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The following calls were included in the Albany County Sheriff’s Office responses:
FRIDAY, AUG. 26
• 12:26 p.m., Albany County Area, vandalism
• 3:25 p.m., 1300 block of Wyoming Highway 230, burglary
• 8:53 p.m., U.S. Highway 287, accident
SATURDAY, AUG. 27
• 12:53 a.m., Sand Creek Rd., accident
• 10:23 a.m., 800 block of Wyoming Highway 11, emergency
• 2:36 p.m., U.S. Highway 287, accident
• 7:05 p.m., Forest Service Rd. 633, accident
• 8:51 p.m., Albany County Area, animal bite
• 11:24 p.m., 1600 block of N. Cedar St., possible possession of controlled substance
SUNDAY, AUG. 28
• 2:27 a.m., intersection of W. Snowy Range Rd. and W. Flint St., possible impaired driving
• 3 p.m., 100 block of Lake Hattie Rd., wildlife
• 4:25 p.m., 300 block of W. University Ave., possible impaired driving
• 4:32 p.m., Albany County Area, accident
• 8:14 p.m., Forest Service Rd. 500, accident
The following calls were included in the Laramie Police Department responses:
FRIDAY, AUG. 26
• 8:36 a.m., 2800 block of E. Grand Ave., accident
• 9:26 a.m., 1700 block of Boulder Dr., fighting
• 9:32 a.m., 1200 block of S. 3rd St., theft
• 12:27 p.m., 2100 E. Grand Ave., emergency
• 1:44 p.m., 4300 block of E. Grand Ave., shoplifting
• 1:54 p.m., 100 block of S. 5th St., vandalism
• 2:07 p.m., 1200 block of N. 22nd St., accident
• 2:07 p.m., 4300 block of E. Grand Ave., shoplifting
• 2:31 p.m., 1700 block of N. McCue St., shoplifting
• 3:21 p.m., intersection of N. 22nd St. and E. Harney St., accident
• 4:18 p.m., 2100 block of Binford St., possible abuse of vulnerable adult
• 4:41 p.m., intersection of S. 15th St. and E. Grand Ave., traffic hazard
• 5:25 p.m., intersection of S. 22nd St. and E. Grand Ave., littering
• 6:15 p.m., 600 block of S. 30th St., possible sexual offense
• 9:55 p.m., 600 block of S. 30th St., possible domestic disturbance
• 10:04 p.m., 1600 block of N. 4th St., false ID
• 11:19 p.m., 2400 block of N. 9th St., disturbance/harassment-threats
SATURDAY, AUG. 27
• 1:42 a.m., 2100 block of E. Grand Ave., theft
• 2:38 a.m., 200 block of E. Grand Ave., fighting
• 7:19 p.m., 900 block of N. McCue St., possible domestic disturbance
• 11:12 a.m., 900 block of N. McCue St., possible possession of controlled substance
• 1:26 p.m., 3200 block of E. Grand Ave., accident
• 4:24 p.m., 2000 block of Venture Dr., hit and run
• 5:06 p.m., 1900 block of Banner Rd., possible domestic disturbance
• 6:33 p.m., 1400 block of S. 2nd St., hit and run
• 9:46 p.m., 900 block of N. McCue St., possible domestic disturbance
• 10:27 p.m., 100 block of N. Taylor St., extortion
• 11:24 p.m., 1600 block of N. Cedar St., possible possession of controlled substance
• 11:30 p.m., intersection of S. 17th St. and E. Grand Ave., false ID
SUNDAY, AUG. 28
• 12:41 a.m., 2100 block of E. Grand Ave., possible impaired driving
• 4:17 a.m., 1300 block of S. 17th St., possible child abuse
• 11:58 a.m., 900 block of N. 3rd St., disturbance/harassment-threats
• 12:11 p.m., 100 block of N. Taylor St., theft
• 2:39 p.m., 1200 block of N. 3rd St., accident
• 4:25 p.m., 300 block of W. University Ave., possible impaired driving
• 4:35 p.m., intersection of S. 5th St. and E. Garfield St., accident
• 7:18 p.m., 100 block of E. Lyon St., possible impaired driving | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/local_news/arrest_record_and_police_calls/on-the-record-aug-31-2022/article_a42282fe-27ba-11ed-a311-9b89e4074773.html | 2022-08-31T12:07:26Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/local_news/arrest_record_and_police_calls/on-the-record-aug-31-2022/article_a42282fe-27ba-11ed-a311-9b89e4074773.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Restoring the Roar: Jefferson superintendent has big plans for first full year on the job
Nelson A. Henry officially became the Superintendent of Jefferson Schools on May 1. Since then, he has been working to introduce himself to his new school family and getting to know Monroe County.
Earlier report:Jefferson names new superintendent
More:Monroe County schools at healthy staffing levels to start year
As Jefferson students return to classrooms for what will be Henry's first full year at the helm of the district, the longtime educator says one thing has already been made abundantly clear to him.
"This community bleeds blue and yellow (Jefferson's school colors)," he said. "They have a lot of pride, and that is good. So in addition to that pride, we want to make sure the school district is performing for them as well. We can have the pride in the business of educating children and setting them up for the future, but we want to make sure we have systems and processes in place, and checks and balances for those systems so that we're making progress and performing how we're supposed to on standardized assessments, in the classrooms, and on the field and court in athletics..."
Henry came to Jefferson after having spent last school year as the Interim Executive Director of Instruction for Romulus Community Schools. He served as that district's middle school principal from 2019-2021, and as principal and assistant principal at Pontiac Public School District prior to that. Before Pontiac, Henry served as the academic engagement officer and supervisor of elementary education for Inkster Public Schools.
In his first 100 days as Jefferson's superintendent, Henry held individual and group meetings with central office, building and community leaders, hosted a meet-and-greet for staff and community members, provided a lunch for civil leaders, participated in the commencement ceremony for Jefferson's 2022 graduating class, and organized the Jefferson Schools' Flier Distribution Days event, where central office staff and board members walked several communities to get the word out about the district to individuals, families and businesses.
Henry said that he picked up on a couple of common themes running through his conversations with community and staff members.
"A common theme among community members was refining our customer service; that was real big," he said. "We're working on that, responding to phone calls quicker and emails quicker. Communication was real big for the staff, knowing information basically before the dates or events sneak up on them. They coupled that with transparency, but I really believe you fix the transparency issue by communicating (more effectively)."
The coronavirus pandemic and school safety are two topics that no school administrator can ignore.
Henry said that Jefferson Schools will continue to monitor local pandemic data, as well as any recommendations laid out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
"We do have COVID protocols already in place that have been updated from the CDC," he said. "...As tired as we all are of COVID, COVID is not tired of us yet, and we want to make sure we're using all of our resources... to make sure we're providing as safe a learning environment as possible for students, and working environment for staff members."
As for school safety, Jefferson is in the process of forming a district-wide emergency preparedness team led by its new school resource officer, which comes to the district via a partnership between it and the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. The rest of the team will be comprised of staff members, and the district will also utilize an outside consulting agency to help them refine their emergency planning.
As the new school year begins, Henry says he's most looking forward to he, his team and the community "restoring the roar in Jefferson Schools." His plan is focused on changes and growth in academics, athletics and arts, and he says that district families should be able to see improvements in at least two of those three areas quickly.
"The arts will take a while," Henry said. "We have a five-year strategic plan to develop a fine arts department, visual arts department and performing arts, to make sure to boost all of those (elements)."
For more information about Jefferson Schools, visit https://www.jeffersonschools.org/. | https://www.monroenews.com/story/news/local/2022/08/31/jefferson-superintendent-has-big-plans-for-first-full-year-on-the-job/65463653007/ | 2022-08-31T12:07:32Z | monroenews.com | control | https://www.monroenews.com/story/news/local/2022/08/31/jefferson-superintendent-has-big-plans-for-first-full-year-on-the-job/65463653007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
State of Michigan expands access to generic birth control prescription
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer this week applauded the Department of Management, Technology, and Budget's (DTMB) decision to guarantee access to generic, prescription oral medication for 200,000 additional Michiganders starting September 1 as a result of her May executive directive.
"Every Michigan woman deserves to be able to make decisions about her body, including when and if to start a family," Whitmer said in a press release. "Today, we celebrate a step forward by the State of Michigan to cover birth control for the 200,000 retirees and their families covered by the MPSERS non-Medicare plan. In the last year, hundreds of requests for birth control coverage were denied, preventing those who get coverage from MPSERS plans, such as a retired teacher's daughter, from accessing the medication they needed. We need to use every tool in our toolbox to ensure women have control over their own bodies and access to reproductive health care no matter where they live or who they are. As some politicians take steps to control women's bodies, enacting extreme laws and restrictions on abortion and medication, I will fight like hell to protect reproductive freedom."
Oral Contraceptives Added to MPSERS Non-Medicare Healthcare Plan
Effective September 1, 2022, generic, prescription oral contraceptives were added to the Michigan Public School Employees’ Retirement System (MPSERS) Non-Medicare Master Healthcare plan. Previously, oral contraceptives were only covered under the Medicare plan. As of Thursday, September 1, members in the Non-Medicare plan will have access to this coverage as well.
The MPSERS Plan covers approximately 200,000 retired school employees and their families with a goal of providing high quality health care at an affordable price for this primarily retiree population. While most of the members are retirees and do not often require reproductive health services, the plan also covers spouses and beneficiaries who utilize the coverage more frequently.
DTMB is working with OptumRx to reach out to the nearly 600 Michiganders who were denied contraception medication in the past 12 months and notify them of the newly available coverage.
Governor Whitmer’s Reproductive Health Executive Directive
Governor Whitmer’s executive directive 2022-05 instructed departments not to cooperate with or assist authorities of any state in any investigation or proceeding against anyone for obtaining, providing, or assisting someone else to obtain or provide reproductive healthcare that is legal where the health care is provided.
State of Michigan departments and agencies must also identify and assess potential opportunities to increase protections for reproductive health care, consistent with applicable law. They must detail how they can increase choices available to protect mental, physical, and reproductive health; safeguard the privacy of individuals seeking care; and assure the safety of reproductive healthcare providers.
Additionally, departments and agencies that communicate directly with the public on reproductive issues must provide accessible, comprehensive information about the current cost and availability of reproductive care and increase public awareness about the availability and safety of contraception.
Governor Whitmer’s Abortion Lawsuit
In April, Governor Whitmer filed a lawsuit and used the authority of the Executive Message to ask the Michigan Supreme Court to immediately resolve whether Michigan’s Constitution protects the right to abortion. Governor Whitmer’s legal action represents the first time a governor has filed a lawsuit to protect a woman's right to abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court signaled its willingness to consider overturning or circumscribing the federal right to an abortion.
The lawsuit asks the court to recognize a constitutional right to an abortion under the Due Process Clause of the Michigan Constitution. It also asks the court to stop enforcement of the 1931 Michigan abortion ban. The abortion ban violates Michigan’s due process clause, which provides a right to privacy and bodily autonomy that is violated by the state’s near-total criminal ban of abortion. It also violates Michigan’s Equal Protection Clause due to the way the ban denies women equal rights because the law was adopted to reinforce antiquated notions of the proper role for women in society.
Governor Whitmer’s Family First Investments
Since taking office, the governor has taken several actions to ensure that Michiganders can start families when they are ready and have the support they need to raise their children.
The governor launched the ‘Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies’ program to ensure women have what they need to have a healthy pregnancy. The recent, bipartisan budget the governor signed allocates $20 million to expand the program to benefit an estimated 35,000 pregnant and postpartum women in Michigan annually.
To support children in their formative years, Governor Whitmer implemented paid family leave for all of the nearly 47,000 State of Michigan employees. Parents should be able to be with and support their children after birth, and she has called on the legislature to expand this critical, pro-family benefit to all Michigan parents.
The governor has also worked across the aisle to make record investments in child care, expanding free or low-cost childcare to an additional 150,000 kids, or 40% of Michiganders 12 and under. Quality, affordable child care helps parents go back to work knowing that their kids are safe and cared for. For Michiganders considering adoption, the budget that Governor Whitmer negotiated increases support to foster families, guardians, and adoptive families by 20%, sending over $25 million directly to families.
For Michiganders who are not yet ready to start a family, Governor Whitmer has been clear that women and qualified medical providers should be making health care decisions—not politicians.
Governor Whitmer’s Actions to Protect Reproductive Freedom
- April 7: Filed a lawsuit to ask the Michigan Supreme Court to immediately resolve whether Michigan’s constitution protects the right to an abortion.
- April 7: Penned an op-ed in the Detroit Free Press explaining her action and highlighting that 7 in 10 Michiganders support the rights affirmed by Roe.
- May 3: Joined 16 other states to urge the United States Senate to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act and enshrine Roe’s protections in federal law.
- May 9: Penned an op-ed in the New York Times explaining why she isn’t waiting for Congress to act and urging fellow pro-choice governors, state representatives, private businesses, and citizens to take action to protect reproductive rights.
- May 25: Signed an executive directive instructing state of Michigan departments and agencies to identify and assess opportunities to increase protections for reproductive healthcare, such as contraception. The executive directive also instructs departments not to cooperate with or assist authorities of any state in any investigation or proceeding against anyone for obtaining, providing, or assisting someone else to obtain or provide reproductive healthcare that is legal where the health care is provided.
- June 23: Launched a new consumer website to educate Michiganders about the availability of no-cost contraception with most insurance plans.
- June 24: On the day of the Dobbs decision, filed a motion urging the Court to immediately consider her lawsuit.
- June 27: Followed up with an additional notice to the Court urging them to immediately consider her lawsuit.
- June 29: Sent a letter to Michigan’s insurers urging them to take steps to ensure Michiganders have coverage for reproductive health care to the fullest extent possible under current coverage.
- July 6: Joined with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to launch a public effort to educate Michiganders and health care providers about the difference between emergency contraception and medication abortion. The public effort will disseminate information about the differences between medication abortion and emergency contraception to all local health departments throughout Michigan, healthcare providers throughout the state, and the public.
- July 7: Called on the federal government to clarify and protect Michiganders’ right to cross the US-Canada border to seek reproductive health care or prescription medication including medication abortion.
- July 11: Urged President Biden to make birth control available over the counter without a prescription.
- July 13: Signed an executive order refusing to extradite women or health care providers who come to Michigan seeking reproductive freedom.
- July 22: Called on FDA to reduce barriers to medication abortion.
- August 1: Secured a restraining order blocking certain county prosecutors from enforcing the 1931 abortion ban after a court cleared a path for them to do so earlier on the same day.
- August 3: Went to court to defend the restraining order and won.
- August 4: Filed renewed request with Michigan Supreme Court to protect right to abortion.
- August 4: Submitted legal brief to prevent enforcement of extreme 1931 abortion ban.
- August 10: Filed motion for a preliminary injunction against 1931 abortion ban in Oakland County Circuit Court.
- August 19: Won a preliminary injunction against the 1931 abortion ban, protecting legal abortion in Michigan until the Michigan Supreme Court takes up the governor’s lawsuit or Michiganders vote to protect women’s fundamental rights. | https://www.monroenews.com/story/news/local/2022/08/31/state-of-michiganexpands-access-to-birth-control/65462758007/ | 2022-08-31T12:07:44Z | monroenews.com | control | https://www.monroenews.com/story/news/local/2022/08/31/state-of-michiganexpands-access-to-birth-control/65462758007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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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/lccc-volleyball-swept-at-northeastern/article_28ae1d8e-28d4-11ed-988a-838b655e49d0.html | 2022-08-31T12:07:51Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/lccc-volleyball-swept-at-northeastern/article_28ae1d8e-28d4-11ed-988a-838b655e49d0.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Recently arrested by the Cheyenne Police Department:
Erika J. Martinez, 31, of King Arthur Way for misdemeanor domestic battery and possession of methamphetamine/amphetamine-type drug at 9:45 p.m. Monday in the 400 block of West Third Avenue.
Mario F. Ramirez, 30, of Calumet Drive for misdemeanor driving under the influence (alcohol, second in 10 years) at 5:26 p.m. Monday at Cleveland Avenue and Cox Court; and for misdemeanor domestic battery at 9:18 p.m. Sunday at his residence.
Richard A. Perez, 45, of Eastland Court on two misdemeanor warrants for failure to appear at 5:05 p.m. Monday at his residence.
Danielle M. Jackson, 34, of Evans Avenue for misdemeanor public intoxication and refusing to obey at 6:48 p.m. Sunday at her residence.
Akmir L. Brown, 28, transient, for misdemeanor possession/use of amphetamine-type drugs and on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 6:20 p.m. Sunday in the 3600 block of East Lincolnway.
Christopher J. Gonzalez, 39, of Taft Avenue for being a felon in possession of a weapon, a felony; for misdemeanor DUI (alcohol), interference with a peace officer with injury and lane change violation at 12:51 a.m. Sunday at Morrie Avenue and East Sixth Street.
Nathan L. Messick, 30, of Sagebrush Avenue for felony property destruction (greater than $1,000), misdemeanor DUI, careless driving, and no proof of liability insurance at 10:23 p.m. Saturday in the 1700 block of Morrie Avenue.
Kelly A. Chavez, 50, transient, for misdemeanor disturbing the peace/property at 10:30 p.m. Saturday in the 200 block of East Lincolnway.
Sarena Like, 18, of Range Lane for misdemeanor refusing to obey, failure to stop at stop sign, failure to signal intention to turn, driving without a valid license, shoplifting ($100-$300) and interfering/obstructing at 5:34 a.m. Saturday at West Ninth Street and Capitol Avenue.
Marina Barella, 45, of Baldwin Drive for misdemeanor breach of peace at 1:38 a.m. Saturday at her residence.
Rachel V. Hernandez, 44, of West Ninth Street on a felony warrant through Laramie County District Court for probation violation at 11:52 p.m. Friday in the 1300 block of West 24th Street.
Santos M. Munoz Jr., 42, transient, for misdemeanor open container violation and on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 6 p.m. Friday at Missile Drive and West Lincolnway.
Ronnie M. Cranmore, 64, of House Avenue for misdemeanor domestic battery at 4:24 p.m. Friday at his residence.
Gary P. Bernal, 58, transient, on a felony warrant out of Colorado for parole violation at 11:15 a.m. Friday in the 200 block of East 23rd Street.
Brian Boore, 32, transient, for misdemeanor being under the influence of a controlled substance at 4:06 a.m. Friday in the 1400 block of West Lincolnway.
Mercadez A.M. Montoya, 26, of East 10th Street on a misdemeanor warrant through Laramie County District Court for failure to appear at 2:31 a.m. Friday at West Fifth Avenue and Central Avenue.
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Recently arrested by the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office:
Brian A. McKeithen, 36, of Greenway Street on a felony warrant for possession of marijuana at 6:59 p.m. Monday at the Laramie County jail, 1910 Pioneer Ave.
Chad M. Smith, 51, of 18th Street on a felony warrant for failure to appear at 9:43 a.m. Monday at the Laramie County jail.
Matthew Z. Lovato, 36, transient, on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 8:04 a.m. Monday in the 2200 block of Gordon Road.
Benjamin J. Woodworth, 32, transient, for two felony counts of violating a protection order at 2:20 p.m. Sunday in the 200 block of South Greeley Highway.
Richard O. Thoms, 30, of Talbot Drive for felony possession of a methamphetamine-type drug and on a felony warrant through Laramie County District Court for failure to comply at 11:11 a.m. Sunday in the 200 block of Factor Lane.
Grayson Schrock, 23, of Montalto Drive on a misdemeanor warrant for joyriding (unauthorized use of motor vehicle) at 3:01 a.m. Saturday at his residence.
Garrell K. James, 32, transient, for misdemeanor interference with a peace officer without injury, possession of other dangerous drug, driving without a valid license, no liability insurance, no registration and windshield violation, and on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 11:05 a.m. Friday at 20th Street and Pioneer Ave.
Breanna M. Bickerstaff, 33, of Second Avenue for felony motor vehicle theft (greater than $1,000) and felony theft (deprive of greater than $1,000 or firearm/livestock) at 6:35 a.m. Friday in the 500 block of South Greeley Highway.
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Recently arrested by the Wyoming Highway Patrol:
Brenda K. Rainwater, 51, of South Greeley Highway for misdemeanor DUI (third in 10 years), improper registration on vehicle, failure to yield to emergency vehicle and no valid registration at 10:14 p.m. Monday at her residence.
Grady L. Peoples, 49, of House Avenue on a felony warrant out of Platte County for probation violation and a felony U.S. Marshals Service warrant for possession of methamphetamine at 3:11 p.m. Sunday at mile marker 10 on Interstate 25.
Chad M. Clinton, 51, of Sky Top Road for misdemeanor DUI (alcohol, first in 10 years) at 8:32 p.m. Saturday at mile marker 10 on I-25.
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Recently arrested by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation:
David R. Herrera Jr., 21, of Frontier Street on two misdemeanor warrants for failure to appear at 3:30 p.m. Friday at the Laramie County jail.
Police blotter is a list of recent arrests compiled from public records in Laramie County. All people listed here are innocent until proven guilty. Anyone listed who has a charge dismissed or is acquitted of the charge may bring or mail a court document proving such to the WTE editor, 702 W. Lincolnway, Cheyenne, WY 82001. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/police_blotter/police-blotter-8-31-22/article_22b64766-27cc-11ed-a967-ff36e3fa7b32.html | 2022-08-31T12:07:57Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/police_blotter/police-blotter-8-31-22/article_22b64766-27cc-11ed-a967-ff36e3fa7b32.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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JACKSON — An attorney representing abortion foes looking to uphold Wyoming’s ban said restricting access to abortion protects women’s health.
“The harms to women from abortion are well-documented,” said Denise Harle, the senior counsel and director of the Center for Life at the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal advocacy group.
“Everything from physical harms from hemorrhaging, sepsis infection, death to psychological harms,” Harle said. “There’s a wealth of research showing women after abortions have increased risks of suicide, PTSD, eating disorders and depression.”
However, a Jackson OB-GYN who is one of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the ban, said the health risks of a full-term pregnancy are greater than those associated with abortions, particularly those performed early in a pregnancy.
The state’s ban is on hold.
Ninth District Court Judge Melissa Owens decided earlier this month that it potentially “transgresses” the state Constitution, meriting a halt on its enforcement until the lawsuit challenging the ban can be decided.
Harle, alongside Cheyenne attorney Frederick Harrison, represents two individuals and an organization that want to intervene in the case: state Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, R-Cody; state Rep. Chip Neiman, R-Hulett, and Right to Life of Wyoming.
Speaking from Georgia, where the Alliance is based, Harle (pronounced Har-ley) discussed the arguments against access to abortion the intervenors plan to make.
Of the resources Harle cited about how abortions harm women was a 2011 PubMed study that measured the association between abortion and indicators of adverse mental health from 1995-2009 and a Charlotte Lozier Institute report on the reality of late-term abortions.
The Charlotte Lozier Institute’s goal, according to the organization’s website, is to “promote deeper public understanding of the value of human life, motherhood, and fatherhood, and to identify policies and practices that will protect life.”
OB-GYN Dr. Giovannina Anthony, who is fighting the criminal ban in court, agreed with the Lozier Institute finding but stated that late-term abortions constitute the minority of procedures and pale in comparison with the risks associated with a full-term pregnancy.
“Almost 90% of abortions in 2020 were before 12 weeks,” Dr. Anthony said. “I agree that abortions performed after 15 weeks have more risk, as she mentions, but this is still a fraction of the risk of the exact same complications that occur with a full-term pregnancy.
“Ironically, by making abortion illegal or difficult to access, this will force women to delay, travel and drive up the second-trimester abortion rate when those women could have had a safer first-trimester abortion.”
In 2020, the risk of death with a full-term pregnancy in the U.S. was 23.8 per 100,000, Dr. Anthony said.
“The risk of dying from a full-term pregnancy is thousands of percentage points higher than dying from abortion at 18 weeks, and even higher compared to first-trimester pregnancy,” Dr. Anthony said. “If we use this logic, every pregnant woman should be informed that abortion is safer and almost 20 times less likely to kill her than a full-term pregnancy.”
Regarding the potentially unconstitutional vagueness of the current language in the law advising on what constitutes a medical emergency, Harle said the defense plans to submit “expert affidavits” from OB-GYNs to show that women are “completely safe” in emergency circumstances when using “basic, reasonable medical judgment.”
“With a medical emergency, every state law allows for treatment when the life of the mother is at risk,” Harle said. “If a doctor can save the life of a mother and that requires terminating the pregnancy, that’s permissible.”
“It’s frustrating to hear pro-abortion doctors acting like they don’t know the difference between an abortion and what’s not an abortion,” she continued. “They’re inserting chaos and causing fear in women by pretending they don’t know the difference.”
Anthony, who has spent three decades caring for pregnant women, responded to Harle’s comment in an email, saying: “That anyone would suggest that after 30 years of obstetrics and gynecology care I or any of my colleagues would ‘pretend’ to not know what an abortion is defies all logic and common sense.
“Take away my ability to provide safe and evidence-based obstetric and gynecologic care, as she is doing, and the chaos and fear that will ensue (and is ensuing) will endanger every reproductive-age woman in this country.”
When asked how the statute doesn’t mention lethal fetal abnormalities, Harle said fetal deaths that have already occurred in the womb, such as miscarriages, are not considered an abortion, but did not directly address fetal abnormalities.
“If you look at the basic definition of abortion it’s the ‘intentional, elective ending of human life in womb,’ ” Harle said. “That’s not the same as treating a miscarriage, and any OB-GYN would know the difference between performing an abortion to end a baby’s life versus a miscarriage where the baby has already died.”
“Every child deserves to be born even if they may face different circumstances,” Harle said. “Abortion has the effect of killing a child every single time and harming the mom. No one should be killed because they may be poor.”
When asked about the recent cuts to maternity care in rural Wyoming communities such as Kemmerer, Rawlins and Riverton, where clinics have been closed due to staffing difficulties and budget cuts, Harle mentioned the work that Rep. Rodriguez-Williams is doing and stressed the need for more programs that support mothers.
“I have no idea what’s going on in terms of the economy, employment issues, but I definitely know that [Rodriguez-Williams] is the executive director of a pregnancy clinic, one of more than 3,000 pregnancy centers around the nation that provide free resources, counseling, support, ultrasounds, blankets, diapers, clothes, job training to women facing unplanned pregnancies in Wyoming.”
Rodriguez-Williams sponsored House Bill 92, Wyoming’s trigger law for abortion restrictions that was set to take effect in if the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, which it did in June. Neiman was a co-sponsor.
On its website, the Serenity Pregnancy Resource Center lists itself as a Christ-centered ministry that “provides alternatives to abortion” while also offering “post abortion support.”
Neither Rep. Rodriguez-Williams nor Rep. Neiman responded to requests for comment.
“We would look forward to seeing laws passed that provide real support to women, actually empowering women,” Harle said. “Having to end her child’s life to find success is not supporting the woman.”
Harle was also asked how the Alliance Defending Freedom, a nonprofit legal organization that aligns itself with protecting religious freedom, responds to a Jewish plaintiff who has claimed that the ban infringes on her religious freedom because she has a different moral conception of when life begins.
“This would be a misunderstanding in terms of religious freedom,” Harle said. “This particular claim has been rejected time and time again.”
Harle cited unsuccessful attempts by the Satanic Temple, recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt church, to bring lawsuits arguing their church has a “Satanic Abortion Ritual” and that exempts its members from state restrictions. If someone says that their conscience would permit them to engage in something that the state has deemed a crime, this is not an effective legal argument, Harle said.
“Pro-life laws are not based on religion,” Harle said. “They are consistent with the Constitution, what laws permit and science, since science says from the moment of conception the baby has its own DNA, heartbeat in a matter of days, and organs are formed by eight to nine weeks.”
The Alliance Defending Freedom cited the Lozier Institute for these conclusions.
A remote scheduling conference is slated for 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 27. The hearing was scheduled to give both parties time to respond to both motions — the motion to certify the lawsuit challenging the ban to the Supreme Court and the motion to approve the three anti-abortion intervenors.
According to Alexandra Ralph, judicial assistant to 9th Judicial District Judge Melissa Owens, “nothing substantive will be discussed.”
“This conference is to set other hearings and deadlines,” Ralph said in an email. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/anti-abortion-lawyer-defends-state-ban-seeks-to-join-suit/article_9f94fdf2-27a1-11ed-a065-b38984ed1d60.html | 2022-08-31T12:08:22Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/anti-abortion-lawyer-defends-state-ban-seeks-to-join-suit/article_9f94fdf2-27a1-11ed-a065-b38984ed1d60.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Andrew Kruger, from left, tightly holds a rope as Tanner West, JC Forgey and Dustin Clayburn wrestle a calf to the ground as they prepare to vaccinate and brand one of Alvie and Billie Ann Manning’s calves at their Carbon County ranch in 2020.
POWELL — At the start of the growing season, commodity prices suggested that farmers were going to be sitting pretty when the crops were harvested, but the increased cost of fuel, fertilizer, and labor have since dampened those earlier hopes.
“It’s not the banner year it could have been if those [production costs] had been back where they were historically,” said David Northrup, who grows beets, corn, barley, oats and hay in Park County.
Northrup said he had expected that the invasion of Ukraine, which exports a lot of corn and wheat, would have spelled big profits, but as inflation drove up prices, it drove those hopes down.
“Now it looks like we’re just going to have a regular year,” he said.
Ric Rodriguez, owner of Rodriguez Farms Inc., grows barley and beets on Heart
Mountain. He said the commodity prices will offset those increased costs of production, but they’re not to the finish line yet.
“The margins are pretty slim right now, and if you have any kind of a weather wreck or yield loss, your net income is going to be short,” he said.
As the season approached last spring, drought conditions were hanging heavy over much of the state, but toward the end of May and through the middle of June, the Big Horn Basin saw quite a bit of cool weather and regular moisture.
The moisture was needed, but it would have been more beneficial if it had come later on or earlier.
Corn and beans got planted later, which means a later harvest.
“That cold spring set things up for a different kind of year than we’re used to,” Northrup said. “Timing, timing, timing.”
Up on Heart Mountain, which typically gets more moisture than surrounding areas, the drought earlier in the year was so bad, Rodriguez said, that they had to start irrigation earlier than normal. He said it was the first time in 40 years that his farm had to water barley that early.
The cool, wet weather that came in May and June was ultimately good for the barley, he said, but not so good for the beets.
There was also some high-wind weather in late July, which Rodriguez said wasn’t good for the people growing grass seed.
“They lost some yield there because it just thrashed out the seed. I’ve never seen that happen,” he said.
Jeremiah Vardiman, agriculture and horticulture educator for the University of Wyoming Extension, said the weather this year has generally been good for pastures, which will benefit the ranchers.
“It was very good for forage production,” he said.
Weather can be fickle, and so what happens in one area may be different just 20 miles away. Northrup said he’s heard that the barley farmers in Burlington and up in Montana got moisture earlier than he did on his farm, so they’ll see some benefits from that.
How this year’s ag season turns out, Vardiman explained, depends on the final yields the farmers get, as well as how the weather goes this fall.
“Nobody knows exactly where they stand until everything is harvested and in the bank,” he said.
Rodriguez said he’s watching how his crops bulk up in the next few months. If things stay dry and warm, without being too hot, they’ll see a better margin.
“It depends on what Mother Nature does from now until the end,” he said.
Northrup is crossing his fingers that the area won’t get hit with an early frost, which can really slim up margins. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/as-harvest-approaches-farmers-become-weather-watchers/article_f91d07d4-27a1-11ed-ab33-4bda07e6f180.html | 2022-08-31T12:08:28Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/as-harvest-approaches-farmers-become-weather-watchers/article_f91d07d4-27a1-11ed-ab33-4bda07e6f180.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
When the 67th Wyoming Legislature convenes in January, more than one-third of the House of Representatives will be brand new. The Senate will have five new members, two of whom came from the House.
But the degree to which the new faces bring an ideological shift remains to be seen — in part because of contested House races in the November general election.
Challengers who ran anti-RINO — Republican in name only — campaigns defeated seven incumbents last week in the Republican primary.
Among the fallen incumbents is former Senate President Drew Perkins (R-Casper). Most high-profile legislative targets of the party’s right wing survived, however. Rep. Albert Sommers (R-Pinedale) and Sen. Ogden Driskill (R-Devils Tower), both of whom serve in leadership roles, retained their seats.
With Democrats absent from 10 of 16 Senate contests and 43 of 62 House races, the Republican primary determined much of the Legislature’s make-up. Several Libertarian candidates are expected to appear on ballots in November, and independent candidates have until Aug. 29 to file — both factors could influence the body’s make-up. Meantime, other critical races will come down to a more traditional contest between a Republican and a Democrat.
Three members of the House Freedom Caucus — a coalition formed in 2020 to challenge what it described as moderate GOP legislative leadership — gambled their House seats for a shot at the Senate. Only one was successful.
Rep. Dan Laursen (R-Powell) beat incumbent Sen. R.J. Kost (R-Powell) and Kost’s predecessor, Ray Peterson, for Senate District 19.
Reps. Bob Wharff (R-Evanston) and Bill Fortner (R-Gillette), meanwhile, fell short. Wharff failed to oust Sen. Wendy Schuler (R-Powell) from Senate District 15. Fortner was unable to dislodge Senate Majority Floor Leader Ogden Driskill from District 1.
About one-third of Wharff’s fundraising came from Dan and Carleen Brophy. The wealthy Jackson couple have developed a reputation for funding anti-establishment candidates in Wyoming. So far this cycle, the pair has spent more than $152,000, mostly on legislative candidates.
Out of 51 Brophy-backed legislative candidates, 21 lost their races, including incumbent Sen. Tom James (R-Green River) and Roger Connett, former chair of the Crook County GOP Party. Connett joined Fortner in challenging Driskill, who won the three-way race with about 40% of the vote.
The Brophys did not respond to WyoFile requests for comment.
As majority floor leader, Driskill is in line to be Senate president. The anonymous website wyorino.com labeled Driskill the June, 2022 “RINO of the month.”
Speaker of the House Eric Barlow (R-Gillette) was the only other state representative to win a seat in the upper chamber. Senate District 23 was an open seat after Sen. Jeff Wasserburger (R-Gillette) — July’s “RINO of the Month” — did not seek re-election. Barlow won handily against a write-in campaign by Patricia Junek.
The biggest upset in the Senate came in District 29. Challenger Bob Ide unseated Sen. Drew Perkins (R-Casper) by 302 votes. The race was the costliest legislative contest in the state’s history with about $115,000 in contributions between the two candidates, according to campaign finance reports.
Perkins has served in the Senate since 2007, including as president of the body from 2019-2020 and more recently as co-chair of the powerful Joint Appropriations Committee. During his long tenure, he played a key role in crafting important legislation, said Sen. Cale Case (R-Lander).
“That’s where Perkins was a star,” Case said. “He was always a builder. He could understand where legislation had to go, and the nuances.”
Case is less confident in Ide, who has not held public office before. Ide challenged Perkins before, in 2014, but lost that race by about 300 votes. Videos and photographs show Ide — who ran on a pro-freedom, small-government platform — in Washington D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021, and close to the Capitol during the insurrection. Ide did not respond to WyoFile’s request for comment.
Case, a 29-year veteran of the Wyoming Legislature, fended off his own primary election challenger, retired Colorado law enforcement officer Shawn Olmstead, with about 55% of the vote. Olmstead had the financial backing of the Brophys and was among the candidates invited to the all-day Save Wyoming rally in July.
The Fremont County GOP censured Case earlier this year for supporting Medicaid expansion, among other things.
“I stand tall, and the people in my district are going to decide whether I need to be thrown out or not,” Case said at the time. He won by about 480 votes.
Despite his victory, Case is concerned about the quality of legislation that will come out of this new Senate, he said. He’s also uncertain the body will get much done.
“I guarantee it’s harder. It’s harder when it’s this polarized,” Case said.
Concerns over quality and effectiveness have bubbled in recent years, especially as the success rate of committee bills has declined. In 2022, only 59% of introduced committee bills survived to become law — a 23-year low, according to the Legislative Service Office.
House incumbents who lost to anti-RINO challengers were concentrated in central Wyoming. Reps. Aaron Clausen (R-Douglas), Joe MacGuire (R-Casper) and Pat Sweeney (R-Casper) all lost their races for reelection, as did Reps. JD Williams (R-Lusk) and Shelly Duncan (R-Lingle).
Two open House seats in northeast Wyoming also went to candidates expected to bolster the ranks of the Freedom Caucus — Abby Angelos and Ken Pendergraft.
A whistleblowers’ list obtained by WyoFile identified Pendergraft as a member of the far-right anti-government Oath Keepers group.
Angelos campaigned closely with Rep. John Bear (R-Gillette), a vocal member of the House Freedom Caucus, who ran unopposed this year. Bear did not respond to WyoFile’s request for comment.
Meanwhile, Reps. Sandy Newsome (R-Cody), Landon Brown (R-Cheyenne), Bob Nicholas (R-Cheyenne), John Eklund (R-Cheyenne) and Steve Harshman (R-Casper) all fended off Brophy-backed challengers.
Notably, so did Rep. Albert Sommers, who defeated Mike Schmid. As House majority floor leader, Sommers would traditionally be expected to become speaker of the house. But given some of the losses by moderates, that may not be a slam dunk, according to Rep. Dan Zwonitzer (R-Cheyenne).
“I think it’ll be probably the closest leadership votes we’ve ever had in my 20 years,” said Zwonitzer, who also fended off primary challengers after his party targeted him during the last session. His father and former lawmaker, Dave Zwonitzer, also won his primary bid for House District 8, which redistricting left open.
While the House Freedom Caucus did not come out of the primary with a resounding sweep, Zwonitzer said, the group appears to have gained at least two more seats. The caucus does not disclose its membership, but Zwonitzer and others estimate its members occupy 20 seats, nearly a third of the 62-member House. Should it pick up more seats in the general election, Zwonitzer said, the bloc could wield significant power, especially during budget sessions, like 2024, when bills require a two-thirds majority vote for introduction.
Because the Freedom Caucus operates behind the scenes, Zwonitzer said it is difficult to suss out aligned candidates. Plus, candidates that run anti-RINO campaigns sometimes come to different realizations in Cheyenne, Zwonitzer said.
“When they really get to see what we’re like and [that] it’s not super, liberal RINO-ville, and that things are pretty conservative here … a number of new legislators realize that it’s not as bad as it was made out to be believed every term,” Zwonitzer said.
A handful of general-election contests will determine the final composition of the 67th Wyoming Legislature and with it the balance of power between traditional establishment Wyoming Republicans and the anti-establishment new wave.
In Albany County, Rep. Trey Sherwood (D-Laramie) will face Republican Bryan Shuster for House District 14. Recently considered one of the safest Democratic seats in the Legislature, HD 14 has been redistricted to include the small town of Rock River, making it more competitive.
Former Democratic lawmaker Sara Burlingame is running for her old seat, House District 44, in Cheyenne against Republican Tamara Trujillo. Trujillo defeated Burlingame’s successor John Romero-Martinez in the primary. Legislative leadership had investigated Romero-Martinez for making death threats against Burlingame and Rep. Andi LeBeau (D-Riverton).
LeBeau, whose district encompasses the Wind River Indian Reservation, will face Sarah Penn, who beat two other Republicans in the primary.
The Senate was already further to the right than the House, according to Rep. Mike Yin (D-Jackson).
“And they’ve gotten even more further to the right than they were before. So I think there’s a higher risk in the Senate than there is in the House for crazy power dynamics,” Yin said.
Despite what he sees as a shift to the right, Yin said he thinks there are still plenty of Republican lawmakers that have “shared goals” with Democrats, such as education, keeping young people in Wyoming and lowering healthcare costs.
“What that looks like moving forward I think is going to involve a long discussion with a lot of people and will depend for sure on how these general elections turnout,” Yin said.
The general election is Nov. 8. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/balance-of-political-power-on-the-line/article_21516496-279f-11ed-9f7a-83c186168812.html | 2022-08-31T12:08:35Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/balance-of-political-power-on-the-line/article_21516496-279f-11ed-9f7a-83c186168812.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
BUFFALO — This fall is a great time to be an elk hunter, according to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s 2022 hunt forecast.
That’s especially true for those who are willing to hunt antlerless elk. Elk populations are thriving statewide, according to previous Bulletin reporting.
In most hunt areas, elk are at or above population objectives, leading officials to add more tags and change season limitations and opening dates to achieve desired harvest levels.
“We’re hoping for a better harvest this year,” Buffalo Game Warden Jim Seeman said. “The longer they stay up on U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands, the better chance we have for a better harvest. So far, it’s pretty good. Elk are staying up there so far.”
Elk are the outlier among other big game populations that are not reaching goals and therefore have had quotas reduced this year. Those reduced license quotas are due to persistent drought conditions and spread of disease, said Cheyenne Stewart, Sheridan region wildlife management coordinator.
But those reduced license quotas give those who drew tags in the region a better chance at harvesting an animal, according to the Game and Fish hunt forecast.
That includes pronghorn, a species that suffered population declines from disease-related mortalities in 2021, including epizootic hemorrhagic disease and bluetongue.
Antelope, in general, according to Seeman, are doing well near Buffalo, based on the agency’s late summer classifications.
“We did cut licenses from last fall. We’re down overall in population with antelope, so hunters should expect to see at least east of town fewer numbers,” he said. “You might see a lot more fawns, which doesn’t come into play until the following year.”
Mule deer in the region have been a population of concern for Game and Fish for a while.
The department wrapped up a study on the Upper Powder River mule deer herd in December that biologists hope will give them an idea of the biggest problems facing the herd.
Chronic wasting disease is another factor in mule deer mortality. The disease, a neurological illness that is often fatal, is most prominent in the region’s white-tailed deer populations.
That, epizootic hemorrhagic disease and the bluetongue outbreak in fall 2021 mean that hunters can expect population impacts.
This year’s precipitation, though, is good news for those populations, according to the forecast.
To date, the Powder River Basin has experienced precipitation that is 101% of normal, according to the Natural Resource Conservation Service. The water year ends Oct. 1. Seeman said that the rainfall the county received in the spring — at a time that’s best for fawns and chicks hoping to survive — would be useful now, too.
“We got good moisture, but it’s dry now,” Seeman said. “A lot of watering holes people had hunted five to 10 years ago that might not have water in them. A lot of people hunt near water usually in September, sometimes in October, at least east of town going toward the Powder River.”
Southern Johnson County near Kaycee, especially, has experienced above-average rainfall, clocking an additional nearly half an inch this year compared with last year, per the National Weather Service. Overall, the region experienced some much-needed moisture, which has reduced its ongoing drought intensity and, as a result, the agency expects doe-to-fawn ratios to improve.
That moisture this spring has been kind to upland bird habitats, the hunt forecast says.
The highly contagious avian flu, often fatal, has impacted bird populations this year, both wild and domestic, though the extent of its impact is unknown, according to the agency.
Pheasant production at the Sheridan Bird Farm has been impacted by the flu, and hunters can expect a slightly shorter release season. Areas that require a Pheasant Management Stamp in Sheridan and Johnson counties will now be open to harvest any pheasant, a new change for the 2022 season.
Most seasons begin Sept. 1, but Seeman advised that some regulations for certain areas have changed.
More information about this coming hunting season is available at the Wyoming Game and Fish Department website.
“There are subtle changes in some of the hunt areas,” he said. “We’ve had some issues already and a lot of phone calls. If (hunters) don’t understand or are confused about the change, they need to give us a call and clarify that.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/game-and-fish-predicts-good-season-for-elk-hunters/article_77b32dc2-27a1-11ed-9652-f7f4aff66878.html | 2022-08-31T12:08:59Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/game-and-fish-predicts-good-season-for-elk-hunters/article_77b32dc2-27a1-11ed-9652-f7f4aff66878.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
JACKSON — To its former owners, Wyoming’s priciest listing was far more than a cash gem.
“It was our home,” said Julie Givens, describing a 233-acre plot on the banks of the Snake River that has been in her family for almost 40 years. Earlier this summer, Jackson Hole Ranch was listed for $35 million — the highest priced offering in the state when it was listed in July.
When Givens’ parents saw a Wall Street Journal article calling their 233-acre ranch “Wyoming’s Priciest Listing,” they cried.
“That’s not what this was about for them,” Givens said. “It was about this very special piece of land and protecting it.”
The ranch came under contract in two days and sold a month later.
With 96% of the 233 acres barred from development under a conservation easement through the Jackson Hole Land Trust, the listing represents one of the highest valuations of protected land ever seen in Jackson, according to listing agency Live Water Properties.
It could also be one of the highest prices for non-developable land in the nation, though Live Water’s founding partner Alex Maher said it’s difficult to differentiate the value of the protected acres from the opportunities to build.
“I think people have become more tolerant or more willing to buy property under easement than they were 10 years ago, or 15 or 20 years ago, absolutely,” he said.
Many naturalists view conservation easements as a win for ecology. Jackson Hole Ranch, for instance, abuts Grand Teton National Park and serves as a migratory corridor for 600 elk.
Buyers often see the protection as a limitation.
“People are used to placing structures wherever they would like within the confines of the property. And that’s not the case in these conservation easements,” said listing agent Latham Jenkins, who tries to educate and inform buyers about the less-obvious virtues of protected land.
“You think you’re buying a property that has restrictions on it that, in essence, distract from the value,” he said. “I would argue no, it actually increases the value. Because it will never change.”
Jenkins said people interested in Jackson Hole Ranch asked about installing a dirt bike track and helicopter pad. Another potential buyer wanted to hunt.
There was some interest from so-called “conservation buyers” looking to carry on a stewardship legacy. But most people had no idea what a conservation easement meant.
Givens said that when her father first bought land next to the Snake River he was approached by several interested buyers, including the Anheuser-Busch family, which offered him $10 million. Instead they chose to work with the Land Trust to put a conservation easement on the ranch to benefit wildlife.
Bill Givens ran a tech company in the printing industry and came to the Tetons to climb and backpack. Until recently he held the record for being the oldest person to ever complete the Grand Traverse, his daughter said.
She hoped Jenkins would find a similarly outdoor-loving steward to take over the ranch, rather than someone looking to add a “jewel” to their crown.
“My parents saw it as an honor to protect it. And I feel the same way,” Givens said. “You’re doing something good for the world by maintaining this land that has restrictions on it.
“Really, we should all think like that. You’re the steward of your own little backyard,” she said.
Jenkins wouldn’t disclose the buyers out of respect for their privacy.
“It’s raising what people are willing to pay per acre for protected land,” he said of the sale. “But in my opinion the mindset has turned to seeing the value of it being protected versus historically thinking of it having been stripped of its development entitlements, and someone else already got the tax benefits.”
One third of Teton County’s limited private lands are already conserved in some way. When landowners choose to put their property under voluntary easement, they receive a tax break.
Those purchasing land already under easement — like the buyer of Jackson Hole Ranch — don’t receive the tax incentive of the donation, but they are generally able to buy acreage at a cheaper price.
A similar deal also applies to ranching land on the market.
The Mead family is currently asking $40 million for 257 acres of the ranch that has been in the family for more than a century. Of those acres, 193 are protected by an easement through the Jackson Hole Land Trust.
The easement was originally secured in the early 2000s by Brad Mead’s grandfather, Cliff Hansen, a Wyoming governor from 1963 to 1967 and the state’s two-time U.S. senator, from 1967 to 1978.
Mead previously told the News&Guide easements have helped protect the remaining ranches in the area from the pressure of subdivision.
“A lot of the credit goes to the Land Trust, and the community which supported it,” he said.
The national Land Trust Alliance defines a conservation buyer as “a real-estate purchaser whose interest in the natural, agricultural, scenic, or historic attributes of a property steers them toward working with a land trust to protect these values in perpetuity.”
In mountain towns like Bend, Oregon, local land trusts are working with Realtors to attract conservation buyers and explicitly promote conservation easements. At a national level, The Nature Conservancy is working to leverage “increasing interest of the private sector to take part in conservation.”
And with a third of Teton County’s limited private land already shielded from development, buyers have become more willing to purchase protected land — not because of stewardship interest, but just because it’s the only plot available.
The limited supply has effectively meant that “people are willing to pay the same price for an encumbered piece of ground as they are for an unencumbered piece of ground,” said Max Ludington, president of Jackson Hole Land Trust since 2020.
The nonprofit is continuing to pursue easements, and Ludington said there will probably come a time when every parcel in the valley that can be developed will have a plan for development and “every piece of ground that can be conserved will be conserved.”
The Land Trust secured three new conservation easements in Teton County last year.
At the same time, Maher, of Live Water Properties, said high prices are merely a reflection of Jackson’s overall popularity.
“It’s a function of property values in general,” he said. “It’s not that land under conservation easement is appreciating faster than land not under conservation easement.
“There’s just a high demand for a very small supply, and then you’ve got all of these scenic and wildlife characteristics and airport accessibility, etc. That’s the reason our land is worth more than other places.”
Last year the median home value was $850,800 in Teton County, according to the Wyoming Economic Analysis Division. Median household income was $87,053.
Ludington said one of the most common complaints the Land Trust hears is actually a misconception.
People assume that conservation easements limit the possibility of affordable housing developments, he said, when in reality that restriction comes from local land development regulations, or LDRs.
“The focus of our work is not the amount of development, it’s the location,” he said.
Taking the location concept a step further, listing agent Jenkins said it doesn’t make sense to build affordable housing on a place like Jackson Hole Ranch. Instead, he said, a community housing fund should look at “downtown” properties that are in the transportation network.
He pointed to a $38.5 million, 50-acre parcel on Highway 22, right next to the Stilson parking area where skiers park to catch shuttles to Teton Village, which is now on the market.
“I think its highest and best use is to partner with Stilson and the metro center and build community housing there,” Maher said.
Asked if the Stilson lot could be a candidate for workforce housing, listing agent Ted Dawson said “1000% but the county doesn’t want anything to do with that.”
Current single-family and rural zoning allows only one home per 35 acres. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/high-ranch-prices-show-interest-no-longer-limited-to-stewards/article_c20bb052-27a5-11ed-b1fc-0f6d3a188732.html | 2022-08-31T12:09:06Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/high-ranch-prices-show-interest-no-longer-limited-to-stewards/article_c20bb052-27a5-11ed-b1fc-0f6d3a188732.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
State lawmakers spent Friday morning searching for ways to provide more affordable housing to Wyoming residents, including solutions such as a state housing trust fund and land banking.
Discussions were led by members of the Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee, state agencies and local nonprofits invested in breaking down barriers to housing development. It falls in line with the committee’s second-highest priority to address the lack of workforce housing, which they have studied throughout the interim.
“Because of housing, we can’t keep teachers, snowplow drivers, or doctors and nurses,” said Rep. Jim Roscoe, I-Wilson.
Despite stakeholders showing support for a state housing trust fund, legislators decided only to take action on land banking. There were concerns expressed that the state housing trust fund would be unconstitutional because legislative appropriations for charitable or industrial purposes are not allowed unless the recipient is under control of the state.
“Section 6 prohibits the state and its political subdivisions from loaning or giving credit to guarantee private obligations, and also prohibits these actors from making donations to private individuals or entities except for the necessary support of the poor,” said Legislative Service Office staff attorney Anna Johnson.
A state housing trust fund could be possible, but not by following the original recommendation based on Iowa’s model, which legislative staff attorneys said could be problematic because of the difference in how Wyoming’s trust funds are laid out. Wyoming is one of just three states in the nation without a housing trust fund.
Other housing programs in Wyoming already exist, but legislators hoped to find additional ways to manage the pressure on the market.
The Wyoming Business Ready Community Program doesn’t specifically address workforce housing, but Johnson outlined in a memo how it would be a helpful framework for a program, since it provides loans for infrastructure, economic or educational development projects.
There is the Wyoming Workforce Housing Infrastructure Program, which provides loans for the creation of workforce housing subdivisions or developments. However, the infrastructure must be publicly owned, and doesn’t include the building of actual houses in order to follow state statute.
The Wyoming Community Development Authority was also created for many of the same reasons as the infrastructure program, and provides low-interest mortgage loans and financial education. Opportunities are available for down payment assistance, but it is still a loan.
Land banking
Advocates for a direct approach to solving the affordable housing crisis pushed for land banking. The banks are state-enabled public entities with unique governmental powers “that are solely focused on converting problem properties into productive use according to local community goals.”
“It’s a device, in part, where a municipality can clean up that kind of problem and eventually wind up with a property that is sellable,” said Sen. Charles Scott, R-Casper.
Brenda Birkle, executive director of the local nonprofit My Front Door and chair of Cheyenne’s Affordable Housing Taskforce, made her case for the land bank. She played an instrumental role along with Dan Dorsch, special coordinator for Habitat for Humanity of Laramie County, in identifying tools the Legislature could consider.
In her presentation to the committee, she described the land bank as having special powers, “including the ability to hold land tax-free, clear title, negotiate sales, convey property for other-than-monetary consideration and lease for interim uses.”
It acquires property through the expedited tax foreclosure process, lending institutions and the Department of Housing and Urban Development transferring low-value properties to the land bank, as well as private individuals and probate estates not wanting the burden of owning a property and giving it away. This, in return, can address community blights, increase the number of low- to moderate-income units, increase area property values and provide economic growth.
“Land banks are most commonly established in localities with relatively low or declining housing costs and a sizable inventory of tax-delinquent properties that the community wants to repurpose to support community goals,” according to Local Housing Solutions. “In high-cost localities, however, where there are few tax delinquent properties, land banks can serve as a vehicle for holding land purchased strategically for future affordable housing development.”
Based on the presentation and support from nonprofits, legislators passed a motion for the legislative staff to draft a bill based on Nebraska’s statutes. It would not require an appropriation from the Legislature, but rather develop legislation that enables local entities to develop interagency agreements to establish the land bank.
Housing trust fund
Although the housing trust fund that would have fallen under the Wyoming Community Development Authority’s responsibility was not supported by the majority of the committee, it did take up a significant portion of the discussion.
Sen. Tara Nethercott, R-Cheyenne, was a supporter of the housing trust fund, even with the work required make it constitutional. She was unsure whether the bill would move forward, but she encouraged efforts to be made, nonetheless.
“I do think, in light of it being one of our priority topics that this committee has chosen to take up, and hearing the overwhelming testimony from May, which I know we have all forgotten that there is an attainable housing concern – then at least we will have something tangible to work on at some meeting,” she told her fellow Corporations Committee members. “And, unfortunately, it will be our last.”
The wariness among legislators to draft the bill started hours before her call to draft the bill, and not just regarding the legal barriers.
According to the Housing Trust Fund Project, they are distinct funds established by governments that receive ongoing sources of public funding to support the preservation of affordable housing.
“Housing trust funds systemically shift affordable housing funding from annual budget allocations to the commitment of dedicated public revenue,” the advocacy organization wrote. “While housing trust funds can also be a repository for private donations, they are not public/private partnerships, nor are they endowed funds operating from interest and other earnings.”
Birkle said money from a statewide trust fund could go into local housing trust funds to create local control, and millions could be used to address housing issues. She said it could be used as gap funding for projects, to acquire and redevelop properties or land, to teach financial literacy and housing counseling, or for down payment assistance for homebuyers that are of low to moderate income.
“The good news is it’s customizable,” she told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle days before she went before the committee.
In order to implement it in Wyoming, it could be placed under the authority of agencies such as the WCDA and the Wyoming Business Council.
However, the WBC didn’t want to take on the housing affordability tool, and leadership argued its focus should be in expanding the workforce.
“The Business Council’s job is to create a housing problem. And I say that, in all seriousness, and I don’t mean to be flippant about it, but it is actually our job to create an environment where businesses can thrive, where businesses can grow,” WBC CEO Josh Dorrell testified Friday. “Housing is one component of it, but, ultimately, it’s our job to create the pressure. That creates a housing problem. And if we stay focused on that, we can create enough pressure, we can create enough of a housing problem, that will make us attractive to developers.”
Dorrell was supported by staff from Gov. Mark Gordon’s office, who argued the agency should stay in line with its duties and not take on the housing trust fund. Policy advisor Ivy McGowan-Castleberry said the governor expressed that he feels very strongly that the Business Council has a mission, that they need to work on activating new economic opportunities, and that the framework and expertise for a housing trust fund don’t currently exist.
Some lawmakers questioned whether companies would be deterred from moving into the state if there wasn’t housing, or why the private sector was having difficulty developing enough properties. Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander, stepped in to defend the private sector, and said his colleagues were forgetting how well it worked.
“I don’t think we should be so short and frustrated with what the private sector has accomplished and say, ‘Well, it’s not working right now, let’s create a program,’” he said. “I think there’s complementariness that we can pursue.”
Lawmakers will continue to try to find that balance at the next Corporations Committee Oct. 13-14. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/lawmakers-search-for-housing-solutions/article_5e339230-279f-11ed-a58d-439977553be1.html | 2022-08-31T12:09:12Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/lawmakers-search-for-housing-solutions/article_5e339230-279f-11ed-a58d-439977553be1.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Lawmakers have agreed to draft legislation that, if approved by the full Legislature next year, would distinctly change the format of elections across the state in 2024.
The approval came after more than two hours of testimony and discussion in the Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee on Thursday. Members carefully weighed the benefits and shortcomings of instant runoff elections, ranked-choice voting and open primaries.
Legislative staff has been directed to draft two bills for the Corporations Committee to consider at its upcoming meeting in October. It took a second vote for both motions to pass, but either would closely align with election formats used by fellow “red” states.
“I’m just happy Alaska and Utah are our models, and not Massachusetts or New York,” said Rep. Dan Zwonitzer, R-Cheyenne, chairman of the committee, following the votes.
The state now uses a closed primary and plurality voting system. Only voters registered with the Republican or Democratic Party can vote in their party’s primary, and the party affiliation is included in voter registration so there is an official record. Voters are allowed to switch their party affiliation at any time.
The plurality system refers to how a candidate is elected. The contender who receives the highest number of votes is elected, and it is not required that they receive more than 50% of the total votes cast.
This is a significant difference from the first proposed election format bill the Legislative Service Office is responsible for drafting. It will take after the initiative Alaskan voters approved in the 2020 general election to establish a nonpartisan primary and ranked-choice voting system.
However, the recommendation by Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander, was for an open primary that would have the top four choices move forward to a ranked-choice voting system in the general election.
His second motion, which also was passed, was to keep a closed primary, but to implement a ranked-choice voting system similar to what is being tested by Utah at the municipal level. Both proposals will be considered in October.
Open primary, ranked-choice
FairVote, a nonpartisan election reform organization, defines an open primary as an election where “voters of any affiliation may vote in the primary of any party. They cannot vote in more than one party’s primary, although that prohibition can be difficult to enforce in the event a party has a primary runoff. In many open primaries, voters do not indicate partisan affiliation when they register to vote.”
Along with a ranked-choice voting system, the Wyoming election format would transform dramatically. Voters would rank candidates by preference on their ballots, and if a candidate wins more than half of first-preference votes, they are declared the winner. If no candidate wins based on first-preference, Ballotpedia explains that the candidate with the least first-preference votes are eliminated.
“All first-preference votes for the failed candidate are eliminated, lifting the second-preference choices indicated on those ballots,” according to the digital encyclopedia on American politics and elections. “A new tally is conducted to determine whether any candidate has won an outright majority of the adjusted voters. The process is repeated until a candidate wins a majority of votes cast.”
Case suggested the system after hearing testimony from stakeholders on its positive impacts. Many argued it would address concerns of crossover voting and the plurality system, as well as encourage candidates to communicate to a greater number of voters, rather than to the extremes of either party.
“With 94% of people voting on the same ballot last Tuesday, we essentially had an open primary here in Wyoming. Open primaries almost eliminate the need for crossover voting, though. There’s no need to switch parties when there’s no parties involved,” said Jennifer Lowe, executive director of the Equality State Policy Center. “The other wonderful thing about open primaries is it allows taxpayers – those who are funding these elections – to fully participate.”
The majority of votes Aug. 16 were in the Republican primary, which pitted U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., against challenger Harriet Hageman. Although many Democrats crossed over to vote for Cheney, Hageman easily ousted the incumbent and advanced to the Nov. 8 general election.
Despite significant support for the system voiced in testimony, there were those who criticized its consideration.
Wyoming GOP National Committeeman Corey Steinmetz said the political philosophy between the parties was very evident, and taking away a partisan primary would be a challenge. He said many voters trust the “R” behind a Republican candidate’s name when they’re running, and it assures that the contender represents their shared values and beliefs.
“What we’ve heard from Republicans all across the state is that we want to keep our primary,” he told lawmakers. “We want Republicans voting for Republican nominees, they want Democrats voting for Democratic nominees, and we would have competitive elections if the Democrats would have people run.”
Steinmetz said changing the voting system has been an ongoing discussion for years, but he didn’t know if “we need to reinvent the wheel.” He was concerned any major changes to the election statutes would also impact political organization makeup and elections for precinct committee persons.
“That’s a very dangerous territory,” he said.
Jacqueline McMann was a supporter of an open primary and ranked-choice voting, and argued against Steinmetz’s theory about Wyoming voters. She said the current system deters healthy participation, and the Republican Party has developed a monopoly on voting.
“We use a shorthand, the ‘R’ in front of a person’s name and the ‘D’ in front of a person’s name. The ‘L’ for libertarian. It’s a shorthand for trust,” she said. “And I think we have broken down that trust by our divisiveness, and people are no longer engaged.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/major-changes-to-state-elections-are-considered/article_51e7894a-27a0-11ed-8f8b-2b94825715f5.html | 2022-08-31T12:09:24Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/major-changes-to-state-elections-are-considered/article_51e7894a-27a0-11ed-8f8b-2b94825715f5.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
GILLETTE — Emily Nuzum and Madison Bracht were in the middle of a fall out.
The two childhood friends were in the thick of a teenage stalemate brought along by loss in the family and a growing up of sorts.
In other words, they weren’t talking at the time.
But as Bracht scrolled through her phone, nearly two years ago, something stood out. She paused and scrolled back up.
“(Nuzum) posted something and I found it pretty weird, since that’s not something she usually posted so I decided to leave a nice comment,” Bracht said. “Then she reached out to me.
“She reached out to me about being sexually assaulted and it was by the same person I was sexually assaulted by, so we decided we wanted to come forward not alone.”
“We needed each other,” Nuzum added. “We just didn’t know it.”
Although the two 16-year-olds recognize and are grateful that the moment reignited the bond of friendship they had years before, they also know that the shared traumatic experience is something that neither of them should have had to live through, especially not alone.
Now, almost two years later, they are sharing their stories so that people their age can know who to turn to if they experience the same situation. They are starting a group called “We Will Not Be Silenced” with the aim to support and promote healing and understanding.
The two have turned a traumatic situation into a new beginning, laying groundwork for more communication and visibility on a prevalent issue that oftentimes hides in the invisibility of a victim’s shame or guilt.
“The main goal is to spread awareness (of sexual assault) because it’s unspoken,” Nuzum said. “We’re trying to focus on our peers, people our ages, because no one talks about it and it’s something that’s super hard to do.”
Since the two started their campaign just a few months ago, they’ve already had local girls and girls from out-of-state reach out to them for help or just a shoulder to lean on. The two hope to provide support but also share their experience in coping and what to expect if a person chooses to report — because Nuzum said the process is not simple or easy by any means.
“Obviously, it’s up to everyone to choose whether or not to report,” Bracht said. “I won’t tell them they ever have to but I’ll tell them it’s an option.”
For a long time after Nuzum reached out to her, Bracht felt guilty because she hadn’t reported what happened to her to authorities. She felt as though, maybe if she told someone, something could have been done to take him off the streets.
But after it happened, she wasn’t in a place where she felt she could speak and it wasn’t until long after Nuzum came forward that she told her story.
“I saw how everyone was treating her (at school),” Bracht said. “And there was no way I wanted anyone to know after that.”
“People were telling me that I was a horrible person and that I ruined his life,” Nuzum said about going back to school after the student’s arrest.
But the two had each other and also their families, who they said were way more supportive than they initially thought they’d be, another thing they want to pass along to anyone who joins their group.
Right now, the two have set up a website and Instagram where people can see their stories and join to support. So far, the two said that everyone in the community has been gracious and supportive of their efforts.
“We know we’ll get kickback eventually,” Nuzum said. “But we’re ready for it.”
They’ve also reached out to other counseling services and organizations in Gillette to learn more about how to guide anyone who comes to them with questions.
And in a bake sale fundraiser at Pokey’s Bar and Grill earlier in August, the two raised more than $1,500, half of which they will donate to the Gillette Abuse and Refuge Foundation.
They will use the rest of the money raised to pay for things like items for the float they want to create for the homecoming parade and copying kits or coloring books that may help some in the group manage the hurt.
The group is something of a coping mechanism for the girls, as well.
“Yes, the group is all about helping others,” Nuzum said. “But it’s also helping us. Being able to help just one person is what I live for.”
They want people to see their faces and know their names so that they know exactly who they can go to without judgment, if they need to. Both said that having someone their own age to go to would have helped them tell their stories earlier.
“That’s who I would’ve reached out to first,” Bracht said.
But since the issue isn’t talked about, she didn’t know of anyone who could help. She had heard rumors of students who had possibly lived through a similar hurt but again, it’s not something she felt comfortable asking them about.
By stepping forward, the two hope to alleviate that stress from anyone else.
After the assaults, both of the girls had to learn how to come back to their new normal.
But somehow, they’ve also learned how to look at the situation in as positive a way as they can.
Bracht said that going through the experience pushed her to be better. She had been going through a dark time and after that night, she realized she wanted more. Since then, she’s applied herself in school and started working in the hospital — a job she’d always wanted.
Nuzum said that she has been able to look at and approach things with a wider mindset, accepting things as they come without judging others.
“It made me see that damn, this is life,” she said.
Every week, the two spend countless hours together putting together what they can to form their peer group so they can share their perspectives and experience with others in a thoughtful way. They admit that as 16 year olds, money is scarce and starting something new is intimidating, but so far, their enthusiasm has not been stymied.
And it doesn’t look like it will be anytime soon.
Nuzum and Bracht have experienced how people change from childhood into adolescence and then fully into adulthood, and they’ve realized firsthand that there will be some friends people cannot live without.
Those friends are the ones a person calls for the simple things, like help for a missed day of homework but also the harder times in life, when a friend loses a family member or struggles to get out of bed.
It’s on those days that friends reach out and give support, lifting the other and assuring them that although the life motto is overwhelmingly cheesy, everything will, at some point at least, be all right again.
Bracht and Nuzum are now at the moment where it is all right again, but their goal is to make sure that others are able to reach that same point with a group of friends there to support them. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/students-support-peers-affected-by-sexual-assault/article_72b63214-27a2-11ed-9af0-83f9a230779b.html | 2022-08-31T12:09:43Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/students-support-peers-affected-by-sexual-assault/article_72b63214-27a2-11ed-9af0-83f9a230779b.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Until primary election night, when he won his party’s Wyoming secretary of state nomination, Rep. Chuck Gray, R-Casper, had a pretty dismal 2022. None of the five bills he sponsored in the budget session passed, including four that didn’t even come up for a vote.
The previous year hadn’t been so hot for Gray, either. In September 2021, when former President Donald Trump shopped for a GOP congressional candidate to send Rep. Liz Cheney packing, he bypassed Gray and endorsed Cheyenne attorney Harriet Hageman.
When Trump declared everyone else should get out of Hageman’s way, Gray dutifully dropped out.
Gray tried to win Trump’s favor with two bills to change the name of State Highway 258 to the “President Donald J. Trump Highway.” Trump may well be the most popular politician in Wyoming, but both bills failed.
In May, opportunity knocked when Republican Secretary of State Ed Buchanan decided to not run for re-election. Gray announced his bid.
Gray made Trump’s lies about the 2020 election being stolen the centerpiece of his campaign. The candidate called the election “clearly rigged” against Trump, with ballot drop boxes like those in Wyoming serving as the tool Democrats used for the theft.
The idea Wyoming voters can’t trust that their ballots will be fairly counted should be a tough sell in a state where Trump trounced Joe Biden by 120,068 votes. If state Democrats are that inept at stuffing ballot boxes, they shouldn’t even be allowed to cross the street unassisted.
But Gray’s message that Wyoming’s elections are tainted by widespread voter fraud carried the day, and he defeated Sen. Tara Nethercott, R-Cheyenne, 50% to 41%.
Gray cast himself as a voter fraud expert because he went to Arizona to watch the Cyber Ninjas firm conduct a partisan “forensic audit” of Maricopa County’s presidential election. “I support the audit 100%. It’s an incredible, very important operation,” he tweeted.
The audit, which took more than seven months as the ninjas hand-counted ballots, did find election errors. Their report concluded 360 more residents voted for Biden than previously reported.
Yet Gray contends Wyoming should automatically conduct the same type of audit statewide using paper ballots, even though only four state residents have been convicted of voter fraud since 2000. All four, by the way, were Republicans.
Gray sponsored free showings of Dinesh D’Souza’s film “2000 Mules” to justify his desire to ban ballot drop boxes in Wyoming. Gray said the discredited documentary shows “how the woke, big-tech left has stolen elections with ballot drop boxes.”
Fortunately, none of Gray’s proposed voter fraud remedies can be implemented without legislative approval.
Former Secretary of State Max Maxfield, who endorsed Nethercott, filed a federal complaint against Gray for allegedly violating campaign finance laws. Maxfield questioned how Gray managed to loan his congressional campaign $300,000 when he claimed to only earn $11,000 a year.
After calling the complaint “frivolous,” the work of “liberal insiders,” Gray eventually explained he inherited the $300,000 from his grandfather.
“This campaign, unfortunately, has gotten pretty nasty because when someone stands for the truth against the insiders, they will do anything to maintain their power,” Gray charged at a Casper forum.
I agree that the campaign turned nasty, and truth matters. That’s why what the “Committee to Elect Chuck Gray” did a few days before the primary was so egregious.
Unsolicited text messages were sent to many Wyomingites – including Nethercott! – that erroneously claimed she is “being sued for lying and slander,” investigated “for violating state campaign $$$ law” and voting to “give herself a $30k taxpayer-funded raise.”
There is no lawsuit or investigation. Nethercott voted to increase state officials’ pay, but that was months before Buchanan announced his position would be open.
I don’t know how much damage the phony texts did to Nethercott’s chances of winning. Her loss by nearly 13,000 votes can likely be attributed to her declaring the election wasn’t stolen from Trump and such baseless claims are “undermining our country.”
As expected, Trump endorsed Gray. What’s surprising is that Gray polled about 40,000 votes less than Hageman, even though he and other right-wing candidates tried to tie themselves to her coattails.
Hageman trounced Cheney, but Cheney’s post-election words ring true: “No American should support election deniers for any position of genuine responsibility, where their refusal to follow the rule of law will corrupt our future.”
Gray joins five Republican secretary of state nominees – in Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada and New Mexico – who are election deniers. Unlike them, he’s the first who is virtually assured of victory in November, because no Democratic, Constitution or Libertarian party nominees will be on the ballot.
It’s time to face the harsh reality that someone who has the gall to deny the legitimacy of Wyoming elections, without a shred of evidence, will be in charge of them.
To be fair, Gray isn’t the only one responsible for his radical election agenda. He’s a surrogate who took advantage of his politically expedient chance to deliver Trump’s lies to Wyoming. Just as culpable are voters who wholeheartedly bought them – hook, line and sinker.
The Drake’s Take is a weekly column by veteran Wyoming journalist Kerry Drake, and produced by WyoFile.com, a nonprofit news organization focused on Wyoming people, places and policy. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/opinion/guest_column/a-gray-day-dawns-for-wyoming-s-future-elections/article_92992802-27a2-11ed-a205-23bf8a3dbaa0.html | 2022-08-31T12:09:55Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/opinion/guest_column/a-gray-day-dawns-for-wyoming-s-future-elections/article_92992802-27a2-11ed-a205-23bf8a3dbaa0.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
I sat in a room filled with more than 900 people. We all had a sad story, the same story.
We had all lost a child.
The common thread was wrapped around each of our hearts tightly and safely never to be cut. The other end of the thread curled, waved and stretched into a web of interaction that connected everyone in the room. We all understood. We all shared a piece of the web. We all shared a piece of the pain.
Some parents had lost their only child. Some carried the loss of more than one. More than 900 stories of pain sat in a room where we gathered to share. Together our love and pain created an energy that was at moments thick and heavy and at times light and freeing.
The emotions were made bearable by a powerfully strong connectivity in the room. The stories varied in their telling, time frames and circumstances, but the same sad story connected all of us.
In a recent conversation, someone mentioned that there seems to be so many sad stories right now and that everyone you talk to has one. I believe that’s true. I believe that the more birthdays we are lucky enough to enjoy and the more candles we blow out, the more sad stories we will have. The longer we live we will hear more and more sad stories from others.
Is it possible that as we age the stories become sadder, or is it the accumulation of stories that becomes heavier with every layered story and every year that passes?
Over the years I have had my struggles. I have watched loved ones and friends struggle. I have said goodbye to people I love. I personally know the story of divorce, job loss, accidents and illness. I have laid battered, bruised and broken in a puddle of helpless hopelessness.
I have suffered. We have all suffered.
Could it be that there is a sensibility to this?
I believe so. We will all be wounded. The wound may be sharp and quick, but deep. The wound may be a slow, dragging pain that leaves a scar in a wide, jagged way. No amount of ointment, stitches or bandages will heal the puncture.
Wounds are meant to break an opening so a lesson, a message or a meaning can reach our hearts. Wounds are the marks of living. Sad stories give us a way to share our wounds.
I believe that it takes the darkest of times to open us up to learning the most. To live this life, we must endure and understand the difficult times, dark times, sad times. We must own our sad stories.
This is what connects us as humans. We can enjoy the beautiful days because we have felt suffering. We can enjoy health because we have felt illness. We appreciate success because we have struggled. We welcome joy because we have felt despair. Emotions are made bearable by the powerfully strong connectivity in the network of our family, friends, coworkers and neighbors.
We all have threads wrapped tightly and safely around our hearts while the other end of the thread reaches into a web we all share.
The longer we live the more sad stories we will hear, have and hold. The stories will vary in versions, time frames and circumstances, but sad stories connect all of us.
Pennie’s Life Lesson: The longer we live the more sad stories we will have. The darkest of times open us up to learning the most. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/opinion/guest_column/everyone-has-a-sad-story/article_5eea83c0-27b1-11ed-87df-b3d2d3fdcbe9.html | 2022-08-31T12:09:56Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/opinion/guest_column/everyone-has-a-sad-story/article_5eea83c0-27b1-11ed-87df-b3d2d3fdcbe9.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
HAMBURG, Germany, Aug. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dana Incorporated (NYSE: DAN) announced today the launch of the Brevini EvoMax™ series of helical and bevel-helical gearboxes for marine and offshore applications. The gearbox range introduces five completely new sizes and includes 14 redesigned gearboxes to provide higher torque, greater efficiency, and longer service.
Available for order today, the gearboxes will be on display as part of Dana's exhibit Sept. 6-9 at SMM, in hall A3, booth 304, at the Hamburg Messe exhibition hall in Germany.
The modular series is designed to provide greater product flexibility, higher efficiency, and increased sustainability while helping to minimize total operating costs.
"The demand for global shipping continues to rise, and our customers require robust solutions that can be adapted to their specific on-shore port or off-shore marine applications," said Jeroen Decleer, senior vice president of Dana Off-Highway Drive and Motion Technologies. "Dana continues to supply new equipment, upgrades, and modernizations for the marine industry through our broad range of solutions for this critically important sector."
Leveraging decades of product application knowledge and customer feedback, Dana's new series of gearboxes provides a highly engineered solution with a comprehensive suite of features, including:
- a new housing design to reduce weight, increase structural strength, and optimize internal oil flow for better thermal management;
- custom gearing for smooth operation, low noise levels, and high efficiency;
- updated housing materials and seals to enable low temperature operation;
- best-in-class torque density; and
- increased product range to provide a more targeted solution for customer applications.
In addition to helical and bevel-helical gearboxes, Dana offers Brevini®-brand axial piston motors, axial piston pumps, slewing drives, proportional directional valves, winches, winch drives, wheel drives, and other motion products for the marine and offshore industry. To learn more, visit www.dana.com/offhighway.
Dana is a leader in the design and manufacture of highly efficient propulsion and energy-management solutions that power vehicles and machines in all mobility markets across the globe. The company is shaping sustainable progress through its conventional and clean-energy solutions that support nearly every vehicle manufacturer with drive and motion systems; electrodynamic technologies, including software and controls; and thermal, sealing, and digital solutions.
Based in Maumee, Ohio, USA, the company reported sales of $8.9 billion in 2021 with 40,000 associates in 31 countries across six continents. Founded in 1904, Dana was named one of "America's Most Responsible Companies 2022" by Newsweek for its emphasis on sustainability and social responsibility. The company is driven by a high-performance culture that focuses on valuing others, inspiring innovation, growing responsibly, and winning together, earning it global recognition as a top employer. Learn more at dana.com.
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SOURCE Dana Incorporated | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/dana-introduces-new-brevini-evomax-helical-bevel-helical-gearbox-range-marine-offshore-applications-smm-2022/ | 2022-08-31T12:09:58Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/dana-introduces-new-brevini-evomax-helical-bevel-helical-gearbox-range-marine-offshore-applications-smm-2022/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Comparable sales up 6.2% on top of comparable sales of 84.9% for the second quarter of 2021
Net sales from our Owned Brands increased 40.4% over the same period last year
Six of our Owned Brands would fall within the top 50 fashion footwear brands in the second quarter
Full year 2022 diluted EPS guidance raised to a range of $2.05 to $2.15 from $1.90 to $2.00
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Designer Brands Inc. (NYSE: DBI) (the "Company" and "Designer Brands"), one of the world's largest designers, producers, and retailers of footwear and accessories, announced financial results for the three months ended July 30, 2022.
Roger Rawlins, Chief Executive Officer, stated, "Our second quarter was a continuation of the strength we have seen in both our direct-to-consumer and wholesale channels and we were pleased with our topline results. We are seeing this trend continue into the third quarter as our back-to-school season, a new holiday period for Designer Brands, has been performing well, supported by an increased assortment of athletic and kid's products.
"We continue to successfully execute against our long-term plan to double sales of our Owned Brands by 2026 while maintaining sales of our top National Brand partners. The recent addition of Le Tigre to our portfolio of brands, coupled with our recently announced partnership with Reebok, supports our plan to build a very relevant and highly demanded Owned Brands assortment. Our brand building strategy continues to drive strong financial results and has enabled us to repurchase 7.8 million common shares in the second quarter. As we look forward, we are well-positioned for the back half of the year and are confident in our ability to deliver our updated 2022 guidance."
Second Quarter Operating Results (all comparisons are to the second quarter of 2021)
- Net sales increased 5.1% to $859.3 million.
- Comparable sales increased 6.2%.
- Gross profit increased to $295.7 million versus $284.7 million last year, and gross margin as a percentage of net sales was 34.4% as compared to 34.8% last year.
- Reported net income was $46.2 million, or diluted earnings per share ("EPS") of $0.62.
- Adjusted net income was $46.1 million, or adjusted diluted EPS of $0.62.
Liquidity Highlights
- Cash and cash equivalents totaled $50.8 million at the end of the second quarter of 2022 compared to $46.5 million at the end of the same period last year, with $157.7 million remaining available for borrowings under our senior secured asset-based revolving credit facility ("ABL Revolver"). Debt totaled $387.4 million at the end of the second quarter of 2022 compared to $247.1 million at the end of the same period last year. We anticipate receiving approximately $160.0 million in the near future from the Internal Revenue Service as a result of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
- The Company ended the quarter with more normalized inventory levels of $694.0 million compared to $504.3 million at the same period last year with accelerated receipts to support fall season demand.
Return to Shareholders
- During the second quarter of 2022, Designer Brands repurchased 7.8 million Class A common shares (10.8% of Class A and Class B common shares at the beginning of the quarter) at an aggregate cost of $105.8 million under its share repurchase program.
- During the six months ended July 30, 2022, we repurchased 9.4 million Class A common shares (12.8% of Class A and Class B common shares at the beginning of the fiscal year) at an aggregate cost of $128.5 million, with $206.4 million of Class A common shares that remain authorized under the program as of July 30, 2022.
- A dividend of $0.05 per share of Class A and Class B common shares will be paid on October 6, 2022 to shareholders of record at the close of business on September 22, 2022.
Store Openings and Closings
During the second quarter of 2022, we closed 4 stores in the U.S. and 2 stores in Canada with no new stores opened, resulting in a total of 506 U.S. stores and 138 Canadian stores as of July 30, 2022. In May 2022, we opened our new "Warehouse Reimagined" format at a Houston-area DSW store.
Updated 2022 Financial Outlook
The Company is updating the following guidance for the full year 2022:
Webcast and Conference Call
The Company is hosting a conference call today at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. Investors and analysts interested in participating in the call are invited to dial 1-888-317-6003, or the international dial-in, 1-412-317-6061, and reference conference ID number 0992621 approximately ten minutes prior to the start of the conference call. The conference call will also be broadcast live over the internet and can be accessed through the following link:
https://app.webinar.net/92W8GVxERKJ
For those unable to listen to the live webcast, an archived version will be available via the same website address until September 1, 2022. A replay of the teleconference will be available by dialing the following numbers:
U.S.: 1-877-344-7529
Canada: 1-855-669-9658
International: 1-412-317-0088
Passcode: 8228598
About Designer Brands
Designer Brands is one of the world's largest designers, producers and retailers of the most recognizable footwear brands and accessories, transforming and defining the footwear industry by inspiring self-expression across every facet of its enterprise. Through its portfolio of world-class owned brands, led by the industry-setting Vince Camuto brand, Designer Brands delivers on-trend footwear and accessories through its robust direct-to-consumer omni-channel infrastructure, featuring a billion-dollar digital commerce business and nearly 650 stores across the U.S. and Canada. Its retailing operations under the DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse and The Shoe Company banners deliver current, in-line footwear and accessories from most of the largest national brands in the industry and hold leading market share positions in key product categories across Women's, Men's and Kid's in the U.S. and Canada. Designer Brands also distributes its owned brands through select wholesale relationships while leveraging its design and sourcing expertise to build private label product for national retailers. Designer Brands is also committed to being a difference maker in the world, taking steps forward to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the footwear industry and supporting our global community and the health of our planet through donating more than six million pairs of shoes to the global non-profit Soles4Souls. More information can be found at www.designerbrands.com.
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
Certain statements in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking words such as "outlook," "could," "believes," "expects," "potential," "continues," "may," "will," "should," "would," "seeks," "approximately," "predicts," "intends," "plans," "estimates," "anticipates," or the negative version of those words or other comparable words. These statements are based on the Company's current views and expectations and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to: risks and uncertainties related to the ongoing coronavirus ("COVID-19") pandemic, any future COVID-19 resurgence, and any other adverse public health developments; risks that recent inflationary pressures, including higher freight costs, could have on our results of operations and customer demand based on pricing actions and operating measures taken to mitigate the impact of inflation; uncertain general economic conditions, including inflation and supply chain pressures, domestic and global political and social conditions and the potential impact of geopolitical turmoil or conflict, and the related impacts to consumer discretionary spending; our ability to execute on our long-term strategic plans; our ability to anticipate and respond to fashion trends, consumer preferences, and changing customer expectations; our ability to maintain strong relationships with our vendors, manufacturers, licensors, and retailer customers; risks related to losses or disruptions associated with our distribution systems, including our distribution centers and fulfillment center and stores, whether as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, reliance on third-party providers, or otherwise; our reliance on our loyalty programs and marketing to drive traffic, sales, and customer loyalty; risks related to cyber security threats and privacy or data security breaches or the potential loss or disruption of our information systems; our ability to protect our reputation and to maintain the brands we license; our competitiveness with respect to style, price, brand availability, and customer service; risks related to our international operations, including international trade, our reliance on foreign sources for merchandise, exposure to political, economic, operational, and compliance and other risks, and fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; our ability to comply with privacy laws and regulations, as well as other legal obligations; risks associated with climate change and other corporate responsibility issues; and uncertainties related to future legislation, regulatory reform, policy changes, or interpretive guidance on existing legislation. Risks and other factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements are described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 29, 2022 and in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the time when made. Except as may be required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements included in this press release to reflect any future events or circumstances.
Non-GAAP Measures
To supplement amounts presented in our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements determined in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("GAAP"), the Company uses certain non-GAAP financial measures, including adjusted operating expenses, adjusted operating profit, adjusted net income, and adjusted diluted earnings per share as shown in the table above. These measures adjust for the effects of: (1) restructuring expenses; (2) target acquisition costs; (3) impairment charges; (4) loss on extinguishment of debt and write-off of debt issuance costs; (5) foreign currency transaction losses (gains); (6) the net tax effect of such items; and (7) the change in the valuation allowance on deferred tax assets. The unaudited reconciliation of adjusted results should not be construed as an alternative to the reported results determined in accordance with GAAP. These financial measures are not based on any standardized methodology and are not necessarily comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. The Company believes these non-GAAP measures provide useful information to both management and investors to increase comparability to prior periods by adjusting for certain items that may not be indicative of core operating measures and to better identify trends in our business. The adjusted financial results are used by management to, and allow investors to, evaluate the operating performance of the Company on a comparable basis, when reviewed in conjunction with the Company's GAAP statements. These amounts are not determined in accordance with GAAP and therefore should not be used exclusively in evaluating the Company's business and operations.
Comparable Sales Performance Metric
We consider the change in comparable sales from the same previous year period, a primary metric commonly used throughout the retail industry, to be an important indicator of the performance of our retail and direct-to-consumer businesses. We include in our comparable sales metric stores in operation for at least 14 months at the beginning of the fiscal year. Stores are added to the comparable base at the beginning of the year and are dropped for comparative purposes in the quarter in which they are closed. Comparable sales include stores temporarily closed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic as management continues to believe that this metric is meaningful to monitor our performance. Comparable sales also include e-commerce sales. Comparable sales for the Canada Retail segment exclude the impact of foreign currency translation and are calculated by translating current period results at the foreign currency exchange rate used in the comparable period of the prior year. Comparable sales for the Brand Portfolio segment include the direct-to-consumer e-commerce site www.vincecamuto.com. The calculation of comparable sales varies across the retail industry and, as a result, the calculations of other retail companies may not be consistent with our calculation.
CONTACT: Stacy Turnof, DesignerBrandsIR@edelman.com
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SOURCE Designer Brands Inc. | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/designer-brands-inc-reports-second-quarter-2022-financial-results/ | 2022-08-31T12:10:05Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/designer-brands-inc-reports-second-quarter-2022-financial-results/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WyoSports
CHEYENNE – Izzy DeLay’s goal sheet for this season didn’t survive the first weekend of the girls swimming and diving season.
The Cheyenne Central junior blew her goals out of the water en route to winning the individual title at the Gillette Pentathlon on Saturday. She finished with a combined time of 4 minutes, 36.95 seconds, which was nearly three seconds faster than Green River freshman Tavia Arnell.
DeLay’s efforts helped the Indians win the team title at the meet, and also earned her Prep Athlete of the Week honors from WyoSports’ Cheyenne staff.
“My standards are going to have to be set higher than I thought,” DeLay said. “I didn’t sell myself short, but I had an idea of what range I wanted to be. Now I know where I’m at.
“I definitely surprised myself a little. I thought I would be closer to everyone else. I still have bigger goals and achievements I want to get.”
The pentathlon consisted of 100-yard races in the freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly, and a 50-yard freestyle. DeLay had the fastest times in the 100 freestyle (55.16 seconds) and 100 breaststroke (1 minutes, 7.98 seconds). She matched Kelly Walsh sophomore Chayse Schierkolk for the fastest 50 free time (25.30).
DeLay’s times in the 100 backstroke (1:04.44) and 100 fly (1:04.07) were both fourth.
Central coach Josh Bott said he gives meet organizers his athletes’ times from the previous year’s season-opening pentathlon for seeding purposes. DeLay was nearly nine seconds faster this past weekend than she was at last fall’s Laramie Pentathlon. She also won the 100 breaststroke at that meet. Her time in that event Saturday was nearly three seconds faster than 2021.
In fact, DeLay’s time in the 100 breaststroke was a hair more than a second faster than the time she recorded during last year’s state finals when she was tapered and rested.
“She was already a great all-around swimmer,” Bott said. “But I don’t think she has a weak link anymore. She’s right up there with all those girls in all those events because she’s worked really hard at all her strokes.
“She works year-round, does a lot in the weight room and has gone to big meets to get experience.”
Delay is a two-time state runner-up in the 100 breaststroke. She also placed second in the 200 individual medley last season and third in the 200 IM as a freshman.
DeLay prides herself on being strong in all events, which is why she spent so much time honing the backstroke during the off-season.
“That was my weakest stroke,” DeLay said. “I knew I needed to push myself harder than I was and focus on the little things I needed to work on. The biggest issue was tempo, and that showed in my races.
“I had a slow tempo, and I was grabbing water more than I was moving. I sped up the tempo and did a better job of getting through the water. I’m doing a better job of staying consistent with my power and matching my kick.”
DeLay was named the top swimmer in the 15- to 16-year-old women’s division at the Wyoming summer state club meet. There, she won the 100 breaststroke, 400 IM and 200 breaststroke. She finished second in the 200 IM and 100 backstroke, and third in the 100 free and 50 free. DeLay also captured fourth in the 100 butterfly.
Her efforts at summer state earned her a spot at Western Zones. DeLay also competed in USA Swimming Four Corners sectional meet in Austin, Texas. She said she enjoys those meets because it gives her the opportunity to test herself against higher level competition.
“It shows what I can do against more than people in my state,” she said. “It keeps me motivated.”
Motivation is rarely, if ever, a problem for DeLay, Bott said. That’s why he is so confident she can reach most goals she sets this season.
“We’re going to train hard, put our nose to the grindstone and make sure she’s getting challenged every night,” he said. “It’s good that we’re getting so many other strong swimmers on the team because they’re providing good competition for her in practice.”
Others recognized for their efforts include:
n Mike Ellison and Owen Black, boys tennis, Cheyenne Central: The Indians’ No. 1 doubles team went 2-0 on the week with wins over Laramie and Cheyenne East.
n Gracin Goff, Elysiana Fonseca, Boden Liljedahl, Janie Merritt and Bradie Schlabs, volleyball, Cheyenne East: Goff, a junior, dished out 47 assists to help the Lady Thunderbirds go 1-4 at the Cheyenne Invitational.
Fonseca posted 30 kills and 18 blocks. Liljedahl added 56 digs. Merritt notched 42 digs and 21 kills. Schlabs dished out 69 assists to go with 31 digs.
n Cam Hayes and Drew Jackson, football, East: Hayes, a junior, completed 13 of 19 passes for 272 yards and three touchdowns during the Thunderbirds’ 47-28 win over Campbell County.
Jackson, a junior, rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown on 10, and caught five passes for 109 yards. He also posted five solo tackles and snared an interception.
n Sydney Morrell, girls cross-country, Central: The senior won the Horizon Invitational title with a time of 18 minutes, 22.69 seconds to help the Lady Indians win the team title.
n Damien Pino and Matthew Rivera, football, Cheyenne South: Pino posted 13 tackles (11 solo) during the Bison’s 42-0 loss at Thunder Basin on Friday in Gillette.
Rivera added 13 tackles (12 solo) and an interception.
n Sydni Sawyer, girls swimming, East: The junior won two events at Friday’s Rawlins Invitational and placed second in the Rawlins Pentathlon on Saturday.
n Ashli Smedley and Hailey Mathis-Breitkopf, girls tennis, Central: Smedley, the No. 1 singles player, was 2-0. That included a three-set victory against Laramie.
Mathis-Breitkopf also went 2-0. Both of her wins were 6-0, 6-0 triumphs.
n Sylvia Thomas, volleyball, Central: Thomas dished out 62 assists to help the Lady Indians go 1-4 at the Cheyenne Invitational.
Jeremiah Johnke is the WyoSports editor. He can be reached at jjohnke@wyosports.net or 307-633-3137. Follow him on Twitter at @jjohnke. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/prep_athlete/success-has-centrals-izzy-delay-reassessing-her-goals/article_b9bb607a-28a2-11ed-ad1b-7f7d6894b71f.html | 2022-08-31T12:10:14Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/prep_athlete/success-has-centrals-izzy-delay-reassessing-her-goals/article_b9bb607a-28a2-11ed-ad1b-7f7d6894b71f.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WyoSports
LARAMIE – Optimism that the University of Wyoming had turned a corner in the passing game was swiftly put to rest in last week’s season opener at Illinois.
The Cowboys’ inability to move the ball through the air was apparent in the numbers of junior signal-caller Andrew Peasley, who completed 5 of 20 passes for 30 yards, no touchdowns and an interception, while recording a passer rating of 27.6 during a 38-6 loss. For comparison, UConn’s team passer rating of 92.2 was the worst in the FBS last season.
As glaring as these struggles were, however, they certainly don’t fall solely on Peasley’s shoulders.
While Peasley had issues with accuracy, his receivers also struggled with getting separation against Illinois’ man-heavy coverage, with UW coach Craig Bohl noting Monday that “you would have had to have been Aaron Rodgers to throw a couple of those passes.” According to Pro Football Focus, the Cowboys dropped three on-target passes, while going 0 for 5 in contested catch opportunities.
Sophomore wideout Joshua Cobbs, who was UW’s leading receiver with two catches for 14 yards last week, says his position group can help Peasley by playing more instinctively and doing a better job of paying attention to what pre-snap looks the defense gives them. With the offensive line not allowing a sack all game, Cobbs is encouraged by the potential of the passing game, and knows that his position group must elevate its level of play.
“I’ll just come out and say it, we didn’t do our job as a receiving corps,” Cobbs said. “Me specifically, I’ll be the first to admit when we need to do some things better. It’s great to see our offensive line is doing a great job, and we have to do our job.”
With tight end being the most experienced position on the offense – all of the group’s 2021 contributors are back – the Cowboys hinted at the possibility of the tight ends playing a more pivotal role in the passing game. Through one game, though, this hasn’t been the case.
Treyton Welch accounted for the Pokes’ only two targets to the tight ends. One of these resulted in a four-yard reception, while the other came on a jump ball in the end zone that was ruled incomplete.
“It’s tough,” Welch said. “Our coaches have a game plan for us, and we follow it with our hearts. I know some guys want to be able to make plays. They gave me a shot in the end zone, and I didn’t end up with it, so it’s one of those things where I need to make those plays first before I ask for more. But I would love to get more opportunities to be able to make a play.”
While it’s possible last week’s woeful performance was a byproduct of an offensive unit that lost more than half of its starters having its first test come against a Big Ten defense, recent history doesn’t spur much optimism.
Ever since star quarterback Josh Allen left for the NFL draft after the 2017 season, the Cowboys’ passing production has been nothing short of abysmal.
Gaudy throwing numbers aren’t to be expected in a run-first offense, but few – if any – passing attacks have been less efficient than UW’s in recent years. The Pokes have completed less than half of their passes since Allen’s departure, and are now on their fourth starting quarterback in five seasons, with the previous three transferring out of the program.
From 2018-21, UW posted a season completion rate below 50% three times. Excluding service academies and Georgia Tech, which was still running the triple-option in 2018 and 2019, only 10 other programs finished a year under 50% passing – and none did so more than once – during this span.
Once considered the outlier, spread offenses have now become the norm in college football. This revolution has coincided with increased efficiency at the quarterback position.
According to ESPN, the top 50 quarterbacks in 1999 averaged a 132.6 passer rating and 59% completion rate. In 2019, the top 50 quarterbacks had increased their average passer rating to 154.1, while completing 65% of their attempts.
The Cowboys have incorporated more spread concepts in recent years, but the traditional running game is still the bread and butter of their pro-style attack. Regardless of ongoing struggles in the passing game, though, Bohl shot down the notion that UW’s style of play isn’t setting his quarterbacks up for success.
“I can tell you the elements of our passing game – the route trees and all those things – there’s a whole gamut there, and we try to pattern that to what we can do well,” Bohl said. “We do run a pro-style offense, so there’s more sets and shifts and motions. A lot of the reads (are similar), but some things are different. The production in the throwing game, has it been frustrating? Yeah, and we made a point to improve that.
“Quite frankly, going into this game, I was more excited to see us stay on the field and be more accurate and competent than what we were. First-game jitters or whatever. Am I concerned about the long-term trajectory? No, we’re on the right path, but we have a short week to get it corrected. I’m disappointed, I would say that.”
Josh Criswell{span} covers the University of Wyoming for WyoSports. He can be reached at jcriswell@wyosports.net or 307-755-3325. Follow him on Twitter at @criswell_sports.{/span} | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/university_of_wyoming/uw-s-passing-problems-about-more-than-qb-play/article_0c7f4b52-28a1-11ed-b118-abc006532fe0.html | 2022-08-31T12:10:22Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/university_of_wyoming/uw-s-passing-problems-about-more-than-qb-play/article_0c7f4b52-28a1-11ed-b118-abc006532fe0.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Conference call and webcast: today, August 31, 2022, 9:00 am ET
REHOVOT, Israel, Aug. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Evogene Ltd. (Nasdaq: EVGN) (TASE: EVGN), a leading computational biology company targeting to revolutionize life-science product discovery and development across multiple market segments, announced today its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022.
Mr. Ofer Haviv, Evogene's President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "We are very pleased with the two recent important developments that have taken place at the Evogene group: namely, the strategic collaboration and $10 million investment by ICL, a leading global specialty minerals company, into our subsidiary, Lavie Bio; as well as the launch of the Phase I first in human clinical trial, by our subsidiary, Biomica."
"The strategic collaboration between ICL and Lavie Bio and $10 million investment, combines Lavie Bio's ag-biologicals expertise, built on Evogene's Microboost AI tech engine, with ICL's fertilizer experience, enabling the development of a pipeline of innovative bio-stimulant products for agriculture. Especially in a time of food scarcity, high prices, and macroeconomic uncertainty, Lavie Bio and ICL's shared vision is to enhance global food quality, agricultural sustainability, and increased productivity. ICL will join Corteva, a major U.S. agricultural chemical and seed company, as well as Evogene, as a new shareholder of Lavie Bio and I am very proud that these two agricultural giants have a strong interest in what Evogene has built."
"From Evogene's standpoint, this investment in our subsidiary Lavie Bio, is an additional key milestone that demonstrates the power of our business model, whereby we are leveraging the value of our tech engines through dedicated subsidiaries. It shows that our hard work in building, investing in and strengthening our subsidiaries, all of which are leveraging our underlying computational predictive biological tech engines, is the right strategy and bears fruit."
Continued Mr. Haviv, "The second important development was the launch by Biomica of its phase I clinical trial and the announcement that the first patient was dosed in its Phase I clinical trial for its microbiome-based immuno-oncology drug candidate, BMC128. The drug candidate is a consortium of microbes, which Biomica selected through a microbiome analysis via our MicroBoost AI tech engine."
"While Evogene has traditionally leveraged its platform and AI technology engines towards agriculture, Biomica is proof that we are uniquely positioned to play an important role in human health and is strong validation that our technology can be leveraged across multiple and massive industries."
"Finally, we continued to strengthen our management team, recently adding Eyal Ronen, as Executive Vice President of Business Development bringing us over 20 years of extensive business development experience with biotech companies. Eyal's focus is to create and bring us additional value by building new partnerships or forming new subsidiaries, leveraging our technology engines and expanding our activities into new areas. I strongly believe that Evogene has significant untapped potential in its technology engines, and Eyal will focus on realizing some of that value."
Mr. Haviv added, "Evogene today is at a key inflection point, whereby we are meeting critical milestones and the inherent value of our subsidiaries is becoming increasingly obvious. Evogene's goal in the near term, is to continue to bring high value-adding partners and investors at the subsidiary level, who understand and can value the potential from the products that our subsidiaries are developing. This we believe will demonstrate in a very public way, the significant untapped value contained within our activities."
"Our target is that each subsidiary will have its own financial resources to support its activities until its success, while we at Evogene, in addition to being a major shareholder, continue to play a major role in maintaining and building their competitive advantage through our tech-engines."
"In parallel, we are targeting and exploring the potential to establish new activities that can benefit from our technology. This is the main mission of our new EVP of Business Development, Eyal Ronen, and we are already starting to see some of his positive impact," concluded Mr. Haviv.
Consolidated Financial Results Summary
Cash position: Evogene continues to maintain a solid financial position for its activities with approximately $35.3 million in consolidated cash, cash related accounts and marketable securities as of June 30, 2022. Approximately $3.6 million of Evogene's consolidated cash is appropriated to its subsidiary, Lavie Bio. The Company does not have bank debt. It is noted that these amounts do not include the recent $10 million investment of ICL in Lavie Bio, which was fully received in August 2022 and will be reflected in the financial statements of the Company for the third quarter.
During the second quarter of 2022, the consolidated cash usage was approximately $9.3 million, or approximately $6.4 million, excluding Lavie Bio. Out of the $9.3 million, $1.7 million is a non-cash charge related to foreign exchange expenses due to US Dollar and New Israeli Shekel exchange rate differences and a decrease in the market value of marketable securities on Evogene's balance sheet.
As previously stated, Evogene's full year net cash burn rate, excluding exchange rate impacts in 2022, is expected to be in the range of $26-28 million including Lavie Bio and $18-20 million excluding Lavie Bio, which manages its own cash position.
Revenues: Revenues for the second quarter were $312 thousand, in comparison to $135 thousand in the same period the previous year. Revenues were primarily due to the initial sales of Lavie Bio's Thrivus product (previously branded as Result) and sales of Canonic products in the Israeli market.
R&D expenses for the quarter, which are reported net of non-refundable grants received, were $5.4 million, in comparison to $5.0 million in the same period the previous year. The increase in R&D expenses were primarily due to:
- Biomica's ongoing phase I trial of its first-in-human proof-of-concept study in its immuno-oncology program; and
- Lavie Bio's activities supporting the production and commercialization of its inoculant product;
Business Development expenses were approximately $1.0 million for the second quarter of 2022, in comparison to $0.7 million in the same period the previous year. The increase in the Business Development expenses was primarily due to recruitment of business development personnel supporting the commercialization activities of Evogene's subsidiaries.
General and Administrative expenses remained stable, and for the second quarter of 2022 were $1.7 million, in comparison to $1.8 million in the same period in the previous year.
Operating loss: Operating loss for the second quarter of 2022 was $8.0 million in comparison to $7.4 million in the same period in the previous year.
Financing expenses for the second quarter of 2022 were $1.7 million in comparison to financing income of $0.6 million in the same period in the previous year. The increase in financing expenses was mainly due to the US Dollar and New Israeli Shekel exchange rate differences between periods and a decrease in marketable securities value as mentioned above.
Net loss: The net loss for the second quarter of 2022 was $9.8 million in comparison to a net loss of $6.9 million in the same period in the previous year. The increase in net loss was mainly due to the financing expenses as described above.
Conference Call & Webcast Details:
Date: August 31, 2022
Time: 9:00 am ET; 16:00 Israel time
Dial-in numbers:1-888-281-1167 toll free from the United States, or +972-3-918-0609 internationally
Webcast & Presentation link available at:
The Company's investor presentation can be viewed at the above link, which is in the investor relations section of the company website.
Replay Information: A replay of the conference call will be available approximately two hours following the completion of the call.
To access the replay, please dial 1-888-326-9310 toll free from the United States, or +972-3-925-5901 internationally. The replay will be accessible following the call for three days. An archive of the webcast will be available on the Company's website
About Evogene Ltd.:
Evogene (NASDAQ: EVGN, TASE: EVGN) is a computational biology company aiming to revolutionize the development of life-science based products by utilizing cutting edge technologies to increase probability of success while reducing development time and cost. Evogene established three unique technological engines – MicroBoost AI, ChemPass AI and GeneRator AI – leveraging Big Data and Artificial Intelligence and incorporating deep multidisciplinary understanding in life sciences. Each technological engine is focused on the discovery and development of products based on one of the following core components: microbes (MicroBoost AI), small molecules (ChemPass AI), and genetic elements (GeneRator AI). Evogene uses its technological engines to develop products through subsidiaries and with strategic partners. Currently, Evogene's main subsidiaries utilize the technological engines to develop human microbiome-based therapeutics by Biomica Ltd., medical cannabis products by Canonic Ltd., ag-chemicals by Ag Plenus Ltd. and ag-biologicals by Lavie Bio Ltd. For more information, please visit: www.evogene.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" relating to future events. These statements may be identified by words such as "may", "could", "expects", "hopes" "intends", "anticipates", "plans", "believes", "scheduled", "estimates" or words of similar meaning. For example, Evogene is using forward-looking statement in this press release when it discusses its expectations with respect to value creation and potential funding options, including through its subsidiaries, untapped potential and value, including the potential to establish new activities that can benefit from Evogene's technology, its and its subsidiaries' expected trials, studies, product advancements, pipelines, commercializations, collaborations, sales, launches, milestones, target markets, cash usage and other plans for 2022 and on, and the potential advantages of its technology. Such statements are based on current expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions, describe opinions about future events, involve certain risks and uncertainties which are difficult to predict and are not guarantees of future performance. Therefore, actual future results, performance or achievements of Evogene and its subsidiaries may differ materially from what is expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, many of which are beyond the control of Evogene and its subsidiaries, including, without limitation, those risk factors contained in Evogene's reports filed with the applicable securities authority. In addition, Evogene and its subsidiaries rely, and expect to continue to rely, on third parties to conduct certain activities, such as their field-trials and pre-clinical studies, and if these third parties do not successfully carry out their contractual duties, comply with regulatory requirements or meet expected deadlines, Evogene and its subsidiaries may experience significant delays in the conduct of their activities. Evogene and its subsidiaries disclaim any obligation or commitment to update these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or developments or changes in expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions.
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SOURCE Evogene | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/evogene-reports-second-quarter-2022-financial-results/ | 2022-08-31T12:10:26Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/evogene-reports-second-quarter-2022-financial-results/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(The Hill) — Democrats are seeing new glimmers of hope for their chances of ousting Sen. Marco Rubio (R) in Florida after months of hand-wringing over just how aggressively they should pursue his seat.
Until recently, the Senate race drew little attention from national Democrats who have grown increasingly skeptical that their candidates can remain competitive in the Sunshine State after a spate of narrow, though still painful, losses. Top party officials instead looked to Senate contests in states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — two states that President Joe Biden carried in 2020 — as safer bets.
But Rep. Val Demings (Fla.), a rising Democratic star who clinched the party’s Senate nomination in Florida last week, has so far shown herself to be a formidable challenger to Rubio.
She’s raised about $48 million to his $36 million and has already spent months blanketing airwaves with ads talking about her law enforcement credentials and hitting Rubio over everything from his attendance record in the Senate to his stance on abortion rights.
“The fundraising situation for Republicans seems pretty dire, and meanwhile Demings is continuing to raise millions of dollars and outraise Rubio. So I think the fundamentals are really encouraging,” said Joshua Karp, a top adviser to Demings’s campaign.
Demings’s allies also argue that many of the GOP’s standard attacks — most notably their claim that the Florida congresswoman favors defunding the police — have fallen flat, given her career in law enforcement and the years she spent as Orlando’s police chief.
“Republicans haven’t really been able to lay a glove on Demings,” Karp added. “She’s pretty Teflon when it comes to their usual basket of attacks. And this is not a candidate that they know how to define and target.”
But that’s not to say winning will be easy for Demings. Unlike Republican Senate nominees in several other battleground states — like Arizona, Pennsylvania and Georgia — Rubio is a seasoned politician with a track record of winning statewide by wide margins, and the vast majority of public polling in the race between him and Demings shows Rubio in the lead.
Rubio’s message, meanwhile, has focused on casting Demings as a “rubber stamp” for Democrats’ agenda in Washington, linking the three-term congresswoman to President Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), while also homing in on inflation and crime, two issues that have repeatedly dogged Democrats this year.
“When Floridians go to the ballot box in November, they’re going to hold Demings and Democrat-controlled Washington accountable for driving skyrocketing inflation, out of control crime, and a crisis at the border letting drugs flow into our communities,” said Elizabeth Gregory, a spokesperson for Rubio’s campaign.
There’s also a long list of structural challenges for Florida Democrats. For one, there are now more registered Republican voters in the state than Democrats, and the GOP’s advantage in the state has only continued to grow. And while Florida has a penchant for hosting ultra-close statewide races, Republicans have a tendency to come out on top more often than not.
Rubio himself also has a proven ability to outperform other statewide Republican candidates in Miami-Dade County, a Democratic stronghold, albeit one where the GOP has made gains in recent years. Rubio lost Miami-Dade by only about 11 percentage points the last time he was on the ballot in 2016. That same year, Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee, won it by nearly 30 points.
“I think that Rubio’s strength in Miami-Dade is not to be underestimated. But it’s also never been stress-tested,” said one Democratic strategist who works in Florida politics.
In 2010, when Rubio first won his seat, his opposition was largely split in the general election between supporting Charlie Crist, the former Republican governor who challenged Rubio as an independent, and former Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-Fla.), giving Rubio an opening to win Miami-Dade County, the strategist argued.
Democrats also blame former Rep. Patrick Murphy, the party’s 2016 Senate nominee, for a lackluster effort to reach Florida’s vast and diverse Hispanic communities. Murphy’s campaign released its first Spanish-language ad little more than a month before Election Day.
But Democrats say there’s reason to believe that things will be different this year.
Demings’s campaign announced earlier this year that it would spend $3 million on a coordinated bilingual effort to boost Democrats up and down the ballot, while the Democratic National Committee moved to install a Spanish-language voter outreach program and a new organizing staff in Miami-Dade County.
Demings also began running Spanish-language digital ads in June, two months after launching “Todos Con Demings,” her Hispanic outreach campaign.
Demings has also buoyed her position in the race by seizing on the same issues lifting Democrats across the country.
The party’s candidates have seen a burst of momentum following the signing of a massive tax and climate law, arguing that it’s evidence that they can pass meaningful legislation. And then there’s the conservative-majority Supreme Court’s decision in June to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark abortion rights case — a ruling that has put reproductive rights back in the country’s political spotlight.
Meanwhile, inflation has shown signs of easing and gas prices have begun to tick downward, bolstering Democratic hopes of avoiding an electoral thrashing in November.
But Republicans argue that the problems for Democrats in Florida are apparent. While the national political environment has shifted, at least somewhat, in Democrats’ favor in recent weeks, there’s no guarantee that trend will hold over the next two months. Republicans also argue that the FBI’s search of former President Trump’s Palm Beach club and residence, Mar-a-Lago, could energize their voters at a time when GOP enthusiasm is already running high.
At the same time, many of the major donors and outside groups that have invested heavily in Florida in the past have stayed on the sidelines so far, fearing a repeat of recent election cycles that saw huge spending by Democrats followed by disappointing losses.
Priorities USA, the main Democratic super PAC, has yet to announce any spending plans in Florida this year. Neither has Senate Majority PAC, the super PAC aligned with Democratic Senate leadership. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, meanwhile, recently donated $1 million to the state Democratic Party, but has held off from making the kind of massive investments he made in the state in 2020.
“I think there’s a lot of skepticism about whether Florida is winnable. And I think that’s partially because Republicans have spent the last four years screaming at the top of their lungs that Florida is a red state,” one national Democratic consultant familiar with fundraising said. “There’s a lot of ‘don’t throw good money after bad results.’” | https://www.wpri.com/hill-politics/democrats-see-opening-to-take-down-rubio/ | 2022-08-31T12:10:49Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/hill-politics/democrats-see-opening-to-take-down-rubio/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
TSX: MPVD and OTC: MPVDF
TORONTO and NEW YORK, Aug. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. ("Mountain Province", the "Company") (TSX: MPVD) (OTC: MPVDF) announces the upcoming sale of an exceptional, coloured large rough diamond recovered from the Gahcho Kué mine, located in Canada's Northwest Territories.
The diamond, a 151.60 carat octahedron of exceptional clarity will be offered for sale alongside a selection of more than 90 individual special rough diamonds recovered from the Company's Canadian Diamond mine. The upcoming sale represents the largest offering of +10.8 carat gem quality diamonds offered by the Company to date.
"This important diamond represents a clear example of the Gahcho Kué Mine's ability to consistently recover high quality gems of exceptionally large size. These gems are highly coveted by collectors around the globe not only for their beauty but increasingly, for their Canadian origin."
Viewing of the offered diamonds will take place during Mountain Province's September sale being held at Bonas Group's offices in Antwerp, Belgium from Monday September 5th to Friday, September 16th, 2022. Also included in the offering are the Company's customary run-of-mine assortments.
Mountain Province's Gahcho Kué Mine is located at the edge of Canada's Arctic Circle. From the start of production in late 2016 the mine has established itself as a regular source of exceptional, gem quality, large diamonds.
Interested buyers are advised to contact Bonas-Couzyn on +32 (0)3 233 70 80 to arrange an appointment.
Mountain Province Diamonds is a 49% participant with De Beers Canada in the Gahcho Kué diamond mine located in Canada's Northwest Territories. The Gahcho Kué Joint Venture property consists of several kimberlites that are actively being mined, developed, and explored for future development. The Company also controls 106,202 hectares of highly prospective mineral claims and leases that surround the Gahcho Kué Joint Venture property that include an indicated mineral resource for the Kelvin kimberlite and inferred mineral resources for the Faraday kimberlites.
For further information on Mountain Province Diamonds and to receive news releases by email, visit the Company's website at www.mountainprovince.com.
The disclosure in this news release of scientific and technical information regarding Mountain Province's mineral properties has been reviewed and approved by Matthew MacPhail, P.Eng., MBA, and Tom E. McCandless, Ph.D., P.Geo., both employees of Mountain Province Diamonds and Qualified Persons as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.
This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian and United States securities laws concerning the business, operations and financial performance and condition of Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to operational hazards, including possible disruption due to pandemic such as COVID-19, its impact on travel, self-isolation protocols and business and operations, estimated production and mine life of the project of Mountain Province; the realization of mineral reserve estimates; the timing and amount of estimated future production; costs of production; the future price of diamonds; the estimation of mineral reserves and resources; the ability to manage debt; capital expenditures; the ability to obtain permits for operations; liquidity; tax rates; and currency exchange rate fluctuations. Except for statements of historical fact relating to Mountain Province, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "anticipates," "may," "can," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "projects," "targets," "intends," "likely," "will," "should," "to be", "potential" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may", "should" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are based on a number of assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of Mountain Province and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct.
Factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from results anticipated by such forward-looking statements include the development of operation hazards which could arise in relation to COVID-19, including, but not limited to protocols which may be adopted to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and any impact of such protocols on Mountain Province's business and operations, variations in ore grade or recovery rates, changes in market conditions, changes in project parameters, mine sequencing; production rates; cash flow; risks relating to the availability and timeliness of permitting and governmental approvals; supply of, and demand for, diamonds; fluctuating commodity prices and currency exchange rates, the possibility of project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated.
These factors are discussed in greater detail in Mountain Province's most recent Annual Information Form and in the most recent MD&A filed on SEDAR, which also provide additional general assumptions in connection with these statements. Mountain Province cautions that the foregoing list of important factors is not exhaustive. Investors and others who base themselves on forward-looking statements should carefully consider the above factors as well as the uncertainties they represent and the risk they entail. Mountain Province believes that the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release.
Although Mountain Province has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Mountain Province undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Statements concerning mineral reserve and resource estimates may also be deemed to constitute forward-looking statements to the extent they involve estimates of the mineralization that will be encountered as the property is developed.
Further, Mountain Province may make changes to its business plans that could affect its results. The principal assets of Mountain Province are administered pursuant to a joint venture under which Mountain Province is not the operator. Mountain Province is exposed to actions taken or omissions made by the operator within its prerogative and/or determinations made by the joint venture under its terms. Such actions or omissions may impact the future performance of Mountain Province. Under its current note and revolving credit facilities Mountain Province is subject to certain limitations on its ability to pay dividends on common stock. The declaration of dividends is at the discretion of Mountain Province's Board of Directors, subject to the limitations under the Company's debt facilities, and will depend on Mountain Province's financial results, cash requirements, future prospects, and other factors deemed relevant by the Board.
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SOURCE Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/mountain-province-diamonds-upcoming-september-sale-showcase-151-carat-exceptional-coloured-gem-diamond-recovered-gahcho-ku-mine-canadas-northwest-territories/ | 2022-08-31T12:11:18Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/mountain-province-diamonds-upcoming-september-sale-showcase-151-carat-exceptional-coloured-gem-diamond-recovered-gahcho-ku-mine-canadas-northwest-territories/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
- Results from this study demonstrate a robust and clinically meaningful reduction in barbiturate use after the initiation of Nurtec ODT, providing an alternative migraine therapy for those who may be reliant on butalbital or desire an alternative therapy that is not associated with addiction potential.
- Despite being associated with addiction potential, medication overuse (rebound) headaches and central nervous system side effects, barbiturates are prescribed as first-line migraine treatments.
- Longitudinal medical and prescription claims were used to assess barbiturate prescriptions and mean milligrams dispensed amongst migraine patients observed 6 months prior to and following Nurtec ODT initiation.
- Among the 24,359 with migraine who used butalbital prior to initiating treatment with Nurtec ODT, approximately 49% had no butalbital prescription fills in the 6 months following initiation.
NEW HAVEN, Conn., Aug. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd. (NYSE: BHVN) announced the important findings pertaining to the benefit of Nurtec® ODT (rimegepant) in decreasing the burden of butalbital use among migraine patients in real world clinical practice.
Noah Rosen, M.D., Northwell Physician Partners, Neuroscience Institute of Great Neck, NY commented, "Butalbital containing compound prescriptions remain high despite longstanding questions of safety in other conditions, significant potential side effects, multiple drug interactions and risk of dependency and misuse." Neurologist, Katherine Standley D.O., Medical Director, Biohaven, commented "Butalbital has a high risk of leading to medication overuse headaches, and has led to the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and the American Headache Society (AHS) to recommend avoiding its use as a first line agent in the treatment of headaches."
The study population was derived from a longitudinal and anonymized integrated commercial medical and prescription claims database from September 15, 2019 through April 30, 2022. The data contains patient-level claims with plan, payer, facility, procedure, medication, and diagnosis information. The observation period for each patient was +/- 180 days from index fill. To be included in the study, the patient had to have filled at least 2 Nurtec ODT prescriptions, have at least one butalbital fill during the baseline observation period, and have sufficient time in data for baseline and follow-up observation. Barbiturate formulations studied included butalbital/acetaminophen, butalbital/acetaminophen/caffeine, and butalbital/aspirin/caffeine. Barbiturate formulations containing codeine were excluded.
Among 491,149 Nurtec patients, 24,359 met the inclusion criteria and are described in Figure 1 below. The overall butalbital discontinuation rate after Nurtec ODT initiation was 48.7%. Overall, mean monthly butalbital prescription fills decreased by 31.9% and mean milligrams dispensed reduced by 26.2%.
Gil L'Italien Ph.D., Senior Vice President, GHEOR & Epidemiology, Biohaven, commented, "Despite treatment guidelines suggesting that barbiturates should be avoided for treatment of migraine as the first line due to addiction potential, central nervous system effects and medication overuse headaches, barbiturate is prescribed in clinical practice, sometimes as first line in patients who are not candidates for triptans. Administrative claims provide a rich source of data on treatment patterns associated with the introduction of novel medications, and the duration of follow-up affords the opportunity to assess trends associated with these transitions. Our findings support the benefit of Nurtec ODT as an effective and safe migraine treatment that can reduce the need for barbiturates."
Dr. Rosen further commented, "This study has given a real-world insight into the impact that offering a more specific treatment can have on driving medication use away from older nonspecific remedies. Furthermore, by initiating Nurtec ODT, not only did patients lower butalbital use, but also reduced concurrent caffeine, acetaminophen or aspirin use due to their presence in these combination analgesics."
Dr. Standley added, "Prior to the institution of CGRP antagonists, like Nurtec ODT, we had limited options for acute management of migraine in patients who were intolerant or not candidates for triptan therapies. Medications such as opioids and barbiturate containing analgesics are associated with addiction potential and increased risk of chronic migraine. This data supports that Nurtec ODT initiation is associated with a meaningful reduction in butalbital use in real-world data. When coupled with the previously presented opioid data, this suggests an overall reduction in the use of controlled substances with the initiation of Nurtec ODT."
NURTEC ODT (rimegepant) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the acute treatment of migraine in February 2020 and for the preventive treatment of episodic migraine in May 2021.
About NURTEC ODT
NURTEC ODT (rimegepant) is the first and only calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonist available in a quick-dissolve ODT formulation that is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura and the preventive treatment of episodic migraine in adults. The activity of the neuropeptide CGRP is thought to play a causal role in migraine pathophysiology. NURTEC ODT is a CGRP receptor antagonist that works by reversibly blocking CGRP receptors, thereby inhibiting the biologic activity of the CGRP neuropeptide. The recommended dose of NURTEC ODT is 75 mg, taken as needed, up to once daily to treat or every other day to help prevent migraine attacks. For more information about NURTEC ODT, visit www.nurtec.com.
Indication
NURTEC ODT orally disintegrating tablets is a prescription medicine that is used to treat migraine in adults. It is for the acute treatment of migraine attacks with or without aura and the preventive treatment of episodic migraine. It is not known if NURTEC ODT is safe and effective in children.
Important Safety Information
Do not take NURTEC ODT if you are allergic to NURTEC ODT (rimegepant) or any of its ingredients.
Before you take NURTEC ODT, tell your healthcare provider (HCP) about all your medical conditions, including if you:
- have liver problems,
- have kidney problems,
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant,
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.
Tell your HCP about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
NURTEC ODT may cause serious side effects including allergic reactions, trouble breathing and rash. This can happen days after you take NURTEC ODT. Call your HCP or get emergency help right away if you have swelling of the face, mouth, tongue, or throat or trouble breathing. This occurred in less than 1% of patients treated with NURTEC ODT.
The most common side effects of NURTEC ODT were nausea (2.7%) and stomach pain/indigestion (2.4%). These are not the only possible side effects of NURTEC ODT. Tell your HCP if you have any side effects.
You are encouraged to report side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA.
Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1–800–FDA–1088 or report side effects to Biohaven at 1–833–4NURTEC.
See full Prescribing Information and Patient Information.
About Migraine
Nearly 40 million people in the U.S. suffer from migraine and the World Health Organization classifies migraine as one of the 10 most disabling medical illnesses. Migraine is characterized by debilitating attacks lasting four to 72 hours with multiple symptoms, including pulsating headaches of moderate to severe pain intensity that can be associated with nausea or vomiting, and/or sensitivity to sound (phonophobia) and sensitivity to light (photophobia). There is a significant unmet need for new treatments as more than 90 percent of people with migraine are unable to work or function normally during an attack.
CGRP Receptor Antagonism
Small molecule CGRP receptor antagonists represent a novel class of drugs for the treatment of migraine. CGRP receptor antagonists work by reversibly blocking CGRP receptors, thereby inhibiting the biologic activity of the CGRP neuropeptide. For acute treatment, this unique mode of action potentially offers an alternative to other agents, particularly for patients who have contraindications to the use of triptans or who have a poor response to triptans or are intolerant to them. CGRP signal-blocking therapies have not been associated with medication overuse headache (MOH) or rebound headaches which limits the clinical utility of other acute treatments due to increases in migraine attacks that result from frequent use.
About Biohaven
Biohaven is a global commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company with a portfolio of innovative, best-in-class therapies to improve the lives of patients with debilitating neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases, including rare disorders. Biohaven's Neuroinnovation™ portfolio includes FDA-approved Nurtec ODT (rimegepant) for the acute and preventive treatment of migraine EMA-approved as Vydura® for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura, and prophylaxis of episodic migraine in adults who have at least four migraine attacks per month) and a broad pipeline of late-stage product candidates across five distinct mechanistic platforms: CGRP receptor antagonism for the acute and preventive treatment of migraine; glutamate modulation for obsessive-compulsive disorder and spinocerebellar ataxia; and MPO inhibition for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Kv7 Ion Channel Activators (Kv7) activators for focal epilepsy and neuronal hyperexcitability, and myostatin inhibition for neuromuscular diseases. More information about Biohaven is available at www.biohavenpharma.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties, including statements that are based on the current expectations and assumptions of Biohaven's management about NURTEC ODT as an acute treatment for patients with migraine and preventive treatment for migraine. Factors that could affect these forward-looking statements include those related to: Biohaven's ability to effectively commercialize NURTEC ODT, delays or problems in the supply or manufacture of NURTEC ODT, complying with applicable U.S. regulatory requirements, the expected timing, commencement and outcomes of Biohaven's planned and ongoing clinical trials; the timing of planned interactions and filings with the FDA; the timing and outcome of expected regulatory filings; the potential commercialization of Biohaven's product candidates; the potential for Biohaven's product candidates to be first in class or best in class therapies; and the effectiveness and safety of Biohaven's product candidates. Various important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those that may be expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Additional important factors to be considered in connection with forward-looking statements are described in the "Risk Factors" section of Biohaven's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 25, 2022, and in Biohaven's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release, and Biohaven does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
NURTEC and NURTEC ODT are registered trademarks of Biohaven Pharmaceutical Ireland DAC. Neuroinnovation is a trademark of Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.
Biohaven Contact
Jennifer Porcelli
Vice President, Investor Relations
jennifer.porcelli@biohavenpharma.com
201-248-0741
Media Contact
Mike Beyer
Sam Brown Inc.
mikebeyer@sambrown.com
312-961-2502
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SOURCE Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd. | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/real-world-administrative-claims-analysis-demonstrates-that-almost-half-migraine-patients-discontinue-barbiturate-use-after-initiation-nurtec-odt/ | 2022-08-31T12:12:01Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/real-world-administrative-claims-analysis-demonstrates-that-almost-half-migraine-patients-discontinue-barbiturate-use-after-initiation-nurtec-odt/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
- New data in Cohort 3 using pivotal program dose level demonstrates largest median reduction in CSF GAGs, continuing to approach normal levels at 48 weeks
- RGX-121, a one-time gene therapy for MPS II, continues to be well-tolerated with no drug-related SAEs across three dose levels
- Positive interim data supports recently announced plan to file Biologics License Application in 2024 using the accelerated approval pathway
ROCKVILLE, Md., Aug. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- REGENXBIO Inc. (Nasdaq: RGNX) today announced additional positive interim data from the Phase I/II/III CAMPSIITE™ trial of RGX-121 for the treatment of patients up to 5 years old diagnosed with Mucopolysaccharidosis Type II (MPS II), also known as Hunter Syndrome. The results were presented at the Society for the Study of Inborn Errors of Metabolism (SSIEM) Annual Symposium.
"We are pleased to share new, positive interim data from our Phase I/II/III CAMPSIITE trial that continues to demonstrate encouraging reductions of CSF GAGs and supports the selection of dose level 3 for our pivotal program," said Steve Pakola, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of REGENXBIO. "This interim data of Cohorts 1-3 demonstrate dose-dependent reductions in CSF GAGs, key biomarkers of I2S enzyme activity, in additional patients and at longer timepoints than previously presented. RGX-121 has also demonstrated positive impact on neurodevelopmental function. We believe the data supports our plan to advance RGX-121 as quickly as possible using the accelerated approval pathway with the aim of providing a much-needed new treatment option for the MPS II community."
"RGX-121 continues to demonstrate compelling data showing its potential to impact the neurodevelopmental decline of MPS II patients, which remains an unmet need for most affected individuals," said Roberto Giugliani, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Department of Genetics, UFRGS, Medical Genetics Service, HCPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil. "A successful gene therapy with the potential to provide advantages over current standard of care is something that could provide a meaningful treatment option to the MPS II patient community. I look forward to continuing to follow this trial as the recently announced pivotal program progresses."
RGX-121 is an investigational, one-time gene therapy designed to deliver the gene that encodes the iduronate-2-sulfatase (I2S) enzyme using the AAV9 vector. Data presented at SSIEM was from the Phase I/II portion of the CAMPSIITE trial where the primary endpoint is to evaluate the safety of RGX-121. Secondary and exploratory endpoints include cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), neurodevelopmental assessments, caregiver reported outcomes and systemic biomarkers. RGX-121 is administered directly to the central nervous system (CNS). As of August 1, 2022, patients had been treated across three dose levels, 1.3x1010 genome copies per gram (GC/g) of brain mass (n=3), 6.5x1010 GC/g of brain mass (n=7), and 2.9x1011 GC/g of brain mass (n=4).
As of August 1, 2022, RGX-121 is reported to be well-tolerated across all cohorts with no drug-related serious adverse events (SAEs) in 14 patients dosed with RGX-121. Time of post-administration follow-up ranges from eight weeks to two years. Eleven patients have completed the 48-week immunosuppression regimen per study protocol. Twelve patients were receiving weekly, intravenous enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) at the time of enrollment, per standard of care; three of these patients have discontinued ERT, per investigator discretion, as allowed in the protocol.
Biomarker data from patients in all three cohorts indicate encouraging, dose-dependent reductions of CSF GAGs following one-time administration of RGX-121. Heparan sulfate (HS) and D2S6, a component of HS closely correlated with severe MPS II, are GAGs that are key biomarkers of I2S enzyme activity and are being measured in the CSF at baseline and after administration of RGX-121. GAGs in the CSF have the potential to be considered a surrogate biomarker that is reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit in MPS II disease under the accelerated approval pathway, as buildup of GAGs in the CSF of MPS II patients correlates with clinical manifestations, including neurodevelopmental deficits.
The majority of patients in all three cohorts demonstrated reductions of HS in the CSF following RGX-121 administration at the last time point available with dose-dependent reductions seen at Weeks 8, 24, and 48 post RGX-121 administration. At Week 48, median reduction of CSF HS from baseline was 33.5% in Cohort 1, 52.9% in Cohort 2 and 62.5% in Cohort 3.
Similarly, dose-dependent reductions of CSF HS D2S6 were observed at last time point available following RGX-121 administration in the majority of patients, with Cohort 3 patients approaching normal levels at 48 weeks. All three cohorts demonstrated reduction in HS D2S6 with dose-dependent reductions seen at Weeks 8, 24, and 48. Median reduction from baseline of 31.9% in Cohort 1, 69.4% in Cohort 2 and 83.1% in Cohort 3 was seen at Week 48.
In addition, I2S protein concentration in the CSF, which was undetectable in all patients prior to dosing, was measurable in Cohort 2 and 3 patients after RGX-121 administration.
As previously reported at the 2022 WORLDSymposium™, improvements in neurodevelopmental function and caregiver reported outcomes in Cohorts 1 and 2 demonstrated CNS activity up to 2 years after RGX-121 administration. Additionally, evidence of systemic enzyme expression and biomarker activity was observed in patients across all three cohorts following RGX-121 administration. The majority of patients demonstrated increases in I2S protein concentration levels in plasma following administration of RGX-121. Total urine GAG measures demonstrated evidence of a systemic effect of RGX-121, independent of ERT treatment.
The study findings presented at the SSIEM Annual Symposium will be available under the Presentations & Publications page in the Media section of REGENXBIO's website located at www.regenxbio.com.
About the CAMPSIITE™ Trial
CAMPSIITE is a multicenter, open-label trial enrolling boys with MPS II, aged 4 months up to five years of age. CAMPSIITE is expected to enroll up to 10 MPS II patients to support the BLA filing using the accelerated approval pathway, with the potential to enroll additional patients. These patients will receive a dose of 2.9x1011 GC/g of brain mass of RGX-121, which is the same dose being evaluated in Cohort 3 of the Phase I/II trial. The pivotal program is using commercial-scale cGMP material from REGENXBIO's proprietary, high-yielding suspension-based manufacturing process, named NAVXPress™. In addition to measuring GAGs in the CSF, the trial will continue to collect neurodevelopmental data and caregiver-reported outcomes.
CAMPSIITE is a global trial, which is expected to include sites in the United States, Brazil and Canada. REGENXBIO has begun dosing patients in the pivotal program.
RGX-121 is designed to use the AAV9 vector to deliver the human iduronate-2-sulfatase gene (IDS) which encodes the iduronate-2-sulfatase (I2S) enzyme to the central nervous system (CNS). Delivery of the IDS gene within cells in the CNS could provide a permanent source of secreted I2S beyond the blood-brain barrier, allowing for long-term cross correction of cells throughout the CNS. RGX-121 has received orphan drug product, rare pediatric disease and Fast Track designations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
MPS II, or Hunter Syndrome, is a rare, X-linked recessive disease caused by a deficiency in the lysosomal enzyme iduronate-2-sulfatase (I2S) leading to an accumulation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), including heparan sulfate (HS) in tissues which ultimately results in cell, tissue, and organ dysfunction, including in the central nervous system (CNS). MPS II is estimated to occur in 1 in 100,000 to 170,000 births. In severe forms of the disease, early developmental milestones may be met, but developmental delay is readily apparent by 18 to 24 months. Specific treatment to address the neurological manifestations of MPS II remains a significant unmet medical need. Key biomarkers of I2S enzymatic activity in MPS II patients include its substrate heparan sulfate (HS), which has been shown to correlate with neurocognitive manifestations of the disorder.
REGENXBIO is a leading clinical-stage biotechnology company seeking to improve lives through the curative potential of gene therapy. REGENXBIO's NAV Technology Platform, a proprietary adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene delivery platform, consists of exclusive rights to more than 100 novel AAV vectors, including AAV7, AAV8, AAV9 and AAVrh10. REGENXBIO and its third-party NAV Technology Platform Licensees are applying the NAV Technology Platform in the development of a broad pipeline of candidates, including late-stage and commercial programs, in multiple therapeutic areas. REGENXBIO is committed to a "5x'25" strategy to progress five AAV Therapeutics from our internal pipeline and licensed programs into pivotal-stage or commercial products by 2025.
This press release includes "forward-looking statements," within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements express a belief, expectation or intention and are generally accompanied by words that convey projected future events or outcomes such as "believe," "may," "will," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "assume," "design," "intend," "expect," "could," "plan," "potential," "predict," "seek," "should," "would" or by variations of such words or by similar expressions. The forward-looking statements include statements relating to, among other things, REGENXBIO's future operations and clinical trials. REGENXBIO has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations and assumptions and analyses made by REGENXBIO in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors REGENXBIO believes are appropriate under the circumstances. However, whether actual results and developments will conform with REGENXBIO's expectations and predictions is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including the timing of enrollment, commencement and completion and the success of clinical trials conducted by REGENXBIO, its licensees and its partners, the timing of commencement and completion and the success of preclinical studies conducted by REGENXBIO and its development partners, the timely development and launch of new products, the ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval of product candidates, the ability to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection for product candidates and technology, trends and challenges in the business and markets in which REGENXBIO operates, the size and growth of potential markets for product candidates and the ability to serve those markets, the rate and degree of acceptance of product candidates, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic or similar public health crises on REGENXBIO's business, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of REGENXBIO. Refer to the "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" sections of REGENXBIO's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, and comparable "risk factors" sections of REGENXBIO's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings, which have been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and are available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are expressly qualified by the cautionary statements contained or referred to herein. The actual results or developments anticipated may not be realized or, even if substantially realized, they may not have the expected consequences to or effects on REGENXBIO or its businesses or operations. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to rely too heavily on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, REGENXBIO does not undertake any obligation, and specifically declines any obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Dana Cormack
Corporate Communications
dcormack@regenxbio.com
Investors:
Chris Brinzey
ICR Westwicke
339-970-2843
chris.brinzey@westwicke.com
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SOURCE REGENXBIO Inc. | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/regenxbio-presents-additional-positive-interim-data-phase-iiiiii-campsiite-trial-rgx-121-treatment-mps-ii-hunter-syndrome-society-study-inborn-errors-metabolism-ssiem-annual-symposium/ | 2022-08-31T12:12:08Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/regenxbio-presents-additional-positive-interim-data-phase-iiiiii-campsiite-trial-rgx-121-treatment-mps-ii-hunter-syndrome-society-study-inborn-errors-metabolism-ssiem-annual-symposium/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ATLANTA, Aug. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sharecare (Nasdaq: SHCR), the digital health company that helps people manage all their health in one place, today announced that it will participate in the Morgan Stanley 20th Annual Global Healthcare Conference, including a presentation on Tuesday, September 13, 2022, at 2:05 p.m. E.T. The link for the simultaneous webcast will be available online at https://investors.sharecare.com/news-and-events/events-and-presentations.
Sharecare is the leading digital health company that helps people – no matter where they are in their health journey – unify and manage all their health in one place. Our comprehensive and data-driven virtual health platform is designed to help people, providers, employers, health plans, government organizations, and communities optimize individual and population-wide well-being by driving positive behavior change. Driven by our philosophy that we are all together better, at Sharecare, we are committed to supporting each individual through the lens of their personal health and making high-quality care more accessible and affordable for everyone. To learn more, visit www.sharecare.com.
Media Relations: Jen Martin Hall, jen@sharecare.com
Investor Relations: investors@sharecare.com
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SOURCE Sharecare | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/sharecare-participate-morgan-stanley-20th-annual-global-healthcare-conference/ | 2022-08-31T12:12:40Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/sharecare-participate-morgan-stanley-20th-annual-global-healthcare-conference/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Businesses across Kent are beginning to feel the impact of the continuing cost of living and an eyewatering increase in energy prices as they keep their premises running into the autumn and winter months.
Businesses have no limit on their energy tariffs so the amount of gas and electricity they use isn’t price capped. Energy suppliers can charge as much as they see as necessary to cover the increased cost they have to pay. This leaves them unprotected with the prices soaring.
This steep increase is causing local businesses to have to rethink how they go about their services and some are having to change the prices of their products to cope with this rise. One of those places affected in the town of West Malling, known locally for its independent businesses which sit on the High Street.
Read more: See our cost of living section here
One of these is Chocolate Umbrella, which is run by Sue Dackombe. The 57-year-old said: “The problem is bills, mainly electricity because we have a lot of equipment to run like chocolate machines upstairs. We need aircon on as the whole shop has to be a set temperature to keep the chocolate ambient so the bills impact us hugely. They have jumped quite considerably, they are pretty much doubling.”
Chris Norfolk, who owns The Gallery in Swan Street, which sells luxury artwork, has been speaking to other shop owners in West Malling about their bills and price increases. He said: “I'm one of the lucky ones I think. I haven't really seen a change in my running costs but I know everyone else will have something to say about it because they’ll be struggling. It's not great at all.”
Chris has not seen a huge difference yet in most of his running costs despite the rises, as his shop doesn't require any gas and he is on a fixed contract up until next year on his electricity. He’s seen increases in prices elsewhere however.
“I've seen a 40 per cent increase in the price of glass that I use and also a 25 per cent increase in the wood for the backboards. This is because I have to get that stuff sent to me from places like the Philippines,” he added. The 56-year-old, who has received orders from the likes of DJ Carl Cox, Arabian princes and various Eastender stars said that his business is still continuing to see the usual amount of customers but he is “expecting a drop in customers come October when the price hike comes up.”
This hike comes in the form of the Ofgem energy price cap which is the maximum amount the supplier can charge a household per year for the electricity and gas they use. This is predicted to rise to an unprecedented £3,582 which will be a potential increase of £1,611 on top of what it is now This is in place from October 1, with predictions are saying it could reach £6823 by April 2023.
Read next:
Aldi investing £16.2m in Kent for new and upgraded stores in Kings Hill and Dartford
Kent weather: Sunny afternoon across county as temperatures set to reach 22C
Maidstone parents 'broken' by death of three-day-old baby daughter, inquest hears
Huge cannabis factory discovered in Chatham after plants dumped by roadside | https://www.kentlive.news/news/cost-of-living/independent-shops-west-malling-hit-7529641 | 2022-08-31T12:13:38Z | kentlive.news | control | https://www.kentlive.news/news/cost-of-living/independent-shops-west-malling-hit-7529641 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
After results day around the county, parents will be eager to know what schools are the highest performing in their area of Kent. The county has a variety of secondary schools, from academies, grammar schools and independent schools on offer.
Parents looking for a school will need to fill in an In-Year Admissions Form, which can be found at the Kent County Council’s Admission and Transport office or from any local Kent School.
To help determine which schools are most suited to their child, parents can keep an eye on the Ofsted official ranking. The office for Standards in Education, Children’s services, and Skills sends inspectors to the schools.
Ofsted inspectors spend time in classrooms observing the lessons, gathering enough evidence to determine a judgment of the overall school’s performance. A school is provided with a grade (1-5), 1 being outstanding and 4 being inadequate.
We rounded up the schools in Kent that were rated (1) outstanding and (2) good by Ofsted. The list includes all types of secondary from Special Schools to State Comprehensives.
Alchemy School
Rating: Good
Address: 72 Station Road, Teynham, Kent, ME9 9SN
Latest report: 16th March 2021
Aylesford School
Rating: Good
Address: Teapot Lane, Aylesford, Kent, ME20 7JU
Latest report: 1st June 2020
Barton Court Grammar School
Rating: Good
Address: Longport, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 1PH
Latest report: 9th March 2020
Beach Grove School
Rating: Good
Address: Forest Drive, Kent, Nonington, Dover, Kent, CT15 4FB
Latest report: 9th January 2020
Belle Vue School
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Jockey Lane, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 3JN
Latest report: 14th June 2022
Bennet Memorial Diocesan School
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Culverden Down, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN4 9SH
Latest report: 18th July 2012
Borden Grammar School
Rating: Good
Address: Avenue of Remembrance, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 4DB
Latest report: 24th January 2022
Bower Grove School
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Fant Lane, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 8NL
Latest report: 15th October 2019
Brewood Secondary School
Raiting: Good
Address: 86 London Road, Deal, Kent, CT14 9TR
Latest report: 17th January 2020
Brookhill Park Peroming Arts College
Rating: Good
Address: Sandling Road, Saltwood, Hythe, Kent, CT21 4HL
Latest Report 16th November 2021
Broomhill Bank School
Rating: Good
Address: Broomhill Road, Rusthall, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN3 0TB
Latest report: 30th April 2018
Cadlecott Foundation School
Rating: Good
Address: Station Road, Smeeth, Ashford, Kent, TN25 6PW
Latest report: 5th April 2017
Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School
Rating: Good
Address: Chatham Street, Ramsgate, Kent, CT11 7PS
Latest report: 15th June 2018
Cherry Tree
Rating: Good
Address: 29 All Saints Avenue, Margate, Kent, CT9 5QN
Latest report: 17th July 2018
Cornfields School
Rating: Outstanding
Address: 207 Hythe Road, Ashford, TN24 8PL
Latest report: 20th May 2022
Cornwallis Academy
Rating: Good
Address: Hubbards Lane, Linton, Maidstone, Kent, ME17 4HX
Latest report: 12th January 2018
Cranbrook School
Rating: Good
Address: Waterloo Road, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 3JD
Latest report: 19th May 2022
Dane Court Grammar School
Rating: Good
Address: Broadstairs Road, Broadstairs, Kent, CT10 2RT
Latest report: 7th July 2022
Dartford Science & Technology College
Rating: Good
Address: Heath Lane, Dartford, Kent, DA1 2LY
Latest report: 12th May 2022
Dover Grammar School for Boys
Rating: Good
Address: Astor Avenue, Dover, Kent, CT17 0DQ
Latest report: 11th November 2019
Dover Grammar School for Girls
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Frith Road, Dover, Kent, CT16 2PZ
Latest report: 5th December 2013
Duke of York's Royal Military School
Rating: Good
Address: Duke of York's Royal Military School, Dover, Kent, CT15 5EQ
Latest report: 6th June 2018
Earksckuffe (Sussex Summer Schools Ltd)
Rating: Good
Address:29 Shorncliffe Road, Folkestone, Kent, CT20 2NB
Latest report: 15th January 2020
Elms School
Rating: Good
Address: Elms Vale Road, Dover, Kent, CT17 9PS
Latest report: 18th November 2019
Fairlight Glen Independent Special School
Rating: Good
Address: Verona House, 45 Station Road, Herne Bay, Kent, CT6 5QQ
Latest report: 16th January 2019
Five Acre Wood School
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Boughton Lane, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 9QF
Latest report: 30th April 2019
Folkstone Academy
Rating: Good
Address: Academy Lane, Folkestone, Kent, CT19 5FP
Latest report: 17th June 2022
Foreland Fields School
Rating: Good
Address: Newlands Lane, Ramsgate, Kent, CT12 6RH
Latest report: 18th December 2017
Fulston Manor School
Rating: Good
Address: Brenchley Road, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 4EG
Latest report: 16th January 2018
Goldwyn School
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Godinton Lane, Great Chart, Ashford, Kent, TN23 3BT
Latest report: 11th January 2018
Grange Park School
Rating: Good
Address: Borough Green Road, Wrotham, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 7RD
Latest report: 8th November 2016
Gravesend Grammar School
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Church Walk, Gravesend, Kent, DA12 2PR
Latest report: 17th July 2015
Great Oaks Small School
Rating: Good
Address: Jutes Lane, Minster, Ramsgate, Kent, CT12 5FH
Latest report: 10th May 2022
Greenfields School
Rating: Good
Address: Tenterden Road, Biddenden, Ashford, Kent, TN27 8BE
Latest report: 23rd November 2021
Hadlow Rural Community School
Address: Tonbridge Road, Hadlow, Kent, TN11 0AU
Rating: Good
Latest report: 19th March 2019
Hartsdown Academy
Rating: Good
Address: Brook Street, Tonbridge, Kent, TN9 2PH
Latest report: 20th February 2017
Heath Farm School
Rating: Good
Address: Egerton Road, Charing Heath, Ashford, TN27 0AX
Latest report: 12th May 2020
Helen Allison School
Rating: Good
Address: Longfield Road, Meopham, Gravesend, Kent, DA13 0EW
Latest report: 20th July 2021
Herne Bay High School
Rating: Good
Adddress: Bullockstone Road, Herne Bay, Kent, CT6 7NS
Latest report: 1st March 2018
Highworth Grammar School
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Maidstone Road, Ashford, Kent, TN24 8UD
Latest report: 5th July 2013
Hillview School For Girls
Rating: Good
Address: Brionne Gardens, Tonbridge, Kent, TN9 2HE
Latest report: 9th May 2018
Hope View School
Rating: Good
Address: Station Approach, Chilham, Canterbury, Kent, CT4 8EG
Latest report: 9th December 2019
Hugh Christie School
Rating: Good
Address: White Cottage Road, Tonbridge, Kent, TN10 4PU
Latest report: 16th January 2018
Ifield School
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Cedar Avenue, Gravesend, Kent, DA12 5JT
Latest report: 4th June 2018
Infiniti School
Rating: Good
Address: The Street, Doddington, Sittingbourne, Kent, Kent, ME9 0BG
Latest report: 31st January 2022
Invicta Grammar School
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Huntsman Lane, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 5DS
Latest report: 12th October 2012
ISP School
Rating: Good
Address: Castlewood Farm, Conyer Road, Teynham, Kent, Kent, ME9 9EA
Latest report: 13th December 2021
King Ethelbert School
Rating: Good
Address: Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9BL
Latest report: 5th November 2018
Knole Academy
Rating: Good
Address: Knole Academy, Bradbourne Vale Road, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 3LE
Latest report: 31st October 2017
Laleham Gap School
Rating: Good
Address: Ozengell Place, Ramsgate, Kent, CT12 6FH
Latest report: 8th September 2017
Little Acorns School
Rating: Good
Address: London Beach Farm, Ashford Road, St Michael's, Tenterden, Kent, TN30 6SR
Latest report: 30th November 2021
Longfield Academy
Rating: Good
Address: Main Road, Longfield, Kent, DA3 7PH
Latest report: 16th May 2018
Maidstone Grammar School
Rating: Good
Address: Barton Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 7BT
Latest report: 11th February 2019
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Buckland Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 0SF
Latest report: 15th June 2009
Mascalls Academy
Rating: Good
Address: Maidstone Road, Paddock Wood, Tonbridge, Kent, TN12 6LT
Latest report: 20th January 2022
Mayfield Grammar School, Gravesend
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Pelham Road, Gravesend, Kent, DA11 0JE
Latest report: 3rd July 2013
Meadowfield School
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Swanstree Avenue, Meadowfield School, Swanstree Avenue, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 4NL
Latest report: 22nd June 2021
Medway Green School
Rating: Good
Address: Wouldham, Rochester, Kent, Kent, ME1 3TS
Latest report: 1st February 2022
Meopham School
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Wrotham Road, Meopham, Gravesend, Kent, DA13 0AH
Latest report: 14th February 2019
New Line Learning Academy
Rating: Good
Address: Boughton Lane, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 9QL
Latest report: 11th December 2019
Northfleet School For Girls
Rating: Good
Address: Hall Road, Northfleet, Gravesend, Kent, DA11 8AQ
Latest report: 4th May 2022
Northfleet Technology Colllege
Rating: Good
Address: Colyer Road, Northfleet, Gravesend, Kent, DA11 8BG
Latest report: 27th February 2017
Oakley School
Rating: Good
Address: Pembury Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 4NE
Latest report: 30th April 2019
Oakwood Park Grammar School
Rating: Good
Address: Oakwood Park, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 8AH
Latest report: 11th March 2019
Orchards Academy
Rating: Good
Address: St Mary's Road, Swanley, Kent, BR8 7TE
Latest report: 27th September 2021
Parkview Academy
Rating: Good
Address: 8 Approach Road, Margate, Kent, CT9 2AN
Latest report: 3rd December 2019
Portal House School
Rating: Good
Address: Sea Street, St Margaret's-At-Cliffe, Dover, Kent, CT15 6SS
Latest report: 10th June 2019
Queen Elizabeth Grammar School
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Abbey Place, Faversham, Kent, ME13 7BQ
Latest report: 29th April 2015
Ripplevale School
Rating: Good
Address: Chapel Lane, Ripple, Deal, Kent, CT14 8JG
Latest report: 11th March 2020
Rowhill School
Rating: Good
Address: Main Road, Longfield, Kent, DA3 7PW
Latest report: 14th January 2022
Saint George's Church of England School
Rating: Good
Address: Meadow Road, Gravesend, Kent, DA11 7LS
Latest report: 23 March 2017
Sandwich Technology School
Rating: Good
Deal Road, Sandwich, Kent, CT13 0FA
Latest report: 03 June 2019
Simon Langton Girls' Grammar School
Rating: Good
Address: Old Dover Road, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 3EW
Latest report: 09 May 2018
Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Langton Lane, Nackington Road, Canterbury, Kent, CT4 7AS
Latest report: 5th December 2013
Sir Roger Manwood’s School
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Manwood Road, Sandwich, Kent, CT13 9JX
Latest report: 17th May 2012
Skinners’ Kent Academy
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Sandown Park, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 4PY
Latest report: 29th April 2022
Small Haven School
Rating: Good
Address:146-150, Newington Road, Ramsgate, Kent, Kent, CT12 6PT
Latest report: 6th May 2022
Spires Academy
Rating: Good
Address: Bredlands Lane, Sturry, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 0HD
Latest report: 22nd June 2017
St Anthony's School
Rating: Good
Address: St Anthony's Way, Margate, Kent, CT9 3RA
Latest report: 19th July 2019
St Augustine Academy
Rating: Good
Address: Oakwood Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 8AE
Latest report: 16th March 2018
St George's Church of England Foundation School
Rating: Good
Address: Westwood Road, Broadstairs, Kent, CT10 2LH
Latest report: 3rd July 2019
St Helens Montessori School
Rating: Good
Address: Lower Road, East Farleigh, Maidstone, ME15 0JT
Latest report: 21st September 2021
St John's Catholic Comprehensive
Rating: Good
Address: Rochester Road, Gravesend, Kent, DA12 2JW
Latest report: 13th June 2018
St Nicholas' School
Rating: Good
Address: Holm Oak Close, Nunnery Fields, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 3JJ
Latest report: 6th September 2018
Stone Bay School
Rating: Good
Address: 70 Stone Road, Broadstairs, Kent, CT10 1EB
Latest report: 22nd February 2018
Thamesview School
Rating: Good
Address: Thong Lane, Gravesend, Kent, DA12 4LF
Latest report: 19th July 2018
The Annex School House
Rating: Good
Address: Pembroke House, Leyden Hatch Lane, Hextable, Swanley, Kent, BR8 7PS
Latest report: 7th December 2021
The Beacon Folkestone
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Park Farm Road, Folkestone, Kent, CT19 5DN
Latest report: 9th March 2020
The Canterbury Academy
Rating: Good
Address: Knight Avenue, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 8QA
Latest report: 6th November 2017
The Ebbsfleet Academy
Rating: Good
Address: Southfleet Road, Swanscombe, Kent, DA10 0BZ
Latest report: 11th November 2019
The Folkestone School for Girls
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Coolinge Lane, Folkestone, Kent, CT20 3RB
Latest report: 25th October 2012
The Harvey Grammar School
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Cheriton Road, Folkestone, Kent, CT19 5JY
Latest report: 25th April 2016
The John Wallis Church of England Academy
Rating: Good
Address: Millbank Road, Kingsnorth, Ashford, Kent, TN23 3HG
Latest report: 3rd October 2018
The Judd School
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Brook Street, Tonbridge, Kent, TN9 2PN
Latest report: 5th June 2015
The Leigh Academy
Rating: Good
Address: Green Street Green Road, Dartford, Kent, DA1 1QE
Latest report: 13th December 2017
The Leigh UTC
Rating: Good
Address: Brunel Way, Dartford, Kent, DA1 5TF
Latest report: 21st July 2022
The Lenham School
Rating: Good
Address: Ham Lane, Lenham, Maidstone, Kent, ME17 2LL
Latest report: 2nd December 2019
The Llewellyn School and Nursery
Rating: Good
Address: Quex Park Estate, Birchington, Kent, Margate, Kent, CT7 0BB
Latest report: 29th June 2021
The Maplesden Noakes School
Rating: Good
Address:Buckland Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 0TJ
Latest report: 12th December 2018
The Marsh Academy
Rating: Good
Address: Station Road, New Romney, Kent, TN28 8BB
Latest report: 17th March 2017
The Norton Knatchbull School
Rating: Good
Address: Hythe Road, Ashford, Kent, TN24 0QJ
Latest report: 2nd May 2017
The Old Priory School
Rating: Good
Address: Priory Road, Ramsgate, Kent, CT11 9PG
Latest report: 27th June 2018
The Orchard School
Rating: Good
Address: Cambridge Road, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 3QQ
Latest report: 29th November 2021
The Quest School
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Bell 3, The Hop Farm, Maidstone Road, Paddock Wood, Kent, TN12 6PY
Latest report: 8th May 2018
The Sallygate School
Rating: Good
Address: Channels & Choices, Kearsney Manor, Alkham Road, Temple Ewell, Kent, CT16 3EQ
Latest report: 11 November 2019
The Sittingbournerne School
Rating: Good
Rating: St John's Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN4 9PG
Latest report: 15th December 2017
The Skinners' School
Rating: Good
Address: St John's Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN4 9PG
Latest report: 14th January 2022
The Wyvern School (Buxford)
Rating: Good
Address: Great Chart Bypass, Ashford, Kent, TN23 4ER
Latest report: 2nd October 2017
Tonbridge Grammar School
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Deakin Leas, Tonbridge, Kent, TN9 2JR
Latest report: 8th November 2019
Towers School and Sixth Form Centre
Rating: Good
Address: Faversham Road, Kennington, Ashford, Kent, TN24 9AL
Latest report: 4th March 2019
Trinity School
Rating: Good
Address: Seal Hollow Rd, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 3SL
Latest report: 12th November 2018
Tunbridge Well’s Girls’ Grammar School
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Southfield Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN4 9UJ
Latest report: 24th November 2011
Tunbridge Wells Grammar School For Boys
Rating: Good
Address:St John's Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN4 9XB
Latest report: 21st January 2022
Valence School
Rating: Good
Address:Westerham Road, Westerham, Kent, TN16 1QN
Latest report: 9th January 2020
Valley Park School
Rating: Good
Address:Huntsman Lane, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 5DT
Latest report: 18th May 2020
West Heath School
Rating: Outstanding
Address: Ashgrove Road, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 1SR
Latest report: 5th July 2022
Westlands School
Rating: Good
Address: Westlands Avenue, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 1PF
Latest report: 21st March 2019
Wilmington Academy
Rating: Good
Address: Common Lane, Wilmington, Kent, DA2 7DR
Latest report: 29th April 2022
Wilmington Grammar School for Boys
Rating: Good
Address: Common Lane, Wilmington, Dartford, Kent, DA2 7DA
Latest report: 5th December 2017
Wilmington Grammar School for Girls
Rating: Oustanding
Address: Wilmington Grange, Parsons Lane, Wilmington, Dartford, Kent, DA2 7BB
Latest report: 23rd November 2021
Wrotham School
Rating: Good
Address: Borough Green Road, Wrotham, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 7RD
Latest report: 18th June 2019
Wye School
Rating: Good
Address: Olantigh Road, Wye, Kent, TN25 5EJ
Latest report: 29th January 2019
Read next | https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/kents-best-secondary-schools-rated-7525087 | 2022-08-31T12:13:48Z | kentlive.news | control | https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/kents-best-secondary-schools-rated-7525087 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Thousands of commuters across Kent should brace themselves for a 24-hour train strike in September, a trade union has warned. Workers from Southeastern and eight other train companies will walk out at midday on Monday (September 26), the TSSA union has said.
The industrial action is over pay and working conditions and also includes Network Rail, the owner of Britain's train infrastructure. TSSA said it remains in discussion with National Rail over a possible settlement that would avoid the strike.
But, many passengers will be wondering if they can claim compensation during the next walkout. In a bid to make your life easier, we've looked to see if you can claim a refund and what other services might be affected.
Can I claim a refund?
Yes, the company urges passengers to apply for a refund if they don't travel during the strikes. Southeastern's website states the following advice.
Daily tickets bought online
- If you bought your ticket as a guest or your ticket has passed its date of travel, please contact us for a full refund, we won’t charge an admin fee.
- If you bought your ticket from our website, you can use our self-service refund facility. If you have an account please log in, go to ‘My Account’, then ‘Manage my tickets/refunds’ to apply. Please note this doesn’t apply to daily tickets which have passed their date of travel.
- If you have a Key smartcard and can't log into your account, and/or use the self-service refund facility, please complete our online Key refund form.
- Please note that we cannot process refunds for Daily or Advance tickets bought from other retailers or operators. Please contact your original ticket retailer for refund assistance.
Daily tickets bought at a station
- If you bought a paper daily ticket from one of our ticket offices, you can return this to any Southeastern ticket office for a full refund with no admin fee. Alternatively you can send your ticket to Southeastern Customer Services at:
Southeastern Refunds
Freepost RTSK-BXJE-CCHL
Ashby De La Zouch
LE65 9EL - If you bought a ticket on your Key smartcard from one of our stations, you can return this to any Southeastern ticket office for a full refund or you can apply online by filling out the Key refund form.
Advance tickets
Advance ticket holders can either apply for a full refund with no admin fee or return to the original retailer for an eVoucher, for use purchasing a future ticket. eVouchers are valid for 12 months from the date of issue.
If your ticket was bought online and hasn’t been printed/collected, please use the Contact us form and quote your order reference number. If it's already been printed, please post it to the address below for a refund.
If your ticket was bought at a station, please return it to any Southeastern ticket office to arrange a full refund. Alternatively, post them to the Customer Services team at the address below:
Southeastern Online Refunds
Freepost RTSK-BXJE-CCHL
Ashby De La Zouch
LE65 9EL
Please note that we cannot process refunds for Daily or Advance tickets bought from other retailers or operators. Please contact your original ticket retailer for refund assistance.
For more information about refunds, visit Southeastern's website.
What other services are striking?
The other train companies that are likely to be involved in this strike include the TransPennine Express, West Midlands Trains, c2c, Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway, CrossCountry, Great Western Railway and LNER.
Read next:
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- Octopus Energy announces update on money saving schemes and £400 energy rebate as price cap rises again
- British Airways and Jet2 issue urgent warning to Brits over lost luggage and COVID-19 test scams
- Good Morning Britain viewers 'no idea how to survive' as Ofgem announces energy bills will skyrocket from October
- Brits could save up over £600 by switching from this energy-sucking appliance | https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/southeastern-rail-strike-exact-date-7529381 | 2022-08-31T12:13:59Z | kentlive.news | control | https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/southeastern-rail-strike-exact-date-7529381 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Drug Enforcement Administration issued a warning Tuesday about brightly colored fentanyl pills being distributed across the country.
So-called “rainbow fentanyl” mimics other illicit pills but are made to look like candy and appeal to young people, DEA representatives said in a news release.
Drug cartels are manufacturing Illicit fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid that is 50-to-100 times more potent than morphine, and combining it with other drugs. Just a few grains are deadly.
Last year, the DEA launched its “One pill can kill” campaign as a warning. The pills are often blue and have “M” and “30” stamped on them. The rainbow pills have the same markings but are in different colors.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stats released in May show that there were an estimated 107,622 drug overdose deaths in 2021 – a jump of almost 15% from 2020, which was 30% higher than the year before that.
“Rainbow fentanyl — fentanyl pills and powder that come in a variety of bright colors, shapes, and sizes — is a deliberate effort by drug traffickers to drive addiction amongst kids and young adults,” DEA administrator Anne Milgram said in a statement. “The men and women of the DEA are relentlessly working to stop the trafficking of rainbow fentanyl and defeat the Mexican drug cartels that are responsible for the vast majority of the fentanyl that is being trafficked in the United States.”
Some of the product is manufactured in clandestine labs in Mexico. Others are pressed right here in the U.S., officials said.
Authorities in several states are warning of the deadly drug. The Department of Justice announced last week that task force officers seized a large batch of the colorful pills during a bust in Morgantown, West Virginia. In Oregon, officials with the the U.S. Attorney’s Office urged residents to beware of the potentially lethal pills.
In recent months, DEA agents have also pulled thousands of suspected fentanyl pills off Las Vegas valley streets.
Police and prosecutors have charged several young people over the past year with second-degree murder charges in connection with the fentanyl poisoning deaths of other young people. | https://www.wspa.com/news/dea-issues-warning-about-deadly-rainbow-fentanyl-pills-made-to-look-like-candy/ | 2022-08-31T12:18:54Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/dea-issues-warning-about-deadly-rainbow-fentanyl-pills-made-to-look-like-candy/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(The Hill) — The revelation that former President Donald Trump had some of the nation’s most closely guarded forms of intelligence at his Florida home is renewing questions over the potentially grave risks to U.S. national security.
The affidavit used to secure a search warrant for Trump’s home released Friday reveals why the government was so alarmed: Among an initial batch of 184 classified documents retrieved from Mar-a-Lago in January were secrets gained from “clandestine human sources,” information prohibited from being shared with foreign governments and information obtained by monitoring “foreign communications signals.”
Finding 25 sets of highly classified materials was enough to spur the Justice Department — after months of failed negotiations and a subpoena to Trump — to seek a search warrant, securing another 11 sets of documents that included more highly sensitive materials.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) alerted lawmakers over the weekend that it would begin work on a damage assessment to evaluate the fallout from what the Justice Department in June told Trump’s legal team were documents not “handled in an appropriate manner or stored in an appropriate location.”
Former intelligence officials describe a painstaking process that will involve officials evaluating whether the classified documents were compromised and by whom in order to take steps to prevent further damage.
“They will proceed from the worst-case assumption: that any/all of the classified material could have been exposed to a sophisticated adversary intelligence service, and look at the documents from the standpoint of what can be gleaned about what the US knows (or doesn’t know) about a given topic,” James Clapper, who served as director of national intelligence under the Obama administration, wrote in an email to The Hill.
Clapper also said the intelligence community will need to examine the “chain of custody” of the documents, which will involve evaluating how they were handled since they were in the White House and by whom as well as who had access to the documents and whether they were photographed or copied.
The federal government has strict rules governing classified information, and the Justice Department has prosecuted individuals for unauthorized disclosures of the nation’s secrets.
A search warrant unsealed earlier this month suggested that the Mar-a-Lago search is linked to an investigation of possible violations of the Espionage Act, in addition to other laws.
In an interview, former Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, who served under Trump, recalled instructions he received when he entered government about not being able to publicly release classified documents without proper certification and the prohibition against moving classified information outside government buildings or taking it with you when you leave service.
“You don’t want to breach that requirement,” he said. “It can be dangerous if some of that is not handled the way it’s supposed to be handled.”
“Everybody knows that coming in. I’m sure the president was reminded of that by his legal team,” Coats said.
There is little known about the documents themselves, but experts say the classification markings disclosed in the unsealed documents suggest the information could present a severe danger were it to fall into the wrong hands.
“That tells me that, by legal definition of top secret, somebody in a position of authority and knowledge classified that material because they thought its disclosure of such information could reasonably be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to the national security — that is the definition in the Executive Order of Top Secret material,” said Steven Cash, a lawyer at Day Pitney specializing in national security who served at the CIA.
A letter from Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines to the chairs of the House’s Oversight and Reform Committee and Intelligence Committee indicates the agency that oversees the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies will begin a “classification review” of the documents, including an “assessment of the potential risk to national security that would result from the disclosure of the relevant documents.”
It’s a remarkable effort made all the more extraordinary by the unusual circumstances.
Such assessments usually follow the known leak of information. But in this case, it’s not clear who may have accessed the documents.
Mar-a-Lago may have an exclusive membership list, but it’s hardly the restricted area the intelligence community seeks for cordoning off classified materials, with members of the public on-site to play golf.
Reporting from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently noted a woman under FBI investigation after posing as a wealthy socialite was spotted on the grounds at Mar-a-Lago, taking a photo with Trump and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on the course.
The Justice Department subpoenaed security footage from Mar-a-Lago in June. But the footage goes back only about 60 days, according to reporting from The New York Times, and it’s not apparent how extensive the footage is and whether it includes video of the room or rooms where the documents were stored.
Experts warn the intelligence community may not be able to perform a full-fledged damage assessment, which usually requires producing a report detailing what information leaked, steps to mitigate the damage, and how to stop something similar from happening again.
“The utility of conducting a damage assessment here is overstated for two reasons. One is they’re not going to have good clarity on who accessed the documents, which is critical to assessing damage. And then, two, most assessments look at ‘lessons learned’: How did this happen? And how can we prevent it from happening again? There’s no good answer to that question here. You can’t just say we won’t share sensitive intelligence with the president in the future if he’s someone like Trump. That’s not viable in our system of government,” said Brian Greer, a former CIA attorney.
But even if ODNI undertakes a less formal review, it still has questions to answer, mainly in an effort to protect numerous sources of information — including informants — that are now likely at risk.
“Separate from a formal damage assessment, the IC [intelligence community] will also consider near-term risk mitigation measures. Do they need to undertake some sort of immediate damage control effort? For instance, if there was information in the documents that could identify a human source, do we need to pull the source? Do we need to exfiltrate them? Or do we just need to at least give them a warning so they can stand down on meeting with their handlers for a little while? Do we need to go cover our tracks?” Greer said.
“And then the same thing with a surveillance platform. Do we need to consider taking it down so that an adversary can’t discover it?” he added.
The intelligence community has had access to some of the tranche of documents stored at Trump’s home since May.
But the recovery earlier this month adds another batch of documents to the 184 already shared by the Justice Department.
Greer warns, however, that the damage is already done.
“They’re going to err on the side of caution. In the absence of concrete information about who accessed the documents, they’re going to have no choice but to assume a compromise and take proactive measures to protect our sources and collection capabilities,” he said.
“That step alone will harm national security,” he added. | https://www.wspa.com/news/national/nexstar-media-wire/trumps-possession-of-intelligence-documents-raises-fears-for-national-security/ | 2022-08-31T12:19:00Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/national/nexstar-media-wire/trumps-possession-of-intelligence-documents-raises-fears-for-national-security/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Princess Diana’s death stunned the world — and changed the royals
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 Wednesday.
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
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbko.com/2022/08/31/princess-dianas-death-stunned-world-changed-royals/ | 2022-08-31T12:20:29Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/2022/08/31/princess-dianas-death-stunned-world-changed-royals/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Pet of the Week: Mavi
Published: Aug. 31, 2022 at 8:06 AM EDT|Updated: 22 minutes ago
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) -This week’s Pet of the Week for August 31 is Mavi.
The pup is sweet and loves to give kisses. He is also super social and prefers to be around other dogs and lots of other people.
His foster family says he does great in a home with other dogs and he is house trained.
Mavi is a big cuddler and he loves rope toys and walks. Since he is so active, he must go home with another four-legged friend.
He is looking for a friend he can play with until they are both tired. All that fun often makes Mavi tired, so he loves naps.
If you want to meet this sweet boy, reach out to the Humane Society of Eastern Carolina.
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Incirlik Air Base members come together for a day of international cuisine at the Community Center on July 30, 2022. Turkish, Polish, Spanish and American cuisine were featured at the event. (U.S. Air Force video by Senior Airman Taylor Slater)
This work, Ethnic Cuisine at Incirlik AB Community Center, by SrA Taylor Slater, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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Tai Tuivasa (14-3, 13 finishes) is set to be one half of the first UFC main event in France when he faces fellow highly-ranked heavyweight Ciryl Gane (10-1, seven finishes) on Saturday at Accor Arena in Paris. The heavy-hitting Australian, who knocked out former two-time championship challenger Derrick Lewis in February, spoke with The Post’s Scott Fontana via phone on Tuesday for this week’s Post Fight Interview Q&A session.
Q: Your division is in a bit of a holding pattern with champion Francis Ngannou out injured and top names such as Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic not active. Do you think there ought to have been an interim belt on the line this weekend for you two given where you are in the ranks?
A: Definitely. It doesn’t, but I definitely think the winner on Saturday should have a shot at the title.
Q: Do you believe the winner will get the next shot, or do you think it’s still complicated?
A: I’ve been asked this question a few times, and to be honest, I really [care about those] parts of the fight game or whatever’s going on. But I think it’s pretty obvious, and I think everyone understands the person who wins should definitely fight for the belt. It’s just a big mess, you know what I mean?
Q: Last time out, you had Lewis who was happy to “swang and bang.” That’s not generally Gane’s approach. How do you feel about facing Gane’s particular style this time?
A: I think the great thing about fighting is when we get in there, put ourselves to the test. All I know is I’m gonna bring a fight. I’m gonna bring it to him.
Q: See how vulnerable Gane was to Ngannou’s takedowns in their fight in January, is that an element you’re looking to exploit rather than keep it standing?
A: I never show all my cards.
Q: You beat Lewis in front of his home fans, and you’ve got a chance to do the same to Gane now. How did you feel the Houston fans treated you?
A: The Houston fans are great. I really liked Houston. I liked Texas; I think probably one of the better states that I’ve been to in America. I like people. It was really cool. I enjoyed it.
Q: Are you expecting a similarly warm reception this weekend? Everyone seems to like you.
A: I don’t have any expectations. I walk in to bang and just put on a show.
Q: You used to be a staple of the fight cards in Australia. Do you miss not getting to compete on home soil?
A: Definitely. For me, I love performing at home. I love performing in front of my friends and family. And obviously, Australia’s been a little behind with all this COVID stuff. But I’m sure when we can, we will. I’d definitely love to fight back home and put on a show for my countrymen.
Q: You’re known for your eclectic, unusual choices for fight walkout music. How do you settle on a walkout song?
A: They’re just songs that remind me of — me and my mom used to drive around as a kid and … most of them are bangers. We’d rock out to them.
Q: That’s what gets you into the fighting spirit: thinking about all those good times with your mother?
A: They’re bangers as songs as well. They’re songs I still listen to today.
Q: Can you offer any hints to what song you’re going with this time?
A: The French fans should like it as well. It’s a banger.
Q: Typical walkaround weight between fights?
A: About 135 [kilograms (298 pounds)].
Q: Typical weight on fight night?
A: Fight night, I’m usually about 125 (275 pounds).
Q: Favorite post-weight cut meal?
A: I don’t have a favorite, but the last few times I’ve been doing Italian and pasta and pizza. I think I’m just more excited to eat anything (laughs).
Q: Favorite fight of yours from your regional days?
A: I forget my fights, so I couldn’t really tell you, to be honest. I forget my record (laughs).
Q: Who in MMA do you most admire?
A: I admire Mark Hunt. He’s been a great role model for me, kind of took me in when I needed it, and he showed me the ropes. … Definitely someone I admire, especially for what he’s done in the fight business.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: I’ve got a couple. “Remember the Titans”. “Titanic” probably is up there.
Q: Favorite activity outside of fighting?
A: I love business, I love partying, and I love food.
Q: Favorite video game?
A: I don’t play games. I’ve never played games, really. | https://nypost.com/2022/08/31/ufc-paris-tai-tuivasa-opens-up-on-big-mess-in-heavyweight-division/ | 2022-08-31T12:40:22Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/08/31/ufc-paris-tai-tuivasa-opens-up-on-big-mess-in-heavyweight-division/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Devastating Pakistan floods likely have climate change ties
Large parts of Pakistan's Sindh and Balochistan provinces are inundated by floodwaters, with normally dry land transformed into lakes when viewed from space. More than 1,000 people are dead, and 33 million affected after about eight weeks of heavy monsoonal rains.
The big picture: The scale and severity of this event are staggering, with the area and population affected exceeding the severity of disastrous flooding seen in 2010, which cost about $10 billion.
- Fahad Saeed, a climate scientist at Climate Analytics who is based in Islamabad, told Axios that the floods have likely been worsened by human-caused climate change.
- The 2010 extreme rains fell over the course of just three days, and hit a different part of the country, Saeed said, whereas this event was caused by relentless waves of heavy rains from the South Asian monsoon, which have been unusually prolific.
- In Sindh Province, where Karachi is located, August precipitation has averaged about 470% of normal, with some spots seeing 40 inches or more since July 1, while in Balochistan, the rain during the past month has reached 400% of average, Saeed said, citing Pakistani government figures.
Threat level: Climate studies warn of back-to-back extreme weather events due to human-caused global warming, and Pakistan is Exhibit A.
- Pakistan experienced a deadly heat wave in March and April that sent temperatures soaring above 120°F.
- The heat wave compromised the country’s wheat crop, and the floods will further lower wheat yields at a time when food staples are harder to come by due to the Ukraine war. Pakistan may be turning to Russia for imported wheat to supplement its low supplies.
- A study Saeed coauthored in May showed that human-caused climate change made the heat wave at least 30 times more likely and upwards of 1°C (1.8°F) hotter on average than it would have been in the absence of human emissions of greenhouse gasses.
Between the lines: As temperatures warm, the air can hold more moisture — about 7% more for each 1°C increase in temperature. The monsoon gathers moisture from the Bay of Bengal and focuses it on certain areas via clusters of thunderstorms.
- Within these storms, the climate-change-related increase in moisture can be a lot higher than the 7% increase would suggest, as they draw warm, moist air from vast distances and concentrate it over smaller areas.
- Additionally, research shows that climate change is likely to make the Asian monsoon more variable, with heavier rainfall during active years.
- “Climate change must be playing a role,” Saeed said of the ongoing flooding.
The intrigue: Pakistan contributes less than 1% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, yet is experiencing some of its most severe impacts.
- The estimated 1 million houses destroyed in the flooding, for example, were occupied by people who had a very low carbon footprint compared to the average American or European citizen.
- “Those who are stranded at the moment,” on the roofs of their houses, Saeed said, “They had nothing to contribute to climate change and still they are there, under the open skies.”
Of note: The floods are hitting at a particularly vulnerable time, with turmoil in Pakistan's government, and an economic crisis that may make recovery more difficult.
- Pakistan is also a vulnerable country to climate change-enhanced disasters, rating among the top 10 most vulnerable nations to long-term climate risks by the Global Climate Risk Index.
What they’re saying: The growing consequences of climate change and limited infrastructure and preparedness have left millions of Pakistanis devastated and in need of support," Farah Naureen, country director for Pakistan with the aid group Mercy Corps, in a statement.
- “It may take the country years to recover from a disaster of this scale,” Naureen added.
What’s next: One of the expected flash points at the upcoming U.N. climate summit in Egypt in November will be the topic of “loss and damage,” which refers to the developed world’s responsibility to compensate developing countries for the damage they incur from climate change.
- Pakistan will chair the main alliance of developing countries at those talks, and the heat wave combined with these floods is likely to add a sense of urgency to these discussions.
- Historically, industrialized countries including the U.S. have been reluctant to discuss and unwilling to commit to direct financial payments for developing countries’ climate change-related losses. | https://www.axios.com/2022/08/31/pakistan-floods-unprecedented-scope-severity | 2022-08-31T12:41:22Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/2022/08/31/pakistan-floods-unprecedented-scope-severity | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
1 hour ago - News
Austin FC aims for historic turnaround
Every MLS team has played between 26 and 29 games of their 34-game schedule entering tonight's full slate. In other words, we've entered the stretch run.
- Austin FC, coming off a huge win against their rival, is sitting pretty.
Where it stands: The top seven in each conference make the playoffs, with the No. 1 seeds earning a first-round bye. And with 39 days to go in the regular season, each conference's top two teams look more than capable of winning the Supporters' Shield (best record). Austin is in the Western Conference.
- LAFC (West, 57 points): They're the only team who've clinched the playoffs, but have dropped two straight games, including one to Austin FC — the club chasing them in the West.
- Austin FC (West, 51): What a turnaround. A year after making their MLS debut with a thud (fourth-worst record), Austin is playing inspired soccer, led by Sebastián Driussi, their can't-miss Argentine forward, who leads the league in scoring.
What's next: Austin hosts Portland at 8pm Wednesday at Q2 Stadium.
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Stage 773 in Lakeview transforms into WHIM Chicago
👋 Hey, it's Monica. I recently got news that local artists have transformed Stage 773 in Lakeview into WHIM Chicago, an "Immersive. Cocktail. Experience."
- Finding the description confusing, I naturally accepted a press invitation to check it out.
What's happening: My partner Colin and I stepped in wearing masks and feeling a bit like the couple in "Eyes Wide Shut."
- A nice hostess welcomed us to a bar and lounge right out of "Alice in Wonderland."
The drinks: Colin waited in line for 20 minutes to score a Chain Smoker cocktail (mezcal, tequila reposado, bitters, agave syrup) and a beer.
Meanwhile, I strolled around, Instagramming the stunning decor, including:
- A constellation of action figures.
- A door arch made of a dozen-plus stacked chairs.
- A bathroom hallway painted in an Edvard Munch and Vincent Van Gogh style.
- A flock of paper airplanes.
- And a grass-lined clock cave.
The entertainment: WHIM also features an adjacent theater, which hosted a colorful drag revue the night of our visit.
- The rotating lineup features Thursday Karaoke Nights.
What's next: WHIM representatives say they plan to add more than 30 "spaces that awaken your imagination" in coming months.
The bottom line: For now, WHIM offers delicious cocktails, intensely Instagrammable set pieces and vibrant entertainment, to boot.
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Houston and Harris County building bike path to the rodeo
A new shared-use path on the south side will make it easier to bike to NRG Stadium, just in time for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo next year, KPRC reports.
Driving the news: The city is working with Harris County Precinct 1 to construct a 10-foot-wide path along Almeda Road between Old Spanish Trail and Holly Hall Street south of the Texas Medical Center.
- A 10-foot-wide path currently exists between the Brays Bayou Greenway and Old Spanish Trail.
- The addition will extend the route about a mile to Holly Hall, which has its own off-street path that dead ends at the stadium's east entrance.
Why it matters: Biking to NRG Stadium is treacherous with virtually no safe infrastructure for cyclists in the vicinity.
- With the new connection, cyclists with access to the Brays Bayou Greenway can safely pedal off-street.
The new path should be finished in early 2023.
Yes, but: Navigating the complex itself might be a bit daunting since the Holly Hall path spits you out into a massive parking lot.
- Hopefully, we'll see more bike racks at NRG Park in 2023!
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Get a free daily digest of the most important news in your backyard with Axios Houston. | https://www.axios.com/local/houston/2022/08/31/nrg-bike-path-almeda-rodeo | 2022-08-31T12:42:36Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/local/houston/2022/08/31/nrg-bike-path-almeda-rodeo | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
1 hour ago - News
Finding an 80-year-old typo in Houston
I have a penchant for spotting wayfinding typos on Houston streets, and this decades-old road sign near my apartment is my next target.
Catch up quick: Houston has thousands of concrete pillars marking street corners all around the city that were installed in the 1940s during the Oscar Holcombe administration.
- Holcombe announced the initiative in November 1940, according to a transcript of the speech.
- "Houston has needed badly a complete marking of our streets," Holcombe said in the radio address. "I am happy to announce that the Washington government has finally approved my plan for installing within the next few weeks 5,000 concrete markers for our streets."
- Houston Public Works claims Holcombe wanted the pillars to be installed because the city's famed blue tiles, installed sometime before 1930, were too dirty to read.
Reality check: Calumet Street doesn't contain the letter N.
- Yet, the pillar at the corner of Calumet and Jackson reads "Calument" instead of "Calumet."
The bottom line: This appears to be the only pillar on the street with the misspelling.
- Having existed nearly 80 years, I don't imagine the typo will be corrected any time soon.
Have you spotted a typo in your neighborhood? Show me! Email [email protected].
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Lee updates school safety efforts
Gov. Bill Lee's strategy to improve school safety has been to engage parents, train police officers and ramp up security checks at schools across the state.
Why it matters: Lee's school strategy, unveiled in June via an executive order, is a template for Republican leaders looking to prevent school shootings without implementing stricter gun laws.
- Lee's administration provided an update Tuesday on how its safety plan, released in the wake of the Uvalde school shooting, is going.
By the numbers: The governor's office said more than 10,000 residents are using the SafeTN smartphone app, which allows parents to confidentially report school safety concerns.
- Every Tennessee school — 1,838 in total — has completed a safety assessment, and 104 of the state's 147 school districts have participated in new safety training, according to the administration.
- Frequent unannounced checks have also taken place to test if school doors latch and if other precautions are in place, the administration says.
State of play: A key tenant of Lee's school safety plan is improving police officer training on how to respond to a mass shooting event.
- Updated training has been provided to more than 600 school resource officers, according to Lee's office.
What he's saying: "Nothing is more important than the safety of our children, and I thank Tennesseans for doing their part as we continue our coordinated effort to protect students and teachers across the state," Lee said in a press release.
What's next: Parents and schools will soon have access to a new school safety resource and engagement guide, Lee's office says.
- Schools will also receive updated building security standards. And law enforcement will be supported through improved recruitment and continued training efforts.
The other side: State Rep. John Ray Clemmons, a Nashville Democrat, says the state should focus on gun reform.
- Clemmons has called for a pause on gun sales without background checks and for laws that punish people whose firearms are stolen from unlocked vehicles.
- "Tennessee families deserve more than an app and our children shouldn't be made to feel like they're entering a maximum security prison just to feel safe in their classrooms," Clemmons tells Axios.
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BOISE, Idaho — Lunchtime on the first day of school at Mountain View Elementary earlier this month brought the familiar bustle of students scurrying to find their assigned table in the cafeteria while administrators checked trays and lunch bags to make sure everyone had something to eat.
Many brought their own sack lunches this school year, because unlike the last two, not every child is eligible for free meals provided by the school.
During the pandemic, schools were able to provide meals for free to kids regardless of income as a part of COVID-19 assistance passed by Congress to reduce food insecurity. This meant that nationally, an estimated 10 million kids who would have previously paid for school meals were able to get them free. But Congress did not agree to provide universal free lunches for a third school year.
About 30% of the student population here qualifies for free or reduced lunch, mirroring data from the whole Boise School District system. But the other 70% are now responsible for paying their own way for breakfast and lunch.
"The biggest challenge is going to be on the children," said Christy Smith, supervisor of the Food and Nutrition Services at the Boise School District. "Regardless of income, there are children who are hungry because children face obstacles to accessing nourishing food at home and those are the kids that are going to suffer the most."
Nationwide, families across all income levels are feeling the strain of high food, gas, housing and utility costs. And Congress' decision to not extend a pandemic benefit that provided free meals to all students regardless of need will soon hit the pocketbooks of parents and provide new challenges for schools still grappling to return to normal.
"We are not on the edge, but our grocery budget could not afford $7.50 a day [for her kids' school lunches] five days a week," said Vanessa Gamma, a mother of three attending Mountain View. "It would just be not something that even not on the edge we could afford."
School meal prices challenge parents and educators
The Boise School District, like others across the country, is preparing to raise the prices of meals in its elementary schools by 10 cents this academic year in order to combat rising food and labor costs.
"Our families in Boise can't afford even a modest price increase," Smith said. "Boise's become a very expensive place to live and even 10 cents sounds modest, but that's a lot of money to families who can't pay their bills right now and don't qualify for free or reduced-price meals."
Across the country, lunchtime can cost parents upwards of $5 per school meal.
In nearby West Ada — Idaho's largest school district, where only 14% of the student population fully qualifies for free and reduced-price meals — prices will increase by 30 cents.
Shannon McCarthy Beasley, West Ada's school nutrition supervisor, is on a mission to get as many kids as possible to buy the schools' hot, fresh and, most importantly she says, nutritious, meals.
"I have this challenge of convincing families my meals are better. My meals are better than what you can pack," said McCarthy Beasley. "And I am up for that challenge."
Advocates like McCarthy Beasley say school meals are often some of the healthiest that many students have access to because of the nutrition requirements behind every dish served. In order to streamline the process, West Ada has created a QR code families can scan and use to fill out the applications to see if they qualify for free or reduced-price meals. But that final bill is still a challenge.
"A mom and dad making $15 an hour with a family of three — they don't qualify," McCarthy Beasley said.
The challenges to pivot back to a pre-pandemic system are felt across the country as schools work to reach all parents, hire additional staff members to collect meal money in lunch lines and prepare to return to tracking the finances of each child.
"As much as we all would like to go back to normal into a pre-COVID world, we're just not there," said Lisa Davis, senior vice president of Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry campaign. "Staffing shortages are impacting school nutrition departments across the country and the supply chain continues to be a mess. Food price inflation is increasing significantly, and so school meal programs continue to have to continue to face a lot of challenges and juggle a lot of different dynamics."
Federal rules add to the challenges
When Congress created the ability for schools to give universal free meals, it did so by allowing the Agriculture Department, the federal agency that governs what and how is served at school, to waive certain federal requirements. Lawmakers waived requirements for schools to provide free lunch based on need, nutrition requirements for the food served and requirements that meals needed to be served in congregate settings, like cafeterias.
All of those waivers were set to expire on June 30.
Two of them were recently extended. But Senate Republicans balked at the cost of providing universal free meals for another year, and as part of the final compromise, Democrats agreed to drop it from the package.
This means all schools will go back to requiring that families pay the full price for each meal if they do not qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
In order to qualify, families must meet income requirements that are the same across the country. For the 2022-2023 school year a family of four must make less than $51,338 to qualify for reduced-price meals and $36,075 to qualify for free meals.
But each school district sets its own school meal prices, and those can significantly vary, as can the cost of living — not just within states but from state to state, which the income requirements don't account for.
"I've already received an unprecedented number of requests from families to reconsider their denial for meal benefits after they submitted an application," said Smith of the Boise School District. "And of course, that's not something that we have control over. It is heart-wrenching."
In Colorado, some schools are raising their meal prices by 50 cents. For families with multiple kids, it adds up.
Sarah Kremmerling is a mother of two in Boulder, Colo., and her family has qualified for free lunches on and off over the years. For both kids, her monthly bill could total upwards of $200 if they were to eat at school every day.
"I fill out the application every year, but the only time I've been able to qualify for them is usually when I'm working like almost less than part-time — like I really can't be working at all to qualify for them," Kremmerling said. "I just think that's kind of crazy when you look at, like, the price of living."
Mary Rochelle, who works as the program, events and grant coordinator at the Food Services Department of the Boulder Valley School District, said her district is scrambling to hire employees to help students purchase the meals as opposed to just being able to hand them a tray for food.
Lawmakers waited until just days before all the waivers expired on June 30 to pass the bill that extended some waivers but left free school meals out. Congressional delay in extending, or not extending, pandemic school meal waivers also hindered schools' ability to plan.
"There was a lot of talk and a lot of hope that the universal meals would be extended and we weren't really sure how much we should tell parents free meals are definitely ending because we felt like we weren't given a clear answer until June and our school year ends the end of May," Rochelle said.
The universal school meal debate resumes
Even before the pandemic, progressives, food and nutrition advocates were pushing for a universal school meal system that would offer school meals to students regardless of income. Advocates said the existing system of having three categories of pricing results in burdensome application processes, stigmatizes students who receive free meals and can cause families to carry lunch debt.
"We also have seen kids who were eligible for free school meals kind of slipped through the cracks and not get certified either because they were missed in direct certification or there were literacy or language barriers to the school meal application," said Crystal FitzSimons, director of school and out of school time programs at the Food Research and Action Center.
Some states have taken their own action. California, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada and Vermont have passed legislation or rules to allow all students in their states to receive free meals this upcoming school year. Others have legislation pending in statehouses.
"There's a lot of innovation happening in communities and at the state level. I think where the conversation gets stuck is at the federal level," said Davis. "And a big part of that is because the discussions again are all around price tags and offsets through that very narrow lens."
On the Hill, Democrats and Republicans are still divided. Some progressives have introduced legislation that would provide free meals, but GOP members argue the price tag would be too high and that free meals is an assistance program that should be targeted.
"Congress never intended to provide universal free breakfast and lunches to all K-12 students regardless of need," said Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., during a floor speech debating the waiver extensions in June. She favored the bill because the free meals would be extended by only one year, not longer. "By returning these programs back to normal we can return our responsibility to taxpayers and the principle that aid should be targeted and temporary."
Many education, hunger and nutrition groups have asked the White House to recommend that Congress implement universal school meals as a part of the broader list of recommendations expected to come out of the conference on hunger, nutrition and health next month. But until then, schools will need to adjust for the foreseeable future — whether or not they or families are ready.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.klcc.org/npr-politics/npr-politics/2022-08-25/as-students-go-back-to-school-many-face-a-lunch-bill-for-the-first-time-in-2-years | 2022-08-31T12:43:24Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-politics/npr-politics/2022-08-25/as-students-go-back-to-school-many-face-a-lunch-bill-for-the-first-time-in-2-years | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
A partial shutdown of the subway system in Boston is challenging commuters. The second busiest line on the T, as it's called, has stopped running. The Orange Line's closed for repairs after a series of accidents. As NPR's Tovia Smith reports, that's created confusion and delays.
TOVIA SMITH, BYLINE: Boston loves to boast about all its firsts - the nation's first public park, first lighthouse and first subway system built in the late 1800s. But age is not always an asset.
MARK REPPUCCI: Since I was a kid, they're still using - I'm 50 years old - they're still using the same Orange Line. That's why we're in this mess.
SMITH: Mark Reppucci is one of many commuters frustrated by long-deferred updates of Boston's aging transit system.
REPPUCCI: They just got a bunch of banana heads running the transportation. They don't know what they're doing.
SMITH: Safety concerns came to a head recently after a spate of crashes and accidents, two of them fatal. Last month, riders had to jump from a train that caught fire on a bridge. One jumped into the river below.
ROBERT THOMAS: It's psychologically damaging because you think, is this the day that something's going to happen because it's happening so often?
SMITH: Commuter Robert Thomas says he had his own scare when two trains collided last year.
THOMAS: I almost got hit by the train. I jumped out the way for that crash.
SMITH: The Federal Transit Administration is now investigating T's safety. T officials say the shutdown is enabling them to replace tracks and upgrade systems to improve safety ASAP instead of over five years of nights and weekends, an unprecedented move that Mayor Michelle Wu had been calling for.
MICHELLE WU: We can no longer tolerate just trying to fix things up here or there. It is time to talk about just ripping the Band-Aid off and taking drastic action.
SMITH: But the improvements come at a price.
PRINCESS OLOWU: Oh, my God. I'm not going to get to the appointments.
SMITH: On board one of the shuttle buses running in lieu of the Orange Line, Princess Olowu was running late despite allowing four hours for a trip that should take one. Newly hired shuttle bus drivers also needed direction this week...
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: Go ahead there. No. No. Go. Go.
SMITH: ...Some as confused as commuters like Robert Thomas.
THOMAS: They shut the Green Line down, so I would have to get on the 66 to the Orange Line. But now the Orange Line shut down, so now I have to come to the shuttle bus. And then I get to the shuttle bus and it takes me to another shuttle bus. I'm like, wait. What?
KAMMA SADLER: People need to just keep their cool.
SMITH: Kamma Sadler was one of many urging patience and calm. Seth Brown agrees the inconvenience is short-term pain for long-term gain.
SETH BROWN: In order to progress, we should be willing to roll with the punches.
SMITH: The real test of the shuttle system will come as summer ends and streets and trains fill back up. Officials say staffing shortages require service reductions through the fall, and some are balking at what they call a disproportionate impact of it all on communities of color. T officials say the good news is the work is on track to finish on time, though many in boston remain skeptical.
THOMAS: There's no way this is going to be over by September 19. If this is over by Christmas, I'll eat my hat.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
MYSTIC RIVER RAMBLERS: (Singing) Will it ever return? It may never return.
SMITH: Many Bostonians are hoping humor helps them through their transit travails...
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
MYSTIC RIVER RAMBLERS: (Singing) Through the streets of Boston...
SMITH: ...From this performance at a T station to Civil War-style dispatches from the front tweeted by commuter Brian Estabrook.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
BRIAN ESTABROOK: I fear we have not seen a disaster of this magnitude since Fredericksburg.
SMITH: His latest came after two construction vehicles, enlisted to prevent future train derailments, actually derailed themselves.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
ESTABROOK: Father, our daring campaign commences, and with it setbacks. Derailments have already reared their ugly head.
SMITH: Faith in the T's command is waning, Estabrook says. He'd desert the T if he could, but he needs it to get to work. Tovia Smith, NPR News, Boston. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/npr-top-stories/2022-08-25/boston-t-riders-lament-over-the-subway-shutdowns-for-repairs | 2022-08-31T12:44:21Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/npr-top-stories/2022-08-25/boston-t-riders-lament-over-the-subway-shutdowns-for-repairs | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Top news and notes from around Northern Virginia and beyond.
5. Now a Titan
Woodbridge High School graduate Da’Shawn Hand has made the Tennessee Titans' 53-man roster.
4. I-495 shooting
State police investigators say they have identified and are looking for the car involved in an Aug. 25 shooting at a passing motorist on Interstate 495.
3. Less hot and humid
It will be sunny and less humid today with highs near 85. Click here for a detailed forecast by ZIP code.
2. Athlete scholar
Oluwadamilola “Dami” Awofisayo of Woodbridge is one of 20 students selected to the 2021-2022 class of Foot Locker Scholar Athletes.
1. No tax
Virginia will not tax as income student loans forgiven under a new plan announced by President Joe Biden last week, according to representatives of two state agencies.
InsideOut
Mount Vernon's Colonial Market and Fair is coming up Sept. 17 and 18. Experience an 18th century market place with live music, food and more than 40 juried artisans demonstrating their trades and selling their creations. Click here for details. | https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/infive-dashawn-hand-to-the-titans-i-495-shooting-update-and-less-humid-today/article_ae5c3826-291a-11ed-8596-db61f85e8785.html | 2022-08-31T12:44:27Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/infive-dashawn-hand-to-the-titans-i-495-shooting-update-and-less-humid-today/article_ae5c3826-291a-11ed-8596-db61f85e8785.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
Today trigger laws will tighten abortion restrictions in three states that already have abortion bans in place. Tennessee and Idaho will move from banning the procedure after about six weeks to near-total prohibitions. Texas will make it a felony to provide or attempt to provide an abortion with a possible punishment of life in prison. In all, at least 14 states now have severe restrictions on abortion. UC Davis law professor Mary Ziegler is here to help us understand this patchwork of restrictions. Thanks for joining us again.
MARY ZIEGLER: Thanks for having me.
SHAPIRO: All right. As we mentioned, these three states already had some kind of abortion ban in place, and now these trigger laws are going to add to those restrictions. So how much is this practically going to change things for people who might want to end a pregnancy in Tennessee, Idaho and Texas?
ZIEGLER: Well, in a big-picture sense, there's already virtually very little access to abortion in these states. On the other hand, there have been clinics that have been open that will close. And many of these laws actually are more restrictive in the sense that they either impose earlier gestational bans or they enhance criminal and civil penalties, which will have some kind of effect on some people seeking abortion early in pregnancy, and it'll also have an effect on doctors performing emergency care that's sort of adjacent to abortion who may be more affected or at least more concerned about these enhanced penalties that some of the trigger laws prescribe.
SHAPIRO: In Texas, the advanced penalties include life in prison and a $100,000 fine. How out of step with the rest of the country is that, or is that pretty consistent with what we're seeing in other states?
ZIEGLER: Well, we've seen the country, I think, kind of roughly divided in the sense that there are a number of states - roughly half - that have some kind of ban that's kicking in and the rest of the country that either has later gestational limits in places, for example, like Florida, or places that are actually moving in the other direction and guaranteeing access to abortion or protecting providers and others from criminal or civil consequences from out of state. So I think this is a situation where the country is sort of dividing into conventional kind of blue and red pockets on the one hand. But then when you look deeper at what actually voters seem to prefer, the picture is much more complicated, and you see a lot of states that fall somewhere in the middle, where voters would probably prefer something very different from the kind of bans we're seeing.
SHAPIRO: Do these new restrictions in Tennessee, Idaho and Texas have exceptions to save the life of the mother or in cases of rape or incest?
ZIEGLER: The Texas law prohibits abortion except in life-threatening - well, it essentially has exceptions for life and severe health conditions. Tennessee's is similar, other than it kind of is unusual in the sense that it actually forces a doctor who's being prosecuted for abortion to prove that an abortion was lifesaving. Idaho's law also lacks exceptions, and it's worth emphasizing that the - other than this kind of life exception that's extremely narrow and being challenged by the Biden administration - and the Idaho GOP, going forward, has staked out the position that there should be no exceptions whatsoever. But that's not what we're seeing in the current trigger law.
SHAPIRO: We've also seen some movement in the opposite direction. Voters in Kansas earlier this month defeated a ballot measure that would have stripped abortion protections from the Constitution. In Nebraska, abortion rights opponents did not have enough votes to pass a ban. How do you put those moves into context with the states we've been talking about that are ratcheting up penalties and restrictions?
ZIEGLER: Well, I think there is sometimes a disconnect between partisan politics and how voters feel directly about abortion. We don't have perfect polling on this, but the best polling we have, according to The New York Times' Upshot, would suggest that maybe in about 16 states, a majority of voters would actually want something like a ban on abortion, including many of the ones that are putting bans into effect at the moment, including, for example, Tennessee.
But in other states, it's simply seems to be the case that voters have stronger preferences for Republican lawmakers than they have antipathy to abortion bans. But that means, one, that when you go directly to voters, you may get a different answer, as we saw in Kansas and, two, that there are Republicans in some states who have some trepidation about bans when they know that voters in their states might not want them, which is what I think you see in Nebraska. By contrast, in some of these states with trigger laws, Republicans there, I think, are secure enough in the partisan lean of their states that they don't think they're going to pay a price, even in some cases where voters may not actually prefer a ban, all things being equal.
SHAPIRO: Since the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade in the Dobbs decision, we have seen a series of states with trigger laws take effect, overcome court challenges. Are we pretty much at the end of the line now? Is that most of them?
ZIEGLER: That is most of them. We're waiting, again, to see how Idaho's medical emergency exception will come into play - if the courts are going to side with the Biden administration and say that it's too narrow. And of course, it's worth emphasizing that, you know, trigger laws aren't the end of the road here. Some states are in special session on abortion. Other states are poised to address abortion when they resume regular legislative seasons and are considering a broad array of other measures, including things addressing interstate travel, abortion medication. So trigger laws are really just the first wave of what we're likely to see, not the end.
SHAPIRO: That's Mary Ziegler, Martin Luther King professor of law at UC Davis. Thank you very much.
ZIEGLER: Thanks for having me. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/npr-top-stories/2022-08-25/trigger-laws-in-now-14-states-place-further-restrictions-and-punishments-on-abortion | 2022-08-31T12:44:27Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/npr-top-stories/2022-08-25/trigger-laws-in-now-14-states-place-further-restrictions-and-punishments-on-abortion | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Oluwadamilola “Dami” Awofisayo of Woodbridge is one of 20 students selected to the 2021-2022 class of Foot Locker Scholar Athletes.
Awofisayo fell in love with technology while attending Thomas Jefferson High School, the regional magnet school in Fairfax County. She joined science and technology organizations designed for women and participated in hackathons – events that bring techies together and challenge them to design software projects on a time crunch.
Her applications to join some hackathons were rejected so she inspected the hackathon communities and noticed lots of inequities – especially with gender. Awofisayo responded by founding her own virtual hackathon, TecHacks, for high school and college female and non-binary students.
“That rejection pushed me to take an outsider’s perspective of the community and see if there’s anything I can provide as a Black woman and student in these spaces that hasn’t been there before,” she said.
Awofisayo tries to make diverse perspectives accessible and bountiful, “because sometimes they’re so few and far between,” she said.
She represented her school in the Student Equity Ambassador Leader program and became familiar with other schools’ equity groups and brought their lessons back to Thomas Jefferson by founding the Student Equity Coalition.
“[We] focus on the multidimensional aspects and identities that our school has and make sure that everybody not only feels seen, recognized and valued but also that everyone else understands the value of equity,” she said.
Awofisayo has also created a handful of apps that combat inequities by expanding on social goods. One of the apps uses hand detection to teach users American Sign Language. Another helps to combat food waste by targeting amateur planters. They’re all in the prototype stage, but she wants to start an initiative focused around one of those projects using her scholarships.
She explored the Foot Locker Scholarship because she said sports contribute to building character. Awofisayo credits playing basketball for her mentality. She didn’t start playing until high school, so she had to put in the work to catch up. Her freshman team was undefeated in their district for the first time in a long time and she made varsity the following year.
She was team captain last year. “With sports I was able to understand the importance of a person and their contribution to any initiative doesn’t have to be a flashy thing. You look and [ask], what does this need and how can I best use or learn abilities to solve that?”
Awofisayo is entering Duke University this fall as a Robertson Scholar and has a cushion of coverage with the additional $20,000 from the Foot Locker Scholarship. As is the goal of the scholarship, she is motivated to use the financial freedom to spend her time on projects.
“I’m interested in that entrepreneurship and innovation that comes with coding, but also how I can use these skills for social good. There are a lot of inequities in this world,” she said. For the next four years and beyond, she will be working to address them. | https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/woodbridge-student-wins-foot-locker-scholarship/article_7b904552-2917-11ed-9109-bb56ed801412.html | 2022-08-31T12:44:33Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/woodbridge-student-wins-foot-locker-scholarship/article_7b904552-2917-11ed-9109-bb56ed801412.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:
In these coming days, many kids and educators will return to public school classrooms for the first time since the deadly shooting at Robb Elementary School, the shooting that left 19 children and two teachers dead. And in Uvalde, the school year will begin without one leader who's been widely criticized for the police response to the shooting. Well, our co-host, Juana Summers, is part of a team reporting in Uvalde all this week on how families are navigating this moment. Hey, Juana.
JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
Hey there.
KELLY: So I was thinking it's - incredibly, it's been three months since the shooting in May at Robb Elementary School. What does it feel like in that town right now?
SUMMERS: Well, it's clearly a community that's still grieving. Restaurants and shops still have Uvalde strong signs on display. And there are these beautiful murals. They are portraits of the victims, and they're still being painted on the sides of downtown buildings. And the new school year is about to start. But as city manager Vince DiPiazza told us when we spoke yesterday, it's only been three months, and that is just not a long time.
KELLY: No. And you mentioned the families, of course, still have questions. Investigators still have a ton of questions, trying to figure out what happened with the police response that day. Where do those questions stand?
SUMMERS: Well, families tell us that they want accountability and more clarity about why it took so long for law enforcement to respond. And as you mentioned, there are investigations in their response, multiple investigations. Parents also say they want to know more about how the school district plans to improve security. And last night there was a big development. The school board voted unanimously to fire School District Police Chief Pete Arredondo. There had been a lot of pressure on the school board to terminate him. He's been criticized for not ordering officers to act sooner. Now, his lawyer did dispute that in a 17-page statement ahead of the meeting. But since that vote happened, we have not heard any further response from either Arredondo or his attorney.
KELLY: That must have been some school board meeting. Was it open to the public? Were y'all there?
SUMMERS: It was open to the public. There is a large presence of media and a lot of family members of these victims and survivors in that room. And it was, frankly, very emotional. As the board met in private session out of view for about 90 minutes, these parents and these family members - they took up the microphone, and they started sharing stories about the people they've lost. And they also called for action. After the meeting was over and the vote had been held, our producer Jonaki Mehta spoke with Barbara Miller, who is the grandaunt of Maranda Mathis, one of the students who was killed.
BARBARA MILLER: Well, it's a step in the right direction to getting things better fixed for the school system, their safety, their protection because you can't have someone that can't do the job.
SUMMERS: And, Mary Louise, we've also been speaking to the family of Noah Orona. He was shot but survived the shooting. And after the meeting ended, we ran into his mother, Jessica, and she told us she was shocked that Arredondo had been fired because it had taken so long for anything to happen. And so I asked her what she wants to happen next.
JESSICA ORONA: Everyone that was there on May 24 at the Robb shooting should be replaced. I don't see that, you know, them coming back for this school year would put anybody at ease.
KELLY: I can just hear so much pain still there. Tell me...
SUMMERS: Yeah.
KELLY: ...What other stories you have planned, who else you're talking to these coming days.
SUMMERS: Families here are just facing impossible choices. Some kids are still too scared to go back inside a classroom, and some parents do not trust the school district to keep their kids safe. Yuri DeLuna has two sons, Emmanuel and Eloyd (ph), and she's homeschooling both of them this year. Eloyd used to go to Robb Elementary, though he was not a student there when the shooting happened. And when we were at their home here, Yuri pointed us to the navy blue air mattress that sits near her front door.
YURI DELUNA: He's scared of windows, so his bed's high. So he won't sleep in his room. He thinks he'll get shot at.
SUMMERS: You'll hear more from her family and others about their worries but also their hopes for this coming school year.
KELLY: That's our co-host Juana Summers in Uvalde, Texas. Thank you so much for sharing this and all the reporting y'all are going to bring us from this week.
SUMMERS: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/npr-top-stories/2022-08-25/uvalde-families-are-grappling-with-1st-school-year-since-deadly-shooting | 2022-08-31T12:44:33Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/npr-top-stories/2022-08-25/uvalde-families-are-grappling-with-1st-school-year-since-deadly-shooting | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The bedraggled old skunk lumbered past me as I was loading my dogs into the car. He showed no interest in the lone human and three elderly canines in his path. He was on a mission. He followed the concrete curb with his nose until he reached the culvert under the street, and disappeared into its depths.
He was looking for a new home.
• • •
“Home sweet home.” Our society pays homage to it on embroidered pillows, painted signs and carved wooden plaques. Whether it is a cattle ranch in Wyoming, a condominium in Florida, a split-level in Fairfax or a tent under a bridge in a homeless encampment, “home” is seen as a refuge, a place to escape from the outside world, a sanctuary.
The peace of our homes can be threatened by natural forces. But peace also can be threatened by forces we have power to control. And in our zeal to achieve what we view as “progress,” we can ignore even something as important to us as the sanctity of the home.
For those who live in the path of the Interstate 66 Outside the Beltway project, “home” has given way to that progress. And “sanctuary” has been the victim.
• • •
The new I-66 is an open wound that stretches for miles through the midsection of Fairfax County. It towers over what once were quiet suburban neighborhoods like an enormous, many-tentacled concrete monster. Sound walls, ostensibly constructed to protect nearby homes from the noise of the highway, instead have encased them in a concrete tunnel that extends from one neighborhood to the next. Homes that in the past had a pleasant view from their decks now face a blank wall with no redeeming aesthetic value and questionable sound-reducing capabilities.
If home is so important to us all, how does this happen?
Before I-66 construction began, VDOT sponsored many public meetings where young VDOT employees earnestly explained impressive displays of maps and charts and assured attendees that the interests of the residents were being carefully considered.
Every meeting featured a public-comment period presided over by a VDOT panel. Comments were a formality to be endured; the panel members tried to look interested, but the glazed look in their eyes conveyed a different message. The impending plight of the people in the highway’s path did not interest them. They had already prepared a report for the federal Department of Transportation stating that the project had “no significant impact on the human environment.”
• • •
My neighbors and I, like all homeowners along the path of the construction, have suffered for more than three years. Skunks were our early warning. They appeared everywhere, like refugees from a sinking ship. Some found refuge under patios and porches. Some were found dead. Some were trapped and relocated. And some, like my friend on the curb, looked for new homes.
• • •
These peaceful creatures had been living in contented obscurity in the woods next to the neighborhood. Then the bulldozers arrived. In only a few days, hundreds of trees, underbrush, and wildflowers fell to the voracious blades. By the time they had finished their task, there was nothing left but a huge, gaping, muddy hole. The woods were gone. The skunks’ homes were gone, too. How many of them had survived to find a new place to live?
• • •
The next time you drive on I-66, wondering whether you will get to your destination a few minutes faster than before, think of the thousands of trees and other vegetation, cut down, bulldozed, and carried away.
Think of the old skunk, looking for the peaceful, safe home he once had.
And think of the human victims. Homeowners who purchased their dream homes years ago, attracted to the peace and serenity of the Fairfax suburban landscape. Homeowners who once had a pleasant vista from their decks, and now look out on the ugly expanse of a sound wall. Homeowners who once had a back yard, and now have less of it. Homeowners who lost countless hours of sleep. Homeowners who endured three years or more of noise, dust and dynamite blasts, watching their sylvan landscape disappear under tons of concrete and gravel.
These are the people who, VDOT declared, would “suffer no significant impact” from the project.
They are the true heroes of I-66. They had to give up the sanctity of their homes for you.
[https://sungazette.news provides content to, but otherwise is unaffiliated with, InsideNoVa or Rappahannock Media LLC.] | https://www.insidenova.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/commentary-i-66-project-wasnt-healthy-for-humans-or-wildlife/article_26533158-291c-11ed-a0c6-0311c82c6263.html | 2022-08-31T12:44:39Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/commentary-i-66-project-wasnt-healthy-for-humans-or-wildlife/article_26533158-291c-11ed-a0c6-0311c82c6263.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
This is the revamped version of the report on private employment from ADP. The new philosophy of the report is that it's less designed to predict non-farm payrolls and more designed to offer a view on the US jobs market. That's a bit of an admission of defeat but the pandemic and subsequent seasonal adjustments threw both reports into disarray.
In any case, the past two ADP numbers have been in the sort-of sweet spot. Not soft enough to spur recession fears but not strong enough to ramp up worries about wage 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 .
In terms of the market, the US dollar
US Dollar
The US dollar, (symbol $, code USD) is the fiat currency of the United States of America (USD) and the most widely traded currency globally. It was introduced into the US in the late 18th Century, with paper notes not being distributed until the following century. The US dollar, also informally known as the greenback, is the world’s most foremost reserve currency, due in large part to the importance of the US economy on the world stage. Once backed by gold (in the 1900’s), the USD is now a purely fiat currency, i.e. not backed by a physical commodity. The former gold standard aligned to the US dollar, made both gold and silver the legal-tender coinage of the USA, with the guarantee that 1 USD could be converted to one and a half grams of pure 24 carat gold. However, the gold link was eventually abolished by President Richard Nixon in 1971. Since the gold standard was cut, the US dollar has become the world’s number one reserve currency.This means foreign nations possess large amounts of their cash reserves in USD, accounting for approximately 65% of the world’s foreign exchange reserves.How to Trade the US Dollar?The US Dollar is traded in a variety of ways, most notably on the foreign exchange (forex) market versus other currencies; traded as pairs. Any retail broker offers exposure to the USD in many exchange pairs, given its popularity and liquidity. The USD is involved in the majority of the most traded forex pairs, such as the EUR/USD, the USD/JPY, the GBP/USD and the USD/CHF, known as the “four majors”, and the “commodity pairs”, i.e. AUD/USD, USD/CAD and the NZD/USD.
The US dollar, (symbol $, code USD) is the fiat currency of the United States of America (USD) and the most widely traded currency globally. It was introduced into the US in the late 18th Century, with paper notes not being distributed until the following century. The US dollar, also informally known as the greenback, is the world’s most foremost reserve currency, due in large part to the importance of the US economy on the world stage. Once backed by gold (in the 1900’s), the USD is now a purely fiat currency, i.e. not backed by a physical commodity. The former gold standard aligned to the US dollar, made both gold and silver the legal-tender coinage of the USA, with the guarantee that 1 USD could be converted to one and a half grams of pure 24 carat gold. However, the gold link was eventually abolished by President Richard Nixon in 1971. Since the gold standard was cut, the US dollar has become the world’s number one reserve currency.This means foreign nations possess large amounts of their cash reserves in USD, accounting for approximately 65% of the world’s foreign exchange reserves.How to Trade the US Dollar?The US Dollar is traded in a variety of ways, most notably on the foreign exchange (forex) market versus other currencies; traded as pairs. Any retail broker offers exposure to the USD in many exchange pairs, given its popularity and liquidity. The USD is involved in the majority of the most traded forex pairs, such as the EUR/USD, the USD/JPY, the GBP/USD and the USD/CHF, known as the “four majors”, and the “commodity pairs”, i.e. AUD/USD, USD/CAD and the NZD/USD.
Read this Term is largely unchanged after the data.
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW | https://www.forexlive.com/news/adp-june-us-employment-132k-vs-288k-expected-20220831/ | 2022-08-31T12:44:44Z | forexlive.com | control | https://www.forexlive.com/news/adp-june-us-employment-132k-vs-288k-expected-20220831/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
As students return to the classroom, the lingering impact of the pandemic and lost learning opportunities remain.
Pandemic-related missed learning impacts all students, but has a disproportionate impact on historically underserved students.
At Aspire! Afterschool Learning, students are entering our program much further behind previous cohorts. Our fifth-grade i-Ready data shows 72 percent of students testing two to three levels behind where they should be.
Our students know they are behind, and it gets harder to catch them up each year. At some point, students stop trying because they feel like failures. We need higher expectations, not just for historically underserved students, but for our entire community. We cannot give up on these students. We cannot abandon our expectations of who can catch up, learn or exceed.
Schools alone cannot do this work, and many parents are working multiple jobs and can’t afford private tutoring.
At Aspire Afterschool Learning, providing students most impacted by the opportunity gap with no-cost, robust and holistic after-school support is what we do every day. We know a community model works and invite you to join us in these solutions:
• Fund no-cost daily after-school and summer academic programs close to where families live, eliminating barriers that many low-income families face.
• Support and retain high-quality teachers and after-school professionals so students receive consistent support, instruction and encouragement.
• Ensure programs include robust academic support in reading and math, as well as social/emotional support so students are prepared to learn, meals so students can concentrate on learning, and project-based learning and STEAM [science, technology, engineering, art and math] lessons to apply their learning. Historically underserved students need access to the same opportunities that challenge their more affluent peers’ imagination, open doors to emerging fields, and develop a lifelong love of learning.
• Volunteer to help schools and after-school programs provide more individualized support.
[https://sungazette.news provides content to, but otherwise is unaffiliated with, InsideNoVa or Rappahannock Media LLC.] | https://www.insidenova.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/commentary-students-need-help-of-community-now-more-than-ever/article_43588d34-291c-11ed-8aab-471ccd16907f.html | 2022-08-31T12:44:45Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/commentary-students-need-help-of-community-now-more-than-ever/article_43588d34-291c-11ed-8aab-471ccd16907f.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
Tens of thousands of Afghans have moved to the U.S. since the U.S. pulled troops out of that country a year ago. And they got special immigration status because they'd helped American military and were considered to be at risk of being retaliated against under the new government. But advocates say the U.S. is just not doing enough, including helping women left behind. Steve Walsh with member station KPBS has the story.
STEVE WALSH, BYLINE: Inside the Esmaelzada’s home near San Diego, it's Spartan, almost nothing from their time in Afghanistan - not even photos.
MASOOMA ESMAELZADA: Yeah. This is a poster.
WALSH: Masooma Esmaelzada and her five sisters evacuated from Afghanistan a year ago. They were allowed just one backpack each. She's embarrassed that most of their belongings are furnished mainly by donations. Their father died a month before they left. With no male relative living with them, they were virtually trapped in their homes as the Taliban took over Afghanistan.
M ESMAELZADA: Something like a nightmare. Maybe for the people who are living in U.S., it looks like a movie, but for us, every minute was like a horror film. We didn't know what will happen next.
WALSH: Her family arrived in San Diego in January. Before they fled, she taught English literature at the local university. Occasionally, in the middle of the night now, Esmaelzada holds a virtual class for her former students because English has been removed from the curriculum, and women are often barred from class.
M ESMAELZADA: They had goals, dreams. But right now they say we do not know about our tomorrow. What should we do? They are really broken.
WALSH: She now works with La Maestra Community Health Centers, helping other recent arrivals. The transition to the U.S. is especially tough for Afghan women. Her father stressed education. One sister is a neurosurgeon. The other an architect, though many of the women Esmaelzada works with cannot read or write.
M ESMAELZADA: Some of the organization - when they help, they say that, OK, you have to start working, but how, when they do not have any knowledge, when they do not know the language, when they do not even have that self-confidence to work?
WALSH: In the hectic last days of the American presence in Afghanistan, the U.S. prioritized getting people out who worked with the U.S. And Devon Cone with Refugees International says the focus was on those who might qualify for special immigration visas or SIVs. Cone met with a group of female Afghan refugees evacuated to Albania who are waiting to be resettled. They were doctors, lawyers and advocates for women's rights. Most did not expect to come to America.
DEVON CONE: Because of the work that these women did, they were at risk by the Taliban, yet they didn't work for the U.S. government, so there really was no way and there's still very few ways for them to get to the U.S.
WALSH: Shawn VanDiver's group AfghanEvac formed to coordinate a range of vet groups who are working to get people out of Afghanistan. One year out, he's worried public attention is fading.
SHAWN VANDIVER: What's really important is that the world doesn't stop talking about this 'cause as soon as the world stops talking about it, that's when we're going to see the uptick. And what we saw when Ukraine kicked off was that there was an uptick in raids on houses and beatings.
WALSH: The group supports the recently introduced Afghan Adjustment Act, which would help Afghans caught in immigration limbo. Masooma Esmaelzada’s sister Gulsom Esmaelzada worked with USAID and not directly with Americans. But it was enough to get her family on the radar for their last-minute evacuation. Glad to be safe, she's also sad that she's now part of a brain drain forced by the Taliban.
GULSOM ESMAELZADA: It's made me sad, and it's just telling me that my education was useless when I cannot use it for my own people, for my country. So that's the thing that made me disappointed and hopeless.
WALSH: Without some other permanent solution, the sisters now have two years to make it through the backlogged immigration process.
For NPR News, I'm Steve Walsh in San Diego. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/npr-top-stories/2022-08-27/a-year-after-the-war-ended-some-afghans-in-the-u-s-find-the-transition-difficult | 2022-08-31T12:44:46Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/npr-top-stories/2022-08-27/a-year-after-the-war-ended-some-afghans-in-the-u-s-find-the-transition-difficult | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
- Prior was +3.1%
- GDP +0.8% q/q vs +0.8% prior
- Implicit price rise +3.3% q/q vs +2.9% prior (revised to +3.0%)
- GDP m/m +0.1% vs +0.1% expected
- Prior m/m reading 0.0%
- Inventories +$47.0B
- Nominal GDP rose 4.2% q/q
- Compensation for employees +2.0% q/q
- Full report
USD/CAD is up 36 pips today to 1.3130 and this isn't helping. But the main driver is the two-day plunge in oil prices. That's continued today with crude down $2.56 to $89.08 or rumors of an Iran deal.
The gain was in GDP was driven by increased inventories, non-residential construction, machinery and equipment investment, and household spending on services and semi-durable goods. This was the fourth consecutive quarterly increase in real GDP.
Growth in the second quarter was moderated by declines in housing investment, household spending on durable goods and by net trade.
Nomainal GDP growth was impressive but inflation is a drag.
GDP contributions: | https://www.forexlive.com/news/canada-q2-gdp-33-vs-44-expected-20220831/ | 2022-08-31T12:44:51Z | forexlive.com | control | https://www.forexlive.com/news/canada-q2-gdp-33-vs-44-expected-20220831/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Editor: This past month, we saw real democracy exercised in Kansas.
Conservative elected officials felt they had a “moral mandate” to change the Kansas Constitution to allow them to make abortion illegal. The people of Kansas had an opportunity to express their views at the ballot box, and rejected the proposal.
Today, we are faced with a similar situation here in Arlington, but it is Arlington’s County Board members that are imposing their “moral mandate” to eliminate single-family zoning in Arlington.
Most Arlington residents oppose the specific solution being considered, even in the county government’s own survey.
Our elected officials continually say that, regardless of what constituents say or want, they the elected leaders know what is best for us, and it is the community’s “moral duty” to act to end single-family zoning. These are the exact same words and actions that the conservative Kansas elected officials said before their residents used the power of the ballot box to defy their thinking.
The people of Kansas got to exercise their freedom to vote – in Arlington, we will not.
In Virginia, residents cannot petition to place this issue on the ballot, but the County Board could do so on its own. However, they have strategically chosen not to allow this to be a ballot initiative. The part that is most disturbing to me is the board members have said privately the changes proposed would not gain approval if this were placed on the ballot, especially as it is currently structured.
The County Board and staff are marching ahead doing the equivalent of what Kansas would have done if their residents had not had the opportunity to intervene.
I say, as a Democrat, don’t be afraid to let democracy work, as messy as that can be. We should not allow authoritarian rule by either party, nationally or locally.
I challenge the County Board, don’t be afraid of your constituents and to stop hiding. Let us vote to determine if you have developed the right solution to the problem.
If you are able to achieve a win at the ballot box, it would validate your work. If not, back to the drawing board to come up with something that could be supported by your constituents.
Sara Uzel, Arlington
[https://sungazette.news provides content to, but otherwise is unaffiliated with, InsideNoVa or Rappahannock Media LLC.] | https://www.insidenova.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/letter-allow-arlington-voters-to-have-final-say-on-missing-middle-proposal/article_e71e9e32-291b-11ed-ba18-6344d4398b4a.html | 2022-08-31T12:44:51Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/letter-allow-arlington-voters-to-have-final-say-on-missing-middle-proposal/article_e71e9e32-291b-11ed-ba18-6344d4398b4a.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
When we think about drought in America, we don't usually think about New England. This summer, that region has gotten very little rain compared to a typical year, and that's made wildfires more frequent and forced farmers to make tough choices.
From member station WBUR in Boston, Miriam Wasser brings us this story.
MIRIAM WASSER, BYLINE: To put it bluntly, it kind of just stopped raining this summer. Parts of the Northeast that typically get nine inches of rain over June, July and August have gotten a fraction of that.
(SOUNDBITE OF FOOTSTEPS WALKING THROUGH DRY SOIL)
WASSER: On Dave Dumaresq's vegetable farm in Dracut, Mass., things are pretty bad. The cornstalks are brown and the ears are smaller than usual. Instead of a carpet of green leaves, the potato field is patchy.
DAVE DUMARESQ: So we're basically at the point now where we're selecting which crops to continue to grow and which crops to basically allow to suffer.
WASSER: Take the corn. He staggers the planting and harvesting and has gotten two OK pickings so far. But the next two, he says, are a crapshoot.
DUMARESQ: So basically, I'm not watering those last two plantings. I'm hoping for rain.
WASSER: Dumaresq is the founder and owner of Farmer Dave's. The 100-acre mostly organic farm is in the epicenter of the drought this summer. Dumaresq relies on small manmade ponds like this one for irrigation water. He peers over the rocky edge. Twelve feet down, a gasoline-powered pump grumbles as it sucks up the liquid dregs.
(SOUNDBITE OF PUMP RUNNING)
WASSER: The water that's left is only a couple inches deep. Normally, there'd be several feet of water at this time of year.
Farming in much of New England right now is a series of tough decisions. Does he completely neglect the corn to give the potatoes the water they need? And what about the asparagus? It won't be ready to harvest until next spring.
DUMARESQ: Basically, I'm letting the asparagus go. But I know that I'm reducing next spring's harvest to try to get more potatoes for this winter.
WASSER: Dumaresq is not alone. Farmers in much of New England are struggling, and many have reported significant crop losses. It's in sharp contrast to last summer, when New England got a ton of rain.
DAVID BOUTT: This kind of year-to-year variability that we see in precipitation seems to be becoming more pronounced.
WASSER: David Boutt is a hydrology professor at UMass Amherst. He says if you look back in history, it's typical for the Northeast to have wet periods and dry periods.
BOUTT: Generally speaking, you know, we would have a dry period, let's say, once in every 10 years.
WASSER: But in the last decade or so, things have changed. He says we're seeing more frequent, rapid-onset and acute droughts. Scientists say it's hard to attribute any of this directly to climate change. But as humans warm the planet, we're changing the atmospheric patterns that shape our weather systems. And our weather extremes are getting more extreme.
Lesley-Ann Dupigny-Giroux is the Vermont state climatologist.
LESLEY-ANN DUPIGNY-GIROUX: Nowadays, when we think about drought conditions, it's not just the water, but it's also how hot the temperatures are. And so flash droughts and high temperatures and dry air kind of go together.
WASSER: Dupigny-Giroux says drought is a systems-level phenomenon. Soil moisture, the rate at which surface water evaporates, even how much water plants suck in through their roots and exhale as vapor - it all matters, too. What this all means for farmers like Dumaresq is uncertainty - and added costs. A drought year like this summer can cost him an extra 60 to $100,000. He has to hire extra people to run the irrigation equipment constantly.
DUMARESQ: And you always hope that the rains are going to start to fall eventually.
WASSER: Until then, he says he'll just keep pumping whatever water he can get. For NPR News, I'm Miriam Wasser. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/npr-top-stories/2022-08-27/as-drought-persists-in-northeast-farmers-face-uncertain-future | 2022-08-31T12:44:52Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/npr-top-stories/2022-08-27/as-drought-persists-in-northeast-farmers-face-uncertain-future | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The AUD is the strongest and the CHF is the weakest. The CHF has been trending to the upside helped by SNB Jordans more sanquine view on policy and inflation saying the "Swiss economy had proven it could deal well with temporary inflation shocks, and compensating for past deviations from a targeted average would massively increase volatility in prices and output" Stocks are higher which is also helping with some risk off flows a bit.
Europe inflation was higher than expectations. China PMI came in below 50 again indicative of a contractionary environment. Today the ADP employment returns after a few months of retooling. Fingers crossed for their re-launch. On Friday, the US jobs report will be released with expectations just below 300 K
IN other markets:
- spot gold is trading down $10.35 -0.60% at $1712.70
- spot silver is trading down the $0.38 -2.13% at $18.01
- crude oil is trading at $89.03 that's down another $2.54 on the day after yesterdays a sharp declines
- bitcoin is trading up marginally at $20,359
In the premarket for US stocks, the major indices are higher. The major indices on a 3 day losing streak
- Dow industrial average is up 75 points after yesterdays -308.12 point decline
- S&P index is up 15.34 points after yesterdays -44.45 point decline
- NASDAQ index is up 93 points after yesterdays -134.53 point decline
In the European equity markets, the major indices are trading lower
- German DAX -0.13%
- France's CAC -0.54%
- UK's FTSE 100 -1.15%
- Spain's Ibex -0.87
- Italy's FTSE MIB -0.8%
Looking at the US debt market, yields are trading higher:
- 2 year yield 3.460%, +1.2 basis points
- 5 year yield 3.277%, +0.9 basis points
- 10 year yields 3.137% +2.1 basis point
- 30 year yield 3.246%, +2.4 basis points
Looking at the European debt market, the benchmark 10 year yields are mixed with UK yields up the largest while France and Spain yields declined modestly: | https://www.forexlive.com/technical-analysis/the-aud-is-the-strongest-and-the-chf-is-the-weakest-as-the-na-session-begins-20220831/ | 2022-08-31T12:44:57Z | forexlive.com | control | https://www.forexlive.com/technical-analysis/the-aud-is-the-strongest-and-the-chf-is-the-weakest-as-the-na-session-begins-20220831/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Editor: Arlington has been consumed for quite a while now with “Missing Middle” and how to generate more housing in neighborhoods now zoned for single-family properties.
While arguments continue to be made in favor or opposition, what seems to be missing most is the a Missing Middle management methodology – namely, how is this transformation to be undertaken, when, by whom, in what neighborhoods and for how long?
What about the role of homeowners and buyers, builders, bankers, real-estate companies and land-use attorneys, to name a few, not to mention a variety of county-government offices?
And while the Missing Middle battle rages, little is mentioned or emphasized about the plight of the left out and “Leaving Lower,” those families with limited incomes that already have been displaced or at risk of imminent departure.
The Missing Middle initiative, according to the county’s current proposal, will require a minimum income at or above 80 percent of the area median income (AMI), about $113,000, far greater than the income of renters making 30 percent of AMI, or $42,000 for a family of four.
While true that not everyone can afford to live in Arlington, at least let’s hold harmless those families that already live here and have, in many cases, for generations. A low-income housing bond would go a long way to build, renovate and provide rent support for families who cannot afford Missing Middle housing, so that more remain staying and prospering rather than leaving.
Mark Riley, Arlington
[https://sungazette.news provides content to, but otherwise is unaffiliated with, InsideNoVa or Rappahannock Media LLC.] | https://www.insidenova.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/letter-details-still-hazy-on-missing-middle-proposal/article_0c0565d2-291c-11ed-8971-9b104701425e.html | 2022-08-31T12:44:58Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/letter-details-still-hazy-on-missing-middle-proposal/article_0c0565d2-291c-11ed-8971-9b104701425e.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
Richard Bernstein knows the law. He's a justice on Michigan's Supreme Court. He also drove a car this week without a license. He did have a sheriff sitting right beside him. Justice Bernstein was born blind. He drove that car around a dirt track at the Genesee County Fairgrounds near Flint. Sheriff Chris Swanson offered directions like straighten it out, soft left and slow. Justice apparently doesn't like being told what he can and can't do. As a lawyer, he successfully represented many people with disabilities. He's also run more than 20 marathons. The Justice told TV station WNEM...
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
RICHARD BERNSTEIN: I've always wanted that feeling of what it's like to hit the gas or what it's like to turn on the ignition and what it's like to operate a steering wheel.
SIMON: Sheriff Swanson helped him drive for two hours. Around that dirt track, the sheriff said, I love seeing joy on the face. Judge Bernstein concluded...
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
BERNSTEIN: Sheriff, you just got some blind justice.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/npr-top-stories/2022-08-27/blind-state-supreme-court-judge-drives-for-first-time | 2022-08-31T12:44:58Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/npr-top-stories/2022-08-27/blind-state-supreme-court-judge-drives-for-first-time | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
Laws restricting access to abortion went into effect in a number of states this week, including Texas, which already has some of the toughest restrictions in the country. Its new law goes even further. It makes it a felony to provide an abortion, and that is punishable by up to life in prison. We're joined now by Elizabeth Sepper, who is a professor of law at the University of Texas at Austin.
Professor, thanks so much for being with us.
ELIZABETH SEPPER: Thanks for having me.
SIMON: Let's begin with this new law, if we could. What are some of the penalties for which it provides?
SEPPER: This is a law that criminalizes providing abortions. It comes with five years to life imprisonment, as well as civil penalties of $100,000 for abortion and administrative penalties in the form of mandatory revocation of a license to practice medicine, do nursing, pharmacy, so on.
SIMON: So providing abortion would presumably apply to medical personnel, but also, who else?
SEPPER: Given the existence of medication abortion, anyone who hands a medication abortion pill to another person would be subject to this criminal ban.
SIMON: So this could be not just a pharmacist. It could be a friend.
SEPPER: It could be a friend. It could be a stranger. It could be someone, a friend of a friend, a family member, so on.
SIMON: If you put this law together with the laws that are already on the books, what does the landscape of laws look like?
SEPPER: So there's dozens of sort of smaller criminal laws around informed consent, the timing, how often someone has to come, who can hand out medication abortion, even. Then we have this trigger ban, which went into effect on Thursday. And then we have a pre-Roe ban which prohibits furnishing the means of abortion as well as providing abortion services. And on top of that, we have a medication abortion-specific criminal law that means that mailing a medication abortion into the state or providing it to someone in the state is also a crime.
SIMON: As I'm certain you know, Professor, Texas has some of the best doctors and hospitals in the world. Would they be criminally liable for prosecution if they acted to save the life of a woman?
SEPPER: The Texas abortion ban does have an exception for life-saving abortion care. However, there was litigation just this past week. We'll see where it goes going forward. But Texas succeeded in convincing a federal judge that federal protections that would require physicians to provide abortion care where necessary to preserve a person's health in serious jeopardy don't apply in Texas. Only life-saving abortions are allowed.
SIMON: I gather some prosecutors have said that they just wouldn't bring criminal charges against abortion providers.
SEPPER: A number of prosecutors in big cities and counties have committed not to prosecute or to prioritize policing toward a provision of abortion. This isn't going to result in abortion providers beginning to perform abortions. They would still risk their medical licenses, as well as face a $100,000 in civil penalties that the attorney general can bring.
SIMON: And, Professor, there's a law that passed last year that allows Texas citizens to sue each other, isn't there? And that still stands?
SEPPER: Yes. In addition to our criminal laws, there's a private right of action. So even if prosecutors won't bring criminal charges, strangers could bring civil causes of action against people who aid and abet an abortion.
SIMON: What implications are there in other areas of the law in making abortions illegal?
SEPPER: I think the most immediate implication is for all kinds of medical practice. So emergency physicians are going to encounter people with pregnancy complications that are emergencies but haven't risen to life-threatening conditions. And they will have to sit on their hands until the person becomes so sick that their life is at risk.
SIMON: Could these laws add up to making abortion a homicide?
SEPPER: Yes. So in the early 2000s, the Texas legislature changed our homicide statute to include unborn children. But there was an exception for lawful medical procedures performed by a physician. Now that virtually all abortions are unlawful, virtually all abortions can be classified as homicides under Texas penal law.
SIMON: And Texas is a death penalty state, isn't it?
SEPPER: Yes. Homicide at the very highest levels comes with the death penalty here.
SIMON: Elizabeth Sepper is a professor of law at the University of Texas, Austin.
Thanks so much for being with us.
SEPPER: Thanks for having me on the show. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/npr-top-stories/2022-08-27/new-texas-trigger-law-makes-abortion-a-felony | 2022-08-31T12:45:10Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/npr-top-stories/2022-08-27/new-texas-trigger-law-makes-abortion-a-felony | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ASHLAND, Ore. — Jason Fischer watches a firefighting chopper scoop a big bucket of water out of the Klamath River, as it douses hotspots on the McKinney Fire in remote Northern California.
The flames threatening his sixth-generation cattle farm, Fischer looks across the narrow river canyon at a steep, charred mountainside. All the trees are blackened silhouettes.
His face twists into a scowl.
"This whole fire we knew ... it was a bomb," he says.
The last time the forests on the other side of the river burned was the Haystack Fire in 1955.
"And after that, they never did anything to manage the land, so all that grew back was brush," Fischer says. "The brush was 10 feet high, so one little spark when it's 113 degrees outside."
Fischer's frustration is one you hear a lot in this corner of the West, especially where the timber industry — once mighty — has largely shut down. The forests are neglected, not being managed, the saying goes. Environmental laws prevent them from being thinned or logged.
"People are tired and worn out from the downturn of the timber industry and the poverty and lack of funds and lack of action," says Larry Alexander, director of the Northern California Resource Center in nearby Fort Jones, Calif. "Then they look up and see everything burn up, and so they get angry."
Wildfires have burned about six million acres of land so far this year, mostly in the West and Alaska. Due to prior forest management decisions, including a century or more of suppressing wildfires, Alexander says many forests are a tinder box.
Severe drought and prolonged heatwaves — now more common with climate change — have exacerbated the problem. Yet Alexander and other foresters on the ground in Western states say there are finally signs that the needle is starting to move away from full fire suppression and toward more upfront mitigation and prevention work.
Really good timing
On a ridge, a couple thousand feet above Jason Fischer's farm, Clint Isbell, the fire ecologist for the Klamath National Forest, is looking across at the same forested land with a bit more optimism.
"We put in these strategic fuel breaks that you can see across the landscape," he says, pointing to the west into a brisk wind. "A lot of them are on ridges."
U.S. taxpayers recently paid to bulldoze and clear out these "strategic fuel breaks," which are built with the intention of slowing down a fire before it reaches homes, communities and critical infrastructure such as powerlines. The idea is that firefighters can then try to at least make a stand in places like this.
A years-long, 10,000-acre hazardous fuels reduction project, including thinning in these rugged mountains and canyons, is ongoing. And to the east, down the mountainside, another federally funded project paid to clear out brush on private land around the perimeter of the town of Yreka, Calif.
Remarkably, that last project was completed just three days before the McKinney Fire ignited.
"Yeah, really good timing," Isbell says.
The agency believes this upfront work may have helped firefighters tackle the McKinney Fire, which is believed to have destroyed more than 100 homes and killed four people. But despite fears, it didn't turn into as bad of an inferno as last summer's Dixie Fire, which burned more than one million acres in northeastern California, or the Calf Canyon-Hermits Peak Fire earlier this year that became the largest in New Mexico's history.
"We can't do anything about drought, it's climate change," says Nickie Johnny, an incident commander who managed the McKinney and Calf Canyon fires this summer.
There is growing acknowledgement among veteran managers that these modern wildfires burning amid record heat waves and extreme drought can never be stopped by firefighters alone.
"We just have to figure out how we're going to get out ahead of it or what we're going to do in the aftermath of it," Johnny says.
One recent hot afternoon, as more red flag warnings for extreme fire danger came into effect, Johnny took stock of the conditions that led up to elite teams like hers having to respond to Siskiyou County, Calif., where the McKinney was just one of several fires burning this August. While still too early to assess fully, she suspected some of the upfront mitigation work may have allowed her crews to position in safer places. That allowed them to begin digging a line around the perimeter of parts of the fire, eventually helping to contain it.
But in extreme drought made worse by climate change, Johnny says preparation work can only go so far. Now the U.S. government and other agencies like Cal Fire have no choice but to throw everything they can at the crisis in the moment. There's just too much at risk, she says, from lives and property to critical watersheds for cities.
At one point, 3,700 firefighters responded to the McKinney Fire.
"We've been focusing on fire suppression [in California] for the last three years because that's where the need is," Johnny says.
Stopping fires is making things worse
Some say we've backed ourselves into this corner.
Firefighters are really good at suppressing almost every wildfire on initial attack, only a few — 3% or less — of ignitions get away and turn into large blazes like McKinney. But every time they stop one, don't they just leave more fuel on the ground for the next fire?
This conundrum is often described as the fire paradox. And there's no easy solution, says forestry professor Andrew Sanchez Meador, who runs the Ecological Restoration Institute at Northern Arizona University.
"It took us 150 years to get into this problem , so it's not a problem we're going to get ourselves out of quickly," he says.
But Sanchez Meador is encouraged by what he sees is a paradigm shift starting to happen in the nation's hulking firefighting program, sometimes even dubbed the fire-industrial complex. Last year, the U.S. government spent a record $4.3 billion on fire suppression. But there are now tens of millions of federal and state dollars also going toward upfront mitigation work.
Allow fires to happen without killing everything
Just over the mountains from Yreka, Calif., near the historic gold mining town of Jacksonville, Ore., smoke and haze from the McKinney Fire hangs in the air as Rich Fairbanks steers his small pickup up a winding mountain highway.
Forests with dense stands of trees line the road, up to 300 packed into an acre in places.
"The people that are responsible for the safety of a fire crew, they don't like that at all," Fairbanks says looking up toward the dark woods. " They cannot see that spot fire starting up behind them and maybe trapping their crew."
Fairbanks is a retired U.S. Forest Service firefighter who now runs a small forestry company. They got a grant from the new Infrastructure Law that could make a big difference here. Further up the road, crews have already thinned out trees from private land that's peppered with homes and small outbuildings. The trees are stacked in piles awaiting to be burned this Fall when it's cooler and wetter.
"The idea is to make it so that the fires still happen, but they don't kill everything, and burn people up in their cars for heaven's sakes," Fairbanks says.
The thinning is also intended to create a bigger buffer around this already existing fire break — the highway. Fairbanks says a wildfire is probably inevitable here, but a catastrophic blaze with a chaotic evacuation along this road doesn't have to be.
"This [project] is a good use of tax dollars in my opinion," he says.
Everyone along this road signed up for the free treatments. Fairbanks also is encouraged by what he sees as a paradigm shift in state and federal agencies toward prioritizing work like this, and among Westerners who are starting to understand they have to learn to live with wildfires.
But some people still don't get it.
"Unfortunately, there are politicians who make hay out of saying, 'They should put out every single fire all the time forever,' which is just really dumb," Fairbanks says.
For foresters like him, a smarter path is the upfront work like this. It takes longer and doesn't make for dramatic headlines. But it might at least make some of these modern wildfires manageable again.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/npr-top-stories/2022-08-27/why-suppressing-wildfires-may-be-making-the-western-fire-crisis-worse | 2022-08-31T12:45:23Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/npr-top-stories/2022-08-27/why-suppressing-wildfires-may-be-making-the-western-fire-crisis-worse | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — FOX 17 is proud to partner with Eastbrook Homes and local school districts to help Kids Food Basket reach its goal of collecting 200,000 decorated brown bags during the month of September.
In the “Battle of the Bags” school districts and communities have agreed to a friendly competition to see who can decorate the most bags as they go head-to-head on the football field each week.
FOX 17 will feature those matchups during their Blitz shows for four weeks, starting Thursday, Sept. 1 as Mona Shores heads to Rockford. Week two’s match-up is Cedar Springs at Grand Rapids Catholic Central on Friday, Sept. 9. Hudsonville takes on Caledonia at home on Friday, Sept. 16 and the last “Battle of the Bags” happens Friday, Sept. 23 when Sparta travels to Belding. At the end of the month, the school district that decorates the most bags will be crowned the winner.
Kids Food Basket serves more than 9,500 students in Kent, Muskegon, Ottawa and Allegan counties every day, on the mission that healthy food is a right, not a privilege.
President and founding CEO Bridget Clark Whitney says, “Every decorated bag is a touch of love! When speaking with teachers at our KFB partner schools, they consistently share that the first thing students do when they get their Sack Supper is look to see whether or not the bag is decorated. It’s that special touch of love that demonstrates how we show up for one another. The ripples of joy generated by decorated bags is the kind of radical love that the world needs a bit more of right now. “
FOX 17 will have bags to decorate at each of the “Battle of the Bags” games and select Eastbrook Homes models will also have bag decorating supplies. Learn more at eastbrookhomes.com.
Kids Food Basket is hosting a Brown Bag Decorating Day Pop Up Event on Tuesday, Sept. 27 at their Kent County location from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. To RSVP or learn more, head to kidsfoodbasket.org/events/brown-bag-decorating-day. | https://www.fox17online.com/community/community-partners/battle-of-the-bags-fox17-and-eastbrook-homes-helping-kids-food-basket-reach-their-goal | 2022-08-31T12:48:21Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/community/community-partners/battle-of-the-bags-fox17-and-eastbrook-homes-helping-kids-food-basket-reach-their-goal | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The products and services mentioned below were selected independent of sales and advertising. However, Don't Waste Your Money may receive a small commission from the purchase of any products or services through an affiliate link to the retailer's website.
If you’re beginning to plan your fall and winter crafts or are getting a head start on some homemade gifts for the holidays, you’re going to want to visit Joann. Joann’s Labor Day sale is full of discounts on a large selection of fabrics and crafting accessories.
For those not up for making their own decorations, you’ll also find some decor items like fall wreaths and garlands.
The Joann Labor Day sale will be held both in-store and online between Thursday, Sept. 1 and Saturday, Sept. 3. You’ll also find an extended two-day event through Monday, Sept. 5, which will feature even more deals than the original Labor Day sale.
Take a look at just some of the deals you’ll find during the Labor Day sale running Sept. 1-3.
50% off Fall & Halloween Cotton Fabrics
Regularly priced between $3-$25 per yard, fall and Halloween cotton fabrics are 50% off, taking the prices to $1.50-$12.50.
There are dozens of prints included in the sale, such as jack-o’-lanterns, spider webs, dancing skeletons and even glow-in-the-dark ghosts.
If you don’t see fabrics you like in those collections, you’ll also get 40% off The Witching Hour Fabrics.
30% off Pillow Forms, Stuffing, Batting and Foam
If you’re planning on making some pillows with your discounted fabric, you’ll save 30% on pillow forms, stuffing, batting and foam.
There are a variety of sizes depending on how much you need and some stuffing is priced as high as $99 regularly, including this 20-pound box of Poly-Fil Premium Polyester Fiber Fill. With the sale, you could get the stuffing for $69.30, a savings of nearly $30.
40% off Cricut Accessories
If you have a Cricut, the Labor Day sale is a great time to buy some accessories, as many are marked at 40% off.
The Cricut accessories in the sale include things like transfer tape, cutting mats, gel pens and iron-on transfers. This Cricut StrongBond Holographic Iron on Transfer is currently on sale for $7.50, which is 50% off.
4 for $12 Gildan Adult, Youth & Toddler Short Sleeve T-Shirts
Perfect for family reunions, birthday parties or any other group event when given an appropriate design, Gildan Adult, Youth and Toddler Short Sleeve T-Shirts will be priced at 4 for $12, or just $3 each.
While the toddler shirts are regularly priced at $3, saving you $1 each, youth and adult shirts cost around $5 and up. You’ll definitely see savings if you buy four at a time.
Bloom Room Fall Wreaths ($25)
If you’d rather not make your own fall decor, you’ll find a handful of Bloom Room Fall Wreaths priced at $25. All wreaths are priced differently, so how much you save will depend on which one you choose. Some wreaths are already priced below $25, so chances are those are not included in the sale.
You’ll also find a deal on Bloom Room Fall Garlands, many of which will be priced at $10.
What are you looking to buy during Joann’s Labor Day sale?
This story originally appeared on Don't Waste Your Money. Checkout Don't Waste Your Money for product reviews and other great ideas to save and make money. | https://www.wtxl.com/joann-labor-day-sale-4-for-12-tshirts | 2022-08-31T12:48:52Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/joann-labor-day-sale-4-for-12-tshirts | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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 today.
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. | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/25-years-ago-dianas-death-stunned-the-world-and-changed-the-royals | 2022-08-31T12:48:53Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/25-years-ago-dianas-death-stunned-the-world-and-changed-the-royals | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
In a motion to a federal court, the Department of Justice said it opposes efforts to appoint a special master to oversee the documents taken from President Donald Trump’s residence earlier this month.
The DOJ said that documents were “concealed and removed” from a storage room and that efforts were “likely taken to obstruct the government’s investigation.”
As part of its standard procedure following searches, a filter team sorted documents relevant to the investigation while removing those where attorney-client privilege could be invoked. The filter team involves a different group of agents who are not involved in the probe.
The DOJ’s response also claimed that Trump does not have legal standing over the presidential records, saying that those records do not belong to Trump. Prosecutors also say that the “appointment of a special master is unnecessary and would significantly harm important governmental interests, including national security interests. Appointment of a special master is disfavored in a case such as this.”
The DOJ said that 28 boxes that contained confidential information were taken from Mar-a-Lago earlier this month. Some of the information was considered top secret.
Trump has claimed that he declassified the documents before he left office.
“Number one, it was all declassified,” Trump wrote. “Number two, they didn’t need to ‘seize’ anything. They could have had it anytime they wanted without playing politics and breaking into Mar-a-Lago. It was in secured storage, with an additional lock put on as per their request. They could have had it anytime they wanted—and that includes LONG ago.”
A judge is expected to rule in the coming days whether to appoint a special master to filter documents taken by investigators. Doing so could slow down the DOJ’s investigation of whether Trump and his associates violated U.S. laws pertaining to the storage of confidential records. | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/doj-rejects-trumps-call-to-appoint-special-master-following-mar-a-lago-search | 2022-08-31T12:48:55Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/doj-rejects-trumps-call-to-appoint-special-master-following-mar-a-lago-search | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
'Titan Migration of North Georgia' by Gurdieff Fescoi: What'll happen with our forage? What we really should take heirloom\n'Pie: An Easy Jumble with a Perplexing Legacy' Review: Who has 'remade a good thing'? Some things should pass away: This book\nAn American' Thanksgavung: History: A Thankslilting: History in Lights --\nV President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration late Tuesday after massive flooding in Jackson, Mississippi, caused the city’s water system to fail.
The approval will allow Federal Emergency Management Agency resources to augment local and state officials in responding to the crisis. Nearly 170,000 residents in the Jackson area lack access to water.
On Tuesday, residents lined up for bottles of water as city pumps have failed to provide water to some residents. Even the residents who have little water pressure are urged not to drink tap water directly and to boil water before cooking or washing dishes and produce.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said that the state is bringing in pumps to help return water pressure. He said he was hopeful a new pump could be installed Wednesday morning.
“This is not a situation that’s gonna be solved immediately and it’s not gonna be solved overnight, but we’re gonna make, we’re gonna make decisions to make incremental progress as we navigate through this,” Reeves said.
Mayor Chokwe Lumumba told CNN that the city’s water system is an aging system.
“We have over three decades of deferred maintenance in our water treatment facility,” Lumumba said. “We have repeated challenges that take place time and time again, and so what we have been reverberating for more than two years is that it’s not a matter of if these systems will fail. It’s a matter of when these systems will fail.”
Reeves previously declared a state of emergency as he said there is not enough water in Jackson to meet residents’ basic needs, such as taking a bath or fighting fires.
The flooding in Jackson began late last week. Officials said they did what they could to prevent the system from failing. The water level on the Pearl River in Jackson reached 35.4 feet Monday, nearly 7 feet above the flood stage. The water is expected to slowly recede this week, falling below flood stage on Thursday.
The flooding came following back-to-back days of record rainfall in Jackson. The city had nearly 9 inches of rain in two days last week. | https://www.fox17online.com/news/national/president-biden-approves-emergency-declaration-as-mississippis-largest-city-lacks-water-access | 2022-08-31T12:48:57Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/news/national/president-biden-approves-emergency-declaration-as-mississippis-largest-city-lacks-water-access | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PARIS (AP) — An elegant dinner at the Ritz in Paris. A post-midnight drive past the city’s floodlit treasures. And then, tragedy. The story of Princess Diana’s death at age 36 in that catastrophic crash in a Paris traffic tunnel continues to shock, even after a quarter-century.
Twenty-five years later, The Associated Press is making available this account of Diana’s final hours in the French capital, published on Sept. 5, 1997, a few days after the Aug. 31 crash. (The account, based on reporting, interviews and news reports available at the time, has been trimmed and edited lightly.)
___
Entering the Pont de l’Alma traffic tunnel at night, one of the last things you see is the floodlit Eiffel Tower.
Its iron latticework shimmering like lace against a black sky, it likely was one of the last things Princess Diana ever saw.
The tower’s lights go off every night at 1 a.m. By that time on Sunday, Aug. 31, a dying Diana lay trapped in a crumpled wreck of a Mercedes, with rescuers trying frantically to treat her while they cut through the metal roof.
The short ride to the tunnel from the Ritz Hotel had been a stunning one, with a view of the city’s other floodlit treasures: the obelisk at the Place de la Concorde, the Arc de Triomphe off to the right, the gold-domed Hotel des Invalides across the river to the left.
Four people were in the car: a driver and a bodyguard in front, the princess and her boyfriend in back. Behind them — it isn’t clear how far — were several motorcycles and perhaps two cars bearing paparazzi.
Approaching the tunnel along the Seine River, the shining tower was just to the left. Even through the tinted windows of a luxury car, it would’ve been hard not to look.
Seconds later, there was a huge crash — witnesses said it was like an explosion. It would soon reverberate around the world, but for a few minutes in the still night, there was only the insistent blare of a car horn set off by the driver’s slumped body, and then the clicking of camera shutters.
For the princess, after the spectacular city lights, there was only blackness.
___
10 p.m.: The evening begins for Diana and Dodi Fayed with dinner in the sitting room of the Imperial Suite at the Ritz. It is the best suite in the hotel, and no wonder: The hotel is owned by Fayed’s father, Mohamed Al Fayed.
The food comes from the hotel’s two-star restaurant, Espadon, which means swordfish. It’s known for its 100,000-bottle wine cellar.
Diana is reported to have ordered an appetizer of mushrooms and asparagus, and then sole; for Dodi, turbot.
Dodi may have carried a surprise in his pocket: News reports quote a Paris jeweler saying he’d sold him an “extraordinary” diamond solitaire ring for $205,000, and it is at the Ritz that Dodi may have given it to Diana.
Is it an engagement ring? No one will ever know for sure.
But the day has been tense. The couple has been having problems with paparazzi ever since their mid-afternoon arrival in Paris. First, they trailed Diana and Dodi from Le Bourget Airport outside Paris, on their way to see Villa Windsor — a mansion that once housed the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and that Dodi’s father has bought and renovated. Their driver managed to shake the photographers.
Then, an attempt to have a 9:30 p.m. dinner at the chic Paris bistro Chez Benoit failed, when paparazzi again picked up the trail. Giving up, Diana and Dodi decide to dine at the Ritz, where there is better security.
Hotel video shows the cars arriving back at the Ritz, flashes going off as Diana goes through a revolving door, eyes downcast, looking distressed.
They walk down the Ritz’s blue carpet bordered in gold toward the restaurant. Ten minutes later, they walk back down the hallway — “because of the attention in the restaurant,” Paul Handley-Greaves, head of Al Fayed’s security team, says later in London — and head up a spiral staircase to the Imperial Suite.
Inside, the plush hotel, with rust-colored marble columns and floors covered with Persian rugs, is calm and peaceful. But outside the entrance, on the elegant Place Vendome, paparazzi have again gathered.
___
10:08 p.m.: Henri Paul, the No. 2 security man at the Ritz, arrives at the hotel after having been summoned on his cell phone at 10 p.m. He parks his own car outside, chats with some people and shakes hands with a friend, the night duty manager and the concierge. Their accounts, Handley-Greaves says, “are that he was sober, he didn’t smell of alcohol, his gait was steady.”
Paul spends the next two hours in the lobby area. At one point, he goes into the hotel bar and sits with two other security people at a table on the edge of the bar area. There is no security camera in the bar, but both Handley-Greaves and Michael Cole, an Al Fayed family spokesman, said interviews with hotel personnel showed no evidence that Paul was drinking.
___
12:07 a.m.: After dinner, as they leave the Imperial Suite, Diana and Fayed stop to discuss the paparazzi “and the concern that the princess had that something would happen,” Handley-Greaves says. “Earlier on in the day,” he tells a London news conference, “she had expressed concern to bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones at the foolhardiness of the motorcycle riders, not for the safety of the vehicle she was traveling in. She expressed concern that the erratic manner in which they were driving might result in one of them falling under the wheels either of the lead car or the backup.”
Diana and Fayed are headed to an apartment he owns off the Champs-Elysees, just near the Arc de Triomphe. Knowing paparazzi are outside, they’ve decided to use two decoy vehicles — Range Rover and a Mercedes. They post the Range Rover outside the Ritz’s main entrance, with Fayed’s regular driver at the wheel.
They need a third car, so a rented Mercedes is called into service. The jet-black car, rented from the Etoile limousine company, is known for its silky-smooth ride, but because of its weight, it isn’t the best car for weaving in and out of traffic. “This isn’t the kind of car you do slalom in,” says Jean-Pierre Bretton, a limousine driver who often picks up well-heeled clients at the Ritz.
Diana and Dodi need a driver, too, and that’s why Paul has been called back in from home. Paul, 41, a native of France’s Brittany region, is reported to have received special training in Germany to drive the armored Mercedes. Police say Paul lacked the special license to drive the car; the Al Fayed family denies it.
Paris prosecutors say autopsy blood tests showed Paul was legally drunk, and judicial sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, put the blood-alcohol level at more than three times the legal limit, at least.
Despite reports that Paul was a heavy drinker, at least two bartenders who knew him told The Associated Press they never saw signs of that.
Tony Poer, a former bartender at Willi’s wine bar near the Ritz, says Paul was a regular there, but only drank beer.
“I never saw him extremely drunk,” says Poer, now manager of a San Francisco nightclub. “He even gave me a ride home a few times. I wasn’t worried or anything.”
And Alain Bousseau, owner of the Mazarin bar not far from the Ritz, says that although Paul was reported to be a regular there, he saw him only two or three times in the last few years. Once, he drank only a small glass of Cheverny wine; another time, he had a coffee.
___
12:19 a.m: Dodi and Diana stand in an area by the back entrance of the hotel, milling with security officers preparing their departure. A Ritz Hotel security camera video shows Dodi slipping his arm protectively around Diana’s waist.
___
12:20 a.m.: The couple leaves the Ritz from the back entrance, and climbs into the Mercedes. Diana is dressed in a black top, black jacket and belted white trousers. Her hair is carefully coiffed and she wears red lipstick.
Dodi looks more casual in a tan jacket and long gray shirt, open at the neck and hanging loosely over stone-washed jeans.
The hotel video shows no paparazzi outside the back entrance, but the decoy ruse clearly hasn’t worked.
With paparazzi in pursuit, the Mercedes travels down the Rue Cambon and turns right onto the colonnaded, boutique-lined Rue de Rivoli, with the Tuileries Gardens on the left. Arriving at the Place de la Concorde, it takes a left past the obelisk, allowing a view of the Champs-Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe on the right as it makes its way to the bank of the Seine.
Here, some photographers say, Paul already is driving dangerously. Jacques Langevin says he was told by fellow photographers that at the Place de la Concorde, when they were stopped at a red light, the Mercedes took off with a roar before the light turned green.
Already, the photographer told the Liberation daily, “the Mercedes was fishtailing dangerously and the driver didn’t seem to be in control.”
Neither Diana nor Fayed are wearing seat belts; only bodyguard Rees-Jones, sitting in the front passenger seat, is wearing one.
The Mercedes is heading along the river now, down the Cours de la Reine, then the Cours Albert 1st, where the approach to the tunnel lies.
__
About 12:25 a.m.: The Mercedes enters the 660-foot-long tunnel, probably to avoid traffic on the crowded Place de l’Alma. The tunnel is brightly lit, neon bulbs reflecting on the white-tiled walls.
The approach is dangerous at high speed. The road swerves slightly to the right, then to the left; then there is a quick dip.
The speed limit is 30 mph. A cab driver says he once tried the tunnel at 70 mph and was scared. “That thing is narrow and dangerous,” said Jacques Gaulthier. “You’d have to be crazy to take it fast.”
Just how fast does Paul take it?
Police officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, say the car’s speedometer was found frozen at 196 kilometers per hour, or 121 mph. They call it an almost certain indicator of its speed at impact, but the Al Fayed family disputes that, saying the speedometer was stuck instead at zero. A Mercedes expert says the speedometer moves automatically to 0 or to top speed when power cuts off.
Witnesses also have described the car as going well over 90 mph, perhaps close to 120 mph.
Also, police say the car, equipped with anti-lock brakes, left 53 feet of skid marks — another indication of high speed.
It isn’t clear how many paparazzi are tailing the car, and at what distance. A lawyer for Al Fayed says a “cortege” of paparazzi were “swarming” the car. But one photographer, Lazlo Veres, says they were at least 550 yards behind.
Seconds after the car enters the tunnel in the left westbound lane, it goes out of control, striking the 13th concrete pillar dividing the tunnel, rolls over and rebounds into the right wall. It then spins around. When the car stops, it is facing east — the direction it came from.
The driver’s body is slumped over the horn. The impact is so great that parts of the radiator are reportedly found embedded in his body. Fayed, behind him on the left side of the car, also is killed immediately.
Jack and Robin Firestone, tourists from Long Island in New York, are walking near the tunnel when they hear the awful noise. They run in. In interviews, they, too, describe photographers “swarming” the wreck.
Yet a doctor who says he was driving through the tunnel in the other direction just after the accident, arriving before rescuers did, says he wasn’t hindered by the photographers.
Dr. Frederic Mailliez says Diana “was unconscious, moaning and gesturing in every direction” as she fought for breath.
“There were 10 or 15 photographers around, and they were snapping photos nonstop, but I cannot say they hindered my work,” he says.
___
12:27 a.m.: Firefighters get the first call for help.
___
About 12:40 a.m.: Police and firefighters arrive. Diana and bodyguard Rees-Jones are still alive. The car is a crumpled mass of metal and glass.
Police arrest six photographers and one motorcyclist, confiscating their film and cellular phones.
Rescuers need to cut through the roof of the car to get the victims out. They finally extract Diana through the back. Meanwhile, emergency doctors have been trying to treat her at the scene.
___
2 a.m.: Diana is bleeding heavily from the chest when she arrives at Hospital La Pitié Salpêtrière, along with the bodyguard. She quickly goes into cardiac arrest.
Doctors close a wound to the left pulmonary vein, then try to revive her with two hours of chest massage — first externally and then directly to the heart. It fails.
___
4 a.m.: Diana is declared dead.
___
6 a.m.: “The death of the Princess of Wales,” says British ambassador Michael Jay, with doctors at a hospital news conference, “fills us all with shock and deep grief.” | https://www.wwlp.com/news/25-years-later-princess-dianas-final-hours-on-a-tragic-night-in-paris/ | 2022-08-31T12:55:28Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/25-years-later-princess-dianas-final-hours-on-a-tragic-night-in-paris/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
DEERFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A drone from Greenfield was able to help locate a lost kayaker on the Deerfield River on Tuesday.
According to the Greenfield Fire Department, at around 9 p.m. Deerfield fire and police were called for a lost kayaker in the Deerfield River. The person who called 911 said he lost voice contact with the kayaker, who was floating down the river, unable to get out, and lost.
The kayak was located empty within two minutes with the assistance of the Greenfield Drone Unit that was requested by Deerfield Fire Chief Darren Melnik. Members of the Deerfield fire were directed to the kayak who confirmed it was empty. The person was found within minutes up the river on the shore from the use of a thermal camera.
A navigation app called what3words was used to provide the precise location of the kayaker to the responders from the drone. Greenfield fire said they were able to make voice contact with the kayaker and determined he was injured. He was rescued by the Deerfield fire’s inflatable boat and taken to a local hospital to be treated for minor injuries.
Whether you are swimming, boating or kayaking take into account advice for staying safe. One of the most important things is to always be aware of your surroundings and never go out alone.
Experts suggest having a map handy and life vests and don’t forget to properly inspect your boat and do proper maintenance. Practicing good water competency can help prevent injuries or fatal drownings during this time of year.
In 2021 more than 50 people died from drowning, so it’s important to take the right precautions before taking a dip. A recent report from the U.S. Coast Guard found that 81% of boating fatalities last year were due to drowning. Of those drowning victims, 83% were not wearing a life jacket. | https://www.wwlp.com/news/massachusetts/drone-helps-locate-lost-kayaker-in-deerfield-river/ | 2022-08-31T12:55:40Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/massachusetts/drone-helps-locate-lost-kayaker-in-deerfield-river/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Palakkad: Madrassa teacher Naushad Latheef (38), who assaulted a nine-year-old girl sexually at an Islamic school, was on Wednesday sentenced to 26 years in jail.
Palakkad Fasttrack Special Pocso Court T Sanju also fined him Rs 1.75 lakh.
As per the case, the man assaulted the fourth grader from July 2018 to March 2019.
The man will have to serve an extra 3.5 years in prison, if he fails to pay th fine on time.
The imprisonment sentence, under various sections, would run concurrently, and the fine amount will be handed over to the survivor, the court said.
The case was registered by the then officers of Agali Police Station – SI P Vishnu and M C Reji Kutti - and they submitted the charge sheet. Special Public Prosecutor T Shobhana appeared for the prosecution. | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2022/08/31/madrassa-teacher-26-years-prison-assaulting-minor-girl.html | 2022-08-31T12:56:18Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2022/08/31/madrassa-teacher-26-years-prison-assaulting-minor-girl.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Ford recalls pickups, cars to fix cloudy rear camera lens
Published: Aug. 31, 2022 at 7:57 AM EDT|Updated: 59 minutes ago
DETROIT (AP) — Ford is recalling more than 277,000 pickup trucks and cars in the U.S. because the rear view camera lens can get cloudy and reduce visibility for the driver.
The recall covers certain F-250, 350 and 450 trucks as well as the Lincoln Continental, all from the 2017 through 2020 model years. The recalled vehicles have a 360-degree camera system.
Ford says the anti-reflective lens on the cameras can degrade, causing a cloudy image. The company says it has more than 8,800 warranty reports in the U.S. due to the problem.
Dealers will replace the camera at no cost to owners. Ford will notify owners by letter starting Sept. 12.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wave3.com/2022/08/31/ford-recalls-pickups-cars-fix-cloudy-rear-camera-lens/ | 2022-08-31T12:57:08Z | wave3.com | control | https://www.wave3.com/2022/08/31/ford-recalls-pickups-cars-fix-cloudy-rear-camera-lens/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
While the Ukraine-Russia war has taken its toll on various industries across the globe, the military engagement between the two European nations has provided support to the companies that provide defense products, equipment, and ammunition. In this article, we will look at three companies that seem well-positioned to leverage the high demand in the defense industry, which was fueled by the Russia/Ukraine conflict. These companies are General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:GD), Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC), and Olin Corporation (NYSE:OLN)
It is worth noting that many nations are supporting Ukraine in this war. The U.S. is also providing arsenal support to Ukraine, which includes howitzers, missile launchers, ammunition, and drones.
Because of the military aid extended to Ukraine, defense officials of the world’s largest economy have expressed their concerns over the depleting stockpiles of ammunition in the country. The officials opine that urgent actions are warranted to replenish the arsenal quickly. According to a Wall Street Journal report, one of the defense officials said that the 150 month-over-month combat rounds have come down to “uncomfortably low” levels.
In light of this discussion, it is evident that the demand for ammunition by the United States government is likely to grow, going forward. Whether it takes months or years to place orders, the prospects for defense product suppliers, including the companies mentioned above, appear to be solid.
Using TipRanks’ Stock Comparison tool, a chart has been designed that might assist prospective investors in understanding Wall Street’s take on these companies.
General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:GD)
The $63.4-billion company has expertise in making munitions, combat vehicles, weapon systems, nuclear-powered submarines, missile destroyers, and surface combatant ships. Also, the company provides related services and technological upgrades as and when required.
General Dynamics provides defense products through its Marine Systems, Combat Systems, and Technologies segments. While talking about the second-quarter results, the company’s Chairman and CEO, Phebe N. Novakovic, said, “Our defense segments demonstrated solid operating performance and had several important wins.”
Is General Dynamics’ Stock a Buy?
With solid prospects, General Dynamics’ stock appears to be a solid investment option for long-term investors.
On TipRanks, the company has a Moderate Buy consensus rating based on five Buys and two Holds. Also, top retail portfolios with exposure to GD stock have increased 3.6% in the last 30 days.
GD’s average price forecast is $258.43, which represents 11.82% upside potential from the current level. While the highest price target is $290, the lowest is $230. Shares of General Dynamics have increased 11.4% year-to-date.
Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC)
Northrop is one of the leading companies that provides advanced aircraft systems, weapon and mission systems (missiles, munitions, and others), and technology related to surveillance and electronic warfare. The $74.4-billion company also provides launching systems for missiles.
NOC operates through four segments — Aeronautics Systems, Defense Systems, Mission Systems, and Space Systems. In July, the company’s Chairman, CEO, and President, Kathy Warden, said that the “demand for Northrop Grumman products” was strong.
Should You Buy Northrop Grumman Stock?
Shares of Northrop Grumman could be an attractive investment option for investors willing to hold the stock. Analysts on TipRanks have a Moderate Buy consensus rating on NOC stock, which is based on five Buys and three Holds.
Also, top retail investors are bullish on the stock and have increased their exposure by 2.5% in the last 30 days.
NOC’s average price target is $511.75, which mirrors 6.41% upside potential. The highest price target is $550 and the lowest is $455. NOC stock has climbed 24.8% so far this year.
Olin Corporation (NYSE:OLN)
The $8-billion company is another leading provider of ammunition in the United States. It specializes in making sporting ammunition, small caliber military ammunition, industrial cartridges, and reloading components. In addition to ammunition, the company produces and distributes chemicals.
OLN conducts its defense business through its Winchester segment. The other two segments of the company are Chlor Alkali Products and Vinyls, and Epoxy.
Is Olin a Good Stock to Buy Now?
If analysts and top retail investors are to be believed, Olin stock could prove to be an attractive investment option for prospective investors.
On TipRanks, the company sports a Strong Buy consensus rating based on nine Buys and two Holds. Also, top retail investors on TipRanks have increased their exposure to the stock by 20.6% in the past month.
It is worth noting that OLN’s average price forecast of $71 represents 28.72% upside potential from the current level. The highest price target is $102, and the lowest is $57. Year-to-date, shares of Olin have declined 1.2%.
Concluding Remarks
From the above discussion, it is evident that defense product suppliers like General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, and Olin could be the potential beneficiaries as and when the U.S. starts replenishing its ammunition stockpiles. At this juncture, it is worth mentioning that the budget for the U.S. Department of Defense is $773 billion for the Fiscal Year 2023, up 4.1% from the previous fiscal year.
Read full Disclosure | https://www.tipranks.com/news/article/gd-noc-oln-stocks-could-benefit-from-depleting-ammunition-stockpiles-in-the-u-s | 2022-08-31T13:07:28Z | tipranks.com | control | https://www.tipranks.com/news/article/gd-noc-oln-stocks-could-benefit-from-depleting-ammunition-stockpiles-in-the-u-s | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A Director of Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX), Ryan M. Lance, has bought the company’s shares worth $988,314.10. According to an SEC filing, the director bought 31,000 shares of the mining company in the range of $31.84-$31.91 per share on August 29.
FCX stock declined 5.5% in yesterday’s trading session to close at $29.76. Due to this, the total value of the Director’s aforementioned Freeport-McMoRan holdings fell more than 6.5% based on his purchase price.
According to TipRanks, which provides a comprehensive list of daily insider transactions, various corporate insiders have bought and sold FCX stock in the last three months.
Insider Confidence Signal is Positive on FCX Stock
TipRanks’ Insider Trading Activity tool shows that insiders are currently bullish on FCX stock, as corporate insiders have bought FCX stock worth $1.1 million in the last three months.
Interestingly, TipRanks also provides a list of hot stocks that boasts of either a Very Positive or Positive insider confidence signal.
Is FCX Stock a Buy?
Freeport-McMoRan stock seems to be a decent investment option. FCX stock scores an eight out of 10 on TipRanks, which implies that it has strong potential to outperform the market.
Further, financial bloggers and retail investors look positively inclined toward the stock. While financial bloggers are 83% Bullish on FCX stock against the sector average of 76%, retail investors have increased their holdings in FCX stock by 2% in the last 30 days.
Contrary to bloggers and retail investors, analysts on TipRanks are cautiously optimistic about FCX stock, which carries a Moderate Buy consensus rating based on seven Buys, six Holds, and one Sell.
Key Takeaways for FCX Investors
As of now, corporate insiders are seen taking advantage of the company’s weak stock price, which has fallen 27.4% so far this year. It could be the right time to gain exposure to the company. This is because Freeport-McMoRan’s average price forecast of $37 implies 24.3% upside potential to current levels.
Read full Disclosure | https://www.tipranks.com/news/this-insider-just-pocketed-freeport-mcmoran-stock-nysefcx-worth-988-3k | 2022-08-31T13:07:41Z | tipranks.com | control | https://www.tipranks.com/news/this-insider-just-pocketed-freeport-mcmoran-stock-nysefcx-worth-988-3k | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
DOVER, Del. - Delaware State Police are alerting the public to a recurring phone scam involving a “spoofed phone number.”
Several people have reported received phone calls from a Delaware State Police-issued telephone number. Only the number appears on the caller ID; if that number is looked up, it shows that it is a valid Delaware State Police phone number.
Caller ID spoofing is when a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity. Spoofing is often used to trick someone into giving away valuable personal information so it can be used in fraudulent activity or sold illegally.
Delaware State Police are reminding the public that they will never request payment for fines, traffic tickets, or bail. All these transactions are conducted by the respective court systems and never over the phone. Electronic payments are also never requested via phone for court matters.
If someone calls you regarding a family member, do not offer personal information about yourself or the family member. Immediately attempt to contact the family to verify their status on your own. Indicators of scam calls are threats, orders not to hang up, and other statements where the scammer places urgency on their request for information or money.
Please visit this website for more information on How to Avoid Spoofing: Caller ID Spoofing | Federal Communications Commission (fcc.gov) | https://www.wboc.com/news/delaware-state-police-phone-number-used-in-spoofed-phone-number-scam/article_35e4b00a-291d-11ed-9e24-17a0133e673c.html | 2022-08-31T13:08:13Z | wboc.com | control | https://www.wboc.com/news/delaware-state-police-phone-number-used-in-spoofed-phone-number-scam/article_35e4b00a-291d-11ed-9e24-17a0133e673c.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Born February 2, 1933, in Salisbury, MD, Audrey Hayman entered eternal rest on August 29, 2022, surrounded by her loving family.
Upon graduating Wicomico High School in 1952 Audrey would live a life of service to her family, friends and community. She married the love of her life, William Howard Hayman in 1953, and went on to work for Union Trust as a bank teller for several years.
To read full obituary, click Here. | https://www.wboc.com/obituaries/audrey-c-hayman/article_311f7506-2926-11ed-b43b-8b68502258f4.html | 2022-08-31T13:08:19Z | wboc.com | control | https://www.wboc.com/obituaries/audrey-c-hayman/article_311f7506-2926-11ed-b43b-8b68502258f4.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Donald L. Adams, 71, of Jacksonville, FL, passed away on Thursday, August 25, 2022. Born in Pittsburgh, PA, he was the son of Emma Rosalie Baker and the late Donald Adams.
He lived in Salisbury, Maryland and worked for Lower Shore Workshop for many years and Waterman’s Restaurant. He moved to Jacksonville, FL two years ago.
To read full obituary, click Here. | https://www.wboc.com/obituaries/donald-linwood-adams/article_b06b34de-2922-11ed-953e-f786b2f1e27c.html | 2022-08-31T13:08:25Z | wboc.com | control | https://www.wboc.com/obituaries/donald-linwood-adams/article_b06b34de-2922-11ed-953e-f786b2f1e27c.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Margaret Elizabeth Hillman (“Beth”), 46, of Mardela Springs, passed away Sunday, August 28, 2022, at Tidal Health-Peninsula Regional Hospital surrounded by her family.
Born on February 17, 1976, in Ellicott City, MD, she was the daughter of Charles and Barbara Emery of Mardela Springs and the late Sharyne Emery. She and her husband, Jerry L. Hillman celebrated 25 years of marriage in 2022.
To read full obituary, click Here. | https://www.wboc.com/obituaries/margaret-elizabeth-hillman/article_702c2f8a-2923-11ed-a636-5798e65e1852.html | 2022-08-31T13:08:31Z | wboc.com | control | https://www.wboc.com/obituaries/margaret-elizabeth-hillman/article_702c2f8a-2923-11ed-a636-5798e65e1852.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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Ohio Supreme Court Won’t Hear Oberlin Appeal
The Ohio Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to review a lower court’s ruling that Oberlin College must pay $36 million to a nearby bakery, Cleveland.com reported.
Without issuing any statements, the court voted 4 to 3 not to hear an appeal. The vote was along party lines, with all four Republican justices voting with the majority and the three votes to hear the appeal coming from Democratic judges.
The case started in 2016, when Allyn Gibson caught three Black Oberlin students stealing wine from Gibson’s Bakery, which is located near the college. The students claimed racism. The fallout led to student protests, elevated by then dean of students Meredith Raimondo, who handed out fliers protesting the bakery, and Oberlin's student government, which passed a resolution accusing the bakery of a history of racial discrimination.
In 2017, the bakery sued Oberlin, claiming the college had hurt its reputation.
In April, an Ohio appeals court upheld a verdict against the college.
The judge who initially heard the case had settled on a verdict of $25 million, plus $6 million for Gibson’s lawyers. That amount has increased to $36 million with interest.
In a statement, Oberlin said it was “disappointed” that the Supreme Court will not hear its appeal. “The issues raised by this case have been challenging, not only for the parties involved, but for the entire Oberlin community,” said the statement. “We remain committed to strengthening the partnership between the college, the City of Oberlin and its residents, and the downtown business community. We will continue in that important work while remaining focused on our core educational mission.”
The Gibson family and their lawyers, in a statement, said that the entire state of Ohio should appreciate that the courts recognized Oberlin’s “deplorable conduct.”
The statement said, “The power of truth has enabled the Gibson family to survive Oberlin’s onslaught. Truth still matters, David can still overcome Goliath.”
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Resources for faculty and staff from our partners at Times Higher Education.
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- Sea of sameness: why universities have trouble with branding | https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2022/08/31/ohio-supreme-court-won%E2%80%99t-hear-oberlin-appeal | 2022-08-31T13:13:01Z | insidehighered.com | control | https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2022/08/31/ohio-supreme-court-won%E2%80%99t-hear-oberlin-appeal | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Col. Shawn Fitzgerald, the 106th Rescue Wing commander and Exercise TÁPIO American mission commander stands with Brig. Gen. Denise Donnell, the commander of the New York Air National Guard and Brig Gen. Isabel Smith, the New York National Guard director of Joint Staff and Col. Eric Underhill, New York National Guard J3 Director (Operations) on Aug. 29, 2022 near Campo Grande, Brazil. One hundred and five New York Air National Guard members participated in the 5th annual Brazilian Joint Exercise TAPIO held in Campo Grande, Brazil, from Aug. 20-31, 2022.
This work, New York National Guard leaders visit Airmen in Brazil for military Exercise TAPIO [Image 8 of 8], by MAJ Jean Kratzer, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7395763/new-york-national-guard-leaders-visit-airmen-brazil-military-exercise-tapio | 2022-08-31T13:19:24Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7395763/new-york-national-guard-leaders-visit-airmen-brazil-military-exercise-tapio | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District Technical Dive Team Conducts inspection of the Mount Morris Dam stilling basin and safely identify accretion of silt/sediment with some woody debris and some deterioration of the conduit outlets no major issues were found. This inspection is done every 5 years to document the integrity of a 70 year old structure (U.S. Army photo by Yvonne Najera).
This work, USACE Dive OPS at Mount Morris Dam [Image 9 of 9], by Yvonne Najera, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7395791/usace-dive-ops-mount-morris-dam | 2022-08-31T13:20:45Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7395791/usace-dive-ops-mount-morris-dam | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The best gamer gadgets of 2022
The tech, gear and accessories that any gamer will love.
With gaming being as popular as it is, gadgets, gear and tech for gamers are advancing at an exciting rate. This is perfect for passionate gamers, but also for anybody looking for those hard-to-find gift ideas.
From upgrades to your gaming experience, to practical pieces of tech, to ways to further personalise and decorate your setup... We've collated the best gamer gadgets to elevate your gaming.
Best gaming gadgets to buy in 2022
Sony PlayStation VR Mega Pack
PlayStation gamers will have seen the myriad games that are now available on PSVR. From Resident Evil 7 to Firewall Zero Hour, PlayStation have been utilising their VR technology to produce an exciting range of dynamic titles.
The PlayStation VR Mega Pack is a great way to get stuck into it. The headset comes with the camera and stand included, which you'll often have to buy separately, and the pack includes 5 popular games that show off the PSVR experience in different ways. The PSVR headset and camera are compatible with PS4 and PS5.
Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda
Nintendo's series of Game & Watch consoles dates back to the 1980s, where individual games were programmed into their own handheld devices. This all-new version celebrates the 35th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda, offering a familiar style of retro graphics and original sounds with newer and more reliable technology.
The Game & Watch features three games: The Legend of Zelda, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, and The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening. Having three classic games on a portable device is fun in itself, but you can also get the experience of the original games by switching to the Japanese version.
Redragon K585 DITI One-Handed Gaming Keyboard
Designed for more serious gamers, the Redragon K585 gaming keyboard streamlines all the buttons needed into a slim and compact keyboard. Seven macro keys can be set by the user, with 28 macro settings available, and there are 5 different keyboard modes that easily be switched between.
All 42 keys have an anti-ghosting feature, meaning they can be activated regardless of how many other keys are being pressed. There's even a dedicated button to activate the in-game map. Plus, the clear, tactile keys are backlit with a whole spectrum of available colours.
SanDisk microSD for Nintendo Switch
Nintendo Switch users will know how limited their storage capacities can be. An SD card allows you to store a load of additional games and saved content, and the Nintendo Switch microSD cards are the perfect choice.
They come in various sizes between 64GB and 512GB, each with a different but instantly recognisable Nintendo symbol.
Sega Astro City Mini
The Sega Astro City was a popular choice among arcade goers, offering a range of Sega titles in a big, cabinet machine. The Sega Astro City Mini miniaturises the experience into a retro games console for the home, with 37 games preloaded.
For more old-school gaming, check out 8 of the best retro games consoles.
Razer BlackShark V2
Widely praised as one of the best gaming headsets available, the Razer BlackShark V2 can bring dynamic audio to your gaming. Using THX spatial audio, the headphones offer virtual surround sound to give you clarity on the sounds and locations of your surroundings.
The speakers have dedicated drivers for the highs, lows and mids, ensuring that each element of the audio is bright and clear. The headset also has a USB sound card that can enhance your voice, with features that can isolate your speech and reduce background noise.
RGB Gaming Mouse Pad with Wireless Charging
The size of this mouse pad makes it perfect for gaming, with plenty of space for your keyboard, phone and mouse. The pad is surrounded by fully customisable lights, offering different light modes and millions of colours for you to choose from.
A 15W charging pad makes this even more appealing, as it gives you the chance to have your phone charging right next to you while you play.
For more options, why not take a look at the best gaming mouse pads?
Logitech G PRO Gaming Mouse - League of Legends Edition
This League of Legends special edition brings the responsive and ergonomic features of Logitech's PRO gaming series into a sleek, purpose-built mouse. Additional buttons help to streamline your gaming while the lightweight mouse, shaped to fit your hand, lets you take full control of your movements.
Thrustmaster T-GT II Racing Wheel
Perfect for racing games and simulators, the Thrustmaster T-GT II Racing Wheel attempts to create a driving experience that's as realistic as possible.
Intuitive responsiveness and real-time force feedback are key features, as well as drift curve calculation that makes sure the resistance is the same regardless of the game. It's compatible with PC, PS4 and PS5.
For more immersive gaming tech, check out our picks of the best racing wheels.
New Bee Headphone Stand with Wireless Charging
Neatly charge your phone and headset together with this wireless charging stand from New Bee. It's compatible with standard wireless charging-enabled devices, and there's an LED indicator so you know when it's charging.
Elgato Stream Deck MK.2
For streamers, the Elgato Stream Deck MK.2 combines all of your apps and commands into one device. The deck is customisable - you can set what apps, games and actions each button activates - and even the colours, lights and icons can be changed to suit your style.
Corsair iCUE LT100 Smart Lighting Towers
Lighting towers are an exciting way of individualising your gaming setup. The Corsair iCUE LT100 towers have 46 customisable LED lights each, and they can be synchronised to match the colours and ambience with what's happening on your screen.
Razer Kishi
The Razer Kishi lets you play mobile games with a handheld controller. The controller extends to fit your phone screen right in the centre, giving the feel of an experience similar to the PSP or the Gameboy Advance.
Authors
Dan works across a range of Our Media's special interest brands. With a keen eye for what makes a product great, their expertise comes in handy when writing for publications like Countryfile, Science Focus and YourHomeStyle. Outside of work, their passion for creative culture pushes them towards music and the arts.
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Instant Genius Podcast: The science of James Bond gadgets, with Kathryn Harkup
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Published: 31st August, 2022 at 10:19
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Kathryn Harkup, author of Superspy Science, talks us through the science of James Bond's craziest gadgets.
Instant Genius is a bite-sized masterclass in podcast form. In this week's episode, we talk to Kathryn Harkup, author of Superspy Science: science, death and tech in the world of James Bond.
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She talks about the craziest gadgets, villain schemes, and deaths in the world of James Bond, showing where the science and reason doesn't line up.
Find Instant Genius on your preferred podcast platform here: instantgenius.podlink.to/Podcast
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Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) hosted an Aug. 30 visit from Maj. Gen. Scott F. Benedict, commanding general of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW). During the visit, FRCE leadership discussed depot operations with Benedict and gave him a tour highlighting the maintenance, repair, and overhaul services performed at FRCE.
FRCE provides maintenance, overhaul and technical services for many of the aircraft flown by 2nd MAW, including the F-35B Lightning II, MV-22B Osprey, CH-53E Super Stallion, AV-8B Harrier, F/A-18 Hornet, and AH/UH-1 helicopters. Maintenance and overhaul operations conducted on Marine Corps aircraft make up more than 75% of FRCE’s annual workload.
“This visit provided a great opportunity to showcase to 2nd MAW leadership the outstanding support our workforce provides to the warfighter,” said FRCE Commanding Officer Capt. James Belmont. “It highlighted our capabilities as well as the crucial role the depot plays in maintaining fleet readiness. This visit was also special because, being so near to one another, we share a very close working relationship with the squadrons that make up 2nd MAW.”
Belmont, FRCE Executive Officer Lt. Col. Jason Raper, FRCE Executive Director Chris Holder and FRCE First Sgt. Christopher Greene welcomed Benedict before leading a tour through some of the depot’s facilities. The tour focused on the MV-22 Osprey, F-35 Lightning II and future plans for F-35 maintenance and capabilities at FRCE.
The visit is Benedict’s first visit to FRCE since assuming command of 2nd MAW on July 11. He last served as the director of Strategy, Plans and Policy for U.S. Central Command. Benedict has served as a Marine Corps officer and Naval aviator for more than 30 years.
Benedict was accompanied by wing leaders including 2nd MAW Assistant Wing Commander Col. Stephen Acosta, Sgt. Maj. Joy Kitashima, and Command Master Chief Augustine Cooper. Also in attendance was Cherry Point Commanding Officer Col. Brendan Burks.
FRCE is North Carolina's largest maintenance, repair, overhaul and technical services provider, with more than 4,000 civilian, military and contract workers. Its annual revenue exceeds $1 billion. The depot provides service to the fleet while functioning as an integral part of the greater U.S. Navy; Naval Air Systems Command; and Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers.
Learn more at www.navair.navy.mil/frce or https://www.facebook.com/FleetReadinessCenterEast.
This work, FRCE Hosts 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Commanding General, by Joseph Andes, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/news/428370/frce-hosts-2nd-marine-aircraft-wing-commanding-general | 2022-08-31T13:23:16Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/news/428370/frce-hosts-2nd-marine-aircraft-wing-commanding-general | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Clements Penalized; Out of Playoffs
CONCORD, N.C. – A penalty issued against Jeremy Clements and his team Tuesday afternoon by NASCAR has removed the Xfinity Series driver from the playoff field.
Initially, Clements earned a position in the Xfinity Series playoffs with his victory early Saturday morning in the Wawa 250 at Daytona International Speedway. However, on Tuesday NASCAR announced a L2 penalty had been issued against the No. 51 team for its intake manifold.
The NASCAR rulebook states that all L2 penalties found after post-race inspection is completed will result in a penalty(ies) based off the minimum penalty options and the race finishing position will not count towards eligibility for the playoffs, advancement in the playoffs, eligibility for non-point events, and tie breakers.
Crew chief Mark Setzer was fined $60,000. The team was docked 75 owner points, 75 driver points, and 10 NASCAR playoff points.
A victory celebration for Clements and his team was scheduled for Tuesday evening in their hometown of Spartanburg, S.C., but it was canceled after the penalty was announced.
No Comment | http://www.racintoday.com/archives/99244 | 2022-08-31T13:38:38Z | racintoday.com | control | http://www.racintoday.com/archives/99244 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Earnhardt Puts Fear Aside; Returns To Late Models
Deb Williams | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. – Dale Earnhardt Jr. enjoys driving Late Model stock cars, but he hasn’t competed in one since 1997 because he was “too scared”; however, that will change Wednesday night when he climbs into one at North Wilkesboro Speedway for the CARS Tour Window World 125.
“My heart is in that series and in that type of cars,” said Earnhardt, who competed regularly in Late Models in the 1990s before moving into NASCAR’s Busch Series (now Xfinity). “I’ve wanted to drive the Late Model car for a really long time, and I just hadn’t had the guts to do it. I don’t know if I can make that make sense, but I’ve been too scared to do it.
“I’ve had opportunities. I’ve got cars and I’ve got weeks off. I just haven’t gone and done it because you don’t want to get beat or you don’t want to get embarrassed, or you know you might not run well.”
Earnhardt said watching NASCAR Cup drivers Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman and others race in series outside their comfort zone, knowing they might not perform well, had helped him.
“Knowing they won’t be on the top of the sheet is helpful for be because I’ll probably have a hard time being ultra-competitive, but, hopefully, we’ll run well,” Earnhardt said.
“I’ve always thought that people would say, ‘Oh, he should win. He’s an old Cup guy or he’s got great equipment. He should win.’ If you don’t, you’re afraid of getting ridiculed or criticized for it. I think I’m old enough now that I can blame it on being old if I don’t run well.”
Earnhardt said his goal in the 125-lap race at the historic short track was to finish the event.
“I’m going to be really, really nervous that I will get wrecked out or I’ll wreck the car or not finish the race,” Earnhardt continued. “But I hope that after this race I will have had enough fun that I’ll want to do a few more next year.
“God, I really love the Late Model series and running the local track. Showing up somewhere on a Friday or Saturday night unannounced, it’d be a lot of fun.”
Wednesday’s Window World 125 is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.
No Comment | http://www.racintoday.com/archives/99248 | 2022-08-31T13:38:44Z | racintoday.com | control | http://www.racintoday.com/archives/99248 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Ramping up oil drilling in North Sea 'not right approach', says Rachel Reeves
Ramping up oil and gas drilling in the North Sea is not the “right approach”, Labour’s shadow chancellor has said.
Rachel Reeves said the move would not deliver new energy “any time soon” and would not reduce prices.
It comes amid reports Liz Truss, the Conservative leadership favourite, plans to approve a series of new drilling licences if she wins the keys to Downing Street.
The Scottish Government has already voiced opposition to the proposals.
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Ms Reeves said there is “obviously a role for North Sea oil and gas in the transition towards net zero”.
However, she insisted the cheapest form of energy comes from wind and renewables.
She added: "I think that that is the faster and the cheaper way to boost our energy security and resilience and in the meantime create really good jobs here in Scotland, paying good wages, as well as delivering on our objectives of greater energy resilience so we're less reliant on Putin and other dictators.
"I think that renewables is the right way to invest in our resilience as a country."
She made the comments on a visit to Catapult, a leading innovation and research centre for offshore renewable energy, in Levenmouth, Fife.
Asked if she would support the issuing of new licenses for drilling in the North Sea, Ms Reeves said: "I don't think that is the right approach.
"It's not going to deliver new oil and gas any time soon to meet the need.
"It wouldn't reduce prices, because it would still just be sold on the international markets.
"And there is a cheaper alternative with quicker lead times that would actually directly reduce people's gas and electricity bills."
Ms Reeves pointed to Labour's plans to extend the windfall tax on energy company profits, with this money then used to "keep people's bills low this autumn and winter".
She added: "That is my priority. Liz Truss's priority seems to be protecting the big profits being made by oil and gas companies, and that is not the right priority for a country where more and more people are being pushed into fuel poverty."
Elsewhere, the shadow chancellor was asked about the Scottish Government’s opposition to new nuclear power stations.
She said nuclear power “plays a really important part in our energy mix”.
She added: “I do support more investment in nuclear because it is part of what is needed to boost our resilience and reduce our reliance on dictators like Vladimir Putin, because we will have investment in home-grown renewables and nuclear energy here in Britain.
"Look, those are choices for the Scottish Government. But as a UK Chancellor, I would ensure that we are investing in those things that boost our energy security and help British consumers, whether they are in Scotland or England, Wales or Northern Ireland, get access to gas and electricity at the lowest possible prices.”
Asked if she would seek to overrule the Scottish Government on the issue, she said it was a decision for Scottish ministers.
She added: “There are lots of opportunities in England that I would pursue as Chancellor, and in Wales as well, to ensure that we have got the right energy mix.”
Ms Reeves said Labour's proposals to freeze the energy price cap would save Scottish families £2.6 billion, with the average household saving £1,000.
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article. | https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/ramping-up-oil-drilling-in-north-sea-not-right-approach-says-rachel-reeves-3825660 | 2022-08-31T13:40:45Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/ramping-up-oil-drilling-in-north-sea-not-right-approach-says-rachel-reeves-3825660 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Today's eurozone preliminary CPI was up 9.1% y/y compared to 9.0% expected led by a 38% rise in energy prices. That was the final straw for Goldman Sachs, which also cited 'upside risks to near-term growth(?)'.
Even as the odds of a 75 bps hike have risen, policymakers are continuing to deliver hawkish talk. That's a strong sign that an agressive hike is coming.
The decision is Sept 8 and will be the highlight on next week's economic calendar. | https://www.forexlive.com/news/goldman-sachs-now-expects-the-ecb-to-hike-by-75-bps-in-september-20220831/ | 2022-08-31T13:41:31Z | forexlive.com | control | https://www.forexlive.com/news/goldman-sachs-now-expects-the-ecb-to-hike-by-75-bps-in-september-20220831/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Morning Forex technical report is out. in the report I set the levels for the following pairs. Take a look:
- EURUSD after dipping below its 100 and 200 hour moving averages is back above as traders consolidate the trading range and figure out where the next shove is going to be
- USDJPY is also consolidating near highs and near the highs for 2022 (and going back to 1998). The ceiling has been able to hold resistance giving sellers some hope
- GBPUSD made a new low going back to March 2020, but can't keep downside momentum going. The pair held support at a lower trend line on the hourly chart today
- USDCHF is seeing upside momentum as traders adjust to a more accomodative central bank vs the rest (weakening the CHF)
- USDCAD is higher as it reacts to lower oil
- AUDUSD found sellers near the 200 hour MA on the run higher and traded back to the recent lows. | https://www.forexlive.com/technical-analysis/the-morning-forex-technical-report-for-august-31-2022-20220831/ | 2022-08-31T13:41:43Z | forexlive.com | control | https://www.forexlive.com/technical-analysis/the-morning-forex-technical-report-for-august-31-2022-20220831/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, on Wednesday commissioned the newly created Police divisional headquarters in Ogele, Asa local government area of Kwara State.
The former Ogele Police Post was upgraded to a divisional status, courtesy of the communal efforts of the people of Ogele community led by the Aare of Ogele, Alhaji Abubakar Ishola Aare.
Speaking at the ceremony, the IGP sought the cooperation of Nigerians in the fight against banditry, kidnapping and all forms of violent crimes in all parts of the country.
Represented by the Kwara State commissioner of police, Mr Tuesday Assayomo, the IGP said:” We need the cooperation of members of the public to succeed in taming the criminals in our midst.
“We depend on information which the public gives us to prevent crimes and apprehend culprits. You are not doing the police any favour by providing them information, but you are only helping yourselves as the criminals you refuse to expose will end up arming you”.
He commended the people of Ogele for their commitment to the security of lives and property which informed their decision to put in place the befitting structure that now hosts the divisional police headquarters.
The deputy commissioner of police (Operations), Adekimi Ojo, represented the commissioner of police, Mr Tuesday Assayomo, at the event.
Also speaking, the chairman of Ogele community, Alhaji Issa Oniyo, and a former state lawmaker, Hon. Bolaji Amasa thanked the police hierarchy for approving a divisional police headquarters for their community.
The two leaders urged the people of the community to always provide the police with genuine and timely information, noting that security is the responsibility of all.
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
- I’ll Expose Politicians Planning To Continue Looting Nigeria —Wike
- IGP commissions Ogele divisional Police headqtrs, seeks Nigerians’ support on insecurity | https://tribuneonlineng.com/igp-commissions-ogele-divisional-police-headqtrs-seeks-nigerians-support-on-insecurity/ | 2022-08-31T13:42:05Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/igp-commissions-ogele-divisional-police-headqtrs-seeks-nigerians-support-on-insecurity/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Monarch calls for revival of agricultural sector to boost food production in Nigeria
The traditional ruler of Ishi Ubomiri autonomous community in the Mbaitoli Council Area of Imo State HRH Eze Emma St. George Eke has called for stronger proactive measures by various tiers of government towards the revival and resuscitation of the nation’s ailing agricultural sector.
The traditional ruler stated this during his 2022 new yam ceremony held at his palace which was attended by representatives of the 19 villages of the community.
The monarch who is also the President of the “Imo Exporter’s League” warned that continued neglect of such a critical sector would not only worsen the raging food crisis but also deplete the much-needed resources for development and equally compound youth unemployment and sundry juvenile delinquency.
He said: “My community is famous for agricultural activities and as a traditional ruler, I am into active farming and if the various levels of government can sit up and accord stronger prominence to agriculture, it will generate more revenue for the government while providing a job for the youths.”
Lamenting the upsurge of insecurity and moral decadence in society, Eze Eke who is the chairman of the Mbaitoli council of traditional rulers challenged parents and guardians to inculcate moral values in their children and wards.
He said: “nowadays, we are too busy pursuing wealth instead of teaching love and moral values to our children hence the continued degeneration.”
The monarch who equally cried out over the rising tempo of corruption and cutthroat competition for offices by the political class urged politicians to always play the game according to the rule in order to consolidate and strengthen the nation’s hard-earned democracy.
He lamented that some traditional rulers had been constrained to reside outside their communities due to insecurity, noting that some of them had been shot and killed by bandits and other criminal elements.
Also speaking, the CEO of “Mezie Mbaitoli Youth Foundation For the Poor” – Stanley Chimaroke Mezie disclosed that the NGO established in 2015 had fashioned packages to assist interested youths in the LGA go into active farming to boost food production.
He hailed Eze Eke as a veritable custodian of the culture and tradition of his people and enjoined the community to always assist him to move the community forward.
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- EDITORIAL: Still On NDDC And Its House Of Scandals
- This Is Our Last Chance —Tinubu
- I’ll Expose Politicians Planning To Continue Looting Nigeria —Wike | https://tribuneonlineng.com/monarch-calls-for-revival-of-agricultural-sector-to-boost-food-production-in-nigeria/ | 2022-08-31T13:42:19Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/monarch-calls-for-revival-of-agricultural-sector-to-boost-food-production-in-nigeria/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Wapato School District classified staff members picketed for higher wages outside the school board meeting Monday before some of them addressed the board and asked to be fairly compensated.
Classified staff includes paraeducators, bus drivers, food service workers, custodians and maintenance workers. Approximately 130 classified workers in the district are represented by the Wapato chapter of Public School Employees of Washington, SEIU Local 1948.
The union has been in contract negotiations with the district since March, but a request for higher wages has stalled the process, said Wapato PSE vice president Karen Lommers. Lommers works at Simcoe Elementary School as a special education life skills paraeducator.
“It’s not about greed. It’s not about we’re money hungry,” she said. “We just want the paycheck to show what our value is. And right now we don’t feel like that’s what it does.”
In a statement, Wapato Superintendent Kelly Garza said the district and the union have met seven times for bargaining sessions since March, including once in mediation. The district also negotiated new contracts with two other school workers unions this year.
“The bargaining teams have made significant progress to this point and I look forward to them reaching agreement on the salary component that provides a fair, competitive wage for our employees represented by the PSE association and one that is sustainable for the district,” Garza said in the statement. “We value all of our employees and appreciate the work they do in helping provide a high-caliber education for our students.”
The union and the district will meet again for negotiations Wednesday, the same day their current contract expires. Lommers and Garza expressed optimism that Wednesday’s bargaining session will result in a new contract.
Lommers said most of the negotiations went smoothly, but the requested wage increase is the final hurdle.
She said many classified staff members are single parents and increases in the cost of living put a strain on most people’s budgets.
“If you’re not making the wage, you’re sitting there thinking, ‘What am I going to have to leave out that my kids can’t have?’ And we shouldn’t have to do that,” she said.
Most classified staff are hourly workers, not salaried, and workers are not guaranteed year-round work. Some staff have to get second jobs, said Christopher Mobley, a PSE representative.
The financial strain has caused some workers to consider leaving education, like Gail De La Rosa, a special education paraeducator at Adams Elementary School. She said she loves her job, but the pay is not enough.
Several paraeducators said they spent their own money buying supplies for their classes and performed tasks outside their job descriptions.
During the school board meeting, classified staff and supporters packed the room. Many were dressed in blue union shirts and held signs that read “I want respect reflected in my check.” A few addressed the board, asking for what they considered fair wages.
Teacher Maria Guzman said classified staff are necessary to make schools run.
“ I can’t do my job without them. I need them every day,” she said. “And I asked you please support them and give them the wages that they deserve.” | https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/education/wapato-school-support-staff-picket-for-higher-wages-state-case-to-school-board/article_e0e99b10-288b-11ed-9217-dbd98878a160.html | 2022-08-31T13:42:59Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/education/wapato-school-support-staff-picket-for-higher-wages-state-case-to-school-board/article_e0e99b10-288b-11ed-9217-dbd98878a160.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
President Joe Biden’s plan to have the federal government pay off hundreds of billions of dollars in student loans has received blistering criticism, all of it deserved.
It’s a constitutional offense: Congress is supposed to authorize sweeping spending programs, not the president acting on his own. It’s economically risky, given our persistent high inflation. It’s perverse distributionally: A lawyer-doctor couple making $249,000 together will be able to walk away from debts.
It solves none of the structural problems of higher education and its financing, and may make them worse. It is socially destructive, too, threatening to exacerbate the growing divide between Americans who have college degrees and those who do not.
To top it all off, it may not even pay the political dividends the Biden administration seeks. A significant number of Democrats in tough races this fall have already repudiated Biden’s giveaway. Sometimes harshly: Tim Ryan, running for the Senate from Ohio, says that “waiving debt for those already on a trajectory to financial security sends the wrong message to millions of Ohioans without a degree working just as hard to make ends meet.”
Ryan and the others are implicitly betting that Biden’s action will cost the Democrats votes, at least where they live. It’s a judgment that reflects a hard lesson many Democrats learned in previous decades.
During the New Deal, Franklin Roosevelt aide Harry Hopkins reportedly set forth the party’s basic political strategy: “We will spend and spend, tax and tax, elect and elect.” Biden’s student-loan gambit omits the second step, but otherwise the political rationale is the same: Help out millions of people, and they can be expected to be grateful — and to vote on their gratitude.
It seemed to work for decades. But the New Deal majority started to show cracks in the 1960s and broke apart altogether by the end of the 1980s. Many, many books try to explain why. A common theme: The Democrats and big government ceased to be identified with middle-class values and interests. They were out of step with public sentiment on work and welfare, on racial politics and crime policy, on religion and patriotism.
That’s why Bill Clinton, seeking to reclaim the presidency for the Democrats after they suffered three defeats in a row, carefully broadcast a different message. He made a show of supporting the death penalty for violent criminals. He promised to end welfare as we know it. And he chided a minor celebrity who had spoken glibly about murders committed by Black people. At the same time, he stuck with the party’s core commitment to use federal power to help those who, in his words, “work hard and play by the rules.”
At a low point in his presidency, he told a columnist the lesson he had drawn. He had run into trouble, he said, by forgetting: “Values matter most.”
Clinton’s makeover was successful, so much so that in the decades since his presidency both parties have become friendlier to federal activism. But Democrats may have gotten so carried away by rising tolerance for big government that they have misunderstood why it happened in the first place.
The most serious political vulnerability of Biden’s debt write-off is not that it will increase the deficit, although it will. It’s that it contradicts widely held values. Instead of helping people who are down on their luck or rewarding them for working — as government programs from the earned-income credit and Social Security do — it undoes part of a freely made bargain.
The lawyer can still earn a handsome living from his degree, but he no longer has to meet the obligations he accepted in return for the expense of getting it. Millions of people who work hard and play by the rules, as Clinton put it, are made into suckers: the people who paid their debts or made sacrifices to avoid borrowing so much in the first place.
Americans who never attended college at all but have other debts, from mortgages to car loans, will get no relief from Biden’s edict. But they may have to pay for it, through higher inflation or higher taxes, even though a lot of the beneficiaries are better off than they are. That’s going to strike many voters, even ones who favor expansive government programs, as unfair, because it is.
Contemporary Democrats are already paying a price for the perception that they think Americans with college degrees are better than everyone else. Funneling hundreds of billions to Americans who have attended college — invoking something called the “Heroes Act,” no less — will reinforce that perception.
Conservatives have often deluded themselves into thinking that big government as such is unpopular, and had many occasions to learn otherwise. But it’s popular only to the extent it aligns with voters’ values. Democrats might be about to get a sharp reminder of the point. | https://www.yakimaherald.com/opinion/columnists/commentary-what-bill-clinton-understood-about-big-government-that-biden-doesn-t/article_c3d6d6da-2888-11ed-8278-97e965b153ae.html | 2022-08-31T13:43:05Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/opinion/columnists/commentary-what-bill-clinton-understood-about-big-government-that-biden-doesn-t/article_c3d6d6da-2888-11ed-8278-97e965b153ae.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
As a leader in fitness space, Titan Fitness is granting a customized home gym to help a Make-A-Wish child's dreams come true.
MEMPHIS, Tenn., Aug. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Titan Fitness, an industry leader in fitness equipment including the home gym space, has partnered with Make-A-Wish, a nonprofit organization that creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses, to grant the wish of a North Texas teen.
Through the partnership, Robert Rodriguez, 16, had his dream of building out his home gym fulfilled. Diagnosed with leukemia in 2020, Rodriguez, a student from Farmersville, Texas, wanted a way to continue weightlifting and working out while also protecting his immune system.
"When we heard that Robert selected Titan products to build out his home gym, we were honored," said Austin Speck, Titan Brands CEO. "We believe everyone should have access to premium fitness equipment to help achieve their goals. And we're proud to be able to make a difference for someone who has a passion for fitness."
In addition to a bench press, treadmill, punching bag, exercise bike and other fitness products, Rodriguez' home gym now features a Titan Fitness leg press hack squat machine, a leg extension and curl machine, and a plate-loaded deltoid and shoulder press machine. As part of his wish, Rodriguez was also gifted a laptop so that he can create and track his workout sessions.
"The fitness community generally measures results in the form of physical strength. What's often overlooked is the mental strength and discipline it takes to achieve those results. Robert's determination to chase his fitness goals in the midst of his diagnosis serves as an inspiration for having the mental fortitude to overcome obstacles," said Speck.
"Research shows a wish can give kids the physical and emotional strength to fight against a critical illness," said Sara Roelke, Communications Manager at Make-A-Wish North Texas. "And Robert is certainly taking that concept to the next level! We're proud to work with Titan Fitness to make Robert's wish of having a safe place to work out come true."
Inspired by the teenager's commitment to fitness, Speck and representatives from Make-A-Wish presented Rodriguez with a custom, personalized Titan Fitness barbell, designed with his name.
To learn more about how Titan Fitness is transforming the fitness industry, click here.
Make-A-Wish North Texas creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. We seek to bring every eligible child's wish to life because every child deserves a childhood. Research shows children who have wishes granted can build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight their illness. Together with generous donors, supporters, staff and volunteers, Make-A-Wish North Texas and 59 other Make-A-Wish chapters throughout the U.S. have granted more than 330,000 wishes nationwide. Since 1982, Make-A-Wish North Texas has granted more than 12,000 life-changing wish experiences across 161 counties. For more information, visit wish.org/ntx.
At Titan Brands, the focus is simple—it's about people. By providing customers easy access to premium products, without the premium cost, Titan Brands enriches and simplifies life by giving customers the freedom to buy. Disrupting the high-cost market through superior product acquisition, leading-edge e-commerce capabilities, and world-class service, Titan Brands provides the freedom to achieve stronger, healthier, and more fulfilling lives to those that shop their brands. To learn more about their fitness brand, visit titanfitness.com.
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SOURCE Titan Fitness | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/make-a-wish-titan-fitness-grant-home-gym-wish-north-texas-teen/ | 2022-08-31T13:46:20Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/make-a-wish-titan-fitness-grant-home-gym-wish-north-texas-teen/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Leading HVAC manufacturer increases exposure for Airedale K-12 products in the Carolinas, Oklahoma
RACINE, Wis., Aug. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Modine Manufacturing Company (NYSE: MOD), a leader in technology in the HVAC industry, is partnering with Insight Partners and Engineered Equipment (EEI) to expand access to the Airedale product line in the Carolinas and Oklahoma markets.
The partnership will bring a concentrated focus to available Airedale products for K-12 schools to help educational facilities maximize IAQ solutions in their respective markets.
"Innovative solutions have always been a point of emphasis for the Airedale brand," said Kimberly Raduenz, manager of strategic marketing for the IAQ division at Modine. "With more emphasis being placed on indoor air quality, the need for our school products is higher than ever. This partnership with Insight Partners and EEI will allow us to broaden our reach to the Carolinas and Oklahoma and empower school leaders to take the necessary step in enhancing and improving IAQ for their students and staff."
Modine specializes in a variety of ventilation and heating solutions. With a focus on providing optimal HVAC services to the school market, the Airedale product line offers solutions ranging from the ClassMate® DX Cooling and Heat Pump to the Sentinel® Vertical Unit Ventilator.
Insight Partners is a commercial HVAC network that brings wide-ranging manufacturer capability and a dedicated network of experts committed to getting projects done on time and on budget. Bringing nationwide expertise and resources to local projects, Insight Partners provides commercial HVAC equipment and solutions for customers across a variety of markets and industries in North and South Carolina.
"At Insight Partners, we dedicate ourselves to representing and providing the best applications and solutions to our clients," said Mark Murray, president of Insight Partners. "There is an incredible opportunity for growth in the K-12 school market in the Carolinas and Georgia with the expanding population, and Airedale by Modine gives us the best partner for the space. From replacements to new construction facilities, the K-12 HVAC market is going to be very healthy for the foreseeable future, and Airedale by Modine is the best fit for us."
EEI represents over 60 manufacturers in the Oklahoma market. Today they provide heating, air conditioning, ventilating, hydronic, and filtration equipment and replacement parts to commercial and industrial customers.
"At EEI, we believe building partnerships is key to serving our customers and supporting our manufacturers," said Trapper Wilson, principal at EEI. "Every day, we strive to apply the right products and solutions to our customer's needs, however complex they may be. The partnership with Airedale is going to add another top-tier solution to our portfolio that allows us to bring even more value to our customers."
To learn more about Modine HVAC solutions, please visit https://www.modinehvac.com/.
To learn more about Insight Partners, please visit https://www.insightusa.com/.
To learn more about EEI, please visit https://www.eei-ok.com/.
About Modine
At Modine, we are engineering a cleaner, healthier world. Building on more than 100 years of excellence in thermal management, we provide trusted systems and solutions that improve air quality and conserve natural resources. More than 11,000 employees are at work in every corner of the globe, delivering the solutions our customers need, where they need them. Our Climate Solutions and Performance Technologies segments support our purpose by improving air quality, reducing energy and water consumption, lowering harmful emissions and enabling cleaner running vehicles and environmentally-friendly refrigerants. Modine is a global company headquartered in Racine, Wisconsin (USA), with operations in North America, South America, Europe and Asia. For more information about Modine, visit www.modine.com.
About Insight Partners
With a combined 20 offices across collective entities and over 500 associates pulling from nearly a century of industry experience, Insight Partners, LLC is a commercial HVAC manufacturers' representative with locations in Florida, North and South Carolina, and Georgia. By bringing national experience and resources to local projects, Insight Partners provides commercial HVAC equipment and solutions for customers across a variety of markets and industries. With a combined 80+ years of HVAC experience, Insight Partners brings together a network of the best resources, people, and cultivated industry knowledge to give its partners a unique advantage over complex challenge.
About EEI
Engineered Equipment was founded in January 2001 as an independent representative of 'best in class' equipment manufacturers, serving the highly technical application needs of commercial and industrial buildings. Since 2001, EEI has grown from two employees to 50 team members providing the best HVAC products and services in the state of Oklahoma. Today, they provide heating, air conditioning, ventilating, hydronic, filtration equipment, replacement parts and equipment start-up assistance to the commercial and industrial markets of Oklahoma.
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OSLO, Norway, Aug. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Myriad new tax credits make the USA one of the world's most promising markets for electrolyser and hydrogen-fuelling technology - and set the country on course to reduce CO2 emissions by 40% compared to 2005 levels.
America has gone from being a climate no-hoper to a green-transition leader in a matter of weeks with the entering into law of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The instrument provides nearly $370bn in climate funding.
$27bn of this will fund a new climate bank, with McKinsey estimating that every dollar to come out of the lender will unleash a further $7-10 of private-sector investment. In the words of Senator Ed Markey, this money is the "half loaf" that will "give us the sustenance we need to get the whole loaf", which is net-zero emissions by 2050.
"There is great excitement all around. We've been waiting for the dam to break on hydrogen for some time. Now we can say to clients that green hydrogen is the way to go not just because it's the right thing to do, but also because it's the most economic thing to do," says Kathy Ayers, VP Research and Development at Nel.
The IRA tax credits will make it cheaper for low and middle-income Americans in particular to get their hands on clean technology such as heat pumps, zero-emissions vehicles, and solar panels. Incentives will also prioritise communities where fossil fuels are the main source of income, and create jobs predominantly in unionised industries.
It is this focus on disadvantaged communities that really has the potential to win over those Americans who are not yet convinced of the need for urgent action on climate change.
The effect of the IRA will be a dramatic lowering of the costs of renewable power and related infrastructure. Contrast this with the fossil-fuel industry, where prices have remained the same for the past 140 years if you adjust for inflation.
When it comes to clean-hydrogen industry, the instruments to note are:
- 10-year production tax credit, worth up to $3 per kg of green hydrogen, available even if the electricity used to generate the hydrogen comes from renewable-energy sources claiming existing renewable-energy tax credits.
- Investment tax credit for energy-storage technology including hydrogen, with a headline rate of 6% of qualifying costs. If certain other requirements are satisfied, such as apprenticeship and wage agreements, that figure can rise to 30%.
- Clean-vehicle credits for both electric and hydrogen-fuel-cell vehicles, with a new tax credit for commercial vehicles. Hydrogen-powered trucks already benefit from a lower total cost of ownership compared to battery-electric vehicles, with lower weight implying less wear and tear, and faster refuelling times.
- Refuelling property for alternative fuels tax credit, worth up to 30% of the property's cost with a cap of $100,000 per unit. This provision is bound to expand the hydrogen fuelling-station network.
"The production tax credit in particular effectively bridges the cost gap between fossil-based hydrogen and green hydrogen in America. This is particularly the case in key parts of the US with growing renewable-power availability such as California, where Nel already has a significant presence," Ayers says.
Other parts of America are also looking for opportunities to capitalise on the tax credits that the IRA makes available including Texas, where there is much wind power; the Pacific North West region with its abundant hydropower; and the nuclear-power heartlands of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.
The enactment of America's biggest piece of climate legislation to date follows significant progress in the North American market for Nel, with the company's biggest electrolyser order to date announced in July this year. The 200MW stack, worth €45m ($46m) and potentially twice that amount with additional hardware, will go live in 2024.
For further information, please contact:
Wilhelm Finder, Head of Investor Relations, +47 936 11 350
Lars Nermoen, Head of Communications, +47 902 40 153
About Nel ASA | www.nelhydrogen.com
Nel is a global, dedicated hydrogen company, delivering optimal solutions to produce, store, and distribute hydrogen from renewable energy. We serve industries, energy, and gas companies with leading hydrogen technology. Our roots date back to 1927, and since then, we have had a proud history of development and continuous improvement of hydrogen technologies. Today, our solutions cover the entire value chain: from hydrogen production technologies to hydrogen fueling stations, enabling industries to transition to green hydrogen, and providing fuel cell electric vehicles with the same fast fueling and long range as fossil-fueled vehicles - without the emissions.
This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com
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SOURCE NEL ASA | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/nel-asa-bidens-inflation-reduction-act-is-great-news-green-hydrogen/ | 2022-08-31T13:46:47Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/nel-asa-bidens-inflation-reduction-act-is-great-news-green-hydrogen/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
66% of organizations report spending more on SaaS apps than IaaS, yet SaaS security not yet a top three priority
NEW YORK, Aug. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Axonius, the leader in cybersecurity asset management and SaaS management, today released the results of a new research study focused on SaaS usage among enterprises across the United States, United Kingdom, and Europe. The data highlights a striking difference between consumption and security of SaaS applications. In fact, the majority of respondents (74%) reported more than half of their applications are now SaaS-based, and 66% reported spending more on SaaS applications today than a year ago.
But amid rising adoption and increasing costs, most organizations reported SaaS security lagged in urgency and priority. Of those surveyed, 60% ranked SaaS security fourth or lower on their list of current security priorities, and only 34% cited being worried about the costs associated with rising SaaS-based app usage.
"The biggest concern with SaaS adoption right now is that most organizations are underestimating the number of SaaS applications that exist within their environment," said Dean Sysman, CEO and co-founder of Axonius. "SaaS offers numerous benefits, including more flexibility, accessibility, productivity gains, and more - anyone can register for a SaaS app and connect it to work data. But that also presents enormous risk. IT and security teams already struggle to identify the assets that exist within their organizations. SaaS apps further complicate their ability to gain visibility into data and interconnectivity, manage configurations, and close security gaps, as well as track licensing, usage, and spend."
66% of organizations surveyed did admit the increase in SaaS applications has resulted in more complexity and increased security risk in their organizations. But when asked why security isn't more of a concern, organizations pointed to limited time and resources (28%), pressure to focus on other issues from the C-Suite (23%), and staffing shortages (15%).
"The appetite for SaaS will only continue to grow, further exacerbating data sprawl and security implications," said Jerich Beason, Commercial Bank CISO and Axonius advisor. "These risks are no longer hypothetical, and without full visibility into the SaaS application landscape, organizations will continue to find themselves vulnerable to data loss from shadow SaaS, non-compliance with federal and industry regulators, and financial strain from lack of insight into organizational spend. Businesses can no longer wait to rein in SaaS complexity."
We're already witnessing the consequences of insecure SaaS environments. In March, identity and access management industry leader, Okta, announced that its platform has been the victim of a targeted security attack. In April, GitHub Security announced an investigation into abused stolen OAuth user tokens issued to two third-party OAuth integrators, Heroku and Travis-CI. To address SaaS security risks, organizations may need to rethink their priorities and adopt a different approach to SaaS security.
To learn more about the survey results and how to make SaaS security a bigger priority for your organization in the coming year, register for our upcoming webinar, "Why SaaS Security Is a Priority (Even If You Don't Know It Yet)." Taking place on October 3, 2022, Axonius will be joined by Jerich Beason to discuss how a modern, comprehensive approach to SaaS security, like Axonius SaaS Management, can help solve your SaaS challenges.
You can also see more of the survey results in our infographic by visiting the Axonius blog.
This survey was completed by Savanta in H1 2022. More than 500 senior decision makers from the US, the UK, and Europe were polled.
Axonius gives customers the confidence to control complexity by mitigating threats, navigating risk, automating response actions, and informing business-level strategy. With solutions for both cyber asset attack surface management (CAASM) and SaaS management, Axonius is deployed in minutes and integrates with hundreds of data sources to provide a comprehensive asset inventory, uncover gaps, and automatically validate and enforce policies. Cited as one of the fastest-growing cybersecurity startups, with accolades from CNBC, Forbes, and Fortune, Axonius covers millions of assets, including devices and cloud assets, user accounts, and SaaS applications, for customers around the world. For more, visit Axonius.com.
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A new economic study by The Brattle Group finds strong evidence on the dynamic competitive relationship between online and brick-and-mortar retail sales channels: Both channels fiercely compete on price, and typically match on both price level and trends in dollar sales volumes. Key takeaways from the report include:
- Online and offline prices are identical 95% of the time for the same product, retailer, location, and date.
- When one channel's price changes, the other channel typically changes to match it quickly.
- Online prices rarely deviate away from brick-and-mortar prices, but when they do, they can deviate both upwards and downwards.
- Online and offline trends in dollar sales volumes closely match one another.
- The convergence between online and offline retail prices and sales trends is likely impacted by the rising popularity of retail options like omnichannel, which blends elements of online and offline retail experiences.
"The latest retail research suggests that both online and offline retail are subject to the same competitive forces," said report coauthor Dr. Rosa Abrantes-Metz, Brattle Principal and Co-Leader of the Global Antitrust & Competition practice. "Not only do online and offline prices match 95% of the time, but online and offline retail displays nearly simultaneous price movements in almost identical magnitudes across channels. Moreover, the two channels displayed nearly identical trends in dollar sales volumes."
The report, Competitive Dynamics of Online and Brick-and-Mortar Retail Prices, was developed by a Brattle team led by Dr. Abrantes-Metz and Senior Associate Mame Maloney and was prepared for the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA). The report draws from a combination of data sources, using point-of-sale data from NPD to analyze nationwide online and offline prices and volumes for a set of products, and using hand-collected price data from Premise to analyze online and offline prices from individual retail locations in a major metropolitan area. The results suggest that both online and offline retail price and volume data should be considered when analyzing retail markets for antitrust purposes.
ABOUT BRATTLE
The Brattle Group answers complex economic, finance, and regulatory questions for corporations, law firms, and governments around the world. We are distinguished by the clarity of our insights and the credibility of our experts, which include leading international academics and industry specialists. Brattle has 500 talented professionals across four continents. For more information, please visit brattle.com.
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More than eight million households could receive a sizeable boost in the upcoming months through the Winter Fuel Payment. The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has released a recent update on the payment which could see people receiving up to £600.
UK households could receive between £250 and £600 from the scheme to help with heating bills amid the rising cost of living. This payment will automatically be sent to those who qualify in November or December, alongside a letter detailing the amount you'll get.
You do not need to claim the payment if you are eligible and are either on State Pension, or another social security benefit. However, if you don't get any qualifying benefits, or if you live abroad, you may need to make a claim by March 31, 2023 to receive the payment.
Read more: The upcoming strikes across the country as workers battle soaring costs
If you think you are eligible but have not received a letter, then contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre. According to the government, the money should appear in your account by Friday, January 13 at the latest.
The DWP has detailed the amounts people can expect to receive in different scenarios including whether you live alone, with a partner under 80, with a partner over 80, are on specific benefits, or reside in a care home.
You will qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment if the following apply:
- you were born on or before September 25, 1956
- you lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of September 19 to 25, 2022 - this is called the qualifying week
- if you did not live in the UK during the qualifying week, you might still get the payment if both of the following apply: you live in Switzerland or a European Economic Area (EEA) country; and you have a genuine and sufficient link to the UK - this can include having lived or worked in the UK, and having family in the UK
You will not qualify if you:
- are in hospital getting free treatment for more than a year
- need permission to enter the UK and your granted leave states that you cannot claim public funds
- were in prison for the whole week from September 19 to 25, 2022
- lived in a care home for the whole time from June 27 to September 25, 2022, and got Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) or income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
live in Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Malta, Portugal or Spain because the average winter temperature is higher than the warmest region of the UK.
How much you get depends on your circumstances during the qualifying week. The amounts listed below include the one-off Pensioner Cost of Living Payment. This is between £150 and £300. You will only get this extra amount in winter 2022 to 2023.
Any money you get is tax-free and will not affect your other benefits. Check the scenarios below to see which one applies to you:
1. You qualify and live alone (or none of the people you live with qualify)
- Born between September 25, 1942 and September 25, 1956: £500
- Born on or before September 25, 1942: £600
2. You qualify and live with someone under 80 who also qualifies
- Born between September 25, 1942 and September 25, 1956: £250
- Born on or before September 25, 1942: £350
3. You qualify and live with someone 80 or over who also qualifies
- Born between September 25, 1942 and September 25, 1956: £250
- Born on or before September 25, 1942: £300
4. You qualify, live in a care home and do not get certain benefits (including Pension Credit, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance or Income Support)
- Born between September 25, 1942 and September 25, 1956: £250
- Born on or before September 25, 1942: £300
Your payment may be different if you or your partner gets one of the following benefits: Pension Credit, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Income Support.
1. You qualify, get one of the benefits and live alone (or none of the people you live with qualify)
- Born between September 25, 1942 and September 25, 1956: £500
- Born on or before September 25, 1942: £600
2. You qualify and live with a partner who qualifies, and either of you gets one of the benefits
- Born between September 25, 1942 and September 25, 1956: £500 - only one of you will get the payment
- Born on or before September 25, 1942: £600 - only one of you will get the payment
3. You qualify and live with someone (not your partner) who qualifies, and either of you gets one of the benefits
- Born between September 25, 1942 and September 25, 1956: £500 - you will both get the payment
- Born on or before September 25, 1942: £600 - you will both get the payment
4. You qualify, live in a care home and get one of the benefits
- Born between September 25, 1942 and September 25, 1956: Nil
- Born on or before September 25, 1942: Nil
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Iceland's three for £10 deal that saves a third off your bill | https://www.kentlive.news/news/cost-of-living/dwp-update-winter-fuel-payment-7529345 | 2022-08-31T13:47:39Z | kentlive.news | control | https://www.kentlive.news/news/cost-of-living/dwp-update-winter-fuel-payment-7529345 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Money guru Martin Lewis has invited the next Prime Minister for an hour-long interview on the cost of living crisis, as energy prices are poised to skyrocket. The financial journalist wants to grill either Rishi Sunak or Liz Truss on how they plan to help millions of households cope with surging bills after the new Tory leader is expected to be announced on Monday (September 5).
It comes as average energy bills are set to hit an eye-watering £3,549 a year as regulator Ofgem raises its price cap in October. The cap will be almost treble what it was a year earlier last October, when it was raised to £1,277.
Taking to Twitter this morning (August 31), the MoneySavingExpert founder urged the winner to appear on The Martin Lewis Money Show for a live discussion as soon as possible. "Dear @trussliz/ @RishiSunak the cost of living crisis has left millions worried how they'll make ends meet. I'd like to formally invite you, as the new PM, to join me asap once you take office for a special hour's @itvMLshow discussion/Q&A to answer/ease people's concerns.
"ITV is happy to support this, so together will also extend the invite through official channels to both of you now for speed. The preference is live in the evening, but we understand the time pressures and are happy to work on scheduling with you to make this work."
However, although his 1.7 million followers admired Martin for trying to hold the next PM to account, many were unconvinced either would appear on his show. @Philllb49Phill said: "If that happens, you will NOT get one straight answer, you will get waffle piffle and half promises, but good luck and thanks for trying."
However, Martin, 50, disagreed and promised he will get "straight answers". "There's no point agreeing to do it unless you've something to say for an hour. And they know I'm focused on just cost of living so it's details needed :)," he replied.
@riotgrandma72 was also convinced Martin was joking and commented: "You must be joking, good friend. They couldn’t care less. Today we bought this [an airer] to dry our washing. We aren’t going to turn on the central heating unless it’s an emergency/ visitors arrive. Age 70 and 72."
@SueASmith571 echoed: "If we assume @trussliz is the next PM, I think the chances of her doing this are zilch. Sorry to sound overly cynical as I do appreciate all you are doing Martin. #EnoughlsEnough #ToryCostOfLivingCrisis #ToryCostOfGreedCrisis."
@omg1966 added: "When they refuse to do it, as I am sure they will. Invite leaders of the other political parties for there answer to cost of living crisis. Shame them for not appearing."
The money expert also encouraged fans to share his tweet inviting the future PM to his show if they agree with the idea. "Ps if you support the idea of the new PM joining me to discuss the cost of living, pls share the tweet I've just done about it (i.e. don't share this one, share the prior one inviting them [smiley face]," he added.
The Martin Lewis Money Show will return with a brand new series in October.
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- British Airways and Jet2 issue urgent warning to Brits over lost luggage and COVID-19 test scams
- Good Morning Britain viewers 'no idea how to survive' as Ofgem announces energy bills will skyrocket from October
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There are a lot of misconceptions about why they risk their lives to cross the English Channel instead of staying in the first country they arrive in. While some people will try to settle in Greece, Italy or Hungary, others decide to move on to France, Sweden or the UK for a wide range of reasons.
Charity Care4Calais has been supporting refugees living in Britain, Northern France and Belgium for years by providing warm clothing, bedding, food and medical assistance to people in desperate need. With refugees being forced to flee their countries due to war or persecution, the charity wants people to ask themselves: “If I had to suddenly leave home and everything behind me tomorrow, arriving in a new country without shelter and without work, which country would I go to and why?”
In a video posted on its Facebook page, the charity has tried to explain to the general public how refugees and asylum seekers end up crossing the English Channel. It describes the journey of 100 people who arrived in Europe after surviving the Mediterranean crossing and arriving in Italy.
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It says: “10 immediately claim asylum. After all Italy is the first safe European country they reach. But Italy, struggling with handling the crisis almost alone, has become increasingly hostile to refugees.
“So the rest head north, they soon split into two groups. 65 head north-east, mostly aiming to reach Germany or Sweden.”
In the middle of 2021, Germany reported almost 1.24 million refugees and 233 000 asylum seekers, making it the biggest host country for refugees in Europe. In comparison, there were 135,912 refugees and 83,489 pending asylum cases in the UK as of mid-2021.
'Why does everyone want to come here?'
The video continues: “The remaining group of 25 people head northwest to France and the UK, and almost all have some connection to these countries through either language or family.
“Of those 25, on average 20 will make their asylum claim in France, and that leaves just five who walk on towards Calais. Three of them have relatives in the UK and want to rebuild their lives with their help. The fourth person’s an architect. He speaks excellent English and fears going anywhere else would mean giving up his life’s work.
Why KentLive uses the word 'people' when referring to 'migrants'
KentLive uses the term people when referring to those who cross the Channel and arrive on our shores.
That's because, regardless of their status at the point of entry, those moving from one country to the other are human beings.
You will have seen them commonly referred to as migrants. This is not incorrect.
The UN Migration Agency defines a migrant as - any person who is moving or has moved across an international border or within a state away from his/her habitual place of residence, regardless of the person’s legal status, whether the movement is voluntary or involuntary, what the causes for the movement are, or what the length of the stay is.
KentLive also refers to people in these circumstances as refugees.
The UN definition of refugees is - people who are outside their country of origin for reasons of feared persecution, conflict, generalised violence, or other circumstances that have seriously disturbed public order and, as a result, require international protection.
“The fifth worked as a translator for the British Army in Afghanistan. He had been promised protection in return for service but then the British army left with the Taliban taking their place and threatening his life. That’s why he’s here at our doorstep.
“But what do we see from the UK side? We see five people knocking on the door and not the other 95 dispersed around Europe - and so we ask, why does everyone want to come here?”
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- Syrian refugee family wanted to leave Kent but reveal why they are starting to settle
- The best Caribbean restaurants in Kent according to Tripadvisor | https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/hurdles-faced-refugees-asylum-seekers-7529160 | 2022-08-31T13:48:09Z | kentlive.news | control | https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/hurdles-faced-refugees-asylum-seekers-7529160 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A man in his 70s has died one week after being left injured following a bus crash in Folkestone. Police were called at around 10.05am on Saturday August 20 to Middleburg Square after the serious crash between a bus and a pedestrian.
Officers attended alongside the South East Coast Ambulance Service, and the man was airlifted to a London hospital. He sadly died from his injuries on Sunday (August 28).
Kent Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit continue to appeal to any further witnesses who are yet to come forward. Anyone who saw the incident, or may have dashcam footage, has been urged to contact them.
Read more: Man cut with knife after armed thieves break into Sevenoaks property
At the time of the incident, a spokesperson for Stagecoach said: "We can confirm one of our buses was involved in an incident at Folkestone Bus Station. Our first thoughts are for the person involved. Safety is our absolute priority and we are assisting the investigation into the circumstances involved in every way that we can."
Anyone with information should call the appeal line on 01622 798538, quoting reference MM/VS/094/22. You can also email investigators on sciu.td@kent.police.uk
Get more on the latest news from KentLive straight to your inbox for free HERE .
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Children are required by law to be in full-time education from the age of five until the age of 16. This means staying in school or learning at home.
Parents who fail to properly educate their children, either at home or in school, can be prosecuted and even fined up to £2,500. If a child is not receiving an education, their family will be contacted by the school, or the local council's education welfare officer.
Yet despite the mandatory attendance, children don't necessarily have to start at reception age, the Liverpool Echo reports. Most parents choose to send their child to school in the September after their fourth birthday, which would mean the child turns five across the school year.
Read more: How Napier Barracks refugees and asylum seekers use music as a 'soft tool' to connect with people outside
But legally, a child under five doesn't have to start school straight away. Instead parents have several options to consider if they feel their child is too young.
Youngsters must be in school by the September after their fifth birthday, which would put them in Year One rather than reception. Before then, your child could start part-time, join partway through the year or even leave it until the following September.
According to Government advice, if you want your child to start later, "you will still need to apply for a school place at the same time as everyone else". You can then request your child’s later start when you apply.
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Located on a private peninsula on the Pacific coast surrounded by more than 3000 acres of verdant jungle, Four Seasons will connect guests to Mexican heritage and culture in an all new, ultra-luxurious nature experience
TAMARINDO, Mexico, Aug. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The all-new Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo, México is now accepting reservations ahead of its anticipated opening in late 2022.
Equally committed to preservation of the natural landscape, celebration of its country's deep heritage and providing the ultimate luxury travel experience, Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo is a tribute to Mexico. The Resort will offer 157 contemporary Mexican accommodations – many with private pools – plus four restaurants and bars, a superb golf course, a transformative spa and wellness experience, and much more.
"In Tamarindo, we are creating a new resort experience that is deeply connected both physically and spiritually with its surroundings," notes Vince Parrotta, Four Seasons President, Hotel Operations – Americas West. "Working closely with our visionary owner partners and myriad local and regional designers and artisans, we are offering something entirely new. To put it simply, if you think you know Mexico, you haven't been to Tamarindo."
A defining characteristic of the Resort is that just 2% of the surrounding nature reserve will be developed.
"We are dedicated to the concept of 'rewilding,' enabling the Earth's natural rhythms to flourish and nature to recover its balance," says the Resort's General Manager Felix Murillo. "Everything we are doing is guided by this ethos, and it is our hope that our guests will form a deep connection both to the land and the coastline, and that in doing so they can recover their own balance and leave inspired and energized."
With unique features including an on-site working farm, Rancho Ortega, and a Discovery Centre that will serve as an introduction to nearly unlimited exploration and recreational pursuits, guests will be able to create their own version of paradise in this undiscovered part of Mexico.
"Jalisco is one of the most economically and culturally important states in Mexico, owing to its natural resources as well as its long history and culture," says Enrique Alfaro Ramirez, Governor of Jalisco, México. "We are proud to welcome visitors of the state to Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo, México, a resort that represents the best in Mexican talent and celebrates Jalisco's rich land, people and traditions."
A Unique Collaboration
"In Tamarindo, we are showcasing the very best of what this destination has to offer in an unmatched natural oceanside setting," says Pedro Verea Hernandez, CEO of Paralelo 19, the owners of Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo, México. "We are thrilled to work with Four Seasons in bringing this vision to life."
An integral part of the character of the Resort is puro talento Mexicano, the celebration of Mexican talent across all design disciplines, beginning with a partnership between the country's greatest contemporary architects, Victor Legorreta and Mauricio Rocha, who came together as LegoRocha specifically for this project. LegoRocha, along with lead interior designers Uribe Krayer, and Estudio Esterlina, have effused every space and touchpoint with elements of pre-Hispanic culture and contemporary Mexican aesthetics. The team was also joined by landscape designer Mario Schjetnan, and restaurant designers Esrawe Studio and Bibiana Huber to complete the Resort's contemporary Mexican look and feel. From employee fashion by Mexico City-based designer Kris Goyri to tableware, hammocks, hampers, candles and countless functional items and decorative details hand made by philanthropic alliances throughout the country, guests will feel connected to Mexico's rich heritage and modern lifestyle at every turn.
Exploring the Reserve
The centre of Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo is the Discovery Centre, a starting point to engaging in the natural cycles of the region from ocean to jungle across the Reserve. The Resort's on-site team of biologists is eager to introduce guests to the area's biodiversity, including its more than 70 endemic species of wildlife and hundreds of birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles to be seen throughout the Reserve's more than 3,000 acres (1,220 hectares).
Zero-Mile Sourcing: Rancho Ortega
While on-site chef's gardens have become standard at many hotels, the Resort team saw the broader possibilities offered by the region's micro climate, and thus Rancho Ortega, a 35 acre (14 hectare) working farm, was born. Here, under the vision and leadership of Four Seasons Culinary Director Nicolás Piatti, the cultivating of indigenous and newly introduced plants supplies the Resort's restaurants with true zero-mile, root-to-dish produce. It also serves as a study centre for rare species, sustainable farming, and creative culinary exploration.
"We have a flock of egg-producing chickens roaming the farm now, and there are 17 varieties of fruit trees already producing pomegranates, figs, cocoa, guava and more," notes Chef Piatti, who has also spent months sourcing additional products from throughout the country, including a selection of endemic corn varieties from the Yucatan.
"And we are particularly excited at the progress of more than 8,500 agave azul plants we are cultivating here at the Resort with the blessing of Mexico's Tequila Regulatory Council," he smiles.
Dining at Four Seasons – Celebrating the region's dramatic seasonality and blending traditional flavours with modern techniques and ingredient-forward creativity, the Resort's four food and drink outlets will offer settings for everything from starlit dinners to barefoot lunches and opportunities to raise a glass with old and new friends.
Each restaurant is an individual concept inspired by its surroundings, including Coyul, where famed Mexican Chef Elena Reygadas uses the country's bountiful harvest to take modern Mexican cuisine in exciting new directions. At Sal, just steps from the Pacific Ocean, the freshest seafood is presented with elevated culinary artistry, along with artisanal cocktails best enjoyed during the spectacular golden hour. There's also Nacho, a casual poolside taqueria featuring homestyle Mexican favourites.
More Reasons to Come to Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo
The Spa experience at Four Seasons continues the journey of immersion in the culture and landscape of the region, with treatments designed to connect guests with the elements and rhythms of this unique part of the world. Highlights include a temazcal ceremony, a pre-Hispanic tradition that brings together medicinal herbs and spiritual rituals to encourage personal reflection, contemplation, and re-connection.
Facilities also include a state-of-the-art fitness centre, three pools in addition to those found in many of the Resort's accommodations, plus three beaches and numerous coves ringing the peninsula.
Golfers will love the 18-hole, par 72 El Tamarindo course carefully carved into the natural landscape, with palm fringed fairways and greens and breath-taking views with every shot. A favourite of those-in-the-know since 1995, the course is now part of Four Seasons and will offer course-side restaurant Nueve and a pro shop.
For younger guests who want time to themselves, there's the well-equipped Escondite teen centre as well as the fully supervised Carmelo program, featuring activities that introduce children ages 5-12 to Mexican culture, history and the wonders of the Reserve's natural environment.
Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo also offers intriguing possibilities for events ranging from corporate retreats, weddings and family reunions to photo and video shoots, with a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces, including a private beach and the terraced Melaque Lawn inspired by juego de pelota, an ancient Mayan ball game, complete with full outdoor kitchen.
Be Among the First – Ever – to Experience Tamarindo, Mexico
Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo is now accepting reservations for arrivals beginning in late 2022. Book online, or call +52 357 689 0100.
The Resort is located between the towns of La Manzanilla and Barra de Navidad, 35 minutes by car from Manzanillo-Costalegre International Airport (ZLO) to the entrance of the Resort. Direct flights are available from Los Angeles, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, Calgary and Mexico City, with connections available throughout North America and beyond. The airport also accommodates a limited number of private aircraft. Contact the Resort's in-house Tamarindo Experience Experts for airport transfers, rental cars or arrivals by sea.
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SOURCE Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/undiscovered-paradise-four-seasons-resort-tamarindo-mxico-set-welcome-first-guests-secluded-oceanfront-nature-reserve-late-2022/ | 2022-08-31T13:50:10Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/undiscovered-paradise-four-seasons-resort-tamarindo-mxico-set-welcome-first-guests-secluded-oceanfront-nature-reserve-late-2022/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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