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https://www.kark.com/crime/pulaski-co-deputy-arrest-made-in-february-west-line-street-deadly-shooting/
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Home 7 Day Cruises Vikas-2D0190763-1 Vikaspedia Dibi Gopaleshwarsar Temple , West Bengaltripuraonline7 Day Crui...,750Waterfall PULASKI COUNTY, Ark – The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office say they have made an arrest in the February killing of a College Station man.
According to investigators, 24-year-old Deshaun Morton of Little Rock was arrested for the shooting death of 64-year-old Jimmy Hadley that happened just after midnight on February 8 on West Line Street.
When officers arrived, they discovered Hadley on the floor of the home with a gunshot wound, but later died from his injuries.
Anyone who has information connected to the case is asked to contact the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office at 501-340-6963.
Deputies say the investigation is ongoing.
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https://www.kark.com/news/local-news/hot-springs-baker-adapts-to-changing-restaurant-industry-following-covid-19-opens-food-truck/
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HOT SPRINGS, Ark – A business in Hot Springs is downsizing after COVID-19 puts added stress on the restaurant industry.
William Byrd opened doors at Will’s Cinnamon Shop on Central Ave. in 2017.
“We were never expecting anything big,” said William Byrd.
At the beginning of 2020, Byrd says business was booming but then the pandemic hit, an unexpected ingredient in a longtime recipe.
“Everything was just unreal,” said Byrd.
Lockdowns and reopening heated up the kitchen and Byrd says it became difficult to keep his business afloat.
“You were always missing somebody because they didn’t feel well or you were closed because someone caught it,” said Byrd.
Byrd says in the first year following the first case, he had to shut down three different times, each one lasting two weeks.
“It’s so hard to figure out what to do when you’re so busy stomping out fires,” said Byrd.
Doors never reopened under his name, but Byrd says he wasn’t going to let his business completely go.
After selling the bakery, Byrd turned his focus to fixing up an old food truck, his shop’s new home.
“When you take 4,000 square feet and cram it into 150 square feet, you’re forced to simplify and you’re forced to do things more efficiently,” said Byrd.
Byrd went from walls to wheels and from 8 employees to 3.
“It definitely feels like the right direction,” said Will’s Cinnamon Shop employee AJ Breitenberg.
Byrd says his focus now shifts to the food truck and wholesale of his product.
“To kind of be able to focus on what we are delivering as a product and not so much a service in the forefront I think that is going to make the biggest difference,” said Breitenberg.
At first, adapting seemed like the only way but Byrd says it is a blessing in disguise. His open sign is finally up again.
Byrd will be selling his Cinnamon Rolls wholesale out of a window next to his original location. He hopes to have that open by the first week in April.
Byrd’s team has already been to one event in their new food truck but says they are open to doing more in the future.
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https://www.kark.com/news/local-news/storms-prompt-sherwood-neighbors-to-point-out-city-drainage-issues/
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SHERWOOD, Ark. – The day after heavy rain, it’s normal to still see some puddles around. But for a few homeowners in Sherwood, it’s much more than that; drainage issues have plagued some neighborhoods for years and many are sick of dealing with the water.
After storms passed through Central Arkansas Wednesday, homeowners in Sherwood took to social media to discuss drainage issues in the city. Some neighbors claimed there weren’t enough drains in low-lying areas where water would sit, while others said current drains back up and overflow.
For the Stapletons, it’s the latter. The couple moved into a home on Koehler Ave in 2019 and saw their first flood just a few months later.
“We woke up the next morning to find our house flooded,” explained Dean Stapleton. “We didn’t buy any flood insurance because we didn’t think we needed it. [We] found out the hard way.”
The water came in from both their front and back yards. Stapleton says during a second weather event months later, had he not opened the side gate, he believes the house would have flooded again.
Their home sits near a series of storm drains, all of which flow to a city drainage ditch that passes along the side of the house. Stapleton says during a storm, those drains can sometimes do more harm than good.
“It fills up and backs up,” he explained.
Even when there isn’t enough rain to flood the yard, Stapleton says water will still collect and sit in patches, killing the grass and staying muddy long after the sun comes out.
The issues the Stapletons face is a similar occurrence across the city. Two recent Facebook posts in a community group show just how common it is with hundreds of likes and dozens of homeowners saying they have the same issue.
A representative for the city of Sherwood explained leaders know of the issues and have a series of projects either underway or planned that will deal with drainage issues on certain streets. A current construction project on Country Club Road is one such example, with large pipes being installed to steer away rain and water.
Those looking to be updated on city projects can sign up for notifications on the city’s website.
Another neighbor pointed out that many of the issues have to do with the geography of the city itself and where low-lying areas sit. He adds re-doing an entire city’s drainage system isn’t something that can happen overnight.
But Stapleton says he feels something should have been done long ago, or residents should at least be warned where they look to buy a home.
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https://www.kark.com/news/local-news/white-county-woman-arrested-in-medicaid-fraud-case/
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Tags and tags to find, but still having doubdt - HelpMeIfYouWill.. - GITA (Google Information Technology Alternate Career-1(www).com)..HelpMeIf...Helpful!\nHope it may help others and this site users have not the \"Prem Peshani' or\"Glomedia\" experience from \"Rick Ross\". Please comment back if have same information' s!\nRap Genius' 'Astro': LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge announced on Thursday the arrest of a woman she says fraudulently billed Medicaid for more than $18,600 from 2018 to 2021.
The allegations led to the arrest of Pamela Townsend-Bell, of Judsonia, who is a licensed clinical social worker who owns “I’m a 10 Wellness Center, LLC”, a mental health agency, located in Searcy.
Townsend-Bell is said to have billed Medicaid for one-on-one individual counseling services provided by unlicensed staff, listing herself as the performing provider.
Rutledge says that the unlicensed staff included non-paid interns and office staff. Medicaid requires these types of outpatient mental health services to be provided by licensed therapists.
Rutledge said that between 2018 and 2021, Townsend-Bell submitted over 300 fraudulent Medicaid claims totaling more than $18,600. Townsend-Bell also is said to have made false statements for payments that violated the rules and provider agreements issued by the Arkansas Medicaid Program. In addition, Rutledge said that Townsend-Bell made false entries in medical records indicating she provided services to Medicaid recipients.
Townsend-Bell was charged with two counts of Medicaid Fraud, Class “B” felonies. She appeared before the Pulaski County District Court on March 18, 2022, and was released pending further proceedings.
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https://www.kark.com/pig-trail-nation/kj-jefferson-td-pass-to-malik-hornsby-highlight-thursday/
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FAYETTEVILLE — Wet and cool temperatures pushed Arkansas’ fifth spring practice inside the Walker Pavilion on Thursday, but that didn’t stop a lot of work getting done.
The highlight of the day was probably when KJ Jefferson found Malik Hornsby in stride streaking down the right sideline for a long touchdown pass. Hornsby once again spent the majority of the practice at quarterback, but did work at wide receiver some as well. Sam Pittman said Jefferson looks like the veteran quarterback he is after a successful 9-4 redshirt sophomore season.
“A lot of confidence. Throwing the ball with velocity,” Pittman said. “Throwing the deep ball well. Threw a good one – or two – to Malik today, actually. That was a nice catch he made on the very first play of team run. But what he’s done is, even though the kids believed that he was a captain last year, which I did too, but I was a little bit surprise because he hadn’t played before, but voted team captain. I shouldn’t have been because I understand how the team feels about him. He’ll be a captain again. He leads the football team, along with those guys in the secondary. I think they’re very valuable, too… All of them are, actually, but those are the older guys that are leading us.”
On Thursday following practice Pittman talked about how the Hornsby to wide receiver some came about.
“Well, to be perfectly honest, when he went in the portal over Christmas,” Pittman said. “I want to explain that too, you know. Sometimes you say things that aren’t true. I want you to know I’m not saying things that I believe is not going to be true. I don’t know if that makes sense. But Malik didn’t miss any practice. Didn’t miss anything. He got in the portal over (… a break) The thing that bothers me is if we’ve got guys working for three weeks and a guy goes into the portal, he doesn’t like who comes back on the portal, and he says ‘Can I come back to the team? No. You missed three weeks of ball, work. Malik didn’t do that.
“In that conversation, I said we’re going to give you every bit of opportunity to win the starting quarterback job, but also, if you come back, I need you to be open to playing wide receiver. So we’re doing it at a slow pace. We certainly want to give him every opportunity to win the starting quarterback job. But I think you’ve seen it and we certainly have seen that he can help us tremendously as a wide receiver. So that’s how it came about. To his credit, he’s doing a really good job with it and he’s having to play extra reps and those things. But I think with (Cade) Fortin coming on a little bit, more and more and more, that will help us be able to do that a little bit.”
Hornsby, like all the quarterbacks, wears a black protective jersey. Pittman talked about if that will change in future when he’s playing wide receiver.
“Yeah, we’re going to keep it that way,” Pittman said. “I also think the guys that we have in green, they’re just going to — we’re going to scrimmage but they’re still in green and the quarterbacks are still in black, so if Malik happens to be out there, we’re not going to tackle him at wide receiver and certainly at quarterback. Same thing with (Jalen) Cat[alon]. Cat is still in the green but we have to scrimmage him. We’ll just have to … that’s the worst part of scrimmage is when you have that happen, you know you have to decide, ‘Would he have tackled him? Would he not have?’ Things of that nature. It’s more important about how we’ll play, and if we’re crisp and solid and those things.
“But him and probably Haselwood would be the two greens that come right off the top of my head. We’re going to keep them in green Saturday but we’re going to play them. Cat and Haselwood, neither one of them would probably play in that combination time anyway.”
Another highlight was when two freshmen hooked up for an interception. Linebacker Jordan Crook tipped a pass and defensive back Jaylen Lewis picked it off.
The Hogs will hold their first scrimmage of the spring on Saturday. Pittman talked about the process he will use.
“We’re going to have a rack of ones, twos, threes,” Pittman said. “We go good on good every day. So we go one-one, two-two, three-threes. Not necessarily in that order but one, three, two. Saturday we’re going to go one-two, two-one, three-three. Then a combo period and then three-three again. So the combination probably would be for example take KJ out and put Malik with the ones. Put Ty’Kieast Crawford at right tackle. Probably in that combo you’ll see three or four guys on both sides of the ball out, like we did in fall practice.
“But basically we want Malik Hornsby to play with the best offensive line he can. And then on defense there will be some guys like Bumper (Pool) that we will probably take him out during that part of the scrimmage. And we’re going to come back and scrimmage the Red area high and low. Then we’re going to come back and thud third down and thuds 2-minute. It won’t be like it was before in the scrimmages where we are going to immediately do the situation. In other words if we’re three and out we’re not going to punt the ball. We’re going to scrimmage, scrimmage, scrimmage O vs. D. And then we’re going to break it off a little bit like practice is where we have a punt period and a punt return period at the same time and then we’ll have a kickoff. The first will be kickoff and kickoff return and then punt and punt return. The only thing we’ll do as far as what you would call situational would be any time we get into a field goal situation or extra point. We’re going to kick it immediately at that point. We’re going to put a little bit more pressure on our kickers that way.”
The scrimmage on Saturday will be closed to the public and media. A couple of key recruits were present on Thursday including Greenwood Class of 2026 quarterback Kane Archer and Mansfield (Texas) Class of 2023 defensive lineman Kaleb James, who is committed to Arkansas. Archer has offers to Arkansas, Missouri and Michigan.
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https://www.kark.com/washington/washington-dc/bill-seeks-to-put-cap-on-overdraft-fees/
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WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – For some people, overdraft fees are a frustrating inconvenience. For others, they pose crippling costs. Some lawmakers now want to change how they’re charged altogether.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney introduced legislation called the “Overdraft Protection Act.” The bill includes provisions to cap the amount and number of fees a bank can charge.
“My bill tries to cut down on these unfair and deceptive practices,” the New York Democrat said.
Advocates like Elyse Crawford-Hicks with Americans for Financial Reform say overdraft fees hit low-income families and people of color the hardest.
“Overdraft fees are paid the most by people who can least afford them,” Crawford-Hicks said.
Others say over-drafting is a useful service because it can function like a short-term loan. Paul Kundert is the CEO of UW Credit Union, which recently reduced their overdraft fees and put more limits on how they charge them.
“When prices are fair, we believe consumers do benefit from access to the credit provided by overdraft fees,” Kundert said.
Recently, major banks like Wells Fargo, Citigroup and Bank of America have made changes themselves, by reducing their overdraft fees or eliminating them altogether.
Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, says that demonstrates the legislation is unnecessary.
“The market is naturally, naturally taking care of the issue without government intervention. And we do not need more rules from Washington,” Williams said.
Because banks make billions of dollars in revenue from overdraft fees, George Mason University Foundation Professor of Law Todd Zywicki argues the proposed changes would cost consumers.
“We’ll see higher bank fees, we’ll see higher minimum monthly deposits as basically insurance against over-drafting and we will see a loss of access to free checking,” Zywicki said.
Lawmakers like Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., are promising to continue pushing for the reforms.
“How can we perform such an abusive and predatory practice that punishes people simply for being poor?” Pressley said.
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https://www.kark.com/news/local-news/pizza-daction-holds-fundraiser-for-murder-victim/
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Washita 74\nTaking crop yield measurements across field by manual sensoring is a labor intensive field level task (Averil), time demanding fieldwork at low cure efficiency levels (Diakosavakiris). Thus to get over that problem , Wide Dynamic Data Acquising (WRAP, the project I work from May to End 1 st month at, AIRI) a novel intelligent cassette is under trial LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Friends and fellow employees at Pizza D’Action held a memorial benefit Thursday night after one of their co-workers was shot and killed over the weekend.
Organizers say that 100 percent of the proceeds from the event will go to the family of Charlie Willis.
Several photos of Willis were placed around the restaurant, along with a table covered in flowers to honor him.
Willis is remembered for his loving spirit inside and outside of the restaurant’s doors.
“He was a fixture here,” Bartender James Snyder remembers. “Before he came to work for us, he was a regular here all the time. These people here are his friend and his family.”
No arrests yet have been made in the case.
Anyone who has information concerning the investigation is asked to contact LRPD.
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https://www.kark.com/news/local-news/ukrainian-living-in-arkansas-searching-for-her-mother/
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NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Not long after Russia invaded Ukraine, we introduced you to a Ukrainian woman living in North Little Rock desperately searching for her mother, who was caught in the war-torn country.
Marina Amdream’s desperate search has lasted nearly a month, and so far, she’s been unable to get in touch with her mom.
Amdream last spoke with her mother, Olena, on March 7.
Olena lives in Izyum which is a small city in Ukraine about 185 miles from Mariupol. The city is occupied by Russia, suffering major damage with repeated bombings.
“In my head she’s alive and I’m not entertaining any other option,” said Amdream, remaining optimistic about her mother.
City Councilman for the city of Izyum, Max Strelnyk spoke with us on Skype. As Amdream translates, he says the city is dealing with a humanitarian catastrophe.
It’s been 3 weeks since any food, water and medicine has been delivered, forcing the city to rely on reserves and increasing the number of deaths.
Amdream says her mother had a heart attack recently and is worried because there is no pharmacy for her to get the medicine she must take daily.
“That makes me worry about how she is physically. She may be alive, but I don’t want her to be in pain. I don’t want her to be hungry.”
Russia has damaged hospitals in the city of Izyum and bridges that connect to the city.
Strelnyk says, two weeks ago there were over 100 deaths, and he knows there are a lot more.
On a phone call, the deputy mayor of Izyum, Vologymyr Matsokin tells us there is no way to tell how many people have died in Izyum.
In response to Amdream’s question about her mother, he says he doesn’t have an answer as to when families can be notified if their loved ones are safe or not. This is because “the city organization that would work on this issue and works with relatives are not open” because of damage by Russia.
The City Councilman says he’s speaking out about the small city of Izyum because it seems to be overlooked by the bigger cities like Kyiv and Mariupol. He encourages Amdream and other Ukrainians to remain hopeful and stay strong together.
Amdream often smiled. She says at night when she is alone things are harder, but she remains hopeful because she “walk by faith not by sight.”
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https://www.kark.com/news/special-reports/yell-county-sheriff-turns-in-his-badge-after-24-years-of-service/
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YELL COUNTY, Ark. – Longevity in law enforcement is a rare occurrence given the stress and strain of the job. Marshall Matt Dillon served 20 years in Dodge City–of course, he was on TV.
The real-life Wyatt Earp served in law enforcement for 12 years. Half of the 24 years of real-life Yell County Sheriff Bill Gilkey just finished up.
The longest-serving Sheriff in Yell County history. The longest current serving sheriff in Arkansas. On Thursday after a total of 31 years in law enforcement, he called it a career.
I first met Bill Gilkey just over 24 years ago, I was in Yell county covering a Danville city council meeting. It was heated. A difference of opinion resulted in then Danville Police Chief Bill Gilkey getting fired. He didn’t run and hide, the former, fired chief set his sights on a new job, Yell County Sheriff.
“Back then to get in the race the filing fee was 1500.00 dollars. I didn’t have a job. We were not wealthy. Me and my wife had fifteen-hundred-seven dollars to our name the day I filed for sheriff.”
No social media, no tv ads…no money. He hit the ground running, or knocking.
“The only thing I had to run on was knocking on people’s doors. You know we really didn’t have any signs you know? You drive out there today and there’s a million signs out there “
He found more support among Yell county’s 24-thousand people than he did the Danville City Council and became Sheriff.
“I look back now and wonder sometimes, what were the people of Yell County thinking electing a 30-year-old you know? I thought maybe we’ll do a couple of terms and move on to something else “
After that first term, he did move on, from one successful re-election to another. Whatever the people of Yell county were thinking about Bill Gilkey, they were right. But he’ll tell you-his success had nothing to do with Bill Gilkey
“My longevity here hasn’t been about what Bill Gilkey has done. It’s what these men and women have done that come to work here every day, every night, and every holiday. It’s the job that they do. I’m just fortunate enough to be the guy that has his name on the door “
For the better part of his 24 years, there were more good days than bad–except one very, very, bad day.
“Losing Lt. Kevin Mainhart, toughest day on the job,” Gilkey said.
Lieutenant Mainhart was killed during a traffic stop by a man he did not know had just committed a double murder.
“Great friend, great officer. A great foundation not only during the time he was with us but, also as we continue on today” Gilkey remembers.
Not even a tragedy like that could change what kept him on the job so long.
“Every day that you get up and get to represent the people of Yell county is a great day,” Gilkey explains.
So, what is it that pulled him away from a historic run as sheriff?
“My wife Lisa has been very supportive and Arron and Evan our two boys, missed out on a lot growing up because I felt like I had to be here,” Gilkey said. “You know I want to slow down and try to catch up on things in life I missed out on the last 24 years.”
Sheriff Gilkey says the job was never about him, but the people of Yell County.
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https://www.kark.com/news/state-news/damphousse-resigns-thursday-as-chancellor-of-asu/
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I remember the excitement around the introduction many years ago...we waited for almost an instant gratficiation...yield, ppphf and so- on for weeks when nothing arrived? That can not be all for today either? How else do u tell all what just went wrong and no what not too much has the time been a lot now. If for example today i' am going after it for no fault reason i am going after u the reason it took up my time as JONESBORO, Ark. – Arkansas State University Chancellor Kelly Damphousse announced his resignation after 5 years of service on Thursday, effective June 30.
Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas recently announced that Damphousse as the sole finalist to replace outgoing president, Dr. Denise Trauth on July 1.
Damphousse released a statement saying:
“When I came to A-State five years ago, I pledged to do everything that I could to help the members of our faculty and staff reach their full potential, to ensure barriers to success were removed for our current and future students and make our former students and friends proud of their university. That was the essence of the idea behind Every Red Wolf Counts,” Damphousse said. “As Beth and I take this opportunity to be closer to her mother, our family, and friends, we pray that our A-State family understands our decision to return home and knows that we gave our university and adopted hometown everything we had during our time here.”
“We have been blessed by a welcoming A-State and Jonesboro community, and we will never forget our time here,” Damphousse continued. “We will also forever be grateful for the leadership of the A-State Cabinet, our wonderful trustees, and especially President Chuck Welch, whose guidance, compassion, mentorship, faith and good humor has sustained us both during our time at A-State.”
Damphousse became the third permanently appointed chancellor of Arkansas State on July 1, 2017, and the sixth to hold the title since it was instituted in 2006.
“Kelly leaves the university in a very strong position and well-poised for the future,” said Dr. Chuck Welch, president of the ASU System. “His leadership during the past two years of the pandemic was exemplary. Financial positioning, fund-raising efforts, exciting new facilities, and academic program growth have made A-State a better place because of Kelly’s leadership.”
Welch said he will soon be meeting with university constituency groups to determine the next steps.
No decisions have been made regarding a possible interim appointment or a search process.
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https://www.kark.com/news/national-news/navy-to-name-ship-after-ruth-bader-ginsburg/
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(The Hill) – The U.S. Navy will name a future ship after the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro announced Thursday.
The T-AO 212 replenishment oiler will be referred to as the USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
“As we close out women’s history month, it is my absolute honor to name the next T-AO after the Honorable Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She is a historic figure who vigorously advocated for women’s rights and gender equality,” Del Toro announced.
“As Secretary of the Navy, it is my aim to ensure equality and eliminate gender discrimination across the Department of the Navy,” he continued, adding that Ginsburg was “instrumental to why we now have women of all backgrounds, experiences and talents serving within our ranks, side by side with their male Sailor and Marine counterparts.”
Ginsburg was the second woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court and was well known for her advocacy for women’s rights in cases such as United States v. Virginia, which ruled that it was unconstitutional for the Virginia Military Institute to bar women from admissions.
Her daughter, Jane Ginsburg, will be the sponsor of the new ship, according to Del Toro.
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Naval ships are regularly named after significant public figures. The lead ship of the eight T-AOs is named after former Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), who died in 2020.
T-AO fleet oilers, which primarily serve to transport fuel, have the capacity to carry up to 162,000 barrels of oil each.
The ships, designed by General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, stretch to 742 feet and possess double hulls to protect against oil spills. They can reach a speed of 20 knots.
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https://www.kark.com/news/national-news/police-offered-to-arrest-will-smith-over-slap-oscars-producer-says/
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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.
In the longer version on “Good Morning America,” Parker said he initially believed the slap was an orchestrated bit. “I thought it was part of something that Chris and Will were doing on their own. I thought it was a bit. I wasn’t concerned at all.”
Packer said he went up to Rock after the incident. “I said, ‘Did he really hit you?’” the producer asked Rock. “And he looked at me and he goes, ‘Yeah, I just took a punch from Muhammad Ali,’ as only Chris can. He was immediately in joke mode, but you could tell that he was very much still in shock.”
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 he refused to do so.
Smith strode from his front-row seat onto 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.”
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https://www.kark.com/news/politics/house-set-to-pass-marijuana-legalization-friday/
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(The Hill) — The House is set to pass legislation on Friday to legalize marijuana nationwide, an effort that has unprecedented levels of support in both chambers of Congress.
The bill is likely to pass the lower chamber largely along party lines, with most Republicans expected to oppose it.
Proponents argue that legalizing marijuana at the federal level will simply reflect most states’ existing policies that allow it in some form.
They also frame the effort as a way to end the disproportionate punishment of racial minorities and people in low-income communities for possessing and using weed.
And with an overwhelming majority of Americans — as much as 91 percent in a Pew Research Poll last year — backing marijuana legalization for at least medical purposes, Democrats believe it’s a winning issue for them ahead of November’s midterms.
“This landmark legislation is one of the most important criminal justice reform bills in recent history: delivering justice for those harmed by the brutal, unfair consequences of criminalization; opening the doors of opportunity for all to participate in this rapidly growing industry; and decriminalizing cannabis at the federal level so we do not repeat the grave mistakes of our past,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said on the House floor on Thursday.
The bill, titled the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, would eliminate criminal penalties associated with the drug and establish a process to expunge previous convictions from people’s criminal records.
It would further impose a federal tax on marijuana sales to fund programs meant to help communities negatively impacted by so-called “war on drugs” policies beginning in the 1970s.
Friday’s vote will mark the second time that House Democrats have advanced legislation to decriminalize marijuana, after previously passing the measure in December 2020.
But the last effort didn’t gain any traction in the Senate, which was controlled by Republicans at the time.
But now, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) has said that marijuana legalization is a top priority, and he has been working with fellow Democrats to unveil a bill this spring.
It’s not yet clear, however, if enough Senate Republicans, or even all Democrats, would get on board for the bill to clear a filibuster.
Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), whose states have been ravaged by the opioid epidemic, have both expressed skepticism about broadly legalizing marijuana.
Republicans opposed to the legislation say legalization would do more harm than good.
Rep. Pete Stauber (R-Minn.), a former police officer, recalled having to make “devastating” visits to inform people that their family members had died in accidents resulting from drivers who were under the influence of drugs. He warned that legalizing weed could lead to an increase in people driving while high.
“We can all sit here and pretend that marijuana is a harmless drug, but it is not. It clouds your judgment and inhibits your reaction time,” Stauber said.
A smaller number of Republicans support legalizing marijuana.
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) has introduced her own bill to legalize cannabis products. But it currently only has three GOP cosponsors: Reps. Brian Mast (Fla.), Tom McClintock (Calif.) and Peter Meijer (Mich.).
Mace’s proposal would set an age limit of 21 for cannabis use. It would also impose a smaller tax on marijuana sales — 3 percent — than the bill Democrats are bringing to the House floor and establish a 10-year moratorium on any tax increases.
The Democratic bill would first establish a 5 percent tax that would gradually increase to 8 percent over five years.
At least 18 states, two territories and the District of Columbia allow cannabis for adult, nonmedical use, according to the National Conference on State Legislatures. More than twice as many states – 37 – allow pot for medical use.
“Americans have made their support for cannabis legalization abundantly clear, and states across the country have taken the lead on cannabis legalization. Now it is time for Congress to take action and finally put an end to the failed policy of prohibition,” said Toi Hutchinson, president and CEO of the Marijuana Policy Project, an advocacy group.
Before final passage on Friday, the House will consider amendments from two centrist Democrats, Reps. Conor Lamb (Pa.) and Josh Gottheimer (N.J.), to study the impact of marijuana legalization on workplaces and schools, as well as the methods that law enforcement can use to determine whether a driver is impaired by weed.
Another amendment up for debate from Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) would clarify that people could not be denied security clearances because of cannabis use.
While Schumer may face an uphill path to securing 60 votes for broad marijuana legalization in the Senate, proponents may have success with more narrow measures.
The Senate passed a bill by unanimous consent last week that would expand scientific and medical research on marijuana and its compounds.
The House has also passed legislation twice in the last year to allow legally operating cannabis businesses to use banking services and credit cards so that they no longer have to be cash-only.
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), a co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, predicted that the banking legislation had a shot of securing enough bipartisan support in the Senate to pass.
Unlike the MORE Act, which only won the support of five Republicans in 2020, the measure to allow cannabis businesses to access banking services passed in the House passed handily by a vote of 321-101 just under a year ago.
“We have, I think, probably in the low 60s in the Senate,” Blumenauer said.
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https://www.kark.com/news/the-teach-arkansas-initiative/
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Posted: Apr 1, 2022 / 07:28 AM CDT Updated: Apr 1, 2022 / 07:28 AM CDT SHARE There’s an effort to increase to the number of qualified certified teachers across the natural state. Here is your chance to learn more about the Teach Arkansas initiative.
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https://www.kark.com/amazing/put-breakfast-back-on-the-menu/
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(Baptist Health) – A healthy breakfast can give you the energy you need to be at your best.
You don’t have to start every morning with the breakfast of champions. But it’s a good idea to kick off your day with a healthy first meal.
Starting your day with a balanced meal can make a major difference in your overall health and well-being, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Why breakfast?
Breakfast is literally a break in fasting.
The fast is the 8 to 12 hours since you last ate before bedtime. When you wake to a new day, you need food to reload your body’s supply of glucose—or blood sugar—that provides energy.
Some of the benefits of eating breakfast include:
- More strength.
- Better endurance.
- Improved concentration.
- Increased problem-solving ability.
On the other hand, if you skip breakfast, you’re more likely to be tired, irritable or restless in the morning.
The morning meal is especially important for kids and teens. Kids who eat breakfast are better able to learn, have better grades, and develop better eating habits for the long term, according to the Academy.
Making the right choices
There’s no set menu for a good breakfast. But there are some guidelines you should follow to make sure your morning meal is healthy and balanced:
Go easy on sugar. Sugar adds calories but offers few, if any, nutrients. So skip the doughnuts, bear claws and other pastries.
Power up with protein. Protein can help you stay strong and focused throughout the morning, according to the Academy. Good sources of protein include eggs, low-fat yogurt and peanut butter.
Include whole grains. Whole grains are packed with fiber and nutrients. They also tend to be digested slowly, so they provide long-lasting energy.
Add fruits and veggies. Try fresh, seasonal fruit. Or put canned fruit in a parfait. Or try including chopped veggies in an omelet.
Here are some ideas for a healthy breakfast:
- A bowl of whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk and an orange.
- Egg whites with whole-grain toast and fruit.
- Scrambled eggs, low-fat milk and pancakes topped with fruit.
- Toasted waffles topped with peanut butter and banana slices.
- A whole-wheat pita stuffed with sliced, hard-cooked eggs with a glass of vegetable juice.
- A chopped-vegetable omelet with a slice of whole-grain toast.
And there’s no rule that you have to eat typical breakfast foods for your first meal of the day. Veggie pizza, pasta, rice, sandwiches and other healthy leftovers can be fine breakfast substitutes.
Make time for breakfast
If mornings are hectic in your house, it can be easy to overlook breakfast. But there are ways you can make time to eat and still get everyone off to school and work on schedule.
The Academy offers these tips:
- Get ready the night before. Set the table and have breakfast ingredients ready to go. Slice up fruit or low-fat cheese ahead of time.
- Keep it simple. If you’re rushed, stick to whole-grain cereals and toast, juice and fruits. Save big, fancy breakfasts for weekends, when you have more time.
- Pack a brown bag breakfast. If you don’t have time at home, take breakfast with you. Low-fat yogurt, bananas, oranges and juice containers are all portable, healthy breakfasts.
By making time and smart breakfast choices, you can start your morning on the right foot and look forward to a productive day of work, school or play.
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https://www.kark.com/crime/little-rock-officer-arrested-by-saline-county-deputies-facing-domestic-violence-charges/
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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A Little Rock police officer is facing domestic violence charges after being arrested by Saline County deputies Thursday.
According to the Little Rock Police Department, the department was informed of the arrest and started an internal investigation.
The LRPD said that the officer has been placed on paid administrative leave.
The officer is facing charges of domestic battery and endangering the welfare of a minor, according to a release from the department.
Officers noted that any questions regarding this incident should be directed toward the Saline County Sheriff’s Office.
This is an ongoing investigation.
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https://www.kark.com/news/business/biden-administration-boosts-mileage-standards-slashed-by-trump/
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(The Hill) — The Transportation Department on Friday announced that it boosted car efficiency standards that had been cut by the Trump administration.
The department finalized standards that would require automakers to produce fleets of cars and light trucks averaging 49 miles per gallon in model year 2026.
The new standards are more stringent than the Trump-era standards, which would have required 40 miles per gallon for the 2026 fleet.
However, the real-world totals may look slightly different under each standard, as the department has noted that real-world fuel economy levels are typically lower than the test conditions under which the standards are applied.
Nevertheless, the standards are expected to have both climate and consumer benefits, and officials made the case on Friday that they will also improve the country’s energy independence by decreasing our reliance on oil.
“We cannot let families’ futures or our national economy be decided in oil company board rooms,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told reporters. “Today’s rule is going to save 234 billion gallons of fuel by 2050 and move us into a less dependent future.”
On climate change, the rule is also expected to have significant impacts. Buttigieg said that it would prevent 5.5 trillion pounds of planet-warming carbon dioxide from going into the atmosphere by 2050.
The transportation sector is the largest contributor to climate change in the U.S., and light-duty vehicles are responsible for more than half of those emissions.
The move comes after the Environmental Protection Agency late last year also reversed the Trump administration’s cuts to regulations on how much planet-warming carbon dioxide cars can emit through their tailpipes.
The set of clean car standards is expected to push automakers towards producing more electric vehicles.
Friday’s standards are expected to result in 8 percent annual increases for model years 2024 and 2025 and a 10 percent increase for 2026.
The requirements come as some industry players have announced in recent months that they plan to incorporate a greater share of electric vehicles into their fleets, and President Joe Biden has called for 50 percent of vehicle sales to be electric in 2030.
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https://www.kark.com/news/health-news/allergies-vs-covid-how-to-tell-symptoms-apart/
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(NEXSTAR) – For many, springtime can mean a return of seasonal allergies. But how can you tell if it’s pollen or the latest COVID-19 variants that’s making you sneeze?
The most common symptoms associated with the omicron variant (which makes up nearly all COVID-19 cases in the U.S. right now) are runny nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing and sore throat, according to the ZOE Covid Study, which has been tracking COVID-19 symptoms in the United Kingdom.
Some of those symptoms overlap with allergies, which can make it confusing (and stressful) when you start to feel bad.
The best way to answer the question of whether you have the coronavirus or just allergies is to take a COVID test – either a rapid at-home test or a PCR test at a testing location.
While you wait for your results, you can also compare the most common symptoms of allergies and COVID-19, as explained by the Mayo Clinic:
You could also have a common cold or the flu. For more on those possibilities, check out the Mayo Clinic’s breakdown of symptoms.
The symptoms of omicron made it harder to distinguish from other ailments than previous variants of the virus, like delta. The loss of smell or taste, for example, used to be a sure sign you had the coronavirus, but was found to be much less common with omicron.
People vaccinated against COVID-19 are also more likely to experience cold-like symptoms with an omicron infection, whereas unvaccinated people are more likely to report flu-like symptoms and shortness of breath.
In the U.S., the BA.2 subvariant of omicron has started to overtake the BA.1 type of omicron that caused the recent winter surge, but both types of omicron cause the same symptoms.
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https://www.kark.com/news/national-news/bruce-willis-health-issues-affected-work-for-years-report-says/
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(NewsNation) — Bruce Willis’ aphasia diagnosis was made public by his family Wednesday, but new reporting suggests the 67-year-old actor’s health decline, which caused him to step away from acting, was affecting his work on set for years.
Actress Lala Kent, who played Willis’ daughter in the 2020 film “Hard Kill,” told the Los Angeles Times in one scene they had together, Willis’ character had to protect her from villains.
Her back was to Willis in the scene, and the actor was supposed to deliver a line serving as Kent’s cue to duck before he fired the weapon at a movie “bad guy.”
But Willis ended up shooting the gun, which was filled with a blank, before delivering his line, and Kent didn’t duck.
The same thing happened on the second take. A crew member on set confirmed Kent’s claims, telling the Los Angeles Times that Willis “did fire the gun on the wrong line.”
The film’s armorer denied this happened, but other filmmakers who worked with Willis on his latest projects also said they were alarmed by his condition.
Aphasia can cause varying degrees of impairment in speech or understanding language. It currently affects more than 2 million Americans, the National Aphasia Association estimates.
Concerns about Willis’ health didn’t translate to him making fewer movies, though — he just had less work on set.
“Out of Death” director Mike Burns wrote an email to his screenwriter, asking him to cut down the movie stars’ part, and they filmed all of Willis’ scenes in one day.
Burns made another movie with Willis the next year, after being assured the actor was in better health.
But Burns told the Times that he didn’t end up thinking Willis did bitter.
“I thought he was worse,” he told the newspaper.
Another filmmaker said in the Los Angeles Times that he was so concerned about Willis’ mental state he approached the actor’s team. They told him it would be best to finish filming early.
Two crewmembers said Willis, while on set, asked them, “Why am I here?”
Many are wondering if Willis was using a body double, being fed lines through an earpiece or had scenes shortened. They also want to know why no one from his team stepped in earlier.
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https://www.kark.com/news/national-news/ny-mobster-guilty-of-killing-3-escapes-federal-custody-in-florida/
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ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — A New York mobster who killed three people and attempted to kill two others has escaped from federal custody.
The Bureau of Prisons website says Dominic Taddeo escaped on March 28.
The 64-year-old pleaded guilty in 1992 to racketeering charges that included the killings of three men during mob wars in the 1980s.
A federal judge in western New York denied Taddeo’s request for compassionate release last year.
Taddeo had been imprisoned at a medium-security lockup in Florida before being transferred to a residential halfway house in February.
A Bureau of Prisons spokesperson did not immediately return a call seeking information about Taddeo’s escape.
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https://www.kark.com/news/national-news/student-loan-forgiveness-heres-where-the-us-stands/
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(NEXSTAR) – For over two years, most federal student loan borrowers haven’t had to make a monthly payment after both Trump and Biden enacted pauses in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, with payments (possibly) beginning again in May, many are hoping their loans will instead be forgiven.
A recent analysis found close to $200 billion was saved by student loan borrowers under the repayment freeze, The Hill reports, but those borrowers could struggle when the pause lifts.
Although borrowers “will likely face a healthier economy going forward, Direct loan holders have higher debt balances, lower credit scores, and were making less progress on repayment than … prior to the pandemic,” the researchers wrote. The average student loan debt balance now exceeds $37,000, with Americans owing roughly $1.6 trillion to the government.
On Thursday, 96 lawmakers – 21 Senators and 75 members of the House – sent a letter to President Biden, calling on him to not only extend the payment moratorium but to “cancel student debt now.”
“Canceling a meaningful amount of student debt will provide long-term benefits to individuals and the economy, helping families buy their first homes, open a small business, or invest in their retirement. More broadly, canceling student debt would add tens of billions of dollars in GDP growth,” the letter reads.
Does Biden have the power to forgive student loans?
While he and Trump had the power to freeze student loan payments, it’s hard to say whether Biden has the power to forgive loans.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said Biden lacks the legal authority. Instead, she said, “That would be an act of Congress.” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, on the other hand, has argued that Biden could under the same legal provision Trump used to delay payments and interest accrual at the start of the pandemic, The Hill reports.
Earlier this year, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, “We’re still looking at administrative options, but Congress can also send the president a bill that would provide $10,000 in debt relief, and he’d be happy to sign that bill.”
In addition to calling on Biden to cancel upward of $50,000 in student debt per borrower, lawmakers are mulling multiple legislative proposals to forgive student loans, make it easier to refinance, or continue the pause on payments.
Who is already eligible for student loan forgiveness?
Whether or not another pause (more on that later) or loan forgiveness is on the horizon, some borrowers can already have some debt relief.
The Department of Education recently announced nearly 100,000 people are eligible for student loan cancelation due to changes made to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program in October. The move amounted to roughly $6.2 billion in relief, according to The Hill.
Under the PSLF program, eligible borrowers were promised that their debt would be canceled if they made payments over the course of 10 years. To be eligible for the program, you must work full-time for the government or a not-for-profit organization, have Direct Loans, repay them under an income-driven repayment plan, and make 120 qualifying payments.
Teachers, certain volunteers, and individuals working in specific industries may qualify for student loan cancellation. There are a number of other cases in which your student loans could be forgiven, canceled, or discharged.
Could another payment pause happen?
The Department of Education has reportedly directed companies that service federal student loans not to send notices about payments resuming in May, CNBC reports. According to NPR, the department does have a legal obligation to reach out to borrowers at least six times before payments begin – by telling companies to hold off on reaching out, some believe the administration was signaling another payment moratorium.
This came shortly after White House chief of staff Ron Klain said Biden wanted to decide on debt cancellation before payments restarted, “or he’ll extend the pause.”
Pushing out another payment pause may also be beneficial for Democrats heading into the midterm elections.
There are, of course, critics of another student loan payment pause. Many point to the costs the deferment has put on the federal government, and taxpayers, which amounts to nearly $50 billion a year.
As it stands now, the student loan payment pause is set to end on May 1.
The Associated Press and NewsNation’s Leland Vittert contributed to this report.
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https://www.kark.com/news/national-news/the-nations-oldest-active-park-ranger-retires-at-100/
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(KTLA) – Betty Reid Soskin, the country’s oldest active ranger in the National Park Service, retired Thursday at 100 years old.
Over the past decade and a half, Soskin has shared with parkgoers her personal experiences and the efforts of women from diverse backgrounds who worked on the World War II Home Front. She has led tours and public programs, sharing her experiences and observations at the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond.
Soskin, who celebrated her 100th birthday in September, spent her last day providing an interpretive program to the public and visiting with coworkers, according to a statement from the Park Service.
“To be a part of helping to mark the place where that dramatic trajectory of my own life, combined with others of my generation, will influence the future by the footprints we’ve left behind has been incredible,” the ranger said.
Soskin’s interpretive programs at the Richmond park have illuminated the histories of African Americans and other people of color, and her efforts demonstrate how her work has impacted the way the Park Service conveys such history to audiences across the U.S., the agency said.
“Betty has made a profound impact on the National Park Service and the way we carry out our mission,” Park Service Director Chuck Sams said in a written statement. “Her efforts remind us that we must seek out and give space for all perspectives so that we can tell a more full and inclusive history of our nation.”
In the early 2000s, Soskin participated in scoping meetings with the City of Richmond and the National Park Service to develop the general management plan for Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park. She worked with the park service on a grant funded by Pacific Gas & Electric to uncover untold stories of African Americans on the home front during WWII, which led to a temporary position working with the service at the age of 84.
“Being a primary source in the sharing of that history – my history – and giving shape to a new national park has been exciting and fulfilling,” Soskin said. “It has proven to bring meaning to my final years.”
In 2011, Soskin became a permanent National Park Service employee and has since been leading public programs and sharing her personal remembrances and observations at the park visitor center.
Later, in 2015, she was selected by the park service to participate in a national tree-lighting ceremony in at the White House and to introduce President Barack Obama in the nationwide telecast.
Soskin suffered a stroke in 2019 and spent months in physical therapy. She returned to work in 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
The century-old ranger grew up in a Cajun-Creole, African American family that settled in Oakland after a 1927 flood devastated New Orleans, according to her biography. Her family “followed the pattern set by the black railroad workers who discovered the West Coast while serving as sleeping car porters, waiters, and chefs for the Southern Pacific and Santa Fe railroads: they settled at the western end of their run where life might be less impacted by southern hostility.”
In a 2015 interview with the U.S. Department of the Interior, Soskin said her great-grandmother was born into slavery in 1846 and lived to be 102.
During World War II, Soskin worked in a segregated union hall as a file clerk. In 1945, she and her husband, Mel Reid, founded one of the first Black-owned music stores, Reid’s Records, which closed in 2019.
Soskin has also held positions as staff to a Berkeley city council member and as a field representative serving West Contra Costa County for two members of the California State Assembly.
Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park will celebrate Betty’s retirement on April 16. Details can be found on the park’s website.
Learn more about Soskin’s story and watch her recorded programs.
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https://www.kark.com/news/world-news/russians-leave-chernobyl-as-fighting-rages-elsewhere/
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KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian troops left the heavily contaminated Chernobyl nuclear site early Friday after returning control to the Ukrainians, authorities said, as residents in parts of eastern Ukraine braced for renewed attacks and awaited blocked supplies of food and other humanitarian relief.
Ukraine’s state power company, Energoatom, said the pullout at Chernobyl came after soldiers received “significant doses” of radiation from digging trenches in the forest in the exclusion zone around the closed plant. The International Atomic Energy Agency said it could not independently confirm the exposure claim.
In what would be the first attack of its kind, if confirmed, the governor of Russia’s Belgorod region accused Ukraine of flying helicopter gunships across the border on Friday morning and striking an oil depot.
The depot run by Russian energy giant Rosneft is located about 35 kilometers (21 miles) north of the Ukraine-Russia border. The helicopter attack set the facility ablaze, and two people were injured, according to a Telegram post by Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.
“The fire at the oil depot occurred as a result of an airstrike from two helicopters of the armed forces of Ukraine, which entered the territory of Russia at a low altitude,” the governor wrote on the messaging app.
It was not immediately possible to verify the claim or images that were circulating on social media of the alleged attack. Russia has reported shelling from Ukraine before, including an incident last week that killed a military chaplain, but not an incursion of its airspace.
Elsewhere, Ukrainian forces have retaken the villages of Sloboda and Lukashivka, which are south of the besieged northern city of Chernihiv and located along one of the main supply routes between the city and Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, according to Britain’s Defense Ministry.
Ukraine has also continued to make successful but limited counterattacks to the east and northeast of Kyiv, the ministry said.
Russian forces have subjected both Chernihiv and Kyiv to continued air and ground-launched missile strikes despite Moscow officials saying Tuesday they planned to reduce military activity in those areas.
Western officials said there were growing indications Russia was using its talk of de-escalation in Ukraine as cover to regroup, resupply its forces and redeploy them for a stepped-up offensive in the eastern part of the country.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russian withdrawals from the north and center of the country were just a military tactic to build up strength for new attacks in the southeast.
“We know their intentions,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address to the nation. “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.”
“There will be battles ahead,” he added.
Ukrainian and Russian negotiators planned to resume talks via video on Friday, five weeks into a conflict that has left thousands dead and driven more than 4 million refugees from Ukraine. There seemed little faith that the two sides would find agreement on their respective demands any time soon.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said conditions weren’t yet “ripe” for a cease-fire and he wasn’t ready for a meeting with Zelenskyy until the negotiators do more work, Italian Premier Mario Draghi said after a Thursday telephone conversation with the Russian leader.
Following a plea from Zelenskyy when he addressed Australian Parliament on Thursday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that his country would send mine-resistant armored personnel carriers to Ukraine.
He said Friday the four-wheel drive Bushmaster vehicles, specifically requested by Zelenskyy, would be flown to Europe but did not say how many would be delivered or when.
“We’re not just sending our prayers, we are sending our guns, we’re sending our munitions, we’re sending our humanitarian aid, we’re sending all of this, our body armor, all of these things, and we’re going to be sending our armored vehicles, our Bushmasters, as well,” Morrison said.
In the encircled strategic port city of Mariupol, Russian forces on Thursday blocked a convoy of 45 buses attempting to evacuate people after the Russian military agreed to a limited cease-fire in the area. Only 631 people were able to get out of the city in private cars, according to the Ukrainian government.
Russian forces also seized 14 tons of food and medical supplies in a dozen buses that were trying to make it to Mariupol, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said.
The city has been the scene of some of the worst suffering of the war. Tens of thousands of residents managed to get out in the past few weeks by way of humanitarian corridors, reducing the population from a prewar 430,000 to an estimated 100,000 by last week. But continued Russian attacks have repeatedly thwarted aid and evacuation convoys.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said it had been informed by Ukraine that the Russians forces at Chernobyl had transferred control of the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster to the Ukrainians in writing. The last Russian troops left Chernobyl early Friday, the Ukrainian government agency responsible for the exclusion zone said.
Energoatom gave no details on the condition of the soldiers it said were exposed to radiation and did not say how many were affected. There was no immediate comment from the Kremlin, and the IAEA said it was seeking more information.
Russian forces seized the Chernobyl site in the opening stages of the Feb. 24 invasion, raising fears that they would cause damage or disruption that could spread radiation. The workforce at the site oversees the safe storage of spent fuel rods and the concrete-entombed ruins of the reactor that exploded in 1986.
Edwin Lyman, a nuclear expert with the U.S.-based Union of Concerned Scientists, said it “seems unlikely” a large number of troops would develop severe radiation illness, but it was impossible to know for sure without more details.
IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi was in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad on Friday for talks with senior officials there about nuclear issues in Ukraine.
In addition to concerns about Chernobyl, nine of Ukraine’s 15 operational reactors are currently in use, including two at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhya facility, the IAEA said.
Early this week, the Russians said they would significantly scale back military operations in areas around Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv to increase trust between the two sides and help negotiations along.
But in the Kyiv suburbs, regional governor Oleksandr Palviuk said on social media Thursday that Russian forces shelled Irpin and Makariv and that there were battles around Hostomel. Pavliuk said there were Ukrainian counterattacks and some Russian withdrawals around the suburb of Brovary to the east.
At a Ukrainian military checkpoint outside Kyiv, soldiers and officers said they don’t believe Russian forces have given up on the capital.
“What does it mean, significantly scaling down combat actions in the Kyiv and Chernihiv areas?” asked Brig. Gen. Valeriy Embakov. “Does it mean there will be 100 missiles instead of 200 missiles launched on Kyiv or something else?”
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said intelligence indicates Russia is not scaling back its military operations in Ukraine but is instead trying to regroup, resupply its forces and reinforce its offensive in the Donbas.
“Russia has repeatedly lied about its intentions,” Stoltenberg said. At the same time, he said, pressure is being kept up on Kyiv and other cities, and “we can expect additional offensive actions bringing even more suffering.”
The Donbas is the predominantly Russian-speaking industrial region where Moscow-backed separatists have been battling Ukrainian forces since 2014. In the past few days, the Kremlin, in a seeming shift in its war aims, said that its “main goal” now is gaining control of the Donbas, which consists of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, including Mariupol.
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https://www.kark.com/pig-trail-nation/hogs-host-defending-national-champions-for-3-games/
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FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas will host Mississippi State, the defending national champions, this weekend for a three-game series beginning tonight at 6 p.m.
No. 2 Arkansas (19-4, 5-1) and Mississippi State (16-10, 3-3) will be televised on the SEC Network tonight. Last season the Bulldogs overcame being swept early in the season by the Hogs in Starkville to go on and win the national championship in Omaha. Dave Van Horn isn’t buying the talk this Mississippi State team isn’t capable like the one last year to do some damage in the SEC and on the national scene.
“Well I haven’t watched them but a couple of times, a few innings here and there,” Van Horn said. “I know they’re very talented. They’ve lost some games but I wouldn’t say they’re not as good. You never know how the season is going to play out. Obviously they were really good last year and they finished unbelievably well. They had some rough days last year as you remember. But it didn’t seem to bother them a bit. So we’re definitely not looking past them. They’re a great team and we’re looking forward to having a really good crowd this weekend. Probably for the first time now that basketball is over that we feel like it will be really loud here. Looking for a great atmosphere. I know the players are excited.”
The Razorbacks not only swept the Bulldogs last season in Starkville, but has won the past six games against them. The Hogs have also won 12 consecutive SEC series in a row. One reason for Arkansas’ recent surge that has saw them start with only one loss in the SEC is the emergence of Braydon Webb at the plate. Webb couldn’t buy a hit to start the season, but now is hitting .241 with a team-leading five home runs and knocked in 14 runs. Webb was always recognized as Arkansas’ best center fielder, but wasn’t hitting earlier and now has started 15 of the 19 games he has played.
“You guys have heard me say it a lot, we’ve always seen his talent,” Van Horn said. “His fall was incredible. He was probably one of our best hitters and probably led us in home runs. He’s always been a really good defender and really good arm. So I just think it’s once he got over the hump a little bit, the confidence goes up. He got two big hits against Missouri that probably helped us win those two games. I know for sure one, and then he got the big double after a couple of guys left the bases loaded with no outs. Also had base loaded two outs and he got a big hit. And you know, might not have won that game either. So I just think it’s confidence. The skill’s there. Hopefully, he’ll continue just to do what he does and play solid defense, be a tough out at the plate. Make a mistake and he can hit the ball out of the park.”
Van Horn will stick with Connor Noland, Hagen Smith and Jaxon Wiggins in the starting rotation. However, at times this season, the bullpen has struggled. In Saturday’s lone loss to Missouri the bullpen struggled to get outs.
“Well, I feel good about two or three of our guys,” Van Horn said. “That’s something that we’re definitely concerned about. And the thing is, we’ve got guys out there with really good arms that haven’t pitched very much yet. If they can make a move – a guy like Nick Griffin or maybe Nick Moten – they both threw yesterday live to hitters, mid-90s stuff with sliders. It was good to see Gabe Starks come in and pitch the other day, the other night against Arkansas-Little Rock. His stuff is really good. Got himself into a jam and pitched his way out of it. Those are three really good arms that can help us. Evan Gray hasn’t had a lot of opportunity. He threw really well yesterday. So I obviously like what I’m seeing from Brady Tygart and Zeb Vermillion. We need a couple more guys. Evan Taylor’s been outstanding. Really if you’ve got about eight guys, counting the three starters, that’s pretty much… You’ve got to have eight, seven or eight, nine. I think we went with six or seven last year and we always say we need one more guy.”
Oklahoma transfer, outfielder Jace Bohrofen, has been limited to seven games due to injuries. Van Horn had an update on him.
“He’ll be on the roster this weekend,” Van Horn said. “He hit live yesterday, took batting practice on the field on Tuesday, looked pretty good. So swinging he’s fine. Obviously throwing he’s fine because it’s his non-throwing shoulder. He hasn’t slide or dove or had any collisions. So I think he’s on his way back. I’m not sure if I’ll start him or play him or what, but I don’t know yet. We’ll see how the workout goes today.”
Bohrofen’s return gives Van Horn more options in the outfield with Webb, Zack Gregory and Chris Lanzilli both hitting well. Brady Slavens has been in a slump for much of the season after an outstanding year in 2021.
“Well, you know, you just kind of go with the guy who’s swinging it the best really,” Van Horn said. “That and if you need to make a defensive replacement. But I really feel like Jace is a pretty good outfielder. Gregory, he’s been an on-base type guy who can lay down a big bunt or gets on base with a walk or a hit by pitch and he’s a pretty good outfielder. He made a really nice play at Mizzou the other day close to the fence. Obviously I feel like Webb is our best center fielder and if he hits or not I’m probably playing him because it’s a defensive thing there. It’s like a catcher: You hope he hits but if he doesn’t he needs to catch well.
“But Lanzilli, he’s played every game I think. He’s probably been the — one of the most solid, consistent hitters that we’ve had. So Slavens has got to try to get back in the lineup, whether it’s DHing. It’s not a problem for me at all. I don’t see it as a problem. I see it as a good thing and it’s nice to have some options out there.”
Schedule
6 p.m. Friday, April 1
vs. Mississippi State – SEC Network – Listen – Live Stats
6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 2
vs. Mississippi State – SEC Network+ – Listen – Live Stats
2 p.m. Sunday, April 3
vs. Mississippi State – SEC Network+ – Listen – Live Stats
Tune In
Friday’s series opener against Mississippi State will broadcast on SEC Network with Mike Morgan (play-by-play) and Mike Rooney (analyst) on the call. Saturday and Sunday’s games will stream on SEC Network+ with Josh Haley and Troy Eklund handling play-by-play and analyst duties, respectively.
Fans can catch all the action through the ESPN app on smartphones, computers and tablets or via Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.
The series can also be heard on the Razorback Sports Network from Learfield/IMG, including locally in Fayetteville on 92.1 FM, with Phil Elson (play-by-play) and Razorback great Bubba Carpenter (analyst) on the call. A full list of radio affiliates is available here.
Matchups
Game 1
Mississippi State RHP Preston Johnson (2-1, 3.41 ERA) vs. Arkansas RHP Connor Noland (3-1, 3.41 ERA)
Game 2
Mississippi State RHP Parker Stinnett (3-0, 4.67 ERA) vs. Arkansas LHP Hagen Smith (4-1, 3.45 ERA)
Game 3
Mississippi State RHP Cade Smith (4-1, 2.91 ERA) vs. Arkansas RHP Jaxon Wiggins (4-0, 3.71 ERA)
Series History
Since 1960, Arkansas is 52-56 all-time against Mississippi State. The Razorbacks have had much of their success at home, however, holding a 25-18 advantage over the Bulldogs in games played in Fayetteville.
Arkansas is on a six-game winning streak against Mississippi State, thanks in part to a three-game series sweep of the Bulldogs last season in Starkville. The Hogs have won their last six home series against the Bulldogs, including sweeps in the 2017 and 2019 seasons.
Leading Off
- Arkansas won its 12th consecutive SEC series last weekend at Mizzou. Vanderbilt (2012-14) and Florida (2017-18) hold the record for most consecutive SEC series wins (15).
- Dave Van Horn earned his 300th SEC win last Sunday on the road at Mizzou to become one of only five head coaches in history to reach the milestone. Mississippi State/Georgia’s Ron Polk, Ole Miss’ Mike Bianco, LSU’s Skip Bertman and Vanderbilt’s Tim Corbin also have 300 or more career SEC wins to their name.
- The series opener between Arkansas and Mississippi State falls on April 1, also known as April Fools’ Day. Arkansas is 21-16 all-time on the day, including 11-4 at home.
- Arkansas is ranked 12th nationally in hits allowed per nine innings (7.3), 13th in strikeouts per nine innings (11.2) and 16th in earned run average (3.46).
- Defensively, Arkansas has been superb with a .986 fielding percentage, ranking first in the SEC and fifth nationally.
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https://www.kark.com/pig-trail-nation/kane-archer-talks-razorbacks-following-visit/
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Our Cause: In 2015 over two centuries old land is needed just three kilomete from the most significant cultural institution from Timuera Region “Monaco. (Fundamental building” is 4 m under grade.) It will create space to house contemporary Timuerer artifacts (dronamuseum.pl site & d.w.) at their true source/ place.\nFor all people that believe in this project there are several possibilities connected with project. They FAYETTEVILLE — Greenwood Class of 2026 quarterback Kane Archer and his father Adam spent Thursday afternoon at Arkansas’ fifth spring football practice.
Archer, 6-1, 187, isn’t your normal Class of 2026 football prospect. He already has offers from Arkansas, Missouri and Michigan and is very worthy of each of those and more. Following the visit Archer talked about how it went.
“It was awesome,” Archer said. “All the coaches were talking to me. Everybody was nice, everybody was talking. I got a picture with James Jointer, KJ Jefferson, Kendal Briles and (Sam) Pittman. All of them.”
Archer has visited Arkansas previously and attended the Razorbacks victory over Texas last season. He was offered by Arkansas on Sept. 14. He enjoyed watching Briles and the coaching staff work with Jefferson and the other quarterbacks.
“It’s awesome,” Archer said. “They do a bunch of drills where that are not just going through it they all four of them try to make it competitive for each other. They’re trying to get better every single rep and I love that Coach Briles is so into the practice. He’s not being lazy. He’s trying to get his quarterbacks better every rep.”
Archer is impressed with Jefferson and how he helped lead to the Razorbacks to a 9-4 season in 2021 that included him getting MVP at the Outback Bowl.
“He’s awesome,” Archer said. “He’s a big fellow. He runs a lot. He can throw deep. He’s a good guy.”
Archer has seen some players from Greenwood come to Arkansas and excel with outstanding careers. That and being from inside the state has him loving the Razorbacks offered him early on.
“All the people around it are so into it,” Archer said. “The culture is amazing. The school and everybody has bought into everything they are doing. They’re trying to build the program back up. Its awesome. It’s my home state. I love it.”
The 9-4 season showed Archer that Pittman, Briles and the Hogs are heading in the right direction after some seasons prior to this staff that were lackluster.
“Them turning around the program,” Archer said. “If I can go to Arkansas I want to go to Arkansas. It’s my home state. The program is going uphill right now. Coming off some losing seasons then going 9-4 Coach Pittman is doing an amazing (job) with the program. Kendal Briles, Barry Odom and they are doing awesome. If I can stay in my home town and the program doing good that would be awesome.”
A couple of former Razorbacks stand out to Archer including former Greenwood great wide receiver Drew Morgan who had a great career in Fayetteville.
“Drew Morgan was a Greenwood-raised kid,” Archer said. “I was a little young, but he’s one who has came back around and helped. Alex Collins, one game I came to Arkansas he went off. Now he’s switching the teams in the league. I’m keeping up with him and that’s pretty cool.”
Click here for Archer’s first drive at the Under Armour Game.
Click here for photo with KJ Jefferson.
Click here for story on Arkansas offering Archer.
Click here for Archer leading Greenwood past Shiloh Christian.
Click here for Archer joining Pig Trail Nation on Sunday recruiting segment.
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HONOLULU (AP) — A Hawaii judge has granted a couple’s request for a temporary restraining order against Ezra Miller, an actor known for playing “The Flash” in “Justice League” films.
The couple filed a petition for a temporary restraining order Tuesday, alleging that Miller burst into their bedroom and threatened them in Hilo, a small town on the Big Island. The petition also accused Miller of stealing some of their belongings, including a passport and wallet.
The judge’s order, filed in court Wednesday, said it was necessary to grant the couple’s petition to prevent harassment.
Days earlier, Miller allegedly harassed patrons at a karaoke bar. Late Sunday, police were called to Margarita Village in Hilo, where they said Miller yelled obscenities, grabbed a mic from a singing woman and lunged at a man playing darts.
“The bar owner asked Miller to calm down several times to no avail,” police said in a news release.
Miller was arrested at the bar shortly after midnight Monday and charged with disorderly conduct and harassment. Miller was released on $500 bail.
Neither Miller nor the actor’s representatives could immediately be reached for comment Thursday.
Miller is ordered to appear at a court hearing for the temporary restraining order against harassment in Hilo on April 13.
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Grammysmight be missing stars like Drake, The Weeknd and Kanye West as a performer, but the biggest night in music could still shine bright on the Las Vegas Strip.
The ceremony relocated to Las Vegas for the first-time ever with several artists who could have epic nights including Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo and Jon Batiste. The awards shifted from Los Angeles because of the rising COVID-19 cases and omicron variant in January. Sunday’s show will air live beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern on CBS and the Paramount+ streaming service.
Host Trevor Noah calls Las Vegas a “perfect place to have a celebration” with fans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Last year, the Grammys had a music festival vibe with parts of the show held outdoors in an intimate in-person setting with music artists mixed with pre-taped performances.
Noah expects an entertaining show with several performers set to hit the stage including Rodrigo, Eilish, Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow, Brandi Carlile, Batiste, Silk Sonic, H.E.R., Chris Stapleton, Leslie Odom Jr. and Brothers Osborne. He said the awards will be a celebration of the music industry coming back to life.
“There’s an element of this (show) that’s like a music camp,” Noah said. “I think it’s going to bring a different energy, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
It’s still unclear whether the Foo Fighters will take the stage following the recent death of its drummer Taylor Hawkins. The rock band – nominated for three Grammys – is scheduled to perform during the ceremony, but they recently canceled all upcoming concert dates.
The Grammys will continue to move forward without West, known as Ye, after news surfaced earlier this month that he wouldn’t perform at the show because of his “concerning online behavior.” The Weeknd is still boycotting the awards and Drake said he wanted no part in competing for a Grammy, withdrawing his two nominations.
The three popular performers will be missed, but the show will certainly go on.
The multitalented Jon Batiste enters the Grammys as the leading nominee with 11in a variety of genres including R&B, jazz, American roots music, classical and music video. Justin Bieber, Doja Cat and H.E.R. are tied for the second-most nominations with eight apiece.
The awards will introduce its expanded 10 nominees in three major genres — record, album and song of the year. The growing categories will make the competition stronger but could make choosing a winner a lot tougher.
For album of the year, the Recording Academy expanded the category’s eligibility for any featured artists, producers, songwriters and engineers — even if the music creator co-wrote one song on the project. That means there could be a large amount of winners on stage, depending on who wins.
For example, if Bieber’s “Justice” wins at the show, more than 50 creators could pack the stage. The same could be said for Ye, Doja Cat and H.E.R., who have a plethora of contributors.
But Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever” features songs written by the young star and her brother Finneas, who produced all of her tracks. Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga and Rodrigo are sitting in the same boat.
Harvey Mason jr., the academy’s CEO, said the number of creators in a category won’t dictate the winner.
Either way, Noah said he doesn’t mind.
“It’ll be great to see that moment,” he said. “You get to be on stage and celebrated for your work. I’m excited for that. I want to see 25 people on stage celebrating and sharing the love and joy for something they’ve done.”
Before the awards, the academy will hold a couple events including a tribute to Joni Mitchell at the MusiCares Person of the Yearon Friday night. Chaka Khan, Cyndi Lauper, Billy Porter and Beck are among those expected to perform.
On Saturday, Grammy winner John Legend will be honored during the academy’s Black Music Collective. The singer will receive his first-ever Recording Academy Global Impact Award for his personal and professional achievements in the music industry.
Legend will be celebrated with a performance by Summer Walker, D-Nice and MC Lyte as the voice for the evening. Jimmy Jam will be making remarks.
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NEW YORK (AP) — Korean pop star Luna is ready to make her Broadway debut this fall in the musical “KPOP” and she’s already dreaming of who might be there on opening night — like BTS.
“I would be thankful if they showed up on opening night,” Luna told The Associated Press through her translator.
She also wants fans and other stars to show up, too.
“This is New York City, it’s got its own celebrities and also audiences who would enjoy this. So, I would love to see New York celebrities, as well as Hollywood celebrities,” Luna said.
Luna was introduced at a press event for the musical Wednesday at the Korean Cultural Center in New York.
Luna began her musical career as a member of the popular K-pop group f(x) before becoming a solo artist. Her latest single, “Madonna,” was released in September.
Her stage resume includes Korean productions of “In the Heights” and “Mamma Mia,” and she’s excited to take her talents to Broadway.
“I have always loved doing all those ever since I was a young child, and I even liked creating some routines,” Luna said.
She added: “For this musical, I get to dance while I sing while I act, that is so exciting, and I cannot wait to do this.”
“KPOP” tells the story of global superstars preparing for a special one-night only concert, when one singer’s inner struggle threatens to dismantle one of the biggest labels in the industry.
The multimedia experience explores the relentless discipline, raw talent, and commercial ambition behind the international phenomenon.
The musical has a story by Jason Kim and music by Helen Park, who has worked on the show for the past eight years. She said she is excited that audiences will finally get to experience her favorite music genre.
“I know recently a K-pop has been really blowing up and a lot of people love the genre. But when we started writing this musical in back in 2014, I was so eager for the world to see what I see. And I wanted to share it with the world in a language that everyone can understand,” she said.
“I think musical theater is that vessel for people to hear and witness other people’s stories and feel the emotions. I really wanted the show to be doing that with the genre that I love so much,” Park said.
“KPOP” begins previews Oct. 13 at the Circle in the Square Theatre, with an opening night scheduled for Nov. 20.
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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.
In the longer version on “Good Morning America,” Parker said he initially believed the slap was an orchestrated bit. “I thought it was part of something that Chris and Will were doing on their own. I thought it was a bit. I wasn’t concerned at all.”
Packer said he went up to Rock after the incident. “I said, ‘Did he really hit you?’” the producer asked Rock. “And he looked at me and he goes, ‘Yeah, I just took a punch from Muhammad Ali,’ as only Chris can. He was immediately in joke mode, but you could tell that he was very much still in shock.”
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.”
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Follow AP Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton on Twitter: https://twitter.com/andyjamesdalton
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When Will Smith slapped Chris Rock over an Oscars ceremony punchline, other comedians felt the sting.
“I know Chris and I know what it’s like to be on a stage in front of an audience that doesn’t like your material,” said stand-up comedian Judy Gold. “But to be physically assaulted, that’s a whole other thing. It felt like every comedian was smacked across the face. It really felt like that.”
Smith’s act comes during a stressful time for comedy. While boundaries for humor constantly shift — think George Carlin’s 1972 monologue on seven so-called “dirty words” banned by TV — comics say they have felt increased pushback from audiences and society. Comedy great Dave Chappelle drew sharpcriticism last year for what some deemed anti-transgender humor in his Netflix special “The Closer.” Kathy Griffin’s careerwas derailed in 2017 when she was photographed holding a mock-up of former President Donald Trump’s head.
Some comedians expressed concern that Smith’s behavior might embolden other displeased audience members.
“No one went up to Chris Rock and said, ‘Are you OK?’” Sheryl Underwood, co-host of “The Talk,” said on the show Tuesday. “I’m going to say this as a comic, I am afraid now to get on a stage, because in my third show, when everyone’s been drinking, if you don’t like my joke, do you now believe that you can get up and slap me? There’s got to be accountability quicker.”
Griffin tweeted that “now we all have to worry about who wants to be the next Will Smith in comedy clubs and theaters.”
“Which is the worst crime here?” veteran comedian Gilbert Gottfried said in an interview with The Associated Press. “Chris Rock being physically assaulted? Or Chris Rock making a joke? That’s it, pure and simple. He made a joke.”
Dean Obeidallah, a lawyer and stand-up comic who hosts a show on the SiriusXM Progress channel, said there is never “a place for a violent response to a joke” but doubted there would be copycat behavior. In his time in comedy clubs, he’s seen yelling, screaming and, once, a glass thrown at somebody. But he’s never seen a punch thrown, nor a comedian slapped.
“If someone were to strike a comedian, they’re going to be prosecuted criminally. They don’t have the privilege that Will Smith has,” Obeidallah said.
The Los Angeles Police Department said Sunday that it was aware of the incident, but Rock had declined to file a police report. Smith stayed through the rest of the ceremony Sunday and received the best-actor Oscar.
Gold said she’s been confronted but never struck, and she knows other female comedians have faced difficult circumstances. “People have been getting on stage, people have thrown things,” she said.
Comedian-actor Yamaneika Saunders calls Smith’s behavior upsetting and Sunday a sad day for ”two beloved Black men in entertainment.” She also views what happened through the lens of a “Black woman in comedy.”
“I’m constantly being threatened….by some man who doesn’t like some (expletive) I said about being a woman, some white guy who doesn’t like some (expletive) I said about being Black,” she said.
Insult humor isn’t new to high-profile ceremonies, which call on comics to liven up what can be tedious events. Ricky Gervais made a meal of celebrities at successive Golden Globe ceremonies, and they grin — or grimace — and bear it. The most famous bad sport: Trump at the 2011 White House correspondents’ dinner, where he sat stone-faced during then-President Barack Obama’s extended ribbing of him.
Rock wasn’t the first to tweak Smith or wife Jada Pinkett Smith at Sunday’s Oscars. Ceremony co-host Regina Hall made what appeared to be a veiled joke about their marriage in trying, unsuccessfully, to draw Smith into a comedy bit.
Rock’s wisecrack was targeted at Pinkett Smith. “Jada, I love you. ‘G.I. Jane 2,’ can’t wait to see it,” the comedian said to Pinkett Smith, whose close-shaven head looked similar to Demi Moore’s in the 1997 movie. Whether Rock was aware that she has a hair-loss condition, alopecia, is unknown, but Smith reacted with the smack and an angry warning to “keep my wife’s name out your (expletive) mouth!”
A tearful Smith later accepted the top acting award for “King Richard,” his somewhat remorseful speech eliciting a standing ovation from the Dolby Theatre crowd. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has since condemned Smith’s attack and said it’s reviewing the matter.
Whatever the result, his actions indelibly marred the ceremony and ignited discussions about violence, toxic masculinity and the advantages of fame. Smith, who’d conspicuously left Rock out of his remarks Sunday, apologized to the comic and decried “violence in all of its forms” in a statement the next day issued by his publicist and posted on Instagram.
Pinkett Smith’s first public comment came in an Instagram post in which she said, “This is a season for healing and I’m here for it.”Rock referred briefly to the slap at a comedy show Wednesday in Boston, saying he was “still kind of processing what happened.” He appeared to become emotional as the audience gave him several standing ovations.
Whatever pushback comedians may encounter on stage, verbal or physical, they have to guard against censoring themselves to avoid it — and they will, said Obeidallah: “They shouldn’t change, and there’s nothing about this that tells me that they will change.”
They can’t because their role goes beyond providing laughs, as comedians see it.
“We are the truth tellers. We speak truth to power,” said Gold, author of the 2020 book, “Yes, I Can Say That: When They Come for the Comedians, We Are All in Trouble.”
Gottfried cites a favorite Carlin quote — “It’s the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately” — and can’t resist serving up a punchline.
“If Will Smith is reading this, dear God, please don’t come to my shows,” he said.
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AP Television Writer Lynn Elber reported from Los Angeles, AP Media Writer David Bauder from New York.
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MILWAUKEE (AP)Former Miami Marlins and Detroit Tigers pitcher Jose Urena has signed a $1.25 million, one-year contract with the Milwaukee Brewers
The NL Central champion Brewers announced the signing Tuesday as a minor league contract and immediately selected him to the major league roster.
He can earn $1.55 million based on starts: $50,000 for five, $100,000 for 10, $200,000 for 15, $300,000 for 20, $400,000 for 25 and $500,000 for 30. Urena can earn $1.05 million for relief appearances: $50,000 for 20, $100,000 for 30, $150,000 for 40, $200,000 for 50, $250,000 for 60 and $300,000 for 70.
He would have a $250,000 salary if assigned to the minir leagues.
Urena, 30, went 4-8 with a 5.81 ERA for the Tigers last season in 26 appearances, including 18 starts. The right-hander had 67 strikeouts and 42 walks in 100 2/3 innings.
He owns a 36-54 career record with a 4.77 ERA, and 473 strikeouts and 250 walks in 697 2/3 innings. Urena pitched for the Marlins from 2015-20.
Urena’s best seasons came in 2017 and 2018. He went 14-7 with a 3.82 ERA in 2017 and was 9-12 with a 3.98 ERA in 2018.
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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports
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VENICE, Fla. (AP)Ten-year veteran Brock Holt ended his bid to win a bench spot with the Atlanta Braves on Thursday when he requested and was granted his release.
Holt, 33, signed with Atlanta on a minor league deal and was invited to the major league camp. He was competing with versatile veteran Phil Gosselin and Pat Valaika for a utility position.
The Braves also optioned left-hander Dylan Lee, who made a surprise start as an opener in last season’s World Series Game 4 against Houston, a 3-2 comeback win, and outfielder Travis Demeritte to Triple-A Gwinnett. Lee, 27, made history as the first pitcher to make his first major league start in the World Series.
Holt hit .209 with two homers and 23 RBIs in 76 games with Texas in 2021. He made his major league debut with Pittsburgh in 2012 before playing seven seasons with the Boston Red Sox.
Holt played every infield and outfield position with the Red Sox but was primarily a third baseman with the Rangers. He has a .262 career batting average in 10 seasons.
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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports
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GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP)The pain was sharp and familiar. It reminded David Price of where he has been. It also told him he still might be able to be the pitcher the Los Angeles Dodgers thought they had nearly 26 months ago.
Price’s quiet spring began the way others have in the five-time All-Star’s 13-year career: His left elbow hurt after his first live batting practice a couple of weeks ago, and he knew the resumption of an old routine was underway.
”Always the elbow,” Price said. ”It happens every year, all the way back to 2010. Now, everything feels good – arm, elbow and shoulder.”
It was good enough to impress Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and anybody else who watched Price make his first spring appearance against Cleveland on Wednesday night. The left-hander worked only an inning, but he had two strikeouts and was clocked at 93 mph.
In an abbreviated camp, it wasn’t enough to determine his role. It did remind the Dodgers that Price is still in the mix.
From starter to bullpen, Price’s role with the Dodgers has been uncertain since they acquired the 2012 American League Cy Young Award winner from the Boston Red Sox in a three-team deal that included right-fielder Mookie Betts in February 2020.
Price didn’t pitch at all that year, opting out because of concerns about COVID-19. In 2021, he bounced between the starting rotation and the bullpen with 11 starts and 28 appearances as a reliever. His overall ERA was 4.03.
He arrived at camp in mid-March ready to do anything. Then Roberts mentioned him as a possible starter.
”I’m preparing that way, yeah,” said Price, who is in the final year of a seven-year, $217 million contract. ”I think it’d be silly of me to prepare to be a reliever if I’m asked to start. So, I’m preparing to be a starter until otherwise.”
Otherwise looks to be the case. Roberts projects his starting rotation will be Walker Buehler, Julio Urias, Clayton Kershaw, Andrew Heaney and Tony Gonsolin. He cautioned that nothing is set in stone, mostly because pitchers were limited in a camp cut short by major league baseball’s lockout.
The Dodgers signed career starter Tyler Anderson in mid-March, just in case. As for Price, Roberts said: ”I just think that David, right now, is not an option in the sense of, he’s not built up. It just doesn’t seem feasible right now.”
The 36-year-old left-hander could still have an immediate role, like one inning in relief early in the season, Roberts said, and moving up to multiple innings as he gets stronger.
”I’m confident in David in any role,” Roberts said. ”I like his versatility. The role doesn’t matter. It’s just knowing that he’s going to pitch valuable innings in whatever role.”
NOTES
Cody Bellinger took batting practice Thursday on the minor-league side of the Dodgers’ camp. The 2019 National League MVP is 4 for 27 with 17 strikeouts this spring.
”I wouldn’t say I’m alarmed,” Roberts said. ”I think `progressing’ is the word. We’ve got to continue to log at-bats to make him feel as comfortable as possible when the season starts.”
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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports
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PHOENIX (AP)Hunter Renfroe grabbed a chair near his locker in Milwaukee’s clubhouse. Stopping periodically to finish his breakfast, he chatted with Christian Yelich, Corbin Burnes and a few more of his teammates as they joined the crowd at his table.
Yup, Renfroe looks quite comfortable in his first spring training with the Brewers after he was acquired in a Dec. 1 trade with the Boston Red Sox. It helps that Renfroe was already very familiar with several of his new teammates long before the deal was completed.
”I was expecting to go back to Boston. I really was,” Renfroe said Thursday. ”I enjoyed my time there. Obviously Alex Cora was incredible to play for, and learned a lot from him that I can move forward in my career and take with me.
”But yeah, I was little bit surprised when it happened, but once I heard that hey, you were traded to the Brewers, I was like `Great, that’s where I wanted to be.”’
Milwaukee is happy to have Renfroe, too. The reigning NL Central champions are counting on the 30-year-old Mississippi native to help replace the production that departed when Avisail Garcia left for the Marlins and Eduardo Escobar went to the Mets in free agency.
Renfroe, who broke into the majors with San Diego in 2016, hit .259 with 31 homers and a career-high 96 RBIs in his lone season with Boston, helping the Red Sox get to the AL Championship Series. He also had a career-high 16 outfield assists, tied for the major league lead.
Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said Renfroe has fit right in, and he marveled at the slugger’s power.
”He could win a home run derby. I mean, it’s easy for him to do it,” Counsell said. ”He doesn’t have to put a lot of effort into it and it can go a long way.”
The Brewers acquired Renfroe from the Red Sox for outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. and minor league infielders David Hamilton and Alex Binelas.
The move reunited Renfroe with right-hander Brandon Woodruff, a former teammate at Mississippi State. Renfroe also played with Luis Urias, Eric Lauer, Luis Perdomo, Jace Peterson while he was in San Diego’s organization, and he also was teammates with Willy Adames and Mike Brosseau when he played for Tampa Bay during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
Woodruff also is a Mississippi native who likes the outdoors – another reason why Renfroe is a natural match for Milwaukee.
”I hope we can find a place for sure to try to do some, getting outdoors, fishing, stuff like that,” Renfroe said.
Renfroe has spent much of his career in right field, but he has been working some at first base during spring training. He played five innings at the position during Wednesday’s 4-2 exhibition loss to San Diego.
Milwaukee has Rowdy Tellez at first after he was acquired in a July trade with Toronto.
”They asked me because I played a little bit of first base with the Rays,” Renfroe said. ”Just kind of giving some options. Just kind of a last resort type of deal, if Rowdy’s hurt or something and we may need a righty bat in there.”
While Renfroe could provide another option for Counsell at first, third base could be an issue for the Brewers at the start of the season.
Urias’ recovery from a quad injury is ”going slower than expected,” Counsell said, and he will have to play some minor league rehab games before returning to the team.
The 24-year-old Urias set career highs with a .249 batting average, 23 homers and 75 RBIs in 150 games last year.
”Opening day, that’s out. I think that frankly the first homestand is probably very questionable,” Counsell said. ”I think we’re hopeful it’ll be somewhere on the second road trip. That’s probably where we’re trending to.”
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Jay Cohen can be reached at https://twitter.com/jcohenap
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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports
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PEORIA, Ariz. (AP)Shortstop CJ Abrams has used extended playing time this spring to display the tools that made him San Diego’s first-round choice in the 2019 draft.
It might just pay off with a spot on the opening day roster.
The Padres have already said they plan to use Kim Ha-seong to fill in for superstar shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., who is expected to be out until at least mid-June due to a broken left wrist.
That doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t have a spot for Abrams.
The 21-year-old Abrams hit home runs on consecutive days on the first weekend of spring training games and was hitting .304 with an .899 OPS in his first 23 at-bats.
He has often hit in the leadoff spot, and he has played both his primary position at shortstop and at second base. The Padres also are considering giving Abrams some reps in the outfield as spring winds down because of their glaring lack of depth there.
”He does a little bit of everything is what he does,” manager Bob Melvin said. ”The more we see of CJ, the more we like him. Very athletic. Probably isn’t anything he couldn’t do. It’s nice to be able to get him some reps here and see what he can do.”
Kim has been tapped as Tatis’ presumptive replacement after playing three infield positions last season. He also started spring well, with six hits in his first 15 at-bats, including a double and a stolen base.
Abrams’ limited experience – 348 plate appearances – could persuade the Padres that development rather than immediate immersion is the better long-term route.
An injury set Abrams back in 2021. He missed the second half of the season at Double-A San Antonio after suffering a fractured tibia when he collided with a teammate as they attempted to field a ground ball up the middle.
At the same time, San Diego has not been hesitant to promote top young talent. Tatis was 20 when he made his major league debut in 2019, making the team out of spring training.
Melvin acknowledged the fine line the Padres walk.
”There may be a need,” Melvin said of keeping Abrams on the opening day roster. ”There may be a need for development. That’s what we are trying to get a handle on during spring.”
Whatever happens, Padres veterans have seen a lot to like in Abrams, who spent time with the major league players during the 2020 summer camp.
”He’s going about his business the right way, he really is. Getting here early. Putting his work in,” first baseman Eric Hosmer said. ”A lot of young players when they come up here they are kind of shy, kind of timid, But he is soaking in all the information. He’s really listening. He’s performing. He’s a strong guy. He definitely does have pop.”
Abrams made his presence felt early. He had two hits, including a two-run homer, during his second start of the spring on March 19.
As a pinch-hitter on a blustery afternoon the following day, the left-handed hitter lined a home run to left field.
”I feel I’m ready,” Abrams said after his first homer. ”This camp is an opportunity to get better, show what I have. Wherever I’m needed, I can play. All back healthy. Ready to go.”
Abrams appears just as long on confidence, a trait Melvin has noticed and appreciates.
”There is a lot of ability, but there is a lot of desire in him,” Melvin said. ”He is very, very confident at a young age. That might be his best attribute, how confident he is as a player.”
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GOODYEAR, Arizona (AP)Shane Bieber will throw the first pitch for the Cleveland Guardians.
As expected, Bieber will start the season opener on April 7 at the Kansas City Royals. Manager Terry Francona made the formal announcement Thursday after speaking to the right-hander, who missed three months last season with a shoulder strain.
Bieber will be the 12th pitcher in franchise history to make three consecutive opening-day starts.
The 26-year-old went 7-4 with a 3.17 ERA last season, but made only 16 starts because of the shoulder injury. He’s back to 100% now, but Francona wanted to double check Bieber was set given the accelerated, abbreviated spring training due to the lockout.
”We just wanted to make sure that he was ready and if we needed to alter it, because the way we’re coming into the season isn’t the way guys pitched,” Francona said. ”It’s just because it’s a short spring and we need to give them the best chance to be as ready as they can be.”
Bieber has split his two previous opening-day starts. He struck out 14 in a win over the Royals in 2020 on his way to winning the Cy Young. Last year, he struck out 12 in a loss to the Detroit Tigers.
Francona hasn’t set his rotation for the season’s first week.
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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports
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NEW YORK (AP) — Marjorie Miller, vice president and global enterprise editor at The Associated Press, has been named as the new administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes.
Miller spent 27 years at the Los Angeles Times as a correspondent in Latin America, Europe and the Middle East. She was the newspaper’s foreign editor when it won a Pulitzer Prize for Russia coverage and was a finalist for Iraq War coverage.
She joined AP in 2010 as the regional editor for Latin America, where her team produced award-winning coverage of cartel violence. In 2015, she moved to New York to help lead daily news coverage and enterprise. Two years later she became the founding leader of AP’s Global Enterprise Team, overseeing reporting projects in all formats, including work from Yemen that won the 2019 Pulitzer for International Reporting.
Her appointment was announced Thursday by the Pulitzer Prize Board and by Lee C. Bollinger, president of Columbia University, which hosts the prestigious journalism awards.
“I cannot think of a better steward for the Pulitzer Prizes, which celebrate excellence in journalism, arts, and letters and recognize the powerful, public service role they play in promoting tolerance, advancing the search for truth, and protecting the free exchange of information and ideas,” Bollinger said.
Miller succeeds acting administrator Edward Kliment, who will stay on as Miller’s deputy. She begins her new role on April 11.
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers have moved to the brink of shaking hands on a scaled-back bipartisan compromise providing a fresh $10 billion to combat COVID-19, a deal that could set up final congressional approval next week.
The price tag was down from an earlier $15.6 billion agreement between the two parties that collapsed weeks ago after House Democrats rejected cutting unused pandemic aid to states to help pay for it. President Joe Biden requested $22.5 billion in early March. With leaders hoping to move the package through Congress quickly, the lowered cost seemed to reflect both parties’ calculations that agreeing soon to additional savings would be too hard.
The effort, which would finance steps like vaccines, treatments and tests, comes as Bidenand other Democrats have warned the government is running out of moneyto counter the pandemic. At the same time, the more transmissible omicron variant BA.2 has been spreading quickly in the U.S. and abroad.
“We’ve reached an agreement in principle on all the spending and all of the offsets,” Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, the lead Republican bargainer, told reporters Thursday, using Washington-speak for savings. “It’s entirely balanced by offsets.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and others were more circumspect.
“We are getting close to a final agreement that would garner bipartisan support,” Schumer said on the Senate floor. He said lawmakers were still finalizing the bill’s components and language, and awaiting a cost estimate from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., chair of the Senate health committee and another bargainer, said, “I’m hoping,” when asked about Romney’s assessment.
Once clinched, an agreement would represent a semblance of bipartisan cooperation in battling the pandemic that dissolved a year ago, when a far larger, $1.9 trillion measure proposed by the new president cleared Congress with only Democratic votes. That bill was laden with spending to help struggling families, businesses and communities, while this one would be aimed exclusively at public health.
Many Republicans have been willing to go along with the new expenditures but have insisted on paying for them with unspent funds from previous bills Congress has enacted to address the pandemic.
Half the new measure’s $10 billion would be used for treatments, said Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., who has helped negotiate the agreement. He said top federal health officials would be given wide discretion on spending the rest of it but it would include research and other steps for battling the disease, which has killed around 975,000 Americans and millions across the world.
Romney and others said savings the two parties had agreed to for the new bill would not include the cuts in state assistance that House Democrats opposed. He said some unused funds would be culled from another pandemic program that gives state and local governments funds for grants to local businesses.
Blunt said both sides had also agreed to savings that include pulling back an unspent $2.2 billion for aiding entertainment venues closed during the pandemic and more than $2 billion still available for assisting aviation manufacturing.
Romney said the $10 billion might include $1 billion for vaccines, treatments and other support for countries overseas. Blunt said that figure seemed unresolved. One third of the earlier, $15.6 billion measure had been slated to go abroad.
The lowered figure for assisting other countries encountered opposition in the House, where some Democrats wanted to boost the figure. Epidemiologists have cited the need to vaccinate more people around the world and reduce the virus’ opportunities for spinning off new variants.
“It’s a problem,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told reporters. “It’s a shame.”
Kate Bedingfield, White House communications director, said officials were “very hopeful” an agreement would be reached and prodded lawmakers to include funds to help other countries cope with the disease.
“We’re not going to be able to put this pandemic behind us until we stop the spread and proliferation of new variants globally,” Bedingfield said.
Leaders hope Congress can approve the legislation before lawmakers leave for a spring recess after next week.
Republicans have leverage in the Democratic-controlled, 50-50 Senate because 60 votes are needed to pass most major bills. Romney and Blunt both said they believed a finalized package they described would attract significantly more than the 10 GOP votes needed.
Since the pandemic began, Congress has approved more than $5 trillion to address the economic and health crises it produced. Only a small fraction of that has been for public health programs like vaccines.
In an interview earlier Thursday with Punchbowl News, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the measure’s price tag seemed to have fallen to $10 billion because Democrats weren’t agreeing to additional savings.
Minutes later, Schumer took to the Senate floor and mentioned no figures but suggested its size could fall.
“I’m pleading with my Republican colleagues, join us,” Schumer said. “We want more than you do, but we have to get something done. We have to get something done.”
Asked if he thought an agreement could be reached before lawmakers’ recess, McConnell said, “We’ll see. Hope so.”
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Associated Press writer Zeke Miller contributed to this report.
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DALLAS (AP) — President Joe Biden is again dipping into the nation’s petroleum stockpile to try to corral rising energy prices.
The White House announced Thursday that Biden ordered the daily release of 1 million barrels of oil from the strategic petroleum reserve for the next six months. Biden will also ask Congress to penalize oil and gas companies that lease public land but aren’t producing energy.
The administration hopes that tapping the petroleum reserve will buy time and tamp down gasoline prices long enough until domestic producers can boost output.
Global oil prices were rising even before Russia invaded Ukraine in February. When Biden announced a ban on Russian oil imports in early March, he acknowledged it would come at a cost to American consumers.
This is the third time Biden has turned to the strategic petroleum reserve in a little over four months. Back in November, he ordered the release of 50 million barrels of oil. Then, in his state of the union speech in March, Biden announced another 30 million barrels as part of a multi-nation effort to boost the oil supply.
Tapping the reserve among the few things a president can do alone to try to control inflation, which makes Americans poorer and often creates a political liability for the party in control of the White House.
Here is a look at what’s involved:
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WHAT IS THE PETROLEUM RESERVE?
America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve is a collection of underground salt caverns in Texas and Louisiana that can hold more than 700 million barrels of oil, although it is not currently full. The reserve held about 568 million barrels last week, down from more than 650 million barrels in mid-2021, according to the U.S. Energy Department.
The reserve was created after the 1970s Arab oil embargo to give the United States a supply that could be used in an emergency.
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WHY IS IT USED?
The U.S. now exports more oil than it imports, but the reserve remains and has been tapped for various reasons, from offsetting the impact of hurricanes and ship-channel closings to raising money for deficit reduction.
In 1991, President George H.W. Bush authorized withdrawing nearly 34 million barrels during the Gulf War, although only 17 million barrels were used. In 2011, President Barack Obama approved the release of 30 million barrels to offset the disruption of supply from Libya.
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HOW DO THEY GET THE OIL OUT?
Oil is lighter than water — that’s why disasters like those caused by the Exxon Valdez tanker and the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig create slicks on the surface. To remove oil from the reserves, water is pumped into the salt caverns, making the crude float to the surface, where it is captured and sent through pipelines to refineries.
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WHY IS BIDEN TAPPING THE RESERVE?
Supply and demand. Biden is hoping that by releasing more oil on the market, prices will fall. Prices did dip for nearly two weeks after Biden’s initial announcement about tapping the reserve back in November but then resumed their steep climb. U.S. crude is up almost 40% this year and has grown even more volatile in the past month.
Whether Biden’s latest move works will depend on several factors. One factor to keep in mind: Even though 1 million barrels a day is a huge amount of oil, the U.S. consumed nearly 20 million barrels a day last year, and worldwide consumption topped 97 million barrels a day.
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WILL GASOLINE GET CHEAPER?
What most people want to know is what’s going to happen to prices at the pump. Many factors go into the price of gasoline. Refineries buy crude oil in advance, so they could still be working with more expensive oil. States have differing tax rates that affect the price that motorists pay.
On Thursday, the national average price for a gallon of regular was more than $4.22, down about a dime from the peak earlier in March, according to auto club AAA.
The average is still under $4 a gallon in many states in the middle of the country, but it’s higher in the Northeast and highest in the West. In California, it’s an eye-popping $5.90 a gallon.
Even if those prices don’t drop, Biden can argue that by tapping the reserve he tried to help.
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WHO GETS HURT MOST?
Gasoline prices are regressive — lower-income people are more likely to spend a higher percentage of their money on gasoline than are affluent Americans — so increases hurt the most price-sensitive consumers. Kevin Book, managing director at Clearview Energy Partners, says those consumers might not show up in measures of the nation’s economy, “but they show up in vote counts … if we get down to it, that’s really what this is about.”
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WHY DOES OIL MATTER?
The future of oil and gas in the U.S. is a political flashpoint and source of tension, especially as companies and government agencies grapple with climate change and the transition to cleaner sources of energy.
On one hand, the U.S. oil and gas industry has been praised by some political leaders for creating energy independence. Where the U.S. once relied heavily on imports, other nations now rely on the U.S. for oil. It’s also a job supplier: The oil and gas industry employs more than 10 million people in the U.S. and contributes about 8% of the nation’s gross domestic product, according to the American Petroleum Institute.
Companies that supply oil benefit from higher prices. But consumers don’t like it when those higher prices trickle down to the pump.
The institute has previously said that any release of oil from the strategic reserve should be paired with policy measures that encourage more U.S. energy production. That collides with Biden’s promise to reduce dependence on fossil fuels that contribute to climate change.
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Got a dime you can spare? Coins are in short supply — again.
Retailers, laundromats and other businesses that rely on coins want Americans to empty their piggy banks and look under couch cushions for extra change and “get coin moving.”
A group of trade associations that represent individual businesses including banks, retail outlets, truck stops, grocery stores and more is asking the Treasury Department for more help convincing Americans to get coins back in circulation.
The consequences of the circulation slowdown hit people who don’t have an ability to pay for items electronically, they say.
“If retailers are not able to offer change for cash purchases consumers who rely on cash will be vulnerable,” the associations said in a letter to Treasury.
For example, people who do their laundry at coin laundry mats could have a harder time finding change to wash their clothes. And on a larger scale, people who don’t have cash access aren’t able to patronize certain card-only businesses.
It’s not a coin shortage America faces, but a lack of circulation.
“We can’t print our way out of this problem,” said Austen Jensen, a senior vice president for government affairs at the Retail Industry Leaders Association.
Jensen’s group, along with the American Bankers Association, National Association of Convenience Stores, and National Grocers Association, is trying to meet consumer demand and wants a new public campaign to increase coin circulation.
Jensen said his group is also encouraging member retailers to find creative ways to deal with the shortage of coins, including rounding-up purchases for charity promotions. And he says businesses with multiple locations could send coins from one store to another.
This is not the first time during the pandemic that the issue of low coin circulation has arisen.
The coronavirus disrupted consumers’ buying habits and shifted purchases largely to plastic cards to such an extent that in July 2020, the Federal Reserve restricted coin orders by financial institutions.
The Fed also convened a U.S. Coin Task Force, made up of representatives from various federal agencies, which led to a campaign encouraging the public to get coins into circulation.
This February, the task force issued a State of Coin report, which said pandemic lockdowns slowed small transactions that generated change and there was a temporary aversion to cash for perceived hygienic reasons. The report also said the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Mint contracted with a third party consultant to review the coin supply chain.
Coin deposit volumes began to increase gradually starting in the summer of 2020, but businesses say the problem has come up again as people have stopped using coins and have stuck to plastic cards.
The issue has had the biggest impact on people who don’t have bank accounts. An estimated 22 percent of U.S. Americans were “unbanked” or “underbanked” in 2019, according to the Federal Reserve.
The Treasury Department has yet to respond to the letter. The government encourages people to help get coin moving by spending it with retailers, taking it to their banks and credit unions, or using a coin recycling kiosk like the ones found at grocery stores.
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WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has passed a bill capping the monthly cost of insulin at $35 for insured patients, part of an election-year push by Democrats for price curbs on prescription drugs at a time of rising inflation.
Experts say the legislation, which passed 232-193 Thursday, would provide significant relief for privately insured patients with skimpier plans and for Medicare enrollees facing rising out-of-pocket costs for their insulin. Some could save hundreds of dollars annually, and all insured patients would get the benefit of predictable monthly costs for insulin. The bill would not help the uninsured.
But the Affordable Insulin Now Act will serve as a political vehicle to rally Democrats and force Republicans who oppose it into uncomfortable votes ahead of the midterms. For the legislation to pass Congress, 10 Republican senators would have to vote in favor. Democrats acknowledge they don’t have an answer for how that’s going to happen.
“If 10 Republicans stand between the American people being able to get access to affordable insulin, that’s a good question for 10 Republicans to answer,” said Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., a cosponsor of the House bill. “Republicans get diabetes, too. Republicans die from diabetes.”
Public opinion polls have consistently shown support across party lines for congressional action to limit drug costs.
But Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., complained the legislation is only “a small piece of a larger package around government price controls for prescription drugs.” Critics say the bill would raise premiums and fails to target pharmaceutical middlemen seen as contributing to high list prices for insulin.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said Democrats could have a deal on prescription drugs if they drop their bid to authorize Medicare to negotiate prices. “Do Democrats really want to help seniors, or would they rather have the campaign issue?” Grassley said.
The insulin bill, which would take effect in 2023, represents just one provision of a much broader prescription drug package in President Joe Biden’s social and climate legislation.
In addition to a similar $35 cap on insulin, the Biden bill would authorize Medicare to negotiate prices for a range of drugs, including insulin. It would penalize drugmakers who raise prices faster than inflation and overhaul the Medicare prescription drug benefit to limit out-of-pocket costs for enrollees.
Biden’s agenda passed the House only to stall in the Senate because Democrats could not reach consensus. Party leaders haven’t abandoned hope of getting the legislation moving again, and preserving its drug pricing curbs largely intact.
The idea of a $35 monthly cost cap for insulin actually has a bipartisan pedigree. The Trump administration had created a voluntary option for Medicare enrollees to get insulin for $35, and the Biden administration continued it.
In the Senate, Republican Susan Collins of Maine and Democrat Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire are working on a bipartisan insulin bill. Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock has introduced legislation similar to the House bill, with the support of Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.
Stung by criticism that Biden’s economic policies spur inflation, Democrats are redoubling efforts to show how they’d help people cope with costs. On Thursday,the Commerce Department reported a key inflation gauge jumped 6.4% in February compared with a year ago, the largest year-over-year rise since January 1982.
But experts say the House bill would not help uninsured people, who face the highest out-of-pocket costs for insulin. Also, people with diabetes often take other medications as well as insulin. That’s done to treat the diabetes itself, along with other serious health conditions often associated with the disease. The House legislation would not help with those costs, either. Collins says she’s looking for a way to help uninsured people through her bill.
About 37 million Americans have diabetes, and an estimated 6 million to 7 million use insulin to keep their blood sugars under control.It’s an old drug, refined and improved over the years, that has seen relentless price increases.
Steep list prices don’t reflect the rates insurance plans negotiate with manufacturers. But those list prices are used to calculate cost-sharing amounts that patients owe. Patients who can’t afford their insulin reduce or skip doses, a strategy born of desperation, which can lead to serious complications and even death.
Economist Sherry Glied of New York University said the market for insulin is a “total disaster” for many patients, particularly those with skimpy insurance plans or no insurance.
“This will make private insurance for people with diabetes a much more attractive proposition,” said Glied.
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https://www.kark.com/news/business/house-passes-35-a-month-insulin-cap-as-dems-seek-wider-bill/
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WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Thursday passed a bill capping the monthly cost of insulin at $35 for insured patients, part of an election-year push by Democrats for price curbs on prescription drugs at a time of rising inflation.
Experts say the legislation, which passed 232-193, would provide significant relief for privately insured patients with skimpier plans and for Medicare enrollees facing rising out-of-pocket costs for their insulin. Some could save hundreds of dollars annually, and all insured patients would get the benefit of predictable monthly costs for insulin. The bill would not help the uninsured.
But the Affordable Insulin Now Act will serve as a political vehicle to rally Democrats and force Republicans who oppose it into uncomfortable votes ahead of the midterms. For the legislation to pass Congress, 10 Republican senators would have to vote in favor. Democrats acknowledge they don’t have an answer for how that’s going to happen.
“If 10 Republicans stand between the American people being able to get access to affordable insulin, that’s a good question for 10 Republicans to answer,” said Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., a cosponsor of the House bill. “Republicans get diabetes, too. Republicans die from diabetes.”
Public opinion polls have consistently shown support across party lines for congressional action to limit drug costs.
But Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., complained the legislation is only “a small piece of a larger package around government price controls for prescription drugs.” Critics say the bill would raise premiums and fails to target pharmaceutical middlemen seen as contributing to high list prices for insulin.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said Democrats could have a deal on prescription drugs if they drop their bid to authorize Medicare to negotiate prices. “Do Democrats really want to help seniors, or would they rather have the campaign issue?” Grassley said.
The insulin bill, which would take effect in 2023, represents just one provision of a much broader prescription drug package in President Joe Biden’s social and climate legislation.
In addition to a similar $35 cap on insulin, the Biden bill would authorize Medicare to negotiate prices for a range of drugs, including insulin. It would penalize drugmakers who raise prices faster than inflation and overhaul the Medicare prescription drug benefit to limit out-of-pocket costs for enrollees.
Biden’s agenda passed the House only to stall in the Senate because Democrats could not reach consensus. Party leaders haven’t abandoned hope of getting the legislation moving again, and preserving its drug pricing curbs largely intact.
The idea of a $35 monthly cost cap for insulin actually has a bipartisan pedigree. The Trump administration had created a voluntary option for Medicare enrollees to get insulin for $35, and the Biden administration continued it.
In the Senate, Republican Susan Collins of Maine and Democrat Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire are working on a bipartisan insulin bill. Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock has introduced legislation similar to the House bill, with the support of Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.
Stung by criticism that Biden’s economic policies spur inflation, Democrats are redoubling efforts to show how they’d help people cope with costs. On Thursday,the Commerce Department reported a key inflation gauge jumped 6.4% in February compared with a year ago, the largest year-over-year rise since January 1982.
But experts say the House bill would not help uninsured people, who face the highest out-of-pocket costs for insulin. Also, people with diabetes often take other medications as well as insulin. That’s done to treat the diabetes itself, along with other serious health conditions often associated with the disease. The House legislation would not help with those costs, either. Collins says she’s looking for a way to help uninsured people through her bill.
About 37 million Americans have diabetes, and an estimated 6 million to 7 million use insulin to keep their blood sugars under control.It’s an old drug, refined and improved over the years, that has seen relentless price increases.
Steep list prices don’t reflect the rates insurance plans negotiate with manufacturers. But those list prices are used to calculate cost-sharing amounts that patients owe. Patients who can’t afford their insulin reduce or skip doses, a strategy born of desperation, which can lead to serious complications and even death.
Economist Sherry Glied of New York University said the market for insulin is a “total disaster” for many patients, particularly those with skimpy insurance plans or no insurance.
“This will make private insurance for people with diabetes a much more attractive proposition,” said Glied.
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https://www.kark.com/news/business/labor-groups-close-in-on-amazon-in-two-tight-union-elections/
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NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon workers in Staten Island, New York, voted to unionize on Friday, marking the first successful U.S. organizing effort in the retail giant’s history and handing an unexpected win to a nascent group that fueled the union drive.
Warehouse workers cast 2,654 votes in favor of a union, giving the fledgling Amazon Labor Union enough support to pull off a victory. According to the National Labor Relations Board, which is overseeing the process, 2,131 workers rejected the union bid.
The 67 ballots that were challenged by either Amazon or the ALU were not enough to sway the outcome. About 57% of the more than 8,300 workers on the voter list cast their ballots. Amazon provides the list of eligible workers to the NLRB. Organizers say a high attrition rate may have shrunk that pool since the election was scheduled.
The victory was an uphill battle for the independent group, made up of former and current workers who lacked official backing from an established union and were out-gunned by the deep-pocketed retail giant. Despite obstacles, organizers believed their grassroots approach was more relatable to workers and could help them overcome where established unions have failed in the past.
Tristan Dutchin, who began working for the online retailer about a year ago, is hopeful that the new union will improve working conditions at his workplace.
“I’m excited that we’re making history,” Dutchin said. “We’re about to unionize a multibillion, trillion-dollar company. This will be a fantastic time for workers to be surrounded in a better, safer working environment.”
Meanwhile, Amazon workers in Bessemer, Alabama, appear to have rejected a union bid but outstanding challenged ballots could change the outcome. The votes were 993-to-875 against the union. A hearing to review 416 challenged ballots is expected to begin in the next few days.
The union campaigns come at a time of widespread labor unrest at many corporations. Workers at more than 140 Starbucks locations around the country, for instance, have requested union elections and several of them have already been successful.
John Logan, director of labor and employment studies at San Francisco State University, said the early vote counts in New York have been “shocking.” The nascent Amazon Labor Union, which is leading the charge on Staten Island, has no backing from an established union and is powered by former and current warehouse workers.
“I don’t think that many people thought that the Amazon Labor Union had much of a chance of winning at all,” Logan said. “And I think we’re likely to see more of those (approaches) going forward.”
After a crushing defeat last year in Bessemer, when a majority of workers voted against forming a union, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union got a second chance to organize another campaign when the NLRB ordered a do-over after determining that Amazon tainted the first election.
Though RWDSU is currently lagging in the latest election, Logan said the early results were still remarkable because the union has made a good effort narrowing its margin from last year.
Chris Smalls, a fired Amazon employee who has been leading the ALU in its fight on Staten Island, bounded out the NLRB building in Brooklyn with other union organizers, pumping their fists and jumping, chanting “ALU.” They uncorked a bottle if Champagne.
Amazon has pushed back hard in the lead-up to both elections. The retail giant held mandatory meetings, where workers were told unions are a bad idea. The company also launched an anti-union website targeting workers and placed English and Spanish posters across the Staten Island facility urging them to reject the union. In Bessemer, Amazon has made some changes to but still kept a controversial U.S. Postal Service mailboxthat was key in the NLRB’s decision to invalidate last year’s vote.
In a filing released on Thursday, Amazon disclosed it spent about $4.2 million last year on labor consultants, which organizers say the retailer routinely solicits to persuade workers not to unionize. It’s unclear how much it spent on such services in 2022.
Both labor fights faced unique challenges. Alabama, for instance, is a right-to-work state that prohibits a company and a union from signing a contract that requires workers to pay dues to the union that represents them.
The union landscape in Alabama is also starkly different from New York. Last year, union members accounted for 22.2% of wage and salary workers in New York, ranked only behind Hawaii, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s more than double the national average of 10.3%. In Alabama, it’s 5.9%.
The mostly Black workforce at the Amazon facility, which opened in 2020, mirrors the Bessemer population of more than 70% Black residents, according to the latest U.S. Census data.
Pro-union workers say they want better working conditions, longer breaks and higher wages. Regular full-time employees at the Bessemer facility earn at least $15.80 an hour, higher than the estimated $14.55 per hour on average in the city. That figure is based on an analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau’s annual median household income for Bessemer of $30,284, which could include more than one worker.
The ALU said they don’t have a demographic breakdown of the warehouse workers on Staten Island and Amazon declined to provide the information to The Associated Press, citing the union vote. Internal records leaked to The New York Times from 2019 showed more than 60% of the hourly associates at the facility were Black or Latino, while most of managers were white or Asian.
Amazon workers there are seeking longer breaks, paid time off for injured employees and an hourly wage of $30, up from a minimum of just over $18 per hour offered by the company. The estimated average wage for the borough is $41 per hour, according to a similar U.S. Census Bureau analysis of Staten Island’s $85,381 median household income.
A spokesperson for Amazon said the company invests in wages and benefits, such as health care, 401(k) plans and a prepaid college tuition program to help grow workers’ careers.
“As a company, we don’t think unions are the best answer for our employees,” the spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “Our focus remains on working directly with our team to continue making Amazon a great place to work.”
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Associated Press staff writers Tali Arbel and Bobby Caina Calvan in New York contributed to this report.
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BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — U.S. officials on Thursday adopted a rule aimed at reducing deaths and environmental damage from oil and gas pipeline ruptures — a long-delayed response to fatal explosionsand massive spillsthat have occurred over decades in California, Michigan, New Jersey and other states.
But safety advocates said the move by the U.S. Transportation Department would not have averted the accidents that prompted the new rule. That’s because it applies only to newly constructed or replaced pipelines — and not to hundreds of thousands of miles of lines that already crisscross the country, many of them decades old and corroding.
The rule requires companies to install emergency valves that can quickly shut off the flow of oil, natural gas or other hazardous fuels when pipelines rupture. It came in response to a massive gas explosion in San Bruno, California, that killed eight people in 2010, and to large oil spills into Michigan’s Kalamazoo River and Montana’s Yellowstone River and other spills.
The National Transportation Safety Board since the 1990s has recommended the use of automatic or remote controlled valves on large pipelines — whether they are existing or new — to reduce the severity of accidents. Following a 1994 gas pipeline explosion and fire that destroyed eight buildings in Edison, Jersey, the safety board urged the Transportation Department to expedite requirements for shut-off valves in cities and natural areas.
But pipeline companies for years resisted new valve requirements because of the expense of installing them and concerns they could close accidentally and shut off fuel supplies.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the more stringent regulations for the industry were needed because too many people have been harmed by pipeline failures.
He said installation of the valves would also protect against large releases of methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas blamed for helping drive climate change.
“Today we are taking an important step to protect communities against hazardous pipeline leaks — helping to save the lives, property, and jobs of people in every part of the country while preventing super-polluting methane leaks.” Buttigieg said.
The Pipeline Safety Trust, a Bellingham, Washington-based advocacy group, said the rule marked progress since Congress mandated more stringent pipeline regulations over a decade ago.
But the group said exempting pipelines that are already in the ground means it would not prevent a repeat of the accident at San Bruno, which involved a pipeline that was more than 50 years old.
“This rule falls far short of the NTSB recommendation and will offer no additional safety to communities living near existing pipelines,” said Bill Caram, executive director of the safety trust.
The government estimated it would cost a combined $5.9 million annually for companies to comply with Thursday’s rule. By comparison, industry representatives said a single valve on an existing line could cost up to $1.5 million and it would take billions of dollars to retrofit lines nationwide.
Industry representatives were closely involved in crafting the rule. Their request to allow valves to be more widely spaced along pipelines and remove the requirement for some low-risk pipes was rejected. However, transportation officials adopted some of industry recommendations that will give operators latitude to make adjustments to where valves are placed.
Association of Oil Pipe Lines Vice President John Stoody said the final rule still contains “arbitrary requirements” for pipeline operators that don’t reflect real-world operating conditions or the low risk of spills in some scenarios.
Amy Andryszak, president of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, said her organization and companies it represents were still reviewing the rule but were “generally supportive” of rules that encourage safety.
Experts say automatic valves can help eliminate some human-caused errors that contribute to accidents, such as a delay of more than 17 hours to confirm the 2010 Kalamazoo, Michigan, pipeline rupture because workers ignored alarms indicating a possible spill. The break released more than 800,000 gallons (3,600,000 liters) of crude oil and caused roughly $1 billion in property and environmental damage.
In San Bruno, a 30-inch (76-centimeter) gas pipeline exploded and burned like a massive blowtorch in a suburban California neighborhood for 89 minutes before a manual valve was used to shut it down. An AP investigation found that pipeline operator Pacific Gas & Electric Co. agreed as far back as 1997 that remotely operated valves did a better job of protecting public safety, but opted against using them widely because they weren’t necessary or required.
Officials with the Transportation Department’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration did not immediately respond to questions about the new rule.
Also missing from the new rule are standards for equipment that can detect when and where leaks hit, a recurring problem in pipeline accidents, Caram said.
Instead, the rule says pipeline companies must quickly take steps to confirm a spill if they get an alarm or other notification, but the confirmation process itself remains up to the company.
Faulty leak detection systems played a role in recent accidents including a 350,000 gallon diesel oil spill in December into a wetlandsoutside New Orleans and an underwater rupture off California’s coastlast October that fouled the ocean with tens of thousands of gallons crude oil.
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Follow Matthew Brown: @matthewbrownAP
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A nonprofit arm of West Virginia University took ownership of a shuttered pharmaceutical plant Thursday with the goal of improving area job and education opportunities.
WVU Medicine will work with the university through the WVU Innovation Corp. to oversee the 1.1-million-square-foot (102,190-square-meter) facility in Morgantown. Discussions with potential private industry tenants are ongoing, said WVU Health System President and CEO Albert Wright.
“There is significant interest from many parties in that building,” Wright said on a conference call. “We’re going to be working up a lot of different possibilities as to how we use that building over time.”
Wright said he envisions a few anchor tenants and other, smaller businesses in the building, as opposed to one big tenant. He said it’s possible that portions, but not all, of the building could be available for use as a pharmaceutical business.
“We’re looking to be an economic engine here,” Wright said. “We’re looking for some big-anchor tenants, but we’re also going to have a component to what we’re doing to be an incubator for startup businesses, to provide some of the infrastructure to get them going from the start.”
Prospective tenants don’t necessarily have to be health-care related, “but we’d like to tie it into the health science capability of the university,” Wright said. “So we have had a number of small startups that are interested.”
Viatris Inc. transferred the facility for $1 under a memorandum of understanding with the university. Viatris announced in December 2020 that it was laying off 1,500 workers at the plant, which was formerly operated by the generic drug company Mylan.
Mylan merged with Upjohn in 2020 to form the new company. Viatris, which announced it would slash 20% of its workforce worldwide, is now one of the world’s leading makers of generic drugs and maintains research and development operations in Morgantown.
“Our goal has always been to identify a responsible new steward for this unique site that would secure the best possible future for the facility, our impacted employees and the Morgantown community, a community that continues to play an important and vital role for Viatris,” company executive chairman Robert J. Coury said in a statement.
The plant closing left workers scrambling to find new jobs in a state that is often trying to lure new companies to uplift a stagnant economy once dominated by the coal industry.
Rob Alsop, WVU’s vice president for strategic initiatives, said former Mylan employees will be offered a tuition-free education at the university. Coupled with the state’s existing offer of free tuition at its community colleges, it will “make sure that those employees are ready for the new job opportunities that we hope come from this,” he said.
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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — In one of his tried-and-true motivational speeches, Mike Krzyzewski outlined his four pillars of team building: making everyone feel important, taking ownership in the team, adapting to setbacks and playing with feeling.
Duke perfected the first three to help Coach K reach his 13th and most amazing Final Four. Next comes the “feeling” part.
Now that the record-setting, 75-year-old coach is in New Orleans, he knows he must walk a fine line between enjoying the moment and letting it overwhelm both him and his team.
“I’ve always thought that shared emotion is the best,” Krzyzewski said Thursday, as his team settled in for its run at the coach’s sixth national title.
The Blue Devils (32-6) meet archrival North Carolina on Saturday in a national semifinal matchup plucked straight from a screenwriters’ script.
When Duke lost two games over the span of a week in early March, starting with the 94-81 setback to the Tar Heels in Krzyzewski’s final home game, the thought he might be coaching at the Final Four this weekend felt like a dream only a Blue Devils fan could believe.
But once the NCAA Tournament began, Duke started playing better. Wins over Cal-State Fullerton and Michigan State propelled the Blue Devils into the Sweet 16. There, they knocked off Texas Tech, then Arkansas. Krzyzewski passed John Wooden by qualifying for his record 13th Final Four. On Saturday he looks to improve on a record he already holds, by notching a 1,203rd career victory.
One of Krzyzewski’s keys to the turnaround was convincing his players that the rest of this season was about them, not him.
“This is our season, too,” Duke’s Wendell Moore Jr., said before the team’s win over Michigan State.
In many ways, Coach K’s final team is fulfilling the vision he shared back in 2015 when, fresh off a championship after his 12th run to the Final Four, he gave the keynote address to a gathering of U.S. Olympic athletes and administrators in Colorado Springs.
“You are not paying rent. You’re here, it’s yours,” Krzyzewski told the rapt audience as he moved through his four pillars of team building.
He talked about his first Olympic experience, back in 1992, when he was an assistant to Chuck Daly on the Dream Team. Krzyzewski was coming off back-to-back titles with Duke and thought he was a “hot ticket.”
His eyes were opened when none other than Michael Jordan approached him after a practice one day. Krzyzewski braced for the inevitable smack talk from the best player in the game, one who happened to have played at North Carolina. Instead, Jordan asked if the coach could work with him on some of his offensive moves.
In his speech, Krzyzewski said he realized something after that workout.
“It’s like a totem pole,” the coach said. “Michael Jordan was at the top of the totem pole. And I was near the bottom.”
But, Coach K said, ”Michael Jordan had a horizontal totem pole, where everybody was important.”
Though there certainly is a pecking order on this year’s version of the Blue Devils — freshmen Paolo Banchero and AJ Griffin look like NBA lottery picks — at least four players have scored double figures in each of Duke’s four NCAA victories. Five players average in double figures for the Blue Devils this season.
In his news conference Thursday, the coach spoke about the players taking ownership in their fate as the season wore on.
“When you go into competition, if you haven’t worked, you have a hard time trusting yourself,” he said. “But if you’ve worked, you can trust, but you also own it. You own it more.”
In his keynote address, Krzyzewski said his first two building blocks lead to the third, which is adaptability. In 2022, it played out after the losses to North Carolina, then one week later to Virginia Tech in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament, forced Krzyzewski to take a long look in the mirror.
“I just had a good meeting with myself. I said that I’ve got to do something. I’ve got to help in some way, and part of it was my approach with them,” Krzyzewski said before Duke’s win over Arkansas in the Elite Eight.
Coach K described using the first five minutes of halftime during the Michigan State game to do something different by “just pull(ing) out a chair, and I sit with them for about five minutes and just, ‘OK, here’s where we’re at, and just talk to them.’”
Duke overcame a late, five-point deficit in that one, and now, Krzyzewski has led his team across his proverbial bridge that only a few lucky teams cross. They made it to college basketball’s biggest stage.
In his motivational speech, Krzyzewski said one method of getting a room full of superstars to “feel” the mission they were on at the Barcelona Olympics each night was to play the soulful version of the national anthem sung by Marvin Gaye at the 1983 NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles.
The promise, the U.S. coaches told the Dream Team, was that they would hear that song twice on the day of the title game — once beforehand, then again while they were standing on the podium receiving their gold medals.
The song that closes out March Madness is “One Shining Moment.” Whether Duke will bask in confetti when that song plays at the end of the title game is a big part of the drama that will unfold between now and Monday night.
Whether or not it happens, everyone at Duke is feeling it at this point — even if the coach insists he’s been focusing on basketball.
“I didn’t do this season to have a storybook,” Krzyzewski said. “I did it because I wanted to coach one more year and I wanted to have a good succession plan for our program. And we’ve won 32 games, and my guys have been terrific.”
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More AP college basketball: http://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
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'Having Fun Now': Revelett Restaurateurs Set For Newest Add - KRIV Fox 26 Houston 26% Coup De Ville, Dallas/Housti | Rental Tents . Couch potate no morer, with no time . \"Whenever this situation changes - we plan at present for the same size for our dining patio (and garden area for kiddies who want shake their behind,\" and \"more parch CHICAGO (AP) — DeMar DeRozan did everything he could to carry the Chicago Bulls to a much-needed victory.
The only glitch came in the closing seconds of regulation. That’s when he missed the potential go-ahead free throw after making his first two to tie it.
In the end, it didn’t matter much.
DeRozan scored a season-high 50 points and Chicago rallied to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 135-130 in overtime Thursday night.
DeRozan finished two points shy of his career high. The five-time All-Star scored 17 in the fourth quarter and made up for his missed foul shot by scoring 10 more in overtime.
“It felt like a bomb went off inside my head,” he said. “Just frustrated with myself.”
DeRozan shrugged off the missed free throw and helped the Bulls come away with a win after falling behind by 16 in the third period.
Chicago, which led the Eastern Conference for a large portion of the season, moved a half-game ahead of sixth-place Toronto with five remaining. The Bulls are trying to stay in the top six in order to avoid the play-in round in the postseason.
Nikola Vucevic added 22 points and 14 rebounds. Zach LaVine scored 21 as the Bulls won for the third time in four games.
Reggie Jackson led Los Angeles with 34 points.
Paul George scored 22 in his second game back after missing three months because of a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He played 32 minutes and sat out overtime.
Marcus Morris Sr. added 20 points and Nicolas Batum scored 17. But the Clippers — eighth in the West — lost for the sixth time in seven games.
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue noticed a difference in the Bulls’ defense as Chicago rallied.
“They picked their defensive intensity up,” he said. “I thought they did a good job with that. We took some bad shots, I thought, during that stretch instead of just continuing to keep playing the way we were playing.”
IN OT
Chicago led by four in overtime when Luke Kennard hit a 3 for Los Angeles with 1:12 left. Patrick Williams answered with one of his own to make it 129-125 with just under a minute remaining.
Jackson then hit two foul shots for the Clippers before DeRozan converted two to make it 131-127.
Williams rebounded a missed drive by Jackson, leading to two more free throws by DeRozan that made it a six-point game. Jackson nailed a 3 to cut it to 133-130 with five seconds left.
DeRozan caught the inbounds pass following a timeout by the Bulls and drove for a dunk, sealing a wild win for Chicago.
BULLS RALLY
The Clippers saw their lead shrink to four early in the fourth and got it back up to 11 with about five minutes remaining before the Bulls made another push.
Los Angeles was leading 118-115 with seven seconds left in regulation when Terance Mann got called for a foul away from the ball on an inbounds play following a timeout. That led to a free throw for DeRozan that cut it to two and possession for Chicago.
DeRozan then got fouled by George on a 3-point attempt with 3.5 seconds remaining. He hit the first two foul shots to tie it at 118 and missed the third, sending the game to overtime.
TIP-INS
Clippers: Batum (sore left ankle) and Morris (sore left knee) played well after being listed as questionable.
Bulls: DeRozan has 2,019 points, the second time he’s scored 2,000 in a season. He is the first Bulls player to do it since Derrick Rose had 2,026 points in his 2010-11 MVP season. … G Lonzo Ball (left knee) will start building up to sprinting at full speed and resume cutting after a 10-day pause because of discomfort, coach Billy Donovan said. How Ball responds will determine when — or if — he returns this season. Ball had surgery in January to repair a torn meniscus. “I have not gotten anything from the doctors that said to me like, ‘Listen, there’s just not enough time. We can’t get him back.’ They’re gonna do everything they can to try to get him back,” Donovan said. Chicago closes the regular season at Minnesota on April 10. … Williams said he was late for the morning shootaround and got fined by the team. He then played by far a season-high 36:49 in his seventh game back after being sidelined since late October because of torn ligaments in his left wrist.
UP NEXT
Clippers: Visit Milwaukee on Friday.
Bulls: Host Miami on Saturday.
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More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A bunch of one-and-done phenoms brought together by Kentucky coach John Calipari stepped onto the floor into the spotlight of the cavernous Superdome 10 years ago, oozing with the kind of NBA potential that made it clear their college basketball careers were about to end at the Final Four.
Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and the rest of them went out on top, too, beating Kansas in the Big Easy to deliver the Wildcats their eighth national championship and Calipari the first of his career.
Fast-forward to the present, and the return of the Final Four to New Orleans, and there is a much more old-school feel to the national semifinals as each of the the participants — Duke, North Carolina, Kansas and Villanova — benefited in one way or another from COVID-19 waivers, medical redshirts and the explosion of the transfer portal.
“It’s the oldest that college basketball has ever been,” acknowledged Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, “so as a result of that, it’s going to be tougher to win. I mean, I think (Shane) Battier played the most games here, 130-something. We’re playing against guys that have played 160 games, sometimes three of them are on the other team. That’s a lot.”
Indeed, all four teams in the Big Easy have the kind of savvy veterans once seemed endangered in the world of big-time college hoops, and together they are proving on the game’s biggest stage that experience still matters.
“That’s why we shouldn’t be shocked at anything that’s happened in the tournament,” the retiring Krzyzewski said, “because the age differential is so dramatic. For us, it’s been dramatic.”
Yes, the Blue Devils are the youngest team in New Orleans, but everything is relative. They still feature senior Joey Baker and fifth-year senior Theo John, who began his career at Marquette and is about to play in his 162nd game.
The experience has paid off. Young, talented teams such as Memphis were bounced early out of the NCAA Tournament, while hardened teams such as Providence, Saint Peter’s and Miami made runs into the second weekend.
“It takes a significant amount of time to get everyone to buy into your program,” explained Jayhawks coach Bill Self, who has had more success with veteran teams than with one-and-dones such as Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid.
“But,” Self cautioned, “I would say that talent plus experience is what wins.”
Good luck finding a team more experienced than Kansas.
— Backup guard Jalen-Coleman Lands will play in his 171st game spanning stints at Illinois, DePaul and Iowa State when the Jayhawks face Villanova, trailing Iowa’s Jordan Bohannon and USC’s Chevez Goodwin for the most in Division I history.
— Mitch Lightfoot will play in his 167th game and second Final Four after making it with the Jayhawks in 2018.
— Arizona State transfer Remy Martin and big man David McCormack will have surpassed 130 games by the time their season ends, while All-American guard Ochai Agbajiis about to play his 121st game for Kansas.
In fact, the Jayhawks’ top eight scorers have appeared in 965 games — almost certainly a record for a Final Four team.
Maybe for any team.
The Jayhawks aren’t alone. Brady Manek spent four seasons at Oklahoma, transferred to North Carolina for one more, and will play in his 160th game against Duke in the second semifinal Saturday night. Villanova has two players, Collin Gillespie and Jermaine Samuels, who have played more than 150 games apiece, and two more who have topped 100.
Over the years, the Wildcats have become the poster program for winning with experience.
When they captured the national championship in 2016, they had four starters that had played at least 100 games, led by seniors Ryan Arcidiacono and Daniel Ochefu. The top six scorers on coach Jay Wright’s 2018 title team, which romped past Lightfoot and the Jayhawks in the Final Four, included four juniors along with senior Phil Booth.
“Everyone should applaud what they’ve built there, and of course Jay is the ringmaster of that,” Self said, “and how they develop their guys and fundamental they are. You have to beat them; they don’t beat themselves. And when you have older players, I do think a culture can exist, and they would be the top of our profession.
“When you look at our situation,” Self said, “we had Josh (Jackson) who was one-and-done, and I guess Wiggs and Jo were one-and-dones. That’s going back to 2014. But we’ve done it with older kids, too. We’ve done it with the Frank Masons and the Devonte Grahams and Landon Lucas. We’ve had comparable success with, you know, older guys.”
Everyone in this year’s Final Four has older guys, though.
The combined experience of Duke, again the youngest of the bunch, still far outpaces that 2012 Kentucky team or another collection of one-and-done national champs: the Blue Devils of Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones and Justise Winslow.
Their title in 2015 might have been the high-water mark of the one-and-done championship era, though. The rise of the G League, Overtime Elite and more overseas opportunities are providing alternative pathways to some of the best prep prospects. As a result the talent level of programs relying primarily on freshmen and sophomores is not quite the same, and in many cases, they can no longer rely on pure ability to beat teams that have been together for years.
Meanwhile, the recent passage of NIL legislation is allowing college athletes to earn endorsement money in college, giving them another reason to stick around when they might otherwise chase a professional career.
“Some of these teams, they’ve got kids, some of them are in their sixth year of school, because maybe they redshirted and now they’ve got the COVID year,” Florida Gulf Coast athletic director Ken Kavanagh said. “You’ve got older teams and they are maybe not good enough (players) to go to the NBA, but they’re really good, talented players who can make a difference.
“Older teams that have been playing together are usually more experienced than kids who are 17, 18 years old.”
Four of those older teams are the last ones standing in New Orleans this week.
“I don’t think it’s a coincidence,” Kavanagh said.
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AP Basketball Writers Aaron Beard and John Marshall contributed to this report.
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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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NEW YORK (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo loved the fact that he became Milwaukee’s career scoring leader on a 3-pointer, so nobody can say he’s just a dunker anymore.
Otherwise, there was no reason for celebrating after passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
“When I’m done we can talk about it, but now there’s no time,” Antetokoumpo said, looking ahead to Friday’s game against the Clippers. “There’s things that have to be done.”
Antetokounmpo’s record-setting 3-pointer forced overtime, and he made two free throws in the final seconds to give the Bucks a 120-119 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night.
The defending NBA champions clinched a return to the postseason with the win, in which Antetokounmpo had 44 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. Jrue Holiday added 19 points and Khris Middleton had 16 before being ejected for a flagrant foul midway through the third quarter.
Kevin Durant had 26 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds for the Nets, but missed a 3-pointer that would have won it. Kyrie Irving scored 25 points and Bruce Brown had 23.
Just as in the memorable end to their second-round series last summer, when the Bucks overcame 48 points from Durant — most ever in a Game 7 — overtime was needed to determine a winner. Milwaukee took that one 115-111 and pulled it out Thursday behind a second straight 40-point game from Antetokounmpo.
The Greek Freak has been dismissed, famously by James Harden, as a great athlete but not necessarily a skilled basketball player. But the NBA Finals MVP has become a confident shooter and his teammates are confident in him.
“We just fight, compete, compete and know that obviously it helps to have that big fellow on your team that can literally break a game open for you and make plays,” Bucks swingman Wesley Matthews said.
Antetokounmpo came into the game 39 points behind Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA’s career scoring leader who had 14,211 points after beginning his career in Milwaukee. Antetokounmpo passed him with 18 seconds left to knot the game at 110.
The Bucks and Nets could be headed for a first-round matchup this year. The Bucks are a half-game behind Miami for the top spot in the Eastern Conference, while the Nets are tied for eighth and can likely hope for nothing better than the No. 7 or 8 seed by coming out of the play-in tournament.
The Bucks led by four in overtime but the Nets rallied to take a 119-118 lead when Durant was fouled on a 3-point attempt and made all three shots with 8.7 seconds left. Antetokounmpo quickly rushed into the lane and was fouled by Nic Claxton. He made both free throws and finished 15 of 19 from the line.
The Nets led 99-96 with 5 1/2 minutes left in regulation when Antetokounmpo re-entered the game but threw a bad pass that Brown grabbed and appeared to be on his way to an uncontested layup. But Middleton raced back and grabbed Brown’s upper arm as he was in the air, sending him to a hard landing. Referees reviewed the replay and informed a stunned Middleton that he received the harsher Flagrant 2 and was ejected.
Crew chief John Goble said the play was ruled a Flagrant 2 because a “high potential for injury.”
Brown made the free throws, Irving scored and the Nets built a 108-99 lead when Durant threw down Irving’s lob pass with 3:52 left. But they managed only two more points in regulation.
“It was just one of those games that got funky at the end, but we’ve just got to finish it out in regulation,” Irving said.
TIP-INS
Bucks: Coach Mike Budenholzer coached in Brooklyn for the first time this season, having missed the Bucks’ 121-109 victory on Jan. 7 while in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
Nets: Coach Steve Nash said he isn’t closely watching the results of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have tumbled all the way to seventh in the East. If they remain behind Toronto, the removes the possibility of having to play a play-in game in Canada, where the unvaccinated Irving is unable to travel.
“I’m not averse to seeing how they’re doing and where they’re at, but it’s not something that I’m, like I said the other day, refreshing my feed daily,” Nash said.
THE GREEK’S KNEE
Though Antetokounmpo appeared on the injury report with right knee soreness, Budenholzer said it’s nothing beyond what the two-time NBA MVP has been dealing with for years.
“I think it’s in a good place,” Budenholzer said. “I don’t think it’s anything that we’re concerned about, but there’s a daily attention and effort that it takes from the sports performance team and him and what he does to be his best. It’s impressive.”
UP NEXT
Bucks: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday.
Nets: Visit Atlanta on Saturday.
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More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Naomi Osaka’s eyes welled with tears when her match ended, an all-too-familiar scene for her in recent years.
These were of the happy variety.
For the former world No. 1, that’s major progress.
The unseeded Osaka defeated No. 22 Belinda Bencic 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Thursday in the Miami Open semifinals. She’s in a championship match for the first time since the 2021 Australian Open, and will meet No. 2 Iga Swiatek for the title on Saturday.
“Damn, I’m almost crying,” Osaka said after her match.
Maybe not even almost. She hid her face in an orange towel a few times following the final point, at least one tear clearly making its way down her right cheek. Osaka entered this tournament ranked No. 77 in the world, will leave Miami no worse than 36th and would be back in the top 30 if she wins the title.
It has been a long, trying and often emotional ride for Osaka since her win in the 2018 U.S. Open final over Serena Williams. She was rattled during a loss at Indian Wells on March 12 following a derogatory shout from a spectator, withdrew from last year’s French Open to address her mental state and left last year’s U.S. Open in tears.
But in South Florida, one of the places she considers home, it’s been all support from the fans.
“From the bottom of my heart, thank you,” Osaka told them in her on-court interview.
Swiatek — who will replace the now-retired Ashleigh Barty as the No. 1-ranked women’s player in the world next week — beat Jessica Pegula 6-2, 7-5 in the other women’s semifinal on Thursday night.
Meanwhile, Daniil Medvedev came into the tournament as the No. 2-ranked men’s player in the world. Hubert Hurkacz ensured he will stay there.
Hurkacz — the No. 8 seed and defending Miami champion — wore down the top-seeded and cramp-riddled Medvedev 7-6 (7), 6-3 on Thursday in a men’s quarterfinal.
“Every muscle just went ‘cramp, cramp, cramp, cramp,'” Medvedev said.
Had Medvedev prevailed, he would have overtaken Novak Djokovic on Monday and returned to No. 1 in the world rankings. Instead, the Russian will stay No. 2 in the world and find out who wins the Miami title on Sunday like everyone else.
“For me, it was more important in a way just to win the match itself than to become No. 1,” Medvedev said. “Winning the match, I saw it more as a bonus.”
Hurkacz, who is from Poland, will next meet No. 14 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in the semifinals. Alcaraz defeated unseeded Miomir Kecmanovic of Serbia 6-7 (5), 6-3, 7-6 (5) on Thursday night in the last men’s quarterfinal.
“I was returning pretty well, I was putting some pressure on his serves and that was helping my game,” Hurkacz said. “I was able to get some free points on my serve and that was pretty big.”
The other semifinal pits sixth-seeded Casper Ruud of Norway against unseeded Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina.
Hurkacz has played Medvedev four times, and Medvedev has been ranked No. 2 in the world in each of those meetings — which they’ve now split. Hurkacz improved to 14-5 this year, and his record in Miami is 12-1 all-time.
“Coming here is so much fun,” Hurkacz said.
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More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (AP) — Jennifer Kupcho shared the lead Thursday in The Chevron Championship in her second — and last — start at Mission Hills, the tree-lined layout she has quickly fallen in love with.
“Honestly, I think it’s just being comfortable on this golf course,” Kupcho said. “I get here and I just, I feel comfortable. I love this place.”
Kupcho shot a 6-under 66 in sunny and calm morning conditions to join fellow early starter Minjee Lee atop the leaderboard after the first round of the final edition of the major championship at Mission Hills.
“I really like the layout of this golf course, the beautiful shape that it’s in every year,” Kupcho said. “It always is so fun to be here, so just taking advantage of how much I like the course and the atmosphere.”
Unable to find a sponsor willing to remain at Mission Hills, the tournament that started in 1972 as the Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner’s Circle and became a major in 1983 is shifting to Houston next year under a deal with Chevron.
“Definitely sad,” Carolina Masson said after a 68. “I understand why we’re doing it, but I’m just trying to soak in every second being out here. The golf course is playing as good as ever.”
Defending champion Patty Tavatanakit was a stroke back, finishing late in the afternoon in gusting wind.
“Really proud,” Tavatanakit said. “I feel like I really got my momentum going, was really present today.”
Kupcho birdied Nos. 11-14 to get to 8 under, then bogeyed the next two holes. She birdied four of the first five and finished with nine birdies and three bogeys.
“You really need to hit fairways on a major golf course, so that was like my biggest thing today, to hit a bunch of fairways,” Kupcho said. “That really set me up for all my birdies.”
Winless on the LPGA Tour, Kupcho won the 2018 NCAA individual title for Wake Forest and took the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur the following year after passing up a spot that week at Mission Hills.
The 24-year-old from Colorado arrived early in the desert after missing the cut Friday in Carlsbad. “I just used the two days that I did have on the weekend to come here and practice,” she said.
Lee birdied all four par 5s in a bogey-free round on the mountain-framed course.
“It was perfect,” Lee said. “Not like a breath of wind when we played. Maybe just a tiny bit. But conditions are great. Putting greens are rolling real nice. I don’t think you can get better than that.”
The 25-year-old Australian, ranked fourth in the world, won the Evian Championship last summer for her first major title and sixth LPGA Tour victory.
“I know I have one under my belt, but I do want a little bit more,” Lee said. “I just think I have a little bit more belief in myself and my game, so I can be a little bit more comfortable just hitting the shots.”
Third-ranked Lydia Ko, the 2015 champion, was at 68 with Masson, Anna Nordqvist, Georgia Hall, Gabriela Ruffels and Pajaree Anannarukarn. Lexi Thompson, the 2014 winner, was another stroke back with Sarah Schmelzel, Annie Park, Lauren Stephenson, Pauline Roussin-Bouchard and Hinako Shibuno.
Thompson marveled at course she first played as a 14-year-old amateur.
“I’ve never seen it this good,” Thompson said. “It always surprises me every year. It’s always better. The greens are amazing. I’m one to putt and usually aim at things along the way, and there is just not an imperfection on greens to aim at. It’s a good problem.”
Schmelzel is making her fourth appearance.
“This place is really special,” Schmelzel said. “I feel like growing up watching the LPGA Tour, these are holes that I remember. These are holes that I wanted to be on one day.”
Park played as a single in the first group in the afternoon off the first tee.
“It was kind of weird the first couple holes just playing by myself,” Park said. “It was really peaceful.”
Top-ranked Jin Young Ko, the 2019 winner, shot a 74 to end her under-par streak at 34 rounds. Her run of at least one birdie ended at 53 rounds.
“I was hitting lots of great shots, but my putting wasn’t good,” she said. “I couldn’t see the break as much or speed. Everything was wrong.”
Ally Ewing and Moriya Jutanugarn had an eventful finish on the par-5 18th when the sprinklers on the green turned on at about 6 p.m. as Ewing was preparing for a 4-foot birdie putt. After a short delay, she holed out for a 70.
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More AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Francisco Lindor wasn’t the franchise-altering shortstop the Mets were hoping for last season.
His performance in this year’s shortened spring training has New York confident better days are coming.
The switch-hitting Lindor has been among the best hitters in the Grapefruit League through two weeks of games, hitting .476 with four homers and 10 RBIs through his first 21 at-bats. It’s the kind of run that was common when the former Cleveland star made four All-Star teams in a row from 2016-19.
The 28-year-old struggled for big chunks of his first season with the Mets after signing a 10-year, $341 million contract, batting just .230 with 20 homers.
“Life was a little faster for me last year,” Lindor said earlier in spring training. “I tried to give it my best, gave it my best and I just wasn’t as productive as I wanted to be.”
The Mets have sky-high expectations once again in 2022, believing Lindor can be a cornerstone for a lineup that includes slugger Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil and newly acquired players like Starling Marte and Mark Canha.
Here are a few other players off to a good start as MLB’s regular season rapidly approaches on April 7:
David Peralta, OF, Diamondbacks: The veteran has been a steady influence in Arizona’s lineup since 2014 but his power has dipped considerably over the past two seasons with 13 homers in a stretch spanning about 700 at-bats. He has four homers in his first 19 spring at-bats in Cactus League play.
Kyle Higashioka, C, Yankees: The sixth-year catcher has slowly worked his way into a bigger role with the Yankees. His ability to hit will probably determine if he ultimately becomes a part-time or full-time option. He showed some pop last year with 10 homers, but hit just .181 in 193 at-bats. He’s off to a good start in the Grapefruit League with a .412 average and four homers.
Mickey Moniak, OF, Phillies: It’s been a tough road to the big leagues for Moniak, who was the No. 1 overall pick in 2016 but has spent most of the past seven years in the minors. The 23-year-old has a legit chance to earn a spot on Philadelphia’s opening day roster, especially after three homers in his first 20 spring at-bats.
Max Scherzer, RHP, Mets: He’s now 37 years old but the hard-throwing right hander doesn’t show many signs of slowing. New York added the three-time Cy Young winner during the offseason on a three-year, $130 million deal. He’s already in midseason form in Grapefruit League play, striking out 12 batters in his first 11 innings while giving up just three earned runs.
Sandy Alcantara, RHP, Marlins: The 26-year-old has quietly been among the better pitchers in the National League for three years. He was one of just four MLB pitchers to throw at least 200 innings last season, finishing with 205 2/3 over 33 starts. He looks ready for another big year after giving up just one hit over his first seven innings in the Grapefruit League.
MacKenzie Gore, LHP, Padres: He just turned 23 and has been among the sport’s highest-rated prospects for several years. Now he appears on the verge of breaking into the big leagues, whether it is straight out of spring camp or later this season. He struck out 11 batters through his first nine innings in the Cactus League this spring and has given up just two runs.
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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kim Mulkey knew she had a rebuilding project when she took over as coach of LSU this season.
The longtime Baylor coach quickly was able to orchestrate an incredible turnaround for the Tigers, who won 26 games — 17 more than last season.
Mulkey was honored Thursday as The Associated Press women’s basketball Coach of the Year, the third time she has won the award. Geno Auriemma and Muffet McGraw are the only other coaches to have accomplished the feat.
“I’m certainly honored to be in that group,” Mulkey said. “This doesn’t happen without players who allow you to coach them and buy into a system. We had a really, really good year.”
Mulkey received 10 votes from the 30-member national media panel that votes on the AP Top 25 each week. South Carolina Dawn Staley was second with eight votes. Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer received three while Nicki Collen, who replaced Mulkey at Baylor, got two along with Wes Moore of N.C. State. Five coaches got one vote apiece.
The veteran coach shared the stage with AP Player of the Year Aliyah Boston, who she coached against this year.
Mulkey, who was surprised by her team last week who told her she won, thanked her coaches and individually named each of her players in the ceremony. She choked up when talking about her family, who were still in Texas.
LSU rose to No. 6 in the AP poll and hosted the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers lost to Ohio State in the second round and finished with more than 25 wins for the first time since the 2007-08 season. Mulkey compared this season to her first at Baylor when she inherited a team that won just seven games the year before she took over.
“You make goals that are realistic such as having a winning season,” she said. “Beat your first ranked team, we’re going to celebrate that. In conference if we finish in the top half of SEC we can then potentially get to the NCAA Tournament. It sounds so simple. but you have to crawl before you can walk, and have to walk before you can run. We were just realistic.”
The Tigers went 13-3 in the tough Southeastern Conference and had wins over Georgia, Tennessee and Kentucky. Mulkey’s squad also played South Carolina tough, only falling by six points.
After the ceremony, Mulkey bumped into Nikki Fargas, the coach she replaced at LSU. The two hugged and had a 15-minute conversation. It was the first time they had talked since Mulkey got the job.
Mulkey grew up in Louisiana and won national titles with Louisiana Tech as both a player and assistant coach before a 21-year run at Baylor in which she won three national titles and became the fastest coach in women’s college basketball history to 600 victories, doing so in just 700 games. In 2020, she was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Mulkey also won AP Coach of the Year in 2012 and 2019 while at Baylor.
“I can’t name all the things that the team did this year but it was unbelievable,” she said. “We were not supposed to do what we did in a year. That’s hard to do.”
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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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NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball finalized the rules change Thursday to bring back automatic runners in extra innings for a third straight season.
Despite an easing of pandemic restrictions, MLB and the players’ association agreed to keep the controversial rule that starts each team with a runner on second base during extra innings for the 2022 regular season.
The agreement regarding on-field rules modifications also includes expanding active rosters from 26 players to 28 from opening day on April 7 through May 1 this year, due to the delayed start of spring training.
Another new rule benefits Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani. With the designated hitter adopted in both leagues, pitchers who start games in the batting order can remain in the game as a DH after leaving the mound. A DH can also enter the game to pitch. That change will apply to multiple seasons.
“The expansion of the designated hitter and giving two-way players enhanced flexibility to showcase their talents will benefit the game for the foreseeable future,” union director of player services Kevin Slowey said in a statement. “The roster and extra-inning adjustments will also serve to protect the health and safety of players during what will be a unique 2022 season.”
The “zombie” runner modification was applied to the 2020 and 2021 regular seasons as part of adjustments due to COVID-19.
There were 78 extra-inning games during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, and the longest by innings were a pair of 13-inning contests at Houston, won by the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 29 and by Oakland on Aug. 7. Every previous season since 1901 had at least one game of 15 innings or longer
There were 233 extra-inning games last year, and the longest was the Dodgers’ 16-inning win at the San Diego Padres on Aug. 25.
The modification for 2020 and 2021 that shortened doubleheaders to scheduled seven-inning games was not continued for 2022.
Active rosters will be 28 from opening day through May 1; 26 from May 2 through Aug. 31; and 28 for the rest of the regular season. Last season, the limit was 26 from opening day through Aug. 31, then 28.
Rookie qualifications going forward will remain the same as in 2021, when September days were not excluded toward the threshold of 45 days for the exhaustion of rookie status in future seasons.
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More AP MLB coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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https://www.kark.com/news/national/ca-reparations-plan-advances-broader-movement-advocates-say/
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The SAT: Fact v. Fiction, Know v. Think – How High is This Horizon\nHow the College Board will make bill billings\nOne in eight families sends between five hundred thousand and over three million dollars their twentig generation’’ according, with to CollegeSnapInfo.org which reports at least a quarter hundred, or more like 45 in of families, have done, already\nAccroded to, TheElectronic.net says DETROIT (AP) — In the long debate over whether Black Americans should be granted reparations for the atrocity and injustices of slavery and racism, California took a big step this week toward becoming the first U.S. state to make some form of restitution a reality.
The state’s reparations task force tackled the divisive issue of which Black residents should be eligible — it narrowly decided in favor of limiting compensation to the descendants of free and enslaved Black people who were in the U.S. in the 19th century.
Whether Tuesday’s vote by the task force spurs other states and cities to advance their own proposals, and whether they adopt California’s still controversial standard for who would benefit, remains to be seen. Some veteran reparations advocates disagree strongly with proposals to limiting eligibility to only Black people who can prove they have enslaved ancestors, while excluding those who cannot and leaving out victims of other historic injustices, such as redlining and mass incarceration.
Still, one advocate noted California’s move is a step that could lend momentum to stalled reparation proposals elsewhere in the U.S.
“It’s precipitated a debate and it will influence communities,” said Ron Daniels, president of The Institute of the Black World 21st Century and administrator of the National African American Reparations Commission, an advocacy group of scholars and activists.
As to whether others will adopt the same approach to eligibility, Daniels said: “That’s to be decided. …We think that ultimately a more expansive definition will prevail.”
The commission headed by Daniels has taken a position that limiting reparations to slave descendants, or to Americans whose ancestors were free Blacks living during the time of slavery, ignores the effects of racism that persisted for more than a century after emancipation.
“There are always going to be criteria” for reparations, Daniels said. “The problem is the harms have been so gross that almost no Black person is not eligible in some form or another.”
Although there is still debate among historians about when exactly the practice began, chattel slavery in what would become the U.S. dates back to 1619 when about 20 enslaved Africans were brought to Jamestown, Virginia — then a British colony. Over the next two centuries, more than 300,000 men, women and children were forcibly taken from Africa to work on plantations in southern colonies and later the Southern states, according to the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database, a project funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and maintained by Rice University.
Slavery in the U.S. officially ended in 1865 with the ratification of the 13th Amendment. Union Army General William Sherman promised compensation to freed slaves in the form of land and mules to farm it — hence the phrase “40 acres and a mule” — after the North’s victory over the South in the Civil War. But President Andrew Johnson took away the offer.
More than 120 years later, then-Rep. John Conyers, a Detroit Democrat, first introduced H.R. 40, a bill that would create a federal commission to study reparations and make proposals. Conyers reintroduced it in every congressional session until he resigned in 2017. As a candidate, President Joe Biden said he supported creating the commission, but has yet to formally back it as commander-in-chief. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Texas Democrat, is currently the lead sponsor of the House bill.
Getting governmental leaders to openly consider slavery reparations has been daunting and taken decades. But progress has been made at both the state and local levels, particularly since the national reckoning on racial injustice that was sparked after the 2020 murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
In Michigan, legislative proposals submitted earlier this year in the House of Representatives call for $1.5 billion in federal dollars to be placed in a racial equity and reparations fund within the state’s treasury. The funds would be issued to various state departments and agencies to provide grants, loans and other economic assistance for businesses and economic developments that promote the Black community.
The bills have yet to receive a hearing in the House.
Last year, Evanston, Illinois, — the first U.S. city to find a source of funding for reparations — began giving eligible Black residents $25,000 housing grants for down payments, repairs or existing mortgages. The program is meant to atone for the history of racial redlining and housing discrimination. Recipients were selected randomly from among the applicants, Black residents who lived in the city between 1919 and 1969.
And in Providence, Rhode Island, the mayor announced a city commission on reparations in February that will look to atone for the city’s role in slavery and systemic racism, as well as the mistreatment of Native Americans.
For Anita Belle, a grassroots activist in Detroit, where residents in the mostly Black city voted in November to create a city reparations commission, getting to this point in the pursuit of reparations is cause for celebration. But what happens next is worrisome, especially when it comes to who gets what and how much, she said.
“I am happy for all of us who have doing the groundwork for all these years,” said Belle, founder of the Reparations Labor Union. “We are somewhat afraid that these people who have jumped on the bandwagon are actually there to sabotage it and make reparations $12.62, if that. There will be those saboteurs — people who look like us, but have hidden agendas.”
“You have some of that fear in California where the scope for reparations was narrowed to the people who can prove they were enslaved,” she added. “The people of California will be like ’why am I paying reparations for someone who was enslaved in Mississippi?'”
In California, the task force is taking the next step with economists to determine the cost of compensating more than 2 million Black residents, although all of them would not be eligible. Following slavery abolition, Black migration to California happened primarily in the immediate decades after World War II, with newly-arrived African Americans settling in cities like Oakland, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The Black population there rose from just under a half million residents, or 4.4% of the population, in 1950 to 1.4 million residents, or 7% of the population, by 1970. Decades later, the 2020 census recorded 2.1 million Black residents in California, or about 5.3% of the state’s population.
While proposals and who would be eligible appear to vary, they still are types of reparations, according to Rashawn Ray, senior fellow of Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution.
“California chose to focus on enslavement of Black people,” Ray said. “In Evanston, it’s red lining and housing segregation. Both are issues that need restitution to them based on what the wrong is.”
But, Ray added, “Federal reparations — without a doubt and hands-down — that’s what we need. What is happening in California should be happening in Congress.”
As a former alderman for the city of Evanston, Illinois, and a longtime reparations advocate, Robin Rue Simmons said reaching consensus on eligibility can be tough because policymakers should be as expansive and inclusive as possible, while also identifying specific harms that they’re seeking to address.
The big step taken by California could help spur action on reparations proposals in other cities and states, Simmons said, and perhaps add pressure for the federal government to act, which she sees as critical.
She doesn’t expect California’s lineage-based eligibility standard to become the norm.
“I don’t think any community should think that another has figured it out for them,” Simmons said, “because every community is going to have their own priorities and their specific history.”
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Bynum reported from Savannah, Ga. AP writers Janie Har in San Francisco and Michael Schneider in Orlando contributed to this story.
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ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A federal appeals court has granted a request from a northern Virginia school system to continue using a challenged admissions policy at a highly selective high school while it appeals a ruling that found the policy discriminates against Asian American students.
A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said in a ruling Thursday that Fairfax County Public Schools can continue to use its new admissions policy at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.
U.S. District Judge Claude Hilton rejected the new policy in a February ruling, saying that impermissible “racial balancing” was at its core. Commonly known as “TJ,” the prestigious school near the nation’s capital is often ranked as one of the best public high schools in the country.
Earlier this month, Hilton also rejected a request from the school system to delay the implementation of his ruling. But the 4th Circuit, in a 2-1 ruling, said the school board had met the legal requirements for a suspension of Hilton’s order while its appeal is pending.
The 4th Circuit panel agreed with school officials who argued that because the selection process for the incoming freshman class is well underway, implementing Hilton’s ruling now would throw the process into chaos.
Judge Toby Heytens wrote that he has “grave doubts” about Hilton’s conclusions “regarding both disparate impact and discriminatory purpose” of the new admissions policy.
“In my view, appellant Fairfax County School Board is likely to succeed in its appeal,” Heytens wrote.
In a dissenting opinion, Judge Allison Jones Rushing said putting Hilton’s ruling on hold while the school board appeals his decision is not in the public interest. Jones said any logistical difficulties or inconvenience associated with changing the admissions policy at this late date “simply do not outweigh the infringement of constitutional rights.”
“And everyone — even temporarily frustrated applicants and their families — ultimately benefits from a public-school admissions process not tainted by unconstitutional discrimination,” Rushing wrote.
The case has been closely watched as courts continue to evaluate the role that racial considerations can play when deciding who should be admitted to a particular school. Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a similar case alleging that Harvard University discriminates against Asian Americans in its admissions process.
Fairfax County Public Schools said the order from the 4th Circuit allows the school board to continue with the current application process to select the Class of 2026 this spring.
“For the 2,500+ students in this application pool, this means the race blind process set out by the School Board in October 2020 will remain in place as an appeal challenging the February court decision plays out,” the board said in a news release.
The parents’ group Coalition for TJ, which filed the lawsuit, said the 4th Circuit judges have made a “grave error” in allowing the school system to continue to use its new admissions process.
“If the judges’ decision stands, we would see Fairfax County Public Schools usher in a second class of students to America’s No. 1 public high school through an unconstitutional race-based admissions process,” the coalition said in a statement.
For decades, Black and Hispanic students have been woefully underrepresented in the student body. After criticism over its lack of diversity, the school board scrapped a standardized test that had been at the heart of the admissions process and opted instead for a process that sets aside slots at each of the county’s middle schools. It also includes “experience factors” like socioeconomic background.
The parents’ group argued in its lawsuit that Asian Americans, who constituted more than 70% of the student body, were unfairly targeted in the new policy.
The school’s current freshman class, which was admitted under the new policy, saw a significantly different racial makeup. Black students increased from 1% to 7%; Hispanic representation increased from 3% to 11%. Asian American representation decreased from 73% to 54%.
The school system has insisted that its new policies are race neutral, and the panel evaluating applicants is not even aware of applicants’ race as it conducts its reviews.
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There would have not have happened Washington in a land ounce like in a state it is just, but a time it may been too different now\nThe United States Of Arabs By Michael Tyson\nWe have more wealth but what has we got is better off if people did, but, why so poor so fast the answer a problem is but no where, to blessed, but still I say our lives is more worse for our government and how our government had treated LOS ANGELES (AP) — A former minor league pitcher ran a major league illegal sports betting operation in California that used other former pro athletes to take bets and took wagers from players still in the game, federal prosecutors said Thursday.
Wayne Nix, who threw for Oakland Athletics farm teams, used his connections to recruit three former Major League Baseball players and a former pro football player as fellow bookies, prosecutors said.
The MLB began looking into the matter when it learned of it Thursday, but was unaware any of those involved other than Nix, a spokesman said.
Court records offered no names of the players who worked for Nix or those who placed bets with his business, but they provide a glimpse of the kind of money being wagered, earned and lost.
A professional football player paid Nix $245,000 for gambling losses in 2016. An MLB coach paid $4,000 in losses that same year. It was not disclosed if either bet on their own games or their own sports.
MLB prohibits players from betting on baseball or gambling illegally on sports. They can bet on other sports if it’s legal. The National Football League policy bars all personnel from betting on football games.
A Los Angeles check cashing business that has agreed to plead guilty to failing to prevent money laundering in the scheme cashed over $18 million in checks from two single bettors, prosecutors said.
One client wagered $5 million on the Super Bowl but it was not revealed if that gambit paid off.
Sports betting is legal in 30 states, but not in California. However, voters will have a chance to legalize it at the polls in November.
Nix, 45, has agreed to plead guilty to conspiring to run an illegal gambling operation and faces up to eight years in prison. He also admitted he failed to report $1.4 million in income in 2017 and 2018. He has agreed to pay back taxes and interest of $1.25 million and forfeit $1.3 million seized from bank accounts.
Nix began the sports bookmaking business about 20 years ago after his six-year minor league career — with stops in Arizona, Texas and California — ended, prosecutors said.
His client list was created from contacts he had made in the sports world and included current and former pro athletes. The agents he hired helped expand that clientele.
The operation eventually began using a Costa Rican business, Sand Island Sports, to create accounts where bets could be placed and tracked and credit limits set, prosecutors said. Bets were placed online or through a call center, though Nix paid winners and kept most of the money from losing bets.
Those who exceeded credit limits were shut off, though exceptions were made, according to court documents.
A sports broadcaster’s account was reactivated in February 2019 after he told Nix he was refinancing his home mortgage to pay off his gambling debts.
In September 2019, Nix increased the credit limit to a baseball player with debts so he could make additional bets.
In November, 2019, Nix’s partner, Edon Kagasoff, told a business manager for a professional basketball player that he would increase the maximum wager he could place to $25,000 per NBA game.
Kagasoff, 44, faces the same conspiracy charge as Nix. He also agreed to plead guilty and forfeit over $3 million in funds seized from his home and bank accounts.
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NEW YORK (AP) — The author of a Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the revolt at the Attica Correctional Facility in 1971 sued New York state prison authorities on Thursday, saying they’ve unconstitutionally banned her book behind bars.
Author Heather Ann Thompson, a University of Michigan professor, brought the lawsuit in Manhattan federal court over the treatment by New York State Department of Corrections officials of her book: “Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising of 1971,” published in 2016.
Named as defendants were the department’s acting commissioner and a second official with decision-making authority regarding censorship determinations.
The lawsuit contends that the ban is unconstitutional, particularly because the state has blocked inmates from accessing her book, prevented her from sharing it with inmates and denied her an opportunity to contest the ban.
“People have a right to read, and people have a right to history,” Thompson said in a release. “We also have a right to have our books read. It’s a shame we live in a country where we censor people and ideas.”
In a document issued in late January, the New York State Department of Corrections division of Corrections and Community Supervision said it was department policy to “encourage incarcerated individuals to read publications from varied sources if such material does not encourage them to engage in behavior that might be disruptive to orderly facility operations.”
The document said any materials also “should not incite disobedience towards law enforcement officers or prison personnel.” It added that “incite disobedience” means “to advocate, expressly or by clear implication, acts of disobedience.”
Contacted about the lawsuit Thursday, a corrections spokesperson said the department cannot comment on pending litigation.
The Attica uprising began in September 1971 when inmates angry over living conditions seized control of part of the prison and took some of its staff hostage. Four days later, the disturbance ended when state troopers and guards shot tear gas into a prison yard before firing hundreds of rounds into the smoke.
The gunfire killed 29 inmates and 10 hostages. In all, 11 staff members and 32 inmates were killed in the riot and siege. No law enforcement officers were put on trial for their roles in the massacre.
The lawsuit was brought on Thompson’s behalf by the New York Civil Liberties Union and the Civil Rights Clinic at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.
NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman said the state “cannot censor an important historical text like ‘Blood in the Water’ just because it doesn’t like the content.”
Cardozo’s Civil Rights Clinic Director Betsy Ginsberg said: “It is, simply put, a history book, and its denial to incarcerated people runs counter to this country’s core values.”
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Associated Press Writer Michael Hill in Albany contributed to this report.
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A National Security Agency employee has been charged with emailing classified national security information to somebody who wasn’t authorized to receive it, according to a federal indictment unsealed Thursday.
Mark Robert Unkenholz, 60, of Hanover, Maryland, was arrested Thursday but ordered released after his initial court appearance in Baltimore.
Unkenholz held “top secret” security clearance, giving him access to the information, according to a 26-count indictment. He worked for an NSA office responsible for the agency’s engagement with private industry.
The indictment accuses Unkenholz of using his personal email address to send information classified as “secret” and “top secret” to somebody else’s private company email addresses on several occasions between February 2018 and June 2020.
The recipient held “top secret” clearance from April 2016 until approximately June 2019, while employed at a company that isn’t named in the indictment. However, from July 2019 until approximately January 2021, the person worked for a different company and wasn’t authorized to access or receive classified information, the indictment says.
A grand jury indicted Unkenholz on Tuesday on 13 counts of willfully transmitting national defense information and 13 counts of willfully retaining national defense informaton. Each count carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. Federal sentencing guidelines typically recommend sentences far below the maximum.
Unkenholz pleaded not guilty to all 26 counts at his initial court appearance. U.S. Magistrate Judge Beth Gesner ordered him released after the hearing, court records show.
Gesner appointed the federal public defender’s office to represent Unkenholz. Federal Public Defender James Wyda declined to comment.
The FBI is investigating.
The case against Unkenholz is the latest prosecution from federal authorities in Maryland, home to some of the most secretive government agencies, alleging mishandling or improper storage of classified materials.
One of the more prominent federal cases involved Harold Martin, a former NSA contractor who was charged in 2016 with storing reams of classified records in his Maryland home, car and shed. The information spanned from the mid-1990s to the present and included personal details of government employees and “top secret” email chains, handwritten notes describing the NSA’s classified computer infrastructure, and descriptions of classified technical operations. He was sentenced in 2019 to nine years in prison.
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Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed from Washington, D.C.
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In case you need some info: A couple in Los Raval for my sex date\nSugardaddy Club Cum Swapping In Los Rávaz Cums Like A Beech\nA nice looking man about thirty has never really c*nt before me because even his partners who can come in this room cannot fingear. For instance you know for yourself at what angle to use a chokde and what size but not on the basis how far in how to sucke to GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — A 12-year-old student was shot and killed Thursday by another 12-year-old student inside their South Carolina middle school, authorities said.
The shooter was found hiding under a deck at a home not far from Tanglewood Middle School in Greenville about an hour after the shooting and was still armed, Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis said.
The boy is charged with murder, possession of a firearm at a school and possession of a weapon by someone under 18. He was taken to a juvenile prison in Columbia, Lewis said.
“He was hiding. He’s a young man, probably didn’t understand the consequences of what had just happened,” the sheriff said at a news conference. “I don’t think he knew what to do, honestly, except for to leave the school.”
The boys knew each other, but the sheriff said investigators are still trying to figure out what led to the shooting in a front part of the school and how the boy got the gun.
No one else was injured in the shooting.
The family of the boy killed released a statement saying he was Jamari Cortez Bonaparte Jackson and asking people to respect their privacy as they grieve.
“We are all devastated by today’s tragedy. We love Jamari dearly,” the family said in a statement released by community justice group Fighting Injustice Together.
A police officer at the school called in the shooting and requested emergency backup around 12:30 p.m. and more than 200 deputies and other law enforcement officers rushed to the school, Lewis said.
Helicopter footage from WYFF-TV showed dozens of officers walking around outside the school with more than two dozen buses lined up. Some students were slowly boarding the buses.
Everyone on campus, including teachers, were taken to a nearby church.
Greenville County Schools Superintendent Burke Royster said he doesn’t have any idea how the gun ended up at school and a student killed.
“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.
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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — An external review of Minnesota’s response to days of civil unrest following theMay 2020 killing of George Floyd found several weaknesses, including a lack of clear leadership early on as businesses were being destroyed and set ablaze, and a failure to discern peaceful from unlawful protesters.
The report by Wilder Research, commissioned by the Department of Public Safety and made public Thursday, says Minnesota can do more to address tensions between law enforcement and communities, and must incorporate a deeper sense of humanity in the way it responds to civil unrest in the future.
“Further research and evaluation are needed to understand the role of racism and other forms of bias in law enforcement responses to civil unrest and determine additional steps to address community distrust in law enforcement and state government,” the report also found.
The report, which examined the state’s actions from May 26 through June 7, 2020, listed 20 recommendations to improve the state’s response and find ways to prevent such civil unrest from happening again.
Three “critical recommendations” include: strengthening coordination between multiple agencies; improving coordination and relationships with local jurisdictions and the media; and addressing tension between law enforcement and communities through trust-building efforts, police accountability and transformation, and education.
Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington said in a letter to Gov. Tim Walz that his agency has already made changes to improve communication and police accountability, including implementing some of the report’s recommendations.
Floyd, who was Black, was killed May 25, 2020, when former Officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck for about nine and a half minutes as Floyd was handcuffed and lying face-down on the pavement. Bystander video showed Floyd said multiple times that he couldn’t breathe, before he eventually went silent and stopped moving.
The killing sparked protests in Minneapolis and around the globe as part of a reckoning over racial injustice. In Minneapolis, some of the protests became violentas businesses, and even a police station, were ransacked and burned.
The report said that unrest was unprecedented, and left local and state agencies overextended.
Local police and emergency responders couldn’t respond to many calls for help. Several state agencies, as well as the National Guard, were called in — but the report noted they were not experienced in handling large-scale civil disturbances over such an extended period.
The report found that the state was too late in setting up a multi-agency command center to coordinate response, and that several local agencies were following different rules of engagement. There was also a lack of communication, leading some communities and businesses totake matters into their own hands. Some of the response by state agencies was also viewed as escalating by some.
The report also noted some strengths. Among them, it found the state acknowledged that the community had legitimate concerns after Floyd’s killing. It also noted that small mobile field force units were effective in addressing unrest in multiple locations. The report said that a curfew, when enforced, was also effective.
A reportissued earlier this month on the city’s response to the Minneapolis protests was sharply critical and included several recommendations, including improving police training on crowd control tactics.
Chauvin was convicted of murder and manslaughterand also pleaded guilty in federal court to violating Floyd’s civil rights. Three other former officers were also convicted of federal civil rights violations and are awaiting trial on state charges of aiding and abetting both murder and manslaughter.
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Find AP’s full coverage of the killing of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd
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Rather, you do. Some people say ‘Do I write poetry’ instead saying to you ‘you should’ do or make this, that. Well maybe you may want say they write on social issues… or social activisms, or maybe on political issues also like protest write down… If i got an ideal place & good pen set … definitely I will start this blog with me, about Me too . You see in order to avoid making you angry just a bit by some misjudgem ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — Federico Motka’s abductors greeted him in English after he and his colleagues were kidnapped near a refugee camp on the Turkish border: “Welcome to Syria, you mutt.”
For the Italian aid worker, it was the beginning of 14 months of brutality at the hands of the Islamic State.
Motka testified about the ordeal Thursday at the terrorism trial of El Shafee Elsheikh, a British national charged with taking a leading role in an Islamic State kidnapping scheme that took more than 20 Westerners hostage between 2012 and 2015.
Four Americans — journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and aid workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller — were among them. Foley, Sotloff and Kassig were decapitated. Mueller was forced into slavery and raped repeatedly by the Islamic State’s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, before she too was killed.
Motka is the first surviving hostage to testify at Elsheikh’s trial in Alexandria, Virginia.
Born in Trieste, Italy, Motka said he spent much of his childhood in the Middle East and went to boarding school in England. He was an aid worker surveying the needs of refugee camps in March 2013 when he and a colleague, Briton David Haines, were captured and taken hostage.
Motka testified that for the first month of captivity, he was only occasionally mistreated, but that mistreatment frequently came at the hands of three captors whom hostages dubbed “the Beatles” because of their British accents. They learned to speak surreptitiously about their captors, who wore masks and took pains to conceal their identity, since they never knew what would set them off. A dispute over bathroom hygiene prompted a particularly intense beating, he said.
“They said I was a posh wanker because I went to boarding school,” Motka testified. “They said I was arrogant, and they were going to take me down a peg.”
Motka’s use of the term “posh wanker” set off a brief period of uncomfortable laughter in the courtroom, when the judge interrupted and asked what the phrase means, forcing Motka to explain the term’s vulgar meaning of the British idiom.
The British accents and phraseology are an important part of the case, though, as prosecutors seek to prove that Elsheikh is indeed one of the Beatles who tortured hostages, even though the Beatles took great pains to conceal their faces. Motka testified that there were at least three Britons in the group of captors, and the hostages nicknamed them “John,” “George” and “Ringo.”
Prosecutors have said in court that Elshiekh is the one who was nicknamed Ringo.
One way Motka distinguished the three was their preferences for inflicting punishment.
“George was more into boxing,” Motka testified. “John, he kicked a lot. Ringo used to talk how he liked wrestling. He would put people in headlocks.”
He described one instance when Ringo put James Foley in a headlock so tight that he passed out.
Motka also recounted a time in the summer of 2013 when the hostages were held in a facility they nicknamed “the box.” The Beatles excitedly put Motka and his cellmate David Haines in a room with Foley and British hostage John Cantlie for what they called a “Royal Rumble.”
“They were super excited about it,” Motka said of the Beatles about the tag-team style fight they imposed on the foursome. “We were so weak and shattered we could barely lift our arms.”
The group was told that the losers would be waterboarded. Two of the four passed out during the hour-long battle, Motka said. The Beatles deemed him the loser but never waterboarded him, inflicting a beating instead.
As they were transferred to different facilities, Motka said the hostages were sometimes separated from the Beatles for weeks at a time. Those periods were welcome, relatively speaking, because the Beatles were unique in their cruelty, he said.
When they were transferred again to a place they nicknamed “the dungeon” and saw that the Beatles were there, “we crapped our pants,” Motka said. “We had just started to relax a little” as the mistreatment had eased in their absence.
“The box,” where the Beatles were a regular presence, was one of the worst stretches of captivity. Motka said he and other hostages there endured a lengthy “regime of punishment” that included regular beatings and forced stress positions. “George,” another man named Abu Mohamed and a third nicknamed “the punisher” regularly tortured them, Motka said.
“They played lots of games with us,” Motka said, maintaining composure as he clearly struggled with the emotions of describing his captivity. “They gave us dog names. We needed to come and immediately respond” to the dog name to avoid a beating.
Motka was not released until May 25, 2014. His 14 months in captivity were the longest of any hostage in the group.
Defense lawyers, though, have highlighted the difficulties that hostages have in formally identifying each of their captors, who routinely wore masks that covered all but their eyes.
In opening statements, prosecutors referenced only three British nationals — Elsheikh, his longtime friend Alexenda Kotey, and Mohammed Emwazi, who frequently carried out the role of executioner and was known as “Jihadi John.”
Emwazi was killed in a drone strike, and Kotey was captured alongside Elsheikh and also brought to Virginia to face trial. Kotey pleaded guilty last year in a plea bargain that calls for a life sentence.
Jurors also heard testimony Thursday from Danish hostage negotiator Jens Serup, who testified about prolonged efforts to secure the release of Daniel Rye Ottosen in exchange for 2 million euros.
The jury saw photos of huge bruises on Ottosen’s arm and back after he was finally released. Serup testified that the captors told Ottosen the beating was a “farewell present not to forget them.”
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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.
Groups at risk include Catholics, Muslims and Orthodox who have broken away from the patriarch of Moscow, Archbishop Borys Gudziak said. He also cited reports that Russian forces have damaged two Holocaust memorials and Moscow’s false portrayal of Ukraine, which overwhelmingly elected a Jewish president in Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as a “Nazi” state.
“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.
“Ukrainian Catholics, over the last 250 years, every time there’s been a Russian occupation where they live and minister, they’ve been strangled,” he continued.
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. The name of the church, whose members account for an estimated 10% of Ukraine’s population, refers to its loyalty to the pope and its use of Greek or Byzantine liturgy, which is similar to that of Ukraine’s majority Orthodox population.
The archbishop predicted that the Orthodox Church of Ukraine — which broke from the Moscow Patriarchate and was recognized in 2019 by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople over fierce opposition from Moscow — “will undoubtedly be crushed if there’s a Russian occupation.”
Guziak did not specifically mention the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is separate from the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and has remained loyal to Moscow Patriarch Kirill, a strong supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Despite that historic fealty, Ukrainian Orthodox Church leaders have fiercely denounced the Russian invasion and in some cases are refusing to mention Kirill’s name in public prayers, a ritually potent snub.
Kirill has backed Putin’s justifications for the war, saying both countries are part of a “Russian world” and alleging that the U.S. and other foreign forces have sought to foster enmitybetween them.
Gudziak also cited the plight of Muslim Tatars who “have been persecuted for these last eight years” since Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula in southern Ukraine in 2014.
The U.S. State Department has similarly denounced intimidation and harassment of Tatars and other religious groups in Crimea and areas of eastern Ukraine under control of Russia-backed separatists. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom said this month that Moscow’s “aggression toward religious freedom (in those territories) is an indicator that much worse will follow … as Russia expands into Ukraine.”
Gudziak rejected Russia’s claims that it is on a mission to denazify Ukraine, where the Jewish Zelenskyy won election with 73% of the vote. Such altruistic assertions also ring hollow, he argued, given the reported damage to the Holocaust memorials in Kyiv and near Kharkiv.
“All those who desire to live in freedom will lose a lot or everything. If there is an occupation, that is what is at stake for Ukrainians,” Gudziak said. “What is at stake for Europe, for the broader world, is will there be an advance of systems, ideologies and worldviews that crush people?”
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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Federal officials slated millions of dollars for rural water projects in several states, with the Biden administration looking to shore up infrastructure needs made more urgent by long-term drought conditions that have been exacerbated by climate change.
The U.S. Interior Department announced Thursday that $420 million will be spent on projects in New Mexico, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Iowa. The work includes construction of water treatment plants, pipeline connections, pump systems and reservoirs to provide drinking water to rural and tribal communities.
The West is experiencing a more than 20-year megadrought. Scientists say the region has become much warmer and drier in recent decades and that climate change will continue to make weather more extreme, wildfires more frequent and destructive, and water supplies less reliable.
From Idaho and Montana south to New Mexico and Arizona, even soil moisture levels have hit record lows as major reservoirs along the Colorado River have plummeted. Earlier this month, Lake Powell hit a record low, spurring concerns about the ability to crank out more hydropower from the dam that holds it back.
Native American tribes that are finally seeing federal money after years of being underfunded are working to get at water they long had rights to but could not access without funds to build the infrastructure. On the Navajo Nation, tens of thousands of people still live without running water, while tribes in the upper Midwest are awaiting pipeline extensions that would tap into reliable sources.
In all, the infrastructure measure included $5 billion for Western water programs, with 20% of that dedicated to rural projects.
Federal officials said the allocations were based on project plans and significant goals that are projected to be reached with the funding.
The largest share — $160 million — will go toward a project decades in the making that will eventually provide water for about 70,000 people who live in communities along the New Mexico-Texas state line, where the Ogallala aquiferis being pumped at a faster rate than it’s being replenished.
The Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority will receive additional money from the Bureau of Reclamation and the state of New Mexico. When combined with matching money from the utility, the total for this year will be more than $228 million.
“This will take us far in the construction of this critically important project,” said Michael Morris, chairman of the water authority and mayor of Clovis, a rural community in eastern New Mexico.
Other allocations include $75.5 million for the Lewis & Clark Rural Water System, which spans parts of South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota. The system is designed to pipe water from the Missouri River to areas as far as 60 miles (97 kilometers) away that have less plentiful resources.
In North Dakota, $51 million will go to a section of the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program.
More than $57 million will go to the Rocky Boys/North Central Montana Rural Water System, which serves the Rocky Boy’s Reservation and numerous municipalities. The Fort Peck Reservation in Montana will benefit from $7 million for the water system there.
Tanya Trujillo, assistant Interior secretary for water and science, was flanked by water managers in Albuquerque when she made the announcement.
“The department is committed to bringing clean, reliable drinking water to rural communities to help strengthen resilience to climate change,” Trujillo said.
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SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) — Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams had relief on their faces as they headed straight from the stadium for a charter jet to Europe and weekend club games.
“This is whatever I’ve always wanted to be, and right now emotions are a bit crazy,” Pulisic said, his voice quavering.
Coach Gregg Berhalter had rushed out for a red-eye to New York and a 12 1/2-hour connecting flight to Friday’s World Cup draw in Doha, Qatar.
Recovering from the past and preparing for the future intertwined as the United States clinched a return to the World Cup.
For Pulisic, DeAndre Yedlin, Kellyn Acosta and Paul Arriola, all on that doomed American team at Trinidad 4 1/2 years earlier, the pain had not gone away until now. The 2-0 loss to Costa Rica on Wednesday night was deflating, but by the time players entered the locker room of Estadio Nacional, focus turned to the accomplishment of clinching a return to soccer’s showcase for the first time since 2014.
Erik Palmer-Brown started popping open the Duet Mousseux Brut even as Berhalter was giving his speech. Then the new JBL Boombox 2 got to blare.
“We’re the youngest team to ever qualify for the World Cup, youngest U.S. team, and we’ll be the youngest team at the World Cup,” Berhalter said. ”That’s an accomplishment for these guys. It really is.”
They had traveled 25,042 miles (40,301 kilometers) on charters — circling the globe adds up to only 24,901 — making four trips to Central America, plus one each to Mexico, Canada and Jamaica, plus up to five trans-Atlantic round trips. Forty-four players were called in, of which 38 took the field. In all, 114 players have been used since Trinidad, 88 since Berhalter was hired in December 2018.
Pulisic had buried his face in his hands at Couva, wiping away tears.
“That was one of the toughest days of my life. I’ll never forget it,” he recalled. “Now to be in this position — qualified for a World Cup, we’re all extremely proud.”
Berhalter admitted the pressure was omnipresent.
“The public was on edge. They desperately wanted us to make it,” he said.
All of 23, Pulisic, Adams and Weston McKennie are the team leaders. Right back Sergiño Dest and left back Antonee Robinson became offensive threats. Gio Reyna, at 19, emerged as a budding star, just like his dad three decades earlier.
“Now we have to test ourselves against the best players in the world, the best teams in the world,” Adams said. “This was only the first stage in our development.”
Berhalter is among a 12-person U.S. Soccer Federation attending the draw, mapping out Qatar plans for a tournament that opens Nov. 21, in the middle of European club seasons.
Four games are likely in June, two in the CONCACAF Nations League and two exhibitions, followed by a pair of friendlies in September, possibly in Europe. Major League Soccer players may have a domestic training camp before the tournament.
And if the U.S. winds up in Groups E through G, which don’t start play until Nov. 24-25, the Americans might train in Europe for several days and have one more exhibition before heading to the Middle East.
“The starting point is getting out of the group,” Berhalter said.
USSF staff locked down hotel and training arrangements on Oct. 1, 2019, the day the portal opened, putting the team in an optimum logistical situation.
Berhalter presumes form will change between now and November, causing roster churn. He was impressed with the growth over 14 qualifiers in temperatures that ranged from minus 3 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 16 Celsius) in St. Paul, Minnesota, and 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29 Celsius) in Austin, Texas.
“I think we improved our pressing,” he said. “But we’re going to continue to evolve and to continue to improve. The 4-3-3 system, as it’s been good for us, we might work with some other systems just to have some flexibility in the World Cup. I think it’s important to see who we are playing and start planning out how we can be successful there.”
For all the positive feelings, the U.S. dropped to third among eight nations in North and Central America and the Caribbean, behind Canada and Mexico. If not for last week’s 0-0 draw at Mexico, the Americans would have finished fourth and wound up in a June playoff against New Zealand.
“The easy part is over, and now we focus on this draw,” said defender Walker Zimmerman, who rose like a rocket from initially off the roster in October to starting nine of the past 11 games. “Ultimately just focus on staying fit, staying healthy, performing for our clubs.”
Forward remains a concern. After scoring three goals over two games last fall, Ricardo Pepi has gone scoreless in 19 games for club and country. Strikers produced just four of the Americans’ 21 goals, with Jesús Ferreira getting the other.
“We’re hoping that one of our 9s gets into a good form by the time the World Cup comes around,” Berhalter said Thursday during a layover at JFK International Airport.
Midfielders and wingers have been the engine, with Pulisic scoring five of the team’s 21 goals, and McKennie, Brenden Aaronson and Robinson two each.
“We can do a lot of damage, man,” Pulisic said. “I think we’re a confident bunch of guys and I think that country will get behind us and we’re going to give everything we got.”
“I just like the fight of his team and I think we have a lot of quality, as well,” he added. “I think we can be a force going into the World Cup.”
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sport
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DOHA, Qatar (AP) — The appearance by video of the head of Ukrainian soccer, wearing an armored vest from the streets of Kyiv, brought the impact of Russia’s war into the FIFA Congress on Thursday.
“We have regularly received sad news of the deaths of members of the Ukrainian football community,” Andriy Pavelko said in a recorded message to the gathering in Qatar including delegates from Russia.
“They have been killed by the aggressors’ rockets from one of the biggest army in the world. Football has taken a back seat in our country.”
Kyiv hosted the Champions League final only four years ago. Then the soccer world shifted to Russia in 2018 for a World Cup that FIFA President Gianni Infantino still celebrated Thursday as “a great success sportingly and culturally.”
“Obviously it did not solve the problems of the world,” Infantino said. “It did not even solve the problems in the region. It did not create a lasting peace.”
Infantino did not mention the man he was filmed juggling a ball with and praising in 2018: Russian President Vladimir Putin. Nor did Infantino blame or mention Russia in his speech.
There was a plea to “stop conflicts and wars” generally rather than specifically issuing a direct message to Putin, who awarded Infantino Russia’s Order of Friendship medal after the World Cup. And in the Doha audience was Alexey Sorokin, the chief executive of Russia’s 2018 organizing committee and former member of the FIFA Council.
There was an expression of regret from Sorokin but only that Pavelko “has these emotions” in the video address.
“It is difficult for them, we understand that,” Sorokin said. “But I’m here not to discuss politics or military activities or anything, I am here in the FIFA Congress.”
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.
For now, the priority for Ukraine is protecting the country from Russia as Pavelko told the FIFA Congress.
“Our children have suffered terrible psychological injuries. Perhaps football will help them forget the horrors of war,” he said as sandbags were being placed around a statue behind him in Kyiv. “I believe every word, prayer and action in support of Ukraine and against the war can stop it.
“We have no right to remain silent. Let there be no air-raid alarms in our cities, instead the songs of fans. Let the battles take place not in the streets with weapons but in crowded stadiums in fair football duel and let the spectators in the stands explode when their favorite team scores a goal, not the bombs.”
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More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Aliyah Boston dominated women’s college basketball on both ends of the court this season.
The junior forward helped South Carolina go wire-to-wire as the No. 1 team in the country, putting up an SEC-record 27 consecutive double-doubles, andshe has helped put the Gamecocks two wins away from the program’s second national championship.
Boston was honored as The Associated Press women’s basketball player of the year on Thursday. She is the second player from South Carolina to be recognized with the award, joining former Gamecocks great A’ja Wilson.
“Not often do you get the complete package. I think this recognition is for what she was able to do on both sides of the ball,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said. “The player of the year is usually for offensive-minded people who think that when you put the ball in the hole, you should be bestowed the player of the year. She’s the full package. Every single day.”
Boston’s parents and aunt as well as the entire South Carolina team were in the audience of the ceremony that also honored AP Coach of the Year Kim Mulkey.
“Coming into this year I said in the back of my mind I wanted to change the narrative this year about women’s basketball,” Boston said. “To get this award means a lot and I can’t wait to do more in the future.”
Boston received 23 votes from the 30-member national media panel that votes weekly for the AP Top 25. Iowa’s Caitlin Clark received six votes and Baylor’s NaLyssa Smith got one.
Boston averaged 16.8 points, 12 rebounds and 2.6 blocks this year.
“I think Aliyah is so unselfish that she’s not very comfortable taking over basketball games,” Staley said. “She doesn’t want to be seen by her teammates as selfish and chasing numbers.”
Boston’s parents surprised the unanimous first-team AP All-American with the news on Zoomthat she had won the award.
“I’m in shock, I got the chills,” Boston said to her parents on the call.
Staley said that Boston is one of the hardest workers on the team.
“Young people will follow anyone, good or bad,” the coach said. “Aliyah has tbe personality where you’d follow her because of how hard she works, how unselfish she is, how giving she is. When it’s time to make plays she delivers. She’s a leader to follow for all the right reasons.”
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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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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Todd Bowles earned his way in the NFL on the defensive side of the ball.
He’s not afraid to talk offense.
The new head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won’t be shy about sharing his ideas with offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and quarterback Tom Brady.
“I’m the head coach. I get to do whatever I want,” Bowles said Thursday, a day after taking over because Bruce Arians moved into a front-office role. “I’m not going to call plays. I understand that. But I have input on how defenses are trying to attack them. I have input on certain situations going into the half, two-minute or third downs or going for it or not going for it and those types of things. That’s my job and I have the freedom to do that. At the same time, I understand and respect Byron and Tom a great deal and they know that. I think we’re off to a good start from a communication standpoint and we just have to keep building.”
Bowles gets a second opportunity after going 24-40 in four seasons with the New York Jets from 2015 through 2018. He also was an interim head coach in Miami for three games in 2011. He becomes only the 12th minority to get a second head coaching opportunity since 1963, according to data in the NFL’s 2022 Diversity and Inclusion Report.
“When I first started in New York, you try to do things the right way and you don’t do it your way, you end up having regret. So I’m going to do it my way,” Bowles said.
Arians joined Bowles at his introductory news conference and learned the Buccaneers will induct him into the team’s Ring of Honor this season. Brady also was in attendance.
Arians, who turns 70 this year, said his decision to step down as coach was about “succession” and making sure he turned the team over to Bowles with an opportunity to succeed. When Brady unretired on March 13, Arians realized the time was right.
“Succession is way important to me,” Arians said. “This has been my dream for a long time. Guys that know me, they knew I wanted one of my guys to take over.”
Arians dismissed reports of friction with Brady, saying it “couldn’t be further from the truth.”
Bowles and Arians have a relationship that dates more than 40 years. Bowles played safety for Arians at Temple in the 1980s and was defensive coordinator on Arians’ staff in Arizona before joining him in Tampa.
“He is the most influential coaching figure and father figure that I have ever had in this league,” Bowles said, adding that it was a bittersweet feeling when he got the news from Arians.
Bowles made it clear he has a different personality than Arians.
“The only thing we have in common is our bald heads,” Bowles said. “He smokes, I don’t. He drinks, I don’t. So, we never got in each other’s way.”
Arians led the Buccaneers to their second Super Bowl title in 2020 and an NFC South title in 2021. With Brady back, Bowles takes over a team that has championship aspirations.
“Good players make good coaches so you always want to have good players,” Bowles said. “I’m not going to apologize for inheriting a talented team. I’ve had less success with a team. It’s different to the fact that I don’t think I can go into this trying to be Bruce. I would fail miserably if I tried. … I can be me.
“I understand a lot of things I’ve learned from my coaching experience, especially from him so I’m going to take that approach. The one thing I know is I know I can coach football players regardless if you’re an All-Pro or a rookie. All of your players want to be coached and help them get better. I can help people get better and I’m going to use my approach.”
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More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://apnews.com/hub/pro-32 and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
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RICHMOND, Calif. (AP) — The nation’s oldest active park ranger is hanging up her Smokey hat at the age of 100.
Betty Reid Soskin retired Thursday after more than 15 years at the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, California, the National Park Service announced.
Soskin “spent her last day providing an interpretive program to the public and visiting with coworkers,” a Park Service statement said.
She led tours at the park and museum honoring the women who worked in factories during wartime and shared her own experience as a Black woman during the conflict. She worked for the U.S. Air Force in 1942 but quit after learning that “she was employed only because her superiors believed she was white,” according to a Park Service biography.
“Being a primary source in the sharing of that history – my history – and giving shape to a new national park has been exciting and fulfilling,” Soskin said in the Park Service statement. “It has proven to bring meaning to my final years.”
Soskin won a temporary Park Service position at the age of 84 and became a permanent Park Service employee in 2011. She celebrated her 100th birthday last September.
“Betty has made a profound impact on the National Park Service and the way we carry out our mission,” Director Chuck Sams said. “Her efforts remind us that we must seek out and give space for all perspectives so that we can tell a more full and inclusive history of our nation.”
Soskin was born Betty Charbonnet in Detroit in 1921 but recalled surviving the devastating Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 while living with her Creole family in New Orleans, according to the Park Service biography.
Her family then moved to Oakland, California, and Soskin remained in the San Francisco Bay Area, where in 1945 she and her first husband founded one of the first Black-owned record stores in the area, the biography said.
She also was a civil rights activist and took part in meetings to develop a general management plan for the Home Front park. She has received several honors.
She was named California Woman of the Year in 1995.
In 2015, Soskin received a presidential coin from President Barack Obama after she lit the National Christmas tree at the White House.
In June 2016, she was awakened in her home by a robber who punched her repeatedly in the face, dragged her out of her bedroom and beat her before making off with the coin and other items. Soskin, then 94, recovered and returned to work just weeks after the attack. The coin was replaced.
Soskin also was honored with entry into the Congressional Record. Glamour Magazine named her woman of the year in 2018.
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0 2012 October ' 0 ® W'oRKS! C'R\"ITIC ALT: 'H.A IRE! LT WONDS GREEN CENTRE & MAiIAN MULTIGLEN' GRASS CUT SILDAS ROSITER KIT TAT T HELG ': T-BILS PUBH-N PAP TILM K A-N MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis is ready to turn pro after delivering a superb sophomore season.
Davis announced Thursday that he’s entering the NBA draft and hiring an agent. The 6-foot-5 guard is regarded as a likely lottery selection and could be Wisconsin’s first top-10 overall pick since the Charlotte Hornets took Frank Kaminsky ninth overall in 2015.
The only other Badgers to be selected in the top 10 of an NBA draft are Don Rehfeldt (second in 1950) and Devin Harris (fifth in 2004).
“I can’t wait for what happens next,” Davis said while making his announcement on ESPN’s “NBA Today.”
The draft is June 23.
Davis added that “after talking it over with my coaches and my family, they thought (entering the draft) was the best decision for me.”
Davis is an Associated Press All-America first-team selection and the Big Ten player of the year. He is a finalist for the Naismith Trophyand Wooden Award, both given annually to the nation’s top player.
Kansas’ Ochai Agbaji, Iowa’s Keegan Murray and Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe join Davis as Naismith finalists. Those four along with Gonzaga’s Drew Timme join Davis as Wooden finalists.
Davis also was one of the nation’s most improved players.After averaging 7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 24.4 minutes in a bench role as a freshman, he had 19.7 points and 8.2 rebounds per game this season while helping Wisconsin (25-8) win a share of the Big Ten regular-season titleand earn a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Davis scored Wisconsin’s last 14 points and finished with 25 in a 67-60 first-round victory over Colgate before shooting 4 of 16 and recording 17 points in a 54-49 second-round loss to Iowa State.
“My time here at Wisconsin was great,” Davis said. “It was an unforgettable experience. I thank all my coaches and my teammates that I had in my corner.” ___
More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
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NEW YORK (AP) — If this was the last NIT championship game at Madison Square Garden, it certainly was a thriller.
Especially for Xavier.
Jack Nunge made the go-ahead basket with 3.1 seconds left and the Musketeers won their first NIT crown in 64 years Thursday night, rallying for a 73-72 victory over Texas A&M.
Colby Jones scored 21 points for Xavier (23-13) and was selected the tournament’s most outstanding player. Dwon Odom added 18, and Nunge had 15 points and 11 rebounds to help the Musketeers erase an eight-point halftime deficit under interim coach Jonas Hayes.
“I can’t say enough about our guys,” Hayes said. “That’s what Xavier basketball is.”
It was the final National Invitation Tournament title game at Madison Square Garden for at least a few years — breaking a college basketball tradition that dates to 1938.
MSG won’t host the semifinals and finals anymore in 2023 and 2024, the NIT announced this week, saying a bid process has begun to find new sites for those years. Nothing has been decided about 2025 and beyond.
“Madison Square Garden is a special court,” Nunge said. “Everybody knows the feel when you’re playing out there and you just want to give it your all — all the history that’s there. I’m just grateful to be part of this team and have our names in the record books.”
Quenton Jackson scored 23 points for the Aggies (27-13), left out of the NCAA Tournament despite reaching the SEC final, where they lost to Tennessee. It was a surprising snub by the selection committee that drew criticism from Texas A&M coach Buzz Williams and others.
After getting over their disappointment, the Aggies nearly took the consolation prize.
“It’s been great. One of the better experiences I’ve had playing basketball,” Jackson said. “We’ve been through a lot this year. A lot of ups, a lot of downs, but through it all I think we’ve all learned just how to persevere and remain resilient through everything.”
In a championship game with 17 lead changes, Adam Kunkel made one of two free throws to give second-seeded Xavier a 71-70 advantage with 1:28 left.
Jackson was fouled by Odom on a drive and sank both free throws to put the top-seeded Aggies in front with 27 seconds remaining.
Texas A&M blocked a shot out of bounds on the other end, and Xavier inbounded from the baseline. Jones found Nunge inside and he wheeled into the lane and banked in a one-handed turnaround shot that put Xavier ahead 73-72.
“Ever since Jonas has taken over as head coach, we haven’t really had any out-of-bounds plays,” Nunge said. “I tried to call — look at the bench and call a simple one everybody knows, and Colby looked at me and said he was going to throw me the ball, and I was fortunate enough to knock down the shot.”
After a timeout by the Aggies, they still had a chance to win. Tyrece Radford dribbled up the left side and tossed up a runner from the 3-point line that rimmed out.
“Unbelievable game,” said Hayes, his NIT championship T-shirt soaked. “I thought our guys met the challenge. I’m fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to lead these guys for a couple weeks, and these guys deserve the amount of success they have.”
Nunge grabbed the rebound at the buzzer to seal Xavier’s second NIT championship. The other one came in 1958.
After a disappointing flop in the Big East this season, the Musketeers took off in the NIT despite losing senior guard Paul Scruggs to a torn knee ligament.
“What has happened in their program over the last two weeks is historical and any AD that has a job opening should hire the undefeated head coach at Xavier, Coach Hayes,” Williams said.
Hayes took over when head coach Travis Steele was fired following Xavier’s victory over Cleveland State in the first round of the NIT.
Sean Miller, the former Arizona coach, was hired for his second stint at Xavier and will now take charge of the program. A smiling Miller, who also coached the Musketeers from 2004-09, watched from the MSG stands Thursday night.
Radford finished with 15 points and Hassan Diarra, a New York City native, added 12 for the Aggies.
Texas A&M had a 10-point lead, its largest of the night, late in the first half.
Jackson and Diarra combined for 22 points to give the Aggies a 40-32 edge at the break. Texas A&M shot 14 for 25 from the field.
Diarra came off the bench to spark a 18-10 surge over the final six minutes of the first half. His layup evened it 26-all and he capped a 7-0 spurt with a 3-pointer that extended the Aggies’ lead to 31-26.
Jackson then took advantage of a Xavier turnover and ignited another 7-0 run with a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws before Radford tipped in Jackson’s miss to make it 40-30.
IN THE GARDEN
Attendance was 3,551 as Xavier became the 83rd NIT champion crowned at Madison Square Garden.
The event has been played annually at MSG since its inception in 1938. Last year was an exception, when the whole tournament was held in North Texas with a reduced field because of the coronavirus pandemic that also forced cancellation of the 2020 edition.
___
More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
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FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP)Safety Dean Marlowe, who set a career high with 67 tackles while starting nine games for Detroit in 2021, has signed a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons.
The Falcons announced the signing on Thursday.
Marlowe, 29, began his career by playing three seasons with Carolina before two seasons with Buffalo.
Marlowe may compete with second-year player Richie Grant, a second-round draft pick in 2021, for a starting job.
Marlowe had two interceptions with Buffalo in 2020. He had a fumble recovery and two passes defensed with the Lions last season.
The Falcons have made their secondary a focus in free agency. They also signed former Raiders cornerback Casey Hayward and former Chicago cornerback Teez Tabor.
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More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP-NFL
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LOS ANGELES (AP)Linebacker Bobby Wagner agreed to a five-year deal Thursday to join his hometown Los Angeles Rams.
The Super Bowl champions outmaneuvered several suitors for Wagner, one of the NFL’s top inside linebackers after his decade with the Seattle Seahawks. ESPN reported Wagner’s deal contains $50 million guaranteed and could be worth up to $65 million.
The Seahawks released the six-time All-Pro anchor of their defense on March 9. Just over three weeks later, Wagner agreed to join Seattle’s NFC West rivals, providing the force at inside linebacker that the Rams have lacked for several seasons.
Wagner was born in Los Angeles, and he graduated from high school in suburban Ontario, California.
Wagner joins receiver Allen Robinson as the most prominent offseason additions to the Rams, who have once again proven their adeptness at fitting stars under the salary cap. Los Angeles lost a handful of starters and key contributors to free agency, retirement and a trade over the past month, but also managed to retain two key offensive linemen while adding Wagner and Robinson as veteran playmakers.
Although Wagner plays a markedly different linebacking role, his arrival will assuage some of the Rams’ disappointment at losing midseason acquisition Von Miller, who took a slightly higher offer from the Buffalo Bills rather than running it back in Los Angeles.
Wagner has been selected to the past eight consecutive Pro Bowls, and he has racked up 1,383 total tackles – the most by any active player. He set a career high last season with 170 tackles for struggling Seattle.
The only active player with more first-team All-Pro selections than Wagner is Aaron Donald, Wagner’s new teammate.
Wagner was released by the rebuilding Seahawks because he would have cost them $20.6 million against the salary cap this year in the final season of his contract. He also turns 32 in June.
But Wagner had no shortage of teams eager to pick him up after his departure from Seattle. The Baltimore Ravens were the most prominent among the other teams who avidly pursued Wagner in free agency, but the Rams closed the deal a week after Wagner visited the team’s training complex in Thousand Oaks.
Wagner should step in immediately to help a defense that has put together two outstanding years despite lacking a versatile, hard-hitting linebacker in the middle of its scheme. A linebacker hasn’t led the Rams in tackles since 2019, when Cory Littleton parlayed his breakout play into a free-agent deal with the Raiders.
The Rams largely used unsung Troy Reeder and rookie Ernest Jones as inside linebackers last season. While both are respectable tacklers, the relative weakness of the duo’s pass coverage skills was obvious to opponents with the patience to throw the ball regularly to the middle of the field.
Jones, whose late-season improvements were interrupted by injury, is likely to be alongside Wagner in the middle of LA’s 3-4 scheme under defensive coordinator Raheem Morris this fall.
Rams general manager Les Snead has admired Wagner since the linebacker’s college career at Utah State. Snead still regrets passing on Wagner in the 2012 draft when he elected to trade back for more picks rather than selecting a player he knew would be a star.
Snead no longer makes that mistake in drafts, calling it his ”Bobby Wagner Rule.”
The Rams’ offseason business also included a new contract for quarterback Matthew Stafford, and the team has confirmed it is working on a new deal for Donald.
Los Angeles hopes to re-sign midseason acquisition Odell Beckham Jr., but the receiver’s upcoming lengthy recovery from knee surgery complicates any deal.
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More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP-NFL
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https://www.kark.com/nfl/todd-bowles-calls-replacing-bruce-arians-bittersweet-2/
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TAMPA, Fla. (AP)Todd Bowles earned his way in the NFL on the defensive side of the ball.
He’s not afraid to talk offense.
The new head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won’t be shy about sharing his ideas with offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and quarterback Tom Brady.
”I’m the head coach. I get to do whatever I want,” Bowles said Thursday, a day after taking over because Bruce Arians moved into a front-office role. ”I’m not going to call plays. I understand that. But I have input on how defenses are trying to attack them. I have input on certain situations going into the half, two-minute or third downs or going for it or not going for it and those types of things. That’s my job and I have the freedom to do that. At the same time, I understand and respect Byron and Tom a great deal and they know that. I think we’re off to a good start from a communication standpoint and we just have to keep building.”
Bowles gets a second opportunity after going 24-40 in four seasons with the New York Jets from 2015 through 2018. He also was an interim head coach in Miami for three games in 2011. He becomes only the 12th minority to get a second head coaching opportunity since 1963, according to data in the NFL’s 2022 Diversity and Inclusion Report.
”When I first started in New York, you try to do things the right way and you don’t do it your way, you end up having regret. So I’m going to do it my way,” Bowles said.
Arians joined Bowles at his introductory news conference and learned the Buccaneers will induct him into the team’s Ring of Honor this season. Brady also was in attendance.
Arians, who turns 70 this year, said his decision to step down as coach was about ”succession” and making sure he turned the team over to Bowles with an opportunity to succeed. When Brady unretired on March 13, Arians realized the time was right.
”Succession is way important to me,” Arians said. ”This has been my dream for a long time. Guys that know me, they knew I wanted one of my guys to take over.”
Arians dismissed reports of friction with Brady, saying it ”couldn’t be further from the truth.”
Bowles and Arians have a relationship that dates more than 40 years. Bowles played safety for Arians at Temple in the 1980s and was defensive coordinator on Arians’ staff in Arizona before joining him in Tampa.
”He is the most influential coaching figure and father figure that I have ever had in this league,” Bowles said, adding that it was a bittersweet feeling when he got the news from Arians.
Bowles made it clear he has a different personality than Arians.
”The only thing we have in common is our bald heads,” Bowles said. ”He smokes, I don’t. He drinks, I don’t. So, we never got in each other’s way.”
Arians led the Buccaneers to their second Super Bowl title in 2020 and an NFC South title in 2021. With Brady back, Bowles takes over a team that has championship aspirations.
”Good players make good coaches so you always want to have good players,” Bowles said. ”I’m not going to apologize for inheriting a talented team. I’ve had less success with a team. It’s different to the fact that I don’t think I can go into this trying to be Bruce. I would fail miserably if I tried. … I can be me.
”I understand a lot of things I’ve learned from my coaching experience, especially from him so I’m going to take that approach. The one thing I know is I know I can coach football players regardless if you’re an All-Pro or a rookie. All of your players want to be coached and help them get better. I can help people get better and I’m going to use my approach.”
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More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://apnews.com/hub/pro-32 and https://twitter.com/AP-NFL
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https://www.kark.com/reviews/14-most-popular-face-oils-on-sephora/
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WHAT ARE THE TOP-RATED FACE OILS ON SEPHORA?
From toners to serums to moisturizers, there’s no shortage of skincare products that help address your skin issues. Face oils are a relative newcomer to the scene, but they can be like a magic elixir for getting you the bright, smooth complexion of your dreams.
It may seem counterintuitive since we’ve been warned about oil clogging our pores and wreaking havoc on our skin for years. But face oils can work with your skin’s natural oils to provide additional protection for the skin. They also help soften and hydrate — and some oils even offer anti-aging and antibacterial properties. It’s all about choosing the right oil for your skin type and issues.
Want to introduce a face oil to your skincare routine? Check out these well-loved face oils from Sephora that can help give you beautiful, glowing skin, even without makeup.
Most popular face oils on Sephora for $30-$40
Danessa Myricks Beauty Beauty Oil with Gold Leaf
Featuring a blend of jojoba, sunflower seed, squalane and sweet almond oils infused with gold leaf, this facial oil provides a radiant glow to the skin. It also helps moisturize and create a perfect base for your makeup application. The formula is vegan and cruelty-free, too.
Sold by Sephora
This lightweight face oil features 100% pure squalane derived from olives. It’s a non-comedogenic formula that can help balance excess oil, making it an excellent option even for oily skin. It can also help improve the texture and tone of the skin.
Sold by Sephora
This multi-purpose face oil works for multiple skin types. It contains jojoba oil to hydrate and condition the skin, rosehip oil to firm and brighten, and wildcrafted buriti oil for antioxidant protection. The formula is lightweight and absorbs quickly but leaves your skin feeling moisturized for up to 12 hours.
Sold by Sephora
Most popular face oils on Sephora for $40-$50
Youth to the People Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Oil
This facial oil is chock full of super berry antioxidants from maqui, acai and goji berries that deliver instant hydration and leave your skin with a luminous glow. It absorbs quickly and helps brighten the skin with vitamin C, and works well for most skin types, too.
Sold by Sephora
Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil
This multi-purpose oil offers excellent hydration for not only your face but your hair and nails, too. It is a potent source of antioxidants, fatty acids and vitamin E that moisturize, protect and leave the skin with a lovely glow. The argan nuts are also ethically sourced, and the formula is vegan and cruelty-free.
Sold by Sephora
Volition Beauty Hibiscus Unspottable Correcting Oil
If you have dark spots or discoloration, this daily face oil helps brighten and exfoliate the skin. The hibiscus oil helps shed dead skin cells and soften the look of dark circles, while the licorice root extract illuminates and soothes the skin. It’s an ideal option for normal and dry skin.
Sold by Sephora
Anastasia Beverly Hills Hydrating Oil
Normal, dry and combination skin will appreciate this lightweight, hydrating oil. It contains antioxidants to provide protection against free radical damage to help soften the signs of aging. It also leaves the skin with a visible radiant glow that looks beautiful under makeup.
Sold by Sephora
GXVE by Gwen Stefani All Time Prime Clean Hydrating Prep & Smooth Face Oil
A versatile, lightweight face oil, this formula can provide up to 24 hours of hydration that creates a perfect canvas for makeup. It leaves the skin with a dewy glow and can even be mixed with your foundation for added luminosity. The oil also contains aloe to soothe the skin.
Sold by Sephora
Most popular face oils on Sephora for $50+
Summer Fridays Heavenly Sixteen All-in-One Face Oil
This non-comedogenic formula contains a blend of 16 vegan oils that help plump and hydrate the skin. It contains plenty of vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, too, so it can strengthen and protect the skin. Its packaging is also recyclable.
Sold by Sephora
Damdam Rice Drops Vegan Face Oil
An excellent option for normal, dry or combination skin, this weightless face oil absorbs quickly but still moisturizes the skin well. It helps strengthen the skin’s protective barrier and creates an ideal base for makeup. It gives the skin a healthy glow, too.
Sold by Sephora
Clarins Santal Face Treatment Oil
Offering a blend of 100 percent pure plant oils, this facial oil can help soothe dry, irritated skin. It features hazelnut oil to reduce redness and keep the skin from losing moisture. It can be applied directly to the skin or mixed into your moisturizer to help boost hydration.
Sold by Sephora
StriVectin Super-B Barrier Strengthening Oil with Vitamin B3 and Prebiotics
This clinically proven facial oil may be the perfect treatment for dry or mature skin. It has a lightweight feel but helps soothe dry skin and lock in moisture. It also reduces redness and brightens dull skin. The formula is non-comedogenic, too.
Sold by Sephora
Josie Maran Skin Dope Argan Oil + 100 Milligrams of CBD
This plant-based facial oil can help soothe stressed, irritated skin. The argan oil offers antioxidants and essential fatty acids to protect the skin, while the CBD helps calm sensitive skin. It also helps improve the look of dull, uneven skin.
Sold by Sephora
Drunk Elephant A-Gloei Retinol Oil
If you’re looking for a face oil that can address the signs of aging, this retinol-packed formula is for you. It helps improve the look and texture of uneven skin, so it works well for fine lines, dark spots and even blemishes. It also contains ceramides to help boost the skin’s natural protective barrier.
Sold by Sephora
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Jennifer Blair writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kark.com/reviews/best-auto-follow-drone/
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Which auto-follow drone is best?
Capturing magnificent scenes with a high-flying drone is a common method used by videographers to create content. The drones are steered with a flight stick or controller and go wherever the pilot directs them.
But sometimes, you want the drone to capture you in action. If there is nobody else to control the drone, you’re going to have a problem. That is where an auto-follow drone comes in, and as the name implies, it will automatically follow you as you run, bike or ski. One of the best auto-follow drones is the DJI Air 2S Quadcopter Drone.
What to know before you buy an auto-follow drone
Know the difference between auto-follow and tracking
The two terms might sound the same, and some companies use them interchangeably, but there is a subtle difference. An auto-follow drone doesn’t need a camera and can follow a signal. On the other hand, a tracking drone can memorize a face or object and track it. It will stay a certain distance away and continuously keep the object in the frame.
The size of the drone matters
Not all drones are built the same, and generally larger ones will have bigger batteries and more features. But that’s not to say that smaller, more affordable drones aren’t up to the task. Consider what kind of footage you want to capture and where you’ll be flying, and determine which size drone will be best for your needs.
Preferred method of control
You can operate drones through different control mechanisms. While professional drones use remote controllers and a screen, others operate easily with a mobile phone or a tablet. Consider which controlling method will be the easiest for you, as you can always upgrade to a headset when you get more comfortable.
What to look for in a quality auto-follow drone
Gimballed camera for stability
Under normal circumstances, you operate the drone through remote control. The pilot can steady the drone and capture any footage. But when it follows you, it is doing so automatically. Some stability is built into the flight, but a good-quality drone will have a gimballed camera. This prevents the camera from excessive shaking and will smoothly track the subject.
Obstacle sensing to prevent crashing
You don’t have any control over an auto-follow drone when it is in flight. To prevent the gadget from crashing into trees or buildings, a good-quality drone includes obstacle-sensing technology. This allows it to fly around or over anything that could block its flight path. It also allows the drone to keep track of you without breaking the line of sight.
Great camera for the best footage
If you use an auto-follow drone to capture images while running or going horse riding, you’ll want the footage to be as good as possible. A good-quality drone will capture 4K footage at 60 frames per second and take still photos with at least a 20-megapixel camera. Just bear in mind that you’ll need a suitable data storage device and enough battery power to fly some distance while recording.
How much you can expect to spend on an auto-follow drone
The average cost of an auto-follow drone will largely depend on the capabilities and functions of the device. An entry-level drone that can follow you retails for $150-$200, while professional drones can retail for $800-$1,500.
Auto-follow drone FAQ
How long is the flight time of a drone?
A. That will depend on the drone’s capabilities and the weather condition. On a sky, windless day, a typical drone can fly for around 35 minutes. Having to contend with wind can reduce the flying time to approximately 25 to 35 minutes.
What happens when the drone loses sight of you?
A. Most drones have a return-to-home function where they will fly back to their base station if they lose connectivity to the controller. Some drones go through several processes to re-establish a connection by themselves, like retracing their steps.
What’s the best auto-follow drone to buy?
Top auto-follow drone
What you need to know: For professional-quality footage, this drone will follow you wherever you go.
What you’ll love: This drone has an amazing 1-inch image sensor, making it capable of capturing footage at 5.4K at 30 frames per second or 4K at 60 frames per second. For auto-following, it features DJI’s Spotlight 2.0, ActiveTrack 4.0, and Point of Interest 3.0. It can track an object from as high as 1,600 feet and avoids collisions through environment sensing.
What you should consider: While it is one of the best drones available, the steep price tag could place it out of reach for most.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top auto-follow drone for the money
What you need to know: This affordable drone features a follow-me mode where it will hover automatically and record your movements.
What you’ll love: Capable of recording footage in 2K resolution, this drone has a 120-degree field of vision. It can follow you by GPS tracking, or you can let it fly a custom route. The drone has a control range of 980 feet and comes with two 1,000 mAh batteries.
What you should consider: Some users have indicated that the included batteries only provide for about 10 minutes of flying time.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Holy Stone HS720 Foldable GPS Drone
What you need to know: This drone is perfect for shooting 4K content, as it comes with a shock absorption holder to minimize vibrations.
What you’ll love: Capturing footage at a maximum resolution of 3840 x 2160, this drone has an adjustable lens that you can rotate 90 degrees. It has three auto-follow options to circle a specific point, fly on a pre-set course or follow your movements while recording. It comes with two batteries that provide 25 minutes of flying time each.
What you should consider: It doesn’t come with an SD card to save footage on, so you’ll have to provide your own.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Charlie Fripp writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kark.com/reviews/best-induction-range/
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Which induction range is best?
In order to create a culinary masterpiece, you need to have the best tools. Induction ranges have come a long way since they hit the market in 1933. While there were initial complaints of slow and uneven cooking, today’s induction ranges are some of the best ranges available.
The Samsung 4-Element Induction Range with Air Fry has a variety of features that bring a professional flair to any at-home cuisine.
What to know before you buy an induction range
Slide-in vs. freestanding
Induction ranges are like any other cooking range in that you can either slide them into a space on the countertop or add it to any other area of the kitchen. Freestanding ranges tend to be slightly less expensive than their slide-in counterparts. They are also more finished on the sides, offering a more aesthetic appeal.
Size of the range
The size of your kitchen will determine what size induction range you can buy. If you have the luxury of designing a kitchen around a stove, you can choose from widths that range from 30-48 inches. Larger induction ranges typically have more burners and may also include other features.
Size and number of elements
The size of your range will determine the number of elements you can cook on. However, there is some variety within this. Look for cooktop elements that fit the pots you generally cook in. Some induction ranges have size-sensing ability, which allows them to detect pot size and heat the appropriate number of coils.
Most standard induction ranges have four elements, but some have a few extra spots. These extra elements are helpful when you need to create complicated dishes.
What to look for in a quality induction range
Pre-programmed settings
Imagine never having to guess if your baked potato is fully cooked or determining the heat setting for boiling a pot of rice. These pre-programmed settings are incredibly helpful, especially for beginner chefs. Make sure to look for an induction stove with pre-programmed settings if you think this would be helpful in your home.
Safety features
You may want to have additional safety features like automatic shut-off or pot detection. These settings keep the stove burners off until they are needed, and turn them off if you leave them unattended. This is a great option for families with small children.
Ample power
One of the ways that manufacturers addressed previous issues with induction ranges was to increase the amount of power in the cooktop. Most induction ranges run 1,000-2,000 watts, but professional-grade appliances can use up to 3,500 watts.
How much you can expect to spend on an induction range
Induction ranges vary in price depending on the brand, size and additional features. You can expect to spend between $1,500-$4,500.
Induction range FAQ
How do induction ranges differ from other ranges?
A. The major difference between an induction range and other ranges is how it heats up. Instead of heating the range’s surface, which then heats a pot, induction ranges only heat the pot. These stovetops use magnetic coils to create a current that heats specialized cookware. This cookware must have a magnetic element in it. Cast iron and stainless steel are compatible with these ranges, but copper, aluminum and glass are not.
Are induction ranges fast?
A. Induction ranges typically heat around 50% faster than electric and gas ranges. This is because it heats the interior of the cookware directly instead of the surface.
Do induction ranges require special care?
A. One of the best parts of this appliance is how easy it is to clean. Spilled food does not bake onto the cooktop’s surface, which makes cleanup easy.
On the downside, the ceramic surface of the cooktop can become scratched if it’s not cleaned properly. There are a few tips to make it easier.
- Make sure the stove is turned off and that the stovetop is cool.
- Use a special cooktop scraper to remove dry food or crumbs.
- Wipe liquid spills off with a damp sponge.
- Used specialized cleaner and a non-abrasive sponge to gently scrub away stubborn dried food.
- Buff the surface with a clean paper towel.
What’s the best induction range to buy?
Top induction range
Samsung 4-Element Induction Range with Air Fry
What you need to know: You can tailor this intelligent, highly functional stove to your preferences.
What you’ll love: It’s a slide-in range featuring smartphone controls. The fingerprint-resistant black stainless steel finish looks great in a variety of kitchens. It has a built-in air fry function for fatless frying. The oven learns how you cook and programs your settings.
What you should consider: Some cooks felt it was a bit loud and expensive compared to other options.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot
Top induction range for the money
Frigidaire Front Control Induction Range with Air Fry
What you need to know: If you want an induction range with plenty of features at an affordable price, this is a great option.
What you’ll love: The oven has a convection fan and a third heating element to evenly circulate air. The stovetop automatically gauges the size of the pan and heats the appropriate number of coils. Spills won’t burn on the surface, making it easy to clean. The stainless steel finish is smudge-proof and beautiful.
What you should consider: It’s easy to turn on if you lean on the stove accidentally.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot
Worth checking out
Cafe Smart Slide-In Induction Range with Convection
What you need to know: The smart tech of this stove and connectivity make this a fun appliance to experiment with.
What you’ll love: The cooktop has five elements, one of which boils water in under two minutes. It connects to Amazon Echo or Google Assistant for all of your cooking questions, too. The oven has three racks and an in-oven camera to help you keep an eye on what’s inside.
What you should consider: It can be challenging to connect it to your Wi-Fi.
Where to buy: Sold by Wayfair
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Suzannah Kolbeck writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kark.com/reviews/best-navigation-system/
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Which navigation system is best?
Driving around unfamiliar cities can be stressful if you have no way to check where you should be going. Most smartphones have global positioning systems built-in for this purpose, but they aren’t always accurate.
And if you don’t have a data connection, mobile navigation apps might not work at all. So, in most scenarios, a proper navigation system is the smart choice. The Garmin DriveSmart 61 is one of the best, as it has a large display and detailed maps.
What to know before you buy a navigation system
There are different systems for various activities
It would be easy to assume that there is only one kind of navigation system, as it generally only serves one purpose. But there are several variations with different functions and capabilities. There are marine navigation systems for boat owners and fishers, and for sports lovers, you get golf navigation. Road users have the choice of truck navigation or general road systems.
Consider the mounting options
While your choice of navigation system might be different, all devices must be affixed to the vehicle. These also come in different varieties. Consider which type will be best suited for your mode of transport, as some use suction cups to stick to the window or dash, while you can hold others in place with a vent-mounted carrier.
Controls and functions
Navigation systems have come a long since the days of bulky units with spotty tracking. Many modern navigation systems now have capacitive touchscreens, making it much easier to select the options. Older versions used resistive touchscreens that often caused missed presses or delayed responses. Another addition to modern navigation systems is Bluetooth technology, which allows you to make and receive calls through the device.
What to look for in a quality navigation system
Wide range of points of interest
Getting directions to your location is the primary purpose of a navigation system, but sometimes you also want to know what is along the way. A device with an extensive list of points of interest built-in can make it exciting to plan a trip. Depending on the gadget’s maker and the maps used, these POI can range from national parks, monuments, or sightseeing attractions. Some allow you to download POI from other users.
Battery recharging options
If you rely on your navigation system to get around, you’ll be in real trouble if it suddenly runs out of battery power. Most systems have relatively robust batteries, but some built-in functions can quickly sap more power than you realize. A good-quality navigation system can be charged through a USB cable plugged into a battery pack or directly from an adapter in the vehicle’s cigarette lighter.
Lifetime maps and updates
Nobody wants to drive down a road, only to find that it leads to nowhere, even though the navigation system insists that it carries on. To prevent this from happening, navigation devices must be constantly updated to the latest map versions. A good-quality navigation system will supply users with lifetime map updates, changes and additional POI.
How much you can expect to spend on a navigation system
The average price of a navigation system will depend on what it’s made for, who the manufacturer is and its capabilities. An entry-level device with a small screen can retail for $150-$200. Larger units with more functions regularly retail for $200-$300.
Navigation system FAQ
Can a navigation system make you a safer driver?
A. While the system can’t change your driving habits, it can help you to be more aware of your surroundings. It will make you a safer driver by alerting you to speed limits, sharp bends, nearby schools or speed cameras.
Are there different map styles for systems?
A. Yes, and many navigation systems will give you a choice for your preferred visuals. Some systems will automatically change the map’s colors after sunset for safety and easy viewing.
What’s the best navigation system to buy?
Top navigation system
What you need to know: With the large 6.9-inch touchscreen and easy-to-read visuals, this navigation system is perfect for a cross-country road trip.
What you’ll love: The navigation system has a battery life of up to one hour but can easily be recharged through a USB cable. It includes lifetime map updates from Garmin, Wi-Fi connectivity for software updates and hands-free calling. To keep your eyes on the road, you can ask for directions by simply using your voice.
What you should consider: Some users have indicated that alerts can be too frequent, causing a distraction.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top navigation system for the money
What you need to know: Even though the screen is only 5 inches, the Via is more than capable of keeping you on the right track. It features live traffic updates and comes with free map updates of North America.
What you’ll love: The best feature about this navigation system is that the screen splits when you approach a junction. This clearly indicates which direction you need to travel so that you don’t drive in the wrong lane. It ships with a reversible integrated car mount, can give spoken directions in 30 languages and charges through USB.
What you should consider: The map updates are released four times a year, and you’ll only receive speed camera updates for the first three months.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: When paired with your mobile phone, the DriveSmart 55 gives you real-time service updates, such as live parking, locations of traffic cameras and changes in the weather.
What you’ll love: Featuring a 5.5-inch display, this navigation system will route you around traffic so that you can get to your destination faster. You can also use your voice to interact with the device and see TripAdvisor ratings with POI in the area. It is recharged through the included USB cable and can connect to Wi-Fi networks.
What you should consider: It has a resistive touchscreen, which isn’t as accurate or sensitive as a capacitive screen.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Charlie Fripp writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kark.com/reviews/best-rc-tank/
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Which RC tanks are best?
Remote-control tanks provide hours of fun for all ages. Whether you’re staging a battle or traversing rugged terrain, these toys are immersive and just plain cool. There are tons of RC tanks out there, from historic replicas to futuristic armored vehicles. Which you choose will ultimately come down to the kinds of features you want your RC tank to have and how realistic you want it to look.
The best RC tank is the Heng Long Modified Edition Remote Control U.S. M1A2 Abrams Tank Model.
What to know before you buy an RC tank
What is an RC tank?
An RC tank is a type of remote-controlled vehicle modeled after real-life tanks used in warfare. Like real tanks, these toys have tracks that allow them to roll over rocks, mud and other uneven ground. They also have swiveling turrets to lock onto their target. RC tanks are controlled by a handheld transistor and run on battery power.
Types of RC tanks
There are two types of RC tanks: historically inspired models and fantasy/sci-fi-inspired models.
- Historic tanks are modeled after tanks that exist in real life from World War I to the modern era. Popular models are those from World War II, such as the American M4 Sherman and German Panzer, and those found in today’s militaries, such as the M1 Abrams.
- Fantasy and Sci-fi tanks have unique designs that don’t appear in real life. These follow the basic premise of a tank with a turret and tracks, but use futuristic color schemes and weapons.
Difference between RC tanks and RC cars
If you were to pit your RC tank against an RC car in a race, you’d be bound to lose. But a desert battle is another story. Both kinds of remote control vehicles have motors, controllers and batteries (though some RC cars use fuel). Yet, RC tanks don’t have nearly as powerful batteries or engines. They aren’t made for blistering speed or maneuverability. Rather, an RC tank is optimized for play. You won’t have to swap tires on these either, as their tracks are much more durable.
How to control an RC tank
RC tanks use a handheld transistor. Like RC cars, some use what’s called a pistol-grip controller. These have an ergonomic, one-hand design that uses a trigger for the throttle, and a wheel on the body of the pistol to turn the tank.
Traditional stick controllers are the classic square transistors with dual-analogue joysticks. You’re more likely to use one of these if you want a tank with a rotating turret as you’ll need to steer and direct the cannon.
What to look for in a quality RC tank
Battery
There are two kinds of batteries in the remote-control vehicle world. Nickel based Ni-MH batteries and lithium based LiPo batteries.
- LiPo: LiPo batteries are typically reserved for performance-oriented models. These durable batteries are powerful and produce a lot of speed, but they are more expensive.
- Ni-MH: Most tanks will use a Ni-MH battery, which is less powerful, but are much safer and more affordable.
Turret
A good RC tank should have a rotating or dynamic turret — after all, what’s the point of a tank without one of its core features? The turret should be able to rotate more than 180 degrees, with 360 being optimal. You’ll also want a turret that can go up or down. Look for around 30 degrees of vertical maneuverability.
Cannon
If your tank has a turret, check to see what its features are as most RC tanks have a shooting mechanism. If you’re buying for a younger user, you’ll want to use your best judgment when it comes to safety.
- Sound effects: When you press fire on your controller, the tank makes a realistic shooting sound. This is a fun detail that doesn’t require any extra supplies, power or supervision.
- Water: Transforming your tank into a little mobile water gun, water should be safe for all appropriate ages.
- Flame or smoke: Taking the tank to the next level, smoke or flames require oil to fire. These definitely require supervision.
- BB or airsoft: These RC tank cannons shoot small plastic or metal pellets. These should be used by older kids and adults.
Durability
You’ll want your tank to stand up to lots of play as well as to the elements. For this reason, durable, hard plastics are a must. In addition, check if your tank is waterproof before you take it through puddles or the snow, as water can damage the electronics and rust out the metal components. Lastly, you want your tracks to be made from either metal or anti-slip rubber. This will help your tank roll over rough surfaces without damaging components.
How much you can expect to spend on an RC tank
A kid-appropriate RC tank will cost anywhere from $50-$120. High-quality replicas with working cannons can exceed $200.
RC tank FAQ
Does my RC tank require fuel?
A. Most ready-to-roll out-of-the-box RC tanks run on battery power. If your tank makes smoke, you’ll need to top it off with oil to initiate combustion.
Are RC tanks safe?
A. Like any RC vehicle, an RC tank is as safe as the person using it. They do move at a decent clip and can bang shins or damage walls. But if you’re purchasing an RC tank that shoots, for a child you’ll need to make sure its cannon ammunition is age-appropriate and that you supervise play.
What’s the best RC tank to buy?
Top RC tank
Heng Long Modified Edition Remote Control U.S. M1A2 Abrams Tank Model
What you need to know: This tank is completely decked out with immersive effects and a working BB cannon.
What you’ll love: Produced at 1:16 scale, this tank is massive. It has a fully rotating turret, durable metal tracks with metal sprockets for all terrains and a whole slew of sound effects from the engine to the cannon. It also climbs steep slopes easily.
What you should consider: This tank is a little slow.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top RC tank for the money
Beaure WW2 German Tiger Army Tank
What you need to know: Beaure’s interactive replica tank is perfect for pretend play alone or with friends when paired with a second model.
What you’ll love: This 1:28-scale RC Tiger tank has stunning effects and realistic details. It has a 330-degree rotating turret with sound effects when it shoots. This tank has a battle feature that allows you to play with another tank.
What you should consider: Two tanks of the same model cannot fight — you need one of each.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Mostop Remote Control Crawler High-Speed Tank
What you need to know: The Mostop RC tank has a futuristic design modeled after high-tech military-police vehicles.
What you’ll love: This tank is fast with a top speed of over 7 miles per hour. Its rugged antislip tracks are designed to enable drifting and the gearbox has enough torque to climb up 30 degrees of incline. This tank can also wade 5 centimeters.
What you should consider: Some users report that the tracks can slip off their sprockets.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Karl Daum writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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Which Replica perfumes are best?
Scent is our most powerfully evocative sense, and perhaps no perfume brand leans more into the relationship between scent and memory than Maison Margiela’s Replica perfumes. These fragrances attempt to capture experiences and moments from specific places and times, like favorite Replica fragrance By the Fireplace does with notes of woodsmoke, chestnut and vanilla. Here’s how to select the best Replica perfume for your fragrance collection.
What to know before you buy a Replica perfume
Most Replica fragrances are unisex
Maison Margiela is an unconventional fashion house, and its Replica fragrances follow suit by largely ignoring standard gendered fragrance categories. Only a handful of the brand’s fragrances are recommended specifically for male or female users, and even within those categories, users of all genders tend to have success wearing a fragrance that isn’t traditionally marketed for them. Don’t be afraid to sample a fragrance that seems outside the box — Replica may pleasantly surprise you.
Most popular Replica fragrances are eau de toilettes
One important consideration in shopping for a Replica perfume is that the majority of the fragrances available are eau de toilettes, not eau de parfums. Eau de parfum is what we typically think of as “perfume,” and its scent tends to be stronger and longer-lasting, but eau de toilette is frequently more affordable. This is due to eau de toilettes having a lower concentration of pricey fragrance oils (generally 8-12%) than eau de parfums (12-18%). While eau de toilettes tend to be lighter and less complex, some of Replica’s most popular eau de toilettes, like By The Fireplace, are as rich and elaborate as eau de parfums.
Experiment with a gift set
There are a lot of Replica perfumes to choose from, and it’s always possible that the most popular scent in the lineup won’t appeal to you. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by choice or don’t want to risk buying a perfume you’re not in love with, consider trying a gift set. Replica gift sets typically include 10 mini bottles, each with roughly eight wears — enough to get a feel for the perfume. These mini bottles are also great for travel.
What to look for in a quality Replica perfume
Affordable luxury designer quality
Replica eau de toilettes offer complex, unique fragrances at reasonable price points compared to other, more established designer perfume brands. Plus, with three bottle sizes available as well as a sample set, it’s easy to get the right amount of perfume for your budget.
Spray bottles, not rollerballs
Perfume purists often prefer spray applicators to rollerballs, and with good reason. Atomizers help disperse fragrance more evenly on your skin, and rollerballs can pick up debris from contact with your skin and degrade the perfume’s quality over time. All sizes of Replica perfumes come with atomizers.
Thoughtful packaging
In keeping with the brand’s theme of nostalgia and memory, Replica perfume bottles are modeled after apothecary jars. The white labels are fabric, not paper, and they’re printed with the place and year that inspired the fragrance as well as the fragrance notes. The boxes feature Polaroid photographs that depict the place encapsulated by the perfume.
How much you can expect to spend on Replica perfume
Replica eau de toilette fragrances come in two standard sizes. The full-size, 3.4-ounce bottle costs $144, while 1-ounce bottles cost $76. Travel-size, .34-ounce spray bottles are available for $32.
Replica perfume FAQ
How many Replica perfumes are there?
A. Maison Margiela currently makes three Replica eau de parfum fragrances and 18 eau de toilette fragrances. New scents are added almost every year, but a handful have been discontinued over time.
How long do Replica perfumes last?
A. Replica perfumes are popular more for their unique scents than their staying power. For some, this may be a deal-breaker, but keep in mind that a perfume’s longevity depends on many factors. Replica perfumes can last anywhere from two to six hours.
What’s the best Replica perfume to buy?
Top Replica perfume
What you need to know: This unisex fragrance accurately captures the scent memory of relaxing by a fire.
What you’ll love: The unique perfume has notes of woodsmoke, clove and vanilla. It’s a great fragrance for fall and winter.
What you should consider: It may be one of Replica’s more popular fragrances, but it’s also very unique: its top notes are strongly smoky, and the fireplace-like scent may limit when and where it can be worn.
Where to buy: Sold by Sephora and Violet Grey
Top Replica perfume for the money
What you need to know: Themed around going out for cocktails at an upscale club, this fragrance starts off with warm spices and rum before drying down into smoky notes of vanilla and tobacco.
What you’ll love: The warm, smoky notes of this fragrance tend to have better projection and linger longer than some Replica perfumes, so it’s a comparatively good value, especially in the smaller size. Though it’s marketed as a male scent, all wearers love it.
What you should consider: It’s a softer fragrance that doesn’t evolve much over time, and it’s best for fans of smoky, masculine scents.
Where to buy: Sold by Sephora and Violet Grey
Worth checking out
What you need to know: The notes of coconut and citrus in this freshly sweet fragrance will transport you to a tropical beach.
What you’ll love: While Beach Walk is a distinctly summery fragrance, it’s also fun to wear off-season when you need a sunny pick-me-up. It’s a good choice for someone new to perfume or who wants a light, non-traditional fragrance.
What you should consider: Some users interpret the scent as too similar to sunscreen for their tastes.
Where to buy: Sold by Sephora and Violet Grey
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Laura Duerr writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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Weather and travel are interwined for travelling by sea and air at Kashem Island during mid May for tourism and commercial purposes. After three centuries under sea due do the low seating levels after the flooding, due from land subsidents at that Island of the West Bank area, today many travllering persons may find such tour, interesting to observe from an on the boat for example; and they will have access to its beautifl scenes from the Mediteriane or Which rustic lampshade is best?
Rustic decor can make any space feel warm and homey, but as you cozy up with a hot beverage around the fire, your lampshades might stick out like a sore thumb. How do you style something so functional to match the homespun aesthetic of your rustic decor?
From earthy colors to organic materials, rustic lampshades are the perfect accent to a cabin-inspired interior. Whether your vision of rustic is understated and minimal or decadent like a hunting lodge, the best rustic lampshade is Brentwood Collection Oatmeal Tall Linen Medium Drum Lampshade.
What to know before you buy a rustic lampshade
What is rustic?
Rustic is an interior design style inspired by frontier and country living. It emphasizes natural, organic and raw materials typically found in homes built with resources immediately available to those living off the land. Think exposed cross beams, unfinished wood or logs, animal hides and raw leathers, wrought or cast iron, heirloom or antique furniture and warm, thick knit fabrics.
What makes a lampshade rustic?
The modern lampshade is a fairly recent invention, coinciding with the discovery of electricity. So, many rustic lampshades use inspiration from premodern living to imagine a utilitarian, repurposed aesthetic. These are made from raw, organic materials and are typically decorated with a mixture of natural and folk motifs.
If you want a camp-like aesthetic, look for lampshades with silhouettes or stenciling of plants or animals. Many seek to imitate the appearance of animal hide, radiating an amber glow.
If understated and contemporary rustic is your thing, natural colors such as beige, sage green, ocher and amber all look good with raw woods.
Types of lampshades
Lampshades come in all shapes and sizes:
- Empire: These are conical lampshades. They’re shaped so that most of the light emits from the wider bottom, making them perfect for table lamps.
- Bell: These lampshades are similar to empire shades in effect but have a concave curve traveling from the narrow top to their flared bottom.
- Round: Round shades can come in a classic drum or oval shape. They diffuse light in an even, ambient manner, suiting them well to floor lamps.
- Square: These modern, geometric shapes are good at even lighting but might clash with the organic forms of rustic decor.
- Dome: Used with overhead lights or table lamps, these are shallow with wide openings to spill out lots of light.
What to look for in a quality rustic lampshade
Material
- Linen: Elegantly textured, this material is popular for its durability and simplicity, fitting almost any decor.
- Cotton: Cotton is a little more uniform than linen thanks to its tighter weave. It’s lightweight and soft.
- Paper: Paper lampshades have lots of texture and are good at simulating rustic materials. They’re the most translucent material.
- Silk: Silk is a very luxurious material that can class up any room. It’s thick with a classic sheen.
- Fiber: Elaborate lampshade designs can be made from sculptural materials such as wood. Look for wicker, rattan or burlap. Light quality depends on their weave.
Fitter
The fitter is the structural component that attaches the shade to your lamp. There are four kinds:
- Spider: A spider fitter sits at the top of the shade and uses spokes to hold up a center washer that connects to your lamp. You lock it on with a finial.
- Clip-on: Clip-ons use clamping metal tongs to clasp the light bulb of your lamp.
- Uno: These are similar to spider fitters in their design but travel to the bottom of the lamp so they rest at the base of the light bulb.
- Screw-on: Like uno fitters, screw-ons sit beneath the light bulb, screwing onto the lamp fixture.
Finials
These are the little decorative end pieces that screw the fitter onto the lamp. If your lamp fitter requires a finial, think about the design you want. Many ornamental finials are better suited to classically inspired decors, but that doesn’t mean your rustic home has to do without these fun accents. Pine cones, driftwood, sculptural wildlife and other country-living inspired materials or flora and fauna all look great on a rustic lampshade.
How much you can expect to spend on a rustic lampshade
Depending on the material, a rustic lampshade can cost $30-$70.
Rustic lampshade FAQ
What width lampshade do I need?
A. If you’re styling a table lamp, most designers recommend choosing a lampshade whose base diameter measures within 2 inches of your lamp’s height. To get your lamp’s height, measure from the base just up to where the bulb’s socket cap begins. For floor lamps, you have more flexibility — size just so that the bulb has at least 2.5 inches on either side.
What height lampshade do I need?
A. Similar to width, the lampshade should be within a half-inch of the height of the lamp’s harp. The harp is the wire frame that begins at the socket cap and extends above the bulb so you can install your shade. If your lamp doesn’t have a harp, don’t exceed the height of the lamp’s body; aim for two-thirds the height.
How do I match my lampshade to my lamp?
A. When choosing a lampshade shape, you want it to mirror the shape of your lamp. A square base and round body match a lampshade of the same composition. Likewise, an oval shade looks great on a cylindrical lamp, but wonky on a squat, square one. There are no hard and fast rules, but this general guideline typically makes for a good pairing.
What’s the best rustic lampshade to buy?
Top rustic lampshade
Brentwood Collection Oatmeal Tall Linen Medium Drum Lampshade
What you need to know: This drum shade is the perfect balance between contemporary and camp with its rich texture and subtle oatmeal color.
What you’ll love: The lampshade has an elegant brass spider fitter. It’s 14 inches across and 15 inches tall. When lit, the linen takes on a darker umber tone.
What you should consider: Some users found that the material frayed easily.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top rustic lampshade for the money
Millwood Pines Paper Empire Lampshade
What you need to know: With a warm glow when lit, this shade goes great with rustic cabin or lodge decor.
What you’ll love: The lampshade is 9.5 inches tall and 12 inches at its base. It comes in a classic empire shape and uses a spider fitter. When lit, it glows amber and is a papery yellow without lighting.
What you should consider: The fitter is sold separately.
Where to buy: Sold by Wayfair
Worth checking out
Seaside Village Clear Glass Pendant Shade
What you need to know: Take your rustic decor in a more sophisticated direction by using a glass lampshade.
What you’ll love: When paired with a filament bulb, this bell-style shade gives off an old-timey gas lantern feeling. It looks great on any hanging or pendant light fixtures, such as floor lamps.
What you should consider: Bulb and light fixture are not included.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Karl Daum writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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Which telescope is best?
Staring up at the night sky, it’s hard not to get overwhelmed with the sheer size of the galaxy. There are millions of things to look at, but you need the right equipment. If you’ve already started to peer at objects with binoculars, it might be time to upgrade to a telescope.
The right telescope for you largely depends on what you want to study, but the Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ is an excellent gadget to get you going. It’s easy to use and powerful enough to see every little detail.
What to know before you buy a telescope
Kinds of telescopes
When most people think of a telescope, they imagine a long tube with an eyeglass at one end. These typical models are called refractor telescopes and are only one type of many. The other popular choice is a reflector telescope, which gathers light through a mirror. There are also compound telescopes, which are wider than others. No matter the telescope type, you’re going to need a telescope bag to safely store and carry it.
The aperture determines what you can see
A telescope’s aperture is one of the most important components. Simply put, the aperture is how large the mirror is on the inside, which is directly related to how much light it can gather. The more light it gathers, the better the details and you can see fainter objects. The aperture is measured in millimeters, and you typically need larger mirrors depending on the surrounding light.
More darkness increases your enjoyment
The best conditions for using a telescope are in an area that has very little light pollution. For example, in a suburban neighborhood, you won’t see as many stars and galaxies as you would in an open field far away from the city. The size of the aperture can only help you up to a point, after which you might need to go somewhere else for viewing — or invest in a bigger aperture.
What to look for in a quality telescope
Lens and magnification accessories
Looking through a telescope lens is exciting, but you often want to see things in greater detail. Look for a telescope that has a variety of eyepieces and accessories. The most common eyepiece you’ll find is the Barlow lens for three-times magnification and the Infinity eyepiece. There are also eyepiece adapters that increase the magnification of the Barlow lens to 120x.
Automated Go-To feature
It’s always a good idea to study the night sky where you live. Make sure that you know which galaxies are where and you can identify the brightest stars. Luckily, you don’t have to pore over maps to see planets and formations; a good-quality telescope should have an automated Go-To feature. Through a handheld remote, you tell the telescope what you want to look at, and after a short calibration, it will automatically turn to align itself with the object.
Phone attachment and Bluetooth remote
It’s a great experience to look at distant planets or even our moon, but it’s more fun if you can take pictures of it, and a quality telescope may have a mobile phone attachment. It looks similar to a car holder, where the device is held in place over the eyepiece. By using the device’s default camera (and to reduce shaking), a Bluetooth remote will trigger the camera to snap a photo of the celestial body.
How much you can expect to spend on a telescope
The average price of a telescope can vary wildly depending on its capabilities and functions. An entry-level or kids’ telescope can retail for $40-$50, while an amateur telescope can retail for $100-$200. Much larger professional telescopes retail for $1,000-$2,000.
Telescope FAQ
Do you need to know where the stars are before using a telescope?
A. Not necessarily, but it will certainly be advantageous. If your telescope can track objects or automatically point toward them, the work is done for you, but if your telescope doesn’t have the function, it’s helpful to at least know where the brightest and most popular objects are.
Do telescopes require batteries to operate?
A. For the most part, they don’t. There are no electronic parts inside the telescope tube or eyepiece. If you’re looking at a model that has auto-tracking and a remote, you’ll need to insert rechargeable batteries into the controller.
What’s the best telescope to buy?
Top telescope
What you need to know: This refractor telescope is the perfect gadget for gazing at nearby planets, faraway galaxies and bright stars.
What you’ll love: The AstroMaster 70AZ has a fully coated 2.7-inch glass optic, a height-adjustable tripod and comes with two eyepieces. It’s powerful enough to see Saturn’s rings and Jupiter’s moons and can easily be rotated with the azimuth mount and handle for panning. It has a magnification of 45x and 90x and comes with an erect image star diagonal and Starry Night Basic Edition astronomy software.
What you should consider: It doesn’t have an auto-alignment feature, so you must point it toward an object yourself.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top telescope for the money
What you need to know: This telescope is perfect for beginners and kids, as it’s easy to operate and you can photograph what you see.
What you’ll love: The AZ70400 has a focal length of 15.7 inches and a 2.7-inch aperture, making it perfect for viewing all objects in the sky. It comes with two replaceable eyepieces and one Barlow lens that magnifies any eyepiece up to three times. To find specific objects, it has a 5 x 24 finderscope with crosshairs. The telescope comes with a smartphone adapter for photography.
What you should consider: It’s a basic telescope that won’t be powerful enough for serious astronomers.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Celestron NexStar 8SE Telescope
What you need to know: A serious telescope, this model is fully automated and has a powerful lens to look at almost anything.
What you’ll love: The NexStar 8SE is one of the best telescopes for serious stargazers. It has an 8-inch primary mirror, a red dot StarPointer finderscope, 25-millimeter Plossl eyepiece, visual back and mirror star diagonal. It’s fully automated and will automatically point toward one of the 40,000 objects stored in its memory. It has a magnification of 81x, but also a theoretical magnification of 480x.
What you should consider: Some users have indicated that the battery life is short, and it’s not ideal for taking photos.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Charlie Fripp writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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Which Maytag top-load washer is best?
Everyone needs to wash their clothes and no one likes doing it by hand. Maytag top-load washers have all the features you want and need, and its prices are difficult to beat. And the best Maytag top-load washer is the Maytag 5.3-Cubic-Foot Smart-Capable Top-Load Washing Machine. It has plenty of space for handling large loads, and it’s Energy Star certified.
What to know before you buy a Maytag top-load washer
Pros and cons of a Maytag top-load washer
Maytag top-load washers have several pros and cons.
- Pros: Top-load washers are more affordable than front-loaders, and Maytag is an affordable mid-range brand. They are easier to load and unload and tend to have larger capacities and quicker cycles than front-loaders. They also have a lower leak risk.
- Cons: Top-load washers tend to make more noise as the wash basket knocks against the walls. They use more energy and water than front-loaders, even if they’re high-efficiency. They can’t be stacked, either, which may leave you with too little space in your laundry room.
Size and capacity
Maytag top-load washers have an external size and an internal capacity. The two rarely directly correlate.
- Size determines how much space your washer will take up. As top-loaders can’t be stacked, size is of greater importance with them than with a front-loader. You need to leave room for your dryer, after all.
- Capacity determines how many clothes can be washed at once and is given in cubic feet. Small households can comfortably get by with less than 4 cubic feet while large households will likely need 5 cubic feet or more.
High efficiency
High-efficiency Maytag top-load washers use less energy and water but clean just as effectively. They usually have larger capacities, but you can still find small-capacity models. The only downside is the need to use specialized HE detergent. Using non-HE detergent will break your HE washer.
Impeller vs. agitator mixers
Maytag top-load washers use either impeller or agitator mixers.
- Impeller mixers use a no-post disk that rotates, causing clothes to gently rub against each other to scrub out stains. There’s no risk of tearing but the clothes may not get as clean.
- Agitator mixers use a center post with fins that twists back and forth, forcing clothes to sharply rub against each other to scrub out stains. Clothes tend to get cleaner but there’s a risk of damage.
What to look for in a quality Maytag top-load washer
Cycle options
Most Maytag top-load washers have multiple cycle options outside of the standards such as delicate and large load. Some of the more common cycles include deep-water rinse, extra power and a customizable cycle that can be saved.
Energy Star certification
When a Maytag top-load washer is listed as Energy Star certified, it has been independently examined and observed to meet the minimum requirements for energy efficiency. This means it will have less impact on the environment and your bank account. It’s important to point out “minimum” here, as you’ll need an Energy Star-certified high-efficiency washer for maximum efficiency.
How much you can expect to spend on a Maytag top-load washer
Maytag is an excellent mid-range brand and its prices reflect that. Its best and biggest options rarely exceed $1,000 with most washers costing $800-$1,000. Its cheapest cost around $600.
Maytag top-load washer FAQ
How do I fix a Maytag top-load washer that isn’t draining?
A. There are two likely causes. The first is simply that you overfilled your washing machine. However, if that isn’t the case, the issue is likely with your plumbing — most probably some kind of clog in the line. You’ll need to hire a plumber.
What kind of Maytag top-load washer is quietest?
A. No washing machine will ever be quiet, but there are a few aspects you can prioritize that lead to quieter operation. Look for high-efficiency washers and those with impeller mixers. Also, consider placing your Maytag washer as far from common spaces as possible.
What’s the best Maytag top-load washer to buy?
Top Maytag top-load washer
Maytag 5.3-Cubic-Foot Smart-Capable Top-Load Washing Machine
What you need to know: This has plenty of space for big households.
What you’ll love: It comes in white or silver finishes with impeller or agitator mixers. It offers multiple cycle types — including quick wash and a custom cycle — and has an extra power button to fight the toughest stains. The glass lid lets you check on your clothes without disturbing the wash cycle.
What you should consider: Some consumers had issues with imbalanced washers, while others had troubles with washers that didn’t register the door as closed — and thus wouldn’t clean.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot
Top Maytag top-load washer for the money
Maytag 3.8-Cubic-Foot High-Efficiency Top-Load Washing Machine
What you need to know: This is perfect for the space- and energy-conscious.
What you’ll love: The 3.8-cubic-foot capacity is perfectly sized to a full laundry basket and the special wash cycles — including quick wash, power wash and deep-water wash — provide a deep and effective clean. It has a 10-year limited parts warranty that covers the motor and wash basket.
What you should consider: The small capacity isn’t enough for households larger than two. Some consumers were unhappy with the amount of noise generated by most cycles.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot
Worth checking out
Maytag 4.7-Cubic-Foot Smart-Capable Top-Load Washing Machine
What you need to know: It’s a heavy-duty washer with an “extra power” button that boosts stain-fighting ability by varying wash temperatures during a single cycle.
What you’ll love: Connecting to the Maytag app lets you start and stop any cycle, troubleshoot any problems and get notifications as soon as a cycle ends. Cycle memory lets you store the details of a custom cycle to save time in the future.
What you should consider: Some consumers were unhappy with the noise levels. Others had issues with the agitator snaring and tearing delicates.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot
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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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Which wheel cleaner is best?
Chrome and polished aluminum wheels are popular car modifications that can be buffed to a mirror finish. But to properly show off your rims, you’ll need to put in a little elbow grease with some good cleaner. Not only will it keep your wheels sparkling, but it will also help protect them from corrosive contaminants on the road.
Chrome and aluminum require specially tailored formulas, which can make choosing the proper cleaner complicated — it’s the difference between restoring your wheels’ luster and destroying their finish. With the right formula, tools and know-how, you can get your wheels back to their factory finish.
Why it’s important to clean your wheels regularly
The roads are covered in corrosive particles and debris that slowly eat away at your wheels, and it’s not just salt, dirt and rocks that can erode your wheels’ finish. The dust produced by your brake pads is one of the biggest offenders when it comes to tarnishing chrome and aluminum.
Over time, these contaminants ruin your wheels’ appearance and resale value while also degrading their structural integrity. Regularly washing, polishing and waxing your wheels every one to two weeks is the only way to keep them shining and protected from environmental damage.
Chrome wheel cleaner
Chrome wheels are made by electroplating multiple layers of metals — usually nickel and copper — with a final layer of chrome. The resulting wheel has a durable composition that stands up to weather and rough road conditions. Cleaner formulated for chrome is designed to restore this final layer and bring out its classic sheen.
Chrome wheel cleaners come in premixed solutions that use a spray bottle or concentrated gel formulas that you mix in water. Like other wheel cleaners, they typically cost $6-$20.
Chrome wheel cleaner pros
- A specially formulated cleaner for chrome won’t risk harming its finish.
- This cleaner foams to lift dust and debris so you don’t end up grinding dirt back into the surface with a cloth or brush — all you have to do is rinse.
- Chrome wheel cleaner performs better than multipurpose wheel cleaners on this specific metal.
Chrome wheel cleaner cons
- Chrome wheel cleaner doesn’t often work in the opposite direction of multi-surface application and can end up damaging polished aluminum wheels.
- Not all chrome wheel cleaners also work on tires.
Best chrome wheel cleaners
Meguiar’s Hot Rims Chrome Wheel Cleaner
Made just for chrome, this cleaner sprays on and foams up to lift dirt and debris so you don’t have to scrub. You can’t use this cleaner on aluminum.
Sold by Amazon
Mothers Pro-Strength Chrome Wheel Cleaner
Mothers is a trusted brand in car detailing, and their streak-free formula for chrome is one of the toughest you can get. Just spray it on, let it foam up and rinse. Use a soft wheel brush to get at any crevices.
Sold by Amazon
Chemical Guys Wicked Strong Diablo Gel Wheel Cleaner
This pH-neutral cleaner is safe to use on chrome and other coated wheels. It comes in a gel bottle, so you mix it with water and spray or brush it onto the wheel. Because it’s so versatile, this is a great option for multi-car families or companies, as one bucket of solution can go a long way.
Sold by Amazon
Polished aluminum wheel cleaner
Polished aluminum wheel cleaners are the least abrasive cleaner formula. Finding the right one for the job depends on whether or not your polished wheels are clear coated.
Most cars on the road today have aluminum alloy wheels. These are made from composite metal that’s fabricated as a single block of metal. They’re then sealed off with a layer of clear coat.
Polished aluminum rims are raw-metal wheels that are buffed by hand or machine. They don’t have that protective layer of clear paint. For these aftermarket wheels, you need a non-caustic formula that fights oxidization on uncoated surfaces.
Like most wheel cleaners, solutions for polished-aluminum usually cost $6-$20.
Polished aluminum wheel cleaner pros
- Aluminum cleaner is the gentlest and can be used on many wheel types.
- It won’t harm clear coated brake calipers and suspension components in the case of over-spray.
- These cleaners are pH-balanced so they won’t cause spotting or tarnishing.
Polished aluminum wheel cleaner cons
- When used on chrome, aluminum cleaner isn’t as thorough as chrome-specific cleaner.
- It can be harder to find the right cleaner for uncoated aluminum rims, as many formulas are advertised for aluminum but are actually referring to clear coated, mass market aluminum wheels.
Best polished aluminum wheel cleaners
Meguiar’s Hot Rims Aluminum Wheel Cleaner
If you have uncoated aluminum rims, this is the cleaner to get. It’s designed to remove oxidization, grit and grime without damaging the metal. Because it’s so gentle, you’ll need a soft scrubbing tool like a microfiber towel or brush.
Sold by Amazon
Carfidant Ultimate Wheel Cleaner
This multipurpose wheel cleaner works on just about every wheel type you can imagine. Its pH-neutral formula works especially well on polished aluminum, as it doesn’t discolor. You can even use it on the aluminum trim of tool boxes, appliances and more.
Sold by Amazon
Flitz Multipurpose Polish and Cleaner Liquid
Car geeks swear by Flitz. Its non-abrasive, chemical formula is great at restoring your uncoated metal’s shine. This is a two-in-one cleaner that removes oxidization and then polishes. If your wheels are particularly grimy, you might want to pair this with a stronger cleaner that can remove any grit first.
Sold by Amazon
Should you get chrome or polished aluminum wheel cleaner?
Both kinds of cleaners do their jobs well — it all depends on what type of wheels you have. While multipurpose cleaners that tackle a variety of wheel types are convenient, they’re often not as strong as dedicated formulas. You’re also taking a risk, as manufacturers can’t always guarantee their claims.
If you’re cleaning chrome wheels, get a chrome-specific cleaner, and if you’re cleaning uncoated aluminum, get an aluminum cleaner. Meguiar’s makes two great products for each of these metals.
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Karl Daum writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kark.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/best-reusable-cotton-pads/
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Which reusable cotton pads are best?
If you’re looking to make your skincare routine more sustainable, swapping out single-use cotton pads for reusable ones cuts back on landfill waste. And they’ll save you money because you won’t need to keep buying packs of disposable pads every time you run out.
Reusable cotton pads can be washed and reused, and are great if you have sensitive skin. If you’re looking to use them for removing makeup, Greenzla Reusable Makeup Remover Pads is the top — and eco-friendly — choice.
What to know before you buy reusable cotton pads
Material
Not all reusable cotton pads are made from 100% cotton. In fact, many are made from bamboo-cotton blends, and some also add polyester into the mix.
Bamboo is highly renewable and also requires less water and pesticides than cotton cultivation. Some reusable “cotton” pads are actually made all from bamboo. They’re generally indistinguishable from 100% cotton pads and are just as gentle and soft on sensitive skin.
Uses
Popular uses for reusable cotton pads include makeup removal with an eye makeup remover, cleansing the face with micellar water, removing face masks and applying toners or astringents to the face. Unlike disposable cotton pads, reusable ones don’t fall apart or separate during more vigorous use, such as removing long-wear and waterproof makeup. Depending on the texture, some reusable pads can also be gently exfoliating and pair well with a facial or lip scrub.
Shape and size
Most reusable pads come in rounds, which are circular, with a diameter ranging between 2.75-3.75 inches. You can find select pads in square or even heart shapes.
Count
After you use a reusable pad once, you’ll need to wash it, which is why they come in multipacks ranging from 10 to 40 pads. Consider how often you’ll realistically do laundry when choosing how many you want to purchase. More pads mean laundering them less often.
Texture
Many reusable cotton pads have a smooth texture that won’t scratch the skin. However, some are double-sided, with a raised, more exfoliating texture on one side and a smooth surface on the other. You can also find packs that mix exfoliating pads, which feature a scrubby terry cloth surface or a raised one, with ones that feature a velour and smooth surface.
What to look for in quality reusable cotton pads
Holder
Many reusable pads come with a holder that keeps your clean pads tidy and stacked. Holders are made from bamboo, cardboard, plastic, metal or basket material. Some holders are more attractive than others. Consider your bathroom or vanity aesthetic when buying pads that come with a holder.
Laundry bag
Many reusable pads also come with a mesh laundry bag that can also be used to store or transport them. This bag features either a string or zipper closure to keep your pads separate from the rest of your laundry in the washing machine.
Organic
Not all cotton is organic. If you have sensitive skin or use non-toxic skincare, be sure that your pads are organic and do not contain pesticides. Typically, bamboo is not treated with pesticides or chemical fertilizers, but it’s always wise to look for that organic label to be on the safe side.
Also called a finger pouch, reusable pads featuring a pocket provide a place for your fingers to slip inside for a more secure hold while you maneuver them. Some reusable cotton pads instead come with a finger strap.
Color
Most reusable pads are white. However, white shows stains, which is why some manufacturers offer black pads. You can also find multipacks that mix colors such as black, gray, pink, blue and green. Be aware that many colored pads are actually made from microfiber, a synthetic material, and don’t contain cotton or bamboo.
How much you can expect to spend on reusable cotton pads
They range in price from 25 cents to $1.50 per pad.
Reusable cotton pads FAQ
How do you wash reusable cotton pads?
A. First, always follow the care instructions provided by the manufacturer. In general, reusable pads can be placed inside a mesh laundry bag and washed in the washing machine on a cold/gentle cycle. You can also hand-wash them.
Do I need to use makeup remover with a reusable cotton pad?
A. Generally, yes. Saturate the pad with liquid makeup remover and wipe until your makeup is gone. There are specific reusable makeup-remover pads that can remove makeup with water alone, but not all reusable cotton pads are designed to do that.
What’s the best reusable cotton pad to buy?
Top reusable cotton pad
Greenzla Reusable Makeup Remover Pads
What you need to know: A blend of organic cotton and eco-friendly bamboo, these ultra-soft pads will last you years.
What you’ll love: They’re thick, soft and work like a charm to remove makeup when paired with a liquid remover. They don’t tug on the skin, and one double-sided pad can take care of all your removal needs. The green trim is attractive. The 20 pads come with a lidded holder and a mesh laundry bag.
What you should consider: For some consumers, these pads aren’t absorbent enough.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top reusable cotton pad for the money
What you need to know: These low-cost reusable pads are organic and Oeko-Tex certified for your non-toxic beauty routine.
What you’ll love: The 18-pack comes in all white or a multi-color option. They are easy to wash in the included mesh laundry bag. With a large surface area, these reusable pads remove makeup better than disposable ones and require less product.
What you should consider: Although marketed as cotton, these rounds are actually made from bamboo.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Odoxia Reusable Makeup Remover Pads
What you need to know: This value pack contains both exfoliating and smooth pads.
What you’ll love: You get three black scrubby pads along with 12 smooth ones— all at a reasonable price. The smooth pads are double-layered and come in white and turquoise. The velour stays soft after multiple washes.
What you should consider: These pads contain 20% polyester, a synthetic fiber.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Ana Sanchez writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kark.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/face-makeup-br/best-dior-blush/
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Which Dior blushes are best?
Dior is best known for its beautiful designer clothing and accessories, but the brand also offers a full line of luxury beauty products and fragrances. Dior blushes are one of the brand’s standout products, adding the perfect amount of natural color to give you a healthy glow.
Dior blushes are available in both powder and cream formulas, so there’s an option no matter your skin type. Their high-quality ingredients offer vibrant color that can last all day. If you’re looking for a highly pigmented blush that’s available in a variety of flattering shades, Dior Rouge Blush is the bestselling option.
What to know before you buy a Dior blush
Formula
Dior blushes are available in two formulas: powder or cream.
Powder blushes are the most common option, so they’re the most widely used. They come in a compact and are applied with a brush. Powder formulas have a dry texture that has a lightweight look and feel on the skin. They can be fairly sheer, so they also look more natural on the skin, but you can build them up to get a more intense color if you prefer.
Powder blush works extremely well for oily skin because its dry texture helps absorb oil to reduce shine. It may not be the best option for dry or mature skin because it can settle in fine lines and cling to dry patches.
Cream blushes have a more emollient texture that glides easily over the skin. They contain moisturizing ingredients, making them ideal for dry or mature skin. Because of the hydrating formula, they have a dewy finish, so they can help your skin look fresh and youthful.
Cream blushes come in a small pot, container or compact and can be applied with your fingers, a brush or a sponge. However, they aren’t the best fit for oily skin because they can make you look shiny. A cream blush doesn’t last as long on the skin as a powder formula, either.
Finish
Dior blushes are available in three finish options: matte, satin and shimmer.
- Matte: Dior matte blushes don’t have any shine, shimmer or glitter, so they don’t reflect the light. They have a flat finish that works well for oily or combination skin because it won’t make your skin look greasy. Matte blushes tend to wear longer on the skin.
- Satin: Dior satin blushes have a slight sheen that’s flattering on most skin types. Their finish resembles real skin, so they can look very natural. They don’t contain any noticeable shimmer or glitter particles.
- Shimmer: Dior shimmer blushes contain mica shimmer particles that give them an obvious shine. They’re particularly flattering for dull skin since they help brighten up the complexion.
Shade range
Dior blushes come in a relatively natural shade range, so you can find options that suit most skin tones. You can choose from Dior blushes in pink, rose, peach, bronze, nude and berry shades that coordinate with some Dior lipstick shades to help you create a flattering monochromatic look.
What to look for in a quality Dior blush
Packaging
Most Dior blushes come in plastic compacts that are easy to toss in your bag and bring with you for touch-ups during the day.
Some compacts have a clear plastic lid that allows you to see the shade even when the lid is closed, which can be convenient if you’re searching through your makeup bag for a particular blush. However, other Dior blushes have a solid lid with a mirror on the inside that makes it easy to check your makeup during the day and freshen it up if necessary.
Wear time
Dior powder blushes wear longer on the skin than cream blushes, but all formulas last at least 6-8 hours. Some Dior powder blushes are formulated for even longer wear. They’re highly pigmented, so their color can remain on the skin for up to 12 hours without fading.
Brush
Some Dior blushes include a small brush to apply the color to your cheeks. While these mini brushes don’t work as well as full-size makeup brushes, they can come in very handy for touch-ups when you’re out and about.
How much you can expect to spend on a Dior blush
Dior blushes cost $39-$145. Most formulas range from $39-$50, but some larger palettes that contain multiple blush shades or blush, bronzer and/or highlighter shades cost $75-$145.
Dior blush FAQ
Are Dior blushes fragrance-free?
A. Most Dior blushes contain artificial fragrances to give the products a pleasant scent. However, because chemical fragrances can sometimes irritate the skin, these blushes may not be the best option for sensitive skin.
What’s the best way to apply Dior blush?
A. Dior powder and cream blushes are best applied with an angled blush brush. The shape fits the curve of your cheek to apply the blush smoothly and precisely. You can also use a makeup sponge or even clean fingers to blend a Dior cream blush over your skin.
What’s the best Dior blush to buy?
Top Dior blush
What you need to know: This highly pigmented blush delivers a bold flush of color that can last all day on the skin.
What you’ll love: The blushes are highly pigmented but buildable, so you can achieve a soft wash of color or an intense flush. The blush shades coordinate with Rouge Dior lipstick shades. They’re available in three finish options. The compacts include a mirror and a brush.
What you should consider: Because they’re so pigmented, there can be a learning curve when applying these blushes.
Where to buy: Sold by Sephora
Top Dior blush for the money
Dior Backstage Rosy Glow Blush
What you need to know: These universally flattering blushes deliver a healthy, natural glow designed to suit your skin tone.
What you’ll love: The Color Reviver technology helps the blush react to your skin’s moisture level to deliver the perfect flush. The formula is buildable to provide custom pigmentation. The color lasts all day on the cheeks.
What you should consider: Because it’s somewhat sheer, it can require several layers to show up well on darker skin tones.
Where to buy: Sold by Sephora
Worth checking out
Dior Backstage Glow Face Palette
What you need to know: This convenient palette contains four shades of blush and highlighter to give your cheeks a lovely glow, though the shade options are limited.
What you’ll love: The shades can be used together or separately. The powders have a finely milled texture that looks natural on the skin. The shimmery finish adds a healthy glow, but it can be built up for a more intense highlight.
What you should consider: It’s only available in three shade options.
Where to buy: Sold by Sephora
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Jennifer Blair writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kark.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/camera-photo-br/best-action-camera-body-mount/
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Which action camera body mounts are best?
Action cameras are great devices for capturing exhilarating activities or making the perfect holiday video, but when there’s so much to look at or do, you don’t always want to have one hand occupied holding the camera.
This is where an action camera body mount comes in handy, as it secures the device in place while recording, leaving you free to have fun. If you’re after a Hollywood style of filming, the Stuntman 360 Shoulder Mount is the best choice for you.
What to know before you buy an action camera body mount
Compatibility with your action camera
There are several types of action camera mounts you can use, but the most important factor is compatibility. The protective cases of action cameras are different in size and shape, so it’s important to check if they can be affixed to the mount. Most cameras use the GoPro system of slots and bolts, so it might not be too much of a hassle. Also consider if you want to film using your mobile phone, as there are specific body mounts for that.
Activities you’ll be filming
Action cameras are used to film all sorts of activities, but if you don’t have the correct body mount, you might end up not capturing any footage at all. For example, if you plan on filming underwater, make sure the body mount is in a position to film straight ahead or the seafloor; a wrist mount while swimming is not a good choice.
Action camera kit vs. body mount
Unless it’s a specialized body mount, you might want to consider getting a complete action camera kit instead. Usually, there isn’t much price difference between a body mount and a full kit, making it more value for money. Kits typically include a body, head and wrist mount, attachment accessories and vehicle suction cup.
What to look for in a quality action camera body mount
Strong buckles, clips and straps
The camera is usually secured to the mounting system with nuts and bolts, but the entire mechanism must be securely fastened around your body. Most mounts use buckles and clips, making them perfect for filming action-packed activities like horse riding or motorcycles. Others might use a series of Velcro straps that are easily adjusted but less robust than clips.
Versatility for more positions
A body mount is great for recording what’s going on around you, but sometimes you want to change the camera angle. A basic body mount might not allow you to do that, but a good-quality mount will. By adjusting the strap length, you can change where the mount fits around your body, giving you a different filming perspective.
Durable construction materials
The last thing you want while ripping down the slopes is for your body mount to malfunction due to inferior materials. While strong buckles, clips and straps are important for keeping the mount on your body, the camera needs to stay put as well. A good-quality body mount should have robust and durable materials where the camera is mounted. This is typically made from hard plastic, while others may incorporate metal pieces.
How much you can expect to spend on an action camera body mount
Action camera body mounts are relatively affordable, with chest harnesses retailing for under $10. Body mounts that place the camera at an unconventional location generally cost more, retailing for $20-$50.
Action camera body mount FAQ
Can you put a body mount on an animal?
A. There are some options, yes, but they’re generally for dogs only. Some manufacturers have canine-specific harnesses, which is great if you want to see where your dog goes or their perspective. It isn’t recommended to put a harness on a cat.
Can you charge an action camera while it’s in the mount?
A. In most cases, this won’t be possible. Through the design of the action camera’s external case and the mount, there won’t be an opening to expose the charging port.
What’s the best action camera body mount to buy?
Top action camera body mount
What you need to know: This camera mount is the perfect accessory to give your videos that Hollywood-style, over-the-shoulder action look.
What you’ll love: The mount is incredibly versatile, as it can be used not only for over-the-shoulder filming but several other positions as well. Through the clip and buckle system, you can change the position of the camera mount — it can also go around your waist, your chest or face backward. It’s compatible with almost all action cameras.
What you should consider: It’s a bit more expensive than other body mounts, so it might not be for everyone.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top action camera body mount for the money
Asocea Adjustable Chest Mount Harness
What you need to know: This chest mount is the only accessory you’ll need to keep your action camera steady and pointing forward.
What you’ll love: Through a simple buckle and clip system, this harness places the action camera in the middle of your chest. The waist straps adjust to a maximum of 67 inches, while the shoulder straps adjust to 54 inches. It’s compatible with GoPro and Apeman cameras and comes with a thumbscrew and a J-hook.
What you should consider: There’s no padding on the straps, so it might cause irritation if fastened too tightly.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Zookki Action Camera Accessories Kit
What you need to know: This camera accessory kit has everything you need to create the best action content possible.
What you’ll love: This camera kit not only includes a durable chest harness, but several other body mounts as well. There’s a mount for your head to film as closely as possible to what you see, a wrist strap mount and a monopod handle. For water activities, the kit includes a floating handle to keep the camera upright. Several J-hooks, adapters and long screws are included so you can easily change the angle of the camera.
What you should consider: Some users have indicated the kit doesn’t come with any instructions on how to assemble the mount or how the adapters work.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Charlie Fripp writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kark.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/computer-accessories-peripherals-br/best-startech-docking-station/
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Which StarTech docking station is best?
While lightweight, compact laptop computers are great for jobs on the go or when you’re away from your office, there are plenty of times when the larger viewing real estate and connectivity of a traditional desktop computer are desired. Thankfully, StarTech provides docking stations that allow you to greatly expand the usability of your laptop computer.
The StarTech.com USB-C Dock includes a wealth of display and data ports that let you fully integrate your laptop with a wide range of other devices and equipment, including speakers, monitors and more.
What to know before you buy a StarTech docking station
Your requirements
Carefully consider the reasons for which you want to convert your laptop computing experience into one that is more akin to using a desktop. Are you editing video and looking to view your work on a monitor that allows for a less cluttered workspace? Are you in need of multiple displays to let you code and compare designs more easily? Or perhaps, you simply want to be able to create a dedicated, centered area within which to get focused work done without outside distractions.
No matter your reasons, choosing the right docking station means imagining the workspace you hope to create and seeking out a dock that will provide you with the flexibility you need to make it your own.
Your equipment
Take stock of what equipment you will be attaching to your laptop computer while shopping for a docking station. Consider the type and age of the connection that your external monitor requires. If you plan on using your computer with a sound system, be sure to know if your speakers are Bluetooth enabled or require a wired connection to your laptop. Paying close attention to the gear you hope to use will help prevent any compatibility issues you may experience after making an uneducated purchase.
Your laptop’s compatibility
USB-C has risen to become the new standard when it comes to connecting devices. Because of this, the majority of StarTech docking stations fully embrace this option. However, older laptops may not have this particular USB type installed. Depending on your hardware, you may need to seek out an adapter or two to ensure compliance with a brand-new dock.
Thankfully, making the leap from one connectivity standard to another is made easier by the wide availability of adapters and dongles that help bridge the gap between yesterday’s tech and today’s trends. Some StarTech docks even include a USB adapter in the box.
What to look for in a quality StarTech docking station
Ports
One of the biggest reasons to use a docking station is to be able to take advantage of the abundance of ports that they provide. From HDMI to various USB and memory card types, there are docks available for every profession and preference. You will be surprised at how quickly your dock becomes fully occupied with chargers and connected devices. Because of this, select a dock with as many ports as possible.
Monitor connectivity
The convenience of a large, luxurious monitor in your workstation cannot be overstated. Be sure that the dock you purchase includes the correct HDMI ports required for today’s displays. Older monitors that connect via other means may require adapters. Because of the fast pace of display technology, some especially old monitors, sadly, may have to be left behind as you build out your desk.
Size
Select a StarTech dock that is large enough to accommodate your needs but not so big as to hog too much of your valuable desk space. Miniature docks are available alongside standard models, although these units tend to lack many of the ports and features that make the devices attractive in the first place. If you require a large dock but don’t want to sacrifice surface area or prefer to keep the majority of your cables out of sight, you may want to consider mounting your dock out of sight behind your desk.
Additionally, portable docks are available and popular for both their space-saving dimensions as well as the ease with which you can bring them along for business on the move.
Aesthetics
As Apple’s design influences have dominated the tech industry over the last two decades, computer accessories have followed suit. StarTech provides gray and aluminum docks to match Apple’s flagship MacBook models, as well as more universal black and white models. For those who prefer matching devices, there are docks available that will complement your gear and blend seamlessly into your work environment.
How much you can expect to spend on a StarTech docking station
Small, portable StarTech docking stations can be purchased for less than $100. However, powerful units that include Thunderbolt ports and other top-tier features can cost $200-$400.
StarTech docking station FAQ
Will a docking station make my laptop faster?
A. No. Docking stations allow you to connect your laptop to external speakers, monitors and more but they do nothing to enhance the performance of your computer. In fact, an underpowered computer may run slower if connected to too many displays.
Can I connect multiple docks together?
A. In some cases, yes. USB, in particular, is an accessible enough connection that users can sometimes “daisy chain” docks together to expand their usage. However, the functionality may vary depending on the power consumption of the devices you wish to use and with regard to other connections such as HDMI.
Do laptop docks provide storage space?
A. No. Laptop docks allow you to connect your computer to external hard drives, but they contain no internal storage.
What’s the best StarTech docking station to buy?
Top StarTech docking station
What you need to know: With a generous array of ports and a clean, modern design, this dock has everything you need to create the workstation of your dreams.
What you’ll love: You can connect your laptop to three external monitors with this device, putting four displays at your fingertips. Its range of ports allows you to integrate everything from external drives to speakers into your workstation.
What you should consider: Some users have noticed compatibility and driver issues with this dock.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top StarTech docking station for the money
StarTech.com USB C Multiport Adapter
What you need to know: This dock is small and great for traveling, allowing you to convert your laptop into a fully connected work machine wherever you go.
What you’ll love: Available in a range of connectivity and power delivery options, this docking station is small enough to fit into your laptop bag.
What you should consider: Not enough connectivity for some users.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
StarTech.com USB C Multiport Adapter Portable Docking Station for Laptop/Tablet
What you need to know: With both current and legacy ports, this dock allows you to bring some of your older technology into the modern age.
What you’ll love: Including various USB ports, a VGA port, a memory card slot and even a headphone jack, this dock expands the usability of your laptop in every way.
What you should consider: This dock sacrifices the number of ports in favor of variety.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Derek Walborn writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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Which Microsoft Surface tablet is best?
Microsoft Surface tablets are often overlooked in favor of other traditional tablets, but they’re perfect for anyone who wants a lightweight device that can function as a laptop.
Microsoft Surface tablets are high-powered and excellent for all kinds of computing tasks. There are several models, but Microsoft Surface Pro 8 is the best of them all, thanks to its dazzling display and ultra-fast processor.
What to know before you buy a Microsoft Surface tablet
Screen size
Although they’re marketed as two-in-one devices, Microsoft Surface tablets primarily function as tablets. They’re designed to be sleek, lightweight and portable, so they don’t have the screen sizes you typically see on laptops.
The average tablet screen size is 9-13 inches, but Surface tablets are only available in 10-inch and 13-inch models. A larger screen is better for working or streaming movies and TV shows, but it’s not as lightweight or thin as a small screen.
Software
Microsoft Surface tablets all come with the Windows 11 operating system preinstalled. It allows them to function similarly to traditional PCs and is usually the preferred software for those who use their device for work or intensive school projects.
If you’re used to using a different operating system, you might find it challenging to transition to Windows 11, as there’s somewhat of a learning curve for anyone unfamiliar with it.
Battery life
Tablets are meant to be used from viable power sources, so they should last a long time in standby mode. It depends on the duration and type of usage, but a quality tablet lasts around 8 hours on a full charge. Applications vary in power consumption, so naturally, programs that require more will drain a tablet’s battery faster.
What to look for in a quality Microsoft Surface tablet
Storage
While many laptops use hard disk drives for storage, all Surface tablets use solid-state drives. Accessing files on an SSD is faster, making them ideal for tablets.
If you plan to use your tablet for simple tasks like browsing or streaming content, you can opt for a tablet with 64 or 128 gigabytes of storage. However, if you want to use your tablet for work or school, the more storage you have to work with, the better, making models with 256GB or higher more suitable.
Once your tablet’s SSD storage capacity is full, you’ll have to delete or move files if you want to store other data.
Processor
A fast central processing unit is crucial for running applications that require lots of power. You don’t need to worry about this if you plan to use your tablet for light tasks, but it’s an important consideration for anybody looking to use their device for running high-powered programs. However, be advised that the more powerful a tablet’s processor, the more expensive it is.
Random access memory
The more random access memory a device has, the more applications you can run simultaneously without noticing a performance decrease. 4GB of RAM is sufficient for simple browsing and running light applications, but high-powered computing tasks require a minimum of 8GB of RAM to run efficiently.
How much you can expect to spend on a Microsoft Surface tablet
Because of the many different specs that can be customized, the price of a Surface tablet can vary greatly. The entry-level model of the Surface Go 3 is the cheapest at $400, while the Surface Pro 8 with the most high-end specs goes for $1,999.
Microsoft Surface tablet FAQ
Can Surface tablets connect to LTE networks?
A. All models can connect to the internet through Wi-Fi, but some also have cellular/LTE network capabilities for using the internet while on the go. However, you’ll have to contact a network carrier and purchase a data plan if you wish to do so.
Is the Surface Pen accessory necessary?
A. It’s not necessary whatsoever, but it makes games and tasks such as note-taking and drawing on your tablet much more accessible.
What’s the best Microsoft Surface tablet to buy?
Top Microsoft Surface tablet
What you need to know: It’s hands-down the best Surface tablet, as it boasts the best battery life, graphics and delivers superior performance for all kinds of tasks.
What you’ll love: The base model of this tablet comes equipped with 8GB of RAM, 256GB SSD and an Intel Core i5 processor. It has a stunning 13-inch touchscreen display, a kickstand, offers a 120Hz frame refresh rate and supports Fast Charging.
What you should consider: Some find the 8GB of RAM on the base model insufficient for an expensive, high-end tablet.
Where to buy: Sold by Staples and Amazon
Top Microsoft Surface tablet for the money
What you need to know: If you don’t mind sacrificing a bit of processing power, this tablet is an excellent budget-friendly alternative to the Pro 8.
What you’ll love: The base model of this tablet has 4GB of RAM, 64GB SSD and an Intel Core i3 processor. It lasts 8.5 hours on a full charge and has a 10.5-inch touchscreen display, making it lightweight and suitable for traveling.
What you should consider: The screen size is great for streaming media but not as good for those looking for a fully functional computing device.
Where to buy: Sold by Staples and Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: It’s an excellent mid-level tablet with less processing power than the Pro 8 but with similar specs in most other areas.
What you’ll love: The entry-level Pro X model comes with 8GB of RAM, 128GB SSD and a Microsoft SQ1 processor. It’s fast enough for effective multitasking, and although it has a 13-inch display, it’s lightweight, thanks to a 7.3-millimeter thickness design.
What you should consider: Some complained it’s not compatible with many popular programs.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Kevin Luna writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kark.com/reviews/br/health-wellness-br/nutrition-br/premier-protein-shake-vs-fairlife-protein-shake/
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Which protein shake is best: Premier or Fairlife?
A protein shake after an exhausting workout can be highly beneficial. Protein is the most critical macronutrient required for efficient muscle recovery, so getting enough of it is crucial if you exercise or lift weights often.
If you’re trying to decide which protein shake is right for you, Premier and Fairlife are two popular brands you should consider. Both supplements contain significant amounts of protein and other vitamins and nutrients, but the right one for you depends on your body and fitness goals.
Premier protein shake
Premier protein shakes are a great way to supplement your post-workout diet and boost the muscle recovery process, letting you get more out of your workouts and potentially see results faster.
Premier incorporates plenty of protein and other vital nutrients and vitamins in their products, making them an excellent snack or post-workout recovery supplement.
Premier protein shake pros
One serving of a Premier protein shake contains 160 calories and 30 grams of protein, which is more than even most whey isolate protein powders, which usually have 20-28 grams per serving. There are also many essential amino acids, including 6.6 grams of branched-chain amino acids, which are vital for significant muscle recovery and growth.
They have just 1 gram of sugar per serving and are available in 12 low-fat flavors. From chocolate to vanilla to coffee, every flavor is gluten-free, soy-free and appropriate for keto, bariatric and kosher diets. It’s also worth noting that the coffee flavor contains caffeine and that a handful of flavors can substitute for coffee cream.
Premier protein shakes come in ready-made bottle-size servings as well as in a protein powder for mixing at your leisure. It’s up to your preference, but it’s important to note that the premixed drinks contain more sugar per serving than the powder.
Premier protein shake cons
Although Premier shakes contain 24 vitamins and minerals, they don’t have enough nutrients to serve as viable meal replacements. They’re suitable as snacks in between meals and as post-workout supplements only.
Premier shakes also contain a high amount of protein, which can be unnecessary and even harmful if you’re already getting enough of it from your regular diet in the form of healthy whole foods. Also, they contain artificial sweeteners, and if you’re lactose-intolerant, you’re going to want to steer clear of Premier protein shakes.
Fairlife protein shake
Fairlife protein shakes are an excellent workout supplement for those looking to boost muscle recovery following rigorous exercise. They’re light, so you won’t feel too full after drinking one, making them an acceptable snack as well.
Fairlife protein shake pros
The original Fairlife Nutrition Plan shakes have the same protein as Premier shakes at 30 grams per serving. It contains just 150 calories per serving, so it’s 10 fewer than the ready-made Premier protein shakes. In terms of nutrients, it has nine essential amino acids and several vitamins and minerals such as vitamin D, calcium and potassium.
These shakes have plenty of protein, and their low-carb formula makes them an excellent supplement for those seeking to lose weight while maintaining a solid muscle frame. They’re made with ultra-filtered milk, giving them a smooth, creamy texture that’s delicious.
Also, unlike Premier protein shakes, Fairlife shakes are suitable for anybody who’s lactose-intolerant.
Fairlife protein shake cons
They only come in seven flavors, but some users argue that it doesn’t taste as good as other comparable shakes. They’re also pricey, so you might get more bang for your buck with Premier shakes. Also, there isn’t as much diversity in terms of products as with Premier protein products.
Should you get Premier or Fairlife protein shakes?
Both Premier and Fairlife protein shakes work well as workout supplements since they both have plenty of protein and amino acids necessary for muscle recovery. They both also have vitamins and minerals that make them suitable as meal supplements or daytime snacks.
Fairlife shakes are easier on the stomach since they’re lactose-free, so while Premier shakes are also light, Fairlife is arguably the better choice for those following strict diets. However, Premier shakes are available in more unique flavors, so you can try different ones until you find one you like.
Ultimately, both shakes will give you a protein boost sufficient enough to aid in the muscle recovery process, especially if you exercise or lift weights consistently. Although Fairlife shakes have more calories and protein per serving, making them slightly better for those with muscle-building goals, Premier shakes are low in fat, so they’re excellent for anyone looking to lose weight.
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Kevin Luna writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kark.com/reviews/br/home-br/decor-br/best-green-wreath/
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Which green wreath is best?
A green wreath has a classic aesthetic that will never go out of style. Its somewhat traditional design looks nice with many decor schemes. Whether you’re buying one for a specific holiday or for an entire season, you can find a green wreath that suits your tastes.
If you’re in need of the perfect green wreath, consider the Three Posts 24-Inch Red Berries, Pine Cones and Holly Leaves Lighted Wreath. Classic details like holly leaves and red berries give this wreath a look that’s strongly evocative of the holiday season.
What to know before you buy a green wreath
Natural vs. artificial
Live green wreaths will die after a few weeks or, at the most, a couple of months. They can also be quite expensive. While natural wreaths have a limited display time and they’re less affordable than artificial leaves, they offer certain benefits artificial wreaths do not. The pine-branch scent unique to live green wreaths is a top priority for some people and an aspect they are not willing to forgo. And to other people, even the most well-made synthetic wreaths can’t compete with the natural look of live wreaths.
That said, an exquisitely designed and constructed artificial green wreath can masterfully mimic the aesthetic of a natural wreath. Look for materials like silk, which create a more lifelike effect than materials like plastic. Synthetic wreaths also cost less than live wreaths. And you can display them year after year, because they’ll never die.
Year-round vs. seasonal
You might want to display your green wreath year-round or for the entirety of the winter, spring, summer or fall season. If this is the case, avoid wreaths with holiday-specific accents like ornaments, holly berries and mistletoe. Look for design details like ribbons, florals and white string lights instead.
Lit vs. unlit
Speaking of string lights, some green wreaths are pre-strung with them. And not just Christmas wreaths. The main benefit of a lighted wreath is the cheerful glow of the lights on the wreath itself and the surrounding area.
What to look for in a quality green wreath
Fullness
If you want a larger-than-life look from your green wreath, you should choose one with full foliage. Put simply, this means the foliage is substantial in thickness and quantity. As a result, the hole in the center will be smaller. If you prefer a more streamlined style, chances are good that you’ll favor sparse foliage.
Base material
The durability of a wreath is determined in large part by the material that composes the base. Wood and wire are used most frequently. Once the base has been constructed, pine boughs, wheat or straw are wound around it to provide camouflaging.
Type of foliage
The foliage used on a green wreath is determined by the style of the wreath. Leaves in bejeweled fall colors are perfect for autumn. Winter season-themed wreaths typically use pine boughs. And wreaths meant to display in the spring or summer often feature one or more varieties of flowers.
How much you can expect to spend on a green wreath
As stated above, natural wreaths are priced higher than artificial wreaths. A live green wreath might cost you anywhere from $80 to upward of $125. Synthetic wreaths range from $20-$100 in price.
Green wreath FAQ
What kind of design details look nice on a green wreath?
A. While the season ultimately determines the design details used, some are universal. These elements include leaves, fruit, ribbon, string lights and flowers. If you wish to display the wreath in the winter season, you might want to consider a green wreath embellished with white flocking that imitates snow.
What’s the best way to hang a green wreath?
A. You’re no longer limited to using nails to hang your wreath, although this is certainly an option. Instead, you might want to consider brick hangers, command hooks, suction cups, over-the-door wreath hangers or magnetic wreath hangers.
What’s the best green wreath to buy?
Top green wreath
Three Posts 24-Inch Red Berries, Pine Cones and Holly Leaves Lighted Wreath
What you need to know: Finished with design details that epitomize the winter holiday season, this wreath is festive yet understated.
What you’ll love: Faux red berries, pine cones and holly leaves trim the pine branch tips of this seasonal wreath. A light dusting of flocking imitates snowflakes, creating a wintry effect. Fifty pre-strung white LED lights emit a warm glow, welcoming family and friends to your home. The timer turns off the lights for you.
What you should consider: Quality-control issues with shipping were cited by a few buyers, who reported the wreath arrived bent out of shape.
Where to buy: Sold by Wayfair
Top green wreath for the money
The Holiday Aisle 17-Inch Pine, Magnolia and Apple Plastic Wreath
What you need to know: Red apples add a pop of color to this mini wreath, which is versatile enough to display all winter long.
What you’ll love: If you’re seeking a green wreath that has unique design details, consider this petite one. Artificial magnolia leaves and apples differ from the foliage used in the design of most wreaths. They give the wreath a look that’s suitable for the entirety of the winter season.
What you should consider: At least one buyer felt the wreath didn’t look realistic, and they were also disappointed in its small size.
Where to buy: Sold by Wayfair
Worth checking out
Greyleigh Gold Ornaments, Gold Leaves and Pine Cones Elegance Lighted Wreath
What you need to know: Sparkling gold accents inject this wreath with rich hues that elevate the design to elegant effect.
What you’ll love: Glittering gold artificial leaves with a cutout design, along with gold ornaments and pinecones embellished with a gold finish, make this wreath glamorous. The simplicity of the lines and the deep green hue of the pine branches ground the aesthetic keep it sophisticated. One hundred clear white LED lights provide a cheerful glow.
What you should consider: A handful of buyers felt the wreath looked different in real life than it did in the image online.
Where to buy: Sold by Wayfair
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Megan Oster writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kark.com/reviews/br/kitchen-br/coffee-accessories-br/best-coffee-maker-with-grinder/
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Which coffee maker with a grinder is best?
The smell of fresh coffee is one of life’s greatest pleasures. What makes it even better is a coffee maker with a grinder that grinds the beans as you need them for perfect flavor every time.
When you can’t decide whether you want to have coffee or espresso, the Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine is a good choice for both.
What to know before you buy a coffee maker with a grinder
Type of grinder
A coffee maker with a grinder can come with one of two types of grinders: blade or burr.
- Blade: Blade grinders are the most economical choice and the simplest to operate. Two or more blades spin to grind the coffee. These blades get the job done, but they can produce inconsistent results. Some coffee beans come out finely ground, while others might remain nearly whole.
- Burr: Grinders are the choice of coffee connoisseurs. Two abrasive grinding surfaces called burrs rub the coffee together between them to grind it. This type of grinder is more expensive, but the results are more consistent and produce a delicious cup of coffee every time.
Drip coffee vs. espresso
Once you decide which type of grinder you want your coffee maker to include, you’ll need to decide whether you want drip coffee or espresso. This is largely a matter of preference, but it’s also a matter of time. Drip coffee can be made with less hands-on time, but espresso requires more attention.
In addition, drip coffee makers make hot coffee for a crowd, but espresso makers can only produce enough for one or two drinks at a time. Espresso is stronger and may not be to the taste of casual coffee drinkers.
Capacity
The capacity of your coffee maker varies depending on whether or not it produces drip coffee or espresso, as well as the size of each of these machines. It’s possible to get a single-serve drip coffee maker with a built-in grinder, and you can also find espresso machines that pull two or more shots at once.
Which you select depends on the number of coffee drinkers in your household, plus the amount of counter or storage space you have. Large espresso machines take up more real estate than a simple drip coffee maker.
What to look for in a quality coffee maker with a grinder
Grind settings
When you’re investing in a coffee maker with a grinder, make sure it has enough grind settings to suit your tastes and the coffee you’re making. If you aren’t particular, a single grind setting may work for you, but for those who like to vary the strength of their coffee, look for different settings such as extra-fine, fine, medium, medium-coarse and coarse. These allow you to customize the strength and flavor of your brew.
Carafe
Carafes are most common with drip coffee makers. Coffee brews directly into a carafe, which keeps it hot for hours. The benefit of a carafe is that the coffee won’t continue to cook on a heated plate.
Timer
There’s nothing quite like waking up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee. The best coffee makers with grinders come with a timer that can be programmed the night before to freshly grind beans and brew coffee before you get out of bed.
Auto shutoff
The auto shutoff feature is great for those days when you sleep through the alarm (and the sound of coffee grinding). It’s a safety feature that also protects your coffee from burning and ruining the pot.
Water filter
High-quality coffee makers use filtered water to preserve the subtle flavors of the coffee without interference from any minerals or additives in tap water. If you don’t want to use bottled water to make coffee, look for a coffee maker that features a built-in water filter.
How much you can expect to spend on a coffee maker with a grinder
The price range for coffee makers with grinders is wide and depends on the type of coffee you make, the grinder and other features. Expect to spend $70-$600 or more.
Coffee maker with grinder FAQ
Do freshly ground beans really make a difference?
A. Yes. Different coffee varieties have subtle differences in flavor and even texture that are lost when beans are ground and prepackaged in the grocery store. These grocery store ground coffee beans can be months old, and even sealed, they begin to lose their subtle flavor quickly. Grinding only the amount of beans you need each day for coffee ensures that the freshness, flavor and aroma of your coffee is preserved.
Grinding your own coffee at home also allows you to control the fineness of the grind so you can customize your cup to your specific tastes.
How do you store coffee beans?
A. Coffee beans begin to deteriorate in the presence of moisture, air and light. To keep them fresh longer, invest in an opaque, airtight canister. Store this canister in a cool, dark place (i.e. a cabinet or the top shelf of your fridge). Don’t leave coffee beans out on the counter or next to the stove. The light and heat will cause them to break down quickly.
Without storage in an airtight container, your coffee beans will only last for a week or two before losing their flavor.
What’s the best coffee maker with grinder to buy?
Top coffee maker with grinder
Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine
What you need to know: This produces coffee shop-quality espresso drinks in your own kitchen.
What you’ll love: The temperature is easy to control for perfect brewing every time. The grinder is easy to operate and clean, and this machine comes with both drip coffee and espresso capabilities. It also has a hot water dispenser and an automatic shutoff.
What you should consider: Plastic parts inside the machine make this less sturdy than its commercial counterparts.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Sur La Table
Top coffee maker with grinder for the money
Black + Decker 12-Cup Mill and Brew Coffeemaker
What you need to know: This machine is easy to use and produces a delicious cup of coffee.
What you’ll love: The filter and grinder are integrated for mess-free brewing. It also takes already-ground coffee, if needed. You can customize the strength of your brew with simple programming, and the automatic shutoff feature is available. This is good for a crowd, with a 12-cup capacity.
What you should consider: If you break the carafe or any other parts, you need to order directly from the manufacturer.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
Worth checking out
Cuisinart DGB-400 Automatic Grind & Brew Coffeemaker
What you need to know: This coffee maker works well in small kitchens.
What you’ll love: Coffee beans are ground just before brewing for the freshest cup of coffee. It can be programmed for a hands-off morning cup.
What you should consider: There’s only one grind size.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Suzannah Kolbeck writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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How to choose the best baseball bat for your needs
Unless you play Major League Baseball, you have a choice when it comes to picking the material for your bat. Your options are wood, aluminum or composite. Each of these materials provides the player with a distinct set of advantages. Each also has an inherent set of drawbacks.
When shopping for a baseball bat, you must consider what your needs are and match the type of bat to those needs. A wood bat still has its place, even though aluminum and composite bats offer a performance advantage.
Wood baseball bats
Because of safety (and other) issues, the MLB only uses ash, birch and maple bats. If you want to play like a pro, this would be your bat of choice. It honors tradition and offers a little more safety, although a pair of quality batting gloves will come in handy to reduce the sting.
Wood baseball bats pros
- From a budget perspective, wood bats are appealing because of their lower cost.
- Wood bats are the best bat for training because they provide the most feedback. This helps the player improve their swing mechanics.
- Wood bats are safer because the bat doesn’t increase the ball’s velocity like other materials.
Wood baseball bats cons
- Wood bats break more easily than aluminum or composite bats.
- The sweet spot on a wood bat is smaller than it is on the other options.
- Wood bats are the heaviest type of bat, which means they are harder to swing and may be smaller in size, so they won’t provide as much plate coverage.
Best wood baseball bats
The Big Stick is certified for MLB play. It is made of maple and employs a heavier barrel, making it ideal for power hitters.
Sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods
Louisville Slugger Series 3X Ash Bat
This bat is from a trusted name in baseball. It is made of ash and has a natural finish. The large sweet spot and lighter weight make this a favorite.
Sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods
Wilson Sporting Goods Louisville Slugger
This 27-inch wood bat is cupped for reduced weight. The black design features red lettering so your bat is sharp looking and easy to identify.
Sold by Amazon
Aluminum baseball bats
Aluminum bats were introduced to college baseball in the early ’70s to cut down on the rising costs of replacing broken wood bats. Besides being more durable, aluminum is lighter than wood and provides more pop when hitting a ball. However, aluminum bats are not without their downsides.
Aluminum baseball bat pros
- Aluminum bats are best when they are new — there is no break-in period required.
- Aluminum bats have a larger sweet spot, which makes them ideal for a beginner who is having trouble hitting with any sort of power.
- Aluminum bats have a trampoline effect. When the bat makes contact, some of the energy is transferred to the ball, making it travel farther and faster than a ball hit by a wood bat.
- The lighter weight of an aluminum bat means they can be longer and larger, giving the player greater plate coverage and a faster swing.
Aluminum baseball bat cons
- Although an aluminum bat will rarely break, it can lose its pop over time. The more imperfections the bat gains from hitting balls, the more its performance deteriorates.
- Aluminum bats cost slightly more than wooden bats, but they are less than composite bats.
- With an aluminum bat, there is less feedback sent to the batter, so it can be harder for a beginner to develop proper swing mechanics.
Best aluminum baseball bats
Louisville Slugger Omaha USA Youth Bat
The Omaha USA youth bat features a one-piece construction. It feels solid in the batter’s hands and offers enhanced energy transfer. It has a cushioned leather grip for increased comfort and control.
Sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods
The lightweight construction of this bat gives the player increased speed, letting them get more power behind their swing. It has a cushioned grip and is approved for all associations that follow the USA Baseball standard.
Sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods
This affordable aluminum bat is for entry-level T-ball players. The ultralightweight design is suitable for ages 7 and under. It has a large sweet spot to deliver greater satisfaction and foster confidence.
Sold by Amazon
Composite baseball bats
A composite baseball bat is made of carbon fiber. These crystalline filaments are thinner than a strand of human hair but become remarkably rugged when twisted together. It is a lightweight material that has incredible strength. Some composite bats are made from a single piece of material, while others are two-piece items: a handle and a barrel. A two-piece bat is better for the average player because it doesn’t transfer as much vibration to the hands after a solid hit. Advanced players with greater speed and power, however, may opt for one-piece bats.
Composite baseball bat pros
- Composite bats are the lightest baseball bats available. This lets manufacturers make longer bats without increasing the weight so players have greater plate coverage.
- Since most composite bats have a two-piece design, they are less likely to sting a player’s hands.
- Composite bats have a larger sweet spot, which makes them best for inexperienced players.
- Over time, the trampoline effect increases on a composite bat.
Composite baseball bat cons
- Composite bats are not as durable as aluminum bats, and it is possible to break them.
- Compost bats cost more than wood bats and aluminum bats.
- A composite bat is not ready to go out of the box. You need to break it in. This process takes anywhere from 150 to 300 hits.
Best composite baseball bats
Louisville Slugger Meta BBCOR Bat
This is a high-end composite bat that is best for the serious player. It features a large barrel with a balanced design and a comfortable yet secure grip.
Sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods
Easton Ghost X Hyperlite Youth Bat
This composite bat from Easton is 29 inches long but only weighs 18 ounces. It has a large sweet spot and a balanced swing weight that makes it a good choice for beginners.
Sold by Amazon
This bat is available in five sizes ranging from 27-31 inches. It features an ultralightweight design to help young players succeed. The lower price adds value.
Sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods
Should you get a wood, aluminum or composite baseball bat?
For the average player, an aluminum bat wins out because it offers the best of all worlds. It has a large sweet spot, a lightweight design, and it is available at a reasonable price. However, if you have an unlimited budget, a composite bat might edge out an aluminum bat. A composite bat won’t help you hit the ball farther, but the larger barrel and lighter weight design could up your batting average. For players who want to perfect their swing mechanics, however, there is no better option than using a wood bat at practice.
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Allen Foster writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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Which backpack leaf blower is best?
If you have a yard or patch of land, you may have some difficulty dealing with leaves in the fall. Smaller yards with fewer trees usually clean up easily with a handheld leaf blower. But if you have a large plot that has plenty of foliage, you might want to consider investing in a backpack leaf blower. These handy devices can significantly cut your workload. And there are a number of worthwhile options in every price range.
The best backpack leaf blower for most consumers is the Echo PB-580T due to its budget-friendly price, performance, weight and reliability.
What to know before you buy a backpack leaf blower
They’re perfect for large jobs
Since backpack leaf blowers are considerably more powerful than handheld models, you won’t have to walk as much. They transfer the bulk of the weight to your back, hips and legs instead of your shoulders and arms.
Most importantly, they let you work on your entire property without being tethered to an electrical outlet. It’s this versatility that makes backpack leaf blowers the go-to choice for contractors and commercial lawn care outfits.
Noise factor
Backpack leaf blowers pack more power than handheld models because it has an internal combustion engine. One of the biggest issues with this is how much noise it makes. Four-cycle backpack leaf blowers are usually in the neighborhood of 70-80 decibels, and two-cycle models can easily exceed 90 decibels. Aside from wearing proper ear protection, you’ll need to consider noise level regulations. Some communities have laws prohibiting the use of lawn power tools that exceed 65 decibels.
Fuel blend
Most backpack leaf blowers have two-cycle engines, which use a combination of gasoline and motor oil. It’s extremely important to remember to use this blend since the wrong mixture could wreck your leaf blower. Most use a fuel-to-oil blend, but this can vary based on the model. Take time to review the manufacturer’s instructions carefully to ensure you use the right formula.
What to look for in a quality backpack leaf blower
Airspeed and cubic feet per minute
Both velocity and volume are important considerations. They’re related but not necessarily correlated. These factors vary depending on the design of the specific model and brand. If you want a truly effective backpack leaf blower that can handle a good amount of space, look for leaf blowers with a velocity of nearly 200 mph or more and at least 500 CFM in volume.
Throttle position
The leaf blower’s throttle control location is a subtle but important detail. Most users find that tube-mounted throttles are more convenient and comfortable to use. Leaf blowers with hip-mounted throttles tend to be slightly less expensive, but that depends on the brand. Ultimately, the choice will come down to your personal preference.
How much you can expect to spend on a backpack leaf blower
The most affordable backpack leaf blowers cost just over $200. The best options for private landowners are in the $500-$700 range. Those with landscaping businesses that do multiple jobs a week might want to invest in even more expensive models, some up in the thousands.
Backpack leaf blower FAQ
Are battery-powered backpack leaf blowers worth it?
A. Not really. If you have enough land and debris to need a backpack leaf blower, there aren’t battery-powered models that will last long enough to complete the job. To be clear, some systems allow you to strap high-powered, long-lasting batteries to your back for running specific leaf blowers, but they cost over $1,000.
What’s the best safety equipment for using a backpack leaf blower?
A. Wear work boots with plenty of traction as well as durable pants and long-sleeve shirts. These are important basics when working with any potentially hazardous tools. In addition, you should also use other safety equipment when using a commercial-grade leaf blower, such as protective glasses, earmuffs, earplugs and work gloves. All of these will keep you safe and ensure you’re protected while you’re using this heavy-duty equipment.
What’s the best backpack leaf blower to buy?
Top backpack leaf blower
What you need to know: It combines the performance of a commercial leaf blower with a consumer-friendly cost and lightweight design.
What you’ll love: It’s powerful enough to satisfy homeowners with large plots and plenty of brush. Echo is a well-respected manufacturer, so it’s an investment you can trust. It boasts a maximum airspeed of 215 mph and weighs just over 22 pounds.
What you should consider: One of its few drawbacks is that you can’t adjust or repair the carburetor.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot and Amazon
Top backpack leaf blower for the money
What you need to know: This relatively affordable option doesn’t sacrifice power or comfort.
What you’ll love: It’s one of the rare options that is less than $300 and still offers long-lasting effectiveness. It’s about as light as they come and significantly more powerful than a handheld mode.
What you should consider: It doesn’t quite have the same kind of power that many lawn care professionals need.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot
Worth checking out
What you need to know: Put simply, this four-cycle model is a beast of a leaf blower.
What you’ll love: It has more raw power and speed than just about any other option. Plus, since it uses a four-cycle motor, the sound it makes isn’t quite as painfully loud as others. If you need premium performance for professional jobs, this one is a great choice.
What you should consider: While it outperforms much of the competition, it may be too much power for the average homeowner.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
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Chris Thomas writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — The United States on Thursday returned a cache of smuggled ancient artifacts to Libya as the oil-rich Mediterranean country struggles to protect its heritage against the backdrop of years of war, turmoil and unrest.
The repatriated items include two sculptures dating to the 4th century B.C. from the ancient city of Cyrene.
One, named the “Veiled Head of a Female,” was previously in the hands of a private collector of other illegal artifacts, according to a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Libya. The other, also a Hellenic bust, had been at the Metropolitan Museum of New York since 1998, the statement said. Both were displayed by Libyan antiquities officials at a reception ceremony in the country’s capital, Tripoli.
Libyan antiquities authorities thanked American officials and law enforcement for the returned items and said that they looked forward to future cooperation. The embassy credited the work of the Manhattan District Attorney’s office and Homeland Security Investigations officials for the recovery of the artifacts.
“Although these antiquities were brought illegally to the United States by traffickers, legal efforts have succeeded in returning them to their country of origin,” the embassy statement read.
Libya boasts many ancient Greek and Roman structures, along with a wealth of ancient artifacts in its major museum in the capital of Tripoli and in other museums countrywide, though its archeological sites have been plundered for decades.
Libya has been wrecked by chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. The country was after that split for years between rival administrations in the east and the west, each supported by an array of militias and foreign governments.
Large-scale fighting has only stopped in the past year, but Libyans have yet to unite under a single political leadership, despite strenuous U.N.-led efforts.
The Greeks founded the settlement of Cyrene, close to the modern town of Shahat, in the 4th century B.C. It was later incorporated into the Roman empire. The United Nations added Cyrene to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1982 and it has been classified as a location that is particularly endangered due to neglect and looting since 2016.
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https://www.kark.com/science/wwf-report-says-online-wildlife-trade-on-rise-in-myanmar/
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BANGKOK (AP) — A report by the World Wildlife Fund shows illegal purchases of wildlife online are growing in Myanmar in a threat both to public health and to endangered species.
Thereport issued Fridayfound that enforcement of bans on such transactions has weakened amid political turmoil following a 2021 military takeover.
The number of such dealings rose 74% over a year earlier to 11,046, nearly all of them involving sales of live animals. For the 173 species traded, 54 are threatened with global extinction, the report said.
Researchers identified 639 Facebook accounts belonging to wildlife traders. The largest online trading group had more than 19,000 members and dozens of posts per week, it said.
The animals and animal parts bought and sold involved elephants, bears and gibbons, Tibetan antelope, critically endangered pangolins and an Asian giant tortoise. The most popular mammals were various species of langurs and monkeys, often bought as pets.
Most of the animals advertised for sale were taken from the wild. They also included civets, which along with pangolins have been identified as potential vectors in the spread of diseases such as SARS and COVID-19.
Shaun Martin, who heads the WWF’s Asia-Pacific regional cybercrime project, said monitoring of the online wildlife trade shows different species being kept close together, sometimes in the same cage.
“With Asia’s track record as a breeding ground for many recent zoonotic diseases, this sharp uptick in online trade of wildlife in Myanmar is extremely concerning,” he said.
The unregulated trade in wild species and resulting interactions between wild species and humans raise the risks of new and possibly vaccine-resistant mutations of illnesses such as the COVID-19 that could evolve undetected in non-human hosts into more dangerous variants of disease, experts say.
COVID-19 is one of manydiseases traced back to animals. The killing and sale of what is known as bushmeat in Africa was thought to be a source for Ebola. Bird flu likely came from chickens at a market in Hong Kong in 1997. Measles is believed to have evolved from a virus that infected cattle.
“Illegal wildlife trade is a serious concern from the point of view of biodiversity preservation and conservation and its potential impact on health security,” said Mary Elizabeth G. Miranda, an expert on zoonotic diseases and illness and CEO of the Field Epidemiology Training Program Alumni Foundation in the Philippines.
Social media and other online platforms have joined a worldwide effort to crack down on the thriving trade in birds, reptiles, mammals and animal parts. In Myanmar, much of the trade in wildlife is through Facebook, which as a member of the Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking online has taken action to block or remove accounts of people engaged in such transactions.
But as is true elsewhere, new accounts often pop up just as soon as old ones are shut down, hindering enforcement, the report noted. Easy online access to the animals also is driving up demand, worsening the problem.
Discussions of purchases of protected species often took place in open Facebook groups, suggesting that such dealings remain “largely risk-free,” the report said. Since payments and deliveries often are done using messenger apps, controlling the problem is doubly difficult.
Highlighting the lack of enforcement, people in the illegal wildlife trade in Myanmar often use rudimentary methods of moving the animals and animal products around — with buses being the usual form of transport.
The study by WWF in Myanmar focused on trade online of animals and other creatures inside the country, though there were some imports from neighboring Thailand, mainly of birds such as cockatoos and parrots and of crocodiles, to India.
Some deals might involve animals or parts being sent into China, it said.
The conservation group said it plans future studies to better understand Myanmar’s role in the global trade in endangered species.
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https://www.kark.com/sports/golf/english-sits-out-masters-while-recovering-from-hip-surgery/
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AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP)Harris English has decided not to play in the Masters next week as he recovers from surgery to repair a torn labrum.
English was a two-time winner on the PGA Tour last year and finished third in the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. He has not played since the Sony Open in Honolulu the second week of the year.
”I’m progressing very well from recent hip surgery, but have to exercise caution as I return to play,” English said on Twitter.
There are no alternates at the Masters, an invitation tournament. That puts the field at 90 players, with one spot available if the Texas Open winner this week is not eligible.
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More AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports
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https://www.kark.com/sports/golf/knox-uses-4-birdie-run-for-a-one-stroke-lead-at-texas-open/
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« 6 months post partum, post birth body photo (March – Summer )\t». 352. In your article you mentioned you have noticed this also (independant confirmable by Google image recaptured 🕺), though i’d bet Google, just isn’thideous enough yet at hiding its in a 2d dimension\n50mW 3d laser for diysnails & beauty in our Shenzhen SAN ANTONIO (AP)Russell Knox recorded four straight birdies on the back nine and fired a 7-under 65 on Thursday for a one-shot lead after the opening round of the Valero Texas Open.
Knox closed out his round with a seven-foot putt to save par at the par-5 18th at TPC San Antonio, and was one shot ahead of Rasmus Hojgaard.
Hojgaard fired a 66 despite a double bogey on his final hole. Matt Kuchar is another stroke back after an opening 5-under 67 and is among a group that includes Denny McCarthy, Aaron Rei and J.J. Spaun.
Defending champ Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy finished at even-par 72. They were outside the top 60 after one round and could flirt with the cut line on Friday.
Bryson DeChambeau had a 1-over 73. After holing a bunker shot for eagle on his 11th hole and following with a birdie on the next, he made bogey on four of his last six holes.
Knox, a 32-year-old Scotsman with two career PGA Tour wins, started his birdie streak at No. 12. All of his birdie putts were inside 10 feet. At the 15th, he was about 20 feet away from a back pin position following his approach and chipped in from the fringe. It was his second chip-in in the round.
”That was one of those kind of bonus birdies that you need when you’re going to have a good day,” Knox said. ”Obviously thrilled with the round. It’s been more of the way I want to play.”
Hogjaard, a 21-year-old from Denmark and two-rime winner on the European Tour, had his sights on the first-round lead heading to his closing hole. But, his drive sailed well left of the fairway. It took him four shots to reach the green on the par-4 ninth.
”I had to chip sideways back into the fairway,” he said. ”Just was a little too aggressive after that. Yeah, short-sided myself and I didn’t get up and down and suddenly you walk away with double-bogey. Yeah, that was a bit annoying, but it happens.”
Kuchar was 5 under after 11 holes. Thirty feet away from the pin on the next hole, he failed to get up and down and missed a seven-foot putt for par. He got a shot back with a birdie on his 14th hole, and parred out, falling short in a bid to match his season-best round of 64 at the Sony Open, where he finished in the top 10.
”A lot of good and bad that can happen here on this course,” Kuchar said. ”I was kind of managing early on in the round and then found a little something on about the fifth or sixth hole. I started having some birdie chances and converted on a few late in my first nine.”
Kuchar has won nine times on the PGA Tour. McCarthy, Rai and Spaun are looking for their first.
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More AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports
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https://www.kark.com/sports/golf/kupcho-lee-share-early-lead-in-last-major-at-mission-hills/
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RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (AP)Jennifer Kupcho shared the lead Thursday in The Chevron Championship in her second – and last – start at Mission Hills, the tree-lined layout she has quickly fallen in love with.
”Honestly, I think it’s just being comfortable on this golf course,” Kupcho said. ”I get here and I just, I feel comfortable. I love this place.”
Kupcho shot a 6-under 66 in sunny and calm morning conditions to join fellow early starter Minjee Lee atop the leaderboard after the first round of the final edition of the major championship at Mission Hills.
”I really like the layout of this golf course, the beautiful shape that it’s in every year,” Kupcho said. ”It always is so fun to be here, so just taking advantage of how much I like the course and the atmosphere.”
Unable to find a sponsor willing to remain at Mission Hills, the tournament that started in 1972 as the Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner’s Circle and became a major in 1983 is shifting to Houston next year under a deal with Chevron.
”Definitely sad,” Carolina Masson said after a 68. ”I understand why we’re doing it, but I’m just trying to soak in every second being out here. The golf course is playing as good as ever.”
Defending champion Patty Tavatanakit was a stroke back, finishing late in the afternoon in gusting wind.
”Really proud,” Tavatanakit said. ”I feel like I really got my momentum going, was really present today.”
Kupcho birdied Nos. 11-14 to get to 8 under, then bogeyed the next two holes. She birdied four of the first five and finished with nine birdies and three bogeys.
”You really need to hit fairways on a major golf course, so that was like my biggest thing today, to hit a bunch of fairways,” Kupcho said. ”That really set me up for all my birdies.”
Winless on the LPGA Tour, Kupcho won the 2018 NCAA individual title for Wake Forest and took the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur the following year after passing up a spot that week at Mission Hills.
The 24-year-old from Colorado arrived early in the desert after missing the cut Friday in Carlsbad. ”I just used the two days that I did have on the weekend to come here and practice,” she said.
Lee birdied all four par 5s in a bogey-free round on the mountain-framed course.
”It was perfect,” Lee said. ”Not like a breath of wind when we played. Maybe just a tiny bit. But conditions are great. Putting greens are rolling real nice. I don’t think you can get better than that.”
The 25-year-old Australian, ranked fourth in the world, won the Evian Championship last summer for her first major title and sixth LPGA Tour victory.
”I know I have one under my belt, but I do want a little bit more,” Lee said. ”I just think I have a little bit more belief in myself and my game, so I can be a little bit more comfortable just hitting the shots.”
Third-ranked Lydia Ko, the 2015 champion, was at 68 with Masson, Anna Nordqvist, Georgia Hall, Gabriela Ruffels and Pajaree Anannarukarn. Lexi Thompson, the 2014 winner, was another stroke back with Sarah Schmelzel, Annie Park, Lauren Stephenson, Pauline Roussin-Bouchard and Hinako Shibuno.
Thompson marveled at course she first played as a 14-year-old amateur.
”I’ve never seen it this good,” Thompson said. ”It always surprises me every year. It’s always better. The greens are amazing. I’m one to putt and usually aim at things along the way, and there is just not an imperfection on greens to aim at. It’s a good problem.”
Schmelzel is making her fourth appearance.
”This place is really special,” Schmelzel said. ”I feel like growing up watching the LPGA Tour, these are holes that I remember. These are holes that I wanted to be on one day.”
Park played as a single in the first group in the afternoon off the first tee.
”It was kind of weird the first couple holes just playing by myself,” Park said. ”It was really peaceful.”
Top-ranked Jin Young Ko, the 2019 winner, shot a 74 to end her under-par streak at 34 rounds. Her run of at least one birdie ended at 53 rounds.
”I was hitting lots of great shots, but my putting wasn’t good,” she said. ”I couldn’t see the break as much or speed. Everything was wrong.”
Ally Ewing and Moriya Jutanugarn had an eventful finish on the par-5 18th when the sprinklers on the green turned on at about 6 p.m. as Ewing was preparing for a 4-foot birdie putt. After a short delay, she holed out for a 70.
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More AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports
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https://www.kark.com/sports/golf/masters-22-facts-figures-for-the-86th-masters-tournament/
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import requestsHelperClass_ from @elastic/*/http/resources/requests.el'\n@echo off\nFOR ADS :\nrem for aad-ds we add -all- instead off -full because there are special AD users on which full - does not exist any data to fill in AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP)A brief look at the Masters:
Tournament: The 86th Masters.
Dates: April 7-10.
Site: Augusta National Golf Club.
Length: 7,510 yards.
Par: 36-36-72.
Purse: To be determined ($11.5 million in 2021).
Field: 91 players (six amateurs), with one spot open for Texas Open winner.
Cut: Top 50 and ties.
Defending champion: Hideki Matsuyama.
Last year: Matsuyama became the first Masters champion from Japan with his one-shot victory over Will Zalatoris. Staked to a four-shot lead at the start of the final round, he widened his lead to six shots. Xander Schauffele narrowed the gap to two shots until hitting into the water on the 16th hole. Matsuyama’s victory came 10 years after he was low amateur, having earned his spot at Augusta National by winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur. The most poignant moment was his caddie replacing the pin at No. 18, removing his cap and bowing to the course.
Tiger tales: Five-time champion Tiger Woods has not played since the Masters in November 2020 as he recovers from serious leg injuries suffered in a February 2021 car crash. His plane was spotted in Augusta, Georgia, on March 29. He has until the opening round to decide whether to play.
Saudi tales: The distraction and disruption of a Saudi-funded rival league has dominated headlines in the spring. The top 10 players in the world have said they are sticking with the PGA Tour. Greg Norman then announced an eight-tournament schedule with $20 million purses.
Grand Slam, Act VIII: Rory McIlroy tries for the eighth time to win the Masters and complete the career Grand Slam.
Now on the tee: Two-time champion Tom Watson joins Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player as honorary starters.
Course changes: Tees have been moved back 15 yards and to the left on No. 11 and several trees on the right were removed. Tees were moved back 20 yards on No. 15.
The odds ( FanDuel Sportsbook ): Jon Rahm (+950), Collin Morikawa (+1100), Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas (+1200), Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson (+1400), Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler (+1600), Brooks Koepka, Viktor Hovland, Xander Schauffele (+1800), Hideki Matsuyama (+2900), Tiger Woods (+5000).
Key statistic: Sam Burn is the fourth player since 2013 to have won three times in a PGA Tour season before making his Masters debut. Collin Morikawa (2020) tied for 44th, Jimmy Walker (2014) tied for eighth and Patrick Reed (2014) missed the cut.
Noteworthy: Ten of the top 12 players in the world ranking are 30 or younger.
Quoteworthy: ”It’s the ultimate test. It intimidates you all day – really, really intimidates you. And if you can handle it, that’s very impressive.” – Padraig Harrington.
Television: Thursday-Friday, 3-7:30 p.m. (ESPN); Saturday, 3-7 p.m. (CBS); Sunday, 2-7 p.m. (CBS).
Interactive: Masters.com. Live video channels from the 4th, 5th and 6th holes, Amen Corner, the 15th hole, 16th hole and a featured group. Estimated times – hole Nos. 4,5 and 6 from 8:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the weekend; Amen Corner (Nos. 11, 12 and 13) from 10:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and from 11:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the weekend; Nos. 15 and 16 from 11:45 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and from 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on the weekend; and featured group from 9:15 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and from 10:15 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the weekend. The Masters iPad application will display the video channels and a live digital simulcast of CBS Sports’ weekend coverage.
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More AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports
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