, “People can make all the hit pieces and memes and TikToks all they want.”
A starker contrast might be between the president and rising Democrats such as 46-year-old California Rep. Ro Khanna and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, 41, one of Biden’s primary rivals in 2020. Neither seriously entertained running for the White House in 2024 and have backed Biden’s reelection.
“The only thing that really matters is your ability to do the job,” Buttigieg, who was 37 when he launched his 2020 presidential bid, said recently on CNN. Khanna told Fox News Channel that age will “obviously” be a 2024 factor, but suggested that Biden’s staff “overprotects” him and “the more he’s out there, the better.”
Other top young Democrats have lined up to back Biden. Florida Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost, who was elected to Congress last year at 26, is on the Biden campaign’s advisory board, as is Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, 44. New York Rep. Alexandra Ocasio Cortez, 33, recently endorsed Biden.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a progressive who says strong turnout among young voters helped him win a runoff election this spring, said Biden’s policies transcend his age. Johnson noted that the president’s work “around climate justice speaks not just to this generation, but generations to come.”
“The excitement that I believe that we’re going to have is going to speak to the incredible work and organizing that we are committed to doing as a party,” said Johnson, 47. “And we’re looking forward to working with the president over the course of his next four years.”
Still, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, acknowledged that even the president’s supporters understand how demanding the White House can be.
“People worry about Joe Biden. They worry like you would worry about a beloved father or grandfather,” said Weingarten, 65. “What you normally hear from Democrats is this sense of, ‘OK, I just want him to be OK.’ And you’re hearing just the consternation of, ’This is a hard job.’”
Biden said he “took a hard look” at his age while deciding to seek a second term. But he’s also tried to suggest his age and experience are assets rather than liabilities by joking repeatedly about them. That’s a departure from 2020, when Biden called himself a “transition candidate” and pledged to be a “bridge” to younger Democrats.
Santiago Mayer, the founder of Voters of Tomorrow, which has 20-plus chapters nationwide and works to increase political engagement among young voters, argues that Biden is not defying his past promise by running for reelection, but keeping it.
“He just needs more time,” said Mayer, who graduated from California State University at Long Beach in May. “I think the second term is a very important part of that pledge. He’s building a progressive future for young people and he can’t actually pass the baton until that’s done.”
One key policy piece of Biden’s efforts to appeal to young voters, providing student debt relief, was recently struck down by the Supreme Court. The White House has launched a new effort, but it will take longer.
“Of course it’s going to dampen some of that because people are disappointed,” Weingarten said of the ruling’s effect on enthusiasm for Biden. But she said the decision could also motivate young Biden supporters anxious show their support for the president’s alternative plan.
“It is also about the fight,” Weingarten said “not just about the results.” | https://www.cbs42.com/news/politics/ap-politics/joe-biden-the-oldest-sitting-president-needs-young-voters-will-his-age-matter/ | 2023-07-31T02:28:45 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/politics/ap-politics/joe-biden-the-oldest-sitting-president-needs-young-voters-will-his-age-matter/ |
Jo Ann Camp
Jo Ann Camp, a widow, mother, Nana, sister, friend, and fabulous fashionista — gracefully bid farewell on July 25, 2023, just shy of her 84th birthday celebration.
Jo Ann was born on July 29, 1939, in Fort Worth, Texas, to the late Rosie Ann (Woellert) & Joseph Alfred Mihatsch Sr.
As the oldest of five siblings, Jo Ann’s fiery and independent personality developed due to numerous childhood shenanigans. She would always give credit of her fears to her brothers’ playful nature. She attended Temple High in 1956, where she met and married a young Sailor from Pendleton named Gene Camp. The military life led them to various locations, ultimately building a family & forever home in Temple. She shared countless memories with family and friends at the bowling alley, and she enjoyed hosting card nights with lifelong friends.
Jo Ann was a devoted mother to her five children and a cherished second-mother to numerous nephews, nieces, grandchildren, extended family and friends. In her younger years, she would selflessly welcome others’ children as if they were her own, and never without generous amounts of overflowing love and homecooked food. She was undoubtedly known as the matriarch of her family who has woven generations together, leaving them with countless memories.
Jo Ann worked devotedly with Scott & White for 37 years in various positions, ultimately finding a work-family in the Cytopathology department. She loved her work and the close bonds with “the girls” & her wonderful colleagues. She was always so grateful for the opportunity to share a workplace with such supportive people.
Jo Ann’s greatest passions besides her family were sewing, gardening, and finding unique treasures at local garage & estate sales. She was a true fashionista who showcased her vibrant personality through an exquisite collection of jewelry & blouses. Adorned in elegance, she always captivated the hearts of those around her with a touch of glamour.
Jo Ann’s proudest accomplishments were undoubtedly becoming both a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Her nurturing instinct carried into multiple generations, leaving an indelible mark on the lives she touched. Survivors include her son (Bobby Camp & wife Angela) and two daughters (Tammy Arledge and Nikki Gonzales); her brother (Bobby Mihatsch & wife Donna) and sister (Rose Abel); nine grandchildren (Trey, Colby, Taylor, Brandi, Sterlin, Kyle, Brad, TJ and Brooke); and eleven great-grandchildren.
We find solace in knowing that Jo Ann has found eternal peace and will continue to watch over her loved ones from above. Her death was preceded by her husband, her parents, her son (Bubba Camp), her daughter (Debbie Collier), and her brothers (Joe Mihatsch and Frank Mihatsch). The legacy she leaves behind will continue to shape the future as it resonates through the hearts of all who knew and loved her. She will be missed dearly by her fur-baby, Baloo.
Visitation will start at 5 p.m with services beginning at 6 p.m. on Saturday, August 5th at Young’s Daughters Family Funeral Home and Bereavement Center in Temple, followed directly thereafter by a celebration with all of Jo Ann’s favorite snacks and beverages.
Paid Obituary | https://www.tdtnews.com/obituaries/article_65592706-2d83-11ee-829d-3f49951c6b08.html | 2023-07-31T02:28:46 | 0 | https://www.tdtnews.com/obituaries/article_65592706-2d83-11ee-829d-3f49951c6b08.html |
DENHAM SPRINGS, La. (BRPROUD) – A Baton Rouge man has been charged in connection with a deadly crash that killed a Livingston Parish teenager.
Louisiana State Police responded to a three-vehicle collision on Louisiana 64 near Louisiana 1019 around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday, July 12.
LSP said a 1998 Dodge Dakota driven by William Cokes, 49, was heading east on Louisiana 64 while Caleb Easterling, 19, was driving west on the same highway in a 2009 Ford F-150. The reason Cokes crossed the center line and hit Easterling’s truck head-on is still under investigation. A 2015 Dodge Charger heading west also rear-ended the teen’s truck.
State police said Easterling was not wearing a seatbelt. He was sent to the hospital but died from his injuries.
Cokes was charged with vehicular homicide, first-degree vehicular negligent injuring, reckless operation of a vehicle, driving on the right side of the road, possession of alcoholic beverages in motor vehicles and no driver’s license.
Cokes will be booked into the Livingston Parish Detention Center after his discharge from medical treatment. | https://www.cbs42.com/regional/louisiana-news/man-charged-after-3-vehicle-crash-kills-louisiana-teenager/ | 2023-07-31T02:28:51 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/regional/louisiana-news/man-charged-after-3-vehicle-crash-kills-louisiana-teenager/ |
Flora Olguin Guardiola
Flora Olguin Guardiola, 65, of Taylor, Texas, passed away on July 24, 2023.
Flora was born in Taylor, Texas on September 23, 1957. She attended Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic church where she received her sacraments of baptism, communion, and confirmation.
Flora is survived by her husband, Joe Guardiola, daughter Leticia Fuentes (husband Randy), son Carlos Guardiola (wife Tracey), son Adam Guardiola, son Fabio Guardiola, and 8 grandchildren, Randy Fuentes, Jr, Miranda Fuentes, Regan Guardiola, Oliver Guardiola, Angelica Guardiola, Adam Guardiola, Jr, Lillian Guardiola and Crisstie Guardiola. Flora is also survived by several siblings, Lupe Rodriguez, Janie Gonzales, Mary Martinez, Raymond Salazar, Pete Martinez, Robert Lee Martinez, Sr, Vincent Martinez, Sr, Domingo Martinez, Sr and Josie Yannis.
Flora is preceded in death by her parents, Juan Salazar and Simona Olguin, her sisters Alvarira Rameriz, Paula Rojas, Susie Uriegas, Josie Castro and bother Johnny Martinez, Sr.
The family would like to thank the staff at Village Creek Wellness and Rehabilitation Nursing Home in Fort Worth and Angel Wings Hospice for caring for our mother and treating her like family.
A memorial service for Flora will be held at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 110 W. Rio Grande St on Friday August 4, 2023 at 10 AM in Taylor, Texas.
Paid Obituary | https://www.tdtnews.com/obituaries/article_b4727e10-2d87-11ee-90f7-9bd75bb6d38a.html | 2023-07-31T02:28:52 | 0 | https://www.tdtnews.com/obituaries/article_b4727e10-2d87-11ee-90f7-9bd75bb6d38a.html |
Patricia Ray Bell
Patricia Ray Bell, beloved Mother, Grandmother, and Great Grandmother peacefully passed away at home on June 4, 2023, with her children by her side. Pat was born September 8, 1941, in Ballinger, Texas where she attended school and worked for the family grocery business.
She began her professional career in Temple with Lone Star Gas in 1964 as a billing machine clerk and dispatcher with no college education. Management soon recognized Pat’s undeniable smarts, leadership, work ethic, and determination to shatter the infamous glass ceiling of the times. She was steadfastly promoted and stationed at several cities including DeSoto, Lancaster, Gainesville, Corsicana, and finally San Angelo where she retired after 30 years of proud, accomplished service as a Regional Manager. During that time, she was always heavily involved with local politics and various charities, including The United Way, West Texas Rehab, Rotary Club, and Chamber of Commerce. Pat was an outstanding civic force and was the first female president of the Chamber of Commerce in Lancaster, Texas. Along the way she also achieved an Associate’s Degree in Management from Dallas Community College. Upon retirement from Lone Star Gas, Pat continued to work full time with West Texas Rehab, LCRA, and finally Schmidt Electric.
Amazingly and without complaint she battled both colon and non-smoker’s lung cancer during her last twenty years of working.
Pat is now in the company of her parents Raymond Leon Bell and Alpha Margaret Bell in Heaven. She awaits her two children: Jay Garrett and wife, Sandy, of Belton; and Petie Hensley and husband, Mike, of Mansfield. Pat’s legacy lives on in her grandchildren: Kelli Glover and husband, Bryan; Will Pepper and wife, Dusti; Jake Hensley, Jonah Hensley and wife, Shannon; Michaela Hensley, Hunter Garrett, Chandler Garrett, and Gunner Garrett and wife, Abbie. She also leaves behind her great grandchildren: Berklee, Sadie and Lane Glover; Tristan and Paxton Pepper; Oakley Garrett; and two more blessings that are on the way. And last, but certainly not least, she is survived by her two beloved pets Ricci and Tiger Lily.
Pat was very passionate about her Faith, Family, Dallas Cowboys, Texas A&M Aggies, football, and her pets. Depending on game day, that order may change. She took her role as Mother and MawMaw very seriously and leaves behind an everlasting legacy of love, strength, perseverance, and many cherished memories.
Pat’s family is incredibly thankful and grateful for the gentle, dignified care given by AlevCare Hospice in Mansfield and her caregiver Cindy for the constant support not only given to Pat but to her family during the final months of her life.
Celebration of Life services to be held on:
Saturday, August 5th at 2:00 p.m.
Temple Bible Church
(In the Creekside Center)
3205 Oakview Drive
Temple, Texas
Saturday, August 12th at 10:00 a.m.
First Methodist Church
1501 N. Broadway Street
Ballinger, Texas
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the American Cancer Society.
Paid Obituary | https://www.tdtnews.com/obituaries/article_b981ec9a-2d6b-11ee-8fe7-a7bb3d1ebe57.html | 2023-07-31T02:28:58 | 0 | https://www.tdtnews.com/obituaries/article_b981ec9a-2d6b-11ee-8fe7-a7bb3d1ebe57.html |
Thresa Ada Dollar, 93, of Belton, Texas, formerly of Marble Falls, Texas, died peacefully on Friday, July 28, 2023, surrounded by her family.
A celebration of life will be held at 10 AM, Wednesday, August 2, 2023, at Dossman Funeral Home in Belton, Texas, and will be officiated by dear family friend, Charlie Robinson.
Thresa Dollar was born May 14, 1930, to Jack and Cecil Hanna in Borger, Texas. Thresa had 3 siblings, sisters, Geneva Powell and Jackie Daniels, and brother, Bruce Hanna.
She married her lifelong love, Wayne Dollar on April 26, 1950, with whom she lived a beautifully blessed life for 56 years. They shared a life with their three children and countless friends throughout Texas. Wayne and Thresa lived in Amarillo, Texas, Waco, Texas and retired in Marble Falls, Texas.
Thresa enjoyed travelling. She was always eager to be the front seat passenger for any road trip. She was quite the game player-any and all games- she played bridge most of her adult life-and even taught her grandchildren how to lose at a friendly game of Uno and dominoes. Thresa was a loving wife, mother, sister, daughter, grandmother, and friend. She will be greatly missed by all that were blessed to be loved by her.
Thresa was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband, and in March 2023, her daughter in law Linda Dollar, wife of Keith Dollar.
Survived by her children, daughter Cheryl and Jackie Garner, of Belton, Texas. Sons, Kenneth and Patti Dollar of Payette, Idaho, and Keith Dollar of Amarillo, Texas. Thresa was blessed with 9 grandchildren. Renea Conser and Lori Dixon, both of Dallas, Texas, Josh Dollar of Payette, Idaho, Jeff Dollar of Bedford, Texas, Sarah Muller of Lakeside, Texas, Cody Dollar of Arlington, Texas, Shayla Dollar, of Frisco, Texas, Misty Coffee, of Amarillo, Texas, and Brittni McKay, Canyon, Texas. She cherished each of her 14 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren.
Thresa, Mom, Mema, and Grandmother will be deeply missed and her legacy of The Best Chicken Frier Ever, The Most Competitive Gamer, and The Sweetest Soul of All Time will live on through her children and grandchildren.
Psalm 62:5-6, “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation, I will not be shaken.”
The family would like to give special thanks and love to all the wonderful staff and Stoney Brook of Belton and Enhabit Home Health, especially Katelin Green.
Memorials can be made in Thresa’s honor to Enhabit Home Health. | https://www.tdtnews.com/obituaries/article_bb21c4ca-2e16-11ee-a895-1ba088afc428.html | 2023-07-31T02:29:04 | 0 | https://www.tdtnews.com/obituaries/article_bb21c4ca-2e16-11ee-a895-1ba088afc428.html |
At 24, Alberto Rodriguez has grandparents younger than Joe Biden. But he’s more interested in the 80-year-old president’s accomplishments than his age.
“People as young as me, we’re all focusing on our day-to-day lives and he has done things to help us through that,” Rodriguez, a cook at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, said of Biden’s support among young voters. Rodriguez pointed specifically to federal COVID-19 relief payments and government spending increases on infrastructure and other social programs.
Voters like him were a key piece of Biden’s winning 2020 coalition, which included majorities of young people as well as college graduates, women, urban and suburban voters and Black Americans. Maintaining their support will be critical in closely contested states such as Nevada, where even small declines could prove consequential to Biden’s reelection bid.
His 2024 campaign plans to emphasize messages that could especially resonate with young people in the coming weeks as the anniversary of the sweeping Inflation Reduction Act approaches in mid-August. That legislation includes provisions that the White House will embrace to argue that Biden has done more than any other president to combat climate change.
Such efforts, however, could collide with Biden’s personal reality — like when he recalled that, while attending a St. Patrick’s Day parade at age 14, he appeared in a photo with President Harry S. Truman.
“Purely by accident — I assume it was an accident — the photographer from the newspaper got a picture of me making eye contact with Harry Truman,” Biden said to chuckles last week at the Truman Civil Rights Symposium in Washington.
In 2020, 61% of voters under age 30 — and 55% of those between 30 and 44 — supported Biden, according to AP VoteCast, a nationwide survey of the electorate.
It’s an age group with which Republicans hope to make inroads. Former President Donald Trump, who is the early front-runner in the GOP presidential primary and is only 3 1/2 years younger than Biden, said Friday, “We are hitting the young person’s market like nobody’s ever seen before.”
Kevin Munoz, a spokesman for Biden’s campaign, referred to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement in arguing that “young people are acutely impacted by the issues front and center in this election, driven by the extreme MAGA agenda.” He said that included inaction on climate change, gun violence and student debt.
“We will meet younger Americans where they are and turn their energy into action,” Munoz said in a statement.
That might not defuse questions about age, though, when it comes to Biden or Trump.
“There’s a frustration and exhaustion that they feel with the rematch,” Terrance Woodbury, co-founder & CEO of the Democratic polling firm HIT Strategies, said of young voters.
“That’s more of a problem than either of those two candidates individually, is that a system can just keep reproducing,” Woodbury added. “And I think a lot of people just find that untenable.”
An April poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that just 25% of Democrats under 45 said they would definitely support Biden in a general election, compared with 56% of older Democrats. A majority of Democrats across age groups said they would probably support him as the party’s nominee, however.
Biden’s campaign is relying heavily on the Democratic National Committee, which during last year’s midterms, hired campus organizers in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona and other battleground states and offered weekly youth coordinating meetings to encourage in-class contacts and “dormstorms.” The DNC sees young people as some of the most critical voters it will need to reach in 2024 and promises “significant investments” to mobilize them. Plans are underway to expand on its work last cycle, including trainings it held on how best to turn out voters.
The Republican National Committee is trying to use Biden’s age against him, posting online videos of Biden seeming frail or making verbal gaffes, such as when he declared in June “God save the queen,” nearly nine months after the death of England’s Queen Elizabeth II.
Rodriguez shrugged off online attacks, “People can make all the hit pieces and memes and TikToks all they want.”
A starker contrast might be between the president and rising Democrats such as 46-year-old California Rep. Ro Khanna and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, 41, one of Biden’s primary rivals in 2020. Neither seriously entertained running for the White House in 2024 and have backed Biden’s reelection.
“The only thing that really matters is your ability to do the job,” Buttigieg, who was 37 when he launched his 2020 presidential bid, said recently on CNN. Khanna told Fox News Channel that age will “obviously” be a 2024 factor, but suggested that Biden’s staff “overprotects” him and “the more he’s out there, the better.”
Other top young Democrats have lined up to back Biden. Florida Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost, who was elected to Congress last year at 26, is on the Biden campaign’s advisory board, as is Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, 44. New York Rep. Alexandra Ocasio Cortez, 33, recently endorsed Biden.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a progressive who says strong turnout among young voters helped him win a runoff election this spring, said Biden’s policies transcend his age. Johnson noted that the president’s work “around climate justice speaks not just to this generation, but generations to come.”
“The excitement that I believe that we’re going to have is going to speak to the incredible work and organizing that we are committed to doing as a party,” said Johnson, 47. “And we’re looking forward to working with the president over the course of his next four years.”
Still, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, acknowledged that even the president’s supporters understand how demanding the White House can be.
“People worry about Joe Biden. They worry like you would worry about a beloved father or grandfather,” said Weingarten, 65. “What you normally hear from Democrats is this sense of, ‘OK, I just want him to be OK.’ And you’re hearing just the consternation of, ’This is a hard job.’”
Biden said he “took a hard look” at his age while deciding to seek a second term. But he’s also tried to suggest his age and experience are assets rather than liabilities by joking repeatedly about them. That’s a departure from 2020, when Biden called himself a “transition candidate” and pledged to be a “bridge” to younger Democrats.
Santiago Mayer, the founder of Voters of Tomorrow, which has 20-plus chapters nationwide and works to increase political engagement among young voters, argues that Biden is not defying his past promise by running for reelection, but keeping it.
“He just needs more time,” said Mayer, who graduated from California State University at Long Beach in May. “I think the second term is a very important part of that pledge. He’s building a progressive future for young people and he can’t actually pass the baton until that’s done.”
One key policy piece of Biden’s efforts to appeal to young voters, providing student debt relief, was recently struck down by the Supreme Court. The White House has launched a new effort, but it will take longer.
“Of course it’s going to dampen some of that because people are disappointed,” Weingarten said of the ruling’s effect on enthusiasm for Biden. But she said the decision could also motivate young Biden supporters anxious show their support for the president’s alternative plan.
“It is also about the fight,” Weingarten said “not just about the results.” | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/joe-biden-the-oldest-sitting-president-needs-young-voters-will-his-age-matter/ | 2023-07-31T02:29:06 | 0 | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/joe-biden-the-oldest-sitting-president-needs-young-voters-will-his-age-matter/ |
(NewsNation) — While questions remain about a mystery company buying 52,000 acres of land near an Air Force base, a congressman says farmers in the area are being targeted in a lawsuit.
Rep. John Garamendi, D-Calif., has been speaking out over the past five years about the $800 million in land acquisitions by Flannery Associates near Travis Air Force Base in Northern California.
In an interview with NewsNation, Garamendi said he’s been in contact with the families of farmers who handed over their land to Flannery. He said they didn’t want to sell in the first place.
Since no California laws require them to sell, the land was bargained for by both parties at a much higher price. But now, Flannery is suing those families for $510 million, accusing them of conspiring together to inflate the value of the land.
“It’s a suit designed to force the farmers to lawyer up, spend tens of thousands of dollars on lawyering and maybe at the end of the day, bankrupt themselves,” Garamendi said. “In fact, that has happened to at least one family that I know of and I’ve heard rumors that another family simply said we can’t afford the lawyers.”
NewsNation reviewed a copy of the lawsuit. Attorneys for Flannery said they believe “this is a simple case about a group of wealthy landowners who saw an opportunity to conspire, collude, price fix and illegally overcharge Flannery.”
But Garamendi said there was no viable economic reason to justify spending several times more than what the land is worth in the first place.
The suit comes as companies with ties to China have been ramping up efforts to buy American farmland in recent years.
Public records show “Flannery Associates” has invested more than $800 million on more than 50,000 acres of land surrounding the Travis Air Force Base since 2018.
Legal representation for Flannery said the group is controlled by U.S. citizens, with 97% of its capital coming from U.S.-based investors. But after eight months of investigation, federal officials can’t confirm or deny this to be true and have not been able to determine exactly who is backing the company.
The Air Force’s Foreign Investment Risk Review office is currently investigating Flannery Associates. Garamendi said there are valid concerns that Flannery’s land acquisitions could be tied to foreign enemies.
“The fact they chose to buy all three sides of the Travis Air Force Base even raises immediate questions about national security,” Garamendi said. “So, is this Chinese money? We don’t know, but we do know that the Chinese money was being used in North Dakota and we have a very deep suspicion, given the amount of money, given the lack of attention to values, that they simply want to acquire all of this land.”
NewsNation investigated the now thwarted deal with a Chinese-owned company in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Last year, 300 acres of farmland were purchased near the Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota by Chinese-owned Fufeng – a deal that raised red flags about potential spying.
After pushback from the community, the city council ultimately voted to end the project, citing national security risks.
Garamendi said local residents near Travis Air Force Base are riled up, just like the residents in Grand Forks, due to how critical the area is for the U.S. military.
“Travis Air Force Base is absolutely essential. It is the gateway to the Pacific,” Garamendi said, later adding, “A good deal of the munitions that are going to Ukraine also passed through Travis Air Force Base.”
China has been buying up American farmland for years. Nearly 384,000 acres of agricultural land in the U.S. is controlled by China, and the rate at which they are purchasing land is growing, the USDA reports.
Chinese ownership of American farmland has increased 55% in the past five years, with almost 75% of it located in the South and about 16% on the West Coast. | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/mystery-group-buying-land-near-air-force-base-is-suing-farmers-congressman-says/ | 2023-07-31T02:29:12 | 0 | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/mystery-group-buying-land-near-air-force-base-is-suing-farmers-congressman-says/ |
At 24, Alberto Rodriguez has grandparents younger than Joe Biden. But he’s more interested in the 80-year-old president’s accomplishments than his age.
“People as young as me, we’re all focusing on our day-to-day lives and he has done things to help us through that,” Rodriguez, a cook at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, said of Biden’s support among young voters. Rodriguez pointed specifically to federal COVID-19 relief payments and government spending increases on infrastructure and other social programs.
Voters like him were a key piece of Biden’s winning 2020 coalition, which included majorities of young people as well as college graduates, women, urban and suburban voters and Black Americans. Maintaining their support will be critical in closely contested states such as Nevada, where even small declines could prove consequential to Biden’s reelection bid.
His 2024 campaign plans to emphasize messages that could especially resonate with young people in the coming weeks as the anniversary of the sweeping Inflation Reduction Act approaches in mid-August. That legislation includes provisions that the White House will embrace to argue that Biden has done more than any other president to combat climate change.
Such efforts, however, could collide with Biden’s personal reality — like when he recalled that, while attending a St. Patrick’s Day parade at age 14, he appeared in a photo with President Harry S. Truman.
“Purely by accident — I assume it was an accident — the photographer from the newspaper got a picture of me making eye contact with Harry Truman,” Biden said to chuckles last week at the Truman Civil Rights Symposium in Washington.
In 2020, 61% of voters under age 30 — and 55% of those between 30 and 44 — supported Biden, according to AP VoteCast, a nationwide survey of the electorate.
It’s an age group with which Republicans hope to make inroads. Former President Donald Trump, who is the early front-runner in the GOP presidential primary and is only 3 1/2 years younger than Biden, said Friday, “We are hitting the young person’s market like nobody’s ever seen before.”
Kevin Munoz, a spokesman for Biden’s campaign, referred to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement in arguing that “young people are acutely impacted by the issues front and center in this election, driven by the extreme MAGA agenda.” He said that included inaction on climate change, gun violence and student debt.
“We will meet younger Americans where they are and turn their energy into action,” Munoz said in a statement.
That might not defuse questions about age, though, when it comes to Biden or Trump.
“There’s a frustration and exhaustion that they feel with the rematch,” Terrance Woodbury, co-founder & CEO of the Democratic polling firm HIT Strategies, said of young voters.
“That’s more of a problem than either of those two candidates individually, is that a system can just keep reproducing,” Woodbury added. “And I think a lot of people just find that untenable.”
An April poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that just 25% of Democrats under 45 said they would definitely support Biden in a general election, compared with 56% of older Democrats. A majority of Democrats across age groups said they would probably support him as the party’s nominee, however.
Biden’s campaign is relying heavily on the Democratic National Committee, which during last year’s midterms, hired campus organizers in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona and other battleground states and offered weekly youth coordinating meetings to encourage in-class contacts and “dormstorms.” The DNC sees young people as some of the most critical voters it will need to reach in 2024 and promises “significant investments” to mobilize them. Plans are underway to expand on its work last cycle, including trainings it held on how best to turn out voters.
The Republican National Committee is trying to use Biden’s age against him, posting online videos of Biden seeming frail or making verbal gaffes, such as when he declared in June “God save the queen,” nearly nine months after the death of England’s Queen Elizabeth II.
Rodriguez shrugged off online attacks, “People can make all the hit pieces and memes and TikToks all they want.”
A starker contrast might be between the president and rising Democrats such as 46-year-old California Rep. Ro Khanna and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, 41, one of Biden’s primary rivals in 2020. Neither seriously entertained running for the White House in 2024 and have backed Biden’s reelection.
“The only thing that really matters is your ability to do the job,” Buttigieg, who was 37 when he launched his 2020 presidential bid, said recently on CNN. Khanna told Fox News Channel that age will “obviously” be a 2024 factor, but suggested that Biden’s staff “overprotects” him and “the more he’s out there, the better.”
Other top young Democrats have lined up to back Biden. Florida Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost, who was elected to Congress last year at 26, is on the Biden campaign’s advisory board, as is Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, 44. New York Rep. Alexandra Ocasio Cortez, 33, recently endorsed Biden.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a progressive who says strong turnout among young voters helped him win a runoff election this spring, said Biden’s policies transcend his age. Johnson noted that the president’s work “around climate justice speaks not just to this generation, but generations to come.”
“The excitement that I believe that we’re going to have is going to speak to the incredible work and organizing that we are committed to doing as a party,” said Johnson, 47. “And we’re looking forward to working with the president over the course of his next four years.”
Still, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, acknowledged that even the president’s supporters understand how demanding the White House can be.
“People worry about Joe Biden. They worry like you would worry about a beloved father or grandfather,” said Weingarten, 65. “What you normally hear from Democrats is this sense of, ‘OK, I just want him to be OK.’ And you’re hearing just the consternation of, ’This is a hard job.’”
Biden said he “took a hard look” at his age while deciding to seek a second term. But he’s also tried to suggest his age and experience are assets rather than liabilities by joking repeatedly about them. That’s a departure from 2020, when Biden called himself a “transition candidate” and pledged to be a “bridge” to younger Democrats.
Santiago Mayer, the founder of Voters of Tomorrow, which has 20-plus chapters nationwide and works to increase political engagement among young voters, argues that Biden is not defying his past promise by running for reelection, but keeping it.
“He just needs more time,” said Mayer, who graduated from California State University at Long Beach in May. “I think the second term is a very important part of that pledge. He’s building a progressive future for young people and he can’t actually pass the baton until that’s done.”
One key policy piece of Biden’s efforts to appeal to young voters, providing student debt relief, was recently struck down by the Supreme Court. The White House has launched a new effort, but it will take longer.
“Of course it’s going to dampen some of that because people are disappointed,” Weingarten said of the ruling’s effect on enthusiasm for Biden. But she said the decision could also motivate young Biden supporters anxious show their support for the president’s alternative plan.
“It is also about the fight,” Weingarten said “not just about the results.” | https://www.kark.com/news/national-news/joe-biden-the-oldest-sitting-president-needs-young-voters-will-his-age-matter/ | 2023-07-31T02:29:24 | 1 | https://www.kark.com/news/national-news/joe-biden-the-oldest-sitting-president-needs-young-voters-will-his-age-matter/ |
Amid a wave of incidents involving fans at concerts throwing objects at artists, it happened again this weekend.
This time to rapper Cardi B, who returned the favor.
A video from her performance in Las Vegas on Saturday shows someone in the crowd, close to the stage, throwing a drink at Cardi. The rapper then throws her microphone back at the person.
Security got involved, and the rapper reportedly continued with her set.
So far, no charges have been filed against the person who threw the drink at Cardi or against Cardi for throwing her microphone.
Cardi later posted on socialmedia a video where she says, “not the girl who threw the water yelling she’s sorry after.”
This comes after an alarming string of incidents where people keep throwing things on stage, sometimes even hurting performers.
In June, Pop star Bebe Rexha was hit by a cellphone in the face during a show in New York, forcing her to stop the music. The strike left the singer with a black eyeand in need of stitches.
Also in June, country artist Kelsea Ballerini was hit in the face by an object. She too stopped her set before returning with a message to fans.
This month, Harry Styles was also hit in the eye with an object while performing in Vienna, and rapper Drake was hit in the arm by a phone thrown during his concert in Chicago.
SEE MORE: Why do fans keep throwing things at artists during concerts?
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.abcactionnews.com/cardi-b-throws-microphone-at-concertgoer-after-they-throw-drink-at-her | 2023-07-31T02:29:28 | 0 | https://www.abcactionnews.com/cardi-b-throws-microphone-at-concertgoer-after-they-throw-drink-at-her |
July keeps sizzling as Phoenix hits another 110-degree day and wildfires spread in California
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix sizzled through its 31st consecutive day of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) and other parts of the country grappled Sunday with record temperatures after a week that saw significant portions of the U.S. population subject to extreme heat.
The National Weather Service said Phoenix was expected to climb to 112 F (44.4 Celsius) before the day was through.
July has been so steamy thus far that scientists calculate it will be the hottest month ever recorded and likely the warmest human civilization has seen. The World Meteorological Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service on Thursday proclaimed July beyond record-smashing.
The historic heat began blasting the lower Southwest U.S. in late June, stretching from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California’s desert.
On Sunday, a massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve spread rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the south that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the preserve sent up a huge plume of smoke visible nearly 100 miles (160 kilometers) away across the state line in Nevada.
Flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots have charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometers) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to a Sunday update.
“The dry fuel acts as a ready ignition source, and when paired with those weather conditions it resulted in long-distance fire run and high flames, leading to extreme fire behavior,” authorities said. No structures were threatened, but there was also no containment.
To the southwest, the Bonny Fire was holding steady at about 3.4 square miles (8.8 square kilometers) in rugged hills of Riverside County. More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday near the remote community of Aguanga, California.
Triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the central San Joaquin Valley through Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
And in Burbank, California, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, the summer heat may have been responsible for some unusual behavior in the animal kingdom: Police in the city responded to a report of a bear sighting in a residential neighborhood and found the animal sitting in a Jacuzzi behind one of the homes.
As climate change brings hotter and longer heat waves, record temperatures across the U.S. have killed dozens of people, and the poorest Americans suffer the most. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
Last year, all 86 heat-related deaths indoors were in uncooled environments.
“To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills,” said Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor who researches heat and health. “Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours.”
It’s the poorest and people of color, from Kansas City to Detroit to New York City and beyond, who are far more likely to face grueling heat without air conditioning, according to a Boston University analysis of 115 U.S. metro areas.
Back in Phoenix, slight relief may be on the way as expected seasonal thunderstorms could drop temperatures Monday and Tuesday.
“It should be around 108 degrees, so we break that 110 streak,” meteorologist Tom Frieders said. “Increasing cloud cover will put temperatures in a downward trend.”
The relief could be short-lived, however. Highs are expected to creep back to 110 F (43.3 C) Wednesday with temperatures reaching 115 F (46.1 C) by the end of the week.
Phoenix has also sweated through a record 16 consecutive nights when the lows temperature didn’t dip below 90 F (32.2 C), making it hard for people to cool off after sunset.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas continues to flirt with its hottest July ever. The city is closing in on its 2010 record for the average of the high and low each day for July, which stands at 96.2 F (35.5 C).
The extreme heat is also hitting the eastern U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places recorded their warmest days so far this year.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ | 2023-07-31T02:29:28 | 0 | https://www.kttc.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ |
(NewsNation) — While questions remain about a mystery company buying 52,000 acres of land near an Air Force base, a congressman says farmers in the area are being targeted in a lawsuit.
Rep. John Garamendi, D-Calif., has been speaking out over the past five years about the $800 million in land acquisitions by Flannery Associates near Travis Air Force Base in Northern California.
In an interview with NewsNation, Garamendi said he’s been in contact with the families of farmers who handed over their land to Flannery. He said they didn’t want to sell in the first place.
Since no California laws require them to sell, the land was bargained for by both parties at a much higher price. But now, Flannery is suing those families for $510 million, accusing them of conspiring together to inflate the value of the land.
“It’s a suit designed to force the farmers to lawyer up, spend tens of thousands of dollars on lawyering and maybe at the end of the day, bankrupt themselves,” Garamendi said. “In fact, that has happened to at least one family that I know of and I’ve heard rumors that another family simply said we can’t afford the lawyers.”
NewsNation reviewed a copy of the lawsuit. Attorneys for Flannery said they believe “this is a simple case about a group of wealthy landowners who saw an opportunity to conspire, collude, price fix and illegally overcharge Flannery.”
But Garamendi said there was no viable economic reason to justify spending several times more than what the land is worth in the first place.
The suit comes as companies with ties to China have been ramping up efforts to buy American farmland in recent years.
Public records show “Flannery Associates” has invested more than $800 million on more than 50,000 acres of land surrounding the Travis Air Force Base since 2018.
Legal representation for Flannery said the group is controlled by U.S. citizens, with 97% of its capital coming from U.S.-based investors. But after eight months of investigation, federal officials can’t confirm or deny this to be true and have not been able to determine exactly who is backing the company.
The Air Force’s Foreign Investment Risk Review office is currently investigating Flannery Associates. Garamendi said there are valid concerns that Flannery’s land acquisitions could be tied to foreign enemies.
“The fact they chose to buy all three sides of the Travis Air Force Base even raises immediate questions about national security,” Garamendi said. “So, is this Chinese money? We don’t know, but we do know that the Chinese money was being used in North Dakota and we have a very deep suspicion, given the amount of money, given the lack of attention to values, that they simply want to acquire all of this land.”
NewsNation investigated the now thwarted deal with a Chinese-owned company in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Last year, 300 acres of farmland were purchased near the Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota by Chinese-owned Fufeng – a deal that raised red flags about potential spying.
After pushback from the community, the city council ultimately voted to end the project, citing national security risks.
Garamendi said local residents near Travis Air Force Base are riled up, just like the residents in Grand Forks, due to how critical the area is for the U.S. military.
“Travis Air Force Base is absolutely essential. It is the gateway to the Pacific,” Garamendi said, later adding, “A good deal of the munitions that are going to Ukraine also passed through Travis Air Force Base.”
China has been buying up American farmland for years. Nearly 384,000 acres of agricultural land in the U.S. is controlled by China, and the rate at which they are purchasing land is growing, the USDA reports.
Chinese ownership of American farmland has increased 55% in the past five years, with almost 75% of it located in the South and about 16% on the West Coast. | https://www.kark.com/news/national-news/mystery-group-buying-land-near-air-force-base-is-suing-farmers-congressman-says/ | 2023-07-31T02:29:30 | 1 | https://www.kark.com/news/national-news/mystery-group-buying-land-near-air-force-base-is-suing-farmers-congressman-says/ |
Music streaming is through the roof this year.
With acts from all over the world taking over the charts and doing so in record fashion.
American music acts are on the list of chart-topping hits from Miley Cyrus, whose single "Flowers" reached one billion streams faster than any song in Spotifyhistory in 2023. To SZA's smash hit "Kill Bill," which has also amassed more than a billion streams this year.
Luminate, one of the leaders in global entertainment data and research, says global streams have already topped one trillion this year.
The fastest climb to a trillion streams since the inception of music streaming reached just three months into the year, a full month faster than last year. And with that growth comes an increasing interest in non-English-language music.
Luminate’s report found nearly 40% of music listeners in the U.S. enjoy music in languages other than English.
Spanish and K-pop are leading the surge in global pop music.
"They both have incredibly loyal and passionate fan bases, and that really creates an environment where fans are always on the lookout for new music," said Jaime Marconette.
Marconette is Luminate’s senior director of music insights and industry relations.
When asked if English-speaking artists are losing their global appeal, Marconette said what we're seeing is most likely due to the increase of people speaking other languages other than English in the country.
"I think that's a fair question, but I think that's a really complicated answer because I don't know if they're losing their appeal," said Marconette. "But I think that what we're seeing is probably a bit of a rise of native languages, or languages that are specific to certain regions, or even diasporas as they move to other countries, starting to grow."
SEE MORE: Why are Mexican Corridos gaining popularity on the music charts?
Latin megastar Bad Bunny’s "Un Verano Sin Ti," which dropped in the Spring of 2022, continues to dominate Luminate’s mid-year top album chart in 2023.
When it comes to both physical and digital sales, K-pop is as pop as it gets.
"The number one source of discovery for K-pop fans here in the U.S. is video and then also audio streaming services; you know, these K-pop fans are also 76% more likely to stream music than the average listener," said Marconette.
Spanish, French, Japanese, Korean, Italian, German, and Arabic have all emerged as popular languages for non-anglophonic music.
The cultural melting pot that is the U.S. is also helping the rise of non-English music.
"But one of the things that we're seeing is that changing population demographics is definitely making the import of music from other countries easier," said Marconette.
Content platforms like YouTube and social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram also bring the world’s music to U.S. listeners and make it easier for people to share new songs.
"There are really no borders; there are really no geographical barriers," said Marconette. "We're finding that fans in other countries are very easily able to access all sorts of music; you know, really, the world's music library is essentially available."
While it's safe to say English-speaking music will always be around, American music executives are certainly paying attention to the shift. That means they're scoping out international talent more than ever.
"Understanding population changes, you know, those sorts of things together can really guide the way for, you know, music to cross borders, whether, you know, internationally or coming into the U.S. as well," said Marconette.
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.abcactionnews.com/music-streams-for-2023-hit-1-trillion-in-record-time | 2023-07-31T02:29:34 | 0 | https://www.abcactionnews.com/music-streams-for-2023-hit-1-trillion-in-record-time |
(NewsNation) — While questions remain about a mystery company buying 52,000 acres of land near an Air Force base, a congressman says farmers in the area are being targeted in a lawsuit.
Rep. John Garamendi, D-Calif., has been speaking out over the past five years about the $800 million in land acquisitions by Flannery Associates near Travis Air Force Base in Northern California.
In an interview with NewsNation, Garamendi said he’s been in contact with the families of farmers who handed over their land to Flannery. He said they didn’t want to sell in the first place.
Since no California laws require them to sell, the land was bargained for by both parties at a much higher price. But now, Flannery is suing those families for $510 million, accusing them of conspiring together to inflate the value of the land.
“It’s a suit designed to force the farmers to lawyer up, spend tens of thousands of dollars on lawyering and maybe at the end of the day, bankrupt themselves,” Garamendi said. “In fact, that has happened to at least one family that I know of and I’ve heard rumors that another family simply said we can’t afford the lawyers.”
NewsNation reviewed a copy of the lawsuit. Attorneys for Flannery said they believe “this is a simple case about a group of wealthy landowners who saw an opportunity to conspire, collude, price fix and illegally overcharge Flannery.”
But Garamendi said there was no viable economic reason to justify spending several times more than what the land is worth in the first place.
The suit comes as companies with ties to China have been ramping up efforts to buy American farmland in recent years.
Public records show “Flannery Associates” has invested more than $800 million on more than 50,000 acres of land surrounding the Travis Air Force Base since 2018.
Legal representation for Flannery said the group is controlled by U.S. citizens, with 97% of its capital coming from U.S.-based investors. But after eight months of investigation, federal officials can’t confirm or deny this to be true and have not been able to determine exactly who is backing the company.
The Air Force’s Foreign Investment Risk Review office is currently investigating Flannery Associates. Garamendi said there are valid concerns that Flannery’s land acquisitions could be tied to foreign enemies.
“The fact they chose to buy all three sides of the Travis Air Force Base even raises immediate questions about national security,” Garamendi said. “So, is this Chinese money? We don’t know, but we do know that the Chinese money was being used in North Dakota and we have a very deep suspicion, given the amount of money, given the lack of attention to values, that they simply want to acquire all of this land.”
NewsNation investigated the now thwarted deal with a Chinese-owned company in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Last year, 300 acres of farmland were purchased near the Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota by Chinese-owned Fufeng – a deal that raised red flags about potential spying.
After pushback from the community, the city council ultimately voted to end the project, citing national security risks.
Garamendi said local residents near Travis Air Force Base are riled up, just like the residents in Grand Forks, due to how critical the area is for the U.S. military.
“Travis Air Force Base is absolutely essential. It is the gateway to the Pacific,” Garamendi said, later adding, “A good deal of the munitions that are going to Ukraine also passed through Travis Air Force Base.”
China has been buying up American farmland for years. Nearly 384,000 acres of agricultural land in the U.S. is controlled by China, and the rate at which they are purchasing land is growing, the USDA reports.
Chinese ownership of American farmland has increased 55% in the past five years, with almost 75% of it located in the South and about 16% on the West Coast. | https://www.krqe.com/news/national/mystery-group-buying-land-near-air-force-base-is-suing-farmers-congressman-says/ | 2023-07-31T02:29:47 | 0 | https://www.krqe.com/news/national/mystery-group-buying-land-near-air-force-base-is-suing-farmers-congressman-says/ |
Updated July 30, 2023 at 10:09 PM ET
It's the end of the road for one of the nation's largest freight carriers.
Yellow, a trucking company that just three years ago took a $700 million federal pandemic loan, is shutting down, according to the Teamsters union, which represents the company's 22,000 unionized workers.
The company is expected to file for bankruptcy as soon as Monday, according to industry experts, following a recent exodus of customers amid union strife and on top of years of financial troubles.
With 30,000 jobs at stake, it's poised to be the largest trucking bankruptcy in the history of the U.S., experts said. The company, formerly known as YRC Worldwide, is the third largest less-than-truckload carrier by revenue, behind FedEx and Old Dominion. LTL companies move pallet-sized shipments — smaller than a container, but bigger than a parcel.
Yellow has not publicly announced any plans for bankruptcy or a potential shutdown.
Here's what we know.
Employees were told to prepare for a company shutdown
The Teamsters union, which had been locked in contentious negotiations for a new contract with Yellow, said it received a legal notice that Yellow is ceasing operations and filing for bankruptcy, according to a news release posted Sunday night.
"Today's news is unfortunate but not surprising," said Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien. "This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry."
The union's announcement comes hours after The Wall Street Journal reported that Yellow shut down on Sunday afternoon, citing internal notices sent to customers and employees.
Yellow says it will issue a public statement on Monday about "the state of the company and the operation," according to the industry outlet FreightWaves, which also obtained internal documents.
Yellow has not responded to NPR's requests for comment.
Yellow laid off an unknown number of its employees on Friday, reported FreightWaves, citing a memo sent to staff informing them that the company is "shutting down its regular operations" and "laying off employees at all of its locations."
The same day, Teamsters had advised Yellow employees to "prepare for the worst."
"Yellow appears to be headed to a complete shutdown within the next few days," said Teamsters National Freight Director John Murphy in a Friday memo shared with NPR.
A strike threat delivered the final blow to cash-poor Yellow
The shutdown comes just days after a Teamsters strike at the company was averted. A week ago, a pension fund agreed to extend health benefits for workers at two Yellow operating companies after the carrier missed its $50 million benefits payment to the fund on July 15, the union said.
While the extension held off a July 24 strike, the threat of a walkout that could disrupt operations prompted a wave of Yellow customers to bolt.
"The Teamsters actions induced a high level of variability and uncertainty in the market for Yellow's customers. The market abhors variability and uncertainty," wrote Mike Regan, co-founder of TranzAct Technologies, which manages transportation services for retailers. "Consequently, Yellow lost substantial and much needed volume."
After the strike threat, Yellow's freight volumes fell 80% within the span of a week, according to Jack Atkins, a managing director at the financial services firm Stephens who researches the transportation sector.
At the same time, he said, Yellow's cries that it was running out of cash during union negotiation attempts scared off customers. After fleeing to rival carriers like FedEx and ABF Freight, customers didn't return.
"Both sides bear fault," Atkins said. "Once that freight left, there was nothing left to really restructure," he added. "It was really too late to save the company."
The company has been at risk of bankruptcy for years
Animus between Yellow and Teamsters has grown in recent months, with each party blaming one another for the company's problems.
After the trucking carrier tried to restructure its operations this spring as a cost-saving measure that would allow it to refinance its debt. In June, Yellow sued the union for blocking the restructuring plan it said was "essential to the company's survival." The Teamsters in turn called the lawsuit "baseless," instead blaming Yellow for "decades of gross mismanagement," that included its alleged exhaustion of the $700 million bailout loan.
The company reported a net income of $21.8 million last year. Yellow has $1.3 billion in loan debt due in fall 2024, $729 million of which is owed to the federal government, according to the company's latest quarterly report.
Yellow received a $700 million loan from the government in 2020 as part of a COVID-19 rescue package. In return, the Treasury Department took a 30% stake in the company's shares, which have since plummeted to less than a dollar apiece as of Friday.
In June, a congressional probe found that the Treasury Department's disbursement of the loan was a mistake; the freight company — whose customers included the Department of Defense — did not actually meet the standards to qualify for the business loan because its survival was not "critical to maintaining national security."
"Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Yellow was a financially struggling company that had a long-term non-investment grade (i.e., junk) rating and previous close calls with bankruptcy over the years. The pandemic did not cause Yellow's longstanding problems, nor is the Treasury's loan to the company likely to solve those problems," the Congressional Oversight Commission report read.
A world without Yellow
An end to the Nashville-based company would mean the loss of 30,000 jobs.
In its Sunday statement, the Teamsters union said it's working to help "affected members get the assistance they need to find good union jobs throughout freight and other industries."
Atkins doesn't expect the federal government to come to the rescue this time. While there may be some slight disruptions, the analyst anticipates other freight carriers will have some capacity to absorb Yellow's business because of a recent dent in freight volumes.
"This is not going to create a supply-chain crisis," he said.
Retailers and manufacturers are likely to see higher shipping rates if the company folds, he said. Yellow is known for its low shipping rates compared to its rivals.
Atkins visited the Yellow terminal in Little Rock, Ark., on Sunday to find all gates chained up, a sign of ceased operations.
"They've been in wind-down mode, clearing the network out of all the remaining freight," he said. "This is the end."
NPR's Camila Domonoske contributed to this story.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.kcbx.org/npr-top-news/npr-top-news/2023-07-30/the-yellow-trucking-company-meltdown-explained | 2023-07-31T02:29:47 | 1 | https://www.kcbx.org/npr-top-news/npr-top-news/2023-07-30/the-yellow-trucking-company-meltdown-explained |
This is CNBC's live blog covering Asia-Pacific markets.
Asia-Pacific markets rose on Monday as China's factory activity for July remained in contraction territory for the fourth straight month.
The official manufacturing purchasing managers index came in at 49.3, higher than June's figure of 49.0, according to the national bureau of statistics.
The PMI for non-manufacturing activity came in at 51.5, a slower rate of expansion compared to the 53.2 in June.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng index surged over 1.71%, while the Hang Seng Tech index saw a larger climb of 4.84%. At current levels, this would be the first time that the HSI breached the 20,000 mark in over a month.
Mainland Chinese markets were all higher as well, with the Shanghai Composite up 1.27% and the Shenzhen Component 1.16% higher.
Japan's Nikkei 225 popped 1.83%, while the Topix saw a larger gain of 1.52%. The country's industrial output for June came in lower than expected, registering a 2% growth month on month compared to the 2.4% expected by economists.
Money Report
South Korea's Kospi advanced 0.88%, and the Kosdaq climbed 1.86%.
Australia's S&P/ASX 200 also rose 0.1%, as investors prepare for the Reserve Bank of Australia's rate decision on Tuesday, with economists polled by Reuters expecting a 25 basis points hike in its benchmark policy rate to 4.35%.
On Friday in the U.S., all three major indexes gained as June data for the personal consumption expenditures price index continued to show easing inflation. Core PCE gained 0.2% month-over-month, and core PCE rose 4.1% from the year-ago period, lower than the anticipated 4.2%
The Dow rose 0.5%, while the S&P 500 added and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 1.90%.
— CNBC's Sarah Min and Alex Harring contributed to this report
China's factory activity contracts for fourth straight month
China's factory activity remained in contraction territory for the fourth straight month, with the purchasing manager's index coming in at 49.3 compared to the 49.2 expected by economists polled by Reuters.
According to the country's national bureau of statistics, the PMI level is also higher than the 49.0 recorded in June.
The PMI for the non-manufacturing sector in July came in at 51.3, compared to June's figure of 53.2.
— Lim Hui Jie
Japan's industrial production in June lower than expected
Japan's industrial output climbed 2% in June compared to the month before, lower than the 2.4% expected by economists polled by Reuters.
The preliminary report also showed that on a year on year basis, industrial output fell 0.4%, a sharp reversal from the 3.1% rise seen in May.
Japan's ministry of economy, trade, and industry said that the production of motor vehicles, electronic parts and devices, as well as machinery mainly contributed to the increase in June.
— Lim Hui Jie
CNBC Pro: China’s electric car game amps up. One stock has doubled this year
Just as Chinese electric car companies may need cash, foreign automakers need the market — not only in China but globally.
Xpeng's cash and cash equivalents nearly halved in the first quarter from the end of 2022, and its deliveries have stagnated at several thousand a month.
Volkswagen isn't faring much better in China's electric car market, with an average of just over 10,000 vehicles delivered each month in the first half of the year. But the German automaker has far more cash.
CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here.
— Evelyn Cheng
CNBC Pro: Analysts love these cheaper stocks from the U.S. and beyond — giving one nearly 100% upside
The market rally has been strong this year, but there are still some relatively cheap stocks.
CNBC Pro screened for stocks that are cheaper than those in the broader S&P 500 and MSCI World indexes, with at least 20% upside.
CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here.
— Weizhen Tan
CNBC Pro: Morgan Stanley's Slimmon names top tech picks to buy after earnings season
Stocks are flying high this year. The Nasdaq is up 35% with S&P 500 trailing not far behind despite a relentless rise in interest rates by the Fed.
However, according to Andrew Slimmon, a lead senior portfolio manager at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, those are all reasons to be a "little cautious" coming out of the busiest week for earnings.
Slimmon also shared some of the tech picks to buy after earnings season.
CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here.
— Ganesh Rao
Technology stocks rally, lift Nasdaq
Technology stocks climbed on Friday, boosting the Nasdaq Composite by more than 2% midday Friday.
Major gainers included technology giants and semiconductor stocks. Alphabet, Amazon and Netflix rose about 3% each, while Meta Platforms jumped more than 4%, bringing its weekly gains to nearly 11%. Nvidia added 2%, while Applied Materials and KLA Corp gained more than 4% each. Tesla surged 4%.
Lucid Group jumped nearly 8%, while Intel rallied nearly 7% on better-than-expected earnings and a return to profitability. Other gainers included Chinese technology stocks JD.com and PDD, last up about 5% and 7%, respectively.
— Samantha Subin
Communication services sector outperforms in S&P 500
Communication services outpaced the S&P 500 on Friday. The sector was higher by 1.8%.
Major advancers included Meta Platforms, which was up more than 2.8%. Warner Bros. Discovery gained 2.5%. Alphabet added 2.4%.
— Sarah Min
Employment cost index rose less than expected in Q2
The employment cost index, a measure the Federal Reserve considers an important indicator of underlying inflation, increased less than expected in the second quarter.
The index rose 1% for the three-month period ending in June, slightly below the 1.1% estimate, the Labor Department reported Friday.
On an annual basis, compensation costs increased 4.5%, slightly ahead of the 4.1% increase for core inflation as reported Friday by the Commerce Department. That annual ECI level was below the 5.1% pace from the previous year.
—Jeff Cox
Key Fed inflation rate falls to lowest annual rate in nearly 2 years
Inflation showed further signs of cooling in June, according to a gauge released Friday that the Federal Reserve follows closely.
The personal consumption expenditures price index excluding food and energy increased just 0.2% from the previous month, in line with the Dow Jones estimate, the Commerce Department said.
So-called core PCE rose 4.1% from a year ago, compared to the estimate for 4.2%. The annual rate was the lowest since September 2021.
— Jeff Cox | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/business/money-report/asia-markets-rise-ahead-of-business-activity-surveys-out-of-china/3306302/ | 2023-07-31T02:29:47 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/business/money-report/asia-markets-rise-ahead-of-business-activity-surveys-out-of-china/3306302/ |
At 24, Alberto Rodriguez has grandparents younger than Joe Biden. But he’s more interested in the 80-year-old president’s accomplishments than his age.
“People as young as me, we’re all focusing on our day-to-day lives and he has done things to help us through that,” Rodriguez, a cook at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, said of Biden’s support among young voters. Rodriguez pointed specifically to federal COVID-19 relief payments and government spending increases on infrastructure and other social programs.
Voters like him were a key piece of Biden’s winning 2020 coalition, which included majorities of young people as well as college graduates, women, urban and suburban voters and Black Americans. Maintaining their support will be critical in closely contested states such as Nevada, where even small declines could prove consequential to Biden’s reelection bid.
His 2024 campaign plans to emphasize messages that could especially resonate with young people in the coming weeks as the anniversary of the sweeping Inflation Reduction Act approaches in mid-August. That legislation includes provisions that the White House will embrace to argue that Biden has done more than any other president to combat climate change.
Such efforts, however, could collide with Biden’s personal reality — like when he recalled that, while attending a St. Patrick’s Day parade at age 14, he appeared in a photo with President Harry S. Truman.
“Purely by accident — I assume it was an accident — the photographer from the newspaper got a picture of me making eye contact with Harry Truman,” Biden said to chuckles last week at the Truman Civil Rights Symposium in Washington.
In 2020, 61% of voters under age 30 — and 55% of those between 30 and 44 — supported Biden, according to AP VoteCast, a nationwide survey of the electorate.
It’s an age group with which Republicans hope to make inroads. Former President Donald Trump, who is the early front-runner in the GOP presidential primary and is only 3 1/2 years younger than Biden, said Friday, “We are hitting the young person’s market like nobody’s ever seen before.”
Kevin Munoz, a spokesman for Biden’s campaign, referred to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement in arguing that “young people are acutely impacted by the issues front and center in this election, driven by the extreme MAGA agenda.” He said that included inaction on climate change, gun violence and student debt.
“We will meet younger Americans where they are and turn their energy into action,” Munoz said in a statement.
That might not defuse questions about age, though, when it comes to Biden or Trump.
“There’s a frustration and exhaustion that they feel with the rematch,” Terrance Woodbury, co-founder & CEO of the Democratic polling firm HIT Strategies, said of young voters.
“That’s more of a problem than either of those two candidates individually, is that a system can just keep reproducing,” Woodbury added. “And I think a lot of people just find that untenable.”
An April poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that just 25% of Democrats under 45 said they would definitely support Biden in a general election, compared with 56% of older Democrats. A majority of Democrats across age groups said they would probably support him as the party’s nominee, however.
Biden’s campaign is relying heavily on the Democratic National Committee, which during last year’s midterms, hired campus organizers in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona and other battleground states and offered weekly youth coordinating meetings to encourage in-class contacts and “dormstorms.” The DNC sees young people as some of the most critical voters it will need to reach in 2024 and promises “significant investments” to mobilize them. Plans are underway to expand on its work last cycle, including trainings it held on how best to turn out voters.
The Republican National Committee is trying to use Biden’s age against him, posting online videos of Biden seeming frail or making verbal gaffes, such as when he declared in June “God save the queen,” nearly nine months after the death of England’s Queen Elizabeth II.
Rodriguez shrugged off online attacks, “People can make all the hit pieces and memes and TikToks all they want.”
A starker contrast might be between the president and rising Democrats such as 46-year-old California Rep. Ro Khanna and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, 41, one of Biden’s primary rivals in 2020. Neither seriously entertained running for the White House in 2024 and have backed Biden’s reelection.
“The only thing that really matters is your ability to do the job,” Buttigieg, who was 37 when he launched his 2020 presidential bid, said recently on CNN. Khanna told Fox News Channel that age will “obviously” be a 2024 factor, but suggested that Biden’s staff “overprotects” him and “the more he’s out there, the better.”
Other top young Democrats have lined up to back Biden. Florida Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost, who was elected to Congress last year at 26, is on the Biden campaign’s advisory board, as is Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, 44. New York Rep. Alexandra Ocasio Cortez, 33, recently endorsed Biden.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a progressive who says strong turnout among young voters helped him win a runoff election this spring, said Biden’s policies transcend his age. Johnson noted that the president’s work “around climate justice speaks not just to this generation, but generations to come.”
Story continues below:
- New Mexico: Your guide to New Mexico’s ghost towns
- Crime: School nurse admits to molesting student at Santa Fe school
- Education: New Mexico school leaders speak on extended school year, changes to calendar
- Albuquerque: Albuquerque Police show which crimes have increased and which have gone down in 2023
“The excitement that I believe that we’re going to have is going to speak to the incredible work and organizing that we are committed to doing as a party,” said Johnson, 47. “And we’re looking forward to working with the president over the course of his next four years.”
Still, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, acknowledged that even the president’s supporters understand how demanding the White House can be.
“People worry about Joe Biden. They worry like you would worry about a beloved father or grandfather,” said Weingarten, 65. “What you normally hear from Democrats is this sense of, ‘OK, I just want him to be OK.’ And you’re hearing just the consternation of, ’This is a hard job.’”
Biden said he “took a hard look” at his age while deciding to seek a second term. But he’s also tried to suggest his age and experience are assets rather than liabilities by joking repeatedly about them. That’s a departure from 2020, when Biden called himself a “transition candidate” and pledged to be a “bridge” to younger Democrats.
Santiago Mayer, the founder of Voters of Tomorrow, which has 20-plus chapters nationwide and works to increase political engagement among young voters, argues that Biden is not defying his past promise by running for reelection, but keeping it.
“He just needs more time,” said Mayer, who graduated from California State University at Long Beach in May. “I think the second term is a very important part of that pledge. He’s building a progressive future for young people and he can’t actually pass the baton until that’s done.”
One key policy piece of Biden’s efforts to appeal to young voters, providing student debt relief, was recently struck down by the Supreme Court. The White House has launched a new effort, but it will take longer.
“Of course it’s going to dampen some of that because people are disappointed,” Weingarten said of the ruling’s effect on enthusiasm for Biden. But she said the decision could also motivate young Biden supporters anxious show their support for the president’s alternative plan.
“It is also about the fight,” Weingarten said “not just about the results.” | https://www.krqe.com/news/politics/joe-biden-the-oldest-sitting-president-needs-young-voters-will-his-age-matter/ | 2023-07-31T02:29:53 | 0 | https://www.krqe.com/news/politics/joe-biden-the-oldest-sitting-president-needs-young-voters-will-his-age-matter/ |
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Duke City BMX is a renowned facility in the country for its track layout and caliber of riders. This year, nine riders — Danica Appenzeller, Dylan Ramos, Aaliyah Valencia, Waiela Gallegos, Mya Ramos, Cruz Gallegos, Harper Vescuso and Mattox Vescuso — will represent the track, New Mexico, and Team USA in Scotland at the UCI Cycling World Championships.
The riders are among the best in the country and have already won multiple awards domestically this year. Danica Appenzeller, 12, has continued to compete at a high level following her second-place finish at Worlds in 2022 and is looking to bring momentum to Scotland.
“I’ve won a couple [of] nationals on both of my bikes. I think it’s going pretty well,” Appenzeller said. “Yeah, there’s a lot of pressure. I’m hoping to make it to the main event and get, at least, podium.”
The world championships encompass nearly every form of cycling on multiple terrains with different age groups, so the competition is spread out over a two-week period. It is a lengthy process for the riders, so they are glad to go together and have a strong support group.
Story continues below:
- New Mexico: Your guide to New Mexico’s ghost towns
- Crime: School nurse admits to molesting student at Santa Fe school
- Education: New Mexico school leaders speak on extended school year, changes to calendar
- Albuquerque: Albuquerque Police show which crimes have increased and which have gone down in 2023
In some categories, the number of competitors approaches 100, and it can be a gauntlet to reach the finals. Despite the high level of competition from around the world, there are expectations for the New Mexican crew to do well, as the track at Duke City BMX trains riders well for what they are about to see.
“I think our track is a lot different than tracks [in the US] because we’re like a very technical track,” said Valencia. “So, that prepares us for more European style tracks, and that’s what they tried to do when they rebuilt it. That way, it prepares the riders for that kind of thing.”
“The first straight is identical to this one here,” said Gallegos. “Last week, all we did was these straights, so I should have it down by next week.”
While anything can happen at the competition, the riders remain confident in their skills and hope to make the land of Enchantment proud.
“Just expecting all of us to have a good time and hopefully all of us bring home a world plate,” said Valencia. | https://www.krqe.com/sports/local-sports/local-bmx-riders-travel-to-scotland-for-world-championships/ | 2023-07-31T02:29:59 | 1 | https://www.krqe.com/sports/local-sports/local-bmx-riders-travel-to-scotland-for-world-championships/ |
July keeps sizzling as Phoenix hits another 110-degree day and wildfires spread in California
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix sizzled through its 31st consecutive day of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) and other parts of the country grappled Sunday with record temperatures after a week that saw significant portions of the U.S. population subject to extreme heat.
The National Weather Service said Phoenix was expected to climb to 112 F (44.4 Celsius) before the day was through.
July has been so steamy thus far that scientists calculate it will be the hottest month ever recorded and likely the warmest human civilization has seen. The World Meteorological Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service on Thursday proclaimed July beyond record-smashing.
The historic heat began blasting the lower Southwest U.S. in late June, stretching from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California’s desert.
On Sunday, a massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve spread rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the south that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the preserve sent up a huge plume of smoke visible nearly 100 miles (160 kilometers) away across the state line in Nevada.
Flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots have charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometers) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to a Sunday update.
“The dry fuel acts as a ready ignition source, and when paired with those weather conditions it resulted in long-distance fire run and high flames, leading to extreme fire behavior,” authorities said. No structures were threatened, but there was also no containment.
To the southwest, the Bonny Fire was holding steady at about 3.4 square miles (8.8 square kilometers) in rugged hills of Riverside County. More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday near the remote community of Aguanga, California.
Triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the central San Joaquin Valley through Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
And in Burbank, California, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, the summer heat may have been responsible for some unusual behavior in the animal kingdom: Police in the city responded to a report of a bear sighting in a residential neighborhood and found the animal sitting in a Jacuzzi behind one of the homes.
As climate change brings hotter and longer heat waves, record temperatures across the U.S. have killed dozens of people, and the poorest Americans suffer the most. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
Last year, all 86 heat-related deaths indoors were in uncooled environments.
“To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills,” said Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor who researches heat and health. “Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours.”
It’s the poorest and people of color, from Kansas City to Detroit to New York City and beyond, who are far more likely to face grueling heat without air conditioning, according to a Boston University analysis of 115 U.S. metro areas.
Back in Phoenix, slight relief may be on the way as expected seasonal thunderstorms could drop temperatures Monday and Tuesday.
“It should be around 108 degrees, so we break that 110 streak,” meteorologist Tom Frieders said. “Increasing cloud cover will put temperatures in a downward trend.”
The relief could be short-lived, however. Highs are expected to creep back to 110 F (43.3 C) Wednesday with temperatures reaching 115 F (46.1 C) by the end of the week.
Phoenix has also sweated through a record 16 consecutive nights when the lows temperature didn’t dip below 90 F (32.2 C), making it hard for people to cool off after sunset.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas continues to flirt with its hottest July ever. The city is closing in on its 2010 record for the average of the high and low each day for July, which stands at 96.2 F (35.5 C).
The extreme heat is also hitting the eastern U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places recorded their warmest days so far this year.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ | 2023-07-31T02:30:39 | 0 | https://www.wibw.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ |
July keeps sizzling as Phoenix hits another 110-degree day and wildfires spread in California
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix sizzled through its 31st consecutive day of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) and other parts of the country grappled Sunday with record temperatures after a week that saw significant portions of the U.S. population subject to extreme heat.
The National Weather Service said Phoenix was expected to climb to 112 F (44.4 Celsius) before the day was through.
July has been so steamy thus far that scientists calculate it will be the hottest month ever recorded and likely the warmest human civilization has seen. The World Meteorological Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service on Thursday proclaimed July beyond record-smashing.
The historic heat began blasting the lower Southwest U.S. in late June, stretching from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California’s desert.
On Sunday, a massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve spread rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the south that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the preserve sent up a huge plume of smoke visible nearly 100 miles (160 kilometers) away across the state line in Nevada.
Flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots have charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometers) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to a Sunday update.
“The dry fuel acts as a ready ignition source, and when paired with those weather conditions it resulted in long-distance fire run and high flames, leading to extreme fire behavior,” authorities said. No structures were threatened, but there was also no containment.
To the southwest, the Bonny Fire was holding steady at about 3.4 square miles (8.8 square kilometers) in rugged hills of Riverside County. More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday near the remote community of Aguanga, California.
Triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the central San Joaquin Valley through Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
And in Burbank, California, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, the summer heat may have been responsible for some unusual behavior in the animal kingdom: Police in the city responded to a report of a bear sighting in a residential neighborhood and found the animal sitting in a Jacuzzi behind one of the homes.
As climate change brings hotter and longer heat waves, record temperatures across the U.S. have killed dozens of people, and the poorest Americans suffer the most. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
Last year, all 86 heat-related deaths indoors were in uncooled environments.
“To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills,” said Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor who researches heat and health. “Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours.”
It’s the poorest and people of color, from Kansas City to Detroit to New York City and beyond, who are far more likely to face grueling heat without air conditioning, according to a Boston University analysis of 115 U.S. metro areas.
Back in Phoenix, slight relief may be on the way as expected seasonal thunderstorms could drop temperatures Monday and Tuesday.
“It should be around 108 degrees, so we break that 110 streak,” meteorologist Tom Frieders said. “Increasing cloud cover will put temperatures in a downward trend.”
The relief could be short-lived, however. Highs are expected to creep back to 110 F (43.3 C) Wednesday with temperatures reaching 115 F (46.1 C) by the end of the week.
Phoenix has also sweated through a record 16 consecutive nights when the lows temperature didn’t dip below 90 F (32.2 C), making it hard for people to cool off after sunset.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas continues to flirt with its hottest July ever. The city is closing in on its 2010 record for the average of the high and low each day for July, which stands at 96.2 F (35.5 C).
The extreme heat is also hitting the eastern U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places recorded their warmest days so far this year.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wagmtv.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ | 2023-07-31T02:30:39 | 0 | https://www.wagmtv.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ |
BEIJING, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- President Xi Jinping visited the site of a section of an ancient road system known as "Shudao" in Guangyuan on July 25, which winds its way through rugged mountains and ancient trees. There, Xi learned about efforts surrounding ecological conservation.
This visit marks Xi's attention to China's ecological development, which has achieved remarkable progress over the past 10 years, said experts.
Witnessing the government's recent remarks on ecology, they believed that the country's road of building a Beautiful China has demonstrated the nation's wisdom in balancing the needs of economic development and improving the environment.
Before heading to Sichuan, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered a speech at a national conference on ecological and environmental protection held from July 17 to 18.
Xi said that the country's ecological conservation has undergone a historic, transformative and comprehensive changes both in theory and practice, with significant strides made in building a Beautiful China.
Noting that China's economy and society have entered a stage of high-quality development marked by accelerated progress in promoting green and low-carbon growth, Xi called for higher standards, a broader perspective and stronger efforts in planning and advancing ecological and environmental protection on the new journey, as well as writing a new chapter of ecological conservation in the new era.
Xi stressed the need to properly handle the relationships between high-quality development and high-level protection, between tackling major challenges and coordinating governance, between natural recovery and human-assisted restoration, between external constraints and internal driving forces, as well as between "dual carbon" commitments and self-determined actions.
Xi said that the country's ecological conservation has undergone historical, transformative and comprehensive changes both in theory and practice, with significant strides made in building a Beautiful China.
This conference again showed us how importance the central government attaches to ecological protection, an official from environment protection bureau in Wuhai, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, who requested anonymity, told the Global Times on Friday. He said during the past 10 years, ecological protection has become an increasingly important indictor in evaluating government's performance in his city, which was famous for coal production.
"Although planting trees costs more in Inner Mongolia than in other parts of China due to lack of water and dry weather, we learned in the past 10 years that making our city greener brings more benefits than leaving the mountains bare. The city becomes more beautiful, residents are happy, and more tourists visit; also we saw less sandstorms," the official said.
During a press conference on Thursday, Huang Runqiu, China's minister of ecology and environment, highlighted China's achievement on ecological protection over recent years.
From 2013 to 2022, China's average PM2.5 concentration decreased by 57 percent and the number of heavily polluted days decreased by 93 percent, while the nation's GDP doubled during the same period, Huang said. This made China the country with the fastest improvement in air quality worldwide. Specifically, in Beijing, the average PM2.5 concentration decreased from 89.5 micrograms per cubic meter in 2013 to 30 micrograms per cubic meter in 2022, and the number of heavily polluted days decreased from 58 to only 3, said Huang. The United Nations Environment Agency praised this achievement as the "Beijing Miracle."
Lin Boqiang, director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University, told the Global Times that "China has engaged in a sustained top-down efforts for many years to enhance ecological protection. The central and local governments march together toward the same goal, with continuous environmental policies. Moreover, the country has demonstrated its wisdom in how to balance ecological development and maintain fast economic growth at the same time."
Perfect balance
We should protect nature and preserve the environment like we protect our eyes, and endeavor to foster a new relationship where man and nature can both prosper and live in harmony, President Xi once said.
Xi has given important instructions on the rational utilization and friendly protection of the ecological environment during his numerous visits to the frontlines of ecological protection, such as to the Maanshan forest farm in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the Qilian Mountains, the Shandan Horse Ranch in Gansu, an ecological wetland of the Dianchi Lake in Kunming, and many other places.
In June 2022, Xi visited Yibin, Sichuan Province, where the Jinsha and Minjiang rivers converge into the Yangtze River. He noted that sound ecological conservation along the Yangtze River basin is the precondition for advancing high-quality development in the Yangtze River Economic Belt.
The Yellow River and the Yangtze River are the mother rivers of the Chinese nation. The protection of the mother rivers is a crucial project concerning the great rejuvenation and sustainable development of the Chinese nation, Xi said at the time.
From June 5 to 6 this year, accompanied by officials from Inner Mongolia, Xi was on a fact-finding mission at a nature reserve, a modern agricultural demonstration park, a forest farm and a water resources department in the city of Bayannur.
On June 6, Xi presided over a symposium in Bayannur on strengthening the comprehensive prevention and control of desertification and promoting the construction of crucial ecological projects, including the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program.
Xi, who was then the Party Chief of Zhejiang, put forward the famous "two mountains" concept - clear waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets comparable to the gold and silver of legend - in August 2005 during his visit to Anji county.
Nowadays, residents in the county has sought out ways to make a living that they enjoy, with many becoming businessmen, running their own hostels, shops and tourism companies, thanks to the improved natural environment.
Pan Chunlin, a former miner, who now runs a hostel after local mines were shut down, explained the transformation to the Global Times "My annual income is now hundreds of times higher than before. Today, I can earn in a day what I used to make in one year".
Following the development approach referred to as the "two mountains" concept, in the past decade, Anji has modeled itself into a place known for its beautiful ecology and prosperous green industries, which have completely changed the villagers' lives, Jin Peihua, head of the "Two Mountains" Concept Research Institute affiliated with Huzhou University, said.
Global bellwether
Apart from domestic efforts, China is also making efforts in unifying a global effort on ecological preservation.
The 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, known as COP15, was convened in Kunming, Yunnan Province in 2021.
As the first global conference convened by the United Nations on the topic of ecological civilization, a philosophy proposed by China, it offered a platform for countries to find common ground on "Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth."
During an official trip to Zimbabwe in 2015, Xi visited a local wildlife sanctuary, where he fed an orphaned elephant. He reiterated China's commitment to wildlife protection and pledged to help Zimbabwe do so by donating equipment and exchanging experience with China.
Recalling Xi's explanation of China's initiatives to breed giant pandas and expand protected areas, Roxy Danckwerts, the founder of the sanctuary, said, "I thought that was very significant that he is making such big strides in his own country."
Bradley Blankenship, a Prague-based American journalist, columnist and political commentator, recently spent a week in Beijing. Speaking with the Global Times, he said that "I must admit that based on the antiquated view of China that many Americans have and discuss publicly, I expected the city to be smoggy and congested. To the contrary, it has beautiful blue skies.
"China has been successful in beautifying Beijing, as well as other cities and towns, by transitioning from coal power to gas, establishing emission standards for coal-fired stations, implementing tougher standards for other industries such as steel and cement and seeking high-quality development with a high-quality ecological environment. These achievements have been so successful that Beijing now stands as an example for mega-cities around the globe, particularly those in the Global South," Blankenship said.
During a visit to Guizhou in June, Manasa R. Tagicakibau, Fiji's Ambassador to China, said China is "so advanced" when it comes to ecological civilization. "You look at the development that's been achieved by Guizhou authorities together with the local people, ethnic minorities and the population at large, in terms of developing the area to make this mountainous area a very safe and harmonious and happy place to live in. I'm impressed."
The ambassador said Guizhou shares a lot of similarities to some of the mountainous regions in Fiji, but there is a lot to be done in Fiji in terms of accessibility and this is an area that Fiji can learn from China.
However, some Western countries, so-called pioneering initiatives on environment protection, take a laissez-afire attitude in face of environment disasters. Recently, Chinese scientists used scientific methods to assess it and concluded that, as of Wednesday, the carbon dioxide emissions from Canadian wildfires have reached approximately 1 billion tons, which has already developed into a global environmental event.
It is worth mentioning that the forest area in China is approximately 2.31 million square kilometers, which is roughly two-thirds of that in Canada. However, the average annual emission of carbon dioxide caused by forest fires in China from 2000-21 was approximately 15 million tons, only 0.2 percent of the global forest fire emissions, demonstrating China's responsible role as a major country, experts noted.
View original content:
SOURCE Global Times | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-times-xis-footsteps-sichuan-demonstrate-chinas-wisdom-balancing-economic-devt-ecological-protection/ | 2023-07-31T02:30:47 | 1 | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-times-xis-footsteps-sichuan-demonstrate-chinas-wisdom-balancing-economic-devt-ecological-protection/ |
WASHINGTON, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Teamsters Union was served legal notice today that Yellow Corp. is ceasing operations and filing for bankruptcy.
"Today's news is unfortunate but not surprising. Yellow has historically proven that it could not manage itself despite billions of dollars in worker concessions and hundreds of millions in bailout funding from the federal government. This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry," said Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien.
The Teamsters are committed to ensuring members are protected and notified with all the latest information. The International is putting infrastructure in place to help affected members get the assistance they need to find good union jobs throughout freight and other industries.
The situation is developing. Additional details are forthcoming.
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.
Contact:
Daniel Moskowitz, (770) 262-4971
dmoskowitz@teamster.org
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-notified-that-yellow-corp-operating-companies-have-closed/ | 2023-07-31T02:30:49 | 1 | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-notified-that-yellow-corp-operating-companies-have-closed/ |
SUZHOU, China, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Transcenta Holding Limited ("Transcenta") (HKEX: 06628), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company with fully-integrated capabilities in discovery, research, development and manufacturing of antibody-based therapeutics, announces that it has received approval from China Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) to initiate Phase II clinical trial of TST002(Blosozumab). This study aims to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of TST002(Blosozumab) after single and multiple intravenous administrations in patients with reduced bone mineral density.
Osteoporosis is a significant health concern for the middle-aged and elderly population in China. It is estimated that by 2050, the number of osteoporosis patients will reach 120 million. Compared with RANKL mAbs, sclerostin mAbs successfully achieve the dual goal of preventing bone loss and rebuilding the bone. Evenity (Romosozumab) of Amgen is the only anti-sclerostin antibody drug that has been approved by the FDA in the United States. Up to the present, there was no anti-sclerostin antibody drug approved in China.
In May 2023, Transcenta presented Phase I unblinded data, which showed that the overall safety and tolerability of TST002 (Blosozumab) in all dose cohorts is favorable. On the efficacy side, all dose cohorts from 200-1,200 mg have shown a clinically meaningful increase in lumbar spine BMD on Day 85 (D85) after a single dose of TST002 (Blosozumab) and comparable to those of Blosozumab single dose study at the similar dose levels. The average increase of lumbar spine BMD at Day 85 (D85) from baseline ranged from 3.52% to 6.20% across dose cohorts, all exceeding the least significant difference (2.77%). The increase of lumbar spine BMD in the placebo group was only 0.30% even with optimal calcium and vitamin D supplemental treatment. In addition, encouraging BMD increase in total hip from 1.30% to 2.24% across dose cohorts were observed after single dose of TST002 (Blosozumab). In comparison, the mean percent change in lumbar spine BMD from baseline to month 12 was 5.4% after one year of Denosumab treatment.1
"We are excited to have received the clearance to move forward from CDE. Our Phase II will assess several regimens of TST002 (Blosozumab) with reduced dosing frequency, bringing us closer to our Phase III. We look forward to fully exploring the differentiated profile of TST002 to address the unmet medical need of the large patient population who suffers from osteoporosis," said Dr. Caroline Germa, Transcenta's Executive Vice President, Global Medicine Development and Chief Medical Officer.
Reference:
1 https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/105/3/e255/5607536
About TST002 (Blosozumab)
TST002 (Blosozumab) is a humanized anti-sclerostin monoclonal antibody as a drug candidate for osteoporosis and other bone loss diseases. It has a dual effect possessing both anabolic and anti-resorptive effects, which stimulates bone formation and inhibits bone absorption, resulting in fast increase in bone mineral density and bone strength. Blocking sclerostin activity in human treated with anti-sclerostin antibody or with naturally occurring genetic deletion has been shown to be an effective approach in increasing bone mineral density (BMD) and reducing bone fracture. Currently there is no approved anti-sclerostin antibody therapy in China yet although Romosozumab from Amgen has been approved in the United States, Europe and Japan.
About Transcenta Holding Limited
Transcenta (HKEX: 06628) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company with fully integrated capabilities in antibody-based biotherapeutics discovery, research, development and manufacturing.
Transcenta has established global footprint, with Headquarters and Discovery, Clinical and Translational Research Center in Suzhou, Process and Product Development Center and Manufacturing Facility in Hangzhou, and Clinical Development Centers in Princeton, US and in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou of China, and External Partnering Center in Boston and Los Angeles, US. Transcenta has also initiated the construction of the Group Headquarters and the second high-end biopharmaceutical facility with ICB as its core technology in Suzhou Industrial Park. Transcenta is developing 13 therapeutic antibody molecules for oncology and selected non-oncology indications including bone and kidney disorders.
For more information, please visit www.transcenta.com and https://www.linkedin.com/company/transcenta.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain certain forward-looking statements that are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to Transcenta, are intended to identify certain of such forward-looking statements. Transcenta does not intend to update these forward-looking statements regularly.
These forward-looking statements are based on the existing beliefs, assumptions, expectations, estimates, projections and understandings of the management of Transcenta with respect to future events at the time these statements are made. These statements are not a guarantee of future developments and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond Transcenta's control and are difficult to predict. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of future changes or developments in our business, Transcenta's competitive environment and political, economic, legal and social conditions.
Transcenta, the Directors and the employees of Transcenta assume (a) no obligation to correct or update the forward-looking statements contained in this site; and (b) no liability in the event that any of the forward-looking statements does not materialize or turn out to be incorrect.
View original content:
SOURCE Transcenta Holding Limited | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/transcenta-anti-sclerostin-monoclonal-antibody-tst002-blosozumab-received-approval-china-cde-initiate-phase-ii-clinical-trial-patients-with-reduced-bone-mineral-density/ | 2023-07-31T02:30:56 | 0 | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/transcenta-anti-sclerostin-monoclonal-antibody-tst002-blosozumab-received-approval-china-cde-initiate-phase-ii-clinical-trial-patients-with-reduced-bone-mineral-density/ |
TUALATIN, Ore. — Washington County Sheriff’s Office officials said deputy Charles Dozé is now awake and talking after he was shot multiple times, in the face and chest Wednesday.
Dozé was delivering an eviction notice at the Forest Rim Apartment complex in Tualatin, when Beaverton Police said a suspect shot through the door, hitting Dozé.
Washington County Police Officers Association President Patrick Altiere said it could take months, or even years for Dozé to recover from his injuries.
He said the shooting Wednesday morning shocked deputies throughout the agency.
“It’s somber because you don’t know what’s going to happen,” Altiere said. “Or at the very beginning you don’t even necessarily know who’s involved right.”
Dozé has worked for the Washington County Sheriff’s Office for 10 years. He serves as a civil deputy. His main duties include serving legal orders, enforcing court orders and county ordinances.
Hundreds of people have contributed to a gofundme for Dozé, which raised $50,000 as of Sunday. It is unknown when Dozé can return to work.
“This is going to be a long recovery process, we’re talking months or years,” Altiere said. “We don’t know what the income impacts are going to be down the road. We don’t know any of that.”
Police said the suspected shooter is 34-year-old Kristafer James Graves. After the suspect began shooting, police said a deputy returned fire. It’s unknown which deputy shot back.
“They were ambushed at the door,” Altiere said. “They knocked on the door and they weren’t greeted by a person, they were greeted by gunfire.”
After a stand-off that lasted hours, Graves was found dead in the apartment bathroom with a gunshot wound. It is not yet known if it was self-inflicted, or if Graves was shot by a deputy.
“There’s no way to prepare or be ready for that,” Altiere said.
In the past few years, three Washington County deputies have been injured on the job, Altiere said.
Two were shot, another injured by a drunk driver. | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/washington-county-deputy-shot/283-31cf5ea1-b113-4ceb-9754-52fd4dd27108 | 2023-07-31T02:32:20 | 0 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/washington-county-deputy-shot/283-31cf5ea1-b113-4ceb-9754-52fd4dd27108 |
Updated July 30, 2023 at 10:09 PM ET
It's the end of the road for one of the nation's largest freight carriers.
Yellow, a trucking company that just three years ago took a $700 million federal pandemic loan, is shutting down, according to the Teamsters union, which represents the company's 22,000 unionized workers.
The company is expected to file for bankruptcy as soon as Monday, according to industry experts, following a recent exodus of customers amid union strife and on top of years of financial troubles.
With 30,000 jobs at stake, it's poised to be the largest trucking bankruptcy in the history of the U.S., experts said. The company, formerly known as YRC Worldwide, is the third largest less-than-truckload carrier by revenue, behind FedEx and Old Dominion. LTL companies move pallet-sized shipments — smaller than a container, but bigger than a parcel.
Yellow has not publicly announced any plans for bankruptcy or a potential shutdown.
Here's what we know.
Employees were told to prepare for a company shutdown
The Teamsters union, which had been locked in contentious negotiations for a new contract with Yellow, said it received a legal notice that Yellow is ceasing operations and filing for bankruptcy, according to a news release posted Sunday night.
"Today's news is unfortunate but not surprising," said Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien. "This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry."
The union's announcement comes hours after The Wall Street Journal reported that Yellow shut down on Sunday afternoon, citing internal notices sent to customers and employees.
Yellow says it will issue a public statement on Monday about "the state of the company and the operation," according to the industry outlet FreightWaves, which also obtained internal documents.
Yellow has not responded to NPR's requests for comment.
Yellow laid off an unknown number of its employees on Friday, reported FreightWaves, citing a memo sent to staff informing them that the company is "shutting down its regular operations" and "laying off employees at all of its locations."
The same day, Teamsters had advised Yellow employees to "prepare for the worst."
"Yellow appears to be headed to a complete shutdown within the next few days," said Teamsters National Freight Director John Murphy in a Friday memo shared with NPR.
A strike threat delivered the final blow to cash-poor Yellow
The shutdown comes just days after a Teamsters strike at the company was averted. A week ago, a pension fund agreed to extend health benefits for workers at two Yellow operating companies after the carrier missed its $50 million benefits payment to the fund on July 15, the union said.
While the extension held off a July 24 strike, the threat of a walkout that could disrupt operations prompted a wave of Yellow customers to bolt.
"The Teamsters actions induced a high level of variability and uncertainty in the market for Yellow's customers. The market abhors variability and uncertainty," wrote Mike Regan, co-founder of TranzAct Technologies, which manages transportation services for retailers. "Consequently, Yellow lost substantial and much needed volume."
After the strike threat, Yellow's freight volumes fell 80% within the span of a week, according to Jack Atkins, a managing director at the financial services firm Stephens who researches the transportation sector.
At the same time, he said, Yellow's cries that it was running out of cash during union negotiation attempts scared off customers. After fleeing to rival carriers like FedEx and ABF Freight, customers didn't return.
"Both sides bear fault," Atkins said. "Once that freight left, there was nothing left to really restructure," he added. "It was really too late to save the company."
The company has been at risk of bankruptcy for years
Animus between Yellow and Teamsters has grown in recent months, with each party blaming one another for the company's problems.
After the trucking carrier tried to restructure its operations this spring as a cost-saving measure that would allow it to refinance its debt. In June, Yellow sued the union for blocking the restructuring plan it said was "essential to the company's survival." The Teamsters in turn called the lawsuit "baseless," instead blaming Yellow for "decades of gross mismanagement," that included its alleged exhaustion of the $700 million bailout loan.
The company reported a net income of $21.8 million last year. Yellow has $1.3 billion in loan debt due in fall 2024, $729 million of which is owed to the federal government, according to the company's latest quarterly report.
Yellow received a $700 million loan from the government in 2020 as part of a COVID-19 rescue package. In return, the Treasury Department took a 30% stake in the company's shares, which have since plummeted to less than a dollar apiece as of Friday.
In June, a congressional probe found that the Treasury Department's disbursement of the loan was a mistake; the freight company — whose customers included the Department of Defense — did not actually meet the standards to qualify for the business loan because its survival was not "critical to maintaining national security."
"Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Yellow was a financially struggling company that had a long-term non-investment grade (i.e., junk) rating and previous close calls with bankruptcy over the years. The pandemic did not cause Yellow's longstanding problems, nor is the Treasury's loan to the company likely to solve those problems," the Congressional Oversight Commission report read.
A world without Yellow
An end to the Nashville-based company would mean the loss of 30,000 jobs.
In its Sunday statement, the Teamsters union said it's working to help "affected members get the assistance they need to find good union jobs throughout freight and other industries."
Atkins doesn't expect the federal government to come to the rescue this time. While there may be some slight disruptions, the analyst anticipates other freight carriers will have some capacity to absorb Yellow's business because of a recent dent in freight volumes.
"This is not going to create a supply-chain crisis," he said.
Retailers and manufacturers are likely to see higher shipping rates if the company folds, he said. Yellow is known for its low shipping rates compared to its rivals.
Atkins visited the Yellow terminal in Little Rock, Ark., on Sunday to find all gates chained up, a sign of ceased operations.
"They've been in wind-down mode, clearing the network out of all the remaining freight," he said. "This is the end."
NPR's Camila Domonoske contributed to this story.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wvia.org/news/news/business/2023-07-30/the-yellow-trucking-company-meltdown-explained | 2023-07-31T02:32:46 | 0 | https://www.wvia.org/news/news/business/2023-07-30/the-yellow-trucking-company-meltdown-explained |
FLORIDA, USA — A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit Donald Trump filed against CNN in which the former U.S. president claimed that references in news articles or by the network's hosts to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election as “the Big Lie” were tantamount to comparing him to Adolf Hitler.
Trump had been seeking punitive damages of $475 million in the federal lawsuit filed last October in South Florida, claiming the references hurt his reputation and political career. Trump is a candidate for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination in what is his third run for the presidency as a major-party candidate.
U.S. District Judge Raag Singhal, who was appointed by Trump, said Friday in his ruling that the former president's defamation claims failed because the references were opinions and not factual statements. Moreover, it was a stretch to believe that, in viewers' minds, that phrase would connect Trump's efforts challenging the 2020 election results to Nazi propaganda or Hitler's genocidal and authoritarian regime, the judge said.
“CNN’s use of the phrase ‘the Big Lie' in connection with Trump’s election challenges does not give rise to a plausible inference that Trump advocates the persecution and genocide of Jews or any other group of people,” the judge wrote in his decision.
Email messages seeking comment were sent to Trump's attorneys in South Florida and Washington. CNN declined to comment on Sunday. | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/regional/donald-trump-defamation-lawsuit-cnn/67-8ca59dbe-2f19-4a08-a644-457f22ea4b57 | 2023-07-31T02:32:58 | 1 | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/regional/donald-trump-defamation-lawsuit-cnn/67-8ca59dbe-2f19-4a08-a644-457f22ea4b57 |
Kahleah Copper scored 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting, Marina Mabrey hit four 3-pointers and finished with 23 points and the Chicago Sky beat the Phoenix Mercury 104-85 Sunday.
Courtney Williams made 9 of 13 from the field, scored 19 points and had nine assists and Alanna Smith added 10 points for Chicago (10-15). Robyn Parks, a 31-year-old rookie who went undrafted out of VCU in 2014, hit four 3-pointers and scored 14 points — both career highs.
Mabrey and Copper hit back-to-back 3-pointers to cap a 9-0 run that made it 20-8 midway through the first quarter. Phoenix, which led for just 43 seconds, twice trimmed its deficit to six points but got no closer. Williams hit a 3-pointer that made it 64-53 with 8:34 left in the third quarter and the Sky led by double figures the rest of the way.
Diana Taurasi, who missed the Mercury’s last three games (quad/toe), hit five 3-pointers and scored 24 points. The 41-year-old three-time WNBA champion is just 47 points shy of 10,000 for her illustrious career, which includes 14 All-WNBA selections (10 first team) and two Finals MVPs (2009, 2014). Tina Thompson (7,488), Tamika Catchings (7,380) and Tina Charles (7,115) are the only other players to score at least 7,000 career points.
Chicago scored 32 points off 16 Phoenix turnovers.
Michaela Onyenwere scored 18 points and Megan Gustafson added 17 and eight rebounds for the Mercury (6-18), who have lost three consecutive games. | https://www.capitalgazette.com/sports/ct-ap-wnba-mercury-chicago-sky-20230730-bx33vux2wnehbl74it5polywiq-story.html | 2023-07-31T02:33:16 | 0 | https://www.capitalgazette.com/sports/ct-ap-wnba-mercury-chicago-sky-20230730-bx33vux2wnehbl74it5polywiq-story.html |
July keeps sizzling as Phoenix hits another 110-degree day and wildfires spread in California
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix sizzled through its 31st consecutive day of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) and other parts of the country grappled Sunday with record temperatures after a week that saw significant portions of the U.S. population subject to extreme heat.
The National Weather Service said Phoenix was expected to climb to 112 F (44.4 Celsius) before the day was through.
July has been so steamy thus far that scientists calculate it will be the hottest month ever recorded and likely the warmest human civilization has seen. The World Meteorological Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service on Thursday proclaimed July beyond record-smashing.
The historic heat began blasting the lower Southwest U.S. in late June, stretching from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California’s desert.
On Sunday, a massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve spread rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the south that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the preserve sent up a huge plume of smoke visible nearly 100 miles (160 kilometers) away across the state line in Nevada.
Flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots have charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometers) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to a Sunday update.
“The dry fuel acts as a ready ignition source, and when paired with those weather conditions it resulted in long-distance fire run and high flames, leading to extreme fire behavior,” authorities said. No structures were threatened, but there was also no containment.
To the southwest, the Bonny Fire was holding steady at about 3.4 square miles (8.8 square kilometers) in rugged hills of Riverside County. More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday near the remote community of Aguanga, California.
Triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the central San Joaquin Valley through Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
And in Burbank, California, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, the summer heat may have been responsible for some unusual behavior in the animal kingdom: Police in the city responded to a report of a bear sighting in a residential neighborhood and found the animal sitting in a Jacuzzi behind one of the homes.
As climate change brings hotter and longer heat waves, record temperatures across the U.S. have killed dozens of people, and the poorest Americans suffer the most. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
Last year, all 86 heat-related deaths indoors were in uncooled environments.
“To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills,” said Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor who researches heat and health. “Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours.”
It’s the poorest and people of color, from Kansas City to Detroit to New York City and beyond, who are far more likely to face grueling heat without air conditioning, according to a Boston University analysis of 115 U.S. metro areas.
Back in Phoenix, slight relief may be on the way as expected seasonal thunderstorms could drop temperatures Monday and Tuesday.
“It should be around 108 degrees, so we break that 110 streak,” meteorologist Tom Frieders said. “Increasing cloud cover will put temperatures in a downward trend.”
The relief could be short-lived, however. Highs are expected to creep back to 110 F (43.3 C) Wednesday with temperatures reaching 115 F (46.1 C) by the end of the week.
Phoenix has also sweated through a record 16 consecutive nights when the lows temperature didn’t dip below 90 F (32.2 C), making it hard for people to cool off after sunset.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas continues to flirt with its hottest July ever. The city is closing in on its 2010 record for the average of the high and low each day for July, which stands at 96.2 F (35.5 C).
The extreme heat is also hitting the eastern U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places recorded their warmest days so far this year.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbay.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ | 2023-07-31T02:33:56 | 1 | https://www.wbay.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ |
Wisconsin woman set on fire, manhunt for boyfriend is under way
Sheriff’s Department searching for Myron Faith Bowie, who is considered armed and dangerous
SALEM, Wis. (WBAY) - A manhunt is on for a man suspected of setting his girlfriend on fire Sunday morning and leaving the scene, the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department said.
The sheriff’s department said it received a call from a Salem Lakes woman at about 4:45 a.m.
The victim told them she and Myron Faith Bowie had an argument where Bowie said he would kill her, her children, and her entire family before setting her on fire and driving away.
The victim was taken to an area hospital with severe burns. She is in critical condition.
Bowie is on the run and believed to be driving a black Cadillac SRX with Illinois license plate: DQ46996.
Bowie has a felony warrant for his arrest and should be considered armed and dangerous. Myron has been known to stay in the Chicago area -- Logan Square and Wicker Park. He is in his mid-30s, about 6 feet tall, and weighs approximately 200 pounds.
If anyone knows where Bowie is, see him or his vehicle, please contact the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department Detective Bureau at 262-605-5102 or Kenosha Area Crime Stoppers at 262-656-7333 or 800-807-TIPS(8477). Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards of up to $1,000.
Copyright 2023 WBAY. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbay.com/2023/07/31/wisconsin-woman-set-fire-manhunt-boyfriend-is-under-way/ | 2023-07-31T02:34:03 | 0 | https://www.wbay.com/2023/07/31/wisconsin-woman-set-fire-manhunt-boyfriend-is-under-way/ |
Updated July 30, 2023 at 10:09 PM ET
It's the end of the road for one of the nation's largest freight carriers.
Yellow, a trucking company that just three years ago took a $700 million federal pandemic loan, is shutting down, according to the Teamsters union, which represents the company's 22,000 unionized workers.
The company is expected to file for bankruptcy as soon as Monday, according to industry experts, following a recent exodus of customers amid union strife and on top of years of financial troubles.
With 30,000 jobs at stake, it's poised to be the largest trucking bankruptcy in the history of the U.S., experts said. The company, formerly known as YRC Worldwide, is the third largest less-than-truckload carrier by revenue, behind FedEx and Old Dominion. LTL companies move pallet-sized shipments — smaller than a container, but bigger than a parcel.
Yellow has not publicly announced any plans for bankruptcy or a potential shutdown.
Here's what we know.
Employees were told to prepare for a company shutdown
The Teamsters union, which had been locked in contentious negotiations for a new contract with Yellow, said it received a legal notice that Yellow is ceasing operations and filing for bankruptcy, according to a news release posted Sunday night.
"Today's news is unfortunate but not surprising," said Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien. "This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry."
The union's announcement comes hours after The Wall Street Journal reported that Yellow shut down on Sunday afternoon, citing internal notices sent to customers and employees.
Yellow says it will issue a public statement on Monday about "the state of the company and the operation," according to the industry outlet FreightWaves, which also obtained internal documents.
Yellow has not responded to NPR's requests for comment.
Yellow laid off an unknown number of its employees on Friday, reported FreightWaves, citing a memo sent to staff informing them that the company is "shutting down its regular operations" and "laying off employees at all of its locations."
The same day, Teamsters had advised Yellow employees to "prepare for the worst."
"Yellow appears to be headed to a complete shutdown within the next few days," said Teamsters National Freight Director John Murphy in a Friday memo shared with NPR.
A strike threat delivered the final blow to cash-poor Yellow
The shutdown comes just days after a Teamsters strike at the company was averted. A week ago, a pension fund agreed to extend health benefits for workers at two Yellow operating companies after the carrier missed its $50 million benefits payment to the fund on July 15, the union said.
While the extension held off a July 24 strike, the threat of a walkout that could disrupt operations prompted a wave of Yellow customers to bolt.
"The Teamsters actions induced a high level of variability and uncertainty in the market for Yellow's customers. The market abhors variability and uncertainty," wrote Mike Regan, co-founder of TranzAct Technologies, which manages transportation services for retailers. "Consequently, Yellow lost substantial and much needed volume."
After the strike threat, Yellow's freight volumes fell 80% within the span of a week, according to Jack Atkins, a managing director at the financial services firm Stephens who researches the transportation sector.
At the same time, he said, Yellow's cries that it was running out of cash during union negotiation attempts scared off customers. After fleeing to rival carriers like FedEx and ABF Freight, customers didn't return.
"Both sides bear fault," Atkins said. "Once that freight left, there was nothing left to really restructure," he added. "It was really too late to save the company."
The company has been at risk of bankruptcy for years
Animus between Yellow and Teamsters has grown in recent months, with each party blaming one another for the company's problems.
After the trucking carrier tried to restructure its operations this spring as a cost-saving measure that would allow it to refinance its debt. In June, Yellow sued the union for blocking the restructuring plan it said was "essential to the company's survival." The Teamsters in turn called the lawsuit "baseless," instead blaming Yellow for "decades of gross mismanagement," that included its alleged exhaustion of the $700 million bailout loan.
The company reported a net income of $21.8 million last year. Yellow has $1.3 billion in loan debt due in fall 2024, $729 million of which is owed to the federal government, according to the company's latest quarterly report.
Yellow received a $700 million loan from the government in 2020 as part of a COVID-19 rescue package. In return, the Treasury Department took a 30% stake in the company's shares, which have since plummeted to less than a dollar apiece as of Friday.
In June, a congressional probe found that the Treasury Department's disbursement of the loan was a mistake; the freight company — whose customers included the Department of Defense — did not actually meet the standards to qualify for the business loan because its survival was not "critical to maintaining national security."
"Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Yellow was a financially struggling company that had a long-term non-investment grade (i.e., junk) rating and previous close calls with bankruptcy over the years. The pandemic did not cause Yellow's longstanding problems, nor is the Treasury's loan to the company likely to solve those problems," the Congressional Oversight Commission report read.
A world without Yellow
An end to the Nashville-based company would mean the loss of 30,000 jobs.
In its Sunday statement, the Teamsters union said it's working to help "affected members get the assistance they need to find good union jobs throughout freight and other industries."
Atkins doesn't expect the federal government to come to the rescue this time. While there may be some slight disruptions, the analyst anticipates other freight carriers will have some capacity to absorb Yellow's business because of a recent dent in freight volumes.
"This is not going to create a supply-chain crisis," he said.
Retailers and manufacturers are likely to see higher shipping rates if the company folds, he said. Yellow is known for its low shipping rates compared to its rivals.
Atkins visited the Yellow terminal in Little Rock, Ark., on Sunday to find all gates chained up, a sign of ceased operations.
"They've been in wind-down mode, clearing the network out of all the remaining freight," he said. "This is the end."
NPR's Camila Domonoske contributed to this story.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.knau.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-30/the-yellow-trucking-company-meltdown-explained | 2023-07-31T02:34:04 | 1 | https://www.knau.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-30/the-yellow-trucking-company-meltdown-explained |
July keeps sizzling as Phoenix hits another 110-degree day and wildfires spread in California
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix sizzled through its 31st consecutive day of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) and other parts of the country grappled Sunday with record temperatures after a week that saw significant portions of the U.S. population subject to extreme heat.
The National Weather Service said Phoenix was expected to climb to 112 F (44.4 Celsius) before the day was through.
July has been so steamy thus far that scientists calculate it will be the hottest month ever recorded and likely the warmest human civilization has seen. The World Meteorological Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service on Thursday proclaimed July beyond record-smashing.
The historic heat began blasting the lower Southwest U.S. in late June, stretching from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California’s desert.
On Sunday, a massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve spread rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the south that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the preserve sent up a huge plume of smoke visible nearly 100 miles (160 kilometers) away across the state line in Nevada.
Flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots have charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometers) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to a Sunday update.
“The dry fuel acts as a ready ignition source, and when paired with those weather conditions it resulted in long-distance fire run and high flames, leading to extreme fire behavior,” authorities said. No structures were threatened, but there was also no containment.
To the southwest, the Bonny Fire was holding steady at about 3.4 square miles (8.8 square kilometers) in rugged hills of Riverside County. More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday near the remote community of Aguanga, California.
Triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the central San Joaquin Valley through Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
And in Burbank, California, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, the summer heat may have been responsible for some unusual behavior in the animal kingdom: Police in the city responded to a report of a bear sighting in a residential neighborhood and found the animal sitting in a Jacuzzi behind one of the homes.
As climate change brings hotter and longer heat waves, record temperatures across the U.S. have killed dozens of people, and the poorest Americans suffer the most. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
Last year, all 86 heat-related deaths indoors were in uncooled environments.
“To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills,” said Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor who researches heat and health. “Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours.”
It’s the poorest and people of color, from Kansas City to Detroit to New York City and beyond, who are far more likely to face grueling heat without air conditioning, according to a Boston University analysis of 115 U.S. metro areas.
Back in Phoenix, slight relief may be on the way as expected seasonal thunderstorms could drop temperatures Monday and Tuesday.
“It should be around 108 degrees, so we break that 110 streak,” meteorologist Tom Frieders said. “Increasing cloud cover will put temperatures in a downward trend.”
The relief could be short-lived, however. Highs are expected to creep back to 110 F (43.3 C) Wednesday with temperatures reaching 115 F (46.1 C) by the end of the week.
Phoenix has also sweated through a record 16 consecutive nights when the lows temperature didn’t dip below 90 F (32.2 C), making it hard for people to cool off after sunset.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas continues to flirt with its hottest July ever. The city is closing in on its 2010 record for the average of the high and low each day for July, which stands at 96.2 F (35.5 C).
The extreme heat is also hitting the eastern U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places recorded their warmest days so far this year.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wistv.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ | 2023-07-31T02:34:08 | 1 | https://www.wistv.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ |
BEIJING, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- President Xi Jinping visited the site of a section of an ancient road system known as "Shudao" in Guangyuan on July 25, which winds its way through rugged mountains and ancient trees. There, Xi learned about efforts surrounding ecological conservation.
This visit marks Xi's attention to China's ecological development, which has achieved remarkable progress over the past 10 years, said experts.
Witnessing the government's recent remarks on ecology, they believed that the country's road of building a Beautiful China has demonstrated the nation's wisdom in balancing the needs of economic development and improving the environment.
Before heading to Sichuan, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered a speech at a national conference on ecological and environmental protection held from July 17 to 18.
Xi said that the country's ecological conservation has undergone a historic, transformative and comprehensive changes both in theory and practice, with significant strides made in building a Beautiful China.
Noting that China's economy and society have entered a stage of high-quality development marked by accelerated progress in promoting green and low-carbon growth, Xi called for higher standards, a broader perspective and stronger efforts in planning and advancing ecological and environmental protection on the new journey, as well as writing a new chapter of ecological conservation in the new era.
Xi stressed the need to properly handle the relationships between high-quality development and high-level protection, between tackling major challenges and coordinating governance, between natural recovery and human-assisted restoration, between external constraints and internal driving forces, as well as between "dual carbon" commitments and self-determined actions.
Xi said that the country's ecological conservation has undergone historical, transformative and comprehensive changes both in theory and practice, with significant strides made in building a Beautiful China.
This conference again showed us how importance the central government attaches to ecological protection, an official from environment protection bureau in Wuhai, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, who requested anonymity, told the Global Times on Friday. He said during the past 10 years, ecological protection has become an increasingly important indictor in evaluating government's performance in his city, which was famous for coal production.
"Although planting trees costs more in Inner Mongolia than in other parts of China due to lack of water and dry weather, we learned in the past 10 years that making our city greener brings more benefits than leaving the mountains bare. The city becomes more beautiful, residents are happy, and more tourists visit; also we saw less sandstorms," the official said.
During a press conference on Thursday, Huang Runqiu, China's minister of ecology and environment, highlighted China's achievement on ecological protection over recent years.
From 2013 to 2022, China's average PM2.5 concentration decreased by 57 percent and the number of heavily polluted days decreased by 93 percent, while the nation's GDP doubled during the same period, Huang said. This made China the country with the fastest improvement in air quality worldwide. Specifically, in Beijing, the average PM2.5 concentration decreased from 89.5 micrograms per cubic meter in 2013 to 30 micrograms per cubic meter in 2022, and the number of heavily polluted days decreased from 58 to only 3, said Huang. The United Nations Environment Agency praised this achievement as the "Beijing Miracle."
Lin Boqiang, director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University, told the Global Times that "China has engaged in a sustained top-down efforts for many years to enhance ecological protection. The central and local governments march together toward the same goal, with continuous environmental policies. Moreover, the country has demonstrated its wisdom in how to balance ecological development and maintain fast economic growth at the same time."
Perfect balance
We should protect nature and preserve the environment like we protect our eyes, and endeavor to foster a new relationship where man and nature can both prosper and live in harmony, President Xi once said.
Xi has given important instructions on the rational utilization and friendly protection of the ecological environment during his numerous visits to the frontlines of ecological protection, such as to the Maanshan forest farm in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the Qilian Mountains, the Shandan Horse Ranch in Gansu, an ecological wetland of the Dianchi Lake in Kunming, and many other places.
In June 2022, Xi visited Yibin, Sichuan Province, where the Jinsha and Minjiang rivers converge into the Yangtze River. He noted that sound ecological conservation along the Yangtze River basin is the precondition for advancing high-quality development in the Yangtze River Economic Belt.
The Yellow River and the Yangtze River are the mother rivers of the Chinese nation. The protection of the mother rivers is a crucial project concerning the great rejuvenation and sustainable development of the Chinese nation, Xi said at the time.
From June 5 to 6 this year, accompanied by officials from Inner Mongolia, Xi was on a fact-finding mission at a nature reserve, a modern agricultural demonstration park, a forest farm and a water resources department in the city of Bayannur.
On June 6, Xi presided over a symposium in Bayannur on strengthening the comprehensive prevention and control of desertification and promoting the construction of crucial ecological projects, including the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program.
Xi, who was then the Party Chief of Zhejiang, put forward the famous "two mountains" concept - clear waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets comparable to the gold and silver of legend - in August 2005 during his visit to Anji county.
Nowadays, residents in the county has sought out ways to make a living that they enjoy, with many becoming businessmen, running their own hostels, shops and tourism companies, thanks to the improved natural environment.
Pan Chunlin, a former miner, who now runs a hostel after local mines were shut down, explained the transformation to the Global Times "My annual income is now hundreds of times higher than before. Today, I can earn in a day what I used to make in one year".
Following the development approach referred to as the "two mountains" concept, in the past decade, Anji has modeled itself into a place known for its beautiful ecology and prosperous green industries, which have completely changed the villagers' lives, Jin Peihua, head of the "Two Mountains" Concept Research Institute affiliated with Huzhou University, said.
Global bellwether
Apart from domestic efforts, China is also making efforts in unifying a global effort on ecological preservation.
The 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, known as COP15, was convened in Kunming, Yunnan Province in 2021.
As the first global conference convened by the United Nations on the topic of ecological civilization, a philosophy proposed by China, it offered a platform for countries to find common ground on "Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth."
During an official trip to Zimbabwe in 2015, Xi visited a local wildlife sanctuary, where he fed an orphaned elephant. He reiterated China's commitment to wildlife protection and pledged to help Zimbabwe do so by donating equipment and exchanging experience with China.
Recalling Xi's explanation of China's initiatives to breed giant pandas and expand protected areas, Roxy Danckwerts, the founder of the sanctuary, said, "I thought that was very significant that he is making such big strides in his own country."
Bradley Blankenship, a Prague-based American journalist, columnist and political commentator, recently spent a week in Beijing. Speaking with the Global Times, he said that "I must admit that based on the antiquated view of China that many Americans have and discuss publicly, I expected the city to be smoggy and congested. To the contrary, it has beautiful blue skies.
"China has been successful in beautifying Beijing, as well as other cities and towns, by transitioning from coal power to gas, establishing emission standards for coal-fired stations, implementing tougher standards for other industries such as steel and cement and seeking high-quality development with a high-quality ecological environment. These achievements have been so successful that Beijing now stands as an example for mega-cities around the globe, particularly those in the Global South," Blankenship said.
During a visit to Guizhou in June, Manasa R. Tagicakibau, Fiji's Ambassador to China, said China is "so advanced" when it comes to ecological civilization. "You look at the development that's been achieved by Guizhou authorities together with the local people, ethnic minorities and the population at large, in terms of developing the area to make this mountainous area a very safe and harmonious and happy place to live in. I'm impressed."
The ambassador said Guizhou shares a lot of similarities to some of the mountainous regions in Fiji, but there is a lot to be done in Fiji in terms of accessibility and this is an area that Fiji can learn from China.
However, some Western countries, so-called pioneering initiatives on environment protection, take a laissez-afire attitude in face of environment disasters. Recently, Chinese scientists used scientific methods to assess it and concluded that, as of Wednesday, the carbon dioxide emissions from Canadian wildfires have reached approximately 1 billion tons, which has already developed into a global environmental event.
It is worth mentioning that the forest area in China is approximately 2.31 million square kilometers, which is roughly two-thirds of that in Canada. However, the average annual emission of carbon dioxide caused by forest fires in China from 2000-21 was approximately 15 million tons, only 0.2 percent of the global forest fire emissions, demonstrating China's responsible role as a major country, experts noted.
View original content:
SOURCE Global Times | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-times-xis-footsteps-sichuan-demonstrate-chinas-wisdom-balancing-economic-devt-ecological-protection/ | 2023-07-31T02:34:14 | 1 | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-times-xis-footsteps-sichuan-demonstrate-chinas-wisdom-balancing-economic-devt-ecological-protection/ |
WASHINGTON, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Teamsters Union was served legal notice today that Yellow Corp. is ceasing operations and filing for bankruptcy.
"Today's news is unfortunate but not surprising. Yellow has historically proven that it could not manage itself despite billions of dollars in worker concessions and hundreds of millions in bailout funding from the federal government. This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry," said Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien.
The Teamsters are committed to ensuring members are protected and notified with all the latest information. The International is putting infrastructure in place to help affected members get the assistance they need to find good union jobs throughout freight and other industries.
The situation is developing. Additional details are forthcoming.
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.
Contact:
Daniel Moskowitz, (770) 262-4971
dmoskowitz@teamster.org
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-notified-that-yellow-corp-operating-companies-have-closed/ | 2023-07-31T02:34:21 | 1 | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-notified-that-yellow-corp-operating-companies-have-closed/ |
SUZHOU, China, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Transcenta Holding Limited ("Transcenta") (HKEX: 06628), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company with fully-integrated capabilities in discovery, research, development and manufacturing of antibody-based therapeutics, announces that it has received approval from China Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) to initiate Phase II clinical trial of TST002(Blosozumab). This study aims to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of TST002(Blosozumab) after single and multiple intravenous administrations in patients with reduced bone mineral density.
Osteoporosis is a significant health concern for the middle-aged and elderly population in China. It is estimated that by 2050, the number of osteoporosis patients will reach 120 million. Compared with RANKL mAbs, sclerostin mAbs successfully achieve the dual goal of preventing bone loss and rebuilding the bone. Evenity (Romosozumab) of Amgen is the only anti-sclerostin antibody drug that has been approved by the FDA in the United States. Up to the present, there was no anti-sclerostin antibody drug approved in China.
In May 2023, Transcenta presented Phase I unblinded data, which showed that the overall safety and tolerability of TST002 (Blosozumab) in all dose cohorts is favorable. On the efficacy side, all dose cohorts from 200-1,200 mg have shown a clinically meaningful increase in lumbar spine BMD on Day 85 (D85) after a single dose of TST002 (Blosozumab) and comparable to those of Blosozumab single dose study at the similar dose levels. The average increase of lumbar spine BMD at Day 85 (D85) from baseline ranged from 3.52% to 6.20% across dose cohorts, all exceeding the least significant difference (2.77%). The increase of lumbar spine BMD in the placebo group was only 0.30% even with optimal calcium and vitamin D supplemental treatment. In addition, encouraging BMD increase in total hip from 1.30% to 2.24% across dose cohorts were observed after single dose of TST002 (Blosozumab). In comparison, the mean percent change in lumbar spine BMD from baseline to month 12 was 5.4% after one year of Denosumab treatment.1
"We are excited to have received the clearance to move forward from CDE. Our Phase II will assess several regimens of TST002 (Blosozumab) with reduced dosing frequency, bringing us closer to our Phase III. We look forward to fully exploring the differentiated profile of TST002 to address the unmet medical need of the large patient population who suffers from osteoporosis," said Dr. Caroline Germa, Transcenta's Executive Vice President, Global Medicine Development and Chief Medical Officer.
Reference:
1 https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/105/3/e255/5607536
About TST002 (Blosozumab)
TST002 (Blosozumab) is a humanized anti-sclerostin monoclonal antibody as a drug candidate for osteoporosis and other bone loss diseases. It has a dual effect possessing both anabolic and anti-resorptive effects, which stimulates bone formation and inhibits bone absorption, resulting in fast increase in bone mineral density and bone strength. Blocking sclerostin activity in human treated with anti-sclerostin antibody or with naturally occurring genetic deletion has been shown to be an effective approach in increasing bone mineral density (BMD) and reducing bone fracture. Currently there is no approved anti-sclerostin antibody therapy in China yet although Romosozumab from Amgen has been approved in the United States, Europe and Japan.
About Transcenta Holding Limited
Transcenta (HKEX: 06628) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company with fully integrated capabilities in antibody-based biotherapeutics discovery, research, development and manufacturing.
Transcenta has established global footprint, with Headquarters and Discovery, Clinical and Translational Research Center in Suzhou, Process and Product Development Center and Manufacturing Facility in Hangzhou, and Clinical Development Centers in Princeton, US and in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou of China, and External Partnering Center in Boston and Los Angeles, US. Transcenta has also initiated the construction of the Group Headquarters and the second high-end biopharmaceutical facility with ICB as its core technology in Suzhou Industrial Park. Transcenta is developing 13 therapeutic antibody molecules for oncology and selected non-oncology indications including bone and kidney disorders.
For more information, please visit www.transcenta.com and https://www.linkedin.com/company/transcenta.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain certain forward-looking statements that are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to Transcenta, are intended to identify certain of such forward-looking statements. Transcenta does not intend to update these forward-looking statements regularly.
These forward-looking statements are based on the existing beliefs, assumptions, expectations, estimates, projections and understandings of the management of Transcenta with respect to future events at the time these statements are made. These statements are not a guarantee of future developments and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond Transcenta's control and are difficult to predict. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of future changes or developments in our business, Transcenta's competitive environment and political, economic, legal and social conditions.
Transcenta, the Directors and the employees of Transcenta assume (a) no obligation to correct or update the forward-looking statements contained in this site; and (b) no liability in the event that any of the forward-looking statements does not materialize or turn out to be incorrect.
View original content:
SOURCE Transcenta Holding Limited | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/transcenta-anti-sclerostin-monoclonal-antibody-tst002-blosozumab-received-approval-china-cde-initiate-phase-ii-clinical-trial-patients-with-reduced-bone-mineral-density/ | 2023-07-31T02:34:27 | 1 | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/transcenta-anti-sclerostin-monoclonal-antibody-tst002-blosozumab-received-approval-china-cde-initiate-phase-ii-clinical-trial-patients-with-reduced-bone-mineral-density/ |
Dream vs. Aces Prediction & Picks: Line, Spread, Over/Under - August 1
The Las Vegas Aces (23-2) will try to build on a seven-game winning stretch when hosting the Atlanta Dream (14-11) on Tuesday, August 1, 2023 at Michelob ULTRA Arena. This game is at 10:00 PM ET on BSSE.
The game has no line set.
Rep your team with officially licensed Dream gear! Head to Fanatics to find jerseys, shirts, and much more.
Dream vs. Aces Game Info & Odds
- When: Tuesday, August 1, 2023 at 10:00 PM ET
- Where: Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada
- TV: BSSE
Check out the latest odds and place your bets on the Aces or Dream with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use our link for the best new user offer, no promo code required!
Dream vs. Aces Score Prediction
Prediction: Aces 90 Dream 76
Spread & Total Prediction for Dream vs. Aces
- Computer Predicted Spread: Las Vegas (-14)
- Computer Predicted Total: 166.3
Dream vs. Aces Spread & Total Insights
- Atlanta's record against the spread is 13-10-0.
- This year, 12 of Atlanta's 24 games have hit the over.
Watch live WNBA games without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
Dream Performance Insights
- The Dream are fourth in the WNBA in points scored (84.8 per game) and ninth in points allowed (84.6).
- On the glass, Atlanta is third-best in the WNBA in rebounds (36.8 per game). It is ninth in rebounds allowed (35.8 per game).
- In 2023, the Dream are second-worst in the league in turnovers committed (14.5 per game) and sixth in turnovers forced (13.2).
- In 2023 the Dream are fifth in the league in 3-point makes (7.2 per game) and third-best in 3-point percentage (35.9%).
- Defensively, the Dream are fourth in the league in 3-pointers allowed per game at 7.4. They are second-best in 3-point percentage conceded at 32.6%.
- In 2023, Atlanta has attempted 70.9% percent of its shots from inside the arc, and 29.1% percent from beyond it. In terms of made shots, 76.0% of Atlanta's buckets have been 2-pointers, and 24.0% have been 3-pointers.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wistv.com/sports/betting/2023/08/01/dream-aces-wnba-picks-predictions/ | 2023-07-31T02:34:34 | 0 | https://www.wistv.com/sports/betting/2023/08/01/dream-aces-wnba-picks-predictions/ |
NEW YORK — Six straight days of 12-hour driving. Single digit paychecks. The complaints come from workers in vastly different industries: UPS delivery drivers and Hollywood actors and writers.
But they point to an underlying factor driving a surge of labor unrest: The cost to workers whose jobs have changed drastically as companies scramble to meet customer expectations for speed and convenience in industries transformed by technology.
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated those changes, pushing retailers to shift online and intensifying the streaming competition among entertainment companies. Now, from the picket lines, workers are trying to give consumers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to produce a show that can be binged any time or get dog food delivered to their doorstep with a phone swipe.
Overworked and underpaid employees is an enduring complaint across industries — from delivery drivers to Starbucks baristas and airline pilots — where surges in consumer demand have collided with persistent labor shortages. Workers are pushing back against forced overtime, punishing schedules or company reliance on lower-paid, part-time or contract forces.
At issue for Hollywood screenwriters and actors staging their first simultaneous strikes in 40 years is the way streaming has upended entertainment economics, slashing pay and forcing showrunners to produce content faster with smaller teams.
“This seems to happen to many places when the tech companies come in. Who are we crushing? It doesn’t matter,” said Danielle Sanchez-Witzel, a screenwriter and showrunner on the negotiating team for the Writers Guild of America, whose members have been on strike since May. Earlier this month, the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists joined the writers’ union on the picket line.
Actors and writers have long relied on residuals, or long-term payments, for reruns and other airings of films and televisions shows. But reruns aren’t a thing on streaming services, where series and films simply land and stay with no easy way, such as box office returns or ratings, to determine their popularity.
Consequently, whatever residuals streaming companies do pay often amount to a pittance, and screenwriters have been sharing tales of receiving single digit checks.
Adam Shapiro, an actor known for the Netflix hit “Never Have I Ever," said many actors were initially content to accept lower pay for the plethora of roles that streaming suddenly offered. But the need for a more sustainable compensation model gained urgency when it became clear streaming is not a sideshow, but rather the future of the business, he said.
"Over the past 10 years, we realized: ‘Oh, that’s now how Hollywood works. Everything is streaming,’” Shapiro said during a recent union event.
Shapiro, who has been acting for 25 years, said he agreed to a contract offering 20% of his normal rate for “Never Have I Ever” because it seemed like "a great opportunity, and it’s going to be all over the world. And it was. It really was. Unfortunately, we’re all starting to realize that if we keep doing this we’re not going to be able to pay our bills.”
Then there's the rising use of “mini rooms,” in which a handful of writers are hired to work only during pre-production, sometimes for a series that may take a year to be greenlit, or never get picked up at all.
Sanchez-Witzel, co-creator of the recently released Netflix series “Survival of the Thickest,” said television shows traditionally hire robust writing teams for the duration of production. But Netflix refused to allow her to keep her team of five writers past pre-production, forcing round-the-clock work on rewrites with just one other writer.
“It's not sustainable and I'll never do that again,” she said.
Sanchez-Witzel said she was struck by the similarities between her experience and those of UPS drivers, some of whom joined the WGA for protests as they threatened their own potentially crippling strike. UPS and the Teamsters last week reached a tentative contract staving off the strike.
Jeffrey Palmerino, a full-time UPS driver near Albany, New York, said forced overtime emerged as a top issue during the pandemic as drivers coped with a crush of orders on par with the holiday season. Drivers never knew what time they would get home or if they could count on two days off each week, while 14-hour days in trucks without air conditioning became the norm.
“It was basically like Christmas on steroids for two straight years. A lot of us were forced to work six days a week, and that is not any way to live your life,” said Palmerino, a Teamsters shop steward.
Along with pay raises and air conditioning, the Teamsters won concessions that Palmerino hopes will ease overwork. UPS agreed to end forced overtime on days off and eliminate a lower-paid category of drivers who work shifts that include weekends, converting them to full-time drivers. Union members have yet to ratify the deal.
The Teamsters and labor activists hailed the tentative deal as a game-changer that would pressure other companies facing labor unrest to raise their standards. But similar outcomes are far from certain in industries lacking the sheer economic indispensability of UPS or the clout of its 340,000-member union.
Efforts to organize at Starbucks and Amazon stalled as both companies aggressively fought against unionization.
Still, labor protests will likely gain momentum following the UPS contract, said Patricia Campos-Medina, executive director of the Worker Institute at the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, which released a report this year that found the number of labor strikes rose 52% in 2022.
“The whole idea that consumer convenience is above everything broke down during the pandemic. We started to think, ‘I’m at home ordering, but there is actually a worker who has to go the grocery store, who has to cook this for me so that I can be comfortable,’” Campos-Medina said. | https://www.abc10.com/article/money/business/customers-want-instant-gratification-workers-say-its-pushing-them-to-the-brink-sag-ups/507-102fe2a7-ad77-4f73-b19f-9a3d78169bd3 | 2023-07-31T02:35:39 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/money/business/customers-want-instant-gratification-workers-say-its-pushing-them-to-the-brink-sag-ups/507-102fe2a7-ad77-4f73-b19f-9a3d78169bd3 |
ST. LOUIS — Union workers fear that Yellow Freight may face a "complete shutdown" within a couple of days, a new letter revealed.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is warning its members to brace for the closure of Yellow Freight in the near future, not even a week after the trucking company averted a nationwide employee strike by signing a deal with the union.
Editor's note: The above video aired on July 24.
A 5 On Your Side viewer shared a letter the union sent out to its members which painted a bleak future for the company.
"The likelihood that Yellow will survive is increasingly bleak," the letter said. "All Yellow employees should, in our opinion, prepare for the worst, as Yellow appears to be headed to a complete shutdown within the next few days."
In light of Yellow allegedly laying off personnel and closing terminals across the country, the union's letter advised employees to take any personal belongings and tools they may have at terminals and bring them home as soon as possible.
"That way, in case Yellow does shut down over the weekend or next week, the employees' property will not get lumped in with Yellow's property and get locked up in a bankruptcy or liquidation proceeding that could result in the employees not recovering their personal property."
5 On Your Side reached out to Yellow Freight for comment on the union's claims. The company has yet to return our request for comment.
This is a developing story. Tune in to 5 On Your Side for the latest details.
Top St. Louis headlines
Get the latest news and details throughout the St. Louis area from 5 On Your Side broadcasts here. | https://www.abc10.com/article/money/business/prepare-for-the-worst-teamsters-warn-yellow-freight-workers-brace-for-closing/63-279f5d55-c011-4247-a7a6-de2ac00c2414 | 2023-07-31T02:35:45 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/money/business/prepare-for-the-worst-teamsters-warn-yellow-freight-workers-brace-for-closing/63-279f5d55-c011-4247-a7a6-de2ac00c2414 |
Updated July 30, 2023 at 10:09 PM ET
It's the end of the road for one of the nation's largest freight carriers.
Yellow, a trucking company that just three years ago took a $700 million federal pandemic loan, is shutting down, according to the Teamsters union, which represents the company's 22,000 unionized workers.
The company is expected to file for bankruptcy as soon as Monday, according to industry experts, following a recent exodus of customers amid union strife and on top of years of financial troubles.
With 30,000 jobs at stake, it's poised to be the largest trucking bankruptcy in the history of the U.S., experts said. The company, formerly known as YRC Worldwide, is the third largest less-than-truckload carrier by revenue, behind FedEx and Old Dominion. LTL companies move pallet-sized shipments — smaller than a container, but bigger than a parcel.
Yellow has not publicly announced any plans for bankruptcy or a potential shutdown.
Here's what we know.
Employees were told to prepare for a company shutdown
The Teamsters union, which had been locked in contentious negotiations for a new contract with Yellow, said it received a legal notice that Yellow is ceasing operations and filing for bankruptcy, according to a news release posted Sunday night.
"Today's news is unfortunate but not surprising," said Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien. "This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry."
The union's announcement comes hours after The Wall Street Journal reported that Yellow shut down on Sunday afternoon, citing internal notices sent to customers and employees.
Yellow says it will issue a public statement on Monday about "the state of the company and the operation," according to the industry outlet FreightWaves, which also obtained internal documents.
Yellow has not responded to NPR's requests for comment.
Yellow laid off an unknown number of its employees on Friday, reported FreightWaves, citing a memo sent to staff informing them that the company is "shutting down its regular operations" and "laying off employees at all of its locations."
The same day, Teamsters had advised Yellow employees to "prepare for the worst."
"Yellow appears to be headed to a complete shutdown within the next few days," said Teamsters National Freight Director John Murphy in a Friday memo shared with NPR.
A strike threat delivered the final blow to cash-poor Yellow
The shutdown comes just days after a Teamsters strike at the company was averted. A week ago, a pension fund agreed to extend health benefits for workers at two Yellow operating companies after the carrier missed its $50 million benefits payment to the fund on July 15, the union said.
While the extension held off a July 24 strike, the threat of a walkout that could disrupt operations prompted a wave of Yellow customers to bolt.
"The Teamsters actions induced a high level of variability and uncertainty in the market for Yellow's customers. The market abhors variability and uncertainty," wrote Mike Regan, co-founder of TranzAct Technologies, which manages transportation services for retailers. "Consequently, Yellow lost substantial and much needed volume."
After the strike threat, Yellow's freight volumes fell 80% within the span of a week, according to Jack Atkins, a managing director at the financial services firm Stephens who researches the transportation sector.
At the same time, he said, Yellow's cries that it was running out of cash during union negotiation attempts scared off customers. After fleeing to rival carriers like FedEx and ABF Freight, customers didn't return.
"Both sides bear fault," Atkins said. "Once that freight left, there was nothing left to really restructure," he added. "It was really too late to save the company."
The company has been at risk of bankruptcy for years
Animus between Yellow and Teamsters has grown in recent months, with each party blaming one another for the company's problems.
After the trucking carrier tried to restructure its operations this spring as a cost-saving measure that would allow it to refinance its debt. In June, Yellow sued the union for blocking the restructuring plan it said was "essential to the company's survival." The Teamsters in turn called the lawsuit "baseless," instead blaming Yellow for "decades of gross mismanagement," that included its alleged exhaustion of the $700 million bailout loan.
The company reported a net income of $21.8 million last year. Yellow has $1.3 billion in loan debt due in fall 2024, $729 million of which is owed to the federal government, according to the company's latest quarterly report.
Yellow received a $700 million loan from the government in 2020 as part of a COVID-19 rescue package. In return, the Treasury Department took a 30% stake in the company's shares, which have since plummeted to less than a dollar apiece as of Friday.
In June, a congressional probe found that the Treasury Department's disbursement of the loan was a mistake; the freight company — whose customers included the Department of Defense — did not actually meet the standards to qualify for the business loan because its survival was not "critical to maintaining national security."
"Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Yellow was a financially struggling company that had a long-term non-investment grade (i.e., junk) rating and previous close calls with bankruptcy over the years. The pandemic did not cause Yellow's longstanding problems, nor is the Treasury's loan to the company likely to solve those problems," the Congressional Oversight Commission report read.
A world without Yellow
An end to the Nashville-based company would mean the loss of 30,000 jobs.
In its Sunday statement, the Teamsters union said it's working to help "affected members get the assistance they need to find good union jobs throughout freight and other industries."
Atkins doesn't expect the federal government to come to the rescue this time. While there may be some slight disruptions, the analyst anticipates other freight carriers will have some capacity to absorb Yellow's business because of a recent dent in freight volumes.
"This is not going to create a supply-chain crisis," he said.
Retailers and manufacturers are likely to see higher shipping rates if the company folds, he said. Yellow is known for its low shipping rates compared to its rivals.
Atkins visited the Yellow terminal in Little Rock, Ark., on Sunday to find all gates chained up, a sign of ceased operations.
"They've been in wind-down mode, clearing the network out of all the remaining freight," he said. "This is the end."
NPR's Camila Domonoske contributed to this story.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.kasu.org/money-economy/money-economy/2023-07-30/the-yellow-trucking-company-meltdown-explained | 2023-07-31T02:35:48 | 1 | https://www.kasu.org/money-economy/money-economy/2023-07-30/the-yellow-trucking-company-meltdown-explained |
SACRAMENTO, Calif — A man is behind bars after a five-year investigation into a deadly stabbing in Sacramento.
30-year-old Arturo Hernandez was arrested in connection to a November 2017 stabbing. It happened along the 5900 block of Riza Avenue at an apartment complex.
The victim was found stabbed in his upper body when police arrived, but despite being taken to a hospital, he died.
Hernandez was identified as a suspect. He was recently found in Mexico and taken into custody with help from the FBI and authorities in Mexico. Police took custody of Hernandez on July 22, 2023 and booked him into the county jail.
WATCH ALSO: | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/crime/2017-stabbing-arrest/103-98a42cf7-e813-4c22-b35a-77894b527499 | 2023-07-31T02:35:51 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/crime/2017-stabbing-arrest/103-98a42cf7-e813-4c22-b35a-77894b527499 |
SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif. — A teenager killed just hours before his graduation at Grant Union High School was trying to sell a fake gun at the time of his death, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office announced.
It's been nearly two months since Billy Scott, a Grant Union High School senior and athlete, was shot and killed. Billie Dee Scott says life without her little brother has been challenging.
"It's been very difficult. I would definitely describe it as somewhat of a roller coaster," said Billie Dee.
Billy was just about to graduate when he was killed in North Highlands. A 17-year old has been charged for the crime, and now, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office announced a new development in the case.
"It looks like Billy and a couple of friends the night before graduation were trying to sell a gun to a different party," said Sgt. Amar Gandhi. "Turned out, the gun was actually fake."
It's still unclear why Billy was shot. However, Billy's family said they're shocked and disappointed the sheriff's office didn't give them a heads up.
"Our family was completely blindsided and unaware of this accusation, if you will," said Billie Dee.
She also adds her brother liked to be a homebody, and this narrative doesn't fit the person she knows.
"That's all obviously being pushed on a lot of our Black and Brown young men, that they're criminals and that they're just these monsters that terrorize society," said Billie Dee.
The sheriff's office says there will not be any additional charges, and if Billy had survived, he would not have been charged with a crime. The sheriff's office also added there's no evidence to show Billy had a history of making gun deals.
"Hopefully, it's not in vain. Hopefully, there's... a bigger lesson to be learned," said Sgt. Gandhi.
Ultimately, Billie Dee said she's open to hearing the evidence and accepting if her brother made any mistakes. However, she wants the community to know who her brother truly was.
"My brother, he was an amazing person, and anything to diminish his name, we're willing to be the voices and to stand up against that at all costs," said Billy Dee.
WATCH ALSO: | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/crime/billy-scott-death/103-a9853ea0-f060-4cc0-9ed5-1f086965c213 | 2023-07-31T02:35:57 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/crime/billy-scott-death/103-a9853ea0-f060-4cc0-9ed5-1f086965c213 |
RIO VISTA, Calif. — Update: 7:30 p.m.
PG&E has restored power to nearly 3,000 customers in the Rio Vista area after an outage.
Original story:
Nearly 3,000 PG&E customers are without power in Rio Vista due to an outage.
It's unclear why the outage occurred, but PG&E has assigned a crew to assess the situation.
According to the power utility's outage map, the outage is impacting around 2,845 customers.
The blackout started just before 6 p.m. and power is expected to be restored by 9:30 p.m.
MAP
For updates on the outage, view the PG&E map below.
WATCH ALSO: | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/nearly-3000-without-power-rio-vista/103-0f25b577-eefb-468b-9a6e-1574528a5922 | 2023-07-31T02:36:03 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/nearly-3000-without-power-rio-vista/103-0f25b577-eefb-468b-9a6e-1574528a5922 |
SACRAMENTO, Calif — Three homes were damaged after a fire in Sacramento Sunday afternoon.
The Sacramento Fire Department responded to the blaze around 1:40 p.m. at 39th Street and Boyles Court. When crews arrived to the alleyway, the fire had spread to three occupied homes.
No injuries were reported. The blaze was deemed a three-alarm fire due to the proximity of the homes and the threat to others.
WATCH ALSO: | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/sacramento-fire-3-homes-damaged/103-db73cfa1-ebb2-4c3c-894e-ccd3d3b85031 | 2023-07-31T02:36:09 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/sacramento-fire-3-homes-damaged/103-db73cfa1-ebb2-4c3c-894e-ccd3d3b85031 |
CALIFORNIA, USA — A massive wildfire burning out of control in California's Mojave National Preserve was spreading rapidly Sunday amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the south that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the preserve was sending up a huge plume of smoke visible nearly 100 miles (160 kilometers) away across the state line in Nevada.
Flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots have charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometers) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to a Sunday incident update.
“The dry fuel acts as a ready ignition source, and when paired with those weather conditions it resulted in long-distance fire run and high flames, leading to extreme fire behavior,” the update said. No structures were threatened. There was no containment.
To the southwest, the Bonny Fire was holding steady at about 3.4 square miles (8.8 square kilometers) in rugged hills of Riverside County. More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday near the remote community of Aguanga.
Windy conditions and the chance of thunderstorms into Monday will heighten the risk of renewed growth, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.
One firefighter was injured in the blaze, which was 5% contained Sunday.
WATCH ALSO: | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/wildfire/two-major-california-blazes/103-9e4dd38c-1f73-4d50-8550-e3004f4e9e21 | 2023-07-31T02:36:15 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/wildfire/two-major-california-blazes/103-9e4dd38c-1f73-4d50-8550-e3004f4e9e21 |
KHAR, Pakistan — A suicide bomber blew himself up at a political rally in a former stronghold of militants in northwest Pakistan bordering Afghanistan on Sunday, killing at least 44 people and wounding nearly 200 in an attack that a senior leader said was meant to weaken Pakistani Islamists.
The Bajur district near the Afghan border was a stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban — a close ally of Afghanistan’s Taliban government — before the Pakistani army drove the militants out of the area. Supporters of hardline Pakistani cleric and political party leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman, whose Jamiat Ulema Islam generally supports regional Islamists, were meeting in Bajur in a hall close to a market outside the district capital. Party officials said Rehman was not at the rally but organizers added tents because so many supporters showed up, and party volunteers with batons were helping control the crowd.
Officials were announcing the arrival of Abdul Rasheed, a leader of the Jamiat Ulema Islam party, when the bomb went off in one of Pakistan’s bloodiest attacks in recent years.
Provincial police said in a statement that the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber who detonated his explosives vest close to the stage where several senior leaders of the party were sitting. It said initial investigations suggested the Islamic State group — which operates in Afghanistan and is an enemy of the Afghan Taliban — could be behind the attack, and officers were still investigating.
“There was dust and smoke around, and I was under some injured people from where I could hardly stand up, only to see chaos and some scattered limbs,” said Adam Khan, 45, who was knocked to the ground by the blast around 4 p.m. and hit by splinters in his leg and both hands.
The Pakistan Taliban, or TTP, said in a statement sent to The Associated Press that the bombing was aimed at setting Islamists against each other. Zabiullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Afghan Taliban, said on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that “such crimes cannot be justified in any way.”
The Afghan Taliban’s seizure of power in Afghanistan in mid-August 2021 emboldened the TTP. They unilaterally ended a cease-fire agreement with the Pakistani government in November, and have stepped up attacks across the country.
The bombing came hours before the arrival of Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Islamabad, where he was to participate in an event to mark a decade of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, or CPEC, a sprawling package under which Beijing has invested billions of dollars in Pakistan.
In recent months, China has helped Pakistan avoid a default on sovereign payments. However, some Chinese nationals have also been targeted by militants in northwestern Pakistan and elsewhere.
Feroz Jamal, the provincial information minister, told The Associated Press that so far 44 people had been “martyred” and nearly 200 wounded in the bombing.
The bombing was one of the four worst attacks in the northwest since 2014, when 147 people, mostly schoolchildren, were killed in a Taliban attack on an army-run school in Peshawar. In January, 74 people were killed in a bombing at a mosque in Peshawar. n February, more than 100 people, mostly policemen, died in a bombing at a mosque inside a high-security compound housing Peshawar police headquarters.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Arif Alvi condemned the attack and asked officials to provide all possible assistance to the wounded and the bereaved families. Sharif later, in a phone call to Rehman, the head of the JUI, conveyed his condolences to him and assured him that those who orchestrated the attack would be punished.
The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad also condemned the attack. In a post on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, it expressed its condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims killed in the attack..
Maulana Ziaullah, the local chief of Rehman’s party, was among the dead. JUI leaders Rasheed and former lawmaker Maulana Jamaluddin were also on the stage but escaped unhurt.
Rasheed, the regional chief of the party, said the attack was an attempt to remove JUI from the field before parliamentary elections in November, but he said such tactics would not work. The bombing drew nationwide condemnation, with the ruling and opposition parties extending condolences to the families of those who died in the attack.
Rehman is considered to be a pro-Taliban cleric and his political party is part of the coalition government in Islamabad. Meetings are being organized across the country to mobilize supporters for the upcoming elections.
“Many of our fellows lost their lives and many more wounded in this incident. I will ask the federal and provincial administrations to fully investigate this incident and provide due compensation and medical facilities to the affected ones,” Rasheed said.
Mohammad Wali, another attendant at the rally, said he was listening to a speaker address the crowd when the huge explosion temporarily deafened him.
“I was near the water dispenser to fetch a glass of water when the bomb exploded, throwing me to the ground,” he said. “We came to the meeting with enthusiasm but ended up at the hospital seeing crying, wounded people and sobbing relatives taking the bodies of their loved ones.”
___
Riaz Khan reported from Peshawar. Associated Press writer Munir Ahmad contributed from Islamabad. | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/nation-world/political-rally-in-northwest-pakistan-bomb/507-6e3f6092-dc77-4608-a95c-9ee5a6c22522 | 2023-07-31T02:36:21 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/nation-world/political-rally-in-northwest-pakistan-bomb/507-6e3f6092-dc77-4608-a95c-9ee5a6c22522 |
A woman from New Hampshire who works for a nonprofit organization in Haiti and her young daughter have been reported as kidnapped as the U.S. State Department issued a “do not travel advisory” in the country and ordered nonemergency personnel to leave there amid growing security concerns.
Alix Dorsainvil, a nurse for El Roi Haiti, and her daughter were kidnapped on Thursday, the organization said in a statement Saturday. El Roi, which runs a school and ministry in Port au Prince, said the two were taken from campus. Dorsainvil is the wife of the program's director, Sandro Dorsainvil.
“Alix is a deeply compassionate and loving person who considers Haiti her home and the Haitian people her friends and family,” El Roi president and co-founder Jason Brown said in the statement. “Alix has worked tirelessly as our school and community nurse to bring relief to those who are suffering as she loves and serves the people of Haiti in the name of Jesus.”
A State Department spokesperson said in a statement Saturday is it “aware of reports of the kidnapping of two U.S. citizens in Haiti," adding, “We are in regular contact with Haitian authorities and will continue to work with them and our U.S. government interagency partners.”
In its advisory Thursday, the department said that “kidnapping is widespread, and victims regularly include U.S. citizens.”
It said kidnappings often involve ransom negotiations and U.S. citizen victims have been physically harmed.
Earlier this month, the National Human Rights Defense Network issued a report warning about an upsurge in killings and kidnappings and the U.N. Security Council met to discuss Haiti's worsening situation.
WMUR-TV reported that Dorsainvil is from Middleton, New Hampshire, and went to Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts, which has a program to support nursing education in Haiti.
“It doesn’t surprise me that Alex chose to get involved in this type of service work,” Regis College president Toni Hays told the station. “She was amazing. She was passionate, she was compassionate.” | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/nation-world/us-mother-daughter-reported-kidnapped-in-haiti/507-dffeb51f-530c-4af0-9846-d782c40b2a43 | 2023-07-31T02:36:27 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/nation-world/us-mother-daughter-reported-kidnapped-in-haiti/507-dffeb51f-530c-4af0-9846-d782c40b2a43 |
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — After ending last season with no healthy quarterbacks, the San Francisco 49ers are starting this season trying to juggle practice time for four of them.
Starter Brock Purdy is only participating in two out of every three practices to start camp as he works his way back from offseason elbow surgery. That has allowed Trey Lance and Sam Darnold to split time with the first and second-team offenses when Purdy is sitting and share time as second-teamers when Purdy practices.
Fourth-stringer Brandon Allen has gotten a good share of snaps during team drills so far, working mostly with the third team as the Niners were impressed with his play in the offseason and want to keep him in the mix even though there are three QBs ahead of him on the depth chart.
San Francisco's reluctance to pare down the QB room comes after injuries at the position derailed the Niners 2022 season. Lance went down with a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2 and was replaced by Jimmy Garoppolo.
Garoppolo then started the next 10 games before breaking his foot, giving Purdy the shot to start as a rookie after being drafted last overall.
Purdy won his first seven starts before injuring his elbow on the opening drive of the NFC title game loss at Philadelphia. Backup Josh Johnson came in and got a concussion, forcing the Niners to play most of the second half with Purdy unable to throw the ball more than a few yards downfield.
While the shuffling might seem to make it harder for receivers to find a rhythm, Brandon Aiyuk said that hasn't been a concern.
“If I’m getting to my spots, the quarterback is supposed to get it to the exact same spot whether it’s Brock or (Brandon), it doesn’t really matter. What matters is getting to a spot and finding the ball,” he said. “As a receiver you like going out there when you have four guys who can put it right were it needs to be.”
This wasn't the spot Lance expected to be in after San Francisco traded three first-round picks to draft him third overall in 2021. But Lance started only two games as a rookie behind Garoppolo and played less than five quarters a year ago.
Now he is battling just to be the backup and is uncertain how big a role he will play this season.
“We haven’t had any conversations,” he said. “I find out right before practice or whatever, what the rep count is going to be. I just take advantage of every rep.”
Lance got the first snaps with the starters at practice Sunday with Darnold also working his way in with the first-team offense.
The passing game looked good with the offense taking advantage of a few blown coverages and blitzes. Lance hit tight end George Kittle on a nice deep strike early in practice, found Chris Conley on a TD in the red zone and also had a scramble for a score.
Darnold formed a good chemistry with Aiyuk on some crossing patterns that would have been big plays and also hit Deebo Samuel on a big pass as he tries to live up to the billing that made him the No. 3 overall pick by the Jets in 2018.
Darnold’s 78.2 career passer rating with the Jets and Carolina is the lowest among the 36 QBs with at least 1,000 attempts since he entered the league but he has never had the opportunity to play on an offense as skilled as the 49ers.
“Very talented guy,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “Everyone has really liked working with him. The team loves him. He’s doing some good things out there and getting more and more comfortable every day.”
Purdy will be back with the first team on Monday when the Niners practice in pads for the first time. He took part in practices last Thursday and Friday but is being eased back in after the surgery.
The plan is for Purdy to practice Monday and Tuesday and then get the off day on Wednesday and Thursday's practice to rest his arm before getting back into practice on Friday.
“I think he’s done great,” Shanahan said. “He’s come back, had no arm troubles. He’s been totally healthy. He’s getting all his timing back and rhythm. I was really impressed with him those first two practices.”
NOTES: Shanahan had no update on the status of Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa, who is holding out in search of a long-term contract. ... LT Trent Williams got a veteran day off and CB Charvarius Ward sat out team drills with tightness in his groin. ... Frank Gore, who recently joined the front office, was at practice with 2005 draft class teammate Alex Smith.
WATCH ALSO: | https://www.abc10.com/article/sports/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/49ers-juggling-4-quarterbacks/103-607b0e5e-ba68-485a-afa9-8c6c8919a54c | 2023-07-31T02:36:33 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/sports/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/49ers-juggling-4-quarterbacks/103-607b0e5e-ba68-485a-afa9-8c6c8919a54c |
SACRAMENTO, Calif —
California was treated to a relatively cool June, but the heat has been back in a major way in July.
Downtown Sacramento has had 12 days exceeding triple digits so far and will likely stay at that number with no 100 degree days expected to end the month.
The average number of 100 degree days for Sacramento is 8, based on data dating back to 1990. California has found itself sandwiched between a low pressure system centered off the coast of the Pacific Northwest and the strong ridge of high pressure that has been shattering temperature record in the Desert Southwest. For reference, Phoenix has now reached at least 110 degrees 31 days in a row.
High pressure has been more influential for much of July, pushing average temperatures about three degrees above average so far this month and raising temperatures to 109 on three separate occasions this month. California as a whole has experienced its fourth warmest July since 1893 thus far.
This week, the low pressure system will shift further eastward, and California will be rewarded with below average temperatures to kick off the first few days of August.
Monday will see high temperatures a few degrees lower than this weekend but will still be around the average high temperature of 95 degrees for this time of year.
Both Sunday and Monday will see elevated fire risk due to periods of gusty winds and low humidity values as the low pressure system moves closer, particularly in the northern Sacramento Valley and foothills.
Tuesday will be noticeably cooler across the region under the upper-level low pressure system spinning overhead. The system will promote onshore flow and a cooling Delta breeze will be present every afternoon/evening this week.
Wednesday and Thursday will also see valley high temperatures in the mid to upper 80s with select locations further away from the delta reaching into the 90s.
A push of monsoonal moisture will increase thunderstorm chances along the Sierra by midweek, especially on Wednesday. High temperatures will be in the upper 60s and lower 70s for most of the Sierra this week with periods of gusty winds in the afternoon hours.
The heat will make a return by the weekend as the high pressure system once again moves back over California. High temperatures are once again expected to shoot past 100 in the Central Valley for the first weekend of August.
WATCH ALSO: | https://www.abc10.com/article/weather/cooling-trend-drop-high-temperatures-80s/103-b042bb21-7996-43c7-af00-70e6fcfcbeca | 2023-07-31T02:36:39 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/weather/cooling-trend-drop-high-temperatures-80s/103-b042bb21-7996-43c7-af00-70e6fcfcbeca |
SAN FRANCISCO — A Casey Schmitt hit-by-pitch and a perfect Brandon Crawford bunt helped the Giants load the bases Sunday with no outs in the bottom of the 11th inning against the Boston Red Sox.
All the Giants needed was for Joc Pederson to come through in a tie game that manager Gabe Kapler said had a playoff-type feel.
On a 3-0 count, Pederson singled to right field off of Mauricio Llovera to score Patrick Bailey from third base and give the Giants a 4-3 win and their second walk-off victory in as many games.
“Playoff baseball, you don’t get a ton of hits but when you have opportunities, you have to capitalize,” Pederson said. “That’s what makes teams special.”
Following Pederson’s third career walk-off hit, the Giants now continue their homestand Monday with a four-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks. San Francisco, winners of six of its last seven, leads the National League wild card standings and is two games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for first place in the NL West.
“Some teams just have a flair for some late-inning heroics,” said Ross Stripling, who allowed one run in 4 1/3 innings in relief of opener Scott Alexander. “Seems like this team has that for sure.”
San Francisco also scored its first run Sunday with the bases loaded.
The Giants loaded the bases in the second inning without getting the ball out of the infield. Boston starter Brennan Bernardino plunked Michael Conforto and Luis Matos before giving up a bunt single to catcher Blake Sabol.
Schmitt’s hard-struck grounder to third scored Conforto and gave the Giants an early 1-0 lead.
Facing right-handed reliever John Schreiber in the third inning, Kapler took out the right-handed Austin Slater and replaced him with Mike Yastrzemski. When Yastrzemski left the game in the fifth inning with left hamstring tightness, future walk-off hero Pederson took his spot in the outfield.
Kapler also went with an opener approach for the second consecutive game, allowing Scott Alexander to get five outs on 16 pitches before bringing in Stripling for what he called a “featured role.”
San Francisco is now 14-4 when employing an opener.
The Giants were the beneficiaries of some shoddy fielding in the fifth inning by Boston’s Rafael Devers, who a mishandled a Crawford ground ball to give the Giants runners on the corner with no outs.
Wilmer Flores, who entered the day batting .394 in July, poked a ball into right field to give the Giants a two-run lead.
Stripling cruised along until the seventh, throwing 4 1/3 innings with three strikeouts and no walks. Adam Duvall’s solo home run for Boston ended his day with no outs in the inning, and Taylor Rogers replaced him.
“I think that some guys want more of an explanation and it’s more give and take, and you might get more emotion when they’re told they’re getting opened for,” Stripling said about pitching in long relief. “I think that I’ve done it a bunch and a decent amount here, so It think it’s a pretty easy conversation when they approach me about it.”
Rogers surrendered a Jarren Duran double before giving up a homer to San Francisco’s longtime nemesis Justin Turner, who launched home run No. 16 against the Giants to give the Sox a 3-2 lead.
Turner spent nine years tormenting San Francisco as a member of the rival Dodgers, and in his last two games as a member of the Red Sox, the 38-year-old has now hit a game-tying two-run single and a two-run home run in his last two games against the club.
The Giants had scored fewer than four runs in nine of their last 10 games before Sunday but cobbled together a Conforto single and a Matos double in the eighth inning to put two runners in scoring position.
Bailey’s ground ball tied the game 3-3, but Schmitt was called out on strikes to end the rally.
In his first day back with the major league team, right-hander Tristan Beck got the ball in the 10th inning. The Stanford alum worked around the ghost runner on second and a walk to leave the inning with the score still tied.
“I’m happy to take the ball whenever the team needs me, and obviously, you start counting down how many guys are left in the rotation,” Beck said. “I felt good physically, and I let them know that.”
Beck wouldn’t need to go out again as the Giants got the runner over to third on Crawford’s flawless bunt in his first game since July 16.
“Perfect execution always trumps good strategy, and that was perfect execution by Craw,” Kapler said.
Crawford added, “I wanted to hit obviously with Joc behind me, but I know in that situation, my job is to get a bunt down.”
Pederson’s hit gave San Francisco its second straight walk off win against Boston (56-49). Beck (2-0) got the win and Llovera (1-1) was hit with the loss. | https://www.chicoer.com/2023/07/30/sf-giants-walk-off-red-sox-again-pederson-the-extra-inning-hero/ | 2023-07-31T02:36:41 | 1 | https://www.chicoer.com/2023/07/30/sf-giants-walk-off-red-sox-again-pederson-the-extra-inning-hero/ |
July keeps sizzling as Phoenix hits another 110-degree day and wildfires spread in California
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix sizzled through its 31st consecutive day of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) and other parts of the country grappled Sunday with record temperatures after a week that saw significant portions of the U.S. population subject to extreme heat.
The National Weather Service said Phoenix was expected to climb to 112 F (44.4 Celsius) before the day was through.
July has been so steamy thus far that scientists calculate it will be the hottest month ever recorded and likely the warmest human civilization has seen. The World Meteorological Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service on Thursday proclaimed July beyond record-smashing.
The historic heat began blasting the lower Southwest U.S. in late June, stretching from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California’s desert.
On Sunday, a massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve spread rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the south that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the preserve sent up a huge plume of smoke visible nearly 100 miles (160 kilometers) away across the state line in Nevada.
Flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots have charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometers) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to a Sunday update.
“The dry fuel acts as a ready ignition source, and when paired with those weather conditions it resulted in long-distance fire run and high flames, leading to extreme fire behavior,” authorities said. No structures were threatened, but there was also no containment.
To the southwest, the Bonny Fire was holding steady at about 3.4 square miles (8.8 square kilometers) in rugged hills of Riverside County. More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday near the remote community of Aguanga, California.
Triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the central San Joaquin Valley through Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
And in Burbank, California, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, the summer heat may have been responsible for some unusual behavior in the animal kingdom: Police in the city responded to a report of a bear sighting in a residential neighborhood and found the animal sitting in a Jacuzzi behind one of the homes.
As climate change brings hotter and longer heat waves, record temperatures across the U.S. have killed dozens of people, and the poorest Americans suffer the most. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
Last year, all 86 heat-related deaths indoors were in uncooled environments.
“To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills,” said Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor who researches heat and health. “Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours.”
It’s the poorest and people of color, from Kansas City to Detroit to New York City and beyond, who are far more likely to face grueling heat without air conditioning, according to a Boston University analysis of 115 U.S. metro areas.
Back in Phoenix, slight relief may be on the way as expected seasonal thunderstorms could drop temperatures Monday and Tuesday.
“It should be around 108 degrees, so we break that 110 streak,” meteorologist Tom Frieders said. “Increasing cloud cover will put temperatures in a downward trend.”
The relief could be short-lived, however. Highs are expected to creep back to 110 F (43.3 C) Wednesday with temperatures reaching 115 F (46.1 C) by the end of the week.
Phoenix has also sweated through a record 16 consecutive nights when the lows temperature didn’t dip below 90 F (32.2 C), making it hard for people to cool off after sunset.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas continues to flirt with its hottest July ever. The city is closing in on its 2010 record for the average of the high and low each day for July, which stands at 96.2 F (35.5 C).
The extreme heat is also hitting the eastern U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places recorded their warmest days so far this year.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kmvt.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ | 2023-07-31T02:37:07 | 0 | https://www.kmvt.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ |
NEW YORK — When federal investigators arrived at a meat and poultry warehouse on Allen Street in Chinatown in April 2022, they found what might have been New York City’s best-fed rat population.
Rodents had been feasting on more than 43,000 pounds of meat and poultry inside the warehouse of Ya Feng Trading as if it were an endless buffet.
Rodent droppings littered the facility, including on and around containers of meat. Nesting materials and a dead mouse were found in a walk-in cooler. As one investigator spoke to the warehouse’s owner, four 12-inch rodents scurried into a nearby cooler; minutes later, a rat ran up the investigator’s leg, according to court papers.
The stomach-turning scene led to a federal lawsuit in which Manhattan prosecutors accused the company of violating laws governing the storage and inspection of meat and poultry. The suit was settled Friday.
While one official said that the meat was definitely being offered for sale “for human consumption,” he could not say who the company’s customers were or whether any of the meat in the warehouse was actually sold.
The details of the case, made public Friday, immediately entered the pantheon of New York City rat tales. There was the time in 2020 when a man fell through a sidewalk in the Bronx and into a pit teeming with rats, and many New Yorkers have stories of rats making unwelcome appearances from behind apartment walls or emerging from plumbing fixtures. This year, Mayor Eric Adams appointed the city’s first rat czar to confront the long-running rodent problem.
Perhaps most famous was Pizza Rat, a large brown rat that went viral after video emerged showing it dragging a large slice of pizza down the stairs to an L line station in Manhattan in 2015.
But it was Meat Rats — and several instances of selling misbranded chicken gizzards, pork spareribs and other meat — that put an end to Ya Feng, which ceased operations at the end of 2022. The lawsuit accused the company; its owner and president, Linmin Yang; and the warehouse manager, Kong Ping Ni, of violating the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act.
To resolve the lawsuit, the company and the two men signed an agreement, known as a consent decree, barring them from any work or business involving meat and poultry that would be regulated by those laws. It was approved Friday by Valerie Caproni, a U.S. District Court judge.
The consent decree was announced by Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, whose office brought the lawsuit.
After the 2022 inspections, Yang signed a statement, according to court papers, admitting that the company “has a serious rodent issue.” But at the same time, he acknowledged — despite his awareness of the problems — that he continued to offer the 43,000-plus pounds of meat and poultry for sale. Later that month, he voluntarily destroyed all of it.
Reached by phone Saturday, Yang said in Mandarin that he had no time to speak to a reporter and abruptly ended the call. Ni could not be reached for comment. | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/a-federal-food-safety-case-reveals-latest-new-york-city-rat-horror-story/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-07-31T02:37:07 | 0 | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/a-federal-food-safety-case-reveals-latest-new-york-city-rat-horror-story/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
49ers quarterback Brock Purdy stayed healthy until he didn’t, with a serious elbow injury in the NFC Championship game resulting in offseason surgery. He’s working his way back, and his head coach is happy with what he has seen so far in camp.
“I think he’s done great,” coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters on Sunday. “He has come back. He’s had no arm troubles. He’s been totally healthy. I think he’s getting all his timing back, his rhythm. I was really impressed with him in his two practices.”
Purdy’s formula goes from two days on and one day off to one on and two off.
“It’s a thought-out plan,” Shanahan said. “I don’t have to memorize it because it’s all on paper.”
Shanahan also praised Purdy for the work he did throughout the offseason to get himself ready for practice. And now he’s working to get ready for Week One, and to resume his status as the team’s unlikely starting quarterback. | https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/kyle-shanahan-brock-purdy-has-done-great-in-camp | 2023-07-31T02:37:07 | 1 | https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/kyle-shanahan-brock-purdy-has-done-great-in-camp |
July keeps sizzling as Phoenix hits another 110-degree day and wildfires spread in California
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix sizzled through its 31st consecutive day of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) and other parts of the country grappled Sunday with record temperatures after a week that saw significant portions of the U.S. population subject to extreme heat.
The National Weather Service said Phoenix was expected to climb to 112 F (44.4 Celsius) before the day was through.
July has been so steamy thus far that scientists calculate it will be the hottest month ever recorded and likely the warmest human civilization has seen. The World Meteorological Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service on Thursday proclaimed July beyond record-smashing.
The historic heat began blasting the lower Southwest U.S. in late June, stretching from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California’s desert.
On Sunday, a massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve spread rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the south that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the preserve sent up a huge plume of smoke visible nearly 100 miles (160 kilometers) away across the state line in Nevada.
Flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots have charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometers) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to a Sunday update.
“The dry fuel acts as a ready ignition source, and when paired with those weather conditions it resulted in long-distance fire run and high flames, leading to extreme fire behavior,” authorities said. No structures were threatened, but there was also no containment.
To the southwest, the Bonny Fire was holding steady at about 3.4 square miles (8.8 square kilometers) in rugged hills of Riverside County. More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday near the remote community of Aguanga, California.
Triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the central San Joaquin Valley through Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
And in Burbank, California, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, the summer heat may have been responsible for some unusual behavior in the animal kingdom: Police in the city responded to a report of a bear sighting in a residential neighborhood and found the animal sitting in a Jacuzzi behind one of the homes.
As climate change brings hotter and longer heat waves, record temperatures across the U.S. have killed dozens of people, and the poorest Americans suffer the most. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
Last year, all 86 heat-related deaths indoors were in uncooled environments.
“To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills,” said Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor who researches heat and health. “Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours.”
It’s the poorest and people of color, from Kansas City to Detroit to New York City and beyond, who are far more likely to face grueling heat without air conditioning, according to a Boston University analysis of 115 U.S. metro areas.
Back in Phoenix, slight relief may be on the way as expected seasonal thunderstorms could drop temperatures Monday and Tuesday.
“It should be around 108 degrees, so we break that 110 streak,” meteorologist Tom Frieders said. “Increasing cloud cover will put temperatures in a downward trend.”
The relief could be short-lived, however. Highs are expected to creep back to 110 F (43.3 C) Wednesday with temperatures reaching 115 F (46.1 C) by the end of the week.
Phoenix has also sweated through a record 16 consecutive nights when the lows temperature didn’t dip below 90 F (32.2 C), making it hard for people to cool off after sunset.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas continues to flirt with its hottest July ever. The city is closing in on its 2010 record for the average of the high and low each day for July, which stands at 96.2 F (35.5 C).
The extreme heat is also hitting the eastern U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places recorded their warmest days so far this year.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wsaz.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ | 2023-07-31T02:37:07 | 0 | https://www.wsaz.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ |
RYE, N.H. — Two days after former President Donald Trump used a demeaning nickname to describe Ron DeSantis to a packed hall of Iowa Republican activists, DeSantis pointedly invoked the federal indictment against his chief rival, saying that if Trump had “drained the swamp like he promised,” then he probably “wouldn’t be in the mess that he’s in right now.”
Speaking to reporters Sunday after a campaign event in New Hampshire, DeSantis, the governor of Florida, added that Trump’s use of “juvenile insults” served as a reminder of “why there are so many millions of voters who will never vote for him going forward.”
DeSantis has generally not used Trump’s legal troubles against him, and has instead focused on criticizing the Biden administration for what he terms the “weaponization” of federal law enforcement.
But as DeSantis seeks to reset his ailing campaign by cutting staff and organizing more informal events in the face of a fundraising shortfall, his comments suggest he may be taking a less timid approach against the man who leads him in national polls by a wide margin. Even allies have said that his campaign has lacked a coherent message about why voters should choose him over Trump.
Part of the shift may also be a result of how DeSantis has changed his campaign tactics in the past week. Whereas he previously engaged with voters in more controlled environments, and kept the press at arm’s length, he is now regularly taking questions from both everyday Americans and reporters — meaning that he will be asked more often about Trump, who is dominating the Republican primary race.
DeSantis’ campaign reboot took him on a bus tour through rural Iowa last week. On Friday, he and a dozen other Republican presidential candidates, including the former president, took turns addressing a dinner hosted by the Republican Party of Iowa. With DeSantis ensconced in a hospitality suite not far from the main stage, Trump mockingly referred to his rival as “DeSanctis” (short for “DeSanctimonious”) and bragged about his lead in the polls.
On Sunday, DeSantis appeared at a barbecue in Rye, co-hosted by former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, who served as an ambassador in the Trump administration. Brown, who is staying neutral in the race for now, is hosting similar events for several Republican candidates, although Trump’s camp has not yet reached out about attending, Brown said.
As is his normal practice, DeSantis did not mention Trump in his stump speech. But in a question-and-answer session afterward, one voter asked the governor, “Given Trump’s stronghold on what seems to be a majority of the party, what’s your strategy to show Trump supporters that you’re a better alternative?”
DeSantis responded by saying he believed many Republicans were open to nominating someone other than Trump.
“I think with me, you know, I’m the candidate that’s more likely to beat Biden,” he said. “I’m more reliable on policy. I think you’ve seen my record in Florida, and I’m much more likely to actually get all this stuff done.”
“We ended the presidency with Fauci running the government,” DeSantis continued, referring to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the federal government’s former top infectious disease expert, who is deeply unpopular with Republican voters. “That’s not draining the swamp.”
Hank Bivins, the voter who asked the question, said the response left him somewhat underwhelmed.
“He has to differentiate himself more,” said Bivins, 53, who is still undecided. “He’s going to have to fine-tune that answer.”
Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Trump, accused DeSantis of being “nothing more than an off-brand, bootleg version of America First.”
“No matter how much time he spends cosplaying as President Trump, he will never be him or achieve a hundredth of what was achieved during the Trump administration,” Cheung said in a statement.
A recent University of New Hampshire poll showed Trump leading the field in the state with 37% of the vote, followed by DeSantis with 23%.
But Brown said DeSantis was doing the right things to close the gap, saying that of all the candidates in the race, only field workers representing DeSantis had knocked on his door so far.
And he said that DeSantis had improved noticeably as a retail politician since he last saw the governor campaign in New Hampshire in June.
“I see him today and he’s way better,” Brown said. “And he’s connecting better.” | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/desantis-jabs-at-trumps-legal-trouble-as-he-resets-his-campaign/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-07-31T02:37:13 | 0 | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/desantis-jabs-at-trumps-legal-trouble-as-he-resets-his-campaign/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
BEIJING, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- President Xi Jinping visited the site of a section of an ancient road system known as "Shudao" in Guangyuan on July 25, which winds its way through rugged mountains and ancient trees. There, Xi learned about efforts surrounding ecological conservation.
This visit marks Xi's attention to China's ecological development, which has achieved remarkable progress over the past 10 years, said experts.
Witnessing the government's recent remarks on ecology, they believed that the country's road of building a Beautiful China has demonstrated the nation's wisdom in balancing the needs of economic development and improving the environment.
Before heading to Sichuan, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered a speech at a national conference on ecological and environmental protection held from July 17 to 18.
Xi said that the country's ecological conservation has undergone a historic, transformative and comprehensive changes both in theory and practice, with significant strides made in building a Beautiful China.
Noting that China's economy and society have entered a stage of high-quality development marked by accelerated progress in promoting green and low-carbon growth, Xi called for higher standards, a broader perspective and stronger efforts in planning and advancing ecological and environmental protection on the new journey, as well as writing a new chapter of ecological conservation in the new era.
Xi stressed the need to properly handle the relationships between high-quality development and high-level protection, between tackling major challenges and coordinating governance, between natural recovery and human-assisted restoration, between external constraints and internal driving forces, as well as between "dual carbon" commitments and self-determined actions.
Xi said that the country's ecological conservation has undergone historical, transformative and comprehensive changes both in theory and practice, with significant strides made in building a Beautiful China.
This conference again showed us how importance the central government attaches to ecological protection, an official from environment protection bureau in Wuhai, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, who requested anonymity, told the Global Times on Friday. He said during the past 10 years, ecological protection has become an increasingly important indictor in evaluating government's performance in his city, which was famous for coal production.
"Although planting trees costs more in Inner Mongolia than in other parts of China due to lack of water and dry weather, we learned in the past 10 years that making our city greener brings more benefits than leaving the mountains bare. The city becomes more beautiful, residents are happy, and more tourists visit; also we saw less sandstorms," the official said.
During a press conference on Thursday, Huang Runqiu, China's minister of ecology and environment, highlighted China's achievement on ecological protection over recent years.
From 2013 to 2022, China's average PM2.5 concentration decreased by 57 percent and the number of heavily polluted days decreased by 93 percent, while the nation's GDP doubled during the same period, Huang said. This made China the country with the fastest improvement in air quality worldwide. Specifically, in Beijing, the average PM2.5 concentration decreased from 89.5 micrograms per cubic meter in 2013 to 30 micrograms per cubic meter in 2022, and the number of heavily polluted days decreased from 58 to only 3, said Huang. The United Nations Environment Agency praised this achievement as the "Beijing Miracle."
Lin Boqiang, director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University, told the Global Times that "China has engaged in a sustained top-down efforts for many years to enhance ecological protection. The central and local governments march together toward the same goal, with continuous environmental policies. Moreover, the country has demonstrated its wisdom in how to balance ecological development and maintain fast economic growth at the same time."
Perfect balance
We should protect nature and preserve the environment like we protect our eyes, and endeavor to foster a new relationship where man and nature can both prosper and live in harmony, President Xi once said.
Xi has given important instructions on the rational utilization and friendly protection of the ecological environment during his numerous visits to the frontlines of ecological protection, such as to the Maanshan forest farm in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the Qilian Mountains, the Shandan Horse Ranch in Gansu, an ecological wetland of the Dianchi Lake in Kunming, and many other places.
In June 2022, Xi visited Yibin, Sichuan Province, where the Jinsha and Minjiang rivers converge into the Yangtze River. He noted that sound ecological conservation along the Yangtze River basin is the precondition for advancing high-quality development in the Yangtze River Economic Belt.
The Yellow River and the Yangtze River are the mother rivers of the Chinese nation. The protection of the mother rivers is a crucial project concerning the great rejuvenation and sustainable development of the Chinese nation, Xi said at the time.
From June 5 to 6 this year, accompanied by officials from Inner Mongolia, Xi was on a fact-finding mission at a nature reserve, a modern agricultural demonstration park, a forest farm and a water resources department in the city of Bayannur.
On June 6, Xi presided over a symposium in Bayannur on strengthening the comprehensive prevention and control of desertification and promoting the construction of crucial ecological projects, including the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program.
Xi, who was then the Party Chief of Zhejiang, put forward the famous "two mountains" concept - clear waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets comparable to the gold and silver of legend - in August 2005 during his visit to Anji county.
Nowadays, residents in the county has sought out ways to make a living that they enjoy, with many becoming businessmen, running their own hostels, shops and tourism companies, thanks to the improved natural environment.
Pan Chunlin, a former miner, who now runs a hostel after local mines were shut down, explained the transformation to the Global Times "My annual income is now hundreds of times higher than before. Today, I can earn in a day what I used to make in one year".
Following the development approach referred to as the "two mountains" concept, in the past decade, Anji has modeled itself into a place known for its beautiful ecology and prosperous green industries, which have completely changed the villagers' lives, Jin Peihua, head of the "Two Mountains" Concept Research Institute affiliated with Huzhou University, said.
Global bellwether
Apart from domestic efforts, China is also making efforts in unifying a global effort on ecological preservation.
The 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, known as COP15, was convened in Kunming, Yunnan Province in 2021.
As the first global conference convened by the United Nations on the topic of ecological civilization, a philosophy proposed by China, it offered a platform for countries to find common ground on "Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth."
During an official trip to Zimbabwe in 2015, Xi visited a local wildlife sanctuary, where he fed an orphaned elephant. He reiterated China's commitment to wildlife protection and pledged to help Zimbabwe do so by donating equipment and exchanging experience with China.
Recalling Xi's explanation of China's initiatives to breed giant pandas and expand protected areas, Roxy Danckwerts, the founder of the sanctuary, said, "I thought that was very significant that he is making such big strides in his own country."
Bradley Blankenship, a Prague-based American journalist, columnist and political commentator, recently spent a week in Beijing. Speaking with the Global Times, he said that "I must admit that based on the antiquated view of China that many Americans have and discuss publicly, I expected the city to be smoggy and congested. To the contrary, it has beautiful blue skies.
"China has been successful in beautifying Beijing, as well as other cities and towns, by transitioning from coal power to gas, establishing emission standards for coal-fired stations, implementing tougher standards for other industries such as steel and cement and seeking high-quality development with a high-quality ecological environment. These achievements have been so successful that Beijing now stands as an example for mega-cities around the globe, particularly those in the Global South," Blankenship said.
During a visit to Guizhou in June, Manasa R. Tagicakibau, Fiji's Ambassador to China, said China is "so advanced" when it comes to ecological civilization. "You look at the development that's been achieved by Guizhou authorities together with the local people, ethnic minorities and the population at large, in terms of developing the area to make this mountainous area a very safe and harmonious and happy place to live in. I'm impressed."
The ambassador said Guizhou shares a lot of similarities to some of the mountainous regions in Fiji, but there is a lot to be done in Fiji in terms of accessibility and this is an area that Fiji can learn from China.
However, some Western countries, so-called pioneering initiatives on environment protection, take a laissez-afire attitude in face of environment disasters. Recently, Chinese scientists used scientific methods to assess it and concluded that, as of Wednesday, the carbon dioxide emissions from Canadian wildfires have reached approximately 1 billion tons, which has already developed into a global environmental event.
It is worth mentioning that the forest area in China is approximately 2.31 million square kilometers, which is roughly two-thirds of that in Canada. However, the average annual emission of carbon dioxide caused by forest fires in China from 2000-21 was approximately 15 million tons, only 0.2 percent of the global forest fire emissions, demonstrating China's responsible role as a major country, experts noted.
View original content:
SOURCE Global Times | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-times-xis-footsteps-sichuan-demonstrate-chinas-wisdom-balancing-economic-devt-ecological-protection/ | 2023-07-31T02:37:13 | 0 | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-times-xis-footsteps-sichuan-demonstrate-chinas-wisdom-balancing-economic-devt-ecological-protection/ |
Receivers Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb practiced together for the first time since they joined the Jets.
Cobb passed his physical, and the Jets removed him from the physically unable to perform list. It cleared him to practice Sunday after working his way back from offseason ankle surgery.
Cobb, like Lazard, followed Aaron Rodgers from the Packers after spending 10 of 12 seasons in Green Bay. Cobb made 34 catches for 417 yards and a touchdown in 13 games last season.
Lazard returned to practice after missing three practices with muscle tightness.
He led the Packers with 60 receptions for 788 yards and six touchdowns last season. | https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/randall-cobb-allen-lazard-practiced-sunday | 2023-07-31T02:37:17 | 0 | https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/randall-cobb-allen-lazard-practiced-sunday |
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix sizzled through its 31st consecutive day of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) and other parts of the country grappled Sunday with record temperatures after a week that saw significant portions of the U.S. population subject to extreme heat.
The National Weather Service said Phoenix was expected to climb to 112 F (44.4 Celsius) before the day was through.
July has been so steamy thus far that scientists calculate it will be the hottest month ever recorded and likely the warmest human civilization has seen. The World Meteorological Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service on Thursday proclaimed July beyond record-smashing.
The historic heat began blasting the lower Southwest U.S. in late June, stretching from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California’s desert.
On Sunday, a massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve spread rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the south that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the preserve sent up a huge plume of smoke visible nearly 100 miles (160 kilometers) away across the state line in Nevada.
Flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots have charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometers) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to a Sunday update.
“The dry fuel acts as a ready ignition source, and when paired with those weather conditions it resulted in long-distance fire run and high flames, leading to extreme fire behavior,” authorities said. No structures were threatened, but there was also no containment.
To the southwest, the Bonny Fire was holding steady at about 3.4 square miles (8.8 square kilometers) in rugged hills of Riverside County. More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday near the remote community of Aguanga, California.
Triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the central San Joaquin Valley through Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
And in Burbank, California, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, the summer heat may have been responsible for some unusual behavior in the animal kingdom: Police in the city responded to a report of a bear sighting in a residential neighborhood and found the animal sitting in a Jacuzzi behind one of the homes.
As climate change brings hotter and longer heat waves, record temperatures across the U.S. have killed dozens of people, and the poorest Americans suffer the most. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
Last year, all 86 heat-related deaths indoors were in uncooled environments.
“To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills,” said Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor who researches heat and health. “Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours.”
It’s the poorest and people of color, from Kansas City to Detroit to New York City and beyond, who are far more likely to face grueling heat without air conditioning, according to a Boston University analysis of 115 U.S. metro areas.
Back in Phoenix, slight relief may be on the way as expected seasonal thunderstorms could drop temperatures Monday and Tuesday.
“It should be around 108 degrees, so we break that 110 streak,” meteorologist Tom Frieders said. “Increasing cloud cover will put temperatures in a downward trend.”
The relief could be short-lived, however. Highs are expected to creep back to 110 F (43.3 C) Wednesday with temperatures reaching 115 F (46.1 C) by the end of the week.
Phoenix has also sweated through a record 16 consecutive nights when the lows temperature didn’t dip below 90 F (32.2 C), making it hard for people to cool off after sunset.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas continues to flirt with its hottest July ever. The city is closing in on its 2010 record for the average of the high and low each day for July, which stands at 96.2 F (35.5 C).
The extreme heat is also hitting the eastern U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places recorded their warmest days so far this year. | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/july-keeps-sizzling-as-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-and-wildfires-spread-in-california/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-07-31T02:37:19 | 0 | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/july-keeps-sizzling-as-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-and-wildfires-spread-in-california/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
NEW YORK, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Last Fortress: Underground, a grounding-breaking game set in an apocalyptic bunker, has announced a new and exciting collaboration with the hugely successful superhero TV series, The Boys. This collaboration is set to commence on July 31, offering players a chance to immerse themselves in an action-packed journey alongside these unforgettable heroes.
In this unique collaboration, players will team up with Butcher, Hughie, and Starlight, delving into uncharted territories, unlocking captivating storylines, and battling the relentless zombie horde side by side! Unleash their powers and prepare to explore the outer world with The Boys, as they strive to uncover the truth behind the mysterious zombie surge.
As players embark on this exhilarating quest, exciting rewards await! Take part in the electrifying collaboration to seize exclusive decorations, including the highly coveted "Forerunner Motorcycle" Army Skin, The Boys Emotes, Avatar Frame, Message Frame, Medal, and Nameplate. Furthermore, brace themselves for the unprecedented release of the collab hero skin and the collab fortress skin, adding a touch of uniqueness to their Last Fortress experience.
Whether people are returning players or someone new to the game, now is the perfect time to check out Last Fortress: Underground. Prepare themselves for an unparalleled gaming experience. Don't miss out on the chance to be part of this epic collaboration!
Download Last Fortress now from the App Store or Google Play, and gear up to face the zombie apocalypse hand in hand with the legendary characters of The Boys.
Download Last Fortress:
App Store/Google Play: https://lastfortress.onelink.me/dWAs/cgt9bmhr
Official Website: https://last-fortress.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/LastFortress/100063571239541/
Discord: https://discord.gg/W2yQUz7jWG
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Last Fortress: Underground | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/last-fortress-underground-embarks-an-epic-collaboration-with-boys/ | 2023-07-31T02:37:20 | 1 | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/last-fortress-underground-embarks-an-epic-collaboration-with-boys/ |
A Colorado police officer was found guilty of two misdemeanors Friday after facing charges for putting a handcuffed woman in a patrol car that was parked on active railroad tracks and then struck by a freight train.
The Fort Lupton police officer, Jordan Steinke, is one of two officers facing criminal charges after Yareni Rios-Gonzalez, 21, was pulled over on the night of Sept. 16, 2022, and then struck by the train while trapped in the police car.
Rios-Gonzalez was stopped by police after a road rage incident involving a handgun, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation said last year.
A Platteville Police Department officer parked his patrol vehicle on the railroad tracks after he pulled Rios-Gonzalez over, the bureau said.
Two Fort Lupton police officers, including Steinke, helped him with the traffic stop, which took place near Platteville, a city about 38 miles northeast of Denver.
The Fort Lupton Police Department released body and dashboard camera video that showed officers detaining Rios-Gonzalez on a dark, remote road. In the footage, a railroad crossing sign can be seen next to a patrol car.
Officers are heard in the video shouting commands at Rios-Gonzalez, who gets out of her car and puts her hands up. She is put in handcuffs and repeatedly asks why she was being arrested.
An officer says that she would tell Rios-Gonzalez “in a second” and places her in the patrol car. Officers are shown searching her car and talking about the traffic stop when a train horn starts to sound.
The horn gets louder and an officer shouts an expletive and repeatedly says, “Oh my God,” just before the car is struck. After the crash, the police searched for the patrol car, which was hurled off the track and left in a mangled wreck.
The car rolled at least twice and traveled about a half-mile, according to a lawsuit filed by Rios-Gonzalez. She suffered “severe head trauma” and “serious bodily injury,” according to court records.
The Weld County district attorney’s office filed charges in November against Steinke and the officer who pulled Rios-Gonzalez over, Pablo Vazquez. It was not immediately clear whether Vazquez and Steinke were still employed as police officers.
A lawyer for Steinke declined to comment. The Fort Lupton Police Department declined to comment, and the Platteville Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Vazquez’s lawyer declined to comment Sunday about the pending case.
District Court Judge Timothy Kerns found Steinke guilty of third-degree assault and reckless endangerment.
The judge said Steinke was found not guilty of reckless attempted manslaughter because prosecutors failed to prove she acted knowingly, 9News, a local news channel, reported.
“While she was consciously aware, she did not take the substantial step creating the risk,” Kerns said. “She did not park the vehicle on the tracks. She was randomly assigned the duty to cuff and detain given the roles required by the high-risk stop.”
Rios-Gonzalez’s lawyer, Chris Ponce, said his client thought the verdict was a “just outcome.”
Ponce is representing Rios-Gonzalez in a civil suit against the Platteville and Fort Lupton police departments and the officers involved in the response.
Ponce said Rios-Gonzalez was still struggling with the physical, cognitive and emotional effects from being hit and “being handcuffed in a patrol car with nowhere to go, locked and staring out the window at a freight train coming right at her.”
“That image, it’s something that I think is haunting her on a daily basis,” he said.
Prosecutors had accused Rios-Gonzalez of pointing a handgun during the road rage incident. She pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge this month, Ponce said.
She received an unsupervised deferred sentence, which means that the case against her can be dismissed and expunged from her record if she follows conditions set by the court, he said. | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/officer-convicted-after-train-hits-patrol-car-with-handcuffed-woman-inside/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-07-31T02:37:25 | 0 | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/officer-convicted-after-train-hits-patrol-car-with-handcuffed-woman-inside/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
WASHINGTON, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Teamsters Union was served legal notice today that Yellow Corp. is ceasing operations and filing for bankruptcy.
"Today's news is unfortunate but not surprising. Yellow has historically proven that it could not manage itself despite billions of dollars in worker concessions and hundreds of millions in bailout funding from the federal government. This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry," said Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien.
The Teamsters are committed to ensuring members are protected and notified with all the latest information. The International is putting infrastructure in place to help affected members get the assistance they need to find good union jobs throughout freight and other industries.
The situation is developing. Additional details are forthcoming.
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.
Contact:
Daniel Moskowitz, (770) 262-4971
dmoskowitz@teamster.org
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-notified-that-yellow-corp-operating-companies-have-closed/ | 2023-07-31T02:37:26 | 0 | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-notified-that-yellow-corp-operating-companies-have-closed/ |
The Saints re-signed offensive lineman Koda Martin on Sunday, the team announced.
Martin spent the offseason with New Orleans, but the Saints waived him last week to make room for Trai Turner on the roster. Turner tore a quadriceps in Friday’s practice and is out for the season.
Martin returns to compete for a roster spot behind Cesar Ruiz and Andrus Peat, though he starts training camp behind Calvin Throckmorton and Nick Saldiveri. The Saints also have Lewis Kidd and Mark Evans II at the position.
The Saints cleared a roster spot by placing defensive end Jabari Zuniga on the reserve/retired list.
The former third-round pick of the Jets appeared in one game with the Saints last year. He spent most of the season on the team’s practice squad.
In his first two seasons, Zuniga played 11 games and totaled eight tackles, a sack and a forced fumble with the Jets. | https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/saints-re-sign-og-koda-martin-place-de-jabari-zuniga-on-reserve-retired | 2023-07-31T02:37:27 | 1 | https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/saints-re-sign-og-koda-martin-place-de-jabari-zuniga-on-reserve-retired |