text string | url string | crawl_date timestamp[ns, tz=UTC] | source_domain string | group string | id string | in_blocksbin int64 | in_noblocksbin int64 | tag string | minhash_count string |
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Corporate Service Price Index for July % y/y,
- expected was +2.2%, prior was 2.0%
--
The Corporate Services Price Index (CSPI) measures the change in the price of goods sold by corporations. Its regarded as a leading indicator of consumer price inflation.
There has been some transmission of rising producer prices into rising consumer prices in Japan. The Bank of Japan says it views rising consumer prices at present as transitory. | https://www.forexlive.com/news/japan-data-corporate-service-price-index-for-july-21-yy-vs-expected-22-20220824/ | 2022-08-25T00:43:21Z | forexlive.com | control | https://www.forexlive.com/news/japan-data-corporate-service-price-index-for-july-21-yy-vs-expected-22-20220824/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Which Canon fisheye lens is best?
When seeking a lens that delivers nontraditional photographs and fits your Canon DSLR camera, a Canon fisheye lens is a great tool. This type of lens distorts the edges of the photographic scene. It creates a round photo rather than a traditional rectangular photo when using the most extreme types of fisheye lenses.
Canon offers many different fisheye lenses, as well as lenses that have extreme wide-angle capabilities. The Canon EF-S 10-22 Millimeter DSLR Lens offers versatility and a strong autofocus system.
What to know before you buy a Canon fisheye lens
What is a fisheye lens?
When shopping for the best Canon lens with fisheye capabilities, you should pay attention to the minimum focal length of the lens. Any lens with a focal length setting of 18 mm or less can deliver fisheye capabilities.
Lenses with focal length settings of less than 35 mm are wide-angle lenses that also deliver some distortion at the photo’s edges. Some people consider a wide-angle lens to be a fisheye lens, although the level of distortion is significantly less than with the fisheye lens.
Compatibility with your camera
When you purchase a Canon-branded fisheye lens, it will only fit a compatible Canon camera. The lens is a separate piece of hardware that connects to the camera.
Some Canon cameras can accept non-Canon branded lenses. If you purchase a third-party fisheye lens, make sure it explicitly lists compatibility with your Canon camera model.
Fisheye lenses made to fit Canon DSLR cameras will not fit Canon mirrorless cameras (and vice versa) without a special adapter.
How does a fisheye lens fit your camera?
The Canon fisheye lens fits onto the lens housing of the Canon camera. The lens has threads that match the threads on the lens housing. You’ll line up the marker on the lens with the marker on the camera, slide the lens into the housing, and twist the lens half a turn to lock it in place.
What to look for in a quality Canon fisheye lens
Level of fisheye distortion
To achieve the round photograph that photographers most commonly associate with a fisheye lens, you need a focal length of 10 mm or less. This end of this type of lens often has a rounded bubble design in the glass versus the flat lens glass for a standard lens.
A lens with a focal length between 11 mm and 18 mm generates a fisheye image, but the image likely will not be fully round.
Zoom capabilities
A zoom lens can achieve multiple focal lengths, while a fixed lens can only achieve one focal length. Commonly, zoom lenses with fisheye capabilities also can shoot wide-angle photos.
The downside to picking a fisheye lens with zoom capabilities is that the fisheye images may not be quite as sharp as with a fixed fisheye lens.
Sharp focus
Because of the significant distortion in a fisheye photograph, your lens needs to be able to focus sharply. The good news is the majority of Canon lenses have a high-quality design that yields extremely sharp images with accurate focus.
How much you can expect to spend on a Canon fisheye lens
As with any lens, Canon fisheye lenses have an extremely wide price range. They can cost anywhere from $100-$2,000 or more.
Canon fisheye lens FAQ
Are Canon fisheye lenses good to use?
A. Fisheye lenses from Canon cannot record standard photographs clearly, as they highly distort the edges of the image. A true fisheye lens delivers a round image because of this distortion, which is nice for specialty photos.
Are fisheye lenses common?
A. No, fisheye lenses are not common. Most photographs that you will shoot require a standard lens. Purchasing a fisheye lens from Canon means you are interested in shooting specialty photos, so this lens is not as commonly available as standard lenses.
What’s the best Canon fisheye lens to buy?
Top Canon fisheye lens
What you need to know: With zoom capabilities in this lens, photographers can receive various focal lengths for shooting with a fisheye or wide-angle distortion.
What you’ll love: With a 10 mm focal length setting at the low end of this fisheye zoom lens, you can receive significant distortive capabilities. This lens delivers a strong autofocus system, which is essential when using a fisheye lens.
What you should consider: This is an expensive piece of hardware, carrying a higher price than an entry-level Canon DSLR camera body.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top Canon fisheye lens for the money
What you need to know: It’s challenging to find a zoom fisheye lens for a lower price than this model, especially a lens that carries the highly trustworthy Canon brand name.
What you’ll love: This lens includes stabilization, helping you shoot sharper photos without having a tripod available. It delivers excellent autofocus and manual focus capabilities.
What you should consider: It doesn’t quite have the same zoom range for shooting wide-angle photos as the number one pick on our list.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: When you want one of the most extreme focal lengths available, this zoom lens has an extremely low focal length setting at 8 mm, creating outstanding fisheye effects.
What you’ll love: This is an extreme fisheye lens, allowing you to create impressive photos that other lenses cannot duplicate. With its zoom capabilities, it offers some versatility.
What you should consider: This is an expensive lens, especially for one that cannot create images other than fisheye photos.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wpri.com/reviews/best-canon-fisheye-lens/ | 2022-08-25T00:44:09Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/reviews/best-canon-fisheye-lens/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Which wall-mounted drying rack is best?
Looking to save space and money when you dry your clothing? A wall-mounted drying rack kills two birds with one stone by saving you space and economizing on the costs of using a dryer. It also keeps your clothes out of the elements so they don’t get sun damaged, as they might on an outdoor clothesline. For a top-tier mounted rack that will maximize your hanging space, check out the Aero-W Stainless Steel Folding and Drying Rack.
What to know before you buy a wall-mounted drying rack
Dimensions
Unlike standing drying racks that can fold up and be stored, mounted racks have to be attached to your wall (typically with a drill, but sometimes also with nails or other adjustable attachments). Because of this, they’re a permanent fixture once they’re installed. It pays to be sure that the dimensions of the mounted rack will fit your space. Otherwise, they might end up being an overhead hazard, blocking your other furniture, or becoming a pain to use.
Material
The three most common materials for mounted racks are:
- Plastic: Cheap, sturdy, and lightweight, plastic is also rustproof and works well to hang small items of clothing. However, it may not be heavy-duty enough to hold up large amounts of clothing. It’s also not the prettiest material.
- Metal: The most popular of materials for mounted racks, metal makes for a sturdy base for your heavier clothes to hang from. Make sure it’s rustproof.
- Wood: While it’s nice on the eyes, wood is both expensive and potentially prone to damage and even rot if it’s not been sealed properly. It may also bleed onto your clothes if it’s been stained poorly.
Foldability
Some wall-mounted drying racks can fold back into the wall, saving you space when it’s not in use. Others remain as is, and may take up more space, which might not be a problem if they’ll be in an otherwise unused part of your laundry room.
What to look for in a quality wall-mounted drying rack
Number of racks
Some drying racks have just one rack to hang clothes from; others offer two, three or more. For lighter clothing, you can use multiple racks without weighing your wall down; for blankets, a single rack is best. You don’t want to put too much weight on your rack, as it might pull out of the wall.
Colors and styles
While the practicality of a drying rack matters most, choosing a stylish option matters if you will place it in a visible part of your home. Finding racks with chic colors or attractive sealed wood can ensure that your mounted rack won’t turn into an eyesore.
Adjustability
Racks with adjustable lengths and widths can help give you the flexibility to hang larger or smaller pieces as you wish. Be sure to check that your space can accommodate even the extended length or width of an adjustable rack.
How much you can expect to spend on a wall-mounted drying rack
A mounted drying rack costs $25-$150. Plastic is the least expensive, typically costing $25-$35. Metal and wood can cost $40-$150, depending on the size, quality of the material, and the design.
Wall-mounted drying rack FAQ
How do I avoid getting mold when drying my clothing indoors?
A. Being careful with how you dry your clothing inside your home can save you from the headache of mold removal. Try these tricks:
- Use a dehumidifier in tandem with an indoor drying rack. This will rid your space of excess humidity.
- Consider opening the windows and getting some good ventilation into the room, if possible.
- Don’t layer clothing items on top of each other. Aside from getting wrinkled, they won’t dry properly, increasing the chance of trapped moisture.
Will I damage my walls by installing a wall-mounted drying rack?
A. While a mounted drying rack is a permanent installment that will need to be drilled or otherwise affixed to your wall, it doesn’t have to cause irreparable damage. Here are a few tips:
- For starters, make sure to never drill into a stud in your wall.
- Next, check to make sure you won’t be drilling or hammering into a cable in your wall.
- Finally, ensure that the weight of the mounted rack won’t be too heavy for the material of your wall to hold up.
What’s the best wall-mounted drying rack to buy?
Top wall-mounted drying rack
Aero-W Stainless Steel Folding and Drying Rack
What you need to know: Built to last, this high-quality metal drying rack looks smart while saving you precious space.
What you’ll love: The stainless-steel build is rustproof, made to hold up even the heaviest of your garments and blankets, and is easy to use. It can fold back into itself, keeping your room looking neat when the rack is not in use. There are 60-pound and 45-pound capacity options.
What you should consider: Some buyers reported being confused or unsure about the installation instructions.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top wall-mounted drying rack for the money
Bartnelli Accordion Wall-Mounted Drying Rack
What you need to know: For a fraction of the price of most metal hangers, this solid and stylish mounted rack makes the most of the space in your laundry room.
What you’ll love: Rustproof metal can hold up to 60 pounds of clothing while being small and light enough to fold back into the wall when not in use. Customers love its durability and ease of installation.
What you should consider: Some customers reported using the template to mark hole placements in your walls caused a problematic installation.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Danya B Accordion Clothes Drying Rack
What you need to know: Chic painted wood and a large, rustic design put this mounted drying rack on another level.
What you’ll love: Not only can you dry clothes with the collapsible accordion racks, but you can also hang coats, umbrellas and such on the metal hooks beneath. This drying rack is a multipurpose piece designed to be installed directly on the wall.
What you should consider: It may be too bulky for some. The price is on the highest end for mounted drying racks.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Micayla Mead writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wpri.com/reviews/best-wall-mounted-drying-rack/ | 2022-08-25T00:44:37Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/reviews/best-wall-mounted-drying-rack/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
What are the best planter boxes for your patio?
A few planter boxes can add life and color to any patio, no matter how much space you have or what climate you live in. In addition to the beautiful look of lush planters, they can also add a pleasant aroma and can be used to grow herbs. Because planters don’t usually come into contact with the earth, weeds are rare and maintenance is fairly low.
Planters come in a variety of materials and styles, so prices can vary widely. But this also means you can probably find the right planters for your patio.
What to know about planter boxes for your patio
Design
Most planter boxes have fairly similar designs: narrow rectangles or wide squares that are 4 to 24 inches in depth and have drainage holes at the bottom to prevent overwatering. All you need to get started are a few bags of garden soil and some seeds or seedlings.
Materials
Common materials include metal, wood, stone and plastic. Plastic is affordable and effective but will deteriorate over time, while wood, metal and concrete boxes are more expensive but much longer-lasting. Plastic boxes are lightweight and inexpensive but will probably only last for a few years before becoming warped or developing cracks.
Best plastic planter boxes
Top plastic planter box
Hanover 20-Inch Black Resin Square Planter
What you need to know: This is one of the better-looking plastic planter boxes.
What you’ll love: Its square, tall design means it can support small trees and shrubs without taking up too much space.
What you should consider: There aren’t any drainage holes, and you may need to add a new coat of paint after a few seasons.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot
Top plastic planter box for the money
Newbury Black Resin Window Box
What you need to know: With its affordable price, this planter is good if you need several boxes to cover a stone wall or attach to a railing.
What you’ll love: While it’s not much to look at, this simple planter does everything you could need it to with its included saucer and drainage holes.
What you should consider: The sides tend to flex when the planter is filled with soil or rocks.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot
Best wooden planter boxes
Top wooden planter box
Thirteen Chefs Wooden Planter Box
What you need to know: Made of solid acacia wood, this classic-looking planter box is a great touch for any patio.
What you’ll love: Its simple, solid design will look good for decades, and it can support several plants per box. The legs create a gap so the drainage holes can work properly.
What you should consider: Because it’s made of real wood, split beams are possible.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top wooden planter box for the money
What you need to know: The low price means you can buy several of these for the same price you might pay for one more expensive planter.
What you’ll love: The included plastic liner can be used to extend its lifespan, and the small size means it can be placed almost anywhere.
What you should consider: At a little over 11 inches long, it can only hold a couple of small plants.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Best metal planter boxes
Top metal planter box
Veradek Metallic Series Corten Steel Long Box Planter
What you need to know: This planter adds an aged look to your space after it develops a bit of rust, as it is designed to do.
What you’ll love: The solid construction and optional drainage holes make this a good planter for any location.
What you should consider: Because it arrives unrusted, it won’t achieve its aged look until a few months have passed, so you may not like how it looks out of the box.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top metal planter box for the money
Buhbo Modern Trough Rectangular Planter
What you need to know: At 32 inches, this is large, with a sleek look.
What you’ll love: The stainless steel design is striking and long-lasting, making it good for a modern patio. Because it’s fairly narrow at 8 inches wide, it also can be used as a table centerpiece.
What you should consider: Without drainage holes, you run the risk of overwatering your plants.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Best concrete planter boxes
Top concrete planter box
Kante Slate Gray Lightweight Outdoor Planter (Set of 2)
What you need to know: The simple concrete construction of these planters means they will likely last for decades.
What you’ll love: The differently sized boxes make for dynamic decoration, and the fiberglass interior makes them relatively easy to move and lift. The smooth concrete surface can easily be painted to add color or to match your patio furniture.
What you should consider: There have been a few reports of cracked or leaking planters.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot and Amazon
Top concrete planter box for the money
Ten-stone 15-Inch Rectangular Cement Planter
What you need to know: This small planter works well on a patio table or even a large side table.
What you’ll love: Its rubber feet mean it won’t scratch wood or glass, making it safe for most tables. The narrow size means it can fit on a windowsill or even wide railings as well.
What you should consider: While a single planter is fairly cheap, you may need to buy several of these for your patio.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Peter McPherson writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wpri.com/reviews/br/home-br/decor-br/the-8-best-planter-boxes-for-your-patio/ | 2022-08-25T00:45:18Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/reviews/br/home-br/decor-br/the-8-best-planter-boxes-for-your-patio/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Which Eureka vacuum is best?
It’s surprising how few pieces of cleaning equipment you need to keep your home looking spick-and-span. One of those pieces is a good vacuum. Shopping for a good vacuum can be more complicated than it seems considering all the types of vacuums that exist and all the variables you need to decide between on top of that.
The best Eureka vacuum is the Eureka PowerSpeed UIpright Vacuum Cleaner. It works on most floor types and includes several helpful accessories for cleaning hard-to-reach areas.
What to know before you buy a Eureka vacuum
Eureka vacuum cleaner types
Eureka makes four types of vacuums.
- Upright vacuums are the traditional type of vacuum. They come with the widest range of possible features and abilities, so there’s almost always a model that meets your specific needs.
- Stick vacuums are like uprights, only they’re extremely thin. They also tend to have weaker suction and smaller dust bins. However, they’re more maneuverable and some are even cordless.
- Canister vacuums use a small tank connected via a hose to a brush head. These are the most versatile, especially if they come with several accessories. However, the larger the canister the harder it is to drag around.
- Robot vacuums are small vacuuming disks that roam your home, cleaning as they go. These aren’t a replacement for standard vacuums, but they can keep your home fresher in between major cleanings.
Corded vs. cordless
Corded and cordless Eureka vacuums each have pros and cons.
- Corded: Almost all Eureka vacuums are corded as corded models have more power and stronger suction. However, they’re also the bulkiest and heaviest.
- Cordless: Cordless vacuums may be weaker, but their light weight and smaller sizes make them much easier to use and store. However, they tend to have smaller dust bins so they need to be emptied mid-clean more often.
What’s included
Eureka vacuums often come with more than just a vacuum. The most common inclusions are brush heads with special designs for tackling specific jobs, such as a long thin one for cleaning between couch cushions and one with stiff bristles for dusting.
What to look for in a quality Eureka vacuum
Weight
You have to carry and push a Eureka vacuum around, so it’s important to get one that isn’t too heavy for you. Some Eureka vacuums can be as heavy as nearly 15 pounds while the lightest weigh around 7 pounds.
Retractable cord
Having to wrap up your power cord after vacuuming isn’t difficult, but it is time-consuming. It’s also possible to get the cord tangled up. That’s why some Eureka vacuums have retractable cords; just unplug it, give it a tug and watch it slither back inside the vacuum’s body.
Noise
High noise levels are unavoidable in vacuums, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t quieter ones available. The quietest tend to get no lower than 60 decibels, which is about as loud as a conversation, while the average vacuum generates about 70 decibels, which is about as loud as a busy street.
How much you can expect to spend on a Eureka vacuum
They can cost as little as $30 to as much as $250. Most cost less than $100 with higher-end models usually costing $150-$200. Only the most advanced Eureka vacuums cost $250.
Eureka vacuum FAQ
What kinds of flooring are Eureka vacuums compatible with?
A. Eureka vacuums can clean any type of floor depending on the vacuum. Most models can clean hard floors and low pile carpeting. More advanced models may be able to clean hard floors up to shag carpets. Basic models may only be able to handle one floor type.
Does how you move a vacuum affect how well it cleans?
A. Actually, yes. The key to successful vacuuming lies in approaching the same spot from every direction. This means moving up and down then left and right. By moving in all directions, you shake up the grime that’s settled into the floor that otherwise wouldn’t be loose enough to be sucked up.
What’s the best Eureka vacuum to buy?
Top Eureka vacuum
Eureka PowerSpeed Upright Vacuum Cleaner
What you need to know: This is an excellent all-around vacuum for any home.
What you’ll love: You can choose between five vacuuming heights so it’s just as effective on hardwood floors as it is on thick shag carpet. A detachable handle and three brush head accessories for it let you clean anything, anywhere. It comes in black, blue and purple.
What you should consider: Some consumers wished the detachable handle’s hose were longer. Others noted the plastic construction is easy to break if something hard hits it.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
Top Eureka vacuum for the money
Eureka WhirlWind Canister Vacuum Cleaner
What you need to know: This is perfect for spot cleaning and for cleaning cumbersome areas such as staircases.
What you’ll love: It has three surface settings: carpet, upholstery and hard floor. It weighs 8 pounds so it’s easy to move around. The power cord automatically retracts so there’s no tiresome winding when you’re done. The dust container holds up to 2.5 liters.
What you should consider: It requires cleaning from time to time and the process can be difficult for some. A few customers wished the power cord were longer.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Eureka RapidClean Pro Vacuum Cleaner
What you need to know: Never worry about power cords again with this cordless vacuum.
What you’ll love: The rechargeable battery lasts for up to 40 minutes on a full charge. It can clean hard flooring and low pile carpeting. The hinge can lay completely flat for vacuuming underneath furniture and it has LED headlights to make seeing underneath that much easier.
What you should consider: It’s top heavy, which can make it unwieldy to use. The battery doesn’t detach from the vacuum for charging.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Jordan Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wpri.com/reviews/br/home-br/vacuums-br/best-eureka-vacuum/ | 2022-08-25T00:45:25Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/reviews/br/home-br/vacuums-br/best-eureka-vacuum/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Peloton strikes deal with Amazon
Researchers are constantly finding additional benefits to exercising. Earlier this year, The Hill reported that exercising can take care of “the inflammation that leads to elevated blood glucose and the development and progression of diabetes and clinical depression” that is a symptom of long COVID-19.
In a groundbreaking move, Peloton announced that, for the first time, the company will partner with another retailer to help broaden its customer base. As of today, you can buy Peloton equipment and apparel on Amazon.
In this article: Original Peloton Bike, Peloton Guide and Peloton Bike Mat
A brief history of Peloton
Peloton Interactive was founded a decade ago. After raising nearly 4 million dollars in seed money throughout 2012, the company sold its first bike for $1,500 on Kickstarter in 2013. A year later, the company released its first internet-connected bike. This revolutionary idea made it possible for people to take studio-quality classes in their own homes. There was an explosion in sales. The Peloton bike became so popular that the brand name became synonymous with the product, much in the way facial tissues are called Kleenex.
Over the next few years, the beloved fitness company grew. It released a treadmill, strength training accessories, fitness apparel and more. A brand once known slowly for its innovative exercise bikes became a comprehensive yet exclusive, one-stop supplier for everything you need to work out in your own home.
A long series of tiny troubles plagued the company
In 2019, the company had its first ripple of trouble for using copyrighted music without proper synchronization licenses in its videos. Then, a controversial ad that was supposed to be a celebration of personal achievement was interpreted by some to be superficial. Also, a couple of prominent TV show plot lines portrayed Peloton in a less than flattering light, which created even more trouble for the company.
Peloton’s hardships translated to savings for the customer
While the high-quality of Peloton’s products never diminished, the constant struggles eventually impacted the company. This caused major shake-ups that culminated in CEO John Foley stepping down from his position earlier this year. This began a period of Peloton testing new price structures. The consumer was treated to purchasing options that could result in a savings of several hundred dollars. Even better, starting today, Peloton products are available on Amazon. This partnership is a trial run for the company, but if it proves to be successful, it may open doors for the deep discounts and superior service that Amazon is known for.
Top Peloton products you can find on Amazon today
This is the game-changing cardio bike that Peloton is known for. It has everything you need to have a high-end studio workout experience in your own home.
Sold by Amazon
Strength training is essential to any fitness program. This AI-enabled device uses advanced technology to create an idealized strength-training program for you.
Sold by Amazon
To get the best workout on your Peloton bike, you need an appropriate pair of shoes. These lightweight offerings quickly clip onto your pedals so you can experience the maximum benefit of your workout.
Sold by Amazon
This second option for cycling shoes features three adjustable straps so you can get a secure fit in seconds. They have a slightly lower price than the Altos cycling shoe.
Sold by Amazon
The wireless Peloton heart rate band gives you an in-the-moment assessment of your exercise intensity. It has a comfortable fit and provides up to 10 hours of battery life.
Sold by Amazon
It’s best to put a mat beneath your bike to keep it secure and stationary and to protect your floor. This mat is 72 inches by 36 inches to give you plenty of room to position your bike.
Sold by Amazon
Peloton Reversible Workout Mat
Just like your bike, it’s best for you to work out on a mat. No matter what your workout preference is, this mat is rugged enough to provide a durable cushion.
Sold by Amazon
Besides bikes, Peloton has dumbbells. The square design of these weights means they will never roll away when you set them down.
Sold by Amazon
For a lighter workout, these weights are ideal. They have a sweat-proof grip and come in 1-pound, 2-pound or 3-pound options.
Sold by Amazon
Peloton’s glass water bottle keeps your water pure while you work out. The nonslip silicone sleeve helps protect your bottle from minor damage.
Sold by Amazon
You can literally step up your yoga game with these EVA foam yoga blocks. Use them to modify your poses as necessary.
Sold by Amazon
This 6-foot adjustable yoga strap is used to increase your range of motion and build your confidence. It is made of durable nylon with corrosion-resistant zinc alloy rings.
Sold by Amazon
Peloton Women’s Tulip Run Short
These 4-inch women’s shorts feature a zipper closure and are made of 86% polyester and 14% spandex.
Sold by Amazon
Peloton Men’s Lined Turin Short
The classic, easy fit of these 8-inch shorts ensures a comfortable workout for men.
Sold by Amazon
If you prefer a tight fit while working out, these 7-inch shorts for women are seamless to provide a snug, comfortable fit against your skin.
Sold by Amazon
Peloton Women’s Cadent Sports Bra
Support is crucial when exercising. This sports bra has removable pads, a scoop neck and an open back for a tight, close-body fit.
Sold by Amazon
Peloton Men’s Striving Short Sleeve
Sometimes, all you want is a classic workout T-shirt that has a floating fit. This offering gives you exactly that.
Sold by Amazon
If you’re doing it right, you’re going to sweat. These absorbent towels will get you dry when the workout is over.
Sold by Amazon
There’s nothing that can bring a workout to a grinding halt faster than sweat in the eye. This one-size-fits-all headband will prevent that.
Sold by Amazon
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Allen Foster writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wpri.com/reviews/br/sports-fitness-br/fitness-equipment-br/peloton-equipment-and-apparel-to-be-sold-on-amazon/ | 2022-08-25T00:45:40Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/reviews/br/sports-fitness-br/fitness-equipment-br/peloton-equipment-and-apparel-to-be-sold-on-amazon/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Formula One has multiple inquiries from potential team owners who have taken a more behind-the-scenes approach than Michael Andretti, who has been “quite vocal” in his desire to expand the current grid, F1’s CEO said Wednesday.
Andretti has petitioned to expand the current F1 grid to 22 cars to accommodate Andretti Global, which he’s billing as a true American team. Andretti has taken that route after attempts to purchase an existing F1 team fell apart late last year.
He said this week he’s building a 575,000 square-foot facility on roughly 90 acres in Fishers, Indiana, to house Andretti Global. But he’s still no closer to landing an F1 team and Domenicali offered very little update specific to Andretti.
“The status of Formula One, it is not a problem of quantity,” Domenicali said. “It’s a matter of understanding not only the ones who have a bigger, louder voice, but there will be other people because Andretti was quite vocal about his request.
“But there are others that have done the same in a different way. So we will listen not only to Andretti, but to others that are respecting the silence on trying to be more productive on proving who they are and respecting the protocol.”
At issue is what value — if any — comes with expanding the current 20-car grid.
Mercedes head Toto Wolff has been vehemently against expansion and argued it will only decrease profits as the pot would be split between 11 teams instead of 10. But McLaren boss Zak Brown has argued adding the Andretti name would increase North American interest and signing U.S.-based sponsors based on Andretti’s participation would compensate for any dilution to the purse.
Wolff has dismissed the notion the Andretti name brings any value to F1. Mario Andretti is the 1978 F1 world champion; Michael Andretti spent one unremarkable season driving in the series.
And even though Andretti has had discussions with Renault about entering F1, Wolff has only been supportive of a potential Audi-backed effort.
“Andretti is a great name, and I think they have done exceptional things in the US,” Wolff recently said. “But this is sport and this is business and we need to understand what is it that you can provide to the sport.”
The resistance has irritated Mario Andretti, who on Twitter responded to a question asking if Wolff is too powerful for F1 with: “This needed to be said; it’s about time.”
Domenicali on Wednesday said that Wolff has earned his respect in F1 and is a credible voice in the series. He also indicated all the back-and-forth on the Andretti issue is a moot point because the decision will be made by a governing body and not Wolff and the current team principals.
“Mario, I know him very, very well, and he is trying to present his idea in a way that he thought is the right way to do that,” Domenicali said. “But I do believe there is a governance in place and the decision has to follow the process and the protocol that is in place.
“Mario is very vocal, Michael is, too. We need to respect that we may have a difference of opinions, but at the end of the day it is a matter of following the protocol and there is someone that is to make the final decision.”
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More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wpri.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-andretti-effort-to-join-f1-the-most-vocal-of-many-inquiries/ | 2022-08-25T00:46:23Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-andretti-effort-to-join-f1-the-most-vocal-of-many-inquiries/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:
For another perspective on how Ukrainians are feeling on this, their Independence Day, we called Ukraine's former minister of infrastructure. His name is Volodymyr Omelyan. In the first hours of the war, Omelyan left his job and family behind to join Ukrainian forces on the front lines of the war, which is where we have reached him this morning. Mr. Omelyan, thank you so much for being with us.
VOLODYMYR OMELYAN: It's a great pleasure for me to be with you. And we are very grateful to every American who stands with Ukraine in those months (ph) because we do understand that without your assistance, help and commitment, we will never survive.
MARTIN: Well, let's talk about your commitment to this war. When you said goodbye to your family and joined the Ukrainian forces, did you have any idea at that point that you would still be fighting six months later, on your country's Independence Day no less?
OMELYAN: From the very first day, our goal was to win and to celebrate victory together with our Western allies. And definitely mood of our forces was changing with every month because in the first days and first weeks, we were desperately fighting against overwhelming Russian troops. But right now, we do understand that we should free all our lands, all Ukrainian territory and finally close the issue with collapse of Soviet Union, which started in 1991 and should end in 2023.
MARTIN: I mean, it is amazing just to think about the longevity of the aggression that Ukraine has seen from Russia. I mean, without getting into specifics, your unit is now fighting in the south of the country, I understand, where reports say it's been very difficult to dislodge Russian forces. Can you give us a sense of just how difficult it has been where you are?
OMELYAN: Yes, that's true. After failed to capture Kyiv and capture eastern Ukraine, Russia concentrated all of their forces in the south of Ukraine right now. And we face severe battles. But we do believe that together with Western support and artillery, ammunition and I hope aviation, which we expect to come soon as well, we will prevail and we are ready to start counteroffensive operations. The only thing - that we don't want to spend human lives and lose our soldiers. That's why we rely on technical means and artillery, tanks and so on.
MARTIN: Have you lost people that you have known?
OMELYAN: Yes, yes. We lost just a couple of days, lost two of my friends from my battalion and another two the next day.
MARTIN: I mean, I understand that you are projecting strength and resolve in this moment as you need to. But how is morale among your colleagues, among your soldiers, after six months of this fighting?
OMELYAN: Yes, physically, definitely, it's exhausting, but morale is very high. And we do understand - you have best expression for the situation, that freedom is not free and we should fight to save our Ukraine, and we should fight to protect democratic world. Because definitely it's not only about Russia to occupy Ukraine. It's about the choice how the world will be ruled - with democracy or tyranny and autocracy. It's not only about Russia because China is behind all this stuff. And we should show the example that there is no chance for bloody autocracy of the 20th or 19th century to take the lead in the world.
MARTIN: I heard you say that Ukraine is committed to freeing provinces, regions that are currently occupied by Russia. Is that an achievable goal, do you think, or is there a possibility that when this ends, that it will end with changed Ukrainian borders?
OMELYAN: Well, I'm sure that it's achievable because if you recall 1991 and you talk to average people in the beginning of August, nobody would believe that Soviet Union will collapse, and everybody would answer you that it will last forever, Soviet occupation over Eastern Europe. And it ended within a couple of days. Right now, it's the same situation. Russia looks like a big monster. But we show to the world that we are not afraid, and we are able to resist and to beat them. The same as with the economy, the same as with the Russian politics. They are groups which captured the power in Moscow and in Kremlin, and they are trying to convince the whole world that corruption is OK and killing people is OK. We are not agree with that. And we do believe that after freeing our territories, we should together settle the problem of Russia itself because we do not want to have the same situation that we spend a lot of money, a lot of time to make democratic state and then we get another Putin to come to power and have another colonial war.
MARTIN: How is your brigade marking Independence Day today?
OMELYAN: It's calm. Definitely, we celebrate with our hearts, but we do not organize any great celebrations in the street because we do understand the danger. We are under permanent threat and real missile attacks from Russia. Let's say in the southern Ukraine, we already survived a number of them within the last 24 hours. And we do understand that until victory comes and until victory is got, we are not ready to make a great holiday in Ukraine.
MARTIN: I understand your family is - has evacuated. They're no longer in Ukraine. Have you had conversations with your wife about how long this is actually going to take, how long you will be separated?
OMELYAN: She understood my choice, and she fully agree with me that I will be here with the army in Ukraine until the victory comes. We do understand that it's not kind of one day of miracle happen the next day. And we do believe that within one year time, it should be over, but we will not take any compromise or diplomatic solution. Only battle will decide everything. So I hope that my family will be in safe condition in the West until I fight here in Ukraine.
MARTIN: Former Minister of Infrastructure Volodymyr Omelyan, he took up arms and started fighting with Ukrainian forces six months ago when the war began. He joined us from the front lines in southern Ukraine. Thank you so much for your time.
OMELYAN: My great pleasure. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. | https://www.klcc.org/klcc-business-and-economy-news/klcc-business-and-economy-news/2022-08-24/6-months-of-war-the-view-from-the-frontlines | 2022-08-25T00:50:18Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/klcc-business-and-economy-news/klcc-business-and-economy-news/2022-08-24/6-months-of-war-the-view-from-the-frontlines | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Updated August 24, 2022 at 1:39 PM ET
On Wednesday, President Biden announced a sweeping effort to forgive up to $20,000 of federal student loan debt for Pell Grant recipients, and up to $10,000 for other qualifying borrowers. Biden also extended the federal student loan payment pause through Dec. 31.
"In keeping with my campaign promise, my Administration is announcing a plan to give working and middle class families breathing room as they prepare to resume federal student loan payments in January 2023," Biden said in a tweet on Wednesday.
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a statement, "Today, we're delivering targeted relief that will help ensure borrowers are not placed in a worse position financially because of the pandemic, and restore trust in a system that should be creating opportunity, not a debt trap."
To qualify for the $10,000 forgiveness, individual borrowers must earn less than $125,000 a year, or less than $250,000 a year for couples. To qualify for the $20,000 forgiveness, borrowers must meet those income requirements and must have received a Pell Grant in college. Pell Grants are designed to help low-income students pay for higher education.
On Wednesday, President Biden announced a sweeping effort to forgive up to $20,000 of federal student loan debt for Pell Grant recipients, and up to $10,000 for other qualifying borrowers. https://t.co/ohtRZkni81 pic.twitter.com/yE5p4IZ7Hn
— NPR (@NPR) August 24, 2022
The Department of Education estimates that, among borrowers who are no longer in school, nearly 90% of relief dollars will go to those earning less than $75,000 a year.
About 43 million borrowers will benefit, and 20 million will have their debt completely canceled, according to a senior administration official. The White House said more than 60% of current federal student loan borrowers also received Pell Grants.
According to the White House, Parent PLUS loans will also qualify for cancellation under the new policy.
In order to benefit, though, most borrowers will have to submit an application to verify their income. The Education Department said nearly 8 million borrowers already have income information on file, and should qualify to have their debts canceled automatically. The department will announce further details on how borrowers can claim this relief in the weeks ahead.
Some borrowers are celebrating, others hoped for more
Many borrowers are celebrating Biden's announcement: Giselle Parks of Orlando, Fla., expects to have her $5,000 in student loan debt completely erased.
"Holy cow," she said. "Holy cow... I need to tell my family immediately!"
Trianna Downing in D.C. said she was in shock. "I can't even process it yet... At first I was, like, dancing, and then I was like, wait, should I log into my account and see if it actually happened?"
Downing expects her debts to drop from $16,000 to $6,000.
"This is going to change and save lives," tweeted Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, who has long advocated for student loan forgiveness.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, also of Massachusetts, highlighted the ways Biden's plan could help address racial inequalities: "Because Black Americans borrow more money to go to school, borrow more money in school and have a harder time paying their debt off after school, the President's action will also help narrow the racial wealth gap in the United States among borrowers."
According to a 2016 Brookings analysis, "The moment they earn their bachelor's degrees, black college graduates owe $7,400 more on average than their white peers... Differences in interest accrual and graduate school borrowing lead to black graduates holding nearly $53,000 in student loan debt four years after graduation — almost twice as much as their white counterparts."
Some higher-debt borrowers were left disappointed by Wednesday's announcement, especially after a group of House and Senate Democrats, including Pressley and Warren, had called on Biden to cancel $50,000 in federal student debt.
"It's hard to be excited about it," says Briana Ford of Columbia, S.C. She's a Black borrower who owes almost $60,000 in student loans.
"I wouldn't give it back, but it's hard to be excited about it."
Republicans aren't too excited either. They've long argued against broad-based loan forgiveness.
"This is a slap in the face to those who never went to college, as well as borrowers who upheld their responsibility to taxpayers and paid back their loans," said Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina, the top Republican on the House Education Committee, in a Tuesday night statement.
Many economists and higher education experts also opposed the move, arguing that widespread debt cancellation would do nothing to fix the rising costs of college.
In a May analysis, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimated a policy like the one Biden announced would cost at least $230 billion, and warned that even income limits "would do almost nothing to alleviate the central issues with the policy, namely that it is regressive, inflationary, expensive, and would likely do more to increase the cost of higher education going forward than to reduce it."
Can a President even do this without the support of Congress?
This question has been at the heart of the debt cancellation debate for several years now. After all, any move that essentially requires the government to spend money (or lose it) generally has to go through Congress. Right?
Perhaps anticipating legal pushback, the Biden administration published its legal reasoning in a memorandum at the same time it announced the debt cancellation package.
The memo says The HEROES Act, first enacted after the September 11 attacks, gives the Education Secretary the power to grant relief from student loan requirements during specific periods, think: wartime or a national emergency.
As such, the memo argues, "in present circumstances, this authority could be used to effectuate a program of categorical debt cancellation directed at addressing the financial harms caused by the COVID-19 pandemic."
The administration made a similar argument in justifying its renovation of the troubled Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
That said, it's possible, perhaps likely, the move will be challenged in court.
Will it make inflation worse?
Experts have expressed concern that broad-based student loan forgiveness would exacerbate inflation, which is already one of Biden's greatest political weaknesses heading into this fall's midterm elections.
"Student loan debt relief is spending that raises demand and increases inflation," tweeted former U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers earlier this week.
"It consumes resources that could be better used helping those who did not, for whatever reason, have the chance to attend college. It will also tend to be inflationary by raising tuitions."
Summers' opposition stirred considerable dissent.
"You have to tell a pretty bizarre story about expectations in order for loan forgiveness to boost inflation," responded Susan Dynarski, an economist and professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
"No one has been making student loan payments for two years. Forgiveness will *not* increase cash flow to borrowers right now. That increase in available cash happened *2 years ago* when payments were suspended."
Borrowers have been waiting years for loan forgiveness
The loan forgiveness announcement comes more than two years after then-presidential candidate Joe Biden pledged to cancel at least $10,000 in federal student loans. The pledge has followed the administration since. Wednesday's move comes after several extensions to the student loan moratorium, and attempts by some Democrats to expand forgiveness from the original plan to $50,000.
In June, an NPR/Ipsos poll found a majority of the general public (55%) supported forgiving up to $10,000 of a person's federal student loan debt. But the more generous the relief, the more that support narrowed. Forty-seven percent of all respondents said they supported forgiving up to $50,000 in debt, while 41% expressed support for wiping the slate completely clean for all borrowers.
Support for debt relief was, not surprisingly, higher among borrowers themselves. But when asked to choose between debt forgiveness and addressing the high cost of college, an overwhelming majority — borrowers and non-borrowers alike — said addressing the rising cost of college was most important.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.klcc.org/klcc-business-and-economy-news/klcc-business-and-economy-news/2022-08-24/biden-is-canceling-up-to-10k-in-student-loans-20k-for-pell-grant-recipients | 2022-08-25T00:50:30Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/klcc-business-and-economy-news/klcc-business-and-economy-news/2022-08-24/biden-is-canceling-up-to-10k-in-student-loans-20k-for-pell-grant-recipients | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A MARTINEZ, HOST:
A former Louisville detective has admitted that she falsified the search warrant that led to the police killing of Breonna Taylor and lied to investigators about it afterwards.
RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:
Kelly Goodlett pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge in Louisville, Ky. She is one of four white former police officers charged in the case. Breonna Taylor was a 26-year-old Black woman, and her killing helped set off a wave of protests over police brutality all across this country and beyond in 2020.
MARTINEZ: Billy Kobin of The Courier-Journal has been covering this story. He joins us now from Louisville. Billy, Breonna Taylor was shot and killed by police in 2020. Tell us what was learned in court and what's happening with this case.
BILLY KOBIN: Sure. Yesterday, Kelly Hanna Goodlett pleaded guilty, as y'all said. And basically, it was a pretty standard hearing in which she was expected to plead guilty, and that's what she did. As she appeared, she mostly answered questions from the judge yesterday in federal court, saying, you know, yes, your honor, and yes, ma'am, in terms of understanding the charges against her.
And then the prosecution with the Department of Justice laid out, again, some of the facts, which are that she helped basically lie on a search warrant that was obtained to search Breonna Taylor's apartment in March of 2020 and that she then worked with another detective at the time to kind of come up with a story that they would tell investigators that was false to connect Breonna to a former boyfriend who had been convicted of drug dealing. And that's how officers kind of got the way in to her apartment.
MARTINEZ: Billy, what was the courtroom like? You were in there. I mean, what was the reaction of Breonna Taylor's mom?
KOBIN: Sure. Tamika Palmer, who is Breonna's mom, was there. But I would say it was very - there was not much reaction yesterday inside the federal courtroom. It's usually very, you know, protected. Nobody is allowed to have phones. Nobody is really allowed to, you know, shout, whereas sometimes in state court hearings, you might - you have people with phones, and you might hear more gasps and reactions. So it was very kind of muted and serious and kind of straightforward. And then after the hearing, Ms. Palmer did not come outside immediately to talk with any reporters. No attorneys came outside. So it was very kind of a faster hearing yesterday and then no real reaction afterwards.
Ms. Palmer was wearing a shirt that said say her name on the back. And she later did post on her Instagram feed a photo of Goodlett, the detective, that basically said, Kelly Hanna Goodlett pleads guilty to federal charge. But that was about it as way of reaction yesterday.
MARTINEZ: You mentioned Goodlett. What's in store for her and the other officers charged in this case?
KOBIN: Sure. So the judge and prosecutors and defense agreed yesterday to schedule a sentencing hearing for November. However, the judge said that the hearing for Ms. Goodlett is likely to get delayed, given that there are several detectives who are also obviously charged - and officers, I should say. The other sentencing hearings are currently scheduled for October, but those also could get delayed, given the complexity of the different cases. So we'll have to wait and see what happens there.
MARTINEZ: That's Billy Kobin of The Courier-Journal in Louisville. Billy, thanks.
KOBIN: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. | https://www.klcc.org/klcc-business-and-economy-news/klcc-business-and-economy-news/2022-08-24/ex-cop-pleads-guilty-to-federal-charge-related-to-breonna-taylors-killing | 2022-08-25T00:50:37Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/klcc-business-and-economy-news/klcc-business-and-economy-news/2022-08-24/ex-cop-pleads-guilty-to-federal-charge-related-to-breonna-taylors-killing | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
One year after the Taliban took power in Afghanistan, the Afghan central bank is still short of cash. The United States holds many of its assets. It's frozen them for a year since neither the U.S. nor any other country has recognized the Taliban rulers as legitimate. When we recently visited Kabul, former President Hamid Karzai said the money should come back.
HAMID KARZAI: Americans should return Afghanistan's reserves.
INSKEEP: The $7 billion or so?
KARZAI: The $7 billion. That does not belong to any government. They belong to the Afghan people.
INSKEEP: The absence of the money has contributed to Afghanistan's economic collapse. President Biden has held back some of the money, while some 9/11 victims seek a share of it in court. The future of the rest is uncertain. And a man named Shah Mehrabi says much remains on U.S. account books and even in storage.
SHAH MEHRABI: Dollars, deposits, bonds, treasury bills and gold that were all held at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
INSKEEP: Mehrabi gave us one perspective on Afghanistan's central bank. The old Afghan government named him to its supreme council.
MEHRABI: It is a board that is in charge of policymaking and the highest decision-making body of the Central Bank of Afghanistan.
INSKEEP: Americans will be familiar with the Federal Reserve Bank of the United States, which also has a board that governs it. It's the equivalent. That's what you were part of, is that governing board.
MEHRABI: Exactly. It would be correct to say that it was modeled after Federal Reserve Bank.
INSKEEP: Like the Fed, the Afghan central bank is supposed to hold down inflation. And Mehrabi took pride in that.
MEHRABI: It had performed very well. It - as a matter of fact, it had kept prices stable for years and much - a single digit in the past 15 years or so.
INSKEEP: Now he says that single-digit inflation has risen to more like 52%. Doing something about this is still Mehrabi's job. He is still a board member even though his government fell and he has not been back to Afghanistan since the collapse. He is living these days outside Washington, D.C.
MEHRABI: The Taliban has not really interfered whatsoever since August 15 of 2021.
INSKEEP: Do you mean to say you're still doing your job?
MEHRABI: I'm still - yes. I'm constantly in contact with the central bank.
INSKEEP: Are there still branches of the central bank functioning inside Afghanistan?
MEHRABI: Yes. Our audit department travel periodically to all of these branches. And they've been able to do that. Actually, that audit department had a lot of security problems when - during the prior administration. And that security problem no longer exists. So it is easy for them to travel to different branches.
INSKEEP: I want to be explicit about this because it seems to be true in all parts of Afghan life. Previously, if your audit group was moving around, they had to be worried about being killed by the Taliban. Now the killers are in charge, so they're OK.
MEHRABI: I think your explanation with regard to security is accurate.
INSKEEP: Are there governing members of the Central Bank of Afghanistan who remain in Afghanistan?
MEHRABI: Yes. There are some who are there, then others who are outside Afghanistan.
INSKEEP: Does the bank have any money?
MEHRABI: The bank does have money, but not adequate to be able to perform the necessary function of the central bank. The loss of foreign exchange reserve has created a liquidity problem.
INSKEEP: U.S. officials say they want some assurance that the money would not be misspent if it's returned. In other words, they want to know the central bank is reasonably independent of the country's new rulers. Shah Mehrabi is less upset about this than you might think. He says the Biden administration has taken steps to get money flowing, especially for humanitarian aid. What he does not know yet is how the central bank would ever get back to normal.
MEHRABI: No increase in humanitarian aid can compensate for the macroeconomic harm of soaring prices for basic commodities. It could not fully compensate for the banking collapse or balance of payment crisis. Another consequence is that it could ripple through the Afghan society and harm the most vulnerable people.
INSKEEP: During your time continuing the governance of the Central Bank of Afghanistan, to your knowledge, has there been an occasion when any Taliban official has placed a call or drop by and said, I want this or that?
MEHRABI: Not to me. I have not been contacted by them.
INSKEEP: Have you heard of any such thing?
MEHRABI: No. I'm not physically there. So you know, it is different to be physically present rather than being in outside. So I think I would not be able to comment on something that I have not seen or heard. But I can clearly say that there's been no intervention with regard to what I have done in the past year and what I have advocated.
INSKEEP: Can you envision a mechanism by which the central bank would be seen as so independent that the United States and other nations could trust it to deal with it like a normal central bank and not fear that at some point, the money is siphoned off for extremist activity, for example?
MEHRABI: I think the important point is that there has to be a monitoring, constantly monitoring, and capacity building issues that will bring the trust of the United States into this particular central bank. Without that, it would be very difficult to have normal functioning of the central bank and acceptance of the central bank by the United States and other international partners. Their concerns are legitimate. And also, the brain drain issue needs to be addressed.
INSKEEP: Of course, a lot of employees at the central bank have left the country, fled the country. You've lost a lot of expertise. Are the Taliban allowing female employees of the central bank who remain to go to work?
MEHRABI: No, that is one area of contention. And the international community has brought this issue up with regard to allowing both male and female to perform their task for which they were trained. The United States invested a lot of money in terms of educating these people, as well as giving them practical experience. That vacuum that is created needs to be filled. And that isolation from international financial system will have to be ceased in one way or another to address the issue of poverty and mass starvation that this country is experiencing and will continue to experience, especially in the winter, harsh months that lies ahead and in front of us.
INSKEEP: Shah Mehrabi, thank you very much.
MEHRABI: You're welcome. Good talking to you, Steve.
INSKEEP: He's a member of the Supreme Council of the Central Bank of Afghanistan.
(SOUNDBITE OF RICHARD SKELTON'S "LOWE") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. | https://www.klcc.org/klcc-business-and-economy-news/klcc-business-and-economy-news/2022-08-24/frozen-afghan-bank-reserves-contribute-to-the-countrys-economic-collapse | 2022-08-25T00:50:43Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/klcc-business-and-economy-news/klcc-business-and-economy-news/2022-08-24/frozen-afghan-bank-reserves-contribute-to-the-countrys-economic-collapse | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
In a small shelter made of cinder block walls and a tin roof, Armando Hurtado Medina writes on a whiteboard the size of the TVs in many American homes.
It's 6pm and lessons have just begun in this makeshift classroom found at the end of a bumpy dirt road that winds its way through a canyon in Tijuana, Mexico. Hurtado Medina is teaching basic English and about 10 students of various ages slowly recite the alphabet back to him.
In another part of the city, Sergio Garcia has just finished his day teaching a group of children about emotional intelligence, guiding them on how they can turn the anger and trauma they feel into something productive, like leadership.
These efforts are replicated across the border city as volunteers and grassroots organizations grapple with a transient population of migrant students and try their best to educate those who find themselves living in shelters while awaiting a better life beyond.
"The purpose of this school is so that the migrants have a basic understanding of English," Hurtado Medina said. "Like how to get out of an emergency situation, [or when] they don't know how to communicate, or they don't know how to translate basic information like phone numbers or addresses."
"When they leave here, they leave with confidence and are proud of themselves that they're learning what's going to be their new language."
Hurtado Medina's classroom is next to the Embajadores de Jesús shelter that is home to hundreds of migrants. There are about 20 shelters across the city, and that means there are hundreds of children who suddenly find themselves in Tijuana and cut off from traditional education.
Garcia's school is an altogether more professional setup, next to the Pro Amore Dei migrant shelter in another part of town. He works for the Yes We Can program, a nonprofit group that has three schools in Mexico, including two in Tijuana.
"We try to develop resilience in them," he said of the emotional intelligence lessons. "So that they learn to perhaps detect the situations that make them feel a little sad, a little more vulnerable, and help guide them."
Yes We Can Executive Director Estefania Rebellon is the founder and driving force behind this landmark program that has grown exponentially over the last few years and has professionalized education for migrant children in a way not seen before in Tijuana.
Here, the children who arrive at the partner shelter next door are automatically enrolled in the school for free, and admissions are accepted every day of the year. They are given a uniform and backpack – even shoes, if they need them. All teachers are Mexican, are qualified with college degrees, and are paid.
Classes are structured and there is a fully formed curriculum that receives official accreditation from Mexico's Secretary of Public Education, and is also recognized in the United States. The efforts are funded by a patchwork of donations and money from non-government organizations.
"For migrant children, a school space is extremely important because if there weren't any school spaces like ours, they would be in a shelter sitting there every single day without any stimulation, without any educational development," Rebellon said.
"We thought we were going to be here only for three months and now we've been here for three years. So at this point, we've realized that we're no longer a crisis response program, we are a permanent program."
The pride of place for this school is a converted 1993 MCI coach dubbed "the magic school bus" that has been gutted and fitted out with air-conditioning, iPads, a TV and workbooks. In the spirit of the community-led nature of this school, Rebellon and another co-founder bought the bus off eBay in Los Angeles and then watched YouTube videos to learn how to convert it.
The school has a practical benefit for the shelter next door, too. Space is at a premium there, where families share crowded rooms filled with bunks. Each family gets just one mattress to use, regardless of whether there are two people or five in the group. So taking the kids into the school for a day allows the parents the time and space to focus on the next step in their journey.
"We're talking about families going through very traumatic situations," Rebellon said. "So if a parent is having all those existential crisis moments and their children are there pulling on their jeans, like children do every single day, they're not going to be able to accomplish their goals."
Rebellon is open about the fact many of the kids who arrive are behind in their education. They have had teenagers arrive who don't know how to read or write, and who may have suffered terrible trauma fleeing violence or crises anywhere from Nicaragua to Venezuela and Guatemala.
But here, they find kindred spirits and are taught how to channel those emotions. Rebellon knows this experience well. She was a migrant child from Cali, Colombia who was forced to flee with her family to the U.S. when she was 10 due to death threats.
"What's unique about our space is that when a kid enters our program, they're not the strange one," Rebellon said. "They're not 'the migrant.' They're not 'the one from Honduras.' They're not 'the dark skinned kid.' They are a child that's entering a place where they all look the same."
Near the back of the bus, 12-year-old Justin is joking with friends as his class continues. He has come from Puerto Cortés in Honduras and says the bus is his favorite part of the school because he can just be himself in there.
"I can have fun with everyone, I can talk with them. It's incredible to be there," he said.
As for how long he'll be living in the shelter next door, where he will go next, and what his future looks like, Justin has no idea. It's a common story for the kids who find themselves in makeshift classrooms dotted across Tijuana.
Yes We Can is now hoping to take the venture further and is scouting locations to open a central school that migrant kids can catch a bus to from any shelter in the city. They have their eye on an old library that has shut down.
Back at his small shelter classroom in the canyon, Hurtado Medina has similar goals and is hopeful he can collaborate with Yes We Can and also reach the stage where his kids can get accreditation for their work.
The children deserve all the help they can get, Rebellon said.
"I always try to remind everyone that they're just children," she said. "They're not responsible for the situation they're going through. So when you focus on that, then everything starts happening."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.klcc.org/klcc-business-and-economy-news/klcc-business-and-economy-news/2022-08-24/in-converted-buses-and-tin-roof-sheds-migrant-students-get-a-lesson-in-hope | 2022-08-25T00:50:49Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/klcc-business-and-economy-news/klcc-business-and-economy-news/2022-08-24/in-converted-buses-and-tin-roof-sheds-migrant-students-get-a-lesson-in-hope | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A MARTINEZ, HOST:
Poll results are in for Florida's primary.
RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:
Right. And Democrat Charlie Crist will be facing incumbent Republican Governor Ron DeSantis in the November general election. Crist served as Florida's governor before, more than a decade ago, when he was still a Republican. He is now a Democrat and a member of Congress who has his sights set on returning to the governor's mansion in Tallahassee.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
CHARLIE CRIST: We can unite Democrats, independents and many Republicans who care about our Florida, and we will defeat Ron DeSantis.
(CHEERING)
MARTINEZ: NPR's Greg Allen has been following all of this in Miami. Greg, Crist won the nomination over a younger leader in the party, Florida's agriculture secretary, Nikki Fried. Now can he unseat Ron DeSantis?
GREG ALLEN, BYLINE: Well, that will be a difficult task - one that Crist says he's up for. DeSantis is very popular among Republicans in Florida. It's akin to the loyalty we saw Trump received from Republicans nationally. DeSantis has more than $130 million currently in the bank. That gives him more than enough money to blanket Florida's 10 media markets with ads he wrote went out yesterday. That's gotten some attention. It's a take-off on the Tom Cruise "Top Gun" films, shows DeSantis wearing a jumpsuit and helmet in the cockpit of a fighter jet.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
RON DESANTIS: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. This is your governor speaking. Today's training evolution - dogfighting, taking on the corporate media. The rules of...
ALLEN: It's an ad that kind of highlights DeSantis' pugnacious style, and it's likely going to play well with his supporters.
MARTINEZ: Now, how do you expect that Charlie Crist will respond? I mean, will he have enough money to run an effective campaign?
ALLEN: Well, this is going to be a very high-profile campaign that gets a lot of attention nationally. And donations from both candidates will flow in from around the country. One consultant I spoke with said that Crist should get at least $50 or $60 million at least to work with more than enough to to run his ads. In terms of themes, here's an ad that Crist has already been running.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVE RECORDING)
CRIST: Think about what's at stake in Florida. Governor Ron DeSantis bullies schoolchildren. He wants to outlaw abortion, even for victims of rape and incest. He opposes any background checks on guns, even for violent criminals. And he cares more about running for the White House than your house.
ALLEN: You know, Charlie Crist is a very familiar name in Florida. This will be his seventh run for statewide office. And that brings pros and cons with it. Democrats hope he can be a reassuring voice who will appeal to Democrats and independents. The question will be whether he can generate enough enthusiasm among Democrats to bring out large numbers of voters to the polls.
MARTINEZ: Greg, what about DeSantis? I mean, what kind of campaign do you expect that he'll run?
ALLEN: Well, he's fought with the Biden administration over COVID policy and immigration. And he'll continue to highlight that battle. He's really embraced culture wars issues. And by that, I mean things like abortion ban, which is signed after 15 weeks. He's taken aim at transgender athletes and worked to restrict transition medical care for minors. He's signed what he's called his anti-woke legislation, which restricts how issues involving race are discussed in the schools and even in corporate training materials. And that's been tied up in the courts right now. The talk about ideas being woke has become a major campaign theme for him. And he's using it to build his national stature as he considers a possible bid for the White House. Last week, he was in Pennsylvania campaigning with the Republican gubernatorial nominee there, Doug Mastriano.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
DESANTIS: We must fight the woke in our schools. We must fight the woke in our businesses. We must fight the woke in government agencies.
(CHEERING)
DESANTIS: We can never, ever surrender to woke ideology.
ALLEN: Another thing that's in DeSantis' favor is that Florida, which has long been considered a swing state, has trended more and more Republican in recent years. Democrats held a voter registration edge for many years, but that's no longer the case. There are now more registered Republicans than Democrats in Florida now. And every official elected statewide in the last election, except for one, is Republican.
MARTINEZ: That's NPR's Greg Allen previewing the race for governor in Florida.
Greg, thanks.
ALLEN: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. | https://www.klcc.org/klcc-business-and-economy-news/klcc-business-and-economy-news/2022-08-24/in-florida-democrat-crist-to-face-incumbent-desantis-in-quest-for-governor | 2022-08-25T00:50:56Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/klcc-business-and-economy-news/klcc-business-and-economy-news/2022-08-24/in-florida-democrat-crist-to-face-incumbent-desantis-in-quest-for-governor | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:
Good morning. I'm Rachel Martin. You can say a lot about the power of music. One song has so much power, it can make some old laptops crash. It's Janet Jackson's 1989 classic "Rhythm Nation."
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "RHYTHM NATION")
JANET JACKSON: (Singing) With music by our side to break the color lines...
MARTIN: Microsoft's chief software engineer blogged about it. Raymond Chen says a specific frequency like the one in "Rhythm Nation" makes Windows XP hard drives go black. Even though there used to be a digital fix for the problem, maybe some folks didn't get the update. It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. | https://www.klcc.org/klcc-business-and-economy-news/klcc-business-and-economy-news/2022-08-24/janet-jacksons-1989-classic-rhythm-nation-can-make-some-laptops-crash | 2022-08-25T00:51:02Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/klcc-business-and-economy-news/klcc-business-and-economy-news/2022-08-24/janet-jacksons-1989-classic-rhythm-nation-can-make-some-laptops-crash | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback and popular radio and TV sports personality Len Dawson has died. He was 87.
He led the Kansas City Chiefs to their first Super Bowl win in 1970, even picking up the MVP title. "Lenny the Cool" also guided Chiefs fans through their ups and downs as a broadcaster for more than 50 years.
Dawson had entered hospice care earlier this month. In a statement released by the Chiefs, "Len Dawson is synonymous with the Kansas City Chiefs. Len embraced and came to embody Kansas City and the people that call it home. You would be hard-pressed to find a player who had a bigger impact in shaping the organization as we know it today than Len Dawson did," said Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt.
Dawson was born in Alliance, Ohio, in 1935. Fifty-two years later, he stood at the Hall of Fame in nearby Canton, inducted after a 19-year football career. He was only the third person to enter the Hall of Fame as a player and a broadcaster, after Frank Gifford and Dan Dierdorf.
"I was into working," Dawson said with a laugh in 2017, when the broadcasting booth at Arrowhead Stadium was formally dedicated to him. "Because my parents didn't have a whole lot and they taught me something: 'If you want something, find a way to earn it to get it done.'"
Dawson was a color commentator for the Chiefs radio broadcasts on the Chiefs radio network from 1984 through 2017. His broadcast play-by-play partner for 24 of those years, Mitch Holthus, was a long-time admirer.
"I made sure my mom made a crude, stitched jersey with 1 and 6 on it because I wanted to be Lenny Dawson," said Holthus, referring to Dawson's jersey No. 16.
Dawson was a first-round draft pick out of Purdue by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1957 but was unable to get any significant playing time with the Steelers or in his two years with the Cleveland Browns in 1960 and 1961.
Meanwhile, Lamar Hunt founded the American Football League in 1960.
"I remember (Browns owner/coach) Paul Brown saying, 'Hey, there's a bunch of sons of rich people. This is a hobby for them,'" Dawson recalled. "'It won't last more than a year or two. It's not going to be very long.'"
Dawson signed with the Dallas Texans in the fledgling AFL before the 1962 season and was reunited with coach Hank Stram, one of his assistant coaches at Purdue. The Texans won the AFL championship that year before moving to Kansas City.
In 1964, Dawson threw 30 touchdown passes, a Chiefs record until Patrick Mahomes shattered it with 50 in 2018. On the verge of breaking Dawson's record, Mahomes said he talked to Dawson about it.
"When you throw 30 touchdowns in today's league where there's a lot more passing, you're still having a great season," said Mahomes in 2018. "For him to be that advanced, I mean he won a Super Bowl here. He was one of the best quarterbacks to ever play."
With Dawson at QB, the Chiefs lost in Super Bowl I, but beat the Minnesota Vikings 23-7 in Super Bowl IV. Dawson was the MVP.
"We were the underdog in that game," he recalled. "We were supposed to get beat by a couple of touchdowns. Thankfully, we didn't believe that."
Dawson's final season was in 1975 when he was 40. Behind an injury-decimated offensive line, he was sacked seven times in a late-season game. By then, Dawson said, he knew his playing career was over.
"It made my decision," he said. "I said, 'That's it. I don't need to take this whipping like this anymore.'"
Unbeknownst to Dawson in 1966, Chiefs president Jack Steadman started discussions with management at KMBC-TV and radio about working Dawson into the broadcasts.
"I didn't have any idea he was doing that, so it ended up starting my broadcasting career," Dawson said.
Not only did he remain a major figure in Kansas City, he also became well known for a groundbreaking national show on HBO called "Inside the NFL."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.klcc.org/klcc-business-and-economy-news/klcc-business-and-economy-news/2022-08-24/len-dawson-kansas-city-chiefs-quarterback-and-broadcasting-legend-dies-at-87 | 2022-08-25T00:51:08Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/klcc-business-and-economy-news/klcc-business-and-economy-news/2022-08-24/len-dawson-kansas-city-chiefs-quarterback-and-broadcasting-legend-dies-at-87 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A MARTINEZ, HOST:
It's been six months since Russia launched its full-scale invasion on Ukraine.
RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:
Now it is a war of attrition, with both sides seeing heavy casualties. The war has led to a global food crisis, inflation across the world and devastation in Ukraine.
MARTINEZ: NPR's Elissa Nadworny joins us now from Kyiv. Elissa, heard it was a restless night for people in Ukraine.
ELISSA NADWORNY, BYLINE: That's right. Yeah, we started our day here in Kyiv with a 6:30 a.m. air raid siren. Actually, most of Ukraine woke up that way. And there's been more here since then. Several cities last night had missile strikes, but in the capital so far, the streets are mostly quiet. There's a larger military and police presence here. Both Ukrainian officials and U.S. intelligence agencies have said Russia is likely to increase attacks on civilian infrastructure and government buildings in the coming days here. And the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv issued a new security alert this week and urged U.S. citizens to leave the country.
MARTINEZ: And all this as Ukraine celebrates its independence from the Soviet Union 31 years ago. What's the mood like there?
NADWORNY: That's right, yeah. Well, there's a lot of emotion, certainly. I mean, it's not lost on Ukrainians that they are celebrating their independence while actively fighting for independence. I spoke with a husband and wife about this, Igor and Olha Lysenko. Let's listen.
IGOR LYSENKO: I feel more independence in this day than any day in the year before.
OLHA LYSENKO: (Non-English language spoken).
NADWORNY: So Olha is saying she really didn't pay attention to the holiday before. It was a date to party, go to a concert. But now the holiday has new meaning, and she said it's really important to her.
MARTINEZ: Elissa, you're in Kyiv. Are there any celebrations there?
NADWORNY: Well, public celebrations are banned here in the capital. There's a curfew. A lot of people we've talked to are laying low, working from home, or they're getting out of town, heading west. The city did kind of celebrate in a way. They placed these wrecked and burned-out Russian tanks along the city's main boulevard. I was out there last night, and it was packed, thousands of people taking a look. That's where I met Rooslana Harbizouk. She was out with her two kids.
ROOSLANA HARBIZOUK: (Non-English language spoken).
NADWORNY: She told me, this year, she's feeling more sad than celebratory. She's still a bit afraid. She's going to be extra careful today. But, you know, she's saying Ukraine, she believes, is still going to win the war, and like many Ukrainians, she isn't ready to give up territory.
MARTINEZ: You know, back at the beginning of the war, businesses and industries pretty much shut down. They shut down normal operations and were only making weapons or even Molotov cocktails. Is that still happening?
NADWORNY: So we're definitely out of the Molotov cocktail phase, but this country - it feels like there's two Ukraines. Here in Kyiv, businesses are back. Restaurants are open. In a lot of ways, life is closer to normal. But in places like Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, closer to the front lines or on the border with Russia, it's a totally different story - shelling most nights, many, many businesses still shuttered. Really, two different worlds.
MARTINEZ: Yeah. Elissa, let's take a step back for a second. I mean, after six months, what's been the cost for Ukraine?
NADWORNY: So after six months, Russia now occupies about a fifth, 20%, of Ukraine. So we're talking a lot of land. And then, you know, it's also had a really devastating effect on the people here. Infrastructure is damaged in many places. Take schools - you know, the school year is set to get underway way here next week, but more than 2,000 schools have been damaged. Almost 300 have been destroyed. According to the U.N., more than 12 million people have been displaced. About half of them have left the country and are spread out across Europe.
MARTINEZ: NPR's Elissa Nadworny in Kyiv, Ukraine. Elissa, thanks a lot.
NADWORNY: Thank you.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
MARTINEZ: Poll results are in for Florida's primary.
MARTIN: Right. And Democrat Charlie Crist will be facing incumbent Republican Governor Ron DeSantis in the November general election. Crist served as Florida's governor before, more than a decade ago, when he was still a Republican. He is now a Democrat and a member of Congress who has his sights set on returning to the governor's mansion in Tallahassee.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
CHARLIE CRIST: We can unite Democrats, independents and many Republicans who care about our Florida, and we will defeat Ron DeSantis.
(CHEERING)
MARTINEZ: NPR's Greg Allen has been following all of this in Miami. Greg, Crist won the nomination over a younger leader in the party, Florida's Agriculture Secretary Nikki Fried. Now can he unseat Ron DeSantis?
GREG ALLEN, BYLINE: Well, that will be a difficult task, one that Crist says he's up for. DeSantis is very popular among Republicans in Florida. It's akin to the loyalty we saw Trump receive from Republicans nationally. DeSantis has more than $130 million currently in the bank. That gets him more than enough money to blanket Florida's 10 media markets with ads. He rolled one out yesterday that's gotten some attention. To take off on the Tom Cruise "Top Gun" films, it shows DeSantis wearing a jumpsuit and helmet in the cockpit of a fighter jet.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
RON DESANTIS: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. This is your governor speaking. Today's training evolution - dogfighting, taking on the corporate media. The rules...
ALLEN: It's an ad that kind of highlights DeSantis' pugnacious style, and it's likely going to play well with his supporters.
MARTINEZ: Now, how do you expect that Charlie Crist will respond? I mean, will he have enough money to run an effective campaign?
ALLEN: Well, this is going to be a very high-profile campaign that gets a lot of attention nationally, and donations from both candidates will flow in from around the country. One consultant I spoke with said that Crist should get at least 50 or $60 million at least to work with, more than enough to run his ads. In terms of themes, here's an ad that Crist has already been running.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
CRIST: Think about what's at stake in Florida. Governor Ron DeSantis bullies schoolchildren. He wants to outlaw abortion, even for victims of rape and incest. He opposes any background checks on guns, even for violent criminals. And he cares more about running for the White House than your house.
ALLEN: You know, Charlie Crist is a very familiar name in Florida. This would be his seventh run for statewide office, and that brings pros and cons with it. Democrats hope he can be a reassuring voice who will appeal to Democrats and independents. The question will be whether he can generate enough enthusiasm among Democrats to bring out large numbers of voters to the polls.
MARTINEZ: Greg, what about DeSantis? I mean, what kind of campaign do you expect that he'll run?
ALLEN: Well, he's fought with the Biden administration over COVID policy and immigration, and he'll continue to highlight that battle. He's really embraced culture wars issues. And by that, I mean things like abortion ban, which is signed after 15 weeks. He's taken aim at transgender athletes and worked to restrict transition medical care for minors. He's signed what he's called his anti-woke legislation, which restricts how issues involving race are discussed in the schools and even in corporate training materials. And that's being tied up in the courts right now. The talk about ideas being woke has become a major campaign theme for him, and he's using it to build his national stature as he considers a possible bid for the White House.
Last week, he was in Pennsylvania campaigning with the Republican gubernatorial nominee there, Doug Mastriano.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
DESANTIS: We must fight the woke in our schools. We must fight the woke in our businesses. We must fight the woke in government agencies. We can never, ever surrender to woke ideology.
(CHEERING)
ALLEN: Another thing that is in DeSantis' favor is that Florida, which has long been considered a swing state, has trended more and more Republican in recent years. Democrats held a voter registration edge for many years, but that's no longer the case. There are now more registered Republicans than Democrats in Florida now. And every official elected statewide in the last election, except for one, is Republican.
MARTINEZ: That's NPR's Greg Allen previewing the race for governor in Florida. Greg, thanks.
ALLEN: You're welcome.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
MARTINEZ: A former Louisville detective has admitted that she falsified the search warrant that led to the police killing of Breonna Taylor and lied to investigators about it afterwards.
MARTIN: Kelly Goodlett pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge in Louisville, Ky. She is one of four white former police officers charged in the case. Breonna Taylor was a 26-year-old Black woman, and her killing helped set off a wave of protests over police brutality all across this country and beyond in 2020.
MARTINEZ: Billy Kobin of The Courier-Journal has been covering this story. He joins us now from Louisville. Billy, Breonna Taylor was shot and killed by police in 2020. Tell us what was learned in court and what's happening with this case.
BILLY KOBIN: Yesterday, Kelly Hanna Goodlett pleaded guilty, as y'all said. And basically, it was a pretty standard hearing in which she was expected to plead guilty, and that's what she did. As she appeared, she mostly answered questions from the judge yesterday in federal court, saying, you know, yes, your honor, and yes, ma'am, in terms of understanding the charges against her.
And then the prosecution with the Department of Justice laid out, again, some of the facts, which are that she helped basically lie on a search warrant that was obtained to search Breonna Taylor's apartment in March of 2020 and that she then worked with another detective at the time to kind of come up with a story that they would tell investigators that was false to connect Breonna to a former boyfriend who had been convicted of drug dealing. And that's how officers kind of got the way in to her apartment.
MARTINEZ: Billy, what was the courtroom like? You were in there. I mean, what was the reaction of Breonna Taylor's mom?
KOBIN: Sure. Tamika Palmer, who is Breonna's mom, was there. There was not much reaction yesterday inside the federal courtroom. It's usually very, you know, protected. Nobody is allowed to have phones. Nobody is really allowed to, you know, shout, whereas sometimes in state court hearings, you have people with phones, and you might hear more gasps and reactions. So it was very kind of muted and serious and kind of straightforward. And then after the hearing, Ms. Palmer did not come outside immediately to talk with any reporters. No attorneys came outside. So it was very kind of a faster hearing yesterday and then no real reaction afterwards.
Ms. Palmer was wearing a shirt that said say her name on the back. And she later did post on her Instagram feed a photo of Goodlett, the detective, that basically said, Kelly Hanna Goodlett pleads guilty to federal charge. But that was about it as way of reaction yesterday.
MARTINEZ: You mentioned Goodlett. What's in store for her and the other officers charged in this case?
KOBIN: So the judge and prosecutors and defense agreed yesterday to schedule a sentencing hearing for November. However, the judge said that the hearing for Ms. Goodlett is likely to get delayed, given that there are several detectives who are also obviously charged - and officers, I should say. The other sentencing hearings are currently scheduled for October, but those also could get delayed, given the complexity of the different cases. So we'll have to wait and see what happens there.
MARTINEZ: That's Billy Kobin of The Courier-Journal in Louisville. Billy, thanks.
KOBIN: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. | https://www.klcc.org/klcc-business-and-economy-news/klcc-business-and-economy-news/2022-08-24/news-brief-russia-ukraine-war-florida-governors-race-breonna-taylor-case | 2022-08-25T00:51:21Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/klcc-business-and-economy-news/klcc-business-and-economy-news/2022-08-24/news-brief-russia-ukraine-war-florida-governors-race-breonna-taylor-case | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:
Today marks six months since Vladimir Putin's forces invaded Ukraine with the intention of taking over the entire country. It is also supposed to be a holiday - Ukrainian Independence Day marking 31 years since the country gained its independence from what was then the Soviet Union. Over the last six months, the U.S. and its allies have delivered weapons and other support to Ukrainian forces. Just this morning, President Biden announced that the U.S. will provide Kyiv with a further $3 billion in military aid. For a look at how that funding commitment has evolved over time, we're joined by NPR's national security correspondent Greg Myre. Greg, how have the kinds of weapons the U.S. has sent to Ukraine changed, especially over the last six months?
GREG MYRE, BYLINE: Well, it's been pretty dramatic. At the beginning of the war, the U.S. was only sending these small weapons - Javelin or Stinger missiles that were fired by an individual soldier. And the message really was, we want to help you, but perhaps not all that much because we think the Russians could overrun Ukraine pretty quickly. But since Ukrainians fought back with such fierceness and determination, we've seen increasingly larger weapons, many of them artillery guns. And now Ukraine has these HIMARS that can fire rockets close to 50 miles and are very precise. Ukraine is now striking far behind the Russian frontlines. So the weapons keep evolving as the war evolves.
MARTIN: Right. But I mean, can the West keep supplying Ukraine at the same level indefinitely?
MYRE: Well, it almost certainly could. I think the real question is whether the U.S. and NATO become weary of an open-ended military commitment, and it may want to look for diplomatic solutions. Now, the U.S. is by far the main weapons supplier, and Congress approved this $40 billion aid package. A little more than half of it is military. And we see the U.S. announcing new tranches every few weeks. At this pace, the U.S. could keep supplying Ukraine, certainly through the end of the year and perhaps into early next year. So the weapons should keep flowing for at least another several months. But the U.S. and Europe will have to decide how long they're willing to sustain this.
MARTIN: Right. And meanwhile, there are other needs, right? I mean, what about humanitarian aid, money needed to keep the Ukrainian government going, just the overall economy?
MYRE: Right. And that's where the other part of this U.S. package comes in. The U.S. is giving significant financial and humanitarian aid as well, but Ukraine needs an estimated $5 billion a month to keep the government running, keep the economy functioning. And we are going to be seeing a crunch pretty soon. Millions of Ukrainians are displaced. Fall and winter is coming fast, and that will require even extra help in terms of energy and other services.
MARTIN: So, I mean, we're always looking to how this ends, right? And Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in this speech he gave to mark Independence Day that Ukraine intends to retake the regions that are occupied now by Russia, that any negotiated settlement to end the war cannot allow Russia to hold those areas. Do Ukrainians think that that is realistic?
MYRE: Well, probably some do, and some don't, but I think they would agree with President Zelenskyy. They're always quick to note that Russia invaded in 2014 and has been occupying part of their country for eight years. And they say they just can't concede territory because Russia will simply swallow Ukraine in bites and that they believe that if they concede territory now, it wouldn't end the conflict. It would just put a hold on things, and then Russia would decide to strike again at some future date of its choosing.
MARTIN: NPR's Greg Myre, thank you.
MYRE: My pleasure. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. | https://www.klcc.org/klcc-business-and-economy-news/klcc-business-and-economy-news/2022-08-24/over-months-the-u-s-and-allies-delivered-weapons-and-other-support-to-ukraine | 2022-08-25T00:51:27Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/klcc-business-and-economy-news/klcc-business-and-economy-news/2022-08-24/over-months-the-u-s-and-allies-delivered-weapons-and-other-support-to-ukraine | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
KYIV, Ukraine — Six months ago, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine. The half-year mark comes on the same day — Aug. 24 — as a national holiday celebrating Ukraine's independence from the Soviet Union, an event in 1991 noted for its lack of bloodshed. Today the holiday takes on new meaning for many Ukrainians, as the country continues to fight in what it calls a new "war for independence."
Over the course of six months, the war has captured the world's attention, disrupted the global distribution of food and fuel and left the country reeling. To understand some of the war's impact on Ukraine, here are six key numbers:
1. Over 13 million Ukrainians have been displaced
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has prompted Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. Since February, more than 13 million people have been forced to flee their homes, according to the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR. Nearly 6.7 million refugees have dispersed across Europe, with Poland taking in the largest share. Another 6.6 million people are internally displaced within Ukraine.
Most Ukrainians who have fled the country are women and children, as the government has barred men ages 18 to 60 from leaving. The European Union's migration department says almost 500,000 Ukrainian children have been integrated into schools in EU countries.
Meanwhile, as the war has stretched on and shifted course, many Ukrainians are going back home. According to a survey by the International Organization for Migration, 5.5 million previously displaced people have returned home.
2. Tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians may have lost their lives in the war
Both sides have reported losing military personnel since the invasion began in February. Exact figures are hard to come by, since each country is reluctant to admit losses and often inflates the number of enemy fighters they've killed.
Gen. Valeriy Zaluzhny, commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed forces, said this week at a public forum that Ukraine has lost 9,000 military personnel. The Ukrainian military has also claimed to have killed or wounded 45,200 Russian military personnel, with the largest losses in the eastern Donetsk and southern Mykolaiv regions.
Meanwhile, the U.N. human rights office has documented nearly 5,600 civilians killed in Ukraine during the conflict but believes the actual toll is much higher.
Russia has been releasing scant information on military casualties. Officials there said 1,351 of their own soldiers died in the first weeks of the war, in March, but have not released updated data since. Independent Russian news outlet iStories says it counted (through open-source information) more than 5,000 Russian service members killed, but that the true number could be higher.
In March, Russian military officials estimated Ukrainian losses at around 14,000 killed and 16,000 out of action.
3. Russia occupies 20% of Ukrainian land
In 2014, Russia invaded and annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine. Soon Russian-backed militants declared their intent to separate from Ukraine in the country's far east, launching a conflict that's been locked in a stalemate for nearly eight years.
In February, Russians controlled around 17,000 square miles of Ukrainian land, according to Ukraine's mission to the U.N. — Crimea being the size of Maryland and the self-proclaimed independent "republics" in Ukraine's east amounting to a territory about the size of New Jersey.
Six months into the full-scale invasion, Russia has expanded its territory in Ukraine almost threefold. In June, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia has occupied 20% of the country, or about 47,000 square miles. That's a territory about the size of New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware and much of Maryland combined.
The line of contact between Russian and Ukrainian forces extends 570 miles, as of Monday.
4. Dozens of countries have pledged billions of dollars in military aid since the war began
Dozens of countries have supplied Ukraine with military assistance, including weapons systems and training. The bulk of the aid has come from the U.S. With President Biden's announcement Wednesday of another $3 billion, Washington has now committed $10.6 billion in security aid since Russia's February invasion. Billions more will be coming from an aid package passed in May.
On Ukrainian battlefields, Australia has become synonymous with the 88 armored vehicles it's provided, Turkey is known for its roughly 80 combat drones, Britain for the 22,000 soldiers it trained. Other countries have offered logistical support, like the 3.2 million gallons of diesel and jet fuel Slovakia provided.
When it comes to economic warfare, EU member states plus another 18 countries have levied individual sanctions against Russia in the past six months. But experts warn the sanctions could have a limited effect on Russia's export potential, as two-thirds of the world's population is concentrated in the countries that have either stayed neutral or supported Russia, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit.
5. Ukraine's economy could shrink by as much as 45% because of the invasion
The invasion has devastated Ukraine's economy across the board. The World Bank estimated in April that the Ukrainian economy could shrink by 45% this year. Last week, Ukraine's economy minister said the country's gross domestic product of $200.9 billion in 2021 is likely to contract between 35% and 40% by the end of the year.
The conflict has cost Ukraine over $113.5 billion in damage, the Kyiv School of Economics says, with housing and transportation infrastructure hit particularly hard. KSE says the country will need upwards of $200 billion to recover.
Meanwhile, Reuters reports that Ukraine's Agriculture Ministry says grain exports are down 46% from last year due to a five-month blockade of the country's Black Sea ports. And despite a U.N.-brokered deal reached in July to allow food shipments to depart Ukraine, the agriculture sector is still expected to take a huge hit. The country's steel industry has also taken a beating.
Ukraine has lots of friends throughout the world who are trying to help keep its economy afloat. The U.S. alone has already pledged $8.5 billion in financial assistance to Kyiv this year to keep government offices open and staffed and utilities working. Meanwhile, the European Union has given billions of euros to Ukraine since February, and has recently fashioned a package to give 8 billion euros more in financial aid over the next six months.
6. Bake sales, spare change and "St. Javelin" have raised over $500 million in private money to help Ukraine
In February, a Canadian-Ukrainian writer, Christian Borys, and California artist Chris Shaw created a meme of a woman appearing like the Virgin Mary holding a rocket launcher. Borys called it "St. Javelin," after the U.S.-supplied anti-tank missiles. Since then, he's formed the meme into a brand that has sold more than $3 million worth of stickers and other merchandise to help Ukraine.
Borys' initiative is one of hundreds like it.
In June, Ukrainian TV personality Serhiy Prytula asked his fans to buy him a Turkish-made drone priced at $5 million. He ended up raising $55 million. Baykar, the company that makes the drone, refused to take the money. Instead, the company donated three drones. In August, Prytula used the funds he raised to purchase a reconnaissance satellite for Ukrainian intelligence.
As of July, Ukraine's National Bank reports to have collected $530 million in donations for the Ukrainian military — mostly from people rounding up at shop cash registers and fundraisers in the country. On Tuesday, residents of the small western Ukrainian town of Dubno raised $866.55 at a bake sale and flea market for the military.
Julian Hayda reported from Kamianets-Podilskyi, Ashley Westerman from Lviv and Elissa Nadworny from Kyiv. Polina Lytvynova contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
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DAVE DAVIES, HOST:
This is FRESH AIR. I'm Dave Davies, in for Terry Gross, who's off this week. In 1941, millions of Americans were shocked when Japanese forces attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor. Our guest today, Michael Beckley, begins his new book with co-author Hal Brands by positing the notion that the Chinese military could take advantage of a disputed election result in the United States in 2025 to attack Taiwan and, in the process, hit a U.S. aircraft carrier with a ballistic missile, provoking a war between China and the United States.
Beckley and Brands' book argues that China is making increasingly aggressive moves against its neighbors in Asia and defining its future in terms of a strategic battle with the United States for influence in a changing world. Beckley writes that, in recent years, China has embarked on a military buildup unlike any since World War II. The book argues that China today fits the profile of a dangerous adversary, a rising power that has reached a point where its growth seems to have peaked and its leaders become increasingly reckless in striking out against rivals allying against them.
Michael Beckley is an associate professor of political science at Tufts University who's written widely on China. He's a former fellow at Harvard's Kennedy School and is currently a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. His co-author, Hal Brands, is a professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Their new book is "Danger Zone: The Coming Conflict With China."
Well, Michael Beckley, welcome to FRESH AIR. I wanted to begin with a recent controversy. You know, your opening anecdote is about, you know, an imagined attack by China on Taiwan, which draws the U.S. into the conflict. And, you know, recently, U.S. - United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, and there was reporting that said that President Biden's national security team thought this was a bad idea. Some thought it was reckless and provocative. Others said, good that she's standing up for democracy in the authoritarian Chinese state. What's your take? Was this a good idea for her to make this trip?
MICHAEL BECKLEY: I understand the logic. I mean, for the past year and a half, China has carried out the most provocative and sustained show of force in the Taiwan Strait in more than a generation, sending warships and combat aircraft across the median line towards Taiwan. I also understand Nancy Pelosi's logic, just wanting to cement her legacy as someone who has always stood up for human rights and has been tough on China. But from a strategic perspective, I think that this was almost an example of what not to do.
And I think it's important to note that the Chinese looked at this visit in the context of what they view as a slippery slope of the United States changing its Taiwan policy. There has been massive arms sales to Taiwan in recent years. There's been a steady stream of high-ranking officials, Cabinet secretaries, congressional delegations. President Biden has said three times that the United States will defend Taiwan and that it's a commitment that the United States has made. That would be a sort of new interpretation of the Taiwan Relations Act. And there's legislation pending on Capitol Hill that would upgrade America's relationship with Taiwan or upgrade Taiwan's international status.
So for the Chinese, this was a very provocative maneuver, and I'm just not sure there's really much strategic payoff in poking a dragon before you've had the time to really get the military weapons and other - and your strategy together to back up your claims.
DAVIES: It's interesting that in the book, you know, when you have this chilling opening anecdote where China attacks Taiwan and then the United States is simply not yet in a position to mount a meaningful military response - it doesn't have the kind of assets it would need nearby to resist - and having already had one of its ships attacked, it must - then considers a tactical nuclear weapon. I mean, this is a pretty chilling notion. Is this realistic? Could this happen in three years?
BECKLEY: I think - so a major war is always unlikely, but I think the likelihood of war in the Taiwan Strait is higher than it's been certainly in a generation. I mean, every - you know, it's important to note that every Chinese leader has said Taiwan is going to be reabsorbed; it's just a matter of when and how. I think up until about 2016, China's approach, with some glaring exceptions, was relatively peaceful. They basically tried to buy reunification by forging deep economic links with Taiwan.
But what's changed is that strategy has clearly not worked. Taiwan's people have become more and more determined to maintain their de facto independence. And so as these peaceful reunification options have disappeared, China has started turning to military options. And we fear that China right now has a window of opportunity because it's coming off of about a 10-year period of just churning out ammunition, churning out warships at a rate we haven't seen from any country since World War II. And at the same time, the United States and Taiwan have been slow to respond to China's modernization, to spread out their forces, to harden them.
And so there is this possibility of China carrying out a Pearl Harbor-style strike on - not just on Taiwan's bases but on the two American bases on Okinawa, which are the only American bases within 500 miles of Taiwan, as a way to cripple the United States in route to taking Taiwan.
DAVIES: Let's talk about some of the book's broader thesis, that you can see China - apart just from just Taiwan, that you can see China becoming aggressive on a whole number of fronts. One of them you've already mentioned - this huge military buildup, shipbuilding on a huge scale. Another thing is they've been building islands in the South China Sea. A lot of people probably don't realize you can build an island. I guess they build on existing coral reefs or whatever. What are they doing? What's the significance of that?
BECKLEY: So, you know, China has built up at least seven artificial islands in the South China Sea and has militarized them - put, you know, guns and airstrips and ports for naval ships on them. And I think this reflects part of China's response to its peaking power, which is to carve out a territorial empire. I mean, according to the Chinese narrative, there are lost Chinese territories that need to be taken back, and that includes roughly 80% of the South China Sea.
And I think there are - you know, from China's perspective, they see it as legitimate security concerns because they are critically and chronically dependent on foreign markets and resources. Roughly 40% of their economy is wrapped up in international trade versus for the U.S., it's something like 20%. And China imports 80% of its oil, computer chips, advanced manufacturing equipment, advanced medical devices. It's the largest food importer in the world. And 90-plus percent of that trade flows through the South China Sea.
DAVIES: And it's interesting when you describe them needing to preserve their access to foreign markets and foreign resources, it reminds you a lot of Japan in the 1930s, when they had this big industrial economy, and that led it to increasingly provocative moves, you know, annexing Manchuria, then attacking China. I mean, part of your thesis here is that China is at a point kind of like Japan in the '30s. Are there other examples of this in history that you see where, you know, kind of growing imperial powers or powerful nations reach a point where they're - where they feel stuck and threatened and then become more reckless?
BECKLEY: Yeah, so we've - we looked at every case over the last 200 years where you had a peaking power, one - you know, one that has been rising for a long time, growing like gangbusters, growing in international power and prestige. But then either because its economy slows down or other countries start to encircle it or both, their power - they worry - they have to worry that their power is going to decline. And they're the most dangerous kind of country because, on the one hand, this era of a rapid rise has equipped them with the money and the muscle to shake up the world. But then this fear of future decline gives them the motive to move aggressively in the short term.
And we've seen this throughout history. These peaking powers don't mellow out and dial back their ambitions; they crack down at home to secure their regime, and then they expand abroad to secure their economic lifelines, to beat back rivals - basically, to try to rekindle their rise or just grab what they can before it's too late. You mentioned that Japanese example. We also highlight Germany, you know, starts World War I in large part because it thinks it's about to get crushed in a Russian and French vise with an assist from Britain. So they had to beat back that ring of fire that was going around them.
You know, we even look at Putin's Russia today. I mean, Russia was a resurgent power in the 2000s, banging out 8% economic growth rates annually and largely because of high oil prices. Then when the oil prices collapsed after 2009, it drags down Russia's economy and Putin's popularity with it. He tries to revive Russia's fortunes by pressuring former Soviet states to join a Russian customs union, basically trying to treat them as economic vassals of Russia. Ukraine says, basically, thanks, but no thanks. We'd rather sign a big trade deal with the EU, and we know how that turned out. So this pattern has played out over and over again. It's the rise, followed by the fear of a coming fall. And now it looks like China is walking down this very ugly path.
DAVIES: You know, we'll talk about some more of the evidence on - about this argument. But it strikes me that, you know, I see this as accurately describing some of the nations or imperial powers in history. But I wonder - you know, it isn't true of all of them. I mean, look at the British Empire. I mean, it certainly, you know, had - it ruled much of the world, you know, a couple of hundred years ago and then went into decline. And, you know, it didn't get reckless and invade France. I mean, there is the prospect that enlightened leadership can find other ways to manage decline and, you know, without becoming so reckless. Do you think - I don't know. Can you be sure this fits?
BECKLEY: Yeah, absolutely. So there's lots of other cases that are not nearly as extreme as, say, Imperial Germany or Imperial Japan. I would point out, though, that none of these peaking powers just kind of sat back. They all went out abroad. It's just that some didn't necessarily need to batter their way through a ring of encirclement. The two main factors that can lead to a more peaceful outcome are, first of all, if the peaking power has good trade prospects. So if, like, international markets are open, it can rely more on free trade rather than economic empire building to kind of rekindle its economic growth. And the second is actually the regime type. We found that authoritarian regimes tend to be more aggressive because you have these tight links between big business there that want to expand abroad in an imperial fashion, that kind of push the regime into much more aggressive policies. They also worry much more about their legitimacy.
So there are cases that ended up somewhat more peaceful. So the United States at the end of the 19th century, you know, after the Civil War, there was, like, this big economic boom. But then in the 1880s, there are a series of major depressions. And people start to freak out that because the Americans had expanded across the continent, they were running out of investment opportunities. There was excess capacity. And this creates a surge of American imperialism, where it starts to pump exports and investment into Latin America and Asia, then build a big, powerful navy to defend those investments, then annex territory in order to defend those. And so, you know, it didn't lead to a world war, but it certainly wasn't peaceful.
You could look more recently - so, for example, France in the post-war era, you know, after World War II, it has this economic boom. That peters out in the 1970s. And the French respond by basically trying to reconstitute their old sphere of influence in Africa. They deploy 14,000 troops there to their former colonies. They undertake a dozen military interventions. So these weren't catastrophic wars. But, you know, when times get tough, these peaking powers tend to get moving in various ways. And it can drag them into conflicts that even they have no interest in being in, but they just end up involving themselves in just trying to save their own trajectory.
DAVIES: We need to take a break here. Let me reintroduce you. We are speaking with Michael Beckley. He's an associate professor of political science at Tufts University. His new book with Johns Hopkins professor Hal Brands is "Danger Zone: The Coming Conflict With China." We'll be back to talk more after this short break. I'm Dave Davies, and this is FRESH AIR.
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DAVIES: This is FRESH AIR. And we're speaking with Tufts University associate professor and China specialist Michael Beckley. His new book with Johns Hopkins professor Hal Brands argues that China is beset by internal problems and international challenges, and its leaders are increasingly aggressive toward its neighbors in Asia and the United States. Their new book is "Danger Zone: The Coming Conflict With China."
So there's plenty of signs that China is building up militarily and becoming more aggressive in trying to influence its neighbors and others around the world. Let's talk about some of the ways that you argue that this is actually born in part of weakness in China, concerns about that the future won't be as bright as the recent past. One of the things is economic stagnation. The Chinese claim that their economic growth rate is about 6%, which would make most economists happy in most places. What's the real story?
BECKLEY: So there's been a number of systematic studies that essentially conclude the real growth rate is somewhere around half of what is normally reported. These are studies that use objectively measurable indicators. Like, you can see how much electricity is being used at night, you know, and that can be used as a proxy. Or you can use combinations of different industrial indexes to compile sort of a basic thing. In fact, China's No. 2 official in charge, Li Keqiang, invented his own index because he himself could not rely on China's doctored GDP numbers. They call it the Li Keqiang index. So I think you have to take China's growth statistics with a grain of salt.
I think the more troubling problem for China, though, is just that the quality of its economic growth has deteriorated significantly over the last 10 years. Productivity, you know, making more output for every unit of input, that's what you need to really grow your wealth. That's actually been declining for a decade now in China. So China's spending more and more to produce less and less. And they've essentially kept their growth rates up by force-feeding capital through the system, just round after round of massive stimulus spending. And the obvious result of that is a huge increase in debt. China's debt load is three times bigger than the size of its entire economy and rising quickly and just a lot of wasted assets - bridges to nowhere, ghost cities.
DAVIES: Yeah. You're - this is astonishing to read that they've built 50 ghost cities, essentially these empty apartment buildings and malls and airports that are standing there. I mean, how does that happen? I mean, did they anticipate people moving in and it didn't happen?
BECKLEY: Yeah. I mean, you have to separate the interests of Chinese state-owned enterprises that just want contracts to build stuff. I mean, they'd be happy to dig a hole and fill it back up if they're making money on it. But the problem is that this investment-driven economy - and we've seen this in so many other cases - is going to be extremely wasteful. You're going to build a lot of assets that don't really generate economic value. And the problem is the people that are building the stuff, they make out like - you know, like bandits, but the nation, as a whole, has its wealth drained on wasting assets. You can look at videos online right now of them bulldozing buildings that aren't even finished yet. So that, I think, just illustrates the type of problem that they're dealing with.
DAVIES: And you say this has generated a huge debt for China. Who is the money owed to?
BECKLEY: Well, the vast majority is to China itself. So, you know, Chinese people - there are tight controls on what you can do with your money if you're a Chinese citizen. You basically have to put it in a state-owned bank where you are paid either - the interest you're paid, it doesn't keep track with inflation, so the value of your savings actually declines. And that just gives the regime, you know, a huge pile of cash to do all sorts of - this is why the Chinese government has so much money.
And, you know, my Chinese friends have told me, you know, the Chinese government is rich, but the people are poor 'cause their only options are to invest in real estate, which were seen as a giant bubble, or to play around on China's stock market, which most people think is rigged and not very safe for your average Joe. You know, this is through what they call a process of financial repression. You know, you're able to just extract the wealth from the people and then use it for national purposes. The problem is this opens up the floodgates to corruption because you have high-level officials being able to work with people's money, and they're just not accountable to those people.
DAVIES: All right. So if you have slower growth in the system, which basically transfers assets, money from the people to the government and state-owned enterprises, this is not good for a population that has become used to growing wages and increased opportunity. What does that create for the regime?
BECKLEY: It creates a big legitimacy problem because for decades, the Chinese Communist Party said, look, we may not give you political and civil rights, but we are going to make your bank accounts grow every year. You will be better off than your parents and certainly much better off than your grandparents. So - and it's just much easier - anyone in government will tell you it's just easier to govern when growth is high because the gravy train of patronage is humming. You know, you can pay off opponents, you can bribe your cronies, and you can keep the people happy.
But without that machine moving, the regime has to find another source of legitimacy. It has to explain why it deserves the right to rule in perpetuity in China. And that means going back to the pre-1978 forms of legitimacy, which was largely aggression and internal repression and delivering beatings and detention to the Chinese people, and dialing up nationalism, saying, look, we may not be growing as fast, but we are still going to make China great. We're surrounded by enemies, and so we need to rally together as a nation. I mean, we've just - again, we've seen this historically, that when the economic times get hard, the regime usually dials up nationalism as a way to rally the people around the regime.
DAVIES: You know, there's one other problem that you note that China is going to face increasingly in coming years. And this is, basically, the demographics of its - the aging of its population. And this is due to its, you know, one-child policy of years back. And explain what happened here and what it's going to mean for China.
BECKLEY: So China is about to have probably the most severe aging crunch we've ever seen, and it has a lot to do with its peculiar population history. So basically, in the 1950s and '60s, the government incentivized Chinese families to have lots of children to boost the population, which had been decimated by decades of war and famine. And Chinese families obliged. The population surges 80% in 30 years.
But then in the late 1970s, the government starts worried about overcrowding and implements the infamous one-child policy. And so for the past three decades, you've had this massive baby boom generation in the prime of their working lives with few elderly parents to care for because so many had died in the wars and famines, and they had few children to care for 'cause they weren't allowed to have them. And so this population was primed for productivity. Demographers think this alone explains at least a quarter of China's rapid growth over the last 30 years. China had anywhere between 10 to 15 workers for every retiree in its population. That's two to three times the global average. It's five times what the United States currently has. And so it grew extremely quickly.
But now, that is all flipping. Essentially, you know, China is running out of people. That baby boom generation is retiring and falling onto the backs of a tiny one-child generation. Just between now and the early 2030s, China's going to lose 70 million working-age adults. It's going to gain 130 million senior citizens. That's like taking an entire France of workers and consumers and taxpayers out of your economy and then adding an entire Japan of elderly pensioners. And this is going to happen in just over ten years from now. That 10 to 1 ratio I mentioned is going to collapse to 2 to 1 - two workers to support every retiree by the late 2030. So it's really a very dire situation.
DAVIES: We need to take another break here. Let me reintroduce you. We're speaking with Michael Beckley. He's an associate professor of political science at Tufts University. His new book with Johns Hopkins professor Hal Brands is "Danger Zone: The Coming Conflict With China." We'll be back to talk more after this short break. I'm Dave Davies, and this is FRESH AIR.
(SOUNDBITE OF ERIC DOLPHY'S "HAT AND BEARD")
DAVIES: This is FRESH AIR. I'm Dave Davies, in for Terry Gross, who's off this week. We're speaking with Tufts University associate professor and China specialist Michael Beckley. His new book with Johns Hopkins professor Hal Brands argues that China is becoming increasingly aggressive towards its neighbors in Asia and increasingly hostile toward the United States. They say China is particularly dangerous now because it's beset by internal problems and international opposition that could make its leaders more reckless. The book is "Danger Zone: The Coming Conflict With China."
You know, you write that there's a geographic reality which distinguishes China and increases the likelihood that it will be aggressive and reckless. So you say that, you know, the United States is lucky in that it is surrounded by friends and fish. That is to say its immediate neighbors, Canada and Mexico - it - are not a threat. And then the other - and then are oceans. China, by contrast, is surrounded by 20 nations - not all friendly, some quite populous and powerful. How does this fit into the picture?
BECKLEY: Yeah. So China is in an extremely rough neighborhood. It's surrounded by 19 countries, most of which are very powerful, or they're unstable or some combination of those two things. I mean, if you've ever played Risk, you know that holding Eurasia is almost impossible. And that's basically what China has to do every single day.
And, you know, for most of modern Chinese history, this vise has absolutely crushed China. So for more than 100 years, from the first Opium War in 1839 until the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, the country just gets ripped apart by imperialist powers. It collapses into two of the worst civil wars in history. And then even after the Chinese Communist Party unifies the country in 1949, it immediately becomes America's No. 1 enemy. And then in 1960, China's alliance with the Soviet Union falls apart. And China was the chief enemy of both Cold War superpowers.
So it's not until the 1970s that China has gotten some reprieve from this vise. But now things are changing because, you know, for a variety of reasons - COVID, China's own aggressive behavior - negative views of China around the world have soared to highs we haven't seen since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Even countries that used to lean towards China and depend on it economically, like South Korea - you know, South Koreans now dislike China more than they dislike Japan, which is remarkable given the brutality that Japan inflicted on South Korea in their history. And this anti-China sentiment now is starting to congeal into concrete pushback. So it's bringing back that specter of a tightening vise around China.
You're seeing for - militarily, a sort of double-layered military barrier emerging. So the inside layer are China's immediate neighbors. You know, Japan is doubling its defense spending. Taiwan is revamping its military. Vietnam is stocking up on mobile missile launchers and mines. And they're all basically just trying to turn themselves into prickly porcupines that can push China away from their coastlines. And at the same time, you have this outside layer of democratic powers - obviously the United States, but also Australia, the United Kingdom, India - that are providing aid and arms to China's neighbors, you know, building them up and sailing their warships through waters that China says are - is Chinese territory.
So you just see this new - this strategic encirclement starting to build. And what we've seen in the past - I mean, we mentioned the Germany pre-World War I sort of nightmare example. You know, great powers tend to react quite negatively. They try to batter their way and break the ring of encirclement before it tightens and crushes their expansionist objectives.
DAVIES: You've argued that the - China now has an opportunity to move militarily against Taiwan. And you say that there are writings by retired Chinese military leaders advocating this and that polling indicates support for this is rising among the Chinese population.
BECKLEY: Yeah. I mean, according to state media, anyway, something like 70% of people in China support moving on Taiwan, not just in the long term, but, like, within this decade because they just feel like enough is enough. And, you know, I think the fact that China crushed Hong Kong recently is an ominous sign because China used to tread lightly on Hong Kong because the - what they called the one country, two systems offer that they were making to Hong Kong was the same one they were making to the Taiwanese, namely, look, you are part of China. You have to come back to the motherland. But we will grant you a substantial amount of local autonomy. So we'll have two different systems. You know, in Taiwan's case, we won't put our military on your territory. You'll have a local government there that - you can't have your own foreign policy. But for the day-to-day kind of stuff, you can still run, and we'll lay off some of your more liberal institutions.
The fact that China has ended that charade in Hong Kong, you know, decades before it was technically allowed to based on the agreement it signed with Britain during the handover in '97 - it was supposed to wait until 2047 before it made big moves on Hong Kong - that is very ominous 'cause now it just shows - they recognize that there's not going be a willing embrace of China by these breakaway regions, that now, you know, they're not going to use carrots anymore. They're going to start using sticks.
DAVIES: You argue that China has a military advantage now. What should the United States be doing?
BECKLEY: It's actually relatively simple. In fact, defense analysts have been coming up with a strategy for more than a decade now where Taiwan, first of all, would turn itself into a prickly porcupine - you know, one that can beat back a bigger aggressor by stocking up on mobile missile launchers and armed drones and mines and building up its armies so that it can surge troops to any beach very quickly and then have a big reserve force that's essentially trained to fight guerrilla-style in Taiwan cities and jungles and have this big - you know, stockpiles and shelters for the population and just hoping that showing these preparations would scare China and just make it clear that this would be a hard slog for China, basically show that they can fight like Ukrainians, you know, against the Russians and not allow a decisive victory. And for the United States - the U.S. would disperse and harden its base infrastructure. And the goal is just by setting this up that you make it look impossible, that - make conquests look impossible, and hopefully China won't opt for it.
DAVIES: That's essentially a military strategy for resisting China. Let me ask the contrarian question here, you know? I mean, great powers often have spheres of influence near their own shores. I mean, the United States, you know, going back to the Monroe Doctrine said, you know, we're going to want to hold sway in our neighborhood of the world. I mean, Taiwan is right off the shore of China. And there's a question of whether it's really wise for the United States to commit to the territorial - the defense of this region on the other side of the world. And, you know, remember its origins. I mean, you know, the government of Taiwan was formed after the Chinese Civil War of the 1940s, which the Communist side prevailed in. And the losing side, the Kuomintang run by Chiang Kai-Shek, established the government on Taiwan. But, you know, that was certainly an anti-Communist government, but not exactly democratic. It was very repressive in its early decades.
And I just wonder, I mean, should the United States be making that commitment so far from its shores? And how different is that from, you know, the United States putting a half a million troops into Vietnam in the 1960s and the '70s in a losing effort to back one side in a civil war?
BECKLEY: I think you can understand the Chinese logic that this is a great affront and a massive overextension of U.S. influence while also, simultaneously, if you're on the American side, wanting to resist China because, you know, Taiwan, I think, pound for pound, is probably the most strategically important place in the world. Aside from just being a flourishing democracy with 23 million citizens on it, and most of whom absolutely don't want to go back with China - just from a strategic perspective, strategists often call it the unsinkable aircraft carrier.
And if you look at where it's located, it's smack dab in the middle of the crossroads of the East and South China Seas, which are the crossroads between the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. Something like 40% of world trade flows through these waters. And if China was able to consolidate its control over Taiwan, it would then have a launching pad for further aggression. I mean, this is why the Japanese recently declared that a Chinese conquest of Taiwan or an attack on Taiwan, Japan would view that as a dire threat to its vital interests because Japan has islands that are very close, within a few hundred miles of Taiwan. And they would be the next obvious target.
So if you think that revanchist, revisionist powers don't necessarily get satisfied, just - if you lop off one little piece of a region and give it to them and that they're just going to keep wanting to eat and just get more emboldened and powerful, then it's important to make a stand where you can. And Taiwan, despite the fact that China has modernized its military, still has a number of geographic and technological advantages that make deterring China still possible so that hopefully you don't have to face the choice, in the first place, of having to join a war with a nuclear-armed great power fighting over what it views as its territory.
DAVIES: Apart from the military calculus, what else do we have to consider here?
BECKLEY: Well, you know, the United States is also trying to undergird a global system of alliances that have turned zones of the world into areas of peace. So just - you know, the U.S.-Japan alliance, NATO, those alliances, the credibility of those alliances, I think, would be shattered if China were to assault Taiwan and the United States didn't lift a finger. I think also just the balance between democracy and autocracy around the world would be thrown into the advantage of autocracies if you see the CCP just crush the only Chinese democracy in the world and the world's most powerful democracy just sits by and does nothing. So there are also diplomatic and moral factors as well as the military strategic factor here.
DAVIES: Let me reintroduce you once more. We are speaking with Michael Beckley, an associate professor of political science at Tufts University. His new book with Johns Hopkins professor Hal Brands is "Danger Zone: The Coming Conflict With China." We'll be back after this short break. This is FRESH AIR.
(SOUNDBITE OF RHYTHM FUTURE QUARTET'S "IBERIAN SUNRISE")
DAVIES: This is FRESH AIR, and we're speaking with Tufts University associate professor and China specialist Michael Beckley. His new book with Johns Hopkins professor Hal Brands argues that China is beset by internal problems and international challenges and is becoming increasingly aggressive toward its neighbors in Asia and the United States. The new book is called "Danger Zone: The Coming Conflict With China." You know, Michael Beckley, I know that your grandparents were interned during World War II when Japanese citizens were forced into these camps. Tell us what you know about that experience and the impact it had on you.
BECKLEY: So I'm biracial. My Japanese grandparents, they were American citizens living in Seattle, but they were interned first for several months at the Washington State Fairground, which was sort of this dystopian landscape of internment camps next to an amusement park - I think they called it Camp Harmony - and then for pretty much the rest of the war, out in the middle of nowhere in Idaho. And they were in their early 20s. They had to sell their greenhouse, their livelihood, for 10 cents on the dollar. And they got married before so that they wouldn't be - so that they would be sent to the same camp. My grandma had three younger brothers. They all volunteered to serve in the 442nd Infantry, which, I believe, remains the most decorated military unit in American history. Their...
DAVIES: Wow. Her sons were fighting in the war, and they were going through this?
BECKLEY: Yeah, so - well, just - so my grandma's younger brothers were fighting.
DAVIES: They were her brothers (ph). Brothers, yeah.
BECKLEY: And then, she actually had a cousin who was in a special ops unit called Merrill's Marauders that - I mean, they were the most hardcore. They went - they were sent to the Pacific theater 'cause he was fluent in Japanese. And he would sneak behind Japanese lines to listen in on them. And then, his special ops team would just, you know, tear them apart, basically. And he actually was inducted into the Army Ranger Hall of Fame for that service. And, you know, my grandma's brothers - you know, one is killed in action. Another took a bunch of shrapnel to the face and received a Purple Heart. Their unit's motto was go for broke. And, you know, they did. They fought like hell in some of the worst campaigns of the war.
And then, meanwhile, on the homefront, my grandma's cousin was a man named Gordon Hirabayashi, who was one of the main conscientious objectors to the internment. He took his case all the way to the Supreme Court where he lost on a unanimous decision. And they actually made him hitchhike to prison in Arizona 'cause I guess the government wouldn't pay for his transportation. But 40 years later, in the 1980s, he got a call from a political science professor who had uncovered documents showing the government had withheld information. And the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned his criminal conviction.
DAVIES: Wow. Did you talk to your grandparents about this experience?
BECKLEY: You know, I didn't talk to them. So my grandfather died before I was alive. But, you know, I - but I was very close to my grandma. And we didn't talk a lot about it, but I think - but I was very aware of all of these stories. And I think it just - just knowing that made international relations more personal for me. Like great power politics isn't some abstraction 'cause it flipped part of my family's life upside down. And I think that personal connection probably, you know, helped give me more energy to spend so many waking hours studying this stuff. I think it also just - it gave me a little bit more perspective because I was coming of age in the 1990s at the peak of post-Cold War triumphalism, and so as a kid, I only knew a world where democracy and free trade were spreading, and, you know, it just seemed like major war was unthinkable.
I remember - you know, the Cold War didn't just end; it ends with David Hasselhoff, you know, singing above a soon-to-be-crumbling Berlin Wall wearing a piano-key necktie. You know, so without my family's history, I might have thought that that was the norm, but, you know, I only had to hang out with my grandma to be sort of subtly reminded that peace and prosperity and democracy don't just happen; they're historically rare and have to be reaffirmed. Her cousin, Gordon Hirabayashi, you know, said the Constitution is just a scrap of paper if the will of the people isn't behind it. And I've always just thought, you know, the international order is kind of the same. It's just a mirage if powerful countries don't support it.
DAVIES: Yeah. You know, it's interesting that a lot of the steps that we've been talking about involve military responses. I mean, you can sound kind of hawkish when we talk about dropping mines into the strait of Taiwan. And, you know, your grandparents' experience shows also that even democratic nations, when they go to war, you know, can violate people's rights and be abusive. I don't know. Any reflection on that?
BECKLEY: I think it's just shown me that, you know, war is hell. War is hell. And great power wars, they tend to get bigger and messier. They tend to last. We're not all going to be home by Christmas. You know, if there's a war between the United States and China, it's going to, at minimum, cause a global depression and, at maximum, could escalate, you know, into a global conflagration, possibly involving nuclear weapons. And I should say that I used to be much more dovish on China.
Like, my first book and a lot of my earlier research was on the U.S.-China power balance, and I basically tried to show that China was still lagging pretty far behind. And a lot of international relations theory says, well, as countries, you know, don't catch up, they tend to get more mellow. You know, they don't become as ambitious. But it's when I started studying what happens to these peaking powers and then matching that with what I was watching from China - I just think we're at a point where there aren't great options now. And you kind of have to shore up deterrence as much as you can. There's not a lot of convincing Xi Jinping that he should leave Taiwan alone. You just have to show that a conquest would be more costly than it's worth for him. And right now time is of the essence there.
So even - I've been - I'm sort of a reluctant hawk, but I just think we're in a fundamentally new era and one that actually bears more similarity to what my grandparents were dealing with than what I experienced as a kid in the 1990s.
DAVIES: Well, Michael Beckley, thank you so much for speaking with us.
BECKLEY: Thank you so much. You know, I listen to the show every day, so to be a guest is really a tremendous honor.
DAVIES: Michael Beckley is an associate professor of political science at Tufts University. His new book with Johns Hopkins professor Hal Brands is "Danger Zone: The Coming Conflict With China." Coming up, Ken Tucker reviews a reissue of an album from 1970 that showcases the songwriting talent of Roger Miller. This is FRESH AIR.
(SOUNDBITE OF JASON MORAN'S "BIG STUFF") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. | https://www.klcc.org/npr-news/npr-news/2022-08-24/danger-zone-author-warns-of-growing-tension-between-china-and-the-u-s | 2022-08-25T00:52:17Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-news/npr-news/2022-08-24/danger-zone-author-warns-of-growing-tension-between-china-and-the-u-s | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NOTE: Email your commitment information to David Fawcett at dfawcett@insidenova.com. Please include the player's name, high school, year, sport, college selection and a contact number.
2023
BATTLEFIELD
Ty Gordon, football, ODU
Camille Spink, swimming, Tennessee
Joey Swekosky, baseball, Marymount
J.P. Williams, baseball, George Mason
Caleb Woodson, football, Virginia Tech
BRENTSVILLE
Alden Yergey, basketball, Siena
COLGAN
Mia Arevalo-Delcid, soccer, James Madison
Jaedan Carter, baseball, Dayton
Samantha DeGuzman, soccer, Virginia Tech
Daniella Jimenez, lacrosse, George Mason
Brielle Kemavor, volleyball, Brigham Young
Brett Renfrow, baseball, Virginia Tech
Matthew Westley, baseball, Virginia Tech
FREEDOM-WOODBRIDGE
TJ Bush, football, Coastal Carolina
GAINESVILLE
Liz Privett, lacrosse, Mount Olive
OSBOURN PARK
Keith Davis, baseball, Wagner
PATRIOT
Jordan Capuano, baseball, UNC-Wilmington
Camille Daniel, soccer, Iona
Jakob Foster, baseball, Mount St. Mary's
Sienna Golembiewski, swimming, N.C. State
Katelyn Sullivan, lacrosse, Monmouth
Cole Surber, football, Virginia
UNITY REED
Amare Campbell, football, North Carolina
2024
COLGAN
Kamryn Winger, soccer, Ohio State
2025
BRENTSVILLE
JJ Hand, baseball, ODU | https://www.insidenova.com/sports/prince_william/2023-2025-college-athletic-commitments-prince-william-county/article_38d4629d-9260-5fa3-9c9f-5ad1c61d28e7.html | 2022-08-25T00:55:57Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/sports/prince_william/2023-2025-college-athletic-commitments-prince-william-county/article_38d4629d-9260-5fa3-9c9f-5ad1c61d28e7.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND, Va. - NASA teamed up with the Town of Chincoteague to remove P-FAs or "forever chemicals" from the town's drinking water.
The chemicals do not break down and can cause health problems.
NASA's Wallops Island Flight Facility held a public meeting on the issue Wednesday afternoon about the chemicals.
Firefighter training in the 1970's at the facility used a then-widely used firefighting foam that contained forever chemicals.
Years later, NASA discovered elevated levels of P-FAs in the facility's drinking water, and in the town of Chincoteague's drinking water, which is sourced from NASA property.
"We've done a lot of work with regards to PFAs, Wallops is not unlike a lot of sites in our nation where because of an historical use of a firefighter foam that contains PFAs, PFAs can remain in the environment," said Jeremy Eggers of NASA.
Eggers says NASA teamed up with the town to initially supplement and ultimately clean the water supply.
"We started doing testing in our drinking wells and in the town of Chincoteague's drinking wells which are on our facility and we discovered PFA's in three of the town's shallow wells," he said.
Islanders we spoke with are glad NASA and the town are collaborating on cleaning up the water.
"I think it's very critical, especially in an Island town such as this, but really anywhere. Clean water," said Christine Goldbeck.
Jimmy Vasiliou said "Chincoteague is being progressive which I'm proud of our community for that."
NASA officials say the ultimate goal is to relocate Chincoteague's water wells off of NASA property. | https://www.wboc.com/news/nasa-town-of-chincoteague-collaborate-to-rid-drinking-water-of-forever-chemicals/article_f96cfb68-23ff-11ed-a211-8f223ca0088e.html | 2022-08-25T00:56:20Z | wboc.com | control | https://www.wboc.com/news/nasa-town-of-chincoteague-collaborate-to-rid-drinking-water-of-forever-chemicals/article_f96cfb68-23ff-11ed-a211-8f223ca0088e.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
CAMBRIDGE, Md. - Yesterday's mayoral special election resulted in none of the six candidates receiving 50 percent of the votes.
A special run-off election is scheduled for Sept. 20. The polls will be held at the Chesapeake College Cambridge Center from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Candidates Steve Rideout and Senator Addie Eckardt will be the two in the running.
City Manager, Tom Carroll, told us yesterday's election had a good turn out.
"We had about 15 percent of the registered voters, participated. For a Tuesday, right before school goes back uh in Aug., it is a pretty good turn out. I think we were pretty pleased with that. Voting was steady yesterday with peaks in the morning and peaks in the afternoon. I think we expect the same in Sept.," says Carroll.
"I want to get to know each individual voter and know what their concerns are. Helping them get engaged is really important, going forward," says Senator Addie Eckardt.
"One of the things that I thought about was, the number people that voted elsewhere, shows the dissatisfaction with what's going on and the desire for change," says Steve Rideout.
They are hoping the extra campaign time will help them connect with voters.
"Four weeks gives me a little more time to be able to really meet with the neighborhoods. There is new housing developments. And, getting to those, whether its getting to those community meeting, to me that's really important," says Eckardt.
"It's really not what I can do. It's what our community can do. That's where the strength is. That's where the vision can be. That's where the heart is and that's where I can be able to connect," says Rideout.
Absentee ballots will either be available Sept. 26 or 29. However, it is suggested to request yours sooner than later. | https://www.wboc.com/news/special-run-off-election-for-cambridge-mayor/article_d59af986-2401-11ed-8c25-bf9ebf2c3d5f.html | 2022-08-25T00:56:26Z | wboc.com | control | https://www.wboc.com/news/special-run-off-election-for-cambridge-mayor/article_d59af986-2401-11ed-8c25-bf9ebf2c3d5f.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SALISBURY, Md. - Among students at Salisbury University, reaction to President Joe Biden's student loan debt relief plan ranged from strong support, to cautious optimism, to strong oppostion.
One SU junior felt that student loans are strictly the student's responsibility.
"As a student in debt, I would love to say that I would gladly accept money off my tuition," said Olivia "But I think, you chose to go to college, you know what you're getting yourself into, you signed your loans, and I don't know that taxpayers should be responsible for someone else's debt."
Nick, an SU senior, felt the program could be a benefit if administered carefully.
"I would support it, but I have a lot of questions about where the money comes from," Nick said. "You can't just keep giving away money."
On the other hand, Sophia, a SU freshman, felt some sort of loan forgiveness is important for folks in careers that require a college degree, but who have not seen their pay increasing at the same rate as tuition or inflation. Her mom is a teacher and still paying off loans.
"She gets paid so little for what she does," Sophia said. "Especially how the schools expect teachers to raise their students instead of themselves, I think that, honestly, it's not just our problem."
Fall classes at Salisbury University start Monday, August 29. Some lively debate about the student loan debt relief plan is quite likely. | https://www.wboc.com/news/su-students-sound-off-on-student-debt-relief-plan/article_cca5438a-23fd-11ed-9164-f781d2e10412.html | 2022-08-25T00:56:32Z | wboc.com | control | https://www.wboc.com/news/su-students-sound-off-on-student-debt-relief-plan/article_cca5438a-23fd-11ed-9164-f781d2e10412.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SUSSEX COUNTY, Del.- This afternoon the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control lifted the water advisory in Rehoboth Beach.
The water advisory was issued due to high levels of bacteria found in the water. DNREC says this is likely caused by excessive rainfall pushing wildlife droppings into waterways.
This was the fifth time a water advisory was issued in Rehoboth Beach this summer.
The beaches remain open during water advisories but officials warn swimmers not to linger in the water for a long time. Many beachgoers are not concerned about the dangers of bacteria in the water though.
Rehoboth Beach lifeguard, Rawley Florax, says it is nothing to be concerned about as DNREC tests the water on a daily basis.
Now that the bacteria levels are back within recreational water limits, swimmers can enjoy the ocean worry free.
With only a few weeks of summer left, beachgoers hope that no more advisories are issued. | https://www.wboc.com/news/water-advisory-lifted-in-rehoboth-beach/article_fa62d676-23fc-11ed-8886-b34a55077e97.html | 2022-08-25T00:56:38Z | wboc.com | control | https://www.wboc.com/news/water-advisory-lifted-in-rehoboth-beach/article_fa62d676-23fc-11ed-8886-b34a55077e97.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A Texas college student says he is trying to raise enough money to adopt a child he found lying on the ground while walking to a New Year's Eve gathering in Gonaives, Haiti in 2017.
Jimmy Amisial said that he walked over to an area where people were gathering and saw the boy lying in a "pile of trash" while crying, and no one was helping him.
Amisial said he brought the baby home to his mother, and they cared for his injuries, then called the authorities.
“When I got to the place where the people were making noise, I saw a baby,” said Amisial. The baby "was in a pile of trash crying, and there wasn’t a single soul who wanted to do anything about it.”
RELATED: Texas student drops from school to adopt baby found in dumpster
He was visiting while on break from school at Texas State University.
Amisial told CNN he believed the locals were afraid to pick the baby up because they feared he might be evil or cursed.
In a conversation with Amisial, he told Scripps he was 22-years-old at the time he found the boy, who was estimated to be about 3 to 4 months old at the time.
His mother in Haiti, Elicie Jean, helped to clean the boy and put ointment on his ant bites. Police asked the family to care for the boy overnight before a judge arrived the next day to see if they wanted to take temporary custody of him because there had been no one to come and claim him.
That was when Amisial took some days to think it over and decided to start the process of adopting the little boy he named Emilio Angel Jeremiah.
He left Emilio in the care of his mother while he returned to school in Texas as required by his student visa program.
In a Facebook post, Amisial asked for donations to help in the expensive process, providing a GoFundMe link, he wrote, "Your generosity and contributions will make a big difference in other people lives. Your donations will be used to hopefully get Emilio fully adopted. Pay for Emilio’s schooling, to support the local orphanages; needy families, kids in the community and possibly pay for my education and school debts. With you all that can be possible. I’m going to make sure of that to keep you guys updated."
He said, “I’ve always wanted to be a part of something great, and to me, that was the moment.”
Amisial told KXAN, “I’m really glad the fact that I had the opportunity to transform his life from being abandoned in the trash into a wonderful treasure."
Amisial told Scripps he is now 27, and Emilio will be turning five soon. Amisial took a break from school to work and raise money to fully adopt Emilio and says he will return to school to finish his communication studies. | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/texas-college-student-adopts-baby-he-found-in-trash-while-in-haiti-on-a-visit-home | 2022-08-25T01:10:03Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/texas-college-student-adopts-baby-he-found-in-trash-while-in-haiti-on-a-visit-home | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) — California’s lawmakers are nearing the final step to send off a potential law expanding funding and support for school health centers – which drew attacks from Senate Republicans this week — for the governor’s consideration.
AB 1940 set off a tense debate for nearly an hour on the state Senate floor Wednesday — the last day for amendments on the desk as bills wind through the Legislature this month. It is designed to authorize student health centers at or near California schools, offering “age-appropriate, clinical health care services” from qualified health professionals, to help students who experience barriers accessing other forms of health care.
The bill authorizes health centers to provide primary medical care, behavioral health services or dental care services onsite or through telehealth. If approved, the state will provide technical and renovation support for health centers through various grants. The bill removes the requirement for the state’s Department of Education to act as a liaison for school-based health centers, instead writing that the program will be supported by the California Department of Public Health.
Senate Republicans claimed the bill could somehow allow schools to help minors access reproductive healthcare, pointing to language in the bill allowing students to access information on reproductive health services.
Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, from Yucaipa, asked at what grade levels students can access information about all health services. She asked Senator Melissa Hurtado — a Democrat from Sanger, who carried the bill — who would pay for those services.
Hurtado said the bill does not change any local control wielded by each school district and locally elected school board, which will ultimately decide what services a student health center can provide and how they will be funded.
“I can assure you that no SBHCs have ever provided abortion services to a child,” she said.
“I think there's a lot of fear in regards to this bill, that really doesn't change the way parents get notified. It doesn't change medical consent laws.”
Ochoa Bogh continued to attack the bill, citing Assembly Bill 1184 going into effect this year to amend the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act to make minors’ health decisions on “sensitive services” like reproductive care private from their policyholder parents.
“My concern with this particular bill would be that we’re now providing these services on campus without parents knowing, health wise or through their health plans, what is being provided to their children,” she said.
Other Republicans also claimed the bill would lessen parents’ control over health services their children could access at school — like Senator Melissa Melendez from Lake Elsinore, who said “We should keep our noses out of medical (decisions)."
Senator Sydney Kamlager, a Democrat from Los Angeles, told the other senators to read the bill more closely, pointing out that it does not expand any state control above parents’ existing rights over childrens’ healthcare. She said some children might seek care without parents’ knowledge out of concern for their own safety — although she agreed with one of Melendez's statements, adding "The government should be staying out of our vaginas.”
Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman, a Democrat from Stockton, said student health centers are an important resource for students to learn “help-seeking behaviors” to advocate for their own health and be able to get medical help when they need it.
She criticized Republicans for turning the discussion of health centers for children into a reproductive services issue.
“They want to politicize everything into being about reproductive rights, and it’s so insulting,” she said. “You want to demonize school nurses for talking about reproductive health, and it doesn't change anything about parental consent. It simply says we’re going to pay for poor kids … these are poor kids who need help from a school nurse.”
Hurtado reminded the Senate that some schools in California already operate health centers, and the bill is designed to expand support for those programs.
With only eight "no" votes, AB 1940 passed and needs a final vote from the Assembly to head to the governor’s desk. All bills have until Aug. 31 to successfully get through both houses of the Legislature.
Read the Top 8
Sign up for the Top 8, a roundup of the day's top stories delivered directly to your inbox Monday through Friday. | https://www.courthousenews.com/california-lawmakers-sign-off-on-controversial-bill-to-expand-support-for-school-health-centers/ | 2022-08-25T01:14:27Z | courthousenews.com | control | https://www.courthousenews.com/california-lawmakers-sign-off-on-controversial-bill-to-expand-support-for-school-health-centers/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(CN) — Increased temperatures and water scarcity due to climate change have raised fears of food shortages as droughts affect crop production worldwide. One way scientists have been looking to sustain crop yield is to develop more robust plants to withstand prolonged drought.
Although some have focused on genetic modification to accomplish this, researchers with Japan’s RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science have developed a simple, cost-effective ethanol soil treatment that could help crops thrive even throughout periods of drought. They published their findings Wednesday in the journal Plant and Cell Physiology.
“The discovery came from the process of searching for compounds that make plants resistant to stress,” said Motoaki Seki, co-author of the study and leader of RIKEN’s Plant Genomic Research Team, in an email interview. “In general, experiments on compounds use organic solvents such as ethanol, acetone and methanol to dissolve insoluble substances. Our experiment used several kinds of organic solvents and obtained data that made us suspect that the organic solvents, not the compounds, could have a property that makes plants stress resistant.”
Researchers emphasize their method is merely an extension of the plants’ naturally occurring processes. This technique of ethanol application does not rely on controversial genetic modification and is both economically and environmentally friendly. As a naturally occurring compound, ethanol can eliminate fears of dangerous chemically treated food. But although safe for consumption, researchers have other concerns.
“Higher concentration of ethanol inhibits plant growth,” Seki acknowledged. “So, optimization of ethanol treatment (concentration and treatment period etc.) is important.”
Seki's team found the optimized application of ethanol to the soil boosts drought tolerance in rice, wheat, and Arabidopsis thaliana, a plant commonly used in biological plant research.
They conducted an experiment where plants, after several weeks of normal watering, were suddenly deprived of water. Some of these plants had had their soil pretreated with ethanol, and by the next week, there was a marked difference between treated and non-treated plants. Plants growing in the regular soil had withered and died, but 75% of the ethanol-treated plants survived — and even thrived — after rewatering.
Seki and his team found the ethanol not only helped plants to retain water, but also triggered genes usually associated with drought tolerance even before the plants were deprived of water.
According to the study, ethanol specifically affected the plants’ stomata — pores on the leaves where carbon dioxide enters the plant and water vapor and oxygen exit. Ethanol caused the stomata to close, thereby trapping more water in their leaves than the untreated plants.
In the experiment, plants received the ethanol application several days before the team stopped watering. While analyzing the gene expression of the plants, researchers noticed that the genes normally seen with water deprivation was expressed even before the researchers paused in their watering, indicating that the ethanol may have given the plants a head start in preparing for water withdrawal.
During this same time, the ethanol prompted the plants to create more sugars and engage in photosynthesis, further helping the plant stay alive. Seki highlighted how the process might have advantages beyond keeping the plant alive through drought.
“As ethanol treatment shows the increased accumulation of several sugars, amino acids and glucosinolates, we hope that this would be beneficial effects for humans,” he said.
Even without the added sugars, the potential crop growth generated by ethanol soil treatments could help solve food crises by counteracting water scarcity, the researchers hope.
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MEXICO CITY (CN) — A federal judge Wednesday indicted former Mexico Attorney General Jesús Murillo Karam on charges of torture, forced disappearance and crimes against the administration of justice related to the Ayotzinapa mass kidnapping case.
Murillo, attorney general when 43 Ayotzinapa teachers training college students were kidnapped and murdered in Iguala, Guerrero, in September 2014, was arrested this past Friday.
He stands accused of having fabricated what was called the “historic truth” of what happened on the night of Sept. 26, 2014. That version stated that members of the criminal group known as Guerreros Unidos kidnapped and ordered the murders of the students, whose remains were burned and the ashes thrown into a river in Cocula, 13 miles southwest of Iguala.
Murillo’s version also ruled out the participation of members of the Mexican Army and other state actors, but an investigation by the Commission for the Truth and Access to Justice of the Ayotzinapa Case refutes that claim.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador created the commission as his first official act in office on Dec. 3, 2018.
“Arriving at the truth and doing justice does not weaken institutions, it strengthens them,” said López Obrador when he signed the order. “The truth is revolutionary, it is Christian. The lie is reactionary, of the devil.”
Commission President Alejandro Encinas Rodríguez presented the initial findings of nearly four years of investigations at a press conference Aug. 18, declaring the disappearance of the students a “crime of the state in which members of the criminal group Guerreros Unidos and agents of several institutions of the Mexican state took part.”
The investigation also found that one of the murdered students, Julio César López Patolzin, was a military informant planted by the Secretariat of National Defense.
“We confirmed that the military commanders of the region did not carry out actions to protect or search for the soldier Julio César López Patolzin, which was their duty,” said Encinas.
While Murillo’s arrest and indictment appear to put Mexico on the path to finally offering justice to the families of the victims, experts say it will likely go no further than appearances.
“This is totally political,” said security analyst Alejandro Hope.
Two of the three charges against Murillo will not hold up at trial, Hope said, citing lack of evidence.
“Yes, there was torture, but you have to show, one, that Murillo knew about it, and two, that he ordered it or tolerated it,” said Hope. “And in what they’ve presented up to now, there isn’t any evidence to show that he did this.”
During Wednesday’s hearing, Murillo’s defense argued “there is not one piece of evidence that proves that he was aware” of the torture exacted on the individuals arrested in the case.
As for the charge of forced disappearance, “they’re extending the definition of the crime to incomprehensible levels,” Hope said. “In the worst of cases, there was negligence on Murillo’s part, but that’s not participation in the act of forced disappearance. It’s the same difference between a murder and someone who carries out a failed investigation of a murder.”
Hope added that if the charge of forced disappearance was to hold up in court, it would be killed by the legal challenges known in Mexican law as amparos.
“Of course they know that these charges won’t stick, but they’re managing the issue politically,” Hope said. “They need to give some kind of response or show some kind of movement for the families.”
Members of the Commission for the Truth and Access to Justice of the Ayotzinapa Case did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The only charge against the former attorney general that may hold water is that of crimes against the administration of justice, similar to obstruction of justice in the U.S. legal system. It concerns the release of a person of interest in the case without proper documentation.
“That’s where you could say that maybe the charge could stick, but the others won’t hold up at all,” Hope said.
That crime carries a sentence of 3 to 10 years in prison and a fine that could be as high as the equivalent of 1,100 days of the salary Murillo earned at the time of the offense.
Hours after Murillo’s arrest, the Federal Attorney General’s Office issued 83 arrest warrants for others suspected of being involved in the case, including members of the military, municipal police officers, administrative and judicial authorities and 14 members of Guerreros Unidos.
None of the 83 other arrest warrants had been executed by the time of Murillo’s hearing, a fact that the government watchdog Mexicans Against Corruption and Impunity (MCCI) called “strange” in a piece published Wednesday morning.
Noting how the prosecution at Murillo’s pretrial detention hearing on Saturday came utterly unprepared, MCCI executive president María Amparo Casar also called the charges politically motivated and asked whether or not subsequent arrests will come.
For his part, Hope believes the federal government is barking up the wrong tree with regard to the former attorney general.
“They could investigate Murillo for misuse of resources, bribery and other crimes related to corruption, which I assure you would stick, but this, no way,” he said. “Everything they did, the four years of investigations, will all collapse.”
Courthouse News correspondent Cody Copeland is based in Mexico City.
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Aurora police receive steering wheel locks from Hyundai, will disperse them to help curb auto thefts
AURORA, Ill. - The city of Aurora is warning Hyundai drivers about an increase in vehicle thefts.
The vehicles are being targeted because thieves have found a way to bypass security features to steal them.
To assist, Hyundai is providing free steering wheel locks to local police departments. Aurora has 108 to distribute to residents.
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If you don't get one, this is what you can do right now.
"Really just making sure that you lock your car before you go inside for the night. So many of these thieves, they're not gonna break into a car, they're gonna take what's easy. They're gonna unlock a car and get access, and that's how they're gonna essentially take your car to commit a potentially violent act. And also, park in well lit areas," said Officer James Leonardi with the Aurora Police Department.
"If you don't have a Ring doorbell … I would get a Ring doorbell so that your doorbell captures your vehicle in the front driveway," he added.
Hyundai model years 2015 to 2021 are impacted.
The carmaker admitted to the security issue and said it fixed it in their newest models. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/aurora-police-receive-steering-wheel-locks-from-hyundai-will-disperse-them-to-help-curb-auto-thefts | 2022-08-25T01:14:47Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/aurora-police-receive-steering-wheel-locks-from-hyundai-will-disperse-them-to-help-curb-auto-thefts | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LOS ANGELES (CN) — After less than five hours of deliberations, a federal jury on Wednesday awarded a combined $31 million to plaintiffs Vanessa Bryant and Christopher Chester — $16 million for Bryant, $15 million for Chester — in their lawsuit against Los Angeles County over leaked photos from the 2020 helicopter crash that killed their spouses, daughters and five others.
Of the award, $19 million will be paid out by the LA County Sheriff's Department, the rest by the county's fire department.
After the verdict was read, Vanessa Bryant, crying quietly behind her black mask, turned around in her chair and nodded to the jury in thanks.
The helicopter crash killed LA Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, the pilot, and six others, including Chester's wife Sarah and daughter Payton, who was on a basketball team with Gianna. Their lawsuit against the county stemmed from reports that photographs of their loved ones' remains were showed around at bar in Norwalk. That story led to revelations that at least one sheriff's deputy and two fire officials had photographed the crash site and had shared those pictures with their colleagues. Eventually, some of the photos were shown to a bartender in Norwalk. In another incident, a fire department spokesman showed photos to wives and girlfriends of fire officials at an awards dinner.
Bryant and Chester said the public sharing of those images was done callously, as a sort of digital gossip, which violated their loved ones constitutionally protected rights to privacy.
The photographs have never been published. But Bryant, during the trial, said she was "haunted" by the idea that they would one day be made public.
"Either the photographs will surface, and their worst fears will be realized," Bryant's lawyer Craig Lavoie said during his closing argument, "or they'll live in fear for the rest of their lives."
The county meanwhile had argued that the pictures taken at the crash site were done so for professional reasons, to preserve evidence in what may have been a crime scene, to aid rescue efforts and to help top officials assess the situation. Though the photos should never have been shared with the public, they said, those were the result of mistakes made by first responders, and not as the result of department policies.
The plaintiffs based much of their case around the testimony of semi-hostile witnesses — first responders who weren't exactly sympathetic to the lawsuit. Many of these sheriff's deputies and fire officials had acknowledged to internal affairs investigators that they either took or received graphic photos showing human remains. But on the witness stand, many of their stories seemed to have changed. For the most part, these first responders testified that the photos were of the crash site as a whole, and not focused on human remains. The plaintiffs were then forced to argue that their own witnesses were lying, and that the lies were evidence of a cover-up.
Though Bryant's attorneys never asked for a specific dollar amount, Chester's lawyer Jerome Jackson suggested that Bryant should be awarded $42.5 million, and his client $32.5 million.
After the verdict, Vanessa Bryant and her attorney Luis Li declined to comment. Jackson thanked the jury and the judge. In a written statement, Hashmall said: "While we disagree with the jury’s findings as to the County’s liability, we believe the monetary award shows that jurors didn’t believe the evidence supported the Plaintiffs’ request of $75 million for emotional distress. We will be discussing next steps with our client. Meanwhile, we hope the Bryant and Chester families continue to heal from their tragic loss.”
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Elephant rips handler in half in Thailand after working in extreme heat: report
An elephant ripped its handler in half with its tusks in southern Thailand last week after being made to carry wood in the hot weather, according to a report.
The body of 32-year-old Supachai Wongfaed was found in a pool of blood after police responded to a rubber plantation in the Phang Nga province, Thailand news outlet the Thaiger reported.
Police said that a male 20-year-old elephant named Pom Pam stabbed the man with its tusks multiple times, tearing his body in half.
A preliminary investigation determined that Supachai brought the elephant to haul wood at the plantation that morning, the outlet reported, citing police.
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Police said the hot weather may have made the animal "go crazy" and attack the man.
Livestock officers had to sedate the elephant with a dart from over 1,600 feet away so that Supachai’s body could be recovered, according to the report.
Another incident occurred last month in the Nakhon Sri Thammarat province. Police suspect that the elephant, in that case, was stressed from work, stabbed its handler to death and stood over his corpse for hours, the outlet reported.
Duncan McNair, CEO of the charity Save The Asian Elephants, told Newsweek that Asian elephants suffer psychologically and physically when broken and forced to work in extreme activities like logging.
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"[It] is yet another stark reminder that Asian elephants are and always remain wild animals that can attack and kill when they are abused or overly stressed by humans," McNair said.
Despite the practice of using Asian elephants to carry logs being banned in Thailand in 1989, it still occurs in some parts of the country, according to the outlet.
Read more of this story on FOX News. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/elephant-rips-handler-in-half-in-thailand-after-working-in-extreme-heat-report | 2022-08-25T01:14:53Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/elephant-rips-handler-in-half-in-thailand-after-working-in-extreme-heat-report | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON (CN) — Complying with a court order, the Department of Justice on Wednesday fully released its 2019 memo that advised then-Attorney General William Barr about next steps after special counsel Robert Mueller concluded his investigation of Russian meddling in the presidential election.
"It would be rare for federal prosecutors to bring an obstruction prosecution that did not itself arise out of a proceeding related to a separate crime," Justice Department officials Steven Engel and Ed O'Callaghan wrote in the memo dated March, 24, 2019, recommending that Barr not prosecute Trump over allegations that he obstructed the Russia probe.
At the time, Barr was in sole possession of Mueller's findings. Two days after receiving the memo, Barr reported to Congress that Mueller had left it for him to determine whether then-President Donald Trump’s interference with the investigation amounted to obstruction of justice. Barr deemed the evidence insufficient and said Trump should not be charged.
The nonprofit Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics (CREW) sued under the Freedom of Information Act to make the memo public. Last week, the D.C. Circuit affirmed that the Department of Justice had to release the memo, finding the lower court’s decision in the case was narrow and based on the Department of Justice’s failure to show the memo played a role in decisions of government officials.
CREW said Wednesday "the memo supports the chilling conclusion that any president can interfere with any investigation if they believe it could damage them politically."
"It is clear why Barr did not want the public to see it," the group said in a statement.
According to the memo, the two former top Justice Department officials viewed Mueller’s obstruction theory as not only “novel” but also “unusual” because part of the special counsel’s report concluded that evidence developed “was not sufficient to charge that any member of the Trump Campaign [including the President] conspired or coordinated with representatives of the Russian government to interfere in the 2016 election.”
"In every successful obstruction case cited in the (Mueller) Report, the corrupt acts were undertaken to prevent the investigation and prosecution of a separate crime," Barr's aides wrote in the memo. "The existence of such an offense is not a necessary element to proving an obstruction charge, but the absence of underlying guilt is relevant and powerful evidence."
In addition to the rarity of such a charge being brought against a then-sitting president, the memo states that Trump’s “potentially obstructive conduct amounted to attempts to modify the process under which the Special Counsel investigation progressed, rather than efforts to impair or intentionally alter evidence … that would negatively impact the Special Counsel’s ability to obtain and develop evidence.”
The former president’s request to then-FBI Director James Comey in 2017 to let go of the criminal investigation of Trump's former top adviser, Michael Flynn, and Trump’s subsequent firing of Comey did not break the law, according to Barr’s aides.
"The President's expression of 'hope' that Comey would 'let this go' did not clearly direct a particular action in the Flynn investigation, and Comey did not react at the time as though he had received a direct order from the President,” according to the memo.
The special counsel said it “reached no conclusion” as to whether Trump violated any criminal law based on its review of the Mueller report.
CREW said Wednesday that the memo paints a “breathtakingly generous view of the law and facts for Donald Trump.”
“It significantly twists the facts and the law to benefit Donald Trump and does not comport with a serious reading of the law of obstruction of justice or the facts as found by Special Counsel Mueller,” the organization said.
The memo, according to CREW, is “premised on the fact that there was no underlying criminal conduct, which is not what Mueller found, and waves its hand at there being no exact precedent to compare it to.”
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Group of 4 attempted to force woman into vehicle on Chicago's Near West Side: police
CHICAGO - A group of unknown offenders attempted to force a 30-year-old woman into a vehicle on Chicago's Near West Side Wednesday morning.
Around 7:26 a.m., police say the victim was on the sidewalk in the 200 block of South Sangamon Street in the West Loop when a vehicle approached her and a person got out of the vehicle.
The person then grabbed the victim's shoulder and attempted to "guide her toward the unknown vehicle," which had three other individuals sitting inside it, police said.
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A witness to the incident confronted the offender and the vehicle then fled northbound on Sangamon Street.
Nobody is reported in custody.
The investigation is ongoing. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/group-of-4-attempted-to-force-woman-into-vehicle-on-chicagos-near-west-side-police | 2022-08-25T01:14:59Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/group-of-4-attempted-to-force-woman-into-vehicle-on-chicagos-near-west-side-police | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) — Governor Gavin Newsom announced an additional $58 million in school-to-career funding Wednesday, just hours after President Joe Biden relieved student loan debt. This disbursement comes months after approximately $162 million was sent to schools across northern California.
This chunk of funding is from the K-16 Education Collaboratives Grant Program, which is aimed at streamlining high school to higher education and ultimately the workplace and creating a more equitable education system. The Los Angeles Region K-16 Collaborative, Border Region Inclusive Talent Pipeline Collaborative and Inland Empire Collaborative all received $18 million to close educational and workplace gaps.
“We’re closing equity gaps, providing more resources to help our students achieve their career goals right in their own communities, and streamlining the pipeline from K-12 to higher education to careers,” Newsom said in a press release.
Newsom has a long history of taking on education access and quality at all levels — from pushing for universal preschool and giving first-time community college students two years free to the Cradle to Career data system.
The Los Angeles Region K-16 Collaborative is working to improve enrollment and degree completion and opening up more opportunities for engineering, healthcare and computer science careers. The Border Region and Inland Empire Collaboratives are geared toward careers in business, technology, education, healthcare, and engineering.
All collaboratives getting funding have to commit to seven goals, including diversifying staff, subsidizing internet access for students, crafting an equity-centered learning environment and making college more affordable. The groups must also send quarterly reports to track goal progress and explain expenditures.
“The Department of General Services is pleased to continue funding efforts for the first phase of this innovative program and is excited to see the work that will be accomplished in these newly awarded regions,” said Department of General Services Director Ana Lasso in a statement, “We are looking forward to rolling out the second phase of funding for the program soon, which will provide additional opportunities to expand this program throughout all regions of the state.”
So far, the program has reached 60 counties across 13 economic regions.
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(CN) — The Yurok and Karuk tribes have blown the whistle on ranchers in Northern California who are defying state orders to curtail water usage by diverting flow from the Shasta River, imperiling already endangered salmon of the Klamath tributaries. The tribes say the diversion led to a 37% decrease in Shasta River flows, from 58 cubic feet per second to 36 in two hours on Aug. 17.
The Shasta River Water Association's diversion came days after a fire-induced mudslide killed tens of thousands of fish in a 60-mile reach of the Klamath River.
“The Shasta River Water Association is illegally dewatering one of the most important salmon nurseries in California,” said Karuk Chairman Russell Attebery in a statement Tuesday. “After last week’s fish kill, every juvenile salmon in the Klamath basin must be protected to ensure future runs. We are horrified, we are angry, and we expect accountability.”
Located outside of Yreka, California, the Shasta River Water Association delivers irrigation to several small ranches and farms between the towns of Grenada and Montague. However, since August 2021, residents of Siskiyou County’s Shasta and Scott River valleys have been subject to a water reduction order from California’s State Water Resource Control Board in response to Governor Gavin Newsom’s drought emergency declaration that year.
“The order is an attempt to maintain bare minimum flows in two of the Klamath’s most productive tributaries for Chinook salmon,” Karuk senior fisheries biologist Toz Soto said in the tribes' statement. “These flows reflect the best available science and are the minimum amount of water the fish need to survive in drought years.”
The Scott and Shasta rivers have long been home for salmon to spawn and lay eggs before returning to the ocean. “There’s cold flow year-round that is perfect for salmon,” Karuk natural resources consultant Craig Tucker. “Unfortunately, all this great water is diverted onto fields to grow pasture for cows.”
On Aug. 17, the Shasta River Water Association sent a letter to the Division of Water Rights Deputy Director Erik Ekdahl, informing the agency of plans to defy the curtailment order through exceptions listed by the order.
“The Shasta River Water Association has chosen to follow the suggested curtailment of 15% on the Shasta River,” the association said in its letter. “We will start pumping to supply water to livestock as the weather is over 90 degrees per the suggestion. We will also follow the suggestion to fill ponds for fire suppression and attempt to water the tree base to reduce fire hazards to the community and our families.”
The association closed its letter by saying it "looks forward to working with the numerous agencies in effort to protect the health of the river. At this time, we are choosing to protect the health of livestock, wildlife and families.”
The following day, the State Water Resources Control Board issued a cease-and-desist order, saying the association's water rights are curtailed under the drought emergency regulation. The association has 20 days to request a hearing or the order becomes final and could subject the organization to fines of up to $10,000 a day.
The Yurok and Karuk tribes are evaluating their options for holding the diverters accountable as well.
“We think regulatory agencies should take immediate action and curtail this water use,” said Tucker, adding the tribes’ culture and livelihood depend on the salmon. “These guys are stealing water from the rest of California. They’re killing fish that are protected to the benefit of California fishermen and for tribes.”
Tucker also sees the situation as a test of whether the state can keep water in rivers as the climate continues to dry. “I think if these guys get away with it here, next thing you know, farmers and ranchers are just going to ignore state agencies and federal agencies when they try to regulate,” said Tucker.
And that’s what nearly happened in southern Oregon on Monday. As reported by Capital Press, the Klamath Irrigation District announced plans to defy the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s orders to halt water deliveries to farmers in the region. Fortunately, the irrigation district has since closed a water canal after federal officials threatened to withhold $20 million in drought assistance.
Whether the Shasta River Water Association will also stand down and comply remains to be seen. The Associated Press reported diversions were ongoing as of Tuesday.
“We demand and deserve an equitable and fair approach to sharing water,” said Yurok Vice Chairman Frankie Myers in a statement. “For too long ranchers have done what they please with no concern for those of us living downstream. It is time we manage the Klamath Basin together as a whole.”
Myers added: “The State Water Board needs to act immediately to hold these illegal diverters accountable. We know the drought is tough on the agricultural community, but once these fish are gone, they are gone forever.”
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Barren Co. lends buses to Letcher County after devastating flooding
Currently collecting supplies to help those in need
BARREN COUNTY, Ky. (WBKO) - One school district in South Central Kentucky is lending a helping hand to those in Eastern Kentucky, lending three school buses for the school year to Letcher County.
During the summer months, our superintendent Bo Matthews was at some meetings statewide and messaged me one morning and said, you know what, we have some buses that we’d be able to lend to a county in Eastern Kentucky that would that we could help them out from the flood, where they lost their buses,” says Joey Bunch, Barren County Schools Director of Transportation.
After the devastating floods in Eastern Kentucky those around the Bluegrass have thought of ways to send aid.
“The purpose of the three buses is just so that their kids can have transportation to and from school just like our kids who are in Barren County, and we want that to have that sign for them to eliminate the issues of kids not being able to be brought to school whenever they do get start back to school,” adds Bunch.
The school district going a step further than just lending the buses.
“We knew that the three buses were going to be going to Letcher County at some point and we just thought that it would be a great idea to not only just take three empty buses, but let’s see if we can load the buses up with supplies that the people in Letcher county might need,” also said Bunch.
There are several ways to donate supplies for Letcher County.
“We’ve got the Trojan Bowl coming up Friday night, there’ll be four teams with four fan bases there that will help us out not only Friday night, but we’re also accepting the donations at all of our elementary schools, our middle school and high school and central office. We’re looking forward to taking the supplies and we’re hoping that all three buses are crammed with things stacked to the top just so that we can show the people in Letcher County, you know how much Barren County supports them,” said Bunch.
Barren County showing the spirit of being Kentucky Strong.
“Yes, it is miles away to Letcher County, but we look forward to the opportunity to help these people and just do anything we can to help them get through this process and through this, this hard time in life,” also said Bunch.
The list of items needed is below.
Copyright 2022 WBKO. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbko.com/2022/08/25/barren-co-lends-buses-letcher-county-after-devastating-flooding/ | 2022-08-25T01:15:10Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/2022/08/25/barren-co-lends-buses-letcher-county-after-devastating-flooding/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
New affordable apartment complex being built on Chicago's South Side
CHICAGO - Sweet home, Chicago.
On Monday, city leaders broke ground on a new apartment complex in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood.
With nearly $40 million in city support, this is the first of more than 10 major construction projects as part of the city's INVEST South/West Initiative.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot says the initiative prioritizes community input and the use of Black and brown developers who are from the communities where these projects are taking place.
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"Since the onset of my administration, one of my hightest priorities has been bringing exactly the kind of transformative, catalytic work, and investment – real dollars – into historically underserved communities on the South and the West side," Lightfoot said.
The two-building, 58-unit mixed-use complex is being built on 79th and Greet Street.
All the apartments in both buildings will be priced at affordable levels, with monthly rental rates ranging from $925 to $1,250 per month. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/new-affordable-apartment-complex-being-built-on-chicagos-south-side | 2022-08-25T01:15:11Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/new-affordable-apartment-complex-being-built-on-chicagos-south-side | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Biden seeks to bolster legal protection for DACA recipients
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Wednesday unveiled a regulation aimed at fending off legal challenges to a decade-old program that shields immigrants from deportation if they arrived as young children.
The rule isn’t scheduled to take effect until Oct. 31 and its fate is tied to a lawsuit by Texas and other Republican-led states. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program has been closed to new registrants since July 2021 while the case winds its way through the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Its 453 pages are largely technical and represent little substantive change from the 2012 memo that created DACA, but it was subject to public comments as part of a formal rule-making process intended to improve its chances of surviving legal muster.
President Joe Biden said he would do “everything within my power” to protect DACA recipients while renewing a call for legislation to provide them a pathway to citizenship.
“Dreamers are part of the fabric of this nation,” said Biden, using a common name for the young immigrants. “They’ve only ever known America as their home.”
The rule keeps eligibility criteria the same, disappointing some DACA advocates who wanted to allow more immigrants to qualify. Applicants must prove they arrived in the U.S. by age 16 before June 2007.
More than 600,000 immigrants were enrolled in DACA at the end of March, about 80% from Mexico and many of the rest from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, according to government figures.
In July, the New Orleans-based appeals court heard arguments that ending the Obama-era program would cruelly upend the lives of hundreds of thousands who have grown up to become tax-paying, productive drivers of the U.S. economy. Opponents argued that DACA has cost taxpayers for health care and other services.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbko.com/2022/08/25/biden-seeks-bolster-legal-protection-daca-recipients/ | 2022-08-25T01:15:16Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/2022/08/25/biden-seeks-bolster-legal-protection-daca-recipients/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
New Field Museum exhibit teaches about 'The Changing Face of Science'
CHICAGO - A new exhibit at Chicago's Field Museum aims to expand the understanding about whom a scientist can be.
It's called, "The Changing Face of Science."
"When you think of a scientist, I imagine you picture some white old man in a lab coat," said Monisa Ahmed, Field Museum Exhibition Developer.
It's an image Ahmed aims to alter with this new exhibition that opens Friday.
It first focuses on Lynika Strozier, who worked in the Field's DNA lab before she died early in the pandemic of COVID-19. You see her work and meet people she's inspired.
"She meant the world to me. I always say she's the reason why I stayed in science because after my first year of undergrad, it was really hard to see myself in the sciences, to feel comfortable," said Heaven Wade, Strozier's former mentee.
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Wade was at a predominately white college, almost quit biochemistry, then got an internship at the Field Museum. She says meeting Strozier was like meeting Beyoncé.
"And when I met her, I was like, oh wow, you're what I want to be," said Wade, who's about to start graduate school at Rush.
The exhibit doesn’t sugar coat it. It was a struggle for Strozier to succeed in this field and continues to be for others.
"That was my hope, in being as authentic as we possibly could be that our audience walks away with a thorough understanding of you know, how the STEM field is right now and what it takes to be a scientist and especially for those from underserved communities," said Ahmed.
By showing the full story, Ahmed hopes allies see the need to help, while kids can picture their potential.
"To think there's going to be a 6-year-old, 10-year or 12-year-old who are like, I want to be a scientist. And they finally see somebody who might look like them, remind them of a big cousin or a sister and go, wow, if she did it, I can do it, too," said Wade.
And that could change the face of science. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/new-field-museum-exhibit-teaches-about-the-changing-face-of-science | 2022-08-25T01:15:17Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/new-field-museum-exhibit-teaches-about-the-changing-face-of-science | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
National
Biden announces long-anticipated plan for student loan forgiveness
Fulfilling a promise made on the campaign trail to lift a financial weight off America’s middle class, President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that he plans to offer borrowers thousands of dollars in student loan forgiveness.
Graham seeks to limit questioning in Georgia election interference probe
The Republican senator wants to prevent all questions about his controversial calls to the Georgia secretary of state after the 2020 election, which is the core focus of his subpoena that an appeals court temporarily blocked.
New federal regulations of ghost guns take effect after judge refuses to block them
A bid by a Texas firearm parts dealer to block the Biden administration’s new regulations cracking down on ghost guns was rejected late Tuesday by a federal judge.
Climate bill is big win for Dems but doesn’t address high court defeat
Democrats who scraped together their razor-thin majority this summer to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, boosted by a key vote in barely blue coal country, made significant headway on the country's legislative response to climate change. What they didn't do, though, was deal with new precedent hampering the shift away from coal-fired power plants.
Trial over leaked Kobe Bryant crash site photos goes to the jury
After two weeks, the civil trial over photographs taken and shared by first responders to the helicopter crash that took the lives of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others has gone to the jury.
Regional
California fines Sephora $1.2 million for selling consumer data
Retail cosmetics giant Sephora will have to pay $1.2 million for selling consumers’ personal information and failing to process opt-out requests in violation of the landmark California Consumer Privacy Act.
Texas judge blocks enforcement of Biden emergency abortion guidance
A federal judge in Texas has blocked the Biden administration from enforcing its guidance requiring hospitals to provide emergency abortions to women despite state laws banning the procedure.
International
On Independence Day, Ukraine remains defiant after 6 months of war
A war-battered but defiant Ukraine on Wednesday marked both the 31st anniversary of its independence from the Soviet Union and six months of war since it was attacked by Russia.
Read the Top 8
Sign up for the Top 8, a roundup of the day's top stories delivered directly to your inbox Monday through Friday. | https://www.courthousenews.com/top-8-today-8-24-2022/ | 2022-08-25T01:15:16Z | courthousenews.com | control | https://www.courthousenews.com/top-8-today-8-24-2022/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
“Kentucky Living” Magazine thrones 5 Broke Girls Restaurant with having best burger
HORSE CAVE, Ky. (WBKO) - Looking for the best burger in Kentucky?
Well look no further, they say it’s located in the city of Horse Cave.
Earlier this month, “Kentucky Living” magazine awarded the restaurant “5 Broke Girls” for having the best burger in Kentucky in 2022.
The restaurant opened just four years ago and owner Jackie Kulaga is grateful for the support her restaurant continues to receive.
“It was a surprise to us, they came in a couple of months ago and told us what the tourism did and told us that we were nominated which we had no clue, and so then of course, I worked at some and everything. And then we just forgot about it and went on, and then they showed up, the lady from “Kentucky Living” showed up with a plaque and everything which is up there and told us that we were voted the best burger in Kentucky, we said yay,” says Kulaga.
Their restaurant now has two locations, in Horse Cave and Cave City.
Copyright 2022 WBKO. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbko.com/2022/08/25/kentucky-living-magazine-thrones-5-broke-girls-restaurant-with-having-best-burger/ | 2022-08-25T01:15:23Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/2022/08/25/kentucky-living-magazine-thrones-5-broke-girls-restaurant-with-having-best-burger/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
UVALDE, Texas (CN) — At a tense public meeting on Wednesday, the Uvalde school board voted unanimously to fire school police chief Pete Arredondo as part of the ongoing fallout over a mass shooting at a local elementary school in May.
After more than an hour in closed session, board member Laura Perez said there was "good cause" to fire the controversial police chief "effective immediately." The motion prompted applause from the audience — and after all other board members voted for it, the meeting quickly adjourned.
The shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde on May 24 killed 21 people — making it the deadliest school shooting in Texas history, as well as the deadliest school shooting since the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut in 2012. As with Sandy Hook, many of the victims were small children.
Though technically in charge of the response, Arredondo has been widely condemned for what critics say were key tactical errors. Among other things, he classified the shooting as a “barricaded subject” rather than “active shooter” incident — giving responding law enforcement the false impression that they could move slowly and deliberately in rescuing children and securing the school.
More than 375 officers from 23 different agencies responded to the scene — and yet it took authorities more than an hour to confront and kill the attacker. Critics have argued that were it not for the sluggish response, more lives inside of Robb Elementary could have been saved.
An investigation by Texas lawmakers determined there were “systemic failures and egregiously poor decision making” both leading up to and during the day of the killings. Few officials have provoked the wrath of local parents quite like Pete Arredondo.
As police chief for the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District, Arredondo had appointed himself “incident commander” in the district’s active shooter plan, charged with coordinating response efforts. In spite of this, Arredondo later said he didn’t know he was in charge on the day of the shooting.
Although Arredondo was one of the first officers inside the school, he quickly retreated after taking fire. Afterwards, he reportedly spent around an hour looking for a master key to the school.
“Each time I tried a key" to get into a classroom where the shooter was, he told The Texas Tribune, “I was just praying." Subsequent revelations cast doubt on much of Arredondo's story.
The principal of Robb Elementary had a master key to the school — and “yet despite all the effort to find a key, nobody called her,” the Texas House investigation found. Meanwhile, surveillance video revealed that Arredondo had not in fact tried to open the door, which was probably not locked anyway.
Wednesday's meeting started with a moment of silence, then with a prayer. James Garza, a pastor at Risen Community Church and math teacher at Uvalde High School, prayed for "healing and restoration for our community as a whole."
"Lord, there's so much hurt in these last months. We want to see those things changed," Garza said. "Lord, I just ask that you help rebuild trust in our community, camaraderie in our community."
As the public-comment period started, the rage in the room was palpable. Speakers were limited to one minute. Brett Cross, whose 10-year-old nephew Uziyah Garcia was killed in the shooting, told the board "these time limits ain't going to work."
"We’ve seen this trend where you take comments from people that are here, then go into closed session," Cross said. Closed sessions did not provide needed transparency to grieving families," he said, and "that needs to stop."
In Texas, decisions on firing public employees are typically done in closed session. Without Arredondo's approval, they needed to go into closed session, one board member explained to the audience.
Arredondo, who was placed on administrative leave in June, was not present at the meeting. In a statement released shortly beforehand, he said he would not "participate in his own illegal and unconstitutional public lynching." He asked the board to reinstate him "with all backpay and benefits."
Instead, the board fired him — siding with outraged parents and community members who have called for his removal. During public comments, one small girl prompted a standing ovation when she called on Arredondo and other officers to "turn in your badge and step down" because "you don't deserve to wear one."
Another speaker urged the board "do the right thing" and fire Arredondo.
"If you want the community and families to start healing," that speaker said, "you just have to terminate him."
Arredondo is hardly the only official taking heat in the aftermath of the Uvalde shooting.
Although a local gun store that sold weapons to the killer claimed there were no red flags, other patrons at the store told the FBI he had “bad vibes,” seemed “very nervous” and “looked like one of those school shooters.”
Local police have also been criticized for missing violent and threatening warning signs. A few months before the shooting, the killer allegedly drove around Uvalde with another person, displaying a dead cat in a plastic bag.
Then, there’s criticisms of Uvalde’s local school district. The district had received accolades for its detailed active-shooter plan — but when faced with an actual shooter, those plans were all for naught.
Although Robb Elementary was supposed to keep its doors locked, there was a “culture of noncompliance” in the district, the House investigation found. Administrators and school police "tacitly condoned" keeping doors unlocked or propped open.
One door — which Arredondo falsely claimed to have tried opening, and which the killer apparently used to enter a classroom — was known by teachers and administrators to have a faulty lock, the investigation found. On Monday, victims of the shooting served the Uvalde school district with a $27 billion lawsuit.
Read the Top 8
Sign up for the Top 8, a roundup of the day's top stories delivered directly to your inbox Monday through Friday. | https://www.courthousenews.com/uvalde-fires-school-police-chief-in-reckoning-over-school-shooting/ | 2022-08-25T01:15:23Z | courthousenews.com | control | https://www.courthousenews.com/uvalde-fires-school-police-chief-in-reckoning-over-school-shooting/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A California man has been busted for felony child abuse after he brawled with a 13-year-old boy in a video that went viral.
Regan Coultas, 46, was arrested Tuesday for the wild, caught-on-camera fight outside a convenience store in Valencia a week earlier, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department told CBS LA.
The footage caught the 13-year-old being pinned to the ground, seemingly trying to use a jiu-jitsu-style armbar to defend himself before switching to a headlock when they stood.
“Someone call 911!” one young-sounding onlooker cried, as others implored, “What the f–k are you doing?”
“That’s a grown-ass adult right there,” another person said, referring to Coultas.
Someone else yelled that the boy was just “a f—-ing eighth-grader!”
Coultas, 46, was booked on suspicion of felony child abuse.
He was released just after 10 p.m. Wednesday on $100,000 bond, and is due in court Thursday, online records show.
The fight started when the man complained about the group of school-aged kids crowding him inside a store, witness Ricky Harmison, a worker in a neighboring coffee shop, told CBS LA.
The suspect “told a group of the boys that they need to get back if they don’t get back, he’s going to fight them, beat them up,” he said.
“Being boys, [they] talked back to him,” he said, sparking the man to chase them and fight the teen.
However, the man ended up worst off, getting a bloody mouth in the brawl while the teen just suffered scuffs and bruises.
“When he got up he was stumbling,” Harmison said. “I did smell alcohol on his breath so he may have been intoxicated.” | https://nypost.com/2022/08/24/california-man-busted-for-felony-child-abuse-over-viral-video-of-fight-with-young-teen/ | 2022-08-25T01:16:53Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/08/24/california-man-busted-for-felony-child-abuse-over-viral-video-of-fight-with-young-teen/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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Readers' Choice Awards | https://www.parrysound.com/whatson-story/10698769-try-something-new-with-tofu-spring-rolls-plus-hearty-one-pot-pasta-dish-here-s-what-to-cook-this-w/ | 2022-08-25T01:17:13Z | parrysound.com | control | https://www.parrysound.com/whatson-story/10698769-try-something-new-with-tofu-spring-rolls-plus-hearty-one-pot-pasta-dish-here-s-what-to-cook-this-w/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The coronavirus pandemic glow-up is real.
More and more women under the age of 45 are seeking cosmetic procedures — a trend that research has shown was fueled by the global health event.
Results of a new survey conducted by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons showed that business among 30% of its member clinics has doubled or more since March 2020, while overall three-quarters of respondents reported at least some boost at their practice.
“This is definitely true,” Dr. Anthony Youn, a Detroit-based plastic surgeon with over 8 million followers on TikTok, told The Post. “There is a huge boom in plastic surgery since our practices re-opened.”
The ASPS survey attributed the industry’s success during hard times — between 2021 and 20212 — to pandemic-related factors: More than a third of patients used their forced downtime to scrimp and save for their dream procedure, or re-allotted their former vacation funds to pay for cosmetic work. Other reasons given included a renewed sense of carpe diem, as well as their virtual work and social circumstances, with many now required to regularly appear on screen, forcing them to scrutinize their own faces.
But the ASPS survey itself overlooked one likely contributing factor — social media — which could help explain the upward trend of younger women appearing in doctors’ offices.
Dr. Bob Basu, vice president of finance of the ASPS and a private practice surgeon in Houston, addressed the elephant in the room.
“We’re seeing ourselves on a computer screen a lot more regularly and are much more aware of our appearance. And for a lot of people, that makes them recognize that they may want to look a little younger or to appear less tired, which has led to an increase in facial and neck procedures as well,” Basu said in a statement. “I think there’s something that’s happened in terms of the cultural values on aesthetics and wellness in this country that we haven’t seen before. And I think people are recognizing that it’s OK to do something for themselves.”
Meanwhile, young women are better equipped than ever to make such decisions.
“Millennials are very sophisticated in terms of getting the information they want. They share their experiences with other people through social media platforms or other methods. And so, these procedures are no longer taboo — they’re actually relatable and accessible,” Basu added.
Some of the most popular procedures — liposuction, facelift, breast augmentation, tummy tuck and breast lift — have remained on top over the years, while the patients they draw have changed. Women aged 31 to 45 make up a vast majority of patients seeking these procedures — with the exception of the facelift, which continues to dominate among the group aged 45 and up. Meanwhile, lip fillers have become most popular among women aged 30 and under.
“We are seeing a greater portion of younger female patients — possibly powered by social media,” Youn speculated. He told The Post that these women are regularly seeing him for age prevention and reversal through minimally- and non-invasive procedures such Kybella (Deoxycholic acid) to “melt” chin fat, or the skin-tightening micro-needling treatment Morpheus 8.
Meanwhile, post-pandemic uncertainty has not deterred clientele. Youn said the business “doesn’t seem to show any signs of fading” — perhaps thanks, in part, to the industry’s immunity to economic swings.
“Cosmetic treatment prices haven’t kept up with inflation,” he revealed. “Practices are usually fairly slow in raising prices.” | https://nypost.com/2022/08/24/women-under-45-drove-cosmetic-surgery-surge-during-pandemic-survey/ | 2022-08-25T01:18:12Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/08/24/women-under-45-drove-cosmetic-surgery-surge-during-pandemic-survey/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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Earlier:
The Hong Kong stock exchange morning opening time has been delayed due to storms
The storm signal is still in effect thus morning trade has been cancelled at the HKEX.
If Typhoon Signal No. 8 or above is cancelled at or before 12:00 noon local time (0400 GMT), trading will resume in the afternoon.
Earlier pic: | https://www.forexlive.com/news/the-hong-kong-stock-exchange-has-cancelled-morning-trade-due-to-storm-20220825/ | 2022-08-25T01:18:16Z | forexlive.com | control | https://www.forexlive.com/news/the-hong-kong-stock-exchange-has-cancelled-morning-trade-due-to-storm-20220825/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Sgt. Tyler Holloway of the 115 Field Artillery Brigade in the Wyoming Army National Guard calls in a medical evacuation, as part of a round-robin set of events at the Volunteer Training Site in Milan, Tenn. Photo by Sgt. Kristina Kranz/U.S. Army National Guard
CHEYENNE – Legislators hope to provide state funding to the Wyoming Guard for future recruitment and retention efforts.
The Wyoming Military Department has reiterated its need for support in the wake of being seven percentage points below the strength goal of 102% in 2021, which members of the Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Committee heard Wednesday. Without funding for incentives from the state, it could be nearly a decade before the department meets the 100% threshold.
Even with this year being a large success in terms of accessions, officials said they are bracing for the impacts of COVID-19 vaccination requirements. Many are waiting for their religious accommodations, or other aspects of the process, and will no longer be able to serve if not approved.
“We anticipate that number may go down to as low as 85% of our end strength,” said Maj. Karen Hinkle. “So, you’ll see a pretty significant dip.”
In response to these concerns, leaders of the Transportation Committee asked the Legislative Service Office to draft two bills before its next meeting in early November. One is designed to temporarily fund incentive payments for successful referrals to the Guard, which would include a starting appropriation of $350,000 per biennium, and another bill would enhance existing state education and tuition benefits for Guard members.
The two bills are based on proposals put forward by a working group that identifies and studies opportunities to address recruiting and retention goals. Hinkle said the department has discovered it is a more complex issue than a lack of desire from candidates.
In fiscal year 2019, the Department of Defense as a whole attracted 565 candidates from Wyoming, and in 2022, it decreased to only 241 applicants.
“The Wyoming Army National Guard has captured 41% of the market of all new people in Wyoming who are joining in military service. The only thing that’s been kept out of that number is the Air National Guard,” said Hinkle, who didn't clarify why the Air Guard number wasn't included. “So, our recruiting team is doing a fantastic job when it comes to attracting applicants. The problem is the applicant pool has shrunk significantly.”
Other factors leading to a decline in accessions has been a lack of qualified applicant pool; low test scores; increased medical issues, criminal records and disqualifying mental health conditions; and deterrence due to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
Wyoming military data also shows a decrease in retention. The top reasons for leaving include retirement, members rendered ineligible to serve due to medical issues, declining to re-enlist because of political concerns of benefits being used up and interstate transfer. They often stay for incentives, quality of life, military education and a sense of community.
Incentivizing service
Tapping into incentives is key for both military officials and lawmakers.
One of the more direct paths is providing a cash bonus of $500 to Guard members who make a successful referral. The appropriation would be included in an individual bill. Since it was recommended as a three-year program, the department would likely receive $525,000 from the Legislature. Several other states have adopted a similar program, and Hinkle said the department believes it will maximize peer-to-peer recruiting.
The second piece of legislation that will be considered at the next Transportation Committee meeting covers additions to the Wyoming National Guard tuition assistance program. It currently limits participation to one program for a degree, requires a six-year service commitment, and there is no option to transfer the benefit to spouse or dependents, unlike the GI Bill.
Hinkle said with additional funding from the state, the Wyoming Military Department could put it toward authorizing the transfer of unused benefit to a spouse or dependent, and authorize funding for individuals to obtain a second degree from the state. They would have to commit to additional years in the Guard in exchange.
“The goal here is to really incentivize them to stay past that first term of service,” she said.
Committee members also discussed other recruitment and retention measures that will not be developed into draft bills yet, but target members to relocate to Wyoming or incentivize out-of-state members to join Wyoming Guard units. Some of those included reduction in vehicle registration rates, property tax exemptions, as well as reduced costs for hunting, fishing and camping permits, preferential treatment for hunting tag draws and admission to state recreational facilities.
The working group made up of legislators and military recruitment officials will continue to deliberate on those topics, as well as returning the Combat Vets Tuition Program to its original benefit level.
Jasmine Hall is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle’s state government reporter. She can be reached by email at jhall@wyomingnews.com or by phone at 307-633-3167. Follow her on Twitter @jasminerhphotos and on Instagram @jhrose25. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/legislators-hope-to-provide-support-to-wyoming-guard-for-recruitment/article_aeb31448-23f7-11ed-965d-efc8bd164b23.html | 2022-08-25T01:18:21Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/legislators-hope-to-provide-support-to-wyoming-guard-for-recruitment/article_aeb31448-23f7-11ed-965d-efc8bd164b23.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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The Warrior Games are composed of over 200 wounded, ill and injured service members and veteran athletes, competing in 12 adaptive sporting events Aug. 19-28, 2022 at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
This work, 2022 DoD Warrior Games Wheelchair Basketball B-Roll, by PO2 George Bell, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found. | https://www.dvidshub.net/video/855271/2022-dod-warrior-games-wheelchair-basketball-b-roll | 2022-08-25T01:25:15Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/video/855271/2022-dod-warrior-games-wheelchair-basketball-b-roll | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — A Siouxland after school program is having to limit what they can do because of staffing.
Beyond the Bell, a program that takes kids in before and after school, is being hit by a staffing shortage as they go into the school year.
The students engage in fun activities, recieve snacks, get homework assistance and tutoring. However, over the past couple years the program has been slowly lossing staff.
The program director for Beyond the Bell, Jenna Andrews, said low staff is making them limit student counts.
“And it has decreased the amount of students we can take right now. Because our staffing numbers are a little bit lower, we can only take so many kids per staff to get those kids in,” said Andrews.
Those that are wanting to join the program are put on a waiting list until they get more staff. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/local-news/staffing-shortage-puts-limits-on-beyond-the-bell-program/ | 2022-08-25T01:26:28Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/local-news/staffing-shortage-puts-limits-on-beyond-the-bell-program/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(NEXSTAR) – With monkeypox reaching all 50 U.S. states around the same time that public schools are opening their doors for a new school year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is offering new guidance for parents, teachers and administrators.
In a recently-released “frequently asked questions” update, the CDC said that at this point schools don’t need to do anything beyond what they would to prevent the transmission of any infections disease.
“At this time, the risk of monkeypox to children and adolescents in the United States is low,” the CDC said. “In this outbreak, most cases of monkeypox have been associated with sexual contact.”
The CDC adds that, in the current global outbreak, monkeypox has rarely been life-threatening in children, who make up a small minority of cases.
Transmission of monkeypox among children is not unheard of, however, and has happened in the U.S. during the current outbreak. On Tuesday, health officials confirmed three new pediatric cases in Georgia, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
What about vaccinations for the staff?
The CDC reiterated that there is currently no need for widespread vaccination for monkeypox among children and staff at U.S. day cares, pre-schools or K-12 schools.
People should get the vaccination if they’ve been exposed to monkeypox or fall into one of the these three groups:
- People who have been identified by public health officials as a contact of someone with monkeypox
- People who know one of their sexual partners in the past 2 weeks has been diagnosed with monkeypox
- People who had multiple sexual partners in the past 2 weeks in an area with known monkeypox
With monkeypox dominating headlines this summer, the CDC is also reminding families and school employees that the risk is low, and if a rash and fever develop it could be from a number of far more common viruses.
If the child was confirmed to have been exposed to monkeypox and develops symptoms, administrators and other school staff are encouraged to follow CDC’s guidance here: “What should we do if a person who has been exposed to monkeypox develops symptoms while in our setting?”.
What should schools do if there is a monkeypox case?
If an infected student does come to school, make sure to clean and disinfect the area where the child spent time and any surfaces he or she might have touched, according to the CDC. Anything that can’t be cleaned and disinfected should be thrown away.
All children, staff and volunteers not involved in cleaning should stay out of the room until the process is done.
“Most children can attend school and other school-related activities even if they have had close contact with someone with monkeypox,” according to the CDC. “The health department will provide specific guidance should an exposure occur.”
If a child develops symptoms while at school, teachers should move that student to a more isolated setting, like an office, and have the child (above 2 years old) or adolescent where a mask before calling a parent or caregiver.
Staff working with the child should wear a respirator if possible, or a well-fitting mask, and avoid any unnecessary close contact by wearing protective equipment, not holding the child and not touching the rash area. Staff is still encouraged “to attend to the child in an age-appropriate manner (for example, changing soiled diapers, calming an upset toddler).”
Any cases should be reported to health officials to help with the contact tracing process.
How long should a student with monkeypox stay out of school?
If a student catches monkeypox, the CDC recommends that he or she isolate to lessen the likelihood of transmitting it.
Isolation should continue until all the scabs from the monkeypox rash have fully healed and a new layer of skin has formed. This could take as long as four weeks after symptoms start.
People who get sick should also stay away from pets and other animals. Earlier this month, a 4-year-old male Italian greyhound is believed to have contracted monkeypox from a human, which is thought to be the first documented human-pet transmission.
While the risk to children is low, schools that do have a case should “communicate fact-based information to parents and caregivers, including staff members, and avoid introducing stigma.”
I have monkeypox and I can’t isolate from my child
In an ideal scenario, another parent or adult in the household without monkeypox should serve as the primary caregiver.
If that’s not possible, here are some precautions that the CDC recommends while caring for the child:
- During interactions, the parent or caregiver should cover their rash with clothing, gloves, or bandages, wear a well-fitting mask, and follow other prevention practices.
- The child or adolescent, if 2 years of age or older, should wear a well-fitting mask or respirator during interactions with the parent or caregiver.
- The guidance for Disinfecting the Home and Other Non-Healthcare Settings to clean and disinfect surfaces, floors, and shared items used by the person with monkeypox should be followed.
- The parent should work with their doctor and health department for further guidance on the child’s activities outside the home.
If the parent or caregiver is able to isolate and the child wears a mask during any contact, the child should be able to return to school, according to the CDC.
Children exposed to monkeypox should be monitored for symptoms for 21 days.
Daily temperature checks, full-body skin checks and inspection of the inside of the mouth for sores or ulcers is recommended, but symptoms may still be hard to detect.
Parents can ask older children to let them know if they experience any pain or rashes on the skin in their private areas.
“It is also important to discuss vaccination for exposed children with the health department,” according to the CDC. “A vaccine is available that can help prevent monkeypox in people who have been exposed if it is given soon after exposure.” | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/monkeypox-and-schools-cdc-releases-new-guidance/ | 2022-08-25T01:26:34Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/monkeypox-and-schools-cdc-releases-new-guidance/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SIOUX CITY, IOWA (KCAU)- The South Sioux City Cardinals are looking to bounce back after finishing below .500 last year in Class B. But with a new head coach and the majority of the team’s playmakers returning, the Cardinals look to flip the script this year.
Leading the way for South Sioux City is Jackson Dickerson, who has elevated to the head coaching role after spending time as an assistant with the program. Returning on the gridiron for the Cardinals is sophomore quarterback Darrius Helms, who totaled ten touchdowns last season. Also, leading receiver Richard Stewart will be back for the team.
Even with a handful of starters returning, the Cardinals will still have gaps to fill. South Sioux City will be without star running back Demarico Young. But, the team understands that last year was a learning one for the younger players as they say they have a better feel for the game.
South Sioux City’s season opener is scheduled for August 25th against Sioux City North for a matchup between two Metro schools. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/sports/two-a-days-south-sioux-city-3/ | 2022-08-25T01:26:53Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/sports/two-a-days-south-sioux-city-3/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
BOISE, Idaho — U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill issued a written ruling Wednesday, siding with the U.S. Justice Department.
In the ruling, Winmill ordered the partial blocking of the law — allowing it to take effect — but not allowing any prosecution of doctors or suspension of medical licenses until a final judgment is made.
The Justice Department announced the lawsuit on August 2. During a hearing Monday, the DOJ argued Idaho's total abortion ban violated the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, or EMTALA.
EMTALA was adopted by the U.S. Congress in 1986 as a way to ensure that anyone facing a medical emergency is treated regardless of ability to pay or insurance status. The federal law requires hospitals that receive Medicare funding to treat and stabilize patients during medical emergencies where an abortion might be needed.
The State of Idaho argued this would not conflict with federal law in the real world, and this lawsuit was federal overreach and an attempt to have the court deem the entire law unconstitutional.
During Monday's hearing, Winmill said "I won't enjoin anything more than what the United States has asked for."
BREAKING: U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill issued a written Wednesday ruling in favor of The U.S. Justice Department.
— Jake Garcia (@JakeGarciaTV) August 25, 2022
Winmill ordered the partial blocking of the law allowing it to take effect, but not allowing any prosecution of doctors...1/2https://t.co/HoTJOwRmVj
The judge hinted the phrasing of the law and the legislature's intent might violate federal law.
The United States Government asked the judge to block the law where it conflicts with EMTALA, not allow the state to prosecute or attempt to revoke the license of medical providers who may be authorized to perform emergency abortions under EMTALA, to block the enforcement of the law where it conflicts with EMTALA, the Federal Government's court costs and anything else the judge sees just and proper.
Read the full ruling by Judge B. Lynn Winmil here:
This story was originally published by KIVI in Boise, Idaho. | https://www.katc.com/news/national/judge-rules-in-favor-of-justice-department-in-idahos-federal-abortion-ban-lawsuit-cannot-prosecute-doctors | 2022-08-25T01:28:48Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/national/judge-rules-in-favor-of-justice-department-in-idahos-federal-abortion-ban-lawsuit-cannot-prosecute-doctors | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A Texas college student says he is trying to raise enough money to adopt a child he found lying on the ground while walking to a New Year's Eve gathering in Gonaives, Haiti in 2017.
Jimmy Amisial said that he walked over to an area where people were gathering and saw the boy lying in a "pile of trash" while crying, and no one was helping him.
Amisial said he brought the baby home to his mother, and they cared for his injuries, then called the authorities.
“When I got to the place where the people were making noise, I saw a baby,” said Amisial. The baby "was in a pile of trash crying, and there wasn’t a single soul who wanted to do anything about it.”
RELATED: Texas student drops from school to adopt baby found in dumpster
He was visiting while on break from school at Texas State University.
Amisial told CNN he believed the locals were afraid to pick the baby up because they feared he might be evil or cursed.
In a conversation with Amisial, he told Scripps he was 22-years-old at the time he found the boy, who was estimated to be about 3 to 4 months old at the time.
His mother in Haiti, Elicie Jean, helped to clean the boy and put ointment on his ant bites. Police asked the family to care for the boy overnight before a judge arrived the next day to see if they wanted to take temporary custody of him because there had been no one to come and claim him.
That was when Amisial took some days to think it over and decided to start the process of adopting the little boy he named Emilio Angel Jeremiah.
He left Emilio in the care of his mother while he returned to school in Texas as required by his student visa program.
In a Facebook post, Amisial asked for donations to help in the expensive process, providing a GoFundMe link, he wrote, "Your generosity and contributions will make a big difference in other people lives. Your donations will be used to hopefully get Emilio fully adopted. Pay for Emilio’s schooling, to support the local orphanages; needy families, kids in the community and possibly pay for my education and school debts. With you all that can be possible. I’m going to make sure of that to keep you guys updated."
He said, “I’ve always wanted to be a part of something great, and to me, that was the moment.”
Amisial told KXAN, “I’m really glad the fact that I had the opportunity to transform his life from being abandoned in the trash into a wonderful treasure."
Amisial told Scripps he is now 27, and Emilio will be turning five soon. Amisial took a break from school to work and raise money to fully adopt Emilio and says he will return to school to finish his communication studies. | https://www.katc.com/news/national/texas-college-student-adopts-baby-he-found-in-trash-while-in-haiti-on-a-visit-home | 2022-08-25T01:29:00Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/national/texas-college-student-adopts-baby-he-found-in-trash-while-in-haiti-on-a-visit-home | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
St. Landry Parish deputies have arrested an Opelousas man for a June 2021 shooting after a witness recognized his mug shot after he was arrested for another incident, Sheriff Bobby J. Guidroz says.
Nyhiem Hogans, 19, was booked on a warrant Wednesday with attempted-second degree murder in connection with a shooting that happened on June 24, 2021, in the vicinity of Alice Street and Story Street in the Opelousas area.
In that case, Opelousas Police Department detectives met with the victim upon arrival. The victim stated that while he was driving on Alice Street he observed a person standing in the roadway while holding an AK-47.
The victim then proceeded to turn onto Benjamin Street, intending to drive to the next block over, Story Street, and ultimately return to Alice Street and exit the area.
According to reports, while driving on Story Street the victim observed an unknown male holding a pistol with a large extended magazine enter the roadway from the bushes and shoot at the vehicle.
A total of 6 shots were fired at the front of the vehicle and windshield. As the victim drove through the ditch at the intersection of Alice Street and Story Street, the suspect continued to shoot at the vehicle hitting it multiple times as the victim accelerated and left the area.
No arrests were made, but then in October the Opelousas Police Department arrested two men for their involvement in an armed robbery that occured that month. The coverage from that incident can be found here.
The Opelousas Police Department said the victim read a press release regarding those two men, and recognized Hogans as the person holding the AK-47 in the June incident. Hogans' actions allegedly caused the victim to turn down Benjamin Street and drive past the unknown shooter holding the pistol.
An arrest warrant was issued for Hogans on December 2, 2021, charging him with attempted second degree murder. He was transported to the St. Landry Parish Jail and booked on that arrest warrant this week.
Anyone with information about the shooter or this crime is encouraged to call the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office at 337-948-6516.
You may also call Crime Stoppers at 337-948-TIPS, download the P3 app on your mobile device or simply dial **TIPS on your mobile phone to tip. All calls are anonymous and you can earn a cash reward for information leading to an arrest | https://www.katc.com/news/st-landry-parish/opelousas-arrest-leads-to-identification-of-suspect-in-june-2021-armed-robbery | 2022-08-25T01:29:13Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/st-landry-parish/opelousas-arrest-leads-to-identification-of-suspect-in-june-2021-armed-robbery | 0 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | 1 |
St. Landry Parish deputies have arrested an Opelousas man for a June 2021 shooting after a witness recognized his mug shot after he was arrested for another incident, Sheriff Bobby J. Guidroz says.
Nyhiem Hogans, 19, was booked on a warrant Wednesday with attempted-second degree murder in connection with a shooting that happened on June 24, 2021, in the vicinity of Alice Street and Story Street in the Opelousas area.
In that case, Opelousas Police Department detectives met with the victim upon arrival. The victim stated that while he was driving on Alice Street he observed a person standing in the roadway while holding an AK-47.
The victim then proceeded to turn onto Benjamin Street, intending to drive to the next block over, Story Street, and ultimately return to Alice Street and exit the area.
According to reports, while driving on Story Street the victim observed an unknown male holding a pistol with a large extended magazine enter the roadway from the bushes and shoot at the vehicle.
A total of 6 shots were fired at the front of the vehicle and windshield. As the victim drove through the ditch at the intersection of Alice Street and Story Street, the suspect continued to shoot at the vehicle hitting it multiple times as the victim accelerated and left the area.
No arrests were made, but then in October the Opelousas Police Department arrested two men for their involvement in an armed robbery that occured that month. The coverage from that incident can be found here.
The Opelousas Police Department said the victim read a press release regarding those two men, and recognized Hogans as the person holding the AK-47 in the June incident. Hogans' actions allegedly caused the victim to turn down Benjamin Street and drive past the unknown shooter holding the pistol.
An arrest warrant was issued for Hogans on December 2, 2021, charging him with attempted second degree murder. He was transported to the St. Landry Parish Jail and booked on that arrest warrant this week.
Anyone with information about the shooter or this crime is encouraged to call the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office at 337-948-6516.
You may also call Crime Stoppers at 337-948-TIPS, download the P3 app on your mobile device or simply dial **TIPS on your mobile phone to tip. All calls are anonymous and you can earn a cash reward for information leading to an arrest | https://www.katc.com/news/st-landry-parish/opelousas-arrest-leads-to-identification-of-suspect-in-june-2021-armed-robbery | 2022-08-25T01:29:13Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/st-landry-parish/opelousas-arrest-leads-to-identification-of-suspect-in-june-2021-armed-robbery | 1 | 0 | green-iguana-35 | 1 |
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Wednesday named Kim Cheatle, a veteran Secret Service official, to be the agency's next director as it faces controversy over missing text messages around the time thousands of supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol.
Cheatle, who left the Secret Service in 2021 for a job as a security executive at PepsiCo, takes the reins as multiple congressional committees and the Department of Homeland Security's internal watchdog are investigating the missing text messages, which the Secret Service has said were purged during a technology transition.
Cheatle had served in the Secret Service for 27 years and was the first woman to be named assistant director of protective operations, the division that provides protection to the president and other dignitaries.
Cheatle had served on Biden's protective detail when he was vice president. During that time, Biden "came to trust" her judgment and counsel, he said in a statement.
Biden said that her and first lady Jill Biden "know firsthand Kim's commitment to her job and to the Secret Service's people and mission."
Cheatle replaces James Murray, who had announced his retirement to take a position with Snap, the social media company best known for its app, Snapchat. He announced last month that he would delay his retirement amid the investigations while Biden looked for a new director.
The Secret Service has faced increasing criticism after admitting that text messages from around the time of the attack of Jan. 6, 2021, on the Capitol were deleted.
The agency has said the messages were purged when its phones were migrated to a new system in the weeks after the 2021 attack. Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., a member of the House committee investigating the attack, has said the Secret Service told the committee that it left it up to individual agents to decide what electronic records to keep and what to delete during the process.
The committee has taken a recent, renewed interest in the Secret Service following the dramatic testimony of former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson about Trump's actions on the day of the insurrection.
The Secret Service has said all procedures were followed and pledged "full cooperation" with all of the reviews and investigations, including a criminal investigation by the Homeland Security's inspector general.
Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said Cheatle "is a law enforcement veteran and served as the first female assistant director in charge of all protective operations for the agency before retiring."
"We are ecstatic to welcome her back as the next Director of the United States Secret Service," he said in a tweet.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.klcc.org/npr-news/2022-08-24/biden-names-new-a-secret-service-director-as-the-agency-faces-controversy | 2022-08-25T01:33:27Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-news/2022-08-24/biden-names-new-a-secret-service-director-as-the-agency-faces-controversy | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
How Many Sizes of a Basketball Size Should I Need by LetsGolfNow Sports? �There are more people who can watch baseball sports games in front of you 8 out of people from among these. These were then collected throughout all the time intervals and summarizations are described based upon gender (male athletics) and. DOWNS-SOLINGTON DEM A 02 EUR DEROMA D07 MIL MIADE POL A report from Yale Law School that questioned U.S. prison systems found that in the summer of 2021, nearly 50,000 men and women were held in solitary confinement in the U.S.
As the Guardian reported, the number was above the minimum standards set by the United Nations, which says that this type of isolation is considered torture.
The report data was obtained through surveys which found that people in prison were being held in parking space-sized cells for an average of 22 hours per day, and for at least 15 days.
Researchers surveyed 34 state prison systems, along with the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), in 2021.
According to data from the Vera Institute of Justice (Vera), by March 2021, 1,193,934 men and women were held in prisons across the United States.
The Guardian's report highlighted the case of Albert Woodford Fox, who stood as the person that had endured the longest-standing solitary confinement in the country. He was locked into a cell for 43 years, with almost no breaks, within a six by 9-foot cell. He was released from Louisiana's Angola prison in 2016.
Fox died at the age of 75 earlier in August.
Judith Resnik, a professor of law at Yale, said, "In the 1980s, people promoted solitary confinement as a way to deal with violence in prisons.” She said, “It is now seen as a problem itself that needs to be solved.”
In California, new legislation colloquially known as the California Mandela Act, would have prisons in the state would require strict rules and reporting and would not allow pregnant women to be put in solitary confinement.
Solitary confinement has officially been given the name restrictive housing, or is sometimes called Special Housing United (SHU) or Intensive Management Units. | https://www.fox17online.com/news/national/almost-50-000-men-and-women-held-in-solitary-confinement-in-us-prisons-report-says | 2022-08-25T01:34:04Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/news/national/almost-50-000-men-and-women-held-in-solitary-confinement-in-us-prisons-report-says | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
It’s official... I haven’t quite become Mr Self Defense Yet.. so we took me out here for this shoot lmao (swipe to left)....but really....i really couldn’t hit someone I swears ??!!!???.....my new book DIRRT GAME RELOA? is OUT and ready #prebuy (swipes again): it shows not every guy on campus would try getting money ?...... but then again it shows my UVALDE, Texas (AP) — The Uvalde school district's embattled police chief was fired on Wednesday following allegations that he made several critical mistakes during the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School that left 19 students and two teachers dead.
The Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District's board of trustees said it voted unanimously to dismiss police Chief Pete Arredondo.
Arredondo is the first officer dismissed over the hesitant and fumbling law enforcement response to one of the worst school shootings in U.S. history. Only one other officer — Uvalde Police Department Lt. Mariano Pargas, who was the city's acting police chief on the day of massacre — is known to have been placed on leave for their actions during the shooting.
Arredondo, who has been on leave from the district since June 22, has faced blistering criticism since the May 24 massacre, most notably for not ordering officers to immediately breach the classroom where an 18-year-old gunman carried out the attack. Col. Steve McCraw, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, has said Arredondo was in charge of the law enforcement response to the attack.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP's earlier story follows below.
UVALDE, Texas (AP) — Angry calls to fire Uvalde's embattled school police chief swept through an auditorium Wednesday where school board members faced demands to make Pete Arredondo the first officer to lose his job over the fumbled response to the massacre at Robb Elementary School.
The school board was meeting to decide Arredondo's future, three months to the day after a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers in one of the deadliest classroom shootings in U.S. history.
Arredondo was not in attendance but through his attorney released a blistering and defiant 17-page letter that lashed out at state officials, defended the police response to the May 24 massacre and accused the school board of putting his safety at risk by not allowing him to carry a weapon to the meeting.
As the board convened into a closed session, some in the auditorium yelled "Coward!" and "What about our children?"
Arredondo, who has been on administrative leave since June, has come under the most scrutiny for his actions during the May 24 tragedy. State police and a damning investigative report in July have criticized the police chief of the roughly 4,000-student school district for failing to take charge of the scene, not breaching the classroom sooner and wasting time by looking for a key to a likely unlocked door.
But a letter released by his attorney, George Hyde, accused the school district of not being prepared for an attacker and described the actions taken by Arrendondo and hundreds of other officers on the scene as "reasonable."
Heavily armed law enforcement personnel arrived at the school within minutes of the attack, but police did not breach the classroom and confront the gunman for more than an hour.
"Chief Arredondo is a leader and a courageous officer who with all of the other law enforcement officers who responded to the scene, should be celebrated for the lives saved, instead of vilified for those they couldn't reach in time," Hyde wrote.
Uvalde school officials have been under mounting pressure from victims' families and members of the community, many of whom have called for Arredondo's termination. Superintendent Hal Harrell had first moved to fire Arredondo in July but postponed the decision at the request of the police chief's attorney.
Only one other police official at the scene, Uvalde police Lt. Mariano Pargas, is known to have been placed on leave since the shooting. Pargas was the city's acting police chief during the massacre.
The Texas Department of Public Safety, which had more than 90 state troopers at the scene, has also launched an internal investigation into the response by state police.
School officials have said the campus at Robb Elementary will no longer be used. Instead, campuses elsewhere in Uvalde will serve as temporary classrooms for elementary school students, not all of whom are willing to return to school in-person following the shooting.
School officials say a virtual academy will be offered for students. The district has not said how many students will attend virtually, but a new state law passed last year in Texas following the pandemic limits the number of eligible students receiving remote instruction to "10% of all enrolled students within a given school system."
Schools can seek a waiver to exceed the limit but Uvalde has not done so, according to Melissa Holmes, a spokeswoman for the Texas Education Agency.
New measures to improve school safety in Uvalde include "8-foot, non-scalable perimeter fencing" at elementary, middle and high school campuses, according to the school district. Officials say they have also installed additional security cameras, upgraded locks, enhanced training for district staff and improving communication.
However, according to the district's own progress reports, as of Tuesday no fencing had been erected at six of the eight campuses where it was planned, and cameras had only been installed at the high school. Some progress had been made on locks at three of eight campuses, and communication improvement was marked as half complete for each campus.
Uvalde CISD did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
___
For more AP coverage of the Uvalde school shooting: https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting | https://www.fox17online.com/news/national/uvalde-school-board-fires-police-chief-after-mass-shooting | 2022-08-25T01:34:17Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/news/national/uvalde-school-board-fires-police-chief-after-mass-shooting | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The community is grieving after two Tennessee law enforcement officers were killed in a helicopter crash and they are expressing their condolences.
Sergeant Lee Russell of west Tennessee died alongside Marion County detective Matt Blansett.
Blansett was a pillar in the community and loved by many. His procession that escorted Blansett started in Nashville and passed through his hometown in South Pittsburg as hundreds lined up the streets to pay their respects with several first responder cars leading the way.
Marion County Deputy Payne Mosley is still processing the loss of his life long-friend Matt Blansett. He has known him since he was 8 years old and worked with him.
"I've known his whole family. It's been pretty tough," he said in sorrow.
Marion County Sheriff "Bo" Burnett said he has known Blansett for 20 years and worked with him closely.
"We are all heartbroken here. I am sure everyone in Marion county is…just a great loss," he said in tears.
"(Blansett) He started off as a dispatch, worked his way up to patrol, then detective," he said.
The loss of the detective was a devastating blow to everyone around him that knew him. Blansett is survived by his wife and two young boys. According to his friends, he was an avid duck hunter, started the K-9 program, was a fan of the South Pittsburg football team and was passionate about his job.
"He just amazed me with the things he could do. When he set his mind to something as far as working for the Sheriff's Department," said Sheriff Burnett.
Sergeant Lee Russell worked for the Tennessee Highway Patrol. THP Colonel Matt Perry released a statement that said, "Our hearts are filled with sadness. As we navigate these difficult times, we ask that you please pray for their families, friends and the men and women of the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Marion County Sheriff's Department. These men are heroes, and we will never forget them."
Officials said the two victims were on the job when the helicopter hit a power line and crashed into the wooded area of Aetna Mountain in Marion County.
"For a couple hours we kept thinking for the best, maybe, we just always think for the best but it just didn't turn out that way," said Sheriff Burnett.
He said he last spoke to Blansett on Monday and misses him greatly.
"We are never promised tomorrow. I guess we take it lightly until something like this happens," he said.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration.
In the meantime, Blansett has been brought home to Rogers Funeral home in South Pittsburg, Tennessee. We are working to find out the details on when that may be. | https://www.local3news.com/community/marion-county-detective-and-thp-trooper-mourned-by-community-after-tragic-helicopter-crash/article_68821082-240b-11ed-99e8-7f695114f82e.html | 2022-08-25T01:36:19Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/community/marion-county-detective-and-thp-trooper-mourned-by-community-after-tragic-helicopter-crash/article_68821082-240b-11ed-99e8-7f695114f82e.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Biden administration on Wednesday took another step to try to preserve the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which allows hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children to stay and work in the country.
The Department of Homeland Security announced the finalized rule, which is an effort to continue the DACA policy that was first introduced in 2012. Over the years, the program has protected more than 800,000 people from deportation, according to DHS.
President Joe Biden said in a statement that his administration was "fulfilling our commitment to preserve and strengthen" the program by finalizing regulations to "reinforce protections" for "Dreamers," referencing people brought to the US as children.
"Ten years ago, I stood by President Obama as he announced one of our proudest accomplishments -- creating the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA," Biden wrote. "The program has transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of young Dreamers by allowing them to live here and contribute their talents to this great country without fear of removal."
"I will do everything within my power to protect Dreamers, but Congressional Republicans should stop blocking a bill that provides a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers," he added. "It is not only the right thing to do, it is also the smart thing to do for our economy and our communities."
For years, Congress has tried and failed to pass legislation to provide a pathway to citizenship or otherwise address the immigration system.
The finalized rule, which has been in the works since last year, replaces the Obama-era memo and takes effect October 31.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas called it "another step to do everything in our power to preserve and fortify DACA, an extraordinary program that has transformed the lives of so many Dreamers."
However, DHS noted that an injunction from the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas remains in effect, prohibiting the department from granting initial DACA requests and related employment authorization.
But because that injunction has been partially stayed, renewal requests may be granted under the new regulations, DHS said.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/biden-administration-takes-step-to-preserve-obama-era-daca-program/article_59cad6db-45cd-5517-ae04-383861053e54.html | 2022-08-25T01:36:25Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/biden-administration-takes-step-to-preserve-obama-era-daca-program/article_59cad6db-45cd-5517-ae04-383861053e54.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A US district court on Wednesday evening granted a Biden administration request, temporarily blocking Idaho's ban on abortion in situations where the ban conflicts with federal standards for emergency care.
"This Court is not grappling with" the larger questions about a right to an abortion, US District Judge B. Lynn Winmill wrote in handing down a preliminary injunction. "Rather, the Court is called upon to address a far more modest issue — whether Idaho's criminal abortion statute conflicts with a small but important corner of federal legislation. It does."
The Biden administration had challenged parts of Idaho's abortion ban, which was set to take effect on Thursday, under a law known as the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act or EMTALA, which establishes emergency care requirements for certain health care providers. Winmill said Wednesday that the Justice Department was likely to succeed in its argument that Idaho's abortion ban criminalized abortion care that physicians are obligated to offer in medical emergencies under EMTALA.
"In short, given the extraordinarily broad scope of Idaho Code § 18-622, neither the State nor the Legislature have convinced the Court that it is possible for healthcare workers to simultaneously comply with their obligations under EMTALA and Idaho statutory law," the judge wrote. "The state law must therefore yield to federal law to the extent of that conflict."
The exception the Idaho abortion ban offers for emergency medical situations is among the most limited in the country. It applies only when the provider believes the abortion was necessary to prevent the death of the pregnant person, stopping short of allowing abortions for other serious health risks that EMTALA contemplates. And the law doesn't exempt providers who offer that emergency care from being charged with a crime; rather it allows them to put forward that justification as an affirmative defense at trial.
"When an abortion is the necessary stabilizing treatment, EMTALA directs physicians to provide that care if they reasonably expect the patient's condition will result in serious impairment to bodily functions, serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part, or serious jeopardy to the patient's health," the judge wrote. "In contrast, the criminal abortion statute admits to no such exception. It only justifies abortions that the treating physician determines are necessary to prevent the patient's death."
The order is a win for the Biden administration, as it has had few tools at its disposal to respond to the Supreme Court's reversal in June of Roe v. Wade's federal abortion rights protections.
In a dueling case arising out of Texas, a federal judge pushed back on the administration's interpretation of EMTALA as requiring abortion care in medical emergencies. In that case, the judge issued a preliminary injunction Tuesday night against the administration, halting it from enforcing EMTALA in that manner in Texas and against an organization of doctors who joined Texas in challenging the administration's policy.
This story has been updated with additional details Wednesday.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/judge-blocks-enforcement-of-idahos-abortion-ban-in-medical-emergencies-day-before-it-was-set/article_e0487a5a-4a41-554f-98ce-97d67ac87235.html | 2022-08-25T01:36:49Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/judge-blocks-enforcement-of-idahos-abortion-ban-in-medical-emergencies-day-before-it-was-set/article_e0487a5a-4a41-554f-98ce-97d67ac87235.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Uvalde school board voted unanimously Wednesday evening to immediately terminate the contract of district police chief Pete Arredondo, three months after a teenaged gunman took the lives of 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary.
The board made its decision in a closed session meeting lasting nearly an hour-and-a-half. Several members of the audience applauded after the decision was announced. One person was heard repeatedly shouting: "We're not done."
Arredondo didn't attend the meeting. His attorney instead issued a 17-page statement that said the district wasn't following legal procedure as it moved to fire Arredondo and that the police chief was concerned about his safety.
In the statement, which came less than an hour before the meeting started, Arredondo's attorney George Hyde argued that a letter from the district suspending him without pay does not count as an official "complaint" required by law to consider termination.
"Chief Arredondo will not participate in his own illegal and unconstitutional public lynching and respectfully requests the Board immediately reinstate him, with all backpay and benefits and close the complaint as unfounded," the statement concludes.
Hyde said due to death threats, Arredondo didn't feel the board meeting would be safe.
The meeting began with comments from members of the public, some of whom called for Arredondo, who has been on unpaid leave, to turn in his badge.
The board members said Texas law requires for the hearing on the chief's employment status to be held in closed session. Upon returning from that private meeting, a board member read a motion to terminate Arredondo's non-certified contract immediately and another to ratify his leave status.
Arredondo has come under intense public scrutiny over the law enforcement response to the May 24 massacre, America's deadliest school shooting since 2012.
The Uvalde schools superintendent has recommended that Arredondo be fired. State officials identified Arredondo as the on-scene police commander, though he has said he did not consider himself in charge.
The attacker remained in two adjoined classrooms for more than an hour before officers entered the rooms and killed him, authorities say. The delay contradicted widely taught protocol for active shooter situations that call for police to immediately stop the threat and came even as children inside repeatedly called 911 and begged for help.
In his statement for Arredondo, Hyde says the chief was not notified between June 22 and July 19 of a school district investigation and was not asked to participate or give a statement.
"The district cannot withhold its information for months, present only that which they find supports the Superintendent, and then disclose it without a reasonable opportunity to review it, and the opportunity to discover impeachment or optional completeness evidence."
Wednesday's meeting comes after heated school board sessions in which parents have demanded that Arredondo and others in the school system be fired, and after several instances in which officials have criticized the police response to the shooting in hearings and a Texas House investigative report.
Report described 'lackadaisical approach' by law enforcement
In a hearing before the Texas Senate on June 21, the director of the Texas Department of Public Safety called the police response an "abject failure." The director, Col. Steven McCraw, placed blame for the failure on Arredondo, who state authorities identified as the on-scene commander. The on-scene commander, McCraw said, was "the only thing" stopping officers from entering the classrooms to engage the gunman.
But Arredondo told a Texas House investigative committee that he did not consider himself the incident commander -- echoing comments he made to the Texas Tribune in June.
In a preliminary report released July 17, the Texas House panel placed blame more broadly, outlining a series of failures by multiple law enforcement agencies.
The 77-page report described "an overall lackadaisical approach" by the 376 local, state and federal law enforcement officers who responded and were at the school.
"There is no one to whom we can attribute malice or ill motives," the report says. "Instead, we found systemic failures and egregious poor decision making."
The report also notes others could have assumed command. Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training "teaches that any law enforcement officer can assume command, that somebody must assume command, and that an incident commander can transfer responsibility as an incident develops," it says.
"That did not happen at Robb Elementary, and the lack of effective incident command is a major factor that caused other vital measures to be left undone," according to the report.
In that report, Arredondo said his approach was "responding as a police officer," and that he therefore "didn't title myself."
However, at least one of the responding officers expressed the belief that Arredondo was leading the law enforcement response inside the school, telling others that the "chief is in charge," according to a timeline from the Texas Department of Public Safety.
In the wake of sharp criticism, Uvalde school district Superintendent Hal Harrell placed Arredondo -- who has been the school district police chief since March 2020 -- on leave from his position as school police chief on June 22.
Separately, Arredondo resigned his position on the Uvalde City Council in early July, and the council accepted the resignation July 12.
'Too little, too late'
At a school board meeting July 18 -- a day after the House report was released -- an uncle of one of the slain children angrily asked why Arredondo still was employed.
"Why the hell does he still have a job with y'all?" Brett Cross, an uncle of 10-year-old Uziyah Garcia, asked the board, adding he wanted members to resign if Arredondo weren't fired by the next day. "Because you all do not give a damn about our children or us. Stand with us or against us, because we ain't going nowhere."
Firing Arredondo now, Cross told CNN later that week, would be "too little, too late." Cross, who had been raising Uziyah as his son before the child was killed in the shooting, and some others in the community have been calling for the superintendent, the board and the school police department to be replaced.
At a meeting Monday night, the school board met to review parents' complaints calling for the superintendent's removal. The board passed a motion that, in part, requires the superintendent to provide to the board names or organizations that could review the district's administrative practices about accountability.
Some community members in attendance -- including Cross -- expressed anger at the end of the meeting, with some saying that it took three hours to not accomplish anything.
"Come out Wednesday," Cross said as he and others left Monday's meeting. "I'm f**king tired of this bulls**t."
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™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/uvalde-school-board-votes-unanimously-to-fire-police-chief-pete-arredondo/article_62b72a8a-a1f9-5b45-8f24-675401b645c2.html | 2022-08-25T01:37:14Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/uvalde-school-board-votes-unanimously-to-fire-police-chief-pete-arredondo/article_62b72a8a-a1f9-5b45-8f24-675401b645c2.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
UVALDE, Texas (KXAN) — The Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District school board has voted to fire the district’s police chief following allegations that he made several critical mistakes during the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School that left 19 students and two teachers dead.
The district was going to hold a similar meeting on Arredondo’s fate on July 23 but canceled it at the request of Arredondo’s attorney who cited conformity with due process requirements. During a meeting Wednesday night, the school board voted unanimously to fire Arredondo.
Arredondo has drawn criticism for his leadership during the response to the Robb Elementary shooting that killed 21 people. He has been on administrative leave since June 22.
He is the first officer dismissed over the hesitant and fumbling law enforcement response to one of the worst school shootings in U.S. history. Only one other officer — Uvalde Police Department Lt. Mariano Pargas, who was the city’s acting police chief on the day of massacre — is known to have been placed on leave for their actions during the shooting.
What led to the discussion of Arredondo’s firing
May 24: Arredondo held an initial news conference in the hours following the mass killing of students and teachers on May 24. He confirmed there was a mass casualty but did not give specifics on police response. He briefly spoke about the family reunification process.
May 27: The Texas Department of Public Safety gave a preliminary update on what happened during the shooting. DPS Director Steven McCraw said the on-scene commander, considered to be Arredondo, waited to breach the classroom where the shooter was located, because he believed the situation had transitioned to a “barricaded subject.”
June 9: In an interview with the Texas Tribune, Arredondo defended his actions during the shooting.
“Not a single responding officer ever hesitated, even for a moment, to put themselves at risk to save the children,” Arredondo told the Texas Tribune. “We responded to the information that we had and had to adjust to whatever we faced. Our objective was to save as many lives as we could, and the extraction of the students from the classrooms by all that were involved saved over 500 of our Uvalde students and teachers before we gained access to the shooter and eliminated the threat.”
Arredondo told the Tribune he never considered himself the scene’s incident commander and did not give any instruction that police shouldn’t attempt to breach the building.
June 20: Parents and families affected by the mass shooting called for Arredondo to be fired during a school board meeting.
“We were failed by Pete Arredondo. He killed our kids, teachers, parents and city, and by keeping him on your staff, y’all are continuing to fail us,” said Brett Cross at that meeting. He identified himself as the father of a murdered student.
June 21: Texas DPS released an in-depth timeline of the law enforcement response inside Robb Elementary.
The timeline shows for more than 40 minutes, Arredondo and officers were trying to figure out how to open the doors to the classroom where the gunman was located, including asking for a master key and door-breaching tool.
“There’s a window over there obviously. The door is probably going to be locked,” said Arredondo at 12:28 p.m., according to the Texas DPS timeline. “I am going to get some more keys to test.”
June 21: Arredondo testified in front of a Texas House committee in a meeting that wasn’t open to the public.
June 22: Arredondo was placed on administrative leave.
Uvalde CISD Superintendent Hal Harrell said previously he didn’t want to make a decision on changes to the district’s police leadership until investigations into the mass shooting were completed. He explained he made the call anyway due to “the lack of clarity that remains and the unknown timing of when [he] will receive the results of the investigations.”
July 2: Arredondo also served on the Uvalde City Council. In early July, he said he would resign from the role, telling the local paper, “I feel this is the best decision for Uvalde.”
July 12: Surveillance video from inside the school building during the shooting and subsequent law enforcement response was leaked. Prior to the video being published online, lawmakers had planned to show the video to the families of the victims first in a private viewing before releasing it to the public.
July 17: A preliminary report on the shooting compiled by a Texas House investigative committee was released. The report blamed “systemic failures and egregiously poor decision making” for the delayed law enforcement response.
July 18: Families pushed again for Arredondo to be fired during a school board meeting. They also called for security upgrades before the new school year starts.
July 19: CNN reported the Uvalde CISD school board was going to decide whether to terminate Arredondo in a special meeting July 23.
July 22: School board cancels July 23 meeting at the request of Arredondo’s attorney.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | https://www.wspa.com/news/uvalde-school-board-votes-unanimously-to-fire-police-chief-pete-arredondo/ | 2022-08-25T01:40:23Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/uvalde-school-board-votes-unanimously-to-fire-police-chief-pete-arredondo/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Zazzle allegedly made hundreds of millions in profits and avoided paying hundreds of millions in licensing fees by stealing the software for one of its most popular fonts from famed designer
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the world's leading graphic designers filed suit today against internet design and printing giant, Zazzle, Inc., for allegedly cheating her business out of its intellectual property, which allowed Zazzle to earn hundreds of millions of dollars in ill-gotten profits.
Nicky Laatz, one of the leading custom premium font designers in the world, filed this action today in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleging that Zazzle fraudulently and secretly obtained her Blooming Elegant Trio of fonts software for use on Zazzle's website.
Link to lawsuit: https://www.bzbm.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Laatz-v.-Zazzle-Complaint-8-24-22.pdf.
According to the lawsuit, Zazzle instructed its senior network engineer to pose as an individual designer and obtain a single-user license for the Blooming Elegant Trio of fonts, but in reality the fonts were obtained for Zazzle's illegal use. Zazzle then loaded the software onto its servers and made the fonts available to tens of millions of Zazzle designers and customers without permission or compensation to the designer.
Nicky Laatz typically charged $17 per user for these premium fonts. Because her Blooming Elegant Trio of fonts quickly became some of the most popular fonts on Zazzle, the company was able to earn hundreds of millions of dollars in profits from its illegal use of the fonts, and avoid paying hundreds of millions of dollars in licensing fees, with zero compensation to Ms. Laatz.
The suit seeks disgorgement of all of Zazzle's hundreds of millions of dollars in profits from the unlawful use of Laatz's hugely popular Blooming Elegant Trio of fonts, as well as hundreds of millions of dollars in lost licensing revenue related to Zazzle providing the fonts to its tens of millions of unlicensed users. Claims in the case include fraudulent misrepresentation and concealment, promissory fraud, copyright and trademark infringement, and breach of contract.
"This is a case of brazen fraud, committed by a widely recognized, multi-billion-dollar brand against the very kind of creative talent Zazzle claims to support," said Ms. Laatz's lead trial counsel, Patrick M. Ryan of the Bartko law firm. "When Zazzle couldn't get a license for use on its site, Zazzle had one of its senior engineers pose as an individual designer so he could obtain a single-user license, all the while secretly planning to give the font software to Zazzle for use on its site.
"And then Zazzle turned around and gave its tens of millions of designers and users access to the fonts with zero compensation to the artist. This is outrageous and one of the clearest cut cases of fraud that I've ever seen in more than twenty years of practicing law," said Mr. Ryan.
Zazzle, based in Menlo Park, is one of the most successful online marketplaces for designers looking to create and sell a wide range of customized items including invitations, business cards, holiday and greeting cards, clothing, art, and office supplies, to the public.
Zazzle is reportedly preparing for an IPO that would value it at up to $2 billion. Yet, while the company raked in hundreds of millions in profits from the unauthorized use of Laatz's intellectual property for more than five years, she received not a single cent in royalties from Zazzle.
"Zazzle … is built on a lie that it supports, promotes, and fairly compensates artists and designers for their creative work. In reality, Zazzle's high valuation and hundreds of millions of dollars in annual profits are largely due to the intellectual property of designers whom Zazzle has stolen from and failed to properly compensate, if at all," according the lawsuit filed today.
Nicky Laatz, based in the UK, carefully created the Blooming Elegant Trio of fonts to be an extremely balanced and pleasing handwriting-style of fonts, and they are widely considered by designers to be among the best such fonts available. Indeed, their reputation and popularity was such that Zazzle actively marketed the fonts by name, and Blooming Elegant quickly became listed as the #2 script font by Zazzle starting over three years ago.
The complaint alleges that the Blooming Elegant Trio of fonts are the most popular fonts with Zazzle's most successful graphic designers who have their own online storefronts on Zazzle's website and whose work is featured among Zazzle's most popular designs and products.
The Blooming Elegant Trio proved extremely profitable for Zazzle. These fonts became the major design element in countless highly popular items by some of Zazzle's most successful designers, including ten of Zazzle's 24 most popular business card designs and many of its top wedding invitations. Several of Zazzle's highest-earning designers, who earn hundreds of thousands of dollars or more a year on Zazzle, relied on the fonts for a substantial portion of their product offerings.
Two years ago, in late August 2020, Laatz discovered the deception when a Zazzle user contacted her for assistance with using the fonts on the Zazzle website. Shocked, Laatz demanded that Zazzle cease offering her fonts to its designers and customers. She also demanded that Zazzle provide her with a full list of products designed on and/or sold through its website that used her fonts, and a complete accounting of the company's revenues and profits from the illegitimate use of her intellectual property.
Yet the company not only refused her demands, it continued to openly offer the Blooming Elegant Trio of fonts under their own name, for which Ms. Laatz has a registered trademark, until earlier this month., when Zazzle inexplicably replaced the Blooming Elegant Trio of fonts with cheap imitations, one of which was copied from Blooming Elegant itself – extending the harm to Zazzle's own designers and users who are also victims of the fraud.
"Sadly, this appears to be a pattern of behavior for Zazzle, which has done the same thing to other custom font designers," added Ryan. "We are asking the court not only to compensate Nicky for the designers and millions of dollars they diverted from her business, but to disgorge Zazzle's massive profits that it earned off Nicky Laatz's brilliant designs."
Bartko, established more than 40 years ago, is a boutique law firm specializing in national and international complex litigation and investigations, as well as real estate and franchising transactions.
It is a 40-plus-lawyer firm dedicated to strategic cutting-edge representation of clients in California, nationally, and internationally. Bartko's practice areas include representing both plaintiffs and defendants in complex business litigation, antitrust and competition claims, intellectual property litigation, trade secret litigation, anticounterfeiting, complex employment litigation, employment/labor strategic advice and collective bargaining, as well as real estate litigation, among others.
Bartko's lead trial counsel in this case is Patrick M. Ryan, who is one of the most successful trial lawyers in the United States. Recent victories include: (1) acting as co-lead counsel in defending Sutter Health from antitrust allegations by class action plaintiffs in the Northern District of California where, after a 5-week trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of Sutter Health and against the plaintiffs who sought $411 million in damages, which would have been subject to trebling; (2) lead counsel for the plaintiff in a trade secret case in Santa Clara County, California, where he obtained a nearly $900 Million jury verdict on behalf of a major international technology company.
In 2020, Patrick was named a Top Trade Secret Lawyer for 2020 by the California Daily Journal. As a result of one of his jury verdicts, Bartko was ranked as Number 3 in the Top 100 Verdicts—published by The National Law Journal (June 2019)—and having the highest ranked intellectual property victory in the United States for that year. And the California Daily Journal's Top Verdicts publication named Patrick's case the highest Intellectual Property and Trade Secrets victory in California and the Number 2 highest judgment overall for 2019.
As part of his practice, Patrick helps businesses better protect their intellectual property and coordinates investigations into potential IP theft for companies accused of stealing trade secrets and for companies that might have been the victims of such theft. In this case, Patrick seeks to vindicate the rights of an important artist whose IP was stolen and exploited by Zazzle.
Co-counsel Stephen Steinberg is a trial lawyer at Bartko specializing in representing technology companies in disputes involving intellectual property and other complex business issues, including claims for theft of trade secrets, trademark and copyright infringement, and disputes involving startups and founders. He regularly represents both plaintiffs and defendants in such cases, and counsels companies on how to protect their intellectual property from competitors and how to avoid claims by competitors against them. He second-chaired the trial in the aforementioned trade secret case that led to a nearly $900 Million jury verdict that was ranked as one of the largest in 2019.
--30--
Contact: Sam Singer
Singer Associates Public Relations
singer@singersf.com
Cell: 415.336.4949
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SOURCE Bartko Zankel Bunzel & Miller | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/25/bartko-law-firm-zazzle-sued-hundreds-millions-dollars-allegedly-stealing-designers-intellectual-property/ | 2022-08-25T01:40:44Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/25/bartko-law-firm-zazzle-sued-hundreds-millions-dollars-allegedly-stealing-designers-intellectual-property/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SINGAPORE, Aug. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Marine Online (Singapore) Pte Ltd registered its revenue at US$150 million as at August 2022, eclipsing 2021's performance of US$6 million. While this tremendous improvement highlighted the company's resilience in the post-pandemic business landscape, Marine Online experienced an exponential growth as at Q3 2022 compared to 2021 – translating to a 25-fold surge.
As a world-renowned maritime eCommerce platform, Marine Online also has an extensive network of Authorised Service Providers (ASP) to serve customers worldwide. Additionally, all partners within are selected through a series of stringent evaluations. That grants shipowners almost round-the-clock quality assistance – from supplies to maintenance and repair operations, and emergency assistance.
Yang Ling, Chief Executive Officer of Marine Online remarked, "We reported a growth exceeding our expectations despite a tough business landscape due to our focus on execution. Our platform setup enables easy access to products and services for all shipowners. Our ASP network's receiving two sign ups daily to be authorised service providers proves Marine Online's service strategy is in the right direction. Moreover, receiving a request for quotation (RFQ) every 15 minutes daily corroborates we are evolving in tandem with the fluid market conditions. We are extremely pleased with our results. With shipping at the backbone of world trade, Marine Online will continue to enhance its user interface to provide quality service to shipowners."
Available in both desktop and app versions, Marine Online is a client-centric platform providing maritime professionals with a wide range of services. Developed for both shipowners and service providers, Marine Online aims to provide easy, secure and efficient online procurement experience.
About Marine Online (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Marine Online is the world's first one-stop integrated platform specialising in maritime services for the global market. Launched in 2019, it has provided various maritime services through its revolutionary A.I and Big Data enabled platform to regional ship and cargo owners. With its portfolio of 8 major services – bunkering, chartering, crewing, port agency, ship supply, ship for sale, marine and technical services, plus features such as Marine Credit, Global Shipowners Alliance and Authorised Service Provider networks open for registration at Marine Online shapes the future of maritime by using cutting edge technology to create business opportunities and connections. For more information, visit marineonline.com
Contact:
Marine Online Marketing
+65 9001 2168
marketing@marineonline.com
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SOURCE Marine Online (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/25/marine-online-registers-us150-million-revenue-q3-2022/ | 2022-08-25T01:40:57Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/25/marine-online-registers-us150-million-revenue-q3-2022/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Pearl Harbor Navy Exchange (NEX) won the 2021 Bingham award for sales Category 1 in which the store generated over $50 million during the fiscal year, according to a recent Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) press release.
An award presentation ceremony took place at the Pearl Harbor NEX, Aug. 16 to recognize their highest achievement a store can receive as the best in class. There were a total of nine sales category award winners announced throughout the NEXCOM enterprise. Eight other NEX stores worldwide won in the remaining sales categories, and nine runner-ups were also recognized.
NEX CEO, retired Rear Adm. Robert Bianchi, presented the award to Capt. Mark Sohanay, commander of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, and Steve Morales, general manager of Pearl Harbor NEX, with the 2021 Bingham Award during the ceremony.
“Each year, we recognize our ‘best of the best’ NEX locations with the Bingham award,” said Bianchi. “While 2021 continued to be a challenge due to the ongoing pandemic, staffing and supply chain disruptions, our NEX locations didn’t miss a beat and continued to provide premier customer service to all our deserving patrons.”
The award recognizes outstanding performance in operations, excellence in customer service and community support. Established in 1979, the Bingham award is named after the late Capt. W.H. Bingham, Supply Corps, U.S. Navy Reserve who was the chief executive officer of the R.H. Macy’s company and was appointed by the Secretary of the Navy in 1946 to lead an advisory board for establishment of what is now the NEXCOM.
“NEXCOM contributes to the Navy's mission readiness with each of our NEX locations working hand-in-hand with their base commanding officers to support quality of life for the military community. In recognition of this great partnership, the Bingham award is presented to both the NEX and installation,” said Bianchi.
NEXCOM is headquarters for the worldwide NEXCOM enterprise. Its mission is to provide authorized customers quality goods and services at savings and to support Navy quality of life programs for active duty military, retirees, reservists and their families.
This work, Pearl Harbor NEX wins 2021 Bingham award, by Anna Marie G. General, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/news/427990/pearl-harbor-nex-wins-2021-bingham-award | 2022-08-25T01:42:35Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/news/427990/pearl-harbor-nex-wins-2021-bingham-award | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) — The Department of Homeland Security intends to preserve and fortify the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which protects from deportation non-citizens brought to the U.S. as children.
DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Monday announced that the agency issued a final rule that proposes to establish regulations to codify the DACA program as outlined during its inception in 2012.
“Today, we are taking another step to do everything in our power to preserve and fortify DACA, an extraordinary program that has transformed the lives of so many ‘Dreamers,'” Mayorkas said. “Thanks to DACA, we have been enriched by young people who contribute so much to our communities and our country. Yet, we need Congress to pass legislation that provides an enduring solution for the young Dreamers who have known no country other than the United States as their own.”
DHS said the rule follows careful review and considers more than 16,000 comments received during the public comment period. This final review codifies the existing DACA policy with minor changes.
The final rule maintains existing threshold criteria for DACA, retains current processes for DACA requestors seeking work authorization, and affirms the longstanding policy that DACA is not a form of lawful status but considers DACA recipients “lawfully present.”
The final rule is effective Oct. 31, 2022.
However, DHS cannot grant initial DACA requests or related employment authorization under the final rule since an injunction from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas remains in effect. Because that injunction is partially stayed, DHS said, the agency can grant DACA renewal requests under the final rule.
Since its inception in 2012, DACA has allowed over 800,000 young people to remain in the U.S., the only country many of them have ever known. | https://www.wwlp.com/border-report-tour/dhs-issues-final-rule-preserving-and-fortifying-daca/ | 2022-08-25T02:03:27Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/border-report-tour/dhs-issues-final-rule-preserving-and-fortifying-daca/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Warner Bros. is Hosting Secret Batgirl Screenings on the Studio Lot
HBO Max subscribers were robbed of their chance to see Leslie Grace as Batgirl this month when Warner Bros. made the abrupt decision to cancel the film’s release. But a few lucky WB staffers are getting one last chance to see what all the fuss was about. The Hollywood Reporter brings word that “secret” Batgirl screenings are happening this week on the Warner Bros. lot. Unfortunately, they aren’t open to the general public.
These “funeral screenings” will only be open to select insiders. In other words, it’s meant for the actors, filmmakers, and other assorted behind-the-scenes talent that worked on the film. After this, the studio will archive Batgirl’s footage for good, presumably sticking it the same vault that houses Nicolas Cage’s Superman suit and props for George Miller’s Justice League: Mortal.
RELATED: Batgirl Directors Say Their Footage Was Immediately Deleted From WB’s Servers
Earlier this week, directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah confirmed that Batgirl remains unfinished. There were still some additional scenes that needed to be shot along with a few VFX sequences that needed polishing. So the version of the film being presented at this week’s showings is likely the same one screened for test audiences. According to previous reports, the earlier screening(s) prompted a lukewarm response from viewers. But the fact that the movie wasn’t done yet may have been the reason for the low scores. El Arbri and Fallah themselves later claimed that WB’s actions were motivated by business, rather than quality.
Despite recent events, some fans are still holding out hope that Batgirl will eventually get released. But because it’s been claimed as a tax write-down, Warner Bros. is unlikely to give it the Zack Snyder’s Justice League treatment anytime soon. However, if the studio did decide to reverse course, WBD would have to pay back the $20 million they wrote off on their taxes. And although they no longer have access to the footage, El Arbi and Fallah haven’t ruled out the possibility of finishing the movie on their terms.
How do you feel about Batgirl getting some final screenings on the Warner Bros. lot this week? Tell us what you think in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: Batgirl and the Birds Of Prey Vol. 1
We are also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. This affiliate advertising program also provides a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Also. However. Regardless. Additionally. Also. However. Regardless. Additionally. Also. However. Regardless. Additionally. Also. However. Regardless. Additionally. Also. However. Regardless. Additionally. Also. However. Regardless. Additionally. Also. However. Regardless. Additionally. Also. | https://www.superherohype.com/movies/518317-warner-bros-is-hosting-secret-batgirl-screenings-on-the-studio-lot | 2022-08-25T02:05:51Z | superherohype.com | control | https://www.superherohype.com/movies/518317-warner-bros-is-hosting-secret-batgirl-screenings-on-the-studio-lot | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
UVALDE, Texas (AP) — The Uvalde school district fired police chief Pete Arrendondo on Wednesday, making him the first officer to lose his job over the hesitant and fumbled response by law enforcement at Robb Elementary School as a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers in a fourth-grade classroom.
In a unanimous vote that arrived after months of angry calls for his ouster, the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District’s board of trustees fired Arredondo in an auditorium of parents and survivors of the May 24 massacre. His ouster came three months to the day after one of the deadliest classroom shootings in U.S. history.
Cheers from the crowd followed the vote, and some parents walked out in tears.
“Coward!” some audience yelled as the meeting got underway.
Arredondo, who has been on leave from the district since June 22, has come under the most intense scrutiny of the nearly 400 officers who rushed to school but waited more than an hour to confront the 18-year-old gunman in a fourth-grade classroom.
Most notably, Arredondo was criticized for not ordering officers to act sooner. Col. Steve McCraw, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, has said Arredondo was in charge of the law enforcement response to the attack.
Arredondo was not in attendance with his career on the line.
Instead, minutes before the meeting of the Uvalde school board got underway, Arredondo’s attorney released a scathing 4,500-word letter that amounted to the police chief’s fullest defense to date of his actions. Over 17 defiant pages, Arredondo is not the fumbling school police chief who a damning state investigation blamed for not taking command and wasted time by looking for keys to a likely unlocked door, but a brave officer whose level-headed decisions saved the lives of other students.
It alleges that Arrendondo warned the district about a variety of security issues in the schools a year before the shooting and asserted he wasn’t in charge of the scene. The letter also accused Uvalde school officials of putting his safety at risk by not letting him carry a weapon to the school board meeting, citing “legitimate risks of harm to the public and to Chief Arredondo.”
“Chief Arredondo is a leader and a courageous officer who with all of the other law enforcement officers who responded to the scene, should be celebrated for the lives saved, instead of vilified for those they couldn’t reach in time,” Hyde wrote.
Uvalde school officials have been under mounting pressure from victims’ families and members of the community, many of whom have called for Arredondo’s termination. Superintendent Hal Harrell had first moved to fire Arredondo in July but postponed the decision at the request of the police chief’s attorney.
Among those at the meeting was Ruben Torres, father of Chloe Torres, who survived the shooting in room 112 of the school. He said that as a former Marine, he took an oath that he faithfully executed willingly, and did not understand why officers did not take action when leadership failed.
“Right now, being young, she is having a hard time handling this horrific event,” Torres said.
Arredondo is the first officer dismissed over the hesitant and fumbling law enforcement response to the May 24 tragedy. Only one other officer — Uvalde Police Department Lt. Mariano Pargas, who was the city’s acting police chief on the day of massacre — is known to have been placed on leave for their actions during the shooting.
The Texas Department of Public Safety, which had more than 90 state troopers at the scene, has also launched an internal investigation into the response by state police.
School officials have said the campus at Robb Elementary will no longer be used. Instead, campuses elsewhere in Uvalde will serve as temporary classrooms for elementary school students, not all of whom are willing to return to school in-person following the shooting.
School officials say a virtual academy will be offered for students. The district has not said how many students will attend virtually, but a new state law passed last year in Texas following the pandemic limits the number of eligible students receiving remote instruction to “10% of all enrolled students within a given school system.”
Schools can seek a waiver to exceed the limit but Uvalde has not done so, according to Melissa Holmes, a spokeswoman for the Texas Education Agency.
New measures to improve school safety in Uvalde include “8-foot, non-scalable perimeter fencing” at elementary, middle and high school campuses, according to the school district. Officials say they have also installed additional security cameras, upgraded locks, enhanced training for district staff and improving communication.
However, according to the district’s own progress reports, as of Tuesday no fencing had been erected at six of the eight campuses where it was planned, and cameras had only been installed at the high school. Some progress had been made on locks at three of eight campuses, and communication improvement was marked as half complete for each campus.
Uvalde CISD did not immediately respond to a request for comment. | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/uvalde-school-board-fires-police-chief-after-mass-shooting/ | 2022-08-25T02:08:16Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/uvalde-school-board-fires-police-chief-after-mass-shooting/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Police in Fairfax and Prince William counties are investigating two disturbing incidents involving strangers and children over the past few days.
The latest happened this evening in the 5000 block of Caryn Court in the Alexandria area. Fairfax County police said a man approached a group of kids, displayed a knife and grabbed a child by hand. The child broke free and the man ran, police said on Twitter at 6:27 p.m. Officers found a suspect nearby and he was arrested. The child was not physically injured. No other details have been released.
In an apparently unrelated incident on Monday in Gainesville, a stranger approached a 10-year-old girl walking home from the bus stop at Red House Road and Rogue Forest Lane about 4 p.m. and asked her to go for a ride with him to get candy. The man was standing outside a white, four-door sedan, Prince William County police said on Twitter.
The child didn’t get into the car and there was no physical contact. The girl told a family member and police were contacted Tuesday.
The stranger was a white male wearing a fitted cap, a white T-shirt and ripped blue jeans. | https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/police-investigate-attempted-child-abduction-in-alexandria-incident-in-gainesville/article_ccc06a10-2417-11ed-a983-270a320af0cf.html | 2022-08-25T02:09:51Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/police-investigate-attempted-child-abduction-in-alexandria-incident-in-gainesville/article_ccc06a10-2417-11ed-a983-270a320af0cf.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a public health alert Tuesday for Perdue's frozen ready-to-eat chicken breast tenders labeled gluten free because they may be contaminated with foreign materials, specifically clear plastic and blue dye.
A recall hasn't been issued as the product isn't currently available for purchase.
Customers who may've purchased an affected product, sold at BJ's Wholesale Club locations nationwide, should check their freezers for:
- 42-ounce plastic bags labeled "Perdue Chicken Breast Tenders Gluten Free"
- With a "Best if Used By: 07 12 23"
- A lot number of 2193 (above the best-by date)
- Establishment number of P-33944 (below the best-by date)
The products were produced on July 12. If you have an affected product, throw it away or return it.
The USDA discovered the contamination after BJ’s Wholesale Club reported a complaint it received from a consumer whose chicken tender “had a small piece of clear plastic and blue dye inside it," the health alert stated.
There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions, per the USDA. Anyone who is concerned about having eaten an affected product should contact their health care provider. | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/national/alert-issued-over-perdue-chicken-tenders-due-to-foreign-material-contamination/article_34e6170e-2411-11ed-b683-6b32396c5264.html | 2022-08-25T02:11:11Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/national/alert-issued-over-perdue-chicken-tenders-due-to-foreign-material-contamination/article_34e6170e-2411-11ed-b683-6b32396c5264.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Two ghost gun retailers have agreed to stop selling kits and parts to residents in New York City, where officials say incidents involving the homemade and untraceable weapons have been dangerously escalating for years.
Rainier Arms, an online retailer that specializes in AR-10 and AR-15 rifles, reached a settlement with the city Wednesday, more than a week after North Carolina-based retailer Rock Slide agreed to settle the same public nuisance lawsuit the city filed against it in June.
So-called ghost guns are increasingly favored among criminals nationwide because the kits and parts used to assemble them are bought without a background check and can be put together in under two hours.
The latest legal victory for gun safety advocates came the same day a new federal rule subjecting ghost guns to the same regulations as traditional firearms took effect.
Beating back at least two court challenges, the federal rule requires those who sell ghost guns to be licensed and manufacturers to ensure the parts have serial numbers. Background checks also have to be conducted before sales.
A judge in North Dakota determined Tuesday that it "was and remains constitutional under the Second Amendment," while a Texas judge declined to block it in a separate case.
Earlier this month, a judge in Washington, D.C., ruled that ghost gun kits and parts are firearms and barred Polymer80, one of the nation’s largest ghost gun manufacturers, from selling its do-it-yourself products to district residents.
In that case, the Superior Court of the District of Columbia also ordered Polymer80 to pay more than $4 million in penalties for making false claims about the legality of its products.
In the settlement filed Wednesday in the Southern District of New York, Rainier Arms agreed to permanently stop selling all unfinished frames or receivers to New York City residents and to purge those products from its website.
It also agreed to give the city any documents regarding New York City sales since February 2020.
Those documents, which include all identifying information about purchasers, will not be publicly disclosed, but the city said it may make such documents available to any city agency, including the New York City Police Department.
The city’s complaint said Rainier Arms shipped at least 846 packages, believed to include packages with ghost gun parts, to people in New York state from Jan. 4, 2021, to April 28, 2022.
Last week, Rock Slide agreed to similar terms. Rock Slide’s owner, Ian Frampton, did not respond to a request for comment.
In a statement to NBC News, Christopher Adams, an attorney for Rainier Arms, said the company "is happy that the case is resolved and will continue to follow the change in laws regulating firearms that don’t violate the Constitution.”
Across the country, officials say ghost guns have been increasingly showing up at crime scenes. And when they do, they’re harder to trace to an individual buyer because they’re not currently marked with serial numbers.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said it received more than 45,000 reports of suspected ghost guns recovered by law enforcement from January 2016 to December 2021. Nearly 700 of them were recovered in homicide or attempted homicide investigations, officials said.
In 2021 alone, the White House said about 20,000 suspected ghost guns were reported to the federal government as having been recovered by law enforcement in criminal investigations. That’s 10 times as many as in 2016, the administration said.
In New York City, police say they have seized 263 of them in connection with arrests in 2021, compared to 150 in 2020 and 48 in 2019.
So far this year, about 9% of all guns recovered by police have been ghost guns, while more are likely flooding the streets, according to the lawsuit the city filed in June against five online retailers of ghost gun parts.
The other three defendants are Arm or Ally, Salvo Technologies, and Indie Guns. Salvo was expected to also finalize a settlement, Courthouse News reported.
The proliferation of ghost guns by those sellers, the city's complaint said, makes New York City "more dangerous for both the public and for law enforcement, causing a quintessential public nuisance."
"We are not going to let gun companies turn New York City into a city of mail-order murder," Mayor Eric Adams said when he announced the suit.
It has been illegal to sell ghost guns into New York City since February 2020. The statewide prohibition on those sales started April 26.
The attorneys general in New York state and California have filed lawsuits against ghost gun sellers, while officials in Baltimore and Los Angeles have specifically targeted Polymer80 in their suits. | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/national/ghost-gun-retailers-agree-to-stop-selling-kits-and-parts-to-new-york-city-residents/article_763835d4-2416-11ed-b4d7-e78ef6592c01.html | 2022-08-25T02:11:17Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/national/ghost-gun-retailers-agree-to-stop-selling-kits-and-parts-to-new-york-city-residents/article_763835d4-2416-11ed-b4d7-e78ef6592c01.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
HIGHWAY 10 - A river float is planned for Saturday, August 27 that is expected to impact traffic on Highway 10. DUI patrols will be around SR 970.
Expect slower traffic and be on the lookout for pedestrians.
Blocking cars will be towed. Troopers with Washington State Patrol are asking people to stay safe. | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/expect-traffic-delays-and-dui-patrols-around-cle-elum-river-float/article_e054ec7e-240b-11ed-89ba-5bf13b047461.html | 2022-08-25T02:11:23Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/expect-traffic-delays-and-dui-patrols-around-cle-elum-river-float/article_e054ec7e-240b-11ed-89ba-5bf13b047461.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WALLA WALLA, Wash. — The first probable case of monkeypox is being investigated in Walla Walla County, according to a press release from the Walla Walla County Department of Community Health. The department is working with the Washington Department of Health to investigate the case and find anyone who could have come in close contact.
The patient did not go to the hospital but is currently isolating, according to the DCH. Anyone who may have been exposed could potentially get the monkeypox vaccine. If you think you could have been exposed or have symptoms, contact your healthcare provider immediately.
Symptoms of monkeypox include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Chills
- Exhaustion
- Rash on the face and inside the mouth
“The Walla Walla County Department of Community Health, working in concert with our community partners, is poised to respond accordingly to all types of communicable disease to safeguard our county,” said Dr. Daniel Kaminsky. | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/walla-walla-investigates-first-probable-monkeypox-case/article_abe79046-240f-11ed-90da-6b6282e74895.html | 2022-08-25T02:11:35Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/walla-walla-investigates-first-probable-monkeypox-case/article_abe79046-240f-11ed-90da-6b6282e74895.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
YAKIMA COUNTY, Wash. - With kids returning to school this week, the Yakima County Sheriff's Office (YCSO) wants to remind drivers to be on the look out for kids and follow school zone traffic laws.
Most kids in Yakima County are returning to school this week. Some schools like West Valley High School already started classes.
The Traffic Sergeant for YCSO, Wesley Rassmussen, said lower speed limits are set in school zones for a reason so it's important for people to follow them.
"Nobody wants to accidently run over a kid or hit a kid," Rassmussen said. "I know nobody would want to do that that would be horrible. If you're going 20 miles per hour and you hit a child they have a 90% survival rate. If you're going 30 miles per hour and you hit a child they are at 10% survival rate."
YCSO patrols school zones more often during the back to school period and Rassmussen warns if you're caught speeding, you won't be happy.
"School zone tickets are severe, they are much greater than speeding in a regular zone," he said.
In 2021, YCSO gave out 26 tickets for speeding in school zones and four so far this year.
The Yakima School District also wants to remind people it's important to stop for school buses even outside of school zones.
You should always stop for a school bus if you are behind it or going in the opposite direction. You can safely continue driving by a stopped school bus if there's a double line, turn lane or barrier in between you and the bus. Last year, YSCO gave out four tickets for people improperly passing school buses.
According to the Washington Department of Licensing, you can't waive, suspend or reduce a ticket you get for improperly passing a school bus. | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/ycso-reminds-people-to-look-out-for-kids-around-buses-and-school-zones/article_a8074498-2406-11ed-8eeb-d76955fcd511.html | 2022-08-25T02:11:42Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/ycso-reminds-people-to-look-out-for-kids-around-buses-and-school-zones/article_a8074498-2406-11ed-8eeb-d76955fcd511.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
CHICAGO, Aug. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mint Werx has announced it has partnered with BlueRidge Data (BRD) of Leesburg, Virginia, to jointly bring custom-configured, Web3 solutions to empower higher education institutions and nonprofits. The companies will offer vital fundraising application services for next-generation alumni constituents, including university foundations, advancement offices, career services, institutional research, admissions and athletics. Future releases will include additional capabilities across campus, including tuition, admissions, ticketing, e-commerce, institutional research and more.
Built off Mint Werx's newly launched DonorFi™ technology, the solution will integrate seamlessly into existing websites and giving pages, providing an easy way for donors to donate cryptocurrency. The fully managed service employs custom processes for end-to-end settlement of donor transactions, simplifying the ability to accept crypto donations and eliminating the need for donors to liquidate their cryptocurrency before donating. According to the IRS*, cryptocurrency donations are generally treated as property and, like real estate or stock donations, the donor may not recognize income, gain or loss from the donation when cryptocurrency is donated to charitable organizations. As a result, donors may realize incentives to give cryptocurrency, while universities and nonprofits can maximize the benefits of receiving higher gross donations.
These plans are supported by recent market data that shows:
- The average nonprofit donor is 65 years old while the average crypto user is 38.**
- 13% of investors hold cryptocurrency in their portfolios while 35% of millennials have invested.***
- Nearly 90% of millennials say charitable giving is an important part of their lives compared to 74% of the total population.***
- 45% of crypto users donate at least $1,000 to charity annually while just 33% of traditional investors donate.***
* IRS Notice 2014-21
**Blackbaud report
***Fidelity Charitable report
Mint Werx is a premium Web3 production studio that provides cutting-edge and scalable blockchain solutions. With DonorFi™, the firm leverages its expertise in Web3, media and marketing to offer fully integrated products and services that not only provide universities and nonprofit organizations a fundraising tool but a resource to build community-driven campaigns that harness the power of the blockchain platform.
BRD, a leader in fundraising data technologies, plans to bring these solutions under its advancement suite of products and services, as young, wealthy portfolios are becoming an increasing part of institutions' strategies.
Together, Mint Werx and BRD will bring their expertise in Web3, nonprofits and higher education to the forefront by combining their best-in-class fundraising products and services with next-generation blockchain technology, creative design, marketing and community engagement capabilities. Utilizing non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and other blockchain services, the companies will offer a full range of products and services to support fundraising campaigns and other community development initiatives for nonprofits and higher education institutions. BRD and Mint Werx have several additional blockchain solutions currently in development and will provide additional announcements at a later date.
Steve Hafner, CEO and founder of BRD, said, "We are excited to be one of the pioneers in this space under our CryptoGiving portfolio of solutions. The Mint Werx team is a perfect partner for us as they are an industry powerhouse on blockchain solutions, whether it's technical, regulatory, creative, operational or production, and we have vast data and industry expertise. There has been more discussion about crypto philanthropy over the last twelve months than there has been in the past five years. We saw a $5M cryptocurrency gift to the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School (the largest ever in Higher Ed), stadiums being named, sports teams being sponsored, television ads and even universities being gifted NFTs, and the list goes on."
Ryan Sands, Senior Vice President for Mint Werx, said, "With BRD's deep set of relationships, extensive years of experience in the industry and data solutions, we believe they are the go-to partner for the nonprofit and higher ed segments. By simplifying complex technologies, our solution will connect universities and nonprofit organizations to new audiences and drive deeper connections that go beyond a transaction and drive deeper affinity and engagement. DonorFi™ is a perfect complement to BRD's product portfolio, and we are excited about the possibilities to provide additional custom solutions to the space."
BlueRidge Data, LLC helps higher education gain insight into its constituents by delivering hard-to-find information on alumni for foundations, advancement, alumni associations, athletics, career services and institutional research to "Identify, Inspire and Engage."
A division of Fusion92, a leading Chicago-based independent marketing innovation company, Mint Werx delivers cutting-edge, scalable and one-of-a-kind dynamic NFTs and platforms, producing, minting and activating authentic digital expressions that last a lifetime.
Contact information
Jeff MacIntyre
BlueRidge Data, LLC
(571) 498-7070
info@blueridgedata.com
Brian Werger
Mint Werx
(888) 550-4864
b.werger@fusion92.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Mint Werx | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/08/25/mint-werx-blueridge-data-announce-partnership-bring-next-generation-crypto-giving-solutions-serve-higher-education-nonprofit-institutions/ | 2022-08-25T02:13:33Z | wave3.com | control | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/08/25/mint-werx-blueridge-data-announce-partnership-bring-next-generation-crypto-giving-solutions-serve-higher-education-nonprofit-institutions/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Bank of Japan policy board member Toyoaki Nakamura.
Earlier:
BOJ's Nakamura - says the Bank must patiently maintain powerful monetary easing
More:
- The gap between inflation in Japan and other economies is due largely to slow wage growth
- Japan must achieve 2% inflation in a sustainable, stable fashion
- Japan's economy is not yet in a state where it can achieve the BOJ's price goal in a sustained, stable fashion
- There appears to be a shift in long-held mindset in Japan that prices won't rise much
- Wage increases are broadening in japan reflecting pick-up in economy
- Winter bonus payment and next year's wage negotiation key to whether rise in wages will continue to rise next year and beyond
- There is a risk fears over resurgence in covid infection cases could weaken pent-up demand, delay recovery in inbound tourism
- If china re-expands covid curbs, that could prolong supply disruptions and hurt japan's exports, output and capex
- Fears are emerging in global markets on whether central banks can balance need to curb inflation, avert recession
- If such fears heighten sharply, that could tighten global financial conditions, trigger sharp slowdown in overseas economies
In his earlier remarks Nakamura indicated the Bank's huge easing efforts will remain unchanged. The comments above reinforce this view.
USD/JPY has dipped on the session: | https://www.forexlive.com/centralbank/more-from-bojs-nakamura-japanese-inflation-levels-are-not-yet-sustainable-20220825/ | 2022-08-25T02:14:50Z | forexlive.com | control | https://www.forexlive.com/centralbank/more-from-bojs-nakamura-japanese-inflation-levels-are-not-yet-sustainable-20220825/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
People's Bank of China set the onshore yuan (CNY) reference rate for the trading session ahead.
- USD/CNY is the onshore yuan. Its permitted to trade plus or minus 2% from this daily reference rate.
- CNH is the offshore yuan. USD/CNH has no restrictions on its trading range.
- A significantly stronger or weaker rate than expected is typically considered a signal from the PBOC.
- The previous close was 6.8579
Today's rate is the weakest for CNY since the end of August in 2020.
--
The PBOC injects 2 yuan via 7-day reverse repos (rate remains at 2.0%)
2bn yuan mature today
thus a net neutral in OMOs today | https://www.forexlive.com/centralbank/pboc-sets-usd-cny-reference-rate-for-today-at-68536-vs-estimate-at-68646-20220825/ | 2022-08-25T02:14:56Z | forexlive.com | control | https://www.forexlive.com/centralbank/pboc-sets-usd-cny-reference-rate-for-today-at-68536-vs-estimate-at-68646-20220825/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
- The following Nasdaq technical analysis shows my slightly bullish bias, and a Long trade, with its stop loss and take profit target
- It seems to me that Nasdaq futures is eyeing the 13000 round number again, where partial profit can be taken on the Long trade
- My stop is far and well below the recent lows. If price gets there, I should be out.
- The reward vs risk here is low, only 1. And partial profit taking at the 13000, if it gets there, would make it even lower than 1. But the probability to get to at least 13000 is high at this stage, so it is a very legitimate trade to take. If reached, one could adjust the trade to move up the stop loss, even to the point of the entry. When price magnets are close and there is a high chance we get there, it is an intersting spot to consider a quick trade, even if the reward vs risk is not high, at the first part of the trade. The 2nd part of the trade can be restructured to get more interesting, while a trader as equipped herself or himself with some "backup": initial profit on the trade, thanks to the 1st part.
- There is a clear bull flag here, as shown in the technical analysis video. This means that the upside potential is still very attractive, unless that flag fails. Still, it it does fail and price re-enters the channel, then the stop could be set even closer to what I show below, making the potential upside much greater than the closer stop, at this place in the technical setup.
- In summary, slightly bullish and a good enough spot to start scaling in a Long position, even if the market is waiting for the Fed at Jackson Hole. Algos trading technically do not know what the Fed is, and I see a trade here.
Trade Nasdaq at your own risk. Visit ForexLive for more technical analysis. | https://www.forexlive.com/technical-analysis/nasdaq-technical-analysis-for-25-aug-20220825/ | 2022-08-25T02:15:15Z | forexlive.com | control | https://www.forexlive.com/technical-analysis/nasdaq-technical-analysis-for-25-aug-20220825/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
New York’s Republican Party chair, Nick Langworthy, won a primary in Western New York by defeating controversial Buffalo businessman Carl Paladino in New York’s redrawn 23rd District.
Paladino, who unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2010, has a long history of inflammatory and offensive remarks, including recent comments that praised Adolf Hitler and circulated conspiracy theories around mass shootings.
The heated primary came as Langworthy and Paladino sought to replace GOP Rep. Chris Jacobs, who decided not to seek reelection after facing backlash from his own party for voicing support for an assault weapons ban following a racist mass shooting in his hometown of Buffalo in May.
Congresswoman Claudia Tenney was declared the winner of the Republican nomination for U.S. House in New York’s new 24th Congressional District.
According to the New York Times on Wednesday, with 95% of the district had reported and Tenney was leading Mario Fratto 17,470 to 13,025 or 54% of the vote to Fratto’s 40%. George Phillips had collected 6% of the vote.
In Niagara County, Tenney garnered almost 57% of the vote to Fratto’s 36%. Phillips earned about 7% of the vote in Niagara. Unofficially, the vote was 1,114 for Tenney, 716 for Fratto and 134 for Phillips.
The night’s other local race, a Democratic primary in the 26th Congressional District, was called in Congressman Brian Higgins’ favor about an hour after the polls closed by the Associated Press. Vote tallies were not provided.
In Niagara County, Higgins was the overwhelming favorite, earning nearly 92% of the vote. Emin Eddie Egriu took in 8% of the vote. Unofficially, the vote was 3,348-301. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/local_news/langworthy-tenney-higgins-win-tuesday-primaries/article_35c55b7e-2404-11ed-84c9-8b78a1d61e95.html | 2022-08-25T02:26:06Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/local_news/langworthy-tenney-higgins-win-tuesday-primaries/article_35c55b7e-2404-11ed-84c9-8b78a1d61e95.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Lockport Police Department held its Junior Police Academy last week where children were able to participate in physical fitness training, and fun activities alongside Lockport Police officers.
“We try to make it relatively kid friendly, get to know the kids and make friends with them,” said Officer Julie Snyder, one of the event’s coordinators. “Over the course of the week, you get to know the kids, and the kids get to know the officers. It’s really an enjoyable time.”
The day camp-style events were held in conjunction with the Lockport Housing Authority who invited children from its associated families to participate. The Housing Authority also gave them a grant for the program as well.
“The Housing Authority reached out to its residents, and asked them if they were interested in sending any of their children,” said Snyder, “and then they came to us.”
Approximately 30 children participated in the camp this year.
“All the kids worked pretty hard throughout the week,” said Snyder. “We absolutely had a lot of fantastic kids.”
On its first day on Aug. 15, the kids did physical fitness training with an obstacle course, were visited by an LPD K-9 officer and their dog, played in a swimming pool, and visited Becker Farms. On Aug. 16, the kids were joined by members of the Lockport Fire Department for their workout followed by bowling and mini-golf. On Aug. 17, the kids visited Cornerstone Arena for ice skating, ate lunch at the Penalty Box, and then went to Niagara Kraze. For Thursday, the kids took a trip to Old Fort Niagara to learn about its history. On Friday, after going through another obstacle course, the kids graduated from the program.
“We tried to form each day by doing some sort of demonstration or work in the morning,” Snyder said. “and then in the afternoon we’d go out for some fun times.”
Snyder said that she started overseeing the events in 2019. They were unable to do them during Covid lockdowns, and this was the first one they have been able to do since the pandemic.
“When we finally got the go ahead to continue them once the restrictions started to wind down, we talked with the Lockport Housing, and they helped us get off the ground.” Snyder said. “The moment we could, we got moving again.”
Snyder said that she feels ecstatic with how the academy went, and that the other officers who were newly involved in it are already interested in doing the next one next year.
“I think all the kids had a fun time, and from what I heard from parents, the kids are really excited to do it again,” said Snyder. “The officers who participated can’t wait to do it again next year, and they already let me know that they’re ready and willing to help me with it.” | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/local_news/lockport-junior-police-academy-closes-out-week-of-training-and-fun/article_3c9375d2-23f3-11ed-b2b4-071022714110.html | 2022-08-25T02:26:07Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/local_news/lockport-junior-police-academy-closes-out-week-of-training-and-fun/article_3c9375d2-23f3-11ed-b2b4-071022714110.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NEW YORK — New York’s highest court has designated Associate Judge Anthony Cannataro to serve as acting chief judge after Janet DiFiore steps down next week.
Cannataro, the former administrative judge of New York City’s civil court, has been a member of the state’s Court of Appeals since June 2021.
He will remain in charge in an interim capacity until a new chief judge is nominated by Gov. Kathy Hochul and confirmed by the state senate.
The state’s Commission on Judicial Nomination, which screens candidates for Court of Appeals vacancies, said it is currently considering applications to replace DiFiore, who leaves on Aug. 31.
As acting chief judge, Cannataro, 57, will have a dual role: leading the seven-member high court and overseeing the operation of the entire state court system.
Cannataro, a son of Italian immigrants and graduate of Columbia University and New York Law School, was first elected to the bench in 2011, serving as a family court judge in Brooklyn and a civil court judge in the Bronx.
In 2016, he was appointed supervising judge Manhattan civil court. The following year, he was named administrative judge for the city’s civil court.
Cannataro, who lives with his husband in Westchester County, has served on several court and bar association committees, including as co-chair of the Richard C. Failla LGBT Commission, according to his court biography.
DiFiore, the state’s chief judge for six years, announced her resignation in a letter to colleagues last month, saying that she was to “move on to the next chapter of my professional life.” She did not elaborate on what she planned to do next.
DiFiore, 66, was district attorney in suburban Westchester County until then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo nominated her to the Court of Appeals in 2015. She is New York’s second female chief judge.
Cuomo nominated Cannataro to the Court of Appeals in May 2021, one of two judges he installed on the high court in his final months in office. The state Senate confirmed Cannataro’s appointment in June 2021. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/local_news/new-yorks-high-court-picks-cannataro-as-acting-chief-judge/article_91ca4b22-2405-11ed-ab13-87815d9200df.html | 2022-08-25T02:26:08Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/local_news/new-yorks-high-court-picks-cannataro-as-acting-chief-judge/article_91ca4b22-2405-11ed-ab13-87815d9200df.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON — Pfizer’s COVID-19 pill appears to provide little or no benefit for younger adults, while still reducing the risk of hospitalization and death for high-risk seniors, according to a large study published Wednesday.
The results from a 109,000-patient Israeli study are likely to renew questions about the U.S. government’s use of Paxlovid, which has become the go-to treatment for COVID-19 due to its at-home convenience. The Biden administration has spent more than $10 billion purchasing the drug and making it available at thousands of pharmacies through its test-and-treat initiative.
The researchers found that Paxlovid reduced hospitalizations among people 65 and older by roughly 75% when given shortly after infection. That’s consistent with earlier results used to authorize the drug in the U.S. and other nations.
But people between the ages of 40 and 65 saw no measurable benefit, according to the analysis of medical records.
The study has limitations due to its design, which compiled data from a large Israeli health system rather than enrolling patients in a randomized study with a control group — the gold-standard for medical research.
The findings reflect the changing nature of the pandemic, in which the vast majority of people already have some protection against the virus due to vaccination or prior infection. For younger adults, in particular, that greatly reduces their risks of severe COVID-19 complications. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently estimated that 95% of Americans 16 and older have acquired some level of immunity against the virus.
“Paxlovid will remain important for people at the highest risk of severe COVID-19, such as seniors and those with compromised immune systems,” said Dr. David Boulware, a University of Minnesota researcher and physician, who was not involved in the study. “But for the vast majority of Americans who are now eligible, this really doesn’t have a lot of benefit.”
A spokesman for Pfizer declined to comment on the results, which were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized Paxlovid late last year for adults and children 12 and older who are considered high risk due to conditions like obesity, diabetes and heart disease. More than 42% of U.S. adults are considered obese, representing 138 million Americans, according to the CDC.
At the time of the FDA decision there were no options for treating COVID-19 at home, and Paxlovid was considered critical to curbing hospitalizations and deaths during the pandemic’s second winter surge. The drug’s results were also far stronger than a competing pill from Merck.
The FDA made its decision based on a Pfizer study in high-risk patients who hadn’t been vaccinated or treated for prior COVID-19 infection.
“Those people do exist but they’re relatively rare because most people now have either gotten vaccinated or they’ve gotten infected,” Boulware said.
Pfizer reported earlier this summer that a separate study of Paxlovid in healthy adults — vaccinated and unvaccinated — failed to show a significant benefit. Those results have not yet been published in a medical journal.
More than 3.9 million prescriptions for Paxlovid have been filled since the drug was authorized, according to federal records. A treatment course is three pills twice a day for five days. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/study-pfizer-covid-pill-showed-no-benefit-in-younger-adults/article_31becb8a-23f7-11ed-baf3-4b9f83778bb8.html | 2022-08-25T02:26:09Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/study-pfizer-covid-pill-showed-no-benefit-in-younger-adults/article_31becb8a-23f7-11ed-baf3-4b9f83778bb8.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
All the telltale signs that summer is ending are afoot: swimsuits on sale; a twinge of autumn crispness in the air; fading suntans. But that also means one of the best holidays of the year is right around the corner: Halloween.
The tradition of Halloween traces its roots back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which was celebrated in present-day areas of the United Kingdom and France between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice, a time of the year when days become shorter and the nights longer. Samhain was celebrated as a harvest festival, but it was also believed that the veil between this world and the next was thinnest during the holiday.
After Britannia was conquered by the Roman Empire, Celtic Samhain tradition blended with Roman and, later, Christian influences. The term “Halloween” is derived from All Saints’ Day, an autumnal holiday held to honor the saints, and was called “Alholowmesse” or “All-Hallows” in Middle English. The day before All-Hallows was known as “All-Hallows Eve,” which evolved over the years into Halloween. Halloween was imported to the United States by European immigrants, particularly the Irish during the 19th century, where it would take on an American spin.
There’s no better way to give yourself the creepy crawlies than to tempt the supernatural and embark on a ghost tour during spooky season. Halloween and its sister holidays (like Dia de los Muertos, celebrated on November 1 to honor deceased relatives) are celebrated in some way or another in nearly every European country as well as those touched by European colonization.
Here are eight of the best ghost tours you should consider this Halloween.
1. Savannah, Georgia
Tour to check out: Genteel & Bard’s Savannah Dark History & Ghost Encounter Tour
Starting price: $30
Well, I do declare—this coastal Georgian city has a reputation for being one of the most ghoulishly delightful locations in the United States. In 2002, Savannah was even given the title of the most haunted city in the country by the American Institute of Parapsychology. Savannah has seen both American Revolution and Civil War battles, a yellow fever outbreak in the late 19th century followed by a devastating fire, and a long, horrifying history of slavery—all of which have contributed to Savannah’s distinctly historic and somber atmosphere.
Though there are several types of tours you can take in the Hostess City of the South, some of the most popular ghost tours in Savannah are hosted by Genteel & Bard, a family-owned company that specializes in walking tours. Its Savannah Dark History & Ghost Encounter Tour takes guests on a journey through some of the city’s most haunted locations with a knowledgeable storyteller. The tour lasts about two hours and covers three-quarters of a mile. During their time with Genteel & Bard in Savannah, guests can expect to see Sorrel-Weed House, which is home to several Civil War–era specters; the Wright “hanging” square, where a Yamacraw chief’s grave was desecrated and an Irish indentured servant was later hung; and the Foley House Inn, where a skeleton was discovered in a wall in 1987. The tour guide will use a wireless microphone that will transmit audio to a small wireless receiver and a set of earbuds given to each guest.
2. Paris, France
Tour to check out: The Catacombs of Paris
Starting price: $27
What would be a better way to ring in Halloween than by descending into the infamous catacombs of Paris? During the 17th century when Paris was experiencing intense population growth, the city’s cemeteries were, at some points, literally overflowing with corpses. The problem became so egregious that during heavy rains in 1780, a wall broke in the Les Innocents Cemetery causing a wave of rotting bodies to flood into a nearby property. So, citizens turned to its network of underground limestone mining tunnels that were dug during the 13th century. It took nearly 12 years to move the bones of Paris’s overflowing cemeteries into the catacombs—a total of 6 to 7 million people—and during the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror, bodies were buried directly in the tunnels.
The practice of burying people in Paris’s catacombs ended in 1860; it’s estimated that there are over 200 miles of bone-ridden passageways beneath the city. It is illegal to explore the vast majority of the tunnels, but a small portion is open to the public. The best way to see them is by booking a tour with Las Catacombes de Paris, which gives access to two miles of the underground system. Though you could simply buy a ticket and explore by yourself, guided tours that dive deep into the history of the city and catacombs are also available. Unfortunately, this activity is not accessible for wheelchair users or people with mobility disabilities since entering the catacombs requires a long trip down 131 stairs.
3. New Orleans, Louisiana
Tour to check out: Haunted History Tours
Starting price: $30
Along with Savannah, New Orleans has a reputation for being one of the most haunted U.S. cities. In fact, it’s been used as a spooky backdrop in several Hollywood productions like True Blood, American Horror Story: Coven, and Interview With a Vampire. There’s just something about this 300-year-old city with its French colonial–style mansions, mausoleums, and Spanish moss that feels both beautiful and unnerving, providing the perfect setting for a scary story.
New Orleans, though well-known for Mardi Gras and Southern hospitality, has a history that’s been marred by several tragic events, including the genocide and forced removal of the Indigenous population, a smattering of yellow fever outbreaks, and the city’s role as a major slave port. In fact, before the Civil War, New Orleans was seen as the epicenter of the U.S. slave trade. The Big Easy is also sometimes called the northernmost Caribbean city and there’s still a tinge of obeah or voodoo in the air.
New Orleans–based Haunted History Tours offers 10 different ways to explore the city’s dark side. Guests can pick among options like a spooky walking tour through the Garden District or a stroll through the City of the Dead on its Cemetery Tour. Those interested in a more boozy affair could opt for the Haunted Pub Crawl, which takes guests on a quest through some of the city’s most haunted bars, where signature NOLA cocktails like sazeracs are available.
4. Edinburgh, Scotland
Tour to check out: City of the Dead’s Haunted Graveyard Tour
Starting price: $16
Edinburgh has served as the capital of Scotland since 1437—it’s an old city. It also is widely considered one of the most haunted places in Europe with a history rife with witches, warlocks, ghosts, body snatchers, and other paranormal things that go bump in the night. For example, during the Salem Witch Trials, 185 people were accused of practicing witchcraft. In Scotland, an estimated 4,000–6,000 people were put on trial for being witches—the vast majority were tortured and then executed. And, of course, there’s Edinburgh Castle, said to be one of the most haunted castles in Europe; it’s seen no less than 23 attacks to capture it over the years, most helmed by the English.
One of the most popular ghost tours in the city is hosted by City of the Dead, a Scottish touring company owned by Black Hart Entertainment. Its Haunted Graveyard Tour gives visitors access to Edinburgh’s Covenanter’s Prison and the Black Mausoleum, home to the Mackenzie Poltergeist, one of the most well-documented paranormal phenomena in history. City of the Dead’s tours employ both historians and entertainers, so guests are sure to have a good time while learning a thing or two.
5. Montego Bay, Jamaica
Tour to check out: Rose Hall Night Tour
Starting price: $27
Though it’s better known for scenic Caribbean beaches and a busy airport, Montego Bay, Jamaica, also happens to be home to one of the most infamous ghosts on the island: the White Witch of Rose Hall. Ever since the British expelled Spanish colonists from the island in 1655, Jamaica played an important role in the Triangle of Trade and the production of sugarcane and rum. Jamaica was widely regarded as one of the worst places to be an enslaved person, with many enslavers like Thomas Thistlewood treating enslaved Africans with inhuman cruelty, violence, and brutality.
One of the worst offenders on the island was said to be Annie Palmer, the mistress of Rose Hall near Montego Bay. Though much of the lore surrounding her story is fiction, the legend goes that Palmer ruled her plantation with an iron fist and murdered all three of her husbands. Afterwards, she began taking enslaved men as lovers, but when she tired of them, she would have them done away with as well. After Palmer was killed by one of her servants, she was supposedly sealed in a special voodoo-charmed casket so her spirit could never rise again. However, the spell didn’t take and it’s said that her ghost still wanders the plantation. Her story was immortalized in the 1973 Johnny Cash song “The Ballad of Annie Palmer.” The singer was so intrigued by the tale that he actually purchased the Cinnamon Hill Great House on the property.
The great house was restored during the 1960s and is now open to the public for tours. There are day tours available, but for the ultimate spooky experience, try attending the night tour. Though Annie Palmer’s tale might be more fiction than fact, you’ll learn about how the European bourgeoisie lived during the colonial era and the cruelty that their enslaved workforce endured.
6. Singapore
Tour to check out: Oriental Travel and Tours’ Creepy Tales of Singapore
Starting price: $100
Despite being one of the safest cities on the planet, Singapore boasts a reputation for being one of the most haunted cities in Asia. With a history entangled with World War II battles and Japanese and British colonies, this city-state has seen more than its fair share of bloodshed over the years. Changi Beach, considered one of the most paranormally disturbed places in Singapore, was the site of the infamous Sook Ching Massacre. During World War II and Japanese occupation, thousands of Chinese men suspected of anti-Japanese sentiments were rounded up and executed, then buried underneath the sand. It’s said that beachgoers can still sometimes catch the sounds of men crying and screaming.
Oriental Travel and Tours’ Creepy Tales of Singapore experience takes guests to Sook Ching beach as well as a few other scary places. They include the largest Chinese-style cemetery in the world outside of China, Bukit Brown—it’s estimated to hold more than 100,000 tombs. Tours are held in English and the cost of the ticket includes transport between all the different points on the four-hour itinerary.
7. San Antonio, Texas
Tour to check out: Sisters Grimm’s Haunted History Walk
Starting price: $25
One of the oldest cities in Texas, San Antonio was founded in 1718, nearly 100 years before Austin was established. It also has a reputation as the most haunted city in the Lone Star State. There’s the Black Swan Inn, which once had a hanging tree on the premises and is said to be haunted by Native American spirits as well as a young couple who met an untimely death. Then, as any native San Antonian knows, there’s the railroad by Villamain and Shane roads, which is haunted by benevolent schoolchildren who (supposedly) died in a train crash in the 1930s when their bus stalled on the tracks. They’ll push any cars stuck on the tracks over to safety. And don’t forget the Alamo—the old mission is said to still be protected by ghostly apparitions of the original defenders.
Get acquainted with the supernatural side of San Antonio on a Sisters Grimm Haunted History Walk. It takes guests to famously spooky locations like the Alamo, the Spanish Governor’s Mansion, the old Bexar County Jail (now a Holiday Inn Express), and the Menger Hotel—one of the most haunted hotels in the nation; it’s supposedly occupied by Theodore Roosevelt’s ghost. If getting in your daily steps is not your thing, the Sisters Grimm also has a Ghost Bus Tour, which includes a cemetery stop.
8. Prague, Czech Republic
Tour to check out: Mysterium Tours’ Dark Shadows of the Old Town
Starting price: $20
With a history that dates back more than 1,000 years, Prague is one of the prime places in Europe for ghost hunting. And with its many cobblestone streets and medieval castles, it’s not hard to let your imagination run free. Some of the apparitions said to be haunting the city include the Headless Templar, the legendary founder of Prague, a mistress of a monk, and a golem created by a rabbi in the 16th century to protect the Jewish community from anti-Semitic attacks.
Prague-based Mysterium Tours takes visitors through one of the most ancient parts of the city on its Dark Shadows of the Old Town Tour. This tour snakes its way through Prague’s Old Town and Josefov, or the Jewish quarter, past dozens of Gothic churches, convents, and old cemeteries. In a fun twist, the storytellers and guides on these tours dress up in period-correct clothing. If you’re not in Prague but are still in the mood to be spooked, Mysterium Tours also offers experiences in Barcelona, Budapest, Krakow, and Madrid. | https://www.afar.com/magazine/best-ghost-tours-to-book-around-the-world | 2022-08-25T02:29:36Z | afar.com | control | https://www.afar.com/magazine/best-ghost-tours-to-book-around-the-world | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A collection of new “invisible” cabins near Chattanooga, Tennessee, are giving new meaning to disappearing into nature.
While the cabins aren’t literally invisible, their facades are entirely mirrored, blending into the landscape by reflecting the woods around them.
Called Mirror Cabins, the unique vacation rentals are part of Bolt Farm Treehouse’s 55-acre glamping property on Whitwell Mountain. They also offer overnights in geodesic glass domes and, you guessed it, tree houses, which were featured on Netflix’s The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals. Each of the five cabins can sleep two guests and is furnished with a queen-size bed, kitchenette, bathroom with rainfall shower, desk space, and an in-room streaming movie projector. In addition, each cabin has a private deck with a hot tub, a smokeless firepit, a pizza oven, and a seating area.
“We can’t wait for guests to enjoy elevated quality time in our new mountainside Mirror Cabins,” said Seth Bolt, co-owner of Bolt Farm Treehouse, in a press release. “It’s about reconnecting, laughing, and losing track of time on top of the world in a magical, inspiring, socially distanced environment.”
According to Bolt, the boutique cabins were created to help guests better explore the region—the property connects to a 5,000-acre nature preserve. Nearby are myriad outdoor activities, including fishing, hiking, horseback riding, paddleboarding, kayaking, ATV tours, and pontooning on the Tennessee River.
The cabins were designed by the Tallinn, Estonia–based company ÖÖD, which also has retreats in Mexico, Denmark, Belgium, Norway, and Estonia. The cabins in Tennessee are the company’s first in the United States.
The Mirror Cabins are now available on the Bolt Farm Treehouse website. There is a two-night minimum for weekday check-ins (arriving on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday) and a three-night minimum for weekends (with check-ins on Friday). Prices start at $395 per night. | https://www.afar.com/magazine/you-can-now-stay-in-an-invisible-luxury-cabin-in-tennessee | 2022-08-25T02:29:43Z | afar.com | control | https://www.afar.com/magazine/you-can-now-stay-in-an-invisible-luxury-cabin-in-tennessee | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
HONOLULU (KITV4) -- Family of a Virginia couple killed in a head-on collision on Kamehameha Highway describe the victims, Ron and Michelle Hartman, as "neighborhood grandparents" to all the kids living in their tight-knit community of Norfolk.
The crash happened just after 1 p.m. on Aug. 22 on Kamehameha Highway in the area of Gunstock Ranch and the Malaekahana State Recreation Area. According to Honolulu police, the driver of a Ford pickup was heading northbound on Kamehameha when they tried to pass the car in front of it and ended up hitting a Hyundai sedan head-on.
The Hartman’s leave behind three children, including daughter Holly, who's in critical condition in an Oahu hospital with multiple injuries including broken bones and internal bleeding.
That's according to her cousin, Tiffany Smith, who spoke with KITV4 Tuesday morning. She says the family's mourning the loss of her cousins who were active in their church and community.
"It's devastating. I don't think any of us still really believe it. It's so surreal. And for Holly and for her two other children, to lose both of your parents so tragically at the same time, it's awful. It's awful. And in such a way, it could have been avoided. I mean, nobody expects anything like this to happen, especially on vacation," Smith said.
Ron, 62, and Michelle, 55, were on Oahu for the first time to support their daughter Holly, who was participating in the Spartan race.
Smith has set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for Holly's medical expenses and Ron and Michelle's funeral services. Tap here if you would like to donate.
The 27-year-old driver of the Ford truck was listed in critical condition at the hospital Tuesday morning. He has not yet been arrested or charged. However, HPD says it’s investigating this incident as a manslaughter and assault case. | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/family-devastated-by-loss-of-neighborhood-grandparents-killed-in-north-shore-crash/article_1f39f678-2411-11ed-b0b5-27785508fc78.html | 2022-08-25T02:38:38Z | kitv.com | control | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/family-devastated-by-loss-of-neighborhood-grandparents-killed-in-north-shore-crash/article_1f39f678-2411-11ed-b0b5-27785508fc78.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
After more than three hours of deliberation, a federal jury awarded $31 million in damages after finding the Los Angeles County Sheriff and Fire Departments liable for infringing on the constitutional rights of Vanessa Bryant and co-plaintiff Christopher Chester, who each lost a spouse and daughter in the helicopter crash in January 2020.
Bryant was awarded $16 million in damages and Chris Chester was awarded $15 million.
Immediately after the verdict was read, Bryant hugged her attorneys. As she continued to cry, Bryant then tearfully embraced her daughter Natalia in the front row. She left the courthouse without making a statement, but did post a picture of her, Kobe Bryant and their daughter Gianna on Instagram with the caption: "All for you! I love you! JUSTICE for Kobe and Gigi!"
County attorney Mira Hashmall, who led outside counsel for L.A. County, released a statement shortly after the verdict.
"While we disagree with the jury's findings as to the County's liability, we believe the monetary award shows that jurors didn't believe the evidence supported the Plaintiffs' request of $75 million for emotional distress," Hashmall said. "We will be discussing next steps with our client. Meanwhile, we hope the Bryant and Chester families continue to heal from their tragic loss."
The federal jury found both the Sheriff's and Fire Departments lacked proper policies and training which caused the violation of rights. The only plaintiff claim not supported by jurors was in a finding that the county fire department was not liable for any long-standing widespread practice or custom of taking illicit photos. The sheriff's department was found liable for the same issue.
At issue in the trial were photos taken by L.A. County deputies and firefighters that included not just wreckage from the helicopter, but the mangled bodies of those killed including NBA star Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, Chester's wife Sarah, his daughter Payton and five others.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the helicopter pilot pushed the limits of bad weather flying rules before he crashed into a hillside in Calabasas, California.
Bryant and Chester argued that the photos of their loved ones caused emotional distress and violated their privacy. Each testified to living in fear the photos may surface, despite L.A. County's assertion each picture had been destroyed.
Jurors listened to 11 days worth of graphic testimony. Witnesses during the trial included a deputy who said he showed graphic images from the scene while at a bar, another deputy who said he shared photos while playing a video game, a deputy who sent dozens of photos to someone he didn't know, and a fire official who showed the images to other personnel during an awards ceremony cocktail hour.
In September 2020, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an invasion-of-privacy bill called the "Kobe Bryant Act" that makes it illegal for first responders to share photos of a dead person at a crime scene "for any purpose other than an official law enforcement purpose." The misdemeanor crime is punishable by up to $1,000 per violation.
Coincidentally, Los Angeles has named Wednesday, August 24, as "Kobe Bryant Day" to honor the Los Angeles Lakers star's two jersey numbers, 8 and 24, that he wore during his NBA career. The Lakers have retired both numbers.
Defense wanted to separate emotions from legality
Deliberations began Wednesday shortly after an attorney for Los Angeles County argued that the trial is a "pictures case with no pictures," noting that the gruesome photos of human remains have never actually been seen by the public -- or even the plaintiffs.
"No pictures is good. No pictures means no public dissemination ... no risk of other people making mistakes," Hashmall, the county attorney, said in closing arguments of the trial.
In an emotional rebuttal, Bryant's attorney Luis Li argued Wednesday the actions of the county in taking such photos were reckless and inhumane and caused emotional distress.
"They poured salt into an unhealable wound and that's why we're all here today," he said.
During closing arguments Wednesday, attorneys for Los Angeles County sought to separate Vanessa Bryant's emotional testimony from the legal issues the jury must consider.
Hashmall argued the county's actions to delete the photos resulted in them never being distributed publicly, and she argued further that first responders taking photos did not violate Bryant's rights.
She urged the jury to consider the law, which only allows for a verdict against the county if it can be proven county policies were deficient enough to prevent the spread of the photos or if there is a longstanding custom of such behavior within the sheriff and fire departments.
"If the county didn't take (the photo sharing) seriously, why is this whole case based on the county's investigation?" she said.
Jurors also wrestled with what constitutes "the public" in this case. The plaintiffs argued any deputy without an investigatory reason to have the photos should be considered the public. One of the deputies shared photos containing human remains with another deputy as they were playing the video game "Call of Duty," and another showed them to a bartender he considered a friend.
Hashmall agreed that was wrong, but asked the jury to consider whether it "shocked the conscience," a legal threshold the jury must consider in rendering its verdict.
"Does it shock the conscience that he needed to talk?" Hashmall asked. She also noted that the deputy was disciplined for his actions. "That's not a constitutional issue, that's a county issue," she said.
In their rebuttal, Bryant's attorneys argued the photos could still exist because one of the deputies AirDropped them to a firefighter that hasn't been identified. They also argued the county inadequately investigated the incident, which has allowed for photos of human remains to potentially surface.
The rebuttal evoked tears from Vanessa Bryant and Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka in the courtroom. Li, Bryant's attorney, said the jury's decision is "important to families throughout the United States who might suffer a tragedy someday."
Referring to testimony given by veteran law enforcement officials including Sheriff Alex Villanueva, Li reminded the jury of a practice of first responders keeping "death books" since the Polaroid was around. Li said to the jury: "This has been going on for decades. Make it stop."
Bryant cried audibly and grabbed tissues when Li stated that photos of family members' bodies torn apart are private and should not be shared with deputies just "because they're wearing a badge the next morning, to offer [the photos] to their wife."
In describing how deputies had to have gone out of their way to find Gianna Bryant's remains in a ravine to photograph her, Li asked, "Does that shock the conscience?"
Li said while there is no jury form to check a box for better training, better policies, or more discipline, there is only a box jurors can check for damages: "Whatever you put in that box will serve to shine a light on the legacy of Kobe and Gianna Bryant."
Li concluded with applauding the two whistleblowers, one of whom sat in the courtroom. Li was emotional as he said: "But for those people, we may never have heard of this."
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.kitv.com/news/national/jury-awards-plaintiffs-31m-in-lawsuit-over-kobe-bryant-crash-photos/article_64b9480d-911b-5a03-b701-cccb6b6e2d51.html | 2022-08-25T02:38:44Z | kitv.com | control | https://www.kitv.com/news/national/jury-awards-plaintiffs-31m-in-lawsuit-over-kobe-bryant-crash-photos/article_64b9480d-911b-5a03-b701-cccb6b6e2d51.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Monkeypox cases are increasing across America and around the world, with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting over 15,000 confirmed stateside cases as of August 23. The Biden Administration is accelerating vaccine distribution efforts and ramping up community outreach, including through community partnerships and education of clinicians and patients.
In the meantime, students are coming back to school. Parents, caregivers, teachers and students have a lot of questions. Can monkeypox be spread by sitting next to someone with the virus in a classroom or playing in the playground together? Could it be transmitted by sharing food or drinks? Are there certain activities for K-12 students that are higher risk? What about for college students? And what about the risk of other infectious diseases?
To help us with these questions, I spoke with CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. She is also author of "Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health" and the mother of two young children who are both starting school next week.
CNN: Can you remind us how monkeypox is spread and who is at high risk?
Dr. Leana Wen: Monkeypox is spread primarily through prolonged, direct, skin-to-skin contact with someone who is actively shedding virus. It is associated with intimate sexual activity but can be spread by other close contact, such as kissing and cuddling. The earliest groups affected have been gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men. A study recently published by the CDC found that 99% of cases have been in men, with 94% reporting recent male-to-male sexual or close intimate contact.
This contrasts with another disease we've been talking about a lot over the past two years, Covid-19. Covid-19 is caused by an airborne virus that is extremely contagious. You could get Covid-19 from talking with someone or just from sharing the same air with someone who's in the same room as you. Monkeypox could be spread through some objects -- for example, bedding, towels, and utensils used by someone who is infected -- but that is a much less common route of transmission than direct contact.
CNN: Let's talk about some examples of common scenarios in school settings. Can monkeypox be spread by sitting next to someone in a classroom or riding the bus together?
Wen: That's extremely unlikely. Monkeypox is not transmitted just by sitting next to a person. Again, this is not Covid-19 -- this virus is not nearly as contagious.
CNN: What about kids playing closely on the playground together? Would touching the same objects put them at risk for monkeypox transmission?
Wen: In theory, it's possible that a child who has an exposed rash could touch another child while playing together. Small kids also put objects in their mouth that could then be touched by other kids, and transmission could occur that way.
I'm not worried about my two young kids, ages 2 and 5, getting monkeypox because, thus far, it has not been spreading in children in the United States. There are a couple of isolated reports of kids with monkeypox, but no reports of kids transmitting to each other. The incidence of monkeypox among kids is currently so low that I am not worried about spread while my kids are in their preschool and kindergarten.
This could change if outbreaks start happening in children, but that's not what we have seen thus far.
CNN: Could monkeypox be spread by sharing drinks or food?
Wen: Yes. Again, this is lower risk than the other close activities discussed earlier like sexual activity, but sharing drinks or food is a possible method of transmission. People infected with monkeypox should not be sharing utensils or food or drink with others.
CNN: You said earlier that it could be spread through bedsheets and towels. Should parents and caregivers worry about their kids trying on clothes and avoid travel in hotels?
Wen: I don't think so. If someone is infected with monkeypox, they could shed the virus onto their clothing and other things that touch their rash — for example, bedsheets, towels and other linen. If someone in your family has monkeypox, no one should share their clothes or bed.
But that's very different from going so far as to avoid trying on clothes at the mall or staying in hotels. Of course, there is a theoretical possibility that the person who just tried on the same clothes had monkeypox and left virus on the clothes, but the odds of that happening are very low. Same goes for hotels, where the sheets and towels should be replaced between guests anyway.
CNN: Are there certain activities for K-12 students that are higher risk?
Wen: Activities that involve prolonged skin-to-skin contact will be higher risk. Kids involved in wrestling or tackle football, for example, would be higher risk than if they did cross-country running or swimming.
That doesn't mean children shouldn't participate in contact sports. Again, the incidence of monkeypox in kids is currently so low that this shouldn't be a major concern.
Some students in school are sexually active. My concern would be for those students, especially those with multiple partners or engaging in sexual encounters with people they don't know well, as it's through such intimate activity that monkeypox is primarily spread.
CNN: That brings me to college students. What are high-risk activities for them, and what precautions should they be taking?
Wen: Let's go through activities by level of risk. Highest risk would be sexual intercourse with multiple partners. Intimate activity like kissing and cuddling with multiple people would also be high risk.
Sharing drinks, food and objects like cigarettes and vapes, could also result in monkeypox transmission, though that risk is lower. Monkeypox transmission has also been documented in individuals dancing for long periods of time in close quarters with numerous other people, especially if most individuals are not wearing clothes over parts of their body -- that results in more skin-to-skin contact.
Being platonic roommates with someone is lower risk, as is participating in most sports. Other day-to-day activities, like going to class, dining with peers and socializing with friends, are extremely low risk. Teaching staff, professors and other school and university staff are at extremely low risk if they are not engaging in skin-to-skin direct contact with students or one another.
CNN: What precautions would you advise college students to take?
Wen: Know the activities that have the highest risk and try to reduce your risk. Since sexual activity is highest risk, consider reducing the number of sex partners until you are vaccinated. Before engaging in intimate activity, ask if the other person has had new or unexpected rashes -- and, if possible, consider exchanging contact information with any new sexual partners in case you or they later develop symptoms. Try not to share drinks, food or cigarettes with multiple unknown people. If you're going to nightclubs or bars where you expect to be in very close quarters with many individuals, consider wearing long sleeves and pants to cover the areas that will be closely touching others.
I'd also urge everyone to know the signs and symptoms to watch out for. In most cases, monkeypox presents as fever, lymph node swelling and a rash that then results in blistering. However, fever and lymph node swelling may not always be present. You could also have just one or two small rashes anywhere on your body. Monkeypox can also present as sores in your mouth, on your genitals, or in your anus. If you have any of these symptoms, get tested.
This reminds me -- students should know where to go for testing. Many colleges will offer testing on-site. Others will recommend that you go to a nearby commercial laboratory. Colleges should all have isolation procedures set up. It would help to know what they are in advance so that you're not caught off-guard in case your test is positive.
Finally, those students who are eligible to be vaccinated should do so. The CDC has suggestions for eligibility. Inquire with your local health department and sexual health clinics in your area. The availability of vaccines and how to access them will differ depending on the part of the country. My strong advice to people who meet the CDC's eligibility suggestions is to get the vaccine if you can -- that will reduce your chance of getting infected and also of passing monkeypox onto others.
CNN: Big picture -- how should parents, caregivers, teachers and students consider the risk of monkeypox along with the risk of other infectious diseases?
Wen: This differs by age group. For anyone not yet engaged in any sexual activity, the risk is very low, given the populations affected by monkeypox thus far. The communal living environments in college, combined with higher-risk activities, makes monkeypox a much more significant concern for students in that age group.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.kitv.com/news/national/school-is-in-session-should-you-worry-about-your-kid-catching-monkeypox/article_be46e07c-d886-5640-be6e-4bcf3d2bc4ee.html | 2022-08-25T02:38:50Z | kitv.com | control | https://www.kitv.com/news/national/school-is-in-session-should-you-worry-about-your-kid-catching-monkeypox/article_be46e07c-d886-5640-be6e-4bcf3d2bc4ee.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — An opportunity to enjoy nature, history and community.
"The history of San Luis is not one that is told in the history books and it's one that is so important to both Florida and Tallahassee," Brian Kelley, museum interpreter of Mission San Luis said.
"You can experience life in a certain time period but understand how it's important to our time period now," April Kirk, Executive Director of Mission San Luis added.
Mission San Luis is Tallahassee's only national historic landmark, a park, and a living history museum.
It tells the story of a mission established in 1656.
"Apalachee Indians lived here in conjunction with the Spaniards, and the Apalachee chiefs asked the Spanish friars to come to the area. They moved to the high hill in Tallahassee, to be able to build the mission build the church and provide that religious spiritual experience for the Indians," Kirk said.
Mission San Luis was one of more than 100 mission settlements established in Spanish Florida between the 1560s and 1690s.
Between 1656 and 1704, more than 1400 Apalachee Indians and Spaniards lived at the mission.
"There was a sense of community. It was the tribal elders and Spanish friars working together to build the community," Kirk said.
The buildings at San Luis included Spanish and Apalachee residential areas, the Franciscan Church and Spanish Fort as well as the native Council House.
A fire was always lit in this structure - a focal point for Apalachee life in the mission - A courthouse, civic center, city center - even a hotel - the beating heart of the Apalachee people.
A visit to the Mission is an experience on many levels.
"You can step back into time, see things in action, you can touch, feel, smell, hear, participate," Kirk said.
A museum dedicated to educating and preserving a history, that might otherwise be forgotten.
"The Apalachee history in Florida, while they were one of the first and most prosperous of that time we've lost that history," Kirk said.
Hear the ring of the blacksmith's hammer, smell traditional foods being cooked and explore 300-year-old artifacts excavated onsite, escape to another time, and share the spirit of Mission San Luis.
"We're a piece of history, we're preserving history but we're also teaching, learning ourselves and being a part of the Tallahassee community," Kirk said.
There are many different free events and classes offered for the community at Mission San Luis.
Just go to their website by clicking here for a full list. | https://www.wtxl.com/community/totally-tallahassee/totally-tallahassee-and-beyond-mission-san-luis-a-living-history-museum | 2022-08-25T02:41:07Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/community/totally-tallahassee/totally-tallahassee-and-beyond-mission-san-luis-a-living-history-museum | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Artist FN Meka has been dropped by Capitol Records after backlash citing "gross stereotypes," Forbes reported.
Meka has over 500,000 monthly listeners on Spotify and over 10 million followers on TikTok.
The backlash began to gain traction on social media after users said they were not comfortable with the way the AI character was being portrayed.
On Tuesday, the nonprofit Industry Blackout wrote in a letter, “It is a direct insult to the Black community and our culture. An amalgamation of gross stereotypes, appropriative mannerisms that derive from Black artists, complete with slurs infused in lyrics,” the statement said. “We find fault in the lack of awareness in how offensive this caricature is.”
The organization called for Capitol Records to cut ties with the computer-generated artist. | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/capitol-records-drops-artificial-intelligence-rapper-after-just-one-week | 2022-08-25T02:41:26Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/capitol-records-drops-artificial-intelligence-rapper-after-just-one-week | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
School district reinstates corporal punishment as discipline option for students
CASSVILLE, Mo. (KY3/Gray News) - A controversial school discipline method is returning to some schools in Missouri.
Cassville R-IV School District Superintendent Dr. Merlyn Johnson said the policy change is a result of a survey that was sent to staff, students and parents in May.
“One of the suggestions that came out was concerns about student discipline,” Johnson said. “So, we reacted by implementing several different strategies, corporal punishment being one of them.”
Johnson said the change would give principals one more disciplinary option before students receive more serious punishments such as suspensions.
According to school administrators, the option would be the last resort for parents and faculty members if other means of discipline do not work.
“It’s something we don’t anticipate using frequently,” Johnson said. “This is an opt-in-only option for parents. So, anyone who disagrees with corporal punishment can do nothing by not opting in.”
Johnson said he understands there will be different views on the decision, and the district respects the opinions of parents who choose not to opt-in.
“A school suspension would be fine with me,” said parent Kimberly Richardson. “Or even out-of-school suspensions. Those are just way better than corporal punishment.”
Another parent, Dylan Burns, said he didn’t see a problem with corporal punishment.
“Everyone at Cassville is not going to do anything you don’t want to be done to your child,” Burns said. “I think you must sit down with your kids and choose what’s best for you and your family.”
According to state officials, Missouri law authorizes corporal punishment as an option for local schools to consider if parents opt in.
Copyright 2022 KY3 via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbko.com/2022/08/25/school-district-reinstates-corporal-punishment-discipline-option-students/ | 2022-08-25T02:46:42Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/2022/08/25/school-district-reinstates-corporal-punishment-discipline-option-students/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Shaquem Griffin, who played three seasons in the NFL with an amputated left hand, announced his retirement on Wednesday.
The 27-year-old Griffin — who was drafted in the fifth round by the Seattle Seahawks in 2018 despite having his left hand amputated at age 4 — wrote in The Players’ Tribune that he intends to help others working with the NFL Legends Community.
“Football was always Plan B,” Griffin wrote. “My dad used to tell me and my brother that. As kids we had dreamed of playing together in the NFL, but whenever we talked about it, our dad would remind us that if we made it to the league — especially if we got to play together — that would be an added blessing. A bonus. Plan A was to go to college, get an education and do something that would make a positive impact in the world.”
In 2018, Griffin, who played in 46 regular-season games for the Seahawks, played with his twin brother, Shaquill, who was Seattle’s starting cornerback.
The Seahawks congratulated Griffin on his retirement Wednesday, tweeting: “Your story will be remembered for generations.”
The best individual highlight moment of the outside linebacker’s career came when he teamed with his brother to sack Aaron Rodgers during a 2019 playoff game in Green Bay.
The Seahawks cut Shaquem Griffin before the start of the 2020 season, but signed him to the practice squad, and he eventually appeared in 14 games.
Shaquem Griffin inked a deal with the Miami Dolphins before the 2021 season, but was cut. His brother had signed with Jacksonville as a free agent.
“The Dolphins cut me before the 2021 season,” he wrote. “I worked out for the Cardinals, the Titans and the Jets, and then I got calls from Buffalo, Dallas and Atlanta. But after that Jets workout, I realized something. All this traveling around, working out for teams, trying to catch on somewhere, trying to hang on — it wasn’t what I wanted. Football had already given me so much, and the only thing I still really wanted from the game was to play with my brother again.
“So I told my agent, Buddy Baker, thank you for grinding and bringing me these opportunities. But unless it’s Jacksonville, I’m good.”
Griffin also thanked his family and former coaches — Scott Frost at UCF and Pete Carroll and the Seahawks coaching staff — “for taking a chance on me.”
Griffin wrote that his decision to join the NFL Legends Community was prompted from a discussion he had with commissioner Roger Goodell at a brunch during Super Bowl week.
The NFL Legends community is the league’s official program connecting former players with their teams an the league.
“That experience and that invitation from the commissioner locked me in and led me to the decision I had to make,” Griffin wrote. “The time has come for me to retire from professional football. It’s time for me to execute my Plan A.”
— with AP | https://nypost.com/2022/08/24/shaquem-griffin-retires-from-nfl-time-to-execute-plan-a/ | 2022-08-25T02:48:13Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/08/24/shaquem-griffin-retires-from-nfl-time-to-execute-plan-a/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Wall Street Journal with the report. While my headline to the post is a bit tongue-in-cheek the numbers are seriously large, reported by blockchain analytics firm Elliptic.
Says the Journal piece:
- Nonfungible tokens, or NFTs, are increasingly sought by criminals looking to either steal them or use them to launder illicit gains
- More than $100 million worth of these blockchain-based assets were reported stolen in scams over the past year
- Over 4,600 NFTs were stolen in July, the most in any month since Elliptic began tracking the data in 2017
- over $8 million in proceeds from illicit activities has been laundered through platforms that facilitate the creation, buying and selling of NFTs
- Another $328 million that went through the platforms came from so-called obfuscation services, such as mixers that enable users to exchange cryptocurrencies with relative anonymity, and may also include illegally made money
Here is the Wall Street Journal link for more detail.
-
Of course crypto folks (the honest ones, and the dishonest ones) make the point that fiat cash is used for illicit activities also.
Do bear in mind though:
1. Whataboutism sucks.
2. My mother said (usually to me) that two wrongs don't make a right.
--
Here we go. The opening bid on this is a gazillion dollars. Cash only please. | https://www.forexlive.com/Cryptocurrency/nft-kpis-are-coming-in-over-100mn-stolen-in-scams-over-8mn-in-laundered-cash-20220825/ | 2022-08-25T02:49:32Z | forexlive.com | control | https://www.forexlive.com/Cryptocurrency/nft-kpis-are-coming-in-over-100mn-stolen-in-scams-over-8mn-in-laundered-cash-20220825/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
7-Day Weather Forecast for Clarion County
The 7-day weather forecast for the Clarion County area is brought to you by Redbank Chevrolet and DuBrook.
Today – Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 82. Calm wind becoming northwest around 6 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight – Patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 57. Calm wind.
Thursday – Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 85. Light and variable wind.
Thursday Night – Partly cloudy, with a low around 60. Calm wind.
Friday – A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 11am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. Calm wind becoming southwest 5 to 7 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Friday Night – A chance of thunderstorms before 8pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 59. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Saturday – Mostly sunny, with a high near 83.
Saturday Night – Mostly clear, with a low around 60.
Sunday – Mostly sunny, with a high near 86.
Sunday Night – Partly cloudy, with a low around 64.
Monday – Partly sunny, with a high near 87.
Monday Night – A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Tuesday – Showers likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 84. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
7-Day Weather Forecast, brought to you by Redbank Chevrolet and DuBrook.
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/08/24/7-day-weather-forecast-for-clarion-county-3082/ | 2022-08-25T02:59:09Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/08/24/7-day-weather-forecast-for-clarion-county-3082/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Boys Never Grow Up, Their Toys Just Get Bigger
LUCINDA, Pa. (EYT) – There’s a saying that boys never grow up, their toys just get bigger.
Members of Rail 66 Country Trail, the non-profit group responsible for the creation and maintenance of a 21-mile bicycle and walking trail along the old B&O railroad in Clarion County, are proving that saying true. They just purchased this old caboose, and they need to pick it up from its current location, the yard of Gene “Puffy” Lander, and drop it off at the Lucinda Railroad station, which is the only original station along the trail.
“Puffy” is one of the many nicknamed characters who are known to most everyone in town. There are a few who probably don’t know his real name. But, they know his work. He restored the Lucinda station with the help of North Clarion High School students and their teacher, Terry Moore. The caboose has been living on Puffy’s land since 2005. When he bought the caboose, it was sitting in the same spot Rail 66 is working to get it back to. It’ll be a homecoming.
“We bought this car at auction a week ago, and we’re hoping to move it today,” said Vince DiStefano, the president of Rail 66. “We’re only moving it less than a quarter of a mile. We have a truck coming up with a special piece of equipment that loads this thing up and hauls it down the road. It’s like a flatbed on steroids.”
It’s about 9:00 a.m., and the flatbed on steroids was supposed to be here an hour ago. In the meantime, more Rail 66 members have been gathering to offer their help to get the car ready for transport. As they busy themselves with each task at hand—everyone seems to know what to do without being asked or instructed—you can feel the excitement build. Nobody complains about the tardiness of the truck. They just seem happy to be here.
“We’re going to take the caboose home. This caboose was over at the train station in Lucinda. It was moved from there over to here six or seven years ago,” said Al Lander, Co-Chairman of the Fundraising Committee of Rail 66 Country Trail. “I think it was actually longer than that. It came up for sale, and we just knew that where it belongs is over at the station. We got together and agreed to buy it at auction, and now we’re going to move it back and have it open for display for anyone who comes down the trail.”
The board members don’t really know what they’re going to do with the rail car, according to Landers. He said they have an idea that they’ll lease it to somebody to operate as an Airbnb. But, that’s just an idea.
Right now, they need to focus on the job at hand.
It turns out that there was a mix-up at the trucking company, and the truck isn’t going to make it over this morning after all. Nobody seems bothered by it. They tell me if you’re not flexible, you’ll just spend your life angry. They’ll try again tomorrow. I asked Vince if he’d please give me a call or shoot me a text when they know when the car will be moved. He promises he will. Sure enough, at about 10:30 p.m., while getting ready for bed, I received word that the truck will be there tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. I have to say, that makes me happy. I’m excited to see it all unfold.
It’s the next morning, and I’ve made my way out to Lucinda, back to Puffy’s property, the current home of the yellow caboose. No sign of a truck when I arrive.
It occurs to me as the same cast of characters from the previous day start showing up for Take Two of their little scene, that this is quite a coordinated effort to get a 1930’s railroad car from Puffy’s yard to the train station. I wonder if Puffy went through the same thing when he moved it from the station to its current piece of track.
“I’d rather not talk about that,” Puffy says with a chuckle. Then, there is a longer laugh. “I drug it over here with my Avalanche. To the road up here. And, then somebody called the cops on us, and we had to leave it set up on the road up there.”
He then tells me the rest of the story he’d rather not talk about. Eventually, he got the car over to the property and up on its rails. It’s been here ever since.
As Puffy finishes his story, I look behind and see that the truck has arrived. Vince was right. This is a flatbed on steroids. It’s from Barber Trucking in Shippenville. This particular trailer is specifically used to move rail cars, I overhear Vince telling one of the guys. Apparently, they move a lot of trolleys.
“I’m thinking this is going pretty smooth, and we’re going to have that caboose at the train station set up in about an hour from now,” Vince tells me. “Just watching to make sure we’re clearing electric lines right now.”
Vince isn’t going to be wrong. Things are moving quickly now. In just a few minutes, the car is loaded onto the trailer and secured down. A little while after that, the truck is moving up the hill and makes a right turn toward the station. As they make their way down the road, one of the Rail 66 guys hops on top of the caboose to make sure no power lines are hit. The top of the caboose is over 15 feet off the ground. There’s only one set of lines that is lower than the top of the car. The lines are carefully lifted up with a broomstick.
Over at the station, the unloading process goes quickly. I can’t imagine very many people on this crew have all that much experience moving a rail car, but they look like they know what they’re doing. The car rolls off the tilt bed trailer, right onto the tracks. Then a pickup truck appears and a chain is attached to its hitch. The other end is wrapped around the caboose’s coupler. With little effort, the car is rolled down the track and stops right where everyone thought the best spot would be.
And now, Puffy’s little yellow caboose is sitting next to the Lucinda train station along Rail 66 right where it started. And, who knows what will come next for the 85-year-old steel and wood rail car? Maybe it’ll be turned into an Airbnb. Maybe it will be a spot for adventurous travelers to stop and take a picture. What is certain is that it’s in the hands of men who will care for it. They’ll give it a scrub, and new coat of paint, maybe. And eventually, it will become exactly what they decide they want it to be. Whatever that is.
For now, this group of old boys that, apparently, refuse to grow up has a real big toy.
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/08/24/boys-never-grow-up-their-toys-just-get-bigger/ | 2022-08-25T02:59:15Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/08/24/boys-never-grow-up-their-toys-just-get-bigger/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Braxton White Announces Candidacy for Clarion County Commissioner
MARIANNE, Pa. – Braxton White, PA Army National Guard Veteran and elected school director of the Clarion Area School District has announced his candidacy for Clarion County Commissioner.
White believes his service to the country through the military, his volunteerism in the community, and his time on the school board has prepared him to be a strong Commissioner of Clarion County.
“The importance of community service was instilled in me at a young age by my Great Grandfather. I was honored to follow in his footsteps when I joined the National Guard in 2008. If he were still around, I know he’d be thrilled to see me serve in the community today” he said.
White says that he will apply the strategies used at Clarion Area School District and won’t run from the issues facing Clarion County.
“At Clarion Area, we have not raised taxes since I was elected, we’ve improved our district’s infrastructure, expanded access to mental health services, fostered a desirable and stable work environment for administration and faculty, all while being on target to pay off our debt years in advance. We should be able to strike a balance between investing in our communities and respecting the taxpayer just like we do at Clarion Area.”
“Our public services, like emergency medical services and CYS that serve the most vulnerable among us haven’t been fully funded for years. We have got to stop talking about what we can’t do and work towards what we should do. Our community deserves nothing less.”
White, 36, has been married to his high school sweetheart Stephanie since 2010 and resides in Marianne with their eight-year-old son, Will. Braxton is currently employed as a drafting instructor at Triangle-Tech in DuBois, PA.
Braxton will host a campaign kickoff event at 6:30 p.m. on September 12 at Clarion River Brewing Company located at 600 Main Street in Clarion, Pa. The event is open to the public.
Braxton can be reached at [email protected]
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/08/24/braxton-white-announces-candidacy-for-clarion-county-commissioner/ | 2022-08-25T02:59:21Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/08/24/braxton-white-announces-candidacy-for-clarion-county-commissioner/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Burns & Burns Hosts Brad Lloyd, Western Pennsylvania’s Territory Director for Acuity Insurance
Clarion, Pa.- Burns & Burns Insurance hosted Brad Lloyd, CLCS, CPIA from Acuity Insurance to teach classes about Advanced Workers’ Compensation & Advanced Personal Lines.
Brad is the Territory Director of Western Pennsylvania for Acuity Insurance. He taught both classes in New Wilmington on August 16th , and in Clarion on August 18th . The sessions were intended to further our agents’ knowledge on advanced topics in the insurance industry. This helped to educate Burns & Burns agents about the complexities of insurance and how to better serve their clients.
Some interesting items learned about workers’ compensation included the direct costs and indirect costs of a workers’ comp claims. Many employers may realize the direct costs of a claim, and forget about the indirect costs, such as lost productivity, hiring and training costs, equipment damage or down-time, clean-up, etc. Workers’ compensation claims are generally covered if the incident arises out of employment and during the course of employment.
Brad also taught us some interesting facts about Acuity’s personal lines products like home, auto, and personal cyber liability. Acuity offers endorsements on their policies that provide great value to clients. For example, the Auto Enhancement Endorsement covers personal property (items left in a vehicle), lock replacement, increased travel expenses, and more. Acuity also provides a list of Pre-Approved Repair Shops (PARS) where the insurance carrier won’t require estimates to be submitted, and the workmanship comes with a warranty.
Burns is a 4th generation independent insurance agency with 9 branches across Northwestern Pennsylvania. These branches include Clarion, Bradford, Clearfield, Erie, Meadville, Mercer, New Wilmington, Tionesta, and Warren. The full-service, Trusted Choice agency celebrated their 80th anniversary in business in 2019. Representing over 60 insurance carriers, Burns & Burns is licensed to offer many lines of coverage, including auto, home, life, business, health, bonds, Medicare, workers’ compensation, benefits, events, weddings AND MORE! With over 900 combined years of experience, Burns & Burns is sure to find you the right fit for your insurance needs!
Visit their Facebook page or website for more information or a free quote.
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/08/24/burns-burns-hosts-brad-lloyd-western-pennsylvanias-territory-director-for-acuity-insurance/ | 2022-08-25T02:59:27Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/08/24/burns-burns-hosts-brad-lloyd-western-pennsylvanias-territory-director-for-acuity-insurance/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Carrie Anita (Straka) Hunt
Carrie Anita (Straka) Hunt, age 54, of Clarion, passed away unexpectedly on August 22, 2022 as a result of an automobile accident.
She was born in Erie, on August 9, 1968 to the late Andrew and Virginia (Bishop) Straka.
Carrie enjoyed crafting and going to the Drop-In Center in Clarion.
She loved spending time with her grandchildren.
Carrie is survived by her step-son, John (Nicole) Hunt, Jr., and step-daughter, Erica (John) Lehnortt of West Freedom.
She is also survived by five step-grandchildren: Gage, Alexzandrya, Summer, Christopher and Brianna.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, John Hunt, Sr. and step-son, Robert Hunt.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00am on Friday, August 26, 2022 at the Goble Funeral Home & Crematory, 330 Wood St. Clarion, Pa 16214.
Friends and family may send online condolences, memorials, and obtain additional information by visiting www.goblefh.net.
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/08/24/carrie-anita-straka-hunt/ | 2022-08-25T02:59:33Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/08/24/carrie-anita-straka-hunt/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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