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www.infosalus.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. This process is automatic. You will be redirected once the validation is complete. | https://www.infosalus.com/salud-investigacion/noticia-no-vemos-oscuridad-20220827075949.html | 2022-08-27T08:37:19Z | infosalus.com | control | https://www.infosalus.com/salud-investigacion/noticia-no-vemos-oscuridad-20220827075949.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
'The Cubs are back': Timnath football makes its new debut with a Friday Night Lights party
The Cubs are back.
So said the sign held up by Timnath High School cheerleaders for the pregame intro.
But the signs were everywhere out at the new Poudre School District Stadium on Timnath's campus Friday night.
No matter where you turned, the signs pointed to a quintessential Friday Night Lights experience.
The slick baby blue popping on the uniforms. A packed house in the home bleachers. Gold-and-blue pom-poms waving and identically-colored beads flying through the student section air. The cheerleaders and band providing a soundtrack to it all.
Yes, high school football was back in Timnath for the first time in over 60 years. And while the scoreboard said Berthoud 48, Cubs 0, that was hardly the point for a team playing only freshmen and sophomores.
No, this was a celebration, a party and a rite of passage.
"It was a whole different experience, knowing it had been 60-plus years since the last (Timnath) game," said Timnath sophomore player Vince Hochalter. "Putting on the pads and the jersey just made you feel that history and made us come out with intensity."
Here's what stood out in the Cubs' return to the gridiron.
Student section shows out
That energy was everywhere in the sparkling new PSD Stadium, and even a healthy rain before the game couldn't dampen it.
The home stands were full up in the first half, especially in a zealous student section. In the opening minutes, students chanted "Michael, Michael, Michael," to a Timnath middle schooler helping as a ball kid after he blew a kiss their way.
At one point, the front row became impromptu cheerleaders, led by girls adorned in too-small blue cowboy hats spurring the crowd on. And even though many had official school gear already, others made it work with throwback Carmelo Anthony-era Nuggets gear, Phillies powder blue retro jerseys and even a faux-baseball umpire shirt — close enough, right?
The school spirit was off the charts for a place that only officially opened this month. Beads and pom-pom strands littered the skyline early and the ground late, free giveaways for students as a welcoming gift.
"It was a crazy feeling to turn and see that," said sophomore quarterback Alex Kolczak. "We didn’t expect to see people fill up the stands for us."
"That really helped us keep our morale up during the game," Hochhalter said.
A community, together
Timnath has grown up significantly over the past few decades and Friday felt like a culmination of that.
"There’s been a lot of excitement even last year in the planning process," said Timnath principal Jesse Morrill. "The community was really anxious for this. This school gets to be a center point, bringing Timnath and so many surrounding communities together."
It was a familiar feeling for Timnath coach Jayson Robinson.
"This is why all of us wanted to be here," Robinson said. "I’m a small-town kid too, grew up in a small town and there’s nothing like the support of that community. It's just a cool atmosphere."
That atmosphere was on display outside the stadium, too.
There were a half-dozen tailgates already rocking 90 minutes before kickoff. The school threw a pizza party tailgate for students, a fundraiser was selling Cubs gear to raise money for the volleyball team (among other entities) and kids from the local School of Rock played a pregame concert outside the south endzone.
"It’s kind of a surreal feeling honestly, just to see it all finally in front of you," said Timnath vice principal and athletic director Emily Dunn. "It’s been a long time coming for everybody."
On the field
This was a unique game. One where the final score wasn't irrelevant, but it wasn't exactly the be-all, end-all.
Timnath allowed a 60-plus yard touchdown run on the first play of scrimmage but settled in admirably. The Cubs got a pair of first-quarter 4th-down stops, including the first sack in program history courtesy of Cade Geist.
But the Timnath underclassmen were obviously undersized and outmanned across the board, making positive plays tough to earn. A running clock started minutes into the third quarter, and the home team never gained more than 15 yards on a single play.
Still, Robinson was encouraged and upbeat after the game, telling his team they played with no quit and plenty of grit despite the size disadvantage.
"When, defensively, we’re making them go 8-plus plays on most scoring drives, that’s what we’re looking for," Robinson said. "This group of guys has the right spirit and toughness."
The coach also shouted out Geist, Hochalter, Alan Chavez and Davis Payne ("He looked like the fastest guy on the field") as standouts. And Kolczak was commendable playing through pressure and big hits all game under center.
"There's so much to work on, like delivering the ball, setting my feet and not floating the ball," Kolczak said. "We knew what we’re up against, but we still can be better."
Maybe on the field, sure. But it will be hard to beat this Friday night in Timnath for everything off it.
And that includes the new stadium, not technically Timnath's as a district facility but a place where the Cubs have traditions to establish, like Friday afternoon's stadium walk from the school building with students and the band.
So it wasn't move-in day so much as the housewarming party, because the Cubs are back. Right at home.
"It’s really special to be here," Morrill said. "We’re awfully lucky that the stadium is built right on our campus.
"It’s shared by a lot of schools but it already feels like home to us." | https://www.coloradoan.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2022/08/27/timnath-high-school-football-returns-first-game-vs-berthoud/65458605007/ | 2022-08-27T08:38:53Z | coloradoan.com | control | https://www.coloradoan.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2022/08/27/timnath-high-school-football-returns-first-game-vs-berthoud/65458605007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Hollywood loves few things more than retailing myths and legends about itself. Few of these yarns have had a longer life than what happened at the 1973 Academy Awards involving Marlon Brando, John Wayne and a Native American activist named Sacheen Littlefeather.
Movie aficionados generally remember that Brando sent Littlefeather up to the stage to decline his Oscar as best actor for “The Godfather.”
Littlefeather, wearing buckskin and moccasins, read a brief statement of less than a minute, politely stating on Brando’s behalf that he “very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award,” to protest “the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry and on television in movie reruns.”
She mentioned Wounded Knee, the South Dakota town occupied at that moment by Native activists marking the massacre of 300 Lakota by the U.S. Army in 1890.
Littlefeather was interrupted once by a chorus of catcalls, boos and scattered applause from the audience. She closed with the hope that “in the future, our hearts and our understandings will meet with love and generosity.”
The whole episode has moved back into the news over the past couple of weeks because the academy last week issued an apology to Littlefeather, now 75, for her reception at the ceremony. The academy also said it would host Littlefeather at an evening of “conversation, healing and celebration” on Sept. 17.
“The abuse you endured because of this statement was unwarranted and unjustified,” the academy apology reads. It may have been alluding to the catcalls from the audience, or perhaps to a crass crack by Clint Eastwood, who, upon presenting the Oscar for best picture, wondered into the microphone whether he should do so “on behalf of all the cowboys shot in John Ford westerns over the years.”
But the part of the story that has grown with the years and was dredged up, again, in articles about the apology is the John Wayne part. According to legend, Wayne, listening to Littlefeather from backstage, became so incensed that he had to be restrained by six security guards from storming the stage to either assault Littlefeather or drag her offstage.
(The legend has also been invoked in reporting Will Smith’s assault of Chris Rock onstage at this year’s Oscars.)
The revival of the Wayne story caught the attention of one of our most learned and entertaining cineastes and film historians, Farran Nehme, who writes an indispensable film blog under the pseudonym Self-Styled Siren.
“Once again,” Nehme writes, “we’re flooded with the tale of John Wayne and the Six Security Men, the lousy variety act many people believe played the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion back in 1973.”
Her conclusion, after considerable reporting and research, is: “Never happened.” Rather, she says, the story began as an exaggerated yarn that Oscar telecast director Marty Pasetta started telling interviewers a year or so after the fact “that got more exciting each time it was told” until it became “a persistent urban legend.”
Nehme’s effort deserves to be acknowledged because it’s a terrific model of how to debunk a story that has been cemented into history. Writers of historical nonfiction have often encountered this problem; I know I have. In researching almost every one of my own books, I’ve found myself trying to track down a cherished historical “fact” and discovering that it has absolutely no basis in reality. It’s a chore that almost counts as an occupational hazard.
In this case, Nehme has to deal not only with Pasetta’s version but also one offered by Littlefeather herself on several occasions, including in a 2020 documentary about herself. There, as Nehme reports, she states, “I was escorted off of that stage by some armed guards.... And luckily so because John Wayne was waiting in the wings ready to go on to pull me off the stage, and he had to be held back by six security men because he was so outraged about what I had said.”
Nehme starts her inquiry by noting the evolution of Pasetta’s own story. In 1974, he told an interviewer that on hearing Littlefeather speak, “John Wayne (is) backstage and he’s in an uproar and I had to calm him down.” In 1984, he told another interviewer that “John Wayne was in the wings and was so angry he wanted to go and pull her offstage.”
The six security men (a suspiciously precise number, Nehme observes) first make their appearance in 1988, when he told a third interviewer, “We had a fight is what we had. ... John Wayne wanted to go out there and physically yank her off the stage. It took six men to hold him back.”
Then there’s the circumstantial evidence. When Littlefeather took the stage, no one knew what she would say — including Howard Koch, the Oscars producer, who had merely told her she would have 60 seconds to speak.
A clip of her appearance shows that she actually appeared on stage for about one minute and 20 seconds. She spends the first half-minute or so introducing herself as an Apache and the president of the Native American Affirmative Image Committee. Only then does she say that Brando is declining the award and why. Then she follows the presenters, Roger Moore and Liv Ullman, offstage.
As Nehme observes, that would suggest that in the space of 45 seconds, John Wayne heard her words, decided that they were infuriating, got up to mount an attack, and drew the resistance of six security guards.
It’s worth keeping in mind, as she points out, that nine years earlier Wayne had undergone lung cancer surgery in which two of his ribs and part of his left lung were removed. He was never entirely hale and hearty after that.
Wayne never criticized Littlefeather personally; his general comment when asked about Brando’s refusal is that the actor should have come out and done it in person.
Littlefeather suffered years of ridicule, which the academy alludes to in its apology. But she conducted herself with poise and calm; after her stage appearance she was brought by Moore to the Oscars press room, where she read the statement Brando had written.
And of course, Brando was right to be critical of Hollywood’s treatment of Native Americans, then and now. The academy has been trying to make amends, in its way. Among other efforts, it created an Indigenous Alliance whose co-chair, producer Bird Runningwater, will conduct the conversation with her next month. Native Americans have benefited from a slow evolution of inclusiveness in American movies in recent years, but much more needs to be done to erase its stereotypical treatment of the past.
As for the John Wayne story, it’s an insult both to the academy and to Wayne himself. We’ve been critical in the past of the tendency to accept Wayne’s on-screen persona of a rough-and-tough American frontiersman, including, yes, as an Indian-killer, as true to life.
Wayne was a dyed-in-the-wool political conservative, but according to his biographer, Scott Eyman, in real life he was a “well brought up Edwardian man” who would never think of assaulting a woman. Nehme elicited that insight from Eyman directly, noting that he didn’t even mention the episode in his book about Wayne.
“Nobody I talked to who knew Wayne,” Eyman told her, “ever referred to or, apparently, believed that story.” It would only be just to retire it altogether. | https://www.yakimaherald.com/opinion/column-did-john-wayne-try-to-assault-sacheen-littlefeather-at-the-1973-oscars-debunking-a/article_7f791a16-2414-11ed-b3b8-df7fa5c5163a.html | 2022-08-27T08:39:27Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/opinion/column-did-john-wayne-try-to-assault-sacheen-littlefeather-at-the-1973-oscars-debunking-a/article_7f791a16-2414-11ed-b3b8-df7fa5c5163a.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The letter I received from my former student thanked me for teaching him chess in fifth grade. It was a setup. Now, 11 years later, he was inviting me to play his game of chess — inmates’ chess. He is still my favorite fifth-grader. He was sweet and charismatic then. He offered an update: “Mr. Karrer, when I was fourteen I caught nine attempted murder charges, an arson, and some other charges. So, I’m in prison.”
But I already knew most of that. I had kept an ear on his doings.
He grew up in east Salinas, Calif., in Acosta Plaza, a low-income housing project and an exceedingly dangerous place. The great Latino killing zone for far too many. A few years later he moved to the small tough town where I taught. He’d show up after school, often not attending class that day. He’d have a chessboard set up directly on the other side of my door. I couldn’t get past him.
“Just one game, teacher! Come on.”
We’d usually play three. I taught him chess, and he’d cautiously unloosen details about his life in the ’hood. I learned he never knew his dad. Mom was in and out of jail. He spent many days in the hospital for various ailments, mostly asthma-related.
My wife was the elementary’s latchkey teacher, giving kids with no adults at home a place to go before and after school. Many carried their house key around their necks. My young chessmate attended her class. She said of him, “When that boy comes into a room, he brightens it up. He smiles. He laughs. He brings joy with him.”
But in middle school he had to pick a street gang, Norteño, Sureño or Mara Salvatrucha. If he didn’t, he’d be fair game for all three. He chose one and became a full-fledged active gang member. Soon thereafter one of the other gangs shot at him and missed. He knew who had done it, and he burned their house down in the middle of the night. Nine people were at home asleep. No one was injured, but that’s how he ended up with nine attempted murder charges.
He was only 14 years old and started his incarceration journey at a detention center for juveniles. Then at 16, he was off to hard time in Corcoran State Prison and, finally, to maximum security at Salinas Valley State Prison. For years he did time in “administrative segregation,” which is bureaucratic verbiage for solitary confinement.
In each prison he played chess, and he read. He did a lot of both. “I’m not reading pussy books, Mr. Karrer. I’m reading books about revolutions. I want 'Mao’s Red Book' and 'The Art of War,' by Sun Tzu. Oh, sorry for using the word pussy.” Even in prison he remained polite to me.
“Hey,” he wrote, “when I was in Corcoran I played Sirhan Sirhan, and Charlie Manson. We were on the same cell block. But different tiers. Sirhan cheats. Charlie was really good. I beat him once but I don’t think he was really paying attention.”
As for my inmates’ chess invitation. We would play on a paper board. In my letter he’d sent a paper chessboard with 64 squares. All done in pencil. He’d also drawn 32 flat paper pieces. My initials on mine. His initials on his. One team white. One team black.
“Teacher-man, we play through the mail. One letter. One move. No CHEATING!”
We played that one game for just short of three years. Every two to three weeks we exchanged letters. We’d made a promise that if he ever got out we’d finish outside in the sun with the wind in his face. On a November day — it was Thanksgiving and his birthday — he was released. He was 26.
The next day we played in a parking lot in Monterey. I’m sorry to say I beat him. But perhaps he was distracted, like Charles Manson was when he played my former student. He kept on getting cellphone calls, and he was wired, super-hyper with freedom.
I took his queen, and it was over.
Since then, he has been in and out of jail. It pains me to say he has not mended his ways. I have not heard from him in some time. I still play chess. I hope he does, too.
Sometimes I wish I had let him win. | https://www.yakimaherald.com/opinion/commentary-after-my-favorite-5th-grader-of-all-time-went-to-prison-chess-kept-us/article_86e32258-23e0-11ed-b22e-d720f4885327.html | 2022-08-27T08:39:33Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/opinion/commentary-after-my-favorite-5th-grader-of-all-time-went-to-prison-chess-kept-us/article_86e32258-23e0-11ed-b22e-d720f4885327.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
KEARNEY, Neb. — Central Washington volleyball finished strong after a tough start on its first day of the season.
The Wildcats rallied to win three straight games and beat Sioux Falls 22-25, 25-20, 25-16, 25-18 at the Rosella Meier Fall Classic in Kearney, Neb on Friday. Earlier in the day, Central stayed competitive for the better part of three games against No. 2 Washburn but fell 25-21, 25-21, 25-15.
Junior Ashley Kaufman gave the Wildcats’ offense a boost in their second match with 18 kills, and they closed it by winning six of the last seven points. Ellensburg graduate Tia Andaya led the defense with 11 digs and four blocks to go with her 13 kills and 21 assists.
Emma Daoud-Hebert posted a team-high 9 kills against Washburn, which lost in last year’s NCAA Division II national championship. The Wildcats held a 15-11 lead and were tied at 21 in the first game before giving up four straight points.
Central resumes play early Saturday against Minot State at 8 a.m. before concluding its trip with against No. 10 Nebraska Kearney at 4 p.m.
CWU highlights vs. Washburn: Tia Andaya 6 kills, 13 assts, 3 digs; Sydney Remsberg 17 assts; Emma Daoud-Hebert 9 kills, 4 blocks; Ashley Kaufman 5 kills, 8 digs; Marianna Payne 8 kills; Hannah Stires 7 digs.
CWU highlights vs. Sioux Falls: Tia Andaya 13 kills, 21 assts, 11 digs, 4 blocks; Sydney Remsberg 25 assts; Ashley Kaufman 18 kills, 4 aces, 9 digs; Kylie Thorne 9 kills, 3 aces, 12 digs; Hannah Stires 10 digs, 4 assts; Marianna Payne 8 kills, 3 blocks, 4 digs. | https://www.yakimaherald.com/sports/college_sports/cwu_sports/central-splits-two-matches-in-nebraska/article_d3341e06-257e-11ed-87f1-5b787f62e9e2.html | 2022-08-27T08:39:39Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/sports/college_sports/cwu_sports/central-splits-two-matches-in-nebraska/article_d3341e06-257e-11ed-87f1-5b787f62e9e2.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
We started the 2022 Marquette volleyball season with a lot of questions about what was going to happen. Whether they were big questions about the end of season results or small questions about literally who was going to start for the Golden Eagles in the first match of the season, there were a lot of them.
Now there’s just one question, one popularized by Bill Goldberg in the late 1990s: WHO’S NEXT?
Powered by 18 kills by Aubrey Hamilton in her Marquette debut, Marquette took a 2-0 lead on #11 Kentucky in UK’s barn in Lexington, weathered a rally by the five-time defending SEC champs and 2020 national champions to tie the match at two sets each, and then hit .400 exactly in the fifth frame to get the 15-12 set win and wrap up the 3-2 victory over the Wildcats. Marquette moves to 1-0 on the season, and their ranking in the AVCA top 25 on Monday afternoon is now merely a formality.
For a minute there, it almost looked like Marquette winning the match was a formality. The Golden Eagles hit over .300 in both of the first two sets and held Kentucky to just .152 in the first set while leading almost the entire way and then .286 in the second. Two errors by Marquette allowed Kentucky to tie the first set up at 18 points each, and it was tied again at 19. Consecutive errors by the Wildcats triggered a 4-0 run by MU which turned into a 6-2 burst to tend the set at 25-21.
The second set, while Marquette had that hitting advantage, was much closer to going the other way. UK took a 16-12 lead as the Golden Eagles couldn’t get their act together for a minute, leaving MU to have to chase after them. Three straight Kentucky errors flipped the thing from 19-18 Kentucky to 22-20 Marquette. Kentucky tied it at 22 on an error by MU’s Jenna Reitsma, but she made up for it by giving her team their 24th point of the set and Ella Foti dropped home the winner.
At this point, we should really sidebar to discuss Foti. She joined Marquette in January of 2021 after finishing high school early and then didn’t play in that spring season. She missed the 2021 fall season due to injury, so today’s match was her Marquette debut. What did she do in her first ever action? She started, played in all five sets, took 26 swings and recorded 12 kills to finish second on the team behind Hamilton and hit .346 to do it. Why is this particularly impressive? Foti is listed on the Marquette roster as a setter. MU’s current lack of depth at hitter due to Hannah Vanden berg’s current injury recovery opened the door to Foti finding some playing time, and she clearly made the most of it.
That takes us over to sets #3 and #4, which effectively was just 84 points of Marquette fans everywhere going “ohhhhhhhhhh nooooooooooo.” MU still hit over .350 in the third…. But let Kentucky hit .559 to win 25-18, and win pretty easily, too. Things went even easier for the home team in the fourth set as they won 25-16. This is a situation where Marquette absolutely could and should have closed the match out, though. Kentucky hit just .143 in the set, so it was very clearly there for the taking since MU’s defense was making that happen. The offense? .031 as a hitting percentage on 32 swings just isn’t getting it done against the #11 team in the country.
And so, things headed to a fifth set, which remains the craziest set of rules in college sports. “Hey, you just watched 180-ish points of awesome neck-and-neck volleyball, first to 15 wins.” That’s fine for an actual tiebreaker situation, but for what is supposed to be part of the scheduled flow of the game if needed? Crap. Absolute crap.
The fifth set turned in Marquette’s favor on a 5-0 run in what amounts to the middle of the set. Elise Goetzinger had put the Wildcats up 5-4 after MU had opened it up 2-0 to start. Yadhira Anchante dumped a kill onto UK to start oft the run that had kills from Foti and Carsen Murray as well as a pair of errors from UK’s Reagan Rutherford. All of a sudden, it’s 9-5 Marquette and essentially, they just need to not screw it up.
Kentucky got within one. 12-11 when Reitsma got blocked, and then 13-12 when Adanna Rollins laid down one of her 28 kills on the night. ASIDE: Marquette let the Penn State transfer hit .473 on 55 attacks, which is a big ol’ WELP.
But: Hattie Bray, making her Marquette debut after redshirting last fall, recorded her sixth kill of the night.
And then Hamilton, of course, getting the winner.
VICTORY IN LEXINGTON!
— Marquette Volleyball (@MarquetteVB) August 27, 2022
MU UPSETS NO. 11 KENTUCKY.#WeAreMarquette pic.twitter.com/l7ioL8hTfE
And that’s Ryan Theis pulling off yet another stunner of a ranked team in non-conference play to remind everyone that Marquette is actually very good at this whole volleyball thing. All those question marks hanging in the air to start the year, and it it once again very clear that this is the Best Team On Campus, and it’s going to take one hell of an effort from someone to take that title from them.
Up Next: No rest for the conquerors. Well, a little rest. Tomorrow, about 17 hours after I’m typing this, Marquette will be back out on the floor at Memorial Coliseum to face Ohio University. It will be the first match of the season for the Bobcats, so they’ll clearly have the fresh legs. | https://www.anonymouseagle.com/2022/8/26/23324276/marquette-golden-eagles-volleyball-recap-kentucky-wildcats-upset-five-sets-hamilton-foti-anchante | 2022-08-27T08:41:53Z | anonymouseagle.com | control | https://www.anonymouseagle.com/2022/8/26/23324276/marquette-golden-eagles-volleyball-recap-kentucky-wildcats-upset-five-sets-hamilton-foti-anchante | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Americans across the country are sharing their mixed reactions to President Joe Biden's decision to forgive up to $20,000 in student loan debt for millions of borrowers.
Biden announced Wednesday that borrowers who hold loans with the Department of Education and make less than $125,000 annually are eligible for up to $20,000 in student loan forgiveness if they received Pell Grants, which are given to students from low- and middle-income families. Individuals who make less than $125,000 a year but did not receive Pell Grants are eligible for $10,000 in loan forgiveness.
The reduction of student debt is being paired with a plan to lift the freeze on federal student debt payments, beginning in January 2023.
Biden said that the administration's "targeted actions are for families that need it the most: working and middle class people hit especially hard during the pandemic making under $125,000 a year." He emphasized that "about 90% of the eligible beneficiaries make under $75,000."
But the nation is divided over Biden's decision, flooding social media channels with praise or criticism. Many view the executive order as a gamechanger for millions of Americans drowning in debt, while others say it's unfair to those who made sacrifices and worked hard to pay off their college debt.
Here is what some Americans have to say about Biden's plan.
Pamela Bone
Pamela Bone is a 59-year-old resident of Atlanta, Georgia. Her youngest daughter has cerebral palsy, which inspired her to become a teacher for middle school students who have moderate intellectual disabilities.
Bone said she and her family moved from Seattle after her daughter was born and briefly stayed home to be there for her through several surgeries and doctor's appointments. She also volunteered at her daughter's school and said she was "amazed at all of the time, care, attention and love that was given by her teachers," which propelled her to go back to school to earn her master's degree and her specialist degree.
"I wanted to give back to students what my daughter had received from loving individuals and just knew that this is what my true calling in life would be," Bone said. "Needless to say that the cost to get the necessary credentials was at a high cost but also needed as I was now divorced and needing to care for myself and my daughter."
Even though teachers are underpaid, Bone said, her profession is "near and dear" to her heart.
"The cancellation of this debt means that I can put more aside for my daughter's future, to ensure a life that is comfortable and meaningful for us both and something that I am truly thankful to receive," she said.
Jo Ann Hardy
Jo Ann Hardy, a 66-year-old from Detroit, Michigan, says her family is middle-class African American. She and her husband, Jerry, paid for her daughter to earn her master's degree in 2004. The three of them made sacrifices and worked hard to pay for her daughter to attend college with the help of a few academic scholarships, she says.
"We made it! No loans! Although we did not require loan support, we are delighted that President Biden has announced a plan to help provide some relief for students who had to take loans," Hardy said. "We are smart enough and compassionate enough to know that not all students and families can pull this off without help!"
The Hardys are in full support of the effort to relieve some of the student loan debt for borrowers. They said they have known students and families over the years who have "given it their all and continue to make significant contributions as professionals in our communities and across the US."
"For those who could do so without student loans -- BRAVO! For those who needed the loan help -- BRAVO!" Hardy said.
Bryan Lonsberry
Bryan Lonsberry, 34, resides in Scottsburg, Indiana.
Lonsberry says he and his wife both had jobs throughout their time in college and made sacrifices early after college to pay back their loans.
"Now this forgiving loans is a slap in the face to us. We done the right thing and we fulfilled our obligation that we signed up for," he said. "This policy, no matter what side of the isle you're on, sends the wrong message. This time it's 10k but then next time people always want more. It's not sustainable."
Lonsberry says he supports getting a higher education but believes that each person is responsible for their own payments.
"At the end of day, no one seems to want to take responsibility for their actions. People need to step up and be responsible for themselves and their decisions, but it seems now everyone just wants a handout," he said.
Elijah Watkins
Elijah Watkins, 28, is from Atlanta, Georgia.
Watkins says Biden's student loan forgiveness plan means that he can move out of his mother's house. Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Watkins says he has lived in a challenging environment that forced him to choose between paying for rent or paying off student loans. He chose the latter.
"This means that I can begin taking greater steps within my adulthood for larger purchases like buying my first home, getting a new car, or investing back into my own business," Watkins said.
"Outside of Obamacare, this is the first time a President has directly influenced my day-to-day decision making that makes me proud to be a citizen of the United States of America," he said.
Brian Garten
Brian Garten is a 30-year-old resident of Jacksonville, Florida.
Garten was a borrower from Pell Grants, as well as a few small scholarships, and worked multiple jobs through college. He had to take out $26,000 in student loans in addition to his federal student loans, he says, and signed up for the income-based repayment plan, never missing a payment for seven years.
Garten still has $21,000 in loans to pay off, which he says would have taken him at least 20 years.
"It has so far prevented me from significant life milestones," he said. "I couldn't even entertain the idea of saving up money for a down payment on a house, and there's no way I could afford to start a family."
Garten says his student loans affect every aspect of his life and Biden's forgiveness plan "will change everything for me."
He expects to receive the full $20,000 in forgiveness and pay off the remaining balance to be completely free of college loan debt.
"I plan on buying a new car, with warranties, and a guarantee of reliability for the foreseeable future," he said. "It will be my largest ever purchase and something I consider to be a significant investment in my future. This student loan forgiveness gives me hope to move forward in my life where I had none before."
John Visser
John Visser, 56, lives in Dallas, Texas.
Visser, who describes himself as a progressive Democrat, is against Biden's decision. He said he doesn't agree with "handouts for people with financial difficulties."
"If they couldn't repay it, why did they borrow it in the first place?" he said.
Visser said his spouse passed away 12 years ago, leaving him with a single income household and bills that he could not afford by himself.
"I made some tough choices, put myself on a strict budget and paid down the debt as fast as possible. Why shouldn't a similar plan be the same for student loan borrowers? If they went to college, they should be able to manage their finances," he said.
Visser joined the United States Army in the late 1980s to earn the Army College Fund, an enlistment incentive option, and GI Bill benefits that help with school or training costs for qualifying veterans. The benefits he earned helped pay for his college while working full-time, Visser says.
"Seems rather unequitable to now have part of my taxes go to pay for those who took an easier route to their degrees with no contribution back to society," he said.
Rachel Clark
Rachel Clark, 31, resides in Atlanta, Georgia.
Clark was the first person in her family to earn a four-year degree at a university. She was raised in and out of poverty, and the idea of moving away to college was daunting. Her mother wasn't informed about the financial aid process and the idea of her eldest daughter moving away from home "terrified her," Clark said.
Clark completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to discover that she had an expected family contribution of zero, she says.
During her first year of college, Clark took out both subsidized and unsubsidized loans to pay for the remainder of her tuition and university fees, such as books, supplies and housing costs. She worked a full-time job during her college career to support herself, but at times that caused her grades to suffer. Clark says it was a miracle that she was able to graduate with a 3.4 GPA.
"I entered into the field of early childhood education almost immediately and found that my hopeful aspirations of my future career were just as dismal as my ideas of college were," she said.
Clark has earned roughly $20 per hour as an educator for nearly a decade and she has been paying off her loans in payments less than $100 month as part of her income-driven repayment plan.
"One time, I did the math -- it is highly likely that I would DIE before paying off my student loans. With the burden of student loans off of my shoulders, I can finally breathe," she said.
Clark added that she feels "so free knowing that student debt is one less weight I'll have to continue to drown underneath."
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/this-will-change-everything-for-me-americans-react-to-bidens-plan-to-forgive-up-to/article_59bf11f5-aebc-5d5c-a9f7-8f75e282a95a.html | 2022-08-27T08:44:34Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/this-will-change-everything-for-me-americans-react-to-bidens-plan-to-forgive-up-to/article_59bf11f5-aebc-5d5c-a9f7-8f75e282a95a.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Mikiko Galpin still feels the impact of being sexually assaulted by someone he thought he could trust -- and the tough decisions he was forced to make after multiple pregnancy scares.
When Roe v. Wade was overturned in June, it was a sad and heavy moment for the 29-year-old transgender man. He was taken back to the first time he took a pregnancy test prior to transitioning. He recalls crying in the passenger seat of a friend's car at 2 a.m. trying to search for a pharmacy that was still open so he could buy a pregnancy test.
At the time, Galpin said he felt trapped and didn't know where to turn while navigating the complexities of a pregnancy scare resulting from a traumatic experience. An anxious Galpin feared the potential of upending his life to care for a baby at a young age.
"I just wanted to get a pregnancy test and know if I was pregnant at that point, and just feeling that complete sense of having no control over this really big part of your life," Galpin said. "I think when the decision came down, I had that same feeling of not having control over this very momentous and personal thing that myself and other people who have reproductive abilities are going to go through in the coming months and years."
Although Galpin turned out not to be pregnant, those fears about who gets to decide his reproductive rights still linger.
Amid discourse surrounding women's rights and bodily autonomy in the two months since the federal reversal of the right to an abortion, Galpin and other transgender and nonbinary advocates say their communities are often excluded from conversations about abortion care and other forms of reproductive healthcare.
With the reversal, many people across various states are navigating a series of new and intensified abortion restrictions. Yet transgender and nonbinary advocates say the difficulties their communities face in accessing abortion care are magnified.
Transgender and nonbinary people face unique barriers to abortion and reproductive care related to transphobia, including being refused medical care, being misgendered by medical providers and staff and an overall lack of knowledge among healthcare providers about transgender bodies and health, according to a 2021 study published in the journal BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health.
Transgender people experience higher levels of poverty and unemployment relative to cisgender people, according to a study of 2014 data published in the American Journal of Public Health, and these factors have been linked to lower rates of health insurance, according to a 2011 study by the Institute of Medicine.
These barriers are further exacerbated for transgender and nonbinary people of color and low-income transgender and nonbinary individuals, advocates say.
"Often, there's not the understanding that trans men are men and that nonbinary people are nonbinary people, and the needs of both of those categories and folks who are capable of pregnancy are often overlooked," said Mickaela Bradford, the interim co-director of programs and policy at the Transgender Law Center. "So even before Roe v. Wade was overturned, folks were struggling to find reproductive care that was affirming of their gender identities, struggling to find accessible, affordable, safe reproductive care -- particularly folks who are Black, disabled, working class and living in the South."
For many transgender and nonbinary people, the reversal in June was yet another attack on their bodily autonomy amid a record year of state bills seeking to curtail LGBTQ rights, most of which target transgender and nonbinary people.
Bradford said as more transgender and nonbinary people seeking to terminate their pregnancies may need to travel to access abortion services, cost barriers and other difficulties may make these services even more inaccessible.
"You talk to any transgender person that has to travel across states, we are doubly prepared for stares, for violence, for looking for all of our escape exits at all times," Bradford said. "There's a heightened level of violence in this country against transgender people in all settings and so [the overturning of Roe] just exacerbates that."
The 2021 study also found that nearly one in five transgender and nonbinary respondents who was ever pregnant reported an attempt to terminate a pregnancy without clinical care, with methods ranging from physical trauma and substance abuse to fasting and the use of birth control or Plan B.
Juno Obedin-Maliver, an obstetrician-gynecologist who was one of the authors of the study, said she expects the prevalence of self-managed abortions among transgender and nonbinary communities to increase following the overturning of Roe and greater abortion restrictions across the country.
"Where we have structural limitations for cisgender women to access [abortions], those same structural imitations will be felt by trans and nonbinary people and exacerbated by gender discrimination in that care," Obedin-Maliver said. "So trans and nonbinary folks may be that much more likely to turn to those means, which can be dangerous, either to one's reproductive life and health or even to their overall life and health."
CNN spoke with transmasculine individuals about their experiences seeking abortions and reproductive healthcare in the past. They say it is important to include the experiences of transgender and nonbinary communities when talking about the fall of Roe v. Wade and its long-term ramifications.
Law student says accessing Plan B gave him control over his life trajectory
Galpin is now a law student at the Temple University Beasley School of Law and a former legal fellow with the National LGBTQ Task Force, a social justice non-profit that advocates for LGBTQ rights.
Following his initial pregnancy scare, Galpin found himself needing to access Plan B. He was scared to go to a pharmacy to buy the contraceptive drug because he feared judgment. He called his mom crying about the situation, and she was able to buy Plan B for him.
Galpin said he sees parallels between his experience accessing Plan B at 19 and beginning his transition at 24.
"I think the positive sides of both experiences is having that control over your body after, for a period of time, feeling like you didn't have any control or any ability to change these things," Galpin said.
The Supreme Court's reversal could open the door for courts to overturn the right to purchase and use contraception, which includes Plan B.
Galpin also sees parallels when it comes to attacks on gender-affirming care and abortion care.
"If we're talking about it from an intersectional perspective of gender affirming care and reproductive justice, we've seen these attacks directed at gender-affirming care and more widely just the transgender community dating back to the bathroom bills," he said. "These bills are primarily focused on this rhetoric of transgender people either being deemed a danger to themselves or a danger to other people. And I think similarly, the language that's used to deny abortion services also sort of relies a little bit on a rhetoric of protecting people from themselves."
A transgender healthcare advocate says their abortion was gender-affirming
Almost a decade ago, Oliver Hall, a transmasculine nonbinary person, had a self-managed abortion at 19 years old in Kentucky. After obsessively researching online about methods to induce an abortion, they ingested a combination of herbs and vitamin C.
The National Capital Poison Center recommends against "home remedies for abortion," adding that there's "no comprehensive list of herbal products that have been shown to induce an abortion or miscarriage."
Obedin-Maliver said with the Supreme Court's reversal, there may be an uptick in transgender and nonbinary people accessing non-standard or unsafe methods of abortion -- a reflection of transphobia within the healthcare system that hinders transgender and nonbinary people from receiving reproductive care under medical supervision.
Although Hall said their family would have supported their decision to get an abortion, their family wouldn't have been able to afford a surgical abortion. Furthermore, they said they didn't feel comfortable going to their local abortion clinic that included "women's surgical center" in its name. The name signaled to them that they may not get treated well in a space that seemingly only catered to women and wouldn't understand how to provide quality healthcare to transgender and nonbinary people.
"Doctors don't have a lot of knowledge about trans bodies, and that's where we might get people being misinformed about the risk of pregnancy on [hormone replacement therapy], or even people who are on estrogen or on hormone blockers are sometimes misinformed about their ability to impregnate," Hall said. "That's the result of institutional transphobia not prioritizing knowledge about trans bodies."
They recall the experience being scary because they were alone throughout the process and feared the potential of complications from the self-managed abortion that might have sent them to the hospital to navigate the very healthcare system they sought to avoid in the first place. They also said their abortion was personally a form of gender-affirming care in the sense that being pregnant would've caused intense gender dysphoria for them.
Today at 27 years old, Hall said their abortion experience influences and inspires the work they do as the trans health director of the Kentucky Health Justice Network, an organization that helps transgender and nonbinary people access various healthcare services.
Hall said the organization also has an abortion support fund that provides funding for procedures and practical support for Kentuckians seeking abortions. A Kentucky state court of appeals earlier this month reinstated the state's "trigger law" banning abortion as well as a separate law banning the procedure after roughly six weeks of pregnancy.
"On a personal level, had I not had an abortion, I definitely would not be in the position that I am in today," Hall said. "I would not be as far in life, I would not be able to be doing any of the kind of advocacy that I am doing, if I had been forced to birth a child."
A reproductive justice community organizer says his abortion allowed him to reclaim his power
In 2001, Cazembe Murphy Jackson, a transgender man, was a junior in college attending Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, when he was sexually assaulted and became pregnant. At 20 years old, he said he found out he was pregnant around the six-week mark and lacked financial and emotional support.
He said he traveled two and a half hours back home to get an abortion, which he accessed at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Austin, Texas. He said he was given abortion medication which he took at the clinic and then he went home.
Although he said he did not identify as a transgender man at the time of his abortion, he still presented in a transmasculine way and wore masculine clothing, which still led him to fear facing discrimination at the clinic.
"It wasn't the best time of my life, but I do often say that my abortion saved my life for a number of reasons," Jackson said. "It was a bad time and had I had to carry the pregnancy to term -- Black people don't survive childbirth sometimes, so I don't know if it would've taken my life in that way either."
While his abortion wasn't necessarily gender-affirming, Jackson said it allowed him to begin to get his power back after being assaulted during a time when he felt like he had no control. He said the ability to make a decision for himself was therapeutic.
Jackson said if he was seeking an abortion today, it would be challenging. In Texas, a trigger law banning abortions with few exceptions took effect Thursday.
Now at 42, Jackson lives in Atlanta working as a community organizer focused on reproductive justice, sharing his abortion story and encouraging other transgender and nonbinary people to do the same. In Georgia, there's currently a six-week abortion ban in effect.
"I think what trans people are asking for inside of the reproductive justice movement is the bare minimum," Jackson said. "Just recognize that we exist, we're here, we're a part of this movement, too. We need access to this healthcare just like everybody else. We're not actually trying to replace anyone or anything, just wanting to be included."
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/were-a-part-of-this-movement-too-transgender-and-nonbinary-people-say-they-feel-excluded/article_eb588026-8ef7-531c-90e5-b0ca827875bc.html | 2022-08-27T08:44:40Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/were-a-part-of-this-movement-too-transgender-and-nonbinary-people-say-they-feel-excluded/article_eb588026-8ef7-531c-90e5-b0ca827875bc.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
It's the last week of August and we know it's been difficult to catch up with the number of movies and shows streaming on various OTT platforms. Read the list of shows and movies you shouldn't miss this weekend.
Samaritan (English)
The film features Sylvester Stallone in the titular role. Directed by Julius Avery, the action thriller is touted to e a dark and new take on superhero films. The story revolves around a 13-year old Sam Clearly who suspects his mysterious neighbour, Mr Smith, to be Granite City's, superpowered vigilante, Samaritan who went missing 25 years ago.
Streaming on Amazon Prime
House of Dragons Season 1 (English)
The prequel to Game of Thrones, the show is set during the civil war and feud between the members of the Targaryen family, 200 years before incidents in 'Game of Thrones'. It has a relatively smaller cast and winds up in 10 episodes.
Streaming on Disney+Hotstar
Ben Stokes: Phoenix from the Ashes
The documentary captures Ben Stokes' most personal and challenging moments, including the final visit to see his terminally ill father and his struggles with mental health. Ben explores this journey on-screen with cricket fanatic Mendes.
Streaming on Amazon Prime
Delhi Crime Season 2
Starring Shefali Shah and Rasika Dugal, the second part of the Delhi Crime drama, opens with several murders. Though in Season 2, the tough cops are trying to solve some of the hardest and most violent cases in India's capital, just like its earlier season, this time, we will get to see them striving to strike a balance between their professional and personal lives too.
Streaming on Netflix
Maharani 2
Rani Bharthi (played by Huma Qureshi) becomes the chief minister of Bihar, albeit quite reluctantly. Though mostly drama and fictitious incidents, it draws parallels to the life of Rabri Devi and Lalu Yadav, the ex-CMs of Bihar. Season 2 is streaming on OTT a year after the release of its first season
Streaming on SonyLiv | https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2022/08/27/ott-releases-house-of-dragons-delhi-crime-season2-samaritan.amp.html | 2022-08-27T09:04:58Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2022/08/27/ott-releases-house-of-dragons-delhi-crime-season2-samaritan.amp.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Chennai: Well-known Malayalam director Sanal Kumar Sasidharan, who is best known for his film 'Sexy Durga', on Friday, clarified that he had not signed any agreements with anyone regarding his rights in any of the films he had directed from 'Oralpokkam' to 'Chola' and its Tamil version 'Alli'.
Taking to Instagram to make his stand clear, the well-known director wrote: "This is a public notice: I have not signed any agreements with anyone regarding my rights in any of the films I have directed from 'Oralpokkam' to 'Chola' and its Thamizh version 'Alli'.
"As 'Oralpokkam' was made with crowd funding, it was decided at the time of production that the copyright would be left free after five years of its release and accordingly, the copyright of that film now belongs to the entire public.
"After the systematic violence against me and my films started in 2019, there have been moves to bury all the films from 'Ozhivudivasathe Kali' to 'Kayattam'. The latest proof is the letter sent to the sales agent by Joju George urging them to stop the international distribution of the film 'Chola' without consulting me. I will write more about this later with proofs if needed.
"Now, I am writing this for another reason. I am the original content creator of all my films. Their censor certificates are the indisputable proofs of this fact. As the original content creator, I retain full copyright in the absence of any other agreements.
"No copyright transfer agreements exist with anyone for any other film, except an agreement with Manju Warrier for the transfer of my copyright in the film 'Kayattam'.
"Legally this is the status until I have written and transferred my copyright by a written agreement after the fulfilment of the verbal agreements that various producers arrived with me."
"In this case, it is hereby made public that any sale or contract of my films other than 'Kayattam' without my knowledge or consent is void as per the Copyright Act." | https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2022/08/27/sanal-kumar-sasidharan-sexy-durga-oralpokkam-chola-movies-copyright.amp.html | 2022-08-27T09:05:11Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2022/08/27/sanal-kumar-sasidharan-sexy-durga-oralpokkam-chola-movies-copyright.amp.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Kent will start off the bank holiday weekend today (Saturday) with a forecast top temperature of 23C in some parts. Expect mostly sunny intervals and overcast periods and there could even be a short burst of rain in some parts today. Tomorrow (Sunday), again sunny intervals, with a possible 22C again in some parts of the county.
Looking to Monday, The Met Office forecasts it will be sunny and cloudy all day with a slightly cooler forecast temperature of 22C. Dartford today is expected to hit 23C with sunny intervals from 10am for a large part of the day. Maidstone should hit 22C, with sunny intervals from 9am for most of the day, but full sun around 2pm and then from 6pm.
Tunbridge Wells will be a little cooler today at 21C, with sunny intervals until noon, when the cloud will move in and a 50 per cent chance of rain at around 2pm. But the sun should come back in intervals, with a burst of full sun from around 5pm.
Read more: County to bask in 'Subtropical High' this Bank Holiday after torrential downpours
The Mirror reports Met Office forecaster Alex Deakin said: "For many of us it is going to be a fine weekend of weather as well, three days of mostly dry and bright conditions thanks to high pressure that is slowly building in from the north. There are weather fronts that will bring a little bit of rain to the north west especially during Saturday but for most, as I say, high pressure in control.
"It is not going to be a completely dry day, there are still going to be one or two showers, mostly scattered in the morning over northern England, perhaps southern Scotland and throughout the day we may see one or two more over the midlands and southern England but they are going to be very well scattered and I suspect most places will stay dry.
"With some sunny spells, feeling pretty pleasant, if you are out in that sunshine as well with temperatures climbing quite widely into the low to mid 20Cs across England and Wales. A little cooler further north and west but even here feeling fine in the sunshine.”
Some rain is likely to drift in across northern Scotland during Saturday evening but for most of the country it is expected to be a “fine night, with clear spells and temperatures holding up mostly into double figures”.
The outlook for Sunday is similar with "dry, fine with sunny spells." Mr Deakin said: "Temperatures for most on Sunday a little bit higher, widely over 20C, low 20Cs for northern England, southern Scotland, Northern Ireland, mid 20Cs further south."
On Sunday although it will remain warm there is a warning for cooler air to the south and east of England and some gusty winds.
UK forecast for the next 5 days
Dry with sunny spells for many. Only scattered showers.
Today:
Sunny intervals for all. Scattered showers developing across parts of England, Wales, south and east Scotland, but still some warm sunshine between. Patchy rain reaching the far northwest later with some heavier bursts for Northern Ireland. Showers dying out for most with good clear spells and perhaps the odd fog patch. Far northwest cloudier with some mostly light rain.
Sunday:
Sunny or bright intervals for most. Scattered showers developing over England and Wales but most places staying dry. Cloudier in the north and northwest with a little rain.
Outlook for Monday to Wednesday:
Generally settled with sunny spells, sunniest and warmest in the west. The odd shower is possible in places each day but predominantly dry for most. Turning cooler in eastern areas.
READ NEXT: | https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/kent-weather-august-bank-holiday-7517275 | 2022-08-27T09:10:59Z | kentlive.news | control | https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/kent-weather-august-bank-holiday-7517275 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Kent is built on history, of castles, spa towns and cathedral cities, legends and stories are whispered in its valleys and streets of bygone eras and mysterious secrets.
The Garden of England has inspired the likes of Chaucer, Charles Dickens and Joseph Conrad to name a few. From the battle of Britain in WW2 to the battle of Maidstone in 1968, could make a visitor wish that the very land could tell us all the things it has seen.
However, although certain aspects of the county's history are extensively recorded, others are less so.
Read more: Everything you need to know about sewage overflows occurring along the Kent coast
One such example is the little known village of Littlestone-on-Sea, which was originally built as a resort for the rich.
The village has undergone quite a transformation since its establishment in the late nineteenth century, but the ghosts of its past remain.
KentLive takes a look back at the history behind this village and how it came to be how it is today.
Why was Littlestone-on-Sea built?
Littlestone-on-Sea is a small coastal village close to New Romney founded in the 1880s by Sir Robert Perks, a British Liberal politician.
It acquired its name from the northern entrance to Romney Bay - a shingle headland known as Little Stone.
Perks established the village as a resort for the gentry, along with surveyor Henry Tubbs, who had grand plans for the area.
The pair started their project by building a terrace of houses, The Grand Hotel and a Methodist Church.
The Grand was one of the largest hotels in the area and survived right the way through to the 1970s, despite suffering major fire damage throughout its time.
Entrepreneur Tubbs was set on turning Littlestone into a major resort.
After building the Grand Hotel, he embarked on an ambitious building programme, which included the development of the Marine Parade, the Water Tower and Littlestone Golf Club.
He also built a house next to the golf club, to act as the clubhouse.
This appears in the 1901 census records as St Andrew's Villa, which is now known as Netherstone.
The golf club was designed with the likes of government ministers and Members of Parliament in mind.
However, the minutes of the newly formed club committee note that Tubbs, as a committed Methodist, did not allow alcohol in Netherstone.
His nephew points out that this may have contributed to the slow growth in the popularity of the club.
Meanwhile, Tubbs' 120ft Water Tower was built was built with the aim of supplying water to his properties in Littlestone, including his proposed housing development.
He also had plans to build a pier and promenade off of the Grand Parade to serve his target audience of wealthy holidaymakers.
Littlestone certainly grew in popularity as a holiday resort, however it never quite matched Tubbs' ambitions.
Despite this, the golf club, which Tubbs built in 1888, is still in operation today, and Netherstone is still a home.
Transformation in the Second World War
By the Second World War, Littlestone-on-Sea was serving a whole new purpose.
A new portable temporary harbour was developed in the village to facilitate rapid offloading of cargo onto the beaches during the Allied invasion of Normandy.
Mulberry harbour was built between 1943 and 1944 from Phoenix caissons, floatable breakwater components which created a mobile port facility - designed to sink or float as necessary.
Two prefabricated military harbours were taken in sections across the English Channel and assembled off the coast of Normandy as part of the D-Day invasion of France in 1944.
The Allies used these harbours to land troops and arms at Normandy as part of Operation Overlord.
Part of one of the original harbours is still visible today at low tide from Littlestone.
It somehow survived remarkably intact and is designated as an Ancient Scheduled Monument.
In fact, the harbour at Littlestone is one of only six known examples of Phoenix caissons in British waters.
What is the village like today?
Whilst Littlestone never became quite the resort that Tubbs and Perks intended, there are still a few holiday properties in the area, including the only hotel on the Marsh - the Romney Bay House Hotel.
The predominantly shingle beach boasts a series of multi-coloured beach and fisherman's huts, suggesting it may still be somewhat of a popular holiday spot.
However, the village is now mostly residential, with just a few shops, a grassy area, and a free open air gym.
Whilst it's not particularly well known, the village does have a 4.5 star rating on TripAdvisor.
One visitor said: "There are lovely views as you are walking and you can really breathe in that fresh air."
Another person added: "Honestly, we were staying in St Mary’s Bay so didn’t really visit Littlestone for the beach itself.
"It is however a beautiful spot with some great facilities especially the kids play area for those with little ones."
Whilst a third person said: "In these strange times, just to hear waves crashing onto a shingle beach is a sound for sore ears.
"Littlestone Beach is a great place to get your exercise and if you get tired walking along the shingle there's a narrow promenade at the back of the beach. This promenade is both wheelchair and pushchair friendly but, as it is also used by cyclists, care has to be taken.
"There is free off-road parking and, if you go on the right day, you might find a takeaway coffee van and ice cream van providing basic needs."
But most of all, visitors to the area stressed how quiet the village is - a far cry from Tubbs and Perk's grand plans.
One person said: "Very quiet at this time of the year. We've only met a few other families and some dog walkers."
Whilst another added: "Love this stretch of beach because it is pretty much always empty. The shingle beach is not as nice for kids as Dymchurch but you get space and quiet."
A third person described Littlestone as "under-rated".
They added: "People always mention camber when it comes to sandy beaches but honestly I prefer Littlestone... plus it's nowhere near as busy!"
READ NEXT: | https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/littlestone-sea-kent-village-built-7515241 | 2022-08-27T09:11:09Z | kentlive.news | control | https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/littlestone-sea-kent-village-built-7515241 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Happ’s homers help Cubs defeat Brewers 4-3 in 10 innings
MILWAUKEE - Ian Happ had the only hits for the Chicago Cubs — just enough to hinder the Milwaukee Brewers’ playoff push.
Happ hit two two-run homers to account for Chicago’s two hits, and the Cubs beat the Brewers 4-3 in 10 innings on Friday night.
Happ hit a drive off Matt Bush in the seventh and a tiebreaking shot against All-Star Devin Williams (4-3) in the 10th. Both homers sailed over the right-field wall.
"To come through in those situations is awesome for the group, for the team, for the pitching staff that did such a good job keeping us in it the whole day," Happ said. "It’s really cool."
It was the first time the Cubs won a game in which their only two hits were homers since April 14, 1985, when Jody Davis and Gary Matthews went deep in a 4-2 victory over the Montreal Expos.
Milwaukee’s Rowdy Tellez tied the game with a leadoff homer in the ninth off Brandon Hughes, but the Brewers squandered chances to close it out in the ninth and 10th. They went 2 for 15 with runners in scoring position.
"It’s a frustrating night, for sure," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "We got runners on early not much kind of middle of the game, did a nice job in the ninth and the 10th but didn’t capitalize on really big opportunities."
The Brewers had runners on first and second in the ninth after Keston Hiura reached on an error by shortstop Nico Hoerner and Luis Urías walked, but the Brewers couldn’t get the winning run across. Mark Leiter Jr. got Victor Caratini to fly to left, and Sean Newcomb (2-0) retired Kolten Wong and Christian Yelich.
Chicago then regained the lead when Williams allowed a homer for just the second time this season. The other occurred when Bryan Reynolds hit a game-ending drive for Pittsburgh in an 8-7 loss on Aug. 3.
"Not a good pitch," Williams said. "He’s sitting changeup, and I hung it right down the middle."
The Brewers got a one-out RBI single from Hunter Renfroe in the 10th that cut Chicago’s lead to 4-3 and put runners on first and second. The runners advanced on a wild pitch, and a Tellez walk loaded the bases.
Pinch-hitter Jace Peterson then sent a grounder to second baseman Nick Madrigal, who tagged Tellez out and threw to first to complete the game-ending double play.
Manuel Rodríguez earned the save in his first appearance of the season. Rodríguez, who has been dealing with an elbow issue, was activated from the 60-day injured list earlier in the day.
Milwaukee’s Freddy Peralta pitched six hitless innings, departing with a 1-0 lead after 82 pitches. It was Peralta’s fifth appearance since coming off the IL after missing over two months with a right lat strain.
"Our goal is to have Freddy make eight more really good starts," Counsell said. "We’re not going to push him at a time when it’s a little questionable whether he should be out there again."
Peralta said he didn’t want to come out but he felt it was the right decision.
The Cubs are 10-7 against the Brewers this season after losing 15 of 19 meetings in last year’s season series. Nine of the matchups have been decided by one run, and the Cubs are 7-2 in those games.
Milwaukee has slid out of playoff position after leading the NL Central for much of the year in part because of its struggles against the bottom three teams in the division. The Brewers are 3-12 in their last 15 matchups with the Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates.
The news wasn’t all good for the Cubs.
Justin Steele, one of the NL’s hottest pitchers, left with lower back tightness after retiring Renfroe on a fly to the warning track to start the bottom of the sixth. Steele struck out six, walked four and allowed four hits, including a Tyrone Taylor homer in the fifth.
"It’s still a little bit tight, but it definitely got better once we started working on it a little bit and stuff," Steele said. "We’ll see how it feels tomorrow."
In his last six starts, Steele has allowed just three earned runs over 31 2/3 innings. He entered Friday’s game with a 1.47 ERA since June 29 to lead all NL starters over that stretch.
BREAKING THE TIE
The Cubs’ victory gave them a 208-207 lead in the all-time series between the teams.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cubs: Transferred RHP Alec Mills (back) to the 60-day injured list and optioned RHP Kervin Castro to Triple-A Iowa.
Brewers: RHP Trevor Rosenthal, who hasn’t pitched since 2020, is getting examined after leaving his last rehabilitation assignment early with lat soreness. The Brewers acquired Rosenthal from the San Francisco Giants at the trade deadline and have been hoping he could join their bullpen for the final month of the season. … Peterson was activated from the injured list. He hadn’t played since July 17 due to an elbow issue.
UP NEXT
LHP Drew Smyly (5-7, 3.47 ERA) starts for the Cubs and RHP Brandon Woodruff (9-3, 3.51) pitches for the Brewers on Saturday. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/sports/happs-homers-help-cubs-defeat-brewers-4-3-in-10-innings | 2022-08-27T09:18:34Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/sports/happs-homers-help-cubs-defeat-brewers-4-3-in-10-innings | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Rivera, Rojas help Diamondbacks ease past White Sox 7-2
CHICAGO - Josh Rojas hit a three-run double and Emmanual Rivera had a two-run homer in Arizona’s six-run second inning, and the Diamondbacks beat the Chicago White Sox 7-2 on Friday night.
Chicago product Alek Thomas hit a deep sacrifice fly to score Christian Walker to start Arizona’s frenetic inning. White Sox starter Johnny Cueto (6-6) walked Geraldo Perdomo to load the bases, and Rojas followed with his 20th double of the year. Four pitches later, Rivera hit his 11th home run of the season to make it 6-0.
"I think it’s just as simple as something (Cueto) has been outstanding at, getting the third out," White Sox manager Tony La Russa said.
Cueto’s woes continued into the third when Daulton Varsho homered to right on a full count, just clearing the fence to give Arizona a 7-0 lead. The 36-year-old struggled in a five-inning outing, giving up all seven runs and five hits. He struck out four and walked two.
"It shows you the fine line that he almost always gets that (third) guy out and limits (scoring)," La Russa said. "But not today."
Tommy Henry (3-2) allowed one run and four hits through his five innings. He walked three and struck out three.
"I owe people some gifts or something," Henry said. "Alek (Thomas) was running all over the place doing what he does best. Incredible plays and he makes it look like it’s just another day’s work. Then, (Daulton) Varsho, bringing back homers and doing it super casually."
Varsho made a leaping grab at the right-field fence to deny Romy Gonzalez a home run in the fifth.
Arizona manager Torey Lovullo had nothing but praise for his defense. He specifically singled out Thomas and Varsho for their momentum-killing catches.
"Reminds me of a bunch of labrador retrievers chasing frisbees at the beach," Lovullo said. "Every time the frisbee goes up, I think somebody’s going to catch it. They’re just gifted."
Elvis Andrus, making his White Sox debut, got Chicago on the scoreboard in the fourth with a grounder that scored Eloy Jiménez. AJ Pollock hit his eighth homer of the season in the ninth to close the scoring.
Arizona won for the second time in six games.
HOMECOMING HEROICS
Thomas also made two diving catches in center field to deny Chicago base hits, including one from longtime friend Adam Engel.
"Me and Adam Engel used to hang out in the outfield all the time and just talk," Thomas recalled. "So it was funny to rob him of a base hit."
Thomas spent plenty of time around the White Sox while growing up because his father, Allen, served as the team’s strength and conditioning coach for 18 years.
Thomas’ return to Chicago’s South Side, where he once starred for Mount Carmel High School before being drafted in 2018, drew plenty of friends and family members.
"I’m blessed to be in this situation," Thomas said. "I’m just having fun with it and my family, my girlfriend and her family, have been supporting me all this way."
BOO THE SOX
Chicago (63-63) dropped back to .500 on the year after entering the day trailing AL Central leaders Cleveland by four games.
La Russa had no qualms about being booed off the field by the crowd of 33,054 after the final out.
"They came to see us win a ballgame and we got beat," La Russa said. "Most of the game it was lopsided, right? They have every right to be upset — at the team, management, whatever, they’ve got every right to do it. … (There is) amazing fan support here, and I’ve got plenty of experience. But there ain’t no free lunch. It’s a two-way relationship. They support you and you’ve got to give back. So we’ve got to do more about giving back."
TRAINER’S ROOM
Diamondbacks: RHP Reyes Moronta was activated on Thursday after being claimed off waivers on Sunday. RHP Chris Devenski was designated for assignment to clear a roster spot. Lovullo said "we’d love to have (Devenski) back" should he clear waivers. ... Lovullo said he gave LF Jake McCarthy a rest day.
White Sox: CF Luis Robert (wrist) remains active, but La Russa said he is unlikely to play this weekend. Robert missed seven games near the tail end of July due to a left wrist sprain, which La Russa said gets aggravated when Robert "takes a funky swing." ... INF Yoán Moncada (hamstring tightness) is day-to-day after exiting Thursday’s loss at Baltimore. La Russa said he is "sore" and that he could play Saturday or Sunday. ... SS Tim Anderson (torn left hand ligament) is on schedule to return in September, according to La Russa. He added that Anderson has stayed in shape and "soon, he’ll start swinging.
UP NEXT
RHP Merrill Kelly (10-5, 2.87 ERA) gets the call for Arizona and Davis Martin (2-3, 4.25 ERA) is set to start for Chicago. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/sports/rivera-rojas-help-diamondbacks-ease-past-white-sox-7-2 | 2022-08-27T09:18:38Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/sports/rivera-rojas-help-diamondbacks-ease-past-white-sox-7-2 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Aardman's Shaun the Sheep will soon make a real-life trip to the Moon
Aardman’s loveable character will boldly go where no sheep has gone before.
Going into space is an honour few people get to experience, but even fewer toy sheep get to make the journey. However, that is all about to change as one woolly astronaut prepares to step inside a spacecraft.
Shaun the Sheep (or at least a space-ready version of him) is set to be sent into space as part of the upcoming Artemis 1 launch. The first of a number of planned flights, Artemis 1 will have no human pilots on board, but Shaun will be joined by an Amazon Alexa, a Snoopy doll and even some plants.
But how did Shaun achieve his seat as the first sheep in space, has he been trained and is he safe to be inside a spacecraft? We spoke to Emily Jones, brand director at Aardman, to find out more.
The first sheep in space
Shaun managed to sneak a seat on this coveted flight thanks to his career as a movie star. “Back in 2019, Aardman and the European Space Agency had a partnership to celebrate the release of the film Shaun The Sheep: Farmageddon,” says Jones.
"During this time, we had a Shaun puppet experience a zero-gravity flight. Aardman have been in touch with the European Space Agency ever since and it has been in the planning for many years to have Shaun be part of the Artemis 1 mission!”
Unlike most flights into space, there will be no humans taking part. Instead, Shaun is one of a few toys and other gadgets to make it onboard. So why is he on the flight?
"Shaun is going to be the first European – and sheep! – to fly to and around the Moon. It’s a fantastic opportunity for a much-loved character to be part of this first mission which will eventually lead to getting people back to the Moon,” says Jones.
If, like us, you’re wondering why Shaun got the seat and not Aardman’s loveable duo of Wallace and Gromit, Jones had the answer to this too: “Wallace and Gromit have been to the Moon already in their adventure, A Grand Day Out, in which they went to see if the Moon was really made of cheese. Hopefully Shaun can learn more on his trip.”
Preparing for the mission
Going into space is not an easy trip. In fact, it requires a lot of training and preparation. Luckily, Shaun had already been through a zero-gravity flight so it wasn’t all too new to him.
Like any astronaut, he went through further training around various European Space Agencies (ESA) sites including ESTEC in the Netherlands. The ESA made sure to document his training, just to prove he wasn’t one of those celebrities who uses a stunt double.
The one other key factor to consider is whether it was safe to have Shaun in space. “To ensure he was suitable for flight, ESA also had to ensure the materials the puppet is made from were suitable. Luckily, they were – so the Shaun on board is a genuine, unmodified Aardman puppet,” says Jones.
As the Artemis launch will be using a reusable rocket, and will be planning a return trip to space, this Shaun the Sheep will be reunited with Aardman once it lands.
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- Receive every issue delivered direct to your door with FREE UK delivery. | https://www.sciencefocus.com/space/shaun-the-sheep-will-soon-become-the-first-sheep-in-space/ | 2022-08-27T09:25:35Z | sciencefocus.com | control | https://www.sciencefocus.com/space/shaun-the-sheep-will-soon-become-the-first-sheep-in-space/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Haripad: In a heroic as well as touching incident a 60-year-old driver managed to ensure the safety of 12 children in his mini-bus even as his end neared after he suffered a heart attack.
Rameshan, the driver of the mini-bus ferrying students to the Sree Ramakrishna Vidyalayam at Karuvatta village in Alappuzha district, developed chest pain while on duty but ensured the safety of the students before collapsing on the driving seat.
As soon as he sensed severe chest pain, Rameshan immediately halted the bus by the roadside. Then he collapsed on the driving seat. He was sweating profusely.
Vijayalakshmi, the nursemaid (ayah) on the bus, tried to revive him but to no avail.
Subsequently, she got off the bus and raised an alarm. Rameshan was rushed to the Haripad taluk hospital in a car with the help of the local residents. But his life could not be saved.
He died of a heart attack, according to the doctors.
The incident happened around 8.30am on Friday. The mini-bus was on its way back to Karuvatta along the National Highway after students boarded the vehicle from SN Kadavu. Rameshan felt uneasiness when the vehicle was passing through a road with paddy fields on both sides. If the vehicle was not halted by him, it could have gone out of control and plunged onto the fields.
Rameshan is survived by his wife Sheeja and children Ranjith and Aditya. | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2022/08/27/driver-heart-attack-school-bus-safety.amp.html | 2022-08-27T09:26:42Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2022/08/27/driver-heart-attack-school-bus-safety.amp.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
This story was first published in KCUR's Creative Adventure newsletter. You can sign up to receive stories like this in your inbox every Tuesday.
Kansas City is known for a lot of things. Our fountains rival Rome’s. We’re a cradle of jazz. Our sports teams win national championships. The local barbeque culture competes with any in the nation.
But in the last 200 years, some innovations have flown under the radar. KCUR’s A People’s History of Kansas City explored the history of sliced bread, invented in 1928 in Chillicothe, Missouri, a town about 100 miles northeast of Kansas City. Each year on July 7, the town celebrates Sliced Bread Day.
Wondering about other sources of hometown pride? From inspiration to invention, record-breaking community efforts and religious relics, enjoy a few of Kansas City’s more bizarre and esoteric claims to fame.
The birthplace of an American icon
It’s unlikely that Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks imported a mouse to their short-lived Laugh-O-Gram Studios in the early 1920s, so the mouse that inspired Mickey Mouse was likely a Kansas City original.
The story goes that Disney either fed or trained a mouse while working in Kansas City. A few years later, the men were out in California and in need of a new unique character. Disney recalled that little Midwestern mouse and Iwerks drew it up — round ears, black eyes, big-buttoned short pants — just one of many characters they created on the path toward animation domination.
Disney embellished the story so much that it’s difficult to know the complete truth, but believe it or not, for a moment, the character was originally named “Mortimer.” Imagine life in the “Mortimer Mouse” Club!
Today, Mickey Mouse is a symbol of American ingenuity and youthful exuberance. Advocates in Kansas City are working to restore the old Laugh-O-Gram Studios off of 31st Street and create a museum.
You can learn more about the men and mouse with “The Battle Over Mickey Mouse” from A People's History of Kansas City.
Large and in charge
Kansas City is the largest metropolitan region in the state of Missouri and many of the surrounding states. But that’s not all. Kansas City boasts a handful of “largest” items, symbols of history, innovation and artistry.
Not only are the giant shuttlecocks at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art an icon of the museum, they are coincidentally the World’s Largest Shuttlecocks, measuring over 19 feet tall. They were created by the late Claes Oldenburg and Coosje Van Bruggen and installed in 1994, creating quite the controversy at the time.
Kansas Citians have since grown to love them, and today they're a popular photo stop for tourists and locals alike. Four shuttlecocks are scattered across the Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park, one on the north side of the building and three on the south, angled as though they just dropped to the ground during play.
Though the Pistol Social Club no longer operates down in Kansas City's historic West Bottoms, the World’s Largest Cap Gun hangs above the entrance near The Ship, a music venue and eatery. Artist Brock Venti created the sculpture, and it remains as a testament to the region’s Wild West roots and the West Bottoms’ artistic, maverick vibe.
Following World War I, Kansas City became one of the largest garment manufacturers in the world, making 25% of the clothing in the United States. That heritage is honored at the Historic Garment District Museum, part of the Kansas City Museum, at 801 Broadway Boulevard. Admission is free but hours are limited, open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., now through Sept. 2.
Nearby the museum you'll find The Needle, a sculpture designed by Dan Stevens. While not the world’s largest (that’s in New York City), it’s certainly a record holder for Missouri at 22 feet tall, and honors the nearly 4,000 women who worked in the district during its heyday.
World record holders
You may be aware that Kansas City held the record for loudest crowd roar, first achieved in October 2013 (137.5 decibels) at Arrowhead Stadium during a Chiefs game and then reaffirmed in September 2014 (142.2 decibels). Not to be outdone, the University of Kansas Jayhawks went for the loudest indoor crowd roar in February 2017 (with 130.4 decibels).
But far more unique, Kansas City holds the Guinness World Record for Largest Tuba Ensemble. In 2018, 835 musicians gathered in Municipal Stadium for the annual TubaChristmas concert, a tradition hosted by the Kansas City Symphony. During the concert, they performed an arrangement of “Silent Night” (on tubas, sousaphones, euphoniums and baritones) for six minutes and 34 seconds, breaking the 2007 record of 502 players, more than enough to secure bragging rights for years to come.
And, as a bonus: The title of Guinness World Record for the longest snake in captivity belongs to Medusa, a 25-foot reticulated python who resides in the West Bottoms.
Biblical body part
Among the myriad examples of religious art in the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art’s collection is a 2,000-year-old finger bone, purportedly belonging to St. John the Baptist. John was Jesus’ older cousin, and an important figure in his own right, prophesying the coming of the Messiah.
At any rate, he was beheaded around 29 AD in present-day Jordan, with his body buried in present-day Palestine. Where that head ended up is open to debate, as well, but various relics are claimed to be in Istanbul, Egypt, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Chicago. The finger bone in Kansas City, however, may well be the relic that has traveled the farthest from where John lived his days.
It’s housed in an elaborate, gilded reliquary, and was part of the Guelph Treasure, ecclesiastical items collected by the Dukes of Brunswick starting as far back as the 11th century. This vessel, called a monstrance, was documented in 1482. In 1931, the collection was displayed at the Cleveland Museum of Art and from there was purchased and added to the Nelson-Atkins’ collection.
This “holy finger” and the monstrance that houses it are currently on display in a nook near the Cloister, just off Rozzelle Court. Supposedly, touching a relic of a saint can grant miracles, but this one is well behind glass in a display case.
Eat your greens
Kansas City may be best known for barbeque and strip steak, but — believe it or not — leafy greens also helped put the area on the map.
During the 1930s, farmers in Lenexa sold vast amounts of spinach. The popularity of the Popeye cartoon made spinach trendy, high-quality soil made for prime crops, and easy access to the railway meant the produce could get to markets in Chicago and New York City.
Hence, by 1934, Lenexa became the Spinach Capital of the World.
The title has since been claimed by other towns in other states, but each year Lenexans celebrate their iron-rich heritage with a Spinach Festival. Now in its 40th year, the festival takes place the Saturday after Labor Day at Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park, with a craft fair, recipe competition, live entertainment and celebrity sightings — if you count Popeye and Olive Oyl.
At the festival, you can enjoy the world’s largest spinach salad (sold in individual bowls). You can pop next door to the Legler Barn Museum, which includes a display about this slice of life and view the official recipe — which includes, among other ingredients, 150 pounds of spinach, 600 mushrooms and 100 cloves of garlic. Yum!
Want more adventures like this? Sign up for KCUR's Creative Adventure Email. | https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2022-08-27/love-kansas-city-strangest-claims-to-fame | 2022-08-27T09:31:03Z | kcur.org | control | https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2022-08-27/love-kansas-city-strangest-claims-to-fame | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
With help from controversial tax exemptions, a new boutique hotel is coming to Kansas City’s Berkley Riverfront.
The Port Authority of Kansas City (Port KC) voted in late July to issue bonds for the Origin Hotel. It will be constructed across the street from the Union Apartments and will offer 118 hotel rooms as well as a full-service restaurant, a bike library and a fitness center. Port KC estimates it will bring at least 70 jobs to the neighborhood to staff the hotel and restaurant.
The project’s developer, The Thrash Group, is receiving a total of $6.8 million in tax exemptions over 20 years. Port KC has exempted the hotel from 75% of its property taxes for the first 10 years and 50% for the second 10 years.
Some public entities, including Kansas City Public Schools and the Community Mental Health Fund, have voiced frustration with the tax exemptions. They believe that Kansas City gives developers larger tax incentives than necessary, at the expense of taxing jurisdictions that depend on property tax revenue.
Origin Hotel will bring mixed-use development to the riverfront
Up until this point, development at the Berkley Riverfront has been primarily residential. The two major developments are the completed Union apartment complex and the Core apartment complex, which is still being constructed.
Port KC CEO Jon Stephens said the agency has prioritized bringing a mixed-use development into the neighborhood.
“While [housing is] wonderful, and you always want to have places where citizens live … you have to have more than that if you’re going to really build community,” he said. “We know that to really be successful, we need those jobs and we need people spending money down there. So this is that next step.”
The Thrash Group is a Mississippi-based developer that has built hotels in Austin, Texas; Lexington, Kentucky; Raleigh, North Carolina, and two in the Denver area.
Although Port KC leaders have said they’ve had difficulty recruiting developers for a riverfront hotel project, Stephens said The Thrash Group meets important benchmarks.
“They have stated, and we will be holding them to it, that a large percentage of the construction and operations will be prevailing wage” and union, he said. “All public improvements for this project will be 100% prevailing wage.”
Stephens also noted that the project does not contain a parking structure, which has been tough to negotiate with some other developers. The project has surface parking for 50 vehicles.
“We know that’s usually one of the most expensive components of projects and one where people are rightfully critical and say, ‘Why should the public pay for all of this parking?’” Stephens said.
Local taxing jurisdictions have concerns about tax exemptions for a boutique hotel
Tax exemptions in Kansas City have long been contentious, and some government agencies are displeased with the use of this tool for a luxury project that they do not believe offers public benefit.
“While the school district does not oppose every incentive ask, we do have serious concerns about a quarter-century of abatement for a hotel project,” Kathleen Pointer, senior policy strategist at Kansas City Public Schools, said at a Port KC development committee meeting in May. “It’s an inappropriate use of potential public funds, especially in the current market.”
Port KC’s primary tool for incentivizing projects is tax abatement, which reduces the amount of property tax that developers are required to pay.
Its rationale is that the undeveloped land that Port KC owns is empty and not producing any property tax revenue, so any property tax revenue from a new development is a net positive, with or without abatement.
But taxing jurisdictions question the degree to which Port KC needs to incentivize its projects, if at all.
A large portion of property tax revenue funds the school district, and KC Public Schools has not been shy about its view on tax incentives.
The school district has a web page devoted to the impact of tax abatement on its revenue. In 2021, the district lost $37 million due to tax abatement. In the 2018–2019 fiscal year, tax abatement losses amounted to $1,069 per student. By comparison, this number was $379 per student in North Kansas City and $95 per student in Raytown.
The Community Mental Health Fund, which supports agencies that provide mental health services, is another taxing jurisdiction whose revenue is affected by property tax abatement. Its executive director, Bruce Eddy, is less than enthusiastic about the Origin Hotel.
“We give it a ‘meh,’” Eddy said. He said Port KC hasn’t demonstrated that there is a market for a boutique hotel at the riverfront, or hired a third-party analyst to critique the project.
Concerns about how Kansas City uses tax exemptions
Nathan Jensen, a political science professor at the University of Texas in Austin, has studied the use of tax incentives in Kansas City — particularly how they have been used to move economic development back and forth across the state line.
“There’s a lot of criticism of the overuse of economic development incentives,” Jensen said. “Most scholars have identified that they’re overused in the sense that often they’re given to companies that don’t need it, or they’re excessively generous.”
Support for tax abatement often relies on a “but for” argument: The idea is that “but for” incentives, a development might not occur. Jensen questions whether this argument holds water, especially when the incentivized development is a retail project, such as a hotel.
“There’s been a movement over the last 20 years to not incentivize retail,” he said. “The idea is that it just displaces other retail.”
Although a project like the Origin Hotel advertises about 70 new jobs, Jensen said these jobs will likely be displaced from another hotel or restaurant in a different part of Kansas City.
“If it’s not generating a lot of jobs — or if it’s generating jobs, but probably displacing jobs — the only real value is the tax benefit, that you get to tax this hotel,” Jensen said. “But often, that’s exactly what the governments give up.”
KC taxing jurisdictions ask for transparency and independent analysis
After a developer presents its financial analysis for a project, Port KC works with the developer to see what kind of tax incentive would make the project suitable for bank financing, Stephens said.
While some development agencies in Kansas City obtain independent studies of a project’s financial viability, Port KC relies on its own financial analysis. Stephens said the Port KC staff has financial expertise and uses third-party data in its analyses. He questions whether a third-party analyst would have the expertise necessary for the variety of projects that Port KC handles.
“I am absolutely not opposed to third-party analysis,” Stephens said. “We show our work. We show all the data, we show where it changed, where it was headed, which is exactly what the other parties do. But we are exploring if we could use an auditor.”
Port KC’s reliance on internal expertise has become a point of contention for tax incentive skeptics.
“Jon’s lovely, but ultimately it’s a secret sauce, and it’s very disturbing,” said Eddy, from the Community Mental Health Fund. “When you’re doing public investments, then I don’t understand how anybody can allow that to happen, other than the fact that the environment is ultimately developer-driven.”
This story was originally published in the Kansas City Beacon. | https://www.kcur.org/housing-development-section/2022-08-27/riverfront-boutique-hotel-development-raises-questions-about-kansas-city-tax-incentives | 2022-08-27T09:31:09Z | kcur.org | control | https://www.kcur.org/housing-development-section/2022-08-27/riverfront-boutique-hotel-development-raises-questions-about-kansas-city-tax-incentives | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
“He won’t fail for lack of confidence, talent or QB savvy. He hasn’t looked confused a single time that I’ve noticed. Lance has thrown some errant passes, to be sure. He has had to run for his life against the 49ers’ vaunted pass rush in practice and on Thursday against the Texans’ less-than-vaunted defensive line. But Lance has never looked skittish. He’s never seemed over his head. His arm talent is obvious.
And smart and talented QBs tend to only get better, not worse.
Easy conclusion: The Lance we saw this summer and will see in the early stages of the regular season is just a fraction of the Lance we’ll see by December or January and definitely not the full Lance experience we’ll see into the future.”
What Kyle Shanahan said the day after the 49ers’ loss to the Texans
“San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke with reporters on Friday, the day after the team’s 17-0 preseason loss to the Houston Texans. Here is everything he had to say.”
Lombardi: Seahawks ‘very interested’ in signing Jimmy Garoppolo if 49ers release QB
“So what I think will happen is the Friday before the opening weekend, I think they’ll cut Jimmy G. I think that’s when they’ll cut him, and then he’ll have to go do his contract and go up to Seattle and go there. But there is no interest in allowing Seattle to have even a week of preparation with Jimmy G to come in as their starting quarterback. But I do believe, reliably reported to me, that Seattle is the team that wants him.”
49ers have inquired about trading for interior offensive linemen [report]
“The 49ers have recently made trade inquiries to add an interior offensive lineman, but a deal doesn’t appear imminent, according to league sources.”
Branch: Will JaMycal Hasty or Trey Sermon get pushed out of 49ers’ crowded backfield? (paywall)
“There was a lot of uncertainty,” Brendel said. “My sister was one of the first people to get COVID in America, basically. She had a positive test for three months. … So I didn’t want that to happen to me. I would basically have to sit out that entire season anyway (if that happened). I honestly had to make a pretty quick decision on that.”
49ers’ 53-man projection: Predicting fates of Trey Sermon, Jason Poe and others (paywall)
“The 49ers have some difficult decisions in front of them. What will coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch do? Training camp, preseason and the two men themselves have provided some clues over the past few weeks. We’ve done our best to decipher them all and come to agreement on a 53-man roster projection, which you can also visualize in spreadsheet form.”
“One of the incredible, and simultaneously maddening features of the preseason is feeling like you have a handle on where the 49ers’ roster stands... At the start of camp, there always seems like a clear hierarchy, but by its conclusion, it’s all a muddled mess. Special teams and injury questions throw a wrench into all the notions we all had of who is and who is not making this team.” | https://www.ninersnation.com/2022/8/27/23324385/49ers-news-roster-projections-cut-down-trey-sermon-lance-jimmy-g-hasty-defensive-line-seahawks-trade | 2022-08-27T09:32:44Z | ninersnation.com | control | https://www.ninersnation.com/2022/8/27/23324385/49ers-news-roster-projections-cut-down-trey-sermon-lance-jimmy-g-hasty-defensive-line-seahawks-trade | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A slow recruiting process, lack of awareness of open jobs, and outdated or unessential requirements in job announcements are limiting applications for federal jobs at a time when the government is facing a staffing crisis, according to a study by Qualtrics.
Less than half of recent graduates said they would consider federal employment, the study found.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 85,000 job openings across the federal government. As the world of work continues to evolve, the public sector faces unique challenges in attracting talent to federal agencies. For example, the average time-to-hire for federal employees is 98 days, 2 which makes it even more difficult to compete with private sector companies that have streamlined recruiting practices.
Very few recent college graduates are considering federal government jobs. According to the Qualtrics study, 20% of graduate respondents said they were not aware of federal jobs and 30% said the hiring process is too complicated.
Despite the fact that nearly 70% of federal jobs do not require a college degree, more than one third of recent graduates report they would not apply to federal jobs because they feel under-qualified. When asked about the reasons they felt unqualified, they cited years of required experience, required skills and credential and degree requirements as the top barriers. These results indicate that federal agencies may need to speed up the hiring process and clarify the skills needed rather than the years of experience required to attract new applicants, Qualtrics said.
“This study makes clear that targeted improvements to federal agency recruiting - even simple fixes like promoting flexible work and career progression, emphasizing the mission-oriented nature of the work and rewriting job announcements to replace required years of experience with required skills - can have meaningful impact on who is aware of open positions and who decides to apply,” said Sydney Heimbrock, chief industry advisor for government at Qualtrics, in a statement.
Recruitment strategies should also emphasize what appeals to younger talent who have not considered government jobs. When asked about the top qualities they look for in a job, recent graduates ranked work-life balance first, followed by flexible work arrangements and then job security. Corporate values also are increasingly important to younger workers. For graduates, having a track record of social responsibility, a strong reputation for services and a diverse leadership team were also among the most-selected qualities they look for in a job, according to the research.
College students ranked work-life balance first, followed by pay and the opportunity to do meaningful work as the top qualities they look for in a job.
Delivering services to residents equitably and effectively requires a diverse government workforce that represents the population. Yet the Qualtrics study found that minority graduates were even less likely to consider federal employment – only 40% said they would. Among minority students, 34% said they would consider federal employment and 37% were undecided.
“To meet minority students and graduates where and how they want to live and work, federal agencies need to create recruiting strategies that provide opportunities for folks to see themselves working in the agency - from being intentional about who engages with them at hiring events, to realistic job previews that show them how their values and goals align with the agency’s mission,” said Angela Bailey, former chief human capital officer for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and strategic advisor to Qualtrics. “Pay policies will need to address the value of the skills an agency is seeking, rather than rely on outdated compensation models to compete for minority, early career, skilled workers.
“Agency leaders can take this early talent feedback to make meaningful changes today to build their talent pipelines,” she said.
This study was fielded in April 2022 to understand perspectives on a career in the U.S. federal government. Qualtrics surveyed 1,129 Americans aged 18+ who are or were recently enrolled in a post-secondary education degree or certification program, including two- and four-year degrees, professional and doctoral degrees, and vocational and technical training. | https://www.federaltimes.com/management/2022/08/26/few-recent-college-grads-are-considering-government-work-study-finds/ | 2022-08-27T09:33:30Z | federaltimes.com | control | https://www.federaltimes.com/management/2022/08/26/few-recent-college-grads-are-considering-government-work-study-finds/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Tokyo: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty capped off a memorable campaign with a historic bronze medal in the men's doubles competition of the World Championships after going down narrowly to Malaysia's Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik in the semifinals here on Saturday.
The world No. 7 Indian pair, which had claimed the Commonwealth Games (CWG) men's doubles gold early this month, flattered to deceive as it squandered an opening game advantage to go down 22-20, 18-21, 16-21 to the Olympic bronze medallists in a pulsating 77-minute clash, bringing an end to the Indian challenge.
It was the sixth successive defeat against the world No. 6 pair for Satwik and Chirag, who had lost to the same combination at the CWG mixed team final early this month.
Despite the loss, it was a creditable show by Satwik and Chirag, who emerged as the first Indian pair to win a men's doubles medal at the showpiece.
It also ensured that India continued to return with a medal from the World Championships since 2011, the year the country won its first doubles medal with the women's pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa clinching a bronze.
In the semifinal clash, Chirag looked a bit off-colour with his serve and defence, while Satwik tried his best to make up for it but in the end the Malaysians proved to be a tad faster and more subtle in their strokeplay in a match that went down to the wire.
Coming into the match with a 0-5 head-to-head record, the Indians showed alertness and didn't allow their opponents to play their natural game. They used the smashes judiciously to quickly move to an 11-5 lead at the interval.
Leading 11-7, Satwik showed great defence in a fast-paced rally which ended with the Malaysian hitting long.
The Malaysians made a comeback after the break, closing in at 11-12 with the Indians missing their mark a few times.
They soon drew level at 16-16 with Soh unleashing a powerful smash and then grabbed a 18-17 lead.
However, Satwik and Chirag moved back to lead at 19-18 with Aaron sending one to net and then Chirag pouncing on an opportunity.
Another attacking rally put India one point away but Chirag faltered in a net shot as it was 20-20. Chirag earned another game point and this time Aaron missed the line to hand over the opening game to the Indians.
After the change of sides, Aaron and Soh emerged as the better players as Chirag looked a little subdued. The Indians still managed to keep breathing down their opponent's neck before an error from Chirag gave a slender one-point advantage to the Malaysians at the break.
Chirag found the net twice, while another one went long as Malaysia established a decisive 16-11 lead. A solid service return from Soh gave them three game points.
They squandered one but with Chirag losing his racquet string, Satwik couldn't negotiate the Malaysian attack as the match was levelled 1-1.
The decider was a tight affair as Satwik and Chirag tried to attack Soh but with Chirag going wide the Malaysian led 5-3 at one stage.
A push and block strategy from Satwik saw the Indians manage a 6-5 lead as Chirag was all charged up.
However, the Malaysian pair eked out a 10-8 lead before taking a one-point cushion in the final mid-game interval.
Aaron and Soh dominated the fast-paced rallies after the break to lead 13-11 but Satwik unleashed his trademark booming smash to keep it close.
Chirag produced a backhand whip near the net to make it 13-14 before a misjudgement from Soh at the baseline saw the Indians keep the equation to 15-16.
However, the Malaysians soon pulled away and once Chirag put another one at the net, Aaron and Soh had four match points.
A return to serve going to net from Satwik ended the contest. | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/other-sports/2022/08/27/bwf-world-championships-atwiksairaj-rankireddy-chirag-shetty-end-up-with-bronze.amp.html | 2022-08-27T09:39:44Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/other-sports/2022/08/27/bwf-world-championships-atwiksairaj-rankireddy-chirag-shetty-end-up-with-bronze.amp.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Asia Cup begins in the UAE later today with Sri Lanka taking on Afghanistan. The 15th edition of the tournament will be played in the T20 format. Prior to this only once the Asia Cup has been staged in the T20 format — in 2016 when India emerged triumphant.
Defending champions India have been the most successful team, having lifted the Cup seven times. The Lankans have triumphed on five occasions, while Pakistan have reigned supreme twice.
A couple of unsung heroes played their part in the triumphant campaigns of the Men in Blue.
The inaugural edition of the tournament was held in Sharjah in 1984. Wicketkeeper-opener Surinder Khanna was the star as India outplayed both Sri Lanka and Pakistan to emerge champions.
Khanna smashed an unbeaten 51 in India's 10-wicket win over Lanka and followed it up with a fine 56 against Pakistan. The Delhi player was also in superb form behind the stumps as he bagged the man-of-the-match award in both games. He was also named the man-of-the-series.
However, Khanna, who made his ODI debut against the West Indies in 1979, could not continue his merry run. The last of his 10 ODI appearances came against Pakistan in 1984 itself.
Likewise, Arshad Ayub played a stellar role in India's win in the 1988 edition. The off-spinner bagged career-best figures of 5/21 as India bowled out Pakistan for 142 in their must-win group game at Dhaka. Ayub ran through the Pakistan batting line-up as he accounted for Rameez Raja, Aamer Malik and Shoaib Mohammad in addition to lower-order batters Naved Anjum and Wasim Akram.
India made heavy weather of the chase and scarped through by four wickets, with Mohinder Amarnath producing a splendid unbeaten 74. Ayub bagged the man-of-the-match award for his game-changing spell.
Dilip Vengsarkar's men outplayed Sri Lanka by six wickets in the final. Ayub ended up as the highest wicket-taker in the tournament, with nine scalps.
Ayub featured in 13 Tests and 32 ODIs. The Hyderabad player's last international outing was an ODI against Sri Lanka at Margao in 1990. | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/cricket/2022/08/27/surinder-khanna-arshad-ayub-unsung-heroes-of-indias-asia-cu-triumphs.amp.html | 2022-08-27T09:44:06Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/cricket/2022/08/27/surinder-khanna-arshad-ayub-unsung-heroes-of-indias-asia-cu-triumphs.amp.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Asia Cup begins in the UAE later today with Sri Lanka taking on Afghanistan. The 15th edition of the tournament will be played in the T20 format. Prior to this only once the Asia Cup has been staged in the T20 format — in 2016 when India emerged triumphant.
Defending champions India have been the most successful team, having lifted the Cup seven times. The Lankans have triumphed on five occasions, while Pakistan have reigned supreme twice.
A couple of unsung heroes played their part in the triumphant campaigns of the Men in Blue.
The inaugural edition of the tournament was held in Sharjah in 1984. Wicketkeeper-opener Surinder Khanna was the star as India outplayed both Sri Lanka and Pakistan to emerge champions.
Khanna smashed an unbeaten 51 in India's 10-wicket win over Lanka and followed it up with a fine 56 against Pakistan. The Delhi player was also in superb form behind the stumps as he bagged the man-of-the-match award in both games. He was also named the man-of-the-series.
However, Khanna, who made his ODI debut against the West Indies in 1979, could not continue his merry run. The last of his 10 ODI appearances came against Pakistan in 1984 itself.
Likewise, Arshad Ayub played a stellar role in India's win in the 1988 edition. The off-spinner bagged career-best figures of 5/21 as India bowled out Pakistan for 142 in their must-win group game at Dhaka. Ayub ran through the Pakistan batting line-up as he accounted for Rameez Raja, Aamer Malik and Shoaib Mohammad in addition to lower-order batters Naved Anjum and Wasim Akram.
India made heavy weather of the chase and scarped through by four wickets, with Mohinder Amarnath producing a splendid unbeaten 74. Ayub bagged the man-of-the-match award for his game-changing spell.
Dilip Vengsarkar's men outplayed Sri Lanka by six wickets in the final. Ayub ended up as the highest wicket-taker in the tournament, with nine scalps.
Ayub featured in 13 Tests and 32 ODIs. The Hyderabad player's last international outing was an ODI against Sri Lanka at Margao in 1990. | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/cricket/2022/08/27/surinder-khanna-arshad-ayub-unsung-heroes-of-indias-asia-cu-triumphs.html | 2022-08-27T09:44:13Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/cricket/2022/08/27/surinder-khanna-arshad-ayub-unsung-heroes-of-indias-asia-cu-triumphs.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Madam C.J. Walker is joining Barbie's lineup of Inspiring Women dolls.
Walker, often referred to as the nation's first documented self-made female millionaire, was known for her entrepreneurial skills as she built her haircare and cosmetic brand from scratch.
But aside from her beauty empire, Walker was also known for her philanthropic and social justice efforts, including her contributions to the NAACP anti-lynching movement. It's Walker's whole story that her great-great-grandaughter A'Lelia Bundles hopes younger generations will learn about through the new doll.
"I hope that when little girls and little boys pick up the doll, that they will see something that's a little different than just a generic doll, that this is a doll who comes with a backstory," Bundles told NPR. "And as an entrepreneur and as a boss and as a philanthropist and a patron of the arts and somebody who cared about social justice, that they will perhaps see themselves and take one of those narratives."
As the official biographer of Walker, Bundles worked with Barbie on creating the doll.
Her input and knowledge helped in the creation of Walker's vibrant outfit that showcases the entrepreneur's favorite colors — purple and turquoise — as well as the hair and the packaging of the doll which features a historical photo of Walker's Villa Lewaro residence, a gathering place for people during the Harlem Renaissance. The doll even comes with a mini replica of Walker's original Wonderful Hair Grower product — an ointment that helped with many scalp issues.
Bundles shared memories about her first Black doll and the significance of having Black representation in the toy industry.
"It means a lot that a child can look at a doll, can have a doll that looks like them," Bundles said. "And it doesn't mean that Black children should only have Black dolls and white children should only have white dolls. ... But I like the idea of children really being able to have somebody who looks like them ... so that they know that they're part of the world."
Walker joins the ranks of Ida B. Wells, Billie Jean King, Jane Goodall and many other innovative women who also have had Barbies made in their likenesses.
"As a pioneer in entrepreneurship, philanthropy and activism, creating the blueprint for the self-made American businesswoman and innovators of the twentieth century, Madam C.J. Walker is an embodiment of our Barbie Inspiring Women series," Lisa McKnight, execute vice president and global head of Barbie and Dolls for Mattel said in a statement.
The doll is available on Amazon and Walmart.com for $35.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.klcc.org/npr-news/2022-08-27/madam-c-j-walker-the-first-u-s-self-made-female-millionaire-gets-her-own-barbie | 2022-08-27T09:48:38Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-news/2022-08-27/madam-c-j-walker-the-first-u-s-self-made-female-millionaire-gets-her-own-barbie | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola results from Daytona International Speedway
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In March and May of this year, pedestrians on South Transit Street were struck and killed by passing motorists.
Both the tragedy and the aftermath in the death of Richard Howes III have been highly publicized as the two drivers accused in the hit-and-run were charged with manslaughter. Howes was struck by two vehicles as he crossed South Transit at High Street on March 18.
The second hit-and-run incident, in which an unnamed male was struck by two vehicles at South Transit and Nicholls streets at 5:44 a.m. May 5, remains under investigation, Lockport Police Chief Steve Abbott said on Friday. One of the drivers is known to us, Abbott said, the other is not and it continues to be a case that is under investigation.
Abbott also said, to his knowledge, that the name of the victim has not been announced and he would not divulge the identity as of Friday.
Upon the second fatality, Mayor Michelle Roman said the city’s traffic advisory board would gather and analyze information about accidents and conditions on South Transit Street between Main Street and Ruhlmann Road.
At the same time, the New York State Department of Transportation disclosed its ongoing traffic study on Route 78 in Niagara County. The study was begun in 2020 and was due to be wrapped up in September. That study was still in progress as of Friday, according to Susan Surdej, DOT regional public information officer.
While the DOT study was not related to the deaths — a NYSDOT representative, Joseph Morrissey, wrote in May that the location was selected based on data from the agency’s Office of Traffic Safety and Mobility — it does evaluate crash data, field conditions and alternatives and countermeasures to prevent future accidents.
Upon request of the Union-Sun & Journal, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office released information about motor vehicle accidents on South Transit Road / Route 78 as it exits the city and continues south:
— From January 2020 to the present, 20 accidents were documented between Robinson Road and Millersport Highway.
— Two of the collisions occurred in 2020, in May and December, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
— In 2021, six collisions occurred at a variety of times and dates, three between May and July, and all between noon and 8 p.m.
— This year, to date, one collision occurred, at 6472 South Transit, about 11:30 a.m. Feb. 26.
The city traffic advisory board is expected to meet next month to review its data, in conjunction with the DOT findings, according to Mayor Michelle Roman. Once that’s done, the city may request that DOT make certain adjustments, such as creating a delayed stop light at High and Transit where both lights are red for an extended period.
Meanwhile, Abbott offered some suggestions for drivers and pedestrians.
For drivers, he said: “Don’t assume (pedestrians) see you. Assume something, or someone, will jump out.”
And for pedestrians: Don’t wear dark clothing while walking outdoors, especially at night; wear a reflective vest or other reflective clothing when walking at night; and walk on the sidewalk or road shoulder whenever possible. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/local_news/traffic-safety-in-focus-on-south-transit/article_68dd2d1c-2575-11ed-8011-7bd0947248bf.html | 2022-08-27T10:05:44Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/local_news/traffic-safety-in-focus-on-south-transit/article_68dd2d1c-2575-11ed-8011-7bd0947248bf.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
La-Z-Boy reports record FY 2023 first-quarter results
Monroe-based La-Z-Boy Incorporated recently reported record-setting first-quarter results for the quarter ended July 30, 2022.
Fiscal 2023 first-quarter highlights versus prior year:
- Consolidated sales increased 15% to $604 million, a first-quarter record- Operating profit and operating margin were also all-time first-quarter records
- Retail segment sales increased 30% to $236 million, an all-time quarterly record- Operating profit and operating margin were also all-time quarterly records
- Joybird written sales increased 12%
"We delivered excellent results for the quarter, amidst challenging trends for the global economy and the furniture industry," said La-Z-Boy President and Chief Executive Officer, Melinda D. Whittington. "We are focused on navigating the near-term volatile environment with agility while strengthening our business for the long term with our Century Vision strategy. This quarter, we further built our iconic La-Z-Boy brand with the acquisition of five La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries® stores in the Denver market, and our Joybird brand with the opening of two new Joybird retail stores."
"In the near term, we remain focused on working down our backlog to drive delivered sales and enhance service to customers with shorter, pre-pandemic lead times," Whittington continued. "Our supply chain team continues to improve results and reduce start-up friction costs at our new plants in Mexico to strengthen wholesale gross margins over time. At the same time, we have increased our marketing spend to pre-pandemic levels to increase traffic and conversion and support the equity of our brands. With a strong balance sheet, we have the means to make prudent investments in our business and we expect to deliver enhanced long-term returns to all stakeholders."
On August 23, 2022, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.165 per share on the common stock of the company, payable on September 15, 2022, to shareholders of record on September 7, 2022.
"While we maintain our long-term commitment to steady sales growth and margin progress, we continue to anticipate results may vary significantly during fiscal 2023 as a result of current industry dynamics as well as macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty and its effect on consumer sentiment," said Bob Lucian, Chief Financial Officer of La-Z-Boy Incorporated. "Taking all known factors into consideration, we expect delivered sales for the fiscal 2023 second quarter to be up 2% to 5% versus the second quarter of fiscal 2022, in a range of about $590 million to $605 million, and consolidated non-GAAP operating margin to be in a range of about 8.0% to 8.5%."
La-Z-Boy held a conference call with the investment community on Wednesday. A telephone replay is available for a week following the call. This replay will be accessible to callers from the U.S. and Canada at 877.481.4010 and to international callers at 919.882.2331. Enter Replay Passcode: 46346.
The webcast replay will be available for one year. | https://www.monroenews.com/story/news/local/2022/08/27/la-z-boy-reports-record-fy-2023-first-quarter-results/65458043007/ | 2022-08-27T10:10:43Z | monroenews.com | control | https://www.monroenews.com/story/news/local/2022/08/27/la-z-boy-reports-record-fy-2023-first-quarter-results/65458043007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
RICHMOND, Va. - Police Chief Gerald Smith sounded authoritative when he held a press conference to announce that police had thwarted a planned mass shooting at a July 4 fireworks show at the Dogwood Dell Amphitheater. But the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that records obtained through the Virginia Freedom of Information Act show that Smith was informed in writing before his July 6 news conference that the location of any potential incident was “unknown.” A police official emailed those records to Smith and an assistant seven minutes before Smith’s news conference. In a statement to the newspaper, Smith said he is deeply sorry for any confusion or anxiety caused by his naming Dogwood Dell as the location.
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DELMARVA FORECAST
Saturday: A mix of sun and clouds. Scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon and early evening. Highs near 90°F, except cooler near showers and thunderstorms. Feels like mid 90s. Chance of rain 50 percent.
Saturday night: Showers and thunder early, then partly cloudy with patchy fog developing late. Light winds. Muggy, with lows around 70°F. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Sunday: Patchy fog early, then partly to mostly sunny. A few showers or thunderstorms could pop up in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 80s. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Monday: Mostly sunny and unseasonably warm. Highs near 90°F
Tuesday: Mostly sunny and hot. Chance of a pop up shower or thunderstorm in the afternoon. Highs in the low to mid 90s. Chance of rain 10 percent.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny and hot. Chance of a pop up shower or thunderstorm in the afternoon. Highs in the low to mid 90s. Chance of rain 10 percent.
Thursday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid to upper 80s.
Friday: Mostly sunny and more comfortable. Not as humid. Highs in the mid 80s.
FORECAST DISCUSSION
Normal high: 84°F. Normal low: 65°F.
Unseasonably hot weather is back yet again on Delmarva, without much relief until later in the upcoming week.
On Saturday, Delmarva will bake under a hot and humid air mass. Temperatures will rise into the low 90s, and with the humidity it will feel like the mid 90s. Expect a mix of sun and clouds, and some scattered showers and thunderstorms to develop in the afternoon. These showers and thunderstorms will be a lot like what we've seen most of this summer: slow moving storms with heavy downpours. That means not everyone will see a thunderstorms today, but those who do shoud expect the heavy rain, gusty winds, and frequent lightning. Downpours don't do much to replenish soil moisture, so the abnormally dry conditions are expected to continue.
Saturday night, patchy fog is likely to develop late, especially in places that see rain Saturday afternoon. It'll be muggy, with lows only falling to around 70 degrees.
Skies will be partly to mostly sunny on Sunday as a ridge of high pressure builds into the northeast, but with the humidity, there is still a low chance of some pop up showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon, but likely not as widespread as on Saturday.
High pressure and unseasonably warm temperatures remain in charge on Monday, with mostly sunny skies and temperatures rising into the upper 80s.
A weak cold front will approach on Tuesday. Ahead of this front, expect a return of hot, humid air, as temperatures again rise into the low to mid 90s both Tuesday and Wednesday. The front is expected to sort of wash out over the Mid-Atlantic, so it will struggle to fire up any showers or thunderstorms, but the low chance remains, with any storms featuring gusty downpours.
In the wake of that front, more comfortable and less humid air is expected as we welcome in the month of September.
In the tropics, an area of disturbed weather in the Caribbean has a low, 20 percent chance of developing into a tropical system.
A tropical wave in the deep Tropical Atlantic also has a low, 30 percent, chance of organizing. Neither of these areas are an immediate threat to Delmarva. | https://www.wboc.com/weather/hot-with-afternoon-storms-saturday/article_b711b8f8-25e9-11ed-988c-837766deb8bd.html | 2022-08-27T10:10:49Z | wboc.com | control | https://www.wboc.com/weather/hot-with-afternoon-storms-saturday/article_b711b8f8-25e9-11ed-988c-837766deb8bd.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Happy Saturday! We are kicking off the weekend on a relatively comfortable note with temperatures in the mid to upper-60s. There will be areas of patchy fog before 9 AM, so watch out for reduced visibility in spots! After the fog clears, the warm-up begins. High temperatures will reach the lower 90s with real feel temperatures ranging between 94-99 degrees. There will be a slim chance of an afternoon shower to cool us down, but the best chance of rain will be in the higher terrain. Tonight will feature quiet conditions with lows dropping into the lower-70s.
The heat will keep rolling Sunday and Monday as highs reach the lower-90s both days. There will be plenty of sunshine with only a 10-20% chance of an afternoon storm.
Tuesday will be our best chance of showers and storms as a cold front approaches from the north. Locally heavy rainfall and gusty winds will be possible. High temperatures will top out around 90 degrees.
Wednesday through Friday will be mainly dry with plenty of sunshine. Temperatures will remain toasty, with highs ranging between 87-91 degrees. However, the humidity will be lower by the end of the week, making it feel a little more comfortable!
For the latest, download the Local 3 Weather app. | https://www.local3news.com/local-weather/hot-and-mainly-dry-weekend-ahead/article_bf5e6ed4-25e4-11ed-ad76-174eca541e32.html | 2022-08-27T10:14:22Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/local-weather/hot-and-mainly-dry-weekend-ahead/article_bf5e6ed4-25e4-11ed-ad76-174eca541e32.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
After the 1999 mass shooting at Columbine High School, a state commission investigating the attack in Colorado offered a recommendation that would go on to be widely adopted by police agencies across the United States:
"Law enforcement policy and training should emphasize that the highest priority of law enforcement officers, after arriving at the scene of a crisis, is to stop any ongoing assault."
Twenty-three years and hundreds of active shooter incidents later, society and policing leaders have set expectations that police end shooting attacks quickly and decisively -- by killing or arresting the gunman -- and prioritize the lives of victims over those of responding officers.
That did not happen three months ago when a gunman in Uvalde, Texas, killed 19 fourth-graders and two teachers and left 17 other people injured. After law enforcement approached the classrooms where the shooter had holed up with wounded students, the gunman fired at police, who retreated, then waited more than 70 minutes to confront and kill him.
The attack on Robb Elementary, the tactical failures of the police response, the inaccurate framing later by police of their own efforts as heroic and the subsequent refusal over months by government officials to answer key questions that could clarify the public's understanding of that day, together, will have ramifications for years to come, even if only as a reminder of how not to respond to an active shooter and how not to communicate with the public afterward.
Beyond the immediate and deep devastation of dead students and educators, the deficiencies already have begun to undermine the credibility of law enforcement in Texas, testing residents' faith in their own police and raising questions about the officers' ability to confront future crimes. The mistrust has rippled, too: A sheriff in Illinois soon after the attack declared publicly that his deputies never would respond to a similar assault as police did in Uvalde, and school officials in Atlanta just this week briefed parents also concerned over the Uvalde police response about their own safety plans.
"This is very, very early in a long-, long-term affair," said Thor Eells, executive director of the National Tactical Officers Association. "We're in the first minute of an overtime game. There will be a lot of unintended, unforeseen, unanticipated consequences. That's a shame."
During the police response to the Columbine attack -- a shocking siege that felt like a first-of-its kind event and marked a seminal moment in American policing -- officers surrounded the school, trained to expect a SWAT team with specialized weapons and tactics to enter and resolve the situation. Professional practice in law enforcement back then also held that time itself benefited police responders.
But Columbine upended that widely held belief, with the state commission finding the trained response was "demonstrably inadequate for incidents like that at Columbine High School." "Time is not on the side of police if one or more active perpetrators are in control of a large public building where there are many potential victims," its report reads.
Twelve students and one teacher died at Columbine at the hands of two students who killed themselves at the school before officers found them. The police response was hampered not just by the ill-suited tactics but also by problems with communication among responding police agencies. Though an officer traded gunfire with one of the shooters a few minutes into the attack outside the school, the first law enforcement entry into the school came about 50 minutes after the shooting began, the report states.
Amid debate after Columbine over whether police waiting for backup was the right approach, there was broad agreement the surround-and-negotiate approach taken during that massacre wasn't appropriate to the type of violent school attack that's only become more common over the past two decades, recalled Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, which aims to improve professionalism in policing.
"Back then, there was still some (debate as to) whether a single officer should go in or wait for additional officers. There was variation in policies ... I think that's the case even at Parkland," he said, referring to the 2018 school shooting in Florida. "But Uvalde was a line in the sand in the sense that ... lessons will be felt for decades to come. It's not a debate anymore."
The Columbine commission's recommendation to prioritize a speedy confrontation was just that -- a recommendation. Not even every police agency involved in the Columbine response cooperated with the commission's work, and the wide adoption of its approach to active shooting events as a professional policing standard didn't happen immediately.
Still, the expectation of a fast and aggressive police response has only sharpened over the years, as groups like the National Tactical Officers Association in Colorado and the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training center in Texas have developed training programs that prioritize the rapid and violent, if necessary, confrontation of spree shooters.
Indeed, few things in law enforcement can now be so simply explained as the officer's obligation during an attack, especially at a school:
Move toward gunfire.
End the threat.
"In Uvalde, we're 20 years past Columbine and (four) years past Parkland ... but that's the challenge of American policing: the expectation that everybody is going to perform and knows best practices. But what happens when that message doesn't get through and you have the response like you have in Uvalde? A question of who's in charge, question of command, question of equipment, question of willingness to put yourself, your life on the line to protect someone else," Wexler said. "All those came about."
'A massive failure of leadership on every level'
A complete accounting of the police response to Uvalde has not yet been made public by officials, who've largely avoided answering questions about internal reviews complicated by the overlapping response by 23 agencies and the fact that key agencies are investigating themselves.
Still, police experts, public officials, grieving parents and others all have said the choice by Uvalde responders to wait so long to confront the shooter was wrong.
What's known of the Uvalde response so far largely comes from video from inside school hallways, a report released by a Texas legislative committee investigating the shooting, police body-worn camera videos from the city of Uvalde and a report from the ALERRT training center at Texas State University. Together, the materials show a failure of command early in the response that experts have said compounded failures further on in the incident and in the days that followed, as police gave the public wrong information about what happened.
For instance, a CNN review of body-worn camera footage revealed officers with the state agency investigating the shooting -- the Texas Department of Public Safety -- were at Robb Elementary earlier than publicly acknowledged by its leaders, who instead have focused on its members' actions later in the attack. Meantime, the city of Uvalde waited nearly two months -- until after the release of the legislative report -- to release the bodycam videos and has shared little about a third-party probe of its police force. And while the school board fired its police chief -- a move his lawyer called "an illegal and unconstitutional public lynching" -- school officials haven't commented on the status of any other officers there that day.
All the while, parents of slain children and their neighbors have been showing up to city and school government meetings, demanding far more answers and accountability from public officials, who've shown little interest in the three months since the carnage in releasing more information.
"It's a massive failure of leadership on every level," said Peter Moskos, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and former Baltimore city police officer. "No one there has said they f**ked up. There's still a need for police, there's just no accountability. Someone needs to resign and say, 'We messed up.' It would give some accountability to it. This idea you make a big mistake, kids die, then you just go on ... that's what's happening. If it happened again, there's no reason to think they'd do it any differently."
Among the unanswered questions about Uvalde are how officials are reviewing the actions of lower-ranking officers and whether they're considering how officers can go back into the small community and expect respect and compliance from residents who know they waited outside a classroom while kids bled from gunshot wounds.
"We are still being placated with tidbits or being outright stonewalled or being given excuses" about the city police department's response, said resident Michele Prouty, who passed out complaint forms against Uvalde police at an August 9 Uvalde City Council meeting. "What we have instead -- what we are traumatized again and again by -- is an inept, unstructured national embarrassment of a circus tent full of smug clowns. These clowns continue to cruise our streets sporting their tarnished badges."
"I cannot, for the life of me, imagine how you'd continue a career knowing you left children in there," said Eells, of the National Tactical Officers Association. "Cannot imagine it."
Texas' DPS Director Steven McCraw has called the law enforcement response "an abject failure" and said each of his officers will be scrutinized internally and by the county district attorney spearheading a criminal investigation in the case. McCraw will not publicly release any information, per a district attorney's request, he said, acknowledging the case could take years.
"It is important to do a thorough investigation, especially when law enforcement officers are involved," McCraw said earlier this month. His agency would not comment for this story.
The head of the union that represents law enforcement officers across the state, including some in Uvalde, has called for an independent probe of Texas DPS. "I don't know that we can trust them to do an internal investigation," said Charley Wilkison, executive director of the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas.
Texas DPS "was fast to wash its hands, to point fingers and to make sure that the general public, particularly the elected officials, knew that they were spotless, blameless and that this was a local problem. ... No one created this environment, (in) which everyone's to blame except DPS. No one did that except them," he said.
"If we're to never, ever let this happen in Texas, we have to know what happened, exactly what happened."
Candid Illinois sheriff soon faces a spree shooting
It's common for police, formally and informally, to look at how another agency handled a case that garnered significant news attention. Cases less consequential than Uvalde can result in a reminder from a supervisor during roll call of officers' responsibilities during an active shooting event, or something more formal, like an agency prioritizing refresher training.
Nationally, there was concern within law enforcement within a few days of the Robb Elementary attack over the quality of the police response and how it was being communicated, based on the shifting narrative from law enforcement officials in Texas. The public shared those same concerns as they saw the police yarn unravel through news reports and official reviews.
In Lake County, Illinois, the sheriff released a statement three days after the Uvalde shooting vowing his force would do all the things law enforcement in the Texas city did not: "immediately respond" and "move immediately into the scene and utilize their training to do what is necessary" and "take whatever actions are necessary to protect life."
The agency thought it important to reassure county residents that deputies knew their responsibilities in an active shooter situation, said Chris Covelli, a deputy chief and the sheriff's office public information officer. People in Lake County -- where a mass shooting would unfold only weeks later at a July 4 parade, killing seven and injuring dozens more in Highland Park -- were looking at what was happening in Uvalde and wondering, Covelli said.
"Had the community not been concerned, it wouldn't have needed to be addressed. But they were, and the onus is on us to know where we stand and what we're prepared to do," he said. "Our sheriff reassured the community that in an active shooter situation, we are going to respond to move and stop that threat -- not going to wait, not going to wait to get orders through the grapevine how to proceed.
"Our deputies are trained to make immediate decisions. Whether it's an active shooter at a school bus, church, whatever the case is, (they're) trained to enter and stop the threat immediately, don't need to wait for approval to do that," he said.
In Atlanta in late August, school and police officials addressed parents who'd raised concerns related to the Uvalde attack by detailing their own plans to respond to active shooters, CNN affiliate WGCL reported. The very next day, the high school was the subject of a threat quickly investigated by city police and the FBI, according to a principal's statement.
Fear of a cover-up in the Uvalde police responses is real. The city's mayor has openly wondered about it, and the legislative committee investigating the shooting noted in the report it issued July 17, "The fear of a coverup is palpable here ... Most fundamentally, there has been a loss of trust in government."
"Problems with the flow of information have plagued government, media, and public discussion about what happened at Robb Elementary from the outset -- damaging public trust, inflicting a very real toll on the people of Uvalde, and creating an imperative to provide a reliable set of facts," the report stated.
After the 2014 deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner at the hands of police, then-President Barack Obama formed a task force that issued a report declaring "legitimacy" as essential to any police agency's ability to do its job. "Building Trust & Legitimacy" ended up as the first pillar of the panel's report -- "really the fundamental, underlying all the pillars," said Laurie Robinson, one of the report's authors.
While the circumstances of Brown's killing -- which like Garner's prompted widespread protests and calls for reform in how officers use legal force against suspects -- differ markedly from what happened in Uvalde, the hesitance of officials in that Ferguson, Missouri, case to release key details of what happened mirrors the pattern that has emerged after the Robb Elementary massacre, said Wexler, of the Police Executive Research Forum.
And as the Obama task force concluded, "transparency and accountability" cut directly to the ability of police agencies to retain the public's trust. Its report suggested police communicate "swiftly, openly, and neutrally," especially when there are allegations of police misconduct.
It's counsel officials so many years later in Uvalde did not appear to heed.
"That really compounded things in Uvalde, the fact you couldn't get answers to basic questions. Whenever (a) department decides (it was) not going to communicate basic information, they undercut their legitimacy immediately," Wexler said. "And that's one of (the) lessons police chiefs know: that the days of saying 'no comment' ended decades ago."
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/failures-of-the-uvalde-massacre-response-including-not-heeding-lessons-of-columbine-could-shadow-law/article_a22f708e-9a5b-5834-922a-da293ddeda33.html | 2022-08-27T10:14:28Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/failures-of-the-uvalde-massacre-response-including-not-heeding-lessons-of-columbine-could-shadow-law/article_a22f708e-9a5b-5834-922a-da293ddeda33.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Two school districts in Oklahoma will remain under a downgraded accreditation status after they were accused of violating a state law that bars certain types of teachings on race and gender, despite educators' calls on Thursday to lift the punishment they say is hurting teachers and students.
The Oklahoma State Board of Education reaffirmed a 4-2 vote on July 28 designating the Tulsa Public Schools and Mustang Public Schools districts as "accredited with warning."
The reduction means the districts are two tiers away from losing accreditation altogether.
"We are disappointed that the Oklahoma State Board of Education determined -- without any discussion -- to not even consider Tulsa Public Schools' request that it reevaluate the egregious and baseless action it took on our district's accreditation status in July," Tulsa superintendent Deborah Gist said in a written statement following the vote.
The law at the heart of the matter is House Bill 1775, which was passed and signed by Gov. Kevin Stitt in May 2021.
It prohibits, in part, teachers and other staff from teaching courses that indicate one race or gender is inherently superior to another. It also bars teaching the idea that a person of specific race or gender "bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex," according to the bill's text.
The Oklahoma bill does not mention "critical race theory," but it emerged amid a contentious debate raging in many school districts over how the subjects of inequality and racism should be taught in American schools.
The alleged violations
The downgrade for Tulsa was in response to a complaint filed by a teacher who claimed she was required to watch training videos that "specifically shame white people for past offenses in history, and state that all are implicitly racially biased by nature."
That accusation was challenged Thursday when the school district said the training session in question was about the subject of implicit bias and did not indicate White people are inherently racist. "The law does not prohibit the concept of implicit bias," Gist said at the meeting.
In the case of the Mustang Public Schools, a teacher in January conducted a "cross the line" activity in an effort to "foster a sense of belonging and empathy amongst students in a Leadership class," the district said in a statement last month.
"Cross the Line activities originated from the anti-bullying space and were meant to help students to develop the understanding that everyone has something that they deal with and to empathize with and not bully or tease others," the district said. "Unfortunately, the activity that was chosen in this instance was one that was adapted from and focused on topics not appropriate for our students."
The district responded by eliminating the activity immediately, it said.
On Thursday, superintendent Charles Bradley told the state school board the downgrade decision was uninformed as the district had handled the issue appropriately at the local level to "everyone's satisfaction."
"This was an isolated event by one teacher and quickly resolved," Bradley said. "Due process will allow this board to look at the facts and make an informed decision that accreditation with warning is not warranted in this situation."
The Mustang school district is based in Oklahoma City.
Several people representing Mustang and Tulsa school districts implored the state board to reconsider its decision.
"We are fearful to think that a teacher at another site, who was just trying to teach an activity over empathy, who made a mistake, is in danger of losing his job, of losing his certification, of contributing to Mustang Public Schools losing their accreditation," Mustang High School principal Kathy Knowles said. "That is scary."
In October of 2021, a group of students and educators filed a complaint challenging the Oklahoma law that restricts teaching about race and gender, in what the American Civil Liberties Union called the first federal lawsuit to challenge such a statewide ban.
The suit -- backed by the ACLU, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the Oklahoma state conference of the NAACP and the American Indian Movement Indian Territory -- sought to block enforcement of the law it says inhibits free speech and education of complete history through the framework of critical race theory.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/oklahoma-state-board-affirms-decision-to-downgrade-accreditation-for-2-school-districts-over-violating-law/article_a99fa9df-551d-5865-9af9-3e294c5df348.html | 2022-08-27T10:14:34Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/oklahoma-state-board-affirms-decision-to-downgrade-accreditation-for-2-school-districts-over-violating-law/article_a99fa9df-551d-5865-9af9-3e294c5df348.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Artists showcased in MU quilt show
Julia Swan will have 15 quilts on display along with six sculptures by Tom Swan and Louis Palmer
NEW CONCORD − Muskingum University’s first art exhibit this academic year will feature local artist Julia Swan from Sept. 7 to 28 in the Palmer Gallery. An open reception for the Julia Swan Quilt Show will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Sept. 7.
The exhibit will feature 15 quilts from Julia and six sculptures from her husband, Tom Swan, and former Muskingum University professor, Louis Palmer. Julia's book "Through the Eye of a Needle" will also be on display.
The university also is hosting an artist lecture and demonstration from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Sept. 14 in the Palmer Gallery. An event to meet the artists is at 1 p.m. Sept. 16.
Julia, a 1954 graduate of Muskingum University, met Tom Swan on campus when it was still Muskingum College. They settled in Cambridge where Tom practiced medicine and the couple raised four children. Julia also gave Red Cross swimming lessons, which were free to all children in the area, and volunteered at Hill ‘n Dale Girl Scout Camp.
Julia did not begin quilting until her four children had left home. She tried a few of the traditional patterns, but found that she enjoyed making her own creative designs.
Julia’s Broad Stripes and Bright Star marching flag, created in 1975, can still be seen in Veterans Day and Memorial Day parades. The first parade featuring the marching flag was the Bi-Centennial Celebration in downtown Cambridge, where the ladies from Julia’s bridge club donned their flag sections.
The Palmer Gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Thursday and by appointment from Friday to Sunday. For appointments, call 740-826-8095. For information on the exhibit and other gallery activities, contact Yan Sun at 740-826-8105.
Submitted by Muskingum University. | https://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/story/news/local/2022/08/27/artists-showcased-in-mu-quilt-show/65418266007/ | 2022-08-27T10:20:44Z | zanesvilletimesrecorder.com | control | https://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/story/news/local/2022/08/27/artists-showcased-in-mu-quilt-show/65418266007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Week 2 Roundup: Morgan, West M earn road wins to move to 2-0
VINCENT — Morgan's offense was humming again on Friday night. This time, a stingy second-half defense also joined the foray.
Senior Carson Copeland ran for 129 yards on 25 carries and his 6-yard touchdown run with 4:33 left in the second quarter proved to be the game winner, as visiting Morgan pitched a second-half shutout to earn a 28-24 win over Vincent Warren.
It marked the Raiders' first 2-0 start since 2007. They outgained the Warriors, 489-390, and forced three turnovers.
The Raiders struck first when Kole Searl hauled in a 15-yard scoring strike from Logan Niceswanger at the 7:48 mark of the first quarter, and Copeland's extra point made it 7-0.
The Warriors answered with a pair of scoring tosses, as Trent Taylor found Tanner Pepper from 41 yards out, and Pepper connected with Ethan Holbert from 36 yards away, to make it 14-7 after one quarter.
Wade Pauley's 1-yard scoring dive 40 seconds into the second quarter brought Morgan within 14-13, but Jason Williams capped off the ensuing Warrior drive with a 2-yard TD run, and Sam Perdue's third PAT made it 21-14 with 9:55 left in the first half.
Morgan scored on back-to-back drives to go in front. Niceswanger's 1-yard TD run and ensuing two-point pass to Mason Burnside tied it at 21 with 6:02 left in the second, and Copeland's scoring jaunt made it 28-21.
Warren cut the deficit to 28-24 at the half on Perdue's 27-yard field goal as time expired. Neither team scored in the second half.
Niceswanger completed 18 of 24 passes for 299 yards, with Searl catching 7 for 142 yards and Copeland 5 for 80. Searl also picked off a pass.
Williams ran for 141 yards, Taylor was just 15 of 28 for 162 yards with an interception and Pepper had 7 catches for 138 yards to lead the Warriors, who had three turnovers to none by Morgan.
The Electrics host neighboring Philo in a Muskingum Valley League crossover in Week 3.
West Muskingum 33, Marietta 2: Ty Shawger had a pair of first-half touchdowns, as the visiting Tornadoes led 20-0 at the half and moved to 2-0 on the season.
Shawger hauled in a 31-yard scoring strike from Jake Anton with 3:09 left in the first quarter for a 6-0 lead after one, and his 1-yard TD dive made it 12-0 early in the second. Anton found Slater Sampsel on a 58-yard touchdown and hit Keegan Karns for two later in the second for the 20-point halftime lead.
Marietta blocked a punt in the third to score a safety, but Dylan Padgett's 14-yard scoring run and Shawger's 30-yard TD jaunt in the fourth capped the scoring for the Tornadoes.
Rosecrans 47, Millersport 8: Brendan Bernath and Brody Zemba accounted for all four touchdowns in a 26-point first quarter, as the Bishops rolled the Lakers to improve to 1-1.
Zemba's 20-yard scoring run three minutes into the first made it 6-0, while Brendan Bernath found his brother, Nick Bernath, for a 39-yard TD and Brendan added a 9-yard scoring run to stretch the lead to 20-0. Zemba capped the quarter, racing 22 yards to the end zone for a 26-0 lead.
Edan Lynch added a 1-yard TD surge in the second as the Bishops led 33-0 at the half, while Brendan Bernath connected with Weston Hartman from 28 yards out for a score in the third and Hartman ran it into the end zone from 2 yards out in the fourth to cap the scoring.
Rosecrans owned a 319-42 advantage in total yards and forced six turnovers, including three interceptions.
Brendan Bernath was 8-of-13 for 110 yards with two TDs and an interceptions, Zemba ran nine times for 108 yards and Hartman had 47 yards on four carries and caught two passes for 42 yards.
Skyler Hittle grabbed two interceptions and Coen Grandstaff also had a pick to highlight the Rosecrans defense.
Tony Smith found Jason Wells for a 55-yard TD late in the fourth for Millersport.
Tri-Valley 27, Licking Heights 21: The Scotties raced out to a 21-0 first-half lead before fending off the Hornets to move to 1-1 on the season.
Max Lyall connected with Ashton Sensibaugh for three touchdowns, while the Scotties forced six turnovers despite allowing 473 yards and giving up 24 first downs. Tri-Valley had 343 total yards and 15 first downs.
Lyall found Sensibaugh for their first touchdown, and a botched snap saw Sensibaugh haul in the two-point conversion from Thomas, as Tri-Valley led 8-0 after one quarter.
Lyall connected with Sensibaugh for a second TD and also hit Jayden Wallace for an 81-yard score in the second quarter, but the Hornets scored later in the half to get within 21-7 at the break.
Lyall found Sensibaugh for a third TD in the third quarter to make it 27-14.
Lyall finished 15 of 22 for 248 yards with no interceptions, Sensibaugh had five catches for 108 yards and Wallace added three catches for 105 yards and 42 yards on 12 carries to pace the Tri-Valley offense.
Carrollton 14, Philo 7: The Electrics were shut out until late in the fourth quarter in a road loss to the Warriors.
No other information was reported.
Big Walnut 42, Zanesville 7: The visiting Golden Eagles raced out to a 35-0 halftime lead in dropping the Blue Devils to 1-1.
Nate Seevers had a 53-yard TD run to open the third for Big Walnut, while Zanesville's lone score was a 12-yard run by Drew Doyle and Cam Van Kirk's extra point.
No other information was reported.
Fairfield Union 44, Crooksville 0: The Ceramics dropped to 0-2 with a road loss to the Falcons.
No other information was reported. | https://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2022/08/27/week-2-roundup-morgan-west-m-earn-road-wins-to-move-to-2-0/65457246007/ | 2022-08-27T10:20:50Z | zanesvilletimesrecorder.com | control | https://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2022/08/27/week-2-roundup-morgan-west-m-earn-road-wins-to-move-to-2-0/65457246007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Cops on 8.4 million Facebook likeline are tattling and making some folly. In the meanings I should be grateful of these good nature as now there’s no doubt about privating things that may off-should I share with the social media, even at some degree of likelins I am sure would have something very wrong at many time…\nA survey suggests socializing, as an activity or a business to sell it by any mean, maybe no more WEST MICHIGAN — The Storm Prediction Center has issued a level 1, MARGINAL risk for all of Michigan, including West Michigan, for Monday, August 29. The main threats include heavy downpours, hail and strong wind.
According to the SPC, showers may be ongoing across parts of the region Monday morning, but forecast guidance varies with intensity and placement of early day convection. Nevertheless, a plume of steep midlevel lapse rates should extend from the central Plains into parts of lower MI. This will aid in moderate to strong destabilization ahead of the front. The most likely area for organized thunderstorm development appears to be along the front from central IL into Lower MI. There is enough agreement among various guidance in the overlap of favorable shear/instability within this corridor support at least isolated strong to severe thunderstorms that a Marginal risk has been included. Damaging gusts and hail appear to be the most likely hazards associated with this activity.
Over the next 48 hours we'll get a clearer picture of how storms could develop on Monday, so stay tuned to FOX 17 for the latest updates. | https://www.fox17online.com/weather/weather-articles/severe-weather-possible-on-monday-stay-weather-aware | 2022-08-27T10:31:05Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/weather/weather-articles/severe-weather-possible-on-monday-stay-weather-aware | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Not to be outdone by the team’s dramatic, smoke-filled and flag waving grand entry performance onto the football field for its season opener, with the Metallica song “Sandman” blaring over the loud speakers, the Washington-Liberty Generals continued to put on a show once the actual contest kicked off.
The Generals built a 14-0 first-half lead en route to defeating the visiting Marshall Statesmen, 27-7, the night of Aug. 25 in Arlington. The victory was Washington-Liberty’s first in a season opener since 2013, and serves as motivation for a team that won only two games last fall.
“Since last November, about two weeks after last season ended, we got back to work and have worked so hard to prepare for this season,” W-L coach Josh Shapiro said. “That is the biggest thing, and it paid off tonight. We worked hard and got it done. For us to get a win out of the gate like this is huge.”
Washington-Liberty defeated Marshall largely because the defense came up with four turnovers, shut down the Statesmen’s running game by containing breakaway back Nakia Wilson (22 yards rushing), and David Harris blocked Marshall’s first punt, which was returned 25 yards for a touchdown by Ben Haney with 5:14 left in the first quarter. Marshall had just 59 yards rushing.
“The punt block was huge and set it all up for us, and our run defense played knockout,” Shapiro said.
Another big factor in W-L’s win was 160 yards rushing and touchdown runs of 54 and four yards by Jackson Broadwell. His 54-yard score clinched the victory with 52 seconds left in the game. His four-yard run with 8:22 left in the first half capped a 95-yard, 12-play drive. Broadwell ran for 44 yards on that scoring march.
JoJo Sovula added 26 yards on the ground. Generals’ quarterback Ryan Jones completed five passes for 121 yards. Mikey Barber (22 yards) and Jackson Nowinski each caught two passes.
Nowinski’s second catch, in the third quarter, was a flanker screen that he turned into an 82-yard touchdown sprint.
“I didn’t know he had that kind of speed,” Shapiro said of Nowinski’s touchdown. “I kept waiting for him to get caught from behind, but he outran everybody.”
The Generals did not turn the ball over on offense, behind an offensive line that included linemen Elijah Hughes, Peyton Smith, Sebastian Giesecke, Caleb Finkel and Edward Barber and tight end Sean Guffey.
Hughes led the W-L defense with a sack, a tackle for a loss and many more tackles and quarterback hurries. Defensive back Justin Moore celebrated his birthday that night with an interception, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup. Harris had two tackles for losses; Guffey had an interception and a breakup; Connor Hurren recovered a fumble; Broadwell and Nowinski had breakups; Ryan Boyd had a tackle for a loss; Ian Crowley had a tackle for no gain; and Haney and Fausto Pineda made multiple tackles.
Anthony Ceballos Medina booted three extra points and did the punting.
Marshall’s touchdown came with 43 seconds left in the second quarter on a Jeff Ryder to Christos Proctor flanker screen pass. The score was set up by a fumbled snap on a W-L punt attempt, with the Statesmen taking over on the W-L 8-yard line.
Ryder was 17 of 37 passing for 194 yards and had receivers drop multiple passes.
"Their quarterback is legit," Shapiro said. | https://www.insidenova.com/sports/generals-start-fast-win-opener/article_6046884c-25b1-11ed-825d-2b09fac545c9.html | 2022-08-27T10:34:49Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/sports/generals-start-fast-win-opener/article_6046884c-25b1-11ed-825d-2b09fac545c9.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Ingredients
cooking spray
18 refrigerated biscuits (unbaked)
8 ounces breakfast sausage
7 large eggs
½ cup milk
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 cup mild shredded Cheddar cheese
Directions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease 18 muffin cups with cooking spray.
Step 2: Roll out biscuit dough on a lightly floured surface to form 5-inch rounds. Place each round in the prepared muffin cups, pressing into the base and sides to form a dough cup.
Step 3: Cook and stir sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat until browned and cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes; drain fat. Spoon sausage into dough cups.
Step 4: Whisk eggs, milk, salt, and pepper together in a bowl until well-beaten. Pour egg mixture into each dough cup, filling each just below the top of the biscuit dough. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese on top of egg mixture.
Step 5: Bake in the preheated oven until eggs are set and biscuit dough is golden, 15 to 18 minutes. | http://www.timescitizen.com/kifg/cooks_corner/breakfast-cups/article_2d618454-225f-11ed-a57d-e350cddb8c53.html | 2022-08-27T10:40:34Z | timescitizen.com | control | http://www.timescitizen.com/kifg/cooks_corner/breakfast-cups/article_2d618454-225f-11ed-a57d-e350cddb8c53.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract
1/3 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
Directions
Microwave the flour in a small microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute. Remove and stir well. Microwave for an additional minute or until the temperature reaches 180 degrees F. Sift into a medium bowl, then whisk in the baking soda and salt (see Cook’s Note).
Beat the brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, yogurt and vanilla extract with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl until well combined, about 2 minutes. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until well incorporated. (Turn off the beaters and use your hands to help combine if needed.) Fold in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula or mix them in with your hands.
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Cook’s Note
Microwaving the flour to 180 degrees F may reduce the risk of foodborne illness associated with eating it raw or undercooked. This eggless dough can also be baked. Roll tablespoons of the dough into balls. Space evenly out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F until the bottoms are golden brown, about 10 minutes. | http://www.timescitizen.com/kifg/cooks_corner/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough/article_5ac12ec2-225f-11ed-998d-a3134df348a1.html | 2022-08-27T10:40:40Z | timescitizen.com | control | http://www.timescitizen.com/kifg/cooks_corner/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough/article_5ac12ec2-225f-11ed-998d-a3134df348a1.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Hello everyone! Hopefully everyone survived the hectic first week of school with their kiddos! School, sports, work and all those extra events to start attending again - doesn’t leave much room for making lunch or supper for your family. So this week’s recipes are geared for the busy family - make ahead the night before or break out the good ole crockpots ( I have not yet used my Insta-pot ... lol). Enjoy!
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accounts, the history behind an article. | http://www.timescitizen.com/kifg/cooks_corner/cooks-corner/article_f4453602-225e-11ed-ac8e-8f289206949a.html | 2022-08-27T10:40:46Z | timescitizen.com | control | http://www.timescitizen.com/kifg/cooks_corner/cooks-corner/article_f4453602-225e-11ed-ac8e-8f289206949a.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Ingredients
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 cup long-grain white rice
One 16-ounce jar mango salsa
Staple Ingredients:
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
Directions
Preheat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
Sprinkle the chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and sear the chicken thighs until browned well, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a plate.
Add the rice, 1 1/2 cups water and 1 cup of the mango salsa. Stir and bring to a boil. Add the chicken back to the top of the rice, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until the chicken and rice are cooked through, 17 to 20 minutes.
Serve up a pile of rice, topped with the chicken and garnished with additional mango salsa. | http://www.timescitizen.com/kifg/cooks_corner/miracle-mango-salsa-chicken/article_4705cdca-225f-11ed-9bf7-efc6ef730ae0.html | 2022-08-27T10:40:53Z | timescitizen.com | control | http://www.timescitizen.com/kifg/cooks_corner/miracle-mango-salsa-chicken/article_4705cdca-225f-11ed-9bf7-efc6ef730ae0.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Bank Holiday will be a chilly few days for some with highs struggling to reach 20C in some parts. Cooler weather might be a welcome relief for some after months of dry weather, hosepipe bans and humid heat for months.
But it has come during the last national holiday for the country before Christmas. People may have to put the barbecue on hold as some parts of Kent today has been hit with overcast skies and rain.
According to the Met Office, Canterbury and Dover will struggle to hit 20C on Saturday 27. Canterbury is only expected to reach 18C while Dover will hit 19C and Ashford to reach 21C.
Read more: Punk band found a poltergeist in Cate Blanchett’s abandoned Kent mansion
Tonight across the whole county any showers are expected to clear away giving way to a dry and mostly clear night with light winds. Some mist and shallow fog patches are likely in rural areas around dawn and the temperature could drop to a chilly 10C.
Sunday is expected to be hotter than Saturday but only marginally. Dover will see highs of 21C, Canterbury 22C and Ashford 22C.
However, as with the rest of the south east, the sky will become increasingly masked by cloud. The odd shower is also likely but it will feel pleasantly warm and could even reach 23C in some parts of the county.
Monday will be generally dry but cooler with variable amounts of cloud and the odd shower. Once again, it may struggle to reach 20C in some parts with Canterbury predicted to be 21C, Ashford 20C and Dover 20C.
Met Office forecaster Alex Deakin said: "With some sunny spells, feeling pretty pleasant, if you are out in that sunshine as well with temperatures climbing quite widely into the low to mid 20Cs across England and Wales. A little cooler further north and west but even here feeling fine in the sunshine.”
Get more on the latest news from KentLive straight to your inbox for free HERE .
READ NEXT: | https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/kent-weather-overcast-skies-rainy-7517389 | 2022-08-27T10:42:39Z | kentlive.news | control | https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/kent-weather-overcast-skies-rainy-7517389 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Richmond arts preview: 4 best things to do this fall
It's almost fall in Richmond, which means it's time to check out some of the fantastic, artsty things to do in town.
Here's the low-down on some of the best, can’t-miss fall arts happening in Richmond.
1 . 🎨 Return of the street art
Richmond’s most photographed wall of murals is getting a refresh next month.
What’s happening: The Richmond Street Art Festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary by returning to its original location, the former Haxall Power Plant building on the downtown canal walk.
Why it matters: The festival turned an abandoned building that’s missing its roof into a cultural destination, but 10 years in, some of those original murals are looking a little rough.
Details: Nine Richmond artists, including Nils Westergard, Chris Visions and Naomi McCavitt, will put up fresh work.
- You can watch them paint Sept. 16-18.
What they’re saying: “It’s a celebration of how much street art has grown in Richmond,” Jon Baliles, who is organizing the event with artist Ed Trask, tells Axios.
- “Ed and I joked in 2012 that if we’d proposed this five years earlier, we’d have been run out of town because Richmond wasn’t ready for it. Now it’s part of our DNA,” Baliles said.
2. 🎸 Must-see live music
Richmond has been called the “underground music city everyone needs to visit” and one of the “most underrated music cities in America.”
The point is, we do good live music. Here are some of the shows that should be on your calendar.
👩❤️👨 You’ve seen them at Friday Cheers a bunch, but now they’re big-time, so if you’re ready for some American indie folk, check out The Head and The Heart at the Altria Theater on Sept. 17.
🥁 Ringo Starr — a real, live Beatle — will be at Virginia Credit Union LIVE! at Richmond Raceway on Sept. 20 with his “His All-Starr Band” (the show was rescheduled from June).
🎹 The “hyperpop,” recent high school student glaive hits The Broadberry on Sept. 24. It’s something for the kids, Broadberry owner Lucas Fritz tells Axios.
🎼 Richmond Symphony’s fall season includes plenty of the classics, like celebrated cellist Yo-Yo Ma on Oct. 4, but also some funky treats, like modern composer Steve Hackman’s fusion of 19th Century’s Johannes Brahms and Radiohead on Sept. 24. Both play at Dominion Energy Center.
🎤 Grammy-nominated rap artist Pusha T on Brown's Island on Oct. 22 is the show folks are waiting all fall to see.
👹 And let’s close out the season with Richmond’s own GWAR at The National on Oct. 30. Now that’s how you celebrate Halloween weekend in Richmond.
3. 🖼 A day at the museum
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is currently in the feedback process of its latest massive expansion, but it’s still open for your daily art needs.
🪕 VMFA’s next big exhibition, “Storied Strings: The Guitar in American Art,” opens Oct. 8, and it’s a multimedia, multi-work exhibit that looks at the guitar and its impact on American culture and art since the 19th century.
🍻 If you haven’t checked out The Virginia Museum of History & Culture since it reopened in the spring after its renovation, fall is the perfect time — especially with the opened-this-month “Cheers, Virginia!” exhibition.
- The 50-artifact exhibition explores the history of booze in Virginia, from the craft-making of its imbibing.
- There's even a boozy event on Sept. 17 focused on distilling if you want to learn and imbibe.
🎧 The Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU kicks off its fall season on Sept. 9 with three new exhibitions, but the ICA event everyone’s talking about is the inaugural RESONATE Podcast Festival on Oct. 14 and 15. The festival will include:
- A live podcast pitch competition.
- One-on-one consultations.
- Newly commissioned audio works available at individual listening stations.
4. 🎭 On Broadway … and other places
Broadway in Richmond’s 2022-2023 lineup features lots of well-known shows, but before it kicks off in October, the last season is still winding down.
🧙 “Wicked” is back and opens Wednesday, followed by “Dear Evan Hansen” (with eight shows starting Oct. 18) and “Pretty Woman: The Musical” opens (Nov. 22).
🌸 Virginia Repertory Theatre is doing “Steel Magnolias” as part of its Barksdale Season at Hanover Tavern, starting Oct. 14.
🍗 And it’s producing the East Coast Regional Premiere of the Broadway comedy “Chicken & Biscuits” at the November Theatre starting Sept. 30.
🎵 “GABRIEL” — a musical based on “the biggest planned slave revolution in Virginia history” — will premiere at Firehouse Theatre Sept. 8.
💗 Richmond Triangle Players are doing the 2020 Tony Award-winning “The Inheritance” in two parts now through Sept. 17.
👩🏼🎤 And RTP will be right back Oct. 8-22 with the “Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
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Get a free daily digest of the most important news in your backyard with Axios Richmond. | https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2022/08/27/richmond-arts-preview | 2022-08-27T10:47:57Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2022/08/27/richmond-arts-preview | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola results from Daytona International Speedway
Speedway Digest Staff
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- CHEVROLET NCS AT DAYTONA: William Byron Press Conference Transcript | https://speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/xfinity-series-news/72379-wawa-250-powered-by-coca-cola-results-from-daytona-international-speedway | 2022-08-27T11:02:29Z | speedwaydigest.com | control | https://speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/xfinity-series-news/72379-wawa-250-powered-by-coca-cola-results-from-daytona-international-speedway | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia’s top court on Saturday condemned as a smear attempt the leaking of an alleged guilty verdict against the wife of former Prime Minister Najib Razak days after he was imprisoned for graft linked to the looted 1MDB state fund.
The High Court is due to deliver its verdict Thursday in Rosmah Mansor’s graft trial over a 1.25-billion-ringgit ($279-million) solar energy project. Najib began a 12-year prison term Tuesday after losing his final appeal in one of the five graft cases against him involving 1MDB.
The Malaysia Today website, run by a Malaysian blogger now based in England, posted a 71-page document it described as containing a guilty judgment against Rosmah. The report late Friday alleged the verdict was written by unknown people and not by the High Court judge handling Rosmah’s case.
The Chief Registrar office of the Federal Court, Malaysia’s top court, condemned the website’s action as “a deliberate act” to smear the court’s reputation. It said it has lodged a complaint with police and vowed the court would not be cowed by attempts to threaten the administration of justice.
“This office stresses that the judiciary will not be harassed by illegal and irresponsible acts meant to tarnish the integrity of the country’s judicial system,” the statement said.
Police said the leaked document was an initial draft prepared by the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s research unit.
“The document is a research work on the ongoing trial and is the view of the research unit for the judge’s reference,” said a police statement. According to the court, the document will be amended based on research findings and further studies and “is not a judgment,” it said.
The court complained the leaked document has also been edited from the original, police said, without giving further details.
Just four days ago, the chief registrar also filed a police report against Malaysia Today for publishing a document it said was the Federal Court’s guilty verdict against Najib, just before the ruling was read out in court. The court has said the leaked document was a working draft of the ruling.
Rosmah faces three charges of soliciting bribes and receiving 6.5 million ringgit ($1.5 million) between 2016 and 2017 to help a company secure a project to provide solar energy panels to schools on Borneo Island.
If she is found guilty, Rosmah is expected to remain out on bail for her appeal to higher courts.
Najib, his wife and several senior officials have faced corruption charges since the 1MDB scandal sparked public anger that forced his government out of office in 2018.
He says he is innocent and was misled by others. Rosmah’s defense lawyers argued an aide who testified against her was a corrupt liar.
Despite his conviction, Najib remains influential in his United Malays National Organization party, which returned to power after defections caused the collapse of the reformist government that won the 2018 polls.
Najib cannot compete in general elections due in September 2023 unless he gets a royal pardon, as his supporters are advocating. | https://www.wspa.com/news/world-news/ap-international/ap-malaysia-court-slams-leak-of-alleged-verdict-of-ex-pms-wife/ | 2022-08-27T11:30:15Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/world-news/ap-international/ap-malaysia-court-slams-leak-of-alleged-verdict-of-ex-pms-wife/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Diplomats from around the world have failed to reach agreement on a United Nations treaty designed to protect marine life on the high seas, after a fifth round of talks ended in impasse.
Negotiations at U.N. headquarters in New York were suspended early Saturday following two weeks of talks that environmentalists had hoped would close a gap in international marine protection measures.
A proposed treaty would set rules for protecting biodiversity in two-thirds of the world’s ocean areas that are outside of national jurisdictions.
Talks centered on how to share benefits from marine life, establish protected areas, prevent harm from human activity on the high seas and to help poor countries gain the skills and means for ocean exploration.
Campaigners expressed disappointment at the failure to reach a deal but said the talks produced some progress.
Laura Meller, who leads Greenpeace’s ocean protection campaign, accused rich countries such as the United States of being too slow to compromise.
“Russia has also been a key blocker in negotiations, refusing to engage in the treaty process itself, or attempting to compromise with the European Union and many other states on a wide range of issues,” Meller said.
The talks will resume next year unless a special emergency session is called before the end of 2022.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Monica Medina also voiced disappointment but expressed hope that the work done so far would carry forward. She said the United States remained committed to the goal of protecting at least 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030.
“We cannot let the tides and currents push us back. We must keep going,” Medina said.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of climate issues and the environment at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment | https://www.wspa.com/news/world-news/ap-international/ap-nations-fail-to-reach-deal-on-un-treaty-to-protect-sea-life/ | 2022-08-27T11:30:16Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/world-news/ap-international/ap-nations-fail-to-reach-deal-on-un-treaty-to-protect-sea-life/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Jeremy Clements won a crash-filled Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway early Saturday for his second career victory and first since 2017.
No. 2 came in race No. 421 for the 37-year-old driver/team owner.
“I’m speechless, man,” Clements said near the start-finish line. “I don’t even know what to say.”
No one did.
His win came after two multicar melees in overtime and gave Clements an automatic — and unexpected — berth in the postseason.
“We have nothing to lose, man,” he said. “We’re going to give these big teams all they can stand.”
Clements passed sluggish Austin Hill on the final restart thanks to a big push from Sage Karam and cruised to the checkered flag. Hill looked poised to sweep both Xfinity races at Daytona, but his car seemed to have fuel and electrical issues during the final caution.
When the green flag dropped, Hill did, too. Clements and Karam flew by on the outside.
Timmy Hill finished second, followed by series points leader AJ Allmendinger, Brandon Brown and Karam.
Clements’ first win in 164 races was about being in the right place at the right time. He avoided four big ones in the closing laps. The first involved seven cars with nine laps to go in regulation. The second included eight cars with three to go. The third and biggest of the night came in overtime, with Hill and Noah Gragson just ahead of a 13-car cluster.
Gragson started the fourth one when Clements and Allmendinger pushed him at nearly 190 mph. Gragson slammed into the outside wall and then got spun helicopter style when broadsided by Landon Cassill. When the dust settled, eight more cars were involved.
The grand total: 36 cars involved, some of them several times.
Allmendinger looked like he would challenge Hill and Clements during the final two-lap shootout, but he ran out of fuel just before the final restart and had to pit.
“We survived that big wreck somehow,” Clements said. “I thought if we can just keep up with these guys, it will be a good day. Top five and bring this car home in one piece and that’s a good day.”
It ended up being much better, a playoff-clinching performance.
“Wow, this is incredible,” he said before thanking the fans who stuck around following a three-hour rain delay. “Now let’s go drink a beer.”
MORE BAD BREAKS
Riley Herbst was running fourth early in the final stage when he lost control because of a flat right rear tire. Herbst’s No. 98 Ford slid through the backstretch grass, bringing out a caution and going a lap down.
It was a bad break for the driver who started the day eighth in points and was looking to make up ground with four races to go before the playoffs.
Herbst rallied to finish 15th and found company in the unlucky club.
Sheldon Creed, vying to make the postseason, was involved in a multicar accident on lap 83 and knocked out of the race. John Hunter Nemechek got sideways in the middle of a three-wide pack and turned into Creed, who ended up sliding back across the track and got T-boned by Joe Graf Jr.
Creed finished 36th in the 38-car field.
UP NEXT
The series moves to Darlington Raceway next Saturday. Justin Allgaier won there in May in the No. 7 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports.
___
More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wspa.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-clements-wins-at-crash-filled-daytona-reaches-postseason/ | 2022-08-27T11:30:51Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-clements-wins-at-crash-filled-daytona-reaches-postseason/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Man shot, killed inside Humboldt Park restaurant: police
CHICAGO - A 50-year-old man was killed by gunfire while inside a restaurant in Humboldt Park Friday night.
Chicago police said the victim was inside a restaurant in the 2700 block of West Division Street when he was shot by an unknown offender who fled the scene.
The shooter fired from outside the restaurant through a window hitting the victim in the neck around 9:20 p.m., according to police.
The man was taken to Stroger Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
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There is no one in custody and Area Three detectives are investigating. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/man-shot-killed-inside-humboldt-park-restaurant-police | 2022-08-27T11:46:42Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/man-shot-killed-inside-humboldt-park-restaurant-police | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Woman shot in leg on CTA Red Line train during verbal confrontation
CHICAGO - Overnight, a 30-year-old woman was shot while aboard a CTA Red Line train, according to Chicago police.
Police said the victim was shot by an unidentified offender during a verbal confrontation around 12:09 a.m. Saturday.
The shooting happened near the State and Lake station in the Loop.
The victim was unable to provide further details and there is no one in custody.
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Area Three detectives are investigating. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/woman-shot-in-leg-on-cta-red-line-train-during-verbal-confrontation | 2022-08-27T11:46:54Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/woman-shot-in-leg-on-cta-red-line-train-during-verbal-confrontation | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Murfreesboro area high school football week 2 roundup: Oakland, Blackman win shootouts
Oakland quarterback Kade Hewitt rushed for 187 yards and four touchdowns (8, 11, 6, 27) as the hosts pulled away in the second half in a 56-33 win over Madison-Ridgeland Academy.
It was the 32nd consecutive win for Oakland, which has also won 58 in a row at home.
The Patriots (2-0) broke a 14-14 tie late in the first half on Hewitt's 11-yard TD run and then outscored MRA 35-19 in the second half.
Oakland's defense allowed 506 total yards, but made some big stops in the red zone and the Patriots were forced to punt just once, racking up 455 total yards (411 rushing).
All eight Oakland touchdowns came on the ground. T.T. Hill rushed for 95 yards and a TD, Mason Bell had two touchdown runs and Khalil James added 55 yards and a TD.
MORE:How Kade Hewitt, Oakland football kept winning streaks alive against a Mississippi state champion
MRA (2-1) quarterback John White, a Southern Miss commitment, was 23-of-37 for 297 yards and two touchdowns. Rivers Godwin had seven receptions for 146 yards and two TDs while Charles Simpson rushed for 122 yards and two TDs.
Oakland senior Jeremiah Collins had kickoff returns of 81 and 50 to set up touchdowns and he also had a 60-yard interception return to set up another TD.
Oakland will be at home Friday against Region 4-6A foe Stewarts Creek.
Blackman 42, Gallatin 33
The Blaze (1-1) led 28-8 after one quarter and held off the Green Wave (1-1) late.
Tight end Ben Marshall, a California commitment rushed for 77 yards and a touchdown and added 65 receiving yards and a TD. His 3-yard TD run with 1:57 left put the game away.
Jack Risner was 10-of-15 for 195 yards and two touchdowns for Blackman. Justin Brown, a Mississippi State commitment, had six receptions for 125 yards and a TD.
SCORES:Tennessee high school football scores from Week 2 of TSSAA season
Siegel 14, La Vergne 6
The Stars (2-0) held an opponent to one touchdown for the second consecutive week, thanks to a pair of TD-saving tackles late by defensive back Tarrion Grant.
Grant also had a 25-yard touchdown reception.
Siegel lost starting quarterback Thomas Santel to a hamstring injury during the game, but Cordell Cagle came in and completed 3-of-6 for 46 yards and a TD.
David Waters had a rushing touchdown for La Vergne (0-2).
Siegel plays at Region 4-6A foe Rockvale on Friday. La Vergne will be at home against 6-6A rival Antioch.
Smyrna 33, Rockvale 12 (Thursday)
The Bulldogs (2-0) forced five turnovers, including three interception returns for touchdowns.
The biggest of those came late in the second quarter when Michael Robinson intercepted a Rockets pass at the goal line and returned it 99 yards to give Smyrna a 7-3 halftime lead.
Junior cornerback Thomas Jones had interception returns of 48 and 42 yards in the second half to help the Bulldogs pull away.
MORE:Smyrna is leaning on Thomas Jones to lead the secondary, and he delivered in Rockvale win
Senior Arion Carter, a Memphis commitment, had 81 yards rushing and two touchdowns for Smyrna. Brennan Mayhew was 14-of-26 for 184 yards for Rockvale (1-1). D.J. Thorton had 11 receptions for 144 yards and a touchdown for the Rockets.
Smyrna plays at home against Hillsboro next week while Rockvale will be at Siegel.
Riverdale 31, Rossview 7
The Warriors (2-0) allowed just a touchdown for the second consecutive game.
Riverdale quarterback Braden Graham threw for three touchdowns, including 10 yards to Israel Celestine, 77 yards to Jaylen Thompson and 38 yards to Kavant Campbell.
Isaiah Verser added a 65-yard touchdown run and Khalil Arman kicked a 45-yard field goal for Riverdale, which will be at home against Blackman in a 4-6A game Friday.
East Nashville 42, Stewarts Creek 7
The Red Hawks (0-2) have allowed 77 points in their first two games and were held to 198 total yards in Friday's loss.
Stewarts Creek running back Javarian Otey, coming off a 100-yard game in week 1, rushed for 84 yards and a touchdown to lead the Red Hawks.
Stewarts Creek will play at Oakland on Friday.
Eagleville 34, Houston Co. 8
The Eagles (1-1) got big games from their running backs as Jackson Zentz rushed 12 times for 127 yards and a touchdown and Kaleb Snitzer had 95 yards and three TDs.
The Eagles will play at Moore County in a Region 5-1 game on Friday.
Grace Christian 35, MTCS 15
The Cougars (1-1) allowed 21 unanswered points after taking a 15-14 lead with 7:45 left in the third quarter.
Eli Wilson combined for 135 yards and a touchdown to lead MTCS, which will play at Clarksville Academy on Friday. Quarterback Yates Geren also had a rushing TD for the Cougars. | https://www.dnj.com/story/sports/high-school/2022/08/27/tn-high-school-football-murfreesboro-area-week-2-roundup/7846125001/ | 2022-08-27T11:57:46Z | dnj.com | control | https://www.dnj.com/story/sports/high-school/2022/08/27/tn-high-school-football-murfreesboro-area-week-2-roundup/7846125001/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Residents will have to brace themselves for an 80 per cent rise in energy costs this October as Ofgem yesterday (August 26) announced a rise in the energy price cap. The staggering hike comes on the back of a 12 per cent rise last October and a 54 per cent increase in April.
The rises in energy bills have sent shockwaves through households across the UK, with many in desperation about how they will pay the alarming amounts. Charities have warned 8.9 million UK households could be in fuel poverty this winter, with families no longer choosing between heating and eating, but unable to afford either.
Based on the latest announcement, the average bill for a customer paying by direct debit will be £3,549 a year. That will have risen from £1,138 a year in April 2021, to £1,277 a year in October last year, and is up from £1,971 a year from April this year.
Read more: Kent weather: August bank holiday weekend forecast has top temperature of 23C
Prepayment customers have seen an increase from £1,156 in April 2021, to £2,017 in April this year, with prices going up to £3,608 this October. Figures however show some areas of Kent look set to be hit worse by the increase than others.
A KentLive investigation found householders living in Sevenoaks West and Chevening will be paying an average of £2,671 more this year, the biggest bills in Kent. That is followed by Goudhurst, Horsmonden and Lamberhurst, in the borough of Tunbridge Wells, where householders will pay an average of £2,576.
Half of the list of the biggest bills in Kent features neighbourhoods in Sevenoaks. That is not surprising given the size of properties in and around the affluent district, where the average house price is £782,600. But It is also worth noting householders in some areas face a higher cap based on the cost of transporting energy to them.
The Kent areas facing the highest bills
Neighbourhood - Median gas consumption in 2020 (kWh) - Median electricity consumption in 2020 (kWh) - Gas and electric bill in winter 21 - Gas and electric bill in summer 22 - Gas and electric bill in Oct - Dec 22 - change from Summer 22 to Oct -Dec 22
- Sevenoaks West & Chevening (Sevenoaks) 21,939 - 4,385 - £2,018 - £3,150 - £5,821 - £2,671
- Goudhurst, Horsmonden & Lamberhurst (Tunbridge Wells) 16,591 - 5,658 - £2,075 -£3,134 -£5,710 - £2,576
- Hever, Leigh and Penshurst (Sevenoaks) 15,403 - 5,308 - £1,952 - £2,944 - £5,349 -£2,406
- Langton Green, Speldhurst & Bidborough (Tunbridge Wells) 18,865 - 4,250 - £1,864 - £2,885 - £5,296 - £2,411
- Hartley & Hodsoll Street (Sevenoaks) 17,360 - 4,257 - £1,805 - £2,777 - £5,079 - £2,302
- Sole Street and Vigo (Gravesham) 17,019 - 4,294 - £1,798 - £2,763 - £5,048 - £2,285
- Sevenoaks Town and Weald (Sevenoaks) 18,866 - 3,756 - £1,757 - £2,740 - £5,034 - £2,294
- West Kingsdown (Sevenoaks) 15,666 - 4,253 - £1,735 - £2,652 - £4,827 - £2,175
- Hamstreet and Isle of Oxney (Ashford) 15,044 - 4,384 - £1,738 - £2,645 - £4,805 - £2,160
- Longfield, New Barn & Southfleet (Dartford) 16,904 - 3,734 - £1,673 - £2,590 - £4,733 - £2,144
Get more Tunbridge Wells nightlife news from KentLive straight to your inbox for free HERE .
READ NEXT: | https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/kent-areas-facing-biggest-energy-7517434 | 2022-08-27T12:15:18Z | kentlive.news | control | https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/kent-areas-facing-biggest-energy-7517434 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina health officials on Friday began using a recently approved plan to expand the number of monkeypox vaccines available as the state sees increased case numbers.
The method, authorized by U.S. health officials more than two weeks ago, involves giving the shot under the first layer of skin rather than into the fat layer found deeper in the tissue. The decision comes amid 100 reported cases of monkeypox in the state, according to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.
Over one-third of cases in South Carolina were reported in the Midlands. As of Friday, the state reported receiving 4,287 doses of the vaccine and administering 860.
A 2015 study showed that 94% of people who received one-fifth of the vaccine had sufficient antibody levels.
“With vaccine supply being limited nationally, it is important that we find ways to meet the needs and demands of those at higher risk of exposure to monkeypox,” Dr. Linda Bell, a state epidemiologist, said in a news release.
To that end, state health officials also expanded eligibility for the vaccine. The list now includes men having sex with men who have had either a sexually transmitted infection in the past 90 days or multiple sex partners over that period; and anyone receiving HIV PrEP treatment.
Men who have sex with men make up about 95% of all cases nationwide, according to a Medical University of South Carolina news release.
“It’s very clear that if you’re a sexually active gay man, you should try to get a vaccine. You’re the absolute highest-risk group,” Dr. Scott Curry said in the release. | https://www.wspa.com/news/state-news/s-carolina-stretches-monkeypox-vaccine-amid-rising-cases/ | 2022-08-27T12:40:01Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/state-news/s-carolina-stretches-monkeypox-vaccine-amid-rising-cases/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Sharon Hagle waited over 60 years to go suborbital. In 1961, when she was in sixth grade, she sat transfixed, listening to the radio as astronaut Alan Shepard became the first American to travel to outer space.
But this year, on March 31, she emulated her hero by taking a seat on New Shepard 4, flight NS-20, as part of the fourth crewed mission of Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket program.
“I had to pinch myself that I wasn’t daydreaming,” she told The Post.
“You’re strapped in and then you hear the countdown: ‘Three, two, one … lift off!’Then the deafening roar of the engines and your seat starts to rumble.
“As you slowly lift off the whole cabin turns red from the reflection of the engines igniting. It’s like slow motion for a few seconds and then pow! You start pulling the G [forces] and the Earth disappears behind you.”
Hagle is the 73-year-old founder of SpaceKids Global, a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to inspire children to excel in science and technology. She was joined on the trip by her husband, Marc, 74. Like her, he grew up fascinated by the space race, watching the Vanguard rockets of the mid-50s launch from Cape Canaveral, Fla. Together, the couple, from Winter Park, Fla., became the first husband and wife to ever make a commercial space flight.
“I have him to thank for taking me out of my comfort zone,” she added of her spouse.
With Bezos’ Blue Origin, Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic and Elon Musk’s SpaceX all engaged in their own star wars, space travel is very much back in vogue — and it’s not just the billionaires that can take the ride.
Ron Rosano is a property manager from Muir Beach, Calif., and already has plans to go into space twice: with both Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin.
“For the first time, you don’t have to be a career astronaut to go into space,” the 62-year-old told The Post. “What’s exciting for me is that over the next few years so many more people are going to have the opportunity to see the earth from space and maybe think differently about where we’re going, both personally and as a planet.
“That’s just as exciting as me going myself,” said Rosano, who also he hosts Galactic Unite Spacechats, gathering students from around the world online to talk about space.
When he gets the green light, Rosano will embark on a sub-orbital flight taking him more than 60 miles into space, past the Kármán line — the internationally recognized boundary of when our atmosphere becomes space. Propelled at speeds in excess of 2,200 mph, he could face G-forces of up to six times the force of gravity as well as weightlessness.
He will also encounter what Hagle called a “black wall of space,” something that surprised her. “There’s no reflection of stars. There’s no light. It’s just black,” she said.
Then there’s the epic finale — the moment the travelers see the curvature of the Earth, or what’s termed “The Overview Effect.”
“Looking at Earth from space changes you,” Hagle said. “It has such an impact. It’s imprinted on you for life. For me, it was very emotional and very spiritual. After seeing the earth with your own eyes, you realize you have a responsibility to make the world a better place.”
Rosano said he’s seen it happen to others: “I’ve been to several launches and when you see people return to earth, you can just see the transformational effect it has had on them. Even the experts, who know all about it and know exactly what to expect, seem to struggle to process what just happened to them.”
Powerful though it is, the entire trip on Blur Origin doesn’t take much more than 11 minutes from take-off to landing at the company’s launch site in West Texas.
It doesn’t come cheap either.
While Blue Origin doesn’t publish its prices, a seat on the maiden crewed flight in July 2021, alongside Bezos and his brother Mark, was auctioned off for $28 million. A seat on Virgin Atlantic’s sub-orbital journey starts at around $300,000.
Craig Curran, 64, is a travel agent from Rochester, NY, and a future astronaut. He even set up Galactic Experiences by Deprez, a space travel branch of his luxury travel agency, and is now a Virgin Galactic-accredited “Space Agent.”
He offers clients a wide range of space-based experiences, especially for those without the wherewithal to book a Blue Origin or Virgin Galactic trip. One of the most popular is “Zero-G,” where passengers take a 90-minute flight on a specially modified Boeing 727 and experience the same weightlessness as they would on a sub-orbital rocket ride. The cost? Just $8,200.
He booked himself on a Virgin Galactic ride in 2011 but is still waiting for the call to slip on his spacesuit and strap in. “I’m hoping it will be next year or 2024 but it will certainly be worth the wait,” he said.
As of November 2021, there were over 700 customers signed up with Virgin Galactic and the company is expecting 1,000 people to be ready for lift-off when it begins commercial flights later this year.
Like Curran, there are a growing number of entrepreneurs looking to capitalize on the new appetite for space tourism.
David Doughty is a director of Rocketbreaks, which bills itself as “the world’s first dedicated space travel agency.” The company offers a range of space experiences, right up to 10-day visits to the International Space Station (price upon request).
“The process of providing a luxury private jet or helicopter service is exactly the same as providing space trips,” said Doughty, who has a background in private aviation. “It’s just the destination that’s different.”
Rocketbreaks can even help arrange insurance for your trip to help cover cancellations, delays or mechanical breakdown.
But for those who have been up, like Sharon Hagle, and those yet to go, like Ron Rosano, there is no fear about what could happen.
“For Blue Origin, we had four or five days of training so we were all very comfortable at the launch. I thought I might be nervous but it just didn’t happen,” said Hagle.
Rosano, meanwhile, said life on Earth is more dangerous than taking to space. “There’s risk in everything,” he says. “It can be more risky riding down the freeway.”
Increasingly, there are more affordable ways to see the stars. With seven planned spaceports around the world, including one at the Grand Canyon in Arizona, World View sells helium-powered balloon rides into space. While you won’t experience the G-forces and weightlessness of a sub-orbital rocket flight, passengers will ascend for two hours in an enclosed capsule to a peak altitude of 100,000 feet — or about three times higher than a commercial airplane. Cocktails will be served, too.
Another company, Space Perspective, is also planning to send balloons into space in 2024, but, like World View, has yet to receive approval from the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA).
Still, over 1,000 people have already signed up for World View, handing over a $500 deposit for the $50,000 trip. Ilida Alvarez has a reservation with her husband, Rafael Landestoy, 39, even though she hates flying.
“I don’t like the sensation of butterflies in my stomach or the lack of control,” said Alvarez, 46 and a mediator from Miami, Fla. “But I’ve always dreamed of going to space since a very young age and never truly thought it would be possible.”
For Alvarez, it was the more sedate pace of World View’s balloon ride that sealed the deal. “To be able to go up and down slowly while have an individually-curated first class experience and then being able to spend several hours taking in the beauty of our planet and space is just priceless.
“I have to think it will be a life altering experience.”
But with an increasing number of options available for future astronauts, it could, according to Craig Curran, spark a new galaxy gold rush with money the only obstacle as to how far you can go.
Axiom Space, for example, is currently building the world’s first commercial space station, with interiors designed by Philippe Starck.
“I have no doubt that we will be living on the moon in the future — there will be space hotels,” Curran said.
“And Elon Musk will probably be living on Mars.” | https://nypost.com/2022/08/27/meet-the-people-who-have-spent-300000-or-more-to-travel-to-space/ | 2022-08-27T12:45:52Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/08/27/meet-the-people-who-have-spent-300000-or-more-to-travel-to-space/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
• Open six days a week 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; closed Wednesdays
Centennial Hours:
• Monday-Friday: 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
• Monday 5-7 p.m.
Rock River Hours:
• Wednesday and Friday: Noon–4 p.m.
The events below take place at the Albany County Public Library, 310 S. 8th St. unless otherwise stated. For more information, visit the website acplwy.org, call 307-721-2580 or email info@acplwy.org.
StoryWalk®: Enjoy a picture book outdoors; start with page 1 outside the front doors. Check back for a new book each week.
Book Clubs: ACPL hosts a wide variety of book clubs that meet virtually, indoors or outdoors (weather permitting). View the book clubs at bookclubs.acplwy.org.
Banned Books Reading Challenge, Aug. 15 — Sept. 30: Staff are competing against patrons to see who can read the most banned books. There will be a prize drawing for those who read at least seven books.
TUESDAY, AUG. 30
After Hours Book Club, 7-9 p.m.: A fun, low-commitment book club where good company is just as important as good books. Meetings are held on the last Tuesday of every month, and books are chosen by the members. Meeting place TBD. Visit bookclubs.acplwy.org for a list of books and contact Cori at cpotter@acplwy.org for more information.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 1
Free Stress Relief Open House, 12:30-1:30 p.m.: Free ear acupuncture and acupressure. Treatment lasts 30-45 minutes.
YAK!, 3:45-5 p.m.: For teens ages 12-17 in the ACPL large meeting room for crafts, games and more.
ACPL Outreach Delivery, 12-1 p.m.: As part of the monthly program, ACPL will deliver any item the library has to offer to local retirement residences and others in need of the service due to pregnancy, age, disability, injury or illness. ACPL delivers to Regency Retirement Residence, Laramie Senior Housing, Laramie Care Center and private residences on the first Thursday of every month.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 3
Family Storytime, 10:30-11:30 a.m.: Join Ms. Robyn in the ACPL large meeting room for toddler and preschool story time. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/albany-county-public-library--community-page/article_67ab9efa-24b3-11ed-ba29-775641a92564.html | 2022-08-27T12:50:47Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/albany-county-public-library--community-page/article_67ab9efa-24b3-11ed-ba29-775641a92564.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON
THROUGH EARLY EVENING FOR MUCH OF SOUTHEAST WYOMING...
...ELEVATED CONDITIONS ALSO POSSIBLE IN WESTERN NEBRASKA...
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM MDT THIS
EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONES 417, 423, 425, 427, 430, 431, AND 433...
The National Weather Service in Cheyenne has issued a Red Flag
Warning, which is in effect from noon today to 8 PM MDT this
evening.
* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 417-423, 425, and 430-433.
* WIND...West 15 to 25 MPH with gusts up to 40 MPH.
* HUMIDITY...10 to 15 percent.
* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
Outdoor burning is not recommended.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions
are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of
strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can
contribute to extreme fire behavior.
&&
The Eppson Center provides lifelong support for independent living through programs that enhance senior’s quality of life. The ECS offers low-cost opportunities to improve social integration, creativity, nutrition, and physical well-being.
The Eppson Center is open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday–Friday, offering lunches in the dining room, transportation services, wellness services and various online and in-person activities.
All day, every day:
Too Fit to Quit (use of gym equipment). If interested, must schedule an orientation with Emma.
Billiards in the pool room, lessons or games.
Free books and puzzles in the pool room.
MONDAY, AUG. 29
9 a.m.-12 p.m.: Chess
9:30-11:30 a.m.: Fall Recovery Class
10:30-11:30 a.m.: Fall Prevention Exercise Class
5-6:30 p.m.: Chicken in the Park, tickets must be purchased ahead of time
TUESDAY, AUG. 30
9-10 a.m.: Line Dancing
10:30-11:30 a.m.: BINGO-cize (Nutrition)
10:30-11:30 a.m.: Musical Exercise with Resistance
1-1:45 p.m.: Bible study with Rich Henderson on Zoom
1-4 p.m.: Laramie Duplicate Bridge
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 31
9 a.m.-Noon: Chess
10:30-11:30 a.m.: Fall Prevention Exercise Class
12-12:30 p.m.: Nutrition Education Presentation
THURSDAY, Sept. 1
9 a.m.-Noon: Beltone by appointment only
10:30-11:30 a.m.: Musical Exercise with Resistance
10:30-11:30 a.m.: BINGO-cize (Nutrition)
12:30-3:45 p.m.: Watercolor Class (studio session)
1-3:30 p.m.: Mexican Train Dominoes
1-3 p.m.: Biscuits and Jam
FRIDAY, Sept. 2
9-10 a.m.: Veterans Coffee
9 a.m.-Noon: Chess
10:30-11:30 a.m.: Fall Prevention Exercise Class
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.: NARFE Meeting
SERVICES
Monday-Friday: Meals in the dining room 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Monday-Friday: Home delivered meals. Call 307-745-5116 ext. 20. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/eppson-center-for-seniors---community-page/article_db2fc7fa-24b0-11ed-97a7-7f84bea7199f.html | 2022-08-27T12:50:53Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/eppson-center-for-seniors---community-page/article_db2fc7fa-24b0-11ed-97a7-7f84bea7199f.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
I sat in a room filled with more than 900 people. We all had a sad story, the same story.
We had all lost a child.
The common thread was wrapped around each of our hearts tightly and safely never to be cut. The other end of the thread curled, waved and stretched into a web of interaction that connected everyone in the room. We all understood. We all shared a piece of the web. We all shared a piece of the pain.
Some parents had lost their only child. Some carried the loss of more than one. More than 900 stories of pain sat in a room where we gathered to share. Together our love and pain created an energy that was at moments thick and heavy and at times light and freeing.
The emotions were made bearable by a powerfully strong connectivity in the room. The stories varied in their telling, time frames and circumstances, but the same sad story connected all of us.
In a recent conversation, someone mentioned that there seems to be so many sad stories right now and that everyone you talk to has one. I believe that’s true. I believe that the more birthdays we are lucky enough to enjoy and the more candles we blow out, the more sad stories we will have. The longer we live we will hear more and more sad stories from others.
Is it possible that as we age the stories become sadder, or is it the accumulation of stories that becomes heavier with every layered story and every year that passes?
Over the years I have had my struggles. I have watched loved ones and friends struggle. I have said goodbye to people I love. I personally know the story of divorce, job loss, accidents and illness. I have laid battered, bruised and broken in a puddle of helpless hopelessness.
I have suffered. We have all suffered.
Could it be that there is a sensibility to this?
I believe so. We will all be wounded. The wound may be sharp and quick, but deep. The wound may be a slow, dragging pain that leaves a scar in a wide, jagged way. No amount of ointment, stitches or bandages will heal the puncture.
Wounds are meant to break an opening so a lesson, a message or a meaning can reach our hearts. Wounds are the marks of living. Sad stories give us a way to share our wounds.
I believe that it takes the darkest of times to open us up to learning the most. To live this life, we must endure and understand the difficult times, dark times, sad times. We must own our sad stories.
This is what connects us as humans. We can enjoy the beautiful days because we have felt suffering. We can enjoy health because we have felt illness. We appreciate success because we have struggled. We welcome joy because we have felt despair. Emotions are made bearable by the powerfully strong connectivity in the network of our family, friends, coworkers and neighbors.
We all have threads wrapped tightly and safely around our hearts while the other end of the thread reaches into a web we all share.
The longer we live the more sad stories we will hear, have and hold. The stories will vary in versions, time frames and circumstances, but sad stories connect all of us.
Pennie’s Life Lesson: The longer we live the more sad stories we will have. The darkest of times open us up to learning the most. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/everyone-has-a-sad-story/article_239768f8-24b7-11ed-bf83-7b92d68052be.html | 2022-08-27T12:50:59Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/everyone-has-a-sad-story/article_239768f8-24b7-11ed-bf83-7b92d68052be.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Minnesota Star Tribune
‘Lost Ollie’
There’s a lot to love about this four-part series, especially when director Peter Ramsey (“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”) cuts away from the human actors and focuses on his three animated toys, hitting the road to find acceptance. Each has its own tragic back story, but the most heartbreaking one belongs to Zozo, a disturbed carnival-booth clown voiced by Tim Blake Nelson. The flashback that reveals how he became so hardened is one of this year’s most unforgettable sequences, reminiscent of the opening moments of “Up.” The lack of dialogue will make it easier for the rest of your family to hear you sobbing. Netflix
‘Little Demon’
Danny DeVito has a history of playing devilish imps, so it’s no surprise that he’s voicing Satan himself in this animated series that’s hellbent on being as sinful as possible. Despite the show’s graphic nature, there’s something kind of sweet about the relationship between the Devil and his half-mortal daughter, especially when you realize that she’s being voiced by DeVito’s real-life daughter Lucy. The two bond over exorcism acts and revenge killings. The production may be a family affair, but it’s not for families. 10 p.m. ET Thursday, FXX
‘Mike’
Mike Tyson is none too happy with this eight-part series, which covers the champ’s life, starting with his troubled childhood. But director Craig Gillespie (“Pam & Tommy”) takes a rather balanced approach with a top-notch cast, including Harvey Keitel as manager Cus D’Amato and Trevante Rhodes (“Moonlight”) in the title role. If you want to hear more from Tyson’s perspective, Spike Lee’s 2013 recording of the boxer’s one-man show, “Undisputed Truth,” is available on HBO Max. Thursday, Hulu
‘They/Them’
What a great idea for a horror movie: to expose the evils of so-called “conversion therapy.” “They/Them” takes place at a camp, run by an unctuous creep played by Kevin Bacon, where parents send their gay, lesbian and non-gender-conforming kids to be turned straight (spoiler alert: It doesn’t work). Unfortunately, “They/Them” doesn’t deliver the thrills we expect from horror and, despite a zesty supporting performance by Anna Chlumsky as a counselor, it’s neither scary nor provocative. Peacock
‘Sharp Stick’
Lena Dunham directed and plays a supporting role in a drama with an intriguing but frustrating premise. Kristine Froseth plays a childlike adult who learns about sex from a married man (Jon Bernthal) and then takes a very deep dive into porn and kink. There are intriguing questions – Can she consent? Is she being exploited? – but the film doesn’t address them. On-demand services | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/5-shows-to-watch-fans-of-toy-story-and-tim-burton-need-to-find-lost/article_71280f34-24d8-11ed-ab07-0f0273e78264.html | 2022-08-27T12:51:05Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/5-shows-to-watch-fans-of-toy-story-and-tim-burton-need-to-find-lost/article_71280f34-24d8-11ed-ab07-0f0273e78264.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Wyoming Tribune Eagle
This isn’t just another fiesta.
Thank the new organizers, Jessica Fernandez-Medina and Denise Garcia, for overhauling the Cheyenne Hispanic Festival and turning it into not just a celebration of Hispanic heritage, but a significant educational and supportive event for the Hispanic and non-Hispanic community alike.
First, there’s its mission statement – “To promote, educate and celebrate the Hispanic culture through community involvement and enrichment.”
Of these priorities, the greatest emphasis lies in education.
“The more education that people of other cultures have about it, I think the more understanding and the more accepting they will be,” Garcia said about racial stereotypes toward Hispanic members of the community. “You sometimes get a negative connotation that goes along with some things.
“When you have an event like this, where everybody’s celebrating, everybody’s uplifting and everybody’s learning things, I just think it kind of helps shift that to a more accurate description of what we’re doing and what we’re trying to be.”
On the surface, it’s quite the celebration, one that seemingly the entire community plans to take part in on Sept. 10 in the Depot Plaza. Witness Los Royas del Sol mariachi band, different Hispanic musical acts from around the region, as well as a performance from local traditional dance company Las Angelitas Unitas.
Throw in traditional Mexican cuisine, an ArtHaus loaded with artists of Hispanic descent, local vendors, a jalapeño eating contest and a car show, courtesy of Capital City Car and Bike Club, and this day is well on its way to solidifying itself as a significant event for the city and its residents.
Inside the Cheyenne Depot will be a space for participants to set up ofrendas, though they will need to register for a space ahead of time by emailing cheyennehispanicfestival307@gmail.com.
Within the Depot walls, just above live demonstrations on how to make tortillas and arepas, wafts the rich sensation of home cooked beans, clashing with outside air coated in the sharp scent of roasting chiles.
Arrive at the right time, and the sound of the Grito Contest will rattle your auditory senses, too.
Another one of the biggest changes comes from expanding the scope of the event to encompass not just Mexican cultures, but also feature traditional Colombian, Peruvian, Cuban, Honduran, Guatemalan and other Latin cultures.
“What we heard from the community is that they felt that we were just focusing on the Mexican community, and we weren’t really focusing on all the Latinx culture,” Fernandez-Medina said. “We want to make that change. We want our people from Honduras or people from Venezuela, from Peru, from Colombia, to feel welcome as part of this community.”
Outside, children can carry passports to receive stamps from different countries by visiting stations located throughout the Plaza and along 15th Street. The educational program was created to encourage kids to learn more about the different cultures in their community.
With other entities around the city participating in the festival with their own events, it’s beginning to look like the Hispanic Festival, though important in the past, is integrating with the community more than ever.
The Laramie County Library will host a series of Hispanic Festival events, one of which will be a Spanish language reading of children’s books on Sept. 7. The Wyoming State Museum is setting up 10 tables beginning on Sept. 1, where people can register to leave personal items that pertain to their Hispanic culture for others to view and learn about through Oct. 16.
“This is a new thing. It’s a new partnership,” Elizabeth DeGreiner, supervisor of exhibits and programs for the Wyoming State Museum, said. “We have been wanting to partner with Hispanic Fest and really start opening up the museum to community organizations and community groups that are doing stuff around here. Just trying to be a part of that and open up our space to have some new and different voices in the museum.”
Military members stationed at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, some coming from Hispanic cultural backgrounds, will serve as volunteers and security. Fernandez-Medina believes this will aid in exposing some of the younger attendees to quality role models.
In addition to the celebratory events, there will also be important community services provided for attendees.
Roadmap to Health, a nonprofit mobile health screening program, will have a mobile unit set up at the festival, offering free health screenings, like cholesterol checks, blood pressure readings and basic medical advice in regard to positive lifestyle adjustment. These services will be offered in both Spanish and English languages.
The American Red Cross will also have a tent providing similar services.
But the two events kicking off the festival are some of the most important.
At La Noche De Celebración, to be held on Sept. 9 at the Cheyenne Civic Center, Mayor Patrick Collins will read a proclamation designating September as Hispanic Heritage Month in Cheyenne.
Following his announcement, the Hispanic Festival will announce the two high school students that are to receive the organization’s inaugural college scholarship. Funds were acquired through this year’s festival sponsors.
The two students were selected based on essays they submitted to the organization about their heritage while growing up in Cheyenne.
Much of these changes were made with help from the city of Cheyenne Community Recreation and Events Department. Fernandez-Medina and Garcia worked closely with Jason Sanchez, director of Community Recreation and Events, to restructure the festival.
Fernandez-Medina even said Sanchez joked that, in a way, it’s like the inaugural year all over again, despite the festival having made an impact for many years now.
It’s that new.
“We were really focused on making sure we’re bringing a lot of educational components to the festival,” Sanchez said. “Trying to work with the community to honor a couple of students with scholarships. We wanted to make sure that we really did a good job doing our due diligence and explaining the culture.
“Not just having a party, but really explaining the ‘why’ behind all of the things that we do.”
Will Carpenter is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle’s Arts and Entertainment/Features Reporter. He can be reached by email at wcarpenter@wyomingnews.com or by phone at 307-633-3135. Follow him on Twitter @will_carp_. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/todo/hispanic-festival-a-cultural-celebration-with-a-newfound-purpose/article_e2a00b4e-24d3-11ed-b4e8-ab964b874933.html | 2022-08-27T12:51:12Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/todo/hispanic-festival-a-cultural-celebration-with-a-newfound-purpose/article_e2a00b4e-24d3-11ed-b4e8-ab964b874933.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SATURDAY
Fusion Feast culinary event: 1-4 p.m., Lincoln Community Center, 365 W. Grand Ave. Hosted by Friends of Internationals and High Plains Christian Fellowship. Taste delicious dishes from around the world and play games. It’s free.
Thrown-Out Bones performs: 5:30-7p.m., Washington Park band shell, 18th and Sheridan streets. Popcorn, pretzels and beer.
SUNDAY
Laramie Connections free Meet and Eat dinner and faith gathering: 4:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1517 E. Canby St.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 6:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
MONDAY
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
UW Music presents Diego Caetano on piano: 7:30 p.m., Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts Recital Hall. Free to attend and all are invited. Program focuses on French-inspired music by an artist who’s been described as “a gifted pianist with a brilliant technique and musicality.”
TUESDAY
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
WEDNESDAY
Laramie Tai Chi and Tea meets: 1:30 p.m. at outdoors Harbon Park, North 14th and Gibbon streets. For more information, visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
THURSDAY
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 5:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Diabetes Support Group meets: 5:30-6:30 p.m. via Zoom. Email questions@ivinsosnhospital.org for the link.
FRIDAY
Spaghetti fundraiser dinner: 5:30-7:30 p.m., Elks Lodge, 103 S. 2nd St. Cost is $15 for a spaghetti dinner with meatballs and sausage. Limited quantities, so please call for a reservation, 307-742-2024.
Sept. 3
Walk with a Doc: 1:30-2:30 p.m. at the Washington Park west shelter No. 3. Bring walking shoes and a friend. For more information, email questions@ivinsonhospital.org.
Sept. 4
Laramie Connections free Meet and Eat dinner and faith gathering: 4:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1517 E. Canby St.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 6:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Sept. 5
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Veterans service office hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Veterans Service Center at the UW Student Union, 1000 E. University Ave.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
Sept. 6
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
Sept. 7
Laramie Tai Chi and Tea meets: 1:30 p.m. outdoors at Harbon Park, North 14th and Gibbon streets. For more information, visit visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
Ivinson’s women’s health team hosts prenatal education: 5:30 p.m. in the Summit conference room. For more information and registration, visit ivinsonhospital.org/childbirth.
Free “American Trombone!” recital at UW: 7:30 p.m., Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts recital hall.
Sept. 8
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Business After Hours: 5:30-7 p.m., Western States Bank, 3420 E. Grand Ave.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 5:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Fly fishing rod building for veterans: 7-9 p.m., Laramie Chamber Business Alliance office, 528 S. Adams St.
Sept. 10
22nd annual Wyoming Buddy Walk: 9 a.m. to noon, Washington Park band shell.
Tailgate party for Wesley Foundation’s 100th anniversary: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., United Methodist Church parking lot, 1215 Gibbon St. The student ministry is marking 100 years at the University of Wyoming and First United Methodist. Free lunch picnic.
Summer Market Day at the fairgrounds: 3-6 p.m., beef barn.
Sept. 11
Special worship service for Wesley Foundation: 10 a.m., First United Methodist Church, 1215 Gibbon St., followed by a potluck. Special guest Bishop Karen Olivetto will attend and preach. All are invited to reminisce with former Wesley Foundation members and meet the recent generation of the organization.
Laramie Connections free Meet and Eat dinner and faith gathering: 4:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1517 E. Canby St.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 6:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Sept. 12
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
Albany County Historic Preservation Board meets: 6 p.m. via Microsoft Teams. To attend and receive an invite, email a request to kcbard@charter.net.
Sept. 13
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
Albany County Republican Party meets: 6 p.m., Albany County Public Library.
Sept. 14
Laramie Tai Chi and Tea meets: 1:30 p.m. outdoors at Harbon Park, North 14th and Gibbon streets. For more information, visit visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
Ivinson’s women’s health team hosts prenatal education: 5:30 p.m. in the Summit conference room. For more information and registration, visit ivinsonhospital.org/childbirth.
Sept. 15
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 5:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Fly fishing rod building for veterans: 7-9 p.m., Laramie Chamber Business Alliance office, 528 S. Adams St.
Sept. 16
Albany County CattleWomen meet: 11:30 a.m., location tbd. Visit wyaccw.com in the week before the meeting for location and more information.
Sept. 17
Walk to End Alzheimer’s: 9 a.m., Optimist Park, with music and food following the walk.
Higher Ground Fair: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site in Laramie. A celebration of the six Rocky Mountain states and the native first nations that also call the region home. Proceeds from ticket sales (kids admitted free) help support Feeding Laramie Valley. Fore more information or to volunteer, call 307-223-4300 or email info@highergroundfair.org.
Walk with a Doc: 1:30-2:30 p.m. at the Washington Park west shelter No. 3. Bring walking shoes and a friend. For more information, email questions@ivinsonhospital.org.
Sept. 18
Higher Ground Fair: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site in Laramie. A celebration of the six Rocky Mountain states and the native first nations that also call the region home. Proceeds from ticket sales (kids admitted free) help support Feeding Laramie Valley. Fore more information or to volunteer, call 307-223-4300 or email info@highergroundfair.org.
Laramie Connections free Meet and Eat dinner and faith gathering: 4:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1517 E. Canby St.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 6:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Sept. 19
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Veterans service office hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Veterans Service Center at the UW Student Union, 1000 E. University Ave.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
Sept. 20
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
Sept. 21
Laramie Tai Chi and Tea meets: 1:30 p.m. outdoors at Harbon Park, North 14th and Gibbon streets. For more information, visit visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
Ivinson’s women’s health team hosts prenatal education: 5:30 p.m. in the Summit conference room. For more information and registration, visit ivinsonhospital.org/childbirth.
Sept. 22
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 5:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Fly fishing rod building for veterans: 7-9 p.m., Laramie Chamber Business Alliance office, 528 S. Adams St.
Sept. 25
Laramie Connections free Meet and Eat dinner and faith gathering: 4:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1517 E. Canby St.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 6:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Sept. 26
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
America Sewing Guild Laramie Chapter meets: 7 p.m., United Methodist Church, 1215 E. Gibbon St.
Sept. 27
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
Sept. 28
Laramie Tai Chi and Tea meets: 1:30 p.m. outdoors at Harbon Park, North 14th and Gibbon streets. For more information, visit visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
Sept. 29
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 5:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Fly fishing rod building for veterans: 7-9 p.m., Laramie Chamber Business Alliance office, 528 S. Adams St.
Oct. 2
Laramie Connections free Meet and Eat dinner and faith gathering: 4:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1517 E. Canby St.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 6:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/announcements/whats-happening-aug-27-2022/article_f4489398-255a-11ed-86d6-3ffb330a8707.html | 2022-08-27T12:51:43Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/announcements/whats-happening-aug-27-2022/article_f4489398-255a-11ed-86d6-3ffb330a8707.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
University of Wyoming mascot Cowboy Joe, with Tackle Hunger volunteers, will be accepting donations of nonperishable food items at the UW home opening football game Sept. 3.
In what’s become an annual effort, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming is again partnering with Wyoming Hunger Initiative and University of Wyoming football to tackle hunger in the Cowboy State.
Fans are encouraged to bring nonperishable food items to to War Memorial Stadium for the Cowboys’ home opening against Tulsa on Sept. 3. Look for designated food drop-off sites at the indoor practice facility next to the stadium or near Gate 6 of the tailgate parking lot.
People also can buy a food bag to donate from Ridley’s Family Markets at the company’s booth in the practice facility.
Last year, nearly 4,000 meals were donated at the UW home opener, and the drive has expanded this year with more donation locations. In addition to the stadium sites, people can donate now through Sept. 2 at Ridley’s locations across Wyoming.
“With the cost of food increases, many families in Wyoming continue to struggle with food
insecurity,” said Diane Gore, BCBSWY president and CEO. “Thankfully, our partnership with Wyoming Hunger Initiative can impact where it matters most — in the pantries of homes across the state.”
Along with the food drive, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming also has pledged to donate $1 for every pound of food donated.
Since 2020, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming, alongside its Caring Foundation, has donated more than $300,000 to Wyoming Hunger Initiative to help combat food insecurity in Wyoming. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/business/tackle-food-insecurity-at-uw-home-opener/article_df9f5b9e-2568-11ed-9885-7fd665e2fb6f.html | 2022-08-27T12:51:55Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/business/tackle-food-insecurity-at-uw-home-opener/article_df9f5b9e-2568-11ed-9885-7fd665e2fb6f.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The following calls were included in the Albany County Sheriff’s Office responses:
MONDAY, AUG. 22
• 10:05 a.m., Interstate 80, theft/unauthorized use of vehicle
• 8:26 p.m., U.S. Highway 30, accident
TUESDAY, AUG. 23
• 3:34 p.m., Albany County Area, accident
• 3:51 p.m., Albany County Area, burglary
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 24
• 5:01 p.m., Interstate 80, accident
• 8:08 p.m., 1100 block of Wyoming Highway 230, possible domestic disturbance
THURSDAY, AUG. 25
• 10:11 a.m., Ramble-a Road, theft
• 1:10 p.m., Melody Homestead Road, trespassing
The following calls were included in the Laramie Police Department responses:
MONDAY, AUG. 22
• 10:05 a.m., Interstate 80, theft/unauthorized use of vehicle
• 10:24 a.m., 900 block of N. McCue St., emergency
• 10:58 a.m., 1200 block of E. Bradley St., possible possession of controlled substance
• 11:19 a.m., 1200 block of E. Bradley St., vandalism
• 11:46 a.m., 1400 block of N. 3rd St., fraud
• 3:01 p.m., 4300 block of E. Grand Ave., accident
• 4:24 p.m., 400 block of S. 11th St., animal bite
• 4:25 p.m., 2100 block of Harrison St., vandalism
• 7:40 p.m., 1700 block of Glacier St., animal bite
TUESDAY, AUG. 23
• 3:50 a.m., 1600 block of Centennial Dr., emergency
• 6:23 a.m., 3200 block of Hayford Ave., emergency
• 11:09 a.m., intersection of N. 3rd St. and E. University Ave., accident
• 11:24 a.m., 1700 block of N. McCue St., fighting
• 12:46 p.m., intersection of N. 22nd St. and Binford St., accident
• 2:18 p.m., intersection of Boulder Dr. and E. Grand Ave., accident
• 5:18 p.m., intersection of Jefferson St. and S. Fillmore St., accident
• 10 p.m., 200 block of N. 3rd St., disturbance/harassment-threats
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 24
• 2:21 a.m., 600 block S. 30th St., possible domestic disturbance
• 10:16 a.m., 1500 block of W. Snowy Range Rd., trespassing
• 10:42 a.m., 2400 block of Soldier Springs Rd., vandalism
• 11:41 a.m., 1100 block of N. McCue St., emergency
• 12:28 p.m., 500 block of Arthur St., emergency
• 1:39 p.m., 200 block of E. Grand Ave., theft
• 2:12 p.m., 4300 block of E. Grand Ave., hit and run
• 2:28 p.m., 4300 block of E. Grand Ave., shoplifting
• 2:41 p.m., 3900 block of Beech St., vandalism
• 4:29 p.m., intersection of N. 7th St. and E. Harney St., accident
• 4:43 p.m., intersection of S. Fillmore St. and Harrison St., possible domestic disturbance
• 5:55 p.m., 1500 block of N. McCue St., possible domestic disturbance
• 7:05 p.m., intersection of N. 9th St. and Downey St., accident
• 7:47 p.m., intersection of N. 45th St. and Grays Gable Rd., accident
• 8:20 p.m., 700 block of Downey St., disturbance/harassment-threats
THURSDAY, AUG. 25
• 12:28 a.m., 2600 block of Jackson St., possible domestic disturbance
• 12:54 a.m., 400 block of E. Boswell Dr., wildlife
• 6:50 a.m., intersection of N. 13th St. and Beaufort St., hit and run
• 8:54 a.m., 300 block of S. 10th St., vandalism
• 11:25 a.m., 700 block of Boulder Dr., traffic hazard
• 11:37 a.m., 1100 block of Apache Dr., wildlife
• 2:59 p.m., intersection of N. 3rd St. and E. Harney St., accident
• 3:58 p.m., intersection of S. 3rd St. and Soldier Springs Rd., accident
• 5:36 p.m., 2400 block of E. Grand Ave., vandalism
• 5:51 p.m., intersection of S. 21st St. and E. Grand Ave., accident
• 6:32 p.m., 2100 block of E. Grand Ave., accident
• 7:48 p.m., 1400 block of E. Sully St., possible domestic disturbance | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/local_news/arrest_record_and_police_calls/on-the-record-aug-27-2022/article_95f72b32-2556-11ed-afac-af7863e4a18f.html | 2022-08-27T12:52:08Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/local_news/arrest_record_and_police_calls/on-the-record-aug-27-2022/article_95f72b32-2556-11ed-afac-af7863e4a18f.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Lawmakers have agreed to draft legislation that, if approved by the full Legislature next year, would distinctly change the format of elections across the state in 2024.
The approval came after more than two hours of testimony and discussion in the Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee on Thursday. Members carefully weighed the benefits and shortcomings of instant runoff elections, ranked-choice voting and open primaries.
Legislative staff has been directed to draft two bills for the Corporations Committee to consider at its upcoming meeting in October. It took a second vote for both motions to pass, but either would closely align with election formats used by fellow “red” states.
“I’m just happy Alaska and Utah are our models, and not Massachusetts or New York,” said Rep. Dan Zwonitzer, R-Cheyenne, chairman of the committee, following the votes.
The state now uses a closed primary and plurality voting system. Only voters registered with the Republican or Democratic Party can vote in their party’s primary, and the party affiliation is included in voter registration so there is an official record. Voters are allowed to switch their party affiliation at any time.
The plurality system refers to how a candidate is elected. The contender who receives the highest number of votes is elected, and it is not required that they receive more than 50% of the total votes cast.
This is a significant difference from the first proposed election format bill the Legislative Service Office is responsible for drafting. It will take after the initiative Alaskan voters approved in the 2020 general election to establish a nonpartisan primary and ranked-choice voting system.
However, the recommendation by Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander, was for an open primary that would have the top four choices move forward to a ranked-choice voting system in the general election.
His second motion, which also was passed, was to keep a closed primary, but to implement a ranked-choice voting system similar to what is being tested by Utah at the municipal level. Both proposals will be considered in October.
Open primary, ranked-choice
FairVote, a nonpartisan election reform organization, defines an open primary as an election where “voters of any affiliation may vote in the primary of any party. They cannot vote in more than one party’s primary, although that prohibition can be difficult to enforce in the event a party has a primary runoff. In many open primaries, voters do not indicate partisan affiliation when they register to vote.”
Along with a ranked-choice voting system, the Wyoming election format would transform dramatically. Voters would rank candidates by preference on their ballots, and if a candidate wins more than half of first-preference votes, they are declared the winner. If no candidate wins based on first-preference, Ballotpedia explains that the candidate with the least first-preference votes are eliminated.
“All first-preference votes for the failed candidate are eliminated, lifting the second-preference choices indicated on those ballots,” according to the digital encyclopedia on American politics and elections. “A new tally is conducted to determine whether any candidate has won an outright majority of the adjusted voters. The process is repeated until a candidate wins a majority of votes cast.”
Case suggested the system after hearing testimony from stakeholders on its positive impacts. Many argued it would address concerns of crossover voting and the plurality system, as well as encourage candidates to communicate to a greater number of voters, rather than to the extremes of either party.
“With 94% of people voting on the same ballot last Tuesday, we essentially had an open primary here in Wyoming. Open primaries almost eliminate the need for crossover voting, though. There’s no need to switch parties when there’s no parties involved,” said Jennifer Lowe, executive director of the Equality State Policy Center. “The other wonderful thing about open primaries is it allows taxpayers – those who are funding these elections – to fully participate.”
The majority of votes Aug. 16 were in the Republican primary, which pitted U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., against challenger Harriet Hageman. Although many Democrats crossed over to vote for Cheney, Hageman easily ousted the incumbent and advanced to the Nov. 8 general election.
Despite significant support for the system voiced in testimony, there were those who criticized its consideration.
Wyoming GOP National Committeeman Corey Steinmetz said the political philosophy between the parties was very evident, and taking away a partisan primary would be a challenge. He said many voters trust the “R” behind a Republican candidate’s name when they’re running, and it assures that the contender represents their shared values and beliefs.
“What we’ve heard from Republicans all across the state is that we want to keep our primary,” he told lawmakers. “We want Republicans voting for Republican nominees, they want Democrats voting for Democratic nominees, and we would have competitive elections if the Democrats would have people run.”
Steinmetz said changing the voting system has been an ongoing discussion for years, but he didn’t know if “we need to reinvent the wheel.” He was concerned any major changes to the election statutes would also impact political organization makeup and elections for precinct committee persons.
“That’s a very dangerous territory,” he said.
Jacqueline McMann was a supporter of an open primary and ranked-choice voting, and argued against Steinmetz’s theory about Wyoming voters. She said the current system deters healthy participation, and the Republican Party has developed a monopoly on voting.
“We use a shorthand, the ‘R’ in front of a person’s name and the ‘D’ in front of a person’s name. The ‘L’ for libertarian. It’s a shorthand for trust,” she said. “And I think we have broken down that trust by our divisiveness, and people are no longer engaged.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/major-changes-to-state-elections-are-considered/article_60c8247c-2545-11ed-a779-5b432d433159.html | 2022-08-27T12:52:20Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/major-changes-to-state-elections-are-considered/article_60c8247c-2545-11ed-a779-5b432d433159.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ABSAROKA RANGE — Andy Pils was silent as he scanned with his Vortex spotting scope, its lens focused on a steep, talus-covered mountainside some 2.5 miles away.
Two weeks before, 10 grizzly bears were clustered together in the same area flipping rocks and lapping up moths, but on this early August day, zero grizzlies were visible. Pils soon realized why.
“Oh, (crap),” Pils said. “I see a guy walking up there.”
The longtime Shoshone National Forest wildlife biologist continued scanning. Actually, he said, there were two guys and a dog. It was late morning, and the canine-human crew was headed for a summit.
“Those guys are in full view of that slope, so I’m sure all the bears moved off,” Pils said. “They’re right where we saw the bears two weeks ago.”
A little bit later, Pils saw the displacement in real time. At 9:53 a.m., the first two grizzlies of the day entered his view. But they were too concerned about the hikers to bother with their calorie-dense bug breakfast.
“They’re actually running from the people,” Pils said.
Within moments the two grizzlies trotted off in tandem and disappeared from sight. In Pils’ view, there was no question as to why. The peak-baggers and their canine companion had inadvertently spooked them off.
Weeks before Pils installed a sign to warn of the bears’ presence, and the hikers should have been able to see the fleeing grizzlies if they were looking in the right direction, but that was tough to ascertain from this distance.
While a rarity to witness, the scene the biologist observed in the Absaroka Range high country wasn’t unexpected. Despite a reputation for standing their ground or becoming aggressive with humans, grizzly bears often flee from people. Grizzlies walked or ran away from people 80% of the time when former Montana State University graduate student Erika Nunlist observed 43 human-bear interactions at two army cutworm moth congregation sites in 2017 and ‘18.
There’s no indication grizzly bears are altogether abandoning these nutrient-rich talus slopes — regionally, grizzly use of moths is actually increasing. But the Shoshone National Forest, which houses all the region’s known moth sites, has a management plan underway that sets out to keep the extraordinary alpine food source viable in the face of increasing human pressure. That’s partly as a result of more interest in peak bagging in the Absarokas. But it’s also because heaps of grizzlies gorging on thousands of insects a day out in the open draws spectators. Nearly 60% of the mountain travelers Nunlist surveyed at one high-use site for her study identified “photography” or “bear viewing” as a reason for being there. She understands the allure.
“It’s just totally crazy,” Nunlist said. “When there’s 22 bears on a slope that’s maybe a football field or two [in size] and you can just watch them, it’s just really amazing. It never got old.”
Wildlife managers are in a tricky position. They don’t want to lead the public to moth sites, but at the same time they want to make people aware of the potential hazard of traveling near high densities of grizzlies and how human presence could impact feeding bears.
“More people are figuring out ways to go in and take advantage of visible bears,” said Dan Thompson, large carnivore supervisor for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. “We just don’t want bears to be harassed or anything to happen that can negatively impact the ecology of the bear.”
Pils is seeing similar trends that have him worried: “We’re getting more and more of these commercial filming requests.”
Those requests are being denied until the national forest wraps up its moth site management plan, which should be out sometime in the next year. The forthcoming plan emanates from the Shoshone Forest’s 2015 Land Management Plan, which demands it. First, however, there were years of research to better understand moth bear ecology: Nunlist’s study of human interaction, another about what else grizzlies are eating near moth sites and a third study on the moths themselves.
Army cutworm moths have been known as a grizzly food source in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem since the 1980s, but the ecology has been poorly understood, in part because the insects congregate in remote, mountainous country between 11,000 and 13,000 feet in elevation where studies are difficult to pull off.
“So there’s still many unknowns about the ecology of the moths themselves, how bears are using these sights and how human use could affect these dynamics,” Pils told a crowd at the Draper Natural History Museum last winter.
Former Montana State University graduate student Clare Dittemore filled in some of the blanks about the moths, and she upended some traditional assumptions. It was conventionally believed the 1.5-inch-long moths — named for how they move as a fleet from one crop field to the next — migrated east to west, coming by the millions to the Rocky Mountains from the Great Plains.
“The work that we did illustrates that they’re traveling north to Southwest as well,” Dittemore
Cutworm moths are too small to track with GPS, and so she used stable isotope analysis, which pinpoints the origin of the nutrients that make up the moths, to determine where they traveled from. Most moths, she found, were actually coming from Alberta and British Columbia. Others flew in from Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, while moths that came from the easternmost Great Plains were the least numerous.
“Moths are very capable of dispersing throughout the ecosystem,” Dittemore said. “Because they’re coming from such a wide variety of areas, this particular food source is probably protected against any regional declines of larval populations.”
That’s a good thing, because indications are that army cutworm moths are a vital grizzly food source. Up in the alpine where they feed on wildflower nectar at night, the moths pack on fat. Their body fat percentage can reach 83%, fuel for their own migration back to lower elevations and reproduction. It makes for great bear food.
“Just the energetic component of this is pretty interesting,” Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team leader Frank van Manen said. “They are little packets of lipids. There’s not a lot of weight in each insect, but on a per-gram basis, they are one of the highest calorie foods available that we’ve documented in the ecosystem.”
A typical grizzly might consume as many as 40,000 moths — good for 20,000 calories — per day, van Manen said. That’s equivalent to roughly 35 Big Macs, he said. They’re critical calories that grizzly bears need to gain weight and survive winter hibernation.
Whether it’s through their incredible sense of smell or their memory, the moth bears congregate around the highest-density patches of bugs.
Even from miles away, the bruins’ game trail travel paths were visible in the talus that August day.
“If you walk through that stuff, it’s amazing how excavated it is,” Pils said. “It’s like somebody went through it with a plow.”
More and more grizzlies are catching on.
During the study team’s last available survey of moth sites, it logged 324 grizzly observations at 27 of the 35 known moth sites — the second-highest tally to date. Over the decades, as grizzlies have recovered to in excess of 1,000 animals in the Yellowstone ecosystem, more and more bears have visited the alpine moth sites, which generally keeps them away from people and out of harm’s way. That could be because of the decline of whitebark pine — another high-elevation food source — but the precise reasoning is unknown, van Manen said.
Wildlife managers are also gathering new insights into how moth bears move about the landscape. In 2021, a Wyoming Game and Fish-contracted helicopter crew capitalized on grizzlies that dwell above the treeline. When bears were safely away from the steep, hazardous slopes, a number of them were tranquilized and fit with tracking collars.
“That’s a first for anyone in the Lower 48,” Thompson said of the aerial grizzly captures. “We caught 10 bears in three mornings. We didn’t know how well it would work, and it exceeded our expectations. In just over seven hours we caught the same amount of bears that we caught in almost a decade of [ground-based] backcountry trapping.”
Data from those GPS collars is pouring in, and adding to existing location data from GPS-equipped moth bears that have been incidentally caught in the lowlands over the years. That data has taught van Manen and others that the moth bears typically move up around the middle of July.
“They stay near those sites for the next two months,” van Manen said.
Grizzlies of the high Absarokas are mostly filling their guts with gobs of moths, but that’s not all they’re eating. Typically, moth feeding is most productive from daybreak until around 11 a.m., but as the air and talus heats up the insects lose their lethargy and become trickier to catch.
Kate Lozano, another former Montana State University grad student, investigated the moth bears’ summertime diets, finding through scat analyses that their primary alternative food source is a perennial flowering plant called biscuitroot. Her study also pinpointed where biscuitroot tends to grow: At the tops of ridgelines, which are often travel routes for people moving around the backcountry.
“A lot of those sites that had biscuitroot had [grizzly bear] day beds as well,” Lozano said.
The research, she said, suggests that the Shoshone Forest should cast a wider net over the landscape when it’s looking at addressing potential areas for human interaction at the most-visited moth sites.
Pils now has this data at his disposal as he’s pulling together a moth site management plan for the Shoshone Forest. It’s not likely to call for heavy-handed regulations. Where moths and grizzlies are aggregating deep in the North Absaroka and Washakie designated wilderness areas on seldom-visited slopes, there’s nothing to worry about, he said.
“Most of these moth sites, all indications are human use is very light and there’s really no issue,” Pils said.
There are a handful of exceptions.
“This one most prominently,” Pils said the morning of Aug. 8. “We’ll be trying to figure out some criteria, and what our options might be, should we feel compelled to start managing human use.”
Potential closures, he said, would be a “really big deal for us.”
“Seasonal restrictions on motorized vehicle use, that’s pretty well established,” Pils said. “But when you’re talking about restricting foot access into areas, that’s very different.”
The forthcoming plan could also include some regulations for commercial outfitting and guiding around moth sites, he said, as well as prescribe monitoring and information and education efforts. Whatever policies get proposed will be run by the Shoshone Forest’s partners, including Game and Fish, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and van Manen’s Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team.
“Ultimately, it’s district rangers and forest supervisors that make decisions,” Pils said. “And so it’s going to be a matter of figuring out what our leadership is comfortable with.”
The hikers spotted by Pils reached their summit shortly after he watched the two bears boogie. The men, Park County locals, according to their pickup truck’s plates, lingered up top for nearly an hour.
“There’s not many days when you can lounge on top like that,” Pils said.
It wasn’t until 11:15 a.m. that the Shoshone National Forest biologist observed his first undisturbed moth-eating grizzly. Even through a spotting scope the animal was just a bear-shaped speck in the distance, but its lack of movement told Pils it was lapping up those lipid-filled moths.
The desire to trek nearer and see the behavior in greater detail was tempered by already witnessing the unintended consequences of getting too close.
Though he had observed it before, even Pils was entranced by the phenomenon.
“It’s pretty unlikely, isn’t it?” he said. When pressed about what he meant, the biologist clarified.
“Just that this whole thing happened.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/mysterious-moth-eating-grizzlies-have-a-people-problem/article_2873ac80-2564-11ed-bc6a-5766732eff2d.html | 2022-08-27T12:52:32Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/mysterious-moth-eating-grizzlies-have-a-people-problem/article_2873ac80-2564-11ed-bc6a-5766732eff2d.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
CODY — After a host of objections from neighbors, Park County Commissioners unanimously approved allowing the building of five domes at a property on Green Creek to serve as a yoga retreat and Airbnb.
The special use permit was approved with conditions for the retreat on the North Fork at their Tuesday meeting, with the caveats that the business won’t operate in the winter months and construction on five all-weather domes be completed within one year.
The proposal includes putting five geodesic domes on roughly one acre near Green Creek next to a neighborhood filled mostly with retirees. Planning and zoning staff classified it as a highway commercial business, allowed in the GR-5 zoning with a special use permit.
Eight of 11 neighbors objected to the site plan in writing, while three were in support, according to the staff report. Dozens of people commented at the county planning and zoning meetings, on June 15 and July 20. The board recommended approval at the July session.
Staff had proposed approval with stipulations to reduce lighting, noise and traffic and also not to operate Nov. 15-April 30. Those dates coincide with a Wyoming Game and Fish recommendation for no use on the property during that period because it is prime mule deer wintering habitat.
Owner Mike Gimmeson, who lives on the property, said in his proposal for a special use permit that the plan was to operate it as a short-term rental during the summer months. Yoga will be in a central 26-foot diameter dome, with four 20-foot, 315-square-foot domes surrounding it with two beds each. He said other activities would likely take place off the property.
The business will be called the Pure Heart Retreat. The domes are built in Sheridan.
“We chose geodesic domes for the lodging due to their elegance and visually esthetic design,” he wrote.
Gimmeson said the location has served, as early as 1912, as one of Wapiti’s earliest vacation and hunting rentals out of the original log cabin. He said initially there would also be yoga classes offered for locals in the central classroom dome if year-round use were allowed. He said they’d be willing not to operate in the winter months if that were part of the approval.
Booking will be done, he said, through established sites such as Airbnb.
“We’re excited to move forward with this project for next spring and summer,” Gimmeson said at the meeting. “We have no intention of dragging it out.”
The four residential domes will include, along with beds, a toilet, shower and kitchenette.
“The (retreat) is a health and outdoor centered guest retreat focusing on activities that allow clients to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the surrounding areas,” he wrote.
Many neighbors were concerned about the lot being used as a commercial property.
“The long-standing covenants for the residential Green Creek Subdivision specifically prohibit any commercial activity,” wrote lot owner Richard Downen.
Gimmeson replied to concerns from neighbors, many addressing covenant restrictions, by saying that his research determined his lot was not covered by the covenants and that parts of the covenants had not been enforced for decades. He noted that other property owners on Green Creek also ran short-term rentals on their property. County planner Kim Dillivan said staff also determined the lot was not part of the subdivision covenants.
Gimmeson also said he could ensure the site would not attract bears as the domes are sealed, that the state had no concerns over water and said 4-8 new cars a day would not harm a road that sees an average of 294 vehicles a day.
Neighbor Judge Gambil disagreed.
He wrote “Green Creek Road would be the proposed entrance and exit from the proposed 'glamping retreat' which would increase already heavy traffic occurred by the numerous Bed and Breakfast and VRBO’s located on Green Creek Rd.”
Other neighboring landowners said the business should be allowed to go forward.
While dozens of neighbors, most opposed, had attended the P&Z meetings, one of the few neighbors who showed up Tuesday said many assumed there was no longer any point in protesting.
“I feel that this process is just headed down the road for approval,” Tim McCleary said. “It seems as though if planning and zoning gets the boxes checked that they require, this process kind of slides right through.
“I think many of us came really close to not coming today because we thought it’s a done deal.”
The commissioners did say they have to abide by the current rules, although chair Dossie Overfield encouraged people with concerns to be a part of the land use plan underway that could address future developments.
“There’s a lot of gray area out there and hopefully the land use planning can update rules and regulations,” commissioner Joe Tilden said. “We can address some of these issues, but right now, our decision has to be based on what we have in front of us.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/park-county-oks-permit-for-yoga-retreat/article_9c42d818-2562-11ed-8977-db675c28ccf4.html | 2022-08-27T12:52:39Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/park-county-oks-permit-for-yoga-retreat/article_9c42d818-2562-11ed-8977-db675c28ccf4.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Until primary election night, when he won his party’s Wyoming secretary of state nomination, Rep. Chuck Gray, R-Casper, had a pretty dismal 2022. None of the five bills he sponsored in the budget session passed, including four that didn’t even come up for a vote.
The previous year hadn’t been so hot for Gray, either. In September 2021, when former President Donald Trump shopped for a GOP congressional candidate to send Rep. Liz Cheney packing, he bypassed Gray and endorsed Cheyenne attorney Harriet Hageman.
When Trump declared everyone else should get out of Hageman’s way, Gray dutifully dropped out.
Gray tried to win Trump’s favor with two bills to change the name of State Highway 258 to the “President Donald J. Trump Highway.” Trump may well be the most popular politician in Wyoming, but both bills failed.
In May, opportunity knocked when Republican Secretary of State Ed Buchanan decided to not run for re-election. Gray announced his bid.
Gray made Trump’s lies about the 2020 election being stolen the centerpiece of his campaign. The candidate called the election “clearly rigged” against Trump, with ballot drop boxes like those in Wyoming serving as the tool Democrats used for the theft.
The idea Wyoming voters can’t trust that their ballots will be fairly counted should be a tough sell in a state where Trump trounced Joe Biden by 120,068 votes. If state Democrats are that inept at stuffing ballot boxes, they shouldn’t even be allowed to cross the street unassisted.
But Gray’s message that Wyoming’s elections are tainted by widespread voter fraud carried the day, and he defeated Sen. Tara Nethercott, R-Cheyenne, 50% to 41%.
Gray cast himself as a voter fraud expert because he went to Arizona to watch the Cyber Ninjas firm conduct a partisan “forensic audit” of Maricopa County’s presidential election. “I support the audit 100%. It’s an incredible, very important operation,” he tweeted.
The audit, which took more than seven months as the ninjas hand-counted ballots, did find election errors. Their report concluded 360 more residents voted for Biden than previously reported.
Yet Gray contends Wyoming should automatically conduct the same type of audit statewide using paper ballots, even though only four state residents have been convicted of voter fraud since 2000. All four, by the way, were Republicans.
Gray sponsored free showings of Dinesh D’Souza’s film “2000 Mules” to justify his desire to ban ballot drop boxes in Wyoming. Gray said the discredited documentary shows “how the woke, big-tech left has stolen elections with ballot drop boxes.”
Fortunately, none of Gray’s proposed voter fraud remedies can be implemented without legislative approval.
Former Secretary of State Max Maxfield, who endorsed Nethercott, filed a federal complaint against Gray for allegedly violating campaign finance laws. Maxfield questioned how Gray managed to loan his congressional campaign $300,000 when he claimed to only earn $11,000 a year.
After calling the complaint “frivolous,” the work of “liberal insiders,” Gray eventually explained he inherited the $300,000 from his grandfather.
“This campaign, unfortunately, has gotten pretty nasty because when someone stands for the truth against the insiders, they will do anything to maintain their power,” Gray charged at a Casper forum.
I agree that the campaign turned nasty, and truth matters. That’s why what the “Committee to Elect Chuck Gray” did a few days before the primary was so egregious.
Unsolicited text messages were sent to many Wyomingites – including Nethercott! – that erroneously claimed she is “being sued for lying and slander,” investigated “for violating state campaign $$$ law” and voting to “give herself a $30k taxpayer-funded raise.”
There is no lawsuit or investigation. Nethercott voted to increase state officials’ pay, but that was months before Buchanan announced his position would be open.
I don’t know how much damage the phony texts did to Nethercott’s chances of winning. Her loss by nearly 13,000 votes can likely be attributed to her declaring the election wasn’t stolen from Trump and such baseless claims are “undermining our country.”
As expected, Trump endorsed Gray. What’s surprising is that Gray polled about 40,000 votes less than Hageman, even though he and other right-wing candidates tried to tie themselves to her coattails.
Hageman trounced Cheney, but Cheney’s post-election words ring true: “No American should support election deniers for any position of genuine responsibility, where their refusal to follow the rule of law will corrupt our future.”
Gray joins five Republican secretary of state nominees – in Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada and New Mexico – who are election deniers. Unlike them, he’s the first who is virtually assured of victory in November, because no Democratic, Constitution or Libertarian party nominees will be on the ballot.
It’s time to face the harsh reality that someone who has the gall to deny the legitimacy of Wyoming elections, without a shred of evidence, will be in charge of them.
To be fair, Gray isn’t the only one responsible for his radical election agenda. He’s a surrogate who took advantage of his politically expedient chance to deliver Trump’s lies to Wyoming. Just as culpable are voters who wholeheartedly bought them – hook, line and sinker.
The Drake’s Take is a weekly column by veteran Wyoming journalist Kerry Drake, and produced by WyoFile.com, a nonprofit news organization focused on Wyoming people, places and policy. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/opinion/guest_column/a-gray-day-dawns-for-wyoming-s-future-elections/article_9f9bb57e-24af-11ed-b90f-7b24c321b582.html | 2022-08-27T12:52:51Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/opinion/guest_column/a-gray-day-dawns-for-wyoming-s-future-elections/article_9f9bb57e-24af-11ed-b90f-7b24c321b582.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
JPMorgan Chase awards $10,000 to support Climb Wyoming
JPMorgan Chase recently announced a $10,000 grant to Climb Wyoming, a nonprofit serving low-income single mothers to help discover self-sufficiency through career training and placement.
The contribution will support the nonprofit’s ongoing efforts to support single working mothers in the Cheyenne and Teton areas. Specifically, the contribution will support industry training, life and financial skills development, and mental health support to provide economic stability for their households.
“One of the biggest obstacles for single mothers is calming the toxic stress of poverty and finding stability for work readiness,” said Katie Hogarty, Chief Executive Officer of Climb Wyoming. “The generous contribution from JPMorgan Chase will help our Cheyenne and Teton offices support more low-income single mothers through career training and placement programs.”
“By taking steps to increase the availability of support for low-income single mothers, we improve our communities by helping provide services to enable countless women and children to attain a better life,” said Claudius Duncan, Chase’s Market Director of Banking for the region. “Climb is a wonderful example of how creating awareness of the need for these critical services can encourage involvement through public and private partnerships.”
The mission of Climb Wyoming is for low-income single mothers to discover self-sufficiency through career training and placement. Developed over the past 36 years, Climb’s comprehensive program isn’t just about getting a job – it’s about financial independence for struggling mothers and changing the generational cycle of poverty one family at a time.
Transportation Commission awards almost $19.3M in contracts
The Wyoming Transportation Commission awarded almost $19.3 million in contracts for five Wyoming Department of Transportation construction projects during its Aug. 18 business meeting.
A bid of almost $1.7 million was awarded to Sheridan-based Advanced Electrical Contracting Inc. for a project that involves electrical work, sidewalk, curb and gutter and other work at various locations within Big Horn, Converse, Fremont, Hot Springs, Laramie, Lincoln, Natrona, Niobrara, Platte, Sheridan, Sweetwater, Uinta, Washakie and Weston counties.
The commission awarded a $1.8 million bid to Utah-based Coldwater Group Inc. for a project involving structure replacement, grading, guardrail and other work at the Hams Fork River Bridge on Lincoln County Road 327 in Lincoln County.
The contracted completion date for the above two projects is Oct. 31, 2023.
The commission awarded a $7.1 million bid to Worland-based McGarvin-Moberly Construction Co. for a project that involves milling, paving, chip seal and other work on about 10 miles of US Highway 191 in Sublette County. The project has a contracted completion date of June 30, 2024.
Mills-based King Enterprises was awarded a $4.4 million bid for a project that involves fencing, grading and other work at various locations along Interstate 25 in Johnson County. The contracted completion date for the project is Nov. 30, 2024.
All of the above projects are funded primarily with federal dollars.
The only project awarded in August that is funded primarily with state dollars involves milling, paving, chip seal and other work on more than 7 miles of US Highway 89 in Lincoln County. The project was awarded to Idaho-based H-K Contractors, Inc. with a bid of almost $4.2 million, and the work has a contracted completion date of Aug. 31, 2023.
Almost all WYDOT projects are awarded to the lowest bidder. August’s meeting saw an average of about 2.7 bids per project.
Milestones
Laramie County Library System recently welcomed Steven Leafgreen to its Board of Directors. Leafgreen’s first term on the Board will last until June 30, 2024. Board members for Laramie County Library System are appointed by the County Commissioners, who are required by Wyoming State statutes to provide library services to their constituents. Leafgreen is the CEO of Western Vista Federal Credit Union, and has served in key roles for several different community organizations, including the Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce.
My Front Door announced this week that Esther O. Gonzales has been selected as the newly created director of development. Previously, Gonzales spent three years working with the Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce as its business development and relations specialist. My Front Door uses a three-phase core program model to end poverty through homeownership. Founded in 2007, My Front Door has assisted 58 families in becoming first-time homeowners.
Lindsay Patterson, the Surface Water Quality Standards Coordinator at the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, was recently recognized by the Association of Clean Water Administrators. Patterson was selected for the ACWA Emerging Leader Award for 2022, which is given to members who have demonstrated notable leadership or contributions to the work of an ACWA committee, task force and/or workgroup, and show potential for future leadership in the association. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/business_briefs/business-briefs-for-8-27-22/article_72bb447c-2570-11ed-a2bd-93518393a3ec.html | 2022-08-27T12:53:16Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/business_briefs/business-briefs-for-8-27-22/article_72bb447c-2570-11ed-a2bd-93518393a3ec.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON
THROUGH EARLY EVENING FOR MUCH OF SOUTHEAST WYOMING...
...ELEVATED CONDITIONS ALSO POSSIBLE IN WESTERN NEBRASKA...
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM MDT THIS
EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONES 417, 423, 425, 427, 430, 431, AND 433...
The National Weather Service in Cheyenne has issued a Red Flag
Warning, which is in effect from noon today to 8 PM MDT this
evening.
* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 417-423, 425, and 430-433.
* WIND...West 15 to 25 MPH with gusts up to 40 MPH.
* HUMIDITY...10 to 15 percent.
* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
Outdoor burning is not recommended.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions
are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of
strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can
contribute to extreme fire behavior.
&&
We believe everyone can give something to those in need, and when that happens, everyone benefits. That’s why we created “Everyone gives, Everyone gains,” a way to spotlight some of the ways you can help people in Laramie County. To have an item published, email Managing Editor Brian Martin at bmartin@wyomingnews.com or send it to Everyone gives, Everyone gains, c/o Brian Martin, Wyoming Tribune Eagle, 702 W. Lincolnway, Cheyenne, WY 82001. To give your money CASA of Laramie County to hold ‘Roaring ‘20s’ fundraiser What: CASA of Laramie County celebrates its 20th anniversary with a ‘Roaring ‘20s’ themed fundraiser, “To Be a Kid Again” When: 5-10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9 Where: Little America Hotel and Resort, 2800 W. Lincolnway, Cheyenne Cost: $75 per person More information: CASA of Laramie County is a nonprofit organization that recruits and trains community volunteers to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in the juvenile court system. To buy tickets: Go online to casalc.org under the “Events” tab, or call the CASA office at 307-222-1902. The deadline to buy tickets is Thursday, Sept. 1.
We believe everyone can give something to those in need, and when that happens, everyone benefits. That’s why we created “Everyone gives, Everyone gains,” a way to spotlight some of the ways you can help people in Laramie County. To have an item published, email Managing Editor Brian Martin at bmartin@wyomingnews.com or send it to Everyone gives, Everyone gains, c/o Brian Martin, Wyoming Tribune Eagle, 702 W. Lincolnway, Cheyenne, WY 82001.
To give your money
CASA of Laramie County to hold ‘Roaring ‘20s’ fundraiser
What: CASA of Laramie County celebrates its 20th anniversary with a ‘Roaring ‘20s’ themed fundraiser, “To Be a Kid Again”
When: 5-10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9
Where: Little America Hotel and Resort, 2800 W. Lincolnway, Cheyenne
Cost: $75 per person
More information: CASA of Laramie County is a nonprofit organization that recruits and trains community volunteers to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in the juvenile court system.
To buy tickets: Go online to casalc.org under the “Events” tab, or call the CASA office at 307-222-1902. The deadline to buy tickets is Thursday, Sept. 1. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/everyone_gives/everyone-gives-everyone-gains-8-27-22/article_223a0c36-258e-11ed-99b2-cbab3cf72dfa.html | 2022-08-27T12:53:22Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/everyone_gives/everyone-gives-everyone-gains-8-27-22/article_223a0c36-258e-11ed-99b2-cbab3cf72dfa.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Wyoming Tribune Eagle
CHEYENNE – A local partnership is working toward improving well-being in the county by exploring where it could better address social issues likely to affect health outcomes.
Cheyenne Regional Medical System, the Cheyenne-Laramie County Health Department and Laramie County Community Partnership – a large group of health and human services nonprofit, governmental and faith-based groups – came together to produce the 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan.
These reports represent “what the community is focused on for improving health in Laramie County,” said Amy Spieker, the director of Community Health and Analysis at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, and one of the four main authors of the reports.
“When we think about health, we often think about doctors and nurses and hospitals,” Spieker said. “But what we know is actually that it’s a lot easier to keep people healthy than it is to help them get better when they’re sick, and the things that keep people healthy are where you live, learn, work and play. And so that’s the neighborhood you live in, the schools you go to, the workplace you go to every day.”
The group began creating the Community Health Needs Assessment last July. Its goal is to “really understand what’s happening within our community and understand where there might be unmet needs,” she said.
A different approach
They decided to do the most recent needs assessment a bit differently. Rather than looking at things like disease-specific outcomes, as they have in the past, the authors of the assessment wants to focus on “social determinants of health,” as laid out by the Kaiser Family Foundation. The framework helps find common threads in negative outcomes for people in communities, Spieker said, called “upstream effects.”
“So, for example, what’s similar between the causes of cancer and heart disease and obesity and mental health issues,” she said. “Those are things like the neighborhoods we live in and the education that we have and the economic stability that we have.”
The six determinants they used were economic stability; neighborhood and physical environment; education; food; community and social context; and health care system.
“The theory is, and the reality is, if you’re able to address some of these underlying causes, then you’re also able to affect some of those more traditional health outcomes that we’re used to looking at, like cancer, heart disease, mental health,” Spieker said.
Through this needs assessment, Spieker and her colleagues identified three main focus areas for Laramie County: neighborhood and physical environment, health care system and economic stability.
Most residents likely wouldn’t be surprised to learn that many in the community struggle with housing instability, Spieker said. This was the social factor that “stood out kind of like a sore thumb at the top.”
“As we know, housing costs are going up quite rapidly in our community,” Spieker said. It’s important to make sure “that people can both find affordable places to rent,” and to support “people that are trying to transition into homeownership, or those that are trying to remain in their homes, but are on fixed incomes, and so seeing difficulty as taxes increase and things like that.”
The next area was health care – people’s access to primary care, behavioral health care and other measures, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, was identified as very important.
The third element, economic stability, may not have an immediately obvious connection to health, Spieker said. But the kind of “economic shift” many people experienced during the pandemic – whether increased housing or food costs, job loss or just uncertainty about a financial situation – likely had an impact on community health, she said.
Economic stability as a health determinant “really shone through, and is kind of a new area for our partnership to really dive into, and has really stretched us as we’re looking at strategies,” Spieker said.
Goals to improve public health
The Community Health Improvement Plan, then, is developed as a tool to guide public health professionals in the community as they work to address the issues identified in the needs assessment. It lays out specific action items, dividing them up between action teams within the Laramie County Community Partnership.
“Once these priorities are identified, then we have action teams that form around them to take them further,” Spieker said. These LCCP action teams include one for housing, behavioral health, access to care and healthy youth, and a newly formed team focused on health equity, she said.
When it comes to the neighborhood and physical environment, the team identified the goal of increasing housing stability and community safety in Laramie County. Through creating the needs assessment, the authors found that close to half of Laramie County renters pay more than 30% of their income toward rent, and that amount is increasing. They also found that Laramie County has higher rates of crime than Wyoming as a whole.
Another goal is to increase access to comprehensive health care coverage in the county. Wyoming has the fifth-highest rate of uninsured adults in the U.S. at 14.8%, and in Laramie County, 11.8% of adults are uninsured, according to the report.
They also hope to increase access to health care providers “through innovative community partnerships,” as the county has a shortage of behavioral health professionals, and no inpatient behavioral health services for adolescents.
Finally, under the category of economic stability, the group aims to “cultivate an environment that increases workplace participation,” and to “build and sustain partnerships and resources that support economic stability for residents.” According to the improvement plan, this could mean encouraging workplaces to provide greater mental health support for their employees, and increasing residents’ awareness of existing support programs, such as Emergency Rental Assistance Program funding.
Hannah Black is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle’s criminal justice reporter. She can be reached at hblack@wyomingnews.com or 307-633-3128. Follow her on Twitter at @hannahcblack. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/county-partnership-works-to-improve-community-health/article_2b0ef81e-249c-11ed-81b6-33ea56c89121.html | 2022-08-27T12:53:28Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/county-partnership-works-to-improve-community-health/article_2b0ef81e-249c-11ed-81b6-33ea56c89121.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Wyoming Tribune Eagle
CHEYENNE – Suddenly, and sadly, Yer’bellies food truck is shutting down, leaving just two local barbecue joints left in the city of Cheyenne.
As evidenced by this city’s track record, it’s no easy feat keeping good, home-cooked barbecue on the streets. The reason being, besides a lack of Western cultural relevance for the Southern style of cooking, it takes a lot out of a person to satisfy and maintain a client base hungry for the exhausting method of cooking.
In a post on Facebook, Yer’bellies’ Paul Shelly announced that due to “plaguing injuries from his Navy days,” he and co-founder Jamie Schaffer would retire from the food truck business.
It isn’t a question of passion. Both Shelly and Schaffer showed their commitment to their craft, studying Southern barbecue, starting a business, and learning to build, operate and run a food truck that earned the community’s enthusiastic support.
But it certainly does take passion.
Passion to balance two jobs, as is the case with Horace “Hoss” Woodard, the owner and sole employee of A Little Taste of Texas barbecue truck.
If you haven’t spotted him in the early hours of the day, smoking his stock from a trailer smoker, then you’ve surely caught a whiff of the product in progress. It’s the smell of a secret seasoning blend, one that Woodard declined to reveal (aside from salt and pepper), due to the extensive amount of time that he spent perfecting it.
There’s a high chance that you’ve caught an image of him out on the corner of East Lincolnway and Maxwell Avenue, where he’s busy prepping ribs, chicken legs, brisket, occasional turkey legs, pork chops, pork butt and sausage.
The Cooper, Texas native will always be in his cowboy hat, with his jeans tucked into his worn cowboy boots. He’s been living in Cheyenne for seven years now, only running the barbecue business for a little over a year.
“My granddad, man, he always told me he wanted to open up a barbecue pit business,” Woodard said, stepping away from the smoker Tuesday morning. “I was sitting at the house one day, and I was just like, ‘Man, I’m always behind on bills. Things are so bad, man.’
“I just got my ass up. I was like, ‘I’m gonna go spend my little life savings,’ which wasn’t much. I borrowed me some barbecue grills, man. It just took off from there.”
At the time of opening up the truck around noon, Woodard already had several customers start gathering for the lunch rush. They pull into the vacant parking lot across from Halladay Motors, dressed in attire that fit their different professions, and wait in the open air for the cook to assemble his craft.
When Woodard was starting out in May of 2021, he had purchased two recreational barbecue pits that he set up in front of his original location at the C-Mart & Smoke Shop on Dell Range Boulevard.
“People was laughing at me so much,” he said with a smile. “I would have been laughing, too. They saw me out there with a barbecue pit that I bought from Lowe’s, man. I’m serious.”
Passersby might have laughed, but a $900 payday on his first day proved that he was doing something right. Within two weeks, he had saved up half of the necessary funds to buy the full rig he uses now. The rest of the money, about $4,000 worth, was covered by his ex father-in-law.
The trailer smoker allows him to meet his quickly increasing customer demand – on Tuesday, the contents of which are two large briskets, 12 racks of ribs, 16 sausages and then some. By the time 5 p.m. arrives, he should be close to, if not completely, sold out.
That’s pretty much how he closes out each day since he relocated from the C-Mart this summer.
Obviously, the trailer smoker, four times the size of the recreational counterparts, presented a learning curve for Woodard.
“I got a few tips from my granddad, but really I’m self-taught, especially with this,” he said. “I did not know what I was doing. I almost set myself on fire when I got this. I stepped on top of it while the pit was open. It was hot, and I grabbed on and was hanging off of it.
“(My brother in law) was just standing there looking at me all crazy. This thing is still kind of scary to operate. I’ve been knowing this thing for about a year now, and I’m still learning.”
In addition to meat, he makes all of his sides dishes from scratch – potato salad, macaroni salad and coleslaw. The only side that Woodard doesn’t make himself are the baked beans, but he seasons those up to the point where customers can hardly tell the difference.
It takes a lot of behind-the-scenes commitment to keep A Little Taste of Texas running, things that customers don’t see or regularly consider when stopping by his truck. Woodard is buying the meat every day, preparing it every day and figuring it out all by himself.
The day-in, day-out nature of his responsibilities is overwhelming.
“Sometimes I can’t keep up,” he said. “I’m just one man.”
Then there’s his day job.
“I’m a nurse, as well,” said, motioning to the car parked behind his trailer. Inside sits the patient he was working with that day.
On weekends, Woodard is employed as a nurse. He specializes in helping his patients regain their motor function after they have suffered serious injuries that affected their speech and physical movement. If he isn’t barbecuing, he’s working with one of his clients.
It’s difficult to balance these two sides to his life. Sometimes he’s working 24 hours straight, sometimes he’s getting little to no sleep. That’s what it takes to barbecue.
In the end, he said, it’s worth it.
“It’s not working, because this is what I’m meant to do,” he said. “It’s easy, man. I love to do it. People call me, and they brag about the food. I don’t have to say, ‘Hey, I’m the best barbecue man in town,’ they just speak for themselves. I just love it.”
Will Carpenter is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle’s Arts and Entertainment/Features Reporter. He can be reached by email at wcarpenter@wyomingnews.com or by phone at 307-633-3135. Follow him on Twitter @will_carp_. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/hoss-woodard-is-doing-all-he-can-to-give-cheyenne-a-little-taste-of-texas/article_aaa795ec-2594-11ed-bbad-5f37f442d60c.html | 2022-08-27T12:53:41Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/hoss-woodard-is-doing-all-he-can-to-give-cheyenne-a-little-taste-of-texas/article_aaa795ec-2594-11ed-bbad-5f37f442d60c.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Recently arrested by the Cheyenne Police Department:
Willard Benally, 57, transient, for misdemeanor public intoxication at 11:31 p.m. Thursday in the 1200 block of Logan Avenue.
Elexus C. Lucero, 24, of West Pershing Boulevard for felony possession of a Schedule II narcotic (fentanyl pills) and misdemeanor possession of cocaine (heroin type) at 11 a.m. Thursday at Warren Avenue and East 19th Street; also arrested by CPD for misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance in pill form and misdemeanor possession of cocaine (heroin type) at 12:18 a.m. Wednesday at Warren Avenue and East 19th Street.
Robert D. Broadway, 62, of Stinson Avenue on a misdemeanor probation and parole violator arrest (without warrant) at 10:20 a.m. Thursday at the Laramie County Probation and Parole Office, 1934 Wyott Drive.
John P. Pino, 58, of 24th Street on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 9:55 a.m. Thursday at the Laramie County jail, 1910 Pioneer Ave.; also arrested by Laramie County sheriff’s deputies for felony failure to register as a sex offender at 9:17 a.m. Thursday in the 3500 block of Gregg Way.
Dennis B. Keding, 58, transient, for misdemeanor protection order violation at 12:52 a.m. Thursday in the 3300 block of West College Drive.
Nikki A. Johnson, 41, of Oak Street on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 11:53 p.m. Wednesday at East Lincolnway and Converse Avenue.
Michael D. Yates, 51, of East Lincolnway for felony possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine type), misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance (marijuana type), and misdemeanor expired or improper registration at 11:06 p.m. Wednesday at his residence.
Jo Ann Mullican, 57, of Omaha, Neb., for misdemeanor public intoxication at 9:47 p.m. Wednesday in the 300 block of East Lincolnway.
John D. Manchego Jr., 29, of 22nd Street for felony assault on a pregnant woman (serious injury and/or with a weapon), felony strangulation of a household member (minor injury), misdemeanor domestic battery and on a misdemeanor warrant for domestic battery at 5:40 p.m. Wednesday at Walterscheid Boulevard and West Jefferson Road.
Anthony J. Maestas, 39, of West 17th Street on a felony order for failure to comply with community corrections at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Cheyenne Transitional Center, 322 W. 17th St.
True R. Sullivan, 20, transient, on a misdemeanor warrant out of Albany County for theft of a controlled substance (plant material) at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in the 900 block of West Pershing Boulevard.
Richard C. Kwedor, 20, transient, on a misdemeanor Laramie County warrant for failure to pay and on a misdemeanor Converse County warrant for probation violation at 10:21 a.m. Wednesday in the 900 block of West Pershing Boulevard.
Kyle A. Rozell, 33, of Ketcham Road for felony parole violation at 12:18 a.m. Wednesday at Warren Avenue and East 19th Street.
Cody J. Leal, 29, of South Fork Road on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to pay at 8:39 p.m. Tuesday at Windmill Road and East Pershing Boulevard.
Dominique J. McCray, 29, of Frontier Street on misdemeanor warrants for failure to pay and domestic battery at 5 p.m. Tuesday at his residence.
Christopher A. Nace, 57, transient, for misdemeanor public intoxication at 1:24 p.m. Tuesday in the 800 block of Capitol Avenue.
Henry D. Resler, 38, of Thomes Avenue on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to pay child support at 7:59 a.m. Tuesday at 24th Street and Reed Avenue.
Zain T. Burdine, 19, of 24th Street on a misdemeanor Cheyenne Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear at 5:11 a.m. Tuesday in the 1500 block of Oak Court.
Shilo D. Gifford, 38, of Missile Drive for misdemeanor interfering/obstructing and on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday at West Fifth Street and Stanfield Avenue.
Catherine A. Cotraro, 53, transient, on a felony warrant for failure to appear at 1:16 a.m. Tuesday in the 1100 block of Martin Luther King Court.
Allyson M. Grubaugh, 54, transient, for misdemeanor disturbing the peace/disturbing property and littering at 1 a.m. Tuesday in the 200 block of East 23rd Street.
Recently arrested by the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office:
Melanie A. Lemons, 41, of Laramie on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 3:36 p.m. Thursday at the Laramie County jail.
Shayla D. Rubeling, 21, of South Greeley Highway on misdemeanor warrants for domestic battery and destruction of property at 11:38 a.m. Thursday in the 900 block of Ballad Lane.
Brayan H. Suarez, 24, of West College Drive for misdemeanor driving under the influence (alcohol), duty to stop for police, interference with a peace officer (no injury) and no valid driver’s license, and on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 10:58 p.m. Wednesday at his residence.
Christopher C. Howell, 41, transient, on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 8:56 a.m. Wednesday in the 4900 block of County Road 219.
Brittney S. Titchener, 23, of Casper on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 1:50 p.m. Tuesday at the Laramie County jail.
Thomas M. Nace, 40, of Evansville on a felony warrant for probation violation at 1:50 p.m. Tuesday at the Laramie County jail.
Cesar J. Bustamante, 33, of Windmill Road on a misdemeanor warrant for reckless endangering conduct at 1:50 p.m. Tuesday at the Laramie County jail.
Rickey D. Dyer, 47, of Victoria Drive for felony protection order violation and misdemeanor theft of motor vehicle parts at 12:21 p.m. Tuesday in the 2200 block of East Allison Road.
Myrtle H. Obanion, 51, transient, on a felony protection order violation at 12:15 p.m. Tuesday in the 7500 block of Tate Road.
Police blotter is a list of recent arrests compiled from public records in Laramie County. All people listed here are innocent until proven guilty. Anyone listed who has a charge dismissed or is acquitted of the charge may bring or mail a court document proving such to the WTE editor, 702 W. Lincolnway, Cheyenne, WY 82001. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/police_blotter/police-blotter-8-27-22/article_d6e5a260-2590-11ed-b65d-8b467e22524e.html | 2022-08-27T12:53:47Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/police_blotter/police-blotter-8-27-22/article_d6e5a260-2590-11ed-b65d-8b467e22524e.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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When I launched Wyoming Hunger Initiative in October 2019, my goal was to do whatever I could to support anti-hunger nonprofit organizations working tirelessly throughout the state. While this goal hasn’t changed, the scope of Wyoming Hunger Initiative has grown in ways no one could have imagined.
Three years since that launch, Wyoming Hunger Initiative has four core programs under the Wyoming Hunger Initiative banner: Food from the Field, Food from the Farm + Ranch, Wyoming Angel Accounts and Wyoming Hunger Initiative Grants. The impact and significance is already clear and measurable!
Food from the Field has provided hunters with a formal structure to donate game meat to local food pantries (nearly 10,000 pounds were donated over the course of the last hunting season alone!) and more processors across the state are joining the program, providing easier donation opportunities for hunters. As an avid hunter myself, this commitment to sharing the bounty of Wyoming’s natural resources is especially important to me.
Food from the Farm + Ranch has grown more quickly than anyone would have predicted with over 25,000 pounds of Wyoming-raised beef and pork donated by Wyoming ranchers since 2020. Just last weekend, more than 20 animals were donated through the Laramie County Fair Livestock Sale to Wyoming Hunger Initiative to distribute through its network of anti-hunger organization partners.
Our partnership with University of Wyoming’s Cent$ible Nutrition program and Master Gardener program helped distribute 238,000 seeds to gardeners during the last two growing seasons, yielding 10,202 pounds of locally grown produce donated by Wyoming gardeners of all ages in 2021 alone! It’s difficult to procure fresh produce to offer in our community food pantries, and this Wyoming solution to a Wyoming challenge has proven both successful and sustainable. I can’t wait to see what this summer’s gardens produce!
I’ve also been determined to solve the issue of school meal debt with dignity and long-term sustainability without schoolchildren feeling the burden of debt. In December 2021, Wyoming Hunger Initiative partnered with the Mountain West Credit Union Association and Dan and Cynthia Starks, founders of the National Museum of Military Vehicles in Dubois, to eliminate school meal debt across the state through Wyoming Angel Accounts. Between generous donations from the Starks and our credit unions, more than $100,000 was paid to Wyoming school districts to accomplish this goal. This ensured students in all 23 counties would begin the 2022-23 school year debt-free.
Wyoming Hunger Initiative Grants have proven to be one of our most successful tools in the fight against food insecurity. While it might feel like commercial dehydrators, dishwashers or wagons aren’t the most exciting items to brag about, you’d be amazed at how transformative they actually are. These time-saving items provide efficiency so that people – our most precious resource in the fight against food insecurity – may stay focused on the mission. Thanks to our generous partnerships with the Hughes Charitable Foundation, the J.P. Ellbogen Foundation and numerous individual donors we call “Hunger Champions,” we’ve been able to allocate nearly $200,000 in funding for grant requests from applicants in every Wyoming county.
It is my honor and privilege to invite you to get involved in the fight against food insecurity, too! Together with our steadfast partner Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming, we’re excited to raise awareness, funds and nonperishable food items through the rest of the month and on Sept. 3 at the home opener of Cowboys football. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming takes the issue of food insecurity very seriously as they pursue the goal of health and wellness for all who call Wyoming home, and they’ve generously lent their sponsorship of the football game for the second year in a row to amplify the fight against food insecurity and to “tackle hunger.”
All Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming Member Centers are collecting nonperishable food items through Sept. 1; donation bins will be available at the football game in Laramie on Sept. 3, as well. Joining the fight to tackle hunger with us is Ridley’s Family Markets – you can find donation bins in participating Ridley’s stores or purchase pre-packaged food donation bags for $5 the day of the game at the Ridley’s booth inside the Indoor Practice Facility.
I am so proud of the thousands of fellow Wyomingites who have stepped up to tackle hunger in our state. You can be sure Wyoming Hunger Initiative will continue to work toward sustainable solutions to ending hunger in Wyoming. I invite you to share your time, generosity and innovative thinking to join the fight. Hunger doesn’t stand a chance when we work together.
Jennie Gordon is the first lady of Wyoming, and is committed to the day where no child, family, senior or veteran faces the day with an empty stomach. You can learn more about Wyoming Hunger Initiative by visiting nohungerwyo.org.
Jennie Gordon is the first lady of Wyoming, and is committed to the day where no child, family, senior or veteran faces the day with an empty stomach. You can learn more about Wyoming Hunger Initiative by visiting nohungerwyo.org. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/gordon-an-update-and-an-invitation/article_23232350-2550-11ed-bbd1-0b26592f7e4e.html | 2022-08-27T12:54:05Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/gordon-an-update-and-an-invitation/article_23232350-2550-11ed-bbd1-0b26592f7e4e.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
I sat in a room filled with more than 900 people. We all had a sad story. The same story. We had all lost a child.
The common thread was wrapped around each of our hearts tightly and safely, never to be cut. The other end of the thread curled, waved and stretched into a web of interaction that connected everyone in the room. We all understood. We all shared a piece of the web. We all shared a piece of the pain.
Some parents lost their only child. Some carried the loss of more than one. More than 900 stories of pain sat in a room where we gathered to share. Together, our love and pain created an energy that was at moments thick and heavy, and at times light and freeing. The emotions were made bearable by the powerfully strong connectivity in the room. The stories varied in versions, time frames and circumstances, but the same sad story connected all of us.
In a recent conversation, someone mentioned to me that there seems to be so many sad stories right now and that everyone you talk to has one. I believe that is true. I believe that the more birthdays we are lucky enough to enjoy and the more candles we blow out, the more sad stories we will have. The longer we live, the more sad stories we will hear from others.
Is it possible that as we age, the stories become sadder, or is it the accumulation of stories that becomes heavier with every layered story and every year that passes?
Over the years, I have had my struggles. I have watched my loved ones and my friends struggle. I have said goodbye to people I love. I personally know the story of divorce, job loss, accidents and illness. I have laid battered, bruised and broken in a puddle of helpless hopelessness. I have suffered. We have all suffered.
Could it be that there is a sensibility to this? I believe so. We will all be wounded. The wound may be sharp and quick, but deep. The wound may be a slow, dragging pain that leaves a scar in a wide jagged way. No amount of ointment, stitches or bandages will heal the puncture.
Wounds are meant to break an opening so a lesson, a message or a meaning can reach our hearts. Wounds are the marks of living. Sad stories give us a way to share our wounds. I believe that it takes the darkest of times to open us up to learning the most. To live this life, we must endure and understand the difficult times. The dark times. The sad times. We must own our sad stories.
This is what connects us as humans. We can enjoy the beautiful days because we have felt suffering. We can enjoy health because we have felt illness. We appreciate success because we have struggled. We welcome joy because we have felt despair.
Emotions are made bearable by the powerfully strong connectivity in the network of our family, friends, coworkers and neighbors. We all have threads wrapped tightly and safely around our hearts, while the other end of the thread reaches into the web we all share.
The longer we live, the more sad stories we will hear, have and hold. The stories will vary in versions, time frames and circumstances, but sad stories connect all of us.
Pennie’s Life Lesson: The longer we live, the more sad stories we will have. The darkest of times open us up to learning the most.
Pennie Hunt is a Cheyenne-based author, blogger and speaker who teaches how to “Love Your Life ... NO MATTER WHAT!” Visit her online at www.PennieHunt.com. Email: penniehunt@gmail.com.
Pennie Hunt is a Cheyenne-based author, blogger and speaker who teaches how to “Love Your Life ... NO MATTER WHAT!” Visit her online at www.PennieHunt.com. Email: penniehunt@gmail.com. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/hunt-everyone-has-a-sad-story/article_8c73ae48-2545-11ed-9475-ef7873d81686.html | 2022-08-27T12:54:12Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/hunt-everyone-has-a-sad-story/article_8c73ae48-2545-11ed-9475-ef7873d81686.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
In a blockbuster, landmark ruling that rolled back the tides of racism and White Supremacy, the Supreme Court, in Loving v. Virginia (1967), affirmed marriage as a fundamental right protected by the 14th Amendment when it struck down a state law that banned interracial marriage.
Just a dozen years after the Court had held in Brown v. Board of Education (1954) that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional and, in a historical context in which racial violence and Southern resistance to civil rights laws and rulings captured daily headlines, the Court proceeded to deliver a powerful blow for the cause of racial justice, equal protection and due process of law.
The Court acknowledged in Loving that it was addressing an issue that it had never heard: Whether a state law to prevent marriages between persons based solely on racial classifications violates the 14th Amendment?
In 1967, Virginia was one of 16 states that prohibited and punished interracial marriages, one of the badges and incidents of slavery dating back to the colonial period. Some 14 states had recently rescinded their miscegenation statutes. The Virginia law was somewhat distinct from others that prohibited interracial marriage. The Virginia statute – “An Act to Preserve Racial Integrity” – extended only to the integrity of the “white race.”
Virginia prohibited whites from marrying nonwhites, subject to the exception for descendants of Pocahontas, but permitted Blacks, Asians and any other racial class to intermarry without interference from the state. The Virginia law, as the Court noted, was “designed to maintain White Supremacy.”
Two Virginians, Richard Loving, a white man, and Mildred Jeter, a woman of mixed African American and Native American descent, had grown up, fallen in love, and wanted to create and build their family in the only state that they had ever known. Because of the state ban on interracial marriage, the young couple, in 1958, drove from Caroline County, Virginia, to Washington, D.C., to get married.
The Lovings returned to Central Point, Virginia ,and hung their marriage certificate on a wall in their bedroom. Several weeks later, law enforcement officials, acting on an anonymous tip, burst into their bedroom around 2 a.m., shined a flashlight in the eyes of the Lovings and demanded of Richard: “Who is this woman you are sleeping with?” Richard pointed to the marriage certificate on the wall, and a sheriff responded: “That’s no good here.”
Richard and Mildred were arrested and taken to jail. Richard spent the night in jail; Mildred, a woman of color, spent the next five days and nights behind bars.
The Lovings, without benefit of legal counsel, appeared before a local judge and entered guilty pleas to charges of violating the miscegenation statute. The judge imposed a one-year jail sentence, but said he would suspend the sentence if Richard and Mildred agreed to leave the state and did not return for 25 years. The judge lectured the Lovings: “Almighty God created the separate races, white, black, yellow, malay and red, and he placed them on separate continents,” which meant God “did not intend for them to mix.”
Roughly five years later, the Lovings, exiled from their childhood homes, wrote Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy about their plight. Kennedy advised them to contact the American Civil Liberties Association, which agreed to represent them. On June 12, 1967, Chief Justice Earl Warren, in a 9-0 opinion, delivered the Court’s landmark ruling.
“There can be no doubt,” Warren wrote, referring to the 14th Amendment, “that restricting freedom to marry solely because of racial classifications violates the central meaning of the Equal Protection Clause.” In essence, Warren declared, the clause means what it says: equal means equal. He stated, as an additional holding, that the Virginia prohibition on interracial marriage also “deprived the Lovings of liberty without due process” of law.
The Court recognized the deep racial prejudice that informed Virginia’s law. Employing the “most rigid scrutiny” in cases involving racial classifications, which the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment required, the Court concluded that there “is patently no legitimate overriding purpose independent of invidious discrimination which justifies this classification.” The goal of the measure, Chief Justice Warren concluded, was to “maintain White Supremacy.”
The prohibition discriminated against racially mixed couples and those wishing to marry outside their race, both of which were regarded as “they” groups. The fact that the law carried criminal penalties rankled the Court. In a concurring opinion, written only to emphasize his previously stated opinion that miscegenation statutes violated the 14th Amendment, Justice Potter Stewart stated: “It is simply not possible for a state law to be valid under our Constitution which makes the criminality of the act depend on the race of the actor.”
Richard and Mildred Loving were neither educated nor sophisticated citizens. Nor were they interested in making political statements or starting fights, let alone leading a constitutional crusade for enforcement of the 14th Amendment’s equal protection and due process clauses. As Mildred said, they “were just in love and wanted to be married.”
The Supreme Court, Chief Justice Warren explained, thought that was sufficient. “Under our Constitution,” he wrote, “the freedom to marry, or not to marry, a person of another race resides with the individual and cannot be infringed by the State.”
David Adler, Ph.D., is a noted author who lectures nationally and internationally on the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and presidential power. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/loving-v-virginia-equal-means-equal/article_3eb51ca0-24af-11ed-97ee-8b2b8dabdc42.html | 2022-08-27T12:54:24Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/loving-v-virginia-equal-means-equal/article_3eb51ca0-24af-11ed-97ee-8b2b8dabdc42.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Before I tell you about my exciting week, I have to give you an up-to-date grandpa report. Our first grandchild finally came home, after spending more than a week in the NICU. It was great to finally meet him! His mom, on the other hand, is still recovering, but we’re so happy she finally came home. Everyone is happy, safe and complete. Throughout the years, I have heard many stories about the special bond you feel and develop as a grandparent. I can confirm it is true. I’m loving this new job!
I speak often about new experiences, and I encountered another this week. We have a local business that is in trouble with our City Clerk’s Office for failing to follow city regulations. The problems are magnified by the fact the business owner does not speak English, and for that reason, I’m not sure our message was being understood. I have a great friend named Yue that speaks Mandarin, so I arranged for him to interpret. Yue did a great job, and we now have a clear understanding going forward. My hope is our city will continue having successful businesses. Thanks, Yue!
Parking is a constant conversation in our downtown. This past week, the Downtown Business Association held meetings to discuss what the business community would like to see regarding parking. I met with Sam Galeotos to learn his thoughts on how to improve the business climate downtown by fixing parking. He has been working downtown for quite a while now and has seen a big improvement in the business climate. I learned a few things that should be easy to implement that should also make the parking situation better. I appreciate the downtown business community engaging in this conversation.
We swore in two new police officers this week. Across the country, the public’s respect for law enforcement is not great in many areas. I am proud of the way our community treats our police officers. One of the officers sworn in is a lateral transfer from the Platte County Sheriff’s Office. It is wonderful when you get officers who are already trained and experienced; a quick training period to learn our policies, and they’re able to step right in and perform their job. The other officer comes to us after leaving the military. We still have a couple of job openings for the police department, if anyone out there wants a great career serving their community.
Some meetings are not as fun or comfortable as others. I met with Ryan and MJ from Redco Construction to discuss ways the city could improve the way we work with the building community. Small world, I worked for Marv right out of high school with Redco. It is so cool to see a third-generation family member running the company and doing so, successfully. During this meeting, I learned a few things we could improve on and got a chance to catch up with old friends.
Tuesday was the day to meet with our building and development community. Another group stopped by for a visit and filled my conference room to discuss our current situation and how we can better serve their businesses. The city controls the building and development process; from the very beginning to the certificate of occupancy once the project is finished. One thing I really liked about our meeting was the positive way challenges were discussed. I like to hear what the customer service goal is and then work to find ways to meet them. They were clear on expectations, so I know what success looks like from their point of view.
Interestingly enough, the United States has a program where state national guards are matched with foreign countries. The Wyoming National Guard is paired with Tunisia. As a result of this relationship, I had the distinct privilege of meeting many members of the Tunisian government. I met members from the Tunisian Ministry of Agriculture, civil protection and education for a meet-and-greet. I enjoyed the experience and learned there are many similarities between our countries. By virtue of their kindness and stories about Tunisia, Judy and I are planning to visit this fall. Before arranging our plans, I visited our county’s Health Department to see what kind of vaccinations we should get. We received the Hepatitis-A shot, and now we are ready to go.
On Wednesday morning, we had our department directors meeting. We have a great team and I like spending time discussing issues they are dealing with. I find these municipal discussions stimulating. Running a city requires such a diverse set of skills, and our team has them. Homeless issues, annexations, traffic, bridge design, freedom of information requests, audits, zoning, ARPA funding, abandoned houses, fire stations, recreation programs and performance reviews are just a few of the items we discussed at this week’s meeting.
Youth Alternatives is an amazing asset that supports the youth in our community. Ronn Jeffrey started the program 50 years ago, and today, Jay Sullivan is their fearless leader. He stopped by to update me on the department and staff. Taking care of the mental health aspect within our community is such an important mission, and they do it all so well. With their small staff, I wanted to also discuss succession planning to make sure this important mission does not miss a step.
Another interesting meeting happened with our Board of Public Utilities, engineering and planning. We potentially have a very large new business that could choose to come to Cheyenne. I sure hope so! We met to make sure we are all on the same page moving forward and to maximize our chances of getting this business sold on our community. What made me really happy was the fact we were all thinking the same way and have a great plan to get them to say yes! LEADS is doing its job of finding the companies, so we must work hard to make sure we deliver and don’t let them down.
Our group of the six largest cities in the state also met this week, in preparation for the Corporations Committee meeting on liquor laws and affordable housing. We had a great conversation on why we need additional liquor licenses. All of us are sold out of retail liquor licenses and see the lost opportunities, due to the lack of liquor options for new businesses.
We also discussed the need to approve a constitutional amendment this November. Amendment A would allow cities to invest their reserves with the state treasurer, which would allow cities to make so much money and support the delivery of municipal services. Our treasurer has more investment options than we do, resulting in better returns. Remember, if you leave this blank on your ballot, state law records it as a no vote. Please educate yourself on this important issue and check the box that matches your assessment.
I drove to Casper on Thursday for the Corporations Committee meeting. Our legislators do a great job of soliciting comments and working to find ways to get our ideas passed into law. This meeting was the same thing. They listened to hours of testimony and have three bills moving forward in the process. A big one is a bill to give us more bar-and-grill licenses. We have 14 great restaurants currently using this license, and Cheyenne is sold out. This bill would give us seven more licenses starting July 1, 2023, which may result in more dining options.
They also are working on a bill that would allow entertainment businesses a way to get a liquor license. The big challenge is how to define entertainment. Our next opportunity to get the bills ready for the legislative session is in October. We will be ready to join our partners to advocate for more opportunities in Cheyenne and the state.
In a lighter fare, I’m excited that football season is finally here, and our beloved Cowboys will be playing against Illinois. Go Pokes!!
If you have a question for me, please send it to media@cheyennecity.org. I’ll continue to answer them in the following Mayor’s Minute column. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/mayor-s-minute-preparing-for-new-businesses-serving-existing-ones-better/article_8b1d3634-254c-11ed-8001-63f69b33ff3e.html | 2022-08-27T12:54:30Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/mayor-s-minute-preparing-for-new-businesses-serving-existing-ones-better/article_8b1d3634-254c-11ed-8001-63f69b33ff3e.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Disinformation is the bane of our times. The Aug. 25 edition of the paper has at least two examples of this.
First, Lummis and Barrasso lie about Biden’s student loan forgiveness program. Barrasso says the program “is a boon for Biden’s wealthy supporters,” while Lummis states, “Wyoming … will be forced to foot the bill for the richest 40% of Americans who carry 60% of student loan debt.”
One can discern that these statements by Barrasso and Lummis on page 1 are simply not true by turning to page 2 for the truth, where the program is correctly described. A chart is headlined with the statement, “Nearly 90% of benefits will go to borrowers earning less than $75,000 – and none to those earning more than $125,000.” I ask the reader are these borrowers “wealthy supporters” (Barrasso) or “the richest 40% of Americans?” (Lummis)
The WTE provides a second example of how disinformation breeds unwanted taxpayer expense on page 6, “IRS starts probe after threats to workers.” A lie was spread that the $80 billion program to catch tax fraudsters would target all taxpayers, even though Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has directed agents to not target those in the middle class.
In fact, npr.org states that a major goal of the program is “to help the IRS collect more of the estimated $600 billion in taxes that go unpaid every year, much of it owed by rich people who under-report their income.” Note that is every year, so this program will easily pay for itself if the IRS is successful.
A second lie is that “the IRS would distribute firearms to employees to use[d] deadly force.” The result of that lie is that the IRS now has to spend some of its funds (I remind you, taxpayer money) according to an IRS commissioner, “conducting risk assessments ... by monitoring perimeter security, designations of restricted areas, exterior lighting, security around entrances of facilities and other measures.”
As I stated at the beginning of this letter, disinformation is the bane of our times. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/thursdays-edition-of-wte-has-more-examples-of-federal-disinformation/article_8d1932e6-2586-11ed-8a56-47a9e5669244.html | 2022-08-27T12:54:49Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/thursdays-edition-of-wte-has-more-examples-of-federal-disinformation/article_8d1932e6-2586-11ed-8a56-47a9e5669244.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The vast majority of media are liberal-leaning. We have become accustomed to that. Despite that bias in your Our View editorial (“Tuesday’s primary reveals much about politics in Wyoming”), you make some very valid and salient points.
Principal among them is that people need to do their homework about candidates and know where they stand. My opinion only, I think Wyomingites actually do a great job of knowing the candidates and electing officials who represent the majority of us.
Your article does make one critical mistake. As with most left-leaning narratives, invariably Donald Trump is brought into the discussion. The narrative always implies that if you disagree with the left position, you suffer from Trump influence, as if it were a disease. Your article insinuates his endorsement of Harriet Hageman carried her to the landslide victory over Liz Cheney. While it certainly helped, I think that played a very minor role in the outcome.
As I said, Wyomingites do their homework. What is important to us? Reducing inflation, border security, traditional school curriculum, tough against crime, energy independence, bringing jobs to Wyoming and foreign policy strength are always at the top of the list. The Jan. 6 Capitol rally is not important to us. It should have been dealt with in one month, instead of the 20 months that have consumed Liz Cheney’s time and energy.
So why did Liz Cheney get smoked and embarrassed? Her personal animus and self-absorbed agenda distorted any clear thinking and rational decision-making. Cheney is in the House of Representatives, and she failed to do the one critical duty in her job description. She failed to represent us.
That should have been the “most obvious takeaway” in your article. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/wte-editorial-missed-the-most-obvious-takeaway-from-this-years-primary/article_9dd8aea0-2585-11ed-9b1e-ab91026a8ccc.html | 2022-08-27T12:54:55Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/wte-editorial-missed-the-most-obvious-takeaway-from-this-years-primary/article_9dd8aea0-2585-11ed-9b1e-ab91026a8ccc.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
"I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being, whose illness may affect the person's family and economic stability. My responsibility includes these related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick." – Part of the modern Hippocratic Oath, written in 1964 by Louis Lasagna, Academic Dean of the School of Medicine at Tufts University, and used in many medical schools today.
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When he first stepped foot in the U.S. Capitol as Wyoming's junior senator in 2007, Casper Republican John Barrasso was seen as someone who would represent the state's residents and their best interests well.
A board-certified orthopedic surgeon, the hope was that Gov. Dave Freudenthal's choice to replace Sen. Craig Thomas after his death would bring his medical experience to bear in ways that would improve health care for Wyomingites and the rest of the country.
Instead, after he was elected to the position in 2008, it seems his main goal became standing in the way of anything Democrats hoped to accomplish, while working to elevate his own status and authority.
Time after time, Sen. Barrasso was pictured standing to one side of Senate President Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., as the latter took questions from reporters. And he quickly became the go-to guy for Fox News, standing in the Capitol rotunda's mezzanine and putting President Barack Obama and his goals on blast.
The irony, of course, is that throughout his ultimately unsuccessful fight against the Affordable Care Act, "Dr. Barrasso" failed to offer an alternative that his fellow Republicans could get behind. In fact, it was the senior member of Wyoming's delegation, Sen. Mike Enzi, who presented "Ten Steps to Transform Health Care in America," even before Obamacare became law.
Since being re-elected in 2012 and 2018, Sen. Barrasso has continued to rail against the nation's only successful effort in recent years to extend health insurance to those who can't afford to buy it on the open market. In 2019, he published online several of the speeches he had delivered on the Senate floor under the clever title "Dr. Barrasso's Second Opinion." Each time, he pointed out what was wrong with the ACA without offering any better options, other than saying Republicans were working to lower prescription drug prices.
The most telling evidence of how far the now senior senator from the smallest-populated state in the country was willing to go to gain or retain power was his failure to speak out during the COVID-19 pandemic. If there was anyone in Congress who should have challenged President Trump's ignorant, deadly advice to shun face coverings and drink bleach to combat the novel coronavirus, it should have been the former president of the Wyoming Medical Society and member of the American Medical Association's Council of Ethics and Judicial Affairs.
Where was he when Gov. Mark Gordon stood in front of the media to announce the cancelation of summer 2020 rodeos statewide to try to limit the virus's spread? Where was he when the governor finally imposed a mask mandate in public places? Where was he when anti-maskers demonstrated in front of the state Capitol, and Gov. Gordon stood face to face with people shouting that he was a tyrant and destroying our economy?
Nowhere near Cheyenne, of course.
Now, two years before his next re-election bid, we learn just how far removed from his constituents' health care needs Sen. Barrasso really is.
Recently, Casper resident Kala McWain spoke with a Wyoming Tribune Eagle reporter about her efforts to get our federal lawmakers to support the Medical Nutrition Equity Act. McWain and her husband, Jake, have been told their youngest son has a genetic metabolic disorder called phenylketonuria, or PKU, which prevents his body from processing regular foods properly.
As a result, the McWains will need to feed their son special medical food and formula for the rest of his life, at a cost well over $1,000 per month. Which is why they are pushing for this legislation, which would require private insurance providers and federal health care programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program to cover this type of nutrition when it is required to prevent severe disability or death.
Kala McWain said she met with representatives of both Sen. Cynthia Lummis and Rep. Liz Cheney's offices a year ago, but both took information back without action. She said she was especially hopeful when she met with Sen. Barrasso around the same time, since he was a medical doctor. However, she said she left feeling defeated because although he has said every life is important, he refused to sign on as a sponsor of the bill.
In a statement to the WTE for our story, a spokesperson for Sen. Barrasso said the senator "appreciates the McWain family for meeting with him and raising awareness about this important issue and legislation. As co-chair of the Senate Rare Disease Caucus, he understands how critical it is for families in Wyoming to have access to medically necessary foods and supplements."
If that's true, why didn't he immediately sign on as a sponsor? If he is so supportive, why should the McWains have to continue their lobbying efforts, as they have in the year since those initial conversations?
According to the National PKU Alliance, there are roughly 16,500 people in the U.S. who can't eat or process regular foods. Why are Sen. Barrasso and his colleagues failing to advance this lifesaving legislation for so few people? It's not like doing so would be the tipping point that bankrupts the federal government.
(Late Wednesday afternoon, after being contacted by the WTE for comment for this editorial, Sen. Barrasso's office told Kala McWain the senator has decided that he will sign on as a sponsor of the Medical Nutrition Equity Act. So far, Sen. Lummis had not indicated whether she will join him, and Rep. Cheney has not signed onto the House version.)
Wyoming residents should be asking themselves at this point whether Sen. Barrasso is truly representing all of the people of Wyoming. If he won't readily stand up for folks like the McWains, is he really looking out for you and your needs?
Long ago, we stopped being surprised by most of the unproductive, partisan comments coming from Sen. Barrasso's office. Unlike former Sen. Enzi, who believed in working with Democrats to get things done for the American people, Sen. Barrasso seems determined to be more of a roadblock than a pilot car.
But just because we're not surprised doesn't mean we're not disappointed. In a state with so few representatives elected to speak on our behalf, we believe we could do better. If the senator can't summon the courage to "do no harm" and start supporting those who elected him, it's time to find someone who can. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/staff_editorials/we-need-wyomings-doctor-to-fight-for-our-health-care-needs/article_51ee8a80-2276-11ed-9640-13cc0bceb712.html | 2022-08-27T12:55:01Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/staff_editorials/we-need-wyomings-doctor-to-fight-for-our-health-care-needs/article_51ee8a80-2276-11ed-9640-13cc0bceb712.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Regional Overview
The weather the rest of the week and into the weekend is ideal conditions for getting outside to toss a line, hike a trail or pedal some singletrack. It is not too hot and not too cold. There’s a chance for afternoon thundershowers, especially later in the week and heading into the weekend. Those thundershowers could be intense in localized areas, bringing wind and small hail. There were reports of a dusting of snow in the high country this past weekend, but the snow melted quickly and left nary a trace by mid-morning. Still, it’s a reminder that the season change is fast approaching. It’s best to get out now and enjoy the warm days; go prepared for cool nights.
Ranking Categories
H (One fish): To ensure fish dinner, go to the local grocery store
HHHHH (Five fish): Toss a line and get a fish; the fish aren’t picky
Granite, Crystal and North Crow reservoirs
The fishing is good at both Granite and Crystal reservoirs, but slow at North Crow. The Antelope Dash trail race takes off from the Aspen Grove trailhead starting at 8 a.m. Saturday, with runners opting for a 4- or 8-mile course. Cheer them on if you see runners out on the trail. There is a cyanobacterial bloom advisory at the west causeway of Granite Reservoir. It’s best to avoid that area for now.
Suggested bait, lures and flies:
Sloans and Absarraca lakes
The buzz: The fishing is good, especially early and late in the day.
Suggested bait, lures and flies:
Pole Mountain
The buzz: The beaver ponds continue to offer some excellent action. Some of the ponds are getting low, but those with good water levels offer lively fishing. Moss and other surface vegetation can be problematic in many of the ponds.
Suggested bait, lures and flies:
Laramie Plains lakes
The buzz: The fishing is fair to good across the basin. Fall is often one of the best times of year to cast a line in these lakes and reservoirs, so expect the action to pick up as temperatures continue to cool. The action at Alsop picked up, and is best late in the day. Twin Buttes and Meeboer are also fishing well. Avoid Leazenby Lake due to the cyanobacterial bloom advisory.
Suggested bait, lures and flies:
Laramie River
The buzz: The river is low, but the fishing is fairly good; aim for the deep holes.
Suggested bait, lures and flies:
Snowy Range
The buzz: The high country continues to offer good fishing, with nice action throughout the day. Rob Roy Reservoir is on the slow side, but best for those out in a boat. Lake Owen has lots of fish rising, but the catching is slow. Douglas Creek, as it exits Rob Roy, is a good bet this time of year. The first dusting of snow arrived at the higher elevations last weekend, but it all melted very quickly; still, it is a sign that the summer season is on the wane.
Suggested bait, lures and flies:
North Platte River and Encampment River – Saratoga Valley
The buzz: The upper reaches of the North Platte River are running low, as is the Encampment River. On the plus side, both have more flow than a year ago. Aim for the deeper pools, and it’s best to toss a line early or late in the day.
Suggested bait, lures and flies:
North Platte River – Grey Reef
The buzz: The fishing continues to be very good, but it has slowed recently. Moss is problematic in some areas. As overnight temperatures cool, the fishing should take off. The cooler weather signals the transitioning to streamer action, but there’s still plenty of dry fly activity in the mornings. Grasshoppers are the ticket in the middle of the day.
Suggested bait, lures and flies:
North Platte River – Miracle Mile
The buzz: The Mile is running clear, and the fishing is good to very good. The flow has been steady around 550 cubic feet per second, making for excellent wade fishing conditions.
Suggested bait, lures and flies:
Wheatland Reservoir No. 3
The buzz: The reservoir is quite low, but the boat ramp is still usable. There’s a cyanobacterial bloom advisory. It is not present along the entire reservoir, though, since it is a very large body of water. There’s still plenty of fishing, but anglers need to be aware of the possible hazard.
Suggest bait, lures and flies:
Black or olive woolly buggers
Glendo
The buzz: The fishing is slow, as is typical this time of year. Going into September, the fishing typically picks up with the cooler weather. Anglers going for perch are doing well.
Suggest bait, lures and flies:
Grayrocks Reservoir
The buzz: The fishing is good, and is best early and late. A few walleye and bass are also being taken in the middle of the day.
Suggest bait, lures and flies:
Worm harnesses with leeches
Nightcrawlers on worm harnesses (gold, silver, burnt orange blades)
Reservoir levels
River flows
North Platte River at Northgate: 136 cubic feet per second
North Platte River above Seminoe Reservoir: 300 cfs
North Platte River near Miracle Mile: 542 cfs
North Platte River at Grey Reef: 2,505 cfs
Encampment River near town of Encampment: 71 cfs
Encampment River at Hog Park: 38 cfs
Laramie River near Laramie: 39 cfs | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/fishing-report-for-aug-27-2022/article_0bcd51d6-23ba-11ed-a21a-8724a71b8fcd.html | 2022-08-27T12:55:14Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/fishing-report-for-aug-27-2022/article_0bcd51d6-23ba-11ed-a21a-8724a71b8fcd.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Bondurant citizens’ legal case against Sublette County commissioners and billionaire Joe Ricketts’ Jackson Fork Ranch will no longer be heard in Teton County.
Instead, 9th District Court Judge Melissa Owens, who presides over the Teton County court, assigned the case to Judge Steven K. Sharpe of the First Judicial District in Laramie County.
Owens’ judicial assistant said her boss had a “conflict of interest.”
A Sublette County judge had already reassigned the civil complaint from his courtroom to Owens’.
The legal battle is the latest installment in a years-long fight over the future of the agricultural, northern corner of Sublette County. On one side is Ricketts, who founded TD Ameritrade and once made an 11th hour donation to clinch an $8.75 million buyout of 58,000 acres of natural gas leases to prevent drilling in the Hoback River basin.
On the other: Bondurant dwellers who feel Ricketts’ conservation ethic has gone astray and don’t want to see their town undergo resort-driven development like Jackson Hole.
Dan Bailey and six other Bondurant residents asked the court in January to review and “vacate” the Sublette County Board of County Commissioners’ 3-2 decision to approve a rezone that paves the way for a new 15- to 20-unit resort along Upper Hoback River Road.
While Owens declined to elaborate on the nature of her conflict, attorneys representing the petitioners and respondents in the case said they’d heard from the court that Owens had identified a “familial connection” between herself and one of the petitioners.
Both Kevin Gregory, an attorney representing Dan Bailey and the other Bondurant residents, and Matthew Kim-Miller, an attorney representing Sublette County, said that neither the petitioners nor respondents asked for the case to be moved to another court. Instead, they said, Owens made the decision.
Matthew Turner, an attorney representing the Jackson Fork Ranch, could not be reached by press time.
“No party had any concern, no party raised the issues,” Gregory told the Jackson Hole Daily. “But these judges always try to maintain the utmost fairness and impartiality and to make sure that the appearance of fairness and impartiality is maintained.”
Attorney Kim-Miller added: “She thought it would be best to have everything be fair and impartial.”
Oral arguments in the pending legal battle were originally slated to be heard Aug. 25 in Owens’ Jackson courtroom. But Owens’ decision to assign the case elsewhere has put that hearing on hold. As of press time Sunday, Gregory and Kim-Miller both said they had not heard when the hearing would be scheduled in Laramie County. They also didn’t know whether the hearing would be held in person or virtually, or if there would be an option for the public to listen in virtually.
At issue is the Sublette County commissioners’ December 2021 vote to rezone 56 of the roughly 1,300 acres Ricketts owns in Bondurant for the resort. In addition to founding TD Ameritrade, Ricketts owns the Chicago Cubs.
The seven petitioners — Dan Bailey, Delores Kominsky, Mary Krall, Richard Pearson, Steve Robertson, Dennis Seipp and Marti Seipp — fought Ricketts’ plans, which were reviewed by Sublette County commissioners twice. They were joined by scores of other Hoback Basin residents in opposition.
Sublette County elected officials, however, voted 3-2 to approve Ricketts’ plans when they were last heard in December 2021.
Gregory and attorney James Lubing are representing Bailey and the other petitioners. In their appeal for review of the Sublette County commissioners’ decision, they argued the commissioners who voted for the rezone failed to explain how the project fit the Sublette County Comprehensive Plan’s 10 goals.
The petitioners also asked for a review of the decision under the Wyoming Administrative Procedures Act, according to the Sublette Examiner.
But the attorneys representing Sublette County and Ricketts said the 3-2 vote was a “legislative act” and complied with “the requirements of the commissioners’ procedures.” Kim-Miller and Paula Fleck of Holland & Hart, representing Sublette County, said the three commissioners’ votes complied with the county’s comprehensive plan and argued that the citizens challenging the decision had not shown how they had standing to do so.
Matthew Turner and John Graham of Geittmann Larson Swift LLP, representing Ricketts’ Jackson Fork Ranch, said the county is not required to make “findings” about how a rezone complies with the comprehensive plan’s goals.
Law offices representing the petitioners and respondents are all Jackson-based. Sublette County Attorney Mike Crosson recused his office from representing the Sublette County commissioners, describing votes from the Sublette County Planning and Zoning Board and elected Sublette County commissioners as “inconsistent,” according to the Examiner. The Planning and Zoning Board voted 3-2 to recommend the county commission deny Ricketts’ proposed rezone.
Owens’ decision to assign the case elsewhere comes after petitioners and respondents had all filed legal briefs.
The Jackson judge had asked the citizens fighting the Sublette commissioners’ votes to explain why they had standing to do so and asked attorneys for both sides to show in oral arguments where the commissioners considered the 10 factors outlined in the Sublette County Comprehensive Plan — or failed to.
How Judge Sharpe will structure the hearing in Laramie County remains to be seen. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/jackson-judges-conflict-of-interest-moves-ricketts-case-out-of-teton-court/article_97d0098e-23b6-11ed-aa72-a707830ce183.html | 2022-08-27T12:55:20Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/jackson-judges-conflict-of-interest-moves-ricketts-case-out-of-teton-court/article_97d0098e-23b6-11ed-aa72-a707830ce183.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Moderate Republicans across the state are searching for an independent candidate to run in the general election for secretary of state.
Sources told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle the desire to find a challenger came in response to state Rep. Chuck Gray, R-Casper, defeating Sen. Tara Nethercott, R-Cheyenne, in the Aug. 16 Republican primary, but the deadline is quickly approaching.
An independent candidate for a statewide seat must file by Monday with the Secretary of State’s Office, as well as secure 5,418 valid signatures. Efforts to find a candidate to even consider putting their hat in the ring have remained unsuccessful.
“People are really leery of the political environment right now,” said Rebekah Fitzgerald, a local political consultant scouting candidates. “And frankly, it’s a really tall order to ask someone to stand up a campaign from scratch and run in 70 days.”
She runs Fitzgerald Strategies Group, which is a communications and political firm out of Cheyenne, and was approached by some Republicans seeking a contender to challenge Gray. (Fitzgerald also is a member of the Wyoming Tribune Eagle’s editorial board.)
Another individual searching for a second option is state Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander. He has been on his own mission separate from Fitzgerald, but has similar motivations. Gray faces no Democrat in the primary, and will otherwise take office in January unless a write-in candidate receives enough votes.
“The voters have spoken, and it’s regrettable that Cale Case is refusing to listen to their voice,” Gray said via text message to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle on Tuesday. “We are going to continue to reach everyone in Wyoming and listen.”
Gray received significant support during the primaries. He was publicly endorsed by former President Donald Trump just days before the election, and was backed by other Wyoming Republicans, such as the U.S. House GOP primary winner, Harriet Hageman.
Gray was announced the winner late Tuesday night, with 75,938 votes reported in the unofficial results from the Secretary of State’s Office. Nethercott received 63,044 votes, and 14,292 went to Republican contender Mark Armstrong. Dan Dockstader, who withdrew from the race to support Nethercott after his name was printed on ballots, received 3,465 votes.
Criticisms of Gray
Despite securing the Republican spot in the general election, Gray has been criticized by fellow party members for his stances on election security and his leadership qualifications. Former Republican Secretary of State Max Maxfield also filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission at the beginning of August, voicing his concern over Gray’s income reports during his U.S. House campaign.
Maxfield endorsed Nethercott, and is hoping to have an independent candidate to vote for in the wake of her loss. Maxfield said he believes Gray lacks the professional experience to manage the office, and he objected to the doubts Gray cast on some positions related to the office.
Maxfield said to come out and argue there were cases of voter fraud in previous elections, and to advocate for the removal of absentee ballot drop boxes and reverting to paper ballots is ridiculous.
“I watched the process of the election, and saw the kind of campaign that Mr. Gray ran, and looked at his qualifications and looked at his personal views toward the second-highest office in the state,” Maxfield told the WTE. “It concerns me enough that I want to support someone else.”
These criticisms of the Republican primary winner were echoed by candidate seekers.
Case said he would not be comfortable with a secretary of state who has claimed the 2020 election was stolen being in charge of the Elections Division.
“There’s concerns with his FEC filing and the paperwork, and how his assets may or may not align, and then there’s just the concerns about his fitness and aptness to do the job,” Fitzgerald said. “He has been in the Legislature for a period of time now, and he hasn’t gotten many bills passed, and so that makes me question and others question his ability to work with others.”
She said since the responsibilities of secretary of state are largely administrative, there are significant consequences if the work is done incorrectly. She is worried employees may not want to work in the environment created by Gray, and that would lead to difficulties executing elections or working with small businesses.
Although there are doubts regarding his capability, Fitzgerald said this doesn’t translate to doubting the results of the election. She said it was fair and based on the ballots cast, and Gray was the clear winner.
Disinterest among candidates
The reason Fitzgerald has hope an independent candidate could win is because of the close to 63,000 votes Nethercott received, but it has been an uphill battle to find a contender. Fitzgerald said she doesn’t want to reveal the names of individuals considered so far due to the nature of the race, but they’ve expressed their weariness.
A candidate Case has been vying for openly turned down the opportunity to challenge Gray. Laramie County GOP vice-chairman Nathan Winters told the WTE he has received an extraordinary number of calls asking him to consider running, but his focus lies in other areas.
“We are in a very pivotal moment of bringing a charter school to Cheyenne that would be an affiliate of Hillsdale College, and we are one of only seven in the United States that was selected this year,” he said. “We are actually standing before the State Loan and Investment Board in just a few weeks, so this is important.”
Winters is also the president and executive director of the Family Policy Alliance of Wyoming, and doesn’t want to step down from that position.
He said he has spoken with Gray in recent days and expressed his support for the Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office. He said he believes the Republican primary winner will be successful if he works closely with the longtime employees.
“The staff that has been built up over the last number of years is one of the very best in the state of Wyoming,” he said he told Gray. “Secondly, (current Secretary of State) Ed Buchanan has made election integrity one of the foremost things that he has fought for over the last four-and-a-half years.”
He said he agreed with U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., in her belief that there were major questions raised regarding other states in the 2020 election, but he knows there were strong efforts that went into ensuring secure elections in Wyoming.
Although Gray has cast doubt on the election process in this state, Winters said he will support the most conservative candidate in the general election, and right now it is the Republican primary winner.
Uphill battle
Despite Winters telling Case he didn’t want to run against Gray, the state senator moved forward with trying to get the 5,418 signatures needed for Winters before Monday. Case hoped seeing the encouragement from residents would convince Winters to run.
Case sent a letter to Kai Schon, Elections Division director at the Secretary of State’s Office, arguing the petition could be circulated without pre-approval by the possible candidate. Case wrote that he agreed with Wyoming Statute 22-5-301 (a) in that the proposed candidate needed to approve the submission it was presented to the Secretary of State’s Office, but disagreed that the petitions couldn’t be sent out across the state if there was no such authorization.
“These petitions beforehand are not binding and have no effect. Only with the candidate’s signature do they become binding,” Case said. “Your existing policy prohibits a draft where people can express their support for a candidate. It is a free speech issue and a bureaucratic encumbrance of a process that has no effect on your office until the signatures are submitted with the candidate’s approval and countersignature.”
Case followed up with the WTE and said the Secretary of State’s Office would not accept his interpretation of the statute as of Tuesday.
Winters was the most viable candidate Case wanted to run, because he said others don’t have the name recognition or strong qualifications.
“I served with Nathan Winters in the Wyoming Legislature. He is a very honorable, thoughtful and kind person. He is very conservative and holds immense faith in our savior,” Case said in his testimonial. “No one ever will be able to tag him as a RINO.”
Facing the Wyoming GOP
The difficulty in finding a candidate doesn’t just revolve around a sprint campaign being unappealing, or the laws the Secretary of State’s Office must follow.
Both Fitzgerald and Case said some don’t want to put themselves in the crosshairs of the Wyoming Republican Party.
Fitzgerald said she believes leadership and members of the party showed support exclusively for Hageman. She said this, in turn, benefited Gray, who was backed by the U.S. House candidate.
“It’s clear the large majority of the state party was supporting her efforts there, and I think that just speaks more to the current environment of Wyoming politics and the Wyoming GOP,” she said.
The political consultant said she knows the state party and others have been careful not to host events endorsing specific candidates, but there has been a lot of bleed-over where voters might have had a hard time telling what was an independent event versus what was a county or state GOP-sponsored event.
“The messaging was blurred, and that may have been intentional to only invite certain people to certain events,” Fitzgerald said. “But the rules are very clear that the party has to remain neutral in the primary, and I think a lot of people are questioning whether that really happened.”
Case is a Republican who believes the GOP has overstepped its bounds when it comes to showing support for candidates. He pointed to the Save Wyoming Rally, which only hosted one Republican candidate in each statewide race, including Gray. Wyoming GOP Chairman Frank Eathorne attended the event, as well as the Hageman campaign rally in Casper over Memorial Day weekend attended by Trump and her campaign party on primary election night.
“We need to restore a fair primary, which Frank Eathorne didn’t give us,” Case said. “And if you just look at the attendees at the Lander rally, you tell me that the Republican Party wasn’t up to their ears behind the scenes for that, even though they said they weren’t. They only invited one candidate from each slot, and they put all their efforts behind that.”
Case argued it was another reason Winters decided not to run against Gray. Winters said he cares very deeply about the Republican Party and conservative principles, and would never run for office without the letter “R” following his name.
“I don’t blame him for saying no, because you’re up against the Republican Party leadership now, and you don’t want to buck that,” said Case. “That’s what he would be doing.”
Wyoming GOP National Committeeman Corey Steinmetz said in a statement the state party didn’t support a specific candidate in the primary race for secretary of state. He said they neither campaigned nor advertised for or against any candidate in the race.
He said the party congratulated all Republican primary winners, and it looks forward to continuing its work in support of those who represent Republican values, as expressed in the party’s platform.
“The voters have spoken in the primary, Representative Gray was elected with a margin of over 13,000 votes,” Steinmetz said. “Senator Case has the freedom to do whatever he feels he should, however ... the handpicked candidate by Mr. Case has said clearly that he is not interested in running for the office of secretary of state.”
Both Case and Fitzgerald said the hunt will continue for a contender over the next five days. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/republicans-search-for-independent-candidate-to-challenge-gray/article_0acd4538-23bb-11ed-9121-73d0b60cad2c.html | 2022-08-27T12:55:45Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/republicans-search-for-independent-candidate-to-challenge-gray/article_0acd4538-23bb-11ed-9121-73d0b60cad2c.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Thieves across America are stealing Hyundais and Kias in seconds
It can take as little as under a minute to steal some Hyundai and Kia models, and it's happening all across the country.
Why it matters: The widespread problem is attributed to design flaws in the cars, forcing owners to resort — for now — to an old-fashioned steering wheel lock if they want to keep their vehicles safe.
- Hyundai is telling customers that if they want a specialized security kit to protect their vehicle, they'll need to pay for it.
- The equipment, a "starter interrupt and siren" that "targets the method of entry thieves are using," will be available starting Oct. 1 for Hyundai vehicles at an undisclosed cost, Hyundai said in a statement.
- Kia says it is not offering a security kit at this time.
How it works: Thieves bust a window and remove part of the steering column's cover, exposing the ignition. They break the ignition cylinder off and start the vehicle with a flathead screwdriver or USB plug-in.
- They're "just the perfect size to put in the opening," Sam Hussein, president of Metrotech Automotive Group auto repair in Dearborn, Mich., tells Axios.
- The method works on 2011-2021 Kias and 2016-2021 Hyundais that use a steel key, not a fob and push-button start. They are targeting cars that lack engine immobilizers — devices that don't allow the car to start without the correct smart key present, per the automakers.
- Damage can run between $2,000-$3,000, Hussein estimates. And getting the car back may take a while, he says, as some parts are on backorder due to the increased demand.
The intrigue: Officials link some of the thefts to a trend shown in a viral YouTube video in Milwaukee that interviews members of the so-called "Kia Boys." They demonstrate how they purportedly steal the cars so quickly.
State of play: Some areas say Kias and Hyundais are disappearing in greater numbers this summer, including the Midwest, where a Kia spokesperson tells Axios the problem is most prominent.
- Detroit had 111 Kias stolen in July and 22 in the first nine days of August, per its police department. That's up from 23 in June and 11 or fewer in all previous months of 2022.
- Charlotte, N.C., police report 156 Kia and Hyundai thefts since June 20, a 346% increase from 35 incidents in the same timeframe last year.
- Per the NICB’s 2021 Hot Wheels report, seven of the top 10 most stolen vehicles in Wisconsin were Kias or Hyundais. But none of those vehicles made the top 10 in the state in the 2020 report.
Meanwhile, the automakers are getting sued across the country, including a two-plaintiff class-action suit in Iowa, a class-action in Wisconsin and two class-action suits centering Ohio theft victims, per court records and law firms.
- Car owners allege a failure to disclose design defects that make the cars easy to steal. Now, despite admitting the problem, the companies still "refuse to fix them" or "compensate consumers," the Iowa suit reads.
- "Offering [a security kit] and then charging them to install it is not acceptable," Jeffrey Goldenberg, an attorney in a five-plaintiff suit of mostly Ohio residents filed earlier this month, tells Axios.
What they're saying: Hyundai Motor Co., the parent company to both the Hyundai and Kia brands, is aware its cars "have been targeted in a coordinated effort on social media," a statement provided to Axios says.
- Hyundai added that all its vehicles "meet or exceed Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards." Cars being produced now all have the immobilizers that make them tougher to steal.
Worth noting: The "Kia Boys" influence is far from ubiquitous. Officials in Houston, Austin, Salt Lake City and Richmond, Va., tell Axios reporters they aren't seeing this trend.
Zoom in: Richard Eldredge reported his 2019 Kia Soul stolen from the parking lot of his Midtown Atlanta apartment building on July 7, he tells Axios. The car was discovered the next day, damaged. He's now waiting on parts due to the supply-chain logjam.
- "Who on Earth would have thought that a dad-ride like a Kia Soul would have been targeted by teenagers?" the Atlanta journalist and senior editor at VOX ATL said.
- "It's [because it's] a social media trend and it's easy to do. Lamborghinis are a little tougher to rip off."
Axios Local's Everett Cook edited this story, and Kim Bojórquez, Joe Guillen, Jay Jordan, Joann Muller, Karri Peifer, Asher Price, Katie Peralta Soloff and Thomas Wheatley contributed.
Sign up for Axios Local, now publishing daily newsletters in 24 cities across the U.S. | https://www.axios.com/2022/08/27/kia-hyundai-thefts-stolen-usb-immobilizer-tiktok | 2022-08-27T12:56:02Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/2022/08/27/kia-hyundai-thefts-stolen-usb-immobilizer-tiktok | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Veterans service officer reaches out in Sept.
A veterans service officer from the Wyoming Veterans Commission will conduct community outreach services around the state throughout September.
Emily Study is available to meet with veterans and their families to discuss state and federal benefits, Department of Veterans Affairs claims or VA health care issues. Study also can help veterans and their families apply for benefits, file claims or request health care.
Her office is located at 3817 Beech St., Suite 100 in Laramie, and she also will be available at the following locations:
• Laramie: Sept. 5 and 19, at the Veterans Service Center, Student Union, third floor, 1000 E. University Ave., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Rawlins: Sept. 7 and 21, at the Rawlins Workforce Center, 1703 Edinburgh St., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Centennial: Sept. 28, at the Centennial Public Library, 27 2nd St., from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Most other weekdays, Study is available by appointment at her office. Contact her at 307-399-1821.
6 more Wyoming residents succumb to COVID-19
Six more Wyoming residents have died from the COVID-19 coronavirus, bringing the state’s pandemic death toll to 1,877. Two of them were from Laramie County.
The Wyoming Department of Health reported Tuesday that four of the newly reported deaths happened earlier this month, while two were in July. They included:
• An older adult Laramie County man died last month. He was not hospitalized and had health conditions known to put patients at higher risk of severe illness.
• An adult Laramie County woman died earlier this month. She was hospitalized and was not known to have health conditions known to put patients at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Campbell County man died earlier this month. He was hospitalized and had health conditions known to put patients at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Carbon County woman died earlier this month. She was not hospitalized and had health conditions known to put patients at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Fremont County woman died earlier this month. She was not hospitalized and had health conditions known to put patients at higher risk of severe illness.
• An adult Natrona County man died last month. He was not hospitalized and had health conditions known to put patients at higher risk of severe illness.
Volunteers sought to show friendship to UW students
Friendship Families of Laramie, a nonprofit organization that works with the University of Wyoming to connect international students with Laramie families is seeking local volunteers.
Many new international students have begun their studies at UW this week. Friendship Families helps match participants with non-live-in host families to foster friendship and understanding.
The flexible program only asks for a minimum of once-a-month contact that can be as simple as a phone call or email. Most students and families hit it off and maintain lifelong friendships, according to a press release from the group.
For more information or to become a Friendship Family, contact Leann Naughton by Aug. 30 at 307-745-0747 or friendshipfamilieslaramie@gmail.com.
Atlas Carbon, UW collaborate on coal refinery
GILLETTE (WNE) — Ground will break soon on a new coal refinery demonstration project north of Gillette.
The University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources, Atlas Carbon and Wood PLC will hold a groundbreaking ceremony in September to launch the project near Atlas Carbon.
The site will be developed and operated collaboratively by the three stakeholders, with the goal of showcasing and developing — at a pre-commercial scale — a sustainable coal refinery process, as well as product technologies using coal from the Powder River Basin.
“Even as we work to protect the existing markets, it is encouraging to see the SER-led team innovate a process that could unlock new markets for Wyoming coal and support the diversification of the economy,” said Randall Luthi, chief energy advisor to the governor, in a press release.
Once fully operational as a demonstration site, the facility will showcase the possibilities of PRB coal to potential industry and commercial stakeholders.
“The main focus of this project is to create new markets for Wyoming coal,” said Richard Horner, the school’s senior adviser to UW’s Center for Carbon Capture and Conversion. “Diversifying the use of coal will create new jobs and new opportunities for coal communities, as well as create new manufacturing and conversion industries that can drive economic growth. We are thrilled that Atlas Carbon and Wood have agreed to be stakeholders in this venture.”
“The manufacturing plant is located near the Wyoming Innovation Center and has the ability and capacity to convert carbon into products, making it an ideal location for a field demonstration,” said Atlas Carbon CEO and chairman Frank Levy.
Foot found in Abyss Pool likely from July accident
JACKSON (WNE) — The human foot found in a shoe in Yellowstone National Park’s Abyss Pool Tuesday in West Thumb Geyser Basin is likely from a July 31 death.
No foul play is suspected, park officials said Friday.
Yellowstone officials didn’t say in a press release why they had tied the incident to the end of July. But they said the investigation is ongoing to determine why the person died.
Yellowstone has not identified a possible victim, and officials have declined to answer questions about the condition or description of the shoe and foot.
Teton County Coroner Brent Blue said that his team has “remains of a victim” from Yellowstone but did not provide further information.
Blue told the Daily that Yellowstone is leading the efforts to identify the victim.
Abyss Pool is approximately 53 feet deep, and its waters are approximately 140 degrees Fahrenheit.Humans and their belongings have a history of falling into Yellowstone’s hot thermal pools. At least 20 people have died from burns they suffered in thermal features after intentionally entering the pool or falling in.
In June 2016, a 23-year-old man walked off the boardwalk near Norris Geyser Basin and died after falling into a hot spring. He was looking for a place to soak, which is not allowed in Yellowstone’s thermal pools. An accident report released a few months after the accident said that extreme heat and the pool’s acidic nature likely caused the young man’s remains to dissolve.
“Hot springs have injured or killed more people in Yellowstone than any other natural feature,” according to the park’s webpage about thermal features.
Unemployment rate down to just 3% in July
POWELL (WNE) — Wyoming’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was down to 3% in July.
The state unemployment rate decreased from 3.1% in June to 3.0% in July, as job gains were seen in leisure and hospitality, construction and professional and business services.
The unemployment rate for the U.S. as a whole was 3.5% in July.
July unemployment rates were lower than their year-ago levels in every county.
Unemployment rates were elevated in 2021 because of the pandemic. Teton County, at 1.7%, had the lowest unemployment rate in the state in July. It was followed by Crook County and Niobrara County, both at 2.2% and Weston County at 2.3%.
The highest rates were found in Sweetwater (down from 5.7% to 3.9%) and Fremont and Natrona County, each at 3.7%.
Total non-farm employment in Wyoming (not seasonally adjusted and measured by place of work) rose from 284,500 in July, 2021 to 291,600 in July 2022, an increase of 7,100 jobs.
Employment was unusually low in 2021 because of economic disruptions related to the pandemic. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/worth-noting-aug-27-2022/article_ddfb6016-23b6-11ed-bdde-b36fd051aff0.html | 2022-08-27T12:56:04Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/worth-noting-aug-27-2022/article_ddfb6016-23b6-11ed-bdde-b36fd051aff0.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Axios interview: Gen Z's Maxwell Frost
Fresh from victory in a crowded Democratic primary for Florida's 10th Congressional District, Maxwell Frost, 25 — who's poised to become the first Gen Z member of Congress — is already talking about his plans to elevate a new generation of candidates to national, state and local office.
Why it matters: Combined, Millennials (born 1981-1996) and Gen. Z (born 1997-2012) make up roughly a third of the 2020 electorate. But their representation in Congress has yet to catch up.
- Millennials comprise just 7% of the 117th Congress.
- 2022 is the first election cycle in which Gen. Z candidates are old enough enough to meet the age 25 eligibility requirement to run for the House.
What they're saying: "I'm the first; I'm definitely not going to be the last," Frost told Axios in a telephone interview days after his comfortable win in a 10-candidate field.
- "I will be very involved in the political side of things and making sure that we have ... not just young people, but just a whole new generation of people, saying, 'Hey, you know what? I can run for office,'" Frost said. "Not just Congress, either. Like, school board — you know? County commission. Everything like that."
The political novice hasn't finished college but organized for the ACLU and March for Our Lives. He drove for Uber while campaigning.
- Backed by high-profile progressives including Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, Frost defeated seasoned rivals including state Sen. Randolph Bracy and former U.S. Reps. Alan Grayson and Corrine Brown. Incumbent Rep. Val Demings is running for Senate.
- Despite outraising his nearest opponent more than 2-to-1, with $1.5 million as of August, Frost told Axios his victory was anything but a sure bet. "I know what it means to run for office with no money in the bank and no support at first," he said.
- Frost, who is Afro-Cuban, will face Calvin Wimbish, 72, a Black Republican conservative activist and retired Army Green Beret, in November. The district is solidly Democratic, making Frost the heavy favorite.
The intrigue: Frost believes his generation has a higher threshold for shock when it comes to politicians' personal lives or social media exposure.
Consider recent stories that have dogged younger politicians like Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) or Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin.
- Frost said there is “a sense of truth” to Cawthorn’s case that many of his colleagues wouldn’t be in office if they had grown up in the digital age, though he called Cawthorn's political stances "disqualifying."
- The controversy over leaked videos that showed Cawthorn in sexually explicit situations is "not really what bothered me about him."
- During his own primary-night victory party, Frost recalled, "I was dancing on stage, and some of the news outlets were like: 'Oh look, he's dancing, that's interesting!' And in my head, I'm like, I don't really see that."
The bottom line: Frost doesn't necessarily see himself as a disruptor in the mold of the "Squad," but positions himself with young progressives who want a more pugnacious Democratic Party.
- "We should not arrive at the table at the compromise already," he said. "There are going to be times for compromise ... what I'm saying is, let's not lose vision of the North Star." | https://www.axios.com/2022/08/27/maxwell-frost-gen-z-congress | 2022-08-27T12:56:08Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/2022/08/27/maxwell-frost-gen-z-congress | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Some observations before the afterglow from our exciting time in the national spotlight fades and we go back to being flyover country hayseeds.
POLITICAL REPORTERS were drawn to Jackson Hole in their coverage of the Cheney-Hageman race because the anticipated concession speech by Liz would happen there.
But the constant reporting from Jackson – a rare county where Cheney was stronger than Hageman – created the impression that the Tetons and the Jackson Town Square represent all of Wyoming.
It’s a nice image to project, but anyone who thinks all of Wyoming looks like the view from Moran Junction has never been to Wamsutter. Or Bill. Or Tie Siding. Or Hubbard’s Mountain Cupboard.
Outsiders sometimes assume that Cheyenne looks like Jackson, not realizing that the Tetons are a very long day’s drive from Cheyenne.
Like coastal elites who figure that if you visit Denver, you’ve logically spent an afternoon taking in the Grand Canyon. Geography eludes many coastal elites, and it’s not worth their precious time to learn about gomers like us.
Whatever!
For a while there, we were like the girl with a half-dozen guys asking her to the prom. Every newscast included fresh takes on what was going on in Wyoming, and our least populated state was on everyone’s mind. We were the belle of the ball.
For a moment.
ON THE WAY TO JACKSON, a Fox political correspondent reported from downtown Cheyenne, and (obligatory) rodeos in Laramie and Wheatland, where the take on Liz was either that she’s feisty Wyoming gal with grit or a politician gone hopelessly D.C. native in her relentless pursuit of former President Donald Trump.
Unless Liz opens the “Captain Ahab Institute for the Pursuit of The Great White Donald Trump Whale” in Jackson Hole (because she says pursuing the evil Trump is now the most important job she has ever had) I predict our news media appeal will quickly fade.
It will be like that old song “You Don’t Send Me Flowers Anymore.”
My wife (pretty smart) says that’s probably a good thing, because people who don’t live in Wyoming don’t understand Wyoming.
And never will.
I KEPT SEEING a video on TV of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy with Jackson Hole Ski Area trams in the background and wondered what the ding-dong heck he was doing in Jackson, where there are precious few GOP votes.
Turns out McCarthy was in pursuit of the only thing more precious than votes: dollars. He was there for a fat-cat fundraiser, at which even the biggest fat cat of all, Elon Musk, was in attendance.
I don’t know about you, but the prospect of McCarthy as speaker of the House come January does not fill me with confidence. (No surprise that Liz agrees.) I think he lacks the heft of a Newt Gingrich. But he would be far better than that State-of-the-Union-speech-ripping embarrassment Nancy Pelosi.
In the words of Mick Jagger, “You don’t always get what you want.”
That goes double in politics.
TWO OLD FRIENDS – one from Cheyenne, the other from Casper, both lifelong residents of Wyoming – laughed when I asked if Liz Cheney could hold onto her seat in Congress with the help of Democrats crossing over to vote in the Republican primary. Both found the concept patently ridiculous in Wyoming, where Democrats are roughly as plentiful as black-footed ferrets.
Right they were.
ANOTHER LIFELONG RESIDENT, this one from charming Rawlins, told me she wrote to Liz awhile back telling her that she had never written to a politician before, but that she was writing to say she would never vote for Liz again.
In the words of pop star Taylor Swift: “Ever, ever, ever.”
One of the endearing things about lifelong Wyoming residents is their crustiness.
TUCKER CARLSON reported on election night that Liz Cheney’s net worth is now $43 million, up from $7 million when she took office six years ago. So we don’t have to worry about her living on the street somewhere in northern Virginia.
And there will be plenty of seed money for the Captain Ahab Institute in Jackson. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/opinion/guest_column/capt-ahab-institute-coming-to-jackson/article_813d71a6-23b7-11ed-80de-ff72b80b1c7f.html | 2022-08-27T12:56:10Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/opinion/guest_column/capt-ahab-institute-coming-to-jackson/article_813d71a6-23b7-11ed-80de-ff72b80b1c7f.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Last week’s primary election revealed many things about the current state of politics in Wyoming – some good, some bad.
Let’s start with some good news. Regardless of your party affiliation, this week’s primary once again showed that the state’s election process is trustworthy, and our county clerks and their staff are dedicated to preserving its integrity. Not only did we hear no complaints of voting irregularities, results are canvassed by independent boards at the county and state levels to certify that was the case.
That’s unlikely to silence those like Republican Secretary of State primary winner Chuck Gray, however, who have parroted the false election fraud claims coming from former President Donald Trump and his supporters ever since the 2020 election results didn’t go his way. We just hope this week and another well-handled election in November will cause Mr. Gray and others to stop sowing seeds of distrust about a system in Wyoming that clearly works well.
The next post-election takeaway isn’t that surprising, but should concern anyone who had hopes the Legislature would stop wasting time on highly partisan, mostly far-right boilerplate legislation. With an economy desperately in need of diversification, a K-12 education funding crisis, tens of thousands of residents without health insurance and many other top-shelf issues facing them, lawmakers shouldn’t be wasting their time on the pet issues of the American Legislative Exchange Council and other groups.
Yet, based on the results, it seems many of the state’s Republican voters either don’t care or failed to do their homework about certain candidates. For example, in Natrona County, Casper developer Bob Ide narrowly defeated former Senate President Drew Perkins. Of course, we have no evidence of how he will perform as a lawmaker, but the fact Mr. Ide was photographed with state GOP Chairman Frank Eathorne at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, gives us some indication.
Rural eastern Wyoming, especially, is growing ever more conservative. In Goshen County, Rep. J.D. Williams lost his seat to Allen Earl Slagle, and Rep. Shelly Duncan lost her seat to Scott Smith. And in Converse County, Rep. Aaron Clausen narrowly lost his seat to Tomi Strock, who encouraged her campaign Facebook followers to attend a Chuck Gray-sponsored screening of “2000 Mules” because “it is trully (sic) an eye opening documentary” about the 2020 election.
All of this sets up the 67th Wyoming Legislature to be even more radical than the one that wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars on a special session about vaccine mandates.
Which brings us to a key point: If more people don’t start doing their homework, asking questions of candidates and voting, this radicalization of our political system will continue. And, sorry, folks, we hate to say it, but there’s really no excuse for this other than simple laziness.
Today, thanks to the internet and social media, there are more ways than ever to find out where each candidate stands on the key issues. In addition to stories and news briefs in publications like the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, there are candidate questionnaires on our website, WyomingNews.com, and answers to online surveys by other organizations.
Not plugged in? There’s still the old-fashioned method of picking up the phone and calling those you’re wondering about (yes, the phone numbers can be found on the Secretary of State and Laramie County Clerk’s Office websites, but we’ll soon be publishing a list of all of the phone numbers and email addresses they provided when they filed to run for office).
Another disturbing lesson to be learned from this year’s primary field is that some people seem to want to get elected so they can destroy the system from the inside. While we certainly hope that isn’t the case with Mr. Gray and Republican U.S. House nominee Harriet Hageman, we saw evidence of this trend from people like current State Superintendent of Public Instruction Brian Schroeder, gubernatorial candidate Rex Rammell, U.S. House candidate and current state Sen. Anthony Bouchard and others.
Thankfully, many of these folks failed to advance to the general election, but some did. And with all of the noise made lately at school board meetings here and across the state about books in school libraries and district mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic, voters must be extra careful to vet trustees candidates this fall.
Of course, with the attention placed on the race between Ms. Hageman and incumbent Rep. Liz Cheney, it would be easy to say that the days of Wyoming going unnoticed on the national political scene are over. We’re not sure, though.
Certainly, the high-profile battle between Ms. Cheney and Mr. Trump drew the attention of journalists and political insiders from the Beltway and across the country. It also generated a lot of attention from average residents nationwide with an opinion about Ms. Cheney and her service on the congressional committee investigating the 1-6-21 Capitol riot. That attention led to millions of dollars from outside the state pouring into Ms. Cheney’s campaign account, as well as Mr. Trump endorsing in down-ballot races.
We can’t help but wonder if this is a one-time blip on the radar, however. How likely is it that, once the current battle of wills fades away, the least-populated state in the union will continue to garner such attention? As is the case with Alaska other than when Sarah Palin’s on the ballot, we think it’s pretty unlikely.
Of course, the most obvious takeaway is that the former president still has a lot of influence in the Equality State. Ms. Hageman’s landslide victory over Ms. Cheney is all the evidence we need to see that. Unlike the attention that came with it, that likely will take much longer to fade into the past, especially if the Republican Party continues to be the Party of Trump.
OK, that’s enough looking back. With less than 80 days to go until the general election, it’s time to grab a notebook, make a list of candidates to research and get to work.
Wyoming Tribune Eagle
Aug. 20 | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/opinion/staff_editorials/primary-reveals-much-about-politics-in-wyoming/article_33527b5c-23b8-11ed-8cad-2b4ceba3dc4e.html | 2022-08-27T12:56:28Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/opinion/staff_editorials/primary-reveals-much-about-politics-in-wyoming/article_33527b5c-23b8-11ed-8cad-2b4ceba3dc4e.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Tuition inflation isn't as bad as you think
Here's something you might think you know: That the cost of going to college has been rising a lot faster than inflation for many years.
- In fact, college costs haven't been rising in real terms. For private four-year colleges, they've actually been falling.
Why it matters: President Biden's decision to forgive billions of dollars in student debt has inevitably raised the specter of college cost inflation.
- Now that this precedent has been set, there has been a worry (or concern trolling) that colleges will feel free to hike their tuition costs, on the grounds that anybody taking out loans to pay that tuition will ultimately get a significant chunk of their debt forgiven anyway.
The big picture: The amount that Americans pay for college tuition is ultimately set according to the rules of supply and demand. Right now, thanks to overbuilding, a falling birth rate, and a decline in foreign students, there's significantly more supply than there is demand — and that means flat or declining prices.
- Total freshman enrollment in 2021 was 2,116,631 students, per the National Student Clearinghouse. That's down almost 20% from the 2,592,703 freshmen who enrolled in 2015.
Between the lines: Don't look at soaring official tuition costs to work out how much people are paying. Instead, look at the amount they actually pay, which is invariably lower.
- Colleges have worked out that a high tuition fee combined with a high "merit scholarship" is more attractive than a lower tuition fee, so now almost everybody gets some form of financial aid.
By the numbers: Over the past 8 years, the published tuition fee for a four-year private college, in constant 2021 dollars, rose 9.4%, to $38,070, per the College Board. If you include room and board, the increase was the same — 9.4% — but the total was $51,690.
- If you look at how much students actually pay, however, after accounting for grant aid and other discounts, the total fell slightly to $32,720, with room and board included. That's the lowest number since the 2012–13 school year.
The bottom line: Most private colleges — with a few high-profile exceptions — charge as much as they can, with or without the promise of possible future debt forgiveness.
- For the past decade, competition between colleges has kept prices from spiking. Even a rational expectation of future debt relief shouldn't fundamentally change that dynamic.
Go deeper: Axios' Dan Primack writes about why college costs are still objectively too high, and what might bring them down meaningfully. | https://www.axios.com/2022/08/27/tuition-inflation-not-so-bad | 2022-08-27T12:56:29Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/2022/08/27/tuition-inflation-not-so-bad | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON
THROUGH EARLY EVENING FOR MUCH OF SOUTHEAST WYOMING...
...ELEVATED CONDITIONS ALSO POSSIBLE IN WESTERN NEBRASKA...
...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM MDT
THIS EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONES 418, 419, 420, 421, 422, AND 432...
* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 417-423, 425, and 430-433.
* WIND...West 15 to 20 MPH with gusts up to 35 MPH.
* HUMIDITY...10 to 15 percent.
* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
Outdoor burning is not recommended.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions
are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of
strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can
contribute to extreme fire behavior.
&&
In this Nov. 26, 2021, file photo, Air Force running back Brad Roberts celebrates after rushing for a touchdown during a game against UNLV at Air Force Academy, Colo.
In this Nov. 26, 2021, file photo, Air Force running back Brad Roberts celebrates after rushing for a touchdown during a game against UNLV at Air Force Academy, Colo.
AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. — The blue-and-white sign leading into Falcon Stadium certainly grabs an opposing team’s attention: “Warning: Lack of oxygen.”
Set at 6,621 feet above sea level, the stadium celebrating its 60th anniversary this season has provided quite a home-field advantage for the Air Force Falcons. That’s especially true in the 15 seasons under coach Troy Calhoun, whose teams have gone 66-23 at the venue located at the base of the Rampart Range of the Rocky Mountains.
Another warning: The Falcons and their version of the option offense boast a strong returning nucleus. The list of returning starters includes fullback Brad Roberts, outside linebacker Vince Sanford and offensive lineman Isaac Cochran, who each earned a spot on the preseason All-Mountain West team. Air Force is predicted to finish second behind Boise State in the Mountain Division of the conference.
Not that Calhoun is buying into the hype.
“You can’t rely upon memory,” Calhoun said. “You’ve got to rely upon the way we have to move forward. It’s a thousand pieces and you’ve got to find out, ‘All right, how are we going to make this thing fit together?’”
The Falcons already have plenty of pieces in place. Just look at the early accolades coming their way. Junior offensive lineman Everett Smalley was named to the Outland Trophy watch list, while Sanford found his name mentioned for the Chuck Bednarik and Bronko Nagurski awards. Roberts, who is coming off a 1,352-yard season on a school-record 298 carries, was included on the Walter Camp Award watch list for player of the year.
“Who’s going to emerge? That’s the fun part of it,” Calhoun said. “Especially if you have guys who love to push, love to grind and love to work — and our guys do.”
TURNING 60On Sept. 22, 1962, Air Force opened Falcon Stadium with a 34-0 win over Colorado State. They’ve gone 209-119-4 at the venue that turns 60 this season. Over the years, the stadium has received renovations such as permanent lights installed in 2002 and two new scoreboards prior to the 2016 season. The turf was replaced and the home locker room upgraded before the ‘18 season.
There are more plans in place following this season to turn the stadium into a state-of-the-art facility. The blueprints include a new stadium entrance and improvements to seating, concession areas and restrooms. There are also plans to relocate the cadets section.
LONGEVITYSince 1984, the Falcons have only had two head coaches — Fisher DeBerry (1984-2006) and Calhoun, who is entering his 16th season. The only other program with just two head coaches over that span is Iowa, according to Air Force research. The Hawkeyes had Hayden Fry (1979-98) and current head coach Kirk Ferentz, who took over before the 1999 season.
SPECIAL TEAMSJordan Jackson, currently with the New Orleans Saints, blocked an extra point against Utah State last season. That extended the streak by the special teams, which has blocked at least one kick in each of Calhoun’s 15 seasons. Since 2007, the team has blocked 14 field goals, 19 extra points and 10 punts.
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF’S TROPHYAir Force will be looking to win its first outright Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy since 2016. The annual award goes to the round-robin winner between the service academies.
The Falcons host Navy on Oct. 1 and play Army at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on Nov. 5.
THE SCHEDULEAir Force opens the season by hosting Northern Iowa of the FCS ranks on Sept. 3. The Falcons follow that up by playing Colorado on Sept. 10. It will be the first team from a Power Five program to play at Falcon Stadium since a 13th-ranked California squad led by Aaron Rodgers beat Air Force 56-14 on Sept. 4, 2004. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/sports/falcons-quest-air-force-chases-mw-title-stadium-turns-60/article_5554e1aa-23bc-11ed-b257-533a43db5185.html | 2022-08-27T12:56:40Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/sports/falcons-quest-air-force-chases-mw-title-stadium-turns-60/article_5554e1aa-23bc-11ed-b257-533a43db5185.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Being a major college football coach is as much a lifestyle as it is a career.
Long hours. Rare days off. It’s a job that can pull those who do it away from their families, so maybe it’s no surprise when coaches try to carve out space at work for their loved ones.
A propensity to follow in Dad’s footsteps is a common one across the sport, but it has also helped perpetuate a lack of racial and ethnic diversity at the highest levels of coaching in college football.
The Associated Press examined the coaching rosters of the 65 schools that compete in Power Five conferences and found 26 instances of family members on the same coaching staff.
Of those, 23 involved white coaches, including at Iowa where coach Kirk Ferentz’s son, Brian, is the offensive coordinator. It also includes Purdue, where coach Jeff Brohm has brothers as offensive coordinator and chief of staff.
“The industry of football that we’re part of is so different from corporate,” said Maryland coach Mike Locksley, who is Black. “It’s corporate, but it is very familial. It crosses the line. Usually when you work somewhere you go home and it’s done. This private life, work life is so intertwined in the game of football and even in it’s hiring practices when you see the number of nepotism hires and the affiliations. The family trees, per se.”
Nepotism is a significant factor in why Black coaches are under-represented in major college football, according to the National Coalition of Minority Football Coaches, which was founded by Locksley in 2020 to prepare and advocate for minority coaches at all levels of football.
“I don’t think anyone can debate that,” said attorney Raj Kudchadkar, the group’s executive director. “We can plow our resources into developing minority coaches, but if the top decision-makers are set on hiring family members all the training and advocacy in the world won’t get one of my members that position.”
According to the latest data compiled by the NCAA, 79% of head coaches at Power Five conference schools during the 2020 football season were white, 15% were Black and the rest were from other minority groups. Their teams were comprised of 45% Black players, 37% white and 18% from other groups.
Coaches tend to carefully craft and protect the culture of their programs, so they are apt to hire people they know and trust. And who can you trust more than a family member?
All three of Ferentz’s sons played football at Iowa. When Brian was done playing and expressed an interest in coaching, his father’s advice was to get out of Iowa City.
Brian Ferentz started his career as an offensive quality control/scouting assistant for the New England Patriots; Kirk Ferentz had worked as an assistant for Patriots coach Bill Belichick in Cleveland during the mid-1990s.
Brian Ferentz worked his way up to tight ends coach with New England in 2011, and when his father had an opening at offensive line coach in 2012, he moved back to Iowa.
The hire was met with scrutiny because it seemed to violate the school’s policy that discourages nepotism. A plan was approved by school officials to have athletic director Gary Barta evaluate Brian Ferentz’s performance; Barta at the time said it was his decision to hire the younger Ferentz.
“Why would a head coach not try to get the best possible assistant?” asked Kirk Ferentz, whose 110 Big Ten victories over a 24-year career ranks fourth in league history. “We all understand the economics and how it works, how the world works. But more importantly, we all want to be successful, have good teams. I don’t think there’s anything more important than hiring your staff.”
Half of Kirk Ferentz’s assistant coaches this season are former Iowa football players. Other than Brian Ferentz, the other former Hawkeyes on the staff are Black.
“That’s another form of nepotism, I guess,” Kirk Ferentz said. “I know their DNA, if you will, having been in the program.”
Colorado State quarterbacks coach Matt Mumme did not want a career in coaching when he was done playing college football for his father. But Hal Mumme pulled his son into the business when he became head coach at Southeastern Louisiana in 2003. Hal Mumme’s previous stop at Kentucky had ended in turmoil and NCAA violations.
“After the Kentucky thing, he’s like, ‘I just need to make sure that I have people that are loyal to me. That have my back when I have to be doing other things,’” Matt Mumme said.
The 47-year-old Mumme said Louisiana nepotism rules prevented his father from hiring him as a full-time coach so he worked for free there, and then followed Hal to New Mexico State.
South Carolina’s Shane Beamer is among 21 Power Five head coaches whose father coached football at either the high school, college or professional level. Among the others are Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh and Mississippi’s Lane Kiffin, according to AP research. Only one of those 21, David Shaw of Stanford, is Black.
When Beamer decided to get into coaching, he was determined to do it without the help of his Hall of Fame father, Frank Beamer of Virginia Tech. He said he sent dozens of letters to programs all over the country trying to land a graduate assistant position.
Graduate assistant is a highly coveted, entry-level job in coaching, especially at big programs. Rutgers coach Greg Schiano’s son, Joe, is a graduate assistant for the Scarlet Knights; Kansas State coach Chris Klieman’s son, Deven, is a graduate assistant for the Wildcats; and Indiana coach Tom Allen hired his son, Thomas, as a GA.
Shane Beamer landed his first grad assistant position in 2000 at Georgia Tech, where the athletic director and offensive coordinator at the time had previously worked with his father.
“I’m not naive. I get it,” Beamer said. “So that certainly helped me get my foot in the door. But then ultimately you’ve got to be able to keep yourself in the profession.”
Both Locksley and Kudchadkar are quick to point out that just because someone is the son of a coach it doesn’t mean they are undeserving of a position.
“You can’t blame the coaches that benefit from nepotism. But what I always say is in the same respect, we can’t ignore the issue and simply say it is what it is, right?” Kudchadkar said. “Many schools already have rules that address nepotism. We just need more schools to address it.”
Locksley said he has tried to get his son, Kai, who played quarterback at UTEP and is with the CFL’s Edmonton Elks, to pursue a coaching career.
“When I’ve talked to him about that he’s, like, ‘No, I want to see my kids grow up,’” Locksley said.
For the kids of coaches who are exposed to the game and lifestyle at a young age, the experience can be invaluable preparation for a career.
“I don’t necessarily think it’s a negative that these guys grow up in the profession and they grow up on these practices fields and they become coaches,” Locksley said. “Now the issue is — because we don’t have the minority numbers — you don’t see it very often with us.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/sports/family-matters-nepotism-a-hurdle-to-diversity-in-coaching/article_c88d3442-23bc-11ed-b733-cbc4e0f7b846.html | 2022-08-27T12:56:47Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/sports/family-matters-nepotism-a-hurdle-to-diversity-in-coaching/article_c88d3442-23bc-11ed-b733-cbc4e0f7b846.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) – Nearly $5.7 million will be sent to Amherst College by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reimburse the college for the cost of testing students, faculty, and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the period July 2020 to February 2022, the private liberal arts college in Amherst is to receive a total of $5,682,750 as part of the Public Assistance grant.
“FEMA is pleased to be able to assist Amherst College with these costs,” said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. “Providing resources for our institutions of higher education to combat the COVID-19 pandemic is critical to their success, and to our success as a nation.”
States and communities recovering from disasters and emergencies are dependent on FEMA’s Public Assistance program.
To date, FEMA has provided Massachusetts with more than $1.2 billion in Public Assistance grants. | https://www.wwlp.com/news/nearly-5-7m-awarded-to-amherst-college-to-cover-covid-19-testing-costs/ | 2022-08-27T12:56:51Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/nearly-5-7m-awarded-to-amherst-college-to-cover-covid-19-testing-costs/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
With the University of Wyoming set to open its season Saturday at Illinois, here are five keys to the Cowboys having a successful 2022 campaign.
Efficiency behind center
It’s easy to pin last year’s issues in the passing game solely on the quarterbacks, when, in reality, part of these woes could be attributed to predictable play-calling and a lack of proven receiving options behind Isaiah Neyor, who transferred to Texas during the offseason. Nonetheless, quarterback play must improve in order for the Cowboys to be a threat in the Mountain Division.
With Wyoming’s run-first offense, signal-callers don’t need to put up gaudy numbers. However, consistency is a must. The Pokes went 7-2 last year in games when they completed over 56% of their passes, while going 0-4 with a 41.8% completion rate in their other four games.
Playmaking pass catchers
After showing flashes of promise down the stretch of last season, sophomore Joshua Cobbs appears set to be the Cowboys’ go-to option in the passing game. Cobbs is Wyoming’s top returning receiver after hauling in 25 catches for 245 yards and a touchdown in 2021, and will look to fill a void created by the departure of Neyor and super senior Ayden Eberhardt.
With redshirt junior receiver Gunner Gentry suffering a season-ending injury last week, junior Wyatt Wieland and sophomore Alex Brown – who were already set to be regular contributors – will likely be called upon to step into even bigger roles. The pair combined for seven catches and 93 receiving yards last season, but with seven combined years in the program, their grasp of the offense should be an asset to a first-year starter at quarterback.
The tight ends’ ability to make an impact in the passing game shouldn’t be overlooked, either. Treyton Welch – whose two touchdown receptions in 2021 are the most of any returning player – and Parker Christensen hauled in a total of 32 catches for 290 yards last year. Colin O’Brien and Jackson Marcotte are two more veteran returners who will be in the mix at tight end.
Generate takeaways
The ability to force turnovers played a major role in the Cowboys’ first 4-0 start this century, as they generated eight takeaways and three defensive touchdowns during nonconference play.
They cooled off significantly in this department, however, as the season went on. Wyoming forced just six turnovers during the final nine games of the year, four of which came in rivalry wins over Colorado State and Utah State, as the Pokes went 2-6 against Mountain West competition.
Get to the quarterback
Another area the Cowboys will be looking to improve is their pass rush, with their 1.85 sacks per game in 2021 ranking second-to-last in the MW and 89th nationally. Despite losing several players with starting experience up front, though, there is optimism that they can be better in this area.
One reason why is UW’s speed at defensive end, with guys like Sabastian Harsh, Oluwaseyi Omotosho and DeVonne Harris receiving praise for their pass-rushing abilities during spring practice and training camp. Veteran defensive tackle Cole Godbout is also back after recording a team-high five sacks last season.
Establish the run
Once again, the run game is expected to be the focal point of Wyoming’s offensive attack. Titus Swen has stepped into the feature back role for the Cowboys after coming off a season in which he ranked second in the MW in yards per carry and led the team with seven rushing touchdowns. There’s optimism the Pokes won’t miss a beat, despite losing Xazavian Valladay – the No. 2 all-time leading rusher in school history – to the transfer portal.
Efficiency in the run game had a direct correlation in Wyoming’s success last season. The Cowboys averaged 6.02 yards per carry during their six FBS wins in 2021, while averaging just 4.1 yards per attempt in their six losses. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/sports/keys-to-success-for-wyoming-football-in-2022/article_f4e7c792-23bb-11ed-8889-87435612351c.html | 2022-08-27T12:56:53Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/sports/keys-to-success-for-wyoming-football-in-2022/article_f4e7c792-23bb-11ed-8889-87435612351c.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
2 hours ago - Things to Do
Iowa's fall foliage forecast
Start planning a road trip: Peak fall foliage is just over a month out, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
State of play: Northern Iowa can expect colors to peak sometime around the last of September. Southern areas can be a month later.
- Last year's peak in central Iowa was the week of Oct. 20.
Of note: Drought can result in fewer days that colors are at a peak.
- Yes, but: Recent rains may have saved the season from a disappointing color show, state climatologist Justin Glisan tells Axios.
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Get a free daily digest of the most important news in your backyard with Axios Des Moines. | https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2022/08/27/iowas-fall-foliage-forecast | 2022-08-27T12:56:55Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2022/08/27/iowas-fall-foliage-forecast | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
High school football scores from Week 1 for the SGV Tribune, Pasadena Star-News and Whittier Daily News.
Friday’s scores
Pasadena 35, Glendora 10
Monrovia 49, Arcadia 14
El Rancho 42, Bell Gardens 22
San Marino 14, Arroyo 13
West Covina 44, Los Altos 14
Bishop Amat 42, La Habra 7
Costa Mesa 21, Pioneer 20
Maranatha 42, Beverly Hills 6
Damien 34, Loyola 7
Chino Hills 54, Diamond Ranch 0
Hoover 14, Ganesha 6
Yorba Linda 28, La Mirada 13
Warren 32, La Serna 26
Rio Hondo Prep 29, El Monte 6
Baldwin Park 55, South El Monte 20
Wilson 47, La Puente 6
South Pasadena 27, Maywood CES 6
St. Paul 37, Huntington Park 0
South Hills 16, Covina 14
St. Francis 52, Mira Costa 48
Fullerton 39, Whittier 7
Montebello 30, Cantwell Sacred Heart 26
Workman at Mountain View 48, Workman 27
Pomona 47, Garey 14
Thursday’s scores
Charter Oak 38, Northview 24
Burbank 34, Santa Fe 30
Duarte 19, Viewpark 6
Esperanza 28, Walnut 20
Temple City 54, Keppel 0
Norwalk 49, La Canada 28
Lakewood 16, San Dimas 7
South Torrance 51, Schurr 15
Alhambra 35, Glendale 8
Ontario 42, Sierra Vista 32
Sonora 48, Rowland 7
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NWA arts preview: 10 best things to do this fall
Fall in Northwest Arkansas is filled with Razorback football and the roar of motorcycles. But there are plenty of other opportunities to get out and be creative.
Here's our fall arts preview guide.
1. See a play at TheatreSquared
Spend nearly any night in downtown Fayetteville and see a musical.
- Shows: “It Came From Outer Space,” now through Sept. 18; drama “Detroit ‘67” Oct. 12-Nov. 6; and comedy “Stones in His Pockets” Nov. 9-Dec. 18.
- Get tickets.
2. Watch Crystal Bridges light up
"Listening Forest" is a nighttime outdoor exhibit by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer in the forest outside Crystal Bridges incorporates light, sound and projections.
- Aug. 31-Jan.1, 2023.
- Get tickets ranging $22-$27 or $15-$20 for museum members.
Also at Crystal Bridges this fall: "Fashioning America: Grit to Glamour," a whole exhibit dedicated to fashion and its role in culture.
- Sept. 10-Jan. 30, 2023.
- Tickets are $12 or free to museum members.
3. Attend FORMAT's debut festival
This Bentonville music, art and technology festival debuts this fall and promises to be an immersive experience with traditional performance stages, a barn for disco parties, an "adult playground," a "maze" of retail and food vendors, venues for art installations and experimental sounds and a lengthy lineup of musicians.
- Sept. 23-25.
- Get one-day tickets starting at $125 or three-day tickets starting at $300.
4. Try local food at these festivals
BITE NWA: This food festival featuring more than 30 local restaurants takes place in conjunction with the Ladies Professional Golf Association tournament at the Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers.
- Sept. 23-25. Get single-day tickets for $45.
- Yes, and: BITE LITE, a shorter version of the festival, will be Sept. 1 at the Jones Center. Tickets are $35.
Bikes, Blues, and BBQ: It’s not just the bikes. This staple bike rally (that’s taking place in Rogers instead of Fayetteville in a big change this year) is packed with music, food and vendors.
- Oct. 5-8.
5. Peruse local crafts
Make a day (or two or three) out of it and buy your heart’s desire of pumpkin everything at these craft fair weekends.
- Check out the "It’s Fall Y’all" craft fair Oct. 13-16 at the Benton County Fairgrounds, War Eagle Fair Oct. 13-16 or Ozark Regional Crafts Fairs NWA Oct. 13-15 at the Washington County Fairgrounds.
6. See a Broadway show
It's not too late to catch a couple of larger-than-life productions before the Walton Arts Center Broadway series ends.
- "Legally Blonde the Musical" will be on stage Oct. 14-16, and "Chicago" will be on stage Nov. 8-13.
- Get tickets ranging from $33-$82.
7. Fayetteville Film Fest
Stay tuned for film selections and ticket info. Categories include best narrative feature, best documentary feature, best narrative short, best documentary short, best emerging filmmaker, best Arkansas connection and audience choice: best of fest.
- Oct. 20-22.
8. Dance all day at Momentous
This four-day electronic music festival will take over the outdoor space at The Momentary with headliner Arca.
- Oct. 20-23.
- Get single-day tickets for $20-$40 or $16-$32 for museum members and $15-$20 for students. Sunday is free.
9. Explore outdoor art
NWA's cities and businesses have been investing in public art projects for the past several years, enhancing area aesthetics and encouraging people to linger longer.
- Each of the four largest cities publish online guides to some of the most notable works. These are extensive but not necessarily all-inclusive.
Bentonville: OZ Art NWA is the most comprehensive collection, mostly in Bentonville. The organization is dedicated to boosting the regional arts scene through public art. See the map.
Fayetteville: The most observant have noted faded murals in Fayetteville for decades and of course know about the "Seven Points" castle at Wilson Park, but there's also a lot of fresh paint. See the map.
Rogers: A relative newcomer to public art, Rogers features some of the most vibrant works in NWA. See the guide.
Springdale: The nonprofit Downtown Springdale has designated an arts district in the city known for poultry production. Several murals now wrap buildings and alleyways. See the map.
10. See live music
- Japanese Breakfast: Sept. 17 at The Momentary in Bentonville. Get tickets for $45.
- Goo Goo Dolls: Sept. 18 at the AMP in Rogers. Get tickets starting at $35.
- The War on on Drugs: Sept. 22 at The Momentary. Get tickets for $48.
- The Chicks: Oct. 4 at the AMP. Get tickets starting at $39.
- Old Crow Medicine Show: Oct. 8 at JJ’s Live in Fayetteville. Get tickets starting at $40.
- The Black Keys: Oct 13. At the AMP. Get tickets starting at $60.
- Waka Flocka Flame: Nov. 11 at JJ’s Live. Get tickets starting at $25.
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Get a free daily digest of the most important news in your backyard with Axios NW Arkansas. | https://www.axios.com/local/nw-arkansas/2022/08/27/nw-arkansas-arts-preview | 2022-08-27T12:57:14Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/local/nw-arkansas/2022/08/27/nw-arkansas-arts-preview | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Cheyenne South’s Santana Trujillo looks upfield as he returns a kickoff during the Bison's 42-0 loss to Thunder Basin on Friday, Aug. 26, 2022, in Gillette.
Cheyenne South celebrates an interception by defensive back Matthew Rivera during the Bison's 42-0 loss at Thunder Basin on Friday, Aug. 26, 2022, in Gillette.
Cheyenne South’s Santana Trujillo looks upfield as he returns a kickoff during the Bison's 42-0 loss to Thunder Basin on Friday, Aug. 26, 2022, in Gillette.
Ed Glazar/Gillette News Record
Cheyenne South celebrates an interception by defensive back Matthew Rivera during the Bison's 42-0 loss at Thunder Basin on Friday, Aug. 26, 2022, in Gillette.
Ed Glazar/Gillette News Record
Cheyenne South quarterback Osayas Garcia, center, takes a snap during the Bison's 42-0 loss to Thunder Basin on Friday, Aug. 26, 2022, in Gillette.
CHEYENNE – Kayden LaFramboise caught four touchdown passes and snared two interceptions to help Thunder Basin to a 42-0 victory over visiting Cheyenne South on Friday night in Gillette.
LaFramboise finished with 131 receiving yards. Quarterback Alonso Aguilar passed for 224 yards.
Nic Black rushed for 110 yards, including a 9-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Kyle Papenfuss added a 25-yard scoring scamper with 2 minutes, 12 seconds to play.
“We had three trips in the red zone or close to the red zone and came away empty-handed,” first-year South coach Eli Moody told KRAE radio. “... There were too many missed tackles, hitting them in the backfield and having them spin off for 15 yards before someone else got to them.”
South’s Matt Rivera posted 13 tackles (12 solo) and an interception. Damien Pino also posted 13 tackles (11 solo). Michael Munoz also had a pick for the Bison, who host No. 1-ranked Sheridan at 6 p.m. Friday.
Sheridan 24 Chey. Central 21
CHEYENNE – Senior Colson Coon kicked a 22-yard field goal in the final seconds to give No. 1-ranked Sheridan a 24-21 win over visiting Cheyenne Central on Friday night at Homer Scott Field.
Coon had just missed a 41-yarder wide left but Central turned it over on the very next play, giving the reigning Class 4A state champions the ball back deep in Central territory.
No statistics or other information were made available to WyoSports on Friday night. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/cheyenne_central/prep-football-south-central-both-fall-on-road/article_7ee57e4c-25b7-11ed-a328-57c3d9d3e33e.html | 2022-08-27T12:57:24Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/cheyenne_central/prep-football-south-central-both-fall-on-road/article_7ee57e4c-25b7-11ed-a328-57c3d9d3e33e.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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CHEYENNE – Cheyenne East opened its season Friday night looking for its seventh consecutive win over Campbell County.
The Thunderbirds were able to do just that, dominating the Camels from the opening kickoff en route to a 47-28 win.
“I was just super proud of how (the kids) came together and did a great job for us,” head coach Chad Goff said. “They proved to themselves that they could do it. I’m proud of the team effort...and how everything ended up.”
The T-Birds scored on their opening drive, thanks to two big plays from Garet Schlabs and Drew Jackson. After turning the ball over on downs on their next drive, they scored on their next five possessions to close out the half.
While everything went right for East in the first half, not much went right for the Camels. Their best chance to score in the half came late in the second quarter. Mason Drube connected with Jeff Pelton on a 41-yard pass to put the Camels inside the T-Birds five-yard line. Two holding penalties hampered them and despite a 21-yard completion to Aidan Dorr on fourth down, the drive stalled out.
East quarterback Cam Hayes connected with Dom Kaszas on a 23-yard touchdown to close out the half.
After a three-and-out by the Camels to start the second half, Hayes connected with Jakob Culver for his third passing touchdown of the night to give East a 47-0 lead.
That proved to be the final nail in the coffin. Despite 28 second half points from Campbell County, they were unable to make up the deficit.
Jackson stole the show in Friday night’s game. Despite only playing one half, Jackson rushed for 100 yards on just 10 carries. He also burned the Camels defense in the passing game, racking up 109 yards on five receptions.
Jackson did not just dominate offensively. He also played well defensively. He had four solo tackles in the game and picked up the game’s lone interception.
“We all came together and we had a good week of practice,” Jackson said. “We all knew what we were going to be able to use and what we would be able to utilize in our offense.Everyone did a great job of executing.”
Jackson was not alone in his efforts. Hayes played outstanding as well. Hayes went 13 of 19 for 272 yards and three touchdowns before his night was over.
“(Hayes) did a great job of spreading the ball around,” Goff said. “I think that makes us pretty tough to cover when every kid does something when they are given that opportunity to do something.”
EAST 47, CAMPBELL CO. 28
Campbell County…… 0 0 7 21 – 28
Cheyenne East…… 19 21 7 0 – 47
SCORING SUMMARY
First Quarter
CE: Kaszas 8 run (Bohlmann kick).
CE: Jackson 11 run (PAT missed).
CE: Kaszas 34 pass from Hayes (Two-point conversion failed).
Second Quarter
CE: Jensen 1 rush (Bohlmann kick).
CE: Schlabs 20 rush (Bohlmann kick).
CE: Kaszas 23 pass from Hayes (Bohlmann kick).
Third Quarter
CE: Culver 5 pass from Hayes (Bohlmann kick).
CC: Pelton 68 pass from Drube (Two-point conversion failed).
Fourth Quarter
CC: Fitzgerald19 pass from Drube (PAT Blocked)
CC: Drube 1 rush (Two-point conversion good).
CC: Vandom 1 pass from Drube (Two-point conversion good)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing
Campbell County: Drube 7-2, Carter 10-16, Rosenau 2-5, Peterson 2-18. Cheyenne East: Jackson 10-100, Kaszas 2-13, Pachecho 4-1, Mirich 4-23, Schlabs 2-57, Renton 6-19, Hayes 3-27, Fox 2-(minus-23)
Passing
Campbell County: Drube 22-34-1 296. Cheyenne East: Hayes 13-19-0 272, Mirich 3-3-0 16, Fox 1-1-0 3.
Receiving
Campbell County: Sharkey 1-18, Gossel 1-33, Pelton 2-86, Walter 1-4, Miller 2-79, Tompkins 4-70, Dymond 3-42. Cheyenne East: Jackson 5-109, Kaszas 3-62, Hohn 2-7, Mirich 2-35, Schlabs 1-55, Culver 2-11, Whirtright 1-3, Bohlmann 1-9. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/cheyenne_east/east-dominates-campbell-county-in-season-opener/article_bf63c3ae-25bf-11ed-98aa-1732ec67f5da.html | 2022-08-27T12:57:42Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/cheyenne_east/east-dominates-campbell-county-in-season-opener/article_bf63c3ae-25bf-11ed-98aa-1732ec67f5da.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LARAMIE — Casper Natrona took advantage of ideal field position and made plenty of plays in the passing game to open the Class 4A season with a 40-0 win against Laramie Friday night at Deti Stadium.
The game was a defensive battle in the first half with the difference just 14-0 at halftime. But the Mustangs had much shorter fields to work with and the Plainsmen were consistently pinned deep in their territory.
“There’s no question Natrona is vying for a state championship in 4A and one of the best teams in the state,” Laramie coach Paul Ronga said. “What we were able to do for the first half in how we competed with them and stayed with them was very encouraging.
“Then with the old adage of the cream rising to the top, because of their superiority and in terms of their numbers and overall skill, talent, size, speed and strength, it just wore us down. Our guys were losing the leverage and consistency we maintained.”
Several times during the game the field position was dictated by a difference in special teams. When Natrona punter Christopher Tomlinson booted the ball, he was rewarded with forward bounces and rolls for big chunks of yards. When Laramie junior punter Tyler Ennist put his foot to the ball, he was unlucky with sky-high kicks and bounces that went backwards.
“Field position is huge, and I’m big on special teams, which is 30% of the game,” Ronga said. “Natrona punting the ball and having it downed on our 1 forcing us to go 99 yards, no offense can do that. We also had some bobbles on punt and kickoff returns. When Natrona’s punt returner bobbled the ball, they recovered.
“Natrona was really executing special teams at a higher degree than we were, and most notably what really got me was a blocked field goal. (Natrona) did everything right on special teams and we did not measure up to them, and it really made a difference in the game.”
Midway through the first quarter, Laramie couldn’t advance the ball after trying to start from its own 2-yard line. That gave the Mustangs the ball at the Plainsmen’s 31 after a short punt.
Natrona made the quick drive count when senior quarterback Wyatt Powell punched the ball into the end zone with a keeper up the middle for a 2-yard touchdown run for the first score of the game with 2:39 on the clock in the first quarter.
Laramie responded with its best drive of the game, starting at its own 21 and taking the ball to the Natrona 15. Junior quarterback Ben Malone hooked up with senior receiver Adrien Calderon for gains of 25 and 11, the latter being a catch over the middle for a critical first down to the Mustangs’ 31 on 3rd-and-9. Senior running back Mahlon Morris later rumbled for 15 yards to the 15. But three passing plays fell incomplete and Ennist’s 32-yard field goal attempt was blocked.
Natrona then marched down the field on the next possession with timely third-down conversions by virtue of the passing game, ending with a 24-yard pass from Powell to senior tight end Kayden Pharr on a seam route up the middle with 1:12 left before halftime.
The Plainsmen appeared to get back in the game with under a minute left in the second quarter when Morris took off down the left sideline for a 70-yard tackle-breaking touchdown run. But the dreaded yellow flag was laying on the field way back at the line of scrimmage.
The second half was a carbon-copy of the start of the game when it came to the battle of field position going in favor of the Mustangs.
Natrona made the most of it with two touchdowns and one extra point in each of the final two quarters for the final difference.
The Mustangs had 400 yards of total offense with 248 in passing and 152 rushing. Powell was 9-of-13 for 196 yards and a touchdown. He also ran the ball for 44 yards and two scores.
The Plainsmen had 65 yards of offense with 51 of those from the passing of Malone, who was 5-of-12.
Although there were some near fumbles and interceptions, neither team had a turnover.
“We lost five home games last year, we have five home games this year and the first two are at home,” Ronga said. “We are already 0-1 at home with another home game next week. ... For me, I consider it a playoff game and a must-win for us. We have to do something positive at home, and we are trying to get there.”
The Plainsmen will host Campbell County at 6 p.m. Friday. The Camels opened the season with a 47-28 loss to Cheyenne East. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/laramie_high/mustangs-pull-away-from-plainsmen-in-2nd-half/article_01536a70-2585-11ed-bfab-77973aa551aa.html | 2022-08-27T12:57:49Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/laramie_high/mustangs-pull-away-from-plainsmen-in-2nd-half/article_01536a70-2585-11ed-bfab-77973aa551aa.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Following an indebtedness to the tune of about N1.3Billion for electricity supply to Government House, Minna, the State Secretariat housing ministries, departments and agencies of the state government and the General Hospital, Minna, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, (AEDC) has embarked on disconnections of the aforementioned designated places with the view to force the state government to pay up it’s accumulated electricity bills within the shortest possible time.
AEDC Public Relations Officer in the state, Adamu Dantani informed Journalists on Friday in Minna that the decision to embark on disconnections of public Institutions including the Government House, Minna and hospitals including private Organizations and private individuals residents in Minna and its environs last Wednesday was following a Task Force set up by AEDC’s board and management saddled with the disconnection order to recover all the outstanding debts running into several Billions of naira being owed the company by customers in the state.
Mr Dantani explained that seven days’ notice was issued to the state government to settle its accumulated bills, but allegedly failed to meet its obligation.
He explained that the state House of Assembly had four months ago intervened between the company and the executive arm of the government and an agreement was reached for government to settle at least about 80 per cent of the debt.
He said, “To date, there was no any commitment from the state government.
“We took the action after being pushed to the wall by the state government for not keeping its words after the intervention of the state Assembly four months ago,” said Mr Adamu Dantani.
The AEDC Image Maker, however, stated that the government had in the last three months been paying N74 million monthly of its current bill, adding that the N1.3 billion was unpaid bills that accumulated before now.
“We don’t have any option than to disconnect their services and concentrate on our teaming loyal consumers in and outside the metropolis.”
Mr Dantani appreciated consumers for ensuring prompt payments of their electricity bills, stressing that the company had added seven transformers and spent over N500million to improve the power supply.
Other public institutions affected by the disconnection include the state Water Board, schools, all General hospitals, the office of the Secretary to the State Government( SSG) Ahmed Ibrahim Matane and that of the Head of Service, among others.
Meanwhile, the development has led to an increase in the cost of water in Minna by 50 per cent, as water vendors now collect N300.00 – N450.00 as against N700 for a truck of 10 jerrycans of 20litres each of water.
However, when contacted by our reporter, the Secretary to the State Government, Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, in an interview by telephone said that he was on his way to Kontagora for an official assignment, adding that he was yet to be briefed officially about the electricity disconnection order in his office, the government house and other public Institutions in Minna by AEDC, insisting that he was not aware of the disconnection.
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
AEDC disconnects Niger Govt House, MDAs, hospitals over N1.3billion debt | https://tribuneonlineng.com/aedc-disconnects-niger-govt-house-mdas-hospitals-over-n1-3billion-debt/ | 2022-08-27T12:59:58Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/aedc-disconnects-niger-govt-house-mdas-hospitals-over-n1-3billion-debt/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Obtaining success requires a lot of sacrifice. One does not become wealthy, famous, and content overnight. Successful people work hard and make a lot of sacrifices to achieve their goals. As much as they work very hard at what they do, most of them still have to give up things as they grow to achieve more.
These are five things successful people do to be more successful.
1. Not dwelling on negatives
Dwelling on the negative is a waste of time. Successful people don’t focus on the negatives. They don’t dwell on failure. Rather, they look forward and focus on what they can do next to improve their situation.
Dwelling on the negative doesn’t help you move forward. Rather it holds you back and makes you feel bad. It only makes it harder to meet goals.
Successful people know that dwelling on negatives will get them nowhere. They know that moving forward requires them to let go of the past.
2. Networking
Networking is a vital part of any career, and successful people know that. Networking is not just what you do at a meeting or a conference. It comes down to building relationships with the people around you. It could be your friends, fellow students, neighbours, family, or coworkers.
Establishing long relationship ties is the ideal way to develop relationships. Successful people are always looking for opportunities. They are aware that their situations will improve as they establish more contact.
3. Stay motivated
It is important to keep in mind that everyone has difficulty from time to time. What matters most is how they bounce back from those difficulties and make the most of them.
Successful people know how to overcome obstacles. They don’t give up when things are challenging. Rather, the struggle motivates them to do better.
It is important to note that there will always be those who succeed more than you and those who achieve less than you. To be more successful, you should stay motivated.
4. Growth mindset
Successful people cultivate a growth mindset. The growth mindset holds that there is always room for learning and improvement.
Successful people recognise their weaknesses and strengths and use them to their advantage. They have realized that failure is part of the journey and can be a good thing.
People who cultivate a growth mindset know that they can’t be successful without failing first.
5. Diversify your skills
Having a wide variety of skills makes it easier to find a job in a new industry or a new city if you ever need to relocate. Successful people know that the more skills you have, the better you will be.Finding a new job is easier if you can list multiple skills on your resume. Also, if one part of your career goes down, you can fall back on another skill to get you back on your feet.
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE | https://tribuneonlineng.com/five-ways-successful-people-become-more-successful/ | 2022-08-27T13:00:11Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/five-ways-successful-people-become-more-successful/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SALISBURY, Md. - It would not be an understatement to say Caroline O'Hare was the busiest person in all of Salisbury on Friday.
The local director for the National Folk Festival was up against the clock getting last minute preparations underway for Salisbury's final time hosting the national event.
"The last few weeks leading up to the festival, all our plans come together. All the opportunities, the challenges that we have we're able to face them on the ground with our crew with our team that comes from different parts of Maryland," she said.
Austin Derryberry and his wife came from Nashville to perform at the festival.
"It's really a blessing that it gets to move around to a different city each year so everyone gets to kind of share the love because not everybody gets to travel all over the world and see these different cultures," he said.
O'Hare says traffic delays have been underway for the past week.
You can expect main roads near downtown to experience closures and delays through the course of the event.
But O'Hare says the goal is to keep this event free. Both free admission and free parking are a priority.
"Having a free festival is a key element, because it should be accessible to everyone," she said.
Nicole Rogers, owner of Two Scoops Ice Cream, located in the heart of the festival is looking forward to the positive economic impact of the event.
"The National Folk Festival is a great opportunity for us, we'll have tons of foot traffic and probably people out the door all day," she said.
The National Folk Festival began on Friday. It will continue on Saturday from noon to 9:30 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.
The National Folk Festival will move to a new host city next year. Salisbury will continue the tradition by hosting the newly minted "Maryland Folk Festival." | https://www.wboc.com/news/81st-national-folk-festival-begins-in-salisbury/article_05390f22-25ea-11ed-a5ad-c7ab6ac6c693.html | 2022-08-27T13:00:14Z | wboc.com | control | https://www.wboc.com/news/81st-national-folk-festival-begins-in-salisbury/article_05390f22-25ea-11ed-a5ad-c7ab6ac6c693.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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