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UNITED NATIONS (AP) — A year after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, prominent Afghan rights activist Sima Samar is still heartbroken over what happened to her country.
Samar, a former minister of women’s affairs and the first chair of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, left Kabul in July 2021 for the United States on her first trip after the COVID-19 pandemic, never expecting Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to flee the country and the Taliban to take power for the second time soon after on Aug. 15.
“I think it’s a sad anniversary for the majority of people of my country,” Samar said, particularly for the women “who don’t have enough food, who do not know what is the tomorrow for them.”
A visiting scholar at the Carr Center for Human Rights at the Kennedy School at Harvard, she has written the first draft of an autobiography and is working on a policy paper on customary law relating to Afghan women. She is also trying to get a Green Card, but she said, “I honestly cannot orient myself, where I am, and what I’m doing.”
She wishes she could go home — but she can’t.
In an interview Friday with The Associated Press, she recalled a Taliban news conference a few days after they took power when they said if people apologized for past actions they would be forgiven.
“And I said, I should be apologizing because I started schools for the people?” said Samar, a member of Afghanistan’s long persecuted Hazara minority. “I should apologize because I started hospitals and clinics in Afghanistan? I should apologize because I tried to stop torture of the Taliban? I should apologize to advocate against the death penalty, including (for) the Taliban leadership?”
“All my life I fought for life as a doctor,” she said. “So I cannot change and support the death penalty. I shouldn’t apologize for those principles of human rights and be punished.”
Samar became an activist as a 23-year-old medical student with an infant son. In 1984, the then-communist government arrested her activist husband, and she never saw him again. She fled to Pakistan with her young son and worked as a doctor for Afghan refugees and started several clinics to care for Afghan women and girls.
Samar remembered the Taliban’s previous rule in the late 1990s, when they largely confined women to their homes, banned television and music, and held public executions. A U.S.-led invasion drove the Taliban from power months after the 9/11 attacks in 2001, which al-Qaida orchestrated from Afghanistan while being sheltered by the Taliban.
After the Taliban’s ouster, Samar returned to Afghanistan, moving into the top women’s rights and human rights positions, and over the next 20 years schools and universities were opened for girls, women entered the workforce and politics and became judges.
But Samar said in an AP interview in April 2021 — four months before the Taliban’s second takeover of the country — that the gains were fragile and human rights activists had many enemies in Afghanistan, from militants and warlords to those who wanted to stifle criticism or challenge their power.
Samar said the Afghan government and leadership, especially Ghani, were mainly responsible for the Taliban sweeping into Kabul and taking power. But she also put blame on Afghans “because we were very divided.”
In every speech and interview she gave nationally and internationally over the years, she said Afghans had to be united and inclusive, and “we have to have the people’s support. Otherwise, we will lose.”
As chair of the Human Rights Commission, she said she repeatedly faced criticism that she was trying to impose Western values on Afghanistan.
“And I kept saying, human rights is not Western values. As a human being, everyone needs to have a shelter … access to education and health services, to security,” she said.
Since their takeover, the Taliban have limited girls’ public education to just six years, restricted women’s work, encouraged them to stay at home, and issued dress codes requiring them to cover their faces.
Samar urged international pressure not only to allow all girls to attend secondary school and university, but to ensure all human rights which are interlinked. And she stressed the importance of education for young boys, who without any schooling, job or skill could be at risk to get involved in opium production, weapons smuggling or in violence.
She also urged the international community to continue humanitarian programs which are critical to save lives, but said they should focus on food-for-work or cash-for-work to end peoples’ total dependency and give them “self-confidence and dignity.”
Samar said Afghan society has changed over the past two decades, with more access to technology, rising education levels among the young and some experience with elections, t even if they weren’t free and fair.
She said such achievements leave the possibility of positive change in the future. “Those are the issues that they (the Taliban) cannot control,” she said. “They would like to, but they cannot do it.”
Samar said she hoped for eventual accountability and justice for war crimes and crimes against humanity. “Otherwise, we feel the culture of impunity everywhere, everywhere — and the invasion of Russia to Ukraine is a repetition of Afghanistan’s case,” she said.
Her hope for Afghan women is that they can “live with dignity rather than being a slave of people.” | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-international-news/afghan-rights-leader-heartbroken-after-year-of-taliban-rule/ | 2022-08-14T15:18:15Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-international-news/afghan-rights-leader-heartbroken-after-year-of-taliban-rule/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PHOENIX (AP) — Police arrested three Arizona parents, shocking two of them with stun guns, as they tried to force their way into a school that police locked down Friday after an armed man was seen trying to get on campus, authorities said.
The parents were arrested as they tried to get to their children to protect them, authorities said. Officers in the Phoenix suburb of El Mirage used a Taser to stop two of them as they tried to help a man whose own handgun fell to the ground while he was being taken into custody, authorities said.
The scene at Thompson Ranch Elementary School developed nearly three months after hundreds of law enforcement officers in the small Texas city of Uvalde failed to act for more than an hour as a gunman killed two teachers and 19 students.
No shots were fired at Thompson Ranch, the school wasn’t breached and no one was hurt, other than a woman taken to a hospital with Taser injuries from officers who say they were trying to stop her from attacking them.
By the time the confrontations with the upset parents began, police had already confirmed that there was no longer a threat, removed a suspicious package and were planning to begin reuniting parents with the children, El Mirage police Lt. Jimmy Chavez said.
But the school was still on lockdown, meaning no one would be allowed on campus, according to the protocols police and the school district have set up. That’s when upset parents demanded to be allowed into the school so they could find their children and began confronting police, authorities said.
“Several parents continued with their agitation, made several statements that they were going to come on campus to help protect their kids,” Chavez said. “As a parent I understand that philosophy. However, there are procedures that law enforcement and the school were following.”
Chavez said a man began pushing to get past officers and as police were arresting him, a man and a woman who had also been confronting officers came to his aid. Officers used a Taser to subdue them and they too were arrested. As the first man was being taken into custody, a gun fell to the ground.
The armed parent will face a weapons charge — guns are not allowed on school grounds — and a disorderly conduct charge. The two parents who were stunned with the Taser will face unspecified charges. The woman was taken by ambulance to a hospital, Chavez said. None were immediately identified.
The incident began at about 10:30 a.m. Friday when school officials called police to report that a man, possibly armed with a gun, was trying to get into a locked school building. He could not get in and was chased off by staff before police from El Mirage and two other agencies arrived at the school, Chavez said.
Officers searching the school to ensure it was safe found a suspicious package and called a bomb squad, Chavez said, and moved some children to another part of the campus.
That’s when parents began arriving and the confrontations with officers began, with parents “forcefully pushing on the officers trying to get on to campus.”
“The parents need to understand that when the school is on lockdown and law enforcement is on scene, nobody is going to be allowed on campus,” Chavez said.
Chavez said the school lockdown procedures between the school district and law enforced “worked to a T.”
Police later located the man who had triggered the lockdown. He was being evaluated late Friday by mental health professionals and a police statement said charges were pending.,
Efforts to reach El Mirage Police Saturday to get additional information were not immediately successful. | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-national-news/arizona-parents-arrested-trying-to-get-to-locked-down-school/ | 2022-08-14T15:18:37Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-national-news/arizona-parents-arrested-trying-to-get-to-locked-down-school/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A sustainable seafood alternative: lab-grown fish sticks Published August 14, 2022 at 7:02 AM PDT Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Listen • 3:59 NPR's Ayesha Rascoe talks with Bluu Seafood COO Chris Dammann about the company's new cultivated cell fish products - fish sticks and fish balls. Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.klcc.org/2022-08-14/a-sustainable-seafood-alternative-lab-grown-fish-sticks | 2022-08-14T15:18:42Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/2022-08-14/a-sustainable-seafood-alternative-lab-grown-fish-sticks | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Death row inmate Richard Glossip facing fourth execution date Published August 14, 2022 at 6:49 AM PDT Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Listen • 5:57 NPR's Ayesha Rascoe asks Oklahoma state Rep. Kevin McDugle why he thinks death row inmate Richard Glossip is innocent and deserves a new trial. Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.klcc.org/2022-08-14/death-row-inmate-richard-glossip-facing-fourth-execution-date | 2022-08-14T15:18:54Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/2022-08-14/death-row-inmate-richard-glossip-facing-fourth-execution-date | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Give your hair a sun-kissed glow with this unique highlighting technique
If you love highlights in your hair but prefer a more subtle look than can be achieved with traditional highlighting, you may want to give balayage a try. Instead of using foils, highlights are simply painted on the hair to give it a brighter effect that blends nicely with your hair’s primary color.
Another benefit of balayage is that you can do the process easily from the comfort of home. With a few tools and highlights in your preferred color, your hair will look like you just stepped out of the salon or off a plane after a week spent on a beach vacation.
Balayage versus foil highlighting
Traditional highlights are beautiful, but they aren’t for everyone. Wrapping strands in foil is required for processing, which can be tedious to do on your own hair at home. The resulting highlights are typically quite defined, making the contrast between the highlights and the natural hair color obvious. They are especially noticeable on darker hair tones.
The balayage technique simply requires “painting” a hair-lightening product on the hair using a hair dye applicator brush. This can be done free-handed or by dividing the hair into sections. The results are natural-looking highlights that create a brighter look that blends well with the rest of the hair.
Keep in mind that foil highlighting typically produces a higher lift than balayage. So if you want pronounced highlights, foil highlighting is probably your best option.
What do I need to balayage at home?
The right products will simplify your home balayage efforts and yield gorgeous results.
Hair lightener
The product you use to produce your highlights will determine the color and intensity of your results. While you can use permanent hair color, you’ll get the best results from a powdered lightener mixed with 20 or 30-volume developer. Hair lighteners are often referred to as hair bleaching products. Some popular colors for balayage are platinum, golden blonde and light brown, but the color you choose is a matter of preference.
You can purchase lighteners and developers separately, but kits for the balayage technique are available.
Application accessories
Before beginning the balayage process, be sure to have the accessories you’ll need on hand.
- A hair coloring cape to protect skin and clothing
- Hair dye gloves to protect hands from the bleaching chemicals
- Salon mixing bowls to prepare the lightener and developer
- Salon-style rat tail combs to section hair
- Hair clips to keep strands divided into sections and out of the way while applying the lightener
- Hair dye applicator brushes to paint on the lightener and blend it in
Balayage steps
The balayage process can vary, but there are a few basic steps to follow.
- Divide hair into sections. While this isn’t necessary, it produces the best results. Back, sides, front and top sections are ideal for even highlights.
- Place the sections in hair clips. This makes it simple to work on one area of the hair at a time.
- Mix the lightener and developer. Mixing it as soon as you are ready to apply it will keep the color fresh. Use a ration of 1-to-2 or 1-to-3.
- Apply the lightener. Begin with the back sections and work towards the sides. Do the front and top sections last.
- Allow the color to process. This typically takes around 45 minutes.
- Rinse thoroughly. Enjoy your new look.
Best products for home balayage
Wella ColorCharm Powder Lightener
This lightener powder seals in moisture to help prevent dry hair and breakage. The bright blonde color can lift up to seven shade levels. The powder formula is easy to mix. Sold by Amazon
Clairol Nice ‘n Easy Balayage for Blondes
A good choice for the budget-minded, Clairol’s balayage kit comes with everything you need to create nicely blended highlights, including lightening powder and developer, conditioner and an applicator brush. It’s one of the most affordable options we found. Sold by Amazon
Schwarzkopf BlondMe Premium Lightener and 30-Volume Developer
With a lift of up to nine levels, BlondMe lightener powder will give your mane vibrant yet natural highlights. It doesn’t have an off-putting odor, which appeals to many users. It comes with a bottle 30-volume developer, so you’ll have the key products you’ll need to give your hair a beachy vibe. Sold by Amazon
Wella ColorCharm 20-Volume Cream Developer
This versatile 20-volume developer works well for most lighters to give hair a sunny boost without being too light or brassy. The cream formula is easy to control during application. Sold by Amazon
L’Oreal Paris Oreor 30-Volume Creme Developer
If you want to take your balayage results to the next level, 30-volume developer will give you the lift you need. This formula has a creamy consistency for easy application. Sold by Amazon
Segbeauty Hair Dye Gloves, Set of 20
When you apply chemical lighteners at home, don’t forget gloves to protect your hands. Gloves that hold up well to chemicals and provide a comfortable, flexible fit like these are ideal. The pack includes 20 pairs. Sold by Amazon
YELEGAI Waterproof Hair Dye Cape
A short cape hair dye cape will protect your skin and clothing while allowing you more flexibility than a long cape to work on your hair. We like that this one is just the right size and is made with waterproof material that wipes clean with minimal effort. Sold by Amazon
Salon Supply Co Hair Dye Bowl and Whisk Set
Pour in the lightener and developer, stir them and you’re ready to create your balayage look. A bowl and whisk set makes it a snap to accomplish the mixing phase of the process. This must-have set includes three bowls and three whisks that you can reuse when updating your highlights. Sold by Amazon
Diane 8-Inch Carbon Rat Tail Comb
A rat tail comb is the perfect tool for separating strands and combing through them until they are smooth in preparation for the balayage technique. This classic comb is inexpensive and simple to use. Sold by Amazon
Thanks to the strong, slip-resistant grip, these 10 hair clips will easily hold hair strands in place while you paint color onto each strand. The design holds without leaving marks, creases or dents on the hair. Sold by Amazon
Paul Mitchell Pro Tools Sectioning Hair Clips, Set of 6
Made by a trusted band in salon-quality hair care products, these standard clips are durable and stay in place during processing and styling. The set includes six clips. Sold by Amazon
Framar Power Painter Hair Color Brush, Set of 2
It’s best to have at least two applicator brushes on hand when you do the balayage process to your hair. Framar’s two includes one for painting on highlighter and another for blending it to perfection. Sold by Amazon
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Jennifer Manfrin writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wwlp.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/hair-products-br/12-tools-to-balayage-your-hair-at-home-and-skip-the-salon/ | 2022-08-14T15:19:19Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/hair-products-br/12-tools-to-balayage-your-hair-at-home-and-skip-the-salon/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The multipurpose gaming console keeps offering more fun for the whole family
Even though the Nintendo Switch is going on six years old, its popularity continues to skyrocket. Highly anticipated new games launch throughout the year while the Nintendo eShop offers a growing library of beloved retro games. If you’ve been on the fence about buying a Nintendo Switch the ever-expanding game library or beautiful screen quality of the Nintendo Switch OLED could change your mind.
What you need to get started with Nintendo Switch
Setting up your Switch
One of the highlights of gaming with the Nintendo Switch is that the hybrid console can be played just about anywhere. It can be hooked up to your TV, placed on a tabletop or held in your lap. The Switch comes with a charging dock and all the cables you need to set it up on your TV. All you need is an HDMI port.
While the Nintendo Switch comes with some onboard storage, many Switch players like to expand their storage with a microSD card that’s at least 256 GB in size. Storing games locally helps them load faster and avoid lag.
Protecting your Switch
If you plan on bringing your Switch out and about, it’s a good idea to equip it with a carrying case and a screen protector. Applying a good screen protector to your Switch as soon as it’s out of the box will protect the screen from scratches and prevent smudges for better screen clarity.
Nintendo Switch Online subscription
You may also want to take advantage of a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. This lets you access select NES and SNES games (some of which are exclusive to subscribers) and unlocks the ability to play multiplayer online. Nintendo Switch Online also lets you back up game save data to the cloud. Individual memberships can be purchased for one month, three months or one year and annual family plans are also available.
Nintendo Switch parental controls
The Switch makes it easy to control what your child can play, download and view on the console. After you set up a Nintendo account for them, you can set up parental controls to restrict the games and videos they can view, limit play time and protect your account from accidental or unwanted purchases. Plus, you can control all of these settings from the Switch Parental Controls App on your phone.
Which Nintendo Switch should you get?
The original Nintendo Switch continues to sell millions of units every year thanks to its versatile gameplay and long battery life. It comes with two detachable motion-sensing JoyCon controllers, a JoyCon grip for a traditional controller layout and all the cables you need for setup. Special packages such as an Animal Crossing-themed Switch and units that ship with popular games are also available. Sold by Amazon
This version of the Switch features a vibrant 7-inch OLED display that’s larger than the standard Switch’s. It also comes with 64 GB of internal storage, twice as much as what the standard Switch offers and enhanced audio. The OLED Switch is great if you plan to play in handheld or tabletop mode instead of using your TV. Sold by Amazon
With lots of color choices and a more affordable price point, the Nintendo Switch Lite is a Game Boy for the modern era. It can only play in handheld mode, but it plays all the games available on the standard Switch, both physical and digital. Sold by Amazon
Best Nintendo Switch accessories
Nintendo Switch Carrying Case and Screen Protector
The official Nintendo carrying case is also one of the most secure, thanks to ballistic nylon and interior hook and loop fasteners. It can carry up to eight physical game cards and fits the Switch, Switch Lite and Switch OLED models. Sold by Amazon
Nintendo Switch JoyCon Controllers
Customize the appearance of your Switch or make room for more friends to play with an extra pair of JoyCon controllers. JoyCon controllers each have a full set of buttons as well as an accelerometer and gyro sensor for motion control in games such as Just Dance and Mario Kart. Each can be used independently or slip both into the JoyCon grip to use as a single controller. Sold by Amazon
Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
JoyCon controllers are great for casual games or games with lots of motion, but if you’re sitting down for a long session, you may want a more comfortable controller. The Pro controller features an ergonomic design, motion controls and rumble. Sold by Amazon
Best Nintendo games
The Nintendo Switch is powerful enough to run massive games such as Skyrim, Apex Legends and the NBA games. It’s also the best way to access classic retro titles, including Super Mario Kart, Donkey Kong Country and multiple Zelda games. Whether you’re looking for the latest in your favorite AAA franchise or an under-the-radar 8-bit indie, the Switch can play it.
Animal Crossing introduced millions of new fans to a beloved franchise, welcoming players to their own cozy, customizable island. Sold by Amazon
Zelda: Breath of the Wild features an enormous open-world map, beautiful graphics, dozens of puzzle dungeons and one of the best Zelda stories ever told. Sold by Amazon
Stardew Valley is another cozy Switch game that lets you farm, fish, cook and build your way through village life. Sold by Amazon
Mario Strikers: Battle League, one of the newest Switch games, combines the mayhem of Super Smash Bros. with soccer. Sold by Amazon
Two Point Campus is another new addition to the Switch library, featuring a goofy take on building management sims, this one set on a college campus. Sold by Amazon
Metroid Dread breathes new life into a classic franchise with tense gameplay in an atmospheric sci-fi maze. Sold by Amazon
Super Smash Bros Ultimate features a huge cast of gaming icons duking it out in 8-player online or local multiplayer. Sold by Amazon
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Laura Duerr writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wwlp.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/gaming-accessories-br/with-three-games-released-this-summer-nows-the-time-to-buy-a-nintendo-switch/ | 2022-08-14T15:19:27Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/gaming-accessories-br/with-three-games-released-this-summer-nows-the-time-to-buy-a-nintendo-switch/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Updated August 14, 2022 at 10:29 AM ET
BERWICK, Pa.— One person has died and another 17 people were injured after a vehicle struck a crowd gathered at a Pennsylvania bar on Saturday for an event to raise money for victims of a house fire that killed 10 earlier this month, authorities said.
WNEP-TV said the crash occurred outside the Intoxicology Department bar in Berwick at about 6:15 p.m. It said police and emergency medical personnel were on the scene attending to multiple injured people.
The Pennsylvania State Police said in a statement that a male suspect is in custody awaiting criminal charges.
The bar was holding a fundraiser for those touched by an Aug. 5 blaze that killed seven adults and three children in nearby Nescopeck, the station reported.
The circumstances surrounding Saturday evening's crash were not immediately clear, including whether there was any connection to the Nescopeck fire or the fundraising effort.
The first funerals for victims of the fire were held Friday, and more were scheduled for Sunday and Monday. Authorities have said the fire's cause remains under investigation.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.klcc.org/npr-news/npr-news/2022-08-14/one-person-died-and-17-others-were-injured-when-a-car-struck-a-crowd-at-a-fundraiser | 2022-08-14T15:19:43Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-news/npr-news/2022-08-14/one-person-died-and-17-others-were-injured-when-a-car-struck-a-crowd-at-a-fundraiser | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
TORONTO (AP) — Two-time champion Simona Halep of Romania advanced to the National Bank Open’s final, beating Jessica Pegula of the United States 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday.
Halep will face Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia, a 6-4, 7-6 (7) winner over 14th-seeded Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic in the night semifinal.
Halep smashed a racket on the hard court at Sobeys Stadium after she missed a return late in the third set.
“The fire is back,” Halep said. “It’s a good sign if I do that. It looks like I’m fighting. It helps me sometimes. I don’t know if it’s always good or not, but it helps me.”
The 15th-seeded Halep won the tournament in Montreal in 2016 and 2018. Pegula was seeded seventh.
Haddad Maia reached her first WTA Masters event final. In June, she won consecutive grass-court events in Nottingham and Birmingham in England for her first two tour titles.
“I just try to breathe a little bit more. I try to calm down and think about what I need to do and not what I’m experiencing,” Haddad Maia said. “I try to play every point and think about the next shot.
She beat top-ranked Iga Swiatek in the round of 16.
“I don’t think about, ‘Oh, I’m here playing against No. 1 in the world in a big stage in a 1000 WTA,’ because otherwise I wouldn’t be able to play,” Haddad Maia said
Halep won the Melbourne Summer Set 1 to open the season for her 23rd title, and first since since 2020. She began working with coach Patrick Mouratoglou in April and said he has rekindled her passion for tennis, pointing to training sessions at his tennis school in the French Riviera.
“The person next to us, Patrick, he brought it,” said Halep, gesturing toward Mouratoglou. “The vibe from the academy gave me the energy. To see all those kids fighting every day to touch the dream that they have. I felt that I still can do it. I still have it inside myself.” | https://www.wwlp.com/sports/2-time-champ-simona-halep-advances-to-toronto-final/ | 2022-08-14T15:19:48Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/sports/2-time-champ-simona-halep-advances-to-toronto-final/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NEW YORK (AP) — Zach Wilson and the New York Jets appear to have avoided a preseason nightmare.
Wilson is expected to miss two to four weeks with a bone bruise and meniscus tear in his right knee, according to a person with knowledge of the injury. The person told The Associated Press the timeline for how long Wilson is sidelined will be determined by an arthroscopic procedure to repair the meniscus — the schedule for which is pending a second medical opinion.
It was initially feared that Wilson suffered a serious — and potentially season-ending — knee injury during the second offensive series of New York’s 24-21 preseason-opening win at Philadelphia on Friday night.
Tests after the game indicated the ACL was intact, and an MRI on Saturday morning revealed the exact nature of the injury. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team hadn’t announced details.
The New York Post first reported Wilson was diagnosed with a bone bruise and meniscus tear that needs to be trimmed and not fully repaired. While Wilson and the Jets remain optimistic, they won’t know the full scope of the injury — and whether recovery could go beyond two to four weeks — until doctors operate on the quarterback’s knee.
There’s still a chance Wilson could be ready to play in the season opener against Baltimore on Sept. 11. If not, veteran Joe Flacco would likely start in Wilson’s place against his former team.
After going back to pass with 4:29 left in the first quarter, Wilson was flushed out of the pocket and scrambled to his right for 7 yards, but went down when he tried to juke past Philadelphia’s Nakobe Dean. He appeared to injure his knee when planting to cut on Philadelphia’s grass field.
Wilson was down for several minutes as doctors and trainers checked on him. He walked gingerly to the sideline and then to the locker room.
“He’s in good spirits,” coach Robert Saleh said of Wilson after the game. “He’s fine, a little frustrated, obviously, but he’s as good as you can be in this situation.”
And he probably feels quite a bit better knowing his season isn’t already over before it even started.
Wilson’s progress in his second NFL season is the primary focus this year for the Jets, who took the former BYU star with the No. 2 overall pick last year. Wilson had a down-and-up season that began with struggles and then a sprained PCL in the back of the same right knee, sidelining him for four games. But he came back and was solid down the stretch, not throwing an interception in any of his final five games.
Wilson finished his rookie year with nine touchdown passes and 11 interceptions. The Jets added several playmaking pieces around their young quarterback during the offseason — including wide receiver Garrett Wilson, tight ends C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin, running back Breece Hall — and he’s had a solid training camp this summer.
—
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://www.wwlp.com/sports/ap-source-jets-wilson-out-2-4-weeks-with-knee-injury/ | 2022-08-14T15:19:54Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/sports/ap-source-jets-wilson-out-2-4-weeks-with-knee-injury/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NEW YORK (AP) — Jacob deGrom struck out 10 in six dominant innings and Edwin Díaz earned his 200th career save, helping the New York Mets beat the Philadelphia Phillies 1-0 on Saturday night.
Pete Alonso hit an early RBI single as the NL East leaders improved to 31-9 following a loss and 10-4 in the season series with Philadelphia. Alonso leads the NL with 97 RBIs.
Díaz issued two walks in the ninth, and Philadelphia had runners on second and third when Nick Castellanos struck out swinging for the final out. It was Díaz’s 27th save of the season.
The All-Star closer became the sixth active pitcher to reach 200 saves.
“It’s awesome,” deGrom said. “He’s done a great job and you’re comfortable any time he’s in the game.”
The Mets posted their MLB-best 15th shutout. It was their first 1-0 win over Philadelphia since R.A. Dickey tossed a one-hitter exactly 12 years ago at Citi Field.
“The star of the show was our pitching staff,” Alonso said.
DeGrom (2-0) allowed two hits and walked none in his third start after spending the first part of the season on the injured list. He has yielded six hits, struck out 28 and issued one walk in 16 2/3 innings so far this year.
“You don’t really know what to expect coming back, but last time out I was able to look at a couple of things where I felt I was getting off mechanically and try to make those adjustments while I was going through a pretty slow process of coming back,” deGrom said. “That seems to have paid off a little bit.”
The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner opened the game by striking out Bryson Stott looking on a 101.1 mph fastball and then allowed a soft single to Rhys Hoskins. After Alec Bohm grounded into a force play, deGrom fanned J.T. Realmuto on three straight sliders.
“Nothing’s different from the last time that I faced him,” Hoskins said.
It was deGrom’s second double-digit strikeout game since returning and his 55th in the regular season overall. He improved to 9-1 in 20 career starts against the Phillies.
“He’s doing great,” Díaz said. “He can do everything he wants with the hitters.”
Philadelphia wasted a terrific performance by Aaron Nola (8-9), who allowed four hits in eight innings. The right-hander struck out eight and walked one, but he dropped to 0-3 in four starts against New York this year.
Nola became the first Philadelphia pitcher to toss a complete game against the Mets in New York since Kyle Kendrick in 2013.
The Phillies finished with three hits.
New York jumped in front in the first. Starling Marte singled, stole second and took third on a throwing error by Realmuto before scoring on Alonso’s soft single to right.
After Alonso’s hit, Luis Guillorme and Jeff McNeil had consecutive one-out singles in the second. Nola retired 17 in a row before McNeil started the eighth with a walk.
“Facing deGrom, you know it’s going to be low (scoring),” Nola said. “So it’s just going to be a battle all night. And it was.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Phillies: OF Kyle Schwarber (strained right calf) took batting practice on the field and ran in the outfield before hitting for Matt Vierling in the eighth. Schwarber was pulled in the fifth inning of Thursday’s 3-0 loss to Miami and sat out Friday.
Mets: 3B Eduardo Escobar (left side tightness) was held out of the lineup and an MRI came back clean. … INF/OF Jeff McNeil was in the lineup after getting two stitches for a lacerated right thumb. McNeil exited Friday’s game in the second with the injury. … RHP Tommy Hunter (low back tightness) began a rehab assignment with Double-A Binghamton.
UP NEXT
Philadelphia right-hander Zack Wheeler (11-5, 2.63 ERA) opposes New York right-hander Chris Bassitt (9-7, 3.39 ERA) on Sunday. Wheeler is 4-2 with a 2.48 ERA in 10 career starts against the Mets. He broke into the majors with New York in 2013 and went 44-38 with a 3.77 ERA in 126 starts with the Mets.
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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wwlp.com/sports/degrominant-degrom-dominates-again-as-mets-edge-phils-1-0/ | 2022-08-14T15:20:35Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/sports/degrominant-degrom-dominates-again-as-mets-edge-phils-1-0/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
CHICAGO (AP) — The president of the NFL Players Association blasted the conditions at Soldier Field on Saturday, and he didn’t exactly get an argument from the Chicago Bears or Kansas City Chiefs after their preseason game.
Union president JC Tretter tweeted the field was not up to NFL standards.
“The NFL said that this field met minimum testing standards,” he wrote. “We clearly need to re-evaluate what is an acceptable surface for players to compete on. We need new testing metrics looking at the performance and safety of every field. The NFL can and should do better.”
Chicago quarterback Justin Fields said things were worse when the Bears practiced there Tuesday rather than at their suburban headquarters. He also said he tries to use the conditions to work in his favor.
“I knew how our grass was,” he said. “So I knew other teams didn’t know how it was, so I kind of used it to my advantage in running and stuff like that, using the long spikes and stuff like that.”
The conditions didn’t seem to bother Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes. The four-time Pro Bowler threw for 60 yards and a touchdown on the Chiefs’ first possession and then called it a day.
“I think they had a concert so there was some stuff here and there, but it wasn’t any crazy, bad (stuff) or anything like that,” he said. “I love playing here at Soldier Field. It’s an awesome stadium. You feel the history of it.”
The conditions at Soldier Field have long been a source of frustration for players and coaches on the Bears as well as other teams. The lakefront location and harsh weather make maintaining the surface difficult for the Chicago Park District, which owns the stadium.
The field was particularly choppy after Elton John performed there last weekend. Major League Soccer recently moved the Chicago Fire’s game against New York City FC scheduled for Aug. 21 to SeatGeek Stadium in suburban Bridgeview, Ill., because of conditions brought on by “a series of planned events at the venue.”
As for how the field was on Saturday?
“A lot better than my high school field looked,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid quipped. “Not much.”
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More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://www.wwlp.com/sports/nfl-players-union-president-blasts-soldier-field-conditions/ | 2022-08-14T15:20:54Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/sports/nfl-players-union-president-blasts-soldier-field-conditions/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Notre Dame receiver Avery Davis will miss the season after tearing a ligament in his right knee.
Notre Dame also announced Saturday sophomore quarterback Tyler Buchner will start the opener against Ohio State on Sept. 3.
The school said Davis, a senior and team captain who was penciled in to start at slot receiver for the Fighting Irish, was injured during Friday’s practice. Davis missed the final month of last season after tearing the ACL in his left knee, but was still third on the team in yards receiving with 386 on 27 catches.
The loss is a hit to an already thin position for the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame has only five scholarship receivers left on the roster and only Braden Lenzy and Lorenzo Styles caught more than 20 passes last season.
Buchner played in 10 games last season, mostly as a backup, and threw for 298 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions last season. He also ran for 336 yards and three scores.
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More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 | https://www.wwlp.com/sports/notre-dame-loses-wr-davis-knee-names-qb-buchner-starter/ | 2022-08-14T15:21:01Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/sports/notre-dame-loses-wr-davis-knee-names-qb-buchner-starter/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Texas Motor Speedway Has A New Boss
Speedway Motorsports has reached outside the company bubble to hire only the third general manager in the 26-year history of Texas Motor Speedway.
Veteran AEG executive Mark Faber will join TMS in Fort Worth later this month after serving as Senior Vice President of Global Partnerships at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Faber replaces current GM Rob Ramage, who has been promoted to Speedway Motorsports Senior Vice President of Government Relations and Deputy Counsel.
Ramage was introduced on Aug. 4, 2021 as successor to Eddie Gossage, who retired as President and GM of “The Great American Speedway” after the facility played host to its first NASCAR All-Star Race weekend in June 2021. That event capped Gossage’s 25-year tenure at TMS and three-plus decades with Speedway Motorsports _ the Concord, N.C.-based company founded by O. Bruton Smith. A NASCAR Hall of Famer, Smith died on June 22, 2022 at age 95.
Ramage since has overseen the promotion and operation of three major event weekends at TMS _ two sanctioned by NASCAR and one by INDYCAR _ marked by lagging attendance in a competitive market dominated by the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. Rumors about Ramage’s job status began to circulate shortly before TMS played host to its second NASCAR All-Star Race weekend in May.
Both personnel announcements were made public by Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith, Bruton Smith’s son, in a news release citing a TMS “team luncheon” datelined in Concord. While Ramage’s promotion takes place immediately he will continue to serve as general manager at TMS until Faber assumes the position as executive vice president and general manager on Aug. 22.
“Mark brings more than 30 years of experience in the sports and entertainment industries to Speedway Motorsports,” Marcus Smith said in the release. “Texas Motor Speedway has been hosting major races, concerts and special events for more than 25 years. With Mark’s expertise in corporate sales, fan engagement and event management at premier facilities, we are well-positioned for ‘The Great American Speedway’ to move into its next quarter-century.”
Faber joins Speedway Motorsports after spending the last 17 years with AEG, one of the world’s leading sports and live entertainment companies. As Senior Vice President of Global Partnerships for T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas since 2014, Faber led a team responsible for securing high-revenue, long-term partners for naming rights, founding partners and premium inventory including suites, loge boxes and club seating.
Under Faber’s leadership, T-Mobile signed its first naming rights agreement with the state-of-the-art arena which hosts more than 100 events annually and is home to the UFC and the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights. Faber was actively involved in the design phase of the arena as well as public relations, civic and charity initiatives.
Preceding his move to Las Vegas, Faber served as AEG’s Senior Vice President of Business Operations and Midwest Partnerships at the T-Mobile Center (formerly Sprint Center) in Kansas City, Mo., from 2005 to 2013. During that time Faber consulted on sponsorships and premium seating renovations for Daytona International Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway. Before AEG, he worked as a Regional Vice President for Learfield Sports in Dallas and also held senior level positions with Host Communications, Galles Indy Racing and PSP Sports.
Faber’s career in the sports industry also includes positions with the Orange Bowl and a six-year period with the Cowboys, where he began as sales and syndication coordinator for Dallas Cowboys Television Productions and was promoted to Vice President of Dallas Cowboys Training Camp Sales and Marketing.
During Faber’s time with “America’s Team,” the Cowboys won back-to-back world championships. Faber also was a member of the postseason advance teams for NFC Championship Games and Super Bowls.
“We welcome Mark back to Texas and to the Speedway Motorsports family,” Smith said. “We look forward to his leadership as our team works together toward the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 NASCAR Playoff race at TMS in September.”
Ramage has worked for Speedway Motorsports since 2013, serving first as General Counsel & Director of Governmental Affairs and Senior Vice President of Finance & Compliance under Gossage at TMS.
Ramage’s duties spanned a variety of capacities, including risk management and working with government entities, business leaders and community advocates. Since replacing Gossage, Ramage led the TMS staff in hosting last October’s Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race, the XPEL 375 NTT IndyCar Series race weekend in March and the 2022 NASCAR All-Star Race in May.
Before joining Speedway Motorsports, Ramage practiced law in Dallas, focusing on complex litigation, intellectual property and business transactions.
“Rob’s accomplishments in government relations and the legal fields have been invaluable to our company as we continue growing our investments in the great state of Texas,” Smith said. “Now with a year of experience as a speedway general manager, Rob understands even more about building the community and fan relationships necessary for our success.
“In his new role, Rob will not only invest his energy and enthusiasm in what we are doing in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Austin markets, but also lend his government-relations expertise and legal support to our sports entertainment executives and venues nationwide.”
Ramage emerged last summer as winner of a nationwide executive search that drew 30 applicants and went through several rounds of interviews. Smith cited Ramage for his efforts in building awareness for TMS with government officials and community leaders as well as building relationships throughout the state and local communities.
“What we do isn’t just selling tickets and Cokes and hot dogs,” Smith said. “It’s really even more important than that _ we’re filling in the time of the ordinary of life. Our job is to provide people with fantastic memories that they can talk about for an entire life with friends and family.”
However, Ramage could not duplicate the promotional successes of Gossage, widely acknowledged as the “P.T. Barnum of Motorsports” and a popular personality among media in the Dallas-Fort Worth market. That challenge will soon be handed to Faber.
Since opening in 1997, Texas Motor Speedway has generated an annual economic impact of approximately $300-million into the North Texas region. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic that impacted every facet of daily life in 2020, TMS played host to over 700 different types of events each year.
Editor’s Note: John Sturbin is a Texas-based journalist specializing in motorsports. During a near 30-year career with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, he won the Bloys Britt Award for top motorsports story of the year (1991) as judged by The Associated Press; received the National Hot Rod Association’s Media Award (1995) and several in-house Star-Telegram honors. He also was inaugural recipient of the Texas Motor Speedway Excellence in Journalism Award (2009). His list of freelance clients includes Texas Motor Speedway, the Dallas Morning News, New York Newsday, Rome (N.Y.) Daily Sentinel, Corpus Christi (Texas) Caller Times, NASCAR Wire Service, Ford Racing and Used Car Dealer magazine).
No Comment | http://www.racintoday.com/archives/99120 | 2022-08-14T15:21:31Z | racintoday.com | control | http://www.racintoday.com/archives/99120 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Wyatt Kaiser and Carter Mazur each scored twice and the United States beat winless Austria 7-0 on Saturday to improve to 3-0 in group play in the world junior championship.
Matt Coronato, Red Savage and Sasha Pastujov also scored for the defending champion Americans. Andrew Oke stopped 11 shots in the first two periods and Remington Keopple made four saves in the third.
“We knew we had to get off to a good start today,” U.S. coach Nate Leaman said. “Our schedule was different today, and it was important for us to adjust quickly. I’m happy with how the team started the first period and kept it rolling.”
The U.S. will finish Group B play Sunday against Sweden.
At night, Canada beat the Czech Republic 5-1 to improve to 3-0 in Group A. Captain Mason McTavish scored twice, Kent Johnson had a lacrosse-style goal and added an assist, Greig Ridly and Tyson Foerester also scored and Dylan Garand made 22 saves.
“I’ve been practicing that move since I was like, 14, and doing it,” Johnson said. “Now it’s just something that’s kind of in the tool box.”
Martin Rysavy scored for the Czech Republic (1-1-1).
In the late game, Germany beat Switzerland 3-2 in Group B.
Bennet Rossmy, Thomas Heigl and Haakon Hanelt scored for Germany (2-1). Simon Knak and Jonas Taibel scored for Switzerland (0-3) | https://www.wwlp.com/sports/us-beats-austria-7-0-improves-to-3-0-in-world-junior/ | 2022-08-14T15:21:37Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/sports/us-beats-austria-7-0-improves-to-3-0-in-world-junior/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
New Delhi: India has helped the world discover the true potential of democracy and the keyword for the country today is compassion for the downtrodden, needy and those on the margins, President Droupadi Murmu said on Sunday.
In her maiden address to the nation on the eve of the 75th Independence Day, Murmu said major economic reforms are being accompanied by innovative welfare initiatives and the world has seen "a new India rising in recent years, more so after the outbreak of COVID-19''.
The president said when India won independence, there were many international leaders and experts who were sceptical about the success of the democratic form of government in India due to poverty and illiteracy at that time.
"But we Indians proved the sceptics wrong. Democracy not only grew roots in this soil but it was also enriched," she said as she asked citizens to pledge to give everything for the sake of the safety, security, progress and prosperity of the country.
The president, in her 17-minute address, also complimented the policymakers for ensuring the growth of the country that has become more inclusive with reduced regional disparities.
Lauds fight against COVID-19
"Our response to the pandemic has been appreciated everywhere. We launched the biggest vaccination drive in human history with vaccines manufactured in the country itself. Last month we crossed the 200-crore mark in cumulative vaccine coverage," said Murmu who took over the presidency last month,
She said in combating the pandemic, India's achievements have been better than those of many developed countries. "For this feat, we are grateful to our scientists, doctors, nurses, paramedics and the staff associated with vaccination," she said.
The president said that the pandemic uprooted lives and also economies in the entire world. "When the world has been battling the economic consequences of the great crisis, India got its act together and is now moving forward. India is among the fastest growing major economies in the world" whose start-up ecosystem ranks high in the world.
President quotes poet Kuvempu
The president said "our existence will become meaningful only in building a glorious India" and quoted a poem by poet Kuvempu 'I will pass, So will you, But on our bones will arise the great tale of a new India'.
She said this is a clarion call of the nationalist poet for making a complete sacrifice for the motherland and the uplift of fellow citizens.
"To follow these ideals is my special appeal to the youth of the country who are going to build the India of 2047," she said.
In most other well-established democracies, women had to wage long-drawn struggles to get the right to vote. But India adopted universal adult franchise rights since the beginning of the Republic, she said.
Thus, the makers of modern India enabled each and every adult citizen to participate in the collective process of nation-building, she said adding India can be credited for helping the world discover the true potential of democracy.
Praises Modi govt's dedication to developing economy
She said the success of start-ups, especially the growing number of unicorns is a shining example of industrial progress and credited the Narendra Modi government and its policy-makers for beating the global trend and helping the economy flourish.
"During the last few years, unprecedented progress has been made in the development of physical and digital infrastructure....For the vibrancy of growth visible in our country, credit must also be given to workers and farmers whose hard work has made it possible and entrepreneurs whose business acumen has created wealth.
"What is all the more heartening is that the growth is becoming more inclusive and regional disparities too are reducing.
"But this is only the beginning. A series of economic reforms and policy initiatives have been preparing the ground for a long term...the 'National Education Policy' is aimed at preparing the future generation for the next stage of industrial revolution while also reconnecting it with our heritage."
She said the economic success is leading to an ease in living too as the reforms are rightly accompanied by innovative welfare initiatives.
"A home of one's own is no longer a dream for the poor, but a reality for more and more people, thanks to the 'Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana'. Similarly, under the 'Jal Jeevan Mission', tap water connection has been provided to every household since the launch of the 'Har Ghar Jal' scheme," she said.
She said the aim of these as well as other similar efforts are to provide basic amenities to all, particularly the poor.
"The keyword for India today is compassion; for the downtrodden, for the needy and for those on the margins. Some of our national values have been incorporated into our Constitution as the Fundamental Duties of the citizens.
"I appeal to every citizen to know about their Fundamental Duties and follow them in letter and spirit so that our nation reaches new heights," she said.
She said that at the core of the transformation, the country has been witnessing in healthcare, education, economy as well as a number of related areas are the stress on good governance.
"When work is done with the spirit of 'Nation First', it is bound to reflect in every decision and every sector. This is also reflected in India's standing in the world,” she said.
'India's daughters biggest hope for nation'
She said India's newfound confidence stems from the spirit of its youth, its farmers, and above all, its women.
"Gender inequalities are reducing and women are moving ahead, breaking many glass ceilings. Their increasing participation in social and political processes will prove decisive," she said, adding that at the grassroots level, there were more than 14 lakh elected women representatives in Panchayati Raj Institutions.
"Our daughters are the biggest hope for the nation," she said and referred to the recently held Commonwealth Games in which sports persons especially women have been making the country proud with their performance in international competitions.
"A large number of our winners come from underprivileged segments of society. From becoming fighter pilots to space scientists, our daughters are scaling great heights," she said.
She said in celebrating Independence Day, "we are celebrating our 'Bharatiyata'. Our country is full of diversity. But, at the same time, we all have something in common. It is this common thread which binds all of us together and inspires us to walk together with the spirit of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat."
She also spoke about the environment and said when the world is facing new challenges, India must remain determined to preserve its flora and fauna.
"With our traditional lifestyle, we Indians can show the way to the rest of the world. Yoga and Ayurveda are India's invaluable gifts to the world. Their popularity is on the rise all over the globe," she said.
The president said for 75 weeks now, the nation has been commemorating the noble ideals that won the country freedom.
"In March 2021, we began the 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' with the re-enactment of the Dandi March. This way, our celebrations began with a tribute to that watershed event that had put our struggle on the world map. This festival is dedicated to the people of India".
She said citizens from all age groups have keenly participated in a series of events held across the country including the 'Har Ghar Tiranga Abhiyan'.
"The Indian tricolour is fluttering in every nook and corner of the country. Great martyrs would have been thrilled to see the spirit of the Independence Movement coming alive again on such a massive scale," she said.
She complimented the government for its decision last year to observe November 15 as 'Janajatiya Gaurav Divas' in which "our tribal heroes are not merely local or regional icons but they inspire the entire nation".
She said by the year 2047, "we will have fully realised the dreams of our freedom fighters. We will have given a concrete shape to the vision of those who, led by Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, drafted the Constitution. We are already on course to build an Atmanirbhar Bharat, an India that would have realised its true potential."
Murmu said August 14 is observed as 'Partition Horrors Remembrance Day' to promote social harmony, unity and empowerment of people.
"Tomorrow marks the day when we had freed ourselves from the shackles of colonial rulers and decided to reshape our destiny.
"As all of us celebrate the anniversary of that day, we bow to all those men and women who made enormous sacrifices to make it possible for us to live in a free India," she said, adding it is a cause of celebration not only for all of us but also for every advocate of democracy around the world. | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/india/2022/08/14/indian-president-independence-day-address-calls-for-compassion-for-downtrodden.amp.html | 2022-08-14T15:23:03Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/india/2022/08/14/indian-president-independence-day-address-calls-for-compassion-for-downtrodden.amp.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
”Survey says” looks at various rankings and scorecards judging geographic locations while noting these grades are best seen as a mix of artful interpretation and data.
Buzz: California still leads the nation in new business formation, but growth in creation vs. pre-pandemic badly trailing the nation.
Source: My trusty spreadsheet’s review of the Census Bureau’s state-by-state tally of business applications with planned wages — a measure of entrepreneurs’ intentions to start new businesses with a staff.
Topline
California ranked No. 1 in the first half for new business starts at 35,880 — 11% of the 314,120 created nationally. After California came Texas at 32,210, Florida at 26,480, Georgia at 14,690, and New York at 14,310.
Details
The economy’s rebound slowed this year compared to the frenetic pandemic recovery pace of 2021.
California had the 13th largest drop in new business starts — down 16% — in the first half vs. the same period in 2021. The drop was 14% nationally.
Biggest drops? Georgia, down 25%, then Ohio, down 21%, District of Columbia, Louisiana and Illinois, off 20%.
Is California’s shrinking GDP a bubble or 12th best economy?
Best performances? New Mexico and Vermont, up 11%, Alaska, up 3%, Montana, up 1%, West Virginia, flat.
Arch-rivals? Texas? 27th worst, off 11% Florida? Sixth-worst, off 19%.
Bottom line
This year’s business creation is running ahead of the pre-pandemic pace of 2015-2019 — but California is a laggard.
The state had 12% more starts that the pre-pandemic average — but that was the eighth-slowest growth among the states. Growth was 26% nationally.
Fastest growth? Mississippi at 62%, then Delaware at 57%, Georgia at 54%, Wyoming at 48%, and Alabama at 47%.
Slowest growth? New York and North Dakota at 5%, District of Columbia, Colorado, and Washington at 9%.
Texas? No. 12 at 37%. Florida? No. 17 at 31%.
Politically speaking
It’s a mid-term year, so … Blue states — those who supported President Biden in 2020 — had 171,100 starts in the half, down 14% in a year vs. red states, those that didn’t support Biden, with 143,020 filings in six months, down 13%.
Another view
A ranking by a graphic designers at Looka graded California as the No. 1 state for entrepreneurs, writing “Though the cost of living in California is high, it has the highest number of businesses with fewer than 5 employees, highest annual payroll for employees, and the best survival rate for entrepreneurs. No wonder so many small businesses start off in California!”
Following California in Looka’s rankings were Texas, New Jersey, Illinois and Georgia. Worst? Rhode Island.
Jonathan Lansner is the business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at jlansner@scng.com
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“Are California programs having intended effect?” CalMatters wondered this week.
No it wasn’t a joke — why do you ask?
But seriously though, we hear so often how Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Democratic-led Legislature spend billions of dollars of our money on new programs, but look around — the results are underwhelming.
Calmatters looked at a government-run program to administer hearing aids to 2,300 kids in need. That’s certainly a worthy goal and a manageable number. It should be a snap!
But a snap it was not.
Apparently after one year the state had handed out just 39 devices. That’s not even one per week. For one person to serve all 2,300 children in one year, they would only need to process 44 per week or just eight per day.
You get the point. A private business delivering those kinds of results would probably not stay in business very long.
But this is no business we’re talking about — this is the government and it will never die.
Like food rotting in Venezuelan government warehouses, the hearing aids are bogged down in bureaucracy and waiting on the central planners to come up with a plan that works.
According to CalMatters, department spokespeople refused to explain what went wrong, but parents and advocates complained of a labyrinthine application process, complications with insurance and low and slow reimbursements for healthcare providers.
And people still think government-run healthcare is a good idea.
Remember how the state’s Employment Development Department was having such a hard time processing unemployment claims during the pandemic? The number of unemployment claims exploded as businesses were ordered closed. EDD had a backlog of a million claims for what seemed like an eternity. People seeking help rarely got a real person on the phone and when they did, calls ended prematurely or the person answering was unable to answer questions.
That was bad enough, but a recent report exposed new levels of incompetence. It turns out that the inability to process claims in a timely manner was a feature and not a bug of the system as the departmental priority was minimizing costs and fraud — customer service was secondary.
Of course, spending money efficiently and fighting fraud are vital, but for all the bureaucratic focus on fraud, the state didn’t do a very good job – the state paid out an estimated $20 billion in fraudulent claims. And while the state was paying out billions in fraudulent claims, it wrongly denied valid claims for more than one million people.
On top of that, EDD lied (or committed something short of a lie) by reporting 705,000 disqualified or denied claims to the Legislature when the number was actually around 3.4 million.
“People should get fired for this,” Fresno Republican Assemblyman Jim Patterson told CalMatters.
He’s right, but no one will actually get fired.
If the state can’t handle dishing out 2,300 hearing aids to kids in need or process unemployment claims in a timely manner (especially when the state is what ordered the businesses closed), it’s no surprise it’s falling on the bigger issues.
Public education, crime, cost of living, housing, homelessness, energy and wildfires, for example, are all floundering issue areas despite record state spending (of our money).
We hear lots of grandiose talk about nonsense like “reimagining.” And then we get expensive new programs with worse results.
In May of 2021, Newsom announced a $100-billion plan that “will end family homelessness within five years.” The good news is that he has less than four years to go; the bad news is that homelessness seems as bad as ever.
Will this plan fare any better than his proclamation as San Francisco mayor in 2004 that his then-plan would solve homelessness in the city in 10 years? Or what about the plan he campaigned on in 2018 to build 3.5 million new housing units by 2025 (also known as two years from now)?
Progressives, socialists, communists, statists, whatever you want to call them, suffer from the faulty belief that if you just put some smart people in charge, they can solve society’s problems.
Unfortunately, there’s no evidence to support this belief.
Let’s keep going. High-speed rail is billions of dollars over budget, years behind schedule, and doesn’t appear that it will ever be complete. Fi$cal was supposed to be a game-changing technological advancement that would modernize the state’s accounting systems. But, like high-speed rail, it’s years behind schedule and grossly over budget and its inefficiency threatens the state’s credit rating and ability to borrow money. Whenever the state announces some new massive undertaking, I don’t see how anyone can be anything but skeptical. The state will solve climate change. Or transform the economy. Or end homelessness. Or fix the housing crisis.
None of these things are likely to happen. What is more likely is that taxes will go up, the state will spend more money, the government will grow and become more unwieldy and politicians will continue to make promises upon which they can’t deliver.
Instead of all that, I urge the state to try a new approach. If you want to try to solve everything, start by solving at least one thing.
Before even considering taking over healthcare for 39 million Californians, first try distributing hearing aids for 2,300 kids in a timely and competent fashion.
Follow Matt Fleming on Twitter @FlemingWords
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Q. I am very concerned about my mother. She is having memory problems, no longer can drive and can easily forget to turn off the stove. The problem is that I live 500 miles away. Each time I visit her she seems to be getting worse. I want to provide some homecare and don’t know where to begin. Any suggestions? B.A.
Your concern is valid and know you are not alone. Of the 35 million Americans caring for older family members, about 15 percent live at least one hour away.
I recently had a conversation with Lynn Friss Feinberg, Family Caregiving Advocate and former Policy Advisor at the AARP Public Policy Institute. She noted, “It is challenging to be a long-distance caregiver and often a time of uncertainty. It’s important to recognize that if you live at a distance from your mother, you can’t do it alone.” She suggests trying to coordinate with family members or close friends who live near your mother. If that isn’t an option, she suggests considering hiring a geriatric care manager to identify your mother’s needs and arrange for services.
This geriatric professional usually is a licensed clinical social worker who can also develop, plan and coordinate services. The National Institute on Aging has referred to such an individual as a “sort of professional relative.” The care manager can check in with you from time to time serving as your point person. Here’s the catch. You likely will have to pay for the service since Medicare and most insurance companies do not. Most charge by the hour.
If you decide to go this route, here are some questions to ask, as suggested by the National Institute on Aging.
- Are you a licensed geriatric care manager?
- How long have you been providing this service?
- Are you available around the clock, particularly for emergencies?
- How will you communicate information to me?
- What are your fees and references?
Note another name for geriatric care management is Aging Life Care. To find a care manager in your mother’s community, go to https://www.aginglifecare.org/. Another useful tool is the CareNav™ – Family Caregiver Alliance, which helps families navigate the emotional, physical, and financial complexities of family caregiving.
If you do not hire a care manager, you likely will be looking for caregivers. Then there’s the decision of whether to hire someone from an agency or someone who is a private caregiver offering independent services.
The pros of using an agency: These caregivers are pre-screened and vetted so you don’t have to do it. If a caregiver gets sick, the agency will provide a replacement. Also, you won’t have to manage payroll, benefits and liability. Caregivers employed by the agency receive training and the required certifications. Finally, agencies carry liability insurance and many have worker’s compensation.
The cons of using an agency: One disadvantage is there is no guarantee that you will have the same caregiver each time. Additionally, fees may be higher than an independent care manager.
The pros of using a private caregiver: You select your favorite one and have the last word in assessing the individual’s medical and daily life-assistance skills. You also have the opportunity to double-check on formal training and certifications. Another advantage is that you likely will have the same person over some consistent period of time. A private caregiver typically costs less since there is no agency to take a portion of the fee.
The cons of using a private caregiver: You have to do all of the work consisting of interviews and background checks that are time-consuming. You also need a backup plan if the caregiver is not available. Managing employee payroll, tax deductions and other Federal law requirements are additional tasks. Finally, you are liable for job-related accidents in your home.
There is another very important person in this situation. That is you. It’s important to get emotional support for yourself. Talk to friends or find an online or in-person support group to discuss caregiving challenges as well as tips.
Although this subject may personally sound remote or untimely, it is relevant to each of us. Former first lady Rosalynn Carter said it well in 2011: “There are only four kinds of people in the world: those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers and those who will need caregivers.”
Thank you, B.A., for your important question. Best wishes in finding the needed support for your mother. Stay well and be kind to yourself and others.
Helen Dennis is a nationally recognized leader on issues of aging and the new retirement with academic, corporate and nonprofit experience. Contact Helen with your questions and comments at Helendenn@gmail.com. Visit Helen at HelenMdennis.com and follow her on facebook.com/SuccessfulAgingCommunity
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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/2022/08/14/how-to-get-help-for-an-aging-family-member-when-you-live-far-away/ | 2022-08-14T15:25:26Z | pasadenastarnews.com | control | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/08/14/how-to-get-help-for-an-aging-family-member-when-you-live-far-away/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Everywhere you look, it seems, there’s a fight over whether the COVID crisis is over.
In Washington, President Biden is reportedly determined to extend the national COVID emergency into January but has faced dissent inside his administration. Politico reported that some Biden officials “questioned whether it was time to let the designation lapse.”
Then the Centers for Disease Control made a surprise announcement that the agency is “streamlining its COVID-19 guidance” to reflect that “there is significantly less risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death compared to earlier in the pandemic.”
No more quarantining after an exposure to COVID-19, the CDC said, and no screening tests of asymptomatic people who have not had an exposure. Don’t worry about social distancing, either.
The CDC seems to think it’s time to calm down. “This guidance acknowledges that the pandemic is not over, but also helps us move to a point where COVID-19 no longer severely disrupts our daily lives,” the agency wrote.
Meanwhile in Los Angeles County, there is dissonance between the leading medical doctors at the county’s largest public hospital and the county’s Public Health director, Barbara Ferrer.
At last week’s town hall meeting for employees of LAC+USC Medical Center, chief medical officer Dr. Brad Spellberg cheerfully reported that the hospital’s COVID-positive cases were in the “fourth straight week of decline, and fairly substantial decline.” He said there were “approximately 40 COVID-positive patients in the hospital of whom five were admitted due to COVID and three of those don’t really need to be in the hospital any more.”
Dr. Spellberg reminded the staff that high “case” rates result from the fact that “the RNA will stay positive in someone for months after the time they’re exposed to the virus,” resulting in “a bunch of people who get admitted who have no symptoms of COVID who test positive for COVID.” He said it will take several months “for all that RNA due to acquired infections over the last several months to just wane from peoples’ bodies and get clear.”
One employee asked if there’s an end date to the policy of testing every admitted patient for COVID, regardless of the reason they’re in the hospital.
“Most of our staff don’t want us to stop testing,” Dr. Spellberg answered. “That’s how much fear there is around the virus. That’s one of the reasons we try to offer Soothiness Wednesdays.”
“Soothiness Wednesdays” is what the doctors call their weekly town hall meetings, where for several weeks they have been making news by revealing that there is “nobody” in the hospital with COVID-19 disease as they saw it in the past, nobody with COVID pneumonia, nobody on a ventilator.
The L.A. County Public Health Department is telling a different story. In her Thursday media briefing, Ferrer reported a countywide decline in cases but hurried to add, “Among those hospitalized who are infected with COVID, 43% are hospitalized with COVID-associated illness, 11% are in an ICU and 6% are on a ventilator.”
What’s going on here? On Wednesday, the chief medical officer at the county’s largest public hospital was so relaxed and upbeat that he opened his remarks by joking that he should wear a Hawaiian shirt and have a drink with a little umbrella in it. Then on Thursday, Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer seemed determined to be gloomy and frightening.
Ferrer reported “an average of 14 deaths per day” and, as always, interrupted the data presentation to share her grief and sympathy. “These deaths continue to take family members away from those who love them,” Ferrer said. “We do recognize the heartache that’s associated with these losses and we send wishes for healing and peace to all who have lost a loved one.”
Expressions of sympathy are appropriate when people have suffered a loss, but it’s also appropriate to clearly explain whether these deaths were caused by COVID, or by something else with COVID only slightly associated. It might also be appropriate, for context, to point out that the population of L.A. County is 10 million and there are typically 60,000 deaths per year from all causes.
“The data” collected by the CDC and public health authorities can help to track the path or intensity of the pandemic, but the numbers are not precise or timely enough to be used like a stoplight at an intersection. Yet that is what Ferrer has been doing. If the county crosses a numerical threshold, she stops traffic, so to speak, regardless of the harms or consequences.
For example, in her August 4 media briefing, Ferrer announced that the CDC’s latest calculation of L.A. County’s hospital admission rate was a “disappointing” 10.1 per 100,000 people instead of 10, “keeping L.A. County in the high community level,” a metric she had previously chosen as the trigger for a return to mandatory indoor masking if it continued.
A few weeks earlier, Ferrer had geared up to reimpose an indoor mask mandate based on the CDC’s metrics. That enraged local parents of school-age kids and resulted in a lawsuit against Ferrer and the Public Health Department. Although Ferrer backed down from the mask mandate, the lawsuit continues.
Attorney Julie Hamill is representing the Alliance of Los Angeles County Parents, which seeks “to remove all unnecessary, harmful, and unjustified restrictions against children and provide children with a full return to normalcy.” The lawsuit alleges that L.A. Public Health has demonstrated decision-making that is “arbitrary, capricious and entirely lacking in evidentiary support,” and that the rights of children to the equal protection of the law are being violated.
It’s time for Los Angeles County officials to stop deferring to CDC frameworks that were designed to guestimate potential stress on the county’s hospitals. The people actually running the hospitals can answer those questions, and they’re not guessing.
And it’s long past time for the COVID state of emergency to be ended, both nationally and in California.
Write Susan at Susan@SusanShelley.com and follow her on Twitter @Susan_Shelley
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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/2022/08/14/the-covid-crisis-is-over-and-its-been-over/ | 2022-08-14T15:25:39Z | pasadenastarnews.com | control | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/08/14/the-covid-crisis-is-over-and-its-been-over/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
School shooter’s brain exams to be subject of court hearing
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A defense mental health expert in the penalty trial of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz can pinpoint when he realized the 23-year-old mass murderer still has “irrational thoughts” — the two were making small talk when Cruz began describing plans for an eventual life outside prison.
Wesley Center, a Texas counselor, said that happened last year at the Broward County jail as he fitted Cruz’s scalp with probes for a scan to map his brain. The defense at hearings this week will try to convince Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer that Center and other experts should be allowed to testify at Cruz’s ongoing trial about what their tests showed, something the prosecution wants barred.
“He had some sort of epiphany while he was in (jail) that would focus his thoughts on being able to help people,” transcripts show Center told prosecutors during a pretrial interview this year. “His life’s purpose was to be helping others.”
Cruz, of course, will never be free. Since his arrest about an hour after he murdered 14 students and three staff members at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14, 2018, there has never been any doubt his remaining years would be behind bars, sentenced to death or life without parole. Surveillance video shows him mowing down his victims with an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle and he confessed, eventually pleading guilty in October.
Prosecutors made their argument for death to the seven-man, five-woman jury and 10 alternates over three weeks, resting their case Aug. 4 after the panel toured the still-bloodstained, bullet-pocked classroom building where the massacre happened.
The jurors also watched graphic surveillance videos; saw gruesome crime scene and autopsy photos; received emotional testimony from teachers and students who witnessed others die; and heard from tearful and angry parents, spouses and other family members about the victims and how their loved one’s death impacted their lives. They watched video of the former Stoneman Douglas student calmly ordering an Icee minutes after the shooting and, nine months later, attacking a jail guard.
Soon, it will be Cruz’s attorneys arguing why he should be spared, hoping to convince at least one juror their mitigating factors outweigh the prosecution’s aggravating circumstances — a death sentence must be unanimous.
But first, the trial took last week off to accommodate some jurors’ requests to deal with personal matters. The jury will also be absent this week as the sides argue before Scherer, who will decide whether brain scans, tests and other evidence the defense wants to present starting Aug. 22 is scientifically valid or junk, as the prosecution contends.
Center’s test and its findings will be subject to contentious debate. Called a “quantitative electroencephalogram” or “qEEG,” its backers say it provides useful support to such diagnoses as fetal alcohol syndrome, which Cruz’s attorneys contend created his lifelong mental and emotional problems.
EEGs have been common in medicine for a century, measuring brainwaves to help doctors diagnose epilepsy and other brain ailments. But the qEEG analysis, which has been around since the 1970s, goes a step farther — a patient’s EEG results are compared to a database of brainwaves taken from normal or “neurotypical” people. While qEEG findings cannot be used to make a diagnosis, they can support findings based on the patient’s history, examination, behavior and other tests, supporters contend.
A “qEEG can confirm what you already know, but you can’t create new knowledge,” Center told prosecutors in his interview.
Dr. Charles Epstein, an Emory University neurology professor, reviewed Center’s findings for the prosecution. In a written statement to Scherer, he said EEGs using only external scalp probes like the one given Cruz are imprecise, making Center’s qEEG results worthless.
“Garbage in, garbage out,” he wrote.
Florida judges have given mixed rulings about allowing qEEGs since 2010, when the test helped a Miami-area man escape a death sentence for fatally stabbing his wife and severely wounding her mentally disabled 11-year-old daughter. Some judges have since allowed their admission, while others barred them. Scherer, who is overseeing her first death penalty trial, has never had a case where the defense tried to present a qEEG report.
Even if Scherer bars the test, lead defense attorney Melisa McNeill and her team still have evidence that Cruz’s brain likely suffered damage in the womb, including statements by his late birth mother that she abused alcohol and cocaine during pregnancy.
They also have reports giving circumstantial evidence of his mental illness. Cruz got kicked out of preschool for hurting other children. During his years in public school, he spent significant time at a center for students with emotional issues. He also received years of mental health treatment.
Then there are his life circumstances. Cruz’s adoptive father died in front of him when he was 5; he was bullied by his younger brother and his brother’s friends; he was allegedly abused sexually by a “trusted peer;” he cut himself and abused animals; and his adoptive mother died less than four months before the shooting.
His youth will also be an issue — he was 19 when the shooting happened.
Attorneys not involved in the case say if Scherer wants to avoid having a possible death sentence overturned on appeal, she should give the defense wide latitude on what it presents so jurors can fully assess his life and mental health.
“If it’s a close call, I think she is going to bend to the defense — and the prosecution is not going to be happy,” said David S. Weinstein, a Miami criminal defense lawyer and former prosecutor.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbko.com/2022/08/14/school-shooters-brain-exams-be-subject-court-hearing/ | 2022-08-14T15:28:07Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/2022/08/14/school-shooters-brain-exams-be-subject-court-hearing/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital
Gonzalez — To Tahis Gonzalez Jarquin and David Largaespada Vargas of Yakima, a daughter, Hannah Valentina Largaespada Gonzalez, 7 pounds, 4 ounces, at 11:08 a.m. on July 27, 2022.
De La Cruz — To LaCrissa Marie Lewis-Strong and Bernabe De La Cruz of Wapato, a daughter, Melody Star De La Cruz, 8 pounds, 6 ounces, at 12:17 a.m. on July 27, 2022. Grandparents are George and Ginger Visaya and Ramiro and Isabel De La Cruz, all of Wapato.
Naasz — To Erica and Keel Naasz of Selah, a son, Kooper Lee Naasz, 8 pounds, 1 ounce, at 2:51 p.m. on July 26, 2022. Grandparents are Brenda and Dean Person of Selah and Jim Person of Naches and Sharon Naasz of Yakima.
Valencia — To Esmeralda Yesenia Valencia Chavez and Mario Angel Cruz of Yakima, a daughter, Aliah Maya Cruz Valencia, 6 pounds, 10.5 ounces, on July 25, 2022. Grandparents are Paula and Isidro Valencia and Sylvia Pena and Pedro Cruz, all of Yakima.
Nevarez — To Sonia Nevarez Gutierrez and Saul Nevarez Zuniga of Yakima, a son, Alfonso Nevarez, 7 pounds, 11 ounces, at 8:22 a.m. on July 25, 2022. Grandparents are Rosalina and Miguel Gutierrez of White Swan and Humberto and Rafaela Nevarez of Ellensburg.
Mu — To Li Wang and Peng Mu of Yakima, a son, Kevin Mu, 7 pounds, 8 ounces, on July 29, 2022.
De Vries — To Marissa Howat and AJ de Vries of Ellensburg, a son, Kai Samuel de Vries, 6 pounds, 12 ounces, at 1:46 p.m. on July 27, 2022. Grandparents are Bill Howat and Linda Roberts of Sunnyside and Henk and Tineke de Vries of Sneek, the Netherlands.
Paul — To Kylee Strunks and Matthew Paul of Yakima, a daughter, Kolette Lieuru Paul, 7 pounds, 3 ounces, at 1:15 p.m. on July 29, 2022. Grandparents are Bob and Karen Strunks of Enumclaw and Mike and Karen Paul of Granger. | https://www.yakimaherald.com/community/births/yakima-valley-births-aug-14-2022/article_dcf4b588-19a1-11ed-8c80-5bbe602d4f07.html | 2022-08-14T15:28:53Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/community/births/yakima-valley-births-aug-14-2022/article_dcf4b588-19a1-11ed-8c80-5bbe602d4f07.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
To submit and view events for the Explore calendar, go to www.yakimaherald.com/calendar.
TODAY
• Yakima Valley Trolleys Before-School-Starts Excursions, 10 a.m.- 3 p.m., Yakima Valley Trolleys Powerhouse Museum, 418 S. Third Ave. Rides start at top of every hour. Ride the Oporto, Portugal 1928 Trolley Car (No. 1976) to Fruitvale Boulevard. Rides are 30 minutes round-trip. Cost: $5, ages 2 and younger free in lap. Up-to-date information: 509-249-5962 or www.yakimavalleytrolleys.org.
• Sunday Serenade, 1 p.m., Wilridge Winery, 250 Ehler Road. Sing and songwriter Jo-Anne Carlson.
• Viva La Musica Concert Series, 5-7 p.m., Martin Luther King Jr. Park, South Eighth Street next to Washington Middle School. Los de Allá performs.
• KROME, 6-8 p.m., HopTown Wood-Fired Pizza, 2560 Donald-Wapato Road, Wapato. Rock, R&B and country in the HopYard.
• Outdoor Summer Cinema Series, about 8:30 p.m., Chesterley Park, 40th Avenue and River Road. “Encanto.” Sit up close on blankets or farther back in lawn chairs.
• Sing On: Karaoke Contest Semifinals, 9 p.m.-12:30 a.m., Hoops, 2103 W. Lincoln Ave. Finals are Aug. 21. Prizes for first through fifth place.
MONDAY
• Punchline at Punks, 8 p.m. Punks Bar, 31 N. First Ave. Open mic comedy.
WEDNESDAY
• West Valley Library Preschool Storytime, 10 a.m., 223 S. 72nd Ave. Stories, rhymes and crafts for preschoolers.
• VanderMears, 6 p.m., Hoops, 2103 W. Lincoln Ave. Country, rock and blues on the patio.
• Wine Down Wednesday, 5:30 p.m., Wilridge Winery, 250 Ehler Road. Stimulus Package: guitar, harmonica and vocals.
THURSDAY
• Rod Giles Band, 6 p.m., Hoops, 2103 W. Lincoln Ave. Blues, rock and jazz fusion on the patio.
• Chad Bault, 7 p.m., Collaboration Coffee, 18 S. First St. Singer/songwriter performs Americana and indie folk. $15 cover.
• Rodney Carrington, 7 p.m., The Capitol Theatre, 19 S. Third St. Mature audience only. Comedian, actor, singer and writer. Tickets start at $50. Tickets and more information: capitoltheatre.org.
• The Silos and Walter Salas-Humara, 7:30 p.m., The Seasons Performance Hall, 101 N. Naches Ave. The Silos is a ’90s alternative rock band. Tickets and more information: theseasonsyakima.com.
• Rough Sets Comedy Night, 8 p.m., Bill’s Place, 206 S. Third Ave. Details: www.billsplacetav.com.
FRIDAY
• Fridays in the Field, 7 p.m., J Bell Cellars, 73 Knight Hill Road, No. 9768, Zillah. Singer/songwriter Kara Hesse, soul and rock ’n’ roll. Tickets: $20 adults, ages 17 and younger free. Tickets and information: www.jbellcellars.com.
• Rondi ’n’ Bart, 7 p.m., Eats and Elixers, 901 Summitview Ave. Jazz and pop rock duo performing ‘70s favorites.
• Lonestar, 8 p.m., Legends Casino, 580 Fort Road, Toppenish. Country. Tickets: $20 at legendscasino.com.
SATURDAY
• Pioneer Power Show and Swap Meet, 8 a.m., Fullbright Park, 4508 Main St., Union Gap. Vintage tractors, draft horse demonstrations, threshing and binding demos, working blacksmiths, tractor pulls, swap meet, vintage snowmobile club, food and more. Cost: $5, 12 and younger are free.
• Peddlers Corner Flea Market, 9 a.m., 208 Ahtanum Road, Union Gap. Seventeen vendors plus food.
• Planning Vegetables for Winter Gardens, 10 a.m., Heirloom Garden adjacent to greenhouse, 1522 S 18th Ave. One-hour class by Yakima County Master Gardeners; bring lawn chair, limited seating.
• Bookstore Romance Day, 1-3 p.m., Inklings Bookshop, 5629 Summitview Ave. Meet and greet at least 16 romance writers from the Pacific Northwest. Signed books available online for preorder if you can’t attend.
• La Invasion de la Banda, 2 p.m., Toppenish Rodeo Grounds, 600 S. Division St. Tickets and information: https://bit.ly/YH-Rinvasiontoppenish.
• WineStock, 3-8 p.m., Wilridge Winery, 250 Ehler Road. Rod Giles solo acoustic, Wasted on the Way (CSN&Y tribute), Janis Lives (Janis Joplin tribute) and Moon Daddy Band (Santana). Tickets: $35 advance, $45 at the gate. Feel free to bring blankets, chairs or picnic.
• Half Step Down, 7 p.m., Hoops, 2103 W. Lincoln Ave. Heavy blues on the patio.
• Los Huracanes del Norte, 8 p.m. Legends Casino, 580 Fort Road, Toppenish. Fiftieth anniversary tour. Different styles of Norteño music. Tickets: $70 at legendscasino.com.
ONGOING
• 2022 Nature Day Camp, 9 a.m. Mondays through Aug. 20, Yakima Area Arboretum, 1401 Arboretum Drive. Outdoor summer nature camp. Registration and details: www.ahtrees.org.
• Story time at Inklings, 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays, Inklings Bookshop, 5629 Summitview Ave. Educator liaison Luanne Clark reads stories to little ones.
• Larson Gallery exhibits “Vibrational” and “Art as a Special Path,” through Aug. 27, Larson Gallery, 1015 S. 16th Ave.
• Yakima Table Tennis, 7-10 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, Ahtanum Youth Park, 1000 Ahtanum Road. All ages, all abilities. Club play free, parking costs $2 a night.
• 10x10x10xTieton Exhibition, noon-3 p.m. Fridays, 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays and by appointment through Oct. 10, Mighty Tieton Warehouse, 608 Wisconsin Ave., Tieton. Exhibition featuring works no larger than 10 inches x 10 inches x 10 inches. To make an appointment, email 10x10@tietonarts.org with 24-hour notice.
• Queer Happy Hour, 6-9 p.m. the second and fourth Fridays of each month, Collaboration Coffee, 18 S. First St.
• Live music, 7-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, Kana Winery, 10 S. Second St.
• Selah Civic Center Dances, 1:30-3:45 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays, 216 S. First St. Cost: $5. Seniors invited to dance to Westerns, polkas, music from the ’50s and ’60s and other favorites.
• Valley Mall Farmers Market, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays, Valley Mall, 2529 Main St., Union Gap. Farmers, artists and craftspeople selling fresh produce, meat, baked goods, arts, crafts, gifts and other locally made goods.
• Downtown Yakima Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sundays, 22 S. Third St. Food and handcrafted products from farmers, specialty food producers, artisan and craft makers, food preparers, plus entertainers (buskers). | https://www.yakimaherald.com/explore-calendar-august-14/article_58781646-18ee-11ed-9d36-7b58ac8f5912.html | 2022-08-14T15:28:59Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/explore-calendar-august-14/article_58781646-18ee-11ed-9d36-7b58ac8f5912.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The man accused of shooting a Barge-Chestnut man in the back in 2021 has pleaded guilty to first-degree assault.
Jose Angel Ortega entered the plea in Yakima County Superior Court Thursday. In return, prosecutors will drop a drive-by shooting charge, while recommending that Ortega serve a 10-year prison sentence.
The sentencing range for Ortega ran from seven years and nine months to 10 years and three months.
Ortega, in his plea statement, admitted to assaulting Jonathan Spear with a deadly weapon, but did not elaborate on why he did it.
Yakima police say Ortega fired several shots at Spear as he worked in his West Chestnut Avenue yard June 6. One of the bullets that hit him severed his spinal cord, leaving him paralyzed, Spear said in a video posted on a GoFundMe page.
Police arrested Ortega and Gabriel Farias II, who police said was the driver of the car. Police said the shooting was unprovoked and Spear appeared to be targeted randomly.
Farias, 24, is awaiting trial.
Ortega is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 29, outside the 40-day period for a sentencing hearing after a plea is entered.
Charles Dold, Ortega’s attorney, said that Spear has requested that Collective Justice, a restorative justice program, to prepare to speak at sentencing. The group has asked for time to prepare for the sentencing hearing.
He said the group reached out to him because they said the prosecutor’s office was “not amenable to discussing these things.”
“Unfortunately, my office wasn’t ready to accommodate what they wanted to do,” Deputy Yakima County Prosecuting Attorney Nicholas Barrett told the court. “But we’re certainly ready to hear Mr. Spear at the sentencing.”
Dold said what is going to be done will be unique to Yakima County, and he said it will likely not needlessly delay Ortega from going to prison.
“I suspect, in light of the materials I read, that this will be a real opportunity for (Ortega) and the community to learn how crimes of violence affect the community,” Dold said.
Dold said he’s asked for the hearing to be at the Yakima County Courthouse instead of the basement of the Yakima County jail in order to limit attendance.
“Mr. Spear might not want to share with the rest of the world what is going on,” Dold said. He said Ortega may not want to speak in front of other inmates. | https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/crime_and_courts/shooter-in-barge-chestnut-drive-by-that-paralyzed-man-pleads-guilty-to-assault/article_96884baa-1a14-11ed-afd5-1fe206b9fbd0.html | 2022-08-14T15:29:05Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/crime_and_courts/shooter-in-barge-chestnut-drive-by-that-paralyzed-man-pleads-guilty-to-assault/article_96884baa-1a14-11ed-afd5-1fe206b9fbd0.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The command investigation into the MV-22B Osprey mishap during Exercise Cold Response 2022 near Bodø, Norway, on March 18, 2022, has been completed by the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW) investigating officer and endorsed by the then-commanding general of 2nd MAW.
On March 18, 2022, a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey, call sign “Ghost 31” and assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 261, 2nd MAW, crashed during a training flight in support of Exercise Cold Response 2022. Despite an extensive search-and- rescue effort led by the Norwegians, four U.S. Marines died in the crash and were recovered from the crash site and returned to the United States. We offer our sincere gratitude to the Norwegian Joint Rescue Coordination Center, search-and-rescue operations assets, Norwegian civil authorities, and all those involved in the search, rescue, and recovery efforts.
The four fallen Marines are Capt. Matthew J. Tomkiewicz, the aircraft commander; Capt. Ross A. Reynolds, the co-pilot; Gunnery Sgt. James W. Speedy, the aerial observer; and Cpl. Jacob M. Moore, the crew chief. Their loss continues to be felt across the Marine Corps, and our condolences remain with the family and friends of the fallen.
The Marine Corps thoroughly investigates all mishaps to identify the causes, learn from them, and take action to reduce the chances of future mishaps. The investigating officer and the assistant investigating officer thoroughly reviewed and analyzed data recovered from the mission recorders found at the crash site, aircrew readiness, aircraft maintenance, squadron planning and procedures, external and environmental factors such as weather, and recreations of the flight and atmospherics. The investigation concluded that the cause for the aviation accident was pilot error. Pilot error is the technical term describing a situation where the pilot’s inputs, or lack of appropriate inputs, made to the controls or systems of the aircraft were a causal factor, directly contributing to the mishap.
The investigating authorities also examined five other factors to determine if they contributed to the mishap: weather and environmental factors, procedures for low-altitude training, errors in maintenance paperwork, inexperience in mountainous environments, and the use of recording devices. It was determined that none of the five factors investigated were casual or contributing factors to the mishap. There are currently no recommendations for disciplinary or punitive action for any service members.
On March 18, 2022, the aircraft and aircrew departed from Bodø, Norway, on a training flight in support of Exercise Cold Response 2022. They returned to base for fuel without incident after conducting local-area familiarization flights and confined-area landings. After refueling, the aircrew departed on an approved flight plan in clear conditions to the south of Bodø. However, the aircrew and aircraft deviated from the preplanned and authorized flight and entered the Gråtådalen Valley at approximately 4:22 p.m. local. It is estimated the aircraft impacted the eastern side of the valley at approximately 4:23 p.m. local. The investigation evidentially concluded that the mishap was a result of a series of maneuvers conducted at a low altitude through the Gråtådalen Valley that exceeded the maximum angle-of-bank for an MV22B Osprey, which caused a loss of altitude, airspeed, and turning room from which the aircrew and aircraft were unable to recover. Specifically, analysis of the recovered aircraft data shows the aircraft, while maneuvering within the valley, made a left turn at 68 degrees angle-of-bank. The steepness of the turn resulted in the loss of both airspeed and altitude, followed by an overcorrected maneuver with a right turn in excess of 80 degrees from which the aircraft could not recover. The Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization Manual states the limit for angle-of-bank in an MV-22B Osprey is 60 degrees. It is not known which pilot had control of the aircraft at the time.
The investigation concludes that weather conditions were met and appropriate for the authorized flight, the aircrew were qualified for the assigned mission, the aircraft was properly maintained and airworthy, risk-mitigation training and predeployment training requirements were met and often exceeded, and the mission was as necessary as any other that is assigned on a daily flight schedule across the Marine Corps.
The aircraft-salvage and environmental-cleanup efforts are complete. We are extremely thankful for the support provided by the Kingdom of Norway, including the Norwegian Armed Forces, Hoved Redning Sentralen, and civil authorities at the federal level and within the Nordland District. We are additionally grateful to our allies that contributed or offered various assets and people in the search-and-rescue efforts and extended their condolences. We are grateful for their efforts and professional commitment to long and enduring relationships.
You can view the command investigation here: https://www.hqmc.marines.mil/Agencies/USMC- FOIA/FRR/
This work, 2nd MAW releases command investigation into the MV-22B Osprey crash in Norway on March 18, 2022, by 1LT Greg Kosiras, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/news/427227/2nd-maw-releases-command-investigation-into-mv-22b-osprey-crash-norway-march-18-2022 | 2022-08-14T15:34:40Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/news/427227/2nd-maw-releases-command-investigation-into-mv-22b-osprey-crash-norway-march-18-2022 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
4 people shot on I-88 in DuPage County
DuPAGE COUNTY, Ill. - Four people were shot on Interstate 88 early Sunday.
The shooting occurred on I-88 eastbound at milepost 138.
At about 1:15 a.m., Illinois State Police District 15 troopers responded to a reported expressway shooting.
Four people were shot and transported to an area hospital.
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The eastbound lanes of I-88 were closed near milepost 138 for the investigation.
Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact ISP at (630) 241-6800 or email at ISP.CrimeTips@Illinois.gov. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/4-people-shot-on-i-88-in-dupage-county | 2022-08-14T15:36:33Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/4-people-shot-on-i-88-in-dupage-county | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
1 killed, 17 injured in Pennsylvania after car crashes into fundraiser for fire victims
BERWICK, Pa. - One person was killed and another 17 people injured when a vehicle struck a crowd gathered at a Pennsylvania bar for a fundraiser for victims of a house fire that killed 10 earlier this month, authorities said. The suspect then killed a woman in a separate incident, police said.
The crash occurred outside the Intoxicology Department bar in Berwick at about 6:15 p.m Saturday. In a release, Pennsylvania State Police identified the driver as 24-year-old Adrian Oswaldo Sura Reyes. He was arraigned early Sunday morning on two counts of criminal homicide.
It wasn't immediately clear whether he had a lawyer to comment on his behalf.
He was taken into custody after authorities received a call about an assault in nearby Nescopeck. Responding troopers found a woman dead.
The identities of the deceased weren't immediately released.
RELATED: Coroner: Smoke inhalation killed at least 5 of 10 in Pennsylvania fire
The bar was holding a fundraiser for those touched by an Aug. 5 blaze that killed seven adults and three children in Nescopeck, the station reported.
The circumstances surrounding Saturday evening's crash were not immediately clear, including whether there was any connection to the fire or the fundraising effort.
RELATED: Funerals to begin for victims of Pennsylvania blaze that killed 10
The first funerals for victims of the fire were held Friday, and more were scheduled for Sunday and Monday. Authorities have said the fire's cause remains under investigation. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/berwick-nescopeck-pennsylvania-car-crash-fundraiser-fire-victims | 2022-08-14T15:36:39Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/berwick-nescopeck-pennsylvania-car-crash-fundraiser-fire-victims | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Police Department has ended its investigation into Anne Heche's car accident when the actor crashed into a Los Angeles home on Aug. 5.
Heche, 53, is brain dead and on life support, pending evaluation for organ donation.
“As of today, there will be no further investigative efforts made in this case," the department announced Friday. "Any information or records that have been requested prior to this turn of events will still be collected as they arrive as a matter of formalities and included in the overall case. When a person suspected of a crime expires, we do not present for filing consideration.”
Detectives looking into the crash had said narcotics were found in a blood sample taken from Heche. She has been hospitalized at a Los Angeles burn center. | https://www.katc.com/entertainment/lapd-ends-investigation-into-anne-heche-car-crash | 2022-08-14T15:52:34Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/entertainment/lapd-ends-investigation-into-anne-heche-car-crash | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LUX, France (AP) — Once, a river ran through it. Now, white dust and thousands of dead fish cover the wide trench that winds amid rows of trees in France’s Burgundy region in what was the Tille River in the village of Lux.
From dry and cracked reservoirs in Spain to falling water levels on major arteries like the Danube, the Rhine and the Po, an unprecedented drought is afflicting nearly half of Europe. It is damaging farm economies, forcing water restrictions, causing wildfires and threatening aquatic species.
There has been no significant rainfall for almost two months in the continent's western, central and southern regions. In typically rainy Britain, the government officially declared a drought across southern and central England on Friday amid one of the hottest and driest summers on record.
And Europe's dry period is expected to continue in what experts say could be the worst drought in 500 years.
Climate change is exacerbating conditions as hotter temperatures speed up evaporation, thirsty plants take in more moisture and reduced snowfall in the winter limits supplies of fresh water available for irrigation in the summer. Europe isn't alone in the crisis, with drought conditions also reported in East Africa, the western United States and northern Mexico.
As he walked in the 15-meter (50-foot) wide riverbed in Lux, Jean-Philippe Couasné, chief technician at the local Federation for Fishing and Protection of the Aquatic Environment, listed the species of fish that had died in the Tille.
“It’s heartbreaking,” he said. “On average, about 8,000 liters (2,100 gallons) per second are flowing. ... And now, zero liters.”
In areas upstream, some trout and other freshwater species can take shelter in pools via fish ladders. But such systems aren't available everywhere.
Without rain, the river “will continue to empty. And yes, all fish will die. ... They are trapped upstream and downstream, there’s no water coming in, so the oxygen level will keep decreasing as the (water) volume goes down,” Couasné said. “These are species that will gradually disappear."
Jean-Pierre Sonvico, the regional head of the federation, said diverting the fish to other rivers won't help because those waterways also are affected.
“Yes, it’s dramatic because what can we do? Nothing," he said. “We’re waiting, hoping for storms with rain, but storms are very local so we can't count on it.”
The European Commission’s Joint Research Center warned this week that drought conditions will get worse and potentially affect 47% of the continent.
Andrea Toreti, a senior researcher at the European Drought Observatory, said a drought in 2018 was so extreme that there were no similar events for the last 500 years, "but this year, I think, it is really worse.”
For the next three months, "we see still a very high risk of dry conditions over Western and Central Europe, as well as the U.K.,” Toreti said.
Current conditions result from long periods of dry weather caused by changes in world weather systems, said meteorologist Peter Hoffmann of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research near Berlin.
“It’s just that in summer we feel it the most,” he said. “But actually the drought builds up across the year.”
Climate change has lessened temperature differences between regions, sapping the forces that drive the jet stream, which normally brings wet Atlantic weather to Europe, he said.
A weaker or unstable jet stream can bring unusually hot air to Europe from North Africa, leading to prolonged periods of heat. The reverse is also true, when a polar vortex of cold air from the Arctic can cause freezing conditions far south of where it would normally reach.
Hoffmann said observations in recent years have all been at the upper end of what existing climate models predicted.
The drought has caused some European countries to restrict water usage, and shipping is endangered on the Rhine and the Danube rivers.
The Rhine, Germany's biggest waterway, is forecast to reach critically low levels in the coming days. Authorities say it could become difficult for many large ships to safely navigate the river at the city of Kaub, roughly midway between Koblenz and Mainz.
On the Danube, authorities in Serbia have started dredging to keep vessels moving.
In neighboring Hungary, wide parts of Lake Velence near Budapest have turned into patches of dried mud, beaching small boats. Aeration and water circulation equipment was installed to protect wildlife, but water quality has deteriorated. A weekend swimming ban was imposed at one beach.
Stretches of the Po, Italy's longest river, are so low that barges and boats that sank decades ago are resurfacing.
Italy’s Lake Garda has fallen to its lowest levels ever, and people who flocked to the popular spot east of Milan at the start of a long summer weekend found a newly exposed shoreline of bleached rocks with a yellow hue. Authorities recently released more water from the lake, Italy’s largest, to help with irrigation, but halted the effort to protect the lucrative tourist season.
The drought also has affected England, which last month had its driest July since 1935, according to the Met Office weather agency. The lack of rain has depleted reservoirs, rivers and groundwater and left grasslands brown and tinder-dry.
Millions in the U.K. already were barred from watering lawns and gardens, and 15 million more around London will face such a ban soon.
U.K. farmers face running out of irrigation water and having to use winter feed for animals because of a lack of grass. The Rivers Trust charity said England’s chalk streams — which allow underground springs to bubble up through the spongy layer of rock — are drying up, endangering aquatic wildlife like kingfishers and trout.
Even countries like Spain and Portugal, which are used to long periods without rain, have seen major consequences. In the Spanish region of Andalucia, some avocado farmers have had to sacrifice hundreds of trees to save others from wilting as the Vinuela reservoir in Malaga province dropped to only 13% of capacity.
Some European farmers are using water from the tap for their livestock when ponds and streams go dry, using up to 100 liters (26 gallons) a day per cow.
In normally green Burgundy, the source of Paris' Seine River, the grass has turned yellow-brown and tractors churn up giant clouds of dust.
Baptiste Colson, who owns dairy cows and grows feed crops in the village of Moloy, said his animals are suffering, with the quality and quantity of their milk decreasing. The 31-year-old head of the local Young Farmers union said he has been forced to dip into his winter fodder in August.
“That is the biggest concern,” Colson said.
EU corn production is expected to be 12.5 million tons below last year and sunflower production is projected to be 1.6 million tons lower, according to S&P Global Commodity Insights.
Colson expects at least a 30% drop in corn yields, a major problem for feeding his cows.
“We know we’ll have to buy food ... so the cows can continue producing milk,” he said. "From an economic point of view, the cost will be high.”
___
Dana Beltaji and Jill Lawless in London, Frank Jordans in Berlin, Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Portugal, Ciarán Giles in Madrid, Dusan Stojanovic in Belgrade, Serbia, and Bela Szandelszky in Budapest, Hungary, and Andrea Rosa and Luigi Navarra in Sirmione, Italy, contributed. | https://www.katc.com/news/national/european-drought-dries-up-rivers-kills-fish-shrivels-crops | 2022-08-14T15:52:40Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/national/european-drought-dries-up-rivers-kills-fish-shrivels-crops | 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 (1.7 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 (2.2 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 (1.2 Celsius), while daytime high temperatures have gone up 1.9 degrees (1.1 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.
—
Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP's climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | https://www.katc.com/news/national/hot-nights-us-in-july-sets-new-record-for-overnight-warmth | 2022-08-14T15:52:46Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/national/hot-nights-us-in-july-sets-new-record-for-overnight-warmth | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The U.S. Capitol Police said a man shot and killed himself early Sunday morning after he rammed into a vehicle barricade near the U.S. Capitol Building.
Police said the incident occurred just after 4 a.m. when a man drove into the vehicle barricade at East Capitol Street and Second Street.
As he was getting out of the vehicle, the car became engulfed in flames, and he fired several shots into the air, police said.
Police said they responded immediately when they heard the shots, and as they approached him, he shot himself.
According to the statement, police said that it doesn't appear that any members of Congress were being targeted.
"It does not appear officers fired their weapons," police said.
Nobody else was hurt, police said.
Police said their investigators are looking into the man’s background.
The statement read that DC’s Metropolitan Police Department is handling the investigation of the man's death. | https://www.katc.com/news/national/police-man-killed-himself-after-ramming-into-vehicle-barrier-at-us-capitol | 2022-08-14T15:52:52Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/national/police-man-killed-himself-after-ramming-into-vehicle-barrier-at-us-capitol | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
South African fast bowler Duanne Olivier has been ruled out of the three-match Test series against England after injuring his hamstring in the warm-up defeat to England Lions.
Olivier has been in significant discomfort involving his right hip flexor muscle. After clinical assessment, he was referred for an MRI scan, which revealed a grade 2 tear involving the right pectineus muscle, team doctor Hashendra Ramjee said in a media release from Cricket South Africa.
South Africa will not call up a replacement despite fellow seamer Kagiso Rabada being in a race to recover from an ankle problem.
Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansen, Lutho Sipamla and Glenton Stuurman are the other seamers in the squad. The first Test starts at Lord's on Wednesday.
South African squad: Dean Elgar (capt), Sarel Erwee, Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Keegan Petersen, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Lutho Sipamla, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Khaya Zondo, Glenton Stuurman. | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/cricket/2022/08/14/south-african-pacer-duanne-olivier-ruled-out-of-test-series-against-england.html | 2022-08-14T15:53:34Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/cricket/2022/08/14/south-african-pacer-duanne-olivier-ruled-out-of-test-series-against-england.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Working vehicles have always been the backbone of Australia, hauling freight, people and livestock across this massive brown expanse.
Until quite recently, the humble Aussie ute (read: utility vehicle) was every respectable tradesman’s vehicle of choice. Utes are essentially a sedan cabin cobbled with a tray rear end that lets us mix business with pleasure. Think of them as the automotive equivalent of the reverse mullet haircut; comfort up front, business in the back.
Sadly though, the death of Aussie automobile manufacturing means that cheap utes from GM Holden and Ford Australia are now a thing of the past, and fresh spare supplies have dried up too.
Almost ironically, the skyrocketing costs to now buy and maintain a ute makes them too valuable to be knocked around on building sites. Those lucky enough to still own a certified piece of Australiana on wheels – and especially the high-spec V8 models – most likely have them covered in a shed somewhere, only to be seen and heard rumbling through the streets on sunny weekends.
The closest thing to a silver lining may be the creativity some owners are employing when shopping for a replacement working vehicle. While I’m certainly not claiming the death of the Aussie ute is solely responsible for the uptake in interest in older US-sourced working trucks, it is hard to ignore the link, especially if you think back to when American pickups started to gain momentum here.
In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised to see trucks become the new flavour of choice for Australian enthusiasts for the next few years.
That statement alone is probably enough to see me kidnapped and lynched at the next truck meet, because there’s a deep line in the sand between utes and pickups. If it’s a model that’s derived from some form of sedan or wagon, it’s definitely not a pickup truck. Trucks are purpose-built for work life.
If I discover why it matters so much I’ll be sure to share it, but for now I’ll just respect that this is the way.
The many different origin stories, interests and styles really came across while I strolled through Sydney’s first Pickup Trucks Downunder Meet & Greet.
Meet & GreetKeen to understand the growth of the pickup truck scene in Australia over the past five years, whenever I wasn’t behind the lens I was talking to owners, trying to discover the origins of this eclectic crew of enthusiasts.
It’s not often you see such a diverse crowd all together, but the differing origins and styles were of interest to all. Muscle car enthusiasts, mini truckers, kustom lovers, both young and old – a real melting pot of people that most closely resembled the old school hot rod scene.
Some were priced out of their first choice for classic metal, some had become bored with the more traditional options, while others just grew up with an affinity for working trucks.
There was also a pretty heavy contingent of ex-mini-truckers, who felt like the old C10 Chevys and Fords were the next logical step for them.
A number of trucks were built with vintage shells sitting on top of contemporary chassis and drivelines. Talk about the best of both worlds – old school cool and modern reliability.
Identical trucks could have rolled out of the factory together coated with the same paint, and they’d still look plenty different if parked up here.
Every truck really is a custom build, usually with a lot of work carried out by the owner’s hands.
With these pickup truck builds, there’s no single recipe for success, as there is with other niches. Say for example you own an R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R; a slightly lower stance completed with a pair of Nismo side skirts and RAYS Volk Racing TE37s are a common sight. If you’ve got yourself a VL Holden Commodore, a set of gold Simmons B45 wheels are almost a requisite.
And you know what? If that’s how you want your car to look, that’s great.
If there’s one rule that seems to govern the truck scene, it’d be outlawing that whole cookie-cutter line of thinking. No two of the 110 trucks on display at this event looked the same, or even similar. Stockers, hay lifters, slammed, supercharged, patina-laden and polished – they were all different.
I’d imagine that this line of thinking is a major drawcard, both for the creative minds turning spanners on their trucks, and also the punters that come to check out the vibe.
If it began life as a working vehicle it’s welcome. There’s some debate over whether utes that are derived from sedans and wagons should count, but if it’s a rad build, most people seem OK with it.
Take a look through this gallery and let me know in the comments section if you could ever see yourself trading your mini-truck for a full-sized rig.
Matthew Everingham
Instagram: matthew_everingham
matt@mattheweveringham.com | http://www.speedhunters.com/2022/08/pickup-trucks-downunder/ | 2022-08-14T15:57:51Z | speedhunters.com | control | http://www.speedhunters.com/2022/08/pickup-trucks-downunder/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON — Booz Allen Hamilton, the 22nd largest U.S. defense contractor by revenue in the latest Defense News ranking, said it needs to buy cyber firm EverWatch to compete with larger rivals like Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Technologies.
In court filings tied to a U.S. Department of Justice antitrust lawsuit that seeks to block the merger, Booz Allen said it identified 14 opportunities to unseat competitors and win lucrative government contracts alongside EverWatch, whose services are used by intelligence and defense agencies.
The Justice Department alleges the combination would jeopardize market competition, harm taxpayers and crimp services supplied to the National Security Agency. The merger, the government said in its June complaint, would specifically imperil a signals intelligence and simulation contract known as Optimal Decision. Booz Allen and EverWatch are thought to be the only serious bidders, meaning a merger would produce a monopoly, the government said.
But attorneys for Booz Allen told the court the merger would actually stimulate competition and allow it to take on bigger, entrenched companies.
“The government’s narrative is not only inaccurate — it makes no sense,” the attorneys said in documents filed Aug. 1 in Maryland federal court. “As a matter of basic math, the government’s suggestion that the proposed transaction is a ‘scheme’ to buy off competition for OD is bizarre.”
The 14 potential procurements are worth “billion of dollars” and are the driving force behind the proposed transaction, not the “relatively small” Optimal Decision work, they said.
EverWatch, owned by Maryland-based investment firm Enlightenment Capital, supplies artificial intelligence, cloud capabilities, data science, insider-threat analysis and other products and technologies. It is smaller than Booz Allen, which employs some 30,000 people.
Booz Allen ranked No. 22 in overall defense revenue in 2021, at $5.5 billion, according to the Defense News ranking, developed using information provided by the companies as well as annual reports, analyst expertise and outside research.
Lockheed and Raytheon sat at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, on the Defense News list. Lockheed recorded roughly $64.5 billion in defense revenue in 2021; Raytheon, $41.9 billion.
An inquiry made to EverWatch on Aug. 8 was not immediately answered. To what degree the merger would effect revenue was not clear.
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The defense sector has substantially consolidated over the last three decades, forcing the Pentagon to rely on fewer and fewer contractors, according to a report published in February. Having only one or just a few sources to fulfill needs, it added, is risky.
Booz Allen and EverWatch, both located in Virginia, have rejected the antitrust accusations. A spokesperson in June told C4ISRNET the transaction would “bring together two companies with complementary capabilities” and vowed to “vigorously defend” against “any allegation of anticompetitive behavior.”
The potential joining of Booz Allen and EverWatch was announced in March. Terms were not publicized. The deal was expected to close in the first quarter of Booz Allen’s fiscal 2023.
And while many financial and contractual details are redacted in court documents, and some items have been sealed, it appears the revenue generated by Optimal Decision pales in comparison to the price Booz Allen was willing to pay for EverWatch.
“The proposed transaction aims to combine the complementary skills and assets of the two companies,” the firms said in their filing, adding, “The truth makes much more sense.”
Colin Demarest is a reporter at C4ISRNET, where he covers military networks, cyber and IT. Colin previously covered the Department of Energy and its NNSA — namely Cold War cleanup and nuclear weapons development — for a daily newspaper in South Carolina. Colin is also an award-winning photographer. | https://www.federaltimes.com/industry/2022/08/08/booz-allen-says-acquisition-aimed-at-lockheed-raytheon-billions-in-contracts/ | 2022-08-14T16:04:41Z | federaltimes.com | control | https://www.federaltimes.com/industry/2022/08/08/booz-allen-says-acquisition-aimed-at-lockheed-raytheon-billions-in-contracts/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(THE CONVERSATION) – When someone mentions a “banana republic,” they’re referring to a small, poor, politically unstable country that is weak because of an excessive reliance on one crop and foreign funding.
The term originated as a way to describe the experiences of many countries in Central America, whose economies and politics were dominated by U.S.-based banana exporters at the turn of the 20th century.
After the FBI’s August 2022 search of the residence of former President Donald Trump, some Republicans compared the U.S. to a banana republic. And in the wake of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, a surge of tweets did the same.
Political instability within the U.S. has little to do with fruit. So why is the term being used?
Subverting democracy to keep the cash flowing
In the 1880s, the Boston Fruit Company, which later became the United Fruit Company and then Chiquita, began importing bananas from Jamaica and launched a successful campaign to popularize them in the U.S.
As demand for bananas grew, large companies made deals with governments across Central America to fund infrastructure projects in exchange for land and policies that would allow them to expand production.
The growers often depended on authoritarian rule to protect land concessions and quell labor unrest that might shrink their profits. Sometimes, they would actively subvert democracy to reassert their influence. The Cuyamel Fruit Company, for example, supported a coup in Honduras in 1911 that replaced its president with someone more aligned with U.S. interests.
Another well-known example is the 1954 CIA-orchestrated plot on behalf of the United Fruit Company against Guatemalan President Jacobo Árbenz. That coup ended the first real period of democracy that Guatemala had known.
The tight relationship between banana exporters and repressive and corrupt leaders ultimately undermined development in the region, exacerbated inequality and left Central American countries weak and misgoverned.
Hyperbolic rhetoric?
Responding to the events that unfolded leading up to and during the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, current and former government officals commented that they resembled the instability of banana republics that were known for ignoring election results and overturning those results with coups – that’s exactly what happened in Costa Rica in 1917.
When American politicians and political commentators use the term, they’re often trying to conjure up images of corruption, repression and failures to stop executive overreach. They’re equating government officials with the tinpot dictators supported by foreign interests who acted with impunity to govern by force and persecute their opponents.
A numberof Republican politiciansinvoked the term in response to the FBI’s raid of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence.
But the comparison isn’t apt. It’s true that outgoing leaders are more likely to be investigated and punished by their political opponents in countries with strong executives and weak judiciaries.
However, holding elected officials accountable for their actions and not allowing anyone to be above the law is actually characteristic of a healthy democracy.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/whats-a-banana-republic-a-political-scientist-explains-188573. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/whats-a-banana-republic-a-political-scientist-explains/ | 2022-08-14T16:16:45Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/whats-a-banana-republic-a-political-scientist-explains/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
“There is such thing as Hell on Earth and it’s I-95N between Richmond and DC,” Richmond news anchor Elizabeth Holmes quipped in a recent tweet. The post went viral, echoing a sentiment felt by the countless drivers who regularly get caught in congestion between the two capitals.
Hoping to decrease driving delays, in June the Virginia Department of Transportation introduced variable speed limits between mile markers 115 and 130 south of Fredericksburg. The new electronic signs are meant to lower speeds when traffic gets thick, but in our era of increasingly dangerous driving, can such signs really improve safety?
For the past five years along Interstate 77 around Fancy Gap, VDOT has used similar signs to warn drivers of dense fog, resulting in what the agency says is a 73% reduction in crashes. The variable speed limit corridor south of Fredericksburg, however, won’t rely on weather reports for its updates, but rather on an algorithm assessing traffic volumes.
The aim of the 48 new electronic signs along I-95 is to “monitor in real-time what is going on in the corridor and reduce the speed limit before things get congested,” said Mena Lockwood, an assistant state traffic engineer with VDOT. “That way we can create an even speed throughout the corridor so folks travel at a free flow that may be slower than normal, but they won’t hit full-stop traffic.”
The problem variable speed limits seek to solve is called speed flow inversion – the phenomenon whereby even minor interruptions in vehicles’ movement cause extensive congestion due to the density of traffic. “This technology can help solve invisible traffic jams, backups that result from a chain effect of braking that ripples downstream rather than an actual crash,” said Eric Dumbaugh, associate director of the Collaborative Sciences Center for Road Safety at Florida Atlantic University.
From 2015 to 2019, VDOT estimates this stretch of I-95 witnessed over 70,000 person-hours of delay due to congestion. Of the wrecks that occurred along the corridor in that time frame, 55% were rear-end crashes.
In other states, variable speed limits have delivered on average a 5% reduction in travel times and an 8% decrease in crashes. Effectiveness varies based on the compliance of drivers, roadway geometry and how the system is set up, but VDOT is hoping its algorithm delivers better results than have been seen in other states.
Some road safety experts like Dumbaugh worry drivers won’t follow the variable speed limits and will undermine the system’s effectiveness. “As soon as you have someone ignoring the signs and cutting across lanes at a fast speed, you will once again trigger that ripple effect of downstream congestion.”
The first indications of whether VDOT’s $10 million investment is paying off should come in September, when the agency completes its first round of data on crash rates and types, the frequency of speed reduction, compliance and person-hours of delay. VDOT will also be conducting analyses at the six-month and full-year marks.
Should the pilot prove its worth, then similarly supersaturated corridors around the state could one day get their own variable speed limits.
For now, VDOT is asking for drivers’ assistance in improving the paved purgatory that is I-95 north of Richmond: “Drivers don’t like to be slowed down when they don’t need to be or else they won’t comply, so we want people to trust the system and know that we are only reducing the speed when it’s needed,” Lockwood said.
Wyatt Gordon covers transportation, housing and land use for the Virginia Mercury, where this commentary originally appeared (VirginiaMercury.com). He previously covered transportation as Greater Greater Washington’s Virginia correspondent. Contact him at wgordon@virginiamercury.com. | https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/column-will-variable-speed-limits-help-congestion-on-i-95/article_131ecfb8-1b78-11ed-9407-6315ecb2a2d5.html | 2022-08-14T16:17:34Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/column-will-variable-speed-limits-help-congestion-on-i-95/article_131ecfb8-1b78-11ed-9407-6315ecb2a2d5.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Scoop: White House to circulate Afghanistan memo defending U.S. withdrawal
The White House is planning to circulate a new memo on Capitol Hill defending President Biden's decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan and claiming the move strengthened national security by freeing up critical military and intelligence agents, according to a copy of the document obtained by Axios.
Why it matters: The memo comes as many across Washington are still seeking answers about the flawed evacuation. Republicans in particular are planning to use the one-year anniversary to reexamine the failures that led to the Afghan capital swiftly falling into the hands of the Taliban.
Driving the news: The memo was written by National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson in part as an attempt to preempt criticism from Republicans who are releasing an interim report on Sunday outlining what they see as the failures of the administration's preparations for the evacuation.
- The GOP report, led by Rep. Mike McCaul (R-Texas), ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the likely chair of the panel if Republicans take back the majority next year, claims the Biden administration left key decisions on how to evacuate civilians from Kabul until the final hours before the city fell to the Taliban.
- "There was a complete lack and a failure to plan. There was no plan and there was no plan executed," McCaul said on CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday morning.
Details: The memo argues the GOP report is "riddled with false claims" and puts the onus on former President Trump for striking a 2020 deal with the Taliban — known as the "Doha agreement" — to evacuate the U.S. from the region by May 2021.
- The White House argues top intelligence professionals assessed the U.S. would "ultimately need to send more American troops into harm’s way just to keep the stalemate in a 20-year war from degrading," and Biden refused to do that.
- The White House also touts the recent strike that killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri as evidence the U.S. does not need a permanent troop presence to defend against terrorism.
The bottom line: The diverging documents represent the split screen we'll see in the coming days of how Democrats and Republicans will recount what happened last year.
- Democrats and the White House are eager to portray the withdrawal as a necessary move that kept U.S. troops safe and ended the 20-year war in the region.
- Republicans, meanwhile, are still hoping to reexamine the mistakes the administration made in the lead up to and after the evacuation, and plan to make Afghanistan a key focus of investigations if they reclaim power in Congress next year. | https://www.axios.com/2022/08/14/scoop-white-house-to-circulate-afghanistan-memo-defending-us-withdrawal | 2022-08-14T16:18:14Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/2022/08/14/scoop-white-house-to-circulate-afghanistan-memo-defending-us-withdrawal | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Chattanooga Police responded to a fight call at Finley Stadium just after 9:30 p.m. Saturday night.
Police and on-site security were monitoring pedestrian traffic within Finley Stadium when they noticed a large gathering under the concourse.
At this time, officers attempted to intervene in what appeared to be a fight.
In the process, a Hamilton County Deputy deployed his taser. The sound of the taser was mistaken for a gunshot and caused panic within the stadium.
The stadium was then cleared to prevent injury and continued panic among patrons.
One juvenile was taken into custody due to the fight. Charges are not known at this time.
Law Enforcement and as well as contracted security worked the event to ensure no weapons were brought into the venue.
No one was harmed in the incident and no weapons were involved in the fight. | https://www.local3news.com/local-news/juvenile-in-custody-after-fight-breaks-out-at-finley-stadium-saturday-night/article_579c46c4-1be2-11ed-94e6-3340291d29d9.html | 2022-08-14T16:19:29Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/local-news/juvenile-in-custody-after-fight-breaks-out-at-finley-stadium-saturday-night/article_579c46c4-1be2-11ed-94e6-3340291d29d9.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Kidnappings decline along Edo highways as government installs CCTV in Benin
Determined to curtail the activities of criminals in Edo State, the state government has installed Close Circuit Television (CCTV) in almost every strategic place in Benin, the Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abutu Yaro, has disclosed.
Yaro who spoke weekend in Benin during a meeting with members of the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and other relevant stakeholders in the state
He commended Governor Godwin Obaseki for reinforcing the police command with additional special forces components from Abuja in order to enable the proportional capacity of the command to remain consistently ahead.
The Edo Police boss said that the governor also donated 15 new operational vehicles to the police command which are being deployed to all the 58 police divisions in Edo State.
Yaro said: “The governor has placed an elaborate CCTV camera system that covers almost every strategic place in the state capital.
“We are operating with functional mobilities. That is to say, we have functional vehicles and as I speak, the elements of lubricants, petroleum and diesel required to power these vehicles have been put in place.”
According to Yaro, in the last 90 days, all has been quiet on the Benin-Ekpoma Road which used to be notorious for a series of kidnappings by Fulani herdsmen due to the aggressive security measures put in place by the police.
He added that in the last 120 days, only one kidnap attempt took place along the Benin-Lagos expressway, near Ogbemudia Farm, but was heavily repelled by operatives of the command.
“I can confidently attest that in the past 90 days, the roads between Benin and Ekpoma have not witnessed any kidnapping,” he insisted.
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Kidnappings decline along Edo highways as government installs CCTV in Benin | https://tribuneonlineng.com/kidnappings-decline-along-edo-highways-as-government-installs-cctv-in-benin/ | 2022-08-14T16:19:48Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/kidnappings-decline-along-edo-highways-as-government-installs-cctv-in-benin/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The renowned author Salman Rushdie has been taken off a ventilator and continues to recover after being repeatedly stabbed during an on-stage attack in western New York on Friday that left him hospitalized.
"He's off the ventilator, so the road to recovery has begun," Rushdie's agent, Andrew Wylie, told CNN on Sunday. "It will be long -- the injuries are severe. But his condition is headed in the right direction."
The 75-year-old award-winning author -- whose writings have for decades brought him death threats -- was preparing to give a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution Friday when a man jumped on stage and stabbed Rushdie in several places, including the neck and stomach.
Staff members and guests then rushed on to the stage and held down the suspect, identified as 24-year-old Hadi Matar, of Fairview, New Jersey, before a state trooper assigned to the event took him into custody, according to New York State Police.
The author's injuries include three stab wounds to the right side of the front of his neck, four stab wounds to his stomach, puncture wound to his right eye and chest, and a laceration on his right thigh, Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt said Saturday during Matar's arraignment.
Rushdie was airlifted to a hospital following the attack and underwent surgery, police said. The author may end up losing his right eye, Schmidt said.
The author started to speak again Saturday after earlier being put on a ventilator, Wylie previously told the New York Times, adding the attack left Rushdie with liver and nerve damage.
Another speaker at the event, 73-year-old Ralph Henry Reese, suffered a minor head injury during the attack. He was taken to hospital in an ambulance and later released with a facial injury.
The suspect has pleaded not guilty
Matar pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree attempted murder and second-degree assault with intent to cause physical injury with a deadly weapon, his public defender, Nathaniel Barone, told CNN on Saturday.
The attorney said Matar has been "very cooperative" and communicating openly, but he did not discuss what was said during those conversations.
Matar was refused bail and remanded to the Chautauqua County Jail. His next court appearance is Friday.
He faces up to 32 years if convicted of both charges, Schmidt said.
The FBI is now working with local and international authorities to investigate the attack at the Chautauqua Institution, which happened in front of an audience as Rushdie was being introduced.
A witness, Joyce Lussier, was sitting in the second row when she saw a man leap across the stage and lunge at Rushdie. She heard people screaming and crying, she told CNN, and saw people from the audience rushing up to the stage.
Another witness, Stephen Davies, who captured video of the moments just after Rushdie was attacked, said he couldn't tell if the attacker had a knife in his hand.
"He lunged onto Mr. Rushdie and started pummeling him with his hand, very quickly," Davies said. "I was completely stunned and shocked."
Authorities have not disclosed the specific type of weapon that was used in the attack.
The suspect had a pass to the event that now faces questions over its security procedures
The suspect arrived in Chautauqua at least a day before the event and bought a pass to the event two days prior, Schmidt said during Matar's arraignment.
Matar traveled to Chautauqua by bus and had cash, pre-paid Visa cards and false identification with him, said Schmidt, who called the stabbing a "targeted, pre-planned, unprovoked attack on Mr. Rushdie."
There were no security searches or metal detectors at the event, a person who witnessed the attack told CNN. The witness is not being identified because they expressed concerns for their personal safety.
This has raised questions about the security precautions at the host institution.
The institution's leadership had rejected recommendations for basic security measures, including bag checks and metal detectors, fearing that would create a divide between speakers and the audience, according to two sources who spoke with CNN on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
Institution president Michael Hill defended his organization's security plans when asked during a news conference Friday whether there would be more precautions at future events.
"We assess for every event what we think the appropriate security level is, and this one was certainly one that we thought was important which is why we had a State Trooper and Sheriff presence there," Hill said. "We will assess for each of the events at the Institution what we think the appropriate level of security is and that's an ongoing process that we work in concert with local law enforcement on."
Matar -- who authorities say has no documented criminal history -- was described as being a quiet person who mostly kept to himself. CNN exclusively spoke with State of Fitness Boxing Club owner Desmond Boyle, who said Matar enrolled at the gym in North Bergen, New Jersey in April.
"You know that look, that 'it's the worst day of your life' look? He came in every day like that," Boyle told CNN on Saturday.
As the investigation continued, police on Friday evening were seen at the New Jersey home believed to be connected to the suspect.
Rushdie had a bounty on his head
Rushdie's writings have won him several literary prizes, but it was his fourth novel, "The Satanic Verses," that drew the greatest scrutiny as some Muslims found the book to be sacrilegious. The book, which sparked demonstrations, was banned in multiple countries.
The late Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who described the book as an insult to Islam and Prophet Mohammed, issued a religious decree, or fatwa, calling for Rushdie's death in 1989.
As a result, Rushdie began a decade under British protection.
The bounty against Rushdie has never been lifted, though in 1998 the Iranian government sought to distance itself from the fatwa by pledging not to seek to carry it out.
However, in 2017, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was asked if the "fatwa against Rushdie was still in effect," and he confirmed it was, saying, "The decree is as Imam Khomeini issued."
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/salman-rushdies-road-to-recovery-has-begun-authors-agent-says-as-stabbing-suspect-pleads-not/article_3a9cfc56-ef9d-515a-928a-3cc5ed5410d0.html | 2022-08-14T16:19:53Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/salman-rushdies-road-to-recovery-has-begun-authors-agent-says-as-stabbing-suspect-pleads-not/article_3a9cfc56-ef9d-515a-928a-3cc5ed5410d0.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Niger approves construction of 2.2km road, adds Fulfulde to official broadcasting languages
Niger State Government has approved the construction of 2.24Km Musa Abubakar-Bosso City Hotel-Pyata junction road at the cost of over N951 Million.
Making the disclosure was the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructural Development, Alhaji Mamman Musa during the post council briefing at the Government House Minna.
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The Commissioner explained that the road when completed will provide access road to Bosso Dam and it is also part of the state government’s contribution to a German Milk and Cheese Manufactory company under construction in the Bosso area.
Alhaji Musa said the road construction which is to be completed in five months, was to be funded under funds for special projects in the 2022 budget.
Similarly, the state government has included Fulfulde to broadcasting languages in the state.
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy Dr. Emmanuel Musa, stated this while briefing journalists on some of the resolutions of the state Council.
The Commissioner also disclosed that the F.M transmission station located in Chanchaga will be relocated to Maitumbi for security reason, pointing out that government will continue to make every effort that will ensure a good and quality service delivery by all the state owned media outlets. | https://tribuneonlineng.com/niger-approves-construction-of-2-2km-road-adds-fulfulde-to-official-broadcasting-languages/ | 2022-08-14T16:20:01Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/niger-approves-construction-of-2-2km-road-adds-fulfulde-to-official-broadcasting-languages/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Precariously perched atop the AL Central since spring, the Twins have been knocked off, for now, by the red-hot Guardians.
Minnesota visits the Angels on Sunday. The “other” team from L.A. has been a huge disappointment.
Tucker Davidson (1-3, 7.91) didn’t help.
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Davidson spent the early part of this season rehabbing with the Atlanta Braves’ affiliate, the Gwinnett Stripers, was traded to the Angels on Aug. 2 then was touched for six runs in four innings.
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Welcome to the Halos!
The Twins’ Chris Archer (2-5, 5.02) comes off a couple of no-decisions, allowing four runs over 9 ¹/₃ innings, fanning 12.
Play 10 units on the Twinkies.
Marinated! Corey Seager took Marco Gonzales deep, and Texas two-stepped past the Mariners, 7-4. Marco was Gonzo after allowing five runs in five innings. Up +1,832 jaybuhners. | https://nypost.com/2022/08/14/twins-vs-angels-prediction-bet-on-veteran-chris-archer/ | 2022-08-14T16:21:05Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/08/14/twins-vs-angels-prediction-bet-on-veteran-chris-archer/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
If you are trying to escape the heat a little this summer but don't want to spend the rest of the holidays indoors, do not fear - there are still plenty places across Kent where you can seek some shade and still have a lovely day out.
Kent has acres and acres of glorious countryside to be explored where you can escape from the heat, and the hectic pace of life into the tranquillity of the woodland. You can either enjoy exploring yourself or follow one of the signposted nature trails that are bustling with wildlife.
A walk in the woods is an ideal family day out and more often than not completely free, so why not pack up a picnic and head off to discover some of Kent's most treasured countryside spaces.
Read more: I explored the ‘haunted’ Kent landmark with a terrifying past and it was spine-tingling
Below is a list of some of our favourite woodlands to experience.
1. Blean Woods, Canterbury
Blean Woods is the perfect place to get away from it all and take a quiet walk in a beautiful ancient woodland. Spread across 1,257 acres, the wood is located on the outskirts of Canterbury.
The National Nature Reserve contains five quiet paths that wind through the coppice woodland. The longest, an eight mile trail, runs deep into the dense trees which attract many nesting birds, particularly nightingales.
When visiting during the summer months you are lucky to see the bright purple of the heather and coconut scented gorse lining the paths.
Ideal for family outings as there are clearly signposted routes of varying length.
Admission : Free. Open at all times.
Car park : CT2 9DD. Only open 8am - 8pm.
2. Hucking Estate, Hollingbourne, Maidstone
This large mix of habitats in the Kent Downs is home to woodland archaeology, wonderful walks, interesting wildlife and breath-taking views.
21 species of butterflies thrive at the estate, including the rare purple hairstreak. Found in the old chalk pits in the ancient part of the woodland are three species of bat and ten bird species, including the skylark and song thrush.
There are two way-marked trails to follow. Starting at the Hook and Hatchet Inn is the shorter blue route, taking roughly 30 minutes.
Or start at the Woodland Trust’s car park to begin the red route, known as The Landscape Trail. This is a significant three mile trail and takes roughly 90 minutes. Cattle and sheep can be encountered when walking these trails.
Admission: Free. Open at all times.
Car park: Hook and Hatchet Inn Car Park and Woodland Trust Car Park on Church Road. ME17 1QP.
3. Ashenbank, Cobham
Ashennbank is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is teeming with extraordinary wildlife.
Home to some of the oldest trees in the south east is the 74 acres of Ashenbank Woods. Around 135 of the trees can be classified as ancient, with the oldest being over 350 years old.
There are two signposted trails, the blue walk will take you 20-25 minutes or you can venture further into the heart of the woodland on the red walk of 40-50 minutes.
The woodland also holds great archaeological interest with a barrow from the Bronze Age and remains of five World War II bunkers, which can be stumbled across as you walk through.
The Darnley Trail, 10km in length, links Ashenbank Wood with Shorne Woods Country Park, Jeskyns Community Woodland, Cobham Park and Ranscombe Farm.
Admission: Free. Open 9am to dusk.
Car park: Halfpence Lane, DA12 3HB.
4. Ham Street Woods Nature reserve, Ashford
The 240 acre woods house two rare species of moths, the silky wave and triangle moths. As well as two protected species, the great crested newt and the dormouse.
The nature reserve is also of archaeological interest as it contains many well preserved earthworks including a medieval ditch and the remains of a staggered medieval dam.
Running through the woodlands are three signposted routes, varying from 2.5km to 5km. There are also two major trails passing through the reserve, the Saxon Shore Way and Greensand Way.
Admission: Free. Open at all times.
Car park: Bourne Lane, TN26 2HH.
5. Parsonage Wood, Benenden
This remote and tranquil reserve has been designated as a site of special scientific interest, for its ghyll habitat. Deep in the steep wooded valleys, the humid conditions give life to mosses, liverworts and numerous species of fern, including the hay-scented buckler-fern.
Most of the common woodland birds have been recorded here, including woodcock, green woodpecker, treecreeper, nuthatch and little owl.
While you may not witness the woods teeming with flowers at this time of year, return in spring to behold the gorgeous array of bluebells, primroses and golden saxifrages.
Admission: Free. Open at all times.
Car park: Nearby in Beneden village.
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- The hottest areas as hosepipe ban comes into force | https://www.kentlive.news/whats-on/whats-on-news/5-shaded-woodland-walks-kent-7462595 | 2022-08-14T16:30:20Z | kentlive.news | control | https://www.kentlive.news/whats-on/whats-on-news/5-shaded-woodland-walks-kent-7462595 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Canadian Coast Guard Ship Samuel Risley joins U.S. Coast Guard cutters Neah Bay, SPAR, and Hollyhock moored along the Grand River Aug. 4, 2022. The ships were participating in the Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer John Masson.
This work, Ships from U.S., Canadian Coast Guard participate in 2022 Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival [Image 16 of 16], by CPO John Masson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7368999/ships-us-canadian-coast-guard-participate-2022-grand-haven-coast-guard-festival | 2022-08-14T16:31:40Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7368999/ships-us-canadian-coast-guard-participate-2022-grand-haven-coast-guard-festival | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Canadian Coast Guard Commissioner Mario Pelletier, foreground, Ninth Coast Guard District Commander Rear Adm. Michael Johnston, and Grand Haven Mayor Catherine McNally salute as an honor guard posts the colors at a Walk of Coast Guard History ceremony Aug. 5, 2022. The ceremony, held during the 2022 Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival, marked the placement of a marker honoring the Canadian Coast Guard on its 60th anniversary. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer John Masson.
This work, Walk of Coast Guard History honors Canadian Coast Guard [Image 16 of 16], by CPO John Masson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7369003/walk-coast-guard-history-honors-canadian-coast-guard | 2022-08-14T16:32:05Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7369003/walk-coast-guard-history-honors-canadian-coast-guard | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Prime Minister said the Government would commit an additional £95 million in research funding, meeting a manifesto commitment to double funding into seeking treatments for the disease to £160 million by 2024.
He issued an appeal for a "Bab's army" of volunteers, with or without a family history of dementia, to step forward to take part in clinical trials on new preventative therapies.
The announcement follows a meeting earlier this week in Downing Street between Mr Johnson and Dame Barbara's widower, Scott Mitchell.
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The actress, who died in 2020, helped spearhead a campaign to raise awareness of dementia after Mr Mitchell disclosed in 2018 that she had been diagnosed with the disease four years earlier.
Mr Johnson said: "Dame Barbara Windsor was a British hero.
"I am delighted that we can now honour Dame Barbara in such a fitting way, launching a new national dementia mission in her name.
"We can work together to beat this disease, and honour an exceptional woman who campaigned tirelessly for change."
Mr Mitchell added: "Barbara would be so proud that she has had this legacy which will hopefully mean that families in the future won't have to go through the same heart-breaking experience that she and I had to endure.
"I can't stop thinking about her looking down with pride."
Downing Street said the mission would be driven by a new taskforce, bringing together industry, the NHS, academics and families living with the disease. | https://www.scotsman.com/health/prime-minister-announces-dementia-mission-in-memory-of-dame-barbara-windsor-3804753 | 2022-08-14T16:46:23Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/health/prime-minister-announces-dementia-mission-in-memory-of-dame-barbara-windsor-3804753 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Although this will mean fun in the sun for humans, dogs are easily affected by heat and these rising temperatures bring risk of dehydration and heatstroke.
So, it’s important we give our pets extra TLC this summer with careful preparation and forward planning.Caroline Spencer, animal behaviourist with online pet food providers Bella & Duke, has shared her top 10 tips below for keeping your furry friend safe and cool in the sun.
For all the latest dog news, pictures, advice and information, join our Scotsdog Facebook group here
Caroline explained: “Summer provides great opportunities for an array of bonding activities, but it is important that amongst all the fun, we take the necessary precautions to ensure our pets safety first, particularly when life-threatening scenarios are at risk.
“Like humans you can never be too prepared when getting our companions ready for summer fun, set aside plenty of time to plan your journeys so you and your pet can enjoy the warm weather to the fullest potential.”
1. Stick to the shade
Heat stroke can easily be induced by direct sunlight, so if you are in outside areas, make sure your dog can sit in the shade. Most dogs will naturally orientate to shadier spots, but it’s good to keep an eye on your dog to make sure they have not gone astray into the sun. Signs of heat stroke to look out for are excessive panting, drooling, reddened gums, dullness or loss of consciousness.
Photo: Canva/Getty Images
2. Water, water, everywhere
Like humans, dogs sweat and lose water, mainly through the glands in their paws. They can lose up to one litre of water per day and the more water they lose, the higher the chances of overheating. Have multiple water stations spread equally around your home during summer to safeguard your dog from overheating and dehydration. Switch their food to wet dog food to ensure extra water intake, carry a water bottle for them when going outside or for a walk.
Photo: Canva/Getty Images
3. Leave the car at home
There is no safe time to leave a dog alone in the car, but particularly in the summer months, the temperature in your car rises above what the temperature outside is. In a car, dogs can develop heatstroke in just 15 minutes. Even with water and open windows, cars are not a safe space for dogs in the summer.
Photo: Canva/Getty Images
4. Beware the beach
Long walks on the beach are a big no for your pup, but sunbathing while your dog goes for a swim is a great way to keep your pet cool. Dogs have sensitive feet that can burn or get injured if the ground they are walking on is too hot, so if on the beach don’t let your dog walk on the hot sand for too long. However, a refreshing dip in the cool water can work wonders to bring down your dog’s body temperature. Not all dogs will like swimming in water but encourage them to try it when you can and don’t leave them unsupervised.
Photo: Canva/Getty Images | https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/family-and-parenting/summer-dogs-here-are-10-expert-tips-on-keeping-your-loving-dog-cool-and-safe-in-the-summer-heatwave-3709698 | 2022-08-14T16:47:02Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/family-and-parenting/summer-dogs-here-are-10-expert-tips-on-keeping-your-loving-dog-cool-and-safe-in-the-summer-heatwave-3709698 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
There was a time when a pint of beer or a glass of bubbly were as fundamental to a holiday as a bucket and spade. But as we become more health and cost-conscious, drinking alcohol on an overseas break isn’t the be-all and end-all and you might come back feeling twice as refreshed.
Michelle Tole, travel and wellness expert from BluePillow (bluepillow.co.uk), a holiday accommodation rental service, believes this reflects a growing trend for booze-free breaks among travellers.
She suggests this reflects “how Brits want to embrace and make the most of their holiday, rather than spend their time off feeling hungover and weary”.
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Ahead of this year’s dry January, Alcohol Change UK estimated a record 7.9 million people were planning to quit drinking alcohol for the month. There’s also been a steep rise in the sale of no or low-alcohol drinks in general year-round. According to research published in 2021 from the International Wine and Spirits Record (IWSR) Drinks Market Analysis, the sector is predicted to grow by over 31 per cent by 2024.
The travel industry too is cottoning on to this growing trend and is adapting its offering to suit the needs of alcohol free travellers. Here are a few indulgent holidays guaranteed not to give you a hangover and the feeling that you’re somehow missing by choosing booze-free options, proving you can still have all the fun and fizz to celebrate your holiday and toast your very good health.
The teetotal hotel break
Launching on September 1, new hotel Sommerro in Oslo has developed an alcohol-free offering in response to guest demand which proves that it’s not just a passing trend to dodge a drink-fuelled break. At Sommerro the bar manager Loukia Blouti has created an innovative menu inspired by the 1920s and 1930s, called The Prohibitionists.
“We are fully aware people choose not to consume alcohol for a variety of reasons, including health challenges, driving a vehicle, pregnancy – or even just for a change every now and then. But this should not be a reason to miss out on a social gathering,” says Blouti. “Taste, complexity and ingredient quality are guaranteed for every single drink, regardless of alcohol content.”
Rooms start from £205 per double room including breakfast. For more information, visit sommerrohouse.com
The meal with (almost) no guilt
A wine flight is the ideal accompaniment to a Michelin star meal. Thankfully, though, non-drinkers no longer need to miss out on the full culinary experience being enjoyed by their fellow diners.
At Grand Resort Bad Ragaz in Switzerland, director of wine and sommelier Amanda Wassmer-Bulgin has created a drinks match for dishes served in the two Michelin-starred restaurant, Memories, which is run by her husband, Sven Wassmer.
Kombucha is served with caviar and horseradish, while truffle dumplings come with a barley lemonade.
Visit resortragaz.ch
The super sober getaway
Some travellers might want to ditch booze for a longer period of time or may simply not drink alcohol at all, for various reasons.
In Saudi Arabia, consuming alcohol is illegal, presenting a good opportunity to knock alcohol on the head for the entire duration of your trip.
Now that the destination is opening up to western tourism, several operators run tours within the Gulf country. Corinthian Travel offers a 10-day Arabia Felix: Asir & Al Bahah trip along the scenic Sarawat mountains between Abha and Jeddah. Highlights include exploring Rijal Almaa, one of the finest historic villages in Arabia, discovering the troglodyte settlements on remote Shada mountain, and a visit to the traditional market at Moyhal.
From £4895pp (two sharing) including transfers, B&B accommodation, activities/sightseeing and a guide. Flights extra. Visit corinthiantravel.co.uk | https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/travel/ditching-booze-is-set-to-be-the-big-new-holiday-trend-scotland-on-sunday-travel-3799259 | 2022-08-14T16:47:28Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/travel/ditching-booze-is-set-to-be-the-big-new-holiday-trend-scotland-on-sunday-travel-3799259 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Chief Executive of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, Dr Liz Cameron CBE
At the beginning of September, the UK will have a new Prime Minister. Whether it’s Truss or Sunak, Scottish businesses and the public expect bold leadership as we continue to grapple with the cost crisis.
The most recent business survey by Scottish Chambers of Commerce makes it clear that the cost of doing business has reached a tipping point. Companies are dealing with a multitude of pressures, forcing firms with little choice but to make difficult decisions which will impact on Scotland’s prospects for investment and growth.
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This perfect storm of cost pressures is nothing short of a hurricane which is leading to a costs crisis of unprecedented proportions. The direct result of this has led businesses to make the toughest of choices including 8 in 10 Scottish firms increasing prices in response to these challenges, which will have a knock-on effect on consumer confidence and spending power.
Business cashflow is also coming under strain as government loan repayments, increases to business insurances and managing workforce pay are all piling on the pressure on business outgoings and squeezing the bottom line. This trajectory of business performance places economic recovery and growth into question, as long-term decisions on investment, expansion and new projects are placed on hold, or completely shelved.
Running alongside this is the cost of living crisis, with households also under severe pressure from increased energy, food and fuel bills.
Already struggling businesses and households are going to be hit further later this month. Ofgem has recently confirmed that the energy price cap will be updated quarterly, rather than every six months, leading to yet another increase in energy bills for families and firms at the end of August which will take effect from October.
Some analysts have predicted the price cap is on track to rise to £3,615 a year from January, piling further burdens on businesses and households as the cost of energy intensifies.
Increasing the cap every three months instead of every six months means that prices will rise more quickly for businesses and consumers to reflect higher wholesale prices – as well as falling more quickly when they dip.
This is a double-edged sword as there is still much uncertainty around energy security as the war in Ukraine rages on, and decisions by Russia related to energy supply to Europe will have a chain effect on the prices that European countries will charge UK energy providers.
Pro-enterprise actions are required now from the UK Government to support businesses and households through this crisis and to arrest the decline in business performance and investor confidence. Introducing an energy price cap for small and medium-sized businesses has been a long-standing call from Chambers of Commerce in Scotland and the rest of the UK, and one the next Prime Minister should take seriously.
Although the UK Government has announced limited support for households with their energy bills, it risks not scratching the surface when additional increases in the price cap are taken into account. The challenge is magnified for businesses who have not seen any major support since the end of COVID-19 related funding and have instead been forced into further debt to manage inflationary pressures.
The immediate need for action is now on the shoulders of the UK Government. But as the Conservative Party Leadership contest plays out, the reality means there is a notable delay in policy action by the UK government.
Businesses are doing all we can to weather this storm to support employees and customers and to maintain vital investments in communities across Scotland. The call from the business community is clear: the economy cannot be put on hold and urgent action is needed now.
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Peter Tompkins and Robina Qureshi (Positive Action in Housing)
Positive Action in Housing is a homelessness and human rights charity based in Glasgow. Each year we assist 2,500 families and individuals with housing and financial difficulties, including ethnic minorities, asylum seekers, refugees, and EU migrants. 95 per cent of our beneficiaries live in poverty and struggle financially daily. Like housing, energy is a fundamental human right, not a luxury.
With annual energy bills predicted to surpass £4,200 come January, we expect households to fall into spiralling debt. Faced with increases in other bills such as food and fuel, it will be the poor who will be least likely to cut costs to meet these energy bills.
For those in secure jobs and those who previously got by, the coming months will create new challenges and cutbacks will have to be made. But for the poorest in society, there are no costs to cut. Individuals and families who are already living a bare existence with no lifestyle costs, no meals out, no new clothes or expensive holidays.
We fear for asylum seekers, some of whom have reported that the Home Office accommodation provider Mears left them without energy for days at a time. We fear for other vulnerable groups such as mothers with new babies, pensioners, and the disabled, who may switch off their heating to avoid getting into trouble with energy debt. Individuals who spend the most time at home and need to stay warm.
Going without heat during the winter, particularly for the elderly and young, can be deadly. National Energy Action reports that 3,000 people in the UK needlessly die each year from not heating their homes properly. Unless the government acts, the number this year will be far higher.
The campaign group Don’t Pay UK says more than 100,000 people have pledged to join its mass protest and stop paying their energy bills from October. However, gas and electricity demands are classed as priority bills, meaning there can be severe consequences for missing or being late on a payment. The supplier can chase arrears using a debt collection agency or seek a court order to enter your home and fit a prepayment card meter, which cuts off the electricity if it is not topped up and comes with a higher tariff. Anyone refusing to pay is “swinging a wrecking ball at their credit score”, with the resulting black mark making it harder to secure a mortgage or loan in the future.
What help is there if you fall behind on your bill?
If you’ve fallen behind with your household bills, it’s important not to wait to get help. Your supplier may be able to offer support and inform you about any available grants to pay off a utility bill or negotiate an affordable payment plan
If you have a prepayment meter, you can ask your supplier for “emergency credit”. You may also be eligible for an emergency fuel voucher (£49 in winter and £30 in summer) from the Fuel Bank Foundation.
The government’s energy bills support scheme can be accessed from the autumn. Households will receive a £400 discount on their bill, paid in six monthly instalments, from October. Additional means-tested support includes £650 for those on income-related benefits, £300 for pensioners who receive the winter fuel payment, and £150 for those who claim certain disability payments.
As consumer champion Martin Lewis has pointed out though, October's price rise quickly swallows up current levels of support. It’s time for the cap to come back down or for the government to absorb the difference. Leaving the poorest to fend for themselves will only lead to misery and lost lives.
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Chief Executive Brian Sloan, Age Scotland
The cost of living is surging, and quickly, but solutions from decision makers are few and far between. It’s clear that action is needed, and fast as life has become unaffordable for growing numbers of older people. We believe governments and councils should fully explore all avenues of support they have at their disposal to ensure older households can cover the costs essential to supporting their health and wellbeing.
We know this is a tough time for many so our helpline and friendship line is available to older people who are struggling, need expert advice or just a friendly chat (0800 12 44 222).
With energy bills sky-rocketing, Age Scotland also offers free online energy workshops to help older people get a better understanding of their household energy use, support them to stay warm and save money on their bills. The workshops cover a range of topics, including energy efficiency, accessing benefits and financial support which could help with energy costs and looking at future options for heating.
Age Scotland wants to see more money in older people’s pockets and that’s why we launched our Check In, Cash Out campaign. More than £400 million in social security goes unclaimed by older people in Scotland every year, and barriers to accessing this support must be broken down as a matter of urgency. We would like to see the Scottish Government launch a national campaign to raise greater awareness of the social security support available to older people, such as PensionCredit, Council Tax Reduction, Attendance Allowance, and support with energy bills, to ensure more people receive what they are entitled to which could help with this cost of living crisis. Last year, our helpline uncovered half a million pounds in unclaimed benefits for older people, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. Our free 0800 12 44 222 helpline offers older people a free benefit entitlement check and support on how to claim it. Another way is to use our online benefits calculator at www.age.scot/benefitscalculator.
It is important that organisations and businesses come together and do everything possible to support people, especially those on low incomes, against the threats posed by the deepening cost of living crisis. For example, we would like to see supermarkets offer more cost-saving initiatives to help older shoppers cover essential food items, like Iceland’s move to offer over-60s a 10 per cent discount off their shopping every Tuesday. Supermarkets could offer free hot drinks to older customers in their cafes and low or no cost hot meals throughout the winter.
While we wish that they weren’t necessary in this day and age, there has been increasing talk of “warm banks” being set up throughout the country for people to visit if they can’t afford to heat their own home. These would be better promoted as “Social Spaces” in community centres, libraries, sports clubs and church halls, where older people can connect with others, take part in a wide range of enjoyable activities, and access healthy eating options. This would not only improve the health and wellbeing of those who use them but reduce levels of loneliness which are so prevalent in our winter months. Pride could keep people away, but if they are open, interesting and welcoming environments then they could be very good indeed. The Scottish Government and local authorities should look to invest and support these kinds of initiatives to help make them a success.
There is no doubt that the months ahead will be very hard, with more older people facing financial hardship and fuel poverty. Without a major national effort and interventions from governments, too many people will freeze and go hungry, their health deteriorating, and there will be the real prospect of loss of life. | https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/cost-of-living-scots-need-help-to-weather-the-storm-3804991 | 2022-08-14T16:47:54Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/cost-of-living-scots-need-help-to-weather-the-storm-3804991 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Yang Guang received special gifts, including a giant box of his favourite bamboo and sticky honey smeared on rocks and branches around his enclosure.
The Zoo's 20.5-stone star attraction was also presented with a panda cake, made from a special recipe from China and topped with carrots for candles.
Birthday cards were sent to his home from his fans around the globe while groups of followers showed up to wish him a happy birthday in person.
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Darren McGarry, Head of Living Collections at the Zoo, said: "This is Yang Guang's 19th birthday and he's taking it easy these days.
"He usually spends around eight hours per day eating and another eight or nine hours sleeping, but we've got some special treats in store for his birthday.
"But there are panda fans all around the world. Yang Guang always gets lots of birthday cards so we'll be putting these on show in the panda house.
"People have even been known to buy gifts from the Zoo's Amazon wish list and send big containers of honey."
Giant panda Yang Guang -- meaning Sunshine -- was born on 14 August 2003 at the Bifengxia Panda Breeding Centre in China.
He arrived in Scotland on an initial ten year loan along with a female named Tian Tian -- or Sweetie -- in December 2011, costing £600,000 per year.
It was hoped that the pair would produce a cub in Scotland and, after failing to breed naturally, Tian Tian was artificially inseminated from 2013, without success. Efforts were halted during lockdown restrictions.
Yang Guang was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2018, and later castrated after the disease was detected in both testicles. Subsequent tests have shown he is now cancer free.
Last year, the RZSS negotiated a two year extension to the loan deal, which will allow the pair to remain in Scotland until the end of 2023.
McGarry said there would be no further attempts to produce a cub, however, and no further extensions to the animals' stay in Scotland.
He said: "Our giant pandas were brought to Scotland because we wanted to support the conservation of the species and educate people and we've achieved that.
"Both will go back to China at the end of 2023. No further attempts at breeding will take place and we will just enjoy having Yang Guang and Tian Tian with us for their remaining time at Edinburgh Zoo.
"They are amazing animals and they will be missed but there's still lots of time to see them before they go back to China."
The female, Tian Tian, will celebrate her 19th birthday on August 24. | https://www.scotsman.com/news/people/edinburgh-zoo-giant-panda-celebrates-19th-birthday-3805228 | 2022-08-14T16:48:21Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/news/people/edinburgh-zoo-giant-panda-celebrates-19th-birthday-3805228 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ALBANY — As part of an effort to keep illegal drugs and other contraband out of state prisons, New York is taking away one of the few pleasures of life behind bars: It will no longer let people send inmates care packages from home.
Under the new policy, which the state began phasing in last month, friends and family aren't allowed to deliver packages in person during prison visits. They also won't be allowed to mail boxes of goodies unless those come directly from third-party vendors.
While the rule won't stop prisoners from getting items that can be ordered online, like a Snickers bar or a bag of Doritos, they will lose access to foods like home-cooked meals or grandma's cookies.
That's a letdown for people like Caroline Hansen, who for 10 years hand-delivered packages filled with fresh vegetables, fruits, and meats to her husband, who is serving a life sentence.
“When I first started bringing him packages, he said he loved avocados. He hadn’t had them in about 20 years,” said Hansen, a single mother of two who works as a waitress in Long Island.
“What breaks my heart is, I take for granted having a banana with my yogurt. Imagine never being able to eat a banana?” she added, saying her husband’s prison cafeteria serves bananas once a month, at most.
New York had been one of the few states in the nation that still allowed families to send packages to inmates from home. The rule is already in effect in a majority of state prisons.
Starting this month, the state prison system is also testing a program where inmates will be blocked from getting most letters sent on paper. Instead, incoming letters will be scanned by computer, and prisoners will get copies.
The change is being made to try and head off a trend of people soaking letters in drugs to smuggle them past authorities. Multiple states including Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, Nebraska and Pennsylvania, already photocopy incoming mail to prevent drugs from being delivered to inmates. The federal Bureau of Prisons began a similar practice in 2019.
New York's Department of Corrections and Community Supervision said in a statement that the two new policies are necessary to stop contraband.
Contraband has been smuggled into prisons in a number of ways: books laced with heroin, weapons and unauthorized electronics like phones hidden in packages, and letter mail soaked in drugs like methamphetamine or a synthetic cannabinoid, also known as K2.
When packages are received by a prison, officers remove the items from the box to inspect the items visually or through an X-ray machine. If there is reason for suspicion, officers are allowed to open sealed packages for further inspection.
Those checks, though, aren't perfect, and authorities believe items slip through.
Critics of the package ban questioned its effectiveness, noting that prohibited items are sometimes brought in by corrupt prison staff.
California stopped allowing people to send packages directly to inmates in 2003. Instead, inmates and families can order items through an approved vendor list provided by the state. In Florida, families also aren’t allowed to send packages from home.
Prisoner advocates and families of inmates say the package policy is too restrictive — and an added financial burden.
Wanda Bertram, a communications strategist at the Prison Policy Initiative, called prison food a “nutritional nightmare,” and said some incarcerated people rely on care packages to keep a healthy diet.
Relatives of inmates often rely on private vendors like Walkenhorst and Jack L. Marcus Company, which specialize in sending allowed goods to prisoners, but items bought from third-party vendors can be more expensive.
Before his release from Sing Sing Correctional Facility in New York, former prisoner Wilfredo Laracuente said he was able to order a 35-pound (16-kilogram) package for himself containing packaged cakes, cookies, chips, soaps, shampoo, and some toiletries.
It cost $230 — the kind of money most prisoners don't have.
“This is going to be the beginning of the end, where they stop everything under the guise of security and contraband,” said Laracuente, who served two decades in prison for murder and now facilitates workshops that help recently released inmates reintegrate into society. “What they’re doing is removing the human component that’s very vital and necessary for the reentry process.”
Even before the ban, families often complained that sending packages was unreliable.
Angelica Watson, whose husband and brother are both incarcerated, said she tried to send packages to them monthly, but food items didn't always make it through before they spoiled.
“Most of it was nonperishable items,” said Watson, who lives in Buffalo. “I tried to do fresh, but it wasn’t a good idea because they’d hold it in their storage rooms and it would go bad.”
Hansen, whose husband is serving time for killing a cab driver, said having to order goods through vendors that charge “ridiculous prices,” was no solution to the contraband problem.
“My husband basically thinks this is one more way to deprive him of his basic necessities," Hansen said.
More than 60 families of inmates sent grievance letters to New York Assemblymember David Weprin, the Democratic chair of the Assembly’s Committee on Correction. Weprin criticized the new policy.
The package restriction was first introduced in 2018 through a pilot program at three state prisons, where families could only send packages through a list of six preapproved online vendors. It was quickly rescinded by then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, because of public backlash and criticism. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/local_news/new-york-restricts-families-from-sending-packages-to-inmates/article_7312be2c-1bda-11ed-8e29-9fde20836f13.html | 2022-08-14T16:48:40Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/local_news/new-york-restricts-families-from-sending-packages-to-inmates/article_7312be2c-1bda-11ed-8e29-9fde20836f13.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Facing prison time and dire personal consequences for storming the U.S. Capitol, some Jan. 6 defendants are trying to profit from their participation in the deadly riot, using it as a platform to drum up cash, promote business endeavors and boost social media profiles.
A Nevada man jailed on riot charges asked his mother to contact publishers for a book he was writing about “the Capitol incident.” A rioter from Washington state helped his father hawk clothes and other merchandise bearing slogans such as “Our House” and images of the Capitol building. A Virginia man released a rap album with riot-themed songs and a cover photograph of him sitting on a police vehicle outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Those actions are sometimes complicating matters for defendants when they face judges at sentencing as prosecutors point to the profit-chasing activities in seeking tougher punishments. The Justice Department, in some instances, is trying to claw back money that rioters have made off the insurrection.
In one case, federal authorities have seized tens of thousands of dollars from a defendant who sold his footage from Jan. 6. In another case, a Florida man's plea deal allows the U.S. government to collect profits from any book he gets published over the next five years. And prosecutors want a Maine man who raised more than $20,000 from supporters to surrender some of the money because a taxpayer-funded public defender is representing him.
Many rioters have paid a steep personal price for their actions on Jan. 6. At sentencing, rioters often ask for leniency on the grounds that they already have experienced severe consequences for their crimes.
They lost jobs or entire careers. Marriages fell apart. Friends and relatives shunned them or even reported them to the FBI. Strangers have sent them hate mail and online threats. And they have racked up expensive legal bills to defend themselves against federal charges ranging from misdemeanors to serious felonies.
Websites and crowdfunding platforms set up to collect donations for Capitol riot defendants try to portray them as mistreated patriots or even political prisoners.
An anti-vaccine medical doctor who pleaded guilty to illegally entering the Capitol founded a nonprofit that raised more than $430,000 for her legal expenses. The fundraising appeal by Dr. Simone Gold’s group, America’s Frontline Doctors, didn’t mention her guilty plea, prosecutors noted.
Before sentencing Gold to two months behind bars, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper called it “unseemly” that her nonprofit invoked the Capitol riot to raise money that also paid for her salary. Prosecutors said in court papers that it “beggars belief” that she incurred anywhere close to $430,000 in legal costs for her misdemeanor case.
Another rioter, a New Jersey gym owner who punched a police officer during the siege, raised more than $30,000 in online donations for a “Patriot Relief Fund” to cover his mortgage payments and other monthly bills. Prosecutors cited the fund in recommending a fine for Scott Fairlamb, who is serving a prison sentence of more than three years.
“Fairlamb should not be able to ‘capitalize’ on his participation in the Capitol breach in this way,” Justice Department lawyers wrote.
Robert Palmer, a Florida man who attacked police officers at the Capitol, asked a friend to create a crowdfunding campaign for him online after he pleaded guilty. After seeing the campaign to “Help Patriot Rob,” a probation officer calculating a sentencing recommendation for Palmer didn’t give him credit for accepting responsibility for his conduct. Palmer conceded that a post for the campaign falsely portrayed his conduct on Jan. 6. Acceptance of responsibility can help shave months or even years off a sentence.
“When you threw the fire extinguisher and the plank at the police officers, were you acting in self-defense?” asked U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan.
“No, ma’am, I was not,” Palmer said before the judge sentenced him to more than five years in prison.
A group calling itself the Patriot Freedom Project says it has raised more than $1 million in contributions and paid more than $665,000 in grants and legal fees for families of Capitol riot defendants.
In April, a New Jersey-based foundation associated with the group filed an IRS application for tax-exempt status. As of early August, an IRS database doesn’t list the foundation as a tax-exempt organization. The Hughes Foundation’s IRS application says its funds “principally” will benefit families of Jan. 6 defendants, with about 60% of the donated money going to foundation activities. The rest will cover management and fundraising expenses, including salaries, it adds.
Rioters have found other ways to enrich or promote themselves.
Jeremy Grace, who was sentenced to three weeks in jail for entering the Capitol, tried to profit off his participation by helping his dad sell T-shirts, baseball caps, water bottles, decals and other gear with phrases such as “Our House” and “Back the Blue” and images of the Capitol, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said Grace's “audacity” to sell “Back the Blue" paraphernalia is “especially disturbing” because he watched other rioters confront police officers on Jan. 6. A defense lawyer, however, said Grace didn’t break any laws or earn any profits by helping his father sell the merchandise.
Federal authorities seized more than $62,000 from a bank account belonging to riot defendant John Earle Sullivan, a Utah man who earned more than $90,000 from selling his Jan. 6 video footage to at least six companies. Sullivan's lawyer argued authorities had no right to seize the money.
Richard “Bigo” Barnett, an Arkansas man photographed propping his feet up on a desk in the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has charged donors $100 for photos of him with his feet on a desk while under house arrest. Defense lawyer Joseph McBride said prosecutors have “zero grounds” to prevent Barnett from raising money for his defense before a December trial date.
"Unlike the government, Mr. Barnett does not have the American Taxpayer footing the bill for his legal case," McBride wrote in a court filing.
Texas real estate agent Jennifer Leigh Ryan promoted her business on social media during and after the riot, boasting that she was “becoming famous.” In messages sent after Jan. 6, Ryan “contemplated the business she needed to prepare for as a result of the publicity she received from joining the mob at the Capitol,” prosecutors said in court documents.
Prosecutors cited the social media activity of Treniss Evans III in recommending a two-month jail term for the Texas man, who drank a shot of whiskey in a congressional conference room on Jan. 6. Evans has “aggressively exploited” his presence at the Capitol to expand his social media following on Gettr, a social media site founded by a former Trump adviser, prosecutors wrote before Evans' sentencing, scheduled for this coming Tuesday,
A few rioters are writing books about the mob’s attack or have marketed videos that they shot during the riot.
A unique provision in Adam Johnson’s plea agreement allows the U.S. government to collect profits from any book he gets published over the next five years. Images of Johnson posing for photographs with Pelosi’s podium went viral after the riot. Prosecutors said they insisted on the provision after learning that Johnson intends to write a memoir “of some sort.”
Ronald Sandlin, a Nevada man charged with assaulting officers near doors to the Senate gallery, posted on Facebook that he was “working out a Netflix deal” to sell riot video footage. Later, in a call from jail, Sandlin told his mother that he had met with right-wing author and filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza and was in contact with podcaster Joe Rogan. He also asked his mom to contact publishers for the book he was writing about the "Capitol incident," prosecutors said.
“I hope to turn it into movie,” Sandlin wrote in a March 2021 text message. “I plan on having Leonardo DiCaprio play me,” he wrote, adding a smiley face emoji. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/some-capitol-rioters-try-to-profit-from-their-jan-6-crimes/article_79c92a6e-1bd8-11ed-bccd-07e69b8d9b14.html | 2022-08-14T16:48:46Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/some-capitol-rioters-try-to-profit-from-their-jan-6-crimes/article_79c92a6e-1bd8-11ed-bccd-07e69b8d9b14.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Now ministers want to review whether such emissions from Scotland's flourishing whisky industry are generating "significant health or environmental impacts".
The Scottish Government said emissions of non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC) from malt whisky maturation increased by 54 per cent between 2005 and 2019 as the sector expanded.
However, it said "relatively little is known about the impacts of this specific source".
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NMVOC emissions from whisky production are in the form of ethanol, and the vast majority occur during the maturation stage, when the whisky ages in oak casks.
The evaporation of spirit during this phase is viewed as a natural and important part of the whisky making process.
The Scottish Government said the industry as a whole contributes close to 50 per cent of the total NMVOC emissions in Scotland.
An official contract posting reads: “Although total emissions remain low despite this increase, the nature of the industry means that emissions arise from a large number of diffuse point sources, each source contributing a very small amount to the overall total.
"Although there is good evidence on the general human health and environmental impacts of NMVOCs, relatively little is known about the impacts of this specific source and whether these recent increases are sufficient to generate any significant health or environmental impacts.”
The Government is now commissioning a review of the available evidence on “general human health and environmental impacts of NMVOCs" and the specific contribution from malt whisky maturation.
It wants researchers to “provide an assessment of whether this contribution is likely to be sufficient to generate significant health or environmental impacts” and to “suggest any potential mitigation strategies for controlling these emissions”.
The six-month project has a budget of between £15,000 and £20,000, and a final report is to be submitted by the end of March next year.
Green MSP Ariane Burgess said the review was “very welcome”, adding: “If we are to hit our net-zero targets then we all need to think about our carbon footprint and how we can reduce our emissions, and that applies to all our industries.
“Our whisky is iconic and recognised around the world. This research will be important in determining the source of these emissions and how they can be minimised in future.”
A spokesman for the Scotch Whisky Association said: “Some loss of spirit from casks during maturation is a natural part of the whisky making process.
"Losses of ethanol average around 2 per cent per year and, as the Scottish Government has previously stated, is neither harmful to health nor impactful on the environment due to its rapid dispersal.
“While spirit evaporation is an important contributor to the final character of the whisky, the Scotch whisky industry continues to invest in research as well as work with SEPA [the Scottish Environment Protection Agency] and other regulators to improve efficiency and minimise the amount that evaporates from the cask.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Last year, we published our updated air quality strategy, setting out how Scotland can achieve the best air quality in Europe.
"To support that, we are commissioning a review of the available evidence on the health and environmental impacts of NMVOC emissions, including an assessment of the emissions from malt whisky maturation.
“Scotland’s whisky industry is extremely valuable to our economy and we recognise the sector’s commitment to good environmental practices.” | https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/ministers-to-review-whether-angels-share-of-whisky-harms-environment-3803481 | 2022-08-14T16:48:57Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/ministers-to-review-whether-angels-share-of-whisky-harms-environment-3803481 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Becca Starr, a hip hop artist based in Paisley, is preparing for the gig launch of her album Speak No Evil in Glasgow on August 20.
Ms Starr, whose album focuses on her mental health journey after losing a friend to suicide, decided to donate to Scottish Women's Aid after her positive experience of accessing the service herself.
The rapper said: “I’m assuming there’s other women, like I used to be, out there who aren’t fully aware of what the service provides and need to get out of dangerous situations.
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"I really don’t think I’d be able to do this launch without the help and support and guidance they gave me through the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
During the gig, there will be an auction to raise funds for the organisation which will include a guitar donated by Kenny’s Music. The drummer from Franz Ferdinand, Audrey, has also donated recording time at her studio, Novasound, for the cause.
Addressing abuse towards women on the hip hop scene in Scotland, Ms Starr said there are men who “serially torment, abuse and batter” women and those who stay silent.
Ms Starr said: "Men have literally lied to my face about their community service and told me, ‘Oh I had a driving offence’ and then I find out two years’ later they never had a driver’s licence and they were done for assaulting their girlfriend. I know there were other boys around me who were substantiating that story knowing that’s not what they’ve been done for.”
The rapper hopes, if she starts “making noise” about issues of abuse, more people will be aware of what is going on as she said “accepted silence” is a huge problem.
"That silence puts women in danger but also allows those guys to float about on our scene and their victims don’t and they won’t come to gigs because they are scared of bumping into someone who has battered them.”
Ms Starr added: "That is unacceptable and it makes me so angry.”
Since talking about abuse on social media, Ms Starr has seen support from those on the scene.
Sanjeev Mann, editor of Hip Hop Scotland, said: “Hip Hop Scotland has a strict zero tolerance towards sexism and abuse towards women and girls in the scene and we strongly believe in equal opportunity.
"The foundations of hip-hop were built on inclusivity and protest for a more equal society. We believe this culture should keep going to provide a safe space for people to create the art they love.”
A spokeswoman for Scottish Women’s Aid said: “We thank Becca for her fundraising efforts for us, and importantly for her work to let other women know that Women’s Aid services are available for them.
"In a male dominated industry, where we know abuse of power is rife, it is important that women know there are places they can turn to for support. Our local Women’s Aid services work tirelessly everyday to support women and children who need us and Becca’s fundraising efforts will go towards supporting that vital work.” | https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/paisley-rapper-becca-starr-raises-funds-for-scottish-womens-aid-as-she-addresses-serial-abuse-towards-women-on-scottish-hip-hop-scene-3803709 | 2022-08-14T16:49:04Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/paisley-rapper-becca-starr-raises-funds-for-scottish-womens-aid-as-she-addresses-serial-abuse-towards-women-on-scottish-hip-hop-scene-3803709 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Man of the match
Normally this goes to a player. Now, there were plenty of candidates from Motherwell. Bevis Mugabi was commanding. Read the game so well, came up in big moments with blocks, won his headers and barely put a foot wrong. Blair Spittal played a blinder from the left, opening the scoring. Paul McGinn was the solid, reliable presence many know he can be. Then there was Dean Cornelius. He put in a performance which suggests he can make a real name for himself under Steven Hammell. Assertive, given licence to break forward, get on the ball and play.
But it is Hammell who deserves the accolade.
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There is much made about loyalty in football, especially when it comes to managers. It works both ways. Graham Alexander should be appreciated for the job he did in taking over from Stephen Robinson and turning around the club's fortunes on the pitch. But even in finishing fifth last season, there were concerning signs. They barely won a game after New Year. They weren't fun to watch. They were a middling Premiership side at best. But the issue was that it seemed they were regressing, not progressing. It would have been a brave decision but making a managerial change in the summer would have been shrewd.
Now Motherwell are here where they have promoted within to bring Steven Hammell in to replace Alexander. Losing to St Johnstone was not good, not good at all. But there were really positive signs against Aberdeen where it seemed the players were getting in tune with what the new boss wants. They have to flip a switch from being reactive to being proactive.
The Steelmen attacked with numbers, intensity and purpose. If they left Pittodrie having won 5-2 it wouldn't have been undeserved.
Hammell is someone who communicates well and has a clear idea. Personable, likeable and switched on, he hasn’t been outwardly critical of the previous management team, he’s simply expressed how he wants the team to change under him. Going by what he said and from the evidence of defeating Aberdeen, it will be much more enjoyable for the Well fans.
A deep breath and go again
A “reality check” is what Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin called it.
Let's not beat about the bush, the Dons were mince. Anthony Stewart and Ylber Ramadani struggled in what was a collective failing across the pitch.
When, as this writer has done, has waxed lyrical about both team and individual performances, it is only fair to note what was a rubbish display. What this suggests is the need for a bit of balance, a bit of calm.
Aberdeen are not the real deal or the complete package, yet, despite overcoming Stirling Albion, Raith Rovers, Peterhead, Dumbarton and St Mirren. Nor are they back to being a club without direction after a loss to Motherwell.
What they are is a team which is still a work in progress. Goodwin was reluctant to use the 'still gelling’ as an excuse. It would have been easy to do so as that is the truth. Nine of the 11 summer signings were, while there have been injuries in the past two games which has forced a tweak to the team.
Aberdeen are better than last season, they are going in the right direction but they are not the finished article, not that anyone at Aberdeen believed that after a positive League Cup group stage.
There are areas of concern. Against Raith, against St Mirren then against Motherwell the team started slowly. On Saturday, they never got into a rhythm. They need to be more switched on, to assert themselves and settle in a more efficient and effective manner. Moving Ross McCrorie back to the centre of the park will allow them to have that all-action force which may just give the team that platform to get a foothold early on.
Red Shed
Aberdeen issued a statement condemning recent fan behaviour in the Red Shed and outside the ground. The use of pyro, damage to seats and frames, while an object was thrown at the St Mirren supporters' bus, all came under scrutiny. A lot of that should be condemned, namely objects thrown and damage to infrastructure, while discussions should take place sooner rather than later regarding the safe use of pyro and safe-standing areas. Believe it or not, when fans are watching such an emotive game they like to stand, not be consigned to a seat.
However, despite the defeat to Motherwell, the Red Shed demonstrated why it has been such a positive change at Pittodrie. They contributed to an excellent game with plenty of noise and colour. As the Well Bois do at Fir Park.
There are, of course, policing and stewarding concerns that play a part but the sooner fans and clubs can get on the same page across Scottish football with regards to bringing a raucous atmosphere, the better it will be for the product as a whole.
Goalkeeper up for a corner klaxon
What was a hugely entertaining game was treated to the fun addition of a goalkeeper chucked up late on to rescue a point.
Kelle Roos was summoned from goal to the Motherwell box where it was hoped his spring and size would cause havoc. It didn’t. But nonetheless it is always great to see. Because of that bit of tension, that bit of ‘what if’ of a goalkeeper getting on the end of a corner and finding the back of the net. | https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/aberdeen-reaction-surprise-man-of-the-match-dons-reality-check-keeper-up-for-corner-klaxon-3804993 | 2022-08-14T16:49:17Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/aberdeen-reaction-surprise-man-of-the-match-dons-reality-check-keeper-up-for-corner-klaxon-3804993 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MAYVILLE, N.Y. — Salman Rushdie is "on the road to recovery," his agent confirmed Sunday, two days after the author of "The Satanic Verses" suffered serious injuries in a stabbing at a lecture in upstate New York.
The announcement followed news that the lauded writer was removed from a ventilator Saturday and able to talk and joke. Literary agent Andrew Wylie cautioned that although Rushdie's "condition is headed in the right direction," his recovery would be a long process. Rushdie, 75, suffered a damaged liver and severed nerves in an arm and an eye, Wylie had previously said, and was likely to lose the injured eye.
"Though his life changing injuries are severe, his usual feisty & defiant sense of humour remains intact," Rushdie's son Zafar Rushdie said in a Sunday statement that stressed the author remained in critical condition. The statement on behalf of the family also expressed gratitude for the "audience members who bravely leapt to his defence," as well as police, doctors and "the outpouring of love and support from around the world."
Hadi Matar, 24, of Fairview, New Jersey, pleaded not guilty Saturday to attempted murder and assault charges in what a prosecutor called "a targeted, unprovoked, preplanned attack" at the Chautauqua Institution, a nonprofit education and retreat center.
The attack was met with global shock and outrage, along with praise for the man who, for more than three decades, has weathered death threats and a $3 million bounty on his head for "The Satanic Verses." Rushdie even spent nine years in hiding under a British government protection program.
Authors, activists and government officials cited Rushdie's bravery and longtime championing of free speech in the face of such intimidation. Writer and longtime friend Ian McEwan labeled Rushdie "an inspirational defender of persecuted writers and journalists" and actor-author Kal Penn called him a role model "for an entire generation of artists, especially many of us in the South Asian diaspora."
"Salman Rushdie — with his insight into humanity, with his unmatched sense for story, with his refusal to be intimidated or silenced — stands for essential, universal ideals," U.S. President Joe Biden said in a Saturday statement. "Truth. Courage. Resilience. The ability to share ideas without fear."
Rushdie, who was born in India to a Muslim family and has lived in Britain and the U.S., is known for his surreal and satirical prose, beginning with his Booker Prize-winning 1981 novel "Midnight's Children," in which he sharply criticized India's then-prime minister, Indira Gandhi.
Infused with magical realism, 1988's "The Satanic Verses" drew ire from some Muslims who regarded elements of the novel as blasphemy.
They believed Rushdie insulted the Prophet Muhammad by naming a character Mahound, a medieval corruption of "Muhammad." The character was a prophet in a city called Jahilia, which in Arabic refers to the time before the advent of Islam on the Arabian Peninsula. Another sequence has prostitutes that share names with some of Muhammad's nine wives. The novel also implies that Muhammad, not Allah, may have been the Quran's real author.
The book had already been banned and burned in India, Pakistan and elsewhere when Iran's Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa, or edict, calling for Rushdie's death in 1989. Khomeini died that same year, but the fatwa remains in effect — though Iran, in recent years, hadn't focused on Rushdie.
Iran's state-run newspaper, Iran Daily, praised the attack as an "implementation of divine decree" Sunday. Another hardline newspaper, Kayhan, termed it "divine revenge" that would partially calm the anger of Muslims.
Investigators were trying to determine whether the suspect, born nearly a decade after the novel's publication, acted alone. A prosecutor alluded to the standing fatwa as a potential motive in arguing against bail.
"His resources don't matter to me. We understand that the agenda that was carried out yesterday is something that was adopted and it's sanctioned by larger groups and organizations well beyond the jurisdictional borders of Chautauqua County," District Attorney Jason Schmidt said.
Schmidt said Matar got an advance pass to the event where the author was speaking and arrived a day early bearing a fake ID. The judge ordered Matar held without bail.
Public defender Nathaniel Barone complained that authorities had taken too long to get Matar in front of a judge while leaving him "hooked up to a bench at the state police barracks" and stressed that Matar had the right to presumed innocence.
Barone said after the hearing that Matar has been communicating openly with him and that he would spend the coming weeks trying to learn about his client, including whether he has psychological or addiction issues.
Matar was born in the United States to parents who emigrated from Yaroun in southern Lebanon, village mayor Ali Tehfe told The Associated Press. Flags of the Iran-backed Shia militant group Hezbollah, along with portraits of Hezbollah and Iranian leaders, were visible across Yaroun before journalists visiting Saturday were asked to leave.
Hezbollah spokespeople did not respond to requests for comment.
In Tehran, some Iranians interviewed by the AP praised the attack on an author they believe tarnished the Islamic faith, while others worried it would further isolate their country.
Event moderator Henry Reese, 73, suffered a facial injury and was released from a hospital, police said. He and Rushdie had planned to discuss the United States as a refuge for artists in exile.
A state trooper and a county sheriff's deputy were assigned to Rushdie's lecture, and police said the trooper made the arrest. But afterward, some longtime visitors to the bucolic vacation colony questioned why there wasn't tighter security given the history of threats against Rushdie.
On Friday, an AP reporter witnessed the attacker stab or punch Rushdie about 10 or 15 times.
News about the stabbing has led to renewed interest in "The Satanic Verses," which topped bestseller lists after the fatwa was issued in 1989. As of Sunday morning, the novel ranked No. 11 on Amazon.com's list.
One of Rushdie's ex-wives, the author and television host Padma Lakshmi, tweeted Sunday that she was "relieved" by Rushdie's prognosis.
"Worried and wordless, can finally exhale," she wrote. "Now hoping for swift healing."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.klcc.org/npr-news/2022-08-14/after-a-stabbing-attack-salman-rushdie-can-talk-and-joke | 2022-08-14T16:49:58Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-news/2022-08-14/after-a-stabbing-attack-salman-rushdie-can-talk-and-joke | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
On a day when his side scored two overhead kicks and one 30-yard strike, the manager described the Swede’s bundled-in goal to put Celtic four up with 15 minutes left as the most “significant” in terms of what it meant to the player personally.
As well as marking his return from a hamstring injury, it was also Starfelt’s first goal for the club on his 50th appearance. The centre half, who replaced fellow goalscorer Moritz Jenz ten minutes after half-time, needed two attempts to force the ball past Kilmarnock goalkeeper Sam Walker after he was in the right place at the right time following Matt O’Riley’s corner. It was his first appearance of the season.
“He has worked really hard in rehab,” said Postecoglou. “He was really frustrated after such a strong season for us last year and then he went away on international duty and got injured and missed pretty much all of the pre-season for us.
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“He has worked really hard to get himself back to a position where he is available again. Credit to him, he is a really good pro. He comes in every day and works really hard in training and he’s a really strong team-mate. I am really pleased for him to get a goal, he has been trying really hard. It was probably the ugliest of the five but probably the most significant.”
Celtic seemed to make a mockery of Postecoglou’s pre-match concerns about the quality of Kilmarnock’s synthetic pitch. However, the Australian still felt the park - as well as the heat, which saw two water breaks – represented a challenge.
“It wasn’t the easiest of conditions for our boys to play football both in terms of the temperature and the pitch,” he said.
“They had a singular focus. It (the pitch) still does affect us and it did affect us at times with our fluency, and stumbling a little bit because the natural mechanics of a turf pitch aren’t there.
“But again, you can either use that as a clutch to adjust how we play or we can stick to what we do and to the players’ credit they did that.” | https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/most-significant-of-the-lot-why-ange-postecoglou-loved-one-of-celtics-five-goals-against-kilmarnock-more-than-others-3805274 | 2022-08-14T16:50:02Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/most-significant-of-the-lot-why-ange-postecoglou-loved-one-of-celtics-five-goals-against-kilmarnock-more-than-others-3805274 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
At such an early stage in the campaign, the Ibrox club would have been sure to drop in a cheeky wee behind-closed-doors encounter before welcoming to Govan for Tuesday’s first leg a PSV Eindhoven who were given the weekend to rest up. You know the sort of work-out… one that gives the chance for recent arrivals to build game time and confidence in a quasi-competitive environment in which anything overly strenuous is avoided. Precisely, indeed, akin to the 90-minute stroll Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men enjoyed against their Perth visitors.
Except here was a cakewalk that allowed Rangers to chomp down on the tasty morsels of three crucial league points that didn’t just maintain their perfect record in the cinch Premiership but moved them to the top of it. There was nothing not to like for the home side against a supine opponent.
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If you want to talk goals, these were delivered from Malik Tillman and Antonio Colak to follow on from their net-bulging efforts that ensured Rangers completed an historic European turnaround against Union Saint-Gilloise. Colak, indeed, made it three in three, his latest goal gifted to him with a first-timed poke low into the net the result of Drey Wright inexcusably allowing himself to be dispossessed in his own box by Rabbi Matondo.
That was the 50th-minute clincher, but the fact is that Rangers’ impetus and invention from central areas from the off ensured the outcome was wholly predictable even before Tillman broke the deadlock just after the half hour. It was a counter for which the classy schemer, on loan from Bayern Munich, was given the freedom of the St Johnstone box to cushion in a header. James Tavernier proved the provider courtesy of a precise ball swung over from the right.
Van Bronckhorst understandably expressed satisfaction in his team piling it on to their opponents with two goals in the closing 10 minutes, his contentment bolstered by these strikes being bagged by substitutes getting in on the act. Scott Arfield did so by lashing in a Matondo cut-back before he was then the set-up man, firing across goal for Tom Lawrence to smartly turn into the net.
Utilising all five changes, the Rangers manager could still give full 90 minutes to players requiring such exposure. Ben Davies earned a first competitive start that he saw through to the end, while Ryan Jack exhibited the drive he has struggled for in the early weeks of the campaign in a contest he completed.
Callum Davidson’s team didn’t simply roll over, but were guilty of chastening defensive errors that left them, eh, simply chasing shadows for so much of the afternoon. The step-up that will face Rangers in confronting the Eredivisie runners-up in a couple of days is an ginormous one when considering what the fifth-placed team in that set-up last season did to Dundee United. Rangers did all they could in shaping up for their daunting assignment by demonstrating a gulf in class all of their own. | https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/rangers/rangers-rampant-win-over-st-johnstone-proves-a-huge-point-ahead-of-facing-psv-3804904 | 2022-08-14T16:51:14Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/rangers/rangers-rampant-win-over-st-johnstone-proves-a-huge-point-ahead-of-facing-psv-3804904 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Cattigan, a forward who was capped 19 times by Scotland, died last November, aged 26. Her parents think that their daughter’s death was caused by an undetected brain injury, which led to her succumbing to an irrational thought and impulsive action.
In an interview in the Sunday Times last month, Neil and Morven Cattigan said that “something catastrophic had happened to Siobhan’s brain” and believed their daughter's death was linked directly to two serious concussion incidents she had suffered on the rugby field over the previous 18 months which they say had a profound effect on her personality.
The Cattigans have begun legal proceedings against the Scottish Rugby Union.
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One of the most serious claims made by Cattigan’s partner Ann Taylor and the family is that Cattigan told them she heard a member of the coaching staff on the sidelines shout “get her f***ing back on that pitch, get her back on” while she was receiving treatment for a head injury during an international match against Wales in April 2021. She is alleged to have heard the shout through the earpiece of one of the medical staff.
The SRU is “categoric that this phrase was not heard or said” and Dodson has offered his full backing to Easson, the head coach who is due to lead the Scotland Women team at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand next month.
“He’s got our complete support taking this team to the World Cup finals,” said Dodson.
“I have confidence in Bryan Easson as a coach. As far as any allegations are made against Bryan we will look into those and establish facts as time goes past.”
Speaking publicly for the first time about the death of Cattigan, the Scottish Rugby chief executive offered his sincere condolences to her family as he addressed the SRU’s annual general meeting.
After the meeting at Murrayfield, Dodson confirmed legal action was pending.
“We’ve been sent impending notice of an action against us, which is normal in this kind of area,” he said. “It alleges certain things around Siobhan’s care.
“This may end up in court proceedings and this may be the most appropriate place for this to end up.”
Ken Scobie, a former chairman of the SRU’s executive board, has called for an independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Cattigan whose father, Neil Cattigan, told the Sunday Times: “I am also convinced that if someone had referred Siobhan to a neurologist at any point during her illness she would still be with us.”
Dodson, however, said an external inquiry was not required and said the SRU would “try to establish the facts” internally.
“There is one part of the story that has been out there,” he said. “What we are trying to establish is the whole story.”
When it was put to him that an external body might be better placed to look into the Cattigan case, Dodson said: “No, because at the end of the day they will have the same issues we have, patient confidentiality and GMC guidelines.”
Dodson said he was unsure how long it would take to establish the facts.
“It is complex. There are a number of people looking at a number of things at the moment. There are records we need to examine and have a look at. It may be the courts is where the information actually emerges.”
Dodson said he had not been in touch with the Cattigan family since their allegations were published.
“We are establishing the timeline and trying to respect the family’s privacy,” said the chief executive.
“We reached out to the Cattigan family directly after the incident happened in various ways and we never heard anything from the Cattigan family then. Then they asked for their privacy to be respected so we are doing that.”
Dr James Robson, Scottish Rugby’s chief medical officer, set up a brain health clinic for former Scotland rugby players earlier this year. He wouldn’t comment on the specifics of the Cattigan case but underlined his ambition to make the sport as safe as possible.
“The worst nightmare for me is failing in anybody’s care and if there is a failure then that is a true nightmare,” said Dr Robson
“I’ll never stop striving to make our game and sport as safe as possible.
“Any loss of life, in fact any illness, is always distressing to me. If we’ve let somebody down we need to learn that lesson and make it better for other people but I can’t comment on the specifics of this case.”
John Jeffrey, the chairman of the Scottish Rugby Board, said the testimony of Cattigan’s parents had had a profound effect on him.
“The account, as relayed by her parents Neil and Morven, was heartbreaking, whether you are a parent or simply someone connected to rugby,” Jeffrey told the SRU agm. “Many people across Scottish Rugby continue to be deeply affected.
“Scottish Rugby takes everyone’s welfare as a priority and our medical team (who have led on concussion and brain health) and management teams are leaders in the world game, of which we are rightfully proud.
“Having said that we were extremely disturbed to read the allegations two weeks ago in the Sunday Times. This is a complex and sensitive area and, as you will now know, also subject to the possibility of legal proceedings.
“This means we cannot be as open in responding to allegations made or some of the contents of the article as we might otherwise wish.
“Our medical personnel continue to be bound by obligations of patient confidentiality under legislation and medical guidelines.
“I hope that through time and a thorough examination of the facts a more accurate and complete picture will emerge.” | https://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-union/siobhan-cattigan-mark-dodson-dismisses-call-for-external-review-into-death-of-scotland-player-and-gives-full-backing-to-coach-bryan-easson-3804928 | 2022-08-14T16:52:20Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-union/siobhan-cattigan-mark-dodson-dismisses-call-for-external-review-into-death-of-scotland-player-and-gives-full-backing-to-coach-bryan-easson-3804928 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Every week, Oprah is setting an intention exclusively for Oprah Daily Insiders, with reflections on topics like letting go, forgiveness, coming into your own, and more. Come back to this page each day for inspiration related to this week’s theme: Show Up For Yourself.
Happy Sunday, Everybody.
I know so many of you are probably like I am, you're really good at showing up for other people, right? I remember once, years ago, flying to Rome for an event that my friend Quincy Jones was sponsoring, spending 45 seconds—not even a full minute onstage—then turning around and flying back to Chicago to do a live show, because I go that extra mile if my friends need me.
But the question is, how do you show up for yourself? (It took me a long time to do that for myself.) More specifically, do you show up for yourself in the same way that you show up for the other people in your life? Because it can be all too easy to fall into the habit of putting the needs of other people—whether it's your colleagues, your partner, or your children—ahead of your own. Whoever you are prioritizing over yourself only ends up getting bits and pieces of the greatness that you're really capable of giving. Because when you are able to show up for yourself and make yourself a priority, it's easier to fully align with who you are, the gifts you have to give, and your true purpose—your purpose is always bigger than you think. I don't know what that purpose is for each of you, but I know what it's not—and that is emptying your own cup to fill somebody else's.
So, I want to know how you are going to show up for yourself this week. What I do know is that you all deserve to be the highest expression of yourselves and in turn, you'll be able to offer that full expression of who you are to the rest of the world without being depleted. So, talk to me in the comments, I'm always reading them. And I hope you have a great week showing up for you.
Go well.
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Unlock a new insight every day this week. | https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/health/a40885654/oprah-intention-show-up-for-yourself/ | 2022-08-14T17:04:15Z | oprahdaily.com | control | https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/health/a40885654/oprah-intention-show-up-for-yourself/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
This Is Explode (The Album).\n[1-inch videoplay button; sticks.] Expect this explosion on 2×190 gm gatefl… VAN BUREN COUNTY, Mich. — A man is dead, a woman is hospitalized in critical condition and the other driver is in jail after a Friday night van-motorcycle crash.
At midday Saturday, the Michigan State Police Paw Paw Post said that at 9:45 p.m. Friday troopers responded to a report of a crash with injuries on 90th Avenue near 67th Street in Van Buren County's Keeler Township. The investigations revealed that Renato Florez, 44, of Covert was driving a Ford panel van westbound on 90th when the vehicle crossed the center line and crashed head-on with an eastbound motorcycle ridden by Darek Jamal Bullock-Mills, 27, of Niles.
Bullock-Mills was thrown from the motorcycle, as was a 24-year-old female passenger.
Bullock-Mills was pronounced dead at the scene while the passenger was transported by Med Flight to Bronson Kalamazoo Hospital where she was listed in critical condition Sunday.
Troopers said it was unknown whether Bullock-Mills or the passenger were wearing helmets at the time of the collision.
Witnesses said Florez’s van was well across the center line and nearly struck another motorcycle traveling in front of Bullock-Mills. Florez, who sustained minor injuries, was arrested and is being held in the Van Buren County jail on charges of operating while intoxicated causing death and operating while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury.
Troopers said Florez showed signs of intoxication during field sobriety tests and open intoxicants were found in his van.
The incident remains under investigation by the Michigan State Police. | https://www.fox17online.com/news/local-news/south-mi/van-buren/motorcycle-rider-killed-passenger-critical-after-owi-crash | 2022-08-14T17:12:48Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/news/local-news/south-mi/van-buren/motorcycle-rider-killed-passenger-critical-after-owi-crash | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A growing number of historically Black colleges and universities have had to lock down or postpone classes due to bomb threats on the first day of Black History Month.
At least 14 HBCUs reported bomb threats Tuesday. At least one of them, Howard University, also received a bomb threat Monday.
"We've had these challenges before," Howard University President Wayne Frederick said Tuesday. But "since I've been here (as a student) in 1988, it has not been this widespread and also, I think, this overt."
US Education Secretary Miguel Cardona called the threats "disturbing" and said they would not be tolerated.
"My team will continue to work with students, faculty, and alumni to make sure HBCUs continue to be a safe place for students to learn," Cardona tweeted Tuesday.
These are some of the universities that reported bomb threats Tuesday:
Coppin State University
Someone called the Baltimore university and said there was a bomb on campus, Coppin State spokesperson Angela Galeano told CNN. She said the threat was immediately reported to campus police.
A message on the university's website said all classes would be online Tuesday.
"If you are on campus, please, shelter in place, and wait for further instructions," the message said. "Emergency officials are evaluating the campus and we will provide updates, as soon as possible."
Sabrina Taylor, the undergraduate program director at Coppin State, said she got a call at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday telling her not to come to work because there was an emergency on campus.
When she learned the emergency was a bomb threat, Taylor said she was saddened for the students.
"Many of our students in the HBCUs, they are first-generation college students. And they are there to advance their education and to create opportunity -- not only for themselves, but for their families," said Taylor, an assistant professor at the school.
"Now they have to deal with bomb threats."
Taylor said she immediately reached out to her students to check in and make sure they felt supported and safe.
"I wanted to encourage them to be empowered and I wanted to encourage them to realize that even though they are being threatened and they are experiencing adversity, they are walking in their purpose," she said.
"They are on their path to greatness, and they cannot let individuals who their intention is to cause destruction, chaos and fear and doubt, stop them from walking and their purpose."
Jackson State University
"Jackson State University received a bomb threat this morning at 4:15 a.m.," the university in Mississippi tweeted Tuesday.
"The Jackson Police Department and JSU Department of Public Safety have swept the campus and found the threat unsubstantiated. An all-clear has been issued."
Calvert White, a 22-year-old studying social science and education, lives in an apartment 10 minutes from campus.
"I'm uneasy," the Jackson State junior said. "HBCUs have a long history of physical threats just because of our existence. I think that the threats aren't individual or coincidental -- that it's a clear attack on Black students who choose to go to Black schools."
While it's not clear who made the threat, "I think the uncertainty, especially in the age of Covid and heightened race relations, is part of the goal of whomever has been making the threats," White said.
Like so many, White said he doesn't understand why such threats keep happening.
"But I understand that HBCUs are starting to see large influxes of students, supporters, donors, etc., and our presence is more important now than ever," he said.
"I think the idea of HBCUs in a current-day sense is taking over. They aren't just looked at as a beacon of the past, but a marker of the future."
Mississippi Valley State University
The university said a bomb threat was received through its guardhouse early Tuesday morning.
"MVSU is currently on lockdown, and campus police are conducting a complete investigation," a university Facebook post read.
"School officials are working with local emergency personnel to investigate and determine the extent of the threat."
Classes were remote Tuesday, and the university asked all on-campus students to stay in their residence halls. Only essential staff have been allowed on campus, MVSU said.
Cristal Brown, whose 23-year-old son is a student at MVSU, said she was "very nervous, concerned," when she heard about the threat.
"Maybe it's some sort of sick joke that someone or a group of individuals may find amusing," Brown said.
"Of course I am concerned about more threats. It's heartbreaking learning that several other HBCU's have been targeted," she said.
"I really do hope that find the person responsible and hold them accountable for their actions," Brown said.
Morgan State University
"Due to a bomb threat, access to campus will be closed as the University works with emergency personnel to assess the situation," the university in Baltimore tweeted Tuesday morning.
"Everyone on campus should shelter in place until further notice. All instruction will be remote and all employees should telework," Morgan State added.
"Essential employees will be contacted by their supervisor with additional direction."
Morgan State professor Jason Johnson acknowledged the disturbing start to Black HIstory Month. "Over half a dozen HBCUs have received these threats in the last few weeks. Not exactly how you want #Blackhistorymonth2022 to begin," Johnson tweeted Tuesday.
Alcorn State University
The university in Lorman, Mississippi, received "an anonymous bomb threat," Alcorn State posted on its website Tuesday.
"We are advising all students to shelter in place," the message said. "Faculty and staff should not report to work until further notice."
Tougaloo College
The college in Tougaloo, Mississippi, also received a bomb threat, according to a message on its website.
"Due to today's bomb threat, the campus will operate virtually," the message said.
"Although the campus has been cleared, for safety precautions, there will be no in-person classes/activities, and employees and students should not commute to the campus. All faculty and staff will work remotely today."
Kentucky State University
"Due to a bomb threat made earlier this morning, Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, @KyStateU is in lockdown status," the university in Frankfort tweeted Tuesday.
"The university is working with emergency personnel to evaluate the situation. University operations will be suspended until further notice & campus entry limited at this time."
Fort Valley State University
The university in Fort Valley, Georgia, is on lockdown after receiving notice of a bomb threat, FVSU tweeted Tuesday.
"Law enforcement is investigating. Campus is currently on lockdown. Residential students remain in dorms," the university said. "Non-residential students and staff should NOT report to campus until further notice. Campus operations are suspended for the day."
Howard University
The university in Washington, DC, has responded to bomb threats for a second day in a row.
"The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the Howard University Department of Police have issued an 'ALL CLEAR' in the investigation of a bomb threat made this morning at approximately 2:55 a.m." Howard University tweeted Tuesday morning.
"The Shelter-In-Place directive has been lifted."
On January 5, at least three HBCUs, including Howard University, received bomb threats. Nothing was found on any of the campuses that received threats, university officials said.
Spelman College
The college in Atlanta received a bomb threat overnight, CNN affiliate WGCL reported.
Atlanta police responded to Spelman around 3 a.m. Tuesday and an investigation was launched, WGCL reported. Atlanta police have since turned the case back over to campus police.
Saigan Boyd, a 19-year-old Spelman student, said she woke up in her dorm about 5:30 a.m. and got an email about the threat within half an hour.
"It was very disturbing ... It made me feel as though that I am not safe," she said.
"It makes me realize how there are still these terrorists that are trying to stop minorities from advancing or just getting a simple education from a predominantly Black institution," Boyd said.
"I'm just ultimately tired of dealing with this level of unsolicited hatred," she said. "I'm just tired of being terrorized like how my grandparents were."
Boyd said she is more "disappointed and annoyed than anxious. I just feel that a lot of time has passed for us to keep going through this same pattern of racism."
Xavier University
The university in New Orleans is working with authorities after receiving a bomb threat, Xavier tweeted Tuesday morning.
"Campus will be remote until 12 p.m. today. Residential students should stay in their rooms until further notice," the university tweeted. "Continue to monitor official university channels."
University of the District of Columbia
A bomb threat was made around 3:20 a.m. Tuesday on the Van Ness campus, the university said.
Authorities investigated and issued an "all clear" later Tuesday morning, the University of DC tweeted.
The campus is now open.
Edward Waters University
"Effective immediately, all in person activities, classes and operations including all meetings and athletic practices are cancelled until further notice," the university in Jacksonville, Florida, tweeted Tuesday morning.
"The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has been notified and is on campus investigating this matter. Please stay tuned to the EWU website, email and social media accounts for more information as it becomes available."
Rust College
Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi, received a bomb threat Tuesday morning.
"Along with many HBCUs throughout this country, this morning, our beloved Rust College received a bomb threat against our campus community," spokesperson Mary LeSueur told CNN in a statement.
"The administration and campus security immediately responded by reaching out to law enforcement to thoroughly investigate the threat," LeSueur said.
More law enforcement would be on campus, and no visitors would be allowed for the time being, she said. And students, faculty and staff would undergo increased security measures as they entered and exited campus.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/more-than-a-dozen-hbcus-get-bomb-threats-on-the-first-day-of-black-history/article_68c74458-17a3-53f3-8b16-83864e136bad.html | 2022-08-14T17:20:07Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/more-than-a-dozen-hbcus-get-bomb-threats-on-the-first-day-of-black-history/article_68c74458-17a3-53f3-8b16-83864e136bad.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
INGLEWOOD — The Chargers’ 29-22 loss Saturday to the Rams featured the usual chaos of an exhibition opener. Only a handful of starters played in the first of three preseason games this month. There were crisp plays, soggy ones and many more that fit somewhere in between.
In the final analysis, it was difficult at times to get a handle on the Chargers as a whole, with so many players coming and going, and with quite a few who will be going away for good before the Sept. 11 regular-season opener against the Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium.
Here’s some of what we learned, what we heard and what comes next for the Chargers:
Quarterback competition
The battle to become the Chargers’ backup quarterback behind Justin Herbert heated up with 14-year veteran Chase Daniel directing the team to two first-half touchdowns before yielding to fourth-year pro Easton Stick, who led one scoring drive in the second.
Daniel completed 11 of 17 passes for 117 yards and touchdowns of 41 yards to Joe Reed and 16 yards to Michael Bandy in the first half. Stick completed 16 of 23 passes for 119 yards, running for a three-yard touchdown that tied the score 22-22 with 13:02 left in the game.
Stick led the Chargers down the field in the final minutes, but Bandy bobbled a third-down pass and the Rams’ Daniel Isom snatched it from his hands at the eight with 27 seconds remaining. Stick said he was satisfied that his pass to Bandy was on target, although it appeared to be slightly off the mark.
“I just kind of felt like it was where it needed to be,” Stick said. “It was a good call by Joe (Lombardi, the Chargers’ offensive coordinator). We actually ran that play a few times earlier (in the game). Chase had it and made a good play on it. I took a sack on it earlier. This one worked out perfectly.
“Shoot, I would throw it 100 times out of 100 times, especially to Bandy, who has had an unbelievable camp and who I trust a ton. I really love playing with that guy.”
Chargers coach Brandon Staley said he would split the quarterbacking duties again for next Saturday’s exhibition against the Dallas Cowboys at SoFi Stadium. This time, Stick is scheduled to play the first half and Daniel will play the second. Herbert is not expected to play.
Running to daylight
Facing a third-and-seven at his own 31-yard line, Daniel dropped to pass late in the second quarter. When he couldn’t find anyone open, he moved patiently to his left and then, suddenly, took off at top speed. Or as fast as his legs would carry him, anyway.
“I knew on that third-and-seven it was man coverage,” Daniel explained. “I went through my first and second reads, and it wasn’t there. It’s just such a feel thing (taking off and running). You don’t even want to do it all the time. When I looked out there, I was like, ‘Where is everyone?’”
Daniel gained 22 yards on the play, keeping alive a drive that ended with his touchdown pass to Bandy with 37 seconds left in the half, tying the score 14-14.
Right tackle battle
Trey Pipkins III and Storm Norton went into training camp battling for the starting right tackle position, one of the highest-profile skirmishes before opening day. Pipkins started against the Rams, but Norton also played. Staley was pleased by their play.
“That thing is still in motion,” Staley said of the competition between the two. “But I thought that both guys competed. I felt like we moved the ball with both quarterbacks. I thought that both guys did a nice job.”
Going for two
Staley said if the Chargers had tied the score on their final drive, he would have gone for a two-point conversion rather than kicking the extra point and tying the score 29-29. He and Rams coach Sean McVay each went for two after their third touchdowns.
“We would have gone for two at the end, yes we would have,” Staley said, smiling.
Final thoughts
Circle Jan. 1 on your calendar. Or do whatever needs to be done to set a reminder on your phone. That’s when the Chargers and Rams play for real and, after Saturday’s preview, it could be something special when they go after each other at full strength and with something greater at stake.
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Here’s what we learned from the Rams’ 29-22 preseason victory Saturday night against the Chargers at SoFi Stadium:
Lance McCutcheon is a playmaker
Rams coach Sean McVay turned to senior offensive assistant Greg Olson and told him he was right after one of McCutcheon’s dynamic plays.
McCutcheon, an undrafted rookie, put on a show versus the Chargers with five receptions for 87 yards and two touchdowns. The 6-foot-3 wideout from Montana State connected with quarterback Bryce Perkins for a 60-yard touchdown in the second quarter that required McCutcheon to track the ball in tight space before breaking multiple tackles.
Later in the fourth quarter, McCutcheon had an 11-yard, jump-ball touchdown reception.
“We talked about it,” Perkins said. “He was adamant over and over. He’s like, ‘If they’re close, man, just give me the jump ball and I’ll make the play.’ He made great plays in camp and I felt comfortable giving him those opportunities.”
Olson didn’t need to see McCutcheon in training camp to know the Rams had a promising wide receiver. McVay said Olson predicted that he’s going to do well in the preseason after being around McCutcheon for one day in the offseason program.
“There are certain young guys that just have that right look in their eye where you can see they’re mature beyond their years,” McVay said of McCutcheon.
McCutcheon said star wide receivers Allen Robinson and Cooper Kupp have helped with his development. The rookie put it all together in his preseason debut with his mom in attendance from Montana.
“They’re geniuses when it comes to this game,” McCutcheon said about Kupp and Robinson. “I’m always trying to pick their brain, see what they’re doing.”
Lance McCutcheon said his phone is blowing up with messages after his two-touchdown performance. He went on do not disturb mode #Rams pic.twitter.com/psPpkRzQvh
— Gilbert Manzano (@GManzano24) August 14, 2022
What they said about Perkins
Perkins picked up where he left off last preseason by completing 10 of 17 passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns along with 39 rushing yards and a 1-yard touchdown run.
“Really pleased with Bryce Perkins,” McVay said. “His ability to make plays off schedule, to be able to get in and out of the huddle … That was exciting. How the heck did he get out of a couple of those (scrambles), but he’s a playmaker. When things do break down … that’s an elite trait that he has, the ability to break tackles.”
Perkins again flashed his athleticism, something he did last summer, but he also displayed his improvements as a passer in the pocket. McVay credited offensive coordinator Liam Coen for calling plays that best suited Perkins’ skill set.
“I think he did a great job,” Perkins said of Coen. “I got to open up my ears a little bit more, because I was having a hard time hearing him on some of them. I think he did a great job. Liam is a great dude, great coach. Smart. I really enjoyed my first year with him and I am glad he’s back.”
Last summer, Perkins forced the Rams to keep three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster. He might force them to do it again after another dazzling preseason performance.
What comes next
The Rams return to Thousand Oaks to prepare for their second preseason game. They host the Houston Texans at SoFi Stadium Friday night.
There will likely be no Tutu Atwell in that game because McVay said the wide receiver had done enough in training camp and wanted to keep him out of harm’s way.
“He’s going to be a part of what we’re doing this year,” McVay said of Atwell.
Perhaps McCutcheon joins Atwell on the sideline after his impressive debut, but the Rams prefer for their rookies to play in the preseason.
McVay said he was pleased with the debut performances of right guard Logan Bruss and cornerbacks Derion Kendrick and Decobie Durant.
Those rookies will get another opportunity to impress against the Texans.
Bryce Perkins opens the locker room to reporters for first time in two years #Rams pic.twitter.com/ABmRFSMx4z
— Gilbert Manzano (@GManzano24) August 14, 2022
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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/2022/08/14/rams-review-heres-what-we-learned-from-the-preseason-opener/ | 2022-08-14T17:27:21Z | pasadenastarnews.com | control | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/08/14/rams-review-heres-what-we-learned-from-the-preseason-opener/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Average US gasoline price falls 45 cents to $4.10 per gallon
CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) — The average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline plummeted 45 cents over the past two weeks to $4.10 per gallon.
Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey said Sunday that the continued decline comes as crude oil costs also remain low.
“The drop of a dollar per gallon has not been enough to restore motorist demand, which is in retreat due to sustained high price levels,” Lundberg said in a statement.
The average price at the pump is down a dollar over the past nine weeks, but it’s 85 cents higher than it was one year ago.
Nationwide, the highest average price for regular-grade gas was in the San Francisco Bay Area, at $5.36 per gallon. The lowest average was in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at $3.38 per gallon.
According to the survey, the average price of diesel plunged 37 cents over three weeks to $5.17 a gallon.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbko.com/2022/08/14/average-us-gasoline-price-falls-45-cents-410-per-gallon/ | 2022-08-14T17:38:12Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/2022/08/14/average-us-gasoline-price-falls-45-cents-410-per-gallon/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Palestinian gunman wounds 8 in late-night Jerusalem shooting
JERUSALEM (AP) — A Palestinian gunman opened fire at a bus near Jerusalem’s Old City early Sunday, wounding eight Israelis in an attack that came a week after violence flared up between Israel and militants in Gaza, police and medics said.
Two of the victims were in serious condition, including a pregnant woman with abdominal injuries and a man with gunshot wounds to the head and neck, according to Israeli hospitals treating them.
The U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Tom Nides, tweeted that there were American citizens among the wounded. An embassy spokesperson disclosed no other information or details.
The shooting happened as the bus waited in a parking lot near David’s Tomb on Mount Zion, just outside the Old City walls. Israeli media identified the suspected attacker as a 26-year-old Palestinian from east Jerusalem.
Israeli police said forces were dispatched to the scene to investigate. Israeli security forces also pushed into the nearby Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan pursuing the suspected attacker.
Later on Sunday, police said the suspected attacker turned himself in. Speaking at a meeting of his Cabinet on Sunday, Israeli Prime Mnister Yair Lapid said the suspected attacker was a resident of Jerusalem who was operating alone during the shooting and who had previously been arrested by Israel.
The attack in Jerusalem followed a tense week between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.
Last weekend, Israeli aircraft unleashed an offensive in the Gaza Strip targeting the militant group Islamic Jihad and setting off three days of fierce cross-border fighting. Islamic Jihad fired hundreds of rockets during the flare-up to avenge the airstrikes, which killed two of its commanders and other militants. Israel said the attack was meant to thwart threats from the group to respond to the arrest of one of its officials in the occupied West Bank.
Forty-nine Palestinians, including 17 children and 14 militants, were killed, and several hundred were injured in the fighting, which ended with an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire. No Israeli was killed or seriously injured.
The Islamic militant group Hamas, which controls Gaza, stayed on the sidelines.
A day after the cease-fire halted the worst round of Gaza fighting in more than a year, Israeli troops killed three Palestinian militants and wounded dozens in a shootout that erupted during an arrest raid in the West Bank city of Nablus.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbko.com/2022/08/14/palestinian-gunman-wounds-8-late-night-jerusalem-shooting/ | 2022-08-14T17:38:18Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/2022/08/14/palestinian-gunman-wounds-8-late-night-jerusalem-shooting/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Bengaluru/New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday took a strong exception to the exclusion of former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru in the Karnataka government's newspaper advertisement on freedom fighters and termed the BJP action "pathetic".
Former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah called Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai an "RSS slave", while AICC general secretary and in-charge of the party affairs in the state Randeep Surjewala said the BJP's hatred for the country's first prime minister had reached its zenith.
The state BJP, however, said it omitted Nehru's picture "intentionally".
"Nehru will survive such pettiness. CM Karnataka, desperate to save his job knows what he has done is an insult to his father S R Bommai and his father's 1st political guru M N Roy, both great Nehru admirers, the latter being a friend as well. Pathetic this is," Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary, communications, said on Twitter.
"Unending hatred for India's 1st PM and Nation builder, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru has reached its zenith. Bommai Government stoops to the lowest by denying his very existence," Surjewala said in a tweet.
"On the 75th Anniversary of Independence, it reflects the character and vicious thought process of present day rulers," he alleged.
In a series of tweets, Siddaramaiah, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, attacked V D Savarkar -- his picture features in the government's advertisement -- accusing him of pleading with British officials and acting as their "stooge" for his survival.
"When we thought slavery ended with the British gone, CM of Karnataka Bommai proved everyone wrong by showing that he is still a slave to RSS. Not including Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in the list of freedom fighters in today's govt ad shows how low a CM can go to save his chair," he said.
Noting that Bommai should remember that Nehru had written letters and books to inspire people to participate in the freedom movement even while he was jailed for nine years, the former chief minister said, "Looks like RSS is sad that Nehru did not write apology and mercy petitions to British like Savarkar."
"By omitting Nehru from the list of freedom fighters, Bommai has humiliated the entire nation in front of the world. Slow claps to Basavaraj Bommai for giving an opportunity to the rest of the world to mock India," he said, as he demanded the chief minister tender an apology to the entire nation.
The Karnataka government's advertisement as part of the Independence Day celebrations highlights the contributions and sacrifices of some prominent freedom icons in the state and at the national level.
Claiming that the RSS hated Nehru because he had not only vociferously opposed its communalism and its support to "murder" Mahatma Gandhi but had also banned it, Siddaramaiah asked, "But, what is wrong with you Mr Bommai?"
"Bommai govt's ad clearly shows that RSS does not have anyone from its organisation to show as freedom fighters other than Savarkar who pleaded with British officials and acted as their stooge for his survival. This display of insecurity has exposed the true role of RSS in the freedom movement," he said.
Citing the arrangement of pictures of the national icons in the advertisement, Siddaramaiah said, "Savarkar, who pleaded with British officers to get himself released from the jail, gets a position in the front row. But, Baba Saheb (Ambedkar), who fought for freedom by being the voice of marginalised sections, gets placed in the last row. Blatant display of untouchability by Karnataka BJP. Sad."
State Congress president D K Shivakumar, too, accused the government of trying to distort history and said he did not expect this from Bommai.
"Is it a humiliation to you to include Nehru Mr CM? You can't change history. Other than being in jail, and giving away his (Nehru) property, he was the first prime minister during whose tenure the Constitution and national flag came. He has given everything. I don't know why you are doing it. This is not Karnataka's culture," he said.
Shivakumar even wrote to Bommai in this connection, asking him to apologise for the mistake and "restore the historic truth".
State BJP General Secretary N Ravi Kumar said, "We have left out (Nehru) intentionally. When we are observing 'Partition Horrors Remembrance Day' today on the call given by our prime minister, what is the meaning in using his photograph?"
Alleging that Nehru did not heed Mahatma Gandhi's stand to dissolve the Congress after independence, he said, "Nehru was a person who did not heed Gandhi. He was responsible for Partition, which saw massive bloodshed of common people. So, we did not put up his photograph." | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/india/2022/08/14/karnataka-govt-faces-cong-ire-for-omitting-nehru-from-ad.amp.html | 2022-08-14T17:46:28Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/india/2022/08/14/karnataka-govt-faces-cong-ire-for-omitting-nehru-from-ad.amp.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
21 mins ago - Politics & Policy
Capitol rioters seek to profit from Jan. 6 participation
Several Capitol rioters are attempting to profit off of their participation in the deadly mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol, even as they admit to wrongdoing, the AP reported.
Driving the news: While some defendants have managed to raise tens of thousands of dollars off of their Jan. 6 crimes, their efforts have sometimes backfired, as prosecutors seek tougher punishments and authorities aim to take back profits, according to the AP.
- Anti-vaccine doctor Simone Gold raised more than $430,000 for her legal expenses after she participated in the Jan. 6 riot, per the AP. Even as Gold pleaded guilty and called the riot "destructive," the federal judge who sentenced Gold to two months in prison said she misled supporters by claiming that the prosecution was politically motivated, the AP reported.
- Capitol rioter John Earle Sullivan earned more than $90,000 from selling his video footage of the mob, according to the AP. Authorities later seized more than $62,000 from his bank account.
- Scott Fairlamb, who punched a police officer on Jan. 6, raised more than $30,000 to cover his costs. Prosecutors recommended a fine, noting that he should not be able to capitalize on his actions, the AP reported.
- Jan. 6 defendant Kyle Fitzsimmons raised more than $20,000 for his legal defense despite being represented by a public defender, according to court documents. The court ordered Fitzsimmons to pay more than $12,000 in response.
- After prosecutors learned that Adam Johnson, who took House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's podium during the riot, intended to publish a memoir, they included a provision in his plea agreement requiring him to relinquish any profits from a book in the next five years, per the AP.
- Robert Palmer, who threw a fire extinguisher at police officers, did not receive credit for accepting responsibility despite his guilty plea, after he created a campaign called "Help Patriot Rob" to raise money, according to AP. | https://www.axios.com/2022/08/14/capitol-rioters-profit-jan-6-participation | 2022-08-14T18:00:24Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/2022/08/14/capitol-rioters-profit-jan-6-participation | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Having honed his craft over the years on the Nigerian entertainment scene, talented Disc Jockey, Hafiz Agbabiaka Olajunwon, a.k.a DJ Fizzy, said he’s about to take his entertainment career a notch higher as he plans to drop his EP before the end of the year.
With new music featuring Rhyme and Terry Apala, also dropping in a matter of weeks, the rising star hinted that he has been working and putting finishing touches to new music content that will push his career to new heights and bring positive vibes his way.
Before now the famous DJ had thrilled music listeners with hit single entitled ‘Why’, featuring ‘Tikuku’ crooner, Candy Bleakz and fast-rising artist, Sickah among other songs adding that he will not relent in his efforts to keep his fans entertained.
Speaking about his career and what his fans should expect, Dj Fizzy who started his disc jockeying career in 2017 also added that he couldn’t wait to unleash new musical content and put his name on the lips of many across the globe.
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.
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.
DJ Fizzy hints on new single, EP in coming weeks
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- 48 Visa On Arrival, E-Visa And Visa Free Countries You Can Travel To As A Nigerian
DJ Fizzy hints on new single, EP in coming weeks | https://tribuneonlineng.com/dj-fizzy-hints-on-new-single-ep-in-coming-weeks/ | 2022-08-14T18:04:29Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/dj-fizzy-hints-on-new-single-ep-in-coming-weeks/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch was made available to media prior to the Richmond Raceway race this Saturday:
KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry TRD, Joe Gibbs Racing
Is there anything you do to try to change you luck from your routine or anything else?
“No, not really. I've had some bad luck spells I guess in the past and you just always kind of wonder when it's going to be over and you can finally focus on getting the finishes that you deserve or that you would hope to, to get just based off of your performances and not something bad happening to you taking you out of a running.”
Does Kurt’s possible future in the No. 45 give you a potential option for 2023 if he doesn’t return?
“I mean, I guess it could. I don't know that it's necessarily been a prospect. So obviously I want him to be able to do what he (Kurt Busch) wants to do and go out the way he wants to go out. You know, I kind of talked about that where he and I just had a conversation where you know, he's like, ‘Pocono qualifying crash isn't necessarily the best way of going out.’ I'm like, 1,000% right, you know, so I just wish him the best that he can continue to get better and feel better and get through the processes of what this is. It's nothing like breaking a bone and being out, you know, with an arm injury or leg injury, foot injury, anything like that. Obviously it's the melon on top of your head that's very important to your well-being going forward. And so just hope that all of that can go well for him and he can get back as soon and as safely as possible.”
Is it comforting to know that Toyota is doing everything possible to keep you in the family for 2023?
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, that's obviously, you know, a strong suit. I had a relationship with this manufacturer and this team – Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing -- for 15 years. I mean, that's nothing to bat an eye at, you know, so we've had some, some really strong runs and some great results. We've won championships and 50-something races together. And, you know, obviously to continue on with that – my dream was to always have the chance of being able to go out when I want to and retire when I want to and sort of do the Ivan Stewart ‘Ironman’ deal with Toyota where he's kind of a lifer. You know what I mean, he goes to all the Toyota functions and all the Toyota things and he's one of those guys that man, whenever you're at one of those things, and you see ‘Ironman’ Ivan Stewart hanging around you know, it's really awesome to see the brand tie that he has, and that was always kind of my thought of being the NASCAR guy in in the Toyota realm and being one that's been the most successful driver for that manufacturer here in the NASCAR ranks. So, you know, we'd love to have that opportunity. It's just a matter of being able to put all the pieces in the right places. And you know, it's not as simple as a seven-year-old puzzle. It's about a 50-year-old puzzle, just with the amount of pieces and how long this thing has been taken. So we're still working through all that.”
Do you expect more teams to be part of a limited pit stop strategy in the final stage like the spring race?
“I think if you play the same race over again, it's going to be a two stopper in the final stage. No question. I think everybody will jump on that. It's also 20 degrees hotter than it was here the first time around. So tire wear and fall off is going to be worse. So you will be based off of the mathematics it'll be a two stopper.”
Where are things with Kyle Busch Motorsports for 2023? Are things on hold until your deal is figured out for next season?
No, I wouldn't say it's on hold. It's at the forefront in the discussions. You know, each and every week and people that you talk to, that's obviously one if not probably the second question that gets asked. So it's high up there for sure. And that's probably why it's taking a little bit longer than what it should. And so just working through those pieces. Again, the puzzle is not as easy and as simple as it may seem from the outside. So which that answers a lot of other questions in in my career and in my entirety. I'm not as simple as it may seem. Ever. Being able to put all of that together is not as easy as it seems. So we're again trying to work through that. So this is the second time I've gone through this. The last time I went through this was 15 years ago. The landscape of the sport was entirely different 15 years ago. And so this to me, you know that I had a runway of 20 to 25 years ahead of me, you know, so I had probably a little bit more runway to stand on. And I understand that, I get that. But to me this situation right now is very important to me, as well as Kyle Busch Motorsports. Because wherever this next place is, whether it's Joe Gibbs Racing or whoever. I would like it to not have to go through this again, right? I've got six, seven, maybe eight more years if I play all this out perfectly. Brexton and I we share a truck when he turns 16 years old when he's 16 and 17. And then it's his when he's 18. And I'm done. I'm out. You know what I mean? Like that's the perfect play. And so, if I can align all of that, you know, the runway does exist for a Busch. Obviously he's pretty talented. He wins a lot. He wins more than I do. I hear about it every day. So the runway for him, if you want to look at it that way is 30 years plus so you know he can he can carry on this legacy a hell of a lot longer than I will.”
What type of wake-up call will it be for Kimi Raikkonen next weekend at Watkins Glen?
“I hope he's at least watched a couple of these races at road courses and seen what the end turns into. You know, Indy is entirely different than Watkins Glen. You know, five wide into a two lane corner where the Glen you don't really miss you don't really get up to big speed before you got to break for turn one. So two, three wide is kind of the norm through there. But yeah, there's always contact and stuff like that. So you know, hopefully we can all just be smarter about it and more respectful about it. But that's probably asking too much.”
Has this been one of the most mentally challenging seasons of your career?
“Yeah, for sure. Please hold. Getting my facts straight here. All right. So let's throw some facts which is performance on top of the optics which is results right. Sonoma collectively JGR, we all sucked. Nashville we repeat and led the most laps coulda, shoulda won the race barring a strategy call at the end. Road America driver made a mistake, pit road over the wall too soon. Speeding penalty, race went green to the end. Atlanta, good car drove from 19th to the top three in the opening run. We had a hiccup on pit road. We were involved in the next crash. New Hampshire we spun twice. We weren't very good. Our team, teammates were a little bit better than us obviously. Still was able to salvage 12th. Pocono, one of the top three best cars all day led the most laps finish second before the room the doom and then the Indy road course obviously, we were probably a 10th to 12th place car, we put ourselves inside the top 10. We just passed the 2 (Austin Cindric) car leading into the second to the last caution of the day. And the 2 car ended up finishing second making his way through all the chaos at the end, and we did not so I think we're I finished 11th on that one. So was still able to come from 24th to 11th on the last restart, so a lot of bad luck in there. And that's not indicative of how we've been running. So if we can just finish how we've been running. We're no slouch. I feel like we're still contenders.”
Does it make sense to continue running the Indianapolis road course or is there something that should be changed?
“Sure, I mean, you can change anything you want to. We can go we can throw the green flag going through the esses if you want. But I don't know. Other guys have kind of had just through rumblings I've heard is single file restarts, you know, throw the green coming out of 13 where we all kind of accelerate through 14 and then we're all a little bit more spread out and you have a different shot at turn one, not so packed up so tight. So there's all kinds of different things that you can do. I think that restarting early single file is something IndyCar guys do or something. So that's kind of where that idea maybe stemmed from but yeah, or you can just go back to the oval and make Indy what it really Indy is meant to be and go run the oval with our cars. So yeah, I would think from the driver standpoint, we would all like to go see the Indy oval and see what it looks like and be back on hallowed ground if you will, but you know as far as action and calamity and destruction, if that's what you're into and keep us where we're at. Don't change a thing.”
Is there a team strategy to get Martin Truex Jr.
“Oh, man, if we're in Richmond, that's a bad question. That's a bad question. I have an itch. No, race it out. Play it as it is. You know, that's all you can do.”
TRD PR | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/nascar-cup-series-news/72038-toyota-ncs-richmond-quotes-kyle-busch-8-13-22 | 2022-08-14T18:05:45Z | speedwaydigest.com | control | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/nascar-cup-series-news/72038-toyota-ncs-richmond-quotes-kyle-busch-8-13-22 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
FORD QUALIFYING RESULTS
7th - Cole Custer
8th - Brad Keselowski
10th - Ryan Blaney
15th - Chase Briscoe
16th - Todd Gilliland
17th - Joey Logano
18th - Chris Buescher
28th - Cody Ware
30th - Harrison Burton
32nd - Aric Almirola
33rd - Austin Cindric
34th - Michael McDowell
35th - JJ Yeley
36th - BJ McLeod
COLE CUSTER, No. 41 Jacob Construction Ford Mustang -- Qualified 7th
“It was nice to get a solid run. We were a little too tight in qualifying but I think that we had pretty good long-run speed in practice. I am looking forward to the race. We have a solid Mustang, so we just have to keep the track position. That is so big in these cars now. We have to stay up front and have some good pit stops and execute the race with no mistakes. This year has been interesting with things not going right. I think tomorrow is the day we can turn it all around.”
Ford Performance PR | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/nascar-cup-series-news/72039-ford-performance-nascar-three-mustangs-qualify-top-10-at-richmond | 2022-08-14T18:05:51Z | speedwaydigest.com | control | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/nascar-cup-series-news/72039-ford-performance-nascar-three-mustangs-qualify-top-10-at-richmond | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
· Kyle Larson clocked-in a lap of 23.042 seconds, at 117.177 mph, to capture the pole position for tomorrow’s Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond Raceway.
· This marks Larson’s third NASCAR Cup Series pole of the season, and thirteenth of his career in Cup
· Larson’s pole gives Chevrolet its sixth NASCAR Cup Series pole win of 2022; and 729th all-time in NASCAR Cup Series history.
KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1, Pole Winner Quick Quote:
WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU GOT IT ON THE QUALIFYING LAP?
“Even though I got into (turn) one too hard and a little bit sideways, I am imagining that is where I made up my time. Just getting in really deep and I think getting it under control before I got to the exit is probably where I made up the lap time. I don’t know though, it could be three and four. Who knows. But I felt like I got in deep, too deep for sure, but it worked out.
WELL, HOW ABOUT THAT WE SAW THE SAVE WE THOUGHT IT WAS A SAVE OVER HERE I GUESS IT WAS JUST A WAY TO GO QUICK AROUND RICHMOND NICE JOB
“Thanks! I definitely got in there a little too hot and got loose but I felt like I got through the center and off okay and made a decent three four was hoping to see something better than a teen on my dash and saw the flat and knew that was that was good enough. So happy! It’s cool to get a pole here at Richmond I was not expecting to do that. I didn't feel very good and practice so very happy with the hard work that everybody's been putting in on our on our Chevys Thanks everybody Hendrick Motorsports and Hendrickcars.com, Hendrick Automotive Group. So yeah, cool to get a pole now hopefully get all this media done quick and headed Knoxville to try and win another Knoxville Nationals.”
I CAN'T PROMISE THAT BUT YOU ARE HEADING OUT OF HERE TO GO DO THAT BETWEEN LEADING THIS FIELD TO GREEN TOMORROW. DOES THAT GET YOU PSYCHED UP? WHATEVER HAPPENS IN KNOXVILLE?
“Yeah, always anytime you're good at anything. It helps momentum and confidence.”
GM PR | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/nascar-cup-series-news/72040-chevrolet-ncs-at-richmond-pole-winner-quotes-kyle-larson-no-5-hendrickcars-com-chevy-camaro-zl1 | 2022-08-14T18:05:57Z | speedwaydigest.com | control | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/nascar-cup-series-news/72040-chevrolet-ncs-at-richmond-pole-winner-quotes-kyle-larson-no-5-hendrickcars-com-chevy-camaro-zl1 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Derek Kraus led the way among a trio of McAnally-Hilgemann Racing drivers competing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race under the lights at Richmond Raceway on Saturday night.
Kraus drove the No. 19 NAPA AutoCare Chevrolet Silverado to a 12th-place finish in the Worldwide Express 250 for Carrier Appreciation.
Jake Garcia, making his third career series start in MHR’s No. 35 Quanta Services Chevrolet Silverado, notched a career-best 20th-place finish at Richmond – while Colby Howard, in the No. 91 Gates Hydraulics Chevrolet Silverado, took the checkered flag in 28th.
After starting 18th on the grid, Kraus charged ahead to finish 11th at the end of the first stage of the race. Throughout the remainder of the 250-lap event, he battled for a top-10 spot among playoff drivers – in a race that was slowed by just one caution, other than for the two stage breaks. His 12th-place finish extended his string of consistent runs – with an average finish of 10th in the last six events.
Garcia, who qualified 17th, got shuffled back in the first stage of the race. He battled back, however, and turned in a solid performance for the remainder of the race. His 20th-place finish topped the 28th-place finish he had in his previous series start, at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on July 29.
Howard, who started 24th, battled to move up – but was not able to gain ground in the early going. Despite adjustments by his crew during pit stops, he continued to face handling problems – leading he and his team to suspect an undetermined mechanical issue. Despite the problem, he continued on to finish 28th.
In advance of the race – Kraus, Howard and team co-owner Bill McAnally visited NAPA stores and shops in the Richmond area. On race day, a group of about 30 special guests from the NAPA Richmond District were in attendance at the track for a VIP experience. They were treated to a driver meet-and-greet, a garage tour, a VIP tour of MHR’s NAPA transporter, pre-race grid access, and access to MHR’s pit area on pit road. In addition, four seats on the team’s pit road war wagon were available for VIP guest crew members.
Quote – Derek Kraus
“We were okay today. We just needed more on the long runs. It was a fun race and the pit stops were good. So we improved in that area, but just struggled a little bit with the truck. Overall, it was a fun night at the track.”
Quote – Colby Howard
“I’m not sure what was wrong tonight. We feel we had a mechanical issue, as no adjustment would change the handling. We will regroup and be strong at Kansas.”
Quote – Jake Garcia
“I learned a lot tonight at Richmond. I appreciate everyone at MHR for helping me improve throughout the race and get faster every run. It was good for us to complete all the laps we did and bring home a decent finish.”
MHR PR | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/nascar-truck-series-news/72053-kraus-leads-trio-of-mhr-drivers-at-richmond | 2022-08-14T18:06:46Z | speedwaydigest.com | control | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/nascar-truck-series-news/72053-kraus-leads-trio-of-mhr-drivers-at-richmond | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Chase Purdy turned in a 14th-place result in his second appearance at Richmond Raceway on Saturday night. The driver of the No. 61 AISIN Toyota Tundra TRD Pro collected his 11th top-15 finish of the season, which extends a career high, and marked his fourth such finish in the past five events. After 17 starts and five events remaining, Purdy continues to maintain the fifth position in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series standings.
The Meridian, Miss. driver posted the eighth-quickest time in qualifying on Saturday afternoon to earn his best starting position of the season. From the drop of the green flag, Purdy maintained his position inside the top 10 for the first 24 laps. As the opening 70-lap stage wore on under green flag conditions, Purdy began to battle a lack of rear grip on the entry and exit of Richmond’s abrasive corners. He stabilized in 13th position on lap 62 and held that position until the conclusion of Stage 1 on lap 70.
Crew chief Matt Lucas and the AISIN team outfitted Purdy with four fresh tires, fuel, and a wedge adjustment to aid his handling characteristics. Purdy restarted 15th on lap 81 and climbed back to the 13th position during the second 70-lap segment, all while maintaining leap lap status as the race leaders set a torrid pace. Purdy once again ran in 13th at the end of Stage 2 on lap 140.
Purdy once again pitted for four tires, fuel, and adjustments under the second stage caution and restarted 12th on lap 151. The 250-lap event took on another long green flag run, during which Purdy briefly lost a lap to the race leader on the 209th circuit. A fortuitous caution flew on lap 215 which allowed Purdy to earn the Lucky Dog award to rejoin the lead lap and bolt on his last set of fresh tires. The race restarted on lap 223 with Purdy in 14th position, and the 22-year old maintained that position over the final 28 laps to the checkered flag.
Chase Purdy Quote:
“We had a pretty decent AISIN Toyota Tundra TRD Pro tonight. We fought being tight in the middle and forward drive on exit for most of the night, which is pretty typical for Richmond. We made some big gains from the last short track race at IRP, and put up a good qualifying lap. We can definitely find some more and work on getting our long run speed a little better for the next time we come back. All these guys worked hard and it was great to have so many of the AISIN folks make the trip up here to support us.”
HRE PR | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/nascar-truck-series-news/72055-purdy-records-track-best-finish-at-richmond | 2022-08-14T18:06:58Z | speedwaydigest.com | control | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/nascar-truck-series-news/72055-purdy-records-track-best-finish-at-richmond | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Western Midget Racing presented by Masters Design and Construction points leader Blake Bower scored his tenth win of the 2022 season and his 18th career triumph, topping Fresno’s TJ Smith in a thrilling race at Ocean Speedway on Friday night.
Smith made his series debut in the No. 11 Triple-X chassis, winning his heat race and leading the feature from the pole. Concord’s Adam Teves won the second heat race of the night to start on the outside pole position for the 19th round of the season.
Bower and his teammate Bryant Bell of Oakley battled side-by-side for third for several laps behind Smith and Teves. Logan Mitchell of Santa Cruz stopped on the front stretch with a torsion stop issue on the right rear for a caution on lap 11. On the restart, Nate Wait of Lodi and Peoria, Ariz.’s Cory Brown tangled in turn one which ended both of their races early.
Bower seized the lead on lap 15 but Smith was undeterred. Smith tried multiple times to cross over Bower in turns one and two, but Bower held on to win in the close battle. Bell finished third followed by multi-time Delta Speedway Micro Sprint champion Caden Sarale of Stockton, and Teves.
Western Midget Racing races again on Saturday night at Marysville Raceway Park alongside 360 Sprint Cars and Hobby Stocks. Action can be streamed live on NorCalSpeed.TV part of the SPEED SPORT TV network.
For more information on Western Midget Racing, visit them at www.WesternMidgetRacing.com or follow them on Facebook!
Western Midget Racing is presented by: Masters Design and Construction, Rockwell Security, Rams Racing, Hoosier Racing Tire, Extreme Mufflers, FTK, Blud Lubricants, and West Evans Motorsports.
August 12, 2022 – Ocean Speedway (Watsonville, Calif.) Results
HEAT 1 (8 laps) – 1. 11 TJ Smith HEAT 2 (8 laps) – 35 Adam Teves
FEATURE (20 laps) – 1. 9-Blake Bower[6]; 2. 11-TJ Smith[1]; 3. 09-Bryant Bell[3]; 4. 35X-Caden Sarale[8]; 5. 35S-Adam Teves[2]; 6. X-Caleb Debem[7]; 7. 20-Kyle Hawse[11]; 8. 12-Greg Jewett[10]; 9. 20W-Nate Wait[5]; 10. 32-Cory Brown[4]; 11. 96X-Logan Mitchell[9]; 12. 42-Sparky Howard[12]
...
WMR PR | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/speedway-news/72037-blake-bower-tops-smith-in-wmr-thriller-at-ocean-speedway | 2022-08-14T18:07:23Z | speedwaydigest.com | control | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/speedway-news/72037-blake-bower-tops-smith-in-wmr-thriller-at-ocean-speedway | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver Josef Newgarden pretty much has figured out World Wide Technology Raceway. In the space of five years, he’s won the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 three times. Going back to 1997, when Indy cars began racing at WWTR, no one else has won more than once at the egg-shaped oval. Considered a short oval by INDYCAR drivers, the track presents unique challenges: Turns 1 and 2 and different from Turns 3 and 4. It doesn’t seem to bother Newgarden – he’s dialed in at WWTR.
“You know, I love short oval racing. I really do,” said Newgarden. “I think World Wide Technology Raceway is a great track. It’s one of my favorite events that we have all year. It’s sometimes difficult to have confidence in your car because it is so fast, and the cornering speeds have a lot of high commitment. But as a driver we like those challenges of trying to find that confidence and edge over your competitors.
“I can’t really remember each of my WWTR victories in great detail. I do remember the first one in 2017 where Simon Pagenaud and I were racing really hard there. That one is really clear. I remember last year’s, for sure. I guess it’s the middle win that I can’t recall too well. We’ve run there in the day in 2020 and we’ve run there at night, which is the typical race weekend at WWTR. It is a challenge either way. Under the sun you lose a little grip, but at night you obviously gain more grip. You lose some confidence in the car during the day when you’re sliding around a bit. It’s one of those things where you have to tune around the handling depending on the conditions.
“Sometimes, close, hard racing is necessary to make a move happen or to pull off a pass. You try and assert yourself over another driver to gain a position, and there are no gimmes at WWTR. Sometimes you have to force the issue and that can create conflicts and flareups, but that is also exciting to watch when it happens. You 100 percent get that in St. Louis.”
It’s not surprising Newgarden has a strong fan base in the St. Louis region.
“We get a lot of fans that drive up from my hometown of Nashville. I drive up myself. It’s only four hours away, so not a bad drive at all. Short ovals are great events for fans because you can see the entire track. You don’t miss any of the action, and there is quite a bit of action in St. Louis. You get great pit exchanges when the tires start to fade, and guys come in early for the undercut or stay out longer for the overcut. You get that a lot at WWTR. It’s an interesting race to watch from a lot of different angles.
“The entire group at the facility have taken it up to today’s standards. It’s a beautiful track that is very fun to drive. The entire weekend is filled with activities off-track and other series on-track. They give you great value and do it as well as any track we go to. They knock it out of the park.”
In less than one week we’ll see if Newgarden needs to make room in his trophy case for a fourth Bommarito Automotive Group 500 trophy.
WWTR WINNERS
CART World Series
1997 -- Paul Tracy
1998 -- Alex Zanardi
1999 -- Michael Andretti
2000 -- Juan Pablo Montoya
IndyCar Series
2001 -- Al Unser Jr.
2002 -- Gil de Ferran
2003 -- Hélio Castroneves
NTT INDYCAR SERIES
2017 -- Josef Newgarden
2018 -- Will Power
2019 -- Takuma Sato
2020 -- Race 1: Scott Dixon; Race 2: Josef Newgarden
2021 -- Josef Newgarden
BOMMARITO AUTOMOTIVE GROUP 500 PRESENTED BY AXALTA AND VALVOLINE WEEKEND
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES brings the world to the St. Louis-Metro East region. Truly an international series: America’s best drivers competing against men and women from New Zealand, Spain, Australia, France, Netherlands, Sweden, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, Denmark, England, Canada and Switzerland. They are the cars and stars of the Indianapolis 500.
Bringing the St. Louis region to the world: Viewers from more than 200 countries will tune in to watch the Bommarito Automotive Group 500, the final oval track race on the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule.
Two of American motorsports’ most recognizable names of all time – Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt – remain active in the sport today as team owners.
The Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline has produced many memorable moments, including Takuma Sato’s thrilling win over Ed Carpenter – the closest finish in WWTR history (by 0.039 sec.) -- in 2019. Only one driver has won the Bommarito Automotive Group more than once: Josef Newgarden is a three-time victor.
Tickets and weekend experiences are available at the WWTR ticket office, by calling (618) 215-888, or online at wwtraceway.com.
BOMMARITO AUTOMOTIVE GROUP 500 WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday, August 19
7:30 a.m. -- Parking lots open.
8 a.m. – Spectator gates open; Fan Walk open for paddock pass holders.
8 a.m. -- Indy Pro 2000 practice.
9 a.m. – INDYCAR garage and paddock opens for paddock pass holders.
9:15 a.m. -- Vintage Indy exhibition.
10 a.m. -- USAC Silver Crown Series practice.
10:45 a.m. -- Indy Pro 2000 practice.
12 p.m. -- NTT INDYCAR SERIES Bommarito Automotive Group 500 practice.
1 p.m. – Midway entertainment begins.
1:15 p.m. -- USAC Silver Crown Series practice.
2:10 p.m. -- Indy Lights Series practice.
3:15 p.m. -- NTT INDYCAR SERIES Bommarito Automotive Group 500 practice.
4:15 p.m. -- Coors Light Pole Night festivities begin.
4:30 p.m. -- USAC Silver Crown Series qualifying.
5:15 p.m. -- Indy Lights Series qualifying.
6:15 p.m. -- NTT INDYCAR SERIES Bommarito Automotive Group 500 qualifying.
7:50 p.m. -- Coors Light Pole Night qualifying awards.
8 p.m. -- USAC Silver Crown Series driver introductions.
8:30 p.m. -- USAC Silver Crown Series Gateway 100 (80 laps, 100 miles).
11 p.m. – Track closed.
Saturday, August 20 – Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline
8 a.m. -- Parking lots open.
8:30 a.m. – Spectator gates open; Fan Walk open for paddock pass holders.
9 a.m. -- Vintage Indy exhibition.
9:45 a.m. -- Indy Pro 2000 practice.
10:15 a.m. – Midway entertainment begins.
11 a.m. – BMX Freestyle Team exhibition.
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Indy Lights driver autograph session (main stage on midway)
11:45 a.m. -- Indy Pro 2000 qualifying.
12 p.m. -- INDYCAR garage and paddock opens for paddock pass holders.
12-1 p.m. – SpeedFreaks Live! (main stage on midway) – INDYCAR drivers will participate 12-12:30 p.m. Indy Lights drivers will participate from 12:30-1 p.m.
12:30-1:30 p.m. – INDYCAR driver autograph session (main stage on midway).
1 p.m. -- BMX Freestyle Team exhibition.
1:15 p.m. -- Vintage Indy exhibition.
12:30-2 p.m. -- SpeedFreaks Live! Driver Interviews on midway stage.
2:15 p.m. -- Indy Pro 2000 Series race (45 laps).
3:15 p.m. -- Indy Lights Series race (75 laps).
4:45 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Bommarito Automotive Group 500 driver introductions.
5 p.m. – Sixth annual NTT INDYCAR SERIES Bommarito Automotive Group 500 (260 laps).
7:30 p.m. -- BMX Freestyle Team exhibition.
7:45 p.m. -- Post-race track walk for fans and victory lane celebration (time approximate).
8 p.m. – post-race concert on midway stage.
11 p.m. – Track closed.
Schedule subject to change.
WWTR PR | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/speedway-news/72042-newgarden-s-the-man-to-beat-at-world-wide-technology-raceway-august-20-ntt-indycar-series-bommarito-automotive-group-500-presented-by-axalta-and-valvoline | 2022-08-14T18:07:29Z | speedwaydigest.com | control | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/speedway-news/72042-newgarden-s-the-man-to-beat-at-world-wide-technology-raceway-august-20-ntt-indycar-series-bommarito-automotive-group-500-presented-by-axalta-and-valvoline | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The next event on the Grandview Speedway schedule is next Saturday, August 20, featuring the T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds and the T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman in another NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Racing Series double-header starting at 7:30 pm.
Pit gates will open at 4 pm. with grandstand gates opening at 5:30 pm. warm-ups will be starting at 6:30 pm. Adult grandstand admission is $18, while children ages 5 and under are admitted free of charge.
The 52nd annual Freedom 76 Modified Championship is the next big event on the schedule, coming up on Saturday, September 17. Lap sponsorships at $20 per lap are now available by contacting Tina Rogers, Tommy Kramer or announcer Jeff Ahlum at the track on race night.
Since the 1960’s, Grandview Speedway has been presenting exciting wheel to wheel NASCAR stock car racing every Saturday Night starting in April and running through September, plus special events. Grandview Speedway is located at 43 Passmore Road, Bechtelsville, Pa. 19505, just off Route 100, ten miles north of Pottstown, Pa.
Information is always available at www.grandviewspeedway.com or on Facebook, or by telephone at 610.754.7688.
52nd ANNUAL FORREST ROGERS MEMORIAL RACE SUMMARY – AUGUST 13, 2022
T.P. TRAILER NASCAR MODIFIED FORREST ROGERS MEMORIAL FEATURE FINISH (50 laps): BRETT KRESSLEY, Jeff Strunk, Craig Von Dohren, Doug Manmiller, Duane Howard, Ryan Lilick, Brad Grim, Ron Haring Jr., Ron Kline, Ryan Grim, Tim Buckwalter, Bobby Gunther-Walsh, Kevin Graver Jr., Eric Biehn, Carroll Hine III, John Willman, Mark Kratz, Justin Grim, Cory Merkel, Ryan Beltz, Craig Whitmoyer, Darrin Schuler, Jared Umbenhauer, Joe Funk, Jesse Leiby, Ray Swinehart, Btrett Gilmore, Mike Lisowski
DID NOT QUALIFY: Michael Storms, Dylan Swinehart, Brad Arnold, Steve Swinehart, Mike Tyson, Kevin Hirthler, Dan Waisempacher, Nate Brinker, WB James, Bobby Trapper Sr.
T.P. TRUCK EQUIPMENT NASCAR SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH (25 laps): STEVE YOUNG, Dylan Hoch, Mike Myers, Brian Hirthler, Hunter Iatalese, Ryan Graver, Zane Roth, Matt Clay, Lex Shive, Nathan Horn, Mike Schneck Jr., Nathan Mohr, Joey Vaccaro, Adrianna Delliponte, Kyle Smith, Jesse Landis, Decker Swinehart, Logan Bauman, Kenny Bock, Jimmy Leiby, Parker Guldin, Dakota Kohler, Zach Steffy, Kyle Hartzell, Mark Kemmerer
DID NOT QUALIFY: Jesse Hirthler, Bryan Rhoads, Mark Mohr, Michael Burrows, Mike Stofflet, Cody Manmiller, Nicholas Hamm
UPCOMING EVENTS –
Friday, August 19 – Outlaw Racing Series Enduro and Outlaw Racing Series Vintage – 7 pm.
Saturday, August 20 – T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman – 7:30 pm.
Saturday, August 27 – T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman, Outlaw Racing Series Vintage – 7:30 pm.
Friday, September 2 – Outlaw Racing Series Enduro and Outlaw Racing Series Vintage – 7 pm.
Saturday, September 3 – T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman, Wingless Super Sportsman – 7:30 pm.
Saturday, September 10 – CHAMPIONSHIP NIGHT - T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman – 7:30 pm.
Grandview Speedway PR | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/speedway-news/72047-quick-results-grandview-speedway-august-13-2022 | 2022-08-14T18:07:42Z | speedwaydigest.com | control | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/speedway-news/72047-quick-results-grandview-speedway-august-13-2022 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Burt Myers continued his hot streak Saturday night, and Jonathan Brown picked up his fifth win of the season as both drivers split the twin 50-lap races in the Brad's Golf Cars Modified Series.
In the first 50-lap race, Lee Jeffreys won the pole - and after the top-six qualifiers redrew for position, Jeffreys remained on the pole. Jason Myers and his brother Burt sat second and third, with Danny Bohn in fourth.
Burt Myers took the lead from Jeffreys with 20 laps left and led the rest of the way for his fourth win of the season, all since June 25.
"Just hard work," Burt Myers said. "We won two in our old car. We got really close, and we got this PSR and we've been on fire."
Burt Myers took second place early in the race and went side-by-side with Jeffreys before he made his move along the outside. The two cars clipped each other, and Jeffreys slid into the fence around turn 3. Burt Myers took the lead and led the rest of the way.
"It's not up to you to decide," Burt Myers said. "I kind of play it by ear. The restart before that, (Jeffreys) had a pretty good distance on me. The next restart, I got a better restart, so I was door-to-door with him. And when you go down into one door-to-door, it's worth a shot.
"So, if you're back a little bit you just gotta get back in line and wait for another restart. They said clear and I checked my spot man, and I was clear and I came down, and Lee did what he was supposed to and give me a shot."
There were four cautions.
"(Jeffreys) isn't happy with me for some reason. I don't know why. I don't know what I did wrong," Burt Myers said. "But in the second race he used me up pretty good. I'm not mad. We're happy with the result we had and look forward to the finale next week."
Also, Burt Myers picked up 88th win, six behind all-time leader Tim Brown, who's also the defending and 11-time champion. Brown, who hasn't won all season and has won at least one race in every racing season since 1993, leads the points chase with just next week's Carolina Farm Credit 150 left.
"This is the closest I've ever been," Burt Myers said of Tim Brown. "Tim got about a four- or five-year head start on me, so I'm fortunate to be this close. You know, it is what it is. We're just going to keep digging and try to win at least one more before the year's out."
After Burt Myers won the first 50-lap race, he drew 12 in the Madhouse Scramble. That inverted the field and put Jonathan Brown on the pole for the second race. Jonathan Brown took advantage and led every lap on his way to his fifth win of the season.
"We had a pretty good car in the first race, and me and Tim (Brown) just kind of got together and banged wheels. I ended up banging off the wall and losing the right-front tire, and then a shock, and all kinds of stuff," Jonathan Brown said. "I didn't realize we were on the pole for the second race. We just kind of threw some stuff at it and halfway eyeballed the tow and stuff.
"I told them we'll start, run a few laps and pull over. There's no need to ride around the back and tear the car up. We were backing up, and they said, 'Hurry up, you're on the pole.' And I had no idea, so a whole different mindset. I was like, 'Alright, we've got to get out front and maintain the best we can. We had a pretty decent car, I guess."
There were five cautions during the second 50-lap race, but Jonathan Brown was unfazed by it. He just kept getting good restarts and maintained his lead.
"I think everybody else was just really tight," Jonathan Brown said. "And my car was not. It was the exact opposite. It was really free, so I could get going and kind of get in there and roll the center really good between (turns) 1 and 2 and drive up off the bottom wheel straight. And I think that was the key to getting out front and giving me a decent gap there."
Jonathan Brown also picked up his 25th career win, tying him with Max Berrier for 18th place all-time in the Modified Series. It was also his first win since June 25.
"It feels good to be in Victory Lane again. It's been so long since I've been in Victory Lane," Jonathan Brown said. "It's the first time we've had this white car out, so we've had four of our five wins with this car. So, that's pretty awesome. But man, it just feels good to show up over here. You know, we're not really contending in the points or anything, but we're right there in striking distance if those guys have bad luck.
"But the main thing is just to win races for myself, my crew, my family, for all these fans. And that's the fun part. It's better than the checkered flag."
Tim Brown leads the points unofficially with 696 points, nine ahead of Brandon Ward. Chris Fleming is third with 654, followed by Jonathan Brown (644), Burt Myers (639), and Jason Myers (638).
Riley Neal crossed the finish line first in Saturday’s first 20-lapper for the McDowell Heating & Air Sportsman Series. However, Neal was disqualified after post-race technical inspection and was stripped of the win.
Chase Robertson was awarded the victory, followed by Zack Clifton and Wesley Thompson..
In the second 20-lap Sportsman race, Justin Taylor led from start to finish to win his third race of the season.
There was one caution on lap 11, but Taylor continued to lead Zack Clifton. Clifton finished runner-up, Tommy Neal was third, and Mitch Gales was fourth.
"I knew (with them) behind me it was going to be hard," Taylor said. "...I was hoping the 38 (Gales) could hang them out because they've got good race cars. I just wanted to get as far away as possible."
With one week left and double points next week, Tommy Neal leads the points chase unofficially with 682 points, 26 ahead of Taylor. Clifton is third with 652, Chase Robertson is fourth with 637, and Michael Adams if fifth with 609.
In the Law Offices of John Barrow Street Stock race, Zack Staley was leading after 11 laps and was declared the winner after the 20-minute time limit expired.
There were four cautions, including the lap after Taylor Robbins, Nate Gregg, Billy Gregg, and Bryan Sykes were all involved in a colossal wreck coming around turn 1.
Staley was declared the winner, his first of the season. Kevin Gilbert was runner-up, Christian Joyce was third, and Craig Hartless was fourth.
"I needed that so bad," Staley said. "I'm sorry for everybody who got stuck up behind me. I know I had the slower car. but I won the race."
In the Q104.1 Stadium Stock Series, A.J. Sanders, who is the points leader, continued his winning ways. He picked up his seventh win of the season after fending off runner-up Brandon Brendle, who is second in the points chase with one week left.
Chuck Wall was third and Blaine Curry was fourth. There were four cautions during the race.
"Nothing's ever easy when you've got Brandon Brendle, Chuck Wall, and Curry behind you," Sanders said. "I don't care who it is, it's not easy out here. When you start on the front row, the good Lord was with us tonight. I give Him all the praise every week."
"We've got one more to go," Sanders said. "I would love to have this championship. I'm getting old. Fifty-five, I mean 54 years old. I don't know how old I am. Seven wins, that's the most I've ever had.”
It's hard to believe but the final night of racing is scheduled for this Saturday night with champions crowned in all four divisions. In addition, there will be double points. The featured race is the Carolina Farm Credit 150 for the Brad's Golf Cars Modified Series that will use the double-file restart on cautions. Also on the schedule is a 40-lap race for the McDowell Heating & Air Sportsman Series, a 20-lap race in the Law Offices of John Barrow Street Stock Series, and a 15-lap race in the Q104.1 Stadium Stock Series.
BGS Racing PR | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/speedway-news/72048-myers-still-hot-brown-turns-luck-around-at-bowman-gray | 2022-08-14T18:07:48Z | speedwaydigest.com | control | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/speedway-news/72048-myers-still-hot-brown-turns-luck-around-at-bowman-gray | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Brett Kressley of Orefield, Pa. took command of the feature race with a pass of Ron Haring Jr. of Alburtis, Pa. on lap twenty, then raced on to win his second Forrest Rogers Memorial 50-lap T.P. Trailer Modified feature on Saturday night at Grandview Speedway.
The race, which paid Kressley $10,000 to win, honored the man who built Grandview Speedway and the track also celebrated its 60th birthday with the Forrest Rogers Memorial on Saturday night.
Steve Young of Collegeville, Pa. scored his first win of the 2022 season leading every lap of the non-stop 25-lap T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman feature event. The win for Young was his third career at the track, and made him the tenth different driver to score a win in the division this season.
The feature race winners each received bonus money from T.P. Trailers and Truck Equipment, who every week provide both winners (Modified $300, Sportsman $200) with the bonus money, in the race program that was part of the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Racing Series.
The 52nd annual Forrest Rogers Memorial 50-lap T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modified feature saw Ryan Lilick of Jersey City, NJ take command of the race at the drop of the opening green flag from Starter Ray Kemp.
The opening ten laps of the feature were a rough and tumble affair, as the race was red-flagged twice, once on lap five for a five car mix up in turn one, followed by a wild flip by Craig Whitmoyer of Hamburg, Pa. on lap ten. Also involved in the wreck was Darrin Schuler of Stroudsburg, Pa. who could not avoid the flipping Whitmoyer car, making contact. Schuler was shaken and sent to the hospital for further evaluation.
In between the unfortunate mishaps, was some great racing action, including Ron Haring Jr. tracking down and passing Lilick for the lead, using the outside lane to take the lead off turn four on lap seven, just before another crash on the home straight away involving several mid-pack cars, which really scrambled the running order.
While all of this wild action was happening, Kressley was quickly advancing through the field from his fourteenth starting spot, and lined up fourth for the lap seven restart.
Following the lap ten red flag, the drivers settled into a long stretch of green flag action, including a battle for second between Lilick and Kressley, with Kressley moving into second on lap thirteen. At this point Haring Jr. had already built a big lead, and Kressley took off, looking to track down the leader.
A battle for position was going on for top ten spots between Bobby Gunther-Walsh of Allentown, Pa., Doug Manmiller of Shoemakersville, Pa. up from his 20th starting spot, John Willman of Birdsboro, Pa., and Jeff Strunk of Boyertown, Pa. who was moving forward after starting in 19th spot.
Kressley was able to catch leader Haring Jr., and made the pass for the lead off turn four to take command on lap twenty, while point leader Craig Von Dohren of Oley, Pa. who started 15th, and Brad Grim of Coplay, Pa. worked their way into the top five.
Von Dohren moved into third on lap 23 with a pass of Lilick, and would next move into second on lap 30 after catching and passing Haring Jr., leaving behind a battle for top five spots between Lilick, Brad Grim, Manmiller, and Strunk.
The race continued green with Kressley building up a straightaway lead over Von Dohren, as the two worked through lapped traffic. Brad Grim advanced as high as third after passing Haring Jr. on lap 33, until Strunk took third spot on lap 38.
A final caution waved on lap 39 for Mark Kratz of Pennsburg, Pa. who slowed with a flat tire, wiping out Kressley’s big lead and resetting the field for a final run to the finish.
The top five for the restart consisted of Kressley, Von Dohren, Strunk, Brad Grim and Haring Jr., with the restart really shuffling spots. Strunk was able to sneak past Von Dohren and grab second, but was not able to catch leader Kressley in the closing laps.
A late charge by Manmiller and Duane Howard of Oley, Pa. netted them top five positions in the final laps, but they could not reel in the front running trio.
At the finish, Kressley scored the big $10,000 win, his second in the Forrest Rogers Memorial and fourth of the current season, followed by Strunk, Von Dohren, Manmiller, Howard, Lilick, Brad Grim, Haring Jr., Ron Kline of Salford, Pa.,, Ryan Grim of Laurys Station, Pa.
T.P. Trailer Modified qualifying heat races for the 38 cars on hand, were sponsored by Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom, on hand to promote their fall HAUNT event, with the $50 wins going to Kressley, Haring Jr., Willman, and Carroll Hine III of Reading, Pa. Consolations were won by Ray Swinehart of Boyertown, Pa., and Brett Gilmore of Kutztown, Pa.
The T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman 25-lap feature was a big change from the Modified feature, as the race ran straight through and was over in 6:48.64. Steve Young, who has had a lot of car troubles during the season, started on the pole and took off with the drop of the green.
Action was hot for second on back between Mike Myers of Alburtis, Pa., Nate Horn of Slatedale, Pa., Hunter Iatalese of Germansvile, Pa., Zane Roth of Slatington, Pa., Matt Clay of Sinking Spring, Pa. and Joey Vaccaro of Reading, Pa.
Without any breaks in the action, the field began spreading out as the laps clicked off, and some of the high point drivers starting deep in the pack were starting to move forward.
Dylan Hoch of Mertztown, Pa., who started 14th, was on the charge in the second half of the feature, arriving in fifth on lap 18, and eventually reached second on lap 23, but would not be able to catch Young in the final two laps.
Point leader Brian Hirthler of Green Lane, Pa., who started 17th, also took off in the final ten laps of the feature, and reached the top five with a pass of Roth with just three laps to go.
Young proved to be strong throughout the entire race, working through some lapped traffic in the second half, but never let the field catch him, and raced home to his first win since August 10, 2019.
At the checkered flag, it was Young in for the win followed by Hoch, Myers for his best outing of the season, Brian Hirhler, Iatalese also scoring his best run of this season, Ryan Graver of Lehighton, Pa., Roth, Clay, Lex Shive of Pennsburg, Pa., and Horn.
Qualifying heat race winners for the 32 cars on hand were Roth, Young and Myers, with Jimmy Leiby of West Milford, NJ scoring the consolation win.
Up next on the track schedule is a rescheduled Outlaw Racing Series Enduro and Vintage Car double- program on Friday, August 19 starting at 7 pm. Grandstand admission is $10 for this event.
The next day, Saturday, August 20, the program will be featuring the T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds and the T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman in another NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Racing Series double-header starting at 7:30 pm.
Pit gates will open at 4 pm. with grandstand gates opening at 5:30 pm. warm-ups will be starting at 6:30 pm. Adult grandstand admission is $18, while children ages 5 and under are admitted free of charge.
The 52nd annual Freedom 76 Modified Championship is the next big event on the schedule, coming up on Saturday, September 17. Lap sponsorships at $20 per lap are now available by contacting Tina Rogers, Tommy Kramer or announcer Jeff Ahlum at the track on race night.
Since the 1960’s, Grandview Speedway has been presenting exciting wheel to wheel NASCAR stock car racing every Saturday Night starting in April and running through September, plus special events. Grandview Speedway is located at 43 Passmore Road, Bechtelsville, Pa. 19505, just off Route 100, ten miles north of Pottstown, Pa.
Information is always available at www.grandviewspeedway.com or on Facebook, or by telephone at 610.754.7688.
52nd ANNUAL FORREST ROGERS MEMORIAL RACE SUMMARY – AUGUST 13, 2022
T.P. TRAILER NASCAR MODIFIED FORREST ROGERS MEMORIAL FEATURE FINISH (50 laps): BRETT KRESSLEY, Jeff Strunk, Craig Von Dohren, Doug Manmiller, Duane Howard, Ryan Lilick, Brad Grim, Ron Haring Jr., Ron Kline, Ryan Grim, Tim Buckwalter, Bobby Gunther-Walsh, Kevin Graver Jr., Eric Biehn, Carroll Hine III, John Willman, Mark Kratz, Justin Grim, Cory Merkel, Ryan Beltz, Craig Whitmoyer, Darrin Schuler, Jared Umbenhauer, Joe Funk, Jesse Leiby, Ray Swinehart, Btrett Gilmore, Mike Lisowski
DID NOT QUALIFY: Michael Storms, Dylan Swinehart, Brad Arnold, Steve Swinehart, Mike Tyson, Kevin Hirthler, Dan Waisempacher, Nate Brinker, WB James, Bobby Trapper Sr.
DORNEY PARK/WILDWATER KINGDOM HAUNT HEAT WINNERS ($50) – Brett Kressley, Ron Haring Jr., John Willman, Carroll Hine III
T.P. TRUCK EQUIPMENT NASCAR SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH (25 laps): STEVE YOUNG, Dylan Hoch, Mike Myers, Brian Hirthler, Hunter Iatalese, Ryan Graver, Zane Roth, Matt Clay, Lex Shive, Nathan Horn, Mike Schneck Jr., Nathan Mohr, Joey Vaccaro, Adrianna Delliponte, Kyle Smith, Jesse Landis, Decker Swinehart, Logan Bauman, Kenny Bock, Jimmy Leiby, Parker Guldin, Dakota Kohler, Zach Steffy, Kyle Hartzell, Mark Kemmerer
DID NOT QUALIFY: Jesse Hirthler, Bryan Rhoads, Mark Mohr, Michael Burrows, Mike Stofflet, Cody Manmiller, Nicholas Hamm
UPCOMING EVENTS –
Friday, August 19 – Outlaw Racing Series Enduro and Outlaw Racing Series Vintage – 7 pm.
Saturday, August 20 – T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman – 7:30 pm.
Saturday, August 27 – T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman, Outlaw Racing Series Vintage – 7:30 pm.
Friday, September 2 – Outlaw Racing Series Enduro and Outlaw Racing Series Vintage – 7 pm.
Saturday, September 3 – T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman, Wingless Super Sportsman – 7:30 pm.
Saturday, September 10 – CHAMPIONSHIP NIGHT - T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman – 7:30 pm.
Grandview Speedway PR | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/speedway-news/72050-brett-kressley-the-winner-of-10-000-in-52nd-annual-forrest-rogers-memorial-at-grandview-speedway-steve-young-wins-sportsman | 2022-08-14T18:07:55Z | speedwaydigest.com | control | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/speedway-news/72050-brett-kressley-the-winner-of-10-000-in-52nd-annual-forrest-rogers-memorial-at-grandview-speedway-steve-young-wins-sportsman | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Cowboys’ depth chart at wide receiver is looking bleak after trading away Amari Cooper in the offseason and dealing with injuries to Michael Gallup and free-agent signing James Washington.
But a four-time All-Pro wideout has expressed interest in signing with Dallas.
“Tell Jerry Jones to call me,” Antonio Brown recently told TMZ Sports.
While the Cowboys owner, president and general manager has been known to sign controversial players in the past, it remains to be seen whether he’d be willing to take on Brown, who settled a civil suit with his former trainer for sexual assault and rape last year and has been fined by the NFL multiple times in his 12-year career.
Brown, 34, played in just seven games with the Buccaneers last season, partly because of a three-game suspension for violating the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols with a fake vaccine card. Brown returned to the Bucs for the final two games of the season and put on a strange display — even for him — in the penultimate regular-season game against the Jets. He ran off the field shirtless in the third quarter, seemingly frustrated by his lack of action, and was later released by Tampa Bay.
Despite the acrimonious outburst, Brown seemed to indicate to TMZ Sports that he’d consider a reunion with Tom Brady and the Bucs, but it’s unlikely that they’d reciprocate.
“Tell him I miss the passes,” Brown told TMZ Sports of Brady. “I’m still open.”
The controversial receiver had said in May that he wouldn’t play in the NFL in 2022.
Since his hiatus from football, Brown has been pursuing a music career and tweeted in July that he wants to be “one of the biggest artists in the world.” | https://nypost.com/2022/08/14/antonio-brown-wants-cowboys-owner-jerry-jones-to-call-him/ | 2022-08-14T18:09:16Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/08/14/antonio-brown-wants-cowboys-owner-jerry-jones-to-call-him/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Big Band performing outdoor concert Tuesday in Maybee
The Monroe News
MAYBEE – Monroe Big Band will present a concert on the lawn 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 7771 High St.
Admission is free. Light refreshments will be served.
Attendees should bring a lawn chair or blanket. In case of inclement weather, the concert will take place in the parish hall.
“A tour of the church will be offered during intermission, and you can meet our new minister, Rev. James Puhl,” the church said. “Everyone is invited to this delightful evening. Come and enjoy the music and fellowship.” | https://www.monroenews.com/story/entertainment/2022/08/14/big-band-performing-outdoor-concert-tuesday-maybee/10263604002/ | 2022-08-14T18:18:08Z | monroenews.com | control | https://www.monroenews.com/story/entertainment/2022/08/14/big-band-performing-outdoor-concert-tuesday-maybee/10263604002/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Monroe County Fair pairs with Relay for Life for bingo fun
For the first time ever bingo has come to the Monroe County Fair - and it’s for a good cause.
The Bingo Barn was run by Relay For Life as a general fundraiser for the organization. Both volunteers and players alike hope that the money raised does a lot of good for cancer research, and provides financial support for the many programs run by the American Cancer Society.
Shelley Waltz, Relay for Life Chairperson and cancer survivor, was pleased by the turnout to the event. Since this is the first year bingo was offered at the fair she didn’t have any expectations.
“For the first time, I think it has been pretty good,” Waltz said. She believes that unpredictable weather and newness of the event are factors in the varying turnouts on different nights. The Fair Board had the idea for Relay For Life to run bingo, and getting it implemented has been in the works for quite awhile.
Georgie Warren and Tammy Hatt were two players who came multiple nights to enjoy the game, company and chance to raise money for an organization that has special meaning for them. Both of them have family members who fought cancer, so they really appreciate that this event was brought to the Fair and all of the good work that Relay For Life does for cancer research.
The Bingo Barn was open in the evening Sunday through Saturday, and required many volunteers. Rose Oberski, Relay For Life Chairperson and cancer survivor, emphasized that this is not a one day or one week event but a year round effort.
“My hope is that we can raise cancer fighting dollars and make the public aware of what we do,” Oberski said.
Like Waltz, Oberski didn’t have any expectations for the event since it was their first time at the Fair. She is proud of the volunteers’ efforts, and glad that they were all able to work and learn together to pull off a successful event for a good cause.
Crystal Dagastino, Oberski’s former neighbor, was one of the many volunteers. While she is originally from Ida, she now lives in Florida.
“When Rose was looking for volunteers, I decided to come up and help out,” Dagastino said. Dagastino worked multiple roles throughout the week including manning the player tables and acting as the caller.
Waltz appreciates the opportunity to get the word out about Relay For Life and to showcase all of the programs that they have in place, such as the “Hope Lodge” which provides housing for families with loved ones going through treatment, and “Look Good Feel Better” which offers wigs and other support for cancer patients.
She hopes that they will be able to continue to do the event in future years and raise money for an organization that means a lot to her and the community as a whole. | https://www.monroenews.com/story/news/2022/08/14/fair-pairs-relay-life-bingo-fun/10297631002/ | 2022-08-14T18:18:20Z | monroenews.com | control | https://www.monroenews.com/story/news/2022/08/14/fair-pairs-relay-life-bingo-fun/10297631002/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Monroe school board appoints Dr. Behrens to vacant seat
The Monroe Public Schools Board of Education appointed Dr. Scott Behrens to be its newest member at a special meeting on August 11.
Behrens, who since Fall of 2020 has served as the Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Success at Monroe County Community College, will serve out the remaining term of Pastor Heather Boone, who resigned from her seat on the board last month.
Behrens' career in education spans more than 25 years, including 15 years as an administrator. Prior to MCCC, he was the Vice President of Teaching and Learning at Northwest Florida State College. His professional experience also includes Dean of
Associate in Arts Programs at Hillsborough Community College, Dean of Academic Affairs and Operations at South University, Chair of Teacher Education at Adrian College, and teaching positions at Adrian College, University of Florida, and Santa Fe Community College.
Behrens earned his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Florida. He also has a Master of Arts in Educational Psychology from the University of Arizona and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from McDaniel College. | https://www.monroenews.com/story/news/2022/08/14/monroe-school-board-appoints-dr-behrens-vacant-seat/10317868002/ | 2022-08-14T18:18:26Z | monroenews.com | control | https://www.monroenews.com/story/news/2022/08/14/monroe-school-board-appoints-dr-behrens-vacant-seat/10317868002/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Utility scale renewable energy delayed in Dundee Township
Utility scale wind and solar projects will not be coming to Dundee Township for at least another six months, but they still could be on the horizon.
The Dundee Township Board of Trustees voted last Tuesday to extend their solar installation moratorium for another six months to give themselves enough time to research the installation best practices and laws regarding wind and solar projects before they decide whether or not to go through with the ordinance proposals suggested by the planning commission.
“What we are trying to do is give ourselves time to reflect on what the planning commission has brought to us and make sure that we are addressing everything that is significant to our community before we start accepting any applications,” Supervisor Joanna Uhl said. “The moratorium allows us time to do that work.”
The planning commission has provided the board a series of proposals on how to establish ground rules for utility scale solar and wind projects.
They proposed that wind turbines should not be more than 150 feet tall, that they should not be louder than 55 decibels and the total project should cover at least ten acres. They also suggested that shadow flickers be measured to see where they should fall during every day of the year.
The planning commission recommended different approaches regarding roof-mounted solar panels and panels in the ground.
Requirements for utility scale solar installations include suggestions about not exceeding 15 feet in height, a minimum 10-acre lot size, security requirements, and requirements for properly removing the infrastructure if it is ever decommissioned or abandoned.
They are also proposing requirements for solar panels put on buildings regarding weight, performance and following the manufacturers instructions, among other things.
The resolution extending the moratorium included changing a definition from “solar farms” to “solar arrays” to avoid confusion with traditional agriculture.
“I know that the planning commission is still going over things. We are communicating with them, as well as [with] our attorney,” Township Clerk Sharayah Sanders said.
Whether or not the township ultimately votes to permit or prohibit these alternatives to fossil fuel or nuclear powered electricity, the decision could have huge economic impacts on the area.
Wind turbine service technicians are the second fastest growing occupation in the United States right now, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. They are expecting that field to grow by 68 percent over the course of this decade, with a median pay of $56,260 per year last year. The fifth fastest growing job is the installers of solar panels, who are expected to see their numbers grow by 52 percent at an average salary of $47,670 according to the BLS. | https://www.monroenews.com/story/news/2022/08/14/utility-scale-renewable-energy-delayed-dundee-township/10293774002/ | 2022-08-14T18:18:32Z | monroenews.com | control | https://www.monroenews.com/story/news/2022/08/14/utility-scale-renewable-energy-delayed-dundee-township/10293774002/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Monroe County history: 19th century inns and taverns were plentiful
As the gateway to the western territory in the early 19th century, Monroe County was home to a multitude of stage coach inns, taverns, boarding houses and early hotels.
These facilities offered weary travelers a number of services in addition to lodging – including repairs to stage coaches and access to veterinary care, among others.
"The Pageant of Historic Monroe" chronicled many of these structures and locations. One interesting fact that was mentioned was the placement of inns, taverns, and other travel lodging approximately eight miles apart – what was considered a one day trip at the time. Today, those same distances in Monroe and Monroe County can be traveled in a matter of minutes.
William White was a major operator of Monroe County’s inns and taverns – many opened in the 1820's and 1830's. Locations in Newport, Brest, Ida, Petersburg and Dundee (among others) were operated by White. One might suppose that this was an early example of a lodging chain, á la Holiday Inn or Hilton.
In LaSalle, the Tavern of “Ma’am Jobinu” was located along the South Bank of Otter Creek. Similarly, Erie (then known as Vienna) was the home of Smith’s Tavern. In Ida, the Wayside Inn was the first business in the area -- known as a prime stop over the muddy roads and trails, equidistant from other taverns, according to the “Brief History of Ida, Michigan”, found on the Ida Township website.
Milan’s historic Stimpson Hotel/Danube Inn, located at 24 West Main Street in Milan, was built by Walter Stimpson in 1901. The hotel operated until 2011 when it was destroyed by fire. In Tecumseh, the first frame house built in the area (as part of Lenawee County) was built by General Brown in 1825. It was known as the Green Tavern and functioned for a period as the only public house in the territory west of Monroe, as described in the Illustrated History and Biographical Record of Lenawee County, Michigan, written by John Knapp and Richard Illenden Bonner, which was published by the Times Printing Company in 1903.
Back to "The Pageant of Historic Monroe" book, another inn located in the City of Monroe laid claim to the Wayside Inn name. This establishment was located at the corner of South Monroe Street and Front Street. In this same vicinity, the American House (proprietor, Nathan Hubble) was also located at South Monroe Street and Front Street facing toward Monroe. Nearby, the Red Light Tavern could be found near the southeast corner of Public Square.
West Front Street in Monroe was the home to the Murphy House (proprietor, James Murphy, near Hurd and Sterling) and the U.S. Hotel (proprietor, Orry Adams). The Galloway Inn was found on the North Side of the River Raisin, and the Macomb House was built in the early 1830s on the east side of Macomb Street on the J.B. Fix home site. Leander Fix, a successful carpenter, mason, and contractor, may have been involved in its construction.
The Harleston House sat where St. Michael’s Catholic Church current resides. The Mansion House, built in 1835, was located on the Dansard Bank property and operated by Leander Sackett. The Mulhollen House (First Street and Harrison), Railroad House (First Street and Hull Road), Union Humphrey House (in the Hubble Block), the Strong’s Hotel (built in 1859 by G.W. Strong – burned in the big 1868 Monroe Fire and replaced by the Park Hotel in 1869) were other Monroe Hotels.
The LaPlaisance (in native language – “Pleasant retreat”), the Point Aux Peaux (meaning “Fur point”), and the famous Hotel Lotus rounded out the resorts in Monroe County area.
Tom Adamich is President – Visiting Librarian Service, a firm he has operated since 1993. He also is Project Archivist for the Greening Nursery Company and Family Archives. | https://www.monroenews.com/story/news/history/2022/08/14/monroe-county-history-19th-century-inns-and-taverns-were-plentiful/10298215002/ | 2022-08-14T18:18:38Z | monroenews.com | control | https://www.monroenews.com/story/news/history/2022/08/14/monroe-county-history-19th-century-inns-and-taverns-were-plentiful/10298215002/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A flight in better times
It couldn’t happen today, nor any other day since September 11, 2001.
It happened about 15 years prior to the horror of that terrible day.
I boarded a flight in Detroit that would take me to Montreal. From there, the flight would head for London. We landed at Montreal, where other passengers began boarding the flight.
An airline representative stopped at my seat and verified my name.
“You need to come with me," they said. "I will get your carry-on luggage for you. Please follow me.”
I was alarmed. Was I being arrested?
“Why am I supposed to follow you?" I asked.
The man leaned over and whispered in my ear that my seat was needed to mollify a couple who wanted to sit together. Through some mix-up, one of them had not been booked with the other.
“Am I still going to be on this flight?” I asked.
He nodded, smiled and said “I think you will be very pleased with this alternate seat."
I followed him as he started going up the flight of stairs to the upper-deck seating. I scanned the cabin and didn’t see one empty seat. I really was puzzled, but I kept following him forward. I then thought I would be riding in one of the jump seats used by the flight attendants. However, we passed those and were at the door of the cockpit.
He pushed it open and said to the captain "You will have a visitor up here."
The captain looked at me, smiled and said, “Welcome aboard. Just sit there and buckle up until I tell you to unbuckle."
I was told that the seat was for an unneeded navigator. Beside and above me were many buttons and lights.
I was terrified. What if I touched something and re-routed us to Madagascar?
The captain gave me instructions as to what to do if the plane landed in the Atlantic.
He showed me a small door in the ceiling and said if we hit the water, the door would be opened and I would have to climb out… Right. I cannot swim and have a healthy respect for frigid nighttime oceans housing critters happy to eat humans.
I looked at him and said that, in all likelihood, I would be going down with the ship in that scenario. Considering the number of passengers filling the plane, I had my doubts that I would be able to get on a life raft. Someone would decide I should be dumped into the brine.
I never thought I could put on a life vest and inflate it with my own huffing and puffing.
If I didn’t think I could manage that, how would I climb out of the roof?
Then the magic came: we took off and I was able to see what the pilots see on a night flight. The runway lights disappear faster and faster, and before you know it you are up and away.
I was told I could leave my seat and sleep if I chose to. I was pointed to a door and someone said, “Just make yourself at home in there.”
“In there” was a small bedroom with bunk beds and reading lights.
Now this was really flying!
I checked it out but went back into the cockpit, again avoiding any buttons or levers that might cast us down.
We were above the clouds, and the sky was lit by the moon. It just hung there in front of us like a Christmas ornament. I am not sure I’ve ever witnessed anything that was so beautiful and haunting.
I ate with the captain and co-captain, then thought I would try to sleep.
No luck. I could always sleep. But I could not always fly in the cockpit of a jumbo jet.
Watching the Earth rise before us as we landed was equally exciting
I knew I would never get to fly like that again. Even in the best of times.
Some years later, the worst of times would strike and such opportunities were never allowed again.
Susan Keezer lives in Adrian. Send your good news to her at Lenaweesmiles@gmail.com. | https://www.monroenews.com/story/opinion/2022/08/14/flight-better-times/10293340002/ | 2022-08-14T18:18:44Z | monroenews.com | control | https://www.monroenews.com/story/opinion/2022/08/14/flight-better-times/10293340002/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Stick to the plate plan this fall
Having a lighter meal keeps me alert and more productive during my work day.
According to an article on the Cleveland Clinic's website, "Mini-meals can aid in satisfying the appetite, stabilizing blood sugar levels, and providing nutrients to the body throughout the day. Smaller, more frequent meals in your daily eating patterns also can aid in a more efficient metabolism compared to a slower metabolism when meals are skipped."
I learned in school that following the healthy eating plate will make a
difference in the overall function of your body:
- Vegetables and fruits should take up half your plate - aim for color and variety, and remember that potatoes don't count as vegetables in this case because of their negative impact on blood sugar.
- Whole grains - whole wheat, barley, wheat berries, quinoa, oats, brown rice, and foods made with these ingredients - should make up 1/4 of your plate.
- Protein should make up the remaining quarter of your plate. Fish, poultry, beans, and nuts are all healthy, versatile protein sources — they can be mixed into salads, and pair well with vegetables on a plate. Limit red meat, and avoid processed meats such as bacon and sausage.
For additional information on USDA Plate Plan go to MYPlate.gov.
Approaching the fall season, I really focus on sticking to the plate plan. So
today, I will share some of my favorite plate plan combinations to try in your
home kitchen. Remember: servings can be adjusted depending on the
number of guests, or you may plan an individual portion.
Philanthropist and educator Steve Maraboli said "By choosing healthy over skinny you are choosing self-love over self-judgement.”
With this, I could not agree more!
Jacqueline Iannazzo-Corser is a contributing writer to The Monroe News, writing about food and recipes. She is a chef, co-owner of Public House, Culinary Specialist at the Opportunity Center at the Arthur Lesow Community Center, and an adjunct professor of culinary arts at Monroe County Community College. She can be reached at jcorser@monroeccc.edu.
Two Lunch Suggestions:
Salad with bananas, apples, and nuts
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 12 oz. of your choice of lettuce mix
- 2 Bananas Firm
- 2 1/2 medium apples of your choice Sliced
- 3/4 cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts
Dressing:
- 1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
- 2 tablespoons fat-reduced mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons paprika- Optional
Directions:
- Prepare salad dressing then refrigerate.
- In a large salad bowl, toss together mixed greens, bananas, apples, peanuts, and dressing.
- Serve
Note: This is a salad that can be prepared ahead of time. You may add a
grain bread or cracker.
Pasta casserole made simply
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients:
- 1-pound of selected Pasta noodles.
- 1- 12 oz. can or fresh Chicken Breast
- 1 – 15 oz. can low-sodium tomato sauce
- 1- 8 oz. Can of Frozen or Canned Peas, (Low sodium Preferred).
- 3 slices pasteurized process American cheese. Colby, Cheddar, or Velveeta.
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook pasta noodles following package directions then drain.
- Then in a large casserole dish mix the chicken, tomato sauce, peas, and macaroni.
- Add the 3 slices of cheese on top of the casserole.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
Note: The cheese is a great source of calcium and protein. You may add
a green salad to accompany your entrée. If using fresh chicken bake with
lite oil, internal temperature is 165 degrees.
Two Dinner Suggestions:
Simple Vegetable Soup
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 1- Pound can or Fresh Chicken Breasts chicken
- 3 - cups water or low sodium chicken stock
- 3 – Corn either fresh on husk, canned, or Frozen low sodium
- 1 – 15 oz. of Canned, Fresh, or Frozen Peas low sodium
- 1 - pound fresh carrots, Canned, or Frozen low sodium.
- 1 1/2 to 2 pound’s potatoes Diced
Directions
- In a large pot heat, the chicken water or chicken stock until hot.
- Add the corn, peas, carrots, and potatoes, then bring to a boil
- Lower heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.
Note: If using fresh chicken bake with lite oil, internal temperature should
be 165 degrees. Serve with a Green Salad
Chicken stir-fry
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp. of lite cooking oil
- 1/2 cup carrots fresh frozen or canned. peeled, Cut small low-sodium.
- 1/2 cup celery -sliced thin
- 1/4 cup onion cut into strips
- 1 green pepper cut into strips
- 1 tablespoon garlic chopped Small
- 1-pound chicken Breasts Cut into strips
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 cups white or brown rice
Directions:
- Heat a large pan with lite oil over medium heat.
- Add vegetables and garlic to the hot pan. Stir until garlic is slightly brown.
- Add the chicken, sugar and soy sauce to the pan.
- Stir for 2 to 4 minutes in the pan.
- Serve with cooked rice.
Note: A Crisp Green Salad is a wonderful addition to this meal. | https://www.monroenews.com/story/opinion/2022/08/14/stick-plate-plan-fall/10293239002/ | 2022-08-14T18:18:50Z | monroenews.com | control | https://www.monroenews.com/story/opinion/2022/08/14/stick-plate-plan-fall/10293239002/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A rolling stone gathers no pot roast
Waiting on test results from the doctor’s office can be excruciating, an anxiety-filled timeline because at my age it could be anything. And as a borderline hypochondriac, I always anticipate the worst.
I try not to think about it, but it’s like telling a high school girl not to think of the disparaging remark a classmate made about her weight on social media. Luckily, in my case, I wasn’t waiting to hear what the spot was on the X-ray or the strange mole on my behind. It was a test regarding my old nemesis, the kidney stone.
Several years ago, I discovered the hard way what type of pain a kidney stone is capable of inflicting. While lying on the floor of my living room writhing in pain calling for my mother, unsure what in the world was going on, the fire department arrived and my friend Calvin showed up with hands on his hips. As I pleaded with him not to call the ambulance, he said OK. Then I heard the sirens approaching.
I am not afraid to admit that my tolerance for pain is at an all-time low. When blood is drawn from my arm, I wince and don't look. Bandages are not out of the question for a paper cut. I consider paging a cardiologist during a gas bubble attack.
Not surprisingly, during that first attack I ended up in the hospital. The unusual part of that story is I don’t remember how the stone went away. Because there’s only one way out and it’s not very pleasant. I was released and everything was fine.
And then it happened again. The other day I was sitting in my chair minding my own business when suddenly it felt like Mike Tyson was using my back as a punching bag. This time it only lasted a few minutes, then went away. I knew what caused it, but the doctor wanted an ultrasound.
And that’s what got me nervous. I’ve seen ultrasound test results and they are very revealing. Most of them involve happy moms showing off bundles of joy. But I guarantee that will not be my result, even if I do look six months pregnant.
Who knows what’s going on in there? And sometimes it’s best to leave well enough alone. Sure, I can expect the photos to reveal a pot roast or a lump of gum that never digested from my childhood or the car keys I lost in 1983. But it might reveal something else that leads the doctor to say the word a patient never wants to hear (Uh-oh).
Still, I went along with it. So I got the goop all over my belly and felt like an expectant mom especially when the technician accidentally called me “ma’am.” And then I waited. And waited. Naturally, all kinds of horrible things goes through your head, but I tried to remain calm.
And when I got the word that everything was clear, I was relieved. There wasn’t even any sign of the stone, which is odd. I assume it must be hiding behind the pot roast.
Ray Kisonas is the Regional Editor of The Monroe News and The Daily Telegram. He can be reached at rayk@monroenews.com. | https://www.monroenews.com/story/opinion/columns/2022/08/14/ray-kisonas-rolling-stone-gathers-no-pot-roast/10292382002/ | 2022-08-14T18:18:56Z | monroenews.com | control | https://www.monroenews.com/story/opinion/columns/2022/08/14/ray-kisonas-rolling-stone-gathers-no-pot-roast/10292382002/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
For motorists on the 210 Freeway in the San Gabriel Valley, it’s deja vu all over again.
They must navigate a second, five-day construction closure of the 210 Freeway, this time of the eastbound lanes from the 605 Freeway interchange to Irwindale Avenue. The first five-day closure took place from July 20-July 26 on the westbound lanes.
Starting at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 17, the 1.3-mile freeway section between Duarte and Irwindale will be completely closed until the next morning. From Thursday morning until about 5 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 23, the closure will continue but motorists will have access to reduced travel lanes.
Caltrans temporarily will divert traffic from the eastbound 210 over to three lanes of the westbound 210. The westbound 210 in that section will be converted to three lanes. In short, the capacity of the 210 Freeway in the construction zone will be 50% in both directions during the closure.
Once again, Caltrans expects backups of at least a mile or more in each direction. In July, during the first full rush hour day of the closure, westbound traffic backed up about five miles and delays reached about one hour above normal.
This time, the delays may be more pronounced in the weekday afternoon during peak hours through Pasadena, Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte and Irwindale as eastbound drivers reach the closure and detour from six lanes into three lanes.
Eric Menjivar, Caltrans spokesman, said there will be extended queues of cars and trucks on both sides of the freeway closure. “We expect people to hit some congestion but during off-peak hours it should be OK.”
Caltrans advises motorists during heavy commute times and possibly during busy weekend hours to expect major delays.
“Mornings will likely be heavily congested traveling in westbound directions. And afternoon traffic will be heavily congested in the eastbound direction, when people will be traveling back home (from work),” he said.
Construction work is being done on the eastbound portion of the San Gabriel River Bridge, which whisks vehicles over the river as it emerges from the San Gabriel Mountains. Though the bridge is safe to drive over, it is old, about 50 years old, explained Caltrans officials, and due for a major upgrade.
Workers will replace hinges on the eastbound side that hold the bridge in place but allow for movement, while adding new steel rebar and stronger rapid set concrete on deck portions. Plus, the bridge will have taller railings and the freeway will get a higher concrete median.
If possible, the transportation agency is advising motorists to avoid the 210 during those five days of bridge re-construction, lane resurfacing and re-striping. Instead, take other east-west freeways, such as the 10 or 60 as alternate routes.
Or Caltrans suggests using public transportation, such as the Metro L Line (formerly Gold Line) or Metrolink commuter rail. Or better still, work from home.
The northbound 605 Freeway traffic also will be impacted near the terminus, Menjivar said. Travelers driving north on the 605 through Irwindale and Baldwin Park will not be able to connect to the eastbound 210, routinely a bottlenecked interchange. That connector will be closed during the construction, he said.
The major construction also will close: the westbound 210 Irwindale Avenue on-ramps; westbound 210 to southbound 605 connector; eastbound 210 Mt. Olive Drive on-ramps.
During the July closure, Duarte officials complained that large, 18-wheeler trucks got off the 605 and went west onto Huntington Drive. This time, Caltrans is trying to prevent trucks from pouring onto Huntington Drive by placing LED signs alerting drivers to exit at Lower Azusa Road or Live Oak Road.
Trucks over seven tons are prohibited on Huntington Drive in Duarte and will be subject to traffic fines, Caltrans said.
“I hope it is going to be better (than last time),” said Duarte City Council member Sam Kang on Thursday. “My staff has been talking to Caltrans and working with the (LA County) Sheriff’s Department. They are more receptive.” The city’s website also alerts drivers to the upcoming closure.
During the westbound July closure, the CHP cited four trucks for illegally driving on Huntington Drive, he said. But the CHP said they don’t want to pull over trucks during high traffic volume because that adds to congestion, he said.
Kang said last time trucks were traveling north on Mt. Olive Drive into the hillside neighborhoods. “They thought there would be some secret bypass to the Antelope Valley. It was amazing,” he said.
Arcadia Councilman Sho Tay said there’s not much his city can do but wait it out. He said the repairs to the freeway are necessary and will be worth the inconvenience.
“We don’t have a choice. I want drivers not to get frustrated because road rage happens when people are frustrated. I’d rather people stay safe,” he said.
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(NewsNation) — The man who allegedly stabbed Salman Rushdie in the neck and abdomen has been charged with second-degree attempted murder and assault.
Hadi Matar, 24, of Fairview, New Jersey, was processed and transported to Chautauqua County Jail on Friday. Deadline reports he was remanded without bail, and that charges could be upgraded if Rushdie’s condition gets worse.
Authorities said Matar was born in the United States to Lebanese parents who emigrated from Yaroun, a border village in southern Lebanon, the mayor of the village, Ali Tehfe, told The Associated Press.
The stabbing happened at the Chautauqua Institution in Western New York, where Rushdie was set to give a lecture.
An Associated Press reporter witnessed a man storming the stage and begin attacking Rushdie as he was being introduced. The author was then taken or fell to the floor.
According to New York State Police, Rushdie was transported by helicopter to the hospital. His agent, Andrew Wylie, said the writer was on a ventilator Friday evening, with a damaged liver, severed nerves in his arm and an eye he was likely to lose.
Event moderator Henry Reese, 73, a co-founder of an organization that offers residencies to writers facing persecution, was also attacked. Reese suffered a facial injury and was treated and released from a hospital, police said. He and Rushdie had planned to discuss the United States as a refuge for writers and other artists in exile.
Rushdie’s book “The Satanic Verses” has been banned in Iran since 1988, as many Muslims consider it blasphemous. A year later, Iran’s late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa, or edict, calling for Rushdie’s death.
Khomeini died the same year he issued the fatwa, which remains in effect. Iran’s current supreme leader, Khamenei, never issued a fatwa of his own withdrawing the edict.
Iran’s government has long since distanced itself from Khomeini’s decree, but anti-Rushdie sentiment has lingered. In 2012, a semi-official Iranian religious foundation raised the bounty for Rushdie from $2.8 million to $3.3 million.
Rushdie dismissed that threat at the time, saying there was “no evidence” of people being interested in the reward. That year, Rushdie published a memoir, “Joseph Anton,” about the fatwa. The title came from the pseudonym Rushdie had used while in hiding.
The Chautauqua Institution, about 55 miles southwest of Buffalo in a rural corner of New York, is known for its summertime lecture series. Rushdie has spoken there before.
“Banfield” spoke Friday with Mona Kolko, an eyewitness to the incident.
“People were horrified. It went from the noise of applause, 2,000 people clapping to people shouting, people hollering, people crying. Stunned. Shocked. What is going on here? What happened here? He is hurt. Something terrible is going on, and we are witnessing this horrible moment,” Kolko said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | https://www.wspa.com/news/national/nexstar-media-wire/suspect-in-salman-rushdie-attack-charged-with-attempted-murder-assault/ | 2022-08-14T18:20:11Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/national/nexstar-media-wire/suspect-in-salman-rushdie-attack-charged-with-attempted-murder-assault/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SAN DIEGO (KSWB) – San Diego Padres superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. will not play this season after Major League Baseball suspended him for a positive performance-enhancing drug test, the league announced.
Tatis Jr. received an 80-game suspension without pay after testing positive for Clostebol, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball stated in a news release. The substance is in violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
The Padres shortstop has been recovering from a broken wrist that he injured during the offseason and hasn’t played in a game this season.
The suspension will cause Tatis Jr. to miss the start of next season as well.
“We were surprised and extremely disappointed to learn today that Fernando Tatis Jr. tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance in violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Prevention and Treatment Program and subsequently received an 80-game suspension without pay. We fully support the Program and are hopeful that Fernando will learn from this experience,” the Padres wrote in a statement.
Tatis Jr. responded to the suspension in a statement released by the Major League Baseball Players Association, saying that he “inadvertently took a medication to treat ringworm that contained Clostebol.”
“I should have used the resources available to me in order to ensure that no banned substances were in what I took. I failed to do so,” Tatis Jr. said. “I want to apologize to Peter, AJ, the entire Padres organization, my teammates, Major League Baseball, and fans everywhere for my mistake. I have no excuse for my error, and I would never do anything to cheat or disrespect this game I love.”
Tatis Jr. explained that he has taken “countless drug tests” throughout his professional career, including on March 29, 2022, and that all of the results have come back negative until testing positive for Clostebol.
“I am completely devastated. There is nowhere else in the world I would rather be than on the field competing with my teammates. After initially appealing the suspension, I have realized that my mistake was the cause of this result, and for that reason I have decided to start serving my suspension immediately. I look forward to rejoining my teammates on the field in 2023,” Tatis said. | https://www.wspa.com/news/san-diego-padres-player-gets-80-game-suspension/ | 2022-08-14T18:20:18Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/san-diego-padres-player-gets-80-game-suspension/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A loud “boom” heard across areas of northern Utah was likely a meteor, officials said Saturday.
Reports of the loud noise circulated at about 8:30 a.m., with people from Orem to southern Idaho posting that they heard the “boom,” The Salt Lake Tribune reported.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox tweeted that his office confirmed it was not related to any seismic activity or military installations.
The National Weather Service’s Salt Lake City office wrote in a tweet that its lightning detection mapper likely picked up the meteor’s trail flash, which officials said seemed to be confirmed by witness video in Roy.
South Salt Lake resident Wendi Melling was just heading out the door Saturday morning when she heard the noise, which she described as a “loud deep booming sound” followed by a few seconds of rumbling.
“I thought I heard something fall in the house. I have since searched the house top to bottom and the only thing I’ve found was one slat from our wooden fence that had fallen, so that’s a relief,” Melling wrote in a Facebook message.
“It did sound similar to sonic booms I’ve heard before, followed by a short incident of a sound similar to low rolling thunder,” Melling continued. “This rumbling noise that followed the boom was maybe on 3-4 seconds.” | https://www.wspa.com/science/ap-science/officials-loud-boom-heard-in-north-utah-likely-a-meteor/ | 2022-08-14T18:20:31Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/science/ap-science/officials-loud-boom-heard-in-north-utah-likely-a-meteor/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
TORONTO (AP) — Two-time champion Simona Halep of Romania advanced to the National Bank Open’s final, beating Jessica Pegula of the United States 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday.
Halep will face Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia, a 6-4, 7-6 (7) winner over 14th-seeded Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic in the night semifinal.
Halep smashed a racket on the hard court at Sobeys Stadium after she missed a return late in the third set.
“The fire is back,” Halep said. “It’s a good sign if I do that. It looks like I’m fighting. It helps me sometimes. I don’t know if it’s always good or not, but it helps me.”
The 15th-seeded Halep won the tournament in Montreal in 2016 and 2018. Pegula was seeded seventh.
Haddad Maia reached her first WTA Masters event final. In June, she won consecutive grass-court events in Nottingham and Birmingham in England for her first two tour titles.
“I just try to breathe a little bit more. I try to calm down and think about what I need to do and not what I’m experiencing,” Haddad Maia said. “I try to play every point and think about the next shot.
She beat top-ranked Iga Swiatek in the round of 16.
“I don’t think about, ‘Oh, I’m here playing against No. 1 in the world in a big stage in a 1000 WTA,’ because otherwise I wouldn’t be able to play,” Haddad Maia said
Halep won the Melbourne Summer Set 1 to open the season for her 23rd title, and first since since 2020. She began working with coach Patrick Mouratoglou in April and said he has rekindled her passion for tennis, pointing to training sessions at his tennis school in the French Riviera.
“The person next to us, Patrick, he brought it,” said Halep, gesturing toward Mouratoglou. “The vibe from the academy gave me the energy. To see all those kids fighting every day to touch the dream that they have. I felt that I still can do it. I still have it inside myself.” | https://www.wspa.com/sports/ap-sports/2-time-champ-simona-halep-advances-to-toronto-final/ | 2022-08-14T18:20:38Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/sports/ap-sports/2-time-champ-simona-halep-advances-to-toronto-final/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON (AP) — San Diego Padres manager Bob Melvin was sure his catcher, Austin Nola, was not guilty of blocking the plate. So sure that the skipper immediately got ejected after Nola was called for that transgression on a replay review, allowing the Washington Nationals to score the go-ahead run.
Nola was not worried the apparent out — it was ruled that way in real time — would get changed.
“I had no concern,” Nola said.
So cue the questions and dial up the debate over what constitutes preventing a runner from reaching home — Melvin said it was the subject of a recent memo from Major League Baseball — after the wild-card-chasing Padres and new slugger Juan Soto repeatedly failed to come through in the clutch against his former club and lost to the Washington Nationals 4-3 Saturday night.
“If that’s an out, we’re still in the game,” Melvin said, arms crossed, afterward.
“I thought it was a good play. My understanding is: If you’re straddling the plate or giving him any part of the plate to slide to, it is not blocking the plate.”
Playing their second game since learning of Fernando Tatis’ steroid suspension, the Padres built a 3-0 edge thanks to solo homers from Manny Machado and Trent Grisham and a run-scoring single from Soto, who was traded by Washington on Aug. 2.
But San Diego’s offense stalled: The club finished 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position and left 13 runners on base.
“We had opportunities, for sure,” said Nola, who went 1 for 3. “We’ve just got to capitalize on our opportunities.”
Yu Darvish (10-6), charged with four runs in six-plus innings, gave away the lead on back-to-back deep balls off the bats of Yadiel Hernandez and Joey Meneses in the sixth. Meneses, a 30-year-old who made his big league debut on Aug. 2, now has five homers in nine games.
Then, with Luis García on in relief after Darvish gave up a single, Victor Robles, who came into the day batting just .229, smacked a single to right, where his good pal Soto plays. César Hernández — who had three hits and a stolen base for the night — raced home from second base.
Soto’s throw reached the plate just as Hernández did — and after Nola tagged him with one foot on home, the runner was called out. Washington manager Dave Martinez challenged, and the appeal succeeded, meaning the run counted and the Nationals snapped the 3-all tie.
Martinez said he thought “right away” that Nola “blocked the plate, for sure.”
Nola’s take?
“I just felt like when I caught the ball, I stepped back just in case I was in front of the lane. That’s all I know that I did. It’s just the step-back happened to be on the plate,” he said. “I thought I did everything the way we practice: Step back, give him a lane, not throw the knee in front.”
Melvin argued with crew chief Paul Emmel, even walking over to step on the plate while making his point. That came hours after Melvin reached out to Tatis for a phone conversation. On Thursday, the All-Star shortstop was banned for 80 games — meaning he is gone for the rest of 2022 and the start of 2023 — after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug.
CRUZ CONTROL
Nationals DH Nelson Cruz had two singles to raise his career hit total to 2,000.
“To do it as long as he’s done it, it’s amazing to me,” Martinez said. “He puts himself in a good position to hit every ball.”
PITCHING PLANS
After Washington starter Aníbal Sánchez allowed three runs in five innings, Kyle Finnegan (4-2) threw a scoreless seventh, and Carl Edwards Jr. worked the ninth for his second save of the season.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: Melvin said he’s “encouraged” that C Jorge Alfaro (sore right knee) will be able to catch Sunday.
Nationals: SS Luis García was out of the starting lineup with a strained left groin. … LHP Patrick Corbin is scheduled to start Tuesday. … RHP Erick Fedde (15-day IL; right shoulder inflammation) is expected to make a rehabilitation start at Triple-A Rochester on Wednesday.
UP NEXT
On Sunday, San Diego sends LHP Blake Snell (4-6, 3.96 ERA) to the mound against Washington RHP Paolo Espino (0-4, 4.04).
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wspa.com/sports/ap-sports/blocking-the-plate-call-on-review-helps-nats-top-padres-4-3/ | 2022-08-14T18:20:59Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/sports/ap-sports/blocking-the-plate-call-on-review-helps-nats-top-padres-4-3/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
CLEVELAND (AP) — Jacoby Brissett has jumped ahead of Deshaun Watson on Cleveland’s depth chart. Maybe for a while.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Brissett will take the majority of snaps with Cleveland’s first-team offense starting Sunday, a move necessitated by Watson’s pending suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy for sexual misconduct allegations.
Watson, who made his debut with the Browns by starting Friday’s exhibition win over Jacksonville, has been the No. 1 quarterback throughout training camp.
But he’s going to miss at least the first six regular-season games — and potentially more — so the Browns need to get Brissett ready for the Sept. 11 opener at Carolina.
“That has been the plan really from the beginning is just to at some point let Jacoby get the majority of them, still work Deshaun, still work Josh Dobbs and still work Josh Rosen,” Stefanski said, referring to Cleveland’s four QBs during a Zoom call with reporters.
Watson’s situation remains in flux.
His six-game suspension handed down by independent arbiter Sue L. Robinson was appealed by the NFL and is being decided by Peter C. Harvey, a former New Jersey Attorney General appointed by Commissioner Roger Goodell.
Harvey’s ruling could come at any time and there’s still the possibility Watson and the league could agree to a settlement.
On Thursday, a person familiar with Watson’s defense told the AP the three-time Pro Bowler would accept an eight-game suspension and $5 million fine. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case.
Before Friday’s game, Watson’s first in nearly 600 days, he apologized for the first time since two dozen women filed lawsuits against him alleging sexual harassment and assault during massage therapy sessions while he played for Houston.
“I’m truly sorry to all of the women that I have impacted,” Watson said.
In her ruling, Robinson noted Watson’s lack of remorse played a factor in her decision to suspend him.
Stefanski said the apology was a good step for Watson.
“I just think Deshaun has been very committed to being the best version of himself,” Stefanski said. “That is off the field and that is on the field, obviously when he is in this building, but more so I do think he wants to learn and grow as a person. That is important.”
In the meantime, the Browns need to get ready for the season.
Brissett was signed in March by the Browns, who viewed him as a perfect plug-in while Watson is sidelined. The 29-year-old Brissett has made 37 career starts and been thrown into unique situations, including in 2019 when he became Indianapolis’ starter following Andrew Luck’s stunning retirement.
The Browns didn’t play Brissett against the Jaguars to avoid the risk of an injury and to get Watson back into the flow of a game. Now, it’s time for Brissett to get more time with Cleveland’s starters.
Stefanski has been pleased with the team’s plan to this point.
“Jacoby has gotten a lot of reps to date. I go back to the nine-week offseason program and the weeks we have been together, he has gotten a ton of reps with the ones and with the twos,” he said. “Even the way we structure our routes versus air and individual period, he has gotten a lot of reps with the quote-unquote ones and the twos.
“He will keep on that same process and making sure he is running the show when he is in there. He does a nice job in the quarterback meeting room with those guys, so I just think this is also the natural progression for him moving forward.”
The Browns will practice twice this week against the Philadelphia Eagles before hosting them next Sunday in their first home exhibition.
___
More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://www.wspa.com/sports/ap-sports/browns-backup-qb-brissett-moves-into-watsons-starting-spot/ | 2022-08-14T18:21:06Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/sports/ap-sports/browns-backup-qb-brissett-moves-into-watsons-starting-spot/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
CHICAGO (AP) — The president of the NFL Players Association blasted the conditions at Soldier Field on Saturday, and he didn’t exactly get an argument from the Chicago Bears or Kansas City Chiefs after their preseason game.
Union president JC Tretter tweeted the field was not up to NFL standards.
“The NFL said that this field met minimum testing standards,” he wrote. “We clearly need to re-evaluate what is an acceptable surface for players to compete on. We need new testing metrics looking at the performance and safety of every field. The NFL can and should do better.”
Chicago quarterback Justin Fields said things were worse when the Bears practiced there Tuesday rather than at their suburban headquarters. He also said he tries to use the conditions to work in his favor.
“I knew how our grass was,” he said. “So I knew other teams didn’t know how it was, so I kind of used it to my advantage in running and stuff like that, using the long spikes and stuff like that.”
The conditions didn’t seem to bother Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes. The four-time Pro Bowler threw for 60 yards and a touchdown on the Chiefs’ first possession and then called it a day.
“I think they had a concert so there was some stuff here and there, but it wasn’t any crazy, bad (stuff) or anything like that,” he said. “I love playing here at Soldier Field. It’s an awesome stadium. You feel the history of it.”
The conditions at Soldier Field have long been a source of frustration for players and coaches on the Bears as well as other teams. The lakefront location and harsh weather make maintaining the surface difficult for the Chicago Park District, which owns the stadium.
The field was particularly choppy after Elton John performed there last weekend. Major League Soccer recently moved the Chicago Fire’s game against New York City FC scheduled for Aug. 21 to SeatGeek Stadium in suburban Bridgeview, Ill., because of conditions brought on by “a series of planned events at the venue.”
As for how the field was on Saturday?
“A lot better than my high school field looked,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid quipped. “Not much.”
___
More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://www.wspa.com/sports/ap-sports/nfl-players-union-president-blasts-soldier-field-conditions/ | 2022-08-14T18:21:47Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/sports/ap-sports/nfl-players-union-president-blasts-soldier-field-conditions/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier expects to be ready for opening day next year following season-ending left hip surgery, but what team that will be with is yet to be determined.
The 32-year-old Kiermaier is in the final season of a $53.5 million, six-year contract agreed to in March 2017. The Rays have a team option for 2023, which they will likely decline.
While Kiermaier is focused on his rehab program, he also understands that this time with Tampa Bay that dates to his major league debut in 2013 could be over. He is open to staying with the Rays.
“I’m driven, I’m motivated, this is like, for me, chasing something again,” Kiermaier said on Saturday. “I’m going to do everything in my power to try to look like the player I was a couple years ago, and hopefully a team, several teams will be wanting me. That’s what I plan, and I’m very excited.”
The three-time AL Gold Glove winner was using crutches when he appeared in the Rays clubhouse for the first time since surgery before Tampa Bay played the Baltimore Orioles. He will use the crutches for three more weeks.
Kiermaier hit .228 with seven home runs and 22 RBIs in 63 games this season.
One issue Kiermaier faces when looking ahead is that the Rays’ Tropicana Field has an artificial turf playing surface.
“Part of me is like, would I benefit from playing on grass everyday, maybe,” Kiermaier said. “I’ve got so accustomed to everything here. There’s so many pros and cons, way more pros, but the turf that’s definitely a big issue.”
“For me, there’s no better feeling than running out on Tropicana Field from the dugout to start a game,” he said. “That will forever be the thing that I think of. It will be interesting to see what happens moving forward.”
Kiermaier said he was in “really rough shape”over the last year and a half due to issues with the labrum. He last played on July 9.
“My labrum was in terrible shaoe,” Kiermaier said. “Looked awful. (The doctor) showed me pictures on before and after, and it was incredible I played as long as what I did.”
Kiermaier feels way better than expected a week and a half after surgery and called the procedure “a complete win.”
“Throughout this month that I’ve been down, I’ve reflected a lot on a lot of things,” Kiermaier said. “A lot of memories here, I’m going to try and not tear up, but I’ve learned that the things that can make me tear and cry pretty easily are my kids and Tampa Bay Rays.”
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wspa.com/sports/ap-sports/rays-kiermaier-ponders-future-after-hip-surgery-ends-season/ | 2022-08-14T18:21:54Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/sports/ap-sports/rays-kiermaier-ponders-future-after-hip-surgery-ends-season/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ROME (AP) — Seventeen-year-old David Popovici of Romania became the youngest swimmer to break the world swimming record in the men’s 100-meter freestyle Saturday, beating the mark set more than 13 years ago in the same pool.
Popovici touched in 46.86 seconds at the European championships to top the time of 46.91 set by Brazil’s César Cielo at the 2009 world championships, which also were held at Rome’s historic Foro Italico.
Cielo established his record on July 30, 2009, at the last major international meet to allow rubberized suits. It stood longer than any record in the event’s history, going back to 1905.
Now, it belongs to one of the sport’s budding stars.
“There was no rush and I had to be extremely patient about the world record,” Popovici said. “It has hurt but it’s always worth it and I feel fine right now. It felt great and it’s very special to break this record which was set here in 2009 by César Cielo.”
Cielo still holds the record in the 50 free, which is among eight men’s long-course standards that remain from the rubber-suit era. Five of those were set at those supercharged 2009 worlds.
Popovici went out in 22.74 and set the record by going 24.12 on the return lap to easily beat Hungarian butterfly specialist Kristóf Milák by 0.61. Italy’s Alessandro Miressi claimed the bronze in 47.63.
“This was a brilliant race, a joy to swim next to David,” Milák said. “David is a fantastic swimmer, I think the same crazy genius of the freestyle that I am in the butterfly. It’s great that his name will hit the headlines for long, long years.”
Popovici’s emergence sets up a potentially huge showdown at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where American star Caeleb Dressel — winner of five gold medals at last summer’s Tokyo Games — will come in as the reigning gold medalist in the 100 free.
Popovic had his coming-out at this year’s worlds in Budapest, sweeping golds in the 100 and 200 free. He didn’t get a chance to swim the 100 against Dressel, who dropped out of the event for health reasons before the final.
Milák, world record-holder in the 200 fly, hopes to also be part of the freestyle mix in Paris.
“My goal is very clear,” the Hungarian said. “I just want to reach a level in this event to arrive to Paris 2024 with the capability of swimming a time somewhere very close to 47 seconds.”
___
More AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wspa.com/sports/ap-sports/romanian-teen-swimmer-popovici-breaks-2009-mark-in-100-free/ | 2022-08-14T18:22:01Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/sports/ap-sports/romanian-teen-swimmer-popovici-breaks-2009-mark-in-100-free/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) –
Sam Darnold threw a touchdown pass during the Carolina Panthers’ 23-21 preseason-opening victory at the Washington Commanders to give him a highlight in the quarterback competition against Baker Mayfield. Darnold completed two of three passes for 16 yards. Mayfield was solid aside from a fumbled snap. He finished 4 of 7 for 45 yards. Darnold and Mayfield have been competing for the starting job since the start of training camp. Carson Wentz has no such competition in Washington. Wentz was 10 of 13 in his debut that coincided with the organization’s first game known as the Commanders. | https://www.wspa.com/sports/carolina-panthers/panthers-score-late-to-defeat-commanders-in-preseason-opener-23-21-mayfield-starts-darnold-throws-td/ | 2022-08-14T18:22:22Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/sports/carolina-panthers/panthers-score-late-to-defeat-commanders-in-preseason-opener-23-21-mayfield-starts-darnold-throws-td/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
17-year-old boy shot in head while driving in Back of the Yards neighborhood
CHICAGO - A 17-year-old boy was critically wounded after being shot in the head while driving in Brighton Park early Sunday.
About 3:30 a.m, the boy was heading north in the 4300 block of South Western Boulevard when he heard gunfire and felt pain, Chicago police said.
He was transported to Stroger Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition, police said.
No one was in custody. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/17-year-old-boy-shot-in-head-while-driving-in-back-of-the-yards-neighborhood | 2022-08-14T18:22:36Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/17-year-old-boy-shot-in-head-while-driving-in-back-of-the-yards-neighborhood | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Director duo Akhil Paul and Anas Khan has joined hands with actor Tovino Thomas and producer Raju Mallyath after the super hit crime thriller ‘Forensic’. Their latest movie that has been titled ‘Identity’ has Madonna Sebastian playing the female lead.
The film bankrolled jointly by Raju Mallyath and Century Kochumon for the banner of Raagam Movie. ‘Identity’ is an action thriller which will be shot in multiple locations at Ernakulam, Bengaluru and Mauritius. The movie will hit the screens in 2023.
Forensic that was released in 2020 was written and directed by Akhil Paul and Anas Khan. Tovino had played the role of Samuel John Kattookkaran in the psychologic thriller. The audience too are thrilled when the makers of the hit movie is all set to return with another thriller. | https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2022/08/14/forensic-akhil-paul-anas-khan-forensic-tovino-thomas-madonna-sebastian.amp.html | 2022-08-14T18:35:17Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2022/08/14/forensic-akhil-paul-anas-khan-forensic-tovino-thomas-madonna-sebastian.amp.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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