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West Forest Students Explore Tionesta Attractions
Saturday, August 13, 2022 @ 12:08 AM
TIONESTA, Pa. – West Forest’s second and seventh grade classes recently had an opportunity to tour several of Tionesta’s attractions.
They visited the Sherman Memorial Lighthouse, Tionesta Historic Museum, and the Tionesta courthouse.
Most of the students have walked around the lighthouse before, but had never been inside it.
Judge Daniel Miller and the courthouse staff explained the way a hearing might occur and showed the students all the different departments available to the public.
The historical staff showed the students what Tionesta was like many years ago and how it became their home.
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/08/13/west-forest-students-explore-tionesta-attractions/ | 2022-08-13T14:09:03Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/08/13/west-forest-students-explore-tionesta-attractions/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
On the Market: Freeport ranch home with private backyard, 2 bed, 2 baths for sale
Address: 1226 S. Homestead Ave., Freeport
Description: This home is located on a large corner lot with a privacy fenced backyard. The home offers 1,500-square-feet of living space including two bedrooms and two baths. The kitchen boasts new flooring and a new countertop. The main floor also features a formal dining room, a living room with a wall of windows, two bedrooms and a full bath. The lower level features a family room, a second bath and plenty of storage space.
Asking price: $110,000
Realtor: Aubra Palermo, RE/MAX Property Source, 815-297-1778
About this series:
Each week, we feature a unique property for sale in the area. Have a property you’d like to see featured? Email online@rrstar.com and put “On the Market” in the subject line.
Ken DeCoster covers business news and features. Contact him at 815-987-1391, kdecoster@rrstar.com or @DeCosterKen | https://www.journalstandard.com/story/business/real-estate/2022/08/12/freeport-ranch-home-for-sale-for-110000-aubra-palermo/65395437007/ | 2022-08-13T14:27:38Z | journalstandard.com | control | https://www.journalstandard.com/story/business/real-estate/2022/08/12/freeport-ranch-home-for-sale-for-110000-aubra-palermo/65395437007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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The New York Mets are red hot through August, and are on a six-game winning run. A 3-0 series sweep of the Cincinnati Reds brings the NL East leaders into their weekend series against Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies are ticking along nicely, and are 9-1 in their last 10. The playoffs are in their sights, so they’ll be raring to go against the Mets.
Many baseball fans thought the Yankees would walk away with the AL East, but their recent form suggests otherwise. A solo win against the Mariners this week may have lifted team spirits, but the Yankees are 2-8 in their previous 10 games.
Nick Kyrgios continued his fine summer form taking down Danil Medvedev at the National Bank Open on Wednesday. His reward is a Round of 16 tie against fellow Australian Alex De Minaur. Young British star Jack Draper took down Stefanos Tsistipas in straight sets, with the greek looking a little out of sorts ahead of the US Open 2022.
Action from the English Premier League is of the highest quality this weekend. Chelsea host rivals Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, after both teams recorded wins on opening weekend. Manchester United will look to bounce back from defeat, as they travel to the capital to face Brentford. Manchester City host Bournemouth, as Liverpool take on Crystal Palace on Monday.
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One of the easiest ways to get yourself a load of free bets is through BetMGM’s very generous “refer a friend” scheme. BetMGM allows bettors to refer up to 20 friends, with both getting a $50 bonus. Your friend will need to make their first deposit and place their $50 bonus on any sport at odds of -200 or greater in order for you to claim your bonus. | https://nypost.com/2022/08/13/betmgm-bonus-code-awesome-weekend-bonus/ | 2022-08-13T14:28:04Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/08/13/betmgm-bonus-code-awesome-weekend-bonus/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Authorities in upstate New York are barring press from attending the arraignment of Hadi Matar, the New Jersey man accused of the stabbing of writer Salman Rushdie.
Matar, 24, is scheduled to be arraigned at Chautauqua County Jail early Saturday, where he was transferred from the New York State Police barracks in Jamestown after the Friday attack.
Matar allegedly rushed the stage where Rushdie was about to give a lecture on freedom of expression at the Chautauqua Institution.
Rushdie is on a ventilator at UPMC Hamot in nearby Erie, Pennsylvania, and may lose an eye, according to reports.
A spokesman for the New York State Unified Court System told The Post that the county jail is not set up for press attendance.
“This is a town and village court,” said Lucian Chalfen. “In that county the central location happens to be the jail. It is up to the Sheriff to accommodate if he can.”
Chautauqua County Warden Matthew Stuczynski denied The Post and the Associated Press entry to the public court proceeding, citing the “safety and security and good running order of the facility.” | https://nypost.com/2022/08/13/officials-ban-post-and-ap-from-arraignment-of-suspect-in-rushdie-attack/ | 2022-08-13T14:28:40Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/08/13/officials-ban-post-and-ap-from-arraignment-of-suspect-in-rushdie-attack/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Mid-East unveils ambulance simulatorSubmitted by Mid-East Career and Technology CentersView CommentsView CommentsView CommentsView Comments | https://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/story/news/local/2022/08/13/mid-east-unveils-ambulance-simulator/65398833007/ | 2022-08-13T14:30:34Z | zanesvilletimesrecorder.com | control | https://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/story/news/local/2022/08/13/mid-east-unveils-ambulance-simulator/65398833007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ZDGA Seniors: Former champions making waves
Warsaw native Brad Baker aiming for yet another title
CAMBRIDGE — Familiarity atop the leaderboard has become a way of life in the Zanesville District Golf Association Senior Amateur.
This year isn't defying the trend.
Defending champion Brad Baker shot 2-under-70 to assume a two-shot lead after one round in the 54-hole event on Friday at Cambridge Country Club.
The field features 34 players, including 16 Super Seniors age 65 and older. Play resumes at 11:45 a.m. today at EagleSticks.
Baker leads former champion Rich Bubenchik and Troy Frazee by two shots and Dave Kennedy and Dick McPeck by four after they shot 72 and 74, respectively.
Kevin Terry and another former champion, Jim Spargrove, are at 76, Carl Bayer posted 77 and former champion Todd Hixson and Jim Hatcher sit at 78.
Tom Bragg, Tom Crowley and Ben Harris sit at 79, followed by Dave Durst at 80, Mark Ballmer at 81, Mike Walters at 82 and Charles King at 84.
Dave Sheppard and Tommy Georgiades head the Super Seniors field with 82; Doug Vousden is at 83, Dan Rauch 84, Chris Luthi and Mark Redfern 85 and Rick Bonifant at 87.
The top 11 and ties in the Senior Division and top 10 in the Super Seniors will advance to Sunday's final round at Zanesville Country Club. | https://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/story/sports/2022/08/13/former-champions-making-waves-at-zdga-senior-golf-tourney/65401080007/ | 2022-08-13T14:30:40Z | zanesvilletimesrecorder.com | control | https://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/story/sports/2022/08/13/former-champions-making-waves-at-zdga-senior-golf-tourney/65401080007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
AC/DC's "Back in Black" blared in the auditorium, as Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman, the 52-year-old Democratic Senate nominee in Pennsylvania––wearing a baggy black sweatshirt––walked on stage with his wife Gisele. It was a crowd of roughly 1,355 supporters, per his campaign's count, at the Bayfront Convention Center in Erie, Pennsylvania, cheering loudly and enthusiastically, perhaps not only excited about the prospect of electing another Democrat to the Senate, but because the man on stage was alive.
“Tonight for me, it’s about being grateful — just grateful,” Fetterman said. “Three months ago my life could have ended. It’s the truth.”
The Friday night rally was Fetterman's first since he suffered a near-fatal stroke on the campaign trail in mid-May. He only survived because of sheer luck, he said, as the incident occurred "20 minutes away from the best stroke facility in the state," instead of in a more rural part of the state. Over the last few weeks, Fetterman has only appeared at small gatherings, including his first fundraisers since his campaign announced on May 15, two days before the Democratic primary, that he had suffered a stroke. He won his primary while still in a hospital bed recovering, after doctors had “completely” removed a clot and installed a pacemaker. More than two months after his stroke, he gave his first interview to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in late July; he said he had “no physical limits” and hadn’t lost any cognitive abilities, but was still working through some hearing loss.
Appearing in Erie was a turning point in the Fetterman campaign, and one that appeared to carry a bigger political message. The city is in one of Pennsylvania’s most important swing counties; once a Democratic stronghold that Barack Obama won easily in 2012, Donald Trump won the county in 2016. Joe Biden narrowly flipped it in 2020. It's a working class community in the heart of the Rust Belt where companies like General Electric loom large. When Trump campaigned here two years ago, he acknowledged it was the kind of place politicians now go when they have to win votes: “Before the plague came in, I had it made. I wasn’t coming to Erie,” Trump told his supporters at a 2020 rally. “Then we got hit with the plague, and I had to go back to work. ‘Hello, Erie, may I please have your vote?’ Right?” Mehmet Oz, the TV doctor turned Republican Senate nominee––whom Fetterman will face in November––has made at least five trips to the town, per the local ABC station. As for Fetterman––who has long been favored to be one of Democrats’ best shots at flipping a Republican-held Senate seat, in this case occupied by the retiring Pat Toomey––his comeback “was always going to be Erie,” Julian Routh, who runs the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s political coverage for Western Pennsylvania, wrote ahead of the Democrat’s rally.
This is the kind of place Fetterman’s campaign has argued the lieutenant governor can win. Fetterman, the former mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania––a struggling steel town of less than 2,000 people just east of Pittsburgh––and the state’s lieutenant governor since 2019, has risen in politics with a working-class appeal. Those aren’t necessarily his roots; he had a “privileged” upbringing, by his own account, and has two master’s degrees, one from Harvard. He’s run on a largely progressive agenda centered around labor unions, income inequality, marijuana legalization and abortion rights (though he’s also split with the left wing of the Democratic Party when it comes to issues like fracking, which he’s shown an openness toward. He recently said he wouldn't really call himself a progressive, but “just a Democrat.”); he paints Oz as an out-of-touch, out-of-state celebrity.
“The Republican Party hasn't increased the minimum wage here in I don't know how long,” Chuck Kuneman, 72, a retired union steelworker at the rally who has lived in Erie his whole life, said when asked why he supports Fetterman. “Nobody can live on the current minimum wage––Republicans want to outlaw abortion, but people can't afford to have another kid as it is.” Craig Leiser, a local educator, and Tobin Shepardson, a veteran who now teaches at an Erie high school, both in their 30s, praised Fetterman's opposition to student voucher programs, which they believe would boost for-profit charter programs at the expense of “already underfunded” public schools.
Meanwhile, Oz has made Fetterman’s health a central part of his attack strategy. The Oz campaign updates its “John Fetterman basement tracker” on a daily basis, and even launched a website mocking his opponent as a bedridden “basement bum” minutes before Fetterman’s comeback rally was announced last Friday. The National Republican Senatorial Committee, the official campaign arm for Senate Republicans, also adopted this line, sharing a graphic featuring Fetterman entitled “Have You Seen This Person?” Though, if the Erie rally is a preview of Fetterman’s future efforts on the stump, Oz and the NRSC may need to come up with some new material to fill the next three months. | https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/08/democrat-senate-pennsylvania-john-fetterman-comeback-erie | 2022-08-13T14:39:24Z | vanityfair.com | control | https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/08/democrat-senate-pennsylvania-john-fetterman-comeback-erie | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
I didn’t plan on writing three columns in a row on immigration, but here we are.
My first column was a rebuttal to the absurd assertions by Orange County Republican congressional candidate Scott Baugh that immigrants “dilute” the culture.
My second was an explicit defense of the notion of open borders.
Here, I focus on a much more practical and tangible idea: allowing undocumented immigrants who have lived in the United States for a period of years and who have demonstrated “good moral character” to seek lawful permanent resident status.
This isn’t my idea, it’s been around for a while and a bill to do just that was introduced in the House of Representatives a few weeks ago.
First, some history. In 1929, Congress passed the Registry Act which, among other things, created a process by which immigrants who lived in the country since 1921 could stay in the country. Since then, Congress has updated the date multiple times, the final time being 1986. Currently, the law permits any immigrant who has been in the country since 1972 to seek lawful permanent resident status.
The latest proposal, co-sponsored by, among others, California Democratic Reps. Norma Torres of Pomona and Lou Correa of Anaheim, would remove the fixed date and instead apply to anyone who has been in the country for seven years.
“Our country relies on immigrants, both documented and undocumented alike,” said Rep. Torres, in a statement introducing the bill. “It is long past time Congress acted to recognize these critical contributions by removing barriers in our immigration system.”
I can already hear some ready to bellow out, “But that’s amnesty!”
Yes, it is, and it’s perfectly defensible.
Last year, Pew Research Center noted that two-thirds of undocumented immigrants have lived in the United States for more than 10 years. According to the Migration Policy Institute, about 22% have been in the United States for 20 or more years.
They’re already here, in our communities, living their lives and working. Many have American citizen children, even grandchildren. Many of those brought while minors have only ever known the United States as their home country.
For those who claim their objection to undocumented immigrants is that they aren’t legal, well, here you go, give them a path to legalization that’s not only plausible but efficient. Put them on the books. Help integrate them further into American society. It’s really not that hard.
This would, incidentally, aid immigration enforcement, too, if that’s your thing (it’s not my thing, for the record).
“A permanent immigrant registry program would reduce the illegal immigrant population in two ways,” explained Cato Institute immigration policy expert David Bier in a 2020 policy study. “First, it would focus all enforcement resources on more recent entrants, reducing the illegal population at that end. Second, it would allow long-time residents to resolve their violations of the law, reducing the population at the other end.”
Paired with making it easier for immigrants to enter the country legally — even temporarily through expanded work programs — there you go, you take care of most of the illegal immigration problem.
The millions of people here who have been around for a long time peacefully living their lives can get on the books and fewer future immigrants who want to come to work wouldn’t have to risk their lives to get here if there was a relatively easy legal path to get here.
Naturally, the bill, H.R. 8433, only has Democratic sponsors. It’s also being presented right before a midterm election that’s likely to turn out well for Republicans who prefer to demagogue undocumented immigrants than to legalize them, so it’s one of those bills that’s effectively just being thrown out there for show. Something for its sponsors to say, “See, I introduced a bill and even did a press conference. I’m basically a hero to immigrants everywhere. Vote for me!”
But that doesn’t mean it isn’t a good idea. It is.
Sal Rodriguez can be reached at salrodriguez@scng.com
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Zebreda Dunham makes it work.
Born with the joint condition arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (or, AMC), wheelchair bound and challenged with stiffness in her legs and arms, Dunham, 44, grew up shunning the disabled label. She was unique. She was independent.
Surrounded by her parents and a younger sister, Dunham said her life was filled with both extraordinary challenges and achievements.
“I always try to dwell on the things I can change, and not focus on the things I can’t change,” she said.
Dunham was honored with the Robert Gorski Access Award by the Pasadena City Council on Aug. 8 for her significant contribution toward improving accessibility and quality of life for people with disabilities.
Since moving to Pasadena in 2005, Dunham has helped the city’s Accessibility and Disability Commission initiate the annual Adaptive Sports Festival and add accessible elements into the Union Street Bike Lane Project, said city spokeswoman Lisa Derderian.
A self-described “MacGyver,” Zebreda is well-known for her work designing, creating, modifying and adapting a wide range of tools, equipment and devices that support activities of daily living, many of which can be viewed on her YouTube channel, “Zebreda Makes It Work!”
She has generated an international following of persons with disabilities, assistive technology specialists, designers, engineers and service providers working on accessibility-related products ranging from simple DIY tools to high-tech interfaces, according to Ali Everett, Pasadena’s accessibility coordinator.
Dunham has participated in projects organized by both Google and Apple, and was the first recipient of RESNA’s Do-It-Yourself Assistive Technology Contest for her modification of a key turner, a design she is still tweaking. RESNA is a professional group that works to increase access to technology solutions for the disabled.
In 2015, she was invited to virtually present at the Enable Makeathon presented in Bangalore, India.
Engineering ways to make her life better started early. Dunham was born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Her mother Bertha, a schoolteacher, was determined not to shelter or exclude her child.
“She vowed that if she ever had a child with a disability, she would take them with her everywhere — then she (and my dad Tommy) had me,” Dunham said.
Starting out in special education classes, she transitioned to mainstream classrooms in third grade, not really noticing the difference.
“(My Mom) was always trying to figure out ways for me to do things,” Dunham said. “I remember her telling me about one time, when I was at the kitchen table eating a hotdog, and I wanted more ketchup. She saw me pick up the bottle crossing my arms together to hold the bottle. It was a light bulb moment for her! She had been trying to figure out how I could hold a pencil to write. She said, ‘Zebreda, don’t move! I am going to slowly take out the ketchup bottle but don’t move your arms,’ and she then placed a fat pencil in where the ketchup bottle was and figured out that was how I could hold the pencil to write.”
Dunham said that moment sparked her “MacGyver-ism,” which thrives today. At the senior living facility in Pasadena where she lives, Dunham’s apartment is a meticulous haven of neat rows of red cabinets and toolboxes.
“I take pride in keeping things organized, because I feel a person like myself that requires help should also help the people helping me,” she said. “If I ask them to hand me something, and my room is a disaster, it takes up their time to find them, which affects their ability to help others. By keeping things organized, they can help me efficiently and then go on about their day. Organization is a must for me.”
Her friend Martin Sweeney helps her film and edit videos for the YouTube channel, which features takes on a pulley spoon, laptop table and remote control hacks.
Dunham said the San Gabriel Valley’s sunny clime helps keep her active. She takes the Metro Rail to L.A., Santa Monica and Long Beach. Locally, she haunts the Container Store in Pasadena and pops into Walgreens. The Yard House is another favorite spot, with its sweet potato fries, angel hair pasta and cheese pizza.
“I’m always on the move, I don’t really relax,” she said. “I love watching tech videos on YouTube, videos about travel, UFC, and other mixed martial arts organizations and I can’t forget watching TV shows like ‘Survivor’ and reruns of ‘MacGyver.’”
Dunham also plays with the SoCal Vaqueros Power Soccer Club, which practices in Glendale.
“It gives me a sense and feeling of being normal and being able to participate in activities that anyone can join,” she said.
Her life is her own, but she balances her independence with human relationships, a give-and-take connectedness she cherishes.
“I just take each day one day at a time, and I just know that we are all put on this earth for a reason,” Dunham said. “I feel that my purpose is not just to be here and be happy, but to show other people that you can be happy no matter what your situation or disability is.”
Anissa V. Rivera, columnist, “Mom’s the Word,” Pasadena Star-News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Whittier Daily News, Azusa Herald, Glendora Press and West Covina Highlander, San Dimas/La Verne Highlander. Southern California News Group, 181 W. Huntington Drive, Suite 209 Monrovia, CA 91016. .
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We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. We reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/08/13/pasadena-resident-hosts-zebreda-makes-it-work-on-her-youtube-channel/ | 2022-08-13T14:41:17Z | pasadenastarnews.com | control | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/08/13/pasadena-resident-hosts-zebreda-makes-it-work-on-her-youtube-channel/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Sometimes you’ve just got to stop, ahem, and smell the Roses.
And that’s exactly what our readers have done this week, after we’d invited them to share memories of the Rose Bowl Stadium — which turns 100 this year.
Turns out, even in an era when giant, multi-billion-dollar mega projects like So-Fi Stadium draw big acts, epic games and huge crowds from all over the world to the L.A. area, Pasadena’s great jewel in the Arroyo Seco holds a special place in the hearts of many.
Yes. It’s hard to ignore that it’s aging — the classic, vintage, unmistakable exterior and design standing in high contrast to the futuristic sleekness of So-Fi, down the road in Inglewood. Yes. There are those high-traffic days, when getting in and out of the place isn’t exactly easy.
And, of course, “every rose has it’s thorn,” as the lyric goes. Renovation costs, debt, how to keep the Rose Bowl relevant 100 years later are all on the minds of city leaders these days.
But one thing is not in doubt: One hundred years later, the Rose Bowl has sparked 100 years of memories — from classic Rose Bowl games to epic concerts, to World Cups and Super Bowls to local graduations. Memories were born here, relationships, inspiration, history. So-Fi — at least not yet — can’t hold a candle to that reservoir of history.
We thank our readers for sharing their own histories, their own memories of the stadium. They inspire us to raise a glass to the stadium, and to its future.
We invite you to read on.
‘It was pure rapture’
“I attended John Muir High School in the early 60’s, and my favorite memory was listening to the marching band and drum corps do their thing under the Rose Bowl seats, especially after a Turkey Tussle game. The band would stop to play, the students would gather and the music would ricochet off the rafters. It was pure rapture. The other thing I love to think about is that I had season tickets to the UCLA football games for over 30 years and always claim my particular seat as “my seat,” figuring no one sat in that particular seat more than me! I always wonder who is sitting in my seat. “
– Barbara Wood, Pasadena
The kick-off dinner and the ‘White-Suitors’
“As a member of the Tournament of Roses Association for over 20 years, I have many memorable moments at the Rose Bowl. My favorite times spent at the Rose Bowl were with my fellow ‘white suitors.’ Every September, the Tournament of Roses association would hold a kick-off dinner on the field of the Rose Bowl- kicking off a new year for the upcoming Jan. 1 parade. This was a wonderful opportunity to see friends that I had worked with either the previous year or years before working on the parade. It was a great opportunity to embrace friends, see chairs of committees that I worked with, and make new friends with new Tournament members. Walking onto the field was such an exhilarating moment. I would look around and see the beauty of the seats, the press box, the mountains in the background and the sun beginning to set. It was like coming home.”
– Ellie MacMullin (One of 935 White Suitors), Pasadena
A majorette memory
“My story of the beautiful Rose Bowl is during my teenage years at Pasadena City College. We six girls got chosen to be the Majorettes for the coming year to march with the PCC Band in parades, at football games and march in the Rose Parade. This picture was taken of us six girls on the Rose Bowl bleachers in 1953. I am second from left:
– Marilyn (Berry) Mazone, Arcadia
Thrills through thick and thin
“My daughter was home from Davidson College, in North Carolina, for the summer and five of her best friends from all over the US, all soccer players came for the US Women’s World Cup Final – US vs. China. Meanwhile, my son had recently had knee surgery, so he and I sat in the handicapped seats, right behind the goal! The temperature was 100+ degrees. The game was thrilling, a tie, then still a tie after overtime. Even non-soccer players can remember the shootout, and Brandi Chastain scoring the winning goal and ripping her shirt off in celebration – and we two had the best seats in the Rose Bowl.
Memory #2 – My husband and I sat in the U of Illinois card section through six forgettable seasons. You couldn’t miss if you were one of the people holding up the cards at halftime, through heat, rain, sleet, bad teams, and a bee sting. He promised me that if the Illini ever went to the Rose Bowl, we’d go. We moved in Sierra Madre in 1987, and in 2008 they actually were Rose Bowl-bound. I got eight tickets and we went. USC killed the Illini, but who cares – we were there!
– Deb Sheridan, Sierra Madre
Inspired by a ‘national treasure’
“As a young child, and an avid UCLA fan, my first experience in the Rose Bowl was the 1966 Rose Bowl game. Michigan State was in town to play UCLA. My cousins, who were raised and lived in East Lansing, Michigan, were passionate Michigan State Spartan students and fans. They were generous, bought me a ticket, and let this little boy tag along with them to a sold-out stadium. It was very memorable, as I had never been to a college football game before. I was overwhelmed by the size of the stadium, the size of the crowd and the energy that was created. However, I was the only UCLA fan embedded in the Michigan State student section. It was very vocal and I confidently cheered for the Bruins. Fortunately, nobody harassed the little, portly boy with his two collegiate cousins by his side. I had a great time celebrating how Gary Beban and the Bruins played that afternoon beating Michigan State 14-12. Fast forward to now where I am the athletic director at Pasadena City College. Each day here at PCC I am able to learn and hear about the value, the history, and how much a part of the Pasadena community the Rose Bowl has become. Our college baseball team plays across the street at Jackie Robinson Stadium. I am aware of the activity and energy that comes to The Bowl and Arroyo Seco area every day. The view from our baseball games across the popular grass area, and to see that historic Rose Bowl marquee is very special. It is not only a Pasadena blessing it is a national treasure recognize around the world.”
– Tony Barbone, Glendora
‘Pomp and ceremony’ made their mark
“I will be 93 years old next month and I have such fond memories of when in the 1940’s all of the Pasadena Jr. High Schools with the 10th-grade graduates wearing suits and the Pasadena Jr. College 12th-grade graduates wearing caps and gowns joined together at the Rose Bowl sitting in their own section and then marched down to the ground, when their school’s name was called. Then the graduate names were called and handed their diplomas. All this time there was great music being played by the school’s bands. Of course – there were many speeches and top students were honored. There was much pomp and ceremony, and when we left the Rose Bowl we felt really special. The Rose Bowl was filled with joy and accomplishment by both parents and students.”
– Lois Sherri Horner Wright, Pasadena
43 years and still going
“I’ve been to 43 in a row — every one since 1980 and won’t miss it. When we leave the parade, which is tremendous, walking down Orange Grove to Rosemont, you see the scene unfolding before you, everything, the stadium, people, I get chills every time, it’s electric. It’s hard to wait a year to see another one. Before I got married, I told my wife that this is what I do every year, she’s been to 30. When I went in 1980, I paid $175.00 for an $18.50 priced ticket. It was worth the cost. USC beat Ohio St. 17-16. Charles White rushed for 247 yards, which still stands today. When the Trojans go to the Rose Bowl it’s even better. Fight On! The best game I saw was 2017 when the Trojans came back and beat PSU 52-49. What a game. I have a Rose Bowl lettermens jacket my wife bought me there. Every year I add the year to a patch I had made on the back. We also have two bricks out in the courtyard one in the rose, one under USC. “
– Duane Schmitz, New Mexico
The Turkey Tussle and a place worth preserving
“My fondest memories at the bowl started back in high school as a student at John Muir High School! Our graduation ceremony for class of 1983 took place on this incredible field, along with Pasadena High School and Blair. And of course MHS and PHS meet annually in one of the longest rivalries in high school football….the TURKEY TUSSLE! The Turkey Tussle started in 1947 when Muir played PCC. Muir then switched to playing PHS in 1954. And the rest, as they say, is HISTORY!!
The Rose Bowl MUST be preserved for future generations to enjoy. Innovation is the key to keeping this venue as a viable destination for concerts, sporting events and other unique events. There is a lot of competition when it comes to newer venues. However, NONE of them offer what the Rose Bowl does – history and a peaceful, beautiful ambience. We have to remember that.
-Pamela T. Smith, Altadena
Snuck in, and coming ever since
“I have been to 74 straight Rose Bowl games. In the Jan 1, 1946, game, me and my friends, at age 12, crawled under the fence at the Rose garden. We walked through the tunnel and found every seat taken. The usher grabbed me by the collar and began to throw him out. I begged just to see one play. Alabama was playing USC. The left-handed jump passing quarterback for Alabama, Harry Gilmer, through a touchdown pass. Very exciting moment! I hope I can go for many years to come. But when you get to be 90, you just don’t know.”
– Don Leis, Pasadena
‘GOAL!’ Still echoes
What is the four -letter word that has been reverberating in my head for 28 years? The unforgettable word that plays over and over and was shouted endlessly and loudly by players, announcers, spectators andvolunteers is G O A L ! You might you remember 1994 when the Rose Bowl hosted the greatest number of soccer matches among the nine venues in the US for the greatest of all championships, the FIFA WorldCup Soccer Games…eight events on eight different days in the now 100 year-old Rose Bowl.
I remember that word because I was fortunate enough to be the Pasadena director of volunteers for these games, the best job ever in my 53 -year career.
The iconic Rose bowl was one of nine venues across the US A to host the games. The U.S. games were the most financially successful in World Cup history; the games broke all historical records for overall attendance.
The United States remains the only country since the games began to staff the events primarily with volunteers. The incredible weeks from June 17th to July 17th were capped by the finals when Brazil beat Italy 3to 2 in a soccer-history first, an over-time shoot-out victory win for Brazil.
The Pasadena Venue was fortunate to have recruited over 2,000 volunteers of various ages from all walks of life to work the games.
With the able help of the small, paid Pasadena staff, volunteers were recruited, trained, fed, uniformed and rewarded for their dedicated, tireless work not only for the games but for months prior to the actualevents.
The events were magical; the volunteers were marvelous and Pasadena greeted the world with her characteristic hospitality. The Crown of the Valley shined brightly then, just as she does today. Thankyou, beloved Rose Bowl icon, for the memories; thank you volunteers for an enviable job well done, and thank you World Cup for the job of a lifetime.
– Barbara Bice, Pasadena
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I would not be here to write this if there weren’t a Rose Bowl.
Check that — not quite true.
I would not be here to write this if some enterprising Pasadenans hadn’t taken advantage of a national craze for college football in the early 20th century and decided to hold an annual New Year’s Day gridiron contest right here in the Crown City, even before there was a Rose Bowl to play it in.
By enterprising I mean “interested in making money.”
The rich folks of the Valley Hunt Club who started the Tournament of Roses in the late 19th century already had their money, as do their descendants who still belong to the Valley Hunt.
The Tournament of Roses volunteers were increasingly of the burgher type, the entrepreneurs who came to Pasadena to serve the relatively old-money Midwesterners and Easterners who lived in the mansions on South Orange Grove Boulevard near their club.
The parade began in 1890, and by Jan. 1, 1902, the Tournament East-West football game was created as an additional enticement to bring tourists to Southern California in our lovely winters. Michigan beat Stanford so badly — 49-0 — down in the town lot, now known as Tournament Park, across East California Boulevard from what is now Caltech, that the game went into hibernation for 13 years.
But the chariot and ostrich races that during those years served as the sporting sideshow to the parade of flower-bedecked floats … well, let’s just say that chariot races were not creating a national sporting fad.
So in 1916, the tradition of a college football game here every New Year’s Day returned. Uninteresting pairing: Washington State, Brown. Seven thousand people attended.
However, the next Jan. 1, there was a very interesting pairing indeed: the Oregon Webfoots and the University of Pennsylvania Quakers. Twenty-six thousand people attended.
One of them was my grandfather, Elmer Wilson, age 17, who had hitchhiked across the nation from East McKeesport, Pennsylvania to attend. It was not that Elmer — we seven grandchildren were forbidden to call him granddad — was Ivy League himself. There is some doubt as to whether he graduated high school. What he was looking for was an excuse, any excuse, to get out of taking a job in the steel mill.
So he stuck out his thumb, he got here, and, reader, he stayed. Not only that — he went on to attend (what was to become) every single Rose Bowl Game for more than the next 60 years. Probably longer, but I do recall him dumping some spare tickets on me just before kickoff at the lackluster Washington-Michigan game in 1978 from his aerie atop Wilson Hill, site of his boozy pre-game picnic party on the golf course, telling me I could keep whatever above face value I got. (I didn’t have the heart to tell him that the market wouldn’t bear that, and that I actually had to dump them at a discount, and put a couple of bucks of my own in to make him whole.)
Elmer was certifiably the only one to have seen every Rose Bowl Game during that spread, as he was selected to be the Tournament’s representative at the post-Pearl Harbor game on Jan. 1, 1942, played in Durham, North Carolina out of fears of a Japanese bombing of the stadium and its large crowd. He took the train back East, playing high-stake cards each way, no doubt making some serious scratch, as he was essentially a professional gambler.
Yes, Elmer not only came to Pasadena. He joined the Tournament, working his way up the White Suiter ranks to become its president in 1955.
That was just 32 years after the stadium named the Rose Bowl by a Pasadena Star-News reporter was built to house the ever-bigger crowds who came to the big game and so much else.
And here we are celebrating the Rose Bowl’s centennial. Do I think the stadium has another 100 years in her? Actually, I do, against all the odds. I’m susceptible, of course, to the hype. There’s the family thing. Plus, I grew up on the eastern edge of the Arroyo Seco above the bowl, and have lived for over 30 years on the western edge. The Rose Bowl is literally in my neighborhood. It’s not just been home to a hallowed college football game to me. It’s been home to giant fireworks shows, the Rolling Stones and the joy of sitting up under the bowl’s northern lip with my AYSO-age daughter at the 1999 World Cup won by Brandi Chastain with a kick that changed women’s sports forever.
Just a few months ago, I was down on the stadium’s field for some reason with my friend Bruno, who is French. The turf was striped not as a gridiron but for soccer. There were three soccer balls in the middle. You have to kick the balls when there’s a French guy there. So I did. Even though I was wearing desert boots. One over Bruno’s head. One right to him. And the third, I stubbed my toe so badly that I could barely walk for a week. So it’s just also kind of a neighborhood exercise joint, for me.
I’ve been a reporter and then editor in Pasadena for the last 36 years, covering the Rose Bowl as similar stadiums around the country — the Cotton, the Orange — have turned to dust. Outdated, undomed, wrong shape for a modern Colosseum. Yet the RB has persevered. Through smart management and marketing, yes. But also through significant investments in luxury boxes, seating, general shoring-up. That’s left Pasadena taxpayers such as myself on the hook with $200 million in debt.
The competition from SoFi and other pretty young stadiums in Southern California is fierce. But old age has its advantages. In a sprawling region that can seem ahistorical, valuing only the new, Pasadena has learned to market the old. Its bungalows, from cottages to the Gamble House. Its historic downtown, Old Pasadena. So old can be good. Absent Taylor Swift, stadium management has pivoted to Phoebe Bridgers, hosting concerts on the parklike grounds of the surrounding Brookside Golf Course.
At its 100th birthday, the Rose Bowl is in a delicate place, as is any other centenarian. Still, it’s got such good bones. External circumstances will change, from the national college football landscape to preferences for glitz in a rock-concert venue. But when you’ve kept it in good shape, you don’t kick your history to the curb. Hey, this is the place where Cal’s Roy “Wrong Way” Riegels almost scored an own goal in the Rose Bowl Game in 1929. You can’t buy or build a history like that. It takes time. Which my neighborhood stadium has a whole lot more of. More stories to tell. The Granddaddy of Them All.
Larry Wilson, for 12 years the editor of the Pasadena Star-News, is on the editorial board of the Southern California News Group.
Join the Conversation
We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. We reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/08/13/rose-bowl-at-100-building-on-its-history-this-neighborhood-stadium-has-many-more-stories-to-tell/ | 2022-08-13T14:41:27Z | pasadenastarnews.com | control | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/08/13/rose-bowl-at-100-building-on-its-history-this-neighborhood-stadium-has-many-more-stories-to-tell/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A Dover restaurant owner has launched an initiative to to help anyone who is homeless or struggling, by making sure they get something to eat. The business owner who was once homeless, and battled drug addiction himself says it is his time to 'pay it forward' after the support of others helped him to get back on his feet.
Callum Steven Oakley, 28 runs two businesses alongside his partner Emma Plaskett, 40. They run a professional cocktail and mobile bar service called Misused Cocktails, and the recently launched Oakleys surf and turf bar and grill, on Biggin Street in Dover.
It is at the restaurant where Callum wants to 'pay it forward' and help out anyone who might be in a difficult position, especially with the current cost of living crisis hitting people harder than ever. He said: "Five years ago, I had spent the previous five years homeless and struggling with drug addiction.
Read more: Hosepipe ban: Folkestone fountains switched off as Kent enters 'the first stage of a drought'
"If it wasn't for the people around me at the time, I would not be in the position that I am in today, and now I want to do the same for other people." Callum, 28, met his partner Emma, 40, five years ago and says it is no coincidence that was the point his life started to turn around.
"Emma showed me that there is more to life than taking drugs, she is my absolute rock", he said. "She helped me get out of the situation I was in, and showed me there is more to live than taking drugs."
The idea is that anyone who is struggling to afford to eat can pop into Oakleys and ask for Callum. He said: "Anyone who needs help can come in and ask for me and I will personally make sure they are fed, whether that is a take away or eat in.
"It will of course be done very discreetly, I know that some people can feel quite embarrassed to have to ask for help. So whatever makes someone feel comfortable, we have an upstairs dining area if they would prefer they can sit up there and eat.
"Even if it is just an hour out of the day where someone can have an hours worth of escape from reality, I want to be able to offer that to someone."
To find out more about what is happening at Oakleys surf and turf bar and grill, you can visit their Facebook page HERE.
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- Industrial units and trees go up in flames in Dartford | https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/dover-restaurant-owner-offering-free-7460153 | 2022-08-13T14:47:26Z | kentlive.news | control | https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/dover-restaurant-owner-offering-free-7460153 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
U.S. Army Cpl. Emily Belanger, 479th Chemical Battalion, 320th Chemical Company Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear specialist, fills out passenger processing paperwork during an Emergency Deployment Rapid Exercise at the 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron passenger terminal at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait, August 10, 2022. During an EDRE, the purpose is to rehearse a potential response to a real world scenario, such as deploying to another country for humanitarian relief with very little notice. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Dalton Williams)
This work, Joint exercise showcases rapid global mobility in CENTCOM theater [Image 9 of 9], by SSgt Dalton Williams, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7368270/joint-exercise-showcases-rapid-global-mobility-centcom-theater | 2022-08-13T14:55:18Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7368270/joint-exercise-showcases-rapid-global-mobility-centcom-theater | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
An advisor from Advisor Team 3322, assigned to the 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade, engages with partners from the Tajikistan Ministry of Defense during exercise “Regional Cooperation 22” Aug. 13, 2022, at a training site near Dushanbe, Tajikistan. RC 22 is an annual, multi-national U.S. Central Command-sponsored exercise conducted by U.S. forces in partnership with Central and South Asia partner. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Terra C. Gatti)
This work, U.S., Tajik troops hone skills together as part of Regional Cooperation 22 [Image 4 of 4], by SFC Terra Gatti, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7368278/us-tajik-troops-hone-skills-together-part-regional-cooperation-22 | 2022-08-13T14:55:24Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7368278/us-tajik-troops-hone-skills-together-part-regional-cooperation-22 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NPR's Daniel Estrin speaks with actor Aubrey Plaza about her new thriller, "Emily The Criminal," which centers around a woman who turns to crime to pay off student loan debt.
Copyright 2022 NPR
NPR's Daniel Estrin speaks with actor Aubrey Plaza about her new thriller, "Emily The Criminal," which centers around a woman who turns to crime to pay off student loan debt.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.klcc.org/2022-08-13/aubrey-plaza-goes-from-art-school-to-fraudster-in-emily-the-criminal | 2022-08-13T14:55:25Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/2022-08-13/aubrey-plaza-goes-from-art-school-to-fraudster-in-emily-the-criminal | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Ahead of his work-related trip to Tanzania, the author of a popular book called, “The Gent of Game”, Sal Jobe has said Africa is blessed with talents that need to be supported in order to maximise their potential.
Speaking in Lagos about his visit to Nigeria regarding his current work in Africa, he disclosed that he lives and works in Europe, but there’s nowhere better on this planet than Africa when it comes to top talent, this is in many aspects, music, Film and TV, sports and business.
According to him, it’s not by chance that Africa has produced incredible talents time and time again.
“There’s talent in many places across the world, but there has always been top-level talent in Africa, most of which are naturally talented and gifted. The problem is helping them to come to Europe where there are better opportunities for them.
“I want to help my people to become the best they can be, to believe in themselves because that belief will eventually transpire into real genuine results.
“Also everyone in life needs help at some stage, my intention is to take players and fighters to Europe and get them deals and develop what they already have, he stated.
He further explained that there are many billionaires and millionaires in Africa that can do such much to help but we all have to do what we can to help as little as it may be” eventually more and more people will follow this mindset and before you know it Africa will benefit from seeing its people thrive.
Currently being shown around town, Jobe said he’s enjoying Africa but the serious work has begun as he heads to meet some of the best players Nigeria has before making his way over to Tanzania to do the same.
“We take inspiration from this gesture and intend to follow the progress of this and the outcomes and results, he explained.
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The Imo State Police Command have raided bandits’ location at Obudi Agwa in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State and arrested six of them.
The arrest followed a distress call on 10th August 2022 that some of the bandits that escaped arrest during the Izombe and Agwa raid conducted by the Command’s Tactical Teams, were sighted to have regrouped, blocking the road along Obudi Agwa, stopping vehicles, searching the occupants and checking their phones to identify policemen in the vehicle for possible abduction.
The command in a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Michael Abattam on Saturday said that the Command’s tactical teams immediately mobilised, joined by police operatives from Agwa Police station.
He said that they stormed the identified location at Obudi Agwa road, cordoned the area and arrested six bandits.
The bandits according to the Police Spokesman include a 30-year-old Mmadukaji Moses of Mgbala Agwa, wearing police operational vest suspectedly owned by one of the slain police officers in the Agwa Police Station attack.
Others are Chigozie Amanyere, 21 years of Umukpo Agwa; Ifeanyi Uche of Obudi Agwa; Uzoma Uche of Obudi Agwa; a 24-year-old Sopuruchi Anumodu and Chukwuma aged 30yrs.
He said that the operatives swiftly and tactically disarmed the bandits and recovered their weapons, which include one English-made automatic pump action gun, two locally made pistols, twenty live cartridges and fourteen sharpened machetes, to the station.
CSP Abattam said that in the course of interrogating the suspects, it was discovered that they are all natives of Agwa while the one who was putting on police operational vest, is undergoing further interrogation to confirm the source of the police vest adding that as soon as investigation is concluded, they will be charged to court.
The Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, CP Mohammed Ahmed Barde while commending the officers for their proactiveness and prompt response, called on Hunters Association to collaborate with the police and other security agencies in giving information on criminal hideouts observed in the bushes.
He appealed to Imo people not to allow terrorists use their communities as safe haven to perpetrate heinous crimes but should rather report any suspicious activity observed within their neighbourhoods to the nearest police station or call the Command’s emergency numbers: 08034773600 or 08098880197.
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Despite several laws prohibiting sexual harassment in Nigeria, many victims are forced to quit their dream jobs while others suffer depression as a result of unsolicited sexual advances from colleagues. FAITH ADEOYE reports.Police raid bandits’ location. Police raid bandits’ location
If you want to keep your job and excel in your career, you need to do as I say,” Janet Abegunde’s boss said to her one fateful day. Miss Abegunde, a 24-year-old accountant who had just gotten her first job in one of the new generation banks, said she fell into depression after her boss sexually harassed her.Police raid bandits’ location. Police raid bandits’ location | https://tribuneonlineng.com/police-raid-bandits-location-in-imo-arrest-six/ | 2022-08-13T15:02:38Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/police-raid-bandits-location-in-imo-arrest-six/ | 0 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | 1 |
The Imo State Police Command have raided bandits’ location at Obudi Agwa in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State and arrested six of them.
The arrest followed a distress call on 10th August 2022 that some of the bandits that escaped arrest during the Izombe and Agwa raid conducted by the Command’s Tactical Teams, were sighted to have regrouped, blocking the road along Obudi Agwa, stopping vehicles, searching the occupants and checking their phones to identify policemen in the vehicle for possible abduction.
The command in a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Michael Abattam on Saturday said that the Command’s tactical teams immediately mobilised, joined by police operatives from Agwa Police station.
He said that they stormed the identified location at Obudi Agwa road, cordoned the area and arrested six bandits.
The bandits according to the Police Spokesman include a 30-year-old Mmadukaji Moses of Mgbala Agwa, wearing police operational vest suspectedly owned by one of the slain police officers in the Agwa Police Station attack.
Others are Chigozie Amanyere, 21 years of Umukpo Agwa; Ifeanyi Uche of Obudi Agwa; Uzoma Uche of Obudi Agwa; a 24-year-old Sopuruchi Anumodu and Chukwuma aged 30yrs.
He said that the operatives swiftly and tactically disarmed the bandits and recovered their weapons, which include one English-made automatic pump action gun, two locally made pistols, twenty live cartridges and fourteen sharpened machetes, to the station.
CSP Abattam said that in the course of interrogating the suspects, it was discovered that they are all natives of Agwa while the one who was putting on police operational vest, is undergoing further interrogation to confirm the source of the police vest adding that as soon as investigation is concluded, they will be charged to court.
The Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, CP Mohammed Ahmed Barde while commending the officers for their proactiveness and prompt response, called on Hunters Association to collaborate with the police and other security agencies in giving information on criminal hideouts observed in the bushes.
He appealed to Imo people not to allow terrorists use their communities as safe haven to perpetrate heinous crimes but should rather report any suspicious activity observed within their neighbourhoods to the nearest police station or call the Command’s emergency numbers: 08034773600 or 08098880197.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
How Workplace Sexual Harassment Forces Many Out Of Their Dream Jobs
Despite several laws prohibiting sexual harassment in Nigeria, many victims are forced to quit their dream jobs while others suffer depression as a result of unsolicited sexual advances from colleagues. FAITH ADEOYE reports.Police raid bandits’ location. Police raid bandits’ location
If you want to keep your job and excel in your career, you need to do as I say,” Janet Abegunde’s boss said to her one fateful day. Miss Abegunde, a 24-year-old accountant who had just gotten her first job in one of the new generation banks, said she fell into depression after her boss sexually harassed her.Police raid bandits’ location. Police raid bandits’ location | https://tribuneonlineng.com/police-raid-bandits-location-in-imo-arrest-six/ | 2022-08-13T15:02:38Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/police-raid-bandits-location-in-imo-arrest-six/ | 1 | 0 | green-iguana-35 | 1 |
NEW ORLEANS — The federal government has been asked to consider at least two videos made in recent years as evidence that ivory-billed woodpeckers may still exist.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said in 2021 that it planned to declare 23 species extinct, including North America’s largest woodpecker — also dubbed the Lord God bird after an exclamation sometimes made by viewers.
In July, the agency said it was adding six months, including a month for public comment, before deciding whether to declare extinction for the black-bodied bird with black-and-white wings, a 30-inch (76-centimeter) wingspan and a call reminiscent of a bulb bicycle horn. What’s needed, the announcement said, was video or photos that all experts could agree showed the bird.
Two videos of black-and-white birds were submitted in July, along with extracts and extensive video presentations explaining why the contributors believe they show ivory-bills.
But the debate — so bitter that it prompted publication of a book last year about dozens of “thinking errors” on both sides — seems as heated as ever. A University of Kansas ornithologist called the videos laughable.
One is drone footage from a distance, showing a bird flying in front of trees and landing in one on Feb. 23, 2021.
“The landing sequence ... made me almost shout, ‘Ivory-bill!’” Mark Michaels, founder of Project Principalis, a group created to search for live ivory-billed woodpeckers, told Fish and Wildlife officials in a video presentation made July 22 and posted Tuesday in the proposal’s public comment area.
Mark B. Robbins, ornithology collection manager at the University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute, said the video is so poor that it’s impossible to tell what is flying. “It could be anything,” he wrote in an email.
The other is closer, taken from a canoe, and shows a bird crossing part of a swamp and then flying away on Oct. 17, 2020.
“Although my sighting only lasted 9.8 seconds, it was unmistakable,” said Bobby Harrison, a retired associate professor of photography at Oakwood University, in Huntsville, Alabama, and self-described “independent ivory-bill searcher.”
He noted that the bird in his video flaps its wings much faster than the lookalike pileated woodpecker, and that it flew about 500 feet (150 meters) during the brief time he watched it. That speed, which he estimated at 35 mph (55 km/h), and its color pattern identified it, Harrison said.
“It is quite clear the bird that they are calling an Ivory-billed is a Wood Duck,” Robbins wrote, adding that pausing a slow-motion video shows that it has a white belly.
The frame in question more likely shows a wing in front of the body, and the submitted video shows more detail than the compressed version available online, said Tim Gallagher, former editor-in-chief of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s “Living Bird” magazine and co-presenter of the video. As a birder and bird photographer with 30 years of experience, Harrison knows what wood ducks look like, he said.
Gallagher and Harrison’s presentation to the agency, made July 18, was posted Monday, the closing day for the public comment period.
The last generally accepted sighting of an ivory-bill was in northeast Louisiana in 1944.
The Center for Biological Diversity, which has filed numerous lawsuits to get federal protection for animals and plants or to increase protection for those on endangered or threatened lists, supported a declaration of extinction in a letter dated July 16.
“We urge the Service to follow the best available science to the correct conclusion, finalize its proposed rule to delist the woodpecker based on extinction, and redouble its efforts so that no other species go extinct and suffer the fate of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker,” government affairs director Brett Hartl wrote.
The conservation nonprofit criticized a non-peer-reviewed paper contending that evidence indicates the bird still lives in Louisiana, including the photographs published as some of that evidence.
“To be blunt, there are better and more reliable photographs of Sasquatch floating around the internet than these images of this supposed Ivory-billed Woodpecker,” Hartl wrote.
The Cherokee Nation was among nearly 200 other groups and people commenting during three separate periods since Sept. 30, 2021.
The bird “is enshrined in our earliest, pre-contact symbology and their influence on our cultural activities remains to this day,” said a letter signed by Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. on Jan. 18.
“The Nation requests the Service to continue conservation and investigative efforts to assure the protection of any individuals remaining,” he wrote. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/do-videos-show-ivory-billed-woodpecker-or-is-it-extinct/article_a1a7969e-1a96-11ed-a061-978a50a44f47.html | 2022-08-13T15:07:56Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/do-videos-show-ivory-billed-woodpecker-or-is-it-extinct/article_a1a7969e-1a96-11ed-a061-978a50a44f47.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Talk about hot nights, America got some for the history books last month.
The continental United States in July set a record for overnight warmth, providing little relief from the day’s sizzling heat for people, animals, plants and the electric grid, meteorologists said.
The average low temperature for the Lower 48 states in July was 63.6 degrees (17.6 Celsius), which beat the previous record set in 2011 by a few hundredths of a degree. The mark is not only the hottest nightly average for July, but for any month in 128 years of record keeping, said National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration climatologist Karin Gleason. July’s nighttime low was more than 3 degrees (5.4 Celsius) warmer than the 20th century average.
Scientists have long talked about nighttime temperatures — reflected in increasingly hotter minimum readings that usually occur after sunset and before sunrise — being crucial to health.
“When you have daytime temperatures that are at or near record high temperatures and you don’t have that recovery overnight with temperatures cooling off, it does place a lot of stress on plants, on animals and on humans,” Gleason said Friday. “It’s a big deal.”
In Texas, where the monthly daytime average high was over 100 degrees (37.8 Celsius) for the first time in July and the electrical grid was stressed, the average nighttime temperature was a still toasty 74.3 degrees (23.5 Celsius) — 4 degrees (7.2 Celsius) above the 20th century average.
In the past 30 years, the nighttime low in the U.S. has warmed on average about 2.1 degrees (3.8 Celsius), while daytime high temperatures have gone up 1.9 degrees (3.4 Celsius) at the same time. For decades climate scientists have said global warming from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas would make the world warm faster at night and in the northern polar regions. A study earlier this week said the Arctic is now warming four times faster than the rest of the globe.
Nighttime warms faster because daytime warming helps make the air hold more moisture then that moisture helps trap the heat in at night, Gleason said.
“So it is in theory expected and it’s also something we’re seeing happen in the data,” Gleason said.
NOAA on Friday also released its global temperature data for July, showing it was on average the sixth hottest month on record with an average temperature of 61.97 degrees (16.67 degrees Celsius), which is 1.57 degrees (0.87 degrees Celsius) warmer than the 20th century average. It was a month of heat waves, including the United Kingdom breaking its all-time heat record.
“Global warming is continuing on pace,” Colorado meteorologist Bob Henson said. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/hot-nights-us-in-july-sets-new-record-for-overnight-warmth/article_5bacd900-1ab0-11ed-a3e5-9fbfd8767b7c.html | 2022-08-13T15:08:03Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/hot-nights-us-in-july-sets-new-record-for-overnight-warmth/article_5bacd900-1ab0-11ed-a3e5-9fbfd8767b7c.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
There is a photograph at the Niagara History Center copied from a stereopticon card taken sometime c.1865-1870 showing the west side of Pine Street, Lockport, between Main and Walnut streets. Two buildings are prominent in the photo: Continental Hall and Arcade Hall. We’ll start with the older of the two.
Continental Hall actually started out as the Lockport Baptist Church. In 1825, when the Cambria Baptist Church congregation moved to Lockport, they changed their name to reflect their new location. They then purchased a lot on the west side of Pine Street between Main and Walnut streets for the purpose of building a permanent sanctuary in the future. During the next eight years the congregation grew from 50 to 175 members and worshipped in various places throughout the village. By 1833, they had outgrown all of their temporary quarters. With only $250 to begin, a new stone “Meeting House” was erected within the year at the cost of $5,000. Internal strife within the church caused the congregation to disband briefly in 1851, but the church was then reestablished as the Second Baptist Church of Lockport and meetings resumed on Pine Street. The next 10 years were spent re-establishing the membership and coping with issues related to the Civil War. In 1865 it was decided that the stone church should be sold and a larger structure built at another location. A lot was purchased less than two blocks away at the southeast corner of Pine and South streets.
In a September 1865 newspaper report, it was stated that the old church would be torn down, but it was not, and in 1866 it opened as Continental Hall. Like many of the other “halls” in Lockport, the Continental hosted meetings, performances and fundraising bazaars. These activities were short-lived, however. There are contradictory reports as to what caused the demise of Continental Hall.
On February 28, 1870, the Albany Morning Express reported “A fire broke out in Continental Hall, Lockport, which was entirely destroyed.” Several other businesses were also reportedly destroyed. This could not be substantiated by any other newspaper, and for the next two months, Continental Hall continued to hold programs. Then, on April 22, 1870, a fire did occur which destroyed the Strong & Pomroy Block (also identified elsewhere as the Story & Van Zandt Block) on Pine Street.
The Lockport Daily Journal wrote “Narrow Escape of the Arcade and Continental Buildings,” stating the buildings had water damage but were not destroyed. Even though the newspapers listed the insurance coverage higher than the damage estimate, the owners must have thought the building unsalvageable and had it torn down.
The lot stood vacant for several years before being built upon with a brick structure in the mid 1880s, just about the same time that Aaron Mossell constructed his Commercial Hotel at the corner of Pine and Walnut streets. The buildings on this block were taken down in 1969 for urban renewal.
The building just to the north, across Center Alley from Continental Hall, was Arcade Hall, another stone ediface. Most secondary sources state that the Arcade was built in 1853 but it is on the 1851 map of Lockport with the name Dennison on it. In 1880, James Dennison was described as “an old Lockport boy.” He also owned other properties in the city of Lockport. Some sources reported that he built Arcade Hall in partnership with a “Captain Durgee.” Not much could be discovered about either Dennison or Durgee.
The Arcade was different from the Continental in that it was more of a multi-use building. The four-story structure had a basement, which housed a saloon, and three upper floors. The first floor had a long central hall with offices on either side for two different banks, and the U. S. Post Office was at the end. On the second floor were rooms rented by professionals and businessmen. The top floor contained a 130-by-60-foot room with a stage to accommodate many types of performances. For 20 years, the Arcade hosted all of the major shows that came to Lockport until the Hodge Opera House opened in 1871.
For the next 20 years, the Arcade building was used for smaller events, and in 1890 it was purchased by Frank P. Weaver for his furniture and undertaking business. Weaver later partnered with the Prudden brothers to form Prudden & Weaver, which continued to use the Arcade building at 33-37 Pine Street until 1930. At this point, the Weaver name was dropped, as was the furniture side of the business, and a new location, 242 Genesee Street, was purchased. The Pruddens joined with Otto Kandt in 1953 to become the Prudden & Kandt Funeral Home.
With the departure of Prudden & Weaver, the now 80-year-old Arcade building stood vacant for a few years until it was torn down to make way for the new Eagles Aerie (temple), which opened in 1934. A 1933 article in the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal relates how a “pool” was started by some locals to bet on the precise day and hour the demolition of the old building would be completed. One hundred tickets with a date and time were sold for 25 cents with the winner getting the $25. The winner of the pool could not be ascertained. The Eagles moved from Pine Street to Lincoln Avenue in 1971 and ceased all operations in 2018. Since 1988, the old temple has been occupied by Sylvia’s School of Dance.
Ann Marie Linnabery is the assistant director of the History Center of Niagara. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/lifestyles/niagara-discoveries-the-history-of-long-gone-continental-and-arcade-halls/article_38784ebe-1903-11ed-8d13-a36ea4555c27.html | 2022-08-13T15:08:09Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/lifestyles/niagara-discoveries-the-history-of-long-gone-continental-and-arcade-halls/article_38784ebe-1903-11ed-8d13-a36ea4555c27.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Dear Toni:
I am diabetic and I order my diabetic supplies from a mail-order program through my employer benefits. Recently, I have been laid off and had to enroll in Medicare.
I received a letter stating my supplier will no longer be covered by Medicare because it is not a “competitive bidding” supplier. Does this mean that if I continue with my current supplier, Medicare will stop paying for my diabetic supplies? Please explain.
— Silvia, Memphis, Tenn.
Hello Silvia:
Yes, that is what it means. Medicare will stop paying if you do not use a Medicare “approved” provider.
Durable medical equipment (DME) is medically necessary equipment — wheelchairs, walkers, oxygen, hospital beds, CPAP machines and supplies, at-home wound equipment or any other medical device — which has been ordered by a Medicare-approved doctor or other health care provider for use at home. In 2013, Medicare made new rules regarding DME, including diabetic supplies such as diabetic test strips, monitors, lancets etc. and this change in rules has confused America!
If Medicare is your primary insurance, you use only “Original” Medicare Parts A and B with a Medicare Supplement (Medicare Advantage Part C plans have different rules) and you order your supplies from a local or mail-order medical supplier, you must use suppliers who have been awarded a contract under the “competitive bidding” rule or you will have to pay 100% out of your own pocket. This includes both local or mail order diabetic and medical supplies.
Medicare will only cover a durable medical equipment or at-home supplier in your area that has a competitive bidding status.
Medicare has a listing of approved local or mail order medical suppliers; the list is available online at www.medicare.gov.
If you are happy with your current diabetic monitor, test strips and lancets, you will want to use a competitive bidding supplier that stocks your preferred testing items. You will need to provide your new supplier with either a new prescription from your doctor or medical provider for your medical or diabetic supplies or have your current prescription transferred to the Medicare-accepted supplier.
You need a new prescription from your doctor for your lancets and test strips every 12 months. This is important because if you do not receive a new prescription, you will pay 100% out of your own pocket.
You should also make sure that the pharmacy or medical supplier accepts assignment for Medicare-covered supplies. Assignment is an agreement between you (the person with Medicare), Medicare, and doctors, other health care suppliers, or providers. If the pharmacy or supplier accepts assignment, Medicare will pay the pharmacy or supplier directly. You only pay your coinsurance amount when you get your supply from a pharmacy or supplier for assigned claims.
Always ask your local or mail order medical supplier the following:
— Is your company a Medicare “approved” diabetic or DME provider?
— Does your company accept Medicare “assignment”?
“Original Medicare” Part B will provide the medical or diabetic supplies and you must pay the 20% co-pay, or your Medicare Supplement can pick up the 20% if you have one. Talk with your pharmacy or provider if you have questions, or call Toni Says Medicare hotline at 832-519-8664, or email info@tonisays.com.
Toni King is an author and columnist on Medicare and health insurance issues who spent more than 27 years as a sales leader in the fields. For answers to Medicare questions, email: info@tonisays.com or call 832-519-8664. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/lifestyles/toni-says-does-medicare-pay-for-diabetic-supplies/article_a8a2ac54-1a5a-11ed-900f-232c146f04bb.html | 2022-08-13T15:08:15Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/lifestyles/toni-says-does-medicare-pay-for-diabetic-supplies/article_a8a2ac54-1a5a-11ed-900f-232c146f04bb.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Shipping companies prepared to halt the transport of goods on the Rhine as water levels in Germany’s biggest river neared a critically low point Saturday.
An ongoing drought affecting much of Europe has lowered rivers such as the Rhine, preventing large ships with heavy loads from passing key waypoints and forcing them to use smaller vessels or to split cargoes into multiple shipments.
At one bottleneck, near the town of Kaub on the Middle Rhine, an official gauge measured the water level at 37 centimeters (14.6 inches) on Saturday afternoon. Big, heavy ships can’t pass if the level falls below 40 centimeters (15.7 inches).
While the depth of the shipping lane in Kaub was still about 150 centimeters (59 inches), experts say passage becomes tricky even for light or specially adapted cargo ships if water levels fall below 35 centimeters (14 inches) at the gauge mark. A reading below 30 centimeters (11.8 inches) is considered unpassable.
Shipping authorities predict that point could be reached early next week, though it is unclear whether water levels will reach the record low of 25 centimeters measured at the Kaub gauge in October 2018.
Logistics company Contargo said Friday that it was preparing to halt shipping on the Upper and Middle Rhine for safety reasons and planned to shift some of its cargo onto trucks.
Road and rail freight capacity is limited, however.
Companies along the Rhine that rely on ships to receive raw materials and deliver finished goods are expected to face delays and shortages. Coal-fired power plants and gas stations could also see supply shortages, if shipping on the Rhine is halted.
Meteorologists forecast rain in the coming days, though it was unclear whether it would be enough to keep water levels on the Rhine from dropping to a point that affects shipping.
In Italy, authorities allowed more water from Lake Garda to flow out to parched local rivers like the Po that farmers use to irrigate crops. Combined with Italy’s worst drought in decades, the country’s largest lake is nearing its lowest-ever recorded water level.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of climate issues at https://apnews.com/hub/climate | https://www.wwlp.com/business/ap-business/shippers-prepare-for-worst-as-rhine-levels-near-critical-low/ | 2022-08-13T15:14:11Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/business/ap-business/shippers-prepare-for-worst-as-rhine-levels-near-critical-low/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Laboratory tests following a mass dying off of fish detected high levels of salinity but no mercury in waters of Central Europe’s Oder River, Poland’s environment minister said Saturday.
Anna Moskwa, the minister of climate and environment, said analyses of river samples taken in both Poland and Germany revealed the elevated salt levels. Comprehensive toxicology studies are still underway in Poland, she said.
Writing on Twitter, Moskwa said test results transmitted from Germany had so far not shown a high presence of mercury.
The Oder River runs from the Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and along the border between Poland and Germany before flowing into the Baltic Sea. Some German media had reported that the river could be poisoned with mercury.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Friday that “huge amounts of chemical waste” were probably dumped intentionally into his country’s second-longest river, causing environmental damage so severe it would take years for the waterway to recover.
On Saturday, Morawiecki vowed to do everything possible to limit the environmental devastation. Poland’s interior minister said a reward of 1 million zlotys ($200,000) would be paid to anyone who helps track down those responsible for polluting the river.
Authorities in the northeastern German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania warned people not to fish or use water from the Szczecin lagoon as the river’s contaminated water was expected to reach the estuary area Saturday evening.
“The extent of the fish die-off is shocking. This is a blow to the Oder as a waterway of great ecological value, from which it will presumably not recover for a long time,” Alex Vogel, the environment minister for Germany’s Brandenburg state, along which the river runs.
The head of Polish waters, Poland’s national water management authority, said Thursday that 10 tons of dead fish had been removed from the river. Hundreds of volunteers were working to help collect dead fish along the German side.
German laboratories said they detected “atypical” levels of “salts” that could be linked to the die-offs but wouldn’t explain them on their own.
Morawiecki acknowledged that some public officials were “sluggish” in reacting after huge numbers of dead fish were first seen floating and washing ashore.
Two Polish officials were dismissed for what Morawiecki described as tardiness in their response. “If I come to the conclusion that there was a serious breach of duties, further consequences will be drawn,” the prime minister said.
“For me, however, the most important thing is to deal with this ecological disaster as soon as possible, because nature is our common heritage. It is a national good,” Morawiecki said.
His comments were echoed by Schwedt Mayor Annekathrin Hoppe, whose German town is located next to Lower Oder Valley National Park. She called the contamination of the river “an environmental catastrophe of unprecedented scale” for the region. | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-international-news/high-salinity-found-in-european-river-after-fish-die-off/ | 2022-08-13T15:14:39Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-international-news/high-salinity-found-in-european-river-after-fish-die-off/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SIRMIONE Italy (AP) — Italy’s worst drought in decades has reduced Lake Garda, the country’s largest lake, to near its lowest level ever recorded, exposing swaths of previously underwater rocks and warming the water to temperatures that approach the average in the Caribbean Sea.
Tourists flocking to the popular northern lake Friday for the start of Italy’s key summer long weekend found a vastly different landscape than in past years. An expansive stretch of bleached rock extended far from the normal shoreline, ringing the southern Sirmione Peninsula with a yellow halo between the green hues of the water and the trees on the shore.
“We came last year, we liked it, and we came back this year,” tourist Beatrice Masi said as she sat on the rocks. “We found the landscape had changed a lot. We were a bit shocked when we arrived because we had our usual walk around, and the water wasn’t there.”
Northern Italy hasn’t seen significant rainfall for months, and snowfall this year was down 70%, drying up important rivers like the Po, which flows across Italy’s agricultural and industrial heartland. Many European countries, including Spain, Germany, Portugal, France, the Netherlands and Britain, are enduring droughts this summer that have hurt farmers and shippers and promoted authorities to restrict water use.
The parched condition of the Po, Italy’s longest river, has already caused billions of euros in losses to farmers who normally rely on it to irrigate fields and rice paddies.
To compensate, authorities allowed more water from Lake Garda to flow out to local rivers — 70 cubic meters (2,472 cubic feet) of water per second. But in late July, they reduced the amount to protect the lake and the financially important tourism tied to it.
With 45 cubic meters (1,589 cubic feet) of water per second being diverted to rivers, the lake on Friday was 32 centimeters (12.6 inches) above the water table, near the record lows in 2003 and 2007.
Garda Mayor Davide Bedinelli said he had to protect both farmers and the tourist industry. He insisted that the summer tourist season was going better than expected, despite cancellations, mostly from German tourists, during Italy’s latest heat wave in late July.
“Drought is a fact that we have to deal with this year, but the tourist season is in no danger,” Bendinelli wrote in a July 20 Facebook post.
He confirmed the lake was losing two centimeters (.78 inches) of water a day.
The lake’s temperature, meanwhile, has been above average for August, according to seatemperature.org. On Friday, the Garda’s water was nearly 26 degrees Celsius (78 degrees Fahrenheit), several degrees warmer than the average August temperature of 22 C (71.6 F) and nearing the Caribbean Sea’s average of around 27 C (80 F).
For Mario Treccani, who owns a lakefront concession of beach chairs and umbrellas, the lake’s expanded shoreline means fewer people are renting his chairs since there are now plenty of rocks on which to sunbathe.
“The lake is usually a meter or more than a meter higher,” he said from the rocks.
Pointing to a small wall that usually blocks the water from the beach chairs, he recalled that on windy days, sometimes waves from the lake would splash up onto the tourists.
Not anymore.
“It is a bit sad. Before, you could hear the noise of the waves breaking up here. Now, you don’t hear anything,” he said.
___
Nicole Winfield contributed from Rome.
___
Follow all AP stories on climate change and drought at https://apnews.com/climate-and-environment. | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-international-news/italys-lake-garda-shrinks-to-near-historic-low-amid-drought/ | 2022-08-13T15:14:46Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-international-news/italys-lake-garda-shrinks-to-near-historic-low-amid-drought/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MILAN (AP) — The leader of Italy’s Democratic Party warned Saturday of the threats that Italy’s right-wing nationalistic parties pose to European democracy in a video released in multiple languages, and promised that his party would keep Italy at the center of the European Union if it wins the country’s early parliamentary election next month.
The video by Democratic Party leader Enrico Letta comes days after the leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, did a multilingual video of her own to dispute suggestions that her election as premier would endanger democracy in Italy and threaten the management of EU pandemic funds. Meloni, whose party controversially uses the symbol of a flame borrowed from a neo-fascist party, said in an Aug. 10 video that the Italian political right has “unambiguously” condemned the legacy of fascism.
At the moment, the center-left Democratic Party and the Brothers of Italy are the leading parties in opinion polls going into Italy’s Sept. 25 parliamentary election. Neither looks assured of having enough votes to govern alone.
While the right-wing has created a solid coalition, bringing together Brothers of Italy, Matteo Salvini’s right-wing League party and Silvio Berlusoni’s center-right Forza Italia party, the left has been foundering in this election campaign.
Letta’s deal with a would-be kingmaker fell apart within a day and his relationship with former Premier Matteo Renzi, who heads a tiny but potentially influential party, soured when Renzi maneuvered him out of the job of premier in 2014.
Letta underlined the danger to European solidity posed by vetoes and demands of unanimity posed by right-wing leaders like Hungary’s Viktor Orban, who he noted is “a friend and ally of the Italian right.” Orban has used these tools to “defeat sanctions against Russia and on migration issues,” Letta said.
Letta also said the right-wing had not supported the EU pandemic funds in the European Parliament, and that Italy’s right-wing had voted against a new treaty between France and Italy aimed to put the ties at the same level as the historic Franco-German relationship that has been the engine of post-war European peace and prosperity.
“Europe has always been part of our DNA, because we believe that cooperation between countries and finding common solutions is better than finding solutions that are only national or nationalistic,’’ Letta said.
Letta launched the video in French, Spanish and English on Italy’s Ferragosto weekend holiday, when most Italians are enjoying beach or mountain vacations to mark the Aug. 15 Feast of the Assumption. | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-international-news/italys-letta-italian-right-wing-threatens-europe-democracy/ | 2022-08-13T15:14:53Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-international-news/italys-letta-italian-right-wing-threatens-europe-democracy/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — The need for Louisiana to replace its voting machines is not in dispute.
They are badly outdated — deployed in 2006, the year after Hurricane Katrina struck — and do not produce paper ballots that are critical to ensuring election results are accurate.
What to do about them is another story.
The long-running drama includes previous allegations of bid-rigging, voting machine companies claiming favoritism and a secretary of state who is noncommittal about having a new system in place for the 2024 presidential election.
Local election clerks also worry about the influence of conspiracy theorists who have peddled unfounded claims about voting equipment and have been welcomed into the debate over new machines.
“It would be a travesty to let a minority of people who have little to no experience in election administration tear down an exceptional process that was painstakingly built over many, many years,” Calcasieu Parish Clerk of Court Lynn Jones told state officials in a meeting this summer. “And for us to throw it out of the window because of unfounded theories is mind-boggling.”
The uncertainty is playing out against a backdrop of attacks on the integrity of elections, fueled by former President Donald Trump’s lies that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him and promoted by a web of his allies and supporters. Some of those same supporters have been trying to convince election officials across the country that they should ditch machines in favor of paper ballots and hand-counts.
Whatever success they have had so far has been limited primarily to GOP-dominated rural counties. But in Louisiana, a heavily Republican state that Trump won by nearly 20 percentage points, they have managed to insert themselves into an already long-delayed process of choosing a new statewide voting system.
Louisiana officials have been trying for at least four years to replace their outdated touchscreen voting machines. Although some counties in four other states still use the machines, Louisiana is the only one where they are in place statewide — some 10,000 in all.
The machines’ main problem, aside from their age and the challenge of finding replacement parts, is that votes are recorded electronically without a paper record of each voter’s selections. That means if a result is in dispute, there are no individual paper ballots to review to ensure the outcome was accurate. Under a new state law, Louisiana’s next voting system must have a paper trail of ballots cast so election results can be properly audited.
“The problem in Louisiana is that if someone were to allege the voting machines had been hacked, there would be no conclusive evidence to rebut that,” said Mark Lindeman, director of Verified Voting, which tracks the use of voting equipment in the United States. “It leaves election officials to prove a negative.”
While election clerks agree the machines are antiquated and there is a need for a paper record, the equipment does not appear to have caused any major problems in recent years.
In 2018, the nation’s top homeland security and cybersecurity officials urged states to replace any remaining voting systems without a paper trail to improve security and increase public confidence. Congress allocated $805 million before the 2020 election to help states pay for security upgrades, including new equipment.
Louisiana officials, in a 2018 report to the federal agency disbursing the money, said they planned to use the state’s share to cover the costs of “a new electronic voting system” and noted the state had already begun the procurement process.
But that same year, the contract was voided amid allegations of bid-rigging. In 2021, Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin shelved another replacement attempt after the process was challenged by voting machine companies that claimed favoritism for the state’s current vendor, Dominion Voting Systems.
Following the 2020 presidential election, Dominion was ensnared in a web of conspiracy theories pushed by Trump and his allies, claiming their voting machines were rigged to steal the election. The company has pushed back, filing defamation lawsuits against conservative media outlets and Trump allies, including MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell.
The false claims have taken root in conservative communities, where local officials have been pressured to stop using computer equipment for casting and counting ballots.
Last December, Phil Waldron — a retired Army colonel who circulated a PowerPoint presentation offering suggestions for how to overturn the 2020 election — was invited to speak to the commission tasked with recommending the new voting system for Louisiana. Waldron gave a 90-minute presentation focusing on counting paper ballots by hand, according to The Washington Post.
More recently, Lindell, one of the most prominent supporters of ditching election machines and counting every ballot by hand, traveled to Baton Rouge to testify before the same commission.
At a June meeting at the Capitol, Ardoin set aside rules limiting public testimony to three minutes per person so Lindell could address the commission at length. During his 17-minute address, Lindell detailed his national quest against “corrupted” voting systems and “stolen” elections.
“We lose everything if we keep even one machine moving forward,” Lindell told the commission. He went on to describe Louisiana as “the tip of the spear” in his efforts to end the use of voting machines across the country.
At the meeting, multiple clerks said they were opposed to what Lindell was advocating — having every voter fill out a paper ballot and having every ballot counted by hand, a process that would involve tens of thousands of ballots in the most populous counties.
“Don’t mistake not wanting to go back to a pen-and-paper as not wanting to have an auditable vote trail,” said David Ditch, the clerk of court for Iberia Parish. “Everybody — every political persuasion and everybody that comes into my office — says the same thing, ‘We love the way we vote now. We just wish we had something to prove it in the end.’”
The commission ultimately voted to recommend the use of either hand-marked or machine-marked ballots or a combination of the two, and for the state to keep electronic tabulators for counting ballots. Commissioners, including Adroin, voted in favor of machine-scanned vote tallies — not hand-counts.
The next move is Ardoin’s.
A Republican first elected in 2018, he has defended the state’s elections as secure even as he has handed a megaphone to some of the most prominent election conspiracy theorists.
In response to written questions, his office said Ardoin was “currently reviewing the commission’s recommendations and will work with his staff as those recommendations relate to the next steps in acquisition of a new voting system.”
When asked whether the goal was to have a new voting system in place before the 2024 presidential election, Ardoin’s office said it was “difficult at this time to say what the timetable will be” but that two years is “probably the closest estimate.”
At a gathering in July of the nation’s top state election officials, Ardoin raised the issue of hand-marked paper ballots while dismissing hand-counting as something that would “extend elections over years.”
His remarks prompted a fellow Republican, Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill, to tell the group that he had once served as an international observer in Russia and had seen hand-counting up close.
“If you’d like to have an orientation about how that goes, that is the easiest way to cheat that you can introduce to anybody,” Merrill told attendees. “I can assure you that’s not a direction that you want to go. The people that are promoting that are ignorant or ill-informed, period.” | https://www.wwlp.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/conspiracies-complicate-voting-machine-debate-in-louisiana/ | 2022-08-13T15:15:22Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/conspiracies-complicate-voting-machine-debate-in-louisiana/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The flagship climate change and health care bill passed by Democrats and soon to be signed by President Joe Biden will bring U.S. taxpayers one step closer to a government-operated electronic free-file tax return system.
It’s something lawmakers and advocates have been seeking for years. For many Americans, it’s frustrating that beyond having to pay sometimes hefty tax bills, they also have to shell out additional money for tax preparation programs or preparers because of an increasingly complex U.S. tax system.
“It’s definitely something we should do, and when the IRS is adequately resourced, it’s something that will happen,” said Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen at a June Senate Finance Committee hearing.
And now that the IRS is set to receive nearly $80 billion through the so-called “Inflation Reduction Act,” the agency has the means to develop new systems to help Americans pay their taxes. The legislation passed Congress on Friday.
Several hurdles stand in the way. Even in a best-case scenario, it will likely take years to get a new, free system up and running. There’s also pushback from commercial tax preparation companies, which question whether Americans want the IRS to prepare their taxes.
Perhaps this biggest hurdle is an agreement between the IRS and some commercial tax preparation companies, known as the Free File Alliance, which prevents the federal agency from creating its own free tax return filing system. In short, the IRS agreed not create its own filing system if companies would instead provide free services to taxpayers making $73,000 or less.
This program, though, has been marred with controversy, with commercial firms misrepresenting their services and low taxpayer participation rates.
The Government Accountability Office in April reported that while 70% of taxpayers were eligible for services through the Free File Alliance, only 3% of taxpayers actually use the service. The watchdog recommended the IRS find new free filing options before the Alliance expires in October 2023.
With the funding in the bill, the IRS has an opportunity to create a new system.
Included is a provision that allots $15 million to the IRS to make plans for a free direct e-file tax return system. Those plans would have to be developed within nine months and would include cost estimates for creating and administering a system. They would also require public input.
There are also legislative attempts to move this effort along.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., in July resubmitted a bill called the Tax Filing Simplification Act that would require the IRS to create its own free online tax filing service and move away from its partnership with private online tax preparation companies.
“I’ve been pushing for a free tax filing system for years, and now the IRS is on the verge of having significant funding to modernize its IT systems, which means it’s time to develop simplified filing tools laid out in my Tax Filing Simplification Act,” Warren told The Associated Press.
“Americans spend too much time and money to file their taxes, and the IRS should adopt these proposals to help millions of Americans file taxes and claim refunds.”
At her Finance Committee appearance, Yellen called for a new system.
“There’s no reason in the world that a modern economy shouldn’t have a system that makes it easy for such a large group of taxpayers to file their returns,” she said.
Vanessa Williamson, a senior fellow at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, said “if the IRS moves forward with a free product, it could save lower-income families the money they used to give to H&R Block or TurboTax.”
“Tax prep companies are notorious for tricking tax filers into paying for services they should be getting for free,” Williamson said, “so an IRS free file service would be a very welcome step that would save Americans money.”
In 2019, ProPublica wrote about Intuit’s TurboTax and H&R Block Inc.’s efforts to mislead taxpayers away from the federally supported free services for which they qualified. And in May, New York Attorney General Letitia James secured a $141 million settlement with Mountain View, California-based Intuit Inc., which had to pay restitution to some taxpayers.
Intuit withdrew from the Alliance in July 2021, stating in a blog post that the company could provide its benefits without the Free File Alliance’s limitations. H&R Block withdrew from the partnership in 2020.
“Most Americans don’t want the tax collector to also serve as the tax preparer,” said Derrick L. Plummer, a spokesman for Intuit.
“The IRS already has a core mission that it needs to focus on, and creating a new system would cost billions of taxpayer dollars and jeopardize the financial freedom of millions more,” he said. A spokesperson for H&R Block did not respond to an Associated Press request for comment.
Ideas for what a government run free-file program might look like are already being studied.
Bruce Sacerdote, a Dartmouth economist, has examined systems in other countries in which taxpayers don’t have to enter much data on their electronic forms because the government has already done so.
“The IRS has tremendous amounts of information on wages and dividends,” he said, adding that a government-supported tax filing system “could be a wonderful thing.”
Such systems are used in Germany, Japan and other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries that collaborate to develop policies that promote economic growth.
“As a taxpayer, there could be a great benefit to pre-population,” he said. “Filing taxes is enormously time-consuming. Given all the information has on taxpayers, the IRS could they simply send you a completed return.” | https://www.wwlp.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/expanded-irs-free-file-system-one-step-closer-in-dems-bill/ | 2022-08-13T15:15:29Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/expanded-irs-free-file-system-one-step-closer-in-dems-bill/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON (AP) — In November 1979, a little over a week after student militants seized control of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took 52 American citizens hostage, President Jimmy Carter issued Executive Order 12170 declaring a national emergency against Iran.
That order remains in effect today, renewed most recently in the weeks before last Thanksgiving by President Joe Biden, who noted then that “our relations with Iran have not yet normalized.”
The Biden administration’s declaration Aug. 4 of a public health emergency on monkeypox frees up federal money and resources to fight a virus that has already infected more than 10,000 people in the United States. But public health emergencies expire every 90 days, unless extended by the Department of Health and Human Services.
Those are different from national emergency declarations, which give presidents broad leeway to make policy and tap federal funds without congressional approval. That’s what activists have clamored for to better fight climate change, but Biden has held off despite energy shortages in much of the world and high gasoline prices at home.
“This is actually the true test of whether President Biden takes the climate crisis seriously,” Karen Orenstein, climate director of Friends of the Earth. “There could not be a more crucial move.”
Presidents have declared 76 national emergencies in the last nearly five decades, and 42 remain in effect, according to a list compiled by the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School.
Biden has recently declared emergencies related to hostage-taking and detained U.S. nationals abroad, while extending one on Mali. He’s also issued them on Myanmar and Afghanistan and authorizing sanctions on Russia, Ethiopia and individuals linked to the global illicit drug trade.
Such declarations stem mostly from the National Emergencies Act of 1976, which came after President Richard Nixon issued a series of them, including on currency restrictions and a national postal strike.
The law requires that those declarations automatically end after a year, unless the president orders a renewal. Congress can also end emergencies, but doing so effectively requires a veto-proof two-thirds vote, which has never happened.
“The origin of the law was clearly an attempt to set limits on presidential power,” said Chris Edelson, author of “Emergency Presidential Power: From the Drafting of the Constitution to the War on Terror.” “Before the actions passed, presidents could declare emergencies and no one really knew what it meant. And they stood for decades.”
An emergency declared in 1950 by President Harry S. Truman to combat communism globally in the context of the Korean War was still in effect in the 1970s, before the law.
Emergencies set since it took effect have similar, extended shelf lives, though. President George W. Bush’s emergency three days after the Sept. 11 attacks still stands. President Donald Trump declared COVID-19 a national emergency in 2020 and Biden has extended it through at least February 2023.
Only once has Congress even discussed thwarting emergency declarations, Edelson said. That was in 2019, when 12 Senate Republicans joined Democrats to block Trump’s efforts to declare one on the U.S.-Mexico border and put $6 billion-plus from the military and other federal funds toward building a wall. Trump used a veto to preserve his border emergency declaration until Biden nixed it upon taking office.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., warned during the wall funding fight that allowing Trump to what he wanted might let future Democratic presidents to do similar on the climate. Trump used a veto to keep his border emergency declaration in place until Biden nixed it upon taking office.
“It sets long-term precedents,” Rubio told CNBC in 2019. “Tomorrow, the national security emergency might be climate change, so let’s seize fossil fuel plants or something.”
That prediction hasn’t yet proved prescient. Biden said last month that climate change “is an emergency” but didn’t issue a declaration, which would have let him take major actions meant to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including limiting offshore drilling and U.S. oil exports.
With Congress approving nearly $375 billion over a decade in climate change-fighting strategies as part of a larger budget package, political pressure on him to do so may dissipate.
The White House hasn’t said whether declaring a national climate emergency is now off the table. But it’s hard to imagine the administration imposing limits on oil and production after prices at the pump hit record highs. They have since fallen steady throughout the summer — a fact the White House has trumpeted.
Still, declaring a national climate emergency could let Biden move to fundamentally remake the U.S. economy in a greener way, a pledge that was a centerpiece of his 2020 presidential campaign. The president also has promised to slash the nation’s carbon emissions in half by 2030 — a goal the budget package’s climate provisions aren’t enough to meet.
“Now more than ever we need to declare a climate emergency,” said Cassidy DiPaola, a spokesperson for the Stop the Oil Profiteering campaign. She said the budget measure, known as the “Inflation Reduction Act,” is “totally packed with handouts to the fossil fuel industry.”
“Our messaging to Biden is saying, ’Hey, you need to fix what the IRA left out and what the IRA sacrificed,” said DiPaola, who added that of the measure, “This is Congress that passed IRA. President Biden has still made all of these climate commitments.”
Delaying a national climate emergency declaration even this long, however, may undermine the core argument that a crisis is at hand.
“The real indicator that this doesn’t really meet the definition of an emergency as intended by the act – even though it’s not clearly defined – is that he waited,” said Edelson, who is also a professor of government at American University in Washington, about climate concerns. “If it’s a real emergency, you act right away.”
Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, countered that conservatives on the Supreme Court and in Congress have repeatedly defied popular opinion on top issues — underscoring Biden’s need to act unilaterally.
“Everyone grants the president can declare an emergency if there is an individual fire or hurricane. But when the entire planet is suffering heatwaves, unprecedented fires are rampant, and oceans are on the verge of flooding American cities, the president can’t declare that an existential climate emergency?,” Green asked. “He clearly has the power and his grandchildren are depending on him to use it.” | https://www.wwlp.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/monkeypox-climate-deciding-whats-a-national-emergency/ | 2022-08-13T15:15:36Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/monkeypox-climate-deciding-whats-a-national-emergency/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
CHEROKEE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – A crash near mile marker 97 blocked all Northbound lanes on Interstate 85 Saturday morning in Gaffney.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol said the crash happened around 7:18 a.m.
The crash involved 5 vehicles including a tractor-trailer according to troopers.
All lanes were blocked according to troopers.
The highway patrol is investigating the crash. | https://www.wspa.com/news/crash-blocks-all-lanes-on-i-85n-in-cherokee-co/ | 2022-08-13T15:15:40Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/crash-blocks-all-lanes-on-i-85n-in-cherokee-co/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON (AP) — In November 1979, a little over a week after student militants seized control of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took 52 American citizens hostage, President Jimmy Carter issued Executive Order 12170 declaring a national emergency against Iran.
That order remains in effect today, renewed most recently in the weeks before last Thanksgiving by President Joe Biden, who noted then that “our relations with Iran have not yet normalized.”
The Biden administration’s declaration Aug. 4 of a public health emergency on monkeypox frees up federal money and resources to fight a virus that has already infected more than 10,000 people in the United States. But public health emergencies expire every 90 days, unless extended by the Department of Health and Human Services.
Those are different from national emergency declarations, which give presidents broad leeway to make policy and tap federal funds without congressional approval. That’s what activists have clamored for to better fight climate change, but Biden has held off despite energy shortages in much of the world and high gasoline prices at home.
“This is actually the true test of whether President Biden takes the climate crisis seriously,” Karen Orenstein, climate director of Friends of the Earth. “There could not be a more crucial move.”
Presidents have declared 76 national emergencies in the last nearly five decades, and 42 remain in effect, according to a list compiled by the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School.
Biden has recently declared emergencies related to hostage-taking and detained U.S. nationals abroad, while extending one on Mali. He’s also issued them on Myanmar and Afghanistan and authorizing sanctions on Russia, Ethiopia and individuals linked to the global illicit drug trade.
Such declarations stem mostly from the National Emergencies Act of 1976, which came after President Richard Nixon issued a series of them, including on currency restrictions and a national postal strike.
The law requires that those declarations automatically end after a year, unless the president orders a renewal. Congress can also end emergencies, but doing so effectively requires a veto-proof two-thirds vote, which has never happened.
“The origin of the law was clearly an attempt to set limits on presidential power,” said Chris Edelson, author of “Emergency Presidential Power: From the Drafting of the Constitution to the War on Terror.” “Before the actions passed, presidents could declare emergencies and no one really knew what it meant. And they stood for decades.”
An emergency declared in 1950 by President Harry S. Truman to combat communism globally in the context of the Korean War was still in effect in the 1970s, before the law.
Emergencies set since it took effect have similar, extended shelf lives, though. President George W. Bush’s emergency three days after the Sept. 11 attacks still stands. President Donald Trump declared COVID-19 a national emergency in 2020 and Biden has extended it through at least February 2023.
Only once has Congress even discussed thwarting emergency declarations, Edelson said. That was in 2019, when 12 Senate Republicans joined Democrats to block Trump’s efforts to declare one on the U.S.-Mexico border and put $6 billion-plus from the military and other federal funds toward building a wall. Trump used a veto to preserve his border emergency declaration until Biden nixed it upon taking office.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., warned during the wall funding fight that allowing Trump to what he wanted might let future Democratic presidents to do similar on the climate. Trump used a veto to keep his border emergency declaration in place until Biden nixed it upon taking office.
“It sets long-term precedents,” Rubio told CNBC in 2019. “Tomorrow, the national security emergency might be climate change, so let’s seize fossil fuel plants or something.”
That prediction hasn’t yet proved prescient. Biden said last month that climate change “is an emergency” but didn’t issue a declaration, which would have let him take major actions meant to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including limiting offshore drilling and U.S. oil exports.
With Congress approving nearly $375 billion over a decade in climate change-fighting strategies as part of a larger budget package, political pressure on him to do so may dissipate.
The White House hasn’t said whether declaring a national climate emergency is now off the table. But it’s hard to imagine the administration imposing limits on oil and production after prices at the pump hit record highs. They have since fallen steady throughout the summer — a fact the White House has trumpeted.
Still, declaring a national climate emergency could let Biden move to fundamentally remake the U.S. economy in a greener way, a pledge that was a centerpiece of his 2020 presidential campaign. The president also has promised to slash the nation’s carbon emissions in half by 2030 — a goal the budget package’s climate provisions aren’t enough to meet.
“Now more than ever we need to declare a climate emergency,” said Cassidy DiPaola, a spokesperson for the Stop the Oil Profiteering campaign. She said the budget measure, known as the “Inflation Reduction Act,” is “totally packed with handouts to the fossil fuel industry.”
“Our messaging to Biden is saying, ’Hey, you need to fix what the IRA left out and what the IRA sacrificed,” said DiPaola, who added that of the measure, “This is Congress that passed IRA. President Biden has still made all of these climate commitments.”
Delaying a national climate emergency declaration even this long, however, may undermine the core argument that a crisis is at hand.
“The real indicator that this doesn’t really meet the definition of an emergency as intended by the act – even though it’s not clearly defined – is that he waited,” said Edelson, who is also a professor of government at American University in Washington, about climate concerns. “If it’s a real emergency, you act right away.”
Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, countered that conservatives on the Supreme Court and in Congress have repeatedly defied popular opinion on top issues — underscoring Biden’s need to act unilaterally.
“Everyone grants the president can declare an emergency if there is an individual fire or hurricane. But when the entire planet is suffering heatwaves, unprecedented fires are rampant, and oceans are on the verge of flooding American cities, the president can’t declare that an existential climate emergency?,” Green asked. “He clearly has the power and his grandchildren are depending on him to use it.” | https://www.wspa.com/news/national/monkeypox-climate-deciding-whats-a-national-emergency/ | 2022-08-13T15:15:52Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/national/monkeypox-climate-deciding-whats-a-national-emergency/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Kochi: Don Bosco Football Academy outplayed Emirates Soccer Club 5-2 in a Kerala Women's League match at the Maharaja's College Ground here on Saturday.
Preshma and Deepa Neupane scored a brace each while Pushpa Parab struck once for the winners.
Boya Dasari Anitha and Alphonsa M found the target for Emirates.
Deepa was named player of the match.
Results: Don Bosco Football Academy 5 (Preshma 28, 55; Deepa Neupane 36, 90+2, Pushpa Parab 79) bt Emirates Soccer Club 2 (Boya Dasari Anitha 14, Alphonsa M 81). | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/football/2022/08/13/kerala-womens-league-don-bosco-football-academy-post-win.amp.html | 2022-08-13T15:21:30Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/football/2022/08/13/kerala-womens-league-don-bosco-football-academy-post-win.amp.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Kochi: Don Bosco Football Academy outplayed Emirates Soccer Club 5-2 in a Kerala Women's League match at the Maharaja's College Ground here on Saturday.
Preshma and Deepa Neupane scored a brace each while Pushpa Parab struck once for the winners.
Boya Dasari Anitha and Alphonsa M found the target for Emirates.
Deepa was named player of the match.
Results: Don Bosco Football Academy 5 (Preshma 28, 55; Deepa Neupane 36, 90+2, Pushpa Parab 79) bt Emirates Soccer Club 2 (Boya Dasari Anitha 14, Alphonsa M 81). | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/football/2022/08/13/kerala-womens-league-don-bosco-football-academy-post-win.html | 2022-08-13T15:21:36Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/football/2022/08/13/kerala-womens-league-don-bosco-football-academy-post-win.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
August 13 marks the birth anniversary of actor Sridevi. The late actor, who passed away on February 24, 2018, had left an indelible mark on the audience with her pan-Indian appeal and acting prowess. On the veteran star's 59th birth anniversary, her daughters Janhvi and Kushi took to Instagram to share photos of them with their late mother.
Janhvi shared a picture of Sridevi hugging little Janhvi. She wrote: "Happy birthday Mumma. I miss you more and more every day. I love u forever."
Khushi, who is all set to make her acting debut with Zoya Akhtar's adaptation of 'The Archies', shared a black and white picture of her mother kissing her.
Sridevi, who died in 2018 in Dubai, was born in 1963. She was known for her roles in films such as 'Chandni', 'Lamhe', 'Mr. India', 'Chaalbaaz', 'Judaai', 'English Vinglish', and 'Mom'.
Sreedevi tied the know with filmmaker Boney Kapoor in 1996. The two welcomed Janhvi, whom the late actress fondly called Janu, in 1997. In 2000, she gave birth to Khushi. Her daughters Janhvi and Khushi are hogging the limelight now and are constantly followed by the paparazzi everywhere.
Meanwhile, social media was flooded with posts remembering the actor on her birth anniversary.
(With inputs from IANS) | https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2022/08/13/janvhi-khushi-kapoor-sridevi-birth-anniversary-boney-kapoor-throwback-pictures.html | 2022-08-13T15:22:15Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2022/08/13/janvhi-khushi-kapoor-sridevi-birth-anniversary-boney-kapoor-throwback-pictures.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
APC lacks interest in education, allows ASUU strike to fester —PDP
•Tinubu has blueprint on education —Spokesman
IF the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, is elected president, the industrial dispute in the education sector which is festering under the government of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will become a thing of the past.
The National Publicity Secretary of the main opposition party, Debo Ologunagba, gave this assurance in an interview with Saturday Tribune.
This is just as Atiku’s major opponent and candidate of the ruling APC, Senator Bola Tinubu, promised that the protracted face-off between the government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) would be a thing of the past if he is elected the president next year.
Tinubu spoke through one of the spokespersons of his presidential campaign organisation, Festus Keyamo.
The PDP spokesman, Ologunagba, told Saturday Tribune that as someone who knows the value of education and has invested heavily in the sector, Atiku would approach the sector in a way that ensures industrial harmony.
He said the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari had been unable to resolve the strike embarked upon by the university-based unions led by ASUU, now in its sixth month, because the president does not appreciate the value of education.
According to the PDP spokesman, beyond the setting up of committees, the administration has been lethargic in its approach to resolving the strike.
He stated that the presidential candidate of the PDP had investments in educational institutions from nursery to university level and is therefore equipped with the rudiments of running a functional education system.
Ologunagba observed that Atiku’s educational institutions had never gone on strike for one day and the former vice president would replicate the situation if he assumes power in 2023. On what Atiku will do differently on ASUU strike, he said: “It has to do with whether you think education is important for national development or not and our candidate believes that it is. “He is a beneficiary of what education means.
Because of his interest in education, he has a nursery school, he has a primary school, he has a secondary school and he has a university, and not for one day, not for one minute have they ever gone on strike because he understands the importance of education and he understands the need to have industrial harmony in the educational sector.
“For any country to do well, it must educate its people and it is a fundamental right of citizens to have education.
“From that premise alone, he has bias, he has the attitude of someone who knows that education is important. Therefore, he would do all that is necessary to ensure that all the industrial disputes are laid to rest.
“In contrast, Buhari has no emotional attachment to education and therefore the attention required cannot be there.
“Committees after committees without the physical consent of engagement with the president will not deliver the results that we expect.”
Ologunagba added: “What will be different with Atiku is that he is a man with passion for education, a beneficiary, and he understands the importance of education.
“So, the approach will be different. It will be a constructive discussion, engagement, understanding the issues and showing that the resolution is completely away from the lethargic attitude of the APC government.
“Education will be given the pride of place that it deserves.
“So, the PDP government will be different. His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, is a person who has passion for education, who recognizes the importance of education, having invested in it because he knows the value in the life of the individual, in the life of the community, in the life of a nation.”
Also, Tinubu, in promising to end incessant strikes by ASUU, said he had prepared a workable document to address the challenges in the education sector and bring about the needed reforms.
The Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, Keyamo, who spoke for the former Lagos State governor, said: “We have a policy document on that. We have a blueprint which we are going to unveil very soon. I can’t give the details now but it will go a long way to put an end to the ASUU-FG misunderstanding.”
Asked when that will be done, he said: “I can’t give you a specific date now.” | https://tribuneonlineng.com/apc-lacks-interest-in-education-allows-asuu-strike-to-fester-pdp/ | 2022-08-13T15:24:16Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/apc-lacks-interest-in-education-allows-asuu-strike-to-fester-pdp/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Massillon area real estate transfers July 16-22
Bethlehem Township
Altier Properties LLC from Tocor Investments Ltd, 314 Market St NE, $400,000.
Anderson Sean Wesley from Griffin Lisa M & Charles D, 6250 Shepler Church Ave SW, $290,000.
Copenhaver Roberta from Erickson Donna M, parcel 1100665 Safari Trl, $7,600.
Hasinski Bob from Stacy Larry D and Aurelia F, parcel 1100212 Cheeta CT, $9,800.
Krynock Lois A & Brittany K from Day Jerry D & Lisa A, parcel 1100825 Swahali Trl SW, $4,000.
Mcvicker Virgil Joel from Byer Gary L & Darlene K, 113 South St NW, $156,000.
Scoffield Steven D & Garrett E from Jefferys Todd & Lynette, parcel 1100324 Safari Trl, $5,000.
Swisher Matthew & Cali from May Jerry & Laverne, parcel 1100909 Safari Trl, $8,600.
Canal Fulton
Dangelo Albert & Christine from Zumpano Investments Inc, 360 Locust St N, $30,000.
Judd Justin from NVR Inc D/B/A Ryan Homes, 3069 Bonita Cir SE, $256,730.
Jackson Township
Easley Annamarie & Maria from Parks Joel, 7014 Chippewa Ave NW, $249,900.
Hayden Michaelena Molly & Robert from Patel Bobbie E, 4501 Larchwood Cir NW, $320,000.
Horne Justin D & Baylee J from Horne Daniel K & Robert G, 8810 Wonderland Ave NW, $203,000.
Jenkins Glenda J & Cotton Timothy A from Arnold James R & Angela L, 4000 Hyatt Ave NW, $270,000.
Milosevic Thomas & Lauren from Castello Derrick L & Lauren, 6190 Margate Ave NW, $500,000.
Mitchell Robert A & Ashley from Schlabach Mark R, 7082 Celina St NW, $305,000.
NVR Inc D/B/A Ryan Homes from Maxsam Investments LLC, 3778 Old Hickory Ave NW, $73,000.
Singer Adam & Nicole from Bowman Timothy P, 5045 Nobles Pond Dr NW, $545,000.
Strategic Real Estate Inc from Shirey James Fred & Robin L, 4729 Crystal Lake Ave NW, $105,000.
Lawrence Township
Boylen Pamela F from Smith Arvella, parcel 2600713 Dellway St NW, $5,000.
Carnahan Karen & Tim from Seeling Jennifer A, 11906 Tritts St NW, $486,000.
Feielin Wade M from Heim Jane A & Jonathan B Co-Ttees, 13877 Bluffton St NW, $240,000.
Roush Felicia Kay from Porter Edward L & Connie A, 10820 Yare Cir NW, $190,000.
Massillon
Atwood Angela M & Donald Matthew from Burkhart Kimberly Marie & Robin, 2727 Mill Creek Run NE, $523,000.
Bay Street Homes LLC from SL Real Estate LLC, 450 South Ave SE, $93,000.
Bissell David W & Marhsa J from Balizet Thomas E Trustee of the Thomas E, 2076 University Commons Dr SE, $240,000.
Blackhawk Investments LLC from Taylor Nicole M, 1737 Mohican St SE, $35,000.
Broderick Street Homes LLC from Camp Rick A & Joan F, 2517 Rhode Island Ave SE, $155,000.
Clawson Megan from Snyder Alexis Renae, 833 Wyoming PL NE, $136,500.
Fisher Cat Investments Ltd from Kato Business Enterprises LLC, 316 11th St SE, $340,000.
Frangos Joseph P & Melanie T from Finefrock Darren S & Lauren, 1010 State Ave NE, $132,000.
Fry Edith A from Singer Adam & Nicole, 1633 10th St NE, $331,000.
Hanna Daniel L Jr & Christine E from Maier Helen E, 1251 Lennox Ave NE, $245,000.
Kimble Louella K from Green Joseph & Lisa, parcel 500153 17th St SW, $5,500.
Lakeview Loan Servicing LLC from Bowman Linda S, 412 3rd St NE, $57,500.
Nycum Landon M from Nycum Eric & Michelle, 503 19th St NW, $125,500.
R&M Volke Masonry & Home Improvement from Shane Wagler Properties LLC, 820 Parkview St NE, $75,000.
Rogers Lynne M from Hockenberry Robert H, 2141 Amherst Rd NE, $219,000.
Snyder Samuel Austin from Domer Joanne M, 503 Standish Ave NW, $118,000.
Tumey Alan & Leonti Gerald from Mcclung Eric J, 730 Rotch Ave NE, $145,000.
Perry Township
Armstrong Cassandra & Butler Kyle from Burdett Cory R, 227 Eden Ave NW, $175,000.
Brannan Nicholas from Anderson Helen K, 520 Oneida Ave NW, $211,000.
Bross Laurie A from Daugherty Harold L & Donna K, 5687 Fohl Rd SW, $139,900.
Burkett Betty J & Kisner Brett T from Voina Margie L, 1015 Citadel Ave NW, $147,000.
Garrett Chuck from Millin Desiree L, 145 Fairlawn Ave SW, $131,000.
Halter Lane C Jr from James Benjamin G, 3646 Mollane St NW, $167,500.
Hammel Rose P from Global Real Estate Solutions LLC, 5185 Richville Dr SW, $115,000.
Kimble Michael B & Hershberger Amy A from SMB Investments LLC, 186 Elizabeth Ave SW, $154,397.
MKM-MN Land Management LLC from Tusc Investments Ltd, 4825 Tuscarawas St W, $1,400,000.
Morales Joseph Edward from KSH Properties LLC, 4871 Arbor Rd SW, $135,000.
Patel Bobbie E from Grand Betty Jean, 645 Kolpwood Ave NW, $210,000.
Pifer Thomas H & Constance M from Chambers Scott, 4059 Faircrest St SW, $17,500.
Raber Roy J & Kathleen T from Birtalan Michael J, 149 Cayuga Ave NW, $142,400.
Roxbury Eric & Lindsay from Galati Paul, 431 Austin Ave NW, $270,000.
Swaldo Debra from Spinden Brian G & Elizabeth, 306 Belle Ave NW, $59,900.
Sugarcreek Township
Brothers Christine A from Gatewood Candace M Ttee, 230 3rd Ave NW, $100,000.
Vest Weis Ag Ventures LLC from Leam Farm Ltd, 11010 Poorman St SW, $1,387,500.
Tuscarawas Township
Cain Rachel from Baker Brendon D & Cain Rachel, 2439 Bakerwood Dr SW, $52,750. | https://www.indeonline.com/story/news/2022/08/13/massillon-area-real-estate-transfers-july-16-22/65395654007/ | 2022-08-13T15:32:08Z | eonline.com | treatment | https://www.indeonline.com/story/news/2022/08/13/massillon-area-real-estate-transfers-july-16-22/65395654007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Massillon PD: There's no serial killer in Massillon
MASSILLON ‒ Police have issued a statement via Facebook assuring residents a social media post about a serial killer roaming the city is a hoax.
According to the post, the Police Department had received several messages about a Facebook post talking about a serial killer lurking in Massillon.
"This Facebook post is a FAKE post." the statement said. "We thank everyone for making us aware of the situation."
The post has been making its way on social media using different cities. The claim indicates a serial killer or abductor tried to take a friend of the poster in various areas, including Massillon and Canton, and that there have been several disappearances in the area.
Those commenting on the police department's post made light of the hoax adding photos of a "cereal" killer and Michael Myers. Others said they were concerned about the post and were glad to know it wasn't real. | https://www.indeonline.com/story/news/crime/2022/08/12/massillon-police-facebook-post-is-a-hoax-no-serial-killer-loose/65402216007/ | 2022-08-13T15:32:14Z | eonline.com | treatment | https://www.indeonline.com/story/news/crime/2022/08/12/massillon-police-facebook-post-is-a-hoax-no-serial-killer-loose/65402216007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
What you need to know about the new Massillon Boys & Girls Club new building
MASSILLON – Work is underway on the new Massillon Boys & Girls Club.
Crews broke ground last month on the new building at 730 Duncan St. SW, which is poised to meet the needs of kids in the city now and in the future.
Organization leaders said the project would not have been possible without a number of financial contributors, including the Paul & Carol David Foundation.
Foundation President Jeff David played a role in the club's decision to undertake the construction.
About the Massillon Boys & Girls ClubMeet Alex Williamson
After a visit to the center and observing the aging facility, David recalled his father's belief in the club's mission because of his relationship with the club's former Director Joe Hibbard.
"I asked myself, ‘What would my dad do?'" David said. "That answer was obvious - being one of 13children whose family came from simple means, he naturally understood the needs of the kids the clubserved. Both my mother, Carol, and I agree he would have stepped up to lead the funding of this project,without a doubt.”
Massillon Boys & Girls Club: What you need to know
WHAT: The new building will be 29,386 square feet, increasing the program space by about 25% over the old building (24,000 square feet). The project architect is Moody Nolan Architects and the general contractor is Perry Township-based Beaver Constructors.
The new center is to be built in the south parking lot area, adjacent to the existing building.
The new two-story facility will have two multi-purpose rooms, a double gymnasium, and increased capacity for each room to accommodate more kids. A state-of-the-art kitchen will serve the members in a larger dining space.
The new club space will feature a "Reeding" Room sponsored by NFL Hall of Famer Andre Reed. The “Reeding” Room will house the daily after-school “Power Hour” Homework Help program as well as provide a place for daily math and reading classes along with open time for individual leisure reading.
Additionally, the dedicated space will be used to host events during Hall of Fame Week, culminating with the annual visit from Andre Reed and at least one additional Hall of Fame inductee.
More:New Boys & Girls Club of Massillon venue aims to break ground this summer
The new club will replace the building built in 1966. Since then, the facility has undergone five renovations. The club has implemented semi-permanent solutions to adapt to changing programming needs within the constraints of the building, officials said.
IMPACT: The new facility will allow the club to increase the number of children served. Right now, the club can serve about 1,000 kids. The new building will accommodate up to 1,200 kids.
Club officials said despite the cost to build the new facility, club membership will remain at $10 per year.
COST: The project is expected to cost around $8.5 million. Specific contributions have not been disclosed.
Others contributing to the project include:
- The Timken Foundation of Canton
- Bob and Nancy Gessner
- Stark Community Foundation
- MCTV
- The Deuble Foundation
- The Hoover Foundation
- Doug and Carrie Sibila and People's Services
Additional funding sources have been secured but have not yet finalized their contribution with the Boys & Girls Club. According to officials, the club's capital campaign continues.
“The initial lead donors of the project are examples of the compassionate leadership and collaboration between organizations that makes these types of major projects successful in Stark County,” Executive Director Vince Pedro said. “We are extremely grateful for everyone’s gifts and support.”
Youth of Year:WHS senior Ramier Kyles named Boys & Girls Club of Ohio youth of year
Plans for the growth don't stop with the new building. Pedro said there are further expansion plans and improvements to the campus in the works. No details about future plans have been released.
“Our kids are tremendous, and the long-standing support from the community has helped many kids become successful in life,” Pedro said. “We’re honored to receive this investment not just in our facilities, but in the kids of our community - it’s what makes Massillon great." | https://www.indeonline.com/story/news/local/2022/08/12/massillon-boys-girls-club-new-building-under-construction/65400201007/ | 2022-08-13T15:32:26Z | eonline.com | treatment | https://www.indeonline.com/story/news/local/2022/08/12/massillon-boys-girls-club-new-building-under-construction/65400201007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Massillon Museum Brown Bag Lunch topic: Growing up on the west side
A panel of four Massillonians who grew up on the west side during the mid-1900s will speak Aug. 23 at the Massillon Museum’s Brown Bag Lunch.
Their program will begin in Gessner Hall at 12:10 p.m. and conclude at 12:50 p.m. to accommodate those who attend on their lunch breaks.
The panelists are: Rudy Turkal, favorite local historian, who is proud of the ethnic heritage fostered in Columbia Heights; Mel Herncane, who remembers every name and address on his west side paper route; Tom Ferrero, whose family owned the iconic Venice Restaurant; and Fred DeGordon, who remembers every block from Fifth to 15th Street SW, because he regularly rode the West Park bus with his Uncle Tiny.
Admission to Brown Bag Lunches is free, and no reservations are required. The museum provides free cookies and coffee for attendees. Guests can purchase sandwiches, salad, and smoothies at Greatness Cafe in the Museum lobby or they can bring their own lunches. | https://www.indeonline.com/story/news/local/2022/08/12/massillon-museum-brown-bag-lunch-topic-growing-up-on-the-west-side/65397689007/ | 2022-08-13T15:32:32Z | eonline.com | treatment | https://www.indeonline.com/story/news/local/2022/08/12/massillon-museum-brown-bag-lunch-topic-growing-up-on-the-west-side/65397689007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Princess crowns & swords: How the Stark Junior Fair queen helps hospitalized patients
Stark County Junior Fair Queen Annabelle Ehmer attended the Ohio Fair Managers Association Conference earlier this year with her younger sister, Adelynn.
Someone observed that the then-5-year-old Adelynn was the only princess without a crown.
"I looked at my mom and said there are so many princesses that still deserve a crown," Ehmer, 19, said.
She knew instantly what her next donation to a local children's hospital would be.
Ehmer recently took part in an event hosted at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland, passing out crowns and foam swords to patients.
Stark County Jr. Fair Queen Annabelle Ehmer is passionate about kids
For the past 12 years, the Navarre resident has collected donations from toys, joke books, bouncy balls, sparkly slime and other items for patients at Akron Children's Hospital.
"While one of my friends was a patient I asked him his favorite thing to do. He said he tells his nurse a joke every day so I collected joke books. We got 500 and donated them in honor of him," she said.
The hospital sometimes has specific needs. Ehmer collected more than 600 bottles of bubbles for the lung rehab unit. The gift, she said, was actually part of their treatment. Kids were having fun with the bubbles while working on their lung strength.
Due to COVID restrictions, Ehmer has not been able to make recent donations to the Akron facility.
Denna Steiner, a representative of the Stark County Jr. Fair, was able to hook Ehmer up with Rainbow Babies.
"She's been trying to work on this all year to make it happen," Steiner said. "She's coming to the end of her reign but before that, she really wanted to make the donations before she crowns a new queen. She's very passionate about the event and doing things for kids."
Ehmer has done so other things during her reign, including helping to start 4-H Advocates, a group that speaks with kids about the importance of 4-H and what it has to offer, Steiner said.
Stark County Fair:Fair brings out the best in young competitors
She sought donations from a number of groups, including the Stark County Junior Fair Board. A $1,500 donation came in. With the collected donations, she was able to buy hundreds of crowns and foam swords.
She took 100 of them to the event at Rainbow Babies and handed out about 20 to patients able to come outside. The remaining items was donated to the hospital's Smiles with Styles Cart, which makes its way to the hospitalized children.
"Personally I just feel at the end of the day children within the hospital are most deserving," the 2021 Fairless High School graduate said. "I have known a lot of people who walked the halls of Akron Children's from newborns right up to those that their battle. I feel it is so important to give them a reminder to keep fighting and remind them that they are strong and brave."
Steiner wouldn't expect anything less from Ehmer, noting she is always looking out for others.
While at Fairless, Ehmer spearheaded a collection of more than 130 prom dresses to give to her peers who didn't have a dress to attend.
Annabelle Ehmer:Fairless senior aims to help her peers shine at prom
She also coordinated a drive to help ensure a fellow Fairless student had a proper Christmas. The group headed by Ehmer purchased Christmas presents, made cookies and collected icing so the family could top their cookies together.
Ehmer, a junior at Walsh University, is studying occupational therapy.
She is also part of Walsh's Blouin Scholars Program. The group focuses on a social justice issue and studies it throughout members' college years. Ehmer's focus is human trafficking.
With about 400 crowns and swords remaining, Ehmer hopes to continue working with Akron Children's when its COVID restrictions are lifted and Rainbow Babies as well as other medical facilities.
"I don't think my journey will stop here," Ehmer said. "Whether as a doctor or a volunteer, it just has a special place in my heart."
Reach Amy at 330-775-1135 or amy.knapp@indeonline.com
On Twitter: @aknappINDE | https://www.indeonline.com/story/news/local/2022/08/13/stark-junior-fair-queen-helps-hospitalized-patients/65397255007/ | 2022-08-13T15:32:38Z | eonline.com | treatment | https://www.indeonline.com/story/news/local/2022/08/13/stark-junior-fair-queen-helps-hospitalized-patients/65397255007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Uttaradesh Pindoriya was last booked under at Police St...more\nNew York City woman arrested of sexually moul*st*ring six people ... GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — If you're looking to have a little fun this weekend, consider heading to Monroe Center in Downtown Grand Rapids for a block party.
The block party is hosted by area businesses and will feature lots of fun things like outdoor games, sidewalk sales as well as discounts from a number of local shops. The party will also feature a wine showcase courtesy of House of Wine and Brick and Porter.
The party goes from 3 PM to 9 PM Saturday and is free to attend. It's happened at Monroe Center between Ionia and Division Avenue. | https://www.fox17online.com/news/local-news/monroe-center-block-party-happening-saturday | 2022-08-13T15:38:09Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/news/local-news/monroe-center-block-party-happening-saturday | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
San Francisco 49ers football is officially back, and the 2022 campaign kicked off with a 28-21 victory over the Green Bay Packers in the preseason opener. Here are five takeaways I had from the game.
1. This offense finally has the vertical spacing it has sorely been lacking
It’s no secret that Trey Lance has tremendous physical traits, including an arm that allows him to make throws only a handful of quarterbacks in the league can even think about attempting. The ability to threaten defenses vertically with Lance under center will only create more spacing underneath and clear things up in the box to open up the run game.
Lance was 4-5 for 92 yards in this game, but 76 of those came on a slot fade thrown deep down the left sideline to speedster Danny Gray. As important as Lance’s arm talent is in the equation, it cannot be complete without skill-possession players who possess the requisite speed to stress defenses on the back end.
Gray proved that he has the ability to contribute right away in that role, utilizing his 4.3 speed to win outside on a spartan route and create enough separation to not only make a big play downfield but also have the room to take off without being run down.
Speaking of the slot fade, it’s clearly a route they feel comfortable going back to the well with as long as Lance is under center. They ran a ton of them during training camp, and it was something Lance has had success with going back to last season.
This play was from the 49ers' preseason matchup with the Chargers last season, and it is the same route combination that Lance and Gray connected on against the Packers. It pairs a smash route with the slot fade and designates the slot fade as the primary read.
Trey Lance hits Trent Sherfield on a rail route for a 41 yard gain
— Jordan Elliott (@JLeeElliott) February 5, 2022
The call is “Spartan Smash” #LateNightLance pic.twitter.com/M3DeGGqXqL
Now here’s Gray’s touchdown from the Packers game. (excuse the broadcast angle, I don’t have the All-22 yet). Watch how the smash route sits underneath to open up a one-on-one for the slot fade to the boundary.
IT'S TREY LANCE TIME IN SAN FRANCISCO ⏰
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 13, 2022
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/tBkgbuR5eJ
This is just one example of a concept Kyle Shanahan can now comfortably implement to open up the field for his offense. Now that Shanahan has the pieces to execute these looks expect a lot more shots downfield this year and a much more aggressive attack on the back end of opposing defenses through the air.
2. Spencer Burford looks like a polished veteran
Burford landing the starting right guard job to start camp was certainly a surprise, but the more I got to watch Burford, the more I understood why that move was made. The physical traits are there, long arms, firm base, and able to pull and move well in space.
But the thing that impressed me the most about Burford was the poise and calmness he played with in his first game action at the NFL level. Even when Burford was beat initially, he displayed a tremendous ability to recover and find a way to win the rep.
The resiliency Burford displayed on some of these reps was that of a longtime NFL starter, not a rookie playing in his first NFL game. The physical traits Burford possesses are phenomenal (more on that in a second), but the resiliency he displayed was more impressive than anything else.
Back to the physical traits, which was also on full display in this game. Ignore the result of this play and instead focus on the individual rep by Burford from the right guard spot. Watch what he does to the 2 technique on this play.
Ignore the result of the play and focus on what Spencer Burford (#74) does to the 2T on this play
— Jordan Elliott (@JLeeElliott) August 13, 2022
pic.twitter.com/35mOfJOwVV
Burford is the kind of player who can maul in a phonebooth while also having the agility to get to the second level in an aggressive outside zone scheme. I was beyond impressed with the poise he showed against the Packers, and I look forward to see how he follows that up next week in Minnesota.
3. Kemoko Turay is going to be the steal of the offseason
When the 49ers signed Turay to a 1-year deal worth 1.7 million, it was evident that it was going to be a prove-it deal of sorts. The former second-round pick has exceptional athletic traits and a consistent motor that never stops.
Turay had five sacks in 11 on 11’s during Wednesday’s practice, and his ability to terrorize opposing offenses as a pass rusher should never have been in question. What really stood out to me in the preseason opener was the way Turay disrupted the Packers' ground game.
I counted four separate reps in this game where a rushing attempt by the Packers offense was stopped within one yard of the line of scrimmage, with Turay being the primary reason why.
Watch the way Turay explodes through the C gap to take down Packers running back Tyler Goodson for a loss of one on 3rd & 2.
Kemoko Turay blowing up this carry in the backfield for a loss of one pic.twitter.com/qgAnUxm9km
— Jordan Elliott (@JLeeElliott) August 13, 2022
Here’s a closer view which provides another angle of the play.
— JLeeElliott Film Burner (@splash_cousin) August 13, 2022
Turay is next up in the long line of defensive linemen who have a career resurgence under Kris Kocurek, and the fact Turay is the third or fourth option at the edge position speaks volumes to how deep the group is as a whole.
4. Samuel Womack is the nickel corner of the future, but also the present
Rookie cornerback Samuel Womack had about as impressive of a debut as you could draw up. Womack recorded two interceptions and was a stalwart in coverage all throughout the night. Womack had 15 pass breakups during his final season at Toledo, so it’s no surprise he looked comfortable making a difference against the Packers' air attack.
The thing that was most impressive to me about Womack was his ability to fill his run fits effectively and handle his responsibilities in the run game. Womack not being be an outright liability in the run game was probably the one thing we needed to see to verify that he is ready to make a contribution right away and potentially be the starter in the slot when week one rolls around.
Womack has the physical tools, including a much longer wingspan than his listed height of 5’10 would lead you to believe. More importantly, however, Womack looks to have the intangibles required to be a starter at the position from day one, which sets him up for a role in the present and the long term.
5. This roster is as deep as projected it to be
The most impressive thing about the 49ers' win over Green Bay was how strong they looked, even while a large portion of their starters watched from the sidelines in street clothes. It was very telling the way they came out and played early with a unit comprised of some starters but with a majority of the players coming from the second unit.
Whether it was Drake Jackson pressuring the quarterback, Ray-Ray McCloud dropping a defender to the ground with a double move, or Marcelino McCrary-Ball recording an interception and craft fully navigating a 56-yard return, the players beyond the projected starters made their presence felt in a major way.
Colton McKivitz had a strong day, Tyrion Davis-Price ran with conviction, and Oren Burks was a tackling machine. In a game where Robbie Gould was the only one of the 49ers All-Pro players to suit up, the 49ers still looked like a well-composed unit capable of playing at a relatively high level.
This is a really good football team, top to bottom. One of the only downsides to that is there are a lot of talented players who will flash during the preseason but who have little to no chance of making the final 53 due to a logjam at their position. | https://www.ninersnation.com/2022/8/13/23303978/49ers-packers-5-takeaways | 2022-08-13T15:39:37Z | ninersnation.com | control | https://www.ninersnation.com/2022/8/13/23303978/49ers-packers-5-takeaways | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Trump lawyer says FBI search was Democrats' attempt to spin up "drama"
Former President Trump's lawyer told Fox News Friday that the FBI search of his Mar-a-Lago home was an attempt to spin up negative attention that the probe into the Jan. 6 Capitol riot has failed to generate.
Driving the news: “In my opinion, the Jan. 6 ratings — the show of Jan. 6 — hasn't been going so well,” said Alina Habba, an attorney for Trump on Friday's episode of "Jesse Watters Primetime." “They needed a little drama, so they throw this out there.”
What she’s saying: Habba also questioned why Judge Bruce Reinhart was allowed to sign off on the search warrant.
- “They go to the judge that had recused himself in my Hillary [Clinton] case a month ago,” Habba said. “I would like to know why he recused himself in that case, but then he was able to sign this warrant. I want to know that.”
Catch up quick: The FBI removed 11 sets of classified information from Trump’s property earlier this week, including some marked as "top secret."
- A warrant authorizing the search released on Friday indicates the DOJ is looking into whether Trump violated the Espionage Act and other federal laws governing the handling of classified documents.
- Trump and his allies have tried to cast the search as politically motivated, and the latest attempt by his political opponents to undercut him ahead of a potential run for the presidency in 2024.
Go deeper: Cracks emerge in GOP’s Mar-a-Lago response | https://www.axios.com/2022/08/13/donald-trump-lawyer-fbi-raid-drama | 2022-08-13T15:41:28Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/2022/08/13/donald-trump-lawyer-fbi-raid-drama | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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The headlines were filled with misery surrounding Manchester United, but make no mistake, Brighton’s win at Old Trafford was no fluke. Their opponents this weekend are Newcastle United, who took down Nottingham Forest 2-0 on opening weekend.
This has not been the summer many Newcastle United fans might have been expecting. Following the takeover, there was talk about Kylian Mbappe and Neymar; while that was very clearly an exaggeration, targets like Lucas Paqueta and Alexander Isak were seen as sensible links.
However, following the arrival of Nick Pope and Sven Botman, both to shore up their defense, there has been a lull. It is clear that attacking reinforcements are needed, with Leicester City’s James Maddison the recent player to attract interest.
Two teams with much anticipation for the season ahead, I’ll take both teams to score.
Brighton vs. Newcastle: Both Teams to score @ -110
Another EFL prediction, but this time in a game with much more at stake. There was a vulnerability about Chelsea as they faced Everton. Nevertheless, Thomas Tuchel watched his side come through by a 1-0 scoreline, Jorginho scoring the only goal of the game from the penalty spot.
Despite making a slow start against Southampton last weekend, Spurs responded by netting four times without either of Son Heung-min or Harry Kane getting on the scoresheet. While Conte will take a certain level of satisfaction out of that, he will acknowledge internally that a game of this magnitude will test the credentials of his players.
Spurs head into this contest having lost five successive games against Chelsea and failed to defeat their rivals in the Premier League since 2018. However, I’m all aboard the Tottenham train, and can see them bucking that trend here.
Chelsea vs. Tottenham Hotspur: Tottenham Hotspur to win @ +225
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- You must use the free bets within seven days of being awarded, otherwise, they will expire. | https://nypost.com/2022/08/13/caesars-sportsbook-promo-code-npbonus15-land-1500-risk-free-bet-this-weekend/ | 2022-08-13T15:59:18Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/08/13/caesars-sportsbook-promo-code-npbonus15-land-1500-risk-free-bet-this-weekend/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Philadelphia public school students, teachers and administrators will have to wear masks for the first 10 days of the school year.
Pre-kindergarten pupils aged 3 to 5 will have to mask up all year, according to a letter to parents Friday from the School District of Philadelphia, Fox News reported.
The letter cites the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in stating that when COVID-19 community transmission is high, students and staffers must wear masks. When the threat level is medium, masking is “strongly recommended.”
The district also has a “mask to stay” program that calls for students and staff who have been exposed to COVID-19 to remain in school, but mask up for 10 days.
Dr. Marc Siegel, a professor of medicine at New York University Langone Medical Center, told Fox News there’s “no public health value” in making students and staff mask-up for the first 10 days of the school year.
“The whole thing is, mandates aren’t working at all. So, you know, they just obscure the question about whether there’s any public health value in actually doing any of this.
He acknowledged, however, that there are some benefits to masks.
“I mean, I think if you’re at a high risk, there is,” he said. “So if I was in an area with a lot of spread, and I was at high risk, I might choose to wear a mask indoors.
“But there’s no evidence that these mandates doing anything,” Siegel continued, adding, “mandates for 10 days are like a sign of hypocrisy.” | https://nypost.com/2022/08/13/philadelphia-school-district-mandates-masks-for-first-10-days-of-class/ | 2022-08-13T16:00:00Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/08/13/philadelphia-school-district-mandates-masks-for-first-10-days-of-class/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The suspect in the upstate stabbing of writer Salman Rushdie was charged with attempted murder and assault and is being held without bail, according to a news release from the Chautauqua County District Attorney.
Hadi Matar, 24, allegedly rushed the stage at the Chautauqua Institution Friday morning where Rushdie, 75, was beginning a lecture on freedom of expression.
“We have been in touch with our counterparts in the State of New Jersey where the attacker is from to share information and assist them in helping us to better understand the planning and preparation which preceded the attack so that we and the different agencies involved can determine what, if any, additional charges should be asserted,” the DA’s office said. “We will try to be as transparent as we can without compromising the case.”
But confusion reigned at the Chautauqua County Jail in the village of Mayville Saturday, where officials denied access to reporters from The Post and the Associated Press.
Matar was transferred to the jail from the New York State Police barracks in Jamestown after the attack. | https://nypost.com/2022/08/13/suspect-in-rushdie-stabbing-charged-with-second-degree-murder/ | 2022-08-13T16:00:06Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/08/13/suspect-in-rushdie-stabbing-charged-with-second-degree-murder/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention said Friday that several of the denomination's major entities are under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice in the wake of its multiple problems related to clergy sex abuse.
The SBC's Executive Committee has received a subpoena, but no individuals have been subpoenaed at this point, according to the committee's lawyers.
"This is an ongoing investigation and we are not commenting on our discussions with DOJ," they said.
The statement from SBC leaders — including Executive Committee members, seminary presidents and heads of mission organizations — gave few details about the investigation, but indicated it dealt with widespread sexual abuse problems that have rocked the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S.
"Individually and collectively each SBC entity is resolved to fully and completely cooperate with the investigation," the statement said. "While we continue to grieve and lament past mistakes related to sexual abuse, current leaders across the SBC have demonstrated a firm conviction to address those issues of the past and are implementing measures to ensure they are never repeated in the future."
There was no immediate comment from the Justice Department about the investigation.
Earlier this year, an SBC sex abuse task force released a blistering 288-page report from outside consultant, Guidepost Solutions. The firm's seven-month independent investigation found disturbing details about how denominational leaders mishandled sex abuse claims and mistreated victims.
The report focused specifically on how the SBC's Executive Committee responded to abuse cases, revealing that it had secretly maintained a list of clergy and other church workers accused of abuse. The committee later apologized and released the list, which had hundreds of accused workers on it.
A Guidepost spokesperson declined to comment on news of the DOJ probe.
Following the release of the Guidepost report, the SBC voted during its annual meeting in June to created a way to track pastors and other church workers credibly accused of sex abuse and launch a new task force to oversee further reforms. Earlier this week, SBC President Bart Barber, who also signed Friday's statement, announced the names of the Southern Baptist pastors and church members who will serve on the task force.
Southern Baptist sex abuse survivor Christa Brown, who has long called for the SBC to do more to address sex abuse across its churches, celebrated the news of the DOJ investigation.
"Hallelujah. It's about time," Brown said in a Friday post on Twitter. "This is what's needed."
Another survivor, Jules Woodson, went public with her abuse story in 2018 and has been pushing for reforms in the SBC ever since. On Friday, she reacted to the investigation news by tweeting, "May justice roll down!!!"
Oklahoma pastor Mike Keahbone, who serves on the Executive Committee and is the vice chair of the new abuse task force, said on Twitter that the investigation "is not something to fear ... If there is more work to do, we will do it."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.klcc.org/npr-news/2022-08-13/the-doj-is-investigating-southern-baptists-following-sexual-abuse-crisis | 2022-08-13T16:26:43Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-news/2022-08-13/the-doj-is-investigating-southern-baptists-following-sexual-abuse-crisis | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NEW YORK, Aug. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of SOL tokens ("SOL securities") between March 24, 2020 and the present, inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important September 6, 202 lead plaintiff deadline in the securities class action lawsuit against Solana Labs, Inc., the Solana Foundation, Anatoly Yakovenko, Multicoin Capital Management LLC, Kyle Samani, and FalconX LLC (together, "Defendants").
SO WHAT: If you purchased SOL securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.
WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the SOL class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=7539 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than September 6, 2022. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.
WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.
DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, Solana issues securities that are required to be, but are not, registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Throughout the Class Period, defendants promoted SOL securities (SOL tokens) and sold them to investors, who has suffered losses from purchasing SOL securities.
To join the SOL class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=7539 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.
No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
-------------------------------
Contact Information:
Laurence Rosen, Esq.
Phillip Kim, Esq.
The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
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SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A. | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/08/13/rosen-recognized-investor-counsel-encourages-solana-investors-with-losses-secure-counsel-before-important-deadline-securities-class-action-sol/ | 2022-08-13T16:38:47Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/08/13/rosen-recognized-investor-counsel-encourages-solana-investors-with-losses-secure-counsel-before-important-deadline-securities-class-action-sol/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Most evacuation orders were lifted late Friday night and the 215 Freeway was reopened in both directions after fire officials determined the hazardous, leaking contents of a railcar near Perris were no longer an imminent threat, authorities said.
Evacuation orders for just two homes and businesses west of the 215 Freeway remain in place, Cal Fire officials said, and the Harley Knox off-ramps are still closed.
Those who live in some 168 residences east of the freeway were allowed to return to their homes just before midnight, officials said. Businesses east of the freeway could reopen Saturday.
But Metrolink train service remains suspended through Sunday between the Perris South and Downtown Riverside stations, Metrolink officials said, adding that no alternate service would be provided.
#OleanderIC cont. The Evacuation ORDERS east of Interstate 215 have been lifted and the Evacuation WARNING has been lifted in it's entirety.
The Evacuation ORDER for the area west of I215 remains in place and the Care and Reception site at Pinnate Middle School,Perris is open. pic.twitter.com/No6lFmbDT8
— CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department (@CALFIRERRU) August 13, 2022
The temperature of the rail car, which at one point was as high as 323 degrees, was down to 265 degrees, Cal Fire Capt. Richard Cordova said Saturday morning.
“We found there was a cooling mechanism on that train,” Cordova said. “We hooked some hoses to it and that’s how we’ve been able to cool down the rail car.”
He said the hazmat team was putting a plan together to turn over the rail car to the property owner and cleanup crew. He also said firefighters plan to work with the company to draft a document so crews can prepare themselves the next time a leak occurs.
“We were in the unknown on how to work this,” Cordova said. On Friday, Cal Fire Division Chief John Crater said the crews found themselves in “uncharted territory.”
Investigators were still probing the cause of the leak Saturday morning.
Firefighters responded to the railcar, near Oleander and Harvill avenues, after Cal Fire received calls of a large plume of smoke coming from the area, Cal Fire Division Chief John Crater said Friday morning.
A Hazmat team was sent out after firefighters noticed a leak toward the top of the rail car, Crater said. It was later determined the chemical inside was styrene, which is used to make foam products.
There was an estimated 138,000 pounds of the chemical inside the car, Cordova said.
The contents inside the insulated rail car reached 323 degrees at one point, but the temperature had started to come back down as of Friday morning. It wasn’t known what the temperature was as of Saturday morning.
Crater, while talking with experts, learned there was a possibility of an explosion and officials evacuated everyone within a half-mile radius, which included 170 homes. Evacuation warnings were later placed for the immediate area surrounding the half-mile radius.
They also shut down the 215 Freeway between the Ramona Expressway to the south and Cactus Avenue to the north, which brought traffic to a crawl as officials diverted drivers to side streets.
The freeway reopening and the lifting of most evacuation orders came around 11:45 p.m. Friday night.
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We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. We reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/08/13/some-evacuation-orders-lifted-215-freeway-reopened-as-officials-deem-leaking-rail-car-not-imminent-threat/ | 2022-08-13T16:42:43Z | pasadenastarnews.com | control | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/08/13/some-evacuation-orders-lifted-215-freeway-reopened-as-officials-deem-leaking-rail-car-not-imminent-threat/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
“It’s not going to bring my mom back.” This is what Terryln Hall said to Alabama authorities as she asked them to spare the life of Joe Nathan James Jr., the man responsible for murdering her mother. Despite this, on July 28, Alabama authorities ignored Hall’s wishes and carried out the execution. Alabama’s Attorney General Steve Marshal justified the execution, arguing he must “ensure that justice is done for the people of Alabama.”
Sadly, many prosecutors and officials pursue harsh sentences, even death, against the wishes of the victims in a case. Our criminal justice system seeks to balance the needs of our communities, victims and even offenders in an effort to serve the public’s interest and work for the people. That means keeping our neighborhoods safe, holding individuals accountable in a manner that is fair and equitable and using taxpayer resources judiciously.
Victims’ voices must be centered in advocacy in the name of the people. However, far too often, the wishes of victims have been reduced to only those seeking revenge for their pain while disregarding those seeking redemption and healing Victims have a range of opinions about punishment, but nearly all agree, what they most want is to be safe and protect others.
Across the country, every attempt to recall or challenge a modern prosecutor includes a common theme and tactic: A handful of victims are pushed front and center to criticize data-driven policies that reduce our reliance on mass incarceration. We most often hear from victims in the aftermath of a tragedy who decry these policies as unjust, unsafe and unwanted by the victim community.
So are policies like those pursued by District Attorney George Gascón serving the public interest and centering victims’ voices? Or do victims prefer and is Los Angeles better served by the approach favored by those seeking to recall him?
Surveys show that victims of violent crime in Los Angeles support policies like Gascón’s that promote rehabilitation and prevention over longer periods of incarceration by a margin of 2 to 1. Gascón’s policies also serve the broader public interest as they are shown to reduce recidivism, which means reductions in future offending, victimization and taxpayer spending.
There are indeed victims who want the maximum sentence imposed, but the suggestion that this is the desire of most victims ignores the truth. Victims want to ensure they are safe and that no one else will have to experience the same thing. That’s why, when asked, most victims want support for things ranging from medical bills and therapy to home security systems that give them a sense of safety rather than a longer period of incarceration.
Unfortunately, our wasteful spending on incarceration has deprived victims of the resources they want and deserve. State spending on victim services represents about 1% of what California spends on the prison system. A recent survey of 711 victims of crime conducted by the Prosecutors Alliance found that nearly 40% of victims were never offered support to recover from the crime. .
In cases where an arrest is made and a case is filed, victims’ opinions on sentencing varies. As you can imagine, in the immediate aftermath of a trauma wherein someone loses a loved one, victims often do want the maximum sentence imposed. Often, however, the desire to see the harshest penalties imposed wanes as victims make their journey from victim to survivor. Years after a tragedy, most victims simply don’t want someone else to go through what they experienced.
It’s a sentiment reflected in the research, which shows that six in 10 victims prefer shorter prison sentences and increased spending on prevention and rehabilitation. In addition, victims prefer that the criminal justice system focus more on rehabilitating people who commit crimes than punishing them by a two-to-one margin.
Powerful special interests like police unions and the prison guard lobby are spending millions of dollars to lift up only the voices of victims who back harsh sentencing policies. After all, to enforce these policies we need more police officers, more prison guards and more prison cells. However, with the majority of the victim community seeking other interventions, making policy based on those who are most visible and vocal is not advocacy for the people, let alone victims of crime.
The Prosecutors Alliance and our members are working to ensure victim support and healing is at the center of our work. This year, in conjunction with our partners, we successfully secured over $77 million to support victims of crime. The funds include $50 million in direct assistance for survivors, $23 million to expand Trauma Recovery Centers statewide, and $7 million to reimburse survivors for expenses ranging from funeral costs to relocation. Modern prosecutors know the value of healing and the safety it brings to communities.
It’s time to give greater meaning to supporting victims of crime, and prosecutors like George Gascón are heeding that call by implementing policies that serve our victim community and the public interest alike.
Cristine DeBerry is the founder and executive director of the Prosecutors Alliance of California.
Join the Conversation
We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. We reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/08/13/what-do-crime-victims-in-california-want-and-need/ | 2022-08-13T16:42:50Z | pasadenastarnews.com | control | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/08/13/what-do-crime-victims-in-california-want-and-need/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Val McDermid is now recognized as “the Queen of Crime”. She has deservedly won a devoted readership and – which is more difficult – kept it too. 1989 is the second book in a projected five-novel sequence, starring the investigative reporter Allie Burns. The first was 1979. The next, one presumes, will be 1999.
1989 begins with Allie at the Memorial Service for the victims of the Lockerbie bombing. But this is misleading, for this is not to be another investigation of that terrorist horror. Her being there serves only to introduce us to her boss, the bullying megalomaniacal newspaper proprietor Wallace (Ace) Lockhart. Lockhart is clearly based on Robert Maxwell, though he is given only one child, a daughter called Genevieve. Like Maxwell, Lockhart has political and commercial involvement with the Soviet block countries. His attempt to use Genevieve, head of his scientific book publishing firm, to ingratiate himself with idealistic dissidents as the Soviet Empire crumbles, is at the heart of the novel, providing its most dramatic scenes.
Allie’s investigations are mostly concerned with the treatment or lack of treatment for people with HIV and AIDS. It is her investigation into callous and immoral experiments by Big Pharma that takes Allie to Berlin, where she runs into real danger thanks to her selfless commitment to the truth or, if you prefer, her rashness and conceit. She is quick to question others, but not herself. Still, if Lockhart and his sidekicks do the dirty on her, she has many admiring friends and is settled in her home life with her beloved and loving partner Rona .
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There is a great deal to enjoy in this novel. If the villains are a bit too obvious and their relations with Allie too predictable, McDermid remains a masterly setter of a scene and developer of a storyline. There is an agreeable warmth to much of the book, and the evocation of the world of journalism and politics of the late 20th century is convincing. Many younger readers may find it remarkable: can things really have been that bad then, society so narrow and intolerant? Well, yes, indeed it was often much as McDermid describes, and if those of us who lived through these days look back on them sometimes with nostalgia, McDermid shows there is cause for shame too. One of the intentions of this sequence-in-progress is, one assumes, to chart social, political and moral change over the decades. Quite rightly too, the characters she approves of are already alert to the threat of climate change. Here she isn’t – whatever the young many think – being wise after the event. Some were already singing that song in the 80s, though fewer were listening then.
Yet, sadly, this isn’t one of McDermid’s best books. It is very long and very slow. There is scarcely any tension because the distinction between good and bad characters is too clear, too blatant. Unlike, for instance, William McIlvanney’s Laidlaw, Allie and her partner Rona never doubt their own virtue. There is no dark side to them as, to make another comparison with Scottish crime fiction, there is in Ian Rankin’s Rebus.
All this helps to make 1989 a comforting book, one that will be deeply enjoyed, but also one that will disturb nobody, as the best crime fiction does. As a social historical record it’s good and no doubt gives a fair picture of the time that was. But there is also a touch of complacency here too. Look, McDermid seems to say, at how much better we are today than we were then. Fair enough perhaps; as a social novel this will surely flatter many readers’ self-esteem.
As a crime novel, there is much to please, but, though it is agreeable and an entertaining enough read, it lacks tension, because the bad guys never surprise and have no depth. It never disturbs and never sparkles as her series with Dr Tony Hill and DCI Jordan did – partly, no doubt, because that couple were more mixed-up and on-the-edge than Allie and Rona are.
1989, by Val McDermid, Little, Brown, 416pp, £20. Val McDermid is appearing at the Edinburgh International Book Festival on 25 an 27 August. | https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/books/book-review-1989-by-val-mcdermid-3802872 | 2022-08-13T16:44:05Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/books/book-review-1989-by-val-mcdermid-3802872 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
If you want to know what it’s like to be a translator, you don’t even need to be fluent in a different language. Instead, pick up Daniel Hahn’s Catching Fire, a diary he wrote while translating Chilean writer Diamela Eltit’s novel Never Did the Fire, published alongside it by Edinburgh-based Charco Press. Or go along to one of his events at this year’s book festival, where he will be appearing more than any other writer.
The first requirement is to be a close reader – to be able to see what the writer is getting at beyond mere words. Hahn will be putting that skill to use on Tuesday, when he will lead a discussion of Geetanjali Shree’s Tomb of Sand, which in May became the first Hindi novel to win the International Booker Prize. (Shree herself will be appearing at the festival on 20 August, alongside her American translator Daisy Rockwell.)
The second requirement is even harder: having sifted through the film of words for meaning in one language, to find that same meaning in another. “I’ll give you an example,” says Hahn. “Suppose two characters are sitting in a cafe and one makes a comment about the weather which the other mishears as a slur on the waitress. The two words might sound similar in Spanish but how do you find something in English that stays true to it? That’s the sort of thing I’ll be looking at in the workshop on translation.”
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Usually, translators’ dilemmas are either left uncommented on in the text or mentioned in footnotes (one of Hahn’s pet hates) or as an afterword. What’s different about Catching Fire is that he wrote it as he was translating Eltit’s novel rather than afterwards.
“Lots of translators have written about translating in various formats – abstractly, biographically or academically – but I don’t think anyone else has done it like this,” he says. “Because I wanted to get at the truth of the process, the diary is full of my own doubts and uncertainties. An afterword is always written with hindsight, but for me this was a more truthful representation of the work. In a strange way, it feels like a very useful thing to have done. I hope it will demystify the process of translation.”
That aim is central to all of Hahn’s events, but arguably none more so than the two free ones with Sarah Ardizzone, in which they take a French children’s picture book and, over the course of the festival’s last weekend, get festival visitors of all ages to translate it into English. “Whether you have French or not doesn’t matter: it’s all about guessing the words from the expressions on the characters’ faces. It’s immense fun.”
When you do know the language, though – Hahn’s are Portuguese, Spanish and “basic A-Level French” – the challenges pile up. An example he likes to cite is Anthea Bell’s translation of the first Asterix books. “All the characters’ names are plays on words and the Gauls’ male names end in -ix, so Asterix’s dog, who has a terrier-like determination, and never lets go once he gets hold of a Roman’s tunic, is Idefix, from the French idée fixe. How do you translate that? Bell came up with Dogmatix, which is perfect.”
With many translators, the bigger a book’s challenge, the greater its appeal. In Hahn’s final festival event, he will appear alongside Venezuelan writer Roberto Blanco Calderón, whose novel The Night is stuffed full of anagrams and palindromes and which Hahn translated with a friend. “On the one hand that’s a nightmare to translate, but it’s lots of fun,” he says. “I have a theory that translators are naturally drawn to difficulty. They might say, ‘Oh, that sounds appalling!’, but then you see a little gleam in their eye, as if they’re thinking, ‘Oh, I wish I had one of those!’”
Daniel Hahn will be talking about Catching Fire (14 August, 12.15pm), leading close read discussions on Asterix (14 August, 5pm) and Geetanjali Shree’s Tomb of Sand (16 August, 1pm), hosting a workshop on translation (15 August, 5pm), joining Sarah Ardizzone in the Spectacular Translation Machine (free, 27 and 28 August, 10.30am-2.45pm ) and appearing with Roberto Blanco Calderón (29 August, 8.15pm) | https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/edinburgh-festivals/edinburgh-international-book-festival-interview-daniel-hahn-on-the-magic-of-asterix-and-the-art-of-translation-3804100 | 2022-08-13T16:44:59Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/edinburgh-festivals/edinburgh-international-book-festival-interview-daniel-hahn-on-the-magic-of-asterix-and-the-art-of-translation-3804100 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Scottish Forestry has signed a three-year deal with Associated British Ports (ABP) for the TimberLink service to move the commodity from Argyll using ports at Ardrishaig, Campbeltown and Sandbank to ABP’s Troon and Ayr harbours, to be forwarded to wood-processing plants in Troon, Auchinleck, Girvan and Irvine.
The two parties say that over the next three years, around 225,000 tonnes of timber will be shipped this way instead of using lorries, which should save around 2.2 million lorry miles, and eliminate nearly 4,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.
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The move is also predicted to result in 9,750 fewer lorry trips via the A82 trunk road, which passes the Rest & Be Thankful and Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park area.
Stuart Cresswell, ABP’s port manager of Ayr and Troon, said: “The TimberLink operation out of the ports of Ayr and Troon is a real success story and I am delighted that this forward-thinking service will continue. The sea route not only reduces lorry traffic on rural roads, but also uses less fuel and produces fewer greenhouse gases.
“This project has created many growth opportunities for local businesses, both in Argyll and Ayrshire, and I feel confident that they will only strengthen and multiply with this continued operation.”
ABP says it has operated the service on behalf of Scottish Forestry since 2000, with funding made through the Strategic Timber Transport Fund, which is run by Scottish Forestry and jointly financed by Transport Scotland.
Scottish Environment Minister Mairi McAllan said Scotland’s forestry sector boosts the economy by more than £1 billion a year and supports around 25,000 jobs.
“We want to help grow this prosperity ensuring that we have a sustainable timber transport resource to help achieve this. Where practical, I am keen to see a modal shift to coastal shipping and away from using rural roads, helping to decarbonise the forestry sector,” she added.
"I’m also pleased that this project substantially reduces the number of timber lorries having to use the A82, which is a key route used by rural communities.” | https://www.scotsman.com/business/eco-friendly-west-coast-tie-up-taking-timber-transit-off-roads-and-onto-sea-3804015 | 2022-08-13T16:45:58Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/business/eco-friendly-west-coast-tie-up-taking-timber-transit-off-roads-and-onto-sea-3804015 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The site in Finnieston has been owned by Federated Hermes since 2018, and spans 560,000 square feet comprising six buildings, housing 30 businesses across the likes of light manufacturing, retail and leisure.
The firm says that following completion of refurbishment in Skypark buildings 1, 2 and 3, prime office space from 3,664 sq ft to 10,500 sq ft is now available to let, with managed office space from 1,032 sq ft available to let immediately.
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Stephen Ellis, senior investment manager at Pennsylvania-headquartered Federated Hermes, welcomed JLL being hired, adding: "The agency’s involvement will enable us to continue to attract high-calibre occupants and build on the existing success of Skypark.”
Skypark’s strategic lettings advisor Angela Higgins of Resonance Capital commented: “JLL’s appointment to our agency team increases our reach to occupiers who are looking for high-quality, flexible and brilliantly located office space in Glasgow.
“As one of the UK’s top business cities, it has a workforce of one million and the second-highest number of students in higher education outside of London… we will ensure that Skypark will play a part in continuing to attract occupiers at all levels to Glasgow.”
Alex Mackay, director of national office agency at JLL, said: “The energetic community is one of the iconic hallmarks of Skypark… this is now more important to occupiers than ever before and we are looking forward to adding to Skypark’s success.” | https://www.scotsman.com/business/property-advisor-jll-signed-up-as-joint-letting-agent-at-glasgow-business-hub-skypark-3803326 | 2022-08-13T16:46:44Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/business/property-advisor-jll-signed-up-as-joint-letting-agent-at-glasgow-business-hub-skypark-3803326 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Fiercely independent, love a ‘16 hour snooze’ and adored by households the world over – cats are a majestic animals.
And as many owners have attested over the years, once you have been in the company of these gorgeous creatures, it’s easy to become quite obsessed!
It is reported that the average cat owner actually own a minimum of two cats – though we are sure you may know some with many more.
And while it is indeed true – all cats are beautiful – if you’re looking for a bigger cat that you can snuggle into, there are plenty available to adopt that will suit yours – and their - needs.
So, if you are looking to add a new furry friend to your household, these are reported largest breeds of cat worldwide, that are bold and beautiful.
*While cat breeds do share similar traits, we advise each cat do have their own personality and individual needs, which is of primary importance when taking a cat into your home. Please be aware of this if adopting a cat. | https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/family-and-parenting/big-cuddly-cat-breeds-10-breeds-of-the-largest-adorable-cats-featuring-the-loving-and-affectionate-scottish-fold-3740296 | 2022-08-13T16:47:42Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/family-and-parenting/big-cuddly-cat-breeds-10-breeds-of-the-largest-adorable-cats-featuring-the-loving-and-affectionate-scottish-fold-3740296 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
With a forecast that indicates another heat wave is on the way, our friends at PetSafe have helped us put together some expert tips for owners of Scotland's 785,000 cats on how to help them stay hydrated and healthy as temperatures soar.
While a nice summers day is definitely welcome in Scotland – it makes a change from the rain! – we can all ensure that our furry four-legged friends don’t get too warm and are able to cope when the temperatures go up a notch this August.
Does your house have a gorgeous kitty cat that needs to be kept cool in the summer heat? Then read these 9 experts tips which are sure to help.
1. Let the tap drip
If your cat likes to drink out of a dripping tap, leave one on for her. Cats are really sensitive to the taste of water. Most prefer it to be fresh and moving because it's easier for them to find and hear than still water. It’s also more refreshing and tastes better than water that has been sitting in a bowl.
Photo: Getty Images/Canva Pro
2. Add moisture to their food
Kibble provides very little moisture, so introducing wet food is a really easy way to improve your cat’s hydration. Every time you add some – whether that’s water or a broth, toppers, mixer, or even a creamy treat - you’re improving her health and they’re a great way to smooth the transition from dry food.
Photo: Getty Images/Canva Pro
3. Try some different bowls
In order to get your cat drinking more, try out different bowls. Alternatively, have them all out at the same time and see which one they enjoys drinking out of most.
Photo: Getty Images/Canva Pro
4. Give them treats - iced
Are they unable to resist a Dreamie, or similar treat? Put them in ice and feed it to them - they will help them keep cool.
Photo: Getty Images/Canva Pro | https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/family-and-parenting/keeping-cats-cool-in-hot-weather-9-tips-to-help-your-cute-cat-stay-cool-in-the-sun-3800486 | 2022-08-13T16:48:24Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/family-and-parenting/keeping-cats-cool-in-hot-weather-9-tips-to-help-your-cute-cat-stay-cool-in-the-sun-3800486 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The last two years have seen many of us welcome a new four-legged friend into our homes, as the Kennel Club saw dog ownership rise by nearly eight per cent over the global pandemic.
But with 221 different breeds of pedigree dog to choose from, there’s plenty of thinking to do before you select your perfect pup.
Those with active lifestyles might want to consider a larger dog, while somebody with allergies will be looking for a hypoallergenic dog.
There’s even academic guidance to seek out, with Psychologist Stanley Coren’s book ‘The Intelligence of Dogs’ ranking breeds by instincts, obedience, and the ability to adapt.
One dog that often appears at the top of people’s canine wishlists is the Shih Tzu – they are one of the UK’s most popular breeds and have a range of positive attributes that make them a great family pet.
Here are 10 fun and interesting facts about the Shih-Tzu.
Read more: | https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/family-and-parenting/shih-tzu-facts-these-are-10-fascinating-bits-of-dog-trivia-you-really-should-know-about-the-popular-shih-tzu-3423058 | 2022-08-13T16:48:49Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/family-and-parenting/shih-tzu-facts-these-are-10-fascinating-bits-of-dog-trivia-you-really-should-know-about-the-popular-shih-tzu-3423058 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Record-breaking heatwaves that will lead to the deaths of thousands of people should not be painted as rosy pictures, as if everything is well, particularly given we know they are going to get hotter and more frequent.
For a vision of the future for children in the UK, as global warming or ‘global heating’ as some now call it gathers pace, we can look to France, where nearly 150,000 acres of land have gone up in flames this year, six times the recent average.
In Gironde, the mayor of Hostens, Jean-Louis Dartiailh, said the last few weeks had been a disaster. “The area is totally disfigured. We're heartbroken, we're exhausted... [this latest fire] is the final straw,” he told Radio Classique.
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As France’s weary firefighters continued to battle the flames, including a fire one described as “an ogre... a monster”, at least seven countries from across Europe – from Sweden in the north to Greece in the south – sent reinforcements to help fight the common foe. “Our partners are coming to France's aid against the fires. Thank you to them. European solidarity is at work!” said French President Emmanuel Macron.
But, at some point in the future, unless we take urgent action, such help may well dry up with each country having its own conflagrations to fight.
The fires of climate change are growing and heading north to burn forests and farms unused to such hot and dry conditions. And the 41 homes that burned in London last month, on the “busiest day for firefighters since the Second World War”, will not be the last.
In normal conditions, burned forests regrow, reabsorbing the carbon lost in the smoke, but repeated fires eventually stop this process of regeneration, turning woodland into scrub and creating another source of greenhouse gas emissions. There are already signs this is happening in California, and fears for the vast northern boreal forests of Canada, Russia and Alaska.
In a way, we all need to be firefighters now, doing everything we can to stop the over-heating of the planet. Otherwise, one day, that will not be a metaphor. | https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/climate-change-frances-monstrous-wildfires-show-why-heatwaves-are-no-longer-a-cause-for-celebration-scotsman-comment-3802779 | 2022-08-13T16:50:13Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/climate-change-frances-monstrous-wildfires-show-why-heatwaves-are-no-longer-a-cause-for-celebration-scotsman-comment-3802779 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
With more than 2.6 million dwellings in the country and a pressing need to encourage people to switch from fossil-fuel powered vehicles to electric, much more simply must be done.
Transport minister Jenny Gilruth said that the decision would “help future-proof Scotland’s buildings as we transition to a net-zero transport system”. And that is true, it will “help”.
And it is also true that it will, as she said, support “our ambition of phasing out the need for new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030” – the same target as planned by the UK Government.
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But Scotland needs to dramatically up its game if there is to be any chance at all of meeting that deadline, just eight years away.
The need for charging points at the roadside in our cities is particularly pressing, given that drivers’ understandable anxiety about becoming stranded with a flat battery is one of the factors discouraging some from making the switch.
The Scottish Government also needs to make sure that it is not caught unawares by a sudden shift in the market.
With petrol and diesel cars on their way out, their resale value may at some point plummet, prompting a flood of proud new EV owners.
However, if they find themselves competing for a limited number of charging points, ministers will doubtless find themselves subjected to a whole new kind of road rage. | https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/electric-vehicles-scotland-needs-to-up-its-game-on-charging-points-scotsman-comment-3802808 | 2022-08-13T16:50:26Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/electric-vehicles-scotland-needs-to-up-its-game-on-charging-points-scotsman-comment-3802808 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The notices of action were served to Aberdeenshire, Clackmannanshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire, Stirling and South Lanarkshire councils for the first wave of strike action to take place on August 26, 27, 28 and 29 and September 7, 8, 9, and 10.
These strike dates are part of a wider co-ordinated plan of industrial action by the three trade unions across local government following the recent conclusion of successful industrial action ballots. The dates that UNISON members in waste and recycling will walk out are the same as those chosen by the GMB for the same groups of workers. UNISON will provide strike dates for schools and early years workers in due course.
The move comes on the day that COSLA Leaders meet to discuss the pay for local government workers again following additional funding provided by the Scottish Government.
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Johanna Baxter, UNISON Scotland head of local government said: “This is the first wave of strike action which will only escalate if a significantly improved pay offer is not forthcoming. Strike dates for schools and early years workers will be confirmed in the coming days.
“The responsibility for this action lies squarely with the Scottish Government and COSLA, neither of whom seem to have grasped the gravity of this situation. Inflation is projected to be as high as 13%, the cost of living crises is hitting people's pockets now and yet local government workers still only have a 2% offer on the table, the lowest offer in the public sector. They have had months to sort this out but all we seem to get is dither and delay.
“Our understanding is that the money provided by the Scottish Government is half of what COSLA asked for and goes nowhere near matching the pay offer provided to council workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. If this is true then the Scottish Government and COSLA need to get back round the table and come up with a better plan or services will stop. The last thing UNISON members want is a strike but they have simply been left with no other option.” | https://www.scotsman.com/news/people/unison-confirm-strike-dates-for-waste-workers-in-aberdeenshire-3803408 | 2022-08-13T16:53:40Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/news/people/unison-confirm-strike-dates-for-waste-workers-in-aberdeenshire-3803408 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Mr Ross said he had a heated telephone call with the Prime Minister when he told him to quit in January over the Downing Street partygate scandal.
The Scottish Tory leader later U-turned on the position but voted against Mr Johnson in a confidence vote in June.
Mr Ross was asked about the issue during an Edinburgh Fringe event with the broadcaster Iain Dale, where he appeared on stage with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar.
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He said he had called Mr Johnson straight after Prime Minister’s Questions in Westminster.
Mr Ross said: “Because I was one of the first more senior members to call for the Prime Minister to resign, he was not particularly pleased about that.
"I think we saw from the reaction of his strongest supporters, they didn’t want it to be seen that me calling for the Prime Minister to go didn’t come with any baggage, didn’t attract any criticism of me.
"And then we had an incidence with Jacob Rees-Mogg and others, going out to defend the Prime Minister and highlighting those who dared to speak against him.”
Mr Rees-Mogg called Mr Ross a “lightweight” politician during broadcast interviews.
Asked how Mr Johnson reacted during the phone call, and whether he was “genuinely angry”, Mr Ross said: “I would say, yeah, he was angry.
"One of his MPs was saying they no longer had confidence in him. I think it would be a difficult conversation to have for any party leader with your MPs telling you that.
"Particularly when you’re Prime Minister. That ratchets it up a notch, when you’re not only just saying you think you’re unsuitable to lead the party, but to lead the country.”
Asked if Mr Johnson used any “rude Latin words”, Mr Ross said: “They were rude, they weren’t necessarily Latin from what I remember.”
The Scottish Tory leader said he always tried to “dampen” down such confrontations.
He said: “I referee football as well, and you can’t react. I’d love to react to some of the players that run up to me and swear at me and say things and that, but you just have to remain calm.
"And I think actually it undermines them – them as in politicians or players – getting overly aggressive and swearing at you. You kind of take the moral high ground.
"In the same way I think when Jacob Rees-Mogg made those comments, I said he’s entitled to that view.
"I disagree with it. I’ve never said anything about Jacob Rees-Mogg – I don’t think we’ve actually ever spoken before in the five years I’ve been in the House of Commons.”
He added: “For someone who prides himself on being very courteous to colleagues, it was a surprise.
"And I think it potentially backfired, because a number of colleagues who still supported the Prime Minister thought Jacob had gone a bit far with that.
"But for me, it’s water off a duck’s back.”
Elsewhere, Mr Ross said the Tories and Labour “have to seriously look” at an electoral pact ahead of the next general election.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said the SNP will fight the election as a “de facto referendum” if a second independence vote is blocked next year.
Mr Sarwar dismissed the prospect, insisting it was a tactic “that is about keeping the Conservatives in second place” in Holyrood. | https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/douglas-ross-angry-boris-johnson-used-rude-words-when-i-called-for-him-to-resign-3804214 | 2022-08-13T16:54:06Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/douglas-ross-angry-boris-johnson-used-rude-words-when-i-called-for-him-to-resign-3804214 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Mr Garland cited the "substantial public interest in this matter" in announcing the request at a hastily scheduled Justice Department news conference.
Mr Garland also said that he personally approved the search warrant, which was part of an ongoing Justice Department investigation into the discovery of classified White House records recovered from Mr Trump's Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach earlier this year.
It was not immediately clear if and when the unsealing request, filed in federal court in Miami, might be granted or when the documents could be released.
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Mr Garland also cited the fact that Mr Trump himself had provided the first public confirmation of the FBI search, and the attorney general said that disclosing information about it now would not harm the court's functions.
The attorney general condemned verbal attacks on FBI and Justice Department personnel over the search.
"I will not stand by silently when their integrity is unfairly attacked," he said, calling them "dedicated, patriotic public servants".
It comes after an armed man who approached the visitor screening area at the FBI's Cincinnati office last night, fled when confronted by agents and later exchanged gunfire with police.
After fleeing the FBI office, the man was chased onto an interstate, which was then closed in both directions. The man, wearing body armour, exchanged gunfire with police, according to the Clinton County Emergency Management Agency. | https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/mar-a-lago-raids-bid-to-unseal-fbi-search-warrant-for-donald-trumps-home-3802955 | 2022-08-13T16:54:25Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/mar-a-lago-raids-bid-to-unseal-fbi-search-warrant-for-donald-trumps-home-3802955 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Warnings are in place over the health impacts of extreme heat and the risk of wildfires, as temperatures are expected to climb as high as 36C in some areas.
The National Drought Group – made up of Government and agency officials, water companies and other groups such as the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) – is set to meet on Friday to discuss the prolonged dry weather.
There are expectations drought could be declared for the most affected areas of England in the south and east, after the driest July on record for some areas and the driest first half of the year since 1976.
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The ongoing dry conditions, combined with last month’s record-breaking heatwave, have depleted rivers, reservoirs and aquifers and dried up soils, hitting agriculture, water supplies and wildlife and raising the risk of wildfires.
Declaring drought will see the Environment Agency and water companies implementing more of their plans to manage the impacts of low water levels, which can include actions such as hosepipe bans.
Four water companies in England and Wales have already brought in hosepipe bans or have signalled their intention to do so, while the Wildlife Trusts have called for an England-wide hosepipe ban to protect nature and rivers.
Meanwhile, a four-day amber warning for extreme heat from the Met Office is in place for much of England and Wales until Sunday, with warnings of health impacts and disruption to travel.
There is also a heat health alert in place from the UK Health Security Agency, with experts advising people to look out for those who are older or with existing health conditions, as well as young children.
Temperatures reached 34.2C at Wiggonholt, West Sussex, on Thursday afternoon, and climbed above 33C in a number of places from Shropshire to the south east of England.
Heatwave thresholds – which are met at different temperatures in different parts of the country – are likely to be hit in much of the UK.
Met Office chief meteorologist Andy Page said: “Persistent high pressure over the UK means temperatures have been rising day-on-day through this week and it is important people plan for the heat.
“Temperatures are expected to peak at 35C on Friday and possibly 36C over the weekend.
He said temperatures would drop early next week, with heavy showers and thunderstorms likely in some areas.
Temperatures in Scotland are expected to continue rising over the weekend and early into next week. | https://www.scotsman.com/news/weather/drought-expected-to-be-declared-for-parts-of-england-as-heatwave-scorches-uk-3802846 | 2022-08-13T16:54:52Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/news/weather/drought-expected-to-be-declared-for-parts-of-england-as-heatwave-scorches-uk-3802846 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The soaring mercury means Scotland will officially meet the criteria of a ‘heatwave’ when temperatures exceed 25C for three days in a row.
The timing for the nation’s school pupils could not be better, as perfect blue sky weather permits trips to the park or seaside before classes resume after the summer holidays next week.
August 12 also sees the traditional start of the grouse shooting season, impacted badly in the past two years due to Covid-19 restrictions.
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A spokesman for the Scottish Gamekeepers Association said: ”Compared to recent years, where estates have continued to invest, but not had the shooting, this is certainly going to be a better year.
“It would be wrong to say it’s a bumper year. In some estates, grouse stocks have returned sufficiently to produce shooting days.
“We are more than thankful to have international visitors back on Scottish moors this year.”
There are some signs of optimism in the weather forecast for the far north of Scotland, which has been labouring under cloud and rain for the majority of the week.
Wet conditions are likely to dissipate, with skies to brighten up for north western parts, like Lochaber and the Western Isles.
However, it is a case of wall-to-wall sunshine for most of Scotland away from the far east coast, which could be troubled with haar from the North Sea.
Met Office forecaster Alex Deakin said: “For the vast majority, further south, it is dry and it is clear.
“In the sunshine in the south west, we could get up to 28C, 29C or even 30C.”
As far as the weekend is concerned, Mr Deakin said cloud would continue to drift away from northern Scotland tomorrow, allowing more areas to share in the fine conditions.
He added: “For the vast majority, the day will again be dry, hot and sunny. The east coast may stay in the mid to high teens, but elsewhere, where we see the sunshine, temperatures will jump much higher to get into the mid-20ss in central and southern Scotland in the sunshine.”
An amber extreme heat warning is in place for many parts of England and Wales, where temperatures could hit the mid-30s today, tomorrow and Sunday.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is asking for people to be careful before entering wild water this weekend.
Rivers and lochs witnessed a spate of drownings last summer, when similarly-high temperatures were recorded and people flocked to cool off.
A SFRS spokesperson said: “We are expecting another period of high temperatures in Scotland and many people might be tempted by the water.
“Over the last year, a number of tragic incidents have served as a sad reminder that all of Scotland’s waterways can be dangerous at any time of year.
“Even on the warmest day, the open water can still be incredibly cold – falling or jumping into it can cause cold water shock which can be fatal.
“Anyone, of any skill and experience level can find themselves in difficulty and we would encourage everyone to educate themselves and those around them on how to stay safe in and around water.” | https://www.scotsman.com/news/weather/uk-heatwave-scotland-to-meet-heatwave-criteria-as-temperatures-could-hit-30c-3802765 | 2022-08-13T16:55:05Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/news/weather/uk-heatwave-scotland-to-meet-heatwave-criteria-as-temperatures-could-hit-30c-3802765 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Linda McCartney’s two vegetarian quarter pounder burgers are being recalled as they contain milk which isn’t mentioned on the label, which could lead to severe health risks.
The burgers are sold in some of the biggest supermarket chains in the UK such as Asda, Morrisons and Tesco.
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The product can be deemed a health risk to those who have an allergy or intolerance to milk.
The Food Standards Agency said: “Linda McCartney is recalling Linda McCartney 2 Vegetarian 1/4lb burgers because the product contains milk which is not mentioned on the label.
“This means the product is a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk constituents.”
The company has also issued a point-of-sale notice to its customers. These notices explain to customers why the product is being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the product.
On the Linda McCartney website, it gives a description of the burger’s, saying: “Seasoned vegetarian 1/4lb burgers made from a blend of rehydrated textured soya protein and onion”.
The batch codes of the items affected are 20922, 21022 and 21122 and can be found under the best before date which is January 2024.
The affected products best before date is January 2024 and the pack size is 227g.
A statement from the company, founded by the late wife of the Beatles star Paul McCartney, said: “Please do not consume this product if you have an allergy to milk.
“Return the product to the store of purchase for a full refund. No receipt is required.”
What do I do if I have the product?
If you have the product, and would be ill if consumed, the FSA says: “If you have bought the above product and have an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk constituents do not eat it. “
“Instead, return it to the store from where it was bought for a full refund. Consumers can also contact Linda McCartney Consumer Care on 0800 0014409.” | https://www.scotsman.com/read-this/asda-morrisons-and-tesco-recall-popular-vegetarian-burgers-amid-possible-health-risk-3803757 | 2022-08-13T16:55:25Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/read-this/asda-morrisons-and-tesco-recall-popular-vegetarian-burgers-amid-possible-health-risk-3803757 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The middle aisles at Aldi and Lidl can be a treasure trove for great bargains in all things from pet accessories to kitchen appliances.
Items such as pizza ovens, which are included in the middle of Lidl this week, would be ideal for the current hot summer we are experiencing. While the pasta machines at Aldi are always a fan favourite.
Getting your hands on the supermarket deals quickly is important as the items are often popular and sell fast so we’ve listed some of the highlights you can find online to purchase from Sunday August 14.
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Aldi Specialbuys
Kirkton House Pasta Machine
If you fancy making your own pasta, then the Kirkton House Pasta Machine will be the product for you.
Made out of Carbon Steel, Iron, and IBS, this pasta rolling machine is available for just £14.99.
Crofton 30cm Steel Wok
Staying in the kitchen with this Crofton Steel Wok which has a 4.9 litre capacity and is available for £24.99.
The Wok is made from Stainless Steel, Glass, and Aluminium and is heat resistant up to 220C.
Rectangular Food Storage 6 Pack
These food storage containers come in four sizes, Small (470ml), Medium (1000ml), Large (1500ml), and Extra Large (2000ml).
The items are also dishwasher safe.
For the full list of special buy items in Aldi, visit the Aldi website.
Middle of Lidl
Bushbeck Pizza Oven
Arguably the pick of the bunch from Lidl this week, this Bushbeck Pizza Oven is available for just £149.99.
It has a removable fire spit for easy cleaning and heat resistant handles.
Silvercrest Kitchen Air Fryer
This £29.99 Silvercrest Kitchen Air Fryer will revolutionise how you do your cooking.
The Air Fryer has a variable temperature from 80ºC to 200ºC and a 30 minute timer with automatic shut-off
Breville Iced Coffee Maker
An ideal purchase in the current hot weather, this Breville Iced Coffee Maker is available for £29.99.
Brewed to perfection, the machine quickly cools hot-brewed coffee over ice for a flavoursome drink that’s never watered down.
To browse all of the latest Middle of Lidl deals, visit the Lidl website.
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. | https://www.scotsman.com/read-this/whats-in-the-aldi-special-buys-and-lidl-middle-aisle-on-sunday-14-august-3804026 | 2022-08-13T16:55:44Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/read-this/whats-in-the-aldi-special-buys-and-lidl-middle-aisle-on-sunday-14-august-3804026 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Have you ever learned of something locally that you felt you should have known before? It does not happen often for me given my line of work as the publisher of the local newspaper, as I am exposed to all sorts of information on a regular basis. However, it did happen to me a couple of weeks ago.
A representative (Mike Rheault) from the Fergus Falls Fish & Game Club stopped by the Daily Journal office to discuss their upcoming steak dinner fundraiser set to be held on Aug. 18. For some reason I had never heard of this club or maybe I had but just assumed it was the game warden etc. Either way, I was amazed to find out that the club is over a 100 years old (founded in 1920). We normally see this with civic clubs like Rotary, Kiwanis and others but not usually with a local club dedicated to fish & game. When I think about it makes total sense for this club to not only be around for over a hundred years but for it to be thriving the way it does. You see, the club is a product of our environment and the good people who live here. It’s no secret that Otter Tail County has more lakes in it than any other county in the nation (over a thousand). This officially makes it an outdoorsman’s paradise. If you are having trouble finding a good place to fish or hunt in Otter Tail County then it’s your own fault. If you want to help preserve the fish and game opportunities in Otter Tail County you can do that by joining the Fergus Falls Fish & Game Club (only $10 to join/$15 for families). This club actually owns and maintains more than 1,100 acres offering opportunities to assist with the planting of food plots, weed control and similar activities such as maintaining a mile long lake nature walking trail and installing and maintaining blue bird, wood duck and mallard houses. I believe they also assist somewhat with fish stocking.
I was so impressed I joined the club because I love the outdoors and want to see it remain a viable resource for everyone. I know many people probably feel the same way, otherwise the club may not have been around for more than a 100 years.
Discuss the news on NABUR, a place to have local conversations The Neighborhood Alliance for Better Understanding and Respect ✔ A site just for our local community ✔ Focused on facts, not misinformation ✔ Free for everyone | https://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/opinion/ff-fish-game-club-is-over-a-100-years-old/article_2e7b1624-1a72-11ed-8771-5bf4566bdf69.html | 2022-08-13T16:56:46Z | fergusfallsjournal.com | control | https://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/opinion/ff-fish-game-club-is-over-a-100-years-old/article_2e7b1624-1a72-11ed-8771-5bf4566bdf69.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
On Aug. 6, we hiked up Hallaway Hill at Maplewood State Park, east of Pelican Rapids. This half-mile hike leads to a peak that provides 360-degree panoramic views of the park and neighboring Lake Lida.
The trail, starting from the parking lot adjacent to the public beach and picnic area, is relatedly easy and well maintained. The final portion is brief and fairly steep, but easily accessible by people of all ages.
A new alignment, in 2018, allows for a more gradual and sustainable route to the top of the hill. This is the most popular hiking trail in Maplewood State Park.
There are benches along the trail where hikers can take brief rest stops.
The elevation at Hallaway Hill in Maplewood State Park is 1,491 feet, compared to the elevation of 1,726 feet at Inspiration Peak, southeast of Battle Lake and west of Parkers Prairie.
Hikers start their journey to Inspiration Peak from the parking lot and adjoining picnic area. The trail, unlike Hallaway Hill, is basically one way up the hill with no meandering. There also are rest benches along this trail.
Author Sinclair Lewis, a native of Sauk Centre, visited Inspiration Peak many times. He cherished the peak for his times of personal reflection and meditation.
Fall, with cooler weather, is a great time to hike in the hills at both Maplewood State Park and Inspiration Peak. These hikes refresh the soul.
The final weeks of Pebble Lake swimming
We swam at 7:30 p.m., on Aug. 9, at Pebble Lake when temperatures still were 83 degrees in the Fergus Falls area. Not often, in light of shorter days and cooler evenings, does one get this opportunity in the month of August.
The reality is that, for the most part, the outdoor swimming season in Minnesota ends before Labor Day.
Kids splashing in the water and the aroma from hot dogs roasting on nearby grills during the summer months has been part of enjoyment at Pebble Lake for many decades. This was again true in the summer of 2022.
For many of us, swimming at Pebble Lake has been a summer tradition for many decades.
“More than 400 swimmers would be in the water at Pebble Lake during warm summer weekends in the 1950s and 1960s,” says former lifeguard Joe Edlund. “We had the best beach in west central Minnesota.”
Back then the swim area included two massive 90-foot L-shaped docks. The one to the east began in front of the old bath house and the one to the west began where swimmers came to the beach from the parking lot.
In those days, swimmers at Pebble Lake also enjoyed using the raft and deep-water diving towers. Each diving tower had two diving boards.
Olivia Newton-John visited town of Olivia
Olivia Newton-John, who died Aug. 8, is remembered by many people in southwestern Minnesota for her visit to the town of Olivia in 1978. The community of 2,565 is located south of Willmar.
The singing star came to Olivia shortly after the release of the hit movie, “Grease,” starring Newton-John and John Travolta.
Newton-John chartered a plane to Willmar, at her own expense, where Olivia officials met her and drove her to nearby Olivia where she was grand marshal in the town’s centennial parade. She didn’t even ask for an appearance fee.
The renowned singer and actress was charmed by a letter inviting her to Olivia, loved the name of the town and also loved the entire state of Minnesota. Band members on her first U.S. singing tour hailed from Minnesota.
In Olivia, the Australian native rode a dark brown Arabian horse named Rae as the parade’s grand marshal. She wore a bright red western shirt, blue jeans and ten-gallon hat.
“Olivia was very nice and appreciative to everyone she met,” said a town official. | https://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/opinion/great-hiking-hills-at-county-parks/article_ad96dd8c-19a3-11ed-9e70-bf0deb7f1d79.html | 2022-08-13T16:56:47Z | fergusfallsjournal.com | control | https://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/opinion/great-hiking-hills-at-county-parks/article_ad96dd8c-19a3-11ed-9e70-bf0deb7f1d79.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Reports have linked Celtic with moves for Barcelona’s Alex Collado and Bamba Dieng of Marseille.
However, in his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s cinch Premiership trip to Kilmarnock, Postecoglou said: “Neither of them are on my radar.
“As I have said before, we will stay active in the market. There’s still a couple of weeks in terms of the transfer window being open. There is a possibility of some guys moving out and then it’s about finding the right fit for what we need.
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“If the right individual comes along then we will do our work then and move on them. But at the moment we are talking to nobody and there is no-one on the horizon.”
Postecoglou’s priority this summer was to seal permanent deals for last season’s star loan players, Jota and Cameron Carter-Vickers, and get greater depth in other areas; he has signed left-back Alexandro Bernabei, midfielder Aaron Mooy, centre-back Moritz Jenz and goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist.
“Squad depth is the key for us this year in terms of our recruiting,” he said ahead of Sunday’s cinch Premiership clash with Kilmarnock.
“We obviously did a lot of business last year and tried to build a strong foundation.
“Signing Cameron and Jota was probably the key part of our transfer policy, to make them permanent, because we felt they would improve us this year because they are going to improve.
“And after that it was about filling the gaps that I felt existed last year. We got stretched as a group and there were some areas we were really light on in terms of players.
“Our strategy has been to try and strengthen the squad in those areas. I think we have done that in the most part.
“There might be one or two areas but, for me, more important than specific positions, is just the right fit, another player who can maybe play a couple of positions and help us through our schedule and also be a contributor at different levels. That’s kind of what we are looking for.” | https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/neither-of-them-on-celtic-radar-ange-postecoglou-has-say-on-duo-linked-with-move-and-makes-signing-admission-3804410 | 2022-08-13T16:56:48Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/neither-of-them-on-celtic-radar-ange-postecoglou-has-say-on-duo-linked-with-move-and-makes-signing-admission-3804410 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
As I was navigating the construction on south Union Avenue, I was distracted by all the new paint. I say distracted, but I was actually watching the road and traffic very carefully. For the record, as a bicycle enthusiast, I am proud of Fergus Falls for putting bike lanes in along high traffic areas. It is important for citizens who use bicycles as their main mode of transportation to be able to navigate the city safely. Gone are the days of riding on city sidewalks because they are safer for kids on bikes, city sidewalks are for pedestrians. So, if bicycles are on the roads, we need to make a place for them. However, I digress … as I was cruising through the construction, I noticed a lemonade stand alongside the road at the Vernon Avenue intersection. Unable to safely stop, I drove around the block and then carefully guided my car up to the lemonade stand. Checking to make sure I actually had cash, I exited the vehicle to purchase the sweet treat. Approaching the table, I learned the team of two had purchasing options: pink lemonade for a dollar and/or cookies: monster or chocolate chip. I quickly went back to my car to find another dollar and purchased a plastic glass of pink lemonade and a homemade monster cookie. The lemonade was cold and sweet, the cookie was fabulous.
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From the Record — Aug. 2-8, 2022 | https://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/opinion/local-kids-sell-lemonade/article_b80e6d34-19a8-11ed-8b9c-479f484009a3.html | 2022-08-13T16:56:49Z | fergusfallsjournal.com | control | https://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/opinion/local-kids-sell-lemonade/article_b80e6d34-19a8-11ed-8b9c-479f484009a3.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The 35-year-old currently sits at 75 caps but last played for his country in 2017. He was left out of Gareth Southgate's squad for the 2018 World Cup.
Towards the end of his time at Manchester City Hart had loan spells with Torino and West Ham United before moving to Burnley.
He started his spell at Turf Moor as No.1 but was dropped to the bench at the end of 2018. Between 2019 and joining Celtic last summer, Hart made just 13 appearances and didn't feature in the Premier League.
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In Glasgow he has rejuvenated his career, playing a key role as Celtic reclaimed the Scottish Premiership title last season, while being an important figure off the park.
Aaron Ramsadle, Jordan Pickford and Nick Pope were the last three goalkeepers selected by Southgate but Sutton reckons there could be a place for Hart at the World Cup in Qatar later this year.
"I’m not in the dressing room, but from what I can tell, Hart has been absolutely vital to the success of the team as he’s a leader in there and he will go back into the Champions League group stage this season as one of the club’s most influential figures," he wrote in his Daily Record column.
"Will he get to Qatar? Chances are no, even if he shines in Europe.
"Jordan Pickford is doing well and has never let Gareth Southgate down, while Aaron Ramsdale is also performing well at Arsenal. The No.3 slot might be up for grabs come November and there could be injuries and you wouldn’t put it past Hart shining in the Champions League and stating a World Cup case.”
Earlier this year, Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou paid tribute to Hart and his influence.
"I thought Joe was a top- quality keeper, but the background we did on him showed me he is a first-class person and a real leader in the dressing room," he said.
“I just felt he’s still got a bit to prove. He’s said himself, he needed a bit of love and I knew he’d get it at this club.” | https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/the-celtic-player-tipped-to-make-surprise-appearance-at-world-cup-3803155 | 2022-08-13T16:56:54Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/the-celtic-player-tipped-to-make-surprise-appearance-at-world-cup-3803155 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Leading 2-0 from the first leg in Belfast, Zurich went into the return match with a comfortable cushion, but Franco Foda’s men did not take their foot off the pedal and recorded a 3-0 triumph in front of their own fans at the Letzigrund Stadion.
Zurich’s star of the show was former Hearts winger Donis Avdijaj, who spent six months at Tynecastle in the first part of 2020. The Kosovan only played three matches during the ill-fated Daniel Stendel era but earned a move to the Swiss from Austrian outfit Hartberg. He scored twice against Linfield, on 11 and 26 minutes, to give them a 2-0 lead at the break.
Croatian forward Ivan Santini added a third six minutes from time to complete a good night’s work for Zurich.
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Hearts will now travel to Switzerland on Thursday, August 18, although the match will be played at the Kybun Park in St Gallen due to a concert being hosted at Zurich’s home ground with a 7pm kick-off CET (6pm BST).
The return leg is due to be played a week later at Tynecastle (kick-off 8pm BST on Thursday, August 25), with the overall winner advancing to the Europa League group stages. The losers will drop into the Europa Conference League group stages. | https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/hearts/zurich-book-date-with-hearts-as-ex-jambos-flop-fires-big-warning-dates-and-times-confirmed-3802854 | 2022-08-13T16:57:52Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/hearts/zurich-book-date-with-hearts-as-ex-jambos-flop-fires-big-warning-dates-and-times-confirmed-3802854 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Lee Johnson had just finished talking about Elie Youan in his pre-match press conference. The forward set up Martin Boyle for Hibs’ equaliser against Hearts last Sunday, a snapshot of what the St Gallen loanee can bring to the club this season. It is clear that the Easter Road boss believes the 23-year-old can develop into a top player.
Youan, put up for press afterwards ahead of Saturday’s Premiership trip to Livingston, smiled bashfully when Johnson’s comments about being a rich man were put to him. “First of all, thanks to him for saying that,” the Frenchman said. “Before I knew some managers and they were all similar about my strengths because I run a lot and I am fast. So I was used to hearing that. But this gaffer is different, he is really interested in me, about football and also outside of football, he is interested in my private life and that’s the biggest difference between him and other managers I have had.”
Johnson is doing everything he can to get the best out of Youan, which includes WhatsApp messages away from training. Johnson comes across as an extremely personable manager and Youan confirmed this by explaining just how he is looked after by Johnson.
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“I have a good relationship with the gaffer and I know when I want to talk about something I can go to his office,” continued Youan. “It’s always open.
“The [WhatsApp] messages are not always about football. It’s often about other things. He knows me well now and he knows I’m a good player but he’s also interested in my life outside football. But we naturally also talk about football.”
Youan is softly spoken but is already well-liked in the dressing-room, and his popularity is likely to increase when he dons his chef’s hat at East Mains. He won’t be eating macaroni and chips, Boyle’s unintentional pre-match meal ahead of last weekend’s derby, but is on hand to nourish the rest of the dressing-room.
“I don’t like macaroni but I like to make it as a gift for people!” he laughed. “I gave a gift to all the staff of macaroni from France but I don’t eat macaroni.
“I am a good cook. My speciality is African food. My parents are from the Ivory Coast.
“My favourite dish to make would be plaintain, which is banana. I’ve not made it for the staff yet but I will cook for them one day.”
Speaking of Boyle, Youan was asked who is the quickest of the two. “Me, of course,” he replied with confidence.
Youan was also quizzed on city rivals Hearts’ chances of overcoming Zurich in the Europa League play-off round. His response was perhaps a little surprising.
“For me, Hearts are stronger than Zurich physically but technically I think Zurich are better than them,” added Youan, who has experience of playing against the Swiss champions from his time at St Gallen.
“It will be a good game. But for me, Hearts will beat them.” | https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/hibs-elie-youan-opens-up-on-boss-whatsapp-messages-being-a-chef-and-makes-bold-hearts-zurich-claim-3803358 | 2022-08-13T16:58:05Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/hibs-elie-youan-opens-up-on-boss-whatsapp-messages-being-a-chef-and-makes-bold-hearts-zurich-claim-3803358 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
In some ways, Liney, who has died aged 86, might be less well remembered by the wider football public on account of his absence from the Dens Park side’s thrilling run to the European Cup semi-final the following season.
He was replaced by Bert Slater, who manager Bob Shankly signed from brother Bill’s Liverpool. It was a surprising and controversial decision which took Liney, and his teammates, by surprise. “It was very hard on him,” recalls teammate Ian Ure.
After that, Liney’s departure from Dundee, for whom he made his debut against Rangers in a 1-0 win at Ibrox in 1958, was only a matter of time.
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In the foreword to Dundee Greats by Jim Hendry, Craig Brown notes that the selection only includes ten players – and no goalkeeper. Brown continues: “It is safe to say that with the 10 outfield players comprising a team in Dark Blue there would be no need for a goalkeeper!”
Good though they were, Dundee’s title-winning team 60 years ago most definitely needed a goalkeeper. Indeed, whatever Shankly’s misgivings, Liney played a pivotal part. No more so than on the penultimate day of the season, when Dundee trailed leaders Rangers by a point.
With the Ibrox side trailing at Pittodrie, and Dundee 1-0 up v St Mirren, the season hinged on a late penalty award for the visitors at Dens Park. Liney – a St Mirren fan in his youth who left Dundee for the Buddies - was the beneficiary of some priceless Paisley intelligence.
He recalled his father telling him where Jim Clunie preferred to place his penalties before a cup tie earlier in the season. Liney preserved Dundee’s lead with a save to his left.
Andy Penman scored a second for good measure and Aberdeen held on against Rangers. The title was in Dundee’s hands. They made no mistake with a 3-0 win at St Johnstone seven days later.
Liney made only one more appearance for Dundee. The manner of his exit did not stop him later agreeing to become honorary club president. He made a timely first visit to Dens Park since before the pandemic for the Championship clash against Partick Thistle two weekends ago.
Ure, who played in front of Scotland international Bob Wilson at Arsenal, describes Liney as the best shot stopper he played with. “The number of times he got us out of a mess in the title year - point blank saves all over the place,” the former centre half, now 82, recalls.
Liney is also fondly remembered by supporters of Bradford City, where he made 166 appearances in between spells at Bradford Park Avenue. But his greatest distinction came at Dens Park. The famous XI is being gradually whittled down.
Six years ago the balance tipped the wrong way. After Alan Cousin’s death in 2016, five members of the team remained. Now, following the passing of Alan Gilzean and Bobby Wishart, only Ure and Bob Seith, who had his right leg amputated two years ago, are left.
Two's company they say. Never more so than in the case of the surviving members of such a fabulous team. | https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/international/dundees-greatest-xi-loses-goalkeeper-pat-liney-title-winner-and-honorary-club-president-dies-aged-86-3802822 | 2022-08-13T16:59:04Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/international/dundees-greatest-xi-loses-goalkeeper-pat-liney-title-winner-and-honorary-club-president-dies-aged-86-3802822 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
United sold all of their 1300 tickets for their first European trip in 10 years and could have shifted many more but a significant number of fans left after their team fell six behind inside a minute of the second half.
United had travelled to the Netherlands with a 1-0 lead but were on the end of Scottish football’s joint-worst defeat in Europe, on a par with Hibernian’s humiliation against Malmo at Easter Road in 2013 and Celtic’s defeat in Barcelona in 2016.
Ross told BBC Radio Scotland’s Sportsound programme: “For every plaudit and praise we received in the aftermath of last Thursday, we will deserve every bit of criticism we get on the back of that.
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“We played against a good team in a tough venue but we conceded six goals in 26 minutes. That’s not good, irrespective of the opponent.
“I would like to apologise to the travelling fans because we should be better than that.”
United deserved their first-leg lead and looked composed and assured in possession in the opening 20 minutes of the second leg.
Ian Harkes came close to equalising after they fell behind on the night but they capitulated in the latter stages of the first half.
“All the discipline we showed in our play without the ball last week, we didn’t do as well, and we didn’t deal with the period of adversity well in the first half,” Ross said.
“Heads become foggy, because they are a good team, and when their tails are up it becomes easier for them.
“But we needed to be tougher in that period and almost look at it like five-minute blocks to get us through.
“But we became ragged and loose, out of possession, never mind in possession. When you do that, you will get picked off against good sides.
“The goals were poor in terms of some of the decision-making. It’s a sore, sore night for us. Pride is damaged by that.” | https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/ragged-loose-foggy-dundee-united-reaction-after-devastating-defeat-by-az-alkmaar-3803039 | 2022-08-13T16:59:23Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/ragged-loose-foggy-dundee-united-reaction-after-devastating-defeat-by-az-alkmaar-3803039 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Kate Smurthwaite, a stand-up comic, political commentator and activist, said the distribution of more than £1.2 million had done nothing to help performers who have faced higher than ever costs to take part in the event this month.
She said the public funding offered to venues like Assembly, Gilded Balloon, Pleasance, Summerhall and Underbelly was effectively taking money out of the pockets of performers and handing it to “big corporations”.
Smurthwaite, who served two terms representing performers on the Fringe Society board over the past decade, posted a lengthy video message on social media.
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She warned performers were on their “last legs” and claimed the festival, which is marking its 75th anniversary this month, was being “run into the ground”.
The launch of this year’s Fringe programme was overshadowed by criticism of the society, particularly over a decision to shelve an official mobile phone app.
An open letter raising concerns about a lack of communication and a failure to tackle key issues in the run-up to this year’s Fringe was instigated by the Live Comedy Association and backed by more than 1,600 signatories.
Other comics who have spoken out in recent weeks have included Nick Kumar and Mark Watson.
In her video message, Smurthwaite said she was staying in the “smallest and most-cramped accommodation” she had ever used for the Fringe after costs went “through the roof” this year.
She said more financial support should have been given to venue operators which do not charge performers for the use of their spaces.
Smurthwaite said: "This is taxpayers’ money. Effectively, at some level, some of it is my money.
“But the Fringe Society has given it to some of the biggest and most expensive venues around the Fringe. It is not actually helping performers in any way.
"I don’t know any performers at the Fringe who are not saying ‘is it honestly worth it to do it next year, shall we go somewhere else, shall we take our business elsewhere, shall we refuse to participate in this horrific situation?’
“We all know that even performers who go on to win awards where there is a cash prize can still come out of the Fringe having lost money. The only way to come out of the Fringe not having lost money is to get your venue for free.
“I am wondering if it is worth it and if the world’s largest open-access arts festival, the absolute crucible of new ideas and new talent, the place where people get their big break, and all that stuff is being run into the ground and sold off to corporate interests.
"It is an absolute outrage and yet is entirely reflective of what is happening in so many industries around the UK. We need to let people know we are not going to tolerate this.”
A spokeswoman for the Fringe Society said the £1.25m in Government funding was awarded following an “open application process".
She said: “It had a particular emphasis on fair employment, sustainability and inclusion. Every application was considered and scored against the set criteria in a robust and fair process.” | https://www.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/edinburgh-fringe-society-comes-under-fire-from-former-board-member-3802795 | 2022-08-13T17:01:36Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/edinburgh-fringe-society-comes-under-fire-from-former-board-member-3802795 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Commonwealth Games gold medallist, PV Sindhu has announced that she is pulling out of the upcoming badminton World Championships with an injury.
Sindhu, who won the world championship in 2019 will be a huge miss for India at the upcoming edition in Tokyo beginning August 22.
In a message she tweeted, Sindhu revealed that she had to play through pain in the recently concluded Commonwealth Games at Birmingham.
"While I'm on the high of winning a gold medal at the CWG for India, unfortunately I have to pull out of the World Championships.
"I felt pain and there was an injury scare at the quarterfinals of the CWG, but with the help of my coach, physio and trainer, I decided to push as far as I could.
"The pain was unbearable during and post the finals. Hence I rushed for an MRI as soon as I got back to Hyderabad. The doctors confirmed a stress fracture on my left foot and recommended rest for a few weeks. I should be back to training in a few weeks.
Thank you all for your support and love," Sindhu tweeted. | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/other-sports/2022/08/13/pv-sindhu-injury-pulls-out-world-championships.amp.html | 2022-08-13T17:06:14Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/other-sports/2022/08/13/pv-sindhu-injury-pulls-out-world-championships.amp.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Commonwealth Games gold medallist, PV Sindhu has announced that she is pulling out of the upcoming badminton World Championships with an injury.
Sindhu, who won the world championship in 2019 will be a huge miss for India at the upcoming edition in Tokyo beginning August 22.
In a message she tweeted, Sindhu revealed that she had to play through pain in the recently concluded Commonwealth Games at Birmingham.
"While I'm on the high of winning a gold medal at the CWG for India, unfortunately I have to pull out of the World Championships.
"I felt pain and there was an injury scare at the quarterfinals of the CWG, but with the help of my coach, physio and trainer, I decided to push as far as I could.
"The pain was unbearable during and post the finals. Hence I rushed for an MRI as soon as I got back to Hyderabad. The doctors confirmed a stress fracture on my left foot and recommended rest for a few weeks. I should be back to training in a few weeks.
Thank you all for your support and love," Sindhu tweeted. | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/other-sports/2022/08/13/pv-sindhu-injury-pulls-out-world-championships.html | 2022-08-13T17:06:21Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/other-sports/2022/08/13/pv-sindhu-injury-pulls-out-world-championships.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(WHNT) — Some of the 21st century’s most famous films are celebrating a big birthday in 2022.
From blockbusters like “The Avengers” and “The Hunger Games” to Oscar-winning masterpieces like “Life of Pi” and “Lincoln,” the movies of 2012 are turning 10 this year.
The Motion Picture Association (MPA) shows just under $35 billion in revenue from movies in 2012 — so clearly, it was a big year for film. In the United States and Canada alone, movies brought in $10.8 billion.
Nexstar’s WHNT compiled a list of the best films turning 10 this year. See the selections below:
‘The Hunger Games’
- Release date: May 23, 2012
- Director: Gary Ross
- Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland
Did Jennifer Lawrence already have an established career and an Oscar nod under her belt before “The Hunger Games” hit theaters? Sure. Did this movie also turn her into a household name? Absolutely.
Based on the novel of the same name, “The Hunger Games” is set in the dystopia of Panem, a collection of districts made up of the former United States. In this new world, a boy and girl from each of the 12 districts are chosen to compete in the titular Hunger Games — a televised fight to the death.
“The Hunger Games” turned out almost 10 times its $78 million budget, earning more than $694 million worldwide. It was followed by three sequels, “Catching Fire” in 2013 and “Mockingjay” parts one and two in 2014 and 2015, respectively.
‘Skyfall’
- Release date: Nov. 9, 2012
- Director: Sam Mendes
- Starring: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Berenice Marlohe, Albert Finney, Judi Dench
“Skyfall” was the third James Bond film to star Daniel Craig in the lead role. He was cast alongside Javier Bardem as the villainous Raoul Silva and Dame Judi Dench as M. It is the 23rd James Bond film overall — a cinematic saga that began in 1962 with “Dr. No.”
In the movie, Bond investigates an attack on his agency MI6 that leads to revelations that Bardem’s Silva, a former agent, is planning to discredit the agency and kill its leader.
“Skyfall” brought in $1.1 billion when it was released in November 2012. The film was accompanied by an Oscar-winning song from Adele that shares the same name as the film.
‘The Master’
- Release date: Sept. 14, 2012
- Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
- Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams
Director Paul Thomas Anderson often says “The Master” is the best film he’s made.
The story follows a World War II veteran struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder who meets a cult leader, allegedly inspired by Scientology’s L. Ron Hubbard. Joaquin Phoenix stars as veteran Freddie Quell, while the late Philip Seymour Hoffman stars as the titular Master, also known as Lancaster Dodd.
While the film’s box office returns didn’t quite match its budget, it was a hit among critics.
“The Master” received three Oscar nominations, all in the acting categories. It also earned the top spot on several year-end lists, including those from Rolling Stone, The A.V. Club and The Guardian.
‘Django Unchained’
- Release date: Dec. 25, 2012
- Director: Quentin Tarantino
- Starring: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Walton Goggins, Dennis Christopher, James Remar, Michael Parks, Don Johnson
“Django Unchained,” a revisionist tribute to spaghetti western films, stars Jamie Foxx as the titular Django, a Black slave who trains under a bounty hunter to reunite with his long-lost wife.
While somewhat controversial, the film brought in loads of cash at the box office.
Against a $100 million budget, Tarantino’s film earned $425.4 million after debuting on Christmas Day in 2012. It was Tarantino’s highest-grossing film to date, a feat not even overcome by 2019’s “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood.”
“Django” won two of its five nominations at the 85th Academy Awards. Christoph Waltz won for Best Supporting Actor and Tarantino won for Best Original Screenplay.
‘Lincoln’
- Release date: Nov. 9, 2012
- Director: Steven Spielberg
- Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Straitharn, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, James Spader, Hal Holbrook, Tommy Lee Jones
Daniel Day-Lewis stars as America’s 16th president in “Lincoln.”
The big-budget take on Lincoln’s story follows the commander-in-chief across four months in 1865. It begins with his efforts to abolish slavery and lasts until his unfortunate assassination at the hands of John Wilkes Boothe on April 14, 1865, at Ford’s Theatre. The film draws from the 2005 novel “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.”
“Lincoln” earned Day-Lewis his third Best Actor statue at the Oscars as well as 11 other nominations. The movie was also a commercial success, earning $275 million at the box office.
‘The Avengers’
- Release date: May 4, 2012
- Director: Joss Whedon
- Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders, Stellan Skarsgard, Samuel L. Jackson
The first culmination of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) came in 2012’s “The Avengers.”
The story unites all of the familiar heroes, including Iron Man, the Hulk, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye and Captain America, against a common foe, the Asgardian Loki and his alien army.
“The Avengers” was the highest-grossing film of 2012 and ranks among the highest-grossing films ever. It spawned multiple sequels, including 2015’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” 2018’s “Avengers: Infinity War” and 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame.”
The film now sits at No. 9 on the list of highest-grossing films ever, beaten by both “Infinity War” at No. 5 and “Endgame” at No. 2.
‘Life of Pi’
- Release date: Nov. 21, 2012
- Director: Ang Lee
- Starring: Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Rafe Spall, Tabu, Adil Hussain, Gerard Depardieu
Based on the 2001 novel of the same name, “Life of Pi” follows a 16-year-old boy stranded at sea with a group of animals after a shipwreck, and most notably among the beasts is a Bengal tiger.
“Life of Pi” was a critical and commercial success, earning $609 million at the box office against a $120 million budget and earning nominations for 11 Academy Awards. The film won four Oscars, including Best Director for Ang Lee, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, and Best Visual Effects.
‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’
- Release date: Dec. 14, 2012
- Director: Peter Jackson
- Starring: Ian McKellan, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, James Nesbitt, Ken Stott, Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Elijah Wood, Andy Serkis
Peter Jackson struck gold in the early 2000s with the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, based on the J.R.R. Tolkien series of the same name. He tried once again with Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” beginning in 2012 — and received mixed results.
The new series starred Martin Freeman as hobbit Bilbo Baggins, a humanoid creature convinced to go on a quest with a wizard and 13 dwarves seeking to reclaim their home, the Lonely Mountain.
“The Hobbit” films, including 2012’s “An Unexpected Journey” blew up the box office, earning over $1 billion. However, critical reception was not nearly as warm as Jackson’s first trilogy.
‘Moonrise Kingdom’
- Release date: May 25, 2012
- Director: Wes Anderson
- Starring: Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzmann, Bob Balaban
“Moonrise Kingdom” brought director Wes Anderson together with a host of his typical collaborators for one of his most critically acclaimed films.
The story is set on the fictional island of New Penzance and follows an orphan who escapes scouting camp to unite with his pen pal. Meanwhile, the island’s police captain tries to find those runaways.
The film was praised for its expressive color palette, symmetry, and score by Alexandre Desplat. It was nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the 2012 Oscars.
‘The Dark Knight Rises’
- Release date: July 20, 2012
- Director: Christopher Nolan
- Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Morgan Freeman
“The Dark Knight Rises” brought about a conclusion to Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy — one that somewhat divided its fans.
Drawing inspiration from 1993’s “Knightfall” comic, Nolan crafted a story featuring a broken Batman, played by Christian Bale, returning to his role as The Dark Knight to stop Gotham City from Bane (Tom Hardy) and a nuclear disaster.
The film earned just over $1 billion at the box office. It was praised for its action, direction and emotional depth, but wasn’t nearly as acclaimed as its predecessor, 2008’s “The Dark Knight.” | https://www.wpri.com/news/national/10-films-turning-10-in-2022/ | 2022-08-13T17:07:05Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/national/10-films-turning-10-in-2022/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(NEXSTAR) – We’re in for a busy storm season, according to the latest forecast by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In fact, meteorologists predict up to 20 named storms between now and the end of November.
Even though those storms have yet to form, we already know what they’ll be called if and when they do materialize.
The World Meteorological Organization already decided on a list of 21 names. When a tropical storm strengthens to wind speeds of 39 mph or higher, it gets a name from the list, starting in alphabetical order.
There are 26 letters in the alphabet but only 21 names chosen, seeing as the letters Q, U, X, Y and Z are all left off because they aren’t common enough to be easily understood in local languages spoken in North America, Central America and the Caribbean (areas all affected by hurricanes).
We’ve already seen three named storms this season: Alex, Bonnie and Colin. The next three named storms would be Danielle, Earl and Fiona.
If a tropical storm strengthens into a hurricane (winds stronger than 74 mph), it keeps the same name.
In the event that this year’s hurricane season exceeds expectations and produces more than 21 named storms, additional names will be pulled from a backup list agreed upon by the World Meteorological Organization. The WMO used to use Greek letters after the primary list was exhausted, but said it caused too much confusion and abandoned the system in 2021.
The list of names cycles through and repeats every six years. Storms deemed particularly destructive have their names retired from the list of possibilities and replaced by another name starting with the same letter. | https://www.wpri.com/news/national/2022-hurricane-names-are-set-heres-what-theyll-be/ | 2022-08-13T17:07:11Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/national/2022-hurricane-names-are-set-heres-what-theyll-be/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Beauty queen of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta, Happiness Odeh, was abducted and eventually killed by suspected kidnappers in Ogun State.
She was recently crowned queen of the state-owned institution on August 3, 2022.
The unfortunate incident was reported to have happened on her way to a film location in Ipara Remo area of the state.
The National Diploma two student was kidnapped on Thursday, raped and murdered in cold blood.
The incident was confirmed by the leadership of the Students Union of MAPOLY in a statement issued by the Students Union President, Sodiq Ajani and the Public Relations Officer, Joy Okolie.
“Moshood Abiola Polytechnic Students Union (MAPSU) announces the untimely death of Miss Happiness Odeh, a Mass Communication student of MAPOLY.
“According to reports, she was abducted along Iperu road to her destination. The deceased left Abeokuta three days ago to visit a movie location at Ipara, Ode-Remo, with the consent of her parents.
“Contrary to the rumours flying around, her death is not related to her status as the new Miss MAPOLY. She won the award on the 3rd of August and the movie location she attended has nothing to do with the beauty pageantry on campus.
“We commiserate with her family, friends and colleagues. May Almighty God grant us all the fortitude to bear this painful loss. Continue to rest in the bosom of the Lord,” the statement read.
The remains of the deceased had been deposited at the morgue of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu.
The mobile line of the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola, could not be reached at the time of this report.
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2023: Kwankwaso Will Not Be Deputy To Obi —NNPP | https://tribuneonlineng.com/kidnappers-abduct-kill-mapoly-beauty-queen/ | 2022-08-13T17:17:32Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/kidnappers-abduct-kill-mapoly-beauty-queen/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Alongside several other cruise lines, Celebrity Cruises announced new health and safety protocols for ships sailing from the United Kingdom and Europe and all sailings that depart from Los Angeles. All travelers, regardless of vaccination status, can cruise onboard Celebrity Cruise ships starting September 5.
While this is undoubtedly a move to return cruising to normal, the cruise line does caution guests that there are still several locations where stricter protocols are still in place.
Celebrity Cruises Want All Guests To Sail
What procedures are in place for which cruise lines can be confusing. Add to the mix a variety of destinations that have announced they will not allow cruise lines to relax protocols, and it all starts getting very confusing.
Celebrity Cruises certainly agrees with that, as it mentions on its website: “As destinations around the world relax their travel requirements, we are working to provide even more ways to feed your love of travel. The health and safety of our guests and crew remain at the forefront of every decision we make.”
“We know that all of these changes can get confusing! Ultimately, we’re working our way back to all of this being easy…and everyone can sail with us once again.”
During the time Celebrity is adjusting its protocols to suit as many guests as possible, it has already released a new set of guidelines that will benefit many guests who have waited to cruise until this moment. These mimic the guidelines released by Royal Caribbean earlier this week.
Starting September 5, 2022, all cruise ship passengers sailing on a Celebrity cruise, regardless of their vaccination status, can sail from several destinations as long as they meet any testing protocols that might be in place.
The cruises that are included are voyages sailing from the United Kingdom, from Europe, except Iceland, and all US departures from Los Angeles.
The company released news earlier that the cruise brand will no longer require vaccinated guests to take a pre-cruise test on shorter sailings under six nights in length from all U.S. ports. This went into effect on August 8. The difference in protocols between various ports comes as local governments are at odds on what to require from cruise ships visiting their countries.
Celebrity Cruises Homeports That Still Require Vaccination
Besides the ports that we mentioned above, several ports still require guests to be fully vaccinated before sailing.
For guests sailing from Australia and New Zealand, the local government requires all guests ages 12 and older to be fully vaccinated to sail. COVID-19 booster vaccine shots are not currently required to sail but are highly recommended.
Read Also: Cruise Lines That Don’t Require Vaccine and Pre-Cruise Testing
All guests must be fully vaccinated for cruises to Bermuda and present negative test results. The country also does not accept a recovery certificate instead of a negative test result.
Before arrival, guests should fill in the Travel Authorization form, upload their negative test results, and pay an associated fee directly through Bermuda’s dedicated website.
Guests sailing to the Galapagos Islands from Ecuador need to pay close attention to the guidelines, as it may become a costly trip. All guests must be fully vaccinated from the age of three years old.
However, anyone who during the flight or upon arrival in Ecuador presents symptoms related to COVID-19, regardless of their vaccination status or negative RT-PCR test, will be evaluated by the Public Health authorities before entering the migration area.
If that person is considered a suspect case, an antigen test will be taken. If the result is positive, the traveler must undergo a 10-day quarantine locally.
Although Celebrity Cruises and several other cruise lines have already moved to not requiring vaccines at all for select sailings, such as Princess Cruises and Carnival Cruise Line, cruising is far from being back to normal. It will take the entire industry with all its resources before we will see all nations receiving cruise ships taking on the same rules and protocols. | https://www.cruisehive.com/celebrity-cruises-eases-vaccine-requirement-for-select-sailings/78992 | 2022-08-13T17:17:33Z | cruisehive.com | control | https://www.cruisehive.com/celebrity-cruises-eases-vaccine-requirement-for-select-sailings/78992 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Suspect in Salman Rushdie attack charged with attempted murder
A suspect has been charged with attempted murder for stabbing author Salman Rushdie in the neck and abdomen Friday, New York State Police said Friday.
The big picture: Rushdie's agent, Andrew Wylie, told the New York Times that the author is still on a ventilator and that he will likely lose an eye because of the attack. His liver was also damaged, Wylie said.
Details: New York police officials said in an update Saturday that the suspect, 24-year-old Hadi Matar, had been arrested on attempted murder and assault charges.
- Matar was arraigned on Saturday.
- New York State Police pointed to its press release when asked for comment.
Catch up quick: Rushdie was attacked Friday while on stage at a speaking event in New York.
- Audience members intervened and restrained the attacker, police said Friday.
- “It took like five men to pull him away and he was still stabbing,” Linda Abrams, who attended the lecture, told the Times. “He was just furious, furious. Like intensely strong and just fast.”
Rushdie spent years in hiding after he was threatened for his book "The Satanic Verses," which is based on the life of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, Axios' Jacob Knutson reports.
- Many Muslims consider the book to be "blasphemous."
What they're saying: "This act of violence is appalling," said National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in a statement. "All of us in the Biden-Harris Administration are praying for his speedy recovery. " | https://www.axios.com/2022/08/13/salman-rushdie-attack-suspect-attempted-murder | 2022-08-13T17:24:00Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/2022/08/13/salman-rushdie-attack-suspect-attempted-murder | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Quirky labor of love leads to off-Broadway bow for East Brunswick composer
Forty or so miles can make a world of difference − and for Seth Bisen-Hersh, that distance is proof of how much his work has grown. From gracing stages around Middlesex County, he now has his own musical playing off-Broadway.
The East Brunswick High School graduate, who grew up doing Children's Theater in town during summers, as well as performing with groups like Phoenix Productions in Red Bank, went on to graduate from MIT and NYU, pursuing a variety of endeavors.
He's even had crossword puzzles published in the LA Times. But musical theater was never far from his mind. He wrote music, produced his own shows, arranged and performed cabarets for himself and others - and collaborated on a number of musicals.
And, it seems, "Love Quirks" was there from the start, waiting for its turn in the spotlight.
His first musical, "Meaningless Sex," premiered during the 2003 Fringe Festival, and two of its songs have found their way into the new musical.
"Love Quirks" started as a song cycle in 2010, filled with "quirky, neurotic and poignant songs," Bisen-Hersh said.
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He organized benefits for the Humane Society and City Harvest for many years, and "everyone would often gravitate towards these quirky love songs that had become kind of my signature," he said.
"I thought, 'This is something.' So I put my quirkiest love songs together and I developed it for four different characters, two guys, two girls," he said. "And then I wrote a catchy opening number and I wrote a few more songs where I thought there were holes."
And "Love Quirks" was born.
It was first performed at the cabaret hotspot Don't Tell Mama in September 2010, starring Kate Rockwell and Brian Charles Rooney, among others. One of those, Brian Childers, told Bisen-Hersh "There's something here, Seth. This is a musical. This is not a revue."
Childers, who now directs, introduced Bisen-Hersh to his brother Mark, a playwright, who sat down with the songs and a whiteboard and found what Bisen-Hersh calls a "genius through line" to flesh out the piece into a musical. It revolves around a group of friends in their 30s, and their adventures (and misadventures) in love.
That was in 2011. And over the past 11 years, "Love Quirks" has grown and been adapted and modified various times.
"When we started, everyone in the show was in their 20s, and it was more about dating in your 20s," Bisen-Hersh said. "But we found the show was way more interesting when it became about 30-year-olds because they have had more baggage, and there's more gravitas and emotional oomph there."
There were moments, however, when he had even given up on his dreams of writing musical theater and seeing "Love Quirks" on stage. But he didn't give up.
"I had a dream in the summer 2019 that we were going to do the show off-Broadway starring Kristen Bell," he said. "And I was like, 'Let's try one more time to do this.' I called Mark and Brian and I said, 'I'm gonna give it one last shot.' And they say 'All right, let's give it one last shot,' and we did this."
In 2020, it hit off-Broadway at St. Luke's Theatre − and was forced to shut down three days before opening night due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We actually did record the cast recording in September 2020 with many COVID protocols in place because we believed in the show so much, we couldn't let it die," Bisen-Hersh said. The cast recording is available at lovequirks.com and major streaming platforms.
The show nabbed four 2021 BroadwayWorld Off-Broadway Awards, including Best Production of a Musical, Best New Score of a Musical, Best New Book of a Musical and Best Direction of a Musical.
After 27 months, the show returned off-Broadway this summer, playing the new AMT Theater on 45th Street with the original cast: Maggie McDowell (Broadway’s "Disaster," "Kinky Boots"), Matthew Schatz (off-Broadway’s "Heathers: The Musical"), Erin Lamar ("Bring It On!" national tour) and Lauren Testerman, with understudies Dylan Hartwell and Rori Nogee.
"Love Quirks" plays 7 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 p.m. Sundays through Friday, Sept. 2, at the AMT Theater, 354 W. 45th St. For tickets, $49 to $79, and more information, visit lovequirks.com/tickets. Visit sethbh.com to keep up with Bisen-Hersh.
Ilana Keller is an award-winning journalist and lifelong New Jersey resident who loves Broadway and really bad puns. She highlights arts advocacy and education, theater fundraisers and more through her column, "Sightlines." Reach out on Twitter: @ilanakeller; ikeller@gannettnj.com | https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/entertainment/theater/2022/08/13/off-broadway-love-quirks-east-brunswick-nj-seth-bisen-hersh/65401815007/ | 2022-08-13T17:27:42Z | mycentraljersey.com | control | https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/entertainment/theater/2022/08/13/off-broadway-love-quirks-east-brunswick-nj-seth-bisen-hersh/65401815007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Meet the Somerset County Teacher of the Year for 2022-23
Hillsborough Middle School seventh grade Literacy teacher Ian Evans was named the 2022-23 Somerset County Teacher of the Year.
Evans' passion for teaching stems from connecting to students on an individual basis, letting them know he is invested in their lives, according to school district officials. Evans’s best attributes were listed at an awards ceremony as "his reflective practice, thoughtfulness, willingness to listen and creativity."
"I want to recognize that I'm only here because of other people," Evans said in accepting the award. "Most of all, what I really want is to say thank you to all of my students − students who show up eager to learn, show up as their authentic selves, show up just ready to participate in that teaching process. You're really why I teach and who I do this for."
Evans, who was the 2021-22 Hillsborough Middle School Teacher of the Year, has taught there for 10 years. Throughout that time, his instructional leadership and personal impact on his students has been widely recognized by his colleagues, parents and students, according to district officials, and he is considered a mentor to both students and new teachers alike.
Also see:Meet the new principal at Hillsborough High School
Working with colleagues, Evans founded two new clubs: the Writer’s House to encourage young authors and poets and promote the sharing of creative writing in the school and HMS CARES, an extension of BoroCARES, a community-based "Coalition for AntiRacist and Equitable Schools." Students in HMS CARES focus on building a school community that is welcoming and supportive of the broad diversity of the districts' students.
In addition to his work with students, Evans has presented staff training on "Bystander Intervention" in the district. In 2021, Evans was a co-presenter at the N.J. State Equity Conference speaking about the work he and his colleagues have done to advance social justice, equity and inclusive learning environments in the school for the benefit of all students.
Evans is a graduate of Rutgers University with his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English and secondary education.
email: cmakin@gannettnj.com
Cheryl Makin is an award-winning features and education reporter forMyCentralJersey.com, part of the USA Today Network. Contact: Cmakin@gannettnj.com or@CherylMakin. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. | https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/education/2022/08/13/somerset-county-nj-teacher-year-hillsborough/65400820007/ | 2022-08-13T17:27:48Z | mycentraljersey.com | control | https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/education/2022/08/13/somerset-county-nj-teacher-year-hillsborough/65400820007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NJ students: Niemeyer receives scholarship award
On Tuesday, Aug. 2, the South Plainfield Knights of Columbus Council #6203 handed out their 2022 Scholarship Awards.
Chairman of the Scholarship Committee Gerry Butrico and Grand Knight Tom Berry presented Michael Niemeyer his award. Niemeyer is the son of Brother Knight Michael Niemeyer Sr. Niemeyer is a 2022 South Plainfield High School graduate and will attend Middlesex College in the fall. The council awarded him $500 towards his education expenses.
Chrysalis Project
The Chrysalis Project (TCP), is an established not-for-profit mentoring program for junior and high school girls. TCP prepares the students for college through numerous programs and hands-on activities with the mentors, as well as provides scholarships throughout their college careers.
On Sunday, Aug. 14, at 11:30 a.m., TCP, in support of the 9 a.m. Shiloh Baptist Church Outdoor Worship Service and Community Block Party, will dedicate a Little Free Library to the church during a ribbon cutting ceremony. This will establish The City of Plainfield’s second nationally registered Little Free Library.
TCP will host a free Book Bonanza Giveaway at the Block Party. More than 500 new books will be gifted to children, youth, and adults while they last. TCP hopes to inspire the younger generation to discover the adventures, pleasures and motivations found in books to become whatever they desire to be.
For more information about The Chrysalis Project, visit www.chrysalisprojectinc.com.
JA of New Jersey
The JA High School Hero Scholar Award was co-founded by Pamela Craig in 2015 to recognize exceptional students who have participated as classroom volunteers through JA High School Heroes, while promoting the significance of education and career preparation. Due to the remarkable generosity, vision, and leadership of Craig, the Scholar Award Initiative has helped shape the lives of young adults across the state of NJ and will continue to for years to come.
JA of New Jersey (JANJ) is committed to equipping NJ students with the employability and key life skills needed for successful futures. JANJ’s High School Heroes initiative empowers students to be role models as they teach JA to children within their local communities, all the while developing their own leadership, presentation, time management, and collaboration skills. Year after year, thousands of Heroes statewide bring JA’s career readiness, money management, and entrepreneurship learning experiences to life for tens of thousands of children. JA in New Jersey is a no-cost solution to the schools and families by providing all materials, lessons, and training.
Similarly, the Weber Capozzoli JROTC Scholar Award recognizes a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) graduate who also served as a JA High School Hero. This award is in memory of Weber Capozzoli family members who have served in the armed forces.
“We are proud to support students from diverse backgrounds on their way to becoming the future business leaders of New Jersey. For years we have seen the value of our students’ participation in the JA High School Heroes program, which serves as a pathway for young people to improve their leadership and mentoring skills. We are beaming with pride and wish these High School Hero Scholar Award Recipients the best of luck on their academic journey.” said James Horne, Jr., president and CEO, JANJ.
Local recipients, both 2022 high school graduates, are:
- Vivian Ravines, Bridgewater-Raritan Regional High School, attending Kean University
- Emily Yang, Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, attending New York University Stern
To be eligible for the High School Hero Scholar Award, NJ applicants must currently serve, or have previously served as a JA High School Hero. Students are required to complete an essay describing their experience with JA, which is then reviewed by the JANJ Scholar Award Panel. Finally, applicants must be a current, graduating high school senior with plans to attend a higher education institution in 2022, and be able to meet admissions standards for first-time entering students. JANJ will being accepting 2023 scholarship applications in May 2023. JANJ will continue to celebrate the heroes as a part of the 2022 — New Jersey Business Hall of Fame (NJBHOF) later this year, as event proceeds underwrite unsponsored High School Heroes learning experiences statewide to ensure that all young people involved become financially empowered and gain critical life skills for success. The NJBHOF, as JANJ’s preeminent annual special event, is the state’s leading platform that recognizes remarkable New Jersey executives, its laureates, for their leadership, innovation, economic impact, and philanthropic and community involvement while inspiring heroes as future leaders and laureates.
Mount Saint Mary Academy
Olivia Encarnacion attended the Notre Dame Leadership Seminars, a fully-funded, highly-selective program. from Sunday, July 17, to Wednesday, July 27.
“The past 10 days have been the quickest 10 days of my life,” said Encarnacion, a senior at Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung. “I took a class on Global Issues: Violence and Peace in the Modern Age and participated in a number of incredible learning experiences inside and outside of the classroom. Over the course of these 10 days, I was blessed to meet some amazing people from all over the world that I hope to continue to stay in touch with. I also had the opportunity to learn from Professor Ernesto Verdeja and Professor Atalia Omer alongside additional guest speakers.”
“In these short few days, I not only went to class to learn about pressing issues in our world, but I also participated in some intense late-night volleyball, a trip to Chicago, a service trip, late night pizza session, a dance party, prayer service, ice skating, and much more,” she said. “It was such a wonderful experience and everyone I met and everything I learned will remain with me throughout my life. I got a sneak peek into college life at Notre Dame. All in all, this is an experience I will never forget.”
The Plainfield resident said, “This leadership seminar has taught me valuable lessons that I hope to apply to my last year at The Mount. As a leader in numerous school organizations and my own non-profit, I look forward to sharing and applying the skills that I have learned. By doing this program I also gained perspective on the value of balancing learning and having fun to promote overall wellness. I am excited to challenge myself this year while making the most of my senior year!”
Also: Taryn Murphy, a senior at Mount Saint Mary Academy and resident of Westfield, participated in the American Legion Auxiliary New Jersey Girls State Program from Saturday, June 18, to Thursday, June 23.
"I had so much fun earlier this summer at Girls State and found it to be an extremely valuable experience for both my social and intellectual growth,” she said. “While the program was rigorous, I was able to make amazing friends and participate in a realistic government simulation that allowed me to gain a greater understanding of the inner workings of our political processes.”
“From interviewing candidates for the newspaper, to assisting in running the election process, to serving various appointed roles, I feel I truly made the most of my time and was so grateful to have had this opportunity,” said Murphy. “I look forward to using the skills that I learned next year in my social studies classes, as well as in various extracurriculars such as the debate team. Overall, Girls State was so much fun and I would recommend it to anybody with an interest in leadership!"
At Mount Saint Mary Academy, Murphy is a member of the Forensics Speech & Debate Team, Junior State of America, Mock Trial, and the Fed Challenge team.
Also: From Sunday, June 26, to Saturday, July 9, Rahway resident and Mount Saint Mary Academy junior, June Gill, attended High School Field School, a summer program run by the Center for American Archaeology in Illinois. She received a Women in Archaeology scholarship to attend the program.
During her two weeks, Gill worked alongside professional archaeologists and learned excavation techniques at an active dig site, including shoveling, troweling, mapping, and soil description. Lab work included artifact washing and identification.
“It was a valuable experience because I worked with an all-female staff of archaeology grad students who were very eager to answer my questions about the field and share their perspectives,” said Gill.
At Mount Saint Mary Academy, Gill is a member of the Mock Trial team and the Latin Club. She is also a Peer Facilitator and a staff writer for Peeks, the online newspaper. Outside of school, she is an ice-skating instructor and tutors a refugee child from Afghanistan.
Also: Zoe Daly of Piscataway and a junior at Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung, participated in the NJIT (New Jersey Institute of Technology) Hillier College of Architecture Summer Program from Sunday, July 10, to Thursday, July 21.
During the program, she created and presented two models. The first was an interior design for a camper that fits on the back of a pickup truck, and the second was a structure to support farming blue mussels as part of a bio-extraction initiative that removes contaminants from waterways.
Daly also traveled to the Museum of Modern Art and Hudson Yards as part of the program. Shortly thereafter, she visited University of Southern California School of Architecture and Fine Art.
"I really enjoyed my time at NJIT. Not only did I complete enjoyable projects, but I also spent time with other talented students,” said Daly. “The teachers and teacher assistants were extremely helpful during the development and execution of my designs and gave me a glimpse into what architecture is like in college. I also had a lot of fun during the evening activities where everyone got to know each other outside of the studio. Overall, it was a very enriching experience that solidified my passion for architecture."
At Mount Saint Mary Academy, Daly is involved in tennis, winter and spring track, Students of Color Affinity Group, Cybersecurity Club, Investment Club, Euro Challenge (during sophomore year), Fed Challenge (2022-2023), and band. Outside of school, she participates in the Jack and Jill of America Teen Auxiliary and the CNJ Gavel Club (Toastmasters International).
Plainfield Public Schools
The New Jersey Hispanic Youth Showcase awarded the "Arts and Community Hero Award" to Gloria Montealegre, community relations liaison for Plainfield Public Schools.
The award was presented remotely in 2021 to Montealegre for her service to the arts and dedication to the community. Her efforts have assisted in the mentoring of young Latinos to pursue careers in the arts. This week Montealegre was able to pick up the award during a brief reception. Making the presentation was Mr. William "Willie" Sanchez, Emmy-Award-Winning Television Producer and Founder of the New Jersey Hispanic Youth Showcase, his staff and Ana Quiñones, assistant producer, and choreographer.
The NJ Hispanic Youth Showcase is a non-profit organization dedicated to fomenting the arts and providing world-wide exposure to young Latino talent. The organization has enjoyed the success of its performers who have gone on the Broadway, America's Got Talent, The VOICE and many other world-renowned artistic competitions. The organization has been a partner of Plainfield Public Schools for over seven years providing performers for the schools' Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration. Performers have included dancers of flamenco, ballroom, modern dance, singers, and poets. "I am so honored to receive the "Arts and Community Heroe Award" by the New Jersey Hispanic Youth Showcase and to represent Plainfield Public Schools. I am also thankful for the partnership with the Hispanic Youth Showcase for providing our Plainfield Public Schools access to the rich cultural heritage of Latin America, the Caribbean and Spain." said Montealegre.
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St. Thomas Aquinas High School
Step Into the mayhem of a show gone wrong in "Don't Say M@©83+#!"
"Macbeth" may just be one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies. But even more famous is the legendary curse that surrounds the renowned “Scottish Play.” Now you can step into the world of theatrical lore as the drama department of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Edison debuts an original production by alumna writer and director Amy Kate Byrne.
In this lighthearted tale of mishaps, mayhem, and madness, a young man in need of a job finds himself propelled into a chaotic theater company with a cast and crew of unpredictable characters. Before he even has a chance to familiarize himself with the ins and outs of the theater world, an unfortunate accident lands him suddenly in charge of the entire company. Does he have what it takes to pull everyone together and save the show before opening night?
All will be revealed in "Don't Say M@©83+#!" Friday, Sept. 23; Saturday, Sept. 24, and Sunday, Sept. 25. Tickets on sale at www.stahs.net/tickets.
Writer and director Amy Kate Byrne is a 2005 alumna of Bishop Ahr/St. Thomas Aquinas High School. She returned to the school as an English teacher and, aside from a short sabbatical that she spent in the Peace Corps in North Macedonia, has worked there for 10 years. Her endeavors at STA have also included directing the Shakespeare and the Classics shows every fall, advising the award-winning Satoma Newsmagazine, moderating the Class of 2023, and recently earning the title of English Department supervisor. This is her fourth original show, with previous works being:
- "The Long and Short of It," an adaptation of scenes from William Shakespeare's greatest comedic plays
- "Something Wicked This Way Comes," an adaptation of scenes from William Shakespeare's greatest tragic plays
- "Forevermore," an adaptation based on the compositions of Edgar Allan Poe
Westfield High School
Offering five new workshops along with Robotics, Stop Motion Animation, Forensics and other favorites, the Westfield STEM Camp was back in-person this summer after a two-year pause due to COVID-19.
“All the workshops involve hands-on, problem-based learning activities having to do with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math,” said Edison Intermediate School Industrial Arts teacher Sean Bonasera, who co-directs the camp with Laura Paiva, a computer technology teacher at Edison.
Begun in 2013 and taught by 11 Westfield Public School teachers with a passion for STEM education, this year’s STEM Camp welcomed 108 campers in grades six to eight and 168 in grades third-fifth for week long sessions during which campers participated in four workshops consisting of hands-on, real world STEM activities. The sessions ran from Monday, July 11, through Friday, July 29, with such offerings as “DNA: Cracking the Code of Life,” “Engineering Design Challenges,” “Mind Blowing Experiments,” “Natural Disaster Survival,” “Robotics Exploration,” and “Mission Impossible,” which had campers learning about the science of optics and decoding messages.
“There is much to love about this program but what comes immediately to mind is just how much fun the students have while participating in these authentic learning experiences,” said Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Programs Dr. Paul Pineiro. “Mr. Bonasera, Ms. Paiva, and the instructors continually evolve the modules each year to include the latest technologies and most engaging activities.”
Another new workshop was “Makey Space,” with Roosevelt instrumental music instructor James Doyle first introducing a circuit board known as a Makey Makey board.
“Through hands-on learning, the circuit boards teach the students about how to create a simple circuit and the conductivity of different materials, all while interacting with an online apps,” Bonasera said. “As the week progresses, the campers get comfortable with the understanding of how to wire their boards to create different sounds effects. By the end of the week, the campers have creatively designed their own instruments out of cardboard and different conductive materials.”
Bonasera and Paiva said they hope campers came away with the mindset that “learning can be challenging yet still fun” while developing their creativity, ingenuity, and problem-solving skills.
“STEM Camp is important because it provides the kids the opportunity to have exposure to different experiences and technologies. Campers are learning to integrate knowledge from the different areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math without solely focusing on any one discipline,” said Bonasera. “STEM Camp provides an environment that gives campers the ability to innovate and create without the structure of a typical classroom. They are developing their knowledge, critical thinking skills, teamwork and communication skills all while having fun.”
Student and School news appears on Saturdays. Email: cnmetro@mycentraljersey.com
Carolyn Sampson is Executive Office Assistant for the Courier News, The Home News Tribune and MyCentralJersey.com, and handles the weekly Student News page. | https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/education/student-of-the-week/2022/08/13/nj-students-niemeyer-receives-scholarship-award/65395662007/ | 2022-08-13T17:27:54Z | mycentraljersey.com | control | https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/education/student-of-the-week/2022/08/13/nj-students-niemeyer-receives-scholarship-award/65395662007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
'No one who is more qualified': Lawrence Cattano sworn in as Perth Amboy police chief
PERTH AMBOY – Lawrence Cattano, a 35-year veteran of the Perth Amboy Police Department who has served as acting chief for the last year, was officially sworn in as the top cop on Thursday.
Cattano received a standing ovation after being sworn in by Mayor Helmin Caba during a ceremony at Perth Amboy High School.
Cattano, who has risen the ranks of the department, said he was honored to hold the position of a chief in a department that dates back to Aug. 4, 1718.
"Having previously served as acting chief of this department for the last 11 months has allowed me to evaluate current operations and shape the organization moving forward to reach our established goals," Cattano said.
Cattano has served in numerous roles and supervisory capacities, including as the city’s emergency management director since 2000.
A former detective, sergeant, lieutenant and captain, in December 2014 Cattano was promoted to deputy chief and oversaw a force of 135 full-time sworn officers and an organization comprised of almost 300 personnel.
In August 2021, he was named acting police chief and assumed overall command of the Perth Amboy Police Department. He replaced retired Police Chief Roman McKeon.
"To lead our police department there is no one who is more qualified to take this role than Larry Cattano," Caba said during the ceremony. "His experience and leadership will lead us in an innovative direction in public safety and community policing with over 30 years of service."
Caba noted Cattano started serving on the first aid squad as a teenager. Cattano's father also served as a city police officer.
Over the years, Cattano has received numerous lifesaving and meritorious service awards and accolades on behalf of the city, the Police Benevolent Association, Fraternal Order of Police, Middlesex County 200 Club, as well as many outside agencies. Cattano holds state certifications as an instructor in police, fire, emergency medical service and emergency management.
He holds a management degree from Thomas Edison State College in emergency and disaster management and has recently been named to the Board of Commissioners of the International Association of Emergency Managers in Washington, D.C.
A city native Cattano, lives in Perth Amboy with his wife Denise and her son Nikolas.
"This calling, this devotion to serve law enforcement today is not easy, but it is still the best job in the world," Cattano said.
Thursday's ceremony also included the swearing in and promotion of 30 police and special police officers. Cattano said the increase in the department's table of organization brings the department's complement to 145 officers.
In addressing his fellow officers, Cattano said to strive for perfection and expect excellence.
"I expect it, the public we serve expects it and deserves it and nothing less," Cattano said. "Go forth from here and always serve with professionalism, honesty and integrity. I will stand for nothing less."
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. | https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/middlesex-county/2022/08/13/perth-amboy-nj-police-department-new-chief-lawrence-cattano/65400938007/ | 2022-08-13T17:28:00Z | mycentraljersey.com | control | https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/middlesex-county/2022/08/13/perth-amboy-nj-police-department-new-chief-lawrence-cattano/65400938007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
11-year-old animal rights advocate from Edison wins national top honor
Though only 11, Nirvaan Agarwal has spent more than a decade advocating for animals.
Since birth, the Edison boy has attended protests, volunteered at animal sanctuaries and most recently, participated in speaking out at Middlesex County Board of Commissioners meetings about the treatment of the animals at the Johnson Park zoo.
And yet, Nirvaan was surprised when he received top honors in PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) Kids’ 2022 All-Star for Animals.
"I've been activist since I was a baby. My mom would take me in a stroller to protest and even when I was 3 years old, I'd pass out flyers and leaflets about animal cruelty," Nirvaan said. "Even though I do a lot of activism, I saw other kids that did a lot too. So as soon as I saw what they did, I was shocked that I won out of all of them."
Nominated by family friend and fellow activist Michelle Granberg, Nirvaan jumps on any and every opportunity to help animals.
RelatedEdison 10-year-old teaches Middlesex County commissioners lesson about zoo animals
Each weekend is spent lending his voice to an animal-related cause − a protest against the meat industry, a rally for animal rights or a march against the cruel treatment of animals in the fur and leather industries. He is not shy about picking up a bullhorn to fight for animals and share his message − no animals should be exploited for any reason. He chalks messages of advocacy on sidewalks and shares copies of PETA Kids with other children.
A rising sixth grader at John Adams Middle School, Nirvaan is committed to the cause. And it was this dedication that deemed him this year's PETA Kids winner. PETA Kids considered two factors in choosing the winner and runner-up: the enthusiasm shown for animal rights, as demonstrated by responses to entry questions and interviews, and the total number of votes the nominee received.
"Whether he’s marching in vegan rallies or urging county leaders to help animals languishing in a roadside zoo, Nirvaan is setting a heroic example for young people everywhere," said PETA Senior Director of Youth Programs Marta Holmberg. "Animals have an ally in Nirvaan, and PETA Kids is delighted to honor him for leading us all toward a kinder future."
After successfully schooling the Middlesex County commissioners on animal rights and behaviors − the animals have been freed to sanctuaries − Nirvaan said his next focus is the fur industry. He also plans to continue speaking out against circuses and slaughterhouses.
"I'd like stop the fur industry," he said. "There are many brands that are still selling items made with fur or those that may not be making or selling a lot with fur but have not announced that they are fur-free."
Nirvaan has also been vegan since birth, and his belief is more than family tradition. He strongly advocates for veganism as well. In the future, he plans to become a vegan chef. His current favorite recipes involve experimenting with tofu scrambles and baking treats with his mom’s help.
"Being vegan is also good for your health," Nirvaan said. "It's better for you and it doesn't have any cholesterol. Meat and dairy and eggs are full of cholesterol. And it's also better for the animals − no animal, whether it's a dog, a human, a pig or a cow − no animal wants to die."
A guardian to three adopted cats, Nirvaan loves to play with them and build cat castles for them to enjoy.
As the winner, Nirvaan will receive a year’s supply of vegan cookies from San Diego–based Maya's Cookies, a personalized bullhorn, an assortment of merchandise from PETA Kids and yearlong bragging rights, the organization said.
email: cmakin@gannettnj.com
Cheryl Makin is an award-winning features and education reporter forMyCentralJersey.com, part of the USA Today Network. Contact: Cmakin@gannettnj.com or@CherylMakin. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. | https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/people/2022/08/13/edison-nj-peta-kids-nirvaan-agarwal/65391820007/ | 2022-08-13T17:28:06Z | mycentraljersey.com | control | https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/people/2022/08/13/edison-nj-peta-kids-nirvaan-agarwal/65391820007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Somerset County reopens trail along the Raritan River
BRIDGEWATER – Eleven months after the remnants of Hurricane Ida ravaged Central Jersey, the Somerset County Parks Commission has reopened a trail on the banks of the Raritan River.
The portion of the Raritan River Greenway Trail at Duke Island Park near the Head Gates Dam has reopened after being damaged in the floodwaters last September.
Last month, Rep. Tom Malinowski, D-Hunterdon, announced that Somerset County is receiving $1.18 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for repairs to the Raritan River Greenway Trail.
The Somerset County Engineering Division oversaw the project.
Crime:Suspect arrested in sexual assaults at parks in Somerset County
The trail is an important part of the greenway along the Raritan River from where the river's North Branch and South Branch come together in Bridgewater and extends along the length of the Raritan River to the Nevius Street Bridge in Raritan Borough.
Plans for the trail call for it to be extended eventually further along the river to Somerville and beyond.
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 | https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/somerset-county/2022/08/13/somerset-county-nj-raritan-river/65400179007/ | 2022-08-13T17:28:12Z | mycentraljersey.com | control | https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/somerset-county/2022/08/13/somerset-county-nj-raritan-river/65400179007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Matt Sauer, Yankees 2017 second-round draft pick, gets long-awaited promotion to Somerset
BRIDGEWATER – It was always a matter of if, not when for Matt Sauer.With how well the 23-year-old right-handed starting pitcher had been throwing the ball for High-A Hudson Valley, a promotion to the Somerset Patriots was seemingly a foregone conclusion.That it took this long – the Yankees second-round pick in 2017 will make his long-awaited Double-A debut against the Hartford Yard Goats at TD Bank Ballpark on Saturday night – was a bit of a surprise, however, albeit one that Sauer himself says he wasn’t too concerned about.“You’re always hoping for a call, but the only thing I was focusing on was going out there and competing every fifth, sixth day and just doing the best I could out there,” said Sauer, who recorded 100 strikeouts in 88 1/3 innings with the Renegades this season, posting a 5-3 record and 3.77 ERA in 18 starts.
“I’m really excited for that first start. I feel great right now, I’m really happy to be here, and it’s exciting … I think the first start, we’ll see how it goes, but I’ll stick to my strengths and what I do well and carry on from that.”Sauer’s ascent through the minors was sidetracked by Tommy John surgery in May 2019 and then missing all of 2020 due to the COVID-19 shutdown. After finding his footing for most of last season between Low-A Tampa and Hudson Valley, he’s back at 100 percent this year, and says the procedure had a minimal negative impact on him, if any, in the long run.“I think I just developed more off-speed pitches,” he said. “I don’t think I added (velocity) or anything like that, but maybe now I have a little better command in the zone, but that was about it.”
ProspectRemember Deivi Garcia? Former top Yankees prospect working way back with Somerset Patriots
Clayton Beeter shines in organizational debut
Acquired by the New York Yankees in the deal that sent Joey Gallo to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Clayton Beeter’s debut outing in their system couldn’t have gone any better on Wednesday night in Bridgewater.
Using a curveball-fastball mix, with the latter sitting between 94 and 96 mph, the 23-year-old righty held the Yard Goats off the board nearly entirely for the duration of his three-inning outing, allowing no hits, walking one batter and striking out six.
"I’m really happy with it,” Beeter said. “We put up a lot of runs today, which is really cool to see. This team is really good, and I’m happy and excited for the rest of the season.”
Eric Wagaman starts strong in Somerset return
Big first baseman Eric Wagaman was quickly forgotten by some after being transferred to the development list on just the second day of the season and eventually sent back down to Hudson Valley without getting into a game; his Double-A debut essentially taken away from him before he could make any sort of first impression.That all finally changed on Tuesday. And that impression was very good.“Wags” smacked a long, no-doubt home run in his first game with the Patriots, showing the kind of raw power that’s kept him on a slow, but steady path climbing the organizational ladder after the Yankees took him with their 13th round pick back in 2017.“That felt pretty good,” Wagaman said through a big smile after the game.“It’s good to be back with all these guys on this team, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season and going into the playoffs … that should be exciting. It feels good to be back.”
Prospects:After breezing through Yankees system early on, Somerset infielder isn't slowing down
Zac Veen joins list of top prospects visiting Somerset
Only a few days removed from the Binghamton Rumble Ponies making their inaugural visit to TD Bank Ballpark, one that featured appearances by top Mets prospects Brett Baty and Ronny Mauricio, the visiting clubhouse in Somerset saw an unexpected Double-A debut from another highly regarded top talent.Ranked the 20th-best prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline, Zac Veen was promoted to Hartford just prior to their series opener in Somerset on Tuesday night, and he recorded his first hit at the level in just his second at-bat.Long one of the darlings of the travel ball circuit, where he starred in viral appearances for the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series and others, the 20-year-old outfielder was selected ninth overall by the Colorado Rockies in 2020, and is considered to be their top prospect – alongside Ezequiel Tovar, who is unfortunately on the injured list for this series – having just represented Colorado at the Futures Game, where he played against current Patriots infielder Anthony Volpe and former Somerset starter Ken Waldichuk.“I’m pumped (to have been called up), especially seeing all of the facilities, and the atmosphere around here is great,” Veen, who is hitting .266 with 11 homers, 60 RBI and 50 stolen bases, told MyCentralJersey.com.“And we’ve got a really good team here, so I’m excited. I think (getting called up) goes through everybody’s mind, but I think it’s one of those things where you just really have to stay focused, trust what you can do and just go day-to-day as best you can. I feel like I’ve learned almost as much as I did last year already, and I think this is another big growth year for me. I’m still continuing to grow and learn, and I’m excited to see what happens next.” | https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/sports/baseball/patriots/2022/08/13/somerset-patriots-yankees-prospect-matt-sauer-pitcher-promoted/65401784007/ | 2022-08-13T17:28:18Z | mycentraljersey.com | control | https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/sports/baseball/patriots/2022/08/13/somerset-patriots-yankees-prospect-matt-sauer-pitcher-promoted/65401784007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Football: Big Central Conference announces new division names
The Big Central Conference has released a list of names for its divisions, after simply referring to them by numbers and letters since the league was formed prior to the 2020 campaign.
The BCC consists of 12 divisions, arranged with group size as a guide, although somewhat adjusted for competitive balance. This season, each group populates two divisions.
The league features 59 teams in five counties – Hunterdon, Middlesex, Somerset, Union and Warren -- with 11 of the 12 divisions consisting of five teams, and one with four schools.
Here is the breakdown and names:
AMERICAN GOLD (5A): Elizabeth, Somerville, St. Joseph-Metuchen, Union, Westfield
AMERICAN SILVER (5B): Bridgewater- Raritan, Hillsborough, Hunterdon Central, Phillipsburg, Ridge
NATIONAL GOLD (5C): East Brunswick, Monroe, Old Bridge, Piscataway, South Brunswick
NATIONAL SILVER (5D): Edison, Franklin, New Brunswick, North Brunswick, Sayreville
LIBERTY GOLD (4A): Colonia, J.F. Kennedy, Linden, Perth Amboy, Woodbridge
LIBERTY SILVER (4B): Montgomery, North Hunterdon, Plainfield, Watchung Hills
UNITED GOLD (3A): Cranford, Rahway, Scotch Plains-Fanwood, St. Thomas Aquinas, Summit
UNITED SILVER (3B): Carteret, Governor Livingston, J.P. Stevens, North Plainfield, South Plainfield
PATRIOT GOLD (2A): Bernards, Bound Brook, Delaware Valley, South River, Voorhees
PATRIOT SILVER (2B): A.L. Johnson, Hillside, Metuchen, New Providence, Roselle
FREEDON GOLD (1A): Brearley, Dayton, Highland Park, Roselle Park, Spotswood
FREEDON SILVER (1B): Belvidere, Dunellen, Manville, Middlesex, South Hunterdon
Simeon Pincus can be reached atSPincus@GannettNJ.com. Follow him on Twitter @SimeonPincus and on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/SimeonPincusCN | https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2022/08/13/nj-football-big-central-conference-announces-new-division-names/65402686007/ | 2022-08-13T17:28:24Z | mycentraljersey.com | control | https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2022/08/13/nj-football-big-central-conference-announces-new-division-names/65402686007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The next domino in the Panthers’ quarterback battle has fallen.
Baker Mayfield will start Carolina’s preseason opener against Washington on Saturday, the team announced, taking the first series while Sam Darnold takes the second. The two have both taken reps with the first team during training camp and coach Matt Rhule has said he will take until at least after the second preseason game to make a decision.
“When we know, we know,” Rhule told reporters. “If we knew for sure, we would just say it and move on with it. When we know, we know. Every day brings new evidence. Every day brings new insights. But at the same time, they’re both competitors. If one guy has a strong day, the next guy fights back the next day.”
“I think it’s been healthy for our team. It’s been healthy for the staff. I think it’s been done the right way. I’m pleased with where it’s at.”
Carolina traded for Mayfield last month to compete with Darnold for the starting job. Darnold had it for much of last season and struggled after failing to stick with the Jets, who drafted him third overall in 2018.
Rhule said he wants a starter who can master the fundamentals of the offense, play well situationally and get the ball to Carolina’s playmakers.
“When you have those three things, then you have your starting quarterback,” Rhule said. | https://nypost.com/2022/08/13/baker-mayfield-to-start-first-panthers-preseason-game/ | 2022-08-13T17:28:37Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/08/13/baker-mayfield-to-start-first-panthers-preseason-game/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
It was less than five years ago that I spent a beautiful August afternoon in a poorly ventilated gymnasium full of hundreds of sweaty, nervous teenagers penciling in bubbles for the SAT.
But, as much as I hated taking that test, I hate the idea of doing away with standardized testing far more.
The pandemic spurred an explosion of testing-optional admissions policies at colleges and universities around the country (and rightfully so, as testing centers could easily double as super-spreaders). But what started as a pause is becoming more and more permanent. 75 percent of colleges aren’t requiring the SAT or ACT. Even Harvard officially called testing off until at least the class of 2030’s admission cycle.
The pandemic coincided with growing hostility towards standardized testing, underpinning concerns about demographic performance disparities in the quest for equity in admissions.
To be sure, the SAT and ACT are not perfect — a poor night’s sleep, a dead calculator, or a pencil-tapper at the next desk could all throw a test-taker off their game — but it represents a quantifiable measure of aptitude to be holistically weighed with more subjective measures, like essays, interviews and letters of recommendation.
Studies have consistently demonstrated that standardized testing is a good predictor of success on campus and over a lifetime, even after taking into account test-takers’ socioeconomic backgrounds. And because they’re also strongly correlated with IQ, test scores are the type of indicator admissions officers should be salivating over.
Removing this objectivity from the admissions process will spell disaster.
Without the SAT or ACT, GPAs are the only solid number colleges have to work with, but this measure is becoming increasingly meaningless. A study of more than 4 million seniors’ credentials found GPAs have been steadily on the rise for years. But just because grades are going up doesn’t mean kids are getting any smarter — in fact, standardized testing scores are on the decline.
While average GPAs rose from 3.22 to 3.39 over the past decade, ACT scores slumped from 21 to 20.3 over that same period.
“The key takeaway is that grade inflation is real, it’s systemic, and it really threatens the utility of school transcripts as a tool for determining what students know,” Dr. Edgar I. Sanchez, co-author of the study, told me. “When you eliminate testing, you’re taking away an objective measure, and you’re introducing more subjectivity into the college admissions process.”
In a world without testing, what’s to stop elite high schools from inflating students’ GPAs to compete for good college placement results? It’s actually a measurable phenomenon: A study of GPAs in North Carolina over a decade showed grade inflation in wealthier areas and stagnation elsewhere.
Amidst a backdrop of equity-based hysteria, MIT has emerged as a voice of reason.
Analysis of recent admissions cycles at MIT found that test scores were highly predictive of a student’s potential to succeed in college. Furthermore, SAT and ACT results also helped identify students from disadvantaged backgrounds with challenging circumstances who have the potential to shine on campus.
In March, an MIT advisory panel unanimously opted to reinstate standardized testing in their admissions process, declaring, “We believe a requirement is more equitable and transparent than a test-optional policy.” Now, more schools must follow suit in restoring objectivity to the admissions process.
There’s a lot more at stake here than which Ivy League school elite kids will go to get a gender studies degree. The demise of standardized testing actually has profound implications in the professional world. Now that movements are afoot to make the LSAT and the MCAT optional for law school and medical school admissions (and even supported by the American Bar Association), it begs an important question:
Do you want the lawyer defending you in court or the doctor performing your surgery to be where they are because they succeed in a high-pressure testing setting, or because someone wrote them a really nice letter of recommendation? | https://nypost.com/2022/08/13/why-all-students-should-take-the-sat/ | 2022-08-13T17:29:25Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/08/13/why-all-students-should-take-the-sat/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
There’s this idea, that when the green flag drops at an endurance race, there won’t be any pauses or rest until the very end. In reality though, everyone takes a break – at least for a moment or two.
I managed to grab around three hours of sleep at my hotel after I left the track in the early hours of Sunday morning, but the sounds of cars at full noise reverberating through the woods was the wake-up call I needed on my return for the second half of the 2022 TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa.
I’d be lying if I didn’t say my whole body was already aching before the race even started, so my pace was definitely a little slower for the final 12 hours.
For something a little bit different, I recorded some ambient sounds of the race, so if you’d like to feel like you’re amongst the action while you scroll through this post, hit the play button above.
By this stage I had walked 35 miles, a decent hike distance, and the previous day and night were all but a blur to me. The atmosphere was different though; the damp morning air felt refreshing, and even though cars were attacking the track just as hard as they had right at the race start, there was a sense of calm about the place. Of course, that had a lot to do with a lack of spectators at this hour.
While the grandstands were as empty as they were during the pre-race practice sessions, the pits were still alive, even if there was a sense of tiredness about the place. For some teams it had been a very long night repairing car damage or chasing mechanical problems.
I came hunting for speed and the sunrise at the circuit’s first turn – La Source – from where the final chicane is also visible. The rising sun wasn’t able to push through the clouds, but even in these conditions the light was nice.
Before long, one of the Audi teams suffered a nasty hit from another car, and the race went under a ‘full course yellow’ with no overtaking.
That of course meant that the field bunched right up, and although most teams were on different laps, when the green light came on again the racing was feisty.
At this point, just 53 cars from the 66 starters were still racing. The Rowe Racing BMW M4 GT3 #98 car driven by Nicky Catsburg, Augusto Farfus and Nicholas Yelloly had led the race for much of Saturday, and on Sunday morning was still in first.
BMW is the most successful manufacturer in this race’s history with 24 overall wins, and it felt like another was in the bag. But last year’s winner, Ferrari, run by the Iron Lynx squad, were also in contention, as were a couple of other teams.
Funnily enough, the sun finally broke through the clouds just after I left my position, but by this time it was already high in the sky.
I decided to enjoy some more pit action, and see how everyone was waking up for another day of racing.
Fans were returning to the track, and the atmosphere quickly became festive again.
The pink Ferrari 488 GT3 of Doriane Pin, Rahel Frey, Sarah Bovy and Michelle Gatting was poised to win in the ‘Gold’ category, and ultimately the all-female crew succeeded. Two more ladies, Samantha Tan for BMW and Reema Juffali of the #20 SPS Mercedes-AMG team were also competing in this year’s race, not to mention a large number of female race engineers and team staff. It really feels like the motorsport world has now changed for the better.
I thought that by this point in the race, many teams would be trying to drive with caution to ensure they made it across the finish line, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The racing wasn’t getting any less interesting, with many drivers still battling in close proximity and bouncing over the red and yellow kerbs.
A heartbreaking moment came just 1 hour and 53 minutes before the race end, when the Rowe Racing M4 suffered a puncture and lost the lead. It looked like a BMW wouldn’t bring a gift for BMW M’s 50th anniversary.
By this stage, the closest rival was the #88 Mercedes-AMG GT3 car of Raffaele Marciello, Daniel Juncadell and Jules Gounon. Their weekend wasn’t perfect; the car experienced two spins and a big scuffle with an Aston Martin, but in the end nothing could stop Mercedes and AMG Team AKKODIS ASP from taking the overall victory. After 536 laps of racing, Mercedes took their first win at this race since 2013.
The TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa is special in endurance racing, as it’s strictly contested between GT3 machinery. While the 24 Hours of Le Mans includes different prototype classes, the Belgian event focuses on production-based cars that everyone can relate to. Add that to the unique sense of history, and all the challenges that the modern-day Spa-Francorchamps presents to manufacturers since adopting GT rules for this race in 2001, and you can see why so many people keep coming back year after year to watch it. After so long, I’m glad I finally got to experience it for myself too.
Vladimir Ljadov
Instagram: wheelsbywovka
because@wheelsbywovka.com
www.wheelsbywovka.com | http://www.speedhunters.com/2022/08/24-hours-of-spa-racing-to-the-chequered-flag/ | 2022-08-13T17:30:15Z | speedhunters.com | control | http://www.speedhunters.com/2022/08/24-hours-of-spa-racing-to-the-chequered-flag/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Silently paddling my canoe along the creek, I never saw him in the water near the bank. Suddenly a loud “slap!” on the water scared me so badly I almost tipped the canoe over. A beaver had been mostly submerged and was watching me. When I got too close, he sounded the warning to any other beavers in the area by slapping his flat, paddle-shaped tail hard on the creek’s surface.
The beaver is similar to the muskrat but he is much bigger and his tail is flat. He also likes to chew on larger vegetation such as trees. He is the largest rodent, averaging 35 to 45 pounds and sometimes weighing up to 60 pounds; record weights actually exceed 100 pounds. Like the muskrat, the beaver’s front feet are small and the hind feet are huge — up to 6 inches long and just as wide by the toenails. The beaver has a unique split toenail in each hind foot that is used as a comb for grooming. His big, flat tail is used to steer him through the water as well as sound an alarm.
The beaver’s brown, silky fur is about 2 inches long and is underlain with a soft, dense underfur, about 1 inch long, that protects his skin from the cold water. The beaver has a single lower body opening that serves as the urinary and bowel tract and covers the reproduction organs of both males and females. That opening also covers an oil gland (known as castors) that, with the use of those split toenails for grooming, keeps the beaver’s fur waterproof. The eyes have an extra eyelid that allows a beaver to see underwater but not get abrasive particles on the eyeballs. Beavers can stay submerged for 10 to 15 minutes and can travel a half-mile under water.
Beavers can live up to 12 years and they usually mate for life. They’re a family-oriented animal in that the parents allow their young from the previous year to remain with them while they’re raising this year’s young. Usually there are three to five kits in a litter and they take to the water readily, swimming usually the day after they are born.
A beavers’ lodge is built from many layers of sticks and tree branches, placed on a pond that is created through building of a dam across a creek or stream. This home can be up to 40 feet wide and 6 feet high. A chamber chewed out of the center serves as living quarters and has several tunnel entrances starting on the sides below water level. Mud is packed on the lodge to fuse things together and a vent hole is left near the peak. The living area consists of two parts: a level near the waterline where beavers shake off water before going into the second, higher nesting area.
Along rivers and lakes that have high banks, beavers will construct bank dens instead of lodges by digging tunnels under water to the higher bank area above the water level where they will carve out a nesting chamber.
Near both types of home they will build “feed piles” of fresh cut limbs that look like flattened small lodges, and after ice has formed in winter they can pull limbs from under the ice and take them back into the “house” to feed on.
Food preferred by beavers includes the bark from cottonwood, willow, aspen and dogwood trees. They do not eat the wood, only the bark. They can, however, chew through very large trees in order to drop them so they can get to the more tender bark on the branches. Beavers will even go inland quite a ways to drop trees, and carve out canals to haul the branches back to their ponds. Beavers like the roots, leaves and stems of many aquatic plants and will also feed on crops such as corn, apples, wheat, clover and potatoes.
“Bucky the Beaver” has the ability to really alter the habitat with his construction of dams and canals. When a beaver pond is created it provides habitat for other fur-bearers such as mink and muskrats, many marsh birds, ducks and fish. However, as the pond gets older and their food sources dwindle, beavers move on and many of the better habitats are lost. On the downside, they can damage property by cutting trees, flooding large areas of farm land and plugging culverts, which causes flooding and erosion of roads. In recent years, beavers’ plugging of the water control structures at the Tonawanda and Oak Orchard Wildlife Management areas has caused big headaches for state Department of Environmental Conservation personnel.
The beaver’s fur was very valuable at one time, which was the cause of their massive decline in the early 19th century, but in the past four decades or so their value fell to about $20 to $30. The hides are stretched out in a circle to dry and the size, for fur grading, is the combination of the length and width in inches. A medium beaver is about 40 inches and a large one is about 55 inches. One measuring 70 inches or more is known as a blanket. Back in the 1800s beaver pelts were used to make hats; the long fur was sheared off and the short underfur remained.
• • •
Attention, nature lovers: Live wildlife will be on display Sunday at the Kenan Center in Lockport as a local fine art and photography exhibit gets underway. Peter Lotz from Sky Hunters will have on hand a live golden eagle and several other raptors, for a 3 p.m. flying demo. It’s a free event; don’t miss it!
Doug Domedion, outdoorsman and nature photographer, resides in Medina. Contact him at 585-798-4022 or woodduck2020@yahoo.com. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/lifestyles/the-great-outdoors-all-about-bucky-the-habitat-altering-beaver/article_715de918-1760-11ed-b566-db75eb8e6034.html | 2022-08-13T17:44:38Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/lifestyles/the-great-outdoors-all-about-bucky-the-habitat-altering-beaver/article_715de918-1760-11ed-b566-db75eb8e6034.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NEW YORK (AP) — Two Amazon-owned companies — Ring and Hollywood studio MGM — are teaming to create a TV show in the mold of “America’s Funniest Home Videos” using viral footage from Ring’s doorbell and smart-home cameras.
The half-hour show, called “Ring Nation,” will be hosted by actor and comedian Wanda Sykes and premier in syndication on Sept. 26, MGM said.
The studio noted audiences should expect to see the usual things that go viral — marriage proposals, neighbors saving neighbors and silly animals.
The series showcases Amazon’s fusion of its various business arms, this time to highlight what MGM called “interesting moments from communities across the country.”
“You have one company that owns two juggernauts and (has) just figured out how to leverage one against the other,” said Robert Passikoff, president of the brand research firm Brand Keys. He noted that unlike scripted movies or shows, a reality series using Ring footage will likely be cheaper to produce.
The show also presents a branding opportunity for the Seattle-based e-commerce and retail giant, which bought Ring in 2018 for $1 billion and has dealt with rounds of privacy concerns around Ring and its relationship with police departments across the country.
Last month, Amazon revealed it had provided Ring doorbell footage to law enforcement 11 times this year without the user’s permission — all in response to emergency requests, according to the company.
MGM, which Amazon purchased for $8.5 billion, said in a statement Thursday that “Ring Nation” will offer audiences “daily dose of life’s unpredictable, heartwarming and hilarious viral videos” shared by people from their cameras.
“Many of these have been previously shared online,” Amazon spokesperson Nick Schweers said. “Others were sent directly to the team.” Ring Nation secures permissions for each video from the owner and anyone identifiable in the video, or from companies that hold the rights to the clips, he said.
Amazon’s deal to purchase MGM was closed earlier this year, though the Federal Trade Commission has said it still retains discretion to challenge it. Big Fish Entertainment, a production company owned by MGM, will also be part of the partnership. | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/amazons-ring-mgm-to-launch-show-from-viral-doorbell-videos/ | 2022-08-13T17:49:53Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/amazons-ring-mgm-to-launch-show-from-viral-doorbell-videos/ | 0 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | 41 |
NEW YORK (AP) — Two Amazon-owned companies — Ring and Hollywood studio MGM — are teaming to create a TV show in the mold of “America’s Funniest Home Videos” using viral footage from Ring’s doorbell and smart-home cameras.
The half-hour show, called “Ring Nation,” will be hosted by actor and comedian Wanda Sykes and premier in syndication on Sept. 26, MGM said.
The studio noted audiences should expect to see the usual things that go viral — marriage proposals, neighbors saving neighbors and silly animals.
The series showcases Amazon’s fusion of its various business arms, this time to highlight what MGM called “interesting moments from communities across the country.”
“You have one company that owns two juggernauts and (has) just figured out how to leverage one against the other,” said Robert Passikoff, president of the brand research firm Brand Keys. He noted that unlike scripted movies or shows, a reality series using Ring footage will likely be cheaper to produce.
The show also presents a branding opportunity for the Seattle-based e-commerce and retail giant, which bought Ring in 2018 for $1 billion and has dealt with rounds of privacy concerns around Ring and its relationship with police departments across the country.
Last month, Amazon revealed it had provided Ring doorbell footage to law enforcement 11 times this year without the user’s permission — all in response to emergency requests, according to the company.
MGM, which Amazon purchased for $8.5 billion, said in a statement Thursday that “Ring Nation” will offer audiences “daily dose of life’s unpredictable, heartwarming and hilarious viral videos” shared by people from their cameras.
“Many of these have been previously shared online,” Amazon spokesperson Nick Schweers said. “Others were sent directly to the team.” Ring Nation secures permissions for each video from the owner and anyone identifiable in the video, or from companies that hold the rights to the clips, he said.
Amazon’s deal to purchase MGM was closed earlier this year, though the Federal Trade Commission has said it still retains discretion to challenge it. Big Fish Entertainment, a production company owned by MGM, will also be part of the partnership. | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/amazons-ring-mgm-to-launch-show-from-viral-doorbell-videos/ | 2022-08-13T17:49:53Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/amazons-ring-mgm-to-launch-show-from-viral-doorbell-videos/ | 1 | 0 | green-iguana-35 | 41 |
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A diesel pipeline in Wyoming owned by a company that’s being sued by federal prosecutors over previous spills in two other states cracked open and released more than 45,000 gallons (205,000 liters) of fuel, state regulators and a company representative disclosed Friday.
Cleanup work is ongoing from the spill that was discovered by the pipeline’s operator on July 27, said Joe Hunter, Emergency Response Coordinator with the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality. The fuel spilled into sandy soil on private ranchland near the small community of Sussex in eastern Wyoming and did not spread very far, he said.
Contaminated soil was being excavated and placed into a temporary staging area, and it will be spread onto a nearby dirt road where the fuel is expected to largely evaporate, Hunter said.
The line is operated by Bridger Pipeline, a subsidiary of Casper-based True companies, according to an accident report submitted to the U.S. Coast Guard’s National Response Center.
The company initially reported only 420 gallons (1,590 liters) had spilled, but later revised its estimate to 45,150 gallons (205,250 liters), according to a National Response Center database.
Bridger Pipeline spokesperson Bill Salvin said the initial figure was based on what company personnel saw on the ground and reported immediately. The volume estimate increased as the site was excavated, he said.
True and its subsidiaries have a long history of spills. In May, federal prosecutors in Montana alleged that representatives of Bridger Pipeline had concealed from regulators problems with a pipeline that broke beneath the Yellowstone River near the city of Glendive in 2015. The break spewed more than 50,000 gallons (240,000 liters) of crude into the river and fouled Glendive’s drinking water supply.
In North Dakota, federal prosecutors and the state Attorney General’s Office are pursuing parallel claims of environmental violations against a second True companies subsidiary responsible for a 2016 spill that released more than 600,000 gallons (2.7 million liters) of crude, contaminating the Little Missouri River and a tributary.
Representatives of the companies have denied violating pollution laws and rejected claims that problems with the Montana line were concealed from federal regulators.
The Wyoming spill was caused by a crack at a weld in the line, said Hunter, who did not know how long it was leaking before being discovered. The spilled fuel did not appear to reach any waterways and no enforcement actions for environmental violations were planned, he said.
“I’m not saying there wouldn’t be any down the road but for right now there won’t be” any enforcement actions by the state, Hunter said. “It’s an older pipeline and it’s one of those things that happen.”
The 6-inch (15 centimeter) diameter steel line was installed in 1968 by the original owner and later acquired by Bridger Pipeline, Salvin said. It was last inspected in 2019, using a device that travels inside the pipe looking for flaws, and no problems were detected, he said.
“We’re focused on minimizing the environmental impact and we’re going to replace the soil and restore the land as close as possible to its original condition,” Salvin said.
Kenneth Clarkson with the Pipeline Safety Trust, a Bellingham, Washington-based group that advocates for safer pipelines, said a thorough investigation into the spill’s cause needs to conducted.
“It’s frustrating to hear of another spill by Bridger Pipeline LLC,” Clarkson said. “This spill of 45,000-plus gallons of diesel into rural Wyoming negatively impacts the environment, wildlife, and surrounding communities.”
Violations of pipeline safety regulations would be handled separately and fall under jurisdiction of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Salvin said the agency has been notified about the spill, but officials did not immediately respond to questions from The Associated Press.
Bridger last year reached a $2 million settlement with the federal government and Montana over damages from the Yellowstone River spill. The company was previously fined $1 million in the case by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality.
___
Follow Brown on Twitter: @MatthewBrownAP | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/pipeline-break-spills-45000-gallons-of-diesel-in-wyoming/ | 2022-08-13T17:50:23Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/pipeline-break-spills-45000-gallons-of-diesel-in-wyoming/ | 0 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | 31 |
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A diesel pipeline in Wyoming owned by a company that’s being sued by federal prosecutors over previous spills in two other states cracked open and released more than 45,000 gallons (205,000 liters) of fuel, state regulators and a company representative disclosed Friday.
Cleanup work is ongoing from the spill that was discovered by the pipeline’s operator on July 27, said Joe Hunter, Emergency Response Coordinator with the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality. The fuel spilled into sandy soil on private ranchland near the small community of Sussex in eastern Wyoming and did not spread very far, he said.
Contaminated soil was being excavated and placed into a temporary staging area, and it will be spread onto a nearby dirt road where the fuel is expected to largely evaporate, Hunter said.
The line is operated by Bridger Pipeline, a subsidiary of Casper-based True companies, according to an accident report submitted to the U.S. Coast Guard’s National Response Center.
The company initially reported only 420 gallons (1,590 liters) had spilled, but later revised its estimate to 45,150 gallons (205,250 liters), according to a National Response Center database.
Bridger Pipeline spokesperson Bill Salvin said the initial figure was based on what company personnel saw on the ground and reported immediately. The volume estimate increased as the site was excavated, he said.
True and its subsidiaries have a long history of spills. In May, federal prosecutors in Montana alleged that representatives of Bridger Pipeline had concealed from regulators problems with a pipeline that broke beneath the Yellowstone River near the city of Glendive in 2015. The break spewed more than 50,000 gallons (240,000 liters) of crude into the river and fouled Glendive’s drinking water supply.
In North Dakota, federal prosecutors and the state Attorney General’s Office are pursuing parallel claims of environmental violations against a second True companies subsidiary responsible for a 2016 spill that released more than 600,000 gallons (2.7 million liters) of crude, contaminating the Little Missouri River and a tributary.
Representatives of the companies have denied violating pollution laws and rejected claims that problems with the Montana line were concealed from federal regulators.
The Wyoming spill was caused by a crack at a weld in the line, said Hunter, who did not know how long it was leaking before being discovered. The spilled fuel did not appear to reach any waterways and no enforcement actions for environmental violations were planned, he said.
“I’m not saying there wouldn’t be any down the road but for right now there won’t be” any enforcement actions by the state, Hunter said. “It’s an older pipeline and it’s one of those things that happen.”
The 6-inch (15 centimeter) diameter steel line was installed in 1968 by the original owner and later acquired by Bridger Pipeline, Salvin said. It was last inspected in 2019, using a device that travels inside the pipe looking for flaws, and no problems were detected, he said.
“We’re focused on minimizing the environmental impact and we’re going to replace the soil and restore the land as close as possible to its original condition,” Salvin said.
Kenneth Clarkson with the Pipeline Safety Trust, a Bellingham, Washington-based group that advocates for safer pipelines, said a thorough investigation into the spill’s cause needs to conducted.
“It’s frustrating to hear of another spill by Bridger Pipeline LLC,” Clarkson said. “This spill of 45,000-plus gallons of diesel into rural Wyoming negatively impacts the environment, wildlife, and surrounding communities.”
Violations of pipeline safety regulations would be handled separately and fall under jurisdiction of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Salvin said the agency has been notified about the spill, but officials did not immediately respond to questions from The Associated Press.
Bridger last year reached a $2 million settlement with the federal government and Montana over damages from the Yellowstone River spill. The company was previously fined $1 million in the case by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality.
___
Follow Brown on Twitter: @MatthewBrownAP | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/pipeline-break-spills-45000-gallons-of-diesel-in-wyoming/ | 2022-08-13T17:50:23Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/pipeline-break-spills-45000-gallons-of-diesel-in-wyoming/ | 1 | 0 | green-iguana-35 | 31 |
VENTURA, Calif. (AP) — A man once briefly married to Britney Spears has been convicted of aggravated trespassing and battery at the pop star’s June wedding.
Jason Alexander, 40, pleaded no contest to the two misdemeanor counts in a California court, prosecutors in Ventura County announced Thursday. The Ventura County judge sentenced him to the 64 days he has already served in jail.
Prosecutors dropped charges of felony stalking and misdemeanor vandalism.
Spears married longtime boyfriend Sam Asghari at her home in Thousand Oaks, California, on June 9, in front of several dozen guests including Selena Gomez, Drew Barrymore, Paris Hilton and Madonna.
Alexander, a childhood friend of Spears to whom she was married for less than three days in 2004, appeared uninvited at the house before the ceremony while livestreaming on Instagram.
He got inside the house and up to the locked door of Spears’ bedroom when she was inside getting ready for the wedding, according to testimony at a preliminary hearing.
Alexander refused to leave the property when told, battered a security guard who tried to remove him, and damaged a door, prosecutors said.
After he entered his plea, a judge issued a new protective order forbidding him from coming within 100 yards of Spears or the security guard.
Alexander’s attorney, Sandra Bisignani, did not immediately reply to an email seeking comment. She previously said in court that there was no evidence he had any intention of harming Spears.
Spears’ lawyer declined comment.
___
This story has been updated to show that the conviction was announced Thursday, not Friday. | https://www.wpri.com/entertainment-news/ap-entertainment/britney-spears-ex-convicted-of-trespassing-in-wedding-raid/ | 2022-08-13T17:50:58Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/entertainment-news/ap-entertainment/britney-spears-ex-convicted-of-trespassing-in-wedding-raid/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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