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Flemington's North Main Street redevelopment plan takes another turn
FLEMINGTON – The long-awaited redevelopment of the Nilkrath tract, known for the Guitar Boy mural, has taken another turn with the amount of retail in a mixed-use project being reduced.
The plan for the corner of North Main Street and Park Avenue calls for 11 townhouses on North Main Street and 100 apartments, 4,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space with an outdoor terrace and 5,600 square feet of amenities with public access to a park. The plan also proposes a total of 200 underground parking spaces. The original plan called for 9,000 square feet of commercial space.
The development, proposed by Cardinal Capital Management, will be part of the northern gateway to downtown Flemington and will be across North Main Street from the recently approved Captiva Main Street plan to redevelop the former Agway site with 100 apartments.
The plan presented by Cardinal Capital Management to the Borough Council in March suggested a neighborhood small grocery store could be included, but Mayor Betsy Driver said at Monday's borough council meeting that stricter state Department of Environmental Protection floodwater regulations prompted changes to the plan, reducing the amount of proposed retail space.
"It's a good project and I am looking forward to it coming to fruition, even if it doesn't have a grocery store," Driver said.
Erich Schwenker, a Somerset County native who serves as Cardinal's CEO, said the intention now is to have the townhouses and apartments both as rental units, but that could change depending on the project's financing. He said rental townhouses are a "very suitable answer for a lot of people."
A minimum of 15% of the units will be designated as affordable housing. The exact number will be defined in the final redevelopment agreement between the borough and Cardinal, Driver said.
The abandoned railroad depot building on the property is in "really bad shape," said Paul Boudreau, a representative of Cardinal.
Local:Flemington's Skunktown Distillery is moving to historic grain station on Stangl Road
Though there had been some interest in moving the building to another location, Boudreau said just preparing the building for a move would take "a tremendous amount of work."
The building has fallen into disrepair and several fires had been set inside, he said.
Cardinal, based in Milwaukee, has acquired, developed and rehabbed more 10,000 units of multifamily housing valued at about $1 billion in Wisconsin, Alabama, Iowa and other states in the last two decades.
Schwenker, who got his start developing nonprofit housing for specialized populations, said he is interested in building housing for the "missing middle" between workforce housing and market-rate housing. Most of the company's developments have a wide range of tenants, he said, and one project in Wisconsin is dedicated to military veterans.
Architect Nancy Dougherty said the long-awaited project would provide the north end of Flemington with "a vibrant gateway" and extend the county seat's downtown.
Once the borough negotiates a redevelopment agreement, the borough will negotiate a financial agreement with the builder. The Planning Board must also approve the site plans.
Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com
Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account | https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/hunterdon-county/2022/08/25/flemington-nj-north-main-street-redevelopment/65417755007/ | 2022-08-25T15:39:37Z | mycentraljersey.com | control | https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/hunterdon-county/2022/08/25/flemington-nj-north-main-street-redevelopment/65417755007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Football rankings: Big Central Conference preseason Top 15
(Last year’s record in parenthesis)
1. Hillside (7-3) – The Comets enter the season ranked No. 18 in the state by the USA Today Network, and return a pair of 1,000-yard, Division I rushers in Muwaffaq Parkman (Syracuse commit) and Kyon Simonson (Army), among other frontline standouts. Hillside moves up to Group 3, making a state-title run that much tougher.
2. Phillipsburg (6-5) – The Stateliners have some questions, namely at quarterback, but they return 11 starting players with good balance throughout the lineup, including three in the secondary. Phillipsburg is always one of those teams in the conversation and the newcomers are expected to be ready.
3. Somerville (8-2) – The Ville ran its record to 57-7 over the past six seasons, but, for the first time in that span, there are question marks after heavy graduation losses and a coaching change. Quarterback Mike Miller is back for his third year, giving the Pioneers a leg up, as does Hashym Hobbs-Harris, who had a breakout season last year. Somerville’s move up to the American Gold Division, stocked with Group 5s is going to be a challenge.
4. Bridgewater-Raritan (6-4) – A lot has changed for the Panthers since last season ended, although enough remains the same that B-R should be in for a big year. Rick Mantz takes over as head coach, and quarterback Brady Kurdyla heads the graduation list, but with some talented returners, key newcomers and big numbers, Bridgewater-Raritan should be a contender.
5. Sayreville (7-3) – The Bombers return plenty of star power from last year’s squad that reeled off eight consecutive wins after an 0-2 start before falling to Middletown South 17-8 in the North 2 Group 4 semifinals. Zaimer Wright rushed for 1,401 yards and 25 TDs in 2021 as a sophomore.
6. North Brunswick (8-4) – The Raiders bring back big-time pieces from a team that reached the Central Group 5 final. While they do have some questions, good starting points are senior QB Frankie Garbolino, who threw for a program-record 1,855 yards in 2021, and fellow senior All-Division players in Zahmir Dawud (WR/DB), Tamir Jenkins (RB/LB) and Jared Tynes (RB/DE).
7. Hillsborough (13-0) – The defending state South-Central Group 5 champion was slammed by graduation, with reigning BCC Offensive Player of the Year Thomas Awankwaa (Rutgers) heading the list that also includes TE/DE Will Dixon (West Virginia) and quarterback Jay Mazuera. Still, Boro has some key guys back, including second-team Al-Area junior linebacker Jonathan Lobelo, and if some of the newcomers step up, the Raiders should remain strong.
8. Ridge (7-3) – The Red Devils made their third straight trip to the sectional semifinals, but, like Hillsborough, was hit pretty hard by graduation, including the departure of quarterback Mike Olivo. All-State kicker Asgrimur Gudmundsson is among the returners, and Ridge should reload and continue to be a force.
9. Edison (7-4) – The Eagles scored a playoff stunner last season by upsetting second-seeded Manalapan in the South Group 5 first round. Now, they hope to continue that winning momentum with seasoned varsity players, including four-year starting quarterback Matt Yascko Jr. (2,240 yards of total offense in 2021). Edison also features senior two-way stars Adekunle Shittu (OL/DE) and Malcolm Stansbury (WR/DB).
10. North Hunterdon (5-5) – The Lions finished strong, winning four of five to close out the regular season, and played well in an opening-round playoff lost at Middletown South. Now, with a strong returning class that includes RB/WR/DB Kente Edwards, RB/LB Alex Uryniak and quarterback Luke Martini, who emerged as a legit varsity signal-caller last year, North is in good shape to take a big step forward.
11. St. Thomas Aquinas (9-1) – The Trojans had one of those magical autumns in 2021, finishing the regular season undefeated with seven shutouts, a forfeit, and an impressive 12-9 win over Delaware Valley. Beloved head coach Brian Meeney died, suddenly, in March, and new head coach Tarig Holman has said he wants to simply build off of what his predecessor started. Key players such as quarterback Jayden Young returns, ready to keep the culture going against a beefed-up schedule that includes Group 3, 4 and 5 schools.
12. Union (9-1) – The Farmers were also pummeled by graduation, with 2021 BCC Defensive Player of the Year Donovan Igbinosun (Ole’ Miss) leading a list of 16 departed players that are on college teams. Union does have some young, talented players ready to step in, so it remains to be seen which way the program is going.
13. Delaware Valley (7-3) – The Terriers went 7-3 last season, winning a share of the Division 2A crown, and with a big group of talented, experienced players back, including quarterback Jack Bill, and Del Val is certainly trending up.
14. East Brunswick (8-2) – The Bears broke through last season for their first winning campaign since 2010. They do have some holes, though, including the graduation of six All-Division players. But head coach Andy Steinfeld and his staff seem to have a program going and a strong nucleus back. They include All-Division players Ben Solimini (Sr., QB) and Omar Rackley (Sr., DL).
15. South Brunswick (4-5) – Vikings fans have pleasant memories from when Joe Goerge led South Brunswick to three sectional titles during his stint as head coach from 2012-2018. Now, he’s back as skipper and inherits several key pieces from a team that was hampered by injuries down the stretch. Players to watch include senior QB Vince Jairdullo and All-Division pick Khiri Summers (Sr., WR/RB).
ALSO RECEIVING CONSIDERATION: Bernards (8-3), Scotch Plains-Fanwood (5-6), St. Joseph (3-5), Westfield (4-6), Woodbridge (7-3).
Rankings by Andy Mendlowitz and Simeon Pincus.
Simeon Pincus has been covering New Jersey sports since 1997. He can be reached atSPincus@GannettNJ.com. Follow him on Twitter @SimeonPincus.
Andy Mendlowitz can be reached atAMendlowitz@GannettNJ.com. Follow him on Twitter @Andy_Mendlowitz. | https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2022/08/25/bcc-football-top-10/65419264007/ | 2022-08-25T15:39:39Z | mycentraljersey.com | control | https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2022/08/25/bcc-football-top-10/65419264007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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Fort Campbell DENTAC Conducts Change of Command [Image 10 of 12]
Col. Jeffery B. Hambrice assumed command of Fort Campbell Dental Activity from Lt. Col. Michael Hoffman, during a ceremony on Fort Campbell, Kentucky, on August 18.
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HONOLULU (KITV4) - Light winds continue with a mostly sunny start and isolated windward showers. Afternoon clouds will bring partly sunny conditions and scattered showers. Highs 86 to 91. Variable winds 5 to 15 mph with afternoon sea breezes.
Tonight, partly cloudy with scattered windward showers; isolated leeward showers. Lows 70 to 75. Trade winds 5 to 15 mph.
Light winds will continue today, with mostly sunny skies this morning giving way to some afternoon clouds and a few interior and leeward showers as sea breezes develop. Trade winds will gradually increase tonight through Friday, becoming locally breezy by Saturday. A trend toward lighter trade winds is expected late Sunday into next week. An area of increased moisture arriving tomorrow will fuel an increase in windward showers, but should clear the islands in time for the weekend, which should feature limited windward showers.
A new, small south swell is expected to roll through local waters today through Sunday. Also, the current small mid-period northwest swell will lower gradually through Friday. Short-period choppy surf along east facing shores will remain rather small through Friday, with a gradual uptick expected over the weekend as trade winds gradually strengthen. Overall, no significant swells are anticipated through the middle of next week.
Do you have a story idea? Email news tips to news@kitv.com | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/thursday-weather-light-winds-continue-trade-winds-build-later-tonight/article_52b0c3fe-2481-11ed-9103-976ffe45dba2.html | 2022-08-25T15:45:23Z | kitv.com | control | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/thursday-weather-light-winds-continue-trade-winds-build-later-tonight/article_52b0c3fe-2481-11ed-9103-976ffe45dba2.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy Will End With Season 4
It’s no surprise, considering the series will shortly run out of comics to adapt. Nonetheless, the news became official today. Netflix‘s The Umbrella Academy will conclude with a fourth and final season. At the same time, Netflix will extend its deal with show creator-write-director-executive producer Steve Blackman. Seasons 1-3 of the show adapted the main storyline of the print run; season 4 could take on the spinoff miniseries Tales From The Umbrella Academy.
All Blackman will reveal, per the press release, is “I’m so excited that the incredibly loyal fans of The Umbrella Academy will be able to experience the fitting end to the Hargreeves siblings’ journey we began five years ago. But before we get to that conclusion, we’ve got an amazing story ahead for season four, one that will have fans on the edge of their seats until the final minutes.”
RELATED: The Umbrella Academy Cast Reads The Umbrella Academy Comics
Netflix confirms that Elliot Page, Tom Hopper, David Castañeda, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher, Justin H. Min, Ritu Arya, and Colm Feore will return. Other cast members will confirm at a later date. The fourth season’s release date also remains unknown.
Blackman’s next projects at Netflix will include an adaptation of the post-apocalyptic PlayStation game Horizon Zero Dawn, and the original thriller Orbital, set aboard the international space station.
Where do you think the story for season 4 might go? Let us know in comments!
Recommended Reading: The Umbrella Academy Vol. 3
We are 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. | https://www.superherohype.com/tv/518350-netflixs-the-umbrella-academy-will-end-with-season-4 | 2022-08-25T15:49:35Z | superherohype.com | control | https://www.superherohype.com/tv/518350-netflixs-the-umbrella-academy-will-end-with-season-4 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WILLI SAMBER SUPPY O RT U\nNAT GALLOE EVELONS PRIL KER O LS CO NFINEAREL PAC E W\nEMPTY SP C I 8 W W A FIREN ASS RS LEE P T ONT MENT OF I F F I N YT AL GLE AN E G\nT OND T HE B ®O TON S A Salmon is not only a delicious food, it’s also a versatile and nutritious dish. It’s high in protein and healthy fats; plus, it’s packed with vitamins like B12, B6, selenium and niacin. It’s known to be one of the best sources of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. You can only get omega-3 fats from your diet since your body can’t create them, and eating this fish is a great way to do that.
You might be surprised to hear that you can learn how to cook salmon in an air fryer — and it’s pretty quick and easy! The hot air will crisp the exterior while keeping the flesh tender and juicy. Where deep fryers rely on oil to create crunch, an air fryer uses hot air to prepare meals.
You still may need to use a touch of oil, but you can use way less in an air fryer. Some home cooks prefer not to use any oil at all with certain dishes. And of course, air fryers are great for roasting vegetables to go with your salmon. You can also make cookies, cakes and even pies for dessert! They can be a great tool if you’re looking to improve your health and cut calories.
Here’s how to cook salmon in an air fryer:
- Preheat like a pro. You want to start with a hot air fryer just as you would with a hot frying pan. For a crispier edge, cooks recommend adding 10 minutes to preheat your device. Make good use of this time by seasoning the salmon and prepping your side dishes. For this meal, 400 degrees Fahrenheit is best.
- Standardize the size. Start by trimming your fillets to similarly sized pieces, but keep the skin on. Don’t hesitate to ask your supermarket butcher to select cuts that are close in thickness and size. Similar-sized pieces cook more evenly. Keep the protective layer of skin on to help it to stay moist while cooking.
- Season well. A light coat of oil and a dusting of salt and pepper is all you need. If you really want to wow, add a splash of lemon, minced garlic and parsley, or go a different route by using brown sugar and mustard plus herbs. You can always pat the fish to create a dry surface for the seasoning to stick better.
- Place your salmon strategically. For a quick cleanup and to prevent salmon from sticking, put a piece of parchment paper under the fish. Keep your salmon fillets skin side down. Be sure to leave room in the basket, as overcrowding can cause it to burn.
- Cook for 10 minutes. Check the internal temperature by piercing the thickest section with your thermometer. You want your temp to read 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Or you can check the chef’s way: insert a fork and gently twist. If it flakes, you’re ready to dig in. Remove the basket ASAP. If not, the salmon will continue to cook.
This fatty fish pairs well with so many things. Try it with rice, potatoes or pasta for a comforting dinner. Eat it with a salad or pair it with cooked vegetables like green beans, Brussels sprouts or broccolini for a healthy but filling repast.
Pro tip: Overcooked salmon oozes albumin, a protein that solidifies and escapes as the fish cooks. If you see that your salmon has white bubbles along the sides, it’s a sign that it could be overcooked.
Now that you know how to cook salmon in an air fryer, do you think you’ll try it?
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for additional stories. | https://www.fox17online.com/heres-how-cook-salmon-air-fryer-tonight | 2022-08-25T15:50:51Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/heres-how-cook-salmon-air-fryer-tonight | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Gig Review; King Tchotlk I Kola by Nick Pank\nThe Kingfish – KOL 13 and its ‘hunters’ had great difficulty to stop my dream (daze..) and its a ‘greasy one……a tribute (hunt ????) as an honor to some guys…with some other ideas..sweating their own thoughts from the moment they started the hustle into that first and long note , ( Country music fans are in for a treat as Dwight Yoakam, with special guest Brit Taylor, take the stage tonight at Kalamazoo State Theatre!
Brit Taylor joined the Fox 17 Morning Mix to talk about the upcoming show, and talk more about her musical career.
Doors open at 7 and the show starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets are available at kazoostate.com.
Learn more at brittaylormusic.com. | https://www.fox17online.com/morning-mix/country-singer-brit-taylor-performing-at-kalamazoo-state-theatre-tonight | 2022-08-25T15:50:57Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/morning-mix/country-singer-brit-taylor-performing-at-kalamazoo-state-theatre-tonight | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
\\section{(H)on--\\protect \\\\ \\kern .89mm\n%\n$(m${\\sc v}){\\em isk}on (II) }\nS.~Romanch\\\\ Institut~R. {\\m z\\/}' e~\\protekts k.~% Many across the country are worried about what they are seeing from the stock market lately, especially those in or near retirement, where a downturn could spell disaster for your retirement savings. But what if there is an upside to a market downturn?
Gary Mattson and Laurel Steward, the father-daughter team at Mattson Financial Services, join the Fox 17 Morning Mix to discuss the upsides for retirees when the market inevitably takes a turn for the worst.
To learn more about putting yourself in a position to retire wealthier, Mattson Financial has a great offer. For the first five callers that have saved $250,000 or more who are retired or nearing retirement, Mattson Financial is offering a complimentary full-blown retirement plan. They'll sit down with you and provide a roadmap analyzing where you are financially, discuss where you want to be during retirement, and the steps you can take to get there.
Call (616)-514-3831 to take advantage of this offer. Or learn more by visiting mattsonfinancial.com. | https://www.fox17online.com/morning-mix/mattson-financial-upsides-to-a-market-downturn-in-retirement | 2022-08-25T15:51:03Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/morning-mix/mattson-financial-upsides-to-a-market-downturn-in-retirement | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A beagle dog named Mamma Mia is set to be treated like royalty after a very famous couple adopted her.
Prince Harry and Meghan recently added the 7-year-old four-legged member to its family, the Beagle Freedom Project announced on its Facebook page.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex came to the facility after hours earlier this month after calling the group's owner.
“She calls on my cell with no Caller ID and says, ‘Hey Shannon, this is Meghan,’” the organization's founder Shannon Keith to The Times. “We talked for 30 minutes, and I thought, ‘Is this Megan Fox?’”
The Beagle Freedom Project said they recently took 15 beagles removed from a Virginia breeding facility in July.
According to the Humane Society, more than 4,000 dogs were rescued after being bred for medical research at Envigo’s facility, which was accused of multiple animal welfare violations.
The dogs were rescued when the United States District Court approved a transfer plan for the Western District of Virginia after the federal government filed a lawsuit against the facility in May, the Humane Society said.
In June, Inotiv said it would close the breeding facility, which was operated by its subsidiary Envigo, the Humane Society said.
Meghan's spokeswoman told the newspaper that she had a rescue beagle for many years, and after seeing a story about Envigo’s shutdown, she wanted to get involved, The Times reported. | https://www.fox17online.com/news/national/prince-harry-meghan-adopted-beagle-rescued-from-virginia-breeding-facility | 2022-08-25T15:51:40Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/news/national/prince-harry-meghan-adopted-beagle-rescued-from-virginia-breeding-facility | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Tens of thousands of people across Michigan may qualify for student loan forgiveness, and may not even know it.
Coming off the heels of President Joe Biden announcing up to $20,000 in federal student loan forgiveness and the extension of the pause on payments through Dec. 31, we're looking at the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. It was recently expanded to reach the needs of more people — including teachers.
Krista Falk, a special education teacher at Richmond High School, has a bachelor's degree and two master's degrees — and over $200,000 in student loan debt.
"I've been going to college since 2006, and those interest rates were 11% and 12%, and they were compounding monthly," Falk said.
Last fall, she found out she's now eligible for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, or PSLF.
The U.S. Department of Education is giving many public servants working in government and eligible non-profits a second chance to qualify for student loan forgiveness, but they only have until Oct. 31, 2022, to get a PSLF waiver to receive credit for past periods of repayment that would not qualify.
Liza Estlund Olson, the director of the Office of the State Employer, is encouraging people not to wait.
"How many people in Michigan are eligible for this?" I asked Estlund Olson.
"It's around 150,000 we think. But even if people aren't sure they're eligible, they should apply," she replied.
To qualify, you must:
- Be employed by a U.S. federal, state, local or tribal government or not-for-profit organization. Military is included
- Work full-time for that organization
- Have Direct Loans under an income-driven repayment plan
- Have made 120 qualifying payments
"After you’ve made those 120 payments, anything that’s left is forgiven," Olson said.
According to the Office of Federal Student Aid's June report, over 6,000 Michiganders have taken advantage of the PSLF waiver and have had $358 million in loans forgiven.
If you're not sure you're eligible to apply, visit studentaid.gov and follow the prompts. The site is receiving a high volume of visitors due to President Biden's announcement about other debt forgiveness measures on August 24, so you may experience some delays when checking on the PSLF.
Or you can call MOHELA – the loan servicer — to ask questions The number is 1-855-265-4038. | https://www.fox17online.com/news/tens-of-thousands-of-michiganders-may-qualify-for-more-federal-student-loan-forgiveness | 2022-08-25T15:51:58Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/news/tens-of-thousands-of-michiganders-may-qualify-for-more-federal-student-loan-forgiveness | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PHOTO BY PEARL'S PICS Nicholas Pohlman, of Prairie Grove, left, received the Arkansas Angus Association $500 scholarship at the 2022 National Junior Angus Show (NJAS) Scholarship Presentation, July 6-8 in Kansas City, Mo. Pictured presenting is Michelle Rieff, right. Since 1998, the Angus Foundation has awarded more than $4.2 million in undergraduate and graduate scholarships to Angus youth.
PHOTO BY PEARL'S PICS Nicholas Pohlman, of Prairie Grove, left, received the Arkansas Angus Association $500 scholarship at the 2022 National Junior Angus Show (NJAS) Scholarship Presentation, July 6-8 in Kansas City, Mo. Pictured presenting is Michelle Rieff, right. Since 1998, the Angus Foundation has awarded more than $4.2 million in undergraduate and graduate scholarships to Angus youth.
PHOTO BY PEARL'S PICS Nicholas Pohlman, of Prairie Grove, left, received the Arkansas Angus Association $500 scholarship at the 2022 National Junior Angus Show (NJAS) Scholarship Presentation, July 6-8 in Kansas City, Mo. Pictured presenting is Michelle Rieff, right. Since 1998, the Angus Foundation has awarded more than $4.2 million in undergraduate and graduate scholarships to Angus youth. | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/angus-scholarship/ | 2022-08-25T15:52:49Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/angus-scholarship/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Submitted Photo/Prairie Grove senior Trinity Dobbs signs a national letter of intent to play women's college basketball for Oklahoma Christian University at Oklahoma City on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. Trinity was accompanied by her mother, Brandi Dobbs, and grandmother, Florence Dobbs. Trinity Dobbs averaged 13.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.6 steals, 1.7 assists and .4 blocks while shooting 37 percent from 3-point range to lead the team in each of those categories. She was third on the Lady Tigers in free-throw percentage at 76 percent and her all-around skills played a major role in Prairie Grove advancing to the Class 4A State semifinals.
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Submitted Photo/Prairie Grove senior Trinity Dobbs signs a national letter of intent to play women's college basketball for Oklahoma Christian University at Oklahoma City on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. Trinity was accompanied by her mother, Brandi Dobbs, and grandmother, Florence Dobbs. Trinity Dobbs averaged 13.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.6 steals, 1.7 assists and .4 blocks while shooting 37 percent from 3-point range to lead the team in each of those categories. She was third on the Lady Tigers in free-throw percentage at 76 percent and her all-around skills played a major role in Prairie Grove advancing to the Class 4A State semifinals.
Print Headline: Basketball Signee
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ADVERTISEMENT | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/basketball-signee/ | 2022-08-25T15:52:56Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/basketball-signee/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Prairie Grove – Berries Unlimited, one of the world's largest developers, growers and exporters of honeyberries in the U.S., recently announced it has released its new Honey Champion (plant is patent pending) Honeyberry/Haskap variety, made from 100% Japanese origin.
The Honey Champion honeyberry plant is wind resistant, not breakable and not fragile during new growth. The honeyberry bush grows to 5-6 feet tall and is a very vigorous and fast grower.
"We created this honeyberry on our farm and it has 15% to 20% higher yields, which means more antioxidants per bush," explained Lidia Delafield, owner of Berries Unlimited in Prairie Grove. "The Champion honeyberry has an excellent flavor, is very sweet and is the biggest berry and I think it is the best honeyberry."
She added, "The berries are great when you eat them fresh, or you can freeze them or dry them. They're also great for baking and making preserves. The berries ripen at the same time, are easy to pick or harvest and are easy for bees and insects to pollinate."
The top criteria all over the world for honeyberries are taste, flavor and growing habits.
Delafield said the Honey Champion honeyberry delivers for taste and flavor with a berry quality that features tough skin, firmness, dry scar, a nice shape for sorting out, and uniform berries that ripen about the same time for easier production. It has a very long shelf life that is hard to achieve.
Its most valuable feature, she said, is that Honey Champion berries can stay up to a week without refrigeration, just left on the table.
The Honey Champion bush has an ideal upright growing habit that is very helpful for easier pollination and harvesting. It is a mid-to-late season variety.
"I love that our customers can eat Honey Champion berries as a sweet fresh berry right from the bush, make jams, jelly, juice, even wine or harder liquors," explained Delafield. "We add it to maple syrup or strawberries, and it gives them new shades of flavor. The berries are great when you freeze them or dry them and are also great for baking and cooking."
Small fruits are known to help beat some of the free radicals, but none of them can protect from a very harmful and dangerous oxidant, Peroxynitrite. Peroxynitrite often appears also as a reaction to stress and can cause severe damage to human cells and tissue. Honeyberries are the only known small fruit that can prevent Peroxynitrite damage, according to a 2014 research paper from Momot T.V. MD, Biomedical School of Far East Federal University and Institute of Marine Biology FEBRAS. Because the Honey Champion is more productive, it has more antioxidants per bush than most of the other honeyberry varieties.
About Berries Unlimited
Headquartered in Prairie Grove, Berries Unlimited is a wholesale grower and licensed propagator of many varieties of small fruits such as blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, honeyberries and strawberries. It is the largest developer, grower and exporter of Honeyberries in the United States. For more information, please visit our website at https://www.berriesunlimited.com/ or call us at (479) 846-6030. | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/berries-unlimited-announces-new-honeyberry/ | 2022-08-25T15:53:02Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/berries-unlimited-announces-new-honeyberry/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LINCOLN -- Lineoln junior Jace Birkes (5-9, 145) probably won't impress opposing fans watching the Wolves' football team get off the bus when they arrive for a game.
But the old adage about it's not the size of the man in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the man rings true and his head coach, Reed Mendoza, knows first hand there's more than meets the eye when Birkes gets onto the football field.
Off the field Birkes has been selected as one of nine members of an Arkansas Activity Association student advisory board for the 2022-2023 school year.
Chip On Shoulder
Asked what he thinks the Wolves should do to make opponents just not write Lincoln off and earn their respect early in the season based on the fact that Lincoln is a smaller school going back into the 4A-1, Birkes discloses a chip on the shoulder attitude which the Wolves approach the season with.
"Show them who we are. Show them that we're not the little dogs that everybody thinks we are," Birkes said.
Birkes, son of Lincoln athletic director Deon Birkes, is keenly aware his dad played football at Lincoln and wants to on carry on the legacy, hold his own and make his mark in the Lincoln program.
"I want to be just be better than he ever was, that's my goal, and make it farther than he ever could," Birkes said. "I'm very excited. I love playing football, it's my favorite sport. It's exciting, the Friday night lights are just something different. Nothing compares to it."
Birkes will start at wide receiver and in the secondary. As a freshman at the junior high level he was a big playmaker and again carries the potential every time he takes the field because he's got a burning will to win and will try to beat the other team every time out if he can possibly find a way to accomplish a path to victory.
"Jace is ultra-competitive and he's very instinctive, as well, on the field and just has a knack for making plays," Mendoza said.
Playmaker Receiver
He's the kind sports fans who've been around awhile recognize as a gamer. Birkes appears as kind of a gangly 5-9 kid. If scouts lined him up and ran a 40 yard dash, he's not going to be slow, but he won't wow observers. For some seeing is believing, yet Mendoza knows he's got a skilled athlete on the roster.
"But, suddenly, when he catches a pass he finds a way to get to the end zone or he catches it in traffic and you wouldn't think he'd be able to stay on his feet and he takes a lick or two from the linebacker and picks up an additional 15 yards. He just makes plays. He's just got a will to win that's very unique. I don't think I've coached a ton of kids that have as much will to win as him and [he] doesn't care how it gets done. He doesn't care if he's the guy getting the ball, he just wants to win," Mendoza said.
As underclassmen a bunch of Birkes' class got a lot of varsity experience last year as sophomores. As the junior class this year the class is counted on to carry a big portion of the load. Birkes doesn't take that for granted and is out to prove his worth and the readiness of his class by example. He wants coaches to know his class holds value on every down.
"Show them that they need us even more than they realize. Like they know they need us, but show them even more," Birkes said.
There's a ton of receivers in the junior class, guys capable of catching the ball and Birkes feel like that's a real strength of this year's varsity.
"Yeah, it's a big strength. On third down and long plays they trust our receivers to catch the ball, to go to the ball and make catches, [also] on short plays, fourth down and one plays, big time plays," Birkes said.
Opponents can't necessarily focus on one or two guys. They're going to have to pay attention to a whole bunch of people.
"They can't just guard one person, double team one person. They have to guard every single one of us for them to lock us up," Birkes said.
Defensive Ball Hawk
Mendoza's confident in Birkes on defense, too, where he started last year as a sophomore. Mendoza plans to start another sophomore at cornerback this season, Kaden Brewer, an all-around athlete, whom Mendoza notes along with sophomore linebacker Kale Jones (5-10, 160), a returning starter from 2021 as a freshman, qualified in basically every event that they participated in for the state 3A high school [track and field] meet hosted by Lincoln for the first time last spring.
"In the secondary we bring back Jace Birkes, a second year starter, a ball hawk, who's going to get us lined up and going to be around the football. He just does a good job," Mendoza said.
A versatile athlete, Birkes can also play quarterback. He was thrown into action as a sophomore against border rival, Westville, Okla., when in the words of Mendoza, "we had a lot of things go wrong for us. "
"[Anyone who] covers all of our sports will know what a competitor Jace is. He's a great kid with a great attitude. The kids really respect him and they respond to him so we feel good about that situation," Mendoza said.
Any time there's a guy like that in the huddle it's contagious, a good thing for team morale.
"Absolutely, Jace isn't a big talker. He will when he needs to. He'll get the guys in line, but they respect him. You can tell they all respect him. They respect how he handles his business day in and day out," Mendoza said.
Lincoln opens its varsity football season Friday at home in Wolfpack Stadium against former 3A-1 foe, Greenland. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/birkes-brings-competitive-edge-into-huddle/ | 2022-08-25T15:53:08Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/birkes-brings-competitive-edge-into-huddle/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
FARMINGTON -- The 5A West changed dramatically from 2021 with former 4A-1 foes, Prairie Grove and Shiloh Christian, coming into the conference along with Dardanelle, which was a 4A-4 school last year. Holdovers, Alma, Clarksville, Harrison and Pea Ridge, round out the schedule.
Greenbrier went up to 6A and the Cardinals will play the Panthers in a nonconference road game in week zero on Aug. 26. Springdale, the only nonconference opponent retained from 2021 is on the schedule for Sept. 2 with another 7A West team, Rogers, on tap for Sept. 9.
"It's a really good conference and that's what we hope for. We want to be a playoff team and play deep into the playoffs so we want that competition," said second year Farmington head football coach J.R. Eldridge.
OFFENSE
Quarterback
Junior Cameron Vanzant (6-1, 165) earned the starting quarterback position as a sophomore. He completed 164-of-257 passes for 2,168 yards with a touchdown to interception ratio of 27-to-8. He's matured physically and as an on-the-field leader. Now that Vanzant is a junior more of his classmates are finding their way into the lineup giving him more familiarity with the personnel than last season.
"He's grown physically in our weight program, but he's also grown I feel like as a leader for our football team and what he's able to do in a football game," Eldridge said.
The backup, sophomore Luke Elsik (5-10, 156), started at ninth grade quarterback last year, and will play some other positions including runningback and slot receiver.
Junior Brayden Penne (5-10, 168) is third on the depth chart.
Runningbacks
Workhorse tailback Caden Elsik graduated as did his main backup Kanye Taylor, but that won't phase the Cardinals with Luke Elsik starting and capable senior Trey Moser (6-1, 205) ready to tote the pigskin along with sophomore Russell Hodge (5-10, 180), who had a good ninth grade year.
"We're a developmental program so what we're trying to do is we're trying to develop kids from the time they're in seventh grade all the way to the time they're a senior in high school and so last year we were really able to work with Luke Elsik. He knows our offense, not only from the cat position which is our runningback, but also from the quarterback position," Eldridge said.
Receivers
Seniors Peyton Funk (6-0, 180) and Lawson DeVault (5-10, 172) return coming off very productive junior seasons at wide receiver. Funk caught 38 passes for 645 yards and 7 touchdowns averaging 17-yards-per-catch while DeVault caught 33 passes for 375 yards and two scores averaging 11.4-yards-per-catch during his junior season.
"I'm telling you I'm really excited about Payton Funk and just the way that he was worked this offseason, the way that he catches the football, the way that he runs his routes, the way that he blocks on the perimeter. We've got Lawson DeVault, who made a ton of plays for us last year. He'll also make plays for us this year, just an explosive, dynamic player with the ball and without the ball," Eldridge said.
Juniors Hunter Reaves (6-1, 167) and Jagger Gordon (6-0, 170) did the job in training camp along with sophomore Brandon Clark (5-7, 140).
"I'm just looking forward to those guys being able to produce for us," Eldridge said.
Tight End
Three year starter Chase Brown graduated, but Eldridge doesn't expect the Cardinals to skip a beat.
"We've got some guys who can put their hand down and do some of the things that Chase could do. Chase was a real versatile player for us. Michael Jernigan (5-10, 192), he's done a great job for us, and then of course, Gabe Burfitt (5-11, 180) did a great job for us last year both with his hand down and also playing our dog position, which is our fullback/H-back type guy. Then we've got a sophomore Hayden Bentley (5-10, 180), who's really come on in the training camp as well so we feel that we're going to be able to use those guys this year," Eldridge said.
Offensive Line
Junior center Hunter Marshall (5-9, 255) started as a sophomore and senior Riley Lockard (5-10, 255) returns at left guard.
"We've got several young guys on the offensive line, but we've got a senior who really stepped up, Hunter Bentley (5-10, 250)," Eldridge said.
Junior Kaleb Harris (6-2, 255) plays tackle. Junior Hamilton Hickman (6-2, 245), Sophomore Klayton Clark (6-1, 200), and sophomore Holden Taylor (5-11, 210) are younger guys.
DEFENSE
Jay Harper stepped down as Defensive Coordinator, yet remains involved with the program. Casey Moreland has been both a defensive and offensive coordinator joins the staff.
"Coach Harper's our D-line coach. I love Coach Harper, he's a great coach, great with our players. He'll be coaching our defensive line," Eldridge said. "We brought in Casey Moreland, who was my offensive coordinator at Arkadelphia."
Eight starters return on defense for the Cardinals.
Defensive Line
Home schooler David Stettmeier (6-1, 265) beefed up 20 pounds. He lines up at defensive tackle. Senior Dawson Triplett (6-1, 260) also bulked up, but switches to offense. Junior Truitt Rowland (6-1, 260) moved in from Colorado,
"At our ends we've got two other returners, Scout Morrison and Carter Moad. Both of those guys did a great job for us last year and will do a great job again," Eldridge said.
Senior Carter Moad (6-0, 210) added 30 pounds as did classmate Scout Morrison (6-2, 205). Jacob Johnson, junior Quinn Walker (5-9, 230) and sophomore Lincoln Walker (5-10, 170) give the Cardinals a couple of other guys who can fit in there. Junior Michael Douglas (5-10, 180) recovers from an injury.
Linebackers
Returning junior starter Cooper Gardenhire (5-10, 205) sat out five weeks with injury last season, but came back strong. He, along with Zach Ralston and Andrew Disheroon, who gained about 20 pounds, form the heart of the Cardinal defense.
"We've got three returning starters that I'm really excited about. Cooper Gardenhire, I just feel like he has improved tremendously tackling, not over-running plays, tracking the back and being able to read his keys," Eldridge said.
Safeties
According to Eldridge seniors Sam Wells (5-11, 170) and Wyatt Powell (5-11, 172) are some of the best in the state at safety.
"Wells is just outstanding as far as being a ballhawk. He had five picks in our season last year. I'm looking forward to more good things out of him, and I just can't wait to see our defense fly around," Eldridge said.
Cornerbacks
The Cardinals plan to rotate four cornerbacks. Senior Caleb McChristian (5-8, 160) played last year a lot on special teams. Junior Charlie Mobley (5-10, 165) is on the other side. Juniors Joey Richards (6-1, 150) and Gino Gambino (5-11, 165) round out the quartet.
"I'm really excited about all those guys and the way they play," Eldridge said.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicking Game
Last year a major momentum swing occurred when Farmington successfully recovered an kickoff deep in Prairie Grove territory near the goal line
"It really did. Luis Zavala was really good for us last year and Ettore Boochi, both of those guys did a great job for us, but [with] Jorge Cervantes (5-10, 150) I don't think we're going to lose anything. He'll be the replacement on our kickoff and our our PAT extra points. He's done a great job this spring and summer and in training camp. Sam Wells can also kick for us if we need him to," Eldridge said.
Cervantes is a fast runner, who qualified for state in track and field as a sprinter and part of Farmington's state championship soccer team giving the Cardinals a better athlete than perhaps some of the kickers advancing to college and even in the pros.
"He's a multi sport athlete, does a great job, has a great attitude and works hard so I'm really excited about what he brings to the table for us not only from a kicking perspective but also from a defensive perspective. He'll play cornerback for us as well," Eldridge said.
Zach Ralston will handle the punting chores. | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/cardinals-replace-grads-tune-up-for-season/ | 2022-08-25T15:53:15Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/cardinals-replace-grads-tune-up-for-season/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
University of Central Arkansas
The following area students graduated during the spring commencement on May 6-7 in the Farris Center on campus:
From Prairie Grove: Alejandro Miguel Ramirez graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration; Avery G Roton graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration.
From Farmington: Kylee Ann Beetch graduated with a Bachelor of Science; Brenda Lee Love graduated with a Graduate Certificate.
Missouri State University
Emily Thompson of Farmington graduated with a Master of Social Work and was awarded her degree during commencement ceremonies on May 20 at Great Southern Bank Arena. | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/college-news/ | 2022-08-25T15:53:21Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/college-news/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The woman asked, "Where was the fun in all of this?"
Oh, I better tell you what this was all about.
For the past 56 years, August 22 has been Carol's and my wedding anniversary, and it doesn't look like it's about to change. We always look for something new to do on these occasions, and for the past four years, Carol asked me if I would like to go search for diamonds in the Crater of Diamonds State Park. I've never had the desire to spend hours digging through dirt, clay, and mud while looking for gems, minerals, or crystals. So I always suggested other adventures.
But this year when she asked again, I had a different thought. Of all the activities we've done and events we've attended, we've never looked for diamonds. And if we are ever going to do it, we better do it now while we can.
We knew it would be labor-intensive so we asked Michael, our son, to accompany us. This 40-year-old muscular fellow gladly accepted the challenge.
We gathered up the tools we thought we would need (we took too many), and we bought a few tools we didn't have (we didn't need them). As novices, all we needed were shovels, buckets to hold the dirt we dug, and a bucket to hold the gravel we sifted. (Please watch the detailed instructions about sifting for diamonds on YouTube.)
Over eight million people visit the park annually but approximately 120,000 dig for diamonds. We learned that only 1 out of 200 people might find a diamond, and the average is 2 diamonds – no matter how small – are found each day.
The following info is from the state park website.
"Crater of Diamonds State Park is a 911-acre Arkansas state park in Pike County, Arkansas, in the United States. The park features a 37.5-acre plowed field, the world's only diamond-bearing site accessible to the public. Diamonds have continuously been discovered in the field since 1906, including the Strawn-Wagner Diamond. In fact, park visitors find more than 600 diamonds of all grades and colors each year. The site became a state park in 1972 after the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism purchased the site from the Arkansas Diamond Company and Ozark Diamond Mines Corporation who had operated the site as a tourist attraction previously."
I filled the tank with gas and we drove the 225 miles to Murfreesboro, Arkansas. Carol, Michael, and I were at the Crater State Park door when it opened at 8 a.m. I rented a sifter-set for each of us and a wagon to haul our equipment to a digging site. The ¼-inch-grid sifter allows the dirt, gravel, and small rocks to reach the fine-mesh screen, and the fine-mesh screen allows the dirt and silt to fall through. We then wash the gravel. We were told that when sunlight hits a diamond, the flash of refracted light is unmistakable and we'll know we have a gem! We didn't see a flash.
The You Tube instructions make diamond-digging look easy, but allow me to tell you a few secrets. Diamond-digging is not easy and you might not find a diamond. Some people are semi-professional, have been visiting the site for 20-35 years and come in teams of 4 to 15 people. One Army vet on a team told me he found 4 diamonds, but his team dug a 15-foot-long trench, 10 feet deep to find them. Most people don't have the time or the tools to dig that deeply.
Carol, Michael, and I were sore and tired after 6 hours of digging, sifting, washing, and looking for a flash of refracted light. We did find 23 items that could be jade, and 11 items that are probably quartz. But we also found several very small items that might be diamond. We'll wash them more thoroughly and take them to a jeweler for verification.
Since the park closes at 4 p.m., we began cleaning up at 3:15. As I was getting ready to return the rented sifter sets and wagon, the woman with a tired look on her face asked, "Where was the fun in all this?"
I responded, "There wasn't any fun here. The fun was driving here. The rest was all hard labor."
"Good!" she sighed. "Then I didn't miss anything."
I think all Arkansans should try it at least once. And if we find a diamond in our little jar, we'll probably go back again.
- S. Eugene Linzey is an author, mentor, and speaker. Send comments and questions to [email protected] Visit his web site at www.genelinzey.com. | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/digging-for-diamondsfun/ | 2022-08-25T15:53:28Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/digging-for-diamondsfun/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(NewsNation) — President Joe Biden fulfilled a long-standing campaign promise Wednesday to the more progressive side of the Democratic Party when he announced he would be providing student debt relief that experts say could benefit as many as 40 million people.
“Using the authority Congress granted the Department of Education, we will forgive $10,000 in outstanding federal student loans,” said Biden, who also announced federal Pell Grant recipients will receive up to $20,000 in student debt forgiveness.
This gives Biden and Democrats an item to check off as they campaign in the coming midterm elections. But the debt forbearance was immediately criticized by conservatives as an irresponsible federal government giveaway and by progressives as not going far enough.
But lost in the conversation of debt forgiveness is a larger issue. That’s the increase in the cost of college tuition over the past 30 years, which has a lot of people asking a much tougher question: Is a college degree even really worth it anymore?
A headline from CNBC notes that “college costs have increased by 169% since 1980, but pay for young workers is up by just 19%.”
According to a report from Georgetown University, more and more people are asking the same question asked by a New York Times columnist in a column that was published this week: “Some colleges don’t produce big earners. Are they worth it?”
The column relies heavily on a report from the center-left think tank Third Way, which looked at all available data for higher education institutions. It found that more than half of college enrollees were not earning more than a high school graduate six years after they began their studies. There was an increase 10 years later, but only 29%
Biden’s loan forgiveness appears to be a decent idea on the face of it, especially for those, obviously, who owe on student loans. But for some, it seems more as though the U.S. is addressing a symptom instead of trying to solve the actual underlying problem of skyrocketing college tuitions.
Michael Itzkowitz, a senior fellow of Higher Education at Third Way and author of the study, appeared on NewsNation’s “Dan Abrams Live” on Wednesday to weigh in on the issue.
“We do know that the number one reason why students attend college year after year is for greater employability and to have a financially secure future. So we’re starting to see more and more people ask, you know, what is the actual return that I’m getting for these tens of thousands that I’m paying for a college credential?” Itzknowitz said.
Why is the cost of college going up? Itzkowitz points to state disinvestments, specifically in public institutions.
“As states invest less, ultimately, we do see tuition and net costs that students are paying go up. We’ve also seen the proliferation of for-profit colleges, and some of them to offer good returns, but they do disproportionately offer poor returns,” Itzkowitz said. “So it’s really important that students look at the net costs or the costs that they’re going to be paying out of pocket relative to the earnings that they can actually obtain.”
Itzkowitz says another step the Biden administration took Wednesday is committing to publishing a list of institutions that may not have a good return on investment or may leave students with unmanageable debt. But it’s unclear how this will get into the hands of parents and students. | https://www.wwlp.com/news/national/are-skyrocketing-college-costs-worth-the-return/ | 2022-08-25T15:53:30Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/national/are-skyrocketing-college-costs-worth-the-return/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(NewsNation) — Faced with inflation, some consumers have chosen to hold back discretionary purchases, but Starbucks drinkers have remained loyal.
Coffee sales at grocery stores performed well at the onset of the pandemic in 2020, spiking in mid-March. By September, Americans had reduced buying in supermarkets by 15%, according to a report from Reuters at the time.
In 2021, coffee outperformed other spaces in the dining sector for much of the year, but foot traffic halted in step with the omicron surge, the retail analysis company Placer reported.
Demand for Starbucks has remained steady, and consolidated net revenues were up 9% to a quarterly record $8.2 billion.
“This is a company that buys a lot of ingredients so they’re able to negotiate a very good deal,” said Bruce Clark, an associate professor of marketing at Northeastern University. “In fact, in a time of supply chain disruptions, they may actually have better access to supplies than some others.”
Interim CEO Howard Schultz said during a recent quarterly earnings call that despite inflation, “… we are not currently seeing any measurable reduction in customer spending…” attributing the company’s success to customer loyalty and engagement.
The coffee chain hasn’t been immune to growing costs and raised its prices about 5% within the past year, Schultz reported in the call.
Demand is likely to remain strong as the company prepares to launch a seasonal favorite.
The Pumpkin Spice Latte has become a cultural harbinger of the fall and a boon for Starbucks — one that’s likely to withstand penny-pinching brought on by inflation, Clark said.
“My sense is it may well be recession-proof,” Clark said. “… People are going to still buy them. I think the big question is whether people are going to buy them in the same amount and frequency that they might have done in the past.”
What some analysts reference as a “pumpkin-spice economy” generates between $350 and $500 million in annual sales, Clark said. That includes pumpkin-flavored coffee from Starbucks and other coffee shops, baked goods, alcoholic drinks, and pumpkin-spice-flavored chicken sausage.
The average cost of a Starbucks tall (small) latte in the U.S. is $2.75, according to an analysis by LendingTree company Value Penguin. Prices vary, though. At the world’s largest Starbucks in Chicago, a latte runs between $7.50 and $8.25.
“They are seeing some supply increases, but clearly not enough to break the bank,” Clark said. “For a latte, that’s an expensive drink, the dollar profit margin on a latte will be high.”
For some, lattes are an “affordable luxury” that people are willing to pay for, even during economic hardship.
“There is also evidence that sweets tend to do well in tough economic environments — candy, chocolate, things like that,” Clark said. “And there’s a lot of sugar in lattes so I think there are a lot of reasons to expect that the Pumpkin Spice Latte will hold up pretty well in the presence of inflation and economic uncertainty.”
“There are a lot of emotions and feelings tied up in Pumpkin Spiced Latte coming into the fall,” Clark said.
Not all favor the “PSL,” but the usual polarized takes on pro- versus anti-pumpkin-spice are likely to bring in business, Clark said.
“It’s a way of generating news,” he said. “It’s a way of bringing traffic into restaurants late in August, when restaurant traffic may be pretty low. People are still on vacation. (They) hope to bring more people to the store. (They) hope while they’re in the store, they’ll buy more stuff.” | https://www.wwlp.com/news/national/is-starbucks-pumpkin-spice-latte-inflation-proof/ | 2022-08-25T15:53:37Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/national/is-starbucks-pumpkin-spice-latte-inflation-proof/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
BOSTON (Mass.) -- Airman Lance Garrison of Farmington was awarded the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal aboard USS Constitution on July 28.
The Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal is awarded to service members who perform outstanding volunteer community service of a sustained, direct and consequential nature.
"I'm glad I'm at a place that gives me a plethora of volunteer opportunities and gives me fulfillment in helping out the community," said Garrison.
Garrison, a 2020 graduate of Farmington High School, has served the Navy for a year and a half and USS Constitution is his first duty station.
Duty aboard USS Constitution is one of the Navy's special programs, and all prospective crew members must meet a high standard of sustained excellence and interview to be selected for the assignment.
USS Constitution is the world's oldest commissioned warship afloat and played a crucial role in the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812, actively defending sea lanes from 1797 to 1855.
The active-duty Sailors stationed aboard USS Constitution normally provide free tours and offer public visitation to more than 600,000 people each year as they support the ship's mission of promoting the Navy's history, maritime heritage, and raising awareness of the importance of a sustained naval presence.
USS Constitution was undefeated in battle and captured or destroyed 33 enemy vessels.
The ship earned the nickname of Old Ironsides during the war of 1812 after British cannonballs were seen bouncing off the ship's wooden hull.
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Skyler Okerman, USS Constitution Public Affairs. | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/farmington-grad-awarded-military-medal/ | 2022-08-25T15:53:47Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/farmington-grad-awarded-military-medal/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Fourth, fifth and sixth graders were ready to start school in a brand new building this year at Prairie Grove Middle School.
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First Day, Brand New School!
August 24, 2022 at 9:18 a.m.
Shayne Taylor, principal of Prairie Grove Middle School, greets these sixth graders for the first day of school in their new building: Payton Long, Gracie Rochier and John Baker. Taylor said cars were lining up at 6:40 a.m. the first day, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022, for school that started at 7:50 a.m. The school had 493 students in fourth-sixth grades on the first day.
Print Headline: First Day, Brand New School!
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ADVERTISEMENT | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/first-day-brand-new-school/ | 2022-08-25T15:54:00Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/first-day-brand-new-school/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Lincoln junior Bryce Bradley (5-10, 200) successfully picks up two footballs with his left hand. Bradley is right-handed and out four weeks, but hasn't exactly been idle. He's a projected starter on the line.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Lincoln junior Bryce Bradley (5-10, 200) successfully picks up two footballs with his left hand. Bradley is right-handed and out four weeks, but hasn't exactly been idle. He's a projected starter on the line.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Lincoln junior Bryce Bradley (5-10, 200) sustained a preseason separated shoulder injury. Bradley is right-handed and has been working on his dexterity with his left hand. Here, he picks up two footballs with his left hand.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Lincoln junior Bryce Bradley (5-10, 200) sustained a preseason separated shoulder injury. Bradley is right-handed and has been working on his dexterity with his left hand. Here, he picks up two footballs with his left hand.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Lincoln junior Bryce Bradley (5-10, 200) successfully picks up two footballs with his left hand. Bradley is right-handed and out four weeks, but hasn't exactly been idle. He's a projected starter on the line.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Lincoln junior Bryce Bradley (5-10, 200) displays the "can do" attitude Lincoln needs as a smaller school competing in the 4A-1 Conference this season. Lincoln coach Reed Mendoza says Bradley should be back before conference play begins.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Lincoln junior Bryce Bradley (5-10, 200) displays the "can do" attitude Lincoln needs as a smaller school competing in the 4A-1 Conference this season. Lincoln coach Reed Mendoza says Bradley should be back before conference play begins.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Lincoln junior Bryce Bradley (5-10, 200) displays the "can do" attitude Lincoln needs as a smaller school competing in the 4A-1 Conference this season. Lincoln coach Reed Mendoza says Bradley should be back before conference play begins.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Farmington junior Hunter Marshall (5-9, 255) is ready for his second season as a starter snapping the ball to classmate, starting quarterback Cameron Vanzant.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Farmington junior Hunter Marshall (5-9, 255) is ready for his second season as a starter snapping the ball to classmate, starting quarterback Cameron Vanzant.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Farmington junior Hunter Marshall (5-9, 255) is ready for his second season as a starter snapping the ball to classmate, starting quarterback Cameron Vanzant.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Prairie Grove underwent major offseason changes to its football coaching staff with the departure of longtime coaches John Elder and Craig Laird. Mason Pinkley (left) is the new offensive coordinator with Prairie Grove alumna Matt Chandler (middle) added to the staff and Nik Paroubek (right) is the new defensive coordinator.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Prairie Grove underwent major offseason changes to its football coaching staff with the departure of longtime coaches John Elder and Craig Laird. Mason Pinkley (left) is the new offensive coordinator with Prairie Grove alumna Matt Chandler (middle) added to the staff and Nik Paroubek (right) is the new defensive coordinator.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Prairie Grove underwent major offseason changes to its football coaching staff with the departure of longtime coaches John Elder and Craig Laird. Mason Pinkley (left) is the new offensive coordinator with Prairie Grove alumna Matt Chandler (middle) added to the staff and Nik Paroubek (right) is the new defensive coordinator. | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/football-happenings/ | 2022-08-25T15:54:06Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/football-happenings/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
FARMINGTON -- Farmington stepped out of the 7A West Junior High Football Conference and is now competing against opponents more comparable to the size of Farmington.
Varsity head coach J.R. Eldridge signed off on the change and is very optimistic about the future of football at all levels in Farmington.
"I'm more excited about the growth of our program. I'm more excited about how the kids want to be here, I'm more excited about how all those kids are getting great reps every day in practice," Eldridge said.
The rising seventh graders went through training camp just like everybody else. They had two inter-squad scrimmages. as did the eighth and ninth grades.
"It's just been really, really good as far as our training camp goes and where we're at right now is way ahead of where we were at last year at this time as far as our violence on the football field, as far as our understanding of what we're trying to do offense, defense, special teams. Those things make a huge difference in how fast our players are able to play within the down. I have been able to see that. I'm not a predictor of wins and losses, but what I love seeing is just the progression of these kids getting better," Eldridge said.
OFFENSE
Not all the starting positions were set when this interview was done, but the junior Cardinals have more than enough players. It was just a matter of determining who fills what role for junior high head coach Payton Covington.
"As far as offense goes I think we're pretty solid," Covington said.
Freshman Ayden Lester starts at quarterback. Eighth grader Slade Norwood shows a lot of promise and will lead the junior high JV squad.
"I've got a lot of confidence in both. They're both very capable quarterbacks," Covington said.
Jordan Logue, younger brother of Justin Logue who excelled as a receiver last season, transferred to Farmington and will start at runningback.
"It was a good move-in. He's an eighth grader, talented, and we're excited about him," Covington said.
The junior high rotates backs with Connor Nastasi coming into the backfield. Nastasi will also play defense. At the eighth grade level Brenner Watkins will start with slot Kalin Hendrix in reserve. Max Eldridge is a seventh grader who can play.
At the H-back position, a combination of tight end and fullback, that also splits out in a double receiver set, freshman Kambren Miller starts.
"We're expecting a lot of good things from him. He's put in a very, very tough offseason. He works hard. He's a great blocker, great at catching, he's a lot faster than he looks. I think he's going to be a really good player for us," Covington said. "He'll play inside, he's very capable, but he's also capable of being split out and running routes."
The position at the junior high JV squad features two players splitting time between freshman Luke Chandler and eighth grader Jett Pierce. Chandler is new to the position while Pierce has a year of experience.
"They're both battling it out right now to be that starter on the junior high JV," Covington said.
The junior high squad has an assortment of receivers. Akin Johnson, Dawson Keaton, and Brady Richards start.
"Those three together they block well downfield, they catch the ball and they run routes they're supposed to. They're pretty much all you can ask for out of a receiver and they'll go make a play," Covington said.
The offensive line picture was still coming into focus for coaches the second week of August.
"It's almost a puzzle right now. We're kind of honing in on who we want there," Covington said.
Freshmen Truman Capshaw and Isaac Rodriguez play tackle as do eighth graders Chandler Bunn and Zach Stilwell. At guard the junior Cardinals feature Layton Mitchell and Dodge Usrey.
"Layton Mitchell is probably the leader of really that offense. He's our right guard. He's a big time leader for us," Covington said.
Freshman Koby Hayes plays center with eighth grader Jadon Davidson and some other rotating players such as Connor Denham on the junior high offensive line.
DEFENSE
At defensive end freshmen Trevor Harvey and Jacquel Brown bookend the front. Freshman Jaxen Seward starts at nose guard and mans an interior defensive tackle position when the junior Cardinals go into a four man front. Eighth grader Jason Maynard will play the other tackle. Freshman Braxton Hartman, Memphis Boyle rotate in.
"If we go by what training camp looks like, right now that looks like the strength of our team," Covington said. "That D-line's pretty strong.
At middle linebacker, freshman Peyton Wells keys the junior Cardinal defense.
"It goes and comes with Peyton Wells. He's our middle linebacker and he's the leader of that defense. He's a very good player, he's hardnosed, he's downhill," Covington said.
Sam Reynolds, a twin to defensive back Noah Reynolds, starts at outside linebacker.
Ean Shadden, Aiden Suchhowski, Townes Boger, Avery Case are candidates to fill the outside linebacker roles.
"We've got a lot of options there so we can have a pretty good rotation," Covington said. "We've got a couple of eighth graders who can probably play there like Crosby Schmitt.
To fill the secondary some players switched from offense. Freshman Peyton Bailey has his side locked up.
"He's a fantastic player, a fantastic kid," Covington said. "The other side we stole from the offense. Right now it's looking like it's going to be Connor Nastasi, who's also going to be playing backup runningback for us, but we always have a couple rotating."
Freshmen Corbin Smith and Hunter Vanhook rotate in.
At safety freshman Bryce Thompson established himself as a starter. Noah Reynolds and Vanhook are reserves.
KICKING GAME
Peyton Wells has been doing all of the kicking including kickoffs and extra-points. Lester, the quarterback, doubles as the punter.
"Right now he's our most consistent punter. In junior high JV Brenner Watkins, our runningback, is doing all the kicking. He's going to do punt as well," Covington said.
Keaton and Nastasi handle kick and punt returns.
"I feel like those two give us the best chance. They read blocks well. They can set up their blocking and they've got the speed to take it to the house if it opens up," Covington said.
At the junior high JV level, Hendrix and Michael Shofitt do returns.
CONFERENCE AFFILIATION
Farmington's new conference is called "The River Valley Conference."
"It's a lot of the teams high school plays. It's not all of them because we're playing Greenwood and teams like that. It's a similar schedule with teams closer to our size. Now, we're traveling more than we have in the past years instead of just going to Fayetteville or Springdale, we're doing to Dardanelle [and other places]. It's teams closer to our size and I've got great hopes and expectations for this team. I think we've got a chance to be pretty good," Covington said. | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/junior-cardinals-join-new-football-league/ | 2022-08-25T15:54:13Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/junior-cardinals-join-new-football-league/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LINCOLN -- Second year head junior high football coach Mason Wann in conjunction with Lincoln head football coach Reed Mendoza teach the Junior Wolves what sacrifice means.
This season marks the second consecutive year that the junior Wolves' projected starting quarterback moves up to varsity as a freshman to fill a need. Last season Lincoln's varsity began 0-4 and freshman Kale Jones got promoted.
"It was a tough decision because we felt like we had a great shot to win the junior high conference [title] and we still take Charleston to overtime without Kale for a chance to do that. We came up a little bit short," Mendoza said. He's a kid that we moved him up and it didn't change him at all. He stayed humble and kept working hard and he wasn't afraid of the moment. He definitely was a big reason why were able to have the success that we did down the stretch."
Jones became a key fixture in Lincoln overcoming that bad start and turning 2021 into a playoff season.
This year freshman Kayden Job moves to varsity.
OFFENSE
Quarterback
All three quarterbacks from 2021, Jones, Caden Brewer and Job moved on to varsity.
"We moved Kayden Job up to varsity in the summer. He would have been the starting quarterback [had he not been promoted to varsity]. He's going to be a starter for us on varsity," Wann said.
Eighth grader Korbin Price steps into the starting quarterback role. Price is neither big nor fast, yet shows good leadership poise.
"He gets them all lined up," Wann said. "He can throw it pretty good and runs good."
Transfer Hunter Diddle, a freshman listed as a wide receiver and linebacker on defense, is the backup.
Tailbacks
This is another area where a skilled freshman, Josh Stokes, potentially could be promoted to varsity.
"Stokes is another possibility. He's a kid who definitely could help us in senior high. That's up to Coach Mendoza," Wann said
Stokes' versatility allows the Junior Wolves to line him up all over including at linebacker, tailback, H-back, or on the offensive line where he played guard as an eighth grader. Last season Stokes had two numbers assigned to him in the event he was called upon to carry the ball or make a catch out of the backfield.
Wann describes Stokes as "strong with a thicker frame."
Stokes could be among Lincoln's primary ball carriers if the Junior Wolves can live without him on the offensive line. Freshman transfer John Coffee runs hard and broke a long touchdown run in a Tuesday, Aug. 16 scrimmage against Lamar. Wann anticipates using a rotation that might include freshman Gabe Hernandez and eighth grader Tyson Cockrell. These are two additional players Lincoln considers using either as runningbacks or along the offensive line.
Receivers
A pair of freshmen, Elijah Donoho and Adam Maloy, both run good. They played last year, but this season will be their first to get significant playing time. Donoho is tall. In the slot receiver position eighth grader Tucker Odom isn't big, but he's fast.
"He will come in motion and run the ball some," Wann said.
Diddle will play receiver when he's not playing quarterback as will Price, whom Wann notes caught five passes in the Lamar scrimmage.
"He had a really long reception that set up a touchdown," Wann said.
Eighth graders, Brody Sams and Kyle Mobley, provide depth with Bryce Blair and Benny Richardson.
Offensive Line
The offensive line represents a totally new group for 2022, and the starting lineup wasn't settled even after an Aug. 16 scrimmage.
"We're kind of experimenting now," Wann said.
Eighth grader Jhett McLavey works at both center and right guard with freshmen Kevin Vela and Hernandez playing left guard and left tackle. Vela has good size while Hernandez is tall and moves good up front. Freshman Codi Long competes at right guard.
"Codi is in his third year in our program," Wann said.
Cockrell is projected to start at right tackle. Eighth graders Jose Cruz and Gage Wilson vie for playing time and eighth grader Briar Moreland can play either center or right guard.
DEFENSE
Defensive Line
Wilson switches from defensive end to nose guard while Vela plays one defensive end. Cockrell and eighth grader Chris Vasquez rotate at the other defensive end.
"Jose Cruz could get some playing time. He's pretty strong," Wann said.
Linebackers
Price plays outside linebacker while Stokes is a returning starter at inside linebacker with Hernandez experienced at outside linebacker from rotating in last season. Coffee also plays inside linebacker, which allows Lincoln consideration to move them around.
"We might flip Hernandez and Stokes," Wann said.
Secondary
Odom and Sams play cornerback giving the Junior Wolves a pair of good tacklers with decent speed on the edges. Richardson, Chris Ethridge and Blair rotate in. Donoho and Maloy fill the safety spots.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Do-it-all player Price kicks off and Stokes punts. The Junior Wolves will go for two on extra-point attempts and do a lot of onside kicks. Five players, Maloy, Stokes, Price, Odom and Coffee, compete for the deep return chores.
OVERVIEW
Lincoln will play Greenland in a nonconference game Aug. 25 followed by its border rivalry versus Westville, Okla. on Sept. 1 and a Tuesday evening game on Sept. 6 against Mena.
Conference opponents will not only have a numbers advantage, but also and a lot of speed and size advantages.
"We're not as fast or dynamic as last year," Wann said, emphasizing the importance of getting off to a good start in the nonconference season when Lincoln plays schools closer to its enrollment.
"Hopefully, we can get some momentum in those first three weeks. If we can move the ball, if we can get 11 kids that sprint around and tackle on defense," Wann said. "We've got to try and improve every week. We'll play a ton of eighth graders. They're not big and fast, but they're hard workers overall." | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/junior-wolves-learn-what-sacrifice-means/ | 2022-08-25T15:54:19Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/junior-wolves-learn-what-sacrifice-means/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Bear near Beattie Elementary forces school to lock doors
A black bear reported near Beattie Elementary on Thursday morning, prompting Poudre School District to place the school on secure status, has been captured and removed.
A resident called to report the bear, according to a Fort Collins Police Services Twitter post. The post stated people might see police presence in the area and that Colorado Parks and Wildlife may be in the area to move the bear from the city.
Beattie Elementary is located at Swallow Road and Meadowlark Avenue in central Fort Collins.
The bear was removed and the school resumed normal operations around 9 a.m., according to Beattie Elementary Principle Dave Patterson.
Bears are more apt to be found in towns and cities along the foothills this time of year as they enter get ready for hyperphagia by spending up to 20 hours a day trying to eat more than 20,000 calories to fatten up for winter, according to the state wildlife agency.
Secure status means doors are locked but school remains in session.
This story will be updated as more information is available.
More:Are snow days over? Not quite, but here's what PSD's new remote learning flexibility means
Reporter Bethany Osborn contributed to this story. | https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2022/08/25/bear-near-beattie-elementary-in-fort-collins-forces-school-to-lock-doors/65419803007/ | 2022-08-25T15:54:25Z | coloradoan.com | control | https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2022/08/25/bear-near-beattie-elementary-in-fort-collins-forces-school-to-lock-doors/65419803007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LINCOLN -- Lincoln City Council approved several appropriation ordinances Aug. 16 to amend the budget to show changes in line items for the year.
The council amended its "grant budget" line item to recognize $257,006 in income from the American Rescue Plan Act funds.
This money is the city's second payment from the American Rescue Plan. The first payment was used to give city employees premium covid pay for their work during the pandemic.
City officials have said the second payment from the fund will mostly be used for sewer improvement projects.
The second ordinance amended the "fees and services" line item in the general fund budget to appropriate $10,333 to the Washington County Regional Ambulance Authority for Central EMS.
The service has a $1 million shortfall and the authority is asking member cities and the county for an additional payment this year to help with the shortfall. The additional payment is based on per capita.
Requests to other members from the ambulance authority include $545,140 from Washington County and $357,454 from the city of Fayetteville. Farmington City Council approved an additional payment of $28,655 at its August meeting. Prairie Grove City Council has not approved an additional payment yet.
A third appropriation ordinance also amended the "grant budget" line item to recognize a payment of $21,900 from the city's funds from the American Rescue Plan for the ambulance authority and Central EMS.
The ambulance service did not receive any federal covid funds and has asked its member cities and the county for additional financial support for 2022 from their covid money.
There was some discussion about the appropriation ordinances for Central EMS with council member Johnny Stowers saying he wants more information when it's time to discuss the 2023 budget.
Justice of the Peace Willie Leming, who represents this area on Washington County Quorum Court, spoke during the meeting and noted the ambulance service is "very important to all of us and we need to help them where we can."
City Attorney Steve Zega also pointed out a quality ambulance service is difficult to get and is difficult to maintain.
"I would encourage you to think about Central EMS from the aspect 0f what does the county get out of it," Zega said. "It's imperative you have a quality ambulance service everywhere you go. Fayetteville people come to Lincoln and Lincoln residents go to Fayetteville."
The ambulance authority has given notice that it will increase its financial request from its members for 2023.
A fourth appropriation ordinance shows that the city received $48,442 from the state of Arkansas to pay a one-time stipend of $5,000 to each full-time police officer, including costs for the employer portion of taxes. The ordinance amends the police portion of the 2022 general budget.
The council voted 6-2 to reappoint members to Lincoln Library Board. State law requires that each municipal library must establish a board of trustees. Lincoln had a library board prior to the covid-19 pandemic but it has been inactive the past couple of years.
This resolution reconstitutes the library board and names the following as board members: Peggy Curtis, Troy Oliver, Diana Oliver, Brittany Sanford and Wendy Lindsey.
Council members Michelle Davis and Amanda Thomas voted against the resolution.
Davis wondered if it was "bad optics" to allow a husband and wife to serve on the library board together or, for that matter, for people who are related to serve together on other city entities.
City Attorney Steve Zega said it was not illegal for Troy and Diana Oliver to serve together on the library board. In addition, he noted that the city needs to re-establish the library board to meet state law.
Stowers said he did not have a problem with the people on the board. He pointed out the law says a library board must have a minimum of five members and a maximum of seven members so the council could add two more members in the future if it wants. | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/lincoln-council-amends-budget-for-appropriations/ | 2022-08-25T15:54:26Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/lincoln-council-amends-budget-for-appropriations/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LINCOLN -- Teachers, administrators and all other employees with Lincoln Consolidated School District will receive a $4,000 retention bonus to start the new 2022-23 school year.
At the recommendation of school Superintendent Mary Ann Spears, Lincoln School Board voted last week to approve the bonus, a total cost of $600,000, to come out of the district's federal covid funds, called Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief funds, from the American Rescue Plan Act.
Employees would not receive the bonus immediately but it would come soon, Spears said after the Aug. 15 meeting. First, she has to submit a revised budget to the Arkansas Department of Education for using the balance of the district's ESSER funds, around $2.2 million. Of this, she is proposing $1.5 million for heat and air improvements and the rest for the retention bonuses.
Spears noted that the state recommended districts pay a $5,000 bonus to certified staff and $2,500 for other employees but she advocated giving the same bonus to all employees.
"I want to give everyone the same amount," Spears said after the meeting.
All principals gave glowing reports about professional development meetings and open house sessions leading up to the first day of school, Aug. 16.
Traci Birkes, elementary principal, said her school's open house had a "huge turnout" and she believes everyone was glad to be back in the building.
The school used a "Top Gun" theme for its professional development and Birkes said the staff wants to "get back to the education part of school," as well as continuing with other needs of students.
"Our job is to teach the kids to read," Birkes said. "If they don't read by third grade, they will struggle."
Michelle Price, principal of Lincoln Middle School, had good news for the school board.
She said the middle school has 50 new students this year. Some of these are students returning from virtual or homeschool learning. Others are coming through School Choice. Others are from families moving into the school district.
"They just keep coming here," Price told board members. "We've never started a new year with 50 new students."
The computer says the school has more than 400 students enrolled at the middle school, Price said after the board meeting.
The school's open house was amazing, Price said, adding, "I believe we had the highest number ever of families at open house."
Lincoln High Principal Stan Karber also reported a lot of excitement, productive professional development meetings and a good turnout for open house.
"It's going to be a good time across the board," Karber said, referring to the upcoming school year.
Lincoln schools have 18 new certified staff members this year, and five of these are new positions, including a new kindergarten and fourth grade teacher and three new positions at the high school.
In other action, the board approved a resolution to transfer $230,000 from the operating fund to the building fund. This fund now has a balance of $2.3 million.
The board also approved a salary schedule for a new position called commissioned school security officer. This is a salary scale for safety officers hired to be in the school buildings.
Under personnel action, the board approved hiring Paul Shepard as the first commissioned school security officer. Shepard, retired from Fayetteville Police Department, will be in the elementary school. His salary will be $32,480, based on his 24 years of law enforcement experience with Fayetteville. The district hopes to hire another security officer for the middle school, according to Spears.
The board approved School Improvement Plans for all three school buildings. These are available on the school website.
It also approved a memorandum of understanding with Northwest Arkansas Technical Institute for students who take courses at the technical school. | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/lincoln-schools-to-use-covid-funds-for-retention/ | 2022-08-25T15:54:51Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/lincoln-schools-to-use-covid-funds-for-retention/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LINCOLN -- Lincoln's first full-time school resource officer started at the end of January and begins a new year with Lincoln students in 2022-23.
SRO Tim Smith works patrol for Lincoln Police Department when school is not in session but being a school resource officer is a position he's wanted to do for a while.
Before coming to Lincoln, Smith worked two years for Washington County Sheriff's Office at the detention center and then 10 years as an officer with Washington County Juvenile Court.
Looking toward the future while with the county, he completed training to be a school resource officer on his own and had mentioned to Lincoln police Chief Kenneth Albright that if he ever had a SRO position he would be interested in it. Albright and Smith worked together at the sheriff's office.
When a new position became available, Smith said Albright called him with the information. Smith applied for the job and then was offered the SRO position.
"I spoke to my wife and decided to do it," Smith said. "I'd been wanting to be an SRO for a long time."
Smith said school resource officers are present for safety and protection but they also are on campus to be an ally for the students, to support them and be a mentor to them.
It's important to show students that there's a "person" behind the uniform and it's someone who will stand in the way of harm, can be trusted and is available with just a phone call, he said.
Along with information about active shooter situations, Smith said he talks to students about other subjects such as the internet and safety, social media and vaping.
"We can go into the classroom and push out that knowledge," he said, noting he sees himself as an "instructor" in some areas, as well as a friend to students.
He said his first semester as a school resource officer went well.
"It's a different part of the job (of a law enforcement officer). I think it takes a special mindset to deal with kids every day in and day out. I've loved every minute of it."
Smith spends most of his time at Lincoln High School, but there may be times he will be on other campuses in Lincoln. In addition to a full-time school resource officer, Lincoln schools also will have a full-time commissioned school security officer for the first time this year and is in the process of looking for another one.
Smith said he wants people to realize that schools are an area where they will be met with resistance if they intend harm on campus.
"We're steadily trying to develop ways to make schools safer," he added.
Albright said Smith "definitely has the heart and mind for kids."
He admits it sounds like a cliche but said he believes law enforcement in general is a calling and being an SRO is another calling on top of that.
"Tim is a really good guy. He's been involved with the youth and juvenile court and is geared toward that direction. He really has the kids' well-being in mind and wants to help them any way he can."
Outside law enforcement, Smith and his wife are foster parents. Currently, a 17-year-old boy is in their care and they are focusing on getting him graduated. They've also been foster parents for two young girls and twin baby boys. | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/lincoln-sro-fulfilling-a-goal-to-help-kids/ | 2022-08-25T15:54:58Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/lincoln-sro-fulfilling-a-goal-to-help-kids/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Fayetteville's Black Heritage Preservation Commission has proposed a good idea: Name a city street after Nelson Hackett, an enslaved man whose 1841 escape from bondage in Fayetteville led to an extradition battle of international proportions.
Hackett's story has largely been untold, but a University of Arkansas project (nelsonhackettproject.uark.edu) has shed welcome light on a fascinating story that reflects the tensions slavery injected into international relations. Little is known about Hackett while he was in Fayetteville, but his flight for freedom and, according to the project, his status as the only fugitive from slavery Canada ever sent back is a part of our human drama worth remembering.
"History" ought to mean the fullness of it. Nelson Hackett's plight and stories like it should be as natural a part of the nation's story as FDR or Benjamin Franklin or Bill Clinton. But so much of Black, Native American or other stories has gone untold. Correcting that is vital. Fayetteville's Black Heritage Preservation Commission is contributing to that with a push for the city to install a large bronze marker telling Hackett's story on the city's downtown square.
City council member D'Andre Jones has acknowledged the commission is attempting "probably the boldest thing that we've done" by asking the City Council not just to rename a street, but to remove the name of Arkansas' second governor from that curvy stretch south of the Historic Washington County Courthouse known as Archibald Yell Boulevard.
Walter J. Lemke, founder of the University of Arkansas' department of journalism and organizer of the Washington County Historical Society in 1951, proposed in 1953 that Yell be recognized with that new street's naming. Why? Because at the time Yell was considered the most famous Fayetteville historical figure because of his leadership in the early development of the state.
Yell, for whom Yellville and Yell County are named, was Arkansas' first congressman and practiced law in Fayetteville. He owned much of the land that makes up south Fayetteville today. His rugged law office was preserved by the historical society in 1992 and moved onto its headquarters property on East Dickson Street. The Washington County Bar Association, along with several well-established law firms in town, sponsored preservation of Yell's law office.
Yell died in military service to the nation at the Battle of Buena Vista in the Mexican-American War, one of four wars he fought in for the United States. He's buried in the city's historic Evergreen Cemetery.
Archibald Yell also owned slaves and signed the extradition request to have Nelson Hackett returned to Fayetteville from Canada.
Fayetteville really faces two questions: Should it name a street after Nelson Hackett and should it erase its 69-year recognition of Archibald Yell?
I would vote an emphatic "yes" to the first question. I'd vote "no" to the second.
It has been 175 years since Archibald Yell died. To suggest we should eradicate him from longstanding Fayetteville recognition because some aspects of his life don't measure up to modern standards is to demand a perfection no ancestor can achieve.
D'Andre Jones wrote to the City Council that "this is not about canceling or removing history, but rather about acknowledging individuals that have not been previously acknowledged."
So why target one of the few city streets named for prominent historical figures? It's the second time Jones and the commission have chosen to do that, pushing successfully last year to remove World War II hero Leroy Pond's name from the street next to Bud Walton Arena so that it could be named after basketball coach Nolan Richardson.
I wholeheartedly agree a "different kind of history" needs to be told. To write it should not require starting with an eraser.
Greg Harton is editorial page editor for the northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Contact him by email at [email protected] or on twitter @nWAgreg. | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/mark-history-but-dont-erase-it/ | 2022-08-25T15:55:11Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/mark-history-but-dont-erase-it/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
FAYETTEVILLE -- This year's Washington County Fair is shaping up to be one of the best on record with more vendors and more exhibitors, organizers say.
"We're way up on our entries, both in our exhibit halls and our animals," Cheryl West said of the 2022 fair. "The weather looks like it's going to be better, with just a 20% chance of rain. So it should be a little cooler than what we've been seeing."
West, who has worked with the fair for the past 22 years, said attendance at the fair typically runs between 20,000 and 25,000 people. In 2020, during the covid-19 pandemic, the fair was open for youth exhibits, but not open to the public, she said. Last year's fair events were open and pretty much back to normal, she said.
The fair opened Tuesday and runs through Saturday at the fairgrounds in Fayetteville. Some livestock entrants began arriving as early as Friday and others arrived over the weekend. Some judging has already taken place.
Mitchell Brothers Amusements of Louisiana will provide the carnival again this year, West said. Admission to the fair is $5 per person cash or $7.50 on a credit card. Children younger than 6 are admitted free.
Chloie Thomas of Farmington was at the fairgrounds Monday morning showing her pig. Thomas said it's a long-standing family tradition and one she enjoys.
"My grampa has raised pigs since my Mom and her sisters and brothers were kids," Thomas said. "I've been around pigs my entire life."
Thomas said the fair is the culmination of nearly a year's work with the animals she shows. She said the pigs require daily attention and work to prepare them for judging. She said once she picks out an animal she works to gain its trust, brushing it and feeding it marshmallows and jelly beans. Once it's accustomed to being around her, she said, the training begins.
"That's when you introduce the stick," Thomas said. "It's to guide them. Every day you walk with them. You wash them, moisturize their skin and sun bathe them so their skin gets darker. In showmanship, if it's a close call judges are more likely to pick the pig that has the better skin and hair."
Thomas said pigs are very intelligent, which can make them both easier to work with and more difficult to work with.
"Some pigs, their attitudes can make them hard to deal with," she said. "Pigs can be smarter than humans, and if you let them, they think they can get away with things, and they'll be fighting you all the way through."
Dale Hill of Farmington is president of the fair's Board of Directors this year, his first year in the post. He said the 2022 fair will have more exhibitors, more vendors, more crafts and more food offerings than in past years. He said the fair runs on the work of hundreds of volunteers and his job is to keep the event running smoothly.
"There's a lot of behind the scenes things you don't realize are going on." he said.
Hill said the fair continues to showcase the work of the farm community in a way that is both educational and entertaining.
"You may have city families with kids who don't know where milk comes from, who don't know where meat comes from," Hill said. "This is a chance to educate them and to let them have a good experience with the whole family."
[Source: mywashcofair.com] | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/marshmallows-jelly-beans-work-in-gaining-pigs/ | 2022-08-25T15:55:17Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/marshmallows-jelly-beans-work-in-gaining-pigs/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
FARMINGTON -- Natural State Title, a regional company that has been in the title business for 20 years, recently opened an office in Farmington.
Along with the Farmington office, Natural State Title also has an office in Springdale and Bentonville.
Farmington Area Chamber of Commerce welcomed the new business with its traditional ribbon cutting ceremony on Aug. 11. The same day, Natural State Title held an open house and grand opening celebration.
Allen Gardner joined Natural State Title as a partner with owner Victor Helaquez to open the Farmington office at 249 Main St. The business rented the office on May 1, renovated the inside of the facility and opened for business June 1.
Gardner previously was working for an insurance company next to Natural State Title in Springdale. When Helaquez said he wanted to open a title business in Farmington, Gardner said he prayed about going in with him on the office and made the change.
Gardner said he wants people to know they have a choice when it comes to choosing a title company for their real estate transactions. Customers do not have to choose the title company normally used by a bank or real estate company, he said.
"We want people to choose local," Gardner said.
The Farmington office has space for 15 employees as the business expands.
Gardner said closings came be completed in the Farmington office or he's willing to go to someone's house or another place for a closing.
"As long as I have a table, I'm good," Gardner said.
Gardner's wife, Janet Gardner, is a processor for the company and her talents were used to decorate the Farmington office. Janet has a booth at Daisies and Olives in Prairie Grove.
"We try to make it a relaxed atmosphere," Gardner said.
A closing for a real estate transaction is an involved process, Gardner said.
"The reason you use a title company is to make sure it's a clean title at the closing. There's a lot involved and you're making sure you do it right."
He added, "You make sure everything balances and the result is in a settlement statement." | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/natural-state-title-provides-local-office-for/ | 2022-08-25T15:55:23Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/natural-state-title-provides-local-office-for/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PRAIRIE GROVE -- New hire John Madding takes over for long time head junior high coach John Elder, who retired and Prairie Grove finds itself in a new conference this season.
Prairie Grove joined a new league this year formed by former 4A-1 foes, Farmington, Pea Ridge and Shiloh Christian, along with Dardanelle, another 4A school bumped up to 5A for football plus larger schools, Greenwood, Siloam Springs, and Van Buren's Butterfield Junior High. Two more 5A West teams, Alma and Harrison, round out the schedule.
OFFENSE
Freshman Isaac Moss, younger brother of varsity tackle James Moss, comes off a broken leg suffered last year to take the starting quarterback position. His frame differs from his older brother's. Moss has some elusive capabilities while running the offense.
Ethan Richardson starts at halfback.
"Ethan Richardson is the best athlete of this group. He can run for days. He can run through people, too," Madding said.
Mark Stucki, who can move a little bit, is the backup.
A battle for the starting fullback slot developed in training camp between Elijah Sugg, a big body type back, and Blake Curran, a more shifty type runner.
At wingback Maddox Ogle and Carson Mitchell stock the position. Ogle displayed versatility and the coaches noticed.
"He's a level-headed kid who works hard and he's pretty smart. He can play any position on offense. He can pick up stuff quickly," Madding said.
Tight end Corbin Stearman will do exactly what coaches ask.
Bishop Butler plays split end displaying effectiveness in two dimensions, receiving and blocking downfield.
"He's a fast kid. He's a guy who can beat you deep, but he's also a guy who can block downfield. He runs a good route and can catch the ball," Madding said.
The junior Tigers have depth at receiver with Aiden Robertson and Aiden Istre. Robertson moved into the district in the middle of the last school year and is catching on with the junior Tiger offense in his first year as a member of the team.
"He's a pretty good athlete, he catches well, and runs good routes," Madding said.
Istre presents a third option sporting a muscular frame, and works harder than the guys ahead of him on the depth chart.
"He looks like 'Mighty Mouse.' He's a weight room guy, stout as could be," Madding said.
A pair of big bodied tackles bookend the junior Tiger offensive line, Ty Slaughter at left tackle checks in at about 280 pounds, while right tackle Conner Reed is around 270.
"They're both big kids. They're pretty mean and nasty. They block really well, they'll get after you," Madding said.
Right guard Wyatt McNatt represents the junior Tigers best lineman, although Madding thinks he may be better on defense.
"He's just causing all kinds of chaos at team camp, he's stellar," Madding said.
Three players vie for starting left guard, Eli Stanley, Anthony Hall, and Lance Buckman.
"Buckman is thinner, he's got more of a traditional defensive end body. Between the three we've got to find one, who can really put a stamp on left guard," Madding said.
Hard working Jackson Pierce is the projected starter at center, who will end up playing some defense as well. Ethan Vancko is the backup and could challenge for playing time.
"They're both good-sized kids, they move well for offensive linemen. We've got to find which one fits best," Madding said.
DEFENSE
Buckman and McNatt will anchor the defensive line from the ends with two players, Ty Slaughter and Conner Reed, switching in and out at nose guard.
Maddox Ogle has shown up strong at one inside linebacker spot with Mitchell pairing with him in the junior Tigers 3-4 defense. Outside linebackers Elijah Sugg and Corbin Stearman round out the linebacking corps.
Aiden Robertson and Ethan Rushing start at cornerback.
"They're leading the way in the secondary," Chandler said. "Bishop Butler is floating between cornerback and safety."
Blake Curran and Isaac Moss man the safety spots. | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/new-coaches-new-league-for-junior-tigers/ | 2022-08-25T15:55:30Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/new-coaches-new-league-for-junior-tigers/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Farmington 2022 graduate Caden Elsik signed a national letter of intent to play college baseball for State Fair College near the end of his senior year on April 13, 2022, at Cardinal Arena. Caden's family accompanied him at the signing ceremony (from left): father Leslie Elsik, sister Kyndal Elsik, a rising sophomore, Caden Elsik, brother Luke Elsik, a rising sophomore, and mother Janna Elsik along with Farmington head baseball coach Jay Harper, who introduced the playmaker shortstop. Caden also played running back, earning All-State honors for Farmington's Class 5A State playoff football team.
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MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Farmington 2022 graduate Caden Elsik signed a national letter of intent to play college baseball for State Fair College near the end of his senior year on April 13, 2022, at Cardinal Arena. Justin's family accompanied him at the signing ceremony (from left): father Leslie Elsik, sister Kyndal Elsik, a rising sophomore, Caden Elsik, brother Luke Elsik, a rising sophomore, and
mother Janna Elsik along with Farmington head baseball coach Jay Harper, who introduced the playmaker shortstop. Caden also played running back, earning All-State honors for Farmington's Class 5A State playoff football team.
Print Headline: Off To College
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ADVERTISEMENT | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/off-to-college/ | 2022-08-25T15:55:55Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/off-to-college/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PRAIRIE GROVE -- Representatives with Friends of Prairie Grove Pound approached city council members last week asking them to consider increasing the city's financial contribution to help with costs at the animal shelter.
Jim Glover went through a two-page summary of the organization's eight-year history and then looked at the needs for the future.
He said he didn't want anyone from the city to take the summary as a criticism of the city.
"This is what we see as a future financial problem coming to us," Glover said.
Friends of Prairie Grove Pound was started eight years ago with the goal to take care of animals at the pound and to turn the pound into a "no-kill" shelter. The organization has accomplished those goals, Glover said.
In addition to taking care of animals at the pound, the Friends has sponsored other programs, most notably spay and neuter cat clinics that have provided low-cost surgeries for 8,000 cats over the years.
The Friends has income from three sources, according to Glover. It has raised money through donations from the community, from two or three major fundraisers each year and grants.
Programs sponsored by the nonprofit group have paid for themselves with fees and partnerships with local organizations. However, the group is responsible for vet costs for animals at the shelter and this is where the Friends' organization needs future financial help, Glover said. Since April 2014, it has paid $211,000 in vet bills in support of about 1,800 Prairie Grove pound animals.
In December 2021, the three officers for the Friends' board of directors -- Jim and Sharon Glover and Lesa Bement -- made the decision to not sponsor any fundraisers in 2022. This decision was made, Glover said, because of their age and just "wearing out."
They've tried to find someone to step in and pick up the fundraisers to help with costs but so far no one has volunteered, he said.
That means, he pointed out, income is down for the year. In addition, revenue from grants also has decreased. In 2021, Friends received five grants for $5,000 each. For 2022, it has received one grant and Glover said he does not expect to get anything else the rest of the year.
The request, Glover said, is that the city would consider a line item in its budget for $15,000 to benefit Friends of Prairie Grove Pound to help cover vet bills. Friends has money in its reserve account but this will be depleted in 2-3 years without other money coming in. Money from the city would help address a financial shortfall.
Bement first spoke to the council and pointed out all the changes that have been made at the pound during the past eight years. The facility now has heat and air, a cat room, two dog runs and an outside fenced-in area. The city has hired a full-time animal control officer.
"I'm amazed at the generosity and compassion of this city," Bement said.
Personally, over 10 years other things have changed, she added.
"I didn't expect to get to a point where we need to retire," she said. "I just didn't look that far into the future."
The hard work of Friends of Prairie Grove Pound has resulted in a double-edged sword, she said. The city is providing for its strays and other animals but at the same time, because of this reputation, people from outside the city are dumping animals in Prairie Grove.
The city is growing and will need to expand the pound at some point, she said.
"We want you to put that on your plate because it is going to have to be addressed," she said. "We're tired. We're worn out. We're busy and we're old."
Mayor Sonny Hudson said the Friends' request would be part of the city's budget discussions for 2023. City officials said the city budgeted $3,000 for the organization in 2022.
City Council member Brea Gragg thanked Bement and Jim and Sharon Glover for all they've done for the pound and animals in Prairie Grove.
"What you've done is nothing less of incredible," Gragg said. "I don't really like animals at all but I can see the work you've done and how it's impacted the community."
[] | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/old-and-tired-pound-friends-seek-help-from-city/ | 2022-08-25T15:56:01Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/old-and-tired-pound-friends-seek-help-from-city/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
This week another sad chapter in the lame-duck administration of Governor Asa Hutchinson played out quickly and tragically down in Little Rock.
Former day-care owner, legislator and now the Education Czar Johnny Key, formerly of Mountain Home, floated a "hair-brained" idea as the mounting outcry of not having enough teachers for the fall school term roars on.
Key, like Hutchinson, is still smarting from the backlash by classroom teachers all over Arkansas on a state with a $1.6 billion dollar budget surplus could not find the time or the money to talk about substantial raises for classroom teachers.
Arkansas is last in the region, yes, even behind Mississippi, in entry-level pay for classroom teachers.
Not only did Key and his minions in the State Department of Education not have enough or sufficient data to back up this wild, last second "fix" for not enough school teachers, they also apparently made their usually friendly legislative pals a little hot under the collar.
One in particular, state Rep. Jeff Wardlaw of Hermitage, who has bowed and scraped to every single whim of the Hutchinson administration since being elected as a Democrat to a second term in the House and immediately switching, solidly I must say, to goose-step along unwaveringly with the Republican Party, was angry.
Wardlaw barked at Key and others minions of the State Department of Education in attendance, about "why they (Department of Ed folks) didn't bring this idea up, when we (the legislature) were down here in a Special Session."
Wardlaw apparently doesn't see anything wrong with "temporarily allowing or licensing" a wanna-be teacher before college graduation or certification, if it means helping out the rural schools of Arkansas.
But school officials on hand said the provisional licensing or allowing a non-certified teacher in the schools to teach -- even on a temporary basis -- was a bad, bad idea.
And then one of the great mysteries of the teaching salary game in Arkansas came to public light.
Most superintendents and principals said the way to hang on to a really good classroom teacher (who might be poached by another district or an out-of-state school district) was to give them a title as an administrator and of course, a pittance of a raise.
Thus, making a good fundamental third-grade teacher into a reading specialist or crowning them with the moniker as an English as a Second Language supervisor. This paper title, bestowed upon by the superintendent or school board, is just that -- a paper title. Be the added duties over just the other third-grade teachers in his/her building or even in the entire school district.
Toss in a little raise for taking on a tiny fraction of administrative duties -- mostly grant writing -- and the third-grade teacher can still have a classroom full of kids, a little administrative bump in pay and be rather firmly, hopefully, held in place and off the teacher marketplace.
And in some semblances, be taken out of the rank of classroom teacher for pay and salary purposes and made into an administrator.
Sounds like that should be eye-opening for most of the rank and file of state Representatives and state Senators.
There are not hard and fast statistics for the General Assembly, but veteran observers have noted there are fewer and fewer educators than in recent years.
The same could be said for lawyers.
So, when the dust settled over the move by the Education Department to make this end run around the lack of a teacher program, nothing was done.
Nothing but another plane ride or two for our ambitious governor as he keeps getting the frequent flyer miles on his jaunt to be on the 2024 Presidential Election ballot for the Republican nomination.
Emperor Nero, it was said, fiddled while Rome burned.
Asa's been flying on a presidential jet stream all the while leaving the teacher pay conundrum to the next administration.
And maybe that is a presidential thing after all -- leave a mess for others to clean up and solve.
• • •
Maylon Rice is a former journalist who worked for several northwest Arkansas publications. He can be reached via email at [email protected] The opinions expressed are those of the author. | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/opinion-ill-timed-plan-for-provisional-teachers/ | 2022-08-25T15:56:08Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/opinion-ill-timed-plan-for-provisional-teachers/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
FAYETTEVILLE -- The second annual Perronni Invitational little league baseball tournament organized by retired federal prosecutor Sam Peronni, 74, met the goal of raising $5,000 for Alzheimer's research.
The disease affected his wife, Pat, and although Perronni misses her companionship he's faithfully carrying on a fight to combat the disease. In quiet moments Perronni sits in the dugout.
National Pastime
Like many youth Perronni grew up playing baseball. He played little league in Springfield and Bloomington, Illinois. He threw well enough to pitch effectively, but that was about the extent of his game.
"I couldn't hit worth squat, but I could throw the ball straight and hard and that was all that was required in those days," Perronni said.
After playing from ages 8-to-10 the family moved. Although he never played again a deep appreciation for the sport stayed with him.
"There's something about America and baseball, at least for me," Perronni said.
He decided to capitalize upon that three years ago when the first fundraiser brought in $1,700, and began plans to establish an annual tournament. Last year $3,000 was raised and teams were thrilled to play in a picturesque rural setting on the family property.
"They made sure they let me know they enjoyed it and wanted to come back," Perronni said.
Organizing Tourney
Bentonville P.E. teacher Kurt Wing organizes the teams and sets the brackets. Six games were played Saturday in pool play to set bracket play with four games Sunday.
One organization, the NWA Sox, fields multiple teams in the tournament and works closely with Perronni.
"We've kind of become a little of a partner with them," Perronni said. "Two of their teams are even practicing here."
Wing also sees the relationship developing as sort of a partnership in nature.
"They fell in love with Sam's field," Wing said. "The first three years we've had the same age group, just working their way up. When we get to next year we're going to add a younger age group."
Perronni doesn't dwell on the downside.
"It's really turned out to have caused much more of an impact than I ever imagined," Perronni said. "I get little notes from them, little letters from these kids telling me how much fun they have playing out here."
The field in a rural setting utilized for fundraising inspires others.
"They may not have a baseball field, but they can do something like it," he said.
Championship Win
Matt Huson, head coach of the NWA Sox-Huson, guided his squad comprised of Austin Bailess, Matthew Clinton, Kaden Garrison, Jaxon Hamm, Will Hightower, J.R. Huson, Jack Jennings, Grayson Lambrite, Wes Nichols, Ben Simpson and Clayton Wooten with assistant coaches Andy Hightower and Shea Hamm, to the championship this season. They played in the inaugural tourney last season and came back stronger this year.
"First of all we feel blessed to be able to play in it and raise money for Alzheimer's research. It's our second year together with the same exact team and we're getting to see what continuity can do," Huson said.
The Sox-Huson defeated the Arkansas Legends, 4-2, and the NWA Sox-Pruitt, 10-5, on Saturday in pool play, then beat the NWA Sox-Pruitt again Sunday, 6-2, to advance into the championship where they beat Elkins, 10-3.
Fulfilling Its Mission
The mission is two-fold, hosting a baseball tournament for boys to enjoy, and also to raise money for the Alzheimer's research. Next year's tourney will be held Aug. 19-20, 2023. Area teams compete for practice sessions at the field.
"I'm really thrilled with how many people want to use the field from Farmington, Prairie Grove and Lincoln. When they come, they've told me they didn't have a place to practice. Now, they don't want to go anywhere else. I tell them it's first come, first serve, some wait too long and they don't have a spot," Perronni said.
Perronni's thrilled the fundraising goal was met and thinks totals may exceed the $5,000 when he adds everything up from concession sales, t-shirt sales, individual donations and contributions from local businesses sponsoring banners plus vendors such as Pepsi donating all the drinks sold in the concession stand.
Last year Perronni said he ran short on volunteers, but that wasn't the case this time around. Several people pitched in to help run the two-day tournament and he can't thank them enough.
"I'm so pleased that we had so many people who didn't come last year. I'm pleased with not only with the attendance but everybody's so generous," Perronni said.
He estimates the 2021 tournament drew between 350 to 500 spectators. Wing used a pitch counter this year to track the number of spectators. The tournament attracted 738 total people in two days split between 264 Saturday and 474 on Sunday.
It's remarkable that we could raise $5,000 in an event where we're not charging admission. It's because everybody is so generous. People will be generous if you just ask them," Perronni said.
At the conclusion of the tournament a check presentation was made to the Arkansas chapter of the Alzheimer's Foundation. | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/perronni-invitational-meets-fundraising-goal/ | 2022-08-25T15:56:14Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/perronni-invitational-meets-fundraising-goal/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PRAIRIE GROVE -- Prairie Grove Police Department's newest officers both graduated from Prairie Grove High School in 2019.
James Millwood, 21, and Daytona Pinkley, 21, are currently attending Arkansas Law Enforcement Academy Northwest in Springdale. When they graduate, they will complete the police department's field training program.
Millwood said he's been interested in law enforcement since he went into foster care as a teenager. Millwood, who is married and has two young children, said a police officer is the one who took him to live with an aunt and uncle.
"I'm hoping to be there for someone else like he was for me," Millwood said.
Pinkley said being a law enforcement officer is "fulfilling a lifelong dream of helping others."
After high school, Pinkley worked for Maynard Inc., which manufactures and designs aerospace parts. | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/pg-grads-join-police-department/ | 2022-08-25T15:56:20Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/pg-grads-join-police-department/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PRAIRIE GROVE -- The Prairie Grove Piranha Swim Team completed its 2022 season with 65 kids participating over the summer from the first of June to the end of July.
The team practiced three times a week and competed in four summer swim league meets against teams such as Wilson Park Wahoos, Mt Sequoyah Marlins, FAC Sharks and Mt Sequoyah Marlins.
Angie Shuck, who is head coach for the Fayetteville High School swim team, served as swim coach for the Piranhas. She had five high school assistants: Zoe Hubbs (lead assistant), Cole Edmiston, Conner Hubbs, William Lanier, Sam Traxson.
This season, 24 individuals qualified for the Champs meet (2022 NWASSL - South Championship Meet) and seven relay swimmers qualified for the Champs meet. This year's team had kids from 4 years of age up to 13 years old. | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/pg-piranhas-finish-another-season/ | 2022-08-25T15:56:27Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/pg-piranhas-finish-another-season/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PRAIRIE GROVE
Heather Holland, 44, of Prairie Grove, was jailed Aug. 9 in connection with breaking and entering and battery third degree.
William Wood, 31, of Lincoln, was cited Aug. 12 on a warrant for failure to pay.
Cameron Karczewski, 23, of Prairie Grove, was cited Aug. 12 on a warrant for failure to appear.
Jonathan Hicks, 22, of Camden, was cited Aug. 15 on a warrant for failure to appear.
Kaylee Fleishman, 21, of Pea Ridge, was cited Aug. 15 on a warrant for failure to appear.
Erica Weldon, 39, of Prairie Grove, was jailed Aug. 15 on a warrant for failure to appear.
Michelle Kragel, 49, of Prairie Grove, was jailed Aug. 14 in connection with DWI, careless driving.
Amy Kirkendoll, 38, of Springfield, was cited Aug. 17 on a warrant for failure to appear.
Leigh Johnson, 45, of Fayetteville, was jailed Aug. 16 in connection with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving on a suspended license, no proof of insurance.
Anatacia Stonecalf-Jenkins, 23, of Springdale, was jailed Aug. 17 in connection with theft by receiving, driving on suspended driver's license. | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/police-report/ | 2022-08-25T15:56:42Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/police-report/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PRAIRIE GROVE FOOTBALL 2022 SCHEDULES
2022 Prairie Grove Varsity
DateOpponentTime
Aug. 12Black and Gold game6 p.m.
Aug. 19Benefit games6 p.m.
Sept. 2Huntsville7 p.m.
Sept. 9at Gravette7 p.m.
Sept. 16Metro Christian Tulsa, Okla.7 p.m.
Sept. 23at Pea Ridge*7 p.m.
Sept. 30Harrison*7 p.m.
Oct. 7at Clarksville*7 p.m.
Oct. 15Dardanelle*7 p.m.
Oct. 21at Alma*7 p.m.
Oct. 28Shiloh Christian*7 p.m.
Nov. 4at Farmington*7 p.m.
* -- 5A West Conference game
2022 Prairie Grove 7th Grade/Junior High
DateOpponentTimeStatus
Aug. 25Benefit Game6 p.m.
at Rogers Heritage
Sept. 1at Huntsville5:30 p.m.7th-JH
Sept. 8Greenwood5:30 p.m.7th-JH
Sept. 15at Shiloh Christian*5:30 p.m.7th-JH
Sept. 22at Pea Ridge5:30 p.m.7th-JH
Sept. 29at Harrison5:30 p.m.7th-JH
Oct. 6Siloam Springs5:30 p.m.7th-JH
Oct. 13at Dardanelle5:30 p.m.7th-JH
Oct. 20Alma5:30 p.m.7th-JH
Oct. 27at Van Buren Butterfield5:30 p.m.7th-JH
Nov. 3Farmington*5:30 p.m.7th-JH
2021 Prairie Grove 8th Grade/Junior Varsity
DateOpponentTimeStatus
Sept. 12Black5:30 p.m.
at Shiloh Christian
Sept. 12Gold vs. Gravette5:30 p.m.
Sept. 19at Pea Ridge5:30 p.m.8th-JV
Sept. 26at Huntsville5:30 p.m.8th
Oct. 3at Siloam Springs5:30 p.m.8th-JV
Oct. 10Black vs. Gentry5:30 p.m.8th
Oct. 10Gold at Gentry5:30 p.m.8th
Oct. 10Black vs. Dardanelle7 p.m.JV
Oct. 17at Alma*5:30 p.m.8th-JV
Oct. 24Butterfield5:30 p.m.8th
(Van Buren)
Oct. 31at Farmington5:30 p.m.8th | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/prairie-grove-football-schedules/ | 2022-08-25T15:56:55Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/prairie-grove-football-schedules/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
>
European equity close: Small changes ahead of Jackson Hole
European equity close: Small changes ahead of Jackson Hole
-
Not much movement at today's close
Adam Button
Thursday, 25/08/2022 | 15:29 GMT-0
25/08/2022 | 15:29 GMT-0
Closing changes:
- Stoxx 600 +0.2%
- FTSE 100 +0.2%
- German DAX +0.3%
- French CAC -0.1%
- Italy MIB +0.1%
- Spain IBEX -0.2%
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ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW | https://www.forexlive.com/news/european-equity-close-small-changes-ahead-of-jackson-hole-20220825/ | 2022-08-25T15:57:11Z | forexlive.com | control | https://www.forexlive.com/news/european-equity-close-small-changes-ahead-of-jackson-hole-20220825/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
COURTESY PHOTO
Siblings Gatlin, Troy and Olivia Oliver were three of the winners for the summer reading program at Lincoln Public Library.
Lincoln Public Library recognized its winners for the summer reading contest.
COURTESY PHOTO
Eisley Kapity was one of the winners for the summer reading contest at Lincoln Public Library.
COURTESY PHOTO
Nathaniel Yoder was one of the winners for the summer reading program sponsored by Lincoln Public Library.
Print Headline: Reading Winners
Sponsor Content | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/reading-winners/ | 2022-08-25T15:57:14Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/reading-winners/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
"Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments." Exodus 20:4-6
We are not to make ourselves an image or likeness of anything and worship or honor it as if it were a god or could in some way help us.
While this clearly prohibits the making of idols of wood, silver and gold, it also forbids making a god after our own image. We are not to make our god to be like us by putting our values and our thoughts into our image and understanding of God (cf. Ex. 32; Isa. 55:8-9). Rather, we are to accept and honor the LORD God of the Bible, believing what He Himself tells us of Himself in His Word.
As our Maker and Redeemer, the LORD God has every right to be a jealous God. And, since He has made us, He also has every right to punish us when we turn away from Him and disobey His commandments. He created us to live for Him and to do His holy will. How it angers and disappoints the LORD when we are rebellious and sinful creatures!
Our God does not take sin lightly, as some suppose; nor can one escape His judgment. He visits and punishes the sins of the fathers upon the children even unto the third and fourth generations of those who hate Him. This means that, in addition to the eternal punishments of hell which all unbelievers will suffer, God will, during their earthly lives, punish the unbelieving children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren, for the sins of those who hate Him and turn aside from His holy commandments.
This is certainly a warning to us against giving in to the temptations of the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh! If we turn aside from the LORD God and live in sin, He will punish us also! Our claims to love the LORD God mean little if we are unwilling to live for Him and keep His commandments.
Rather, let us acknowledge our sins to the LORD and turn to Him for forgiveness and the needed strength to amend our lives and live for Him. For the sake of Christ's innocent sufferings and death in our stead, God will be gracious and merciful to us. Cf. Psalm 32.
Dear LORD God, for the sake of Christ's bitter sufferings and death and His glorious resurrection, forgive our sins and renew our hearts that we might live for You in obedience to Your holy commandments. Amen.
[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible. Devotion is by Randy Moll. He may be contacted by email at [email protected] More of Moll's devotional writings are freely available at https://goodshepherdonline.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author.] | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/religion-god-forbids-all-forms-of-idolatry/ | 2022-08-25T15:57:21Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/religion-god-forbids-all-forms-of-idolatry/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Football brings families together. Farmington senior Emery Wadell, a 6-1, 252 pound tackle, tries to catch a football thrown by his baby brother, Emerson Wadell, while holding his 21 month old sibling, on media day at Cardinal Stadium.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Football brings families together. Farmington senior Emery Wadell, a 6-1, 252 pound tackle, tries to catch a football thrown by his baby brother, Emerson Wadell, while holding his 21 month old sibling, on media day at Cardinal Stadium.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Football brings families together. Farmington senior Emery Wadell, a 6-1, 252 pound tackle, tries to catch a football thrown by his baby brother, Emerson Wadell, while holding his 21 month old sibling, on media day at Cardinal Stadium.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Lincoln's offensive linemen work on sharpening their drive blocking skills using a sled during a recent practice. The Wolves jump up to 4A in football for the 2022 season after spending the last two years in Class 3A.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Lincoln's offensive linemen work on sharpening their drive blocking skills using a sled during a recent practice. The Wolves jump up to 4A in football for the 2022 season after spending the last two years in Class 3A.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Lincoln's offensive linemen work on sharpening their drive blocking skills using a sled during a recent practice. The Wolves jump up to 4A in football for the 2022 season after spending the last two years in Class 3A.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Lincoln scrimmaged showcasing its varsity to fans during a recent fall edition of "Meet the Wolves." Lincoln bumps up to 4A in football for the 2022 season after spending the last two years in Class 3A.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Lincoln scrimmaged showcasing its varsity to fans during a recent fall edition of "Meet the Wolves." Lincoln bumps up to 4A in football for the 2022 season after spending the last two years in Class 3A.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Lincoln scrimmaged showcasing its varsity to fans during a recent fall edition of "Meet the Wolves." Lincoln bumps up to 4A in football for the 2022 season after spending the last two years in Class 3A.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Prairie Grove senior halfback Ethan Miller runs the football during a recent Black and Gold scrimmage introducing the varsity to fans. Miller runs hard and possesses explosive speed.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Prairie Grove senior halfback Ethan Miller runs the football during a recent Black and Gold scrimmage introducing the varsity to fans. Miller runs hard and possesses explosive speed.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Prairie Grove senior halfback Ethan Miller runs the football during a recent Black and Gold scrimmage introducing the varsity to fans. Miller runs hard and possesses explosive speed. | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/right-turn-clyde/ | 2022-08-25T15:57:27Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/right-turn-clyde/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The great businessman Harvey McKay once said, "People begin to become successful the minute they decide to be." Another great quote is by Albert Einstein; he said "The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking." Simply put, we need to believe we can change and then we must alter our traditional thinking to enact and facilitate that change within our community.
Small businesses and communities have been challenged in recent years. Through all of this, we must remind ourselves of the true value small business brings to our community. Analyst Nick Rokke, of the Palm Beach Daily, pointed out some interesting small business facts. Small businesses make up 99.7% of U.S. companies. These same small businesses employ 49% of Americans and create 64% of all new jobs. Let those figures sink in!
Prior to 2020, the business environment was generally robust in most communities throughout the country. This should come as no surprise. Beginning in 2020, the dynamic changed almost overnight. Even communities that incorporated many of the proven successful tactics such as micro-TIF's, favorable tax rates, fewer regulations, city commitment, and other initiatives to assist small businesses, found themselves struggling to survive.
The equation is simple, with fewer regulations, businesses can more accurately predict the future, allowing them to hire more employees or expand. Competitive tax rates allow businesses to keep more of their profits, providing the ingredients of a strong small-medium business inducing environment. Micro-TIFs provide targeted funds for targeted areas of your community. City commitment instills confidence and support.
Why is this information important? Now is the time every community in America must shine their light inward and determine if their community is doing everything possible to support and build their future through their small business base. Communities must double down on their efforts to assure small business growth. Now is the time to spring into action and create an atmosphere of innovation, change, entrepreneurship, collaboration, and synergies.
There are many reasons why this may not be occurring in your community. It may be regional headwinds not seen in other portions of the country, such as being tied to oil prices. It may be local and state taxes coupled with regulation, such as we see in states like Illinois, New Jersey, or California stifling growth. It might be a soft labor market where jobs are hard to fill. The list of economic reasons is practically endless.
Despite the reasons above and many others, each community must take their future in their own hands. Be the future you wish to see. If taxes are too high, offer tax incentives. If regulations are stifling, reduce regulations making start-ups easy and painless. If you haven't taken advantage of micro-TIFs, investigate it and see if that fits your community. If you have a tight labor market, provide tax incentives for hiring locals in lieu of out-of-town employees. For every issue, there are also excuses. Don't dwell on excuses; look for solutions to overcome your issues through creativity, be innovative and be willing to invest in LOCAL people.
Many communities invest major dollars in courting national businesses; this isn't all bad. However, evaluate the long-term impact of those dollars on your community. In most cases, the long-term impact is much worse than we realize. Not to mention, when times get tough, national chains typically have little local loyalty and will leave.
Most importantly, while investing in small business, simultaneously invest in your current downtown. National statistics indicate those investment dollars bring the highest financial return to your community. When downtowns are left to deteriorate, you can be sure other parts of the community will soon follow. You won't see it overnight; it will be like a cancer or degenerative process that slowly infects the body until it is too weak to battle back. I have yet to see a rebuilt and vibrant downtown that hasn't positively impacted the entire community.
Our downtowns are treasures, the link between the past, present and future. Downtowns are what drives small business growth throughout the entire community. Downtowns connects the young, middle age and the mature. Your downtown is the future for those communities' seeking answers to a better tomorrow.
John Newby is a nationally recognized publisher, community, Chamber, business & media strategic consultant & speaker. His "Building Main Street, not Wall Street," column runs 60+ communities around the country. The founder of Truly-Local, he assists communities, their businesses and local media to build synergies, thus creating more vibrant communities. He can be reached at: [email protected] | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/small-business-success-equals-community-success/ | 2022-08-25T15:57:33Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/small-business-success-equals-community-success/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PRAIRIE GROVE -- The departure of a pair of longtime assistants, John Elder and Craig Laird, opened up positions on Prairie Grove's football staff and veteran head coach Danny Abshier wasted little time in filling the vacancies.
He hired Matt Chandler, John Madding and Mat Stelting, while promoting Mason Pinkley to offensive coordinator and Nik Paroubek to defensive coordinator.
Pinkley's been freed up of certain responsibilities including junior high defensive coordinator and seventh grade head coach enabling him to concentrate on the play calling. In the past Pinkley presented two options a run or a pass on every down. Now he's calling the shots and compares the delegation of authority by Abshier to one of college football's legendary coaches.
"He's more like Joe Paterno now," Pinkley said, explaining Abshier will step in and coach various positions, injecting his input, then step back and allow the assistants to resume their drills.
Abshier likes the coaching atmosphere and camaraderie that's developed. Another new coach to the program is Matt Stelting.
"It's going as smooth as I can ask for it to go. Our coaches are all good workers. The new guys double up. Having an extra guy helps. It's one more coach than we had last year," Abshier said. "Matt Chandler played for me here at Prairie Grove so he knows what it's about. My assistants who have been here [Pinkley and Paroubek] are doing a better job than I am of explaining what needs to be done. I have a tendency to just jump in and do it."
Paroubek takes over as defensive coordinator, replacing Laird, who took the head coaching job at Hulbert, Okla. Paroubek also steps into the junior high defensive coordinator shoes vacated by Pinkley.
"When a guy's with you and loyal to you, you move him up. We have new guys on staff behind him so it's not like he's doing it on his own," Abshier said.
Paroubek's preparing schemes for defending a virtually new slate of opponents with the Tigers bumped up into the 5A Classification for the 2022-2024 cycle. Prairie Grove now competes as a member of the 5A West.
"A lot of them are going to remind us of what we've seen in the playoffs, very good teams that are well organized. It presents a challenge, but I believe that we're up for the challenge. We've got a good coaching staff and we've got good kids," Paroubek said.
There are some familiar opponents on the schedule. Chief rival Farmington along with Pea Ridge and Shiloh Christian all formerly competed against the Tigers in the 4A-1. The rivalry series against Farmington occurred every year, but for the first time since 2013, "the Battle of 62" will be a conference game. There's one hitch Prairie Grove fans don't like. With the classification and conference realignment Farmington gets to host the annual rivalry game for the second straight year at Cardinal Stadium on Nov. 4.
Prairie Grove and Pea Ridge played in nonconference games the last two seasons, and the Tigers played a nonconference series against another new 5A West member, Dardanelle, as recently as 2018-2019.
"We're excited about it and I learned from the best, Coach Laird and Coach Abshier. Coach Abshier brought in some really quality assistants that helped this thing get off to a good start and keep it rolling," Paroubek said.
Madding will teach seventh and eighth grade math. He and his wife Kelcie have been married seven years. The couple has a 10 month old daughter, Kollins. He grew up in Siloam Springs and worked at Gentry the last six years.
He earned a B.S. in math at UALR, then went on to acquire a Masters in Educational Leadership from Arkansas Tech. Madding appreciates the coaching brotherhood among the Tiger staff.
"How well the staff here works together is pretty incredible, how on top of things they are, I've felt like I've been here for years. It's been an easy transition working with Coach Abshier," Madding said.
Chandler graduated from Prairie Grove in 2003. He and his wife Brooke have been married 13 years. They have two daughters, Kayla, 13, a rising eighth grader, and Alyssa, 11, who will be in the fifth grade. Chandler previously coached under another Prairie Grove alumni, Max Washausen, at Cedarville which also runs a Wing-T offense.
Chandler received a degree in P.E. and Health from Arkansas Tech. He will teach junior high health. Returning to Prairie Grove opened up dual lanes of vision for him as he looks back on his playing days when Abshier coached him.
"From a player's perspective it gave me a foundation of what I felt was needed to be a good coach. Now, I get a chance to learn from one of the best coaches in the state and I get to see it through his eyes," Chandler said.
Stelting coaches the quarterbacks and defensive backs. He and his wife, Megan, have been married three years. He teaches P.E. and Health at the high school. Stelting graduated from UCA with a dual major in history and coaching. His hobbies include golfing, duck hunting and OU football.
Stelting previously worked at Mayflower two years. He's from Gravette where he played high school football for former Lion coach Bill Harrelson as a center and defensive end. His teams never won a game against Prairie Grove and he's impressed with this year's Tiger team.
"Prairie Grove has a super close knit team. None of the guys want to let each other down," Stelting said. | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/smooth-sailing-with-new-tiger-football-staff/ | 2022-08-25T15:57:40Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/smooth-sailing-with-new-tiger-football-staff/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PRAIRIE GROVE -- Prairie Grove accustomed to playing as one of the perennial favorites in the 4A-1 plays with a chip on its shoulder in its first 5A West campaign.
"We're picked to finish fifth in the conference by Hootens. OK, we'll see? The 5A coaches say Shiloh Christian should win it followed by Farmington, Harrison and Alma. I don't know that we can't make it a little better race than they're showing," said head coach Danny Abshier.
OFFENSE
Quarterback
Last year Camden Patterson (5-10, 145) shared snaps with the graduated Paytin Higgins.
"He did half of them and did a great job so obviously he's ready to go this year," Abshier said.
Junior Luke Vance (5-9, 145) showed leadership capabilities as a sophomore.
The Tigers plan to develop two more guys, Caleb Carte, last year's junior high quarterback, and Alex Abshier into the quarterback role trying to gain some depth.
Halfback
Senior Ethan Miller (5-9, 175) lines up at halfback after starting at wingback as a junior. Miller's presence on the white team provided a level of impact that could be measured during the preseason Black and Gold scrimmage.
Junior Conner Hubbs (5-10, 155), who is slated to start at split end, helps at halfback as does sophomore Jace Edwards. Sophomores Cale Bray and Wyatt Parker add depth.
Fullback
Senior Coner Whetsell (5-8, 170) is a returning starter, and Rhett Marrell (5-8, 155), whom Abshier describes as "a very capable young man," is the No. 2 guy.
"Whetsell is coming back. He's got good speed around 4.6. He's a step behind Miller. Miller's pretty speedy," Abshier said.
Wingback
Junior Joe Sims (6-2, 200) is a tough downhill runner and starts at wingback, a key running and receiving position in the Wing-T. Juniors Hubbs and Asher Linn are the backups and Bannon has the speed.
Receivers
The Tigers are a little thin at receiver. Hubbs gets the starting nod at split end.
"Hubbs can do the job. We need to get him the ball some," Abshier said.
Tight end
Senior Matthew Velasco (6-0, 225) will be counted on more this year. He has big play capability as a pass receiver breaking open from the tight end slot.
When the Tigers line up with a double tight end formation David Stephens will be on the field. Alex Martinez is trying to learn the tight end spot and Holt Caswell is also available. Offensive lineman Morgan Cobb could move to tight end.
Offensive Linemen
Senior Ryder Orr (6-2, 260) returns at left guard with enthusiastic Jaymon Rowe playing right guard.
"Ryder is our best lineman. He returns at that spot and handles it very well. He's probably an All-State guy, a big kid who moves very well. He played basketball and pitches in baseball, a good all-around athlete," Abshier said. "Jaymon's frame fits the offensive line better than what we've had in the past. He's a 2oo-pounder who enjoys it."
The coaches want Josh Ritchey to assert himself at guard and Brian Ward is a guy stepping up although he's still learning the role.
Connor Lantz is projected to play tackle but can also play guard.
Starting center Corbin Bowlin (6-1, 230) returns.
"He's done a fine job, but he's a newer version, a little heavier and taller with some experience under his belt," Abshier said.
There's a depth at center with 6-5 Hagan Ledbetter developing in his first year playing the position.
"He's very intelligent and smart," Abshier said.
Sophomores Cobb and Trey Froud (6-3, 220) stack the position. Junior Garrett Bishop is new to football and a little light, yet learning the role of snapper.
Senior Chayton Smith (5-10, 260) returns at left tackle with Lantz as his backup. Coaches want Baylor Kissinger to work his way into the mix. Froud has the size to play tackle.
Starting right tackle James Moss (5-11, 265) dropped 30 pounds. Robert Fleming could be in the mix, but pulled muscle in his back
DEFENSE
Defensive Line
Orr destroys plays from defensive tackle. He's nimble on his feet for a guy his size and Abshier notes a quality athlete, who pitches for the baseball team.
"Ryder's our biggest and strongest and he might be the quickest off the ball. He's a guy the entire team is looking to," said Defensive Coordinator Nik Paroubek.
Velasco runs down ball carriers and the Tigers probably would not have lost at home to Lamar in the playoffs with him in the lineup.
"He's a bit of a playmaker," Paroubek said.
Bowlin rotates at defensive end keeping a fresh guy on the field.
Junior Brian Phipps is not as tall but extremely strong.
Ritchey possesses the physical tools of size and speed to earn playing time.
"We're looking for him to start making plays you expect him to make," Paroubek said.
Three different Tigers can man the nose guard spot, Moss and Smith are both large and strong while Ward is short and quick with in the words of Paroubek, "some real hidden strengths."
Outside Linebackers
Senior Tyler Dickerson (5-7, 150) is a returning starter, who's not very vocal, but always listening and tuned in to the coaches.
"He's a real try-hard kid who just does things right," Paroubek said.
Sims and Justin Bryars switch from the defensive line to linebacker.
"They were both defensive ends, who got quick and play with strength. Now, we're trying to use their athleticism in space," Paroubek said.
Sophomore Caleb Carte started both years in junior high.
Inside Linebackers
Returning starters Whetsell and Marrell play the run and pass well. Whetsell can run, is extremely strong, talented, and very physical. Marrell is one of the Tigers' strongest kids who squats over 400 pounds, loves the weight room, smart and savvy.
"We'll try to utilize their speed and have them stay on the field all four downs," Paroubek said.
Two juniors pushing for playing time, David Stevens and Spencer Allen, have each played well and Paroubek expects them to be on the field more this year.
Cornerbacks
Hubbs returns as a starting cornerback after playing well as a sophomore.
"We're expecting big things from him. He's a pitcher in baseball, a very talented kid," Paroubek said.
Vance and Edwards can play either safety or cornerback.
"They are good athletes and very savvy. They will help us at cornerback," Paroubek said.
Vance brings intelligence while working that spot.
Safeties
Returning starters Miller and Patterson man the safety spots. Coaches are excited about Linn's ability after demonstrating a knack for the position on last year's scout team. Sophomore Braxton Breshears leads a host of sophomores whom coaches hope can contribute. | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/tigers-approach-5a-west-running-downhill/ | 2022-08-25T15:57:46Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/tigers-approach-5a-west-running-downhill/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Photo: Brown, Hall, Sanchez
Flag: Farrell
Nellene Augusta Adkins
Nellene Augusta Adkins, age 80, of Farmington, Ark., passed away on Sunday, August 14, 2022, at the Willard Walker Hospice Home in Fayetteville. Daughter of Edward Brice and Marguerite Imogene (Tucker) Gates, Nellene was born in Peach Orchard, Ark., on April 2, 1942. On May 9, 1970, she married James Arden "Big Jim" Adkins at the North Acres General Baptist Church in Sikeston, Missouri; he preceded her in death on July 13, 1998.
Nellene worked as an aide for special needs children at the Southwind Middle School in Memphis, Tennessee. She was an avid collector of "stuff," enjoyed shopping, and in her spare time she gave so much taking care of others. Her family was the most important thing in her life and her grandchildren were her greatest pride and joy. Nellene was a dear soul who will be missed by all who knew and loved her.
Survivors include two children, James "Jim" Adkins II, and his wife Alana, of Fayetteville, and Norma Reynolds, and her husband Chris, of Farmington; three grandchildren, Ava Adkins, A.J. Adkins, and Emily Reynolds; two brothers, Edward D. Gates and his wife Marie, of Miner, Missouri, Kevin Gates and his wife Debbie, of Carlyle, Illinois; two sisters, Patricia Comstock and her husband Lee, of Sikeston, Missouri, and Carlette Proukou and her husband Spear, of Russell, Pennsylvania; and several nieces and nephews.
Grace Joy Brown
Grace Joy Brown, age 98, a longtime resident of the Lincoln area, went to be with her Lord on Wednesday, August 17, 2022, in Springdale, Arkansas. She was born December 21, 1923, in Fly Creek, Arkansas, the daughter of Thomas Lloyd and Sarah Dorcas (Cox) Reed.
Grace was a member of the Assembly of God Church in Lincoln, Arkansas.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband H.K. "Ballie" Brown, two grandchildren, Joyce Carleen McGuire and Susan Renae Quickle; one sister, Martha Elizabeth Parr; five brothers, Allen, Harold Leon, Robert King, Kenneth Eugene and George Ivan Reed.
Survivors include her son, Gary Lee Brown and his wife Sharon of Sapulpa, Oklahoma; two daughters, Glenna Colene Hoaldridge and her husband Hank of Burleson, Texas, and Jolleen Adams and her husband Greg of Fayetteville, Arkansas; 10 grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren and 21 great great grandchildren.
Funeral service was held Saturday, August 20, 2022, at Luginbuel Chapel in Prairie Grove. Burial was in the Reese Cemetery.
Online guest book, www.luginbuel.com.
Earl Farrell
Earl Farrell, 70, of Hogeye, Arkansas, passed away August 3, 2022. He was born August 13, 1951, son of Charlie Earl Farrell, Wanda (Casey) Prince, and stepfather Doyle "Doc" Prince.
Earl was a self-made entrepreneur who believed in working hard and playing harder. He served in the U.S. Army. In 1982, he started a business out of the back of his pickup truck, and over the last 40 years led the company to become Hogbox. He was a world traveler, marathon runner and classic rock enthusiast. Earl spoke several languages and enjoyed his time abroad, especially in Germany. His mechanical aptitude and willingness and ability to build something from nothing was amazing. His knowledge on a multitude of subjects and unique view of how to perceive the world will be missed. He did not live an ordinary life.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
He leaves behind his wife of 45 years, Carolyn Farrell of Hogeye, AR; brothers, Paul Farrell of San Antonio, TX, and Doyle Prince Jr. of Cincinnati, AR; son, Travis Farrell and wife Abigail of Springdale, AR; daughter, Casey Farrell and husband Marco Tarrillo of Springdale, AR; and four grandchildren, Franklin, David, Josephine and Evan.
As per his wishes, no public services will be held.
He was a board member of White Rock Cemetery and contributions to the cemetery would honor his legacy. Donations may be made to Simmons First Bank for White Rock Cemetery.
Andrea Lea Hall
Andrea Lea Hall, age 58, a resident of Rogers, passed away Wednesday, August 10, 2022, in Fayetteville. She was born January 4, 1964, in Maywood, California, the daughter of Wayne and Mary LaVonne (Phillips) Hall.
Andrea graduated from Prairie Grove High School and completed her bachelor degree from the University of Arkansas. She continued to be a lifelong Razorback baseball and basketball fan. Andrea joined Walton Enterprises in January 1988 as one of only five employees. As the office grew, she worked in many capacities including accounting, payroll, human relations and taxation. Most of her responsibilities centered around her role as a Senior Accountant. Andrea was active in high school in many years, including a member of the Annual staff, Future Homemakers of America, Spanish Club and the Math and Science Club. She was also was a member of the Junior National Honor Society and served on the Student Council. She played basketball all four years and received many hours during high school, such as Society of Distinguished High School Students, DAR Good Citizenship Award and Girl's State Delegate. She was elected "Most Likely To Succeed" her senior year.
With all these accomplishments, Andrea's greatest accomplishment was her friendship. We will miss her smile, sense of humor, her willingness to help with anything, her compassionate nature. Andrea was not just a classmate. She was our friend and she will be missed.
She was preceded in death by her mother, LaVonne Hall.
Survivors include her father, Wayne Hall; one brother, Charles Hall; one nephew, Colton Hall; and one niece, Shelby Hall.
Funeral service was held Monday, August 15, 2022, at Luginbuel Chapel in Prairie Grove. Burial was in the Farmington Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Prairie Grove Senior Center or the Prairie Grove Library.
Online guestbook: www.luginbuel.com.
Margorie Edith Long
Margorie Edith Long, 92, a resident of Prairie Grove, passed away Wednesday, August 10, 2022, in Fayetteville. She was born September 28, 1929, in Boston, Massachusetts, the daughter of Kenneth Earl and Lillian Marie (Schenhoff) Thompson.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Loy Long; brothers, Joe & Jr. Thompson; and one sister, Lorella Howell.
Survivors include her three sons, Rickey Loy Long (Brenda), Kenneth Randall Long (Leta) and Danny Keith Long (Karla), all of Prairie Grove; three sisters, Jewell Barnett of Prairie Grove, Thelma Gregg of Springdale and Neva Parker of Tucson, Arizona; grandchildren, Kym Cook, Karlene Wylie, Kara Smith, Nicole Evans, Dustin Long, Wesley Long, Cassy Long, Stacy Long and Sarah Gardner; great-grandchildren, Daniel, Alex, Levi, Kaleb, Haleigh, Bradley, Rahely, Westin, Linley, Hudson, Harper, Millie, Benton, Hayden, Bryce, Hannah, Payton and Liam; great-great-grandchildren, Serayah, Oakleigh and baby Wilsie
Memorial service was held Friday, August 19, at 10 a.m. at the Luginbuel Chapel in Prairie Grove, Arkansas. Burial was in the Prairie Grove Cemetery in Prairie Grove, Arkansas.
Online guest book, www.luginbuel.com.
Lorenzo Vest Sanchez
Lorenzo Vest Sanchez, age 30, residing in Lincoln, Arkansas, passed away on Saturday August, 13, 2022.
Lorenzo was born May 25, 1992, in Fayetteville, AR. He grew up in Lincoln, AR, and spent his life helping and caring for others and his family.
At the age of 18 he graduated from Lincoln High School and then went on to have his one and only son, Gabriel Sanchez, with Kelsey Skelton. He enjoyed taking Gabriel out fishing, listening to music with his surround system going, playing video games, cracking jokes and going for drives in his truck. Gabriel was his whole world.
He is preceded in death by his grandparents; grandma, Darlene Vest, and grandpa, Charles Vest, and grandpa, Isidro Mancera.
He is survived by his son, Gabriel Sanchez; mom, Sharon Denton and stepdad Richard Denton; sister, Angie Perkins, wife of Amanda Perkins; brother, Charles Perkins, husband of Christy Perkins; brother, Oscar Perkins; brother, Roy Sanchez, husband of Paige Sanchez; sister Manicka Cheatham, wife of Darien Cheatham; sister, Micaela Nickles, wife of Justin Nickles; sister, Rosa Hernandez, girlfriend of Daniel Escobar; stepsisters, Shaina Denton, Tonya Denton and Lilly Denton; aunts and uncle, Leshia Holcomb, Lawanda Hall, Sandra Langarica (Big Nanna) and her husband Lupe Gomez (Tio); nieces, nephews, cousins, a great aunt and many extended family members.
Funeral service was held Friday, August 19, 2022, at Luginbuel Chapel. Burial was in the Rhea Cemetery.
Online guestbook: www.luginbuel.com. | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/wcel-obituaries-for-aug-24-2022/ | 2022-08-25T15:57:57Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/wcel-obituaries-for-aug-24-2022/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
FARMINGTON
Yoga In The Creekside Park
The next event for Let's Move, Farmington will be yoga lessons from 9-10 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 10 at Creekside Park. Meet at the big pavilion. The event is sponsored by the city's Community Development Committee.
Fall CleanUp
The Fall Cleanup for Farmington residents will be held 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Friday, Sept. 23 and 7 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Sept. 24. Drop off is at the public works building, 380 N. Broyles St. Proof of residency is required. Electronics will be accepted. What's not acceptable: household trash, hardardous waste, refrigerants, yard waste, construction material, tires, paint, gas or oil.
PRAIRIE GROVE
Library Book Sale
Friends of Prairie Grove Library will have its Buck-A-Bag sale from 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Aug. 27. The sale will be in the pavilion in the parking lot at the library. Price will be $1 per bag of books, $3 per box of books.
Clothesline Fair Gospel Sing
Anyone interested in singing at the Clothesline Fair Gospel Sing on Sunday, Sept. 4, please call Marion Cowan at 479-841-3372. Each singer or group, please plan on 20-30 minutes of song. Everyone else bring a lawn chair and enjoy the music. | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/whats-happening/ | 2022-08-25T15:58:03Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/whats-happening/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LINCOLN -- Lincoln believes it can do what no other Wolves' football team has ever accomplished, qualify for the playoffs for a third straight year this season despite being bumped up to 4A.
During his first stint at Lincoln as offensive coordinator under former head coach Don Harrison from 2018-2019 Lincoln head coach Reed Mendoza got familiar with the 4A-1, a league which the Wolves rejoin this season. On paper at least the schedule appears to present several "winnable" conference games.
"I'm not one who's afraid to say things. I have confidence in my guys. We feel like we'll be just fine. We return a lot of starters and we're looking forward to the challenge. One of our goals is to make it three years in a row in the playoffs. God willing, if we stay healthy I think we will," Mendoza said.
OFFENSE
Quarterback
Junior Drew Moore (6-2, 185) struggled in the nonconference season last year, then led the Wolves to a 47-point explosion in their fourth game and became a force to be reckoned with.
"Drew improved steadily throughout the year. Really as a sophomore late in the season he became a leader for us. He's always done a good job of commanding the offense, making sure we're lined up and lined up correctly, making sure everybody's on the same page so that's a given. That's something we don't have to worry about, which is nice," Mendoza said.
Sophomore Kale Jones will be the backup quarterback. Behind him is freshman Kaden Job promoted to varsity over the summer.
"He's a ninth grader, we're moving him to play senior high ball and he's a little bit of a utility player for us as well. You might see him at some defensive line, you might see him at some linebacker, then you might see him in the slot [receiver] or in the fullback position. Kaden can throw the ball around a little bit. He's just a good athlete, does a lot of things well," Mendoza said.
Jace Birkes adds depth at quarterback.
Runningback
Once Jones got promoted to varsity four games into the 2021 season, his running ability made a major difference and played a key role in the mid-season turnaround from an 0-4 start to a playoff team.
"It was a tough decision because we felt like we had a great shot to win the junior high conference [title] and we still take Charleston to overtime without Kale for a chance to do that. We came up a little bit short," Mendoza said.
Senior Layne Sellers spells Jones and will be utilized in short yardage situations.
"Layne's an old school football player, he's hard nosed, blue collar, and there's nothing flashy about the way he plays on offense. He's just going to get behind the shoulder pads and keep his feet moving and get what he can," Mendoza said.
Ruger Remington might see some carries as well, and the Wolves could move Caden Brewer or Kellar Price into the backfield.
H-Back
The Wolves' spread offense operates mostly out of H-back type alignments, and won't get into any true fullback type sets. Job will play a lot of that H-back or Sniffer Back" as the Wolves refer to the position. Sellers can also man the spot. Guys coming out of the backfield are demonstrating a capacity to catch the ball in pass routes.
"You feel like it's a trickle-down effect from the NFL to college to high school or from college on down to high school depending on how you look at it, but in 80-to-90 percent of offense the runningback has to be able to catch the ball. We feel like three out of four of our possibilities really do a good job. Some of them can even play receiver so that definitely adds versatility and another weapon for us," Mendoza said.
Receivers
Birkes is one of several Wolves who can play receiver. As a freshman at the junior high level Birkes was a big playmaker and again carries the potential every time he steps on the field because he's got a burning will to win and will try to beat the other team if he can possibly find a way to do it.
The junior class has several guys with a penchant for catching the ball and running for extra yards including slot receiver Kellar Price who had over 400 yards receiving in 2021.
Mendoza hails both for their consistent pass-catching abilities.
"When you throw it their way you feel confident that they're going to come down with it," Mendoza said.
Caden Brewer will start in the other slot while the Wolves's other outside receiver is just going to kind of be a rotation of some younger guys, possibly a junior and a couple of sophomores.
"We feel good about our receiving corps," Mendoza said.
Offensive Line
As of the second week of August, Lincoln's projected starting offensive from left to right features left tackle Ryan Provence, a returning starter, left guard Kevin Lee, another returning starter, center Val Diaz, who started as a sophomore and missed all of last year, right guard would either be Bryce Bradley or Bryson Sams, and right tackle Caleb Roy, a returning starter.
Four out of the five are returning starters, counting Diaz, who was out last year with an injury, and the fifth, Bradley, started some games at the end of last season.
Mendoza praises new offensive line coaches, Coach Jake Heinrich and Coach Jacob Yarbis, for doing an excellent job with enhancing the Wolves' physicality.
"We like our group up front. We love them. I think they're going to, again maybe not ever give you that wow factor, but they can be really, really solid," Mendoza said.
DEFENSE
Defensive Coordinator J Keith resigned to take the head baseball coaching job at Siloam Springs. That prompted Mendoza to switch from a career offensive coach to take over Lincoln's defense.
"Defensively, we return a lot of starters as well. We didn't graduate much production. We did lose a couple of kids that we planned to have back that did have a lot of production, but that's fine," Mendoza said.
Defensive Line
On the defensive line the coaches welcome Mason Adkins, who hasn't played since his freshman year. He's a big kid, 6-3, 220 pounds, whom Mendoza said plays with an incredible motor, and looks to start at nose guard.
At one defensive end it's kind of a rotation of Bradley and Sams. They'll just kind of split time on both sides of the ball and coaches will keep them as fresh as possible. The other defensive end position could be Roy, Provence or sophomore Ty Moss, who played last year on that freshman team and did a really good job.
Linebackers
The Wolves return three of four linebackers with Price, Jones and Sellers along with Chris West, who played significant minutes last year. Trace Wallace is back after missing last year with a knee injury. Job will factor into linebacker as well.
"I feel really good about that crew, they're undersized but hard-nosed and physical. They make up for the size difference with their physicality," Mendoza said.
Secondary
Birkes, a second year starter, plays a ballhawking safety. Brewer plays one cornerback with the second position up for grabs. Burks is rotating with Junior Hall. Price played safety during fall camp.
"It's kind of some moving pieces there, but we're getting them more settled more and more every day," Mendoza said.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicking Game
Senior Tsimtxhua Vang gives Lincoln a leg up in its kicking game.
"He offers us a weapon there and he will be back. He has to have a little bit of wind, but here [at Wolfpack Stadium] there is always wind so at least for one half we're going to be able to put it in the end zone [on kickoffs] and that's what we'll try to do make them drive the length of the field and it's hard for any offense to do that," Mendoza said.
Vang also provides a field goal option in a last second situation or end of the half scenario.
"He's got the leg to legitimately stretch it out. I think in practice last year he hit from 47, maybe 48, but you feel [kicking] from 35 yards with him for sure.
Punting
Jones will punt this year. | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/wolves-confident-returning-to-4a-1/ | 2022-08-25T15:58:09Z | wcel.nwaonline.com | control | https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2022/aug/24/wolves-confident-returning-to-4a-1/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Scientists develop a new approach that produces enough cells for therapeutic applications
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A new variation of the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system makes it easier to re-engineer massive quantities of cells for therapeutic applications. The approach, developed at Gladstone Institutes and UC San Francisco (UCSF), lets scientists introduce especially long DNA sequences to precise locations in the genomes of cells at remarkably high efficiencies without the viral delivery systems that have traditionally been used to carry DNA into cells.
"One of our goals for many years has been to put lengthy DNA instructions into a targeted site in the genome in a way that doesn't depend on viral vectors," says Alex Marson, MD, PhD, director of the Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology and senior author of the new study. "This is a huge step toward the next generation of safe and effective cell therapies."
In the new paper published in the journal Nature Biotechnology, Marson and his colleagues not only describe the technology but show how it can be used to generate CAR-T cells with the potential to fight multiple myeloma, a blood cancer, as well as to rewrite gene sequences where mutations can lead to rare inherited immune diseases.
"We showed that we can engineer more than one billion cells in a single run, which is well above the number of cells we need to treat an individual patient," says first author Brian Shy, MD, PhD, a clinical fellow in Marson's lab.
CRISPR-Cas9, a system that edits genes inside living cells, has been used as a basic research tool for the past decade. Increasingly, many clinician scientists are excited about the potential of CRISPR-Cas9 to generate living cell therapies.
With gene editing, one can turn off, delete, or replace a mutated, disease-causing gene, or boost the cancer-fighting activity of an immune cell, among other things. While the first therapeutic applications of CRISPR-Cas9 have recently entered clinical trials, the technology has still been limited by the challenge of safely making large quantities of correctly edited cells.
Traditionally, researchers have relied on viral vectors—the shells of viruses without their disease-causing components—to carry the DNA (called the DNA template) used for gene therapy into cells. However, manufacturing bulk amounts of clinical-grade viral vectors has been a major bottleneck in getting cell therapies to patients. In addition, researchers can't easily control where traditional viral vectors insert genes within the genome.
"Using viral vectors is expensive and resource intensive," says Shy. "A major benefit of a non-viral approach to gene engineering is that we're not as limited by cost, manufacturing complexity, and supply chain challenges."
In 2015, Marson's group—in collaboration with the lab of CRISPR pioneer Jennifer Doudna, PhD—first showed that they could insert short DNA templates into immune cells without viral vectors, using an electrical field that makes cells' outer membranes more permeable. By 2018, they developed a method to cut and paste longer DNA sequences into immune cells with CRISPR.
Then, in 2019, the researchers discovered that by also using a modified version of the DNA templates that can bind to the Cas9 enzyme—the same protein that acts as molecular scissors during CRISPR gene editing—they could deliver the new sequences to the targeted genome site more efficiently.
However, more work was required to improve the yield of successfully engineered immune cells and to make the process compatible with the manufacturing of future cell therapies. Those goals motivated the team's current study.
DNA can exist in single or double strands (like opposing pieces of Velcro), and Cas9 attaches to double-stranded DNA. The researchers quickly discovered that high levels of double-stranded DNA template can be toxic to cells, so the method could only be used with low quantities of template DNA, leading to a low efficiency.
The team knew that single-stranded DNA was less toxic to cells, even at relatively high concentrations. So, in the new paper, they describe a method to attach the modified Cas9 enzyme to a single-stranded template DNA, by adding just a small overhang of double-stranded DNA at the ends.
"This gives us a balanced, best-of-both-worlds approach," says Marson.
Single-stranded template DNA could more than double the efficiency of gene editing compared to the older, double-stranded approach. And the double-stranded ends of the molecules let researchers use Cas9 to enhance the delivery of non-viral vectors into cells.
"This technology has the potential to make new cell and gene therapies faster, better, and less expensive," says Jonathan Esensten, MD, PhD, an author of the new work who is an assistant professor of laboratory medicine at UCSF and an affiliate investigator at Gladstone.
In the study, researchers used the new DNA template to generate more than a billion CAR-T cells that target multiple myeloma. CAR-T cells are immune T cells genetically modified to effectively fight specific cells or cancers. With the new single-stranded, Cas9 directed templates, approximately half of all T cells gained the new gene and, as a result, were converted to CAR-T cells.
"We knew that targeting the DNA templates to a specific location in the genome, called the TRAC site, would improve the anti-tumor potency of CAR-T cells," says Justin Eyquem, PhD, a co-author of the new paper, assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at UCSF, and affiliate investigator at Gladstone. "This new non-viral approach enables us to achieve that targeting much more efficiently, which will accelerate the development of the next generation of CAR-T cell therapies."
In addition, the researchers showed that their approach could, for the first time, replace in their entirety two genes associated with rare genetic immune diseases, the IL2RA and the CTLA4 genes.
In the past, scientists had shown they could replace small sections of the IL2RA gene where particular patients have mutations. Now, Marson's team proved that they can replace the whole IL2RA and CTLA4 genes at once—a "one size fits all" approach that could treat many patients with different mutations in these genes, rather than having to generate personalized templates for each patient's mutation. Nearly 90 percent of the cells treated with this gene engineering approach gained the healthy versions of the genes.
The researchers are now seeking approval to advance clinical trials using non-viral CRISPR technology in both CAR-T cell therapy and the treatment of IL2RA deficiency.
The paper "High-yield genome engineering in primary cells using a hybrid ssDNA repair template and small-molecule cocktails" was published in the journal Nature Biotechnology on August 25, 2022.
Other authors are Vivasvan S. Vykunta, Alvin Ha, Alexis Talbot, Theodore L. Roth, David N. Nguyen, Yan Yi Chien, Franziska Blaeschke, Eric Shifrut, Shane Vedova, Murad R. Mamedov, Jing-Yi Chung, and Ruby Yu of the Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology; Wolfgang G. Pfeifer and Carlos E. Castro of The Ohio State University; Hong Li and Lumeng Ye of GenScript Biotech; and David Wu, Jeffrey Wolf, and Thomas G. Martin of UCSF.
The work was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (P01AI138962 and P01AI155393), the UCSF Grand Multiple Myeloma Translational Initiative, the Weill Neurohub, the Larry L. Hillblom Foundation (2020-D-002-NET), and the Innovative Genomics Institute.
The researchers were also supported by National Institutes of Health (L40AI140341, K08AI153767), the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (L30TR002983), the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (F30DK120213), the Simons Foundation, the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, the Cancer Research Institute, the UCSF Herbert Perkins Cellular Therapy and Transfusion Medicine Fellowship, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (INFR-10361), the Care-for-Rare Foundation, the German Research Foundation, the UCSF Medical Scientist Training Program (T32GM007618), the UCSF Endocrinology Training Grant (T32 DK007418), Mnemo Therapeutics, Takeda, Cytovia Therapeutics, the Human Vaccines Project Michelson Prize, and the National Science Foundation (1933344).
To ensure our work does the greatest good, Gladstone Institutes focuses on conditions with profound medical, economic, and social impact—unsolved diseases. Gladstone is an independent, nonprofit life science research organization that uses visionary science and technology to overcome disease. It has an academic affiliation with the University of California, San Francisco.
The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is exclusively focused on the health sciences and is dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care. UCSF Health, which serves as UCSF's primary academic medical center, includes top-ranked specialty hospitals and other clinical programs, and has affiliations throughout the Bay Area. Learn more at ucsf.edu, or see our Fact Sheet.
Gladstone Institutes: Julie Langelier | julie.langelier@gladstone.org | 415.734.2019
UCSF: Robin Marks | robin.marks@ucsf.edu | 628.399.0370
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SOURCE Gladstone Institutes | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/08/25/cellular-engineering-breakthrough-high-yield-crispr-without-viral-vectors/ | 2022-08-25T15:58:27Z | wave3.com | control | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/08/25/cellular-engineering-breakthrough-high-yield-crispr-without-viral-vectors/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The professional moving company provides competitive pay and flexible schedules
TAMPA, Fla. , Aug. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- It's back to school time and if you're looking for a way to balance your college classes with a great job, College HUNKS Hauling Junk and Moving® has the solution. The award-winning full-service moving and hauling company is now hiring. They offer competitive pay and flexible schedules, and applicants can schedule an interview online and receive notice for an appointment within minutes.
"The past couple of years have been incredibly exciting for our brand. We've grown significantly, having opened 50 new locations in 2021 and we've added more this year," said Roman Cowan, President of College HUNKS. "To help meet this growth, we're looking for new team members to join our organization. We are committed to our core values, including building leaders. By recruiting college students, we can help pave the way for a successful future with a job that offers an opportunity for building your resume, earning competitive pay, and more."
The brand is hiring more than 1,000 full-time and part-time employees nationwide and opportunities are also available for customer service positions and Brand Central careers. In addition to their expedited application process, the company offers various incentives for new hires. Each location is owned by a franchise partner, so incentives may vary. Check with your local College HUNKS for details.
"Our team members are the backbone of our enterprise and we hold steadfast to a People First philosophy that puts our guests and team members in the forefront. College HUNKS has a firm belief that when you take care of your people, your company can grow," added Cowan. "We're excited to continue our expansion across the country and welcome new talent to join us on the journey."
For more information, including employment opportunities, visit https://www.collegehunkshaulingjunk.com/jobs/.
About College HUNKS Hauling Junk and Moving
College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving® was originally founded by two college buddies with a beat-up cargo van and now has more than 190 franchises providing full-service tech-enabled residential and commercial moving, junk removal, donation pickups, and labor services in the United States as well as Canada. H.U.N.K.S., which stands for Honest, Uniformed, Nice, Knowledgeable, Service, is a socially conscious, values-based organization and has a national partnership with U.S. Hunger, which strives to end childhood hunger. The company strives to become recognized as an iconic brand, renowned for its world-class company culture and service, while also providing a viable employment and franchise opportunity to pursue personal and professional fulfillment.
In January 2022, College HUNKS was featured in the Season 11 premiere of the CBS series UNDERCOVER BOSS. Co-founders Nick Friedman and Omar Soliman both went undercover to examine their company's operations and this marked the first time that two bosses were featured in one show.
For more information, visit https://www.collegehunkshaulingjunk.com.
Media Contact:
Brianne Barbakoff
Brianne@inklinkmarketing.com
786-605-9228
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SOURCE College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/08/25/college-hunks-seeks-hire-new-muscle/ | 2022-08-25T15:58:49Z | wave3.com | control | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/08/25/college-hunks-seeks-hire-new-muscle/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
23XI Racing announced today that Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 45 Toyota Camry TRD, will miss the start of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs as he continues to recover from an injury sustained at Pocono Raceway. Kurt’s health and well-being continue to be of utmost importance to 23XI and the team fully supports his decision to focus on taking the time to get better.
The decision will also result in the team withdrawing the medical waiver that was requested for Busch to remain eligible for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, should he have been cleared to return to competition in time.
Busch effectively earned a spot in the playoffs with a dominant win at Kansas Speedway in May. The victory marked Busch’s ninth consecutive year with a win and earned him a spot, at the time, in the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season.
While Busch will no longer be eligible for the Driver’s Championship, the No. 45 team will continue to compete for the Owner’s Championship.
“Kurt has elevated our entire organization this year,” said 23XI team president, Steve Lauletta. “Although Kurt will not be competing for a championship this season, he will continue to play a vital role in the organization as he works with our competition group to keep improving and strengthening the team.”
“As much as I wanted and hoped to be able to get back in the No. 45 car to make a playoff run with our team, it’s still not the right time for me,” said Busch. “In addition to not being cleared to return to racing, I know that I am not ready to be back in the car. I respect the sport of NASCAR, my fellow drivers and the fans too much to take up a playoff spot if I know I can’t compete for a championship this season. The decision was not an easy one, but I know it is the right thing to do. I will continue to take time to heal and strengthen as I prepare to be back in the car and will do all I can to help 23XI continue the success we have had this season.”
Ty Gibbs will continue to substitute for Busch and will be behind the wheel of the No. 45 Monster Energy Toyota Camry TRD this weekend at Daytona International Speedway.
23XI PR | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/nascar-cup-series-news/72331-kurt-busch-to-miss-start-of-nascar-playoffs | 2022-08-25T16:01:04Z | speedwaydigest.com | control | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/nascar-cup-series-news/72331-kurt-busch-to-miss-start-of-nascar-playoffs | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The garage continues to gain popularity as the delivery location of choice for today's savvy online shoppers
OAK BROOK, Ill., Aug. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Walmart is joining forces with myQ® smart garage technology to expand in-garage delivery through Walmart+ InHome. Millions of homeowners who already use the myQ app to monitor, control and secure their garage door, and Walmart+ InHome members, will soon be able to have their Walmart groceries and household essentials conveniently delivered to their garage. InHome associates will also be able to pick up returns within the garage, eliminating the hassle of returns for customers.
"The goal of Walmart+ InHome is to give our members convenience and choice and, over the last few years, we've discovered our in-garage delivery option is a popular choice among members," said Whitney Pegden, VP and GM, InHome. "We're really excited for myQ smart garage technology to help us reach more customers with a more seamless in-garage experience."
When it comes to smart garage technology, myQ has a stronghold on the market with one in five households already equipped with a myQ smart garage door opener. myQ can be found in LiftMaster® and Chamberlain® smart garage door opener brands or can be easily integrated with other leading brands of garage door openers with a myQ Smart Garage Control device.
As online shoppers continue to demand better delivery solutions that are safe, convenient and flexible, the nation's largest retailers, like Walmart, are leveraging myQ to make it even easier for customers to use delivery services like Walmart+ InHome and take advantage of the benefits of in-garage delivery.
"With over 210 million packages having vanished from porches across the US last year, many consumers feel the need to schedule their day around deliveries to ensure they get their packages and groceries," said Kiel Fitzgerald, Senior Director of Delivery Services for Chamberlain Group, a global leader in access control solutions with its Chamberlain and LiftMaster garage door opener brands and myQ technology. "In-Garage Delivery puts the customer in control with no need to schedule the day around deliveries – rain or shine, packages and groceries will stay safe inside the garage until someone is free to get them."
With the Walmart+ InHome delivery service, customers will be able to purchase groceries, household essentials and other items from the Walmart app, and have the option of having them delivered into the garage. Full-time, tenured Walmart associates will be assigned to the delivery, providing a trusted and familiar face for every order. On delivery day they will get one-time access to the garage via a myQ connected device. They'll put away the order in the garage (and – if available – the garage fridge,) sanitize any surface they touched, plus even pick up any returns. Once the delivery is complete, they will close the garage door to ensure the home and packages are secure.
Simple setup.
"If you're not sure you have a myQ smart garage door opener, look up to see if there is a myQ logo and a WiFi logo, or it says "powered by myQ" on your garage opener," added Fitzgerald. "Then download the myQ app and follow the steps to connect your opener(s) to the myQ app."
No myQ? No problem. When you subscribe to Walmart+ InHome and choose myQ as your default delivery method, you will be offered a FREE technology upgrade to make your existing garage door opener compatible.
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About myQ Smart Access
myQ technology enables products to seamlessly work together to provide reliable, secure access management solutions that solve for everyday access needs across common entry points to homes, communities, businesses and beyond. It's a powerful platform that empowers people, businesses and partners with the knowledge to do more and the control to make it happen, anytime from anywhere. Follow myQ on Facebook and Instagram.
About Chamberlain Group
Chamberlain Group, a Blackstone company, is a global leader in smart access solutions across residential and commercial properties. Our prominent brands LiftMaster®, Chamberlain®, Merlin® and Grifco® are found in millions of residential and commercial access applications across the globe. Our innovative products and partnerships, powered by our myQ® smart ecosystem, provide customers with smart access solutions to move safely through garages, homes, communities, businesses and storage facilities. Chamberlain Group pioneered vehicle-to-home connectivity through patented technology aboard hundreds of millions of vehicles. Chamberlain Group includes Controlled Products Systems Group, a leading wholesale distributor of perimeter access control equipment in the U.S., and Systems, LLC, one of North America's leading dock leveler manufacturers. Follow Chamberlain Group on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
About Walmart
About Walmart Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better - anytime and anywhere - in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, approximately 230 million customers and members visit more than 10,500 stores and numerous eCommerce websites under 46 banners in 24 countries. With fiscal year 2022 revenue of $573 billion, Walmart employs approximately 2.3 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting https://corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at https://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/walmart.
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SOURCE myQ | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/08/25/myq-smart-technology-will-soon-expand-walmart-inhome-deliveries-garage/ | 2022-08-25T16:01:17Z | wave3.com | control | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/08/25/myq-smart-technology-will-soon-expand-walmart-inhome-deliveries-garage/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Toyota’s priority for Kurt Busch since the moment the accident took place at Pocono has been his health and recovery. Not his recovery to get back in a race car, but his recovery overall. TRD has been working directly with Kurt to support him on his recovery journey, but ultimately this decision was Kurt’s and we support him completely. While we’re disappointed that he won’t get the chance to compete for the 2022 championship by missing the start of the Playoffs, his well-being is the only thing that matters to us. We know Kurt will still be a big part of our championship efforts this season through his support and his extensive racing knowledge that he can share with his team and fellow Toyota drivers.
~ David Wilson, President, TRD U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development) | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/nascar-cup-series-news/72336-toyota-statement-on-kurt-busch-missing-start-of-2022-nascar-playoffs | 2022-08-25T16:01:26Z | speedwaydigest.com | control | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/nascar-cup-series-news/72336-toyota-statement-on-kurt-busch-missing-start-of-2022-nascar-playoffs | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Express Notes
Press Kit: Download the 2022 FedEx Racing press materials at www.fedexracing.com/presskit, including bios for Denny Hamlin, Chris Gabehart and Joe Gibbs Racing leadership, program highlights and statistics.
Watkins Glen Recap: The No. 11 team finished 20th in last weekend’s race at Watkins Glen International. After starting 22nd when the race began on a wet track, Hamlin slipped back and eventually fell a lap down during stage one. He eventually rejoined the lead lap during the final segment and climbed to 20th when the checkered flag waved.
Daytona Stats: Hamlin is a three-time winner at Daytona International Speedway with all three victories coming in the Daytona 500. Overall, he has tallied 11 top-five finishes, including three in his past five starts at the historic 2.5-mile speedway. Earlier this year, Hamlin was running solidly inside the top 10 before being collected in a multi-car accident that ended his day prematurely.
Hamlin Statistics
Track: Daytona International Speedway
Races: 33
Wins: 3
Poles: 0
Top-5: 11
Top-10: 12
Laps Led: 635
Avg. Start: 16.6
Avg. Finish: 16.5
Hamlin Conversation – Daytona
What is your mindset going into this weekend at Daytona?
“We are going there with a lot of confidence knowing that we don’t really have to do anything special because we’re already locked into the playoffs. It’s a free race for us, so it’s an opportunity to go out and try to get a few more playoff points. I don’t see any reason why we should feel any pressure other than to go out there and try to win the race. I feel like this race is usually chaotic being the last race for guys to make the playoffs. I would say there’s going to be no shortage of wrecks and a lot of things will happen. For me, I’ve just got to be patient because I know I’ve got to make it to the checkered flag if I’m going to win the race.”
FedEx Cares / Accion Opportunity Fund: Hamlin’s FedEx Toyota Camry TRD will feature a special paint scheme this weekend to recognize FedEx Cares and the Accion Opportunity Fund. Together, FedEx Cares, e-commerce consultancy 37 Oaks and the Accion Opportunity Fund are providing entrepreneurs hands-on learning and a platform to ship their products across the country. Specifically, FedEx Cares is committed to strengthening minority- and women-owned businesses globally with the tools they need to succeed. FedEx is donating an additional $1 million to the Accion Opportunity Fund to help diverse small business owners in their transition to e-commerce as digital shopping becomes more common.
Back of the Yards Coffee: Hamlin recently visited Back of the Yards Coffee – a local coffee shop in Chicago and member of the FedEx E-Commerce Lab – to learn more about how FedEx and the Accion Opportunity Fund are working together to help small businesses. During their meeting, Hamlin surprised one of the shop’s co-owners, Jesse Iniguez, by inviting him and his family, as well as co-owner Mayra Hernandez to this weekend’s race in Daytona where the Back of the Yards Coffee logo will be featured on the TV panel of the No. 11 FedEx Cares Camry TRD.
JGR PR | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/nascar-cup-series-news/72339-fedex-racing-express-facts-daytona-international-speedway | 2022-08-25T16:01:39Z | speedwaydigest.com | control | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/nascar-cup-series-news/72339-fedex-racing-express-facts-daytona-international-speedway | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NASCAR Cup Series
Next Race: Coke Zero Sugar 400
The Place: Daytona International Speedway
The Date: Saturday, August 27
The Time: 7 p.m. ET
The Purse: $8,312,719
TV: NBC, 7 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
Distance: 400 miles (160 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 35),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 95), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 160)
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Next Race: Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola
The Place: Daytona International Speedway
The Date: Friday, August 26
The Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
The Purse: $1,756,567
TV: USA, 7 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
Distance: 250 miles (100 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 30),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 60), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 100)
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Next Race: Kansas Lottery 200
The Place: Kansas Speedway
The Date: Friday, September 9
The Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
The Purse: $648,530
TV: FS1, 7 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
Distance: 201 miles (134 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 30),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 60), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 134)
NASCAR Cup Series
Big implications for NASCAR Cup Series regular season finale at Daytona
It all comes down to this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series regular season finale, the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway, this Saturday, August 27 at 7 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, and if history is any indicator of what to expect this weekend, everybody has a shot at the win.
With Kurt Busch’s announcement to withdraw his medical waiver into the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, two Playoff spots are now up for grabs heading into this weekend, and they are currently held by Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney in 15th and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. in 16th in the Playoff standings outlook. But 13 other drivers that are eligible for the postseason are facing a ‘Win or Go Home’ situation this weekend and will be vying for one of those last two postseason spots making Saturday night’s race that much more intense.
Since the inception of the Playoffs in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2004, Richmond Raceway hosted the regular season finale from 2004 to 2017 (14 years), and then from 2018-2019 Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosted the final regular season event. This weekend marks the third time the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway has hosted the Cup Series regular season finale (2020-2022).
The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs is currently operating in its third iteration of the postseason’s points system since its inception in 2004. The first Playoff points system (from 2004 to 2009) had the top 10 to 12 drivers earn their position in the Playoffs by points only. The second version of the Playoff points system (2010 to 2013) incorporated the top 10 drivers to get in on wins/points with the addition of two extra drivers referred to as the Wild cards. The third version of the Playoff points system (2014 to Present) features drivers vying for the top 16 Playoff spots either by points or the ‘Win and You’re In’ rule. The third version of the Playoffs also instituted the elimination style format with four drivers being eliminated from the Playoffs at the conclusion of each postseason round culminating with the Championship 4 battling it out for the title in the season finale.
Playoff Points System 1 (2004-2006 - Top 10 in on Points; 2007-2009 - Top 12 in on Points)
Four drivers have come from outside the postseason cutoff to make the Playoffs at Richmond in the first iteration of the Playoff championship format:
- Jeremy Mayfield in 2004 made up a 55-point deficit
- Ryan Newman in 2005 made up a one-point deficit
- Kasey Kahne in 2006 made up a 30-point deficit
- Brian Vickers in 2009 made up a 20-point deficit
Playoff Points System 2 (2010-2013 - Top 10 in on Wins/Points and Two Wildcards)
Seven drivers have come from outside the postseason cutoff to make the Playoffs at Richmond in the second iteration of the Playoff championship format that incorporates the Wild Card:
- Greg Biffle and Clint Bowyer are the two drivers that clinched the Wild Card in 2010 to make the Playoffs. Biffle was 11th in points with one win; Bowyer was 12th in points with no wins heading into the regular season finale.
- Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin are the two drivers that clinched the Wild Card in 2011 to make the Playoffs. Keselowski was 11th in points with three wins; Hamlin was 12th in points with one win heading into the regular season finale.
- Kasey Kahne and Jeff Gordon are the two drivers that clinched the Wild Card in 2012 to make the Playoffs. Kahne was 11th in points with two wins; Gordon was 13th in points with one win heading into the regular season finale.
- Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne are the two drivers that clinched the Wild Card in 2013 to make the Playoffs. Kahne was 12th in points with two wins; Newman was 14th in points with one win heading into regular season finale.
- Due to a rare instance in the final race of the regular season that resulted in penalties being issued in 2013; a 13th car (Jeff Gordon’s No. 24) was added to the Playoffs. It was the second time in the Playoff Era the number of entries was expanded.
Playoff Points System 3 (2014 – Present - Top 16 in on Wins or Points/Elimination Style)
In the third iteration of the Playoff championship format from 2014-Present – Only one driver (William Byron) outside the Playoff cutoff has raced their way into the Playoffs in the regular season finale through points or last-minute wins.
- From 2014 to 2018, the drivers that won or were inside the top 16 in the standings that were expected to make the Playoffs did - no drivers raced their way into the Playoffs in the regular season finale on points or wins.
- In 2019, heading into the regular season finale at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Ryan Newman was tied with Daniel Suarez for the 16th and final transfer position to the Playoffs. Newman finished eighth in the regular season finale to Suarez’s 11th-place finish, earning the final transfer spot into the postseason.
- In 2020, six drivers inside the Playoff cutoff (top 16) had not clinched a spot in the postseason heading into Daytona, but all six ultimately clinched their spots, led by William Byron, who became the first driver to win his way into the Playoffs by taking the victory in the regular season finale. No drivers outside the top 16 advanced into Playoffs in the regular season finale.
- Heading into the final race of the regular season at Daytona International Speedway, the 2021 season had produced 13 different winners with two additional drivers clinching their spots on points leaving just one spot still available to make the Playoffs, and it was Richard Childress Racing teammates Austin Dillon and Tyler Reddick battling it out for the final postseason position. Ultimately, Ryan Blaney won the regular season finale at Daytona International Speedway, but he had already clinched his spot in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs earlier in the season. Because of the repeat winner, the 16th and final Playoff spot was earned by points, and it was Tyler Reddick’s fifth-place finish to Austin Dillon’s 17th at Daytona that earned him enough points to advance for the first time in his career to the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
Clinch Scenarios: Two spots, one last chance
This weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series regular season finale at Daytona International Speedway is the last opportunity for the drivers who have not clinched a spot in the Playoffs to earn their position in the postseason. A total of 14 drivers have already clinched their Playoff spot, leaving just two spots open for drivers to battle it out in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 this Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Already Clinched
The following 14 drivers have clinched a spot in the 16-driver postseason field: Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Ross Chastain, Christopher Bell, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, William Byron, Alex Bowman, Daniel Suarez, Tyler Reddick, Denny Hamlin, Austin Cindric and Chase Briscoe.
Can Clinch Via Points
If there is a repeat winner or a win by a driver who cannot advance to the Playoffs this weekend at Daytona, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the third winless driver in the standings. The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from among Ryan Blaney or Martin Truex Jr.
- Ryan Blaney: Would clinch regardless of finish
- Martin Truex Jr.: Would clinch regardless of finish
If there is a new winner from Erik Jones or another winless driver lower in the standings but still eligible to advance to the Playoffs, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the second winless driver in the standings.
- Ryan Blaney: Would clinch with 31 points
- Martin Truex Jr.: Could only clinch with help
Can Clinch Via Win
The following drivers would clinch on their win alone:
- Ryan Blaney (Average finish at Daytona 18.3)
- Martin Truex Jr. (21.9)
- Erik Jones (22.0)
- Aric Almirola (20.1)
- Austin Dillon (15.4)
- Bubba Wallace (12.5)
- Chris Buescher (22.0)
- Justin Haley (10.7)
- Michael McDowell (19.7)
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (20.0)
- Cole Custer (24.4)
- Brad Keselowski (22.6)
- Harrison Burton (39.0)
- Ty Dillon (19.7)
- Todd Gilliland (33.0)
Team Penske’s driver Ryan Blaney is just 25 points up on Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. heading into this weekend’s regular season finale, which will be important as the final two Playoff spots are settled. Truex is looking to make the Playoffs for the 10th time in his career. But the North Carolina native, Blaney, is playing it cool despite the added pressure.
“You can’t stress yourself out about it,” said Blaney. “It is either going to happen, or it isn’t, whether you make the Playoffs or not.”
As Blaney attempts to make the postseason for the sixth time in his career this weekend, he will also be looking to become the sixth driver in series history to win consecutive Summer races at Daytona; joining Fireball Roberts (1962-1963), A.J. Foyt (1964-1965), Cale Yarborough (1967-1968) David Pearson (1972 - 1974) and Tony Stewart (2005-2006).
Truex on the other hand is looking for his first win on a superspeedway since joining the NASCAR Cup Series. In 34 Daytona starts, he has put up three top fives and five top 10s. He finished runner-up in this race in 2018.
Daytona International Speedway: The perfect stage for the regular season finale
All eyes will be on the ‘World Center of Racing’ this weekend – Daytona International Speedway – as the iconic hallowed grounds will play host to the NASCAR Cup Series regular season finale, the Coke Zero Sugar 400, this Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
Daytona International Speedway, the 2.5-mile paved superspeedway oval located in Daytona Beach, Florida, has hosted 150 NASCAR Cup Series races since the inaugural event in 1959 - 64 have been 500 miles, 59 were 400 miles and four were 250 miles. There were also 23 qualifier races that were point races. But this weekend marks just the third time the summer race will be the NASCAR Cup Series regular season finale (2020-2022).
The 150 NASCAR Cup Series races at the historic Daytona International Speedway have produced 63 different pole winners and 69 different race winners. NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough leads the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Daytona with 12 (Feb. 1968, July 1969, 1970 sweep, 1978 sweep, July 1980, July 1981, July 1983, 1984 sweep, July 1986). Eight of the 12 poles are from the summer race, which is also the series-most for that event.
Nine of the 63 NASCAR Cup Series Daytona pole winners are active this weekend, but only three have won poles for the summer race at Daytona: Chase Elliott (2018), Kyle Busch (2013) and Kevin Harvick (2002).
NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Daytona with 10 victories (Feb. 1964, Feb. 1966, Feb. 1971, Feb. 1973, Feb. 1974, July 1975, July 1977, Feb. 1979, Feb. 1981, July 1984). Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin (Feb. 2016, Feb. 2019, Feb. 2020) leads all active drivers in Daytona wins with three.
Of the 69 NASCAR Cup Series Daytona winners, 41 of them have won the summer race (59.4%). NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson leads the series in summer race victories at Daytona with five wins (1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1978).
A total of 15 NASCAR Cup Series Daytona winners are active this weekend and 10 of those 15 have won the summer event at Daytona. Eight of the 15 need a win this weekend to secure their spot in the Playoffs (drivers needing a win to make Playoffs bolded in chart below).
The youngest Daytona summer race winner is Justin Haley (07/07/2019 – 20 years, 2 months, 9 days); all-time track record - Trevor Bayne (02/20/2011 – 20 years, 0 months, 1 day). The oldest Daytona summer race winner is Bobby Allison (07/04/1987 – 49 years, 7 months, 1 day); all-time track record is also Bobby Allison (02/14/1988 – 50 years, 5 months, 23 days).
A total of 22 different starting positions have produced winners in the NASCAR Cup Series Summer races at Daytona. The first starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (nine) than any other starting position in the summer races at Daytona International Speedway. The most recent driver to win from the pole or first starting position at Daytona in the NASCAR Cup Series was NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the 2015 July race. The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Daytona is 42nd, by NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart in the 2012 July race. Ryan Blaney won last season’s August Daytona race from the sixth starting position, the 47th summer Daytona race (out of 59) won from a starting position inside the top-10 (79.6%).
This weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series on-track activity at Daytona International Speedway will begin with Busch Light Pole Qualifying on Friday, August 26 at 5 p.m. ET (USA Network).
First-time winners aplenty at the World Center of Racing
One thing Daytona International Speedway is known for is unpredictable finishes that on occasion produce first-time winners in the NASCAR Cup Series. In fact, three of the last four NASCAR Cup Series summer races at Daytona International Speedway have fashioned just that – first-time winners.
A total of 23 different drivers have posted their first NASCAR Cup Series win at Daytona International Speedway, 11 of the 23 drivers posted their first win in the summer races. The most recent first-time winner at Daytona was back in February when Team Penske’s Austin Cindric became the first rookie to win the Daytona 500 season opener. The most recent first-time winner in the summer races at Daytona was the August race of 2020 with race winner William Byron earning his spot in the Playoffs.
Of 23 different drivers that posted their first NASCAR Cup Series career win at Daytona International Speedway, Justin Haley started the deepest in the field at Daytona to win his first race with a 34th-place starting position in 2019.
Hendrick Motorsports and Chase Elliott win 2022 Regular Season Championship
Last weekend at Watkins Glen International, Hendrick Motorsports driver and 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott from Dawsonville, Georgia became the fifth different driver to win the Regular Season Championship presented by Coca-Cola; joining Kyle Larson (2021), Kevin Harvick (2020), Kyle Busch (2019, 2018) and Martin Truex Jr. (2017).
With the 2022 Regular Season Championship, Elliott will not only take home the trophy and the prestige but also the 15 bonus Playoff points. Elliott currently leads the NASCAR Cup Series in Playoff points this season with 25 and with the addition of the bonus 15, he is looking at entering the postseason with at least 40 Playoffs points.
This season marks the seventh time Elliott has earned a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. In 25 starts this year, he has collected a series-leading four wins, five stage wins, 10 top fives and 17 top 10s.
Looking ahead to the season finale this weekend at Daytona, Elliott is looking for his first win at the iconic high-banked track. In 13 series starts at Daytona, he has put up two top fives and four top 10s.
Daytona Dominators: The best of the best at the World Center of Racing
Winning at one of NASCAR’s most prestigious tracks, Daytona International Speedway, is a major accomplishment. So, it is not all that surprising that the top 10 series winningest drivers at Daytona are all in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Top 10 NASCAR Cup Series Daytona International Speedway Winners
This weekend the NASCAR Cup Series field will have 16 former Daytona International Speedway winners entered, led by Denny Hamlin with three wins. The most recent winner at Daytona that is entered this weekend is rookie Austin Cindric who won the Daytona 500 (2022) earlier this season.
Cindric heads into this weekend looking to become the sixth different driver in NASCAR Cup Series history to sweep both Daytona races (Daytona 500 & Summer race) in a single season; joining Fireball Roberts – 1962 (Daytona 500, Firecracker 250); Cale Yarborough – 1968 (Daytona 500, Firecracker 400); LeeRoy Yarborough – 1969 (Daytona 500, Firecracker 400); Bobbie Allison – 1982 (Daytona 500, Firecracker 400); Jimmie Johnson – 2013 (Daytona 500, Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola)
Since the ‘Win and You’re In’ format was initiated in the Playoffs in 2016, Erik Jones’ 2018 summer race win and William Byron’s summer win last season are the only two summer race victories at Daytona to clinch a driver into the postseason – the other three winners were either not eligible for the Playoffs due to not competing for a championship in the series (Haley in 2019) or the drivers had already previously won in the same season (Keselowski in 2016 and Stenhouse in 2017).
NASCAR Cup Series, Etc.
Kurt Busch waives Playoff exemption – 23XI Racing and Kurt Busch announced this week that Kurt Busch will waive his medical exemption into the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs giving up his postseason position.
“As much as I wanted and hoped to be able to get back in the No. 45 car to make a playoff run with our team, it’s still not the right time for me,” said Busch. “In addition to not being cleared to return to racing, I know that I am not ready to be back in the car. I respect the sport of NASCAR, my fellow drivers and the fans too much to take up a playoff spot if I know I can’t compete for a championship this season. The decision was not an easy one, but I know it is the right thing to do. I will continue to take time to heal and strengthen as I prepare to be back in the car and will do all I can to help 23XI continue the success we have had this season.”
With Busch no longer participating in the Playoffs, there are now two postseason spots up for grabs this weekend at Daytona International Speedway and they are currently occupied by Ryan Blaney (15th) and Martin Truex Jr. (16th).
“Kurt has elevated our entire organization this year,” said 23XI team president, Steve Lauletta. “Although Kurt will not be competing for a championship this season, he will continue to play a vital role in the organization as he works with our competition group to keep improving and strengthening the team.”
The No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota team will compete in the NASCAR Cup Series Owner Playoffs this season, and Ty Gibbs will be behind the wheel at Daytona. If the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota team were to win the NASCAR Cup Series owners title, it would be just the third time in series history that a split driver and owner championship has occurred and the first time since 1963.
The first time the NASCAR Cup Series had a split driver and owners championship was in 1954. Lee Petty won the drivers championship that season on seven wins, driving a Petty Enterprises Chrysler, but it was car owner Herb Thomas who took home the owners championship in 1954 after his No. 92 Hudson team finished the season with 12 victories.
The second and only other time the series saw a spit championship was in 1963, when Joe Weatherly won the series driver championship, but it was the Wood Brothers Racing organization that won the owners championship that season. Weatherly’s season was strong putting up three wins and 35 top 10s in 54 starts, but the famous No. 21 team was able to grab five wins on the season and take the owners title.
Better Than Ezra to perform pre-race concert at Daytona - Multi-platinum rock band Better Than Ezra will perform the pre-race concert at Daytona International Speedway prior to the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on Saturday, Aug. 27. The New Orleans-based group will take the stage at 5:30 p.m. ET on pit road and the concert is just one of many pre-race activities available for fans this weekend.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to play at a venue as renowned as Daytona International Speedway, let alone at such an exciting event,” said Kevin Griffin, lead singer, guitarist and pianist in the band. “We can’t wait to perform for a crowd as enthusiastic as NASCAR fans, and we plan to put on a great show for everyone.”
In 2018, Better Than Ezra was named to Billboard’s “100 Greatest Alternative Artists of All Time,” as well as earning a spot on Billboard’s “100 Greatest Alternative Songs of All Time” with their hit song “Good.”
“Between the pre-race festivities and the action-packed competition, the upcoming weekend at The World Center of Racing is slated to be a fantastic event,” said Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher. “Now, with the addition of Better Than Ezra as our pre-race concert, it’s going to be even more special. I’m thrilled we’re able to continue the pre-race concert series in 2022 and create such a wonderful experience for all the fans.”
Spoiler Alert for Daytona – While majority of the competitors this weekend will be vying for NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs and running for points and wins in the NASCAR Cup Series championship, five drivers are entered in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 that are not running for the title in the series and are looking to play the spoiler by grabbing the win this weekend – Daniel Hemric (No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet), Ty Gibbs (No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota), Noah Gragson (No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet), Landon Cassill (No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet) and BJ McLeod (No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Ford).
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Next Up: Friday night under lights at Daytona International Speedway
Just four races remain in the NASCAR Xfinity Series regular season (Daytona, Darlington, Kansas and Bristol) and a lot can happen to shake up the standings as the 2022 season winds down. After a weekend of road course racing at Watkins Glen International, the Xfinity Series returns to the World Center of Racing – Daytona International Speedway - for the Wawa 250 Powered by Coca Cola on Friday, August 26 under the lights at 7:30 p.m. ET on USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
This weekend marks the second time the Xfinity Series has competed at Daytona International Speedway this season. The last time the Xfinity competitors battled it out in Daytona was in February for the season opener, where Richard Childress Racing’s rookie Austin Hill took the checkered flag.
The iconic track has produced 35 different race winners and 42 different pole winners in 61 Xfinity Series races.
Veteran Joe Nemechek leads the NASCAR Xfinity Series in poles at Daytona with four poles (2001, 2002 sweep and 2005). Seven of the 42 Xfinity Series pole winners are active this weekend.
NASCAR Hall of Famers Dale Earnhardt and Tony Stewart are tied with the series-most Xfinity wins at Daytona with seven each. Only four of the 35 different Xfinity winners are active this weekend at Daytona – Joe Nemechek (two wins: 1998, 2002), Justin Haley (two wins: 2020, 2021), Noah Gragson (2020) and Austin Hill (2022). Haley is looking to become the first driver to win three consecutive Xfinity Summer Daytona races since the series started coming to the 2.5-mile track twice a year in 2002.
Five Xfinity Daytona races have been won from the pole or first starting position, most recently by Austin Cindric in the 2021 season opener. William Byron currently sits as the track’s youngest Xfinity winner, a feat he accomplished in 2017 at 19 years, six months and one day; while Bobby Allison sits as the oldest winner at 50 years, two months and 10 days old.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series will be skipping practice this weekend and will dive straight into qualifying at 3:05 p.m. ET on Friday, August 26 on USA Network.
Need a win? Daytona might just be the place
In the 61 NASCAR Xfinity Series races at Daytona International Speedway, eight have granted drivers their first series career win and with just four races left in the 2022 regular season, several drivers entered this weekend would like to add their name to the winner’s column.
NASCAR Hall of Famers Dale Earnhardt (1982) and Tony Stewart (2005) are joined by Chad Little (1995), James Buescher (2021), Ryan Reed (2015), Michael Annett (2019), Noah Gragson (2020) and Austin Hill (2022) as the eight competitors that earned their first career Xfinity Series win at Daytona.
This weekend, 27 of the 43 drivers entered are looking for their first NASCAR Xfinity Series career victory.
Austin Hill looks for the 2022 sweep at Daytona
Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill hoped to kick off his first full-time season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with a bang, and that he did.
In his second-ever Xfinity Series start at Daytona International Speedway, Hill snatched the win from veteran AJ Allmendinger, who finished in the runner-up position, followed by Noah Gragson in third, Riley Herbst in fourth and Justin Allgaier rounded out the top-five.
But Hill wasn’t done touting his superspeedway prowess as the Georgia native went on to win again at the second Atlanta Motor Speedway race of the season back in July
With two wins, nine top fives and 14 top 10s racked up this season thus far, the rookie Hill will look to join NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. and become just the second driver all-time to sweep both NASCAR Xfinity Series races at Daytona in a single season.
Prior to Watkins Glen, Hill was on an eight-week streak that consisted of one win, four top fives and eight top 10s. Hill will definitely have his work cut out for him as a couple previous Daytona winners are entered for this Friday’s Wawa 250 Powered by Coca Cola – Justin Haley (2020, 2021) who will be making his first Xfinity Series start of the 2022 season in the No. 14 Chevrolet with Kaulig Racing, veteran Joe Nemechek (1998, 2002) and JR Motorsports’ Noah Gragson (2020).
Clinch Scenarios: It’s Crunch Time!
With a Kyle Larson win last weekend at Watkins Glen International, drivers will be pushing the limits at Daytona for one of the five remaining spots in the 12-driver Playoff field. Below is a look at the clinch scenarios heading into Friday’s race at Daytona International Speedway:
Already Clinched
The following seven drivers have clinched a spot in the 12-driver postseason field: AJ Allmendinger, Ty Gibbs, Justin Allgaier, Noah Gragson, Josh Berry, Austin Hill, Brandon Jones.
Can clinch via win
The following drivers would clinch on their win alone:
- Riley Herbst, Sam Mayer, Daniel Hemric, Landon Cassill, Ryan Sieg, Sheldon Creed
The following drivers could clinch with a win:
- Anthony Alfredo: Could only clinch with help
- Brandon Brown: Could only clinch with help
For the drivers that could clinch on their win alone, let’s take a look at how they’ve done at Daytona:
- Riley Herbst - Has posted two top fives and three top 10s in six starts
- Sam Mayer – Two starts with a best finish of 12th in this race last season
- Daniel Hemric – Has posted one top five and three top 10s in eight starts
- Landon Cassill – Has made 10 starts with one top five and one top 10
- Sheldon Creed – Has made two starts with a best finish of sixth earlier this season
NASCAR Xfinity Series, Etc.
Double duty for some Xfinity Series drivers – Four Xfinity Series regulars will be getting extra time on the track this weekend – Ty Gibbs, Noah Gragson, Landon Cassill and Daniel Hemric.
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Ty Gibbs had to unexpectedly step in for Kurt Busch earlier this season and will continue to pilot the No. 45 Toyota through Daytona. Although this will be his first Cup Series start at the track, he has posted one Xfinity Series start in Daytona (2022) where he finished 11th.
Noah Gragson has already punched his ticket to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2023, so some extra time getting a feel for the Next Gen car doesn’t hurt. He’ll be driving the No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet for his second Cup Series Daytona start.
Landon Cassill will be making his 18th Cup Series Daytona start in the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet this weekend. His best finish at the 2.5-mile track was 11th in the 2019 summer race.
Daniel Hemric will be making his fourth Cup Series start at Daytona in the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet. His best finish was 12th earlier this season.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. joining Big Machine Racing at Daytona – NASCAR Cup Series regular and two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion (2011-2012) Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will kick off his double-duty weekend with Big Machine Racing in the No. 48 Chevrolet in the Wawa 250 Powered by Coca Cola. This will be his second Xfinity Series start of the 2022 season.
Stenhouse is yet to post a Xfinity Series win at Daytona. His last stint at the 2.5-mile track in the Xfinity Series was in 2012 where he started the race in the first starting position and finished runner-up.
Father-son duo in Daytona – Joe and John Hunter Nemechek will be competing against each other this weekend not only as father and son, but also as teammates. They both will be joining Sam Hunt Racing, Joe in the No. 24 Toyota and John Hunter in the No. 26 Toyota.
This will not be the first time they have competed against each other. They first lined up on the grid together in 2017 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in Daytona. Since then, they have run three Cup races, 13 Xfinity races and 29 Truck races against each other. However, the last time they competed as teammates was in 2019 at Phoenix Raceway.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Stats point to 2022 Camping World Truck Series season being one of the best
Just two more weekends off until the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to action at Kansas Speedway for the Playoffs Round of 8 finale, the Kansas Lottery 200 on Sept. 9 (7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR). But before the engines fire back up, let’s take a look at how the competition has fared this season.
Through 18 races, the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season is tied with the 2012 season for the series-most different winners with 13 each. This season’s Camping World Truck Series winners include:
The 2022 Camping World Truck Series season has also produced 6.17 lead changes per race – the ninth-most through 18 races since the inception of the series in 1995.
In addition, the 2022 season has produced 10.94 average lead changes per race – the fifth-most through 18 Camping World Truck Series races since 1995.
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this season has also seen 319 green flag passes for the lead through 18 races – the eighth-most since the Loop Data stat was originally tabulated in 2007 - with an average of 17.7 green flag passes for the lead per race. The GFPL record though 18 races in the Truck Series is 436 set in 2018.
The series has also produced the 25,401 total green flag passes through the field – the third-most since the Loop Data stat was originally tabulated in 2007 – with an average of 1,411 green flag passes per race. The GFP record through 18 series races is 27,379 set in 2013.
The passing has been top notch but so have the finishes. The 2022 season’s 18 races have produced an average margin of victory of 0.916-second, the fifth closest margin of victory through 18 races since the inception of the series in 1995, and just the ninth season through 18 races with a margin of victory of less than a second. In total, 11 of the 18 races this season have finished with a margin of victory of less than a second.
On top of all that, the 2022 season is seeing the second-highest percentage of trucks ‘Running at the Finish’ all-time with 83.90%; second only to the 2006 season with 88.27%.
Clinch Scenarios: Kansas Speedway
Only two drivers have clinched spots in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs’ Round of 8 – GMS Racing’s Grant Enfinger (Indianapolis winner) and Kyle Busch Motorsports’ Chandler Smith (Richmond winner) – which means a lot can happen among the six other positions that are still open with one race to go. Below are the clinch scenarios heading into the Round of 8 finale at Kansas Speedway on September 9, 2022.
Already Clinched
The following two drivers have clinched a spot in the eight-driver field of the next round: Chandler Smith, Grant Enfinger.
Can Clinch Via Points
If there is a repeat winner or a win by a driver who cannot advance to the next round, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the 7th winless driver in the standings. The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from among Zane Smith, John Hunter Nemechek, Ty Majeski, Stewart Friesen, Ben Rhodes or Matt Crafton.
- Zane Smith: Would clinch with 10 points
- John Hunter Nemechek: Would clinch with 13 points
- Ty Majeski: Would clinch with 20 points
- Stewart Friesen: Would clinch with 25 points
- Ben Rhodes: Would clinch with 34 points (needs 35 points if Crafton wins)
- Matt Crafton: Would clinch with 53 points
- Carson Hocevar: Would clinch with 55 points (needs help if Crafton wins)
- Christian Eckes: Could only clinch with help
If there is a new winner from Carson Hocevar or Christian Eckes, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the 6th winless driver in the standings.
- Zane Smith: Would clinch with 13 points
- John Hunter Nemechek: Would clinch with 16 points
- Ty Majeski: Would clinch with 23 points
- Stewart Friesen: Would clinch with 28 points
- Ben Rhodes: Would clinch with 38 points
- Matt Crafton: Could only clinch with help
- Carson Hocevar: Could only clinch with help
- Christian Eckes: Could only clinch with help
Can Clinch Via Win
The following drivers would clinch on their win alone: Zane Smith, John Hunter Nemechek, Ty Majeski, Stewart Friesen, Ben Rhodes, Matt Crafton, Carson Hocevar and Christian Eckes.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Etc.
Sunoco Rookie of the Year Standings Update – Kyle Busch Motorsport’s rising star, Corey Heim, has strengthened his grip on the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings after posting his third straight top-five finish and fifth overall on the season at Richmond Raceway. Now the Marietta, Georgia native has an 87-point lead on second place in the rookie standings, Niece Motorsports’ Lawless Alan.
Though Heim has only participated in 11 of the 18 scheduled races this season, he has been the top of his 2022 rookie class putting up two wins (Atlanta, Gateway), five top fives and six top 10s.
Truck Series Owner Playoffs Update – With Kyle Busch Motorsports’ No. 18 Toyota taking the win at Richmond, they are the only team currently locked into the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Round of 8, leaving seven spots still wide open heading into the round’s finale at Kansas Speedway on Sept. 9.
The highest ranked team without a win in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Owner Playoffs is the Front Row Motorsports No. 38 Ford team, up +46 points on the Round of 8 cutline. Plus, the No. 38 team is the most recent winners at the next track on the schedule, Kansas Speedway.
At the other end of the Playoff standings, straddling the Playoffs’ Round of 8 cutline, is Niece Motorsports’ No. 42 Chevrolet team in the eighth and final transfer spot on points, up two points over Team DGR’s No. 17 Ford team in ninth - the first spot outside the Round of 8 cutoff. Not far behind Team DGR’s No. 17 Ford team in ninth, is ThorSport Racing’s No. 98 Toyota team in 10th, the basement of the Playoff standings, but within striking distance, just three points behind Niece Motorsports’ No. 42 team.
NASCAR PR | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/nascar-cup-series-news/72341-nascar-national-series-news-notes-daytona-international-speedway | 2022-08-25T16:01:45Z | speedwaydigest.com | control | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/nascar-cup-series-news/72341-nascar-national-series-news-notes-daytona-international-speedway | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Louis-Philippe Dumoulin is looking forward to completing his 2022 NASCAR Pinty's season with victories. Having faced adversity at many levels since the first race this year, the #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare team is now adopting a new strategy: to give it their all in their hunger for winning in the three remaining races of the 2022 season.
Louis-Philippe Dumoulin will bring this attitude to the starting grid of the last event on Quebec soil in 2022, the General Tire 125, this Saturday, August 27, in Mirabel, on the 1.12-mile road course North of Montreal.
Last year, the driver of the #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare car set the fastest time in the practice session, then finished third in the race. “We have done well at ICAR over the years, many podium and top-5 finishes, but we have not yet won a race at ICAR, so we want to make it happen,” said Louis-Philippe Dumoulin.
Currently seventh in the overall driver standings is not the position Louis-Philippe Dumoulin wanted to be in near at the end of the season. This situation does not detract from his determination to give his all on the track. “I really appreciate the organization and the people who work there and ICAR produces action-packed races, the fans won't be disappointed! My current situation being what it is, I expect to put on a good show for those who will be on site.”
Since the ICAR round is usually held at the end of the NASCAR Pinty's season, Louis-Philippe Dumoulin was never in a position to push as hard as he wanted to on the short track, especially given the negative impact on championship points in case of an incident. “I've always been at ICAR in situations where I had to be careful and pick my battles, this time it is very different,” concludes the driver of the #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare car.
Saturday will be a busy day with a morning practice session, then an autograph session from noon to 12:40 PM and then qualifying at 2:00 PM in preparation for the race scheduled for 5:45 PM.
PPP PR | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/racing-news/72327-louis-philippe-dumoulin-looking-for-a-victory-at-icar | 2022-08-25T16:02:03Z | speedwaydigest.com | control | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/racing-news/72327-louis-philippe-dumoulin-looking-for-a-victory-at-icar | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
After two mediocre ARCA Menards Series finishes this past weekend at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International and the Illinois State Fairgrounds (Springfield), sophomore driver Greg Van Alst and his team journey to The Milwaukee (Wisc.) Mile returning to some familiarity in Sunday’s Sprecher 150.
“I’m just grateful to be back on an oval,” said Van Alst with a chuckle.
“Look, it was great to get some more experience on the road course at Watkins Glen and it was a decent finish.
“Then we went to Springfield and ran well but experienced some mechanical setbacks that kept us from finishing better – but in the end, we kept our cars in one piece and logged crucial laps.
“Now that we are back on an oval this weekend, I hope we can return to our top-10 form on Sunday afternoon.”
Van Alst has never competed at the historic Milwaukee (Wisc.) Mile just outside of the city of Milwaukee but hopes that his ability to quickly get up to speed on the ovals will pay dividends as the ARCA Menards Series approaches the stretch drive.
“Milwaukee is the start of a stretch that I feel will be really good for us,” Van Alst explained. “Yes, there is the unknown of DuQuoin in a couple of weeks, but I am looking forward to Milwaukee, Kansas, Bristol and Salem.
“Those are going to be some really good races for us and I feel like an opportunity to not only continue to deliver strong finishes but maybe gain some points along the way that will inch us closer to the top three (in points).”
Van Alst knows that reeling in the top-three competitors of Nick Sanchez, Rajah Caruth and Daniel Dye for a spot on the championship points podium is a tall task, but nonetheless, it’s a task that he welcomes as he is focused on continuing to improve his Anderson, Ind.-based team in their inaugural full-time season of ARCA competition.
“We’ve had a good season so far,” added Van Alst. “Yes, it has not been perfect, but it’s definitely been good. I would like to have more top-five finishes to our tally, but that’s something to build on for the rest of the year.
“Six races left in 2022 and that’s six opportunities to go out there and perform and leave nothing on the table.
This weekend’s race in Wisconsin will again be a combined series event – with the ARCA Menards Series East division set to combine with the premier ARCA Menards Series.
Knowing that Sunday’s race can bring even stiffer competition to the race track, Van Alst welcomes the additional car count and talent.
“These combination races are tough, there is no hiding behind that,” Van Alst continued. “There are a few extra cars than the normal beat, but they are good cars and can make the races even more challenging. It’s our job as a team though to be better than our last combo race at Iowa Speedway earlier this summer and make sure we’re fighting comfortably inside the top-10 on Sunday afternoon.”
Chris Barkdull’s CB Fabricating, a longtime partner with Greg Van Alst Motorsports has boosted its commitment to the team and will continue its role as the primary marketing partner of Van Alst’s No. 35 Ford Fusion.
Headquartered in Anderson, Ind., CB Fabricating offers a complete list of fabricating from design, laser cutting, CNC punching, forming, welding, powder coating, and assembly.
Their 26,000-square-foot facility allows them to service the needs of many different industries. Everything from the Automotive, agricultural, aquatic, medical, transportation, electrical enclosures, and much more.
“We are accelerating forward with a positive attitude and preparing for this four-week stretch and none of it would be possible without the support of Chris,” expressed Van Alst.
“The consistency we have shown over the last two months is the type of pace that will keep Chris and everyone on this team in it for the long haul – including the 2023 ARCA Menards Series season,” expressed Van Alst.
“With every race complete, even if it is not the finish we are hoping for, it’s a small victory for our team knowing the large mountain that is still left to climb to celebrate in Victory Lane. I’m thankful to have the support of Chris and CB Fabricating.”
In addition to CB Fabricating, Top Choice Fence, Norton Transport, KRJ Race Products and Lintz Creative will serve as associate marketing partners for Van Alst’s 26th career ARCA start.
Entering Milwaukee, Van Alst sits a career-high fourth in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings, 95 markers in the arrears to championship leader Nick Sanchez.
“Step by step, we will do everything we can to catch the top three,” sounded Van Alst. “No question they have been the three strongest cars all year, It’s not going to come without some luck and strong finishes, but we are not going to go down without a fight. This is a tough series and we are still proud of where we are at.
“We still stay focused.”
For more on Greg Van Alst and Greg Van Alst Motorsports, please visit GregVanAlst.com, like them on Facebook (Van Alst Motorsports) and follow him on Twitter (@GregVanAlst35).
For more on CB Fabricating, please visit CBFabricating.com and like them on Facebook (CB Fabricating).
The Sprecher 150 (150 laps | 150 miles) is the 15th of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins on Sunday, August 28, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. A timed General Tire pole session kicks off at 12:00 p.m. The event will be televised live on MAVTV and FloRacing beginning at 2:00 p.m. CT | 3:00 p.m. ET. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (CT).
Greg Van Alst PR
Greg Van Alst and Team Return To Familiarity at The Milwaukee Mile
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- DEX Imaging Team Aiming High in Regular Season Finale | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/racing-news/72329-greg-van-alst-and-team-return-to-familiarity-at-the-milwaukee-mile | 2022-08-25T16:02:09Z | speedwaydigest.com | control | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/racing-news/72329-greg-van-alst-and-team-return-to-familiarity-at-the-milwaukee-mile | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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DGR ARCA Menards Series Advance: Milwaukee Mile
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- DEX Imaging Team Aiming High in Regular Season Finale | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/racing-news/72330-dgr-arca-menards-series-advance-milwaukee-mile | 2022-08-25T16:02:16Z | speedwaydigest.com | control | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/racing-news/72330-dgr-arca-menards-series-advance-milwaukee-mile | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Honorary Officials and Pre-Race Performers/Participants for this weekend’s Wawa 250 Powered by Coca Cola and Coke Zero Sugar 400 were announced today, highlighted by the Grand Marshal of the Coke Zero Sugar 400, Florida Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe.
The 27-year-old Verhaeghe, who has been with the Miami-based squad since fall of 2020, set a new Panthers record for points in a Stanley Cup Playoff game when he scored five in Game 5 of the 2022 Eastern Conference First Round, a 5-3 win against the Washington Capitals. He was also a member of the 2020 Tampa Bay Lightning Stanley Cup Champions.
Below is a list of all participants in the Pre-Race Ceremonies for Friday’s (Aug. 26) Wawa 250 Powered by Coca Cola and Saturday’s (Aug. 27) Coke Zero Sugar 400:
Coke Zero Sugar 400 (Saturday, Aug. 27)
- Grand Marshal: Carter Verhaeghe – Current forward for the Florida Panthers and 2020 Stanley Cup Champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning
- Honorary Starter: Scott Massey – Senior Vice President, Corporate Partnerships for the Jacksonville Jaguars
- National Anthem: Sarah Hohman – Executive Director, Care Communities and Market Strategy at Advent Health. In addition to the upcoming gig ahead of the Coke Zero Sugar 400, Sarah performed The Star Bangled Banner prior to DAYTONA 500 Qualifying in February.
- Master of Ceremonies for Driver Introductions: Matt Graifer “The Young Professor” – Professional Sports Announcer. The Professor is one of the most recognizable voices in southeastern sports, performing in boxing rings, baseball diamonds, wrestling rings, octagons and more. He is currently the host for the Daytona Tortugas Minor League Baseball team.
- Invocation: Sam Mercado – Advent Health Chaplain
- Pledge of Allegiance: The Boy Scouts of America
- God Bless America Performance: Singers from Seabreeze High School
- Presentation of Colors: Mainland Air Force Junior ROTC Color Guard
- Pre-Race Concert (pit road): Better than Ezra, multi-platinum, Billboard chart-topping rock group
Wawa 250 Powered by Coca Cola (Friday, Aug. 26)
- Grand Marshal: Kevin McGrath – Regional Marketing Manager at Wawa
- Honorary Starter: Jason Wiggins – Regional Sales Manager at Wawa
- National Anthem: The St. John’s Center for The Arts Chorus at St. Augustine High School
- Invocation: Sonny Gallman – Central Baptist Church in Daytona Beach, Fla.
- Pledge of Allegiance: The Boy Scouts of America
- God Bless America Performance: Singers from Seabreeze High School
- Presentation of Colors: Dr. Phillips High School Air Force JROTC Color Guard
The action on the track begins Friday with qualifying for the Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola at 3 p.m., with the race against the clock for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 following at 5:05 p.m. At 7:30 p.m. the Wawa 250 Powered by Coca Cola gets the green flag, as drivers from the NASCAR Xfinity Series challenge the 31-degree banking at the iconic speedway. Then, on Saturday at 7 p.m., it all comes down to the Coke Zero Sugar 400, the final race of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series regular season before heading into the playoffs. Eight former DAYTONA Champions, including defending Coke Zero Sugar 400 Champion Ryan Blaney (+1200), are currently winless in 2022 and need a victory to guarantee the final spot in the premier series Playoffs.
For more information regarding ticket purchasing and other details about the upcoming race weekend, including entertainment in the Midway and UNOH Fanzone, call 1-800-PITSHOP or visit www.
Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, as well as the all-new NASCAR Tracks App, for the latest speedway news.
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The 60th anniversary season of auto racing at Grandview Speedway has just three weeks of point race competition remaining on the schedule, which should make for some intense racing heading into this weekend’s action.
This Saturday, August 27, the racing program will feature the T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds and the T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman in another NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Racing Series program starting at 7:30 pm. The show will include qualifying events for both classes leading up to the 30-lap T.P. Trailer Modified feature race, the 25-lap T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman feature, and the Outlaw Racing Series Vintage Racers will join in the program participating in a feature event only.
Pit gates will open at 4 pm. with grandstand gates opening at 5:30 pm. warm-ups will be starting at 6:15 pm. Adult grandstand admission is $18, while children ages 11 and under are admitted free of charge. Pit admission for members is $35, while those without a license can enter the pit area for $40.
Prior to the racing action on Saturday will be the weekly Low Down and Dirty Meet and Greet. This week’s drivers include Modified driver Steve Young along with Sportsman driver Ryan Graver and Vintage driver Myron Haydt. The Meet and Greet is held in the main gate area starting at 5 pm. and is a great time for fans to meet the drivers up close, collect some autographs, take photos, and talk racing one on one.
The 52nd annual Freedom 76 Modified Championship is the next big event on the schedule, coming up on Saturday, September 17. Lap sponsorships at $20 per lap are now available by contacting Tina Rogers, Tommy Kramer or Jeff Ahlum at the track on race night. Lap sponsorships are a great way for fans to wish their favorite driver’s good luck in the big race, or for businesses to do some advertising. All lap sponsorships will be read on the public address system each week leading up to and including race night on September 17, as well as a listing in the track program Grandview Groove, and will be posted on social media.
The Freedom 76 weekend begins on Friday, September 16 with the 9th annual Freedom 38 Sportsman Championship race paying $2000 to the winner, along with practice time for Modified drivers wishing to participate in the Freedom 76 starting at 7:30 pm.
The Freedom 76 Modified Championship is on Saturday, September 17. Pit gates open at 9 am for inspections, Grandstand ticket windows open at 3 pm. with racing starting at 7 pm. Fans will be able to enter the Grandstand areas between 9 am. and 12 Noon to reserve seats with blankets.
Speedway management has released some important information for the Freedom 76 weekend regarding tires. Due to the ongoing issues with the supply of tires this season, tire compounds will be OPEN for the Freedom 76, any tire compound will be allowed to be used to race with in the Championship event. Entry forms for the Freedom 76 are available on line at www.grandviewspeedway.com or at the pit office on race night.
Races teams also please note, there will be a limited amount of tires available for sale at the track this Saturday, when the pit gate opens at 4 pm.
Craig Von Dohren will be leading the T.P. Trailer Modified drivers into action this Saturday night after scoring his seventh point race win of the season last week. Brett Kressley who sits second in points, has scored four wins this season and will be looking to close the gap in the point standings. Other winners this season include Doug Manmiller, Jeff Strunk and Jared Umbenhauer who will be in action looking to add another win to their totals.
Duane Howard, Tim Buckwalter, Ryan Grim, Kevin Hirthler, Cory Merkel and nearly three dozen drivers will be in action on Saturday night battling for top honors in the main event.
Brian Hirthler leads the points parade in the T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman division and has the most wins with four so far this season. Ten different drivers have been to victory lane this year including Keith Brightbill, Jordan Henn, Parker Guldin, Lex Shive, Cody Manmiller, Dylan Hoch, Kenny Bock, Steve Young and two-time winner Decker Swinehart.
Other top point drivers looking for a win include Kyle Smith, Jimmy Leiby, Mike Schneck Jr., Dakota Kohler, Jesse Hirthler , and Ryan Graver along with a host of others this Saturday night.
Since the 1960’s, Grandview Speedway has been presenting exciting wheel to wheel NASCAR stock car racing every Saturday Night starting in April and running through September, plus special events. Grandview Speedway is located at 43 Passmore Road, Bechtelsville, Pa. 19505, just off Route 100, ten miles north of Pottstown, Pa.
Information is always available at www.grandviewspeedway.com or on Facebook, or by telephone at 610.754.7688.
UPCOMING EVENTS –
Saturday, August 27 – T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman, Outlaw Racing Series Vintage – 7:30 pm.
Friday, September 2 – Outlaw Racing Series Enduro and Outlaw Racing Series Vintage – 7 pm
Saturday, September 3 – T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman plus Wingless Super Sportsman – 7:30 pm.
Saturday, September 10 – CHAMPIONSHIP NIGHT - T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman – 7:30 pm.
Friday, September 16 – 9th annual FREEDOM 38 CHAMPIONSHIP for T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman $2000 to win, plus Modified practice – 7:30 pm.
Saturday, September 17 – 52nd annual FREEDOM 76 MODIFIED CHAMPIONSHIP for T.P. Trailer Modifieds – 7 pm.
Grandview Speedway PR | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/speedway-news/72334-triple-header-this-saturday-at-grandview-tire-infomation-for-freedom-76 | 2022-08-25T16:02:43Z | speedwaydigest.com | control | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/speedway-news/72334-triple-header-this-saturday-at-grandview-tire-infomation-for-freedom-76 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
JERSEY CITY, N.J., Aug. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ViewTrade, the force that powers fintech, has enhanced its customer onboarding service with three new modules designed to help its clients onboard retail financial customers more efficiently and with greater security. With the enhancements, clients can activate any of the new modules and make them part of their custom identity verification and background check process.
Key Features of the New Modules
- Jurisdiction Block enables account managers to block users from opening accounts from certain global regions, countries or a US state before the account is passed to the custodian, effectively halting account creation before other KYC verifications are conducted. Account managers can create their own list of jurisdictions to block and/or allow account creation. This module is fully customizable and available on a branch level, enabling brokers to toggle their lists to either fully block entire regions, or only accept account creation from specific countries or states.
- Person Block works similarly to Jurisdiction Block by enabling account managers to fully block certain persons from opening accounts. Managers can create their own list of banned profiles and identities that can be updated as needed and published immediately. This functionality can be activated as a background check module and be part of the branch-specific identity verification flow.
- Continuous ID verifies account identities through multiple sanction lists, government exposure and risk databases on a daily basis once activated. The module also enables administrators to mark false-positive matches to be skipped on future system runs, so only relevant matches will be flagged after each scan.
"ViewTrade's continuous investment in our product suite ensures we can continue to offer ever more comprehensive and flexible technology to our clients," said Sergei Lishchenko, Digital Experience Technology Services. "With these enhancements, clients can further streamline their customer's experience and digitally onboard them, compliantly and at scale – a critical enabler to sustainable and responsible growth."
ViewTrade's Global Identity Verification Service provides a tailored experience for each client including customized logic and KYC/CIP vendor selection to confirm the authenticity of an identity, the ability to accommodate the challenge of common names and compliance rule customization. Services also include identity verification services to confirm the authenticity of a wide range of government-issued ID documents, including driver's licenses, passports and more during the onboarding/account opening process.
"Ingrained in our leading solutions is the global market expertise needed to deliver a fast, reliable and seamless onboarding experience to the investors of today and tomorrow," said Mark Ford, Chief Compliance Officer at ViewTrade. "These enhancements address and eliminate pain points that existing solutions do not. The new modules will allow our clients to permanently prevent individuals who are not compliant with their onboarding rules from creating accounts, providing greater control, increased approval rates and improved workflows."
About ViewTrade
ViewTrade is the force that powers fintech and cross-border investing for financial services firms throughout the world. We provide the technology, support and brokerage services that business innovators need to quickly launch or enhance a retail investing experience. Over the past 20+ years, our approach has helped 300+ firms – from technology startups to large banks, brokers and advisors – create the differentiating investment experiences their customers demand. With clients in over 20 countries and a team that brings decades of experience and understanding of brokerage technology and services, we help our business clients deliver the investment access and financial solutions they require.
For more information, visit https://viewtrade.com/, and follow the company on LinkedIn.
Media Contact
Alex Shafer
viewtradepr@jconnelly.com
973-934-5100
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SOURCE ViewTrade | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/08/25/viewtrade-launches-three-new-modules-improve-efficiency-security-its-customer-onboarding-services/ | 2022-08-25T16:03:23Z | wave3.com | control | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/08/25/viewtrade-launches-three-new-modules-improve-efficiency-security-its-customer-onboarding-services/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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Beyond Transfer
Building common ground and shared will for accelerated change
Title
A System’s Roles in Transfer Partnerships and Pipelines
How the University of Illinois system positively impacts the lives of students through influence and leadership.
The University of Illinois system is fortunate to be located in a state that historically has placed a great emphasis on transfer student success. With a total of 12 public four-year institutions, 48 community colleges and more than 60 nonprofit four-year institutions, the state of Illinois is a national leader in bachelor’s degree completion rates among community college students who transfer to four-year institutions. This can be attributed in large part to a statewide general education course articulation mandate (the Illinois Articulation Initiative) alongside a statewide initiative designed to facilitate transfer within Illinois using the nationally available tool Transferology.
Yet the work does not stop at the state level. As a system, the University of Illinois is committed to our transfer student population—from early transfer planning to graduation and beyond. With three diverse universities that comprise the state’s land-grant institution located in Urbana-Champaign, the state’s second public Research 1 university located in Chicago and a smaller comprehensive university located in the state’s capital of Springfield, the system is home to more than half of all undergraduate students enrolled in a public university in the state. Our current student body includes transfer students from all 48 Illinois community colleges, and almost a third of our undergraduate degrees handed out at our May 2022 graduation ceremonies were to former transfer students.
The University of Illinois system is a light-touch system, and its three universities operate their recruiting and admissions strategies based on their own strategic planning and enrollment goals. The robust cooperative, collegial and collaborative statewide environment—necessary for effective transfer relationships—has inspired the system to develop a more active transfer portfolio.
MyCreditsTransfer
The system houses and supplements the state grant to provide Transferology, an online transfer advising tool. This follows best practices to make clear, current and transparent information available to students about how their coursework will transfer. The MyCreditsTransfer project also provides support to the 85 participating Illinois institutions and their advisers.
Salute to Illinois Scholars Event
Salute to Illinois Scholars (SIS) is a collaborative student recruitment and recognition event hosted by Illinois’s 12 public universities, led by the University of Illinois system. This event was established as a statewide effort to help reduce outmigration of Illinois’ high school and transfer students. A full third of the attendees from last year’s SIS event were potential transfer students. To help ensure our students know how much we value them, each public university commits to admission application fee waivers for all students registered to attend.
The Illinois Transfer Symposium
This annual event is designed to bring together representatives from community colleges, their local four-year public university partners, and the University of Illinois system’s three universities. The symposium is intentionally hosted by a community college so that administrators, admissions staff, academic advisers and faculty can come together to learn more about the higher education pipeline available to students who begin college at two-year institutions. The event kicks off with a panel of students—both those currently enrolled at a community college and those who have already transferred—to share their experiences with the process.
Credits at Completion
The system has worked diligently both internally and externally to maximize the number of applicable credits a transfer student brings into our university. A recent finding is that students who transferred into the University of Illinois system earned an average of three additional credit hours at the time of completion in comparison to the students who started as first-time freshmen within the system. While this is certainly positive news, especially when the most recent analysis by the U.S. Government Accountability Office found that students who transfer lose 43 percent of the credits they’ve already earned, a recent Transcript Study performed by our system documents that on average, 87 percent of credit earned is both transferable and applicable to degree requirements for our transfer students. The work continues to limit any excess credits at completion.
The U of I System Transfer Guarantee
Another critical component of the system’s transfer initiatives is enhancing relationships with our community college partners across the state and developing pathways that allow for early transfer planning. Educating more than half of all students enrolled in a public university in our state, it’s imperative that we critically examine how to provide equitable, accessible opportunities to all groups—including those in the transfer pipeline using a student-centered approach.
Our most recently launched initiative—the U of I System Transfer Guarantee—now offers guaranteed transfer admission into any of the University of Illinois locations to transfer applicants who meet the following requirements:
- Enrolled only at an Illinois community college after graduating from an Illinois high school
- Earned a minimum of 36 graded, transferable semester hours at the time of application to the university
- Attained a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in all transferable coursework completed at the time of application to the university
- Satisfied the university’s English language proficiency requirement
With the U of I System Transfer Guarantee, students are provided flexibility.
- Flexibility to start their higher education journeys at a community college, likely close to home
- Flexibility to cut costs
- Flexibility to explore their academic interests before enrolling in a baccalaureate program at one of our universities
- Flexibility to choose from over 550 undergraduate programs offered by our universities
- Flexibility to earn a bachelor’s degree from one of our three unique institutions—one that is a top public research university in the U.S., another that is one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse college campuses nationwide, or another that is continuously ranked the top public regional university in Illinois
Developing transfer pathways for this population is only one piece of the very complex puzzle. As we consider student-centric approaches to meet the needs of shifting demographics for our college-going students, what is best for the student? It certainly isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Research shows us that most students who start at a community college do not pursue a lockstep, 2+2 pattern. The question regarding how to best streamline processes while ensuring that it’s customizable to the students’ needs—especially when their trajectory changes due to changes in major, life events or other—is not a simple one.
The University of Illinois system is committed to the state’s transfer environment. As the largest system in the state, we are aware that we have an extraordinary reach, positively impacting the lives of our students, but also in influencing and leading the broader higher education community.
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- Popular chemistry textbook's new edition will be free | https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/beyond-transfer/system%E2%80%99s-roles-transfer-partnerships-and-pipelines | 2022-08-25T16:07:07Z | insidehighered.com | control | https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/beyond-transfer/system%E2%80%99s-roles-transfer-partnerships-and-pipelines | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
BMW, Ford, and General Motors are partnering with California not-for-profit utility Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) on a pilot program that will incentivize off-peak EV charging.
The pilot program will allow utility customers in California’s state capital to take advantage of lower electricity rates, while helping to balance the grid, SMUD said in a press release.
The three participating automakers will allow access for remote home-charging management, creating charging schedules so that vehicles are plugged in at the optimal time.
“Customers with EVs from participating automakers will receive incentives for enrolling, and quarterly incentives for participating in the pilot program,” the release explained, although specific details on those incentives weren’t provided.
Charging EVs at off-peak times, when there is less general demand for electricity, makes use of otherwise excess capacity, keeping the level of demand more considerate. This balancing of the grid reduces strain on infrastructure.
Recent California heat waves have accelerated the quest for solutions that will ease the load on the grid while growing renewables. That includes use of bidirectional charging to allow EVs to discharge power back into the grid during periods of high demand, sometimes referred to as vehicle-to-grid (V2G). California has proposed wide-ranging V2G plans—although smart charging will go a long way to help the situation too.
Another California utility, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), has expanded bidirectional charging pilots. One such program will incentivize EV owners $2,500 plus up to $2,175 depending on the level of participation.
California is a good location for these utility pilot programs. It not only has the nation’s largest EV fleet, but also leads in home-charging installation, so there’s a much larger pool of utility customers able to participate in these programs than in other states.
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- Report: EV tax credit rules might accelerate Hyundai timeline for US-built EVs | https://www.wpri.com/automotive/internet-brands/bmw-ford-gm-will-help-incentivize-california-ev-drivers-to-charge-off-peak/ | 2022-08-25T16:12:35Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/automotive/internet-brands/bmw-ford-gm-will-help-incentivize-california-ev-drivers-to-charge-off-peak/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California is poised to set a 2035 deadline for all new cars, trucks and SUVs sold in the state to be powered by electricity or hydrogen, an ambitious step that will reshape the U.S. car market by speeding the transition to more climate-friendly vehicles.
The California Air Resources Board will vote Thursday on the policy, which sets the most aggressive roadmap in the nation for moving away from gas-powered cars. It doesn’t eliminate such vehicles, however.
People can continue driving gas-fueled vehicles and purchasing used ones after 2035. The plan also allows for one-fifth of sales after 2035 to be plug-in hybrids that can run on batteries and gas.
But it sets a course for ultimately ending the era of filling up at the local gas station. The switch from gas to electric cars will drastically reduce emissions and air pollutants. The transition may be painful in parts of the state that are still dominated by oil; California remains the seventh-largest oil producing state, though its output it falling as the state pushes forward with its climate goals.
“The climate crisis is solvable if we focus on the big, bold steps necessary to stem the tide of carbon pollution,” Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday. He announced the 2035 goal two years ago and regulators have spent the time since then working out the details of what Newsom termed “the action we must take if we’re serious about leaving this planet better off for future generations.”
There are practical hurdles to overcome to reach the goal, notably enough reliable power and charging stations. California now has about 80,000 stations in public places, far short of the 250,000 it wants by 2025. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents many major car makers, flagged the lack of infrastructure, access to materials needed to make batteries, and supply chain issues among the challenges to meeting the state’s timeline.
“These are complex, intertwined and global issues well beyond the control of either (the California Air Resources Board) or the auto industry,” John Bozzella, the group’s president, said in a statement.
Though the state makes up 10% of the U.S. car market, it’s home to 43% of the nation’s 2.6 million registered plug-in vehicles, according to the air board.
California climate officials say the state’s new policy will be the world’s most ambitious because it sets clear benchmarks for ramping up electric vehicle sales over the next dozen years. By 2026, for example, one-third of new cars sold must be electric. About 16% of cars sold in California in the first three months of this year were electric.
The European Parliament in June backed a plan to effectively prohibit the sale of gas and diesel cars in the 27-nation bloc by 2035, and Canada has mandated the sale of zero-emission cars by the same year. The Chinese province of Hainan said this week it would do the same by 2030.
In the U.S., Massachusetts, Washington and New York are among states that have set goals to transform their car markets or have already committed to following California’s new rules.
California has historically been granted permission by the U.S. Environmental Protection agency to set its own tailpipe emissions rules for cars, and 17 other states follow some or all of its policies.
The new electric vehicle rules will also require federal approval, which is considered likely with President Joe Biden in the White House. A future Republican president, though, could challenge California’s authority to set its own car standards, as the Trump administration did.
Indeed, the new commitment comes as California works to maintain reliable electricity while it moves away from gas-fired power plants in favor of solar, wind and other cleaner sources of energy. Earlier this year, top energy officials warned the state could run out of power during the hottest days of summer, which happened briefly in August 2020.
That hasn’t happened yet this year. But Newsom is pushing to keep open the state’s last-remaining nuclear plant beyond its planned closer in 2025, and the state may turn to diesel generators or natural gas plants as a backup when the grid is strained.
Adding more car chargers will put a higher demand on the energy grid.
Ensuring access to charging stations is also key to ramping up electric vehicle sales. The infrastructure bill passed by Congress last year provides $5 billion for states to build charges every 50 miles (80 kilometers) along interstate highways. Newsom, meanwhile, has pledged to spend billions to boost zero-emission vehicle sales, including by adding chargers in low-income neighborhoods.
Driving an electric vehicle long distances today, even in California, requires careful planning about where to stop and charge, said Mary Nichols, former chair of the California Air Resources Board. The money from the state and federal government will go along way to boosting that infrastructure and making electric cars a more convenient option, she said.
“This is going to be a transformative process and the mandate for vehicle sales is only one piece of it,” she said.
Though hydrogen is a fuel option under the new regulations, cars that run on fuel-cells have made up less than 1% of car sales in recent years.
Both the state and government have rebates for thousands of dollars to offset the cost of buying electric cars, and the rules have incentives for car makers to make used electric vehicles available to low- and middle-income people. Over the past 12 years, California has provided more than $1 billion in rebates for the sale of 478,000 electric, plug-in or hybrid vehicles, according to the air board.
____
This story has been corrected to restore a dropped letter in the last name of John Bozzella, president of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation. | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-california-poised-to-phase-out-sale-of-new-gas-powered-cars/ | 2022-08-25T16:13:21Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-california-poised-to-phase-out-sale-of-new-gas-powered-cars/ | 0 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | 30 |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California is poised to set a 2035 deadline for all new cars, trucks and SUVs sold in the state to be powered by electricity or hydrogen, an ambitious step that will reshape the U.S. car market by speeding the transition to more climate-friendly vehicles.
The California Air Resources Board will vote Thursday on the policy, which sets the most aggressive roadmap in the nation for moving away from gas-powered cars. It doesn’t eliminate such vehicles, however.
People can continue driving gas-fueled vehicles and purchasing used ones after 2035. The plan also allows for one-fifth of sales after 2035 to be plug-in hybrids that can run on batteries and gas.
But it sets a course for ultimately ending the era of filling up at the local gas station. The switch from gas to electric cars will drastically reduce emissions and air pollutants. The transition may be painful in parts of the state that are still dominated by oil; California remains the seventh-largest oil producing state, though its output it falling as the state pushes forward with its climate goals.
“The climate crisis is solvable if we focus on the big, bold steps necessary to stem the tide of carbon pollution,” Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday. He announced the 2035 goal two years ago and regulators have spent the time since then working out the details of what Newsom termed “the action we must take if we’re serious about leaving this planet better off for future generations.”
There are practical hurdles to overcome to reach the goal, notably enough reliable power and charging stations. California now has about 80,000 stations in public places, far short of the 250,000 it wants by 2025. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents many major car makers, flagged the lack of infrastructure, access to materials needed to make batteries, and supply chain issues among the challenges to meeting the state’s timeline.
“These are complex, intertwined and global issues well beyond the control of either (the California Air Resources Board) or the auto industry,” John Bozzella, the group’s president, said in a statement.
Though the state makes up 10% of the U.S. car market, it’s home to 43% of the nation’s 2.6 million registered plug-in vehicles, according to the air board.
California climate officials say the state’s new policy will be the world’s most ambitious because it sets clear benchmarks for ramping up electric vehicle sales over the next dozen years. By 2026, for example, one-third of new cars sold must be electric. About 16% of cars sold in California in the first three months of this year were electric.
The European Parliament in June backed a plan to effectively prohibit the sale of gas and diesel cars in the 27-nation bloc by 2035, and Canada has mandated the sale of zero-emission cars by the same year. The Chinese province of Hainan said this week it would do the same by 2030.
In the U.S., Massachusetts, Washington and New York are among states that have set goals to transform their car markets or have already committed to following California’s new rules.
California has historically been granted permission by the U.S. Environmental Protection agency to set its own tailpipe emissions rules for cars, and 17 other states follow some or all of its policies.
The new electric vehicle rules will also require federal approval, which is considered likely with President Joe Biden in the White House. A future Republican president, though, could challenge California’s authority to set its own car standards, as the Trump administration did.
Indeed, the new commitment comes as California works to maintain reliable electricity while it moves away from gas-fired power plants in favor of solar, wind and other cleaner sources of energy. Earlier this year, top energy officials warned the state could run out of power during the hottest days of summer, which happened briefly in August 2020.
That hasn’t happened yet this year. But Newsom is pushing to keep open the state’s last-remaining nuclear plant beyond its planned closer in 2025, and the state may turn to diesel generators or natural gas plants as a backup when the grid is strained.
Adding more car chargers will put a higher demand on the energy grid.
Ensuring access to charging stations is also key to ramping up electric vehicle sales. The infrastructure bill passed by Congress last year provides $5 billion for states to build charges every 50 miles (80 kilometers) along interstate highways. Newsom, meanwhile, has pledged to spend billions to boost zero-emission vehicle sales, including by adding chargers in low-income neighborhoods.
Driving an electric vehicle long distances today, even in California, requires careful planning about where to stop and charge, said Mary Nichols, former chair of the California Air Resources Board. The money from the state and federal government will go along way to boosting that infrastructure and making electric cars a more convenient option, she said.
“This is going to be a transformative process and the mandate for vehicle sales is only one piece of it,” she said.
Though hydrogen is a fuel option under the new regulations, cars that run on fuel-cells have made up less than 1% of car sales in recent years.
Both the state and government have rebates for thousands of dollars to offset the cost of buying electric cars, and the rules have incentives for car makers to make used electric vehicles available to low- and middle-income people. Over the past 12 years, California has provided more than $1 billion in rebates for the sale of 478,000 electric, plug-in or hybrid vehicles, according to the air board.
____
This story has been corrected to restore a dropped letter in the last name of John Bozzella, president of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation. | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-california-poised-to-phase-out-sale-of-new-gas-powered-cars/ | 2022-08-25T16:13:21Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-california-poised-to-phase-out-sale-of-new-gas-powered-cars/ | 1 | 0 | green-iguana-35 | 30 |
NEW YORK (AP) — Fewer Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week as the labor market continues to stand out as one of the strongest segments of the U.S. economy.
Applications for jobless aid for the week ending Aug. 20 fell by 2,000 to 243,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday.
The four-week average for claims, which evens out some of the week-to-week volatility, rose by 1,500 to 247,000.
The number of Americans collecting traditional unemployment benefits fell by 19,000 the week that ended Aug. 13, to 1.42 million.
First-time applications generally reflect layoffs and are often seen as an early indicator of where the job market is headed.
Hiring in the United States in 2022 has been remarkably strong even as the country faces rising interest rates and weak economic growth.
U.S. employers added 528,000 jobs in July, according to the Labor Department, more than double what forecasters had expected. The unemployment rate dipped to 3.5%, tying a 50-year low reached just before coronavirus pandemic slammed the U.S. economy in early 2020.
But there are other challenges. Consumer prices have been surging, rising 8.5% in July from a year earlier — down slightly from June’s 40-year high 9.1%. To combat inflation, the Federal Reserve has raised its benchmark short-term interest rate four times this year.
On Friday, Fed Chair Jerome Powell will deliver a speech that could shed more light on how high or how fast the central bank may raise interest rates in the coming months.
Higher borrowing costs have taken a toll. The economy contracted in the first half of the year — one measure suggesting the onset of a recession. But the strength of the job market has been inconsistent with an economic downturn. | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-fewer-americans-claim-jobless-benefits-last-week/ | 2022-08-25T16:13:28Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-fewer-americans-claim-jobless-benefits-last-week/ | 0 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | 34 |
NEW YORK (AP) — Fewer Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week as the labor market continues to stand out as one of the strongest segments of the U.S. economy.
Applications for jobless aid for the week ending Aug. 20 fell by 2,000 to 243,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday.
The four-week average for claims, which evens out some of the week-to-week volatility, rose by 1,500 to 247,000.
The number of Americans collecting traditional unemployment benefits fell by 19,000 the week that ended Aug. 13, to 1.42 million.
First-time applications generally reflect layoffs and are often seen as an early indicator of where the job market is headed.
Hiring in the United States in 2022 has been remarkably strong even as the country faces rising interest rates and weak economic growth.
U.S. employers added 528,000 jobs in July, according to the Labor Department, more than double what forecasters had expected. The unemployment rate dipped to 3.5%, tying a 50-year low reached just before coronavirus pandemic slammed the U.S. economy in early 2020.
But there are other challenges. Consumer prices have been surging, rising 8.5% in July from a year earlier — down slightly from June’s 40-year high 9.1%. To combat inflation, the Federal Reserve has raised its benchmark short-term interest rate four times this year.
On Friday, Fed Chair Jerome Powell will deliver a speech that could shed more light on how high or how fast the central bank may raise interest rates in the coming months.
Higher borrowing costs have taken a toll. The economy contracted in the first half of the year — one measure suggesting the onset of a recession. But the strength of the job market has been inconsistent with an economic downturn. | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-fewer-americans-claim-jobless-benefits-last-week/ | 2022-08-25T16:13:28Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-fewer-americans-claim-jobless-benefits-last-week/ | 1 | 0 | green-iguana-35 | 34 |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Four more Republican-led states will ban almost all abortions this week as yet another slate of laws severely limiting the procedure takes effect following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
To date, 13 states have passed so-called trigger laws that were designed to outlaw most abortions if the high court threw out the constitutional right to end a pregnancy. The majority of those states began enforcing their bans soon after the June 24 decision, but Idaho, Tennessee and Texas had to wait 30 days beyond when the justices formally entered the judgment, which happened several weeks after the ruling was announced.
That deadline is up Thursday. North Dakota’s trigger law is scheduled to take effect Friday.
The change will not be dramatic. All of these states except North Dakota already had anti-abortion laws in place that largely blocked patients from accessing the procedure. And the majority of the clinics that provided abortions in those areas have either stopped offering those services or moved to other states where abortion remains legal.
Texas, the country’s second-largest state, has banned most abortions once fetal cardiac activity has been detected, which can be as early as six weeks into pregnancy, before many women know they’re pregnant. The ban has been in place for almost a year, since courts refused to stop the law last September.
While clinics were severely limited in the services they could provide during that time, they officially stopped offering abortions on the day of the Supreme Court ruling. Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton argued that state laws that banned abortion before Roe v. Wade could be enforced ahead of the implementation of the trigger law.
Much like Texas’ current abortion ban, the trigger law does not include exceptions for rape or incest. Instead it has a loophole if a woman’s life or health is in danger.
The political response to the change was swift: Democrat Beto O’Rourke chose Thursday to unveil the first TV ads in his campaign against Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who signed off on the statute.
One of the ads includes a voice-over saying some women will die because of the law.
“From this day forward,” the ad begins, “women all across Texas are no longer free to make decisions about our own body.”
Meanwhile, Texas has challenged a legal interpretation put forth by the federal government that was aimed at requiring Texas hospitals to provide abortion services if the life of the mother is at risk. On Wednesday, a federal judge temporarily blocked the government from enforcing that interpretation.
Texas argued that the federal guidance would have required hospitals to provide abortions before the mother’s life is clearly at risk, which would have violated the state’s trigger law.
A similar situation played out in Idaho, but there a federal judge ruled Wednesday that the state’s abortion ban violated federal law.
U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill said the state could not enforce its abortion ban in cases where pregnant patients were experiencing a medical emergency that seriously threatened their lives or health. Idaho’s abortion ban makes all abortions felonies, but allows physicians to defend themselves in court by arguing that the procedure was necessary to save the life of the mother or done in cases of rape or incest.
Over in Tennessee, just two of the six clinics that provide abortions continued to offer the service after Roe was overturned. They did so even as Tennessee enacted a “heartbeat law” similar to the one passed in Texas. Under both the new trigger law and the previous heartbeat law, doctors who violate the law risk felony convictions and up to 15 years in prison.
Operating after the high court’s abortion ruling has been at times a “painful” experience, said Melissa Grant, chief operations officer of carafem, which has had a Nashville clinic since 2019. The legal environment has required difficult conversations between staffers and patients who may be unaware how early in pregnancy cardiac activity can be detected.
Because Tennessee requires patients to wait 48 hours before getting an abortion, Grant says her staff has seen some patients qualify for the procedure during an initial visit only to be turned away two days later because an ultrasound picked up fetal cardiac activity.
“When we find that we do ultimately have to turn somebody away, whether it’s the first visit, the second visit, the conversations can be very emotional. Primarily anger, fear, grief, sometimes disbelief, and it’s difficult for the staff,” she said.
The situation is similar in Memphis, where abortion providers at the region’s lone operating clinic say they turned away nearly 100 patients who did not qualify for an abortion during their second visit, said Jennifer Pepper, chief executive officer of CHOICES: Memphis Center for Reproductive Health.
That stress compounded in the days leading up to the trigger law deadline. As the last appointments took place, the staff had to weigh each patient’s situation against the likelihood that they will qualify under Tennessee’s already sharp restrictions and their ability to travel out of state.
CHOICES was the first abortion clinic to open in Memphis in 1974, and on Thursday it will become the last. The clinic is bracing for the change by increasing its midwife resources, expanding the birth center and offering gender-affirming care. It is also opening a second location in Carbondale, Illinois, a three-hour drive to the north.
The staff planned to gather Friday to “celebrate how we’ve served thousands of our patients. We’re starting a new chapter, but it is not our last chapter,” Pepper said.
In Idaho, the federal government argued that Medicaid-funded hospitals must provide “stabilizing treatment” to patients experiencing medical emergencies despite its trigger law.
Much of Idaho’s law went into effect Thursday, but due to the federal judge’s ruling Wednesday, the state cannot prosecute anyone who is performing an abortion in a medical emergency.
Most abortions in Idaho were effectively banned on Aug. 12, when the Idaho Supreme Court allowed a different law to go into effect allowing potential relatives of an embryo or fetus to sue abortion providers.
North Dakota is also waiting to see if its trigger law will be implemented. Lawyers for the state’s only abortion clinic, which recently moved a few miles to Minnesota, have asked for a delay as they pursue a lawsuit challenging the ban. A judge has promised to make a decision on the request by the end of this week. | https://www.wpri.com/health/ap-health/ap-four-more-gop-led-states-to-enact-abortion-trigger-laws/ | 2022-08-25T16:14:27Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/health/ap-health/ap-four-more-gop-led-states-to-enact-abortion-trigger-laws/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Aiming to turn months of legislative accomplishments into political energy, President Joe Biden will hold a kickoff rally Thursday to boost Democrats’ fortunes 75 days out from the midterm elections.
The event, in the safely Democratic Washington suburb of Rockville, Maryland, is meant to ease Biden into what White House aides say will be an aggressive season of championing his policy victories and aiding his party’s candidates. It comes as Democrats have seen their political hopes rebound in recent months amid a legacy-defining burst of action by Biden and Congress.
From bipartisan action on gun control, infrastructure and domestic technology manufacturing to Democrats-only efforts to tackle climate change and health care costs, Biden is expected to highlight the achievements of the party’s unified but razor-thin control of Washington. And he will try to sharpen the contrast with Republicans, who once seemed poised for sizable victories in November.
Just months ago, as inflation soared, Biden’s poll numbers soured and his agenda stalled, Democrats braced for significant losses. But the intense voter reaction to the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade and a productive summer on issues of core concern to Democrats have the party feeling like it is finally on the offensive heading into the Nov. 8 vote, even as the president remains unpopular.
Democrats, said Biden pollster John Anzalone, are “in a better position to compete because Joe Biden put us there.”
“It doesn’t mean that the wind’s at our back,” he added. “But we have more of a breeze than what felt like a gale hurricane in our face.”
Biden’s Thursday event comes a day after the president moved to fulfill a long-delayed campaign pledge to forgive federal student loans for lower- and middle-income borrowers — a move that Democrats believe will animate younger and Black and Latino voters.
Republicans, though, saw their own political advantage in the move, casting it as an unfair giveaway to would-be Democratic voters.
“President Biden’s inflation is crushing working families, and his answer is to give away even more government money to elites with higher salaries,” said Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell. “Democrats are literally using working Americans’ money to try to buy themselves some enthusiasm from their political base.”
Biden aides said he would continue to paint Republicans as the “ultra-MAGA” party — a reference to former President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” campaign slogan — opposing his agenda and embracing conservative ideological proposals on abortion and Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election.
Since the June Supreme Court ruling, Democrats have seen a boost in donations, polling and performance in special elections for open congressional seats. The latest came Tuesday in a Hudson Valley swing district that, in a Republican wave year, should have been an easy GOP win. Instead, Democratic Ulster County executive Pat Ryan, who campaigned on a platform of standing up for abortion rights, defeated his Republican counterpart from Duchess County, Marc Molinaro.
Meanwhile, Democrats have benefited from Republican candidates who won primaries but are struggling in the general campaign. Trump-backed Senate candidates have complicated the GOP’s chances in battleground states like Pennsylvania, Georgia and Arizona, while several Trump-aligned candidates in House races were not always the party’s first choice.
Trump’s grip on the GOP remains strong and has perhaps even become tighter in the aftermath of the FBI search of his Mar-a-Lago home.
JB Poersch, the president of Senate Majority Project, an outside group that is working to elect Democrats to the Senate, said the Republican candidates are “getting caught up in the Trump tornado once again — that is exactly what voters of both parties don’t want.”
Biden’s political event, sponsored by the Democratic National Committee, comes as the president and members of his Cabinet are set to embark on what the White House has billed as the “Building a Better America Tour” to promote “the benefits of the President’s accomplishments and the Inflation Reduction Act to the American people and highlight the contrast with Congressional Republicans’ vision.”
It comes as the White House has benefited from a steady decline in gasoline prices, which while still elevated have dropped daily since mid-June.
Months ago, Democratic lawmakers facing tough reelection fights sought to make themselves scarce when Biden came to town, though White House aides said Biden was still an asset to them by elevating issues that resonate with voters and sharpening the distinction with Republicans.
Now allies see the fortunes beginning to change and the president as more of a direct asset to campaigns.
In Maryland, Biden was set to be joined by gubernatorial candidate Wes Moore and a host of other officials on the ballot. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, who is up for reelection, was missing it, according to a spokesperson, because of a long-planned wedding anniversary trip with his wife, but he recorded a video welcoming Biden to his state that would play at the rally.
Cedric Richmond, the former Louisiana congressman and Biden senior adviser who now advises the Democratic National Committee, said if he were a candidate, he’d rush to have Biden at his side.
“I’d get in front of the van and become the drum major and talk about all the accomplishments that have been happened under the leadership of Biden,” Richmond said Wednesday. “You have a president who just keeps his head down and gets the work done and I think voters, as we kick off this campaign season, will see and appreciate that.”
He acknowledged some Democrats might opt against “bringing Washington to their district.”
“There are probably a few cases where that may make sense when you don’t even want to be associated with Washington,” Richmond said. “That has nothing to do with the president. That has everything to do with the typical dysfunction of Washington.”
He added, “The important point to stress is you don’t have that dysfunction right now because of President Biden.”
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AP Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro and AP writer Nicholas Riccardi contributed to this report.
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Follow AP’s coverage of the 2022 midterm elections at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections. | https://www.wpri.com/news/breaking-news/ap-top-news/ap-biden-kicks-off-midterm-rally-in-safely-democratic-maryland/ | 2022-08-25T16:14:42Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/breaking-news/ap-top-news/ap-biden-kicks-off-midterm-rally-in-safely-democratic-maryland/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s national police chief said Thursday he will resign to take responsibility over shortfalls in security that an investigation by his own agency showed did not adequately safeguard former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe from a fatal shooting of at a campaign speech last month.
National Police Agency Chief Itaru Nakamura’s announcement came as his agency released a report blaming flaws in police protection — from planning to guarding at the scene — that led to Abe’s assassination July 8 in Nara in western Japan.
Nakamura said he took the former prime minister’s death seriously and that he submitted his resignation to the National Public Safety Commission earlier Thursday.
“In order to fundamentally reexamine guarding and never to let this happen, we need to have a new system,” Nakamura told a news conference as he announced his intention to step down.
Nakamura did not say when his resignation would be official. Japanese media reported that his resignation is expected to be approved at Friday’s Cabinet meeting.
The alleged gunman, Tetsuya Yamagami, was arrested at the scene and is currently under mental evaluation until late November. Yamagami told police that he targeted Abe because of the former leader’s link to the Unification Church, which he hated.
Abe sent a video message last year to a group affiliated with the church, which experts say may have infuriated the shooting suspect.
In a 54-page investigative report released Thursday, the National Police Agency concluded that the protection plan for Abe neglected potential danger coming from behind him and merely focused on risks during his movement from the site of his speech to his vehicle.
Inadequacies in the command system, communication among several key police officials, as well as their attention in areas behind Abe at the campaign site led to their lack of attention on the suspect’s movement until it was too late.
None of the officers assigned to immediate protection of Abe caught the suspect until he was already 7 meters (yards) behind him where he took out his homemade double-barrel gun, which resembled a camera with a long lens, to blast his first shot that narrowly missed Abe. Up to that moment, none of the officers was aware of the suspect’s presence, or recognized the blast as a gun shot, the report said.
In just over two seconds, the suspect was only 5.3 meters (yards) behind Abe to fatally fire the second shot.
The report called for significant strengthening in both training and staffing of Japan’s dignitary protection, as well as revising police protection guidelines for the first time in about 30 years. It said the prefectural police’s Abe protection plan lacked a thorough safety evaluation and largely copied an earlier visit by another top party lawmaker.
The national police called for doubling dignitary protection staff in Tokyo, a greater supervisory role for the national police over prefectural staff, and use of digital technology and drones to bolster surveillance from above ground. The police agency also proposed bullet-proof shields that are not yet used in Japan, a country known for strict gun control.
Abe’s family paid tribute to him in a private Buddhist ritual Thursday marking the 49th day since his assassination. His younger brother and former Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, and other senior party officials and ministers reportedly attended.
About 1,000 people, including Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, attended an earlier private funeral at a Tokyo temple days after his death.
Kishida’s government plans to hold a state funeral Sept. 27, a plan that has split public opinion amid growing criticisms over the governing party members’ cozy ties with the controversial Korean church. Kishida’s Cabinet is reportedly announcing a 250 million yen ($1.8 million) budget to invite 6,400 guests from in and outside Japan for the upcoming funeral.
The Unification Church, which was founded in South Korea in 1954 and came to Japan a decade later, has built close ties with a host of conservative lawmakers, many of them members of Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party on their shared interests of anti-communism.
Since the 1980s, the church has faced accusations of problematic recruiting and religious sales in Japan, and the governing party’s church ties have sent support ratings of Kishida’s Cabinet into a nosedive even after its recent shuffle.
In Nara on Thursday, prefectural police chief Tomoaki Onizuka also expressed his intention to step down over Abe’s assassination.
“I have been almost crushed by the seriousness of my responsibility” in the former leader’s death, teary Onizuka said. “We will grit our teeth and endeavor in order to regain the public trust and be helpful to the people in the prefecture and across Japan.” | https://www.wpri.com/news/breaking-news/ap-top-news/ap-japan-police-chief-to-resign-over-abe-shooting-death/ | 2022-08-25T16:15:16Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/breaking-news/ap-top-news/ap-japan-police-chief-to-resign-over-abe-shooting-death/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(NewsNation) — Faced with inflation, some consumers have chosen to hold back discretionary purchases, but Starbucks drinkers have remained loyal.
Coffee sales at grocery stores performed well at the onset of the pandemic in 2020, spiking in mid-March. By September, Americans had reduced buying in supermarkets by 15%, according to a report from Reuters at the time.
In 2021, coffee outperformed other spaces in the dining sector for much of the year, but foot traffic halted in step with the omicron surge, the retail analysis company Placer reported.
Demand for Starbucks has remained steady, and consolidated net revenues were up 9% to a quarterly record $8.2 billion.
“This is a company that buys a lot of ingredients so they’re able to negotiate a very good deal,” said Bruce Clark, an associate professor of marketing at Northeastern University. “In fact, in a time of supply chain disruptions, they may actually have better access to supplies than some others.”
Interim CEO Howard Schultz said during a recent quarterly earnings call that despite inflation, “… we are not currently seeing any measurable reduction in customer spending…” attributing the company’s success to customer loyalty and engagement.
The coffee chain hasn’t been immune to growing costs and raised its prices about 5% within the past year, Schultz reported in the call.
Demand is likely to remain strong as the company prepares to launch a seasonal favorite.
The Pumpkin Spice Latte has become a cultural harbinger of the fall and a boon for Starbucks — one that’s likely to withstand penny-pinching brought on by inflation, Clark said.
“My sense is it may well be recession-proof,” Clark said. “… People are going to still buy them. I think the big question is whether people are going to buy them in the same amount and frequency that they might have done in the past.”
What some analysts reference as a “pumpkin-spice economy” generates between $350 and $500 million in annual sales, Clark said. That includes pumpkin-flavored coffee from Starbucks and other coffee shops, baked goods, alcoholic drinks, and pumpkin-spice-flavored chicken sausage.
The average cost of a Starbucks tall (small) latte in the U.S. is $2.75, according to an analysis by LendingTree company Value Penguin. Prices vary, though. At the world’s largest Starbucks in Chicago, a latte runs between $7.50 and $8.25.
“They are seeing some supply increases, but clearly not enough to break the bank,” Clark said. “For a latte, that’s an expensive drink, the dollar profit margin on a latte will be high.”
For some, lattes are an “affordable luxury” that people are willing to pay for, even during economic hardship.
“There is also evidence that sweets tend to do well in tough economic environments — candy, chocolate, things like that,” Clark said. “And there’s a lot of sugar in lattes so I think there are a lot of reasons to expect that the Pumpkin Spice Latte will hold up pretty well in the presence of inflation and economic uncertainty.”
“There are a lot of emotions and feelings tied up in Pumpkin Spiced Latte coming into the fall,” Clark said.
Not all favor the “PSL,” but the usual polarized takes on pro- versus anti-pumpkin-spice are likely to bring in business, Clark said.
“It’s a way of generating news,” he said. “It’s a way of bringing traffic into restaurants late in August, when restaurant traffic may be pretty low. People are still on vacation. (They) hope to bring more people to the store. (They) hope while they’re in the store, they’ll buy more stuff.” | https://www.wpri.com/news/national/is-starbucks-pumpkin-spice-latte-inflation-proof/ | 2022-08-25T16:16:06Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/national/is-starbucks-pumpkin-spice-latte-inflation-proof/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A California man who smuggled more than 1,700 wild animals into the United States, including 60 reptiles hidden in his clothing, pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal charges.
Jose Manuel Perez, 30, of Oxnard, entered pleas to two counts of smuggling and a charge of wildlife trafficking.
Prosecutors said that from 2016 to this February, Perez and his accomplices used social media to arrange to smuggle animals from Mexico and Hong Kong. Most were reptiles and included Yucatan box turtles, Mexican box turtles, baby crocodiles and Mexican beaded lizards, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.
It is illegal to import the animals without permits under an international treaty on the trade of endangered species, the DOJ said.
Perez paid accomplices a crossing fee to drive animals from Mexico to El Paso, Texas, where he had them shipped to his family’s Ventura County home and resold them to customers throughout the U.S., authorities said.
He also made some three dozen trips to Mexico himself to pick up animals, and on Feb. 25 he was arrested while trying to enter the U.S. with 60 reptiles hidden in bags of his clothing, prosecutors said. Three of the reptiles died.
The smuggled reptiles were worth about $739,000, authorities estimated.
Perez fled to Tijuana in June while out on bond but was quickly captured and returned to the U.S. He could face up to 20 years in federal prison for each smuggling count when he’s sentenced on Dec. 1. | https://www.wpri.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-california-man-pleads-guilty-to-smuggling-1700-animals/ | 2022-08-25T16:16:13Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-california-man-pleads-guilty-to-smuggling-1700-animals/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
CHONGQING, China (AP) — The city of Chongqing, dubbed one of China’s four “furnace” cities, is known for both soaring temperatures and spicy cuisine — notably its hotpot, a peppery bubbling tabletop broth into which diners dunk bite-size pieces of food to cook and eat.
The inland metropolis on the Yangtze River has the perfect escape to enjoy hotpot, even in what has been a summer of unusually stifling heat: World War II-era air raid shelters, converted into restaurants, where the temperature is naturally cooler.
Locals call it “cave hotpot.”
Chongqing was the temporary capital of China during World War II, as a Japanese invasion drove the government out of the then-capital, Nanjing, and occupied eastern China. Leader Chiang Kai-shek, the military, foreign diplomats and others set up in what was then a remote city in the southwest.
At the sound of air raid sirens, residents crowded into the often dark shelters dug into the hilly cityscape to protect people and military weapons. Thousands died in the Japanese aerial bombing attacks.
Today, the stone arch doorways of the former shelters still dot the city. Some have become cafes and mahjong parlors and others, restaurants.
Red Chinese characters hang over one entrance, its stonework half-hidden by a refrigerated drinks display case and stacked up plastic chairs. The characters read: “Cave Pavilion Hotpot. Founded 1989.”
Inside, tables and chairs line two long and narrow tunnels connected by a corridor. A starry night sky has been painted on the semicircular roof to reinforce a feeling of coolness. A painting of a World War II fighter plane hangs on the wall.
Diners drop beef tripe, meat, fish and vegetables into a bubbling broth filled with floating red chili peppers and lip-numbing Sichuan peppercorns. A non-spicy broth is also available — in a smaller container.
“We stay away from the summer heat in these air raid shelters,” said Tang Ronggang, as wisps of steam rose in front of his face from the hotpot on his table. “It’s cool in here, a good place to stay in summer.”
Particularly this summer, which has seen what meteorologists are calling China’s strongest heat wave since the government began recording rainfall and temperature 61 years ago. High temperatures have persisted for more than two months, topping 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in many places.
Shopping malls have closed in Chongqing for most of the daytime to conserve power. Wide swaths of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers, which meet in the city, have dried up, drawing people to the exposed riverbed. The extended heat and drought is blamed on a high-pressure system parked over western Russia that is also causing this summer’s heatwaves in Europe.
Chongqing, immediately east of Sichuan, was part of the province until the city and the surrounding area was broken off administratively in 1997.
Some date the city’s hotpot tradition to the 16th century, when porters ate meat and vegetables boiled with fiery spices after a hard day’s work on the docks on the Jialing River. The dish moved into abandoned air raid shelters in the 1970s, giving birth to a new tradition, the cave hotpot.
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Associated Press video producer Olivia Zhang contributed. | https://www.wpri.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-some-like-it-hot-eating-spicy-in-chinas-wwii-shelters/ | 2022-08-25T16:16:20Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-some-like-it-hot-eating-spicy-in-chinas-wwii-shelters/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LUANDA, Angola (AP) — Angolans are anxiously watching the vote counting in their election race between the ruling MPLA party and the opposition UNITA.
With 86% of votes counted, the MPLA has the lead with 52% of the votes and UNITA has 43%, according to preliminary results announced Thursday morning by the National Electoral Commission. Smaller parties have received the remaining votes.
This is the opposition party’s best showing in 30 years. But many supporters of UNITA — the Union for the Total Independence of Angola — assert that their party should be in the lead and charge that the official results are not accurate.
According to many experts, the ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola, known by its Portuguese acronym MPLA and in power for 47 years, holds an unfair advantage as it controls virtually all aspects of the election process.
The mood is calm but anxious in Luanda, the seaside capital on the Atlantic Ocean, where many voters openly say they voted for the opposition. Angola is Africa’s second-largest producer of oil and has rich diamond deposits, but the majority of the southern African country’s 34 million people remain in poverty, according to the U.N. With unemployment above 30%, many people say they want to see change.
“I voted early and I voted for a change,” said Gelmo Santos, 49, who works as a driver and held up his finger stained with violet ink as proof that he cast his ballot.
Benedito dos Santos, 29, said he also decided to vote for change.
“This is the right time to show which direction the youngsters want for this country,” said dos Santos, a fish seller in Luanda.
Such vocal support for the opposition is unusual in Angola, which for many years was a one-party state ruled by the MPLA. Since 1992 the southern African country has been a multi-party democracy and many voters, especially those under 30, say they want to see change.
Both parties are former rebel movements that fought Portuguese colonial rule. The MPLA won power with backing from the Soviet Union and established Marxist rule when Angola became independent in 1975. UNITA fought a bitter civil war against the MPLA, with support from the U.S. and apartheid-ruled South Africa.
In a negotiated truce, the MPLA agreed to multiparty elections held in 1992. UNITA furiously rejected the MPLA’s win and the country was plunged back into civil war that only ended in 2002.
Since then, UNITA has transformed itself from a rebel group into a political party, particularly under the new leadership of Adalberto Costa Junior, who didn’t fight in the civil war. Costa Junior has succeeded in gaining support from other opposition politicians and intellectuals.
UNITA legally challenged its loss in the 2017 election but the courts ruled in favor of the MPLA. | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-angola-anxiously-watches-vote-counting-in-national-election/ | 2022-08-25T16:16:33Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-angola-anxiously-watches-vote-counting-in-national-election/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
CHAPLYNE, Ukraine (AP) — The death toll from a Russian rocket attack on a train station and the surrounding area on Ukraine’s Independence Day climbed to 25, including at least two children, Ukrainian authorities said Thursday. Russia said it targeted a military train and claimed to have killed more than 200 Ukrainian reservists.
The bloodshed came as Ukraine was braced for attacks tied to the national holiday and war’s six-month mark, both of which fell on Wednesday. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had warned that Russia might “try to do something particularly nasty, something particularly cruel” this week.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an increase in the country’s armed forces of 137,000 troops, or more than 13%, by Jan. 1. That would bring Russia’s troop strength to over 1.15 million.
The move appeared to be an effort to replenish forces that have sustained heavy losses in the Ukraine war.
The decree Putin signed did not say whether the increase would be accomplished by expanding the draft, recruiting more volunteers, or both.
Western estimates of Russian dead have ranged from more than 15,000 to over 20,000 — more than the Soviet Union lost during its 10-year war in Afghanistan. The Pentagon said last week that as many as 80,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded, eroding Moscow’s capability to conduct big offensives.
The lethal train-station strike in Chaplyne, a town of about 3,500 in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, served as a painful reminder of Russia’s continued ability to inflict large-scale suffering six months into the war. Wednesday’s national holiday celebrated Ukraine’s 1991 declaration of independence from the Soviet Union.
The dead included an 11-year-old boy found under the rubble of a house and a 6-year-old killed in a car fire near the train station, authorities said.
The deputy head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, did not say whether all of the 25 people killed were civilians. If they were, it would amount to one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in weeks. Thirty-one people were reported wounded.
In his nightly video address Wednesday, Zelenskky detailed the attack and vowed: “We will definitely make the occupiers bear responsibility for everything they have done. And we will certainly drive the invaders out of our land. Not a single stain of this evil will remain in our free Ukraine.”
Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces used an Iskander missile to strike a military train carrying Ukrainian troops and equipment to the front line in eastern Ukraine. The ministry claimed more than 200 reservists “were destroyed on their way to the combat zone.”
Tetyana Kvitnytska, deputy head of the Dnipropetrovsk regional health department, said those hurt in the train station attack suffered head injuries, broken limbs, burns and shrapnel wounds.
“People were in a difficult condition, both physically and psychologically,” she said.
Following attacks in which civilians have died, the Russian government has repeatedly claimed that its forces aim only at legitimate military targets. Hours before the train station attack, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu insisted the military was doing its best to spare civilians, even at the cost of slowing down its offensive in Ukraine.
Trains and other infrastructure have been frequent Russian targets, with the Kremlin citing their role in transporting military supplies and troops. Trains are also critical for transporting fleeing civilians and humanitarian aid.
In April, a Russian missile attack on a train station in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk killed more than 50 people as crowds of mostly women and children sought to flee the fighting. The attack was denounced as a war crime.
In Geneva, the U.N.’s human rights chief, Michelle Bachelet, decried the six months since the Russian invasion as “unimaginably horrifying.”
In Moscow on Thursday, Dmitry Medvedev, the secretary of Russia’s Security Council, said Western hopes for a Ukrainian victory are futile and emphasized that the Kremlin will press home what it calls the “special military operation,” leaving just two possible outcomes.
“One is reaching all goals of the special military operation and Kyiv’s recognition of this outcome,” Medvedev said on his messaging app channel. “The second is a military coup in Ukraine followed by the recognition of results of the special operation.”
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Follow all of AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-death-toll-from-train-station-attack-in-ukraine-rises-to-25/ | 2022-08-25T16:16:54Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-death-toll-from-train-station-attack-in-ukraine-rises-to-25/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ISLAMABAD (AP) — At least 182 people have been killed and hundreds more injured during a month of heavy flooding from seasonal rains in Afghanistan, according to the United Nations and the ruling Taliban.
Zabihullah Mujahid, Taliban’s spokesman, said Thursday that more than 250 people were injured as the result of the flash flooding, while more than 3,000 houses were either destroyed or damaged. Mujahid said at least 182 people had been killed.
The heaviest death toll occurred between August 16 and August 21, when 63 people were killed in the flash floods. Thirty others are reported missing and more than 8,200 families are affected across 13 provinces, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Recently in eastern Logar province, villagers in the Khushi district had said that the flooding was unprecedented in the area’s history. There, the deluge has wiped out animals, houses and agricultural lands. People have been driven from their homes to find refuge in the mountains.
In northern Parwan province, the flash floods swept away dozens of homes in the three affected districts.
The local weather department has warned that more rains were expected in the coming days in most of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces. Heavy rains and flash floods across the country killed 40 people in July and 19 people the month before. | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-heavy-rains-set-off-flash-floods-killing-182-in-afghanistan/ | 2022-08-25T16:17:26Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-heavy-rains-set-off-flash-floods-killing-182-in-afghanistan/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — More than a year after the Taliban takeover that saw thousands of Afghans rushing to Kabul’s international airport amid the chaotic U.S. withdrawal, Afghans at risk who failed to get on evacuation flights say they are still struggling to find safe and legal ways out of the country.
Among those left behind is a 49-year-old interpreter who worked for a NATO contractor in 2010 accompanying convoys in Kandahar. Only six days after the Taliban reached the capital last August, they came looking for him.
“They come to my house and they threatened my son and my wife (when) I was not at home. They (then) destroy my office,” he told AP via WhatsApp referring to the place where he taught English. He asked that his name not be revealed for security reasons.
This month, he was interrogated by the Taliban again for more than two hours.
During the chaotic days of the U.S. pullout, he had tried several times to reach Kabul Airport but, like many, failed to get through massive crowds made even more dangerous by attacks around the airport that killed dozens. He then tried to leave Afghanistan by crossing the land border with Pakistan but was stopped by the Taliban who demanded $700 per person to cross — money he did not have. To make matters worse, his passport is no longer valid.
Like millions of Afghans, he’s also been impacted by the country’s economic freefall, caused in part by international sanctions and vanishing foreign aid.
“We eat once a day,” the interpreter said. Still, he continues hoping he and his family will leave Afghanistan at some point.
“I never give up because of my future and my children future,” he said.
Since their return to rule, the Taliban have been trying to transition from insurgency and war to governing, with the hard-liners increasingly at odds with the pragmatists on how to run a country in the midst of a humanitarian and economic crisis. But a year on they have so far failed to gain international recognition. Initial promises to allow girls to return to school and women to continue working have been broken.
Those who have failed to evacuate include interpreters and drivers but also women journalists, activists and athletes who say they cannot live freely under a Taliban-led government.
The U.S., together with other Western nations, hastily evacuated more than 120,000 people, both foreign nationals and Afghan citizens, in August last year.
Some 46,000 Afghans who remained in the country after Aug. 31 have since applied for U.S. humanitarian parole, according to the Migration Policy Institute. But only 297 have been approved so far.
Because there is no longer a U.S. consulate in Afghanistan, asylum-seekers must make their way to other countries with consular services for in-person interviews.
The list of obstacles to getting out of Afghanistan is extensive, starting with the difficulty in obtaining passports as offices repeatedly close due to technical problems.
“Today, the vast majority of Afghans don’t have access to legal identity, meaning if they need tomorrow to be able to get to safety legally, they can’t,” said Nassim Majidi, co-founder and executive director of Samuel Hall, an independent think tank that conducts research on migration and displacement. Majidi was speaking at a seminar organized by the Migration Policy Institute looking at the situation of Afghans in Afghanistan and abroad a year after the withdrawal.
Around 2,000 Afghans and their families who worked with NATO, its agencies, and member countries were among those evacuated from Kabul according to the military alliance. But the evacuations were organized by individual member countries. NATO, as an organization, had no repatriation plan.
Evacuations from third countries are still happening, although sporadically. Earlier this month a plane carrying nearly 300 Afghans who had collaborated with the Spanish government landed in Madrid. Germany and France also have continued to work on evacuation cases, Majidi said.
But thousands of Afghans are still living in limbo in third countries including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kosovo and Albania while they wait for their applications to be processed for resettlement to the United States and Canada.
Though life-saving for many, the evacuations also fractured families. Among them is that of an Afghan journalist who asked to remain anonymous, fearing for the safety of her relatives in Kabul.
“It was really difficult to leave everything behind in an hour,” she told the Associated Press in a phone interview from her new home in Nijmegen, in the Netherlands, which she moved into after months of living in a temporary refugee shelter.
The government of the Netherlands had called her on Aug. 26 offering a single spot on an evacuation flight. Her relatives told her she needed to save herself first if she wanted to help them.
A year later, three of her family members have recently managed to get evacuated to France, she said. But despite repeated family reunification requests to the Netherlands and other European countries, the majority of her siblings remain in Kabul, living across the street from a police station now in Taliban hands.
On June 17 one of her older brothers was allegedly beaten to death by Taliban forces on the street after he was found carrying a photo of Ahmad Shah Massoud, the leader of the Northern Alliance that fought the Taliban, she said.
Days later, she said, the men showed up at the family’s home and forced them to sign a death certificate that stated he had died of “natural causes.” The AP was unable to independently verify her claims.
With most of her family still in Afghanistan and many bureaucratic hurdles to face in the Netherlands, it has been difficult to start a new life, she said.
“Until now it is just darkness.”
___
Associated Press reporter Rahim Faiez in Islamabad and Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed to this report.
___
Follow the AP’s coverage of global migration at https://apnews.com/hub/migration | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-one-year-on-afghans-at-risk-await-evacuation-relocation/ | 2022-08-25T16:17:52Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-one-year-on-afghans-at-risk-await-evacuation-relocation/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Just over a month into his new role as the CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Bill Kramer is already looking ahead to the 2023 Oscars—and even has some early details to share.
“We want to return to a show that has reverence for film and 95 years of the Oscars,” said Kramer of the telecast, scheduled for March 12. Kramer, who previously served as director and president of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, hosted a media call this week to answer questions about his plans for his tenure, including the future of the Oscars.
Kramer said he’s been talking to Oscar broadcast partner ABC “from the minute I started” about what the upcoming show might look like. “It’s a moment to really reflect on our membership, all craft areas, our changing industry, our fans,” he said. “There are ways to do that that are entertaining and authentic, and that are tied to our mission to honor excellence in moviemaking.”
One of the first steps in the process of creating the telecast is hiring the producers; in recent years, film producers such as Will Packer and Steven Soderbergh have taken on the role, with each producing the show for a single year. Kramer suggested that the Academy may be pursuing a new strategy, seeking out a producer who has experience with live-television production and would sign a multiyear contract.
An increasingly difficult position to fill has been that of a host, to the point that the 2019, 2020, and 2021 ceremonies had no host at all. Kramer said that’s not the plan for 2023. “A host is very important to us, and we are committed to having a host on the show this year, and we are already looking at some key partners on that,” he said. Overall, it seems as if talks for this season’s show have begun earlier than most years, and Kramer said a producer announcement is imminent. “We’re very happy to be having these conversations with ABC in the early summer weeks—it’s been very helpful for us to do that,” he said. “And my hope for the future is that we will always start these conversations almost immediately after the Oscars, for the next year’s show.”
Though Will Smith’s infamous slap dominated the headlines, the 2022 ceremony started controversially too, cutting eight categories from the live broadcast. While Kramer wouldn’t commit to any strategy for next year, he suggested that that’s one tactic he’s not eager to repeat. “We want to see all disciplines equitably acknowledged on the show—that is our goal,” he said. “There are many ways to do that, and we’re working that through with ABC right now.”
The 2022 Oscars did, despite everything, provide a much-needed uptick in ratings—the ceremony drew 16.6 million viewers, up 58% from the pandemic-altered 2021 ceremony’s record low. Like everything else on ABC, however, the Oscars catch viewers on Hulu in the days after they air live, and Kramer said that offers a different way to think about ratings. “It’s more blended now,” he said. “Ratings are always important to us. Our ratings compared to other award shows is still healthy, and we want it to remain healthy. We also want the extensions of the show to be excellent and to allow people to engage with our members in the awards in a lot of different ways.”
But even with the added boost from streaming, Kramer admitted that it’s “critical” to grow the Oscar fan base while acknowledging the ceremony’s 95-year history. Though he did insist that some things—like the Academy’s reinstated requirement that all films be released theatrically for eligibility—would remain the same. And speaking of history: When asked a question about “the slap,” Kramer very much wanted to keep his eyes on the future. “We want to move forward and to have an Oscars that celebrates cinema, and that’s our focus right now,” Kramer said. “It’s really about moving forward.”
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Barbie Ferreira is dropping out of Euphoria High. The actor, who played spiraling high school student turned empowered cam girl Kat Hernandez for two seasons on HBO, is leaving the series, she announced on Wednesday.
“After four years of getting to embody the most special and enigmatic character Kat, I’m having to say a very teary-eyed goodbye,” Ferreira wrote on her Instagram Story alongside artwork by Euphoria costar Hunter Schafer. “I hope many of you could see yourself in her like I did and that she brought you joy to see her journey into the character she is today. I put all my care and love into her and I hope you guys could feel it. Love you Katherine Hernandez.” (Vanity Fair has reached out to reps for HBO and Ferreira for comment.)
Ferreira’s departure comes amid reports of tension between herself and series creator Sam Levinson, with The Daily Beast reporting in February that Ferreira walked off set while filming season two. The report also claimed that the actor injured herself while filming a hot tub scene. HBO denied that the production was toxic in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, noting that it “was in full compliance with all safety guidelines and guild protocols” and that “there were never any formal inquiries raised.”
Some speculated that reported fallout with Levinson led to Ferreira’s role being sidelined in the show’s second season, relegated from main-character status to an arc centered on faking a terminal illness to break up with her boyfriend, Ethan (Austin Abrams). Ferreira distanced herself from rumors of behind-the-scenes conflict, telling Insider in March: “I really think that the fans are really passionate and I do appreciate that because Euphoria has really impacted so many people. Sometimes, things take on a life of their own, and they’re not rooted in the truth, but it’s okay because I know it’s just out of passion and out of curiosity and all that good stuff.”
Ferreira, who recently made a brief appearance in Jordan Peele’s Nope, also opened up about Kat’s “very internal” season two arc to Vanity Fair in February. “I think of season one as a big trauma for Kat, and kind of a turning point in feeling invisible and getting what she thinks she wants and then what she actually wants, and then not understanding and disappearing into an alter-ego that didn’t solve anything,” she told V.F. “The only thing it did was kind of push it deeper in. All the characters have so many problems going on. Kat’s is just a very internal, self-hatred kind of vibe, you know what I mean?”
Euphoria, which is nominated for 16 Emmys including outstanding drama series, hasn’t yet announced a start date for its third season.
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When interviewing beloved actor Danny DeVito, prepare for a fun chat—and charming tech issues.
Back in 2019, a conversation I had with DeVito on the set of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia was interrupted multiple times by Siri, with the now 77-year-old adorably struggling to get his phone to shut up.
Nearly three years later, DeVito and I talked over Zoom—and were interrupted once by a call coming through his computer—about his raunchy new animated series, Little Demon. The show is a true family affair: DeVito and his children Jake and Lucy are executive producers, while father and daughter portray the same relationship onscreen (albeit with a very different dynamic than the one they have in real life). Lucy voices Chrissy, a 13-year-old girl being raised by her single mother, Laura (Aubrey Plaza). When Chrissy suddenly discovers that she is the Antichrist, it prompts the arrival of her dear dad: Satan, as voiced by DeVito.
Ahead of Little Demon’s Thursday launch on FXX, the DeVito patriarch—despite a later-than-usual night—is as lively as ever when discussing his star turns on Little Demon and Always Sunny, being a “Bernie bro,” and feeling the need to do one more specific type of film.
Vanity Fair: Danny, how are you?
Danny DeVito: We’re good. I mean, I did oversleep this morning. I had one of those nights where I started some movie really late. Did you ever see Under the Skin?
I have. Scarlett Johansson is great in that one.
I watched the whole thing, and I looked up at the clock and I said, “Ahh, it’s two o’clock in the morning!” But it was very good, engaging. I had seen it years ago, and it’s one of those things where you revisit it and you’re a different person, and so it all sinks in a different way. I love that about movies. As many times you watch them over and over again, you always get to see other nuances and it touches you in another area.
Is that a normal routine for you, winding down at night with a movie?
I’m sorry, wait one second. I’m a little technically impaired, so I just recorded everything I said to you and was about to send it to a friend.
No problem, not the first time we’ve dealt with that!
[Laughs] But yes, I do. My time is spent working on [production company] Jersey projects all day, and now, big time, Little Demon. And then I do a little bit of political claptrap because I’m a Bernie bro, and I yearn for some justice in the world—and don’t seem to get to first base in that area. But then I’ll throw a really cool movie on. Like, I watched Butch and Sundance. Just randomly I’ll go through the whole list of things.
Do you ever throw on any of your own films?
Every once in a while, somebody will be watching one of the movies and then I’ll sit in. But over the years I’ve watched all the movies, several times: [Throw] Momma [From the Train], War of the Roses, Hoffa. Death to Smoochy I’ve watched the most. Matilda, with the kids, I watched a million times. Oh, I was working with Barry Levinson recently, we did a movie called The Survivor. And when we were getting ready to do it, I just threw Tin Men on. That was a wonderful experience. And one of the big things I remember was that I was on a major diet when I made that movie because I had to get into a bathtub. [Laughs] You remember that? I had to get the waist down a little.
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Chef and registered dietitian Abbie Gellman joined The Rhode Show this morning to highlight a few simple back-to-school meal ideas featuring StarKist chicken and tuna that are simple, delicious, and nutritious
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The bar at Fanny’s, the bygone-era-themed restaurant nestled inside Los Angeles’s new Academy Museum, features a menu of 10 specialty cocktails, each named after a 2022 best-picture Oscar nominee. Luke Macfarlane is about to order a bourbon-based The Power of the Dog. He makes some swift, nervous jokes about me including this detail in this story; it’s almost too on the nose, he suggests. I order my own Power of the Dog, and he laughs: “Alright, you’re allowed to write about it.”
How could I not? Here sits Macfarlane, an openly gay actor selecting the menu’s resident gay-movie drink, as he settles in for a long interview about his groundbreaking gay Hollywood movie, Bros, which both pokes light fun at The Power of the Dog—and other prestige queer Westerns starring straight actors, including Brokeback Mountain—and marks the moment he’s been waiting for his whole career: to lead a Hollywood movie.
Such ambitions are hardly surprising; Macfarlane oozes leading-man energy. As we ambled around Wilshire Boulevard’s Museum Row before settling on Fanny’s, he proved instantly, ridiculously charming, introducing himself in a baseball cap and navy T-shirt, offering a firm handshake and gracious conversation. How was he so calm, so centered? The expectations are massive around both Bros—the first gay rom-com distributed by a major studio—and Macfarlane, who’s been consistently around but never made it as big as he’d expected or hoped. You wouldn’t think this was a guy hurtling toward a pivotal turning point in his profession, and maybe his life.
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The superhero adventures of the Hargreeves family are coming to a surprising end. Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy will end with its upcoming fourth and final season, series creator Steve Blackman confirmed on Thursday. The news comes just months after the show’s third season toppled Stranger Things’ summer streak as the number one title on Netflix in June.
“I’m so excited that the incredibly loyal fans of The Umbrella Academy will be able to experience the fitting end to the Hargreeves siblings’ journey we began five years ago,” Blackman said in a statement to Variety. “But before we get to that conclusion, we’ve got an amazing story ahead for season four, one that will have fans on the edge of their seats until the final minutes.”
An exact episode count has not been revealed for the final installment, although sources tell the outlet that it will be shorter than the 10-episode drops of the first three seasons. Cast members Elliot Page, Tom Hopper, David Castañeda, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher, Justin H. Min, Ritu Arya, and Colm Feore will all return for the fourth season. The fates of characters played by Adam Godley, Genesis Rodriguez, and Britne Oldford are less certain, given the series’ action-packed season three finale.
The Umbrella Academy, which premiered in 2019 and is based on the graphic novels by Gerard Way, chronicles a superpowered group of adopted siblings who are constantly tasked with saving humanity. The show’s third season incorporated Page’s real-life transition, reintroducing his character as Viktor, and ended with the motley crew in a brand-new timeline—one in which several characters have been stripped of their abilities.
Granting insight into what’s in store for the final season, Blackman told Netflix’s Tudum that “the stakes have never been greater” for the Hargreeves. “So the siblings losing their powers isn’t going to be the only oddity in this timeline,” he explained. “There are new enemies who want to see them wiped out of existence, but how do they manage without their powers? Is there even a way to get them back?”
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The trailer for Bros, a new film from Universal that opens in September, will be cozily familiar to anyone who came of age in the peak era of Judd Apatow. It’s glossy, quippy, and shows off a stacked cast of comedy performers working in idiosyncratic harmony—and Apatow is in fact a producer. There’s a very 2022 twist, though: Every actor in the main cast is queer, and the central love story concerns two men. The film, the brainchild of guerilla comedian turned movie star Billy Eichner, is being heralded as a breakthrough for LGBTQ+ representation onscreen, both by outsiders and, with a wink, by the film’s marketing.
Bros—which I have not yet seen but cautiously await—is only the highest profile of recent projects that have helped usher in a queer renaissance. Or at least the feeling of one. In June, Hulu released the gay rom-com Fire Island and Peacock premiered its updated Queer as Folk. Earlier in the spring there was the sleeper-hit Y.A. love story Heartstopper on Netflix, while in July a new Neil Patrick Harris series, a gay-themed comedy called Uncoupled, debuted on the streamer. These are times of plenty for (some) queer audiences, a buffet of options that hardly seemed possible during the penurious Will & Grace days.
And yet the more we’re served—as much as there is an amorphous “we” at all—the hungrier I have felt. It’s not that the recent offering of queer content hasn’t been satisfying. It has, in profound ways. As someone who was a teenager in the 1990s, it’s still a pleasant shock to see, say, a gay kiss on the big screen or an intricately mapped queer relationship on a small one. Perhaps it’s less exciting, or startling, for people who have been traversing the internet wilds since they were children. For me, though, each new prospective addition to the queer canon is greeted as a welcome stranger arriving in a mostly barren place.
Still, a certain longing has set in over these recent years of representational progress. It’s a feeling I’ve seen expressed by other writers, YouTube pundits, tweeters. The gist is that, yes, it’s great that queer thing X exists—but couldn’t it have existed a little better? More inclusively, more specifically, more explicitly? The problem of clamoring for representation and then being given something—by distant people in unknowable conference rooms—is that it’s never going to be quite what you ordered, or what you wish you’d ordered, anyway.
There is an important distinction to make between that feeling—that ineffable lack—and genuine, worthy calls for better representation. Most of the projects I’ve mentioned center on cis men, which leaves trans people and cis women out in the cold. Whiteness is still the default filter of lots of these projects. Those matters are not entirely separate from the other want, but they can at least be addressed concretely. The more diffuse sensation, though, of watching this spate of queer media and feeling something missing, is trickier to solve. It’s a bit like a trip to the uncanny valley, close enough to the real thing—whatever that is—that slight differences register all the more glaringly.
I wanted to wholly love Fire Island, and I do very much appreciate its intrasocial debates about gay friendship and romance, its gauzy camerawork, its locational specificity. And yet when watching the film I felt that pesky pebble in my shoe. It wasn’t quite right—the tone, the patter, the emotional topography. I sat with niggling, mostly useless questions: Would those two characters really be friends? Would that person really say that in that context? Is that what my fraught Blue Whale tea dances were like? Similarly, with Heartstopper, a sweet show about English high school boys falling in love, a sense of slight offness haunted my viewing. Maybe it was too cutesy or too dreamy about what is for so many people a painful pr0cess—with or without first love.
The new Queer as Folk throws a heck of a party, yet the show so demands that we revel with it—and cheer on its existence—that it quickly grows alienating. Its merry insistence that this is how queer people live now makes the show rigid, despite all its attempts at freewheeling fluidity. While watching it, I wished it was framed as a queer show rather than the queer show.
Years ago, in 2014, I came to the defense of HBO’s Looking, an airy series that was oft-maligned by critics who found something hollow and untruthful about it. The sex was too timid, they said; the friend group was awfully cloistered; its stereotypes about gay men were fussy and antiquated. At the time, I found the series plenty sexy, plenty credible. I argued that Looking didn’t have to be a perfect and wholly summative depiction of the gay experience, because what ever could be?
I haven’t really followed my own edict in the years since. (And, in fact, when revisiting Looking this spring, I felt as disconnected from it as anything else I’ve watched recently.) I’ve instead been chasing something that probably can never be—all the while feeling a familiar, glum dip of disappointment when I watch, say, the Bros trailer and think, Oh that’s how they’re doing it? Perhaps we shouldn’t feel cajoled into gratitude for stuff that doesn’t get it right enough, but we should also loosen the standards of what “right” even is.
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The Movement for Black Lives launched a new climate change initiative Thursday, uniting more than 200 Black environmental leaders and organizations nationwide who have pledged to find equitable climate solutions centering on Black Americans and communities.
The Black Hive initiative builds on the movement’s 2021 Red, Black, and Green New Deal and reintroduces its Black Climate Mandate that outlines the urgency for a Black climate agenda and investment in equitable strategies that protect Black Americans specifically.
The announcement, first shared with The Associated Press, comes in the wake of a Supreme Court decision limiting the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and the recent passage of the Inflation Reduction Act.
Numerous studies have found Black and other communities of color have borne the brunt of climate and environmental impacts for decades. Black Hive leaders said structural racism, the legacy of enslavement and socioeconomic factors such as redlining, segregation and poverty have made it more likely that Black communities are often located near toxic sites or directly affected by climate change.
“The climate crisis is happening because of corporate greed, government negligence, the divestment of solutions and the investment into the harmful institutions like the fossil fuel industry, that are harming our people,” said Valencia Gunder, national co-lead of The Black Hive. “It’s time for America to address the anti-Black racism that happens here.”
Gunder said she’s already seen the impacts of climate change in her home state of Florida. She’s been doing climate justice work in communities, focusing on the impacts of rising seas, residential displacement, and housing and food security issues. She said farmers in South Florida have told her they’ve started to see saltwater intrusion damaging crops.
“The climate crisis is probably the most important issue that we can work on,” Gunder said. “If we do not hurry up and pay attention and get to resiliency, I believe that we’re going to start seeing more destruction, more harm or death, more illness.”
The Movement for Black Lives is a national network of more than 150 leaders and organizations created to build a broad political home for Black people to organize across the country and within their communities. The movement has expanded beyond policing to include issues such as climate change and environmental justice. The collective is calling on people to take its Black climate and environmental justice pledge and commit to advancing The Black Hive’s Black Climate Mandate that’s expected to be updated this year.
The Black Hive leaders say they plan to offer resources, data and technology, communications and disaster response support to local communities and Black-led organizations. The initiative is focusing on several areas: water, energy, land, labor, economy and reparations, democracy, health, and global Black diaspora solidarity. Participants also plan to focus on grassroots organizing and community education to raise awareness.
For California organizer Aleta Alston-Toure′, the climate initiative feels especially timely.
Advocates like Alston-Toure’ have questioned recent climate efforts led by the federal government, including the Inflation Reduction Act signed into law this month by President Joe Biden. Its proponents have stated billions of dollars in climate and environment investments will flow to communities nationwide that long have been plagued by pollution and climate threats. But advocates say it’s not bold enough in addressing climate issues affecting Black Americans, and they criticize provisions in the bill that support fossil fuel expansion.
“These solutions are Band-Aids,” said Alston-Toure′, who is a member of the Parable of the Sower Intentional Community Cooperative spanning several states. “There’s no solution if Black (communities) and Indigenous nations, especially the Gulf South, have to suffer in order to have Band-Aid solutions for the wider public. We want to be taken serious and know that our votes matter because this is a lynching of our communities, and we have to be heard.”
In June, 14 environmental justice organizations began to receive money under the Justice40 initiative — a Biden administration pledge to improve the environment in disadvantaged communities and help them prepare for climate change. The initiative promises to funnel 40% of all investments in climate and environment to communities that live with environmental burdens such as diesel soot, lead water pipes and lack of access to green spaces.
But Alston-Toure’ said communities need to be able to trust that money from these new initiatives will actually go directly toward Black-led organizations. She said too often the majority of funding goes to organizations or individuals not rooted within affected communities.
A study last year by the Tishman Environment and Design Center at The New School found that between 2016 and 2017, 12 national environmental grant makers awarded $1.34 billion to organizations in the Gulf and Midwest regions — but only $18 million, or 1.3%, was awarded to groups dedicated to environmental justice.
Last year, the Donors of Color, a philanthropic group dedicated to pushing for racial equity in funding environmental projects nationwide, launched a pledge drive challenging the nation’s top climate funders to shift 30% of their donations toward environmental efforts led by Black, Indigenous, Hispanic and other people of color.
Alabama resident the Rev. Michael Malcom, founder and executive director of The People’s Justice Council, said he’s hopeful the Movement for Black Lives’ new climate initiative will focus efforts on communities long ignored and will bring real change.
“We often suffer in silence in the South,” Malcom said. “We often suffer from industrial pollution, illegal land use and in even legal but unwanted land use and our communities. We have the flooding that happens in our communities, we experience the industrial pollution in our communities. Those Black and brown and Indigenous communities need a voice and somebody to be able to speak for them. And who better to represent those than communities of faith. We are addressing climate change and we’re speaking the language of our communities.”
___
AP writer Drew Costley in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.
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Stafford, based in Detroit, is a national investigative race writer for the AP’s Race and Ethnicity team. Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kat__stafford. | https://www.wpri.com/science/ap-science/ap-climate-initiative-centers-on-black-americans/ | 2022-08-25T16:19:25Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/science/ap-science/ap-climate-initiative-centers-on-black-americans/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
It’s hard to know exactly what to expect from Château Troplong Mondot, the 18th-century wine estate that recently reopened after a renovation that began in 2017. The website reveals only tantalising details, showing a picturesque scene at the highest point of the Saint-Émilion wine-growing region, overlooking the familiar steeple and medieval village. But waiting to be discovered here is a French fairytale incarnate, a place of surreal beauty and abundance, which bares its oenological soul with the lightest touch.
You could fly into Bordeaux, but for full romance, V.F. got the high-speed TGV from Paris Montparnasse to Bordeaux Saint-Jean, the two-hour journey sweetened by views that change imperceptibly from urban sprawl to pristine vineyards. Once we arrived, we were welcomed by the charming Carole Barrio, who had laid out a light supper of just-picked tomatoes and feta, accompanied by a freshly baked loaf of bread, still warm, and a chilled bottle of Pouilly Fuissé (not to mention a bottle of 2018 Mondot). We throw open the windows to catch the last of the golden hour on the vines—it lingers so late here—and every morsel is delicious. The bed sheets are as soft as the surface of smooth, oily wine, polishing city-worn skin so thats it feels plump and pure by morning.
When it comes to accommodation, you can stay in The Keys, a restored outbuilding that features three gorgeous, sprawling, individually styled suites; the Vineyard House, a cottage set romantically among the vines themselves; or go the whole hog and take the entire 18th-century château. Every inch is thoughtfully designed in a chic French country style that feels contemporary while transcending passing trends.
The next day, we wake early for breakfast laid out by Carole—fresh pastries, homemade yoghurt and crisp granola, pillowy brioche—before a tour in a handsomely refurbished Land Rover. One of the most magical sights is the magnificent Percheron horses that still plough the rows of vines, so docile that you wouldn’t know they were there were it not for telltale ears peeping out above the leaf line. You’ll also see the gardens—full of tangling herbs and vegetables and charmingly informal considering the elevated dishes they go into—and meet Morteau the pig, tailed by a flock of chickens. | https://www.vanityfair.com/london/2022/08/hot-hotels-chateau-troplong-mondot | 2022-08-25T16:19:31Z | vanityfair.com | control | https://www.vanityfair.com/london/2022/08/hot-hotels-chateau-troplong-mondot | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Nearly 500 years before Princess Diana became known as the royal rebel, that title belonged to Anne Boleyn, King Henry VIII’s second wife who was beheaded at the age of 35. Though she has long been considered the most infamous queen in English history, she has also become a favorite subject for historical reimagining in books and film. This weekend, PBS is premiering The Boleyns: A Scandalous Family, a new documentary about the former queen and her family. Over three episodes, the show takes a deep dive into Anne’s roots and how cunning and a bit of palace intrigue on behalf of her relatives helped her become one of England’s most notorious powerful women, featuring leading historians of the period and luxurious reenactments.
According to Estelle Paranque, a historian of Anglo-French relations who appears on the show, the story of Anne and her family still resonates because of her daughter’s reputation as a monarch and the tragic, mythical nature of her story. “Anne Boleyn remains one of the grandmothers—or one of the great aunts—of the British monarchy,” Paranque explained to Vanity Fair. “People are drawn to her because she’s the mother of one of the greatest monarchs that has ever ruled, Elizabeth I, but she also died when her daughter was only two-and-a-half years old.” Though Elizabeth I died childless, the current Queen Elizabeth is still related to Boleyn through her sister, Mary. Paranque added that Boleyn is one of a handful of women in the era who seized power the only way they could, through marriage and diplomacy.
The show’s first episode, which airs on Sunday, takes viewers inside Tudor England’s halls of power, with a focus on Thomas Boleyn, a minor noble who aimed to improve the status of his three children, Mary, George, and Anne. For Anne, that meant being sent to France at a young age, where she was educated in the ways of the court of Francis I, before returning as a young woman. In a preview from the second episode, Paranque and other historians explain what happened when Henry VIII became infatuated with the young Anne even though he was still married to his first wife, Catherine of Aragon.
Paranque said it’s important to know about Anne’s time in France because it’s where she learned about how much unofficial power women can have in a court. “We can’t understand Anne Boleyn and her relationship with Henry VII and this toxic passion between the two without understanding Francis I of France, his mother, his sister and his wife, because these three women are going to play a huge, important role for her,” she said. “In Francis I’s court, women are right at the center alongside him. Women, and especially queens, are treated amazingly.”
When she returns to England, she becomes one of about thirty women in his court and Henry VIII, desperate for a son, notices her and begins to write her love notes. “In many ways she’s pushed into Henry VIII's arms, and I’m not sure she falls for him. I think she falls for the idea of a crown. I think she goes for the idea of being queen herself,” Paraque said. “Anne Boleyn sees an opportunity, and sees this lust or toxic passion that eventually was going to consume her—but that toxic passion comes from him. He’s infatuated with her, he wants her. Obviously he’s also infatuated with the idea of a son, right? And she played on that.”
“Anne Boleyn is the woman who's going to make all the ambitions of her father possible and help the family in general,” Parenque said. The Boleyns documents the family’s rise, but it also shows their rapid downfall when rumors of her infidelity—which were false, Paranque noted—led to her execution. “It’s quite painful how quick it was.”
Parenque told V.F. that her original interest in the early modern period came from touring the castles of France when she was younger, and she mentioned that the fact that people can still tour the Tower of London, where she died, has helped add to her mystique. “There are so many myths and legends about her,” she added. “How did this woman manage to convince the king to marry her when she didn't have any role models and not much to bring to the table?”
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle just welcomed a new dog to the family.
The royal couple recently adopted a 7-year-old beagle named Momma Mia from the Beagle Freedom Project. The dog was rescued by the group last month, along with 4,000 other beagles, from the Envigo breeding and research plant in Virginia. Shannon Keith, an animal rights attorney who oversees the Beagle Freedom Project, told People that she was seriously impressed by Harry and Meghan and their dedication to this cause. “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are the most loving, sensitive and caring adopters I have ever met!,” she said. “We were so honored that they have been supporting Beagle Freedom Project and chose to adopt a dog who has been abused.”
Keith continued, “They made a point to adopt a rescue named Mia, who most would overlook because she is older, has health issues and is traumatized by her past. I was so impressed by their commitment to animal welfare! They have been following up letting us know how well Momma Mia is doing in her new, amazing home!” After being rescued from the breeding plant, Momma Mia was transported to Maryland along with eight of her puppies. She was then moved to the Beagle Freedom Project rescue facility in San Fernando Valley, per the Los Angeles Times.
Keith told the paper that the adoption process began when “the duchess called me personally,” but she thought she was speaking to a different famous Meghan at first. Keith explained, “She calls on my cell with no Caller ID and says, ‘Hey Shannon, this is Meghan.’ We talked for 30 minutes, and I thought, ‘Is this Megan Fox?’” But the pair eventually straightened things out and the Sussexes along with their two security guards later paid a visit to the rescue center where they played with Momma Mia in the backyard before deciding she was the one for them. “The Duchess is holding Mia and was like, 'We're adopting her,'” Keith said. She added that they were also set on getting an “older” dog, explaining, “She was like 'No, we don't want a Christmas puppy…We want ones we can help who are older.'”
Meghan also previously adopted a senior beagle named Guy from A Dog's Dream Rescue in 2015. Her spokeswoman told the LA Times that, as a longtime owner of a rescue beagle, when the Duchess saw the story about the Envigo plant shutdown she wanted to get involved and help one of the older dogs as she knows that puppies typically have a much easier time finding homes.
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Sign up here to receive “The Westeros Update,” your weekly guide to House of the Dragon. | https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2022/08/prince-harry-meghan-markle-adopt-older-beagle-freedom-project-traumatized-envigo-plant-shutdown | 2022-08-25T16:19:43Z | vanityfair.com | control | https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2022/08/prince-harry-meghan-markle-adopt-older-beagle-freedom-project-traumatized-envigo-plant-shutdown | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(NEXSTAR) – Up to 43 million Americans will soon see some or all of their federal student debt forgiven following a Wednesday announcement by the Biden administration. The widespread relief will be more impactful in some states than others, data suggests.
Under President Biden’s plan, borrowers making less than $125,000 (for individuals) or under $250,000 (for married couples or heads of households) will be eligible for up to $10,000 in relief, according to the Education Department. Borrowers under the same income caps who received a Pell Grant in college will be eligible for up to $20,000 in debt cancellation.
For roughly 20 million borrowers, this means all of their federal student loan debt will be forgiven, the White House says. For others, this forgiveness will give some relief but still leave them with a bit of debt.
According to the most recent data made available by the Department of Education, the average federal student loan borrower owes $35,889. That figure is even higher in some states, as seen in the interactive map below.
Not included in the map above is the District of Columbia, residents of which have an average of $55,508 in federal student loan debt. Nearby Maryland isn't far off, carrying an average debt of $43,619. Georgia is the only other state to have an average debt higher than $40,000.
Alternatively, North Dakota has the lowest debt average in the nation at $29,885. Iowa residents are nearly as low at $30,998, followed by Wyoming at $31,365 and South Dakota at $31,979.
It's currently unclear how soon the Biden administration will begin forgiving federal student loans.
Federal officials say nearly 8 million borrowers may qualify for relief automatically based on the income data the Education Department already has. If the Education Department doesn’t have your income data, or you’re unsure if the agency has it, there isn’t much to do right now.
Here's what you can do while waiting for more details to be announced.
In addition to student loan forgiveness, the Biden administration extended the payment pause on loans until the end of 2022, proposed a rule change to create a new income-driven repayment plan that will substantially reduce future monthly payments for lower- and middle-income borrowers and proposed long-term changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. | https://www.wwlp.com/news/heres-how-much-the-average-resident-in-your-state-owes-in-federal-student-loans/ | 2022-08-25T16:19:45Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/heres-how-much-the-average-resident-in-your-state-owes-in-federal-student-loans/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
METAIRIE, La. (AP) — The velocity with which Jameis Winston threw this week, and his form on a baseball-style slide during a scramble, generated talk of the New Orleans Saints quarterback’s background as a two-sport athlete in college.
Such displays of all-around athleticism are a welcome sight for the Saints as Winston works to come back from reconstructive surgery on his left knee last year, as well as from a sprained right foot earlier in training camp.
“I can’t wait to step back on the field and compete some more,” Winston said Wednesday after the Saints’ last practice before their preseason finale against the Los Angeles Chargers on Friday night. “One thing I know is I will not take this opportunity for granted ever again.”
Saints coach Dennis Allen declined to say whether Winston would play against the Chargers. If he doesn’t, Winston’s scheduled start against Atlanta in New Orleans’ regular-season opener on Sept. 11 would be his first live action since last Halloween, when his ACL was torn during a tackle by Tampa Bay linebacker Devin White.
Regardless of whether Winston must wait two more weeks to play, Allen asserted that his quarterback has “looked pretty good out there … which has been really encouraging.”
Winston said his foot sprain during practice on Aug. 8 was “not like a major injury.” But he said it made more sense to rest than be on the field favoring his left foot while he’s also rehabilitating his left knee, on which he still wears a brace.
Once Winston returned to 11-on-11 drills this week, he tested his mobility with a scramble down the middle of the field, finishing with a baseball-style slide.
“We all kind of held our breath,” safety Tyrann Mathieu said. “He popped right back up. I think all those things are good for the team and good for our spirit.”
Winston said Saints quarterbacks coach Ronald Curry had been “killing me because I told him I’m working on sliding and I’m bringing back my baseball days.”
After the slide, Winston said, Curry playfully drew comparisons to Jackie Robinson.
“I was like, ‘Thank you,’” Winston said. “If I can slide and steal home like Jackie Robinson, I’m doing good.”
While Mathieu intercepted Winston in the back of the end zone during an 11-on-11 series at practice this week, the safety said he was impressed by a number of Winston’s throws. Winston’s highlights included completions during a two-minute drill to first-round draft choice Chris Olave near the right sideline and veteran Jarvis Landry on the left side, the latter going for a touchdown.
“He’s got a mean out route,” Mathieu said of Winston. “It’s like real gas when he throws it. That’s probably from his baseball days.”
In addition to winning a Heisman Trophy and national championship as Florida State’s QB, Winston played two seasons for the Seminoles’ baseball team. In 2014, he made 24 relief appearances, posting a team-high seven saves and 1.08 ERA while striking out 31 batters in 33.1 innings.
As a quarterback, Winston has a well-regarded ability to throw deep. The knock on him has been his mercurial decision-making, as well as unreliable accuracy on shorter passes.
The 28-year-old said he’s made a point of “being more honest with myself about my strengths and weaknesses,” and added that he has focused this offseason — with help from throwing coach John Beck — on shorter throws.
Winston said he’s trying to deliver balls to playmakers in spots where they can quickly transition to running after the catch.
Receiving targets including running back Alvin Kamara, receiver Michael Thomas, Olave, Landry and the small but speedy Deonte Harty are all “guys who can extend plays with the ball in their hands,” Winston noted.
Statistically, Winston’s most prolific season came in 2019 — his last with Tampa Bay — when he passed for 5,109 yards, the NFL high that year, and 33 TDs. But he also was intercepted a league-high 30 times. The following offseason, the Bucs replaced Winston with Tom Brady.
Winston responded by signing with New Orleans, where he sought to learn from then-coach Sean Payton and record-setting quarterback Drew Brees.
Last season, after Brees’ retirement, Winston won New Orleans’ starting job and said he was trying to focus more on making good decisions than gunning for big results. It showed in his 14 TDs to just three interceptions in his seven starts, during which New Orleans went 5-2.
Now he’ll to try to build on that.
“I’m a different quarterback today than I was with my last game with the Saints,” Winston said. “I take a lot of pride in trying to, and preparing to, get better every single year.”
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More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://www.wpri.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-saints-winston-exhibiting-athleticism-in-return-from-injury/ | 2022-08-25T16:20:00Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-saints-winston-exhibiting-athleticism-in-return-from-injury/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NEW YORK (AP) — Novak Djokovic will not play in the U.S. Open, as expected, because he is not vaccinated against COVID-19 and thus is not allowed to travel to the United States.
Djokovic announced his withdrawal from the year’s last Grand Slam tournament on Twitter on Thursday, hours before the draw for the event was revealed.
“Sadly, I will not be able to travel to NY this time for US Open,” Djokovic wrote, wishing luck to his fellow players, and said he would “keep in good shape and positive spirit and wait for an opportunity to compete again.”
Play is scheduled to begin at Flushing Meadows on Monday.
Djokovic is a 35-year-old from Serbia who owns 21 major championships, one behind Rafael Nadal for the men’s record. Three of Djokovic’s Slam trophies came at the U.S. Open, in 2011, 2015 and 2018.
He also was the runner-up there a half-dozen times, including last season, when his pursuit of the first calendar-year Grand Slam in men’s tennis since 1969 ended with a loss in the final to Daniil Medvedev.
Foreign citizens who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 are currently unable to enter the U.S or Canada, and Djokovic has said he won’t get the shots, even if that prevents him from playing in certain tournaments.
The U.S. Tennis Association has said all along it will follow government rules about vaccination status for this year’s Open. There is no vaccine mandate at the tournament for players or their support teams — meaning that an unvaccinated American would be allowed to compete — and spectators will not be required to wear masks.
“Novak is a great champion and it is very unfortunate that he will be unable to compete at the 2022 U.S. Open, as he is unable to enter the country due to the federal government’s vaccination policy for non-U.S. citizens,” said Stacey Allaster, the U.S. Open tournament director. “We look forward to welcoming Novak back at the 2023 U.S. Open.”
Djokovic missed the Australian Open in January after a protracted legal saga ended with his deportation from that country because he isn’t vaccinated against COVID-19. He also sat out four significant tournaments in North America in 2022, including in Montreal and Cincinnati recently.
He did play in the French Open, where he lost in the quarterfinals to Nadal, and at Wimbledon, where Djokovic won the title.
After beating Nick Kyrgios in the Wimbledon final on July 10, Djokovic said he “would love” to participate in the last Grand Slam tournament of the year at Flushing Meadows, but he also acknowledged, “I’m not planning to get vaccinated.”
About three weeks later, Djokovic posted on social media that he was holding out hope of getting the chance to play in the U.S. Open, writing: “I am preparing as if I will be allowed to compete, while I await to hear if there is any room for me to travel to US. Fingers crossed!”
Djokovic has spent more weeks at No. 1 than anyone else in the history of the ATP rankings. He is No. 6 this week, in part because no rankings points were awarded at Wimbledon this year.
Among the other players who will not be at the U.S. Open for various reasons are No. 2-ranked Alexander Zverev, the 2020 runner-up in New York; 2016 champion Angelique Kerber; 2019 French Open finalist Marketa Vondrousova; Gael Monfils and Reilly Opelka.
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More AP coverage of U.S. Open tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/us-open-tennis-championships and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wpri.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-unvaccinated-djokovic-out-of-us-open-cant-travel-to-states/ | 2022-08-25T16:20:14Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-unvaccinated-djokovic-out-of-us-open-cant-travel-to-states/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Flash flooding: Toddlers rescued, fish flop in parking lot
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Law enforcement officers in central Mississippi carried toddlers out of a flooded day care center after storms dumped rain that caused creeks to overflow.
The Rankin County Sheriff’s Department posted video on Facebook of deputies walking through brown, knee-deep water Wednesday to take children to an elevated truck, placing them gently on benches. News outlets reported more than 100 children and 14 workers were rescued from the flooded facility in the Jackson suburb of Florence.
The National Weather Service reported a second day of heavy rains and flash flooding was expected Thursday in parts of Louisiana and Mississippi. Weather radar also showed heavy rainfall in Thursday near the Mississippi-Alabama state line.
Tony Banks said Thursday that when he returned to his apartment in the Jackson suburb of Flowood after work Wednesday, the parking lot was knee-deep in water. He said a creek overflowed, flooding some cars and trucks. Banks said he caught a fish near the vehicles.
“He was flopping around in the parking lot and I grabbed his mouth,” said Banks, 35. He said he tossed the bass back into the water.
After the deluge Wednesday, Rankin County sheriff’s deputies helped move more than 40 residents out of a flooded nursing home in Brandon.
The Mississippi Highway Patrol said flowing water washed away parts of a state highway in rural Newton County, between Jackson and Meridian.
In Alabama, vehicles traveling along flooded roads created boat-like wakes on low-lying Dauphin Island, a popular beach community off the coast, but police said the water wasn’t deep enough Thursday morning to pose a major threat. Flooding was likely across southwestern Alabama through nightfall, forecasters said, and Mississippi closed a welcome station on Interstate 10 because of flooding.
Three Mississippi cities set one-day rainfall records Wednesday, the weather service said. Jackson received just over 5 inches (12.7 centimeters), Meridian received 4.6 inches (11.7 centimeters) and Vicksburg received 2.9 inches (7.4 centimeters).
On Wednesday, Jackson also surpassed its previous record for rainfall for the month of August, at 11.57 inches (29.4 centimeters). The previous record for the month was 11.51 inches (29.2 centimeters) in 2008, the weather service said.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbko.com/2022/08/25/flash-flooding-toddlers-rescued-fish-flop-parking-lot/ | 2022-08-25T16:26:53Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/2022/08/25/flash-flooding-toddlers-rescued-fish-flop-parking-lot/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Encore Learning will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a program on Monday, Sept. 12 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Van Metre Hall on George Mason University’s Arlington campus.
As part of the program, a 3 p.m. ceremony will recognize the non-profit organization’s two decades of accomplishments, look to the future and honor volunteers who have made it happen. A social hour will follow.
The organization “invites everyone to celebrate this impressive milestone . . . as together, we power up our brains, make new friends and expand our world.”
Registration for the event is required by Aug. 26 by e-mailing info@encorelearning.net.
Encore Learning currently has more than 900 members, who are provided with courses, travel and other programs.
For general information about the organization, see the Website at www.encorelearning.net.
[https://sungazette.news provides content to, but otherwise is unaffiliated with, InsideNoVa or Rappahannock Media LLC.] | https://www.insidenova.com/news/arlington/encore-learning-preps-for-20th-anniversary-celebration/article_946c9b7e-248b-11ed-8dd8-f7c537baebfa.html | 2022-08-25T16:28:34Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/news/arlington/encore-learning-preps-for-20th-anniversary-celebration/article_946c9b7e-248b-11ed-8dd8-f7c537baebfa.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
An agreement set to be approved Aug. 29 by the Vienna Town Council will govern how the Vienna Business Association (VBA) conducts its annual Oktoberfest event on Oct. 1.
Under the agreement, the festival would be held from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and the Beer & Wine Garden would be open from 11 a.m. to 6:45 p.m., with last call occurring at 6:30 p.m.
The event would be held along Church Street, N.E., between Center Street, N., and Mill Street, N.E.; Dominion Road, N.E., between Church Street, N.E., and Ayr Hill Avenue, N.E.; and Mill Street between Maple Avenue, E., and Church Street, N.E.
VBA must enter into an agreement with a private property owner for use of a parking lot at 132 Mill Street, N.E., or the memorandum of understanding with the town will be null and void and Oktoberfest canceled.
The event would feature two food courts. Beer and wine areas would be fenced off and alcohol not allowed outside those limits. There also would be three stages for entertainment and VBA would be in charge of booking acts to perform there.
The town would provide stages, barricades, street signage, cones and other necessary items. VBA and the town would work together to advertise the event.
VBA by Sept. 15 would have to provide proof of having obtained an insurance policy worth at least $3 million for the event and list the town as an additional insured party. The business group would indemnify and hold the town harmless unless claims or damages solely were due to the town’s negligence.
[https://sungazette.news provides content to, but otherwise is unaffiliated with, InsideNoVa or Rappahannock Media LLC.] | https://www.insidenova.com/news/fairfax/deal-near-to-ensure-oktoberfest-continues-in-vienna/article_71d1a5aa-248b-11ed-88be-5348b6b3336c.html | 2022-08-25T16:28:40Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/news/fairfax/deal-near-to-ensure-oktoberfest-continues-in-vienna/article_71d1a5aa-248b-11ed-88be-5348b6b3336c.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Total employment in Fairfax County expanded from the first quarter of 2021 to the same period in 2022, but only at about 40 percent of the national rate of growth, according to new federal data.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Aug. 24 that it counted 608,100 jobs in Fairfax County at the end of the first quarter of this year, an increase of 1.8 percent from a year before. That’s below the national growth rate of 5 percent, although the lower rate could be an indication that Fairfax was less impacted by COVID-related job losses than many other areas of the nation.
That data look at where a person works, regardless of where that person lives, being a different indicator compared to monthly state unemployment data, which focuses on locality of residence.
Nationally, employment in the new report (147.6 million) was up year-over-year in 349 of the 355 largest U.S. counties, with the highest rate of increase coming in Clark County, Nev. – home to Las Vegas – at 12.5 percent as the tourism and convention industry rebounded.
Fairfax ranked 309th in rate of employment growth.
Eleven Virginia localities (independent cities as well as counties) are included in the quarterly report, and all showed increases in employment, albeit to varying degrees. From the largest on down:
• Henrico County’s total employment of 185,300 was up 1.2 percent, ranking it 332nd in terms of percentage rate of growth.
• Loudoun County’s total of 174,200 was up 4 percent, ranking it 168th.
• Arlington County’s total of 171,900 was up 1.1 percent, ranking it 333rd.
• Richmond’s total of 151,000 was up 2.6 percent, ranking it 267th.
• Norfolk’s total of 136,600 was up 2.4 percent, ranking it 282nd.
• Chesterfield County’s total of 137,500 was up 3.8 percent, ranking it 181st.
• Prince William County’s total of 131,200 was up 3.3 percent, ranking it 211th.
• Chesapeake’s total of 102,400 was up 1 percent, ranking it 337th.
• Newport News’ total of 101,200 was up 0.3 percent, ranking it 348th.
• Alexandria’s total of 84,100 was up 3.1 percent, ranking it 228th.
Employment totals include workers covered by unemployment insurance both in the civilian workforce and federal government. The 355 localities in the quarterly data represent about 73 percent of workers covered by those programs in the U.S.
In addition to Clark County in Nevada, some of the biggest year-over-year jobs rebounds came in similarly tourist-centric locales in Florida and New Jersey. Also among the biggest comebacks was San Francisco, whose economy took a major pounding during the early days of COVID and the economic lockdowns that were imposed in its wake.
[https://sungazette.news provides content to, but otherwise is unaffiliated with, InsideNoVa or Rappahannock Media LLC.] | https://www.insidenova.com/news/fairfax/fairfax-sees-modest-increase-in-employment-in-most-recent-data/article_4f78170a-248b-11ed-bdef-67e2b38cf8fa.html | 2022-08-25T16:28:46Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/news/fairfax/fairfax-sees-modest-increase-in-employment-in-most-recent-data/article_4f78170a-248b-11ed-bdef-67e2b38cf8fa.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Apartment and Office Building Association (AOBA) of Metropolitan Washington was out with an instructive, and in a number of ways concerning, report last week on not just the current status of getting employees back into the office, but also what a failure to do so would represent in the bigger picture across the region.
The update noted that returning workers into offices has been “slow and arduous” as well as inconsistent. In early spring, the return-to-the-office rate in the local area had hit about 40 percent, with hopes it would continue to grow. Instead, it hit a plateau. Even midweek, most offices on average have only about half their pre-pandemic occupancy; on Mondays and Fridays, they’re often a wasteland.
As we opined as early as the first summer of COVID back in 2020, there are consequences both to bringing employees back into group settings too soon, and also to continuing a work-from-home mentality too long.
The consequences of the latter were laid out by the AOBA update: If employers have fewer employees in the office, they need less office space. If they need less office space, they downsize. If they downsize, office-vacancy rates rise because there’s simply not enough new business coming into the local region to fill up the vacated space. If office-vacancy rates rise, ancillary businesses (like restaurants) that rely on daytime traffic suffer. So, too, do local governments, which will see tax revenues drop. That tax burden will either be pushed onto homeowners (it’s already happening in places like Arlington) or the shortfall will be used as an excuse to reduce services.
There’s no simple or singular solution, and we’re not necessarily advocating a draconian get-your-butts-back-in-the-office protocol when some businesses and agencies have found they can function just fine with a work-at-home (at least part of the time) mentality.
But let’s not pretend that there won’t be implications for continuing on that path. There will.
[https://sungazette.news provides content to, but otherwise is unaffiliated with, InsideNoVa or Rappahannock Media LLC.] | https://www.insidenova.com/opinion/editorials/sun-gazette-editorial-empty-offices-should-be-worrisome/article_bcbb1ccc-248b-11ed-be42-a3eb04cc4f5a.html | 2022-08-25T16:28:52Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/opinion/editorials/sun-gazette-editorial-empty-offices-should-be-worrisome/article_bcbb1ccc-248b-11ed-be42-a3eb04cc4f5a.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Australian filmmaker George Miller’s latest cinematic exploration of humanity is a far cry from the dusty, diesel-fueled “Mad Max” franchise for which he is known, and it proves a moment of respite between 2015’s “Mad Max: Fury Road” and the currently filming prequel to that film, “Furiosa.” Based on the short story “The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye” by A.S. Byatt, adapted by Miller and Augusta Gore, “Three Thousand Years of Longing” is a philosophically ambitious project, a cerebral exploration of the function of storytelling in human existence and the meaning of desire.
“Three Thousand Years of Longing” is a nested Matryoshka doll of story. The outer layer is told by Alithea (Tilda Swinton), a narratologist who has made her way to Turkey for a conference. Upon arrival, she starts to encounter mysterious, magical figures, what she calls djinn (another word for “genie,” referring to the Muslim belief in invisible spirits that inhabit the world and take the form of humans or animals). While giving a talk about the continuing purpose of myth in our modern, science-based world, she is spooked by a djinn in the audience and faints.
The script is so densely packed with mythological insight that some scenes almost gloss over interesting concepts like the one Alithea discusses in her talk, which questions the function of gods, monsters and creation myths in everyday life, when we have science to tell us where we came from. But even if Miller doesn’t linger on these ideas, they remain in the background of “Three Thousand Years of Longing,” constantly informing the rest of the film.
The story inside Alithea’s belongs to the main djinn she encounters, after purchasing a mysterious glass bottle in the bazaar and scrubbing it clean. The Djinn (Idris Elba), explodes into her hotel room, requesting that she make three wishes. Alithea declines, insisting that stories about making wishes are cautionary tales, and there’s really nothing she needs or desires in her independent, solitary, academic life. The pair, clad in white hotel robes, sit down for a chat, and the Djinn tells her his story, of the three times he’s been “incarcerated” in his bottle, and the danger of wishes unfulfilled, which rob him of his purpose.
Rendered with stunning beauty and daring visuals by Miller, these 3,000 years of history, from the Queen of Sheba, through various slaves and sultans and trips to the bottom of the Bosporus, the Djinn’s journey is an exploration through the danger of wishing and the undeniable power of desire. Though Alithea claims she has no desire for wishes, in hearing his story, she comes to understand her purpose, which is to love him. Whether or not they can harmoniously coexist in the modern world, full of so many busy frequencies and electromagnetic fields, is another question altogether.
Miller’s vision is an earnest and high-minded one, with more insights about humanity and storytelling packed into a tossed off moment than most films contain. But it’s also a deeply odd film, spanning centuries, but contained to the interaction between Alithea and the Djinn. In line with core tenets of Miller’s genre-spanning work, it most clearly espouses the questions of human existence, human desire, and how it’s desire that make us human, whether it’s for love or survival, or both.
But while Miller asks the audience to level up to their existential exploration, in posing questions about the purpose of storytelling, and perhaps, about the lack of magic in our technological, science-driven world, the film doesn’t offer up any concrete answers, leaving us adrift in a sea of provocative queries. For a film about narrative, it meanders, losing focus. The only messages or lessons in “Three Thousand Years of Longing” are to be gleaned ourselves from the clues left behind, which is a fascinating, if a bit frustrating experience.
Will Carpenter is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle’s Arts and Entertainment/Features Reporter. He can be reached by email at wcarpenter@wyomingnews.com or by phone at 307-633-3135. Follow him on Twitter @will_carp_.
Will Carpenter is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle’s Arts and Entertainment/Features Reporter. He can be reached by email at wcarpenter@wyomingnews.com or by phone at 307-633-3135. Follow him on Twitter @will_carp_. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/movie-review-three-thousand-years-of-longing-has-more-questions-than-answers/article_52653fc4-23f5-11ed-9fd6-4b2e6ed41f0c.html | 2022-08-25T16:30:04Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/movie-review-three-thousand-years-of-longing-has-more-questions-than-answers/article_52653fc4-23f5-11ed-9fd6-4b2e6ed41f0c.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Orange County Register
Albert Hammond Jr. says it felt both strange and incredible when the Strokes headed back out on tour earlier this year to play live.
“Not to be obvious, but it feels like I’ve spent two years at home as the world is trying to get back on its feet,” the guitarist says. “So it has its hiccups, but to actually be doing it? Yeah, it’s amazing.”
The Strokes have toured in Europe and Australia, playing a lot of festivals, as well as opening some shows for Red Hot Chili Peppers’ stadium tour.
So does it feel different, touring post-pandemic?
“Doesn’t everything feel different than what it was before?” Hammond replies. “The whole world’s a little (worse).
“We try to go up and make it exciting,” he says. “I’m always looking at every night as a new way to bring the crowd to you. See what they connect with. So I mean that element, that part is still there.
“So maybe that takes you out of thinking about it too much – you’re just in the moment. But apart from that, everything feels so different.”
On the road again
So far this year, the Strokes have played about 30 shows, their most since 2011 when they played about 40, and still far fewer than earlier years in the aughts when they racked up more than 100 nights on stage in a handful of years.
Hammond says that while he’d generally prefer to play more shows, the decision has to work for all five members of the group, which includes singer Julian Casablancas, guitarist Nick Valensi, bassist Nikolai Fraiture, and drummer Fabrizio Moretti.
“That’s a hard one to answer as one-fifth of the whole entity,” Hammond says. “What I would want to do or what we decided as a band are two different things, and there’s compromise between them.
“Early on, I don’t think you have a choice but to do it, especially if you are lucky enough to get a break where people are excited to come see you and believe in you,” he says. “You really believe in the record and shows keep popping up and you just kind of go with it.”
Since 2011 and the tour for the “Angles” album, most of the Strokes have also taken time for their own projects. Casablancas has the Voidz and Fraiture has the side project Summer Moon.
Hammond tours with his eponymous solo band. He also moved to Los Angeles from New York with his wife and daughter and most recently has launched a wine seltzer line called Jetway.
Still, it’s not the same as touring with the Strokes, he says.
“From my point of view, yeah, it’s a bummer,” Hammond says. “I would have loved to be touring the whole time. But yeah, if you’re asking, ‘Why didn’t you do that?’ there’s no answer I could give that would be able to describe a dynamic that’s what makes us us.”
The old new album
This tour might have taken place a few years earlier. The Strokes’ most recent album arrived in April 2020, and its title – “The New Abnormal” – is an oddly apt name for the way life changed in the pandemic.
And, of course, most bands will tour behind a new album, even though “The New Abnormal” has been around long enough to earn the band its first-ever Grammy nomination and win for best rock album a year ago.
“It got old while everyone was just sitting there,” Hammond says, laughing. “No, it’s still new.”
For this sixth album from the Strokes, the band chose acclaimed producer Rick Rubin to lead the project in the studio, a decision Hammond says worked wonderfully.
“The coolest thing that I felt was that he kind of allowed us to be a band again,” he says. “And as more happened, whenever something was good we’d kind of go with it. I don’t know. It allowed room to just exist and stay in a certain kind of head space during the whole process.”
Rubin’s presence in the studio allowed the band members to relax and trust that they, their songs, and the album were in good hands.
“He has ideas to push you in directions when you’re maybe overwhelmed,” Hammond says. “And then he was an older figure, and someone who’d made so many big records and worked with so many big artists, it would just make you feel like five kids again, and there’s someone older and in charge.
“People make fun of that Peter Pan complex, but I feel like bands in some ways have to stay like that at some level because it’s part of it.”
Then and now
Next year marks the 25th anniversary of the Strokes’ formation in New York City, though their debut album, “Is This It,” didn’t arrive until 2001.
Sometimes the magic of those early days feels present still today, Hammond says. In other moments, it’s like ancient history.
“I mean, time is a weird thing,” he says. “It’s been 25 years and in some ways, it’s exactly the same; and in some ways, it looks completely different.
“Sometimes backstage chatting after a show or just randomly meeting somewhere, maybe meeting at our managers, we still talk and hang out,” Hammond says. “It just still feels like we’re 18, we’ve finished rehearsals, and we’d stay somewhere for a while talking to each other.
“And then other times, you feel so distant. Everyone’s got families. You’re older, you realize your time feels less.
“You know it feels like forever, and then you get older and you’re like, ‘God …’,” he says, laughing.
Making music, live or in the studio, is when the Strokes still feel best.
“I remember the one thing we always talked about is that we wanted to create music that we felt was good, and something that could compete with what was out there,” Hammond says. “Like be another mix into whatever the rock and pop world was out there, but not have to sacrifice what we wanted to get there. Like still make it sound like music we would want to hear.
“I think we’ve achieved that,” he says. “From wanting to be like an art band – I don’t want to say ‘art band,’ because that gives a whole lot of feelings I already hate. Just like, a weirder band. That fits.
“That tries to fit in some kind of mainstream is probably too far, but some kind of world where it’s successful and not just hidden. Where it’s almost like you found a hidden gem.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/the-strokes-albert-hammond-jr-talks-touring-and-being-a-weirder-band/article_7a4b76a6-23f1-11ed-aef9-af27a5a7e091.html | 2022-08-25T16:30:17Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/the-strokes-albert-hammond-jr-talks-touring-and-being-a-weirder-band/article_7a4b76a6-23f1-11ed-aef9-af27a5a7e091.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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