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Tech company Scale, which provides data infrastructure for AI, recently announced that it will open a new office in Downtown St. Louis, bringing hundreds of jobs to the Downtown neighborhood with plans for future expansion. Scale said that it is building its workforce from the ground up and investing resources to hire local talent who come from different career paths.
In a press release announcing the new Downtown office, Scale noted that it is bringing 215 new jobs Downtown – with plans to add hundreds more – “to support local economic growth and create job opportunities outside of the country’s traditional tech hubs.”
Scale is a member of the GeoFutures Coalition, which coordinates the implementation of the GeoFutures Strategic Roadmap. Today’s announcement continues the rapid expansion of St. Louis’ geospatial sector – which earlier this year saw the launch of the Taylor Geospatial Institute and the inaugural HBCU GEOINT Undergraduate Research Experience Summer Immersion Program at Harris-Stowe State University, held in collaboration with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.
The office’s location is near the Next NGA West campus as well as NGA’s geospatial accelerator, Moonshot Labs. Scale also plans to open an office at the nearby Globe Building in the near future.
“The work St. Louis’ geospatial ecosystem has done to create a pathway for companies like Scale to grow and thrive here is a testament to the commitment of our business, civic, academic, and government leaders,” Greater St. Louis’ Jason Hall added. “And in choosing to expand Downtown they are advancing our efforts to restore the core of St. Louis.” | https://www.stlamerican.com/business/business_news/scale-announces-new-office-downtown-bringing-200-tech-jobs/article_c1e53602-2539-11ed-85f7-5fd30e3839f7.html | 2022-08-27T01:50:12Z | stlamerican.com | control | https://www.stlamerican.com/business/business_news/scale-announces-new-office-downtown-bringing-200-tech-jobs/article_c1e53602-2539-11ed-85f7-5fd30e3839f7.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
COVID-19 vaccine maker Moderna is suing Pfizer and the German drugmaker BioNTech, accusing its main competitors of copying Moderna’s technology in order to make their own vaccine.
Moderna said Friday that Pfizer and BioNTech’s vaccine Comirnaty infringes on patents Moderna filed several years ago protecting the technology behind its preventive shot, Spikevax. The company filed patent infringement lawsuits in both U.S. federal court and a German court.
Pfizer spokeswoman Pam Eisele said the company had not fully reviewed Moderna’s lawsuit, but the drugmaker was surprised by it, given that their vaccine is based on proprietary technology developed by both BioNTech and Pfizer.
She said in an email that Pfizer Inc., based in New York, would “vigorously defend” against any allegations in the case.
BioNTech did not immediately respond to a request from The Associated Press seeking comment.
Moderna and Pfizer’s two-shot vaccines both use mRNA technology to help people fight the coronavirus.
“When COVID-19 emerged, neither Pfizer nor BioNTech had Moderna’s level of experience with developing mRNA vaccines for coronaviruses,” Moderna said in a complaint filed Friday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
The mRNA vaccines work by injecting a genetic code for the spike protein that coats the surface of the coronavirus. That code, the mRNA, is encased in a little ball of fat, and instructs the body’s cells to make some harmless spike copies that train the immune system to recognize the real virus.
That approach is radically different than how vaccines have traditionally been made.
Moderna said it started developing its mRNA technology platform in 2010, and that helped the company quickly produce its COVID-19 vaccine after the pandemic arrived in early 2020.
By the end of that year, U.S. regulators had cleared shots from both Pfizer and Moderna for use after clinical research showed that both were highly effective.
Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said in a prepared statement that the vaccine developer pioneered that technology and invested billions of dollars in creating it.
Moderna worked with scientists at the National Institutes of Health to test and develop its COVID-19 vaccine. The company said its lawsuit is not related to any patent rights generated during that collaboration.
The company said it believes its rivals’ vaccine infringes on patents Moderna filed between 2010 and 2016.
Moderna said in its complaint that Pfizer and BioNTech copied some critical features of its technology, including making the “exact same chemical modification to their mRNA that Moderna scientists first developed years earlier” and went on to use in Spikevax.
Moderna said it recognizes the importance of vaccine access and is not seeking to remove Comirnaty from the market. It also is not asking for an injunction to prevent future sales.
Moderna said in 2020 that it would not enforce its COVID-19 related patents while the pandemic continued. But the company said in March, with vaccine supplies improving globally, that it would update that pledge.
It said it still would not enforce its patents for vaccines used in low- and middle-income countries. But it expected companies like Pfizer and BioNTech to respect its intellectual property, and it would consider “a commercially reasonable license” in other markets if they requested one.
“Pfizer and BioNTech have failed to do so,” Moderna said in a statement. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/moderna-sues-pfizer-biontech-over-covid-19-vaccine-patents/article_d3081020-257b-11ed-91d6-8faf46ccf318.html | 2022-08-27T01:58:10Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/moderna-sues-pfizer-biontech-over-covid-19-vaccine-patents/article_d3081020-257b-11ed-91d6-8faf46ccf318.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ALBANY — Are wolves hunting and howling in the Northeast woods again, more than a century after they were rooted out of the region?
Advocates who think so say a recent DNA analysis shows a strapping canine shot by a coyote hunter in upstate New York last winter was actually a wolf. They believe there are other wolves in New York and New England, saying they could be crossing the frozen St. Lawrence River while heading south from Canada. And they want the government to protect them.
“There has to be other wolves here,” said John Glowa, president of the Maine Wolf Coalition. “We have no doubt that eastern wolves are coming down and crossing the St. Lawrence. And they’re being killed. And they’re being called coyotes.”
Not everyone is convinced.
The test results are the latest entry in a long-running disagreement in the Northeast about the presence of a charismatic wild animal dogged by a reputation as a big, bad villain in children's stories and as a livestock poacher to farmers. It's a surprisingly complicated question, in part because eastern coyotes typically share some genetic material with wolves.
“The question is: What is a wolf? And that is not as simple as it sounds,” said Daniel Rosenblatt, New York Department of Environmental Conservation wildlife biologist.
Critics claim wildlife officials are slow to acknowledge wolves in their midst because they would have to accommodate the presence of a federally protected species.
State wildlife officials say there's no evidence wild wolves have reestablished themselves in region, though some concede the possibility of scattered lone wolves. They're not showing up on trail cameras, they say. Maine Wildlife Division Director Nate Webb said if wolves were back in any numbers in his state, they'd be preying on moose.
“I worked on wolves for over a decade and have been to hundreds of wolves kills personally. And it’s pretty, pretty easy to tell when a moose has been killed by wolves,” Webb said. “And that’s just not occurring here in Maine.”
Wolves were effectively shot, trapped and poisoned out of the Northeast by the start of the 20th century, leaving a gap for coyotes to fill. Smaller than wolves with pointier muzzles and ears, eastern coyotes are now common in the region.
But it's not unusual for people in the Northeast report canines seemingly too big and bulky to be coyotes, which typically weigh around 40 pounds (18 kilograms).
In New York’s Adirondack Mountains, wolf advocate Joseph Butera said his friends and neighbors have seen animals bigger than German shepherds, and he constantly sees large canine tracks in the woods.
“And once in a blue moon, you'll hear a howl that you know is not a coyote,” said Butera, president of the Northeast Ecological Recovery Society.
Wolf sightings can be dismissed as people wrongly identifying coyotes, domestic animals or wolf-dog hybrids.
But a 2011 academic study using carbon isotopes to distinguish wild from captive wolves suggested that at least three wild wolves were living in Vermont and New York in the previous decade.
Glowa, citing DNA analyses and other evidence, said at least a half dozen wolves were killed in New York, Massachusetts, Vermont and Maine from 1993 to 2007. He believes these cases likely represent a fraction of the wolves in the Northeast.
Advocates note that wolves can travel hundreds of miles, and that wolf populations have already rebounded around the Great Lakes and farther west.
Some canine researchers say it’s not clear if there are sustained populations in the Northeast, but it appears likely wolves are wandering into the region.
“In all honesty, I don’t know how there can’t be, just based on the biology that canines disperse incredible distances. By pure fact alone, why would there not be? Unless they’re always hunted,” said Bridgett vonHoldt, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology Princeton University. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/cry-wolf-debate-over-presence-of-wolves-in-northeast/article_6b2951aa-2583-11ed-8481-875ec9bc121a.html | 2022-08-27T01:58:16Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/cry-wolf-debate-over-presence-of-wolves-in-northeast/article_6b2951aa-2583-11ed-8481-875ec9bc121a.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON — Fourteen of the 15 boxes recovered from former President Donald Trump’s Florida estate early this year contained classified documents, many of them top secret, mixed in with miscellaneous newspapers, magazines and personal correspondence, according to an FBI affidavit released Friday.
No space at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate was authorized for the storage of classified material, according to the court papers, which laid out the FBI's rationale for searching the property this month, including “probable cause to believe that evidence of obstruction will be found.”
The 32-page affidavit — heavily redacted to protect the safety of witnesses and law enforcement officials and “the integrity of the ongoing investigation” — offers the most detailed description to date of the government records being stored at Mar-a-Lago long after Trump left the White House. It also reveals the gravity of the government’s concerns that the documents were there illegally.
The document makes clear how the haphazard retention of top secret government records, and the failure to return them despite months of efforts by U.S. officials to get them back, has exposed Trump to fresh legal peril just as he lays the groundwork for another potential presidential run in 2024.
“The government is conducting a criminal investigation concerning the improper removal and storage of classified information in unauthorized spaces, as well as the unlawful concealment or removal of government records,” an FBI agent wrote on the first page of the affidavit in seeking a judge's permission for a warrant to search the property.
Documents previously made public show that federal agents are investigating potential violations of three federal laws, including one that governs gathering, transmitting or losing defense information under the Espionage Act. The other statutes address the concealment, mutilation or removal of records and the destruction, alteration or falsification of records in federal investigations.
Trump has long insisted, despite clear evidence to the contrary, that he fully cooperated with government officials. And he has rallied Republicans behind him by painting the search as a politically motivated witch hunt intended to damage his reelection prospects. He repeated that refrain on his social media site Friday, saying he and his representatives had had a close working relationship with the FBI and “GAVE THEM MUCH.”
The affidavit does not provide new details about 11 sets of classified records recovered during the Aug. 8 search at Mar-a-Lago but instead concerns a separate batch of 15 boxes that the National Archives and Records Administration retrieved from the home in January. The National Archives then sent the matter to the Justice Department, indicating in its referral that a review showed “a lot” of classified materials, according to the affidavit.
The affidavit argues a search of Mar-a-Lago was necessary due to the highly sensitive material found in the boxes recovered by the National Archives. Of 184 documents marked classified, 25 were at the top secret level, the affidavit says. Some had special markings suggesting they included information from highly sensitive human sources or the collection of electronic “signals” authorized by a special intelligence court.
Some of those classified records were mixed with other documents, including newspapers, magazines and miscellaneous print-outs, the affidavit says, citing a letter from the Archives.
Douglas London, a former senior CIA officer and author of “The Recruiter," said this showed Trump's lack of respect for controls. “One of the rules of classified is you don’t mix classified and unclassified so there’s no mistakes or accidents," he said.
The affidavit shows how agents were authorized to search a large swath of Mar-a-Lago, including Trump's official post-presidential “45 Office,” storage rooms and all other areas in which boxes or documents could be stored. They did not propose searching areas of the property used or rented by Mar-a-Largo members, such as private guest suites.
The document notes that no space at Mar-a-Lago had been authorized for the storage of classified information at least since the end of Trump’s term in office. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/fbi-trump-mixed-top-secret-docs-with-magazines-other-items/article_f9fb2f94-2578-11ed-9ca9-6b669fb640ff.html | 2022-08-27T01:58:23Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/fbi-trump-mixed-top-secret-docs-with-magazines-other-items/article_f9fb2f94-2578-11ed-9ca9-6b669fb640ff.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Last weekend I attended The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering, and the same thing that happens during every rendition of Monterey Car Week took hold of me again. Such a concentration of multi-million dollar exotics and classics has a way of overwhelming the senses, and you simply can’t take it all in properly.
With a light schedule this year, The Quail was the first event I attended and even so it didn’t take long for this effect to settle in. I’ve used the word jaded to describe this before, but it isn’t quite right. Rather than a lack of enthusiasm, it’s really the opposite. The baseline excitement level is turned up so high that it becomes difficult to distinguish the exceptional from the extraordinary.
Everything is good.
With such an incredible array of machinery parked throughout the rolling greens of Quail Lodge & Golf Club, I was stirred time and time again as I walked through Friday’s garden party. How do you distill this into something consumable in a handful of photos and a few flimsy words?
To start, I’ve poached a handful of photos I took of just three favorites from the show. These were the literal poster cars of my youth, and I feel safe in saying that I’m not alone in that.
The Fairlady 432This S30 Z was one of two present at the show, possibly the only Japanese cars on display. Boasting a standard Datsun S30 body, the simplicity of this Japanese-market example stood out on the lawn. As any JDM aficionado would be quick to tell you, though, that 432 badge at the rear – and what it signifies under the hood – makes all the difference.
Sold new for nearly double the cost of a standard Fairlady Z in Japan, these 432 models received a Hakosuka GT-R drivetrain, limited-slip differential and magnesium wheels from the factory.
Highlights:
■ S20 1,989cc inline-six
■ 4 valves per cylinder
■ 3 Weber carburetors
■ 2 camshafts
■ 158 horsepower & 131 lb-ft of torque
■ Approximately 420 Z432 examples were produced
Another car that caught my eye was this 30th Anniversary Lamborghini Diablo nestled between a Countach and an F40, other perhaps-too-obvious poster cars. Growing up in the ’90s, the Diablo was always the ultimate exotic in my eyes. Pair the outlandish styling by Marcello Gandini with a wild metallic mauve and Special Edition tuning, and you have the ultimate of ultimates.
Compared to the standard model, the SE30 received a weight-savings treatment, more power thanks in part to magnesium intake manifolds as well as a free-flowing exhaust, on-the-fly adjustable sway bars, and massive double-staggered (17×8.5-inch and 18×13-inch) magnesium wheels manufactured by O.Z. Racing.
Highlights:
■ Naturally aspirated 5,707cc V12
■ 10:1 compression ratio
■ 525 horsepower & 428 lb-ft of torque
■ 207mph top speed
■ 150 SE30 examples produced; 11 in this color for the USA
Lastly, I focused on this Saleen S7R GT1, chassis #031R. The first run of S7Rs were engineered and built in the UK, but this example was one of the first two Evo models produced, which featured a reworked chassis, suspension and aero that were designed and produced in-house at Saleen’s new California-based factory.
This chassis received a 7.0-liter version of Panoz/Elan Technologies’ LMP900 engine and was raced in American series before being sold to Europe, where it participated in FIA’s newly restructured GT1 category. The first Saleen to finish the Le Mans 24 hours, 031R was recently restored by Art and Revs of Luxembourg.
Highlights:
■ 7.0-liter V8
■ 728 horsepower produced after fresh rebuild by Elan
■ 2nd place in 2005 ALMS GT1 Championship
■ 11th overall at 2006 Le Mans 24 Hour
■ Won the Silverstone Tourist Trophy
■ 2 examples produced with Elan 7.0L; 4 engines produced
We’re just scratching the surface with these three, and you can expect a full gallery from The Quail in the coming days.
Trevor Ryan
Instagram: trevornotryan
tyrphoto.com | http://www.speedhunters.com/2022/08/the-quail-a-fairlady-a-diablo-a-7-0l-v8/ | 2022-08-27T01:58:28Z | speedhunters.com | control | http://www.speedhunters.com/2022/08/the-quail-a-fairlady-a-diablo-a-7-0l-v8/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Qualifying rainout puts Kyle Larson on pole for Daytona Cup race
Kyle Larson will start on the pole for Saturday’s all-important Coke Zero Sugar 400 NASCAR Cup Series race after rain at Daytona International Speedway on Friday forced cancellation of qualifying for the final regular-season race.
Larson won last Sunday at Watkins Glen and topped the Daytona field according to metrics, which by rule are used to order the field in case of a cancellation.
Regular-season champion Chase Elliott will start beside his Hendrick Motorsports teammate on the front row. Joey Logano and Daniel Suarez will take the green flag from the third and fourth positions.
Given the withdrawal of Kurt Busch from Playoff competition because of lingering concussion symptoms, there are now two Playoff spots available in the final regular-season race. Ryan Blaney and Martin Truex Jr. currently hold positions 15 and 16 on points, with Blaney maintaining a 25-point edge entering Saturday’s race.
Truex will start 12th in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 and Blaney 15th. But it’s not as if those drivers don’t have something to worry about. Any one of 13 drivers below them in the standings could steal one of the remaining Playoff spots with a victory.
Seven of those 13 competitors—Aric Almirola, Brad Keselowski, Erik Jones, Justin Haley, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Michael McDowell and Austin Dillon—have Daytona victories on their resumes.
Also part of the group of 13 is 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace, Kurt Busch’s teammate. Wallace has three runner-up finishes in 10 Daytona starts, including the last two races at the 2.5-mile superspeedway.
Chris Buescher doesn’t have a points win at Daytona, but he and teammate Keselowski won their respective Duel 150-mile qualifying races at the track in February. Buescher starts eighth—closest to the front among eligible drivers below the Playoff cut line.
“I guess I can’t say I’m shocked by the way this weekend is starting,” Buescher said. “We definitely knew today was pretty rough on radar. I guess with that it does give us a pretty good starting spot for Daytona, but if there’s any race that’s not track-position sensitive, this is it.
“That being said. It’s good to have a good spot. I know we’re going to have a fast race car… We’ve got to be smart about it, we’ve got to be clean and take the speed that we know we’ll have and make something out of it.”
Martin Truex Jr. faces his most important race of 2022
Joe Gibbs Racing driver Martin Truex Jr. could only smile and acknowledge that Saturday night’s regular-season finale, the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway, was poised to be the biggest race of the season for the 42-year old former NASCAR Cup Series champion.
Truex goes into the race trailing Penske Racing driver Ryan Blaney by 25 points with two positions in the 16-driver Playoff field still to be determined. If either driver wins the race, the other should get in on points. If there is a first-time season winner, then Truex must make up the 25-point deficit to Blaney to qualify for the Playoffs.
“Obviously it’s not been the season we’ve wanted,’’ said the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion, who has three top-5 and 11 top-10 finishes and sits sixth in overall points earned—but is still winless.
“It would have been nice to be locked in. You never want to come here to Daytona and not be locked in and having to make something happen. So that’s why, we’ll just go race tomorrow night, see what happens and really (try) not to think about it either way, to be honest with you.’’
Truex has never won a race in 34 previous starts at the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway. He does have a runner-up finish in the summer race here in 2018 and was runner-up in the 2016 Daytona 500.
He comes to Daytona ranked sixth in the championship standings. However, 14 other drivers earned wins to take automatic bids into the Playoffs, which begin next week in Darlington, S.C.
Kurt Busch won a race at Kansas this summer—and therefore was Playoff eligible—but he announced this week that he was still not medically cleared to race after an accident in qualifying at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway in July. Consequently, two driver Playoff positions will be decided Saturday night.
“I think we had a really strong car here in February,’’ Truex said. ”Led a ton of laps, won two stages. Then we got kind of banged up and then finished kind of tore-up, so you didn’t have the speed at the end of the race.
“But I had a really strong day going and Talladega went good as well, so I feel like our car is really fast here. And hopefully we can take advantage of that. Would be a fun way to win one here with everything on the line.’’
Three-time runner-up Bubba Wallace craves a visit to Daytona Victory Lane
In 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace’s five-year full-time NASCAR Cup Series career, he has four runner-up finishes. Three of them have come at Daytona International Speedway. He has finished second in the last two races at the historic track, and he was runner-up in his first ever Daytona 500 in 2018.
However, Wallace doesn’t necessarily consider his past success at the track a true indicator of his chances going forward.
“Like maybe five years ago, it would be like, ‘Man, we deserve a win here.’” Wallace said. “Five years to work on that. Now, it’s like you don’t deserve anything. Let’s go out and earn it. No matter if you finish second, how many times we’ve done it, we can still blow up or we could still break something. You don’t know. And so for us it’s just (important) to not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s focus on what we need to do.
“It’s just making sure you’re there for the last—I always say five laps, but we may wreck 10 times in five laps—so just make sure you’re there for the last two laps and set yourself up for being one of the first four cars,’’ Wallace added. “That’s what we need to focus on. Let’s get up that point.”
Wallace comes to Daytona ranked 20th in the standings, and his only shot at advancing to the 2022 Playoffs is to win Saturday night. The 28-year old has earned four Top-10 finishes in just the last six weeks, including a runner-up at Michigan.
Craftsman to return as entitlement sponsor for NASCAR Truck Series
Craftsman Tools, whose early sponsorship of the NASCAR Truck Series helped spur its growth and popularity, will return as the entitlement sponsor for the series in 2023.
“It doesn’t matter who you are—an auto enthusiast, a home builder, a homeowner—you can relate to the genuine edge that is the Truck Series,” said Doug Redpath of Stanley Black & Decker, Craftsman’s parent company, during Friday’s announcement at Daytona International Speedway.
“It has something different, and that’s what Craftsman has—a lot of heritage, we a lot of history together that everybody’s excited about and everybody can relate to. I think that’s what makes this relationship so exciting. It’s a new beginning, it’s a bright future and it’s an exciting future for all of us.”
Craftsman was the title sponsor of the Truck Series from its inception in 1995 until 2008. The return of the brand will take place when the trucks race at Daytona on Feb. 17, 2023.
Friday’s press conference also included an announcement that Stanley Black & Decker has been named Official Tools Partner of NASCAR.
Aric Almirola will continue to bring home the bacon with Stewart-Haas Racing
Aric Almirola announced Friday that he will be back competing for Stewart-Haas Racing next year and that team sponsor Smithfield Foods has re-signed for a multi-year deal. Almirola said the formal agreement to continue driving the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford was only finalized this week, despite reports otherwise.
Almirola has carried Smithfield branding every season of his 12-year NASCAR Cup Series career—no matter which team he drove for or who was CEO leading the Smithfield corporation at the time.
“I know that doesn’t come as a surprise to many of you, but I put a lot of thought and a lot of discussing it with (wife) Janice and the kids and ultimately, the subject continued to get broached from the race team and Smithfield,” Almirola said.
“And through all of that dialogue, mainly with the race team and Smithfield, it was very evident that not only did they want me back, but that Smithfield wanted to increase their marketing campaign around NASCAR and around me.’’
Almirola, who scored his first NASCAR Cup Series win in the 2014 Daytona summer race, originally announced he would retire from full-time competition following the 2022 season. But he says Smithfield lured him back, hoping to continue their longstanding partnership at the SHR team.
While the brand has a long-term deal with the team, Almirola said he has yet to determine how long he will commit to racing fulltime, however, he said his children—nine-year Alex and eight-year old Abby—were elated at the news that dad was going to continue driving the race car.
And Almirola said he’s learned to balance his job as a race car driver, as a sponsor spokesman and as a husband and father—even coaching his son’s baseball games during the week.
Essentially, the situation just all worked out. “Smithfield has been the primary sponsor on my race car my entire Cup career and so to continue to have their support and their backing is just an awesome feeling to be their guy and to be wanted,” Almirola said.
Longtime Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Greg Ives to step aside
Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet and a longtime member of the organization announced Friday that at the end of the 2022 season he will be stepping away from his crew chief duties and instead, taking a new role at the Hendrick team shop.
“After 17 seasons on the road and making countless memories, I’ve decided to step away,’’ Ives said in a statement released on social media, noting that he wanted to be home more with his wife and his children as they are growing up instead of maintaining the heavy travel schedule required in the crew chief position.
“Leading the #48 has been one of the great privileges of my life, and I’m excited to go into the playoffs and chase a championship with Alex [Bowman] and this incredible group of people. I’m also looking forward to the next step in my career, which will be here with my Hendrick Motorsports family.’’
Phoenix Raceway president Julie Giese is Chicago-bound in new executive role
Newly-named Chicago track president Julie Giese met with the national media for the first time since being named to the new position last week. She moves to the new role after serving as the Phoenix Raceway president for the past five years - overseeing the massive renovation at the track, which began hosting the NASCAR Championship Weekend two years ago.
A Wisconsin native, Giese said she intends to move to Chicago immediately and is looking forward to the track’s July 1-2, 2023 debut on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule—the first true street course event.
“I want to be in the community,’’ Giese said of her impending move back to her Midwestern roots, acknowledging that her presence is important in demonstrating the commitment NASCAR has to the community and to this event.
The Chicago NASCAR weekend will also include an IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race as well as concerts and food trucks in the downtown Chicago track area, anchored by famous Grant Park. Giese said the idea is to give the event a “festival” feel in a market not currently hosting a NASCAR race. And, she says, a crowd of approximately 50,000 is expected each day.
Certainly, Giese’s experience overseeing the massive Phoenix track project, along with welcoming and overseeing successful NASCAR’s high-profile Championship Weekends, gives her a leg up on managing the new Chicaco race.
“I’m a detail person, and it will take a lot of detail,’’ said Giese, who said she has actually been working on the Chicago race for months behind the scenes and considers herself equipped with a good running start.
“This is another opportunity to bring NASCAR To a new set of fans,” Giese added | https://speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/nascar-cup-series-news/72378-friday-daytona-notebook | 2022-08-27T01:58:28Z | speedwaydigest.com | control | https://speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/nascar-cup-series-news/72378-friday-daytona-notebook | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
COLUMBIA, S.C. — To Democrats championing the White House’s student loan forgiveness plan, it was the long-awaited delivery of one of President Joe Biden’s campaign promises.
To Republicans — and even some in the president’s own party — it was an ill-advised move that was unfair to those who had diligently paid back their loans or decided not to go to college.
In the student debt relief plan, both parties see an opportunity to boost their own political message ahead of the critical November midterm elections. While Democrats contended that the loan forgiveness would provide a lifeline for struggling working-class families, Republicans charged that it’s a giveaway to the “elites.”
For the midterms, the elitist rhetoric tactic “plays right in line with the GOP’s current brand of grievance and victimization politics,” conservative strategist Chip Felkel said, “giving them another rallying point to fire up their base and maybe attract some like-minded independents who see this action as ‘unfair.’”
Both the White House and some of Biden’s top allies argued that it was instead Republicans who were focused on the elite and that the potential beneficiaries of the student loan debt relief include more than just the wealthy.
“Who paid the piper?” asked U.S. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, one of Biden’s top congressional allies, pointing to Republican-passed tax cuts for the wealthy and big corporations in 2017 under the Trump administration as the real iniquity. “I think a lot of low-income people that we are trying to help today, those families paid for that tax cut while rich people and big corporations got off tax-free. ... This is an attempt on the part of this administration to once again help working families.”
Biden’s plan will erase $10,000 in federal student loan debt for those with incomes below $125,000 a year, or households that earn less than $250,000. It will also cancel an additional $10,000 for those who received federal Pell Grants to attend college, and it will pause federal student loan repayments.
The rhetoric from both parties over the student debt loan relief also likely reflects the education levels of their core constituencies, though plenty of people who attended college classes and took out student loans did not end up graduating from college.
Forty-four percent of Biden voters in the 2020 presidential election had college degrees, compared with 34% of Trump voters, according to AP VoteCast, an extensive survey of the electorate. Fifty-six percent of Biden voters did not have a college degree, compared with 66% of Trump voters.
Initially hesitant to endorse broad cancellation of student loan debt, Biden gradually embraced deeper tactics to alleviate the burden during the 2020 campaign, even expressing support for some proposals from Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who made broad-based student loan debt cancellation a hallmark of her own bid.
This week, Warren applauded Biden’s plan, saying she would “keep pushing for more because I think it’s the right thing to do” but noting the import of “what it means for the president of the United States to touch so many hard-working middle-class families so directly.” Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who also campaigned in 2020 to “cancel all student debt,” called the plan “an important step forward” but said “we’ve got to do more.”
Speaking at a White House briefing Friday, Deputy Director of the National Economic Council Bharat Ramamurti said student loan forgiveness would help “teachers, nurses, firefighters, police, members of the military and more.”
But not all Democrats were enthusiastic about the student debt loan relief, particularly those candidates facing tough races in November.
Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan, facing off in a U.S. Senate battle in Ohio against Republican JD Vance, criticized Biden’s order as unnecessary for some people and unfair to others. Saying he’s paying off his family’s own loans, Ryan said that “waiving debt for those already on a trajectory to financial security sends the wrong message to the millions of Ohioans without a degree working just as hard to make ends meet.”
Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet, in a tough reelection of his own, said the administration should have “proposed a way to pay for this plan,” adding that ”one-time debt cancellation does not solve the underlying problem.” government money to elites with higher salaries.” | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/gop-dems-seek-political-boost-from-student-loan-debt-plan/article_bdc146a4-258b-11ed-aa42-d73937027186.html | 2022-08-27T01:58:29Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/gop-dems-seek-political-boost-from-student-loan-debt-plan/article_bdc146a4-258b-11ed-aa42-d73937027186.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON — Inflation eased last month as energy prices tumbled, raising hopes that the surging costs of everything from gasoline to food may have peaked.
According to a Commerce Department report Friday that is closely watched by the Federal Reserve, consumer prices rose 6.3% in July from a year earlier after posting an annual increase of 6.8% in June, the biggest jump since 1982. Energy prices made the difference in July: They dropped last month after surging in June.
Yet on the same day at the Federal Reserve’s annual economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Chair Jerome Powell delivered a stark message: The Fed will likely impose more large interest rate hikes in coming months and is resolutely focused on taming inflation.
There was hope that the Fed might signal a moderation in rate increases if inflation were to show further signs of easing.
So-called core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, rose 4.6% last month from a year earlier after rising 4.8% in June. The drop — along with a reduction in the Labor Department’s consumer price index last month — suggests that inflationary pressures may be easing.
On a monthly basis, consumer prices actually fell 0.1% from June to July; core inflation blipped up 0.1%, the Commerce Department reported.
And the Fed appears ready to continue efforts to ensure prices are moving in the right direction.
Inflation started rising sharply in the spring of 2021 as the economy rebounded with surprising speed from the short but devastating coronavirus recession a year earlier. Surging customer orders overwhelmed factories, ports and freight yards, leading to delays, shortages and higher prices. Inflation is a worldwide problem, especially since the Russian invasion of Ukraine drove up global food and energy prices.
On Friday, regulators in the U.K. said that residents will see an 80% increase in their annual household energy bills.
In the United States, the Commerce Department’s personal consumption expenditures (PCE) index is less well known than the Labor Department’s consumer price index (CPI).
But the Fed prefers the PCE index as a gauge of inflationary pressures, partly because the Commerce index attempts to measure how consumers adjust to rising prices by, for example, substituting cheaper store brands for pricier name brands.
There is evidence just in the last several months that that is taking place at numerous levels.
CPI has been showing higher inflation than PCE; Last month, for instance, CPI was running at an 8.5% annual pace after hitting a four-decade high 9.1% in June. One reason: The Labor Department’s index gives more weight to rents, which have soared this year.
The Commerce Department also reported Friday that Americans’ after-tax personal income rose 0.3% from June to July after adjusting for inflation; it has fallen in June. Consumer spending rose 0.2% last month after accounting for higher prices.
Spiking prices have become a political threat to the current administration and President Joe Biden was quick to point to the latest data that could show inflation is loosening its grip.
“The American people are starting to get some relief from high prices, and the Inflation Reduction Act that I signed last month will also help bring prices down,” Biden said Friday. “Gas prices decreased every day this summer – the fastest decline in over a decade. And, today’s report showed that personal income was up last month as well.”
The Fed was slow to respond to rising inflation, thinking it the temporary result of supply chain bottlenecks. But as prices continued to climb, the U.S. central bank moved aggressively, hiking its benchmark interest rate four times since March.
On Friday, Powell warned more explicitly than he has in the past that the Fed’s continued tightening of credit will cause pain for many households and businesses as its higher rates further slow the economy and potentially lead to job losses.
“These are the unfortunate costs of reducing inflation,” Powell said. “But a failure to restore price stability would mean far greater pain.”
Price pressures may already be easing as the U.S. economy slows. Gross domestic product — broadest measure of economic output — shrank in the first half of 2020 as borrowing costs increased. The housing market has been hit especially hard. and supply chain backlogs have started to unsnarl.
“Inflation appears to have peaked in mid-2022 and should slow on a year-over-year basis through the rest of this year and in 2023,” said Gus Faucher, chief economist at PNC. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/hints-of-cooling-prices-but-fed-vows-firm-inflation-stance/article_5d44b220-258b-11ed-bb59-8b62b6ce4a74.html | 2022-08-27T01:58:35Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/hints-of-cooling-prices-but-fed-vows-firm-inflation-stance/article_5d44b220-258b-11ed-bb59-8b62b6ce4a74.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
BARKER — The first phase of construction of the new Barker Village Hall and Library has been completed and the village board this week authorized bidding on the second and likely final phase.
During an emergency meeting Thursday, the board also approved phase two engineering fees for Barton & Loguidice, the firm hired to advise construction of a new building. The firm will be paid $35,000 for design, architecture and engineering services and $12,000 for construction-related services, which essentially involves having someone on hand at the construction site to oversee operations.
Mayor Aaron Nellist said the village negotiate the fees with Barton & Loguidice down from what the firm had initially proposed.
“Our engineering firm initially gave us a bill that was substantially higher than this,” said Nellist. “We asked that they reconsider, and they did, and we were able to get these agreements. We’re really happy with Barton & Loguidice in regards to this, and we’ll see what the bids come in at.”
Phase one of the construction project involved laying the foundation and raising the shell of the building. That work was done by Mulvey Construction, which bid $418,505 for the job. Phase two involves installing drywall, flooring, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and other interior fixtures.
“The shell is done, the roof is on, but the interior is pretty bare,” Deputy Mayor Seanna Corwin-Bradley observed.
Initially, the village had a three-phase construction plan involving a basement, which has since been abandoned.
The original village hall-library was destroyed by fire in January 2019. Since then, village government has been operating out of temporary quarters on East Avenue and public meetings have been held at the Barker fire hall. Barker Public Library is operating temporarily at 8673 Church St.
Opening dates for the new village hall and library have not been determined yet. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/local_news/barker-village-hall-library-interior-work-going-out-to-bid/article_7637b470-2578-11ed-8003-973e916c9e0f.html | 2022-08-27T01:58:41Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/local_news/barker-village-hall-library-interior-work-going-out-to-bid/article_7637b470-2578-11ed-8003-973e916c9e0f.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NEW ORLEANS — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has begun scattering millions of packets of oral rabies vaccine from helicopters and planes over 13 states from Maine to Alabama.
The major aim is to keep raccoons from spreading their strain of the deadly virus to states where it hasn't been found or isn't widespread, said field trial coordinator Jordona Kirby.
The USDA is also continuing tests of a vaccine approved in Canada to immunize skunks as well as raccoons, said Kirby of Wildlife Services, which is part of the agriculture department's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
Rabies is spread through an infected animal’s saliva, usually through bites. However, saliva that gets into the eyes, nose or mouth can also infect someone, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Thirteen people in South Carolina were considered potentially exposed in March because they had bottle-fed or given medicine to a sick calf that turned out to have rabies, said Dr. Michael Neault, the state veterinarian.
Globally, the virus kills 60,000 people a year, most bitten by dogs, the World Health Organization states.
That's about the same number that get shots to prevent rabies in the U.S. after being bitten or scratched by an infected or possibly infected animal, according to the CDC.
State and local pet vaccination laws mean the virus is mostly spread by wildlife in the U.S.
The national rabies control program started in 1997 in Texas, where coyotes were spreading the canine variant of the virus, Kirby said.
She said vaccine drops eliminated that variant in 2004. Three years later, the CDC declared the nation free of canine rabies.
That doesn’t mean unvaccinated pets are safe. Canine rabies is among more than 20 variants — seven found in terrestrial mammals and more than 13 in species of bats, said rabies control program coordinator Richard Chipman.
A bite from an animal infected with any variant can make any other mammal sick. Scratches occasionally do so, since animals lick their paws.
A three-year program in Arizona and New Mexico eliminated a bat rabies strain in foxes, Kirby said. And Texas, with help from USDA, dropped 1.1 million baits along the Mexican border in January to keep coyotes from bringing the canine variant back.
Raccoons are the main rabies reservoir in 18 states along and near the East Coast and skunks in 21 others, according to data from 2020, the latest year available.
Bats made up 31% of the nearly 4,500 animals found with rabies in 2020. But since nearly all of the 40-plus bat species found in the U.S. eat insects and the rest drink nectar or eat fruit, oral vaccines would be much trickier.
Some scientists have speculated that bats could be vaccinated during hibernation, perhaps with a fine mist or with a gel that could be transferred from bat to bat, Chipman said. Early research is testing the idea in vampire bats, which live in Mexico and Central and South America and might spread such a vaccine within a colony by grooming each other.
Rabid wildlife isn't just a rural problem. A rabid fox on Capitol Hill was caught less than 24 hours after the first report in April. By then, about a half-dozen people had reported bites or nips to U.S. Capitol Police, but others may have gone to other agencies, a Capitol Police spokesperson said by email.
Raccoon rabies campaigns started in August in parts of northern Maine, western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and southwestern Virginia. The 348,000 Raboral V-RG baits in Maine and 535,000 in the three other states are being dropped from planes in rural areas and from vehicles in urban and suburban areas.
In all, about 3.75 million packets — coated with a fishmeal attractant or encased in 1-inch (2.5-centimeter) fish meal cubes — will be distributed in nine states, ending when 1.1 million are dropped in Alabama in October.
The vaccine has been found safe for more than 60 kinds of animals including domestic dogs and cats. Eating a large number of vaccine packets might give dogs an upset stomach but wouldn't cause any permanent problem, APHIS says.
About 3.5 million doses of the experimental vaccine Onrab are being distributed in parts of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Tennessee — which also are getting the approved vaccine — plus four other states.
Onrab comes in blister packs with green, marshmallow-flavored coating. Wildlife Services hopes it may be approved next year in spite of lingering pandemic-related delays. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/local_news/usda-scattering-rabies-vaccines-for-wildlife-in-13-states/article_8bf1b998-2580-11ed-9780-633701d1bd9d.html | 2022-08-27T01:58:47Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/local_news/usda-scattering-rabies-vaccines-for-wildlife-in-13-states/article_8bf1b998-2580-11ed-9780-633701d1bd9d.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
• CHEER: Let’s all bid a warm and fond adieu to Jose and Elsa Jo Santiago, the Salvation Army majors who are leaving Lockport for a new “tour of duty” in Puerto Rico. Everyone’s invited to an 11 a.m. Sunday farewell service and reception at the Lockport citadel. The Santiagos have been doing God’s work in Lockport for the past eight years and they’re leaving it a better place. Smart, compassionate services and programs for people in need — such as “Bridging the Gap” to help young people who had their first brush with the law earn record expungement, and the generational poverty cycle disrupting “Pathway to Hope” — are one of the hallmarks of their service. Making the downtown citadel a safe place for children to have “Friendship, Fun, Fellowship and also Food” is another. The Santiagos’ successors here will have big shoes to fill.
• CHEER: A long vacant parcel on the edge of downtown Lockport will be returned to the tax rolls with its purchase and redevelopment by Zeton International, a global technology solutions company that has a local footprint in Market Street-based Chemical Design Inc. The old Dussault Foundry property at the northernmost end of Washburn Street hasn’t been the site of any work or other vital activity, save for brownfield remediation, since the mid 1990s. Now that it’s cleaned up, it’s a place “to build fresh,” as Mayor Michelle Roman put it, which is a unique circumstance in a mature and otherwise built-out business district. The pending sale of the property for reuse is a credit to the City of Lockport, Niagara County and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which worked together to get it cleaned up. Brownfield reclamation does seem to be one of the better, smarter uses of our tax dollars.
• JEER: New York’s grand plan for rolling out retail cannabis dispensaries epitomizes the nanny state. The first 100 or so dispensary licenses are to be granted to individuals with “social equity status” — women, members of minority groups, veterans, distressed farmers and those charged with marijuana offenses prior to pot’s legalization. Applicants for a license will need to have some experience overseeing a business, but they won’t be subject to a credit check. That’s not necessary, since the licensees will have access to a $200 million “Social Equity Cannabis Fund” as well as turnkey storefronts being built out through the state Dormitory Authority. This is the Empire State’s showy way of righting past wrongs while establishing a monopoly in potentially the world’s biggest marijuana market. There’s just so much wrong with government picking winners and losers in business — if a state-subsidized and -directed enterprise can even be called that. Just as bad (and sad) is it cashing in on “sin” solely for the tax and other revenue and claiming that’s economic development. Is it really? | https://www.lockportjournal.com/opinion/two-cheers-and-a-jeer/article_d513a44c-258a-11ed-9a5c-0b6bab0d0e94.html | 2022-08-27T01:58:54Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/opinion/two-cheers-and-a-jeer/article_d513a44c-258a-11ed-9a5c-0b6bab0d0e94.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Los Angeles Rams will handle any discipline for Thursday’s tussle during a joint practice with the Cincinnati Bengals internally, according to a Rams spokesperson, via ESPN.
The two Super Bowl LVI participants’ practice ended early Thursday when a fight broke out between Cincinnati’s first-team offense and Los Angeles’ first-team defense.
Pictures and videos went viral of the two teams brawling, with multiple players’ helmets coming off during the scuffle.
During the fight, Rams star Aaron Donald held two Bengal helmets in each hand and swung them at Cincinnati players.
Los Angeles coach Sean McVay said, to his knowledge, no one was injured in the scrap.
“It’s like anything else,” McVay said about the fight. “You just move forward and this’ll be a little blip on the radar an hour from now for our guys.” | https://nypost.com/2022/08/26/rams-to-deal-with-aaron-donald-bengals-brawl-discipline-internally/ | 2022-08-27T02:07:22Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/08/26/rams-to-deal-with-aaron-donald-bengals-brawl-discipline-internally/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A teenager was arrested Friday in connection with the brutal mugging of an off-duty NYPD cop in the Bronx earlier in the week, police said.
The 18-year-old suspect was charged with gang assault and robbery over Tuesday’s attack on Officer Muhammed Chowdhury, who was jumped by three men as he was jogging near his Castle Hill home, police and sources said.
Police were still searching for two other suspects in the attack, which is part of a citywide robbery pattern in the Bronx and Queens dating back to Aug. 1.
Chowdhury, 48, suffered a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain in the mugging in which the suspects made off with his cell phone, keys and wallet, according to his family members and police.
The 18-year-old veteran of the department, who is assigned to the Central Park precinct, emerged from a coma Wednesday, but remained in critical condition at Jacobi Medical Center, officials said.
Chowdhury is a married father of three. His wife Nadira Sherin had pleaded with police brass and city leaders to “take this [case] seriously” by arresting the suspects and not letting them out on bail.
“You cannot let these men out the same day that they are arrested,” Sherin told The Post Wednesday, referring to New York’s lenient bail reform law.
“Punish them,” she added. “If they release them the same day, that is not justice for my husband.” | https://nypost.com/2022/08/26/teen-suspect-arrested-in-brutal-robbery-of-nypd-cop/ | 2022-08-27T02:07:28Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/08/26/teen-suspect-arrested-in-brutal-robbery-of-nypd-cop/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A high school in Denver has come under fire for showing a video to students telling them not to necessarily call police if they see a violently racist or homophobic incident, for fear of escalation.
Titled “Don’t be a Bystander: 6 Tips for Responding to Racist Attacks,” the video gives suggestions of what to do if the viewer witnesses such an attack.
The video, which was posted in 2017, states that “in our current political moment, White supremacists and White nationalists have been emboldened, and as a result, public attacks are on the rise.”
The video gives tips of what to do if a viewer sees a violent racist attack. One tip was to talk to the victim, document the incident and support the victim by staying with them. The fourth tip, though, was to “not call the police,” saying it “escalates, rather than reduces” violence.
“Because police have been trained to see people of color, gender-nonconforming folks, and Muslims as criminals, they often treat victims as perpetrators of violence. So, if the victim hasn’t asked you to call the police, do not — I repeat, do not — call the police,” the video says.
A letter signed by five law enforcement associations in Colorado called out the video, warning it would increase “negative perceptions of law enforcement and [hurt] our efforts to build trusting relationships within the communities we serve, including schools and student populations.”
“Discouraging students from calling the police in situations that have a high probability of violence and telling them to handle it themselves is irresponsible,” the letter continued. “Suggesting that police officers are trained to treat people of color and members of the disabled and LGBTQ communities as perpetrators is false and offensive.”
Denver Public Schools told Fox News Digital the video was “not fully vetted” prior to being shown to students, and the district does “not subscribe” to some suggestions in the video. A district spokesperson told Fox News Digital the video was chosen because of its title and theme, but no one viewed the video before it was shown to students.
Rachel Goss, the principal of Denver South, the school where the video was shown, said it was meant “to provide empowerment for people who may witness these types of attacks, not to have any sort of negative impact on the longstanding relationship between the Denver Public Schools and the Denver Police Department.”
Goss also added the school’s priority is the safety of students, and will continue “all responsibilities of being mandatory reporters.”
A spokesperson for the district told Fox News Digital the school believes students should contact the police if they witness a violent incident. | https://nypost.com/2022/08/26/colorado-students-told-to-avoid-police-if-they-see-a-racist-attack/ | 2022-08-27T02:15:47Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/08/26/colorado-students-told-to-avoid-police-if-they-see-a-racist-attack/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
How Society’s Fixation on Independence as a Universal Goal Excludes Disabled, Chronically Ill People
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“Society sees independence in everyday tasks and living life as an end goal rather than a way of life that people can [choose to] accept or reject,” says Daksh*, 24, who lives with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy.
The mental health and self-worth of disabled, neurodivergent, or chronically ill people, like Daksh, are often severely impacted by society’s glorification of the able-bodied, neurotypical idea of “independence” – self-sufficiency across domains of earning a livelihood, living by oneself, traveling alone, among other things. Holding different people to the same standard without accounting for their individual differences, makes our cultural fixation on independence – often portrayed as a modern outlook – rather ableist.
“[Living alone] has mostly been a good experience, yet sometimes I feel the burden of having to rely on myself in a world that valorizes independence,” writes Srinidhi Raghavan, who lives with fibromyalgia. She recalls an instance when she tried to cook for herself — except, by the time she was done cutting vegetables, she was in so much pain that she lay down to rest and fell asleep. “In my dream, I was walking around a huge supermarket looking for cut-up veggies and fruits when I overheard a couple talking nearby: ‘Why would anyone buy cut-up vegetables and fruits? Can you not do the basic task of cutting it yourself?’… I wanted access to assistance that would help me live an independent life but, even in my dreams, ableism haunted me.”
Rather ironically, in striving for independence as a universal goal, an individual’s right to independently choose how to live their lives, is forgotten.
Referring to news reports on disabled individuals “getting their driving licenses, learning to draw with their feet, singing for a living,” Daksh says: “[W]hen we disabled people watch them with our abled family and friends, we hear passing remarks about we have to work hard and overcome our disability, too, so that we can learn to live life independently. I have even received forwarded WhatsApp videos from my father, which has inspiration porn, with him adding that even I should try to be independent as much as possible.”
Related on The Swaddle:
Why Disability Activists Argue Against Labels Like ‘Differently Abled’
This social conditioning to aspire for independence also often pushes people to burn out in a bid to achieve it and, consequently, not feel like a burden to others in this hyper-independence-preaching world. “I learned about the ableism behind independence-focused rhetoric the hard way… One of the abusive patterns in my family was the constant push to be independent. This was true even when I was healing from a physical injury that prevented me from working and spurred a year-long breakdown,” wrote Dominique Chatterjee, a disabled individual.
Despite recognizing the drawback of the narrative though, Chatterjee admits to “still fall[ing] into patterns of obsessing over self-sufficiency.” Netflix’s Atypical, too, shows how the protagonist Sam, an autistic character, initially refuses the accommodations his college provides in an endeavor to prove he’s self-sufficient. However, unable to keep up with constantly changing class schedules, rules that force him to take down rapidly dictated notes by hand despite his apparent discomfort and his inability to keep up with the pace of dictation, and classes that require him to travel across a vast, crowded campus multiple times a day, he begins to lose sleep and burns out. It is only when he is injured and on the verge of a meltdown that he finally agrees to avail of disability services. Despite being fictional, Sam’s tryst highlights the consequences of internalizing the able-bodied definition of independence.
“It is presumed on our behalf that the goal for our lives should be as much independence as possible with as few supports as possible, including accommodations and services,” notes Lydia X.Z. Brown, an autistic disability rights activist.
Instead of independence, then, interdependence is something many disability activists advocate for. And it isn’t a radical, new-age concept. Interdependence is what sustains the economy and, by extension, the supposedly independent individuals within it. How many of us grow the coffee beans that make their way into our mugs each morning? Do we know many writers who manufacture the paper they write on or build the laptops they type into? Is everyone single-handedly constructing the houses they live in? These examples might sound like hyperboles, but that’s because certain forms of interdependence — like the ones listed above — are normalized by the privileged, majoritarian society that can’t function without them.
“In a world built entirely around [their] thought processes, movements, and physical and emotional needs, it will obviously seem as though most able-bodied and/or neurotypical people can live ‘independently’ without visible or conscious support despite the reality that supports for people with typical abilities and neurologies do exist and are simply naturally embedded in all aspects of society and culture,” Brown argues. Naturally, then, disabled interdependence – where the “dependence” stands out to able-bodied onlookers – doesn’t enjoy nearly the same degree of empathy, or even acceptance.
Related on The Swaddle:
Why We Expect People With Invisible Disabilities To Learn To Act ‘Normal’
Painting a picture of what disabled interdependence looks like, Raghavan writes, “I was once walking next to my dear friend and colleague… We were heading towards the breakfast hall when I felt myself go weak in the knees. We stopped and I began to lean on her to hold me up. Through a process of mutual assistance, we walked forward. Me leaning on her for support; she turning to me for direction.” From an able-bodied perspective, the lack of independence, here, might be unsettling, but as Raghavan notes, “[T]his is not an uncommon sight in the community… What the world sees as lack, the community see as [an] opportunity.”
Caught in our obsession with independence, we often tend to forget that human beings, in general, have actually always been part of communities — thriving and surviving through support and cooperation and deriving a sense of wellbeing and belongingness through human connection. After all, it takes a village to raise a human. “Being overly self-sufficient may lead one away from opportunities to exchange ideas, receive inspiration, and deepen relationships — all interactions that foster growth,” wrote Amy Smith, a clinical psychologist in the U.S. “[B]y choosing to isolate in order to feel self-reliant, they may put themselves at risk of feeling unsupported or depressed [and] suffer significant social and professional costs.”
Moreover, not only is the form of hyper-independence idolized by society ableist, but it’s also unhealthy for everyone – including neurotypical and able-bodied populations as well. Hyper-independence is actually a form of trauma response in human beings — not something one must aspire to emulate. As a result of being hurt or neglected in the past, hyper-independence can manifest as taking on more responsibilities than one can handle while refusing help from others. It, basically, serves as a mechanism to protect oneself from disappointment by denying others the power to disappoint. In doing so, though, one often ends up struggling with intense feelings of loneliness, as Simone Saunders, a trauma therapist, points out.
Adopting an interdependence model could thus benefit not just disabled people but all by incorporating the spirit of community as central to the human experience. As Mia Mingus, a renowned disability justice activist, stated: “Interdependence moves us away from the myth of independence, and towards relationships where we are all valued and have things to offer… Interdependency is both ‘you’ and ‘I’ and ‘we’. It is solidarity, in the best sense of the word. It is inscribing community on our skin over and over and over again.” | https://theswaddle.com/how-societys-fixation-on-independence-as-a-universal-goal-excludes-disabled-chronically-ill-people/ | 2022-08-27T02:15:53Z | theswaddle.com | control | https://theswaddle.com/how-societys-fixation-on-independence-as-a-universal-goal-excludes-disabled-chronically-ill-people/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Buzz Cut: Country’s Pillars of Democracy Found to Be Made of Lego as Adult Men Play With Press Freedom
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In The Buzz Cut, we bring you a round-up of news you wish wasn’t news.
Country’s Pillars of Democracy Found to Be Made of Lego as Adult Men Play With Press Freedom
Archeologists have revisited the monoliths holding our nation in place for a closer look. In a shocking revelation, it appears that there was nothing to see there. The historical site of the pillars of democracy was found to have been ransacked, leaving nothing behind. The current state of the ancient remains is unknown. Some believe, however, that they’ve been converted into playthings for some important men seeking momentary relief from high-powered business decisions. Indeed, this week saw one such man spending some quality time honing his creativity with some toy bricks that looked suspiciously like one of the missing pillars. Some note that it was a smart business decision — for someone with an eye for real estate, seizing upon the lucrative fourth estate along the way was only inevitable. The conversion of the pillar into blocks to play with, then, will help the visionary man build the much talked about development model that takes the country forward.
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High EQ Man Compares Career Lows to Terminal Illness
They say that suffering defeat humbles a person, and they could not have been more right. A man speaking about his career bravely opened up about what the low points felt like. In a video where, by all accounts, he appeared to be in good physical health, the actor said that not being successful in the movies felt like skin cancer. While the average person fortunate enough not to have skin cancer can only imagine such a fate, this empath is the rare one among us who can actually feel it. Researchers of terminal illness were shocked to discover that the pain from surmountable setbacks in life was, in fact, comparable to that of a long-drawn, life-altering illness. And yet, the man has shown it is possible to compare the two if one is multifaceted enough in their worldview, like he is. In this case, the multiple facets involved are two entire points on an emotional intelligence scale.
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Right Wing Actor Takes Unexpected Anti-national Turn by Dredging Up Beef With Award Show
An actor known for her unflinching support for religious majoritarianism has arrived at a crossroads; she must make a choice. On the one hand — say, the right hand — there is her love for and desire to protect cows; on the other, there is tempting beef to pick up with an award function. Having chosen to go left, in this case, choosing the beef, the actor became an unlikely candidate for joining the anti-national gang. She chose to sue the award show over nominating her for an award. Nearly everyone, including the beef, is confused over the debacle — one that may prove to cost her. “I always loved her, but her decision to indulge in unnecessary beef makes me question her beliefs,” said one former fan. The consequences of the sudden turn are yet to be seen. | https://theswaddle.com/the-buzz-cut-countrys-pillars-of-democracy-found-to-be-made-of-lego-as-adult-men-play-with-press-freedom/ | 2022-08-27T02:16:00Z | theswaddle.com | control | https://theswaddle.com/the-buzz-cut-countrys-pillars-of-democracy-found-to-be-made-of-lego-as-adult-men-play-with-press-freedom/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Briahna Gatlin of Swank PR shares how she has managed to run her business and be successful at it for 15 years. She also explains why she decided to launch her first music festival, The Purple Block Party.
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Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. | https://rollingout.com/2022/08/26/briahna-gatlin-shares-business-secrets-and-what-inspired-purple-block-party/ | 2022-08-27T02:23:06Z | rollingout.com | control | https://rollingout.com/2022/08/26/briahna-gatlin-shares-business-secrets-and-what-inspired-purple-block-party/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
This week, House of the Dragon blew up streaming, the Independent Spirit Awards moved towards gender-neutral acting categories, and the Girl Scouts chose their next new cookie flavor.
Here's what the NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour crew was paying attention to — and what you should check out this weekend.
Diary of a Void
It's either this or me talking about The O.C., but I'm working on a piece about a book called Diary of a Void by Emi Yagi. It's a Japanese book, recently translated into English, about this woman who works at an office. And to get out of all the menial, unpaid tasks women are often expected to do at the office, like clean up after a meeting and make coffee, she fakes being pregnant.
Since she gets maternity leave (this book can't take place in America), she has all this time to think about her life and delves into this weird psychosis. She almost starts buying her own lie. It's a fascinating book that I'm really enjoying digging into. — Andrew Limbong
People Dancing in Peppa Pig Costumes
My friends in India posted this video of people dressed like Peppa Pig dancing at, I'm guessing, a North Indian wedding, to this Punjabi Bollywood song.
Well, this is post-colonial, and this is how the colony rights itself. There are these British pigs dancing to this Punjabi Bollywood song, and I've been thinking about it more than I should. — Bedatri D. Choudhury
Lost Ollie
There's a new series coming out on Netflix called Lost Ollie that's a combination of live action and stunning animation. It's just about a lost toy; I think the story is a little bit familiar. Jonathan Groff plays the voice of Ollie, Mary J. Blige is in it, and Tim Blake Nelson plays this sort of Elvis kind of toy character.
It is dark, not really for very young children, but I love all of these dark odysseys across American wastelands with toys. I'm in love with the look of it, I'm in love with the execution of it, and I'm in love with the people who did it. It is a very heartwarming four episodes. — Walter Chaw
Apostle
I've been trying to speed summer out the damn door and usher autumn in early by getting into folk horror as a genre. It's very harvesty, very autumnal, very earth tones. I recently checked out the film Apostle, which is a Netflix film released in 2018, starring Dan Stevens and Michael Sheen.
It's a period piece set in 1905 in which Sheen and his brothers have set up their own cult, and Stevens goes undercover to rescue his sister from them. It seems to just be a film about the power of messianic belief, I guess. And then it becomes very much something else.
I'm not sure it works, but it works for me because I am tired of summer and I want to start layering again. — Glen Weldon
More recommendations from the Pop Culture Happy Hour newsletter
by Linda Holmes
I've been listening to the audiobook this week of Retail Gangster: The Insane, Real-Life Story of Crazy Eddie. It traces the story of Eddie Antar, the man (and the family) behind the New York electronics discounter whose TV and radio ads in the '70s and '80s were both loved and loathed — and whose business practices ultimately landed him in prison for racketeering conspiracy. It's a very good and highly entertaining book, and a very good reminder that the scammers we know now in the startup world have plenty of history to call their own.
Luke Macfarlane is kind of a fascinating actor with a fascinating history (I loved watching him on Brothers & Sisters as well as in many, many Hallmark movies), and David Canfield talked to him this week for Vanity Fair.
This week wasn't the first time I'd seen the Sesame Street classic "Put Down The Ducky," but I'm always happy to see it again, and I'll be darned if I didn't sing it all day long.
Friend of the show Jesse Thorn has a voice appearance on this week's Season 13 premiere of Archer. This is something Jesse has dreamed of for a long time, so make sure you don't miss it.
NPR's Maison Tran adapted the Pop Culture Happy Hour segment "What's Making Us Happy" into a digital page. If you like these suggestions, consider signing up for our newsletter to get recommendations every week. And listen to Pop Culture Happy Hour on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.klcc.org/movies-tv/npr-pop-culture/2022-08-26/whats-making-us-happy-a-guide-to-your-weekend-reading-listening-and-viewing | 2022-08-27T02:23:09Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/movies-tv/npr-pop-culture/2022-08-26/whats-making-us-happy-a-guide-to-your-weekend-reading-listening-and-viewing | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
In the midst of a hyper-partisan political environment, Republicans, Democrats, and Independents in Georgia have found something to work on together: democracy.
Today marks the formal launch of the Georgia Democracy Resilience Network, a cross-partisan, a grassroots effort initiated by The Carter Center. Co-led by veteran Republican strategist Leo Smith and Dr. Rashad Richey, a Democratic strategist, broadcaster, and national political analyst, the network will bring together civic, business, and religious leaders and citizens from across the political spectrum to serve as community advocates for peaceful political engagement around elections.
“It’s exciting to see Georgia Republicans and Democrats come together through this network to help preserve democracy,” said Paige Alexander, the Carter Center’s CEO. “Their efforts will build on the work we started in 2020 when we decided to work here at home, using some of the lessons we’ve learned from working on election issues in more than 40 countries.”
The network will conduct a range of activities to build community resilience to conflict and foster confidence in elections. It will ask candidates and citizens to uphold basic civic standards before, during, and after the November election.
“Peaceful, trusted elections are the bedrock of our democratic republic, and the network shows how we all can come together when it matters most,” said Smith. “We agree more than we disagree, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.”
Richey agreed.
“Bridging divisions and working together is the most American thing there is,” Richey said. “This country has supported elections for two centuries, and the network is part of that tradition.”
Separately, The Carter Center also plans to explore other ways to support good elections and voter education campaigns in Georgia. Georgia is one of several key states where the Center is lending its global expertise in conflict resolution and democracy strengthening to help bolster democratic norms ahead of the 2022 midterms. | https://rollingout.com/2022/08/26/carter-center-stepping-up-and-leading-the-nation-for-peaceful-elections/ | 2022-08-27T02:23:12Z | rollingout.com | control | https://rollingout.com/2022/08/26/carter-center-stepping-up-and-leading-the-nation-for-peaceful-elections/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Public relations executive Kayla Tucker Adams was recently honored by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) with the 2022 Patricia L. Tobin Media Professional Award during the Hall of Fame Luncheon in Las Vegas.
Patricia “Pat” Tobin was a pioneering publicist, media entrepreneur, co-founder of the National Black Public Relations Society (NBPRS), and a long-time member and leader in NABJ. Widely known as the “queen of public relations,” Pat Tobin is recognized as a Black PR pioneer in the Museum of Public Relations.
NABJ presents the Patricia L. Tobin Media Professional Award annually to an entrepreneur, public relations/advertising/marketing professional, or media owner that serves as a trailblazer in the media realm and is responsible for a positive impact on Black coverage and the media profession.
“A long-time NABJ member, Kayla has distinguished herself on several levels as a communications professional, mentor, and supporter of journalists and journalistic excellence, just like Pat Tobin,” said Cheryl Smith, publisher/editor of Texas Metro News, Garland Journal, and I Messenger. “She is grounded in her community, serving on several organization boards and committees, and Kayla also gives of her time and resources. Kayla is about representing her clients and ensuring that KTA Media Group provides the best service.”
An honor graduate of Prairie View A&M University, Adams earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Radio/Television Broadcasting with a minor in Business Administration. She also holds a Master of Science degree in Human Relations and Business from Amberton University. In addition to the Patricia L. Tobin award, Adams was also recently named the 2022 Woman of the Year by the Greater North Dallas Business and Professional Women’s Club (GNDBPWC). She is also a previous NABJ Salute to Excellence award winner, Texas School Public Relations Association Star Award winner and Hermes Creative award winner.
“I am elated to receive this national award and be named among the trailblazing legends in public relations! I work hard to achieve results for my clients and to build bridges to help amplify the stories that matter most,” said Kayla Tucker Adams, founder and chief strategist of KTA Media Group. “It’s a blessing to be recognized for that hard work and my contributions to the field of public relations.”
With more than 20 years of experience in communication and public relations, Adams is an award-winning public relations executive, professional speaker, and writer. She is the founder and chief strategist of KTA Media Group – a full-service communications firm specializing in public relations, media training, crisis communications, community engagement, book and product launches, digital marketing, social media, and strategic partnerships. Highly regarded as one of the best in her field, Kayla has worked with bestselling authors, movie producers, corporations, school districts, non-profit organizations, faith leaders, numerous celebrities and some of the most influential people in the world, including Oprah Winfrey and T.D. Jakes, and global nonprofit organizations, including March of Dimes. Managing and leading a rockstar team of professionals, Kayla provides stellar work and exceptional results for clients across the country.
Actively involved in the community and philanthropic efforts, Kayla is always looking for ways to give back. She is currently a board member of the Dallas-Fort Worth chapter of March of Dimes and That Girl is SMART Youth Mentoring Program, a member of the Public Relations Society of America, National Association of Black Journalists, the fundraising chairperson for Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Journalists, and a charter member of the Chi Zeta Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. | https://rollingout.com/2022/08/26/p-r-exec-kayla-tucker-adams-honored-during-the-nabj-conference-in-las-vegas/ | 2022-08-27T02:23:18Z | rollingout.com | control | https://rollingout.com/2022/08/26/p-r-exec-kayla-tucker-adams-honored-during-the-nabj-conference-in-las-vegas/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Hospitals and doctors around the country are facing harassment and even death threats over the medical care they offer to transgender kids. In many cases, they have been the subject of posts by a Twitter account called Libs of TikTok, as well as stories in conservative media outlets casting gender-affirming care as child abuse and mutilation.
Which raises the question: where should social networks draw the line with accounts promoting narratives that spark harassment campaigns on their platforms and beyond?
Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C. became the most recent target this week when Libs of TikTok posted an audio recording in which hospital staff appeared to say that gender-affirming hysterectomies had been performed on minors. The hospital said that claim was incorrect and that none of the people recorded deliver care to patients.
"The information in the recording is not accurate. We do not and have never performed gender-affirming hysterectomies for anyone under the age of 18," Children's National said in a statement to NPR. "The operator speaking provided wrong information."
The statement continued: "Since the spreading of misinformation on Twitter, we have been the target of a large volume of hostile and threatening phone calls and emails."
Childrens' hospitals in Boston, Seattle, Chicago, and Portland, Oregon, have also been targeted. Last week, Boston Children's Hospital warned it was receiving "a large volume of hostile internet activity, phone calls, and harassing emails including threats of violence toward our clinicians and staff" after false claims it performs genital surgeries on minors.
The U.S. Justice Department even weighed in, with the U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts calling the attacks "disturbing."
False claims, out-of-context videos
These false narratives about pediatric gender-affirming care are rooted in fundamental "misperceptions," said Dr. Angela Kade Goepferd, a pediatrician and director of the Gender Health Program at Children's Minnesota.
"People have misperceptions that we're doing surgery on young kids. People have misperceptions that we are changing kids from boys into girls at a very young age," they said.
They said care for transgender kids is wide-ranging, from efforts to help children socially transition to puberty-blocking medications to various gender-affirming surgeries, and is undertaken with the input of pediatric psychologists, clinical social workers, hormone experts and endocrinologists, as well as families.
Some of the claims about Children's National, Boston Children's and other hospitals were pushed by the Libs of TikTok account, which regularly reposts videos and social media posts from LGBTQ people, teachers, schools and other institutions. The clips are sometimes taken out of context and framed to fuel outrage or ridicule of LGBTQ and anti-racist causes, in what the account owner has described as "exposés" of "the crazies."
For example, a short clip about gender-affirming hysterectomies from a video originally posted by Boston Children's that Libs of TikTok reposted makes no mention of patients' ages. But Libs of TikTok tweeted alongside the clip the false claim that the hospital offers the surgery "for young girls."
Libs of TikTok, run by a Brooklyn woman named Chaya Raichik, has 1.3 million followers on its biggest platform, Twitter. It's gained prominence and influence in right-wing circles over the last year as conservatives increasingly try to use anti-LGBTQ sentiment to gain support.
NPR reached out to Raichik for this story. She initially responded and agreed to an interview, but did not respond to a follow-up message. Raichik frequently condemns criticism of her online activities as efforts to "cancel and silence" her. She has said that she has also been targeted with death threats.
Platforms struggle with harassment networks
Twitter and Facebook prohibit bullying and harassment, coordinated mass attacks, and incitement to violence. Both companies ban the use of the word "groomer" as a smear against LGBTQ people under their rules against hate speech.
The platforms have taken down some of the threats against the hospitals. But it's less clear how much accountability the companies can or will put on accounts that draw attention to the targets that end up getting harassed.
Twitter has previously temporarily suspended Libs of TikTok for breaking its rules. The company declined to comment on the account. Following Boston Children's Hospital's reported threats, Libs of TikTok said it had been permanently suspended by Facebook for violating the platform's community standards. But that was quickly reversed, and the account returned to posting on Facebook, saying the social network said that was an error. Facebook declined to comment on the suspension.
Libs of TikTok appears to have evaded outright bans by coming right up to the edge of the platforms' rules but not breaking them. The account does not explicitly encourage followers to threaten anyone, and typically uses its target's own words, sometimes stripped of context, to imply wrongdoing.
But while its individual posts may stick to the letter of the platforms' rules, their cumulative effect is what worries researchers like Joan Donovan, who studies online extremism, media manipulation and disinformation at Harvard's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy.
"We've reached this phase in social media where people know what to do when an account like Libs of TikTok calls out another account or a person or institution," she said. Call-outs can spark harassment campaigns known as "brigading," where commenters pile on a common target.
In the case of the children's hospitals, "the threats have moved from insulting people or targeted accounts online into more direct threats," Donovan said. "The online threat escalates very quickly into offline violence when we start to see these patterns of attack."
For social networks to deal with what Donovan calls "networked incitement," she says effectively tracking those threats means looking beyond single posts on specific platforms.
"The precipitating comments may not be that incendiary, but if that creates a pattern of attack that is recognizable, which it is with an account like Libs of TikTok, then these companies are well within their jurisdiction to warn and then ban the account."
Right-wing groups target LGBTQ events, education and healthcare
Pediatricians and children's hospitals are just the latest targets of right-wing outrage, in a new iteration of decades-old smears of gay, lesbian and transgender people as pedophiles or "groomers."
"The Libs of TikTok account has been a major actor in driving a lot of the harassment campaigns that we've seen over the past year," said Ari Drennen, LGBTQ program director at Media Matters for America, the liberal advocacy group.
In some cases, events and figures publicized by Libs of TikTok have been targeted offline by far-right extremists known for brawling.
On a single day this summer, for example, men with ties to the white nationalist group Patriot Front were arrested outside a Pride event in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho, and alleged members of the far-right Proud Boys crashed a drag queen story hour at a library in San Lorenzo, Calif. Libs of TikTok had tweeted about both events, although there's no conclusive link between the posts and the extremist groups' activities.
As the Washington Post reported in April, the account's subjects and posts are regularly featured and promoted by other conservative influencers and media figures, including podcaster Joe Rogan. Raichik has appeared on Tucker Carlson's prime time Fox News show.
The escalating stigmatization of transgender medical care has doctors worried.
"This is a developmentally appropriate, team-based approach that allows kids time to figure out their identities," said Dr. Goepferd of Children's Minnesota.
Threats to hospitals ripple out, affecting not only hospital staff but also patients and families seeking all kinds of care, as well as longer-term research needed in the field. "I worry that this type of false narrative would make research institutions or funders nervous to fund more research into finding out what is the best possible care we could be providing right now," Goepferd said.
"The fact that somewhere the message has gotten through that it's okay to attack physicians, pediatricians, children's hospitals in this way is just a really disturbing societal trend," they said.
Editor's note: Facebook parent Meta pays NPR to license NPR content.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.klcc.org/npr-politics/npr-politics/2022-08-26/childrens-hospitals-are-the-latest-target-of-anti-lgbtq-harassment | 2022-08-27T02:23:22Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-politics/npr-politics/2022-08-26/childrens-hospitals-are-the-latest-target-of-anti-lgbtq-harassment | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Snoop Dogg has respectably been in the rap game for a long time, and at this point in his career, he’s willing to give the keys to the young generation.
Dogg is known for his writing skills and has even helped other artists in the past with their verses. Now, he’s paying it forward and letting other artists write for him.
On Dogg’s recent album BODR, there are several up-and-coming artists featured, including Cordae, who wrote the song “Don’t Gotta Worry No More.”
The “Rap Radar” podcast had Dogg as a guest on Aug. 25, and he explained why he’s okay with people writing his bars nowadays.
“I started off writing for Dr. Dre, so what would I be if I didn’t allow somebody to write for me,” Dogg said. “Sometimes you gotta put yourself in the frame of letting somebody else depict a better picture for you because you can’t see everything.”
Dogg went on to give an example of another artist that had somebody write for them.
“I feel like Whitney Houston’s best record was the ‘The Bodyguard,’ when the other people came in and gave her records that weren’t hers, where she could just sit back and just sing and they embodied what they thought she should be,” Dogg said.
“That’s to the point in my career where I’m at now, where I’ve written so many hit records,” Dogg continued. “It’s not about what I can write sometimes, it’s about what I can’t see that somebody else can write for me.” | https://rollingout.com/2022/08/26/snoop-dogg-has-a-good-reason-for-using-ghostwriters/ | 2022-08-27T02:23:24Z | rollingout.com | control | https://rollingout.com/2022/08/26/snoop-dogg-has-a-good-reason-for-using-ghostwriters/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Invitation star Nathalie Emmanuel discusses the film’s unique combination of horror and romance. When Evie (Nathalie Emmanuel) discovers a long-lost relative after her mother’s death, she’s invited to reconnect and crosses paths with a deadly, seductive aristocrat. Emmanuel joins rolling out to discuss the film‘s mystery. | https://rollingout.com/2022/08/26/the-invitation-star-nathalie-emmanuel-breaks-down-the-mystery-of-the-film/ | 2022-08-27T02:23:30Z | rollingout.com | control | https://rollingout.com/2022/08/26/the-invitation-star-nathalie-emmanuel-breaks-down-the-mystery-of-the-film/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:
We hear a lot about employee burnout these days, and it is affecting even people whose work quite literally is play.
(SOUNDBITE OF VIDEO GAME)
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: First try, baby!
KELLY: Video game streamers on Twitch and other live streaming platforms are burning out and logging off. And unlike many other workers, they don't have benefits or structured resources to fall back on. Keller Gordon reported this out for NPR's Join the Game column, and Keller joins us now. Hey there.
KELLER GORDON, BYLINE: Hey. How's it going?
KELLY: It is going well. I got to say, being a streamer, playing video games for a living, that sounds like fun at work. Why are people burning out?
GORDON: Well, people are burning out because platforms like Twitch aren't just playing video games in a vacuum. People are playing video games in real time on the Internet for anybody to watch. That means they're also interacting with hundreds or thousands of viewers at a time. And this can be up to 50 to 60 hours a week. And if they want to retain their viewers, it can be really difficult to take breaks, too.
KELLY: It's funny. I mean, I hadn't thought about it that way. But in a sense, it's something like an actor on stage. And that you're on, and you're performing live for an audience. But in the case of a streamer, the audience is interacting with you. It's a ton of pressure.
GORDON: Yeah. It's a lot of pressure. There are a number of challenges - having to keep a schedule, not taking those breaks and having to deal with difficult viewers on your stream. Here is Steven Flavell or Jorbs, as he's known on Twitch.
STEVEN FLAVELL: I actually wanted people to be there talking with me while I played. And that worked really well for me when I had 15 viewers on Twitch. Around about when I had 200 viewers, that started to get exhausting. Since then, I've had, like, 2,000 people. And when you have that many people asking you questions and telling you what to do, it just becomes absolutely unmanageable. And I actually started having panic attacks.
GORDON: I spoke with another streamer who preferred we only use his twitch name, Halien. He told me that he was getting really tired of playing Hades, a game where you literally battle your way out of hell. The monotony really started bringing him down.
HALIEN: As I ran out of things to do, I became more bored, which made me less animated. And other people started to notice. So it kind of slowly devolved into that over time.
KELLY: I can imagine that having to battle your way out of hell day after day after day would get tiring. One other thing that occurs to me, Keller, this - it's an independent gig. Most streamers are self-employed. Of the people you spoke to, did any have support resources to fall back on?
GORDON: Some do have support, like Steven Flavell, who you heard earlier. He's got a couple of folks that keep tabs on his email, assist with promotional stuff - which definitely helps his work-life balance. But a lot of streamers don't have that support system. And I even spoke with a manager from a gaming entertainment company who said that having a support system is one of the key things that can help you maintain that work-life balance.
KELLY: Yeah. Well, that's probably true across many industries. The other thing I think going on here - or at least I wonder - is on a platform like Twitch, on a platform like YouTube, these are - they're competitive. You have content creators jockeying with each other for viewers, for attention. How does that influence the kind of pressure you're talking about?
GORDON: It can definitely make things harder, especially early on in a streamer's career when they're trying to gain more viewers. Flavell told me that when he first started streaming, he was nervous because he didn't want to leave his computer for more than a few minutes at a time because he didn't want people logging off. Luckily, as his popularity grew, it was easier for him to take breaks because his audience was more loyal, and they had a better understanding.
KELLY: So is that the way forward here? Or - other Twitch streamers will follow in Flavell's footsteps?
GORDON: I think so. Burnout is an increasingly important topic these days. And I hope more full-time streamers get the chance to focus on their mental health and well-being. But it does matter how popular you are, which is another issue in itself.
KELLY: Keller Gordon, contributor and reporter for NPR's Join the Game. Thanks, Keller.
GORDON: Thanks, Mary Louise. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. | https://www.klcc.org/npr-games/npr-games/2022-08-26/game-over-why-some-twitch-streamers-are-burning-out | 2022-08-27T02:27:30Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-games/npr-games/2022-08-26/game-over-why-some-twitch-streamers-are-burning-out | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Some pharmacies are having difficulty filling prescriptions of the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medication Adderall, following a labor shortage at the medication’s biggest U.S. supplier.
Yet the Food and Drug Administration said that, based on its monitoring of the supply of ADHD medications from all manufacturers, no shortage has been detected overall.
Only one company is reporting "intermittent delays," FDA spokesperson Cherie Duvall-Jones said in an email. "Teva Pharmaceuticals, the maker for Adderall tablets, is reporting expected delays for the next 2-3 months."
Teva Pharmaceuticals attributed the delay to a labor shortage on its packaging line that it said has been resolved. The company added that it has an "active supply" of branded Adderall and its generic version, and that while some pharmacies may experience a back order, it should be temporary.
"We expect full recovery for all inventory and orders in the coming weeks, at which point we expect no disruption at the pharmacy level," spokesperson Kelley Dougherty said in a statement.Large pharmacy chains have not reported widespread problems. CVS Pharmacy said its locations were "not experiencing supply issues for Adderall and are able to fill prescriptions as received in most cases." Walgreens said its "current supply is meeting our patient needs at this time."
However, a survey by the National Community Pharmacists Association, conducted from July 25 through Aug. 5, found that of about 360 independent pharmacies that responded, approximately 64% were having difficulty obtaining Adderall.
Some small pharmacies told NBC News that they continue to encounter issues.
At Roger’s Family Pharmacy in Yankton, South Dakota, pharmacist owner Byron Olson said some formulations of the medication have been harder to get than others.
"It’s often that they’re not out entirely," he said of the drug manufacturers, explaining that patients who take 20 mg twice a day, for example, might have to work with their doctors to get alternative pill sizes.
In rare cases, patients might have to temporarily switch to another medication altogether, he added.
"It can be frustrating for patients because they don’t know about the shortages," Olson said.
Meanwhile, at Killingworth Family Pharmacy in Killingworth, Connecticut, pharmacist owner Keith Lyke said he has been receiving patients from other pharmacies over the past month who have been unable to fill their Adderall prescriptions elsewhere. While he has found the drug to be out of stock from some manufacturers, generics from other suppliers have been easy enough to obtain.
"We tell them it’s a different company, so it may look different," he said.
An explosion in demand
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition marked by inattentiveness, impulsivity and/or hyperactivity that is severe enough to interfere with school, work and other aspects of life. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates, based on data from 2016 to 2019, that approximately 10% of children are diagnosed with it, with boys more likely to receive a diagnosis.
Adderall and other stimulant drugs are a common and effective way of managing ADHD symptoms.
However, Adderall has the potential to be abused if taken improperly or without a prescription. Telehealth startups such as Cerebral and Done Health, which gained footing during the pandemic and prescribe stimulants, raised questions among pharmacies about whether Adderall was being overprescribed. Former and current employees of those companies told The Wall Street Journal that they felt pressured to prescribe medication without adequate time to make a diagnosis.
In May, Walmart and CVS announced they would stop filling prescriptions for controlled substances from those telehealth firms.
Demand for Adderall is higher than ever: Prescriptions dispensed in the U.S. spiked to 41.4 million last year, up 10.4% from 2020, according to The Wall Street Journal.
But that doesn’t mean that all ADHD diagnoses made during the pandemic were illegitimate, said Dr. David W. Goodman, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
"There are a lot of people presumably with ADHD who’ve never been diagnosed and never been treated," Goodman, a former board member for the advocacy organization Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, said.
During pandemic lockdowns, some people’s symptoms may have become more salient, Goodman said, "because the routine of the day of going to work and working with co-workers and having an external structure was eliminated."
"So now people have to stay at home and institute structure themselves, which is very difficult for them, and the family members at home would then come to realize, you know, this person is consistently inconsistent," he said.
There have been shortages of ADHD stimulants before: The FDA reported a shortage from September 2019 through May 2022.
Goodman advised patients who take Adderall to anticipate potential difficulty with their prescription refills and to work with their doctors and pharmacies to get alternatives if they run into issues.
"It’s unpredictable. We can be sailing along fine and then we run into a shortage," he said.
He added that in his experience, the worst-case scenario — a patient unable to obtain any medication at all — doesn’t last long, even during supply shortages.
"Usually it’s a matter of a few days or within a week," he said. | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/adderall-is-hard-to-find-at-some-pharmacies-following-a-labor-shortage-at-the-largest/article_07120008-259d-11ed-b106-bbb0c70ce6ae.html | 2022-08-27T02:30:19Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/adderall-is-hard-to-find-at-some-pharmacies-following-a-labor-shortage-at-the-largest/article_07120008-259d-11ed-b106-bbb0c70ce6ae.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
OLYMPIA, Wash. — The United States Department of Agriculture has awarded $5 million to the state of Washington to fund specialty crop projects. The Washington State Department of Agriculture will fund 20 projects between $106,000 and $250,000.
The projects are run by nonprofits, government organizations, schools and agricultural commissions, focusing on specialty crops like fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, horticulture and nursery crops.
The projects were chosen in a two-phase process through WSDA. Some of the projects getting funding are working to control pests and diseases, to improve food safety, to train growers and processors, improve technologies and market these specialty crops.
“This award covers numerous projects with a unified mission: to strengthen the viability and vitality of Washington agriculture and to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops,” said WSDA Director Derek Sandison. | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/department-of-agriculture-funds-specialty-crop-projects-in-washington/article_9e9407c0-25a5-11ed-b340-f33ea2964ea6.html | 2022-08-27T02:30:25Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/department-of-agriculture-funds-specialty-crop-projects-in-washington/article_9e9407c0-25a5-11ed-b340-f33ea2964ea6.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PASCO, Wash. - Love's Travel Stops newest Washington location is in Pasco, now open for customers. The seventh Love's location in the state opened August 25, bringing 57 truck parking spots, 78 regular spaces and 70 new jobs.
"We're excited to add our seventh location to the Evergreen State and give customers the Highway Hospitality they know they'll get when they stop at Love's," said co-CEO Greg Love. "Whether it's fresh food, snacks or coffee; today's latest technologies or just somewhere to stretch your legs, Love's has the amenities professional drivers and four-wheel customers need when they're on the road."
The location is open 24/7 at 2252 E Kartchner Street. An Arby's will open inside the 13,000-square-foot building on August 29. It also offers seven diesel bays, five showers, laundry facilities, a CAT scale, a Fresh Kitchen concept and a dog park. | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/new-loves-travel-stops-opens-in-pasco/article_53fa4770-259a-11ed-9870-e787aeb9de45.html | 2022-08-27T02:30:31Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/new-loves-travel-stops-opens-in-pasco/article_53fa4770-259a-11ed-9870-e787aeb9de45.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
TRI-CITIES, Wash. -
The water budget looks at both supply and demand. The Washington State Department of Ecology is working with cities on projects to help meet summertime water demand all while staying in the water budget.
Without aquifers storage and recovery systems some areas may have difficulty meeting demand during peak summertime use.
The systems store water during the winter when demand isn't as high.
Then the water stays available during peak usage times in the summer when people need it for things like laundry and watering lawns.
Pasco and West Richland have aquifer storage and recovery projects that started recently. With West Richland's in the second of five phases it's expected to be completed in 2025.
The Washington state department of ecology recently projected aquifers at higher levels have a potential to go down by 25% over the next ten years.
The department makes a forecast every five years, looking at water supply and demand.
"We look to the forecast to help us prepare for plausible changes in water management and the good thing is again this was looking at twenty to fifty years so there's time to make adjustments as we go," said Melissa Downes from the Washington State Department of Ecology.
One of the adjustments being made is the aquifer storage and recovery systems. | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/tri-cities-supply-water-during-peak-summer-demand/article_0f0ff920-259a-11ed-9932-5f32247a755c.html | 2022-08-27T02:30:37Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/tri-cities-supply-water-during-peak-summer-demand/article_0f0ff920-259a-11ed-9932-5f32247a755c.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
YAKIMA COUNTY, Wash. —
UPDATE: 6:19 p.m.
Naches and Selah Fire Departments have joined to assist fighting the Medicine Valley Road Fire, which is burning at over 1,000 acres. Three planes and one helicopter are on scene.
UPDATE: 4:43 p.m.
Yakima County Fire District 5 has updated the fire is now close to 1,000 acres and is still being spread by the wind.
Level 3 evacuations have been ordered for West White Swan Road, north to Branch Road and everything west of Wesley Road.
Level 2 evacuations have been ordered for Fort Simcoe Road, north to West White Swan Road and West of Signal Peak Road, including White Swan.
AUGUST 26, 2022 4:12 p.m.
A brush fire outside of White Swan has reached around 180 acres as crews from Yakima County Fire District 5 respond. The fire is around the 1600 block of Medicine Valley Road and is being pushed by the wind.
The fire was reported shortly after 3 p.m. on August 26 and is currently moving toward Hawk Road. | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/update-level-2-evacuations-ordered-in-white-swan-as-fire-burns-1000-acres/article_91d80d76-2594-11ed-847d-138f7cbfd3f8.html | 2022-08-27T02:30:43Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/update-level-2-evacuations-ordered-in-white-swan-as-fire-burns-1000-acres/article_91d80d76-2594-11ed-847d-138f7cbfd3f8.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
YAKIMA, Wash. - The Yakima Police Department is responding to a "major collision" at Tieton Drive and S 28th Avenue. All lanes are closed.
This is a developing story, which means information could change. We are working to report timely and accurate information as we get it. | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/traffic/crash-reported-around-tieton-and-28th/article_ca774110-259e-11ed-b63f-cf42d9c5adb5.html | 2022-08-27T02:30:49Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/traffic/crash-reported-around-tieton-and-28th/article_ca774110-259e-11ed-b63f-cf42d9c5adb5.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary
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Beth Schadel 1935-2022 Our beloved mom, oma and friend, Beth Schadel, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, went to be with the Lord on Sunday Aug 21, 2022. She was born to William and Edith Rothell in November 1935 in Westover, Texas. The family later moved to Dallas where she fell in love with city life as it was back then with street cars, baseball games and later modeling for Neiman Marcus. She spent a semester at the University of Texas before she trained as a flight attendant with Continental Airlines. In 1955, Beth met her future husband, Hal Schadel, a pilot. Beth and Hal married in 1956 and for 21 years followed Hal's Air Force career through several nation-wide assignments. The family moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming in 1970 where, while raising the family, Beth finished her teaching degree, taught kindergarten and pre-kindergarten at Trinity Lutheran School and then at Our Savior Lutheran School. She loved the churches she attended and always attracted people who became part of our extended family. She loved teaching and believed education was key to success. She also loved to travel and see new places. She enjoyed reading, especially cookbooks, and she was herself a wonderful cook. She loved gardening, especially her roses which the deer loved. Her friends have described her as warm and loving but also sweet and sassy. She will be very missed. Beth is survived by her children, Janis, Curt, Susan, Carl, Gregory, and Michael; grandchildren, Brandon (Elizabeth), Samantha (Josh), Elise (Koda), Elizabeth, Tom and Adrienne, Jeremy (Amber), and Sean; great-grandchildren, Jada, Jaxson, Jayson, Jaxon and Emy; brother, Harvey and Rhonda Rothell, Lane, Chloe and Cameron from Texas, long-time friend, Pete Roe; and many, many friends and nieces and nephews. Beth is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Hal; and brother, Jim. A graveside service will be conducted on Wednesday, August 31, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. at Mountain View Memorial Park,10701 Yellowstone Rd. Cheyenne WY 82009. A combined reception for Mary "Beth" Schadel and Celia Schadel will immediately follow the graveside service at 2:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 220 West 22nd St, Cheyenne WY 82001. A celebration of life for Celia Schadel will immediately follow the combined reception at the First Presbyterian Church at 4:00 p.m. Livestream is available by going to firstpresbcheyenne.org and navigating to the YouTube link. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to St Joseph's Indian School, P.O. Box 326, Chamberlain, SD 57326, or any charitable cause you deem worthy. Condolences may be offered on-line at www.schradercares.com.
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This page displays the most recent milestones from each section. To see more please click "View More..." below each section. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/milestones/obituaries/schadel-beth/article_03b47fe6-ac89-58be-b82a-a89804821797.html | 2022-08-27T02:33:21Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/milestones/obituaries/schadel-beth/article_03b47fe6-ac89-58be-b82a-a89804821797.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Celia Schadel 1960-2022 Our beloved Celia went to be with the Lord on Monday, August 22, 2022 after enduring a long struggle with health complications. She was surrounded by her devoted husband, loving sister, and Davis Hospice nurses during transition. Celia (Cleveland) Schadel was born and raised in San Jose, California until age 16 when her family moved to wonderful Wyoming. Celia excelled in high school. She joined the FBLA club, as well as started her career at the Laramie County Clerk of District Court. Her organizational skills and talents eventually promoted her to office manager where she graciously served for 28 1/2 years. Her job duties called her to serve on special projects including a statewide computer system and project manager for countless other vital tasks. Celia exemplified a true code of ethics. She possessed profound integrity, honesty, and team-oriented spirit. Her memory was as strong and could match that of an elephant, which benefited all who knew her. Celia's faith was steeped in her membership of First Presbyterian Church. She joyfully served on a few Deacon committees. Celia was joined in marriage to Carl William Schadel on July 27, 1985, and they lived their lives together in Cheyenne. As a couple, they enjoyed family, traveling, dancing, and outdoor adventures. She will be very missed. Her last breath on earth was her first breath in Heaven. Celia is survived by husband, Carl Schadel; brother, Noel(Song Nyo); sister, Colette; brother, Chad; nephew, Van; nieces, Jade and Hunter; in-laws, Janis, Curt, Susan, Gregory and Michael; along with many nieces, nephews and friends. A combined reception will be held for Celia Schadel and Mary "Beth" Schadel (mother-in-law) on Wednesday, August 31, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 220 West 22nd Street, Cheyenne WY 82001. A celebration of life service for Celia Schadel will immediately follow the reception at 4:00 p.m. in the sanctuary of the First Presbyterian Church. Livestream is available by going to firstpresbcheyenne.org and navigating to the YouTube link. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the First Presbyterian Church, Davis Hospice Center, Cheyenne Botanic Gardens, or Daystar Television Network (Partner Processing, PO Box 610546, Dallas TX 75261-0546). Condolences may be offered on-line at www.schradercares.com.
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This page displays the most recent milestones from each section. To see more please click "View More..." below each section. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/milestones/obituaries/schadel-celia/article_e63a8e04-35e0-5e62-8d09-b768c5801fba.html | 2022-08-27T02:33:27Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/milestones/obituaries/schadel-celia/article_e63a8e04-35e0-5e62-8d09-b768c5801fba.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Monday
Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund Board, 8:30 a.m., Google Meet only. Online access available at meet.google.com/hxe-vtug-wek.
Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund Board, 8:30 a.m., Google Meet only. Online access available at meet.google.com/hxe-vtug-wek.
Wyoming Legislature’s Select Committee on Tribal Relations, 9 a.m., Central Wyoming College, Intertribal Center, Wind River Room, 2660 Peck Ave., Riverton. Livestream available on the Legislature’s website at www.wyoleg.gov.
Wyoming Legislature’s Subcommittee on Manual of Legislative Procedures Updates, online only. Public comment taken at Room W110, Wyoming State Capitol, 200 W. 24th St. Livestream available on the Legislature’s website at www.wyoleg.gov.
Wyoming Legislature’s Select Natural Resource Funding Committee, 11:30 a.m., Hot Springs County Museum, Conference Room 700, Broadway St.,Thermopolis.
Wyoming Legislature’s Select Natural Resource Funding Committee, 11:30 a.m., Hot Springs County Museum, Conference Room 700, Broadway St.,Thermopolis.
Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Committee, 1:30 p.m., Hot Springs County Commissioners Building, Government Annex Meeting Room, 117 N. 4th St., Thermopolis. Livestream available on the Legislature’s website at www.wyoleg.gov.
Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Committee, 8:30 a.m., Hot Springs County Commissioners Building, Government Annex Meeting Room, 117 N. Fourth St., Thermopolis. Livestream available on the Legislature’s website at www.wyoleg.gov.
Wyoming Legislature’s Air Transportation Liaison Committee, 8 a.m., Snow King, Grand Room, Main Hotel, 400 E. Snow King Ave., Jackson.
Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Agriculture, State and Public Lands, and Water Resources Committee, 8:30 a.m., Central Wyoming College, HS 100, 2660 Peck Ave., Riverton. Livestream available on the Legislature’s website at www.wyoleg.gov.
Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Revenue Committee Property Tax Working Group, 8:30 a.m., via Zoom. Livestream available on the Legislature’s website at www.wyoleg.gov.
Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Agriculture, State and Public Lands, and Water Resources Committee, 8:30 a.m., Central Wyoming College, HS 100, 2660 Peck Ave., Riverton. Livestream available on the Legislature’s website at www.wyoleg.gov.
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A receipt was sent to your email. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/government_meetings_listing/government-meetings-8-29-2022/article_589b26be-2586-11ed-a54b-07f862fd3465.html | 2022-08-27T02:33:40Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/government_meetings_listing/government-meetings-8-29-2022/article_589b26be-2586-11ed-a54b-07f862fd3465.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
CHEYENNE – State lawmakers spent Friday morning searching for ways to provide more affordable housing to Wyoming residents, including solutions such as a state housing trust fund and land banking.
Discussions were led by members of the Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee, state agencies and local nonprofits invested in breaking down barriers to housing development. It falls in line with the committee’s second-highest priority to address the lack of workforce housing, which they have studied throughout the interim.
“Because of housing, we can’t keep teachers, snowplow drivers, or doctors and nurses,” said Rep. Jim Roscoe, I-Wilson.
Despite stakeholders showing support for a state housing trust fund, legislators decided only to take action on land banking. There were concerns expressed that the state housing trust fund would be unconstitutional because legislative appropriations for charitable or industrial purposes are not allowed unless the recipient is under control of the state.
“Section 6 prohibits the state and its political subdivisions from loaning or giving credit to guarantee private obligations, and also prohibits these actors from making donations to private individuals or entities except for the necessary support of the poor,” said Legislative Service Office staff attorney Anna Johnson.
A state housing trust fund could be possible, but not by following the original recommendation based on Iowa’s model, which legislative staff attorneys said could be problematic because of the difference in how Wyoming’s trust funds are laid out. Wyoming is one of just three states in the nation without a housing trust fund.
Other housing programs in Wyoming already exist, but legislators hoped to find additional ways to manage the pressure on the market.
The Wyoming Business Ready Community Program doesn’t specifically address workforce housing, but Johnson outlined in a memo how it would be a helpful framework for a program, since it provides loans for infrastructure, economic or educational development projects.
There is the Wyoming Workforce Housing Infrastructure Program, which provides loans for the creation of workforce housing subdivisions or developments. However, the infrastructure must be publicly owned, and doesn’t include the building of actual houses in order to follow state statute.
The Wyoming Community Development Authority was also created for many of the same reasons as the infrastructure program, and provides low-interest mortgage loans and financial education. Opportunities are available for down payment assistance, but it is still a loan.
Land banking
Advocates for a direct approach to solving the affordable housing crisis pushed for land banking. The banks are state-enabled public entities with unique governmental powers “that are solely focused on converting problem properties into productive use according to local community goals.”
“It’s a device, in part, where a municipality can clean up that kind of problem and eventually wind up with a property that is sellable,” said Sen. Charles Scott, R-Casper.
Brenda Birkle, executive director of the local nonprofit My Front Door and chair of Cheyenne’s Affordable Housing Taskforce, made her case for the land bank. She played an instrumental role along with Dan Dorsch, special coordinator for Habitat for Humanity of Laramie County, in identifying tools the Legislature could consider.
In her presentation to the committee, she described the land bank as having special powers, “including the ability to hold land tax-free, clear title, negotiate sales, convey property for other-than-monetary consideration and lease for interim uses.”
It acquires property through the expedited tax foreclosure process, lending institutions and the Department of Housing and Urban Development transferring low-value properties to the land bank, as well as private individuals and probate estates not wanting the burden of owning a property and giving it away. This, in return, can address community blights, increase the number of low- to moderate-income units, increase area property values and provide economic growth.
“Land banks are most commonly established in localities with relatively low or declining housing costs and a sizable inventory of tax-delinquent properties that the community wants to repurpose to support community goals,” according to Local Housing Solutions. “In high-cost localities, however, where there are few tax delinquent properties, land banks can serve as a vehicle for holding land purchased strategically for future affordable housing development.”
Based on the presentation and support from nonprofits, legislators passed a motion for the legislative staff to draft a bill based on Nebraska’s statutes. It would not require an appropriation from the Legislature, but rather develop legislation that enables local entities to develop interagency agreements to establish the land bank.
Housing trust fund
Although the housing trust fund that would have fallen under the Wyoming Community Development Authority’s responsibility was not supported by the majority of the committee, it did take up a significant portion of the discussion.
Sen. Tara Nethercott, R-Cheyenne, was a supporter of the housing trust fund, even with the work required make it constitutional. She was unsure whether the bill would move forward, but she encouraged efforts to be made, nonetheless.
“I do think, in light of it being one of our priority topics that this committee has chosen to take up, and hearing the overwhelming testimony from May, which I know we have all forgotten that there is an attainable housing concern – then at least we will have something tangible to work on at some meeting,” she told her fellow Corporations Committee members. “And, unfortunately, it will be our last.”
The wariness among legislators to draft the bill started hours before her call to draft the bill, and not just regarding the legal barriers.
According to the Housing Trust Fund Project, they are distinct funds established by governments that receive ongoing sources of public funding to support the preservation of affordable housing.
“Housing trust funds systemically shift affordable housing funding from annual budget allocations to the commitment of dedicated public revenue,” the advocacy organization wrote. “While housing trust funds can also be a repository for private donations, they are not public/private partnerships, nor are they endowed funds operating from interest and other earnings.”
Birkle said money from a statewide trust fund could go into local housing trust funds to create local control, and millions could be used to address housing issues. She said it could be used as gap funding for projects, to acquire and redevelop properties or land, to teach financial literacy and housing counseling, or for down payment assistance for homebuyers that are of low to moderate income.
“The good news is it's customizable,” she told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle days before she went before the committee.
In order to implement it in Wyoming, it could be placed under the authority of agencies such as the WCDA and the Wyoming Business Council.
However, the WBC didn’t want to take on the housing affordability tool, and leadership argued its focus should be in expanding the workforce.
“The Business Council's job is to create a housing problem. And I say that, in all seriousness, and I don't mean to be flippant about it, but it is actually our job to create an environment where businesses can thrive, where businesses can grow,” WBC CEO Josh Dorrell testified Friday. “Housing is one component of it, but, ultimately, it's our job to create the pressure. That creates a housing problem. And if we stay focused on that, we can create enough pressure, we can create enough of a housing problem, that will make us attractive to developers.”
Dorrell was supported by staff from Gov. Mark Gordon’s office, who argued the agency should stay in line with its duties and not take on the housing trust fund. Policy advisor Ivy McGowan-Castleberry said the governor expressed that he feels very strongly that the Business Council has a mission, that they need to work on activating new economic opportunities, and that the framework and expertise for a housing trust fund don’t currently exist.
Some lawmakers questioned whether companies would be deterred from moving into the state if there wasn’t housing, or why the private sector was having difficulty developing enough properties. Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander, stepped in to defend the private sector, and said his colleagues were forgetting how well it worked.
“I don't think we should be so short and frustrated with what the private sector has accomplished and say, ‘Well, it’s not working right now, let's create a program,’” he said. “I think there's complementariness that we can pursue.”
Lawmakers will continue to try to find that balance at the next Corporations Committee Oct. 13-14. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/committee-supports-land-bank-housing-solution/article_c6f4b252-2585-11ed-82d6-ff76501aff5c.html | 2022-08-27T02:33:46Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/committee-supports-land-bank-housing-solution/article_c6f4b252-2585-11ed-82d6-ff76501aff5c.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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Leadership from the 15th Maintenance Squadron, 15th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and 15th Maintenance Operations pose for a photo in front of a C-17 Globemaster III at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Aug. 24, 2022. The leadership pictured consists of three directors of operations and three production superintendents. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Alan Ricker)
This work, Making moves in maintenance [Image 7 of 7], by SSgt Alan Ricker, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7390963/making-moves-maintenance | 2022-08-27T02:42:19Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7390963/making-moves-maintenance | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
KENT COUNTY, Del.- The Delaware Department of Transportation plans to install a traffic circle at the intersection between Peachtree Run and Walnut Shade Road in Woodside East.
The project will require several homeowners to sacrifice portions of their property, and they are not happy about it.
Many of these homeowners claim they were not made aware of the project until recently. However, DelDOT officials say the project has been discussed at community meetings for several years.
DelDOT believes installing a roundabout will slow down traffic and reduce the risk of serious crashes. With PolyTech High School right down the road, DelDOT wants to make the intersection safer. In addition to the roundabout, the department also plans to install a sidewalk.
Serena Folk, who recently purchased a home at the corner of the intersection, says although the traffic circle may be safer for motorists, it puts her home and safety in jeopardy.
Folk does not think it is fair that she will be forced to give up a quarter acre of land on her newly acquired property.
Other local community members say they prefer the stop signs that are already there.
Locals will have a community meeting tonight to discuss the topic but DelDOT is committed to starting the project in 2023. | https://www.wboc.com/news/local-pushback-to-roundabout-installation-project/article_891ab96e-2593-11ed-9db2-67cf36f74c45.html | 2022-08-27T02:43:11Z | wboc.com | control | https://www.wboc.com/news/local-pushback-to-roundabout-installation-project/article_891ab96e-2593-11ed-9db2-67cf36f74c45.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
After the National Weather Service in 2012 deemed Kailua a "Tsunami Ready Community," meaning residents are prepared and aware of proper evacuation protocol, the area neighborhood board has been pushing the city to install tsunami warning signs.
Neighborhood board chair Bill Hicks worries some of his community members may not know much about evacuation zones because, "you know it's important because, people don't look at the phone book very much anymore."
Despite repeated appeals, board members have grown frustrated with what they viewed as little action to put up signs.
"Despite the lack of visible progress in our community, there has been a lot of work being done behind the scenes," Honolulu Department of Emergency Management Hiro Toiya said.
Throughout the years, the department has been trying to secure funding for the signs -- and even ordered some a few years back.
However, Toiya told KITV-4 the signs only accounted for one type of evacuation zone. There are two kinds, a regular one and an extreme one.
"The regular tsunami evacuation zone has about 80,000 resident population, where as the extreme tsunami evacuation zone has about 250,000 resident population," Toiya added.
Residents in the regular zone, closer to the water, must evacuate whenever there is a tsunami warning. But those in the extreme zone only have to evacuate if a warning is triggered after an 9.0 magnitude or higher Earthquake in the Easter Aleutian Islands.
But not all the signs in the Department already has, Director Hiro Toiya reported, clearly indicate to residents in the extreme zone that they don't always have to evacuate during all tsunami warnings.
"So the problem with that is, those that are closest to the coastline and that are going to be more impacted by the tsunamis, they're going to be on the tail end of that traffic and their evacuation is going to be compromised as a result," Toiya explained.
"We're going to use as many of the signs as we can from our previous efforts."
Luckily, the department received $800,000 from a federal grant to put up more than 70 evacuation signs aross O'ahu's city and state beach parks.
There will also be about 260 along roadways, "and these signs will show when you're entering or leaving a tsunami hazard area," Toiya said.
The grant requires city leadership to match $200,000 and Toiya said the department is working with councilmembers to release those funds.
Additionally, the department has to finish the project by November of next year.
"It's a rather short timeline, so we're trying to be very aggressive with our work," Toiya pledged.
The department plans to begin installing signs by the end of this year.
Do you have a story idea? Email news tips to news@kitv.com
'A'ali'i is a reporter with KITV. He was born and raised on the island of Maui and graduated from the University of Southern California with a bachelor's degree in Journalism. | https://www.kitv.com/news/after-years-of-planning-pressure-from-community-city-to-install-tsunami-warning-signs-across-oahu/article_9c348988-25ae-11ed-ae92-479c9fe0d819.html | 2022-08-27T02:45:33Z | kitv.com | control | https://www.kitv.com/news/after-years-of-planning-pressure-from-community-city-to-install-tsunami-warning-signs-across-oahu/article_9c348988-25ae-11ed-ae92-479c9fe0d819.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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Honolulu County Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm held a joint press conference with Honolulu Police officials to announce the indictment against 27-year-old Brennen Canumay.
Honolulu County Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm held a joint press conference with Honolulu Police officials to announce the indictment against 27-year-old Brennen Canumay.
HONOLULU (KITV4) -- A man accused of driving recklessly along Kamehameha Highway shortly before a deadly head-on crash on Oahu’s North Shore was indicted Friday on two counts of manslaughter, among other charges.
Honolulu County Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm held a joint press conference with Honolulu Police officials to announce the indictment against 27-year-old Brennen Canumay.
“The allegations in this case show utterly reckless behavior by Canumay and we will hold him accountable for this tragedy,” Alm said.
The crash happened on Monday, Aug. 22, just after 1 p.m. on the Kam Highway, in the area of Gunstock Ranch and the Malaekahana State Recreation Area.
According to investigators, Canumay was allegedly driving his Ford Ranger on the wrong side of the road when he struck a Hyundai sedan head-on. Witnesses told police they saw the Ford truck weaving through traffic at a high speed, and passing multiple vehicles leading up to the crash.
Canumay was indicted and charged on two counts of manslaughter, one count of second-degree assault, and one count of abuse of a family or household member. He is still recovering in the hospital with critical injuries of his own, but after he recovers, authorities say he will be jailed on $1-million bond.
“The allegations in this case show utterly reckless behavior by Canumay and we will hold him accountable for this tragedy,” Alm said. “Due to the seriousness of Canumay’s alleged actions, we will be seeking the maximum prison term for him if he is convicted.”
Canumay’s manslaughter charges are class-A felonies punishable by up to 20 years in prison, according to the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
The Hyundai was being driven by 55-year-old Michelle Hartman. Michelle and her husband, 62-year-old Ron Hartman, were both killed in the crash. The couple’s daughter, Holly Hartman, suffered critical injuries in the crash and is still recovering in a Honolulu hospital.
The Hartmans were visiting Hawaii from Norfolk, Virginia, to support their daughter Holly, who was participating in the Spartan race.
Matthew has been the digital content manager for KITV4 since September 2021. Matthew is a prolific writer, editor, and self-described "newsie" who's worked in television markets in Oklahoma, California, and Hawaii. | https://www.kitv.com/news/crime/manslaughter-charges-filed-against-driver-in-deadly-kamehameha-highway-crash/article_eade1544-25a5-11ed-a73c-079ebe8994cf.html | 2022-08-27T02:45:45Z | kitv.com | control | https://www.kitv.com/news/crime/manslaughter-charges-filed-against-driver-in-deadly-kamehameha-highway-crash/article_eade1544-25a5-11ed-a73c-079ebe8994cf.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Mortgage rates increase as market reacts to expected Fed rate hike, experts say
Rates for the 30-year mortgage are up again this week as the market braces for another expected interest rate hike from the Federal Reserve following its meeting in September, according to Freddie Mac.
The average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage increased to 5.55% for the week ending Aug. 25, according to Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey. This is an increase from last week when it averaged 5.13% and is significantly higher than last year when it was 2.87%.
The 15-year mortgage also rose this week to 4.85%, up from 4.55% last week and up from 2.17% last year.
By contrast, the five-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) slightly decreased to 4.36%. This is down from 4.39% last week and up from 2.42% last year.
"Investors are parsing through data highlighting a resilient economy and keeping an eye on Fed Chairman Powell's statements tomorrow," George Ratiu, Realtor.com's manager of economic research, said in a statement. "Expectations are that he will highlight the central bank's commitment to continued monetary tightening for the remainder of the year."
If you are looking to purchase a home or refinance your current mortgage, comparing multiple lenders can help you get the best rate. Visit Credible to find your personalized interest rate without affecting your credit score.
Homebuyers remain sidelined
Homebuyer demand remains muted, with mortgage applications tumbling for the third straight week and remaining at their lowest level in 22 years, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported in its Weekly Mortgage Applications survey for the week ending Aug. 19.
Likewise, the latest data from the National Association of REALTORS® showed that existing home sales dropped 19.9% year over year. And new home sales also plunged nearly 30% in July compared with a year earlier, according to data reported by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
High mortgage rates and home prices, as well as economic uncertainty, are behind the drop in demand.
Home price appreciation slowed recently, but prices were 16% higher in July compared with the same time last year, according to data reported by Zillow. The median-priced home is worth about $40,000 more than in July 2021.
Economists also anticipate that the Federal Reserve will raise rates again at its upcoming meeting at the end of September, which could add further volatility in mortgage rates.
"The combination of higher mortgage rates and the slowdown in economic growth is weighing on the housing market," Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's chief economist, said. "Home sales continue to decline, prices are moderating, and consumer confidence is low."
If you are interested in taking advantage of mortgage rates now before they move higher, you could consider taking out a mortgage refinance to lower your monthly payments and save money over the life of the loan. Visit Credible to find your personalized interest rate without affecting your credit score.
Student debt forgiveness creates relief for homebuyers
Homebuyers dealing with affordability issues could get some relief in the form of student debt forgiveness. President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced that the federal student loan payment pause would be extended until Dec. 31.
The administration also announced that it would cancel $20,000 in student loan debt per eligible borrower if they went to college on Pell Grants and $10,000 in student loan debt per eligible borrower for those who didn’t.
"The Biden administration's decision to cancel $10,000 or more in student debt for millions of Americans is likely to offer a short-term boost in spending power," Raitu said. "The savings in monthly expenses would bolster household budgets straining against rising prices and rents."
If you want to take out a mortgage or get a mortgage refinance, using an online marketplace like Credible can help you compare lenders and save money. If you have any questions, you can also contact Credible to speak to a home loan expert.
Have a finance-related question, but don't know who to ask? Email The Credible Money Expert at moneyexpert@credible.com and your question might be answered by Credible in our Money Expert column. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/money/mortgage-rates-increase-fed-rate-hike-freddie-mac | 2022-08-27T02:52:23Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/money/mortgage-rates-increase-fed-rate-hike-freddie-mac | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Here's who has qualified for student loan forgiveness under Biden
Since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, hundreds of thousands of Americans have seen their student loan debt reduced – some of these borrowers have even had their balances reach zero.
While a significant portion of the population has benefited from federal student loan forgiveness, about 43 million federal borrowers still owe a total of $1.62 trillion worth of college debt, according to the Education Data Initiative. That's an average balance of $37,667 per federal student loan borrower.
However, many more Americans could soon see their student loan debt wiped out or reduced. The Biden administration announced on Aug. 24 that it will cancel up to $10,000 in student loan debt for federal borrowers and up to $20,000 in student loan debt for those who used Pell Grant loans for their education. To be eligible, borrowers must earn less than $125,000 per year or $250,000 for married couples. This action is expected to provide relief to 43 million borrowers including canceling the remaining debt balance for 20 million borrowers, according to the White House. It is also expected to equate to about $500 billion, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.
Aside from the widespread forgiveness, the Biden administration has also canceled federal student loans for borrowers through programs such as disability discharge or borrower defense.
Keep reading to learn who is eligible to have their student loans discharged. If you're one of the many borrowers who will still owe student debt, consider your repayment options like student loan refinancing. Visit Credible to compare student loan refinancing offers from multiple private lenders for free without impacting your credit score.
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ISSUES 'FINAL EXTENSION' OF STUDENT LOAN DEFERMENT
Who has qualified for student loan forgiveness under Biden?
The Department of Education has extended $32 billion worth of student loan relief to 1.6 million borrowers under the Biden administration through the following student loan forgiveness programs:
- Total and permanent disability discharge
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness
- Borrower defense to repayment or closed school discharge
Learn more about each program in the sections below.
CAN AN INCOME-CONTINGENT REPAYMENT (ICR) PLAN HELP GET MY STUDENT LOANS FORGIVEN?
Total and permanent disability discharge
- Borrowers who qualify: 425,000+
- Total debt forgiveness: $9 billion
The total and permanent disability (TPD) discharge program offers student debt relief for borrowers who are totally and permanently disabled.
Qualified borrowers no longer have to repay their federal student debt, including Direct Loan Program loans, Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program loans and Federal Perkins Loans. They also are not required to complete a TEACH Grant service obligation to have their loans forgiven.
Previously, borrowers had to apply for a TPD discharge, but the Education Department announced in August 2021 that these borrowers would automatically qualify for relief through an existing data match with the Social Security Administration (SSA). This resulted in about $5.8 billion in automatic student loan discharges during that time.
The Biden administration also reinstated $1.3 billion in TPD discharges in March 2021 for 41,000 borrowers who had not reported earnings information as part of this program.
If you have a total and permanent disability but haven't qualified for a TPD discharge, you may be able to apply for the program on the Federal Student Aid (FSA) website by providing documentation from your physician. And if you still don't qualify for a TPD discharge, visit Credible to compare alternative student loan repayment programs like refinancing. You can browse estimated student loan rates from private lenders in the table below.
WHAT TO DO IF YOUR STUDENT LOAN SERVICER IS SHUTTING DOWN
Public Service Loan Forgiveness
- Borrowers who qualify: 175,000
- Total debt forgiveness: $9.6 billion
The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF) offers federal student loan relief as an incentive for borrowers who work in a government or nonprofit profession. Eligible borrowers may have the remainder of their federal loan debt discharged after making 120 consecutive qualifying payments.
But the PSLF program came under fire for its abysmally low approval rate – 98% of PSLF applications were rejected since the beginning of the program. The Biden administration opened a public inquiry into PSLF, where borrowers called the program "broken" and "confusing."
After conducting a review of PSLF, the Education Department announced a significant overhaul to the program in October 2021. This limited waiver makes it easier for public servants like nurses and special education teachers to qualify for the program, as long as they move their federal loans into a Direct Consolidation Loan by Oct. 31, 2022.
The policy resulted in 22,000 borrowers becoming immediately eligible for $1.74 billion worth of loan forgiveness. So far, the Biden administration estimates that more than 175,000 borrowers have qualified for $9.6 billion in relief.
LONGER STUDENT LOAN FORBEARANCE IS NEEDED, 40% OF BORROWERS SAY IN SURVEY
The department estimates that more than 550,000 borrowers will be, on average, two years closer to a loan discharge under PSLF thanks to these actions. In addition, borrowers who were previously denied PSLF are eligible to have their cases reviewed.
To meet the PSLF eligibility requirements, borrowers must work for a qualifying employer in a nonprofit organization or federal, state, local or tribal government setting. You can use the PSLF Help Tool to see if you're eligible. If you don't qualify for PSLF, you may be able to repay your student loan debt on better terms by refinancing.
Keep in mind that refinancing your federal loans into a private student loan would make you ineligible for PSLF in the future. You can learn more about student loan refinancing by contacting a knowledgeable loan officer at Credible.
REFINANCING YOUR STUDENT LOANS CAN SAVE YOU $250+ ON YOUR MONTHLY PAYMENTS
Borrower defense to repayment or closed school discharge
- Borrowers who qualify: 1 million
- Total debt forgiveness: $13 billion
The borrower defense to repayment program is available to students who were misled by a school involved in misconduct while they were enrolled. Separately, students who attended a school that closed while they were enrolled or shortly after they graduated may qualify to have their federal student loans forgiven under the closed school discharge program.
Borrowers who qualify for these two programs may at times overlap. In some circumstances, borrowers who received a closed school discharge also qualified for student loan forgiveness under the borrower defense to repayment program.
Instances of forgiveness through the borrower defense to repayment program include when the Education Department announced in June 2021 that 18,000 borrowers who attended the now-defunct ITT Technical Institute would have $500 million worth of student loans discharged.
The Biden administration approved an additional 1,800 borrower defense claims in July 2021 for students of Westwood College, Marinello Schools of Beauty and the Court Reporting Institute. An additional 16,000 borrowers were approved for the program in February.
In August 2022, the Department of Education announced that it will discharge any remaining federal student loan debt for borrowers who attended ITT Technical Institute from Jan. 1, 2005 through its closure in September 2016. It will result in 208,000 borrowers receiving $3.9 billion in full loan discharges, including borrowers who have not yet applied for a borrower defense to repayment discharge.
The department is currently reviewing future rulemaking regarding borrower defense and held public hearings to receive feedback in June 2021. You can apply for borrower defense on the FSA website.
12 LENDERS TO CONSIDER FOR STUDENT LOAN CONSOLIDATION
The most recent instance of closed school discharge was in June, when the department extended $5.8 billion in federal student loan debt relief to 560,000 borrowers who attended Corinthian Colleges between its founding in 1995 and its closure in 2015.
Prior to that in April, the department discharged $238 million in federal student loans for 28,000 former students of Marinello Schools of Beauty, including many who had not applied for borrower defense.
In August 2021, the department also extended an additional $1.26 billion in relief to 115,000 borrowers who left ITT on or after March 31, 2008, without completing their degree.
The Biden administration made these changes after a review of problems leading up to ITT's closure. The department found that the school had been misrepresenting the "true state of its financial health," allegedly misleading students into taking private student loans that were portrayed as grants.
"For years, ITT hid its true financial state from borrowers while luring many of them into taking out private loans with misleading and unaffordable terms that may have caused borrowers to leave school," Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a statement.
Private student loans aren't grants, but they are a viable borrowing option for select student loan borrowers who have met the federal loan limits. You can learn more about these loans and compare estimated interest rates for free on Credible.
ACA CALL CENTER WORKERS CAN BARELY AFFORD THEIR OWN HEALTHCARE, REPORT FINDS
Have a finance-related question, but don't know who to ask? Email The Credible Money Expert at moneyexpert@credible.com and your question might be answered by Credible in our Money Expert column. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/money/student-loan-forgiveness-programs-biden | 2022-08-27T02:52:25Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/money/student-loan-forgiveness-programs-biden | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Here's how the student loan payment pause impacted borrowers' credit scores
A new study from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said the moratorium on federal student loan payments has enormously impacted borrower's finances and credit scores.
The study, conducted by researchers from the New York Fed's Center for Microeconomic Data, said that 79%, or 30 million federal borrowers, saw improvements to their credit scores over the course of the payment pause. And 21.9%, or 8 million borrowers, increased their scores enough to migrate to a higher credit score group.
These borrowers, some of whom had defaulted or were delinquent on loan payments before the pandemic, were able to rehabilitate their loans during the forbearance period without having to make monthly payments, the study said.
President Joe Biden’s student debt forgiveness plan could also help improve borrowers' finances and credit scores. Earlier this week, Biden announced that the student loan payment pause would be extended until Dec. 31. He also outlined a plan to cancel $20,000 in student loans per eligible borrower if they went to college on Pell Grants and $10,000 in student loan debt per eligible borrower for those who didn’t.
Following Biden's announcement, the Department of Education said that nearly 8 million borrowers may be eligible to have their debt forgiven automatically because of already-available relevant income data. Biden also said during a news conference that 95% of federal borrowers, or about 43 million people, would benefit from the plan. Of those, he said that more than 60% are Pell Grant recipients.
Only borrowers with federal student loans are eligible for forgiveness under the Biden administration’s plan. But if you have private student loans, you could consider refinancing to help you save on your monthly payments. You can visit Credible to find your personalize rate without affecting your credit score.
All federal student loan borrowers to get a 'fresh start'
Federal student loan borrowers with remaining balances will have to start repayment again on Jan. 1, 2023. All federal borrowers – regardless of whether they were current on loan payments before the pause, had a loan in default or hadn’t yet started paying off their loan – will be given a fresh start next year and enter repayment in good standing, according to the Federal Student Aid (FSA) office.
The Fresh Start program essentially gives borrowers in default an opportunity to rehabilitate their loans and change their credit history to show the loans as "current" rather than "in collections." They would be given one year, after the end of the pause, to arrange for payment of these debts, the FSA said. The program would apply to 7.5 million student loan borrowers that were delinquent or in default prior to the pandemic.
What’s more, the Department of Education would use a loan’s original date of delinquency if borrowers became delinquent or went into default again after the Fresh Start opportunity. This means the seven-year timeline would not be reset for a borrower’s credit report.
If you have private student loans and don’t qualify for forgiveness, you could consider refinancing at a lower interest rate to reduce your monthly payments. Visit Credible to find your personalized interest rate without affecting your credit score.
How to prepare for payments to resume
Given the payment pause extension, it could be a good time for borrowers to get on a budget and make a plan to pay off student loans.
If your loan was in default prior to the pandemic, you can reach out to your student loan servicer and find out what you need to do to bring it back into good status. You could also consider switching to an income-driven repayment plan to lower your monthly payments.
Borrowers who work in public service careers – including teachers, government workers, first responders and firefighters – could also check their eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.
Borrowers could also opt to leverage their improved credit score and refinance their loans, since higher credit scores generally offer better loan terms, according to Jason Mikula, managing director at Fintech Business Weekly.
"For those that have seen their credit scores increase, one option that may be available to better manage their student debt is to refinance," Mikula said. "Depending on the types of loans they have and the rates, refinancing their student loans may allow them to lock in a lower rate and/or lower their monthly payments."
Keep in mind that refinancing federal student loans into private loans means losing out on many federal student loan benefits, including income-driven repayment plans, deferment, forbearance, and student loan forgiveness. To learn more about your student loan options, you can speak to an expert at Credible and get all your questions answered.
How does debt forgiveness impact credit scores?
The millions of Americans who are eligible for the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness plan can take steps to make the most of how it impacts their personal finance and credit scores.
"The student loan forgiveness won’t give borrowers access to more wealth but what it will do is save them the negative effects of getting behind on debt," Richard Barrington, a financial analyst for Credit Sesame, said. "This includes compounding interest charges, late penalties, and damage to their credit scores."
Barrington said that people who have had their debt forgiven may want to hold off on applying for new credit or a loan right away. That's because anytime a credit card or loan of any kind is closed, it can result in a small ding on the borrower's credit score, he said.
Barrington also said that this student loan debt relief creates an ideal opportunity for people to pay down their high-interest credit card debt.
"This will not only save you even more money by avoiding compounding interest payments, but it will improve your credit score along the way - paving the way for lower-interest loans on things like cars and homes in the future," he said.
If you have private student loans, you will not qualify for federal student debt relief, including cancelation. But you can potentially reduce your monthly payments by refinancing. Visit Credible to get prequalified for a student loan refinance in minutes, without affecting your credit score.
Have a finance-related question, but don't know who to ask? Email The Credible Money Expert at moneyexpert@credible.com and your question might be answered by Credible in our Money Expert column. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/money/student-loans-payment-pause-credit-scores | 2022-08-27T02:52:27Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/money/student-loans-payment-pause-credit-scores | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Man, 24, shot in back, abdomen in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood
CHICAGO - A man was shot in Englewood Friday night.
The shooting occurred in the 6900 block of South Carpenter.
At about 7:04 p.m., the 24-year-old man was struck in the abdomen and back by gunfire, Chicago police said.
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He was transported to an area hospital in serious condition.
No offenders are currently in custody.
Area detectives are investigating. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/man-24-shot-in-back-abdomen-in-chicagos-englewood-neighborhood | 2022-08-27T02:52:55Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/man-24-shot-in-back-abdomen-in-chicagos-englewood-neighborhood | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Oak Lawn bar's liquor license suspended after DUI crash kills mother and injures son
OAK LAWN, Ill. - A suburban family is grieving the death of their mother, while an Oak Lawn bar's liquor license is suspended after officials say over-served patrons caused a fatal accident.
Maria Anita Chacon, 66, was killed early Sunday morning in the crash near 110th and Cicero. Her 30-year-old son, Tomas Chacon, suffered severe injuries and remains hospitalized with a traumatic brain injury.
"I have no words," said Rosio Chacon, the victim’s daughter. "They were inseparable."
Loved ones say last Saturday, the mother and son attended a family cotillion. On their way home, they stopped to grab a bite to eat.
"When they got out of the diner, the accident happened," said Rosio Chacon.
It was just before 2 a.m. when investigators say a Dodge Charger and a Honda Accord were speeding. The Charger struck the back of the Cachon's Lincoln – sending it into oncoming traffic, where it collided head-on with a pickup truck.
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The Honda left the roadway and hit a bench, rolling over numerous times before coming to a stop in a nearby parking lot.
Maria Anita was killed, while Tomas was badly injured. He is currently intubated in the hospital.
Investigators say Steven Bradford, 39, of Harvey was driving the Charger while Joann McNary, 32, of Chicago was driving the Honda Accord. Bradford and McNary were both charged with one count of aggravated DUI involving death and one count of reckless homicide.
"Because of their negligence, my family is suffering," said Rosio Chacon.
Officials say Bradford and McNary had come from Gaslight Bar & Grill, which has been the source of problems and complaints, according to the Village of Oak Lawn.
The Village of Oak Lawn Liquor Commissioner, Mayor Terry Vorderer, suspended the bar’s liquor license this week but loved ones of the victims say it's not enough.
"I feel that it’s too late, it’s good that they did it, but it’s too late. They’re not going to give me my mother back," said Rosio Chacon.
The bar’s license will remain revoked pending a hearing next week.
"We tried to work with the bar’s owners and managers but there clearly is a disconnect there, and we aren’t going to risk another tragedy happening as a result," Vorderer said.
The Chacon family has started a GoFundMe page to help cover the cost of their mother's funeral and their brother's medical expenses.
Maria Anita Chacon will be taken to her hometown in Mexico for her funeral.
Felicia Phillips is the current owner of Gaslight Bar & Grill. On Friday evening, Phillips’ attorney, David Courtright, released the following statement to FOX 32 Chicago:
"Ms. Phillips is emotionally distraught over the events leading up to the instant suspension. Felicia is a kind hearted woman who has endeavored to open a new restaurant kitchen out of the Gaslight. She was heartbroken to recently hear of a car accident resulting in the loss of life." | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/oak-lawn-bars-liquor-license-suspended-after-dui-crash-kills-mother-and-injures-son | 2022-08-27T02:53:01Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/oak-lawn-bars-liquor-license-suspended-after-dui-crash-kills-mother-and-injures-son | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Cubs break up Brewers' no-hit bid with HR in 7th inning
CHICAGO - Freddy Peralta threw six hitless innings for Milwaukee before Ian Happ homered against Matt Bush in the seventh, breaking up the Brewers’ no-hit bid against the Chicago Cubs on Friday night.
Happ connected for a two-run shot with one out, lifting Chicago to a 2-1 lead.
Peralta struck out five and threw 82 pitches. He hasn’t worked more than seven innings or thrown more than 102 pitches in a game this season.
It was Peralta’s fifth appearance since coming off the injured list. The 2020 All-Star missed over two months this season with a right lat strain.
The first batter Bush faced was Nick Madrigal, who reached on an error when third baseman Luis Urías misplayed a grounder. Madrigal advanced to second when Willson Contreras grounded out, and then Happ sent a 3-2 pitch from Bush over the right-field wall.
The only batter to reach base against Peralta was Franmil Reyes, who walked with one out in the second.
There have been three no-hitters so far this season.
Tylor Megill combined with four New York Mets relievers in a 3-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on April 29. Reid Detmers had the lone complete-game no-hitter in the Los Angeles Angels’ 12-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on May 10. Houston’s Christian Javier, Ryan Pressly and Hector Neris teamed up to hold the New York Yankees hitless in a 3-0 triumph on June 25.
Cincinnati’s Hunter Greene and Art Warren held Pittsburgh hitless on May 15, but it didn’t count as a no-hitter because they combined to pitch only eight innings in a 1-0 loss. The Pirates capitalized on three walks and a groundout to score a run in the eighth. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/sports/cubs-break-up-brewers-no-hit-bid-with-hr-in-7th-inning | 2022-08-27T02:53:13Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/sports/cubs-break-up-brewers-no-hit-bid-with-hr-in-7th-inning | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Ford is raising the price of its new electric Mustang just days before the models go out and new orders come in.
The 2023 Mustang comes in a rear-wheel drive base model, starting at about $46,000.
The new price is about $3,000 more than last year's version, CNN reported.
Other higher-end models could cost as much as $70,000 but would feature state-of-the-art technology.
Features could include advanced driver assistance technology and an extended range battery pack allowing drivers to go around 290 miles before needing a charge.
Ford cites supply chain issues and ever-changing market conditions for its price hike.
Orders open soon for the new electric vehicles. | https://www.fox17online.com/news/national/ford-hikes-prices-on-new-electric-models-mustang-just-before-orders-go-out | 2022-08-27T02:54:39Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/news/national/ford-hikes-prices-on-new-electric-models-mustang-just-before-orders-go-out | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Weekend data out of China's National Bureau of Statistics, a soft reading for Industrial Profits in July.
Profits at industrial firms in China for the first seven months of the year (i.e. January - July) fell 1.1% y/y
- this compares with the +1.0% for January - June
Earlier this month we had the July data for retail sales, industrial output and investment all missing economist estimates. The economy is beset by woes from ongoing Covid disruptions (for example, factory output and activities in major manufacturing hubs like Shenzhen and Tianjin were hit during July as renewed COVID curbs were imposed) and the deepening, contagious, slump in the property sector.
Looking ahead, officials in China are working to bolster growth, including:
- People's Bank of China cuts to both one-year, five-year, and seven-day lending rates
- another 1 trillion yuan of funding, mainly directed at infrastructure spending
-
Come Monday morning market openings I suspect the backwash from Powell at Jackson Hole on Friday will overshadow this data. | https://www.forexlive.com/news/profits-at-chinas-industrial-firms-fell-11-in-january-july-yy-prior-10-20220827/ | 2022-08-27T02:59:23Z | forexlive.com | control | https://www.forexlive.com/news/profits-at-chinas-industrial-firms-fell-11-in-january-july-yy-prior-10-20220827/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Genesis is ready to start deliveries of the electric G80.
On Thursday, the South Korean automaker announced the 2023 Electrified Genesis G80 costs $80,920 and is now available in California, Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York but only at select dealerships.
Genesis added that the Electrified G80 will go on sale in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and Washington in September. Again, the company noted it will only be available at select dealerships.
Available only in one fully loaded version, the luxury sedan will feature all-wheel drive thanks to a dual-motor powertrain with 136-kw electric motors attached to each axle delivering a combined 365 hp. An 87.2-kwh lithium-ion battery pack feeds the motors and Genesis said it will deliver 282 miles of range. Official EPA ratings haven’t been released yet.
Genesis said the Electrified G80 can recharge from 10% to 80% in 22 minutes when hooked to a 350-kw charging station. The automaker has partnered with Electrify America and will offer buyers three years of complimentary 30-minute fast charging sessions.
It’ll take a keen eye to spot the Electrified G80 as it looks nearly identical to its gas-powered sibling. The grille has been closed off and is one solid piece, though the charge port is hidden within the grille on the driver side with a diamond-shaped door that pops open. Model-specific 19-inch wheels and the available Matira Blue exterior paint will be the easiest ways to spot the electric version of the luxury sedan.
Inside, the Electrified G80 looks the same as the gas-powered model, but the electric model can be optioned with a new dark Dark Lagoon Green and Glacier White color scheme.
Every Electrified G80 will feature automatic emergency braking, active lane control, blind-spot monitors, and automatic high beams.
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It’s been the stuff of rumors for years, but Audi on Friday finally confirmed its intention to compete in the Formula 1 World Championship starting from 2026.
Audi won’t go it alone. Instead it will partner with an existing team whose identity will be revealed later this year. It is expected to be Sauber, which currently competes in F1 as Alfa Romeo.
Audi will supply the power unit, development of which will be handled at Audi Sport’s facility in Neuburg an der Donau, Germany. Overseeing the development will be Adam Baker, who has served as an FIA safety director in recent years and previously worked with Cosworth when it produced F1 power units, as well as with Sauber when it competed in F1 with BMW.
Baker will report to Rolf Michl, Audi Sport’s current chief operating officer of racing. Michl will take over the lead role at Audi Sport from current chief Julius Seebach on Sept. 1.
Audi’s entry in F1, together with a likely entry by fellow Volkswagen Group brand Porsche, hinged on new power unit rules scheduled to be introduced in 2026 adopting a focus on sustainability and cost efficiency. Those rules were finalized earlier in August and will see F1 move to 100% sustainable fuel.
Crucially for both automakers’ electric future, the new power unit rules call for an increase in electrical power to 469 hp from the 160 hp of today’s hybrid power unit. The new power unit will also use a turbo 1.6-liter V-6 in a hybrid configuration, the same internal-combustion engine format used today, but while peak output of the system will match the 1,000-plus-hp of today, overall fuel usage during a race should drop from about 220 lb to 154 lb.
Porsche is yet to announce its F1 plans, but the automaker is rumored to be planning a partnership with Red Bull Racing as the team’s power unit supplier. The rumors also point to Porsche buying a 50% stake in the leading team.
Audi also confirmed on Friday it is discontinuing its previous plan to return to top-level endurance racing in 2023 with an LMDh race car, in order to focus its resources on the F1 effort.
While Audi hasn’t competed in F1 before, it does have a history of Grand Prix racing, having dominated on racetracks together with Mercedes-Benz during the 1930s, when it was known as Auto Union. Porsche does have a history in F1, having competed as a constructor in the 1950s and ’60s and then briefly as a power unit supplier in the 1980s and early ’90s.
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- Acura’s ARX-06: LA-designed hybrid racer to attack IMSA’s new GTP class in 2023 | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/automotive/internet-brands/audi-to-enter-f1-in-2026/ | 2022-08-27T03:06:23Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/automotive/internet-brands/audi-to-enter-f1-in-2026/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Sauber has competed in Formula 1 as Alfa Romeo since 2018, with the Italian automaker serving as both title sponsor and technical partner of the Swiss race team.
That deal will come to end after the 2023 season, Alfa Romeo announced on Friday, just hours after Audi said it plans to enter F1 in 2026.
Audi will enter motorsport’s top echelon as a power unit supplier but also as a partner of an existing team whose identity will be revealed later this year. It’s been widely speculated Audi is set to partner with Sauber, something that’s looking ever more likely with the Alfa news.
Audi’s head of development for the new F1 power unit, Adam Baker, worked with Sauber when the team raced with BMW from 2006 to 2009.
Alfa Romeo’s return to F1 in 2018 came after more than 30 years away from the sport; the automaker had previously served as both a constructor and power unit supplier. However, the current setup sees Sauber supply its own chassis and Ferrari supply the power units.
Alfa Romeo hasn’t said whether it plans to exit F1 just yet. Alfa Romeo in its statement said its “economic and industrial turnaround” targets for its brand will be achieved in 2022, and that it will now evaluate various options it has on the table for supporting its brand in the future.
It isn’t clear whether Alfa Romeo’s decision will affect the current driver lineup at the team, which consists of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu. Both drivers have put in an impressive performance so far in 2022, especially given this season is Guanyu’s first in F1. The team currently ranks sixth in the Constructors’ standings, ahead of the likes of Aston Martin, Haas, and Williams.
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- Acura’s ARX-06: LA-designed hybrid racer to attack IMSA’s new GTP class in 2023 | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/automotive/internet-brands/sauber-f1-deal-with-alfa-romeo-ends-after-2023-paving-way-for-potential-audi-partnership/ | 2022-08-27T03:06:30Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/automotive/internet-brands/sauber-f1-deal-with-alfa-romeo-ends-after-2023-paving-way-for-potential-audi-partnership/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ROME (AP) — Abel Ferrara, whose gritty New York exploitation films of the 1980s and 1990s delved into the soulless evils of drug addiction, corruption and sexual violence, pays homage to one of Italy’s best-known and most revered saints in his newest film, “Padre Pio.”
That the film, which stars Shia LaBeouf and premieres at the Venice Film Festival next week, confirms a change of pace for the cult director is an understatement, one that Ferrara, 71, chalks up to a decade of sobriety and a new life in Italy.
“Once we kicked the drugs and the alcohol, we started to see a different way of life, of living in a different life,” the “Bad Lieutenant” director said in an interview in his new hometown of Rome. “I think it’s more just trying to get our game right.”
The film chronicles a particular moment in the 20th century history of Italy and Padre Pio, the mystic Capuchin monk best known for having displayed the “stigmata” wounds of Christ: He bled from his hands, feet and sides. Padre Pio died in 1968 and was canonized in 2002 by St. John Paul II, going on to become one of the most popular saints in Italy, the U.S. and beyond.
Ferrara’s treatment is no biopic, and frankly ignores some of the juiciest bits of the Padre Pio saga, which involved a dozen Vatican investigations into purported dalliances with women, alleged financial improprieties and doubts about the stigmatas. In their place, Ferrara weaves a parallel tale about the beginnings of fascism in Italy that is, unexpectedly, utterly relevant today.
The film takes as its starting point Padre Pio’s arrival at a Capuchin monastery in San Giovanni Rotondo, a poverty-wracked town in southern Italy, at the time its soldiers were returning home from World War I. The town was almost feudal-like, with the Catholic Church and wealthy large landowners trying to hold onto power amid the first inklings of Italy’s post-war socialist movement that saw factory unrest and peasant strikes.
That social unrest erupted into a little-known police massacre of peasants in San Giovanni after the socialists won a 1920 local election, the results of which the entrenched, church-backed ruling class refused to respect. When the winning socialists tried to hang their red flag on the municipal building and install their mayor on Oct. 14, 1920, police were on hand, shots rang out and 14 people were killed and 80 injured. For Ferrara, the “Massacre of San Giovanni Rotondo” helped foretell the spread of fascism in Italy.
Ferrara, who has lived in Italy for some two decades, began making the film five years ago, long before the Jan. 6 insurrection in his native U.S., in which supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol after refusing to respect the results of the 2020 election, or the rise of the far-right Brothers of Italy party in his adopted country. The Brothers of Italy, which has neo-fascist roots, leads the polls ahead of Italian parliamentary elections next month. Add to the mix Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Ferrara sees history repeating itself.
“When Jan. 6 happens after you’ve been working on this film for five years, it’s like: Right, elections are great until you lose,” he said.
The film is dedicated to the victims of the 1920 massacre as well as the people of Ukraine. Why? “What I’m looking at is a rerun of World War II. Seventy-five million people died 70 years ago. That’s like, yesterday. It’s happening right in front of our eyes,” he said.
The context of the film, he said solemnly, is: “You’re looking at the end of the world.”
Ferrara’s concern with Italian history, Catholicism and his fascination with Padre Pio are not new: The Bronx-born Ferrara was raised Catholic and introduced to both Italy and the saint by his grandfather, who was born in a town not far from Padre Pio’s hometown of Pietrelcina.
Those interests have emerged in Ferrara’s more recent films, including “Pasolini” which paid tribute to the scandalous life and violent death of Italian director Pier Paolo Pasolini and premiered at Venice in 2014; and “Mary,” about an actor (Juliette Binoche) playing Mary Magdalene in a film, which won the Grand Jury prize at Venice in 2005.
Both “Pasolini” and “Padre Pio” relied heavily on the diaries, writings and documentation of their subjects, and Ferrara first made a documentary about the saint’s life before deciding to zero in on the particular period of his arrival in San Giovanni Rotondo, his doubts about his faith and the events surrounding the 1920 massacre.
“I thought the confluence between the massacre and his stigmata both happening in the same place at the same time … I mean how could you not make a movie about that?” Ferrara said.
But Ferrara is well aware that his early genre work — he has done pornography, rape-revenge, the 1993 cult classic about a corrupt, drug-addicted cop “Bad Lieutenant,” and his earlier “The Driller Killer,” about a New York artist who randomly kills people with a power drill — gave him something of a reputation.
“Given the list of films I’d made you’d be wondering,” Ferrara admits. But he said church officials and the Capuchin friars who advised on set were entirely supportive of the project and its star, LaBeouf, who has admitted to alcoholism and has been accused by a former girlfriend of abuse. LaBeouf spent four months in a California monastery preparing for the role, Ferrara said, and has said the chance to play “Padre Pio” was a miracle for him personally.
“It’s just that these cats have got that optimistic take,” Ferrara said admiringly of the church. “Don’t judge someone on their worst moment.”
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For more on the Venice Film Festival, visit: www.apnews.com/VeniceFilmFestival | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/entertainment-news/ap-gritty-cult-director-ferrara-gets-religion-in-padre-pio/ | 2022-08-27T03:06:51Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/entertainment-news/ap-gritty-cult-director-ferrara-gets-religion-in-padre-pio/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
DENVER (AP) — A Colorado mother accused of plotting to kidnap her son from foster care after her teen daughter said she started associating with supporters of the QAnon conspiracy theory was found guilty of conspiracy to commit second-degree kidnapping on Friday.
Cynthia Abcug, 53, denied she was involved in planning a raid on the foster home where her then 7-year-old son lived in the fall of 2019. She had lost custody of him earlier that year after being accused of medical child abuse — lying about him having seizures and other health problems in order to trick doctors into providing unnecessary care.
Jurors also found Abcug guilty of a misdemeanor count of child abuse. She is scheduled to be sentenced in October.
Her son, now 10, is still in foster care and has not had serious health problems since being removed from Abcug, according to prosecutors.
Abcug’s lawyers suggested that a drug prescribed to treat the seizures was responsible for at least some of the boy’s health problems. Doctors had begun weaning him from the medication before he was removed from Abcug’s custody.
Abcug moved her family to Colorado in the fall of 2017 at the suggestion of a doctor in Florida in hopes that neurologists at Children’s Hospital Colorado could find out what the cause of his health problems were.
Abcug testified that after her son was removed in May 2019 she was extremely anxious and reached out on social media for help getting her son back. She told jurors she ended up meeting members of a group that said it was working on reforming the family court system and offered to help her get her son back legally. She said it turned out to be a scam with members interested in stealing money raised online to help parents who had lost custody of their children.
She did not describe the group as being involved with QAnon but said she heard references to the conspiracy theory by people she met through her activism online.
Many QAnon supporters believe former President Donald Trump was fighting enemies in the so-called deep state to expose a group of satanic, cannibalistic child molesters they believe secretly runs the globe.
Around this time, Abcug posted on social media that social workers took children to sell them and sent them to other countries for adoption.
The conspiracy theory was not a main issue in the trial, which focused more on detailed testimony from medical providers and educators about Abcug’s medical history.
Abcug said she heard references to QAnon in passing in talking to people she met online. Rubber bracelets with a phrase used by QAnon supporters, Storm Is Upon Us, as well as a website known for posts about QAnon printed on them were found in Abcug’s home, according to police.
Abcug’s daughter, who was 16 at the time, told authorities she was concerned because her mother had been talking about a raid on the foster home for several months and that she believed people were going to be hurt because those involved believed her brother was wrongfully taken from his home, according to Abcug’s arrest affidavit. Her daughter also told them her mother had allowed a military veteran she believed to be armed to sleep on their couch to provide security, it said.
Abcug said the group she was working with arranged to send the man to protect her after the lock of her back sliding door was found broken. He has been been identified by police but has not been charged. In response to a question from the jury, she acknowledged she had never met him before she allowed him to stay with her.
Abcug said she bought a gun around this time because she feared for her safety but never made it to an appointment for a training class and has never fired it. Police found the appointment listed on the house’s whiteboard calendar when Abcug’s daughter was also removed from the home after reporting her concerns.
After her daughter was removed, Abcug said the man providing security coordinated with others to take her to a “safe house” and implied that she was held against her will. Abcug said her phone was taken from her and she was held for three months in a hotel.
Abcug was arrested in Montana on Dec. 30, 2019. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-colorado-mom-guilty-of-qanon-kidnapping-conspiracy/ | 2022-08-27T03:07:58Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-colorado-mom-guilty-of-qanon-kidnapping-conspiracy/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
BORDEAUX, France (AP) — The landscape in the prestigious vineyards of Bordeaux looks the same as ever, with healthy, ripe grapes hanging heavy off rows of green vines.
But this year something is starkly different in one of France’s most celebrated wine regions and other parts of Europe. The harvest that once started in mid-September is now happening earlier than ever — in mid-August — as a result of severe drought and the wine industry’s adaptation to the unpredictable effects of climate change.
Paradoxically, the season of heat waves and wildfires produced excellent grapes, despite lower yields. But achieving such a harvest required creative changes in growing techniques, including pruning vines in a different way and sometimes watering them in places where irrigation is usually banned. And producers across Europe who have seen first-hand the effects of global warming are worried about what more is to come.
So far, “global warming is very positive. We have better ripeness, better balance. … But if you turn to the future, and if you increase the temperature by one degree more, plus, you will lose the freshness part in the balance of the wine,” said Fabien Teitgen, technical director of Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte, an estate that grows organic wine grapes in Martillac, south of Bordeaux.
Grape growers adjusted their practices amid a series of heat waves, combined with lack of rain, that hit most of Europe. In the Bordeaux region, in southwestern France, giant wildfires destroyed large areas of pine forests. It did not rain from the end of June until mid-August.
As the harvest unfolds, dozens of workers kneel in the vineyards to hand-pick grapes and put them into baskets. The fruit is immediately crushed to make juice, which is put into tanks, then barrels to start the wine production process.
The harvest aims to produce the white wine from the famous Pessac-Léognan appellation. Red wine will soon follow.
Eric Perrin, one of the owners of the Château Carbonnieux estate, recalled that during his childhood, in the 1970s, harvests started around mid-September. This year, they began on Aug. 16.
But the 2022 vintage may be better than ever, Perrin said, because the grapes are healthy and well balanced. The hot, dry weather also prevented vines from getting diseases such as mildew.
Producing wine is a centuries-old tradition at Château Carbonnieux, where Thomas Jefferson visited the vineyards in 1787, before becoming president of the United States, and planted a pecan tree that still stands in a park.
Nowadays, Château Carbonnieux wine is sometimes offered by President Emmanuel Macron to esteemed hosts.
The drought changed the way wine producers work.
Before, vintners used to give vines a shape that allowed grapes to get the maximum amount of sun so they produced more sugar, which converts into alcohol. This year, growers tended to let leaves protect the grapes so the shadows would preserve the fruit’s acidity and freshness, Teitgen explained.
Yields may be 15% to 20% lower in the broader region, mostly due to smaller grapes and the fact that some were burned by the sun in specific areas, Teitgen said, but it won’t affect the wine’s quality.
In front of the 14th-century tower of the Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte vineyard, Manon Lecouffe this week carefully watered newly planted vines, an indispensable job.
Vines that are several years old have deep roots that allow them to draw water from far underground and endure drought without suffering too much.
But this year, estates had authorization to water adult vines, a practice usually banned in Bordeaux.
“Some plots were heavily suffering with leaves falling,” Lecouffe said.
Another step vintners may take is to reduce the density of their plots to require less water or to work the soil to better conserve moisture deep down.
Experts are also considering whether planting new grape varieties could be helpful.
At Château Olivier, which also produces Pessac-Leognan wines, Director Laurent Lebrun showed how he and his team go through the vineyards to taste grapes plot by plot to decide where and when to harvest.
The consequences of global warming are now part of daily life for vintners, Lebrun said, noting the speed of the changes.
“We need to reprogram our own way of thinking,” he said. “There are many tools that are still within our reach, which are already used in warmer regions.”
Further south in Europe, harvests also started weeks earlier than normal to save shriveling and scorched grapes. Production is expected to be 10% to 20% lower in some regions of Italy, Spain and Portugal, though producers are hopeful of increased quality.
Italy’s Coldiretti agricultural lobby stressed that the higher cost of energy and raw materials is expected to increase costs by 35%.
Scientists have long believed that human-caused climate change makes extreme weather more frequent. They say hotter air, warmer oceans and melting sea ice alter the jet stream, which makes storms, floods, heat waves, droughts and wildfires more destructive.
As warmer winters cause grape vines to produce early buds, French vintners worry that frost will disrupt the growing season more often. Violent hailstorms can destroy a year of work in a few minutes.
At Château Carbonnieux, Perrin fears some smaller producers may not withstand the changes.
“Climatic events since 2017 have led to smaller harvests. Not everyone will be able to survive it, for sure,” he said.
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Associated Press journalists Alexander Turnbull and Francois Mori in Bordeaux, Ciaran Giles in Madrid, Spain, Colleen Barry in Milan, Italy, and Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Portugal, contributed to this report.
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Follow all AP stories on climate change at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-drought-forces-earliest-harvest-ever-in-french-wine-country/ | 2022-08-27T03:08:05Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-drought-forces-earliest-harvest-ever-in-french-wine-country/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Authorities began distributing iodine tablets to residents near Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant Friday in case of a radiation leak, amid mounting fears that the fighting around the complex could trigger a catastrophe.
The move came a day after the plant was temporarily knocked offline because of what officials said was fire damage to a transmission line. The incident heightened dread of a nuclear disaster in a country still haunted by the 1986 explosion at Chernobyl.
Continued shelling was reported in the area overnight, and satellite images from Planet Labs showed fires burning around the complex — Europe’s biggest nuclear plant — over the last several days.
Iodine tablets, which help block the absorption of radioactive iodine by the thyroid gland in a nuclear accident, were issued in the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhia, about 45 kilometers (27 miles) from the plant. A woman and her small daughter were among those receiving the pills.
The U.N.’s atomic energy agency has been trying to send a team in to inspect and help secure the plant. Officials said preparations for the trip were underway, but it remained unclear when it might take place.
The Zaporizhzhia plant has been occupied by Russian forces and run by Ukrainian workers since the early days of the 6-month-old war. The two sides have repeatedly accused each other of shelling the site.
In Thursday’s incident, Ukraine and Russia blamed one another for the transmission-line damage that knocked the plant off the power grid.
Exactly what went wrong was not clear, but Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy said the plant’s emergency backup diesel generators had to be activated to supply electricity to operate the complex.
The plant requires power to run the reactors’ vital cooling systems. A loss of cooling could lead to a nuclear meltdown.
Ukrenergo, Ukraine’s transmission system operator, reported Friday that two damaged main lines supplying the plant with electricity had resumed operation, ensuring a stable power supply.
The country’s nuclear power agency, Energoatom, said the plant had been reconnected to the grid and was producing electricity “for Ukraine’s needs.”
“The nuclear workers of Zaporizhzhia power plant are real heroes! They tirelessly and firmly uphold the nuclear and radiation safety of Ukraine and the whole of Europe on their shoulders,” the agency said in a statement.
Russia-installed officials in the Zaporizhzhia region, however, said that the plant was supplying electricity only to Russia-controlled areas of the country and not the rest of Ukraine.
Concerns about the site have reverberated across Europe.
French President Emmanuel Macron said a visit by the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency should be allowed to take place “very quickly,” warning: “Civilian nuclear power must not be an instrument of war.”
Lana Zerkal, an adviser to Ukraine’s energy minister, told Ukrainian media that the logistics for an IAEA visit were still being worked out. Zerkal accused Russia of trying to sabotage the visit.
Ukraine has claimed Russia is using the plant as a shield by storing weapons there and launching attacks from around it. Moscow, for its part, accuses Ukraine of recklessly firing on the place.
Zaporizhzhia’s reactors are protected by thick, reinforced concrete containment domes that experts say can withstand an errant artillery shell. Many of the fears center instead on a possible loss of the cooling system, and also the risk that an attack on the cooling ponds where spent fuel rods are kept could scatter radioactive material.
Continued Russian shelling of Nikopol, a city across the Dnieper River from the Zaporizhzhia plant, damaged 10 houses, a school and a health care facility but caused no injuries, Dnipropetrovsk Gov. Valentyn Reznichenko said.
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Follow AP coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-iaea-mission-seeks-to-visit-zaporizhzhia-plant-amid-concerns/ | 2022-08-27T03:08:19Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-iaea-mission-seeks-to-visit-zaporizhzhia-plant-amid-concerns/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s leader on Friday said China and Russia are “disrupting and threatening the world order” with Beijing’s recent large-scale military exercises near the island and Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
President Tsai Ing-wen was speaking during a meeting in Taipei with U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, who is on the second visit by members of Congress since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip earlier this month. That visit prompted China to launch military exercises in which it fired numerous missiles and sent dozens of warplanes and naval ships to virtually surround the island. Some ships crossed the center line in the Taiwan Strait that has long been a buffer between the sides.
China claims Taiwan as its own territory, to be brought under its control by force if necessary. Beijing has also boosted its relations with Russia and is seen as tacitly supporting Moscow’s attack on Ukraine.
“These developments demonstrate how authoritarian countries are disrupting and threatening the world order,” Tsai said.
Blackburn, a Republican from Tennessee, reaffirmed shared values between the two governments and said she “looked forward to continuing to support Taiwan as they push forward as an independent nation.”
In later remarks at the Foreign Ministry’s Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs, Blackburn criticized leaders she did not identify for failing to take the threat from authoritarian regimes seriously enough.
Xi Jinping, China’s president and leader of the ruling Communist Party, “will not stop threatening the safety and security of Taiwan simply because it would be in everyone’s best interest to do so,” she said. “He is not a normal leader. And he has no interest in normal reactions or normal relations with the rest of the world.”
In Beijing, China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement it deplores Blackburn’s visit and urges her to cease all forms of official communication with Taiwan, saying it sends the wrong signal to Taiwan independence forces.
China sees high-level foreign visits to Taiwan as interference in its affairs and a de facto recognition of Taiwanese sovereignty. China’s recent military drills were seen by some as a rehearsal of future military action against the island, which U.S. military leaders say could come within the next few years.
Along with staging the exercises, China cut off contacts with the United States on vital issues, including military matters and crucial climate cooperation, raising concerns over a more aggressive approach by Beijing. It also called in U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns to formally complain. He later said China was overreacting in order to manufacture a crisis.
Due to the separation of powers in the U.S. government, the executive branch has no authority to prevent legislators from making such foreign visits and Taiwan benefits from strong bipartisan support in Washington. China, where the Communist Party wields total control over the country’s politics, refuses to acknowledge that fundamental principle.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said members of Congress and elected officials “have gone to Taiwan for decades and will continue to do so,” and that it was in line with U.S. policy to only maintain formal diplomatic ties with Beijing.
“We’re going to continue to take calm and resolute steps to uphold peace and stability in the region and to support Taiwan in line with our longstanding policy,” Patel said at a briefing Thursday.
Meanwhile, Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told reporters Friday that “China’s motivation is to destroy the Taiwan Straits’ status quo, and after this they want to cut down on Taiwan’s defensive space.”
Taiwan is seeking stepped-up defense cooperation and additional weaponry from the U.S., along with closer economic ties.
In their meeting, Tsai and Blackburn underscored the importance of economic links, especially in the semiconductor sector, where Taiwan is a world leader and the U.S. is seeking greater investment at home.
Blackburn arrived in Taipei late Thursday after visiting Fiji, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea as part of a U.S. push to “expand our diplomatic footprint in the area,” her office said in a statement.
“The Indo-Pacific region is the next frontier for the new axis of evil,” Blackburn, a supporter of former President Donald Trump, was quoted as saying. “We must stand against the Chinese Communist Party.”
China has been making inroads in the western Pacific, signing a broad security agreement with the Solomon Islands that the U.S. and allies such as Australia see as an attempt to overthrow the traditional security order in the region.
Pelosi was the highest-level member of the U.S. government to visit Taiwan in 25 years. China’s response was to announce six zones surrounding the island for military exercises that included firing missiles over the island, some of which landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
Following Pelosi’s trip, a delegation of House and Senate members visited. This week, Indiana’s governor made a visit focused on business and academic cooperation. U.S politicians have called their visits a show of support for the island.
Blackburn, whose visit is to last three days, also met with Foreign Minister Wu and Secretary General of the National Security Council Wellington Koo, along with members of the American business community.
Washington has no official diplomatic ties with Taipei in deference to China, but remains the island’s biggest security guarantor, with U.S. law requiring it ensure Taiwan has the means to defend itself and to regard threats to the island as matters of “grave concern.”
Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war and have no official relations but are bound by billions of dollars of trade and investment.
China has increased its pressure on Taiwan since it elected independence-leaning Tsai as its president. When Tsai refused to endorse the concept of a single Chinese nation, China cut off contact with the Taiwanese government.
U.S. congressional visits to the island have stepped up in frequency in the past year. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-taiwan-china-russia-disrupting-threatening-world-order/ | 2022-08-27T03:09:07Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-taiwan-china-russia-disrupting-threatening-world-order/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NEW YORK (AP) — The Dow Jones Industrial Average sank more than 1,000 points Friday after the head of the Federal Reserve dashed Wall Street’s hopes that it may soon ease up on high interest rates in its effort to tame inflation.
The S&P 500 lost 3.4%, its biggest drop since mid-June, after Jerome Powell said the Fed will likely need to keep interest rates high enough to slow the economy “for some time” in order to beat back the high inflation sweeping the country.
The Dow dropped 3% and the Nasdaq composite ended 3.9% lower, reflecting a broad sell-off led by technology stocks. Higher rates help corral inflation, but they also hurt asset prices.
The Fed has indicated it will raise rates into next year as it tries to quell demand and bring down prices for goods and services. But some investors speculated the central bank might pause or even reverse course next year if inflation subsides, leading to a rally for stocks in July and early August.
Some analysts expected Powell to bat down that talk in Friday’s speech, and he delivered. His speech followed up remarks by several other Fed officials, who also pushed back on speculation the Fed might act less aggressively or even “pivot.”
“He basically said there will be pain and that they won’t stop and can’t stop hiking until inflation moves a lot lower,” said Brian Jacobsen, senior investment strategist at Allspring Global Investments.
Powell acknowledged the increases will hurt U.S. households and businesses, in perhaps an unspoken nod to the potential for a recession. But he also said the pain would be far greater if inflation were allowed to fester and that “we must keep at it until the job is done.”
He was speaking at an annual economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, which has been the setting for market-moving Fed speeches in the past.
The sell-off capped a week of choppy trading that left major indexes down 4% or more for the week.
All told, the S&P 500 fell 141.46 points to 4,057.66. The benchmark index is now down almost 15% for the year.
The Dow lost 1,008.38 points to close at 32,283.40. The last time the blue-chip average had a 1,000-point drop was in May.
The Nasdaq slid 497.56 points to 12,141.71, its biggest drop since June.
The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 64.81 points, or 3.3%, to finish at 1,899.83.
Stocks are still showing solid gains for the third quarter, with the S&P 500 up more than 7% and the Nasdaq up 10%. Recent earnings reports were better than some analysts had expected, and there are signs that inflation may have peaked although it remains at sharply elevated levels.
Still, Powell’s speech made clear the Fed will accept weaker growth for a while for the sake of getting inflation under control, analysts said.
“Powell reiterated that the Fed is worried about rising prices, and getting inflation under control is emphatically job number one,” said Jeff Klingelhofer, co-head of investments at Thornburg Investment Management.
Perhaps giving some hope to investors, some analysts said Powell seemed to indicate expectations for future inflation aren’t taking off. If that were to happen, it could cause a self-perpetuating cycle that worsens inflation.
A report on Friday said U.S. consumers are expecting 2.9% annual inflation over the long run, which is at the lower end of the 2.9% to 3.1% range seen in the University of Michigan’s survey over the last year.
For now, the debate on Wall Street is whether the Fed will raise short-term rates by either half a percentage point next month, double the usual margin, or by three-quarters of a point. The Fed’s last two hikes have been by 0.75 points, and a slight majority of bets on Wall Street are favoring a third such increase in September, according to CME Group.
A report Friday morning showed that the Fed’s preferred gauge of inflation decelerated last month and wasn’t as bad as many economists expected. It’s a potentially encouraging signal, which may embolden more of Wall Street to say that the worst of inflation has already passed or will soon.
Other data showed that incomes for Americans rose less last month than expected, while consumer spending growth slowed.
Following the reports and Powell’s comments, the two-year Treasury yield rose for much of the day, but slipped by late afternoon to 3.36% from 3.37% late Thursday. It tends to track expectations for Fed action.
The 10-year Treasury yield, which follows expectations for longer-term economic growth and inflation, initially rose then slipped to 3.02% from 3.03% late Thursday.
The Fed has already hiked its key overnight interest rate four times this year in hopes of slowing the worst inflation in decades. The hikes have already hurt the housing industry, where more expensive mortgage rates have slowed activity. But the job market has remained strong, helping to prop up the economy.
Investors got a fresh set of warnings from companies about the persistent impact from inflation and a slowing economy. Computer maker Dell slumped 13.5% after it said weaker demand will hurt revenue. Chipmaker Marvell Technology fell 8.9% after giving investors a disappointing earnings forecast.
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AP Business Writer Joe McDonald contributed. Veiga reported from Los Angeles. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/business/ap-asian-stocks-follow-wall-st-higher-ahead-of-fed-chair-speech/ | 2022-08-27T03:09:20Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/business/ap-asian-stocks-follow-wall-st-higher-ahead-of-fed-chair-speech/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation eased last month as energy prices tumbled, raising hopes that the surging costs of everything from gasoline to food may have peaked.
According to a Commerce Department report Friday that is closely watched by the Federal Reserve, consumer prices rose 6.3% in July from a year earlier after posting an annual increase of 6.8% in June, the biggest jump since 1982. Energy prices made the difference in July: They dropped last month after surging in June.
Yet on the same day at the Federal Reserve’s annual economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Chair Jerome Powell delivered a stark message: The Fed will likely impose more large interest rate hikes in coming months and is resolutely focused on taming inflation.
There was hope that the Fed might signal a moderation in rate increases if inflation were to show further signs of easing.
So-called core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, rose 4.6% last month from a year earlier after rising 4.8% in June. The drop — along with a reduction in the Labor Department’s consumer price index last month — suggests that inflationary pressures may be easing.
On a monthly basis, consumer prices actually fell 0.1% from June to July; core inflation blipped up 0.1%, the Commerce Department reported.
And the Fed appears ready to continue efforts to ensure prices are moving in the right direction.
Inflation started rising sharply in the spring of 2021 as the economy rebounded with surprising speed from the short but devastating coronavirus recession a year earlier. Surging customer orders overwhelmed factories, ports and freight yards, leading to delays, shortages and higher prices. Inflation is a worldwide problem, especially since the Russian invasion of Ukraine drove up global food and energy prices.
On Friday, regulators in the U.K. said that residents will see an 80% increase in their annual household energy bills.
In the United States, the Commerce Department’s personal consumption expenditures (PCE) index is less well known than the Labor Department’s consumer price index (CPI).
But the Fed prefers the PCE index as a gauge of inflationary pressures, partly because the Commerce index attempts to measure how consumers adjust to rising prices by, for example, substituting cheaper store brands for pricier name brands.
There is evidence just in the last several months that that is taking place at numerous levels.
CPI has been showing higher inflation than PCE; Last month, for instance, CPI was running at an 8.5% annual pace after hitting a four-decade high 9.1% in June. One reason: The Labor Department’s index gives more weight to rents, which have soared this year.
The Commerce Department also reported Friday that Americans’ after-tax personal income rose 0.3% from June to July after adjusting for inflation; it has fallen in June. Consumer spending rose 0.2% last month after accounting for higher prices.
Spiking prices have become a political threat to the current administration and President Joe Biden was quick to point to the latest data that could show inflation is loosening its grip.
“The American people are starting to get some relief from high prices, and the Inflation Reduction Act that I signed last month will also help bring prices down,” Biden said Friday. “Gas prices decreased every day this summer – the fastest decline in over a decade. And, today’s report showed that personal income was up last month as well.”
The Fed was slow to respond to rising inflation, thinking it the temporary result of supply chain bottlenecks. But as prices continued to climb, the U.S. central bank moved aggressively, hiking its benchmark interest rate four times since March.
On Friday, Powell warned more explicitly than he has in the past that the Fed’s continued tightening of credit will cause pain for many households and businesses as its higher rates further slow the economy and potentially lead to job losses.
“These are the unfortunate costs of reducing inflation,” Powell said. “But a failure to restore price stability would mean far greater pain.”
Price pressures may already be easing as the U.S. economy slows. Gross domestic product — broadest measure of economic output — shrank in the first half of 2020 as borrowing costs increased. The housing market has been hit especially hard. And supply chain backlogs have started to unsnarl.
“Inflation appears to have peaked in mid-2022 and should slow on a year-over-year basis through the rest of this year and in 2023,″ said Gus Faucher, chief economist at PNC.
Nick Zawitz, who runs Tangle Creations, a South San Francisco company that makes Fidget Toys among others, said that shipping costs have plunged and raw materials prices have dropped slightly. Meanwhile, the company’s sales are up 45% over the past year. “Things are chugging along,’’ Zawitz said.
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AP White House Correspondent Zeke Miller contributed to this report from Washington, D.C. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/business/ap-inflation-eases-as-consumer-prices-rise-6-3-in-july/ | 2022-08-27T03:09:41Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/business/ap-inflation-eases-as-consumer-prices-rise-6-3-in-july/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
As a child, Wendy Schmidt didn’t think about how the ocean intersected with human life. It was a nice place to go swimming, but it was mostly a murky, unknowable realm that didn’t have much to do with her day-to-day life.
That outlook changed 15 years ago when she started sailing and learned to scuba dive. Now the health of the world’s oceans looms large in Schmidt’s thinking about the planet’s future and in her giving.
“People commonly encounter the ocean from the shore, the deck of a ferry boat, or from an airplane. It’s historically been a place of mythology, sea creatures, and scary stuff. In some ways, you could say it’s your worst nightmare, and yet, ironically, it’s also the source of all life. It’s 71% of the earth’s surface,” Schmidt says. “Suddenly you see that’s a different planet than you thought you lived in. It’s mostly ocean and the life in the ocean, and we’re just a small player here with a really outsized footprint.”
Schmidt leads a collection of philanthropies through which she and her husband, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, work to help protect the planet. They give to support clean energy, marine science and ocean conservation, and efforts to address climate change, plastic pollution, and food insecurity. The couple have also built programs that support and connect young leaders, scientists, and others working to solve an array of global problems.
The Schmidts have poured nearly $2.2 billion into their philanthropies since 2019 and during that time have pledged and given away more than $1.4 billion.
Since 2009, the couple have given more than $360 million to the Schmidt Ocean Institute, which operates a research ship that it makes available free to scientists worldwide. It also helped develop SuBastian, an underwater robotic vehicle scientists use to conduct deep-sea research experiments.
While they are not the largest contributors to ocean conservation and marine science, their insistence that the institute share its findings with scientists and the public is important, says Ashley Enrici, an assistant professor of philanthropic studies at Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, who studies philanthropy’s role in marine conservation.
“That knowledge can be used for policy decisions by the government and to support public awareness and education campaigns,” Enrici says. “It has the potential to fill lots of different gaps.”
Another Schmidt effort, the 11th Hour Project, seeks to fight the further development of fossil fuels, create renewable energy, clean air and water systems, and expand sustainable food programs. The project grew out of Wendy Schmidt’s years-long support of efforts to oppose fossil-fuel extraction in California and New York.
Environmentalism and a global outlook weren’t a feature of Wendy Schmidt’s formative years. She grew up in a big Irish Catholic family in Short Hills, New Jersey, the second oldest of five children and the only girl. Curiosity and adventure were not encouraged, but she was endlessly inquisitive.
“I was the little one who was always annoying everybody by asking, ‘How come? How come?’ about everything,” Schmidt recalls.
After earning a dual degree in sociology and anthropology from Smith College in 1977, Schmidt attended the University of California at Berkeley, where she earned a master’s degree in journalism and met her future husband, who was working on a Ph.D. in computer science.
She says her worldview expanded at Berkeley, where she was exposed to people from other cultures, to new information, and even to new cuisines.
“Suddenly everything just opened up. Chinese food wasn’t Chun King from a can anymore,” she says. “It was real Chinese food.”
The couple married in 1980. After she graduated, she took a marketing job at Plexus Computers and was recruited by Sun Microsystems, a burgeoning Silicon Valley computer company, in 1982. (Eric joined Sun in 1983 and later became its chief technology officer.) She left Sun in 1985 when the company went public.
Wendy Schmidt’s focus on environmentalism took hold in the early 2000s. She started donating large sums when Google went public and the Schmidts’ fortune skyrocketed.
Schmidt soon learned that to solve global warming, you have to examine agricultural practices, land use, and human rights, so she focused on connecting nonprofit leaders working in those areas, especially those from overlooked backgrounds and Indigenous groups.
“I knew nothing at all about Indigenous communities in the United States,” Schmidt says. “I’m absolutely amazed that I could reach this stage in my life and not have realized all along that every inch of land that we occupy here in the United States was occupied by someone else who doesn’t have it now.”
A-dae Romero-Briones, director of programs in Native Agriculture and Food Systems at First Nations Development Institute, and a lawyer with expertise in food and agriculture law, first met Schmidt in January 2018 when she spoke at the Schmidt Family Foundation’s staff book club.
Romero-Briones says she was struck by Schmidt’s curiosity. Schmidt asked a lot of questions about Indigenous communities’ needs and she invited Romero-Briones to spend several days with 11th Hour Project staff so they could learn more. Romero-Briones, in turn, suggested that they visit tribal communities in central California so they could hear from Native American people directly.
“Wendy made no hesitation. Not about finances, not about logistics, not about time crunch,” Romero-Briones says. “That doesn’t happen in the philanthropic world. It was one of the funnest things I’ve ever done in my job is take all of these people to see all the people I wanted them to meet. It was very affirming.”
Schmidt and her husband see strong networks as the key to building a better world. They’re using their considerable wealth — which Forbes pegs at about $20 billion — to build connections between people and organizations that are working to solve pressing global problems.
“I really do believe in the power of the network,” she says. “It’s not about how big you are but how well connected you are.”
The couple started Schmidt Futures to back the development of new technologies and to support young leaders in science and public service through two programs that seek to connect tomorrow’s leaders: RISE and the Schmidt Science Fellows, both run jointly with the Rhodes Trust.
RISE connects 15- to 17-year-olds who want to dedicate their careers to public service and could do more to help others if they had access to networks of like-minded people.
Schmidt Science Fellows places Ph.D. science graduates in labs that are in a different scientific field than their core area of study for a year so they can work collaboratively across disciplines and build long-term connections with other scientists.
Schmidt says she and her husband do not spend a lot of time thinking about precise plans for their future philanthropy. The only definite plan, she says, is to spend down their giving vehicles during their lifetimes.
“I’m not a person who makes five- or 10-year plans,” she says. “I’m very much in the mind-set that I’m in when I’m sailing or diving. Your attention is on everything around you at that moment — where the wind is, the conditions of the water, adjusting the sails, how you’re making progress towards the goals.”
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This article was provided to The Associated Press by the Chronicle of Philanthropy. Maria Di Mento is a senior reporter at the Chronicle. Email: maria.dimento@philanthropy.com. The AP and the Chronicle receive support from the Lilly Endowment for coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits. The AP and the Chronicle are solely responsible for all content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/business/ap-wendy-schmidt-gives-big-to-protect-oceans-planets-future/ | 2022-08-27T03:10:08Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/business/ap-wendy-schmidt-gives-big-to-protect-oceans-planets-future/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A pregnant Louisiana woman who was denied an abortion — even though her fetus has a rare and fatal condition — demanded on Friday that Gov. John Bel Edwards and the legislature call a special session to clarify the state’s restrictions on the procedure.
Nancy Davis, who is 15 weeks pregnant, said she will travel out of state next week for a “medically necessary” abortion. A state law currently in effect bans all abortions except if there is substantial risk of death or impairment to the woman if she continues her pregnancy and in the case of “medically futile” pregnancies. Davis, 36, and abortion-rights advocates for months have criticized the legislation as vague and confusing.
Their concerns are being echoed in numerous other states that, like Louisiana, passed so-called trigger laws when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision guaranteeing a constitutional right to abortion. Roughly a dozen states currently ban abortions at all stages of pregnancy, with some allowing for narrow exceptions such as in cases of rape, incest or when the pregnant woman’s life is in danger.
“Ms. Davis was among the first women to be caught in the crosshairs of confusion due to Louisiana’s rush to restrict abortion, but she will hardly be the last,” Ben Crump, an attorney for Davis, said during a news conference held on the state’s Capitol steps Friday.
Ten weeks into Davis’ pregnancy, doctors at Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge diagnosed the fetus she is carrying with acrania, a rare and fatal condition in which the baby’s skull fails to form in the womb. Davis was told that if she brought the pregnancy to full term and gave birth, the baby would likely survive for a very short amount of time — anywhere from several minutes to a week. The physicians advised Davis to get an abortion, but said they could not perform the procedure.
“Basically, they said I had to carry my baby to bury my baby,” Davis said. “They seemed confused about the law and afraid of what would happen to them.”
If a doctor performs an illegal abortion in Louisiana, they could face up to 15 years in prison.
In a statement last week to news outlets, spokesperson Caroline Isemann said Woman’s Hospital was not able to comment on a specific patient, but reiterated that it is the hospital’s mission to provide the “best possible care for women” while complying with state laws and policies.
Since then, the law’s author, Sen. Katrina Jackson, and other legislators have said that Davis qualifies for an abortion and that the hospital “grossly misinterpreted” the statute. Yet in a written statement Tuesday signed by Jackson and 35 others, including nine other women, they indicated that many of them share a religious faith that would “compel us to carry this child to term.”
Davis and her attorneys said they don’t blame the doctors, but the vagueness of the law.
“The law is clear as mud,” Crump said. “Every women’s situation is different and subject to interpretation, so of course medical professionals don’t want to risk prison or to have to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars of fines for making the wrong call. Who would just take somebody’s word for it when their liberty is in jeopardy?”
A lawsuit filed by an abortion clinic in Shreveport and others has been in process since the new law took effect. The legislation has by turns been blocked and then enforced as the suit makes its way through the courts. The most recent ruling allowed enforcement of the law. Plaintiffs challenging the ban don’t deny the state can now prohibit abortions; they argue that the law’s provisions are contradictory and unconstitutionally vague.
While Davis has not filed a complaint or lawsuit, she wants Louisiana legislators to hold a special session to clarify the law. Their next regular session is scheduled for April 2023.
“Imagine how many women may be affected before (lawmakers) come back into session,” Crump said. “How many more Nancy Davises will have to endure the mental anguish and mental cruelty before the legislators clear up these vague and ambiguous laws.” | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/health/ap-louisiana-woman-denied-abortion-wants-vague-ban-clarified/ | 2022-08-27T03:10:22Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/health/ap-louisiana-woman-denied-abortion-wants-vague-ban-clarified/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Biden administration said Friday there’s enough monkeypox vaccine available now but health officials say the shots aren’t getting to some of the people who need the protection the most.
About 10% of monkeypox vaccine doses have been given to Black people, even though they account for one-third of U.S. cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The new numbers come from 17 states and two cities, and represent the most comprehensive details yet on who has been getting the two-dose vaccines. Similar disparities had been reported previously by a few states and cities.
Most U.S. monkeypox cases have been in men who have sex with men, but officials have stressed that anyone can catch the virus.
Experts offered several possible explanations for the disparity. It may be related to how and where shots are being offered and publicized. It may be that some Black men don’t trust doctors and government public health efforts. Or they may be less willing to identify themselves as a person who is at higher risk of catching the disease.
The gap is an echo of disparities seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, when certain racial groups were a disproportionately large share of cases but a smaller fraction of the people initially receiving vaccinations, said Dr. Yvens Laborde, director of global health education at Ochsner Health in New Orleans.
“If we’re not careful, the same thing will happen here” with monkeypox, he said.
Available information suggests that Black men are a growing proportion of monkeypox cases, said Caitlin Rivers, a Johns Hopkins University expert on government response to epidemics.
“This is a problem that is not resolving,” she said.
The Biden administration said Friday it has shipped enough monkeypox vaccine to deliver the first of two doses to the group at highest risk of infection. That’s an estimated 1.6 million men who have sex with other men, but the CDC does not have a racial breakdown of the group. The administration expects to have enough for second doses available by the end of next month.
Earlier this month, health officials authorized a plan to allow injection of smaller doses of the vaccine into the skin instead of into muscle, which has helped stretch supplies. With the help of that new method, which requires about one-fifth the usual dose, the administration says it has now shipped enough vaccine for at least 1.6 million doses.
According to the administration, only 14 jurisdictions of 67 have used enough vaccine to request more from the federal stockpile.
Some experts say health officials need to make sure Black men have more access to vaccinations, testing, treatment and other types of information and assistance.
CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, speaking at a White House briefing, said her agency has taken steps to increase access. Vaccines and educational materials will be available at Atlanta’s upcoming Black Pride events and New Orlean’s Southern Decadence.
“We’ve seen as we’re starting to roll these pilot projects out that they are working,” she said.
The government hadn’t previously reported on vaccine recipients’ demographics, because such information sharing is voluntary. The numbers released Friday reflect information on about 208,000 doses administered as of earlier this week, out of more than 1 million shipped. Age, sex, racial and ethnic information was not available for every recipient.
But, based on what information was available, the data shows:
—About half of vaccine recipients were white and about a quarter were Hispanic. About 10% were Black and another 10% were Asian.
—About 94% were identified as male, and 6% female.
—More than half were between the ages of 25 and 39.
The gaps nationally echo those seen in statistics from Georgia, North Carolina, New York City and Washington, D.C. In all four locales, Black men accounted for many or most of the cases, but were a smaller proportion of vaccine recipients.
Monkeypox is endemic in parts of Africa, where people have been infected through bites from rodents or small animals. It wasn’t considered a disease that spreads easily among people until May, when infections emerged in Europe and the U.S.
There have been more than 45,000 cases reported in countries that have not historically seen monkeypox.
The U.S. has the most infections of any country — more than 16,000. About 98% of U.S. cases are men and about 93% were men who reported recent sexual contact with other men. No one in the U.S. has died, but deaths have been reported in other countries.
Officials say the virus has been spreading mainly through skin-on-skin contact, but they warn it might also transmit in other ways, including through touching linens used by someone with monkeypox.
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Associated Press writer Nicky Forster contributed to this report.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/health/ap-monkeypox-vaccine-supply-now-sufficient-biden-officials-say/ | 2022-08-27T03:10:29Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/health/ap-monkeypox-vaccine-supply-now-sufficient-biden-officials-say/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — State health officials in New York are warning of expanding “community spread” of the polio virus after it was found in wastewater samples from another upstate county.
The state Department of Health said Friday the polio virus was detected in four samples from Sullivan County, two each in July and August. Sullivan County is several dozen miles northwest of Rockland County, where officials on July 21 announced the first case of polio in the United States in nearly a decade. The unidentified young adult was unvaccinated.
The Sullivan County samples are genetically-linked to the case of paralytic polio in Rockland County.
State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett again urged residents to make sure they are immunized, saying “one New Yorker paralyzed by polio is already too many.”
“The polio in New York today is an imminent threat to all adults and children who are unvaccinated or not up to date with their polio immunizations,” Bassett said in a prepared release.
The virus has now been identified in wastewater samples in three contiguous counties north of New York City: Rockland, Orange and Sullivan. The polio virus also has been found in New York City sewage.
Officials have said that it is possible that hundreds of people in the state have gotten polio and don’t know it. Most people infected with polio have no symptoms but can still give the virus to others for days or weeks.
Polio was once one of the nation’s most feared diseases, with annual outbreaks causing thousands of cases of paralysis. The disease mostly affects children. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/health/ap-more-polio-virus-detected-in-upstate-new-york-wastewater/ | 2022-08-27T03:10:36Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/health/ap-more-polio-virus-detected-in-upstate-new-york-wastewater/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — An airstrike by Ethiopia’s air force hit a kindergarten in the country’s embattled Tigray region, causing deaths and injuries on Friday, according to local broadcasters. It was the latest escalation of a conflict that has created a humanitarian crisis for millions of people.
Tigray Television quoted witnesses saying the afternoon attack hit a kindergarten called Red Kids Paradise in the Tigrayan capital of Mekele. It aired graphic images of children and adults with dismembered bodies in the aftermath of the attack.
Homes near the kindergarten also were hit in the strike, broadcaster Dimtsi Weyane reported.
Tigrayan officials called the airstrike “a heartless, sadistic” assault.
“This vicious regime has outdone itself with today’s deliberate targeting of a children’s building,” they said in a statement.
That statement didn’t say how many people were killed in the airstrike. But the director of Mekele’s Ayder Hospital, Kibrom Gebreselassie, said on Twitter that two children are among at least four people killed.
“More casualties are arriving. The total number so far in our hospital is 13,” he said.
The AP hasn’t been able to independently verify the footage. Ethiopian authorities didn’t immediately comment on the report.
But Ethiopia’s Government Communications Service said in a statement earlier Friday that the government will “take action targeting the military forces that are the source of the anti-peace sentiment of the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front.”
It warned people in Tigray to stay away from military equipment and training facilities used by Tigray forces.
The report of a strike on a kindergarten comes amid a resumption of fighting between Ethiopian federal forces and Tigray fighters. Both sides accused each other of restarting the war Wednesday after a lull in fighting since June 2021.
The conflict in Tigray, which began in November 2020, has killed thousands in Africa’s second-most populous country, which holds more than 115 million people. The conflict had calmed in recent months amid slow-moving mediation efforts. But last week the spokeswoman for Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed told journalists that Tigray authorities were “refusing to accept peace talks.”
Ethiopia’s government has said it’s ready for talks, but insists the African Union must lead the mediation efforts.
Tigray authorities have criticized the African Union’s efforts and urgently sought the resumption of telephone, banking and other services that have been largely cut off since the war began. The statement by Tigrayan authorities after Friday’s airstrike charged that the federal government isn’t interested in peace talks.
The conflict has created a humanitarian crisis for millions of people affected by the fighting in the Amhara and neighboring Afar regions, while thousands of Tigrayans now live in refugee camps in Sudan. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-airstrike-hits-kindergarten-in-capital-of-ethiopias-tigray/ | 2022-08-27T03:11:10Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-airstrike-hits-kindergarten-in-capital-of-ethiopias-tigray/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — A car packed with 16 Syrian migrants crashed while trying to avoid a police roadblock in North Macedonia and four of its occupants were injured, authorities said Friday.
A police statement said the accident occurred on a highway near the northern border with Serbia late Thursday. A man from North Macedonia was arrested on suspicion of driving the vehicle.
The four injured migrants were hospitalized with non life-threatening injuries.
North Macedonia, a tiny Balkan country of 1.8 million, is on a major route used by migrants from the Mideast and Asia to reach wealthier European countries — often after paying large sums to smuggling gangs. Most enter illegally from Greece.
Two weeks ago, 35 people were injured when a truck carrying Syrian migrants overturned in North Macedonia.
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Follow AP’s global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-north-macedonia-car-carrying-16-migrants-crashes-4-injured/ | 2022-08-27T03:12:13Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-north-macedonia-car-carrying-16-migrants-crashes-4-injured/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Six of the 43 college students “disappeared” in 2014 were allegedly kept alive in a warehouse for days then turned over to the local army commander who ordered them killed, the Mexican government official leading a Truth Commission said Friday.
Interior Undersecretary Alejandro Encinas made the shocking revelation directly tying the military to one of Mexico’s worst human rights scandals, and it came with little fanfare as he made a lengthy defense of the commission’s report released a week earlier.
Last week, despite declaring the abductions and disappearances a “state crime” and saying that the army watched it happen without intervening, Encinas made no mention of six students being turned over to Col. José Rodríguez Pérez.
On Friday, Encinas said authorities were closely monitoring the students from the radical teachers’ college at Ayotzinapa from the time they left their campus through their abduction by local police in the town of Iguala that night. A soldier who had infiltrated the school was among the abducted students, and Encinas asserted the army did not follow its own protocols and try to rescue him.
“There is also information corroborated with emergency 089 telephone calls where allegedly six of the 43 disappeared students were held during several days and alive in what they call the old warehouse and from there were turned over to the colonel,” Encinas said. “Allegedly the six students were alive for as many as four days after the events and were killed and disappeared on orders of the colonel, allegedly the then Col. José Rodríguez Pérez.”
The defense department did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the allegations Friday.
The role of the army in the students’ disappearance has long been a source of tension between the families and the government. From the beginning, there were questions about the military’s knowledge of what happened and its possible involvement. The students’ parents demanded for years that they be allowed to search the army base in Iguala. It was not until 2019 that they were given access along with Encinas and the Truth Commission.
The commission report says the army registered an anonymous emergency call on Sept. 30, 2014, four days after the students’ abduction. The caller reportedly said the students were being held in a large concrete warehouse in a location described as “Pueblo Viejo.” The caller proceeded to describe the location.
That entry was followed by several pages of redacted material, but that section of the report concluded with the following: “As can be seen, obvious collusion existed between agents of the Mexican state with the criminal group Guerreros Unidos that tolerated, allowed and participated in events of violence and disappearance of the students, as well as the government’s attempt to hide the truth about the events.”
Later, in a summary of how the commission’s report differed from the original investigation’s conclusions, there is mention of a colonel.
“On Sept. 30 ‘the colonel’ mentions that they will take care of cleaning everything up and that they had already taken charge of the six students who had remained alive,” the report said.
In a witness statement provided to federal investigators in December 2014, Capt. José Martínez Crespo, who was stationed at the base in Iguala, said the base commander for the 27th Infantry Battalion at the time was Col. José Rodriguez Pérez.
Through a driving rain later Friday, the families of the 43 missing students marched in Mexico City with a couple hundred other people as they have on the 26th of every month for years.
Parents carried posters of their children’s faces and rows of current students from the teachers’ college marched, shouted calls for justice and counted off to 43. Their signs proclaimed that the fight for justice continued and asserted: “It was the State.”
Clemente Rodríguez marched for his son Christian Alfonso Rodríguez Telumbre, who was a second student identified by a tiny burned bone fragment.
Rodríguez said the families had been told last week before the report was released about the coronel and the six students.
“It’s not by omission anymore. It’s that they participated,” he said of the military. “It was the state, the three levels of government participated.”
He said the families had not been told that any of the arrest orders announced last week for members of armed forces had been carried out yet.
On Sept. 26, 2014, local police took the students off buses they had commandeered in Iguala. The motive for the police action remains unclear eight years later. Their bodies have never been found, though fragments of burned bone have been matched to three of the students.
Last week, federal agents arrested former Attorney General Jesus Murillo Karam, who oversaw the original investigation. On Wednesday, a judge ordered that he stand trial for forced disappearance, not reporting torture and official misconduct. Prosecutors allege Murillo Karam created a false narrative about what happened to the students to quickly appear to resolve the case.
Authorities also said last week that arrest warrants were issued for 20 soldiers and officers, five local officials, 33 local police officers and 11 state police officers as well as 14 gang members. Neither the army nor prosecutors have said how many of those suspects are in custody.
It was also not immediately clear if Rodríguez Pérez was among those sought.
Rodríguez, the student’s father, said Murillo Karam’s arrest was a positive step.
Murillo Karam “was the one who told us the soldiers couldn’t be touched,” Rodríguez said. “And now it’s being discovered that it was the state that participated.”
In a joint statement, the families said the Truth Commission’s confirmation that it was a “state crime” was significant after elements suggesting that over the years.
However, they said the report still did not satisfactorily answer their most important question.
“Mothers and fathers need indubitable scientific evidence as to the fate of our children,” the statement said. “We can’t go home with preliminary signs that don’t fully clear up where they are and what happened to them.”
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has given Mexico’s military enormous responsibility. The armed forces are not only at the center of his security strategy, but they have taken over administration of the seaports and been given responsibility for building a new airport for the capital and a tourist train on the Yucatan Peninsula.
The president has said often that the army and navy are the least corrupt institutions and have his confidence. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-official-6-of-43-missing-mexican-students-given-to-army/ | 2022-08-27T03:12:25Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-official-6-of-43-missing-mexican-students-given-to-army/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif asked Friday for international help battling deadly flood damage in the impoverished Islamic nation.
His request on Twitter came amid exceptionally heavy rain that continued lashing Pakistan, raising the overall death toll from mid-June to 937.
Sharif said he met with foreign diplomats in the capital, Islamabad, on damages caused by the floods.
“The ongoing rain spell has caused devastation across the country,” he tweeted, thanking other countries and groups for their support. “Together we will build back better.”
The flooding from rains, melting glaciers and cloudbursts affected over 3 million people.
Floods have damaged 170,000 homes, washed away roads and destroyed nearly 150 bridges, according to the National Disaster Management Authority. Although floodwater receded in some areas, the situation worsened in Sindh province, where rescue workers were using boats to evacuate marooned people. Thousands of flood-affected people were living in makeshift homes and tents.
The crisis forced Sharif’s government to declare a state of emergency.
A United Nations statement on Thursday said it has allocated $ 3 million for U.N. aid agencies and its partners in Pakistan to respond to the floods. “This will be used for health, nutrition, food security, and water and sanitation services in flood-affected areas, focusing on the most vulnerable,” it said.
Monsoon rains in Pakistan typically begin in July. But this year, heavy downpours started lashing the country in June, triggering floods. Scientists say climate change is a major factor behind the unusually severe weather, which has made life miserable for millions of people.
According to Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman, right now the real challenge was saving lives and arranging tents and food for homeless people.
“This is a humanitarian disaster of epic proportions, thousands are without shelter, many are without food and people are stranded,” Rehman said. “We need to ask not just the provinces and Islamabad, it is beyond the capacity of any one administration or government to rehabilitate and even manage the rescue and relief.” | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-pakistan-seeks-international-help-for-flood-victims/ | 2022-08-27T03:12:32Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-pakistan-seeks-international-help-for-flood-victims/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MORAG, Poland (AP) — Poland sealed a deal with South Korea on Friday to purchase $5.8 billion worth of tanks, howitzers and ammunition as the European country steps up its defense and deterrence capabilities in the face of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Polish Deputy Prime Minister Mariusz Blaszczak, who is the defense minister, signed the contracts to confirm them and handed them to the head of South Korea’s defense acquisition program administration, Minister Eom Dong-hwan, at a military base in the northern Poland town of Morag.
“It is most important that the first tanks and cannon howitzers will be available to Poland’s army this year,” Blaszczak said during the ceremony. “We are strengthening Poland’s defenses.”
Speaking through an interpreter, the Korean minister stressed the good relations and trust that the two countries have developed in their business, social and cultural ties.
Also attending the ceremony were the heads of the Korean plants involved in the contracts as well as Polish tank crews who will go to Korea for training in October.
Poland’s conservative government has worked to strengthen the country’s armed forces in response to neighboring Russia’s aggression.
Poland, like other European nations and the United States, has sent military equipment to Ukraine during the 6-month war. The Polish government is seeking to replace of that equipment, including with U.S.-made Abrams tanks.
Under the deal with South Korea, Poland is purchasing 180 K2 Black Panther tanks made by Hyundai Rotem and worth $3.4 billion, along with 212 K9 Thunder howitzers made by Hanhwa Defense, worth $2.4 billion. The deal includes training, logistics and ammunition.
All of the items are expected to arrive by the end of 2025.
Poland and South Korea also plan to sign a deal this year for the purchase of 12 FA-50 planes, a light training and combat aircraft made jointly by Korea Aerospace and Lockheed Martin, according to Blaszczak.
Poland is also seeking a technology transfer so it can launch production domestically.
___
Follow all AP developments related to the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-poland-and-south-korea-seal-5-8-billion-military-deal/ | 2022-08-27T03:12:53Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-poland-and-south-korea-seal-5-8-billion-military-deal/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MADRID (AP) — Spanish financial authorities are planning to keep a close eye on a major cryptocurrency metaverse event being organized in Madrid this weekend.
The CNMV stock market regulator this week warned that neither the organizers of the event, Mundocrypto, nor the sponsors have authorization to provide investment services or gather funds.
The event Saturday at a Madrid concert arena is expected draw 7,000 people. Spanish authorities and the CNMV say such gatherings are often aimed at luring people, especially youths, into investing in cryptocurrencies without full knowledge of the possible consequences.
Mundocrypto founder Mani Thawani, a Spaniard, has defended the event, arguing that it is for educational purposes and to guide people financially.
Mundocrypto describes itself as “world leader in crypto and blockchain education” and says 55,000 of its students have already become investors.
The CNMV says Mundocrypto is on its grey list of entities suspected of raising funds and providing financial services without permits.
Organizers say the show is aimed unveiling new trends in the sector. Show business personalities and economists are also expected to take part. Two well-known television personalities have pulled out of the event since the market regulator’s warning.
Earlier this year, a number of families complained to authorities that another cryptocurrency academy was brainwashing their children into spending their money on courses with promises they would become wealthy.
Investments in cryptocurrencies, such as bitcoins, have boomed in recent years but in several cases currencies have lost their value quickly and people their investments in what is an unregulated market. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-spanish-market-regulator-warns-about-cryptocurrency-event/ | 2022-08-27T03:13:06Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-spanish-market-regulator-warns-about-cryptocurrency-event/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — A jury on Tuesday convicted two men of conspiring to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020, delivering swift verdicts in a plot that was broken up by the FBI and described as a rallying cry for a U.S. civil war by anti-government extremists.
The result was a big victory for the U.S. Justice Department. A different jury just four months ago couldn’t reach unanimous decisions on Adam Fox or Barry Croft Jr. but acquitted two other men, a stunning conclusion that led to a second trial.
Their arrests nearly two years ago came at an extremely tense time: the volatile homestretch of the election between Joe Biden and then-President Donald Trump playing out against a backdrop of armed protests over COVID-19 restrictions, especially in Michigan.
Jury selection in the retrial of Fox and Croft coincidentally occurred a day after FBI agents searched Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate for documents, putting the agency in headlines at the same time that the judge was trying to detect any biases about law enforcement in the jury pool.
Fox and Croft were convicted Tuesday of two counts of conspiracy related to the kidnapping scheme and attempts to use a weapon of mass destruction. Prosecutors said they wanted to blow up a bridge to disrupt police if the abduction could be pulled off at Whitmer’s vacation home.
Croft, 46, a trucker from Bear, Delaware, was also convicted of another explosives charge. The jury deliberated for roughly eight hours over two days.
“Today’s verdicts prove that violence and threats have no place in our politics and those who seek to divide us will be held accountable. They will not succeed,” said Whitmer, a Democrat, who turned 51 years old on Tuesday.
“But we must also take a hard look at the status of our politics,” she added. “Plots against public officials and threats to the FBI are a disturbing extension of radicalized domestic terrorism that festers in our nation, threatening the very foundation of our republic.”
Law enforcement officials across the country have been warning about an increase in threats and the potential for violence against agents or buildings.
Fox and Croft, who face sentences of up to life in prison, just stared at the jury as the verdicts were read. Defense attorney Christopher Gibbons shook his head while another defense lawyer, Joshua Blanchard, removed his glasses.
Jurors declined to speak to reporters.
“It’s been a good fight. We were hoping for a different outcome,” Gibbons said.
During closing arguments Monday, a prosecutor had a blunt message: No one can strap on an AR-15 rifle and body armor and snatch a governor.
“But that wasn’t the defendants’ ultimate goal,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Nils Kessler said. “They wanted to set off a second American civil war, a second American Revolution, something that they call the boogaloo. And they wanted to do it for a long time before they settled on Gov. Whitmer.”
The investigation began when Army veteran Dan Chappel joined a Michigan paramilitary group and became alarmed when he heard talk about killing police. He agreed to become an FBI informant and spent the summer of 2020 getting close to Fox and others, secretly recording conversations and participating in drills at “shoot houses” in Wisconsin and Michigan.
The FBI turned it into a major domestic terrorism case with two more informants and two undercover agents embedded in the group. Evidence showed the group had many gripes, particularly over stay-at-home orders and other pandemic restrictions imposed by Whitmer.
Fox, Croft and others, accompanied by the government operatives, traveled to northern Michigan to see Whitmer’s vacation home at night and a bridge that could be destroyed. Ty Garbin and Kaleb Franks, too, were on that ride. They pleaded guilty and testified for the prosecution.
Whitmer was not physically harmed; six men were arrested hours away from her home in October 2020.
David Porter, who leads the FBI in western Michigan, hailed the verdicts.
“Here in America, if you disagree with your government you have options. … What you cannot do is plan or commit acts of violence,” he said outside the courthouse.
Defense attorneys tried to put the FBI on trial, repeatedly emphasizing through cross-examination of witnesses and during closing remarks that federal players were present at every crucial event and had entrapped the men.
Fox and Croft, they said, were “big talkers” who liked to smoke marijuana and were guilty of nothing but exercising their right to say vile things about Whitmer and government.
“This isn’t Russia. This isn’t how our country works,” Blanchard, Croft’s attorney, told jurors. “You don’t get to suspect that someone might commit a crime because you don’t like things that they say, that you don’t like their ideologies.”
Gibbons said the FBI isn’t supposed to create “domestic terrorists.” He described Fox, 39, as poor and living in the basement of a Grand Rapids-area vacuum shop, which was a site for meetings with Chappel and an agent.
Hours after the verdicts, U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker unsealed his Aug. 14 findings about a juror. Blanchard had disclosed early in the trial that his office took a call from someone who said the juror was eager to get picked and would vote to convict.
“The juror repeatedly and consistently denied making any such statements,” said Jonker, who, with staff, spoke to the person in private. “Based on the court’s observation of the juror’s demeanor and behavior, these responses were credible.”
In separate but related cases, eight other men linked to the kidnapping scheme are being prosecuted by the Michigan attorney general in state courts.
Whitmer in 2020 blamed Trump for stoking mistrust and fomenting anger over coronavirus restrictions and refusing to condemn hate groups and right-wing extremists like those charged in Michigan.
On Aug. 6, three days before jury selection, Trump told conservative activists that the kidnapping plan was a “fake deal.” | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/2-men-convicted-in-plot-to-kidnap-michigan-gov-whitmer/ | 2022-08-27T03:13:27Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/2-men-convicted-in-plot-to-kidnap-michigan-gov-whitmer/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — The publisher of a weekly newspaper in New Hampshire is accusing the state attorney general’s office of government overreach after she was arrested on charges that she published advertisements for local races without properly marking them as political advertising.
The six misdemeanor charges allege that Debra Paul, publisher of The Londonderry Times, failed to identify the ads with “appropriate language” indicating that they were ads and saying who paid for them as required by state law, the New Hampshire attorney general’s office said in a news release, after reviewing cases that go back to 2019.
“This is clearly a case of a small business needing to defend itself against overreaching government,” Paul, 62, who’s also a member of the town council in Londonderry, responded in a statement.
“I would like to think the attorney generals office has more important matters to deal with than to send press releases out on misdemeanors such as this,” the statement said. “With multiple unsolved homicides over the past year, this seems a bit absurd.”
The attorney general’s office first issued Paul a letter pointing out the language omission in a political ad that ran in the weeks leading up to an election in March 2019, according to a police affidavit. The letter asked her to include the language going forward.
It issued a second letter in March 2021 after receiving a complaint about another political ad that didn’t receive the required “paid for” language, and that an investigator from the office followed up with with a phone call to her, the affidavit said.
The office sent another letter to her in September saying another ad “failed to contain” name and address information, and did not mark it as “political advertising.” She was notified that this was her “second and final warning” and if the law was violated again, the attorney general’s office “may pursue appropriate enforcement action.”
After the attorney general’s office received more complaints this year, the February and March issues of the paper were reviewed, the affidavit said. Two political ads leading up to a local election in March did not contain the “paid for” language and a third had no “political advertisement” designation, it said.
Two candidates who had placed ads during that time told the investigator that they had worked with Paul on them. They said they were not aware of language requirements and that any omissions were unintentional.
Paul, who along with her husband are the only two employees at the paper, was contacted by the investigator in May and said she originally believed the state’s complaint involved advertising rates, the affidavit said. She said she was trying to review the ads and believed that the “paid for by” address information was only required on political signage, not ads, the affidavit said.
The affidavit said altogether, nearly 60 violations in the Times and a related publication were counted between 2020 and this year.
“My understanding is that I’m accused by someone of neglecting to use the phrase, “Political Advertisements,” when it was an obvious political ad,” Paul said in her statement.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of up to a year in jail. Paul, who is not in custody, is scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 19.
“The Londonderry Times is among the dwindling numbers of small newspapers in New Hampshire, as well as around the country,” her lawyer, Tony Naro, said in a statement Friday. “The Londonderry Times does their absolute best to put out a quality publication with limited staff and a limited budget. Ms. Paul acted with no criminal intent, denies the allegations, and is presumed innocent.”
A spokesperson for the attorney general’s office said the office could not comment on the case further but said its election law unit receives hundreds of calls or complaints about political advertising each election cycle, and that the overwhelming majority of them are resolved without opening a matter for formal investigation.
As an example of another matter the office investigated, the spokesperson provided a letter dated Aug. 8 and sent to the publisher of a periodical who is running for office regarding a complaint it received about the publisher’s own campaign ad. The letter said the candidate was not complying with campaign finance obligations and didn’t mark ads as political advertising.
– | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national/ap-newspaper-publisher-cries-foul-over-political-ad-arrest/ | 2022-08-27T03:14:21Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national/ap-newspaper-publisher-cries-foul-over-political-ad-arrest/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Which wrist brace is best?
Wrist braces are helpful for treating various conditions and make for excellent preventative care tools, too. However, there are many aspects you should consider before finding the right wrist brace for your needs.
The best wrist brace is the Mueller Sports Medicine Green Fitted Wrist Brace. It’s a no-nonsense brace that’s simple to adjust, and it’s made of soft, recycled materials.
What to know before you buy a wrist brace
Wrist brace types
There are many types of wrist braces, but these are some of the most common.
- Cock-up braces completely immobilize the wrist. This is perfect for severe conditions such as tendonitis and ligament issues. It does make it difficult to complete everyday tasks, so only use them if strictly necessary.
- Overnight braces keep your wrist stable while you sleep. They’re stiffer than daily-wear braces, but they’re still comfortable enough to sleep in.
- Repetitive strain injury braces are commonly used as a preventative measure for those that repeat the same motion all day. They aren’t quite as stiff as other braces, so you can still complete these repetitive motions as needed.
- Sports braces balance the need for flexibility and range of motion while providing support. You can wear them both for treatment and as a preventative measure.
- Orthoses braces require prescriptions and are commonly used as an alternative to casts for treating fractures. They’re also used as post-surgery support.
Size
Many wrist braces have one-size-fits-all sizing. These work well for most people, but they may not provide the best possible support. This is especially true for those with smaller or larger wrists. It’s best to choose a brace that has specific sizing options. Most braces come with sizing charts, so you can compare the sizes to your wrist measurements.
Color
Most wrist braces are black or tan to mesh with outfits and call less attention to the injury. Some come in other colors too, like pink and blue.
What to look for in a quality wrist brace
Material
Most wrist braces use synthetic materials, such as nylon and neoprene. These synthetics have enough stretch and breathability for all-day comfort. Many have moisture-wicking or antimicrobial properties to fight off bacteria, which can cause nasty smells or infections.
Padding
The more padding a wrist brace has, the more comfortable it will be. However, it makes the brace stiff and can warm up quickly over time. You may need to try a few braces before you find one that has the right level of padding.
Compression
Some braces compress the wrist to increase blood flow while reducing swelling and inflammation. This not only helps your wrist feel better, but it can also speed up your recovery rate. However, too much compression can be uncomfortable or even cause further damage. As with padding, you may need to try a few braces to find the right amount of compression.
How much you can expect to spend on a wrist brace
Wrist braces range in price for little as $5 or as much as $100 or more. Basic braces shouldn’t cost more than $15, while more specialized braces cost up to $50. Typically only prescription or customized braces reach or exceed $100.
Wrist brace FAQ
What can I use a wrist brace for?
A. Some of the most common reasons for needing a wrist brace are:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive strain injuries.
- Sports injuries or offering extra support to prevent sports injuries.
- Fractures and sprains, as well as support after surgeries.
How do I wash a wrist brace?
A. Many wrist braces are machine-washable and -dryable. If they aren’t, you can wash them by hand in a sink full of hot soapy water. Make sure to rinse them thoroughly and let them air dry. If motions involved with hand washing are painful to you, make sure your brace is machine-washable.
Do I need to see a doctor before getting a wrist brace?
A. That depends on what you’re trying to prevent or heal. You can manage most everyday injuries with an average over-the-counter brace. If your injury is severe or if you’ve just had surgery, your doctor may prescribe a specific brace for you.
What’s the best wrist brace to buy?
Top wrist brace
Mueller Sports Medicine Green Fitted Wrist Brace
What you need to know: This is an excellent no-fuss brace with soft fabric made from recycled plastic bottles.
What you’ll love: The straps are easy to adjust, and the brace doesn’t restrict your range of motion. It comes in two sizes for both the left and right hand. It’s great for carpal tunnel.
What you should consider: Those with very thin wrists were too small for the smallest size. Others had issues with the brace digging in around the thumb.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top wrist brace for the money
What you need to know: This is another great basic brace for a few dollars less, and BraceUp offers a money-back guarantee.
What you’ll love: It’s lightweight, soft and highly breathable, so you can wear it all day and night. The straps are easy to adjust, and it comes in two sizes for the left and right hand.
What you should consider: A few customers had issues with the hook-and-loop straps being too strong. Others found the straps weakened after a few months.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Copper Compression Recovery Wrist Brace
What you need to know: This brace has some extra features like targeted compression.
What you’ll love: The fabric is moisture-wicking, breathable and infused with copper that doesn’t wash out. It’s machine-washable for easy cleaning and comes in two sizes for the left and right hand.
What you should consider: A few purchasers had issues with a clump of stitching around the thumb hole causing blisters. Others found the thumb hole to be too small.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Jordan Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/reviews/br/medical-supplies-equipment-br/best-wrist-brace/ | 2022-08-27T03:17:20Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/reviews/br/medical-supplies-equipment-br/best-wrist-brace/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Which Five Star notebook is best?
Among the most popular names in notebooks is Five Star, a brand of planning and organizational products geared toward students in search of efficient ways to write and study. In particular, Five Star’s line of spiral notebooks caters to schooling, with durable covers, thick sheets and smart divisions.
The best, a four-pack of Five Star’s DuraShield Notebooks, provides coverage for a full course load and guaranteed effectiveness for a year. They resist wear and tear, and they’re organized to support your way of studying.
What to know before you buy a Five Star notebook
Spiral vs. composition notebooks
Two main types of notebooks are spiral and composition. With different bindings, each has their own benefits and drawbacks.
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Spiral notebooks can be easily folded back along their spiral bindings; the quality of the binding influences the notebook’s longevity. The end of a Five Star spiral notebook’s binding clips back onto itself to prevent uncoiling or snagging.
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Composition notebooks, sometimes referred to as softcover notebooks, feature a closed spine like that of a book. It can’t be folded over unless you break the spine. It is also often difficult to write close to the edge of a page near the binding. However, composition notebooks tend to last a lot longer.
Ruling
How lines are laid out in the notebook is referred to as ruling. Five Star offers three types.
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College ruled notebooks are the most popular, with less space between the horizontal lines. They’re often used by older students, particularly those in college, as they welcome compact writing and lots of content.
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Wide ruled notebooks have slightly more space between the lines, better catering to those with larger handwriting.
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Graph, or grid ruled, feature both horizontal and vertical lines. These notebooks are useful for anyone in creative fields, such as design or architecture, as well as certain math courses.
Sheets
Five Star notebooks include 100 to 200 sheets, each of which allows for double-sided use. Sheets are perforated, so they can be easily torn out. When removed, the sheets measure 8 1/2 by 11 inches, which is standard paper size. The entire notebook is three-hole punched in advance to accommodate binder storage.
What to look for in a quality Five Star notebook
Subjects
Five Star notebooks may be divided into one, two, three or five sections, called subjects. These divisions make it easier to use the same notebook for different classes, or to mark the transition from one semester to another.
Cover
To differentiate between multiple notebooks for different classes, choose a colored cover for each. Black, white, orange, red, green and blue are among the choices.
Five Star covers resist water, protecting the pages underneath from minor spills or splashes. Some feature its patented DuraShield, which boasts antimicrobial properties to protect against bacteria.
App integration
Five Star offers an app designed to digitally organize and upload notes. Pages include markings to create flashcards or highlight important points on your laptop, phone or tablet.
Packs and bundles
Five Star sells packs of notebooks, with anywhere from two to 12 sold together. Buying in bulk is economical; even if you won’t be using every notebook for another semester or year, it helps to have some at the ready.
In addition, some packs of notebooks are bundled with a gaming console controller for those who want to balance studying with playing.
How much you can expect to spend on a Five Star notebook
A single one costs from $10-$20, depending on subject and size. Bundles, of course, cost more.
Five Star notebook FAQ
How many notebooks do I need?
A. Generally, one notebook is suitable for one class, particularly if you’re taking a generalized course load. Choose different color covers to stay organized.
For more specialized or continuous studying, a notebook with multiple subjects may be useful. For example, if you’re taking related science courses, you may want to keep them in the same notebook in different sections.
Why should I use a notebook over a laptop or tablet?
A. A physical notebook may be required in middle schools or high schools where laptops are not permitted. Even with the choice, many people find writing in a notebook a better way to learn and retain knowledge, as writing is more mentally engaging than typing. Also, the ability to write legibly and take organized notes, especially quickly, is a useful skill in some professions.
What’s the best Five Star notebook to buy?
Top Five Star notebook
Five Star 4-Pack DuraShield Notebooks
What you need to know: This set of four color-coded notebooks is designed to withstand the wear and tear of an active school year.
What you’ll love: Five Star’s antimicrobial cover is built to withstand bacteria, stains, odors and water. Each notebook includes 100 wide-ruled sheets as well as dedicated pockets suitable for general studies.
What you should consider: The small sheet count may not be enough for more involved courses.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top Five Star notebook for the money
Five Star Five-Subject Notebook
What you need to know: This 200-page, five-subject notebook provides terrific value at its low price.
What you’ll love: This college-ruled notebook provides plenty of space for involved note-taking across multiple courses. The sheet design integrates with the Five Star app for more efficient use.
What you should consider: It best serves those in college.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Five Star Graph-Ruled Spiral Notebook
What you need to know: This high-quality graph-ruled notebook suits studious and creative artists, engineers and math lovers.
What you’ll love: This spiral notebook is designed for those in need of grids in their note-taking and brainstorming. The 100 sheets are thick enough to resist ink bleed; each is perforated for easy removal.
What you should consider: Grid-ruled notebooks are not recommended unless designs or graphs are involved.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Anthony Marcusa writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/reviews/br/office-br/writing-supplies-br/best-five-star-notebook/ | 2022-08-27T03:17:26Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/reviews/br/office-br/writing-supplies-br/best-five-star-notebook/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Which maternity belt is best?
Carrying a child isn’t easy for many reasons, but a big one is the immense strain it puts on the body. It only becomes more challenging as you grow. A maternity belt can’t eliminate all the pain and discomfort, but it can provide enough support to make a noticeable difference in your daily life.
The best maternity belt is the Belly Bandit Upsie Belly Pregnancy Support Band. It’s soft and provides support to the back, hips and abdomen.
What to know before you buy a maternity belt
Maternity belt types
Maternity belts come in three types.
- Single-strap belts are the most common. They’re just one band that wraps around the lower back and below the abdomen.
- Multi-strap belts offer more support than single-strap ones. They still wrap around the lower back and below the abdomen, but they have an extra strap that goes on top of the abdomen for said extra support.
- Prenatal cradle belts also have the same band that wraps around the lower body, but their extra support comes from suspenders that get your shoulders to take on some of the strain.
Size
Most maternity belts come in various sizes, so you can get one that fits you perfectly. Others are one-size-fits-all, though you likely won’t get the same quality of support from these options.
Color
Maternity belts usually come in black, white or tan, though other colors are possible. Black is the easiest to pair with your clothes and the easiest to clean, while white and tan are less noticeable, making them better for wearing underneath clothing.
What to look for in a quality maternity belt
Machine-washable
Maternity belts aren’t hard to wash by hand, but it’s always easier to toss them in your washing machine. However, not all belts are machine-washable. Double-check the product description before buying one to ensure you won’t need to wash it by hand.
Adjustability
Most maternity belts use one hook-and-loop strap so you can tweak the fit as your pregnancy progresses. The best belts use two or three straps in different areas, giving you a much wider range of adjustability.
Elastic
Most maternity belts use elastic so they can better conform to your body. Basic belts only have one elastic panel, while better belts have multiple.
Padding
If you want to wear your maternity belt against your skin, make sure the one you buy has padding. Padding is especially beneficial to those with sensitive skin.
Back brace
Some maternity belts have a built-in back brace to increase their back support. These are a must-buy for those who struggled with back pain before becoming pregnant.
How much you can expect to spend on a maternity belt
Basic maternity belts typically cost $20-$30, while most cost $40-$50. More complex belts can cost as much as $70 or more.
Maternity belt FAQ
Is there a difference between a maternity belt and a maternity band?
A. Yes, though the terms are often used interchangeably. Maternity belts are designed to provide as much support as possible and tend to be larger and bulkier. Maternity bands are thin and are mostly used to hide your belly if your clothes aren’t able to cover it fully, but some also offer a little support.
Are you supposed to wear a maternity belt below or on top of your clothes?
A. You can usually wear it either way. However, some belts are too bulky to be worn comfortably below your clothes.
Can I go to the bathroom with a maternity belt on?
A. That depends on the belt, but most should let you use the bathroom without issue. Belts that can’t be left on while using the bathroom are usually designed to be quick and easy to take off and put back on, so there’s no need to worry.
What’s the best maternity belt to buy?
Top maternity belt
Belly Bandit Upsie Belly Pregnancy Support Band
What you need to know: This premium belt will give you plenty of relief.
What you’ll love: It sits below the belly to support the abdomen while being as inconspicuous as possible. There’s a pouch in the back for gel packs so you can use temperature therapy for extra relief, and it even includes a pack.
What you should consider: A few consumers had issues with the hook-and-loop straps wearing out. Others felt it was too bulky to wear out of the house.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Buy Buy Baby
Top maternity belt for the money
NeoTech Care Pregnancy Support Maternity Belt
What you need to know: Raising children is expensive. You can save some money by choosing this affordable but no less effective belt.
What you’ll love: The fabric is breathable but still strong, thanks to multiple reinforced slits on the sides. It supports the pelvis, abdomen and back and includes an abdominal lift attachment for greater support. It comes in five sizes and in beige, black and white.
What you should consider: It’s meant for use while standing. If you want to sit, you need to remove or adjust it. Some customers found the hook-and-loop straps didn’t last for their full pregnancy.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Gabrialla Strong Back and Belly Support Belt for Twin Pregnancy
What you need to know: This belt supports those carrying two or more children.
What you’ll love: It’s built extra strong to ease back pain and reduce the stretch marks that carrying multiple children is prone to causing, plus it helps maintain balance and a good posture. It has a pouch in the back for gel packs and it’s made in the U.S.
What you should consider: Some purchasers struggled to sit down or bend while wearing it. Others found it too bulky to be comfortable.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/reviews/br/pregnancy-br/best-maternity-belt/ | 2022-08-27T03:17:40Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/reviews/br/pregnancy-br/best-maternity-belt/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Coined one of the most popular convenience store chains in the country, QuikTrip, is coming to Lafayette! This new edition will be the first south Louisiana store.
Based in Oklahoma, Quiktrip finalized its purchase of property at the northwest corner of Louisiana Avenue and Interstate 10 from Castille Development at an undisclosed price, according to land records.
The Acadiana Advocate reported that documents show QuickTrip purchased about 10 acres, including a portion of land from the La Bonne Vie Apartments next door.
Renderings show the store could be a version of the company’s remote travel center, which includes up to 20 gasoline pumps for cars and six diesel bays for trucks. The store will be 8,292 square feet, larger than the company’s regular stores that range from 4,100 to 5,700 square feet.
QuikTrip currently has travel centers in Shreveport and Bossier City and is planning a store in Ruston, reports indicate.
Last month Forbes ranked QuikTrip 36th in its inaugural Halo 100 that ranked the top 100 overall brands in the U.S. Among convenience stores, it was ranked second. | https://www.katc.com/news/around-acadiana/popular-convenience-store-quiktrip-buys-land-for-1st-lafayette-location | 2022-08-27T03:18:51Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/around-acadiana/popular-convenience-store-quiktrip-buys-land-for-1st-lafayette-location | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Due to a combination of strong financial performance and operations within a durable, defensive industry, Waste Management (WM) has attracted a lot of investors’ attention. While the company possesses many desirable attributes, its valuation seems to be somewhat out of sync with the mature life stage of both the firm and the industry.
In a very turbulent year for stocks, where the S&P 500 (SPX) is down about 15% year-to-date, WM stock has charted its own course. Seen widely as a defensive play in a turbulent market, the stock is slightly up on the year.
A Much Needed, Mature Industry
The waste solutions industry is rather mature, and it is expected to grow at a 3.4% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) until 2030. Primary growth drivers include environmental government measures that aim to increase sustainability. In addition, recycling services should also exhibit good growth potential, given consumers’ growing environmental awareness.
Other factors affecting industry performance include population and urbanization trends as well as levels of industrial production. Labor, transportation, and equipment costs, on the other hand, make the list of factors that can hamper industry growth.
The industry is very capital-intensive, and companies depend on the creation of economies of scale in order to achieve profitability. As a result, barriers to entry are high, and market leaders are likely to exhibit higher margins and cost efficiency.
A Durable Business Model
Through its subsidiaries, WM offers comprehensive waste management environmental services across the United States and Canada. The company serves a broad customer base that includes residential, commercial, and industrial clients while offering services at each stage of the collection and disposal process.
WM is also well-positioned (it’s the largest recycler in North America) in an economy that values sustainability while continuing to innovate toward environmentally-friendly solutions. WM currently operates 49 Materials Recovery facilities (recycling plants), and Recycling Services represent 8% of total revenue.
Reinforcing its industry leadership position, WM controls a vast operational network consisting of 260 active landfills, 340 transfer facilities, 15,500 collection routes, 550 collection sites, and 96 materials recovery facilities. Given the capital-intensive nature of the waste solutions industry, competitors will find reproducing Waste Management’s economies of scale very challenging. It is, therefore, safe to assume that the competitive edge the company maintains is likely to solidify over the next years.
Even as Waste Management’s business sees some fluctuation with changes in industrial output and activity, the essential nature of waste collection and processing services allows for predictable cash flows, especially considering that 75% of WM’s revenue is recurring in nature. Constant innovation and technological advances also assist in further operational cost reductions.
Waste Management’s Financial Performance Remains Strong
Using its predictable revenue streams as a foundation, Waste Management has managed to increase its top line by a CAGR of 6.1% since 2017, while growth has somewhat accelerated as of recently, reaching a three-year CAGR of 7.5%. Over the last year, WM’s revenue has grown by 15.2%. Net income has followed a similar trajectory, increasing at a five-year CAGR of 10.5% and 34% year-over-year growth.
For Fiscal 2022, analysts are looking for a sizable 18.3% EPS increase and 10.2% revenue expansion. Mid-single-digit growth for revenue and low double-digit increases for earnings are expected through 2025.
Top-line growth comes both organically and through acquisitions, with the company spending $1.0 billion, on average, on cash acquisitions annually over the past five years. As the industry remains fragmented, M&A activity is not expected to slow as long as management can identify attractive opportunities.
M&A transactions also create synergies between the involved parties that help reduce SG&A expenses and are, in that sense, cost-effective. Since 2017, WM has completed 88 acquisitions, gaining over 560 million in annualized revenue as a result.
Profitability remains one of WM’s stronger attributes. Gross profit margins stand at 37.4%, significantly higher than the industrial sector’s median of 29.2%. EBIT and net margins also appear convincing, at 16.65% and 11.3%, respectively.
Reinvesting in the business has been consistently on WM’s priority list for years. Over the last five years, the company has allocated, on an annual basis, an average of about $2.0 billion toward capital expenditures. When it comes to cash flows from financing, WM has used significant amounts of cash to retire old debt while issuing new debt at the same time. The net effect leads to small increases in the company’s outstanding debt balance.
On the balance sheet, its long-term debt currently amounts to $13.3 billion (almost 19% of its market cap). Total debt is about $14.2 billion when including lease liabilities. While its debt levels are not alarming, they do lead to considerable interest expenses. Liquidity-wise, WM stands just over 1.0x current ratio, which isn’t horrible, but some more room for maneuverability would be preferable.
Is WM a Good Dividend Stock?
While Waste Management’s dividend yield of 1.5% is around the market’s average and generally considered to be on the low side, the company offers attractive dividend growth prospects. Over the past five years, dividend growth has accelerated, reaching 8.0% (annualized). In the past 12 months, dividends have grown by 9.4%. With EPS expected to continue to increase, investors should be confident that dividend increases will continue, a least over the medium term.
Given the company’s cash flow generation, dividend payments are considered safe. Producing more than $2.0 billion in free cash flow (cash from operations – CapEx), WM can easily cover the current $1.0 billion in annual dividend payments while also maintaining enough room for future growth.
Its free cash flow has also afforded WM the opportunity to slowly reduce its share count over the past decade. Since 2012, shares outstanding have decreased from 465 million in 2012 to 413 million as of the last filing. As the company matures more, it is likely that, given the availability of free cash flow, stock repurchases will accelerate.
Is Waste Management Stock Overvalued?
As WM’s stock price has aggressively increased over the last few years, its valuation has been pushed to the higher side. In fact, the 33x TTM P/E multiple the stock currently carries is almost unheard of for companies in the industrial sector. The same goes for an elevated 3.8x price-to-sales ratio and a 10x price-to-book ratio. The current dividend yield of 1.5% is also somewhat lower than the company’s four-year average 1.75% yield, once again leading to the conclusion that the stock is overvalued.
On the other hand, keeping in mind the company’s efficient cash flow generation, one could argue that its 16x price-to-cash-flow ratio is not that exaggerated.
Is WM a Good Stock to Buy?
Turning to Wall Street, Waste Management has a Moderate Buy rating based on four Buys and four Holds assigned over the past three months.
The average WM stock price forecast of $172.13 represents 0.55% downside potential, with a high price forecast of $190 and a low forecast of $160.
Conclusion: WM Stock Lacks an Appealing Entry Point
After all things are considered, it appears that WM just lacks an appealing entry point for investors right now. For what is an otherwise attractive business in almost all aspects, investors should exhibit patience, waiting for a potential pullback to increase future upside potential. | https://www.tipranks.com/news/article/is-waste-management-nysewm-stock-overvalued | 2022-08-27T03:20:34Z | tipranks.com | control | https://www.tipranks.com/news/article/is-waste-management-nysewm-stock-overvalued | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
No.1 seed Daria Kasatkina charged into her second final of the year with a commanding 6-2, 6-0 win over Diane Parry at the inaugural Championnats Banque Nationale de Granby on Friday.
World No.10 Kasatkina took just 62 minutes to top 19-year-old, 81st-ranked Parry, who was playing the first Hologic WTA Tour semifinal of her career.
"I'm happy with the level of the tennis today," Kasatkina said after her win. "At the beginning, it was a bit tight, but I'm happy with how I was able to manage the nerves, and I'm really happy with the way I was playing from the middle of the first set to the end of the match.
"To play finals, it's always great because we don't make many, many finals -- unfortunately it's like this! So every time I play a final it's great, and I'm excited to be in the final and prepare for tomorrow."
Kasatkina had 18 winners and 11 unforced errors in the match, while Parry's 12 winners were well outpaced by 32 unforced errors. Kasatkina made good use of when she got her first serve into play, winning a whopping 88 percent of those points.
Kasatkina's two 2022 finals have both come this month on hard court. She claimed her fifth career singles title in San Jose at the start of August, and posted a new career-high ranking of World No.9 following that triumph.
Kasatkina's final opponent will be No.9 seed Daria Saville of Australia. Saville advanced to the final after No.10 seed Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine pulled out of their semifinal match due to a right shoulder injury.
Former Top 20 player Saville is into her first singles final since 2017, the year where she reached three finals and won her lone singles title to date at New Haven.
Saville continues an excellent comeback season after Achilles tendon surgery, which she had in February of 2021 and kept her out of action for most of last year. This year, she made quarterfinals at Miami and Guadalajara before a semifinal showing in Washington D.C. earlier this month.
Thanks to her solid performances, Saville has seen her ranking rise this year from No.627 in February to her current position of No.73.
Kasatkina has come out on top in both of her previous meetings with Saville, although they haven't played since 2017. Kasatkina defeated Saville in the first round of the 2015 US Open and the Round of 16 at 2017 Charleston. | https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2761634/top-seed-kasatkina-sweeps-into-second-final-of-the-year-in-granby | 2022-08-27T03:46:13Z | wtatennis.com | control | https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2761634/top-seed-kasatkina-sweeps-into-second-final-of-the-year-in-granby | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A rainy Friday in New York City did not stop three of the Czech Republic's rapidly rising teenagers from qualifying for the US Open main draw.
Linda Noskova and Linda Fruhvirtova, both 17, and 16-year-old Sara Bejlek all made it through the final round of qualifying, becoming three of the 17 players (16 qualifiers and one lucky loser) who earned the final coveted spots in the last Grand Slam event of 2022.
No.4 seed Noskova was the highest-seeded player to successfully navigate this week's qualifying event and make the main draw. Noskova did not drop a set all week, backing up her second-round win over Eugenie Bouchard with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Anastasia Zakharova.
World No.87 Noskova, who is the youngest player currently ranked inside the Top 100, moves into her second major main draw of the year. Noskova made her Grand Slam main-draw debut at Roland Garros, where she also was a qualifier.
World No.158 Fruhvirtova booked her own Grand Slam main-draw debut on Friday with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 final-round win over Chloe Paquet. Fruhvirtova dropped her first set of the week against the 12th-seeded Frenchwoman, but held on in the third set to claim her spot.
US Open 2022: Draws, dates, prize money and everything you need to know
World No.194 Bejlek, the youngest of the trio, will also make her Grand Slam main-draw debut after overcoming Heather Watson 3-6, 6-4, 7-5. Former Top 40 player Watson led 5-3 in the third set before Bejlek reeled off four games in a row to topple the Brit.
Among Friday's other winners, No.28 seed Clara Burel of France outlasted No.7 seed Misaki Doi of Japan 2-6, 6-4, 7-6[12-10]. Burel staved off five match points after withstanding two separate rain delays late in the clash.
Doi held four match points at 6-5 in the third set, and after fending off two match points for Burel at 9-7 in the decisive match-tiebreak, the Japanese player had a fifth match point at 10-9. However, Burel ran off the next three points to eke out the win after 2 hours and 45 minutes of on-court action.
No.5 seed Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland also sealed a main-draw spot after a 6-4, 6-4 win over Astra Sharma of Australia. Golubic posted her career-best Grand Slam showing last year when she made the Wimbledon quarterfinals.
Other qualifiers from earlier on Friday included: Ashlyn Krueger and Catherine Harrison of the United States, Viktoria Kuzmova of Slovakia, Yuan Yue of China and Daria Snigur of Ukraine.
After the rain finally stopped for the day, more qualifiers emerged by notching evening wins including: Cristina Bucsa of Spain, Fernanda Contreras Gómez of Mexico, Elina Avanesyan, Erika Andreeva, Léolia Jeanjean of France, and Elisabetta Cocciaretto of Italy.
The lucky loser into the main draw is Kamilla Rakhimova. | https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2761640/czech-teens-fruhvirtova-noskova-bejlek-qualify-for-us-open-main-draw | 2022-08-27T03:46:19Z | wtatennis.com | control | https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2761640/czech-teens-fruhvirtova-noskova-bejlek-qualify-for-us-open-main-draw | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
No.7 seed Aliaksandra Sasnovich moved into her second final of the season at Tennis in the Land presented by Motorola Edge on Friday, maintaining her undefeated record against No.8 seed Alizé Cornet with a 6-7(5), 7-5, 6-3 semifinal victory.
In a match between players right next to each other in this week's rankings, World No.36 Sasnovich came back from a set and a break down to overcome World No.37 Cornet in a grueling 2 hours and 51 minutes. Sasnovich is now 3-0 against Cornet.
Sasnovich is now a win away from her first WTA singles title following three runner-up showings at 2015 Seoul, 2018 Brisbane and this year's Melbourne Summer Set 2.
Cornet served for the match at 5-4 in the second set, but Sasnovich quickly broke the Frenchwoman to pull back on serve without facing a match point. Sasnovich claimed all the momentum from there, picking up the final three games of the second set before taking the third set as well.
Overall, Cornet was slightly more effective behind her first serve, but second-service points made the difference, as Sasnovich won 59 percent of points behind her second delivery while Cornet claimed only 34 percent of hers.
In the final, Sasnovich will face surging Liudmila Samsonova, who eased past Bernarda Pera 6-1, 6-2 in the second semifinal of the day. Samsonova needed a mere 53 minutes to knock out Pera, the last remaining American standing in Cleveland.
Big-hitting Samsonova fired a stunning 30 winners to just six unforced errors as she won her ninth match in a row. In her previous event, Samsonova opened August by winning her second career title at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C.
Pera had also been on a winning streak at tour-level, having claimed her first two singles titles in her two most recent Hologic WTA Tour events, on the clay courts of Budapest and Hamburg.
However, Samsonova was in overwhelming form on Friday, never even allowing Pera to hold a single break point in the match as she leveled their head-to-head at one victory apiece. Samsonova has now reached this week's final without the loss of a set.
Samsonova and Sasnovich will be meeting for the first time in Saturday's final. | https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2761672/sasnovich-outlasts-cornet-samsonova-rolls-in-cleveland-semis | 2022-08-27T03:46:25Z | wtatennis.com | control | https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2761672/sasnovich-outlasts-cornet-samsonova-rolls-in-cleveland-semis | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
One of the few Army Reserve units supporting the DoD Joint mission, the Joint Enabling Capabilities Command Army Reserve Element (JECC ARE), changed command recently during a ceremony celebrating military tradition and the passage of leadership from one commanding officer to another, Aug. 5, at the Wind & Sea Recreation Center Auditorium, Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia.
Incoming commander, U.S. Army Reserve Col. John J Kaikkonen, received the JECC ARE guidon from the outgoing commander, Col. Steven J. Robertson. Throughout the ceremony both commanders shared highlights brought on by the occasion.
Maj. Gen. John H. Phillips, commanding general of the 335th Signal Command (Theater), presiding, provided continuity of leadership between the outgoing and incoming commanders during the ceremony attended by U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Stephen F. Jost, commanding general of the JECC; Marshall Ramsey, executive director of the JECC; U.S. Army Reserve Brig. Gen. Kimberly K. Hamilton, vice commander of the JECC; U.S. Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Stephanie A. Purgerson, former vice commander of the JECC; and U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Brian L. Bischoff, senior enlisted leader of the JECC.
Phillips began his remarks with recognition of the achievements made by the JECC ARE under Robertson’s tenure and the culture of leadership of Robertson fostered.
“Camaraderie, esprit de corps, and trust in leadership are important aspects, as are Colonel Robertson’s endorsement of demanding confidence, commitment, and character across his formation,” said Phillips.
“His Soldiers are as confident as they come, committed to a demanding mission set, and demonstrate the highest character.”
“Colonel Robertson has proved that this powerful organization can be the best among the best,” continued Phillips. “I am so proud of all of you and your team has done, but more proud of the Soldiers you lead.”
Phillips also welcomed Kaikkonen, sharing with the audience that the unit is transitioning into capable hands and headed into a bright future.
“Welcome, Colonel Kaikkonen, and his wife Darby! They are the right teammates at the right time to lead this exceptional organization and move the ball forward into the ‘red zone,” said Phillips.
Robertson, who had served as the JECC-ARE commander since Sept. 2, 2017, paid tribute to the JECC-ARE Soldiers, civilians, and families who have made the unit successful.
“Over my tenure, the JECC has accomplished amazing things. We’ve been on over 55 missions the last two years to almost all of the Combatant Commands, including the Afghanistan Retrograde, EUCOM, NORTHCOM, and Operation Warp Speed,” said Robertson.
“The JECC is disproportionate from the Army Reserve Element, [having] disproportionate promotions to lieutenant colonel, colonel, selections for command, and in my opinion, it’s just the talent that is attracted to the unit…great people come to the organization, and because of that, they continue to do great things.”
“But great organizations are due to the people,” said Robertson, “and you can have processes and products…but it’s clearly the people that make it great.”
Kaikkonen took command of the JECC-ARE, acknowledging the current challenges of a complex world and the necessity of having an Army Reserve ready to answer the nation’s call whenever needed.
“We are currently in the most challenging times our nation has faced since the onset of World War II, where problems emerge with lightning speed and deliver impacts to people and the economy that are immediate, enduring, and global in nature,” said Kaikkonen.
Kaikkonen outlined the path forward for the JECC ARE under his command.
“The organization has to remain fully staffed, completely ready to go, and constantly relevant,” said Kaikkonen. “The mission we perform is vital because crises and problems are not isolated to only one region of the globe any longer.
“The JECC ARE must be staffed with ready, capable planners who anticipate these impacts and wield the tools needed to steer conditions, regardless of the nature of the problem,” continued Kaikkonen.
The JECC ARE is a complex organization that receives ADCON, or administrative support, from the Army Reserve 335th Signal Command (Theater), while working under OPCON, or operational control, of the Joint Enabling Capabilities Command (JECC), through the JECC’s two subordinate units, the Joint Planning Support Element (JPSE) and the Joint Communications Support Element (JCSE). The JECC ARE provides joint planning, public affairs, knowledge management, and communications capabilities to Combatant Commanders to enable the rapid establishment of a Joint Force Headquarters, or in support of other missions, exercises, or planning efforts with trained and ready, rapidly deployable, Army Reserve Soldiers from the JECC ARE and their subordinate unit, the 4th Joint Communications Squadron Element (4th JCS).
“In today’s environment, disasters and emergencies are as ‘exportable’ as ever, and the JECC ARE must be ready to provide operational teams who understand this and are ready to respond with options that secure U.S. interests and those of our Allies,” said Kaikkonen.
As a team, the JECC leverages JECC ARE and 4th JCS personnel to deliver joint operational command and control enablers to joint force commanders conducting full spectrum operations.
“We convey the capability into its two important elements. The Joint Communication Support Element (JCSE) in Tampa, McDill AFB, Florida, consists of six squadrons,” said Phillips. Three active duty, two National Guard, and just one from the Army Reserve, the Fourth Squadron.
The only Airborne Signal battalion in the Army Reserve, the 4th JCS “has the mission to provide full spectrum, en route and early entry, command and control communications and computer support that is scalable to commands wherever needed on the globe,” said Phillips.
The JECC-ARE supports the JECC in rapidly deploying tailored packages of joint planners, operators, and functional specialists to enhance and augment newly formed joint force headquarters. These include specialists in public affairs and knowledge management, and joint planners from multiple branches to deliver expertise in plans, operations, logistics, and intelligence support.
“This critical and short-notice mission requires a level of readiness generally unachievable by traditional Reserve Component organizations,” said Phillips, “While the Department of Defense has shifted to a Continental United States-based military with limited assets forward in operational areas during times of competition, the JECC has a heavy burden—to narrow the gap before conflict or crisis, by delivering exceptional capability on a moment’s notice.”
The personnel supporting these capabilities include Army Reserve officer and enlisted Soldiers from Public Affairs (PA), Military Intelligence (MI), Civil Affairs (CA), Psychological Operations (PO), Judge Advocate General (JAG), Signal (SC), Information Operations (IO), Engineer (EN), Medical Service and Nurse Corps (MS), Logistics (LG), Financial Manager (FC), and other branches ready on a moment’s notice to mobilize and deploy.
“Teammates in the JECC ARE must be trustworthy, respectful, have integrity, be tough and tenacious, and be empathetic,” said Kaikkonen. “As an organization we must be flexible, adaptable, and willingly execute the hard stuff.
“We should be doing things that make us uncomfortable, and in turn getting comfortable with that feeling.”
For more information on the JECC, JPSE, and JCSE, including news and how to join, go to the JECC webpage at https://www.jecc.mil/JECC-Home/.
This work, Joint Enabling Capabilities Command Army Reserve Element Change of Command, by MAJ Sean Delpech, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/news/428193/joint-enabling-capabilities-command-army-reserve-element-change-command | 2022-08-27T03:51:35Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/news/428193/joint-enabling-capabilities-command-army-reserve-element-change-command | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
There’s something about camping and stargazing—they simply go well together, like campfires and s’mores. However, depending on where you go, you could either spot constellations, planets, and shooting stars—or you could see a sky washed out by light pollution.
Hipcamp, a company similar to Airbnb but for outdoor stays and camping experiences, recently launched a Dark Skies Map intending to help adventurers and amateur astronomers find campsites across the U.S. where the skies are darkest, and the stars shine the brightest.
The map overlays light pollution data from the International Dark-Sky Association onto the regions that include more than 340,000 U.S.-based campsites, RV parks, cabins, tree houses, and glamping sites housed within Hipcamp’s website, highlighting which areas offer unobstructed views of the cosmos.
“While a good rule of thumb is to select sites 20 to 30 miles outside of major metro areas, zooming into the map will show you exactly which sites are impacted by light pollution,” Charles Post, Hipcamp’s consulting ecologist, told AFAR. Post also noted that if you’re unsure when to book, the website’s Stargazing Calendar outlines major astrological events for the year, such as eclipses and meteor showers.
If you don’t want to book a campsite, you can still use the tool to find areas where the stars shine brightly. (Another option is to visit one of the designated International Dark Sky Parks, Places, Preserves, or Sanctuaries.)
If you do, here are a few stellar Hipcamp sites we recommend.
Canyon Trails Ranch Shepherd Wagons
Where: Colorado
Cost: From $95/night
Steps from Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, an archaeological site with the highest known density of Native American artifacts and architecture, Canyon Trails Ranch allows visitors to spend their morning exploring Puebloan ruins and their nights gazing at the galaxy above their covered wagon. There are two wagons; both have a full-size bed, a pull-out table, and built-in seat benches. Outside, guests can also access firepits, picnic tables, and a shower house and toilet area.
Hubble Hideout, Stargazing Cabin
Where: Arizona
Cost: From $66/night
On clear, cloudless nights, visitors to Hubble Hideout can see the Milky Way—without leaving their bed. A large skylight over the full-size bed makes it easy to stargaze. Hubble Hideout is about 30 minutes south of Grand Canyon National Park. Guests need to have a bit of an adventurous spirit—Hubble Hideout doesn’t provide bedding, and there isn’t running water—but we’d argue the views of the San Francisco peaks from the rocking chair on the deck make it worthwhile.
Just Average A-Frame
Where: California
Cost: From $120/night
Roughly 1.5 hours outside of San Diego and 2.5 hours from Los Angeles, Just Average A-Frame is a simple but satisfying retreat that borders Anza Borrego Desert State Park. The cabin is equipped with a queen-size bed, and the property offers outhouses with composting toilets, showers, and communal cooking area.
BaseCamp 37°
Where: Utah
Cost: From $210/night
At BaseCamp 37°, eight miles outside Kanab, Utah, campers have their choice of five glamping tents. Each has a king-size bed, a futon, and a private front porch. In addition to their tents, campers have access to a Guest Lodge (with showers, flush toilets, kitchen space, and hang-out areas), outdoor grills, and a firepit stocked with s’mores supplies. All in all, not a bad place to look for constellations and planets.
Fulton’s Comet
Where: California
Cost: From $199/night
Another spot where guests aren’t exactly roughing it, Fulton’s Comet, near Mount San Jacinto State Park and Diamond Valley Lake, is a brand- new Airstream with a bed, full standing shower, a kitchen area, and a TV. More importantly for stargazers, however, is the fact that it sits atop a hill, allowing for sweeping views of the night sky. | https://www.afar.com/magazine/new-hipcamp-feature-allows-you-to-find-dark-sky-campsites | 2022-08-27T03:58:03Z | afar.com | control | https://www.afar.com/magazine/new-hipcamp-feature-allows-you-to-find-dark-sky-campsites | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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Tuesday, August 23, 2022
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On Friday, the giant slide on Belle Isle Park reopened. It closed last week Friday after receiving widespread notoriety for the wrong reasons.
There were videos of people tumbling and bouncing hard down the slide that went viral last weekend.
My lil sis got on the giant slide at belle isle 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/XeczOBwybu
— Autumn & Myah (@myleafz) August 22, 2022
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources said it made some small adjustments to smoothen and slow down the ride.
Friday, there was nonstop action with a steady stream of riders. Some went down several times, while others backed out.
Some, like 10-year-old Robert Gannon, had a change of heart, backing out when they reached the top.
“I rather check myself before I wreck myself," Gannon said.
It was a smooth ride for most as long as they followed instructions and leaned forward.
“When I went down that time, I like flew. Not really high, even though I was leaning forward,” Piper Brook, 7, said.
Tondia White, who took a hard tumble, said with a laugh, “It was horrible. No, it was.”
Jayden Talbert, a small kid who rotated and bumped his head explained, “I was trying to lean forward but I leaned back, and it was kind of scary.”
Sarah Horton and Jeremy Cohen said they're in Detroit from the East Coast.
“We were scared. I’m not going to lie — going on," Horton chuckled.
"Adrenaline’s pumping and then all of a sudden, you see more news crews. Maybe it’s getting a little more intense than I thought when I first got here," Cohen explained.
Rapper Gmac Cash, who made a song about the slide that’s gone viral, showed up. He said he was preparing to shoot a music video for the song.
“I'm loving the feedback for sure, man," Gmac Cash said.
Nicoli Novak, 53, said, "I think it’s wonderful. I lived in Detroit all my life, and [with] the stigma, and I know some people want to think negative about it, but I think it’s just really fun. I think a lot of fun. I think a lot of us have used the slide in the 70s. Had a great time."
“And so, we’re having a great time — young and old," she added.
Joy Jackson, 62, said, “Amazing time. It takes you back to the child within.”
After working up the courage to ride the slide himself, 7 Action News Reporter Darren Cunningham went twice.
“All in all, it’s a lot of fun. But if you plan to ride the giant slide, be sure to follow instructions and lean forward,” Cunningham said.
The DNR said the slide will be open Fridays through Sundays until Labor Day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For each ride down the slide, the DNR charges $1, and all riders must be at least 48 inches tall. | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/popular-michigan-slide-reopens-after-slick-experience-dangerously-jetted-riders | 2022-08-27T04:06:10Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/popular-michigan-slide-reopens-after-slick-experience-dangerously-jetted-riders | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Sports movies where the underdog defies odds to become the reigning champion are usually tear-jerkers riding on the theme that life's drags can be conquered with perseverance.
At the heart of all these movies including a 'Dangal' or a 'Jersey' or closer home in Mollywood, a 'Kho Kho', is raw emotion. Probably not all are a perfect six or a superhit, but are great lesson givers at the end of the day.
Vijay Deverakonda's 'Liger' does not fall in any of these categories, though it revolves around an aspiring MMA champion, whose biggest enemy is stutter.
'Liger' starts with a flashback with an angry-looking Liger, played by Vijay Deverakonda, narrating the struggles in his life, and how his mother (Ramya Krishnan) raised him without any support. At the heart of the story is a girl who becomes a major part of his life.
Romances are not alien to sports dramas. We had a 'Jerry Maguire' which had the right mix of both, and probably it gives more life to such stories. 'Liger' explores this struggle in a dispassionate way, to the point of becoming unbearable.
Why the filmmaker decided to pinpoint the blame on a girl for our aspiring MMA champion's mistakes, is out of comprehension. The rich, silly and spoilt lass with no other evil intention at heart is ‘yakshi’, or demon, for the hero's mother.
That Vijay Deverakonda decided to make his debut in Bollywood with yet another misogynistic storyline portraying women as eye candy, is disheartening. One must remember he had portrayed Arjun Reddy, the character that reeked of masculine toxicity, in the past. His performance was lauded but his choice of film was panned by some. Vijay is a good performer and a star capable of pulling crowds, but he needs to introspect the kind of films and scripts he does, if he truly wants to become the pan-Indian star that he desires to be.
The only silver lining in the story and in Vijay's performance is his stutter, which he pulls off convincingly.
But, probably this is also the reason why the story comes off as unconvincing. Filmmaker Puri Jagannath only highlighted Liger's stammer as his major obstacle. Otherwise, he reminds you of a flawless picture-perfect hero who breezes through life without much struggle.
That Ananya Pandey was okay to be portrayed as a girl starving for the male gaze and social media fame, in her first outing opposite a South Indian actor, does not bode well for an actor who has proved herself as an artiste in the past. Mike Tyson plays a cameo in the film and his appearance manages to draw plenty of claps and whistles from the crowd. Bringing a boxing legend who had potential to be a MMA star does good for the film. But the fantasy ends there. The dialogues and the remaining action sequence does not do enough justice to Mike Tyson who plays Mark Anderson in the film.
Towards the end, the story just goes out of focus. Why the story ends with the protagonist trying to save the damsel in distress instead of winning the world championship he badly wants to attain is lost on the audience. The film attempts to be inspirational at times, like when Liger becomes the bearer of the Indian flag at the world stage, but those scenes don't really don't carry the weight needed to raise the patriot in you.
Ramya Krishnan excels in Liger's mother’s role but the dialogues does not do any justice to her calibre. The dance, songs and costumes are the major attractions in the sports action movie, which purely ends up like a Bollywood masala flick. | https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2022/08/25/liger-movie-review-vijay-deverakonda-ananya-pandey-mike-tyson-karan-johar.html | 2022-08-27T04:07:34Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2022/08/25/liger-movie-review-vijay-deverakonda-ananya-pandey-mike-tyson-karan-johar.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
'Theerppu' directed by Ratheesh Ambatu and starring Prithviraj in the lead is a revenge drama burnished with vignettes of Kerala's medieval history. Scripted by Murali Gopi, the story of judgement delves into the past of three childhood friends Abdullah Marakkar (Prithviraj) Ram Kumar Nair (Vijay Babu) and Parameshwaran Potty (Saiju Kurup).
They are not directly involved in the vices responsible for the present state of affairs. It's the act of treachery committed by Ram Kumar's father (Srikant Murali) against Basheer Marakkar (Siddique). Abdullah’s ire is directed against Ram Kumar, who continues to hold the legacy of his obnoxious past.
The movie opens with Abdullah coming out of a bar. He meets 'old' friend Parameshwaran, who is taken aback when he finds Abdullah in shambles due to personal setbacks. Parameshwaran and his wife Prabha Nair (Hannah Reji Koshy) are on their way to meet Ram Kumar Nair to seek funding for their fledgling business.
The glimpses of their past begin to unfold after Prabha smells something fishy in the interaction between the two friends. She is curious to know more. The rest of the tale is unveiled in bits and pieces eventually after Parameshwaran and Prabha meet Rama Kumar and his wife Mythily (Isha Talwar) at their super fabulous resort Accadio Saket.
Though Ram Kumar's womanising nature irks Parameshwaran to the core, he keeps mum as they are there to seek the former's help in funding their fledgling business.
What happens then forms the crux of the story. The visuals are extremely appealing and aesthetically rich, thanks to cinematographer Sunil K S.
But the drama gathers no steam as it pans out. The past offers a serious and poignant view of things. In stark contrast, the present is a mismatch basking in triviality. Political overstatements and dialogues with deep intellect did not add any value to the reels.
Siddique is magnificent as Basheer Marakkar. Prithviraj embodies oodles of charm and flamboyance but does not lend depth to the character he carries.
Saiju Kurup depicts with finesse the tomfoolery of his character. Vijay Babu too tries his best to create the tension stemming from the vices of an avaricious villain.
The script is shallow and the historical allusions, stellar star cast and grandiose treatment go wasted, leaving nothing much to take home. | https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2022/08/25/theerppu-directed-by-ratheesh-ambat-a-suspense-thriller.html | 2022-08-27T04:07:47Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2022/08/25/theerppu-directed-by-ratheesh-ambat-a-suspense-thriller.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NCEL 08-26-22
NCEL 08-26-22
Published: Aug. 26, 2022 at 11:29 PM EDT|Updated: 38 minutes ago
Here are your winning lottery numbers
Copyright 2020 WITN. All rights reserved.
Here are your winning lottery numbers
Copyright 2020 WITN. All rights reserved. | https://www.witn.com/2022/08/27/ncel-08-26-22/ | 2022-08-27T04:09:00Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/2022/08/27/ncel-08-26-22/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
220824-N-EV253-1508 An MH-60S Sea Hawk attached to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21 deploys a Mark 65 Quickstrike mine in Pyramid Cove during a mine countermeasure (MCM) live fire training exercise off the coast of San Clemente Island, Aug. 24, 2022. The MCM live fire is realistic, relevant training that enables our joint, multi-domain forces to integrate and rehearse a critical capability and complex skillset. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Sara Eshleman)
This work, MCM Live Fire Exercise [Image 12 of 12], by PO1 Sara Eshleman, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7390978/mcm-live-fire-exercise | 2022-08-27T04:13:09Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7390978/mcm-live-fire-exercise | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
220825-N-DK042-1066 An MH-60S Sea Hawk attached to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21 deploys a Mark 65 Quickstrike mine in Pyramid Cove during a mine countermeasure (MCM) live fire training exercise off the coast of San Clemente Island, Aug. 24, 2022. The MCM live fire is realistic, relevant training that enables our joint, multi-domain forces to integrate and rehearse a critical capability and complex skillset. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Storm Henry)
This work, 220825-N-DK042-1066 [Image 6 of 6], by PO1 Storm Henry, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7390993/220825-n-dk042-1066 | 2022-08-27T04:14:27Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7390993/220825-n-dk042-1066 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
It’s easy to get swept up in the magical world of Charlotte Tilbury. She’s the makeup artist to some of the most beautiful and famous faces in the world, her product line is a top seller at Sephora, her foundation is the most hydrating option for mature skin, and other makeup artists agree that her must-have Pillow Talk Lipstick works for every skin tone.
Plus, her passion for her products is infectious. I recently jumped on a Zoom call with Tilbury to learn about her new Beautiful Skin Concealer, and it felt like my own personal infomercial with the icon. “I am ridiculously excited about this,” Tilbury began. “It’s been kind of a quest my entire career to have this incredible concealer come to fruition.” She went on to explain that what sets this concealer apart from many of the ones on the market today is that it’s formulated more like an eye cream than a makeup product. “Ten percent of the formula is made of active skincare ingredients including hyaluronic acid and niacinamide,” she says. “This helps to hydrate and brighten. And it’s what stops the concealer from doing what concealers tend to do—settle into fine lines and make you look older.”
You can use the medium-coverage concealer to cover up dark undereyes or mask a pimple, but you can also use it how Tilbury does: “I made this concealer to lift and brighten the entire face,” she says. “I think we’re all so tired trying to keep up with everything. And if you wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and think you look tired, then you tend to feel more tired, too. I’m here to do whatever it takes to get rid of that and to get us to feeling like the most beautiful version of ourselves.” Her application method is key to achieving this facelifting effect:
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With a diagonal upward motion, you want to draw five lines of concealer across each side of your face: along your jawline, from underneath your bottom lip to the hollow of your cheek, from the corner of your nose to your cheekbone, across your eyelid, and across the center of your forehead. Then, with your fingers or a round makeup brush, blend the stripes into your skin using an upward sweeping motion. Here’s how I applied the stripes and how it looks after I’ve blended them into one side of my face:
You can apply foundation before or after concealer or skip it entirely. Tilbury does like to brush on her Airbrush Brightening Flawless Finish powder after blending the concealer. “I’ve got the driest skin in the world, and I can wear this powder because of its micro profile,” she explains.
To cover something up, you want to choose the shade that matches your skin perfectly. But for this facelifting technique, you want to go with a shade that’s one or two steps lighter than that. With 30 shades to choose from, Tilbury says she’s confident that she has the right one for you.
Kate Sandoval Box (she/her) is the Beauty Director at Oprah Daily. She has over 18 years of experience at national women’s media brands; and, in fact, started her publishing career at O, The Oprah Magazine. She’s also held beauty editor roles at Shape, Self, Latina, and Cosmopolitan. Kate tests hundreds and hundreds of beauty products that cross her desk each year and interviews many top experts, celebrities, and indie brand founders to bring you the best in beauty. Follow her on Instagram. | https://www.oprahdaily.com/beauty/skin-makeup/a40969720/charlotte-tilbury-beautiful-skin-radiant-concealer-review/ | 2022-08-27T04:17:36Z | oprahdaily.com | control | https://www.oprahdaily.com/beauty/skin-makeup/a40969720/charlotte-tilbury-beautiful-skin-radiant-concealer-review/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Eight months ago, after a decade of disappointing dating, I fell in love with a wonderful person. Not a woman. Not a man. My beloved identifies as gender nonbinary, masculine of center. Denise uses the pronouns “they” and “them,” and cringes when called “lady,” “woman,” or “ma’am.” They call me their girlfriend. I call them my person.
I’m not going to lie: Lifelong progressive politics notwithstanding, learning the new gender rules has not been easy for me. I have three excuses. One, I’m a lesbian; if my lover isn’t a woman, who and what am I? Two, I’m a writer, so using “they” and “them” to describe a single person feels like mangling the language, abusing the tool of my trade. Three, I’m 71 years old, and lately, cranky phrases like “What’s so bad about the old way?” keep tumbling from my lips.
If gender fluidity is this challenging for me, in love in Los Angeles in 2022, imagine how it was for Roy Hudgins, the intriguing subject of journalist Casey Parks’s riveting first book, Diary of a Misfit. Roy was born a girl named Delois in rural Delhi, Louisiana, in the 1950s. Tormented by his classmates for presenting as a boy, Roy became a country music singer, performing on his front porch for the residents of Delhi—including a lonely newcomer from Mississippi named Louise Huffman, who became his friend.
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Fast-forward 60 years and 40 miles east to West Monroe, Louisiana, pop. 13,000. Louise is now a churchgoing cotton picker, mother of Rhonda Jean, grandmother of Casey. One day in 2002 Casey comes home from college and confesses that she kissed a girl. And liked it.
“My mom ran to the bathroom and I ran after her,” Casey Parks writes on the first page of Diary of a Misfit. “I could lose my job,” [my mother] said, half whispering, half crying. “Mom,” I said, “I’m not going to be gay anymore.”
To Parks’s surprise, her grandmother defends her to her mother. “Some people eat hot dogs, and some people eat fish,” her grandmother snaps at Parks’s mom. “She likes women, and you need to get the fuck over it.”
As Rhonda Jean's opioid addiction escalates, ravaging her body and mind, she evinces less and less interest in getting over it. So, as many gay people do, Casey Parks flees her hometown for the relative ease and safety of a liberal city—in her case, Portland, Oregon. She spends the next decade reporting on LGBTQI issues for The Oregonian, geographically and spiritually bouncing between Portland and West Monroe, looking for answers to her big questions. Is it immoral to be a lesbian? Can she be a Christian and also be gay? Is she still a loyal Southerner, given that the South doesn’t love her back? On a visit to West Monroe, her grandmother surprises her again.
“I grew up across the street from a woman who lived as a man,” her grandmother announces, seemingly out of the blue.
Stunned by this revelation about the neighbor who called herself Roy Hudgins, aching to believe that if Roy could be accepted, so could she, Parks peppers her grandmother with questions. “What did you think of Roy? Were you shocked? Was Roy happy?”
“Honey, it didn’t matter. Everyone loved Roy, because he was a good, Christian person,” her grandmother replies. When Parks asks her grandmother what happened to Roy, her grandmother replies that although she and Roy had been best friends, they’d lost touch half a century ago.
“His whole existence was a mystery. It’s eaten at me all these years. Am I going to die without finding out?” Parks promises her grandmother, “I’ll find out about Roy.”
________
Diary of a Misfit follows Casey Parks through her 20s and 30s, years during which she decides to turn her search for Roy into a documentary film. She assembles a three-person, grant-funded crew and brings them on several trips to rural Louisiana, knocking on doors, interviewing people who knew Hudgins, leaving phone messages in her deepest Louisiana accent, hoping her former neighbors won’t recognize Parks as the Portland-dwelling lesbian she is.
Parks makes no bones about the dual motivations that drive her “memoir and mystery.” Her journalist self set out to explore the life and fate of “a woman who lived as a man” in the place that had formed and fractured both Parks and her subject. That quest alone would justify the decade Parks spent researching and writing the book. But what gives Diary of a Misfit its unique and lasting impact is the task undertaken and accomplished by Parks’s memoirist self: to understand and rid herself of self-loathing.
The very intensity with which Parks pursues Roy’s story reveals and reflects the depth of Parks’s longing to love herself despite the cruel, homophobic forces that turned both Parks and Roy into misfits.
“Some terrible things happened to Roy,” a neighbor tells Parks during an interview. “Everybody knowing she was female but dressed like a man… Some boys I know, all of them are probably dead by now, they took her down and pulled her clothes off. And looked at her.… It broke Roy. It killed her.”
Another interviewee called Roy “a morphydite.” “Half man, half woman,” he said. “Roy had the top part of a woman. I mean, you know, breasts.”
During her research trips, Parks unearths clues just tantalizing enough to keep her on the hunt, but not conclusive enough to resolve her film’s narrative arc—or her own identity crisis. After 10 years of searching, Parks locates Roy’s nursing home records, and ultimately his voluminous journals, collectively titled “Diary of a Misfit.” But despite these hard-won bits of evidence, Parks still lacks the answers she seeks. Was Roy put up for adoption or kidnapped as a small child? How did Roy cope with being a “misfit” within the world that had violently rejected him? Why is there no record of Roy’s death? How did he die, and why the persistent rumors that he was murdered?
Without these answers, how can Parks finish her film?
And without finishing her film, how can Parks hold her head up—in West Monroe, in Portland, in the mirror?
Utterly discouraged, in 2017 Parks applies for, and is accepted into, the master’s journalism program at Columbia University. There, she transforms her film project into the book titled Diary of a Misfit: A Memoir and a Mystery. Her moving, empowering, searching tale is one of the modern American South, of mother-daughter breaking and bonding, of the pernicious effects of homophobia and bullying and hate.
“I had hoped reading Roy’s diaries would settle something inside me,” Parks ends the book. “If I could solve his mysteries, I thought, I would decipher my own. But I understand now that most of what haunted me before might haunt me forever.”
Forever? Maybe not. If an old dog like me can stumble into love with a human being outside the bounds of the gender binary, and Casey Parks can win fellowships and accolades, as she has, for her personal/political account of the costs of gender bias, maybe there’s hope for acceptance, and self-acceptance, for people like Parks and Roy. In any case, Parks has written a memoir that will serve as a beacon for many others still yearning to no longer feel like misfits. | https://www.oprahdaily.com/entertainment/books/a40671089/casey-parks-diary-misfit-book-review/ | 2022-08-27T04:17:46Z | oprahdaily.com | control | https://www.oprahdaily.com/entertainment/books/a40671089/casey-parks-diary-misfit-book-review/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
In 1972, Bella Abzug, the indomitable congresswoman from New York, got a resolution passed establishing August 26 as “Women’s Equality Day.” The day memorialized the date in 1920 when the 19th Amendment was finalized, granting women the constitutional right to vote. Representative Abzug’s resolution read in part, “WHEREAS, the women of the United States have designated August 26, the anniversary date of the certification of the Nineteenth Amendment, as symbol of the continued fight for equal rights…” Observance of Women’s Equality Day was meant not only to commemorate women’s right to vote but also to call attention to the ongoing struggle for gender equality.
Now it’s 2022.
Where are we in this fight, nearly 50 years after the very first Women’s Equality Day?
Women have made strides in all sectors, including government, academia, sports, business, and medicine. In 1973, women made only 57 cents per dollar earned by men, and today women earn 82 cents per dollar when comparing all women to all men (of course, women of color still fare far worse). In 1972, there were only 15 women in Congress—total. Currently there are 147 women in the 117th Congress, 40 Republicans and 107 Democrats. The 147 women represent the most women serving in Congress—ever. Today we also have a female vice president, an achievement many once thought unthinkable. A whopping 58 percent of bachelor’s degrees conferred by U.S. postsecondary institutions are now awarded to women. And we have a woman Speaker of the House!
However, as Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney said in her 2008 book, Rumors of Our Progress Have Been Greatly Exaggerated, despite what many incorrectly assume, gender parity has not yet been realized. Far from it. Today:
- Only 27 percent of elected officials in Congress are women, and that’s an all-time high. (Reminder: Women make up 51 percent of the U.S. population.)
- Women in state legislatures do not fare much better. They make up only 31.1 percent of all state legislators.
- Roe v. Wade has been demolished, overturning 50 years of nationwide legal abortion access. Let’s also remember that the fall of Roe will impact more than abortion rights.
- In addition to not being free to chose whether or not to give birth, one in five moms experiences pregnancy discrimination in the workplace today.
- The U.S. is one of the only countries in the world without any national guaranteed paid parental leave.
- The gender wage gap persists across all demographics, and is not predicted to close in the U.S. until at least 2059. In four states—Louisiana, North Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming—the wage gap will not close until after the end of the 21st century.
- Many sex-discriminatory laws remain on the books and in practice. For example, in many states, the age for marriage is different depending on your sex. In every instance, girl children are allowed to marry much younger than boys. (Yes, child marriage is still legal in almost every state in the U.S.).
- Nationwide, 81 percent of women report experiencing some form of sexual harassment and/or assault in their lifetimes.
- Sixty-one percent of women say online harassment is a major problem, keeping the modern public square unsafe for women.
- The Equal Rights Amendment is not yet law, despite many decades of trying.
- And...we still haven’t elected a woman president.
No matter how you measure it, women in this country are still very much not equal.
There have been many moments in feminist history where we have come together en masse to flex our collective power and fight for equality. Some identify these as the “waves” of feminism. In the first wave, women fought for the right to vote. In the second, women fought for bodily autonomy, winning the now-defunct Roe v. Wade case and legislative victories like the Equal Pay Act of 1963. The powerful second wave, which was supported by women in both political parties, forced Congress to approve $5 million in public appropriations for both state and national women’s rights conferences. Congresswoman Patsy Mink, the first-ever woman of color elected to Congress, sponsored the bill, and Republican president Gerald Ford signed it into law. Five million dollars in 1975 is equivalent to about $27 million in 2022—can you imagine a Republican president funding a $27 million national feminist convention today?
The conventions all across the country (that Congress paid for) culminated in the National Women’s Conference in Houston in 1977. There, Bella Abzug, Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan, and other prominent feminists endorsed hot-button issues like abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, and the still-unratified Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which had passed in Congress with enthusiastic support from both sides of the aisle. The gathering was the most diverse of any political gathering in American history in terms of race, ethnicity, class, age, occupation, and level of political experience. During the conference, women from many marginalized racial groups came together to form the Minority Caucus, led by Coretta Scott King. They first coined the term “women of color” in Houston that day.
At the exact same time, anti-ERA campaigner Phyllis Schlafly and anti-abortion crusader Lottie Beth Hobbs rallied across town with conservative women to protest the federally funded feminist conference and launch what they called the “pro-family” movement. Their rally was almost entirely white, and included large numbers of men. This marked the death knell of the Republican Party’s longtime support for women’s rights.
Anti-feminism, racism, and Christian nationalism, became the three prongs of the Republian Party’s Long Southern Strategy to court white voters. The first major victory of the anti-feminist prong was the defeat of the ERA in 1982, after which feminists scrambled for a new platform. What had been a nationwide, robust, powerful, cohesive movement…scattered. Some shifted their focus to electing women to office. Others started movements to combat workplace harassment and violence against women. What had been active, vibrant coalitions began to drift into professionalizing camps with less incentive to actually solve problems than to fundraise by catastrophizing current events. Progress was made in certain lanes, but the backlash against women’s rights was fierce; victories feminists thought they had irrevocably secured were being rolled back.
Today—due to this scattershot strategy, combined with the failure of previous generations to train younger women in feminist organizing—there is no clear leadership of the feminist movement as a whole. There are smaller groups fighting for change by region or issue (some very effectively), but no nationwide, cohesive, disciplined feminist movement with a list of coherent demands. Once-powerful national groups from the 1970s, like the National Organization for Women or the Feminist Majority, are not on any politician’s radar today.
The Women’s March on Washington in 2017 was trumpeted as the largest single-day demonstration in recorded U.S. history, but it had no discernible demands. This is, in part, because none of the leaders of the Women’s March were part of the existing feminist movement. The movement wasn’t ready to meet the moment, and so those new to the space filled the void. Since 2017, its leadership has struggled to build momentum behind any concrete platform. It continues to hold marches and events that have smaller and smaller turnouts, and even clash with other movements—including those deeply embedded in the abortion rights movement. The momentum and energy gathered in 2017 has largely dissipated, funneling into other disparate causes as it did after the second wave. It certainly never blossomed into a unified movement with any bargaining power in Congress, as illustrated by its latest convention, which was also held in Houston but didn’t receive a single dime in federal appropriations (let alone $27 million).
In recent years, there have been vibrant, effective online pushes that have changed the national conversation—for example, #MeToo and #ShoutYourAbortion. However, internet enthusiasm is difficult to translate into boots on the ground and votes in the ballot box. While #MeToo may strike fear into the hearts of individual harassers (and has taken down very powerful men), it has not resulted in policy changes that can protect women who are not well-connected and don’t have ample internet access. Abortion has begun to be successfully destigmatized in the culture at large, but currently 26 states are poised to ban it altogether, and the future of abortion access is incredibly bleak.
None of this goes to say that feminism (or the basic tenets of feminism, at least) is not popular. Feminism is currently in fashion in art and music, and with many celebrities. Intersectional feminism has broadened the scope of the feminist project in important ways. We have, of course, made progress. But equality is not a feeling. It has to be formalized. The modern conundrum feminism faces is convincing women that, in reality, they don’t have legal rights they think they already do. Things are dire for feminism as a political force. In fact, a recent poll by the Southern Poverty Law Center showed that—today—nearly half of Democratic men under 50 think feminism has “done more harm than good.”
Sobering statistics like this remind us of how much work is left to be done to achieve gender equality in this country. Real progress will require old-fashioned community building, organizing a substantial ground game in low women’s rights infrastructure states, and a significant investment in the next generation of feminist leaders. If we have anything to learn from the Phyllis Schlaflys of the past, it’s that even catastrophic losses provide an opportunity to go back to the drawing board and fight harder for what we want. We can take this moment in history, when equality seems to be quickly disappearing, to create a bold vision of what we want not just in the next year but in the next 10, 20, 30, 40, or even 50 years.
American women can organize to promote our interests. It is possible. We intuitively know that concerted efforts to eliminate our freedoms is offensive to our core dignity as human beings. Encouragingly, after the Dobbs decision, women have been registering to vote in record numbers. That energy must be channeled into a unified movement with concrete demands. We must invest in feminism as an ongoing political project to improve the lived experience of all—especially those most marginalized, like trans women, women of color, immigrant women, disabled women, older women, and queer women—and not just with quippy slogans. As Representative Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman ever elected to Congress said during her presidential campaign in 1972, “Women have learned to flex their political muscles. You got to flex that muscle to get what you want.”
Kate Kelly is an attorney and the author of Ordinary Equality: The Fearless Women and Queer People Who Shaped the U.S. Constitution and the Equal Rights Amendment. | https://www.oprahdaily.com/entertainment/books/a40982144/womens-equality-day-kate-kelly/ | 2022-08-27T04:17:56Z | oprahdaily.com | control | https://www.oprahdaily.com/entertainment/books/a40982144/womens-equality-day-kate-kelly/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Ah, travel. For those so inclined, there’s no better pastime than jetting off to a faraway destination and soaking in all the wonders it holds—until 2020 happened, at least. Tourism in the time of Covid has not been so glorious. From double masking on planes and frantically wiping down every surface to travelgate ’22—you know, hours-long airport lines and canceled flights galore—it’s safe to say that travel is getting less and less joyful.
So when it came to my first international trip in several years, there was only one place that made sense. London is one of my favorite cities—I’m quite familiar with it thanks to the four months I spent there in college—and revisiting a destination where I was already comfortable made easing back into big travel much simpler. Although I was still wary about that first during-a-pandemic trip (Europe? In this economy?), dwelling on the beloved spots I planned to hit up again helped reduce that travel anxiety. London was also an ideal location for me as an English speaker, as well as the seamless learning curves with currency (Apple Pay is everywhere), getting around (the Tube is clean and convenient), and general etiquette. Plus, there were exciting new attractions on the horizon—a giant slide at the Tower of London? Yup, they’ve got it—that had me genuinely giddy even amid the travel chaos.
Despite any trip-induced headaches, visiting a cool destination is still a fulfilling and worthwhile experience. Ahead, discover what hotels, restaurants, and attractions London has to offer in 2022—so you can make travel joyful once again.
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What to Do
London’s best attraction of the season is the Superbloom at the Historic Royal Palace’s Tower of London. While the Tower is one of London’s most iconic (and haunting) buildings, the Superbloom breathes new life—quite literally—into the nearly 1,000-year-old structure. Originally designed as a fortress, the Tower features a wraparound moat that has never been open to the public before. Now, though, HRP has planted more than 20 million seeds in the moat, which have been blooming into vibrant flowers all summer long.
Tom O’Leary, director of public engagement at HRP, says that from the orange poppies to the blue, white, and pink cornflowers, most of the seeds were selected to attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. “There are an abundance of pollinating insects in London, but in urban environment,s these insects have to travel on average seven miles per day to find food, in contrast to three miles in the countryside,” he explains. “Superbloom marks the start of the transformation of the moat at the Tower of London into a permanent and sustainable naturalistic landscape.”
This project will up the ecological ante for years to come. Although the exhibit closes on September 18, the flowers will bloom year after year, allowing visitors to walk through the curving paths, listen to music composed specially for the exhibit, and try out the giant slide they’ve set up in the moat (we said there’d be one!).
When you’re done admiring the floral masterpiece, head inside the Tower to gaze at the Royal Family’s Crown Jewels collection, see where Anne Boleyn stayed before being coronated (and where she met her untimely death), and spot the iconic Tower Ravens—legend says the kingdom will fall if they ever fly away from the Tower.
GET TICKETS FOR THE TOWER OF LONDON
After being sufficiently creeped out by this Historic Royal Palace, head to its more regal sister property, Kensington Palace. Commonly known for being the site where Will, Kate, & Co. currently live, Kensington is situated in Hyde Park and features extensive history on Queen Victoria—the longstanding monarch was born in the palace and was living there when she ascended the throne at age 18.
Not to be missed, though, is “Life Through a Royal Lens,” an exhibit at Kensington Palace on display through October 30 that chronicles the royal family’s relationship with photography. It begins with the grainy daguerreotypes of Victoria and Albert’s early exploration into the medium and flashes through decades of both regal and casual images. The intimate photos of Princess Margaret, taken by her husband, renowned photographer Anthony Armstrong-Jones, will stop you in your tracks, as will the group shots of Diana, Will, and Harry, taken before she died.
GET TICKETS FOR KENSINGTON PALACE
Before you leave the city, don’t skip the London Eye for the best views of Big Ben—which has officially shed the scaffolding that obscured it for the last few years. The shiny new clocktower is definitely worth viewing from above.
Where to Stay
Sea Containers London
For classically luxe accommodations—where you’ll have London’s biggest attractions at your fingertips—try Sea Containers. Located on the South Bank of the Thames, Sea Containers boasts 359 rooms and suites with bold, nautical interiors. Amenities include thoughtful touches like USB ports for charging (no more worrying about international adapters), and you’ll have access to one of London’s swankiest bars, Lyaness, which prides itself on using unusual ingredients like oyster honey and fruit furikake.
Book Your Stay: Sea Containers ($$) and Lyaness ($$$) are located at 20 Upper Ground, London. read reviews
One Hundred Shoreditch
If you’re in the market for a trendier vibe, stay at the newly opened One Hundred Shoreditch. Located in the heart of Shoreditch, a buzzy east side neighborhood known for its nightlife and vintage shops, One Hundred and its plant-filled lobby are just begging to live on your Instagram story. The 258 rooms and suites feature nature-chic decor—think sculptural vases with dried botanicals, woven wall hangings, and paper lantern light fixtures. The front-facing studio lofts’ large bay windows are complete with a cozy chair while the suites’ private balconies look out onto London’s skyscrapers. Sustainable swaps add to the ambiance: Rather than stocking rooms with travel-size toiletries and plastic water bottles, each bathroom has large refillable glass bottles for shower necessities, and every floor has a water refill station.
Book Your Stay: One Hundred Shoreditch ($$) is located at 100 Shoreditch High Street, London. read reviews
Where to Eat
The perennial knock on London is that the culinary offerings are, well, not the city’s strong suit. Get those lies out of your head—pronto. As a mixing bowl for all different cultures, London has adopted a wide variety of cuisines. The Indian food is famously delicious (I could wax poetic for days about the house black daal at Dishoom), but the Middle Eastern fare is heavenly, too.
Imad’s Syrian Kitchen is no exception: A new darling on the London restaurant scene, Imad’s was opened in 2021 by Imad Alarnab, a Syrian chef whose former Damascus-based restaurants were destroyed due to the war. While making his way to London, Alarnab cooked for his fellow refugees—dazzling them as he eventually did hungry Londoners.
Alarnab’s Soho-based restaurant is nestled on the third level of Kingly Court, a lively open-air confluence of bustling restaurants that you’ll discover by turning down an unassuming alleyway off Carnaby Street. Adorned with Grecian blue tiling and trailing pothos vines, the bright space meshes café with bistro. On the menu, falafel is a must: Instead of standard spheres, the chickpea filling is shaped as a small donut, ensuring that each bite has a taste of that perfectly crisp exterior. Other hits include the zahraa harra (roasted cauliflower that puts all other vegetables to shame) and refreshing Syrian ice cream (topped with threads of white cotton candy). The best part? Alarnab is known for walking around the restaurant and chatting with guests, so you can thank him face-to-face—and you’ll want to.
If you’re after a more traditional British menu but prefer a fancy experience, try the Michelin-starred restaurant Marcus. The vibe is effortlessly upscale but not stuffy, and the lunch menu (£60 for three courses) is divine.
Another elegant (and sumptuous) way to entertain yourself is, of course, afternoon tea. One of the classiest options is The Dorchester, a historic hotel located just off Hyde Park and a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace. For £75, you’ll be treated to dainty finger sandwiches and unlimited pours of their more than 30 tea options.
When you’re ready to return to the mortal world with some casual food, head to one of London’s many markets. (Dining alfresco is the best way to enjoy the city’s rare sunny days.) New on the scene is the Tower of London location of KERB, an organization dedicated to highlighting street food that might otherwise go unnoticed. They group food trucks and stands into combined markets where diners can bounce between cuisines like barbecue, Taiwanese, Caribbean, Swedish, Indian, and more. (P.S.: The utensils and cups can be composted!) There are multiple KERB locations across the city, but, with an unparalleled view of Tower Bridge and Superbloom in full swing, the Tower of London location is an idyllic way to experience London.
Clearly, London offers simply any activity, food, or attraction you might be interested in. It comes in handy to know that during your first big trip in our Covid-changed world, you’re pretty much guaranteed to enjoy yourself—and, reader, I did. [Editor’s note: The writer received comped experiences for this story.]
Cassie Hurwitz (she/her) is Oprah Daily’s assistant editor, where she covers everything from culture to entertainment to lifestyle. She can typically be found in the middle of multiple books and TV shows all at once. Previously, Cassie worked at Parents, Rachael Ray In Season, and Reveal. Her love language is pizza (New York slices, Chicago deep dish, and otherwise). | https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/a40838025/london-travel-guide/ | 2022-08-27T04:18:06Z | oprahdaily.com | control | https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/a40838025/london-travel-guide/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Fire crews from multiple agencies responded to a brush fire Friday afternoon in the 1600 block of Medicine Valley Road near White Swan.
As of 7:30 p.m., Yakima County Fire District 5 said the fire was contained and evacuation levels were lifted. Crews were mopping up.
The wind-driven fire grew to at least 1,000 acres, the fire district said. Roads northwest of Hawk Road and Medicine Valley Road were closed earlier in the evening, said Yakima County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Scot Swallow.
Emergency personnel from the sheriff’s office, Yakima Nation Tribal Police Department, Yakima Valley Emergency Management, Fire District 5 and the Selah and Naches fire departments were among those on scene.
A helicopter and multiple planes were in the sky dropping water on the fire.
The cause of the fire was unknown.
According to a post on the Mt. Adams School District Facebook page, all students, staff, athletes and coaches were evacuated from White Swan High School. | https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/lower_valley/brush-fire-near-white-swan-contained-and-evacuation-notices-lifted/article_f910310c-2595-11ed-b21b-c3ab757d85f3.html | 2022-08-27T04:18:45Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/lower_valley/brush-fire-near-white-swan-contained-and-evacuation-notices-lifted/article_f910310c-2595-11ed-b21b-c3ab757d85f3.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
YAKIMA COUNTY, Wash. —
UPDATE: 7:52 p.m.
All evacuations have been lifted. The fire is considered 70% contained, according to crews on scene. Some homeless camps were lost to the fire.
The Mount Adams School District evacuated all athletes and staff from the White Swan Campus before 7 p.m. The high school football team has pulled out of the Jamboree at highland on August 27.
UPDATE: 6:19 p.m.
Naches and Selah Fire Departments have joined to assist fighting the Medicine Valley Road Fire, which is burning at over 1,000 acres. Three planes and one helicopter are on scene.
UPDATE: 4:43 p.m.
Yakima County Fire District 5 has updated the fire is now close to 1,000 acres and is still being spread by the wind.
Level 3 evacuations have been ordered for West White Swan Road, north to Branch Road and everything west of Wesley Road.
Level 2 evacuations have been ordered for Fort Simcoe Road, north to West White Swan Road and West of Signal Peak Road, including White Swan.
AUGUST 26, 2022 4:12 p.m.
A brush fire outside of White Swan has reached around 180 acres as crews from Yakima County Fire District 5 respond. The fire is around the 1600 block of Medicine Valley Road and is being pushed by the wind.
The fire was reported shortly after 3 p.m. on August 26 and is currently moving toward Hawk Road. | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/update-evacuations-lifted-for-medicine-valley-road-fire/article_91d80d76-2594-11ed-847d-138f7cbfd3f8.html | 2022-08-27T04:21:59Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/update-evacuations-lifted-for-medicine-valley-road-fire/article_91d80d76-2594-11ed-847d-138f7cbfd3f8.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
YAKIMA, Wash. -
UPDATE: 8:50 p.m.
A 28-year-old motorcyclist suffered serious injuries after an 18-year-old without a license did not give up the right of way, according to the Yakima Police Department.
The 18-year-old woman was turning left in a Jeep Patriot at the 28th and Tieton intersection when she failed to give the right of way to the motorcyclist. She turned left in front of him, causing him to fly off the motorcycle, according to the press release.
Another car was waiting to turn at the intersection when the collision happened. The motorcyclist crashed into that car before being taken to the hospital. He is in critical but stable condition, according to YPD, but may be airlifted to another hospital.
The Jeep driver was not hurt. YPD reports the primary cause of the crash as driver inexperience. The crash is still being investigated. Anyone with information should contact Officer Jim Yates at 509-575-6246 or james.yates@yakimawa.gov.
AUGUST 26, 2022 5:25 p.m.
The Yakima Police Department is responding to a "major collision" at Tieton Drive and S 28th Avenue. All lanes are closed.
This is a developing story, which means information could change. We are working to report timely and accurate information as we get it. | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/traffic/driver-without-license-causes-crash-motorcyclist-in-hospital/article_ca774110-259e-11ed-b63f-cf42d9c5adb5.html | 2022-08-27T04:22:05Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/traffic/driver-without-license-causes-crash-motorcyclist-in-hospital/article_ca774110-259e-11ed-b63f-cf42d9c5adb5.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WALLA WALLA, Wash. - The City of Walla Walla is reminding people that there will be intermittent closures on Ransom Road, starting August 29 through late October. Private utility and road work will cause the closure between Cottonwood Road and 2nd Avenue.
Detour routes will be available. People living in the area will get local access. For questions, contact the City of Walla Walla Engineering at 509-527-4537. | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/traffic/ransom-road-to-see-intermittent-road-closures-through-october/article_6597c530-25b7-11ed-974c-83d1898fa363.html | 2022-08-27T04:22:11Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/traffic/ransom-road-to-see-intermittent-road-closures-through-october/article_6597c530-25b7-11ed-974c-83d1898fa363.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq., a partner at the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF"), announces that KSF has commenced an investigation into Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NasdaqGS: SPPI).
On August 6, 2021, the Company disclosed the receipt of a Complete Response Letter ("CRL") from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") regarding the application for its drug candidate, ROLONTIS, that highlighted manufacturing deficiencies and indicated that a reinspection of the Company's manufacturing facility would be necessary.
Thereafter, the Company and certain of its executives were sued in a securities class action lawsuit, charging them with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period in violation of federal securities laws, which remains ongoing.
KSF's investigation is focusing on whether Spectrum's officers and/or directors breached their fiduciary duties to its shareholders or otherwise violated state or federal laws.
If you have information that would assist KSF in its investigation, or have been a long-term holder of Spectrum shares and would like to discuss your legal rights, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nasdaqgs-sppi/ to learn more.
KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients – including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors – in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California, Louisiana and New Jersey.
To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com.
Contact:
Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner
lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com
1-877-515-1850
1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200
New Orleans, LA 70163
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/08/27/spectrum-pharmaceuticals-investigation-initiated-by-former-louisiana-attorney-general-kahn-swick-amp-foti-llc-investigates-officers-directors-spectrum-pharmaceuticals-inc-sppi/ | 2022-08-27T04:30:45Z | wave3.com | control | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/08/27/spectrum-pharmaceuticals-investigation-initiated-by-former-louisiana-attorney-general-kahn-swick-amp-foti-llc-investigates-officers-directors-spectrum-pharmaceuticals-inc-sppi/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
HONOLULU (KITV4) -- After the National Weather Service (NWS) in 2012 deemed Kailua a "Tsunami Ready Community," meaning residents are prepared and aware of proper evacuation protocol, the area neighborhood board has been pushing the city to install tsunami warning signs.
Neighborhood board chair Bill Hicks worries some of his community members may not know much about evacuation zones because, "you know it's important because, people don't look at the phone book very much anymore."
Despite repeated appeals, board members have grown frustrated with what they viewed as little action to put up signs.
"Despite the lack of visible progress in our community, there has been a lot of work being done behind the scenes," Honolulu Department of Emergency Management Hiro Toiya said.
Throughout the years, the department has been trying to secure funding for the signs -- and even ordered some a few years back.
However, Toiya told KITV4 the signs only accounted for one type of evacuation zone. There are two kinds, a regular one and an extreme one.
"The regular tsunami evacuation zone has about 80,000 resident population, where as the extreme tsunami evacuation zone has about 250,000 resident population," Toiya added.
Residents in the regular zone, closer to the water, must evacuate whenever there is a tsunami warning. But those in the extreme zone only have to evacuate if a warning is triggered after an 9.0 magnitude or higher earthquake in the Easter Aleutian Islands.
But some of the signs department has do not clearly indicate to residents in the extreme zone that they don't always have to evacuate during all tsunami warnings, Toiya said.
"So the problem with that is, those that are closest to the coastline and that are going to be more impacted by the tsunamis, they're going to be on the tail end of that traffic and their evacuation is going to be compromised as a result," Toiya explained. "We're going to use as many of the signs as we can from our previous efforts."
Luckily, the department received $800,000 from a federal grant to put up more than 70 evacuation signs aross Oahu's city and state beach parks.
There will also be about 260 along roadways, "and these signs will show when you're entering or leaving a tsunami hazard area," Toiya said.
The grant requires city leadership to match $200,000 and Toiya said the department is working with councilmembers to release those funds. Additionally, the department has to finish the project by November of next year.
"It's a rather short timeline, so we're trying to be very aggressive with our work," Toiya pledged.
The department plans to begin installing signs by the end of this year.
'A'ali'i is a reporter with KITV. He was born and raised on the island of Maui and graduated from the University of Southern California with a bachelor's degree in Journalism. | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/after-years-of-planning-pressure-from-community-city-to-install-tsunami-warning-signs-across-oahu/article_9c348988-25ae-11ed-ae92-479c9fe0d819.html | 2022-08-27T04:31:31Z | kitv.com | control | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/after-years-of-planning-pressure-from-community-city-to-install-tsunami-warning-signs-across-oahu/article_9c348988-25ae-11ed-ae92-479c9fe0d819.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Terlingham Vineyard is a family owned vineyard just outside of Folkestone that has been producing award-winning English wines for the past decade. This year they have launched their first gin alongside Rebel Distillers, and it is already making some waves in the industry.
Earlier this year the vineyard itself was named as one of the best in the country, and its sparkling wine was declared a 'real triumph' by Countryfile magazine, who listed among their top ten sparkling wines in England. It also won silver at the Independent English Wine Awards in 2021.
Now the latest addition to the Terlingham family is starting to make some noise of its own. Terlingham Bacchus Dry Gin has already won Gold at the Gin Masters in the contemporary category, and Gold at the Spirits Business Spring Tasting, and now this small batch gin has just been named in Forbes magazine as one of the world's best new gins.
Read more: I went to Tonbridge's brand new Wimpy but couldn't tell it apart from any McDonald's
The classic dry gin is inspired by the wines produced at the vineyard, and that might give some clue as to what the 'magic' ingredient is that sets it apart from others. The gin is crafted using botanicals that reflect the family's home at Terlingham and the surrounding area of Folkestone, with the special addition of their award winning Bacchus wine.
Co-owner Jackie said: "We distill some of this wine into an eau de vie, and add it into the gin as one of the botanicals, it is a classic dry gin. We start with traditional juniper and add some locally found botanicals including rhubarb and nettle, collected by hand here in Folkestone.
"Our award-winning Bacchus wine gives it a delicate sweetness, with notes of elderflower. Then fresh lime and orange peel. Finally, we add a touch of honey in the distillation.
The gin is small batch and 'handmade with love' which means everything down to the label on the bottle, will most likely have been placed there by a member of the family. Jackie said: " The feedback we've had on the gin has been it has a depth and smoothness that is unusual.
"And that the flavours are fascinating, and they develop with each sip. We recommend drinking with some fresh mint and a twist of lime, and a good tonic and lots of ice.'
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Pictures show work on new Wendy's restaurant in Maidstone almost complete ahead of opening | https://www.kentlive.news/whats-on/food-drink/folkestone-gin-magic-ingredient-named-7494028 | 2022-08-27T04:34:02Z | kentlive.news | control | https://www.kentlive.news/whats-on/food-drink/folkestone-gin-magic-ingredient-named-7494028 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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