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The annual migration is coming. This isn’t movement of mule deer or pronghorn, but of a critter much smaller and harder to detect: the tiger salamander.
These amphibians measure about 6 inches long with a mottled body of dark green or black with yellow splotches. They lack scales; instead, their skin is smooth and moist.
It’s that time of year when tiger salamanders emerge from their winter holes underground, often in cracks of house foundations, in window wells and even basements. They tend to dig deep enough to escape the frostline before going into hibernation.
As spring arrives, they dig themselves out and head for shallow ponds, preferably ones lacking fish since the fish tend to feed on their eggs. Such conditions are found at Stink Lake, the informal name given to the pond in the middle of LaBonte Park.
Mason Lee, senior project coordinator of the Biodiversity Institute, said the annual migration is fraught with danger for the animals since it often involves crossing busy city streets. They move at night, making it difficult for motorists to see them.
Because the migration tends to be triggered by specific conditions, humans can lend a hand it getting the salamanders out of the street and safely to Stink Lake.
“Rain is the big trigger,” Lee said. “When rain falls through the afternoon and into the evening with a temperature above freezing, that’s when the salamanders are likely to move.”
This isn’t movement of one or two salamanders in a night, Lee points out, but can be more than 100 in just a few hours.
“Last year we moved 250 salamanders off the road in two different nights,” Lee said. “They tend to move until it gets too cold and the rain turns to snow.”
This year volunteers can sign up on the University of Wyoming Biodiversity Institute website to get an email notice when the migration is imminent. Notifications will be sent one to two hours before movement is expected and those who are available can meet at LaBonte Park just before dark.
“We’ll provide safety training on how to handle the salamanders and talk about the importance of watching for traffic,” Lee said. “Everyone wears a safety vest and gloves that we provide. We’ll have buckets where the salamanders can be placed to get them over to Stink Lake.”
The response has been quite high, with more than 200 people already signed up for the notification.
New this year is another event celebrating the annual migration: Salamander Saturday. The event, held at the Berry Center on the University of Wyoming campus from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. next Saturday.
“We’ll have events geared toward adults, as well as others for children of all ages,” Lee said. “We’ll even have our two salamanders, Tim and Tad, there so everyone can see what they look like.”
In addition to story time featuring books about salamanders, biologists present a seminar about the animals. Then there’s a little competition, geared for adults, on salamander trivia.
“If you think you know your tiger salamander, this will test your knowledge,” Lee said. “Participants might want to study ahead of time if they really want to win our special prize of salamander chopsticks.”
Lee reminds residents to be on the lookout in their window wells for salamanders that might get trapped and unable to migrate. The Biodiversity Institute also has a site where such observations can be reported so more can be discovered about these amphibians not only in Laramie, but in all urban areas of Wyoming.
“Observations can be made throughout the year,” Lee said. “If you find a salamander that is trapped, they are fine to pick up and move. The animals are harmless and it’s fine to touch them.”
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/salamander-migration-around-stink-lake-expected-soon/article_f8e723af-2eb6-5806-9ab7-29bd0663b20f.html
| 2022-04-02T12:40:33Z
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/salamander-migration-around-stink-lake-expected-soon/article_f8e723af-2eb6-5806-9ab7-29bd0663b20f.html
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Barrasso leads legislation to establish national strategic uranium reserve
U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, has joined three other senators in introducing the National Opportunity to Restore Uranium Supply Services In America (NO RUSSIA) Act of 2022.
Co-sponsors of the NO RUSSIA Act include Sens. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo.; Roger Marshall, R-Kan., and Kevin Cramer, R-North Dakota.
The legislation would authorize the Department of Energy to establish a national strategic uranium reserve, according to a Thursday news release from Barrasso’s office. It would also increase domestic uranium production, conversion and enrichment to ensure existing U.S. nuclear reactors have sufficient fuel to continue operating.
“Having access to American produced uranium is critical to both our energy and national security,” Barrasso said in the release. “We cannot be reliant on our adversaries for fuel we have here at home. My legislation will jumpstart America’s nuclear fuel supply chain. It will increase demand for Wyoming uranium and ensure America will always have the fuel it needs to power our nuclear reactors.”
Barrasso’s office expects that a House version of this bill could be introduced next week, according to a spokesperson. “This bill was developed with broad industry stakeholder support, including from the Uranium Producers of America,” she wrote in an email to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. Barrasso “looks forward to working with industry and members in both chambers to make this a bipartisan effort.”
The bill number is S-3978. Read the text of the bill online at https://tinyurl.com/uranium-reserve-bill.
This new legislation is connected to Barrasso’s bill, S-3856, according to his spokesperson. That earlier proposal would bar importing to the U.S. uranium from the Russian federation.
Alzheimer’s Association to expand rural outreach
The Alzheimer’s Association of Wyoming has received a $25,000 grant from the Daniels Fund to expand the association’s outreach efforts in rural Wyoming.
The one-year grant will provide the association with resources to reach into underserved communities across the state. Community forums will be one tool to meet with local residents to raise awareness of the programs and services provided at no charge to Wyoming families.
The association also will be looking to increase the involvement of volunteers across the state to deliver educational programs and to expand support groups.
“This grant will enable us to better serve the 10,000 Wyomingites living with Alzheimer’s disease, as well as the more than 16,000 loved ones who provide care and support for them,” said Quique Girones, executive director of the Alzheimer’s Association of Wyoming, in a news release. “We are very grateful to the Daniels Fund for these much-needed resources.”
Established by cable television pioneer Bill Daniels, the Daniels Fund is a private charitable foundation dedicated to making life better for the people of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming through its grants program, scholarship program and ethics initiative.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/worth-noting/article_097c5898-2a32-5d97-9c56-3b3390e15939.html
| 2022-04-02T12:40:45Z
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Clarence Thomas is, by far, our most abused Supreme Court justice.
His confirmation hearings in 1991 were, as he memorably put it, a high-tech lynching. Once on the Court, he was allegedly incapable of thinking for himself and was Antonin Scalia’s “lawn jockey,” as Emerge magazine shamefully put it. He rarely participated in oral arguments, supposedly because, in the words of an attorney at the Georgetown Law Center, he “either does not care about the cases or can’t compete intellectually with his colleagues.”
Your sensitivity meter doesn’t have to be in overdrive to detect the racial condescension in these depictions of Thomas. Fair-minded legal analysts long ago abandoned this slighting view and have acknowledged the originality, consistency and influence of Thomas’s work. But here come the media and the Democrats to tell us that his intellectually courageous jurisprudence is all about serving the narrow interests of his political activist wife, Ginni.
In the aftermath of the 2020 election, she sent hair-on-fire texts to then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows urging him to fight what she believed was a stolen election. This proves, we are told, that Clarence Thomas’ work on the Court is corrupt, and he either has to recuse himself from election- or Jan. 6-related cases or be impeached.
The recusal argument is absurd. Ginni Thomas wasn’t party to any election-related litigation. She didn’t write an amicus brief in any of the litigation. She didn’t even give Meadows any legal advice, besides to keep Sidney Powell front and center (a bad idea that wasn’t acted on).
Ultimately, Ginni Thomas didn’t have any more or any less interest in election-related litigation than any other Republican who believed Trump’s claims of fraud, and there were countless millions of them.
Critics of Thomas point out that he dissented when the Court turned away a meritless challenge by the state of Texas of election practices in other states. Yes, but the dissent reflected Thomas’ well-considered view that the Court shouldn’t summarily dismiss so-called original jurisdiction cases, and he was joined by Justice Samuel Alito, who shares his view. Both Thomas and Alito also dissented when the Court turned away a suit filed by Nebraska and Oklahoma to prevent Colorado from legalizing marijuana, and in another such case, Arizona v. California.
Thomas dissented, too, from the Court’s rejection of Trump’s emergency application to block the release of White House records regarding Jan. 6. In this, Thomas was alone. We can’t know his reasoning because he didn’t explain himself. Thomas has a robust view of presidential power, though, and it’s not unusual for him to go his own way.
In the 2020-21 term, Thomas authored more concurrences and dissents than any other justice, including more solo concurrences and solo dissents.
As Nina Totenberg of NPR put it not too long ago, in a passage dripping with disapproval, “He is the only justice willing to allow states to establish an official religion; the only justice who believes teenagers have no free speech rights at all; the only justice who believes that it’s unconstitutional to require campaign funders to disclose their identity; he’s the only justice who voted to strike down a key provision of the Voting Rights Act; and the only justice to say that the court should invalidate a wide range of laws regulating business conduct and working conditions.”
But we are supposed to believe that his unexplained sole dissent in the Trump records case must be corrupt.
A while ago, the respected Supreme Court watcher Tom Goldstein wrote that if “the measure of a Justice’s greatness is his contribution of new and thoughtful perspectives that enlarge the debate, then Justice Thomas is now our greatest Justice.”
At the end of the day, this latest controversy won’t dent Thomas’ formidable reputation as a jurist, but it’s another mark against his perfervid critics who have no decency or scruple.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/opinion/guest_column/clarence-thomas-is-better-than-his-critics/article_a65b93e8-d191-5a0e-a8e2-ba937d07135f.html
| 2022-04-02T12:40:51Z
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/opinion/guest_column/clarence-thomas-is-better-than-his-critics/article_a65b93e8-d191-5a0e-a8e2-ba937d07135f.html
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President Joe Biden signed The Emmett Till Antilynching Act into law on Tuesday, culminating efforts to make lynching a federal crime that started over a century ago. Michelle Duster, the great-granddaughter of Ida B. Wells, the legendary anti-lynching activist and pioneering African American journalist, said at the signing ceremony:
“Since my great-grandmother’s visit to the White House 124 years ago, there have been over 200 attempts to get legislation enacted. But we finally stand here today, generations later, to witness this historic moment.”
Emmett Till should be alive today. Born on July 25, 1941, he would be 80 years old. Perhaps he would still be joking the way he did throughout his childhood. “For Emmett, life was laughter and laughter was life-giving,” his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley wrote of him. “There was so much joy in his carefree world that he just wanted to share with everyone around him.” Emmett Till, an African American boy, was brutally murdered on August 28, 1955, at the age of 14. He had been accused of “wolf whistling” at Carolyn Bryant, a white woman, then dragged out of his great-uncle’s home in Money, Mississippi, where his mother had sent him from Chicago for the summer. Several days later, his brutally beaten, disfigured body, weighted down with a 75-pound cotton gin fan tied to his body with barbed wire, was pulled out of the Tallahatchie River.
The Leflore County sheriff attempted to force the immediate burial of Emmett Till, but Mamie intervened and paid almost a year’s salary for his body to be shipped back to Chicago. There, the funeral director refused to open the box for her to view her son’s corpse. “Give me a hammer,” she demanded. He relented and allowed Mamie to view Emmett’s mutilated remains. By then, the murder had sparked outrage across the nation. Mamie Till-Mobley insisted that Emmett receive an open-casket funeral. “Let the world see what I’ve seen,” she said.
One hundred thousand mourners lined up to pay respects. Jet Magazine put a picture of Emmett in his casket, his head distended and deformed by violence, on the magazine’s cover. The image went global and forced the people of the United States to witness the ravages of racism, the brutality of bigotry.
Two suspects, Roy Bryant, the husband of the woman who claimed she had been whistled at, and his half-brother, J.W. Milam, were arrested for the kidnapping and murder of Emmett Till. Two brave activists from the Mississippi NAACP, Medgar Evers and Amzie Moore, had been involved since Till was reported missing, first looking for the lost boy then seeking eyewitnesses to the murder. Despite the eyewitnesses they produced, an all-white, all-male jury acquitted the suspects. One member of the jury said that they had reached their decision within minutes but waited an hour to appear as if they had actually deliberated. Medgar Evers himself was later assassinated in the driveway of his home on June 12, 1963.
After the acquittal, Bryant and Milam sold their story to Look Magazine for $4,000 — about the same amount that Mamie Till-Mobley had paid to ship her son home and equivalent to over $40,000 in 2022. Despite their confession to the magazine that they murdered Till, they couldn’t be prosecuted due to constitutional “double jeopardy” protections. Had a federal anti-lynching law existed at the time, they could have been charged.
Emmett Till’s murder galvanized the civil rights movement. Months later, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus in Montgomery, Alabama. When asked why she refused to go to the rear of the bus, she said, “I thought of Emmett Till and I just couldn’t go back.”
A. Philip Randolph, the renowned African American labor organizer and civil rights activist, chose the 8th anniversary of Till’s death, August 28, 1963, for the March on Washington, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
In 2004, the FBI reopened the Emmett Till case, and conducted interviews with surviving eyewitnesses, leading to the identification of several other still living suspects. In 2017, historian Timothy Tyson published a book on the case which included a 2007 interview he conducted with Carolyn Bryant. In it, Tyson reports, she recanted part of her 1955 court testimony that Till touched her and made lewd comments, a revelation that could have led to her being charged with lying to the FBI.
She denied Tyson’s account. In December 2021, the Department of Justice formally closed the Emmett Till case.
“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them,” Ida B. Wells wrote. While Emmett Till’s murderers escaped justice, his short life and his mother Mamie Till-Mobley’s tireless activism charted the path forward for us all to permanently reject racist terror.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/opinion/guest_column/the-long-overdue-emmett-till-anti-lynching-law/article_f13b28b6-54ba-5157-8b26-2a769ff37a52.html
| 2022-04-02T12:40:57Z
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/opinion/guest_column/the-long-overdue-emmett-till-anti-lynching-law/article_f13b28b6-54ba-5157-8b26-2a769ff37a52.html
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Alexandra, 14, is a great teen to know. An active child, she enjoys staying busy with soccer, swimming and dancing, all being top contenders for her attention.
Alexandra has a huge appetite for reading. If she needs some relaxation time, she may just turn to watch YouTube videos. Alexandra loves having people around her and having attention showered on her; she is known for her fantastic sense of humor and loves trying new things, and can “roll with the punches.”
Cooking class and reading are well-liked aspects of her eighth-grade year.
If your family can provide Alexandra with the support, understanding, love and guidance she deserves, you are urged to inquire. She hopes to have pets in her placement, and would like her home to be fluent in Spanish, if possible.
Alexandra has significant connections she will need to maintain following placement. Financial assistance may be available for adoption-related services. Alexandra lives in Utah. Child ID: 327950
This is a legal risk adoptive placement. Placement can only occur with an approved pre-adoptive foster family who intends to adopt the child if reunification is not possible and adoption becomes necessary. In legal risk placements, the rights of the child’s birth parents have not yet been voluntarily or involuntarily terminated.
Child profiles are provided by Raise the Future at www.raisethefuture.org. For more information about waiting children, contact Raise the Future at 800-451-5246.
An approved adoption home study is required to be considered for placement of a child. Children can be placed across state lines, so Wyoming families are encouraged to inquire, regardless of the child’s current state of residence.
For information about becoming an adoptive parent, contact Wyoming Children’s Society at 307-632-7619 or visit www.wyomingcs.org.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/a_child_waits/a-child-waits-4-2-22/article_a4b55ed5-ee3f-5f8f-a46b-4fcc243d1120.html
| 2022-04-02T12:41:03Z
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/a_child_waits/a-child-waits-4-2-22/article_a4b55ed5-ee3f-5f8f-a46b-4fcc243d1120.html
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CHEYENNE – The most recent winner of the Laramie County Retired Education Personnel Citizenship Award has a passion for art, and she wants to channel it into teaching.
Keely Kidd, a senior at Central High School, is the fourth Citizenship Award recipient this school year.
In a nomination letter, April Petty, Kidd’s career counselor at Central, described the student as “a driven, hardworking and passionate young woman.”
“I have seen her advocate for herself, as well as pursue her goals with grit and resilience,” the counselor wrote.
Kidd, who turns 18 on Sunday, said she wants to go to school to be an art teacher, with an emphasis in ceramics.
Though she originally wanted to teach sign language, Kidd said it’s been difficult to find a program for it.
“I figured, why not just switch to teaching art, and it just felt right – it felt like it was what I was supposed to do,” she said in an interview with the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.
Kidd is also interested in making jewelry, and she wants to take courses on metalsmithing.
When asked for her reaction to winning the award, Kidd said Petty asked her to read the nomination letter before she submitted it.
“I’ve been working with Ms. Petty for a while about getting scholarships and working on applying for colleges and stuff, and so the fact that she thought of me really meant a lot to me,” Kidd said.
The high school senior is on track to graduate from the AP Capstone program at Central, and has received an academic letter every year. To receive an academic letter, students must achieve an unweighted, cumulative grade point average of at least 3.75 at the end of each school year.
Kidd moved to Wyoming with her family following her freshman year of high school. Before their move, Kidd had a teacher in northern Virginia who she said inspired her. The teacher ran a business alongside her day job, which Kidd said is something she might want to do.
Kidd is also the president of the school’s National Art Honor Society. Petty wrote that Kidd led the group in organizing its Valentine’s Day fundraiser, with the goal of raising money to paint recycling bins in downtown Cheyenne this spring.
“Her ability to interact with people in a kind and genuine way makes her the type of leader others respect,” the counselor said in her letter.
Petty added that Kidd was also inducted into the school’s National Honor Society her junior year and “is an integral part of that group.”
As part of her AP Research class, Kidd said she’s working on a research project about students with chronic illnesses, and how their illnesses affect them in school.
The topic is personal for Kidd. She lives with a connective tissue disorder, which she said mainly causes issues in her joints and digestive system. The disorder causes chronic pain in her joints, which often come out of place. Some days, it hurts to walk, and her jaw sometimes dislocates if she talks too much, she said.
While she’s dealt with the disorder since she was 12 or 13, it’s become more prominent in her life over the past year, Kidd said.
Petty wrote that Kidd has never let her chronic illness stop her.
“She realizes her limitations, and has adapted to them with grace and perseverance,” Petty wrote.
On a day-to-day basis, Kidd said, that means getting up and going to school or doing what she needs to do, even if she’s in pain.
“There’s definitely some days where I would rather just lay on the bed all day ‘cause I’m so sore, but I have to go to school. I have to keep my grades up. So, it can sometimes be, like, a daily battle,” Kidd said.
Kidd’s mother, April, said Keely has always been a helpful kid who puts people first. She said she never has to worry whether Keely is on top of her education.
“Her love for art is amazing. She’s always just been super talented at it,” April Kidd added. “I put her in art classes, and she would pretty much perfect the class pretty quickly. ... She’s overall just a really caring person, and goes above and beyond with a majority of the things that she does.”
Keely Kidd’s father, Sam, is in the Air Force, meaning Keely has lived in a lot of different places throughout her life.
“She’s always just been really resilient with the change and the challenges of going into a new school and meeting new people, and she’s alway built really good relationships with teachers and friends, and found ways to serve and try to help make her school community better,” Sam Kidd said.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/in_our_schools/citizenship-award-winner-wants-to-pursue-career-in-art-education/article_afc252dc-c229-5348-b4dd-b686f0496340.html
| 2022-04-02T12:41:10Z
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/in_our_schools/citizenship-award-winner-wants-to-pursue-career-in-art-education/article_afc252dc-c229-5348-b4dd-b686f0496340.html
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Casper Star-Tribune
CASPER – As COVID-19 cases continue to plummet in Wyoming, the administration of second booster doses here promises to be easier than previous vaccine rollouts.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday authorized second booster doses for individuals 50 years and older and for certain immunocompromised individuals.
The FDA only approved the mRNA Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines for these second booster doses. Data suggests that these boosters are more effective at preventing severe illness in those at high risk compared with the Janssen booster shot.
All three vaccines are authorized for the first booster.
Evidence suggests that a second booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines is safe and improves protection from severe illness, according to the FDA.
Individuals must wait at least four months after their first booster dose before getting their second one. Some people under 50 could qualify for a second booster if they are at least 12 years old and immunocompromised.
The second booster is exactly the same as the first, according to Wyoming State Epidemiologist Dr. Alexia Harrist.
Wyoming residents can get a second booster at any location where first boosters are already administered.
Individuals who are immunocompromised have to check with their health care provider to see if they qualify for the second booster. Anyone over the age of 50 can get the second booster, although Harrist said she still recommends consulting with a medical professional before getting the second dose.
The health department doesn’t yet have data on the number of individuals who have gotten a second booster, Harrist said.
The authorization comes amid falling COVID cases in Wyoming. There were 55 confirmed active cases in Wyoming as of the health department’s latest update on Tuesday. That’s down by 206 cases from about a month ago.
The omicron subvariant BA.2 is currently responsible for about 55% of cases in the U.S., according to the CDC. In the region including Wyoming and surrounding states, about 37% of cases are caused by the subvariant. That percentage was around 21% in an update earlier this week.
But numbers overall in Wyoming are still declining, even though the subvariant is responsible for a greater percentage of cases.
Harrist said she recommends that everyone who is eligible get at least the first booster shot.
“These vaccines have really shown to be quite effective against severe illness and death,” she said. “Data says the same about the vaccine against (the omicron subvariant) BA.2.”
Those with booster shots were 21 times less likely to die from COVID during the last surge compared to unvaccinated individuals, according to the CDC.
According to the health department’s latest update on Thursday, 112,324 Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna booster shots combined have been administered in the state so far. By comparison, just 1,554 Janssen booster shots have been administered in the state.
The authorization of second booster doses may point toward the transition to routine vaccination against COVID.
Immunity from COVID vaccines generally wanes after several months, according to the CDC. While some say this is reason for regular boosting, experts disagree on whether frequent boosters are really helpful in counteracting declining immunity, according to Kaiser Health News.
Some are also concerned about the potential financial incentives pharma companies have in pushing regular boosting.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/second-covid-19-booster-rollout-begins/article_ba69130d-7e03-55c8-ba20-fce14f600c6e.html
| 2022-04-02T12:41:16Z
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/second-covid-19-booster-rollout-begins/article_ba69130d-7e03-55c8-ba20-fce14f600c6e.html
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I enjoy our relationships with the military here in Cheyenne. We get to meet so many great people. One of those is Maj. Gen. Fred Stoss. He was assigned to serve in Cheyenne three times over his career. His last duty was the Commander of the 20th Air Force. He retired last Thursday, and I traveled with a fun group to his ceremony. Fred’s last job was Director, Plans and Policy for USSTRATCOM at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. I appreciate his service and wish him great happiness in his retirement.
We have not updated our employee handbook for many years. Our HR team has spent parts of the past couple of years revising it. I had no idea how involved this effort would be. So many people spent time giving feedback, and now we have a great product. It is important to keep current, and I appreciate the effort and results.
Our chief building official (CBO) stopped by to talk about growth and how we need to make sure we are keeping up with hiring of inspectors. The building community expects good customer service, and our CBO is committed to making sure his department provides it. We will need to add some staff as building intensity increases.
Visit Cheyenne hosted a great conference of travel planners; 300 folks came to Cheyenne, and it gave us a chance to show off our beautiful city. I was pleased to welcome and thank them for coming. I hope they will help us fill our hotel rooms in the future. I always enjoy the energy and enthusiasm these travel groups bring.
I have no artistic ability, but really do appreciate those that do. I also appreciate those who have artistic ideas. Arts Cheyenne has the idea of painting designs in some crosswalks in the West Edge. They showed me some designs from other cities, and they were brilliant. The plan is to have our high schools design and paint crosswalks. It has been shown to slow down traffic and is really a way to beautify our city. June 4 will be a fun day to watch it happen.
We listened to the last four applicants for our newest retail liquor license. I was again impressed by these entrepreneurs and their proposed plans. We have now listened to 10 proposals, and it is going to be a very tough decision for the Committee of the Whole next Wednesday evening. I wish state law would allow us to reward all these applications. Sigh!
We are working on the budget, and the hardest part is projecting what revenues will be for the next fiscal year. Our treasurer, Robin Lockman, does a great job in handling our finances. We spent a couple of hours working through the inputs and determined our revenues will be $58,368,852. With all the requests from departments, we are $6,114,071 in the negative. We have a lot of work to do, but we will have a balanced budget by the end of the process.
Tim Bradshaw is our new airport manager. I really appreciate his efforts in reaching out to the community to introduce himself and talk about the future of the airport. He is bullish on our city and how the airport can contribute. We had lunch and discussed the future of the old terminal, the upcoming runway construction, economic development potential on the airport and the future of air service. It is great to welcome Tim to our city team!
The chair of the Mayor’s Youth Council (MYC) is a senior at East High School. Zoey stopped by my office to share her DECA presentation that she will take to nationals at the end of April. Her team has been working on the effects, both positive and negative, of social media. I was impressed by the amount of work that went into the presentation and wish them well. Our whole Mayor’s Youth Council is an impressive group.
A bit of sad news for our city team. Teresa Moore is the director of our Community Recreation and Events Department. She has decided to retire and spend time with family, ride her bike, create her beautiful art, spend time with friends and volunteer. She has been such a great member of our team, and her shoes will be very hard to fill. Her last day will be July 5, and I hope you will thank her for her service to Cheyenne when you see her. You will find her and her granddaughter on the water, paddling their kayaks.
We are working very hard to get the construction of our three new fire stations underway. We met with a landowner to continue discussions on siting the western-most station on his property. He is not interested is selling, but will trade for like lands. We have spent time finding the right property, getting it appraised and designing how a station would fit on his property. Good news is we have a good fit for trading and are close to getting it done. I so appreciate him for being willing to make this happen. His location is so important in getting the proper spacing of stations that will let our fire department meet the four-minute response time. Thanks again to our sixth-penny sales tax voters for their support of public safety in Cheyenne.
Our city hires many seasonal employees that are essential to meeting the mission of the city. Mowing grass in our parks, trimming around monuments in the cemetery and many more work so hard to keep our city beautiful. We have worked to make the wages attractive and write their paychecks twice a month to make the job more appealing. Shameless plug, the city is a great place to work for a summer job. Pass the word. We met to make sure we are doing everything we can to make the city an employer of choice for summer work and a career.
Our first department budget meeting was with Vicki Nemecek, our Public Works director. Vicki has a vast department with sanitation, landfill, transit, street and alley, traffic and facilities. With the largest number of employees, it takes a good manager to balance all the diverse responsibilities and personalities. I enjoy the opportunity to discuss upcoming needs and priorities. One thing I am going to need to remember is, as the city grows, we will need more snowplow drivers, pothole fillers, sanitation drivers, etc. We are growing and can’t forget to keep up with the necessary staffing. Vicki also discussed our upcoming computer software purchase and the need to inventory all our buildings and their conditions to populate the software. This new program will help our facilities crew with projecting when maintenance needs to be done. I can’t wait to have these tools.
Last bit of good news. In October, we were forced to close the Municipal Building due to a bad boiler that was putting carbon monoxide into the building. The plan to remedy the situation was to fix the boiler and change the way we vent the boilers outside. We finally got the parts to fix the boiler, but the piping to vent them took months due to supply chain problems. Great news: We finally finished the necessary repairs and got permission to move back into the building starting April 1. It will take a bit to get everyone moved back, so the building will reopen to the public on April 11. Our facility team, chief building official and others have worked so hard to make sure our building is safe for our employees, and I want to express my thanks for their hard work and dedication.
If you have a question for me, send it to media@cheyennecity.org. I’ll continue to answer them in my future Mayor’s Minute columns.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/mayor-s-minute-its-time-to-start-working-on-the-city-budget/article_80291aa4-8568-588e-a3ba-afa9dd93ffd6.html
| 2022-04-02T12:41:28Z
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Guy Doud became a hero, of sorts, to many teachers across the nation when he was honored by President Reagan in 1987 as “Teacher of the Year.”
He says his meeting with the president in the Oval Office became especially significant when Reagan pulled a worn piece of paper out of his pocket and read to him what was essentially a tribute to the teaching profession.
These are the words that were read from that piece of paper:
You are the molders of their dreams,
the gods who build or crush their young beliefs …
of right and wrong.
You are the spark that sets aflame the poet’s hand
or lights the flame of some great singer’s song,
you are the god of the young …
the very young.
You are the guardian of a million dreams,
Your every smile or frown can heal …
or pierce the heart.
Yours are a hundred lives …
a thousand lives,
yours the pride of loving them …
and the sorrow, too.
Your patient work,
your touch, make you the gods of hope,
who fill their souls with dreams …
to make those dreams come true.
By the end of the poem, Doud says he and the president were both visibly choked up – easy to see why.
But while this dramatizes the romantic side of teaching, most teachers would be quick to point out that it is rare to experience this kind of pedagogical magic on a regular basis. Moreover, education loses some very fine people who too often have been soured on the whole experience.
“If this is what it means to be a teacher,” they groan, “it’s not for me.”
Others are more poignant when they look at the whole classroom learning thing and cry, “This is for the birds!”
In fact, before I became a classroom teacher, I had little respect for this profession.
As a child, I honestly could not figure out why anyone would want to be a teacher. To me, it appeared to be the most boring job on the face of the Earth, no exaggeration. Sports was the only thing I could find to validate what I perceived to be a very confining, insulting, necessary evil in my childhood world.
In elementary school, I can actually remember sitting in my desk, psychoanalyzing my teachers, trying to figure out what made them tick – or not tick, as I saw it. It was beyond me what motivated them. I really did think they were a whole different breed of cat.
And I could not, for the life of me, understand why any of them would feel called (or condemned) to such a repressive vocation – most teachers seemed so mean and unhappy to me.
Consequently, I was passionately set against ever considering this for my life’s work.
But as we all know, things change, people change … I changed. And when everything came full circle, my friends couldn’t believe it when they heard I had moved to California and was teaching seventh grade!
That first day in the classroom hooked me, for I knew I was becoming a part of something that was huge – monumentally significant and irreversibly life-changing. One way or the other, for better or for worse, this experience would mark kids for life.
“This,” I thought, “is where children live or die. This is where their minds breathe or are suffocated.”
And literally, overnight, I fell in love with teaching and the teaching profession.
I had always believed it was better to build children than to repair adults, but now for the first time, I realized that one of the best places to do this was in the daily classroom setting.
For the first time, I realized the classroom was a hallowed place, and that I had a sacred work to do. I was the spark that lit the flame. I was the god of the young, one of the gods of hope who filled their souls with dreams – I was the molder of their dreams.
And so is every teacher in Wyoming. Here’s to all of you! You are truly amazing, and we sincerely thank you for all you’ve done for our children.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/schroeder-heres-to-our-teachers-the-molders-of-dreams/article_1d219840-496f-588c-9f3e-1c59d5b7f986.html
| 2022-04-02T12:41:34Z
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If you were a “Dallas” fan (the series, not the Cowboys) in the ‘80s, you might remember a song by Hank Williams Jr. titled “This Ain’t Dallas.” I think it’s an appropriate song as we reflect on this year’s legislative session.
If you listened to much of this year’s Legislature, you would think the primary worry of Wyomingites was abortion or guns or some federal regulation! Back here on Earth, our folks are worried about real life. They are worried about the success of their businesses, about finding employees, about their existing employees, about inflation and supply chain challenges.
They are worried about family, community, friends and schools. They are worried about the things that matter, but they spend very little time worried about the issues that some of our elected officials bloviate about.
Don’t misunderstand, we have some wonderful elected officials from Wyoming. Unfortunately, the litmus test, populist crowd continues to push the crazy train down the track, farther and farther away from reality.
You will find your Chamber of Commerce is paying more and more attention to this situation. To those elected officials who appreciate our heritage and want us to innovate while keeping the best of our past, thank you. You will find businesses from ranchers to accountants supporting you. However, if your idea of Wyoming heritage is paying more attention to D.C. than local schools, you need to know that it might be time to move along.
This ain’t “Dallas”! We are proud of our roots and our boots! We are proud of a place where neighbors help one another without caring about what political party you’re a member of or what your view on any national issue might be. Our judgment of people is based on the fruit of their labor, not the blathering of their mouth.
Wyoming, we should be proud, but we should also be paying close attention to the “snake oil” salesmen who want to turn us into their political petri dish.
Stay awesome, Wyoming! Stay steadfast in defending what has always made us special, and we will be just fine. Remember, while much of the ruckus may be great political theater, the line from the song says it all: “Now honey, don’t you know all of that is on TV?”
Let’s just turn it off and remember our priorities back here on Earth.
Dale Steenbergen is the president and chief executive officer of the Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/steenbergen-dont-you-know-all-of-that-is-on-tv/article_ab0e5ce4-a108-5a2c-84a7-7ba58a4fa1f6.html
| 2022-04-02T12:41:41Z
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A few years ago, I was waiting in the checkout line at one of our local box stores. A young boy, who appeared to be approximately 3 years old, and his father were in front of me. The boy stared at me while sitting in a shopping cart. I smiled and said, “Hello.” The boy quickly turned his head and began looking toward the cashier. I surmised that he was a bit shy toward strangers.
About a minute later, I began to unload my shopping cart onto the small conveyer belt. When I grabbed the big box of waffle mix, I heard the boy shout to his father, “Waffles! He’s getting waffles!” A large smile appeared upon his father’s face.
A few seconds later, I picked up a large and clear plastic container which was filled with fresh strawberries. The boy then said, “And strawberries! Waffles and strawberries!” The boy’s father again smiled as he placed his bagged groceries into his shopping cart. As I watched them depart, I suspected that they would, in the very near future, together enjoy a breakfast of waffles and strawberries.
As I now reflect upon this experience, I am reminded of the words that Jesus Christ spoke so many years ago about the importance of children: “For of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Our little ones are precious and pure. Children are, indeed, our greatest treasure. We must love, cherish and nurture them.
Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, also taught us, in no uncertain terms, about the consequences for those who harm children:
“Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
“And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
“But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
“Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!” (Matthew 18:4-7 KJV)
A few weeks ago, I was watching the morning news when I saw a video of some very sad Ukrainian children’s faces. The little Ukrainian children were overflowing with sorrow because they were forced to say goodbye to their fathers. Tears welled up in my eyes. As I have written before, family isn’t everything, family is the only thing.
A few days later, I read a news story about the many Ukrainian children who have recently been killed by the Russian military. Within this story was a photograph of 109 empty strollers, with flowers lovingly placed where little ones are supposed to be seated.
No one can dispute the fact that Vladimir Putin has “offended” millions of God’s precious little ones. Mortal minds cannot comprehend the full nature and magnitude of the horrific and everlasting consequences that the baby killer named Putin will inevitably experience. Yes, Putin is one of Satan’s many servants, but I am compelled to wonder if the Devil himself now hangs his head in shame over Putin’s many egregious atrocities?
I know that the vast majority of the informed inhabitants of our world, which includes millions of Russian citizens, do not condone Putin’s ideology or his despicable conduct. How then, are the likes of Putin allowed to gain leadership and power in our mortal world?
It is my fervent hope and prayer that, in the not too distant future, the wicked will fail and the righteous will prevail, and Ukrainian families will be permitted to safely reunite. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all of God’s choice little ones were allowed to regularly enjoy, with their family, a breakfast of waffles with strawberries?
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/walker-vladimir-putin-ask-not-for-whom-the-bell-tolls/article_5ccc6811-ecbd-54c9-9476-8181c11b5150.html
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USDA confirms avian influenza in Wyoming
GILLETTE (WNE) — A case of bird flu has been found in Johnson County, prompting a warning to people who have chickens, turkeys or other birds to take steps to protect their birds.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza — HPAI or also called avian influenza or bird flu — is a highly contagious viral disease that can infect chickens, turkeys and other birds and can cause severe illness and/or sudden death in infected birds, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The bird flu was found in a non-commercial mixed-species backyard flock (non-poultry) in Johnson County.
“Anyone involved with poultry production from the small backyard chicken owner to the large commercial producer should review their biosecurity activities to assure the health of their birds,” according to a press release.
Health officials say they don’t know of any people who have caught the bird flu in the U.S., and the disease doesn’t present an immediate public health concern. The virus can spread from infected birds to people, but such infections are rare and haven’t led to sustained outbreaks among humans, an Associated Press report said.
The USDA encourages poultry owners to attentively monitor their birds for symptoms of HPAI, which include coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge and other signs of respiratory distress. Other signs include lack of energy and appetite and decreased water consumption and egg production along with soft-shelled or misshapen eggs. They also might show signs of incoordination and diarrhea.
If people see those symptoms in their birds, they should immediately contact their veterinarian. They also can contact the Wyoming Livestock Board at 307.777.8720 or 307.777.6440.
Chemicals in sewer result in downtown Powell evacuation
POWELL (WNE) – Multiple businesses along Clark Street and Powell City Hall were forced to evacuate early Wednesday afternoon due to fumes coming from the sewer system.
The Powell Volunteer Fire Department was paged to the area shortly before 12:30 p.m. for a report of something that smelled like natural gas, coming from an unknown source.
Around 1 p.m., employees at city hall began smelling the odor, which they thought at first to be natural gas. City hall was evacuated while the source was investigated.
City Administrator Zack Thorington said he was told by police and fire department officials that some chemical, possibly kerosene, was dumped into the city sewers.
“We evacuated and closed city hall for 30 minutes to fumigate, so our staff didn’t have to inhale it,” said Thorington.
All the doors and windows to the building were opened, and Thorington added water to the floor drains in case the traps were dry, to prevent more fumes getting into the building. City hall was then able to reopen, and city staffers returned to work.
“I would like to express my concern with this sort of behavior,” Thorington said, “and remind businesses and the public that it is illegal to dump chemicals, such as fuels (into the sewer).”
Weston County sees uptick in sexual assault reports
NEWCASTLE (WNE) — On the heels of one sentencing in a sexual assault case on Feb. 28, the Weston County Attorney’s Office is preparing to take another case to a jury trial in April. Reports of sexual abuse in the community also continue to roll in.
“It looks like we have six cases, where we are at some point in the case process, in the last few months,” Deputy County Attorney Jeani Stone told the Weston County commissioners on March 15.
Stone later told the News Letter Journal that these six most recent cases involve 10 different victims.
“(In) a couple of our cases, the sexual abuse happened years ago,” Stone said.
She noted that new victims can surface when feelings are reignited if an individual is accused by someone else.
According to Sheriff Bryan Colvard, Weston County has seen an increase in sexual abuse reports over the past year, most of which are old incidents that people are now reporting.
Wyoming has no statute of limitation on sexual abuse charges, according to both Colvard and Stone, meaning that perpetrators can be charged with the crime at any time.
Stone said a majority of the cases involve individuals the victims know.
“Sexual abuse is not a stranger crime. Statistically, one in five girls are going to be sexually abused, and one in 10 boys will be,” she said.
“Everyone is supposed to step forward if they suspect child abuse, that includes sexual assault,” Stone said.
Signs that a child may have been abused include acting sexualized, bed wetting, nightmares, drawing sexual images and acting out sexually, among other symptoms. A full list of symptoms can be found at wyomingcac.org/prevent-child-abuse/signs-of-child-abuse.
Application period opens Friday for elk shed antler hunt
JACKSON (WNE) — An application process has been added for those interested in participating in this year’s antler hunt on the National Elk Refuge.
The application period begins Friday and runs through April 15 for people who would like to search for shed antlers at the event beginning May 1.
“As in years past, participants will be placed in sequential order and led, via motorcade, by the JPD to the Elk Refuge Road,” a town of Jackson press release said. “Shed antler collection and the refuge road will remain closed until 6 a.m. on May 1 when the hunt begins.”
Jackson Police Chief Michelle Weber told the Jackson Hole Daily that the new application process is just another layer of organization added to help the antler hunt run smoothly.
For years, Weber pointed out, people would park and camp out along Broadway Avenue in East Jackson for days leading up to the event, “and then you had to worry about people going to the restroom and garbage being left in people’s yards, and ... parking complaints all night long.”
“And so that was kind of how, a couple years ago, that’s what led us to go, ‘OK, let’s consolidate everybody at least in the fairgrounds,’ ” she added.
Having vehicles line up in a queue at the Teton County Fairgrounds the past couple of years has helped, Weber said, but this new system will prevent them from arriving on the grounds days ahead of time, a drain on JPD resources.
Now, they will arrive April 30 and line up according to their assigned numbers — with 1 to 50 in the first group, 51 to 100 in the second, and so on — before being led to the refuge the next morning.
For more information, visit JacksonWY.gov/civicalerts.
Police seek help finding missing woman
GILLETTE (WNE) — Police are looking for Irene Wairimu Gakwa, a 32-year-old woman who is missing from Gillette, according to the City of Gillette Facebook page.
Her brother, 38, reported her missing on March 20 when he told police that she had not been in contact with family for the past 14 days, said Police Deputy Chief Brent Wasson.
Her phone is no longer pinging on the network, and she was last heard from on March 4, according to the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation website.
Gakwa is a Black woman who is 5-foot-1 and about 100 pounds.
Anyone with information on her is asked to call the Gillette Police Department at 307-686-5250 or Wyoming DCI at 307-777-7181.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/around-wyoming/article_1aa1acd1-7160-5765-97e9-fea3408e7c69.html
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Four hunters charged with trespassing in Carbon County seek a federal court where their case could resolve the legality of corner crossing to access 1.6 million acres of public land across the West.
An attorney for the four Missouri men filed a petition in U.S. District Court for Wyoming on March 22 asking that judges move a civil case against his clients from Wyoming’s Carbon County District Court to the federal venue. Iron Bar Holdings LLC, which owns Elk Mountain Ranch and is managed by North Carolina mega-millionaire Fred Eshelman, filed the civil case earlier this year.
It alleges that the hunters trespassed by corner crossing — stepping from one piece of public land to another where the public parcels share a four-way corner with two private parcels in a checkerboard pattern.
A transfer to federal court could bring the issue of corner crossing into a realm where federal access laws hold more sway.
Along with the transfer of the case, the petition to the federal court also asks for a jury trial.
The hunters also face counts of criminal trespass and trespassing to hunt brought by the county attorney in Carbon County Circuit Court. They have pleaded not guilty to those charges, asked that their cases be dismissed and complained that the ranch manager harassed them illegally while they were hunting on public land.
But the separate civil trespass issue falls under the jurisdiction of the federal court because of the national interests at stake, among other reasons, a 35-page petition filed by the hunters’ attorney Ryan Semerad states.
A federal court should hear the matter because it grows from “the basic property claim made by private landowners across the United States that impedes both the federal government and the general public from accessing, using, and enjoying an enormous public asset,” Semerad’s petition states.
“A federal rule of decision is necessary to protect and preserve the limitation on private landowners’ ability to control or restrict access to federally owned public lands,” the defendants’ “petition for removal” states.
At issue is access to 404,000 acres in Wyoming and another 1.2 million acres in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico and Utah for a total of almost 1.6 million acres across the West. That’s the area “landlocked” by any interpretation that corner crossing is illegal and a trespass.
Much of the public land in question is part of a checkerboard pattern of private-public ownership originating in the era of land grants given as part of railroad construction.
Both the civil and criminal cases against the hunters, who traveled from Missouri to Carbon County last fall, allege that the men trespassed even if they did not set foot on private property. The theory behind the court actions holds that the hunters’ intrusion into airspace above the private Elk Mountain Ranch constitutes trespass.
Iron Bar Holdings has “a right to exclusive control, use and enjoyment of its Property, which includes the airspace at the corner, above the Property,” the civil suit states.
But the hunters’ quest for a federal forum could bring a longstanding range law to the foreground — the Unlawful Inclosures Act of 1885. Passed by Congress, it generally prohibits landowners from blocking access to public lands.
“It is assumed [by the hunters] that the federal court will be more sensitive to the federal issues at stake,” Sam Kalen, an associate professor at the University of Wyoming’s College of Law, wrote in an email.
The civil case qualifies for federal jurisdiction even though Iron Bar and Eshelman filed the suit based only on Wyoming laws, attorney Semerad wrote. In fact, Iron Bar specifically sought to avoid the federal question, the hunters claim.
The civil suit is “artfully pleaded to avoid or conceal the federal nature of the issues contained therein,” Semerad wrote.
Regardless of that so-called artful pleading, “Congress provided an exclusive federal remedy for the [Iron Bar] claims,” Semerad wrote. Congress “intended for claims of this nature to be addressed solely in federal court.”
The Wyoming civil suit is “completely preempted by federal law,” the hunters claim.
WyoFile did not receive a comment on the issue from an Iron Bar attorney, and court records don’t appear to show any response filed in the U.S. court by Monday morning either.
The civil case should be moved to federal court because the suit has federal law as its foundation, the hunters assert. Iron Bar’s claims “hinge entirely on … federal laws concerning public lands,” Semerad wrote.
Iron Bar’s claims “run against the express terms of the [Unlawful Enclosures Act], which prohibit private landowners from excluding others from the public domain, as well as federal caselaw…” the hunters’ petition states. The UIA grows from the U.S. Constitution’s Property Clause, which takes precedence over state law, Semerad argues.
“[S]tate legislatures, state executives, and state judiciaries may not grant rights, privileges, or powers to private parties … that would conflict with federal legislation enacted by Congress…” the petition reads.
The civil suit also should be transferred because it meets other legal tests including that it involves more than $75,000 in value and entangles parties from different states. The hunters base the different states’ argument on their being from Missouri, Eshelman and Iron Bar being from North Carolina and the Elk Mountain Ranch being in Wyoming.
The hunters propose that the value of the issue at stake exceeds $75,000 in part because of a $30 million mortgage secured by Iron Bar and Eshelman in 2017 from Bank of America.
Resolution of the hunters’ case could reverberate across the West, law professor Kalen opined.
“The defendants are seeking to establish a precedent that, at the very least, the UIA does not allow the type of barrier to access to the public lands [a pair of fence posts] that the landowner here employed,” he wrote.
If the case is transferred to and decided in federal court, it would “serve as precedent for any similar disputes occurring within that district court,” Kalen wrote. “And if it gets appealed and affirmed it would be precedential for any similar dispute in [the] region governed by the 10th Circuit.”
Iron Bar brought the original civil suit that asks a District Court judge to simply declare that the four men trespassed and order a jury trial to only determine the amount of damages they should pay. Iron Bar seeks repayment “to the fullest extent of the law,” for attorneys’ fees, costs and expenses incurred in the litigation.
The Elk Mountain Ranch covers more than 20,000-acres around Elk Mountain just south of Interstate 80. The Missouri men claim they were hunting on public land and said in court filings that they never set foot on private property. Instead, they used a fence ladder to climb over two posts erected at the corner in question.
Iron Bar has stated that it “fenced or otherwise marked the common corner in a manner intended to prevent others from accessing the public land…” the hunters’ petition states.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/corner-crossers-reach-for-federal-court-access-to-1-6m-acres/article_89d3574b-47d0-5a4c-a793-b2916427dbe5.html
| 2022-04-02T12:41:59Z
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A critical failure of the city of Rawlins water system that created an emergency that saw much of Rawlins and Sinclair without potable water for nearly a week in early March will take years to fully fix.
“We estimate it will take three to five years to make all the necessary repairs to our water infrastructure,” the city says in its “Water Infrastructure and 2022 Critical Water Even Report” released this week.
Customers were asked to limit their water usage to help recharge the city’s water tanks and reservoirs, while the low-pressure event resulted in a boil water advisory and plea for people to keep their water usage as low as possible. While the emergency has been contained, the city is asking residents to continue to practice water conservation for the foreseeable future.
“By pulling together, our community made it through the critical event, but we must stick together by conserving water for the long haul if we are to make it through the underlying problems,” the report says.
The city also thanks the many residents, volunteers and nonprofit groups that worked to help others during the crisis.
As city staff continue to search for answers and solutions to Rawlins’ water infrastructure problems, “We have heard from our community and we empathize with you as we navigate this frustrating and disappointing situation,” the report says.
It also says that pointing fingers won’t help fix the situation.
“It doesn’t matter who is at fault, knowing that wouldn’t help fix one leak,” Mayor Terry Weickum says in the report. “However, I do know that it is our responsibility to fix it.”
The Rawlins City Council and staff “are doing everything in our power to repair our springs collection system in the Sage Creek Basin and the 32-mile pipeline which brings our water into town,” according to the report.
Wintertime water use by customers in Rawlins and Sinclair averages about 900 gallons a minute, or about 1 million gallons a day. During summertime, even when conserving water, the communities consume about 2,800 to 4,000 gallons a minute, or 4 million to 6 million gallons a day.
That means the upcoming summer season will see demand on the city’s water system increase by at least four times.
As of now without repairs on the Sage Creek Basin’s 10,000 feet of woodstave pipeline, the city averages 1,500 gallons of flow between the springs and wells, the report says.
“Although flow will increase with the wood pipeline replacement and with the spring thaw, you can see that we are currently significantly short of meeting our lowest typical summer demands,” according to the report. “The reduced flow will be more problematic (later this year) as our reservoirs are not full due to our repairs this winter.”
Until the underlying infrastructure failures are addressed, Rawlins and Sinclair residents can expect their water supply will continue to be impacted. This also is likely to prompt the City Council to enact ordnance changes to require conservation.
Those rules could include water restrictions.
For the upcoming summer, the city says it’s important to know its water is safe and that the treatment plant is working.
“You can drink your water without concerns,” the report says, adding that “you can likely expect water restrictions this summer.”
The city reports a consequence of residents not following any restrictions imposed to curtail water usage while the system is being repaired would be the EPA “will likely require we build a $10-plus million chemical-heavy water treatment plant, which would be prohibitively costly.”
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JACKSON — The Federal Aviation Administration is again investigating complaints of overflights and low-level flights over Grand Teton National Park by Tony Chambers and his Wind River Air scenic helicopter tour company, following additional allegations reported to the federal agency.
An email from Derek Smith, principal operations inspector with the FAA, to the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance dated Feb. 10 states, in part: “This letter is in response to your complaint on February 2, 2022, regarding the low flying helicopter near Grand Tetons [sic] National Park. The matter is being investigated by the office and appropriate action will be taken based on the findings of the investigation.”
Caroline Daley, public lands community organizer for the Conservation Alliance, said the complaint was based on information shared by Flat Creek Ranch owner Joe Albright to the Jackson Hole Airport Board.
Albright has written two letters to the airport board — one in early December and the most recent in early March — that document 19 park overflights and/or low-level flights by Chambers and Wind River Air. Airport Director Jim Elwood has told the News&Guide that the board passes any such complaints on to the FAA, and that once an aircraft leaves the airport, it is under the purview of the FAA, not the airport.
The March 3 letter alleged 11 newly discovered flights violated the terms of “a voluntary agreement with three federal agencies which declared that his helicopter ‘will not overfly Grand Teton National Park, or within a half mile outside the boundary of the Park, except for the purposes of takeoff and landing,’ ” Albright wrote, referring to a November 2020 Voluntary Commercial Air Tour Management Agreement for Public Lands in Teton County, Wyoming, which Chambers signed.
Based on records obtained through the Wyoming Public Records Act, Albright wrote that most or all of the 11 flights were paid scenic air tours, and not “positioning flights” or ferrying flights, as Chambers has said in the past and reiterated in a Tuesday interview.
Most egregious of those, according to Albright’s letter, was a scenic tour that “flew within half a mile of Oxbow Bend, one of the Park’s most iconic sites, at an altitude of 882 feet above the ground.”
In his December letter, Albright, whose dude ranch is in the Gros Ventre Range near helicopter flight paths, stated that Chambers on several occasions has flown at altitudes below “the FAA airspace advisory of 2,000 feet above ground level.” Such low-level flights, Albright wrote, violate a 1983 use agreement negotiated between the airport and national park.
Albright in that letter cited eight specific flights when Chambers’ Robinson R44 helicopter flew below the 2,000-foot floor, the lowest at 616.5 feet above ground nearly four miles away from the airport. He said those flights were just “the tip of the iceberg” of a persistent problem of low-level flights by Wind River Air over noise-sensitive areas of the park, potentially disturbing wildlife.
But Chambers said on Tuesday, as he has said previously, “That 2,000-foot advisory, that is not a law or regulation, that is a request. So there are no violations. ... Basically every one of those flights is completely per the code of regulations. There was nothing wrong with any of those flights.”
However, Teton Park Chief of Staff Jeremy Barnum, while acknowledging the 2,000-foot floor is not a hard-and-fast rule, said, “We would absolutely ask all operators to abide by that 2,000-foot FAA advisory. I think it’s better for residents, it’s better for visitors, and it’s certainly better for the wildlife that draws people from around the world to this ecosystem.”
Barnum added, “Common sense would suggest that something like a helicopter, the closer it is, the more disturbing it is to wildlife and others.”
Smith, the FAA operations inspector, and Luke Collison, principal operations director with the FAA’s Denver office, could not be reached for comment on the status of the FAA’s investigation or potential sanctions that could arise, if any.
Chambers was cleared of wrongdoing after an FAA investigation into claims of park overflights last spring and said Tuesday that he has not been contacted by the FAA regarding an ongoing investigation.
Barnum and Daley noted, too, that Chambers’ Wind River Air isn’t the only operation accused of low-level park overflights. Daley cited “operators that aren’t originating out of the Jackson Hole Airport and are coming in from Montana.”
“This is a much larger issue than just Wind River Air and Tony Chambers,” Daley said.
Albright, the ranch owner and retired journalist, said Tuesday he intends to submit additional data and information about low-level flights over public lands by mid-April directly to the FAA.
Daley said the Conservation Alliance’s goal is pretty clear cut.
“Ultimately, the Alliance would like to see a permanent ban of scenic helicopter tours over Grand Teton National Park,” she said. “And you see movement towards that in a lot of other national parks that are now backtracking and backpedaling a little bit about how they manage scenic helicopter tours, including parks out in Hawaii. And you see this in Glacier [National Park] as well.”
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CASPER — Even as Rep. Liz Cheney breaks fundraising records in the midst of her toughest reelection campaign yet, some Wyoming-based megadonors who supported her in previous races are now pouring their fortunes into her challenger.
The Donald Trump-endorsed candidate Harriet Hageman, a Cheyenne and D.C. based lawyer, has emerged as Cheney’s main challenger in a crowded field. The Trump-backed challenge comes as Cheney has angered many hard-line conservatives after she voted to impeach the former president and has rebuked him since.
She said last year that he’s “at war with the rule of law.”
In response, she has been censured and “unrecognized” as a Republican by the Wyoming GOP, censured by the Republican National Committee and lost her House Republican leadership position.
The list of wealthy Cheney-defects includes Jay and Karen Kemmerer, the owners of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort; Lynn Friess, the widow of the longtime GOP megadonor Foster Friess; Maggie Scarlett, one of Cheney family’s oldest friends and others, according to federal election filings.
What’s more, most of the megadonors who have abandoned the incumbent congresswoman hail from Jackson, the longtime home of the Cheney family.
Hageman herself has donated a total of $2,000 to Cheney in the past — $1,500 in 2016 and $500 in 2013 to her Senate campaign that got cut short when she withdrew from the race for family reasons.
Hageman was also an adviser to Cheney on that same campaign.
“Harriet, like most Wyoming voters, at one time supported Liz Cheney,” Hageman’s campaign manager Carly Miller said in a statement. “But that was before Cheney abandoned Wyoming and launched her personal war with President Trump.”
In this race, these two candidates offer donors three pots into which they can put their money: a campaign fund, a joint fundraising committee and a leadership political action committee (PAC).
Money donated directly to candidates’ campaign funds have caps at $5,800 per individual.
Wealthier people are able to donate beyond the typical maximums through the alternative committees called joint fundraising committees and leadership PACs. These committees traditionally serve two main purposes: They make contributions easier for donors while providing the politician a pot of money in addition to campaign funds. Campaign funds are only legally allowed to only be spent on campaign expenses (salaries, travel, consulting, advertising and expenditures like that). Money raised via a leadership PAC can never be spent on the campaign. Candidates can, for example, spend leadership money on personal expenses and donations to like-minded candidates.
Joint fundraising committees are a little different. These committees make it easier for donors to write one huge check that a candidate’s staff splits between the campaign, the leadership PAC or other politicians’ campaigns.
The Cheney camp has had a leadership PAC and a joint fundraising committee on the books for some time. The Hageman campaign opened its own versions of these two committees in early January.
Primary challengers in the U.S. and Wyoming rarely establish a leadership PAC and a joint fundraising committee, but this race is not normal.
Because Hageman set up her leadership PAC and joint fundraising committee during the current fundraising quarter, the numbers have not been reported yet. It’s likely the big time donors supporting Hageman will pour even more money into those coffers.
Jay Kemmerer, the co-owner of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, and his wife Karen Kemmerer, a retired realtor, donated just shy of $50,000 to Cheney’s campaigns up until September 2020.
The bulk of this cash came from a $25,000 donation to Cheney’s joint fundraising committee, meaning that not all of this money went to Cheney’s efforts specifically.
Outside of Cheney, the Kemmerers donated more than $1 million to Trump, some Republican candidates and various GOP entities over a roughly two year period.
If that spending is any indication, Hageman’s other fundraising committees are likely to see big infusions of cash from the Kemmerers.
The director of communications for the resort said he was “unable” to share the Star-Tribune’s request for comment with Jay Kemmerer, nor did he provide contact information for the owner. It’s unclear why.
The Kemmerers co-hosted an August fundraiser in Jackson Hole for the House Freedom Caucus, the group of some of the farthest-right House Republicans. Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Mark Meadows, Trump’s former White House chief of staff, were some of the big names in attendance. The price of admission was $2,000 per couple, the Jackson Hole News & Guide reported.
Greene has a history of spouting QAnon conspiracies, including calling George Soros a Nazi. Soros, a Holocaust survivor and Democratic megadonor, is a frequent target of anti-semitic conspiracies. Greene has also vehemently rejected Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory. Most recently, she attended a fringe right-wing conference with ties to white nationalists.
“Liz will always be faithful to the Oath she swore under God to the Constitution,” said Jeremy Adler, a Cheney spokesperson.
“The beauty of our system is that every Wyoming citizen can choose whether to embrace that or reject our Constitution in favor of a negative campaign spreading un-American lies and conspiracy theories,” Adler said.
Foster Friess, who died nearly a year ago at the age of 81 from a form of bone marrow cancer, gave over $500 million in his lifetime, according to a press release from his family office.
He was a major donor to Republican political action committees, state republican parties and Republican candidates like Trump, Rand Paul, Ted Cruz and at one point, Cheney.
Between Friess and his wife Lynn Friess, they donated $16,300 to Cheney’s efforts. Two other members of the Friess family are also Cheney donors, contributing $6,400 to her campaigns.
But now, Lynn Friess, who lives in Teton County, is taking the family fortune to Hageman’s effort. She has so far donated the maximum amount of $5,800 to Hageman’s campaign.
“Harriet Hageman has Wyoming in her DNA, and as our representative, she will always reflect the views and values of Wyomingites,” Lynn Friess said in a statement. “I’m excited to support Harriet, and I will be grateful to call her the Congresswoman from Wyoming in November.”
Longtime Cheney family friends have also jumped ship.
Maggie Scarlett, one of Liz Cheney’s mother’s oldest friends and a former Cheney adviser during her brief Senate campaign, gave the maximum amount of $5,800 to Hageman.
Scarlett and Lynne Cheney met at the Wyoming Girls State conference in the late 1950s. Maggie’s husband Dick Scarlett, a Jackson banker, used to hang out with Dick Cheney on his vacations back west during his time as vice president. Neither Scarlett responded to requests for comment.
“I do think she has burned bridges with some of her Jackson supporters,” said Mary Martin, chairwoman of the Teton County GOP. “It’s a lot of long time friends. They’re just so, so disappointed. I think they feel that Wyoming isn’t represented.”
Martin said she did not vote to censure Cheney when the state GOP central committee voted to do so following the congresswoman’s vote to impeach Trump.
“Our state doesn’t allow us to remove a public official, so I felt it was just a vote to humiliate her,” she said.
Another Jackson resident, former investment banker Nancy Donovan, gave $5,600 to Cheney in 2019. Less than a week after Hageman entered the race in mid-September, Donovan donated $23,200 to the lawyer’s effort (the money that exceeds the maximum of $5,800 will either be reallocated to other Hageman funds or refunded to Donovan).
“She was a Cheney and she was Republican and she talked a good game,” Donovan said. “For me, it was a default. I thought she was a good Republican, but all of the sudden she got this Trump derangement syndrome.”
A repeated complaint that Wyoming voters have told the Star-Tribune is that Cheney is too focused on fighting Trump and therefore is ignoring Wyoming issues.
“She shot herself in the foot,” Martin said.
Another Teton County-based couple, Dan and Carleen Brophy, have a similar donation history.
Both Brophys gave $2,600 to Cheney’s Senate race in 2013.
They have not donated to Cheney since, according to federal election filings. The couple is now taking their commodities trading fortune and putting it toward Hageman.
Carleen and Dan Brophy have each maxed out at $5,800, bringing the total donation to Hageman to $11,600.
The Brophys, like the Kemmerers, were one of the other couples who co-hosted the summer fundraiser for the House Freedom Caucus.
Brophy told the Jackson Hole News & Guide that labeling QAnon a conspiracy theory “is another label, with the flavor of a libel.” He also claimed that he did not know Greene’s stance on the conspiracy theory, “Nor do I care,” he added in an email to the Jackson news outlet.
One of the all-time top donors to President Trump’s reelection is Saratoga resident Timothy Mellon, heir to the Mellon banking fortune and chairman of Pan Am Systems, a transportation and freight holding company.
Before Trump came on the scene, he was a relatively minor political donor. Unlike the other wealthy Wyomingites, Timothy and his wife Patricia Mellon did not donate to Cheney in the past, but now the couple appears split over where to funnel their massive fortune.
Timothy Mellon donated $2,900 to candidate and state Sen. Anthony Bouchard, R-Burns, before Hageman entered the race and $2,900 to Hageman in late September.
Patricia Mellon, on the other hand, donated $515 to Cheney’s reelection after Hageman had already entered the race.
In a self-published autobiography, he wrote that Black Americans are “unwilling to pitch in to improve their own situations” and called people who receive government benefits “slaves of a new Master, Uncle Sam,” according to The Washington Post.
Dan Brophy and Timothy Mellon did not respond to requests for comment.
Influence Experts say that it should not be shocking that many of the state’s Republican megadonors are from Jackson or the equally wealthy surrounding towns. Teton County is home to the country’s highest per-capita income from assets, according to the Economic Innovation Group.
“It’s not surprising that the people who have the financial resources to give max donations are found in Teton County,” said Dr. Jim King, a professor of political science at the University of Wyoming.
While wealthy Republican political donors seem to be concentrated more or less in Teton County, it is the bluest county in the state, voting 67% for Joe Biden. The next bluest county is Albany, where Biden only beat out Trump by less than three points. The rest of the state overwhelmingly voted for Trump.
With so many of the big time donors being from Teton County, this may give the region outsize influence, said Michael Beckel, the research director for Issue One, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that aims to increase public awareness of the campaign finance system.
“When you’ve got high profile individuals weighing in on a race, that can make ripple effects across the field to rank and file voters,” he said. “These donors with deep pockets are able to share their concerns with politicians. Their staff is going to answer and listen to what they want to say. Money coming from a particular area of a state can distort what issues are given more attention and research shows that wealthy donors have different concerns.”
But Martin, the Teton County GOP chairwoman, doesn’t see the county’s wealth as “being an influential political force in Wyoming politics.”
King also rejected the idea of outsized influence.
“Certainly candidates know where they get their money, but they also know where they get their votes,” King said.
Even as Hageman attracts big time Wyoming donors, she still majorly trails Cheney in overall fundraising.
Repeatedly rebuking Trump continues to have consequences for Cheney, but it has also raised her profile nationally, and she’s received huge monetary support from critics of the former president.
The final fundraising quarter of 2021 was the highest yet for the Cheney campaign. It raked in $2.05 million in the quarter, compared with $1.5 million, $1.9 million and $1.7 million in each of the preceding quarters of the year.
At the end of 2021, the campaign had $4.7 million left to spend.
These numbers dwarf Hageman’s fundraising. Hageman brought in about $745,000 from the time of her campaign launch in September through the end of 2021. Roughly $443,000 came during the fourth quarter and at the end of 2021, Hageman had roughly $381,000 in the bank.
The in-state contributions, however, flip the script.
In the fourth fundraising quarter of 2021, only 32 of Cheney’s itemized donations were from Wyoming residents which totaled to $25,830. For Hageman, residents contributed $188,850 via 150 individual donors.
Put differently, Hageman raised $7 from Wyoming residents for every $1 Cheney took in, WyoFile reported.
“Money alone doesn’t guarantee electoral success,” Beckel said. “Voters are the ones who determine who wins and loses at the ballot box.”
These few wealthy donors make up a fraction of the 196,269 currently registered Republicans in Wyoming, but “in politics, money often talks,” Beckel said.
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JACKSON — A Utah man is facing federal charges for holding an unauthorized dirt bike race along Mormon Row in Grand Teton National Park. The incident occurred in 2020 although investigators believe Jacob “Jake” Hobbs had been hosting the race annually inside the park, starting as early as 2011.
According to court documents filed in U.S. District Court earlier this month, Hobbs is being charged with five counts for destruction of plants, property damage, failure to report an incident, injury to a historic monument and operating a motor vehicle off-road.
The court filing states Hobbs unlawfully operated a motor vehicle in an area that was not a park road, not in a parking area and not on routes designated for off-road motor vehicle use.
All told, Hobbs is facing up to 27 months imprisonment, a fine of up to $25,000 and up to five years probation.
Witnesses who saw dirt bikes on July 18, 2020, south of the Moulton Barn also recorded a video of the event as they drove south on Mormon Row, according to court documents.
The video showed a group of approximately 30 to 40 people who appeared to be breaking down a race course, folding up chairs and moving dirt bikes toward nearby vehicles. Several juvenile riders were seen, as well as a professional photographer.
Hobbs was identified in the video in the middle of the course speaking into a handheld microphone attached to a bullhorn. The video, as well as other videos and photos of the event, showed people holding race flags as they guided motorcycle riders. Footage also showed white track markers in the ground identifying the course.
Supervisory Park Ranger Alec Chapman, who is assigned to Teton Park, provided a sworn statement alongside the filing. Rangers received a call from dispatch at 8:44 p.m. the day of the race but were unable to locate the group that evening, according to Chapman. He later determined, however, that this was an organized event among friends who were staying at the Gros Ventre Campground as part of an annual party.
Noreen Travers, the attorney representing Hobbs, stated that Hobbs believed Mormon Row was on Bureau of Land Management property, his group stayed for one hour and no formal race was held.
Chapman described it as a formal race where at least two awards were given out for Most Improved Rider and Run What Ya Brung.
Mormon Row is of special significance to the Jackson Hole area. Not only are its iconic turn-of-the-century buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but it’s also the site of a multiyear natural resource restoration project that’s working to remove non-native invasive grasses and restore the area to a native sagebrush steppe ecosystem.
The Grand Teton National Park Foundation has been supporting this restoration project since 2016 alongside the National Park Service. Maddy Johnson, communications director for the association, said $500,000 has been spent to restore the native sagebrush habitat.
“This area is an important habitat for elk, bison, pronghorn, moose, sage grouse, and a variety of other wildlife, which all depend on sagebrush steppe habitat,” stated a July 22, 2020, park press release. “The area that was damaged by the dirt bikes was reseeded in 2019 as the result of a collaborative effort between the National Park Service, Grand Teton National Park Foundation, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Teton Conservation District.”
Chapman said damage caused by the event was estimated to be over 4,000 square feet and the assessment and restoration costs were $3,690.96.
Chapman confirmed that a group site at the Gros Ventre Campground had been reserved by Jake Hobbs from Salt Lake City for July 16-20, although Hobbs possesses an Arizona driver’s license. His reservation stated he had been camping there for 11 years.
Luckily for Chapman, the social media tracks left by the group were as stark as those left by their motorbikes. Chapman identified Instagram posts showing a pit bike race along Mormon Row accompanied by the hashtag #boltsbday11.
Chapman believed the hashtag referenced the 11 years that Hobbs’ company, BoltsAction LLC, had been in business, and the race was held to celebrate the company’s birthday.
Chapman also found more pictures on Instagram from previous years, showing that the event had been occurring in the park since at least 2013 but likely even earlier.
He said in the court filing that “there are photos in the Park dating back to 2011 based upon social media and blog postings.”
Chapman also found that Hobbs’ company BoltsAction made a commercial in 2015 for Lifeproof, a company that makes cases for electronic devices. Chapman suspected this commercial was made during the annual race, as it showed bikes being driven on the wrong side of road with the Tetons in the background, motorcyclists standing on the seat of their moving motorcycles and machetes being thrown into trees in the Gros Ventre Campground.
When asked why the 2020 incident was the first to receive attention despite evidence that the race had been held since 2011, the park’s chief of staff, Jeremy Barnum, said “the 2020 incident was the first about which we had specific knowledge and information.”
“It took some time for the National Park Service to investigate the tips and information provided by the public,” Barnum said.
Barnum referred the News&Guide to the attorney general’s office for more information on its timeline filing charges. The attorney general’s office did not respond to the News&Guide’s request for comment.
Annie Band, a wildlife biologist and board member for the nonprofit Grand Teton Association, said the case is part of a bigger issue.
“I think it relates to the dramatically increasing usage, not just of the park but the national forest is also taking a huge brunt of the over-visitation of the area,” Band said. “I think we’re having issues with damage and a lack of understanding around the impact even of less aggressive use.”
Barnum said the park is responding to increased visitation with an emphasis on increased communication about how to recreate responsibly on public lands.
“We’re trying to elevate the conversation about conservation,” Barnum said. “We are using our communication tools, including social media and online platforms, along with cooperation with partners in the community to encourage visitors to plan ahead, recreate responsibly and help ensure this iconic landscape may be enjoyed by future generations.”
Barnum said the park will be putting out more planning and stewardship tips for this summer season.
“National parks like Grand Teton belong to us all, and it’s up to all of us to preserve and protect them,” Barnum said.
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CHEYENNE — This past session of the Legislature was a mostly productive time for Wyoming’s burgeoning digital money industry.
These organizations use massive amounts of computing power – along with correspondingly large portions of electricity – to rapidly perform calculations in order to virtually mint digital currency. They scored some legislative wins at the state Capitol in this past session, which wrapped up earlier this month.
As detailed in a recent article in the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, these virtual miners got some changes to state law that they say will make it even easier for them to register their operations in this state. And legislators also passed Senate File 106, the Wyoming Stable Token Act.
Industry did not get all it wanted, however.
Just this past Friday, Gov. Mark Gordon vetoed the stable coin bill. He said that the state treasurer’s office was busy with other obligations besides potentially dealing with the currency.
During the Legislature’s budget session, efforts fizzled to allow for the creation of deregulated energy zones, if a county commission successfully petitioned the Wyoming Board of Land Commissioners for one on state land. Senate File 71 died in the Senate Minerals Committee, following testimony from many stakeholders over a few days. Utilities generally opposed the bill, as did most others.
The failure of the bill doesn’t mean that the issue is dead, a wide array of stakeholders agreed in recent interviews. Crypto companies still want power, and many would ideally like to locate at least some operations in Wyoming.
The issue remains that digital currency miners contend that they need a lot more electricity to expand their operations in the state to the extent that they would like. On the other side are utilities, which often cannot deliver as much power, as quickly and at as low a cost as the virtual financiers desire.
Frustration over the failure to pass his bill was evident in comments from its backer, Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie. Speaking as the bill was voted down by all other members of the Minerals Committee who took part, he was upset that the issue was being punted to the interim legislative work session later this year.
“We have done a tremendous job over the years of wasting opportunities and not providing an appropriate regulatory framework for anybody to do anything at a large scale in the state” that is new and innovative, such as with the cryptocurrency operations, Rothfuss said last month.
“We can push the pause button. It is what we have done before” on other issues in the committee, he added. “That tends to be the end-game mantra. And a lot of the time, it comes from industry, because we are changing things in a disruptive way.”
This was seemingly acknowledged by the legislative panel’s chairman, Sen. Jim Anderson, R-Casper. In a tense exchange with Rothfuss, Anderson seemed to agree with him that even though the issue of deregulated power zones for crypto companies might come up in the interim session, it might not advance further.
Neither lawmaker responded to numerous recent requests for comment.
On April 8, the Legislature’s Management Council will meet to discuss what topics should be addressed in the interim session. Those on all sides of the issue expect that the panel will at least consider whether something like SF 71 should be a legislative topic. Many expect that the issue of electricity deregulation could come up more generally.
“There could be a larger utility discussion as a whole, and this will be part of it,” said Shawn Taylor, executive director of the Wyoming Rural Electric Association.
Utility officials, speaking in recent days, said they’re interested in entering into contracts with crypto miners. It’s just that there seem to be differences in the expectations of this technology industry in how quickly and at what cost power can be provided, and the reality of needing to carefully connect those operations to the grid in a way that does not create financial shockwaves if these new companies later change plans.
Rural electric cooperatives, which cover most of the state’s geographic territory and serve about a quarter of Wyoming’s electric customers, want to reach commercial agreements with crypto firms. “We recognize the advantage if we can make it work” that virtual currency mining would bring to the electric grid and other customers of these member-owned co-ops, said Taylor.
A change in the law is necessary to get virtual currency miners the power they want, said Sean Murphy, a local digital mining expert. The situation is “something that is not going to change unless the law changes,” said Murphy.
Murphy’s cryptocurrency consulting company has some clients who are interested in potentially moving to Wyoming. It “has been frustrating for companies that want to come to Wyoming and just can’t get the power,” he said. He said that Black Hills Energy stands out for its request for proposals to solicit expressions of interest from such miners.
During the hearing, and in follow-up communications with the WTE, utilities, including Black Hills, noted that they have sought requests, such as through RFPs. Some deals are in the works.
Utilities respond that they want to sell more power, since that is their business. They need to make sure that if they agree to serve a miner, that the customer won’t suddenly change plans and leave the power provider with a stranded investment that might need to be paid for by other customers who had nothing to do with the minting of new virtual tokens.
Speaking at the Feb. 24 hearing, Black Hills lobbyist David Bush said, “We have been working with crypto miners here in Cheyenne.” The company’s Cheyenne Light, Fuel and Power subsidiary has more than 43,000 customers in the Cheyenne area. Its RFP sought expressions of interest for at least 10 megawatts for at least two years, with service interruption provisions.
Black Hills officials noted that they got requests to purchase about 1.9 gigawatts of electricity, a staggering seven times the peak power load of all of Cheyenne. The RFP “helps illustrate our due diligence efforts in order to protect our current customers,” a company spokesperson said by email.
During the Feb. 24 hearing, a representative of Rocky Mountain Power noted that it, too, had issued an RFP. The company has been analyzing responses to see what it could viably deliver, said the official. He noted, like others, that Wyoming is a net exporter of electricity to other states, and that all companies’ electric rates in Wyoming are low compared with elsewhere. (A hearing was also held on Feb. 23.)
“Rocky Mountain Power will provide the electrical service requested by residential, business and industrial customers in our service territory, including those in the blockchain technology industry,” a company spokesperson wrote in an email. It is owned by PacifiCorp.
Rocky Mountain Power is an example of a utility that must plan ahead when it comes to power distribution, because it operates in several states and not just Wyoming, said Shannon Anderson, a staff attorney at environmental group Powder River Basin Resource Council. “There is not extra power, per se, because they have built the system for that load” that is already being used, she said.
“Utilities like long-term planning,” she said. “It’s not something that you can just do when someone says, ‘Hey, we need this power tomorrow.’ And it doesn’t work like that anywhere in the country.”
Montana-Dakota Utilities “has received inquiries to serve crypto miners, but does not have any signed agreements,” according to its spokesperson, noting that some would-be power buyers want 100 megawatts. (That is just under half of the power that Cheyenne typically consumes.) “We are interested in serving these types of loads,” the representative wrote in an email. “Once we explain projected costs to secure additional power and upgrade our infrastructure to handle such a load, the interested entities have not pursued further discussions.”
Likewise at Black Hills, its spokesperson noted of the retail tariff rate under which miners could buy power that it “does not provide the desired rate for the miners.”
Some blamed the defeat of SF 71, in part, on the process for drafting the legislation, which may not have fully included all stakeholders.
Before the 2022 budget session, there was discussion of the bill in the Select Committee on Blockchain, Financial Technology and Digital Innovation Technology, experts noted.
While some got a chance to participate in such discussion of the then-draft legislation, others said they did not. Now, they are looking ahead to the interim session so that they can fully take part in any further process.
“I think the unfortunate part is that neither I nor any commissioner that I am aware of was ever contacted or alerted to the fact that this legislation existed and the fact that commissioners would play a critical role in the process. Had that occurred, we certainly would have brought our concerns (up) earlier,” said Jerimiah Rieman, executive director of the Wyoming County Commissioners Association. (There are 23 counties in the state, and each has several commissioners.)
“Commissioners are not generally involved in blockchain legislation, nor would the title of the bill have given away that commissioners would play such a seminal role,” said Rieman, who acknowledged that he missed it, too. Although the association’s members generally want to see more businesses start up in their counties, the legislation envisioned an unusual role for them in the industrial land zone siting process, he said.
These local officials “were opposed to the way that the specific legislation was structured, which put them in what felt like an untenable situation where commissioners are making decisions for the state relative to these industrial power users without the benefit of much of the information” that would be needed for them to make an educated decision, according to Rieman.
For now, experts predict that more smaller power deals will be worked out, including for operations that can rely on alternative setups that don’t involve connecting to the grid.
“I think there is power out there” at lower amounts, such as several megawatts, instead of dozens or more, said Wyoming lawyer Will Reese. He is also co-founder of Highwire Energy Partners, which mines virtual currency using energy from gas that would otherwise be flared from wells.
If something like SF 71 does eventually pass the Legislature, “I think it could be very good,” Reese said. “In theory, it could allow you to unlock some power that is not being unlocked” as “every megawatt of power burned within the state” is better than getting it from elsewhere, he added. “Any encouragement to utilize power within our borders, I think, is for the best.”
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/session-sees-some-wins-for-blockchain/article_16a60bce-ab22-5e89-97ea-8f7b56704e62.html
| 2022-04-02T12:42:43Z
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I bought one ticket, the large popcorn and drink combo and sat in the last row — the middle seat. I had never done this before.
There is something about seeing movies in a theater. The big screen mesmerizes me. The sound swallows me. The popcorn tastes like it could be the last gourmet meal of my life, it’s that good.
I love going to a movie theater, but I had never in my life gone alone.
There was a movie I wanted to see. The timing wasn’t right. No one wanted to see it with me, so I thought I would have to wait until it was out as a rental.
The movie chased around in my thoughts. It was about someone who had lost a child like I have. Of course, that is what drew me to it, that common thread, the curiosity. I wondered if the movie would portray my thoughts and feelings. I wondered if I would learn something I didn’t already know about grief.
It followed me around pulling my heart along, not allowing me to push it away. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I needed to see the movie.
Driving an hour to the shopping area, my whole body smiled. The entire day was mine. A day of “me” time. After a little shopping and lunch at my favorite place, the movie flashed in my mind. I quickly looked on my phone. It was playing at a budget theater nearby and I had just enough time to make it there.
But I had never gone to a movie alone. Is that weird? Is it weird that I was kind of afraid to do this? Is it strange that this movie has such a grasp on me, constantly taking space in my thoughts? My fear played pingpong with the thought.
The movie won.
The back row wasn’t bad. It felt safe. No one could see me — or the giant bucket of popcorn I balanced on my lap. At 1 in the afternoon on a weekday there were six other people there to share the theater. None of them came alone. Just me.
I shut off my phone. Two hours went quickly, and the movie was amazing. I cried. I hurt. At times I wanted to shout at the screen. There were moments I wanted to pray. I understood why I needed to see the movie. Its message was for me.
I sat in my seat until the last credit rolled, the lights brightened and the workers came in to clean up any abandoned popcorn buckets.
A few things became very clear.
It was clear that I would not have received the message the movie brought if I hadn’t listened to my heart pushing me to see it.
It was clear that although going to a movie alone may seem a silly fear to some, it was real for me. Walking into that theater was empowering. It was clear I had missed opportunities in my life when I allowed fear to win.
It was clear that I did need to see the movie, and I needed to see it alone. I needed to be able to cry alone. I needed to absorb the meaning of the movie’s message — alone.
Life is magical in how it manipulates us, bringing messages we need to hear, putting us in places we need to be, pushing us to do things that we are afraid to do. All of it is done with the intent of giving us clarity.
And yes, I ate the entire bucket of popcorn.
Pennie’s Life Lesson: Listen when life is pulling, pushing and prodding you to do something that stirs fear. Until you walk into it, you will never fully gain understanding, clarity and strength.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/opinion/guest_column/what-i-learned-in-a-dark-movie-theater/article_26fac702-f778-5f23-9093-20368e86f042.html
| 2022-04-02T12:42:47Z
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On a visit with family in Denver not too long ago, I found myself in front of a one-person firing squad, convicted of being a “sexist” and “perpetuating a chauvinistic culture.”
My crime?
Holding the door open for a woman at a retail store.
Apparently, something I was always raised to consider as simply being polite and thoughtful is actually a deeply ingrained male conspiracy to send messages that women are inferior and need men to perform even the most simple of tasks for them, like opening a door.
I also was taught never, ever, under any circumstances, physically assault a female. Don’t hit girls is one of the cannon rules most boys are taught growing up (although anyone in the local court system could tell you too many of us ignore this lesson).
What this woman couldn’t understand was that while I was instilled with what some may deem sexist and outdated values, I don’t practice them that way. Truth be told, it’s habit to hold the door open for anyone — man, woman or child — who’s approaching while I’m nearby. The same goes for the checkout line at the grocery store. If I have full cart and you have just a couple of items, I’ll offer to let you go first.
Guess we’ve finally come to the point where normal politeness isn’t acceptable anymore. A study by a group of feminist psychologists reported by The Daily Mail in the UK says men like myself are guilty of practicing “benevolent sexism.” It extends to helping women choose their technology purchases, shopping for cars or talking to a mechanic.
I also learned that the general reference to a group of people, men and women, in general as “guys” also is frowned upon.
Well dang, what’s a guy to do when all I’d thought of being is a friendly, polite neighbor?
Should I break my habit of holding doors open for people and stop calling people “guys?” What other habits do I have that can be so offensive and off-putting?
I also was taught that when living in a mixed household to always put the seat down. As dad put it, not so much because it’s polite, but because that’s just an argument I’m not going to win.
If holding doors open is sexist, then I guess that makes me sexist because in the end, it’s better to practice good manners than “perpetuating a chauvinistic culture.”
ON ANOTHER NOTE, while it’s apparent some gender-centric values are changing, there’s no mistaking the callous — even hostile — attitude consumers have to endure at many businesses these days.
This same visit saw myself and my brother, Jay, waiting in the lobby of an auto service, detail and carwash shop. It’s a place I’ve done business at for more than 20 years, and when I get back to the Front Range I make sure to get a service and wash.
While waiting, a frail older gentleman pushing an oxygen tank ambled up and sat down, followed by his wife with her walker. They plopped into their chairs, a little worn out from the 100-yard hike between the lube shop and lobby.
A couple minutes later, an employee at the lube shop came up and told them they needed to walk all the way back to fill out some paperwork and pay for their oil change. I could tell that would be difficult for them, so interjected.
Surely you could bring the paperwork to them and take their payment here? After an ambiguous check with the manager, another person came back to say no, they had to go back.
There were plenty of apologies and the excuse from staff that they “can’t” do it that way. It was the same thing I was told at a restaurant when I wanted to swap one side dish for another. Sorry, that “can’t” be done.
In both cases, they clearly could, but wouldn’t.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/opinion/staff_editorials/apparently-i-m-a-benevolent-sexist/article_05e9cc56-ae57-573e-9d2c-00c6006bc220.html
| 2022-04-02T12:42:53Z
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/opinion/staff_editorials/apparently-i-m-a-benevolent-sexist/article_05e9cc56-ae57-573e-9d2c-00c6006bc220.html
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While growing up in Africa, Rawlins High School boys’ soccer head coach Laidry Nguimbi only knew one sport: soccer.
“I have been around soccer my entire life and that was the only sport I played when I was a kid,” Nguimbi said.
It is the sport every kid played growing up and many of his own games were played in the street, a common practice.
Nguimbi moved to the United States in 2006 and attended Penn State University. After graduating with a petroleum engineering degree, he got a job with BP and move to Rawlins. Nguimbi has lives in Rawlins since 2013 and is now a financial advisor.
The native of the Republic of Congo, Nguimbi wants to build the foundation for a program that will last for years to come.
“The main goal is to truly get better, truly build something that will get kids excited to join but also improve game by game,” he said. We want to “build a foundation this year and build a program to last a very long time.”
There are three main points to Nguimbi’s philosophy for the RHS program: defend as a unit, pass efficiently and finish on target. Those three aspects of the game are going to be the focus for this season and the bedrock of the program, he said.
Nguimbi has been assisting with the program since 2019 and is now learning what it means to be the head coach.
“After work I would just head to the field, so I was not aware of all the administrative stuff behind the scenes,” Nguimbi said of his new role. “Now I have to learn everything behind the scenes. That is what the first year is going to teach me.”
The Outlaws have consistent players throughout the field, Nguimbi said. The focus is on passing efficiently to the different levels of players and placing the ball in position to help the team maintain possession.
“It is up to me as a coach to bring the best out of them,” Nguimbi said.
Efficient passing is needed to the clear the ball out of the defensive side of the field and push the ball into scoring position. Once the ball is in position, Rawlins needs to capitalize on opportunities.
The Outlaws played in the Pinnacle Cup in Worland this past weekend. Rawlins went 2-2 in the tournament, beating Lyman 3-1 in the first game before falling to Torrington 3-0 in the second. Rawlins then lost to Douglas 7-0 but bounced back to beat Lyman for a second time, 3-0.
Nguimbi said he saw a lot of improvement over the weekend. The team was disappointed with the loss to Douglas, but the handled it with grace and was ready for the next game later that day.
The Outlaws looked efficient passing the ball when the game was slow and the opponent was not aggressive, the coach said. Once the game sped up and Rawlins faced an aggressive opponent, mistakes were made that led to the Outlaws’ defeat.
Before Rawlins faces Douglas again in their next game, the Outlaws will be drilling to handle a faster-paced game better and to make quick decisions while under pressure.
Rawlins will retake the pitch at 5 p.m. Friday at Douglas.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/the-nguimbi-era-begins-defense-effecting-passing-accuracy-key-for-outlaws/article_c3637d85-d8f1-53e8-834f-36ad1e238362.html
| 2022-04-02T12:43:05Z
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The six newest members of the University of Wyoming football team took the field for the first time with the Cowboys on Tuesday afternoon as spring practice got underway.
Several of these additions expressed excitement about getting to work with the Pokes, including Ole Miss transfer Jakorey Hawkins.
Hawkins, who last season was a part of a Rebels squad that posted its second-highest finish in the Associated Press poll since the 1960s, knows a thing or two about teams with the potential to be special. He says he can see some of that in this group, while noting there’s a long way to go between where they are and what they want to accomplish.
“I was happy to get out there and play football again,” Hawkins said. “This is a special group here. I had fun (Tuesday), but we all have to work to get better to reach the goals we want to reach this year.”
Hawkins is one of three Power Five transfers the Cowboys added, along fellow senior cornerback Deron Harrell from Wisconsin and sophomore linebacker Cole DeMarzo, who comes to UW from Michigan State.
Harrell has one season of eligibility remaining, while Hawkins has two years left. The pair will have large shoes to fill, replacing a veteran duo in C.J. Coldon and Azizi Hearn, who helped UW lead the Mountain West in passing defense last year. However, Hawkins doesn’t lack confidence when it comes to his ability to step in and make a significant impact.
“My goal is to be the best corner in the nation,” he said. “I have high hopes for myself, but I can accomplish it.”
DeMarzo, meanwhile, will likely compete for the starting weakside linebacker job next to Easton Gibbs, who moved over to the Mike spot following Chad Muma’s departure this offseason.
The former three-star prospect out of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, points to the success of Muma and current Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson, both of whom were Butkus Award finalists and All-Americans at UW, as the biggest factor that led him to choose the Pokes.
“Following guys like Logan and Chad really drove my decision to come to Wyoming,” DeMarzo said. “Whenever you step in here, you have that expectation to follow. Following guys like that, you know there’s a platform to put your skills out there and get to the next level, so I felt like this was the best fit for me.”
Gibbs expects his new teammate to fit right in with the Cowboys.
“He’s a smart kid,” Gibbs said. “He also came from (former Wyoming assistant Scottie) Hazelton (who is now the defensive coordinator) at Michigan State, which helps a lot. We kind of run the same defensive scheme, so he fits in well with us.
“We all get along, and it makes it a lot easier to play with a guy who you like.”
Unfortunately, Wyoming’s other addition on the defensive side of the ball — freshman safety TJ Urban, who comes to UW after one season as a quarterback at the U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School — suffered what coach Craig Bohl said he thinks is “a pretty significant knee injury” early on the first day of practice.
“It is (difficult),” Bohl said. “TJ was an excellent quarterback we felt like was going to be a great safety candidate, and I played college football with his high school coach. We’re going to keep our fingers crossed that it’s not something significant. ... Sometimes our initial diagnosis is a little more critical than what it turns out to be. We’re in hopes that’s going to be the case, but he’s going to get an MRI, and we’ll see where it goes from here.”
The Cowboys’ two incoming transfers on offense, Evan Svoboda from Snow College and Andrew Peasley from Utah State, will join returners Gavin Beerup, Jayden Clemons and Hank Gibbs in what is expected to be a wide-open battle for the starting quarterback job.
“That’s why I left,” Peasley said. “All I wanted was an opportunity to work for something and earn it.”
Bohl spent the majority of Tuesday’s practice paying attention to the offense, in particular the quarterbacks.
He admits there will be a learning curve for his two newcomers at the position. So far, though, he’s liked what he’s seen.
“We’re all happy with them, but it’s a whole different system for both of them,” Bohl said. “Managing a pro-style offense, being under center and play calls that are long and all those things, that’s a different idea for them.
“I thought they did well (Tuesday), particularly for a first day, and we had good competition at the quarterback position. It’s going to be a whole, long process as we go, but for the first day, I was happy.”
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/townnews/sport/newcomers-get-first-taste-of-wyoming-football/article_e05731a5-836f-58eb-8a5c-bb89a97c1798.html
| 2022-04-02T12:43:13Z
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/townnews/sport/newcomers-get-first-taste-of-wyoming-football/article_e05731a5-836f-58eb-8a5c-bb89a97c1798.html
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/burns/all-laramie-county-girls-second-team/article_0aaebff0-795a-5e2a-a2d2-67a50f2c799f.html
| 2022-04-02T12:43:19Z
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CHEYENNE — Taliah Morris placed first in the girls 100-meter dash with a time of 12.46 seconds and was first in long jump (18-9½) for Cheyenne East on Friday at the Wheatland Invite.
Emma Smith was second in the 3200-meter run (1:50.69) while Cadence Eicholtz tied for second in pole vault (9-1) and Abbie Mickelson was second in shot put (33-6¼).
Reeannicca Grays, Boden Liljedahl, Bailey Haley and Morris were first in the 4x100 (50.93) for East.
Marik Cummings clocked in first in the boys 100 (10.87) and Jude Guevara finished first in long jump (20-2½). Arthur Carrillo was third in shot put (42-9).
Connor Parks placed third in the 3200 (10:48.79) and the team of Garcia, Cummings, Garet Schlabs, and Caleb Ruff took first in the 1600 sprint medley (3:51.82) and first in the 4x100 (43.23).
Rylee Ward placed first in the 100 meter hurdles (17.35) and tied second in pole vault (9-1) for the Burns girls. Emma Gonzalez timed in third in the 400 (1:04.33) while Emma Norris finished first in high jump (4-11).
Ethan Norris took second in the 110 hurdles (17.79) and second in the 300 hurdles (45.95) for the Burns boys.
Joel Morales, Conor Manlove, Jackson Kirkbride and Mason Medley finished second in the 1600 (4:01.83) and Cooper Sanchez, Cody Piasecki, Spencer Smith and Dylan Ashworth were first in the 4x800 (9:28.96).
Darby Downham was second in the 400 (1:03.47) for the Cheyenne South girls. Lleyton Valdez was second in the boys 200 (23.23) and Jakub Randles was third in the 400 (54.18) for the Bison. Paxton Piasecki finished third in pole vault (12-0).
Gabriel Hernandez, Jakub Randles, Valdez and Matt Rivera were second in the 4x100 (45.03).
The East boys placed third with 79 points while Burns was fifth (58.50) and South was sixth (41.50). The East girls were third (86.08) while Burns placed fifth (52.50) and South was 12th (17.75).
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/burns/prep-track-east-girls-boys-place-third-in-wheatland/article_134f8f79-d12b-5627-a9b9-3411ef95b455.html
| 2022-04-02T12:43:25Z
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/burns/prep-track-east-girls-boys-place-third-in-wheatland/article_134f8f79-d12b-5627-a9b9-3411ef95b455.html
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/cheyenne_central/cheyenne-swimmers-compete-at-sectionals/article_6f9c4493-1373-52de-b19b-988e3a8c4ebd.html
| 2022-04-02T12:43:33Z
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LARAMIE – Several key departures on the offensive line and the loss of the program’s second-leading rusher hasn’t shaken the University of Wyoming’s confidence when it comes to a rushing attack that has ranked second in the Mountain West for the past three seasons.
Three-time all-MW selection Xazavian Valladay is now in the Arizona State backfield, while big men Keegan Cryder, Logan Harris, Rudy Stofer and Alonzo Velazquez exhausted their eligibility, retired or are trying their hand at the next level. Despite having a handful of holes to fill, though, veteran offensive tackle Frank Crum has no doubt the Cowboys will pick up right where they left off.
“All those guys can run the rock, and they all have different aspects to them in how they do it,” Crum said of UW’s running backs. “It fits really well with our offense, so I’m excited to see how all those guys mesh in our run game. There isn’t going to be any letdown as far as that goes, I guarantee that. I’m excited for that room to do what they do, and it’s our job to set them up.”
While the starting five on the offensive line will be determined throughout spring practice and fall camp, it’s no secret who the headliner of the backfield is set to be.
Titus Swen – who ranked second in the MW with 5.9 yards per carry as the Pokes’ No. 2 back, while rushing for 785 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns during his junior campaign – is excited about the chance to be Wyoming’s workhorse next season.
“I feel good,” Swen said. “Everybody comes into college dreaming of getting the starting position. I’ve got it, so I have to do something with it now. It’s not all about you starting, it’s what you can do with that starting position.”
Having been at UW throughout Swen’s entire college career, Crum’s face lights up when asked about the team’s new starting running back.
“The one word I would use to describe him is he’s a dog,” Crum said. “That dude will not go down. He drives his knees, he’s physical, and he’s not afraid of contact. He’ll run through a dude twice his size. He doesn’t care.”
In addition to this physicality, Swen showcased his explosiveness on numerous occasions last season. The most apparent instances were in rivalry wins over Colorado State and Utah State, during which he rushed for a combined 335 yards and two touchdowns, with runs 87 and 98 yards.
Offensive coordinator Tim Polasek indicates Swen has taken strides in his daily approach, as well.
“He’s gotten better,” Polasek said. “He’s improved, not only physically with another year of training, but I think he’s really improved in the mental aspect. You can see him sharpening the detail it takes to be a really high-quality running back. I know he has aspirations to play at the highest level possible, and he’s working hard to be a good practice player.”
Added Swen: “(I’ve improved at) trusting my blocks. Usually, when you go in as the second-string back, you just have to try to go in and make something pop as soon as you get in. Now, being that starter, you aren’t going to get the home-run ball every time. You just have to keep working to it.”
Dawaiian McNeely is another player who provides optimism for the Pokes, after rushing for 113 yards and a touchdown with an average of 6.6 yards per carry in limited action last season. He is expected to miss the bulk of, if not the entire spring, as he recovers from a minor hip injury.
D.Q. James, Jordon Vaughn, Jeremy Hollingsworth and Joseph Braasch could also be in line to make their first notable impacts for the UW offense.
“The young guys are an interesting group,” Polasek said. “Dawaiian, I thought, was on a pace to have a great winter and camp again, and he’s run into a minor injury. My anticipation is when he gets back, he’ll be in position to compete. D.Q. is talented, quick and fast. He’s still in the process of learning the what to do, instead of us focusing on the how with him.
“Until a kid can learn the paper, we’re really not playing football. It’s all about how we do things and how we can apply our rules and principles to best apply to the concept or scheme. Jordon is a big back, and he’s doing a good job. He’s just still young. Then, the two guys that are pretty solid are Joey and Jeremy. They’re both on the right track to be contributors – not only special teams, but offensively.”
Crum and Eric Abojei are the most seasoned returners for the Cowboys up front, with each having significant experience at offensive tackle. UW also anticipates Latrell Bible, who is listed as a center, but has seen action at each spot on the offensive line, will play a key role.
As for the rest of the group, Polasek says the Pokes are “going to move the pieces around to find the best eight” over the next few months. He also expects the tight ends and fullbacks to play a pivotal part in their success on the ground.
“People don’t ever bring up the tight ends, but they’re a major part of it,” Polasek said. “I’ve seen a lot of growth from a leadership standpoint, and I’ve seen a lot of quality off-seasons. Not only improvement in the speed area, but strength and conditioning, as well.
“(Fullback) Caleb (Driskill) is going to have an impact in the run game, and he’s going to be a much better player. In fact, I would put him up as an early candidate for most improved guy going into next year, so that will benefit our run game, as well.”
With Wyoming’s 41.8 rush attempts per game last season ranking 13th among non-service academy schools, the Cowboys make no secret that their offense is centered around running the football. As a result, they’ve spent the off-season and early stages of spring practice focused on getting leaner and working on maintaining low pad-level.
Abojei, who has lost approximately 50 pounds since the end of the 2020 season, is a prime example of the Pokes’ emphasis on athleticism in the trenches.
“You have to be able to move,” Crum said. “We hammer the zone (run) concept here, so you have to be moving. You have to be lean and agile, and that good footwork comes into play. Leaning out only helps us. A great example of that is Big E. That guy transformed his body last year, and you can see it transfer over on the field. It’s awesome to see.”
With three all-conference honorees among Wyoming’s running back and offensive line departures, there’s no denying the Cowboys have some sizable shoes to fill. They also aren’t afraid of the challenge, something evidenced by Swen’s response when asked to gauge the confidence of the groups.
“Through the roof,” he remarked. “That’s all I have to say.”
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/university_of_wyoming/football/uw-s-new-look-run-game-ready-to-carry-torch/article_69ae2b8b-b838-5dd5-907e-7ed427392e7d.html
| 2022-04-02T12:43:53Z
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LARAMIE – The University of Wyoming’s two transfer cornerbacks haven’t wasted time making an impression on Cowboys coach Craig Bohl.
While Thursday’s practice – the second of the spring – wasn’t as clean as Bohl would have preferred, seniors Jakorey Hawkins and Deron Harrell impressed their new coach.
Hawkins comes to Laramie from Ole Miss, while Harrell had been at Wisconsin since 2018. This Power Five experience, as well as some familiarity with UW’s scheme, have enabled them to step seamlessly into the Pokes’ defense.
“We’re making some real progress with the two corners that came in,” Bohl said. “Both Jakorey and Deron, in a short amount of time, they’ve grasped our concepts. Some of that has to do with some of the places they came from, and some of the similarities with their coaches, but we’re pleased with their progress. It’s going to be important that they continue to make improvements.”
Spring practice is still in its early stages, but Bohl has also been pleased with the athleticism he’s seen from the entire defensive end group. With five-year contributor Garrett Crall having exhausted his eligibility, there will be ample opportunities for new faces to take on key roles on the edge.
“I don’t know if they can really get anchored in there and play a six-technique and root out a guy, but they can sure move, and they’ve shown excellent speed and quickness,” Bohl said. “That’s probably been the thing that’s impressed me the most. ... The guys that are 250 pounds that are just kind of sluggos, we don’t want to have those guys. We have some lightning-quick guys.”
With only five returning starters on each side of the ball, plenty of starting spots are up for grabs this spring. Running back doesn’t appear to be one of them, however.
Xazavian Valladay, the second-leading rusher in program history, transferred to Arizona State during the offseason. This opens the door for Titus Swen to play the workhorse role for the Wyoming backfield, as he looks to build off a junior campaign in which he rushed for 785 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns.
Swen expressed excitement with the energy he’s seen from the team through two practices.
“Everybody has been flying around to the ball, so that’s been good,” Swen said. “Usually, we’re a little lackadaisical the first couple days, just trying to get into it. This time, everybody is hitting it hard, so I feel good.”
Quarterback is a position with a little more uncertainty, with 2021 starters Levi Williams and Sean Chambers also transferring out.
Utah State transfer Andrew Peasley and Snow College product Evan Svoboda have both shown promising traits in their early days with the program, but Bohl also noted that returners Hank Gibbs and Jayden Clemons shouldn’t be counted out of the mix, either.
Bohl said the quarterbacks were more decisive in their decision-making than they were in Tuesday’s practice, “but the accuracy was not where it needed to be” on Thursday. He indicated the Pokes would likely not make a decision on a starter during the spring.
“Hank Gibbs has done some really good things, so we’re looking at him,” Bohl said. “Jayden has done some good things, as well. I will say Andrew is more polished than Evan. Evan has a ton of ability, but it’s pretty raw right now. Some things fundamentally, his footwork isn’t great on some of his errant throws, but the ‘want to’ is there.
“The other thing is just processing our calls. We run a pro-style system, so our verbiage can be challenging for some quarterbacks when they come in. When you’re in a pro-style system, that verbiage sometimes makes it more cumbersome, but I think Andrew is a pretty bright guy and has caught on faster than I may have thought he would.”
On the injury front, the Cowboys lost sophomore fullback Caleb Driskill to a pulled hamstring that Bohl said “may be a couple-week deal.” Freshman safety TJ Urban, who exited Tuesday’s practice early, has been diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and will undergo surgery.
After taking the field in shoulder pads and helmets Tuesday and Thursday, the Cowboys will have their first full-pads – although not full-contact – practice on Saturday.
Junior Frank Crum says he and his fellow offensive linemen can’t wait.
“It’s almost a holiday when you put the pads on,” Crum said. “Being in these spiders and half-rack stuff, it is physical, but it’s just different when you have the pads on. It gets way more physical, and guys are excited for it. It’s a big day.”
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/university_of_wyoming/new-cornerbacks-impress-in-uw-s-second-spring-practice/article_e91ea792-d345-5e11-8c53-091ed447afec.html
| 2022-04-02T12:43:59Z
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/university_of_wyoming/new-cornerbacks-impress-in-uw-s-second-spring-practice/article_e91ea792-d345-5e11-8c53-091ed447afec.html
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A report on what happened during a winter storm in January that left many drivers stranded for hours on Interstate 95 in Virginia reveals in great detail what went wrong and what can be improved to prevent it from happening again.
The Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM), Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the Virginia State Police (VSP) requested the after-action report on their decision-making and actions during the weather event on Jan. 3 and Jan. 4, when the D.C. area saw a record amount of snowfall. The storm led to hundreds of drivers being stuck on the road, some for more than 24 hours.
The 41-page report found that several challenges and circumstances came together that led to a perfect storm of events that culminated on the highway in Fredericksburg, stretching all the way to Stafford County.
No deaths or injuries were reported from the gridlock. But the monster logjams fed outrage among motorists, some of them stranded overnight, pleading on social media for help.
The report also addressed key issues for the public, including how the road conditions got so bad, why VDOT didn’t close the highway sooner, why state agency leadership did not understand how bad I-95 was getting and why people weren’t told not to travel on I-95, among others.
How did the road conditions get so bad?
The winter storm on Jan. 3 was the largest snowfall in the area in the last six years, but a day before, temperatures were in the mid 60s.
The report found that the warm weather may have lessened the public’s attention to the messaging warning people of inclement weather and avoiding unnecessary travel.
In addition, the warm weather and the rain days before the storm prevented pretreatment of roads and softened the ground, which later had an impact when heavy snow weighed down trees causing some to fall.
The increase in traffic volume on the road that day can be traced to staff shortages due to the omicron variant that led to flight cancellations over the New Year’s Day holiday, the report said. As a result, travelers coming back from winter break took to the roads.
“Traffic volumes on I-95 around Fredericksburg on January 2 into early January 3 (before the snow) were on average 65 percent higher than on the same days in 2019,” the report said.
It also found that the number of tractor-trailers on Virginia interstates has increased since 2019, due to supply-chain issues and change in regular commuter traffic, both due to COVID-19.
Lastly, the highway in the area has a reputation for being a “traffic hotspot,” in addition to steep, long hills and work zone barriers blocking the shoulders, which the report said affected snow removal.
Why couldn’t VDOT keep up with snow removal?
By Jan. 3, VDOT’s snow response was at Level IV (Level 1 mobilization requires the least resources; Level V requires the most). However, the snow was falling at a rate of 3 inches per hour in the Fredericksburg area, and VDOT slowly got behind.
Other challenges for plows included blocked shoulders, immobilized tractor-trailers, falling trees and downed power lines.
“The rate of snowfall combined with the volume of traffic on the road mean the snow was packed down quickly,” the report said.
Crews removing branches and trees were also soon overwhelmed by the “sheer number of fallen trees, some entangled by power lines.”
And, any additional crews called to help with trees, traffic or towing could not get to the affected areas due to stopped traffic.
Why didn’t VDOT close the highway sooner?
The state’s transportation department and police did not close the part of I-95 because “there were no viable alternate routes available.” Other roads surrounding I-95, were experiencing crashes, downed wires and trees, and unplowed roads, as well, the report said.
VDOT and VSP did not consider an extensive closure as drivers could still drive through one or more lanes, albeit very slowly throughout the day in between bottlenecks, as stops and crashes were cleared.
“Traffic was moving slowly, and VDOT and VSP focused on keeping it that way rather than considering a wide-reaching closure.”
The report said that field supervisors considered the situation to be stable, as long as troopers and tow trucks could reach crash scenes. They also did not push an escalating situation to leadership because those in the field could not see the extent of the growing traffic due to a “broader lack of situational awareness,” the report said.
It was when the wreckers stopped responding that field responders notified the executive leadership for both agencies. Trucking companies stopped sending additional wreckers to gridlocked areas, as they could not easily get through traffic.
VDOT decided to close I-95 on Jan. 4, formally closing it between mile marker 104 and 152 northbound and between mile marker 152 and 136 southbound by 8 a.m.
Why didn’t the state agency leadership understand how bad the conditions were getting?
The report cited the breakdown of traditional methods of information-gathering as a reason for the loss of situational awareness. Power outages caused traffic cameras to stop working in the Fredericksburg area; a VSP Communications Center lost dispatch capabilities for 30 minutes also due to outages and generator troubles; and there were issues with inoperable cell towers. Also for four hours on Jan. 3, VDOT’s 5-1-1 service, which provides real-time traffic information to the public, stopped updating between 7:30 to 11:30 a.m.
There were also staff shortages of field staff due to COVID-19, which meant that staff weren’t able to drive to the interstate to gauge the extent of what was happening.
“While state agencies indicated that signification delays on I-95 had been a problem all day, they did not report that they were exceeding their operational capacity,” the report said.
Why didn’t VDOT open the I-95 express lanes to traffic?
Because opening the I-95 Express Lanes risked blocking them as well, the report said.
VDOT and Transurban, which operates the express lanes, decided to close the lanes to the public, which aligned with “standard snow practices” in the state to ensure that first responders can respond to an emergency, and so VDOT could turn plows around.
Why didn’t state agencies provide direct assistance to stranded motorists?
VDOT decided the best way to help stranded drivers was to clear the incidents on the highway, remove the snow and get traffic moving again. A formal wellness check mission would have diverted resources from its priority.
However, the report said that Virginia State Police troopers were encouraged to walk between cars and check on motorists between responding to incidents.
On Jan. 4, shelters were opened in areas where drivers were still stranded; however, there was no way to move them from their cars into the shelters.
As for activating the National Guard, it takes 12 to 24 hours to mobilize them and they would not have been able to help the stuck motorists.
During the storm, former Gov. Ralph Northam told WTOP that the National Guard is available, “but we haven’t called them to the state.”
Also, National Guard personnel would need to travel to the area on the same roads that were already impassable.
Why didn’t anyone tell people not to travel on I-95, or report how bad traffic was?
VDOT followed common practices for raising awareness of the storm through social media, press releases and media interviews. The report found, however, that follow-on messaging “told the public what the current conditions looked like rather than providing clear direction.”
The passive approach, the report said, relied on the public to access, read and interpret the information and to make decisions on their own travel.
There were also few messages that took into consideration what drivers were feeling and experiencing, leaving many feeling “abandoned” and also frustrated.
What should Virginia do to improve outcomes in the future?
The report concludes that state agencies need to formulate plans to shut down interstates for long periods of time during bad weather.
“While VDOT districts maintain detailed snow removal plans, they do not maintain plans for widespread interstate closure,” the report said.
State agencies should also more effectively use social media to get a grip on the scope of emergencies, and directly communicate with the public about them.
In addition, the state should consider analyzing increased tractor-trailer traffic on interstates and update staffing and mobilization plans.
Lastly, the report said the public has some responsibility to stay informed about road conditions and traffic during storms.
In response to the report, VDOT said its top priority “is and always will be the safety of the traveling public, and as we learn from each event, this report highlighted key areas for us to refine in our winter-weather operations,” Virginia Commissioner of Highways Stephen Brich said.
Gov. Youngkin responds to the report
Following the release of the report, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin and members of his administration criticized the former Democratic governor and his office.
Youngkin said in a news release that the report showed “the previous administration’s leadership did not properly prepare or communicate.”
In a letter to Youngkin, Transportation Secretary W. Sheppard Miller III and Public Safety Secretary Robert Mosier claimed there was “almost no apparent involvement” by Northam or his senior staff.
The secretaries wrote that it appeared neither Northam nor his staff considered an emergency declaration. Emails obtained by The Associated Press in the aftermath of the gridlock showed that was not the case and that consideration was given as to whether one was appropriate.
The report was produced by CNA, a nonprofit research and analysis organization that has conducted similar work for the U.S. Navy and local, state and federal government agencies. It said it drew from documents including situation reports, real-time planning documents, news articles, social media, interviews and other sources.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Abigail Constantino started her journalism career writing for a local newspaper in Fairfax County, Virginia. She is a graduate of American University and The George Washington University. Reach her at aconstantino@wtop.com
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https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/report-details-state-response-to-snowstorm-that-stranded-i-95-travelers-for-days/article_6a6400f8-b251-11ec-b2ec-5f64792cf255.html
| 2022-04-02T12:47:17Z
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Maybe Anna Keating should open a jewelry store. The Madison High School graduate certainly has enough rings and – a watch or two, at least – to display.
Over the past six seasons, Keating has been a member of high school and college swimming and diving teams that have won many significant titles, and received multiple championship rings and some other keepsakes as a result.
Recently, the breaststroker placed in two races to help the University of Virginia women’s team win a second straight NCAA Division I national crown. Days earlier, she helped the team repeat as Atlantic Coast Conference champs.
During her preceding four years for the Madison girls, Keating won multiple individual races and was part of winning relays to help the Warhawks win district, region and state titles all four seasons.
“It’s been crazy and kind of keeps carrying over. I just keep getting and winning rings, and I’m running out of fingers,” Keating joked. “My friends keep joking with me about that and asking, ‘How many rings do you have now?’ Maybe I’ll have to start putting them on my toes or something.”
Keating said comparing the high-school and college championships is interesting.
“Winning those titles in high school was a huge thing and a big deal for sure,” she said. “But in college, at the national championships? Winning that is different. So many of the fastest swimmers from all over the world are at that meet. So nothing compares to winning national championships.”
At this season’s national-championship meet, Keating finished eighth in the 200-yard breaststroke and 13th in the 100 breast. Her times were both All-American marks. Her preliminary time of 2:06.89 in the 200 was a personal best.
“That was a big goal of mine, go get a p.r. [personal record] in that race,” Keating said.
She placed among the top eight in each race at the ACC meet.
Keating swam multiple strokes when she competed for the Madison team. She has become more of a breaststroke specialist for Virginia, participating in last summer’s United States Olympic trials in those 100 and 200 breaststroke races.
At age 9, Keating began swimming during the Northern Virginia Swimming League summer campaign for the Vienna Aquatic Club Gators. She continued with that team until graduating from Madison. Keating helped the Gators win a Division 2 championship in 2012.
She can’t recall if championship rings were issued for winning that prize.
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https://www.insidenova.com/sports/championships-keep-coming-for-madison-high-grad/article_5e3aae62-b279-11ec-874d-331ddf189a18.html
| 2022-04-02T12:47:23Z
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https://www.insidenova.com/sports/championships-keep-coming-for-madison-high-grad/article_5e3aae62-b279-11ec-874d-331ddf189a18.html
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BOYS SOCCER
FOREST PARK 2, WOODBRIDGE 0: Goals were scored by Jayden Ansah and Mikey Eberle. Assists by Eddy Ruiz for both goals. Moises Rodriguez played all 80 minutes and kept the clean sheet with a crucial PK save in the second half.
Forest Park is 2-1-1 in the Cardinal District and 2-3-1 overall.
OSBOURN 2, PATRIOT 1: Goals for Osbourn (4-0 in Cedar Run District, 6-0 overall) were scored by Daniel Ramirez and Noel Sotelo. Erith Garcia had an assist.
JOHN CHAMPE 2, OSBOURN PARK 1 (OT): Ben Jones scored Osbourn Park’s one goal. The Yellow Jackets are 1-1-1 in the Cedar Run District and 3-1-1 overall.
GIRLS LACROSSE
BATTLEFIELD 10, JOHN CHAMPE 6: Kendra Harris had four goals and two ground balls, Erin Sweeney scored three goals, Lucy Shafer recorded two goals and one assist and Grace Patane recorded two assists in the Bobcats’ win.
Gracie Lint totaled 16 saves in goal for Battlefield (3-1).
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https://www.insidenova.com/sports/prince_william/april-1-high-school-soccer-lacrosse-roundup/article_9e1a951c-b1b4-11ec-8987-3fdc9ec288f4.html
| 2022-04-02T12:47:30Z
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Thanks to a couple of sixth-inning scoring onslaughts, there were split winners the night of March 31 when the Wakefield Warriors hosted the Yorktown Patriots in all-Arlington baseball and girls softball high-school varsity action.
In softball, Wakefield (4-1) scored five runs on four hits in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a 1-1 tie and defeat the Yorktown Patriots, 6-1, to improve to 2-1 in the Liberty District. Olivia Henry had the big hit with a three-run double to left center.
M.J. Patil, Livy Fried and Elena Rochard each had RBI hits in that inning, and Abby Kohan added a sacrifice fly.
In all, Wakefield had 11 hits. Henry had three and Patil and Fried added two each.
On the mound for Wakefield, Abby Kohan threw a complete- game four hitter. She struck out seven, walked two and the run was unearned.
For Yorktown, Molly Kaufman doubled.
The Patriots fell to 3-4 overall and 2-2 in the league.
In a preceding non-district game, Wakefield topped the visiting Edison Eagles, 5-3, as Kohan pitched a six-hitter with 13 strikeouts and no walks. She allowed on earned run.
Fried and Kaya Demarco each had two hits. Henry and Kohan had a hit and an RBI each and Patil stole two bases.
The Warriors have three games scheduled this week, including one against Arlington rival and defending 6D North Region champion Washington-Liberty on the road.
In baseball, Yorktown (3-3, 2-2) scored seven runs in the top of the sixth inning to rally from a 5-2 deficit to defeat Wakefield (1-5, 0-3) by a 10-5 score.
“We finally got the bats going and started getting hits to fall,” Yorktown coach John Skaggs. “Before that, we were hitting, but line drives right at them.”
Yorktown had 12 hits, with Jack Rucker having three and Ryan Powers (two RBI) and Issac Hobbs (two doubles) two each. Kyle Langley doubled, had two RBI and two stolen bases; Trevor McAndrews had a hit, one RBI and two steals; and J.J. Foti doubled and had two RBI.
Rucker was the winning pitcher in relief. The left-hander worked 31/3 innings, not allowing an earned run, giving up four hits, striking out four, walking one and throwing 59 pitches.
“Jack had good control and threw strikes well,” Skaggs said. “He did what we needed him to do.”
For Wakefield, Wade Bringham and Mason Bull each had two hits and Michael Duncan doubled. Including Bringham and Bull, who each fanned five, three Wakefield pitchers combined to strike out 11.
In its previous game, a 7-5 home loss to the McLean Highlanders, Yorktown’s bats awakened late, as well. The Patriots scored three runs in the sixth inning, then two in the seventh and had the tying runners on base. McAndrews had a hit and two RBI, Rucker and Bradley Labant doubled, and Mateo Cardinale added a hit and an RBI.
* Jack O’Connor was the starting and winning pitcher in six innings of work with 12 strikeouts and he had two hits with the bat, including a double, to help the visiting Bishop O’Connell Knights defeat Gonzaga, 8-4, in a Washington Catholic Athletic Conference game. O’Connor did not walk a batter and allowed eight hits.
Carson Mayfield threw the final inning and fanned three, and added two hits.
O’Connell’s Bobby McDonough had three hits and three RBI with two steals. Peyton Kijek had a hit and two RBI, and Michael Lavanga had a hit and one RBI. The Knights had 12 hits.
* In a girls softball game between top Washington Catholic Athletic Conference rivals, the Bishop O’Connell Knights amassed 26 hits to defeat St. Mary’s Ryken, 14-4, in five innings.
Sara Rollins homered and had four hits for O’Connell. With three hits each were Katie Kutz (triple), Alyssa Dichard, Ari Clark, Sasa Groome, Sofia Anderson and Sophia Taliaferro. Abby Bond and Bri Lenz each had two hits.
Kutz threw a two-hitter and fanned 13, as the Knights stayed undefeated at 6-0.
* In the Washington-Liberty Generals’ 10-0 loss to the Marshall Statesmen, Luke Harnishfeger doubled for one of the team’s three hits.
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| 2022-04-02T12:47:36Z
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10 essential things to do in Austin this spring
It's springtime, the sunny buffer season in Austin when we can take advantage of the city's happenings before the summer heat sets in.
Here are some must-do events and activities to add to your calendar this spring.
1. Go to an Austin FC game or watch at a local bar
Can't make it to Q2 Stadium? Catch games at Bouldin Acres, Parlor & Yard and Austin Eastsiders, among other spots.
- April 2 – vs. San Jose away.
- April 10 – vs. Minnesota at Q2.
- April 16 – vs. D.C. away.
- April 23 – vs. Vancouver at Q2.
- April 30 – vs. Houston away.
2. Hit a comedy show at Moontower Just For Laughs
This two-week comedy marathon on April 13-24 hosts 100+ shows across the city.
- Headliners include Nikki Glaser, Jimmy O. Yang and Sasheer Zamata.
- Badges or tickets required. Get them here.
3. Catch a concert at the brand-new Moody Center
The UT campus venue presents George Strait and Willie Nelson for a two-day grand opening celebration on April 29-30.
- Tickets start at $375+. Buy them here.
Other upcoming events include John Mayer (April 20-21), Bon Jovi (April 23) and Justin Bieber (April 27).
4. Pick up seasonal ingredients at the farmers market
There are a few locations around town, but our favorite market happens at Mueller (2006 Philomena St.) on Sundays from 10am-2pm.
- Hustle to get a cooking kit from Simpli Thai before they sell out. We recommend the pad Thai and kao soi kits, which include everything you need to cook the dish at home.
- Level up your breakfast with yogurt from Mother Culture and fruit-sweetened granola from Jake & Jubi's Snack Co.
- Satisfy your sweet tooth with a gigantic chocolate chip cookie from Teddy V. Pâtisserie.
5. Celebrate food and music scenes at Hot Luck Festival
The mashup, brought to you in part by famed pitmaster Aaron Franklin, returns Memorial Day weekend from May 26-29, benefitting the Southern Smoke Foundation.
- The chef lineup features locals such as Uchi's Tyson Cole and Suerte's Fermín Núñez — plus a ton of out-of-owners.
- Bands Superchunk, Shannon and the Clams and others will perform at the Mohawk and Antone's.
Details: The festival is held at various locations around the city. Get tickets here.
6. Eat and drink on a patio
Ditch the heat lamps and dine outdoors at these local favorites.
With a group: Joann's Fine Foods, a diner-y spot serving Tex-Mex dishes.
- Add booze to any juice on the menu. Spiked agua fresca, anyone?
With the family: Easy Tiger East, a beer garden and bakery
- Our pick is the pretzel with house beer cheese, mustard and salted whipped butter.
Date night: P6, a rooftop bar at the LINE Hotel
- We recommend a reservation time that's just before sunset. Make one here.
Last-minute: Loro, an Asian smokehouse and bar
- No reservations — expect a short wait.
7. Attend a UT baseball game
Last year the Longhorns made it to the College World Series semifinals.
Upcoming games at UFCU Disch-Falk Field:
- April 5 – vs. UTRGV.
- April 8-10 – vs. TCU.
- April 12 – vs. Stephen F. Austin.
- April 19-20 – vs. Air Force.
- April 22-24 – vs. Baylor.
- April 29-May 1 – vs. Oklahoma State.
Details: The stadium is at 1300 E. MLK Blvd. Buy tickets here.
8. Get outside
Lace up your sneakers and add these walking trails to your rotation.
If you've got 30 minutes: Stroll through Waterloo Park, part of a multiyear project to bring more green space to downtown.
- Take your pick of the park's many winding pathways, including a "skywalk trail" that soars above the lush greenery.
If you've got an hour: Walk or jog through Pease Park.
- Take five in the Treehouse, stretching high into the canopy at the recently renovated Kingsbury Commons.
If you've got the afternoon: Take a lap around Lady Bird Lake on the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail.
- Enjoy waterfront views of the skyline, then slow down at Auditorium Shores to catch a pickup soccer game.
- Coffee break: Noble Joe Coffee Co. recently opened at the food truck park near AMLI South Shore.
9. Enjoy a staycation at a nearby Airbnb
Whether you're looking for a romantic treehouse or a family escape, head to one of these Airbnbs within driving distance.
- Our favorite: A house built into a cliff above the Guadalupe River features a private pool and tons of space for groups.
10. Rent a boat or spend a day on the water
Hire a captain and ferry your friends to Party Cove near the 360 Bridge or Devil's Cove on Lake Travis.
- Rent a boat through Austin Rental Boats or ATX Party Boats.
Paddle board on Lady Bird Lake.
- Grab rentals from the Austin Rowing Dock and day drink at the sandbar. BYOB!
Cool off at Campbell's Hole or Deep Eddy, two of the city's dozens of public pools and swimming holes.
- The Greenbelt's Campbell's Hole can be accessed via Spyglass Drive from the West.
- Deep Eddy Pool is at 401 Deep Eddy Ave.
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| 2022-04-02T12:55:51Z
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4 ideas for your best spring in Chicago
It's that time of year where the birds start chirping, the flowers start blooming and the snow stops falling ... sometimes.
We put together a few ideas for you to enjoy the elusive spring months in Chicago.
1. Chicago's big weekend of festivals
With spring comes more street, music and food festivals. If you want to get out of your pandemic cocoon and experience the soul of Chicago, there are plenty of festival-packed weekends to look forward to.
- But one weekend rules them all: June 10-12. Check out all these festivals:
The Chicago Blues Festival: The annual free city festival returns to Millennium Park. Lineups have yet to be announced, but this gathering is more about celebrating hometown music than lineups.
Hyde Park Summer Fest: Back after a two-year hiatus, it takes place in the Midway Plaisance and features headliners Busta Rhymes and Lupe Fiasco.
Andersonville Midsommarfest: The popular street fest returns after two years off. It takes over Clark Street and celebrates the neighborhood's Swedish origins.
Puerto Rican Festival: The weekend shindig takes over Humboldt Park, culminating in the Puerto Rican People's Day Parade on Sunday.
The Old Town Art Fair: One of the longest-running art fairs in the country, this joins in with the Wells Street Art Festival to shut down Old Town.
Taste of Chicago Pop-Ups: The city is bringing the downtown festival to neighborhoods in June, leading to a scaled-down version of the Grant Park festival in July.
The 2022 James Beard Awards: The awards technically take place on Monday, June 13, but the weekend will feature public events and restaurant parties galore.
⚾ This weekend will also have a rocking Guaranteed Rate Field, as the White Sox welcome the Texas Rangers to town.
💭 Justin's thought bubble: Does anyone want to try and take on all of these events in one weekend? I'm in.
💭 Monica's thought bubble: Sounds like too much for my fun-sensors to handle at once. I may leave and rent my place on Airbnb.
2. Visit the Jackson Park cherry blossoms
Your fancy Washington, D.C. friends may have been posting about cherry blossoms throughout March, but we do our cherry blossom frolicking in mid-April (weather permitting).
- And the best place to do it is Jackson Park, where the city has planted 160 trees near the Museum of Science and Industry Lagoon and the Japanese Garden of the Phoenix.
- The scene is so transportive that you may feel like you've arrived on another planet.
Pro tip: Consider bringing a picnic of sushi or other Japanese delights to enjoy under a shower of falling petals.
3. Great picnic spots
Calumet Park: Grab some smoked or fried fish from Calumet Fisheries and head over to this 181-acre park along the lake. On top of its wide stretches of green grass and shady groves, it offers some of the closest free parking to the lake in the whole park system.
31st Street Harbor: Yes, it's a harbor, but there's this wonderful plaza and green space built over the building that includes picnic tables and grassy knolls with lovely lake views for picnickers. Plus, there's nearby parking.
Skokie Lagoon: The North suburban gem gives you a glimpse at nature right off the Edens. It sprawls 894 acres and features fishing, biking/hiking, and picnic areas. You can even rent a canoe!
Swallow Cliff Woods: Ever thought about eating a picnic lunch on a 100-foot high bluff? These woods near Palos Park feature 125 limestone stairs to get up to the bluff. Great for sledding, but also for a nice spring hike.
4. Help clean rivers, forests, and parks
Spring is a great time to get out and help make your community look better. Our area has a bunch of opportunities in the coming months, including:
- Join thousands of other volunteers on Saturday, May 14 for Chicago River Day with river clean-up activities in 60 locations. Register here.
- Sign up for an Earth Day Clean Up at Forest Preserve locations, including Schiller Woods on Friday, April 22, and Beaubien Woods on Saturday, April 23.
- Do a pre-Earth Day clean-up of Grant Park on April 16.
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| 2022-04-02T12:55:57Z
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19-year-old woman shot on Chicago's West Side
CHICAGO - A 19-year-old woman was shot late Friday night on Chicago's West Side, police said.
According to police, the woman was inside a building in the 5200 block of west North Avenue, around 11:50 p.m., when shots were fired from a sidewalk.
The woman was taken to a local hospital by a friend, with a gunshot wound to the left arm. Police say she is in fair condition.
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There is no one in custody and Area Five detectives are investigating.
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| 2022-04-02T12:55:59Z
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3 men shot in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood during gunfire exchange
CHICAGO - Three men were shot during an exchange of gunfire with offenders in a pick-up truck late Friday night in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, police said.
According to police, the victims were involved in an exchange of gunfire with offenders in a red pick-up truck in the 900 block of west Cullerton, just before 11:30 p.m.
A 33-year-old man was shot in the right arm and self-transported to Stroger Hospital. Police say he is in fair condition.
A 34-year-old man was shot in the buttock and self-transported to Stroger in fair condition, police said.
A 47-year-old man was critically wounded and taken to Stroger, police said.
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There is no one in custody and Area Three detectives are investigating.
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| 2022-04-02T12:56:05Z
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ORT director to push for consistent funding in 2022
In his role as executive director of Ozark Regional Transit Authority (ORT), Joel Gardner has two priorities for the next six months:
- Making a case for a transit tax from the four cities where it operates so it has consistent funding;
- And focusing on the performance of its Uber-like on-demand service.
Why it matters: Public transit is often the only way people who don't — or can't — drive a car are able to get to work, shop and access medical care.
State of play: It's a chicken or the egg situation, Garner and ORT board member Peter Nierengarten tell Axios.
- To get more ridership, there has to be more transit coverage that's consistent and timely.
- To get more coverage, ORT needs money to grow its fleet and employees. But cities are hesitant to fund a system without known demand.
Context: Paying for ORT's services has always been an issue; it's not typically seen as a priority by the municipalities. ORT is largely funded by Federal Transportation Administration grants and 20% or 50% matches from local communities.
- The amount of money each community decides to contribute to ORT fluctuates every year, leaving its budget in a constant state of uncertainty.
- An unfortunate event — like the recent tornado in Springdale — could change the city's fiscal priorities overnight and potentially impact ORT's operating budget.
Gardner's hope is to change the mentality of NWA's leadership in the next few months to realize the service needs reliable funding.
- "When we fund public transit we're actually making changes in the way that people are going to be using it because we're providing more frequency, we're providing additional coverage" and making wait times shorter, he tells Axios.
Yes, but: ORT has offered zero-fare rides in all four of NWA's largest cities since April 2020, an effort that was underway before the pandemic. Cities and private grants have made up the revenue, at least through this year, Garner says.
The latest: An on-demand service that started in Rogers last year became available in Bentonville and Fayetteville in February.
- The app "ORT On Demand" works much like Uber, picking riders up from a specific address rather than at a bus stop.
- Most of the time, a rider is picked up within 30 minutes of booking the ride.
- At least for now, the service is free.
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| 2022-04-02T12:56:28Z
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Red Cross plans renewed Mariupol evacuation attempt
A Red Cross convoy on Saturday will attempt to evacuate Ukrainian civilians from the besieged city of Mariupol after a failed attempt on Friday.
Driving the news: The International Committee of the Red Cross team of three vehicles and nine personnel tried on Friday to help citizens leave, but "arrangements and conditions made it impossible to proceed," according to a statement.
- "They will try again on Saturday to facilitate the safe passage of civilians from Mariupol," the group said.
The big picture: The port city of Mariupol has faced weeks of Russian military bombardment. Officials say thousands of people remain trapped, with food, water and medicine in short supply.
- A humanitarian corridor has been planned for Saturday to help people evacuating by private transport from Mariupol and by buses for Mariupol residents out of the city of Berdyansk, Reuters reports.
- "For the operation to succeed, it is critical that the parties respect the agreements and provide the necessary conditions and security guarantees," the ICRC said.
What they're saying: "There is no plan B here, we have been working for weeks and telling the media about our efforts to get into Mariupol with aid and to allow the safe passage of civilians out of the city," an ICRC spokesperson told journalists in Geneva, according to the United Nations.
- "Time is running out for the people of Mariupol."
Go deeper: In photos: Mariupol devastated after weeks of Russian bombardment
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Residents and workers in Dover have described this morning as ‘beyond a joke’ as roads in the port town have been brought to a standstill. Weather problems and ferry shortages - partly caused by issues at P&O - have caused huge tailbacks at the Port.
There are now miles of lorries clogging up roads in the town, while Operation Brock is in place to try to deal with the volume of freight.
For Darren Keenan who works at Dover charity emmaus he said the gridlocked lorries have meant he hasn’t seen a single customer thanks to the roads cutting him off. Another person described the situation and said: “It’s beyond a joke that the authorities continually fail to manage this issue.”
Read more: Operation Brock: Diversion routes following M20 closure
Deborah King who was attempting to reach the port said: “It is absolute chaos in Dover. People have been waiting all night. Lorries are blocking all the side roads and a knock-on from yesterday means drivers are out of time with their tachometers and parking up blocking all roads into the town centre so no one can move.
“But the police are just at the port and not where it matters in Dover centre directing cars past the line of lorries. My husband got out of the car, walked ahead, and was directing the traffic himself out of frustration - he must have directed 100 plus cars.
“Then you get to the port where we are and there are hours left to wait. Apparently one ferry is out of action. We’re still waiting despite getting up at 4.30am, and meant to be on an 8.30am ferry.”
Residents across Folkestone and Dover have found quick journeys are taking extended periods of time. Almost all roads in the area are affected by the chaos
Photos taken from across Dover show lorries parked on residential roads, as well as being held along the M20. Inrix travel service has also confirmed a diversion route for non-freight drivers as the eastbound carriageway is used to hold lorries heading for Channel crossings.
Today’s issues have come about as a combined result of ferry shortages caused by the suspension of P&O services as well as problematic weather conditions. It is also as Operation Brock is implemented to deal with traffic disruption caused by post-Brexit paperwork issues.
You can take a look at the diversion route by clicking here. Or find out exactly what Operation Brock is, by clicking here.
If you have seen or heard anything you think we should know about, or in relation to this, please contact the KentLive newsdesk by email at kentlivenewsdesk@reachplc.com
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| 2022-04-02T13:03:05Z
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The trust running Bishop Chavasse Primary School in Tonbridge which this week received an 'inadequate rating' by Ofsted is advertising for a new head of school, with a salary of up to £60,000. As Kent Live reported yesterday, the school rejected Ofsted's statement safeguarding arrangements were "not effective".
The trust also told us it "thoroughly investigated any issues" and "took action where needed" after claims made to Kent Live whistle-blowers had raised concerns three years ago about safeguarding. at the school. The Ofsted report published on Wednesday (March 30) said: "Pupils know that they have trusted adults to speak to if they have any worries or concerns. Pupils say they are happy and safe at school.
"However, inspectors found that leaders do not have secure enough systems in place for safeguarding. There are serious lapses in recording that could mean that some children are at risk of harm." Denying this, The Tenax Schools Trust said in a statement: "Whilst we acknowledge there were some issues in the school’s safeguarding practice, in particular in recordkeeping, we are clear that no children were at risk at any point."
Read more: Every Kent school which 'requires improvement' according to Ofsted
The trust is advertising for a new head of school, with an annual salary of between £50,000 and £60,000. The advertisement states: "The next stage of our journey will take hard-work and a creative, can-do attitude, supported by school and trust leaders in this dynamic and enterprising organisation."
Kent Live shared with the trust the contents of an email we received on Wednesday (March 30) in which it claimed the school had a "very high staff turnover". It also claimed the trust had been "repeatedly warned" via the staff whistle-blowing process as early as October 2019, of concerns about "leadership, management and safeguarding" but "no action was taken to rectify this".
'Not a high turnover'
The trust denied these claims. In a statement, it said: "Covid has been a challenging time for all schools, but we have an exceptional staff team at Bishop Chavasse who have strong parental support for their work. We have not had high turnover, unlike many schools. We have had a number of new staff joining us, which is what you would expect for a growing school.
"Whilst it wouldn’t be appropriate for us to provide specific details, we take any whistle-blowing concerns raised very seriously and thoroughly investigate any issues and take action where it is needed. As a family of schools, we work very closely with our Heads, and we focus on making sure that we have exceptional leaders who can address any areas of development and lead each school to deliver an excellent education for every child."
“At Bishop Chavasse, we were very pleased to appoint Mrs Sacha Strand as our Executive Principal. She is an exceptional leader and has a very strong track record. She has already made some important improvements, which have been recognised by our parents who are overwhelmingly supportive. Mrs Strand will be joined by a new head of school in due course.”
Find out how you can get more education news from KentLive straight to your inbox for free HERE .
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| 2022-04-02T13:03:15Z
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Operation Brock chaos in photos as Dover gridlocked and miles of lorries queue on M20
Weather problems and ferry shortages - partly caused by issues at P&O - have caused huge tailbacks at the port
Drivers in Dover have described the ‘absolute chaos’ on the roads of Kent this morning (April 2). Weather problems and ferry shortages - partly caused by issues at P&O - have caused huge tailbacks at the Port.
The delays have led to Operation Brock being implemented in a bid to deal with the volume of freight.. It means lorries are held on the M20 but it seems all roads in the surrounded area have been affected by the miles of queues.
Residents and workers in the town have described how it is difficult to move thanks to the parked lorries on residential roads. Outside of town traffic maps confirm tailback reaching to Folkestone, while the A2 has been closed eastbound to hold lorries destined for Channel crossings.
Police are present on the A2 attempting to help direct the flow of traffic. However, ferry-bound passengers in Dover itself have spoken about directing the traffic themselves.
You can take a look at the diversion route by clicking here. Or find out exactly what Operation Brock is, by clicking here.
If you have seen or heard anything you think we should know about, or in relation to this, please contact the KentLive newsdesk by email at kentlivenewsdesk@reachplc.com
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| 2022-04-02T13:03:25Z
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Kent's major roads are at a standstill as Operation Brock causes travel chaos across the county. This blog will look at the current traffic on the M2/A2.
There are currently long delays and standstill traffic along most of M2 as the M20 eastbound remains closed to non-freight traffic to allow lorries to wait to go on the channel crossing. The delays are down to lorries being prevented from joining the current queue on the M20.
The delays are only affecting the coastbound road. The London bound roads on both the A2 and M20 are unaffected.
READ MORE:Operation Brock: Diversion routes following M20 closure
Kent Live is also running another blog on travel updates around Kent which can be found here.
We'll be bringing you the latest updates on this incident in the blog below. Scroll down for updates.
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| 2022-04-02T13:03:35Z
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Food prices will be a lot higher this year, according to a new study of the agriculture and food industry.
According to the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute, a think tank at the University of Missouri, food prices will be at least 5% higher in 2022 compared to last year. That’s the biggest single year increase in 14 years.
The group’s director, Pat Westhoff, said the final number could be even higher.
“I won’t give you a specific number, but it’s safe to say that if we were creating a new baseline today, we’d almost certainly show a higher rate,” said Westhoff, who heads the institute.
While prices will be up across the board, Westhoff said some foods will see especially high prices.
“We have seen much larger increases year over year for meats, for fats and oils, and for fresh fruits than you did for most other products,” he said.
Labor costs, fuel prices, supply chain problems and the effects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are all partially to blame the increases. Those same problems are at the heart of the overall inflation rate, according to economists.
Westhoff said while prices are higher, no one in food production will be getting richer.
“For example, at the farm level, yes, farmers are getting higher prices for the commodities that they sell, but they are also paying more for fertilizer, fuel and for other inputs,” Westhoff said. “And so the net income picture for farmers may not be terribly different this year from what it was last year.”
Westhoff said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will also likely have long-lasting effects on food prices, lengthening the amount of time before food inflation rates get back to normal. The average increase in food prices over the past two decades has been 2.5%.
Follow Jonathan on Twitter: @JonathanAhl
Harvest Public Media reports on food systems, agriculture and rural issues through a collaborative network of NPR stations throughout the Midwest and Plains.
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| 2022-04-02T13:20:21Z
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This story was first published in KCUR's Creative Adventure newsletter. You can sign up to receive stories like this in your inbox every Tuesday.
From high up on Strawberry Hill, you’re able to get a spectacular view of Kansas City and the “Kawsmouth,” the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri Rivers. But the historic Kansas City, Kansas, neighborhood is more than just a lookout point — Strawberry Hill offers a distinct perspective all its own.
Fringed by Minnesota Avenue to the north and Seventh Street to the west, the land was first procured by Mathias Splitlog, a mill owner who later sold it to the Catholic Church and the railroad.
At the turn of the century, families from Ireland, Germany, Croatia, Slovenia and Serbia settled the area and worked the factories and freight houses in Kansas City’s West Bottoms. In 1957, one-third of Strawberry Hill was razed to make way for I-70, forcing many residents to leave behind the homes they’d built.
Seeing as it’s less than 10 minutes from downtown, the Strawberry Hill of today is experiencing a housing boom. Also notable, though, is a marked sense of collaboration between current residents and small businesses — and between history and innovation — that gives the neighborhood its nuanced warmth.
This collection of historic sites, art studios, bookstores and more is only a glimpse into Strawberry Hill as a whole. To get the full vibe, you’ll need to cross a few rivers.
Nature and history
Just below Strawberry Hill, you’ll find Kaw Point Park and a zoomed-in view of the Kansas (Kaw) River flowing into the Missouri. Lewis and Clark camped near the confluence in June of 1804.
Today, the 10-acre green space features a memorial dedicated to the Indigenous peoples of Kansas and Missouri — such as the Osage, Kaw, Otoe-Missouria, Shawnee and Wyandot — whose ancestral lands stretch out over Kansas City and beyond.
Getting to Kaw Point is part of the fun — trust us. Finding it can be tricky, but you can cut over to Kansas City, Kansas, if you’re already exploring the West Bottoms.
When Ninth Street becomes Central Street at the state line, turn right to take the James Street Bridge over the Kansas River. In the industrial district, follow signs for Kaw Point Park. You’ll be rewarded with glorious city and river vistas, walking trails and a boat ramp. The space seems to occupy multiple worlds simultaneously.
Up the hill from Kaw Point Park is the Strawberry Hill Museum & Cultural Center, a stately lavender building constructed in the Victorian Queen Anne style. The center was established in 1988 with the mission to preserve the area’s ubiquitous Slavic heritage.
Visitors to the museum can tour its culturally meaningful exhibits, take a cooking class or sign up for the 5th Annual Strawberry Hill 5K race.
Extracurricular activities
Over on North Sixth Street is a heavily windowed building with the words “Epic Arts” etched above the door.
Inside are pottery wheels for throwing, buckets of glaze and rows upon rows of drying clay. Outside, string lights swing in the wind between a pop-up art container and the building itself.
“We’ve been here since 2010,” says co-manager Caroline Meek. The clay studio — in partnership with the nonprofit organization Community Housing of Wyandotte County — seeks to provide access to the arts, especially for historically marginalized groups who have not had it in the past.
Because art classes can be pricey or geographically out of reach, Epic Arts brings art to the people with open studio time at $10 an hour, plus affordable pottery classes for kids and adults.
Research shows sculpting clay helps expand the imagination and combat depression.
“Working with clay is an inherently grounding process,” Meek says. “It’s a metaphor for life. You spend so much time on the same piece — you get to engage with each part of the process.”
From May to October, the studio organizes Third Friday Art Walks. These take place throughout downtown KCK, including out front on Sixth Street. One year, Meek says, they even brought pottery wheels into the street.
Book smart
Walk a few blocks south down Sixth Street from the clay studio and you’ll come across Flagship Books, merchants of new and used novels, essay and poetry collections, children’s books and more. Flagship's brand new location in Strawberry Hill just opened last month.
Flagship is the kind of place that allows its book-needing neighbors to stop by on a snowy day even if the shop is technically closed. It’s the kind of place that props open the door on nice days.
So it comes as no surprise to learn that the congenial feel is what drew the bookstore to Strawberry Hill in the first place. “If we wanted to grow, we needed a bigger space,” co-owner Ty Malgren says. “It’s so nice to be in a real neighborhood.”
Though Flagship looks back on its Iron District roots with love, Strawberry Hill feels like home, too. “It’s definitely gone well so far,” Malgren says, adding that the shop can’t wait to coordinate with neighboring businesses on future creative pop-ups.
Caffeinated kindness
Speaking of upcoming events, transforming neighbors into friends and collaborators is something TJ Roberts is quite familiar with. He’s been busy running — and owning — Kinship Cafe, which sits at the intersection of Sixth Street and Ann Avenue in Strawberry Hill.
Kinship invites the outdoors inside, making the most of the building’s funky garage door-style windows on sunny days.
The menu has something for everyone: vegan and gluten-free options, breakfast scrambles, soups and chicken wraps. Even the chai is made in-house, and word on the street is Kinship is becoming known for its flash-brewed coffee.
“Something for everyone” might as well be the Kinship motto, as the cafe is quickly turning into a space for community fellowship and equity. That’s where Roberts comes in. His charisma brings people together. But it isn’t easy, especially when authenticity is hard to find.
“I hate for things to be super transactional,” Roberts says. He’s more interested in ethically sourcing Black-owned products, such as the candles and barbecue sauces that line his cafe’s shelves — just a small sample of products available for purchase.
Since opening in the fall of 2021, Roberts has already hosted hip-hop yoga lessons, vegan brunches, Third Friday Art Walk pop-ups and study nights for students. He even teaches his own pour-over classes.
Along with Strawberry Hill Museum & Cultural Center, Epic Arts and Flagship Books, Kinship Cafe is dedicated to creating a surplus of resources for both neighbors and visitors to Strawberry Hill.
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In the summer of 2020, Missouri was in the middle of a budget shortfall. Two hundred open positions at various agencies would not be filled and another 300 jobs would be cut. Of those 300, the Department of Social Services would lose 200 employees including caseworkers in the Children’s Division.
There was tremendous concern about the impact this would have on the abused and neglected children served by the division. Overwhelmed case workers who no longer have the support of experienced supervisors, even higher turnover rates of employees, longer periods needed to investigate, children spending longer time in care, and fewer services for the children are being realized due to the layoffs.
Angie Blumel, president and CEO of Jackson County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) believes the CASA volunteers have responded to the need to fill that void but it's made their job extremely harder.
"The turnover at the time was reported as high as 80%, now we're looking at darn near 100% in 2022 and when you have lack of experienced and qualified professionals who are responsible for the care and custody of kids in our state, that's very problematic."
- Angie Blumel, president and CEO, Jackson County CASA
Learn more about being a CASA volunteer at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, April 13 at the free Light of Hope breakfast on April 13th at 7:30a.m. at Sheraton Crown Center, 2345 McGee St., Kansas City, Missouri, 64108. For more information about volunteering, visit www.casakc.org, or call Jackson County CASA at 816-984-8204.
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| 2022-04-02T13:20:33Z
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Villanova’s seventh trip to the Men’s Final Four doesn’t quite measure up to the appearances made by the other three schools — Kansas, Duke and North Carolina — in New Orleans, but for some Kansas fans, the Wildcats’ recent championship runs still sting.
Villanova knocked off the Jayhawks twice in a three-year stretch from 2016 to ’18, either in a regional final or at the Final Four. Added to ‘Nova’s upset win over the powerful Georgetown Hoyas in 1985, the Wildcats and Jayhawks are tied with three NCAA championships.
For KU head coach Bill Self, that 2018 meeting in San Antonio was especially disheartening. KU lost by 16 points (95-79) and were blown off the court by a Wildcat team that attempted 40 three-pointers and made 18, each marking the most by a KU opponent in the NCAA tournament.
“The way that they played that game certainly has played a role in my mind,” Self said Friday.
Mike Humberd, a Jayhawks fan from the Black Forest area of Colorado outside Colorado Springs, remembers that game, too. Humberd customarily travels to Boulder, named informally “Allen Fieldhose West” when KU plays road games at the University of Colorado. But he also tries to find a way to the Final Four when the Jayhawks make it.
To Humberd, the only thing worse than the result in ‘18 was missing KU’s most recent NCAA championship back in 2008, also in San Antonio.
“A little misunderstanding with my wife that I don’t know if we’ve ever forgiven at this point,” said Humberd who strolled down Bourbon St. in the French Quarter alone on Thursday before the rest of his family joins him for Saturday’s semifinal.
Still, Self says he doesn’t classify this rematch as a “revenge” game. He pointed out only one current player -- Mitch Lightfoot -- was around in 2018.
This season, Villanova averages 9.1 three-point field goals per game.
This is KU’s 16th trip to the Final Four, the fifth most in NCAA history. North Carolina has the most with 21 and Duke, the Tar Heels’ opponent in the second semi, is at the Final Four for the 17th time. Kentucky and UCLA are the other two schools with more appearances than KU.
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It’s been over a year since we’ve dived into a juicy Garage House feature. The pandemic through the better part of last year sort of put a halt on leads for me. For 2022, I hope to explore this story angle a few more times over the course of the year, and to start back off right I have a truly special one to share.
The house, or more specifically the garage space that I’m going to share with you today is located in a quiet residential area of Southern Tokyo.
It’s a building I’m quite familiar with, as it’s only a few minutes away from my place in the buzzing metropolis. That’s why I cycled over to meet with the owner, Go Hiramatsu, for this special tour.
The white Tesla Model 3 belongs to Chiba-san, the owner of our very first Garage House feature from almost two years ago. He’s a good friend of Hiramatsu-san.
Hiramatsu’s home is designed in a very modern way, and a Japanese one at that. To my architecturally-untrained eye, it merges a contemporary interpretation of Bauhaus fused with details to highlight certain elements, textures and zones.
It’s the garage section of the house that we’re specifically going to look at today, but you can check out the entire building, as designed by Hideki Ishii, here.
We’ll start with the garage to your left as you walk into the property’s central courtyard area.
I gasped at the sight of this exotic trio, but couldn’t help notice the celebration of geometric shapes on every surface. From the stretched and elongated light-toned bricks that make up two walls of the garage, to the square cobblestones that cover the ground inside and out. But my favorite detail was the wood-textured concrete walls, highlighting the grain of the planks that were used to cast them.
The textures really do draw attention to the cars, while three large, sliding glass doors protect them from the elements.
First up in this space is a Ferrari 488 Pista, the track-focused version of the 488. The beige suede interior is a very nice detail on this car, contrasting against the subtle light metallic blue exterior.
We’ll skip the Italian hybrid next to it and move straight to the other hybrid in the garage – a Synergy Green McLaren P1
Up close, the P1 really is stunning. Not only has this hypercar stood the test of time, in my opinion it’s the best work McLaren has done. It has this organic feel about its design, a contoured shape that manages to be brutally functional but also eye-pleasingly beautiful, not to mention ridiculously aggressive.
When Hiramatsu-san picked up the P1, he used it as his daily driver, running up the mileage without a worry. McLaren even did a short film on him back in 2016, celebrating the fact that he’s an owner who knows how to enjoy his cars – check that out above.
The best part about owning a hybrid supercar – or hypercar in this case – is that when you get close to home and start driving through residential areas, you can switch to EV mode and glide into your garage in near silence to keep the neighbours happy.
This is also why Hiramatsu-san recently added a Ferrari SF90 to the fleet. It’s his freshest arrival, having just been delivered in February. We’ll get to this car in a second, but first I want to show you the opposite side of the courtyard, where there’s another three-car garage.
On this side, Hiramatsu-san keeps his Ferrari Portofino, a car he jumps into when the Tokyo weather is right for some drop-top driving.
Next to it sits a massive Lamborghini Urus finished off in satin black with fluorescent yellow accents. Of all his cars, this is the one Hiramatsu-san loves to drive the most. It has performance, comfort and plenty of space for his family.
However, the more subtle Lexus NX by far sees the most use. It’s surely a far less stressful and therefore relaxing – not to mention quiet – vehicle to drive around Tokyo in.
There’s a seventh car in the lineup, a Volkswagen Beetle convertible for when Hiramatsu-san wants to blend in but still have the ability to put the roof down.
The adjacent office/lounge space that looks out into the first garage is nothing short of a dream setup, but before I headed in there I asked Hiramatsu-san to move the SF90 into the center of the courtyard.
Which, thanks to the car’s electric mode, he did in complete silence.
I haven’t seen many of these new SF90s around, so I wanted to take it all in properly. And what a place to do that in.
I know there are people out there who are not overly happy with Ferrari doing hybrids, but when the LaFerrari released it became obvious that the technology would eventually trickle down to the ‘lesser’ models.
Except, there is nothing ‘less’ about the SF90; with 986hp – or an even 1,000PS – it packs a stronger punch than the LaFerrari.
I’m not one to fuss over purity. If there’s one car company out there that should keep up with the times and stay at the forefront of performance and tech it’s Ferrari, so to see an all-wheel drive hybrid from Maranello is fine by me – just as long as they keep delivering track-focused versions. I’ll even overlook the fact that the Purosangue is right around the corner as long it allows the cooler stuff to keep coming.
At this point in time with cars, I think it’s all about the integration, specifically how all these layers of technology and driver assistance are being handled and managed. That’s what sports cars manufacturers have to strive for; making their tech-laden cars feel natural, respond predictively and at the same time leaving you feeling like a driving god. Because with close to 1,000hp in a street car like the SF90, I personally would want all the help and safety nets available.
And that’s what I like about Hiramatsu-san – he embraces this angle in the cars that he buys. He enjoys the mix of emotions that they bring to the table and likes to experience it all. He even has a Tesla Model S Plaid on order, plus a few more Lamborghinis and Ferraris. Good on him, I say.
The little alcove next to the garage is a spot Hiramatsu-san uses for quiet work and to celebrate his passion for cars.
As soon as you walk in you’re greeted by a display cabinet of model cars – some that he has previously owned in 1:1 scale, some that he currently owns, and some that he will own in the future.
There’s a really relaxing vibe in here. Warm wood tones and leather chairs contrast the white walls, and then there’s the large window.
And the view. Wow!
Hiramatsu-san not only likes to drive his cars every day, but change them out often too. That said, I think I’ll be back sometime in the future for another look.
In the meantime, I’ll definitely have to hit up the Hakone Turnpike with Hiramatsu-san one sunny Saturday morning.
Dino Dalle Carbonare
Instagram: dino_dalle_carbonare
dino@speedhunters.com
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5 comments
Always open to the elements or is there a hidden door somewhere?
Simply amazing.. and you're a lucky guy Dino, good job!
Thanks for another superb article, Dino.
It's so sad to see the great sexy lines of the SF90 ruined by the registration plate stuck at the nose of the car. I wish Ferrari could figure out how to blend the plate to the car. Or was it meant to be an air brake? hahaha
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WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. imposed sanctions on five North Korean entities Friday in response to two ballistic missile tests the reclusive Asian country conducted in February and March.
The March launch was North Korea’s most provocative weapons test since President Joe Biden took office.
Authorized under an existing executive order targeting producers and supporters of weapons of mass destruction, the sanctions come after Japan issued its own penalties this week on four groups and nine individuals tied to missile development.
The U.S. government determined that the launches involved a new intercontinental ballistic missile which could be used in the future, potentially disguised as a space launch.
The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control said Friday’s sanctions target the firms for providing support to North Korea’s “development of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs, in violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions.”
Sanctioned entities include the Ministry of Rocket Industry, the Hapjanggang Trading Corporation, Korea Rounsan Trading Corp., Sungnisan Trading Corp., and Unchon Trading Corp.
“The DPRK’s provocative ballistic missile tests represent a clear threat to regional and global security and are in blatant violation of UN Security Council resolutions,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.
DPRK is an acronym for the country’s formal name, the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea
“The United States is committed to using our sanctions authorities to respond to the DPRK’s continued development of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles,” she said.
“I also commend Japan for their actions today against the DPRK, and stand ready to continue to work together to counter the DPRK’s continued threatening behavior.”
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WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. imposed sanctions on five North Korean entities Friday in response to two ballistic missile tests the reclusive Asian country conducted in February and March.
The March launch was North Korea’s most provocative weapons test since President Joe Biden took office.
Authorized under an existing executive order targeting producers and supporters of weapons of mass destruction, the sanctions come after Japan issued its own penalties this week on four groups and nine individuals tied to missile development.
The U.S. government determined that the launches involved a new intercontinental ballistic missile which could be used in the future, potentially disguised as a space launch.
The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control said Friday’s sanctions target the firms for providing support to North Korea’s “development of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs, in violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions.”
Sanctioned entities include the Ministry of Rocket Industry, the Hapjanggang Trading Corporation, Korea Rounsan Trading Corp., Sungnisan Trading Corp., and Unchon Trading Corp.
“The DPRK’s provocative ballistic missile tests represent a clear threat to regional and global security and are in blatant violation of UN Security Council resolutions,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.
DPRK is an acronym for the country’s formal name, the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea
“The United States is committed to using our sanctions authorities to respond to the DPRK’s continued development of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles,” she said.
“I also commend Japan for their actions today against the DPRK, and stand ready to continue to work together to counter the DPRK’s continued threatening behavior.”
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Are you ready to say goodbye to your winter jackets, thick sweaters and snow boots? We sure are!
What better way to get into the mood for warm weather than with a colorful new wardrobe from none other than Stoney Clover Lane.
Starting Saturday, April 2, the customizable accessories brand is teaming up on a limited-time-only collection of over 300 budget-friendly, warm-weather pieces including apparel, accessories, swim, beauty essentials, outdoor items and more coming to Target.com and most stores.
The collaboration also features patches, stickers and DIY kits (tie-dye anyone?) to easily customize the pieces and create your own one-of-a-kind look. Stoney Clover Lane x Target is designed to encourage shoppers to express themselves through personalization and pieces that can be mixed and matched to fit your very own style.
“We know our guests are increasingly looking for unique ways to show off their personal style, and Stoney Clover Lane is a brand we’ve had our eye on for a while, since they are known for their customizable pieces,” Jill Sando, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer at Target, said in a press release. “We’ve admired how the brand has created such a highly recognizable aesthetic with a deeply engaged audience and know our guests will love finding Stoney Clover Lane at Target, just in time to show off their individual style for spring.”
Stoney Clover Lane, which was founded in 2009 by sisters Kendall and Libby Glazer, was created to take everyday organization to the next level with their line of travel accessories designed to celebrate individuality. Due to the brand’s fun coordinating patches and customization options that can be mixed and matched with any of its products, Stoney Clover Lane quickly gained a wide social media following — making their items high on many shopper’s wishlists.
“Stoney Clover Lane is all about re-imagining the everyday and making it full of color and fun. There’s nothing better than a Target run and we are overjoyed that Stoney Clover Lane gets to be part of that experience this spring and inspire customers to let their personal style shine,” said Libby Glazer, co-founder of Stoney Clover Lane.
“We are so eager to launch this collaboration with Target, which marks our first foray into several new categories like ready-to-wear, suitcases, electronics and more,” added Kendall Glazer, co-founder of Stoney Clover Lane.
Apparel and swim items in the Stoney Clover Lane x Target collection range in size from XXS to 4X and the full collection ranges in price for as low as $2 to no more than $160, with most items under $20. The collection will be available on Target.com and in most Target stores starting April 2, while supplies last. You’ll also be able to shop with Target’s contactless (and convenient) same-day pickup options, Drive Up and Order Pickup.
The collection features backpacks, suitcases, tote bags, fanny packs, sandals, patches, notebooks, coolers, sunglasses and more.
For more content, check out the New York Post Shopping section.
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Ukrainian refugees are camping at the US border and their numbers have swelled since the war in Ukraine began.
Hundreds of Ukrainians have now found themselves in the border town of Tijuana, seeking asylum in the United States. Around 600 are camped along the border, while another 500 are holed up in hotels in the city, according to Enrique Lucero, Tijuana’s migration affairs director. About 40% of those who have arrived are children.
“I couldn’t cry in Ukraine. I thank you even for my tears,” Valentina Shymanveska, a native of war-ravaged Kharkiv, said. “For this place, this food, and the dream of life until [Ukraine’s] victory.”
The Russian invasion has sparked the greatest European refugee crisis since World War II, with millions of Ukrainians now displaced from their homes. President Biden has promised to accept 100,000 Ukrainian refugees.
With Post wires.
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BRUSSELS (AP) — China on Friday renewed its criticism of Western sanctions against Russia, as top European Union officials sought assurances from Beijing that it would not help Moscow circumvent the economic measures imposed in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry also laid blame for the war in Ukraine at least partially on the United States for pushing to expand the NATO military alliance closer to Russia’s borders. Twenty-one of the EU’s 27 countries are also NATO member states.
At a virtual summit, European Council President Charles Michel, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell sought signs from Chinese President and Communist Party leader Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang that Beijing would help to end the war in Ukraine.
Von der Leyen said leaders from both sides “exchanged very clearly opposing views” on many topics but expressed hopes that China would use its influence as a major power and permanent member of the U.N. Security Council to convince Russia it should put an end to the war.
She added that she expects China at least not to interfere with Western sanctions targeting Russia, even if Beijing does not endorse them.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian earlier warned at a daily briefing that his country “disapproves of solving problems through sanctions, and we are even more opposed to unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction that have no basis in international law.”
Zhao said when it comes to Ukraine, Beijing would not be forced to “choose a side or adopt a simplistic friend-or-foe approach. We should, in particular, resist the Cold War thinking and bloc confrontation.”
“As the culprit and leading instigator of the Ukraine crisis, the U.S. has led NATO to engage in five rounds of eastward expansion in the last two decades after 1999,” he said, adding that NATO membership almost doubled from 16 to 30 countries, and pushed “Russia to the wall step by step.”
China says it is not taking sides in the conflict but it has declared a “no limits” partnership with Russia and refuses to condemn the invasion. Beijing routinely amplifies Russian disinformation about the conflict, and does not refer to it as an invasion or a war in keeping with Russian practice.
Michel and Von der Leyen did not say whether they received guarantees from Chinese officials that Beijing would not provide financial or military aid to Russia. Von der Leyen insisted that any support to Russia’s ability to wage its war would lead to “a major reputational damage for China” in Europe.
“The business sector is watching very closely the events and evaluating how countries are positioning themselves,” she said. “This is a question of trust, of reliability and of course of decisions on long-term investments.”
In a news release following a first summit session, Li was quoted as affirming the importance of China-EU ties, saying he hoped the two “remain open to each other, steadily expand market access, protect fair competition and promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation.”
“China hopes that the EU will also provide a sound business environment to Chinese businesses investing and developing in Europe,” Li was quoted as saying.
The meeting took place amid rising negative sentiment within the bloc fueled by China’s aggressive foreign policies and trade practices.
Underlying the EU’s expectations for China is the possibility of penalties against Chinese companies that undermine measures taken against Russia. EU officials point out that 13.7% of China’s total trade is done with the 27-nation bloc, and 12% with the United States, compared with just 2.4% with Russia.
Other topics included China’s travel ban on members of the European Parliament; Beijing’s economic boycott of EU member Lithuania over its Taiwan relations; the fate of a stalled investment agreement; and civil and political rights under China’s authoritarian Communist Party regime.
Beijing has dismissed European criticisms as biased and driven by an anti-China agenda being pursued by its chief global rival, the United States.
Beijing also sanctioned some European Union lawmakers last year after the EU, Britain, Canada and the United States launched coordinated sanctions against officials in China over human rights abuses in the far western Xinjiang region.
The European Parliament responded by saying it will not ratify a long-awaited business investment deal as long as the sanctions remain in place.
Rights groups have also urged the EU to take a more assertive stand with China over repression in Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong and elsewhere and the persecution of Chinese dissidents including Sakharov Prize winner Ilham Tohti and Chinese-Swedish publisher Gui Minhai.
Highlighting some positive discussions that took place during their summit, von der Leyen said the EU and China can cooperate constructively in the fight against climate change and COVID-19.
Xi was quoted as saying that the “Ukraine crisis has come on top of a protracted COVID-19 pandemic and a faltering global recovery.”
“Against such a backdrop, China and the EU, as two major forces, big markets and great civilizations, should increase communication on their relations and on major issues concerning global peace and development, and play a constructive role in adding stabilizing factors to a turbulent world,” Xi said in a statement.
___
Moritsugu reported from Beijing.
___
Follow all AP stories about developments in Russia’s war on Ukraine athttps://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine.
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In February 1998, Tiger Woods played a practice round with Phil Mickelson ahead of the Nissan Open at the Valencia Country Club in California when both men were in their 20s. The pair had agreed to a bet, with the winner taking $500 from the other.
By the end of the round, Mickelson emerged victorious. He celebrated by putting photocopies of his five winning $100 bills into Woods’ locker with a note that read: “Just wanted you to know Benji and his friends are very happy in their new home.”
“Woods seethed,” writes author Bob Harig in his new book “Tiger and Phil – Golf’s Most Fascinating Rivalry” (St. Martin’s Press), out this month, noting that the pros wouldn’t play another practice round together until 20 years later at the 2018 Masters.
The complex relationship between the two greatest players of their generation has fascinated the golf world for decades, with their lives and careers inextricably linked. Yet the two men couldn’t be more different.
Mickelson, 51, is a white country-club kid with an airline pilot for a dad; Woods, 46, is mixed race with parents who took out a second mortgage just to help their son make it in the sport. Mickelson is famous for signing autographs till his pen runs out of ink; Woods is known for being standoffish and aloof. Mickelson is a family man with three children who took time off to care for his wife, Amy, when she was diagnosed with cancer in 2009. Woods was exposed as a philanderer when his wife, Elin, chased him out of their house with his own golf club and used it to smash the windows of his car.
“Theirs isn’t a rivalry in the classic sense,” Harig writes. “But Woods has always been aware of Mickelson, and Mickelson has certainly always been aware of Woods.”
The two men do have a few similarities. They were born in California, and both were destined for greatness.
Woods, the son of a Vietnam veteran and a Thai mother, was groomed for golf as soon as he could walk. When he left Stanford University after just two years to turn pro in 1996, he had a $40 million contract from Nike and Titleist waiting for him.
Mickelson was a right-hander who played the game left-handed, a super-confident, superstar collegiate golfer at Arizona State University who honed his skills on his own personal practice facility in his backyard.
And yet, despite 45 Tour wins, including six majors, and raking in nearly $100 million in prize money alone, Mickelson has never made it to No. 1 in golf’s world rankings, despite being in the top 10 for 700 weeks and spending five years in the number two spot — always behind Woods.
In any other time, Mickelson’s career would be the stuff of legend. In this time, he’s nearly always been known as second best. “I oftentimes wonder what my career would be had he not come along,” Mickelson said in November 2018.
The 2001 Masters, when Woods completed the “Tiger Slam” of holding all four major titles simultaneously, is a case in point. Paired together in the final round, Mickelson played the best golf of his life in the first nine holes but Woods kept him at bay, eventually grinding him down and taking the Green Jacket.
“It was really frickin’ hard to play Tiger back then,” Mickelson later admitted.
In a 2003 Golf Magazine interview, Mickelson mocked Woods’ clubs, which the golfing champion had helped design, as “inferior” and then paid him a back-handed compliment, saying he was the only player good enough to “overcome the equipment he’s stuck with.”
Woods’ response was curt. “Phil can try to be a smart aleck at times,” he quipped.
Even though the antipathy between the two men is well-known, Ryder Cup captain Hal Sutton paired the two together for the biennial Europe vs. USA contest in 2004.
“I felt like history needed it. I felt like the fans needed it. And, most of all, I felt like Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods needed it,” Sutton said at the opening ceremony.
But what started out as the Dream Team soon became more Laurel and Hardy as Woods and Mickelson sulked and scowled their way through two dismal performances, ending their partnership barely on speaking terms as the US fell to Europe in a humiliating home defeat.
“If it weren’t for the uniform, you wouldn’t even know they were teammates,” writes Harig.
Harig writes that Woods has strained relations most over the years, arguing that it could be Mickelson’s image as the “man of the people” he finds most galling.
“Nobody will say that Tiger hated Phil,” he writes, “but there was a strong dislike.”
At times, it seemed as though Woods enjoyed the spell he held over Mickelson. When Mickelson blew a golden opportunity on the final hole to win the US Open at Winged Foot NY in 2006, Woods, having missed the halfway cut, was spending the weekend watching the final rounds on TV from his yacht.
“Privately, Woods texted an acquaintance to get a sense for what happened,” writes Harig, “and derisively asked what body part Mickelson tripped over.”
To this day, Mickelson has never won the US Open — the only one of the four majors he has failed to claim.
Today, Woods and Mickelson enjoy a much friendlier relationship, which the latter attributes to the 2016 Ryder Cup, where Woods was a non-playing assistant captain and Mickelson a team member. “For once, the Tiger-Phil dynamic saw them on the same side, likely a more difficult leap for Woods than it was for Mickelson,” writes Harig. “He spent the better part of 20 years keeping Phil at a par-5 distance; now not only did they exchange phone numbers but they were also regularly texting each other to discuss strategy.”
Both men, despite their advancing years and issues off the golf course, remain the biggest draws in golf. That’s why they were only participants in 2018’s “The Match,” a made-for-TV, winner-takes-all contest over 18 holes at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas, which Mickelson won in sudden death, taking the $9 million prize.
In 2019, Woods won the Masters after a majorless drought stretching back to 2008 when he took the US Open with a broken leg, while Mickelson won the PGA Championship at the age of 50 — the oldest ever winner of a major title.
But they’re still gunning for each other.
On March 2, Woods won $8 million when he edged out Mickelson to score the PGA Tour’s inaugural Player Impact Program award and tweeted him, saying “Whoops.”
Embarrassingly, Mickelson thought he had already won it. “I’d like to thank all the crazies (and real supporters too) for helping me win the PiP!!” he wrote on Twitter, before realizing his mistake.
Worse still, this April, Mickelson will miss his first Masters in 28 years while five-times champion Woods gets ready to tee it up for the first time on Tour since he was seriously injured in a car crash near LA last year. (Mickelson took a break from the game after admitting he made “reckless” comments about a Saudi Arabian golf tour he was meant to be backing.)
Watching his great rival hit the course without him will feel almost as painful as playing against him — and losing.
“I enjoyed and loved playing against Tiger at his best,” Mickelson said after Woods beat him in the final round of the Doral tournament in Miami, Fla., in 2005. “It was fun. Just don’t like the result.
“The result sucks.”
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA kicked off a critical countdown test Friday for its new moon rocket, a 30-story behemoth that could make its first lunar test flight by summer.
The two-day demonstration — the final major milestone before liftoff to the moon — will culminate Sunday as teams load nearly 1 million gallons of super-cold fuel into the rocket on the pad. The countdown will halt at the 9-second mark before engines ignite.
NASA plans to set a launch date after analyzing the results of the dress rehearsal for the Space Launch System rocket — SLS for short.
Officials have indicated the rocket could blast off as early as June, sending the attached Orion crew capsule hurtling toward the moon. The capsule will spend at least a month in space before returning to Earth.
No one will be on board for the first moonshot since NASA’s Apollo lunar landings a half-century ago. Astronauts will strap in for the second test flight slated for 2024, looping around the moon and back. That would pave the way for astronauts landing on the moon around 2025, according to NASA.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office recently warned, however, that technical challenges remain — primarily with the lunar lander and spacesuits — that could further delay the moon landing, already years behind schedule. The GAO also cited billions in escalating costs.
Towering 322 feet (98 meters), the rocket made its debut at the Kennedy Space Center launch pad two weeks ago. Since then, all of its systems have been powered up in preparation for this weekend’s test. Officials stressed that possible thunderstorms or technical problems could drag out the rehearsal.
NASA promised to provide updates throughout the weekend, but the public won’t be able to listen in. The space agency cited security concerns.
“We are being cautious — an abundance of caution — and that’s particularly in the environment that we’re in nowadays,” said Tom Whitmeyer, head of NASA’s exploration systems development.
NASA expects to announce the crews for the initial lunar missions this summer. The pool of candidates includes nine men and nine women; two are at the International Space Station and two are due to arrive there in a few weeks.
Twenty-four astronauts flew to the moon during Apollo from 1968 through 1972; 12 landed on the lunar surface.
Unlike Apollo, NASA is partnering with private business for its moon program, named Artemis after Apollo’s twin sister in Greek mythology. While NASA’s rocket and capsule will get astronauts into lunar orbit, SpaceX’s still-in-development Starship will carry them down to the lunar surface, at least for the first mission. NASA is seeking additional companies for later landings.
The space agency’s goal is to develop a sustainable moon presence, then aim for Mars. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson recently cited 2040 as the target for a Martian expedition with astronauts.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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| 2022-04-02T13:39:55Z
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From the Observer; I’m picking it up after the initial statements by Beto that got Kelcy Warren’s undies in such a wad:
Free-speech advocates and many legal scholars have long decried these sort frivolous lawsuits—known as SLAPPs, or Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation—as a blatant abuse of the country’s legal system by powerful and wealthy people and corporations in an attempt to silence outspoken activists, critical reporters, and rivals alike.
“Kelcy Warren is far from the first billionaire to file a lawsuit against someone who says something they don’t like. … And even though they’re highly unlikely to succeed on the merits, they file them anyway,” Evan Mascagni, policy director for the anti-SLAPP advocacy group Public Participation Project, told the Observer.
“SLAPP-filers don’t go to court to seek justice. Rather, they file these meritless lawsuits to silence, harass, and intimate their critics. Defending against a meritless lawsuit can cost tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars and clog up the court system for years while at the same time having a chilling effect on the writer or speaker.”
With one of Abbott’s top donors going directly after his political ally’s opponent, Warren’s lawsuit marks an unprecedented incursion into Texas politics—one that is likely to only further elevate the mega-donor’s role in the most high-profile election this year. It seem to be an unwelcome move for Abbott, whose campaign promptly issued a statement saying that it had no involvement with the suit. O’Rourke, meanwhile, is spoiling for the fight—and has doubled-down in his rhetoric in the wake of the lawsuit. Earlier this month, O’Rourke compared Abbott to Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling him an “authoritarian” and a “thug,” and said, “he’s got his own oligarch here in the state of Texas”—an apparent reference to Warren.
The law firm—Kasowitz Benson Torres—that Warren hired to take on O’Rourke is notorious for aggressively litigating these types of suits on behalf of its powerful clients, including his company, Energy Transfer Partners. The firm’s founder, Marc Kasowitz, was also the longtime attorney for the infamously litigious former President Donald Trump.
[…]
While it’s not clear if O’Rourke will ultimately file a motion to get the suit tossed, experts say the state’s anti-SLAPP law was created for cases like these.
“My general impression of the lawsuit is that it’s very much subject to dismissal under the TCPA,” Lane Haygood, an Odessa-based lawyer who has worked on free-speech cases in the state, told the Observer.
“The statements that could survive [an anti-SLAPP dismissal] are the ones that get closest to accusing Mr. Warren of committing a specific crime,” Haygood added. “There are a couple of times that O’Rourke uses words like extortion or bribery, which are defined crimes under the Texas Penal Code. But they are also rhetorical shorthand and hyperbolic, and so in context, Texas courts are generally likely to hold that such language is not specific enough to be actionable defamation. It is the difference between saying ‘John Smith assaulted me on September 4, 2021,’ and ‘John Smith is a bully who beat me up.’ ”
O’Rourke has dismissed Warren’s claims as blatantly frivolous, saying that everything he’s said is based on publicly available facts and media reports. So far, he’s indicated that he wants to let the case play out—paying for any legal costs with campaign funds. This week, his attorneys filed motions to change the venue of the lawsuit to a court in his home of El Paso County and called for a trial by jury.
Under the state’s anti-SLAPP law, O’Rourke has 60 days from the date he was served—February 28—to file a motion to dismiss. It’s not uncommon for attorneys to wait until the deadline to do so in case the defendant files an amended petition, Haygood said.
Or O’Rourke may see the public spectacle of this lawsuit as a political gift that’s well worth going to court over—especially since his ample campaign funds should easily cover the legal costs of a drawn-out legal battle.
See here and here for the background. Beto has basically until the end of April to file a motion for dismissal, which is still the legally sound strategy. Politically, though, it likely makes more sense to say “bring it”, and start filing tons of motions for discovery. I have no idea what Beto will do, but I’d love to sit in on his next call with the lawyers.
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| 2022-04-02T13:40:01Z
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But don’t panic, it’s just a change in the virus composition, not an increase in viral load.
Houston is seeing an uptick in the number of BA.2 cases, with genome sequencing and wastewater testing picking up higher levels this week compared to last week.
The more contagious omicron subvariant was identified in 24 percent of patients who were sequenced at Houston Methodist, a jump from the 1 to 3 percent previously reported. BA.2 was also detected at six wastewater treatment plants on March 21 — the most recent day for which data is available — after the Houston Health Department last week said it had not been detected at any plants.
“Previously, we saw some indications of mutations consistent with BA.2 but were not confident in the determination at the time,” health department spokesman Scott Packard said in an email. “Retrospective analysis indicates BA.2 was likely in the wastewater in low levels starting in mid-to-late January.”
The recent data is the first indication of a significant rise in BA.2 in the Houston-area. Eventually, the subvariant is expected to become the dominant strain here, lining up with the nationwide rate, according to the health department.
[…]
In Houston, the average positivity rate over the last two weeks is 1.8 percent, down from the high 30s in the early January. Wastewater testing shows an increasing viral load at nine wastewater plants, while the remaining 30 are plateaued or decreasing.
“Although BA.2 appears to be more contagious than BA.1, the good news is that countries experiencing a spike in cases are not seeing a proportionate spikes in hospitalizations,” Packard said. “That means being up to date on vaccines (initial shots plus boosters) remains highly effective against serious illness, even with BA.2.”
As a reminder, you can see the Houston wastewater dashboard here. I don’t know how long we will be in this trough, but at least in the short term our vax level plus the sheer number of people who contracted the BA.1 version of omicron should help.
In the longer term, as immunity wanes and new variants pop up, it will be time for more shots. A fourth shot has now been authorized by the FDA for us old folks.
A second round of booster shots was greenlighted for everyone over the age of 50 by public health officials on Tuesday, kicking off the regulatory process for shots to likely be available in pharmacies this week.
Everyone 12 and older is already eligible for a booster shot five months after their initial vaccine series if they received an mRNA vaccine like Pfizer or Moderna, or two months after getting the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
But for those over 50, determined to be a vulnerable age group, officials at the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have decided the data on waning immunity justifies making another shot available four months after the first boost. And while anyone who meets that criteria can now get another booster, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said it was “especially important” for those 65 and older and those 50 and older with underlying medical conditions.
“This is especially important for those 65 and older and those 50 and older with underlying medical conditions that increase their risk for severe disease from COVID-19 as they are the most likely to benefit from receiving an additional booster dose at this time,” Walensky said in a statement on Tuesday.
My niece is getting married in June in Washington state. I expect all of us who will be there for it and who are eligible for that booster will have gotten it by then. I ain’t messing around.
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| 2022-04-02T13:40:10Z
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This is a thing that should have happened a long time ago.
City of Houston employees soon could be eligible for up to three months of paid parental leave under a policy change expected to reach City Council next week.
The proposal, set for council consideration next Wednesday, would give workers who have been with the city for six months up to 12 weeks of paid leave for the birth, adoption or foster placement of a child. The policy also will include paid time off during pregnancy for certain health matters.
The city’s workforce of about 22,000 employees currently has no paid parental leave. They must use accrued vacation time for those days off. If approved by council, parental leave will not be limited to women.
The policy change was the result of recommendations from the city’s Women’s Commission, formed in August 2021 at the recommendation of District C Councilmember Abbie Kamin, who gave birth to a son last year.
“This is a pivotal moment for the city,” Kamin said. “No parent should have to choose between a paycheck and caring for yourself and your family.”
However late, good for the city to do this. Lord knows, most city employees are not paid much, so at the very least this will help them a little with recruiting and retention. We should have this as a matter of national policy, but until we can get there we’ve got to plug the holes one by one. I look forward to seeing this get passed.
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BALTIC SEA (March 29, 2022) – Hull Maintenance Technician Fireman Julian Jimenez receives a hair cut from Retail Specialist 3rd Class Christopher Maul in the barber shop of Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75), March 29. Donald Cook is deployed to the European Theatre of operations and participating in a range of maritime activities in support of U.S. Sixth Fleet and NATO allies. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Nicholas Skyles)
This work, USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) [Image 8 of 8], by SN Nicholas Skyles, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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220401-N-LR048-2059 PACIFIC OCEAN (Apr. 01, 2022) – Sailors practice stretcher bearing techniques during a general quarters drill aboard amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7), Apr. 01. Tripoli is underway conducting routine operations in U.S. 3rd Fleet. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Sebastian Minshall)
This work, 220401-N-LR048-2059 [Image 7 of 7], by PO3 Sebastian Minshall, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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FLORENCE, Mass. (WWLP) – On Sunday, the Empty Arms Bereavement Support are to host their third annual Syrup Stampede 5k run at Look Memorial Park. A 2k run or walk, kids’ activities, and baked goods made with local maple syrup will also be included in the event.
Empty Arms Bereavement Support is the only community based support network for families of the Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire Counties that encounter pregnancy and infant loss.
According to a news release from Empty Arms Bereavement Support, the race anticipates to have approximately 700 runners to attend and raise over $50,000. All funds raised are to support Pioneer Valley families and people that have undergone stillbirth, miscarriage, termination for medical reasons, and infant loss.
“Grieving your child is hard enough, and then you add stigma and taboo on top, you can feel so alone,” said Dianna Martin, race volunteer and Empty Arms peer companion. “I’m running in memory of my daughter today, raising money as part of Team J-Bird so that Empty Arms can be here for families like mine, and no one needs to feel alone.”
Empty Arms Bereavement Support news release stated that pregnancy loss affects 1 in 4 families who are pregnant.
Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts trends seen each year:
- Approximately 6,591 babies will be born alive
- 1,500 families will experience miscarriage
- 45 families will have a baby who is stillborn
- 33 families will have a baby who dies in the first month of life
“Empty Arms was there for me during the most difficult days of my life,” said race volunteer Melissa Mills-Dick. “When my baby died, the whole vision for my future came crashing down. The support and friendship of the Empty Arms community helped me build a new vision, one that includes the memory of my baby.”
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Which sage green throw pillows are best?
Sage green is a timeless color that combines the appeal of the outdoors with the modern aesthetic many people love. If you’re interested in decorating a room, whether it’s the living room or a study, a couple of sage green throw pillows will help tie the space together. The Home Brilliant Decorative Farmhouse Rustic Burlap Linen Cushion Cover, for example, is stylish, comfortable and practical to have around.
What to know before you buy a sage green throw pillow
Design and theme
The key difference between a throw pillow and the pillows that go on your bed is the fact that most throw pillows are meant for decor. Because of this, even if they come in a solid color, they’ll typically have certain design themes such as tassels or decorative text on them.
People often add throw pillows to a couch or bed to match a specific aesthetic in the room or home. With interior design, it’s generally best to stick with a semi-strict color palette of two or three slightly different colors. That way, you can create a complete theme for the room. Sage green pillows have a soothing effect and look best when paired with other natural or neutral colors such as different shades of gray, browns or tans.
Inserts
As with bed pillows, throw pillows also have inserts, which are basically the pillows that go inside the throw pillow covers. These inserts, when purchased separately from the cover, are either packaged individually or come in a set of two to four. Sets are especially useful if you have several throw pillows that are all the same size and shape.
When you order online, the inserts will typically be vacuumed sealed for easier shipping. Once they arrive, you’ll need to remove them from the packaging and let them inflate before you can use them or put them in a cover. Typically, it only takes a few minutes for an insert to fully regain its intended shape.
Some throw pillows come with the insert and cover, but it’s a good idea to check the product label before purchase so you know what to expect. When buying inserts separately, make sure they match the dimensions of the cover.
Cover
Some throw pillows do not have a separate cover and insert. However, if you’re getting one that does, there’s a good chance the insert will be basic and white, while the cover will have the designs and colors you want. Similar to other pillow covers, those meant for throw pillows exist in virtually any color imaginable, including sage green, red, black and more.
Shade
There isn’t only one shade of sage green. Throw pillows of this color could lean more towards a yellow-green or they might boast a deeper green or grayish-green aesthetic. Those with more of a greenish or yellowish hue invoke a more nature-inspired feeling, while those with a gray tone are cooler and more neutral.
What to look for in a quality sage green throw pillow
Material
Both the cover and the insert can consist of different materials that contribute to the overall texture, design and durability of the throw pillow. Traditionally, inserts are constructed with down or other fibers such as fiberfill or cotton that provide insulation and make them softer and fluffier. However, some inserts are made with foam or polyester. Another option is microfiber polyester, which is ideal for those who have allergies.
For the outer cover, you can often find wool, faux leather, cotton, velvet and blends of fabrics. Some luxury throw pillows consist of satin instead. Each material offers a different degree of softness. Certain materials, such as wool and cotton, are also warm and durable, whereas satin and velvet are smooth, but not as insulated.
Shape and size
Sage green throw pillows are usually square or rectangular. However, it’s not uncommon to find throw pillows in other shapes, including circles.
In terms of dimensions, throw pillows usually follow standard sizing conventions. Most are either 18 by 18 inches or 20 by 20 inches in size. However, larger options such as 22 by 22 inches or 24 by 24 inches are also available.
When choosing the size, take into account the available surface area. If, for instance, you want the throw pillow to go on a small armchair, you’ll probably want a smaller size. On the other hand, if you want it to decorate a large sofa, you can get away with a bigger pillow.
Texture
Depending on the material used, sage green throw pillows will have a specific texture. Those that have more elaborate designs will usually be more textured as you’ll be able to feel each and every groove and stitch. Some throw pillows will have one texture on the front and another on the back, making them reversible.
Other features
Oftentimes, throw pillows come with other design features such as ribbons or buttons. These affect the overall appearance and texture of the pillow.
How much you can expect to spend on a sage green throw pillow
A single throw pillow will usually cost $10-$30. However, if you want to get a set, expect to spend $30-$50.
Sage green throw pillow FAQ
What are some accessories that go well with sage green throw pillows?
A. Other accessories include throw blankets for the sofa or daybed. Or, if you’re using the throw pillows as part of your bedspread, choose matching sheets or ones in a complementary color such as white or gray. If you want something bolder, add in a bright blue and yellow blanket or sheets. You can also get wooden tables and chairs, as well as some plants with saturated green leaves to really make the sage green stand out.
How do I decorate a couch with a throw pillow?
A. The best way to decorate your furniture with throw pillows is to place the pillows on either end between the back cushion and the armrest. If you have multiple throw pillows, you can layer them on top of one another. If you’re putting pillows on both ends of the couch, you should have a matching number of pillows on each side.
What’s the best sage green throw pillow to buy?
Top sage green throw pillow
Home Brilliant Decorative Farmhouse Rustic Burlap Linen Cushion Cover
What you need to know: This neutral sage green pillow is made of linen and dons three charming buttons to complement your farmhouse decor.
What you’ll love: The throw pillow comes in two sizes and consists of a high-quality linen blend. The zipper is conveniently hidden for appeal, and the fabric is shrink-resistant for easy washing.
What you should consider: Some reports of the zipper not functioning correctly.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top sage green throw pillow for the money
Sykting Sage Green Decorative Throw Pillow Covers
What you need to know: With three sizes to choose from and a soft, fuzzy corduroy texture, these sage green covers are durable and have a pleasant striped pattern.
What you’ll love: This set comes with two throw pillow covers, which are machine washable. They have a pom pom fringe and look great indoors and outdoors.
What you should consider: There are no inserts included, so you’ll need to get those separately.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Sage Green Hand Loom Woven Chunky Loops Natural Cotton Hand Dyed Pillow Cover
What you need to know: This handmade, sage green throw pillow cover looks great as part of any classic decor.
What you’ll love: Both sides are constructed from 100% cotton. The covers feature a back zipper where you can easily place your own insert. The front has loops throughout, giving the cover added texture and design elements.
What you should consider: The color is a little different in person than it appears online.
Where to buy: Sold by Etsy
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Angela Watson 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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| 2022-04-02T13:44:08Z
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How to bike safely with your dog
If you love to cycle and your dog loves to run, biking with your dog seems like the obvious solution. It’s vital to learn how to bike with your dog safely, however, because rushing into it could be harmful to your canine companion.
Running alongside a bike isn’t right for all dogs. They must be fit enough, have no breathing or joint problems and be enthusiastic runners. That said, there are other ways for you and your dog to cycle into the sunset together.
Is biking right for your dog
It’s important to accept that not all dogs can or should run with you while you cycle. Biking isn’t suitable for brachycephalic (flat-faced) breeds, such as bulldogs and pugs. They have a tough time breathing under normal conditions, so vigorous exercise can be dangerous for them.
Toy breeds often don’t have the stamina to run long distances, and you’d need to cycle slowly for them to keep up with you. On the other end of the spectrum, giant breeds are too heavy to put as much pressure on their joints as long runs do. Puppies and young dogs don’t have fully developed skeletal structures until around 12-24 months, depending on the breed. Running for long periods before they’re finished developing can cause serious joint problems, so never bike with puppies.
If your dog isn’t suited to running alongside your bike but you still want to take them on adventures with you, consider a pet bike basket for small dogs or a dog bike trailer for bigger dogs. These are great options for dogs who love to come everywhere with their humans but can’t handle too much running.
Train your dog to walk with a loose leash
To bike safely, your dog will need to know how to walk and run next to you with a loose leash. If your dog doesn’t already know how to do this, you’ll have to train them before you can start biking together. You’ll need plenty of dog treats and a healthy dose of patience.
Be prepared to bike safely with your dog
Cycling safety is paramount when you go out with your dog. They should always wear a harness rather than a collar on bike rides because collars can damage the neck, spine and trachea if they pull too hard on the leash or something goes wrong and they end up getting jerked by the leash. Consider buying a leash with a bungee part or a shock-absorbing leash attachment for your bike to reduce the chance of your dog hurting themself or you if they see something tempting enough to try to dash after.
Since there’s a chance that a dog not used to biking could get spooked and pull you over or cause you to lose your balance, your own safety is also important, so make sure to wear a bike helmet.
You should also consider your cycling routes ahead of time. Although some people are comfortable cycling on quiet roads with their dogs, it’s much safer to stick to off-road trails or dedicated cycle paths. If you need to cycle on the road at all, keep your dog on the inside where they’ll be safer.
Get your dog used to your bike
Some dogs are naturally nervous around bikes, especially if they haven’t spent much time around them. Unless your dog is already comfortable with them, you’ll need to work on this. Start by letting your dog sniff your bike and spend time next to it while you feed them treats, then gradually progress to walking your bike around while someone stands with your dog nearby giving them treats. After this, try pushing your bike while bringing your dog along with you and still giving plenty of treats and praise. Once they’re comfortable with this, they should happily run alongside your bike.
Start slowly when cycling with your dog
Running next to a bike is a much more intense exercise for dogs than running around on walks, as it’s nonstop and they can’t set their own pace. Therefore, you must start slowly when training your dog to bike with you. Start with no more than 5-10 minutes of cycling at a slow pace. You can gradually build this up over time but still take it easy. Don’t expect your dog to run flat out for hours. Vary your pace so they’re sometimes at a trot and sometimes at a full run and take regular breaks.
Always consider your dog’s comfort
Remember that biking with your dog is more about your dog than about you. If you want to go on a 30-mile ride or cycle at high speeds, leave your pup at home. A bike ride with your dog should be at a leisurely pace. Look for signs that your canine companion is getting tired and stop when they need to. Bring water to give them during breaks to keep them hydrated and don’t cycle with them when it’s too warm because excessive exercise in hot weather can cause heatstroke in dogs.
What you need to buy for biking with your dog?
Ruffwear Front Range Dog Harness
This harness will keep your dog safe and secure while biking. It’s easy to put on and adjust and has reflective strips, which are great in low light.
Sold by Amazon
Malabi EasyRide Dog Bike Leash
The ultimate choice for hands-free biking with your canine companion. It’s extremely secure and has an internal, shock-absorbing mechanism.
Sold by Amazon
Tuff Mutt Hands-free Dog Leash
If you want to be on the other end of your dog’s leash rather than attaching it to your bike, this hands-free leash gives you the option to hold onto your dog or secure them around your waist. The bungee section helps absorb shock if your dog pulls.
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Lauren Corona 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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| 2022-04-02T13:44:58Z
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Which gymnastic grips are best?
Gymnastic grips are designed to do what any grip is designed to do: protect the hands. These grips are more specialized than the average grip, however, as they are typically meant for use on bars during gymnastic routines. Failing to use a good set of gymnastic grips can lead to blisters, calluses and ripped-off pieces of skin. And pain. Lots of pain.
The best gymnastic grips are the WODFitters Textured Leather Gymnastic Hand Grips. They cover the wrists as well as the palms and their leather is top-tier.
What to know before you buy gymnastic grips
Gymnastic grips vs. alternative grips
Gymnastic grips can refer to true gymnastic grips or generalized hang grips. Both are useful in most situations, but they still have their differences.
- True grips are designed for more intense use. They use thick leather with textured surfaces to provide extra grip while performing routines on various bars. They usually have two or three finger holes that are designed to be as tight around the finger as possible so they remain firmly in place. More advanced versions include dowels to make spinning around the bars easier.
- Alternative grips are designed with weightlifting in mind, though they can still be used for gymnastics. They tend to be more absorbent and looser around the wrist and fingers. They also have two-three finger holes, but a few may have four.
Shape
Gymnastic grips can be straight, skinny or curved.
- Straight grips are the most protective as they cover more of the hand. However, they can be difficult to adjust to.
- Skinny grips offer less protection for those who prefer to feel as much of the bar on their skin as possible, but they still help prevent various sores.
- Curved grips combine elements of the above grips. They’re wide at the base of the palm and fingers but narrow in the center. Thus, they are more protective than skinny grips and more natural-feeling than straight grips.
What to look for in quality gymnastic grips
Wrist straps
Gymnastic grips use either buckles or Velcro to secure around the wrist.
- Buckles are best for advanced gymnasts. They take more time and effort to secure and loosen, but there’s no way for them to come loose during a routine unless the entire grip fails.
- Velcro grips are best for everyone else. They are quick and easy to secure, and they are the most adjustable.
Moisture-wicking
Some gymnastic grips have moisture-wicking properties. Alternative grips typically use them more as gymnasts usually use chalk, which provides the same moisture-wicking aspect but better.
Machine-washable
A few gymnastic grips are machine-washable, though most are not. Again, alternative grips are more likely to have this feature than pure gymnastic grips.
How much you can expect to spend on gymnastic grips
Gymnastic grips rarely cost more than $30-$40 at their best. Average grips usually cost $15-$25. Some grips cost $10 or less while still being a worthwhile product.
Gymnastic grips FAQ
Can I not use gymnastic grips?
A. Sure. You may not like the way they feel on your hands or how you can’t feel the bar in your palms. That’s fine. You’ll just need to handle the endless series of blisters and calluses you’re going to develop by not wearing them.
What’s the best way to break in gymnastic grips?
A. There’s no secret method to breaking in gymnastic grips. You just have to use them enough. It is best, however, to start by performing small gymnastic routines or lifting basic weights until you feel like they’ve become broken in enough.
How do I maintain gymnastic grips?
A. Maintaining them is simple. Make sure you’re dusting any excess chalk off of them once you’re done, and keep them in a carrying bag. A grip brush can help you with the dust, and a few grips include carrying bags with purchase. Unfortunately, there’s no maintenance to perform to prevent natural wear and tear. Once you notice tears and holes, loose stitching or thinned-out leather, it’s time for a replacement.
What are the best gymnastic grips to buy?
Top gymnastic grips
WODFitters Textured Leather Gymnastic Hand Grips
What you need to know: These are well situated between affordability and function.
What you’ll love: The leather is textured and of good quality. They come with a carrying bag. The wrists and palms are covered adequately. Consumers frequently noted how comfortable they are. They secure tightly and easily with Velcro straps. They’re equally good for gymnasts and weightlifters.
What you should consider: The wrist straps can be difficult to remove. Some consumers noted that these grips begin to fray quickly. They’re only available in extra-small or large sizes.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top gymnastic grips for the money
Gibson Athletic Rainbow Gymnastic Hand Grips
What you need to know: This budget pick is perfect for those new to gymnastics.
What you’ll love: These require no break-in period. The leather is smooth but effective. They come in sizes from medium to XL and in four colors. The finger holes are designed to be customized. They are made in the U.S. and have a 30-day warranty.
What you should consider: Some consumers felt the finger holes were rough and uncomfortable. Others said these tend to run small, requiring an order of the next size up.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Bear Komplex Three-Hole Leather Gymnastic Hand Grips
What you need to know: These top-dollar grips are good for serious gymnasts and athletes.
What you’ll love: They come in three sizes and three colors. They’re made with high-quality leather. The three-finger design offers more coverage and protection than average grips. The Velcro straps are easy to secure and adjust. They use quadruple stitching for durability.
What you should consider: They’re among the priciest picks. The Velcro straps can break if overused. Some consumers had issues with breaking them in.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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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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| 2022-04-02T13:45:05Z
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Which kids’ scooter is best?
If you are trying to get your child to spend a little more time outdoors, a scooter may be just the ticket. They offer a fun and healthy way for kids to use up some of their energy.
Kids’ scooters come in several types and with a range of features that can make them better suited for certain children or age groups. For example, the Micro Kickboard Mini Deluxe LED 3-Wheeled Scooter has a stable design that is perfect for toddlers, and the motion-activated light-up wheels are sure to capture their attention. If you have an older child, the Razor A Kick Scooter stands out as a top choice due to its smooth-gliding wheels and quality build that can stand up to plenty of use.
What to know before you buy a kids’ scooter
Two- vs. three-wheel kids’ scooters
Kids’ scooters are available in both two-wheel and three-wheel options. It is important to match the type of scooter with a child’s abilities. Two-wheel models are better for children at least 7 or 8 years old who have the balance and dexterity to ride them safely. These also require a minimum amount of speed for stability, and younger children may not have the stamina to maintain that. That said, if you have a 5- or 6-year-old child that is already proficient in riding a bicycle without training wheels or roller skating, they may have no trouble with a two-wheel model.
Three-wheel models are suitable for children as young as 2 years old because the scooter does most of the work of keeping them balanced. They also have a basic lean-to-steer mechanism that doesn’t require the rider to actually turn the handlebars. Most children will benefit from starting with a three-wheel model and then progressing to a two-wheel model as their skills improve.
Weight capacity
Every kids’ scooter has a maximum weight capacity that should never be exceeded. For the majority of models, this should be well above the weight of most children within the recommended rider age limit. That said, it is best to always double-check the weight capacity before purchase to ensure you don’t encounter any issues.
Scooter safety tips
User safety should be a top concern any time you are providing a child with a toy they can ride. In the case of kids’ scooters, there are several safety tips to be aware of. Children should be taught to always wear a helmet when riding, and ideally knee and elbow pads.
It is also recommended that kids only ride their scooters under close adult supervision until they have learned enough responsibility to know where, when and how to ride safely. On that note, they should never be allowed to ride a scooter anywhere near traffic, which includes close to the end of the driveway. It is best that they avoid riding on hills or any other steep areas where they could potentially lose control.
What to look for in a quality kids’ scooter
Responsive brakes
Most kids’ scooters have a foot-operated brake above the rear wheel. Other than putting a foot down directly onto the ground, this is the only method used to slow and stop scooters. This means the brake has to be both effective and, ideally, very responsive so children can stop quickly when needed.
Height-adjustable handlebar
Every parent knows that children tend to grow like weeds. The last thing you want is them growing out of their scooter just a couple of months after they get it. With that in mind, it is best to choose a model that features a height-adjustable handlebar. Many scooters even allow you to raise or lower the handlebar as needed without requiring any tools for the job.
Cushioned grips
Kids’ scooters should have cushioned grips for both comfort and safety. Both foam and rubber work, but each offers slightly different benefits. Foam is extremely soft. It also doesn’t get slippery if a child’s hands are sweaty. Rubber is more durable though, and will generally last longer.
Seat
Some models feature seats for a more relaxed ride. To get the best of both worlds, consider purchasing a scooter with a flip-up or removable seat. This way your child has the option of standing or sitting while they ride based on their mood.
Lights
Kids’ scooters with LEDs in the wheels that light up when they ride can add an extra element of fun to keep children entertained for longer. This has the added benefit of making them more visible to passersby and motorists, which can increase their safety.
How much you can expect to spend on a kids’ scooter
Most kids’ scooters cost between $25-$100.
Kids’ scooters FAQ
Do kids’ scooters fold up for transport?
A. Some kids’ scooters fold up for transport but some do not. This is more common in two-wheel models than three-wheel models. However, the latter do sometimes disassemble for more convenient transport. You can usually find information about whether or not a particular model folds up somewhere in the product description.
Are kids’ scooters hard to learn to ride?
A. Kids scooters do have a learning curve, but most children can take them easily enough with a bit of practice. If your child isn’t yet comfortable riding a bicycle or using roller skates, it is best to start with a three-wheel model and progress to a two-wheeled scooter as their skills improve.
What’s the best kids’ scooter to buy?
Top kids’ scooter
Micro Kickboard Mini Deluxe LED 3-Wheeled Scooter
What you need to know: This scooter is easy to ride and comes in a wide variety of colors to appeal to practically any child between 2-5 years old.
What you’ll love: It features LEDs in the wheels that light up when kids ride, and the handlebars are height adjustable to grow with your child.
What you should consider: It carries a high price tag that may put it out of reach for some parents.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top kids’ scooter for the money
What you need to know: A top choice for older children, this two-wheeled scooter boasts top-quality construction and a smooth glide.
What you’ll love: It is foldable for transport and lightweight enough that most children can comfortably carry it. Plus, the urethane wheels hold up well to plenty of use.
What you should consider: Tall children may find the handlebars don’t get high enough for them.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This versatile scooter can be used with or without the seat so children can vary their riding position.
What you’ll love: It is available in more than 10 bright, eye-catching colors and features LEDs in the wheels. Also, the deck offers good traction for rider safety.
What you should consider: It is notably heavier than many other models.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Brett Dvoretz 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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| 2022-04-02T13:45:19Z
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Larimer County is proposing changes to its fire restrictions ordinance. Here's what it means
Larimer County is in the process of updating and clarifying its fire restriction ordinance.
Clarifications to the current county ordinance were approved on a first reading by the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday. If fully approved after a second vote, not much would change but the language in the ordinance would be clearer about what is and isn't allowed when there are fire restrictions or a fire ban.
"In years past there's been a lot of confusion amongst the public and also the fire agencies and the parks units about what the restrictions mean," Larimer County Sheriff's Office Emergency Operations Director Justin Whitesell told commissioners Tuesday.
Whitesell said they also updated the ordinance to include how the use of newer devices, like Traeger grills, would be impacted under restrictions or a ban. This ordinance applies to unincorporated Larimer County and not cities or towns.
The Larimer County commissioners have the authority to impose fire restrictions or a ban of devices and activities listed in the ordinance at the recommendation of the sheriff's office, any municipality within or near the county, or any local, state or national fire agency. Bans or restrictions must have an end date when they're enacted, according to the ordinance.
More:What's behind Colorado's recent rash of wildfires, grassfires? We asked a climatologist
If approved, here are the items and activities that could be temporarily restricted or banned due to fire danger in Larimer County:
- Contained open fires
- Uncontained open fires
- Gas or liquid fueled fires
- Sale, use or possession of fireworks
- Public fireworks displays
- Combustible devices
Here's what these terms mean:
Contained open fires are fires in a permanently constructed fireplace outdoors — this doesn't include fireplaces or wood stoves inside a permanent structure.
Uncontained open fires include any fire — campfires, fireplaces, recreational fires, bonfires and firepits — and any type of coal, wood, charcoal or pellet fueled cooking devices (think your Traeger grill).
Gas or liquid fueled fires include fires using bottled gas (propane) or pressurized liquid. This includes portable heaters, cooking stoves, hiking and camping stoves, grills and firepits.
More:Wildfire burning near Estes Park forces evacuation of Big Thompson Canyon residents
Public fireworks displays must be conducted by a qualified pyrotechnic operator in compliance with the International Fire Code and must be approved by the local fire authority.
The term "fireworks" in the ordinance does not include:
- Toy caps, party poppers and similar items that do not contain more than 16 milligrams of pyrotechnic composition per item and snappers that do not contain 1 milligram of explosive material per item
- Emergency devices, including highway flares, railroad fusees, ship distress signals and smoke candles
- Educational rockets and toy propellent devices that are nonmetallic and have replaceable engines or model carriages containing less than 2 ounces of propellent and/or are designed to be ignited using electricity
- Fireworks used in a testing or research capacity by a licensed explosives laboratory
The commissioners could impose restrictions with a variety of exceptions listed in the ordinance. Possible exceptions may include:
- Fires in camp stoves, grills or fire pits fueled by bottled gas (like propane) or pressurized liquid
- Fires in permanently constructed stationary fireplaces
- Fires in commercially operated wood or charcoal grills used for cooking
- Smoking in an enclosed vehicle, as long as the smoking instrument is inside the vehicle at all times and is disposed of inside the vehicle
- Smoking in an enclosed building or in a developed recreation area while at least 3 feet away from all flammable material
- Outdoor smoking
- The sale or use of fireworks
- Welding or other torch work indoors and/or outdoors in certain conditions
- Fires in air curtain burners (incinerators)
- People who have a permit authorizing them to conduct a restricted activity
- The use of fire by firefighters for an official duty
- Operating an internal combustion engine
Sady Swanson covers public safety, criminal justice, Larimer County government and more throughout Northern Colorado. You can send your story ideas to her at sswanson@coloradoan.com or on Twitter at @sadyswan. Support her work and that of other Coloradoan journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today.
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| 2022-04-02T13:53:06Z
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Democrats will have a contested local nomination in one of the new districts for the Virginia House of Delegates.
Woodbridge native Rozia Henson, 29, is seeking the party’s nomination in the new 19th District.
The revised 19th District covers mostly northeastern Prince William and southeastern Fairfax County. Its southern limit is primarily along Rippon Boulevard, although a small area near Leesylvania State Park is included. Its western edge follows Interstate 95 from Northern Virginia Community College to the Occoquan River.
In Fairfax, the district includes Lorton and Mason Neck, with its northern border encompassing Fort Belvoir.
The area is currently represented by Democratic Dels. Candi King (2nd), Kathy Tran (42nd) and Luke Torian (52nd).
Woodbridge community advocate Makya Little is also seeking the party nomination.
Henson, who commutes to an information technology job outside Joint Base Andrews, is vice president of the Prince William County Young Democrats. He has a bachelor’s in political science from Virginia State University and master’s in business administration from the University of Maryland Global Campus.
Henson ran for the party nomination in the 2nd District in 2020 when former Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy stepped down to run for the Democratic nomination for governor. He came fifth in a five-way race.
Henson said he felt ready to run for office because he lives and grew up in the district and “was in the best position to make a difference for this community.”
He wants to advocate for investments in affordable housing, adequate funding for state parks and investment in transportation initiatives.
On transportation, Henson wants to find ways to ease the financial burden on commuters who use express lanes to reach work on time.
He said it’s important for Democrats to take back control of the House of Delegates.
“We know what is at stake,” he said. “We have seen what is at stake.”
The Virginia Supreme Court approved final maps for congressional and General Assembly districts in December. The court took over the redistricting, required after the 2020 Census, because the state’s redistricting commission could not reach agreement on new maps.
The new maps took Prince William County from eight delegate districts and four Senate seats to seven delegates and three senators. However, those seats are more centered on Prince William County than the existing seats.
The House seats more closely mirror the districts on the Board of County Supervisors, with Manassas and adjacent areas contained in one district. The Senate districts cover the western, southeastern and northeastern parts of the county.
The new districts will be effective for the 2023 election, although some lawsuits are trying to force elections under the revised maps for 2022.
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| 2022-04-02T13:54:11Z
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As often happens, when researching one topic, something else catches your eye and you save it for future reference. An article in the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal from 1965 detailed the demise of the area bounded by Chestnut and Union streets between Market and Washburn streets where the new Sears store was to be built. Many people have spoken of that section of Chestnut Street, but there are not many photos of it in the History Center collection.
Chestnut Street appears on the 1830 map that was the result of Jesse Haines’ survey of the village of Lockport in 1829. It is the only street on that map originally named for a tree (Elm, Pine and Locust streets are on the map but have different names). Twenty years later, Chestnut was a residential street with houses, and judging from the “footprints” of the structures, they ranged from modest to large. Bellah Alley, a service road, ran between Elm and Washburn streets, behind the houses that fronted both Chestnut Street and East Avenue.
In the 19th century, some well-known Lockportians called Chestnut Street their home including inventor and businessman Birdsall Holly, and Whig politician Samuel Works. Holly, who lived at 31 Chestnut between Elm and Charles, used his own residence to demonstrate his steam heat system in 1876. Crowds of people gathered outside to witness the event, only to be disappointed when Holly’s house did not blow up. Works, whose stone house was at the northeast corner of Chestnut and Charles, was a New York State Senator and owned a tannery on Market Street. His home was taken down in about 1910 to make way for the Heacock Building, which later became the Lockport Schools Administration Building. Also on Chestnut Street, just east of Works’ home, the Lockport Union School was built in 1847. This building survived just over 100 years.
By the early 20th century, other families were living on, or in, the vicinity of Chestnut and Charles streets including familiar names such as Van Horn, Grigg, Cross and Flagler. Twenty-three Chestnut was the last residence of Joshua Wilbur, Lockport’s first recognized historian, who died there in 1917. It was a large home and for many years it was a boarding house known as “The Colonial.” It is unclear whether Wilbur owned the property since another name, Anna V. Peck, is also associated with it at the same time as his occupancy. It was torn down, along with other houses, for the Beers Chevrolet Dealership at Chestnut and Elm streets, which later became other businesses in the 1950s and 1960s. Two other boarding houses could also be found on Chestnut Street in the early 20th century, Linz’s and the Imperial. Both structures survived until the 1960s.
Of the other streets that bordered that area, Market Street contained several businesses just south of the railroad bridge. Though some of these lasted only a short time, the John Noble Bakery and its subsequent successor, the Electric Baking & Coffee Company, occupied a building at 69-73 Market Street near the intersection with Chestnut from the 1870s to the 1930s. It later became Korff Electric, Anstead Furniture and Lockport City Electric Motor Repair. Another establishment, this one on Market near Union Street, was Daniels’ Hall where many balls, meetings and other events were held until it was remodeled in 1902 to become part of the Lockport Cold Storage Company and then the Elevator Coal Company. On Union Street there were more residences, another cold storage building and the Eagle Hotel at the intersection with Charles Street. Built in 1863 as the Depot Hotel, the name was changed a year later to the Eagle. It was a three-story stone building and contained 40 rooms. In 1947 it became the Hotel Lockport and eventually closed in 1964 and was torn down a year later.
This brings us back to the 1965 newspaper article. It was announced that a Sears department store and automotive center would be built on the north side of Chestnut Street between Market and Charles streets necessitating the demolition of homes that were still there. The remaining houses on the south side of Chestnut, and the west side of Charles up to Bellah Alley, would be torn down, primarily for parking. Structures to the west on Market Street were also removed. The Sears store opened with great fanfare later that year but even it did not last. For the next nearly 50 years, the building served as a Twin Fair, a Jubilee Food Market, a Fay’s Drugs and finally an Eckerd’s Drug Store. That structure was taken down in 2013 to make way for Cornerstone CFCU Arena which opened a year later.
In 1967, the new Lockport Savings Bank was built on East Avenue between Charles and Washburn streets, resulting in the removal of houses on that block of Chestnut Street as well as those on the east side of Charles Street. Today, the north side of Chestnut has the arena, the old school administration building, most recently The Warehouse, and the A & P store. The south side is now a parking lot for the arena and library. The Northwest Bank property occupies the south side of Chestnut between Charles and Washburn streets.
Ann Marie Linnabery is the assistant director of the History Center of Niagara.
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ALBANY — Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday filed a lawsuit against the state's ethics commission, the latest move in an ongoing dispute over his earnings from a book about his efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the lawsuit, filed in state Supreme Court in Albany, Cuomo accused the Joint Commission on Public Ethics of violating his constitutional rights and showing “extraordinary bias against him."
A spokesperson for JCOPE said they had no comment.
In December, JCOPE ordered Cuomo to turn over money from his book “American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Cuomo's camp decried the order and promised a legal fight.
Shortly after, though, the state attorney general's office issued a letter saying the commission had more steps to take before the office could get involved in trying to claim the money.
The commission has regulatory oversight over lobbyists and government officials. Its staff had granted approval for Cuomo's book deal in July 2020, after being told that Cuomo would not use state personnel or resources.
A state Assembly investigation found that wasn't the case, that state resources and personnel were involved in the book coming to fruition.
But Cuomo’s representatives have said any state employees involved with the book were using personal time, not work time.
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| 2022-04-02T13:55:01Z
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The Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Milwaukee (LCS 5) returned to Mayport, Fla. April 2, following its first successful deployment to the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations.
Milwaukee, along with the “Sea Knights” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 22, Detachment 5, deployed on December 14, 2021, to conduct U.S. Southern Command and Joint Interagency Task Force South’s counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean Sea.
While deployed, Milwaukee, with their embarked U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) 402, assisted in disrupting an estimated 915 kilograms of cocaine worth over an estimated street value of over $64 million and removed eight suspected drug traffickers from the narcotics trade.
“This was a great experience for the crew, many of whom this was their first deployment,” said Cmdr. Brian Forster, commanding officer of Milwaukee. “We were able to accomplish many great feats including disrupting drug trafficking, working with our allied naval partners, going through the Panama Canal and even crossing the equator. The crew that is returning is a very different crew that left months ago. They have seen many aspects of the world and different cultures including the cuisine. We will continue to grow, not just as Sailors, but as Americans and keep our Navy the strongest in the world.”
Milwaukee was the first to deploy with the MQ-8C Fire Scout, the Navy’s upgraded variant of the unmanned aircraft. Fire Scout was used to identify targets of interest and refine surveillance data of existing targets of interest, allowing for enhanced capabilities for counter illicit drug trafficking missions.
Milwaukee conducted three bilateral maritime exercises with Jamaica, Martinique, and Ecuador to strengthen partnerships and build interoperability between forces.
Additionally, Milwaukee transited the Panama Canal, crossed the equator and visited Manta, Ecuador to build lasting relationships with the Ecuadorian navy and conduct counter-illicit drug trafficking missions in the Eastern Pacific.
During the port visit to Manta, the ship conducted military to military engagements and hosted the Mayor of Manta, Agustin Quijano, commander of the Jaramijó Naval Base, Capt. Diego Espinosa, and members of the Ecuadorian navy for a tour.
U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet supports U.S. Southern Command’s joint and combined military operations by employing maritime forces in cooperative maritime security operations to maintain access, enhance interoperability, and build enduring partnerships in order to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central and South American region.
This work, USS Milwaukee Returns Home After 4th Fleet Deployment, by PO2 Danielle Baker, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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I recently wrote about plants with purple flowers and solicited readers’ choices where this floral color is concerned. Since then, I have received a significant number of emails on this subject, indicating the palpable presence of a passion for purple in the garden.
Grace Hampton, who gardens in Burbank, wrote as follows: “I have always loved the Pacific Giant delphiniums because they are every color from pure white to deep purple. The Black Knight series are a midnight deep purple. A plant of mine once grew a three-foot flower stalk of deep royal purple blooms. By the way, these delphiniums include varieties of true blue, which is the most sought-after color.”
The delphiniums you describe (Delphinium elatum), of Siberian origin, may be considered the royalty and most noticeable species of the English garden, not only for their flower colors and long, rich clusters of blooms but for their height, which may reach eight feet tall. Delphiniums grow easily from seed that may be planted now. Do not be disappointed if perennial delphiniums do not bloom during their first year of growth since they will do so in their second and are definitely worth the wait. You can keep your delphiniums blooming for several years by cutting back the main stalk after flowering and encouraging side shoots to develop.
Larkspur or annual delphinium (Consolida ajacis), despite inflorescences less overwhelming than delphinium perennials but still quite eye-catching, grows even more easily from seed and, as a bonus, self-sows so that it comes back year after year. Larkspur’s ferny foliage is an added attraction.
Julie Anno, who gardens in Foothill Ranch (Lake Forest), shared this piece of her horticultural history: “Twenty years ago, I planted two shrubs known as yesterday-today-and-tomorrow (Brunfelsia pauciflora var. Floribunda). They bloom profusely once a year in May and are evergreen. They are in full shade except for a couple of hours of afternoon sun in the height of summer. The bushes are very low maintenance. I feed them an all-purpose fertilizer in early spring and water once a week. I trim them slightly once or twice a year.”
The flowers of yesterday-today-and-tomorrow change color from royal purple to lavender to bridal white. The leaves change color in a most remarkable manner as well. When the leaf buds first break, the incipient growth is so dark green, it is virtually black. Gradually, the leaves lighten to a more predictable leathery green on their upper surfaces, offsetting a paler green underneath.
The Latin name of Brunfelsia was given in honor of Otto Brunfels, a botanist monk who lived nearly 500 years ago. Brunfels belonged to the austere Carthusian order, whose acolytes took vows of silence and solitude. One wonders how Brunfels would have reacted to the naming of such a plant in his honor. Aside from Brunfelsia’s physical beauty, the intoxicating fragrance of its flowers is legendary and some Brunfelsia species are known for their narcotic effects. Brunfelsia makes an outstanding container specimen and deserves wider use in this role, since there are few plants that flower so reliably in pots, although it will require more frequent fertilization than when it is planted in the ground.
Incidentally, for the origin of any plant name, go to davesgarden.com/guides/botanary.
Susan McCarthy, who gardens in North Hills, enthused as follows: “This week’s article, ‘In Praise of Purple,’ really spoke to me. My hardy, drought-tolerant, sun-loving varieties give me plenty of color throughout the year. I have trailing lantana (Lantana montevidensis), African daisy (Osteospermum fruticosum), Brazilian sky flower (Duranta erecta), blue Hibiscus (Alyogyne huegelii), Texas ranger (Leucophyllum frutescens), sea lavender (Limonium perezii), and more. I cut them back and thin them out when their flowering is done to maintain size and shape. The plants I have can withstand the Valley heat with weekly watering. I also go around and feed them a couple of times a year. I agree, there is something about purple flowers.”
Juliet de Souza, who gardens in Canoga Park, sang the praises of blue hibiscus (Alyogyne huegelii), attaching several photos of her specimen. This ornamental from southwestern Australia is truly an unforgettable plant in full bloom. Picture large, silky purplish, pinwheel-shaped, purplish-blue blooms completely covering lacy-leafed, if somewhat wooly, foliage. Plant it in full sun for the most complete flower display. It disdains overwatering so give it no more than a single weekly soaking.
Paula Paggi, who gardens in Northridge, had praise for a sage species of considerable merit: “We have a purple salvia that we are very pleased with. It is easy to care for and has lovely columns of flowers. The hummingbirds love the plant also. It is very low maintenance. A couple of times a year, I trim it, and before long, it reaches over four feet tall again. We don’t feed it or water it special.
We have drip lines in the area that go on 2-3 times a week for a few minutes, depending on the weather. As for other purple flowering plants…our purple freesias are a treat. The happy Johnny-jump-ups, with their sunny faces are fun. And the purple lavenders are sending their scents across the yard.”
Ms. Paggi attached a photo of anise-scented sage (Salvia guaranitica). It is indeed worth planting and rivals any woody perennial where long-term abundant flowering is concerned. Its mint green, anise-scented foliage is an added bonus and, like all sages, is easily propagated from six-inch shoot terminal cuttings.
There are more than 1,500 species of bees in California and the vast majority of them are solitary bees. Unlike honey bees and bumblebees that form colonies, solitary bees make nests where a small brood of twenty to thirty bees are raised. Solitary bees are the most efficient pollinators since the pollen they collect is almost entirely transferred from one flower to the next, unlike the other bees who take much of the pollen they gather back to their colonies. Bee hotels attract solitary bees. You can order bee hotels online or make them yourself out of hollow bamboo shoots. Native flora is especially attractive to solitary bees so if you have native plants around your garden, there is a better chance that solitary bees will make nests in your hotel. Having shallow dishes of water around will also bring solitary bees, which seldom if ever sting, into the garden. Have any of you had success attracting solitary bees to your garden? Do any of you keep bee colonies and, if so, have you seen more vegetables and fruits as a result?
Please send questions, comments, and photos to joshua@perfectplants.com. You are also invited to access Joshua’s Instagram account: thesmartergardener1
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You know the Harbor Humane Society for pet adoptions but you likely don't know them for writing books. The humane society has done just that and it was just released.
The book is an anthology called The Big Fang. The book combines 22 different authors with 22 short stories of humor, mystery and more. Digital copies are now for sale for $4.99 but paperback will be available for preorder soon.
The Humane Society is hoping to sell 300 or more copies of the book, proceeds from the book will go toward the Humane Society.
An event will be held by the Humane Society on April 30th to learn more about the book and the authors. The authors will also be available to sign books, The event is being held at the Humane Society's Resale Store Library on Chicago Drive in Jenison.
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Two Middlesex pharmacies cited for selling unauthorized COVID tests
NEWARK - Two Middlesex County pharmacies have been cited for alleged consumer protection violations in the sale of COVID-19 antigen tests.
The violations cited by the Office of Attorney General's Division of Consumer Affairs involve offering and selling COVID-19 test kits that were not authorized for at-home use, according to Acting Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin.
The two Middlesex County pharmacies are Sayreville Pharmacy in Monroe and Iselin Pharmacy in Woodbridge.
The state cited two other pharmacies in Morris and Hudson counties.
In addition to the penalties that range from $500 to $5,000, the pharmacies must cease and desist from engaging in any practice in violation of the Consumer Fraud Act.
“COVID testing, in addition to vaccination, has been essential to New Jersey’s recent return to normalcy,” Platkin said in a press release. “While New Jersey residents have joined together in fighting COVID-19, unfortunately there are still some businesses seeking to profit unlawfully from the pandemic. Two years after the pandemic arrived in New Jersey, we still have zero tolerance for such conduct.”
Read more: Here's where NJ residents 50 and older can now get second COVID vaccine booster shots
To date, the Division of Consumer Affairs has sent 1,961 cease and desist letters to retailers suspected of price gouging and other business practices during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Division has also issued more than100 subpoenas seeking additional information in its investigations of alleged violations of the Consumer Fraud Act.
In January, the Division sent more than 50 warning letters to businesses whose prices for COVID-19 test kits generated consumer complaints.
Consumers who believe they have been cheated or scammed by a business, or suspect any other form of consumer abuse, can file an online complaint with the Division online or by calling 1-800-242-5846 to receive a complaint form by mail.
Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com
Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
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| 2022-04-02T14:31:56Z
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Bernardsville man, 68, charged with sexual assault of girl, will be kept in jail
BERNARDSVILLE – A 68-year-old borough man charged with sexually assaulting a girl from the ages of 6-9 will not be released from the Somerset County Jail.
Teodoro R. Velazquez will be detained in the county jail, Superior Court Judge Julie Marino ruled on Friday.
Velasquez was arrested and charged March 23 with first-degree aggravated sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child.
The charges carry a possible life sentence in prison, the judge said.
In arguing for his release, Margeau Ney, Velasquez's attorney, said he has lived in New Jersey for 25 years and has "absolutely" no criminal record.
Velasquez owns a painting company with both residential and commercial wok, Ney said. The attorney said he also has "strong family ties" with two daughters who live nearby.
More:Infrastructure projects in Somerset, Hunterdon counties may share $9M in federal funding
Ney said Velasquez, a legal resident, would be willing to surrender his passport if he were released.
But the judge said that because the offense carries a possible life sentence and that she did not know whether Velasquez has contact with children in his family or through his business, she would order him kept in the county jail.
Velazquez's arrest came after the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office got information on June 21, 2021 that a 14-year-old girl was alleging she had been sexually assaulted in the borough when she was six years old, acting Prosecutor Thomas Chirichella said.
The girl told a detective from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes/Child Abuse Unit that she had been sexually assaulted numerous times between 2013 and 2017, Chirichella said.
Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com
Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
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| 2022-04-02T14:32:02Z
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Somerset County, still waiting permanent replacement, has new acting prosecutor
SOMERVILLE - Somerset County has a new acting prosecutor.
At noon Friday, Annmarie Taggart, the deputy director of the Division of Criminal Justice in the state Attorney General's Office, was sworn in as acting Somerset County prosecutor, the New Jersey Attorney General's Office announced.
"We thank Thomas Chirichella for his willingness to step in as acting prosecutor during a period of transition; he continues to be an essential part of the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office," the Attorney General's Office said in an email statement.
The appointment comes after Somerset County Prosecutor Michael Robertson, who had served since 2016, resigned near the end of his term in late January to become a partner in an Essex County law firm.
Chirichella, a veteran in the office, was named acting prosecutor.
Gov. Phil Murphy has yet to nominate a permanent successor to Robertson.
High on the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office agenda is an investigation into Bridgewater Police Department's response to a fight involving two teens at the Bridgewater Commons mall earlier this year.
A now viral video of the fight shows two Bridgewater police officers breaking up the scuffle, with one officer wrestling a Black teen to the floor while the other teen, a Hispanic, was seated on a couch by a female officer.
'Not here in Bridgewater': Community leaders, residents sound off on mall arrest
More:Somerset County gets $1 million for Easton Avenue traffic safety study
Local:Travel + Leisure magazine names Somerset County a top cheap vacation destination
The Office of Public Integrity and Accountability within the Attorney General's Office is working closely with the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, which is conducting this investigation. The investigation is ongoing and no further information was released at this time.
Marches and protest have been held in Bridgewater condemning the police officers actions, which have been questioned as racially motivated.
Bridgewater police have called for an internal affairs investigation.
"We have requested that the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office assist us in this matter and are requesting patience as we strictly adhere to the New Jersey Attorney General’s Internal Affairs," Bridgewater police said in a statement after the incident.
Last month civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the Black teen, announced his legal team is considering filing a lawsuit in federal court claiming the arrest and use of force violated the teen's constitutional right to equal protection under the law.
The prosecutor's office also assumed management of the South Bound Brook Police Department last week because of an ongoing personnel matter involving Chief Rick Fittin.
Email: srussell@gannettnj.com
Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
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| 2022-04-02T14:36:17Z
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The vibrant sound of mariachi music is a staple of weddings, quinceañeras and the Grandview High School band room.
So popular that it had to be split up into two daily classes a day, the mariachi program has about 70 students this school year. Participants range from freshman to seniors. Students with various levels of experience can play the violin, trumpet or one of three types of guitars used in mariachi.
Many students in the high school group said they got their start in Grandview Middle School’s mariachi program. And over the years, their skills and pride have grown.
“I love what I do. I find it amazing that we can play these tunes and go out and perform for people,” said sophomore trumpet player Leonardo Arzate.
After a spectacular showing at a regional music competition, Mariachi Gran Vista earned a spot at a state music competition scheduled April 29 at Central Washington University. Thirteen mariachi students from all four grades will compete, with some of their classmates cheering them on.
Growing the group
Interest in mariachi has grown over the past few years at the school. Band director Scott Carson said when he took the role six years ago, he was asked to revitalize the program, which only had about a dozen students in it.
Though he had experience teaching music in other schools around Washington, he did not have experience with mariachi. So, he drew on his students’ own histories with mariachi.
He asked his students the songs they knew since it would be easier for him to learn and for them to perform. Their knowledge helped make up for his lack of experience, but it was not always perfect.
“I owned a lot of mistakes the first year,” he said.
He said that first year was all about relationship building. And his approach paid off. The next year, students who had quit the program started coming back, he said. Word of mouth spread that the new director was taking it seriously.
Mariachi pride
Students involved in mariachi this year have many reasons for joining. For some students, it was as simple as a general interest in music. But for others, mariachi is something that has been with them their whole lives.
Freshman violin player and vocalist Paola Lara Campos said she was drawn to the group because of her background.
“I wanted to participate in mariachi for the reason that is was my culture, something that I always grew up listening to,” she said. “Mariachi music is beautiful.”
About 85% of the city of Grandview’s population identifies as Hispanic or Latino, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Senior violin player and president of the mariachi group Mikaela Ramos said that mariachi has been a way for her to connect to her Mexican heritage.
“I think it’s really important in a cultural aspect,” she said. “Like I know the majority of us are pretty much Mexican, Hispanic, and a lot of people’s parents actually come from Mexico, I would say, in here. So, I think it’s just getting in touch with their culture.”
Some mariachi students have family members who perform in outside mariachi groups, and a few said they want to continue performing mariachi in college or beyond.
Sunnyside High School, also in the Lower Valley, has a mariachi program as well.
Band director Carson said he would like to see that expand.
“You could make a really strong argument for pretty much any high school between the Tri-Cities and Yakima and even beyond for having a program,” he said.
Upcoming competition
Mariachi Gran Vista earned a superior rating at the Yakima Valley Music Education Association regional competition in February and qualified to compete at the Washington Music Educators Association competition on April 29 at Central Washington University.
Carson said the competition group is largely student run and he is proud of their hard work. He would love to see them recognized at the state competition next month.
It was group president Ramos’ job to pick which students would be competing. She looked not only for talent, but commitment.
She said at the beginning of the year, she was a bit nervous about their prospects, as the pandemic stopped the group from performing together for over a year. But after months of practice and recent success, she has a good feeling about their chances.
“Just hearing how we played at regionals, I’m really confident we’re going to place this year,” she said. “I feel good about the state competition.”
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President Joe Biden is set to deliver remarks at a commissioning commemoration ceremony of the USS Delaware on Saturday.
First lady Jill Biden is also slated to speak at the event.
This marks the president's first visit to his home state in several weeks, USA Today reported.
The 377-foot-long vessel marks the first time for a Navy vessel to bear the state’s name in nearly a century.
According to the US Navy archives, the nuclear-powered submarine is the seventh submarine named after the state, with the first being in 1776.
The event is set to begin at 11 a.m.
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| 2022-04-02T14:43:44Z
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Federal tax probe into Biden’s son, Hunter, moves forward
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal grand jury has heard testimony in recent months about Hunter Biden’s income and payments he received while serving on the board of a Ukraine energy company, according to two people familiar with the probe.
It remains unclear whether he might be charged. But the grand jury activity underscores that a federal tax investigation into President Joe Biden’s son that began in 2018 remains active as prosecutors continue to examine foreign payments and other aspects of his finances.
A lawyer for Hunter Biden did not return a phone message and email seeking comment on Friday. A Justice Department spokesman deferred a request for comment to the U.S. attorney’s office in Delaware, which is handling the investigation. A spokesperson for the office did not return a phone message seeking comment.
The people familiar with the investigation could not discuss details of the ongoing probe publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.
No matter how the investigation resolves, it has already presented a political headache for the Biden administration and could lead to an even bigger one, particularly if Republicans who have seized on the probe to attack the president retake control of the House in midterm elections later this year. Republicans would then control congressional committees and shape the focus of any investigations.
A White House that has sought to deflect questions about law enforcement matters to the Justice Department was asked this week whether it stood by the president’s assertion in a 2020 debate that his son had not had unethical business dealings with Ukraine or China. White House communications director Kate Bedingfield said yes.
The investigation could also force a delicate decision for the Justice Department, which has sought to assert its independence and has publicly stressed its willingness to let the facts and evidence, not political decisions, guide its investigative and charging decisions.
Attorney General Merrick Garland has not shed any light publicly on the investigation. But the Justice Department did leave in place the top federal prosecutor in Delaware — David Weiss, a Trump administration holdover — presumably as a way to ensure continuity.
Hunter Biden confirmed the existence of an investigation into his taxes in December 2020, one month after the presidential election. He said in a statement at the time that he was “confident that a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately, including with the benefit of professional tax advisors.”
The Associated Press reported later that month that a subpoena served on the younger Biden sought information related to more than two dozen entities. One was Burisma, a Ukrainian gas company whose board he had joined when his father was vice president. That move sparked concerns about a potential conflict of interest given that elder Biden was deeply involved in U.S. policy toward Ukraine during the Obama administration.
The breadth of the subpoena highlighted the wide-ranging scope of the investigation into Hunter Biden, though there is no indication that the probe includes any scrutiny of the president himself. Biden has said he did not discuss his son’s international business dealings with him and has denied having ever taken money from a foreign country.
Witnesses in recent months have been questioned about payments Hunter Biden received while serving on the Burisma board, the people familiar with the probe said.
Republicans tried making Hunter Biden’s business dealings in Ukraine a prominent issue during the 2020 presidential election.
A year earlier, then-President Donald Trump tried pressuring his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to launch investigations into the Bidens at the same time Zelenskyy was seeking military aid from the U.S.
Trump was later impeached by the House over the phone call but was acquitted by the Senate.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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| 2022-04-02T14:47:23Z
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Hope Solo arrested on DWI, child abuse charges
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Former U.S. women’s national team star goalkeeper Hope Solo was arrested after she was found passed out behind the wheel of a vehicle in North Carolina with her 2-year-old twins inside, police said.
A police report said Solo was arrested on Thursday in a shopping center parking lot in Winston-Salem and charged with driving while impaired, resisting a public officer and misdemeanor child abuse. She has been released from jail and has a court date of June 28, the report indicated.
According to an arrest warrant, a passerby noticed Solo passed out behind the steering wheel for more than an hour with the vehicle’s engine running and the two children in the backseat. A responding officer could smell alcohol, and the warrant said that Solo refused a field sobriety test and her blood was drawn instead.
Rich Nichols, a Texas-based attorney who represents Solo, released a statement Friday but didn’t respond to specific questions on the charges and said his client wouldn’t respond, either.
“On the advice of counsel, Hope can’t speak about this situation, but she wants everyone to know that her kids are her life, that she was released immediately and is now at home with her family, that the story is more sympathetic than the initial charges suggest, and that she looks forward to her opportunity to defend these charges,” Nichols said.
Solo was dismissed from the national team following the 2016 Olympics in Brazil after calling the Swedish team “cowards” for taking a defensive stance against the defending gold medalists, ending a laudable playing career that was also marred by controversy.
She was suspended for 30 days in early 2015 after she and husband Jerramy Stevens were pulled over in a U.S. Soccer-owned van and Stevens was charged with DUI. She was also benched after publicly questioning coach Greg Ryan’s decision to start Briana Scurry against Brazil during the 2007 World Cup, comments many saw as a slight against Scurry.
Solo was also involved in an altercation with family members in 2014 that resulted in Solo’s arrest, although charges in that case were eventually dropped.
Solo made 202 appearances with the national team, with 153 wins and an international-record 102 shutouts. She won a World Cup title and two Olympic gold medals with the team.
During the 2015 World Cup championship run, she allowed just three goals in seven games with five shutouts.
She was elected to the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame in January. The induction ceremony is set for May 21.
Solo married Stevens, a former tight end for the Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in 2012. The couple have twins, Vittorio Genghis and Lozen Orianna Judith Stevens, born on March 4, 2020.
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AP Sports Writer Anne M. Peterson contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Number of COVID patients in US hospitals reaches record low
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — COVID-19 hospitalization numbers have plunged to their lowest levels since the early days of the pandemic, offering a much needed break to health care workers and patients alike following the omicron surge.
The number of patients hospitalized with the coronavirus has fallen more than 90% in more than two months, and some hospitals are going days without a single COVID-19 patient in the ICU for the first time since early 2020.
The freed up beds are expected to help U.S. hospitals retain exhausted staff, treat non-COVID-19 patients more quickly and cut down on inflated costs. More family members can visit loved ones. And doctors hope to see a correction to the slide in pediatric visits, yearly checkups and cancer screenings.
“We should all be smiling that the number of people sitting in the hospital right now with COVID, and people in intensive care units with COVID, are at this low point,” said University of South Florida epidemiologist Jason Salemi.
But, he said, the nation “paid a steep price to get to this stage. ... A lot of people got sick and a lot of people died.”
Hospitalizations are now at their lowest point since summer 2020, when comprehensive national data first became available. The average number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the last week nationwide dropped to 11,860, the lowest since 2020 and a steep decline from the peak of more than 145,000 set in mid-January. The previous low was 12,041 last June, before the delta variant took hold.
The optimistic trend is also clear in ICU patient numbers, which have dipped to fewer than 2,000, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
“We’re beginning to be able to take a breath,” said Dr. Jeffrey Weinstein, the patient safety officer for the Kettering Health hospital system in western Ohio.
COVID-19 patients had filled 30% of Kettering Health’s nearly 1,600 hospital beds back in January, Weinstein said. Kettering’s eight hospitals now average two to three COVID-19 admissions a day — and sometimes zero.
And while Salemi agreed this is a good time for an exhausted health care system to take a breath, he warned that the public health community needs to keep an eye on the BA.2 subvariant of omicron. It’s driving increases in hospitalizations in Britain, and is now estimated to make up more than half of U.S. infections.
“We’re probably under-detecting true infections now more than at any other time during the pandemic,” Salemi said.
For now at least, many hospitals are noting the low numbers.
In California on Thursday, UC Davis Health tweeted that its intensive care unit had no COVID-19 patients for two consecutive days for the first time in two years.
“The first COVID-19 patient to arrive in our ICU did so in February 2020, and the unit treated at least one positive individual every day since, for at least 761 consecutive days,” the hospital system said.
Toby Marsh, the chief nursing and patient care services officer, said in a statement that they hope the numbers “are indicative of a sustained change.”
In Philadelphia, patients are spending less time in the Temple University Health System because there are no longer backlogs for MRIs, CT scans and lab tests, said Dr. Tony Reed, the chief medical officer.
Temple Health’s three hospitals had six adult COVID-19 patients on Thursday, likely its lowest patient count since March 2020, Reed said.
During the omicron surge, patients waited as long as 22 hours for a routine MRI, which is normally done within 12 hours. Longer waits affected those who came in with trouble walking — and in a lot of pain — for example, because of a herniated disc pinching their sciatic nerve.
“Nobody wants to stay in the hospital a day longer than they have to,” Reed said.
The emptying of beds is also helping patients in rural areas, said Jay Anderson, the chief operating officer for Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. During the surges, the hospital faced challenges accepting people from community hospitals who needed elevated care for brain tumors, advanced cancer and stroke. That burden is now being lifted.
Visitors also will return in higher numbers, starting Tuesday. Ohio State will no longer restrict patients to two designated guests, who could only stop by separately.
“Patients heal better when they have access to their family and loved ones,” Anderson said.
Doctors, nurses and respiratory therapists are also getting a much needed break in some areas.
In Colorado, Dr. Michelle Barron said the consistently low COVID-19 hospitalizations prompted smiles among staff, even as she double-checks the numbers to make sure they’re actually correct.
“I had one of these moments like, oh this is amazing,” said Barron, medical director of infection prevention and control at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital. “It feels unreal.”
UCHealth loosened some restrictions, including dropping testing requirements for anyone who entered a facility. And while that produced some anxiety among staffers, Barron says the numbers haven’t spiked.
“I think some people have started to take vacations and not feel guilty,” she said. “I had spring break with my kids and it was a level of happiness where I went, oh my god, this is actually normal.”
The omicron surge had stretched staff at work — but also at home, said Dr. Mike Hooper, chief medical officer for Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in southeastern Virginia.
“It was stressful to be at the store ... to visit your family,” Hooper said. “We’re all hoping that some ‘return to normalcy’ will help people deal with the inherent stresses of being part of the health care team.”
But just because hospitalizations are down does not mean hospitals are empty, said Dr. Frank Johnson, chief medical officer for St. Luke’s Health System in Idaho.
Some measures — like wearing masks in certain settings — will remain in place.
“I don’t know when we may go back to old practices regarding mask wearing in our clinical areas,” Johnson said. “We’ve seen some benefits of that in terms of reduction in the number of other viral infections.”
In the meantime, the public health community is keeping an eye on the BA.2 subvariant of omicron.
Salemi, the University of South Florida epidemiologist, said the increase in at-home testing means that more results are not being included in official coronavirus case counts. Therefore, wastewater surveillance will be the early warning signal to watch, he said.
“BA.2 is here,” he said. “We don’t have to look that far in the rear-view mirror to know things can change very rapidly. We saw what happened with delta. We saw what happened with omicron.... We don’t want to wait until we see a lot of people hospitalized before we take action.”
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Kruesi reported from Nashville, Tennessee. AP Medical writer Carla K. Johnson in Washington state contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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| 2022-04-02T14:48:53Z
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2nd Annual Boys to Men Breakfast with Dads at the Bowling Green Ballpark
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - On Friday Boys to Men held their 2nd Annual Breakfast with Dads at the Bowling Green Ballpark.
“It’s important for dads to be a part of the group at home for stability,” says Scott Poteet who attended the event with his son.
Boys to Men encourages young men to exert positive behavior, encouraging success and also helping them earn their right to dress sharply.
“He’s been part of boys to men this is his first year so it’s, it’s been an eye-opener for him, he’s still learning it because it’s so widespread with having to be disciplined at school, do the right thing and it just helps him become a better, a better young man,” adds Poteet.
One of the parents in attendance says it is important for fathers to be present in their young sons’ lives, something he says he enjoys.
“It was an amazing time for that because I had to take off work and but I don’t mind taking off because I get to spend it with him so it’s awesome, I love it,” said Randy Dickens who was in attendance with his son.
Some of the fathers sent messages to their sons.
“Always do the right thing. Always tell the truth. And always be the man that you need to be,” added Poteet.
“Have fun, love every day, have big dreams, and just be a kid until you have to be a man,” said Dickens.
Speakers in attendance kept encouraging the message of being there for their sons at all times, during the highs and the lows, instilling good manners at home, and holding their sons accountable for their actions.
Several boys in the youth leadership also earned their jackets.
Copyright 2022 WBKO. All rights reserved.
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| 2022-04-02T14:49:22Z
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KY 214 resurfacing in Monroe County set to begin
Published: Apr. 1, 2022 at 11:51 PM CDT|Updated: 9 hours ago
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - A resurfacing project on Kentucky 214 Turkey Neck Bend Road in Monroe County is expected to start next week.
According to KYTC, the project will impact traffic from near the ferry location to Kentucky 953.
KYTC also says motorists should expect delays and allow extra travel time while the project is underway.
Access to the ferry will remain open, but delays getting to the ferry are expected.
The project includes base failure repairs and work-on culverts.
The project is expected to be finished in late June.
Copyright 2022 WBKO. All rights reserved.
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| 2022-04-02T14:50:21Z
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Zelenskyy: Mines in wake of Russian retreat keep Kyiv unsafe
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — As Russian forces pull back from Ukraine’s capital region, retreating troops are creating a “catastrophic” situation for civilians by leaving mines around homes, abandoned equipment and “even the bodies of those killed,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Saturday.
Ukraine and its Western allies reported mounting evidence of Russia withdrawing its forces from around Kyiv and building up troop strength in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian fighters reclaimed several areas near the capital after forcing the Russians out or moving in after them, officials said.
The visible shift did not mean the country faced a reprieve from more than five weeks of war or that the more than 4 million refugees who have fled Ukraine will return soon. Zelenskyy said he expects departed towns to endure missile strikes and rocket strikes from afar and for the battle in the east to be intense.
“It’s still not possible to return to normal life, as it used to be, even at the territories that we are taking back after the fighting,” the president told his nation in a nightly video message. “We need wait until our land is demined, wait till we are able to assure you that there won’t be new shelling.”
Moscow’s focus on eastern Ukraine also kept the besieged southern city of Mariupol in the crosshairs. The port city on the Sea of Azoz is located in the mostly Russian-speaking Donbas region, where Russia-backed separatists have fought Ukrainian troops for eight years and military analysts think Russian President Vladimir Putin is determined to capture after his forces failed to secure Kyiv and other major cities.
The International Committee of the Red Cross planned to try Saturday to get into Mariupol to evacuate residents. The Red Cross said it could not carry out the operation Friday because it did not receive assurances the route was safe. City authorities said the Russians blocked access to the city.
GRAPHIC WARNING: Videos in this story may contain disturbing content.
The humanitarian group said a team with three vehicles and nine Red Cross staff members was on the way to help facilitate the safe passage of civilians on Saturday after the failed attempt the previous day. In a statement late Friday, the group said its team planned to accompany a convoy of civilians out from Mariupol to another city.
“Our presence will put a humanitarian marker on this planned movement of people, giving the convoy additional protection and reminding all sides of the civilian, humanitarian nature of the operation,” the statement said.
The Mariupol city council said Saturday that 10 empty buses were headed to Berdyansk, a city 84 kilometers (52.2 miles) west of Mariupol, to pick up people who can get there on their own. Some 2,000 made it out of Mariupol on Friday, some on buses and some in their own vehicles, city officials said.
Evacuees boarded about 25 buses in Berdyansk and arrived around midnight to Zaporizhzhia, a city still under Ukrainian control that has served as the destination under previous cease-fires announced - and then broken - to get civilians out and aid into Mariupol.
Among then was Tamila Mazurenko, who said she fled Mariupol on Monday and made it to Berdyansk the same night. Mazurenko said she waited for a bus until Friday, spending one night sleeping in a field.
“I have only one question: Why?” she said of her city’s ordeal. “We only lived as normal people. And our normal life was destroyed. And we lost everything. I don’t have any job, I can’t find my son.”
Mariupol, which was surrounded by Russian forces a month ago, has been the scene of some of the war’s worst attacks, including on a maternity hospital and a theater sheltering civilians. Around 100,000 people are believed to remain in the city, down from a prewar population of 430,000, and facing dire shortages of water, food, fuel and medicine.
The city’s capture would give Moscow an unbroken land bridge from Russia to Crimea, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014, but also has taken on symbolic significance during Russia’s invasion, said Volodymyr Fesenko, head of the Ukrainian think-tank Penta.
“Mariupol has become a symbol of Ukrainian resistance, and without its conquest, Putin cannot sit down at the negotiating table,” Fesenko said.
An adviser to Zelenskyy, Oleksiy Arestovych, said in an interview with a Russian lawyer and activist, Mark Feygin, that Russia and Ukraine had reached an agreement to allow 45 buses to drive to Mariupol to evacuate residents “in coming days.”
Such agreements have been reached before, only to be breached. On Thursday, Russian forces blocked a 45-bus convoy attempting to evacuate people from Mariupol and seized 14 tons of food and medical supplies bound for the city, Ukrainian authorities said.
Turkey’s defense minister said his country had offered to help take civilians by sea from Mariupol, where Turkish authorities estimated some 30 of their citizens remained trapped by the siege.
About 500 refugees from eastern Ukraine, including 99 children and 12 people with disabilities, arrived in the Russian city of Kazan by train overnight. Asked if he saw a chance to return home, Mariupol resident Artur Kirillov answered, “That’s unlikely, there is no city anymore.”
Meanwhile, Pope Francis on Saturday blasted Russia for launching a “savage” war in Ukraine and said he was considering a trip to Kyiv. Francis, who was visiting Malta, said “some potentate” had unleashed the threat of nuclear war on the world in an “infantile and destructive aggression” under the guise of “anachronist claims of nationalistic interests.”
The pope didn’t mention Putin by name Saturday, but his subject was clear enough.
On the outskirts of Kyiv, signs of fierce fighting were everywhere in the wake of the Russian redeployment. Destroyed armored vehicles from both armies left in streets and fields and scattered military gear covered the ground next to an abandoned Russian tank.
Ukrainian forces recaptured the city of Brovary, 20 kilometers east of the capital, Mayor Ihor Sapozhko said in a televised Friday night address. Shops were reopening and residents were returning but “still stand ready to defend” their city, he added.
“Russian occupants have now left practically all of the Brovary district,” Sapozhko said. “Tonight, (Ukrainian) armed forces will work to clear settlements of (remaining) occupants, military hardware, and possibly from mines.”
Elsewhere, at least three Russian ballistic missiles were fired late Friday at the Odesa region on the Black Sea, regional leader Maksim Marchenko said. The Ukrainian military said the Iskander missiles did not hit the critical infrastructure they targeted in Odesa, Ukraine’s largest port and the headquarters of its navy.
Ukrainian officials reported that the death toll from a Russian rocket strike Tuesday on a government building in Mykolaiv, a port city east of Odesa, had risen to 33, with a further 34 people wounded. The confirmed death toll has risen steadily as the search and rescue operation continues.
As the war dragged on, the U.S. Defense Department said Friday night it is providing an additional $300 million in arms to Ukrainian forces, including laser-guided rocket systems, unmanned aircraft, armored vehicles, night vision devices and ammunition. Also included are medical supplies, field equipment and spare parts.
There was no immediate word Saturday on the latest round of talks between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators, which took place Friday by video. During a round of talks earlier in the week, Ukraine said it would be willing to abandon a bid to join NATO and declare itself neutral — Moscow’s chief demand — in return for security guarantees from several other countries.
On Friday, the Kremlin accused Ukraine of launching a helicopter attack on a fuel depot on Russian soil.
Ukraine denied responsibility for the fiery blast at the civilian oil storage facility on the outskirts of the city of Belgorod, about 25 kilometers (16 miles) from the Ukraine border. If Moscow’s claim is confirmed, it would be the war’s first known attack in which Ukrainian aircraft penetrated Russian airspace.
Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Ukraine’s national security council, said on Ukrainian television: “For some reason they say that we did it, but in fact this does not correspond with reality.” Later, in an interview with American TV channel Fox News, Zelenskyy refused to say whether Ukraine was behind the attack.
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Karmanau reported from Lviv, Ukraine. Andrea Rosa in Irpin, Ukraine, and Associated Press journalists around the world contributed to this report.
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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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| 2022-04-02T14:51:42Z
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It isn’t often that one can see, hear and taste art simultaneously.
“Art for Art,” hosted by The Lincoln Theatre, is an art charity effort that plans to do just that.
On April 29, The Lincoln will be transformed into an art show that will prop up and give back to local artists and the Cheyenne art community. The executive staff at The Lincoln have the unprecedented goal of making the event an immersive, multi-sensory experience.
This event looks a bit different than it did in its maiden installment in 2019. That first year, The Lincoln’s owners turned the proceeds from the event into funds for renovating the newly acquired building into the space it is today.
Now, the proceeds raised through “Art for Art” from ticket sales, and at least half the funds acquired through the main event of a silent art auction, will be donated to Arts Cheyenne for future community projects.
“Everything that we do here is all based around art. It’s something that’s super important to us,” said Renee Jelinek, co-owner of The Lincoln Theatre. “It’s what makes for a vibrant community, featuring artists in every way possible.”
The show will feature local artists, many of whose work has been a staple of the community. Already confirmed in the lineup are Bria Hammock, Steve Knox, work donated from Harvey Deselms collection, James Overstreet and Desiree Brothe.
Then there’s the immersion aspect of the night, where five pieces out of an estimated 50 submissions will be paired with an alcoholic-beverage spirit and song during a presentation segment. The selection group is looking for art among the submissions that stand out.
Every song is meant to match the emotion captured in the work, as decided by a team of Lincoln Theatre staff and volunteers. The spirit, specially concocted and paired with the art, is meant to do the same.
Artists will only learn that they’ve been selected as one of the five finalists upon their arrival that evening. The Lincoln’s staff is still in the process of receiving and assessing submissions. Artists have the chance to register for the show until April 15.
“The entire event is around supporting artists, the individual artists that will be having their work shown at this and possibly being shown to people who haven’t seen their work before,” Jelinek said. “Giving artists an opportunity to show their work and to sell a couple of pieces of their work is great.”
What’s new this year is the presentation of this sensory experience. Now, each piece will get a moment in the spotlight, where the audience will receive their drinks free of additional charge and the selected song will play over the theater sound system.
In their first year, the selections ranged from classical music to a song from Wu-Tang Clan original member rapper Ol’ Dirty Bastard.
“It’s a discussion among our team of, ‘What does this piece mean to you?’” Jelinek said. “Just trying to find the thing that resonates with most of us and then being able to present that to everyone.
“It’s not a serious thing. We make it very, very fun.”
A popular feature returning from the last installment is the “mystery art sale,” where for $25 to $50, attendees can purchase local art that is wrapped up and vaguely described on the outside of the packaging. Only upon unwrapping the purchase does one find out what they’ve bought.
There are 200 tickets still available, priced at $35 each.
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Anchor Audio celebrates 49 years in business with their value added Dealer Network and dedication to customer satisfaction.
CARLSBAD, Calif., April 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Anchor Audio CEO Alex Jacobs announced steps to further the company's 100% commitment to our community of end users and valued-added dealer network.
"We have successfully navigated the last 2 years thanks to company-wide team work and by focusing on serving our customers as fast as possible. As we kick-off a new fiscal year, our 49th year in business - these following organizational changes follow recent updates in Purchasing and Operations and position us to support further growth while maintaining a 90% same day ship rate for professional grade portable PA gear - Made Right in America."
Today, he announced 6 promotions: In Production & Engineering: Cristo Morales – PC Specialist, Jesus Choza – Production Supervisor, Manuel Tapia – Principal Electrical Engineer. In marketing, Sales and Service: Caitlin McLain – Marketing Strategist, Owen Mitchell – Sales & Service Supervisor, Glenn Busse – Vice President, Sales & Marketing.
About Anchor Audio: Established in 1973, Anchor Audio Anchor Audio manufactures the highest quality portable sound systems in the USA. Products are sold through an authorized dealer network and currently serve over 2,000 school districts, all branches of the military, and houses of worship. Anchor innovations include all-in-one battery-powered PA systems as well as full complement wireless technology. For more information visit: www.anchoraudio.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Anchor Audio
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| 2022-04-02T14:54:41Z
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NEW ORLEANS, April 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until May 2, 2022 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson ("Ericsson" or the "Company") (NasdaqGS: ERIC), if they purchased the Company's securities between April 27, 2017 and February 25, 2022, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
What You May Do
If you purchased securities of Ericsson and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nasdaqgs-eric/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by May 2, 2022.
About the Lawsuit
Ericsson and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.
On February 16, 2022, the Company disclosed "serious breaches of compliance rules" involving dealings in Iraq dating back to 2018 including payments made "for road transport through areas controlled by terrorist organisations, including IS." Then, on February 27, 2022, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists ("ICIJ") reported on the Company's alleged dealings with ISIS in Iraq, originating from an internal report by the Company that revealed it had reportedly made "tens of millions of dollars in suspicious payments" over nearly a decade to maintain business in the country and that "a spreadsheet lists company probes into possible bribery, money laundering and embezzlement by employees in Angola, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brazil, China, Croatia, Libya, Morocco, the United States and South Africa[,]" which "have not been previously disclosed."
On this news, the price of Ericsson's ADS fell $0.84 per ADS, or 8.3%, from its closing price on February 25, 2022, to close at $9.28 per ADS on February 28, 2022, the next trading day.
The case is Nyy v. Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson, et al., 22-cv-01167.
About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients – including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors – in seeking to recover investment losses due to corporate fraud and malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California, Louisiana and New Jersey.
To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com.
Contact:
Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner
lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com
1-877-515-1850
1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200
New Orleans, LA 70163
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
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BEIJING, April 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Five years after China announced the establishment of the Xiong'an New Area, a 1,770 square kilometer site in North China's Hebei Province about a two-hour drive from Beijing, the foundations of the new "dream city" are taking shape in a miraculous manner, with construction cranes dominating the skyline, new modern buildings springing up one after another, and a magnificent landscape created with trees, forests and wetlands that echo the city's focus on innovation and green development.
When the blueprint for Xiong'an, which was described by the top leadership as "a strategy crucial for a millennium to come," was revealed on April 1, 2017, it attracted wide attention from around the world as many praised China's boldness in launching such a massive project, literally building a whole new metropolis from the ground up. Others wondered if China can make another miracle with its vision for future living and development, after two successful precedents, the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and the Shanghai Pudong New Area, which led the whole country into where it is today.
In many ways, Xiong'an represents China's vision of its next stage of development in several areas. It is expected to become a high-level socialist modern city that is green, low-carbon, intelligent, livable and relatively competitive, by the end of 2035. By the middle of this century, it should become an important part of the world-level Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei city cluster.
In interviews with the Global Times, local residents, construction workers, companies, authorities and experts described the extraordinary changes Xiong'an has seen over the past five years despite a series of challenges. It is a sleepless construction site and a stunning view into futuristic urban living that embodies efficiency, strength, resilience and farsightedness of the Chinese system.
Xiong'an speed
Now, five years after the blueprints were finalized, numerous changes are taking place on this land that show to the world China's orderly but unswerving push to make of its dream city.
Zhang Kun, a 35-year-old engineer at the China Railway 12th Bureau Group Co under the China Railway Construction Corp (CRCC), was one of the chief engineers for the project of the Xiong'an Railway Station. During his two years of work, from late 2018 to 2020, he sensed the transformation of Xiong'an from a rural-looking place into a modern city.
"When I first came to Xiong'an from a previous project in Chongqing, I felt a big gap coming from a big city to a rural area. At that time, I saw mostly villages and agricultural land in Xiong'an. Now, roads are built, resettlement houses are built, assistant facilities and skyscrapers are also emerging. The changes are huge," Zhang told the Global Times.
Ren Dakai, head of the Xiong'an New Area Digital Transportation Lab, recalled that the most obvious change in Xiong'an is the convenient transportation thanks to the increasing high-speed trains that are commuting between Beijing and Xiong'an each day. Besides, the accommodations are much better with buildings designed with modern concepts.
Now, living in a relocated house in the east of Rongcheng, part of Xiong'an, Ren is quite satisfied with the community that is fully equipped with facilities like gyms and children's playgrounds. Within 3 kilometers there are educational facilities like kindergartens and elementary schools, as well as a large park, he said, describing Xiong'an as the "last place" for him to fight for a career although he just settled in the region about two years ago.
What those people experienced are aspects of numerous changes that have taken place or are ongoing in the Xiong'an New Area. Since its establishment, Xiong'an has started 177 key projects with a total investment of 618.4 billion yuan ($97.4 billion). In peak times, more than 200,000 workers are employed on the construction projects, according to data from Xiong'an's management committee.
Many landmark infrastructure projects have already been completed. Trains have begun to commute on the intercity railway line between Xiong'an and Beijing after the Xiong'an Railway Station was constructed and 939 of resettlement homes in the Rongdong area have been finished. The general formation of road network, ecological corridors and waterways have also taken form.
As of March, central-level state-owned enterprises had established more than 100 branches in Xiong'an. Registered companies that show capital sources in Beijing amounted to 3,600, accounting for about 80 percent of the region's overall investment, according to media reports.
A frequently mentioned characteristic of Xiong'an's construction is fastness, which people summarized with the phrase "Xiong'an speed." It is both correct and incorrect, experts said, as Xiong'an's overall planning has been very orderly and careful, while the actual realization of its blueprint has been faster than people's expectations, a reflection of not only China's efficiency in carrying out plans, but also a testimony of the country's technological strength which has helped shorten implementation times.
Take the Xiong'an Railway Station as an example. It took only about two years for the 475,200 square meter station to complete construction, setting a record in terms of construction speed for stations of a similar scale. According to Zhang Kun, it usually takes three years for such a building to be constructed in China.
That speed is not rare in the construction of Xiong'an's infrastructure. When building the Xiong'an Citizen Service Center, 5,000 workers from the China State Construction managed to complete 50,000 meters of welding work in just 20 days, while installing 12,200 tons of steel frames in more than three weeks, about two or three times faster than normal speed, the company said.
According to experts and industrial insiders, the Xiong'an speed is made possible by careful planning and technological progress. For example, Zhang Kun revealed that when his team was constructing the Xiong'an Railway Station, they changed the norm of setting "five departments and one office" to "nine departments and two offices." What was added was the scientific division to push for technological upgrade and intelligent construction.
According to Zhang Kun, the CRCC set up several technical workshops to apply cutting-edge technologies to the project's construction, such as welding robots, intelligent steel processing equipment, among others, which helped shorten the time of the project.
Zhang Gui, secretary general of the College of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Collaborative Development under Nankai University, told the Global Times that Xiong'an's development is generally in line with its original plan.
"Compared with many regions, Xiong'an's planning is complete and scientific and took a relevantly long time. This makes afterward implementation much smoother," he said.
High-tech Xiong'an
Apart from stressing speed, China is also pouring resources into the region to foster its high-tech industries, from 5G and autonomous driving, to cloud computing and blockchain.
Since the establishment of the Xiong'an New Area, more and more 5G technologies have been implemented and application scenarios such as 5G smart robots, smart buses, and parks have been continuously enriched. For example, the parking lot alongside the Xiong'an Railway Station was built into a pilot zone of self-driving cars and Internet of Vehicles.
According to Ren, autonomous driving technologies, which he is now dedicated to, have accelerated in Xiong'an from the initial test phase when tech firms like Baidu conducted its autonomous driving road test based on a 5G network environment in 2018.
"Compared with other cities, Xiong'an is like a blank sheet of paper. New technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things are more feasible to implement. It can give full play to the advantages of these technologies and build a smart new city," Ren said.
Zhang Gui also praised Xiong'an's planning as a vivid display of China's wisdom, as the country showed the world a "Chinese model" of what a modern city is like, as well as where China's future economic momentum lies.
"Xiong'an's planning is a manifestation that China no longer just focuses on city scale, but is seeking establishment of new modern cities with features like low-carbon, intelligent, livable and high-quality development," he said. "It is an epitome of a new start for a new era."
Also, the economist stressed that Xiong'an represents a model of China's modernization in an all-around way, instead of just focusing on certain city functions.
Significance to the world
Experts also noted that Xiong'an can play to their economic strength as the world's economic situation evolves, thus making contributions to China's economic growth as well as global industrial chains.
According to Zhang Gui, the trend of regionalization is increasingly rising against the background of globalization development, such as forming of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade bloc. Therefore, Xiong'an should find its position in such new global economic pattern and strive to participate in relevant industrial chains.
For instance, it will actively absorb and gather innovative factor resources in the world and lay out high-tech industries from a high starting point, after undertaking certain non-capital functions from Beijing, he said.
Furthermore, as globalization is shifting from a model of bulk commodity trading to services trading, Xiong'an can explore the construction of a digital commerce development demonstration area, establish digital trade development rules in line with national conditions, as well as participate in the formulation of international trade rules and agreements for data assets both in China and abroad with its booming digital economy, Zhang Gui said.
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SOURCE Global Times
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WASHINGTON, April 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On Sunday April 3, 8PM EDT, Kennan Salinero will be speaking to the NextNow community about "Collective Practices for Transforming What it is to Be a Scientist"
Registration is at https://bit.ly/NextNowApr3
NextNow was founded over 20 years ago by a group of technologists, humanitarians, and futurists. Counted among their members was Dr. Douglas Engelbart, the father of modern computing. Since that time, NextNow has grown into a global, multidisciplinary network of people devoted to maintaining focus on humanity amid accelerating technological change.
Members are from organizations including IBM, Google, IEEE, Institute of Noetic Sciences, Adobe, UC Berkeley, Samsung. Members of the network engage in ongoing digital dialogue about pressing topics and meet roughly every other month for highly interactive sessions with experts from an eclectic set of disciplines focused on Dr. Engelbart's goal of "raising collective IQ."
The speaker for this NextNow talk will be Kennan Salinero, co-founder and executive director of ReImagine Science, a non-profit on a mission to reimagine how we 'do' science in the United States.
Kennan notes that many organizations work diligently to create better STEM education, a better understanding of science by the general public, and a wider diversity of practitioners….so why should we want to reimagine it? She will lead the participants in an exploration of the world of science that they know, and a world of science that remains in our blind spot. She will share reports from the front-lines of scientific institutions and policy that call out, over and over again, core challenges to science. What keeps these issues in place? What is the cost to society, and to the scientists themselves?
Kennan's background includes basic research in the fields of protein chemistry, cell biology, and genomics. She has worked at several national labs, in private industry, and as a member of the faculty in the Department of Chemistry at Georgetown University. In her work at ReImagine Science, she has led projects aimed at understanding, and addressing, complex, real-world challenges, especially those that hinder the enormous creative potential held by the scientist in each of us.
About ReImagine Science
ReImagine Science is a 501(c)3 organization founded in 2008 to fundamentally change the way we 'do' science in the United States. It was created on the belief that transformative change in the sciences will better serve humanity, the planet, and science itself.
"There have been warning signs for years that the U.S. biomedical enterprise may be calcifying—in ways that create barriers, in particular for the incoming generation of researchers."
- Ronald J Daniels, President, Johns Hopkins University
CONTACT: Kennan Salinero, kennan@reimaginescience.org
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TAIPEI, April 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kingdom Heroes is a classic IP series that was R&D by USERJOY for score years, which hits 4,000,000 sales until now and the squeal Kingdom Heroes 8 English version will be recently released on Steam. In 2021 January, Kingdom Heroes 8 entered the weekly sales top 4 and now breakthrough 300,000 sales in a month. This classic playing method accumulated a huge number of regular players afterward. Let's have a look at the features that you should know before starting this game!
Inherit and breakthrough the classic
Kingdom Heroes 8 goes on the classic strategic playing method as the previous pieces. It greatly improved the visual quality to present a wide and sophisticated map while inheriting the horizontal scrolling screen environment.
Reappearing the stage of The Records of the Three Kingdoms
The vast map reproduces where the story takes place particularly. Not only random events but also new elements are added to let people fight and explore freely in an opening explore the environment.
Magnificent army with thousands of men and horses
Players can enjoy fighting thousands with various special arms on the battlefield. A dazzling visual can be provided with retaining the horizontal scrolling operation.
Special skills with general's stratagem
Controlling multiple generals finely will be possible in this generation. The generals' unique skills have also been remade, all well-known generals own their magnificent ascend animation and a unique skill close up.
Multi-dimensional growing system
Title, equipment, divine weapon, war steed, designation, etc. are in one's Officers Growing system. We have simplified the domestics and added a Minister system. Uniting domestics in the previous piece to automate the operation, adding the Stronghold Ancillary Building system to endow the forces with different attributes and features give the game enrichments.
Kingdom Heroes 8's R&D team strives to strike a balance between classical and innovation. We would like to present a piece which is different from the past with the aim of bestowing our players a better game experience.
Kingdom Heroes 8 on STEAM：
Kingdom Heroes 8 Facebook：
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Massive ship called Ever Forward is stuck in Chesapeake Bay
Despite two failed attempts to free it this week, a sister container ship to the Ever Given that got stuck in the Suez Canal last year has been lodged in the Chesapeake Bay for 21 days — and now cargo holders have to pay to help free it.
Why it matters: The Ever Forward (yes, bask in the irony) is the largest ship to get stuck in the Chesapeake Bay and it’s carrying 5,000 containers of … stuff.
What’s happening: The ship’s owner — Evergreen Marine Corp. — has invoked a maritime law dubbed “General Average,” under which people whose belongings are on a ship must share in the cost of freeing it.
- Evergreen also invoked the law with its ship that was stuck in the Suez Canal for six days in March 2021. It took until September for all the cargo to be released to its owners, and only happened once the cargo owners posted bonds.
- It’s a maritime law whose roots can be traced to at least 1750 B.C. (it was a big deal during the fall of the Roman Empire, too).
- Think of the “General Average” like the aquatic version of prison rules, but for international shipping.
Zoom in: It’s unclear what's in the thousands of containers aboard the Ever Forward, but at least one cargo holder — a Bloomberg journalist who recently moved from Hong Kong to New York — has been sharing her experience waiting on her furniture.
- “The entire contents of our apartment, all of our furniture, lots of books, things of sentimental value are all in a container stuck in the Chesapeake Bay,” Tracy Alloway told NBC Washington.
- The U.S. Coast Guard, which is handling Ever Forward's PR, per the Port of Baltimore, told Axios that "general cargo" is on the ship and referred further questions to Evergreen.
Zoom out: The Ever Forward has been idling near Baltimore, en route to Norfolk, since a wrong turn leaving Baltimore on March 13 ran the boat aground in shallow water (24 feet of water — when it needs 42 to float, per NBC Washington.)
- The Ever Forward has been stuck thrice as long as its sister ship sat marooned between the Mediterranean and Red seas last year.
- The ship is not disrupting trade — or blocking passage out of Baltimore Harbor, William Doyle, director of the Port of Baltimore tweeted.
- Tuesday and Wednesday were the first attempts to refloat the boat using tug boats.
- A third attempt will be coming soon, "using two anchored pulling barges from the stern and five tugs,” Doyle wrote on Twitter.
The big picture: You can stay informed on the progress via istheshipstillstuck.com, a website that went viral last year during the Suez fiasco.
- The boat has become a tourist attraction and Downs Park (there’s a $6 entry fee) in Pasadena, Maryland is apparently the best place to see it.
By the numbers: Comparing giant, stuck container ships.
- The Ever Forward — currently lodged in Baltimore en route to Norfolk for 21 days and counting — 1,095 feet long, 117,340 gross tons. Ran aground due to a wrong turn in the Bay.
- The Ever Given — stuck in the Suez Canal for 6 days - 1,312 feet long, weighing in at 224,000 gross tons. Ran aground due to a large wind gust.
🗞 This article is by Axios Richmond's Karri Peifer! Subscribe to the Axios Richmond newsletter (launching soon).
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Truth Social misses another deadline as users report waitlist issues
Former President Trump’s social media app Truth Social remains unavailable for many, despite promises that it would be "fully operational" in the U.S. by yesterday.
Why it matters: Trump fans flooded into a SPAC that agreed to take Truth Social public, and could lose their investments if the app doesn't get its act together.
- The SPAC is said to be under federal investigation and yesterday missed a filing deadline because of what it said were accounting delays.
- Shares of that SPAC are down 35% since March 4, and down 64% from their all-time high, including a 2% dip on Friday.
Behind the scenes: Sources tell Axios that tech issues are likely what's preventing the app from being released to all interested users.
Details: When Truth Social first appeared in Apple's App Store, it told people to expect a Feb. 21 launch date. But, when President's Day hit, prospective users were given waitlist numbers that, for many, still haven't changed.
- Truth Social CEO and former Congressman Devin Nunes subsequently said the goal was for the app to be "fully operational" by the end of March.
- It didn't happen.
- There have been some indications of progress, including Trump's adult sons beginning to use the service this week, and Trump's account gaining over 800,000 users. But Trump himself hasn't posted a message since before the original launch date.
The intrigue: As far as Axios can tell, no Trump loyalists seem to be involved in Truth Social, and instead are focusing on building their own tech platforms.
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PONCA, Neb (KCAU) — Nebraska Game Parks announced the winters for the Creative Snow Building Contest at Ponca State Park despite low precipitation over winter.
According to a release from Ponca State Park, Grace Freeman took second place for her ‘Small but Mighty’ baby snowman.
They also said Evan Peterson took first place with his snowman ‘Molecule’ and snow snake ‘Slithering.’
Visit the Ponca State Park Facebook page for information on current activities.
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President Joe Biden is set to deliver remarks at a commissioning commemoration ceremony of the USS Delaware on Saturday.
First lady Jill Biden is also slated to speak at the event.
WATCH LIVE:
This marks the president's first visit to his home state in several weeks, USA Today reported.
The 377-foot-long vessel marks the first time for a Navy vessel to bear the state’s name in nearly a century.
According to the US Navy archives, the nuclear-powered submarine is the seventh submarine named after the state, with the first being in 1776.
The event is set to begin at 11 a.m.
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Action Network’s director of predictive analytics reveals his favorite player props for the men’s Final Four matchups between Villanova and Kansas as well as Duke and North Carolina. Each of the following picks is based, in part, on discrepancies between the player projections created by our predictive analytics team and the odds available as of writing. You can find more potential edges with our Action Labs Props Tool.
Villanova vs. Kansas
Jermaine Samuels Under 7.5 Rebounds (+105 at BetMGM): The fact Samuels has gone over 7.5 rebounds in seven of his past eight games makes this a scary proposition, but there’s a couple reasons to believe he will stay under this number on Saturday.
First, over the entire season, Samuels has finished with under 7.5 rebounds 65 percent of the time.
Second, with Justin Moore out, Eric Dixon is expected to see more minutes and is thus likely to eat into Samuels’ rebounding chances — and there already could be fewer rebounding chances based on the matchup alone. Kansas ranks in the top 40 of offensive rebounding rate and 29th in effective FG percentage while leaning heavily on 2-point attempts heavily, which lowers the team rebound projection for Villanova.
Our predictive analytics team is projecting Samuels closer to 6.5 boards with a 61 percent chance of staying under.
Collin Gillespie Under 3.5 Assists (+125 at BetMGM): The last time I targeted the under on Gillespie’s assists, he went over 3.5 only because he dished out the two he needed to clear the line in the final minute against Ohio State. Sure enough, he’s had only two each in the two rounds since.
Now with Moore out, I expect Gillespie to take more shots, which would help this prop.
Betting on March Madness 2022?
- Read our How to Bet on March Madness guide
- Get free bets and promos from the best March Madness betting sites
- Download the Post’s blank and complete NCAA brackets
- Check out the latest March Madness winner odds
Our model is projecting Gillespie closer to three assists with a 60 percent chance of staying under 3.5, so the price is right at plus-money.
Duke vs. North Carolina
Most Points: Armando Bacot (+550 at FanDuel): Paolo Banchero is the rightful favorite at +320 with Brady Manek next at +490, but our predictive analytics team is projecting Armando Bacot for close to the same number of points as the other two, making him a nice value at +550.
Duke’s defensive philosophy is to limit 3-pointers and free throws, allowing opponents to score 58 percent of their points on 2-point shots — the 10th-highest rate in country. And that’s where Bacot thrives. In fact, he matched Banchero for the most points the last time these rivals met on March 5, scoring his 23 points on 10-of-11 shooting from inside.
Mark Williams Under 9.5 Rebounds (-115 at BetMGM): While Williams will see plenty of minutes — we’re projecting him for 32.5 on Saturday — our model is projecting him for only 8.5 rebounds based on the matchup.
North Carolina is a very good rebounding team (thanks to Bacot), ranking second in defensive rebounding rate, so Williams could see fewer offensive boards here.
We’re giving him a 62 percent chance of staying under this number.
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More than 15,000 out of luck passengers were left holding their luggage as Alaska Airlines grounded dozens of planes amid a labor dispute with its pilots, according to reports.
The company and the union representing its 3,100 pilots have been negotiating a new contract for three years, the Seattle Times reported.
On Friday, some nine percent of the airline’s flights were canceled, leaving thousands of passengers in the lurch, the paper reported.
The airline admitted that some of the canceled flights were due to a “shortage of pilots,” the paper said.
The contract spat with the Air Line Pilots Association is now before a federal mediator.
“Alaska Airlines failed to properly plan for increased travel demand and take the steps necessary to ensure it attracted and retained pilots,” the union’s executive council said in a statement.
Robyn Dold, of Washington state, planned to fly to Missouri on Friday with her family for her father-in-law’s funeral.
They got an email six hours before takeoff that their flight had been canceled. They spent hours at the Portland airport, but were unable to make other arrangements.
“We’d go with the flow if it was a vacation, but this is something that has a due date that we can’t change and it’s heartbreaking,” she said. “My husband is beside himself. His father was his very best friend.”
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United Way of Monroe/Lenawee Counties honors everyday heroes at annual event
LaSALLE – Heroes don’t always wear capes. Some wear uniforms or business suits, and others carry backpacks.
But they all have something in common: They act voluntarily for the service of others in need.
In recognition of courage, kindness and unselfish acts of heroism, community heroes were celebrated Wednesday night at the 20th Annual Everyday Heroes Event sponsored by the United Way of Monroe/Lenawee Counties. The evening saluted local citizens and groups in several different categories at a banquet held at LaRoy’s Hall.
Laura Schultz Pipis, former CEO, and Deb Davenport, former Community Outreach and Emergency Services Director of the Monroe County Chapter of the Red Cross, are credited with starting the program in 2002. Davenport and Michelle LaVoy co-chaired this year’s event.
A Heroes Advisory Committee met in late February to review 22 nominations and select this year’s recipients. To be eligible, nominees must have been a resident or employed within Monroe County; or the heroic act must have taken place in Monroe County in 2021.
Each honoree received a “Certificate of Honor” and an engraved award from the United Way. They also received tributes from Michigan government officials.
Connie Carroll, executive director of the United Way of Monroe/Lenawee Counties, began the evening’s celebration by announcing the volunteers of the year, Kerri and Gerald “Chip” Williams of Williams Insurance Agency of Southeast Michigan, and boxing mentor Todd Riggs.
“There are heroes among us every day,” Carroll said. “You never know who you are sitting next to.”
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Health department to offer second COVID-19 booster vaccinations
The Monroe County Health Department is offering local residents a second booster vaccination against COVID-19 to those who qualify.
On Thursday afternoon, MCHD officials announced they would begin scheduling appointments for those interested in such a dose. Those who qualify are individuals age 50 or older, or individuals age 12 or older who are moderately to severely immunocompromised.
The decision comes after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized second booster doses, which was recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services endorsed the action, encouraging those eligible to consider another booster.
“Eligible Michiganders are encouraged to stay up to date on vaccinations, including booster doses that provide extra protection, including residents of long-term care facilities where outbreaks can spread quickly and extra protection is strongly recommended,” the MCHD said in a press statement.
Per regulations, the Pfizer vaccine is the only COVID-19 immunization authorized for those 18 or younger. According to a statement from MCHD, the booster may be given in conjunction with other immunizations, including the flu shot.
A second booster can only be administered four months after receiving a first booster immunization.
According to MDHHS’ data portal, about 51% of Monroe County residents have received at least one vaccination dose. About 45% have completed a full vaccination schedule.
To schedule an appointment, call the health department at 734-240-7830.
Those attending booster appointments are asked to bring their vaccination cards and proof of identification.
Masks are mandatory upon entering the health department’s office, and are required for the duration of the visit.
Area residents are not eligible to receive vaccination if they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, including cough, fever, loss of taste or smell, shortness of breath, headache, diarrhea or flu like symptoms.
Residents are also ineligible if they are in isolation following potential exposure to the virus or if they are awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test.
Earlier this week, the state announced it would begin changing the way it reported COVID-19 cases and deaths.
Beginning next week, MDHHS will no longer update those metrics on a daily basis. The state’s COVID-19 dashboard will report case and death rates each Wednesday.
Additionally, its cumulative case rate map for each county will be replaced with the CDC’s community level markers. That map will now only be refreshed on the state’s website each Friday.
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Heroes honored at annual banquet
The following were honored Wednesday as Monroe County’s Everyday Heroes:
Adult Good Samaritan Hero
The Sieb Family
The late Dick Sieb and his family expressed their support of the nation’s police officers in the form of donating custom-made, lifesaving vests to local police departments. Their donation has helped smaller police agencies that do not have the necessary funds to pay for new vests. In the wake of the shooting of Monroe Police Cpl. Renae Peterson, the Sieb family wanted to help local law enforcement and show their appreciation for all they do for the community.
Animal Rescue Hero Officer
Peyton Smithers
While on patrol, Officer Peyton Smithers of the Monroe Police Department observed a mother duck and her ducklings waddle down Bentley Drive. Officer Smithers noticed one of the ducklings fall into the sewer unbeknownst to its mother. Officer Smithers removed the grate cover and laid down on the pavement to retrieve the baby duck. Smithers rescued and reunited the duckling with its family without any “fowl” play.
Community Hero
Carleton Rotary Club
The Carleton Rotary, in partnership with Mimi’s Mission, an autism awareness group, donated more than 50 “911 Ready Bags” to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. Each bag contains a weighted blanket, noise-reducing headphones, and sensory devices like fidget toys and chewable jewelry. Each bag costs about $40. Funds were raised by the Carleton Rotary Club, and members worked with Lisa Vilella, founder of the non-profit organization, to secure items and assemble bags. Placed in patrol cars, the bags are used to bring comfort to autistic individuals during stressful situations.
Community Hero
Bedford Lady Mules Team Gallup
The Bedford Lady Mules Team Gallup, a fourteen-member softball team, honored the 20th anniversary of the events of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks with physical activity. Participants in the event had the option of walking two miles or climbing 110 flights of stairs at Bedford High School stadium. Along with completing the athletic feats, participants and members of the softball team donated non-perishable snack items, which were delivered to Bedford-area first responders.
Fire Hero
Monroe Township Volunteer Fire Department
The Monroe Township Volunteer Fire Department surprised Malachi Doherty, an Ewing’s Sarcoma cancer survivor and hopeful future firefighter, on his ninth birthday with fire engines and squad cars. Allen Park firefighter Kevin Maury had met Malachi at a previous event and the two kept in touch. When the Doherty family moved to Monroe, Maury contacted the fire department and told them about his special friend and his love for the fire department. In a parade of department vehicles, the Doherty family was welcomed to Monroe. Malachi received a neon yellow bicycle to match the fire trucks of his new hometown department.
Labor/Union Hero
Pete Patterfritz
Pete Patterfritz, a carpenter with Carpenters Local No. 687, helped during a transitional period at the United Way of Monroe/Lenawee Counties by filling the gap needed in the construction of handicap ramps around Monroe County. Patterfritz worked during the summer of 2021 to complete ramps for seniors needing assistance entering and leaving their homes. Patterfritz also served as a mentor to local high school graduates by teaching them carpentry skills in the process of building the ramps.
Law Enforcement Hero
Trooper Lulu Ghannam
On Dec. 27, 2021, Trooper Lulu Ghannam of the Michigan State Police Monroe Post stopped a driver experiencing a mental health crisis who had been traveling at a high rate of speed on I-75 and South Otter Creed Rd. After the traffic stop, Trooper Ghannam saw the driver leave his car, walk to the center lane, and lie down in the roadway. Trooper Ghannam dragged the driver from the road to avoid being hit by oncoming traffic. The individual was then secured and taken to the hospital for evaluation. Trooper Ghannam’s prompt action during this incident led to the saving of a life.
Local Military Hero
VFW Post No. 1138
It was a busy year for members of the Honor Guard at Monroe Post No. 1138, Veterans of Foreign Wars. In 2021, they provided services at Veterans Park on Memorial Day, held presentations of patriotism, good citizenship, and flag-folding demonstrations, and took part in tributes to military and veterans at a football game at Monroe High School. The 28-member team attended more than 120 funerals and memorial services at more than 30 different venues. They paid honor to veterans who served in World War II, Korean, Vietnam, Iraq, and Desert Storm. The team logged more than 3,700 hours and drove 28,000 miles in 2021 to perform commemorative rites for post members.
Medical Professional Hero
Rachel Palmer
Rachel Palmer, district nurse with Dundee Community Schools, assisted with health-related decisions and contact tracing efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, Palmer also created a district-wide program coined the Backpack Brigade to assist students who experience food insecurity. The program helps to feed students over the weekend, and through the securing of thousands of dollars in donations, Palmer was able to continue the program throughout the pandemic.
Youth Good Samaritan Hero
Alex Noland
Kicking off bow season the morning of Nov. 13, Alex Noland, an Ida High School student, and his father, Donald Noland, headed for the woods. As the duo walked out of the woods, Alex noticed his dad was struggling to breathe. Aware that something was seriously wrong, the asthma sufferer laid down in wet leaves and told his son to call 911. The severe asthma attack caused Donald to stop breathing and he lost consciousness. Alex immediately began CPR until emergency help arrived. Alex’s quick thinking helped save his father’s life.
Youth Good Samaritan Hero
Raisinville Elementary School
After battling an early morning fire on Baldwin Rd., firefighters from the London-Maybee-Raisinville (LMR) Fire Department were welcomed by the students of Raisinville Elementary School for complimentary coffee and donuts. The refreshments were provided by the students, who celebrated National Random Acts of Kindness Week throughout February. At the end of month, the students’ focus was to show kindness to those who served the community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Monroe County first responders and health care workers were invited to the school for coffee and donuts as a way to thank them for their service.
United Way of Monroe/Lenawee Counties Volunteers of the Year
Gerald “Chip” and Kerri Williams
Gerald “Chip” and Kerri Williams of Williams Insurance Agency of Southeast Michigan have served as campaign chairs of the United Way of Monroe/Lenawee Counties’ annual fund drive for the past two years. Throughout the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, they created videos, slideshows, and Facebook posts to garner attention for the drive. The couple enlisted volunteers and created a campaign strategy to help raise funds necessary to provide the vital services and programs the United Way offers in both counties.
United Way of Monroe/Lenawee Counties Volunteer of the Year
Todd Riggs
Todd Riggs, a boxing coach, mentor, and advisor for more than 20 years, volunteers countless hours each week. As a teacher and coach, Riggs has worked to grow Joe’s ALCC Boxing Club, training both professional and amateur boxers. The youth of Monroe that Riggs works with have been able to foster their athletic talents along with learning valuable life lessons under his mentorship.
Nominations are currently open for Everyday Heroes 2023. The act of heroism must have taken place between Jan. 1, 2022, and Dec. 31, 2022, and the nominee must have been a resident or employed within Monroe County; or the heroic act must have taken place in Monroe County. For a list of award categories or for more information, log onto https://www.unitedwaymlc.org/everyday-heroes.
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RT students at MCCC win title; going to New Orleans
The Monroe County Community College Respiratory Therapy Program team won a second straight state title in Michigan’s Sputum Bowl, a timed quiz competition similar to the game show "Jeopardy.” Now, the team is going in New Orleans.
The 2022 competition --the 42nd-annual -- took place during the Michigan Society of Respiratory Care Spring Conference in East Lansing March 27-29 and featured teams from college RT programs across the state.
"The main objective of the Sputum Bowl is to stimulate interest in current respiratory care practices and professional engagement among respiratory care practitioners and students," Dr. Ijaz Ahmed, director of the respiratory therapy program at MCCC, said.
The MCCC team includes students Daniel Mittlestat, Gina DiMaria, Darrian Pratt and Chase D. Hill, Now, they will move on to compete in the American Association for Respiratory Care's National Sputum Bowl at the 68th International Respiratory Convention Nov. 9-12 in New Orleans.
According to the AARC website, "The Sputum Bowl has been a time-honored tradition at the AARC Congress since 1978. Uniquely ‘RT,’ the Bowl is the No. 1 place to test your respiratory care knowledge against the best of the best in the profession. Nowhere else will you find therapists cheering on teams from across the country as they race to answer questions on everything from aerosol delivery to arcane gas laws."
The MCCC team is advised by Angela Prush, director of clinical education/instructor of respiratory therapy, and Helen Stripling, instructor of respiratory therapy.
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Sinclair to discuss solar energy at MCCC
Staff reports
Peter Sinclair will present "Sun 101" from 7 to 8:30 p.m. April 8 at Monroe County Community College, 1555 S. Raisinville Road.
"Understanding the facts regarding solar energy is critical for public officials and residents of communities where solar is being considered," organizers said. "The video-rich presentation will have answers to the most important questions from the most reliable experts available."
Sinclair is a Michigan-based videographer and presenter on energy and environmental issues.
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Stahl honored by Monroe County Farm Bureau, FFA
Tom Stahl was recognized March 22 by the Monroe County Farm Bureau, during the Dundee Future Farmers of America Annual Awards Banquet.
Stahl is now retired, but had been an FFA advisor and chapter leader for the Dundee and Milan Chapters for more than 30 years.
“He was recognized by the Monroe County Farm Bureau for his leadership and guidance to untold numbers of young people,” Farm Bureau said. “Mr. Stahl was honored by both the members of the FFA Chapters and the Monroe County Farm Bureau.”
Roger Bezek, Monroe County Farm Bureau president, spoke of Stahl’s contributions, leadership and eagerness in keeping both FFA chapters active and operating, fostering a high level of achievement for all his students.
“The Dundee FFA chapter singled out Mr. Stahl, along with the Monroe County Farm Bureau, who also recognized the valuable service and dedication Tom has brought to his role as FFA chapter advisor,” Bezek said.
Stahl was presented with a plaque by Bezek. The FFA chapter also was given a large barn sign to attach to the chapter’s greenhouse. The sign notes the contribution made by Stahl.
“It was noted that while the plaque was for ‘Tom Stahl the man,’ the large barn sign would ‘remind all future FFA members of the long history of guidance given by Tom Stahl,'” Farm Bureau said.
“The FFA organization provides its members a unique opportunity to learn lifelong shills and an opportunity to explore the multiple careers available in the agricultural field,” the Farm Bureau said. “While the average age of those involved in production agriculture nears 55 years of age, the need for the hands-on educational experiences and exposure to the many opportunities available within the agricultural field has become paramount. The FFA provides students programs to grow both personally and become proficient at skills, which will be useful through their lifetimes. Without the dedication of people like Tom Stahl, giving of both time, experience and creating a welcoming and valuable learning experience for our young people, we would all lose the potential of the young people Mr. Stahl has impacted.”
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