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One Sevenoaks couple has been wed time and time again after loving their first movie-themed ceremony so much. Kelly Warnell and her husband Jon made an agreement that every five years, the pair would either divorce or renew their vowels to relive the magic over and over.
However, the deal took on a very different meaning after Kelly was dealt some truly devastating news. Doctors discovered the she had a brain tumour, which posed a substantial risk of causing Kelly to lose her memories.
The mum underwent a risky nine-hour operation where surgeons sliced open her skull to remove the growth sitting on her brain stem, The Mirror reports. And this summer, Kelly and Jon celebrated her survival with a spectacular Las Vegas ceremony.
Read more: Weather for Folkestone Air Show and exact time Red Arrows will fly over Kent
Kelly, 43, says: “I’d marry Jon every day if I could, but that just isn’t practical. The renewal idea started as a bit of fun – but since the tumour diagnosis I’ve devoted my life to making as many memories as possible, for me and for my family.”
Kelly married Jon, 45, in June 2016. She says: “We’re chalk and cheese. I’m outgoing and colourful, Jon is reserved.
“But when we met we hit it off straight away. My son and his three children also clicked, we were really lucky.”
The couple decided to have an Alice in Wonderland theme to their big day – a nod to Kelly’s film obsession and her career in the movie industry, including running an agency for stunt people. She says: “I’m a bit eccentric and like to do things slightly differently, which Jon embraces even though he’s much more level-headed.
“I also wanted the guests to have as memorable a day as us and take them ‘down the rabbit hole’. Organising events is my bread and butter, so I planned every detail – from flamingo crochet to the bridesmaids dressed as mini Alices.
“We had a Mad Hatter’s tea party and thousands of tea cups everywhere.” Straight after the lavish do, the newlyweds, of Sevenoaks, flew out to Hawaii with nine of their closest family and friends for an intimate blessing themed around Jurassic Park.
Kelly says: “It was my favourite film growing up and we went to the location in Hawaii where they were made. We had a sand ceremony followed by a luau (feast). When the royal priest married us, he pressed our noses together and said, ‘Make sure you say you love each other every day’. It really stuck with me.”
The couple were settling into married life – and thinking ahead to their next wedding – when Kelly got the news that would turn her world upside down. Taking up a charity challenge in 2017 to visit the cinema every day, she started vomiting every time she watched a film.
She suspected it was an eyesight problem, but a scan found a 4cm tumour on her brain stem, pressing on her pineal gland – known as the “third eye” because it responds to light and darkness. Kelly says: “It was benign but I was told that, without surgery, I could be left blind or worse.
“The odds of surviving such a delicate operation weren’t great. There was also a chance I’d be left permanently disabled or lose my long and short-term memory.
“I thought, ‘What if I’m unable to remember my wedding days?’” Jon says his heart broke when he was told his wife had a 50/50 chance of surviving surgery.
He says: “Thankfully the surgeon knew his stuff and set my mind at ease.” In September 2017, Kelly had a nine-hour op to remove as much of the growth as possible. It involved removing the back of her skull and cutting her brain in two to extract it.
She says: “I was utterly convinced I wasn’t going to make it through, so I’d made my peace with the world and said my goodbyes to Jon and the kids. When I came round, the relief that I’d lived was indescribable – and that my memory was still intact.”
But Kelly still had a long road to recovery, both physically and mentally. She says: “I’d suffered a permanent visual impairment to my right eye, which means having to wear a patch some days. I call it my Bond villain or Pirates of the Caribbean look.
“I also had to use a walking stick for 18 months. Touching the scar on my head took weeks, I was scared of what I might feel. My hair is a big part of my personality, I like to dye it bright colours. Luckily my surgeon had plaited it. But I’d made it – I wasn’t going to waste a second of the time I had left.
“I love my job but, away from work, I made it my mission to make as many memories as I could with the people dearest to me. Every chance to celebrate, to enjoy a nice meal, to take a holiday – I was going to do it.
“The thought of reaffirming my love with my husband was a big motivation as I built up my strength and tried to come to terms with things. The doctors were honest and I knew there was a chance the tumour would grow back.”
For their five-year renewal, Kelly and Jon chose her favourite city of Las Vegas for the destination – and the theme of Beetlejuice, the 1988 gothic classic.
Kelly says: “I embraced the dark side and all I had gone through, dubbing the wedding ‘to the grave and beyond’. The pandemic meant postponing it a year but it was worth the wait. We had a total blast, with a week of hen and stag dos.
“Then on June 4, 2022 – six years to the day since we first said our vows – we had a Beetlejuice wedding experience at the Viva Las Vegas Chapel. It included an officiant dressed as the Michael Keaton character, who emerged from a grave, and I had a black and white striped dress based on his suit, plus a crown of skulls.
“We even had shrunken heads made, which we took to famous Las Vegas locations for photos.” Jon, a maintenance manager, says: “Kelly doesn’t do boring or vanilla, that’s what I love about her… She seems to be trying to one-up herself for every wedding idea, so I can’t wait for our next one.”
The memories are especially important because, 18 months ago, the couple were told Kelly’s tumour had come back. She says: “At the moment it’s too small to cause a problem. There’s a chance it will stay that way but, should it grow, I’ll face future surgery with strength and positivity.
“I have many more memories still to make with Jon and my family. We have such a deep love. He still gives me butterflies when he walks into the room and I feel incredibly lucky.”
Jon says: “We definitely cherish each and every day with each other even more since Kelly’s diagnosis. I wake up thankful that I get to see Kel’s face every day.”
The couple are already thinking ahead to their 10th anniversary ceremony in 2026. Kelly says: “We want to go to New York and have a Ghostbusters theme."
Read next:
Fury builds as P&O faces no criminal action after sacking of 800 seafarers
Kent's bison making 'remarkable impact' on their new home one month on
Scientists say 10-day covid isolation should return this winter
All of the Kent areas not affected by the hosepipe bans this month
Former Gurkha soldier who lost both legs in Afghanistan set to climb Everest | https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/sevenoaks-woman-marries-same-man-7491256 | 2022-08-21T08:54:46Z | kentlive.news | control | https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/sevenoaks-woman-marries-same-man-7491256 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Residents across Kent are in for a treat today (August 21) as the incredible RAF Red Arrows are set to soar across Kent for the exciting Folkestone Air Display. After making a fabulous comeback last year following the pandemic, this year's event promises to be 'an air display to take your breath away'.
The famous arrows will also be joined by the Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5, Puma, and Chinook Display Team. Plus the Battle of Britain Memorial flight will also take to the skies, which includes flypast from Spitfires, Hurricanes, Lancasters and Dakotas.
Kent’s air space has been rather busy over the past few days, as residents were also treated to flyovers from Red Arrows earlier in the week on Friday (August 19). Also, the day prior, United States Air Force F-15s thundered across the Kent skies, being seen and heard by many throughout the county.
Read more: The two Kent beaches you won’t be able to swim in this weekend
Kent is in for a day of predominately sunny weather today, with current forecasts detailing a day of predominantly warm and dry conditions. However, there is to be a fair bit of cloud between sunny spells, with a chance for the odd shower throughout the day, particularly along the south coast.
Some very light rain is expected to land in Folkestone at approximately 1pm, though this will soon pass, leaving a dry afternoon in time for the display. Highs of 25C are expected across Kent today.
Large crowds are expected for the Folkestone Air Display, with the busiest viewing spots being The Leas and Folkestone Harbour, which are expected to see an increase in traffic. Some roads will be closed, but stewards will be working throughout the day to help minimise disruption.
There will be food, arts and crafts stalls, live music and a classic car show - all organised by Folkestone Festivals and located on The Leas. Residents and visitors are asked to consider using public transport, but temporary car parks at Radnor Park and Folkestone School for Girls will be available to those who travel by car.
Both car parks will be open between 10am and 6pm and cost £5 to park, only cash can be accepted, so visitors are reminded to bring some change.
Exact times the Red Arrows will pass over Kent
1. Southend - 4:50pm
2. East of Sheerness - 4:52pm
3. Oversea - 4:55pm
4. Oversea - 4:56pm
5. North of Whitstable - 4:58pm
6. Canterbury - 4:59pm
7. North east of Elham - 5:00pm
8. Folkestone (display) - 5:01pm
9. Oversea - 5:27pm
10. East of Dover - 5:30pm
11. East of Margate - 5:32pm
12. South of Burnham on Crouch - 5:35pm
13. Southend - 5:36pm
Exact timings for Folkestone Air Display 2022
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight - 12.22pm
Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 - 1.00pm
Chinook (Sponsored by Abbeywell Vets) - 2.25pm
Puma - TBC
RAF Red Arrows - 5.00pm
Squadron leader Tom Bould, Red Arrows team leader (also known as Red 1), said: "We are excited to be returning to Folkestone and to perform to a large crowd, including many families, drawn from across Kent, the south-east and further afield. The 2022 show features all of the great elements people watching expect and enjoy from the Red Arrows - namely dynamic flying, world-class precision and, above-all, teamwork."
Leader Cllr David Monk said: "The Folkestone Air Display remains one of my favourite events on the district's calendar and I am delighted we have been able to put together such a fantastic line-up. It's a day to really celebrate the district - our residents, visitors who may be exploring Folkestone & Hythe for the first time, and the businesses that will be boosted by our organisation of this much-loved event."
Read next:
Fury builds as P&O faces no criminal action after sacking of 800 seafarers
Kent's bison making 'remarkable impact' on their new home one month on
Scientists say 10-day covid isolation should return this winter
All of the Kent areas not affected by the hosepipe bans this month
Former Gurkha soldier who lost both legs in Afghanistan set to climb Everest | https://www.kentlive.news/whats-on/whats-on-news/folkestone-air-show-weather-exact-7491196 | 2022-08-21T08:54:56Z | kentlive.news | control | https://www.kentlive.news/whats-on/whats-on-news/folkestone-air-show-weather-exact-7491196 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Routed in her bid to retain her Wyoming House seat, Rep. Liz Cheney made clear this is only the start of her battle to keep Donald Trump from returning to the White House in 2024.
As an initial step, she announced Wednesday that she is renaming her campaign committee “The Great Task” and plans to launch a nationwide effort to ensure that “people all around this country understand the stakes.”
She made clear that could include an election challenge to Trump in 2024, either as a Republican or an independent.
Either course would be fraught with difficulty and prone to unanticipated consequences.
The Wyoming Republican got less than one-third of the vote against GOP rival Harriet Hegeman, an inevitable result in Trump’s best 2020 state after she became the most prominent GOP critic of the former president’s unproven allegations that the 2020 election was rife with fraud and he really won.
“Now, the real work begins,” said Cheney, who will remain in the spotlight for the rest of this year as vice chair of the committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, pro-Trump riot at the Capitol.
Beyond that, she has these three options:
1. Seeking the Republican presidential nomination.
Though Trump remains the GOP 2024 front-runner, the large prospective field already includes several leading Republicans: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Sens. Tim Scott of South Carolina and Tom Cotton of Arkansas, and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.
All strongly supported Trump’s presidency, though some criticized his actions before and during the Jan. 6 riot.
The GOP field will inevitably include at least one outspoken Trump critic; besides Cheney, outgoing Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has mulled opposing Trump. After all, polls show that up to half of all Republicans and GOP-leaning independents don’t want him to run again.
Still, the GOP’s mostly winner-take-all primaries mean the leading candidate can garner most of a state’s delegates with a modest plurality of votes, as Trump did in 2016. Even if an anti-Trump candidate attracted substantial votes, that might not produce many delegates.
2. Mounting an independent presidential candidacy.
An independent effort seeking to peel off a significant portion of Republican voters from the GOP nominee might be appealing to anti-Trump GOP hopefuls like Cheney or Hogan. But independent candidacies are very tricky.
They require a lot of money and creation of a campaign structure to get on the ballot in enough states to have a chance of winning and qualify for the televised general election debates — assuming there are any. Cheney has shown substantial fundraising appeal, raising $15 million this year, but she’d need many times that for a national campaign.
The last significant independent who made all 50 state ballots was billionaire Dallas businessman Ross Perot, who primarily self-funded campaigns in both 1992 and 1996. However, though he polled nearly 20 million votes in 1992, or 19%, post-election analyses concluded he had not changed the outcome in a single state. His second effort had even less impact.
Ironically, the two most recent instances in which independent efforts impacted general election results were the less publicized Green Party candidacies of consumer activist Ralph Nader in 2000 and Jill Stein in 2016.
Both helped defeat Democratic nominees.
One possible complication: While an independent Cheney candidacy would mainly appeal to anti-Trump Republicans, it could help Trump by draining off votes that would otherwise go Democratic in a two-way race.
3. Continue to mobilize anti-Trump support to help the strongest alternative to Trump, presumably the Democratic nominee.
Of all the options, that would probably have the least impact. In both 2016 and 2020, some prominent Republicans including former elected officeholders and ex-national security officials considered Trump unqualified and formed committees to help his Democratic rivals. But they probably did not switch many votes.
Network exit polls show Joe Biden got just 6% of the Republicans who voted, while Trump got 5% of the Democrats. Those statistics indicate that, while such efforts often attract substantial publicity, they have little ultimate impact.
Running for president may be the best way for Cheney to continue to attract attention, once she loses her platform as a member of Congress at the end of the year and multiple candidates announce for the presidency.
Perhaps the former president was right in his statement Tuesday night that Cheney now “can finally disappear into the depths of political oblivion.”
But she will certainly do what she can to ensure that doesn’t happen. | https://www.yakimaherald.com/opinion/column-cheney-has-three-options-going-forward/article_a9e9ca98-1f37-11ed-bef7-37b5670ba3af.html | 2022-08-21T09:30:52Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/opinion/column-cheney-has-three-options-going-forward/article_a9e9ca98-1f37-11ed-bef7-37b5670ba3af.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A grim-faced doctor walks into an examining room where an anxious white-haired woman sits on the table, awaiting news. “Mrs. Smith, I have your test results here,” the doctor announces as the woman smiles up at him. “The news isn’t good.”
Perhaps you’ve seen this TV ad, which was airing in Des Moines and had me alternately laughing out loud and wanting to throw something at the screen — neither the most useful or mature response.
The smile fades. The camera pans down to her clutched, wrinkled hands as he continues, “Unfortunately, Congress is considering a bill that would strip nearly $300 billion in Medicare to pay for Obamacare, and research on this treatment may be stopped.”
Close-up on the woman’s face — bewildered, scared — as the doctor tells her to get her affairs in order: “I wish I had better treatment options for you, but I really think it’s time you start talking to your family. I’m sorry.” Then he abruptly walks out, leaving her to gaze heavenward.
Have they no shame? The ad was placed by an outfit called “Center for Innovation and Free Enterprise, a project of Americans for A Balanced Budget, Inc.,” about which little is known. A message on the screen instructs viewers to “Call Iowa’s Democratic Congresswoman Cindy Axne and tell her to oppose the federal Budget Reconciliation bill” — the Inflation Reduction Act that passed the Senate last week.
Besides the fact a real doctor saying such things should be fired for spreading bogus fears in a vulnerable patient in the defense of drug manufacturers’ obscene profits, the law would actually benefit patients. A similar ad in another market “misleadingly paints what is more accurately characterized as nearly $300 billion in savings for consumers and taxpayers,” says Politifact, the fact-checking arm of the Poynter Institute journalism think tank. That ad is attributed to the American Prosperity Alliance.
The New York Times explains what the bill would do: “For the first time, Medicare would be allowed to negotiate with drugmakers on the price of prescription medicines, a proposal projected to save the federal government billions of dollars. That would apply to 10 drugs initially, beginning in 2026, and then expand to include more drugs in the following years.”
As for the Obamacare part, the Times notes that its subsidies were expanded last year under the Democratic-passed $1.9 trillion pandemic aid package. It would either make some plans free for lower-income people or extend “some support to higher-income people who previously did not receive any aid,” the Times says. Those subsidies are set to expire at the end of the year, but the law would continue them for three more years.
The Times says this would represent the largest expansion of federal health policy since passage of the Affordable Care Act, capping out-of-pocket costs for seniors at $2,000 a year, and ensuring their vaccines were free.
The Washington Post provides this context: When Medicare Part D, which pays for prescription drugs, was first passed under President George W. Bush, the federal government was prevented from negotiating drug prices. That was left to manufacturers, private health plans, and pharmacies, all of which had their own interests. But having the federal Health and Human Services Department directly negotiate prices should bring down the cost of drugs, especially newer, high-priced medications.
What the ad is really saying is that if drug manufacturers were compelled to give up any profits, they might respond by cutting research on new drugs. And if that were to happen, it’s those companies consumers should be instructed to call — to stop feeding off the pain of ordinary Americans who can’t afford obscenely inflated drug prices.
So, why are these ads being placed? “The American Prosperity Alliance has almost no online profile,” says Politifact. Online, the Alliance says its public policy project prioritizes limited government and free markets: “We support an economy in which the prices for goods and services are determined by the open market and consumers, in which the laws and forces of supply and demand are free from any intervention by a government, price-setting monopoly, or other authority.”
In plain English, it believes that having the government intervene on behalf of consumers threatens to restrain unchecked profits.
In other words, that’s good.
What isn’t good, and what campaign ads for the upcoming elections should be seizing upon, is that Senate Republicans, including Iowa’s Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, sold out people with diabetes during debate on that same budget reconciliation bill. They blocked a provision to cap out-of-pocket pay for insulin at $35 a month under private insurance.
With midterm elections three months away, we’ll be seeing lots of political ads making grandiose claims for or against candidates or issues. And under the Supreme Court’s ill-advised Citizens United ruling, corporations can and will spend limitless amounts to influence public opinion. That can — and in my view has in recent years — gotten ordinary, working people to vote against their own economic interests, with disastrous consequences.
So do the research and vet these ads before believing them. And to poor Mrs. Smith, please get a real doctor, and take heart that your drug prices should actually go down. Unless, of course, you’re diabetic. | https://www.yakimaherald.com/opinion/column-dont-be-swayed-by-fear-mongering-ads-from-unclear-interests/article_f0c98792-1e9b-11ed-9a4a-dfdb850b5e97.html | 2022-08-21T09:30:58Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/opinion/column-dont-be-swayed-by-fear-mongering-ads-from-unclear-interests/article_f0c98792-1e9b-11ed-9a4a-dfdb850b5e97.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Recently, Kansas voters soundly rejected a referendum that would have ensured more abortion restrictions in the solidly red state. This led to predictions that conservatives may pay a price in upcoming elections for the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson’s Women’s Health Organization, which undid the constitutional protection for abortion rights long established by Roe v. Wade. But while abortion debates grab headlines, for many women, especially poor ones, the battle for reproductive justice begins in the classroom, with the fight for comprehensive sex education.
Only 29 states (including Washington state), and Washington, D.C., require that sex education be taught, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Only 16 states require that the information taught in sex education be medically accurate. Meanwhile, 39 states mandate that sex education must cover abstinence, with 28 of those states requiring that abstinence be stressed. Before the Dobbs ruling, that meant that plenty of young people were not being provided with sufficient tools and resources to avoid unplanned pregnancies. In a post-Roe world it means students will have increasingly limited options should an unplanned pregnancy occur.
The battle over sex education in Texas, which has historically had one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the country, is being fought by people like Abril Vazquez, whom I first met while working on my 2018 documentary “Reversing Roe.” Vazquez grew up in a Texas community where public schools and the local government emphasize abstinence-only education over comprehensive sex education. After becoming an unwed mother twice while still in her teens, Vazquez has spent much of her adult life working to have Texas provide more complete sexual education to high school students in the state.
While the U.S. birth rate for teens has been declining since 1991, it remains significantly higher in America than in other Western nations. Girls from a low-income background are at greater risk of becoming young mothers, and data show that close to 20% of teen moms give birth to more than one child before they reach the age of 20. Becoming a teen parent decreases the chance of rising above one’s economic circumstances.
Before Roe became the law women of means had better access to abortion, partly because they had connections and the money to pay for procedures. Without these options, poor women’s futures were at greater risk, often choosing between unsafe providers, if they could find one, or having a baby without the means to support it. With abortion access now significantly diminished, and inconsistent and incomplete sex education available to help young people prevent unwanted pregnancies, poor women will be less likely to escape this cycle of poverty.
Federal education policy can have a significant effect on teenage motherhood. Many studies have found abstinence-only education to be largely ineffective, yet federal funding for such instruction increased under the Trump administration. This was to be expected, as funding for sexual education programs tends to shift depending on the political party of the president, rather than being decided based on the research of what is most effective and best serves our young people.
As someone who has interviewed countless pro-choice and pro-life activists, I know good people can disagree over abortion policy. However, it is hard to understand why anyone would consider it humane to deprive young people of the tools and resources they need to avoid an unplanned pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease and then limit their options when they end up with either.
At a bipartisan gathering of Southern women legislators, I was once asked to address concerns that teaching comprehensive sex education would increase sexual activity, something data have consistently shown is not true. I noted that we teach driver’s education before kids can legally get behind the wheel to make sure they’re prepared and will be as safe as possible. Shouldn’t the same care and concern be applied to sexual education since it is also a matter of life and death?
In light of the Dobbs decision, sex education should be viewed as a defining reproductive justice issue and should be a priority for candidates in upcoming elections. Regardless of political party, those running for office could elevate the discourse on sexual health in our country by prioritizing this important issue in their platforms.
For one to truly care about reproductive rights, getting more schools to support comprehensive sex education should elicit just as much activism, advocacy and financial support as abortion policy and other reproductive health issues. While Republicans, Democrats, evangelical leaders and irreligious activists battle over the future of abortion in America, they should all be able to find common ground around the idea that we should be providing young people with the tools that will make them less likely to have an unplanned pregnancy in the first place — regardless of the circumstances and communities in which they are born. | https://www.yakimaherald.com/opinion/commentary-better-sex-education-in-schools-can-help-young-people-affected-by-abortion-bans/article_965bc26c-1e9a-11ed-bfcc-679f873e227d.html | 2022-08-21T09:31:04Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/opinion/commentary-better-sex-education-in-schools-can-help-young-people-affected-by-abortion-bans/article_965bc26c-1e9a-11ed-bfcc-679f873e227d.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The case of Facebook’s parent company, Meta, turning over private message data to Nebraska investigators, who then used it to prosecute a teenage girl who induced an abortion, is the latest proof that our sense of privacy is an illusion.
Celeste Burgess and her mother, Jessica Burgess, have been charged with one felony count of prohibited acts with human skeletal remains, one misdemeanor count of concealing the death of another person and one misdemeanor count of false information. Jessica Burgess has also been charged with felony counts of inducing an illegal abortion and performing an abortion as someone other than a licensed physician.
Authorities say Celeste was 17 years old and 23 weeks pregnant when she and her mother used Facebook Messenger to purchase medicine designed to end a pregnancy. The police were following up on a tip when they requested the message data from Meta, Facebook’s parent company.
Obviously, at 23 weeks pregnant, a surgical abortion would have been preferable, but that wasn’t an option.
In a post-Roe world, we apparently must also fear that tech companies might willingly hand over private data to aid in the harassment and prosecution of citizens who act on their right to bodily autonomy.
The Burgesses have maintained throughout the investigation that the abortion produced a stillborn fetus, yet they are facing serious charges, and Celeste is being tried as an adult.
What is to stop Nebraska, or any other state, from using someone’s personal data to track a pregnancy?
People who menstruate are deleting apps that help track our periods, so they don’t share unencrypted information about their cycles with third parties.
Would the police also like to know if I flush an unusually large blood clot down the toilet while on my period? Does that information make you uncomfortable? Good. Sit in your unease.
Electronic Frontier Foundation Director of Federal Affairs India McKinney says this type of intrusion is not only possible but has been happening for years.
“Any data collected and stored by private company can be accessed by law enforcement and is being accessed by law enforcement,” she said.
“Sometimes it’s because of a warrant and sometimes it’s just because they ask nicely, and sometimes it’s because they buy the data from data brokers.”
A Californian offering over the internet to help a person in a state like Nebraska could even be subject to Nebraska laws, though supporters of abortion rights are working on possible solutions at both the state and federal level.
A recent executive order from President Joe Biden favors federal funding in legal conflicts to states where access to abortion is guaranteed, and urges the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Health and Human Service to reinforce and educate the public on data protection policies. McKinney said the EFF is working to encourage legislators to pass national data protections.
Tech companies such as Amazon, Apple, Google, Lyft and Facebook all rushed in after Roe was overturned to promise they would pay the cost of any employee seeking an abortion, yet stayed curiously silent about how they would respond to requests for data.
We simply cannot expect our society to be technologically-dependent while refusing to properly regulate the companies that control our most personal data and technologies. Anything you put on any of your digital devices is accessible to the company unless it’s encrypted, McKinney said.
“It feels like it’s personal and private because you’re alone, but that’s not how data works.”
The case against the Burgesses reveals the extent law enforcement will go in a post-Roe world to enforce state abortion bans, compromising not only our rights to bodily autonomy but also our right to privacy. | https://www.yakimaherald.com/opinion/commentary-think-women-ought-to-have-abortion-rights-don-t-talk-about-it-on-facebook/article_50e53c24-1f38-11ed-ab07-2b286a1094b7.html | 2022-08-21T09:31:11Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/opinion/commentary-think-women-ought-to-have-abortion-rights-don-t-talk-about-it-on-facebook/article_50e53c24-1f38-11ed-ab07-2b286a1094b7.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
For many of us, memories of the first day of school are still fresh in our minds — clean, crisp notebooks, brand-new pencils, a big pink eraser, maybe some glue and off we’d go.
The supply lists are a little longer now, though. And a lot more expensive.
According to the National Retail Federation, parents will need about $864 per child for school supplies and clothes this year.
Yowch!
Fortunately, Yakima Valley parents have some help this year.
As kids get ready to head back to class in the next few days, some districts are helping cover the cost of basic supplies — and a number of local drives have been raising money or donated goods to ease the burden on strained family budgets.
If you’re looking for help, be sure to get in contact with your child’s school or district office for options. And if you’re looking to offer help, at least one drive — at Yakima’s Harman Center, 101 N. 65th Ave. — is accepting donations of new supplies through Sept. 30.
After all the turmoil the Yakima Valley’s kids have been through the past few years, let’s make sure they get off on the right foot for the 2022-23 school year. | https://www.yakimaherald.com/opinion/opinion-lets-help-kids-start-the-school-year-well-supplied/article_9c4e49d0-1f2e-11ed-9d87-b7fc909292d9.html | 2022-08-21T09:31:29Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/opinion/opinion-lets-help-kids-start-the-school-year-well-supplied/article_9c4e49d0-1f2e-11ed-9d87-b7fc909292d9.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Apparently some of us are a little foggy on American civics — including some people who you’d think would know better.
In a democratic republic such as ours, you recall, we elect government officials to represent us, trusting them to make the best decisions they can on behalf of whatever federal, state, county or city jurisdiction they might serve.
We also expect them to follow the laws of the land — to not lie to us, not steal the public money they oversee, not cheat on their taxes, not share national secrets with our enemies or try to undermine democracy by, say, whipping up attacks on the Capitol or something.
At each turn, those officials are accountable to us — to “We the People,” as the Founding Fathers put it. Within reason, we expect them to hold their meetings in public, and to make their paperwork and communications available for our review.
The system is based on the premise that elected officials work for us. Our taxes pay their salaries and we’re effectively their bosses — they answer to us on Election Day. We have to be able to trust them, and we should be able to count on them to defend our interests.
So it’s dismaying when we hear of public officials who either don’t understand or brazenly disregard these basic American principles.
And lately, we’ve run across several especially disappointing and troubling examples of it:
The Yakima County commissioners are enmeshed in an increasingly tangled lawsuit
- that now accuses them of more than 100 violations of state open meetings laws. “This number of violations,” the plaintiffs’ Olympia attorney, Arthur West, said in a recent court motion, “is unprecedented and probably represents an all-time record in the state of Washington.”
- The Yakima School District, meantime, faces
- than the $6,310 a Yakima County Superior Court judge levied after ruling that administrators mishandled a parent’s public records requests. Earlier this month, the Division III Court of Appeals in Spokane chastised the district for failing to respond appropriately to the parent’s request and then ordered the lower court to recalculate the penalty.
- And just last week, a Thurston County lawsuit — also from Arthur West — claims the Washington State Redistricting Commission disregarded the state’s Public Records Act in February as it scrambled to
- . The commission, the suit alleges, “deliberately failed to make a reasonable search, and further acted in bad faith with ulterior motives to conceal offensive, ribald and politically damaging records and information.” Commission members have already admitted to breaking state laws by working in secret without any public deliberation.
The common thread in all three of these examples? Public officials apparently failing to make doing the public’s business in public a priority. Not releasing public records, skirting meetings laws by conducting discussions via email or text rather in open sessions.
Look, holding public office — or just about any other government position — is no cakewalk. We get that.
Generally speaking, the public has a poor understanding of just how complicated and demanding these jobs are. The potential for catastrophic mistakes is always high, and of course anybody can file a lawsuit for pretty much anything at the drop of a hat.
We ask a lot of public officials. But we have to, because their work is critically important to all of us. Anybody who steps up to run for office or accepts an administrative position should realize that long before their first day on the job.
That’s why it’s so exasperating to see examples like these — especially after so many previous cases have repeatedly resulted in harsh penalties against officials who’ve disregarded public records and open meetings rules.
By now, they should all know better. And at a time like this, with trust in government already alarmingly low, we should expect better. | https://www.yakimaherald.com/opinion/opinion-public-officials-seem-to-be-failing-basic-civics/article_18352c44-1f25-11ed-8cf8-c726c7e2b7d7.html | 2022-08-21T09:31:35Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/opinion/opinion-public-officials-seem-to-be-failing-basic-civics/article_18352c44-1f25-11ed-8cf8-c726c7e2b7d7.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
As my last article for the Unleashed program, I wanted to say goodbye to my favorite places in Yakima. Although I didn’t have the time to visit many of them, they each have a multitude of memories associated with them.
Up first is the Yakima Soda Fountain and Museum. Stopping for breakfast or an ice cream cone was always a necessity for summertime.
Other favorite spots are the movie theaters, which bring memories of dancing to the “Ice Age” movie credits and watching Marvel movies with my brothers.
And Meadowbrook Family Fun Center is where many of my summer days were spent enjoying the go-carts and mini golf.
There are too many places to say farewell to, whether it be a tiny hiding spot in my house or the school I grew up in.
Although I can wish there was more time to say goodbye to my hometown, I’m prepared to find new places to make memories moving forward. To my fellow Unleasheders, thank you for making my one year in the program such a blast. Keep up the great writing and stay passionate. | https://www.yakimaherald.com/unleashed/columnists/a-graduates-farewell-to-her-most-memorable-places-in-yakima/article_fd415290-5bfe-5387-8f10-0e20ad0ce1a3.html | 2022-08-21T09:31:41Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/unleashed/columnists/a-graduates-farewell-to-her-most-memorable-places-in-yakima/article_fd415290-5bfe-5387-8f10-0e20ad0ce1a3.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Editor’s note: This is the final story in a three-part series looking at greenwashing, the practice by some clothing companies of creating false environmentally friendly claims about their products.
In this day and age, we’d all like to think we can trust the word of a brand or think that its business model is doing what’s best for us and the planet.
Sadly, that’s not the case. With fast fashion and micro trends flooding social media, the output for clothing is insane and growing. At this rate, according to the World Resources Institute, roughly 20 pieces of clothing per person are manufactured each year. So, with approximately 7.96 billion people in the world, that makes 159.2 billion garments per year.
And that scary number is on track to grow even more. Scary numbers aside, how can you do your part while purchasing clothes?
1. Demand more of brands.
Spread awareness and advocate for fair treatment of garment workers. Pressure brands to be transparent on their production process, sourcing, treatment of animals and environmental impact. Have more conversations on these issues, and use your platform (big or small) to shed more light on them.
2. Be prepared to spend more on truly sustainable and ethical garments.
Support local designers and small businesses! Some of them offer items that are handmade with love and, most likely, local and truly sustainably sourced materials. They are a part of the environmental fashion movement and deserve your hard-earned money and some extra love for keeping the planet a little greener and kinder.
However, their products take time to make. (That’s why it’s called “slow fashion.”) And, sustainable materials aren’t cheap. So be prepared to pay more than you would on a fast fashion item.
3. Don’t feel guilty if you can’t afford pricey sustainable garments. Get them secondhand instead.
Never feel guilty if you can’t afford to buy a handmade garment off of Etsy. A more affordable option is to buy clothes secondhand. It’s a great way to prolong the life of a piece, it doesn’t hurt your wallet and it doesn’t hurt the planet. Producing more seems pointless when there’s plenty of items here. | https://www.yakimaherald.com/unleashed/columnists/greenwashing-101-being-a-more-conscious-consumer/article_644574f2-6835-557c-8113-adc9f2932177.html | 2022-08-21T09:31:47Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/unleashed/columnists/greenwashing-101-being-a-more-conscious-consumer/article_644574f2-6835-557c-8113-adc9f2932177.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Forth Road Bridge: Free tours and chance to win trip to top of one of bridge’s main tower
The Forth Road Bridge is to open its doors to the public next month - with free guided tours to parts of the structure normally hidden from view, and the chance to win a trip to the top of one of the main towers.
The landmark structure forms part of Doors Open Day, and the tours are free.
They take place on Saturday, September 24 when the Forth Bridges exhibition at Transport Scotland’s Contact and Education Centre will also be open to the public and feature special exhibits and educational activities.
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Andy Thompson, BEAR Scotland’s operating company representative for South East Scotland, said: “We’re delighted to be able to welcome visitors back to the Forth Road Bridge on Doors Open Day after having to close our doors during the pandemic.
“Our guided minibus tours will give the public a rare chance to visit parts of this famous bridge normally hidden from view, and to hear from experienced members of staff who have worked on the structure for many years.”
Guided minibus tours will depart every 15 minutes from the bridge office in South Queensferry. Tours will last one hour, stopping at points of interest along the deck before visiting one of the anchorage chambers on the north side of the bridge.
Places are limited and advance booking is recommended by emailing
Everyone who attends will have the chance to enter a charity prize draw for a once-in-a-lifetime trip for two to the top of the bridge’s main towers.
To book, email [email protected], specifying whether you prefer to visit in the morning or afternoon. | https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/people/forth-road-bridge-free-tours-and-chance-to-win-trip-to-top-of-one-of-bridges-main-tower-3813690 | 2022-08-21T09:40:05Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/people/forth-road-bridge-free-tours-and-chance-to-win-trip-to-top-of-one-of-bridges-main-tower-3813690 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
KAUAI (KITV)- The future of the Coco Palms Resort could be decided this week, as the Kauai Planning Commission goes over its annual status report on Tuesday. Activists are not only going to protest the new 350-room hotel taking its place, they will also file paperwork against the project's permits.
"This is significant to all Hawaiians everywhere. The site is one of the most historical and important sites for political religious practice in Hawaii," said Fern A Holland who is part of the I Ola Wailuanui Working Group that's against a new hotel being built at the former Coco Palms Hotel location on Kauai.
The future of the location is up for discussion at the latest Planning Commission set for Tuesday. Besides being in Elvis's iconic movie Blue Hawaii, the location of the hotel has a long and contentious history. Last year it was up for auction, after the developer defaulted. Now with a new developer still planning a 350-room hotel there, questions remain on what's to come.
"During the expansion of Coco Palms in the 1970's , there were 34 bodies removed from the marked burial mound that was mapped in that area. So obviously there is significance that Iwi Kapuna are still buried on that property," said Holland.
A source with knowledge of the project who wishes to remain anonymous, says the new developers have a burial plan in place. Those locations will be protected. Construction will involve building floating slabs on top of dirt, not on digging into the ground. As for the 2 historic fish ponds used in the Movie Blue Hawaii, that's also been planned.
"Elvis was paddled in the wedding scene in those around in those ponds. But they were actually really important fish ponds for the east side of Kauai. Part of the historical significance of that is these 800 estimated year old fish ponds," said Holland.
The inside source tells us those lagoons are registered as historic. New plans include hand cleaning and preserving those spots. "We'd like to see this place turned into a culture center and really acknowledge the rich history it has," said Holland.
The same source tells us the new developer also sees a cultural center on a portion of the property. Plans are to work on that with the community.
"We are dealing with this major landfill issue. We don't want all of that concrete from Coco Palms to end up in our landfill," said Holland. The inside source tells us the plan for demolished cement involves turning it into gravel to fill under the parking lot, and to recycled it into future cement mix.
Jefferson Tyler joined KITV after a lengthy stint in Reno, Nev. where he covered a variety of subjects. From wildfires to presidential elections, Jefferson takes pride in creating balanced stories that keep viewers’ attentions. | https://www.kitv.com/news/business/coco-palms-resort-update/article_728da584-212a-11ed-84aa-8fac0e70a57a.html | 2022-08-21T09:57:49Z | kitv.com | control | https://www.kitv.com/news/business/coco-palms-resort-update/article_728da584-212a-11ed-84aa-8fac0e70a57a.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
For a talented group of Vienna Little League All-Stars, one perfect season was followed by another, with the second and most recent being the more accomplished.
This summer, the age 9-11 Vienna American baseball team, nicknamed the “Big Red Machine,” finished 17-0 and won district, state and region tournament championships, outscoring opponents 194-33 with two shutouts. The campaign was capped when Vienna won the Tournament of State Champions Southeast Region competition in Wilson, N.C., nipping Greenville, N.C., 2-1, in the title game to finish 5-0 in the event.
Vienna closed the game’s final two innings of the region final with double plays.
The last time a Vienna Little League team won a region tournament was in 1972, when the Vienna National Majors squad advanced to play in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.There is no World Series at the 9-10 Little League all-star level.
Last summer, the same group of Vienna American players finished 13-0, winning district and state tournaments. The region was not held because of the pandemic.
“This team has played just out of its mind,” Vienna American manager Chris Leggett said. “Going 30-0 over two seasons is impressively impressive. We have been dominant. It’s been a heck of a run.”
Vienna American scored double-digit runs in 10 of its 17 games this summer, including as many as 24 in one contest, 17 in two others, 16 in one and 13 in four more.
The team finished 5-0 in both the state and region tournaments and 7-0 in the District 4 tourney.
The team did have some close games other than the region final, trailing 6-0 in the district final against Reston National, before rallying to win, 17-6. In the state semifinal against Atlee, Vienna American broke a 2-2 tie to win, 6-2, then blanked York, 3-0, in the final.
Players were Ryne Aimone, Charlie Jreige, Brady Kang, Jack Kang, Adam Kressin, Paxton Leon, Case McClure, Adam Moser, Carson Park, Brayden Powell, Aiden Raines, Bradley Schroeder and Sean Ying.
Leggett said the team was balanced, with hitting its strongest asset.
“Up and down the order, this team hits and the offense is relentless,” Leggett said. “Rallies start anywhere in the order, and we have bulldogs on the mound.”
The team’s biggest win, a “dog fight” Leggett called it, was in the region final. The region tourney produced the toughest competition with the majority of the teams being state champions.
McClure (first baseman/pitcher) was the Most Valuable Player of the region tournament. He went 9 for 17 with 15 RBI in the five games. The hits included a three-double, eight-RBI performance in a 13-6 semifinal win over Georgia, and a game-tying home run in the final against North Carolina.
Leon pitched the regional final, going 51/3 innings and giving up just one run (in the first inning) on five hits. He fanned six.
Kang was strong on the mound in the region semifinals, shutting out a heavy-hitting Georgia team into the fourth inning. Playing third, he started the double play that ended the region final.
Kressin, at shortstop, led the defense with many standout plays and was the closer on the mound in the region final.
Ying was the leadoff hitter and delivered one-out RBI double in the bottom of the fifth in the region final to give Vienna American the 2-1 lead.
Scott Leishear and Steve Tucker were the two coaches of record.
“They are a group that truly enjoys representing the town of Vienna,” Leggett said about the team.
NOTES: Leggett has won six state titles over the years as an all-star manager of Vienna Little League teams. Leishear and Tucker have coached with him all along. The region title was the staff’s first . . . Coincidently, that 1972 region champion Vienna National All-Star team was honored, with some of the players on hand, during Vienna Little League’s opening-day ceremonies a few months ago in April to kickoff the 2022 season. | https://www.insidenova.com/sports/vienna-american-all-stars-win-region-finish-17-0/article_e33ba9c8-20f0-11ed-a994-0fccb51614bc.html | 2022-08-21T10:09:18Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/sports/vienna-american-all-stars-win-region-finish-17-0/article_e33ba9c8-20f0-11ed-a994-0fccb51614bc.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Yorktown Patriots took a break from their regular afternoon practice routine Aug. 17 when the high-school football team participated in the first of what will be a weekly off-field Wednesday event, by listening to a guest speaker discuss various issues and topics.
The event, titled Patriot Pride Wednesday, was the idea of Yorktown director of student activities Michael Krulfeld, and the Aug. 17 session was arranged by Patriots’ head football coach Bruce Hanson. During the gatherings, teams will discuss various topics and issues and maybe break into small groups. Other Yorktown teams do the same.
That Aug. 17 speaker for the football team – with the varsity, junior-varsity and freshman squads attending – was Warren Winston. He was the first African-American scholarship football player at the College of William and Mary in 1968, where he was a roommate of Hanson’s and became an All-Southern Conference defensive back.
“I was happy to have a roommate like Bruce Hanson,” said Winston, who drew laughs when he showed the players a black-and-white photo of Hanson when he played at William and Mary. “We talked a lot and about a lot of different things, not just football.”
Prior to playing at William and Mary, Winston played football at John Marshall High School in Richmond, where he was a standout multiple-sport athlete.
Winston told the Yorktown teams how he developed a passion for football at a young age, always attending Friday-night high-school games in Richmond with his father. He remembers attending a popular and annual Thanksgiving weekend football showdown between two all-black high-school teams that drew some 30,000 spectators.
When he eventually played in high school, Winston become the Most Valuable Player at John Marshall.
At William and Mary, Winston was called a pioneer and trailblazer, where he played for legendary head coaches Lou Holtz and Marv Levy. He recalled how it was important to him to attend a school with such high academic standards.
Winston touched on social issues, including racism, school segregation and now the diversity of schools.
“You all can’t relate to segregated schools because schools are different now, and that’s a good thing,” Winston said. “Today, diversity is a part of your strength.”
He heavily emphasized the importance of being a strong team player, and that all players should give their all in each practice and game.
“You have heard that ‘team’ means ‘together each achieves more,’ ” Winston said. “That’s the attitude I had, and I hope you all will have that now.”
After his playing career, Winston coached football at Bowie State University in Maryland for five years, where he also was a sociology professor. Six years ago, he retired after a 30-year career in the financial-services industry.
Winston said he hopes to attend a Yorktown football game this fall. | https://www.insidenova.com/sports/yorktown-players-get-a-lesson-in-sports-life/article_5ee6daf2-20f1-11ed-b0bb-5bf6c0117ae3.html | 2022-08-21T10:09:24Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/sports/yorktown-players-get-a-lesson-in-sports-life/article_5ee6daf2-20f1-11ed-b0bb-5bf6c0117ae3.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A whole lot of words about a group of people that make no sense to me.
In June 1998, a group of gay and lesbian conservatives, pushing for greater representation at the Texas Republican Party convention in Fort Worth, found themselves in a frightening clash with members of their own party.
Members of the Log Cabin Republicans were protesting at the gathering of party faithful after a state GOP official made offensive comments comparing the group to the Ku Klux Klan and pedophiles. The group was also protesting the rejection of their request to host a booth at the convention — the second time in a row they’d been denied — where they hoped to share information about their organization.
Counterprotesters surrounded the Log Cabin members, wielding signs with homophobic slurs and phrases like “The Gay Life = AIDS Then Hell.” They pushed and spat and shoved their fingers in the faces of the gay Republicans.
Richard Tafel, the former executive director of the national Log Cabin Republicans which bills itself as the “nation’s largest Republican organization dedicated to representing LGBT conservatives and allies,” attended the Texas convention that year and recalls thinking he was in serious danger as they advocated for respect from members of their own party.
“We’re here to draw the line,” Tafel declared at the protest. “No more hatred, no more hatred in the name of God. And we won’t be silenced.”
A counterprotester threw a sign at his face.
“It was a tornado of emotion, volatile and dangerous, ready to touch down and sweep us all away at any moment. I was afraid for my own safety and that of others,” wrote Dale Carpenter, a former president of Log Cabin Republicans of Texas, in a newsletter later that year.
Ultimately, no one was injured that day. But it was a vivid display of homophobia within the party.
More than two decades later, this year’s Texas Republican convention made headlines again for its attitudes toward LGBTQ people. The party adopted a platform in June at its convention in Houston declaring that “homosexuality is an abnormal lifestyle choice.” That party position comes after similar language had been stripped from the platform just four years earlier, representing a backward step for Log Cabin members who have for years been fighting for acceptance within their ranks.
Gay Republicans who have fought for acceptance within the Texas GOP over the past three decades told The Texas Tribune progress has been excruciatingly slow. Many of them have left the party, even as the number of Log Cabin Republicans in Texas continues to grow.
“I do not believe that we made any progress. In fact, I think the party got worse,” Carpenter, who is no longer involved in party politics, said of his time as the state’s Log Cabin president.
I won’t argue with that. I can understand being gay and conservative, in the old-school business-friendly Republican sense of that word. Lower taxes, fewer regulations, less government – not my cup of chamomile, but I can see the argument. I can’t understand why any LGBTQ person today would want to associate themselves with the Republican Party, given not just the platform of the deranged Texas GOP but the legislative and legal actions being taken by Republican politicians and candidates and supporters around the country. It’s not a matter of worldviews, it’s a matter of the party not wanting you to exist. Read on for more of where these folks, many of whom like Dale Carpenter no longer identify as Republican, came from and where they are now.
(NB: The story has some quotes from Marco Roberts, the former state chair for Log Cabin. I’ve been on “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” on Houston Matters with Marco a number of times, including earlier this month. He’s an affable and thoughtful person and I enjoy being on those segments with him. I hadn’t actually realized he was former Log Cabin until I read this story, even though the intro line that host Craig Cohen uses for him changed – it used to credit him with that association. I was thinking about him as I started reading this story and just wanted to mention that here.) | http://www.offthekuff.com/wp/?p=106333 | 2022-08-21T10:19:51Z | offthekuff.com | control | http://www.offthekuff.com/wp/?p=106333 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
As you know, 23 of the 24 women who had filed lawsuits against Deshaun Watson for sexual harassment and assault have settled those cases. The one who has not settled now tells us why.
>Deshaun Watson and the NFL agreed to an 11-game suspension and $5 million fine Thursday after 24 massage therapists filed civil suits accusing him of sexual assault in sessions with them while he was with the Houston Texans. Twenty-three of those 24 civil suits have been settled with undisclosed agreements, but there’s one case still pending, and the woman behind that suit spoke out Friday in the form of an essay for The Daily Beast.“I have rejected all settlement offers, in part because they have not included any sincere acknowledgment of remorse and wrongdoings, nor have they included any promises of rehabilitative treatment,” Lauren Baxley wrote. “Watson still refuses to admit that he harassed and committed indecent assault against me. Any settlement offer he has made has been a dismissal of his evil actions, and I know that unless there is an authoritative intervention, he will continue his destructive behavior.”
The Houston Chronicle typically does not identify victims of alleged sexual assault or harassment. Baxley has publicly identified herself.
Watson has denied the allegations against him and stuck to that talking point even after agreeing to the 11-game suspension.
“I’ve always been able to stand on my innocence and always said I never assaulted or disrespected anyone. But at the same point, I have to continue to push forward with my life and career,” Watson told reporters at Browns training camp Thursday.
[…]
“I will say again: All non-consensual sexual acts are a violence, particularly when the predator far outweighs his victims in physical stature and influential power,” Baxley wrote for The Daily Beast. “And inherent and unspoken threats are just as damaging to the psyche as explicit threats. I will never cease my attempts to educate on this point.”
Baxley’s essay in the Daily Beast is subscription-only, so this is the best I can do. All I can say here is that I wish her all the success in the world. She deserves her chance to get whatever accountability there is to be had. | http://www.offthekuff.com/wp/?p=106652 | 2022-08-21T10:19:59Z | offthekuff.com | control | http://www.offthekuff.com/wp/?p=106652 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
But not without some bitching and griping.
Harris County Commissioners Court voted Thursday to put a $1.2 billion package on the November ballot this year, with the vast majority aimed at road construction.
Tensions flared when Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo cut off questions and moved forward with a vote over the protests of the two Republican commissioners, who were in the midst of arguing the bond measure lacked transparency and the plan for distributing the funds was unclear.
The debate grew heated after Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey raised his voice demanding transparency, earning loud applause from members of the public in attendance.
Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle insisted Hidalgo explain how the county would decide where the money goes, and what it meant for the county to prioritize areas deemed most in need: “What is ‘worst first’? What is the definition?”
“I am voting for this because I believe your precinct needs this money,” Hidalgo shot back, arguing the money would benefit all precincts.
When Hidalgo abruptly moved ahead with the vote, leaving Cagle uncertain about whether he had missed the opportunity to oppose the measure, the commissioner asked, “Do I not even get to vote on calling this?”
Faced with Ramsey and Cagle’s rising frustration, Hidalgo insisted members of the court “have had hours of discussion on this” at previous meetings.
The two Republicans criticized Hidalgo for cutting off further debate to take the vote.
“When those who are elected with the responsibility of delving into questions to be asked aren’t even allowed to debate those issues at the table, that’s wrong,” Cagle said.
The decision to place the debt issue before voters required the court to vote on three separate bond issues. Each was approved along party lines with the three Democrats voting in favor and the two Republicans opposed.
Likewise, the November ballot will include three separate bond requests: $900 million earmarked for roads; $200 million for parks; $100 million for public safety bonds.
See here for the background. I’m sure you’ll be shocked to hear that I don’t give Commissioners Ramsey and Cagle’s complaints much weight. I don’t trust them to be acting in good faith. What I hear in their words is a demand for reassurance that their needs will be given priority, as this had been the way of the world for however many decades of bond issuances before now. Any indication otherwise, that more neglected areas will come first, or that people will be given equal or greater value than property values, is unacceptable. They may have some legitimate objections in there. That’s not what I’m hearing from them. | http://www.offthekuff.com/wp/?p=106661 | 2022-08-21T10:20:07Z | offthekuff.com | control | http://www.offthekuff.com/wp/?p=106661 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Happy Sunday! We are starting the day with overcast skies and patchy fog. Visibility could be less than a mile at times, so take it easy if you are going to be on the roadways this morning. Areas of fog will dissipate by 9 AM, but the cloud cover will stick around for much of the day. The persistent cloud cover will once again keep highs in the low-80s. A few spotty showers will be around this morning, with a better chance of storms arriving later this evening. There is a marginal (level 1/5) risk for severe storms today, with the primary threat being damaging wind gusts. Rain chances will continue into the overnight hours as temperatures drop back into the 70s.
A few showers will linger into Monday morning before drier air moves back into the area. The best chance of rain will be in our Alabama and Georgia counties. Highs will range from the low to mid-80s.
Tuesday and Wednesday are looking dry with only a slim chance of a pop-up shower. Temperatures will be slightly warmer as highs reach the mid to upper-80s. Scattered storm chances will return by the end of the week.
For the latest, download the Local 3 Weather app. | https://www.local3news.com/local-weather/another-round-of-showers-and-storms-today/article_d637aeb2-2063-11ed-b95d-3bc79481cd19.html | 2022-08-21T10:20:26Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/local-weather/another-round-of-showers-and-storms-today/article_d637aeb2-2063-11ed-b95d-3bc79481cd19.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Charlie’s First Alert Forecast: Upper 80s this afternoon will spark storms
Rain chances stick around as stationary front hugs the coast
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - The showers and storms brought to the East by the presence of a stationary front near the coast yesterday will linger through today. Highs will benefit from some early morning sunshine, reaching the mid to upper 80s during the early afternoon. This additional heat will help spark a few more afternoon thunderstorms, however the threat of severe weather will remain low. Winds out of the southwest will also help bolster our afternoon highs, ranging between 5 to 10 mph for most.
The damp pattern will hold through the following work week as the stalled front remains parked near our coast. The consistency of the clouds and rain will keep our daytime highs between 80-85° and overnight lows between 70-75°. The persistence of the rain will help reduce our chances of severe weather on a daily basis. Daily rainfall totals will range between 0.25-0.50 inches. The threat of severe weather will be low due to the consistent nature of the rain.
TROPICS: A tropical wave over the southern Gulf of Mexico has developed into Potential Tropical Cyclone Four, however the NHC is now suggesting the system will fail to gain the name of Danielle. It made landfall early this morning near Brownsville, TX. The system will die out rapidly now that it has moved onshore and shows zero chance of impacting Eastern NC.
Sunday
Partly to mostly cloudy with scattered showers and storms. High: 88. Wind SW 5-10. Rain chance 60%.
Monday
Building clouds with afternoon showers and storms. High of 80. Wind S 5-10. Rain chance 70%.
Tuesday
Mostly cloudy skies with scattered showers and storms. High of 82. Wind S 5-10. Rain chance 60%.
Wednesday
Partly to mostly cloudy with scattered showers. High of 85. Wind SW 5-10. Rain chance 40%.
Thursday
Mostly cloudy with rain showers. High of 84. Wind SE 5-10. Rain chance 60%.
Copyright 2022 WITN. All rights reserved. | https://www.witn.com/2022/08/21/charlies-first-alert-forecast-upper-80s-this-afternoon-will-spark-storms/ | 2022-08-21T10:40:57Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/2022/08/21/charlies-first-alert-forecast-upper-80s-this-afternoon-will-spark-storms/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
220819-N-GP384-1165 MEDITERRANEAN SEA (Aug. 19, 2022) Yeoman 3rd Class Brianna Eneas Patmon, from Houston, revises overseas screening paperwork aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), Aug. 19, 2022. The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., allied and partner interests. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jack Hoppe)
This work, The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., allied and partner interests. [Image 22 of 22], by SN Jack Hoppe, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7380619/harry-s-truman-carrier-strike-group-scheduled-deployment-us-naval-forces-europe-area | 2022-08-21T10:46:34Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7380619/harry-s-truman-carrier-strike-group-scheduled-deployment-us-naval-forces-europe-area | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
220819-N-TO573-1054 MEDITERRANEAN SEA (Aug. 19, 2022) Seaman Mario Martinez, from Bayamen, Puerto Rico, stands fantail lookout aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) Aug. 19, 2022. The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., allied and partner interests. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Charles Blaine)
This work, The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., allied and partner interests. [Image 22 of 22], by SN Charles Blaine, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7380623/harry-s-truman-carrier-strike-group-scheduled-deployment-us-naval-forces-europe-area | 2022-08-21T10:46:58Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7380623/harry-s-truman-carrier-strike-group-scheduled-deployment-us-naval-forces-europe-area | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
220820-N-TO573-1028 MEDITERRANEAN SEA (Aug. 20 , 2022) An MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter, assigned to the "Dragonslayers" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 11, delivers supplies to the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) during a replenishment-at-sea with the Supply-class fast combat support ship USNS Supply (T-AOE 6), Aug. 20, 2022. The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., Allied and Partner interests. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Charles Blaine)
This work, The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., allied and partner interests. [Image 22 of 22], by SN Charles Blaine, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7380630/harry-s-truman-carrier-strike-group-scheduled-deployment-us-naval-forces-europe-area | 2022-08-21T10:47:41Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7380630/harry-s-truman-carrier-strike-group-scheduled-deployment-us-naval-forces-europe-area | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MOSCOW — The daughter of a Russian nationalist ideologist who is often referred to as "Putin's brain" was killed when her car exploded on the outskirts of Moscow, officials said Sunday.
The Investigative Committee branch for the Moscow region said the Saturday night blast was caused by a bomb planted in the SUV driven by Daria Dugina.
The 29-year-old was the daughter of Alexander Dugin, a prominent proponent of the "Russian world" concept ideology and a vehement supporter of Russia's sending of troops into Ukraine.
Dugina expressed similar views and had appeared as a commentator on the nationalist TV channel Tsargrad.
"Dasha, like her father, has always been at the forefront of confrontation with the West," Tsargrad said on Sunday, using the familiar form of her name.
The explosion took place as Dugina was returning from a cultural festival she had attended with her father. Some Russian media reports cited witnesses as saying the vehicle belonged to her father and that he had decided at the last minute to travel in another car.
No suspects were immediately identified. But Denis Pushilin, president of the separatist Donetsk People's Republic that is a focus of Russia's fighting in Ukraine, blamed it on "terrorists of the Ukrainian regime, trying to kill Alexander Dugin."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.klcc.org/npr-news/npr-news/2022-08-21/daughter-of-putins-brain-ideologist-killed-in-car-blast | 2022-08-21T10:49:39Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-news/npr-news/2022-08-21/daughter-of-putins-brain-ideologist-killed-in-car-blast | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
3 players that stood out in 49ers’ preseason win over Vikings
“A three-play sequence in the first quarter was a good example of Jackson’s impact. Lined up over the left tackle, Jackson beat his man for a QB hit leading to an incompletion, pursued hard across the line of scrimmage to tackle the running back and got enough pressure on a stunt to cause an interception.”
Javon Kinlaw, 3 rookies among the 49ers’ standouts in preseason win over Vikings (paywall)
“Kinlaw played nearly until the end of the first half. Shanahan said his playing time was unique among probable Week 1 starters because of the recency of Kinlaw’s knee injury and the team’s odd travel schedule. They were scheduled to arrive in the Bay Area around 3 a.m. Sunday. Then they’ll get back on a plane Wednesday for the preseason finale against the Texans the next day. He said Kinlaw likely wouldn’t play in that game.”
Branch: 49ers’ Javon Kinlaw, Drake Jackson disruptive in preseason win at Minnesota (paywall)
“Jackson beat left tackle Olisaemeka Udoh with an inside speed move and was bearing down on quarterback Kellen Mond when he ran into a 6-foot-5, 319-pound obstacle. It was Kinlaw, still massive but more streamlined this summer, who bull-rushed his way past right guard Ed Ingram and dropped Mond for an 11-yard sack.”
“There were four pre-snap penalties in the first half alone and several dropped passes. The 49ers don’t have much time before traveling to Houston to get a lot of practice in but they will have 17 days to prepare for Week 1 after they return to Santa Clara.”
Thoughts and notes from 49ers Week 2 preseason game vs. Vikings
“It was a defensive slugfest that matched the tenor of the joint practices the teams ran together Wednesday and Thursday before the game. Both defensive lines dominated, but a couple 49ers takeaways were the difference.”
“Javon Kinlaw unveiled a new inside pass-rush move which he used to beat backup guard Ed Ingram and sack backup quarterback Kellen Mond. Kinlaw reportedly weighs 292 pounds and seems much more explosive than the past two seasons.” | https://www.ninersnation.com/2022/8/21/23314938/49ers-news-javon-kinlaw-minnesota-preseason-defensive-line-brock-purdy-nate-sudfeld-backup-qb-trey | 2022-08-21T10:50:28Z | ninersnation.com | control | https://www.ninersnation.com/2022/8/21/23314938/49ers-news-javon-kinlaw-minnesota-preseason-defensive-line-brock-purdy-nate-sudfeld-backup-qb-trey | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A brand-new laser quest venue has opened in Dover. 'Shock em laser tag' opened last Thursday (August 11) and promises an experience - with a (literal) shocking twist.
Players taking part in a game at the Biggin Street venue will receive a slight shock from their gun when they are hit. And those who have already visited say it adds to the 'amazing' experience.
Positive reviews have flooded, with players describing the games "great value for money" and a great experience for friends and family. Which is exactly what owner James Defriend wanted.
READ MORE: Tyber's Rum Bar: The new Tunbridge Wells rum bar packing out the dance floor and bringing good times
James, a local businessman and dad-of-six from Dover, said he thought there was not enough for kids and families to do in the town. He said he initially explored ideas of opening a bowling alley or a mini golf course, but settled on laser tag.
He was contacted by Biggin BizR Dover and offered a large warehouse, which he described as a "blank canvas". He teamed up with other local businesses including Hayden Brothers IT Consultancy, to create the venue.
James said: "We are so excited for the future, our reviews are excellent, and it's just so lovely seeing people having such a wonderful time together and in our very own town. The support from local people has been incredible, quite overwhelming and I'm very proud of everyone involved.
"I have loved this town since I was a small child and thought we should all realise that by coming together as a community, we can all achieve amazing things."
Shock Em laser tag visitors can play two 5-minute games for £6 per person or five games for £10 per person. The layout is constantly evolving and James says it is a "must visit" for everyone in east Kent.
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- The special reason this is TripAdvisor's favourite Tunbridge Wells' café | https://www.kentlive.news/whats-on/family-kids/new-laser-tag-venue-shocking-7487276 | 2022-08-21T10:50:28Z | kentlive.news | control | https://www.kentlive.news/whats-on/family-kids/new-laser-tag-venue-shocking-7487276 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Buhari witnesses unveiling of NEMA’s food items distributed to 149,448 IDPs
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) at the weekend concluded distribution of food items to about 149,448 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) living in 18 camps, both liberated and host communities in Borno State.
The relief distribution was carriedout in the week of the World Humanitarian Day, which was also celebrated in Nigeria. President Muhammadu Buhari at the occasion in Maiduguri, Borno State, unveiled relief materials delivered by NEMA for further distribution to the IDPs. The materials consisted of food and non-food items.
The unveiling was part of events organized by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development that was hosted by the Borno State Government.
The items distributed by NEMA during the week were 24, 908 bags of rice; 24, 908 bags of beans and 24, 908 bags of maize.
The distribution also included 2,409 cartons of seasoning; 2,075 cartons of tin tomato; 1 245 bags of salt and 2,409 kegs of vegetables oil.
The National Emergency Management Agency, on behalf of the Federal Government has been providing the IDPs with the monthly supplies to the camps, host and liberated communities.
The camps are located at Madinatu, Muna Garage, Goni Kachala, Customs House and Shuwari Ngom areas of Maiduguri.
The host communities consisted of Kusheri, Polo St. Hillary, New Prison, Suleimanti, El-Yakub, Filin Ball, Bulabulin Ngarnam Khurso Bashar and Wagami. The liberated communities comprised of Benisheik, Mainok and Jakana.
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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. | https://tribuneonlineng.com/buhari-witnesses-unveiling-of-nemas-food-items-distributed-to-149448-idps/ | 2022-08-21T11:19:58Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/buhari-witnesses-unveiling-of-nemas-food-items-distributed-to-149448-idps/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
In 2010, former president of the United States of America, Barack Obama, said that Nigeria “is critical to the rest of the continent and if Nigeria does not get it right, Africa will really not make more progress.” This speaks of the expectations of the world for Nigeria. Across the globe, Nigeria is perceived as the natural leader of Africa. The world has hinged its hope of Africa’s freedom from stagnation, underdevelopment, illiteracy, hunger and unemployment on Nigeria. The general belief is that if Nigeria should extricate herself from these ills, she would free other African countries from the shackles.
The hope is not misplaced given the country’s natural resources. Nigeria is the most populated country on the continent; it is also one of the most endowed in the world. Nigeria is rich in crude oil, natural gas, gold, bitumen, tin, coal, iron ore, limestone, niobium, lead and zinc. The country is blessed with an arable land which facilitates the cultivation of both cash and food crops. Nigeria also has a stock of great people who stand out in different aspects of human endeavours. This is a rare combination that should have made Nigeria a super power. But in spite of all these endowments and the derivable benefits, misery has become the permanent partner of the average citizen.
Nigeria is a paradox; so wealthy, yet so poor; so endowed, yet so deprived. Nigeria makes more money than many countries of the world but is unfortunately ranked among the poorest because many Nigerians live below the poverty line as they earn less than two dollars a day. According to the World Poverty Clock, Nigeria is home to the second highest number of people living in extreme poverty on the globe, second only to India.
Similarly, a United Nations report on Nigeria’s Common Country Analysis, says youth unemployment is 42 per cent, while the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) puts the number of out of school children at over 10.5million. Infant mortality rate is 85.8 of 1000 live births, while the country has the highest rate of under-five mortality in the world. Malnutrition prevalence, according to the UN, ranges between approximately 46.9 per cent in the South West to 74.3 per cent in North West and North East.
But this was not so in the beginning. Nigeria was not the world’s laughing stock in the beginning; neither was she the poster boy for failure and misery. Nigeria beat France in the race to establishing a television station in 1959. Poverty level was very low at independence in 1960, according to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics. Unemployment rate was quite negligible in 1960. At independence, the education system was excellent, just as the healthcare system. Security of life and property was assured. If Nigerians had to travel out of the country for anything in the 1960s, they were quick to return home. But not anymore, life in Nigeria has lost its luster. Living in Nigeria is hellish. According to the Institute for Economics and Peace in its 2019 Global peace Index report, Nigeria is one of the most dangerous countries in the world. So bad is the health sector now that Nigerians have been turned to health tourists as they seek healing in different hospitals from Ghana to Togo, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Israel, India, United Kingdom, France and the United States of America.
How did we arrive here? Why has Nigeria, with all the treasures locked in her belly, been unable to shake off the ‘underdeveloped country’ tag?
The difference between the First Republic Nigeria and the Nigeria of today is planning. Nigeria’s slide from the sublime to the ridiculous started with the failure of the country to plan its development. This is the major reason for the poor economy, deplorable infrastructure deficit, high level of poverty and unemployment as well as the rising out of school children syndrome.
But this doesn’t have to remain the narrative. We can change our story. We can change our experience. We can have a reenactment of the First Republic Nigeria or even something better. To change the current trend, we have to retrace our steps and do the right things. Great countries don’t just emerge, they are birthed. The process of birthing a great country starts with planning and taking concrete steps to actualize the plans. When countries plan and work their plans, they become great. On the contrary, when a country fails to plan, the only way for it to go is down.
As disappointed as I am with the present state of the country, I am of the persuasion that a better Nigeria is possible. If our leaders will stop being politicians and transform into statesmen, then they will be more focused on the wellbeing of the nation than on their personal comfort.
Leaders make things happen. When Nigerian leaders shun cognitive dissonance, when they act in line with their expressed vision, take charge of the country and run it profitably; when they run with great plans and work the plans, when they provide needed infrastructure and emplace clement environment, then the country’s narrative will change, productivity will escalate, poverty will decline, life of the average Nigerian will get better, the slumbering giant will be roused and Africa will experience liberation.
If we start doing the right things now, though our country lies prostrate today, it will stand tall soon and stand out if we persist. Yes, a great and prosperous Nigeria is possible. The time to start is now so that our future can be a departure from the excruciating experience of the moment.
It is possible. It is achievable. The time to start is now!
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
We will be using Tinubu’s O lu’le, emi lo kan, eleyi for politics — Obasanjo
NIGERIA’S former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, said that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has introduced new vocabulary into the nation’s political discourse….
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THE second term bid of Governor ‘Seyi Makinde of Oyo State received a massive boost on Friday, as the Council of Obas in the state declared its support for the governor, stating that the good works being done by the administration across the state should continue beyond 2023.…..
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A lot of effort goes into planning a wedding. From the choice of event centres to the choice of the bride and groom’s wears, to the picking a colour for invited guests to the decision on the meals to be served for the day, and so on.… | https://tribuneonlineng.com/lets-start-rebuilding-nigeria/ | 2022-08-21T11:20:18Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/lets-start-rebuilding-nigeria/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The headline above is not originally mine. Rather, it is the title of an online publication by ng.news247.com on 30th May, 2021, the eve of Osodeke’s election as the president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), taking over the mantle of leadership from Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi. Osodeke, a professor of Soil Science at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, was ASUU vice president. The ng.news247.com publication was, obviously, meant as an expose on Osodeke and a warning to ASUU members and students alike on what to expect from the new ASUU president. Osodeke landed the plum job of ASUU president on the 31st of May, 2021 and the rest, as they say, is history.
The ng.news247.com publication on Osodeke ran as follows: “Ngnews247 reports that Osodeke has a running battle with the management of Michael Okpara University where he works, prompting a movement known as Coalition to Save Michael Okpara University (MOUA), to have once alleged (that) “his ambition of becoming the National President of ASUU should be checkmated …”
Osodeke, however, emerged at the National Conference following the end to the tenure of Prof. BiodunOgunyemi, promising that the struggles of the union for better funding of the sector and treatment of its members will continue during his tenure. Osodeke took over from Ogunyemi who led ASUU during a period it engaged the government in a long battle for better funding of the sector, welfare demands and the call for the abrogation of the contentious Integrated Payroll Personnel and Information System, IPPIS.
Prof. Ogunyemi’s tenure had the longest strike due to Covid-19. A member of the Save Michael Okpara University, however, told Ngnews247 that the longest strike during Ogunyemi’s tenure will be a child’s play during the tenure of Osodeke…all students of the universities in Nigeria should get set for a long strike…
Professor Osodeke couldn’t be reached for comments on this. He was, however, reported at the conference to have promised that the “struggle of the union for better funding of the sector and treatment of his members will continue during his tenure.”
I edited out a lot of allegations made against Osodeke in that report for obvious reasons. Let us begin by agreeing with Osodeke and, indeed with ASUU generally, that the struggle for better funding of education and for better treatment of ASUU members is a just struggle that must be supported by any right-thinking fellow. No nation progresses better than whatever progress it is able to make in its education sector. Whoever you are and whatever you become in life, education, whether formal or informal, plays a pivotal role. As it is with individuals, so also it is with nations. So, it is foolhardy to think you can move a nation and its people forward when you retard their educational advancement.
Have we asked ourselves why Nigerians excel abroad, performing exploits that are hard to come by at home and holding their own against the best of other nations? It is because of the favourable enabling environment abroad, chief of which is the quality education and training facilities which are available abroad but lacking here. And it is not as if this is rocket science. Our leaders go abroad and see these facilities. They go abroad to enjoy them and they send their children to the best schools abroad to benefit from the best educational and training facilities on offer there but neglect, out of sheer wickedness and selfishness, to replicate the same here. Instead, they steal the monies that should have gone into providing free and quality education here.
Our lecturers are said to be the poorest paid in Africa, where we pride ourselves as the “Giant of Africa”, with the minnows and Lilliputians doing even better than us. Is that not the reason why our students flood not just Europe and America for studies but also less fancied countries like Ghana, Benin Republic, Lesotho and what-have-you? We lose billions in what has become known as education tourism. So, on this score, Osodeke and ASUU are perfectly justified and they have my unflinching support and unalloyed and undiluted sympathy.
The Nigerian government has never at any point in time given the pride of place to education. Funding has been paltry. Policies have been in fits and jerks. The curriculum is obsolete. And with the children of our leaders schooling in the best schools abroad, the commitment of policy makers to the education sector is eroded. At best, they pay only lip service in lofty statements made but which are hardly implemented. In that they turn around to embezzle, mismanage, misapply, misallocate and misappropriate even the meagre funds voted for education, they laugh us to scorn right in our face.
So, make no mistake about it, the problems in the education sector – the decay and decadence- lie squarely with the government, and not the Buhari government alone but with successive governments since the time when the Olusegun Obasanjo military regime began the commercialization of education, the rolling back of the facilities that made the higher institutions tick, starving it of the required funding which, incrementally but assuredly, have added to land us in the present sorry pass.
That said, however, we have cried ourselves hoarse asking the Ivory Tower to put on its thinking cap and do things differently. With evidence that strikes are failing; that their efficacy is dwindling, and that it is causing more harm than good, we have counseled ad infinitum that ASUU and the other unions become more creative in finding a more responsible and appropriate way to draw the attention of the government, and, in addition, the sympathy of other relevant stakeholders for the purpose of putting more pressure on the government to do the needful. ASUU has neglected to heed this call. If they can get what they want through strikes, very well; but where they are unable to, as it increasingly seems the case, especially so with a deaf and dumb, irresponsible and unresponsive, carefree, careless and I-don’t-care government like Buhari’s, what next?
Just as they say that there must be an end to litigation, there must also be an end to strikes. ASUU must have that in mind and factor it into its plans of action. It just cannot be strike actions forever. We all know that Buhari and his advisers act like Nero but we cannot let them hold us to ransom forever or destroy the future of our children. We must find a way to negotiate their corner, especially so in the South-west where education is our industry. As my people will say, call a cow “Bros”, if need be, so it can yield you the right of way because you are headed somewhere, whereas they are not. Apply diplomacy and tact.
What my people call “mo’ja, mo’sa” the English call “he who fights and runs away lives to fight another day” It is obvious Buhari and his fellow travellers have nowhere in sight they are going. Their government has failed in the way it has neglected the education sector and in its lackadaisical attitude to the ASUU strike. If I understand the psychology of the Buhari administration very well, it is that of “he that is down need fear no fall!” This government is down and out already; having failed woefully and fantastically on all fronts. So, they cannot be bothered what anyone feels, thinks or says again.
Regrettably, ASUU itself has now failed us in its hare-brained approach to its strike action. The story is told of the Tortoise who repeatedly stole into his in-law’s farm to steal tubers of yam. One day he fell into a trap set for him, was arrested, brought to town and tied to a tree in front of his in-law’s house, which was on the road leading to the market. It was on market day. Everyone going to the market saw Tortoise tied to the tree and asked questions. Told what he did; they chorused “serves him right!” But on their way back from the market and they still saw Tortoise tied to the tree, the blame became his in-law’s! “Do you want to kill him”? Alotiahun; abo tiana re!
There must be an end to strike action! ASUU should accept the best it can get from this crippled government and wait for a more reasonable, more sensible, and more enlightened in-coming government. May 2023 is just around the corner. I understand the government is reluctant to pay ASUU members for work not done: I support! It is because the government has always paid striking workers for work not done that strikes have become 10 for a penny. Why earn money where and when you have not worked? It is irresponsible of ASUU and, indeed, of any striking worker, to make that demand. Sheer blackmail! Is that not why they can afford to go on strike for months without considering the cost – and pain – to parents and students alike? No work, no pay! ASUU, I heard, has countered with “No pay, no work!” My people derisively refer to that as the mentality of lazy drones: “Ogo ta, ogo o ta, owoalaarun a pe!”
To conclude, let us return to where we began. It is a matter for regret that Osodeke has not disappointed those who predicted the shape and turn his presidency of ASUU would take. Does he have a feedback mechanism? If he does, he will realise that ASUU is fast losing ground in the universities even as it is losing the sympathy of parents and students alike. ASUU’s goodwill is being depleted all round. The University of Ilorin, which ended its 19-year-old ostracizing of ASUU with a peace package brokered by Ogunyemi, is regretting returning to the ASUU fold. UNILORIN, with the most stable academic calendar when ASUU was locked out of the institution, was the toast of admission seekers. ASUU’s return has shattered that. It is sad to realise that at the OAU, my alma mater, the bastion of vibrant student unionism and radical academia, ASUU has been reduced to a shadow of its old self. The rival CONUA has stolen its thunder! For Osodeke, these, and lots more, should be food for thought!
One day two merchants vending their wares met on a narrow path and none was ready to yield the right of way to the other. A crowd soon gathered. To determine who wins the bragging right, both men were asked to set down their wares and slug it out. One (Oniyangi) carried a bucket full of sand while the other (Elepo) carried a bucket full of palm oil. As they wrestled, Oniyangi kicked Elepo’s bucket and spilled its contents. In retaliation, Elepo hit Oniyangi’s bucket and spilled its contents as well. Oniyangi bent down, packed his sand back into his bucket and yielded the right of way to Elepo but by which time Elepo had no more wares to take to the market. ASUU is Elepo. Buhari’s government is Oniyangi
Need I say more!
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
We will be using Tinubu’s O lu’le, emi lo kan, eleyi for politics — Obasanjo
NIGERIA’S former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, said that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has introduced new vocabulary into the nation’s political discourse….
Oyo Council Of Obas Backs Makinde’s Second-Term Bid
THE second term bid of Governor ‘Seyi Makinde of Oyo State received a massive boost on Friday, as the Council of Obas in the state declared its support for the governor, stating that the good works being done by the administration across the state should continue beyond 2023.…..
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A lot of effort goes into planning a wedding. From the choice of event centres to the choice of the bride and groom’s wears, to the picking a colour for invited guests to the decision on the meals to be served for the day, and so on.… | https://tribuneonlineng.com/who-is-prof-victor-emmanuel-osodeke/ | 2022-08-21T11:20:31Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/who-is-prof-victor-emmanuel-osodeke/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Inspired by the Holy Spirit to make music and write songs that will touch lives and inspire people, gospel singer and songwriter, Bunmi Sunkanmi, shares the story of her gospel journey in this interview with SEGUN ADEBAYO.
As a gospel singer who is based in the US, how would you describe the journey so far?
I am grateful to God for putting me on this career path and supplying me with all the resources to make the journey easy over the years. I always tell people that when you follow your spiritual calling, God is ever faithful to bring you through the journey and make it easy for you. My career in the music ministry started in 2001 when I released my first album entitled “Give Thanks to The Lord.” Making music from the US has been filled with God’s blessings and grace.
So you have been coping well making music from a foreign land?
The truth is that I have been coping well because I’m not limited; I flow with any song as long as I’m inspired. My journey so far has been amazing, though there are several challenges and I have gone through certain difficult times but God has been kind to me to conquer my troubled times on this journey. One thing that is very important is that I have learnt to always trust God.
What exactly prepared you for this music journey?
As I said earlier, nothing prepares anyone for a journey outside God. You can’t exist in isolation unless you don’t serve the living God. He’s the source of every journey any Christian embarks upon. This music journey was inspired by God over two decades ago and my inspiration flows from Him. I make bold to say that the Holy Spirit ministers to me.
How does the Holy Spirit minister to you?
The Holy Spirit has been the one revealing things to come to me; teaching me songs.
I have been in music ministry for more than two decades now and what has kept me going is consistency. I have remained committed to my craft and stayed focused. I have made the Holy Spirit my partner on this journey a long time ago and I have never regretted doing so. People find it hard to believe that but it is the truth.
After the release of your first album, we didn’t hear from you in a while until you came back with another one seven years after. What took you so long?
Yes, I had to stay off music for a while to attend to family matters. I have had to raise two kids and focus on other domestic activities that would not allow me to make music. Not that I wasn’t making songs but I was concentrating on being there for my family and trusting God to see me through it all. It was a challenging moment but everything worked together in the end for my good and here we are today.
Tell us about your new album and what is the driving force behind it?
To the glory of God I’m releasing a new album on August 26 and the title is “God has Spoken.” He has been my helper and the spirit behind the good work. It has been a long but fruitful journey to bring this body of work together. We didn’t just want to make an ordinary album; we wanted to ensure that every soul that listens is blessed and touched at the point where God’s presence is needed in their lives.
What makes this special from other albums you have made?
This album is fully loaded and special; there are many songs that have been long overdue, and because now is the time, things are just in order; it is stress-free. It speaks about the glory of God and its powerful manifestation, which no one can share with Him. When the Lord has spoken, something new must happen. This album is about God’s spoken promises to His people, especially in this moment when the world seems to be in turmoil. For me, this is the album for this season and many more seasons ahead of us. We didn’t just come up with the title by ourselves, it was inspired by God’s spoken words.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
We will be using Tinubu’s O lu’le, emi lo kan, eleyi for politics — Obasanjo
NIGERIA’S former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, said that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has introduced new vocabulary into the nation’s political discourse….
Oyo Council Of Obas Backs Makinde’s Second-Term Bid
THE second term bid of Governor ‘Seyi Makinde of Oyo State received a massive boost on Friday, as the Council of Obas in the state declared its support for the governor, stating that the good works being done by the administration across the state should continue beyond 2023.…..
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DELMARVA FORECAST
Sunday: Mostly sunny with patchy fog early, then increasing clouds. A few showers possible in the afternoon. Highs in mid 80s. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Sunday night: Showers and thunderstorms. A few storms could be strong with gusty winds and heavy rain. Lows around 70°F. Chance of rain 70 percent.
Monday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the low to mid 80s. Chance of rain 60 percent.
Tuesday: Partly cloudy with a few lingering showers or rumbles of thunder. Highs in the mid 80s. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid to upper 80s.
Thursday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid to upper 80s.
Friday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 80s.
Saturday: Chance of showers or thunder. Highs in the mid 80s. Chance of rain 30 percent.
FORECAST DISCUSSION
Saturday night was clear with light winds, and with increasing dew points, there were a few areas of low-lying fog that formed within a few hours of sunrise.
Sunday will start off mostly sunny, but as a warm from approaches from the south, clouds will increase throughout the day, becoming mostly cloudy by afternoon. Some showers or thunder will likely start to develop across Delmarva by mid to late afternoon, so most of the day will be dry, just watch out later in the day.
Sunday night is when we're expecting widespread showers and thunderstorms. Dynamics over Delmarva won't be great for the development of severe thunderstorms, but any thunderstorms that manage to develop could feature damaging wind gusts and locally heavy rain. With lots of available moisture in the atmosphere, isolated flash flooding could be a problem, especially in any slow-moving thunderstorms.
As a cold front approaches from the northwest on Monday, showers and thunderstorms are likely to continue throughout the day. Again, severe weather is not likely, but we'll watch out for damaging wind gusts, heavy rain, and localized flash flooding.
The cold front will be slow to transit the Mid-Atlantic and it will decided to hang out off the East Coast for a while, so showers and thunder are likely to linger at least into Tuesday morning.
High pressure will attempt to build into the Mid-Atlantic later in the week, so temperatures will warm up into the mid to upper 80s, but the humidity will remain high, with dewpoints in the mid to upper 60s due to that front off shore. Therefore, while Wednesday through Friday should be mainly dry and mostly sunny, we'll keep low chances of some pop up showers each day.
The next chance of more widespread showers and thunder arrive next weekend.
In the tropics, Potential Tropical Cyclone "Four" has struggled to get organized and is moving ashore in south Texas and the Mexican state of Tamaulipas this morning. Heavy rain is likely in these areas, but no further tropical development is expected.
A tropical wave near the Cape Verde Islands in the deep tropical Atlantic. has a low chance of development. This tropical system is not an immediate threat to Delmarva. | https://www.wboc.com/weather/increasing-clouds-sunday-wet-and-stormy-night-ahead/article_469d7006-2136-11ed-938e-23faa38dbbdf.html | 2022-08-21T11:33:14Z | wboc.com | control | https://www.wboc.com/weather/increasing-clouds-sunday-wet-and-stormy-night-ahead/article_469d7006-2136-11ed-938e-23faa38dbbdf.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ATLANTIC OCEAN
Sunday: Winds E 10 kts. Seas 2 feet.
Monday: Winds S 10-15 kts. Seas 2 feet.
DELAWARE BAY
Sunday: Winds E 5-10 kts. Seas 2 feet.
Monday: Winds S 5-10 kts. Seas 2 feet.
CHESAPEAKE BAY
Sunday: Winds SE 5-10 kts. Seas 1 foot.
Monday: Winds S 10 kts. Seas 2 feet. | https://www.wboc.com/weather/marine-forecast-for-august-21-2022/article_0b908274-213a-11ed-b2b6-bf3dfc30994e.html | 2022-08-21T11:33:20Z | wboc.com | control | https://www.wboc.com/weather/marine-forecast-for-august-21-2022/article_0b908274-213a-11ed-b2b6-bf3dfc30994e.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
THE Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Oke-Alafia, Ile Tuntun District Headquarters, Yerokun, Ile Tuntun Academy, Ibadan, Oyo State, is set to dedicate new elders and deaconesses, among other activities coming up during its 50th anniversary on August 27, 2020.
The anniversary will also feature posthumous and Life awards and is scheduled to take place at the church auditorium, at 10am.
A statement signed and made available to Tribune Church News by the chairman, planning committee of the anniversary, Elder Titus Olalere, stated that Prophet Richard Kolawole of CAC Arogungbogunmi, Olunde, Ibadan, is expected to be the chairman on the occasion, while veteran gospel musician, Evangelist Bola Are of CAC Agbara Oluwa, Ibadan, will be the chairperson of the day.
Other dignitaries expected to grace the event include Bishop J.O. Durojaiye and Prophet M.O. Olowere, as the Fathers of the Day; Evangelist F.B. Akanni as the mother of the day. Other dignitaries expected include Prophetess Dorcas Afolabi, Prophetess Deborah Ojo, Evangelist E.O. Kariola and Pastor Adewale Adeyemo, among others.
The chief host is District Superintendent, Pastor S.O. Adeniran.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
We will be using Tinubu’s O lu’le, emi lo kan, eleyi for politics — Obasanjo
NIGERIA’S former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, said that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has introduced new vocabulary into the nation’s political discourse….
Oyo Council Of Obas Backs Makinde’s Second-Term Bid
THE second term bid of Governor ‘Seyi Makinde of Oyo State received a massive boost on Friday, as the Council of Obas in the state declared its support for the governor, stating that the good works being done by the administration across the state should continue beyond 2023.…..
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“Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth. He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.” Proverbs 10. 4-5
There are many components to achieving success in life and one of such indispensable components is hard work. If our lives will count we must work hard. There is no substitute to hard work.
“Working hard is a learned skill, but it requires years of practice and intention. People often begin developing this skill during childhood. While the ability to work hard may come more naturally to some people, it is not an established characteristic or personality trait. Therefore, it cannot be identified by a personality test. So, you shouldn’t be asking, “Is hardworking a character trait?” or “Is hardworking a personality trait?” Rather, the question should be, “What makes a hard worker and how can I hire them?” Chally.com
Success is neither for the lazy nor for the complacent. Idleness and laziness are good ground to plant destruction and foolishness. The idle mind, they say is the devil’s workshop.
“Avoid idleness, and fill up all the spaces of thy time with severe and useful employment; for lust easily creeps in at those emptinesses where the soul is unemployed and the body is at ease; for no easy, healthful, idle person was ever chaste if he could be tempted; but of all employments, bodily labor is the most useful, and of the greatest benefit for driving away the Devil.” Jeremy Taylor
Hard work pays.
“All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. “The wealth of the wise is their crown, but the folly of fools yields folly.” Proverbs 14.23-24
“Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.” Proverbs 13,4
There is no substitute for hard work.
“Most of us agree talent matters. In fact, many experts dispute the notion that hard work overrides talent every time. The caveat: hard work must be the common factor for anyone seeking to be successful, regardless of talent. No amount of talent can supersede hard work. If you have natural ability, don’t expect it to automatically generate success. It won’t.” Donald. C Kelly
How to develop the culture of hard work
- Know what are your responsibilities.
“What is success? I think it is a mixture of having a flair for the thing that you are doing; knowing that it is not enough, that you have got to have hard work and a certain sense of purpose.” Margaret Thatcher
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
We will be using Tinubu’s O lu’le, emi lo kan, eleyi for politics — Obasanjo
NIGERIA’S former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, said that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has introduced new vocabulary into the nation’s political discourse….
Oyo Council Of Obas Backs Makinde’s Second-Term Bid
THE second term bid of Governor ‘Seyi Makinde of Oyo State received a massive boost on Friday, as the Council of Obas in the state declared its support for the governor, stating that the good works being done by the administration across the state should continue beyond 2023.…..
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Ezekiel saw a situation that appeared irredeemable. The situation in the valley of dry bones seemed irreversible, but God proved to Ezekiel that He can do all things. God asked Ezekiel to speak to the situation. Ezekiel obeyed and prophesied. This was his feedback:
Ezekiel 37:10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.
In our personal lives, or in our families, or in our businesses, or in our churches, it is very likely that there are a few dry bones that need to live. Certainly, in our nation as a whole, we have dry bones that need to live. The vision of Ezekiel (as contained in Ezekiel chapter 37) offers us insight into how this can happen. Dry bones can live as we act in faith and invoke the Spirit of God upon them. As Ezekiel prophesied, there was a divine re-arrangement of the dry bones; then a series of events that culminated in breath coming anew into the dead, and they arose as a mighty army. In other words, the dry bones lived again.
If what we saw in the book of Ezekiel was a shadow or type, our Lord Jesus Christ became the substance. He died, resurrected, and ascended to heaven. And for all who follow Him the Bible assures that,
Romans 8: 11 …if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
That resurrection power brought dead Lazarus back to life (John chapter 11). That resurrection power also brought Tabitha back to life (Acts 9: 36ff), amongst many others in the Bible and in church history. More importantly, on a daily basis, the resurrection power confers new life upon situations and persons that have been written off. Whatever represents dry bones in your life shall live again. The resurrection power shall impact that need in your life (and in our nation). In place of death and decay, there shall be new life and vitality. Your part in making it happen is simply to prophesy, and your confession shall become your experience, in Jesus name!
The power of resurrection belongs to our Lord Jesus. And it does not matter how strong the power that produced death may be. The Lord Jesus said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28: 18). At the name of Jesus, the Bible says every knee shall bow (Phil 2: 9 – 11). Your part is just to have faith in the Lord Jesus for that resurrection power that over-rules logic and nature, and to speak accordingly. As you speak, you give the Lord an opportunity to do in your life what He did in the valley of dry bones. And your dry bones shall live again.
to be continued
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
We will be using Tinubu’s O lu’le, emi lo kan, eleyi for politics — Obasanjo
NIGERIA’S former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, said that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has introduced new vocabulary into the nation’s political discourse….
Oyo Council Of Obas Backs Makinde’s Second-Term Bid
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(d) Because of love, suffered for sin and died for sin that He hates. Man would not always want to die for what he loves. Jesus died for other people’s sin though perfectly holy – IPeter 3:18.
(e) His Holiness: No sin in Him, no thought of evil, no act of evil, no deceit or hypocrisy, no guile. He is altogether pure, holy, undefiled – IPeter 2:22-23; Heb. 4:15; 7:25.
(f) Humility: Though God to be highly exalted, He humbled himself. He practiced, lived and taught humility. Born king, yet born in the manger, rode on an ass, preached in a boat borrowed, buried in a tomb freely given – Phil. 2:7, 8; John 13.
(g) He is the Way, the Truth and the Life – John 14:6. He is the only right Way, the absolute Truth leading to God and heaven, the Life of God and the Life to God.
(h) His Meekness and Gentleness: Both are alike and similar and go together. Jesus is harmless, refined, soft, peaceful, accommodating, kind and compassionate. He is not easily offended. By His gentleness he is tender, loving and caring and he is able to endure the rudeness and harshness of others. He is humble, patient and lowly – Matt. 11:29. He is a gentle shepherd, guiding, leading, caring, embracing and comforting.
(i) Boldness and courage for the truth: His teachings were declared with power and authority. His claims are clear and unambiguous. He denounced the false teachings of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. He preached the truth, lived out the truth, defended the truth and died for the truth – Matt. 7:29; 23:13-16, 23, 25, 27, 29. The enemies observed “Never any man spoke like him.” He is our outstanding model worthy to be followed.
- AGENTS TO FOLLOW HIS STEPS
(a) His life, His words, deeds as read in the scriptures – John 5:39.
(b) Prayer – Prayer draws us closer to God, reveals, inspires and empowers – Lk. 22:44.
(c) The Holy Spirit: the Holy Spirit teaches, reveals, leads, empowers and emboldens us to follow – Jhn. 14:26; 15:26; 16:13.
(d) The life of the faithful patriarchs who followed to the end – Heb. 11.
CONCLUSION/APPLICATION
There is one to follow as Leaders. To follow Him is to be like Him. It is important and the essence of being a Church Leader is to follow Him who died and rose for us. If we are not following His exemplary life, we are not His own and He may deny us. We need to reorientate our life after His and follow Him to the end. Grace to follow Him to the end be poured upon us (Amen).
TO BE CONTINUED
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
We will be using Tinubu’s O lu’le, emi lo kan, eleyi for politics — Obasanjo
NIGERIA’S former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, said that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has introduced new vocabulary into the nation’s political discourse….
Oyo Council Of Obas Backs Makinde’s Second-Term Bid
THE second term bid of Governor ‘Seyi Makinde of Oyo State received a massive boost on Friday, as the Council of Obas in the state declared its support for the governor, stating that the good works being done by the administration across the state should continue beyond 2023.…..
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BOLESŁAWIEC, Poland – Being away from home can be a challenging situation to be in, especially when there’s 5,000 miles and an entire ocean between your family and yourself. For the 113th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment of the Puerto Rico Army National Guard, no distance can keep them apart from their loved ones.
The 113th MPAD mobilized to Europe as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve to provide public affairs support to units deployed to Eastern Europe. Over the better half of a year, the unit has provided an indispensable service to those working in the region. However, the distance and time away can take its toll on a Soldier’s morale. To combat this, the 113th keeps in close contact with loved ones back home, regularly receiving care packages and talking through the internet.
U.S. Army Sgt. Tara Fajardo Arteaga speaks with her children and husband on a regular basis.
“When I was deployed in 2010, we didn't have the technology we have today,” said Fajardo. “We had to use phone cards, go to the Morale, Welfare and Recreation tent, and stand in line to use the phone in order to call home. Now, I am able to use my cell phone and I am able to have an internet hotspot with me.”
“As a mother of four kids under eight years old, the separation is hard for all of us but being able to be there for them means everything to me,” said Fajardo. “My kids are too little to be able to write or text, so we have used video chat and it helps me to feel more at peace knowing my littlest ones aren't forgetting me.”
Among those in the unit, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Marimar Rivera Medina, first sergeant of the 113th, speaks daily with her spouse, Viviana Velázquez.
“Prior to Marimar’s departure to active duty, we agreed that communication is an essential key if we both wanted a successful long-distance relationship. We both try to communicate daily to ensure we feel emotionally connected. I tried to communicate through text, calling, video, photos, and postcards,” said Velázquez. “To let her know that I’m thinking of her and that I’m committed to the relationship and that I support her and care for her even at long distance. We try to share our experiences of the day at certain times of the day since we are currently on different times zone, she tells me about her morning, and I tell her about my evening. This makes me feel connected to her and that she wants integrate me daily even if I’m not there to share the same experience.”
Some may talk with families more often than others, but keeping in touch and connecting with home is essential to a Soldier's well-being.
“I keep my morale high by thinking of my family, especially my daughter; luckily, the daycare she attends puts photos of school activities daily, making my day every single day,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Gabriel Rivera Villanueva, a public affairs NCO with the 113th. “Fortunately, on weekends, the internet in Poland allows us to do facetime on our cell phones, where I get to see my wife, daughter, mother, and grandmother.”
Regardless of the method to communicate with home, the distance, or time of day, the Soldiers always make time to speak with friends and family back home, keeping them at peace and in the loop about what is happening in Puerto Rico.
This work, The 113th keeps in touch with their families, by SPC Hassani Ribera Soto, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/news/427722/113th-keeps-touch-with-their-families | 2022-08-21T11:34:02Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/news/427722/113th-keeps-touch-with-their-families | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Education Institutions (NASU) on Saturday suspended their strike actions after a brief meeting with the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu in Abuja.
A press statement signed by Comrade Peters Adeyemi, General Secretary NASU and Spokesman of Joint Action Committee of SSANU and NASU (JAC) on Saturday and made available to journalists in Abuja, in full read: “The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Education and Associated Institutions (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) hereby announces the suspension of its ongoing strike effective from Wednesday, 24 August 2022 for initial two months.
“This follows that conclusion of negotiation between JAC and the federal government team led by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu.
“The two months is to allow government implement the agreements reached.
“Part of the agreement is the decision of the government to set aside the sum of N50 billion for the payment of earned academic and earned allowances, cogent decision on the University Peculiar Personnel Payroll System (U3PS), release of the white paper on university visitation panel and funding of the universities.
“On the poor funding of federal institutions, the minister said he directed the National Universities Commission (NUC) to ensure that all the schools are up-to-date on what they are supposed to do, otherwise sanctions will be visited on any institution that defaults.
“The Minister of Education also gave an assurance that no member of the unions that participated in the strike will be victimised.
“The Minister said President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to devout 15 per cent of the national budget to education.
“On the salary payment system, the minister said the alternative payment systems provided by ASUU JAC of NASU and SSANU did very well. He added that the Federal Government is awaiting the report of the technical committee it set up before taking action on the matter.
“The spokesman of JAC, Peters Adeyemi said after a very prolonged negotiations and dialogue between the two unions and the Federal Government led by the Minister of Education and after the meeting, the two unions decided to suspend the strike for the initial period of two months.
“When we presented the offers that the government made to our members, they think that since the majority of the issues that are in contention have been substantially addressed by the government, the strike is hereby suspended effective this Wednesday, 24 August 2022.”
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
We will be using Tinubu’s O lu’le, emi lo kan, eleyi for politics — Obasanjo
NIGERIA’S former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, said that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has introduced new vocabulary into the nation’s political discourse….
Oyo Council Of Obas Backs Makinde’s Second-Term Bid
THE second term bid of Governor ‘Seyi Makinde of Oyo State received a massive boost on Friday, as the Council of Obas in the state declared its support for the governor, stating that the good works being done by the administration across the state should continue beyond 2023.…..
5 Software Applications You Should Master To Be Effective In The Corporate World
There are new software applications that individuals in the corporate world are expected to have mastery of as the world is evolving on a daily basis, and the required skills for individuals interested in or working in the corporate world have also evolved. These software applications have been developed to help make work in the corporate world easier, more effective and more efficient…
How To Minimise Disagreements When Planning A Wedding
A lot of effort goes into planning a wedding. From the choice of event centres to the choice of the bride and groom’s wears, to the picking a colour for invited guests to the decision on the meals to be served for the day, and so on.… | https://tribuneonlineng.com/nasu-ssanu-suspend-strike/ | 2022-08-21T11:34:21Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/nasu-ssanu-suspend-strike/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Paris Club refund: NGF took $100m from us for state elections —Consultants
•Say govs claimed money was to prosecute Ekiti, Bauchi, Ondo elections
CONSULTANTS working on the London and Paris Club re- funds for states and local governments on Saturday alleged that the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) demanded and received the sum of $100 million from the consultancy fee to prosecute elections in some states.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the lead consultant, Ned Nwoko, alleged that when he submitted a bill of $300 million as the consultancy fee, the state governors demanded to be paid 50 per cent of it before it could be honoured.
He said a former chairman of the forum had explained it to him that the money was needed to prosecute elections in Bauchi, Ekiti and Ondo states.
According to him, the Ministry of Justice intervened, and the governors eventually received the sum of $100 million.
Nwoko revealed that the money owed to his consultancy firm is $68 million being payment for the last tranche of work done for the states and not the $418 million that had been in public space.
He said: “I am compelled to embark on this public engagement to debunk the litany of lies, spin and false narratives that have been dished out to abuse the minds of the undiscerning public by the Chairman of Nigeria Gov- ernor Forum (NGF), Governor Kayode Fayemi, against the payment of consultancy fees legitimately earned and owed my firm for services rendered and which the states and local governments have fully been refunded.
“The outstanding fee- sowed my firm with regards to last work done for the states is approximately $68m USD and not $418m USD as maliciously sought to be conveyed by Fayemi and co. Our original claims calculated based on agreed terms was well in excess of $300m USD. We offered huge discount on the entitlement to accept the $68m USD.”
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
He disclosed that from the $300 million bill originally submitted, the firm offered a huge discount, noting that the consultants have noth- ing to do with $418 million, which he said must be a miscalculation. He absolved the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, of any wrongdoing as he said the minister was only trying to ensure that the law was obeyed.
Giving the history of his involvement in the securing refunds for states and local governments, which he said started with the Adamawa and Taraba states, he said he had advised former President Olusegun Obasanjo on exit- ing the Paris Club and halting deductions from states’ allocations.
“It is to the eternal credit of former President Oluse- gun Obasanjo that the Federal Government halted the excess charges and over deductions as well as be- gan refunding on identified over deductions and excess charges. Yar’ Adua did and President Jonathan as well,” he argued.
Nwoko said even though he was initially hired by all the local governments in the country to press for their refunds, the NGF later got him to extend the services to cover the states due to the success for the councils, culminating in the Federal Government agreeing to begin refunds in 2016.
He explained: “The Federal Government in the refunds paid money to accounts pro- vided by the state governors for receipt of the refunds accruable to the states. The governors also provided accounts to receive the refunds accruable to local governments.
“The first tranche refunds to states and local governments, the Federal Government wrongly paid the consultancy fees to the NGF. The consultancy fee paid to the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) is $86.5m USD and N19.4 billion.
“While we were laboring to secure the refunds for the benefit of state and local governments, Governor Yari Abubakar developed a parallel scheme to misappropriate the consultancy fees. As recent as 2016 the NGF in a letter to the Accountant General of the Federation dated June 22, 2016 [SHOW DOC] claimed it appointed a consultant.
“During an altercation on one occasion during the several meetings with HE Governor Yari Abubakar I confronted him about the unconscionable quest to appropriate the $86.5m USD and N19.4 billion. He claimed it was not for his personal use but was needed for the purposes of the elections in Bauchi, Ekiti and Ondo [state].
“Most of these claims, he said, frauds are still subject of Investigation as well as civil and criminal litigation including our action against the NGF and the Federal Government in Suit No, FHC/ABJ/ CS/148/2017.
“It is important to state that the various state governments issued written instructions to the Federal Ministry of Finance authorizing it to deduct at source and pay to the NGF 5% of the sum due each respective state as legal fees.”
Nwoko alleged that the state governors diverted the refunds meant for their local governments except five states including Delta, Bauchi, Kwara, Benue, Ondo and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The lead consultants also accused the current chairman of the NGF and governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi of telling a litany of lies over the payment to the consultants.
Recall that, while noting governors did not provide any indemnity, Fayemi had claimed that the AGF was insistent on paying the consultants for selfish reasons as he pointed out that the matter was before the court. While emphasising that the agreements and judgment being executed were reached before the advent of the present administration, Nwoko explained the role of the federal government in the matter.
The role of the NGF in the process of the federal gov- ernment refunds is beyond speculation from the foregoing.
The disposition of Governor Fayemi is therefore misleading. It has progressed and degenerated to the point of casting aspersions and personal slurs on fellow public officers discharging the responsibilities of their public office.
“You can see from the above facts that this is consistent with the struggles we have encountered every step of the way to recover our consultancy fee.
“I am compelled to inform you of our experience when Mr President approved payment of $350 million for Linas International Limited in connection with local government in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/ CS/130/2013:
“I was asked to sign a document accepting the ap- proved sum in full and final payment of the judgment sum of $637mUSD. Governor Yari insisted that half of that money must go to NGF. I refused initially since I had already signed that the pay- ment was in full and final payment.
“The Ministry of Justice brokered a solution whereby the document I earlier signed in full and final payment is returned to me and secondly Yari is compelled to sign an indemnity for the sum he is arm-twisting to collect against any claims by me against the FGN. Governor Yari signed.
“It is shocking that Governor Fayemi stated that such indemnity is not valid and binding on NGF. We will do everything possible to enforce fully the judgment which has partly been honoured since Governor Fayemi, like his predecessor is blackmailing everybody locally.
“It must be stated that we are members of the public who do not have the official platform with which the state governors muscle and arm-twist their ways out of responsibilities after enjoying the benefits of services rendered.” | https://tribuneonlineng.com/paris-club-refund-ngf-took-100m-from-us-for-state-elections-consultants-2/ | 2022-08-21T11:34:40Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/paris-club-refund-ngf-took-100m-from-us-for-state-elections-consultants-2/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
‘A Possible Future,’ an anthology of Nigerian writing from 1789 to 2018, has been unveiled in Lagos. Sterling Bank Plc, in collaboration with Farafina Books, published the collection.
A statement from Sterling disclosed that the collection would preserve the gems of Nigeria’s literary history, promote the reading culture, and support featured authors to distribute their timeless books.
The 411-page anthology features work by 46 late and living authors. They include Olaudah Equiano, D.O. Fagunwa, Gabriel Okara, Cyprian Ekwensi, Obotunde Ijimere, Chinua Achebe, Duro Ladipo, Chukwuemeka Ike, Christopher Okigbo, Elechi Amadi, Wole Soyinka, Ola Rotimi, J.P. Clark-Bekederemo, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Isidore Okpewho, Mobolaji Adenubi, Buchi Emecheta, Femi Osofisan, Niyi Osundare, Tanure Ojaide, Odia Ofeimun and Ben Okri.
Others are Uzor Maxim Uzoatu, Dulue Mbachu, IkeoguOke, Biyi Bandele, Sarah Ladipo Manyika, Aisha Osori, Omolola IjeomaOgunyemi, Yemisi Aribisala, Lola Shoneyin, Teju Cole, Yejide Kilanko, Eghosa Imasuen, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Niran Okewole, A. Igoni Barret, Abubakar Adam Ibrahim, Taiye Selasi, Jowhor Ile, Tope Folarin, Lesley Nneka Arimah, Helen Oyeyemi, Uche Okonkwo, Gbenga Adesina and Wale Lawal.
Speaking at the anthology’s unveiling, Chief Executive of Sterling Bank, Abubakar Suleiman, said the institution decided to collaborate with Farafina on the project to ensure continued literacy, a key component of education in line with the education component of the bank’s HEART strategy. The other sectors are health, agriculture, renewable energy, and transportation.
Apart from this, the bank has supported literature through Lola Shoneyin’s Ake Arts and Books Festival for some time.
In the book’s foreword, Suleiman noted, “in the long period between 1947 when Professor Molly Mahood declared that Nigeria, at the time, had no literature and today, the country’s literary tradition has established itself as a force in the world. This does not agree with Mahood that Nigerian literature is only as old as British involvement in the country’s affairs. In fact, by the time British colonialism invaded the geographical space that would later become Nigeria, there was already a deep-rooted literary tradition in the north of the region going as far back as the 15th century. So, we had literature long before we practised the art in the colonial tongue.”
He added, “Modern Nigerian literature may have been ‘founded’ by the English based on an assumption – a falsehood, in fact – but the lie does not have to hold any longer. When we decided to believe in ‘A Possible Future,’ we did so with the understanding that Nigerian literature was already of age. While its story is still unfolding and the yardage of its potential still vast, nay infinite, the baby Emecheta, Nwapa, and Tutuola once nurtured in verse, prose and on stage, no longer crawls. A possible Future is a primer for anyone – and I cannot imagine who, in this age – just getting introduced to Nigerian literature.”
According to him, “Kachifo Limited and Farafina Trust have created a definitive, yet not conclusive text that summarises our literary journey and gestures to its destination. The details of which we do not know yet except that, in that future, everything is excellent, anything is possible, and we are here for it.”
The Sterling Bank CEO read excerpts from Achebe’s ‘Arrow of God’ while Temilade Aina took the second from Biyi Bandele’s ‘Burma Boy’.
The event also featured a panel session comprising Professor Niyi Osundare, Eghosa Imasuen, A. Igoni Barrett, Wale Lawal and Temilade Aina. A writer, book critic, and editor, Faniyi Kayode, moderated.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
We will be using Tinubu’s O lu’le, emi lo kan, eleyi for politics — Obasanjo
NIGERIA’S former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, said that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has introduced new vocabulary into the nation’s political discourse….
Oyo Council Of Obas Backs Makinde’s Second-Term Bid
THE second term bid of Governor ‘Seyi Makinde of Oyo State received a massive boost on Friday, as the Council of Obas in the state declared its support for the governor, stating that the good works being done by the administration across the state should continue beyond 2023.…..
5 Software Applications You Should Master To Be Effective In The Corporate World
There are new software applications that individuals in the corporate world are expected to have mastery of as the world is evolving on a daily basis, and the required skills for individuals interested in or working in the corporate world have also evolved. These software applications have been developed to help make work in the corporate world easier, more effective and more efficient…
How To Minimise Disagreements When Planning A Wedding
A lot of effort goes into planning a wedding. From the choice of event centres to the choice of the bride and groom’s wears, to the picking a colour for invited guests to the decision on the meals to be served for the day, and so on.… | https://tribuneonlineng.com/sterling-farafina-unveil-anthology-of-nigerian-writing/ | 2022-08-21T11:34:47Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/sterling-farafina-unveil-anthology-of-nigerian-writing/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Children of the Christ Apostolic Church, Ibadanland, took the centre stage to display their knowledge of the word of God during the 51st annual children anniversary, held at the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Missionary Headquarters, Olugbode Ita-Baale, Olugbode, Ibadan Oyo State, last Sunday.
The anniversary featured performances of children from various branches of the church as they thrilled dignitaries and parents at the event.
Some of the other activities that took place include cultural displays, sermons and drama, among others.
According to the theme of the anniversary, “Set your hearts on things that are above”, the children emphasied on the importance of remaining focused on the heavenly things, even right from tender age as it is the only way to godliness and abstain from the worldly things that could truncate one’s righteousness.
The highpoint of the anniversary was the presentation of the winners of the annual Bible examination as little Oluwatobiloba Akindayo from CAC Oke-Alafia, Olodo (2), Ibadan, Oyo State, emerged the overall winner, while CAC Oke-Igbala Aremo was declared the winner of this year’s competition.
The children and teacher association patron, Pastor Joseph Oladejo, stressed on the need for the younger generation to remain steadfast and focus on the things of heaven as it will enable them to be Godly and good ambassadors in ways of life, just as he also charged parents and guardians not to relent in teaching their children and wards in the way of the Lord as it will promote sanity in the society and country at large.
The Chief Examiner of the association, Pastor Sam Ogungbemi, who expressed his delight on the success of this year’s event, noted that the essence of the examination is to nurture the children in the way of the Lord and also to increase their knowledge in the word of God.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
We will be using Tinubu’s O lu’le, emi lo kan, eleyi for politics — Obasanjo
NIGERIA’S former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, said that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has introduced new vocabulary into the nation’s political discourse….
Oyo Council Of Obas Backs Makinde’s Second-Term Bid
THE second term bid of Governor ‘Seyi Makinde of Oyo State received a massive boost on Friday, as the Council of Obas in the state declared its support for the governor, stating that the good works being done by the administration across the state should continue beyond 2023.…..
5 Software Applications You Should Master To Be Effective In The Corporate World
There are new software applications that individuals in the corporate world are expected to have mastery of as the world is evolving on a daily basis, and the required skills for individuals interested in or working in the corporate world have also evolved. These software applications have been developed to help make work in the corporate world easier, more effective and more efficient…
How To Minimise Disagreements When Planning A Wedding
A lot of effort goes into planning a wedding. From the choice of event centres to the choice of the bride and groom’s wears, to the picking a colour for invited guests to the decision on the meals to be served for the day, and so on.… | https://tribuneonlineng.com/when-children-of-cac-ibadanland-focused-on-kingdom-of-god/ | 2022-08-21T11:35:00Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/when-children-of-cac-ibadanland-focused-on-kingdom-of-god/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Canvassing board certifies primary resultsLocal results of Tuesday’s elections were certified by the Albany Board of Canvassers on Friday, according to Jackie Gonzales, Albany County Clerk.
The results mean that the provisional vote totals reported will remain in place.
The canvassing board is a three-member team with one Republican and one Democratic representative and Gonzales as county clerk.
Essentially, Gonzales said, the board makes sure that the number of electors equals the number of votes that are reported in the unofficial results. The board did not find any problems with the vote totals, she said.
Wyoming statutes require the board examine all poll books, tally sheets, precinct certifications and oaths of election officials. It compares the total votes with the total number of voters; counts the votes for write-in candidates, if there are enough to affect the result of an election; and reviews provisional voters.
A provisional voter may be someone who provided correct identification after the polls closed, the statute says.
Any questions about a voter were resolved by the board. Although they are not required to reach a consensus, board members were unanimous in any decisions they made, said Kimberly Starkey, the Republican representative.
Carrie Murthy, who served on the board for the first time as the Democratic representative, said her impression was that the process was “very thorough and transparent.”
“We were in agreement every step of the way,” Murthy said.
The canvassing process is open to the public, and several people stopped into see how it works, she said.
Gonzales said that she did not hear that Wyoming’s new voter identification law created any problems at local polling places.
Ballots are kept in a vault for 24 months, Gonzales said.
Laramie County DA declines to charge woman in stabbing deathThe Laramie County district attorney has declined to charge a woman arrested earlier this month in a fatal stabbing, saying current evidence points to the incident being self-defense.
The local sheriff’s office says it continues to investigate “with the goal of bringing charges” against the woman.
Rocsand Bocanegra, 42, was arrested late Aug. 9 by Laramie County Sheriff’s deputies after she’d been identified as a person of interest in a fatal stabbing earlier the day before.
Bocanegra was held on a second-degree homicide charge at the Laramie County jail until just before midnight Aug. 12. Anyone not formally charged within 72 hours of their arrest must be released, said LCSO Undersheriff Capt. Kevin James.
The sheriff’s office identified the victim in the fatal stabbing as 58-year-old Jess Smith of Cheyenne.
In an Aug. 12 letter to an LCSO detective, DA Leigh Anne Manlove outlined how Wyoming statutes related to self-defense did not permit her to charge Bocanegra at that time. Manlove provided that letter to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/local/worth-noting-aug-21-2022/article_8d1985ba-20c3-11ed-bed9-a3a58a1b9671.html | 2022-08-21T11:42:14Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/local/worth-noting-aug-21-2022/article_8d1985ba-20c3-11ed-bed9-a3a58a1b9671.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Harare: All-rounder Deepak Hooda set a unique world record after Team India beat Zimbabwe by five wickets in the second One-Day International (ODI) here on Saturday.
The win helped India take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Interestingly, since Hooda's international debut, India have won every match that he has played in across formats and he has proved to be the country's lucky charm.
Hooda has now been part of 16 successive wins for India, which is the longest unbeaten streak for any player since debut. India have won seven ODIs and nine T20Is with Hooda in the team since he played his first international match in February this year.
Romania's Satvik Nadigotla held the record of 15 matches won since his debut, while South African star David Miller and Romania's Shantanu Vashisht enjoyed winning streaks of 13 games since they played their first international match. | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/cricket/2022/08/21/team-indias-lucky-charm-deepak-hooda-sets-world-record.html | 2022-08-21T11:42:20Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/cricket/2022/08/21/team-indias-lucky-charm-deepak-hooda-sets-world-record.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Laramie Boomerang
LARAMIE – University of Wyoming trustees are mulling a change in how student fees are charged, moving from per-credit billing to a flat rate.
The change is one of the issues the UW Board of Trustees will discuss at its next meeting Sept. 14-16.
The way the fee structure stands now, students pay per credit hour. Trustees are considering moving to a block tuition model, which means full-time students would pay a set rate, regardless of the number of credits they are taking in the range of 12-18.
The change is meant to make it more clear for students how much they will be paying for college, and to encourage them to graduate within a four-year window, according to UW. While the university already offers a cost calculator for students, the current tuition model can leave some with questions about the cost of their education.
“I think it provides some transparency for the student in what the cost will be,” Trustee Laura Schmid-Pizzato said of the block model during a July board retreat.
In addition to clarifying what can be a murky tuition paying process, the block schedule can offer students flexibility in adding or dropping courses without having to worry about how academic decisions could influence their finances. It will also encourage students to take more courses, Schmid-Pizzato said.
The block rate would be priced based on a 15-credit-hour semester, meaning students who take more than 15 credits would save money under the new structure, while those who take fewer than 15 credits would pay more per credit.
UW students are required to take a minimum of 12 credits each semester to be considered full-time, and taking 15 credits per semester is recommended to graduate within four years.
Tuition increase
The board will also consider a separate proposal to raise tuition rates by 4% each academic year. The hike is part of a tuition review process that happens every four years, according to trustee documents.
Of the 4% increase, 2% of revenue could go to student success programs established by the Associated Students of UW and administration. The other 2% would go toward salary increases, with mandatory raises for promoted faculty taking priority.
The current estimated cost of attendance for an in-state undergraduate student for the upcoming academic year is $18,682, according to the UW website. The estimated cost for an in-state graduate student is $7,182. The numbers increase to $33,832 and $18,324 respectively for out-of-state students.
The university has the ability to be flexible with where tuition increases are applied, and they may not impact every area of study, said Board of Trustees Chairman John McKinley.
Tuition rates change depending on whether classes are undergraduate or graduate and whether they are online or virtual.
In the past, the university has provided tuition flexibility in the areas of nursing and the law school, he said. This time, the final recommendations may include a more “market-based” rate for entrepreneurial programs, McKinley said.
Trustees will discuss and finalize the possible changes during a meeting scheduled for Nov. 16-18. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/in_our_schools/uw-considers-block-tuition-rates-4-increase/article_3732bff0-20cc-11ed-bd29-7b831e7630cd.html | 2022-08-21T11:42:32Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/in_our_schools/uw-considers-block-tuition-rates-4-increase/article_3732bff0-20cc-11ed-bd29-7b831e7630cd.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Dave Schulz keeps detailed notes of the trails he’s worked on in a small black notebook. The cover is peeling from the years of carrying it to different parks across Missouri, and he’s filled more than 100 pages with the details of the mountain biking trails he’s helped to develop.
Schulz, who formerly worked in law enforcement in national parks and is a lifelong biker and nature lover, volunteers to work with local governments and bikers to build trails. The 41-year-old does this work as part of a nonprofit he started with friend Steve Friedman in 2019 to support mountain bike park development.
At the same time, Missouri’s mountain biking scene has been exploding as more bikers hit the trails during the pandemic. Sales for traditional bikes, indoor bikes, parts, helmets and other accessories grew 75% in April 2020 to $1 billion – an unprecedented amount, according to market research group NPD. Market Research Future estimates that the industry will grow up 10% by 2027.
Quietly, Schulz has been encouraging the growth with knowledge and connections he built by studying other successful trails across the world. He’s one of a number of people organizing around the sport in Missouri.
“I think I've worked with almost a thousand people to date over the last three years — in various architectural firms, park development, volunteers, local businesses,” he said. “There's a lot of people involved in this.”
The trails are a quick and cheap way to drive economic impact in a small community, Schulz said. With a few hundred thousand dollars, cities can build a tourist destination and a backbone for businesses.
“That means that a community that is struggling can find a path to financial benefit to new business structure in a short period of time,” he said.
Small communities that formerly leaned on mining, such as Ironton and Steelville, are becoming biking destinations. Schulz’s nonprofit, called GORC Gravity, has helped six Missouri towns open parks and trail systems. And more are planned for the future.Model for building parks quickly
Before he launched GORC Gravity, Schulz spent time in Arkansas studying the state’s robust mountain biking system. He wanted to learn: How can a town replicate the economic impact that places such as Bentonville and Fayetteville saw?
“They sort of jokingly — but sort of true — call themselves a mountain biking capital of the world,” Schulz said of Arkansas. “And there's a good reason for that.”
Many bikers shared the same perspective, recalling trips to Bentonville or referring to the expertise of economic development officials in the state. Biking brought in $137 million in economic benefits to northwest Arkansas in 2017, according to a study from the Walton Family Foundation, which has funded trail development in the state.
What caught Schulz’s eye is that Arkansas doesn’t have the terrain that typically lends itself to mountain biking. It’s wooded, it’s grassy – it’s Midwest topography – unlike the open spaces in the western part of the country. But in about 10 years, the state made itself into a biking destination.
It turns out, there was a process that could be replicated: By going straight to boards, councils, aldermen or mayors, presenting the economic data and connecting them directly to developers and architects, small communities could get trails going in as quick as six months — a stark difference from typical park processes, which take three to six years, Schulz said.
He co-founded GORC Gravity to aid towns and local bikers with the process. The group is an offshoot of Gateway Off-Road Cyclists, a nonprofit founded by a group of St. Charles-area bikers in 1998.
Schulz travels around the state, speaking with leaders and supporting the development – once he even stayed in a small recreational vehicle on a campground for several months, he said.
He puts in the most time of GORC Gravity’s 20 volunteers, estimating he’s logged between 500 and 1,000 hours per year since the organization started. He’s able to because he has the time – he’s currently retiring from the military due to an injury.
Schulz says he has a rule: GORC Gravity must be invited to the table, rather than inserting itself. Schulz also said he will not handle money.
Funding for the projects typically comes directly from a city’s budget or economic development funds. There are also grants — which tend to take longer — and private donations that can fund projects.
The parks include a variety of difficulty levels, from regular trails to expert-level coursing. Often the first phase includes some of the more challenging mountain bike courses, Schulz said. “Instead of doing the family elements first, which is what you really tend to do, we did the more 10 to 20% of riders, the more extreme stuff first,” he said. “And the reason is that that's what gets notoriety.”
Small-town destinations
Planners have gravitated toward small towns. Take Ironton, for example. In about a year and with around $500,000, the town of about 1,400 in east Missouri was able to transform undeveloped hills into the Shepherd Mountain Bike park, said Lacee Cofer, the park’s director. The idea sprouted from local mountain bikers called the Valley Growth Initiative, and GORC Gravity helped research.
The project was funded from the Iron County Economic Partnership, which supports economic growth projects in Iron County, Cofer said. The second phase will be funded from a parks grant, she said.
Shepherd Mountain Bike park shuttles around 100 people per weekend up its mountain to access the trails, Cofer said. The park, which offers challenging jumps and ramps, was the first in the Midwest to host the Big Mountain Enduro competition, a national mountain biking tournament.
The park has helped to grow businesses in the area. Since it opened in 2021, several new businesses have opened their doors. Local sales tax revenue has increased by 16%, Cofer said. People from Arkansas and Colorado have also moved to the town during the pandemic.
“From what has grown and who has moved here and doing in-person interviews with people in the community, it can definitely be attributed to the mountain bike park,” Cofer said.
Jacob Beers moved back to his hometown of Steelville during the pandemic and brought along with him a new love of mountain biking. He wanted a trail in his town, so he started attending city council meetings.
Last year, he formed an organization to advocate for the trail. He reached out to other groups, including GORC Gravity. Together, they presented the economic data to city leaders and raised just over $110,000 during the first year.
“We put together a pretty good argument as to why we should do this,” Beers said. “Then we just started fundraising and speaking to local businesses, built a website and made it possible for individual donors to become members.”
On its opening day, the park attracted more than 1,000 people, Beers said. It was unexpected — Beers said he hoped a few hundred would show jump.
"The support from the community, from all over the state and really all over the Midwest was overwhelming,” he said.
In St. Joseph, a recent redevelopment of the River Bluff Trails upgraded the area from somewhat rideable to professional-grade, said Ed Schilling, a St. Joseph city employee and longtime biker. It’s a place that now draws visitors.
Schilling used to host competitions around the state and felt it was difficult to attract people to the northwest Missouri city.
“I really didn’t feel like we were a destination,” he said. “Now I’m thinking, boy, if we would have had that years ago when I was trying to do these competitions and really trying to get that aspect of the sport going, that would have been great.”
The $3.7 million park project opened its first phase in May. It’s expected to be completed next year.
The project also started with a group of local bikers, said Chuck Kempf, the director of parks and recreation for the city. People from many city entities got involved, including parks and recreation, tourism and the city council.
“The biking community especially was very instrumental and aggressive to get this done in a very positive, constructive way,” Kempf said.
Schulz’s nonprofit also was a big part of the process, Kempf said.
“GORC Gravity's been involved from the very early stages as well,” Kempf said. “They came to the table. We had some early planning meetings. GORC was almost always there.”
One of the greatest benefits of working with Schulz was the doors that were opened, Kempf said. Kempf says he still emails back and forth with him on a regular basis.
“His networking was huge for me personally because he was able to give me names and contact information for people in Arkansas and Colorado and places that I was able to call parks directors or people that are involved in trail maintenance, and just pick their brain a little,” Kempf said.
Creating a lasting economic impact
The parks will attract nearby families and bikers. But once you build the trails, how do you keep people there?
“If you get them to stay an extra night, now you have somebody that is spending money in your restaurants, possibly shopping, definitely fuel, maybe overnight in hotels or camping,” Schulz said.
The answer, Schulz said, is peppering the area with small parks and providing trails that appeal to a wider group of people.
Another important piece, Schulz said, is keeping towns small. “We always look for small-town-type atmospheres,” Schulz said, “because that's what these tourists want.”
Some people in Ironton are worried about the growth, Cofer said. Once development started for the park, some residents were resistant. “There's some people that have just lived here for a really long time and are hesitant when it comes to things changing,” Cofer said. “You know, we've got visitors and people from all over the country that are coming to both live and visit the area.”
GORC Gravity is also hoping for a state fund specially allocated for building parks, Schulz said. The group has been working with politicians to move that forward. Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe visited Shepherd Mountain Bike Park in July to discuss the park’s impact on the state’s tourism industry.
“Hopefully, he can help keep pushing this movement that allows us to help these areas,” he said. “We've secured over 2,000 acres now to date across the state of Missouri. Through this process, there will be perpetual free parks for the communities forever.”
This story was originally published on the Missouri Business Alert, a fellow member of the KC Media Collective. | https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2022-08-21/one-trail-enthusiast-is-helping-transform-missouri-towns-into-mountain-biking-destinations | 2022-08-21T11:50:19Z | kcur.org | control | https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2022-08-21/one-trail-enthusiast-is-helping-transform-missouri-towns-into-mountain-biking-destinations | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
During the first month of a national mental health crisis line, calls to Missouri mental health centers have gone up 30%, state officials said.
Health officials put the federally backed three-digit 988 call line in place July 16. It routes all calls to suicide prevention hotline crisis centers.
The system appears to be working. More than 4,000 people called the state’s mental health crisis centers in that month, compared with around 3,100 calls routed in June, according to the Missouri Department of Mental Health.
Proponents say the 988 line is easier to remember and allows more people to reach a mental health worker. It aims to make 988 a version of 911 for mental health emergencies.
“Making an easy three-digit number just as easy as 911 for everyone in some ways sends a message that it's OK to ask for help, you’re being encouraged to ask for help,” said Gena Terlizzi, executive director of National Alliance on Mental Illness Missouri.
“What 988 did was it made it a lot easier for people to get to the right place the first time,” she said. “Before, people had to know of the lifeline number, which was an 800 number and was not as commonly known as 988.”
When people in crisis dials 988, they hear a greeting message while their call is plugged into the crisis center network. Calls are routed to local response centers based on their phone’s area code.
They can then talk to counselors who provide support and share how to get in touch with in-person help if needed. If a caller is in immediate danger or a threat to others, a counselor may dispatch law enforcement or social workers to respond.
People also can connect to the network by texting 988.
The state and federal governments have allocated money to help beef up staff and infrastructure to meet the expected increase in call volume. The state’s crisis centers are expected to answer more than 250,000 calls, texts and chats in the first year, state health officials said.
Health centers are still waiting on money to arrive from the government so they can hire more employees to answer the calls.
Mental health hubs are still ramping up their marketing to educate people about the new hotline, said Jamie Huffman, access crisis intervention coordinator at Mark Twain Behavioral Health in Kirksville.
Huffman expects the number of callers to grow even more as word spreads about 988.
“It is kind of a slower rollout of marketing with 988, so I think as the marketing gets out there, I think that will increase,” she said.
Huffman hopes the hotline will eventually use geolocation, instead of area codes, to route numbers to local agencies.
“I think it's wonderful,” she said. “And I think it's going to really open doors for people.”
Follow Sarah on Twitter: @petit_smudge
Copyright 2022 St. Louis Public Radio. To see more, visit St. Louis Public Radio. | https://www.kcur.org/health/2022-08-21/missouri-mental-crisis-calls-go-up-during-988-hotlines-first-month | 2022-08-21T11:50:25Z | kcur.org | control | https://www.kcur.org/health/2022-08-21/missouri-mental-crisis-calls-go-up-during-988-hotlines-first-month | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Yankees have been searching for answers to fix their dormant offense.
But Aaron Judge believes he knows at least part of the issue.
“Just gotta have a little better energy in the dugout and push each other a little bit,” Judge said Saturday after the Yankees lost to the Blue Jays 5-2 in The Bronx. “We’re just missing that a little bit right now. We gotta come out and bring it [Sunday].
“When we’re rolling, everyone’s in on every single at-bat and everybody’s pushing each other. We’re missing a little bit of that right now.”
The Yankees have lost nine of their last 11 games, a stretch in which they have mustered just 21 runs. Eight of them came in one win on Wednesday, with hitters otherwise scuffling up and down the lineup.
Manager Aaron Boone said he thought the Yankees had some pitches to hit early on Saturday, but they did not take advantage. They scattered nine hits, but went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base.
Earlier in the year, the Yankees made a habit of coming back to win games.
Those comebacks have been harder to come by of late with their offense stuck in the mud.
“Some of the stuff I’m seeing is just individual at-bats instead of team at-bats,” Judge said after hitting a pair of infield singles in four at-bats.
“Once we turn that around, we’ll be right back where we need to be.”
Josh Donaldson was a late scratch from the lineup because of a stomach bug.
About an hour before the game, Donaldson went to Boone’s office to let him know he was not feeling well.
“Just couldn’t get anything down,” Boone said. “I think he got a little better as the game went on and was potentially an option there late, but yeah.”
Without Donaldson at the hot corner, Oswaldo Cabrera moved from right field to third base, Judge moved from center field to right field and Estevan Florial was inserted into the lineup at center and batting ninth.
Donaldson was the hero in the Yankees’ only win over their last seven games, with a walk-off grand slam to beat the Rays in the 10th inning Wednesday. He has collected one hit apiece in each of his past four games, but was 6-for-37 with a .505 OPS over his last 10 games, one of the many Yankees in a skid.
Cabrera continues to stand out in the field, no matter where the Yankees put him. A day after making a highlight-reel grab in right field to rob a home run, Cabrera made another stellar catch on Saturday from third base, running into the rolled-up tarp to snap a foul pop-up in the third inning.
“That’s the stuff we gotta feed off of,” Judge said.
Cabrera was a bit shaken up after the collision, and received a visit from Boone and a trainer, but escaped with just a bloody nose and finished the game.
Judge also made a terrific catch in right field in the second inning, running back and slamming his left shoulder against the wall while making the catch. Judge said his shoulder was fine.
Florial recorded his first hit of the season, punching an RBI single through the left side in the second inning to score Jose Trevino (two hits) and give the Yankees a 1-0 lead.
Clay Holmes played catch on Saturday for the first time since going on the injured list with lower back spasms on Wednesday. The reliever said a mix of rest and treatment had him “seeing progress.”
“It’s getting there,” Holmes said. “Rest, couple days of nor throwing and not messing with it, treatment, seems to have helped. So I’m very optimistic.”
Holmes had begun to lose his grip on the closer’s job before he was injured, but Boone said the role would be “fluid” when the All-Star returns.
“We want to get Clay right,” Boone said. “We know when he’s right, we saw it for the first three-plus months of the season where it was about as lights out as you can be. So we gotta get him to that point. First and foremost is getting physically right.”
The Yankees will retire Paul O’Neill’s number before their game Sunday. Fans should be in their seats by 12:40 p.m. for the ceremony. | https://nypost.com/2022/08/21/aaron-judge-on-what-is-ailing-the-yankees-offense/ | 2022-08-21T11:50:45Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/08/21/aaron-judge-on-what-is-ailing-the-yankees-offense/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
TOKYO – Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has been infected with COVID-19 and is recuperating at his official residence, his office said on Sunday.
Kishida, who just returned from a week-long vacation, was due to return to work on Monday with an overseas trip scheduled for later in the week.
He developed a cough and fever on Saturday and took a PCR test on Sunday morning, which confirmed the positive result in the afternoon, a Cabinet Office spokesperson said.
Japan has endured a record resurgence in coronavirus infections through July and August, hitting businesses in the world’s third-biggest economy, although deaths remain relatively low and the disruptions have been milder than in some other advanced economies.
Japan’s economy grew an annualized 2.2% in the second quarter, a slower-than-expected rebound from a COVID-induced slump as uncertainty remains over whether consumption can bolster a fragile recovery.
The authorities have eschewed strict lockdowns used in China and other nations throughout the pandemic, relying on broad usage of mask-wearing and social distancing to curb infections.
Kishida was to take part in the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) starting on Friday in Tunisia, then continue with visits through the Middle East.
He may participate in TICAD online, public broadcaster NHK reported. | https://nypost.com/2022/08/21/japan-pm-fumio-kishida-tests-positive-for-covid/ | 2022-08-21T11:50:57Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/08/21/japan-pm-fumio-kishida-tests-positive-for-covid/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
I’ve read quite a number of books this year, but THIS one is by far the best.
Everything about this first book in a new mystery series by Mark Pryor is so good. The dialogue seems real, the setting (Nazi-occupied Paris, 1940) suits my historical fiction addiction, and seemingly every page has an unexpected turn of events.
Inspector Henri Lefort has been given five days to solve the murder of a German officer whose body was found inside the Louvre Museum. Lefort has been denied access to the scene of the crime and the murder weapon, but has been given a list of five suspects. Smart, witty, sarcastic and cynical Lefort and his assistant, Nicola, begin the impossible task of finding a murderer in time to save his own life. Henri and Nicola understand the consequences if Henri does not solve the crime in five days.
As Henri begins interviewing those on the suspect list, he meets and interviews Pablo Picasso, among others who know more than they are willing to share. As he walks the streets of his beloved Paris and his search for a murderer continues, he knows he is being followed. One misstep could land him in a German concentration camp, or worse, because Henri has his own secrets.
Those secrets and his memories of another war, and this occupation of Paris and this war, are exacerbating his PTSD. When he meets Princess Marie Bonapart at the scene of a robbery in her home, she sees beneath his jaded and sarcastic demeanor and encourages Henri (with a promise of a bottle of Chateau Petrus at each session) to undergo psychological counseling. As his own story unfolds and he shares his long-suppressed secrets with the princess, the murder of the German officer and his past converge in a most unexpected turn of events.
This newest book by Mark Pryor has characters who are truly engaging, witty dialogue that made me smile, descriptions of Paris that brought back sweet memories, and encounters with the enemy that caused me to pause and think. I look forward to the other books in this series and to more adventures with Inspector Henri Lefort and his assistant Nicola — and perhaps Picasso and Princess Bonaparte will also make appearances. We shall see.
• “Die Around Sundown” by Mark Pryor was published by Minotaur Books on Tuesday, Aug. 16. It retails for $27.99.
• Irene M. Pearcey is assistant manager at Inklings Bookshop. She and other Inklings staffers review books in this space every week. | https://www.yakimaherald.com/explore_yakima/book-scene-die-around-sundown-is-a-masterpiece-of-a-mystery/article_2a161efa-1e85-11ed-ae1f-a71d43f8559e.html | 2022-08-21T11:54:17Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/explore_yakima/book-scene-die-around-sundown-is-a-masterpiece-of-a-mystery/article_2a161efa-1e85-11ed-ae1f-a71d43f8559e.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Editor’s note: Travel isn’t always easy. Time, money and itineraries can be tricky to juggle. Here at Explore, we are running a series of stories about road trips that can be done in a day or include an overnight stay. Each will take you on small adventures to places you might have overlooked or missed the last time you drove through. This week we take a trip on Interstate 90.
Interstate 90 is a major transcontinental east-west freeway across the United States. In Washington, it starts at the Idaho border and travels through Spokane, Ritzville and Ellensburg to Seattle. The road from Ellensburg to Seattle, at about 100 miles, is a route many Yakima residents know well.
While everyone has their favorite rest stops along the way, we’d thought we share a few hidden gems.
Leaving the Yakima Valley, if you have the time, travel through the Yakima River Canyon. State Route 821, also called the Canyon Road, follows the Yakima River and is a scenic route that stretches 25 miles between Ellensburg and Yakima. Motorists can see wildlife and birds, and there are often people fishing or floating on the river. At the north end of the canyon, Canyon Road becomes Thrall Road, which leads right into Ellensburg and I-90.
Ellensburg
Forgot coffee? Once you’re out of the canyon, visit D&M Coffee Canyon, 1709 Canyon Road, No. 2. It’s conveniently located near on- and off-ramps to I-90 and is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
D&M Coffee also has locations in downtown Ellensburg at 323 N. Pearl St. (7 a.m.-6 p.m. daily) and a drive-thru at 204 S. Water St. (5 a.m.-6 p.m. daily).
The drive-thru offers common drinks like lattes, cold brew and Americanos along with tea, Red Bull drinks, chai and Italian sodas. Bakery items are on the menu, and you should get the chocolate chip cookie! I’ve been in love with it since my days at Central Washington University, over 15 years ago.
If you are traveling through on a weekday, need breakfast or lunch and have some time to spare, travel into downtown Ellensburg and visit Lunchbox Cafe at 409 N. Ruby St., across from Safeway. The local favorite is open 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays.
The name of the cafe is fitting, since the outdoor seating area’s shape is reminiscent of a lunch box. The menu offers a variety of hot and cold breakfast and lunch options, with many vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free items, too. The grab-and-go sandwich is always a good choice. It’s a cold sandwich made daily for those in a hurry.
Owner Margo Cordner says “the best tuna fish ever” is a regular favorite, made of tuna salad with pickles, celery, horseradish, mayo, tomato and lettuce. It’s served on multigrain or buttermilk white bread from nearby Vinman’s Bakery, gluten-free bread, tortilla wrap or romaine leaves.
Lunchbox Cafe also serves a variety of hot and iced coffee drinks, hot and iced teas, seasonal options and smoothies. Sweets are also on the menu — including a three-bite cookie, only 75 cents and a perfect finish to any meal.
Thorp
Traveling east and west on I-90, Thorp is hard to miss. And if you do miss it, there’s a giant American flag to mark the spot. The flag is at Shree’s Travel Plaza, 410 Gladmar Road, a good stop if you need fuel or to grab a cold drink.
Right next door is Thorp Fruit and Antique Mall on 220 Gladmar Road.
The Thorp Fruit and Antique Mall is open daily; hours are seasonal. Call 509-964-2474 to find out the hours if you’re traveling by and want to stop.
The mall offers local in-season produce, specialty foods from shops in Central Washington and the Pacific Northwest. There is a cooler full of cold apple cider and an assortment of beers and wines from local establishments.
Browse two levels of antiques, full of records, vintage clothing and racks of old magazines and books, among an array of collectibles.
The Thorp Fruit and Antique Mall also has an espresso stand and hard ice cream counter. Looking for road snacks? They have a table full of those, too. You’ll find sesame sticks, dried fruit and trail mix, as well as saltwater taffy and other sweet treats.
If you are interested in a more scenic route between Ellensburg and Cle Elum, State Route 10 is the way to go. It offers beautiful views of the Yakima River. You’ll also see wind turbines and the Cascade Range. It’s worth the extra time.
Cle Elum
Cle Elum and South Cle Elum are split by Interstate 90. Cle Elum has exits off I-90 at the north and south end of town.
The town has a population of just over 2,100 and its location is an ideal jumping-off point for camping and outdoor activities. First Street runs the whole length of town and is home to cute shops and eateries. It’s a good place to walk around and stretch your legs.
Visit the Cle Elum Telephone Museum at 221 E. First St. It’s open from Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day weekend, noon to 4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays.
Though small in space, it’s packed with neat information, switchboards, telegraph machines and old rotary dial phones. The museum offers a quick history lesson for anyone passing through Cle Elum. Admission is free but donations are accepted.
Cle Elum’s old brick buildings and nature surroundings may make it seem like a one-horse town, but don’t let that fool you. For instance, it has two meat vending machines. You read that right. Two different vending machines in front of two different meat shops.
Owens Meats is near the east end of Cle Elum at 502 E. First St. Its hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays.
The Owens Meats vending machine is hard to miss right outside the exit door. It includes smoked meats like different flavors of pepperoni sticks and jerky, as well as packages of snack-size cheese and pepperoni.
Inside Owens Meats, customers can find a variety of fresh meats like steaks, pork chops, various sausage links and bacon. There are also more smoked meats inside as well as specialty products like dry pastas. If the line’s too long for the vending machine, you can find yard-long pepperoni sticks inside as well as cheese and pepperoni bite-sized snacks by the scoopful.
The second vending machine is walking distance, less than half a mile away.
Glondo’s Sausage Co. is at 216 E. First St. in Cle Elum. Its hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays and Saturdays; 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. Fridays; and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays. Glondo’s offers cured and smoked meats packaged with cheese and crackers in their vending machine.
Inside, Glondo’s has an assortment of sausages, brats, salami, franks and coppa, as well as specialty gourmet items like sauces, raviolis and pizzas.
If you’re someone with more of a sweet tooth, 509 Bake House will curb your cravings and more. Located at 207 E. First St., 509 Bake House is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays. This small bakery has limited hours that attracts locals and visitors.
The small-batch items guarantee the freshest and tastiest treats. Cupcakes are colorfully lined up in a cold case next to cookies and peanut butter bars covered in chocolate.
All the treats are eye-catching and brought this Explorer in from the street. The smell of garlic-cheesy bread rolls was impossible to pass up.
Snoqualmie Summit
As I-90 winds its way to the top of Snoqualmie Pass, the views of the Cascade Mountains are breathtaking and conjure images of skiing, hiking and scenes from the 1995 teen movie “Mad Love.” Anyone who travels I-90 often will recognize several scenarios from that movie.
Pulling off the freeway, travelers can find several options to enjoy the views.
Bob’s Espresso Stand in front of Lee’s Summit Grocery, 741 WA-906, Snoqualmie Pass, is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays-Sundays and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays. Bob’s is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Don’t let the name fool you.
Yes, Bob’s serves up hot and iced espresso favorites, but it also has hard ice cream, served by the scoop and in milkshakes. The milkshakes are perfect to wash down the hand-dipped corn dogs also for sale.
Perfectly crispy with just enough corn breading, these corn dogs are perfect without any condiments, but mustard and ketchup are available. Reasonably priced at $3.29, one is enough as a meal for one person.
Is pizza by the slice more your jam? Look no further than Lee’s Summit Grocery. Inside you will find Pie for the People. The hand-tossed New York style pizza is available by the slice or full pie, seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Pizza is also available from Red Mountain Coffee, 773 State Route 906, Snoqualmie Pass. Red Mountain Coffee offers 18-inch whole pizzas, a menu full of options to choose from or you can build your own.
Need a seat to enjoy your corn dog or pizza slice? Look across the road to Dru Bru, 10 Pass Life Way No. 3, Snoqualmie Pass.
The Dru Bru Brewery is open from noon to 9 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays-Sundays.
Dru Bru has 15 active taps, featuring award-winning beers, seasonal and small-batch offerings. Ciders and house-made root beer are also on tap. There is some indoor seating as well as heated outdoor patio seating with views of Guye Peak and Snoqualmie Mountain.
On tap, beer lovers can find Hop Session, an easy drinking IPA; Kölsch, a German-style golden ale; and Black Lager, a German-style black lager, among several other flagship beers.
Dru Bru offers 12- and 32-ounce cans, 22-ounce bottles and 64-ounce growlers to go.
The Squatch Box food truck is near the outdoor patio at Dru Bru. The food truck offers up hot dogs with several options of toppings, chili and fries. Outside food is also welcome at the brewery.
(Psst … Didn’t make it past Cle Elum but want to try Dru Bru beers? Check out their second tap room in Cle Elum at 1015 E. Second St. from noon to 8 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 8 a.m. Sundays.)
These are plenty of places to stop on your way to Seattle or anywhere on the west side. One could easily make a day trip to just Ellensburg or Cle Elum or even a trip to the top of Snoqualmie Pass. There are also plenty of stops past the Snoqualmie Summit. Explore wants you to enjoy your trip to Seattle as well as discover new places on your way. | https://www.yakimaherald.com/explore_yakima/cover_story/scenery-cupcakes-and-corn-dogs-good-places-to-stop-on-i-90-from-ellensburg-to/article_4eddc82a-1ded-11ed-a2e7-6f7b892735f3.html | 2022-08-21T11:54:23Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/explore_yakima/cover_story/scenery-cupcakes-and-corn-dogs-good-places-to-stop-on-i-90-from-ellensburg-to/article_4eddc82a-1ded-11ed-a2e7-6f7b892735f3.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
From public art and sculptures set back from Yakima Avenue to local businesses with handcrafted products, Yakima’s downtown is a central spot for creativity.
Some local art leaders want to cultivate that further, creating a walkable area full of art and cultural activities called a creative district.
The Yakima Arts Commission is leading the effort, hosting community meetings and seeking input from residents and business owners while putting together the formal application, which goes to the state art commission.
Heath Lambe, a local commission member and curator for the Yakima Valley Museum, wants you to imagine this the next time you spend an afternoon or evening in our city’s downtown: a street musician serenading walkers with sweet notes, a plein air painter capturing precious moments and portraits, or a vibrant neon alley that illuminates the night.
All are potential activities or displays that could be included in the plan for the district.
“Just so, as you’re walking through the downtown, we have multiple activities happening, and it gets you excited about going downtown,” Lambe said.
Here’s what you need to know about creative districts and what one might look like in Yakima:
What is a creative district?
Washington state’s creative district program is a way to recognize and formalize areas of creative, cultural and economic activity.
Creative districts are walkable areas certified by the state’s art commission, ArtWA, as places for people to enjoy the community’s arts and culture, according to the commission’s website.
The districts must be in a contiguous geographical area, walkable, have a clearly defined concentration of artistic and cultural activities and a clearly defined brand. They must also be formally recognized by local government.
ArtsWA certified its first creative district in 2018, and there are 11 certified creative districts throughout Washington: City of Edmonds, Chewelah, Olympia, Langley, Twisp, Port Townsend, Tenino, Issaquah, Rainier Valley, Bainbridge Island and South Columbia in Kennewick.
Why a creative district?
Lambe said the possibility of a creative district in Yakima was first raised pre-pandemic, but the Yakima Arts Commission and partners are taking a renewed look at the idea.
“We have a road map here that seems to be working in other cities that I think we can leverage to make our downtown as fantastic as it can be,” he said.
Benefits include redeveloping community assets downtown, increased tourism and better livability, according to Lambe.
“I mean, there’s so much that’s happening already. This just allows the city to set a framework where we can put it under an umbrella and market that across the state and then start really using that as a way to (improve) Yakima tourism,” he said.
Along similar lines, Yakima Art Commission chair and Larson Gallery Director David Lynx said the district could lead to increased tourist and local dollars supporting local creative industries.
“This is really good for the future of Yakima,” Lynx said. “It helps us grow.”
He said it could also encourage the development of underused spaces downtown and, possibly, the creation of artist lofts or live/work housing.
Creative districts receive a $5,000 matching grant upon being certified, and participation in the program opens the district up to grant opportunities. Lambe said that includes up to $45,000 for a capital project.
The map
The working map for a creative district in Yakima stretches from East Lincoln Avenue to East Spruce Street and from Fourth Avenue to Eighth Street.
It includes a range of businesses and arts or events spaces, from the Yakima Maker Space to Essencia.
“It’s not just art. It’s anything creative,” said Lynx.
ArtsWA recognizes about 85 different creative industries and about 80 different occupations that can be included.
Some creative businesses that fall within the proposed district include Capitol Theatre, Fourth Street Theater, The Seasons Performance Hall, Yakima Maker Space, Leading Force Energy and Design, Collaboration Coffee, Ron’s Coins and Collectables, Orion Theater, Northtown Coffee, Essencia, Single Hill, Kana Winder, AntoLin Cellars, E.Z Tiger, Crafted, Sewn, and The Tap.
Lambe said the map is not set in stone and is open to input and feedback.
“When we set it together initially, it was making sure that it had all of our public artwork that we have downtown within this contiguous map, as well as some of the major arts industries that we have,” he said.
The map also includes Art in the Park, Windows Alive and event spaces, like the marketplace being built on what was the grassy middle area of Yakima Valley Memorial business services parking lot along Yakima Avenue.
Lynx said later on, there may also be ways to incorporate other creative industries not in the initial contiguous area, such as the Larson Gallery or Yakima Valley Museum.
The process
As Lambe and other leaders collect feedback from community members, they’re also preparing a formal application, budget and strategic plan for the district.
Creative districts are required to have an annual budget of $20,000, according to the ArtWA website.
The city has not allocated money to the project, and Lynx said the plan is to solicit donations from local businesses and organizations.
The strategic plan will give a look at development and activities expected for the first three to five years in the district.
Lambe said the plan also has to align with the city’s plan for downtown, which is in the works now.
Next steps also include a site visit from the state commission to review the district and its boundaries.
Lambe said he hopes these steps are completed this year.
The city took a step to support the formation of a creative district in June but will have to sign off on the idea again before the district can be certified. Lambe said the city will also likely have to provide someone to act as a staff liaison.
If the district is certified, Lambe said it will initially be overseen by the Yakima Arts Commission before transitioning to be run by a nonprofit.
He said that model is preferred — and has been used in other communities — because it opens up other grant opportunities that the city might not qualify for.
“It starts with the city,” he said. “We get it up and running. We give it some legs, and then turn it over to a nonprofit to manage and run and just make (it) better.”
Community engagement
The discussion about revitalizing Yakima’s downtown may remind some of the plan for a plaza, which was killed by voters in 2018.
Lambe said the creative district is different from that project.
“The biggest problem with that plaza, as I understand it, was the lack of parking. This doesn’t impact that,” he said. “This is a way to just focus on arts and culture in our downtown to make it a destination point.”
But memories of that project are part of the reason the group is dedicating time to hearing from community members early in the planning process. Lambe said he wants the district to come from the community, not from the top down.
“The key thing here is to get that community engagement on the front end of this to make sure it meets everybody’s expectations so that we don’t have the same issue,” Lambe said.
Lambe said he has some ideas for projects that could be included in the district’s strategic plan — a sculpture garden, neon alley or mosaic art pieces from Tieton Mosaic, to name a few — but he wants to hear from community members about what they want. An important piece of that is hearing from Latino communities and Yakama Nation neighbors, he said.
“The more participation we get from our community, the better off we’re going to be,” he said.
Lambe and Lynx have set up a webpage and Facebook page with information about the potential district, and people can reach out with questions or concerns by emailing creativedistrict@yakimawa.gov. | https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/yakima-arts-organizations-look-at-forming-creative-district-to-support-downtown-development/article_6df93cd6-1fea-11ed-a2bc-8fe65f82b4a2.html | 2022-08-21T11:54:29Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/yakima-arts-organizations-look-at-forming-creative-district-to-support-downtown-development/article_6df93cd6-1fea-11ed-a2bc-8fe65f82b4a2.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Yakima County is facing an unprecedented staffing shortage across all departments, with more than 40 unfilled positions.
The county employs 994 full-time workers. In July, there were 44 vacant positions spread across several departments with the largest shortfall — 11 unfilled positions — in the sheriff’s office.
The clerk’s office has two vacant positions while the other job vacancies are spread across county departments, said Human Resources Director Jacqui Lindsay.
“These are unprecedented times with the number of job openings that we’ve experienced over the past two years,” she said. “We are no different than similar government entities. Even the private sector is reportedly having problems recruiting.”
The county’s overall operating budget is $271.3 million with a $70 million general fund, which largely pays for the sheriff’s office, courts and corrections.
“It is always a tough challenge to balance what the compensation should be against budgetary constraints experienced by the County,” Lindsay said. “I will also point out that over the past year and a half, and most recently within this year, the county has responded to these challenges by implementing some targeted recruitment enhancements to attract applicants and retain employees.”
In May, county commissioners approved a sweeping 5% pay increase totaling $750,000 annually for employees across several departments.
The Yakima Health District made a similar move earlier this year after losing several employees to the state, including the state Department of Health, for higher-paying jobs and the ability to work remotely.
Pay has long been an issue in the sheriff’s office, said Sheriff Bob Udell.
“We’re right in the middle of a very serious pay study and the elected officials and department heads are meeting weekly and we’re about ready to get our pay up to market,” he said.
Udell said his office is down about four deputies and seven noncommissioned staff such as emergency dispatchers and records officers who track sex offenders, oversee protection orders, warrants, civil papers and financial documents.
“Their jobs have to be done every single day,” he said. “You can’t put it off until tomorrow. These have to be done.”
Pay has improved recently for dispatchers and it’s helping, Udell said.
His office is funded for 13 dispatchers, and he now has eight. That’s a drastic improvement from earlier this year, when he had five.
“At times, the civil deputy had found herself doing dispatch — a senior officer going in and doing dispatch,” he said.
The five dispatchers often worked 12-hour shifts without any days off, Udell said.
“This agency and the county owes those people for what they did,” he said.
The office is running more smoothly with eight dispatchers, and Udell said he has several more now in the hiring pipeline.
“We’re doing OK. We’re getting our functions done,” he said. “We are stressed, but we are managing.”
Other positions still need pay increases to attract and retain qualified people, he said.
Some important positions that require expertise, psychological evaluations and background checks pay only about $19 an hour, Udell said.
“Someone looks at a $19-an-hour-job and says, ‘I’m not going to put myself through all that for that,’ ” he said.
Udell said many positions in his office are paid about 20% below comparable positions elsewhere.
“With other government jobs paying much more, it’s hard to attract them here,” Udell said.
Results of the pay study undoubtedly will lead to pay increases, he said.
“There will be significant jumps up — no numbers yet — but it will be significant,” Udell said. | https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/yakima-county-staffing-shortage-hits-sheriffs-office-especially-hard/article_cca3f2f8-200d-11ed-a3b0-b3e0aa339f70.html | 2022-08-21T11:54:36Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/yakima-county-staffing-shortage-hits-sheriffs-office-especially-hard/article_cca3f2f8-200d-11ed-a3b0-b3e0aa339f70.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
These past few scorching weeks have made it challenging to enjoy the delights of summer. By now, you might be getting tired of store-bought cold treats such as ice creams, ice pops and cold juices.
Your taste buds are craving flavors that are brand new. Flavors you perhaps have not heard of. Flavors from all the way around the world!
That’s right. I’m here to share with you some amazing and out-of-this-world cold treats from Pakistan that’ll cool you off and make you sigh with satisfaction.
• Rooh Afza (pronounced ruh AF-zaa)
A signature treat from Pakistan, this red and sweet punch syrup is simple yet has a lavish taste. A bottle of Rooh Afza can be purchased online from Amazon. Served in Pakistan and India at every event ranging from parties to weddings, Rooh Afza is commonly made by stirring two tablespoons of syrup into an ice-cold glass of milk. Another way to prepare the drink is to use an 8-ounce glass of cold water and add two tablespoons of Rooh Afza, one tablespoon of sugar, squeeze half a small lemon, then stir and add in your ice and enjoy!
In Pakistan, you will see a person’s face light up if you offer up a cold glass of Rooh Afza on a hot, summer day. And, once you’ve tried it, your face will light up, too!
• Lusse (lus-SEE)
Lusse is a classic that is enjoyed all over Pakistan, India and the Middle East. Lusse is a frothy, creamy and delicious yogurt shake that can be made sweet or salty.
To make some at home, simply blend two cups of plain yogurt and one cup of water. Depending on whether you’d like it sweet or salty, also add in two or three tablespoons of sugar or half a teaspoon of salt. Afterward, add in more water as needed. Smooth as it glides over your tongue, this is one drink that will have you reaching for more!
• Imli aloo bukhara sharbat (IM-lee aloo bu-KHA-ra SHUR-buth)
This is a combination that can’t be beaten! Imli (from the tamarind fruit tree) mixes with aloo bukhara (a plum) to give you sharbat, a drink like none other. While the actual process requires some effort, a super quick and easy way to make this drink is to mix tamarind juice with plum juice in a 1:1 ratio. Refreshing as can be, this is a one-of-a-kind drink that’ll blow you away!
• Skungi (SKUN-jee)
Skungi, more commonly known around Pakistan as nimbu pani (lemon water), is a must-have during my summers. You can think of it as the Pakistani version of lemonade. It’s effortless and only requires three ingredients that are always sitting around your kitchen.
Grab some salt or sugar, lemons or limes and water. There are two kinds of skungi you can make. In an 8-ounce glass of cold water, squeeze half a small lemon or lime, and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Then stir, add in your ice and enjoy. For the second kind, it’s the same recipe except you also stir in two tablespoons of sugar. This drink can be made in minutes and is a real thirst-quencher!
• Kulfi ice cream (KUL-fee)
Once you’ve had a taste of it, you’ll never forget the richness and creaminess of this ice cream. This frozen treasure is sold by street vendors all over Pakistan. Generally, kulfi is made with heavy condensed milk and sugar. Kulfi can also be found in various flavors such as almond, pistachio and mango. Making kulfi at home does not require an ice cream maker and you can choose from a variety of recipes online that will show you how to make the creamiest and most delicious kulfi.
• Rasmalai cold dessert (ras-mal-AYEE)
Take out your spoon and break off a piece of one of these cake-like, white oval-shaped treats that are soaked in sweet, white milk sauce. This creamy, delicious and oh-so-cooling dessert is mainly made with regular milk and dry milk, eggs, nuts, baking powder and oil. Just like with the kulfi, there is a surfeit of home cooks and chefs online who are ready to teach you how to make some fantastic rasmalai.
• Falooda (fa-LOO-duh)
This treat has got to be my favorite of the ones I am sharing with you here. Falooda is mainly made with milk, sugar, colorful vermicelli (fried wheat that is thin and noodle-like), basil seeds, any flavor of Jell-O, and any flavor of ice cream (vanilla is best).
Through this single treat you’ll taste a million different flavors. BOOM! You taste the ice cream. BANG! You taste the vermicelli. SLURP! You taste the Jell-O.
The list goes on and on and, once you’ve tried it, you’ll never forget the experience of eating falooda.
Food is a great way to immerse yourself in a new culture and place, and these spectacular treats will really help you to get a taste of Pakistan. Recipes can be found online, and most ingredients are just a grocery trip away.
So, what are you waiting for? If you’re in the need to beat the heat, have yourself a refreshing and cold treat. | https://www.yakimaherald.com/unleashed/columnists/cool-down-this-summer-with-sweet-treats-of-pakistan/article_d8a6d294-1a78-5dc7-ba3e-147bc70eac89.html | 2022-08-21T11:54:48Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/unleashed/columnists/cool-down-this-summer-with-sweet-treats-of-pakistan/article_d8a6d294-1a78-5dc7-ba3e-147bc70eac89.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NPR's Books We Love has reading recommendations from our staff and contributors. Today, we hear about three new romance novels: "An Arrow to the Moon," "Young Mungo" and "Ramon and Julieta."
Copyright 2022 NPR
NPR's Books We Love has reading recommendations from our staff and contributors. Today, we hear about three new romance novels: "An Arrow to the Moon," "Young Mungo" and "Ramon and Julieta."
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.klcc.org/2022-08-21/books-we-love-recommended-reading-for-romance | 2022-08-21T12:21:03Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/2022-08-21/books-we-love-recommended-reading-for-romance | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Thanks to redistricting, New York state will hold primary elections Tuesday for the second time this year, confusing some voters.
Copyright 2022 WSKG Radio
Thanks to redistricting, New York state will hold primary elections Tuesday for the second time this year, confusing some voters.
Copyright 2022 WSKG Radio | https://www.klcc.org/2022-08-21/new-yorkers-will-vote-in-a-second-primary-election-this-year-thanks-to-redistricting | 2022-08-21T12:21:34Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/2022-08-21/new-yorkers-will-vote-in-a-second-primary-election-this-year-thanks-to-redistricting | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Bonnyrigg Rose boss Robbie Horn dumbfounded by shock defeat to Albion Rovers
Bonnyrigg Rose boss Robbie Horn was left dumbfounded by his side’s out-of-character performance as their unbeaten start to life in League Two came to a shock end with a 2-0 defeat at home to Albion Rovers.
The visitors arrived at New Dundas Park without a point from their opening three matches, but raised their game against the title favourites thanks to goals either side of the interval.
Rose captain Jonny Stewart inadvertently turned in winger Charlie Reilly's low ball across goal for the opener after 23 minutes, before Reilly killed off any hopes of a home comeback with Rovers’ second with five minutes remaining.
The home side created very little in the way of chances, with goalkeeper Jack Leighfield just fielding shots from range.
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“It was a poor performance from us,” said Horn. “We have to credit the opposition as well, they came with a game plan and they thoroughly deserved to win the game.
“We just weren’t at it from start to finish to be perfectly honest. It was just one of those games for us. I have never seen us not create an opportunity in a game, but we never created anything at all.
“I have absolutely no idea what happened. When we are playing poorly sometimes we are still able to create opportunities and maybe dig something out but we didn't manage to do that. To their credit, they managed the game really well and the second goal just killed the game off.
“Their three league games that they had before, they probably should have taken points from them. They didn't deserve to lose the three games.
“There is no easy games in this league, so you have to be at it every single game. Otherwise you will get beat. We are very disappointed, it's been a good start for us, but we will take it on the chin and get ready for next week."
Up next for Rose – who sit third after four games – behind Dumbarton on top spot and East Fife in second place, is Stirling Albion who visit New Dundas Park this Saturday. | https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/bonnyrigg-rose-boss-robbie-horn-dumbfounded-by-shock-defeat-to-albion-rovers-3813801 | 2022-08-21T12:34:20Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/bonnyrigg-rose-boss-robbie-horn-dumbfounded-by-shock-defeat-to-albion-rovers-3813801 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Kent's most notorious serial killer could be back out on the streets by Christmas after being held behind bars for 47 years. Patrick Mackay was handed a mandatory life sentence after being convicted of three manslaughters by diminished responsibility in November 1975 but has now been granted a Parole Board hearing in November.
Since such news broke however, panic-stricken relatives of Patrick's victims and an MPs have called for the move to be blocked. The Dartford-born killer strangled two elderly women to death and butchered a priest with an axe in London and Kent, boasting that he was the Devil's Disciple.
Those hoping to block the parole hearing say that the convicted killer, and the UK's longest serving prisoner, must die behind bars – and begged parole chiefs not to repeat last year’s Colin Pitchfork blunder, The Mirror reports. Pitchfork, 62, who raped and murdered two teenage girls, was controversially let out then almost immediately recalled in November after approaching young women.
Read more: Woman marries same man again and again because she may lose all her memories
Mackay, 69, once confessed to eight further killings before retracting the claims. The son of one of the suspected victims told the Sunday People the killer should die behind bars.
Police believe Leslie Goodman was bludgeoned to death by Mackay in 1974. Frenzied Son David said: “I would back any demand to keep him behind bars. They say he’s been a model prisoner in jail, but I would think there are enough reasons to keep him locked up.”
His 64-year-old dad was beaten to death at his confectioner’s shop in Finsbury Park, North London. David described Mackay as a psychopath, saying he may seem fine one minute but could flip the next. Victor Davies, 66, who believes he was behind the slaughter of his mother Ivy, told the Sunday People: “Everyone thinks he’s done more than he’s been convicted of.
“If he hasn’t admitted to everything then he can’t be a reformed character.” Victor, whose 48-year-old cafe boss mum was killed in 1975, added: “What’s he going to do if he does get out? “He knows nothing about the modern world.”
Mackay will give evidence to a three-person Parole Board panel on November 30. If successful, he is likely to be released within weeks. Mackay’s confirmed victims include Catholic priest Anthony Crean, 64, killed at his home in Shorn, Kent, in March 1975.
His frenzied attack split the victim’s skull in half. He was also convicted of murdering Isabella Griffiths and Adele Price. Author John Lucas, whose book Britain’s Forgotten Serial Killer chronicled the crimes, said: “This is no ordinary case.
“Patrick Mackay is probably Britain’s worst living serial killer and a manipulative psychopath. One of the detectives who interviewed him at the time described lying as a way of life for Mackay.
“I have no doubt that if his crimes had occurred a little later in history he would have got a whole-life tariff.” The writer added: “I’ve always argued that there should be a comprehensive review into Mackay’s offending and detectives should look through all of London’s unsolved murders from what was essentially a period between 1968-1975 when he was on the streets and offending.”
Mackay, who has changed his name to David Groves, got a life sentence in November 1975 with a minimum 20-year term. The horrific death of Father Crean on March 21, 1975, was the most brutal of his attacks.
Mackay split his skull open with an axe and stabbed him repeatedly, then dumped the 63-year-old in the bath and started the taps running before leaving him to die. He was also convicted of strangling and stabbing Miss Griffiths in Belgravia, Central London, in 1974 and Mrs Price a year later.
Commenting on Isabella’s death he later said: “She was not a bad soul, and why I killed her I feel I may never know. I suppose that even though I had killed her, I wanted in death to make her comfortable as she lay on her kitchen floor.
“I closed her eyes as they were staring lifeless up, covered her as if in a sleeping bag and left her there. These murders were so solemn when I think of them, yet so quick, so fast.”
After strangling Mrs Price in her Knightsbridge flat Mackay hung around after the killing, even falling asleep in an armchair. Judges said he should not be released unless considered safe and he has been repeatedly denied parole. But he was convicted of only three counts of manslaughter due to diminished responsibility. He admitted eight further killings, but then retracted his confessions.
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Former Gurkha soldier who lost both legs in Afghanistan set to climb Everest | https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/serial-killer-dubbed-devils-disciple-7491391 | 2022-08-21T12:35:50Z | kentlive.news | control | https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/serial-killer-dubbed-devils-disciple-7491391 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Micro Museum is Kent's only museum of vintage computers and video games and its visitors love it. The museum showcases the owners personal collection gathered over 45 years.
Curators of the museum Mike and Carol Deer have a collection of 100s of vintage personal computers, calculators, games and micro electronics collected over more than four decades. At the heart of the collection are displays of computers, games consoles and more from the 1970s and 80s.
Visitors to the museum can take a step back in time and discover the ideas and inventions that led to the digital world that we have today. Going as far back as Victorian Times, you can discover the story of people such as Charles Babbage, an English polymath who originated the concept of a digital programmable computer, and Ada Lovelace and English mathematician and writer.
Read more: I explored the ‘haunted’ Kent landmark with a terrifying past and it was spine-tingling
There is fun for all ages, the older generations can indulge in a bit of nostalgia and have fun searching the collection to find their first computer, and all the family can enjoy playing on the many classic games, consoles and computers that are in the collection.
The Micro Museum is open now until the last weekend of September, on weekends only, from 1-4pm. During the month of August the website states that the museum is also open on Wednesdays.
Visitors are advised to check the website for updates, as dates may be subject to change at short notice. Admission for adults and children is £5 and a group or family of four is £15, and the admission cost includes the games play.
The museum has a 5/5 rating on Trip Advisor, based on 247 reviews, here is what some of the visitors have to say:
"The Micro Museum was a great trip down memory lane for me. I had a BBC micro as a young teenager in 1983, followed by by other Acorn computers. My friends had a variety of other home computers, and it was great to see all the old home computers again."
"Visited with my son whilst on holiday in Margate, Ramsgate being a 10 minute drive. Was fantastic visiting a place where he can experience many of the games from the 80’s and 90’s, but his favourite was the original 70’s pong game."
"The museum boasts a wonderful collection of vintage and retro computers and devices including a number of working examples of microcomputers and consoles to play on or with."
"Retro heaven, I came with my 11 year old son and had an amazing time. A real trip down memory lane, with working exhibits from the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s to the modern day. Super friendly curators who are amazingly knowledgeable about everything on show."
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READ NEXT: | https://www.kentlive.news/whats-on/kents-museum-vintage-computers-retro-7466526 | 2022-08-21T12:36:00Z | kentlive.news | control | https://www.kentlive.news/whats-on/kents-museum-vintage-computers-retro-7466526 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Defense in school shooter’s trial set to present its case
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The prosecution spent three weeks telling jurors how Nikolas Cruz murdered 14 students and three staff members at a Florida high school four years ago. Now his attorneys will get their chance to present why they believe he did it, hoping to get him sentenced to life without parole instead of death.
Melisa McNeill, Cruz’s lead public defender, is expected to give her opening statement Monday, having deferred its presentation from the start of the trial a month ago.
She and her team will then begin laying out their 23-year-old client’s life history: his birth mother’s abuse of alcohol and cocaine during her pregnancy, leading to possible fetal alcohol syndrome; his severe mental and emotional problems; his alleged sexual abuse by a “trusted peer;” the bullying he endured; and his adoptive father’s death when he was 5 and his adoptive mother’s four months before his Feb. 14, 2018, attack at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
McNeill’s decision to delay her opening statement appeared part of a broader strategy to not deny or lessen anything prosecutors told jurors about Cruz’s massacre — he pleaded guilty in October to 17 counts of first-degree murder. This trial is only to decide his sentence; the seven-man, five woman jury will consider whether the prosecution’s aggravating circumstances “outweigh” the defense’s mitigating factors.
The defense is “going to say, ‘Look, you saw what happened — we are not going to argue that. It was horrible, that was awful, that was horrific, whatever adjectives you want to use,” said David S. Weinstein, a Miami defense attorney and former prosecutor. But then the defense will add: “He never had a chance and, because of that, his poor victims never had a chance.’”
This is the deadliest U.S. mass shooting to ever reach trial. Nine other gunmen who killed at least 17 people died during or immediately after their shootings, either by suicide or police gunfire. The suspect in the 2019 slaying of 23 people at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, is awaiting trial.
During the prosecution’s case, McNeill’s team never cross-examined any teacher or student who witnessed the slayings and only had brief, mild exchanges with a few other witnesses.
They asked one teacher from a classroom where no one was shot about the lack of a security monitor in the three-story building where the slayings happened. When the gun store owner who sold Cruz the AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle used in the killings testified, they asked what Florida’s minimum age was in 2017 to buy a rifle — 18 — and today — 21.
Neither they nor the prosecutors then asked the store owner why the law was changed: Cruz was 19 when the shooting happened and the Republican-led Legislature raised the age limit as part of a larger package of gun laws enacted in response to the shootings.
Cruz’s youth will be part of his defense and while Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer has barred the defense from presenting testimony that directly casts blame on third parties like school administrators for not preventing the shooting, McNeill and her team will likely try to indirectly make such points.
To get Cruz a life sentence, the defense will only have to persuade one of the 12 jurors, but they will have to do it on all 17 counts, one for each victim. It is possible, for example, a reluctant juror might be pushed to vote for death on victims who surveillance video showed Cruz shot multiple times as they lay wounded and helpless.
The defense will be trying to overcome the horrendous evidence that was laid out by the prosecution, capped by the jurors’ Aug. 4 visit to the fenced-off building that Cruz stalked for seven minutes, firing about 150 shots down halls and into classrooms. The jurors saw dried blood on floors and walls, bullet holes in doors and windows and remnants of Valentine’s Day balloons, flowers and cards.
Prosecutors also presented graphic surveillance videos of the massacre; gruesome crime scene and autopsy photos from its aftermath; emotional testimony from teachers and students who witnessed others die; and four days of tearful and angry statements from parents, spouses and other family members about the victims and how their loved one’s death affected their lives. Jurors also watched video of Cruz calmly ordering a cherry and blue raspberry Icee minutes after the shooting and, nine months later, attacking a jail guard.
It is unknown how long the defense presentation will take, but they said in court recently that it will last past Labor Day in two weeks. The prosecution will then get to present a rebuttal case before it goes to the jury.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wave3.com/2022/08/21/defense-school-shooters-trial-set-present-its-case/ | 2022-08-21T12:39:01Z | wave3.com | control | https://www.wave3.com/2022/08/21/defense-school-shooters-trial-set-present-its-case/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Sunday morning First To Know Tropics check (08/21/2022)
Potential Tropical Cyclone Four moved inland near the mouth of the Rio Grande River in northeastern Mexico without becoming a full-fledged tropical storm. Heavy rain occurred with its landfall. However, we are still on a multi-week streak of no named tropical storms in the Atlantic basin that stretches back to early July.
A few disturbances exist in the tropical eastern side of the North Atlantic but none of them currently have good short-term chances for development. A wave of moisture coming off of the western African continent has long-range chances to further develop into a tropical depression toward the end of this week, but it will remain in the distant waters through that time while moving west. | https://www.wtxl.com/weather/sunday-morning-first-to-know-tropics-check-08-21-2022 | 2022-08-21T12:47:17Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/weather/sunday-morning-first-to-know-tropics-check-08-21-2022 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – Duke Energy said hundreds are experiencing a power outage early Sunday morning in Greenville County.
Previously, there were almost 2,000 customers were experiencing an outage. According to the company’s outage map, over 900 people are still without power.
The first outage was reported around 4:27 a.m.
The outage is from Boiling Springs Road to Rolling Green Circle. The utility company said the outage was caused by extreme weather in or near the area.
The power was restored around 7:55 a.m.
Another outage was reported at 5:50 a.m.
The outage is from West Mountain View Avenue to McDonald Street. The company said the outage was caused by fallen trees or limbs damaging the power equipment.
The power is expected to be restored around 11 a.m. | https://www.wspa.com/news/local-news/almost-2000-without-power-in-greenville-co/ | 2022-08-21T12:51:31Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/local-news/almost-2000-without-power-in-greenville-co/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Washington area saw an increase in thunderstorms this summer, leaving tens of thousands without power, severe damage, and, recently, killing three in a lightning strike near the White House.
August alone has seen eight hours of recorded thunderstorms in Washington, according to Iowa State University’s Iowa Environmental Mesonet – or about two hours more than the 49-year average of 5.9 hours. July was 2.5 hours over the average, based on data recorded at Reagan National Airport.
“What you’re seeing on the ground, particularly in the Mid-Atlantic and East, is more of these excessive heavy rain events,” said the National Weather Service’s Chris Strong. He added that a warmer climate and an increase in evaporation are likely to blame for the rise.
Strong, a warning coordination meteorologist at the weather service’s Baltimore/Washington Office, said over 30 inches of rain had been recorded at Reagan National by the end of July. The average by that time of the year is closer to 25 inches.
Rainfall the past couple of years has been above average for the region, Strong said, but added that it has been “pretty erratic,” referencing lower than average rainfall totals in 2016 and 2017.
July was a particularly wet month, with 7.61 inches falling in the region, compared to the 4.44 inch 30-year average, according to the weather service.
Strong says the storms are “fairly localized” but “intense.” He stated the Mid-Atlantic is a “battleground” between warm air from the southern and central United States and the cold air from the north. Extreme winds form when the two systems meet.
According to Strong, the more storms there are, the more chances they have of being severe, which is what the area has experienced.
He explained that updrafts and downdrafts in the storms cause extreme winds. "Sometimes, the downdrafts out of these storms are as if the storm held a straw and blew it at the ground. You can get these targeted downdraft channels with 60 to 80 mph wind." Strong says the winds are the source of much of this summer's damage.
In addition to the increase in severe storms, the weather service expects this year’s hurricane season to be worse than average, Strong said, with a higher number of named hurricanes and tropical storms.
The Climate Prediction Center at NWS predicts 14-21 named storms, including six to 10 hurricanes, and three to six major hurricanes to affect the United States this year. The center says an ongoing La Niña, in addition to the warmer than average oceans, will contribute to a busy season.
The season’s peak runs from August through early October. Strong says this is due to the oceans reaching their warmest points at the end of summer. | https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/d-c-region-seeing-stronger-storms-more-excessive-heavy-rain-events/article_3c46a378-211f-11ed-9dd1-27bc7c71665a.html | 2022-08-21T12:55:28Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/d-c-region-seeing-stronger-storms-more-excessive-heavy-rain-events/article_3c46a378-211f-11ed-9dd1-27bc7c71665a.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
New Delhi: In a jolt to the Congress ahead of assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh, its senior leader Anand Sharma on Sunday resigned from the chairmanship of the party's steering committee for the state.
Sharma, in a letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, is learnt to have said that his self-respect is "non-negotiable" and he has resigned from the post, sources said.
His resignation comes soon after another leader of the G23 grouping Ghulam Nabi Azad resigned as chairman of the campaign committee in Jammu and Kashmir a few days ago.
Sharma has told the Congress chief that he has been ignored in the consultation process. However, he told Gandhi that he will continue to campaign for the party candidates in the state.
The former union minister and deputy leader of the Congress in Rajya Sabha was appointed as chairman of the Steering Committee in Himachal Pradesh on April 26.
Both Azad and Sharma are prominent leaders of the G23 grouping which has been critical of the decisions of the party leadership
The grouping comprising prominent veterans including Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Manish Tewari has been insisting on genuine elections right from the block up to the CWC level.
Sharma, who is considered among the tallest leaders of Himachal Pradesh, has reportedly told the Congress president in his letter that his self-respect has been hurt as he has not been consulted or invited for any of the meetings of the party.
The Congress is seeking to wrest power from the BJP in Himachal Pradesh in assembly polls slated later this year.
Sharma, who first contested assembly elections in 1982 and was given a Rajya Sabha ticket by then prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1984, has been a Rajya Sabha member ever since and has occupied several key positions in the party. | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/india/2022/08/21/anand-sharma-quits-as-chairman-of-steering-committee-of-himachal.amp.html | 2022-08-21T13:00:17Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/india/2022/08/21/anand-sharma-quits-as-chairman-of-steering-committee-of-himachal.amp.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Somali authorities on Sunday ended a deadly attack in which 21 people were killed and dozens more wounded when gunmen stormed a hotel in the capital.
It took Somali forces more than 30 hours to contain the fighters who had stormed Mogadishu’s Hayat Hotel on Friday evening in an assault that started with loud explosions.
The siege ended around midnight, police commissioner Abdi Hassan Hijar told reporters. “During the attack, the security forces rescued many civilians trapped in the hotel, including women and children,” he said.
Health Minister Dr. Ali Haji Adam reported 21 deaths and 117 people wounded, with at least 15 in critical condition. He noted that some victims may not have been brought to hospitals.
Police are yet to give a detailed explanation of how the attack unfolded and it remains unclear how many gunmen entered the hotel.
Ismail Abdi, the hotel’s manager, told The Associated Press early Sunday that security forces were still working to clear the area. No more gunfire could be heard after 9 a.m. local time. Onlookers gathered outside the gates of the badly damaged hotel on Sunday morning, surveying the scene.
The Islamic extremist group al-Shabab, which has ties with al-Qaida, claimed responsibility for the attack, the latest of its frequent attempts to strike places visited by government officials.
Al-Shabab opposes the federal government and the outsiders who support it.
The attack on the hotel is the first major terror incident in Mogadishu since Somalia’s new leader, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, took over in May.
Somalia’s previous president, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, avoided any major confrontation with al-Shabab. But Mohamud has said his government will take the offensive against the group’s thousands of fighters, with the backing of returning U.S. forces.
Al-Shabab charged via its Andalus radio station that the attack on the hotel was in response to Mohamud’s assertion that he would eliminate the group from Somalia.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack, according to a spokesman’s statement that said the U.N. supports the people of Somalia ”in their fight against terrorism and their march towards peace.”
Al-Shabab remains the most lethal Islamic extremist group in Africa.
The group has seized even more territory in recent years, taking advantage of rifts among Somali security personnel as well as disagreements between the government seat in Mogadishu and regional states. It remains the biggest threat to political stability in the volatile Horn of Africa nation.
Forced to retreat from Mogadishu in 2011, al-Shabab is slowly making a comeback from the rural areas to which it retreated, defying the presence of African Union peacekeepers as well as U.S. drone strikes targeting its fighters.
The militants in early May attacked a military base for AU peacekeepers outside Mogadishu, killing many Burundian troops. The attack came just days before the presidential vote that returned Mohamud to power five years after he had been voted out. | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-international-news/somali-forces-end-hotel-attack-in-which-20-were-killed/ | 2022-08-21T13:19:32Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-international-news/somali-forces-end-hotel-attack-in-which-20-were-killed/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Aaliyah Manning’s dreams of becoming a psychologist ended abruptly during her freshman year at Potomac State in West Virginia when the cost of continuing her education became overwhelming.
“The money just wasn’t there,” she said. “I knew I wasn’t going to finish so I just had fun.”
After a year, Manning, 25, was back in the nation’s capital working fast food jobs. Now she lives largely on public assistance in a two-bedroom apartment with her boyfriend, his mother and his 9-year-old daughter from another relationship. She still has student debt and there’s a baby boy on the way.
She sees a brighter future for that baby, thanks to a landmark social program being pioneered in Washington. Called “Baby Bonds,” the program will provide children of the city’s poorest families with up to $25,000 when they reach adulthood. The money is to be used for a handful of purposes, including education.
“It would be such a different opportunity for him, a lot different than what I had,” Manning said of her soon-to-arrive baby.
In just over a decade, the Baby Bonds idea has moved from a fringe leftist concept to actual policy, with the District of Columbia as the first laboratory. Lawmakers from coast to coast are monitoring the experiment, one that proponents say could reshape America’s growing wealth gap in a single generation if instituted on a federal level.
One week after giving birth to her second child, a daughter named Kali, Aaliyah Wright told The Associated Press that she did not anticipate having much savings to help her children when they reached adulthood, especially with about $80,000 in student loan debt.
She and her husband, Kainan, are on Medicaid despite steady jobs (she’s a case worker at a nongovernmental organization and he’s a barber) and an estimated annual income of about $70,000.
Even at that income level, their new daughter still would qualify for the city’s Baby Bonds program, although at a lower level.
“At that stage of maturity and adulthood, that money can be a door opener to some pretty big things,” Kainan Wright said
Despite the name, the bonds are more accurately trust funds, designed to provide a boost of capital at a critical time in the lives of the country’s poorest children. At age 18, each enrolled child would receive a large lump sum payment that can be used to pay for higher education, invest in a business or make a down payment on a home.
“Think about all the things that people with money do to support themselves or what parents do for kids,” said Kenyan McDuffie, a District of Columbia Council member who pushed through Washington’s Baby Bonds program last summer. The clock started ticking in October and as of mid-August the city has so far identified 833 babies born since then who will receive up to $25,000 when they turn 18.
“Think about all those young folks who are going to be here in a city trapped in poverty, graduated from high schools turning 18,” McDuffie said. “And then having an account with money in it for them.”
It’s an expensive and long-simmering investment that by definition will take a generation of sustained political willpower to truly bear fruit. The district’s program will cost $32 million for the first four years alone.
The idea was originally proposed in 2010 by academics William Darity and Darrick Hamilton as a way to break the poverty cycle by giving children of poor families a chance to build long-term equity — either actual property, a stake in a business or the earning potential that comes from higher education.
It came to mainstream attention when Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., made it a centerpiece of his 2020 presidential campaign.
“I think it’s an idea that’s growing,” Booker told the AP. “And it’s a big idea. It’s on the level of Social Security. It’s on the level of Medicare. One generation would create a dramatic change.”
But for politicians, the price tag can be daunting. Booker’s national plan envisioned annual costs of $60 billion, something he proposes financing by raising taxes on the wealthy.
For now, the Washington experiment will be closely watched by other state and local governments, with Baby Bonds proposals recently emerging in Wisconsin and Washington state and Massachusetts studying the issue. California just created a more targeted version, with Baby Bonds funds specifically for children who lost parents to COVID-19.
Manning and her boyfriend, Darren Gibson, say the expectation that their child will be part of the district’s first Baby Bonds generation is a much needed injection of hope. Gibson, 26, left high school three credits short of graduation. Now he’s the sole earner for his growing household, making less than $10,000 per year as a videographer shooting music videos for local artists.
“It takes such a burden off my shoulders,” he said. Gibson said he will raise his son to make good use of that money when he matures. “It’s on me to work on him and make sure he follows his ambitions.”
The concept’s journey from academic thought experiment to on-the-ground policy received a major boost from the national conversation on poverty brought on by the pandemic. The economic iniquities exposed by COVID-19 fueled calls for a new approach to the cycle of generational poverty. And the Baby Bonds concept, already familiar from Booker’s campaign, gained fresh momentum with multiple proposals receiving serious consideration at a state level.
But most of them have failed to see daylight.
Gov. Phil Murphy, D-N.J., made headlines in 2020 for backing a Baby Bonds proposal. But the Legislature stripped it out of his budget, and Murphy did not propose it again.
In June 2021, Connecticut’s legislature approved the country’s first state-level Baby Bonds program. But in May of this year, lawmakers, in coordination with the governor’s office, chose to delay the program’s start by two years.
That makes Washington, D.C., the first real test case.
Connecticut’s treasurer, Shawn Wooden, who championed the program, said he was surprised and disappointed by the delay in his own state but remains convinced that the policy’s time has come.
“There’s quite the level of interest in this, and always with these things we need what we call first movers,” Wooden said. For the concept to spread, “there needs to be success in Connecticut. There needs to be success in the District of Columbia.”
Wooden has discussed Baby Bonds with members of President Joe Biden’s domestic policy team. McDuffie’s office has fielded queries from multiple state governments.
The concept is new enough that it’s still being tinkered with in real time, with multiple models and internal debates among advocates on issues such as how best to determine eligibility. Washington’s program is so new that the 833 families who have qualified have not been informed yet and will not be until the city hires a fund manager.
Connecticut’s will automatically enroll any newborn from a family on the state’s Medicaid program. Booker’s proposal would have sidestepped that issue by granting every child born in the country a Baby Bonds fund and $1,000 in seed money. Then, all subsequent payments into the fund would have been heavily weighted toward poorer families.
Washington’s program is open to families on Medicaid who make less than 300% of the federal poverty line, meaning earnings of up to about $83,250 for a family of four. With those parameters, it is designed to benefit not only the impoverished but also families like the Wrights who might be considered lower-middle class.
At their income level, their daughter will receive closer to $15,000 instead of the $25,000 limit.
There is one inevitable quirk in the system: Any Baby Bonds program has to set a start date that excludes anyone born before it. In the case of the Wright family, Kali, would receive benefits but her older bother, Khaza, would not. Aaliyah Wright was fine with that.
“OK, so I know my future is set for one child,” said Wright. “So now I need to really focus on making things work for him.”
There are differences among plans in the size of the final payout. Booker’s proposal would have paid about $46,000 to children of the poorest families, while the district expects to pay out a maximum of $25,000. Connecticut’s plan would pay an estimated $13,000 — something Wooden described as “pretty much the floor” for a serious attempt at a Baby Bonds program.
Naomi Zewde, an assistant professor in health economics at the City University of New York who conducted a 2019 analysis of the concept, set the lowest impactful payment at $15,000.
“It has to be a sum of money that’s kind of outside what people would normally come across,” she said.
Zewde’s analysis suggested that a nationwide federal Baby Bonds program would massively reduce the racial wealth gap between white and Black Americans in a single generation, even as it boosted both races.
Currently the median wealth of young white Americans stands at $46,000, compared with $2,900 for Black Americans.
For a Baby Bonds program to succeed, it has to be on a national level and have strong popular support, advocates said.
Darity, a Duke professor who co-authored the original Baby Bonds proposal, points to Britain, which instituted a similar program called the child trust fund in 2005. But the program was discontinued and all future payments halted in 2010 in a government austerity campaign.
“I think the assessment in England was that they had not built grassroots support for the policy when they started it,” he said. “So there wasn’t any strong resistance to eliminating the plan.”
In the United States, the program already has been strongly endorsed by prominent liberal organizations such as the Urban Institute and Prosperity Now.
But there are detractors.
Veronique de Rugy, a senior research fellow at George Mason University’s Mercatus Center, said the one-way nature of the deposits, with no mechanism for the families themselves to add money, “does nothing to encourage the culture of savings.”
She added that the program could tie up millions that could be used to address immediate societal conditions that also help feed the cycle of poverty.
“A lot of these kids are still going to be stuck in bad schools,” she said.
Michael Strain, an economist at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, says Baby Bonds advocates will struggle to persuade lawmakers around the country to make such an expensive commitment. “I absolutely think it’s a hard sell,” he said. “The 18-year lag is less of a political obstacle than the price tag.”
Wooden rejected the perception of Baby Bonds as having no payoff for 18 years, saying the benefits will be immediate and measurable. That nest egg, he said, will inspire real-time changes in planning, academic achievement and overall ambition in both children and families.
“There is a high value that should be placed on hope,” he said. “We know what hopelessness looks like in our communities.
Manning, the young expectant mother in Washington, said the knowledge that the money was waiting for her son would change how her family talks about his future.
“It would be much more focused,” she said. “‘Do you know what you want to do? What are your plans?’”
___
Follow Ashraf Khalil on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ashrafkhalil | https://www.wwlp.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/dcs-pioneering-baby-bonds-plan-aims-to-narrow-wealth-gap/ | 2022-08-21T13:20:32Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/dcs-pioneering-baby-bonds-plan-aims-to-narrow-wealth-gap/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Dig out those blue light glasses, pour yourself another cup of coffee, and stretch those fingers; back-to-school season is upon us. That means hours logged typing emails, writing essays, and generally spending a lot more time in front of screens. Whether you want to get things done from the convenience of your iPad or even your iPhone, or you’re just in desperate need of a more convenient way to type on your Mac, the 2021 Apple Magic Keyboard is ready to make this school year easier than ever.
Right now, during the Back to Education Event, you can score savings even bigger than Amazon offers and grab one for just $91.99 for a very limited time. We’re talking just a few more days — now through August 24. A portion of the proceeds from this item goes to help children and students in need, and you’ll get to weigh in on the charity or school the money goes to after your purchase.
From typing out a paper to keeping up with long-distance pals, students’ fingers will be logging a lot of mileage on keyboards this fall. Make sure you’re communicating in the most convenient way possible, thanks to the Apple Magic Keyboard. The multimedia keys help you get work done easily, offering shortcuts for common system functions, and the optimized keys provide a comfortable and precise typing experience.
2021 Apple Magic Keyboard, $91.99
This wireless and rechargeable keyboard pairs automatically with your Mac so you can get right to work. An insanely impressive and long-lasting internal battery means you’ll be able to go about a month between charges. When it comes time to power it back up, it charges quickly and conveniently with a USB-C lightning cable you can connect directly to your Mac (which is included!).
Score the 2021 Apple Magic Keyboard for $91.99 — less than the price on Amazon — now through August 24 during the Back to Education Event. And don’t forget, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to students or kids in need, and you’ll receive an email to help determine the charity or school the money goes to after your purchase.
Prices subject to change. | https://nypost.com/2022/08/21/grab-this-wireless-apple-keyboard-on-sale-now-for-bts-season/ | 2022-08-21T13:22:07Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/08/21/grab-this-wireless-apple-keyboard-on-sale-now-for-bts-season/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
“Game of Thrones” the hit television show based on the best-selling book series A Song of Ice and Fire, is easily one of the most famous shows in the world.
Produced by HBO and originally written by the iconic George R.R. Martin, this series has had a profound effect on pop culture and entertainment worldwide. With a rich world of medieval fantasy, this epic story details the deadly game of power to sit atop the Iron Throne, ruling the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.
Created by Showrunners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, it stars an ensemble cast led by Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington, Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, Maisie Williams, Sophie Turner, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. With many new spin-offs in the works, including “House of the Dragon” and “SNOW,” fans of the franchise have much to look forward to.
Throughout the eight seasons of the original series, we have been introduced to a plethora of incredible characters. To understand the complex series, in honor of the new HBO Max original series “House of the Dragon,” the New York Post spoke exclusively with two of the rising voices in American geekdom: Paul Florez-Taylor—known as the Comic King—and Luke James —known as Pop Media Maven. As a team, we put our heads together to create the definitive list of characters that align with astrology and the zodiac.
ARIES (MARCH 21 – APRIL 19): Daenerys Targaryen
As one of the main protagonists of the original series, mighty Daenerys embodies the zodiac sign of Aries. With her fierce drive for conquest and a fiery temperament, she leads with her heart and her vision. Never afraid to rise to power and command her armies, she conquests the battlefield of life. Not only did she have a vision for the future of her kingdom–regardless of how that turned out–she held a spark of a visionary within her. She takes what she wants–and so often got it.
TAURUS (APRIL 20 – MAY 20): Jaime Lannister
As stubborn and loyal as a Taurus, Jaime Lannister is one of the fan-favorites of the franchise. He is devout to who and what he loves, even if that will lead him to ruin. He also possesses the work ethic and strategy to push toward victory in the long haul. Just like a Taurus, Jaime is motivated by his heart, his desire for romance and a hunger to build a kingdom as his foundation.
GEMINI (MAY 21 – JUNE 20): Arya Stark
Symbolized by the Twins, Geminis are known for their many faces. Because of this, Arya Stark is the perfect embodiment of a Gemini. She shows that she is consistently adaptable and flexible throughout the series, as well as cunning and logical. She knows how to use her mind and words to get what she wants, which again reveals how tremendously versatile and skilled she is. Last, as a true sojourner seeking experiences and wisdom, she is always ready to sail to the next great horizon.
CANCER (JUNE 21 – JULY 22): Jon Snow
Jon Snow’s devotion to his chosen family is a key theme throughout the original series. Yet, while he is loyal to the Starks, he also shows that he can be a strong leader to the wildlings as they seek to protect their lands and legacies. Jon has a sweet and sensitive heart, one of the paramount aspects of a Cancer, too. Just like this Water sign, he is often moody and deep in his emotions, doing his best to keep most people at an arm’s-length distance outside of his shell.
LEO (JULY 23 – AUGUST 22): Brienne of Tarth
As one of the true defenders of honor and integrity, Brienne of Tarth embodies the virtue, pride and strength of a Leo. As a knight, she brings her power and confidence to anyone that she is devoted to. With great skill and talents, he has won the praise and respect of many others. Yet, it is her unending courage and romantic heart that truly aligns her with this passionate Fire sign.
VIRGO (AUGUST 23 – SEPTMEBER 22): Samwell Tarly
As a true student of life, Samwell Tarly is the perfect personification of a Virgo. He is service-oriented, intelligent and detail-focused: all traits possessed by this Earth sign. He also has incredible organizational talents, able to amass great amounts of knowledge to heal, aid and lead others. These qualities make him a powerhouse on his own.
LIBRA (SEPTEMBER 23 – OCTOBER 22): Sansa Stark
Of all the zodiac signs, Libras are known for their intellectual charm and grace when it comes to understanding the games of politics and how to connect with other people. Sansa Stark possesses these traits in spades. She has incredible elegance, even in her darkest moments in the original series. Yet, she is adaptable and strategic, constantly using her mind and beauty to outmaneuver and outwit her adversaries. This innate sense of balance that she acquires as she matures further aligns her with this Air sign.
SCORPIO (OCTOBER 23 – NOVEMBER 21): Cersei Lannister
Fierce, powerful and cunning, Cersei Lannister aligns with the zodiac sign of Scorpio. With a strategic nature that is matched by her magnetic, sexual allure, she can seduce anyone in the series and end up getting her way. Despite many thinking she is the ultimate antagonist in the series, Cersei is not innately evil–although she will stop at nothing to get what she desires. Her fury and hunger for power and revenge once she has been wronged also aligns her with this Water sign.
SAGITTARIUS (NOVEMBER 22 – DECEMBER 21): Tormund Giantsbane
Known for his consistent desire for freedom, Tormund Giantsbane cannot be caged or contained. He also possesses a tremendously fiery temperament, which is characterized by both the free folk and the zodiac sign of Sagittarius. He is always up for adventure and refuses to settle, and as he evolves throughout the series, he hungers for new experiences and interactions that will expand his perspective of what life is about.
CAPRICORN (DECEMBER 22 – JANUARY 19): The Night King
Capricorns, as the zodiac sign ruled by icy Saturn and characterized for their ambitious natures, easily align with the mighty Night King. As the leader of the White Walkers, the Night King has a vision for his future and understands the long game of how to get it. His innate desire for conquest and long-term glory empower him with the perseverance to triumph even when he must face the power of armies and dragons. While many people may see him as an antagonist within the series, he is moreso an embodiment of a force of nature, just like a Capricorn when they set their mind toward a goal.
AQUARIUS (JANUARY 20 – FEBRUARY 18): Bran Stark
As a true visionary, Bran Stark has a profound perspective on life. Throughout the series, he uses his unique talents and abilities to peer into the future and pursue a plan of how he can change the world for the better. Yet, he also often possesses an emotional detachment to life and others, which is yet another common trait of the zodiac sign of Aquarius. He carries a logical nature, always doing his best to guide and eventually lead.
PISCES (FEBRUARY 19 – MARCH 20): Melisandre
As one of the most mystical characters in the original franchise, Melisandre is a powerful sorceress who reaches out to the spiritual realm in order to manifest her desires. Her supernatural powers and tremendous wisdom help her to embody the fullness of life and experience as she prepares to evolve to the next level. These traits also exist within the zodiac sign of Pisces, who has an innate connection to the universe on a soul level.
Special thanks to Paul Florez-Taylor and Luke James for collaborating with me on this article!
Follow the Comic King: Paul Florez-Taylor
Comic Book King Paul Florez founded and hosts the Power of X-Men podcast, a podcast dedicated to all things Marvel in comics, movie, and pop culture. He previously worked at Marvel Entertainment and HarperCollins, and his writing has appeared in the Huffington Post, The Advocate, Slice Magazine, HelloGiggles, Queerty, Gay.com, Burrow Press, The Liar’s League, Dead Rabbits, and Wizard Magazine.
Follow the Pop Media Maven: Luke James
Luke James is an artist and cosplayer with a special soft spot for everything MCU. He’s all about everything in geekdom, especially Avatar and Pokémon. In his spare time, he’s either in the gym hitting the weights or learning chaos magic in practice to become the next Scarlet Witch. Professionally he protects the public by being a real-life superhero as a firefighter.
Astrology 101: Your guide to the stars
- The 12 zodiac signs
- What are the astrology houses?
- Here’s what each planet represents
- Sun, moon and rising signs: Get to know your Big 3
Kyle Thomas is a globally recognized pop culture astrologer who has been featured in “Access Hollywood,” E! Entertainment, NBC & ABC television, Cosmopolitan magazine, Hulu, Bustle, Elite Daily, Marie Claire and more. He is known for his cosmic guidance for celebrities, business executives and prominent influencers. His work harnesses the power of the stars in regards to entertainment lifestyle and trends affecting people worldwide. For more information, visit KyleThomasAstrology.com. | https://nypost.com/article/which-game-of-thrones-character-embodies-your-zodiac-sign/ | 2022-08-21T13:22:44Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/article/which-game-of-thrones-character-embodies-your-zodiac-sign/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
First lady Jill Biden on Sunday will leave isolation in South Carolina for Delaware after testing negative for Covid-19, according to her communications director, Elizabeth Alexander.
"After isolating for five days and receiving negative results from two consecutive COVID-19 tests, the First Lady will depart South Carolina later today for Delaware," Alexander said in a written statement.
President Joe Biden arrived in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on Saturday evening. He has no public events on his schedule for the day,
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/first-lady-jill-biden-tests-negative-for-covid-19/article_3d8d14e4-2eff-5dc6-b714-bc57c9de4637.html | 2022-08-21T13:24:49Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/first-lady-jill-biden-tests-negative-for-covid-19/article_3d8d14e4-2eff-5dc6-b714-bc57c9de4637.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Pedestrians accustomed to the hum of a passing Tesla will be in for a shock when a new electric vehicle hits the streets. Dodge, famous for its gas-powered muscle cars like the Charger and Challenger, says it plans to roll out the electric Charger Daytona in 2024 -- featuring exhaust pipes that make noise and a transmission that shifts gears. Of course, the whole point of an electric car is that it doesn't have an exhaust system, but it will save owners from having to make "Vroom-vroom!" noises while waiting for the light to change.
Here's what else you need to know to Start Your Week Smart.
The weekend that was
• The Supreme Court on Friday sided with Black voters who challenged Georgia's system of electing members to the state's Public Service Commission, which regulates public utilities in the state.
• Some 27 ships loaded with grain have left Ukraine's Black Sea ports since August 1 under an export deal brokered by the UN and Turkey, which has laid "the groundwork for a permanent peace environment," Turkey's Defense Minister said in a speech on Saturday.
• Russian authorities said today they had opened a murder investigation after the daughter of influential, ultra-nationalist philosopher Alexander Dugin was killed by a car bomb near Moscow.
• Wendy's restaurants have been associated with an E. coli outbreak reported in four states, with 37 people infected and 10 hospitalized, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.
• Somali forces have ended the siege at an upscale hotel in the country's capital, Mogadishu, police told CNN, following an attack from unidentified gunmen that left at least 20 dead.
The week ahead
Monday
The sentencing phase of the Parkland, Florida, school shooter's trial is scheduled to resume. The gunman, who pleaded guilty to 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, faces either the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Tuesday
Sen. Lindsey Graham is scheduled to appear before a special grand jury investigating the effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Last week, a federal judge in Atlanta denied the South Carolina Republican's motion to quash a subpoena, ruling that he must testify. Graham then asked a separate federal judge to stay that decision until he can appeal.
It's also primary day in Florida and New York, and there will be primary runoffs in Oklahoma.
Wednesday
August 24 is Kobe Bryant Day, a day to remember the Los Angeles Lakers legend and his daughter Gianna, who died along with seven others in a helicopter crash in 2020.
Friday
An Oklahoma law that makes performing an abortion a felony goes into effect, making anyone who performs or attempts to perform the procedure subject to a maximum fine of $100,000 or a maximum of 10 years in state prison, or both. The only exception is for abortions necessary to save the life of the mother. The legislation does not provide exceptions in cases of rape and incest.
Want more 5 Things?
What exactly does the Inflation Reduction Act have to do with climate -- and how will it impact you? Listen to the Sunday Edition of the '5 Things' podcast for a breakdown with CNN Climate Reporter Ella Nilsen. (Listen here)
Photos of the week
Check out more moving, fascinating and thought-provoking images from the week that was, curated by CNN Photos.
What's happening in entertainment
'House of the Dragon'
The highly anticipated prequel to HBO's blockbuster series "Game of Thrones" premieres tonight at 9 p.m. ET. CNN's Brian Lowry says "House of the Dragon" is a series "whose epic visual grandeur belies a smaller and less addictive power struggle, more narrowly focused on the Targaryen line." It also has dragons aplenty. HBO, like CNN, is part of Warner Bros. Discovery.
What's happening in sports
College Football Kickoff
College football season begins with games scheduled throughout the day on Saturday -- including the overseas matchup of Nebraska and Northwestern in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin, Ireland.
Quiz time!
Take CNN's weekly news quiz to see how much you remember from the week that was! o far, 31% of fellow quiz fans have gotten eight or more questions right. How well will you do?
Play me off
'Game of Thrones' theme
To put all of you "GoT" fans out there in the mood for "House of the Dragon" tonight, here's a little reminder of the melody you hummed for eight straight seasons. And if you're not a fan, this is still worth a listen. (Click here to view)
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/start-your-week-smart-voting-rights-ukraine-car-bomb-wendys-mogadishu/article_a5f0963d-32c6-5d3c-988b-489826a56f64.html | 2022-08-21T13:24:55Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/start-your-week-smart-voting-rights-ukraine-car-bomb-wendys-mogadishu/article_a5f0963d-32c6-5d3c-988b-489826a56f64.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Chicago man accused of carjacking 3 victims in separate instances, shooting one victim in the leg
CHICAGO - A Chicago man is accused of carjacking three different victims, shooting one of them, on multiple different days.
Jamari Edwards, 20, faces one felony count of aggravated battery/discharge firearm, one felony count of aggravated vehicular hijacking/discharging a firearm and two felony counts of aggravated vehicular hijacking.
According to Chicago police, Edwards allegedly carjacked three people on multiple different dates.
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During one of the carjackings, Edwards allegedly shot a 28-year-old man in the leg.
Edwards was arrested Friday and charged accordingly. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/chicago-man-accused-of-carjacking-3-victims-in-separate-instances-shooting-one-victim-in-the-leg | 2022-08-21T13:29:40Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/chicago-man-accused-of-carjacking-3-victims-in-separate-instances-shooting-one-victim-in-the-leg | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Man shot in suburban Lincolnwood during verbal altercation with known offender: police
CHICAGO - A man was shot during a verbal altercation in suburban Lincolnwood Saturday night.
The shooting occurred in the 3500 block of West Devon.
At about 10:13 p.m., the 37-year-old man was in a verbal altercation with a known male offender, Chicago police said.
The offender produced a firearm and shot the victim, before fleeing the scene.
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The victim was shot in the shoulder and transported to St. Francis Hospital in fair condition.
No one is in custody.
Area Five Detectives are investigating. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/man-shot-in-suburban-lincolnwood-during-verbal-altercation-with-known-offender-police | 2022-08-21T13:29:58Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/man-shot-in-suburban-lincolnwood-during-verbal-altercation-with-known-offender-police | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Woman takes 4 shots to the torso in North Lawndale, suspect flees
CHICAGO - A 29-year-old woman was standing outside in North Lawndale Sunday morning when she was shot by another woman.
The victim was shot 4 times in the torso near the 4700 block of W. 5th Avenue around 1:57 a.m.
The known offender fled the scene and the victim was taken to Mt. Sinai where she is listed in fair condition.
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There is no one in custody and Area Four detectives are investigating. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/woman-takes-4-shots-to-stomach-in-north-lawndale-suspect-flees | 2022-08-21T13:30:23Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/woman-takes-4-shots-to-stomach-in-north-lawndale-suspect-flees | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The movie 'Ini Utharam' starring Aparna Balamurali directed by Sudheesh Ramachandran is hinted to be an absorbing suspense thriller by its recently released teaser. The movie has the intriguing tagline, 'Every answer has a question'. It's evident that the plot trails a storyline that is unveiled through a police investigation.
Apart from Aparna Balamurali, the movie has Kalabhavan Shajon, Chnadunath, Siddique, Hareesh Uthaman, Jaffer Idukki, Sidhdarth Menon, Shaju Sreedharan, Jayan Cherthala, Dineesh P, Bhagyaraj essaying prominent roles.
The movie is produced by Varun and Arun under the banner A & V Entertainments. While Ranjith Unni has written the script and dialogues Ravichandran has cranked the camera. Hesham Abdul Wahab has composed the songs penned by Vinayak Sasikumar.
While Jithesh Poyya has taken care of the make-up, the costumes are by Dhanya Balakrishnan. | https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2022/08/21/aparna-balamurali-next-suspense-thriller-teaser-out.amp.html | 2022-08-21T13:34:51Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2022/08/21/aparna-balamurali-next-suspense-thriller-teaser-out.amp.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Lexus ES 300h F-Sport Takumi Review: sportier luxury saloon still plays to its strong suit
The Lexus ES 300h luxury hybrid saloon has been updated for 2022. Known for efficiency, high tech and high comfort, have the changes given it an edge on highly desirable competitors?
Do you want to get where you’re going as fast as possible and kid yourself you’re Max Verstappen in the process, or, do you want a smooth, comfortable and quiet journey that doesn’t leave you debating whether to work out the kinks in your suit trousers, or the kinks in your back first? Lexus is betting that for a viable chunk of the mid-size luxury saloon market, the answer is the latter. Add in fuel efficiency, and cutting-edge technology and you’ll get the flavour for the recipe Lexus has worked to with the refreshed ES 300h.
Launched in 2018 as a replacement for the Lexus GS, the ES has been updated for 2022 and is up against competitors like the Mercedes E-Class and the BMW 5 Series. With distinctive looks, front-wheel drive and a single-engine, all-hybrid line-up, the ES stands out from the premium competition from the get go. Can the 2022 updates give the Toyota-based saloon the edge in the battle for middle-lane supremacy?
F-Sport and Takumi - how do the trims stack up?
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F-Sport bumpers, 19-inch alloy wheels and a rear spoiler separate F-Sport models of the ES visually from more comfort-oriented cars in the range but, in terms of driving, the main benefit to F-Sport buyers is the addition of an adaptive suspension set up.
Takumi grade adds extra technology and comfort features like wireless charging, triple-eye LED headlights with adaptive high-beam system, heated steering wheel, 12.3-inch Lexus Navigation, Mark Levinson audio, head-up display, power sunshades, power boot operation with hands-free sensor and panoramic view monitor with pedestrian detection.
Is the 2022 ES 300h as comfortable as ever? What about technology?
Comfort, fit and finish has long been the strong point of the ES range and the refresh has done nothing to jeopardise that. The ES cabin is, quite simply, a delightful environment to sit in while you get from A to B.
The addition of touch-screen functionality and a 12.3-inch monitor has brought the infotainment interface up to date and, while the centre console trackpad is still present, you can choose to ignore it entirely if you wish.
The power-adjustable leather seats are supportive and comfortable, at least for my entirely average frame, and the driving position and visibility is excellent. Models with the Takumi pack also get reclining rear seats, increasing comfort for rear passengers as well. Rear headroom is a slight weak point due to the sloping rear roof, but it’s not going to bother many passengers under six feet.
Being a mid-sized saloon, the rear seats don’t fold down to expand the boot space, but the rear compartment is of a decent size and is going to be versatile enough for most use cases short of a set of skis or a new chest of drawers. Boot space is an area where the ES does lag behind direct competitors, however. It’s almost 100 litres down on the Mercedes E-Class and also falls short of the Audi A6 and BMW 5 series.
Is the Lexus ES 300h good to drive?
The ES 300h has been engineered to be a refined, luxurious and comfortable long-distance driver, not the last word in sporting performance, but the F-Sport pack adds adjustable suspension that succeeds in improving the handling without overly compromising the ride. The dampers are a little stiffer, the car that little bit more purposeful in cornering and it strikes a slightly better balance between handling and comfort than the rest of the range.
Is it a transformational experience that significantly narrows the fun gap between the ES and a BMW 5 series? Not paired with the 2.5-litre, four-cylinder Atkinson cycle engine and e-CVT gearbox, it isn’t. Efficiency is the main advantage of the Lexus powertrain and the main drawback is fun. With 21bhp at its disposal and a kerb weight of between 1,680 and 1,742kg, outright acceleration was never supposed to be the ES300’s strong suit, as the 8.9-second nought to 62mph will attest.
It doesn’t exactly feel underpowered, but neither is it exciting. The advantage of the engine and transmission combination is smoothness. Continuous variable transmissions allow for a smooth and optimised power delivery that suits the use case of a luxury cruiser very well and Toyota’s tried and tested variant is at its best paired with the 2.5-litre unit in the ES. Like all CVTs however, the sound it makes is irritating.
While the slightly nasal tone under strain leaves a lot to be desired, the noise levels generally are very low and easily forgotten with the sound system on. At low speeds, the ES is as placid as you like in EV-only mode and the transition between the EV and petrol power seamless.
Verdict
There’s a lot to commend about the Lexus 300h and the 2022 refresh has narrowed the gap in some areas versus the predominantly German competition while retaining the strong comfort and refinement proposition that was praised from the get go. There are still a few key areas where the car lags behind, but when you add in the reputation for reliability, plus the competitive pricing you can start to see where the scales will tip in favour of the ES for some buyers.
Lexus ES 300h F-Sport Takumi
Price: £49,900 (OTR); Engine:2.5-litre, 4-cylinder Atkinson cycle; Transmission: Electric CVT, front-wheel drive; Power: 215bhp; Torque: 221 ft-lb; Top speed: 112mph; 0-62mph: 8.9 seconds; Consumption: 50.4 - 53.2 mpg; Emissions: 128 g/km C02
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article. | https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/cars/lexus-es-300h-f-sport-takumi-review-hybrid-luxury-saloon-3795757 | 2022-08-21T13:34:51Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/cars/lexus-es-300h-f-sport-takumi-review-hybrid-luxury-saloon-3795757 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The movie 'Ini Utharam' starring Aparna Balamurali directed by Sudheesh Ramachandran is hinted to be an absorbing suspense thriller by its recently released teaser. The movie has the intriguing tagline, 'Every answer has a question'. It's evident that the plot trails a storyline that is unveiled through a police investigation.
Apart from Aparna Balamurali, the movie has Kalabhavan Shajon, Chnadunath, Siddique, Hareesh Uthaman, Jaffer Idukki, Sidhdarth Menon, Shaju Sreedharan, Jayan Cherthala, Dineesh P, Bhagyaraj essaying prominent roles.
The movie is produced by Varun and Arun under the banner A & V Entertainments. While Ranjith Unni has written the script and dialogues Ravichandran has cranked the camera. Hesham Abdul Wahab has composed the songs penned by Vinayak Sasikumar.
While Jithesh Poyya has taken care of the make-up, the costumes are by Dhanya Balakrishnan. | https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2022/08/21/aparna-balamurali-next-suspense-thriller-teaser-out.html | 2022-08-21T13:34:57Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2022/08/21/aparna-balamurali-next-suspense-thriller-teaser-out.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ADL bosses reacts to strike vote after workers reject four per cent pay offer
Bosses at bus builder Alexander Dennis Limited have said they are “disappointed” in a decision by around 400 workers at their Falkirk plant to vote for strike action.
Unite the union revealed on Friday that workers had rejected a four per cent pay offer which they described as “pitiful”.
The company had also rejected a proposal by Unite to move production to a four-day week (32 hours) from five days (36 hours), according to the union.
The union added its members had no pay rise for three years, as well as 140 jobs were lost at ADL in the Camelon plant and nearby Larbert through voluntary redundancy.
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Pat Egan, Unite industrial officer said; “ADL has a very healthy order book with hundreds of new single and double decker buses being built in Camelon. Our members have endured a lot of uncertainty over the last few years but they have continued to manufacture a world class product."
In response, a spokesperson for Alexander Dennis said: “We are disappointed in this course of action. The UK bus and coach sector has faced dramatic challenges since the pandemic struck in 2020, as huge reductions in bus ridership instantly decreased vehicle demand. These challenges were further exacerbated by supply chain headwinds and the added pressure of low-cost imports. While we are seeing initial signs of ridership recovery, new vehicle orders are taking longer than expected, providing decreased visibility for future production.
"Bus manufacturing in the UK is traditionally a low volume and tight margin industry which relies on a steady flow of orders to maintain domestic capacity, sadly we have not had that environment for the last two years and while recent funding for zero emission technology is well received, the underlying demand for new buses remains subdued.”
The spokesperson said bus transportation is key to keeping the country moving, connecting people to their livelihoods, education and families.
They added: “All challenges considered, Alexander Dennis remains proud to be a leading UK based manufacturer, providing strong domestic employment opportunities to build buses for the whole of the UK as well as international markets. While UK manufacturing is continually competing with import markets, industrial action will only serve to further impact our ability to recover production volumes and rebuild the business for our people and our customers.
“Alexander Dennis has eight sites across the UK and 75 per cent of our UK based employees have already accepted pay deals this year, including team members in Scarborough where Unite the Union has a large membership base. A four-day week was introduced in Scarborough by mutual agreement as part of their pay deal, however, this same proposal was rejected by union representatives in Falkirk.
"Looking to Falkirk specifically, we have leading T&Cs for employees that include competitive rates of pay, overtime allowances and shift premiums. We additionally provide a range of further employee benefits that ensure the package offered to our employees remains exceptionally generous in what is a very competitive labour market. Over the past six years, including 2020 in the midst of the pandemic, we have increased pay and associated benefits by over 12 per cent in agreement with team members and their union representatives.” | https://www.scotsman.com/news/people/adl-bosses-reacts-to-strike-vote-after-workers-reject-four-per-cent-pay-offer-3813756 | 2022-08-21T13:35:04Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/news/people/adl-bosses-reacts-to-strike-vote-after-workers-reject-four-per-cent-pay-offer-3813756 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Edinburgh bin strike: Fringe stars stage gala fundraiser to support workers’ strike fund
A gala comedy show is being staged to support Edinburgh’s striking refuse workers.
It takes place at the New Town Theatre, George Street, on Wednesday, August 24 - and features a number of top stand-ups from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Among the comedians scheduled to appear are Jo Caulfield. Jason Byrne, Mark Nelson, Mark Thomas and Susie McCabe.
The gig come after members of the Unite and GMB unions walked out on Thursday morning after rejecting a 3.5 per cent pay offer made by local government umbrella organisation Cosla.
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The strike is due to last until 5:00am on Tuesday, August 30.
An improved pay offer which would give workers an average five per cent pay increase was tabled on Friday in a bid to avert further strike action.
Images of overflowing bins and rubbish scattered on the city’s streets have underlined the immediate impact of the industrial action at the height of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe which has brought huge numbers back into the heart of the capital.
But workers have the support of a host of big names, who will be taking to the stage this week to raise funds for the official strike action.
Mark Thomas says “These are the workers who got us through Covid and now they are being told to take a real cut in their wages.
“It’s unacceptable and they deserve our support in fighting back.”
Tickets for the two-hour show are priced from £5 to £20.
The show starts at 9:00pm.
Ticket info here: https://www.thestand.co.uk/shows/1427-stand-up-for-the-bin-workers-gala/
City council leader Cammy Day has warned residents and businesses that disruption was inevitable as communal waste and individual waste bins may not be collected for the next two weeks.
He has written to the Deputy First Minister and called for an earlier meeting of Cosla to discuss a new pay offer.
Mr Day added: "None of us want strike action, but when we've got a Government failing to meet the demands of the workforce and Cosla leaders stretched for cash across every local authority in Scotland, we need them all to get around the table and find a solution." | https://www.scotsman.com/news/people/edinburgh-bin-strike-fringe-stars-stage-gala-fundraiser-to-support-workers-strike-fund-3813831 | 2022-08-21T13:35:11Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/news/people/edinburgh-bin-strike-fringe-stars-stage-gala-fundraiser-to-support-workers-strike-fund-3813831 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Staff Sgt. Nickolas Orozco of the U.S. Army Parachute Team exits the C-147A while aerial acts circle in Chicago, Illinois on 20 August, 2022. The U.S. Army Parachute Team is performing for the Chicago Air and Water Show on 20-21 August. (U.S. Army photo by Megan Hackett)
This work, The U.S. Army Parachute Team jumps for the Chicago Air and Water Show [Image 6 of 6], by Megan Hackett, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7380635/us-army-parachute-team-jumps-chicago-air-and-water-show | 2022-08-21T13:35:55Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7380635/us-army-parachute-team-jumps-chicago-air-and-water-show | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Staff Sgt. Nickolas Orozco of the U.S. Army Parachute Team performs demonstration parachute jump in Chicago, Illinois on 20 August, 2022. The U.S. Army Parachute Team is performing for the Chicago Air and Water Show on 20-21 August. (U.S. Army photo by Megan Hackett)
This work, The U.S. Army Parachute Team jumps for the Chicago Air and Water Show [Image 6 of 6], by Megan Hackett, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7380636/us-army-parachute-team-jumps-chicago-air-and-water-show | 2022-08-21T13:36:01Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7380636/us-army-parachute-team-jumps-chicago-air-and-water-show | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
RICHMOND, Va. - The city of Richmond is holding its first gun buyback. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that more than a dozen cars arrived early Saturday for the event.
The city offered gift cards ranging from $25 to $250 depending on the class of firearms, which they could spend on goods such as clothing, groceries and other items. Participants were asked to arrive in their vehicles with their unloaded firearms stored in the trunks of their cars. From there, Richmond police weapon masters would retrieve and inspect the weapon. | https://www.wboc.com/news/richmond-holds-citys-first-gun-buyback-event/article_2459eed0-2144-11ed-869e-df9c8d1d0c61.html | 2022-08-21T13:47:57Z | wboc.com | control | https://www.wboc.com/news/richmond-holds-citys-first-gun-buyback-event/article_2459eed0-2144-11ed-869e-df9c8d1d0c61.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LONDON (AP) — The first day of a planned strike at Britain’s biggest container port started Sunday, joining a series of walkouts by transportation workers that have disrupted economic activity across the country.
Almost 2,000 workers at the Port of Felixstowe, located about 150 kilometers (93 miles) northeast of London, walked off the jobs over pay, raising fears of severe supply chain problems. The port handles around 4 million containers a year from 2,000 ships – almost half of the country’s incoming shipping freight.
Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, the labor union that called for the strike, alleged the company that operates the “enormously profitable” dock and its parent company, C.K Hutchison Holding Ltd, prioritized shareholder profits over worker welfare.
“They can give Felixstowe workers a decent pay raise. It’s clear both companies have prioritized delivering multimillion-pound profits and dividends rather than paying their workers a decent wage,” she said.
The Port of Felixstowe said in a statement that it regretted the impact the strikes would have on U.K supply chains. It said workers were offered a pay raise “worth over 8% on average in the current year.”
Britons are facing the worst cost of living crisis in decades as wages fail to keep pace with inflation and grocery costs and utility bills increase. The latest statistics put the inflation rate at 10.1%, a 40-year high.
The conditions have sparked summer strikes by train and subway workers following the breakdown of wage talks in June. Only one in five U.K trains ran Saturday during the third railway strike in as many days.
On Friday, most of London’s underground subway lines did not run due to a separate strike. Postal workers, lawyers, British Telecom staff and garbage collectors have all announced walkouts for later this month. | https://www.wspa.com/news/ap-top-headlines/strike-at-biggest-shipping-port-adds-to-uk-industrial-chaos/ | 2022-08-21T13:52:35Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/ap-top-headlines/strike-at-biggest-shipping-port-adds-to-uk-industrial-chaos/ | 0 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | 21 |
LONDON (AP) — The first day of a planned strike at Britain’s biggest container port started Sunday, joining a series of walkouts by transportation workers that have disrupted economic activity across the country.
Almost 2,000 workers at the Port of Felixstowe, located about 150 kilometers (93 miles) northeast of London, walked off the jobs over pay, raising fears of severe supply chain problems. The port handles around 4 million containers a year from 2,000 ships – almost half of the country’s incoming shipping freight.
Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, the labor union that called for the strike, alleged the company that operates the “enormously profitable” dock and its parent company, C.K Hutchison Holding Ltd, prioritized shareholder profits over worker welfare.
“They can give Felixstowe workers a decent pay raise. It’s clear both companies have prioritized delivering multimillion-pound profits and dividends rather than paying their workers a decent wage,” she said.
The Port of Felixstowe said in a statement that it regretted the impact the strikes would have on U.K supply chains. It said workers were offered a pay raise “worth over 8% on average in the current year.”
Britons are facing the worst cost of living crisis in decades as wages fail to keep pace with inflation and grocery costs and utility bills increase. The latest statistics put the inflation rate at 10.1%, a 40-year high.
The conditions have sparked summer strikes by train and subway workers following the breakdown of wage talks in June. Only one in five U.K trains ran Saturday during the third railway strike in as many days.
On Friday, most of London’s underground subway lines did not run due to a separate strike. Postal workers, lawyers, British Telecom staff and garbage collectors have all announced walkouts for later this month. | https://www.wspa.com/news/ap-top-headlines/strike-at-biggest-shipping-port-adds-to-uk-industrial-chaos/ | 2022-08-21T13:52:35Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/ap-top-headlines/strike-at-biggest-shipping-port-adds-to-uk-industrial-chaos/ | 1 | 0 | green-iguana-35 | 21 |
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The prosecution spent three weeks telling jurors how Nikolas Cruz murdered 14 students and three staff members at a Florida high school four years ago. Now his attorneys will get their chance to present why they believe he did it, hoping to get him sentenced to life without parole instead of death.
Melisa McNeill, Cruz’s lead public defender, is expected to give her opening statement Monday, having deferred its presentation from the start of the trial a month ago.
She and her team will then begin laying out their 23-year-old client’s life history: his birth mother’s abuse of alcohol and cocaine during her pregnancy, leading to possible fetal alcohol syndrome; his severe mental and emotional problems; his alleged sexual abuse by a “trusted peer;” the bullying he endured; and his adoptive father’s death when he was 5 and his adoptive mother’s four months before his Feb. 14, 2018, attack at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
McNeill’s decision to delay her opening statement appeared part of a broader strategy to not deny or lessen anything prosecutors told jurors about Cruz’s massacre — he pleaded guilty in October to 17 counts of first-degree murder. This trial is only to decide his sentence; the seven-man, five woman jury will consider whether the prosecution’s aggravating circumstances “outweigh” the defense’s mitigating factors.
The defense is “going to say, ‘Look, you saw what happened — we are not going to argue that. It was horrible, that was awful, that was horrific, whatever adjectives you want to use,” said David S. Weinstein, a Miami defense attorney and former prosecutor. But then the defense will add: “He never had a chance and, because of that, his poor victims never had a chance.’”
This is the deadliest U.S. mass shooting to ever reach trial. Nine other gunmen who killed at least 17 people died during or immediately after their shootings, either by suicide or police gunfire. The suspect in the 2019 slaying of 23 people at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, is awaiting trial.
During the prosecution’s case, McNeill’s team never cross-examined any teacher or student who witnessed the slayings and only had brief, mild exchanges with a few other witnesses.
They asked one teacher from a classroom where no one was shot about the lack of a security monitor in the three-story building where the slayings happened. When the gun store owner who sold Cruz the AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle used in the killings testified, they asked what Florida’s minimum age was in 2017 to buy a rifle — 18 — and today — 21.
Neither they nor the prosecutors then asked the store owner why the law was changed: Cruz was 19 when the shooting happened and the Republican-led Legislature raised the age limit as part of a larger package of gun laws enacted in response to the shootings.
Cruz’s youth will be part of his defense and while Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer has barred the defense from presenting testimony that directly casts blame on third parties like school administrators for not preventing the shooting, McNeill and her team will likely try to indirectly make such points.
To get Cruz a life sentence, the defense will only have to persuade one of the 12 jurors, but they will have to do it on all 17 counts, one for each victim. It is possible, for example, a reluctant juror might be pushed to vote for death on victims who surveillance video showed Cruz shot multiple times as they lay wounded and helpless.
The defense will be trying to overcome the horrendous evidence that was laid out by the prosecution, capped by the jurors’ Aug. 4 visit to the fenced-off building that Cruz stalked for seven minutes, firing about 150 shots down halls and into classrooms. The jurors saw dried blood on floors and walls, bullet holes in doors and windows and remnants of Valentine’s Day balloons, flowers and cards.
Prosecutors also presented graphic surveillance videos of the massacre; gruesome crime scene and autopsy photos from its aftermath; emotional testimony from teachers and students who witnessed others die; and four days of tearful and angry statements from parents, spouses and other family members about the victims and how their loved one’s death affected their lives. Jurors also watched video of Cruz calmly ordering a cherry and blue raspberry Icee minutes after the shooting and, nine months later, attacking a jail guard.
It is unknown how long the defense presentation will take, but they said in court recently that it will last past Labor Day in two weeks. The prosecution will then get to present a rebuttal case before it goes to the jury. | https://www.wspa.com/news/national/ap-us-news/defense-in-school-shooters-trial-set-to-present-its-case/ | 2022-08-21T13:53:07Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/national/ap-us-news/defense-in-school-shooters-trial-set-to-present-its-case/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Heavy flooding from seasonal rains in eastern Afghanistan overnight left at least nine people dead, swept away homes and destroyed livestock and agricultural land, a provincial official and a villager elder said Sunday.
Associated Press video showed villagers in the Khushi district of Logar province south of the Afghan capital of Kabul cleaning up after the flooding, their damaged homes in disarray.
Abdullah Mufaker, head of Logar province’s Natural Disaster Management Ministry, said it was still unknown how many were killed and injured by the rising waters but that there were at least nine fatalities.
“The exact number is not clear for the time being, and the people have gone to remove the dead bodies,” he said.
Del Agha, a village elder, said the flooding was unprecedented in the history of Khushi. “It destroyed all the people’s animals, houses and agricultural lands,” he said. “People are homeless, they have been refuged to the mountains.”
Last week, heavy rains set off flash floods that killed at least 31 people and left dozens missing in northern Afghanistan. | https://www.wspa.com/news/world-news/ap-international/official-flooding-in-eastern-afghanistan-kills-at-least-9/ | 2022-08-21T13:54:23Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/world-news/ap-international/official-flooding-in-eastern-afghanistan-kills-at-least-9/ | 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: The Power of Moderation
Happy Sunday!
I want to ask you this question: How do you usually feel by Sunday? Happy for a day to rest and calmly reset for the week? Or are you so tired that all you can do is just kind of collapse? Or is it just like every other day for you—packed with places to go, a bunch of chores, and maybe even answering and sending Slacks and emails to get a head start on your work week?
Well, if your life is so busy that the only time you pause is when you just can't go any longer, when your tank is completely empty, then you need to readjust and find the right balance of rest for you. Taking a pause when you need to is a gift to yourself, and unless you do that, you're headed straight for burning out. If you're nodding your head right now because this hits close to home, I want you to know that there is value in moderation. You don't have to be doing the most to be your best. In fact, it's impossible to always be your best when you're always doing the most with no time to rest, relax and reflect.
So Insiders, this week I want you to really become aware of the places in your life where you are spreading yourself too thinly. Instead, concentrate on the one or two things you'd like to do that create a space that will be of service to you and others, rather than overextending yourself to the point of exhaustion. I'd love to hear in the comments how you're choosing to pare down a little bit this week. Like my mentor Maya Angelou told me in one of the last interviews I did with her, "Everything in moderation. Even moderation in moderation."
Go well.
Your Daily Dose of Inspiration
Unlock a new insight every day this week. | https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/health/a40908327/oprah-intention-moderation/ | 2022-08-21T13:56:16Z | oprahdaily.com | control | https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/health/a40908327/oprah-intention-moderation/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Growing up in Medway, many of us are sure to have had similar experiences and now hold countless nuggets of local knowledge because of them. Our collection of five towns - Chatham, Gillingham, Rainham, Rochester and Strood - are certainly full of character, and with that, comes bits of information that you only truly know if you've lived there.
I grew up in Medway and have lived in the area for pretty much my whole life - so it's safe to say that I’ve come to know a lot about the district. From infamous urban legends to the district's infatuation with putting cones on statues, life in Medway is unique.
I look fondly on my years growing up here and clearly like the place enough to have stayed for so long. Here are the seven things you would only know if you grew up in Medway. What are your main memories? Let us know in the comments below.
Read more: How Chatham's Pentagon Shopping Centre looked 40 years ago
The reputation of Luton Road
I’ll begin with one that is sure to be known the entire district over - and maybe even by those further afield. One particular patch of Medway has gained a somewhat unsavoury reputation over the years, that being Luton Road in Chatham.
Now, such a reputation hasn’t just manifested from thin air. Luton Road is widely regarded as the most violent area of Medway and it has the crime statistics to prove it. What this meant for me and many others was a youth full of warnings to avoid this street in particular and almost weekly horror stories of the terrible crimes committed there.
If Stephen King ever runs out of ideas for horror stories set in Maine, perhaps he should take a look across the pond and into the history of this Chatham street for some inspiration.
Dickens World was an odd addition to Chatham
One that boggled my mind from the day it opened. Who on earth thought that a Charles Dickens theme park was going to last?
To the surprise of quite literally no one, it didn’t, and it’s safe to say that the public of Medway hasn’t exactly been clambering to see it return since closing in 2016. Truth be told, I never visited myself, purely based on the general consensus from the very few of my friends who did, that it was a bit rubbish. At least we’ve got the train at the Strand!
Thomas Waghorn looks weird without a cone on his head
In a tradition that has been going for as long as pretty much any of us can remember, Chatham’s iconic Thomas Waghorn statue looks strange at this point if you see him without his signature cone crown. No one knows exactly why or when this tradition started, or how much alcohol was involved at the time, but it’s certainly grown to be an iconic image of Medway.
In fact, our bizarre tradition found its way to national television last year when Rupaul’s Drag Race contestant River Medway dressed as Mr Waghorn, traffic cone and all. Never change Medway.
It’s best to keep away from New Road and Riverside Country Park after dark
Similar to Luton Road on this one but for very different reasons. These were areas that myself and many others were frequently urged to avoid after dark for reasons that wouldn’t be explained until I got older.
Let’s just say, these areas have a certain reputation for things on the more ‘promiscuous’ side of life. We’ll leave it at that.
Medway is very haunted
While I might not necessarily buy into ghost stories, I can’t deny that they are fascinating to hear about, and Medway has plenty to go around. For whatever reason, this patch of Kent seems to be a paranormal hotspot, with residents sure to have heard at least one of these tales.
Perhaps the most well known is the Ghost of Blue Bell Hill, which sits just outside of Chatham. The story goes that 22-year-old bride Suzanne Browne, who was killed with two friends in a road traffic accident near the bridge over the Old Chatham Road on the eve of her wedding in 1965, now haunts drivers in the area.
The legends don’t stop there, with tales such as that of headless Christopher Bloor who rides in a carriage drawn by a headless horse along Berengrave Lane. Then there is the ghost of Lady Blanche De Warenne who is said to haunt Rochester Castle.
Maybe Medway Council needs to put in a call with Ghost Busters!
Chatham High Street has changed a lot
Ask anyone in the area what they think of Chatham High Street currently and about 90% will tell you something along the lines of: ‘it used to be so much better’. I can’t help but agree in a lot of ways.
Growing up, it was one of the most popular spots to do a bit of weekly shopping with all your school mates. If you take a stroll along the High Street these days, you will still be greeted with plenty of shoppers out and about.
However, the range of shops is unfortunately just not what it once was, as many staples of the High Street like Debenhams, Argos and M&S have now left. However, the future is certainly looking bright, with big plans for Chatham High Street on the horizon.
Sweeps and Dickens festivals are some of the most fun you can ever have
Finally, one that brings the people of the district together year after year, these two celebrations are without a doubt some of the best days in the Medway calendar. This was always a highlight among my friendship group growing up; a chance to spend the whole day out in Rochester, taking in some great entertainment and spending whatever money I had on food and bits from the markets.
While unfortunately the celebrations were understandably put on hold during the Covid-19 pandemic, they have since made a triumphant return that saw the Medway public come out in droves to get involved. Amazing parades and performances, costumes, great food and drink, music and fairground rides, you really couldn’t ask for more.
Having attended since I was a young teenager and now as an adult, it’s safe to say no matter how old you are, both festivals are an absolute blast. Even if you’re not a Medway local, you just have to come and experience one or both of these events for yourself.
Read next:
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Scientists say 10-day covid isolation should return this winter
All of the Kent areas not affected by the hosepipe bans this month
Former Gurkha soldier who lost both legs in Afghanistan set to climb Everest | https://www.kentlive.news/news/nostalgia/seven-things-you-would-only-7491673 | 2022-08-21T14:18:30Z | kentlive.news | control | https://www.kentlive.news/news/nostalgia/seven-things-you-would-only-7491673 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Kochi: Drugs worth around Rs 60 crore were seized at the Cochin International Airport here on Sunday from a Delhi-bound Kerala native who had arrived in the port city from Zimbabwe via Doha.
The seizure of nearly 30 kg of metha quinol drug worth about Rs 60 crore allegedly from Palakkad-native Muralidharan Nair's baggage was announced by the Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) in a statement.
CIAL, in its statement, said that the drug was allegedly concealed in a hidden compartment in Nair's bag and was discovered by its own security department during inspection carried out using state-of-the-art '3D MRI' scanning machine.
The passenger was handed over to the narcotics department and the drugs were sent to a government laboratory for testing, it said. | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2022/08/21/drugs-seized-from-cochin-airport.html | 2022-08-21T14:27:07Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2022/08/21/drugs-seized-from-cochin-airport.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Academic achievement among Virginia students continues to be impacted by the residue of COVID lockdowns, and achievement gaps that long pre-date the pandemic are still in evidence, state officials said in releasing results from Standards of Learning exams and other state-mandated assessments taken by students during the 2021-22 school year.
“In-person instruction matters,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow, who said Virginia’s public-education system has embarked on a “multi-year recovery effort” to get beyond the losses felt by school lockdowns during the early part of the pandemic.
Data released Aug. 18 show that despite one-year gains in most subjects, student achievement in all areas remained well below pre-pandemic levels.
Balow and other officials who have come in since the start of the Youngkin administration promised ramped-up efforts to address the situation.
“The first step in addressing the learning loss our students have experienced is to dive into the SOL data at the state, division and school levels and identify the instructional supports and interventions students require,” Balow said in a statement. “This is especially critical for our youngest learners, who have spent more than a third of their early-elementary years without the benefit of in-person instruction.”
Youngkin made the state of public education a major theme of his campaign against Democrat Terry McAuliffe in 2021, and the swing of education-focused voters to Youngkin may have helped fuel his narrow victory.
The current heads of state education policy criticized the adoption of less-rigorous proficiency standards adopted by the Virginia Board of Education for the 2020-21 school year, saying the resulting scores only served to understate the pandemic’s impact on student achievement that already was teetering before the pandemic arrived.
“The prolonged closure of schools exacerbated downward trends in achievement that began several years before COVID, and our efforts to address learning loss must go beyond making up for lost seat time,” Virginia Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera said. “Moving forward, we must restore a culture of high expectations for every child in every school.”
While the pandemic can be blamed for many education-related shortcomings of the past two years, it wasn’t responsible for the achievement gap in test scores that continues to result in students from different demographic groups seeing widely different success rates on SOLs and other tests. Passage rates often vary by 20 to 30 percentage points, depending on the groups being compared.
This fall, the Virginia Department of Education will introduce individualized progress reports for students in grades 1-8 that will allow parents to see where their children are succeeding and where they have fallen behind. The department will pilot the progress reports in selected school districts, with the intention of rolling the effort out statewide.
State education officials in September will release 2022-23 school-accreditation ratings, following two school years in which they were waived by the Northam administration due to the pandemic. Accreditation factors include multiple indicators of school quality and student achievement, including growth in reading and mathematics and rates of high-school graduation.
[https://sungazette.news provides content to, but otherwise is unaffiliated with, InsideNoVa or Rappahannock Media LLC.] | https://www.insidenova.com/news/arlington/lockdown-impact-lingers-in-new-virginia-sol-results/article_e732839a-20ae-11ed-be98-87d2e2592687.html | 2022-08-21T14:34:06Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/news/arlington/lockdown-impact-lingers-in-new-virginia-sol-results/article_e732839a-20ae-11ed-be98-87d2e2592687.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
New Delhi: Olympic champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who pulled out of the recent Commonwealth Games due to a minor injury, can compete in the Lausanne Diamond League meet on Friday if he is "medically fit", according to Athletics Federation of India (AFI) chief Adille Sumariwalla.
The 24-year-old Chopra figured in the list of competitors for the Lausanne leg of the Diamond League. But he is yet to take a call on his participation in the prestigious competition.
"Neeraj will participate in (Lausanne) if he is declared medically fit," Sumariwalla told PTI on Saturday.
Chopra had missed the Birmingham CWG due to a "minor" groin strain he suffered while winning a historic silver in the World Championships in Eugene, USA last month. He was advised one-month rest.
"Neeraj is working on his rehabilitation and his team will take a call about the Lausanne Diamond League closer to the event," a source had said a few days back.
Birmingham CWG silver medallist Avinash Sable also figures in the men's 3000m steeplechase event. | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/other-sports/2022/08/21/neeraj-chopras-participation-in-lausanne-diamond-league-meett-subject-to-fitness-sumariwalla.amp.html | 2022-08-21T14:40:03Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/other-sports/2022/08/21/neeraj-chopras-participation-in-lausanne-diamond-league-meett-subject-to-fitness-sumariwalla.amp.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NDLEA arrests grandpa who shipped illicit drugs to daughter in Dubai, four others at Lagos airport
• intercepts 2.3million tabs of opioids going to 7 Northern states
A major importer of Loud variant of cannabis from the United States, Abibu Afis Sola and a 63-year-old grandfather who shipped illicit substances to his daughter in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, UAE were among those arrested by NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos.
Abibu was arrested by officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)
in connection with a 19.30kg Colorado consignment from Los Angeles, USA, which was intercepted on 30th June at the NAHCO cargo import shed of the Lagos airport. While Abibu was still being interviewed in custody, a 37.1kg consignment of Loud intercepted on 7th July was also traced to him.
Equally, a freight agent, Miss Njoko Elizabeth, 37, has been arrested for attempting to export 250grams of Tramadol and cannabis to Dubai through the NAHCO export shed. The drug exhibits were concealed inside some gallons of palm oil and honey, which were packed among food items and hair attachments.
Also at the same Lagos airport, 249,600 tablets of Tramadol 225mg have been recovered from a shipment from India at the SAHCO import shed of the MMIA.
The consignment that arrived from India via Addis Ababa on an Ethiopian Airlines flight on 4th August was eventually evacuated on Wednesday 17th Aug as an abandoned seizure.
The 63-year-old grandfather behind an intercepted drug exhibit going to Dubai, Afolabi Abideen Kolawole, on 4th Aug was arrested in Ibadan, Oyo state on Thursday 18th August after more than four sets of arrests eventually unravelled him.
He confessed that he was responsible for the concealment and packaging of the cannabis inside the black native soap used as a mode of concealment. He also admitted this was his second attempt at sending such illicit substance to his daughter, Barakat, in Dubai.
Also, an Italy-bound passenger, Oziengbe Ehighalua Andrew, 55, was on Friday 19th August arrested with 600grams of Tramadol 200mg while attempting to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Italy, via Casablanca.
In the same vein, seven cartons of khat leaf with a total weight of 295kg have been seized at the NAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport. The consignment came into Nigeria from Tanzania through Cairo on Egypt Air.
Operatives of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation, DOGI, in NDLEA attached to courier firms have intercepted 11.36kg heroin and cannabis packaged for UAE, Netherlands and Omar. The drugs were concealed in dictionaries, fancy light and body cream.
This came just as over a 2.3million tablets of illicit pharmaceutical opioids and other psychoactive substances meant for distribution in seven Northern states of Borno, Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara, Gombe and Nasarawa have been intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA in series of interdiction operations in the past week.
In all, a total of Two Million Three Hundred and Twenty-Five Thousand Five Hundred and Fifty-Three (2, 325, 553.00) tablets and capsules of Tramadol, Pregabalin, Hypnox, Diazepam and Exol-5 including 7, 353 bottles of a new psychoactive substance locally called Akuskura meant for the seven states were seized from locations across Kaduna, Kogi, Sokoto, and the FCT.
In Kaduna, a drug dealer Umar Sanusi was arrested on Friday 12th August during a follow-up operation in Kano and brought back to Kaduna where his consignment of 50 cartons of pregabalin 300mg, containing 750,000 capsules, weighing 375kgs earlier seized along Abuja-Kaduna expressway was counted and weighed in his presence.
Also, the operatives also intercepted along Abuja-Kaduna express road 7,068 bottles of a new dangerous substance of abuse called Akuskura meant for Kaduna, Zamfara, Gombe, Kano and Borno. The recipients in Kaduna and Zamfara have been arrested during follow-up operations.
The following day, Saturday 13th August, 285 bottles of the NPS were recovered from a dealer, Abubakar Ahmad, along the same highway.
In Kogi, no fewer than 696,000 tablets of Tramadol and Exol-5 among others loaded into a truck at Onitsha, Anambra state and heading to Maiduguri, Borno state, were seized along the Okene-Abuja expressway on Friday 19th Aug, while NDLEA operatives also recovered 300,000 tablets of Diazepam from a suspect, Faruku Bello, 30, in Sokoto State on Wednesday 17th Aug.
Anti-narcotic officers of the Agency in Abuja FCT equally at the weekend intercepted a bus loaded with 323, 200 tablets of Tramadol 225mg and others at Onitsha, Anambra state heading to Nasarawa state. The driver of the vehicle, Osita Nwobodo, 45, who made fruitless bids to compromise the operatives is now in custody.
A major importer of Loud variant of cannabis from the United
In Niger state, 139 bags and 176 compressed blocks of cannabis loaded in Ogere, Ogun state and heading to Zaria, Kaduna state were seized by NDLEA operatives along Abuja-Kaduna road, Suleja from a company vehicle while the driver, Sani Mohammed, 44, and his assistant, Abubakar Abubakar, 30, were arrested.
Raids carried out in Akala, Mushin area of Lagos also led to the arrest of Pelumi Goodness and Ola Funke while over 1,171.75kg cannabis and 29 litres of codeine syrup were recovered.
Speaking on the development, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), commended the officers and men of the MMIA, Kaduna, Kogi, Sokoto, and FCT Commands as well as DOGI for the arrests and seizures.
He urged them and their compatriots across the country to intensify their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
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- NDLEA arrests grandpa who shipped illicit drugs to daughter in Dubai, four others at Lagos airport | https://tribuneonlineng.com/ndlea-arrests-grandpa-who-shipped-illicit-drugs-to-daughter-in-dubai-four-others-at-lagos-airport/ | 2022-08-21T14:40:30Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/ndlea-arrests-grandpa-who-shipped-illicit-drugs-to-daughter-in-dubai-four-others-at-lagos-airport/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Ten Chattanooga police officers have been reassigned to non-enforcement positions and will no longer be allowed to testify in court after they "misrepresented the truth or filed a false report," according to a police department press release.
Police Chief Celeste Murphy reassigned them after the US Attorney's Office asked "for a list of officers who had sustained allegations of untruthfulness or misrepresentation, for the purposes of identifying officers who would not be allowed to testify in court," according to the release obtained by CNN affiliate WRCB.
Murphy supplied the names to state and federal prosecutors. The chief said she reassigned the officers because they would not be allowed to testify in court, the statement reads.
"Chattanooga residents, our fellow CPD officers, as well as the state and federal prosecutors who present these cases should have full confidence that officers who investigate crimes, apprehend suspects, and testify in court uphold the highest standards of integrity," Murphy said in the release.
"It is unacceptable that a case could be jeopardized due to an integrity issue with an officer who was found to have previously misrepresented the truth or filed a false report."
Murphy said investigations into allegations of untruthfulness or misrepresentation against the 10 officers were related to internal policy violations.
None of the 10 reassigned officers were accused of misrepresentation in court, Chattanooga police said.
The Fraternal Order of Police criticized Murphy's actions in a release and said the reassignment "constitutes further discipline for internal matters which occurred more than 10 years ago."
The FOP said Murphy used the US Attorney's Office as a "scapegoat" for improperly disciplining the 10 officers.
"Contrary to Chief Murphy's claim that these officers are not been demoted or punished, she is choosing to punish these officers a second time," the FOP said in a written statement.
"By doing so, Chief Murphy has emphatically deemed the discipline rendered by past administrations, done with the full support of the City Attorney, and members of Chief Murphy's own command staff, as insufficient and has acted of her own volition to administer what she alone deems appropriate."
In a statement to CNN, the US Attorney's Office cited the "paramount importance" of defendants in federal court receiving due process.
"This office conducts appropriate inquiry in all criminal cases to ensure that it has the information necessary to make any disclosure required by law concerning a witness, including a law enforcement officer, called by the United States to provide sworn testimony in a federal criminal proceeding," the office said.
While allegations of untruthfulness currently warrant immediate termination, Murphy said previous department policy treated untruthfulness differently from misrepresentation.
The Chattanooga Police Department said it has "eliminated that distinction" between untruthfulness and misrepresentation.
In the future, all sustained allegations relating to untruthfulness will lead to "immediate termination," the department said.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/10-chattanooga-police-officers-reassigned-after-they-misrepresented-the-truth-or-filed-a-false-report/article_76948a17-9f30-5ac0-8494-2f7848c9e7e3.html | 2022-08-21T14:53:52Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/10-chattanooga-police-officers-reassigned-after-they-misrepresented-the-truth-or-filed-a-false-report/article_76948a17-9f30-5ac0-8494-2f7848c9e7e3.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A federal appeals court on Sunday temporarily paused a district court's order requiring that Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina appear before a grand jury probing plots to illegally influence the 2020 election results in Georgia.
The 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals sent the proceedings around the Fulton County grand jury subpoena back to the district court judge with the instruction that the judge consider whether the subpoena should be partially quashed or modified in accordance with the Constitution's Speech or Debate Clause.
The constitutional provision shields lawmakers from certain law enforcement actions in some scenarios. Graham had pointed to it in his challenge to the Fulton County subpoena, which demanded he testify on Tuesday.
The appeals court panel -- made up of Circuit Judges Charles Wilson, Kevin Newsom and Britt Grant -- said in its order that the district court could expedite the briefing around modifying the subpoena in a manner that the judge "deems appropriate." The appeals court said that after that question is resolved, the matter will return back before the appeals court for further consideration.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/appeals-court-temporarily-pauses-order-requiring-graham-to-appear-before-atlanta-area-grand-jury/article_32bab500-882a-56e7-9674-3f35e6a04b2b.html | 2022-08-21T14:53:58Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/appeals-court-temporarily-pauses-order-requiring-graham-to-appear-before-atlanta-area-grand-jury/article_32bab500-882a-56e7-9674-3f35e6a04b2b.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
East Muskingum among area schools to receive safety grant
NEW CONCORD — East Muskingum was looking to upgrade its security systems, and a grant from the state of Ohio will aid the district in that endeavor.
Gov. Mike DeWine recently announced 1,183 schools in 81 Ohio counties will receive nearly $47 million in grant funding from the Ohio K-12 School Safety Grant Program.
Funds will be used to cover expenses associated with physical security enhancements such as security cameras, public address systems, automatic door locks, visitor badging systems and exterior lighting.
East Muskingum Local Schools will receive $261,950.46 for its buildings, Tri-Valley Local Schools will get $94,783 for its buildings and the Muskingum Valley Education Service Center will be given $9,370 for its main facility.
Dave Adams, East Muskingum's Superintendent, noted the system in his district was installed around 10 years ago. He noted the changes in technology are among the reasons why the district submitted for the grant.
Adams noted his maintenance team, School Resource Officer and principals put together the proposal. The district must use the grant by the end of 2023.
"We’re elated to get this financial assistance so we can make our buildings safer and keep a better record of who is coming and going," Adams said. "Our employees did a great job putting this together and submitting this so we could get this grant. In regards to timing, we needed to upgrade our buzz-in security system, and the quality of our current cameras is lacking. The images weren't clear, and we need new ones."
The district also plans to upgrade its key-card swipe entry system. Adams said they will add those entry systems to several locations in different schools, including near the recess doors at the elementary buildings.
Another update is consolidating the cameras to one system. The district currently uses a DVR system to record images, but newer technology would help them consolidate the system, add to its storage space and allow cameras to be accessed through IP addresses, instead of monitors.
"Our SRO and designated offices would be able to access the cameras from wherever they are," Adams said. "For example if there was a gas leak at the middle school, people at the high school could watch the evacuation process. That's where the cameras would really help us in those cases."
Adams noted the school is considering closing off the vestibules of the schools to assist with security, while also allowing parents to be inside on rainy or cold days.
The district also wants to add sensors to all doors if they are propped open. Adams said they have 44 exterior doors at the high school so it would be a larger project, but it is something the district will look into to make the building more secure.
"We know kids will prop open doors if friends or teammates are late for weight lifting. In that case, where they forget to take the prop out, the sensor would alert someone so it can be closed," Adams said. "Having good door security is important to us, as is improving what we have. We’re excited to get these funds so we can make our buildings safer."
bhannahs@gannett.com
Twitter: @brandonhannahs | https://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/story/news/education/2022/08/21/east-muskingum-among-area-schools-to-receive-safety-grant/65394281007/ | 2022-08-21T15:03:13Z | zanesvilletimesrecorder.com | control | https://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/story/news/education/2022/08/21/east-muskingum-among-area-schools-to-receive-safety-grant/65394281007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
TECH TALK: Aerative Portable Dryer - clothes drying for those on the go
WITH the heatwave at full throttle and outside a sweltering 35 deg C with more chance of a lottery win than rain, the prospect of road testing a portable clothes dryer looked unlikely.
But just as the Amazon van was dropping off my Aerative portable dryer, the heavens opened and we had a downpour, with my daughter en route home in unsuitable trainers.
Fate you might say, as no sooner had the delivery man moved to his next destination the dryer was out of the box, coming to the rescue of the sodden shoes.
Being at home, we could have easily dried the shoes in other ways of course, but this natty little piece of tech is ideal for taking away on holiday, particularly if rainy or wintry weather might be a factor and, indeed, it did a sterling job of drying the trainers.
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Measuring 280mm x 80mm x 40mm and weighing 570g the Aerative dryer is compact enough to fit into any bag or case and its arms open up telescopically and rotate to adapt to the item it is drying, be it a shirt, baby clothes or a pair of shoes for example.
Thanks to its in-built technology to dry any spills, rain, or sweat, the Aerative dryer allows users to look after their garments on the go with up to eight hours of automatic drying, and is safe for cabin or checked luggage.
To save on hefty checked baggage fees it could even be taken on holiday to quickly dry the fewer clothes you've taken and are happy to wash?
Aerative also features a UV lamp that, according to the manufacturer, eliminates 99.9% of potentially harmful bacteria and mites to kill any unwanted germs on clothes while simultaneously drying them.
This feature can even be toggled on and off, so users may select this function as and when it is required. A timer function also allows peace of mind when drying.
With fully extendable and rotatable arms, the Aerative is fully adaptable to work in all spaces and thanks to its patented air duct design, it is powerful enough to dry clothes and shoes. The dryer, working through ejecting hot air through its air ducts features an alloy wire heating mechanism, which ensures an efficient, safe, and stable operation of the device.
The kit comes complete with the Aerative device, a drawstring protective pouch, four clothes pegs, and an instruction manual. A nice piece of equipment that will certainly leave you dry and high!
Features
Extendable air ducts
Rotatable design
UV Sterilisation Technology
Intelligent screen display for setting adjustment
Adjustable time
Automatic turn off feature for safety
Timer function (up to 8 hours of automatic drying)
4x clothes pegs
1x drawstring protective pouch
Comprehensive instruction manual
The Aerative Portable Dryer is available for £69 from Aerative with free shipping. | https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/lifestyle/tech/tech-talk-aerative-portable-dryer-clothes-drying-for-those-on-the-go-3813884 | 2022-08-21T15:10:28Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/lifestyle/tech/tech-talk-aerative-portable-dryer-clothes-drying-for-those-on-the-go-3813884 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
I wouldn’t necessarily classify myself as a bleeding heart, but in a parallel universe you would probably find me opening the doors to my farm to all the stray and injured animals of the world. Truth be told, all animals make me melt, but let’s be sensible and make it dog exclusive. Which is why, in this universe, a big part of me wants to rescue this decaying Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution I GSR.
Of course this is pure fantasy, so, inspired by Dino and Ron’s stories on abandoned/unloved cars in Japan, I thought the very least I could do to honour this Evo’s legacy would be to bring you a look around before it returns to the ground.
So, what is it exactly? It’s probably not quite the World Rally Championship-dominating Evo that you might recognise from those heady days of Group A, but this is indeed a Lancer Evolution – the very first to carry the badge and the predecessor to a lineage that won four WRC drivers’ titles.
Like Subaru, who had been championing their Legacy RS, Mitsubishi had been making wins in their Galant VR-4, but soon realised that a lighter, smaller car was required to tackle the WRC’s challenging special stages.
This wasn’t the first Lancer to carry the GSR badge. Back in the day, Mitsubishi took three consecutive wins in Australia’s Southern Cross Rally with their Lancer 1600 GSR. That car was championed by Andrew Cowan, who incidentally went on to establish Ralliart Europe, the company responsible for building all of the works Mitsubishi WRC rally cars right up to 2005.
When the Evo I hit the rally stages in 1993 it was competitive (as the Galant had been previously), but it wasn’t until Mitsubishi upped the power and tweaked the aero design of the front splitter and rear wing of the Evo III that they finally took a victory.
But underneath the decaying, moss-covered exterior of this Evo I is the same 4G63T engine, 5-speed manual and AWD system found in later models. That spells huge potential.
Only 5,000 of these where built for homologation purposes, which is probably why this one is still having its parking paid for and not heading to the wreckers yard just yet.
I’m interested to know what you see here? Is it a piece of automotive history worth preserving, or a forgotten relic not worth the effort?
Toby Thyer
Instagram _tobinsta_
tobythyer.co.uk | http://www.speedhunters.com/2022/08/the-de-evolution-of-a-mitsubishi-lancer-evo-1/ | 2022-08-21T15:10:31Z | speedhunters.com | control | http://www.speedhunters.com/2022/08/the-de-evolution-of-a-mitsubishi-lancer-evo-1/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
DC’s pioneering ‘Baby Bonds’ plan aims to narrow wealth gap
WASHINGTON (AP) — Aaliyah Manning’s dreams of becoming a psychologist ended abruptly during her freshman year at Potomac State in West Virginia when the cost of continuing her education became overwhelming.
“The money just wasn’t there,” she said. “I knew I wasn’t going to finish so I just had fun.”
After a year, Manning, 25, was back in the nation’s capital working fast food jobs. Now she lives largely on public assistance in a two-bedroom apartment with her boyfriend, his mother and his 9-year-old daughter from another relationship. She still has student debt and there’s a baby boy on the way.
She sees a brighter future for that baby, thanks to a landmark social program being pioneered in Washington. Called “Baby Bonds,” the program will provide children of the city’s poorest families with up to $25,000 when they reach adulthood. The money is to be used for a handful of purposes, including education.
“It would be such a different opportunity for him, a lot different than what I had,” Manning said of her soon-to-arrive baby.
In just over a decade, the Baby Bonds idea has moved from a fringe leftist concept to actual policy, with the District of Columbia as the first laboratory. Lawmakers from coast to coast are monitoring the experiment, one that proponents say could reshape America’s growing wealth gap in a single generation if instituted on a federal level.
One week after giving birth to her second child, a daughter named Kali, Aaliyah Wright told The Associated Press that she did not anticipate having much savings to help her children when they reached adulthood, especially with about $80,000 in student loan debt.
She and her husband, Kainan, are on Medicaid despite steady jobs (she’s a case worker at a nongovernmental organization and he’s a barber) and an estimated annual income of about $70,000.
Even at that income level, their new daughter still would qualify for the city’s Baby Bonds program, although at a lower level.
“At that stage of maturity and adulthood, that money can be a door opener to some pretty big things,” Kainan Wright said
Despite the name, the bonds are more accurately trust funds, designed to provide a boost of capital at a critical time in the lives of the country’s poorest children. At age 18, each enrolled child would receive a large lump sum payment that can be used to pay for higher education, invest in a business or make a down payment on a home.
“Think about all the things that people with money do to support themselves or what parents do for kids,” said Kenyan McDuffie, a District of Columbia Council member who pushed through Washington’s Baby Bonds program last summer. The clock started ticking in October and as of mid-August the city has so far identified 833 babies born since then who will receive up to $25,000 when they turn 18.
“Think about all those young folks who are going to be here in a city trapped in poverty, graduated from high schools turning 18,” McDuffie said. “And then having an account with money in it for them.”
It’s an expensive and long-simmering investment that by definition will take a generation of sustained political willpower to truly bear fruit. The district’s program will cost $32 million for the first four years alone.
The idea was originally proposed in 2010 by academics William Darity and Darrick Hamilton as a way to break the poverty cycle by giving children of poor families a chance to build long-term equity — either actual property, a stake in a business or the earning potential that comes from higher education.
It came to mainstream attention when Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., made it a centerpiece of his 2020 presidential campaign.
“I think it’s an idea that’s growing,” Booker told the AP. “And it’s a big idea. It’s on the level of Social Security. It’s on the level of Medicare. One generation would create a dramatic change.”
But for politicians, the price tag can be daunting. Booker’s national plan envisioned annual costs of $60 billion, something he proposes financing by raising taxes on the wealthy.
For now, the Washington experiment will be closely watched by other state and local governments, with Baby Bonds proposals recently emerging in Wisconsin and Washington state and Massachusetts studying the issue. California just created a more targeted version, with Baby Bonds funds specifically for children who lost parents to COVID-19.
Manning and her boyfriend, Darren Gibson, say the expectation that their child will be part of the district’s first Baby Bonds generation is a much needed injection of hope. Gibson, 26, left high school three credits short of graduation. Now he’s the sole earner for his growing household, making less than $10,000 per year as a videographer shooting music videos for local artists.
“It takes such a burden off my shoulders,” he said. Gibson said he will raise his son to make good use of that money when he matures. “It’s on me to work on him and make sure he follows his ambitions.”
The concept’s journey from academic thought experiment to on-the-ground policy received a major boost from the national conversation on poverty brought on by the pandemic. The economic iniquities exposed by COVID-19 fueled calls for a new approach to the cycle of generational poverty. And the Baby Bonds concept, already familiar from Booker’s campaign, gained fresh momentum with multiple proposals receiving serious consideration at a state level.
But most of them have failed to see daylight.
Gov. Phil Murphy, D-N.J., made headlines in 2020 for backing a Baby Bonds proposal. But the Legislature stripped it out of his budget, and Murphy did not propose it again.
In June 2021, Connecticut’s legislature approved the country’s first state-level Baby Bonds program. But in May of this year, lawmakers, in coordination with the governor’s office, chose to delay the program’s start by two years.
That makes Washington, D.C., the first real test case.
Connecticut’s treasurer, Shawn Wooden, who championed the program, said he was surprised and disappointed by the delay in his own state but remains convinced that the policy’s time has come.
“There’s quite the level of interest in this, and always with these things we need what we call first movers,” Wooden said. For the concept to spread, “there needs to be success in Connecticut. There needs to be success in the District of Columbia.”
Wooden has discussed Baby Bonds with members of President Joe Biden’s domestic policy team. McDuffie’s office has fielded queries from multiple state governments.
The concept is new enough that it’s still being tinkered with in real time, with multiple models and internal debates among advocates on issues such as how best to determine eligibility. Washington’s program is so new that the 833 families who have qualified have not been informed yet and will not be until the city hires a fund manager.
Connecticut’s will automatically enroll any newborn from a family on the state’s Medicaid program. Booker’s proposal would have sidestepped that issue by granting every child born in the country a Baby Bonds fund and $1,000 in seed money. Then, all subsequent payments into the fund would have been heavily weighted toward poorer families.
Washington’s program is open to families on Medicaid who make less than 300% of the federal poverty line, meaning earnings of up to about $83,250 for a family of four. With those parameters, it is designed to benefit not only the impoverished but also families like the Wrights who might be considered lower-middle class.
At their income level, their daughter will receive closer to $15,000 instead of the $25,000 limit.
There is one inevitable quirk in the system: Any Baby Bonds program has to set a start date that excludes anyone born before it. In the case of the Wright family, Kali, would receive benefits but her older bother, Khaza, would not. Aaliyah Wright was fine with that.
“OK, so I know my future is set for one child,” said Wright. “So now I need to really focus on making things work for him.”
There are differences among plans in the size of the final payout. Booker’s proposal would have paid about $46,000 to children of the poorest families, while the district expects to pay out a maximum of $25,000. Connecticut’s plan would pay an estimated $13,000 — something Wooden described as “pretty much the floor” for a serious attempt at a Baby Bonds program.
Naomi Zewde, an assistant professor in health economics at the City University of New York who conducted a 2019 analysis of the concept, set the lowest impactful payment at $15,000.
“It has to be a sum of money that’s kind of outside what people would normally come across,” she said.
Zewde’s analysis suggested that a nationwide federal Baby Bonds program would massively reduce the racial wealth gap between white and Black Americans in a single generation, even as it boosted both races.
Currently the median wealth of young white Americans stands at $46,000, compared with $2,900 for Black Americans.
For a Baby Bonds program to succeed, it has to be on a national level and have strong popular support, advocates said.
Darity, a Duke professor who co-authored the original Baby Bonds proposal, points to Britain, which instituted a similar program called the child trust fund in 2005. But the program was discontinued and all future payments halted in 2010 in a government austerity campaign.
“I think the assessment in England was that they had not built grassroots support for the policy when they started it,” he said. “So there wasn’t any strong resistance to eliminating the plan.”
In the United States, the program already has been strongly endorsed by prominent liberal organizations such as the Urban Institute and Prosperity Now.
But there are detractors.
Veronique de Rugy, a senior research fellow at George Mason University’s Mercatus Center, said the one-way nature of the deposits, with no mechanism for the families themselves to add money, “does nothing to encourage the culture of savings.”
She added that the program could tie up millions that could be used to address immediate societal conditions that also help feed the cycle of poverty.
“A lot of these kids are still going to be stuck in bad schools,” she said.
Michael Strain, an economist at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, says Baby Bonds advocates will struggle to persuade lawmakers around the country to make such an expensive commitment. “I absolutely think it’s a hard sell,” he said. “The 18-year lag is less of a political obstacle than the price tag.”
Wooden rejected the perception of Baby Bonds as having no payoff for 18 years, saying the benefits will be immediate and measurable. That nest egg, he said, will inspire real-time changes in planning, academic achievement and overall ambition in both children and families.
“There is a high value that should be placed on hope,” he said. “We know what hopelessness looks like in our communities.
Manning, the young expectant mother in Washington, said the knowledge that the money was waiting for her son would change how her family talks about his future.
“It would be much more focused,” she said. “‘Do you know what you want to do? What are your plans?’”
___
Follow Ashraf Khalil on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ashrafkhalil
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wave3.com/2022/08/21/dcs-pioneering-baby-bonds-plan-aims-narrow-wealth-gap/ | 2022-08-21T15:10:39Z | wave3.com | control | https://www.wave3.com/2022/08/21/dcs-pioneering-baby-bonds-plan-aims-narrow-wealth-gap/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Mi Havana Cigar Lounge opened with fanfare in February, touted as the largest cigar lounge in California (at 4,800 square feet), and in an unlikely location: not West Hollywood, not San Francisco, but Pomona.
“Our thinking was, why not Pomona? Why not outdo Beverly Hills? We could offer something for the blue collar person,” co-owner Roy Kwon told me recently. Monthly subscriptions ranged from $35 a month up to $250, a tier that gave access to the expansive third floor lounge, named the (ooooh) Platinum Room.
Mi Havana was off to a strong start, signing up 400 subscribers and pulling in $40,000 a month in subscriptions alone, Kwon said.
Then, in early May, the cigar lounge went up in smoke.
Don’t blame a stogie. A homeless man was setting fires for fun in trash cans around downtown Pomona in the wee hours, including in a dumpster in the alley behind Mi Havana’s 261 S. Thomas St. building. Flames leaped 40 feet and entered a rear window on the third floor that was open for ventilation purposes.
No one was present, thankfully. The Platinum Room got so hot, the ceiling tiles melted and windows cracked.
The Fire Department entered by chopping a hole in the roof. The fire was extinguished. But with fire, smoke and water damage to the structure and its plumbing and electrical systems, Mi Havana is closed indefinitely.
The exterior looks unchanged but the interior needs an unknown amount of work. The city red-tagged the building on May 5, the notice on the door reading “Unsafe to Occupy” due to “severe fire damage to structure.”
“Apparently this was the first fire they’d had in downtown Pomona that anyone in the Fire Department could remember,” Kwon said ruefully. “The insurance company deemed it a $2 million loss.”
He’s covered for only $500,000.
“I had no motive to burn that place, my goodness,” Kwon said, shaking his head. “I was underinsured.”
A structural engineer has surveyed the damage with plans due this week to Kwon to lay out what needs to be done and what it will cost. Kwon plans to forge ahead no matter what.
So many people had doubted the venture, but in 84 days of operation, “we proved everybody wrong,” Kwon said proudly.
“I’m going to rebuild regardless,” Kwon told me, and laughed. “Now my ego’s involved!”
A 40-year-old Korean American, Kwon grew up in Pomona, other than a period where his parents sent him to boarding school in Korea “because I messed up a lot here,” he told me. Back in Pomona, he buckled down and worked for his parents’ restaurant, Kwon’s, which they had opened in 1983 on West Holt Avenue.
He flipped homes on the side to make enough money to buy the restaurant from them for $1 million in 2005.
Meanwhile, the building on Thomas Street, built in 1908, had sat empty since 1995. Its last tenant was a restaurant, Benvenuti, whose Reagan-era sign was still in place when Kwon looked at it as a possible new home for Kwon’s.
After months of getting the runaround from the owner, the Charles Co., Kwon said he paid $750,000 for the building in cash.
“No bank would finance it. It was not inhabitable,” Kwon said.
A caretaker was living on the site and claimed to have no knowledge of the transaction. Before escrow closed, “he demolished everything,” Kwon said. “I had bought it with a full kitchen in there.”
Scratch the restaurant idea. Kwon liked escaping to Mi Havana Cigar House, a small lounge on Locust Street downtown. Owner Raul Reyner and Kwon formed a partnership to open a larger lounge in the Benvenuti building.
The city’s Planning Department was amenable but uncertainty over how to classify a cigar lounge and what ventilation standards needed to be met delayed things, as did COVID, Kwon told me.
In February 2020 I wrote a column lamenting that a half-dozen downtown Pomona buildings were rotting unoccupied, with Benvenuti being the focus. My timing was a little off: Kwon’s contractors were just resuming work.
One reason for the delay: The first contractor “ran off with my $100,000 deposit,” Kwon told me. “That’s another reason I stopped. Man!” he said, bursting into laughter. “I learned everything on one project!”
During renovation, passersby would step inside if the door was open. People were curious. Some remembered Benvenuti. Others had never seen activity there for an entire generation.
“Finally, somebody is doing something,” one man told Kwon enthusiastically.
Apparently there had been activity now and then on the sly as the Arts Colony developed downtown. One artist told Kwon that he and his friends would break in, hang their art and invite people in.
“Literally, 50 people would come in and show their art,” the man told Kwon, who replied: “Please don’t do that anymore.”
Kwon also learned some family history. As a new immigrant, his father had painted the exterior — and never been paid.
After an $800,000 renovation, the cigar lounge finally opened on Feb. 12. I’m anti-smoking, but I wanted to meet Kwon, so I introduced myself and apologized for the awkward timing of my original column. He agreed to be interviewed at whatever point I wanted to do it.
In late July, I was nearby to give a lunch talk to a service club and called Kwon to ask if he had time to meet at last. He said he’d meet me at the lounge.
I went to 261 S. Thomas, saw the red tag notice and reeled. This is how I learned of the fire and that the business was closed. Kwon was waiting for me at the Locust Street lounge, assuming that’s where we were meeting.
I explained sheepishly that I’d contacted him to follow up on my promise to write about his rescue of the building. He waved away my concern and, before launching into his saga, assured me: “This is going to be an even better story for you.”
He wasn’t blowing smoke.
brIEfly
The season finale of HBO’s “Westworld” Aug. 14 climaxed with scenes shot in downtown Pomona. Reader/TV viewer Lisa McPheron reports there was a “fairly post-apocalyptic fight ’til the death scene.” I’m hoping 261 S. Thomas St. was not involved. It’s been through enough.
David Allen writes Sunday, Wednesday and Friday, three pre-apocalyptic columns. Email dallen@scng.com, phone 909-483-9339, like davidallencolumnist on Facebook and follow @davidallen909 on Twitter.
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School breakfast menus have featured croissant sandwiches and chocolate chip muffins, yogurt parfaits and fresh baked cinnamon rolls, scrambled eggs and pancakes.
At lunch: hamburgers and cheeseburgers, spicy chicken sandwiches and pizza, corndogs and hotdogs.
We know that more than half of California’s public school students have qualified for free and reduced price lunches. And that hungry kids don’t learn as well as kids with full bellies. And that free meals for all can ease any stigma clinging to kids who really need them.
This school year, California will embrace a statewide “Universal Meals Program” for all school children, regardless of need. We were the first in the nation to adopt such a plan, and Maine swiftly followed. It’s an expensive proposition:
• The Golden State spent $2.8 billion on school nutrition in 2018-19, when some 6.1 million students were enrolled.
• This year, it will spend more than $4 billion, even as enrollment is down some 8%, according to data from the California Department of Education.
• There’s another $700 million in grant funds available this year – $600 million for kitchen infrastructure upgrades, and $100 million for school food best practices.
Schools will vary on precisely how they implement the free-for-all program: Some will still offer items for sale, while others will not. In some places, kids will still be able to pay for meals, though my daughter’s district isn’t one of them.
We clearly see the positives in all this. But as the parent of a soon-to-be-middle schooler who can afford to pay for school lunches, we have tremendous guilt. Wouldn’t the money spent on my daughter’s meals be better spent providing extra academic help to kids who fell behind during the pandemic? Or on arts or science or sports programs?
And as the parent of a kid who has wrestled with weight issues — and the resident of a state where nearly one of every three children is overweight or obese — we worry. After classrooms reopened post-pandemic in 2021 and free meals were available, my kid channeled her inner, ever-ravenous, Scooby-Doo. Kid ate breakfast at home and packed lunch. Grabbed another breakfast at school and a bagged lunch as well. It was free!
When the scale (and her pediatrician) tipped us off that things had gone awry, we asked the school for help keeping her away from the free food. We were told that workers can’t deny food to kids who ask for it because they might not have enough to eat at home. Even when the evidence clearly suggests scarcity is not the issue.
Reality check No. 1
We’re not alone with our concerns.
“I would agree that it is best to think about extra expenditures of money in the context of what else might be done with that money,” Greg J. Duncan, distinguished professor of education at UC Irvine, said by email.
“And you list a crucial need — extra tutoring and other help for students who have fallen the furthest behind because of the pandemic. It is hard for me to imagine that the benefits of providing free meals to higher-income students outweigh the benefits that would come from a tutoring effort.”
UC Irvine professor of education Mark Warschauer doesn’t claim expertise here, but is inclined to agree. “On the face of things, yes, it seems wasteful and unnecessary to offer free meals to families such as mine, which can easily afford them,” he said by email. “On the other hand, here are some countervailing issues to consider.”
Such as: How much does it cost to maintain eligibility guardrails for a program that gives free meals to some but not to all? How does that compare to the extra cost of feeding everyone? How accurate is the roster of who’s eligible for a free lunch to begin with?
The state was unable to produce answers to those questions by deadline. But Warschauer points to studies that have found many students enrolled in free or reduced-price lunch programs are actually “income ineligible” — meaning their families earn too much to qualify — and many who are eligible don’t enroll at all.
Perhaps having to apply is a hurdle, or families don’t get enough information, or are reluctant to apply due to family immigration status and the like, or needing free food feels shameful to the kids who need it.
“It is difficult to set up a system that divides students into groups of ‘deserving’ and ‘not deserving’ of free meals,” said Duncan. “Our long-running system of ‘free or reduced-price lunch’ designation is cumbersome to implement and can be stigmatizing for low-income students.”
Reality check No. 2
On the food vs. tutoring conundrum, we’re told it’s not a matter of either/or. At least, not yet.
Breaking out funding for tutoring isn’t quite as simple as breaking out the nutrition numbers, California Department of Education spokesman Jonathan Mendick told us, as there isn’t a single line item to point to in the budget.
Instead, there are a number of programs where tutoring is one, but not the only, valid use of funds, he said. That includes the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program, established last year with $1 billion in ongoing funding, and increased to $4 billion this year with tutoring as an acceptable use; and the Learning Recovery Emergency Block Grant program, at $7.9 billion.
Sara Cortez, an analyst with the independent Legislative Analyst’s Office, said that the $7.9 billion Learning Recovery money can fund a variety of academic and social-emotional activities, including increased instructional time, tutoring and other academic services; additional instruction to students not on track to graduate; and addressing other barriers to learning.
Funding is based on the number of students who are English learners or low-income and is intended for learning recovery initiatives through 2027-28. As a condition of receiving money, each school must periodically submit expenditure reports, with a final report due on Dec. 1, 2029, she said.
The other block grant, the $4 billion Expanded Learning Opportunities Program funding, can be used for instructional materials and professional development related to visual and performing arts, school climate, culturally relevant books and other subject areas. Funds can also be used for operational staffing costs, as well as materials and equipment needed to keep schools safely open for in-person instruction during the pandemic, Cortez said.
Funding for that one is distributed on a per-student basis and will be available through 2025-26, with each local school board required to adopt a public plan for how the money will be spent.
What, exactly, these funds will be buying and precisely if and how they’ll help students who need help remains a matter of some controversy. Some parent groups complain that schools have failed to spend the money on the kind of high-quality, one-on-one tutoring that can reverse learning loss, and want to see that change.
As UCI’s Duncan noted, “It takes a lot of planning to pull off a high-quality tutoring effort.”
In the kitchen
Meantime, the push for universal — and healthier — meals is transforming school kitchens all over California.
In the Anaheim Unified High School District, kitchen infrastructure and training funds have bought new equipment and infrastructure ($1.3 million) and more training for food services employees (nearly $250,000).
“The intent of the funds was to increase access to or improve the quality of fresh and nutritious school meals,” Orlando Griego, director of food services, said by email.
The Santa Ana Unified School District got $1.4 million in kitchen infrastructure training (KIT) grants that went toward the purchase of tilt skillets and “combi ovens” — a combination of gas and steam — for its seven high school and middle school production kitchens, said spokesman Fermin Leal. The grant also helped pay for a cook-chill system and sprinkler system upgrade at its central kitchen.
Before you get too excited, some context: The district has more than 50 kitchens and dining areas, and the cost for one brand new kitchen at Saddleback High School exceeded $10 million.
All students can have free breakfast and lunch. At Santa Ana Unified, they’ll get one meal per student per meal time — not lots of seconds! — but officials wouldn’t check to see if kids brought extra food from home as well, Leal said.
On our concerns about children overeating, Anaheim’s Griego offered some advice.
“I would encourage open communication between the parent and child regarding eating habits if there are parents concerned with a child overeating,” he said. “The school meal program provides meals to all students and, as you mentioned, cannot deny a meal to a child. As with building any healthy habit, families should decide the best avenue for students to be fed and teach children to listen to their bodies.
“Other topics of discussion might include recognizing feelings of satiety and balanced nutrition. Additionally, we follow a style of service called ‘Offer vs. Serve,’ which allows students to select which food items they would like to take and consume. As long as the minimum requirement (three food groups and a fruit or vegetable) is taken, students have this choice.”
Reviewing the menu ahead of time with the child can help both parent and child decide the best route to a healthy and balanced meal, he said.
We’ve done all that. But my kid’s school lunch menu for the first week includes BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, mozzarella-filled breadsticks, Sloppy Joe burgers and beef chili with chips. Middle school orientation featured hot dogs and slushies.
If you believe, pray for salad.
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SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Korean skincare brand AXIS-Y has just announced the launch of their brand new product line, ay&me. The brand, who have always placed emphasis on being a community focused brand, has been looking forward to this launch for the past 2 years. The process for developing this unique skincare line featuring probiotics has been long but very rewarding for the AXIS-Y team along every step of the way.
To start the development of this line, AXIS-Y got feedback from over 1000 influencers from 68 different countries, in order to ensure that the products in this line align perfectly with what the community needs and wants, a value that the company holds very dear to them. Instead of creating a new line of products based on what the company thought consumers wanted, they asked the community what they thought their skin needed to create a line that would surely benefit many.Understanding how different skin types react in different climates helped the brand to envision the direction for this line. Listening to and acting on feedback is something that the brand always strives to do, having previously improved products based on customer feedback. They took this a step further by creating an entire line dedicated to their community.
The 2 year development process of the new ay&me line involved numerous surveys, testing real samples, and getting feedback from the 50 participants as well as 3 key skincare influencers. Learning more about their community's skin types and main skin concerns helped the brand to understand their audience more in depth and form an understanding of what their community is looking for when it comes to skincare. Testing real samples with the influencers allowed them to really develop the products in a way that suited their audience's skin.
AXIS-Y's special 5-probiotic complex is featured in each of the products in the new line, which works to improve the skin's natural biome, strengthening the skin barrier and promoting healthy, radiant skin. The featured key ingredients such as Adenosine also help to promote collagen synthesis and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Many skincare products nowadays are harsh on the skin and tend to weaken the skin's microbiome rather than strengthen it, and the goal with biome skincare is to work together with the skin's microbiome to allow it to function optimally.
One of AXIS-Y's core values is being a community focused brand. For them this means building a strong community and ensuring that their community's voices are heard. They have demonstrated how they strive to bring value and positivity to clothes, and taking feedback into consideration is just one of the ways they engage with their community. With this new line they are expressing their appreciation for their community and giving back by creating something especially for them.
The line launches today with three new products, one of which includes two products in a set. You can find it at their official website and it will also be launching in the Allure store.
Find AXIS-Y: https://www.axis-y.com/
At the Allure Store:
https://allure.shop/collections/vanity-2?sort=manual&compactView=true
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SOURCE AXIS-Y | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/21/skincare-line-developed-by-more-than-1000-people-their-community-axis-ys-ayampme-line-launches-august-21st-2022/ | 2022-08-21T15:19:04Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/21/skincare-line-developed-by-more-than-1000-people-their-community-axis-ys-ayampme-line-launches-august-21st-2022/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(iSeeCars) – We’ve all heard the advice that you should never accept the first offer. This wisdom is especially true in the world of used car buying. Some car shoppers are shrewd negotiators, while others cringe at the thought of the negotiation process. Regardless of your personal preferences, negotiating on a used car can save you a lot of money and is well worth the effort.
How can you stretch a deal to its limit and get a fair price for the used car without prompting a seller to walk away from the deal? Here are some suggestions and tips that will help you in negotiating the lowest price for a used car.
Get a Vehicle History Report
Obtaining a vehicle history report from providers such a CarFax or AutoCheck can give you a better understanding of the condition of the vehicle and help you anticipate issues you may have in the future. You can get a vehicle history report from the dealership, or you can get one yourself through a number of online tools like the iSeeCars VIN check report. You may uncover that a car has been in an accident or has sustained damage, which can provide you with negotiation opportunities. While you should be wary of cars that have been in serious accidents, those with minor cosmetic damage can provide significant savings.
Run a VIN Check
A vehicle history report provides just some of the important information about a used car, but it doesn’t provide the complete picture. Running a VIN check will complement the vehicle history report and provide all the important information about a used car to help shoppers make an informed purchase decision.
How do you do a VIN check? Most vehicle listings include a car’s vehicle identification number (VIN), or if you are looking at a vehicle it can be found on the dash under the windshield (usually near the driver’s side front roof pillar). There are many VIN checks to choose from, but the free VIN check from iSeeCars is the most comprehensive. It provides an important pre-purchase analysis with information including:
- Price Analysis: Compares the seller’s price of the vehicle to its estimated market value to help you understand if the vehicle is a good deal. It also shows a graph of similar vehicles currently for sale, which can be used as leverage to get the dealer to lower the price.
- Mileage Analysis: Compares the vehicle’s mileage to the average for the vehicle. This helps determine if the vehicle has more miles than what is typical, which could present a negotiation opportunity.
- Listing History: Shows how long the vehicle has been for sale and gives the average time it takes similar vehicles to sell. The longer a vehicle stays on the market, the more negotiating leverage you may have.
- Supply Analysis: Gives the number of similar vehicles for sale in your area. The more vehicles there are, the more negotiating power you have.
- Similar Vehicles for Sale: Compares the vehicle’s price, mileage, and market value against other vehicles currently for sale.
This information will empower you to understand how much you should be paying for the vehicle and if it is a good deal. If you are knowledgeable about a vehicle it will show the seller that you are a serious buyer who is interested in finding a deal, and they will be more likely to lower the price. Also pay attention to how long the car has been on the market compared to the average for similar vehicles. A dealer will be more likely to accept a lower price for a car that has been on the market for a long time just to move it off the lot.
Determine Market Value
Knowing a car’s market value lets you know whether a dealer’s asking price is fair or whether a seller is pricing a car above market value. A new or used car’s market value tells you what similar cars are selling for. iSeeCars.com includes a car’s market value in each listing and compares the asking price relative to market value. iSeeCars calculates the market price by analyzing the prices of similar cars for sale locally and applying a mathematical model that also takes into account important factors like price, mileage, condition, and specific features a car may or may not have. Cars are clearly labeled as below and above market value to indicate which are the best deals and which leave more room for negotiation to help get the best price.
Along with iSeeCars, there are other sites that calculate market value such as Kelley Blue Book (KBB) or Edmunds. KBB offers three prices: private party price, trade-in price, and retail price. A reasonable price to pay or offer is usually between the private party price and the retail price.
Get Pre-Approved for Financing
If you get preapproved for an auto loan before visiting the used car lot, it will show that you are a serious buyer. You may also secure a lower interest rate through your own bank or credit union than what the dealer can offer. You can also use it as leverage to see if the dealer can provide an even lower rate on a car loan. Just beware of longer term loans. While they offer a lower monthly payment, you will end up paying more in interest over the life of the loan.
Ignore the “Monthly Payment” Ploy
One of the most common tactics a dealer will leverage is the “monthly payment” question. “What’s your monthly budget?” They know many shoppers think of their car expenses in terms of a monthly payment, and they use this to increase the car’s price, increase the interest rate, or slip extras into the deal. Common dealer lines include, “The extended warranty will only cost you another $8 a month. Now that’s cheap insurance for peace of mind, right?” Don’t play their game. Tell them you will be basing your purchase decision off the total price of the car, not the monthly payment.
Don’t Show Emotion
This is an odd but important step to remember. Whether dealing with used car dealerships or used cars for sale by owner, don’t let them know when you’re excited or that you definitely want the car. The car salesman will be less likely to negotiate if they have you pegged as a sure sale. Let them know that you are also considering several other vehicles from other sellers. You can even have other listings for reference so they know you are considering other dealerships.
Perform a Thorough Inspection
When you see the vehicle in person, be sure to give it a close look to see if there are any glaring problems, like rust, mismatched paint colors, leaks, or worn-out tires. You should also look for signs of poor alignment like uneven tire wear, which could mean that there is a suspension problem. If the vehicle passes your first test, take it for a test drive to a trusted mechanic for a more thorough examination. (Refer to our helpful guide on how to inspect a used car.)
If you find any issues, you can use them as leverage to ask the dealer for a better price.
No-Haggle? No Problem
Some dealers like Carvana and CarMax offer no-haggle pricing, which means their advertised price is final. So before you get your game face on for the negotiation process, make sure the dealer doesn’t have a no-haggle pricing policy. If haggling is not an option, there may be other opportunities for negotiating, such as your trade-in value or extras like new tires or a second key fob. (To learn more about the major no-haggle dealerships check out our CarMax Vs. Carvana guide.)
Determine an Offer Price and Your Maximum Price
You’ve armed yourself with data, lined up your own financing, and kept your emotions in check. Now it’s time to begin the car negotiation process. If you’ve determined the seller is asking a fair price, offer to buy the car for some amount off the sticker price. Make sure that the price you are being quoted is the out-the-door price, which includes all fees and other charges. You don’t want to negotiate and be surprised by a higher figure later. And even after you confirm the car’s price, remember there will be extras you can’t avoid, like taxes and registration fees that are usually rolled into the final amount you’ll pay at the time of purchase.
Determine the maximum price, also known as a target price, that you’re willing to pay by factoring in market price, any repair costs that may be required, and your budget. Don’t offer the maximum price you’re willing to pay as the first price. Make your first offer price $500+ below what you’re willing to pay. (You may be willing to pay more—just don’t let them know!) If they counter-offer, be willing to raise your price a small increment at a time.
Explain Your Reasoning for a Lower Price
If you determine that the car is overpriced, tell them you are still interested but aren’t willing to pay above market value. Then tell them what your research determined to be the market price. Present your offer to them and let them know you will look for a car elsewhere if they aren’t willing to lower their price. Private sellers especially may be particularly worried about losing the sale, and offer to lower their price! They don’t have regular customer traffic like a dealership.
Be Prepared to Walk Away
Car shoppers often forget their most powerful weapon when buying a car: the power to walk away. If a dealership knows you’re a serious buyer on the cusp of making a car purchase, the thought of you making that purchase somewhere else is kryptonite for a dealer. They HATE the idea of another seller getting your money. Use that! Make it clear you’re ready to buy but also make it clear you’re ready to walk away if they can’t meet your price, or treat you well during the process. Car shoppers often think the dealership is in control. But they want your money, which puts you in control.
Beware of the Extended Warranty and Other Add-Ons
Regardless of whether you secure financing through the car dealer or through an outside lender, the dealership finance sales manager will give you a hard sell for an extended warranty. Extended warranties are seldom worth the extra cost, so stand firm and don’t fall for the salesperson’s pressure tactics. The same holds true for other add-ons that they might try to sell you, like entertainment systems, accessories, GAP insurance, and tire packages. To learn more check out our guide on Extended Car Warranties: Are they Worth It? article to understand if and when extended car warranties are worth it.
How to Negotiate the Price of a New Car
Negotiating the upfront price of a new car is similar to negotiating the price of a used car, but there is no guesswork involved on the condition of the vehicle. As such, there is less wiggle room, but getting a lower price is still possible.
Do Your Research
Find the MSRP of the vehicle on iSeeCars.com, Edmunds, or Kelley Blue Book before you head to the dealership. Be sure to research for any rebates or special offers. Also find the invoice price of the vehicle, which is what the dealership paid for the car. This information can be found on the Edmunds website.
Negotiate off the Invoice Price
Use the invoice price as your starting point for the negotiation. Any figure above this price means a profit for the dealership. Your target price should be 2 percent above the invoice price, so you can start lower and raise your offer until you hit that target. Just like the negotiation process for a used car, you should have a best price quote from another dealership to show the dealer that you are willing to take your business elsewhere.
Bottom Line
Be confident in the negotiation and do not be afraid to walk away if the purchase price isn’t right. Your best line of defense from overpaying for a car is by conducting thorough research. A car salesperson is more likely to lower the price if you give a compelling reason why. And even if they are unwilling to lower the price, it’s always worth the ask. This is also true if the price of the car is below market value, it still doesn’t hurt to ask for a lower price. As long as you’ve done your research and armed yourself with the necessary information about the car, the chances are good you won’t get ripped off, and a little negotiation effort on your part could result in a great deal on your car purchase.
Negotiating is just one part of the complex used car buying process. Check out our comprehensive How to Buy a Used Car guide for more tips on finding the right car at the right price.
More from iSeeCars.com:
If you’re in the market for a car, you can search over 4 million new and used cars with iSeeCars’ award-winning car search engine that helps shoppers find the best car deals by providing key insights and valuable resources, like the iSeeCars free VIN check report. iSeeCars will provide you with all the information necessary to help you negotiate the best price on a used vehicle.
This article, How to Negotiate the Best Car Price, originally appeared on iSeeCars.com. | https://www.wspa.com/automotive/how-to-negotiate-the-best-car-price/ | 2022-08-21T15:19:30Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/automotive/how-to-negotiate-the-best-car-price/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
An appeals court has granted a temporary stay of an order that forced Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to appear before a Fulton County, Ga., grand jury.
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Sunday it wanted both sides to argue what areas of questioning would be appropriate for a sitting U.S. senator. Graham has said his position protects him from having to testify.
This comes after Graham formally appealed last week a judge's order that he testify before the grand jury investigating whether former president Donald Trump and others illegally sought to overturn the election results in Georgia.
Prosecutors want Graham to testify about his phone calls to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and his staff in the weeks following the 2020 presidential election, which Trump lost.
Graham has argued that the calls were part of his duties as chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and his legal team says that his position in Congress protects him from appearing before the grand jury.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.klcc.org/npr-news/2022-08-21/graham-gets-a-temporary-reprieve-from-an-order-to-testify-before-a-grand-jury | 2022-08-21T15:23:37Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-news/2022-08-21/graham-gets-a-temporary-reprieve-from-an-order-to-testify-before-a-grand-jury | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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