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HLS Therapeutics Inc. (OTCMKTS:HLTRF – Get Rating) saw a large decline in short interest in March. As of March 15th, there was short interest totalling 23,900 shares, a decline of 22.7% from the February 28th total of 30,900 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 100 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 239.0 days.
OTCMKTS HLTRF remained flat at $$11.73 during trading on Thursday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $11.48 and a 200-day simple moving average of $12.74. HLS Therapeutics has a 52-week low of $10.40 and a 52-week high of $16.99.
Separately, Canaccord Genuity Group dropped their target price on HLS Therapeutics from C$30.75 to C$30.50 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, March 18th.
HLS Therapeutics Inc, a specialty pharmaceutical company, acquires and commercializes pharmaceutical products in the specialty central nervous system and cardiovascular markets in Canada, the United States, and internationally. Its lead product is Clozaril, an atypical antipsychotic used in the treatment of schizophrenia.
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https://www.americanbankingnews.com/2022/03/31/hls-therapeutics-inc-otcmktshltrf-short-interest-update.html
| 2022-04-01T00:40:27Z
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Chicago school district investigating after teacher hung stuffed Black doll on a string from a projector screen
By Caroll Alvarado and Rebekah Riess, CNN
An investigation is underway at Chicago Public Schools after a teacher hung a small stuffed Black football player doll on a string from a projector screen in their classroom, according to a letter sent to parents by the school’s principal and obtained by CNN.
The March 29 letter from Joyce D. Kenner, principal of Whitney Young Magnet High School, says the teacher “indicated” he had come across the doll in his room and “wanted the students to see if someone would claim it.” The letter went on to say that “a colleague approached the teacher about the doll and the conversation between the two became contentious.
“Our administrative team investigated the incident and spoke with the teachers,” Kenner’s letter said. “An official incident report has been created and filed with CPS.”
“Chicago Public Schools (CPS) strives to foster safe and secure learning environments for our students, families, and colleagues. Our schools and the District investigate and address all complaints and allegations of wrongdoing in accordance with District policies and procedures,” CPS said in a statement to CNN.
The district said the teacher who hung the doll is suspended while the investigation is ongoing. CPS has not identified the teacher.
According to Kenner’s letter, school administrators also met with a group of students Tuesday morning to discuss the incident.
“We gave students an opportunity to voice any concerns and recommendations they had. We plan to follow the disciplinary protocol established by Chicago Public Schools,” the letter said.
Kimberley Henderson, whose daughter is a sophomore and one of three Black students in the teacher’s US history class at Whitney Young, spoke to CNN.
“When I saw the picture, that’s when I went over the edge. That was unbelievable to me,” Henderson said, referencing an image of the stuffed doll circulating on the internet. “I don’t believe that he should be in front of any children, but I want to make sure that he’s not in front of mine.”
The Chicago Teachers Union said in a statement about the incident that “practices that mitigate the harm of racial biases must be ongoing, and consistent” in the city’s schools.
“Mayor (Lori) Lightfoot has a responsibility to provide a safe space for every member of our school communities, which is especially important in a district that serves a student population that is 90 percent Black and Brown children,” the statement read. “Any definition of ‘safety’ must include creating and reinforcing an environment of equity and inclusion for all students, staff and faculty of color.”
CNN reached out to the mayor’s office Thursday for response to the union statement.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
CNN’s Andy Rose and Chris Boyette contributed to this report.
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https://kesq.com/news/national-world/cnn-national/2022/03/31/chicago-school-district-investigating-after-teacher-hung-stuffed-black-doll-on-a-string-from-a-projector-screen/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:26Z
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The mystery gap in Trump phone logs has many possible explanations
By Zachary Cohen, Katelyn Polantz, Ryan Nobles, Annie Grayer and Ashley Semler, CNN
In the seven hours during which White House records show no phone calls to or from then-President Donald Trump on January 6, 2021, among the calls that are conspicuously absent is one Trump made to then-Vice President Mike Pence that morning from the Oval Office.
While the call is not specifically noted in the presidential diary or the presidential call log, its existence has been corroborated by multiple sources who were with Trump and Pence that day, including former aides who testified before the House select committee investigating the US Capitol attack.
And it’s not the only call Trump is known to have made in that timeframe that is not reflected in the records.
The mystery of the seven-hour gap has fueled furious speculation as to why calls are missing. That includes allegations that Trump was using “burner phones” (which he has denied) or that the logs were purposely suppressed.
The missing calls underscore something more endemic: the imperfect and antiquated system of tracking a president’s communications.
The White House call log is generated by a switchboard system that dates back to the 1960s, according to the National Archives. The version installed in 1963 was already considered “somewhat outdated” just two decades later.
And it’s certainly not one suited for the era of cell phones and text messages or to a President well known for his efforts to circumvent official channels of communications.
Bypassing the call log
There could be various reasons that explain the gap in the call log itself.
One possibility is that Trump was speaking to people from a cell phone. As CNN has previously reported, Trump had a habit of using his and other people’s phones to make or receive calls.
Another explanation could be that Trump had aides place direct calls from the Oval Office, bypassing the switchboard.
A former White House staffer who served in the Obama Administration told CNN that if then-President Barrack Obama wanted to make a call to someone from the Oval Office, he would normally ask an aide seated nearby to dial the person. The aide would then call the number and hit transfer to connect the caller to the President.
That call would not go through the White House switchboard and therefore would not be recorded on the White House switchboard log, the former staffer said.
Another factor seems to be where Trump was when he made certain calls. All the calls noted from the January 6 log indicate they were made from the White House residence, suggesting Trump relied on the switchboard to put those calls through. The missing calls appear to start when the diary notes Trump has moved from the residence to the Oval Office.
Trump used the switchboard more often when he was in the private residence, according to multiple sources. But when he was in the Oval Office, the former President would often direct aides sitting outside his office to get certain lawmakers or allies of his on the phone.
Two former Trump officials believe this, plus the chaotic nature of the West Wing on January 6, is what led to the gaps in the call logs.
Calls also should have been documented in the Presidential Daily Diary, which is compiled by an Archives employee detailed to the White House. While it’s supposed to include “impromptu moments such as staff member drop-ins and telephone calls,” the diarist’s account is only as good as the information he or she receives from the President’s staff.
The former Obama staffer also acknowledged this process was more of an honor system and dependent on how meticulous aides serving in other administrations were or what instructions they were given.
No explanation has been given so far why calls known to have been made in the hours Trump was in the Oval Office are not documented in the presidential diary.
Chaotic record-keeping
Multiple sources have described the record-keeping during the Trump administration as generally chaotic. Those sources, as well as witnesses who have testified as part of previous congressional investigations related to the former President’s conduct described Trump as deeply suspicious of the White House switchboard and detailed various ways he sought to avoid having records of certain phone calls from being kept.
A Senate Intelligence report from 2020 includes witness testimony from former aides saying that Trump regularly used the cellphone of his body man, Keith Schiller, to place calls to Republican operative Roger Stone because he did not want his to advisers to know they were talking.
“Trump hated people knowing who he spoke to, including from the residence at night when they went through the switchboard,” one former Trump official told CNN.
When John Kelly was Trump’s chief of staff, he monitored the switchboard to see who Trump was talking to. Trump would often tell people to hang up and call him back on his cellphone if he didn’t want it showing up on the switchboard call log.
When Mark Meadows took over as chief of staff, sources said he restricted the number of White House officials who had access to the call logs, limiting the group to only a small number of top aides.
Filling in the gaps
Despite the gap in the call logs, the House select committee is relying on witness testimony, additional documents and phone records obtained via subpoena to begin piecing together who Trump spoke to that day.
This is especially true for the missing call to Pence. That call is a key point in the House’s argument that Trump was taking part in criminal activity, as he kept pressuring Pence to block Congress from certifying the election. Trump has not been charged with any crime.
Pence’s former national security adviser, Keith Kellogg, described the call in his testimony before the committee earlier this year, telling investigators that he and other top aides were in the Oval Office with Trump when it took place. He said he could only hear what Trump said, and not Pence’s responses.
Kellogg’s recounting of the conversation was cited in the committee’s letter in late January to Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, requesting that she too appear before the panel and cooperate in the probe.
“As January 6th approached, President Trump attempted on multiple occasions to persuade Vice President Pence to participate in his plan. One of the President’s discussions with the Vice President occurred by phone on the morning of January 6th,” the letter stated.
“You were present in the Oval Office and observed at least one side of that telephone conversation. General Keith Kellogg was also present in the Oval Office during that call, and has testified about that discussion,” it added.
CNN reported last month that Ivanka Trump was in discussions to voluntarily appear before the committee for an interview. Others who witnessed the call take place have already testified.
Committee members have said that witness testimony is not the only way they have been able to fill in some of the gaps in official records like the White House logs and daily diary.
“Whether it’s a witness who is unwilling to cooperate with us or whether there are gaps in documentation that we have received, we will get that information some other way,” Rep. Stephanie Murphy told CNN+’s Kasie Hunt on “The Source” on Wednesday. “Those conversations weren’t one-way conversations. There was somebody on the other side of those conversations and we’ll get the information that way.”
“We’re triangulating basically from a lot of different angles and we are getting a fulsome picture of what happened in the run up to and on the day of January 6th,” Murphy added.
Mississippi Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson, the chairman of the select committee, told CNN on Wednesday the panel has not received any vice presidential phone log records from the National Archives.
But earlier this month, Thompson told CNN the committee had “started to receive” vice presidential records, without specifying which ones. The Archives has turned over a tranche of vice presidential records, as well as documents chronicling calls to the vice president that were White House records.
One call is noted in the presidential diary even though it is not in the call log that day.
A document obtained by the House is the President’s private schedule, and it shows handwritten notes appearing to capture phone calls with Sen. Kelly Loeffler from 11:17-11:20 a.m., and with “VPOTUS” at 11:20 a.m. on January 6, 2021.
The presidential daily diary handed over to the panel does show Trump placed “a phone call to an unidentified person” at 11:17 a.m. on the morning of January 6 but does not make reference to the 11:20 a.m. call. Neither conversation is reflected in the White House call log.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
CNN’s Ryan Nobles, Kaitlan Collins, Jamie Gangel and Tara Subramaniam contributed to this report
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https://kion546.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2022/03/31/the-mystery-gap-in-trump-phone-logs-has-many-possible-explanations/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:27Z
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Title IX has been a passionate subject for Candace Parker ever since she learned of its impact while doing a paper on it in the eighth grade.
So, it is no surprise her first documentary as an executive producer is about the landmark legislation. On Saturday, “Title IX: 37 Words That Changed America,” will open coverage of the men’s Final Four on TBS at 1 p.m. EDT.
“I sit here because of Title IX. Although we have so many wins, we have so much further to go. That’s why we went with having the Title IX story told through my eyes so that you can see if Title IX didn’t exist, I wouldn’t exist,” Parker said.
Parker considers herself a first-generation benefactor of Title IX, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. It states: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”
Parker’s mother, Sara, attended Iowa before Title IX became law. Candace’s 12-year old daughter, Lailaa Nicole Williams, will have more opportunities.
“It means a lot to be able to have my mom and my daughter be a part of this,” Parker said. “I have inspiration from my mom and her story. And then as well for my daughter, I want to continue to open up doors, and I don’t want her to see limitations.”
The documentary also comes as inequities between the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments are coming under intense scrutiny.
“Something as simple as March Madness, right? Like, now women can use that. That’s unbelievable. It’s 2022,” Parker said. “But things are changing. But it still doesn’t take away that we still have so much farther to go. I think that’s the whole point of doing this documentary is if you invest, it’s not a charity, it’s an investment. And it’s an honest investment of trying to make it work. And I think for so long, we just existed; women’s sports existed as something that had to be there. And now we look at it as an investment, and then I think we can start moving things forward."
Parker won a pair of NCAA championships at Tennessee while being coached by one of the pioneers of Title IX, the late Pat Summitt. Parker has parlayed that experience into a successful career as a two-time WNBA champion and MVP and two gold medals in the Olympics.
Parker is also an accomplished analyst for Turner Sports on its NBA and NCAA Tournament coverage since 2018. During discussions about a contract extension at Turner, Parker and her representatives first pitched the idea of a documentary. It got the green light for production last November.
The documentary includes interviews with Billie Jean King, Peyton Manning, Lisa Leslie, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
“There’s a number of influential voices that I think I have to pinch myself to realize that they’re a part of it,” Parker said. “To have Billie Jean King, like the 10-year-old girl that did a biography project on her, I just think it’s just so special.
“Title IX doesn’t just impact women. To watch Peyton Manning talk about how Pat really influenced his life, as a competitor and just as an individual. To see somebody that is an icon to say that I think speaks to how valuable women in leadership positions are.”
Having the documentary tip-off Turner’s Final Four coverage on Saturday should give it a broader audience. “The Arena” will air following the documentary and focus on the impact of Title IX on sports and society.
This is also the first project for Parker’s production company — Baby Hair Productions — and was also produced with Scout Productions.
“Having a diverse audience, that’s not just the women and girls, we want everyone to see how impactful and powerful women are in society,” Parker said. “To have this be something that we talk about, especially after with ‘The Arena' show, I think it speaks to just how important it is.”
___
More AP coverage of March Madness: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
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https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/article/Parker-hopes-Title-IX-documentary-serves-as-17049750.php
| 2022-04-01T00:40:27Z
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https://sportspyder.com/nhl/dallas-stars/articles/39010204
| 2022-04-01T00:40:29Z
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EXPLAINER: What the law says about presidential records
WASHINGTON (AP) — Revelations of a roughly eight-hour gap in official records of then-President Donald Trump’s phone calls on the day of last year’s insurrection at the U.S. Capitol are raising fresh questions about the diligence — or lack thereof — of his record keeping.
The committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, riot has identified a gap in records that stretches a little after 11 a.m. to about 7 p.m. that day and involves White House calls, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Trump didn’t comment Tuesday, but attention surrounding the gap comes alongside a separate potential legal and political headache for the Republican ex-president — the recovery earlier this year of 15 boxes, including records containing classified information from Trump’s White House tenure, from his Mar-a-Lago vacation home in Florida.
A look at how the law regards presidential records:
WHAT IS THE PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS ACT?
The 1978 law requires the preservation of White House documents as property of the U.S. government.
The law was passed in the aftermath of the Watergate scandal, when a collection of secret tapes that President Richard Nixon had considered destroying played a defining role. The tapes revealed that Nixon tried to cover up the bungled burglary of Democratic National Committee headquarters. He chose to resign rather than face impeachment and removal from office.
HOW MIGHT THAT APPLY HERE?
In theory, the law would require the preservation of emails, text messages and phone records — no matter the device used for the communication, said presidential historian Lindsay Chervinsky.
The problem is, there’s no real mechanism to enforce the law, and there’s also never been a case where a former commander in chief has been punished for violating the Presidential Records Act. The statute by definition depends on the goodwill of presidents and their staff to police their own record keeping.
“It does require a certain element of good faith and sort of an honor system, and when that crumbles, you can see the limitations,” Chervinsky said.
Even so, the Jan. 6 committee is investigating the gap as it works to piece together Trump’s communications before and during the insurrection, when pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol to prevent Congress from certifying Democrat Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential election victory.
House investigators are looking at whether Trump was communicating during that time through other means, possibly through personal cellphones or some other type of communication — such as a phone passed to him by an aide.
HAS TRUMP FACED PRIOR ATTENTION OVER HIS RECORD KEEPING?
In a word, yes. After it was revealed that Trump had taken boxes of classified materials with him to Mar-a-Lago, House lawmakers opened an investigation and the National Archives and Records Administration revealed that it had asked the Justice Department to look into the matter.
Asked about the issue, Attorney General Merrick Garland has said only that the Justice Department will do what it always does — evaluate the facts and the law “and take it from there.”
___
Associated Press writer Chris Megerian contributed to this report.
___
Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kswo.com/2022/03/30/explainer-what-law-says-about-presidential-records/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:28Z
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https://www.mamamia.com.au/endometriosis/amp/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:28Z
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WWE Superstar Montez Ford has given his thoughts on the iconic WrestleMania trilogy between Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock.
Ford, who turned heel alongside his Street Profits tag team partner Angelo Dawkins on the latest edition of Monday Night RAW, is set to compete at the upcoming this weekend at WrestleMania 38. In the build to the event, the former RAW Tag Team Champion did an interview with Rick Ucchino of Bleav in Pro Wrestling where he discussed some of his favorite matches.
During the interview, Ford revealed that Stone Cold Steve Austin's last-ever match, against The Rock at WrestleMania 19, is his favorite of all time. Though he did state that every match in the trilogy was great in its own way.
"Like they all are great in their own way, man. But the last one significantly stands out because that was Austin's last match. And also at the same time, like The Rock never, never, never defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin on that WrestleMania stage," Ford said. (H/T Fightful)
Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins will challenge RK-Bro for the RAW Tag Team Championship along with the Alpha Academy team of Chad Gable and Otis at WrestleMania 38.
Stone Cold Steve Austin will return at WrestleMania 38
Though it's been nearly two decades since his in-ring retirement, The Texas Rattlesnake will be making a rare appearance at this year's WrestleMania.
Kevin Owens, who started taking a personal issue with the state of Texas earlier in the year, repeatedly called out the WWE legend. It was rumored that an in-ring return for Austin was on the cards, and that a match between him and Owens would take place at WrestleMania.
However, it was revealed that Austin would only be participating in a special WrestleMania edition of the KO Show. According to reports, carnage is still expected when Austin and Owens finally faceoff.
What do you think of Montez Ford's comments? Are you excited for Steve Austin's return? Share your thoughts in the comment section down below.
Jinder Mahal's heard an interesting rumor about Stone Cold Steve Austin that you can check out here
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https://www.sportskeeda.com/wwe/news-current-wwe-star-reflects-the-rock-vs-stone-cold-wrestlemania-trilogy
| 2022-04-01T00:40:29Z
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When you buy a domain name at Dan.com, you’re automatically covered by our unique Buyer Protection Program. Read more about how we keep you safe on our Trust and Security page.
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https://dan.com/buy-domain/jxyyjxsb.com
| 2022-04-01T00:40:29Z
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ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — The Rockford Housing Authority hosted a graduation ceremony on Thursday for the Lifeforce Development Institute and Family Self-Sufficiency Program.
The event took place at the Nordloff Center, 118 N Main Street.
City of Rockford’s Director of Health and Human Services, Anqunette Parham, was the keynote speaker at the graduation.
The Lifeforce Development Institute is a 12-week work readiness course, that prepares people for the workforce. It offers programs to identify pathways out of poverty, financial empowerment skills, and holistic employment preparation.
Odessa Walker, Director of Human Services at the RHA, believes the program is key for those trying to get out of poverty.
“It’s all about the programming, you know getting the family ready to become more self-sufficient at the end and have economic sustainability, so they will go through courses like credit management, credit repair all those different things,” she said.
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https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/graduates-complete-rockford-poverty-reduction-program/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:29Z
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SPRING CREEK — The Spring Creek softball team (7-1 overall) is off to its best start in nine years.
The Lady Spartans will look to avoid the 5-15 collapse down the stretch of the 2013 team, hosting their league opener against Dayton (4-4 overall) at 3 p.m. Friday, in Spring Creek.
The Lady Dust Devils are spearheaded by the monster performance of junior Cheyenne Clayson, who tops the roster with a .688 batting average, 12 RBI, 11 hits, 10 runs scored, six doubles and a home run — sharing the team high with a triple.
Sophomore Jamison Baker his hitting .571 with a triple, six RBI and five runs scored — senior Kelsea Frobes batting .500 with a double, four runs and two RBI.
As a freshman, Dana Micone has started her career with a .412 clip at the dish, three doubles, five runs and three RBI.
Another underclassman, sophomore Kali Stott, has gone .375 with a double, four runs and three RBI — senior Ellie Vaughan hitting .267 with a double, three runs and two RBI.
Junior Kendra Gardner closes out the batters who get a hit in at least ever four at-bats, currently hitting .250, scoring eight runs and driving in two.
On the bases, the Lady Dust Devils have swiped 26 bags — paced by six steals from Micone, five apiece for Gardner and Baker and four by Clayson.
In the circle, Clayson (1-0) is Dayton’s go-to arm — boasting a 1-0 record and a 5.12 ERA — allowing 10 runs on 21 hits with 27 strikeouts and only two walks across 13-2/3 innings.
Behind her, the Lady Dust Devils struggle in their pitching rotation.
Sophomore Riley Sellars (0-0) has given up eight runs on seven hits with seven free passes and three Ks in four frames.
Senior Angelena Rogacs (0-2) has allowed 27 runs on 17 hits with 15 walks and two punchouts in five innings, while Stott has given up 20 runs on 13 hits with four walks and no Ks in two frames.
Dayton plays remarkable defense, fielding the ball at a .981 clip and committing just one error in 54 chances — all 65 runs allowed by the pitching staff earned.
For the Lady Spartans, sophomore Chloe Patzer leads the team with a .545 batting average — scoring six runs and driving in four.
Senior Nyha Harris is hitting .538 with three doubles, a team-high 13 runs and seven RBI.
Junior Abi MacDiarmid is batting .520 with two triples, a home run and a double — pacing Spring Creek with 13 hits and 12 RBI — scoring 12 runs.
Senior Janeigha Stutesman has gone .500 with a dinger and a double, 11 runs scored and eight RBI.
Junior Kylie Harris has hit .412 with a double, seven runs and three RBI — freshman Alyson Clarke batting .353 with a yard job, a triple and a double, driving in seven runs and scoring seven of her own.
Both senior Riley Moon and junior Jasmine Mullins have a .333 average at the dish; Moon smacking two doubles, scoring 11 runs and driving in six — Mullins poking three two-baggers, scoring four runs and driving in three more in just nine ABs.
Freshman Ashlynn Sorenson makes her hits count, going .308 and leading the team with five-extra base knocks — three doubles and a pair of triples — posting 11 RBI and nine runs.
Junior Brynly Stewart bas a .278 batting average with a double and a triple, eight runs and four RBI — sophomore Evelyn Bright hitting .250 with a double, a run and an RBI.
Freshman Hannah Montoya has pop — thumping two homers and a triple — scoring nine runs and driving in seven, but her long swing and one-track bat path have led to a .211 average.
On the paths, the Lady Spartans pack punch — stealing an absurd 48 bases.
Nyha Harris leads the way with eight steals, and Spring Creek has gained six swipes each from Kylie Harris, MacDiarmid and Clarke.
Stutesman has five steals and Montoya, Stewart and Moon have four stolen bags apiece to their credit.
In the circle, the Lady Spartans have been more than solid — they’ve been lock-down.
Clarke (4-0) has yet to lose a decision, tossing her way to a team-best 1.20 ERA with a roster-high 30 Ks and nine walks — allowing nine runs (four earned) on 18 hits across a team-high 23-1/3 innings.
Stutesman (2-1) has a 1.24 ERA, giving up seven runs — three earned — on seven hits with 18 Ks and only two free passes over 11-1/3 frames.
Patzer — the third arm in the rotation— has a 5.25 ERA on three runs on five hits with seven walks and four punchouts through four innings.
Spring Creek’s defense has been much improved; fielding the ball at a .942 rate — committing 10 errors in 172 total chances — leading to six of 16 runs allowed.
Game Time
The Lady Spartans (7-1 overall) will open league play at home, facing a good test against Dayton (4-4 overall) at 3 p.m. Friday, in Spring Creek.
The series will close with a doubleheader at 11 a.m. Saturday.
The Lady Spartans (7-1 overall) will open league play of the Division 3A North-East with a three-game home series, hosting Dayton (4-4 overall) at 3 p.m. Friday and an 11 a.m. Saturday doubleheader.
Spring Creek made short work of the Lady Vikings, putting up eight runs in the first inning and nine in the second — gaining a no-hitter in the circle from freshman Alyson Clarke, who struck out six and walked just one in a nearly-perfect game.
The Lady Spartans (2-0 overall) will open their 3A North slate with a pair of East-West crossover ballgames at 3 p.m. Friday versus Hug and 11 a.m. Saturday against North Valleys, in Reno.
“We had really good numbers. We had to cut about 20 girls. We have a really good group,” said head coach Sandi Moon. “We have better hitters at this point, but I’d say we are stronger all the way around. The success of last year rolled over. We’re trying to build a new culture and live up to those expectations created by other sports.”
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https://elkodaily.com/sports/local/spring-creek-opens-league-against-dayton/article_9e2451dc-2bf4-54d8-83e7-2229f5081023.html
| 2022-04-01T00:40:29Z
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We should get paid for our data — NFTs can make that happen
Data is the most precious commodity of the 21st century, yet we give it away for free. When social media first arrived on the scene, the deal seemed pretty good; we got free entertainment at the cost of watching a few personalized ads.
Time has revealed just how one-sided these deals are. Big Tech accumulates eye-watering profits off the traces of our digital behavior, and we’re starting to realize just how little we get in return.
It is simple but hugely profitable. Companies collect information and sell it — they trade everything they learn from and about us with others. The global data broker market is expected to reach a whopping $345 billion by 2026. In the meantime, Big Tech players are profiting more as we get more and more consumed with the digital world. According to its 2019 annual report, Facebook generated $41.41 per quarter from every user in Canada and the U.S. alone.
Famously described as ‘surveillance capitalism’ by Shoshana Zuboff, this industry has made information a tradable commodity, while the people it’s generated from are receiving laughably little in return. We have been expressing our dissatisfaction with this relationship mostly through raising privacy concerns. However, in my opinion, the real issue is a profit concern.
The question is not if Big Tech and the conglomerates deliver value. The question is about the fairness of the economic exchange and the preservation of our bargaining power. For years, I have been asking these questions but remained unable to find a path to fairness. Finally, there is an answer.
The solution is not complicated regulation and government intrusion. Blockchain and most notably Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) could balance the scales. By applying the immutable digital stamp onto the data we emit, NFTs could be the private tool we use to track, manage and sell our data to the most desirable or highest bidder.
Non-Fungible Tokens provide the ability to capture an individual’s uniqueness and offer a tamper-proof structure to expose that uniqueness to buyers with a simple standard process. NFTs place the power of choice in the hands of every individual by allowing them to create a programmable logic that defines the price and the nature of their data offering. For example, I can offer my online browsing data, my medical data or home utility usage data to the highest bidder.
True capitalism is based on supply and demand — in this case, being paid for data about us, that’s used to make money for someone else. However, a fair exchange only happens when there’s a shared understanding as to what that commodity is worth. Currently, we’re relying on the opaque, deliberately unreadable ‘terms and conditions’ waiver to elucidate the deal. NFTs open the door to a very different participative relationship.
NFT’s make it possible to share, trade and track any digital asset. While swirling hype has surrounded the sale of tweets, artwork and even human skin, there are industry-changing ideas that are about to be launched. For example, Snoop Dogg and his ambitions to get music creation and distribution all on NFTs could redefine how creative music artists get paid.
If we put our biases aside and get past social media and advertising value there is a lot more to gain. Our healthcare data could be sold to drug companies to cure diseases. As IoT (Internet of Things) becomes a part of our day-to-day life, our usage of autonomous cars and our air conditioning systems will also have value.
Moreover, store transactions now captured by loyalty cards or credit cards revealing our spending patterns at restaurants, grocery stores and malls could also be turned into additional income. Each one of us is a data factory with a stream of products generated every minute of every day. Data products that have market value.
But not all personal data is equal. The value of information varies with the application and based on who we are. Medical and genetic data from the baby boomer generation has a different value for drug companies than data about Generation Z buyers’ product affinity for a consumer product company.
But what about privacy?
Post-Cambridge Analytica, there’s a real gap in trust. This can also be addressed by the use of NFTs. My data is my private asset and I will be willing to sell it on an exclusive or shared basis at the right price. Exclusivity and privacy that is controlled by each individual via their privately and uniquely generated NFTs and not by Big Tech. Distributed ownership of data without centralized control, secured by NFTs, could make massive data hacks a thing of the past.
NFTs enable online ownership — it is only logical that this ownership should extend to our data too. They can also solve the privacy dilemma without government intrusion. I believe NFTs could provide the final technological layer that drives a new era of partnership between people and companies.
We need to turn ‘surveillance capitalism’ into ‘participation capitalism.’
Sid Mohasseb is an adjunct professor in Dynamic Data-Driven Strategy at the University of Southern California and is a former National Strategic Innovation leader for Strategy at KPMG. He is the author of “The Caterpillar’s Edge” (2017) and “You are not Them” (2021).
The Hill has removed its comment section, as there are many other forums for readers to participate in the conversation. We invite you to join the discussion on Facebook and Twitter.
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https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/596889-we-should-get-paid-for-our-data-nfts-can-make-that-happen/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:28Z
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Billboards That ‘Say Gay’ Spring Up Around Florida In Objection Of Bill
“Don’t say gay,” Florida warns. “Gay,” advocates for self-acceptance and human equality retaliate. To protest the colloquially-termed ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill recently passed by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, billboards reading “Say Gay” have made their way around cities in Florida, including Orlando, Tallahassee, and Jacksonville, with Miami expecting a sign this...
designtaxi.com
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https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2556539215727/billboards-that-say-gay-spring-up-around-florida-in-objection-of-bill
| 2022-04-01T00:40:29Z
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By Darlene Superville | Associated Press
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden marked Transgender Day of Visibility on Thursday by denouncing “hateful bills” being passed at the state level as the White House played host to “Jeopardy!” champion Amy Schneider, the first openly transgender winner on the popular quiz show.
Schneider met with second gentleman Doug Emhoff, who joined Rachel Levine, the assistant health secretary and the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the Senate, for a conversation with transgender kids and their parents.
Schneider used the moment in the Washington spotlight to speak out against bills affecting transgender people.
“They’re really scary and some of them in particular that are denying medical services to trans youth, those are, those are lifesaving medical treatments,” Schneider told reporters. “These bills will cause the deaths of children and that’s really sad to me and it’s really frightening.”
Biden, in a brief video message, said that “the onslaught of anti-transgender state laws attacking you and your families is simply wrong.” The president said his administration “is standing up for you against all these hateful bills. And we’re committed to advancing transgender equality in the classroom, on the playing field, at work, in our military and our housing and health care systems.”
The administration announced several actions to make the federal government more inclusive for transgender people and said the Health and Human Services Department will be the first agency to fly a trans pride flag. The steps come as Republican leaders have advanced state measures targeting transgender people as part of a broader push to stoke culture wars heading into a critical election season.
The administration said the federal government will become more inclusive for transgender people, including through the use of a new “X” gender marker on U.S. passport applications, beginning on April 11, and new Transportation Security Administration scanners that are gender-neutral.
It is working to expand the availability of the “X” gender marker to airlines and federal travel programs and will make it easier for transgender people to change their gender information in Social Security Administration records.
Visitors to the White House complex soon will also be able to choose an “X” gender marker option in the White House Worker and Visitor Entry System, which is used to conduct screening background checks.
At airports, changes will be made to screening scanners along with the introduction of the use of an “X” for travelers going through Precheck who do not identify as male or female. Transportation Security Administration agents will receive new instructions on how to make screening procedures less invasive and will work with airlines to promote acceptance of the “X” gender marker.
“Jeopardy!” star Schneider spoke of “being a trans person out there that isn’t monstrous and isn’t threatening and is just a normal person, like we all are,” and said “the more that people like me can be seen, the harder it is to sustain the myths that are … kind of driving a lot of this hate and fear.”
In his video, Biden said there is work still to be done to end “the epidemic of violence against transgender women of color and girls of color” and to ensure that transgender seniors “can age with dignity.” He called anew on Congress to pass the Equality Act to help transgender people around the world “live free from discrimination and violence.”
Biden tried to reassure any transgender person who is struggling, telling them to remember that “you’re not alone.”
“You’re so brave. You belong. And we have your back,” Biden said.
The administration’s actions follow recent steps at the state level to limit activity by transgender people. At least 10 states have banned transgender athletes from participating in sports at all levels in a way that is consistent with their gender identity.
In Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who is seeking reelection, has ordered the state’s child welfare agency to probe reports of gender-confirming care for kids as abuse.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican who is running for reelection and considering a 2024 presidential bid, on Monday signed into law a measure that bars instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. The law has drawn intense national scrutiny from critics who argue it marginalizes LGBTQ people. Republicans and advocates of the law argue that discussion of these topics should be between parents and their children.
Associated Press writers Meg Kinnard in Columbia, South Carolina, and Colleen Long and Ben Fox contributed to this report.
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https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/03/31/jeopardy-star-amy-schneider-visit-the-white-house/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:30Z
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Raytheon Technologies (RTX) Dips More Than Broader Markets: What You Should Know
Raytheon Technologies (RTX) closed at $99.07 in the latest trading session, marking a -1.75% move from the prior day. This change lagged the S&P 500's daily loss of 1.57%. At the same time, the Dow lost 1.56%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 0.09%.
Heading into today, shares of the an aerospace and defense company had gained 0.09% over the past month, lagging the Aerospace sector's gain of 0.95% and the S&P 500's gain of 5.37% in that time.
Investors will be hoping for strength from Raytheon Technologies as it approaches its next earnings release. On that day, Raytheon Technologies is projected to report earnings of $1.03 per share, which would represent year-over-year growth of 14.44%. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenue is projecting net sales of $16.07 billion, up 5.37% from the year-ago period.
RTX's full-year Zacks Consensus Estimates are calling for earnings of $4.79 per share and revenue of $68.79 billion. These results would represent year-over-year changes of +12.18% and +6.84%, respectively.
It is also important to note the recent changes to analyst estimates for Raytheon Technologies. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. As a result, we can interpret positive estimate revisions as a good sign for the company's business outlook.
Research indicates that these estimate revisions are directly correlated with near-term share price momentum. We developed the Zacks Rank to capitalize on this phenomenon. Our system takes these estimate changes into account and delivers a clear, actionable rating model.
The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate remained stagnant within the past month. Raytheon Technologies currently has a Zacks Rank of #4 (Sell).
In terms of valuation, Raytheon Technologies is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 21.07. For comparison, its industry has an average Forward P/E of 24.57, which means Raytheon Technologies is trading at a discount to the group.
Meanwhile, RTX's PEG ratio is currently 2.07. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. RTX's industry had an average PEG ratio of 2.85 as of yesterday's close.
The Aerospace - Defense Equipment industry is part of the Aerospace sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 170, which puts it in the bottom 34% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
To follow RTX in the coming trading sessions, be sure to utilize Zacks.com.
Zacks Names "Single Best Pick to Double"
From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.
It’s a little-known chemical company that’s up 65% over last year, yet still dirt cheap. With unrelenting demand, soaring 2022 earnings estimates, and $1.5 billion for repurchasing shares, retail investors could jump in at any time.
This company could rival or surpass other recent Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Boston Beer Company which shot up +143.0% in little more than 9 months and NVIDIA which boomed +175.9% in one year.
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Raytheon Technologies Corporation (RTX): Free Stock Analysis Report
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
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https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/raytheon-technologies-rtx-dips-more-than-broader-markets%3A-what-you-should-know-1
| 2022-04-01T00:40:30Z
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Photo 3061
Shadows Shift
"It is only through shadows that one comes to know the light."
- St. Catherine of Siena.
Sitting at the supper table tonight I noticed this pretty shadow scene
31st March 2022
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I started in July 2011 and am now starting my eleventh year. How is that possible?! l have taken a couple of...
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bokeh shadows, love it, girlfriend. aces!
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Very nicely captured
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That is pretty- I'd sit there and enjoy it too.
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Dreamy!
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https://365project.org/grammyn/365/2022-03-31
| 2022-04-01T00:40:30Z
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Dungeons & Dragons actual play shows have been popular for years, but the phenomenon really kicked off seven years ago when the McElroy brothers started The Adventure Zone podcast using the newly released Fifth Edition (5e) of the incredibly popular role-playing game as a basis for their comedy storytelling. As the scope of the medium expanded to other games as well as YouTube and Twitch (Critical Role and Friends at the Table are obvious mentions), actual plays have become an art all their own.
New shows pop up all the time, and many have been going for years! It’s hard to know where to start as more and more people experiment with different ways to distribute and play games for an audience. But, to help you get into it, here are six APs where you can either catch up quickly or jump right into a season.
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https://gizmodo.com/6-dungeons-dragons-actual-plays-that-are-easy-to-star-1848732677
| 2022-04-01T00:40:30Z
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As Covid-19 infection rates and restrictions are waning in some places and a variant is surging in others, it's difficult to understand where we are in the pandemic.
But two years ago, the situation was clear: for many people, coronavirus had brought the world to a stop. That's when pediatric surgeon Dr. Ala Stanford sprang into action, bringing Covid-19 testing to Black and Brown communities in Philadelphia that were hard hit by the virus.
In the months that followed, Stanford brought testing and vaccines to more than 75,000 people through her nonprofit Black Doctors Covid-19 Consortium. And as she worked to help underresourced communities weather the pandemic, she diagnosed an even greater problem.
"We were seeing folks that hadn't seen a doctor in a decade," said Stanford, who was honored as a Top 10 CNN Hero last year. "We were just literally putting a Band-Aid to a much bigger problem with health inequities and health disparities."
It's well-documented that Black and Brown communities have suffered greater hospitalizations and deaths from Covid-19 for a host of reasons, including higher risk factors for exposure and a higher risk of severe disease.
But lack of accessible and affordable health care is a key factor that leads to worse health outcomes for people of color. In particular, lack of outpatient care, like annual checkups and doctor's visits, can play a critical role in preventing health issues.
This larger, systemic issue is what Stanford is trying to remedy.
In November, she began seeing patients at the Dr. Ala Stanford Center for Health Equity, her new facility in north Philadelphia. This multi-disciplinary clinic offers services ranging from primary care and mental health, diagnostic testing like EKGs and mammograms and, of course, Covid testing and vaccinations.
"We take care of newborns through grandma and grandpa," she said. "And that is the next step ... wanting to not just save lives, but really impact an entire lifetime with people."
Located on the grounds of Deliverance Evangelistic Church, in an area that once housed a day care center, the space underwent a massive renovation. The center now includes exam rooms, consultation areas, a children's play space, even a fish tank. Most importantly, it provides care to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay.
"If you have insurance, we run it," Stanford said. "If you don't have insurance, we help you get (it). And if you don't have anything, you're not going to be turned away."
This fall, as the coronavirus seemed to recede into the background, Stanford was excited to switch gears to focus on this broader health mission. But the Omicron variant of the virus changed her plans.
"After Christmas, there were so many people sick, literally wrapped around this building to get Covid tested. The positivity rate was 45%" she said. "So, we had to stop primary care and just focus on testing and vaccination."
Yet, she and her team still figured out a way to provide brief wellness checks with each vaccination.
"You come in for a shot and you see your vital signs are out of whack -- you might say 'Did you know you have high blood pressure?' or 'Did you take your medication today?'" Stanford said.
And in early January, when Stanford realized that Covid rates were rising in children and young people, she added another approach.
"In a public health crisis, you go to the people. And the kids are primarily in school, so that's what I pushed for," she said.
Since then, Stanford's team has worked with FEMA to hold nearly 20 vaccination clinics at schools in and around Philadelphia. She says in some of them, they have doubled the vaccination rates among students. Her group also still offers vaccinations and testing throughout the community at police departments and mass transit SEPTA stations.
Two years later, Stanford's surgical practice is still on hold. While she admits to missing the operating room at times, she knows that the work she is doing now is making a difference on a much larger scale.
"What we've done has touched over 100,000 lives. And that refuels me," she said. "The need here right now is so great. I feel that this is where I'm supposed to be."
Want to get involved? Check out the Black Doctors Covid-19 Consortium website and see how to help.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
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https://www.henryherald.com/features/health/after-vaccinating-thousands-against-covid-19-this-cnn-hero-is-fighting-inequity-in-the-medical/article_aedbee6b-dafa-5509-8c80-87d5019e58f5.html
| 2022-04-01T00:40:30Z
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — University of Kansas fans are traveling from far and wide to see the Jayhawks play in the Final Four.
One Kansas family is flying to New Orleans to see the Final Four games in person.
This isn’t just any Final Four to these fans.
“Let’s go! rock chalk Jayhawk,” Ken Hunnell said.
“Rock chalk Jayhawk,” Patrick Carlton said “Lets get it. Lets get that W.”
Carlton’s family entered the lottery for Final Four tickets and won, not knowing if KU would dance their way to New Orleans.
“Which was months ago,” Carlton said. “We never really knew that the dream would come true.”
Even after Kentucky stomped KU at Allen Fieldhouse, cousin Hunnell had hope in his Jayhawks.
“I’m a positive guy, but I was a little apprehensive that it was all going to come together,” Hunnell said.
Wave the Wheat: KU is in the Final Four as the winningest Division 1 men’s basketball team.
Carlton is making history of his own.
He’s only seen the Jayhawks play on TV, despite being a lifelong fan.
“This is actually the first time I’m ever going to see them in person,” Carlton said.
In this family, red and blue blood runs deep.
Carlton owns a KU rock that belonged to his grandpa.
He passed away about a year ago and would have loved to see KU’s run to the championship.
“One reason why I became a KU fan was because of him. We used to watch KU games all the time growing up.
I’d call him once a week talking about games,” Carlton said. “So, that’s really dear to my heart.”
Last year, Carlton and Hunnell unknowingly showed up to a Texas wedding sproting the same pair of KU socks – proof they are die-hard KU fans.
“It’s unbelievable. we were absolutely pumped just to be going to the final four. I’ve got goosebumps right now just thinking about it,” Hunnel said. “We’re going to be there to see coach K’s final game. We’ll see Duke and North Carolina which is exciting.”
But most of all, Hunnell hopes to see KU cutting down nets Monday night after – fingers crossed – winning the National Championship.
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💻 Find today’s top stories on fox4kc.com for Kansas City and all of Kansas and Missouri.
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https://fox4kc.com/sports/college/jayhawks/kansas-family-heading-to-new-orleans-to-watch-ku-in-final-four/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:30Z
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HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Big money items were approved Thursday at the state Capitol during the first in-person Bond Commission meeting in two years. The commission approved $600 million in projects.
It is an election year so there were pet projects for a number of cities and towns where lawmakers are looking to get re-elected.
“What’s bonding for in an election year, but not to give out goodies to people?” joked State Rep. Holly Cheeseman, a Republican member.
Sarcasm aside, small towns and big cities like New Haven will get funding for community projects.
“For those towns who really advocated for this, it can really be a game-changer,” Cheeseman said.
She said the town of Griswold will have money to build a senior center.
Governor Ned Lamont touted new growth numbers. Connecticut’s GDP increased by 7.7%. Federal officials say Connecticut is now 12th in the country indicating a healthy economy.
Lamont said “the state has momentum. Our economy is growing.” However, not everyone agrees.
Republicans say the state still has a forecasted budget hole of $1 billion by 2024, and the recovery is not complete.
“We are 60, 70,000 jobs below where we were at the end of the recession,” Cheeseman said.
Despite the different outlooks, there is agreement on this: the UConn women going to the Final Four has helped sell bonds on Wall Street. The demand for Connecticut bonds resulted in a $227 million sale this week.
“Demand for Connecticut bonds is not just a nice thing for the Wall Street guys. It means interest rates are relatively lower than they would be otherwise and it’s saving Connecticut taxpayers,” Lamont said, “and it helps a lot that the UConn women are winning and will continue to win.”
Lamont came into office wanting to hold the line “remember the debt diet?” During the last four years, the administration has been strict but is approving more projects now.
The state sells bonds to pay for all of these projects and it is getting close to hitting the bond cap. Then there is the long-term pension liability. Lamont admits there is work to do.
Cheeseman slammed the recent SEBAC union agreement with state workers. It is reported to have a $600 million price tag, bonuses, raises, and little in healthcare givebacks — a costly obligation as the state continues to borrow.
“We can’t make promises to our residents knowing we are going to break them and at the same time enter into agreements with employees that we have to honor come hell or high water,” Cheeseman said.
The SEBAC union deal still has to be voted on by members and then pass the full legislature.
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https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/conn-bond-commission-approves-600-million-in-projects/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:30Z
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Oscars producer Will Packer said Los Angeles police were ready to arrest Will Smith after Smith slapped Chris Rock on the Academy Awards stage.
“They were saying, you know, this is battery, was a word they used in that moment," Packer said in a clip released by ABC News Thursday night of an interview he gave to “Good Morning America.” “They said we will go get him. We are prepared. We’re prepared to get him right now. You can press charges, we can arrest him. They were laying out the options.”
But Packer said Rock was “very dismissive” of the idea.
“He was like, ‘No, no, no, I’m fine,” Packer said. "And even to the point where I said, ‘Rock, let them finish.’ The LAPD officers finished laying out what his options were and they said, ‘Would you like us to take any action?’ And he said no.”
The LAPD said in a statement after Sunday night's ceremony that they were aware of the incident, and that Rock had declined to file a police report. The department declined comment Thursday on Packer's interview, a longer version of which will air on Friday morning.
More Will Smith and Chris Rock Coverage
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences met Wednesday to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Smith for violations against the group’s standards of conduct. Smith could be suspended, expelled or otherwise sanctioned.
The academy said in a statement that “Mr. Smith’s actions at the 94th Oscars were a deeply shocking, traumatic event to witness in-person and on television."
Without giving specifics, the academy said Smith was asked to leave the ceremony at the Dolby Theatre, but refused to do so.
Smith strode from his front row seat on to the stage and slapped Rock after a joke Rock made about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, when he was on stage to present the Oscar for best documentary.
On Monday, Smith issued an apology to Rock, the academy and to viewers, saying “I was out of line and I was wrong.”
The academy said Smith has the opportunity to defend himself in a written response before the board meets again on April 18.
Rock publicly addressed the incident for the first time, but only briefly, at the beginning of a standup show Wednesday night in Boston, where he was greeted by a thunderous standing ovation. He said “I’m still kind of processing what happened.”
___
Follow AP Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton on Twitter: https://twitter.com/andyjamesdalton
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https://www.nbclosangeles.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/oscars-producer-says-police-offered-to-arrest-will-smith/2860418/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:30Z
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Prince Andrew took over £1 million from Turkish ‘fraudster’
By Hayley Dixon, Robert Mendick and Victoria Ward
London: Prince Andrew was given more than a million pounds by an alleged Turkish fraudster and is now embroiled in a High Court battle over missing money.
Andrew and his former wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, both received “suspicious” payments on the orders of Selman Turk, a former Goldman Sachs banker, as part of an international £40 million ($70 million) fraud, it is alleged.
This included a £750,000 “gift” paid to the Prince by Nebahat Evyap Isbilen, a 76-year-old Turkish millionairess, who was told that she was paying for help with a passport so she could flee political persecution in her homeland.
The first payment was made days after Turk won an award at the Prince Andrew’s Pitch@Palace competition at St James’ Palace.
Isbilen has told the High Court that she believes the payment to Andrew was connected to Turk’s appearance at the event.
Further payments linked to Turk of £350,000 were made to Andrew through a third-party account that also gave £225,000 to the Sarah Ferguson.
The revelation comes days after Andrew escorted the Queen at a memorial service for his father, Prince Philip, in what was seen as an attempt to begin a rehabilitation of his image.
It also comes weeks after he paid a purported £12 million to settle a case with his sex abuse accuser.
Isbilen is pursuing Turk and various businesses associated with him in the High Court for the return of an estimated £40 million.
Jonathan Tickner, head of fraud and commercial disputes at Peters and Peters, who is representing Isbilen, last night said she was the victim of a “serious fraud” and was “determined to prosecute her claims against all those involved”.
The £750,000 was transferred to Andrew on November 15, 2019, days after he presented Turk with a “people’s choice award” for Heyman AI, a digital bank aimed at millennials that went bust a year and a half later.
Court documents show that Tickner wrote to Andrew in March last year, but he “declined” to respond to questions or give any account of his relationship with Turk. He has repaid the £750,000.
In her witness statement, Isbilen said she had attended the Pitch@Palace event, which she believes may have been at the invitation of Turk. “I can only wonder if there is any connection between this event and the Duke of York transfer,” she said.
Turk’s claim that she needed to pay the Prince for her passport “or for any other purpose” was “false”, details of the High Court civil claim reveal.
Since the case began, her legal team has secured court orders allowing it to search Turk’s bank accounts and those of companies linked to him, which have revealed the further payments to Prince Andrew and Sarah.
Andrew received transfers of up to £350,000 in regular instalments through Alphabet Capital. Tickner said in documents lodged with the court: “The pattern of payments is... consistent with a calculated attempt to facilitate transfers to Prince Andrew and to mask the source of funds.”
He said that “given the circumstances” of the £750,000 payment, and the timings and references of the payments to Andrew and Sarah, there are “strong grounds for inferring” the payments were all made at Turk’s direction.
Ferguson received payments after she was announced as a brand ambassador for Pegasus Group Holdings, a renewable energy firm, in July 2019.
Bank records show that on November 28 2019, £19,000 was transferred to Turk from Las Vegas-based Pegasus, under the reference “Duchess fee pop service”.
At least £225,000 was transferred to an account in the name of Ferguson from Alphabet in regular instalments, and in most cases under the reference “PEG001”, documents allege.
Alphabet was described as “a fraudulent and covert front” in court documents to make payments to those “associated” with Turk, including Andrew, and Isbilen says that she had no knowledge of them.
The Turkish woman said she had trusted Turk “completely, if not blindly” with the management of almost all of her financial affairs after he helped her flee Turkey at a time when she feared she would be arrested and have $US90 million in assets seized.
Ilhan Isbilen, her husband and the former deputy of the ruling AK party, was imprisoned in 2015 after an attempted coup in the country.
Isbilen said she was still in the dark about the extent of her losses but alleges that Turk may have caused her “as much £39.37 million of loss”.
Turk, who has a worldwide freezing order on his assets and has surrendered his passport, denies the allegations against him.
The case involves a complex web of businesses and payments to accounts set up in the UK and abroad, including the Cayman and British Virgin Islands.
David Halpern QC, sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge, granted a search of his premises earlier this month saying there was a “strong prima facie case” for “major fraud” through “undue influence by a trusted adviser over a woman who was vulnerable because of her age, her inability to speak English and her status as a refugee from abroad, and who trusted him as if he were a family member”. The Prince declined to comment when he was approached by The Telegraph.
A spokesman for Sarah Ferguson said: “The Duchess was completely unaware of the allegations that have since emerged against Mr Turk. She is naturally concerned by what has been alleged against him.”
Tickner said: “Mrs Isbilen is the victim of serious fraud and financial wrongdoing carried out at the hands of Selman Turk, a man she trusted to help her through extremely difficult circumstances. He abused her trust and she has brought her claim in the High Court to recover the money taken from her.
“The court documents and decisions given in her case to date speak for themselves. She is determined to prosecute her claims against all those involved.”
Telegraph, London
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https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/prince-andrew-took-over-1m-from-turkish-fraudster-20220401-p5a9ys.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_feed
| 2022-04-01T00:40:30Z
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Putin Using Four Types Of Black Propaganda Developed For Use Against Foreign Armies Against His Own People – OpEd
By Paul Goble
Most people divide propaganda into three categories – white which is based on facts, gray which mixes facts and falsehoods, and black which consists almost exclusively of untruths; but within the last, there are special kinds of propaganda developed for use against foreign armies, Vladimir Yakovlev says.
He learned about them in a Soviet university, the Moscow commentator says; but now everyone can see that Putin is making use of these varieties of black propaganda not just against enemy armies but against his own population. And from the Kremlin leader’s perspective, these tools have been remarkably effective (theins.ru/opinions/vladimir-yakovlev/249442).
Yakovlev describes four of them — the “rotten fish” method, the “big lie” method, the “absolutely obvious” method, and the “unknown hero” method – why each is quite effective and how Putin is using all of them at present to achieve his goals.
The first of these, “the rotten fish method,” works as follows. Those carrying it out choose something absolutely untrue but as dirty and scandalous as possible. That does not mean that everyone will accept what is being asserted – that isn’t the point, Yakovlev says. Instead, what this approach does is guarantee that the issue will be discussed.
And such discussions work to the benefit of those who use this form. “The human psyche is so constructed that as soon as an accusation becomes a subject of public discussion, there inevitably arise its ‘supporters’ and ‘opponents,’ ‘specialists’ and experts’ and rabid ‘accusers’ and died in the wool ‘defenders’ of the proposition,” however false.
A classic example now on public view is charging that someone is a Nazi. Few will accept that as true, but the debate works for those who make this charge and against those who are defending against it, the Moscow commentator argues.
The second method is that of “the big lie.” It is similar to the first but in fact “works differently” because “its essential feature consists in putting forward with a maximum degree of certainty such a global and shameless lie that it is practically impossible for many people to accept that anyone could lie about that.” People are shocked and that is the point.
The third method, based on presenting something fundamentally false as “obvious, self-evident and therefore unconditionally supported by the vast majority of the population.” Despite the simplicity of this approach, one that many would expect to fail, it is typically quite effective because people desire to be part of the majority rather than remain marginals.
And the fourth is the method of “the unknown hero.” According to Yakovlev, “this is one of the most ancient and at the same time most effective methods of special propaganda.” It involves making heroes out of one’s own supporters or soldiers and thus making anyone who opposes them lesser and wrong.
“All methods of military special propaganda are united by a common goal: weakening the army of the opponent by introducing into his ranks internal anger, hatred and a lack of trust.” What is especially disturbing now, Yakovlev says, is that Putin is using this technique not just against foreign forces but against his own Russian people leaving them angry and divided.
All these kinds of special propaganda work “even more effectively against one’s own population than against enemy soldiers,” primarily because “unlike enemy soldiers,” one’s own people don’t expect it and haven’t been trained to resist its lures. The best way to do that, of course, is to “resist any information that cultivates hatred and mutual discord.”
“It is very important to remember,” Yakovlev continues, “that in difficult and dangerous situations, your friends and family, those close to you, will save you and help you” while those on the television screen “who every day throw out new reasons for quarrels and conflicts” are to be ignored.
“There is a simple mantra that can serve as a real antidote” to all these methods, he continues. It is this: “people are more important than ideas.” In these troubled times, “one should write them in large letters where one will see them every day and not forget the lesson they teach.
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https://www.eurasiareview.com/01042022-putin-using-four-types-of-black-propaganda-developed-for-use-against-foreign-armies-against-his-own-people-oped/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:30Z
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Police: 13-year-old runaway girl dies at hospital after found unresponsive at motel
D’IBERVILLE, Miss. (WALA/Gray News) - A 13-year-old girl has died in a Mississippi-area hospital after being reported as a runaway from Alabama earlier this month.
WALA reports the Mobile Police Department first reported Keyanna Sylvester as a runaway on March 21. She was then found unresponsive in a motel room in D’Iberville, Mississippi, on March 24, according to D’Iberville Police Capt. Jason King.
Sylvester was taken to the hospital but later died, according to police.
The 13-year-old spent time in Ocean Springs and Moss Point, Mississippi, according to reports.
King said it was too early in the investigation to decide whether foul play was involved in the girl’s death.
“We’re making sure we’re careful about not saying whether it’s criminal or not criminal,” he said.
King also said police are waiting for a report by the medical examiner.
“This hurts me real bad because Keyanna was my baby,” said neighbor Alexie Thames. “You all need to help find whoever did this to my baby. "
Anyone with further information on this case was urged to contact the D’Iberville Police Department at 228-396-4252.
Copyright 2022 WALA via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.waff.com/2022/03/31/police-13-year-old-runaway-girl-dies-hospital-after-found-unresponsive-motel/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:30Z
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After being diagnosed with aphasia, Bruce Willis retires from acting. This was reported by his family on Tuesday, through a statement signed by his daughters, his wife Emma Heming Willis and his ex-wife Demi Moore.
Following the announcement, a report was released indicating that the famed actor had failed to fire a gun loaded with a blank on the set of the movie “Hard Kill,” which he was filming two years ago.
The report published by the New York Post and Page Six also revealed that last year, the actor asked, bewildered, what he was doing on a film set.
“The star, who was often paid $2 million for two days’ work, struggled with an inability to remember his lines, and his words were broadcast to him through a headset known in the industry as an ‘earwig,'” a source said. to the Post.
Willis had shown signs of deterioration on set in recent years, nearly two dozen sources concerned about his well-being told Los Angeles. A body double was used in most of the action scenes, particularly those that involved the use of prop weapons,” the newspaper continued.
On the set of “Hard Kill” in Cincinnati two years ago, Willis allegedly fired a gun at the wrong time, according to the outlet, which cited two people familiar with the incident, where no one was injured.
Another gun incident occurred on the set of “Hard Kill” in 2020, when actress Lala Kent, who played Willis’s daughter, was supposed to be protecting her character from villains.
According to the US National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIH), aphasia is a problem caused by damage to the parts of the brain responsible for language.
For most people, these areas are on the left side of the brain. Aphasia usually occurs suddenly. It is often the result of a head injury or stroke. It can also develop gradually, as in the case of a brain tumor or progressive neurological disease.
The disorder affects understanding of what others say, as well as speech. It also affects reading and writing. Aphasia can appear together with some speech disorders such as dysarthria or apraxia of speech. These are also the result of damage to the brain.
“Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is affecting his cognitive abilities. As a result of this and after much reflection, Bruce is retiring from a career that has meant a lot to him.” text written by the actor’s family.
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https://d1softballnews.com/bruce-willis-and-aphasia-the-actor-failed-to-fire-a-gun/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:30Z
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Equities analysts forecast that Franklin Street Properties Corp. (NYSE:FSP – Get Rating) will announce $0.12 earnings per share (EPS) for the current fiscal quarter, according to Zacks Investment Research. Two analysts have provided estimates for Franklin Street Properties’ earnings. Franklin Street Properties posted earnings of $0.17 per share in the same quarter last year, which suggests a negative year-over-year growth rate of 29.4%. The business is scheduled to report its next quarterly earnings results on Monday, January 1st.
On average, analysts expect that Franklin Street Properties will report full year earnings of $0.41 per share for the current fiscal year. For the next fiscal year, analysts forecast that the business will report earnings of $0.42 per share. Zacks Investment Research’s earnings per share averages are an average based on a survey of sell-side research analysts that cover Franklin Street Properties.
Separately, StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Franklin Street Properties in a research note on Thursday. They issued a “buy” rating on the stock.
Franklin Street Properties Company Profile (Get Rating)
Franklin Street Properties Corp., based in Wakefield, Massachusetts, is focused on infill and central business district (CBD) office properties in the U.S. Sunbelt and Mountain West, as well as select opportunistic markets. FSP seeks value-oriented investments with an eye towards long-term growth and appreciation, as well as current income.
Further Reading
- Get a free copy of the StockNews.com research report on Franklin Street Properties (FSP)
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- These Are Rock Bottom Prices For Five Below
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https://www.com-unik.info/2022/03/31/0-12-eps-expected-for-franklin-street-properties-corp-nysefsp-this-quarter.html
| 2022-04-01T00:40:33Z
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LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A 13-year-old juvenile living in Las Vegas will be charged after a threat was called in to a school on Wednesday in Mohave County, Arizona.
The juvenile previously attended the school, Black Mountain Elementary in Golden Valley, before moving to Las Vegas. A letter from the school to parents on Wednesday indicated the school was locked down after two threats were called in just after 8 a.m.
Metro police and the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office cooperated in the investigation.
“Although we do not believe this was a credible threat, law enforcement takes threats of this nature very seriously,” according to a statement from the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office.
Detectives identified the suspect, and Metro police assisted in finding the juvenile in Las Vegas. The juvenile admitted involvement in the incident, authorities said Thursday.
The juvenile is being charged in Mohave County for Interference and Disruption of an Educational Institute and Making a Terrorist Threat, both felonies.
The suspect was booked into juvenile detention by Metro officers for additional charges in Clark County related to the incident. No further information will be released at this time because the suspect is a juvenile.
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https://www.8newsnow.com/news/13-year-old-suspect-in-custody-after-threat-to-school/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:32Z
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Los Angeles police were on site and ready to arrest actor Will Smith at the Academy Awards on Sunday for slapping presenter Chris Rock, the producer of the Hollywood ceremony said on Thursday.
The authorities did take not any action because Rock declined to press charges, producer Will Packer said, echoing what a police spokesperson said on Sunday.
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"They said, we will go get him. We are prepared. We're prepared to get him right now," Packer added.
During the live Oscars telecast, Smith strode up to the stage after Rock made a joke about the appearance of Smith's wife, then smacked the comedian's face.
Less than an hour later, Smith gave a tearful speech on stage as he accepted the best actor trophy for his role in "King Richard."
Behind the scenes, police were discussing options with Rock, Packer said.
Rock "was being very dismissive of those options. He was like, 'No, no, no, I'm fine.' And even to the point where I said, 'Rock, let them finish,'" Packer added.
Representatives for Rock did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Smith apologized to Rock, producers and viewers in a statement on Monday, saying he had "reacted emotionally."
Rock's joke about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, made a reference to the 1997 film "G.I. Jane" in which actress Demi Moore shaved her head. It was unclear whether Rock was aware that Jada Pinkett Smith has a condition that causes hair loss.
A police spokesman said Sunday night that the individual involved in the incident had declined to press charges, but did not provide details about the interactions at the awards show.
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https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-702937
| 2022-04-01T00:40:33Z
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https://www.muskokaregion.com/news-story/10597580-update-12-hospitalized-with-covid-19-in-muskoka-huntsville-hospital-wing-remains-in-outbreak-statu/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:33Z
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Fried chicken meets fine dining: putting haute KFC to the taste test
For some it’s a guilty pleasure, a road trip tradition, a reward for the kids or a Friday night blowout. But now KFC - somehow the most sinful of all the fast foods - has become something else entirely: haute cuisine.
As far as marketing stunts go, it’s a winner. More than 20,000 Sydneysiders supposedly signed up for a seat at the KFC Degustation Restaurant, an 11-course romp through popcorn chicken, Twisters and Zinger burgers - deconstructed, reimagined and dolled up by executive chef Nelly Robinson.
Only 180 diners over three nights will be admitted to the top secret set-up down an Alexandria laneway. In a city that fawns over trendy restaurants, this is bizarrely one of the hardest tables in town to nab (at $75-a-head, for charity, it is also one of Sydney’s most affordable degustations).
But how does this Frankenstein feast stack up on the culinary front? Can those 11 secret herbs and spices survive the transition from greasy cardboard box to the fine dining table? Is any of this stuff actually edible while sober?
We won’t get an answer on that front because, unlike most KFC restaurants, there’s champagne on arrival - a stellar innovation in this correspondent’s book. A host shows us to our seats, and we are offered sparking or still water while PR agents buzz about the room fawning and spruiking.
The meal begins with a soft tomato-ey marshmallow dusted in those stubbornly secret spices, and is quickly followed by something they’re calling a Zinger katsu - a piece of fried chicken stacked on a potato block, drizzled with curry mayo and dill.
Then comes the allegedly “supercharged” wings, which resemble your normal KFC chicken wings, except (as per fine dining custom) smaller. They are cooked on a bed of charcoal and set alight at the table, which makes a nice change from the deep fryer.
By this time we have noticed the candle on our table has melted curiously quickly. Greater alarm sets in when the waiter starts pouring something on the melted wax. Of course, it transpires the candle was made of gravy and this is Robinson’s take on KFC’s venerated potato and gravy tubs.
Paired wines arrive, and what vineyard wouldn’t be thrilled to learn it has been judged the best accompaniment to fried chicken? Or, indeed, Zinger kingfish. Robinson told us this controversial creation was the subject of much disagreement with the powers-that-be, who were not convinced fish belonged on a KFC menu.
“This went on and on and on until I won,” Robinson said.
A Twister follows in two parts; first, Colonel Sanders’ face is drawn on a plate with tomato, lettuce, pepper mayo and KFC flavouring. It can only be consumed by licking - perhaps another fine dining first - and precedes a mini Twister embellished with pearl barley risotto, sundried tomato and Manchego cheese in a spinach tortilla, adorned with an edible flower “just to make it posh”.
We move on to this correspondent’s pick of the bunch - a reinvention of the humble delicacy of popcorn chicken. Here the chicken bites are dunked in a roast garlic mushroom soup which also hosts little pillows of mushroom gnocchi, topped with parsley chips.
By this point, one’s enthusiasm for fried chicken may begin to wane, gunned down by attrition, but the main event is still to come; an Original Recipe drumstick rolled in deep-fried “gold quinoa”. No contemporary degustation would be complete without quinoa, but this rocky accoutrement isn’t to everyone’s taste.
A dessert of wattle seed ice cream is popular at our table, and we imagine ourselves shamelessly demanding it from a hapless teenage cashier at George Street KFC at 3.30am after a night out.
The British-born Robinson loves a gimmick; he previously created a Disney-inspired degustation menu and an Aussie feast featuring dishes like ‘vegemite focaccia’ and ‘bunnings sausage sizzle’.
It’s obviously not vegetarian friendly, and it’s not likely to earn many Michelin stars, but there’s no doubt this KFC caper is a bit of fun. It’s fast food for the Instagram generation and, surprisingly, it works - even the fussy foodies on our table were suitably impressed.
You’ll avoid the grease trap, too; there’s surprisingly little need for the refresher toilette when you’re eating fried chicken with a knife and fork.
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https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/fried-chicken-meets-fine-dining-putting-haute-kfc-to-the-taste-test-20220331-p5a9pw.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_national
| 2022-04-01T00:40:33Z
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…condemns vandalisation of National Stadium, Abuja
TheMinisterof Sports, Sunday Dare has expressed disappointment over the ouster of the Super Eagles from the Qatar 2002 FIFA World Cup billed for November. Reacting to the failure to clinch fourth straight ticket to the Mundial, Dare said: “We drew 0-0 in Kumasi and drew 1-1 here and the away goal rule gave Ghana the edge.
It is most unfortunate and regrettable that we are not going to Qatar, but that is sports. Nothing is 100% certain. “The Federal Government gave every support necessary. We got the stadium ready in all its glory. We mobilised Nigerians and other football lovers to fill up the stadium. The NFF called up a solid cast of players.
60,000 voices sang the National anthem in what must have been one of the most uplifting moments one could imagine. The fans gave their vocal support till the very end. “We will review all that we did leading to the game take tough steps to redirect the development of our football and restore the DNA of Nigerian football.
Whatever isnecessarywillbedonequietly, firmlyanddeterminedly. “I believe better days are ahead for Nigerian football but only if we make the necessary changes. We need to rebrand our football and return to the grassroots and youth football culture of the past. Nigeria is a football-loving nation and it deserves the best.
“I understand the unhappiness that followed our non-qualification for Qatar 2022. We take responsibility. We will rebuild and we thank the Super Eagles players for their service. Our apologies as a Football administration ecosystem go out to fans who struggled to make it to their appropriate seating positions. On the vandalisation of the stadium by fans shortly after the match, the minister said: “Destroying sporting infrastructure is not acceptable regardless of the unhappiness. The Nigerians that did this must be condemned. “We are close to having a football masterplan and will soon deliver sports as business policy which we believe is the only sustainable pathway to a viable sports sector.” Meanwhile, the Investigative Panel set up to look into the post match vandalisation of the stadium has Retired DIG Sanni Usman as chairman with Dr. Henry Nzekwu as vice Chairman while Alhaji Abba Yola, Mrs. Tayo Oreweme and Mr. Mitchell Obi are some of the members.
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https://www.newtelegraphng.com/2022-fifa-world-cup-sports-minister-rues-eagles-ouster/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:33Z
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https://www.leafly.com/brands/kind/products/kind-true-og-disposable-vape-pen-0-5g-cartridges
| 2022-04-01T00:40:32Z
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50 Cent says Chris Rock lawsuit is looming as he praised the comedian for keeping his composure and not hitting back Will Smith.
Rapper 50 Cent has added his opinion to the Oscars saga where Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock after a tasteless joke about his wife’s bald head. It’s the first time 50 Cent is speaking on the issue after Rock made his first appearance at his comedy show in Boston on Wednesday night.
The comedian addressed the slapping incident at his stand-up set by saying he was still processing the entire thing and would speak on it sometime in the future. His fans did say that the comedian was in good spirits and had a show packed with jokes for his sold-out audience.
Among those who have shared support for the show was 50 Cent.
“I don’t know how @chrisrock held his composure, but i’m glad he didn’t make a mess of the whole thing,” he captioned a news headline from the Hollywood Reporter, which he shared on IG.
His tone on Thursday is different, however, as he shared several memes of Will Smith slapping the comedian at the start of the week.
He has since gone back to posting video edits of the incident, including a video that incorporates the claps from the “Men In Black” instrumental in which Will Smith had a lead role. The sounds are synced to the slapping motion on Rock, and 50 Cent adds further commentary.
“This shit is funny till that law suit hit, here it come in 5, 4, 3, 2, $100,000,000,” Fif wrote. “yeah that’s how this kinda shit plays out!”
Other celebrities like Jim Carey have called for Rock to sue Will Smith for $200 million as he reasoned that the slap was seen across the world and that the video will live on the internet forever and will continue to cause the comedian trauma.
Will Smith has not been seen publicly since.
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https://bahamasspectator.com/50-cent-says-chris-rock-100m-lawsuit-looming-praises-him-for-not-hitting-will-smith/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:33Z
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Mar 30, 2022
Fed’s Barkin Says Half-Point Hike Depends on Economy in May
Bloomberg News
,(Bloomberg) -- Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond President Thomas Barkin said he’s open to raising interest rates by half a percentage point at the Fed’s policy meeting in May, depending on how strong the U.S. economy is at that time.
“I’m open to it,” Barkin said Wednesday in a Bloomberg Television interview with Michael McKee. “I think the question -- and we will make this decision when we get to the meeting in May -- is how strong does the economy still look in terms of its ability to take rate increases and how high is inflation persisting. I’m looking at both of those and we’ll make our call in May.”
Markets see a better than even chance that the Federal Open Market Committee will raise interest rates by a half point when it next meets May 3-4 to counter inflation at the highest level in four decades.
Fed officials raised their benchmark lending rate off zero this month with a quarter-point increase. Since then, several policy makers, including Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker on Tuesday, have said they are open to hiking by a more aggressive half point at their May meeting. Chair Jerome Powell has said he would favor a bigger move if necessary to bring price pressures under control.
Barkin said it might take interest rates going above neutral -- the level which neither speeds up nor slows down the economy which policy makers estimate lies around 2.4% -- to bring down inflation.
“I think there is a real chance that is true,” he said. “As we get closer to neutral we can make that call.”
The consumer price index soared 7.9% in February, the most since 1982; the Fed’s 2% inflation target is based on a separate gauge, the personal consumption expenditures price index, which rose 6.1% in the 12 months through January.
While supply chain difficulties associated with the Covid-19 pandemic were initially blamed for price rises, Fed officials have been taken by surprise by continuing increases and a broadening of price pressures. They have worried that a continuing rise in prices would take hold in the public’s expectations for inflation.
In the Fed’s March interest rate projections, officials’ median projection was for the benchmark rate to end 2022 at about 1.9% -- in line with traders’ bets at that time but higher than previously anticipated -- and then rise to about 2.8% in 2023.
©2022 Bloomberg L.P.
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https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/fed-s-barkin-says-half-point-hike-depends-on-economy-in-may-1.1745289
| 2022-04-01T00:40:32Z
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Parents reach $250,000 settlement with Texas city after son, 3, dies after contracting brain-eating amoeba at splash pad
By Hannah Sarisohn, CNN
The parents of a 3-year-old boy who died last year after a contracting a rare brain-eating amoeba at a splash pad in Arlington, Texas, have reached a $250,000 settlement with the city.
Bakari Williams died last September after spending five days in the hospital with primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, a rare and often fatal infection caused by an amoeba called Naegleria fowleri, according to previous reporting from CNN and affiliate KTVT.
Williams contracted the infection from a splash pad that officials later determined was improperly tested and maintained.
At a news conference, attorneys for Williams’ parents said the child’s death was preventable.
Family attorney Brian Hargrove said the $250,000 is the maximum economic recovery allowed against a city under the Texas Tort Claims Act, according to KTVT.
Arlington, in a statement, said the settlement will include a “significant investment in the installation of health and safety equipment and other improvements for our public pools and splash pads.”
The city will distribute a new policy manual, the Bakari Williams Protocol, that will guide staff on water treatment, according to Hargrove and the city. “We plan to share this information with other agencies in the aquatics industry so they can learn from our hard lessons,” the city said.
New technology will automatically shut off any splash pads where water readings are not in the acceptable ranges and the addition of QR codes will allow visitors to see real-time information about water quality, the statement, obtained by KTVT, said.
“We want you to know that Bakari was a sweet, beautiful and innocent child who did not deserve to die in the manner that he did. For us, this case has been about public awareness,” Williams’ mother, Kayla Mitchell, said at the news conference, according to the affiliate.
“We want to make certain that nothing like this ever happens again. We want to make certain that what happened to our son, what happened to our family, does not happen to anybody else,” said Mitchell.
Naegleria fowleri is commonly found in soil and in fresh warm water such as lakes, rivers and hot springs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It can also be found in poorly maintained or unchlorinated pools.
The organism infects people when water containing the amoeba enters the body through the nose, according to the CDC. The Naegleria fowleri amoeba then travels up the nose to the brain, where it destroys the brain tissue, the CDC says.
Investigation into the source of infection
City and Tarrant County officials were notified by the hospital September 5 of the child’s condition, according to a joint news release issued that month. The county health department started an investigation and determined two possible sources for the exposure to the amoeba — the family’s home in Tarrant County and the Don Misenhimer Park splash pad in Arlington.
The city immediately closed that splash pad, the news release says, and out of an abundance of caution closed the other three public splash pads for the remainder of the year.
On September 24, the CDC, according to the news release, determined the child was likely exposed to the organism at the splash pad after tests confirmed the presence of active Naegleria fowleri amoeba in water samples from the park.
“It breaks my heart. I’m a father of four, a grandfather of five kids from 2 to 7 years old. I cannot imagine having to bury a child or a grandchild like that,” Arlington Mayor Jim Ross told KTVT at the time
Low chlorine levels likely a factor
The city of Arlington conducted an investigation into the splash pad’s maintenance, equipment and water testing procedures. Officials determined the water quality testing data needed improvement.
“We have identified gaps in our daily inspection program,” Deputy City Manager Lemuel Randolph said in the 2021 news release. “Those gaps resulted in us not meeting our maintenance standards at our splash pads. All of the splash pads will remain closed until we have assurance that our systems are operating as they should, and we have confirmed a maintenance protocol consistent with city, county and state standards.”
Records from two of the splash pads, including the one at Don Misenhimer Park, showed employees did not consistently record, or in some cases did not conduct, water quality testing that is required before the facilities open each day, according to the news release. The testing includes checking for chlorine, which is used as a disinfectant.
A review of the logs determined that water chlorination readings were not documented two of the three days that the child visited the park in late August and early September, the news release said.
“Documents show that chlorination levels two days before the child’s last visit were within acceptable ranges,” reads the release. “However, the next documented reading, which occurred the day after the child visited, shows that the chlorination level had fallen below the minimum requirement and that additional chlorine was added to the water system.”
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
CNN’s Amanda Jackson, Amir Vera and Lauren M. Johnson contributed to this report.
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https://kesq.com/news/national-world/cnn-national/2022/03/31/parents-reach-250000-settlement-with-texas-city-after-son-3-dies-after-contracting-brain-eating-amoeba-at-splash-pad/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:33Z
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Burnley boss Sean Dyche open to other situations after Victor Moses knockback
Sean Dyche was coy on Burnley's attempts to rescue wide man Victor Moses from the limbo of his spell with Spartak Moscow in warring Russia.
But he admits he is keeping an eye on any situations that may develop, in terms of adding to his squad for the run in.
Former Crystal Palace and Wigan man Moses is marooned in the capital, away from family and friends, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues.
The Nigeria international is considered out of contract until June 30th, and can move, under special dispensation granted by FIFA and UEFA, with a temporary amending of the statutes governing transfers.
However, the Premier League has reportedly shut down the request, as they look to keep the 'sporting integrity' of the competition intact.
Dyche would not comment on Moses specifically, saying: "There isn't any side of the story to tell, we're linked with lots of players, and that's another player and situation we've been linked with."
But, asked if he remained on the lookout for any opportunities to bolster his squad, he admitted: "You have to keep an eye on the 'what-ifs?' of the market.
"It's fair to say they are always difficult, players have been out of contract, it's a strange situation on that one-off player (Moses), but there are lots of other situations that occur, whether players are out of contract or have been injured for a while, things like that.
"Usually you do your business in the window, as best you can."
Ideally, Dyche would like extra bodies for the final 11 games, given a packed schedule as Burnley play their games in hand: "The last couple of seasons, obviously they have been affected seasons, with game scheduling, so every Premier League manager probably thinks that has had an effect - we've all looked at training schedules and recovery schedules, the sports science, injuries in training, general football training...
"The fact is the schedule has been so varied, so random, games in chunks, so that is probably being shown to have an effect.
"That's made it tougher, then if you're at a club like ours with a skinny-ish squad compared to the Premier League in general, then that makes it tougher because you are probably going to have some injuries."
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https://www.burnleyexpress.net/sport/football/burnley-boss-sean-dyche-open-to-other-situations-after-victor-moses-knockback-3635798
| 2022-04-01T00:40:33Z
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Nearly 70% of medical debt in collections will be removed from credit reports, bureaus say
Medical debt is a costly burden that weighs on millions of patients who seek life-saving care — it's the leading cause of bankruptcy in America and the largest source of personal debt among consumers.
In an effort to support those who are faced with unexpected hospital bills, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion will soon remove nearly 70% of medical debt in collections from credit reports.
"Medical collections debt often arises from unforeseen medical circumstances," credit bureau executives said in a joint statement. "These changes are another step we’re taking together to help people across the United States focus on their financial and personal wellbeing."
Keep reading to learn more about the agencies' new policy around medical debt reporting, as well as how to pay off unpaid hospital bills in collections. You can also enroll in free Experian credit monitoring services through Credible.
CREDIT CARD CONSOLIDATION MAY SAVE YOU THOUSANDS AS PERSONAL LOAN RATES ARE AT RECORD LOWS
Removing medical debt from reporting may boost consumer credit scores
Beginning in July, paid medical debt in collections will no longer be included in credit reporting. And in the first half of 2023, the credit bureaus will no longer include medical collections debt under $500 on credit reports.
The agencies are also increasing the time period before unpaid medical bills would appear on a consumers' credit history to one year, up from six months previously. They anticipate the combined measures will remove nearly 70% of existing medical debt tradelines.
The decision came shortly after the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released a report finding that unpaid medical bills account for 58% of debt in collections.
"Even when a patient tries to battle to get an accurate bill or an insurance claim paid, medical debt collectors have a weapon that is hard to fight against: the credit report," CFPB Director Rohit Chopra said.
While the credit bureaus have effectively dropped many types of medical bills from credit reporting, millions of consumers are still faced with debt in collections. If these bills remain unpaid, they could potentially result in negative credit score impacts after a one-year period. Third-party debt collectors may eventually pursue civil action to recuperate the costs, which can result in wage garnishment and attorney fees.
HOW YOUR STUDENT LOANS COULD BE IMPACTED BY THE FED RATE HIKE
How to pay off medical debt in collections
Although some medical collections debt will soon be dropped from credit reporting, consumers still owe the balance of their unpaid bills from prior health care services. Here are a few strategies for repaying medical debt in collections:
- Negotiate your medical bills with the provider or debt collector
- Utilize a medical financing card or 0% APR credit card
- Consolidate medical debts into a fixed-rate personal loan
Read more about each method in the sections below.
Negotiate your medical bills with the provider or debt collector
Patients may be able to settle their medical bills for less than they owe by negotiating with the collection agency that holds the debt. It may also be possible to enroll in an interest-free payment plan to spread your hospital bills into lower monthly installments. Here are a few negotiation tips from the CFPB:
- Ask the debt collector for a written notice about the origin of the debt and how much money is owed. You should also know the age of the debt, so you can see if it meets your state's statute of limitations.
- Propose a realistic debt settlement or repayment proposal. Calculate how much you can afford to pay each month, or see if you have enough money to settle the debt in a smaller lump-sum.
- Be honest about your situation, as you may have more room to ask for a discount if you have a long-term health condition or other financial burden. Take notes of your conversation with the creditor.
You can use a cost comparison tool like Healthcare Bluebook to research the average price of the service you received in your area, which may be used as leverage while you negotiate the balance in your collection account. And if you aren't confident in your own negotiation skills, you may consider enlisting the help of a nonprofit credit counselor to speak with your creditors on your behalf.
CREDIT CARD DEBT IS SURGING AT A RECORD-HIGH RATE, NY FED REPORTS
Utilize a medical financing card or 0% APR credit card
Some medical providers offer low-interest and no-interest financing options through a medical credit card like CareCredit. Keep in mind that these payment plans are typically offered through the original health care provider, not debt collectors. They also typically come with a high purchase APR if you don't adhere to the payment agreement.
Alternatively, you could consider opening a new credit card with a 0% APR purchase period. This may allow you to repay your medical expenses without paying interest for a period of up to 21 months. It's important to note that these offers are generally reserved for applicants with very good or excellent credit, defined by the FICO model as 740 or higher.
You can visit Credible to compare credit cards with 0% APR introductory offers.
LOOKING FOR A LIFE INSURANCE AGENT? HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT ONE
Consolidate medical debts into a fixed-rate personal loan
One common way to repay debt is with an unsecured personal loan that you repay in fixed monthly payments over a set period of months or years. Since personal loans have fixed interest rates, they may offer more favorable repayment terms than variable-rate credit cards.
Personal loan lenders determine interest rates and eligibility based on a borrower's credit score. Applicants with excellent credit will qualify for the lowest rates possible, while those with bad credit may not be eligible at all.
To see if you're a good candidate, you can get prequalified for a debt consolidation loan with a soft credit check. You can also browse current interest rates in the table below, and use Credible's personal loan calculator to estimate your monthly payments.
REFINANCING REQUIREMENTS FOR A MORTGAGE: WHAT TO KNOW
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https://www.fox9.com/money/medical-debt-in-collections-credit-report
| 2022-04-01T00:40:33Z
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Who is Madison Cawthorn, the freshman congressman causing headline chaos for the GOP?
By Rachel Janfaza, Melanie Zanona, Manu Raju, Alex Rogers and Marshall Cohen, CNN
Rep. Madison Cawthorn — the freshman Republican representing North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District in the US House of Representatives — has in recent weeks become the center of chaos within the GOP.
At 26 years old, the youngest member of Congress has sparked uproar in the Republican Party after claiming on a podcast that people in Washington have invited him to participate in orgies and used cocaine in front of him — the latest incident in a string of controversies surrounding Cawthorn that include calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a “thug” and the Ukrainian government “incredibly evil.”
The comments from the political newcomer, who faced charges in March for driving with a revoked license for the second time in five years, have drawn the ire of members of his own party.
CNN reported on Wednesday that Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina is throwing his weight behind one of Cawthorn’s primary opponent — an extraordinary broadside against a fellow Republican from his home state, as internal frustration with the controversial MAGA firebrand reaches a boiling point.
According to multiple sources familiar with the discussions, other GOP lawmakers who are at their wits’ end with Cawthorn are also considering endorsing one of his challengers, amid growing concerns that the North Carolina Republican is dragging down the entire party with his problematic behavior.
Ahead of the Tar Heel State’s May 17 primary, Cawthorn is facing a number of opponents, including: state Sen. Chuck Edwards, whom Tillis said he is endorsing; Michele Woodhouse, a self-described “business-woman and political activist”; Bruce O’Connell, a hotel and restaurant operator; Rod Honeycutt, a retired US Army colonel; Matthew Burril, a businessman and local economic leader; and Wendy Nevarez, a Navy veteran.
Cawthorn’s challengers are trying to take advantage of his numerous controversies, including his speech on January 6, 2021, in which he urged those at then-President Donald Trump’s “Save America” rally to contest the election.
Controversial from the start
Cawthorn — who was partially paralyzed in a 2014 car accident and was the owner of a real estate investment company as well as a motivational speaker prior to his time on Capitol Hill — caused contention even before entering the halls of Congress.
In 2020, he scored a stunning political upset when he won the GOP nomination for the House seat of then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, despite Trump endorsing one of his GOP primary opponents.
After winning the primary runoff, the young Republican — who turned 25 before the general election, making him eligible to serve in the House — received the backing of Trump and was lauded for his charisma and appeal to younger voters.
“He’s 24-years-old, he’s dynamic, he was able to articulate the ability to reach out to younger voters. I’ve heard him referred to by some as ‘The AOC of the right.’ I don’t know if that’ll borne out to be true, but I do think that the generational piece is key here as well,” Chris Cooper, a political science professor at Western Carolina University, said after Cawthorn’s primary victory.
But CNN reported that Cawthorn went on the defensive after photos of a 2017 trip to Adolf Hitler’s vacation house surfaced on Instagram. He wrote that the visit had been on his “bucket list for awhile” and “did not disappoint.”
Allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct made against Cawthorn by several women when he was in college also surfaced after he began his political career. For his part, Cawthorn has said, “I have never done anything sexually inappropriate in my life.”
Election lies
Cawthorn has become closely allied with Trump and voted to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Since then, however, the North Carolina congressman has contradicted himself when it comes to his statements on the 2020 election.
In January 2021, Cawthorn admitted that there was no fraud in the 2020 election after he voted to sustain the objection to electoral votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania when Congress met to certify then-President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.
“Yes, I think I would say that the election was not fraudulent,” he told CNN at the time. “You know, the Constitution allowed for us to be able to push back as much as we could and I did that to the amount of the constitutional limits that I had at my disposal. So now I would say that Joseph R. Biden is our president.”
Yet last August, Cawthorn suggested there could be “bloodshed” over future elections as he pushed false claims about election security and voter fraud.
Speaking at a North Carolina county GOP event, Cawthorn repeated the lie about US election systems being “rigged” and “stolen,” something he said would “lead to one place, and that’s bloodshed” if it continued.
“And I will tell you, as much as I am willing to defend our liberty at all costs, there’s nothing that I would dread doing more than having to pick up arms against a fellow American. And the way that we can have recourse against that is if we all passionately demand that we have election security in all 50 states,” the North Carolina Republican said at the time.
Cawthorn spokesman Luke Ball told CNN in a statement at the time, “Congressman Cawthorn is CLEARLY advocating for violence not to occur over election integrity questions.”
“He fears others would erroneously choose that route and strongly states that election integrity issues should be resolved peacefully and never through violence,” Ball said.
Ball maintained in August that “Congressman Cawthorn’s views on the 2020 election have remained consistent.”
In Feburary, Cawthorn filed a lawsuit to shut down efforts by liberal activists to disqualify him from running for Congress because of his role in the January 6 insurrection. Cawthorn spoke at Trump’s January 6, 2021, rally and posted militant tweets in the run-up to the attack on the US Capitol.
In their challenge, lawyers for the group Free Speech For People said Cawthorn essentially aided and abetted the insurrection, and should be disqualified from office because he “was involved in efforts to intimidate Congress and the Vice President into rejecting valid electoral votes and subvert the essential constitutional function of an orderly and peaceful transition of power.”
A federal judge in early March shut down the legal challenge to Cawthorn’s candidacy, but the liberal activists, legal scholars and anti-Trump Republicans who oppose Cawthorn asked the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals to step in and revive their challenge.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
CNN’s Daniel Dale, Kate Sullivan, Dianne Gallagher, Kelly Mena, Caroline Kenny and Paul LeBlanc contributed to this report.
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https://kion546.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2022/03/31/who-is-madison-cawthorn-the-freshman-congressman-causing-headline-chaos-for-the-gop/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:33Z
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A coalition of San Francisco LGBTQ organizations rallied Wednesday to protest the city's current redistricting plans, which they say will sever neighborhood ties between longstanding transgender and queer communities and dilute those communities' political power.
Recently, the city's nine-member Redistricting Task Force approved moving forward with a draft map that would move the Tenderloin from District 6 to a newly redrawn District 5, separating the Tenderloin from the South of Market area and enjoining it with the Western Addition neighborhood. The task force is set to approve the new district map in mid-April.
Opponents of the proposed map say the move could displace some of the city's most marginalized residents, split the political power of LGBTQ residents in those areas, and disconnect the Transgender District — the world's first and only transgender cultural district — from the Leather and LGBTQ Cultural District in nearby SoMa.
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https://www.kqed.org/news/11909827/it-seeks-to-diminish-us-san-francisco-lgbtq-groups-protest-citys-redistricting-plans
| 2022-04-01T00:40:33Z
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BOJ tankan: Japan firms expect CPI to rise 1.8per cent a year from now
TOKYO, Apr 1 : Japanese companies expect consumer prices to rise an average 1.8per cent a year from now, higher than their projection three months ago, a central bank survey showed on Friday.
Three months ago, companies expected prices to rise 1.1per cent over the next year.
Firms polled by the Bank of Japan (BOJ), as part of its detailed "tankan" survey for March, also said they expect consumer prices to rise an annual 1.6per cent three years from now and an annual 1.6per cent five years from now.
The BOJ started the survey on corporate price expectations from the tankan in March 2014 to gather more information on inflation expectations, key to its current stimulus programme.
(For queries, contact Daniel Leussink at: daniel.leussink [at] thomsonreuters.com)
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https://www.channelnewsasia.com/business/boj-tankan-japan-firms-expect-cpi-rise-18per-cent-year-now-2600526?cid=cna_flip_070214
| 2022-04-01T00:40:34Z
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Approximately $1.1 billion of debt securities affected
New York, March 31, 2022 -- Moody's Investors Service affirmed the A1 rating assigned to Grand River Dam Authority, OK's (GRDA or the Authority) Revenue Bonds. Concurrent with this rating action, Moody's assigned an A1 rating to GRDA's $195 million Revenue Bonds, Refunding Series 2022 (Federally Taxable).
The Series 2022 bonds will rank on par with GRDA's existing Electric Revenue Bonds and proceeds from the offering will be used to refund a similar amount of existing bonds for an overall cost savings estimated at approximately $7 million. GRDA's rating outlook is stable.
RATINGS RATIONALE
GRDA's A1 rating considers the strong cash flow visibility derived from the sale of electricity to creditworthy wholesale customers primarily under long-term contractual arrangements, an unencumbered ability to set electric rates and sound rate structure, its low cost generation fleet that results in competitively priced electricity and robust historical financial performance. Credit challenges include customer concentration, a reduction in liquidity owing to an approximate $102 million fuel and purchased power under recovery during Winter Storm Uri and a modest increase in capital expenditure spending over the near-term.
Financial Impact from Winter Storm Uri
GRDA's service territory was impacted by Winter Storm Uri in February 2021. An increased demand for energy due to the cold, along with the limited supply of regional generation, resulted in an unprecedented surge in natural gas and energy prices. GRDA'S cost for the event was approximately $102 million. Its rate structure, however, provides for the recovery of fuel cost and purchased power variations through the Power Cost Adjustment and full recovery of this amount is expected over a period of up to 120 months.
In the meantime, GRDA's unrestricted cash balance has been reduced to approximately $287 million or an estimated 250 adjusted days liquidity on hand at year-end 2021 compared to approximately $375 million and more than 400 adjusted days at year-end 2020. While 250 adjusted days of liquidity on hand is considered fairly robust, we understand that GRDA is in discussions with a commercial bank for a revolving line of credit that would supplemental its liquidity profile. Additionally, we anticipate that internal liquidity will gradually increase as GRDA recovers fuel and purchased related to Storm Uri.
Projected Financial Performance
We expect GRDA's financial performance to remain robust and appropriate for the rating category. Specifically, we project GRDA's fixed obligation charge coverage ratio in a range of 1.60-1.80x through 2024 and adjusted days liquidity to remain in excess of 200 days. GRDA's fixed obligation charge coverage ratio for 2020 was 1.65x.
GRDA's capital spending program over the next five years is currently projected at $475 million in the aggregate. By comparison, capital spending was approximately $50 million in 2020. An incremental bond issuance may be needed in the 2023/2024 to aid in the funding of these requirements. GRDA's adjusted debt ratio as of year-end 2020 was 58%.
RATING OUTLOOK
The stable outlook reflects our expectations that GRDA's cost competitiveness and sound financial profile will be maintained and financial performance to remain in-line with current expectations.
FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OF THE RATINGS
GRDA's rating is well positioned at the upper end of the A rating category and upward movement is not anticipated over the medium-term. Longer-term, fixed charge coverage in excess of 2.0x on a sustained basis may trigger an upgrade.
FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO A DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS
The rating would face downward pressure if GRDA's cost competitiveness erodes and its financial profile declines such that fixed charge coverage ratio is consistently below 1.4x
LEGAL SECURITY
GRDA's Electric System Revenue Bonds are secured by a pledge of the revenues of the electric system. The Series 2022 Bonds will be secured on a parity with GRDA's outstanding Electric Revenue Bonds. GRDA covenants to set rates that, in addition to available cash balances, will be sufficient to meet 1.0x coverage of annual debt service. GRDA is currently limited from issuing bonds in excess of $1,410,000,000.
USE OF PROCEEDS
Proceeds from the bond offering will be used to refund a portion of GRDA's Series 2014A and 2014B Bonds and fund the cost of issuance.
PROFILE
GRDA is an agency of the state of Oklahoma, created by the Oklahoma Legislature in 1935. GRDA is a non-appropriated state agency, fully funded by revenues from the sale of electricity and water. GRDA utilizes a diverse portfolio of assets to generate, transmit and sell electricity to Oklahoma municipalities, electric cooperatives and industrial customers, as well as off-system customers across a four-state region. At the same time, GRDA manages over 70,000 surface acres of lake waters in Oklahoma
METHODOLOGY
The principal methodology used in these ratings was US Public Power Electric Utilities with Generation Ownership Exposure Methodology published in August 2019 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1170209. Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
For further specification of Moody's key rating assumptions and sensitivity analysis, see the sections Methodology Assumptions and Sensitivity to Assumptions in the disclosure form. Moody's Rating Symbols and Definitions can be found at: https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_79004.
For ratings issued on a program, series, category/class of debt or security this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the same series, category/class of debt, security or pursuant to a program for which the ratings are derived exclusively from existing ratings in accordance with Moody's rating practices. For ratings issued on a support provider, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the credit rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular credit rating action for securities that derive their credit ratings from the support provider's credit rating. For provisional ratings, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the provisional rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive rating that may be assigned subsequent to the final issuance of the debt, in each case where the transaction structure and terms have not changed prior to the assignment of the definitive rating in a manner that would have affected the rating. For further information please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page for the respective issuer on www.moodys.com.
The ratings have been disclosed to the rated entity or its designated agent(s) and issued with no amendment resulting from that disclosure.
These ratings are solicited. Please refer to Moody's Policy for Designating and Assigning Unsolicited Credit Ratings available on its website www.moodys.com.
Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating review.
Moody's general principles for assessing environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks in our credit analysis can be found at http://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1288235.
The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was issued by one of Moody's affiliates outside the EU and is endorsed by Moody's Deutschland GmbH, An der Welle 5, Frankfurt am Main 60322, Germany, in accordance with Art.4 paragraph 3 of the Regulation (EC) No 1060/2009 on Credit Rating Agencies. Further information on the EU endorsement status and on the Moody's office that issued the credit rating is available on www.moodys.com.
The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was issued by one of Moody's affiliates outside the UK and is endorsed by Moody's Investors Service Limited, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5FA under the law applicable to credit rating agencies in the UK. Further information on the UK endorsement status and on the Moody's office that issued the credit rating is available on www.moodys.com.
Please see www.moodys.com for any updates on changes to the lead rating analyst and to the Moody's legal entity that has issued the rating.
Please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating.
Scott Solomon
Lead Analyst
Project Finance
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
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250 Greenwich Street
New York 10007
JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
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Angelo Sabatelle
Additional Contact
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JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
Client Service: 1 212 553 1653
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
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JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
Client Service: 1 212 553 1653
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https://www.moodys.com/research/Moodys-affirms-GRDAs-OK-A1-rating-outlook-is-stable--PR_907641984
| 2022-04-01T00:40:33Z
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https://sportspyder.com/nhl/dallas-stars/articles/39011520
| 2022-04-01T00:40:35Z
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One statistic stood out the most, judging by how often it was repeated throughout the day.
There are about 4,300 homes in Lancaster County with rents low enough to accommodate families of two or three making around $40,000 a year or less.
To meet the demand for such units, the county would need about 1,150 more to come online each year over a decade, according to Michaela Allwine, director of housing and community development at the Lancaster County Housing and Redevelopment Authorities.
Under current conditions, “We’ll be lucky if we hit 100, 80 in a good year,” said Claude Hicks, senior vice president of real estate development at Lancaster-based HDC MidAtlantic.
Allwine and Hicks were among the dozens of experts who spoke Thursday at the Places2040 Summit, a conference that centered on how Lancaster County could speed up efficient, affordable developments and grow responsibly over the next 20 years.
The conference also hit on other related topics, like how Lancaster County could become carbon neutral by 2040 and how municipalities and the county could coordinate on spending millions from the American Rescue Plan Act.
The summit gets its name from the county’s 2018 comprehensive plan, a planning document that sets out guidelines for how the entire county could plan its population and economic growth up to the year 2040.
The event at the Ware Center, presented by the Lancaster-based housing nonprofit Tenfold and the local advocacy group Coalition for Smart Growth, indicated there may be more interest than ever in the issue of land development and community planning.
Architects, nonprofit developers, social workers, engineers, researchers and municipal officials were just some of the more than 250 people on hand at the sold-out event, trying to glean some insight to help them with development issues that sometimes seem intractable.
The strategies they discussed throughout the day included the need for municipalities to coordinate zoning ordinances to make them more uniform and predictable, remove highly restrictive zoning that deters anything but single-family homes and find better ways to engage their constituents so it’s not just angry residents who show up at important municipal meetings to oppose new developments.
“Most of the big changes we’ve made to our zoning happened when no one showed up to our meeting,” said Ethan Demme, an East Lampeter Township supervisor and speaker on Thursday. At a few standing-room-only public meetings, he said, “they almost carried me out with pitchforks.”
Demme is an independent who made a very public break with the county’s Republican Party after serving as its youngest-ever chair. He made clear Thursday he does not plan to run for reelection.
American Rescue Plan Act
The conference also went beyond affordable housing and land-use issues.
John Trescott, the newly appointed member of the county board of commissioners, spoke up at the 2040 session dedicated to American Rescue Plan Act spending to note that the U.S. Treasury Department’s final rule on the program takes effect April 1. As a result, he said the county government plans to ask the public for their ideas on how to put that pool of money to use.
Lancaster County received $106 million in federal COVID relief funds as part of that rescue plan, signed into law a year ago by President Joe Biden. Very little of that money has been spent, as the county board of commissioners has said it would be premature to commit those dollars to projects until the federal government finalizes the rules for how the money can be spent by local governments.
Trescott, who is filling the final two years of former Commissioner Craig Lehman’s term, said the commissioners will hold some form of public session where those ideas are discussed, but he didn’t offer more details on when that process would begin. In the meantime, he encouraged session attendees to attend weekly commissioners’ meetings or write directly to him and his colleagues with ideas.
The county’s process for spending the federal relief funds trails the City of Lancaster’s process, where officials last year launched a coordinated campaign to solicit public input into how to spend $39 million in such funds. The result, according to a city official at the session, was a final list of priorities: affordable housing, behavioral health, homelessness, education and critical home repairs.
A Green Lancaster County
Just before lunchtime, Eric Sauder stood at the front of an upstairs conference room, where he talked to a crowd about the multi-billion-dollar cost of the county’s reliance on fossil fuels, as well as its environmental toll.
Then, he spoke about the potential for change — a shift to renewable energy and other climate-conscious technologies, which he said could create jobs and improve the local environment, in turn, improving the health of those who occupy it.
Sauder is the founder and executive director of RegenAll, a nonprofit that aims to identify sources of carbon emissions and aid businesses, communities and individuals in their transitions toward cutting them.
On Thursday, the title of Sauder’s talk was “Uniting Diverse Stakeholders to Achieve Carbon Neutrality,” and he said he’d ideally like to see carbon neutrality by 2040. It’s a goal that Sauder said will require buy-in from those living in both urban and rural areas. That means a bipartisan approach that relies on individual action, not necessarily government policy, he said.
“There is no climate silver bullet,” Sauder said, explaining the effort will require a patchwork of solutions implemented throughout the county.
Lancaster County, with its diverse landscape, could serve as an example for the rest of the United States if there is local success, he said.
The sold-out attendance and interest at the Thursday conference may spur the Coalition for Smart Growth to plan similar future events, said the group’s president, Joshua Druce, after the summit concluded.
“The fact that we exceeded all our exceeded all our expectations means there’s a demand out there,” Druce said.
— Staff writer Aniya Thomas contributed to this report.
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https://lancasteronline.com/business/local_business/smart-growth-conference-looks-ahead-to-lancaster-county-in-20-years/article_703b4e26-b140-11ec-99bd-6b6e15c65e5f.html
| 2022-04-01T00:40:35Z
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In this episode of Listen To A Black Woman, Hello Beautiful’s managing editor Shamika Sanders is joined by Chris Miss, Taryn Finley and Jessie Woo to discuss a number of sex-related topics from the use of sex toys to sexual stereotypes.
When it comes to discussions around sex, Sanders says too much of the messaging directed at women is about what they should or shouldn’t do in the bedroom to please their partners. But it’s time to switch up the conversation and speak more about what pleases women. The ladies kick it off by discussing sex toys.
How Men Respond To Sex Toys Says A Lot
Forty-nine percent of couples who use a bedroom toys report better communication compared to those who do not use one, says Sanders and ask this question to the group:
When is it appropriate to introduce sex toys into the bedroom with a partner?
“Right away,” says Chris Miss, adding, “If something works for me and it doesn’t work for you, then we’re not a match.”
Taryn Finley says when it comes to the use of toys — or anything in the bedroom — you need to be comfortable asking for what you want.
Jessie Woo dropped this bomb: she just had her first orgasm last year…with a vibrator. “I had never felt that kind of pleasure before.” Ultimately, Woo says vibrators help both partners get to know their own bodies better.
“Have You Ever Met A Man Intimidated By Sex Toys?”
The ladies discuss men who are intimidated by sex toys — and there are plenty of them.
Miss shares that one time, a guy snatched a sex toy right out of her hand. “That was a red flag,” she says, adding that it was really passive-aggressive because the two never even had a conversation about it.
Finley says there is no shame in wanting to explore your body and if a man tries to shame you for it, then that’s not the man for you.
“Any dude who knows something pleases you and he tries to snatch that from you…that’s not the dude for you,” says Woo.
Ultimately, the women agree that insecurity and fear around sex toys is part of a deeper issue — it’s about communication. And once you get comfortable communicating, you break down emotional barriers and the sex gets better.
When Domination Isn’t Sexy
Men prohibiting their partners goes beyond a pleasure problem: it’s about control.
Woo says that when men aren’t comfortable with their partners using sex toys, it’s often because they aren’t sexually free and for that reason, they don’t want their partners to be sexually free, either.
“Are our men prioritizing our pleasure? If not, they’re trying to dominate me,” says Miss.
“The point is,” says Finley, “We as black women deserve amazing sex.”
Myths About Black Women In The Bedroom
Taking Back Sexual Agency
Millennial and Gen Z women exercising sexual agency. Sanders asks the group why that is.
The ladies all agree that Black female rappers have helped women move forward in this area. They speak so openly about their sexuality and are confident about it.
Sanders also notes that women are simply more empowered, overall now. Women don’t need men for most things anymore — from paying bills to having sex — so they feel freer to explore their bodies on their own time.
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https://madamenoire.com/1311278/listen-to-a-black-woman-principles-of-pleasure/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:35Z
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Supporters of the 2022 Philippine presidential candidates are kicking off campaigns on Guam with get-togethers and roadside waving that display the distinct colors that candidates have come to rely on as part of their political branding.
There are nearly 12,000 overseas Filipino voters under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Consulate General in Agana, which includes Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands, Philippine Consul Ferdinand Flores said Thursday.
The exact number of voters on Guam is being double-checked to see if their addresses are correct and updated, he said.
This Saturday, April 2, starting at 3 p.m., Guam supporters of Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo's presidential candidacy will hold a roadside wave in front of the ITC Building in Tamuning, according to event organizer Maria Aurora S. Reyes.
Reyes invites everyone who supports the tandem of Robredo and Sen. Kiko Pangilinan - known simply as Leni-Kiko - to join the roadside wave and wear pink.
Red and green, meanwhile, are the consistent colors of their main rival - the son and namesake of a former dictator, Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., and running mate Sara Duterte, the daughter of outgoing Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.
A group called BBM 2022 Guam - the BBM stands for "Bongbong Marcos" - held a get-together at Ypao Beach on March 26.
It brought together supporters and their families for an afternoon of camaraderie and friendship, according to Therese Araneta.
"We're doing our small part," she said of the presidential campaign. Araneta also said BBM 2022 Guam team members will be poll watchers during the voting.
In February, the core team of Leni-Kiko supporters also held a get-together in Yigo. Robredo, a former lawyer and human rights advocate, and Pangilinan seek to steer the Philippines back to the rule of law and family values.
The BBM-Sara team, meanwhile, has vowed to make the Philippines "rise again."
Marcos and Robredo are the frontrunners among 10 Philippine presidential candidates that also include world boxing icon and now Sen. Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao, former actor-turned Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso, and Sen. Panfilo Lacson, former Philippine National Police chief.
The Philippine presidential election is May 9 but overseas voting in Guam and other countries for registered Philippine voters starts this month.
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https://www.postguam.com/news/pink-red-green-philippine-presidential-campaigns-kick-off-on-guam/article_03a97ee6-b095-11ec-af06-2339f4ba3159.html
| 2022-04-01T00:40:35Z
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CHICAGO (WLS) -- Federal authorities say nine Chicago gang members were part of a gun-smuggling operation rooted at the Fort Campbell Army base in Kentucky.
When the I-Team first reported in 2021 that three Army soldiers were accused of running guns to some Chicago gang members, it was an incomplete puzzle.
While three soldiers were already facing federal charges for allegedly overseeing a gun pipeline to Chicago, they are now also named in a new 21-count indictment that investigators say lays out the other end of the pipeline.
According to federal investigators, the guns were sold to members of the South Side Pocket Town faction of the notorious Gangster Disciples street gang headquartered in Chicago.
"This indictment teaches us that there is a broader conspiracy and one involving a gang and disputes among gangs and a drug trafficking operation and acts of violence and racketeering," said ABC7 legal analyst Gil Soffer.
According to the new indictment, "members of the Pocket Town Gangster Disciples, a street gang in Chicago ... would contact Brandon Miller and place orders for firearms."
As the I-Team reported last year, Miller is believed to be the leader of the gun pipeline to Chicago where he is also said to have connections.
In the new charges, accused active soldiers and the Chicago gang members "discussed the large numbers of firearms" that were to be provided and that during one conversation Miller said he "has provided 40-some firearms."
Prosecutors say the username on Miller's CashApp account was "$bigarsenal."
A mass shooting led to the original Fort Campbell pipeline charges, according to authorities. Now, a Glock 9mm pistol used in a murder at South State Street barbershop months earlier has been linked to the gun pipeline according to Chicago police records obtained by the I-Team.
"Now we see the fuller picture which is who was buying them and it is from the looks of it, you know, full fledged gang operation and engaged in, among other things, drug trafficking and acts of violence," said Soffer.
A Chicago man with a lengthy criminal history is also in custody facing state gun charges in that barbershop killing more than a year ago. A federal official on the pipeline case in Tennessee tonight tells the I-Team that they are still quote "rounding up" those accused Chicago gang members and they will be announcing details Friday.
Alleged Chicago gang members indicted in gun running scheme tied to Fort Campbell soldiers
By Chuck Goudie and Barb Markoff, Christine Tressel and Ross Weidner
Copyright © 2022 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.
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https://abc7chicago.com/chicago-crime-gun-trafficking-fort-campbell-soldiers-gangster-disciples/11698042/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:35Z
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Montreal forum on armed violence ends with call for collaboration
Mayor Valérie Plante said she wants to give more means to community groups.
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The second and final day of Montreal’s forum to fight armed violence wrapped on Thursday with promises of more money and more collaboration. The event was closed to media and the public, as it had been on its first day, in February; but parts of Thursday’s program were streamed live.
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Mayor Valérie Plante promised $2 million over the next two years for projects put forward by youth; $5 million from the city’s participatory budget, which would also go to youth projects; plus $400,000 for a phone line for families to help prevent armed violence and a campaign to promote resources to counter armed violence.
“It could be anything,” Plante said of the youth projects, adding that she wants young people “to submit projects that interest them.”
The goal of such initiatives is to steer young people away from violence and gangs.
The mayor said she wants to give more means to community groups, whose work is complementary to that of police and the city. Gun control is a major issue, she said, but the goal of the forum was to develop immediate and long-term plans to reduce armed violence.
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The day began with an opening address from Plante, and a few words from departing police chief Sylvain Caron.
“At the heart of the problem is the fact that there are young people who have died on the streets of Montreal,” Plante said. “That’s intolerable. It’s unacceptable. On that basis, we have decided to move forward and to think outside the box.
“What’s happening in Montreal is not unique to Montreal, … (but) we want to develop our own model, our own solutions based on our reality.”
Caron spoke of armed violence among the city’s youth as “a shared responsibility” between different entities, from police to community groups and public health institutions.
Attendees heard from Chantal Rouleau, Quebec’s minister responsible for the Montreal region, as well as Marco Mendicino, the federal minister of public safety. Mendocino mentioned the names of several Montreal youths who have died in the past year due to gun violence, including Amir Benayad, 17, Hani Ouahdi, 20, Thomas Trudel, 16, and Meriem Boundaoui, who died in February, 2021, at the age of 15.
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Émile Tremblay, a friend of Thomas Trudel, pushed for more gun control, saying such weapons are “too easy to obtain,” and asked for more activities for youths.
Outreach worker Abdella Azzouz shared observations from youths who met with forum leaders on March 17.
“Many felt we need a Plan B or C for youth so they can do things in life, not just make fast money without thinking of the risks,” he said. “Since the pandemic began, mental health is not good and the dropout rate has increased.”
Sergeant Detective Maya Alieh spoke of the perils of social media, where cyber-bullying and crime thrive. And criminologist René-André Brisebois explained the benefits of hubs, or working groups, which have been used to bring together organizations elsewhere in Canada to exchange information and find solutions to problems as they arise.
Another forum on armed violence is being planned for 2023.
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https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/montreal-forum-on-armed-violence-ends-with-call-for-collaboration
| 2022-04-01T00:40:35Z
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Graphic by Corrina Reiss.
The Butler Collegian is committed to sharing diverse viewpoints from across the university and to upholding values of free speech. However, The Collegian does not endorse or promote opinions contained within any letter to the editor.
With four weeks left of the semester, I have decided to resign from my position as Executive Director of Diversity, Equity, and Student Belonging of the Student Government Association. The decision was officialized after being blatantly disrespected and yelled at by SGA President Will Gigerich — this has not been the first instance. I am writing this Letter to the Editor 48 hours after the latest incident of disrespect, with still no apology or acknowledgment of the unprofessional behavior from Gigerich.
Though my final straw for resignation was decided after the events of a peer being disrespectful, demeaning and contemptible, it is not the sole reason for my resignation. Overall, as a woman of color, I am aware of how undervalued I can be in a position of power, yet I have never been so overtly disregarded for my intelligence and experiences that I can and have already brought to the table.
From the beginning of the school year, I have never known what the goals were from this administration when it came to Diversity, Equity, and Student Belonging and to what capacity I would be allowed to work. Whenever DESB was mentioned, there was a clear discomfort in the room, and I personally did not feel heard when discussing these matters in executive meetings.
It was very difficult to navigate this school year as the first person in my position. One would think that an administration that created this seat would have thought more about how to make this position more inclusive themselves, but with all honesty, it seems to be a position created as a performative response to the racial and social justice rise of 2020 and 2021, and the problematic politics of the Senate on student government last year.
I never knew how exactly people in the executive cabinet felt about my position. I felt ostracized from some of the executives when it came to bringing forward my initiatives. There would even be times where I would leave when the meeting would end, while everyone else stayed in the room.
I would have greatly appreciated transparency and honesty from the executive cabinet on what the expectations and limitations were when it came to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Instead of these conversations, I had to experience hostility and resistance for nearly all ideas to improve DEI. All ideas for improvement sparked from minority student outreach, and no ideas solely my own.
Nonetheless, my commitment to DESB remained unwavering. One of my biggest accomplishments this semester was bettering the historically poor relationship between the Diversity Center and SGA. I held two weekly office hours and often spent much of my time in the DC, as my friends and I hung out there between classes and just for fun. This has led to a major issue that was brought to my attention: the inadequate lack of study space for students in this area.
If you have visited the DC, you would know that we have old C-Club tables with some missing chairs and not enough space for how busy the DC can get. With the new renovations and modernization of space in Atherton Union pushed by this administration, I often requested that the DC would be involved in this plan. After all, the Diversity Center is a space in the basement of Atherton Union.
After many failed attempts of being heard from Gigerich, I included Annie Ventura, Marcos Navarro-Garcia and Meet Patel to also share their thoughts on the benefits of new furniture in the DC that they have also heard from students who spend time studying there.
This then led to our meeting with Gigerich discussing how new study tables and chairs would be paid for in the DC. What we did not expect was so much hostility when we arrived and for Gigerich to share that it was not SGA’s “responsibility” to pay for the furniture students would utilize in the DC. The four members mentioned earlier attempted to explain the importance of equity when it comes to SGA funding the furniture in the DC. For one, this space would allow adequate study spaces, modernize a location within Atherton union, and even better – help students with a place to study on campus. With his hostility to fund student space it makes me wonder – what is the main purpose of SGA if not to help students? And not just help, but help ALL students?
Not only is it extremely rude to not include a space of Atherton Union as part of the current administration’s renovation plans, but it was also extremely insulting to not even listen to the requests from four prominent DEI student leaders. Overall, this led to frustrations on both sides, and Gigerich took out his frustration on me by raising his voice and speaking in a patronizing manner – something extremely unprofessional and an event that I should never have to experience as a student on this campus.
Gigerich recommended that funding should come from the Diversity Program Council’s budget. Yet, DPC is the only DEI and social justice-specific group on campus that has a budget supplemented for DEI initiatives and education. The majority of their finances are used to fund events organized by the numerous student groups located in the DC since those groups aren’t given a budget. Which leads to the question: why should funds be subsidized by DPC’s budget rather than from the ABUNDANT sum of money sitting in SGA’s savings account that is currently not being used for requested students’ needs on campus? That would be the equitable thing to do.
Overall, there are many other issues that I could list in my resignation letter, but I want to provide advice for future administrations that come after.
- Continue the Executive Director of DESB Role – This is crucial work on campus, but there needs to be a direct conversation at the beginning of the election year with the administration’s expectations for DEI.
- Support all areas of DESB on campus – Just because DEI efforts aren’t coming from the DC or DC organizations doesn’t mean we should not still support their passion and interests in DEI. Why should it just be limited to certain groups on campus?
- Allocate the rest of my Executive Director of DESB salary and budget to the furniture of the Diversity Center. We unfortunately do not know if the DC will get new furniture. At this time, the Diversity Center does not have a large enough budget to pay for furniture alone. I would only hope that this money is allocated for students on campus and not filtered through SGA’s savings account.
I am a woman of color. And although I entered this role knowing, and even expecting, the ways that I could be – and was – belittled and underestimated in this position of power, the next woman of color holding a position of power should not. Be better, SGA. I am hopeful that there’s a better future for the Student Government Association and that those who run on the platform of DEI will truthfully mean it.
Maya Sanchez
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https://thebutlercollegian.com/2022/03/letter-to-the-editor-sga-leaderships-performative-actions-on-diversity-equity-and-student-belonging/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:35Z
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SOUTH ABINGTON TOWNSHIP, PA — The movie "Coda" has received some of the biggest accolades this award season, including Sunday night at the Oscars. It won the best picture award, and Troy Kotsur won the award for best supporting actor, becoming the second deaf performer in Academy history to win an acting award.
Teachers at the Scranton School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children near Clarks Summit were beaming with pride for the deaf community.
"When they called his name, and he went up onto the stage and everybody not just clapped but they also, you know, clapped in ASL and were showing their support in ASL," Senoy King said.
"I think that exposure and acceptance and inclusion is fantastic," Kelly Somers said.
Teachers say it's important for children who are deaf or hard of hearing to see people in the deaf community have success at such a high level in their career so they can aspire to be or do anything they want.
"To be able to look up to a person and be able to say, you know, I have a passion, I want to achieve something in the future and to recognize I have abilities as well that that is great," King said.
Sign language is becoming more exposed with "Coda." and even interpreters at concerts going viral online, and the school hopes it encourages people who want to learn sign language.
"I always say if you learn fingerspelling and numbers, really, everything else you can figure it out. Even nonverbal cues of gesturing, writing things down. There's always so many different ways that we can communicate," Emily Lukasavage said.
The Scranton School for the Deaf offers classes for American Sign Language (ASL) to anyone who wants to learn.
Check out WNEP’s YouTube page.
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https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/deaf-community-reacts-to-coda-oscars-win-scranton-school-deaf-hard-of-hearing-children-academy-awards/523-e05bdc25-2c42-4bd6-b7e7-6e957835b7c2
| 2022-04-01T00:40:35Z
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ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Jesse Smith, the man accused of killing Rockford teen Tammy Tracey in 1987, has been released from jail.
According to court records, Smith posted 10% of his $50,000 bond and has been released after spending nearly 2 years in the Winnebago County Jail.
He was arrested in Georgia in 2020 after a break in the case led to his identification as the suspect in Tracey’s murder.
Prosecutors say Smith lived in Rockford when Tracey disappeared and knew the family.
Tracey vanished from Searles Park in May 1987.
Her remains were found in the Sugar River Forest Preserve on April 15, 1988. Police said she had been shot and stabbed to death.
Stateline authorities searched for her killer but weeks turned into months, which turned into decades.
He is due to appear in court on May 13th.
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https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/man-accused-of-killing-tammy-tracey-released-on-bail/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:35Z
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Randy Orton credited Edge for helping him turn his career around and not be complacent.
Orton recently appeared on The Pat McAfee Show where he discussed his place in WWE and other personal factors that left him in a place of uncertainty. He also described how he got out of this hole.
Giving credit to the talent he has worked with in the past couple of years, the Apex Predator pointed to Edge's return to in-ring action at the 2020 Royal Rumble and subsequent program with himself as the starting point for the turn-around in attitude.
"Having Edge come back and having a person that mentored me and I looked up to, that bigger brother figure that I haven't had for a decade. Now all of a udden I have this guy - 'Oh wow! Can you help me with this?' Instead of everyone coming to me or instead make me feel like I don't have someone to talk to - now I've got Edge." said Randy Orton
The Viper claimed that the Rated R Superstar helped him "turn it around" because of his "old-schooled mentality". Orton said that he could trust Edge not to injure him in the ring, an essential wrestling skill that many up-and-coming superstars of today do not possess.
Randy Orton took on Edge in the latter's first WrestleMania match in 9 years
Randy Orton wrestled Edge in a last-man standing match at 2020's WrestleMania 36. This was the latter's first singles match in 9 years. Edge retired from in-ring action in 2011 following WrestleMania 27 due to neck-injuries. He made his return at Royal Rumble in 2020.
Edge eliminated Orton that night and was attacked by The Viper on the next night's RAW. This led to a match at the Showcase of the Immortals which the WWE Hall of Famer won.
The two competed in a pre-taped match at the next month's WrestleMania Backlash, billed as the "Greatest Wrestling Match Ever," which Orton won. The Rated-R Superstar injured his shoulder in that match, but he made his return at the Men's Royal Rumble in 2021 which he won. Edge Main Evented Night 2 of WrestleMania 37 against Universal Champion Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan.
The Ultimate Oportunist will compete against AJ Styles on Night 1 of WrestleMania 38 (April 2, Saturday)
What are your thoughts on what Randy Orton said about Edge? Sound off in the comments section below.
Jinder Mahal's heard an interesting rumor about Stone Cold Steve Austin that you can check out here
Q. Will RK-Bro retain their titles at WrestleMania?
Yes
No
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https://www.sportskeeda.com/wwe/news-randy-orton-comments-edge-helped-turn-career-around
| 2022-04-01T00:40:35Z
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Columbia County residents push back against proposed rezoning
EVANS, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - There were plans for a 64-unit development in front of the Crawford Creek neighborhood off Hereford Farm Road.
A rezoning hearing was held Thursday for county leaders to further discuss the plan.
There’s a petition to keep the development out of the area. The online petition has nearly 500 signatures.
Before neighbors could voice their concerns at the Columbia County meeting tonight, the developer told them they would withdraw their application to rezone the land.
“Our neighborhood was designed, I feel purposely, to feel very natural to have a lot of wooden areas,” said Carolyn Newsome, resident.
The residents exercised their first amendment right to bring change to their community.
“This is my home, and I live here,” she said. “It’s really hard to imagine the entry to Crawford Creek with townhomes everywhere,” said Newsome.
We reached out to the developer to ask why they withdrew the application and are waiting to hear back.
Neighbors say they are relieved and hope this is a step toward a meaningful discussion.
“We just wish it could be a little bit more collaborative with the community versus a decision made that is not consistent with what each one of us thought we were buying into,” she said.
Copyright 2022 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wrdw.com/2022/03/31/columbia-county-residents-push-back-against-new-townhomes/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:35Z
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European online betting and gaming operator Novibet has agreed a deal to go public on the Nasdaq stock exchange through a merger with special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) Artemis Strategic Investment.
The agreement gives Novibet a pre-transaction enterprise valuation of $625m and will see existing Novibet stakeholders hold approximately 75 per cent of the combined company at close.
Novibet offers online gambling and sports betting through its proprietary technology under licenses held in Greece, Ireland, Italy and [...]
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https://www.gamingintelligence.com/finance/manda/154884-novibet-agrees-merger-with-nasdaq-listed-artemis-spac/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:36Z
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This evening in Elko: Rain ending this evening. Partial clearing overnight. Low 33F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Tomorrow's highs will be in the 50's. It looks to reach a cool 55 degrees. Expect a drastic drop in temperatures though, with a low reaching 24 degrees. We will see a mix of sun and clouds. The area will see gentle winds tomorrow, with forecast showing winds from northwest, clocking in at 12 mph. This report is created automatically with weather data provided by TownNews.com. Keep an eye on elkodaily.com for forecast information and severe weather updates.
Mar. 31, 2022 evening weather update for Elko
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https://elkodaily.com/weather/mar-31-2022-evening-weather-update-for-elko/article_dfc45df1-6d24-5e87-b44f-69773b008697.html
| 2022-04-01T00:40:36Z
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And Medvedev was not the only Russian affected by these measures since then Andrew Rublev (7), Karen Khachanov (25) and Aslan Karatsev (32) Among the top 100 people, under normal circumstances, they will participate in third place Big smash hits It’s out of season. As for women, the most surprising case is that of Arina Sabalenkanumber five in the world, in addition to Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (14) Belarusian Victoria Lazarenko (16).
The ATP and WTA They did not stop players from these countries and only forced them to play with the neutral flag and without their country symbols. However, the British government wants to go a step further.
“I’ve had several meetings with different sporting bodies to discuss possible sanctions and bans on individual athletes.“, He said Nigel HuddlestonBritish Sports Minister.
ATP Miami
🎾1⃣ Medvedev, one win away from regaining first place after beating Proxby
03/29/2022 at 19:35
Henin: “If Medvedev had better control of his emotions, he could have won Australia”
“We asked these bodies that if Russian and Belarusian athletes want to participate in competitions in the UK, they must be independent and neutral. truly. We want it to be done in a written statement, that they do not receive money from President Putin, nor from Russia or Belarus. They will not make any supportive comments to either Putin, Russia or BelarusHuddleston has been added.
Tennis
Kyrgios ‘New Keys’: ‘In pre-season, I worked out more in a gym than I did in my entire life’
03/29/2022 at 10:56
Twitter fan. Beer specialist. Entrepreneur. General pop culture nerd. Music trailblazer. Problem solver. Bacon evangelist. Foodaholic.
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https://www.prudentpressagency.com/wimbledon-in-danger-for-medvedev-uk-insists-on-excluding-russians-who-do-not-reject-putin-outright/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:35Z
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Tech Trojan Horse: How the Senate is poised to codify censorship of social media
Beware of politicians bearing reforms. Since the Trojans first wheeled a wooden horse into their fortified city, many are leery about “gifts” that may be heavily laden with dangers. That is true with the Trojan horse legislation just offered by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). In the name of “reforming” the internet and bringing tech monopolies to heel, Klobuchar has penned a “Nudge Act” that would expand corporate censorship and speech controls.
Even the name is designed to be non-threatening. After all, who could oppose an act titled “Nudging Users to Drive Good Experiences on Social Media”? It is enough to garner the support of Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.). The act, however, is less of a nudge and more of a shove toward approved content and choices.
For years, President Joe Biden and Democratic members of Congress have pushed for greater and greater censorship on the internet and on social media. Liberals have found a winning strategy in using corporate censorship to circumvent constitutional limits on governmental speech controls. Senators like Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) warned social media companies that they would not tolerate any “backsliding or retrenching” by “failing to take action against dangerous disinformation,” and demanded “robust content modification” to block disfavored views on subjects ranging from climate control to elections to the pandemic.
The Nudge Act is arguably the most insidious of these efforts. Under the Act, Congress would enlist the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NAS) to recommend sweeping design changes to Big Tech platforms like Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to “reduce the harms of algorithmic amplification and social media addiction.”
The Act is a masterpiece of doublespeak. It refers to developing “content-agnostic interventions” that would ultimately be enforced by a commission. That sounds great; after all, many of us have called for years for a return to content neutrality on social media where sites function more as communication platforms, similar to telephone companies. However, that is clearly not the intent of the bill’s sponsors, who see it as a weapon against “misinformation.” That was made clear by Klobuchar herself: “For too long, tech companies have said ‘Trust us, we’ve got this.’ But we know that social media platforms have repeatedly put profits over people, with algorithms pushing dangerous content that hooks users and spreads misinformation.”
Liberal groups like Public Knowledge which support the bill also openly discuss its real purpose, declaring that it will halt “the promotion of misinformation” and develop new avenues “to reduce the spread of misinformation.” Klobuchar has repeated such descriptions in support of the bill.
How is combatting “misinformation” content-neutral? The answer will be imposed by a new commission that can declare a site’s failure to take “appropriate” measures as constituting “unfair or deceptive acts or practices.” That would create a glacial chilling effect on these companies, which will err on the side of censorship. After all, Democrats have maintained for years that “misinformation” is simply false and not really a matter a partisan content discrimination. With Nudge, Klobuchar seems to be making her own ‘Trust us, we’ve got this” pledge to fellow Democrats.
The key term used in the Act is “algorithmic amplification.” Klobuchar makes clear the intent to use algorithms to stop “pushing dangerous content.” Democrats in Congress have argued for years that these companies need to protect citizens from bad choices by using beneficent algorithms to guide us to “healthier” viewing and reading habits.
The most extreme effort was a letter from Democratic members to pressure companies like AT&T to reconsider whether viewers should be allowed to watch Fox News and other networks. It does not matter that Fox News is the most popular news cable station and even has a greater percentage of Democratic viewers than CNN. (For the record, I appear as a legal analyst on Fox). The members insisted that “not all TV news sources are the same” and called on these companies to protect viewers from “dissemination” of false viewpoints.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) has called for these companies to protect citizens from poor reading choices by tweaking algorithms to steer them away from disfavored views. It is the free-speech version of the rejected “Big Gulp” laws. Warren wants companies to amplify “true” books on issues like climate change and direct searches away from “misleading” books.
Some liberal think tanks admit it is not clear that such manipulation of information will help, yet they still appear all-in on trying. Brookings Institution declared: “Even though cause and effect are hard to discern in social media, it is undeniable that algorithms contribute to hate speech and other information disorder on social media.”
If the Senate truly wanted content neutrality, it would not require a new army of internet apparatchiks. It would condition the continued immunity protection under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act on removing “content modification” and amplification programs. Instead, it seeks to place content under the oversight of a commission while reaffirming the need to stop, in Klobuchar’s words, the spread of “misinformation.”
There are aspects of the law that are positive, like the study of social media addiction and requirements for greater transparency from these companies. However, Congress is adept at the art of Trojan-horse legislation, and it is hard to argue against “studying” issues and recommending changes. Yet, this bill is designed to create a new system of content review and revision. It is viewed by the industry as designed “to slow down how misinformation or other harmful content spreads on social media.”
A governmental regulation combatting misinformation likely would be unconstitutional. However, the obvious desire is for these companies to self-regulate and avoid any problems through the “robust content modification” demanded by Democrats. Moreover, it is not clear how courts would react to “circuit-breaker” tactics that limit or slow the dissemination of information, though this also could “neutrally” slow all stories of public importance from going viral.
Despite the unrelenting campaign against free speech in Congress, there remain political and constitutional barriers that have proven insurmountable thus far. In this case, the crack troops hidden within Klobuchar’s wooden horse are expected to be the staff of the NAS and the FTC, who could cloak content modification in pseudo-scientific terms. They would be assisted by an increasingly anti-free speech media and academia, including the World Health Organization’s chief who recently supported censorship to combat “the infodemic.”
Before this Trojan Horse is wheeled into our own lives, Americans should consider what’s inside the Nudge Act.
Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University. Follow him on Twitter @JonathanTurley.
The Hill has removed its comment section, as there are many other forums for readers to participate in the conversation. We invite you to join the discussion on Facebook and Twitter.
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https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/596913-tech-trojan-horse-how-the-senate-is-poised-to-codify-censorship-of-social/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:36Z
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12-year-old dies after being shot at South Carolina middle school, suspect in custody
A 12-year-old has died after being shot at a middle school in Greenville, South Carolina, on Thursday.
Community activist Bruce Wilson said Jamari Cortez Bonaparte Jackson, 12, died at the hospital.
Wilson released the following statement on behalf of the family:
"We are all devastated by today’s tragedy. We love Jamari dearly and we would ask that our privacy be respected as we grieve during this very difficult time."
Greenville County deputies said a school resource officer at Tanglewood Middle School requested backup just before 12:30 p.m.
More than 200 law enforcement officers arrived at the school.
A suspect, who is also 12 years old, was taken into custody near the school, Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis said.
He is is being charged with murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, possession of a firearm on school property and unlawful possession of a weapon by a person under the age of 18, Lewis said.
Because of his age, the suspect's name was not released.
"Unfortunately, these are two young men who attended school here," Lewis said. "We don't really know the specifics of why it occurred and why so many people resort to violence, especially with firearms."
Greenville County School Superintendent Burke Royster also spoke outside the school after the shooting.
"I’m not sure after a full and thorough law enforcement investigation anyone will really know what was going through the mind of that young person who took this rash act," Royster said.
Students from the school were taken to Brookwood Church by bus to be reunited with their families.
One mother told sister station WYFF that she was in the school parking lot when she saw police begin arriving.
"I was getting out and the police told me, ‘Get back, get back. You can’t come in,’ and I was like, ‘What’s wrong? What’s wrong?’" Angela said. "They wouldn’t tell me, he said, 'Get back in your car.’ When I was getting in my car, all the police came. Every police in Greenville County was there and ambulance. They were running in with guns, not handguns, rifles."
Angela’s daughter, Prentasia, said they were changing classes when the shooting happened.
"We heard a gunshot, and this boy had a gun and he shot at one boy in his side," Prentasia said. "We all pretty much went into a classroom and some people went outside. We were just in the classroom ‘til it was over."
Another mother spoke to WYFF shortly after she arrived at the school to pick up her son.
"But I was speechless," she said. "My stomach is still upset. I just want to see my son and hug him and just make sure he's fine."
That mother said she wishes there were metal detectors in school.
"So, I would love for Greenville County to do something and put metal detectors. They all come through the same door. They go to the cafeteria they do that. Why don't they put a metal detector and then at least detect there's something there," the mother said.
Greenville County School District spokesman Tim Waller said Tanglewood Middle will have an optional day on Friday. Teachers, students and staff can come and talk to each other and counselors but are not required to attend school on Friday.
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https://www.wgal.com/article/deadly-school-shooting-south-carolina/39603272
| 2022-04-01T00:40:35Z
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| 2022-04-01T00:40:36Z
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Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.
Switch from fossil fuelsis a costly transition
If you support the domestic war on fossil fuels in the name of climate change, then you must also agree with two other points.
First, the United States should not be importing a drop of oil or gas from Russia or anywhere else while reducing oil production here at home. This hypocritical policy just pushes U.S. jobs and dollars overseas while having a net-zero effect on emissions.
Second, you can’t complain about the costs at the gas pump or the increasing cost of living in general. Energy is needed to produce everything we consume. Switching from cheaper sources like nuclear and fossil fuel to alternative sources like solar will take an enormous amount of time and money. Your costs will get a lot worse before they ever have a chance of getting better
Richard WilliamsSan Luis Obispo
Russia’s shift indicatesinvasion’s failure
“Russia offers to reduce attacks” (Page A1, March 30) is a little like saying that the beating will continue until morale improves. The bully is trying to blame the victim for the beating, but this time, it’s the bully that is getting beaten.
If, as reported, there are 15,000 Russian dead, then there likely are 30,000 Russian wounded. 45,000 casualties out of a 150,000 force in just a few weeks is a massive failure, and the Russian bully now wishes to show how generous they are with their mercy.
This will not end well for Russia.
Russell ButtonAlameda
Smith’s violent attackat Oscars inexcusable
When I saw Will Smith slap Chris Rock across the face and yell at him in an aggressive manner on worldwide television at the 2022 Oscars, I was appalled.
I immediately thought of all the young Black men who are killed on the streets of Oakland and in other cities across the country every day.
If we all see a powerful, wealthy Black man attack someone, what example does that set?
He missed an opportunity to let the moment pass and then meet with the comedian privately and then go to the press and explain that his wife’s health issues should not be the subject of a joke.
What if the comedian had been a woman; would he have slapped her across the face?
No matter what the issue, there is no excuse for violence.
Penny RyleeCapitola
Paper has opportunityto educate on Ukraine
The East Bay Times could provide further information on Ukraine’s history: check 1932-33 when the Soviet Union collectivized Ukraine’s farms and left many millions of people starving to death.
The 3.9 million people who died in Ukraine’s man-made famine, called Holodomor, are nearly on the level of those who were killed in the Holocaust. Your paper would go a long way in educating citizens as to why Ukraine doesn’t want to join Russia.
Claudia R LindsayPinole
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https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/03/31/letters-773/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:36Z
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Photo 857
Golden Hour On the Farm
Just a quick edit for the What would You Do challenge. The original can be seen here
https://365project.org/discuss/themes-competitions/46240/wwyd-210-(what-would-you-do?)-is-underway#post-reply
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This is really well done, Katy! A great composite with your creative flair!
And A FAV!
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That is amazing editing.
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Wonderful editing - love the colors
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https://365project.org/grammyn/themes-and-comp/2022-03-31
| 2022-04-01T00:40:36Z
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NEW ORLEANS, La. — Two stars of the Kansas Jayhawks, Ochai Agbaji and Christian Braun, are well-known for their ties to Kansas City.
Agbaji was a stellar athlete and has his number retired at Oak Park High School in North Kansas City. Braun led Overland Park’s Blue Valley Northwest to three state championships in basketball.
While all Jayhawks student-athletes are proud to play for the KU on their chest, it hits a little different for two of the storied program’s current best players who got their footing in the sport less than an hour from campus.
“It says a lot about the talent coming out of Kansas City and the metro area. All the guys on our team that are local and from our area, it means just a little bit more to them that we’re representing Kansas City well and Kansas,” Agbaji said Thursday.
“Just being local, it’s really nice to always have that support from Kansas City.”
Braun said it’s cool to see Agbaji’s hard work paying off in a big way in the tournament. They both take a lot of pride in showing what KC hoops can do on a big stage.
“A couple Kansas City guys just doing what we’re doing and doing it for Kansas. I think it means a lot to us just because of the name on our jersey,” he said.
Fan favorite Chris Teahan is also from the Kansas City area as an alum of Rockhurst High School.
With KU being such a successful program, they put more emphasis on recruiting nationally than just locally. While head coach Bill Self said making a Final Four is always special, he knows have players from the area makes it just a bit sweeter.
“It is pretty special that within 45 minutes of your home you have arguably two of the best wings on any team in college basketball,” Self said.
Self was quick to point out that both players were lightly recruited coming out of high school. For both stars, Agbaji had offers from Fresno State, Colorado State, Oregon State and Air Force; Braun fielded offers from Creighton, DePaul, Illinois and Kansas State.
“Whenever you’re not a starter on your AAU program, that’s usually not the guys that Villanova and Kansas and [North] Carolina and Duke will recruit then they turned out to be as good as anybody we could’ve ever recruited.”
They’re two hidden gems from the KC metro area that could lead the Jayhawks to a fourth national championship.
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https://fox4kc.com/sports/college/jayhawks/kus-agbaji-braun-proud-to-rep-kansas-city-in-final-four/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:36Z
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It takes just a tiny virus-laden droplet -- about the width of a human blood cell -- to infect someone with Covid-19.
That's just one of the findings from research that deliberately infected healthy volunteers with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The findings were published Thursday in the journal Nature Medicine.
Challenge studies can be controversial because they involve intentionally giving someone a virus or other pathogen in order to study its effects on the human body. Even with safeguards in place, there's an element of risk, particularly when studying a new virus.
But they are also hugely valuable for understanding the course of an infection.
"Really, there's no other type of study where you can do that, because normally, patients only come to your attention if they have developed symptoms, and so you miss all of those preceding days when the infection is brewing," said lead study author Dr. Christopher Chiu, an infectious disease physician and immunologist at Imperial College London.
Volunteers were carefully screened
The study began in March 2021. The 36 volunteers were between the ages of 18 and 30. They were allowed to participate only if they didn't have any risk factors for severe Covid-19, such as being overweight, having reduced kidney or liver function, or having any heart, lung or blood problems. They also signed an extensive informed consent form to participate.
To further minimize the risks, researchers conducted the study in phases. The first 10 infected volunteers got the antiviral drug remdesivir to reduce their chances of progressing to severe disease. Researchers also had monoclonal antibodies at the ready in case anyone took a turn for the worse. Ultimately, the remdesivir proved unnecessary, and researchers never had to give anyone antibodies.
The volunteers got a tiny drop of fluid containing the originally detected strain of the virus through a long, thin tube inserted into their nose.
They were medically monitored 24 hours a day and stayed for two weeks in rooms at London's Royal Free Hospital that had special air flow to keep the virus from escaping.
Half were infected
A total of 18 participants became infected, two of whom never developed symptoms. Among the people who got sick, their illnesses were mild. They had stuffy noses, congestion, sneezing and sore throats.
Most of the study participants who caught Covid-19 -- 83% -- lost their sense of smell, at least to a degree. Nine couldn't smell at all.
This now-well-known symptom got better for most people, but six months after the study ended, there's one person whose sense of smell isn't back to normal but is improving.
That's a concern because another recent study found that this loss of smell was tied to changes in the brain.
Chiu says the researchers gave the participants cognitive tests to check their short-term memory and reaction time. They're still looking at that data, but he thinks those tests "will really be informative."
None of the study volunteers developed lung involvement in their infections. Chiu thinks this is because they were young and healthy and inoculated with tiny amounts of virus.
Beyond the loss of smell, no other symptoms persisted.
A closer look at infection as it moves through the body
Under these carefully controlled conditions, researchers were able to learn a lot about the virus and how it moves through the body:
- Tiny amounts of virus, about 10 microns -- the amount in a single droplet someone sneezes or coughs -- can make someone sick.
- Covid-19 has a very short incubation period. It takes about two days after infection for a person to start shedding virus.
- People shed high amounts of virus before they show symptoms (confirming something epidemiologists had figured out).
- On average, the young, healthy study volunteers shed virus for 6½ days, but some shed virus for 12 days.
- Infected people can shed high levels of virus without any symptoms.
- About 40 hours after the virus was introduced, it could be detected in the back of the throat.
- It took about 58 hours for virus to show up on swabs from the nose, where it eventually grew to much higher levels.
- Lateral flow tests, the rapid at-home kind, work really well for detecting when a person is contagious. The study found that these kinds of tests could diagnose infection before 70% to 80% of viable virus had been generated.
Chiu says his study emphasizes a lot of what we already know about Covid-19 infections, not least of which is why it's so important to cover both your mouth and nose when sick to help protect others.
More challenge studies planned
This challenge study was so successful that Chiu plans to do it again, this time with vaccinated people infected with the Delta variant to study their immune response.
He says his team also plans to continue studying the people who didn't get sick.
"That's what's really interesting," he said. About half of the study participants never got sick and never developed antibodies, despite getting exactly the same dose of the virus.
Everyone was screened for antibodies to closely related viruses, like the original SARS virus. So it wasn't cross-protection that kept them safe; it was something else.
"There are lots of other things that help protect us," Chiu said. "There are barriers in the nose. There are different kinds of proteins and things which are very ancient, primordial, protective systems, and they are likely to have been contributing to them not being infected, and we're really interested in trying to understand what those are."
Understanding what other factors may be at play could help us provide more generalized protection to people in case of a future pandemic.
Dr. Kathryn Edwards, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University who wrote an editorial published alongside the study, said the research offers important information about infection and contagion with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Blood and tissue samples collected for the study will continue to be analyzed for years to come, she said. "I think those are all in the freezer, so to speak, and are being dissected. So I think that should be very powerful."
In the end, she thinks the study has put many of the fears about human challenge studies to rest and paved the way for others.
"We won't be doing challenge studies in babies, and we won't be doing it in, you know, 75-year-old people with chronic lung disease," she said. But in young, healthy people, "I think these are studies that will be helpful."
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
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https://www.henryherald.com/features/health/first-human-challenge-study-of-covid-19-yields-valuable-insights-about-how-we-get-sick/article_b508f565-b5d9-51d5-af54-0d6438b6b8f9.html
| 2022-04-01T00:40:36Z
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Thousands of acres of the Angeles National Forest that have been off-limits since the 2020 Bobcat Fire are scheduled to reopen Friday.
The fire burned about 115,000 acres, but it led to the closure of 143,000 acres within the national forest for a combination of public safety and natural-resources restoration efforts.
About 60% of that area, or 86,000 acres, will reopen to the public on Friday. The areas being made accessible again are generally along the Angeles Crest Highway east of Shortcut Saddle, including Mount Waterman, Islip Peak Trail, Dawson Saddle Trail, Cloudburst Summit, Charlton Picnic Area and Devil's Canyon Trail.
Buckhorn Campground was expected to reopen, but forest officials said Thursday that area will remain closed due to snow.
“We know the public is anxious to revisit their favorite places in the forest and monument and appreciate the public's patience with the expiring closure order while we sought to ensure public safety and natural resource protection since the Bobcat Fire,'' Tom Torres, acting forest supervisor of the Angeles National Forest and San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, said in a statement. ``We continue to ask visitors to exercise caution and recreate responsibly while they enjoy their public lands.''
Forest officials urged visitors venturing into the areas to wear proper hiking boots and avoid trying to cross landslide areas or major sections of missing trails. They also warned people to be on the lookout for dead trees that could potentially fall.
Visitors should not venture into areas that are still closed. Forest officials said some areas could remain closed for years due to safety hazards and efforts to restore the environment.
Local
More information is available here.
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https://www.nbclosangeles.com/local-2/nearly-86000-acres-of-angeles-national-forest-closed-by-fire-set-to-reopen/2860385/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:37Z
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Ralph Nader: Going For Big Watch On Big Budgets – OpEd
By Ralph Nader
What if $10 billion were raised over ten years for civic action to transform Congress and make it do what it should be doing for the people (See: Think Big to Overcome Losing Big to Corporatism 1/7/22)? In a more recent column, Facilitating Civic and Political Energies for the Common Good 2/2/22, I started a series of columns to outline how $1 billion per year could be spent lobbying Congress for a people’s agenda.
First $100 million per year would be used to get through Congress long-overdue legislation such as full Medicare for All, with emphasis on prevention of ailments and price gouging, a living wage, reducing corporate abuses, etc. The second $100 million would be devoted to creating facilities to make it easy for people to band together in their various roles (e.g., workers, consumers, patients, savers) so they could counter corporate bosses who band together their investors and many lobbying trade groups.
The third article dealt with the $100 million per year to make Congress change the disgracefully unfair, wasteful, and inefficient tax laws (See: Going for Tax Reform Big Time 3/11/2022).
Now I propose the fourth $100 million per year to be used to gain control of the enormous, amorphous federal budget. Shining sunlight on congressional budget shenanigans is the first step in making it reflect public priorities and needs instead of corporate greed.
Start with the first “twistification” (Jefferson’s word) of Article I, Section7, Clause 1, of the Constitution, which states, “All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; …” Congress has rendered this a formality.
The reality is that budgets originate from the President’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB), after it receives the budgets prepared by federal departments and agencies.
Until the 1920s Congress directly received these various budgets, and the congressional committees used to go through a double check – a sequence of first authorizing expenditures, then appropriating the monies. For the most part, unlike earlier decades, the authorization process that started this double check is usually skipped. Today appropriations hearings are little more than perfunctory – with few exceptions.
In the 1950s and 1960s, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees would go through the respective budgets line by line. No more. Now the White House sends Congress a multi-thousand-page annual budget, corrupted by corporate lobbyists. Then the House Speaker and Senate Majority Leader, after great delays and backroom deals, signal their agreements and ram the budget through the legislative process. During the delays, Democrats and Republicans pass continuing resolutions (CRs) to fund the government.
It has gotten so bad that since 1997, the Pentagon asks for a ton of money under the name of an “Overseas Contingency Operations Transfer Fund” – essentially a slush fund for wars in general. Year after year, starting at the time of the Afghanistan and Iraq invasions (2001-2003), requests for $50 billion or more at a time would just go to Congress, unexamined, and be whooped through, producing a blank check for the Defense Department.
President Obama launched a war against Libya taking unappropriated money from these dark pots of Pentagon cash. President Trump defiantly also spent money illegally on the Wall and for other purposes.
At every juncture, one powerful group knows what’s going on. Commercial corporate lawyers and other influence peddlers operate inside the budget process and push for their demands of special budget favors and secretly insert loophole legislative language. The people back home are often clueless about this subterfuge and become cynical because they feel powerless about what is being done with their money.
More and more of these huge expenditures are not being paid for by tax revenues. They are being added to burgeoning deficits on our children and grandchildren. This form of “child abuse” lets billionaires pay only an average of 8 percent in federal taxes and giant profitable companies pay less or no federal income taxes at all. That is one reason the super-rich liked Trump.
With a $5.3 trillion federal budget, it is important to separate the so-called “discretionary” operating budget – to run the government – from the “non-discretionary” social insurance budget, for programs such as Social Security and Medicare.
It is the operating budgets which are sloshing around billions of dollars without public review, without strict standards and proper oversight by Congress – except for the oft-ignored reports of the congressional Government Accountability Office (GAO). Increasingly, the public budget is under the allocative powers of federal bureaucrats who are besieged by corporate lobbyists.
In 1990 Congress made an attempt to require annual auditable budgets from each government department. Only the biggest operating budget by far – that of the Pentagon – has violated this requirement every year, despite promises by U.S. Secretaries of Defense to comply. It has not sent an auditable budget because no one knows where all the DOD money goes. Budget watchdogs, however, do know that much of the DOD budget is spread all over the world with warehouses of uninventoried supplies, cargo planes of $100 bills to grease or bribe influentials, and to pay for staggering overcharges by the insatiable military munitions manufacturers and other contractors.
In the midst of all these Niagaras of budgeted money, there are very few citizen groups investigating, monitoring and pressing Congress to represent the public interest. The closest are the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, which is mostly an excellent think tank critically analyzing budget allocations for domestic social service programs and the Project on Government Oversight (POGO), a nonprofit organization that investigates and exposes government waste.
One Hundred Million dollars a year could unleash legions of lawyers, accountants and other knowledgeable people, who worked inside government, to challenge the status quo and the excesses of the executive branch agencies. The low-hanging fruit is truly everywhere and available for plucking. The structural budget process failures would require broad overhaul legislation to wake up Congress and hold its members electorally accountable.
People back home aren’t receiving the outrageous facts. Remember how shaken the Pentagon was when it was caught paying $435 for a simple claw hammer that its corporate vendor brazenly described as a “uni-directional impact generator.” Public outrage fueled by exposes reaching the citizenry could be organized to turn around members of Congress.
Unfortunately, spurts of indignation can only be converted into a grassroots movement by (polls show) left/right alliances of Americans joining together against combinations of unfettered waste, greed and power, which suck away huge revenues that could be used to rebuild America. With organizers in each of the 435 Congressional Districts assembling small (say 500 people in each District) who are informed and determined real change will come about.
From all angles, the obscured federal budget is broken, pillaged and suffused with grotesque, often criminal payments. Taking on such indefensible violations of the public trust by skilled civic action would fill the near vacuum existing today. There is not one fulltime individual citizen pressing for an auditable Pentagon budget, as required by law. Against such widespread inaction, there is nowhere to go but up!
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https://www.eurasiareview.com/01042022-ralph-nader-going-for-big-watch-on-big-budgets-oped/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:37Z
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NBN Co said it had received 250 orders that will trigger upgrades from fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) to fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) in the first week of the ‘N2P’ upgrade program being live.
The network operator opened the long-awaited program on March 22 and named an initial set of retail service providers (RSPs) that users could place orders with.
To qualify for a full-fibre connection, users must order a higher-speed plan than they have today of at least 100Mbps, and keep it for at least a year.
Chief customer officer Brad Whitcomb told a budget estimates hearing on Thursday night that the pool of eligible premises so far is 53,000, with a total of 350 orders placed.
Of those orders, 100 came through the company’s business readiness testing (BRT) and now had fibre.
Whitcomb said the remaining 250 orders had been placed “since the commercial launch” of the upgrade program.
“I think next week will be when we start connecting those customers,” he said.
It wasn't clear how many upgrade offers had been extended to the 53,000 eligible premises.
As iTnews has reported, users can either sign up with NBN Co directly to be notified of their eligibility, or wait for outreach from a participating RSP.
The list of participating RSPs has also expanded, with Optus notably joining the program.
Much of the estimates hearing last night was focused on whether NBN Co executives and staff understood caretaker conventions that come into play once a federal election is called.
One of the company’s executives breached the conventions in 2016 by writing and publishing an op-ed in a major newspaper.
Labor senators sought assurances that NBN staff had been trained in the conventions, and that NBN Co - and specifically its upgrade projects - wouldn’t be weaponised by the current government for political gain during an upcoming election campaign.
NBN Co Stephen Rue said the company had started training its staff in September last year and had also set up an internal multi-disciplinary caretaker review group to “manage the company through the caretaker period.”
“This is a board-approved process,” Rue said.
Rue said that the company had timed the start of planned upgrade works from fibre-to-the-curb (FTTC) to FTTP to occur after the election.
He also said he had pulled out of speaking engagements. He added the government had not asked NBN Co to appear alongside ministers for any announcements or community events.
Rue said the company could feasibly announce another 100,000 premises to join the N2P program, but he said the timing of the announcement would depend on the election, so as to avoid breaking the caretaker rules.
Both major political parties have made NBN upgrades an election issue, with Labor offering to take the N2P upgrade program deeper into FTTN communities.
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https://www.itnews.com.au/news/nbn-co-gets-250-orders-in-first-week-of-fttn-p-upgrades-being-offered-578161?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=iTnews+
| 2022-04-01T00:40:36Z
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HubSpot, Inc. (NYSE:HUBS – Get Rating) was the target of a large drop in short interest during the month of March. As of March 15th, there was short interest totalling 1,810,000 shares, a drop of 22.6% from the February 28th total of 2,340,000 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 814,600 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.2 days. Currently, 4.0% of the shares of the company are short sold.
HUBS stock traded down $30.58 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $474.94. The stock had a trading volume of 620,197 shares, compared to its average volume of 851,206. The firm has a market cap of $22.44 billion, a P/E ratio of -284.40 and a beta of 1.67. The company has a current ratio of 2.35, a quick ratio of 2.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44. HubSpot has a 1-year low of $378.88 and a 1-year high of $866.00. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $479.55 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $629.33.
HubSpot (NYSE:HUBS – Get Rating) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 10th. The software maker reported $0.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.53 by $0.05. HubSpot had a negative net margin of 5.98% and a negative return on equity of 7.63%. The business had revenue of $369.31 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $357.52 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned ($0.19) earnings per share. HubSpot’s revenue for the quarter was up 46.5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts anticipate that HubSpot will post -2.7 EPS for the current year.
A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of HUBS. PYA Waltman Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of HubSpot during the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Winch Advisory Services LLC increased its position in shares of HubSpot by 86.4% during the third quarter. Winch Advisory Services LLC now owns 41 shares of the software maker’s stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 19 shares in the last quarter. Glassman Wealth Services increased its position in shares of HubSpot by 141.2% during the fourth quarter. Glassman Wealth Services now owns 41 shares of the software maker’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 24 shares in the last quarter. Confluence Wealth Services Inc. bought a new stake in shares of HubSpot during the fourth quarter worth about $30,000. Finally, Covestor Ltd bought a new stake in shares of HubSpot during the fourth quarter worth about $51,000. 93.34% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Several research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Barclays lowered their target price on shares of HubSpot from $800.00 to $550.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 27th. UBS Group lowered their target price on shares of HubSpot from $845.00 to $675.00 in a report on Monday, February 14th. TheStreet cut shares of HubSpot from a “c” rating to a “d+” rating in a report on Friday, February 11th. Raymond James decreased their price objective on shares of HubSpot from $900.00 to $700.00 and set a “strong-buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 11th. Finally, Cowen raised shares of HubSpot from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $600.00 to $750.00 in a research note on Friday, February 11th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-one have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $739.04.
HubSpot Company Profile (Get Rating)
HubSpot, Inc develops Internet marketing software solutions. The firm operates through the following geographical segments: Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific. The company was founded by Brian Patrick Halligan and Dharmesh Shah on April 4, 2005, and is headquartered in Cambridge, MA.
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https://www.americanbankingnews.com/2022/03/31/hubspot-inc-nysehubs-short-interest-down-22-6-in-march.html
| 2022-04-01T00:40:37Z
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Facebook resorts to old smear tactics against TikTok
(AP) - Eleven years ago, Facebook was caught red-handed after it hired a prominent public relations firm to try to plant stories harshly criticizing Google’s privacy practices in leading news outlets.
In 2018, it hired the PR firm Definers to do opposition research on the company’s critics, including billionaire philanthropist George Soros. The company’s longtime head of communications, Elliot Schrage, took the blame for approving the hiring of Definers and similar firms and left Facebook.
On Wednesday, The Washington Post reported that Meta, Facebook’s parent company, is using similar tactics to go after another rival TikTok. Meta, the Post reported, hired a Republican consulting firm called Targeted Victory to “orchestrate a nationwide campaign” against TikTok.
Targeted Victory, according to the Post, contracted with dozens of public relations firms across the U.S. to help “sway public opinion against TikTok” by planting local news stories and helping place op-eds targeting TikTok around the country, the story says.
Meta confirmed that it has hired Targeted Victory.
“We believe all platforms, including TikTok, should face a level of scrutiny consistent with their growing success,” spokesman Andy Stone said in a statement.
Zac Moffatt, the CEO of Targeted Victory, said the company “manages bipartisan teams on behalf of our clients.”
“It is public knowledge we have worked with Meta for several years and we are proud of the work we have done,” he said in a statement.
The Post obtained internal emails from Targeted Victory that outlined a campaign to undermine TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. The firm used a mix of “genuine concerns and unfounded anxieties” about TikTok in order to try to turn public and political sentiment against it.
According to the report, Targeted Victory was also working to get “proactive coverage” about Facebook into local media, including “submitting letters and opinion pieces speaking glowingly of Facebook’s role in, for instance, supporting Black-owned businesses.”
“We are deeply concerned that the stoking of local media reports on alleged trends that have not been found on the platform could cause real world harm,” TikTok said in an emailed statement.
___
This story has been corrected to show that the report was Wednesday, not Tuesday.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kswo.com/2022/03/30/facebook-resorts-old-smear-tactics-against-tiktok/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:35Z
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Oscars producer says police offered to arrest Will Smith
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Oscars producer Will Packer said Los Angeles police were ready to arrest Will Smith after Smith slapped Chris Rock on the Academy Awards stage.
“They were saying, you know, this is battery, was a word they used in that moment,” Packer said in a clip released by ABC News Thursday night of an interview he gave to “Good Morning America.” “They said we will go get him. We are prepared. We’re prepared to get him right now. You can press charges, we can arrest him. They were laying out the options.”
But Packer said Rock was “very dismissive” of the idea.
“He was like, ‘No, no, no, I’m fine,” Packer said. “And even to the point where I said, ‘Rock, let them finish.’ The LAPD officers finished laying out what his options were and they said, ‘Would you like us to take any action?’ And he said no.”
The LAPD said in a statement after Sunday night’s ceremony that they were aware of the incident, and that Rock had declined to file a police report. The department declined comment Thursday on Packer’s interview, a longer version of which will air on Friday morning.
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences met Wednesday to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Smith for violations against the group’s standards of conduct. Smith could be suspended, expelled or otherwise sanctioned.
The academy said in a statement that “Mr. Smith’s actions at the 94th Oscars were a deeply shocking, traumatic event to witness in-person and on television.”
Without giving specifics, the academy said Smith was asked to leave the ceremony at the Dolby Theatre, but refused to do so.
Smith strode from his front row seat on to the stage and slapped Rock after a joke Rock made about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, when he was on stage to present the Oscar for best documentary.
On Monday, Smith issued an apology to Rock, the academy and to viewers, saying “I was out of line and I was wrong.”
The academy said Smith has the opportunity to defend himself in a written response before the board meets again on April 18.
Rock publicly addressed the incident for the first time, but only briefly, at the beginning of a standup show Wednesday night in Boston, where he was greeted by a thunderous standing ovation. He said “I’m still kind of processing what happened.”
___
Follow AP Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton on Twitter: https://twitter.com/andyjamesdalton
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.waff.com/2022/04/01/oscars-producer-says-police-offered-arrest-will-smith/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:37Z
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Last night, Singapore permanent resident Kartina Hashim and her husband turned up at Woodlands some two hours before the borders reopened at the stroke of midnight, all eager to travel to Johor Bahru to visit their family.
"I'm super excited. I can't wait to see my family. I don't know how to describe this feeling, but I think I'll cry after reaching home," said this 41-year-old in an interview with AsiaOne.
By 10.50pm, more than 200 people, mainly Malaysians, were waiting patiently at Woodlands and hoping to beat the infamous congestion, reported the Straits Times.
For this couple, being kiasu (meaning afraid to lose in Hokkien) and doing some pre-planning certainly helped - once the borders reopened, it took them just 15 minutes to reach their destination, after clearing immigration and customs at both sides of the Causeway.
"I wasn't expecting it, but I'm very happy and satisfied with how smooth it was," she said, adding that tucking into a plate of prata for supper is next on the agenda.
The last time this administrative executive was in Malaysia was back in March 2020 when she returned home briefly to take care of her sick father.
He died in December that year but Kartina was unable to make that journey to Malaysia as borders between the two countries had closed.
Today, she can finally return to her hometown, this time to pay respects at his grave.
From today, travellers like Kartina who are fully vaccinated can finally move freely between the two countries by land without testing or quarantine, a step-up from previous arrangements where only about 4,000 people were allowed to travel on designated vaccinated travel lane (VTL) buses daily.
Prior to Covid-19 times, some 415,000 people crossed the Woodlands Causeway and Tuas Second Link daily, according to the Straits Times.
Although Kartina had expected traffic to be abysmal at the Causeway today, the thought of postponing the trip to another day was simply out of the question.
"Since when is there no traffic jam on the Causeway? I'm already mentally and physically prepared for the worst," Kartina had said a day earlier, before making the journey to Woodlands last night.
Once back in Malaysia, she plans to stay there over the weekend but hasn't decided when she'll return to Singapore yet.
For many commuters like her, the reopening of the borders (video above), including the Woodlands Causeway, will mean braving Asia's busiest land crossing once again.
Strangely enough, Kartina fondly reminisces being stuck on this land border, traffic jam and all.
"I actually miss the feeling of rushing to avoid a traffic jam", she said, adding that she hopes to shuttle daily between Singapore and Malaysia – like how it was before the Covid-19 pandemic.
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https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/land-border-reopens-today-woman-saw-father-alive-2-years-ago-returns-causeway-malaysia
| 2022-04-01T00:40:37Z
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The Colombia selection was eliminated from world cup qatar 2022 and the reactions have not been long in coming from various football personalities.
One of the most anticipated opinions was that of the ‘Kid’ Valderrama, who regretted that Colombia could not go to its third World Cup date in a row.
See also: Unusual! Although Colombia was left out, Jesurún is already in Qatar for the draw
“Thanks for the two World Cups in a row, guys. This continues, this is football, but the miracle did not happen. Let’s go forward”, said the ‘Pibe’ on YouTube.
Valderrama, in fact, said goodbye to the generation led by players like James Rodríguez and Falcao García, who very surely faced their last challenges with the tricolor team.
You may be interested in: “I don’t know if he is there or not”: James vents, leaves his return to the National Team in the air
“Colombia beat Venezuela in that country after 26 years. 1-0 with a goal from James Rodríguez. So far we got, these were not our qualifiers. We are left without a world cup. Until next time guys”, he added.
The Colombian national team, through the Federation, could announce the departure of coach Reinaldo Rueda in the coming days.
According to what Antena 2 learned, the coach ended his contract with the coffee growers, being eliminated from Qatar 2022.
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https://d1softballnews.com/colombia-national-team-pibe-liquidated-james-and-falcao-after-elimination/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:38Z
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SILVER CREEK, N.Y. (WIVB) – Children from kindergarten to second grade were locked in what’s been described as an “isolation room” at an elementary school outside Buffalo, New York, a district administrator wrote in a letter to the school board earlier this week.
The letter states that at least five students at Silver Creek Elementary School, including a kindergartner, have been “inhumanely and illegally locked or barricaded in an isolation cell.”
“I have been fighting all year to keep children out of the isolation cell,” wrote Jay Hall, the assistant director of elementary programming on Monday.
Hall described the room as a “cold, cinder block jail-like cell,” and said, “It should never, even for one second, be used in any capacity to redirect or punish any child at any time.”
“Children as young as 5 years old are being blockaded and locked in the isolation cell, kicking the door, pounding on glass with their fists, banging their heads, crying profusely, pleading to be freed, all with complicit staff members standing by and watching,” Hall said.
Parents got wind of the letter and started posting complaints on Facebook this week. “You better pray we never find out that our son has ever been put in one of these so called cells!!” wrote one parent.
On Wednesday, the school district issued a statement, saying in part:
“The District is aware that this morning there were concerns raised on social media pertaining to our Elementary School. The District’s most important priority is the safety and security of all District students and staff. We take any concerns and allegations regarding student safety and their wellbeing as the top priority.”
The district said a law firm, which also acts as counsel for the school board, is investigating the allegations. Superintendent Todd A. Crandall said he hopes to have a report by the end of the week.
Kerry Vasquezmarte, a district parent, said the concerns aren’t new. She said her special-needs daughter was locked in a room several times as a pre-K student at the elementary school. She said a classmate witnessed her daughter being dragged by her arms through a hallway.
Vasquezmarte said her daughter cried when she confronted her about the incident and still has nightmares. She said she met with a teacher and Superintendent Crandall over a year ago to discuss the isolation techniques.
“And all he did was blame my child during the meeting,” Vasquezmarte said. “And I said numerous times to get my child, I was taking her home, she’s not being locked in a room. It took me threatening him for him to finally radio down to wherever to retrieve my kid.”
Vasquezmarte said she eventually pulled her child out of pre-K and homeschooled her during the kindergarten year. Her daughter is back at the elementary school for first grade with a “fantastic” teacher, Vasquezmarte said.
“I was only made aware of any concern on Friday, March 18,” Crandall said. “I can’t comment on something from years ago.”
Crandall said the law firm had an attorney on site Wednesday to conduct interviews. The attorney was also on school district property Thursday.
“We are not about hiding anything or trying to cover up anything,” Crandall said. “Student and staff safety is paramount, and we look forward to hearing the results so that if need be we can address any protocol or procedures as needed.”
The New York State Department of Education says it could not confirm or deny that the state was looking into these claims. The Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office said it is not investigating the claims at the school because no one has made a formal complaint.
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https://www.8newsnow.com/news/elementary-students-locked-in-isolation-room-as-discipline-administrator-says/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:39Z
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Over 60 teams across different tertiary institutions in Nigeria will contest for honours in the 2022 Higher Institutions Football League (HiFL) which kicks off in April with team registration while the qualifiers begin in May. According to Pace Sports and Entertainment Marketing who are the organisers of the competition, this year’s edition promises to be “more than a game” with other exciting activities which have been concluded for this 5th edition of the games. Speaking at the international press conference to unveil programs for the 2022 edition, Dr Onyekachi Onubogu, Chairman, Higher Institutions Football League (HiFL) said preparations were in top gear to ensure that lovers of football in the country enjoy the best of collegiate football this season. Building on the successes recorded in previous seasons, Onubogu said the projection is to make HiFL the biggest tertiary institutions competition in Africa with the support of all relevant stakeholders.
Head of Brands and Marketing at Stanbic IBTC Mrs. Bridget Oyefeso-Odusami in her remark said: “This is the fourth year of our partnership with HiFL. We had committed to a partnership for five years after which it will be evaluated. It has been interesting and we are still committed to the course to which we said we will. HiFL has done a great job so far. We realise that some of the teams that participated in the last edition of HiFL won most of the medals at this year’s NUGA games.”
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https://www.newtelegraphng.com/60-teams-jostle-for-honours-as-hifl-2022-kicks-off-this-month/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:39Z
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By Jordan Baker
In the past two years, Walgett Community College incident log has recorded almost 50 cases of violence at the school, ranging from student brawls and threats involving weapons to assaults on teachers. Police were notified or called almost 15 times and, on a handful of occasions, lockdown procedures were activated.
“Numerous students displayed aggressive and threatening behaviour on school grounds and a lockdown was implemented,” the log says of an incident in term one last year, in which police were called.
Another incident involved students breaking into a classroom and distributing the equipment, says the log, released under freedom of information laws. On another occasion, some students lit a fire, causing minor property damage. There were multiple fights between students that teachers tried to handle, but in some cases called police for support.
One time, six students approached a student who was leaving with their parent. “[They] assaulted the student,” it said.
Violence has become a fixture of Walgett High. There are deep disagreements over what to do about it; the elders say the students need more help for their disability and trauma and want police kept out, but others say the environment has become dangerous for both students and teachers.
It is not a new problem. Almost 10 years ago, then Education Minister Adrian Piccoli denounced the government’s neglect of Walgett, and rural schools like it, where most students are indigenous. He said Walgett Community College’s ruinous buildings made it the worst school in the state. “I think it is true to say that we as a community have treated Aboriginal people like rubbish.”
To turn the school around, the NSW government gave its buildings a $9 million makeover. It created a new governance structure - known as Connected Communities - to give parents and local leaders a greater voice in decisions made not only by Walgett Community College, but 15 schools with similarly high numbers of Indigenous children in other parts of the state. The department lured former Asquith high principal, Richard Rule, out of retirement to lead the new-look school.
More money, including Gonski funding, flowed over the next few years and gave Walgett the highest per capita funding of any school in the state. In 2020 - the most recent figures available - it received more than $44,500 for each student from state and federal governments.
None of it seems to have helped.
The high school now has its 31st principal in 24 years. Its attendance rate has been trending downwards from a low base since 2011. Last year it was 43.3 per cent, which was slightly higher than the year before, but far lower than the average across the state (90.7 per cent) or statistically similar schools (76.7 per cent), the freedom of information documents show. Just five of 151 students attended school more than 90 per cent of the time, compared with 31 per cent in similar schools.
In the five years to 2018, the average yearly staff turnover was 50 per cent. Potential recruits were deterred by the geographical isolation and the violence. Two female teachers have been on long-term leave due to severe injuries sustained while being assaulted by female students on school grounds, multiple sources say, and staff members have been hit, spat upon and had their cars damaged.
The turnover and vacancies mean, among other things, that there’s little educational continuity in a school where it’s particularly important. NAPLAN results show many of the students struggle with the basic skills they will need to function in society; the average year 9 score was below minimum standard in every subject but spelling and numeracy. In writing, the average year 9 student was functioning at year 3 level.
Some local families do not want to send their children there. They say they don’t learn, and the conflict makes them anxious.
Kathryn Sharpley’s daughter Caroline Ashby, who is 12, finds the work too easy - her mother says it’s often at year 5 level - and doesn’t like the violence. “Some days she doesn’t want to go, because of all the fights around the school,” her mother says. “She loves maths, it’s her favourite subject. Going there, they’re making her take a step back. I tell her, being Aboriginal doesn’t mean you can’t get somewhere in life.”
Mrs Sharpley could send Caroline to Queensland to live with relatives, or to a school in the nearby town of Lightning Ridge. “I’d prefer her to be close to us, than move a long way,” she says.
Local mother Rebecca Trindall has organised a daily bus to Lightning Ridge, which is about 45 minutes away, and is lobbying for Walgett children to be given automatic access to that school rather than having to lodge out of area applications. “Each year, families are forced to relocate from Walgett or send children away to simply be educated as there are no options available to them locally outside of Walgett Community College.”
One ongoing issue has been tension between principals and community leaders. Richard Rule, the principal installed as part of Dr Piccoli’s makeover, lasted two years. He says he came under pressure from the school reference group - community members who help make school decisions - to leave. Few principals since have lasted much longer.
“[They] were of the belief I was not running the school in the spirit of Connected Communities,” he says. “In Walgett’s case, the model just didn’t work. I wanted a well-run school where children stayed in the classroom and had a teacher in front of them and actually learned something in a stable environment.
“That did not seem to satisfy the reference group, who seemed to want some sort of cultural revolution in their school that was never going to happen while the school was unstable, with violence and teachers under threat.”
The Dharriwaa Elders lay the blame for continued dysfunction with the NSW Department of Education, which “continues to fail to provide what’s needed for Walgett students to succeed at school,” they said in a statement published on their website after the Herald requested an interview. They say they are being denied figures on suspension by Aboriginality, which, they say, means NSW Education wants to hide the link between school suspensions and a lack of support for disability and trauma.
They want the school to stop calling police “as their first response to behaviour incidents”, and say officers should be banned from bringing guns onto the school site. “Recently there was an escalation when five police cars attended the high school to arrest a young teenage girl,” their statement says. “ Walgett school leadership must train their staff to de-escalate behaviours in our young people and decommission their hotline to police. The criminalising of our young people when they aren’t well has to stop.
“We conclude that Walgett schools are not culturally or physically safe.”
Piccoli acknowledges the conflicting expectations of school staff and the community. “When incidents occur at school, and the school takes the disciplinary action it would take at any other school, sometimes the community doesn’t respond well to that,” he says. “Walgett is a very unique place. So it has to be a unique school.
“For example, having police - the community didn’t like that. They don’t want it to be seen as a justice precinct. It’s got to be an education precinct. And they’re right, but you have to be able to guarantee staff safety as well.”
The Connected Communities program was supposed to build bridges between schools and the community. The NSW Department of Education evaluated the program a few years ago, and its findings were ambivalent. On the plus side, most of the 15 schools were successfully introducing local Aboriginal language programs, and attempting to incorporate Aboriginal content into their curriculum.
However, the role of School Reference Groups lacked clarity, it says, and there was uncertainty - “and in some cases tension” - around their role in decision-making. The strategy has also, as yet, had little impact on academic outcomes or attendance at the secondary level. Attendance has gone backwards, and schools were still struggling to engage parents in students’ education. The NSW Department of Education has nevertheless expanded the number of schools involved in the program from the original 15 to 31.
Mark Banasiak is an upper house MP representing the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, and is also a former teacher. He has taken a particular interest in Walgett, and worries about the students. “People need to be held accountable for these failures to deliver,” he says.
“I’m turning my attention to people higher up, past the executive principal, who are supposed to be supporting the school. Until you address that core issue about why some elements of the community are not coming along with the school’s plan, you are never going to achieve the change you need. The tragedy is it’s the kids that suffer the most. Education should be a circuit breaker in this community, and a way for the community to grow and prosper, and at the moment that’s not happening.”
Asked about the issue in parliament, Education Minister Sarah Mitchell acknowledged there was more to do. “Part of it is the work we need to do to make sure that our staff feel supported, that they feel empowered and that we work not just with the school but also with the whole of the community,” she says.
“We know that some entrenched issues in the Walgett community have existed for years. These are things that multiple government agencies are working on together, and they will continue to do so.”
Mr Rule is sceptical about the whole-of-government approach. “I went to some of those meetings and there was a lot of rhetoric,” he says. “I don’t think I saw in the school one positive outcome from any of the state and federal agencies.”
The NSW Department of Education refused the Herald’s request to interview the school’s principal, who, some say, has brought relative stability in the past 11 months. It gave a statement saying that the Department of Regional NSW was working with community leaders to improve youth education, vocational training, employment and social outcomes.
There’s no easy solution for Walgett, says Piccoli. “There are deep social and historical issues there, that are difficult to change,” he says. Inter-agency collaboration was important, but often did not involve people senior enough to cut through the bureaucracy.
“If I had five minutes to talk to [Secretary of the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet] Michael Coutts-Trotter, I would say, ‘we need a minister for Walgett, or a deputy secretary’. It’s very hard to change human behaviour, but we can certainly provide the fundamentals and basics that most people take for granted ... that we haven’t got right there.
“The bottom line is you can never give up. You have to keep getting the best support you can there.”
The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here.
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https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/nsw/violence-is-disrupting-learning-at-walgett-high-no-one-knows-what-to-do-about-it-20220330-p5a9gf.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_national
| 2022-04-01T00:40:39Z
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HERBAL MORINGARI: FIGHT DIEBETEC MOUSTACI: A MOROK COFFEE FOR COTILLICA CARILOI DECOYING FOR BURKE B. FARLOW; NMZ, ESSOUZUZ : UN PROTéGOI : A BON PETEN\n“FARCY, RADA. REDITE! … IL FAULT BL Today's mortgage rates: 30-, 20-year rates slip, shorter repayment terms hold steady | March 31, 2022
Our goal here at Credible Operations, Inc., NMLS Number 1681276, referred to as "Credible" below, is to give you the tools and confidence you need to improve your finances. Although we do promote products from our partner lenders, all opinions are our own.
Check out the mortgage rates for March 31, 2022, which are mixed from yesterday. (Credible)
Based on data compiled by Credible, mortgage refinance rates have fallen since yesterday, except for 10-year rates, which held steady.
- 30-year fixed-rate refinance: 4.625%, down from 4.875%, -0.250
- 20-year fixed-rate refinance: 4.500%, down from 4.750%, -0.250
- 15-year fixed-rate refinance: 3.875%, down from 4.000%, -0.125
- 10-year fixed-rate refinance: 3.750%, unchanged
Rates last updated on March 31, 2022. These rates are based on the assumptions shown here. Actual rates may vary. With 5,000 reviews, Credible maintains an "excellent" Trustpilot score.
What this means: Refinance rates edged down across three key terms today, but with a spike in rates in recent weeks, 30- and 20-year terms are still at or above 4.5%. Mortgage refinance rates can fluctuate from day to day, so homeowners may want to act today to lock in a lower rate ahead of future increases.
Today’s mortgage rates for home purchases
Based on data compiled by Credible, mortgage rates for home purchases have fallen for two key rates since yesterday, while two other key rates remained unchanged.
- 30-year fixed mortgage rates: 4.750%, down from 4.875%, -0.125
- 20-year fixed mortgage rates: 4.500%, down from 4.750%, -0.250
- 15-year fixed mortgage rates: 3.875%, unchanged
- 10-year fixed mortgage rates: 3.750%, unchanged
Rates last updated on March 31, 2022. These rates are based on the assumptions shown here. Actual rates may vary. Credible, a personal finance marketplace, has 5,000 Trustpilot reviews with an average star rating of 4.7 (out of a possible 5.0).
What this means: Although 30-year rates slipped overnight, this popular repayment term is still sitting near 5%. Buyers seeking a balance of a lower rate and lower monthly mortgage payment may look to 20-year rates, which are the lowest they’ve been in five days.
To find great mortgage rates, start by using Credible’s secured website, which can show you current mortgage rates from multiple lenders without affecting your credit score. You can also use Credible’s mortgage calculator to estimate your monthly mortgage payments.
How mortgage rates have changed over time
Today’s mortgage interest rates are well below the highest annual average rate recorded by Freddie Mac — 16.63% in 1981. A year before the COVID-19 pandemic upended economies across the world, the average interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage for 2019 was 3.94%. The average rate for 2021 was 2.96%, the lowest annual average in 30 years.
The historic drop in interest rates means homeowners who have mortgages from 2019 and older could potentially realize significant interest savings by refinancing with one of today’s lower interest rates. When considering a mortgage or refinance, it’s important to take into account closing costs such as appraisal, application, origination and attorney’s fees. These factors, in addition to the interest rate and loan amount, all contribute to the cost of a mortgage.
Are you looking to buy a home? Credible can help you compare current rates from multiple mortgage lenders at once in just a few minutes. Use Credible’s online tools to compare rates and get prequalified today.
Thousands of Trustpilot reviewers rate Credible "excellent."
How Credible mortgage rates are calculated
Changing economic conditions, central bank policy decisions, investor sentiment, and other factors influence the movement of mortgage rates. Credible average mortgage rates and mortgage refinance rates reported in this article are calculated based on information provided by partner lenders who pay compensation to Credible.
The rates assume a borrower has a 740 credit score and is borrowing a conventional loan for a single-family home that will be their primary residence. The rates also assume no (or very low) discount points and a down payment of 20%.
Credible mortgage rates reported here will only give you an idea of current average rates. The rate you actually receive can vary based on a number of factors.
Fixed vs. adjustable-rate mortgages: How they affect interest costs
Interest rates for fixed-rate mortgages don’t change over the life of the loan, but tend to be higher than the initial interest rate for adjustable rate mortgages, or ARMs.
Initial interest rates for ARMs are typically lower than fixed-rate mortgages. But after the end of an introductory period, your interest rate will change — and it could increase significantly. Introductory periods can vary from several months to a year or a few years. After the introductory period, your interest rate will be based on an index your lender specifies. ARMs may or may not cap how much your interest rate can increase.
If you’re trying to find the right mortgage rate, consider using Credible. You can use Credible's free online tool to easily compare multiple lenders and see prequalified rates in just a few minutes.
Have a finance-related question, but don't know who to ask? Email The Credible Money Expert at moneyexpert@credible.com and your question might be answered by Credible in our Money Expert column.
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As a Credible authority on mortgages and personal finance, Chris Jennings has covered topics that include mortgage loans, mortgage refinancing, and more. He’s been an editor and editorial assistant in the online personal finance space for four years. His work has been featured by MSN, AOL, Yahoo Finance, and more.
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https://www.fox9.com/money/todays-mortgage-rates-march-31-2022
| 2022-04-01T00:40:40Z
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CBD Salve
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About this product
Our CBD Salve is straight farm to body. This salve is an amazing topical rub that has multiple uses. You can use this for muscle or joint pain and skin rashes. Our Classic CBD salve is made from a cold pressed hemp oil that offers a truly full spectrum hemp salve. This topical salve great for relieving muscle soreness, joint pain, bug bites, dry skin and is anti inflammatory.
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Lancashire Hemp
Our small hemp farm is located in Lancaster, Pa. From the beginning we wanted to be able to care for each plant individually so we decided to start with a 1,000 square foot greenhouse and a small field plot.
We believe that the best things come naturally from the Earth so we don’t use any pesticides or herbicides on our farm. It is very important for us that as we cultivate our hemp we also take care of the land.
Each plant was watered daily and given the best nutrients possible to ensure that we grew the highest quality hemp around.
Our farm has a rich Lancaster soil that is perfect for growing hemp. Lancaster County is known for it's produce and dairy because of the great land in the area. We are happy to be a part of bringing hemp back to Lancaster.
We believe that the best things come naturally from the Earth so we don’t use any pesticides or herbicides on our farm. It is very important for us that as we cultivate our hemp we also take care of the land.
Each plant was watered daily and given the best nutrients possible to ensure that we grew the highest quality hemp around.
Our farm has a rich Lancaster soil that is perfect for growing hemp. Lancaster County is known for it's produce and dairy because of the great land in the area. We are happy to be a part of bringing hemp back to Lancaster.
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https://www.leafly.com/brands/lancashire-hemp/products/lancashire-hemp-cbd-salve
| 2022-04-01T00:40:39Z
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A Sessho-seki, or “killing stone,” was found cracked in half this month in Nikko National Park, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of Tokyo.
No one knows exactly what caused the stone to crack, but the cold winter months could have contributed to the cracking, said Nick Kapur, an associate professor of history at Rutgers University in Camden, New Jersey.
Each winter, water could have seeped into the crack, frozen, then expanded, he said. However, many look for guidance from the myth, he added.
There are multiple versions of the legend, but it was believed Tamamo-no-Mae, a nine-tailed fox spirit, lay trapped in the rock for nearly 900 years.
The tales all center around retired Emperor Toba, who reigned in Japan
from 1107 to 1123.
Tamamo-no-Mae was known for her shape-shifting abilities, so she transformed herself into a beautiful woman and caught the eye of the emperor, Kapur said.
As she grew closer to the emperor, he fell gravely ill, Kapur said. A court astrologer used divination to determine Tamamo-no-Mae was the culprit, he said.
Once her plan was foiled, she fled into the wilderness, changing shapes to try and stay hidden, he said. However, samurai sent after her eventually caught up to the fox spirit, Kapur said.
When one of the warriors shot her with an arrow, her physical form was killed, so her spirit transformed into a stone, he said.
Legend goes that if you touch the stone, you die, hence the name killing stone, Kapur said.
There is no proof of the stone’s supernatural abilities, but its unique location may have given substance to the rumors, said Yoshiko Okuyama, professor of Japanese studies at the University of Hawai?i at Hilo.
The stone is
near multiple volcanoes, so occasional gases that were released may have killed some animals or humans over the years, she said.
A spirit with a change of heart
The rock has become a top tourism site and skyrocketed in popularity, but it paled in comparison to the spirit’s fame, Okuyama said.
The fox spirit has made numerous appearances in modern Japanese media, often as the villain-turned-hero character, she said.
“More recent adaptations in manga and anime don’t want to portray women in a misogynistic way,” Okuyama said.
In older Japanese myths, the stories centered around evil female spirits out to undermine the power of males, Kapur said.
An omen for our time
After the stone cracked, people were quick to chime in on the timing of the breakage.
Many took the event as a bad omen, considering the pandemic and the war between Ukraine and Russia, Kapur said.
Others believed it was a good omen, saying she was released to stop Russian President Vladimir Putin and the war on Ukraine, he said.
“If you’re in the mood to take this negatively, you certainly can, but if you want to take a positive spin on it, maybe this fox spirit is going to help us out in our time of need,” Kapur said.
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https://bahamasspectator.com/a-japanese-killing-stone-said-to-contain-an-evil-9-tailed-fox-spirit-has-split-in-two/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:39Z
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Arizona governor won’t say transgender people exist
By BOB CHRISTIE
Associated Press
PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey is refusing to say if he thinks transgender people actually exist. At a news conference Thursday, he twice dodged that exact question just a day after signing legislation limiting transgender rights. The Republican instead defended his signatures on bills barring transgender girls and women from playing on girls high school and women’s college sports teams and barring gender-affirming surgery for anyone under age 18. The Arizona director for the Human Rights Campaign says Ducey’s refusal to acknowledge trans people exist is “appalling.” The bills passed the Republican-controlled Legislature with no support from minority Democrats.
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https://kion546.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/03/31/arizona-governor-wont-say-transgender-people-exist-2/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:40Z
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David Price waiting to see how Dodgers will deploy his arm
By NORM FRAUENHEIM
Associated Press
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Dodgers’ left-handed pitcher David Price isn’t quite sure what role he’ll play this season. The 36-year-old is a five-time All-Star. He reached 93 miles per hour in a one-inning appearance on Wednesday. Manager Dave Roberts believes Price could have an immediate role by pitching relief innings. But Roberts said Price is unlikely to start because he’s not “built up.” The Dodgers got Price in 2020 along with Mookie Betts from the Red Sox.
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https://kesq.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/03/31/david-price-waiting-to-see-how-dodgers-will-deploy-his-arm-2/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:40Z
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https://sportspyder.com/nfl/green-bay-packers/articles/39011817
| 2022-04-01T00:40:41Z
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Mar 30, 2022
Florida in $879 Opioid Settlement With CVS, Allergan and Teva
Bloomberg News
,(Bloomberg) -- CVS Health Corp., Allergan Ltd. and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd agreed to pay a combined $879 million to settle Florida’s claims that the companies contributed to the opioid crisis by improperly marketing painkillers in the state.
Teva and CVS announced the deal on Wednesday, saying the settlement – which will be paid out over a period as long as 18 years – will allow them to skip a trial next month. Other drug makers and pharmacy chains like Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. remain defendants in the case.
CVS, the largest U.S. pharmacy chain, will pay $484 million of the settlement. A Deutsche Bank analyst on Tuesday downgraded the pharmacy chain, saying its opioid exposure could be as much of a 2.5% overhang on the shares through 2024.
“Putting these claims behind us is in the best interest of all parties and helps sharpen our focus on delivering a personalized, connected health care experience for the millions of consumers who rely on us,” Thomas Moriarty, CVS’s general counsel, said in an emailed statement.
Teva said it will pay $177 million over 15 years and donate overdose-fighting drugs it valued at $84 million. “This settlement agreement is not an admission of any liability or wrongdoing, and the company will continue to defend itself in court in states where we have not reached terms of a settlement agreement,” Teva said in a statement.
Allergan, which was acquired in 2020 by AbbVie Inc., will pay $134 million over 10 years, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said in a statement Wednesday.
“Allergan previously made the decision to voluntarily discontinue its branded prescription opioid business, which had a minimal market share of less than 1% of nationwide prescriptions,” Frank Benenati, a spokesman for North Chicago, Illinois-based AbbVie, said in an emailed statement.
“The opioid epidemic is wreaking havoc on Florida families,” Moody said in her own statement Wednesday. “Since my first day in office, I have worked tirelessly to hold accountable those companies who helped start this crisis.”
More than a dozen companies involved in opioids -- including makers, distributors and pharmacies -- are facing almost 4,000 lawsuits filed by states, local governments and tribal leaders.
The suits seek compensation for billions of tax dollars spent battling the opioid epidemic, which has claimed more than 500,000 lives in the U.S. over the past 20 years. U.S. states, cities and counties have recovered more than $32 billion so far to beef up budgets for police, drug-treatment and other social-service needs.
One reason for the size of CVS’s Florida settlement is the chain’s history of problems with its monitoring of opioid prescriptions in the state. In 2015, CVS officials agreed to pay $22 million to settle a Justice Department suit alleging two of its stores in Sanford, Florida, filled opioid prescriptions that “had not been issued for legitimate medical purposes.” Moody’s lawyers could have used that settlement as part of the upcoming opioid trial.
The Florida case is State of Florida v. Purdue Pharma, No 2018-CA-001438, Florida Circuit Court for Pasco County.
(Updates with comment by AbbVie.)
©2022 Bloomberg L.P.
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https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/florida-in-879-opioid-settlement-with-cvs-allergan-and-teva-1.1745293
| 2022-04-01T00:40:40Z
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Rapper Waka Flock Flame openly addressed his split from his estranged wife Tammy Rivera for the first time publicly on a recent episode of TMZ’s It’s Tricky with Raquel Harper.
When asked about the status of his relationship with Tammy at the moment, the “Round of Applause” rapper said, “That’s my best friend. That’s my dog.”
“People want us to be fighting and hating but it’s like hell nah, we grown,” Waka said on the public fodder surrounding the couple’s split. “Like why is it that when people evolve for the better there has to be something attached to it that’s slimy as spit, you know what I’m saying?”
“It’s just disgusting,” the rapper expressed.
On whether he and Tammy might try to work out their differences, Waka avoided the question by asking if Raquel could move on to a different one.
As MADAMENOIRE’s readers may recall, the rapper deflected similarly when asked about the rumors surrounding the couple’s split that swirled last September.
Regardless, Waka remained positive when Raquel said she was still rooting for him and Tammy to reconcile.
The rapper said although he still needs some time before he has kids of his own — something he really looks forward to — his relationship with Tammy’s daughter Charlie is as strong as ever.
“The biggest blessing I’ve had in my life I always say is Charlie,” Waka said. “I got the blessing of raising another human being, especially a young woman.”
“And just seeing all the challenges that women go through — that s–t deep. That’s what actually made me feel like a role model and a hero, number one,” the rapper discussed the teenager’s impact on his life. “There’s nothing in the world Tammy could do to make me hate her, just for the fact [that she gave me] Charlie.”
After months of speculation, Tammy confirmed that she and Waka were ending their marriage of eight years recently on social media.
To read more details about the estranged couple’s new dynamic from her point of view, click here.
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https://madamenoire.com/1311466/waka-flocka-on-split-from-wife-tammy-rivera/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:41Z
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Nicole Gladu, advocate for medical aid in dying, dies of natural causes
Gladu won a ruling in Quebec Superior Court that removed the requirement of “imminent death” for a person to be eligible for doctor-assisted death.
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Nicole Gladu, who fought for years for the right to a medically assisted death, died on Sunday.
In 2019, Quebec Superior Court sided with Gladu, who had post-polio syndrome, along with Jean Truchon, a quadriplegic.
Several people close to Gladu confirmed her death to La Presse and Radio-Canada on Thursday.
According to the death notice, she died at the CHUM hospital on Sunday of natural causes, having never taken advantage of the medical aid in dying she fought for.
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“I want to salute the courage and determination of Nicole Gladu,” Federal Justice Minister David Lametti said on Twitter. “She made the entire country reflect on what suffering and dignity meant.”
Gladu and Truchon fought against a rule that required a person’s death be “imminent” before they become eligible for medical aid in dying.
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https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/nicole-gladu-advocate-for-medical-aid-in-dying-dies-of-natural-causes
| 2022-04-01T00:40:41Z
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Ricci Fuellas, 17, knows what it means to be a champion, but sports is so much more to her than hoisting the hardware. For the soon-to-be Tiyan High School Titans graduate, and budding, young tennis star, success is measured more by laughter and smiles than by crushing winners and racking up wins.
Heading into the 2022 Guam Department of Education Interscholastic Sports Association season All-Island Girls Singles championship match, everyone had been gunning for Fuellas. Since she had just navigated her way through the regular season undefeated and was named as the league’s most valuable player, she had the preverbal target on her back.
In the tournament’s opening round, Fuellas faced Laura Mupas, Okkodo High Schools No. 1 singles player. Fuellas had never played Mupas, and she was nervous. She wasn’t scared that her game wasn’t good enough, rather, she didn’t know if their personalities would mesh and if the match would be any fun.
After a brief warm-up period and a few games into the match, Fuellas figured out that Mupas was all business. So with that in mind, the Titan changed her focus and went to work, dropping her opponent 8-3.
“I was just doing what I do. I just played to play,” Fuellas said.
After the quarterfinals win, Fuellas was just two wins away from winning her first-ever singles championship. But standing in her way, first she had to get by John F. Kennedy High School Islanders Eternity Nishiyama - an opponent she had previously beaten but one who had greatly improved since their last encounter.
Although the day and the match belonged to Nishiyama, Fuellas’ 8-5 defeat wasn’t bitter. She had fun. And even though she had lost the last point, she was still smiling.
“To be honest, at the end of that game, I was expecting to be really sad or something,” Fuellas said. “I don't know why I was still smiling after the game ended.
“I'm pretty proud of myself. I’m satisfied with what I've achieved this year. It’s not something to beat myself up about.”
With a chance at her second-ever high school championship dashed, which didn’t weigh heavily or dampen her cheery outlook or even deflate her happy-go-lucky attitude, Fuellas turned her focus toward the third-place game. Although she was no longer playing for a title, her final high school clash would be against Falina Danieli, a fellow Titan who was just as determined as she to have as much as possible.
“Falina and I both had fun,” Fuellas said. “I think we were probably the loudest game there because all you could hear was us just laughing.”
After a one-hour smile and laughter-filled giggle-fest, Fuellas had beaten her friend 8-2.
“I wasn't really looking forward to challenging my own school because it’s gonna be a happy and a sad moment at the same time, because someone has to lose, someone has to win,” Fuellas said.
Fuellas told The Guam Daily Post that she is really proud of herself for doing as well as she had this season. After all, it had been her first-ever time playing singles.
“I'm really satisfied with what I've accomplished this year, being a senior and all - a good way to end my high school years,” she said.
Fuellas, looking back at her four-year tennis career, shared that her proudest moment came as a sophomore, where she and doubles partner Sakura Garrido teamed up to win All-Island.
Fuelles shared that playing doubles with Garrido was a fun experience.
“When I played doubles with Sakura, we would always converse during our games. It was more fun and more loud,” she said. “We only played to have a good time. We never played competitive competitively.
"I only ever played for fun.”
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https://www.postguam.com/sports/local/titans-ricci-fuellas-tennis-mvp-journey-was-all-about-the-fun/article_c43f3f48-b080-11ec-876b-9bd2df930dc7.html
| 2022-04-01T00:40:41Z
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SCRANTON, Pa. — Police in Scranton are investigating after two children reported being followed to school at Charles Sumner Elementary.
Authorities say a man approached a girl Tuesday morning near the intersection of Sweatland Street and North Bromley Avenue.
He told her he'd be back to follow her after school.
Another student was also allegedly followed this morning along Lafayette Street.
See news happening? Text our Newstip Hotline.
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https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/police-investigating-after-two-children-reportedly-followed-in-scranton-charles-sumner-elementary/523-fe963555-cb6d-43e8-bf13-e9410aad448c
| 2022-04-01T00:40:41Z
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The Future of Butler Basketball Multimedia21 hours ago Multimedia reporter James Andrews asks students what they think the future of the Butler basketball program will look like. Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Related Sharing Twitter0 Facebook0 Google +0 Linkedinactive){li-icon[type=linkedin-bug][color=inverse] .background{fill Email this article Print this article Authors Contributor Tags butler basketball, chuck harris, LaVall Jordan, Simas Lukosius, transfer portal
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https://thebutlercollegian.com/2022/03/the-future-of-butler-basketball/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:41Z
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ROSCOE, Ill. (WTVO) — Roscoe Police and the Harlem-Roscoe Fire Department held a “Battle of the Badges” blood drive on Thursday.
The event takes place whenever a national blood shortage is declared.
Each department said they wanted to give back to the communities they serve.
“Even though it’s a friendly competition and the winner gets a trophy, it is a way for them to partner together,” said Josh Manning, a donor recruiter for the Rock Valley Blood Center. “They are across the street so they have a good relationship between the departments and they are always giving back to the community, just through their everyday service.”
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https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/roscoe-police-firefighters-compete-in-blood-drive/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:42Z
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By The Associated Press
The last Russian troops left the Chernobyl nuclear plant early Friday, according to the Ukrainian government agency responsible for the exclusion zone around the plant.
Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said the Russian troops who dug trenches in the forest “voluntarily received such doses of radiation that the consequences will be explained to them by doctors in special protective suits.”
“They totally deserve to be nominated for this year’s Darwin Awards,” she said on Facebook. “This is a case when the enemy inspires fear through the sawdust in his head.”
The website of the Darwin Awards says they “salute the improvement of the human genome by honoring those who accidentally remove themselves from it in a spectacular manner.”
The Ukrainian nuclear operator company Energoatom said Thursday that Russian troops were headed toward Ukraine’s border with Belarus.
Energoatom said that the Russian military was also preparing to leave Slavutych, a nearby city where power plant workers live.
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KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:
— Heavy fighting rages near Kyiv as Russia appears to regroup
— Kremlin decree says foreign currency can still buy natural gas
— As Russia sees tech brain drain, other nations hope to gain
— Ukraine refugees encouraged to find work as exodus slows
— Ukrainians in US mobilize to help expected refugees
— Go to https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine for more coverage
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OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:
LVIV, UKRAINE — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after Russian troops withdrew from the north and center of the country, the situation has been heating up in the southeast where Russian forces are building up for new powerful attacks.
In his nighttime video address to the nation Thursday, Zelenskyy said it was heartening for all Ukrainians to see Russian troops retreating from north of Kyiv, from around the northern town of Chernihiv and from Sumy in the northeast. By he urged Ukrainians not to let up, saying the withdrawal was just a Russian tactic.
“We know their intentions. We know what they are planning and what they are doing,” Zelenskyy said. “We know that they are moving away from those areas where we hit them in order to focus on other, very important ones where it may be difficult for us.
“We all want to win,” Zelenskyy added. “But there will be battles ahead. We still have to go through a very difficult path ahead to get everything we are striving for.”
Zelenskyy said he spoke Thursday with European Council President Charles Michel and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, while his adviser spoke with U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan.
“We need more support from our partners right now when Russian troops are concentrating additional forces in certain areas,” Zelenskyy said.
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WASHINGTON — The top-ranking Ukrainian Catholic cleric in the United States warned Thursday that religious minorities in the Eastern European country stand to be “crushed” if Moscow gains control, as fighting raged on more than a month after the Russian invasion began.
Archbishop Borys Gudziak said groups at risk include Catholics, Muslims and Orthodox who have broken away from the patriarch of Moscow.
Gudziak also cited reports that Russian forces have damaged two Holocaust memorials and Moscow’s false portrayal of Ukraine as a “Nazi” state although Ukraine overwhelmingly elected a Jewish president in Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“What is at stake for the people of faith is their freedom to practice their faith,” Gudziak said during an online panel discussion on the war, hosted by the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University.
Gudziak is head of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia and president of Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, Ukraine. He also oversees external relations for the Kyiv-based Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
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WASHINGTON — The Pentagon says an initial half-dozen shipments of weapons and other security assistance have reached Ukraine as part of the $800 million package of aid that President Joe Biden approved on March 16.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Thursday that the shipments included Javelin anti-tank weapons, Stinger anti-aircraft missile systems, body armor, medical supplies and other material. He said the 100 Switchblade armed drones that Biden approved as part of the package have not yet been delivered.
Kirby said the $800 million in assistance is likely to be fully delivered within about two weeks. It also includes Mi-17 helicopters, small arms, ammunition, vehicles, secure communications systems, and satellite imagery and analysis capability.
Separately, Kirby said U.S. troops are not training Ukrainian troops in Poland but are acting as liaisons with Ukrainian personnel who cross the border into Poland to take possession of U.S. security assistance. He noted that the standard U.S. military training mission that had existed in Ukraine for years was suspended shortly before Russia invaded.
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DOHA, Qatar — A video showing the head of Ukrainian soccer wearing an armored vest on the streets of Kyiv brought the impact of Russia’s war into the FIFA Congress.
Andriy Pavelko used a recorded message to the gathering in Qatar on Thursday to talk about the deaths of footballers even as the sport “has taken a back seat in our country.”
The gathering in Doha featured delegates from Russia, including Alexey Sorokin, the chief executive of Russia’s 2018 World Cup organizing committee.
Russia won’t be in the draw for the World Cup on Friday after being disqualified from playing internationally by FIFA over the war. Ukraine can still qualify but its playoff semifinal against Scotland has been postponed until June with the hope the team will be in a position to return to the field by then.
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LVIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s ombudsperson says that at least one person has been killed and four others have been wounded in the Russian shelling of a humanitarian convoy.
Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner Lyudmyla Denisova said those who came under the shelling on Thursday were volunteers accompanying a convoy of buses sent to the northern city of Chernihiv to evacuate residents.
She said that the Russian forces besieging Chernihiv have made it impossible to evacuate civilians from the city that has been cut from food, water and other supplies.
The Russian shelling continued two days after Moscow announced it would scale back military operations around Kyiv and Chernihiv.
___
BERLIN — The International Atomic Energy Agency says it has been informed by Ukraine that the Russian forces which were in control of the Chernobyl nuclear plant have “in writing, transferred control” of the facility to Ukrainian personnel.
Ukraine said three convoys of Russian forces have already left the site toward Belarus, while the remaining troops were presumed to be preparing to leave, the agency said Thursday.
The IAEA added that it was in close consultations with Ukrainian authorities on sending a first assistance and support mission to Chernobyl in the next few days.
The agency said it has not been able to confirm reports of Russian forces receiving high doses of radiation while being inside the exclusion zone of the now-closed plant, but is seeking further information in order to provide an independent assessment of the situation.
___
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan renewed his offer to host a meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian leaders during a telephone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
A statement from Erdogan’s office said the Turkish president also told Zelenskyy Thursday that a meeting between Ukrainian and Russian negotiators who met in Istanbul earlier this week had given “a meaningful impetus” to efforts to end the fighting.
Earlier this week, Ukraine’s delegation laid out a framework under which the country would declare itself neutral and its security would be guaranteed by an array of nations, including Turkey.
Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said during a joint news conference with a top Turkish Cypriot official that Erdogan also is expected to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
___
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday said there’s “no clear evidence” that Vladimir Putin is scaling back military operations around Kyiv and suggested that the Russian president may have ordered some of his advisers fired or placed under house arrest.
Biden told reporters that “there’s some indication” that Putin has taken those steps against some of his advisers. He added, “But I don’t want to put too much stock in that at this time because we don’t have that much hard evidence.”
The White House on Wednesday released unclassified intelligence findings that Putin is being misinformed by his advisors about how badly the Russian military is performing.
The president made the comments after formally announcing that the U.S. would release 1 million barrels of oil per day from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve in hopes of easing surging gasoline prices.
Biden also reiterated that his administration remains skeptical that Russia will scale back operations around Kyiv as Moscow announced earlier this week.
Russian forces continued to shell Kyiv suburbs Thursday, two days after the Kremlin announced it would significantly scale back operations near both the capital and the northern city of Chernihiv.
___
UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine says the United Nations and its partners have delivered supplies for thousands of people in the country’s northeast but have been unable to reach some encircled cities in the south.
Osnat Lubrani said Thursday that food rations from the humanitarian organization People in Need and the U.N. World Food Program will benefit nearly 6,000 people in Sumy and areas including Trostianets and Okhtyrka.
In addition, she said, basic household items including blankets and kettles from the U.N. refugee agency will support 1,500 people and sanitation kits will help 6,000 people with hygiene and drinking water.
Lubrani said medical supplies and trauma kits from the U.N. World Health Organization will treat 150 patients needing intensive care for serious injuries while other medical supplies will support 10,000 people for three months.
Shei said the U.N.-facilitated humanitarian notification system with Ukraine and Russia enabled safe passage for the convoy to Sumy on Thursday “but this is clearly not enough.” Efforts over the past month to reach Mauripol, Kherson and other encircled cities in the south have been unsuccessful because of safety concerns.
___
BERLIN — The U.N. nuclear watchdog says its director-general has arrived in Russia’s Baltic Sea exclave of Kaliningrad for talks with senior Russian officials.
The International Atomic Energy Agency didn’t specify in a tweet whom exactly Rafael Mariano Grossi will meet on Friday or give further details of his agenda.
He arrived in Kaliningrad Thursday following a visit to Ukraine, where he visited a nuclear power plant and conferred with the energy minister and other officials on efforts to ensure the safety of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants.
Ukraine has 15 active nuclear reactors at four plants — one of which, at Zaporizhzhia, is under the Russian military’s control.
___
GENEVA — A team with the International Committee of the Red Cross has arrived in a Ukraine-held city where staff are preparing to take civilians out of the beleaguered port city of Mariupol.
Julien Lerisson, deputy director of operations for the ICRC, said Thursday that the team assembling in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, has medicines, food, water, hygiene items and other essentials.
He said the organization has high-level agreement for the mission but is focused on making sure “the order trickles down the chain of command,” allowing the team to enter and leave Mariupol safely.
The Russian military has said it committed to a cease-fire along the route from Mariupol to Zaporizhzhia. Ukrainian authorities have said 45 buses would be sent to collect citizens and provide resources to those who remain.
Lucile Marbeau, a staff member with the ICRC team hoping to enter Mariupol, said on Thursday: “We’re here because really, we hope to be able to facilitate safe passage for civilians desperately wanting to flee Mariupol.”
___
LONDON — Britain’s defense minister says Ukraine’s international allies have agreed to send more military equipment, including artillery ammunition and armored vehicles.
U.K. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace held a conference call Thursday with defense ministers from more than 35 countries, including the United States, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan.
Wallace said that as a result “there will be more lethal aid going into Ukraine.” He said that would include “more long-range artillery, ammunition predominantly,” to help counter Russia’s bombardment of Ukraine’s cities.
Wallace said Ukraine was “also looking for armoured vehicles of some types, not tanks necessarily, but certainly protective vehicles.”
He said allies were also “looking to see what more we can do” to help Ukraine defend its coastline.
___
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration has sanctioned an employee of a state-affiliated Russian defense firm that developed malicious software that was used to target the energy sector.
The Treasury Department on Thursday sanctioned Evgeny Viktorovich Gladkikh. He was one of four Russians charged in Justice Department indictments unsealed last week that alleged the hacking by Russia of critical infrastructure around the globe, including in the U.S. energy and aviation sectors.
Among the thousands of computers targeted in some 135 countries were of a Saudi petro-chemical plant where the hackers overrode safety controls.
That hack is singled out in a Treasury Department release announcing sanctions against Gladikh and several other employees of the research firm. In total, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced that it was designating 21 entities and 13 individuals, including in the aerospace, marine and electronics sectors.
___
LVIV, Ukraine — Russian troops were leaving the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and heading towards Ukraine’s border with Belarus, the Ukrainian nuclear operator company said Thursday.
The operator, Energoatom, said that the Russian military was also preparing to leave Slavutych, a nearby city where power plant workers live.
Energoatom also said reports were confirmed that the Russians dug trenches in the Red Forest, the 10-square-kilometer (nearly four-square-mile) area surrounding the Chernobyl plant within the Exclusion Zone, and received “significant doses of radiation.”
The Russian troops “panicked at the first sign of illness,” which “showed up very quickly,” and began to prepare to leave, the operator said. The claim couldn’t be independently verified.
Energoatom said the Russians have signed a document confirming the handover of the Chernobyl plant and stating that the plant’s administration doesn’t have any complaints about the Russian troops who were “guarding” the facility.
___
LONDON — The head of Britain’s military says Russian President Vladimir Putin has “already lost” in Ukraine and is weaker than he was before the invasion.
Adm. Tony Radakin at a think-tank seminar Thursday in London said Moscow’s aim to “take the whole of Ukraine” fell apart. He added that the coming weeks “will continue to be very difficult” for Ukraine.
“But in many ways, Putin has already lost,” he said. “Far from being the far-sighted manipulator of events that he would have us believe, Putin has damaged himself through a series of catastrophic misjudgements.”
Radakin also said there was “disquiet” at all levels of Russia’s military about the campaign, from troops who were not told they were invading Ukraine up to senior commanders.
Western officials say Putin’s small inner circle is not giving him the true picture of the war, and his isolation may have contributed to miscalculating the strength of resistance Russian troops would meet.
___
BERLIN — The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe expressed regret Thursday at Russia’s decision to veto the extension of its observer mission in Ukraine.
The OSCE’s special monitoring mission has been present in Ukraine since 2014, when fighting between Ukrainians and Russia-backed separatists broke out in the country’s eastern regions after Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, who holds the OSCE rotating chair, said the observers had played a “crucial role by providing objective information on the security and humanitarian situation on the ground and relentlessly working to ease the effects of the conflict on the civilian population” in Ukraine for the past eight year.
The Vienna-based body’s secretary general, Helga Maria Schmid, expressed gratitude to the mission’s members, several of whom were wounded or killed over the years.
___
BERLIN — Germany’s economy minister says Europe should impose additional sanctions on Russia to prevent what he described as a “barbaric” war in Ukraine.
Robert Habeck said he discussed what further measures could be taken with his French counterpart during a bilateral meeting in Berlin on Thursday.
“The last package (of sanctions) doesn’t need to be the final one, it should not be the final one,” he told reporters, adding that he and French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire had “identified additional points that could be included in a (sanctions) package.”
Habeck declined to elaborate on what those points might be.
Speaking ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement on new rules requiring countries to pay for Russia’s natural gas sales in rubles, Habeck insisted that contracts would be adhered to. These stipulate payment in euros or dollars.
___
BERLIN — The Austrian and German leaders have underlined their rejection of a halt to Russian energy deliveries at this point.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer noted that several central and eastern European countries depend to one extent or another on Russian gas deliveries.
He and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz argued that existing sanctions already are having a significant effect and said they need time to switch to new providers and renewable energy sources.
Nehammer said that “sanctions only make sense … when they hit those they are supposed to hit, and don’t weaken those who carry out sanctions.”
___
ROME — A Kremlin decree says “unfriendly countries” can continue to pay for natural gas in foreign currency through a Russian bank that will convert the money into rubles.
The decree published Thursday by state media came a day after the leaders of Italy and Germany said they received assurances from President Vladimir Putin.
Putin talked tougher, saying Russia will start accepting ruble payments starting Friday for Western countries that imposed sanctions over its conflict with Ukraine. He said contracts will be stopped if buyers don’t sign up to the new conditions, including opening ruble accounts in Russian banks.
European leaders had rejected paying for deliveries in rubles, saying it would undermine sanctions imposed because of the war in Ukraine.
The decree Putin signed and published by state news agency RIA Novosti says a designated bank will open two accounts for each buyer, one in foreign currency and one in rubles. The buyers will pay in foreign currency and authorize the bank to sell that currency for rubles, which are placed in the second account, where the gas is formally purchased.
___
ROME — Italy’s leader is urging Europe to “cultivate all available land” as a partial remedy to reductions in agricultural imports, especially of Russian grain, due to the war in Ukraine.
Premier Mario Draghi told reporters on Thursday that under existing agricultural practices in the European Union 10% of land is purposely left fallow, but that must now change as European countries search for ways to reduce dependency on farm imports.
It’s not clear whether Ukraine, one of the world’s largest exporters of wheat, maize and sunflower oil, might be able to salvage any of this planting season.
Meanwhile, Draghi noted that Western Europe will be looking to food producers like Canada, the United States and Argentina to help make up the shortfall of imports from Ukraine and Russia.
___
STOCKHOLM — The deputy director of Sweden’s Military Intelligence and Security agency says Russia has made “a strategic miscalculation when invading Ukraine.”
Daniel Olsson said the invasion of Ukraine “has shown that the Russian leadership is ready to take great risks, larger than previously taken.”
The government agency’s analysis suggested a likely “a western containment of Russia,” including reducing trade in Russian energy.
__
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https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/03/31/live-updates-last-russian-troops-leave-chernobyl-plant/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:42Z
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Photo 1575
Just a beautiful day.
The view of the Sunshine Coast from Dulong Lookout.
31st March 2022
31st Mar 22
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| 2022-04-01T00:40:42Z
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An investigation is underway at Chicago Public Schools after a teacher hung a small stuffed Black football player doll on a string from a projector screen in their classroom, according to a letter sent to parents by the school's principal and obtained by CNN.
The March 29 letter from Joyce D. Kenner, principal of Whitney Young Magnet High School, says the teacher "indicated" he had come across the doll in his room and "wanted the students to see if someone would claim it." The letter went on to say that "a colleague approached the teacher about the doll and the conversation between the two became contentious.
"Our administrative team investigated the incident and spoke with the teachers," Kenner's letter said. "An official incident report has been created and filed with CPS."
"Chicago Public Schools (CPS) strives to foster safe and secure learning environments for our students, families, and colleagues. Our schools and the District investigate and address all complaints and allegations of wrongdoing in accordance with District policies and procedures," CPS said in a statement to CNN.
The district said the teacher who hung the doll is suspended while the investigation is ongoing. CPS has not identified the teacher.
According to Kenner's letter, school administrators also met with a group of students Tuesday morning to discuss the incident.
"We gave students an opportunity to voice any concerns and recommendations they had. We plan to follow the disciplinary protocol established by Chicago Public Schools," the letter said.
Kimberley Henderson, whose daughter is a sophomore and one of three Black students in the teacher's US history class at Whitney Young, spoke to CNN.
"When I saw the picture, that's when I went over the edge. That was unbelievable to me," Henderson said, referencing an image of the stuffed doll circulating on the internet. "I don't believe that he should be in front of any children, but I want to make sure that he's not in front of mine."
The Chicago Teachers Union said in a statement about the incident that "practices that mitigate the harm of racial biases must be ongoing, and consistent" in the city's schools.
"Mayor (Lori) Lightfoot has a responsibility to provide a safe space for every member of our school communities, which is especially important in a district that serves a student population that is 90 percent Black and Brown children," the statement read. "Any definition of 'safety' must include creating and reinforcing an environment of equity and inclusion for all students, staff and faculty of color."
CNN reached out to the mayor's office Thursday for response to the union statement.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
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https://www.henryherald.com/news/chicago-school-district-investigating-after-teacher-hung-stuffed-black-doll-on-a-string-from-a/article_d3af650a-da65-50f0-a72d-34c3ed9b970d.html
| 2022-04-01T00:40:42Z
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https://dan.com/buy-domain/kaifenghuijin.com
| 2022-04-01T00:40:42Z
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ArGo (ARGO) traded 3.2% lower against the US dollar during the 24 hour period ending at 20:00 PM E.T. on March 31st. In the last seven days, ArGo has traded down 4.5% against the US dollar. One ArGo coin can currently be bought for about $0.0551 or 0.00000121 BTC on exchanges. ArGo has a total market cap of $489,907.72 and approximately $113.00 worth of ArGo was traded on exchanges in the last day.
Here’s how similar cryptocurrencies have performed in the last day:
- Binance USD (BUSD) traded down 0.3% against the dollar and now trades at $1.00 or 0.00002189 BTC.
- Polygon (MATIC) traded down 3.9% against the dollar and now trades at $1.62 or 0.00003558 BTC.
- Polygon (MATIC) traded up 1% against the dollar and now trades at $1.65 or 0.00004286 BTC.
- Crypto.com Coin (CRO) traded 5% higher against the dollar and now trades at $0.41 or 0.00001075 BTC.
- Dai (DAI) traded down 0% against the dollar and now trades at $1.00 or 0.00002191 BTC.
- Chainlink (LINK) traded down 1.6% against the dollar and now trades at $17.01 or 0.00037265 BTC.
- Parkgene (GENE) traded flat against the dollar and now trades at $25.59 or 0.00045023 BTC.
- DREP (DREP) traded flat against the dollar and now trades at $1.96 or 0.00003398 BTC.
- DREP [old] (DREP) traded flat against the dollar and now trades at $1.96 or 0.00003399 BTC.
- FTX Token (FTT) traded down 4.5% against the dollar and now trades at $48.94 or 0.00107216 BTC.
About ArGo
According to CryptoCompare, “ArGo is a web app deployment and hosting platform that is built on blockchain technology on the Arweave Permaweb, which is a decentralized cloud platform. The app was built with the vision of true permanence on the internet without any censorship. Websites and apps that are deployed on ArGo also liberate users from recurring costs of server hosting, security, and database usage charges. The native digital cryptographically-secured utility token of the ArGo Platform ($ARGO) is a transferable representation of attributed functions specified in the protocol/code of the ArGo Platform, which is designed to play a major role in the functioning of the ecosystem on the ArGo Platform and intended to be used solely as the primary utility token on the platform. “
Buying and Selling ArGo
It is usually not currently possible to purchase alternative cryptocurrencies such as ArGo directly using US dollars. Investors seeking to acquire ArGo should first purchase Ethereum or Bitcoin using an exchange that deals in US dollars such as Coinbase, Gemini or Changelly. Investors can then use their newly-acquired Ethereum or Bitcoin to purchase ArGo using one of the exchanges listed above.
Receive News & Updates for ArGo Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and updates for ArGo and related cryptocurrencies with MarketBeat.com's FREE CryptoBeat newsletter.
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https://www.com-unik.info/2022/03/31/argo-price-reaches-0-0551-argo.html
| 2022-04-01T00:40:43Z
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Police: 13-year-old runaway girl dies at hospital after found unresponsive at motel
D’IBERVILLE, Miss. (WALA/Gray News) - A 13-year-old girl has died in a Mississippi-area hospital after being reported as a runaway from Alabama earlier this month.
WALA reports the Mobile Police Department first reported Keyanna Sylvester as a runaway on March 21. She was then found unresponsive in a motel room in D’Iberville, Mississippi, on March 24, according to D’Iberville Police Capt. Jason King.
Sylvester was taken to the hospital but later died, according to police.
The 13-year-old spent time in Ocean Springs and Moss Point, Mississippi, according to reports.
King said it was too early in the investigation to decide whether foul play was involved in the girl’s death.
“We’re making sure we’re careful about not saying whether it’s criminal or not criminal,” he said.
King also said police are waiting for a report by the medical examiner.
“This hurts me real bad because Keyanna was my baby,” said neighbor Alexie Thames. “You all need to help find whoever did this to my baby. "
Anyone with further information on this case was urged to contact the D’Iberville Police Department at 228-396-4252.
Copyright 2022 WALA via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wrdw.com/2022/03/31/police-13-year-old-runaway-girl-dies-hospital-after-found-unresponsive-motel/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:42Z
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https://www.nbclosangeles.com/local/let-me-explain-what-is-aphasia-bruce-willis-stepping-away-from-acting-after-diagnosis/2860354/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:43Z
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Regina Coeli Catholic Church in Alliance marked the return of dine-in service at its annual Lenten Fish Fry at the church on Fernwood Boulevard in Alliance. Service started out with only pickup of meals for the first two weeks of this year’s Lenten season. Dine-in will be offered on March 25, and April 1 and April 8. There’s no fish fry on Good Friday, which is April 15. Easter is April 17. The menu each week includes a choice of fried cod, baked cod or shrimp, a side choice of fresh-cut french fries, rice pilaf and veggies, macaroni and cheese, or baked potato. Applesauce or cole slaw, a dinner roll and dessert are also included. The dine-in option includes lemonade, coffee and water. Orders can be called in each week from 9 a.m. to 3pm Tuesday through Thursday; and 9 a.m. to noon on Fridays at 330-821-5880. Adult dinners are $12; and children ages 12 and younger eat for $8. Walk-ins are welcome, but call-ahead orders are guaranteed. Volunteers from the church’s Catholic community help with preparation and meal service. Cakes and pies, many of them homemade, are donated each week.
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https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2556539331408/bowie-ffa-alumni-fish-fry-april-1
| 2022-04-01T00:40:43Z
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Rebuilding Local Economies Can Help Defeat Boko Haram – Analysis
By ISS
By Teniola Tayo and Remadji Hoinathy*
The devastation caused by Boko Haram in the Lake Chad Basin is not limited to deaths and displacements. It includes severe disruptions to economic activities. And it’s not just the violent extremists who are making it difficult for communities to sustain their livelihoods – but also the government’s measures to counter the insurgency.
New research by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) found that the Lake Chad Basin had thriving fishing and agro-pastoral activities before the conflict. It also had a vibrant transborder trade sector, exchanging goods produced in and outside the region. Today the work of fishers, farmers, traders and transporters is hampered by both Boko Haram and the government’s responses to terrorism.
The ISS study covered Cameroon (North and Extreme North), Chad (Lac and Hadjer-Lamis), Niger (Diffa) and Nigeria (Borno, Adamawa and Yobe). These areas were already marginalised socio-economically before the conflict, and the uneven presence of the state and government services enabled Boko Haram to appropriate economic activities for its benefit.
Violent extremists came in and destroyed farms, killing or displacing farmers. Fishing areas became no-go zones after locals were murdered or displaced. And the burning and looting of markets by terrorists has thrown traders into bankruptcy. The work of important networks such as traders’ unions was disrupted, cutting off their members from access to capital or credit.
The general decline in economic activity affected those providing transport services, leading some to close their businesses or scale down operations. Due to the constant threat of attacks, some major trading routes became inaccessible, cutting access to customers and suppliers or making access difficult and costly.
State measures taken against Boko Haram inadvertently affected communities in different ways. The closure of some markets to prevent violent extremists from using them harmed innocent producers and traders who had to find alternative ways to sell their goods.
Police and military checkpoints along specific trading routes were abused by some government officials who extorted merchants and transport providers, increasing their transaction costs. Although most bans on the trade of goods such as peppers and fish have been lifted, their initial enforcement caused producer and trader revenues to plummet.
Women have been particularly affected by the conflict. They have historically been marginalised by prevailing gender norms and were already operating at a smaller scale than their male counterparts by for example, working in retail rather than wholesale. The Boko Haram crisis compounded their vulnerability to economic shocks and livelihood disruptions. Their dire financial situation also exposes them to sexual and other forms of exploitation.
Communities have tried to cope with these changes in different ways. Many traders and business owners have reduced the scale of their operations, moving from wholesale to retail, for example. Goods bought and sold have shifted to those with accessible supply lines and sufficient local demand.
Some people have moved away from economic activities rendered unprofitable by the conflict. The surge of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) into the region to help deal with the effects of violence has created new livelihood opportunities – albeit short-term and precarious.
Lake Chad Basin residents have found ways to benefit from the ‘NGO economy’ as employees or contractors. However, many have been completely stripped of their livelihoods and are now entirely dependent on governments and NGOs for their basic needs. Some live in camps for internally displaced people, while others stay outside camps in urban areas.
Some people have resorted to negative coping strategies due to the dire economic situation. To continue producing and trading, transactions are undertaken with Boko Haram directly or in areas under its control in return for payment of taxes. Some community members now participate in the economy of violence by selling intelligence to Boko Haram or helping with the group’s logistics.
To help communities resist and recover from the Boko Haram conflict, their lives and livelihoods must be protected. People living in Lake Chad Basin told ISS that securing farms, markets and transport routes would help them revive their economic activities. They also need low-cost or interest-free credit to enable them to regain their losses.
The excesses of government officials need to be curbed, and extortion by security agents must be addressed decisively. Taxes levied by governments on business owners and traders should be reviewed to ensure they are not stifling local commerce.
The Regional Strategy for Stabilisation, Recovery and Resilience of the Boko Haram-affected areas of the Lake Chad Basin Region has made some progress in providing grants and rebuilding markets and roads. However, to sustainably reverse the losses in the region’s economy, responses must be tailored to people’s economic sectors, gender and social status.
Farming and fishing are still the dominant commercial activities in Lake Chad Basin, and measures should be taken to improve productivity and add output value. Communities need education and upskilling to participate in the growing services economy – such as hospitality, food delivery, transport and logistics and business services. This should happen while recognising the temporary nature of the ‘NGO economy’.
Rebuilding local economies will address some of the underlying causes of the Boko Haram conflict and make communities less vulnerable to co-option by violent extremists. This is a crucial step in the Lake Chad Basin’s war against insurgency.
*About the authors: Teniola Tayo, Researcher and Remadji Hoinathy, Senior Researcher, Lake Chad Basin Programme, ISS Dakar
Source: This article was published by ISS Today
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https://www.eurasiareview.com/01042022-rebuilding-local-economies-can-help-defeat-boko-haram-analysis/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:43Z
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New York, March 31, 2022 -- Moody's Investors Service has affirmed Seattle Cancer Care Alliance's (SCCA) and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center's (FHCRC) A2 revenue bond ratings, and FHCRC's A2 issuer rating, in conjunction with the combining of FHCRC into SCCA. SCCA will concurrently change its name to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (FHCC), and FHCRC will no longer exist as an independent organization. The debt of the two legacy organizations will be combined under SCCA's historic MTI, with FHCRC's debt undergoing a note substitution to SCCA's MTI. In particular, the rating of FHCRC's Taxable Bonds, Series 2020 will remain A2 immediately following the substitution of the MTI note supporting such bonds. All rated debt will be on parity. Total proforma debt of the consolidated organization, inclusive of a new bank loan, is approximately $1.1 billion. The outlook is stable.
Please click on this link http://www.moodys.com/viewresearchdoc.aspx?docid=PBM_PBM907642120 for the List of Affected Credit Ratings. This list is an integral part of this Press Release and identifies each affected issuer.
RATINGS RATIONALE
The affirmation of Seattle Cancer Care Alliance's (SCCA) and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center's (FHCRC) A2 revenue bond ratings, and of FHCRC's A2 issuer rating, reflects the combined organization's strong strategic, clinical, and operational capabilities, which should enable it to leverage the strengths of its legacy organizations, and grow its reach and effectiveness. FHCRC will combine with SCCA, which in turn will change its name to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (FHCC). The surviving organization will be a stand-alone 501-c-3, which will carry on both the research and clinical activities of its legacy organizations, while entering into a comprehensive clinical affiliation with the University of Washington Medical Center (UWM) which should broaden the opportunities for translational research, and grow the organization's clinical reach.
Both of the legacy organizations have a number of strengths which will benefit FHCC. FHCRC enjoys a very strong brand, is a leading cancer research institute in the country, and most recently was selected by the federal government to coordinate the testing of vaccines and other therapies to battle the coronavirus. Additionally, it has strong liquidity, and very good fundraising prospects. Similarly, the strengths of SCCA include strong liquidity, a very good market position, and a history of producing strong and stable operating margins. SCCA in the midst of a long-anticipated and well-planned expansion of its main campus, which is resulting in very high levels of capital spending but should also enable the organization to maintain its high level of revenue and cashflow growth. Additionally, the new comprehensive clinical affiliation with UWM will be more comprehensive than what had existed previously with SCCA, allowing for the better alignment of clinical activities and financial incentives. Additional expected strengths of the combined organization include: good liquidity on a consolidated basis; good diversification of cashflows; and continuity of management and governance, which will be drawn from the legacy organizations, and will benefit from previous close collaboration. Governance is a consideration under Moody's ESG methodology.
The combined organization will face a number of challenges, which constrain the rating. These include: very high levels of debt due to the expected leveraged buyout of one of SCCA's member organizations (Seattle Children's Hospital); expected variability of operating performance due to the anticipated unevenness of fundraising receipts, among other factors; ongoing competition for clinical services from a number of Seattle based healthcare organizations (including Providence St. Joseph Health); and short term operating pressures due to the labor shortage, supply chain challenges, and ongoing uncertainty surrounding COVID. Additionally, there is a certain level of execution risk inherent in aligning two disparate organizations, and undertaking a clinical affiliation of this magnitude. The success of FHCC will hinge on its ability to maintain healthy cashflow in service of its elevated debt position, and on its ability to grow research and expand clinical operations.
RATING OUTLOOK
The stable outlook reflects Moody's expectation that combined margins will improve in fiscal 2023 following weaker results in fiscal 2022, that favorable liquidity levels will be maintained, and that debt measures will not increase from their already very elevated levels (inclusive of the new bridge loan). It also assumes that the integration of the two legacy organizations will be achieved with no major complications, that the new clinical expansion building will open on time and on budget, and that the new clinical affiliation with UWM will be successful.
FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OF THE RATINGS
- Successful execution of merger, building project, and clinical affiliation
- Significantly improved debt measures- Significantly higher research awards and activity; consistently higher gift revenues.
FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO A DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS
- Deterioration of financial support for research from the federal government or sustained interruption of appropriations
- Failure to produce operating cash flow at levels sufficient to provide adequate coverage of debt service- Material complications related to the clinical affiliation, or the opening of the new clinic building- Additional increase of debt
LEGAL SECURITY
Upon closing of the transaction, FHCRC's remaining series of bonds will undergo a note substitution with SCCA's MTI, resulting in all debt having the same security and backed by the same credit. SCCA will exit out of its member agreements, will assume the operations of FHCRC, and will become an independent, self-governing 501-c-3. SCCA will change its name to FHCC.
Bonds will be secured by a security interest in FHCC's gross receivables. Covenants include an annual debt service coverage test of no less than 1.1 times.
PROFILE
The proposed organization FHCC is expected to result from the combining of the operations of SCCA and FHCRC into an independent, self-governing, 501-c-3. Clinical operations will benefit from SCCA's established capabilities and networks, which included the treatment of over 40,000 unique patients in 2021, and the reliance on outpatient services for 90% of its revenues. In addition to its primary ambulatory facility located adjacent to FHCRC in downtown Seattle, SCCA operates stand-alone clinics at Evergreen Hospital and Northwest Hospital, and coordinates a network of 11 affiliate institutions. SCCA is the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in the State of Washington.
Similarly, research activities will benefit from FHCRC's deep history, very favorable brand, and strong track record. FHCRC is a large independent not-for-profit research institution founded in 1971 and reporting around $743 million of research revenues in fiscal 2021. Located adjacent to SCCA in down town Seattle, FHCRC is a multidisciplinary research institution of international standing, committed to the research of cancer, HIV and other diseases. It is one of the nation's original comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute, an NIH division.
METHODOLOGY
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Not-For-Profit Healthcare published in December 2018 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBM_1154632. An additional methodology used in these ratings was Nonprofit Organizations (Other Than Healthcare and Higher Education) published in May 2019 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBM_1160889. Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of these methodologies.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
The List of Affected Credit Ratings announced here are all solicited credit ratings. For additional information, please refer to Moody's Policy for Designating and Assigning Unsolicited Credit Ratings available on its website www.moodys.com. Additionally, the List of Affected Credit Ratings includes additional disclosures that vary with regard to some of the ratings. Please click on this link http://www.moodys.com/viewresearchdoc.aspx?docid=PBM_PBM907642120 for the List of Affected Credit Ratings. This list is an integral part of this Press Release and provides, for each of the credit ratings covered, Moody's disclosures on the following items:
- Rating Solicitation
- Issuer Participation- Participation: Access to Management- Participation: Access to Internal Documents- Endorsement
For further specification of Moody's key rating assumptions and sensitivity analysis, see the sections Methodology Assumptions and Sensitivity to Assumptions in the disclosure form. Moody's Rating Symbols and Definitions can be found at: https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_79004.
For ratings issued on a program, series, category/class of debt or security this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the same series, category/class of debt, security or pursuant to a program for which the ratings are derived exclusively from existing ratings in accordance with Moody's rating practices. For ratings issued on a support provider, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the credit rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular credit rating action for securities that derive their credit ratings from the support provider's credit rating. For provisional ratings, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the provisional rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive rating that may be assigned subsequent to the final issuance of the debt, in each case where the transaction structure and terms have not changed prior to the assignment of the definitive rating in a manner that would have affected the rating. For further information please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page for the respective issuer on www.moodys.com.
The ratings have been disclosed to the rated entity or its designated agent(s) and issued with no amendment resulting from that disclosure.
Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating review.
Moody's general principles for assessing environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks in our credit analysis can be found at http://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1288235.
At least one ESG consideration was material to the credit rating action(s) announced and described above.
Please see www.moodys.com for any updates on changes to the lead rating analyst and to the Moody's legal entity that has issued the rating.
Please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating.
Eugene Spielman
Lead Analyst
PF Healthcare
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
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Susan Fitzgerald
Additional Contact
Higher Education
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Releasing Office:
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https://www.moodys.com/research/Moodys-affirms-Seattle-Cancer-Care-Alliances-WA-and-Fred-Hutchinson--PR_907642120
| 2022-04-01T00:40:41Z
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It’s time for the Greene-Boebert show to end
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has injected a renewed sense of focus and seriousness into American politics and journalism.
Maybe now, given all of that, the news media can finally completely ignore Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo).
The first-term GOP legislators are once again in the headlines, this time for heckling President Biden during the State of the Union address. That stunt is only the latest in a long line of attention-grabbing performances that include setting off House metal detectors, raffling off sniper rifles, and attending an event where Vladimir Putin was cheered and Adolf Hitler praised.
Each of these actions was thoroughly covered by mainstream journalists along with the full array of politically obsessed newsletters, tweets and blogs, left wing and right. Greene and Boebert have molded themselves into a caustic version of Laverne and Shirley: a quirky duo dominating the media’s prime-time lineup of outrage. They excel at a publicity game in which everyone wins — except those of us who are exhausted by endless polarization leading absolutely nowhere.
Granted, performance has always been a key ingredient of political advancement. Former President Reagan often said his acting background was not an obstacle but actually pivotal to his success. But for Reagan and most other politicians, performance was only a means to an end. It was a tool used to convince voters about a set of policies and goals. The performance had purpose.
For Greene and Boebert, the performance is the purpose, period. Bills they’ve sponsored or co-sponsored include proposals that read like clicks-and-ratings catnip for Twitter and cable news networks: “The Religions Freedom Over Mandates Act,” “The Keep Schools Open Act,” “The Close Biden’s Open Border Act” and “The Kyle H. Rittenhouse Congressional Gold Medal Act.”
Each of these stunts then gets tossed into the machinery of anger, where the news cycle is really a rage cycle that profits a host of interests. It works like this: Greene and Boebert do something “shocking” for the sole purpose of getting attention, and the media gives them the publicity they crave while stoking the viewer fury needed to attract substantial audience numbers. The two House members then use those headlines to raise money and run for reelection to the House, where they can devise even more ways to command attention from an eager media. Meanwhile, liberal opposition groups use that same apparatus to rally their side against whatever Greene and Boebert did and to fundraise for liberal causes.
Greene and Boebert are, of course, not alone in hogging the spotlight. Many on the right will point fingers at “the squad,” a group of four progressive Democratic representatives led by Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (N.Y.).
The squad undoubtedly has engaged in its own version of political theater and isn’t known to recoil at the sight of a television camera. But it’s not exactly the same. A lot of people may disagree with the representatives’ goals; democratic socialism can be a tough way to attract voting majorities in this country. Nonetheless, theatrics aside, they talk about actual plans and priorities. It’s not all show.
But the hunger for attention by some on the squad doesn’t help the group’s goals. It feels like these legislators truly believe they are skillfully manipulating the media, even though it often winds up backfiring. Once a controversial sound bite captures headlines, polarized tribes are rapidly deployed — and even the slight potential for serious discussion is lost. The squad then becomes yet another one-dimensional Washington political caricature, consigned to the same category as Greene and Boebert.
The whole gimmick needs to change with the times.
The U.S and Europe are witnessing a genuine invasion right now.
It is not some exaggerated culture war; it is a real war.
Rifles are not props in the hands of children sent out as Christmas greetings; they are weapons that Ukrainian fathers, sons, mothers, daughters and grandmothers are using to defend their homes and survive. Russian officials shouting “fake news” can now sentence journalists to 15 years in prison.
The least American media outlets could do — as their correspondents risk their lives to bring Ukraine’s trauma to light — is ignore the phony controversies and plastic performances coming out of certain Capitol Hill hallways.
Yes, Greene and Boebert are members of Congress. To that extent, they matter. Were they to do something of substance, it should be reported. That’s journalism.
But too often they are little more than stunt doubles standing in for the real thing. The media knows this and benefits from it.
It’s time for the show to end. Reality has intervened.
Joe Ferullo is an award-winning media executive, producer and journalist and former executive vice president of programming for CBS Television Distribution. He was a news executive for NBC, a writer-producer for “Dateline NBC” and worked for ABC News. Follow him on Twitter @ironworker1.
The Hill has removed its comment section, as there are many other forums for readers to participate in the conversation. We invite you to join the discussion on Facebook and Twitter.
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https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/597046-its-time-for-the-greene-boebert-show-to-end/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:42Z
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Father fatally shoots armed son during confrontation, sheriff says
ST. ROSE, La. (WVUE/Gray News) - A Louisiana father fatally shot his son after a tense confrontation in which the son was heavily armed, the sheriff says.
Authorities say the incident occurred around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in St. Charles Parish. The sheriff says that when deputies arrived at the residence, they found a 21-year-old man dead on the scene, WVUE reports.
Detectives learned that the 21-year-old arrived at his parents’ home wearing a ballistic (bulletproof) vest and was armed with a semi-automatic handgun. He allegedly began arguing with his mother as his father returned home.
The tense confrontation escalated to the point where the son drew a handgun at his father. In turn, the father grabbed his own gun, fatally shooting the son.
The sheriff said the 21-year-old has a history of unstable and violent behavior and has been the subject of strong psychiatric care.
Deputies say the incident is domestic in nature.
The investigation is ongoing at this time. More information will be released when available.
Copyright 2022 WVUE via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kswo.com/2022/03/30/father-fatally-shoots-armed-son-during-confrontation-sheriff-says/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:43Z
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USDA forecasting higher food, grocery costs in 2022
(Gray News) - It looks like elevated food prices are going to continue this year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The USDA released its Food Price Outlook for 2022 and predicted the cost of groceries would continue to increase to as much as 4%.
According to the Consumer Price Index, grocery and supermarket food prices were already 8.6% higher in February than last year and up nearly 1.5% from January to February in 2022.
As reported by the Associated Press, prices for U.S. consumers have continued to jump recently, leaving families facing the highest inflation rate since 1990.
“We’re getting into this situation where we have spiraling inflation,” said Jay Hatfield, CEO of Infrastructure Capital Advisors. “Inflation in one area drives inflation in another.”
Currently, the CPI reports all food categories are increasing in price other than fresh vegetables. Last year, the beef and veal categories had the most significant price increase of 9.3%, and the fresh vegetable category had the smallest at 1.1%. However, no food categories decreased in price in 2021.
Poultry prices are also expected to increase up to 7%, with egg prices predicted to increase up to 3.5% in 2022.
Overall, grocery store and supermarket food purchases are expected to increase up to 4%, with restaurant purchases or food away from home forecasted to increase up to 6.5%, according to the USDA.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.waff.com/2022/04/01/usda-forecasting-higher-food-grocery-costs-2022/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:43Z
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FROZEN YOGURT BARK WITH FRESH BERRIES
When the weather starts to show signs of springtime, I crave the beauty of the colors of the summer. Even though stone fruit has not begun to ripen yet, this yogurt bark takes on the colors of springtime and summer and the berries can easily be substituted with stone fruits when it comes summertime. This is a great dessert for the spring holidays of Easter and Passover. It is light, flavorful and delicious! Enjoy!
Serves: 8
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Ingredients:
- 2/3 c. seedless raspberry jam
- 2-3 Tbsp. Fruit flavored balsamic vinegar or plain balsamic is good
- 1 lemon zested
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 1 qt. vanilla flavored Greek yogurt
- ½ c. blueberries
- ½ c. raspberries
- 1/3 c. sliced strawberries
- 1 oz. dark chocolate bar
Directions:
Combine the jam, vinegar, zest and lemon juice in a small bowl with a whisk.
Line a ½ sheet pan with parchment paper. Empty the entire contents of the 1 quart yogurt onto the sheet pan and spread out evenly to cover the bottom of the pan.
Dollop spoonful’s of the jam mixture down the middle of the yogurt. With a wooden skewer or the point of a butter knife swirl the jam throughout the yogurt mixture.
Sprinkle the blueberries, raspberries and strawberries evenly throughout the yogurt and then make shavings of the dark chocolate and sprinkle on top.
Place into the freezer for a minimum of four hours, (overnight is best). To serve, break in to pieces and serve in your favorite parfait glass or dessert cup. Add a little extra dark chocolate when serving. That’s it. Enjoy!
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https://www.8newsnow.com/news/las-vegas-now/frozen-yogurt-bark-with-fresh-berries-with-nanny-bubby/
| 2022-04-01T00:40:45Z
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