text string | url string | crawl_date timestamp[ns, tz=UTC] | source_domain string | group string | id string | in_blocksbin int64 | in_noblocksbin int64 | tag string | minhash_count string |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
From left, U.S Air Force Capt. Justin Zinkl, a field ordering officer for the Health Engagements Assistance Response Team (HEART) 2022, Dr. Israel Rivera, the deputy medical director of Hospital Regional de Occidente, and U.S Air Force Staff Sgt. Bris Lott, the noncommissioned officer in charge of HEART 22, pose for a photo in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, Aug. 22, 2022. Zinkl and Lott gave Rivera the Joint Task Force-Bravo patch in appreciation for allowing the HEART 22 team to integrate with the medical professionals at Hospital Regional de Occidente. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Shane Placke)
This work, Meeting with Dr. Israel Rivera [Image 22 of 22], must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7395185/meeting-with-dr-israel-rivera | 2022-08-31T01:07:31Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7395185/meeting-with-dr-israel-rivera | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
U.S. Army Spc. Danielle Price, a dental hygienist with the Health Engagements Assistance Response Team (HEART) 2022, sanitizes dental tools at Hospital Regional de Occidente in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, Aug. 22, 2022. Dental is one of the three medical teams that integrated with Guatemalan medical professionals for HEART 22. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Shane Placke)
This work, HEART 22 Dental Team in Guatemala [Image 22 of 22], must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7395191/heart-22-dental-team-guatemala | 2022-08-31T01:08:02Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7395191/heart-22-dental-team-guatemala | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
U.S. Air Force Maj. Rondre Baluyot, left, a dentist with the Health Engagements Assistance Response Team (HEART) 2022, high fives a patient at Hospital Regional de Occidente in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, Aug. 24, 2022. One of the goals of HEART 22 was to join with partner nations to promote the well-being of local communities together. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Shane Placke)
This work, HEART 22 Dental Team in Guatemala [Image 22 of 22], must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7395198/heart-22-dental-team-guatemala | 2022-08-31T01:08:45Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7395198/heart-22-dental-team-guatemala | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PASCO, Wash. - School is back in session for every grade level and higher education. Dr. Rebekah Woods has been at the helm of Columbia Basin College in Pasco for nearly five years now.
Dr. Woods actually started her professional career practicing law but ended up working at her alma mater and staying in higher ed ever since.
In the five years she's been a Hawk she has overseen many changes, upgrades and expansions. The new Student Recreation Center is one of those. | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/dialed-in/dialed-in-from-the-courtroom-to-community-college/article_6bd4e176-28b9-11ed-9771-17efad7dc034.html | 2022-08-31T01:10:57Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/dialed-in/dialed-in-from-the-courtroom-to-community-college/article_6bd4e176-28b9-11ed-9771-17efad7dc034.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
EASTON, Md. - The Shortage of health care workers is and has been hitting the town of Easton hard.
Mayor Robert Willey voiced how finding more health care workers is a top priority for the town. He says the concern is there of those feeling burned out. Nurse, doctors, practitioners, etc. are being burned out from overwork, added stress, and overwhelming demands.
Willey says, he hears their concerns. "They are sometimes working double shifts before they could leave. It's okay for a while, but after a while it does get to be a little tedious. They're a little bit concerned that maybe the level of health care is not as good as it should be," says Willey.
They understand there is an issue. They understand that they have to bring in more people. But, they also don't want to sacrifice the quality of the individuals that they're bringing in. They want well trained people. People that will come in and stay," says Willey. He said after his comment, people reached out to suggest how to get more workers to Easton.
One health care worker is calling this 'The Great Resignation'. Meaning, those medical professionals are either leaving or switching their positions. This is because of the burn-out and the feeling of being over worked and not compensated properly. And, the aging population of Easton adds to the stress.
Stefanie Defiglia, a nurse practitioner at Two Tree Integrative Health, says this will continue to be an increasing problem for Easton. "The question is, what happens now? Because, I think the shortage of providers is not going away any time soon. I think its going to be years before Easton recovers from this. I think the impact will be significant. I think its impacting patient care. People can't get access," says Defiglia. Defiglia owns her own practice now after she left her time in the hospital. She and some other health care providers only can hope this gets better.
Some health care providers did say they were in the process of finding additional employees. They added that this is a problem for Easton, but also for the Globe. | https://www.wboc.com/news/concerns-from-easton-about-health-care-worker-shortage/article_20107f40-28b2-11ed-994c-e337f5bf2a7d.html | 2022-08-31T01:11:02Z | wboc.com | control | https://www.wboc.com/news/concerns-from-easton-about-health-care-worker-shortage/article_20107f40-28b2-11ed-994c-e337f5bf2a7d.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Clear calm night overnight lows in the upper 50s and low to mid 60s.
Tomorrow a weak disturbance will move in which may result in a stray shower/t-storm over the Cascades. Winds will also increase across the region in the afternoon and evening with gusts of 20-30 mph. Fire danger remains high due to the hot and dry conditions and strong gusty winds.
More hot record-breaking temperatures this week and a heat advisory has been issued for most of Eastern Washington and North Eastern Oregon. Temperatures of 98-104 are expected this week.
Temperatures will gradually begin to cool on Saturday into the Labor Day Weekend to the upper 80s and low 90s.
Heat Advisory... Until Wednesday 11 PM
Location: NE Oregon and E Washington
Temps: 98 - 104
Near Record Highs
Stay Hydrated
Take Breaks
Remember Pets
Increasing Fire Danger
Tri-Cities
Tuesday... Sunny, Hot... 100/66 (record: 102/1967)
Wednesday... Sunny, Hot, PM Breezy... 103/69 (record: 103/1967)
Thursday... Mostly Sunny, Hot... 102/66 (record: 101/1998)
Friday... Mostly Sunny, Hot, PM Breezy... 102/66 (record: 100/1998)
Saturday... Mostly Sunny and Cooler, Breezy... 94/61
Sunday... Mostly Sunny.. 95/61
Monday... Mostly/Partly Sunny... 94/59
Yakima
Tuesday... Sunny, Hot... 97/64 (record: 98/1967)
Wednesday... Sunny, Hot... 101/68 (record: 97/1998)
Thursday... Mostly Sunny, Hot... 97/63 (record: 100/1949)
Friday... Mostly Sunny, Hot... 98/64 (record: 99/2017)
Saturday... Mostly Sunny, Cooler, Breezy... 92/58
Sunday... Mostly Sunny.. 92/57
Monday... Mostly/Partly Sunny... 91/56 | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/more-hot-days-ahead/article_fbf2f1a2-28b0-11ed-a059-a7f189691a01.html | 2022-08-31T01:11:03Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/more-hot-days-ahead/article_fbf2f1a2-28b0-11ed-a059-a7f189691a01.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WORCESTER -- The lack of rain over the past few weeks in Worcester and Wicomico County is hurting crop yield. Specifically, it's hurting corn and soybean crops. David Shockley, a farmer in Worcester County, says this is one of the worst droughts he's seen in almost 10 years, and it happened during a critical month for farming.
"I think probably the biggest issue right now is soybeans," said Shockley. "August is a critical month of rainfall for soybeans, and right in this area we haven't had much mor than an inch in the last six weeks."
Now, that hasn't completely destroyed his crops. According to Shockley, depending on the quality of soil, crops in different areas of his farm, and all over the state, will react to the lack of rain differently. There were areas on his farm where soybean plants were tall and healthy, while other crops had been completely burned off.
"We think the crop is hurt, yield wise," said Shockley. "It's really hard to put a figure on it, but we're thinking between 35% and 40%."
According to Haley Sater with the University of Maryland Extension, in Wicomico County, farmers are facing the same hurdles.
"A majority of the fields here that are corn and soy or other agronomic crops, they will be taking more of a hit," said Sater.
Sater believes that by the end of the year, we could see an overall yield penalty for both corn and soybeans. | https://www.wboc.com/news/lack-of-rain-is-hurting-farmers-without-irrigation/article_df956eda-28b1-11ed-a7a1-e355f853979b.html | 2022-08-31T01:11:04Z | wboc.com | control | https://www.wboc.com/news/lack-of-rain-is-hurting-farmers-without-irrigation/article_df956eda-28b1-11ed-a7a1-e355f853979b.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Milton, De. --- The town of Milton is expanding the historic district to preserve the town's rich history. Most people are on board with the expansion even if it does create some inconveniences. The proposed expansion would include 417 buildings, structures, and sites. Milton's preservation commission is collaborating with the University of Delaware to preserve the town's history. Milton's mayor, John Collier, says he wants to keep the town's history a priority.
"Well, historic resources are just that and if we don't do the work to preserve them we lose them," Collier said. "And there has already been enough lost history through progress and we're not trying to make the town stand still we just trying to protect its historic heritage. "
And the mayor also says he wants to keep the town's history by preserving more of the structures that lie within.
"A lot of what we are trying to preserve is the historic detail," Collier said. "If you look around at some of the historic houses you'll see versions wood are other elements and architectural elements and that what we trying to preserve because that's really where the history lies."
Nancy Edwards is a homeowner in the historic expansion area. She has an appreciation for history and when she made changes to her home she made sure to keep the historic elements.
"The structure of this house if we're taking this off you would see the original wood from this house and I thought that was important because that way if somebody that has a little bit more money than I did," Edwards said. "When they buy the house and they want to redo it they're going to have the original under there."
There are concerns for some homeowners because the changes to their structures have to be approved first.
"There are concerns I'm not going to lie some people up on a federal street that's already in the historical district we're trying to replace their windows and it costs them a lot," Edwards said. "Not just a lot of money but to find somebody who would have the craftsmanship to be able to do it."
So even though there may be a few concerns, some people in Milton are excited to keep history alive. | https://www.wboc.com/the-historic-district-of-milton-is-expanding-to-include-more-historic-homes/article_655e78ca-28c3-11ed-9343-ab6ff0d00ec7.html | 2022-08-31T01:11:05Z | wboc.com | control | https://www.wboc.com/the-historic-district-of-milton-is-expanding-to-include-more-historic-homes/article_655e78ca-28c3-11ed-9343-ab6ff0d00ec7.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
UNITED STATES — In a WalletHub study that compared 300 cities’ real-estate markets, multiple Washington cities scored well. The study used data from 17 indicators of housing-market attractiveness and economic strength, like median home-price appreciation and job growth. According to the study, mortgage rates have doubled in the last year, and home values have risen about 21% on average.
The first city in Washington listed is Bellevue, ranked 14. Before that, there are seven cities in Texas, two in Arizona, two in Tennessee and two in North Carolina. Seattle wasn’t far behind at 16. There is one Oregon city, one California city and one Idaho city on the list before the next Washington city, Vancouver, at 29.
Washington isn’t listed again until 51, with Tacoma, followed by Renton at 54 and Everett at 57. The city of Spokane Valley ranks 60, just three above Portland, Oregon. Kent ranks 73 and Spokane ranks 77.
There’s another large gap in Washington cities, with the next mention at 105 with Federal Way. Yakima ranks 136, the last Washington city to make the cut.
WalletHub also noted which cities had the lowest and highest median days on the market. Both Renton and Everett were in the top five. Both Bellevue and Spokane ranked in the five cities with the lowest foreclosure rate. Bellevue was also the city with the fifth-lowest percentage of delinquent mortgage holders. | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/national/best-places-by-data-to-buy-a-home/article_6d07ecfe-28bf-11ed-b8bd-eb58fa246aa8.html | 2022-08-31T01:11:09Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/national/best-places-by-data-to-buy-a-home/article_6d07ecfe-28bf-11ed-b8bd-eb58fa246aa8.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Cookies sold at Target stores across the U.S. are being recalled after wire-metal pieces were found inside part of the product.
York, Pennsylvania-based D.F. Stauffer Biscuit Co. Inc. is voluntarily recalling its 44-ounce Market Pantry White Fudge Animal Cookies, which come in clear plastic bear-shaped jugs.
The affected products have a best-by date of Feb. 21, 2023, and the lot number Y052722.
People who have purchased the recalled product are urged to stop consuming it and return it for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact D.F. Stauffer Biscuit Co. Inc. at 888-480-1988, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/national/white-fudge-animal-cookies-sold-at-target-recalled-after-metal-pieces-were-found/article_85ce7192-28b8-11ed-8985-873bdaecd3e3.html | 2022-08-31T01:11:15Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/national/white-fudge-animal-cookies-sold-at-target-recalled-after-metal-pieces-were-found/article_85ce7192-28b8-11ed-8985-873bdaecd3e3.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PORTLAND, Ore. — One student was killed and two other people were injured Monday night at Lewis and Clark College campus in Southwest Portland after a brick column collapsed, Portland Fire & Rescue said.
Fire and rescue crews responded to a report of multiple injuries just after 8:15 p.m. Crews learned a group of six people were in three hammocks hanging from the column. No one was pinned beneath the column. Some 911 callers reported that one person was seriously injured and people were performing CPR on him.
A 19-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene and two 18-year-old women were taken to the hospital. Fire officials could not release the condition of the women, but said one of them had injuries to one arm and the other had abdominal injuries. Portland Fire & Rescue could not confirm if the women were students.
The names of the student who died and those who were injured have not been released.
The incident happened on the first day of class and Lewis and Clark College.
"It wouldn't matter what day it was, this was tragic," said Terry Foster with Portland Fire & Rescue. "These kids are trying to adjust to college life, some of them for the first time, and it can be really challenging for them when they have this trauma."
Foster said finding the group of people on campus was a challenge because of the large campus. He added that the dispatch log showed the incident was located near the reflecting pool on campus.
Lewis and Clark College released a statement on their website.
"We are devastated to report that earlier this evening, a tragic accident occurred on the undergraduate campus in which one of our students was killed and two others were injured," the statement said. "We are working to contact the students’ families and will report more information as it becomes available. We are deeply saddened by the shocking loss of a member of our community." | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/column-collapses-at-lewis-and-clark-college-1-dead-2-injured/article_6b2d0936-28b1-11ed-a090-7ba60ac6b11f.html | 2022-08-31T01:11:22Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/column-collapses-at-lewis-and-clark-college-1-dead-2-injured/article_6b2d0936-28b1-11ed-a090-7ba60ac6b11f.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PORTLAND, Ore. — With each new September 1, fourth-grade students across the country become eligible for Every Kid Outdoors, the federal program that offers fourth graders and their families a year of free access to National lands.
Fourth graders can do a short online activity to get individual passes. Pass access includes National Forests, National Parks and other public lands through August 31, 2023.
Additionally, fourth-grade teachers can download an education activity guide to go over with their students. They can then offer paper vouchers for students and families, which can be traded in for a plastic pass at any Forest Service office.
“Every Kid Outdoors is designed to get kids and their families to explore the outdoors and explore the incredible experiences that are available to them on public lands,” said Krystal Fleeger, the U.S. Forest Service’s PNW Region recreation fee specialist. “These passes are intentionally designed to belong to the fourth graders and can only be used when they are present. We want people to get out there and explore these places as a family.”
BAKER CITY, Ore. — One of many opportunities for outdoor recreation in Eastern Oregon is the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, which has guidel…
Kids begin to learn about the world around them and consider new ideas around ages 9-11, according to the U.S. Forest Service. This age group is reportedly more likely to form lasting connections to nature and history when they’re introduced to public lands and historic sites, which is why the program is aimed at fourth-graders.
“Public lands serve an important role. They’re living classrooms, and portals to lifelong learning about the natural and cultural history of forests, grasslands and other treasured places,” said Thea Garrett, the U.S. Forest Service’s PNW Region interim conservation education program manager. “Our hope is this program will help inspire the next generation to care for public lands, and to continue to steward these special places for the benefit of future generations.” | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/federal-program-offers-free-land-access-to-fourth-graders-all-year/article_0f7fdbc6-28b7-11ed-ae0f-637743ee0db2.html | 2022-08-31T01:11:28Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/federal-program-offers-free-land-access-to-fourth-graders-all-year/article_0f7fdbc6-28b7-11ed-ae0f-637743ee0db2.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
KENNEWICK, Wash. — The Kennewick Police Department is investigating a second-degree murder case after family found 66-year-old Susan Martin dead in a home on August 30. Just before 10:30 a.m., the family called emergency personnel to the home on W 7th Avenue, reporting stab wounds.
A 73-year-old male has been arrested for alleged second degree murder, according to the Kennewick Police Department. Investigation is ongoing and the WSP Crime Lab is still processing the scene.
This is a developing story, which means information could change. We are working to report timely and accurate information as we get it. | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/kennewick-police-investigate-deadly-stabbing/article_1adff596-28c1-11ed-ac21-63b89cd701e7.html | 2022-08-31T01:11:34Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/kennewick-police-investigate-deadly-stabbing/article_1adff596-28c1-11ed-ac21-63b89cd701e7.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
KENNEWICK, Wash. — The Professional Bull Riders Challenger Series’ Tri-Cities Classic is returning to the Toyota Center on September 9 and 10 to showcase some of the country’s best bull riders. A variety of ticket packages are available.
There will be around 40 bull riders, who will each ride one bull in Round 1 and Round 2. The scores will be totaled and the top ten will advance to the championship round. They’ll ride one more time in a chance for the event title.
The event debuted in Kennewick last year, when Washington native Cody Casper won with a 3-for-3 victory.
The full Challenger Series features over 60 events, starting in May and ending with a championship in November. So far, the top 25 riders are within 100 points of each other. | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/professional-bull-riders-tri-cities-classic-returns-to-toyota-center/article_5ef5b4b0-28bb-11ed-94ff-d355f8a6784d.html | 2022-08-31T01:11:40Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/professional-bull-riders-tri-cities-classic-returns-to-toyota-center/article_5ef5b4b0-28bb-11ed-94ff-d355f8a6784d.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
OLYMPIA, Wash. — Private landowners in Washington can now use an online portal to navigate the resources offered to them through the state Department of Natural Resources. The portal was created by the Forest Resilience and Forest Regulation divisions and launched August 30, 2022.
DNR conducted an informal survey during Spring 2022 regarding landowner assistance programs. It found that many landowners know what assistance they’re looking for, but aren’t always able to find all the information they need.
To combat confusion and make this assistance easier for landowners, the new “Landowner Assistance Portal” sorts 34 subjects into four categories; Resources for Managing My Forest, Keeping My Forest Healthy, Education and Training, and Permits and Regulations.
“This new tool is a one-stop shop for private forestland owners in Washington,” said Hilary Franz, the Commissioner of Public Lands. “We are making transformational investments in our landowner assistance programs with the goal of keeping Washington the Evergreen state. Easier access to information on forest health, stewardship, and wildfire prevention will help landowners protect their homes and forests. Healthy forests, no matter what size, provide benefits to all who live in Washington.” | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/wa-department-of-natural-resources-releases-landowner-assistance-portal/article_3ad4ff1e-28c5-11ed-b4fd-973e11ab5c1f.html | 2022-08-31T01:11:46Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/wa-department-of-natural-resources-releases-landowner-assistance-portal/article_3ad4ff1e-28c5-11ed-b4fd-973e11ab5c1f.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
YAKIMA, Wash. — Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction with a four-way stop at the Yakima Avenue and 6th Avenue intersection on August 31 while crews upgrade the traffic signal. The traffic signal will not work between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m.
The work is part of a series of traffic signal upgrades along Yakima Avenue, which includes new 12-inch LED signal heads.
The speed limit will be 20 mph in the work zone. | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/traffic/traffic-signal-upgrade-to-impact-traffic-on-yakima-ave/article_1a4f52dc-28c8-11ed-9b36-b7ca7702ba27.html | 2022-08-31T01:11:52Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/traffic/traffic-signal-upgrade-to-impact-traffic-on-yakima-ave/article_1a4f52dc-28c8-11ed-9b36-b7ca7702ba27.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
COCA Co-Artistic Directors of Dance Antonio Douthit-Boyd and Kirven Douthit-Boyd recently received Dance Teacher Awards at the 2022 Dance Teacher Awards held at The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture in NYC. The Douthit-Boyds are among eight extraordinary dance educators who will be celebrated for shaping the next generation of dancers.
Dance Teacher Awards are given to dance educators who have a unique impact on their students and/or community, strive to bring out the best in their students as dancers and people, have a thoughtful and forward-thinking approach to pedagogy, are dedicated to their own continued learning, prioritize dancers’ mental and physical health and safety, and are committed to anti-racism, equity, and inclusion.
As co-artistic directors of dance at COCA, the Douthit-Boyds oversee the Pre-Professional Division Dance Program, which includes three student companies—Ballet Eclectica, COCAdance, and COCA Hip-Hop Crew, and provides advanced curriculum to student artists who have committed to training in dance. They also manage all aspects of COCA’s broader dance department, which provides classes for students of all ages and backgrounds.
Prior to COCA, they were principal artists with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, performing internationally and working with world-renowned choreographers. In 2021, they received the Excellence in Arts Award from the Arts and Education Council in St. Louis. | https://www.stlamerican.com/arts_and_entertainment/living_it/coca-directors-of-dance-honored-at-national-dance-teacher-awards/article_e42e95ec-2885-11ed-8d6e-87d9d7f5eae1.html | 2022-08-31T01:19:18Z | stlamerican.com | control | https://www.stlamerican.com/arts_and_entertainment/living_it/coca-directors-of-dance-honored-at-national-dance-teacher-awards/article_e42e95ec-2885-11ed-8d6e-87d9d7f5eae1.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
UPDATED: State police searching for gunman after driver shot at on I-495
Post a comment as
Report
Watch this discussion. Stop watching this discussion.
(4) comments
Just another typical morning commute in Northern Virginia. I'm sure the shooter will be more calm on his drive home this afternoon, that is unless somebody cuts him off.
Welcome to the discussion.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article.
OPEN FOR BUSINESS
Real-time social media posts from local businesses and organizations across Northern Virginia, powered by Friends2Follow. To add your business to the stream, email cfields@insidenova.com or click on the green button below. | https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/updated-state-police-searching-for-gunman-after-driver-shot-at-on-i-495/article_18390d54-2494-11ed-9c6b-6bb4c7285279.html | 2022-08-31T01:19:19Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/updated-state-police-searching-for-gunman-after-driver-shot-at-on-i-495/article_18390d54-2494-11ed-9c6b-6bb4c7285279.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Woodbridge High School graduate Da’Shawn Hand has made the Tennessee Titans' 53-man roster.
NFL teams had until 4 p.m. Tuesday to finalize their rosters going into the regular season. Hand is one of seven defensive linemen the Titans kept.
The Chicago Bears cut Stonewall Jackson graduate Greg Stroman Tuesday.
During the preseason, Hand recorded four tackles and one sack in two games.
Tennessee initially signed Hand to its practice squad Jan. 5. Hand became a free agent Jan. 30. Hand only played in the Titan's regular-season finale, getting on the field for six snaps.
Hand was available after the Indianapolis Colts released him from their practice squad. Hand was with the Colts from Dec. 21 to Dec. 31.
On Feb. 15, the Titans announced Tuesday they had signed Hand to a reserve/futures contract.
Such deals are given to players at the start of the new league year who did not finish the previous regular season on the active roster.
Hand began the 2021 NFL season with the Detroit Lions, who then released him Nov. 30. Detroit drafted Hand in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of Alabama. He had a productive rookie season, posting three sacks and four tackles for loss in 13 games.
But injuries limited his playing time to 16 games overall from 2019-2021. | https://www.insidenova.com/sports/prince_william/woodbridge-graduate-da-shawn-hand-makes-tennessees-final-53-man-roster/article_4ecf68c4-2866-11ed-afec-c37c9705c5c8.html | 2022-08-31T01:19:25Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/sports/prince_william/woodbridge-graduate-da-shawn-hand-makes-tennessees-final-53-man-roster/article_4ecf68c4-2866-11ed-afec-c37c9705c5c8.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment [SLATE] has gone to work on increasing the number of fully trained and certified commercial vehicle drivers in the city.
SLATE is offering 4-week Commercial Driver’s License [CDL] training to eligible participants at no cost. The agency will provide students with career guidance and job readiness training, help purchase supplies, materials, and uniforms, and upon completion, will offer job placement assistance, according to SLATE Executive Director Fredrecka McGlown.
We know the demand for truck driving training is strong among our customers because these are better-paying jobs, but many people cannot afford to pay for it,” she said.
“Our partnership with the training providers will help us assist participants and greatly enhance career and professional skills to help them stay gainfully employed for years to come.”
The St. Louis regional economy and service providers depend on thousands of commercial drivers delivering goods to households and businesses.
The license also opens careers in heavy machinery operation for construction projects, repairing roads, picking up refuse, and driving Metro and school buses.
A shortage of bus drivers is plaguing many school districts throughout the United States. St. Louis Public Schools was forced to suspend routes to eight schools for the first few weeks of the school year. It is trying to get more bus drivers on the road, but the company providing the drivers cannot currently recruit enough candidates.
Finding itself in need of drivers, the trucking industry offers flexible schedules, job security, and a high earning potential for many positions.
The trucking industry is also trying to increase diversity among its drivers.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data for truck transportation in 2020 show that women make up 12.4% of trucking’s workforce, while comprising more than 50% of the nation’s total workforce.
In addition, 76.6% of the industry is white, 17.1% Black, 3.6% Asian, and 22.6% Hispanic or Latino.
“The business environment has moved faster than ever, so you have to have diversity of ethnicity, diversity of gender, diversity of thought, and diversity of experience,” Eric Fuller, CEO of U.S. Xpress, said during the American Trucking Associations’ 2021 Management Conference in Nashville, according to fleetowner.com.
“We are very open about our intention to be more diverse,” Fuller said. “We’ve had a number of candidates that we tried to hire who are unwilling to come to U.S. Xpress because of their perception about the industry.”
According to the Labor Dept, there were 80,000 open truck driving positions in 2021, which the SLATE program can help alleviate.
SLATE is partnering with MTC, Roadmasters, and 160 Driving to provide CDL training, and the program offers a combination of classroom lectures and hands-on experience. The goal is preparing students to obtain a Class A CDL certification and then apply for work with national carriers, municipalities, and local contractors.
To participate, candidates must be at least 18 years of age, have a valid U.S. Driver's License, reside in St. Louis or St. Louis County, and have a high school diploma or equivalency.
Individuals can call (314) 589-8000 to schedule an appointment or visit to SLATE, located at 1520 Market Street, Ste. 3050, Missouri 63103. The office is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. It is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information about SLATE, visit www.stlworks.com. To apply for a position with the City’s Refuse Division, which includes a $3,000 hiring bonus, visit the city website’s Refuse Division page. | https://www.stlamerican.com/business/business_news/wheeling-and-dealing/article_48ad80e4-28bf-11ed-9ac4-fb5ff8073c16.html | 2022-08-31T01:19:25Z | stlamerican.com | control | https://www.stlamerican.com/business/business_news/wheeling-and-dealing/article_48ad80e4-28bf-11ed-9ac4-fb5ff8073c16.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
‘God had bigger plans for me’: Teen pitcher recovering after being struck in the head by batted ball
OZARK, Mo. (KY3/Gray News) - A 16-year-old in Missouri is recovering after he suffered a severe injury to his head from a batted ball.
On July 10 at U.S. Ballpark in Ozark, Kellar Davis was pitching a game for the Midwest Mavericks summer league team when he was struck in the right temple by a batted ball.
“It knocked me down, but I got back up, and I thought I had the ball,” Davis told KY3. “So I reached into my glove and didn’t feel it there. Then, my vision went black. I was still conscious, but that was when I started to get scared, and I heard people coming out there.”
The people who came out to help included Davis’ parents, Jason and Tracy Davis, as well as spectators with medical backgrounds who provided aid until the ambulance arrived.
Kellar Davis was taken to the hospital and slowly regained his sight. His parents were told by hospital officials he’d be under concussion protocol for the next 24 hours.
Then they were given more bad news.
“A neurosurgeon walked in and told us it was getting bad quick,” Jason Davis said. “They were prepping the OR, and they needed to go now.”
Tracy Davis said the doctors told them their son had bleeding between his skull and the lining of his brain.
“They did a craniectomy where they take a piece of skull out, drain the blood and cauterize the bleeding,” Kellar Davis said. “Then they put (the piece) back on with four little metal plates in there.”
Kellar Davis’s mom said the next 24 hours were rough for him.
“He was sick all night,” she said.
While she waited during a CT scan performed by doctors, Tracy Davis said she started reading a Bible her son had brought from home.
She said she read a few passages he had highlighted, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” After reading, Tracy Davis said her son’s CT scan came back “perfect,” and he improved and started walking that evening.
“It was a God thing,” she said.
Jason Davis said all of the specialists that came in the room said his son’s recovery was “amazing.”
Doctors said they expected Kellar Davis to be in intensive care for 72 hours and in the hospital for at least another week, but he was released within those 72 hours. He said he attributes his quick recovery to his faith and a commitment he made two weeks before his injury.
“I got called into the ministry, and I knew he was going to do something in my life pretty crazy to give me a good testimony for people,” Kellar Davis said. “But I never expected it to be something like this. My great-grandpa told me that Satan took a shot at me, but God had bigger plans for me.”
There was also a tremendous outreach of support from the Licking, Missouri, community and beyond.
“It’s been very overwhelming and humbling,” Tracy Davis said. “We’ve heard from people we know, people we don’t know, even people from other countries.”
While he was able to watch one game since the accident, Kellar Davis said he is determined to return to the field soon. He also said he has had no lingering effects.
“The only thing I had to get was a shaved head for it, so that’s pretty good,” he said.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbko.com/2022/08/31/god-had-bigger-plans-me-teen-pitcher-recovering-after-being-struck-head-by-batted-ball/ | 2022-08-31T01:19:45Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/2022/08/31/god-had-bigger-plans-me-teen-pitcher-recovering-after-being-struck-head-by-batted-ball/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
YONGIN, South Korea and AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 30 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- GC Biopharma (006280.KS) and Speragen today announced that a joint Externally Led - Patient-Focused Drug Development (EL-PFDD) meeting hosted by SSADH Association and attended by the U.S. FDA and other stakeholders was held to address the patient experience with SSADHD (Succinic Semialdehyde Dehydrogenase Deficiency), a disorder caused by mutations in the ALDH5A1 gene which is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner.
The purpose of this meeting is for patients affected by SSADHD, and their families, to provide clear perspectives to researchers, academics, industry partners, and the FDA on living with their condition and what defines a meaningful treatment. In the meeting, a total of 113 participations including patients, families, KOLs, members of FDA, GC Biopharma and Speragen, were gathered from all over the world.
The participants were communicating to the FDA about the impacts of SSADHD on individuals' daily lives, what types of treatment benefits impact patients' lives, and perspectives on how well available therapies are working.
Based on the discussion, the SSADH Association will submit the Voice of the Patient report to the FDA by the end of this year. GC Biopharma and Speragen also plan to develop a clinical outcome assessment for developing ERT (Enzyme Replacement Therapy) for SSADHD to meet the patient's unmet needs.
"The meeting was a major step towards our ultimate goal of providing new treatment options to the patients and their families," said EC Huh, Ph. D., President of GC Biopharma. "We will continue our work to provide rare disease treatments and expand our R&D pipelines."
"We are so very proud of the patients and families for sharing their experiences and impacts from living with SSADHD. It took great vulnerability and courage to be so open about their struggles" said Alice McConnell, CEO of Speragen.
About SSADHD
Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency (SSADHD) is a disorder that can cause a variety of neurological and neuromuscular problems. The signs and symptoms can be extremely variable among affected individuals and may include mild to severe intellectual disability; developmental delay (especially involving speech); hypotonia; sleep disturbances; difficulty coordinating movements (ataxia); and/or seizures. Some affected individuals may also have decreased reflexes (hyporeflexia); nystagmus; hyperactivity; and/or behavioral problems. SSADH deficiency is caused by mutations in the ALDH5A1 gene and is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. Management is generally symptomatic and typically focuses on treating seizures and neurobehavioral issues. Like so many rare diseases, there is no treatment for SSADHD worldwide.
About GC Biopharma
GC Biopharma (formerly known as Green Cross Corporation) is a biopharmaceutical company that delivers life-saving and life-sustaining protein therapeutics and vaccines. Headquartered in Yongin, South Korea, GC Biopharma is one of the leading plasma protein and vaccine product manufacturers globally and has been dedicated to quality healthcare solutions for more than half a century.
About Speragen
Speragen was co-founded by a mother of two children who are affected with SSADHD. Speragen knows first-hand the challenges of navigating a life with a rare disease: from the daily challenges, the diagnostic odyssey, accepting the new reality post-diagnosis, finding a team of knowledgeable clinicians who can provide care, and finally to seeing the chasm between the current state of treatment and the possibility of a first-in-class drug becoming available. Speragen, comes from the Latin word "spera" meaning "hope". It was formed to help solve these issues more rapidly by bridging the gulf from hope to the realization of a therapy.
This press release may contain forward-looking statements, which express the current beliefs and expectations of GC Biopharma's management. Such statements do not represent any guarantee by GC Biopharma or its management of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. GC Biopharma undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement contained in this press release or any other forward-looking statements it may make, except as required by law or stock exchange rule.
GC Biopharma Contacts
:Investor/Media
Seunghyun Baek
seunghyun.baek@gccorp.com
Yelin Jun
yelin@gccorp.com
Sohee Kim
shkim20@gccorp.com
Hansaem Kim
hs.kim@gccorp.com
Speragen Contacts
:Investor/Media
Alice McConnell
alice@speragen.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE GC Biopharma | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/gc-biopharma-speragen-sponsored-an-externally-led-patient-focused-drug-development-with-fda-attendance/ | 2022-08-31T01:20:34Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/gc-biopharma-speragen-sponsored-an-externally-led-patient-focused-drug-development-with-fda-attendance/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Officials in Nigeria say at least eight people were rescued after a three-story building collapsed in a market area of the country's second-largest city.
Authorities with Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency said the structure was still under construction. Still, people had been shopping on the ground floor, where stores were allowed to open during construction.
Nura Abdullahi, the local coordinator for the country's National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), confirmed the rescues and said the building completely collapsed on Tuesday, CNN reported.
"The building was under construction, but the ground floor was occupied," Abdullahi said.
Several shops were already operating on the ground floor and had customers. Officials said it wasn't immediately clear how many more people were trapped.
"We believe people were shopping there at the time of the collapse. We are not able to get a rough estimate of the number of people trapped inside," he said. | https://www.katc.com/news/national/building-in-nigerias-second-largest-city-collapses-as-people-shop-on-ground-floor | 2022-08-31T01:20:36Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/national/building-in-nigerias-second-largest-city-collapses-as-people-shop-on-ground-floor | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Countless animals around the world face extinction, many from loss of habitat and many others from poachers. In fact, wildlife poaching is a serious problem. And for those trying to protect endangered species, it's a dangerous job.
Anton Mzimba was the head of field ranger services for South Africa's Timbavati Private Nature Reserve near the famous Kruger National Park. He was well-respected and admired by field rangers, animal activists and government officials. Mzimba was a fierce protector of the nature reserve's wild animals, especially the endangered rhinoceros population, and he was considered incorruptible. Corruption is a big problem among field rangers in Africa.
"I'm defending the natural resources from those who want to loot it," he told the Global Conservation Corps in an interview last year. "I'm protecting lives of people, lives of animals. I'm protecting the plants. So, all the creatures, I am protecting. On the other hand, I am also a soldier because the duty of a soldier is to protect the country."
On July 26, Mzimba was gunned down in front of his home in the fight over wildlife poaching and trafficking. His wife was also wounded in the attack. No arrests have been made but the investigation into his murder continues.
"These are front-line troops literally facing armed assailants every day," Peter Knights, the president and founder of nonprofit WildAid, told Newsy.
Knights says field rangers are risking their lives to protect their countries natural heritage.
"It's a really nasty business and a lot of this goes on with corruption, but very often it also goes on with coercion. So, rangers like this will have their families threatened. They are put under all kinds of stresses. It takes tremendous courage to get up every day and go out there to protect these animals knowing you may not come home again in the evening," Knights said.
Mzimba knew how crucial it is to protect endangered wildlife, especially rhinos, whose horns are sought after by organized criminal networks. The current rhino poaching crisis is fueled by demand for the animal's horn, mainly in China and Vietnam. The horn is still used in traditional Asian medicine and is seen as a symbol of wealth. In some parts of Asia, it's believed it can cure cancer and help a range of maladies. This is false. The horn is made of keratin, like hair and fingernails.
According to WildAid, 95% of the world's rhino population has been lost over the past 40 years. But Knights says educational campaigns are working. "Rhino horn prices have dropped dramatically from about $65,000 a kilo down to $12,000 to $18,000," he said.
But that's still enough incentive for criminal gangs to go after rhinos. The gangs also use sophisticated methods of hunting and tracking rhinos, including helicopters, night vision equipment and veterinary drugs to knock them out, according to World Wildlife Fund. There were just over 23,500 black and white rhinoceros left in the world as of 2017, with 75% in South Africa, the International Union for Conservation of Nature reported.
More than 9,300 rhinos have been killed in South Africa for their horns between 2008 and 2021. The group Stop Poaching Rhinos says 259 have been killed by poachers so far this year and 451 were killed for their horns last year.
Newsy is the nation’s only free 24/7 national news network. You can find Newsy using your TV’s digital antenna or stream for free. See all the ways you can watch Newsy here. | https://www.katc.com/news/national/conservationists-risk-their-lives-protecting-endangered-species | 2022-08-31T01:20:42Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/national/conservationists-risk-their-lives-protecting-endangered-species | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
In a world full of infidelity, finding a faithful partner is gradually becoming a Herculean task, and cheating is subtly becoming the new normal. While it should be noted that faithful partners still exist, there is an increasing number of partners who cheat.
Some of these cheating partners are getting more creative and developing new strategies every day to perpetrate their acts and keep their partners off guard. Cheating partners most times do everything humanly possible to keep the acts away from their partners, hence it is somehow difficult to know they are cheating.
Whether you are married, engaged or in a serious relationship with your partner, the signs that they may be cheating on you are limitless, but In this article, we will take a look at some of the common ones.
1. They become busy all of a sudden
If all of a sudden your partner who normally has your time starts to give you a series of excuses on how they could no longer have time for you without any tangible reasons or changes in their work schedules, then that might be an indication they are seeing someone else. With the exception of a few people, nobody is busy 24/7, so if your partner starts to ignore your call without returning, reply to your chat late or stop creating time for you, then there are high chances of infidelity from their side.
2. They start keeping their phones away from you
If your partner ordinarily grants you access and allows you to go through their phones without much ado, and all of a sudden becomes overprotective and over-sensitive about such a phone, then it may be that there is something they are hiding from you. Cheating partners are likely going to change their phone password and start guiding the phone as if their lives depended on it. Sometimes they go as far as taking the phone along with them to the bathroom, just so you don’t have access to it.
3. They change their house key and suddenly ask you to start taking permission before visiting
If you used to have a duplicate key to your partner’s apartment, and all of a sudden they changed the key to a new one without giving you a copy of the new one or giving you any concrete reasons why the key was changed, then it is something you should take cognisance of.
Similarly, if you can visit your partner’s house without prior notice but they suddenly insist you must start to inform them before coming, that may also be an indication that they are avoiding you and don’t want you to meet with the person they are cheating on you with.
4. They reduce the level of communication or cut communication with you
Before, you were your partner’s best friend and gist partner. They used to tell you anything and everything about how their day went, their goals, life ambitions, and others. But all of a sudden, they seem less interested in holding any form of conversation with you. They no longer share things with you like before. This may be a sign they have found another person to communicate and share those things with, hence they are no longer interested in communication with you.
5. They change their attitude towards you
You used to be the apple of your partner’s eyes, but that changed all of a sudden. They no longer find you attractive or find interest in everything you do. They now look for every opportunity to criticise and find fault in everything you do. All these might be indications that they are seeing someone else and are no longer loyal to you.
6. Changes in sex life
This is another indication that your partner may be cheating on you. Although it is normal to occasionally have inconsistent sex and intimacy, it can equally be an indication that your partner is seeing someone else. A sudden, significant increase or decrease in your sex life with your partner is a great sign of infidelity.
Similarly, if your partner suddenly comes up with new sex techniques you’ve never tried out before, there might be a chance they learned them from someone else.
7. They accuse you of cheating
This may sound weird, but it is actually a sign to look out for. In order to shift the blame off of them, they play on your emotions by accusing you of cheating, so they can appear as a saint and someone who disdains cheating.
Conclusion: Inasmuch as all the points discussed above are likely signs that your partner may be cheating on you, it should be noted that your partner may display some or all of these signs without cheating. There may have been some other factors that contributed to the changes in the behaviour of your partner.
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE | https://tribuneonlineng.com/seven-signs-your-partner-may-be-cheating-on-you/ | 2022-08-31T01:20:49Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/seven-signs-your-partner-may-be-cheating-on-you/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The 12th annual World Gravy Wrestling Championships has returned after a two-year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event, held at the Rose 'N' Bowl Pub in Lancashire, an area near Manchester in the United Kingdom, had competitors return to wrestle, grapple, and have fun in a pool of brown gravy.
Carol Lowe, a manager at the pub, said that it was "amazing to be back" as the competitors dawned fancy outfits and tossed around for two-minute rounds, the BBC reported.
Crowds gathered to witness the spectacle as competitors tried to close their eyes whenever possible so they didn't get the mixture of meat juices, chopped vegetables, and corn flour in their eyes.
This year 30 contestants competed against reigning champion Skye Penty from 2019. Six-time winner Joel Hicks also joined the gooey sport to see if he could stay at the top. | https://www.katc.com/news/national/world-gravy-wrestling-championships-are-back-the-hilarious-competition-returns-after-2-year-pandemic-pause | 2022-08-31T01:21:00Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/national/world-gravy-wrestling-championships-are-back-the-hilarious-competition-returns-after-2-year-pandemic-pause | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
DURHAM, N.C., Aug. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
Statement from Susan Estrich, spokesperson for Greg Lindberg:
Statement:
'Piling on' is what they call it when you have a weak case and what do you do? Pile on more charges – of something, from somewhere. In this case, the SEC added an even weaker case.
Only weeks ago, Greg Lindberg was released from prison because his fifth and sixth amendment rights were violated. He served 633 days in prison because of this wrongful conviction. But the government, instead of realizing its case had holes, or more likely because it does, came right back with the threat of more charges and more complaints.
So one day later, not so coincidentally, the SEC weighs in with its civil complaint after being shown millions of pages of documents to prove them wrong. They claimed no disclosure; we showed them actual disclosures. They claimed the companies weren't real; we showed them that they were. We showed them bank records to prove where the money went, and to prove that there was no private "piggybank" and that no policy holder ever lost a dime. We traced the money they couldn't trace.
When we showed them everything, they zeroed in on a handful of transactions representing less than 1.5% of that period's transaction volume across a global organization with $5.5 billion of assets under management. The SEC is bootstrapping one weak case to another, in the hope that their combined weight will count for more than they each do on their own. Mr. Lindberg intends to fight the false allegations that have been made against him, and to strengthen and support his insurance companies and the policy holders here in North Carolina.
View original content:
SOURCE Susan Estrich | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/susan-estrich-issues-statement-behalf-greg-lindberg/ | 2022-08-31T01:21:00Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/susan-estrich-issues-statement-behalf-greg-lindberg/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
YONGIN, South Korea and AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 30 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- GC Biopharma (006280.KS) and Speragen today announced that a joint Externally Led - Patient-Focused Drug Development (EL-PFDD) meeting hosted by SSADH Association and attended by the U.S. FDA and other stakeholders was held to address the patient experience with SSADHD (Succinic Semialdehyde Dehydrogenase Deficiency), a disorder caused by mutations in the ALDH5A1 gene which is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner.
The purpose of this meeting is for patients affected by SSADHD, and their families, to provide clear perspectives to researchers, academics, industry partners, and the FDA on living with their condition and what defines a meaningful treatment. In the meeting, a total of 113 participations including patients, families, KOLs, members of FDA, GC Biopharma and Speragen, were gathered from all over the world.
The participants were communicating to the FDA about the impacts of SSADHD on individuals' daily lives, what types of treatment benefits impact patients' lives, and perspectives on how well available therapies are working.
Based on the discussion, the SSADH Association will submit the Voice of the Patient report to the FDA by the end of this year. GC Biopharma and Speragen also plan to develop a clinical outcome assessment for developing ERT (Enzyme Replacement Therapy) for SSADHD to meet the patient's unmet needs.
"The meeting was a major step towards our ultimate goal of providing new treatment options to the patients and their families," said EC Huh, Ph. D., President of GC Biopharma. "We will continue our work to provide rare disease treatments and expand our R&D pipelines."
"We are so very proud of the patients and families for sharing their experiences and impacts from living with SSADHD. It took great vulnerability and courage to be so open about their struggles" said Alice McConnell, CEO of Speragen.
About SSADHD
Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency (SSADHD) is a disorder that can cause a variety of neurological and neuromuscular problems. The signs and symptoms can be extremely variable among affected individuals and may include mild to severe intellectual disability; developmental delay (especially involving speech); hypotonia; sleep disturbances; difficulty coordinating movements (ataxia); and/or seizures. Some affected individuals may also have decreased reflexes (hyporeflexia); nystagmus; hyperactivity; and/or behavioral problems. SSADH deficiency is caused by mutations in the ALDH5A1 gene and is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. Management is generally symptomatic and typically focuses on treating seizures and neurobehavioral issues. Like so many rare diseases, there is no treatment for SSADHD worldwide.
About GC Biopharma
GC Biopharma (formerly known as Green Cross Corporation) is a biopharmaceutical company that delivers life-saving and life-sustaining protein therapeutics and vaccines. Headquartered in Yongin, South Korea, GC Biopharma is one of the leading plasma protein and vaccine product manufacturers globally and has been dedicated to quality healthcare solutions for more than half a century.
About Speragen
Speragen was co-founded by a mother of two children who are affected with SSADHD. Speragen knows first-hand the challenges of navigating a life with a rare disease: from the daily challenges, the diagnostic odyssey, accepting the new reality post-diagnosis, finding a team of knowledgeable clinicians who can provide care, and finally to seeing the chasm between the current state of treatment and the possibility of a first-in-class drug becoming available. Speragen, comes from the Latin word "spera" meaning "hope". It was formed to help solve these issues more rapidly by bridging the gulf from hope to the realization of a therapy.
This press release may contain forward-looking statements, which express the current beliefs and expectations of GC Biopharma's management. Such statements do not represent any guarantee by GC Biopharma or its management of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. GC Biopharma undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement contained in this press release or any other forward-looking statements it may make, except as required by law or stock exchange rule.
GC Biopharma Contacts
:Investor/Media
Seunghyun Baek
seunghyun.baek@gccorp.com
Yelin Jun
yelin@gccorp.com
Sohee Kim
shkim20@gccorp.com
Hansaem Kim
hs.kim@gccorp.com
Speragen Contacts
:Investor/Media
Alice McConnell
alice@speragen.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE GC Biopharma | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/gc-biopharma-speragen-sponsored-an-externally-led-patient-focused-drug-development-with-fda-attendance/ | 2022-08-31T01:23:47Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/gc-biopharma-speragen-sponsored-an-externally-led-patient-focused-drug-development-with-fda-attendance/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Ailsa Chang is an award-winning journalist who hosts All Things Considered along with Ari Shapiro, Audie Cornish, and Mary Louise Kelly. She landed in public radio after practicing law for a few years.
Christopher Intagliata is an editor at All Things Considered, where he writes news and edits interviews with politicians, musicians, restaurant owners, scientists and many of the other voices heard on the air. | https://www.klcc.org/2022-08-30/former-u-s-diplomat-to-russia-thomas-graham-on-the-life-of-mikhail-gorbachev | 2022-08-31T01:25:45Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/2022-08-30/former-u-s-diplomat-to-russia-thomas-graham-on-the-life-of-mikhail-gorbachev | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
In July 2020 NPR highlighted the work of Victor Edalia of Kenya, who turned a trash dump into an urban farm in Kibera, one of the world's largest slums, on the outskirts of Nairobi. When the 32-year-old part-time driver signed a deal with a local chief for a quarter acre of land to farm, he had planned to sell vegetables to hotels. But during the pandemic, he began supplying free produce to struggling families. We returned to the former dump to find out what's cropping up for the new farmer.
Once you open the brown rusted padlock, the inside of Edalia's former garbage dump now has the feel of a commercial farm. Rows of neatly organized greens sprout from hundreds of plastic cups on stacked plastic pipes. The farm has embraced a hydroponic system, a water-based method. Fresh collard greens, spinach, peppers and other vegetables are all mounted above the ground, putting on a show.
"I am still alive and kicking as you can see," Edalia says.
Since we last visited two years ago Edalia has made some strategic alliances. In October 2021 an American nonprofit group called the Human Needs Project, reached out to Edalia when they were surveying small-scale urban farmers within Kibera.
They were impressed by what he had done so far, so the group arranged for Edalia and his team members to do a two-week training with the East African company Hydroponics Africa. They learned how to preserve vegetables after harvest and, crucially, how to increase the farm's yield in a small urban space.
Before he revamped his farm Edalia supplied vegetables to about 20 people a month. Now he can supply about 250 families. With all this new produce to distribute, the American charity provided financial support to help him introduce a voucher system. Community mobilizers from the Human Needs Project identified vegetable vendors at strategic spots in Kibera, who collect vegetables from Edalia's farm and hand them out to eligible families who've obtained a voucher from the charity.
The World Food Programme and the Nairobi City County are official partners with the farm, too — plaques with their names are nailed to the corrugated metal walls.
There's even enough extra produce to sell kale, spinach, tomatoes, and lettuce to primary schools. The new income means Edalia and his team are finally earning money from the vegetables.
But the informal nature of veggie distribution that NPR saw in 2020 hasn't gone away either. If needy families don't want to use the voucher system they can still casually drop by the farm as they did before. "Oh yes," Edalia says, "That approach never died."
One of the new veggie beneficiaries is Soila Amboi, a 33-year-old clothes seller and a mother of three. She says the regular supply of the vegetables has become a relief.
"You know times are tough, my friend, and having someone like Victor here, we call him 'olum' meaning the blessed one," she says in the Luo language, "He is truly blessing us indeed."
Thomas Bwire is a digital and radio journalist from Kibera, Kenya.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.klcc.org/npr-food/npr-food/2022-08-30/whatever-happened-to-the-kenyan-farmer-who-turned-a-dump-into-a-garden-of-giveaways | 2022-08-31T01:25:52Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-food/npr-food/2022-08-30/whatever-happened-to-the-kenyan-farmer-who-turned-a-dump-into-a-garden-of-giveaways | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
It is is important to use the K.I.S.S. principle in your trading. For me the K.I.S.S. principle is Keep It Simple to be Successful, not Keep It Simple Stupid. I use three simple tools in total. The three have specific characteristics that allow me to use them on any chart and give me an unambiguous bias, that defines risk, defines trends and non trends, and are used by many because I want to trade with the crowd. If you find your trading decisions are overly complicated, rely on proprietary trading tools, don't define risk or trends, maybe you should rethink and retool./inflation
Inflation
Inflation is defined as a quantitative measure of the rate in which the average price level of goods and services in an economy or country increases over a period of time. It is the rise in the general level of prices where a given currency effectively buys less than it did in prior periods.In terms of assessing the strength or currencies, and by extension foreign exchange, inflation or measures of it are extremely influential. Inflation stems from the overall creation of money. This money is measured by the level of the total money supply of a specific currency, for example the US dollar, which is constantly increasing. However, an increase in the money supply does not necessarily mean that there is inflation. What leads to inflation is a faster increase in the money supply in relation to the wealth produced (measured with GDP). As such, this generates pressure of demand on a supply that does not increase at the same rate. The consumer price index then increases, generating inflation.How Does Inflation Affect Forex?The level of inflation has a direct impact on the exchange rate between two currencies on several levels.This includes purchasing power parity, which attempts to compare different purchasing powers of each country according to the general price level. In doing so, this makes it possible to determine the country with the most expensive cost of living.The currency with the higher inflation rate consequently loses value and depreciates, while the currency with the lower inflation rate appreciates on the forex market.Interest rates are also impacted. Inflation rates that are too high push interest rates up, which has the effect of depreciating the currency on foreign exchange. Conversely, inflation that is too low (or deflation) pushes interest rates down, which has the effect of appreciating the currency on the forex market.
Inflation is defined as a quantitative measure of the rate in which the average price level of goods and services in an economy or country increases over a period of time. It is the rise in the general level of prices where a given currency effectively buys less than it did in prior periods.In terms of assessing the strength or currencies, and by extension foreign exchange, inflation or measures of it are extremely influential. Inflation stems from the overall creation of money. This money is measured by the level of the total money supply of a specific currency, for example the US dollar, which is constantly increasing. However, an increase in the money supply does not necessarily mean that there is inflation. What leads to inflation is a faster increase in the money supply in relation to the wealth produced (measured with GDP). As such, this generates pressure of demand on a supply that does not increase at the same rate. The consumer price index then increases, generating inflation.How Does Inflation Affect Forex?The level of inflation has a direct impact on the exchange rate between two currencies on several levels.This includes purchasing power parity, which attempts to compare different purchasing powers of each country according to the general price level. In doing so, this makes it possible to determine the country with the most expensive cost of living.The currency with the higher inflation rate consequently loses value and depreciates, while the currency with the lower inflation rate appreciates on the forex market.Interest rates are also impacted. Inflation rates that are too high push interest rates up, which has the effect of depreciating the currency on foreign exchange. Conversely, inflation that is too low (or deflation) pushes interest rates down, which has the effect of appreciating the currency on the forex market.
Read this Term
SHOW LESSADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW | https://www.forexlive.com/Education/kiss-in-your-trading-20220831/ | 2022-08-31T01:29:18Z | forexlive.com | control | https://www.forexlive.com/Education/kiss-in-your-trading-20220831/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
People's Bank of China set the onshore yuan (CNY) reference rate for the trading session ahead.
- USD/CNY is the onshore yuan. Its permitted to trade plus or minus 2% from this daily reference rate.
- CNH is the offshore yuan. USD /CNH has no restrictions on its trading range.
- A significantly stronger or weaker rate than expected is typically considered a signal from the PBOC.
- The previous close was 6.9101
The reference rate is a good way from that estimate, the PBOC trying to slow the devaluation of the yuan. This is six consecutive days now the Bank has held the CNY stronger than the estimate.
--
---
Earlier
eur
EUR
The euro (EUR) is the official currency of the European Union (EU) and 19 of 27 member states at the time of writing. It is the second most-traded currency worldwide in forex markets after the US dollar.The euro was originally introduced back on January 1, 1999, having replaced the European Currency Unit. Banknotes and physical euro coins subsequently entered circulation only in 2002.Upon its adoption, the euro replaced domestic currencies in participating EU member states. The rise in its value since then and importance in the global market has helped solidify its status as one of the most important currencies in the FX market today.Together with the USD, the currency pair is easily among the most important for forex, given its exposure into the two main economic blocs. What Factors Affects the EUR?There are several factors that affect the euro. Like most currencies, monetary policy is the most influential, which in this case refers to the European Central Bank (ECB).The ECB is responsible for regulating the monetary policy, money supply, interest rates, and relative strength of the euro. Forex traders of the euro are routinely tuned into any decision or announcements from the ECB for this reason.With 19 sovereign member states, the euro is particularly vulnerable to political developments. Recent examples include Greece’s debt crisis and Brexit, among others, which can seriously impact the euro.Finally, economic data from the bloc or from key member states such as Germany, France, Spain, and others are also closely eyed. This includes retail sales, jobless claims, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and others.
The euro (EUR) is the official currency of the European Union (EU) and 19 of 27 member states at the time of writing. It is the second most-traded currency worldwide in forex markets after the US dollar.The euro was originally introduced back on January 1, 1999, having replaced the European Currency Unit. Banknotes and physical euro coins subsequently entered circulation only in 2002.Upon its adoption, the euro replaced domestic currencies in participating EU member states. The rise in its value since then and importance in the global market has helped solidify its status as one of the most important currencies in the FX market today.Together with the USD, the currency pair is easily among the most important for forex, given its exposure into the two main economic blocs. What Factors Affects the EUR?There are several factors that affect the euro. Like most currencies, monetary policy is the most influential, which in this case refers to the European Central Bank (ECB).The ECB is responsible for regulating the monetary policy, money supply, interest rates, and relative strength of the euro. Forex traders of the euro are routinely tuned into any decision or announcements from the ECB for this reason.With 19 sovereign member states, the euro is particularly vulnerable to political developments. Recent examples include Greece’s debt crisis and Brexit, among others, which can seriously impact the euro.Finally, economic data from the bloc or from key member states such as Germany, France, Spain, and others are also closely eyed. This includes retail sales, jobless claims, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and others.
Read this Term
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW | https://www.forexlive.com/centralbank/pboc-sets-usd-cny-central-rate-at-68906-vs-estimate-at-69106-20220831/ | 2022-08-31T01:29:25Z | forexlive.com | control | https://www.forexlive.com/centralbank/pboc-sets-usd-cny-central-rate-at-68906-vs-estimate-at-69106-20220831/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Authorities search for man wanted in Aurora bank robbery
AURORA, Ill. - The FBI is searching for a suspect who robbed a bank in Aurora Tuesday afternoon.
At about 5 p.m., authorities responded to a bank robbery at the Bank of America located in the 2300 block of West Indiana Trail.
The offender is described as a tall Black male with a slim build.
SUBSCRIBE TO FOX 32 ON YOUTUBE FOR MORE CONTENT
He was wearing a black hat, orange vest, blue jeans, dark gloves, eyewear and a dark mask.
The suspect is still at large, according to the FBI. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/authorities-search-for-man-wanted-in-aurora-bank-robbery | 2022-08-31T01:33:41Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/authorities-search-for-man-wanted-in-aurora-bank-robbery | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
'People run out butt naked' -- Building housing illegal marijuana operation explodes in Detroit
DETROIT (FOX 2) - An investigation into the cause of building explosion Monday in Detroit continues.
Firefighters responded to the 16000 block of Schoolcraft between Greenfield and Southfield at about 7:20 p.m. While the cause of the blast is unknown, authorities did say that the building housed an illegal marijuana operation.
Authorities are also working to determine how long the illegal grow operation was in the building.
"I see people run out butt naked. They didn’t have any clothes on. At first, it was a big explosion. We thought it was thunder. The next thing you know they came out hooping and hollering," said a neighbor who witnessed the aftermath.
Firefighters said Monday that five people were hurt in the explosion.
"Everybody could’ve gotten hurt. It was a bad explosion. I hate for it to have happened. Things happen for a reason," the neighbor said. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/people-run-out-butt-naked-building-housing-illegal-marijuana-operation-explodes-in-detroit | 2022-08-31T01:33:53Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/people-run-out-butt-naked-building-housing-illegal-marijuana-operation-explodes-in-detroit | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Allegations of workplace misconduct persist against former Nickelodeon powerhouse Dan Schneider. Following accusations of inappropriate behavior by an executive on a Nickelodeon production in Jennette McCurdy’s best-selling memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died, (which does not name Schneider directly), and a protest outside of Nick’s Burbank headquarters led by Zoey 101’s Alexa Nikolas, a new Insider exposé details claims against the children’s TV creator. (Vanity Fair has reached out to reps for Nickelodeon and Schneider for comment.)
In the story, Nickelodeon writers, actors, and crew members raise concerns about sexually suggestive content in Schneider’s various shows. Nikolas, who called the on-set environment on Zoey 101 “traumatizing,” recalled a scene in which a syringe of goo was squirted onto Jamie Lynn Spears. During the take that made it into the final episode, the substance dripped down her face. According to Nikolas, Schneider began laughing before a male teenage castmate remarked, “It’s like a cum shot.” (A source close to Schneider told Insider that “the ‘goo’ was green, just like Nickelodeon’s famous slime,” adding, “This episode aired and was seen by millions of people and (to our knowledge) not one viewer ever had a concern.”)
Similar discomfort was expressed surrounding scenes involving stars Victoria Justice, Ariana Grande, and Daniella Monet. Monet told Insider that after filming a Victorious scene in which she ate a pickle while putting on lipgloss, she contacted Nickelodeon out of concern for the content. The scene aired anyway, she said. “Do I wish certain things, like, didn’t have to be so sexualized?” she told Insider. “Yeah. A hundred percent.”
Russell Hicks, Nickelodeon’s former president of content and production, told Insider that a standards-and-practices group reviewed every script of Schneider’s shows and that parents and caregivers were always present during filming. “Every single thing that Dan ever did on any of his shows was carefully scrutinized and approved,” he wrote in a statement.
Some Insider sources also expressed misgivings about the closeness Schneider shared with many of the young actors, allegedly inviting some to sit on his lap and texting them outside of the workplace. (A Schneider source told Insider: “Dan always had a rule for himself when texting anyone under age 18. That rule was text like their parents and the whole world are reading, too.”) The producer is also accused of requesting massages from adult female employees, including a writer and costumer. The source close to him said that Schneider “regrets ever asking anyone [for a massage] and agrees it was not appropriate, even though it only happened in public settings.”
Schneider’s oversight even allegedly extended to his teenage stars’ costumes, with one writer claiming that Schneider lobbied for “whatever was the most revealing.” According to Insider, in McCurdy’s memoir, she recalled allegedly being pressured to wear a bikini while filming iCarly, with the head of wardrobe telling her that a man McCurdy refers to as “The Creator” asked for two-pieces. (The Schneider source told Insider that all outfits “were seen and approved by dozens of people, including the parents of the actors, and the state-licensed teachers on set.”)
Several female writers also spoke to Insider about the lack of gender parity amongst Schneider’s sets. As the outlet points out, none of his shows credited more than two female writers over the course of their runs. Zoey 101 and Drake & Josh listed zero. Former All That writer Kayla Alpert said that on her first day writing for the show, Schneider stated that “women were not funny and dared her to name a single funny woman,” Insider reports. (The person close to Schneider said that this was “untrue.”)
Schneider, who exited Nickelodeon in 2018 following an investigation by parent company ViacomCBS, denied any wrongdoing in a June 2021 New York Times piece. The probe involving dozens of employees reportedly found no evidence of sexual misconduct by Schneider, although many “viewed him as verbally abusive.”
A longtime writer told Insider that it took time to process the “maddening, disgusting, controlling little bubble” Schneider cultivated. “It’s why people stayed for so long and never said anything [publicly]. It was very effective.” | https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/08/dan-schneider-accused-of-disgusting-controlling-behavior-while-at-nickelodeon | 2022-08-31T01:37:20Z | vanityfair.com | control | https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/08/dan-schneider-accused-of-disgusting-controlling-behavior-while-at-nickelodeon | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Shia LaBeouf is now claiming that he took creative liberties regarding depicting his father as abusive in his 2019 film Honey Boy.
LaBeouf previously said that he wrote the screenplay for Honey Boy while participating in a court-ordered rehabilitation program. Directed by Alma Har’el, Honey Boy was purported to be an autobiographical tale inspired by LaBeouf’s experience as a child actor and his fraught relationship with his father. In the film, LaBeouf played James Lort, a former rodeo clown and father of a child actor, Otis, played by Noah Jupe as a child and Lucas Hedges as an adult. The film depicts James Lort as an alcoholic and abusive to his son. But in a recent appearance on Jon Bernthal’s Real Ones podcast, LaBeouf claimed that he fictionalized much of the script and that his own father did not resemble the character he played.
“Here’s a man who I’ve done vilified on a grand scale,” said the actor, per The Independent. “I wrote this narrative, which was just fucking nonsense. My dad was so loving to me my whole life. Fractured, sure. Crooked, sure. Wonky, for sure. But never was not loving, never was not there. He was always there…and I’d done a world press tour about how fucked he was as a man.”
LaBeouf went on to call the film a “big ‘woe is me’ story about how fucked my father is, and I wronged him.” He claims that he called his father to ask for permission to tell the story, but lied about what he had put in the script. “I remember getting on the phone with him, and him being like, ‘I never read this stuff in the script you sent.’ Because I didn’t put that shit in there,” he said.
He continued: “I turned the knob up on certain shit that wasn’t real,” he said. “My dad never hit me, never. He spanked me once, one time…and the story that gets painted in Honey Boy is this dude is abusing his kid all the time.”
LaBeouf starred in Honey Boy opposite his former partner, the musician FKA Twigs, who is now suing LaBeouf for sexual battery, assault, and infliction of emotional distress, alleging that she suffered “relentless” abuse. In his response to the lawsuit, previously obtained by People, LaBeouf’s legal team said he “denies, generally and specifically, each and every allegation contained” in the complaint. The trial date has reportedly been set for April 17, 2023.
LaBeouf has also admitted to engaging in toxic behavior, telling The New York Times in response to the allegations, “I have been abusive to myself and everyone around me for years. I have a history of hurting the people closest to me. I’m ashamed of that history and am sorry to those I hurt. There is nothing else I can really say.”
LaBeouf recently said that he has more than 600 days of sobriety, while denying Olivia Wilde’s claim that she fired him from her upcoming film Don’t Worry Darling. He also said last week that converting to Catholicism saved his life. | https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/08/shia-labeouf-says-the-depiction-of-his-dad-in-honey-boy-was-f-king-nonsense | 2022-08-31T01:37:24Z | vanityfair.com | control | https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/08/shia-labeouf-says-the-depiction-of-his-dad-in-honey-boy-was-f-king-nonsense | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida A&M University Office of Housing released a statement Tuesday evening regarding dislocated students from Palmetto Phase III and Polkinghorne Village West.
The university states that all Palmetto Phase III apartments were treated Saturday in regards to a pest infestation and staff has been cleaning and assessing since Monday.
A walk through of these apartments is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 31 and students are expected to return from hotels Sept. 1.
The students of Polkinghorne Village West were displaced after a fire hazard incident on Aug. 26.
FAMU reports that 128 students were displaced due to water damage that affected the first, second, third and fourth floors.
ServPro is currently drying out these apartments and demolishing any saturated walls, the statement reads.
According to the university, shuttle transportation, security and coverage of hotel expenses are being covered for all displace students.
Students are expected to return to Polkinghorne Village by Sept. 3.
The full statement can be found below:
The Florida A&M University Office of University Housing is taking steps to ensure dislocated students from Palmetto Phase III and Polkinghorne Village West can return to campus living as soon as possible.
In response to a pest infestation in the Palmetto Phase III apartments, pest control crews completed treating all the apartments on Saturday. On Monday, staff began an assessment and cleaning. On Tuesday, staff was scheduled to conduct a second wipe down of the apartments and implement pest control and prevention measures.
A walk through is scheduled for Wednesday, August 31 ahead of the students’ anticipated return from local hotels on Thursday, Sept. 1.
On August 26, 2022, a student initiated a fire hazard, which triggered the sprinkler system causing flooding of the fourth floor of Polkinghorne Village West. An investigation found that a student inadvertently put an incense stick that was not totally extinguished into a trashcan, and it caught on fire, setting off the sprinkler head. The sprinkler head worked as designed. No crime was committed. The water damage impacted the first, second, third and fourth floors, forcing the displacement of 128 students.
The University quickly reacted by placing those students in available local hotels while remediation efforts began. Environmental Health & Safety (EHS), Plant Operations Management (POM) and Facilities Construction and Design are working together to repair the damage as expeditiously as possible. ServPro is currently drying out the areas with water damage and demolishing any saturated walls. EHS staff walked through all of the rooms on Saturday and labeled all items recommended for disposal, relocation, and cleaning for the students. Items identified for relocation is to assist with the drying process. EHS also recommended wiping underneath some of the items to minimize potential mold issues. A trailer was placed in front of the building for affected residents to dispose of wet items.
The University is providing shuttle transportation, security, and coverage of hotel expenses for all displaced students. The Venom Shuttle is running every two hours. The Astro Shuttles are running every hour. Students residing in Polkinghorne Village already have a meal plan. Students have been provided property loss forms to indicate damage to personal items.
The Office of Housing staff communicated with students and parents via zoom calls, FAMU emails and Residence Hall GroupMe. Students are expected to return to Polkinghorne Village by Saturday, Sept. 3.
Students impacted by the move who need official class excuses should visit their dean’s office. The Office of University Housing would like to thank the students and parents for their patience and cooperation during this unfortunate incident. We regret the inconvenience.
The University has seen a demand for on-campus housing. In addition to the construction of new residence halls in recent years, FAMU continues to invest in deferred maintenance to Palmetto South and Phase III. The University Master Plan includes new innovative housing incorporating recommendation from students, faculty, and staff. | https://www.wtxl.com/news/local-news/famu-office-of-university-housing-provides-update-on-student-relocation | 2022-08-31T01:47:05Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/news/local-news/famu-office-of-university-housing-provides-update-on-student-relocation | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
VALDOSTA, Ga. — Dr. William "Todd" Cason announced he will be retiring as Valdosta City Schools superintendent as of Dec. 31, 2022.
The announcement was made during the Valdosta Board of Education's August work session.
Cason has been superintendent since 2015 and began his educational career at Valdosta City Schools in 1994.
“It has been a true privilege to begin and end my career in such an extraordinary school system,” said Cason.
“Together we have been through heartaches, triumphs, big wins and even some tough losses. But nothing will ever break the true spirit of a Wildcat, it has been ingrained in all of us to ‘never, never, never, never, never quit.’ As the superintendent, I have had the honor of working alongside some of the most outstanding and committed educators to ever grace the business. While it is bittersweet to see this chapter of my career coming to a close, I promise everyone in our Wildcat family that I will always be one of our district and community’s biggest supporters, and never further than a phone call away. All three of my children are grown, it is now time for me to focus more on my family by spending dedicated time with them while we are all still young enough to enjoy, value and appreciate it,” concluded Cason.
No information has been released yet regarding the search for the next superintendent. | https://www.wtxl.com/news/local-news/valdosta-city-schools-superintendent-announces-retirement | 2022-08-31T01:47:11Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/news/local-news/valdosta-city-schools-superintendent-announces-retirement | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Netherlands has returned hundreds of artifacts to Panama after they spent some time in Europe.
The move came after a push in Panama to return historical pieces to protect the country's cultural heritage, Reuters reported.
343 pre-Hispanic ceramics were sent back, making it the largest repatriation of its kind in Central American history, according to Panama's Foreign Affairs Ministry.
The artifacts will go on display in Panama's "Marta," which is the country's archaeological museum.
Panama has been vocal about what it calls the illegal trafficking of its heritage artifacts brought to other countries over the years. | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/netherlands-returns-artifacts-to-panama-in-largest-repatriation-of-its-kind-in-central-american-history | 2022-08-31T01:47:35Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/netherlands-returns-artifacts-to-panama-in-largest-repatriation-of-its-kind-in-central-american-history | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The 12th annual World Gravy Wrestling Championships has returned after a two-year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event, held at the Rose 'N' Bowl Pub in Lancashire, an area near Manchester in the United Kingdom, had competitors return to wrestle, grapple, and have fun in a pool of brown gravy.
Carol Lowe, a manager at the pub, said that it was "amazing to be back" as the competitors dawned fancy outfits and tossed around for two-minute rounds, the BBC reported.
Crowds gathered to witness the spectacle as competitors tried to close their eyes whenever possible so they didn't get the mixture of meat juices, chopped vegetables, and corn flour in their eyes.
This year 30 contestants competed against reigning champion Skye Penty from 2019. Six-time winner Joel Hicks also joined the gooey sport to see if he could stay at the top. | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/world-gravy-wrestling-championships-are-back-the-hilarious-competition-returns-after-2-year-pandemic-pause | 2022-08-31T01:47:42Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/world-gravy-wrestling-championships-are-back-the-hilarious-competition-returns-after-2-year-pandemic-pause | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
TALLAHASSEE, FLa. — Florida A&M President Dr. Larry Robinson held a press conference on Tuesday to directly address compliance concerns in response to a seven page letter the 2022 Rattler Football Team sent to him.
Before the press conference began, Robinson had the opportunity to speak with the football players directly as well as learn from them. He described the conversation as a "very understanding dialogue."
According to Robinson, a commitment has been made to have five additional compliance workers and two academic advisers to assist with compliance among athletics. He hopes to have the additional workers within the next two months and the other individuals by the end of the fall semester.
Robinson also addressed the direct concern of the players feeling unappreciated, which was brought up in the letter they wrote to Robinson, stating they were informed last week that the current athletic administration reduced the amount of tickets that they would receive from four to two. According to the letter, the NCAA allows players to receive four tickets for each game.
The athletes will now receive four tickets for their games instead of two.
Dr.Robinson also said he thinks there is a misconception that FAMU does not care about athletics, which bothers him the most.
According to Robinson, they are working hard to make sure the players have the best experience as possible.
On August 27, twenty FAMU football players were ruled ineligible to play against UNC due to academic advisement and compliance concerns. Only seven offensive linemen could travel to play, which is not enough to play a safe game, according to FAMU Head Coach Willie Simmons.
The team still traveled to Chapel Hill to play the University of North Carolina on Saturday.
In response to so, the football team released a letter on Monday, addressing academic support, compliance and summer school issues the team is having with the "student-athlete experience at FAMU." The letter was signed by 89 players.
According to the university, FAMU only has one academic adviser and one compliance for FAMU athletics, which was also stated in the players' letter.
The letter can be found in full below:
20220829153225350 by WTXL ABC27 on Scribd
On Monday evening, FAMU officials responded to the compliance concerns with the following:
Consistent with FAMU’s long-standing commitment to maintaining a culture of compliance and conformance with NCAA guidelines, we are justifiably proud of having achieved 13 of our 14 sports programs fully meeting the Academic Progress Rate (APR) requirements per the NCAA’s November 2021 APR Report in spite of rumors and misinformation to the contrary.
Our Compliance Team, which includes partners from Compliance, Athletics, Academic Affairs, and Student Affairs, has been working diligently with Athletics since Fall 2021 to implement plans for the remaining non-compliant program to meet the required APR score and join the others so that 100 percent compliance is achieved.
After the assessments of Spring and Summer 2022 academic progress, the Compliance team exercised its due diligence to complete the certification process on August 11 before the Fall sports season began. These are, as always, tight windows and beginning on August 13 waivers began to be submitted to the NCAA based on feedback from our coaches. The NCAA subsequently issued its decisions on August 24, 25, and 26, 2022.
We are confident that our processes are effective and timely. We will continue to monitor our efforts in this regard and pursue all avenues to provide an excellent student experience to every athlete. FAMU is committed to upholding high standards and rigorous adherence to NCAA guidelines. | https://www.wtxl.com/sports/college-sports/famu-president-robinson-addresses-concerns-raised-by-football-players | 2022-08-31T01:47:48Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/sports/college-sports/famu-president-robinson-addresses-concerns-raised-by-football-players | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SPOKANE, Wash. — Former Spokane Police Department (SPD) officer Nathan Nash has been found guilty on one count of third-degree rape and one count of second-degree rape. He was also found not guilty of unlawful imprisonment.
The trial comes to a close after nearly a week of testimony from attorneys, the victims and Nash himself.
After nearly seven days of deliberation, the jury returned to the Spokane County courtroom on Tuesday and returned a verdict for the crimes.
Nash was originally charged with two counts of second-degree rape in relation to both women who were assaulted in 2019. However, KREM 2 confirmed with the court that Nash was found guilty of third-degree rape in relation to the woman he raped while following up after she was assaulted by her neighbor. The woman identified as being disabled, having a learning disability and reported suffering PTSD and trauma from the rape.
The second-degree rape charge is in relation to the woman Nash assaulted in her apartment in October 2019. The woman was involved in a domestic violence incident and was contacted by Nash for a follow-up. It was during that follow-up that Nash raped her in her apartment.
Nash was discharged from the Spokane Police Department in 2019 after the first allegation was made. He was then charged with official misconduct. A hearing for that charge is set for Oct. 6, 2022.
Nash now faces up to life in prison, a $50,000 fine or both.
SPD issued the following statement regarding the verdict:
First, and most importantly, SPD is grateful the victims of Nathan Nash were afforded some justice today, while we also acknowledge nothing can undo the damage caused. SPD would like to recognize the courage the victims exemplified by coming forward which enabled the criminal justice system to hold Nash accountable for his conduct.
SPD would also like to recognize the diligent and zealous work of the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office and the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office regarding the investigation and prosecution of this case.
Nathan Nash betrayed the oath he took as a public servant and the trust instilled in him by the citizens of Spokane. His actions are inexcusable and today the court, a jury of his peers, held him accountable for his actions.
DOWNLOAD THE KREM SMARTPHONE APP
DOWNLOAD FOR IPHONE HERE | DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID HERE
HOW TO ADD THE KREM+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KREM in the Channel Store.
Fire TV: search for "KREM" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email webspokane@krem.com. | https://www.krem.com/article/news/crime/nathan-nash-found-guilty-on-2-rape-counts-not-guilty-of-unlawful-imprisonment/293-9dc83ed1-fd06-4ba0-96a1-547c10ccab3b | 2022-08-31T01:54:56Z | krem.com | control | https://www.krem.com/article/news/crime/nathan-nash-found-guilty-on-2-rape-counts-not-guilty-of-unlawful-imprisonment/293-9dc83ed1-fd06-4ba0-96a1-547c10ccab3b | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SPOKANE, Wash. — After months of discussion, voting and zoning changes, the Trent Avenue homeless shelter is expected to open during the first week of September. However, the residents living at the homeless encampment near I-90 have mixed reactions to the decision.
The city of Spokane announced Monday that Guardians Foundation will serve as the operator of the shelter through December 2023. Leaders expect the shelter to be open by Tuesday, Sept. 6.
It is important to note that opening this new shelter does not mean the homeless encampment near I-90 and Freya will be cleared out immediately. It does mean, however, that the shelter space will be open to those who choose to go there.
The Trent Shelter will offer separate spaces for different demographics, along with showers, restrooms and three meals a day. There will also be services available to help transition people out of homelessness.
KREM 2 spoke with some of the people living at the homeless encampment near the freeway, and the reaction to the new shelter was mixed. Some believe the shelter will give them the stability and resources they have needed.
"I don't feel safe," encampment resident Tammy said. "So I would go to a controlled environment where I would be safe."
On the other side, others feel they have built a home at the camp and have no plans to leave.
"We planned on traveling. Just living out, seeing things and moving around," resident Danny said. "I don't want to be locked into one location."
In an interview with Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward, she said there will be an end date for when people must vacate the homeless camp near I-90. The exact date is still being discussed.
DOWNLOAD THE KREM SMARTPHONE APP
DOWNLOAD FOR IPHONE HERE | DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID HERE
HOW TO ADD THE KREM+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KREM in the Channel Store.
Fire TV: search for "KREM" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email webspokane@krem.com. | https://www.krem.com/article/news/local/homeless/trent-shelter-spokane-homeless-reaction/293-55b7f854-a10c-45c8-bfab-aa3d7a9bbf40 | 2022-08-31T01:55:02Z | krem.com | control | https://www.krem.com/article/news/local/homeless/trent-shelter-spokane-homeless-reaction/293-55b7f854-a10c-45c8-bfab-aa3d7a9bbf40 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
43 mins ago - World
Taiwan fires warning shots at Chinese drone
Taiwan's Kinmen Defense Command said it fired warning shots at a Chinese military drone off the self-governing island's coast on Tuesday.
Why it matters: There have been heightened tension between Beijing and Taipei since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visited Taiwan earlier this month, but this is the first time such warning shots have been fired, per Reuters.
What they're saying: Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen said earlier Tuesday that the island's military would undertake "strong countermeasures" against any provocations, according to Reuters.
- "We will not provoke disputes, and we will exercise self-restraint, but it does not mean that we will not counter," she added.
- China's government did not immediately comment on the incident.
The big picture: The Chinese military began live ammunition drills near Taiwan for several days in the wake of Pelosi's visit.
- China's ambassador to Washington warned earlier this month that Beijing would regard further visits to Taipei by U.S. officials, U.S. arms sales or naval activity near Taiwan as provocations that would further destabilize relations with the United States.
- However, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) became the last Friday the latest U.S. official to visit Taiwan.
Go deeper: | https://www.axios.com/2022/08/31/taiwan-fires-warning-shots-chinese-drone | 2022-08-31T02:00:01Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/2022/08/31/taiwan-fires-warning-shots-chinese-drone | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The 12th annual World Gravy Wrestling Championships has returned after a two-year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event, held at the Rose 'N' Bowl Pub in Lancashire, an area near Manchester in the United Kingdom, had competitors return to wrestle, grapple, and have fun in a pool of brown gravy.
Carol Lowe, a manager at the pub, said that it was "amazing to be back" as the competitors dawned fancy outfits and tossed around for two-minute rounds, the BBC reported.
Crowds gathered to witness the spectacle as competitors tried to close their eyes whenever possible so they didn't get the mixture of meat juices, chopped vegetables, and corn flour in their eyes.
This year 30 contestants competed against reigning champion Skye Penty from 2019. Six-time winner Joel Hicks also joined the gooey sport to see if he could stay at the top. | https://www.fox17online.com/news/national/world-gravy-wrestling-championships-are-back-the-hilarious-competition-returns-after-2-year-pandemic-pause | 2022-08-31T02:01:25Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/news/national/world-gravy-wrestling-championships-are-back-the-hilarious-competition-returns-after-2-year-pandemic-pause | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Country
United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary
People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe | https://www.wyomingnews.com/milestones/obituaries/heger-janet-lee/article_151f4b0b-b510-505d-849b-4d37331f9c0b.html | 2022-08-31T02:04:09Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/milestones/obituaries/heger-janet-lee/article_151f4b0b-b510-505d-849b-4d37331f9c0b.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Elizabeth "Betty" Ivy (Johnson) Vigil 1936-2022 Elizabeth "Betty" Ivy Vigil passed away suddenly on August 2, 2022. She was born on June 27, 1936, in Shippingport, Pennsylvania to Fredrick and Lillian Johnson. Betty was kind, caring, loving, and giving to everyone. Betty loved to cook and entertain company. She was stay at home mother, until moving to Cheyenne, where she did housekeeping for several doctor's homes, and she was cherished by them and treated like one of the family. Betty was one of the Jehovah's Witnesses and she loved her congregation. She had so many good friends and would zoom with them often. This made her smile. She is survived in death by daughters, Theresa (Steve) Brunsvold, Gina (Phil) Kopp; sisters, Mary Frazzini and Daisy Holloway; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband, John Vigil; brothers, Charles Johnson and John Johnson; sisters, Dora Fetchin, Lucille Johnson. Graveside service will be at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, September 3, 2022, in Cheyenne Memorial Gardens, 4701 Christensen Road, Cheyenne, WY 82009. A reception will follow the services and The Gathering Place. 1900 E. 21st Street, right across from Wiederspahn-Radomsky Funeral Home.
To plant a tree in memory of Elizabeth Vigil as a living tribute, please visit Tribute Store. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/milestones/obituaries/vigil-elizabeth-betty-ivy/article_b0115ea1-508c-5f56-8028-2346063faec3.html | 2022-08-31T02:04:12Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/milestones/obituaries/vigil-elizabeth-betty-ivy/article_b0115ea1-508c-5f56-8028-2346063faec3.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
These are the official, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) PMIs.
- Composite is 51.7 (prior was 52.5)
The manufacturing PMI is still firmly in contraction. As I noted earlier the headwinds include:
- COVID outbreaks and associated restrictions
the deeply troubled contracting property sector
power shortages in southwestern China
Services is holding on solidly in expansion though, which is encouraging. | https://www.forexlive.com/news/china-august-manufacturing-pmi-494-exp-492-non-manufacturing-526-exp-522-20220831/ | 2022-08-31T02:04:28Z | forexlive.com | control | https://www.forexlive.com/news/china-august-manufacturing-pmi-494-exp-492-non-manufacturing-526-exp-522-20220831/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
CHEYENNE – Gov. Mark Gordon has announced that Wyoming is taking legal action to "protect the oil and gas industry."
To do that, the state has filed a motion to intervene in a pair of cases that were filed by a coalition of advocacy groups seeking to challenge the June 2022 Bureau of Land Management oil and gas lease sale. Wyoming is joining the BLM and other states to defend the lease sale.
The coalition of advocacy groups allege that the Bureau’s lease sale violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). In its opposition filings, Wyoming challenged the groups’ claims, and asked the court to allow it to intervene because the state’s sovereign and economic interests will be adversely affected were the lawsuit to succeed.
“Wyoming is committed to defending her interests and her industries in the courts when they are threatened,” Gordon said in a Tuesday news release. “It is sad that every lease sale now leads to a challenge, and that NEPA has become little more than a meal ticket for litigious special interest groups.”
The state argues in both briefings that it has a legally protected economic interest in the outcome of this case, and the legal challenge threatens the state’s interest. The filings note that the oil and gas lease sale collected over $13 million in bonus bids, entitling the state to more than $6 million in revenue. In addition, if the lawsuits are successful, Wyoming will not receive its share of rentals and federal mineral royalties from the leased parcels.
In the second case, Wyoming has joined Montana, Oklahoma and Utah to argue it would suffer harm if the suit were successful. In addition to citing its financial interest, Wyoming notes that 123 of the 173 federal parcels challenged in the suit are located in Wyoming. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/governor-wyoming-files-court-challenges-of-june-oil-and-gas-lease-sale/article_685449b8-28c5-11ed-88de-27c225f5ede5.html | 2022-08-31T02:04:29Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/governor-wyoming-files-court-challenges-of-june-oil-and-gas-lease-sale/article_685449b8-28c5-11ed-88de-27c225f5ede5.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Federal lawsuit filed against Arkansas law officers
City of Mulberry, Crawford County named as defendants
A civil case against three Arkansas law officers caught on video beating a man during an arrest in Mulberry has now been filed in federal court in Fort Smith.
Attorney David Powell of Fort Smith filed the civil rights lawsuit on behalf of Randal Ray Worcester, 27. Worcester was beaten by three law officers during an arrest Sunday, Aug. 21 after he allegedly threatened a store clerk in Alma in Crawford County.
Two Crawford County Sheriff's deputies, Zack King and Levi White, and Mulberry police officer Thell Riddle, who are named as defendants in the civil lawsuit, have each been suspended from their departments since the arrest.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson has called the arrest caught on video by a passerby as "reprehensible." A rally for civil rights was held Saturday at the Crawford County Courthouse. Other experts have said the arrest appeared to be a case of excessive force. The U.S. Department of Justice and the Arkansas State Police have opened investigations into Worcester's arrest.
More:Sheriff defends suspended deputies in beating arrest case
Late Monday, Aug. 29, the civil lawsuit alleging the law officers used excessive force during Worcester's Aug. 21 arrest was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas in Fort Smith. The civil lawsuit requests a jury trial.
Worcester has been released from the Crawford County Jail after posting $15,000 bail on complaints of making threats against the Alma convenience store clerk. Powell said he will work toward having any criminal charges filed against Worcester dismissed.
Attorney Adam Rose, who is also representing Worcester, said a response will be made from the defendants within 20 days.
Other defendants named in the lawsuit include the City of Mulberry, the Mulberry Police Department, Mulberry Police Chief Shannon Gregory, Crawford County Sheriff's office, Crawford County, and Sheriff Jimmy Damante.
The lawsuit asks the court for relief for Worcester's medical bills and punitive damages. An amount requested is not listed in the lawsuit petition.
The lawsuit alleges negligence, assault, excessive force, and battery against Worcester by the law officers.
Russell Wood, an attorney representing the Crawford County deputies, said White was knocked unconscious when Worcester tackled him before Worcester was arrested.
According to the complaint filed in the lawsuit, Worcester was riding his bicycle to his home in South Carolina on Sunday, Aug. 21.
The lawsuit alleges Riddle was dispatched to the Kounty Xpress gas station located at 1107 Georgia Ridge Drive in Mulberry. Riddle called for back up from the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department and King and Whiteresponded to the scene.
Worcester was was riding his bike down the road when the law officers followed him for a short distance, and then made a traffic stop.
Mr. Worcester got off his bike as the Defendant Officers approached. Worcester had a small pocketknife in his pocket but immediately gave it to the officers, the lawsuit states.
"Without provocation, defendant White aggressively attempted to put Mr. Worcester’s arms behind his back in an effort to handcuff him, without stating any reason for doing so. At no time did the Defendant Officers inform Mr.Worcester of his Miranda rights when being handcuffed," the lawsuit states.
Officers used violent, excessive force pinning Worcester's hands and arms behind his back.
Officers repeatedly punched, kicked, and kneed Worcester in the face, head, back, stomachand legs as seen on video that was posted on social media.
"At one point, defendant White picked up Mr. Worcester by the head and slammed his face and head into the concrete pavement. Mr. Worcester attempted to protect himself during the Defendant officers’ physical assault, but to no availas the Defendant officers had him pinned to the ground," according to the lawsuit.
"At no point during the incident did any of the Defendant Officers attempt to usede-escalation tactics or subdue Mr. Worcester with a taser and/or pepper spray. Such force used by the Defendant Officers, individually and in their official capacity, was in excess of any force required to take Mr. Worcester in custodyand maintain him in custody, was grossly out of proportion to any need for the use of force," the lawsuit alleges.
The law officers, "acted with malice and/or reckless disregard for whether Mr. Worcester’s rights would be violated bytheir actions."
Worcester has suffered serious bodily harm due to the excessive force used by the officers, the lawsuit alleges.
Russell Wood, an attorney who represents the Crawford County deputies, said Worcester is seen on video charging White and tackling him, causing White to hit his head on the pavement and suffer a concussion before Worcester was arrested.
Wood was unaware of the federal lawsuit when contacted Tuesday afternoon.
“I have no knowledge about a federal lawsuit. However, I will vigorously defend the lawsuit like I do every lawsuit against my law enforcement clients," Wood said. | https://www.swtimes.com/story/news/2022/08/30/federal-lawsuit-filed-against-arkansas-law-officers-in-beating-caught-on-tape/65464290007/ | 2022-08-31T02:07:07Z | swtimes.com | control | https://www.swtimes.com/story/news/2022/08/30/federal-lawsuit-filed-against-arkansas-law-officers-in-beating-caught-on-tape/65464290007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The origin of Arkansas football quarterback KJ Jefferson's family's matching T-shirts
FAYETTEVILLE - Plenty of family members of players show their gameday support for loved ones taking the field with jerseys, buttons or signs. But Arkansas football quarterback KJ Jefferson's family does things a little differently: with custom T-shirts covered in pictures of him.
The shirts are bright, loud and busy, an unmistakable marker of Jefferson's crew. His mother, Katorie Wilson-Moore, said family members from Chicago to Texas to Jefferson's hometown of Como, Mississippi, own the matching shirts. When Jefferson takes the field against Cincinnati on Saturday (2:30 p.m. CT, ESPN) to start his second season leading the Razorbacks, his family will be back in their customary uniforms.
They caught plenty of attention last season when Arkansas traveled to Ole Miss, less than an hour's drive from Como. The ESPN broadcast found Wilson-Moore and almost a dozen family members and friends beside her in the crowd, all wearing the matching T-shirts.
"We (had) to come there and represent KJ," Wilson-Moore said. "Let him know his family's here, and we're behind him."
2022 PICKS:Will Arkansas improve on last season's success? Our game-by-game predictions
MORE:What Sam Pittman hopes Arkansas football is 'bringing to the party' against Cincinnati
IN THE TRENCHES:Clash of veteran offensive lines in Arkansas vs. Cincinnati perfect for Pittman
The shirts are a tradition that began long before Jefferson was starting at Arkansas. At North Panola High School in Sardis, Mississippi, Jefferson's family had similarly bold apparel to show support for their favorite quarterback. Jefferson said plenty of teammates' families wore T-shirts with their names and numbers on them, but his family wanted to stand out.
The result was a design covered in pictures of Jefferson posing in both his North Panola uniform and a Razorbacks jersey with big, block letters proudly identifying the wearer as part of the "Kenny Muney Team" — Kenny being short for Jefferson's full first name, Kenneth. The shirts were a hit at Jefferson's games.
Jefferson isn't the only one in his family to have a shirt made in his honor. Some of his cousins, for example, played basketball, and Wilson-Moore said the family made custom designs for them, too.
"We just kept it up," she said. "Whatever family member played a sport, that's how we showed our support. We would always get our shirts made just to let them know, hey, we ride with you."
When Jefferson became QB1 at Arkansas last season, his family kept the tradition alive. Jefferson's cousins, Daryleshia Ward and Jessica Cooper, came up with the bold red design, complete with five pictures of Jefferson, a Razorback logo and more. Family friend Rodney McLawyer made the shirts. They became the uniform of Jefferson's family, and fans loved them.
"I feel like nobody did that up here in Arkansas, so everybody was so stunned when they first saw it," Jefferson said. "I was like, 'This is pretty normal down in Mississippi.'"
Christina Long covers the Arkansas Razorbacks for the Southwest Times Record and USA Today Network. You can follow her on Twitter @christinalong00 or email her at clong@swtimes.com. | https://www.swtimes.com/story/sports/college/2022/08/31/arkansas-football-quarterback-kj-jefferson-family-t-shirts/65464628007/ | 2022-08-31T02:07:13Z | swtimes.com | control | https://www.swtimes.com/story/sports/college/2022/08/31/arkansas-football-quarterback-kj-jefferson-family-t-shirts/65464628007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(The Hill) – Comedian Chris Rock said he has declined an invitation to host the next Academy Awards in the wake of his physical altercation with actor Will Smith at this year’s ceremony.
Rock made the remarks during a comedy show in Phoenix on Sunday, also telling those in attendance that he declined an appearance in a Super Bowl commercial as well, according to the Arizona Republic.
The 57-year-old comedian said returning to the Oscars after telling a joke that got him slapped by this year’s eventual “best actor” winner would be like asking Nicole Brown Simpson “to go back to the restaurant,” the Arizona Republic reported.
“He’s bigger than me,” Rock said. “The state of Nevada would not sanction a fight between me and Will Smith.”
While presenting at the Academy Awards in March, Rock made a disparaging joke about the hair of Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, referencing actress Demi Moore’s appearance in the 1997 film “G.I. Jane.”
Pinkett Smith, the host of Facebook’s Red Table Talk, has been vocal about her struggles with alopecia, an auto-immune disease that causes hair loss.
Smith then walked on stage and slapped Rock before returning to his front-row seat.
In response, the Academy’s Board of Governors announced they have placed Smith on a 10-year ban from attending any Academy event.
Smith issued a public apology to Rock last month.
“Chris, I apologize to you,” he said in an Instagram post, adding that he has reached out to Rock to talk out their differences. “My behavior was unacceptable. And I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.” | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/chris-rock-says-he-declined-invite-to-host-the-oscars-next-year/ | 2022-08-31T02:11:46Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/chris-rock-says-he-declined-invite-to-host-the-oscars-next-year/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(The Hill) – The acting head of the National Archives and Records Administration’s (NARA) pushed back on accusations that the agency is corrupt or conspiring against former President Trump in its actions over his presidential records.
“The National Archives has been the focus of intense scrutiny for months, this week especially, with many people ascribing political motivation to our actions,” Debra Steidel Wall, the acting archivist, wrote in the a memo to employees sent Wednesday.
“NARA has received messages from the public accusing us of corruption and conspiring against the former president, or congratulating NARA for ‘bringing him down,’” she continued. “Neither is accurate or welcome.”
The memo was made public under the Freedom of Information Act and was previously reported by The Washington Post.
The National Archives had attempted to recover presidential records stored at Trump’s Florida home for months, dating back to last year. Officials retrieved 15 boxes from Mar-a-Lago in January, including at least 700 pages of classified materials, and asked the Justice Department to examine the former president’s handling of records.
The investigation ultimately led the FBI to execute a search warrant at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence earlier this month, when agents seized 11 sets of classified documents. The DOJ is probing whether Trump violated the Espionage Act or two other federal statutes.
The search led to a flurry of criticisms against the involved agencies by Trump and his allies, who allege the probe and related actions are politically motivated.
Wall’s memo references some of those criticisms, including Trump’s unfounded claim on his social media platform that former President Obama “kept 33 million pages of documents, much of them classified.”
The Archives debunked that claim in a statement, saying it keeps classified Obama records in a government facility outside of Obama’s control.
“Our fundamental interest is always in ensuring that government records are properly managed, preserved and protected to ensure access to them for the life of the republic,” Wall wrote. “That is our mission, and what motivates us as we seek to uphold the public trust.”
Wall also thanked employees for their professionalism and integrity. “We will continue to do our work, without favor or fear, in the service of our democracy,” she wrote. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-archives-head-says-anti-trump-accusations-not-accurate-or-welcome/ | 2022-08-31T02:11:58Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-archives-head-says-anti-trump-accusations-not-accurate-or-welcome/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Rhode Island KIDS COUNT health policy analyst Kaitlyn Rabb joined 12 News at 4 Tuesday to discuss the recently released Childhood Overweight and Obesity report.
Watch the full interview in the video above.
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Rhode Island KIDS COUNT health policy analyst Kaitlyn Rabb joined 12 News at 4 Tuesday to discuss the recently released Childhood Overweight and Obesity report.
Watch the full interview in the video above. | https://www.wpri.com/news/local-news/community-focus/community-focus-ri-kids-counts-kaitlyn-rabb/ | 2022-08-31T02:15:51Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/local-news/community-focus/community-focus-ri-kids-counts-kaitlyn-rabb/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A 19-year-old man is dead and two 18-year-old women are injured after a masonry column collapsed at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, on Monday night.
There were six students in three hammocks that were attached to the columns when one collapsed inward onto them around 8:15 p.m., Portland Fire & Rescue officials said.
No one was pinned underneath the column but three of the six were seriously injured.
Campus security helped emergency responders get personnel and equipment to the scene. An emergency medical crew arrived first and confirmed the death of the 19-year-old.
The two young women were taken to an area hospital for treatment of their injuries. One suffered an arm injury, the other an abdominal injury. Their exact conditions are not known at this time but President Robin Holmes-Sullivan said in a statement Tuesday that they “are recovering.”
The names of those involved have not yet been released.
“I am a parent myself and I, along with the entire Lewis & Clark community, am devastated by this loss. My heart goes out to his family and friends. We will do everything we can to support our students recovering in the hospital and those on campus who have been impacted by this tragedy,” Holmes-Sullivan said.
Additional details about the incident have not yet been released.
Monday was the first day of classes at Lewis & Clark. | https://www.wpri.com/news/national/masonry-column-supporting-hammocks-collapses-killing-1-and-injuring-2-at-oregon-college/ | 2022-08-31T02:16:10Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/national/masonry-column-supporting-hammocks-collapses-killing-1-and-injuring-2-at-oregon-college/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — President Joe Biden on Tuesday railed against the “MAGA Republicans in Congress” who have refused to condemn the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol and now are targeting the FBI as he tried to portray Democrats as the true pro-law enforcement party ahead of the November midterms.
In remarks initially billed as a crime-prevention speech, Biden seized on comments from allies of former President Donald Trump who have called for stripping funding from the FBI since it executed a search warrant at Trump's Florida residence. Biden's remarks were the first substantive defense he has made of the FBI since the Aug. 8 search at Mar-a-Lago, which triggered not just withering criticism of the agency but threats of violence against its employees.
“It's sickening to see the new attacks on the FBI, threatening the life of law enforcement and their families, for simply carrying out the law and doing their job,” Biden said before a crowd of more than 500 at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania. “I'm opposed to defunding the police; I'm also opposed to defunding the FBI.”
It was a notably different tack for Biden, who has steered clear of extensively commenting on any element of the Justice Department's investigation since federal agents conducted the search at Trump's estate. Biden also appeared to call out — without naming him — recent comments from Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who warned of “riots in the streets” should Trump ultimately face prosecution.
“The idea you turn on a television and see senior senators and congressmen saying, ‘If such and such happens there’ll be blood on the street’?” Biden said. "Where the hell are we?”
The speech Tuesday continued Biden's aggressive rhetoric against the GOP ahead of the midterms, as Democrats enjoy a slightly brighter political environment buoyed by significant legislative accomplishments and a presidential approval rating that has trended slightly upward. During a political rally in the Washington suburbs last week, Biden likened Republican ideology to “semi-fascism.” He is set to deliver a democracy-focused speech on Thursday in Philadelphia that the White House has said “will make clear” who is fighting for democratic values.
As he has done before, Biden on Tuesday criticized GOP officials who have refused to denounce the pro-Trump rioters who breached the U.S. Capitol nearly 20 months ago. Referencing Trump's “Make America Great Again” slogan, Biden said, “Let me say this to my MAGA Republican friends in Congress: Don't tell me you support the law enforcement if you won't condemn what happened on the 6th."
The campaign-style speech near Biden’s birthplace was the first of three visits by the president in less than a week to the state that is home to a competitive governor’s race and a U.S. Senate contest that could help determine whether Democrats will keep their majority in the chamber. Trump is hosting his own rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
Democrats believe Pennsylvania is their strongest opportunity to flip a Senate seat currently held by Republicans. Meanwhile, the open race for governor will give the winner power over how 2024’s presidential election is run in a battleground state that is still buffeted by Trump’s baseless claims that Democrats fraudulently stole the 2020 election from him.
Biden’s comments on the FBI come as his son Hunter faces a federal investigation for tax evasion. He has not faced any charges, and he’s previously denied wrongdoing.
The president also used his remarks Tuesday to promote his administration's crime-prevention efforts and to continue to pressure Congress to revive a long-expired federal ban on assault-style weapons. Democrats and Republicans worked together in a rare effort to pass gun safety legislation earlier this year after massacres in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas. They were the first significant firearm restrictions approved by Congress in nearly three decades, but Biden has repeatedly said more needs to be done.
“We beat the NRA. We took them on and beat the NRA straight up. You have no idea how intimidating they are to elected officials,” an animated Biden said. “We’re not stopping here. I’m determined to ban assault weapons in this country! Determined. I did it once before. And I’ll do it again.”
As a U.S. senator, Biden played a leading role in temporarily banning assault-style weapons, including firearms similar to the AR-15 that have exploded in popularity in recent years, and he wants to put the law back into place. Biden argued that there was no rationale for such weapons “outside of a war zone” and noted that parents of the young victims at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde had to supply DNA because the weapon used in the massacre rendered the bodies unidentifiable.
“DNA, to say that’s my baby!" Biden said. "What the hell is the matter with us?”
Democrats are trying to blunt Republican efforts to use concern about crime to their advantage in the midterms. It's a particularly fraught issue in Pennsylvania, a key swing state.
The Republican candidate for governor, Doug Mastriano, accuses Democrat Josh Shapiro of being soft on crime as the state’s twice-elected attorney general, saying Shapiro “stands aside” as homicides rise across Pennsylvania.
Homicides have been increasing in Pennsylvania, but overall crime seems to have fallen over the last year, according to state statistics.
“The real heroes here are the people who put on the uniform every single day," said Shapiro, who spoke shortly before Biden's remarks at Wilkes University. “We know that policing is a noble profession, and we know that we need to stand with law enforcement.” | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/biden-blasts-maga-republicans-sickening-attacks-on-fbi/article_ef83254c-28b8-11ed-a470-cb6d7e25ff8a.html | 2022-08-31T02:16:47Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/biden-blasts-maga-republicans-sickening-attacks-on-fbi/article_ef83254c-28b8-11ed-a470-cb6d7e25ff8a.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Pennsylvania cannot keep a cache of weapons seized from the parents of a gunman who killed one state trooper and permanently disabled another eight years ago, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.
The parents of Eric Frein sued after authorities refused to return 25 rifles, 19 pistols and two shotguns that were taken from their home in September 2014, days after Frein ambushed the troopers outside a state police barracks in the Pocono Mountains.
Eugene Michael Frein and Deborah Frein were not charged in their son's crime — for which he was convicted and sentenced to death — and none of their weapons were used in his deadly late-night assault.
The Pike County district attorney, who was named as a defendant in the parents' suit, had argued that authorities had the right to hold the seized weapons, saying they might be needed as evidence during Eric Frein’s state and federal appeals.
The Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed, saying in its ruling Tuesday that state authorities never used Michael and Deborah’s guns as evidence at their son’s trial and violated the parents' constitutional rights by holding onto them indefinitely.
Curt Parkins, the Freins’ attorney, called the seizure a “terrible case of government overreach."
“It’s really the government being vindictive,” Parkins said in a telephone interview. The Freins, he said, were “punished for being the parents of Eric Frein.”
State police declined to comment on the ruling, which overturned a lower court decision to dismiss the parents' lawsuit. A message was sent to the district attorney seeking comment.
The state seized the Freins' property without compensation in violation of the Fifth Amendment, and hindered their ability to keep firearms in violation of the Second Amendment, the appeals court said.
“The police understandably seized the parents’ guns in 2014 while a killer was still at large. But he has long since been captured and convicted, and his conviction has been affirmed,” the panel wrote in its decision. “The judicial warrant does not authorize keeping the guns past this point.”
The state would have to get another warrant to justify keeping the parents' property, which the district attorney's office conceded was unlikely because of a lack of probable cause, the court said.
Prosecutors have said Eric Frein was hoping to start an uprising against the government when he opened fire with a rifle on the Blooming Grove barracks. Cpl. Bryon Dickson II, a Marine veteran and married father of two, was killed in the late-night ambush, and Trooper Alex Douglass was left with devastating injuries.
Frein was captured after a 48-day manhunt. He was convicted and sentenced to death, though Pennsylvania has a moratorium on executions. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/court-pennsylvania-cant-keep-guns-in-trooper-ambush-case/article_7ccbcaa0-28a8-11ed-a690-af9455416914.html | 2022-08-31T02:16:53Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/court-pennsylvania-cant-keep-guns-in-trooper-ambush-case/article_7ccbcaa0-28a8-11ed-a690-af9455416914.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NEW YORK — The state’s effort to limit the flow of illegal guns into New York is showing results, Gov. Kathy Hochul said last week, and fewer New Yorkers are being shot this year than last.
At an appearance with the mayor of New York City, which has suffered a rising violent crime rate since the onset of the pandemic, Hochul said 6,007 illegal firearms were seized statewide by police agencies from January through July, 20% more than in the same seven months of 2021.
Also in the same seven months, there were 11% fewer gunfire incidents resulting in injury this year than in 2021 in communities that are part of a state-led gun violence initiative.
“I tell you those numbers, not in the context that this is satisfactory, but I’m sure glad it’s down 10% down, 11%, as opposed to up 10% or up 11%,” Hochul said.
Progress is relative.
While shootings are down from 2021, they are still far above the five-year average of 2017-2021: 25.7% more people suffered not-fatal gunshot wounds and 51.8% more people were shot to death in the first seven months of this year than the average for the preceding five years.
The statistics are based on reports from police in 20 cities, towns and counties participating in New York state’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination initiative.
The announcement was the latest in a series of gun violence announcements by Hochul, who is taking flak in her election campaign over the rise in violent crime during the pandemic.
She typically focuses on placing more restrictions on legal gun ownership or on seizing illegal guns, and avoids mention of arresting and jailing the people breaking gun laws, just as her Republican critics call for jailing suspected criminals rather than making the tools of their crimes harder to access.
“We are now working across borders,” Hochul said Wednesday, “getting guns out off the streets and keeping people safe because my philosophy is: I’d rather be in the crime prevention business than the crime solving business.”
Hochul’s news conference came before the meeting of the Interstate Task Force on Illegal Guns, which was formed earlier this year to fight the trafficking of guns.
It is showing results, Hochul said: New York State Police alone seized 1,468 guns in the last 12 months, a 140% increase over the same period a year earlier and the most ever in the history of the agency.
Steven Dettelbach, director of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, praised the task force. “You are truly national and international leaders in trying to be smart and aggressive on this problem,” he said, adding that he promotes it as an example for other governments.
The 20 police departments participating in the state GIVE initiative use evidence-based strategies to reduce shootings, and will benefit from $18.2 million allocated from the initiative in the 2022-2023 state budget.
Collectively, the 20 police departments that are part of GIVE reported 636 shooting incidents resulting in one or more people wounded in the first seven months of this year, down 11% from the same period of last year but 25.7% higher than the five-year average for those months. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/local_news/gun-violence-in-ny-down-from-2021-but-still-well-above-average/article_6ef03d22-28c5-11ed-b34f-13ef4bc06dd4.html | 2022-08-31T02:16:59Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/local_news/gun-violence-in-ny-down-from-2021-but-still-well-above-average/article_6ef03d22-28c5-11ed-b34f-13ef4bc06dd4.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The skies delivered rain as Catholic Health officials and business sponsors signed the last beam of the future Lockport Memorial Hospital off S. Transit Street before it was put into place.
Mark Sullivan, president and CEO at Catholic Health-Buffalo, led his speech by saying that just like this event pulled through, so-would Catholic Health and so-would the construction of this hospital.
“Patients don’t wait for good weather,” Sullivan said. “We are here for them no matter what.”
The site for the hospital was secured in February of 2021, a piece of Bob Hall’s land, the Hall’s Apple Farm, and plans for the hospital were approved by July of 2021 by the Town Board of Lockport and New York state. Construction began as of late November.
At the beam signing event, Monsignor Robert E. Zapfel prayed that the building would be a place for people to heal, as well as that blessings come upon the workers of the hospital who care for the sick.
“This place is going to affect 80,000 residents of Eastern Niagara County,” Sullivan said to the US&J before the event, stressing that while the hospital will have state-of-the-art care for emergency services, a wing of the building will be designated with primary care doctors, people who will help prevent health problems before they start.
“There will be lab and imaging in that wing,” he said. “The goal is to meet the needs of the community.”
Sullivan also said that there have been some slow downs including the “geo-political” situation, supply chain issues but that the Catholic Health team has done a “remarkable job”. He was particularly happy that the site includes a helipad for quick transport of stroke victims to Mt. St. Mary’s Hospital on the other side of the county.
Sullivan also noted that many people did not believe that there would be any construction at all.
“Many said it wouldn’t happen,” he said in front of press, sponsors and Catholic Health officials. “This job is going forward.”
Janet Faulhaber, system director of Facility Planning, Design and Construction at Catholic Health, said that the next steps were to enclose the space with exterior walls, which will start in the coming weeks.
By late fall the exterior to the building will be completed with the date for the hospital’s opening is set for the summer of 2023. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/local_news/lockport-memorial-hospital-gets-a-last-beam/article_a83d5b26-28b8-11ed-a720-cb67dc92f81a.html | 2022-08-31T02:17:06Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/local_news/lockport-memorial-hospital-gets-a-last-beam/article_a83d5b26-28b8-11ed-a720-cb67dc92f81a.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MOSCOW — Mikhail Gorbachev, who as the last leader of the Soviet Union waged a losing battle to salvage a crumbling empire but produced extraordinary reforms that led to the end of the Cold War, has died at 91, Russian media reported Tuesday.
News organizations quoted a statement from the Central Clinical Hospital as saying he died after a long illness. No other details were given.
Though in power less than seven years, Gorbachev unleashed a breathtaking series of changes. But they quickly overtook him and resulted in the collapse of the authoritarian Soviet state, the freeing of Eastern European nations from Russian domination and the end of decades of East-West nuclear confrontation.
His decline was humiliating. His power hopelessly sapped by an attempted coup against him in August 1991, he spent his last months in office watching republic after republic declare independence until he resigned on Dec. 25, 1991. The Soviet Union wrote itself into oblivion a day later.
A quarter-century after the collapse, Gorbachev told The Associated Press that he had not considered using widespread force to try to keep the USSR together because he feared chaos in a nuclear country.
“The country was loaded to the brim with weapons. and it would have immediately pushed the country into a civil war,” he said.
Many of the changes, including the Soviet breakup, bore no resemblance to the transformation that Gorbachev had envisioned when he became the Soviet leader in March 1985.
By the end of his rule he was powerless to halt the whirlwind he had sown. Yet Gorbachev may have had a greater impact on the second half of the 20th century than any other political figure.
“I see myself as a man who started the reforms that were necessary for the country and for Europe and the world,” Gorbachev told The AP in a 1992 interview shortly after he left office.
“I am often asked, would I have started it all again if I had to repeat it? Yes, indeed. and with more persistence and determination,” he said.
Gorbachev won the 1990 Nobel Peace Prize for his role in ending the Cold War and spent his later years collecting accolades and awards from all corners of the world. Yet he was widely despised at home.
Russians blamed him for the 1991 implosion of the Soviet Union — a once-fearsome superpower whose territory fractured into 15 separate nations. His former allies deserted him and made him a scapegoat for the country’s troubles.
The official news agency Tass reported that Gorbachev will be buried at Moscow’s Novodevichy cemetery next to his wife. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/russian-media-ex-soviet-leader-mikhail-gorbachev-dead-at-91/article_189a201e-28a7-11ed-89b4-dba697c62d83.html | 2022-08-31T02:17:12Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/russian-media-ex-soviet-leader-mikhail-gorbachev-dead-at-91/article_189a201e-28a7-11ed-89b4-dba697c62d83.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
President Joe Biden says he hopes his proposal to forgive federal student loans will narrow the nation's racial wealth gap. But a generation of Black and Hispanic Americans was disproportionately shut out of one of the keys to Biden's plan: the Pell Grant program.
As part of the “war on drugs” — a consequential, anti-crime legislative agenda that Biden championed as a U.S. senator — an estimated hundreds of thousands of convicted drug offenders had their access to federal financial aid delayed or denied, including Pell Grants and student loans. If they wanted to go to college after their prison terms ended, these offenders had to take on larger, often predatory, private student loans.
Some were discouraged from seeking federal aid by a requirement to disclose their drug record on financial aid applications, while others put off attending college or dropped out entirely.
The people most harmed by these policies: Black and Latino men, thanks to drug laws in the 1990s with harsh punishments for crack cocaine and marijuana offenses. Incarceration rates for men of color skyrocketed. The policies remained in place for 25 years, until Congress repealed the Pell Grant ban in 2020.
America’s student loan debt burden, which now tops $1.6 trillion, “is especially heavy on Black and Hispanic borrowers, who on average have less family wealth to pay for it,” Biden said last week as he announced the forgiveness plan.
The administration has offered to forgive up to $10,000 in student debt for individuals earning annual incomes of less than $125,000, or less than $250,000 for families. And its offer doubles the debt relief to $20,000 for borrowers who also received Pell Grants, a federal program that gives the neediest undergraduates aid that they don’t have to repay.
Studies show that Pell Grants — one of the nation’s most effective financial aid programs — routinely help more than half of Black students and almost half of Hispanic students afford college. According to the White House, among the 43 million borrowers who are eligible for debt relief under Biden’s plan, more than 60% are Pell Grant recipients.
The White House said in a statement to The Associated Press that the student debt relief plan will wipe away about half of the average debt held by Black and Hispanic borrowers, not counting the additional $10,000 cancellation for Pell Grant recipients.
Amid debate over whether Biden’s forgiveness plan goes far enough for disproportionately indebted communities, criminal justice reform advocates say the president’s solutions to the student debt crisis must be as comprehensive as the anti-drug laws were.
“I think there’s a particular onus on this administration and on this president to be part of the solution for issues that he was very deeply involved in,” said Melissa Moore, the director of civil systems reform at Drug Policy Alliance.
There’s a generation of former drug offenders who borrowed to pay for school, but don’t have Pell Grants or federal loans, and won’t have any of their student debt forgiven. According to a Student Borrower Protection Center report on private loan debt, Black students are four times as likely as white students to struggle in repayment of private loans.
“For people who previously would have had to check that box, there should be some mechanism by which, if you were excluded in the past, you are prioritized now for relief,” Moore said.
An AP review last year of federal and state incarceration data showed that, between 1975 and 2019, the U.S. prison population jumped from 240,593 to 1.43 million Americans, as a result of the war on drugs that President Richard Nixon declared in 1971. About 1 in 5 people were incarcerated with a drug offense listed as their most serious crime. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/student-loan-relief-limited-for-many-by-us-drug-wars-legacy/article_66a88c24-28a6-11ed-a3e8-7f2daf1f469a.html | 2022-08-31T02:17:18Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/student-loan-relief-limited-for-many-by-us-drug-wars-legacy/article_66a88c24-28a6-11ed-a3e8-7f2daf1f469a.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Last month, I tried to ask the question of why there are such discrepancies between the 50 states when it comes to the cost of education. Why is New York the most expensive state in the union in which to educate a child? And why is Lockport one of the most expensive school districts in New York state? This means, in the larger scheme of financing, we are one of the most screwed up groups in the United States.
Why? Surely we have done nothing wrong to deserve such treatment by our politicians and the deep state of academia. So, then, why?
Then it came to me in a flash: If you want the very best student outcomes you must be willing to pay the price. Of course, the answer was right in front of me!
Then, last week, an anonymous person sent me a report card with the rankings of almost 100 school districts in Western New York. When I reviewed the list, what to my wondering eyes should appear? Could it be, would it be, Lockport at No. 1? No. That's Williamsville.
As my eyes scrolled down the list, I thought there must be a mistake, but, no, I finally found Lockport — at the end. Lockport was No. 87 out of 96 districts surveyed.
MICHAEL J. D'ADDEO, Lockport | https://www.lockportjournal.com/opinion/mailbag-so-much-for-that-pricey-education/article_b3095364-28ba-11ed-a84b-1b839dad8b84.html | 2022-08-31T02:17:24Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/opinion/mailbag-so-much-for-that-pricey-education/article_b3095364-28ba-11ed-a84b-1b839dad8b84.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
In Birmingham, Alabama last weekend, Carnival Cruise Line received KultureCity’s Human Highlight Award at the organization’s annual gala, KultureBall.
As the first line cruise line to be certified “sensory inclusive” by KultureCity in 2019, Carnival developed a close partnership with nonprofit KultureCity, and assisted a family in need who was unable to fly back to their home in New Jersey after a trip to Aruba.
Carnival Cruise Line Honored with Special Award
The largest cruise company in the world based on passengers carried, Carnival Cruise Line, was honored with KultureCity’s Human Highlight Award due to one act of kindness this past weekend.
KultureCity’s Human Highlight Award honors a special organization that “makes the nevers possible,” going above and beyond to advocate for sensory inclusion and acceptance of those with disabilities.
The award was received by the line at KultureBall, the organization’s annual national gala, in Birmingham, Alabama, this past weekend. During the ceremony, KultureCity surprised Carnival Cruise Line by inviting the mother, Jamie Greene, to personally administer the award.
The nonprofit, KultureCity, proudly partners with the cruise line and contacted Carnival about Jamie and Elijah’s situation. Once the line realized it could bring them back to the United States on one of its ships, the line opened up the Carnival Horizon for the family to board on May 31 in Aruba.
After arriving in Miami, the featured family was driven back to their home in New Jersey by KultureCity volunteers. Carnival Cruise Line has been certified as “sensory inclusive” by KultureCity, and was the first line cruise operator to be certified by the nonprofit in 2019.
“We empathized with the challenging situation Jamie and her son Elijah were in, and it was natural for us to step in and do the right thing to help this family get home safely,” said Vicky Rey, Vice President of Guest Care and Communications at Carnival Cruise Line.
“We work daily to make a difference in people’s lives, and we are grateful for the opportunity to help and for this special recognition,” she added.
As a sensory inclusive ship, the line’s partnership with KultureCity provides training and education to the organization’s team members, in hopes of creating positive vacation experiences to all.
Carnival Cruise Line’s Sensory and Disability Inclusions
The 1972-founded cruise line strives to provide an inclusive atmosphere for all guests amongst its entire fleet of 23, known for its Caribbean sailings.
In partnership with KultureCity, every Carnival ship offers KultureCity Sensory Bags that include items to help calm, relax, and manage sensory overload on vacation.
Keeping all guests comfortable, KultureCity Sensory Bags have noise-canceling headphones, fidget tools, a visual feeling thermometer, and a KultureCity VIP lanyard, helping Carnival team members identify guests with ease.
Across its fleet, Carnival provides significant adaptations for all of its guests, with and without special needs. The line’s awareness to those with “invisible disabilities” is first-rate, including additional special accommodations through guest services and even a private safety briefing.
Read Also: Carnival Cruise Line Reminds All Guests to Behave and Respect Others
Childcare offerings onboard also have resources to help soothe, calm, and entertain children participating in the youth programs. Some of the youth care inclusive options available include weighted vests, conversation cards, sensory games, and additional aids.
On the in-stateroom televisions, informational videos are available for viewing, creating greater awareness among all guests. These fleet-wide informational videos feature actor Christopher Gorham, a member of the KultureCity Board of Directors. | https://www.cruisehive.com/carnival-cruise-line-awarded-for-helping-a-family-in-need/80093 | 2022-08-31T02:26:16Z | cruisehive.com | control | https://www.cruisehive.com/carnival-cruise-line-awarded-for-helping-a-family-in-need/80093 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala will continue to experience heavy rains on Wednesday even as water level rose in many rivers due to the incessant downpour in the hilly regions of the central Kerala.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted isolated heavy rainfall across the state till Sunday. A yellow alert has been issued in all 14 districts of the state and Lakshadweep. A yellow alert is sounded when a region receives rainfall between 6 and 11 cm.
Night travel has been prohibited in hilly regions. Activities like boating have been halted for the time being.
The shutters of Malampuzha dam will be raised at 9 am on Wednesday. Those living on the banks of Kalpathipuzha and Bharathapuzha have been directed to take precautions as there will be an increase in the water level.
Ernakulam, Kottayam declare holiday for schools
Ernakulam Collector Dr Renu Raj and Kottayam Collector Dr P K Jayasree declared Wednesday a holiday for all educational institutions in their respective districts owing to a heavy rainfall forecast from IMD. However, university exams will be held as scheduled in Kottayam. | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2022/08/31/kerala-rain-alert-weather-dam-update-schools-closed-live.amp.html | 2022-08-31T02:26:17Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2022/08/31/kerala-rain-alert-weather-dam-update-schools-closed-live.amp.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NEW YORK -- When Venus Williams made her major debut at Roland Garros in 1997, as a 16-year-old, 58 of the women in this year’s US Open main draw were not yet born.
Now 42, Williams was making her Open Era record 91st Grand Slam main-draw appearance. But unlike sister Serena, there won't be a Round 2 for the elder sibling.
On Tuesday afternoon, Venus lost a first-round match, 6-1, 7-6 (5), to Alison Van Uytvanck. The first question in her post-match press conference was about her future plans.
“Right now I’m just focused on the doubles,” she said. She did not elaborate.
When Venus swiftly walked off Ashe, there were no video tributes from Beyoncé and Oprah, no applause from a Who’s Who of high-profile fans of tennis. It was a simple, dignified exit.
A salute to a living legend.@Venuseswilliams waves to the crowd in Arthur Ashe Stadium. pic.twitter.com/qdl6019nms
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 30, 2022
In a career that began in 1994, realistically there can’t be many matches left, but Venus hasn’t said a public word about her future in tennis. She has watched, gracefully and graciously, as the Serena tributes have washed over the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
Unlike Serena, who plays a second-round match Wednesday night, Venus didn’t quite rise to the occasion. The last point of the first set underlined where Venus is these days. Once one of the game’s fastest players, she couldn’t track down a drop shot from Van Uytvanck, dumping it into the net. In the second set she won a spectacular six-deuce, 13-minute game -- only to be broken two games later.
Venus is 0-4 in matches since coming back earlier this month in Washington, D.C. from a nearly one-year layoff.
Van Uytvanck, ranked No.43, is a 28-year-old Belgian, who won only her second first–round match at the US Open in 10 tries. She is the 360th different opponent Williams has faced throughout her career.
Van Uytvanck will face France's Clara Burel in the second round. A qualifier, Burel earned her spot by quietly taking out Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in straight sets.
Iconic.
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 30, 2022
No one has played more Grand Slam singles tournaments than Queen Vee. pic.twitter.com/3xJ3PTTERT
It’s ironic that it’s only because of Serena’s dazzling success that Venus finds herself somewhat unsung. Subtract Serena from the active player list and it would be -- will be? -- Venus at the top of many categories:
- Seven Grand Slam singles titles
- 49 titles overall
- $42-plus million in prize money
- 815 match wins
To give you an idea of how dominant she has been, Petra Kvitova is third among active players with 29 titles -- 20 fewer than Venus.
Here’s another way to slice it: In a vacuum without Serena how many majors would Venus have won? She lost in nine Grand Slam singles finals -- seven times to Serena after beating her in the 2001 US Open final. Even if you conservatively give her, say, five more majors, that would be a dozen -- three times as many as Naomi Osaka, who is next in line among active players with four.
Venus will be back on the court, at least once more this week, when she and Serena get started in the doubles draw. Venus was asked about her upcoming doubles match with Serena.
“More than anything,” she said, “I want to hold up my side of the court.
“Be a good sister.” | https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2770170/venus-williams-ousted-in-first-round-of-us-open | 2022-08-31T02:28:51Z | wtatennis.com | control | https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2770170/venus-williams-ousted-in-first-round-of-us-open | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Three decorated Americans who are in the very top section of the draw contested their opening matches at the US Open on Tuesday: 2017 champion Sloane Stephens, 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, and Amanda Anisimova, who has been having a career-best season.
Here are some takeaways from the trio's results on Day 2 of their home Grand Slam:
Sloane stellar at Slams: Stephens often finds a way to grit out wins at the biggest events on the calendar, regardless of preceding form. Consider earlier this year, when Stephens came into Roland Garros 0-4 on clay -- then made the quarterfinals at the clay-court major.
Stephens' 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Greet Minnen on Tuesday was a microcosm of that tendency. Minnen, who reached the US Open third round last year for her career-best major result, dominated the opening set, but Stephens calmly regrouped to take the second set.
US Open: Scores | Order of play | Draw
In the opening game of the decider, Stephens saw a 0-40 lead on the Minnen serve slide back to deuce -- no matter, she converted her fourth break point to take the early lead. Stephens romped to 4-0, then staved off a late Minnen comeback to capture the victory.
See you in Round 2, @sloanestephens! pic.twitter.com/ys5Fu6YpqI
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 30, 2022
"It's nice to be able to come back here and just play, enjoy myself, and have matches like that where you fight through," Stephens said. "It's a little bit exciting -- not too exciting, but enough -- and then you move on. Obviously it's always incredible as an American playing here."
Stephens will now face World No.1 Iga Swiatek in a marquee second round. Stephens is currently 50 spots behind Swiatek in the rankings, but anything is possible once Stephens steps on court at a Grand Slam, especially at the site where she won the title five years ago.
"I thought [in Cincinnati] I played well," said Stephens, who lost to Swiatek in two close sets at that event earlier this month. "My level's getting better, which is good. It's unfortunate it's in the second round of a Slam, but I'm just going to go out there and fight and battle."
Injured Anisimova's resurgence hits a snag: Yulia Putintseva beat No.24 seed Anisimova 6-3, 6-3, and the American announced on social media afterward that she had broken her toe earlier this month in Cincinnati and was still receiving injections in her foot as she recovers:
— A (@AnisimovaAmanda) August 31, 2022
"I'm proud of myself for giving myself a chance and playing the whole match," Anisimova posted. "I did all of this because I love this sport so much, even though it brings a lot of pain and disappointment. I hope I'll be back stronger next year[.]"
The loss does not negate the strides Anisimova has made in 2022. Anisimova won her second career title at Melbourne Summer Set 2 in January and made the Wimbledon quarterfinals in July. Her ranking has risen from No.78 to No.24 this year.
But the American could not make tactical headway while she struggled physically on Tuesday, going 1-for-14 on break points. Anisimova had four fewer winners and 20 more unforced errors than Putintseva.
And any player has to be at top capacity to beat Putintseva. Fleet of foot and deft with the drop shot, Putintseva, like Stephens, typically summons her best at majors. Putintseva is a three-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist, including at the 2020 US Open, and she will be a dangerous opponent for the rest of the draw.
Niemeier tops returning Kenin: Putintseva's next opponent, in fact, will be Jule Niemeier, after the German took down Kenin 7-6(3), 6-4. The 23-year-old Niemeier continues to see her game flourish after her breakthrough run to the Wimbledon quarterfinals this summer.
Strong-serving Niemeier had eight aces on the day as she toughed out two close sets to topple former World No.4 Kenin. Niemeier came back from 0-3 down to win seven points in a row in the first-set tiebreak, then gritted out the second set to triumph in just over two hours.
Still, Kenin demonstrated more signs that she is stepping back into form after a five-month absence from tour before returning earlier in August. Kenin found strong shots down the line at key moments but was ultimately pipped by powerful Niemeier. | https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2770399/three-takeaways-stephens-steely-at-us-open-anisimova-kenin-fall | 2022-08-31T02:28:57Z | wtatennis.com | control | https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2770399/three-takeaways-stephens-steely-at-us-open-anisimova-kenin-fall | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NEW YORK - Former World No.9 Andrea Petkovic played her final Grand Slam match on Tuesday, bowing out to World No.13 Belinda Bencic 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 in the first round of the US Open. Petkovic, 34, announced her plans to retire after the US Open.
In Photos: Petkovic closes the chapter on her gritty career
Currently ranked No.104, Petkovic reached a career-high ranking of No.9 in 2011, becoming the first German woman to be ranked in the Top 10 since Stefanie Graf in 1999. She won seven singles titles on the Hologic WTA Tour, the biggest coming in Charleston in 2014. In addition to her semifinal run at 2014 Roland Garros, Petkovic made three additional Slam quarterfinals, which all came in 2011.
"I was glad that it ended like this, with Belinda, somebody I love and respect so much," Petkovic told reporters after the match. "Also that I could bring to the last match everything that I brought to my career, which was grit and tenacity and just respect for the game and for my opponents."
A feel-good moment ❤️
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 30, 2022
The NY crowd gives @andreapetkovic some love after what may be her final #USOpen match. pic.twitter.com/1gGE3XTS2X
Petkovic left the door open for a possible exhibition event in Germany to say goodbye with family and friends, but the decision to hang up her racquets crystallized for her in Cincinnati two weeks ago.
"I think for me I still love the game, still have a tremendous amount of passion for the game," Petkovic said. "It's more the body that is not allowing me to play tennis anymore in a way that I want to play it, train the way I want to train, just play a full season really."
A fan-favorite known for her off-beat "Petkorazzi" video blogs, post-match dancing, and sharp wit in the press room, Petkovic's career had seen her bounce back from devastating injuries to rebuild her career time and time again. But things were different this time around. The injuries and niggles were mounting up and she struggled to play a consistent schedule with consistent training.
"The last four weeks I've just been playing with painkillers and anti-inflammatories," Petkovic said. "That was just the part that made me decide not to continue anymore, not the lack of passion or want for the game. So I think that was the saddest part in a way."
The toughest part of the decision was dealing with the emotions in the days leading up to her match. She wondered aloud how Serena Williams, who announced her own retirement after the US Open, was able to handle everything swirling around her to win her opening match. Petkovic was prepared to announce her retirement in Toronto. Then she woke up and saw Williams' bombshell in Vogue. In a way, Petkovic says, it was a blessing for the attention to be on Williams in New York.
Deep down, Petkovic had a sense her chapter in the annals of tennis history was over. She said it was fitting, though still painful, that her final match came against one of the young stars of the game.
"I did feel this year also for the first time that my narrative has been told and is not relevant anymore in a way, that the new generation is taking over," Petkovic said. "I think I brought everything to the game that I had to give. Obviously it's not in an amount as Serena, but in my own little world, I feel like I brought everything to it and my narrative was done.
"That was also part of it, that I just felt like I didn't have anything more to give from a narrative perspective to tennis."
It came to no one's surprise that Petkovic, a player who was just as likely to be seen wandering the halls with a Tolstoy tome as a Wilson racquet, would be so conscious of the narrative structure of her career.
"In the beginning I was up-and-coming. Then I had these injuries. Then my narrative felt like the comeback story. I still wanted to prove to everyone that I could do it. Then eventually I was a little tired of tennis. Then I decided to stick with it for the love of the game. So that has been my personal narrative for the past few years.
"I just felt like it was told. It was the last chapter. When I was up-and-coming, we had the same situation for a while where all these young players were coming on tour, but they still didn't find their footing. They were winning one tournament, then losing five times [in the] first round. Then all of a sudden it kind of shaped into the stars we have now who were Kvitova, Azarenka, the Williamses obviously. This is now my generation I'm talking about, Sharapova, Ivanovic, Jankovic.
"I feel this is something that was happening the last two years. This year it kind of settled. We now have the stars who are going to be the future who are settling into their footprints, like Swiatek, Sakkari, Bencic, Badosa, all these players who belong in the top and who will shape the narratives of the sport in the future."
Andrea Petkovic: "I was glad that it ended like this, with Belinda, somebody I love and respect so much.
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) August 30, 2022
"Also that I could bring to the last match everything that I brought to my career, which was grit and tenacity, and just respect for the game and for my opponents."#USOpen
The most emotional moment from Petkovic's press conference came when she discussed the inspiration she's taken from her 16 years on the Hologic WTA Tour.
"It's such a competitive environment, but in the most beautiful way, if that makes sense," Petkovic said. "Throughout all the pressure and demands that we have from our countries back home, playing Billie Jean King Cup, playing the Grand Slams, having all this pressure all the time and then going through it, we can be competitive cats - and we should be on court - but I feel like everyone empathizes with each other. I always felt that with all my fellow colleagues. I think that's why it made me so emotional just talking about it.
"I do like to read and I do like to intellectualize things sometimes. But when it comes down to what life is about, it's about emotions and connecting to other people. That's something I always found on the WTA Tour with my colleagues and with my other just female counterparts that were doing this really hard thing with me.
"I think that's the thing that, as I said, I'm most grateful for, just something that I will cherish for the rest of my life. These lessons that I had in being able to be competitive but also kind of having a sisterhood at the same time." | https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2770440/andrea-petkovic-announces-her-retirement-after-us-open | 2022-08-31T02:29:03Z | wtatennis.com | control | https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2770440/andrea-petkovic-announces-her-retirement-after-us-open | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NEW YORK – Heading into this US Open, Emma Raducanu was asked by reporters if she was feeling the pressure to defend her title.
“I think you guys are thinking probably more about pressure and ranking than me,” the 19-year-old from Great Britain answered crisply. “I think defending a title is just something that the press makes up. I’m just taking it one match at a time.
“Every single player is very capable in this draw. I just focus on what I’m doing, my own trajectory. As I said last year, I’m just going to do things my way.”
It worked beautifully in 2021, when she won all 10 of her matches (including qualifying) and became the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam singles title in the Open Era. It was only her second major.
But since then, she’s a more modest 15-19. That includes Tuesday night’s 6-3, 6-3 loss to Alizé Cornet in Louis Armstrong Stadium. Her ranking – which soared into the top 10 back in July – will soon plummet to outside the top 75. If Harriet Dart wins her second-round match against Dalma Galfi – Raducanu will be the British No.2.
The scrutiny has been intense, but it’s a small sample size; Raducanu didn’t play her first WTA main draw until less than 15 months ago. Back then she was a wildcard on the grass in Nottingham and ranked No.366 in the world. A round-of-16 run at Wimbledon changed everything. She beat two Top 50 players – Sorana Cirstea and Marketa Vondrousova – and nearly cut her ranking in half. The US Open vaulted her into the Top 25.
This year, Raducanu lost two of three matches in Washington, D.C. and Toronto but rallied recently in Cincinnati, defeating Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka back to back. And while she eventually fell to Jessica Pegula, a Top 10 player, there were signs that – urged on by new coach Dmitry Tursunov – she was swinging freely again.
Alize Cornet is FIRED UP
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 31, 2022
The 🇫🇷 takes the first set over Raducanu, 6-3. pic.twitter.com/ZBilJWtdCi
Raducanu had her serve broken three times in the first set, the last time due to a crippling double fault. It was 3-all in the second when Cornet hit a gorgeous half-volley winner on the way to her sixth break of Raducanu’s serve.
A seventh break was enough to get Cornet over the line.
"My game at the net was pretty good,” Cornet said in an on-court interview. “I did a lot of variation – I think that’s what worked tonight."
.@alizecornet is victorious in Armstrong!
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 31, 2022
She defeats Raducanu, 6-3, 6-3 to advance to Round 2. pic.twitter.com/RHAd0zCBxv
The 32-year-old from France has a history of some timely wins – against big opponents. Cornet, ranked No.37, has already crafted five Top-20 wins this season, including an upset of No.1 Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon and a memorable win over Simona Halep in Melbourne.
"I think I’m handling my emotions better," Cornet said. "I guess I’m getting old – more mature. It shows in my results. I’m 32 – better late than never."
She’s appearing in her 63rd consecutive Grand Slam main draw, the longest run in Open Era history. Cornet is coming off a semifinal appearance last week in Cleveland – and scored her best major effort back in January with a quarterfinal appearance at the Australian Open.
She’ll play Katerina Siniakova on Thursday.
Several weeks ago in Toronto, Raducanu surprised reporters by saying she looked forward to a “clean slate” heading into the fall season.
“It’s going to be nice once the US Open is finished.” Raducanu said, “and I can carry on from there. Start again.”
Wish granted. Start the clock.
She gave us a historic run last summer.
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 31, 2022
See you soon, @EmmaRaducanu 👏 pic.twitter.com/xzMuLNghcl | https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2770451/cornet-ends-raducanu-s-us-open-title-defense-in-first-round | 2022-08-31T02:29:09Z | wtatennis.com | control | https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2770451/cornet-ends-raducanu-s-us-open-title-defense-in-first-round | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. until 0400 est. February 15th
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) Medical Service School tours NMRTC Yokosuka [Image 8 of 9]
JGSDF Medical Service School members take notes as NMRTC Yokosuka medical staff provide operational aspects of the various clinics.
PUBLIC DOMAIN
This work, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) Medical Service School tours NMRTC Yokosuka [Image 9 of 9], by Gabriel Archer, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7395269/japan-ground-self-defense-force-jgsdf-medical-service-school-tours-nmrtc-yokosuka | 2022-08-31T02:39:48Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7395269/japan-ground-self-defense-force-jgsdf-medical-service-school-tours-nmrtc-yokosuka | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG) — A portion of Interstate 55 in Memphis, Tennessee, was forced to partially close Tuesday evening after a tractor-trailer wreck sent alfredo sauce pouring across the roadway.
The wreck was reported shortly before 5 p.m. local time.
Traffic camera video from the Tennessee Department of Transportation shows a white sauce covering all three northbound lanes of the interstate.
Police and fire crews did not confirm what the truck was carrying, but a reporter with Nexstar’s WREG that was on the scene confirmed that the truck was carrying jars of alfredo sauce.
No injuries have been reported in the crash.
Authorities have not said how long it will take to clean up the spill or what caused it. | https://www.wwlp.com/news/national/alfredo-sauce-spill-partially-closes-tennessee-highway/ | 2022-08-31T02:47:16Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/national/alfredo-sauce-spill-partially-closes-tennessee-highway/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
HONOLULU (KITV4) -- Lunalilo Home has a new CEO. Keolamaikalani Dean took over late this spring, and hopes to help the legacy of King Lunalilo reach new heights. The facility is supported by the trust of King Lunalilo.
Though the Hawaii Kai senior facility is under 40 miles from Dean's native Nanakuli, his path here was circuitious. After graduating as his class valedictorian at Kamehameha Schools, he left for the mainland.
"I've attended Harvard, Stanford, Bentley University, Washington State University. Even a stint at University of Pennsylvania," he listed, noting that he was "ABD" or "all but dissertation" for a doctorate in education at the U Penn.
Thirty-four years and thousands of miles later, Dean's back home. And he brings with him a lot of fancy degrees- psychology, accounting, law, and health policy. He's worked in all of those fields, all over the country. He was an auditor at KPMG International and at American Savings Bank, a securities litigator in Washington, DC, a venture capital lawyer in corporate securities in California, and he wasn't totally happy.
"In my ninth year of practice at a corporate attorney I woke up one day. This question was in my head. I knew it was from my aumakua. It was, 'Am I going to be happy with what I've accomplished when I look back on my life at 70 years of age?' No," he said.
So he went back to school, got yet another degree in public health policy, and worked for Medicaid, specifically to help Native Americans, because taking care of indigenous people is important to him.
"I helped to make sure Medicaid policy in Washington State supported better access to Medicaid services for the tribes and their citizens," Dean elaborated.
Still, there was something missing. Dean wanted to use his talent to help his own people. That's when this Native Hawaiian asked his aumakua - his spiritual guardians- to help. Then, providence came calling, on a visit to Oahu in 2021 to see his mother.
"I came home again and that's when I saw the story on KITV4 about a King Lunalilo Trust opening for CEO. That was a sign, the opportunity for me to come home," he recalled of the news story when former CEO Diane Paloma stepped down. The signs further aligned when, within hours, a friend called him to urge him to apply for that job.
He did, and got the job. And for the first time, Dean sees all his skills coalesce. Now, his host of disparate vocations make sense to him in a broader context; he needs all those skills in his current position.
"I view my entire journey coming here as driven by my aumakua and of course the King. The King wants to make sure our kupuna are taken care of still. I feel his presence here," shared Dean.
He says this drive to take care of Hawaiian elders is his passion and his purpose.
"Kupuna are the source for our strength and culture. Without kupuna, we have no culture. Growing up, the Native Hawaiian culture was important to me. It was my source of resilience," Dean said, a 13th-generation descendant of Kahuna Hewahewa, the high priest of King Kamehameha I, and an extended relative of famed historian Mary Kawena Pukui.
Now, under what he believes is the King's watcful presence, Dean is working to make sure Lunalilo Home can continue serving kupuna well into the future.
Diane is KITV4’s weekend evening anchor and weekday reporter. She hosts the Aging Well series on Tuesday evenings at 5, 6, and 10 p.m. She is a mother, a cat owner, and a yogi. | https://www.kitv.com/kakou/aging-well/aging-well-lunalilo-homes-new-ceo-is-passionate-about-serving-kupuna/article_b2ff4546-1f63-11ed-943a-bb00461535ea.html | 2022-08-31T02:49:01Z | kitv.com | control | https://www.kitv.com/kakou/aging-well/aging-well-lunalilo-homes-new-ceo-is-passionate-about-serving-kupuna/article_b2ff4546-1f63-11ed-943a-bb00461535ea.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Now that more travelers are taking to the skies as the impacts of the pandemic subside, the Transportation Security Administration reported a surge in enrollment for precheck clearance.
The agency has been processing about 10,000 applications per day nationwide, according to TSA spokesperson Lorie Dankers.
"People are getting back to traveling, I think they made it kind of their New Years resolution, or their mid-year resolution to start traveling again," Dankers said.
TSA has been screening about 2 million passengers across the country nearly every day, Dankers added, or about 85 to 90 percent of pre-pandemic counts.
State data from the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism showed 919,154 visitors flocked to the islands last month, 92 percent of what Hawai'i saw before COVID.
As many have noticed, the influx in travelers has led to busier airports and longer lines at TSA checkpoints.
"So, people are taking whatever steps they can to make that process easier for them," Dankers added.
The soaring number of precheck applications comes as Maui's inundated Kahului Airport struggles to process the torrent of travelers on the island.
"We know that we have had wait times where travelers have gotten frustrated," Dankers admitted, adding the agency has been working on solutions to ease crowding at the airport.
According to Dankers, TSA is planning to open a new checkpoint dedicated to just precheck travelers, as well as employ four canine teams to sniff out explosives.
"We're hoping that helps ease the crunch," Dankers said.
TSA and state transportation officials plan to share more details on the changes coming to Kahului Airport on Thursday.
Do you have a story idea? Email news tips to news@kitv.com
'A'ali'i is a reporter with KITV. He was born and raised on the island of Maui and graduated from the University of Southern California with a bachelor's degree in Journalism. | https://www.kitv.com/news/as-more-people-travel-again-tsa-reports-precheck-enrollment-is-soaring/article_9f44f53c-28b9-11ed-8aca-ff6ce5e8d968.html | 2022-08-31T02:49:07Z | kitv.com | control | https://www.kitv.com/news/as-more-people-travel-again-tsa-reports-precheck-enrollment-is-soaring/article_9f44f53c-28b9-11ed-8aca-ff6ce5e8d968.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
HONOLULU (KITV4) -- A former travel agent whose business was based on Oahu was convicted of felony crimes for collecting more than $200,000 for travel expenses on trips that never happened, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.
Wendy Wong ran the business “House of Aloha Hawaii” based out of Ewa Beach up until August 2019 as dozens of angry customers came forward to report the apparent scam.
Wong pleaded “no contest” to the allegations in Santa Clara County Superior Court on Aug. 23.
“The defendant abused her position of trust and disrupted the lives of many families in our community. We are grateful to the victims who came forward,” said Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Tamalca Harris.
Wong was charged with two felonies: one for failing to return money for travel services not provided and one for illegally withdrawing money from client trust accounts. Her sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 4, 2022.
According to the Santa Clara County DA’s Office, if Wong pays the $155,000 restitution requested by the victims, she will not serve any jail time and will instead be on a two-year felony probation.
If she does not pay the restitution, she will receive a two-year sentence consisting of one year in county jail and one year of mandatory supervision.
The DA Office's Consumer Protection unit investigated the case against Wong. Officials said travel agents in California are required to register with the Attorney General's Office. However, Wong was not registered in the state.
According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), House of Aloha Hawaii also had not obtained a necessary license from the Hawaii Department of Commerce & Consumer Affairs (DCCA).
The BBB had given the travel agency an "F" rating. In an undated post about House of Aloha Hawaii, BBB wrote:
"BBB has recently received a pattern of complaints concerning contract and service issues. Consumers allege the company failed to arrange, book, and pay for their travel itineraries including airline and hotel reservations after paying the company for their trip to Hawaii. In addition, the consumers were sent fake itineraries for their trips leading them to believe the travel arrangements had been made. These complaints are currently pending as BBB is waiting for the company’s response."
Matthew has been the digital content manager for KITV4 since September 2021. Matthew is a prolific writer, editor, and self-described "newsie" who's worked in television markets in Oklahoma, California, and Hawaii. | https://www.kitv.com/news/crime/hawaii-travel-agent-convicted-of-fraud-ordered-to-pay-155-000-in-restitution-or-face/article_167acb06-28bd-11ed-8f8d-43efc4e238d6.html | 2022-08-31T02:49:13Z | kitv.com | control | https://www.kitv.com/news/crime/hawaii-travel-agent-convicted-of-fraud-ordered-to-pay-155-000-in-restitution-or-face/article_167acb06-28bd-11ed-8f8d-43efc4e238d6.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The uncrewed Artemis I mission will get another attempt at launching on a journey around the moon on Saturday.
The two-hour launch window opens at 2:17 p.m. ET on September 3.
After the launch was scrubbed Monday morning, the launch team spent the remainder of the day evaluating data gathered during the attempt. Mission managers shared an update Tuesday evening.
The Artemis I stack, which includes the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft, continues to sit on Launchpad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
One of the rocket's four RS-25 engines, identified as engine #3, could not reach the proper temperature range that is required for the engine to start at liftoff.
The engines need to be thermally conditioned before supercold propellant flows through them before liftoff. To prevent the engines from experiencing any temperature shocks, the launch controllers increase the pressure of the core stage liquid hydrogen tank to send a little bit of the liquid hydrogen to the engines. This is known as a "bleed."
The liquid hydrogen is about minus 423 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 252 degrees Celsius).
Engine #3 was probably about 30 to 40 degrees warmer than the other engines, which reached about minus 410 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 245 degrees Fahrenheit), said John Honeycutt, manager of the Space Launch System Program at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama.
Mission managers suspected that the engine #3 issue was actually a problem with the bleed system, rather than the actual engine. A faulty sensor may be providing an incorrect reading of the engine temperature, Honeycutt said.
"The way the sensor is behaving doesn't line up with the physics of the situation," Honeycutt said.
The team plans to begin the bleed 30 to 45 minutes earlier in the countdown than it occurred on Monday and monitor the engine temperature during the bleed.
"Coming into yesterday's attempt, we said that if we couldn't thermally condition the engines, we're not going to launch," Sarafin said. "That's the same posture that we're going into Saturday."
Removing and replacing the sensor would be tricky at the launchpad, so the only alternative is rolling it back into the Vehicle Assembly Building for servicing, said Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis launch director at NASA's Exploration Ground Systems Program.
Several other issues, like storms, a leak on an 8-inch line used to fill and drain the rocket core stage's liquid hydrogen and a hydrogen leak from a vent valve on the core stage's intertank also caused delays Monday morning that prevented liftoff during the two-hour launch window.
""We agreed on what was called option one, which was to operationally change the loading procedure and start our engine chill down earlier. We also agreed to do some work at the pad to address the leak that we saw at the hydrogen tail service mask umbilical," said Mike Sarafin, Artemis mission manager, NASA Headquarters.
The current forecast for Saturday includes a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning and early afternoon hours, so the launch team will keep a close eye on the forecast, said meteorologist Mark Burger, launch weather officer with the US Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron.
There is a 60% chance of a weather violation during the launch window, Berger said.
There is still a backup opportunity for the Artemis I mission to launch on September 5 as well.
The Artemis I mission is just the beginning of a program that will aim to return humans to the moon and eventually land crewed missions on Mars.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misspelled meteorologist Mark Burger's name.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.kitv.com/news/national/artemis-i-launch-for-a-journey-around-the-moon-rescheduled-for-saturday/article_4ee9084d-4172-5381-8003-f11e86680c38.html | 2022-08-31T02:49:25Z | kitv.com | control | https://www.kitv.com/news/national/artemis-i-launch-for-a-journey-around-the-moon-rescheduled-for-saturday/article_4ee9084d-4172-5381-8003-f11e86680c38.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A warm cup of tea in your favorite mug can seem to heal the soul -- and a new study finds it may be good for your body, too.
Drinking two or more cups of black tea a day is associated with lower risk of death from all causes, according to the study published Monday in Annals of Internal Medicine.
The study looked at nearly 500,000 men and women ages 40 to 69 years old who participated in the UK Biobank, which houses in-depth genetic and health information, between 2006 and 2010. The database included information participants reported about their own tea drinking habits, such as frequency and what they added to their cup, according to the study.
Some participants didn't drink black tea at all, but since the data came from the United Kingdom, there also were plenty of people who drank it regularly -- and some who drank up to 10 cups a day, said lead study author Maki Inoue-Choi, an epidemiologist at the National Cancer Institute in the US.
The Biobank followed up about 10 years after the original survey, and researchers found that people who drank two or more cups of tea daily in the interim were less likely to have died from causes such as cardiovascular disease, ischemic heart disease and stroke, according to the study.
The research is an exciting look into tea drinking habits, but there is still more work that needs to be done before recommending dietary changes, said Howard Sesso, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and associate epidemiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Sesso was not involved in the study.
"The authors tried to control for other dietary factors, but tea drinkers typically differ from non-tea drinkers in other ways that would likely weaken these findings. We really need more randomized clinical trials testing tea intake," Sesso said in an email.
What about the milk and sugar?
For many tea drinkers, the process of making their tea is crucial.
What temperature does the water need to be? Do you take it black? Do you add milk? Sugar? How much?
If you can't imagine taking your tea black, don't worry just yet. There was no significant reduction in health benefits for those who added milk or sugar, according to the study.
That doesn't necessarily mean it's the healthiest way to drink tea, though. Inoue-Choi said health experts strongly encourage limiting sugar and the saturated fats like those in milk.
Should you change your drinking habits?
Although it's hard to say for sure from the research so far, Inoue-Choi said there are some good reasons why black tea might be so beneficial.
"There are multiple possible mechanisms," she said. "Tea is rich in bioactive compounds ... They have the potential to decrease oxidated stress and inflammation. That could protect against health conditions such as cancer and heart disease."
There has been plenty of research on the health benefits of green tea.
Observational studies, like one from 2013, suggest that it could slow the growth of precancerous legions, while a 2014 study found that green tea consumption is associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline.
Both black and green tea come from variations of the same plant, camellia sinensis, but little research before now has looked into the impacts of drinking black tea, Inoue-Choi said.
Because of the lack of research, it may not be time to add black tea into your daily routine just yet, she added.
"Our findings may provide reassurance to people who already drink tea every day, but we don't recommend making decisions about whether people start drinking tea or change how much they are drinking right now," Inoue-Choi said.
People shouldn't rely on the results from a single study for these kinds of changes, she said, and more research is needed to round out the findings.
"This study does not prove that tea intake reduces mortality, but it does suggest that if you are currently drinking tea -- and especially black tea, which was the tea type of choice in the UK -- you can continue to do so," Sesso said.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.kitv.com/news/national/study-reveals-how-drinking-two-or-more-cups-of-black-tea-a-day-could-affect/article_bac206b1-154b-5275-9b5f-487410cd7bdc.html | 2022-08-31T02:49:31Z | kitv.com | control | https://www.kitv.com/news/national/study-reveals-how-drinking-two-or-more-cups-of-black-tea-a-day-could-affect/article_bac206b1-154b-5275-9b5f-487410cd7bdc.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Recent torrential rain coupled with years of water system issues have resulted in a crisis in Jackson, Mississippi, where the city doesn't have enough water to fight fires, flush toilets or even hand out to residents in need.
Jackson's main water treatment facility began failing Monday, according to Gov. Tate Reeves. The National Guard was called up to help distribute bottled water as crews work to get the water treatment plant back online, state officials said.
But the distribution itself proved unsustainable. Residents of all ages were seen waiting in lines more than a mile long at Hawkins Field Airport for at least two hours Tuesday for just one case of bottled water. The event was supposed to span three hours, but barely ran two as people were eventually turned away when the 700 cases of water ran out.
"I keep saying we're going to be the next Michigan," said Jeraldine Watts, 86, who was able to get water at a grocery store Monday night. "And it looks like that's exactly what we're headed for."
Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba told CNN's Pamela Brown the city is working on more water distribution events. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency will provide nearly 30 water trucks to help supplement the city events, the mayor said.
"I have been assured by MEMA that they will supplement those locations with about 28 tanker trucks distributed at various points across the city," Lumumba told CNN.
Explanations for Jackson's failing system are complicated: Damage this summer to pumps at the main water treatment facility made failure increasingly likely as the summer progressed, the governor said; and flooding of the Pearl River after heavy rains last week affected treatment processes and therefore the amount of running water the system can provide, Lumumba said.
This week's troubles come as the water system has been plagued with problems for years and with the city already under a boil water notice since late July for what the state called a water-quality issue.
The state is "surging our resources to the city's water treatment facility and beginning emergency maintenance, repairs and improvements," Gov. Reeves said, adding, "We will do everything in our power to restore water pressure and get water flowing back to the people of Jackson."
Water for those in the state's most populous city would have to be provided "for an unknown period of time," Reeves said.
The water shortage is expected to last "the next couple of days," according to the mayor's office.
Lumumba also announced Monday the city's public works director -- a role that oversees the water treatment facilities -- has been reassigned. Marlin King will instead serve as deputy director and Jordan Hillman, the city's planning and development director, will be the interim public works director, according to Melissa Payne, the mayor's spokesperson.
King did not respond to CNN requests for comment. Payne said King's reassignment "is part of restructuring" and is not a result of the current water crisis.
Residents say faucet water is discolored
State Rep. Ronnie Crudup Jr. said he didn't have running water Monday, but on Tuesday, discolored water came out of his faucet that he used to flush the toilet. He and his family used bottled water Tuesday morning to brush their teeth, Crudup told CNN's Alisyn Camerota.
Crudup said that although the city has experienced water issues in the past, rain played a part in the current water emergency.
"It's been building up for years, but we have had an unprecedented amount of rain in the last two to three weeks, and it just kind of created this havoc, what we are dealing with right now," he said.
Jackson resident Daryl Page told CNN he's been searching for clean, bottled water since the city's been under a boil water notice "for a whole month." He was driving to a distribution site, but as he arrived, he noticed there was nothing there.
"Everyone is turning around because there is nothing here," Page said, adding that his next plan of action was to drive to another site in hopes that he could find cases of water there.
Because of Monday's failure, officials announced all Jackson public schools will shift to virtual learning Tuesday.
Hospitals are also feeling the strain. Jackson's University of Mississippi Medical Center released a statement Tuesday saying the Jackson Medical Mall air conditioning is not functioning properly "because the water pressure feeding its chillers is too low." Portable restrooms are being used in locations experiencing low water pressure, the statement said.
The university medical center statement also said a fire watch was declared for its Jackson-based facilities, "because fire suppression systems are fed by the city water system. Low pressure in the systems may cause them to be less effective."
President Joe Biden has been briefed on the water crisis in Jackson and the White House has been "in regular contact with state and local officials, including Mayor Lumumba, and made clear that the Federal Government stands ready to offer assistance," press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday afternoon.
"(The Federal Emergency Management Agency) is working closely with the state officials to identify needs, and the EPA is coordinating with industry partners to expedite delivery of critical treatment equipment for emergency repairs at the City of Jackson water treatment facilities," she said.
In an emailed statement Tuesday, the Environmental Protection Agency said "ensuring all people have access to healthy and safe water is a top priority."
"We are in communication with officials in Mississippi and stand ready to provide support should the State request federal assistance," the EPA statement read. "In the interim, we are available to provide technical support and information to Mississippi officials as they navigate their plan to address the immediate concerns at the O.B. Curtis Water Plant."
Later Tuesday, the governor said FEMA has received the state's declaration asking the federal government to declare the water shortage a federal emergency.
Water system issues go back decades, mayor says
The problem this week stems from one of two water treatment facilities in the city: the O.B. Curtis plant, which is run by the city of Jackson, according to the governor.
The main pumps at O.B. Curtis were severely damaged recently, and the facility began operating on smaller backup pumps about a month ago, around the time the latest boil water notice began in July, the governor said, without elaborating about the damage.
The governor said he was told Friday that "it was a near-certainty that Jackson would fail to produce running water sometime in the next several weeks or months if something did not materially improve," the governor said.
But Lumumba said during a Monday news conference that it was only a matter time before the water system failed because Jackson's water system has been faced serious issues for years.
"I have said on multiple occasions that it's not a matter of 'if' our system would fail, but a matter of 'when' our system would fail," the mayor said, adding that the city has been "going at it alone for the better part of two years" when it comes to the water crisis.
In early 2020, the water system failed an Environmental Protection Agency inspection. The agency wrote the drinking water had the potential to be host to harmful bacteria or parasites, based on observations of the water's turbidity, or cloudiness, as well as "disinfection treatment concerns, and/or the condition of the distribution system."
In March 2020, the EPA issued an order requiring the system to develop a plan to replace and repair monitoring and treatment equipment; to "address dosing processes for disinfection and pH control; and to take more coliform bacteria samples, among other things.
The city also has endured weather-related shutdowns.
In February 2021, a winter storm shut down Jackson's entire water system, leaving tens of thousands of residents without water for a month amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Residents have been under some sort of boil water notice or advisory several times since that winter storm, including the state-ordered notice posted in July.
"We were here two Februarys ago when we had system failures, and the world was watching us and the world is watching us again," Lumumba said during Monday's news conference.
The mayor also pointed to recent flooding from the Pearl River as an event that triggered the latest water pressure issues.
Because O.B. Curtis received additional water from the reservoir during the flooding from last week to this week, the facility had to change the way it treats the water, which has led to the reduction of water being put out into the system and reduced tank levels. This is affecting the water pressure at residents' homes, he said.
"As one crisis may be diverted, another one rears its head," Lumumba said Monday during a news conference after addressing the flooding in the city.
O.B. Curtis is meant to provide about 50 million gallons for the city daily. The other plant, which usually provides about 20 million gallons daily, has been approved to ramp up its output amid the shortage, authorities said.
In July 2021, the EPA and the city entered into an agreement to address "long-term challenges and make needed improvements to the drinking water system." The EPA recently announced $74.9 million in federal water and sewer infrastructure funds for Mississippi, mentioning Jackson without naming specific projects.
However, Lumumba has said it would take $2 billion to fully repair and replace the dated system, which city, state and federal officials say also has too much lead in its water in some places.
Lumumba declared a water system emergency Monday. The proclamation noted not only the flooding but also numerous previous "unsuccessful attempts to rectify water system issues."
As for restoring water pressure and flow and performing emergency maintenance and repairs, the state would split the cost with the city, Reeves said Tuesday.
"We will cash flow the operation, and the city will be responsible for half the cost of the emergency improvements that we make," the governor said in a statement released on Twitter.
At a Tuesday news conference at the plant, Reeves said he is "encouraged" and at the same time "discouraged" by some of the news coming out of the facility.
"We do have a plan in place to potentially bring in an additional rented pump that will allow us to put at least 4 million gallons of water additionally, hopefully, which will be installed by tomorrow morning. That is progress and will help," he said.
Reeves added there is no time frame as of now for safe drinking water, but that over the next 24 to 36 hours residents will see significant truckloads of clean water start to be delivered to Jackson.
Over the next few days, more than 108 semi-trucks of water are coming into Jackson and seven mega distribution sites will have 36 truckloads of water a day for the public to be able to retrieve, according to Lt. Col. Stephen McCraney, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency director.
Systemic issues also contributed to water crisis
Lumumba previously told CNN a lack of political will and years of neglect on a national level has prevented Jackson from getting the help it needs to fix its water and sewer crisis. Besides the infrastructure issues, the plant has also been faced with staffing issues, according to the mayor and governor.
"A far too small number of heroic frontline workers were trying their hardest to hold the system together, but that it was a near impossibility," the governor said Monday.
Jackson's ongoing water system problems already had some residents reporting low to no water pressure and raw sewage flowing in city streets and neighborhoods. Other residents took to Twitter -- where #jxnwatercrisis and #jacksonwatercrisis were trending -- to post pictures of buckets and even tubs full of brown water coming out of their drains.
Some on social media also pointed to systemic and environmental racism as among the causes of the city's ongoing water issues and lack of resources, given that 82.5% of Jackson's population identifies as Black or African American, according to census data, while the state's legislature is majority White.
NAACP president Derrick Johnson called out the Mississippi governor on Twitter Tuesday.
".@tatereeves, what are you waiting for!? We demand on behalf of the Jackson communities that you request federal aid from @FEMA and other agencies to ensure people have access to a basic human right: WATER," Johnson's tweet read. "Make the damn call. This is personal."
Jackson has undergone drastic changes in the past half century. Its economic decline has occurred rapidly over the past two decades, fueled by population decline and demographic shifts.
The city's population shrank from almost 200,000 in 1990 to about 160,000 in 2020. Its decline in population in these three decades was driven almost entirely by White flight. The city was 56% Black in 1990. By 2020, 82% of the city's residents were Black.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.kitv.com/news/national/the-water-crisis-in-jackson-mississippi-has-gotten-so-bad-the-city-temporarily-ran-out/article_ecfbe050-1dbc-5519-b6d0-2e32cb1696f2.html | 2022-08-31T02:49:37Z | kitv.com | control | https://www.kitv.com/news/national/the-water-crisis-in-jackson-mississippi-has-gotten-so-bad-the-city-temporarily-ran-out/article_ecfbe050-1dbc-5519-b6d0-2e32cb1696f2.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The top team in Major League Soccer faces a critical test with seven regular-season matches left.
Learning how to win again.
After suffering consecutive defeats for the second time in 2022 with a lopsided 4-1 result in Austin on Friday, the Los Angeles Football Club (18-6-3, 57 points) has nearly given away the comfortable points advantage it held three-quarters of the way through the season, raising questions about how a flurry of player transactions will impact the team heading into the MLS Cup playoffs.
With the addition of 31-year-old Spanish free agent Cristian Tello, who is expected to boost attacking depth following Brian Rodriguez’s departure, one-fourth of the locker room has changed in the two months preceding the MLS roster freeze on Sept. 2.
Head coach Steve Cherundolo downplayed the heavy turnover as an impediment. Instead, following the one-sided defeat in Austin which reduced LAFC’s points lead to three over the red-hot Philadelphia Union, he focused on the players’ inconsistent and unsteady efforts.
“Everyone who puts on an LAFC jersey has a responsibility to go out and to win football games,” Cherundolo said. “As many as possible. To do that you have to run, and I am 100% that everyone on the roster is capable of doing that.”
Outrun, outpressed and unable to force mistakes that lead to goals, Cherundolo fingered blunderous giveaways at the back against Austin and poor performances from otherwise reliable contributors as the starting lineup, featuring Carlos Vela and Gareth Bale for the first time, was quietly ineffective during the hour they played together.
“The way we lost is not good, but I think it’s at the right time because we are seven games from the playoffs,” Vela said. “In the playoffs, you can’t have these types of games so we have to learn from this. And of course if we want to be a really good team we have to show after this game we are ready to be a good team and be ready to get the championship.”
Over the club’s last 270 minutes, a variety of player combinations have not delivered anything resembling the 4-1 or 5-0 victories from two weeks ago, when LAFC was in the midst of hammering out a club record seven-match winning streak.
Until the previous two games, Giorgio Chiellini didn’t need to express how sad and angry he gets over losing, but that was the Italian defender’s sentiment after Austin.
Making it three consecutive away dates without points on Wednesday, this time against the scuffling Houston Dynamo, would ramp up pressure relative to expectations as LAFC works to avoid five Cup-less seasons.
The last-in-the-West Dynamo (7-15-5, 26 points) enter the midweek contest having lost five of six matches, their 27 losses since August of last year the most in the league over that span.
High on the list of reasons why LAFC acquired Chiellini is the center back’s accomplished competitive resume, which the front office and coaching staff expect to elevate the team’s chances of success.
Grabbing points on the road has been Chiellini’s focus since arriving in July because, based on his experience, that is how championship teams separate themselves from the pack.
“Everything is less important than the attitude. The emotion. The right feelings. The fire that we have,” Chiellini said. “But we have a coach who said the same things I’m saying now. We have to work on it.”
LAFC AT HOUSTON
When: Wednesday, 5:38 p.m. PT
Where: PNC Stadium
TV/radio: KCOP (Ch. 13), Estrella TV 62, 980 AM
Join the Conversation
We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. We reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/08/30/lafc-looks-to-right-ship-against-struggling-houston/ | 2022-08-31T02:56:57Z | pasadenastarnews.com | control | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/08/30/lafc-looks-to-right-ship-against-struggling-houston/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Aston Martin Valhalla supercar’s interior got a low key reveal during the recent Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, showing a minimalist design.
Aston last Friday tweeted a video showing interior details of a Valhalla prototype that was displayed at Pebble. The cockpit sports a square steering wheel backed by large shift paddles, copious carbon fiber, and little else.
In the video, Aston Martin chief creative officer Marek Reichman said the aim was to create a “pure” design to keep the focus on driving, and touted a Formula One-style seating position, where the hip point is below the resting point of the driver’s heels.
Around the driver.
With the driver.
For the driver.
Valhalla is MASTERY. DRIVEN. #AstonMartin #Valhalla #MASTERYDRIVEN
— Aston Martin (@astonmartin) August 26, 2022
The Valhalla first appeared in concept form at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, but Aston showed a rebooted version last year with different styling and a new powertrain. The supercar was originally scheduled to launch in 2022 with a hybrid powertrain utilizing a new V-6 developed in-house by Aston, but after the reveal the company ran into financial trouble.
After Mercedes-Benz increased its stake in Aston to 20%, and former AMG boss Tobias Moers was brought in as CEO to replace Andy Palmer, the V-6 was scrapped in favor of the same AMG twin-turbo V-8 already used in most other Aston models. It will be coupled to an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission and assisted by an electric motor, which powers the front axle to enable all-wheel drive.
Aston previously quoted a combined output of 937 hp and a 3,417-lb dry curb weight, enabling 0-62 mph in 2.5 seconds and a 217-mph top speed. The automaker also said the Valhalla will generate as much as 1,322 lb of downforce at 150 mph.
The rebooted Valhalla was originally scheduled to debut in 2023, but that’s now been pushed back to 2024, with a mid-engine Vanquish following in 2025. But more changes are underway at Aston.
The automaker in May named Ferrari veteran Amedeo Felisa as CEO, replacing Moers after just two years. A number of other Ferrari veterans have joined Aston alongside Felisa, while the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund, known as the Public Investment Fund, has upped its stake in the automaker. Saudi Arabia is now Aston’s second largest shareholder after Yew Tree, the consortium led by Lawrence Stroll, father of Aston F1 driver Lance Stroll.
Related Articles
- Lamborghini Miura: 100 Cars That Matter
- Review: 2022 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport hyperactivates the hypercar experience
- Zenvo readies V-12 hybrid hypercar for 2023
- Koenigsegg ups CC850 production to meet strong demand
- Gordon Murray: It took over $33M to make the T.33 street legal in the US | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/automotive/internet-brands/aston-martin-valhalla-minimalist-interior-shown-quietly-during-pebble-beach/ | 2022-08-31T02:57:50Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/automotive/internet-brands/aston-martin-valhalla-minimalist-interior-shown-quietly-during-pebble-beach/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LONDON (AP) — Above all, there was shock. That’s the word people use over and over again when they remember Princess Diana’s death in a Paris car crash 25 years ago this week.
The woman the world watched grow from a shy teenage nursery school teacher into a glamorous celebrity who comforted AIDS patients and campaigned for land mine removal couldn’t be dead at the age of 36, could she?
“I think we need to remind ourselves that she was probably the best known woman in the English-speaking world, aside from perhaps Queen Elizabeth II herself,’’ said historian Ed Owens.
“And, given this massive celebrity persona that she had developed, to have that extinguished overnight, for her to die in such tragic circumstances, at such a young age, I think really came as a massive shock to many people.”
It was that disbelief that cemented Diana’s legacy as the woman who brought lasting change to Britain’s royal family, helping bridge the gap between centuries of tradition and a new, multicultural nation in the internet age.
First, there was the outpouring of grief from the public who streamed to the princess’ home at Kensington Palace to mourn the loss of a woman most had never met. That alone forced the royals to recognize that Diana’s common touch had connected with people in ways that hadn’t yet occurred to the House of Windsor.
Those lessons have since inspired other royals, including Diana’s sons, Princes William and Harry, to be more informal and approachable. For proof, look no further than the glitzy concert that was a centerpiece of June’s Platinum Jubilee celebrating the queen’s 70 years on the throne.
There were rock bands and opera singers, dancers and lasers painting pictures of corgis on the sky. But the biggest applause was for Elizabeth herself, who appeared in a short film to share a pot of tea with British national treasure Paddington Bear. She then solved a longtime mystery and revealed what’s inside her famous black handbag: A marmalade sandwich — just for emergencies.
It wasn’t obvious Diana would be a royal rebel when she married Prince Charles.
A member of the aristocratic Spencer family, Diana was known for flouncy bows, sensible skirts and a boyish blond bob when she started dating the future king. After leaving school at 16, she spent time at a finishing school in the Swiss Alps and worked as a nanny and preschool teacher while living in London.
But she blossomed, becoming an international style icon the moment she walked down the aisle of St. Paul’s Cathedral shrouded in lace and followed by a 25-foot train on July 29, 1981.
From that moment on, reporters and photographers followed Diana wherever she went. While Diana hated the intrusion, she quickly learned the media was also a tool she could use to bring attention to a cause and to change public perceptions.
That impact was seen most famously when the princess opened the U.K.’s first specialized ward for AIDS patients on April 9, 1987.
Such ribbon-cutting ceremonies are a staple of royal duties. But Diana realized there was more at stake. She reached out and took the hands of a young patient, demonstrating the virus couldn’t be transmitted by touch. The moment, captured by photos beamed worldwide, helped combat the fear, misinformation and stigma surrounding the AIDS epidemic.
A decade later, Diana was even more media savvy.
Seven months before she died, Diana donned a protective visor and flak jacket and walked down a path cleared through a minefield in Angola to promote the work of The HALO Trust, a group devoted to removing mines from former war zones. When she realized some photographers didn’t get the shot, she turned around and did it again.
The images brought international attention to the campaign to rid the world of explosives that lurk underground long after wars end. Today, a treaty banning land mines has been signed by 164 countries.
But that public platform came at a price.
Her marriage disintegrated, with Diana blaming Charles’ continuing liaison with longtime mistress, Camilla Parker Bowles. The princess also struggled with bulimia and acknowledged suicide attempts, according to “Diana: Her True Story — In Her Own Words,’’ published in 1992 based on tapes Diana sent to author Andrew Morton.
“When I started my public life, 12 years ago, I understood the media might be interested in what I did,’’ Diana said in 1993. “But I was not aware of how overwhelming that attention would become. Nor the extent to which it would affect both my public duties and my personal life, in a manner that’s been hard to bear.”
In the end, it contributed to her death.
On Aug. 30, 1997, a group of paparazzi camped outside the Hotel Ritz in Paris in hopes of getting shots of Diana and boyfriend Dodi Fayed pursued their car to the Pont de l’Alma tunnel, where their driver lost control and crashed.
Diana died Aug. 31, 1997.
A stunned world mourned. Bouquets of flowers, many including personal notes, carpeted the grounds outside Diana’s home in Kensington Palace. Weeping citizens lined the streets outside Westminster Abbey during her funeral.
The public reaction contrasted with that of the royal family, who were criticized for not quickly appearing in public and refusing to lower the flag over Buckingham Palace to half-staff.
The mourning prompted soul-searching among members of the House of Windsor. They set about to better understand why Diana’s death had prompted such an overwhelming spectacle, said Sally Bedell Smith, a historian and author of “Diana in Search of Herself.’’
“I think her legacy was something that the queen in her wisdom (sought) to adapt in the early years after her death,’’ Smith said of focus groups and studies the monarchy used to grasp Diana’s appeal.
“The queen was more likely to interact with people, and I think you see the informality magnified now, particularly with William and Kate,” she said.
William, his wife, Kate, for example, made improving mental health services a primary goal, going so far as to publicly discuss their own struggles. Harry also is a champion for wounded military veterans.
The rehabilitation of Charles’ reputation had to wait until public anger over his treatment of Diana began to fade. That’s now well under way, helped by his 2005 marriage to Camilla, who softened his image. The queen earlier this year said she hoped Camilla would become queen consort when Charles ascends the throne, trying to heal old wounds.
But there are lessons for the monarchy to learn as it struggles with the fallout from the scandal over Prince Andrew’s links to convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Beyond that, there’s the decision of Harry and his wife, Meghan, to give up royal duties for life in Southern California.
Meghan, an American biracial former actress who grew up in Los Angeles, has said she felt constrained by palace life and that a member of the royal family even inquired about the potential skin color of her first child before he was born.
This episode shows the royals haven’t fully learned the lesson of Diana, said Owens, author of “The Family Firm: Monarchy, Mass Media and the British Public 1932-1953.”
“Once again, not enough room was created,” Owens said of Meghan.
Diana had her own struggles with the palace, airing her grievances in a 1995 BBC interview that continues to make headlines. The BBC was forced to apologize last year after an investigation found reporter Martin Bashir used “deceitful methods” to secure the interview.
Diana’s brother said this year that the interview and the way it was obtained contributed to Diana’s death because it led her to refuse continued protection from the palace after her divorce.
But her words about how she wished to be viewed remain firmly in memory.
“I’d like to be a queen of people’s hearts, in people’s hearts, but I don’t see myself being queen of this country,” Diana said in the interview. “I don’t think many people will want me to be queen.”
__
For more stories on Princess Diana: https://apnews.com/hub/princess-diana | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/entertainment-news/ap-dianas-death-stunned-the-world-and-changed-the-royals/ | 2022-08-31T02:58:31Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/entertainment-news/ap-dianas-death-stunned-the-world-and-changed-the-royals/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A rundown of notable films coming out this fall. All dates are theatrical release unless otherwise noted.
September 9
“Barbarian” (20th Century Studios): A young woman (Georgina Campbell) arrives at her Detroit Airbnb only to find the house double booked and a mysterious man staying there.
“Pinocchio” (Disney+, streaming Sept. 8): The first of two upcoming “Pinocchio” film (Guillermo del Toro will have one later this year for Netflix), is by Robert Zemeckis and features Tom Hanks voicing Geppetto.
September 16
“The Woman King” (Sony Pictures): In Gina Prince-Bythewood’s historical epic, Viola Davis stars as the general of the Agojie, an all-female warrior army who protected the West African kingdom of Dahomey in the 19th century.
“Blonde” (Netflix): Andrew Dominik’s adaptation of Joyce Carol Oates’ 2000 novel stars Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe.
“Moonage Daydream” (Neon): Documentary filmmaker Brett Morgen explores the life and music of David Bowie.
“God’s Country” (IFC Films): Thandiwe Newton stars in a thriller about a grieving college professor’s escalating feud with two hunters in rural, mountainous terrain.
“Pearl” (A24): Ti West’s sequel to “X,” a slasher standout released earlier this year, picks up the backstory of that film’s aged antagonist (Mia Goth).
“See How They Run” (Searchlight): A whodunit set in 1950s London, with Sam Rockwell, Saoirse Ronan, Adrien Brody and David Oyelowo.
“The Silent Twins” (Focus): Letitia Wright and Tamara Lawrance star as twins from the only Black family in a small town in Wales who are sent to a psychiatric hospital.
“A Jazzman’s Blues” (Netflix): A love story told across decades set against a backdrop of racism and music in the Deep South, written and directed by Tyler Perry.
September 23
“Don’t Worry Darling” (Warner Bros.): Olivia Wilde directs and co-stars in this psychological thriller about a couple (Florence Pugh, Harry Styles) living in a strange, closed-off Palm Springs community.
“Catherine Called Birdy” (Amazon): Lena Dunham directs this medieval comedy, an adaptation of Karen Cushman’s 1994 novel, about a 14-year-old girl (Bella Ramsey) whose lord father (Andrew Scott) is preparing to marry her off for money.
“Sidney” (Apple TV+, in theaters and streaming): A documentary about the late Sidney Poitier, produced by Oprah Winfrey.
September 30
“Bros” (Universal): Billy Eichner stars and co-writes the first gay rom-com from a major studio, directed by Nicholas Stoller and produced by Judd Apatow.
“Hocus Pocus 2” (Disney+, streaming): Twenty-nine years after the original, the Sanderson Sisters (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy) are inadvertently resurrected.
“Smile” (Paramount): In Parker Finn’s directorial debut, a doctor’s mind begins to turn on her after a patient’s death.
“God’s Creatures” (A24): Emily Watson stars as a mother torn between covering for her son (Paul Mescal) and turning him in after an allegation of sexual abuse is made against him.
October 7
“TAR” (Focus Features): Writer-director Todd Field (“Little Children”) directs Cate Blanchett as a renowned composer named Lydia Tár.
“Lyle, Lyle Crocodile” (Sony Pictures): A live-action adaptation of the children’s book first published in 1965, with a CGI crocodile.
“Amsterdam” (20th Century Studios): David O. Russell’s latest centers on a 1930s murder mystery with an ensemble including Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington.
“Triangle of Sadness” (Neon): Ruben Östlund’s Palme d’Or winner gathers a variety of characters together on a luxury cruise ship that ends in a disaster that erases class distinctions.
“The Redeem Team” (Netflix, streaming): A documentary following the U.S. men’s basketball team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
October 14
“Halloween Ends” (Universal, in theaters and streaming on Peacock): The 13th installment in the “Halloween” franchise, directed by David Gordon Green and starring Jamie Lee Curtis.
“Till” (MGM): Chinonye Chukwu’s drama follows Mamie Till-Mobley’s pursuit of justice after the 1955 lynching of her 14-year-old son, Emmett Louis Till.
“White Bird: A Wonder Story” (Lionsgate): A spinoff of 2017’s “Wonder,” based on the 2019 graphic novel by R.J. Palacio.
“Decision to Leave” (Mubi): South Korean director Park Chan-wook’s latest is a knotty noir thriller juggling a love story and a murder investigation.
“Piggy” (Magnet Releasing; in theaters and on VOD) A Spanish thriller about a bullied young girl who discovers that a kidnapper is abducting her tormentors.
October 21
“Black Adam” (Warner Bros.): Dwayne Johnson stars as the D.C. Comics superhero.
“Ticket to Paradise” (Universal Pictures): Julia Roberts and George Clooney play two divorced parents who travel to Bali to sabotage their daughter’s wedding plans.
“The Banshees of Inisherin” (Searchlight Pictures): Martin McDonagh reteams the stars of his “In Bruges,” Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, as two longtime friends in rural Ireland who fall out.
“My Policeman” (Amazon): Harry Styles stars as a gay policeman in 1950s Brighton, England, who falls in love with a museum curator (David Dawson) after marrying a school teacher (Emma Corrin).
“Wendell & Wild” (Netflix): Henry Selick, the maker of “Coraline” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” returns with a new spooky stop-motion animated film co-written with Jordan Peele. The title characters, a pair of demon brothers, are voiced by Peele and Keegan-Michael Key.
“Descendant” (Netflix): Margaret Brown’s documentary chronicles the discovery of the last-known slave ship to arrive on American shores, the Clotilda, and its effect on its descendants in Mobile, Alabama.
“Raymond and Ray” (Apple TV+, streaming): Ethan Hawke and Ewan McGregor play half-brothers reunited by their father’s funeral.
“Aftersun” (A24): Scottish filmmaker Charlotte Wells’ directorial debut stars newcomer Frankie Corio and Paul Mescal on a father-daughter vacation in Turkey.
“The School For Good and Evil” (Netflix, streaming Oct. 19): Paul Feig directs this fantasy based on Soman Chainani’s 2013 novel.
“The Good Nurse” (Netflix, Oct. 19): Eddie Redmayne and Jessica Chastain star in this based-on-a-true-story thriller about a serial-killer nurse.
October 28
“Prey for the Devil” (Lionsgate): A supernatural thriller with exorcisms, nuns and a battle for the soul of a young girl.
“Armageddon Time” (Focus): Filmmaker James Gray’s latest draws from his upbringing in 1980s Queens. With Anthony Hopkins, Anne Hathaway and Jeremy Strong.
“Call Jane” (Roadside Attractions): Phyllis Nagy, screenwriter of “Carol,” directs this drama about a 1960s housewife (Elizabeth Banks) who joins the Jane Collective, an underground women’s rights movement that helped women obtain abortions when they were illegal.
“Holy Spider” (Utopia): In Ali Abbasi’s based-on-a-true-story Iranian serial-killer thriller, a female journalist (Zar Amir-Ebrahimi) trails a man targeting sex workers.
November 4
“Enola Holmes 2” (Netflix, streaming): Millie Bobby Brown returns as the teenage sister to Sherlock Holmes in this sequel.
“Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths” (Netflix): Alejandro González Iñárritu’s first feature since “The Revenant” stars Daniel Giménez Cacho as a Mexican journalist.
“Weird: The Al Yankovic Story” (Roku, streaming): Daniel Radcliffe stars as “Weird” Al Yankovic in this comic biopic, co-written by Yankovic, himself.
“Good Night Oppy” (Amazon): A documentary about the Mars rovers.
November 11
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (Disney): A sequel to the 2018 smash Marvel movie that carries on the story of Wakanda after the death of star Chadwick Boseman.
“The Fabelmans” (Universal): Said to be one of Steven Spielberg’s most personal films, this coming-of-age drama is a semi-autobiographical tale about growing in post-WWII Arizona and discovering cinema.
“The Son” (Sony Pictures Classics): Florian Zeller’s follow-up to 2020’s “The Father” is about a 17-year-old (Zen McGrath) who moves in with his divorced dad (Hugh Jackman).
November 18
“She Said” (Universal): Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan star as Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, The New York Times journalists whose reporting helped expose Harvey Weinstein.
“The Inspection” (A24): A young gay marine (Jeremy Pope) endures violent hazing during boot camp in Elegance Bratton’s drama, inspired by the director’s own experience.
“Slumberland” (Netflix, streaming): Jason Momoa leads Francis Lawrence’s sci-fi action adventure, adapted from the comic strip “Little Nemo in Slumberland.”
“The Menu” (Searchlight Pictures): Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult play a couple who travel to a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant presided over by a chef (Ralph Fiennes) where more than food is on the menu.
“In Her Hands” (Netflix, in theaters and streaming Nov. 16): A documentary, executive produced by Hillary and Chelsea Clinton, about Zarifa Ghafari, who at 26 became one of Afghanistan’s first female mayors.
November 23
“Bones and All” (MGM): Director Luca Guadagnino reunites with “Call Me By Your Name” star Timothée Chalamet in this romantic horror film about two cannibal lovers (Taylor Russell, Chalamet) on a 1980s road trip.
“Devotion” (Sony Pictures): Jonathan Majors and Glen Powell star as celebrated wingmen flying for the U.S. Navy during the Korean War.
“White Noise” (Netflix, Nov. 25): Noah Baumbach’s adapts Don DeLillo’s classic 1985 novel, with Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig.
“Strange World” (Disney): A Walt Disney Animation Studios original and ode to science-fiction about a family of space explorers.
“Nanny” (Amazon): Anna Diop stars a recently emigrated Senegalese woman who, while caring for the daughter of wealthy New York couple, is haunted by the son she left behind in Africa. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/entertainment-news/ap-fall-movie-calendar-from-blonde-to-wakanda-forever/ | 2022-08-31T02:58:38Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/entertainment-news/ap-fall-movie-calendar-from-blonde-to-wakanda-forever/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s long-running power struggle between rival Shiite camps devolved into bloody street violence this week – the culmination of months of simmering tensions and a political vacuum.
For 24 hours, loyalists of powerful cleric Muqtada al-Sadr transformed the country’s government Green Zone into a front line, trading fire with security forces and rival militias, and bringing the capital to a standstill. Just as quickly, with a single word — “withdraw” — from the cleric in a speech Tuesday, the fighting came to a stop.
His supporters put down their weapons and left.
It was a powerful message to al-Sadr’s Iran-backed rivals and the political elite of the cleric’s enduring power over his hundreds of thousands of followers and an equally dangerous example of the damage they are capable of doing to the embattled country.
Following his calls for withdrawal, Iraqi leaders, including the caretaker premier, expressed their thanks to al-Sadr and praised his restraint.
Al-Sadr has long derived his political influence from his ability to to both command his mass following to destabilize the street, and just as quickly bring them into line. His announcement Monday that he would exit politics showed Iraqis what could happen when that voice of restraint is taken away: chaos, devastation and death.
The protests and heavy clashes that have so far left 30 killed and over 400 wounded may have come to a close, but the political impasse that brought on this chapter of unrest is far from over.
So, what does al-Sadr want and is there an end to Iraq’s crisis?
WHO IS MUQTADA AL-SADR?
Al-Sadr is a populist cleric who emerged as a symbol of resistance against the U.S. occupation of Iraq after the 2003 invasion. He formed a militia, the Mahdi Army, that eventually disbanded and renamed it Saraya Salam — the Peace Brigades.
He has presented himself as an opponent of both the U.S. and Iran and has fashioned himself a nationalist with an anti-reform agenda. In reality, he is an establishment figure with deep influence in Iraq’s state institutions through the appointments of key civil servants.
Al-Sadr derives much of his appeal through his family legacy. He is the son of Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Sadeq al-Sadr, who was assassinated in 1999 for his critical stance against Saddam Hussein. Many of his followers say they are devoted to him because they were once devotees of his father.
Al-Sadr eventually entered politics and garnered a reputation for being unpredictable and theatrical by frequently calling on his followers to gain political leverage over his rivals. His powerful rhetoric infused with religion and calls for revolution resonated deeply with his disenfranchised following.
Through these strategies he has become a powerful player with a fiercely devoted grassroots following concentrated in Iraq’s most impoverished quarters. Most of his loyalists who stormed the Green Zone were unemployed and blamed the Iraqi political elite.
In 2021, al-Sadr’s party won the largest share of seats in October parliamentary elections but not enough to secure a majority in government. His refusal to negotiate with his Iran-backed Shiite rivals on forming a government plunged Iraq into an unprecedented political vacuum now in its tenth month.
WHAT DO AL-SADR’S FOLLOWERS WANT?
The political crisis escalated in July when al-Sadr’s supporters broke into parliament to deter his rivals in the Coordination Framework, an alliance of mostly Iran-backed Shiite parties, from forming a government.
Hundreds staged an ongoing sit-in outside the building for over four weeks. Frustrated when he was not able to corral enough lawmakers to form a government that excluded his rivals, al-Sadr also ordered his bloc to resign their parliamentary seats and called for early elections and the dissolution of parliament.
That call was embraced and reiterated by his following, many of whom have long felt marginalized by the ruling elite.
In Sadr City, the Baghdad suburb where al-Sadr’s followers are highly concentrated, most complain of inadequate basic services, including electricity in the scorching summer heat. The majority have roots in the rural communities of southern Iraq and have little education. Most face enormous challenges finding work.
Most of those who stormed parliament in July and the government palace on Monday were young men for whom it was their first glimpse inside Iraq’s halls of power, where they seldom feel welcome.
Angered by deep class divides and a history of dispossession, al-Sadr’s followers say they believe the cleric will revolutionize a political system they believe has forgotten about them. But in reality, in Iraq’s power-sharing political system, al-Sadr holds significant power and sway.
WHY ARE THE CLASHES SO DANGEROUS?
Monday’s clashes brought Iraq on the precipice of street warfare and was the product of months of political tensions and power struggles between al-Sadr and the Iran-backed Shiite camp over the formation of the next government.
Al-Sadr’s rivals in the Coordination Framework have shown signs they would not be against early elections but both camps disagree over the mechanism. The judiciary has rejected al-Sadr’s call to dissolve parliament as unconstitutional.
With the roots of the political impasse still unresolved, conflict can flare up again. The greatest threat to Iraq’s stability is protracted armed fighting between the paramilitary forces of the rival Shiite camps.
This occurred outside of the capital as the clashes wore on in the Green Zone on Monday night. Militiamen loyal to al-Sadr stormed the headquarters of Iran-backed militia groups in the southern provinces, a move that could have escalated into tit-for-tat attacks as has happened in the past.
It’s a scenario that neighboring Iran, which wields much influence in Iraq, dreaded most. Iranian officials, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali-Khamenei, have repeatedly called for Shiite unity and attempted to broker dialogue with al-Sadr. But the cleric has refused, firm in his resolve to form a government without Iran-backed groups.
Members of Iraq’s majority Shiite Muslim population were oppressed when Saddam Hussein ruled the country for decades. The 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam, a Sunni, reversed the political order. Just under two-thirds of Iraq is Shiite, with a third Sunni.
Now, the Shiites are fighting among themselves, with those backed by Iran and those who consider themselves Iraqi nationalists jockeying for power, influence and state resources. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-explainer-what-spurred-the-bloody-armed-clashes-in-baghdad/ | 2022-08-31T02:59:25Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-explainer-what-spurred-the-bloody-armed-clashes-in-baghdad/ | 0 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | 34 |
BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s long-running power struggle between rival Shiite camps devolved into bloody street violence this week – the culmination of months of simmering tensions and a political vacuum.
For 24 hours, loyalists of powerful cleric Muqtada al-Sadr transformed the country’s government Green Zone into a front line, trading fire with security forces and rival militias, and bringing the capital to a standstill. Just as quickly, with a single word — “withdraw” — from the cleric in a speech Tuesday, the fighting came to a stop.
His supporters put down their weapons and left.
It was a powerful message to al-Sadr’s Iran-backed rivals and the political elite of the cleric’s enduring power over his hundreds of thousands of followers and an equally dangerous example of the damage they are capable of doing to the embattled country.
Following his calls for withdrawal, Iraqi leaders, including the caretaker premier, expressed their thanks to al-Sadr and praised his restraint.
Al-Sadr has long derived his political influence from his ability to to both command his mass following to destabilize the street, and just as quickly bring them into line. His announcement Monday that he would exit politics showed Iraqis what could happen when that voice of restraint is taken away: chaos, devastation and death.
The protests and heavy clashes that have so far left 30 killed and over 400 wounded may have come to a close, but the political impasse that brought on this chapter of unrest is far from over.
So, what does al-Sadr want and is there an end to Iraq’s crisis?
WHO IS MUQTADA AL-SADR?
Al-Sadr is a populist cleric who emerged as a symbol of resistance against the U.S. occupation of Iraq after the 2003 invasion. He formed a militia, the Mahdi Army, that eventually disbanded and renamed it Saraya Salam — the Peace Brigades.
He has presented himself as an opponent of both the U.S. and Iran and has fashioned himself a nationalist with an anti-reform agenda. In reality, he is an establishment figure with deep influence in Iraq’s state institutions through the appointments of key civil servants.
Al-Sadr derives much of his appeal through his family legacy. He is the son of Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Sadeq al-Sadr, who was assassinated in 1999 for his critical stance against Saddam Hussein. Many of his followers say they are devoted to him because they were once devotees of his father.
Al-Sadr eventually entered politics and garnered a reputation for being unpredictable and theatrical by frequently calling on his followers to gain political leverage over his rivals. His powerful rhetoric infused with religion and calls for revolution resonated deeply with his disenfranchised following.
Through these strategies he has become a powerful player with a fiercely devoted grassroots following concentrated in Iraq’s most impoverished quarters. Most of his loyalists who stormed the Green Zone were unemployed and blamed the Iraqi political elite.
In 2021, al-Sadr’s party won the largest share of seats in October parliamentary elections but not enough to secure a majority in government. His refusal to negotiate with his Iran-backed Shiite rivals on forming a government plunged Iraq into an unprecedented political vacuum now in its tenth month.
WHAT DO AL-SADR’S FOLLOWERS WANT?
The political crisis escalated in July when al-Sadr’s supporters broke into parliament to deter his rivals in the Coordination Framework, an alliance of mostly Iran-backed Shiite parties, from forming a government.
Hundreds staged an ongoing sit-in outside the building for over four weeks. Frustrated when he was not able to corral enough lawmakers to form a government that excluded his rivals, al-Sadr also ordered his bloc to resign their parliamentary seats and called for early elections and the dissolution of parliament.
That call was embraced and reiterated by his following, many of whom have long felt marginalized by the ruling elite.
In Sadr City, the Baghdad suburb where al-Sadr’s followers are highly concentrated, most complain of inadequate basic services, including electricity in the scorching summer heat. The majority have roots in the rural communities of southern Iraq and have little education. Most face enormous challenges finding work.
Most of those who stormed parliament in July and the government palace on Monday were young men for whom it was their first glimpse inside Iraq’s halls of power, where they seldom feel welcome.
Angered by deep class divides and a history of dispossession, al-Sadr’s followers say they believe the cleric will revolutionize a political system they believe has forgotten about them. But in reality, in Iraq’s power-sharing political system, al-Sadr holds significant power and sway.
WHY ARE THE CLASHES SO DANGEROUS?
Monday’s clashes brought Iraq on the precipice of street warfare and was the product of months of political tensions and power struggles between al-Sadr and the Iran-backed Shiite camp over the formation of the next government.
Al-Sadr’s rivals in the Coordination Framework have shown signs they would not be against early elections but both camps disagree over the mechanism. The judiciary has rejected al-Sadr’s call to dissolve parliament as unconstitutional.
With the roots of the political impasse still unresolved, conflict can flare up again. The greatest threat to Iraq’s stability is protracted armed fighting between the paramilitary forces of the rival Shiite camps.
This occurred outside of the capital as the clashes wore on in the Green Zone on Monday night. Militiamen loyal to al-Sadr stormed the headquarters of Iran-backed militia groups in the southern provinces, a move that could have escalated into tit-for-tat attacks as has happened in the past.
It’s a scenario that neighboring Iran, which wields much influence in Iraq, dreaded most. Iranian officials, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali-Khamenei, have repeatedly called for Shiite unity and attempted to broker dialogue with al-Sadr. But the cleric has refused, firm in his resolve to form a government without Iran-backed groups.
Members of Iraq’s majority Shiite Muslim population were oppressed when Saddam Hussein ruled the country for decades. The 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam, a Sunni, reversed the political order. Just under two-thirds of Iraq is Shiite, with a third Sunni.
Now, the Shiites are fighting among themselves, with those backed by Iran and those who consider themselves Iraqi nationalists jockeying for power, influence and state resources. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-explainer-what-spurred-the-bloody-armed-clashes-in-baghdad/ | 2022-08-31T02:59:25Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-explainer-what-spurred-the-bloody-armed-clashes-in-baghdad/ | 1 | 0 | green-iguana-35 | 34 |
Louisiana State Police have issued a Silver Alert on behalf of the Monroe Police Department for 74-year-old Margie Brohow- Sherman.
Brohow- Sherman was last seen on Monday August 29, 2022 at 8:30 p.m. in the 1600 block of South 5th Street in Monroe and her last direction of travel is unknown, authorities say.
Brohow- Sherman is a black female with gray shoulder length hair, brown eyes and approximately 5'5" tall weighing about 158 pounds. It is possible that she is wearing a pink and blue stripped shirt, blue jacket and black pants.
According to the Monroe Police Department, family members confirm Brohow- Sherman suffers from multiple health ailments including a mental health condition which may impair her judgment and also requires daily medication.
Anyone having any information regarding the whereabouts of Margie Brohow-Sherman should immediately contact Monroe Police Department at 318-329-6000 or by calling 911. All questions should be directed to Monroe Police Department. | https://www.katc.com/news/covering-louisiana/authorities-issue-silver-alert-for-missing-74-year-old-monroe-woman | 2022-08-31T03:00:06Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/covering-louisiana/authorities-issue-silver-alert-for-missing-74-year-old-monroe-woman | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA will try on Saturday, again, to launch its new moon rocket on a test flight after engine trouble halted the first countdown this week.
Managers said Tuesday they are changing fueling procedures to deal with the issue. A bad sensor also could be to blame for Monday's scrapped launch, they noted.
The 322-foot (98-meter) rocket — the most powerful ever built by NASA — remains on its pad at Kennedy Space Center with an empty crew capsule on top.
The Space Launch System rocket will attempt to send the capsule around the moon and back. No one will be aboard, just three test dummies. If successful, it will be the first capsule to fly to the moon since NASA's Apollo program 50 years ago.
Proceeding toward a Saturday launch will provide additional insight, even if the problem reappears and the countdown is halted again, said NASA's rocket program manager, John Honeycutt. That's better "than us sitting around scratching our heads, was it good enough or not."
"Based on what I've heard from the technical team today, what we need to do is continue to pore over the data and polish up our plan on putting the flight rationale together," he said.
During Monday's launch attempt, readings showed that one of the four main engines in the rocket's core stage could not be chilled sufficiently prior to the planned ignition at liftoff. It appeared to be as much as 40 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius) warmer than the desired minus-420 degrees Fahrenheit (minus-250 degrees Celsius), the temperature of the hydrogen fuel, according to Honeycutt. The three other engines came up just a little short.
All of the engines appear to be fine, according to Honeycutt.
The chilling operation will be conducted a half-hour earlier for Saturday afternoon's launch attempt, once fueling begins that morning. Honeycutt said the timing of this engine chilldown was earlier during successful testing last year, and so performing it sooner may do the trick.
Honeycutt also questioned the integrity of one engine sensor, saying it might have provided inaccurate data Monday. To change that sensor, he noted, would mean hauling the rocket back into the hangar, resulting in weeks of delay.
Already years behind schedule, the $4.1 billion test flight is the opening shot in NASA's Artemis moon-exploration program, named after the twin sister of Apollo in Greek mythology. Astronauts could strap in as soon as 2024 for a lap around the moon and actually attempt a lunar landing in 2025.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | https://www.katc.com/news/national/nasa-aims-for-saturday-launch-of-new-moon-rocket-after-delayed-first-attempt | 2022-08-31T03:00:12Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/national/nasa-aims-for-saturday-launch-of-new-moon-rocket-after-delayed-first-attempt | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
President Joe Biden says he hopes his proposal to forgive federal student loans will narrow the nation’s racial wealth gap. But a generation of Black and Hispanic Americans was disproportionately shut out of one of the keys to Biden’s plan: the Pell Grant program.
As part of the “war on drugs” — a consequential, anti-crime legislative agenda that Biden championed as a U.S. senator — an estimated hundreds of thousands of convicted drug offenders had their access to federal financial aid delayed or denied, including Pell Grants and student loans. If they wanted to go to college after their prison terms ended, these offenders had to take on larger, often predatory, private student loans.
Some were discouraged from seeking federal aid by a requirement to disclose their drug record on financial aid applications, while others put off attending college or dropped out entirely.
The people most harmed by these policies: Black and Latino men, thanks to drug laws in the 1990s with harsh punishments for crack cocaine and marijuana offenses. Incarceration rates for men of color skyrocketed. The policies remained in place for 25 years, until Congress repealed the Pell Grant ban in 2020.
America’s student loan debt burden, which now tops $1.6 trillion, “is especially heavy on Black and Hispanic borrowers, who on average have less family wealth to pay for it,” Biden said last week as he announced the forgiveness plan.
The administration has offered to forgive up to $10,000 in student debt for individuals earning annual incomes of less than $125,000, or less than $250,000 for families. And its offer doubles the debt relief to $20,000 for borrowers who also received Pell Grants, a federal program that gives the neediest undergraduates aid that they don’t have to repay.
Studies show that Pell Grants — one of the nation’s most effective financial aid programs — routinely help more than half of Black students and almost half of Hispanic students afford college. According to the White House, among the 43 million borrowers who are eligible for debt relief under Biden’s plan, more than 60% are Pell Grant recipients.
The White House said in a statement to The Associated Press that the student debt relief plan will wipe away about half of the average debt held by Black and Hispanic borrowers, not counting the additional $10,000 cancellation for Pell Grant recipients.
In a speech Tuesday, after the AP story published, Biden said people leaving prison need help to successfully reenter society.
“If you served your time, you shouldn’t be deprived of being able to get a Pell Grant to go to school,” Biden said in remarks at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania on his administration’s plans to prevent crime. “You should be able to get a degree — that’s the best thing you can do.”
Amid debate over whether Biden’s forgiveness plan goes far enough for disproportionately indebted communities, criminal justice reform advocates say the president’s solutions to the student debt crisis must be as comprehensive as the anti-drug laws were.
“I think there’s a particular onus on this administration and on this president to be part of the solution for issues that he was very deeply involved in,” said Melissa Moore, the director of civil systems reform at Drug Policy Alliance.
There’s a generation of former drug offenders who borrowed to pay for school, but don’t have Pell Grants or federal loans, and won’t have any of their student debt forgiven. According to a Student Borrower Protection Center report on private loan debt, Black students are four times as likely as white students to struggle in repayment of private loans.
“For people who previously would have had to check that box, there should be some mechanism by which, if you were excluded in the past, you are prioritized now for relief,” Moore said.
An AP review last year of federal and state incarceration data showed that, between 1975 and 2019, the U.S. prison population jumped from 240,593 to 1.43 million Americans, as a result of the war on drugs that President Richard Nixon declared in 1971. About 1 in 5 people were incarcerated with a drug offense listed as their most serious crime.
Nixon’s Democratic and Republican presidential successors would go on to leverage drug war policies, responding to an alarming national surge in violent crime linked to the illegal drug trade, cementing the drug war’s legacy.
Following the passage of stiffer state and federal penalties for crack cocaine and other drugs, the incarceration rates for Black and Hispanic Americans tripled between 1970 and 2000. By comparison, the white incarceration rate only doubled in that same timespan.
Biden’s Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 put in place the ban on Pell Grants and other federal financial aid for people incarcerated in federal or state prison. However, then-Sen. Biden reportedly opposed the amendment that added the ban to his bill. At the time, his spokesperson said Biden believed education programs could break the cycle of recidivism among formerly incarcerated individuals.
Ultimately, Biden worked passionately to pass the crime bill he sponsored. Academic programs in federal and state prisons, which had been robust, dwindled severely nationwide.
Later, in 1998, Congress expanded the ban to exclude any student with a state or federal drug conviction from receiving Pell Grants and federal student loans, for as little as one year or indefinitely, depending on the number of convictions. Biden voted in favor of the measure, although his opinion on the Pell Grant provision was unclear.
In just the five years after the expanded ban took effect, the measure cost more than 140,000 would-be college students between $41 million and $54 million in Pell Grants per year, and between $100 million and $164 million in federal student loans per year, according to an estimate by the federal Government Accountability Office.
However, in 2006, Congress changed the ban on grants to drug offenders. It applied only to students whose convictions happened while they were receiving federal student aid, narrowing its effect significantly, although experts say the law still forced hundreds of enrolled students to drop out of college when they lost their aid. The ban on Pell Grants for incarcerated individuals was fully repealed when Congress passed the omnibus spending and COVID-19 relief legislation in December 2020.
Drug convictions no longer affect a student’s financial aid eligibility, although the question still appears on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. In April, the U.S. Department of Education expanded its Second Chance Pell Program, which provides grants to incarcerated students to help them enroll in academic programs. A further expansion of Pell Grants to incarcerated students begins in July 2023, according to the Department of Education.
For DeAnna Hoskins, the legacy of the war on drugs nearly cost her much-need Pell Grants and student loans. She attended college after her incarceration and, by happenstance, just after Congress lifted the ban on aid to people with drug convictions.
“The ’94 crime bill was so comprehensive in the destruction that it did,” said Hoskins, the president of JustLeadershipUSA, a criminal justice reform group. She questions how Biden’s debt relief plan was crafted. “I feel like you’re piecemealing our liberation back to us.”
There are tens of thousands of people who had to get private student loans at high interest rates, because of the ban on Pell Grants, Hoskins added.
“This is why it’s so important, when decisions like this are being made, that the voices of people with lived experiences are present,” she said. “We can help you obtain the equity you’re seeking.”
___
Associated Press news researcher Rhonda Shafner contributed.
___
Aaron Morrison is a New York City-based national writer for the AP’s Race and Ethnicity team. Follow him on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/aaronlmorrison. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-student-loan-relief-limited-for-many-by-us-drug-wars-legacy/ | 2022-08-31T03:00:14Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-student-loan-relief-limited-for-many-by-us-drug-wars-legacy/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MIAMI (AP) — A Los Angeles attorney detained in Venezuela is pleading for help from the Biden administration, saying in a jailhouse message that he feels forgotten by the U.S. government as he faces criminal charges at the hands of one of the nation's top adversaries.
Eyvin Hernandez, who has been detained for five months, describes in the recording how he has dedicated the past 15 years to public service as an employee of the Los Angeles County public defender's office, seeking fair treatment for often penniless clients.
"No one should be abandoned at the time of their greatest need and when they're most vulnerable," he said in the almost two-minute recording, which was provided to The Associated Press by Hernandez's family. "However, I don't feel like my government feels that way about me."
In a calm voice, Hernandez said he and other Americans imprisoned in Venezuela — there are at least 10, including five oil executives and three veterans — feel "like our government has abandoned us."
Hernandez's appeal comes as the Biden administration is under pressure to do more to bring home roughly 50 Americans it believes have been wrongfully detained by hostile governments around the world. Much of the focus is on Russia, where the U.S. has taken the unusual step of proposing a swap of a convicted arms dealer for WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner. U.S. officials have for months been quietly pursuing a separate deal with Nicolás Maduro's socialist government in Venezuela, which holds the largest contingent of Americans suspected of being used as bargaining chips.
Henry Martinez said his brother sent him the voice message Aug. 21. A copy was also provided to the State Department, which has been weighing whether to turn Hernandez's case over to the administration's special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, Roger Carstens.
In the recording, Hernandez said it's been months since he or any of his fellow Americans have seen a courtroom, nor do they have any hopes of getting a fair trial.
"This place is meant to break you psychologically and spiritually," he said of confinement at a maximum security prison housing many of Maduro's opponents. "We're all innocent, yet we're being charged and treated as terrorists."
He said the uncertainty, isolation and human rights violations are taking a toll, with two Americans having already attempted suicide and a third on the brink with daily mental breakdowns.
"If you don't get us out soon, then there might not be anyone left to save," he said.
The AP was unable to verify Hernandez's claims. But United Nations officials have long complained about the lack of independence for Venezuelan judges and prosecutors and about conditions at the facility where Hernandez and several other Americans are being held.
A State Department spokesman declined to comment on Hernadez's case, citing privacy limitations, but said the agency continuously reviews the detentions of Americans overseas. He also noted that the U.S. government has issued an advisory warning Americans to avoid all travel to Venezuela due to the risk of wrongful detentions and threats from illegal armed groups, especially along the country's porous borders.
Hernandez, who turned 44 in jail, was arrested March 31 along the Colombia-Venezuela border. His family says he traveled there from the city of Medellin with a Venezuelan friend who needed to get her passport stamped to resolve an issue with her migratory status in Colombia. His family said he never intended to enter Venezuela, and he was due to fly home three days later.
But the two apparently fell into the hands of criminal gangs.
Upon arrival by bus to the city of Cucuta, they hailed a taxi for the short drive to the Simon Bolivar International Bridge, according to an account Hernandez shared with his family. A fourth individual hopped in the front seat, purportedly offering his services as a guide who could help them navigate the confusion at the border, an area overrun by squatters, criminal gangs and a mass of people making their way back and forth in illegal crossings.
Before they knew it, the cab was stopped along a dirt path, and the two were ordered to get out and walk across the invisible border separating the two countries.
Once Hernandez realized his mistake, it was too late to turn back. A man carrying a rifle demanded he cough up $100, according to his family. When he protested that he didn't have any cash, they put a hood over his head.
When his captors found his American passport, they told him he was in trouble and handed him over to security forces, who kept him incommunicado for weeks.
Adding to the Hernandez family's anguish is the fact that he isn't classified as wrongfully detained, a definition that covers Americans believed innocent or jailed for the purpose of exacting concessions from the U.S. Without such designation, a process that can take months, the U.S. government's ability to push for his release is limited.
At least three of the 11 other Americans known to be detained in Venezuela are in a similar state of limbo. They include Jerrel Kenemore, a computer programmer arrested within a week of Hernandez, and two former Green Berets who took part in a blunder-filled beach attack in 2020 aimed at overthrowing Maduro.
Biden last month signed an executive order aimed at providing more information to families of Americans detained abroad and imposing stiff sentences on the criminals, terrorists and government officials holding them.
Maduro's socialist government is a harsh critic of U.S. foreign policy. But more recently, as the Biden administration has shown a willingness to review the Trump-era policy of punishing Maduro with sanctions and calling for regime change, the outlook for a possible release has improved.
In March, the Maduro government freed two Americans following a surprise trip to Caracas by senior White House and State Department officials, including Carstens, who met with Hernandez in a subsequent wellness check on detained Americans in June. Maduro also vowed to resume negotiations with his opponents, although has so far failed to follow through.
___
Follow Goodman on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/APJoshGoodman | https://www.katc.com/news/national/us-man-jailed-in-venezuela-begs-for-president-biden-not-to-forget-him | 2022-08-31T03:00:18Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/national/us-man-jailed-in-venezuela-begs-for-president-biden-not-to-forget-him | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Morgan City Police Department responded to responded to the area of Egle Street in Shannon Homes in regard to reports of shots fired on Tuesday, August, 30 just before 3 p.m.
As a precaution, authorities issued a lock down for local schools in the area.
According to reports, Tiara Knighten and Tieka Junifer, both of Morgan City, were identified for their involvement in a physical altercation. The altercation resulted in Knighten allegedly taking a gun out producing a struggle between the two individuals.
Shots were fired and the individuals involved dispersed. Authorities say no one was hit by gun fire and upon locating the gun it was reported as stolen.
MCPD obtained warrants for the arrest of both Knighten and Junifer on their involvement in the incident, however, only Knighten has been arrested and taken into custody at the Morgan City Jail.
Authorities are still looking for Junifer and wanted on active arrest warrants from the Morgan City Police Department.
The investigation is still ongoing. Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Tieka Junifer is asked to contact the Morgan City Police Department at (985)380-4605. | https://www.katc.com/news/st-mary-parish/shots-fired-in-st-mary-parish-one-suspect-arrested-one-still-on-the-run | 2022-08-31T03:00:24Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/st-mary-parish/shots-fired-in-st-mary-parish-one-suspect-arrested-one-still-on-the-run | 0 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | 1 |
Morgan City Police Department responded to responded to the area of Egle Street in Shannon Homes in regard to reports of shots fired on Tuesday, August, 30 just before 3 p.m.
As a precaution, authorities issued a lock down for local schools in the area.
According to reports, Tiara Knighten and Tieka Junifer, both of Morgan City, were identified for their involvement in a physical altercation. The altercation resulted in Knighten allegedly taking a gun out producing a struggle between the two individuals.
Shots were fired and the individuals involved dispersed. Authorities say no one was hit by gun fire and upon locating the gun it was reported as stolen.
MCPD obtained warrants for the arrest of both Knighten and Junifer on their involvement in the incident, however, only Knighten has been arrested and taken into custody at the Morgan City Jail.
Authorities are still looking for Junifer and wanted on active arrest warrants from the Morgan City Police Department.
The investigation is still ongoing. Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Tieka Junifer is asked to contact the Morgan City Police Department at (985)380-4605. | https://www.katc.com/news/st-mary-parish/shots-fired-in-st-mary-parish-one-suspect-arrested-one-still-on-the-run | 2022-08-31T03:00:24Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/st-mary-parish/shots-fired-in-st-mary-parish-one-suspect-arrested-one-still-on-the-run | 1 | 0 | green-iguana-35 | 1 |
Stocks deepened their late August skid with more losses Tuesday, as Wall Street grapples with the prospect that high interest rates are here to stay until the Federal Reserve brings inflation down.
The S&P 500 fell 1.1%, bringing its loss in the past three days to 5.1%. The benchmark index is down 3.5% for the month with one day left in August.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1%, while the Nasdaq composite lost 1.1%. Smaller company stocks also fell, dragging the Russell 2000 1.5% lower.
Markets have been weaker since Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell indicated Friday that the central bank will stick to its strategy of raising interest rates to try and tame the hottest inflation in four decades.
The latest wave of selling reflects a “hangover” from Powell’s speech last week and uncertainty ahead of the Labor Department’s monthly employment report on Friday, said Megan Horneman, chief investment officer at Verdence Capital Advisors.
Markets are trying to get a better sense of “how far, how fast the Fed’s going to have to go” in slowing down the economy in order to fight inflation, she said.
A strong report on the job market Tuesday morning further diminished any hopes that the Fed would be able to ease up on its inflation-fighting policy. The higher rates the Fed is imposing are meant to keep inflation in check by slowing down the economy, including the pace of hiring.
The government reported that there were were 11.2 million open jobs on the last day of July. That’s near;y two jobs for every unemployed person, on average. That number was up from 11 million in June, and June’s figure was also revised sharply higher.
“Employers will have to increase their incentives to fill jobs, which could be inflationary,” said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA. “We’re not seeing numbers that are consistently offering encouragement.”
Wall Street is worried that the Fed could hit the brakes too hard on an already slowing economy and veer it into a recession. Higher interest rates also hurt investment prices, especially for pricier stocks.
The central bank has already raised interest rates four times this year and is expected to raise short-term rates by another 0.75 percentage points at its next meeting in September, according to CME Group.
The selling was widespread Tuesday, with all the sectors in the S&P 500 ending in the red. All told, the S&P 500 fell 44.45 points to 3,986.16. The Dow dropped 308.12 points to 31,790.87 and the Nasdaq fell 134.53 points to 11,883.14. The Russell 2000 gave up 27.35 points to close at 1,855.59.
Major indexes had gained ground in July and into early August on hopes that weaker economic data would prompt the Fed to ease up on its high-interest rate policy. Those gains followed a weak first half of the year where the S&P 500 dropped 20% from its most recent high and entered a bear market.
Investors have been closely watching economic data for any additional signs that the economy is slowing down or that inflation may be cooling or at least holding at its current level. Businesses and consumers have been hit hard by rising prices on everything from food to clothing, but recent declines in gasoline prices have provided some relief.
Consumers regained some confidence in August, according to a survey from The Conference Board. Its consumer confidence index rose this month after three straight monthly declines. It also rose well above what economists expected.
Technology stocks were among the biggest weights on the index Tuesday. Chipmaker Nvidia fell 2.1%.
Energy stocks fell along with U.S. crude oil prices, which dropped 5.5% to settle at $91.64 a barrel. Chevron dropped 2.4%.
While the price of U.S. crude is up more than 43% this year, it has fallen nearly 5% this month.
“The biggest challenge with oil is the fact that the Fed has basically said they’re going to produce economic pain to try and bring down inflation, and typically when you have an economic slowdown or recession you’re going to get energy prices that will fall,” Horneman said.
Best Buy was a bright spot, gaining 1.6% after reporting results for its latest quarter that were much better than analysts were expecting.
The yield on the 10-year Treasury held steady at 3.11%. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/business/ap-asian-stocks-after-wall-st-pullback-on-fed-inflation-stance/ | 2022-08-31T03:00:35Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/business/ap-asian-stocks-after-wall-st-pullback-on-fed-inflation-stance/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The South Carolina House on Tuesday approved a bill that outlaws abortion except in the cases of pregnancies caused by rape or incest.
The chamber initially rejected the bill without the exceptions by eight votes. But once Republicans saw the outcome, they quickly went through a number of complex procedures and votes to bring the bill back from the brink of failure.
The exceptions were added by enough lawmakers shouting “aye” and the bill passed by a vote of 67-38.
The bill has one more routine vote before it goes to the Senate, where stricter bans on abortions have seen tougher fights.
The bill allows abortions up to 12 weeks after conception if a women tells a doctor she was raped. The doctor has to tell the woman he is going to report the rape to the county sheriff and has 24 hours after the procedure to give deputies the woman’s name and contact information. It also allows abortions to save a mother’s life.
Some of the House’s most conservative lawmakers said Monday they would not support a bill with the rape and incest exceptions, but when it came to a final vote, they changed their minds.
“But here’s the thing — at the end of the day we passed a good pro-life bill in South Carolina,” said Republican Rep. John McCravy, who shepherded the bill through the chamber.
The dizzying parliamentary maneuvers happened after Democrats joined with those conservatives to try to keep the bill as restrictive as possible.
Republicans accused Democrats of playing politics as they also voted down an amendment supporters said would allow abortions for women carrying fetuses with medical problems leaving them unlikely to be born alive.
“The ladies of South Carolina, they are gambling with your body,” Republican Rep Micah Caskey said.
Democrats said they didn’t want to debate abortion again after the General Assembly agreed to a six-week ban in 2021, but Republicans decided to call a special session after Roe v. Wade was overturned.
“It is not our bill. We’re not the ones trying to control their bodies,” Democratic Rep. Leon Stavrinakis said.
The leader of a non-profit organization that fights for women’s health and economic rights was offended that Republicans saw the debate as a game.
“We’ve got to get past the point of seeing this as a political game and start seeing the impact it has on real peoples lives. And I’m afraid that’s been lost in the Statehouse today,” said Ann Warner, CEO of the Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network.
Republicans who have nearly twice as many members as Democrats, took an hour break just before the vote to get their most conservative members to agree to the exceptions.
Other changes voted down in the debate included language supporters said would protect in vitro fertilization and birth control, and proposals that would allow prosecutors to charge a women who gets an abortion with murder.
About 100 people gathered in the Statehouse lobby for the debate. They chanted phrases like “Abortion is health care” and “My body, my choice” and drew honks from passing cars. Law enforcement closed the House gallery Tuesday.
South Carolina currently has a six-week ban but the South Carolina Supreme Court suspended the law earlier this month while the justices decide on a Planned Parenthood lawsuit that says the ban is an unreasonable invasion of privacy under the state constitution. The decision leaves South Carolina’s abortion ban at 20 weeks for now.
Earlier in August Indiana passed a near-total ban set to take effect Sept. 15 with exceptions for rape, incest and if the mother’s life is in danger. West Virginia’s House and Senate couldn’t agree on stricter abortion rules in a July session.
Thirteen states have so-called trigger laws designed to outlaw most abortions when the U.S. Supreme Court threw out the constitutional right to end a pregnancy in June.
South Carolina leaders have watched those developments carefully, as well as events several weeks ago in Kansas, where nearly 60% of voters rejected a ballot measure that would have allowed the state’s conservative Legislature to ban abortion. Republican Donald Trump received 56% of the 2020 presidential vote in Kansas. Trump won 55% in South Carolina.
The bill currently allows abortions if a mother’s life is in danger and then lists a number of different medical emergencies that would fit into that exception.
Republican Gov. Henry McMaster hasn’t given his opinion on this specific bill but has said he would like to see a day where there are no abortions in the state.
“This is a good starting point for the Senate to begin its deliberations,” McMaster’s spokesman Brian Symmes said.
___
Pollard is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
___
Follow Jeffrey Collins on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/health/ap-abortion-ban-faces-exceptions-fight-in-south-carolina-house/ | 2022-08-31T03:01:30Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/health/ap-abortion-ban-faces-exceptions-fight-in-south-carolina-house/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Portuguese Health Minister Marta Temido quit Tuesday, saying she felt “no longer able to remain in office” after broad criticism over her handling of recent staffing problems at public hospitals.
Temido, a 48-year-old expert in hospital administration and Portugal’s health minister since 2018, was one of the most popular members of the center-left Socialist government during the COVID-19 pandemic.
But she has been under severe pressure for several months, including from inside her Socialist Party, due to temporary closures of public hospital emergency services, including in maternity departments, due to a lack of staff.
Critics blamed the problems on a lack of planning by the health ministry, especially during the summer vacation period, in what became an embarrassment for the government.
Groups representing Portuguese doctors and nurses have also been critical of Temido’s policies.
Prime Minister Antonio Costa’s office announced Temido’s resignation in a brief statement at 1.30 a.m.
It said the government would push ahead with reforms to strengthen the national health service but gave no indication about Temido’s replacement. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/health/ap-portugals-health-chief-quits-amid-hospital-staff-shortages/ | 2022-08-31T03:01:50Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/health/ap-portugals-health-chief-quits-amid-hospital-staff-shortages/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MADRID (AP) — Gibraltar authorities said Tuesday that a cargo ship has been beached to prevent it from sinking after it collided with a liquefied natural gas carrier in the bay of Gibraltar.
A government spokesman said that the situation was under control and the ship was not in danger. He said there had been no environmental impact so far. The government said booms had been placed in the area to contain any possible fuel seepage.
No one was injured in the collision. The crew of the cargo ship — the 178-meter (584-foot), Tuvalu-registered OS 35 — remains on board.
The spokesman, who was not authorized to be named, said they had no reports of damage to the LNG carrier.
He said the cargo vessel was resting on the seabed in 17 meters (56 feet) of water close to the coast with no damage to the hull. The ship was carrying steel bars.
The Gibraltar government set they had set up a 200-meter exclusion zone around the stricken ship but that Gibraltar port had reopened and was functioning as normal.
Gibraltar, a British territory located on southern tip of the Iberian peninsula, is a busy shipping port. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-cargo-ship-beached-after-colliding-with-ship-in-gibraltar/ | 2022-08-31T03:02:30Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-cargo-ship-beached-after-colliding-with-ship-in-gibraltar/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz insisted Tuesday that his country was well-prepared to tackle a possible energy shortage due to Russia’s squeeze on European gas supplies, as fears grow about the rising prices that will hit consumers across the continent this winter.
Speaking at the start of a two-day government retreat, Scholz cited Germany’s decision to reactivate oil and coal-fired power plants, mandate the filling of natural gas storage facilities and lease floating liquefied natural gas terminals following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. A decision on extending the operating life of Germany’s three remaining nuclear power plants is also expected soon.
“All of this and many further measures have contributed to us being in a much better situation as far as supply security is concerned than could have been foreseen a couple of months ago,” Scholz told reporters at the government guest house in Meseberg, north of Berlin.
“We will be able to cope quite well with the threats that we face from Russia, which is using gas as part of its strategy in the war against Ukraine,” he said.
Scholz said Germany’s gas storage facilities are already over 80% full, more than they were at this time last year, and the government is expected to agree on more measures shortly to help consumers cope with steeply rising energy prices.
Russia has cut off or reduced natural gas to a dozen European Union countries. Since spring, EU leaders have been appealing to the public to use less gas over the summer to build storage for winter. The bloc has proposed that nations voluntary cut their use by 15%. It’s also seeking the power to impose mandatory cuts across the 27-nation bloc if there is a severe gas shortage.
Seven Baltic Sea nations — Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Denmark — on Tuesday announced a commitment to a seven-fold increase of wind power production by 2030 as a way to free northern Europe from its dependence on Russian natural gas.
The Netherlands announced Tuesday that it had managed to dial down natural gas use by 25% during the first half of the year compared to the same period in 2021, with energy-intensive industries and power stations leading the way.
In France, the minister for energy transition, Agnes Pannier-Runacher, said the country’s strategic energy reserves were 90% full. Energy-saving plans are still essential in the coming weeks to avoid possible rationing in peak winter cold season, she said. France rolled out an “energy sobriety” plan in June, targeting a 10% reduction in energy use by 2024.
“We need to prepare for the worst-case scenario, which is a total interruption of deliveries (from Russia),” Pannier-Runacher told broadcaster France Inter.
Russia’s state-controlled energy company Gazprom further reduced gas deliveries to the French company Engie, raising fears that Moscow might cut off gas completely as political leverage over the war in Ukraine.
Gazprom informed Engie of a reduction in gas deliveries, starting Tuesday, because of “a disagreement between the parties on the application of several contracts.” Deliveries for Engie from Gazprom have significantly dropped since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, with recent monthly supply of 1.5 TWh, which compares to Engie’s total annual supplies in Europe above 400 TWh, the company said.
Engie has already secured enough gas to meet its commitments to customers, it said.
French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne on Monday urged businesses to make energy saving plans, warning that companies would be hit first should the government be forced into rationing gas and electricity.
In an effort to wean themselves off Russian gas and reduce their climate impact, European countries have significantly ramped up efforts to build wind, solar and other renewable energies.
On wind power, seven EU countries agree to set combined goals for offshore wind in the Baltic Sea region of at least 19.6 GW by 2030. The present capacity of the Baltic Sea region is currently under 3 gigawatts. Under the plan, up to 1,700 new offshore wind turbines would produce power equivalent to almost 20 nuclear power plants, providing enough electricity for up to 30 million households.
“(Russian President Vladimir) Putin is using energy as a weapon and has put Europe on the brink of an energy crisis with skyrocketing prices,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said.
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said the new wind energy plan also will allow the countries “to have more affordable energy prices” while her Latvian counterpart, Arturs Krisjanis Karins, said “this can be done if we’re working together.”
“That is amazing. Up to 20 gigawatt by 2030,” Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said during the one-day Baltic Sea Energy Security Summit in Copenhagen. “It is already one-third of the overall EU ambition for offshore wind capacity by 2030.”
The energy crisis has also prompted European countries to call for previously shelved energy projects to be revived, such as a gas pipeline linking the Iberian Peninsula with the rest of Europe.
, attended also by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez,
___
Barbara Surk reported from Nice, France, and Jan M. Olsen from Copenhagen, Denmark. Geir Moulson in Berlin and Mike Corder in The Hague contributed to this report. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-germany-upbeat-on-energy-security-russia-cuts-gas-to-france/ | 2022-08-31T03:03:05Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-germany-upbeat-on-energy-security-russia-cuts-gas-to-france/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian prosecutors at the trial of a former journalist asked the court Tuesday to hand him a 24-year prison sentence on treason charges.
Ivan Safronov. who worked as a journalist for a decade before becoming an adviser to the head of the Russian space corporation Roscosmos, has been in custody since his July 2020 arrest in Moscow. He has rejected the charges of passing military secrets to Czech intelligence and insisted on his innocence.
Safronov’s case reflects the challenges faced by Russian journalists, which have grown even tougher amid Moscow’s military action in Ukraine.
Safronov, who covered military and security issues for the leading Russian business daily Kommersant before joining Roscosmos, stated that he had collected all the information from open sources in the course of his work and did nothing illegal. He has argued that the investigators have failed to spell out the treason charges and explain what secrets he had allegedly revealed.
Many Russian journalists and human rights activists have pushed for Safronov’s release, and some have alleged that the authorities may have wanted to take revenge for his reporting that exposed Russian military incidents and shady arms deals.
Roscosmos has said that Safronov didn’t have access to state secrets, and claimed that the charges didn’t relate to Safronov’s work for the corporation, which he joined in May 2020.
Rights activists, journalists, scientists and corporate officials who have faced treason accusations in Russia in recent years have found it difficult to defend themselves because of secrecy surrounding their cases and a lack of public access to information.
Safronov’s father also worked for Kommersant covering military issues after retiring from the armed forces. In 2007, he died after falling from a window of his apartment building in Moscow.
Investigators concluded that he killed himself, but some Russian media outlets questioned the official version, pointing to his intent to publish a sensitive report about secret arms deliveries to Iran and Syria. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-russian-prosecutors-ask-for-24-year-sentence-for-ex-reporter/ | 2022-08-31T03:04:00Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-russian-prosecutors-ask-for-24-year-sentence-for-ex-reporter/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka’s president said Tuesday that his bankrupt country’s talks with the International Monetary Fund for a rescue package have successfully reached final stages as he presented an amended budget that seeks to tame inflation and hike taxes.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is also the finance minister, said in a speech in Parliament that his government will soon start negotiating debt restructuring with countries that provide loans to Sri Lanka.
Declaring that Sri Lanka is on the “correct course in the short term for recovery,” Wickremesinghe warned the country must prepare for at least 25 years of a national economic policy, staring with the 2023 budget.
An IMF team is visiting Sri Lanka and is expected to end the current round of talks on Wednesday.
Prior to the visit, the IMF said that because Sri Lanka’s public debt is unsustainable, the IMF’s executive board will need assurances by Sri Lanka’s creditors that debt sustainability will be restored before any bailout program begins.
Sri Lanka’s total foreign debt exceeds $51 billion — of which it must repay $28 billion by 2027.
Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis with acute monthslong shortages of essentials like fuel, medicine, and cooking gas due to a severe foreign currency dearth. Though cooking gas supplies were restored through World Bank support, shortages of fuel, critical medicines and some food items continue.
Wickremesingh delivered his first budget proposal after he was elected by Parliament in July to cover the remainder of the five-year term of ousted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Wickremesinghe said that the United Nations along with other international organizations has launched a program to ensure food security. Schools have reopened and universities have resumed classes after long closures, he said. However, long fuel lines have reappeared after a quota system seemed to have brought them under control over the past weeks.
“I thought things are improving,” salesperson Asanka Chandana said. “For several weeks in May and June, we faced severe hardships, but things were getting better over the last two weeks after the introduction of the quota system. Now it looks like the shortage is still there and we are back to the square one.”
Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said lapses in distribution, delays in unloading, and payments for orders by fuel stations have created long lines. He said the issues will be sorted out within days.
Wickremesinghe also said that his administration’s fiscal program envisages government revenue increasing to around 15% of GDP by 2025 from 8.2% at the of end 2021. He also aims to reduce public sector debt from around 110% of GDP in 2021 to less than 100% in the medium term.
He also vowed to control inflation to a mid-single digit level, and proposed a value added tax increase to 15% from the current 12%. Other taxes approved in May will soon come into operation, he said.
The new budget comes amid a relative calm following months of public protests that led to the ouster of Wickremesinghe’s predecessor and his family members from power. Protesters accused the once-powerful Rajapaksa family of being responsible for the economic crisis through corruption and mismanagement.
Rajapaksa fled the country in July and resigned after protesters stormed his official residence. He is now in Thailand. Party leaders say he is expected to return from exile early in September and have asked Wickremesinghe to provide him with security and facilities to which a former president is legally entitled.
Since becoming president, Wickremesinghe has cracked down on protesters and dismantled their main camp outside the president’s office. The use of a harsh anti-terror law to detain a protest leader has led to the United States and European Union raising human rights concerns.
On Tuesday, police fired tear gas on students demonstrating against the detention of a student leader also under anti-terror laws.
“I don’t see a significant change except there is a new person in the office of the president,” political analyst Jayadeva Uyangoda said, as criticism mounted that Wickremesinghe was an extension of the Rajapaksas’ administration.
“No opposition party seems to be willing to join Mr. Wickremesinghe’s proposed all-party government for two reasons: they think Mr. Wickremesinghe lacks legitimacy and they are not happy with the dominance of the Rajapaksa party,” Uyangoda said. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-sri-lankas-president-to-present-relief-budget-amid-crisis/ | 2022-08-31T03:04:21Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-sri-lankas-president-to-present-relief-budget-amid-crisis/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — A truck collided with a minibus packed with laborers on Tuesday in southwestern Iran, local media reported, killing at least 16 people.
The crash in the impoverished Khuzestan province also injured eight passengers, who were rushed to local hospitals. The truck was on the road linking the city of Shushtar with the city of Dezful when it crashed.
Public mourning was announced by Khuzestan’s officials in the city of Shushtar.
Iran has one of the world’s worst traffic safety records, with some 17,000 deaths annually. The grave toll is blamed on wide disregard for traffic laws, unsafe vehicles and inadequate emergency services. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-truck-collides-with-minibus-in-iran-killing-at-least-16/ | 2022-08-31T03:04:28Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-truck-collides-with-minibus-in-iran-killing-at-least-16/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ISLAMABAD (AP) — The United Nations and Pakistan issued an appeal Tuesday for $160 million in emergency funding to help millions affected by record-breaking floods that have killed more than 1,160 people since mid-June.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Pakistan’s flooding, caused by weeks of unprecedented monsoon rains, were a signal to the world to step up action against climate change.
“Let’s stop sleepwalking toward the destruction of our planet by climate change,” he said in a video message to an Islamabad ceremony launching the funding appeal. “Today, it’s Pakistan. Tomorrow, it could be your country.”
Guterres will visit Pakistan on Sept. 9 to tour areas “most impacted by this unprecedented climate catastrophe,” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric announced Tuesday. The U.N. chief meet displaced families and witness how U.N. staff are their humanitarian partners are supporting government efforts to provide assistance, Dujarric said
More than 33 million people, or one in seven Pakistanis, have been affected by the catastrophic flooding, which has devastated a country already trying to revive a struggling economy. More than 1 million homes have been damaged or destroyed in the past two and half months, displacing millions of people. Around a half million of those displaced are living in organized camps, while others have had to find their own shelter.
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif said the floods badly destroyed crops, and his government was considering importing wheat to avoid any shortage of food.
Sharif said Pakistan was witnessing the worst flooding in its history and any inadvertent delay by the international community in helping victims “will be devastating for the people of Pakistan.”
He promised funds from the international community would be spent in a transparent manner and that he would ensure all aid reaches those in need. “This is my commitment,” he told reporters, saying his country is “facing the toughest moment of its history.”
Pakistan says it has received aid from some countries, and others were dispatching aid too.
On Tuesday, the U.S. government said it would provide $30 million in assistance to help victims of the flood. According to a statement released by the U.S. Agency for International Development, this aid will be given to Pakistan through USAID. It said the United States is deeply saddened by the devastating loss of life and livelihoods throughout Pakistan.
According to initial government estimates, the devastation caused $10 billion in damage to the economy.
“It is a preliminary estimate likely to be far greater,” Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal told The Associated Press. More than 243 bridges and more than 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles) of road have been damaged.
Although rains stopped three days ago, large swaths of the country remain underwater, and the main rivers, the Indus and the Swat, are still swollen. The National Disaster Management Authority on Tuesday warned emergency services to be on maximum alert, saying flood waters over the next 24 hours could cause further damage.
Rescuers continued to evacuate stranded people from inundated villages to safer ground. Makeshift tent camps have sprung up along highways.
Meteorologists have warned of more rains in coming weeks.
“The situation is likely to deteriorate even further as heavy rains continue over areas already inundated by more than two months of storms and flooding. For us, this is no less than a national emergency,” Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said Tuesday, urging the international community to give generously to the U.N. appeal.
“Since mid-June, in fact, Pakistan has been battling one of the most severe, totally anomalous cycles of torrential monsoon weather,” he said. Rainfall during that time was three times the average, and up to six times higher in some areas, he said.
The U.N. flash appeal for $160 million will provide food, water, sanitation, health and other forms of aid to some 5.2 million people, Gutteres said.
“The scale of needs is rising like the flood waters. It requires the world’s collective and prioritized attention,” he said.
Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman Asim Iftikhar told U.N. correspondents at a virtual press conference that Turkey, China, United Arab Emirates and Qatar all offered relief supplies, some of which has already arrived. More important will be the next reconstruction and rehabilitation phase where requirements are going to be “huge,” he said.
A day earlier, the International Monetary Fund’s executive board approved the release of a much awaited $1.17 billion for Pakistan.
The funds are part of a $6 billion bailout agreed on in 2019. The latest tranche had been on hold since earlier this year, when the IMF expressed concern about Pakistan’s compliance with the deal’s terms under the government of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Khan was ousted through a no-confidence vote in the parliament in April.
Pakistan has risked default as its reserves dwindle and inflation has spiraled, and to get the IMF bailout, the government has had to agree to austerity measures.
The flooding catastrophe, however, adds new burdens to the cash-strapped government. It also reflects how poorer countries often pay the price for climate change largely caused by more industrialized nations. Since 1959, Pakistan is responsible for only 0.4% of the world’s historic emissions blamed for climate change. The U.S. is responsible for 21.5%, China for 16.5% and the EU 15%.
Several scientists say the record-breaking flooding has all the hallmarks of being affected by climate change.
“This year, Pakistan has received the highest rainfall in at least three decades,” said Abid Qaiyum Suleri, executive director of the Sustainable Development Policy Institute and a member of Pakistan’s Climate Change Council. “Extreme weather patterns are turning more frequent in the region and Pakistan is not an exception.”
___
Associated Press writers Jamey Keaten in Geneva and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-un-to-seek-160-million-in-emergency-aid-for-pakistan-floods/ | 2022-08-31T03:04:41Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-un-to-seek-160-million-in-emergency-aid-for-pakistan-floods/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
U.S. Marines, Navy, Coast Guard, Marine Corps Community Services and the Honolulu Fire Department conduct a search and rescue exercise, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Aug. 29, 2022. The exercise was conducted in order to increase readiness and interoperability between the U.S. Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard, MCCS and Honolulu Fire Department in response to emergency situations at sea. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Brandon Aultman)
This work, U.S. Marines, Navy, Coast Guard, and Honolulu Fire Department conduct SAREX, MCBH 2022, by Cpl Brandon Aultman, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/video/855825/us-marines-navy-coast-guard-and-honolulu-fire-department-conduct-sarex-mcbh-2022 | 2022-08-31T03:04:47Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/video/855825/us-marines-navy-coast-guard-and-honolulu-fire-department-conduct-sarex-mcbh-2022 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ROME (AP) — The Vatican on Tuesday moved to defend Pope Francis from allegations he hasn’t come down hard enough on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, saying the pontiff clearly views the war launched by Moscow as “senseless, repugnant and sacrilegious.”
Last week, Ukraine summoned the top papal diplomat to complain about recent comments by Francis. At an audience a day earlier at the Vatican, Francis had referred to a national Russian TV commentator who was killed by a car bomb in Moscow as a “poor girl.”
Francis was speaking about the slaying of Darya Dugina, the daughter of right-wing Russian political theorist Alexander Dugin, who fiercely backs the war.
Russia has accused Ukrainian intelligence in the bombing, which Ukraine denies.
In his remarks, Francis also said orphans in Ukraine and Russia were among the “innocents” who have been victimized by the “insanity of war.”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba summoned the Vatican ambassador to Kyiv last week and told reporters that “the Ukrainian heart is torn apart by the pope’s words.”
In a statement, the Vatican appeared intent Tuesday on doing damage control.
“In recent days, public discussions have arisen about the political significance to attribute” to comments by Francis, the statement said.
“The words of the Holy Father on this dramatic question should be read as a voice raised in defense of human life and of the values linked to that, and not taken as a political position,” the Vatican said. “As for as the war of wide dimensions in Ukraine, begun by the Russian Federation, the interventions of the Holy Father Francis are clear and unequivocal in condemning it as morally unjust, unacceptable, barbaric, senseless, repugnant and sacrilegious.”
On the same day that the Ukraine slammed the pope’s remarks, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church cancelled a planned meeting with Francis for September.
Francis has said he wants to go to Ukraine if that could further the cause of peace but so far logistics have made that trip impossible for the 85-year-old pontiff who has mobility issues.
___
Follow all AP stories on the impact of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-vatican-pope-clearly-condemns-russias-repugnant-war/ | 2022-08-31T03:04:55Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-vatican-pope-clearly-condemns-russias-repugnant-war/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG) — A portion of Interstate 55 in Memphis, Tennessee, was forced to partially close Tuesday evening after a tractor-trailer wreck sent alfredo sauce pouring across the roadway.
The wreck was reported shortly before 5 p.m. local time.
Traffic camera video from the Tennessee Department of Transportation shows a white sauce covering all three northbound lanes of the interstate.
Police and fire crews did not confirm what the truck was carrying, but a reporter with Nexstar’s WREG that was on the scene confirmed that the truck was carrying jars of alfredo sauce.
No injuries have been reported in the crash.
Authorities have not said how long it will take to clean up the spill or what caused it. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/alfredo-sauce-spill-partially-closes-tennessee-highway/ | 2022-08-31T03:05:16Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/alfredo-sauce-spill-partially-closes-tennessee-highway/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.