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Road trip: 10 things to do in San Luis Obispo
If you're planning your next getaway, consider a trip to San Luis Obispo, just under four hours from San Francisco.
- Here's what to do, where to eat, drink and stay.
Where to stay
With bright airy guest rooms and spa-like bathrooms (plus an actual spa) this hotel is a dreamy, restorative retreat. They have several packages for spa add-ons, longer stays and romantic getaways here.
- Rates: $350+
- Location: 877 Palm St.
A 17-room boutique hotel, Granada Hotel & Bistro features cozy, well-curated bedrooms with exposed brick walls, Persian rugs and original hardwood floors. Some suites have fireplaces, too.
- Rates: $229+
- Location: 1130 Morro St.
This hip hotel blends industrial and modern styles and includes luxury touches like waffle weave robes in every room.
- Rates: $279+
- Location: 1511 Monterey St.
Where to eat/drink
Their signature is the sliced tri-tip with barbecue sauce on a French roll, but the menu is packed with other sandwiches, barbecue and burgers.
- Hours: 11am-9pm Sunday-Wednesday and 11am-10pm Thursday-Saturday
- Location: 1001 Higuera St.
This new market hall has more than 20 different vendors/food options. No matter what you order for lunch or dinner, don't skip the ice cream from The Perfect Scoop for dessert.
- Hours: Breakfast vendors open at 7am; lunch/dinner vendors are open 11am-8pm
- Location: 3845 S Higuera St.
3. Buona Tavola
Treat yourself to a classic Italian meal, and if the weather's nice, dine al fresco under bistro lights.
- Hours: Lunch is 11:30am-2:30pm Monday-Friday; dinner is 5:30-9:30pm Sunday-Thursday and 5:30-10pm Friday-Saturday.
- Location: 1037 Monterey St.
You'll find the best tacos in the city at San Luis Tacqueria. Bonus: It's open until 1am on weekends if you need some late-night sustenance.
- Hours: 10am-10:30pm Monday-Wednesday; 10am-1am Thursday-Saturday; 10am-10pm Sunday
- Location: 1032 Chorro St.
What to do
1. Hit up the downtown farmers market
This weekly market has been running since 1983. It features more than 100 vendors selling everything from produce to barbecue to crafts. Expect live entertainment, too.
- Details: The market runs 6-9pm every Thursday year-round.
- Location: 1135 Chorro St.
2. Go wine tasting in Edna Valley
There are plenty of beautiful spots to pick from. Here are a few of our recommendations:
- Chamisal Vineyards — 7525 Orcutt Rd.
- Tolosa — 4910 Edna Rd.
- Biddle Ranch Vineyard — 2050 Biddle Ranch Rd.
- Baileyana Winery (go for the bocce ball courts) — 5828 Orcutt Rd.
The two-hour, out-and-back hike is about 3.5-4.2 miles, depending which route you take. Either way, you'll be rewarded with the best views of the cityscape.
- Highland Drive Trailhead: 1 Highland Drive (roadside parking available)
- Patricia Drive Trailhead: Patricia Drive Trailhead (roadside parking available)
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Get a free daily digest of the most important news in your backyard with Axios San Francisco. | https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2022/09/02/road-trip-hings-to-do-san-luis-obispo | 2022-09-02T15:24:41Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2022/09/02/road-trip-hings-to-do-san-luis-obispo | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
2 hours ago - News
Report: Washington's minimum wage makes it No. 3 state for workers
Washington's high minimum wage — $14.49 per hour — has again helped the state rank among the top nationally for workers.
Driving the news: The global anti-poverty organization Oxfam released its annual Best States to Work Index on Thursday.
- The group ranked Washington third, behind Oregon and California.
- That's an improvement from 2021, when Washington came in seventh.
Between the lines: In evaluating states, the Oxfam analysis looked at three qualifiers: wage policies, worker protections and rights to organize.
- Washington received the highest marks of any state when it came to wages. That's largely because the minimum wage is nearly double the federal minimum, which is $7.25 an hour.
- Washington also performed well because of its worker protections, which include paid family and medical leave, as well as a heat standard to help protect people working outdoors in extreme weather.
Yes, but: Even Washington's minimum wage isn't enough to support a family, Oxfam says.
- A minimum wage worker in Washington is able to cover only 38% of the cost of living for a family of four, per the report.
Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Seattle.
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Get a free daily digest of the most important news in your backyard with Axios Seattle. | https://www.axios.com/local/seattle/2022/09/02/washington-state-third-best-workers-oxfam | 2022-09-02T15:24:59Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/local/seattle/2022/09/02/washington-state-third-best-workers-oxfam | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The concept of voting can be simple, but many ballots are not that easy to understand, especially ballot questions that are often wordy and complicated.
Ahead of the 2020 midterm election, Whitney Quesenbery, the executive director of the Center for Civic Design, is researching what trips voters up.
“Our motto is, 'Democracy is a design problem,'" she said.
Quesenbery said the recent abortion rights question in Kansas was likely confusing for many voters.
The question was 240 words and voting "Yes" would have meant supporting restricting the right to an abortion through a change to the state’s constitution.
“A vote for the Value Them Both Amendment would affirm there is no Kansas constitutional right to abortion or to require the government funding of abortion, and would reserve to the people of Kansas, through their elected state legislators, the right to pass laws to regulate abortion” the question read.
“It was ones that I find hardest because you have to repeal something to make something happen," Quesenbery said.
Confusing questions can be found on ballots across the nation.
In May, voters in Texas were asked a question about property taxes for the elderly. The 77-word question was one sentence.
"The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for the reduction of the amount of a limitation on the total amount of ad valorem taxes that may be imposed for general elementary and secondary public school purposes on the residence homestead of a person who is elderly or disabled to reflect any statutory reduction from the preceding tax year in the maximum compressed rate of the maintenance and operations taxes imposed for those purposes on the homestead," the question read.
Quesenbery says questions like the one in Texas can be confusing for a lot of people, especially those who don't read well or someone who doesn't understand the intricacies of government.
States have different rules for who writes ballot questions. Questions often go through state legislatures or citizen groups that received enough signatures to get the issue on a ballot.
"There is no law that says they have to be written in confusing language. It’s habit. It’s habit of the legal profession and how laws work. You think you’re being very grown up to use those big words,” Quesenbery said.
Quesenbery believes some questions are purposely confusing.
"I’m sure there are questions that are confusing on purpose, or they're either deliberately confusing on purpose or they’re written in a way that puts the framers in the best possible light," Quesenbery said.
Quesenbery's work is having an impact in Georgia ahead of the midterms.
The Center for Civic Design reworked a large chunk of copy into bullet points and fewer words.
"Now we’re at 147 words. This was 178 words," Quesenbery said. “It says exactly the same thing. We didn't change the law, we changed how it said it.”
For voters in other states, Quesenbery said voters should go in prepared.
“I would urge you to look at multiple sources so you don't just get one viewpoint, and find the one or find the combination of two, help you make the decision," She said. "But you can't do it in the ballot box, when you’re there and you have a couple of minutes, you start marking your ballot, that's not the time to parse things out. This is something you really need to make a plan for and if you think it’s too hard, tell your state legislator.” | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national-politics/the-race/why-ballot-questions-can-be-so-confusing | 2022-09-02T15:32:30Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national-politics/the-race/why-ballot-questions-can-be-so-confusing | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SOUTH BAY, Fla. — If you purchase organic sugar or rice anywhere in the United States, there's a good chance it was grown at the Florida Crystals sprawling farmland around South Bay, Florida.
According to the company, the farms are also home to the largest private network of barn owls in the world.
"I see it every day. I see the owls at work," said farmer Daniel Cavazos, director of rice and organic farming with Florida Crystals. "We're using nature to control nature," he said.
Approximately 1,000 North American Barn Owls hunt rodents on the organic farmland, so they don't devour the crops.
"They can eat," said Diego Luzuriaga, vice president of research and development with Florida Crystals. He has helped grow the barn owl program.
"Some of the little birds can eat two or three rats a night," Luzuriaga added. "They can eat double their weight. They're just amazing. Due to the program that we've been bumping up over the years, we've eliminated the use of synthetic pesticides."
Luzuriaga said his team hasn't used any chemicals for rodent control for several years across their organic and conventional farmlands of about 195,000 acres.
"It's going back to basics. We're mimicking nature. Agriculture is about trying to find the balance in our ecosystem," Luzuriaga said.
The barn owl program is a crucial factor in Florida Crystals becoming the first farm in Florida to be certified by the Regenerative Organic Alliance.
"By doing things sustainably and naturally, we can guarantee your kids and my kids can do the same thing for generations to come," Cavazos said.
Florida Crystals plans to double its barn owl network to about 2,000 owls by the end of 2022.
According to the company, they are also working to replace traditional fertilizers with composted materials as another way to lessen the use of chemicals. | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/barn-owls-proving-key-to-modern-sustainable-farming | 2022-09-02T15:32:37Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/barn-owls-proving-key-to-modern-sustainable-farming | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Thirteen more people have been infected with E. coli which may be linked to Wendy's, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
"A specific food has not yet been confirmed as the source of this outbreak, but many sick people reported eating burgers and sandwiches with romaine lettuce at Wendy’s restaurants before getting sick," the CDC stated.
The CDC said in an update on Thursday that 97 people have been infected with E. coli during this outbreak, but they believe that number could be higher.
The outbreak has been reported in six states: Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and New York.
The outbreak was first reported on July 26.
According to the CDC, 43 have been hospitalized and 10 developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious condition that can cause kidney failure. No deaths have been reported.
Wendy's says it has removed sandwich lettuce at some restaurants as a precaution.
"The lettuce that we use in our salads is different, and is not affected by this action," the fast food restaurant stated. | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/e-coli-outbreak-possibly-linked-to-wendys-continues-to-spread | 2022-09-02T15:32:49Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/e-coli-outbreak-possibly-linked-to-wendys-continues-to-spread | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Webb Space Telescope just took its first direct image of a distant world outside of our solar system.
Exoplanet HIP 65426 b is 6-12 times larger than Jupiter and orbits 100 times further from its host star than the earth. Its distance from its host star makes it easier to spot.
Scientists say photographing distant worlds is challenging due to the host star's brightness.
“This is a transformative moment, not only for Webb but also for astronomy generally,” said Sasha Hinkley, associate professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom. “It was really impressive how well the Webb coronagraphs worked to suppress the light of the host star.”
Removing light from its host star took some work by scientists.
“Obtaining this image felt like digging for space treasure,” said Aarynn Carter, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Santa Cruz. “At first, all I could see was light from the star, but with careful image processing, I was able to remove that light and uncover the planet.”
It is a young planet — a mere 15-20 million years old — compared to Earth, which is estimated to be at least 4.5 billion years old. The world was discovered in 2017.
It is located 385 light-years from earth. | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/webb-space-telescope-captures-its-first-image-of-a-distant-planet | 2022-09-02T15:33:01Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/webb-space-telescope-captures-its-first-image-of-a-distant-planet | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
1997 - At the end of the year, No.304 Williams defeated Mary Pierce and Monica Seles to reach the semifinals in Chicago, becoming the lowest-ranked player in the Open Era to knock off two Top 10 opponents in one tournament.
1999 - Williams won her first WTA singles title, defeating Amelie Mauresmo to win the Paris Indoors, then followed up by winning her first WTA 1000 event at Indian Wells, where she defeated Stefanie Graf in the final. | https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2775856/1995-1999-the-beginning-of-a-memorable-career | 2022-09-02T15:33:06Z | wtatennis.com | control | https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2775856/1995-1999-the-beginning-of-a-memorable-career | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
TALLAHASSEE — The National Hurricane Center 11 AM advisory on Friday, September 2nd observes Danielle as a Category 1 hurricane.
This is now the first Atlantic basin hurricane of the season.
Hurricane #Danielle Advisory 6: Danielle Becomes the First Atlantic Hurricane of the Season. https://t.co/tW4KeFW0gB
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) September 2, 2022
Hurricane Danielle strengthens in the mid-Atlantic Ocean with maximum sustained wind at 75 MPH.
This is a slow- moving storm moving east at 3 MPH.
Hurricane Danielle is expected to progress into a Category 2 hurricane by Sunday afternoon.
At this point, the Atlantic hurricane will be heading northeast and into cooler water.
When Hurricane Danielle heads into cooler water, the storm will weaken and become a depression late next week.
No impact to land is expected from this storm.
Earlier articles on Danielle:
Tropical Storm Danielle in open Atlantic, set to become first hurricane of season | https://www.wtxl.com/weather/weather-news/hurricane-danielle-becomes-fist-hurricane-of-atlantic-basin | 2022-09-02T15:33:13Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/weather/weather-news/hurricane-danielle-becomes-fist-hurricane-of-atlantic-basin | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Kochi: The Advocate General (AG) has given legal advice in favour of resuming the Social Impact Assessment Study of the Silverline Project. There is no impediment in entrusting the current agencies with the study, the legal advice said.
In the meantime, the K-Rail has handed over a report to the Railway Board after completing the survey on the railway land through which K-Rail passes. The report says 108-hectare railway land is needed for the project. The Revenue Minister has also handed over the file to the Chief Minister, seeking his permission to issue a notification for the same.
The AG’s legal advice paves the way for resuming the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) Study, which got disrupted following widespread protests. The Revenue Department sought legal advice after the deadline for the Social Impact Assessment Study expired in all districts. The AG's legal advice says that the SIA can be entrusted with the currently assigned agencies, or new contracts may be given through new tenders. The Government has to take a decision on this now.
The K-Rail report, submitted to the Railway Board after completing the survey to assess how much railway land is required for the project, has found that in nine districts, a total of 108 hectares of land is needed in 189.6-kilometer length. Initially, it was thought that 180 hectares would be required.
As per the study report, most land is required in Kozhikode, that is 40.35 hectares. In Malappuram, 26.30 hectares, and in Kannur, 20.65-hectare Railway land is needed. Some rail over bridges and underpasses will have to be acquired. A total of 3.6-hectare land having buildings in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Thrissur, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, and Kasaragod districts will have to be taken over for Silverline.
Southern Railway authorities and K-Rail engineers jointly conducted the survey. The survey details superimposed on the present Silverline map were also handed over to the Railway Board. The railway land will be considered the Centre's contribution to the project. | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2022/09/02/silverline-social-impact-assessment-study.html | 2022-09-02T15:34:12Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2022/09/02/silverline-social-impact-assessment-study.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
There's always something fun going on in West Michigan! Here are a few of our favorites in Todd's Weekend Adventures.
Posted at 11:02 AM, Sep 02, 2022
and last updated 2022-09-02 11:02:58-04
Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. | https://www.fox17online.com/morning-mix/todds-weekend-adventures-labor-day-weekend | 2022-09-02T15:36:24Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/morning-mix/todds-weekend-adventures-labor-day-weekend | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Department of Justice unsealed a detailed list of items taken from former President Donald Trump’s residence in Florida, showing that press clippings, clothing and unclassified government documents were seized.
The items were mixed with over 100 classified documents, some of which were considered “top secret.” The items were taken after authorities executed a search warrant of Mar-a-Lago.
Trump has not denied having the items in his possession but has claimed that he made the documents unclassified before leaving office. He has also accused the DOJ of conducting the search for political reasons.
He has asked a special master to review the documents taken from Mar-a-Lago. The DOJ has opposed such a measure, saying that a filter team has already gone through the documents. Filter teams generally sort out any items that the prosecutors cannot use in prosecutions, such as documents between attorneys and their clients.
The DOJ said that documents with classified markings have been separated from other materials taken during the search. | https://www.fox17online.com/news/national/doj-releases-detailed-list-of-items-taken-during-search-of-trumps-residence | 2022-09-02T15:36:55Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/news/national/doj-releases-detailed-list-of-items-taken-during-search-of-trumps-residence | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Army Signal Corps troops have an area of Fort McCoy, Wis., set up Aug. 4, 2022, to support communications for the 86th Training Division Combat Support Training Exercise 86-22-02 and for exercise Grecian Firebolt 2022. Grecian Firebolt is an annual training exercise that allows signal units to keep pace with communication transformations, and link communication support to identified U. S. Army Reserve Command-sponsored exercises. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
This work, Grecian Firebolt 2022 at Fort McCoy: Army Reserve Signal Corps’ contribution to readiness through modernization [Image 16 of 16], by Scott Sturkol, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7399829/grecian-firebolt-2022-fort-mccoy-army-reserve-signal-corps-contribution-readiness-through-modernization | 2022-09-02T15:38:21Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7399829/grecian-firebolt-2022-fort-mccoy-army-reserve-signal-corps-contribution-readiness-through-modernization | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Berlin: The German government confirmed on Friday that families of 11 Israeli athletes killed by Palestinian militants at the 1972 Munich Olympics will receive a total of 28 million euros in compensation.
The figure which includes payments already made had previously been reported by German and Israeli media but not officially communicated by the government.
It's a significant increase from the initial 10 million-euro offer to the families ahead of the 50th anniversary of the attack, which will be commemorated on Monday.
As part of an agreement with the families, Germany has agreed to acknowledge failures that authorities made at the time and to allow German and Israeli historians to review the events surrounding the attack.
Members of the Palestinian group Black September broke into the Olympic Village, killed two athletes from Israel's national team and took nine more hostage on September 5, 1972. The attackers hoped to force the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel as well as two left-wing extremists in West German jails.
All nine hostages and a West German police officer died during a rescue attempt by German forces. Relatives of the athletes accuse Germany of failing to secure the Olympic Village, refusing Israeli help and then botching the rescue operation.
Immediately after the attack, Germany made payments to relatives of the victims amounting to about 4.19 million marks (about 2 million euros or dollars), according to the country's interior ministry. In 2002, the surviving relatives received an additional 3 million euros, Germany's DPA news agency reported. | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/other-sports/2022/09/02/families-of-israeli-athletes-killed-at-munich-olympics-to-receive-28-million-euros.amp.html | 2022-09-02T15:38:26Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/other-sports/2022/09/02/families-of-israeli-athletes-killed-at-munich-olympics-to-receive-28-million-euros.amp.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Berlin: The German government confirmed on Friday that families of 11 Israeli athletes killed by Palestinian militants at the 1972 Munich Olympics will receive a total of 28 million euros in compensation.
The figure which includes payments already made had previously been reported by German and Israeli media but not officially communicated by the government.
It's a significant increase from the initial 10 million-euro offer to the families ahead of the 50th anniversary of the attack, which will be commemorated on Monday.
As part of an agreement with the families, Germany has agreed to acknowledge failures that authorities made at the time and to allow German and Israeli historians to review the events surrounding the attack.
Members of the Palestinian group Black September broke into the Olympic Village, killed two athletes from Israel's national team and took nine more hostage on September 5, 1972. The attackers hoped to force the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel as well as two left-wing extremists in West German jails.
All nine hostages and a West German police officer died during a rescue attempt by German forces. Relatives of the athletes accuse Germany of failing to secure the Olympic Village, refusing Israeli help and then botching the rescue operation.
Immediately after the attack, Germany made payments to relatives of the victims amounting to about 4.19 million marks (about 2 million euros or dollars), according to the country's interior ministry. In 2002, the surviving relatives received an additional 3 million euros, Germany's DPA news agency reported. | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/other-sports/2022/09/02/families-of-israeli-athletes-killed-at-munich-olympics-to-receive-28-million-euros.html | 2022-09-02T15:38:32Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/other-sports/2022/09/02/families-of-israeli-athletes-killed-at-munich-olympics-to-receive-28-million-euros.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District Commander Lt. Col. Colby Krug was a keynote speaker at the Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Meeting held at Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio, August 24, 2022. Topics discussed during the meeting included algal blooms, phosphorus runoff and solutions to these problems. (U.S. Army Photo by Andre' M. Hampton)
This work, Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Meeting [Image 4 of 4], by Andre Hampton, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7399851/western-lake-erie-basin-partnership-meeting | 2022-09-02T15:39:05Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7399851/western-lake-erie-basin-partnership-meeting | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), has affirmed that the new Board of Directors and Management of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), headed by Henry Ajagbawa, stands.
The NERC disclosed this in a statement it issued on Thursday, September 1, 2022, reiterating that the BEDC “is a distribution licensee of NERC and by virtue of powers vested in the commission by the Electric Power Sector Reform Act (EPSRA), regulatory instruments issued pursuant to EPSRA and the terms and conditions of the licence issued to BEDC. NERC is the primary authority that is vested with powers to statutorily recognise the board and management of BEDC as an operator in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).”
The commission stated that the BEDC is a jointly owned venture with Vigeo Power Ltd holding with equity of 60% and 40% being held by BPE on behalf of the Federal and State Governments.
The statement stated that “One of the shareholders in Vigeo Power Ltd, Vigeo Holdings Ltd, subscribed to its shares vide a loan from Fidelity Bank Ltd”, adding that “In the light of a default in servicing the said loan, the bank has exercised its rights to repossess these shares that were provided as security for the acquisition loan”.
The statement reads “The attention of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has been drawn to public notices signed by Mr Lucky Ayomoto purportedly acting on behalf of the erstwhile board and management of BEDC Electricity Plc (BEDC).
“The public notices published on 9 August 2022 sought to reassure the general public on the legitimate and statutorily recognised board of directors and management of BEDC and described the appointment of Messrs Henry Ajagbawa, K.C Akuma, Adeola ljose, Charles Onwera and Yomi Adeyemi as directors of BEDC as an “unlawful misrepresentation and unfortunate misadventure.
“BEDC is a distribution licensee of NERC and by virtue of powers vested in the commission by the Electric Power Sector Reform Act (EPSRA), regulatory instruments issued pursuant to EPSRA and the terms and conditions of the licence issued to BEDC; NERC is the primary authority that is vested with powers to statutorily recognise the board and management of BEDC as an operator in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
“The general public may wish to note that BEDC is jointly owned by private investors with Vigeo Power Ltd holding equity of 60% and 40% being held by BPE on behalf of the Federal and State Governments. One of the shareholders in Vigeo Power Ltd, Vigeo Holdings Ltd, subscribed to its shares vide a loan from Fidelity Bank Ltd. In the light of default in servicing the said loan, the bank has exercised its rights to repossess these shares that were provided as security for the acquisition loan.
“Upon repossession of shares of Vigeo Holdings Ltd by the bank, an application was filed by the Banks and the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) with the commission for the approval of an interim board of directors and management for BEDC in compliance with NERC’s business continuity arrangements for licensees.
“The commission reviewed and approved Messrs Henry Ajagbawa, K.C Akuma, Adeola liose, Charles Onwera and Yomi Adeyemi as interim board of directors for BEDC with Mr Henry Ajagbawa as Managing Director.
“The commission notes that the erstwhile management of BEDC challenged the appointments in court after the regulatory and shareholder interventions had been completed.
“The actions taken by the contending parties for the control of BEDC have been primarily unsettling for end-use customers in Edo, Ekiti, Delta and Ondo States that are reasonably concerned about continuity of their service and other NESI stakeholders that are concerned about BEDC’s ability to meet its obligations to the market.
“The commission has a statutory responsibility to the electricity market and this responsibility which is exercised in the public interest outweighs any perceived private interests.
NERC stressed that “the interim board comprising of Messrs Henry Ajagbawa, K.C Akuma, Adeola ljose, Charles Onwera and Yomi Adeyemi are the only directors of BEDC recognised by the commission.”
“All stakeholders and members of the general public are enjoined to provide the required support to the interim board of directors as they work on ensuring continuity of service to end-use customers in the BEDC network area.”
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE | https://tribuneonlineng.com/bedc-new-board-still-stands-%E2%80%95-nerc/ | 2022-09-02T15:40:08Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/bedc-new-board-still-stands-%E2%80%95-nerc/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Buhari’s delay to overhaul security architecture worrisome ― Northern elders
•Insist current level of insecurity calls for sack of NSA, service chiefs
Elders in the Northern part of the country have again expressed worry over the nation’s state of insecurity, saying they were highly disturbed that President Muhammadu Buhari has not taken proactive steps to end the situation other than holding endless meetings with security chiefs in the Presidential Villa.
The elders, operating under the aegis of the Coalition of North East Elders for Peace and Development,(CNEEPP), reiterated their call for the sack of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (Rtd), the service chiefs and wholistic restructuring of the nation’s entire security architecture, saying unless such step was taken by the president urgently, the nation’s worsening security challenges may not abate soon.
The northern elders blamed Monguno for feeding Buhari with lies and wrong advice regarding the worsening security challenges just as they said the service chiefs had become bereft of fresh ideas to tackle the problems.
Noting that, “Insecurity in Nigeria has become a source of concern both to Nigerians and the international community”, the group, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Engr. Zana Goni regretted that:” On a regular basis, several civilians and soldiers are killed by men of the underworld.”
Noting also that “churches, mosques, residential buildings, schools and farmlands are not safe as they are regularly invaded by terrorists”, the northern elders regretted that in spite of the development, Buhari has continued to hesitate in hackneying to calls by experts and majority of Nigerians that the security architecture is overhauled completely.
“Some Nigerians in the North are fleeing to neighbouring countries to seek refuge. Soldiers who are supposed to be at the war front are resigning over a lack of motivation from the service chiefs. In addition, there is a limited supply of weapons and ammunition. At the last count, over 5000 lives have been lost in the last five years and the number keeps increasing by the day with no solution in sight.” they said.
According to them, “In the wake of these atrocities, Nigerians of all walks of life have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the NSA and the service chiefs for non-performance.”
“The calls became more strident in the last month following heightened security situation across the country. Even the National Assembly is not left out having called for overhauling of the security architecture and the sack of security chiefs.
“Surprisingly, President Buhari is yet to take action on useful advice by well-meaning Nigerians and instead, engaging in endless meaningless meetings with the security chiefs in Aso Rock. We can’t continue like this as if the collapse of the country does not mean anything to us, “the statement read.
The elders recalled that “Nigerians in 2015 and 2019 voted President Buhari to power in anticipation that as a former military head of state and a retired General, he was the right person to deal decisively with all forms of threats to the security of the people.”
“But over seven years down the line, rather than abate, insecurity has escalated thereby exposing great numbers of people to avoidable deaths and loss of property in a manner that history has never witnessed,” it regretted.
The group said, “While we recognise President Buhari’s prerogative to appoint, sack or replace service chiefs, at the same time, he swore an oath to protect the lives and property of every Nigerian citizen.”
To boost the war against insecurity in the country as the general elections draw close, the elders said,” The motivation is to remove the NSA and all the service chiefs as both junior and senior officers have lost confidence in the leadership of the security agencies.”
Adding that, ” There is nothing new any of them will offer that has not been used in the last seven years of the current NSA’s tenure and close to two years of that of the service chiefs.
The group insisted that insecurity in the country had reached a boiling point and that only the sack of the NSA and the service chiefs as the first step in addressing the ugly development could be acceptable.
“This call became very necessary and urgent to lend our voice to the growing insecurity and call for the immediate sack of the current security chiefs and a total overhaul of the security architecture of our country before it is too late.
“We are worried about President Muhammadu Buhari’s silence despite a call by every sector of Nigeria including the National Assembly who are the representatives of the people,” it said in the statement.
According to the Northern elders in the statement, “Some international organizations and authorities have faulted our security architecture and called for the need to restructure same, yet Mr President is still not moved.
“In a constitutional democracy, the people are the employer of the president and for a president to write his name in gold, he must listen to the people,” the statement added.
“We in this group insist that President Buhari is a good man that means very well for Nigeria and Nigerians but we strongly believe that he is being misled on a daily basis in respect of the happenings in the country as well as the security situation,” the statement further said.
It stressed that:” Most Nigerians don’t sleep with their eyes closed anymore. Our roads and homes are no longer safe because of robbery, kidnapping, banditry and Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists.”
The statement read further, “Food security is being threatened in the North West because of bandits who have been depriving farmers of going to their farms. The deteriorating plights of women and children in North East and other parts of the North in particular and Nigeria is on the steady decline.”
“Malnutrition is the order of the day in IDP camps across Northeast and Northwest. Investors are leaving the country on a daily basis because of insecurity. This is dangerous for our economic projections for 2023. No country can fund its budget effectively in the midst of insecurity like in Nigeria.
“We wish to use this medium to let our president know that Nigerians are really tired of excuses from the NSA and service chiefs. Their continuous retention is not doing the country any good.
“We are therefore appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency, begin the restructuring of the country’s security architecture starting with the sack of these tired NSA and service chiefs and replace them with more committed Nigerians.
“Nigerians are fed up with the current level of insecurity. It is on this note that we issue this statement to express our concerns for the nation and the need for Mr President to act appropriately.”
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- EDITORIAL: UN’s Alarm On Starvation Of Children In Nigeria | https://tribuneonlineng.com/buharis-delay-to-overhaul-security-architecture-worrisome-%E2%80%95-northern-elders/ | 2022-09-02T15:40:08Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/buharis-delay-to-overhaul-security-architecture-worrisome-%E2%80%95-northern-elders/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Man accused of swapping barcodes at Walmart to commit fraud, police say
ALPENA COUNTY, Mich. (Gray News) – A man in Michigan is facing charges after being accused of switching barcodes of items at Walmart.
According to police, a store associate said they saw a man removing barcodes from less expensive items and putting them on higher-priced products.
The man is then accused of going through the self-checkout register to scan the items.
Police said the associate tried to speak with the man about the purchase but was told he had to go outside and check on his children.
Ultimately, the man left the store.
Police used surveillance footage to identify the man as Joseph Alexander, 36.
There were several incidents reviewed that began in June 2022, according to police, and more than $1,100 in merchandise was stolen in total.
Alexander was arrested and charged with retail fraud.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wave3.com/2022/09/02/man-accused-swapping-barcodes-walmart-commit-fraud-police-say/ | 2022-09-02T15:40:42Z | wave3.com | control | https://www.wave3.com/2022/09/02/man-accused-swapping-barcodes-walmart-commit-fraud-police-say/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Scientific breakthrough could save Florida’s threatened coral reefs
TAMPA, Fla. (CNN) - Scientists said they’ve made a major breakthrough in the fight to save the elkhorn coral, a species that is under threat in the Caribbean.
It’s a historic step forward that someday also could offer humans extra protection from the fury of hurricanes.
Year after year, a price is paid, dollars in and in lives, when hurricane season strikes.
But under the waters from which those storms gain their strength, coral reefs provide an unexpected layer of protection.
They break up large waves and guard coastlines from storm surges.
Spanning about 360 miles, Florida has the world’s third-largest barrier reef, and it’s at risk.
“You can’t have the ocean running a fever every summer and not expect there to be impacts,” said Kerri O’Neil, the senior coral scientist at the Florida Aquarium.
However, in a tank at the aquarium, there is a major scientific breakthrough that serves as a sign that hope is not lost for Florida’s reefs. There is evidence of the elkhorn coral spawning.
The Florida Aquarium said it is now the first in the world to reproduce this threatened coral, using aquarium technology.
The spawning produced thousands of baby elkhorn corals.
“The first sense is just sheer relief,” O’Neil said.
Along with being the senior coral scientist, O’Neil has also been dubbed the “coral whisperer.”
Her team has figured out how to spawn 13 other species, but elkhorn takes the top spot.
“It’s really the most important,” O’Neil said.
Named for its resemblance to elk antlers, the coral lives right at the top of the reef crest. That means it plays a big role in protecting Florida’s coastline from devastating storm surges, which climate change is making even worse.
The problem is there are very few corals left.
“There’s just a few scattered colonies,” O’Neil said.
In the race to restore the reefs, there’s more work to be done, with this breakthrough serving as only a first step.
In about two years, the lab-spawned elkhorn coral will grow big enough, and scientists will then scuba dive down and plant them into the Florida reef.
“We are really buying time. We’re buying time for the reef. We’re buying time for the corals,” O’Neil said.
The final goal is a breeding program where they could ultimately breed more resilient coral, capable of withstanding threats like pollution, warming ocean waters and disease.
Nature can then pick up the rest.
“There is hope for coral reefs,” O’Neil said. “Don’t give up hope. All is not lost.”
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wave3.com/2022/09/02/scientific-breakthrough-could-save-floridas-threatened-coral-reefs/ | 2022-09-02T15:40:53Z | wave3.com | control | https://www.wave3.com/2022/09/02/scientific-breakthrough-could-save-floridas-threatened-coral-reefs/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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Did the ’90s cult classic film “Hocus Pocus” cast a spell on you? If you grew up during that decade, there’s a good chance you’ve seen the film and become a loyal fan. Now that we’ve officially grown up, we can pass that witchcraft fun onto our children or simply relish the campy sorcery.
As we gear up for Halloween — and the film’s sequel! — we can decorate our house to immerse ourselves in “Hocus Pocus” decor and other great Halloween-themed items available on Amazon. Turn your house into a place where the Sanderson sisters would feel right at home!
Halloween Decor Pillow Covers (Set of 4, $16.99)
Transform basic pillows into “Hocus Pocus” themed seasonal decorations. These cute and affordable 18-by-18-inch pillow covers have printing on the front and plain backs. Currently on sale for 35% off the list price, this set of four can now be purchased for $16.99. They come highly rated at 4.8 out of 5 stars after more than 1,400 reviews. People found them to be durable and a good value for the money.
Artoid Mode’s I Smell Children Witches’ Cauldron Halloween Kitchen Towels and Dish Towels (Set of 2, $18.99)
Add a little “Hocus Pocus” flair to your kitchen with a set of two multicolored dish towels for $18.99. It’s a great way to integrate magical whimsy into practical everyday cleaning. The towels measure 18 by 26 inches and are fade-resistant and machine washable. They’re soft enough that they won’t scratch your plates or pots while drying, although several reviewers mentioned that they’re best used for decoration.
Wencal Halloween Hocus Pocus Shower Curtain ($20.99)
Now even your bath can get in on “Hocus Pocus” fun with this 72-by-72-inch shower curtain that reads “It’s all a bunch of hocus pocus,” with colorful silhouettes of the Sanderson sisters’ hair placed above. Made from waterproof polyester fabric, this shower curtain also comes with 12 plastic hooks, ensuring you’ll have everything you need to use it right away. Buy it for $20.99.
Halloween Hocus Pocus Wood Bead Garland, ($7.99)
Drape this 41.3-inch wood bead garland with a “Hocus Pocus” tag across your bar cart, fireplace mantelpiece, table setting or chandelier to add a touch of whimsy to your decor. This garland has a 4.9 out of 5-star average rating with 94% of more than 200 customers ranking it at 5 stars. It’s currently 27% off and could make a great addition to your “Hocus Pocus” decor.
Orange Twinkle Star 200 LED Fairy String Lights ($13.99)
Create an atmosphere that’s perfect to cast spells in with these orange LED twinkle lights. This particular set is 66 feet long and features 200 LED bulbs and a soft green wire string so they can be wound around trees, signs, plants and more. The lights work both indoors and out and feature eight different modes, such as Slow Glow, Twinkle and Steady On. These orange LEDs are almost half off — on sale for $13.99!
Candy Cauldron Kettles (Set of 12, $11.99)
Brew up some witchcraft with this set of 12 black plastic cauldrons that are 3 inches high by 2.5 inches wide for $11.99. Use them as decor or to hold candy. If you’re hosting a “Hocus Pocus” party, they’d make great party favors for guests to take home. Users found they were small but held a surprising amount of food and were perfect for serving appetizer-sized veggie sticks or cupcakes.
Kitch Aroma Black Flameless Candles (Set of 5, $30.90)
Create an atmosphere ripe for casting spells or channeling spirits with these five black flameless battery-operated LED pillar candles. Sizes range from 2.2 by 5 inches through 2.2 by 8 inches. The moving flame wick is controllable via remote. Forget worrying about wax drips or fire concerns. Each candle’s battery life, using AA batteries (not included), is expected to last around 200 hours. Since they are constructed with real wax, customers enjoy how “real” the candles look and liked how they added a special touch to a room. This set costs $30.90.
Halloween Decorations Outdoor Porch Signs (Set of 3, $12.99)
Show your “Hocus Pocus” love on your doorstep with these three movie-themed fabric signs that will greet guests as they arrive. The two banners read “I smell children” and “I put a spell on you” while the middle sign reads “Drink up witches.” While these are durable enough for outdoor use, some fans, like Claudia S., used them for interior doors either and home or in offices. The set of three costs $12.99.
Avoin Colorlife Halloween Sanderson Sisters Hocus Pocus Throw Pillow Cover (Set of 4, $17.99)
Channel the Sanderson Sisters with this set of four “Hocus Pocus” themed 18-by-18-inch pillow covers that display all your favorite sayings from the film like “I smell children” and “Amuck! Amuck! Amuck!” This $17.99 “Hocus Pocus” decor polyester blend set comes highly recommended with an average of 4.6 out of 5 stars and is machine washable. Customer April, who is a huge “Hocus Pocus” fan and watches the movie every time it’s on TV, found these pillow covers to be “very bright and colorful.”
Pulaco Mist Maker ($22.32)
Make jack-o’-lanterns and cauldrons come to life with this small fog machine for $22.32. (Save an extra 6% by clicking on the limited-time coupon.) This mist machine produces a dense, odorless, water-based fog in minutes that will help create a magical or spooky atmosphere perfect for fans of Halloween films. Mark Lansing called it a “great little mist maker” and used it in his witch’s cauldron.
Are you excited about the sequel? You can take your experience to the next level by drinking “Hocus Pocus” themed coffee and eating cereal inspired by the movie.
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for additional stories. | https://www.katc.com/hocus-pocus-decor-provides-magical-atmosphere | 2022-09-02T15:46:48Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/hocus-pocus-decor-provides-magical-atmosphere | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SOUTH BAY, Fla. — If you purchase organic sugar or rice anywhere in the United States, there's a good chance it was grown at the Florida Crystals sprawling farmland around South Bay, Florida.
According to the company, the farms are also home to the largest private network of barn owls in the world.
"I see it every day. I see the owls at work," said farmer Daniel Cavazos, director of rice and organic farming with Florida Crystals. "We're using nature to control nature," he said.
Approximately 1,000 North American Barn Owls hunt rodents on the organic farmland, so they don't devour the crops.
"They can eat," said Diego Luzuriaga, vice president of research and development with Florida Crystals. He has helped grow the barn owl program.
"Some of the little birds can eat two or three rats a night," Luzuriaga added. "They can eat double their weight. They're just amazing. Due to the program that we've been bumping up over the years, we've eliminated the use of synthetic pesticides."
Luzuriaga said his team hasn't used any chemicals for rodent control for several years across their organic and conventional farmlands of about 195,000 acres.
"It's going back to basics. We're mimicking nature. Agriculture is about trying to find the balance in our ecosystem," Luzuriaga said.
The barn owl program is a crucial factor in Florida Crystals becoming the first farm in Florida to be certified by the Regenerative Organic Alliance.
"By doing things sustainably and naturally, we can guarantee your kids and my kids can do the same thing for generations to come," Cavazos said.
Florida Crystals plans to double its barn owl network to about 2,000 owls by the end of 2022.
According to the company, they are also working to replace traditional fertilizers with composted materials as another way to lessen the use of chemicals. | https://www.katc.com/news/national/barn-owls-proving-key-to-modern-sustainable-farming | 2022-09-02T15:47:00Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/national/barn-owls-proving-key-to-modern-sustainable-farming | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
TAMPA, Fla. (WFTS) — A Florida couple was reunited with their dog that had been missing for more than two years.
Angie River and her partner, Isabella, said they dropped their dog off at a friend's house while they went on vacation in February 2020.
"He ran out of the front door," said Isabella.
The couple said they searched for weeks. They scrolled through social media on missing pet pages and also called local shelters but had no luck.
"We were driving all through Tampa trying to find him. We put a missing thing on his chip. We searched every single humane society there could be... but honestly, nothing happened," said Isabella.
Earlier this week, Angie and Isabella received a call from the Humane Society of Tampa Bay. The shelter said someone turned in Chubby as a stray.
"I do wonder where he went. It's been two years. Apparently, he was having a great old time on the street while we were very distressed at home," said Isabella.
Chubby was checked out by a veterinarian because he was limping. The shelter said it was likely a sprain because he was out on his own. He has no broken bones and will be OK.
This story was originally reported by Julie Salomone on abcactionnews.com. | https://www.katc.com/news/national/couple-reunited-with-their-dog-after-more-than-2-years | 2022-09-02T15:47:06Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/national/couple-reunited-with-their-dog-after-more-than-2-years | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
FRANKFORD, Del. — Just after sunrise, before the summer sun gets too hot, it's time for early morning yoga.
"A lot of beginners come to this; people who've never done yoga before," said yoga instructor Andrea Hoopes.
In this yoga class, though, finding your zen here can be a challenge.
"I just felt so silly the whole time," said Connie Sih. "They were definitely distracting."
Part of the blame for that distraction falls squarely on their classmates and their long tails.
Welcome to kangaroo yoga.
"They're just they're such a different animal,” said Rachel Ejzak of Barn Hill Preserve in Delaware. "They're actually the largest species of marsupial. We have eight red kangaroos in here and two wallabies in our yard."
Three times a week, yogis get up close and personal with these kangaroo classmates, hailing from down under.
"Some are surrenders. Some are from other facilities that no longer need them or can take care of them," said Barn Hill Preserve’s Zach Bova.
However, it is the concern about kangaroos in the wild that led to all of this two years ago when massive wildfires devastated Australia.
"A large portion of the kangaroos and wallabies' habitats were destroyed by the fires,” Ejzak said, "and we were trying to think of what ways we could fundraise, but I thought, 'Well, people do yoga with goats. Why can't we do yoga with our kangaroos?'"
With that, the idea took off.
"It's been a big hit,” Ejzak said. “People really enjoy it for sure."
Yet, they needed to find an instructor willing to... co-teach.
"They're really rambunctious,” said yoga instructor Andrea Hoopes. "It's very healing for some people. We had the Wounded Warrior Project out here last week. The kangaroos are very curious, and it allows people to let their guard down."
Shelby Sih and her mom, Connie, came out to the class for the first time, unsure of what to expect.
"I was just looking around and having a great time giggling,” Connie said. “I just thought this was so fun and I do think their personalities are wild."
The preserve’s kangaroos are friendly and their fur is soft. Most of the students holding yoga poses often stop mid-pose, just to pet them.
"I didn't really think it was going to be real," Sih said. "I had heard that they maybe weren't the friendliest animals, and so, I think being here and seeing and just how friendly and loving and kind of charismatic, like they were really silly. So, yeah, it definitely gave me a new appreciation of them."
It's an appreciation that Barn Hill Preserve hopes will spread through the yoga class and help highlight the importance of protecting habitats for all creatures.
"They're here to serve as kind of an ambassador for their species," Ejzak said. "That way, they know a little bit more about the animals in the wild and don't have to go and disturb them out there, so we can kind of keep them safe." | https://www.katc.com/news/national/goat-yoga-move-over-its-time-to-make-way-for-kangaroo-yoga | 2022-09-02T15:47:30Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/national/goat-yoga-move-over-its-time-to-make-way-for-kangaroo-yoga | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Webb Space Telescope just took its first direct image of a distant world outside of our solar system.
Exoplanet HIP 65426 b is 6-12 times larger than Jupiter and orbits 100 times further from its host star than the earth. Its distance from its host star makes it easier to spot.
Scientists say photographing distant worlds is challenging due to the host star's brightness.
“This is a transformative moment, not only for Webb but also for astronomy generally,” said Sasha Hinkley, associate professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom. “It was really impressive how well the Webb coronagraphs worked to suppress the light of the host star.”
Removing light from its host star took some work by scientists.
“Obtaining this image felt like digging for space treasure,” said Aarynn Carter, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Santa Cruz. “At first, all I could see was light from the star, but with careful image processing, I was able to remove that light and uncover the planet.”
It is a young planet — a mere 15-20 million years old — compared to Earth, which is estimated to be at least 4.5 billion years old. The world was discovered in 2017.
It is located 385 light-years from earth. | https://www.katc.com/news/national/webb-space-telescope-captures-its-first-image-of-a-distant-planet | 2022-09-02T15:47:36Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/national/webb-space-telescope-captures-its-first-image-of-a-distant-planet | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON, D.C.-
The United States Department of Energy (DOE) has released its first ever Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Strategic Plan.
The Strategic Plan emphasizes the DOE's commitment to creating a workplace that celebrates Americans of all backgrounds. It outlines actions to be taken to sustain an inclusive and accessible work environment by strengthening recruitment, retention and promotion, while removing barriers to advancement.
The DOE's plan supports President Biden's Executive Order 14035, reaffirming that the American workforce is strongest when it reflects the diversity of the communities it serves.
"President Biden has assembled an Administration that effectively represents the diversity of America and brings together people of various perspectives, cultures and backgrounds to ensure policies benefit those living in all corners of this country," said Jennifer M. Granholm, U.S. Secretary of Energy.
The DOE will report annually on the implementation of its Strategic Plan for diversity.
The plan includes:
Reestablishing an Office for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accountability within the DOE.
Addressing underrepresentation and improving outreach, recruitment, and hiring.
Training on equitability and inclusion.
Establish a new gender identity policy. | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/new-doe-plan-to-advance-diversity/article_e1223828-2abe-11ed-83cd-7b7b6cfbbabf.html | 2022-09-02T15:48:03Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/new-doe-plan-to-advance-diversity/article_e1223828-2abe-11ed-83cd-7b7b6cfbbabf.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The newly created Chattanooga-Hamilton County Sports Authority convened this week to kick off the process of constructing a new $72 million multi-use stadium, a project that is expected to catalyze hundreds of millions of dollars in development across the South Broad district.
The revitalization will conservatively generate $40 million in new tax revenue for schools, and millions more for infrastructure and quality-of-life improvements throughout the district and beyond, based on cautious estimates of $350 million in new development. The project is expected to yield more than $1 billion in new homes, offices and stores.
Developers have already agreed to construct $170 million in new housing in the first phase of the project, which in later phases will grow to encompass the full 120 acres of developable land that was formerly home to the U.S. Pipe and Wheland Foundry plants.
Nearby, the Tennessee Department of Transportation is making headway in its efforts to open up a new off-ramp from I-24 to access the site. At the same time, discussions are underway with neighborhood groups on a package of community benefits that will help preserve affordable housing in the surrounding areas and create a pipeline for local workers to participate in both construction and post-construction jobs.
The project is being funded in part through an economic development tool called tax increment financing (TIF), which leverages the growth in tax collections resulting from new development to help fund public projects. All current tax revenue will be collected and distributed as usual, but a portion of new tax revenue will be set aside to pay down the stadium bonds.
Once the debt service on the stadium is satisfied, monies from the project will go to create the Alton Park Connector, which for the first time will create access from a historic interior neighborhood to the city’s waterfront.
The Sports Authority board includes Randy Smith, Matt Patterson, John Shearburn, Mitch Patel, Rudolph Foster, Edna Varner and Ann Weeks. On Tuesday, the board elected officers, adopted bylaws, and adopted the interlocal agreement between Chattanooga and Hamilton County that articulates the financial relationship among Hamilton County, the City of Chattanooga, and the Sports Authority for the costs of debt service on the stadium. John Shearburn was elected as chair.
Future meetings will be held to issue the bonds that will finance the construction of the $72 million stadium. Those bonds will be paid back primarily by the new property tax revenues generated by new buildings constructed on the currently blighted site. | https://www.local3news.com/chattanooga-hamilton-county-sports-authority-convenes-to-build-new-south-broad-stadium/article_71363e7c-2a16-11ed-8894-d3cdffe0cef7.html | 2022-09-02T15:49:43Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/chattanooga-hamilton-county-sports-authority-convenes-to-build-new-south-broad-stadium/article_71363e7c-2a16-11ed-8894-d3cdffe0cef7.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
We're celebrating the 100th birthday of a very special man. US Army Col. Barney Roth Jr. was honored by his friends at Summit View Assisted Living in Chattanooga, and an organization dedicated to honoring our veterans.
Chattanooga native Barney Roth Jr. got the salute of a long lifetime as he celebrated 100 years of life. Barney says he hasn't been cheated, he's enjoyed every minute of a century has included sports, horses, politics, business, and 33 years in the military, serving the country he loves. He said, “I’ve been in so many countries, but there's nothing like the United States.”
Rising to the rank of Lt. Colonel, Barney Roth served all over the world under seven presidents. The Unity Quilts of Valor group, based in Soddy-Daisy is in its first year of comforting, healing, and celebrating veterans, and has already presented dozens of quilts. But Barney is their first centenarian.
Group Leader Barbara Price said, “This is once in a lifetime, it may never happen for us again, it's an awesome privilege to honor Mr. Roth.”
Roth's friends say the seasoned officer keeps everyone in line to this day. He's quick with a quip and a comeback, no matter the question.
When asked, “What's the secret to living to 100?” He replied with a smile, “I keep my damn mouth shut!”
Roth says he just enjoys living, and makes the most of every day. He's thankful for the staff at Summit View and the love of friends and strangers.
To nominate a veteran for a Quilt of Valor, contact Barbara Price at baprice47@aim.com | https://www.local3news.com/col-barney-roth-jr-celebrates-100-chattanooga-birthdays/article_4386009a-2a37-11ed-a30f-974d0935d716.html | 2022-09-02T15:49:49Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/col-barney-roth-jr-celebrates-100-chattanooga-birthdays/article_4386009a-2a37-11ed-a30f-974d0935d716.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Hamilton County
- Pumpkin Patch | Saturday, September 3 | 3 p.m. | Painting With A Twist | Join us at our [*BYOB*] studio as we paint a piece by a local artist! Ticket price includes use of all necessary paint supplies and aprons, instruction, and a 16x20 take-home canvas or upgrade to a wood product or a frame! @ Painting With A Twist | $41-$60
- Family Day | Sunday, September 4 | 2 p.m. | Painting With A Twist | "GREAT FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY! Join us to paint your own version of this image created by one of our artists. The perfect family get together for ages 5 yrs and up! Registration required for all attendees. @ Painting With A Twist | $39-$49
- You Sleuth Augmented Reality Detective Experience | Sunday, September 4 | 10 a.m. | CyberActivities | You Sleuth combines the classic detective game of Clue with the augmented reality of Pokemon Go to create a brand new game experience! @ Chattanooga, TN | $25
- UTC vs. Wofford | Saturday, September 3 | 6 p.m. | University of Tennessee Chattanooga | The 12th-ranked Chattanooga Mocs begin the 2022 campaign doubling down on openers. Not only is Saturday the season's initial contest, but it's also the start of the Southern Conference slate. Don't miss the 6 p.m., kickoff in Finley Stadium in Chattanooga. @ Finley Stadium | $5
- Scenic City Mud Run | Saturday, September 3 | 7 a.m. | Scenic City Multisport | The Scenic City Mud Run is a 5K Mud Run in Chattanooga, TN. Get ready for an obstacle-course race with LOTS of mud, plus constructed and natural obstacles. @ Greenway Farms | $39-$89
- Brainerd Farmers Market | Saturday, September 3 | 10 a.m. | We are a Community Farmers’ Market. OPEN SATURDAYS from 10AM-12PM at the corner of Brainerd and Belvoir. @ 20 Belvoir Ave, Chattanooga, TN 37411 | FREE
- Latin Dance Party | Saturday, September 3 | 11:30 p.m. | Mayan Kitchen | Every first and third Saturday of the month, Mayan Kitchen hosts an after hours Latin dance party with a live DJ beginning at 11:30 p.m. Don’t worry if you’re inexperienced. The regulars will teach you how to move. @ Mayan Kitchen
- Women, Welding & Wine | Saturday, September 3 | 3 p.m. | MetalMakers | Need an exciting way to brighten up your Saturday afternoons, or are you looking for the perfect gift for that special woman in your life? Our all-ladies class is the best opportunity to learn welding step by step, make a project from scratch, snap the perfect selfie, and enjoy your favorite glass of wine afterwards! (Bring your own wine - sorry, government rules!) @ 1007 Taft Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37408 | $125
- Outdoor Market on the Boulevard/Labor Day Event | Saturday, September 3 | 10 a.m. | B&B Discount Sales | B & B Discount Sales would like to invite you to our Outdoor Market on the Boulevard Labor Day Event. @ 4825 Dayton Blvd | FREE
- Chickamauga Dam Lock Through Kayak Tour | Saturday, September 3 | 9 a.m. | Chattanooga Guided Adventures | Try the unique guided experience of locking through Chickamauga Dam from the seat of a kayak. You will paddle into the 120 ft tall lock and the massive gates will close behind you. @ River Park Boat Ramp | FREE
- Anime Afternoons at Downtown! | Saturday, September 3 | 4 p.m. | Chattanooga Public Library | Once a month, stop by our Downtown Library for an episode or two of anime on Crunchyroll, a craft, and time to geek out with other teens about all things anime! @ Chattanooga Public Library | FREE
- HP Flash Days | Friday, September 2 to Saturday, September 3 | 10 a.m. | Main Line Ink | Join us for a Magical 2 Day Event with all things Wizardry! Some artists will be booking appointments for the event while others will have flash available on a first come, first serve basis. @ Main Line Ink
- Fall Food Truck Rally | Sunday, September 4 | 11 a.m. | Chattanooga Market | Labor Day weekend fun! We'll be rounding up local food trucks for a Reggie White Street party! Experience some great local eats and treats, live music and your favorite Market vendors. @ First Tennessee Pavillion | FREE
- Market At MACC presents: Flapper & Tap'R' "Bringing Back the Roaring 20's" | Saturday, September 3 | 10 a.m. | Mountain Arts Community Center | Let the roaring 20's come to life! A day filled with live big band and jazz music played by Scenic City Sound! @ Mountain Arts Community Center | FREE
- The Safest Ledge, Fernway, Justin & the Juicetones, & The Undomesticators | Saturday, September 3 | 7 p.m. | The Safest Ledge | The Safest Ledge and Fernway come to Chattanooga; joined by Justin and the Juicetones, & The Undomesticators hosted at The Dark Roast on September 3rd. @ The Dark Roast
- Levi Ransom | Saturday, September 3 | 12 p.m. | Levi Ransom | Levi Ransom is a Pop/Rock artist from Atlanta, GA. He started singing in church when he was just 4 years old, then quickly moved to writing his own songs at the age of 11 and began producing his own music during his senior year of high school. His high range and smooth voice compliment his discography very well and you’re sure to find a song or two to love. @ Tennessee Aquarium | FREE
- Food Soils 101 | Saturday, September 3 | 10 a.m. | Crabtree Farms | We will discuss what soil is, different types of soil, how to care for it in an in-ground garden and raised bed setting for food production, and when/how to add key soil amendments for a success! @ Crabtree Farms | $20
- Sunday Brunch with Sam Steadman | Sunday, September 4 | 12 p.m. | 1885 Grill | Sunday Funday at 1885 Grill St. Elmo means brunch and live music! Join us on the patio for your southern brunch and lunch favorites along with tunes from Sam Steadman! @ 1885 Grill | FREE
- Centre Stage Awards | Saturday, September 3 | 7 p.m. | Chattanooga Theatre Center | Mark your calendars for the Centre Stage Awards, our annual celebration of the volunteers who make the Chattanooga Theatre Centre the exceptional place that it is! Details to come! @ Chattanooga Theatre Center
- BACK TO THE 90'S - SPECIAL ONE NIGHT ONLY | Saturday, September 3 | 7 p.m. | Level Up Arcade and Billiards | A one night only special ( Back to the 90's Concert Event! Hear all of our favorite songs from the 90's decade! One night ONLY! @ Level Up Arcade and Billiards | $10
- Chattanooga Gun Show | Saturday, September 3 to Sunday, September 4 | 9 a.m. | RK Shows Inc | Looking for a great way to spend a day or the weekend of September 3-4, 2022? If you are a gun collector, or are a hunting enthusiast, the gun show at the Camp Jordan Arena in East Ridge, TN is a great place to spend some time. RK Shows Tennessee will have a variety of vendors displaying guns, hunting supplies, military surplus and outdoor gear. Vendors will be available to teach you, answer your questions, and help you find exactly what you’re looking for. @ Camp Jordan Arena | $6.50-$14.50
- All White Affair Featuring Pleasure P & Bobby V! | Sunday, September 4 | 7 p.m. | Alcor Entertainment | An evening of R&B music with Pleasure P and Bobby V. Hosted by Ms LOL! @ Chattanooga Convention Center | $50-$65
- Mix & Music with Swayyvo | Saturday, September 3 | 6 p.m. | Mike Laary & Phoenix | Mix & Music is more than a mixer! It’s an opportunity to network with music industry professionals, music lovers, as well as, enjoy some of the best live music the city has to offer from Chattanooga's very own Swayyvo! There will also be live performances from LVNDR and Elijah Dax. This gig boast to be one of the biggest local music industry mixers in the city, so don’t miss it! @ Moxy Chattanooga | $20-$30
- Classical X Candlelight with Ben Van Winkle and The Figment | Saturday, September 3 | 7:30 p.m. | Coosa Mill Events | Music by candlelight in an abandoned building. We can't imagine anything more magical. @ Coosa Mill | $20
- Healthy Kids Running Series | Sunday, September 4 | 3 p.m. | Hamilton County Parks | Healthy Kids Running Series: A five-week series of healthy fitness activities to motivate kids to lead a healthy and active lifestyle through a positive introduction to the world of running. Race distances are based on age group. Estimated 250+ Participants. Estimated 85+ Vehicles. Registration is required to participate in this event. For More Information or to Register for this event Contact Healthy Kids Running Series. @ 4301 Amnicola Highway | FREE
- Chattanooga Adventures Family Field Trip | All weekend | ALL DAY | Chattanooga Adventure Series | Chattanooga Adventures uses XPLORE AR by Timelooper, a free app available on Android and Apple devices, to explore American history through Chattanooga landmarks. @ Miller Park
- Rail & Hops Brewers Festival | Saturday, September 3 | 5 p.m. | Rail and Hops Brewery | Sept 3rd, 2022 | 5:00pm - 10:00pm | 21+ event including designated drivers. Valid government photo ID required to participate in the event. @ Miller Park | $25-$65
- The Other Brothers | Sunday, September 4 | 6 p.m. | Wanderlinger Brewing Company | The Fabulous Furry Fabricators of Grateful Soul, Folk-N-Weirdgrass Return! Every other Sunday, The Other Brothers will take the stage at 6PM. @ Wanderlinger Brewing Company | FREE
- Be The Change: Jonathan Peyton & In The Company of Wolves | Saturday, September 3 | 7 p.m. | Songbirds | Be The Change: For years, Be The Change Youth Initiative was a family ministry focused on encouraging youth to use their gifts and talents to make a difference in the world. Since 2017, with the help of children and teens from all across the country, they have raised over $70,000 for our partner organizations (including Hands & Feet Project, Guitars For Glory, Make-A-Wish America, To Write Love On Her Arms and Songbirds Foundation). @ Songbirds | $20
- Derek Richards | Friday, Saturday 2 to Sunday, September 4 | 7:30 p.m., 9:45 a.m. | The Comedy Catch | A regular on the Las Vegas Strip, Derek’s act is fast, fresh, and at times, fanatical. He brings the funny with tales about his blue-collar upbringing, his divorce, the holidays and his child-free existence. A veteran of several USO tours, Richards was chosen as one of the first performers at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba after the base began guarding jailed Al-Qaeda terrorists. The comedy tour earned Richards national coverage in Newsweek. He also has performed at U.S. base camps in Iraq, Afghanistan, and more than 15 countries. @ The Comedy Catch | $17-$19
- 2022 MAC Doggie Pool Pawty | Saturday, September 3 | 10 a.m. | McKamey Animal Center | Your favorite event of the Summer is back! Join us on Saturday, September 3rd from 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM for the 2022 MAC Doggie Pool Pawty at the Carver Recreation Center! @ Carver Recreation Center | SOLD OUT
- Chattanooga STREEETS | Sunday, September 4 | 1 p.m. | This will be a slow paced wheelie filled ride we will hit the streets and end up at the stunt lot anyone and everyone welcome! @ Coolidge Park | FREE
- Girls Inc. of Chattanooga: Winder Binder Book Drive, Celebrating 10 Years of the Bookworm Club | Thursday, September 1 to Friday, September 30 | 11 a.m. | Girls Inc. of Chattanooga | Girls Inc. of Chattanooga will have a bin at Winder Binder Books on Northshore for you to shop and donate for our book drive. When you buy a new or used book to donate, you will get 15% off the donated book! The books you donate will go directly to the Bookworm Club. There will also be a jar to throw your change into when you shop all other books that will be donated to Girls Inc. of Chattanooga! @ Winder Binder | FREE
- Chattanooga Community Yoga at Chattanooga River Market | Saturday, September 3 | 10 a.m. | La Luna Alchemy, Chattanooga Community Yoga | I will be leading this FREE community yoga class during the Chattanooga River Market at the terrace between the two aquariums downtown. All ages and levels welcome on this gorgeous outdoor patio overlooking the Tennessee River. Bring your mat and bring a friend! @ Plaza at Tennessee Aquarium
- Wild Trails Chattanooga Creek Cleanup! | Sunday, September 4 | 12 p.m. | Wild Trails | It’s time again to clean up Chattanooga Creek and put forth more effort to restore it to its natural beauty. We’ve built the infrastructure to move the waste up the creek bank and dispose of it, but we need folks who are willing to bring out their canoes, kayaks or SUP and help. @ Clumpies Old Fashion Ice Cream | FREE
- Mascarade Ball | Saturday, September 3 | 8 p.m. | Straight Up Band | Put in your mask and best mascarade outfit and come join us for a fun night of dancing, mix drinks and great friends, and live music (if you don't bring friends, come out and make new ones) .. @ VFW Post 4848 | $5
- Get Schooled: Birds of Prey | Saturday, September 3 | 9 a.m. | Reflection Riding | Join our wildlife staff for an up-close-and-personal look at some of our birds of prey. Our experts will guide you through understanding the majesty and strength of these beautiful birds so you can learn more about their way of life and better understand the impact humans have on birds of prey. @ Reflection Riding https://www.eventbrite.com/e/get-schooled-birds-of-prey-tickets-228468083187?aff=escb&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-source=cp&utm-term=listing | $5-$10
- Get Schooled: Native Animals | Friday, September 2 | 1:30 p.m. | Reflection Riding | Members and visitors can come into our Native Animal Area, learn more about our animal ambassadors, and learn how to help save them. Our knowledgeable staff members will be there to facilitate your visit and answer any questions you may have. Animal ambassadors can include a bobcat, raptors, red wolves, and more! @ Reflection Riding | Donation welcome
- Get Schooled: Tickseed Sunflower | Saturday, September 3 | 10 a.m. | Reflection Riding | Our lower meadow is about to burst with color! It will be breathtaking as the tickseed sunflower (Bidens aristosa) and giant ironweed (Vernonia gigantea) reach their peak. Come enjoy the view on this guided hike! @ Reflection Riding | $15-$20
- Vulture Adventure | Saturday, September 3 | 11 a.m. | Reflection Riding | Take a tour of the property with our Black Vulture, Vlad! @ Reflection Riding | $15-$20
- Playdate in the Playscape | Saturday, September 3 | 2 p.m. | Reflection Riding | Explore our Nature Playscape with the family! @ Reflection Riding | FREE
- Upick Zinnias and Sunflowers | Saturday, September 3 | 9 a.m. | Flat Top Farm | Come pick zinnias and sunflowers for $12 in a container that you get to keep. Bring back your container anytime and do refills for $10. @ Flat Top Farm | $10-$12
- Mark Kelly Hall at Puckett’s | Puckett's | 6 p.m. | Singer/songwriter Mark Kelly Hall will perform a special “Labor Day Weekend Show” at Puckett’s Chattanooga on Sunday, September 4. The music, a blend of originals and favorites, will start at 6 p.m. Admission is free. @ Puckett's Chattanooga | FREE
Catoosa County
- 5th Annual Butterfly Festival | Saturday, September 3 | 10 a.m. | Live and Love Ministries | We will be hosting our 5th annual Butterfly Festival to raise funds for the ongoing work of Live and Love Ministries. This is a family friendly event in memory of our daughter Katie Beth Carter, who ran ahead to heaven on Sept. 5, 2016. There will be live music, crafts, face painting, inflatables, games, a petting zoo, vendors, an art auction, and a balloon/butterfly release. Plan to bring your family ($10/person, $50 max/family) and enjoy a day filled with lots of fun! We hope to see you there! See less @ Heritage High School | $10
- BBQ & Brews | Saturday, September 3 | 5 p.m. | Rabbit Valley Farmers Market | We are celebrating Ringgold's 175th Birthday with BBQ Food Trucks, Cold Beverages, Free Face Painting, Fun Activities and LIVE Music by Sam Bybee and headliner band Edgewood Heavy. Come on out for a fun and FREE event in beautiful downtown Ringgold. @ Ringgold Market Pavillion | FREE
- Rabbit Valley Farmers Market | Saturday, September 3 | 9 a.m. | We will be open every Saturday through October 29, 2022 from 9am until 1 pm, at the pavilion across from the Depot. Local vendors will offer produce, meats, cheeses, soaps, candles, bread, homemade goods and more. @ Downtown Ringgold | FREE
- Labor Day Showdown Valvoline Iron Man Series | Saturday, September 3 | Boyd's Speedway @ Boyd's Speedway | $5-$20
- You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown | Friday, September 2 to Sunday, September 4 | 7:30 p.m. | The Colonnade | You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, created by Charles Shultz and adapted by Clark Gesner, is a delightful musical suited for the whole family. The Peanut Gang comes to life on stage to take the audience through a day in the life of Charlie Brown. Laugh and sing along with Lucy, Sally, Linus, Schroeder and Snoopy. @ The Colonnade | $13-$17
Bradley County
- Flash Nights | Friday, September 2 | 6 p.m. | High Point Climbing and Fitness Cleveland | Each flash of a boulder earns you an entry to win free Friction Labs Chalk. Limited time only! Attempts must be made from 4-8pm to count towards the raffle. @ High Point Climbing and Fitness Cleveland
McMinn County
- OPEN WATER CERTIFICATION DIVE | Saturday, September 3 to Sunday, September 4 | Choo Choo Dive | Loch Low-Minn is a quarry lake in Athens, TN that provides a unique scuba diving opportunity. Its crystal clear waters are home to the rare paddlefish. This is the perfect place to complete your Open Water Diver Certification. @ Loch Low-Minn Quarry
- Sounds of Summer Concert | Saturday, September 3 | 7 p.m. | Downtown Athens | Bring your blanket or chair and settle in for free live music in Historic Downtown Athens. @ Athens Market Pavillion | FREE
Marion County
- Nickajack Bat Cave Kayak Tour | Sunday, August 28 | 6:30 p.m. | Chattanooga Guided Adventures | Join us to see endangered grey bats begin their nightly hunt for insects! The Nickajack Bat Cave and Wildlife Refuge in the Tennessee River is the summer roost for up to 100,000 of these animals. @ Mapleview Recreation Center | $69
- Soul of the City | Friday, September 2 | 7 p.m. | Dustin Tucker | SOUL Performing Live !!! 🎙💨 Feat. Robert Lee & Katrina Barclay @ Princess Theater | $20
- Miss Labor Day and Miss Whitwell 2022 | Saturday, September 3 | 12 p.m. | Pageant open to all ages and ALL counties/cities. No age or residential restrictions. Scholarship awarded to WHS student who is crowned Miss Whitwell 2022! @ Whitwell Middle School
Grundy County
- 1st Annual Fund Race 1 mile | Saturday, September 3 | 10:05 a.m. | Grundy County High School Cross Country | All race proceeds will be used to fund the Grundy County High School Cross Country team. 5k fun run and a 1mi. run/walk around GCHS campus. @ 24970 Sr 108, Coalmont, TN |
- UB40 with the Original Wailers Feat. Al Anderson, Maxi Priest, and Big Mountain | Saturday, September 3 | 6:30 p.m. CST | The Caverns | UB40 are an English reggae and pop band, formed in December 1978 in Birmingham, England. The band has had more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. @ The Caverns | $59
- Switchfoot with Little Image | Sunday, September 4 | 6 p.m. | The Caverns | Switchfoot is an American rock band from San Diego, California. The band's members are Jon Foreman, Tim Foreman, Chad Butler, and Jerome Fontamillas. @ The Caverns | $49-$199
Bledsoe County
- Pikeville Summer Night's Unwound | Saturday, September 3 | 6 p.m. | Main Street Committee | Cruise Into Main Street to see Classic Cars, browse our Farmers Market for unique items, listen and dance to live music on Main Street Stage at 5:00 pm CST. 1st Saturday of every month May thru September starting at 5:00 pm CST. This year a special Fall Festival Cruise-In October 1st at 1:00 @ Pikeville Main Street Stage
Dade County
- South Dade Fire & Rescue Fundraiser BBQ | Saturday, September 3 | 12 p.m. | South Dade Fire & Rescue | This is the South Dade Fire & Rescue's Annual BBQ Fundraiser. With BBQ Pork or chicken, 2 sides, drink & dessert @ South Dade Community Center | $5-$8
Walker County
- Rock City's Summer Music Weekends | Friday, September 2 to Monday, September 5 | 8:30 a.m. | Rock City | High atop Lookout Mountain, delight your senses with delicious food, soft breezes, and live country, folk and bluegrass music! @ Rock City
- Open Gate Day | Saturday, September 3 | 9 a.m. | Lula Lake Land Trust | Spend your day in nature at Lula Lake Land Trust with 8+ miles of trails, bluff views, and a 120-foot waterfall... adventure awaits! @ Lula Lake Land Trust | $16-$40
- Labor Day 5K Mud Run | Satuurday, September 3 | Come run the Labor Day 5K Mud Run race in Rock Spring this September @ Rock Spring, GA
Whitfield County
- Antique Watch & Clock Mart, Lectures & Exhibit | Saturday, September 3 | 10 a.m. | National Association of Watch & Cocks Mid-South Region | Browse over 100 tables of clocks, watches and tools, learn how to make a clock and watch at the lectures. Door Prizes and Silent Auction too @ Dalton Convention Center | $10
Rhea County
- Fish the Chick | Saturday, September 3 | Fish Lake Chickamauga @ Dayton Boat Dock & Grill
- Laurel-Snow Day Hike | Saturday, September 3 | 10:30 a.m. | Harvey Broome Group | Day hike in Laurel-Snow State Natural Area in Tennessee. We will kike about 2.5 miles to Laurel Falls and return, with possible additional hiking to Snow Falls or Buzzard Point if all want to do so. @ 1098 Pocket Wilderness Road, Dayton, TN 37321 | FREE
Meigs County
- 2nd Annual Labor Day Ten Mile 5K Fun Run | Saturday, September 3 | 8:30 a.m. | FUN AT THE LAKE! This is the second annual Labor Day 5K for the Ten Mile/Watts Bar Lake area. It is a pleasant course with gentle hills and lake views and will be professionally timed so competitive racers can use time to qualify for other races. It is also open to casual runners and walkers. Strollers welcome after other racers start. There will be local swag bags, t-shirts and food at the end of the race. All proceeds will go to our local volunteer fire department. If you don’t want to race, but would like to donate, that option is available as well. Looking forward to seeing you all! @ Driftwood Diner | $30 | https://www.local3news.com/local-news/3-to-get-ready-friday-september-2-to-sunday-september-4/article_bf573db2-2ab7-11ed-8e44-5783a6fecc0c.html | 2022-09-02T15:49:55Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/local-news/3-to-get-ready-friday-september-2-to-sunday-september-4/article_bf573db2-2ab7-11ed-8e44-5783a6fecc0c.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
We're celebrating the 100th birthday of a very special man. US Army Col. Barney Roth Jr. was honored by his friends at Summit View Assisted Living in Chattanooga, and an organization dedicated to honoring our veterans.
Chattanooga native Barney Roth Jr. got the salute of a long lifetime as he celebrated 100 years of life. Barney says he hasn't been cheated, he's enjoyed every minute of a century has included sports, horses, politics, business, and 33 years in the military, serving the country he loves. He said, “I’ve been in so many countries, but there's nothing like the United States.”
Rising to the rank of Lt. Colonel, Barney Roth served all over the world under seven presidents. The Unity Quilts of Valor group, based in Soddy-Daisy is in its first year of comforting, healing, and celebrating veterans, and has already presented dozens of quilts. But Barney is their first centenarian.
Group Leader Barbara Price said, “This is once in a lifetime, it may never happen for us again, it's an awesome privilege to honor Mr. Roth.”
Roth's friends say the seasoned officer keeps everyone in line to this day. He's quick with a quip and a comeback, no matter the question.
When asked, “What's the secret to living to 100?” He replied with a smile, “I keep my damn mouth shut!”
Roth says he just enjoys living, and makes the most of every day. He's thankful for the staff at Summit View and the love of friends and strangers.
To nominate a veteran for a Quilt of Valor, contact Barbara Price at baprice47@aim.com. | https://www.local3news.com/local-news/col-barney-roth-jr-celebrates-100-chattanooga-birthdays/article_d0a22c06-2a37-11ed-afff-c314338f2f94.html | 2022-09-02T15:50:25Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/local-news/col-barney-roth-jr-celebrates-100-chattanooga-birthdays/article_d0a22c06-2a37-11ed-afff-c314338f2f94.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
“It’s a new concept, but it is innovative,” Shayla Willis, General Manager at Hotworx, says.
She's talking about Hotworx, a virtually instructed infrared sauna fitness studio.
“We provide three dimensional training, which is infrared red light and exercise. So we combine that inside the sauna and it just helps the body in many different ways as far as losing weight. It increases calorie burn and helps with sports recovery,” Willis says.
She joined Lindsey Harris, a Physicians’ Assistant, to bring this new concept to the Chattanooga area.
Harris says as the infrared heat penetrates your body, causing you to sweat and the isometric postures further accelerate detoxification.
“The other things we have seen and many studies have shown are the cardiovascular benefits it has," Harris says. "Not only the cardiovascular benefits, but also see mental health benefits."
For Harris, she says this was a personal mission for her. She and Willis believe it is important to give people options and education when it comes to their health.
“I am in health care and honestly I feel like God brought me. I am on this earth to help people to heal people,” she says.
As with any new exercise or diet routine, make sure to check with your doctor.
More more information, click here. | https://www.local3news.com/local-news/eye-on-health-new-3d-exercise-with-infrared-energy-and-heat/article_0621bc3a-2a1e-11ed-8227-331a71dfa54c.html | 2022-09-02T15:50:50Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/local-news/eye-on-health-new-3d-exercise-with-infrared-energy-and-heat/article_0621bc3a-2a1e-11ed-8227-331a71dfa54c.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A new program is helping pet parents in Chattanooga.
Saving animals and helping people is the mission at McKamey Animal Center. The Pets for Life Chattanooga Program helps provide supplies for pet families in need. Inga Fricke, Executive Director of McKamey Animal Center said pets are not a luxury but family.
"A lot of people say 'well if you can't afford a pet then you shouldn't have one,' but the reality is pets are not luxury items, they're not accessories, they're family and we never want family to be separated," Fricke said.
The program was launched 11 years ago but started in Chattanooga in June of 2022.
Olivia Myers, the Community Outreach Coordinator, said she goes door-to-door spreading awareness of the services available to pet owners.
"It's just us going out in the community and knocking on doors and offering basic vet care supplies like crates, liter for cats, cat boxes, all sorts of stuff and we just do that in areas that have a lesser resource for pet care in their immediate area," she said.
Myers always had a desire to help the community and loves helping other people, especially pet owners.
"People will invite me in and I just sit down and kind of get to know them and their pets and what they need. They usually ask questions about what we offer here for pets," she said.
She said the biggest need for pet parents is flea and tick prevention, food, and crates. The program provides those basic needs but will not provide emergency vet care. However, Myers can assist with guidance for direction in an emergency.
"The biggest need I see here in the south is flea and tick stuff and food. A lot of people will say 'you know my dog stays outside for a little bit, comes inside, and has fleas and ticks everywhere' so we offer flea and tick medication and/or shampoo. Whichever one they want to use. And food is always a big one in Chattanooga," she said.
If you would like assistance from the Pets for Life Program, visit the link for more information here. | https://www.local3news.com/local-news/the-pets-for-life-program-launches-in-chattanooga/article_78e1e030-29ea-11ed-ac1d-17b9a2343d65.html | 2022-09-02T15:51:14Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/local-news/the-pets-for-life-program-launches-in-chattanooga/article_78e1e030-29ea-11ed-ac1d-17b9a2343d65.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The 22-year-old man accused of shooting three Dutch soldiers outside an Indianapolis hotel on Saturday has been charged in the death of one of the victims and the injury of the two others, according to prosecutors.
Shamar Duncan was arrested Tuesday in connection with the shooting, which took place outside a Hampton Inn where the soldiers were staying, according to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.
Duncan is charged with the murder of Simmie Poetsema, the Royal Netherlands Army soldier who died in a hospital Sunday, according to a charging document filed Thursday in Marion County Superior Court.
He is also charged with two counts of attempted murder and a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge, the document shows.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charges, his lawyer Kiki Gaither told CNN in a statement.
"Right now, it is too early to delineate any potential defenses to the charges," Gaither said in the statement. "More specifically, the Parties must go through the discovery process whereby potential information concerning witnesses and any potential relevant evidence will be exchanged."
The soldiers were in Indiana as part of a training exercise, the Dutch Ministry of Defense said in a news release. On the night of the shooting, they had gone out to a bar with a group of friends and were heading back to their hotel, the two surviving victims told police, according to a probable cause affidavit.
The two soldiers told police that as they were on their way back, a fight broke out between some members of their group and three other men, the affidavit says. As they arrived at the hotel, they said, shots were fired, the document says.
Poetsema died from a single gunshot wound to the head, according to the affidavit, citing an autopsy.
Several witnesses told police that a fight broke out between the two groups, including a man identified in court papers as R., who says he was with Duncan when the altercation began, the affidavit says.
Witness accounts and video evidence placed R.'s pickup truck at the scene, which it left shortly after the shots were fired, according to the affidavit.
R. told police that he was driving while Duncan was "shooting out of the back of the truck," and that Duncan said, "'I just spazzed,'" when R. yelled at him for shooting, the affidavit says.
In a statement to police, his girlfriend said that Duncan told her that he thought he saw someone with a gun during the fight, so he went to the truck to get his own gun, the affidavit says.
"He said he saw one of the guys reaching towards his waist, so he defended himself," the affidavit reads. "The girlfriend asked Shamar if he was the one that shot, and he wouldn't say anything."
Duncan is set to appear in court for a jury trial on November 14, the court docket shows.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/22-year-old-man-charged-with-murder-and-other-charges-in-the-shooting-of-3/article_317a65c0-2a0c-57c2-8615-40be976e3453.html | 2022-09-02T15:51:57Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/22-year-old-man-charged-with-murder-and-other-charges-in-the-shooting-of-3/article_317a65c0-2a0c-57c2-8615-40be976e3453.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NASA is gearing up for another countdown to launch its Artemis I rocket on a journey around the moon this weekend. After the first attempt was scrubbed on Monday due to a range of problems, the launch team has since made significant adjustments and is now ready for another try on Saturday.
Here's what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.
(You can get "5 Things You Need to Know Today" delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.)
1. Biden
President Joe Biden delivered his sharpest rebuke yet of Republicans during a speech in Philadelphia on Thursday, warning that former President Donald Trump and his closest followers are trying to undermine American democracy. "As I stand here tonight, equality and democracy are under assault," Biden said in his address -- just months ahead of midterm elections that will determine control of Congress. Biden attempted to separate Trump's most loyal MAGA followers from the Republican Party as a whole and also sought to conclude on a more upbeat note, urging it is still within voters' power to rein in Trump's staunchest supporters. This comes as Biden's recent aggressive rhetoric has drawn the ire of Republicans, particularly after he accused Trump loyalists of "semi-fascism" at a fundraiser last week.
2. Hurricanes
For the first time in 25 years, the month of August did not have a named storm. But now that September has arrived, things appear to have changed quickly in the tropical Atlantic. On Thursday, the National Hurricane Center announced that Tropical Storm Danielle, currently in the North Atlantic, is expected to strengthen into a hurricane by Saturday. Danielle is not a threat to any land at this time, forecasts show, and it is expected to remain fairly stationary through the weekend. Still, current indications show the early stages of the Atlantic hurricane season have been above average and could begin to pick up.
3. January 6
Former President Trump said he will "very, very seriously" consider full pardons for the rioters who breached the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, if he runs for reelection and wins. "If I decide to run and if I win, I will be looking very, very strongly about pardons. Full pardons," Trump said on Wendy Bell Radio Thursday. Trump had made a similar promise during his final days in office when some of the January 6 rioters were already in jail. None, however, were pardoned before he left office. Trump's comments come amid intense speculation about a potential 2024 presidential run, and his continued invocation of the Capitol attack could preview a central part of his future political messaging.
4. Abortion
The California Legislature passed about a dozen bills this week protecting or expanding abortion access in the state, as its Democratic leaders seek to make California a safe haven for "reproductive freedom." The legislation now goes to Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has been supportive of abortion rights, for his signature. Meanwhile, nearly one-third of all US states have banned or severely restricted abortion after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June. At least seven states, including Alabama, Kentucky and Missouri, have banned abortions with no exceptions for rape or incest. Health care providers and abortion activists have continued to file legal challenges to stop bans in several states from being enacted.
5. Ukraine
The UN nuclear watchdog says it will have a "continued presence" at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant following an inspection at the site, where Russian shelling has sparked fears of a nuclear accident. The plant and the area around it, including the adjacent city of Enerhodar, have endured persistent shelling that has raised fears of a meltdown through the interruption of the power supply to the facility. Each side accuses the other of acts of nuclear terrorism. Separately, Ukrainian military officials claim Russia has suffered "significant losses" in the south to both its manpower and equipment as Ukraine tries to prevent Russia from resupplying its troops.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
These cute robots could deliver your next coffee
Some cafes and hotels have already deployed these coffee-delivering robots that resemble R2D2.
Serena and Venus Williams knocked out of doubles at US Open
The Williams sisters started well in their doubles match on Thursday, but the Czechs fought back.
Webb telescope captures its first direct image of an exoplanet
This planet outside of our solar system is a gas giant located about 385 light-years away from Earth. Take a look at the exoplanet here.
Pilot makes an announcement after passenger AirDrops nude photos to the rest of the plane
Fasten your seatbelts... and stop sending nudes. Click here to listen to the pilot's message to passengers.
Photographer captures a rainbow in a very unusual place
Now, these are the type of unexpected photos we actually like to see. Check out this stunning natural phenomenon captured in Washington state.
QUIZ TIME
Starbucks reintroduced one of its most popular drinks this week, commonly known as the "PSL." What does "PSL" stand for?
A. Peppermint Sugar Latte
B. Pumpkin Spice Latte
C. Pink Strawberry Lemonade
D. Peach Sorbet Lemonade
Take CNN's weekly news quiz to see if you're correct!
TODAY'S NUMBER
$1,200
That was the price tag of a Michigan voting machine that wound up for sale on eBay last month. Election machines are part of the US' critical infrastructure and are supposed to be kept under lock and key. The machine was purchased by a cybersecurity expert in Connecticut who alerted Michigan authorities and is now waiting for law enforcement to pick up the device. News of the sale comes as authorities in several states are probing apparent efforts to gain unauthorized access to voting machines or obtain data from them following the 2020 election.
TODAY'S QUOTE
"We are studying it and will respond through the EU, but unfortunately it is not constructive."
-- A US State Department spokesperson, characterizing Iran's latest reply to the European Union's proposal to revive the 2015 nuclear deal. In August, EU officials sent the US and Iran what it called the "final text" of a revived deal to limit Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. The US left the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 during the Trump administration and Tehran has increasingly violated it since then.
TODAY'S WEATHER
Check your local forecast here>>>
AND FINALLY
From food stamps to selling millions of records
This is Allee Willis, the late musical genius behind the "Friends" theme and Earth, Wind & Fire's "September." Check out some of her other mega-hits you've probably loved through the years. (Click here to view)
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/5-things-to-know-for-september-2-biden-hurricanes-january-6-abortion-ukraine/article_fb029317-3342-51f7-b8b3-8e75fbb50032.html | 2022-09-02T15:52:09Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/5-things-to-know-for-september-2-biden-hurricanes-january-6-abortion-ukraine/article_fb029317-3342-51f7-b8b3-8e75fbb50032.html | 0 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | 10 |
NASA is gearing up for another countdown to launch its Artemis I rocket on a journey around the moon this weekend. After the first attempt was scrubbed on Monday due to a range of problems, the launch team has since made significant adjustments and is now ready for another try on Saturday.
Here's what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.
(You can get "5 Things You Need to Know Today" delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.)
1. Biden
President Joe Biden delivered his sharpest rebuke yet of Republicans during a speech in Philadelphia on Thursday, warning that former President Donald Trump and his closest followers are trying to undermine American democracy. "As I stand here tonight, equality and democracy are under assault," Biden said in his address -- just months ahead of midterm elections that will determine control of Congress. Biden attempted to separate Trump's most loyal MAGA followers from the Republican Party as a whole and also sought to conclude on a more upbeat note, urging it is still within voters' power to rein in Trump's staunchest supporters. This comes as Biden's recent aggressive rhetoric has drawn the ire of Republicans, particularly after he accused Trump loyalists of "semi-fascism" at a fundraiser last week.
2. Hurricanes
For the first time in 25 years, the month of August did not have a named storm. But now that September has arrived, things appear to have changed quickly in the tropical Atlantic. On Thursday, the National Hurricane Center announced that Tropical Storm Danielle, currently in the North Atlantic, is expected to strengthen into a hurricane by Saturday. Danielle is not a threat to any land at this time, forecasts show, and it is expected to remain fairly stationary through the weekend. Still, current indications show the early stages of the Atlantic hurricane season have been above average and could begin to pick up.
3. January 6
Former President Trump said he will "very, very seriously" consider full pardons for the rioters who breached the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, if he runs for reelection and wins. "If I decide to run and if I win, I will be looking very, very strongly about pardons. Full pardons," Trump said on Wendy Bell Radio Thursday. Trump had made a similar promise during his final days in office when some of the January 6 rioters were already in jail. None, however, were pardoned before he left office. Trump's comments come amid intense speculation about a potential 2024 presidential run, and his continued invocation of the Capitol attack could preview a central part of his future political messaging.
4. Abortion
The California Legislature passed about a dozen bills this week protecting or expanding abortion access in the state, as its Democratic leaders seek to make California a safe haven for "reproductive freedom." The legislation now goes to Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has been supportive of abortion rights, for his signature. Meanwhile, nearly one-third of all US states have banned or severely restricted abortion after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June. At least seven states, including Alabama, Kentucky and Missouri, have banned abortions with no exceptions for rape or incest. Health care providers and abortion activists have continued to file legal challenges to stop bans in several states from being enacted.
5. Ukraine
The UN nuclear watchdog says it will have a "continued presence" at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant following an inspection at the site, where Russian shelling has sparked fears of a nuclear accident. The plant and the area around it, including the adjacent city of Enerhodar, have endured persistent shelling that has raised fears of a meltdown through the interruption of the power supply to the facility. Each side accuses the other of acts of nuclear terrorism. Separately, Ukrainian military officials claim Russia has suffered "significant losses" in the south to both its manpower and equipment as Ukraine tries to prevent Russia from resupplying its troops.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
These cute robots could deliver your next coffee
Some cafes and hotels have already deployed these coffee-delivering robots that resemble R2D2.
Serena and Venus Williams knocked out of doubles at US Open
The Williams sisters started well in their doubles match on Thursday, but the Czechs fought back.
Webb telescope captures its first direct image of an exoplanet
This planet outside of our solar system is a gas giant located about 385 light-years away from Earth. Take a look at the exoplanet here.
Pilot makes an announcement after passenger AirDrops nude photos to the rest of the plane
Fasten your seatbelts... and stop sending nudes. Click here to listen to the pilot's message to passengers.
Photographer captures a rainbow in a very unusual place
Now, these are the type of unexpected photos we actually like to see. Check out this stunning natural phenomenon captured in Washington state.
QUIZ TIME
Starbucks reintroduced one of its most popular drinks this week, commonly known as the "PSL." What does "PSL" stand for?
A. Peppermint Sugar Latte
B. Pumpkin Spice Latte
C. Pink Strawberry Lemonade
D. Peach Sorbet Lemonade
Take CNN's weekly news quiz to see if you're correct!
TODAY'S NUMBER
$1,200
That was the price tag of a Michigan voting machine that wound up for sale on eBay last month. Election machines are part of the US' critical infrastructure and are supposed to be kept under lock and key. The machine was purchased by a cybersecurity expert in Connecticut who alerted Michigan authorities and is now waiting for law enforcement to pick up the device. News of the sale comes as authorities in several states are probing apparent efforts to gain unauthorized access to voting machines or obtain data from them following the 2020 election.
TODAY'S QUOTE
"We are studying it and will respond through the EU, but unfortunately it is not constructive."
-- A US State Department spokesperson, characterizing Iran's latest reply to the European Union's proposal to revive the 2015 nuclear deal. In August, EU officials sent the US and Iran what it called the "final text" of a revived deal to limit Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. The US left the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 during the Trump administration and Tehran has increasingly violated it since then.
TODAY'S WEATHER
Check your local forecast here>>>
AND FINALLY
From food stamps to selling millions of records
This is Allee Willis, the late musical genius behind the "Friends" theme and Earth, Wind & Fire's "September." Check out some of her other mega-hits you've probably loved through the years. (Click here to view)
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/5-things-to-know-for-september-2-biden-hurricanes-january-6-abortion-ukraine/article_fb029317-3342-51f7-b8b3-8e75fbb50032.html | 2022-09-02T15:52:09Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/5-things-to-know-for-september-2-biden-hurricanes-january-6-abortion-ukraine/article_fb029317-3342-51f7-b8b3-8e75fbb50032.html | 1 | 0 | green-iguana-35 | 10 |
An 83-year-old American nun from Louisiana who was held hostage by terrorists in Burkina Faso for almost five months was released on Monday.
Sister Suellen Tennyson was released from the custody of terrorists to Nigeriens (Niger borders Burkina Faso) then turned over to US officials, a US official with knowledge of the situation said. Multiple US officials and Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy confirmed Tennyson's identity. The exact circumstances of her release are currently unclear.
US Africa Command personnel "facilitated the safe turnover," of the American citizen from the terrorists, Lt. Cmdr. Timothy Pietrack, US Africa Command spokesperson told CNN in a statement. The American "will soon be reunited with loved ones," a State Department spokesperson said.
Tennyson's congregation, Marianites of Holy Cross, confirmed her release in a Facebook post on Wednesday.
"Yes it is true! Sister Suellen has been recovered! She is now safe and in US custody," the congregation wrote on Facebook. "We are so very grateful for all the prayers and support!"
Tennyson was held hostage for five months, Marianites of Holy Cross said in the post.
US Africa Command worked with "African and international partners" in order to secure Tennyson's release, Pietrack said in the statement.
"U.S. Africa Command would like to thank all of our African and international partners who provided excellent cooperation over the months leading up to this recovery, in particular, the government of Niger, who were critical to this effort," Pietrack said in the statement.
The State Department confirmed Tennyson's release and said the Biden administration will "continue to work aggressively" to free US citizens around the world "held against their will."
"We want the American people to know that their safety and security is our highest priority, and the Biden Administration will continue to work aggressively -- using a wide range of tools -- until all Americans being unjustly held against their will are brought home," the State Department spokesperson said.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/american-nun-held-hostage-in-burkina-faso-is-released-with-help-of-us-forces/article_07f719f7-4dc5-54f0-8adf-bb3518bf9bd2.html | 2022-09-02T15:52:28Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/american-nun-held-hostage-in-burkina-faso-is-released-with-help-of-us-forces/article_07f719f7-4dc5-54f0-8adf-bb3518bf9bd2.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(CNN) Bank of America is offering zero down payment mortgages with no closing costs for first-time homebuyers in certain Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in a new program designed to chip away at inequality in the housing market.
Breaking News
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featured
Bank of America to offer zero-down payment mortgages in certain Black and Hispanic communities
The new loan, launched this week, requires no minimum credit score nor mortgage insurance, which lenders typically charge when borrowers put less than 20% down.
Instead of a traditional credit score, first-time homebuyers will be evaluated based on their history of making timely payments for rent, utilities, phone service and auto insurance.
Bank of America said the new mortgage, known as the Community Affordable Loan Solution, is available in certain census-designated markets including Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Charlotte, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles and Miami.
The bank said borrowers do not need to be Black or Hispanic to qualify. Eligibility is based on borrower income and home location.
"Homeownership strengthens our communities and can help individuals and families to build wealth over time," AJ Barkley, head of neighborhood and community lending for Bank of America, said in a statement. "Our Community Affordable Loan Solution will help make the dream of sustained homeownership attainable for more Black and Hispanic families."
A Bank of America spokesperson told CNN the bank will consider how to expand the program to other cities after an initial assessment.
The move by one of the nation's largest lenders comes at a time when skyrocketing home prices have threatened to deepen the alarming divide between White homeownership and that of minorities.
Black homeownership stood at just 43.4% at the end of 2020, according to the most recent statistics available from the National Association of Realtors. That is lower than the rate a decade earlier.
The Hispanic homeownership rate has climbed to a record high of 51.1%, according to the NAR. However, both rates are still well below the White homeownership rate of 72.1%.
The biggest obstacle to buying a home for low and moderate-income homebuyers is having enough cash for down payments and closing costs, according to Boston College Law School professor Patricia McCoy.
"This obstacle disproportionately adversely affects Black and Hispanic-American homebuyers," McCoy, a former federal regulator, said in an email to CNN.
The racial divide is even more concerning given the fact that homeownership has long been a way to build wealth in America.
A year ago the Biden administration announced several recommendations to close the racial homeownership gap. Earlier this year, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which regulates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, unveiled a sweeping plan to address discrimination in access to homeownership.
Among the recommendations were down payment assistance, lower mortgage insurance premiums and a credit reporting system that factors in rent payment history. It also suggested increasing the use of special purpose credit programs, which is what the Bank of America loan is.
These credit programs enable lenders to offer loans with favorable terms to borrowers who have suffered economic damages or who share common characteristics like low income, race or location. Though the Equal Credit Opportunity Act prohibits discrimination in lending based on race, sex, age or other traits, it does allow for these credit programs.
As part its program, Bank of America said it will make a down payment on behalf of borrowers. Those grants of $10,000 to $15,000, depending on the city, will immediately give borrowers equity in the home.
The Bank of America spokesperson said the mortgage will feature a "competitive" fixed rate.
The zero down payment mortgage could conjure up bad memories of the subprime mortgage crisis, which was driven in part by shoddy lending standards. Millions of families lost their homes due to foreclosure and lenders -- including Bank of America and its Countrywide unit -- lost billions of dollars.
McCoy, a former mortgage regulator at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, said the Bank of America zero-down payment feature comes with risk, especially because homebuyers will have little equity.
If home prices plunge, borrowers could end up "underwater" on their mortgage -- where they owe more than the home is worth.
"The problem of underwater mortgages occurred in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis," McCoy said, "and it spawned millions of foreclosures, with an especially devastating impact on Black and Hispanic-American homeowners."
Bank of America stressed that before offering a loan, it will make sure the applicant has the "resources to sustain homeownership and has demonstrated a willingness and ability to repay." The bank also said prospective buyers must complete a thorough homebuyers' certification course to make sure they are ready to buy.
Joe Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM, told CNN the program is not big enough to "pose any systemic risk to the bank or the economy."
Brusuelas added that he is encouraged by the fact that Bank of America will take into consideration alternative factors like timely rent payments and on-time utility bill payments when making mortgage decisions.
"While risk managers inside the bank will have their work cut out for them," Brusuelas said, "this does appear to me to be the kind of financial innovation that does contain the possibility of narrowing economic inequality."
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UPDATE: President Joe Biden delivered his sharpest rebuke yet of Republicans and their fealty to his predecessor in an evening speech in Philadelphia on Thursday, alleging they "thrive on chaos" and warning their attempts to undermine democracy could devolve into violence.
"They live not in the light of truth but in the shadow of lies," Biden said in front of Independence Hall, harnessing the historic setting to call for a reckoning on the movement led by former President Donald Trump.
It was a strident and urgent call to Americans months ahead of midterm elections that will determine control of Congress. Biden's remarks, while billed as an official address, were starkly political in nature despite the presence of usually apolitical symbols like the United States Marine Band and two Marines who were positioned in a spot where they were on camera throughout the speech.
He painted a dark portrait of his political opponents, saying Trump and his followers are threatening the entire American experiment.
"As I stand here tonight, equality and democracy are under assault," Biden said in front of Independence Hall. "We do ourselves no favor to pretend otherwise."
Biden attempted to separate Trump's most loyal followers from the Republican Party as a whole. And as he concluded, he sought to strike an optimistic note, saying it was still within voters' power to rein in the nation's darkest forces.
But the heart of Biden's address was a roaring siren about what he called "an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic."
"MAGA forces are determined to take this country backwards. Backwards to an America where there is no right to choose, no right to privacy. No right to contraception, no right to marry who you love," he said.
"They promote authoritarian leaders," he went on. "They fanned the flames of political violence."
After tearing into Republicans for what he calls "MAGA extremism" and "semi-fascism," administration officials say Biden determined the time was right to provide a more serious, sober reckoning on what he regards as growing anti-democratic forces building across the country.
"We must be honest with each other and with ourselves: Too much of what's happening in our country today is not normal," Biden said. "Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic."
He said the Republican Party of 2022 was partly "dominated, driven and intimidated" by Trump and his acolytes.
It's a topic Biden has come to embrace more publicly in recent months after initially attempting to ignore the after-effects of his predecessor and focus instead on national unity. At its core, the speech represents the same overarching theme that defined the launch of his presidential campaign in 2019 as he set out to defeat Trump.
It remained a constant through high profile speeches in locations rife with historical symbolism, including Warm Springs, Georgia, and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The prime-time remarks was no different, this time with the site of the nation's revolutionary beginning as the backdrop.
A crowd of about 300 invited guests -- a mix of elected officials and dignitaries, along with Democratic supporters -- watched Biden speak from behind panes of bulletproof glass. It was a short distance away from where Biden formally announced his bid for the presidency in 2019, striking similar themes about the "battle for the soul of the nation."
Thursday's speech served as an implicit acknowledgment that Biden's efforts to move past the divisiveness and chaos of former President Donald Trump have been harder than he might have imagined. Trump continues to dominate headlines, especially in recent weeks after federal agents searched his Florida home, revealing an investigation into the former President's possession of classified documents after he left office.
White House officials emphasized ahead of time that when Biden warns of the threat to democracy, he is not talking about Republicans as a whole, but those who style themselves after Trump: the "MAGA Republicans," as the administration has deemed them.
Ahead of the speech, Ronna McDaniel, the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, said Biden was dividing the nation.
"Joe Biden is the divider-in-chief and epitomizes the current state of the Democrat Party: one of divisiveness, disgust, and hostility towards half the country," she said in a statement.
Biden had been mulling a thematic speech about American democracy for several months, spurred in part by the revealing hearings convened by the congressional committee investigating the January 6 riot, according to an official. He has also watched with alarm as election deniers running for statewide office have been elevated by Trump and was outraged by the attempted attack on an FBI field office in Cincinnati, Ohio.
"This is a speech the President has been thinking about for a long time. He's been working on it for a while," a senior administration official said. "It is not in response to any news of the day. It is a response to what he sees as a moment in this country."
Biden looks to seize the moment
While Biden underestimated when the "fever will break" when it came to the GOP's ties to Trump, the last several weeks have brought into sharp focus that many of the campaign pledges that seemed just as unrealistic -- from major bipartisan deals to substantial investments in the manufacturing, climate and health care -- have, in fact, been signed into law.
The convergence of factors has created a genuine sense inside the West Wing that the political winds are changing just as Americans start to tune in ahead of the midterm elections. It has also had a dramatic effect on the White House itself, where months of intraparty warfare, a resurgent and ever-present Covid-19 pandemic and a myriad of crises many aides viewed as outside of their control appear to have finally turned their way.
Even Biden, who revels in telling the story of the doctor who called him "a congenital optimist," wasn't immune from a sense of gloom and occasional doom that hung over the West Wing for months.
"He could get pretty dark," said one person who spoke regularly to Biden said of his view of things toward the end of his first year in office. "It's not his way, but there was a period there" when Biden's mood reflected that of the exhausted country he led.
Yet the shifting winds this summer coincided with Trump's major re-emergence into the national spotlight. Republican politicians and candidates running entire campaigns based on false claims of fraudulent elections have only become more prevalent.
As the midterm campaign season kicks into high gear, convergence of factors created an ideal moment for Biden to lay out what has long been on his mind, officials say.
"The President felt that this was an appropriate time before the traditional campaign season begins next week to lay out what he sees at stake, not for any individual political party, but for our democracy itself," a senior administration official said.
A rare prime-time speech shows Biden's focus on democracy
Biden worked for several days with his speechwriters on drafts of the 20- to 30-minute address, poring over the precise language and wording. The President typically rehearses his major addresses beforehand and his schedule was clear of public events on Wednesday and Thursday as he prepared.
Biden has delivered only a smattering of speeches in prime-time over the course of his presidency, including his yearly addresses to Congress and remarks on gun violence earlier this summer. Aides said the President felt the topic was serious enough to address the nation in the evening -- and ask television networks to interrupt their regular programming (though the broadcast networks declined to air the President's remarks).
White House officials have said they want to be selective in when and where to address the issues surrounding the erosion of democracy, even though many party activists have clamored for more sustained focus on the issue. The issue itself is one that consumes much of Biden's own thinking, those close to him say -- something can spill into the public sphere during the rare moments he engages in a substantive way with reporters.
But choosing the right moment to address them on a major national scale, Biden's team believes, will prevent the issue from becoming rote and routine for voters. Biden, officials note, has had no qualms about that strategy.
On the anniversary of the January 6 Capitol riot, Biden spoke during the day from National Statuary Hall, leveling his most direct attack on Trump for his continued election lies and on Republicans who have amplified them.
In that speech, Biden accused Trump of holding "a dagger at the throat of America, at American democracy," an extraordinary moment that marked a sharp escalation in his approach to the persistent assertions by Trump that the 2020 election was fraudulent.
At the time, it wasn't clear whether the new, more aggressive posture toward Trump would herald a sustained shift in his approach toward the de-facto leader of the Republican Party. Biden did not repeat his criticisms of Trump on a regular basis until recently, as he began his efforts to elect Democrats in the upcoming midterm elections.
"The MAGA Republicans don't just threaten our personal rights and economic security, they're a threat to our very democracy," he said last week at a Democratic political rally in Maryland. "They refuse to accept the will of the people. They embrace political violence. They don't believe in democracy."
A few days later, Biden used an official event in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, to chastise South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican he once called his friend, for suggesting there could be riots in the street if Trump is prosecuted by the Justice Department.
"Where the hell are we?" Biden intoned.
'Semi fascism' comment draws ire, but White House won't back down
The movement toward Trump by Graham and other Republicans whom Biden has known well for years has disappointed and unsettled Biden more than most dynamics in Washington.
A senior adviser said Biden "goes darkest" when he sees former establishment Republicans "behave badly" and associate themselves with the worst elements of Trump's political brand.
The newly aggressive rhetoric has drawn howls of protest from Republicans. When he accused followers of Trump of "semi-fascism" at a fundraiser last week, the response was swift.
"Horribly insulting," said Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire, a Republican who has not aligned himself with Trump. "He's trying to stir up controversy, he's trying to stir up this anti-Republican sentiment right before the election, it's just -- it's horribly inappropriate."
At least one Democrat in a tight reelection race also distanced herself from Biden's remark; Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire said Biden "painted with way too broad a brush" when he uttered the comment.
While officials describe Biden's message as urgent, it remains to be seen whether voters facing high prices and an uncertain economy will respond to his warnings about the state of democracy.
Yet recent polls have shown concerns about democracy rising among voters. An NBC poll conducted in August found "threats to democracy" rose to the No. 1 issue facing the country, surpassing "cost of living." And a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday found 67% of respondents think the nation's democracy is in danger of collapse, a 9-point increase from January.
Unplanned -- but not entirely unwelcome -- for the White House has been the ongoing developments over Trump's handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate, a matter the White House has officially kept at arm's length to avoid the appearance of politicization.
Still, the reminder to voters of the chaos that surrounded Trump's presidency has been privately gratifying to some Democrats, who believe it presents a stark contrast to Biden's way of doing business.
"It's like the chaos was memory-holed because of the 50 million other things going on," one Democratic official with close ties to the White House said.
Biden "will never make it about Trump alone -- he views it as so much bigger than that and probably, to some degree, beneath him," the official said. "But I think most in our party appreciate the very clear contrast now that he's back in the headlines."
PREVIOUS STORY: A pair of fiery speeches inside packed gymnasiums over the past week left even some White House aides surprised at President Joe Biden's new-found sense of electricity.
Yet when he delivers a rare prime-time address Thursday evening in Philadelphia, Biden's somber assessment of American democracy isn't likely to generate any cheering from the small in-person audience in front of Independence Hall.
Thursday's remarks will instead adopt a far graver tone, officials say. After tearing into Republicans for what he calls "MAGA extremism" and "semi-fascism," administration officials say Biden has determined the time is right to provide a serious, sober reckoning on what he regards as growing anti-democratic forces building across the country.
"This is not a speech about the former President," a senior administration official told reporters. "This is a speech about democracy."
It's a topic Biden has come to embrace more publicly in recent months after initially attempting to ignore the after-effects of his predecessor and focus instead on national unity. At its core, the speech, which the White House says will center on the "continued battle for the soul of the nation," represents the same overarching theme that defined the launch of his presidential campaign in 2019 as he set out to defeat Trump.
It remained a constant through high profile speeches in locations rife with historical symbolism, including Warm Springs, Georgia, and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The prime-time remarks will be no different, this time with the site of the nation's revolutionary beginning as the backdrop.
Yet the speech also will serve as an implicit acknowledgment that Biden's efforts to move past the divisiveness and chaos of former President Donald Trump have been harder than he might have imagined. Trump continues to dominate headlines, especially in recent weeks after federal agents searched his Florida home, revealing an investigation into the former President's possession of classified documents after he left office. Biden's speech will take place hours after a court hearing regarding that investigation.
"The way that he sees it, the MAGA Republicans are the most energized part of the Republican Party," press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said a day ahead of the speech. "This is an extreme threat to our democracy, to our freedom, to our rights. They just don't respect the rule of law."
White House officials emphasized that when Biden warns of the threat to democracy, he is not talking about Republicans as a whole, but those who style themselves after Trump: the "MAGA Republicans," as the administration has deemed them, referring to Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan.
Asked if Biden will name Trump directly, given he is the face of the movement, the senior official said, "This will be a very direct discussion."
Ahead of the speech, Ronna McDaniel, the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, said Biden was dividing the nation.
"Joe Biden is the divider-in-chief and epitomizes the current state of the Democrat Party: one of divisiveness, disgust, and hostility towards half the country," she said in a statement.
Biden has been mulling a thematic speech about American democracy for several months, spurred in part by the revealing hearings convened by the congressional committee investigating the January 6 riot, according to an official. He has also watched with alarm as election deniers running for statewide office have been elevated by Trump and was outraged by the attempted attack on an FBI field office in Cincinnati, Ohio.
"This is a speech the President has been thinking about for a long time. He's been working on it for a while," a senior administration official said. "It is not in response to any news of the day. It is a response to what he sees as a moment in this country."
Biden looks to seize the moment
While Biden underestimated when the "fever will break" when it came to the GOP's ties to Trump, the last several weeks have brought into sharp focus that many of the campaign pledges that seemed just as unrealistic -- from major bipartisan deals to substantial investments in the manufacturing, climate and health care -- have, in fact, been signed into law.
The convergence of factors has created a genuine sense inside the West Wing that the political winds are changing just as Americans start to tune in ahead of the midterm elections. It has also had a dramatic effect on the White House itself, where months of intraparty warfare, a resurgent and ever-present Covid-19 pandemic and a myriad of crises many aides viewed as outside of their control appear to have finally turned their way.
Even Biden, who revels in telling the story of the doctor who called him "a congenital optimist," wasn't immune from a sense of gloom and occasional doom that hung over the West Wing for months.
"He could get pretty dark," said one person who spoke regularly to Biden said of his view of things toward the end of his first year in office. "It's not his way, but there was a period there" when Biden's mood reflected that of the exhausted country he led.
Yet the shifting winds this summer coincided with Trump's major re-emergence into the national spotlight. Republican politicians and candidates running entire campaigns based on false claims of fraudulent elections have only become more prevalent.
As the midterm campaign season kicks into high gear, convergence of factors has created an ideal moment for Biden to lay out what has long been on his mind, officials say.
"The President felt that this was an appropriate time before the traditional campaign season begins next week to lay out what he sees at stake, not for any individual political party, but for our democracy itself," a senior administration official said.
A rare prime-time speech shows Biden's focus on democracy
He has been working for several days with his speechwriters on drafts of the 20- to 30-minute address, pouring over the precise language and wording. The President typically rehearses his major addresses beforehand and his schedule was clear of public events on Wednesday and Thursday as he prepared.
Biden has delivered only a smattering of speeches in prime-time over the course of his presidency, including his yearly addresses to Congress and remarks on gun violence earlier this summer. Aides said the President felt the topic was serious enough to address the nation in the evening -- and ask television networks to interrupt their regular programming.
White House officials have said they want to be selective in when and where to address the issues surrounding the erosion of democracy, even though many party activists have clamored for more sustained focus on the issue. The issue itself is one that consumes much of Biden's own thinking, those close to him say -- something can spill into the public sphere during the rare moments he engages in a substantive way with reporters.
But choosing the right moment to address them on a major national scale, Biden's team believes, will prevent the issue from becoming rote and routine for voters. Biden, officials note, has had no qualms about that strategy.
On the anniversary of the January 6 Capitol riot, Biden spoke during the day from National Statuary Hall, leveling his most direct attack on Trump for his continued election lies and on Republicans who have amplified them.
In that speech, Biden accused Trump of holding "a dagger at the throat of America, at American democracy," an extraordinary moment that marked a sharp escalation in his approach to the persistent assertions by Trump that the 2020 election was fraudulent.
At the time, it wasn't clear whether the new, more aggressive posture toward Trump would herald a sustained shift in his approach toward the de-facto leader of the Republican Party. Biden did not repeat his criticisms of Trump on a regular basis until recently, as he began his efforts to elect Democrats in the upcoming midterm elections.
"The MAGA Republicans don't just threaten our personal rights and economic security, they're a threat to our very democracy," he said last week at a Democratic political rally in Maryland. "They refuse to accept the will of the people. They embrace political violence. They don't believe in democracy."
A few days later, Biden used an official event in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, to chastise South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican he once called his friend, for suggesting there could be riots in the street if Trump is prosecuted by the Justice Department.
"Where the hell are we?" Biden intoned.
'Semi fascism' comment draws ire, but White House won't back down
The movement toward Trump by Graham and other Republicans whom Biden has known well for years has disappointed and unsettled Biden more than most dynamics in Washington.
A senior adviser said Biden "goes darkest" when he sees former establishment Republicans "behave badly" and associate themselves with the worst elements of Trump's political brand.
The newly aggressive rhetoric has drawn howls of protest from Republicans. When he accused followers of Trump of "semi-fascism" at a fundraiser last week, the response was swift.
"Horribly insulting," said Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire, a Republican who has not aligned himself with Trump. "He's trying to stir up controversy, he's trying to stir up this anti-Republican sentiment right before the election, it's just -- it's horribly inappropriate."
At least one Democrat in a tight reelection race also distanced herself from Biden's remark; Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire said Biden "painted with way too broad a brush" when he uttered the comment.
White House officials have given no ground when asked about the criticism -- and neither has Biden. But officials say Biden will make clear his target is not the Republican Party, or conservatives generally.
"He will talk very clearly and about Democrats, independents and mainstream Republicans who he believes are united in our belief in democracy and in our willingness to defend democracy," the senior administration official said. "But he will talk about these direct threats to democracy from MAGA Republicans and the extremism that is a threat right now to our democratic values."
While officials describe Biden's message as urgent, it remains to be seen whether voters facing high prices and an uncertain economy will respond to his warnings about the state of democracy.
Yet recent polls have shown concerns about democracy rising among voters. An NBC poll conducted in August found "threats to democracy" rose to the No. 1 issue facing the country, surpassing "cost of living." And a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday found 67% of respondents think the nation's democracy is in danger of collapse, a 9-point increase from January.
Unplanned -- but not entirely unwelcome -- for the White House has been the ongoing developments over Trump's handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate, a matter the White House has officially kept at arm's length to avoid the appearance of politicization.
Still, the reminder to voters of the chaos that surrounded Trump's presidency has been privately gratifying to some Democrats, who believe it presents a stark contrast to Biden's way of doing business.
"It's like the chaos was memory-holed because of the 50 million other things going on," one Democratic official with close ties to the White House said.
Biden "will never make it about Trump alone -- he views it as so much bigger than that and probably, to some degree, beneath him," the official said. "But I think most in our party appreciate the very clear contrast now that he's back in the headlines."
The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/biden-warns-trump-and-his-closest-followers-are-trying-to-undermine-american-democracy-in-combative/article_5464c262-2a18-11ed-b003-4b92b5a659c0.html | 2022-09-02T15:52:52Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/biden-warns-trump-and-his-closest-followers-are-trying-to-undermine-american-democracy-in-combative/article_5464c262-2a18-11ed-b003-4b92b5a659c0.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
RADNOR, Pa., Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP (www.ktmc.com) informs investors that a securities class action lawsuit has been filed against Missfresh Limited ("Missfresh") (NASDAQ: MF). The action charges Missfresh with violations of the federal securities laws, including omissions and fraudulent misrepresentations relating to the company's business, operations, and prospects. As a result of Missfresh's materially misleading statements and omissions to the public, Missfresh investors have suffered significant losses.
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR MISSFRESH LOSSES. YOU CAN ALSO CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK OR COPY AND PASTE IN YOUR BROWSER: https://www.ktmc.com/new-cases/missfresh-limited?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=missfreshx&mktm=r
TO VIEW OUR VIDEO, PLEASE CLICK HERE
LEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 12, 2022
CLASS PERIOD: PURSUANT AND/OR TRACEABLE TO MISSFRESH'S JUNE 2021 IPO THROUGH JULY 12, 2022
CONTACT AN ATTORNEY: (484) 270-1453 or at info@ktmc.com
Kessler Topaz is one of the world's foremost advocates in protecting the public against corporate fraud and other wrongdoing. Our securities fraud litigators are regularly recognized as leaders in the field individually and our firm is both feared and respected among the defense bar and the insurance bar. We are proud to have recovered billions of dollars for our clients and the classes of shareholders we represent.
MISSFRESH'S ALLEGED MISCONDUCT
In June 2021, Missfresh conducted its initial public offering (IPO), selling 21 million American Depository Shares ("ADSs") at $13.00 per ADS.
On April 29, 2022, after trading hours, Missfresh filed a Notification of Late Filing on a Form 12b-25, which announced that Missfresh "will not be able to file its Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021… by the prescribed filing deadline of April 30, 2022." Missfresh explained that "[t]he independent Audit Committee of [Missfresh]'s board of directors, with the assistance of professional advisors, is in the process of conducting an internal review of certain matters, including those relating to transactions between [Missfresh] and certain third-party enterprises." Following this news, Missfresh ADSs fell 13% to close at $0.448 per ADS on May 2, 2022, the next trading day.
Then, on May 24, 2022, after trading hours, Missfresh issued a press release entitled "Missfresh Announces Receipt of Nasdaq Notification Regarding Late Filing of Form 20-F" announcing "that it received a notification letter dated May 19, 2022... from the Listing Qualifications Department of The Nasdaq Stock Market Inc. ("Nasdaq"), indicating that [Missfresh] is not in compliance with the requirements for continued listing." Following this news, Missfresh ADSs fell 9% over the next two trading days to close at $0.167 per ADS on May 26, 2022.
Finally, on July 1, 2022, Missfresh issued a press release entitled "Missfresh Announces the Substantial Completion of the Audit Committee-Led Independent Internal Review." In the press release, Missfresh disclosed that "certain revenue associated with these reporting periods in 2021 may have been inaccurately recorded in [Missfresh]'s financial statements." As of the date the complaint was filed, Missfresh ADSs closed at $0.389 per ADS, well below Missfresh's IPO price of $13.00 per ADS.
WHAT CAN I DO?
Missfresh investors may, no later than September 12, 2022 seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class through Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP or other counsel, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP encourages Missfresh investors who have suffered significant losses to contact the firm directly to acquire more information.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE CASE
WHO CAN BE A LEAD PLAINTIFF?
A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of all class members in directing the litigation. The lead plaintiff is usually the investor or small group of investors who have the largest financial interest and who are also adequate and typical of the proposed class of investors. The lead plaintiff selects counsel to represent the lead plaintiff and the class and these attorneys, if approved by the court, are lead or class counsel. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision of whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff.
Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP prosecutes class actions in state and federal courts throughout the country and around the world. The firm has developed a global reputation for excellence and has recovered billions of dollars for victims of fraud and other corporate misconduct. All of our work is driven by a common goal: to protect investors, consumers, employees and others from fraud, abuse, misconduct and negligence by businesses and fiduciaries. The complaint in this action was not filed by Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP. For more information about Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP please visit www.ktmc.com.
CONTACT:
Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP
Jonathan Naji, Esq.
280 King of Prussia Road
Radnor, PA 19087
(484) 270-1453
info@ktmc.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/deadline-reminder-kessler-topaz-meltzer-amp-check-llp-reminds-investors-missfresh-limited-mf-that-securities-fraud-class-action-lawsuit-has-been-filed-their-behalf/ | 2022-09-02T15:52:54Z | wave3.com | control | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/deadline-reminder-kessler-topaz-meltzer-amp-check-llp-reminds-investors-missfresh-limited-mf-that-securities-fraud-class-action-lawsuit-has-been-filed-their-behalf/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
President Joe Biden delivered his sharpest rebuke yet of Republicans and their fealty to his predecessor in an evening speech in Philadelphia on Thursday, alleging they "thrive on chaos" and warning their attempts to undermine democracy could devolve into violence.
"They live not in the light of truth but in the shadow of lies," Biden said in front of a red-lit Independence Hall, harnessing the historic setting to call for a reckoning on the movement led by former President Donald Trump.
It was a strident and urgent call to Americans months ahead of midterm elections that will determine control of Congress. Biden's remarks, while billed as an official address, provided the broad contours of his election message heading into the fall.
Even as he worked to balance a dose of optimism about the country's future -- and his own string of recent accomplishments -- Biden painted a dark portrait of his political opponents, saying Trump and his followers are threatening the entire American experiment. He named his predecessor within minutes of taking the stage, and suggested Americans faced an existential choice in the coming elections.
"As I stand here tonight, equality and democracy are under assault," Biden said. "We do ourselves no favor to pretend otherwise."
Biden attempted to separate Trump's most loyal followers from the Republican Party as a whole. And as he concluded, he sought to strike a more upbeat note, saying it was still within voters' power to rein in the nation's darkest forces.
But the heart of Biden's address was a ringing alarm bell about what he called "an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic."
"MAGA forces are determined to take this country backwards. Backwards to an America where there is no right to choose, no right to privacy. No right to contraception, no right to marry who you love," he said, striking on cultural issues Democrats believe can help them win in November.
"They promote authoritarian leaders," he went on. "They fanned the flames of political violence."
After tearing into Republicans for what he calls "MAGA extremism" and "semi-fascism" over the past week, administration officials say Biden determined the time was right to provide a more serious, sober reckoning on what he regards as growing anti-democratic forces building across the country.
Officials insisted Biden's message wasn't partisan and instead targeted to an extreme wing of the GOP. Still, he called on his audience to go to the polls in November and lashed into his predecessor, backed by traditionally apolitical symbols like the United States Marine Band and two Marines who were positioned in a spot where they were on camera throughout the speech.
"We must be honest with each other and with ourselves: Too much of what's happening in our country today is not normal," Biden said. The Republican Party of 2022 is partly "dominated, driven and intimidated" by Trump and his acolytes, he said.
It's a topic Biden has come to embrace more publicly in recent months after initially attempting to ignore the after-effects of his predecessor and focus instead on national unity. At its core, the speech represented the same overarching theme that defined the launch of his presidential campaign in 2019 as he set out to defeat Trump.
It remained a constant through high profile speeches in locations rife with historical symbolism, including Warm Springs, Georgia, and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The prime-time remarks was no different, this time with the site of the nation's revolutionary beginning as the backdrop.
A crowd of about 300 invited guests -- a mix of elected officials and dignitaries, along with Democratic supporters -- watched Biden speak from behind panes of bulletproof glass. It was a short distance away from where Biden formally announced his bid for the presidency in 2019, striking similar themes about the "battle for the soul of the nation."
White House officials emphasized ahead of time that when Biden warns of the threat to democracy, he is not talking about Republicans as a whole, but those who style themselves after Trump: the "MAGA Republicans," as the administration has deemed them.
Ahead of the speech, Ronna McDaniel, the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, said Biden was dividing the nation.
"Joe Biden is the divider-in-chief and epitomizes the current state of the Democrat Party: one of divisiveness, disgust, and hostility towards half the country," she said in a statement.
Biden had been mulling a thematic speech about American democracy for several months, spurred in part by the revealing hearings convened by the congressional committee investigating the January 6 riot, according to an official. He has also watched with alarm as election deniers running for statewide office have been elevated by Trump and was outraged by the attempted attack on an FBI field office in Cincinnati, Ohio.
In his remarks, Biden said forces on the right were stoking political violence, insisting it was "inflammatory and dangerous."
"We, the people must say this is not who we are," he said.
Biden looks to seize the moment
While Biden underestimated when the "fever will break" when it came to the GOP's ties to Trump, the last several weeks have brought into sharp focus that many of the campaign pledges that seemed just as unrealistic -- from major bipartisan deals to substantial investments in the manufacturing, climate and health care -- have, in fact, been signed into law.
The convergence of factors has created a genuine sense inside the West Wing that the political winds are changing just as Americans start to tune in ahead of the midterm elections. It has also had a dramatic effect on the White House itself, where months of intraparty warfare, a resurgent and ever-present Covid-19 pandemic and a myriad of crises many aides viewed as outside of their control appear to have finally turned their way.
Even Biden, who revels in telling the story of the doctor who called him "a congenital optimist," wasn't immune from a sense of gloom and occasional doom that hung over the West Wing for months.
"He could get pretty dark," said one person who spoke regularly to Biden said of his view of things toward the end of his first year in office. "It's not his way, but there was a period there" when Biden's mood reflected that of the exhausted country he led.
Yet the shifting winds this summer coincided with Trump's major re-emergence into the national spotlight. Republican politicians and candidates running entire campaigns based on false claims of fraudulent elections have only become more prevalent.
As the midterm campaign season kicks into high gear, convergence of factors created an ideal moment for Biden to lay out what has long been on his mind, officials say.
"The President felt that this was an appropriate time before the traditional campaign season begins next week to lay out what he sees at stake, not for any individual political party, but for our democracy itself," a senior administration official said.
A rare prime-time speech shows Biden's focus on democracy
Biden worked for several days with his speechwriters on drafts of the 20- to 30-minute address, poring over the precise language and wording. The President typically rehearses his major addresses beforehand and his schedule was clear of public events on Wednesday and Thursday as he prepared.
Biden has delivered only a smattering of speeches in prime-time over the course of his presidency, including his yearly addresses to Congress and remarks on gun violence earlier this summer. Aides said the President felt the topic was serious enough to address the nation in the evening -- and ask television networks to interrupt their regular programming (though the broadcast networks declined to air the President's remarks).
White House officials have said they want to be selective in when and where to address the issues surrounding the erosion of democracy, even though many party activists have clamored for more sustained focus on the issue. The issue itself is one that consumes much of Biden's own thinking, those close to him say -- something can spill into the public sphere during the rare moments he engages in a substantive way with reporters.
But choosing the right moment to address them on a major national scale, Biden's team believes, will prevent the issue from becoming rote and routine for voters. Biden, officials note, has had no qualms about that strategy.
'Semi fascism' comment draws ire, but White House won't back down
Biden's newly aggressive rhetoric has drawn howls of protest from Republicans. When he accused followers of Trump of "semi-fascism" at a fundraiser last week, the response was swift.
"Horribly insulting," said Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire, a Republican who has not aligned himself with Trump. "He's trying to stir up controversy, he's trying to stir up this anti-Republican sentiment right before the election, it's just -- it's horribly inappropriate."
At least one Democrat in a tight reelection race also distanced herself from Biden's remark; Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire said Biden "painted with way too broad a brush" when he uttered the comment.
While officials describe Biden's message as urgent, it remains to be seen whether voters facing high prices and an uncertain economy will respond to his warnings about the state of democracy.
Yet recent polls have shown concerns about democracy rising among voters. An NBC poll conducted in August found "threats to democracy" rose to the No. 1 issue facing the country, surpassing "cost of living." And a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday found 67% of respondents think the nation's democracy is in danger of collapse, a 9-point increase from January.
Unplanned -- but not entirely unwelcome -- for the White House has been the ongoing developments over Trump's handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate, a matter the White House has officially kept at arm's length to avoid the appearance of politicization.
Still, the reminder to voters of the chaos that surrounded Trump's presidency has been privately gratifying to some Democrats, who believe it presents a stark contrast to Biden's way of doing business.
"It's like the chaos was memory-holed because of the 50 million other things going on," one Democratic official with close ties to the White House said.
Biden "will never make it about Trump alone -- he views it as so much bigger than that and probably, to some degree, beneath him," the official said. "But I think most in our party appreciate the very clear contrast now that he's back in the headlines."
This story has been updated with additional developments on Thursday.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/biden-warns-trump-and-his-closest-followers-are-trying-to-undermine-american-democracy-in-combative/article_75788a07-0537-57b9-94de-53a6be2d8c5e.html | 2022-09-02T15:52:58Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/biden-warns-trump-and-his-closest-followers-are-trying-to-undermine-american-democracy-in-combative/article_75788a07-0537-57b9-94de-53a6be2d8c5e.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
President Joe Biden delivered his sharpest rebuke yet of Republicans and their fealty to his predecessor in an evening speech in Philadelphia on Thursday, alleging they "thrive on chaos" and warning their attempts to undermine democracy could devolve into violence.
"They live not in the light of truth but in the shadow of lies," Biden said in front of Independence Hall, harnessing the historic setting to call for a reckoning on the movement led by former President Donald Trump.
It was a strident and urgent call to Americans months ahead of midterm elections that will determine control of Congress. Biden's remarks, while billed as an official address, were starkly political in nature despite the presence of usually apolitical symbols like the United States Marine Band and two Marines who were positioned in a spot where they were on camera throughout the speech.
He painted a dark portrait of his political opponents, saying Trump and his followers are threatening the entire American experiment.
"As I stand here tonight, equality and democracy are under assault," Biden said in front of Independence Hall. "We do ourselves no favor to pretend otherwise."
Biden attempted to separate Trump's most loyal followers from the Republican Party as a whole. And as he concluded, he sought to strike an optimistic note, saying it was still within voters' power to rein in the nation's darkest forces.
But the heart of Biden's address was a roaring siren about what he called "an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic."
"MAGA forces are determined to take this country backwards. Backwards to an America where there is no right to choose, no right to privacy. No right to contraception, no right to marry who you love," he said.
"They promote authoritarian leaders," he went on. "They fanned the flames of political violence."
After tearing into Republicans for what he calls "MAGA extremism" and "semi-fascism," administration officials say Biden determined the time was right to provide a more serious, sober reckoning on what he regards as growing anti-democratic forces building across the country.
"We must be honest with each other and with ourselves: Too much of what's happening in our country today is not normal," Biden said. "Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic."
He said the Republican Party of 2022 was partly "dominated, driven and intimidated" by Trump and his acolytes.
It's a topic Biden has come to embrace more publicly in recent months after initially attempting to ignore the after-effects of his predecessor and focus instead on national unity. At its core, the speech represents the same overarching theme that defined the launch of his presidential campaign in 2019 as he set out to defeat Trump.
It remained a constant through high profile speeches in locations rife with historical symbolism, including Warm Springs, Georgia, and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The prime-time remarks was no different, this time with the site of the nation's revolutionary beginning as the backdrop.
A crowd of about 300 invited guests -- a mix of elected officials and dignitaries, along with Democratic supporters -- watched Biden speak from behind panes of bulletproof glass. It was a short distance away from where Biden formally announced his bid for the presidency in 2019, striking similar themes about the "battle for the soul of the nation."
Thursday's speech served as an implicit acknowledgment that Biden's efforts to move past the divisiveness and chaos of former President Donald Trump have been harder than he might have imagined. Trump continues to dominate headlines, especially in recent weeks after federal agents searched his Florida home, revealing an investigation into the former President's possession of classified documents after he left office.
White House officials emphasized ahead of time that when Biden warns of the threat to democracy, he is not talking about Republicans as a whole, but those who style themselves after Trump: the "MAGA Republicans," as the administration has deemed them.
Ahead of the speech, Ronna McDaniel, the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, said Biden was dividing the nation.
"Joe Biden is the divider-in-chief and epitomizes the current state of the Democrat Party: one of divisiveness, disgust, and hostility towards half the country," she said in a statement.
Biden had been mulling a thematic speech about American democracy for several months, spurred in part by the revealing hearings convened by the congressional committee investigating the January 6 riot, according to an official. He has also watched with alarm as election deniers running for statewide office have been elevated by Trump and was outraged by the attempted attack on an FBI field office in Cincinnati, Ohio.
"This is a speech the President has been thinking about for a long time. He's been working on it for a while," a senior administration official said. "It is not in response to any news of the day. It is a response to what he sees as a moment in this country."
Biden looks to seize the moment
While Biden underestimated when the "fever will break" when it came to the GOP's ties to Trump, the last several weeks have brought into sharp focus that many of the campaign pledges that seemed just as unrealistic -- from major bipartisan deals to substantial investments in the manufacturing, climate and health care -- have, in fact, been signed into law.
The convergence of factors has created a genuine sense inside the West Wing that the political winds are changing just as Americans start to tune in ahead of the midterm elections. It has also had a dramatic effect on the White House itself, where months of intraparty warfare, a resurgent and ever-present Covid-19 pandemic and a myriad of crises many aides viewed as outside of their control appear to have finally turned their way.
Even Biden, who revels in telling the story of the doctor who called him "a congenital optimist," wasn't immune from a sense of gloom and occasional doom that hung over the West Wing for months.
"He could get pretty dark," said one person who spoke regularly to Biden said of his view of things toward the end of his first year in office. "It's not his way, but there was a period there" when Biden's mood reflected that of the exhausted country he led.
Yet the shifting winds this summer coincided with Trump's major re-emergence into the national spotlight. Republican politicians and candidates running entire campaigns based on false claims of fraudulent elections have only become more prevalent.
As the midterm campaign season kicks into high gear, convergence of factors created an ideal moment for Biden to lay out what has long been on his mind, officials say.
"The President felt that this was an appropriate time before the traditional campaign season begins next week to lay out what he sees at stake, not for any individual political party, but for our democracy itself," a senior administration official said.
A rare prime-time speech shows Biden's focus on democracy
Biden worked for several days with his speechwriters on drafts of the 20- to 30-minute address, poring over the precise language and wording. The President typically rehearses his major addresses beforehand and his schedule was clear of public events on Wednesday and Thursday as he prepared.
Biden has delivered only a smattering of speeches in prime-time over the course of his presidency, including his yearly addresses to Congress and remarks on gun violence earlier this summer. Aides said the President felt the topic was serious enough to address the nation in the evening -- and ask television networks to interrupt their regular programming (though the broadcast networks declined to air the President's remarks).
White House officials have said they want to be selective in when and where to address the issues surrounding the erosion of democracy, even though many party activists have clamored for more sustained focus on the issue. The issue itself is one that consumes much of Biden's own thinking, those close to him say -- something can spill into the public sphere during the rare moments he engages in a substantive way with reporters.
But choosing the right moment to address them on a major national scale, Biden's team believes, will prevent the issue from becoming rote and routine for voters. Biden, officials note, has had no qualms about that strategy.
On the anniversary of the January 6 Capitol riot, Biden spoke during the day from National Statuary Hall, leveling his most direct attack on Trump for his continued election lies and on Republicans who have amplified them.
In that speech, Biden accused Trump of holding "a dagger at the throat of America, at American democracy," an extraordinary moment that marked a sharp escalation in his approach to the persistent assertions by Trump that the 2020 election was fraudulent.
At the time, it wasn't clear whether the new, more aggressive posture toward Trump would herald a sustained shift in his approach toward the de-facto leader of the Republican Party. Biden did not repeat his criticisms of Trump on a regular basis until recently, as he began his efforts to elect Democrats in the upcoming midterm elections.
"The MAGA Republicans don't just threaten our personal rights and economic security, they're a threat to our very democracy," he said last week at a Democratic political rally in Maryland. "They refuse to accept the will of the people. They embrace political violence. They don't believe in democracy."
A few days later, Biden used an official event in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, to chastise South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican he once called his friend, for suggesting there could be riots in the street if Trump is prosecuted by the Justice Department.
"Where the hell are we?" Biden intoned.
'Semi fascism' comment draws ire, but White House won't back down
The movement toward Trump by Graham and other Republicans whom Biden has known well for years has disappointed and unsettled Biden more than most dynamics in Washington.
A senior adviser said Biden "goes darkest" when he sees former establishment Republicans "behave badly" and associate themselves with the worst elements of Trump's political brand.
The newly aggressive rhetoric has drawn howls of protest from Republicans. When he accused followers of Trump of "semi-fascism" at a fundraiser last week, the response was swift.
"Horribly insulting," said Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire, a Republican who has not aligned himself with Trump. "He's trying to stir up controversy, he's trying to stir up this anti-Republican sentiment right before the election, it's just -- it's horribly inappropriate."
At least one Democrat in a tight reelection race also distanced herself from Biden's remark; Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire said Biden "painted with way too broad a brush" when he uttered the comment.
While officials describe Biden's message as urgent, it remains to be seen whether voters facing high prices and an uncertain economy will respond to his warnings about the state of democracy.
Yet recent polls have shown concerns about democracy rising among voters. An NBC poll conducted in August found "threats to democracy" rose to the No. 1 issue facing the country, surpassing "cost of living." And a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday found 67% of respondents think the nation's democracy is in danger of collapse, a 9-point increase from January.
Unplanned -- but not entirely unwelcome -- for the White House has been the ongoing developments over Trump's handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate, a matter the White House has officially kept at arm's length to avoid the appearance of politicization.
Still, the reminder to voters of the chaos that surrounded Trump's presidency has been privately gratifying to some Democrats, who believe it presents a stark contrast to Biden's way of doing business.
"It's like the chaos was memory-holed because of the 50 million other things going on," one Democratic official with close ties to the White House said.
Biden "will never make it about Trump alone -- he views it as so much bigger than that and probably, to some degree, beneath him," the official said. "But I think most in our party appreciate the very clear contrast now that he's back in the headlines."
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/biden-warns-trump-and-his-closest-followers-are-trying-to-undermine-american-democracy-in-combative/article_93d1ec49-fc13-521c-8962-4a75e05842af.html | 2022-09-02T15:53:04Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/biden-warns-trump-and-his-closest-followers-are-trying-to-undermine-american-democracy-in-combative/article_93d1ec49-fc13-521c-8962-4a75e05842af.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
President Joe Biden delivered his sharpest rebuke yet of Republicans and their fealty to his predecessor in an evening speech in Philadelphia on Thursday, alleging they "thrive on chaos" and warning their attempts to undermine democracy could devolve into violence.
"They live not in the light of truth but in the shadow of lies," Biden said in front of a red-lit Independence Hall, harnessing the historic setting to call for a reckoning on the movement led by former President Donald Trump.
It was a strident and urgent call to Americans months ahead of midterm elections that will determine control of Congress. Biden's remarks, while billed as an official address, provided the broad contours of his election message heading into the fall.
Even as he worked to balance a dose of optimism about the country's future -- and his own string of recent accomplishments -- Biden painted a dark portrait of his political opponents, saying Trump and his followers are threatening the entire American experiment. He named his predecessor within minutes of taking the stage, and suggested Americans faced an existential choice in the coming elections.
"As I stand here tonight, equality and democracy are under assault," Biden said. "We do ourselves no favor to pretend otherwise."
Biden attempted to separate Trump's most loyal followers from the Republican Party as a whole. And as he concluded, he sought to strike a more upbeat note, saying it was still within voters' power to rein in the nation's darkest forces.
But the heart of Biden's address was a ringing alarm bell about what he called "an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic."
"MAGA forces are determined to take this country backwards. Backwards to an America where there is no right to choose, no right to privacy. No right to contraception, no right to marry who you love," he said, striking on cultural issues Democrats believe can help them win in November.
"They promote authoritarian leaders," he went on. "They fanned the flames of political violence."
After tearing into Republicans for what he calls "MAGA extremism" and "semi-fascism" over the past week, administration officials say Biden determined the time was right to provide a more serious, sober reckoning on what he regards as growing anti-democratic forces building across the country.
Officials insisted Biden's message wasn't partisan and instead targeted to an extreme wing of the GOP. Still, he called on his audience to go to the polls in November and lashed into his predecessor, backed by traditionally apolitical symbols like the United States Marine Band and two Marines who were positioned in a spot where they were on camera throughout the speech.
"We must be honest with each other and with ourselves: Too much of what's happening in our country today is not normal," Biden said. The Republican Party of 2022 is partly "dominated, driven and intimidated" by Trump and his acolytes, he said.
It's a topic Biden has come to embrace more publicly in recent months after initially attempting to ignore the after-effects of his predecessor and focus instead on national unity. At its core, the speech represented the same overarching theme that defined the launch of his presidential campaign in 2019 as he set out to defeat Trump.
It remained a constant through high profile speeches in locations rife with historical symbolism, including Warm Springs, Georgia, and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The prime-time remarks was no different, this time with the site of the nation's revolutionary beginning as the backdrop.
A crowd of about 300 invited guests -- a mix of elected officials and dignitaries, along with Democratic supporters -- watched Biden speak from behind panes of bulletproof glass. It was a short distance away from where Biden formally announced his bid for the presidency in 2019, striking similar themes about the "battle for the soul of the nation."
White House officials emphasized ahead of time that when Biden warns of the threat to democracy, he is not talking about Republicans as a whole, but those who style themselves after Trump: the "MAGA Republicans," as the administration has deemed them.
Ahead of the speech, Ronna McDaniel, the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, said Biden was dividing the nation.
"Joe Biden is the divider-in-chief and epitomizes the current state of the Democrat Party: one of divisiveness, disgust, and hostility towards half the country," she said in a statement.
Biden had been mulling a thematic speech about American democracy for several months, spurred in part by the revealing hearings convened by the congressional committee investigating the January 6 riot, according to an official. He has also watched with alarm as election deniers running for statewide office have been elevated by Trump and was outraged by the attempted attack on an FBI field office in Cincinnati, Ohio.
In his remarks, Biden said forces on the right were stoking political violence, insisting it was "inflammatory and dangerous."
"We, the people must say this is not who we are," he said.
Biden looks to seize the moment
While Biden underestimated when the "fever will break" when it came to the GOP's ties to Trump, the last several weeks have brought into sharp focus that many of the campaign pledges that seemed just as unrealistic -- from major bipartisan deals to substantial investments in the manufacturing, climate and health care -- have, in fact, been signed into law.
The convergence of factors has created a genuine sense inside the West Wing that the political winds are changing just as Americans start to tune in ahead of the midterm elections. It has also had a dramatic effect on the White House itself, where months of intraparty warfare, a resurgent and ever-present Covid-19 pandemic and a myriad of crises many aides viewed as outside of their control appear to have finally turned their way.
Even Biden, who revels in telling the story of the doctor who called him "a congenital optimist," wasn't immune from a sense of gloom and occasional doom that hung over the West Wing for months.
"He could get pretty dark," said one person who spoke regularly to Biden said of his view of things toward the end of his first year in office. "It's not his way, but there was a period there" when Biden's mood reflected that of the exhausted country he led.
Yet the shifting winds this summer coincided with Trump's major re-emergence into the national spotlight. Republican politicians and candidates running entire campaigns based on false claims of fraudulent elections have only become more prevalent.
As the midterm campaign season kicks into high gear, convergence of factors created an ideal moment for Biden to lay out what has long been on his mind, officials say.
"The President felt that this was an appropriate time before the traditional campaign season begins next week to lay out what he sees at stake, not for any individual political party, but for our democracy itself," a senior administration official said.
A rare prime-time speech shows Biden's focus on democracy
Biden worked for several days with his speechwriters on drafts of the 20- to 30-minute address, poring over the precise language and wording. The President typically rehearses his major addresses beforehand and his schedule was clear of public events on Wednesday and Thursday as he prepared.
Biden has delivered only a smattering of speeches in prime-time over the course of his presidency, including his yearly addresses to Congress and remarks on gun violence earlier this summer. Aides said the President felt the topic was serious enough to address the nation in the evening -- and ask television networks to interrupt their regular programming (though the broadcast networks declined to air the President's remarks).
White House officials have said they want to be selective in when and where to address the issues surrounding the erosion of democracy, even though many party activists have clamored for more sustained focus on the issue. The issue itself is one that consumes much of Biden's own thinking, those close to him say -- something can spill into the public sphere during the rare moments he engages in a substantive way with reporters.
But choosing the right moment to address them on a major national scale, Biden's team believes, will prevent the issue from becoming rote and routine for voters. Biden, officials note, has had no qualms about that strategy.
'Semi fascism' comment draws ire, but White House won't back down
Biden's newly aggressive rhetoric has drawn howls of protest from Republicans. When he accused followers of Trump of "semi-fascism" at a fundraiser last week, the response was swift.
"Horribly insulting," said Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire, a Republican who has not aligned himself with Trump. "He's trying to stir up controversy, he's trying to stir up this anti-Republican sentiment right before the election, it's just -- it's horribly inappropriate."
At least one Democrat in a tight reelection race also distanced herself from Biden's remark; Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire said Biden "painted with way too broad a brush" when he uttered the comment.
While officials describe Biden's message as urgent, it remains to be seen whether voters facing high prices and an uncertain economy will respond to his warnings about the state of democracy.
Yet recent polls have shown concerns about democracy rising among voters. An NBC poll conducted in August found "threats to democracy" rose to the No. 1 issue facing the country, surpassing "cost of living." And a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday found 67% of respondents think the nation's democracy is in danger of collapse, a 9-point increase from January.
Unplanned -- but not entirely unwelcome -- for the White House has been the ongoing developments over Trump's handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate, a matter the White House has officially kept at arm's length to avoid the appearance of politicization.
Still, the reminder to voters of the chaos that surrounded Trump's presidency has been privately gratifying to some Democrats, who believe it presents a stark contrast to Biden's way of doing business.
"It's like the chaos was memory-holed because of the 50 million other things going on," one Democratic official with close ties to the White House said.
Biden "will never make it about Trump alone -- he views it as so much bigger than that and probably, to some degree, beneath him," the official said. "But I think most in our party appreciate the very clear contrast now that he's back in the headlines."
This story has been updated with additional developments on Thursday.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/biden-warns-trump-and-his-closest-followers-are-trying-to-undermine-american-democracy-in-combative/article_a484ce45-5fd8-524c-b0b6-a37f5f5c29d5.html | 2022-09-02T15:53:11Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/biden-warns-trump-and-his-closest-followers-are-trying-to-undermine-american-democracy-in-combative/article_a484ce45-5fd8-524c-b0b6-a37f5f5c29d5.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Farmers flocked to Boone, Iowa this week from all over the world for the Farm Progress Show.
Billed as the largest outdoor farm event in the nation, the three-day expo showcased hundreds of exhibitors touting the latest and greatest developments in agriculture. Yet while the show can make farmers feel like a kid in the candy store, this year they’re having to weigh their purchasing decisions carefully, as fuel and fertilizer costs remain high.
“A lot of it is things that you can afford in about 10 years or so,” said Adam Ledvina, with a laugh. “But it’s worth coming to see what’s happening and all the new ideas.”
Ledvina owns and operates a meat goat business in Chelsea, Iowa. He stood inside of the Varied Industries Tent — a tent with many smaller vendors — handing out individual popcorn bags to passers-by and promoting the use of cover crops for the organization Practical Farmers of Iowa.
He also had time to check out the numerous offerings of the Farm Progress Show and look at livestock trailers. Ledvina said he wants to upgrade to a bigger one with more room to haul his goats around the state to manage forests and remove invasive species.
“All those different competitors are right close to each other,” he said. “You can really compare notes. It’s nice to kind of take a pen and paper, write down all the things and then go measure the other stuff and see exactly what you are after.”
Dan Hanson, who farms corn and soybeans near Fort Dodge, Iowa, looked at a strip till machine from the company Environmental Tillage Systems that could help minimize soil erosion while reducing the cost of fertilizer and fuel. Strip tillage is a form of conservation where producers plant and till in narrow rows.
“You have to limit what you can buy,” Hanson said, “but you’ve got to keep up to date on some of them because the future is changing. It’s always been changing in farming. You’ve got to look where your money would be best spent when you have a limited amount of money to spend.”
While farmers deal with those challenges, some businesses said the high cost of inputs are what make them stand out as more competitive.
Caitlin Keck, the marketing director for Environmental Tillage Systems, said with fertilizer and other inputs being so expensive, it draws some customers to the products her company is selling. The Farm Progress Show, she said, is great for business and helps get her company’s brand name and strip tillage out there.
“Farmers are becoming more conscious of how to use things like fertilizer most efficiently,” Keck said, “and looking into options like strip tillage.”
The Farm Progress Show alternates annually between Boone, Iowa and Decatur, Illinois. It hadn’t been in Iowa since 2018 due to the coronavirus pandemic cancellation in 2020.
A new feature: Recycled asphalt glued by soybean oil
New equipment and technology weren’t the only things that generated buzz at the Farm Progress Show: Soybeans are paving the way for the future.
This year, a partnership between the Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa State University, Central Iowa Expo and the Farm Progress Show laid down a nearly 43,000 square foot asphalt base on the floor of the Varied Industries Tent, which features about 150 exhibitors, including many small vendors.
But it’s not just any asphalt. It’s recycled asphalt glued together by a type of soybean oil called high oleic soybean oil that’s produced from the seeds of soybean plants. The asphalt uses more than 2,300 pounds of soybean oil — equal to 215 bushels of soybeans.
“It’s very few times that we as farmers get to see where that end use is besides eating it,” said Robb Ewoldt, the president of the Iowa Soybean Association. “And here we get to walk on it. We get to show what we have done in the Midwest, to promote recyclable, environmentally-friendly practices.”
The technology is being tested in Alabama and could be used to coat rural roads in the future.
Follow Katie on Twitter: @katiepeikes
This story was produced in partnership with Harvest Public Media, a collaboration of public media newsrooms in the Midwest. It reports on food systems, agriculture and rural issues. Follow Harvest on Twitter: @HarvestPM | https://www.kcur.org/2022-09-02/at-the-farm-progress-show-high-input-costs-shape-some-farmers-purchases | 2022-09-02T15:53:11Z | kcur.org | control | https://www.kcur.org/2022-09-02/at-the-farm-progress-show-high-input-costs-shape-some-farmers-purchases | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Many faculty on the University of Missouri’s Columbia campus see top leader Mun Choi as a man to be feared because he runs the campus through intimidation and bullying — driving away those who disagree with his priorities.
And according to a faculty review of Choi’s performance as chancellor released Thursday by the campus Faculty Council, university morale has been “irreparably damaged” by his administrative style.
“I found reading through the comments pretty disheartening, to see how much frustration and kind of genuine sadness there is by so many, so many community members about our institution and the direction we’ve been going,” said Chuck Munter, an associate professor in the university’s college of education and human development, during discussion of the report. “But I don’t think I was surprised.”
A smaller number, the review shows, appreciate Choi’s advocacy for the university, citing his good relationship with political leaders and clear plans for the campus. They said “it is refreshing and exciting to have somebody have a vision…”
The report is based on a survey that drew 547 responses out of the approximately 2,400 full-time faculty.
Choi, who became president of the UM System in 2017, took over as chancellor of the Columbia campus in 2020. He is the first person to hold both top administrative jobs.
The four-campus UM System is the state’s largest public university with almost 70,000 students, and the Columbia campus makes up nearly half of that total, with 31,410 students. The system has an annual operating budget of $3.5 billion, with approximately $470 million from state tax support.
It is one of two land-grant universities in the state, with responsibility to bring learning to every county through the MU Extension Service. The Columbia campus is a member of the American Association of Universities, or AAU, an organization composed of the top public and private research institutions in the country.
Faculty Council Chairman Graham McCaulley said it was the first review of a chancellor’s performance in 10 years and was intended to make the university better. Including interim chancellors, the job has been held by six different people in that period.
“Our goal here is to move our institution forward,” said McCaulley, an associate extension professor and state specialist for nutrition, health and family.
Respondents were asked to rank Choi in a number of areas, and he received an overall ranking 2.26 on a scale of 1 to 5, with five being superior performance. They were also asked to provide comments.
Among ranked faculty without administrative duties, 208 said Choi should not be retained as chancellor, while 87 said he should remain.
Those with administrative roles and non-tenure track faculty tended to grade Choi higher than tenured professors. The only group that had a greater share who wanted to retain Choi than those that wanted him to be removed were tenured or tenure track faculty who spend more than half their time on administrative duties.
Choi’s lowest rankings were about whether he shows a commitment to shared governance, follows democratic leadership policies, solicits faculty input and is respected by the campus community. There were 100 comments on shared governance, which is intended to give faculty a role in campus decision making.
“He is stunningly opposed to true shared governance and any efforts are lip service at best,” one comment included in the report read.
There were 59 comments about poor morale.
“I have watched the most talented people leave this institution in the last three years because the climate hinders their accomplishments, especially in research,” one comment stated. “I believe that in some respects the faculty and its morale has been irreparably damaged.”
The problem, one commenter said, is Choi does not take criticism well.
“He has fostered a general culture of helplessness and submission across campus in which faculty fear for their individual and departmental security and risk retribution by speaking out,” the comment stated.
Those who back Choi and see him as an asset to the university also provided comments. From that group, 71 praised him for his ability to build relationships.
“He has a very good relationship with the Board of Curators and the legislators in Jefferson City,” one commenter said. “He presents the positive aspects of the university well to external stakeholders.”
His decisiveness, seen as evidence of an authoritarian style by some, drew applause from others. Two dozen commented that his decision making was a strong point.
“He makes difficult decisions that previous administrators were unwilling to make,” one comment read. “I believe his leadership is a breath of fresh air to our campus.”
Choi and the governing Board of Curators were provided copies of the report, held discussions with council members and provided written responses, McCaulley said.
“It was a productive meeting, we answered questions about the report and the process, talked about faculty views and what they were, and we felt that was heard,” McCaulley said.
The curators sought to absorb some of the ire directed at Choi, he said.
“The board believes it is critical for the Faculty Council to appreciate that many of the criticisms of President Choi reflect actions and positions taken in support of shared goals with the Board of Curators,” Darryl Chatman, chairman of the Board of Curators, said in a statement included in the final report. “As an example, comments and criticisms of President Choi related to emphasis placed on our role as an AAU university, greater accountability, shared governance, and the Missouri legislature are generally the result of that alignment in purpose and priority with the board.”
Choi, in his response, said he found some parts of the survey to be “thoughtful and helpful.”
However, he said, he had also heard many expressions of appreciation of his leadership and suggested that the sample wasn’t large enough to be representative of the whole faculty.
“After reviewing the results, I am interested in finding ways for my cabinet and I to collect more constructive input on a variety of topics from a broader group of faculty,” Choi said.
The report comes at a time when Choi recently surpassed the average tenure of his predecessors.
Selected in fall of 2016, Choi took over the university on March 1, 2017, and has held the position for 5 years and 5 months. Choi’s nine predecessors as UM System president held the job for an average of 4 years and 11 months.
In August 2017, the Columbia Daily Tribune reported that Choi wanted to keep the job for 10 years or longer.
“Obviously, that is not a decision that is going to be mine to make, but I want to be able to contribute with a long-term goal of helping, while leading, but also ensuring we have the strategic vision to make this university even better than it is,” Choi said at the time.
Choi’s biggest achievement to date is the completion of the Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health Institute, built at a cost of $275 million. Several comments noted his push to get it finished and some questioned its worth.
“His precision medicine building fiasco has diverted funding from other parts of the hospital and university and he is now sacrificing the future of the School of Medicine,” one critical comment stated.
His immediate predecessor as permanent president, Tim Wolfe, resigned amid campus protests over racial issues in the fall of 2015 after less than four years in the job.
More than 40 comments questioned Choi’s commitment to diversity.
“After 2015, there was some hope for improvement in the racial climate at Mizzou. That hope is now dead,” one commenter stated. “If anything, things are worse than they were before.”
The survey was conducted at the same time as a survey of Provost Latha Ramchand’s performance. The report on that survey, released in July, mirrored some of the criticisms of Choi.
Under the heading “Subservient to President,” one sample comment stated they were uncertain of how Ramchand would work under a different leader.
“It’s hard to know because everyone perceives (Mun Choi) rules with an iron fist,” the provost’s report stated. “It is hard to know what (Ramchand) is able to accomplish with limited possibilities and an overbearing boss.”
Editor’s note: Rudi Keller is currently employed part-time by the University of Missouri as an adjunct instructor in journalism. | https://www.kcur.org/education/2022-09-02/university-of-missouri-faculty-survey-scorches-mun-choi-for-poor-morale-on-columbia-campus | 2022-09-02T15:53:17Z | kcur.org | control | https://www.kcur.org/education/2022-09-02/university-of-missouri-faculty-survey-scorches-mun-choi-for-poor-morale-on-columbia-campus | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
TSX: MPVD and OTC: MPVDF
TORONTO and NEW YORK, Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. ("Mountain Province", the "Company") (TSX: MPVD) (OTC: MPVDF) is saddened to announce a fatal incident at the Gahcho Kué Mine.
STATEMENT FROM DE BEERS GROUP:
We are deeply saddened to confirm that an employee from a contractor partner company succumbed to injuries sustained in an incident at Gahcho Kué Mine on Thursday, 1 September. The circumstances around what happened are under investigation by the appropriate authorities. All non-essential work at the mine has been suspended.
This is an extremely tragic incident and the mine joint venture partners, De Beers Group and Mountain Province Diamonds, extend our deepest condolences to the grieving family and friends of the deceased individual.
We want to commend the individual's co-workers, the mine's Emergency Response Team, and the onsite medical team who made every effort to save their colleague's life. A grief counsellor arrived at the mine Thursday evening and additional counselling services are available to all employees.
Gahcho Kué is located in the Northwest Territories, about 280 km northeast of Yellowknife. The mine is a joint venture between De Beers Group (51% - the operator) and Mountain Province Diamonds (49%).
Contact
Terry Kruger
Tel 1 867 679 6431
Mob 1 403 835 5875
Email terry.kruger@debeersgroup.com
NOTE TO MEDIA: In consideration of the ongoing investigations, we are not in a position to provide additional information regarding the incident at this time.
****
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 107,373 hectares of highly prospective mineral claims and leases surrounding the Gahcho Kué Mine that include an Indicated mineral resource for the Kelvin kimberlite and Inferred mineral resources for the Faraday kimberlites. Kelvin is estimated to contain 13.62 million carats (Mct) in 8.50 million tonnes (Mt) at a grade of 1.60 carats/tonne and value of US$63/carat. Faraday 2 is estimated to contain 5.45Mct in 2.07Mt at a grade of 2.63 carats/tonne and value of US$140/ct. Faraday 1-3 is estimated to contain 1.90Mct in 1.87Mt at a grade of 1.04 carats/tonne and value of US$75/carat. All resource estimations are based on a 1mm diamond size bottom cut-off.
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.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/fatality-gahcho-ku-mine/ | 2022-09-02T15:53:21Z | wave3.com | control | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/fatality-gahcho-ku-mine/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The California Legislature this week passed about a dozen bills in what proponents call a "historic" legislative package to protect and expand abortion access in the state, as its Democratic leaders seek to make California a "reproductive freedom" state.
Lawmakers approved the bills in the final days of their legislative session, which ended Wednesday. The legislation now goes to Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has been supportive of abortion rights, for his signature.
Newsom has vowed to keep California as a safe haven for abortion seekers, as several Republican-led states have banned or severely restricted abortion after the US Supreme Court eliminated the federal right to the procedure.
Following the high court's ruling in June, Newsom signed a bill that aims to protect abortion providers and patients seeking abortion care in the state from civil action started in another state. "With today's Supreme Court decision to endanger the health and safety of millions of women across the country, California must do everything it can to protect the fundamental rights of all women -- in California and beyond," he said in a statement at the time.
CNN has reached out to Newsom's office for comment on the bill package.
Most of the Democratic-sponsored bills were part of a legislative package introduced by the California Legislative Women's Caucus and backed by the California Future of Abortion Council, a coalition that includes abortion rights advocacy groups.
"We look forward to Governor Newsom continuing to provide and exemplify national leadership when it comes to protecting sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion, by signing this bold and historic bill package into law," Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California said in a tweet.
Defending against prosecution
A number of the measures in the package seek to protect abortion patients and providers from potential prosecution or penalties brought by states, or civil action originating in states, where abortion is banned. The legislation aims to combat moves by other conservative states -- including by lawmakers in Texas, Oklahoma and Idaho -- that have sought to allow civil enforcement of abortion restrictions.
One such measure, AB 1242, would prohibit California law enforcement and other specified individuals from assisting or cooperating with other states' investigations related to abortion if the procedure was lawful under California statutes.
Under the bill, sponsored by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, the state would be barred from arresting someone who provides, supports or obtains an abortion that's legal in California. It would block tech companies in California from sharing digital reproductive information with out-of-state law enforcement seeking to enforce their abortion ban.
Another measure, AB 2091, aims to protect abortion-related medical information from being disclosed to other states seeking to enforce their abortion bans. And AB 2223 would remove the requirement in state law that a coroner investigate deaths related to self-induced or criminal abortion, and make it so that a coroner's statements about a fetal death certification could not be used to bring a criminal prosecution or civil action against a person for their pregnancy outcome. It also would prohibit a person from facing civil or criminal liability for getting an abortion or assisting someone in obtaining an abortion.
The latter bill drew fierce opposition, with opponents arguing the provision would hinder law enforcement's abilities to investigate and prosecute "infanticide" -- something bill backers say mischaracterizes the legislation.
Proponents of the measure argue the legislation, which would allow civil actions to be brought against a state actor who interferes with a person's reproductive rights in California, would protect women from being criminally prosecuted for a miscarriage, abortion, perinatal death, or stillbirth.
Expanding access
Other bills in the legislative package seek to expand access to the procedure, including a proposal that would allow specifically trained nurse practitioners to provide abortions without a physician's supervision, and another that would prevent an abortion provider from losing or having their license or certification suspended if the abortion was legal under California law.
The California state budget, signed by Newsom in June, had allocated $20 million to the Abortion Practical Support Fund, a public-private fund that provides grants to nonprofit organizations that help Californians who are low-income obtain an abortion.
Lawmakers approved a separate bill that would expand the fund so the grants can be used to help out-of-state residents obtain an abortion in California. Another measure would create a state health website featuring information on California abortion services and connecting people to abortion providers.
Also included in the legislative package: a bill that would allow for grants to providers who provide abortion and contraception services for free or at low cost to low-income patients; a bill that would set up a reproductive health pilot project in Los Angeles County to safeguard patient access; and a bill that would award grants to programs that provide "medically accurate" reproductive education to at risk communities.
Californians will weigh in on the issue of abortion in the coming months, with voters set to consider a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that seeks to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/california-passes-historic-legislative-package-protecting-or-expanding-abortion-access/article_55358dd8-3754-5b4f-a2c7-d000c9af1426.html | 2022-09-02T15:53:23Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/california-passes-historic-legislative-package-protecting-or-expanding-abortion-access/article_55358dd8-3754-5b4f-a2c7-d000c9af1426.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Amtrak Share Fare Program Updated for Larger Groups and Bigger Discounts
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Providing travelers with even more value, Amtrak has enhanced its popular Share Fare program so that now up to eight people traveling together can save big with a total discount as high as 60%.
Booking Share Fare travel is as easy as going to amtrak.com/sharefares. All passengers must travel together on the same itinerary and have tickets issued together. The larger the group, the larger the discount.
Reservations for Share Fares must be made at least two days prior to travel and are applicable on most published prices.
Share Fare deals are available across the country on Coach and Acela Business Class tickets using promo code V291 for travel on trains in the following areas.
- The Northeast Corridor
Washington-Baltimore-Philadelphia-New York-Boston (Acela, Northeast Regional)
Virginia - Richmond-Norfolk-Roanoke (Northeast Regional)
- California
San Francisco Bay Area / Sacramento - Bakersfield/Southern California (San Joaquins)
- Illinois
Chicago - Quincy/St. Louis/Carbondale (Illinois Service)
- Maine
Brunswick-Portland-Boston (Downeaster)
- Michigan
Chicago - Grand Rapids/East Lansing - Port Huron/Detroit - Pontiac (Michigan Service)
- Missouri
St. Louis - Jefferson City - Kansas City, MO (Missouri River Runner)
- New York
New York - Albany (Adirondack)
New York - Albany - Syracuse - Rochester - Buffalo - Niagara Falls, NY (Empire Service)
New York - Albany - Syracuse - Niagara Falls, NY (Maple Leaf)
- North Carolina
New York - Richmond - Raleigh - Charlotte (Carolinian / Piedmont)
- Oklahoma/Texas
Oklahoma City - Fort Worth (Heartland Flyer)
- Oregon/Washington
Seattle - Tacoma - Portland - Salem - Eugene (Cascades)
- Vermont
Burlington-Rutland-Albany-New York (Ethan Allen Express)
St. Albans - Essex Junction (Burlington) - Springfield - New York – Washington, D.C. (Vermonter)
This offer is not valid on the Amtrak Hiawatha, Capitol Corridor, Keystone Service, Canadian section of the Maple Leaf, Canadian section of the Adirondack, Canadian section of Cascades, Pacific Surfliner and Pennsylvanian.
This offer is valid for Coach and Acela Business Class seats only; no upgrades allowed. This offer is not combinable with any other discount offer. Sale prices are not available at all times and on all routes. This offer is also subject to any restrictions, blackouts and refund rules that apply to the type of fare purchased and a 25% cancellation fee may apply.
For more than 50 years, Amtrak has connected America and modernized train travel. Offering a safe, environmentally efficient way to reach more than 500 destinations across 46 states and parts of Canada, Amtrak provides travelers with an experience that sets a new standard. Book travel, check train status, access your eTicket and more through the Amtrak app. Learn more at Amtrak.com and connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
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SOURCE Amtrak | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/groups-up-eight-traveling-together-can-save-up-60-with-amtrak-share-fares/ | 2022-09-02T15:53:41Z | wave3.com | control | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/groups-up-eight-traveling-together-can-save-up-60-with-amtrak-share-fares/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The urgency of treating chronic wounds and foot ulcers cannot be ignored. In recognition of Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Awareness Month, Healogics® is empowering patients living with PAD, to seek timely wound care treatment critical for optimal healing and reducing the risk of amputations.
Nearly 10 million people in the United States are living with PAD, affecting 1 in 5 people over the age of 60. Of those living with late-stage PAD, 25% may require an amputation within one year.
It can be a painful condition caused by a blockage in the arteries to the legs. Just like blockages in the heart's vessels, PAD is caused by a buildup of plaque and fatty material on the inner walls of the arteries in the extremities. Not only does PAD make it difficult to walk, especially when wounds are present, but is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke.
"It's important to seek medical attention if you suspect you have PAD. Be aware of what your symptoms are and let your primary care physician know to check for PAD. Since PAD is such a prevalent problem that oftentimes goes undiagnosed, request a non-invasive and painless test called ankle brachial index (ABI). This is the first step to understanding how much blockage in the arteries is present and what the level of risk may be. Without the blood flow to wounded areas, necrosis develops and if left untreated, amputation may be the only recourse," said Healogics Chief Medical Officer, Dr. William Ennis.
Do not dismiss leg pain as part of growing old and seek care if you have these symptoms:
- Pain or cramps in the back of leg while walking or exercising
- Lower legs and feet that are cool to touch or that have shiny skin
- Legs and feet appear pale when raised and bluish/purplish when hanging down
- Numbness or tingling in the feet and legs
- A sore or wound on the toes, legs or feet that does not heal
There are 40% of those living with PAD that may not experience symptoms or leg pain until a wound becomes resistant to heal. The specialized care provided by Wound Care Centers® can reduce healing times, increase healing rates and significantly lower amputation risks.
"Treatment delays and the staggering increase in amputations drive us to work harder to improve awareness and access to advanced wound care. Any untreated wound is at risk for complications. Far too often we see patients who have developed a wound and may not have experienced pain because the neuropathy prevented the pain response. Many people do not realize that clogged arteries in the legs can be a warning sign of PAD and 82% of leg amputations are due to poor circulation of the affected limb. One of the most significant warning signs of PAD is foot ulcers that do not heal, specifically in people living with diabetes. Throughout September, we seek to educate our communities and health care providers to improve access to wound care for all that need it," said Healogics Chief Executive Officer, David Bassin.
If you or someone you care for is at risk for PAD and has a wound that is not healing, find a Center near you today. For more information, visit Healogics.com.
Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., Healogics is the nation's wound healing expert. Last year over 300,000 patients received advanced wound care through a network of over 600 Wound Care Centers. Healogics also partners with over 300 skilled nursing facilities to care for patients with chronic wounds and provides inpatient consults at more than 60 partner hospitals. As the industry leader, Healogics has the largest repository of chronic wound-specific patient data in the country. The Healogics Wound Science Initiative offers peer-reviewed research and advanced analytics in the pursuit of not only better outcomes but a better way to provide care.
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SOURCE Healogics, LLC | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/healogics-is-raising-awareness-peripheral-artery-disease-healing-chronic-wounds-during-september/ | 2022-09-02T15:53:48Z | wave3.com | control | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/healogics-is-raising-awareness-peripheral-artery-disease-healing-chronic-wounds-during-september/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NEW YORK, Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorney Advertising -- Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC notifies investors that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Abbott Laboratories ("Abbott" or "the Company") (NYSE: ABT) and certain of its officers, on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased, or otherwise acquired Abbott securities between February 19, 2021 to June 8, 2022, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm's site: www.bgandg.com/abt.
This class action seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws.
The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made numerous materially false and misleading statements and omissions concerning what the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") called "egregiously unsanitary" conditions at the Company's Sturgis facility. Specifically, the complaint alleges that Defendants repeatedly touted to investors the safety and salability of Abbott's infant formula brands and their contribution to the Company's sales and revenue growth.
A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint you can visit the firm's site: www.bgandg.com/abt or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Law Clerk and Client Relations Manager, Yael Nathanson of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 212-697-6484. If you suffered a loss in Abbott you have until October 31, 2022 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Contact:
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC
Peretz Bronstein or Yael Nathanson
212-697-6484 | info@bgandg.com
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SOURCE Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/investor-alert-bronstein-gewirtz-amp-grossman-llc-notifies-abbott-laboratories-abt-investors-class-action-actively-participate/ | 2022-09-02T15:54:08Z | wave3.com | control | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/investor-alert-bronstein-gewirtz-amp-grossman-llc-notifies-abbott-laboratories-abt-investors-class-action-actively-participate/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LAS VEGAS, Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BLUETTI, a global leader in clean energy storage industry, will debut its latest power stations, including EP600---the product of 2023, at IFA 2022 that will take place in Berlin, Germany from September 2 to September 6, 2022.
BLUETTI leverages the accumulated R&D strengths to offer a series of advanced energy storage products, like AC200MAX, AC300+B300, EB70, EB55, AC50S, and solar panels. In particular, the following 3 latest releases highlight BLUETTI's groundbreaking innovation in solar energy solutions.
It's 100% modular. Its capacity can reach 18.432Wh by connecting with 6 expansion batteries. It can deliver a 5.000W pure sine wave output and will hit the EU market on September 1. Come and get your first-hand experience with the power.
This compact power station is light in weight(10.14lbs) and large in capacity(268Wh). It features 330W fast charging that enables an 80% charge in 40min. Plus, it has 9 ports to satisfy all your basic needs during picnics or short travels.
BLUETTI will also show its latest power station with disruptive techology---EP600, which can run most of home appliances with ease and is expected to hit the market in 2023. It will be a milestone for the industry.
Drop by and explore more energy storage solutions!
Dates: Sep 2 to Sep 6, 2022
Time: CEST 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Location: Hall 3.2, Stand 211, Messe Berlin, Berlin, Germany
About BLUETTI
With over 10 years of industry experience, BLUETTI has tried to stay true to a sustainable future through green energy storage solutions for both indoor and outdoor use while delivering an exceptional eco-friendly experience for everyone and the world. BLUETTI is making its presence in 70+ countries and is trusted by millions of customers across the globe. For more information, please visit BLUETTI online at https://www.bluettipower.eu//
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SOURCE BLUETTI POWER INC | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/meet-bluetti-ifa-2022/ | 2022-09-02T15:55:40Z | wave3.com | control | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/meet-bluetti-ifa-2022/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A federal judge on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit brought by Trump 2016 campaign adviser Carter Page, who sued the FBI and Justice Department for damages stemming from the controversial government surveillance he faced due to his Russian ties.
During the 2016 presidential campaign, federal investigators obtained permission from the FISA court to wiretap Page, and the surveillance continued for roughly one year.
While Russia was meddling in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump, investigators wanted to monitor Page because of his web of Russian connections. This included ties to known Russian spies, his past work for Kremlin-controlled Gazprom and a pro-Russia speech that he delivered in Moscow at the height of the campaign.
However, the process that the FBI and DOJ used to secure the warrants was riddled with errors, mistakes and overall sloppiness, according to a DOJ inspector general report. Investigators also relied in part on material from the notorious Trump-Russia dossier, written by a retired British spy, which has since been largely discredited.
Two of the four surveillance warrants granted by the secretive FISA court have since been declared invalid -- a major blow to the credibility of the FBI's early Russia probe.
Page sued the DOJ and FBI and an array of ex-FBI officials, including former Director James Comey, former top counterintelligence official Peter Strzok, and former FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith, who was convicted of doctoring an email related to the FISA application. (Many of these figures deny abusing their powers or acting out of bias.)
In the lawsuit, Page accused the federal agencies and ex-officials of violating his constitutional rights, and demanded $75 million in damages. But District Judge Dabney Friedrich rejected his lawsuit on Thursday. In a 54-page ruling, the Trump appointee said Page's claims were "troubling" but still decided to throw out the case.
Part of Friedrich's rationale for tossing the lawsuit is that Page sued the wrong people. The defendants were involved in drafting the court filings that led to the surveillance, and some even greenlit the surveillance, but none of them conducted the surveillance.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/federal-judge-dismisses-carter-page-lawsuit-over-government-surveillance/article_a65ba9e4-b92d-5d16-a041-353ee1d53b8b.html | 2022-09-02T15:56:45Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/federal-judge-dismisses-carter-page-lawsuit-over-government-surveillance/article_a65ba9e4-b92d-5d16-a041-353ee1d53b8b.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Former White House counsel Pat Cipollone and his former deputy Patrick Philbin are expected to appear Friday before a grand jury in Washington, DC, that's investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol and the events leading up to it, a person familiar with the matter tells CNN.
CNN previously reported that Cipollone and Philbin had been subpoenaed in the federal criminal probe. Philbin and Cipollone, who worked in the White House counsel's office, were both key witnesses to then-President Donald Trump's actions in the last days of his presidency.
Cipollone and Philbin repeatedly pushed back on efforts to overturn the 2020 election and opposed a proposal to replace the attorney general with someone willing to look into false claims of election fraud. Both Philbin and Cipollone indicated that they would resign should such a plan be executed.
ABC News first reported their grand jury appearance.
Philbin has already testified about the Capitol attack in a separate probe -- he appeared earlier this year before the House select committee investigating January 6, CNN previously reported.
During Cipollone's own testimony before the House committee, he told investigators that on January 6 he was joined by a number of top Trump advisers -- including Philbin -- in pushing the former President to issue a strong condemnation of the attack.
Philbin and Cipollone's appearance before the grand jury adds to their mounting legal troubles spurred by their connection to Trump. CNN reported last month that the FBI interviewed both lawyers earlier this year as part of the investigation into federal records taken to Trump's Florida home, according to two people briefed on the matter.
The criminal probe being conducted by the FBI into the Capitol attack is the biggest investigation in the bureau's history, with the Justice Department having arrested more than 840 individuals, charging roughly 255 with assaulting, resisting or impeding officers that day -- 90 of whom are charged with using a weapon or causing serious injury to an officer, CNN reported earlier this summer.
Roughly 185 Capitol rioters have been sentenced so far, with more than 80 receiving jail time.
Earlier this year, the Justice Department expanded its investigation beyond the rioters who breached the Capitol into fundraising and organizing for the political rally that served as a prelude to the riot as well as into efforts to subvert the Electoral College vote count.
This story has been updated with additional details Thursday.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/former-trump-white-house-lawyers-expected-to-appear-friday-before-january-6-grand-jury/article_04774a6b-96f1-57b4-926a-d254ca6ad948.html | 2022-09-02T15:57:03Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/former-trump-white-house-lawyers-expected-to-appear-friday-before-january-6-grand-jury/article_04774a6b-96f1-57b4-926a-d254ca6ad948.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Virginia "Ginni" Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, pushed state lawmakers not only in Arizona but also Wisconsin to overturn Joe Biden's 2020 election win, according to emails obtained via a public records request and shared with CNN.
At least two state lawmakers from Wisconsin received what appear to be pre-generated emails from Ginni Thomas, a conservative activist, that mirror form letters she also sent to 29 Arizona legislators encouraging them to meddle in the state's slate of presidential electors.
The messages sent by Ginni Thomas to Wisconsin Sen. Kathy Bernier, then chair of the Senate elections committee, and state Rep. Gary Tauchen, urged the lawmakers to "fight back against fraud" and exercise their supposed Constitutional authority to unilaterally choose a "clean" slate of presidential electors.
The text of those emails, which were obtained by the watchdog group Documented and first reported by the Washington Post, is nearly identical to messages Thomas' sent to the state lawmakers in Arizona on the same day -- November 9, 2020.
The Post previously reported that another batch of letters from Thomas -- aimed at 22 members of Arizona's House and one of its state senators -- went out on December 13, the day before representatives were set to meet at statehouses across the country to vote to certify their slates of electors. In that email, Thomas claimed the 2020 election was being threatened by unprecedented fraud and urged her to choose the electors with that in mind.
Those messages asked the lawmakers that, before they chose the electors, they "consider what will happen to the nation we all love if you do not stand up and lead."
Ginni Thomas' support of the efforts to overturn former President Donald Trump's electoral defeat have come under scrutiny given her husband's participation in a case that was before the Supreme Court concerning the House's January 6 investigation.
Justices decide for themselves whether cases present a conflict requiring their recusal. Justice Thomas has declined to comment on this matter in the past.
Justice Thomas was the only justice to publicly dissent from the Supreme Court's move in January not to block a court order greenlighting the release of Trump White House documents to the House investigators.
CNN has since reported that his wife exchanged texts with Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows in 2020, urging him to continue the fight to overturn Biden's win. (Those texts had been turned over to the House select committee voluntarily by Meadows).
Ginni Thomas has been publicly critical of the House January 6 investigation, calling on House GOP leaders to boot from their conference the two Republicans serving on the select committee.
She attended the rally that preceded the attack on the US Capitol, as she said in an interview with the Washington Free Beacon, where she stressed that her and her husband's professional lives are kept separate. She also said that she had left the gathering before the protesters turned violent.
Members of the January 6 House select committee have said they still want to speak with Ginni Thomas as part of their investigation. One of her lawyers said in a June letter to the House select committee that he "does not believe there is currently a sufficient basis to speak with" the conservative activist.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/ginni-thomas-emailed-wisconsin-lawmakers-asking-them-to-help-overturn-2020-election-and-fight-back/article_94b22397-d394-5b03-a5d6-2ebe9aaed5ea.html | 2022-09-02T15:57:11Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/ginni-thomas-emailed-wisconsin-lawmakers-asking-them-to-help-overturn-2020-election-and-fight-back/article_94b22397-d394-5b03-a5d6-2ebe9aaed5ea.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina must appear before the Georgia special grand jury investigating efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, a federal judge ruled Thursday, but the scope of his testimony will be limited.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who is leading the investigation into former President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia, wrote in court filings that she wants to question the senator on phone calls he made to Georgia election officials.
US District Judge Leigh Martin May initially rejected Graham's motion to quash the subpoena but was ordered by an appeals court to revisit the motion and determine if the subpoena should be partially quashed to comply with a clause in the US Constitution, shielding lawmakers from some law enforcement actions when it comes to their legislative duties.
"(T)he Court quashes the subpoena only as to questions about Sen. Graham's investigatory fact-finding on the telephone calls to Georgia election officials, including how such information related to his decision to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election," May wrote in her ruling Thursday. "The Court finds that this area of inquiry falls under the protection of the Speech or Debate Clause, which prohibits questions on legislative activity."
One of the calls of particular interest to Willis is a call Graham made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, when -- according to Raffensperger -- Graham hinted that Raffensperger should discard some Georgia ballots during the state's audit.
May wrote that "Graham may be questioned about any alleged efforts to encourage Secretary Raffensperger or others to throw out ballots or otherwise alter Georgia's election practices and procedures."
"The Court finds no support for the suggestion that Sen. Graham's position or responsibilities as a US senator entitled him to exhort or pressure Georgia state election officials as to how they should change or otherwise administer their state's election laws and procedures," the judge concluded.
Willis said in court filings that Graham's actions appear interconnected with the former President, and that the grand jury needed to hear from the senator specifically about at least two phone calls he made to Raffensperger and his staff in the wake of the 2020 election.
Raffensperger, Georgia's top election official who is up for reelection this November, was the first witness to testify in front of the Special Purpose Grand Jury in May. He told CNN in November 2020 that the South Carolina senator -- who was then chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee -- hinted that Raffensperger should try to discard some Georgia ballots during a statewide audit.
"He asked if the ballots could be matched back to the voters," Raffensperger told CNN's Wolf Blitzer on "The Situation Room" days after the 2020 election. "And then he -- I got the sense it implied that then you could throw those out for any, if you look at the counties with the highest frequent error of signatures. So that's the impression that I got."'
"It was just an implication of, 'Look hard and see how many ballots you could throw out,'" Raffensperger added.
Graham has repeatedly denied accusations of applying any pressure to Georgia officials, and the senator and his lawyers argue that he was simply doing his job as a lawmaker in the aftermath of the election.
May's Thursday order now returns the case from her court to be reviewed once again by a three-judge panel of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
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House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Thursday called on President Joe Biden to apologize for invoking fascism to describe the ideology of former President Donald Trump and his supporters.
McCarthy made the remarks during a prebuttal speech ahead of the President's prime-time address later in the evening. The speech from the House GOP leader marks an effort to counter the President's message -- ahead of the 2022 midterms as Republicans fight to win back control of the House of Representatives.
"President Biden has chosen to divide, demean, and disparage his fellow Americans -- Why? simply because they disagree with his policies," McCarthy said in his speech. "That is not leadership."
"When the President speaks tonight at Independence Hall, the first lines out of his mouth should be to apologize for slandering tens of millions of Americans as 'fascists,'" McCarthy said.
Biden has likened the philosophy that underpins Trump and those who have stood by him to "semi-facism" -- comments that Republicans have seized on to criticize the President.
"What we're seeing now is either the beginning or the death knell of an extreme MAGA philosophy," Biden recently told a group of Democratic donors at a private home in Maryland.
"It's not just Trump," he went on, "it's the entire philosophy that underpins the -- I'm going to say something: It's like semi-fascism."
McCarthy also used his remarks to broadly criticize Democratic control of Congress and the Biden White House, arguing that Americans are struggling and that Democrats are not delivering.
The House minority leader said in his speech he'd spoken to Americans who felt Biden and Democrats' policies were making their lives harder. He suggested a Republican majority in Congress could be the solution.
"What is clear to me and clear to you is that Washington and the White House aren't listening. They just don't get it," he said. "Our best days are ahead of us not behind us. Our nation can flourish again and under a new historic Republican majority, it will. For the past two years have been a time of trial for Americans everywhere."
He added: "In the past two years, Joe Biden has launched an assault on the soul of America, on its people, on its laws, on its most sacred values. He has launched an assault on our democracy. His policies have severely wounded America's soul, diminished America's spirit and betrayed America's trust."
McCarthy spoke about Republican stances on immigration, drug addiction, Covid-19 mandates, and education, among other issues.
At one point, McCarthy addressed democracy in the United States, an issue Democrats often bring up against Republicans in relation to Trump's attempt to overturn the 2020 election results.
McCarthy also suggested the FBI search of Trump's Mar-a-Lago property was politically motivated, which the Department of Justice has repeatedly denied.
"Joe Biden often says our democracy is under threat. He's right, but not for the reason he thinks," McCarthy said. "Joe Biden and a politicized DOJ launched a raid on the home of his top political rival, Donald Trump. That is an assault on democracy."
McCarthy concluded his speech offering Republicans' messaging ahead of the 2022 midterms.
"Republicans have a plan for a new direction that will get our country back on track. Our plan is our commitment to America," he said. "If Republicans are given the opportunity and honor to have a majority in the House, we will work day and night, hour after hour for you, the people."
Biden is expected to use his speech to reinforce the offensive against extremism in the Republican Party that he has recently made a focus of his messaging as he seeks to tie GOP candidates to his White House predecessor, framing the midterms as a second round against Trump.
The key battleground state of Pennsylvania is serving as the backdrop for both speeches. McCarthy's speech took place in Biden's hometown of Scranton, while Biden will speak from Philadelphia.
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Mortgage rates continued to climb this week following comments by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell that the central bank is taking "forceful and rapid" steps to reduce inflation and slow the economy.
The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.66% in the week ending September 1, up from 5.55% the week before, according to Freddie Mac. That is significantly higher than this time last year when it was 2.87%.
After starting the year at 3.22%, mortgage rates rose sharply during the first half of the year, hitting a high of 5.81% in mid-June. But since then, concerns about the economy and the Federal Reserve's mission to combat inflation have made them more volatile.
Rates had fallen in July and early August as recession fears took hold. But Powell's comments during a speech last Friday refocused investors' attention back on the central bank's fight against inflation, pushing rates higher.
"The market's renewed perception of a more aggressive monetary policy stance has driven mortgage rates up to almost double what they were a year ago," said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's chief economist.
This is likely to further slow home sales and put downward pressure on prices.
"The increase in mortgage rates is coming at a particularly vulnerable time for the housing market as sellers are recalibrating their pricing due to lower purchase demand," he said.
Mortgage rates climbed after the 10-year US Treasury climbed back to levels not seen since June.
The Federal Reserve does not set the interest rates mortgage borrowers pay directly, but its actions influence them. Instead, mortgage rates tend to track 10-year US Treasury bonds. As investors see or anticipate rate hikes, they often sell government bonds, which sends yields higher and, with it, mortgage rates.
"Financial markets continue to react to the Federal Reserve's firm commitment to monetary tightening in order to bring inflation closer to the 2% mark," said George Ratiu, Realtor.com's manager of economic research.
As a result, he said homebuyers can expect mortgage rates to stay in the 5% to 6% range over the next few months. A combination of still-high inflation and the Fed's increasing borrowing costs will keep them elevated.
A year ago, a buyer who put 20% down on a median priced $390,000 home and financed the rest with a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage at an average interest rate of 2.87% had a monthly mortgage payment of $1,294, according to numbers from Freddie Mac.
Today, a homeowner buying the same-priced house with an average rate of 5.66% would pay $1,803 a month in principal and interest. That's $509 more each month, according to numbers from Freddie Mac.
If there is a silver lining for those still looking for a home, it is that houses are staying on the market longer, pushing sellers to drop asking prices and leaving more room for negotiation, said Ratiu.
"As we move into the fall, and the pace of sales slows even further, some buyers may find discounts growing larger, offering opportunities that fit within their budgets," he said.
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Commentary on today's U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Situation Report by Frank Steemers, Senior Economist, The Conference Board
NEW YORK, Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today's jobs report showed solid job growth, with 315,000 jobs added in August 2022, after an increase of 526,000 jobs in July. Labor shortages are still a major problem for employers while employees are benefiting from increased job opportunities and more bargaining power. Nonetheless, with broad-based gains in jobs, but also still very elevated inflation, the Fed will likely feel comfortable with another 75 basis points interest rate hike. With the Fed expected to further raise interest rates and economic activity already slowing, job growth is likely to decelerate over the next months.
The unemployment rate ticked up to 3.7 percent in August 2022, from 3.5 percent in July, as more people actively looked for work. This was represented by the labor force participation rate increasing to 62.4 percent in August, up from 62.1 percent in July.
Job gains were widespread with most industries adding jobs. Leisure and hospitality added another 31,000 jobs. More jobs were gained in professional and business services (68,000), health care and social assistance (61,500), retail trade (44,000), and manufacturing (22,000).
Wage growth remains elevated (5.2 percent higher compared to a year ago). Recruitment and retention difficulties are high with the number of job openings (11.2 million) and quits (4.2 million) still very elevated. The labor market is very tight and this continues to be a problem for employers as labor supply remains muted. While labor force participation for those aged 25 to 54 increased to 82.8 percent in August, it remains below its prepandemic rate of 83 percent from February 2020. For workers aged 55 and over, participation further declined in August and it remains even more subdued—38.6 percent in August 2022 compared to 40.3 percent prepandemic.
Economic activity is expected to further cool towards the end of the year with job growth likely to soon follow a similar downward trend. While job gains are currently still positive, The Conference Board projection for a short and mild recession before yearend may lead to the labor market shedding some jobs during 2023. However, job losses could be muted since companies may try to hold on to their workers. Labor shortages may not go away, or otherwise reappear shortly after a recession. In addition, some businesses are still short-staffed, so slowing economic activity and a decline in business demand would result into fewer job openings, but not necessarily translate into layoffs. Currently, the unemployment rate is projected to remain below 4.5 percent in 2023.
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Pennsylvania Republican Mehmet Oz, after squandering much of the summer, is attempting to shift the focus of the state's US Senate contest with a series of attacks from his campaign questioning Democrat John Fetterman's health following his near fatal stroke in May.
Top Oz aides have mocked Fetterman's health, diet, and recovery in statements and social media posts, seemingly trying to taunt the lieutenant governor into agreeing to a debate. The mockery, which has been derided by Fetterman and scores of Democrats, has seemingly cleaved Oz's Senate campaign, with the GOP candidate at one point bizarrely suggesting that his own spokespeople -- whom he pays to communicate his message to the public -- do not necessarily speak for him.
"I can only speak to what I'm saying," Oz said in a radio interview this week.
The new approach has shaken up the Pennsylvania contest, something Republicans argue had to happen after Oz's struggles. But it has also exposed the Republican to questions about personal decency, allowing Fetterman to question what kind of doctor would ridicule a stroke survivor.
The crescendo of the fight came when Fetterman this week declined to attend an early September debate, citing the effects of his stroke and the way the Oz campaign has poked at his recovery. The lack of debates -- Fetterman has yet to agree to a single contest -- has raised questions about whether he will ever agree to an in-person face-off against Oz, forcing the Democrat to defend the decision.
"When they want to get into a serious conversation and really talk about having a debate, I'd be happy to engage in that," Fetterman told MSNBC on Wednesday in his first nationally televised interview since the stroke. "But right now, the fact that they have chosen to have a deeply unserious campaign to just ridicule somebody that is just recovering from a stroke."
Oz's stepped-up messaging, though, has also changed the subject in a race that just weeks ago was dominated by questions over his wealth, the fact that he until recently lived in New Jersey, and concerns that poor fundraising and months spent on the back foot had done irreparable damage to his chances in November.
"It's aggressive and I get that people are going to criticize the execution sometimes," said a Republican working on Senate campaigns. "But it is changing the complexion of the race, which undoubtedly needed to happen."
All of this has come together to create a chaotic and uncertain week in one of the nation's highest-profile Senate campaigns at a time when the Commonwealth has been the epicenter of political attention. President Joe Biden visited Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday, delivered a primetime address from Philadelphia on Thursday and plans to campaign in Pittsburgh on Labor Day. Former President Donald Trump will also be in Wilkes-Barre this weekend with plans to rally Republicans.
Oz distances himself from his aides
Republicans' strategy for closing the gap with Fetterman has been two-fold.
While Oz's aides are stoking a debate about debates by focusing on Fetterman's stroke recovery, they are also accusing the lieutenant governor of being soft on crime, with both the Oz campaign and outside groups airing ads attacking Fetterman's focus on criminal justice reform and lowering the state's prison population.
"As chairman of the Board of Pardons, Fetterman says he's trying to get as many criminals out of prison as he can," said an ad from the Senate Leadership Fund, a GOP super PAC. Fetterman has previously said he supports reducing the state's prison population by a third.
It is rhetoric coming from Oz's campaign, however, that has stoked drama within the operation and even among some Republicans.
Oz's campaign aides have taunted Fetterman over his ongoing recovery, most notably when senior communications adviser Rachel Tripp said in a statement, "If John Fetterman had ever eaten a vegetable in his life, then maybe he wouldn't have had a major stroke and wouldn't be in the position of having to lie about it constantly."
The Fetterman campaign lambasted such comments, calling them out of line and offensive. But the most notable criticism came from Oz, who, in a radio interview this week, suggested he shouldn't be held accountable for statements from his staff.
"The campaign's been saying lots of things, both of them, my position is -- and I can only speak to what I'm saying -- is that John Fetterman should be allowed to recover fully, and I will support his ability, as someone who's going through a difficult time, to get ready," Oz said.
Taking a markedly different tone from his campaign, Oz added: "As a physician, I have tremendous empathy for what John Fetterman's going through. But the arguments that we've been making is more around him getting out and answering questions about his radical positions."
In response, Fetterman senior adviser Rebecca Katz released a statement calling on Oz to either "stand by" his campaign's attacks or "denounce them."
"Instead of trying to weasel out of these cynical, heartless, and out of touch statements, let's hear you defend them -- or disavow them straight up," Katz said.
But if Oz is seeking a softer tone, the message hasn't been delivered to his aides.
Following Fetterman's Wednesday night interview, Tripp tweeted, "Chaotic auditory environments like the U.S. Senate floor?"
Other campaign statements, including one from Oz communications director Brittany Yanick, asked whether Fetterman was "too sick to debate" or whether he "cannot stand in front of cameras for more than 10 minutes." And in a somewhat sarcastic bid to get Fetterman to debate, the Oz campaign told reporters they would be willing to "pay for any additional medical personnel he might need to have on standby."
The focus on Fetterman's health has put Oz in an awkward position -- one evidenced by his radio interview distancing. Before running for Senate or hosting a nationally syndicated television show, Oz was regarded as a talented and driven cardiothoracic surgeon who regularly treated people with strokes. By overseeing a campaign that is mocking a survivor, Oz is threatening to tarnish his own brand with voters he needs to win, Democrats believe.
"Oz is falling into a trap by allowing his campaign to mock Fetterman. ... Oz being a doctor, allowing his campaign to basically try and laugh about a person's medical problems, is really going to boomerang on them," said Mike Mikus, a Democratic consultant in Pittsburgh who led Katie McGinty through the state's Democratic Senate primary in 2016 before she lost to Republican Sen. Pat Toomey in the general election. "He's not running as Mr. Oz. He is running as Dr. Oz."
Mikus suggested that the biggest damage to Oz's campaign could be felt in the suburbs, where voters -- many of whom are aware of Oz's television show -- could be moved by his persona and are looking for someone who is authentic and trustworthy.
"I understand why he is trying to distance himself from his staff, but he would be better served firing his staff," Mikus added.
Republicans are less certain of the damage -- even if they acknowledge some of the attacks on Fetterman make people uncomfortable.
"Up until the last week of this race, the entire conversation around the race has been about Dr. Oz living in New Jersey, how he is a rich out-of-state guy, how he owns ten houses," said the Republican operative. "And today we are talking about whether John Fetterman is capable of performing the duties of this job."
'He is on it'
Fetterman's strategy has been to turn the Oz campaign's mockery against the former television doctor -- something the Democrat attempted to do when he took the stage at an event in Mercer County on Sunday.
"How many of you, maybe yourself, have had a big health challenge in your own life," Fetterman said in what has now been turned into a campaign video. "Can you even imagine if you had a doctor that was mocking your illness? Or ridiculing that? Well here we are right now."
He added: "I'd like to think that Dr. Oz may have really lost his way if you're going to make fun of somebody who had a stroke. But I don't think he really had his way, since this is guy who made a career selling 'miracle diet pills.'"
Democrats, including Fetterman's campaign, believe Oz is overstepping and overestimating how much voters care about a debate over debates.
"Oz has misdiagnosed this moment: His comments are offensive to general election voters, he's clumsily tripping over himself by attempting to disavow his own spokesperson -- and in the meantime, today Pennsylvanians are reading on the front page of the Inquirer that he thinks abortion is a crime," said David Bergstein, spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
Outlets, including CNN, reported this week that Oz said during the GOP primary that abortion is "still murder" early in a pregnancy since "life starts at conception," a statement that would have sweeping policy implications on an issue that has invigorated Democrats this cycle.
Katz, Fetterman's strategist, said the Oz campaign is "deliberately conflating two separate things -- John's health and this last lingering effect of the stroke."
"John Fetterman is healthy. He is sharp. He is funny. He is on it," she said. "Separately, there is still this issue with auditory processing. These are two different things."
Oz's campaign, however, also accused Fetterman of lying about his health. "What we are criticizing is him lying," said Barney Keller, an Oz spokesperson. The Fetterman campaign has denied that, pointing to interviews he has done in which he has described the lingering issues caused by his stroke.
But Fetterman's campaign was mum about details of the stroke while he was in the hospital, and while one of his personal doctors released a letter describing his condition and the candidate has been talking about his recovery for weeks, none of the doctors who performed the surgery on him have provided details about the procedure or their prognosis.
Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a CNN medical analyst and interventional cardiologist who has treated several high-profile politicians, said that lack of information at first has allowed the Oz campaign and others to question Fetterman's condition.
"The big issue is this: It is one thing to have an issue with articulating clearly and crisply, it's another thing entirely to have cognitive issues," he said. "I think many people would have no problem electing a leader who thinks crisply but occasionally stumbles on a word. We have that person as president. The concern that people can have is: does he have any residual cognitive deficit."
Reiner said, based on his knowledge of strokes and watching Fetterman recently, that he thinks the candidate most likely has "residual speech, not cognitive" issues. But "the paucity of information that came out of the campaign in the months following his near fatal event is striking."
As for a doctor's campaign mocking a stroke survivor, Reiner was unequivocal: "As a surgeon, whose complications include stroke, to be dismissive of the effects of a stroke is disgraceful. Would he be that dismissive of a person who has a stroke following a bypass operation? To mock him, that's contemptible."
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™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/oz-campaign-goes-after-fettermans-health-as-it-struggles-to-catch-up-in-pennsylvania/article_fb5a1dba-0dc3-5b2b-a854-97f119eb0196.html | 2022-09-02T15:58:16Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/oz-campaign-goes-after-fettermans-health-as-it-struggles-to-catch-up-in-pennsylvania/article_fb5a1dba-0dc3-5b2b-a854-97f119eb0196.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Reports of sexual assault in the US military jumped 13% from the previous fiscal year, driven by a sharp increase in reports from the US Army at a time when the service is already struggling to meet recruiting goals.
In the Army, reports of sexual assault increased 25.6% from fiscal year 2020 to fiscal year 2021, according to data from the latest report on sexual assault in the military released on Thursday.
The Navy saw an increase of 9.2% in reports of sexual assault, while the Air Force and the Marines each saw an increase of approximately 2%.
In total, the military received 8,866 reports of sexual assault in fiscal year 2021, the data showed. The previous year, the military received 7,916 such reports.
The fiscal year covered in the report was from October 1, 2020 to September 30, 2021, and the rates of increase are comparing fiscal year 2020 statistics to fiscal year 2021 statistics.
Dealing with issue a top priority
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has made combating sexual assault one of the top priorities since his earliest days at the Pentagon, calling it a "scourge" within the military. Austin sent a Department of Defense-wide memo Thursday with a renewed call to action to "redouble efforts to address sexual assault in the military," Department of Defense Office of Force Resiliency Executive Director Elizabeth Foster said during a briefing at the Pentagon Thursday.
During the briefing on the report Department of Defense officials said the US military has to move from drawing awareness to the issues of assaults within the military and among the services to doing a better job preventing them.
The total number includes reports of sexual assault by service members during their military service, reports by service members before their military service, and reports made by civilians or foreign nationals against service members.
At the same time, a confidential survey conducted by the military estimated that about 35,900 active-duty service members said they had experienced some form of unwanted sexual contact in 2021. Of those 35,900, 19,300 women and 16,600 men said they experienced unwanted sexual contact.
However, this survey, conducted by the military every two years and used to estimate the wider prevalence of sexual harassment and sexual assault, also includes such instances that occurred before a service member joined the military or committed by someone outside the military.
These results show a "significant increase in sexual assault prevalence" in the military, Foster said.
"The results are a tragic reminder of the challenges we face and the absolute need for continued leadership engagement, historic reforms that remain underway, and a focus on the latest in prevention so we can achieve the foundational change we need," Foster said.
The prevalence rate, where military service members noted if they had experienced unwanted sexual contact, indicate the "highest sexual assault prevalence rate since the department started measuring sexual assault prevalence in 2006" for women and the "second highest prevalence rate for men," Foster said.
The 2021 survey results "cannot be scientifically compared to prior years' results," because of a "government-directed change in sexual assault metric," the Department of Defense said in supporting documents about the report. Because the questions in the survey were changed, an "apples to apples" comparison cannot be made, Dr. Ashlea Klahr, director of the Department of Defense Health and Resilience Research, Office of People Analytics, said during the briefing Thursday.
When reporting unwanted sexual contact, women "overwhelmingly identified their alleged offenders as male," with 91 percent of women reporting the unwanted contact had come from men. Less than half of men identified their alleged offenders as male, at 46 percent, and one-third of men reporting unwanted sexual contact identified their offenders as female, the report said.
The majority of unwanted sexual contact incidents "involved someone from work and often a friend or acquaintance," the report said. About 9 percent of women and 10 percent of men who reported this kind of contact indicated "at least one alleged offender was an intimate partner," the report said.
The report on the increase in sexual assaults is a blow to the Army, which is already struggling to meet its recruiting goals. In a July memo, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth and Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville acknowledged the service may have as few as 445,000 soldiers by the end of next year, significantly lower than the goal of greater than 460,000.
Pentagon implementing recommendations to reduce assaults
After Austin directed an Independent Review Commission to provide the department with recommendations on how to tackle the problem, the Pentagon laid out a plan to adopt all of the commission's 80 recommendations in September 2021.
Defense Department officials said the report's findings are a reminder that the changes the commission has recommended and changes that were made in this year's National Defense Authorization Act are imperative to see real change within the military on this issue.
"We have heard loud and clear from our victims that the conditions in the force are unacceptable right now," a Defense Department official said Thursday. "That is why we are making unprecedented resource investments to get after this problem."
In this year's National Defense Authorization Act, Congress officially removed the handling of sexual assault cases from the military chain of command, a move long sought by critics of the military's approach to such investigations. Military commanders now have to forward complaints of sexual harassment to independent investigators.
Defense Department Office of Force Resiliency Senior Prevention Advisor Dr. Andra Tharp said the department is moving from an awareness-based prevention approach to a more action-based prevention method by establishing new policies and procedures through both the commission recommendations and the changes made in the NDAA.
"When we talk about prevention what we're referring to is stopping a violent act before it occurs, either by increasing those conditions or factors that protect against that violence from occurring or decreasing those conditions or factors that increase the risk for the violence occurring," Tharp said. "This is different from an awareness-based prevention that has been part of the department's advocacy work for the past two decades."
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Some Republicans are working on a legal strategy to overturn President Joe Biden's student loan forgiveness plan, which could potentially stop millions of Americans from receiving up to $20,000 in debt cancellation.
"I've been working with some colleagues trying to develop the best legal theory of moving to sue the Biden administration over the student loan forgiveness policy," Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, a Republican, told CNN Thursday.
"I think any real lawyer knows that there is not a legal basis for doing what they're doing," he added, calling the policy "fundamentally unfair."
Biden announced last week that the Education Department would cancel up to $10,000 of federal student loan debt for individuals who make less than $125,000 a year and married couples or heads of households who make less than $250,000 annually. Those borrowers who also received a Pell grant while enrolled in college are eligible to receive up to $20,000 in forgiveness.
The Biden administration has said that Congress previously granted the executive branch the authority to broadly cancel student loan debt in the event of a national emergency like the Covid-19 pandemic.
But canceling federal student loan debt so broadly is unprecedented and has yet to be tested in court. Biden initially urged Congress to take action to cancel some student debt, rather than wade into a murky legal area himself, but Democrats don't have the votes to pass legislation doing so.
A conservative advocacy group called The Job Creators Network -- founded by Bernie Marcus, a major donor to former President Donald Trump and former Home Depot CEO -- is also considering filing a lawsuit.
"Job Creators Network Foundation is still evaluating its legal options as we await the Biden administration's official action to forgive student debt," said the group's CEO, Alfredo Ortiz, in a statement sent to CNN. The foundation is the organization's education arm.
"We plan to stand up for ordinary Americans and small business owners and block this illegal executive overreach from taking effect," he added.
What the Biden administration argues
In a Department of Education memo released last week, the Biden administration argued that the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act passed in 2003, known as the Heroes Act, grants the education secretary the power to cancel student debt to help address the financial harm suffered due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Heroes Act, which was passed in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks, "provides the Secretary broad authority to grant relief from student loan requirements during specific periods," including a war, other military operation or national emergency, according to the memo.
The Justice Department also released a 25-page memo that stated that the education secretary "may reasonably conclude that class-wide debt relief in these circumstances is appropriate."
Still, those legal arguments may not stop critics from pursuing a lawsuit.
Rep. Byron Donalds, a Republican from Florida, is calling on GOP leadership to explore a legal challenge over Biden's plan, according to Harrison Fields, a senior adviser to the congressman. Spokespeople for House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell did not respond to CNN's request for comment.
"Let's be clear about what they would be trying to do here: The same folks who voted for a $2 trillion tax giveaway for the rich and had hundreds of thousands of dollars of their own small business loan debt forgiven would be trying to keep millions of working middle-class Americans in mountains of debt," said White House spokesperson Abdullah Hasan in an email sent to CNN.
Uncertainty for borrowers
While Biden announced the forgiveness plan last week, legal experts are also expecting the administration to publish an official version of the notice in what's called the Federal Register. That notice could provide further legal justification for the President's debt cancellation plan.
"I don't think a lawsuit that claws back student debt forgiveness is something borrowers need to be overly worried about," said Abby Shafroth, staff attorney at the nonprofit National Consumer Law Center.
She believes a legal challenge would be unsuccessful for two reasons: The merits of the legal statutory authority are strong, and it's unclear who would have standing to bring a case and want to do so.
"It's a narrow bucket. It doesn't seem clear any person or entity has standing," Shafroth said.
Standing to bring a case is a procedural threshold requiring that an injury had been inflicted on a plaintiff justifying the lawsuit. Typically anyone who would lose money as a direct result of the cancellation could have standing. It's unlikely to be a borrower who didn't qualify for forgiveness, but could potentially be a student loan servicer or collection agency, legal experts have previously told CNN.
"It's no secret that's the big question," said Brnovich when asked who could have standing to sue.
If the standing hurdle is cleared, the case would be heard by a district court first -- which may or may not issue a preliminary injunction to prevent the cancellation from occurring before a final ruling is issued on the merits of the hypothetical case.
Several recent Supreme Court decisions have touched on executive power, limiting the federal government's authority to implement new rules. While the Supreme Court takes up a small number of cases each year, lower courts may look at what the justices have said in those cases when assessing the Department of Education's authority.
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™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/republicans-consider-suing-biden-over-student-loan-forgiveness/article_788f5c00-cfcc-5a6e-b03c-974fd60f43e6.html | 2022-09-02T15:58:52Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/republicans-consider-suing-biden-over-student-loan-forgiveness/article_788f5c00-cfcc-5a6e-b03c-974fd60f43e6.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Rick Scott pushed back on Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for acknowledging last month that "candidate quality" could hurt the party's ability to take back the chamber.
On Thursday, Politico published an interview with Scott saying that he and McConnell have a "strategic disagreement" over the party's candidates, and the Washington Examiner released an op-ed by Scott taking issue with the view that they could cost the GOP the Senate.
"If you want to talk about the need to raise more money to promote our candidates versus the Democrats' terrible candidates, I agree," wrote the Florida Republican senator. "If you want to trash-talk our candidates to help the Democrats, pipe down. That's not what leaders do. And Republicans need to be leaders that build up the team and do everything they can to get the entire team over the finish line."
"Ultimately, though, when you complain and lament that we have 'bad candidates,' what you are really saying is that you have contempt for the voters who chose them. Now we are at the heart of the matter," added Scott. "Much of Washington's chattering class disrespects and secretly (or not so secretly) loathes Republican voters."
A McConnell spokesperson declined a request for comment.
Scott's op-ed did not explicitly mention McConnell's name, but its targets — the Senate minority leader and Republican strategists anonymously quoted dismissing the party's own candidates — were clear. Last month, McConnell said that "there's probably a greater likelihood the House flips than the Senate," noting that "candidate quality has a lot to do with the outcome" of Senate races.
Afterwards, McConnell has praised Republican candidates, including saying Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania "has a great shot at winning." But the Senate Leadership Fund, a McConnell-aligned Super PAC, announced it would spend $28 million in Ohio, a state former President Donald Trump won in 2020 by eight points, as Senate Republican nominee J.D. Vance struggles against Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan. Republicans are also concerned about their Senate candidates in Georgia, Arizona and elsewhere.
"Sen. McConnell and I clearly have a strategic disagreement here. ... We have great candidates," Scott told Politico. "He wants to do the same thing I want to do: I want to get a majority. And I think it's important that we're all cheerleaders for our candidates."
Scott and McConnell, the longest-serving Senate Republican leader, have fought this election cycle over the party's strategy to take back the Senate, including Scott's decision to release a plan to "rescue America" that at least briefly shifted the attention from Republicans' perceived failures of the Biden administration. The White House sharply criticized Scott's provisions to have every American pay at least some income tax and to sunset all federal laws in five years.
"Let me tell you what would not be a part of our agenda," said McConnell at a news conference after Scott unveiled his plan. "We will not have as part of our agenda a bill that raises taxes on half the American people, and sunsets Social Security and Medicare within five years."
In June, Scott dropped the controversial provisions in a revised proposal.
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™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/rick-scott-rebuffs-mcconnell-in-defense-of-senate-candidates/article_da8fe5d6-6031-5218-8ca2-44c2137edde8.html | 2022-09-02T15:58:59Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/rick-scott-rebuffs-mcconnell-in-defense-of-senate-candidates/article_da8fe5d6-6031-5218-8ca2-44c2137edde8.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NEW YORK, Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- InvestorsObserver issues critical PriceWatch Alerts for XOM, MSFT, NVDA, CPB, and GME.
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Math and reading scores for 9-year-olds in the US fell between 2020 and 2022 by a level not seen in decades, a foreboding sign of the state of American education two years after the Covid-19 pandemic began.
The results were part of the National Assessment of Educational Progress long-term trend reading and math exams, often called the "Nation's Report Card," conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics. The exams were administered to age-9 students in early 2020 before the pandemic and then again in early 2022, the group said.
The average scores in 2022 declined 5 points in reading and 7 points in math compared to 2020 -- the largest decline in reading since 1990 and the first ever decline in math, the organization said.
US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona told CNN on Thursday the drop in scores was connected to the lack of in-person classroom education during the Covid-19 pandemic and said the US is in an education crisis.
"That is very alarming. It's disturbing. But it's not surprising, keeping in mind a year and a half ago over half of our schools were not open for full-time learning," he said. All schools are now open for in-class learning, he said.
"In-person learning is where we need to focus. We need to double-down our efforts. I'm very concerned about those scores and I know that we have the resources now and we need to maintain the same level of urgency we had two years ago to get our students back in to making sure that our students get support."
This is the first national report to compare student achievement from before the pandemic to now, Peggy Carr, commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, said in a statement.
"These are some of the largest declines we have observed in a single assessment cycle in 50 years of the NAEP program," said acting NCES Associate Commissioner Daniel McGrath. "Students in 2022 are performing at a level last seen two decades ago."
Students already behind struggled more, with their math scores falling by up to 12 points and reading score declining up to 10 points.
"Covid-19 disruptions may have exacerbated many of the challenges we were already facing. We know that students who struggle the most have fallen further behind their peers," Carr said in a statement.
It's not just the Covid pandemic that caused learning disruptions, Carr said.
"School shootings, violence, and classroom disruptions are up, as are teacher and staff vacancies, absenteeism, cyberbullying, and students' use of mental health services. This information provides some important context for the results we're seeing from the long-term trend assessment," she said.
Math scores for Black and Hispanic children were lower than those of White children, the survey found, with White students declining 5 points, Black students declining by 13 points and Hispanic students declining 8 points.
Math scores also fell across the country, "eight points in the Northeast, nine points in the Midwest, seven points in the South, and five points in the West," according to a news release about the survey.
Reading "scores fell seven points in the Northeast, seven points in the Midwest, and six points in the South" but there was no measurable difference in reading schools in the West.
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™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/student-test-scores-plummeted-in-math-and-reading-after-the-pandemic-new-assessment-finds/article_6e3d3f03-cd74-5935-a1d1-c78c780dd06f.html | 2022-09-02T15:59:06Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/student-test-scores-plummeted-in-math-and-reading-after-the-pandemic-new-assessment-finds/article_6e3d3f03-cd74-5935-a1d1-c78c780dd06f.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Pennsylvania GOP gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano is suing the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, insurrection in an effort to block the panel from compelling him to sit for a sworn deposition, according to a complaint filed in US District Court Thursday and additional documents obtained by CNN.
In the complaint, Mastriano argues that the committee does not have the authority to compel his deposition, or that of any other witness that does not wish to be deposed.
"Because the Select Committee has absolutely no authority to conduct compelled depositions, Plaintiff was willing to sit for a voluntary interview," the complaint states. "However, because Plaintiff is currently the Republican nominee for Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, he asked the Committee to agree to certain prophylactic measures that would ensure that his participation would not run the risk of improperly influencing the Pennsylvania state election."
"Unfortunately, the Committee refused to negotiate any terms of a voluntary interview that would prevent them from improperly influencing the election, thus necessitating this litigation," the complaint adds.
Mastriano's virtual appearance earlier this month before the January 6 committee only lasted about 15 minutes and "he didn't answer a single question," a source familiar with the matter previously told CNN.
His attorney cut off the virtual appearance soon after it began, the source said. Mastriano's lawyer, Tim Parlatore, took issue with several procedural matters related to the deposition, and raised questions about the legality of the subpoena that Mastriano received from the panel, the source added at the time.
"We were there for 15 minutes. It was clear that the committee was unable to comply with the regulations regarding use of deposition authority and moreover has no interest in complying with the regulations," Parlatore said. "We're happy to provide the information if they can either do it fairly and legally or if we can reach a resolution on how to do a voluntary interview which minimizes the risk of election interference."
Mastriano was a central player supporting former President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Mastriano was also among the mob of Trump supporters on Capitol grounds on January 6, 2021, during the insurrection, though he didn't go into the Capitol itself and hasn't been charged with any crimes.
CNN previously reported that Mastriano's appearance was expected to be brief and unproductive because Mastriano's camp and the committee were at an impasse over issues like whether he could independently videotape or record his appearance.
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™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/trump-backed-pennsylvania-gubernatorial-candidate-suing-jan-6-committee-over-deposition-demands/article_0275c505-c9d1-5699-b9d7-7bbb2b5cfa86.html | 2022-09-02T15:59:37Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/trump-backed-pennsylvania-gubernatorial-candidate-suing-jan-6-committee-over-deposition-demands/article_0275c505-c9d1-5699-b9d7-7bbb2b5cfa86.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Former President Donald Trump said Thursday he will "very, very seriously" consider full pardons for the rioters who breached the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, if he runs for reelection and wins.
"I will tell you, I will look very, very favorably about full pardons. If I decide to run and if I win, I will be looking very, very strongly about pardons. Full pardons," Trump said on Wendy Bell Radio Thursday, adding: "We'll be looking very, very seriously at full pardons because we can't let that happen. ... And I mean full pardons with an apology to many."
Trump had made a similar promise during his final days in office when some of the January 6 rioters were already in jail. None, however, were pardoned before he left office.
Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a member of the House select committee investigating January 6, told CNN's Victor Blackwell on "CNN Tonight" Thursday night that she found Trump's pardon remarks "shocking," especially after a January 6 rioter was sentenced earlier in the day to 10 years for assaulting a police officer.
"That the former President would be talking about pardoning people who engaged in that behavior really is shocking," the California Democrat said.
Trump's comments come amid intense speculation about a potential reelection bid, and Trump's continued invocation of the Capitol attack could preview a central part of his future political messaging.
Asked Thursday if he was going to run again, Trump responded, "Well the time is coming closer and I think you're going to be really happy," adding, "You know you have the campaign finance laws and it doesn't allow you, it's crazy, it's not smart."
"I will be doing something and I think you're going to be happy," he added.
CNN has reached out to representatives for Trump for comment.
CNN previously reported that, after months of eyeing Labor Day weekend as the target launch date for a 2024 campaign, Trump has spent the past few weeks backing away from that timeline following the FBI search of his Mar-a-Lago estate and an increased panic among Republicans that the party may not be in for the red wave it has long anticipated this November.
While his timeline could shift again between now and November, the onslaught of political and legal concerns has the former President feeling nervous about prematurely diving into the 2024 primary, according to nine former and current Trump aides and allies who requested anonymity to discuss internal matters.
The former President went on to claim Thursday that he's "financially supporting" some Capitol rioters who he referred to as "incredible."
"They were in my office actually two days ago. It's very much on my mind. It's a disgrace what they've done to them, what they've done to these people," Trump continued, not naming who he met with specifically.
Though pardons could only apply to criminal defendants, and nearly all defendants who are charged at this time were at the US Capitol on January 6, critics of Trump have previously raised the possibility he could be trying to buy the silence of close advisers who didn't participate directly in the insurrection.
Lofgren condemned the suggestion that Trump would provide financial support to Capitol rioters, telling Blackwell, "That he would be funding people who tried to, you know, essentially murder the vice president, overturn the election. ... And to say that that is patriotic, to say that those people should get an apology, I'm sorry. That is disgusting."
This story has been updated with additional details Thursday.
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™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/trump-says-he-will-very-very-seriously-consider-january-6-pardons-if-he-runs-and/article_df1a5da8-3cf9-5c9e-af4d-f53d91fa0463.html | 2022-09-02T15:59:46Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/trump-says-he-will-very-very-seriously-consider-january-6-pardons-if-he-runs-and/article_df1a5da8-3cf9-5c9e-af4d-f53d91fa0463.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Viking Mergers and Acquisitions celebrates the successful acquisition of Catawba Industrial Rubber Co. Inc. and Coastal Hose and Rubber Inc. by SBP Holdings.
Catawba and Coastal are value-added distributors of hoses, couplings, conveyor belting, gaskets, and related MRO products in the Charlotte, N.C., and Wilmington, N.C., markets, respectively. They have served a diverse range of industries, including agriculture, construction, government, and transportation for over 50 years.
Business owner Marvin "Skip" Bruce, Jr., who purchased the businesses in 1999, was represented by Viking Mergers & Acquisitions, led by Mike Donahue and Merrell Stout. Skip reflected, "It was important that Pam and I be able to step away from the business now so that we can truly enjoy our retirement years. We are confident that our customers, employees, and vendors are in good hands with the SBP team, and we could not have managed through the process without the professionalism and expertise of Mike and Merrell. Our expectations were far exceeded thanks to them." Regarding the acquisition's success, Partner Mike Donahue commented, "The SBP team was great to work with and understands how to relate well to closely-held business owners; that, combined with the thorough effort by Skip and his wife, Pam, resulted in an outstanding outcome for all parties."
Viking provides exit strategies and M&A services to lower middle-market business owners. In business since 1996, many of Viking's brokers are themselves, former business owners. Viking has an 85% close rate, representing over 800 successful transactions across the Southeast U.S.
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CINCINNATI -- Ohio voters will begin casting their ballots in six weeks -- and J.D. Vance has been difficult to find.
The rookie GOP candidate goes days without any public events, and his campaign gives little information about his whereabouts.
He has been slow to build a fundraising operation, and a ground game, and is being dramatically outspent on air while racking up a nearly $900,000 in campaign debt last quarter. And now, a super PAC with ties to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is planning to spend a staggering $28 million on television ads here to save a Senate seat once viewed as a lock— and deny Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan a chance for a major, midterm upset.
"J.D. is running a campaign where the faithful in the state, the county chairmen, the precinct executives, the executive committee and the Republican Party are saying, 'where's J.D.?'" said Bill Cunningham, a conservative radio talk show host in Cincinnati for the past 40 years. "And they want him to do things. People want to meet him. They want to. This is a new guy, new kid on the block."
Cunningham added: "He's been spoken to by at least one US senator and at least one governor he respects to kick him in the ass."
Privately, the blame game has intensified. One senior GOP strategist pointed the finger at the National Republican Senatorial Committee for not providing Vance with a campaign infrastructure to help with fundraising, communications and strategy in the immediate aftermath of his May primary win. (NRSC spokesman Chris Hartline told CNN, "We've worked very closely with the Vance campaign and will continue to do whatever is needed to help him win big in November.")
Some blame the growing pains of a first-time candidate; two GOP sources say he likes to keep a light schedule, especially on weekends.
This spring, Vance emerged from the pack to win the May primary thanks to former President Donald Trump's April endorsement and GOP mega-donor Peter Thiel's super PAC, which spent about $17 million to boost Vance. They believe McConnell's rescue mission will ensure the seat stays in GOP hands, as the top super PAC aligned with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer now plans to spend its money elsewhere.
"He's like the dog who caught the car," said a senior Ohio Republican, who asked not to be named.
Vance declined to be interviewed and did not return a call to his cellphone. His campaign refused to provide information about his events this week. A CNN reporter showed up at his campaign office in Cincinnati asking for an interview; a Vance aide said he was not there. In a statement, Vance's spokesperson didn't respond to a list of questions, and instead attacked CNN, and contended the candidate has spoken to local news outlets this week.
There are signs he's been stepping up his game. Vance brought on an experienced fundraiser close to Sen. Rob Portman -- the GOP senator whose retirement is opening up the seat -- with a deep donor network and he held at least two high-dollar fundraisers this week, including one at the exclusive Scioto Country Club in Columbus where donors paid up to $10,000 to attend, according to invitatiAntoions obtained by CNN. He plans to walk in Marietta's Labor Day Parade on Saturday.
Alex Triantafilou, the GOP chairman of Hamilton County, said he has pushed back "over the last month or so" on the view that Vance has been MIA, saying the Senate candidate has responded to his text messages, recently met with the local Fraternal Order of Police, and will do a fundraiser and an event with a local Republican women's club.
"I hear some of this, but I think some of it is driven by the TV ad spending that we see from Congressman Ryan," said Triantafilou. "I think that's gotten to people psychologically, but I don't see it. I see J.D. Vance here, I see him active. His team has been really strong."
But Cunningham said that Vance has been absent at some key political events and dinners across the state, including one hosted by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican who is up for reelection and may have coattails long enough to help Vance win.
"I told him, 'get your hands dirty, go to Warren County,'" Cunningham said. "'You got to spend time in Brown County. They got a fishing tournament at Lake Cowan. Get out there and bury a worm. Go out there.' But he's a tech guy."
Vance is a 38-year-old former Marine, venture capitalist and best-selling author of his memoir "Hillbilly Elegy", which won praise for its haunting portrayal of the White working class in Kentucky and Ohio. In the Senate GOP primary, Vance overcame an avalanche of attacks highlighting his 2016 "Never Trump" position to earn the party's most powerful endorsement.
The Senate GOP candidate should be in a strong position to win against Ryan. Then-Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden lost to Trump in 2020 in Ohio by eight points—and President Biden's approval rating has been stuck around 40 percent all year, after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and inflation rose to record highs.
"At the end of the day, Ohio is going to have to decide whether they want to give Joe Biden another vote in the United States Senate and I say that's not going to happen," said Triantafilou.
But there has been a dramatic disparity over fundraising and campaign spending between the two party nominees. By the end of June, Ryan raised $21.7 million, compared to Vance's $3.5 million, and held more than a five-to-one cash advantage, despite spending over $18 million on the race. Two voters in downtown Cincinnati, David Nickol and Nicole Schofield, told CNN that they've seen a lot of Ryan commercials, but only one for Vance, featuring the candidate's wife describing Vance's early upbringing with an absent father and a mother who struggled with addiction.
Ryan has used his fundraising advantage to promote his message that he's focused on an economic agenda, burnishing a self-image as a blue-collar warrior. His television ads emphasize bipartisanship and that he aligned himself with Trump on trade -- not the fact that he is a Democrat and often votes with Biden.
And the candidate himself has downplayed his connection to Biden, even as the President travels to Ohio next week for the groundbreaking of an Intel microchip processing plant, following the passage of a $52 billion bill to build semiconductors in America.
Asked why he doesn't emphasize his Democratic affiliation, Ryan told CNN: "The Democratic brand as we know ... is not good in a lot of these places. And I tell people, 'Look, I'm an American, you're an American.'"
In an interview near the border of Indiana, Ryan said he supported Trump's renegotiation of NAFTA, backed his defense budget and Space Force, and tariffs on China. The congressman said he opposed Biden on forgiving up to $20,000 in student debt for certain borrowers, arguing it "sends the wrong message" to those who didn't earn a degree.
He noted he ran in 2016 to knock off California Rep. Nancy Pelosi from her leadership post, but he later voted for her ascension to the speakership -- an issue bound to come up in attack ads. Asked if he regretted voting for Pelosi, Ryan said, "Well, I mean, look, there aren't many options."
"What I want people to know is in this environment, do you have the guts to take on your own party? And from my vantage point, for me it's a resounding yes," added Ryan.
Asked if he considered himself a progressive Democrat, Ryan instead said: "To me, it's about -- what are you focusing on?," pointing to issues like health care and retirement security.
Ryan said his economic agenda and Vance's cultural agenda are why McConnell's super PAC is coming to save Vance. Ryan lambasted Vance for his anti-abortion position—the GOP candidate once compared abortion to slavery and has argued against exceptions for rape and incest—and suggested that those in unhappy or "even violent" marriages should stay in it for the sake of their children.
"He's all in on the culture wars," Ryan said. "And that's just not Ohio."
In response to Vice News, which first reported on his comments regarding marriage, domestic abuse and divorce, Vance said "modern society's war on families has made our domestic violence situation much worse" and that he was "an actual victim of domestic violence." On abortion, Vance told NBC in July he supported the Supreme Court's June decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and Ohio's law to ban abortions after about six weeks of gestation.
Some Republicans have acknowledged that Ryan is a solid candidate but believe that the congressman won't be able to overcome Vance's strengths and the conservative nature of the state.
"Tim Ryan is running a good campaign," said GOP strategist Kristin Davison, who consulted for Vance's top GOP Senate opponent, former Ohio treasurer Josh Mandel, in the primary. "But voters aren't going to believe this remake he's having; A moderate makeover is not going to work because deep down he is a liberal. I think that J.D.'s team on the ground has got him in a great place to succeed—and to deliver the state."
"Anybody who thought that J.D. Vance, a first-time candidate, would have a cakewalk, that's not accurate," said Triantafilou.
Still, some conservatives think it'd be easier if one of Vance's opponents had won the primary.
"If we had a Jane Timken, or a Matt Dolan, or a [Mike] Gibbons, it'd be in the bag," said Cunningham.
Cunningham added, "I can guarantee you Mike DeWine is gonna win the governorship. I can guarantee you that J.D. Vance, if he loses, it's his own damn fault."
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/wheres-j-d-vances-ohio-senate-campaign-prompts-gop-concerns/article_5db4feee-5594-59fb-9ccc-3e599dac77cd.html | 2022-09-02T15:59:52Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/wheres-j-d-vances-ohio-senate-campaign-prompts-gop-concerns/article_5db4feee-5594-59fb-9ccc-3e599dac77cd.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NOWSHERA, Pakistan – Mubina's hut was washed away by Pakistan's extraordinary floods over the weekend.
It was so fast – Mubina collected her five kids, their ID cards – and scrammed. Her husband, who she says is drug addict, saved only himself. "He ran off," she says. "He didn't even turn his neck around to see what happened to us."
Now Mubina, who has only one name, is staying at the Nowshera Technical College, sharing a tent with her neighbors, two other women who also came with their children.
She's one of the many millions of Pakistanis reeling from the record floods.
A roadside view of the toll
On the highway from the Pakistani capital to the northern city of Nowshera, you can see the damage caused by weeks of unprecedented rains: Dozens of displaced and destitute people have flung up tents on the roadside. Some even put up lean-tos to shelter the cattle they managed to steer out of flood waters.
And in Nowshera, just one of the cities affected by floods after the nearby Kabul River burst its banks last Saturday, authorities scrambled to convert 25 institutes – technical colleges and universities — and student hostels into shelters for families rendered homeless.
The scene in one of those institutes, the Government College of Technology, Nowshera, spotlights the challenges facing Pakistan as over 5 million people scramble for food, water and emergency aid, including half a million who need shelter, according to U.N. figures. They are the human face of a seasonal monsoon rain cycle that began in mid-June and dumped three times the expected amount of water onto Pakistan. Some areas received up to six times the expected amount.
Making matters worse, the monsoon's once-predictable trajectory has also changed, experts said — likely because of human-induced global warming. (Warmer air holds more moisture.) The monsoon steered into unexpected places, like hilly areas, causing flash floods from mountainsides. The combined toll of those flooding left about a third of Pakistan under water, has washed away nearly 300,000 homes, dozens of bridges and more than 3,000 miles of roads.
"What we are facing today has been no above average monsoon. It is an entirely new level of climate-led catastrophe," said Pakistan's foreign minister, Bilalwal Bhutto Zardari at the launch of a joint appeal with the United Nations to raise $160 million for emergency aid.
Trying to find a temporary haven
In the Nowshera Technical College, which opened for displaced people last Sunday, around 500 families registered within the first three days, said Zar Aly Khan, the government official in charge.
Tents were set up amid the buildings – and trash-strewn lawns — on the sprawling college complex.
Many of the flood victims turned up because the assistant district commissioner of this district, Qurat Al-Ain Wazir, marshalled an effort to alert people to evacuate days ahead of the river bursting its banks. Wazir herself even went door-to-door in some parts, telling people to leave, earning her widespread praise online.
"We informed people through mosque loudspeakers, through social media, through WhatsApp. We evacuated and rescued a lot of people."
Saved, but their homes destroyed.
This week, about three dozen desperate people smushed around the door to a room in the technical college that Khan had commandeered into a HQ, once a college administration room. They pressed in so tightly that the headscarves of women were ripped off – in a part of Pakistan so conservative that most veil their faces, not just their hair.
Khan and volunteers helping him register families were ensconced inside the office, using a chair to jam the door shut. Its large window was smashed by an earlier wave of desperate people trying to register.
"We have to deal with such kinds of people!" exclaimed one adult volunteer, who said he'd been working for three days without rest.
A man furiously jotted down the details of new families, copying details from ID cards into a large registration book. He could not work fast enough. A relentless tide of people streamed through the front gate, including one family who clip-clopped in on a cart hitched to a donkey.
Khan says registered people have access to clean water, bathrooms and two meals a day at his shelter. But on the ground, it's a fight to get the essentials to survive.
Fighting to make sure women and girls get food
Crowds swarmed around an open-backed jeep where a man handed out plastic bags filled with cooked rice. People banged on the side of the vehicle to try getting the attention of the man handing out food. Some jogged to keep up. Elderly people fell behind. One woman managed to get a bag of rice, but a man grabbed it from her hand. It tore open and much of the rice scattered on the grass.
One woman, Zubaida Begum, scolded the jeep driver for causing chaos — and for leaving women behind, declaring: "I want to ensure that women and girls are getting food." Begum sees this as her mission: She runs a small women's aid group and visits displaced camps to check on how vulnerable women and children are faring. "It's hard for women here, for widows, for orphans," she says.
In this conservative area it's frowned upon for women to be in public, let alone press for their needs. Many can't even read or write.
Locked toilets, a lack of period pads
Mubina is one of the new tent dwellers. She guesses she's around 35 and works as a cleaner. She says that one of her five children, a son who's 10, works in a furniture carpentry workshop.
The tent where she now lives with two other women and their children on the college campus is just a tarp hoisted up by a pole. And there's even a shortage of these temporary havens across Pakistan because the floods have been so devastating. Her life right now is a grab bag of uncertainties. She doesn't know when she and her kids will eat next. She doesn't know when they can use the toilet.
The women in Mubina's tent say there's only one toilet for females and it's sometimes locked for reasons that aren't clear to them. Open urination is common for men but the area is too conservative for women to do that. So the mothers and their daughters are always holding it in. Her friend Laila, a 31-year-old mother of three, leans in and says, "We don't have period pads either."
Leila, who only has one name, says the last time she and her family were displaced by floods in 2010 – which drenched about a quarter of Pakistan's landmass – aid groups gave them packs with underwear and period pads.
Usually these women use clean washed rags to absorb their period blood. They can't afford pads and find them culturally weird to use, but Leila said they were handy in crisis situations like this. "Right now, we are using our dupattas," she said, referring to the long scarves that women here use to cover their face and hair.
The women aren't sure when they will be able to leave the camp. They were given cash to rebuild their huts after the devastating floods of 2010 and said they were hoping for money this time too. "Without money, we can't rebuild. We aren't people with means," said Leila, who said her husband, like Mubina's, is a drug addict.
Flooded-out mothers reflect on climate change
It's unclear when rebuilding will occur. The U.N. and Pakistani appeal is earmarked for emergency aid to cover immediate needs such as shelter, food, sanitation and education for kids. It is just a fraction of the $10 billion that the planning minister Ahsan Iqbal told Reuters that the country would need to rebuild flood-damaged areas.
But as climate change makes these drenching rains – and floods – more intense, it's not clear if Pakistan's layers of government have plans to rebuild in a way that adapts to a changing, more extreme climate.
The women in the camp, who were all neighbors in riverside huts, said they would rebuild by the Kabul River when they can. "We can't afford to build anywhere else," said another woman living in the tent, 35-year-old Nazia Bibi. The river side is cheap, she said, precisely because it's prone to flooding.
Are they worried that there'll be another flood? The women shrug. They had not heard about climate change. They've also done very little to contribute to it.
The women don't have cars, or even motorbikes. The last time they ate meat, they recalled, was when they were given charity on the Muslim celebration of Eid al-Adha in early July.
When I ask if they've ever been on an airplane, Nazia burst out laughing. "I've never been on a plane. I've never even seen an airport!"
She says she can't connect a line between driving a car, eating meat or flying a plane and the changes in climate that contributed to the flood that washed her home away. "Our destiny is written," she says. "God has rewarded some people in this life with so many blessings, but maybe in the afterlife, God will reward us too."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.klcc.org/npr-health-fitness/2022-09-02/mothers-tell-how-pakistans-monsoon-floods-have-upended-their-lives | 2022-09-02T15:59:57Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-health-fitness/2022-09-02/mothers-tell-how-pakistans-monsoon-floods-have-upended-their-lives | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
For the first time in 25 years, August did not have a named storm - now September is starting off with a possible hurricane
It isn't your imagination. The tropics in the Atlantic have been very quiet this year despite a forecast from NOAA and other experts forecasting an above-average season.
For the first time in 25 years, the month of August did not have a named storm. But as the calendar turned to September, things appear to have changed rather quickly in the tropical Atlantic.
At 11 a.m. Thursday, the National Hurricane Center announced that Tropical Depression Five had strengthened into Tropical Storm Danielle.
The storm, currently in the North Atlantic, is expected to strengthen into a hurricane by Saturday. Danielle is not a threat to any land at this time and is expected to remain nearly stationary through the weekend.
"Since 1950, two Augusts have had no Atlantic named storm formations: 1961 and 1997," tweeted Phil Klotzbach, a research scientist at Colorado State University.
And it's not just August. Klotzbach also tweeted:
"For the first time since 1941, the Atlantic has had no named storm (e.g., tropical storm or #hurricane) activity from July 3rd-August 30th."
But the trend may not continue.
"This remarkably quiet Atlantic tropical cyclone period is likely to end soon," Klotzbach said Wednesday morning.
Hurricane season is about to ramp up but may not reach the level originally forecast
The National Hurricane Center is actively watching two other areas for tropical cyclone formation over the next five days. One in the central Atlantic has a high chance of forming, and one off the west coast of Africa has a low chance of developing.
The computer forecast models show a possible hurricane spinning toward the US by the holiday weekend. But the models then show the storm doing a U-turn and moving back into the Atlantic, possibly coming close to Bermuda.
Conditions look fairly good to have three hurricanes in the next 10 days, Klotzbach told CNN, and added having five more hurricanes after September 10 would not be difficult.
Still, the hurricane seasonal above-average predictions might fall short this year.
"Colorado State University's final seasonal hurricane forecast was issued in early August, but the odds of these forecasts verifying correctly are going down by the day," Klotzbach acknowledged.
"Now, the odds of getting 20 named storms, 10 hurricanes and 5 majors are really low," Klotzbach said. "As I've said before, forecasting the weather and climate keeps you humble!"
Looking back historically, the other two years, with no named storms in August, had quite different outcomes.
"1961 ended up a hyperactive hurricane season with an extremely busy September-November, while 1997 was a below-average season," Klotzbach tweeted.
It's still too far out in the computer forecast models to know for certain, but a system moving off Africa in about 6-7 days has meteorologists' attention.
It will be one to watch, if some of the factors suppressing tropical storms this summer ease up.
Varying wind speed and strength kept hurricanes at bay
There have been a couple of factors which likely led to a quiet July and August in the Atlantic basin, CNN meteorologist Taylor Ward said.
"Primarily above-normal wind shear and dry air."
Wind shear is the change of wind speed and strength with height in the atmosphere. High levels of wind shear prevent tropical disturbances from developing into well-organized systems and can also tear apart systems which do begin to form.
"We are currently in a La Niña pattern which typically leads to reduced wind shear over the Caribbean and Tropical Atlantic," he noted. "So the fact that we have, so far, seen above normal wind shear is surprising."
Klotzbach agreed one reason is vertical wind shear in the Caribbean/central tropical Atlantic.
But, he tweeted, "while shear has been stronger than anticipated, it's still not that high. 30-day-averaged shear across the Caribbean and tropical Atlantic is tracking between an average and above-average #hurricane season," Klotzbach tweets. "Shear is stronger than typical #LaNina year, however."
"Similar to high wind shear, dry air also limits the growth of thunderstorm activity from tropical waves," Ward said.
The dry air is primarily in the form of Saharan dust. The dust leaves Africa and moves across the Atlantic basin.
"This is not unusual for the early stages of the Atlantic hurricane season, but this year has been above average," he explained.
"While the central tropical Atlantic/Caribbean has generally been dry, it's not hugely anomalous," Klotzbach tweeted.
For a hurricane to form, CNN meteorologist Chad Myers said, many ingredients have to come together perfectly.
"If you're missing just one key piece, tropical systems won't develop," he said. "Everything has to go right, but only one thing has to go wrong."
Current indications are things will begin to pick up. But for now, it is a wait-and-see situation. La Niña years historically tend to have a more active end to the hurricane season, which will last for another three months.
"Will the second half of the season make up for the first? We really don't know yet, but certainly hope not," Myers said.
The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/tropical-storm-danielle-forms-in-the-atlantic-is-expected-to-become-a-hurricane/article_40b63cba-2a0d-11ed-8b36-1f610b9a0123.html | 2022-09-02T16:00:23Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/tropical-storm-danielle-forms-in-the-atlantic-is-expected-to-become-a-hurricane/article_40b63cba-2a0d-11ed-8b36-1f610b9a0123.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
After years of users clamoring for such a feature, Twitter is finally testing edited tweets.
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Twitter is finally testing an edit button
- CNN
- Updated
Twitter (TWTR) said in — where else? — a tweet Thursday morning that some users may start seeing edited tweets in their feed because it is testing the long-awaited edit button.
"This is happening and you'll be okay," the company said.
In a Thursday blog post, the company said edited tweets are being tested internally and that the feature would expand to subscribers of its paid Twitter Blue service later this month. Users outside the test group will also be able to see edited tweets on the platform.
Twitter said in April that it had been testing an edit feature for a year, and that it would be available to Twitter Blue subscribers within months. The announcement came the same day the company announced that it would add Elon Musk to its board, and after he polled his followers about whether they'd like an edit button on the platform. When it confirmed the edit feature was in the works, Twitter also said, "no, we didn't get the idea from a poll."
(Musk later pulled out of the board seat offer, agreed to buy Twitter outright, moved to terminate the acquisition deal and now is fighting a lawsuit from Twitter that seeks to compel him to follow through with the deal.)
Although many people have for years been calling on Twitter to add an edit button — which rivals like Facebook and Instagram offer — others have raised concerns about the potential implications of such a feature. Safety experts asked, for example: What if a harmless tweet went viral and then was edited to include harassment or misinformation, increasing the reach of a tweet that might otherwise not have spread?
Twitter said in its Thursday blog post that in this test, tweets will be able to be edited "a few times" for up to 30 minutes after they are first posted. Edited tweets will appear with an icon, label and timestamp to make it obvious they have been modified, and users can click through to a tweet's "edit history" to see past versions.
"Like any new feature, we're intentionally testing Edit Tweet with a smaller group to help us incorporate feedback while identifying and resolving potential issues. This includes how people might misuse the feature."
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Circle K 'Fuel Day' in the Tennessee Valley | https://www.local3news.com/twitter-is-finally-testing-an-edit-button/article_87dcbb38-2a11-11ed-af77-f367e0131fd3.html | 2022-09-02T16:00:26Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/twitter-is-finally-testing-an-edit-button/article_87dcbb38-2a11-11ed-af77-f367e0131fd3.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Back for its 46th season, The St. Louis Black Repertory Company opens on Sept. 9 at Edison Theater with “The African Company Presents Richard III” by Carlyle Brown. It is directed by Black Rep Founder and Producing Director Ron Himes.
The story is based in 1821, and begins with the African Company of New York presenting “Richard III” to an audience of Black and white people.
A white theater owner faces adversity because of his competition’s success and attempts to shut the show down.
“The African Company Presents Richard III” narrates the journey of American theater history and the African Grove Theatre’s termination. It is considered the nation’s first Black theater.
“It was clearly a radical act for founder William Brown to establish the African Grove Theatre in 1821 - a full six years before the full abolition of slavery in New York,” said Himes.
“And, that his theater was perceived as such a powerful threat to the city’s white elite, makes for a powerful story.”
The Black Rep’s production of “The African Company Presents Richard III”features Wali Jamal Abdullah as Papa Shakespeare, Coda Boyce as Ann Johnson, Cameron Jamarr Davis as James Hewlett, Olajuwon Davis as William Henry Brown, Alex Jay as Sarah, Dustin Lane Petrillo as The Constable Man, and Eric Dean White as Steven Price.
Under Hime’ direction, the production features scenic design by Jamie Bullins, costume design by Andre Harrington, lighting by Jasmine Williams, and sound by Kareem Deanes. Tracy Holliway-Wiggins is the stage manager.
“With our 46th Season focused on how we respond to barriers - seen and unseen - Brown’s historical take on the struggles of Black theater really speaks to that theme,” said Himes.
Season 46 subscriptions and single tickets to The African Company Presents Richard III can be purchased now ontheblackrep.org or through the Box Office at 314-534-3807. Educators, museum staff, seniors, and students can receive reduced pricing. Groups of 12 are also offered discounted tickets.
Safety remains The Black Rep’s top priority. In managing proper health protocol, there is 50% capacity seating, a mask requirement, and proof of vaccination or a negative test result must be presented. These protocols will be in place for the 46th season.
Visit theblackrep.org for more information.
The Black Rep’s 46th Main Stage Season support comes from the Arts and Education Council, The Black Seed Initiative, Caleres, Missouri Arts Council, Regional Arts Commission, Rogers-Townsend, The Shubert Foundation, the Steward Family Foundation, and Washington University in St. Louis. | https://www.stlamerican.com/arts_and_entertainment/living_it/the-black-rep-reveals-46th-season-with-the-african-company-presents-richard-iii/article_8d864a84-266c-11ed-a490-6f45341a5801.html | 2022-09-02T16:00:46Z | stlamerican.com | control | https://www.stlamerican.com/arts_and_entertainment/living_it/the-black-rep-reveals-46th-season-with-the-african-company-presents-richard-iii/article_8d864a84-266c-11ed-a490-6f45341a5801.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Speak Up St. Louis Podcast elevates diverse voices that are part of ‘The Lou,’ according to host and co-creator Quinton Ward.
Topics include food, pop culture, politics, and art. If it’s about the ‘Gateway to the West,’ Ward is ready and willing to talk about it.
When it comes to food, Ward’s experience as senior manager for the St. Louis Metro Market, a farmer’s market on wheels, is on the podcast’s menu. The market offers fresh, affordable, healthy food options throughout the St. Louis area because it truly offers ‘meals on wheels.’
The market is where he and former co-host, Lucas Signorelli, meet and connect with the community. If the bus was there, Ward was making you a new friend.
“We were meeting so many folks, and we were trying to figure out ‘how do we capture some of these stories of people in St. Louis doing amazing stuff?” said Ward.
“It’s about the real folks of St. Louis, not necessarily the ones always up front leading the work, but also everyday folks,” said Ward.
In winter 2020, the pandemic put much of the world on pause, including the St. Louis Metro Market.
Ward and Signorelli were looking for a creative outlet outside of work. Ward had been promoted to Metro Market executive director, and Signorelli began hinting that they should start a podcast.
The first episode was released in the fall of 2020, with Antwan Pope of Cure Violence as debut guest. Ward calls the first episode “ground zero.”
With no podcast equipment, it was recorded on an iPhone with a mini microphone attached. They sat in a huddle and passed the phone around, taking turns speaking.
“Turns out we really enjoyed it. We started pumping out episodes once every week,” said Ward.
Most of the first season was taped at Ward’s art studio, which included a yellow futon and a table and chair for guests. From its humble beginning, the podcast grew its audience and Ward acquired better equipment.
Season one featured about 60 episodes, and guests ranged from Murphy Lee and Kyjuan of the St. Lunatics to state Sen. Brian Williams.
“It’s like wow, the range of people who want to be on the podcast,” Ward said.
He credits most of the guests on his podcast to the St. Louis Metro Market, which allowed him to connect with folks that he might not have met.
“When I’m meeting folks on the Metro Market, I invite them to be on the podcast,” said Ward.
His audience now includes St. Louis, America, and parts of the world.
“It just shows folks in St. Louis, and internationally, care about what happens here,” said Ward. “The podcast is an opportunity to be able to have a reach in a place where it is accessible to anyone.”
He also says he has no intention of leaving this area.
“The reality is [St. Louis] has [steadied] me. It’s where I went to school, it’s where opportunities have happened for me. Why would I turn my back on St. Louis?” said Ward.
The podcast is his way of telling the St. Louis' story, and he determines how it is told.
Following the killing of Michael Brown and the Ferguson Uprising “many St. Louisans and folks abroad think that we are living in a post-Ferguson era,” he said.
“In fact, there is so much work that needs to be done. We are still dealing with the trauma of that epic moment in history. I may not be on the front line, but how can I make sure that we’re continuing to have a conversation about the systemic racial social economic issues here at home,” said Ward.
Ashley Winters is The St. Louis American Report for America reporter. | https://www.stlamerican.com/business/business_news/the-people-s-podcast/article_ade12c8a-279e-11ed-94c3-5336830cadc3.html | 2022-09-02T16:00:52Z | stlamerican.com | control | https://www.stlamerican.com/business/business_news/the-people-s-podcast/article_ade12c8a-279e-11ed-94c3-5336830cadc3.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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EAGLE PASS, Texas (AP) — A Texas pecan farm nearly the size of Disneyland has become entangled in a turf war between the Biden administration and Republican Gov. Greg Abbott over immigration enforcement on the southern border.
Hugo and Magali Urbina, who bought Heavenly Farms in April 2021, at first welcomed the state footing the bill for a new chain-link fence through their property earlier this year as part of Abbott’s multibillion-dollar crackdown on border crossings along the Rio Grande. But then, one day, they found the fence’s main gate unexpectedly locked.
The lock was put there, the couple says, by Texas authorities who have spent months arresting thousands of migrants on trespassing charges on private land. But the Urbinas didn’t want the lock and neither did the U.S. Border Patrol, which found it impeded the agency’s own immigration enforcement and had it removed.
Now a single gate on the 1,200-mile Texas border has swung open a new dust-up over how to address near-record levels of migration on America’s southern doorstep, a fight the Urbinas say they want no part of.
“Unbelievable,” Abbott lashed out on social media last month after the lock was removed. “While Texas secures the border, the federal government is enabling illegal immigration.”
The dispute is the latest example of how Texas’ unprecedented challenge to the federal government’s authority on the border has created a clash among agencies working at cross purposes.
The Border Patrol’s Del Rio sector, which includes Eagle Pass where most of the nearly 470-acre farm is located, is fast becoming the busiest corridor for illegal crossings, with thousands passing each week onto the farm alone. The sector may soon surpass Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, which has been the focus for the last decade.
The Urbinas do not oppose Abbott’s massive border mission. But in the case of the lock, they say it went too far. They blamed what they see as a lack of single command in an area saturated with state troopers, Texas National Guard members, U.S. Border Patrol agents and local authorities, all of whom constantly cross paths and often work in tandem.
“They are all doing what they are being told,” Magali Urbina said. “It is really not their fault, but there is nobody running or telling them. There is no boss.”
It isn’t an isolated case.
In September 2021, Texas troopers told Border Patrol agents on horseback to block migrants from crossing the river to a camp of nearly 16,000 predominantly Haitians in Del Rio, about an hour’s drive north of Eagle Pass. Images of Border Patrol agents twirling reins at overpowered migrants sparked widespread criticism, including from President Joe Biden.
The internal investigation found that agents acted against Border Patrol objectives and “resulted in the unnecessary use of force against migrants who were attempting to reenter the United States with food.” The agents had been “instructed to help where needed” and not told anything more specific about how to respond to requests from another agency.
Abbott, who is seeking a third term, launched his multibillion-dollar “Operation Lone Star” last year, creating an overwhelming presence on the border. The size and cost of the mission has grown in defiance of the Democratic administration in Washington:
— Since July, the state has picked up 5,600 migrants who have entered the country illegally in Texas and returned them to ports of entry on the border, a role that has been reserved for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
In Eagle Pass, state buses drop off migrants throughout the day at a border crossing with Piedras Negras, Mexico, as far as they can go. CBP releases them, creating a circular flow.
Since April, Texas has bused more than 7,000 migrants to Washington and New York on free, voluntary trips, attempting to call attention to what it considers Biden’s failed policies. This week, Abbott began sending buses to Chicago, with the first arriving Thursday at Union Station. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has called the move a “political ploy.”
— Since last year, the state has charged more than 4,800 migrants with trespassing, a misdemeanor that carries a maximum penalty of a year in jail.
The Urbinas’ farm, which winds along the river, includes an old house that the couple is restoring for visitors to sample pecans, coffee and wine. They were inspired by Fredericksburg, a town of German heritage near Austin that draws tourists.
The farm of neatly manicured rows of trees had long drawn migrants but was relatively peaceful before the lifelong Eagle Pass resident couple bought it. It is located at the end of a stretch of new border fencing that was built on Abbott’s orders, on the edge of the 30,000-resident town that is dotted with warehouses, decaying houses and chain stores.
Agents stopped migrants nearly 50,000 times in the Del Rio sector in July, with Rio Grande Valley a distant second at about 35,000. About 6 of 10 stops in the Del Rio sector were migrants from Venezuela, Cuba or Nicaragua, who are likely to be released to pursue their immigration cases because poor diplomatic relations with those countries means the U.S. can’t send them home.
Migrants cross the river and climb a few feet uphill amidst overgrown Carrizo cane and concertina wire to surrender on the farm’s edge, expecting they will be released. U.S. Border Patrol agents, state troopers and journalists are a regular presence.
Border Patrol unlocked the gate and took migrants in for processing, a regular procedure for the federal officials in any situation involving a lock within 25 miles of the border, said Jon Anfinsen, president of the National Border Patrol Council union chapter that includes agents in Eagle Pass.
“The governor is telling everyone, ‘Secure the border.’ I have no doubt that is the intent but the reality of it is that it’s just not that simple,” Anfinsen said. “We’ve been doing this forever and it hasn’t been fixed yet. So it’s a noble attempt, I suppose, but we’re going to have to take these people into custody.”
Border Patrol officials declined comment.
Ericka Miller, a spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Public Safety, said the agency is accommodating the Urbinas’ request to have the gate unlocked. She said DPS is also working to have carrizo cane on the property removed but said the Urbinas are allowing concertina wiring to stay on the property.
“All landowner agreements are voluntary and can be eliminated at any time. Again, DPS is there to assist the landowner,” Miller said in an email.
The chain-link fence, which rises over the cane intertwined with the razor wire, makes it easier for the Urbinas to pursue trespassing charges against people crossing into their farm. However, they haven’t, although they know cattle ranchers who have.
The state and federal governments are each “wanting to pull all the levers” and not working together, Hugo Urbina said. The couple regrets what they see as a disconnect.
“The president is not here, the governor is not here, but this is our land,” Magali Urbina said.
___
Associated Press writers Elliot Spagat in San Diego and Paul Weber in Austin, Texas, contributed. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-pecan-farmers-get-caught-in-power-vacuum-on-texas-border/ | 2022-09-02T16:12:10Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-pecan-farmers-get-caught-in-power-vacuum-on-texas-border/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
BUTLER COUNTY, Iowa — A former Clarksville police officer was arrested and charged with several counts of sexual exploitation of a minor on Thursday.
According to an Iowa Department of Public Safety press release, a minor reported to the Butler County Sheriff’s Office in March that former officer Mike Tobin allegedly showed them sexually explicit images and videos, including nude images of minors.
On March 5 Tobin’s employment with the Clarksville Police Department was terminated.
Tobin was charged with two counts of sexual exploitation by a minor class C felony, one count of sexual exploitation of a minor class D felony, and eight counts of sexual exploitation of a minor aggravated misdemeanor. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/iowa-news/former-northeast-iowa-officer-arrested-for-sexual-exploitation-of-minor/ | 2022-09-02T16:14:56Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/iowa-news/former-northeast-iowa-officer-arrested-for-sexual-exploitation-of-minor/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Multiple cheerleading coaches in South Carolina — including a coach who recently killed himself — sexually abused at least six boys and girls and provided them with drugs and alcohol, a federal lawsuit alleges.
A “coven of sexual predators” surrounded Rockstar Cheer of Greenville for more than a decade, according to one of the lawyers for the alleged victims.
Attorney Bakari Sellers contends that what happened is a result of the same kind of institutional failure seen in the case of Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University doctor who is serving a minimum of 40 years in prison after admitting that he molested some of the nation’s top gymnasts for years.
The lawsuit was filed Thursday by four girls and two boys who said they were abused by Scott Foster and others affiliated with Rockstar gyms. It suggests there could be up to 100 more survivors of the abuse.
“Scott Foster and his allies did their best to intimidate and isolate their targets, making these young people feel alone and somehow responsible. Well, they’re not alone anymore,” attorney Jessica Fickling said in a statement announcing the suit.
Foster, 49, was found dead in his car at a state park on Aug. 22. He shot himself in the head, the Greenville County Coroner’s Office ruled.
“He knew this was going to be a moment when the light was going to be shined on what I think will turn out to be a coven of sexual predators surrounding Rockstar,” said attorney James Bannister.
A number of people either knew Foster was abusing his cheer students and ignored it or did not have rules and procedures in place to stop the abuse, the lawsuit says.
Foster and other coaches not named in the lawsuit had sex with cheer students, sent and asked for explicit photos over social media, gave them alcohol and marijuana at their homes and in hotel rooms at cheer competitions and warned them to not tell anyone about it, according to the lawsuit.
“We have video of Scott Foster on Snapchat with beer bongs drinking with his underage cheerleaders,” Sellers said at a news conference this week.
The suit also names Varsity Brands, which runs cheerleading competitions; the U.S. All Star Federation, which is an organizing and governing body for competitive cheerleading across the country; Bain Capital, which bought Varsity in 2018, and others.
State and federal police are investigating Foster’s Rockstar Cheer and other cheerleading outlets, seizing computers, cellphones and other evidence, Bannister said. He said the investigating agencies asked lawyers not to identify them.
Several state and federal agencies have refused to tell news outlets whether they are involved.
Foster’s wife, Kathy, promised to cooperate with “all involved” to make sure athletes can safely learn and grow.
“I am heartbroken by the recent allegations made by current and former athletes from Rockstar Cheer and other cheer gyms across our community,” she said in a statement released this week. “I hope the survivors are seeking and receive the support they need. I am sympathetic to their stories.”
Varsity Brands President Bill Seely called the accusations devastating.
“Our hearts are broken right alongside yours,” he tweeted Thursday. “The alleged conduct runs counter to everything the cheer and dance community is intended to represent.”
Bain Capital didn’t return an email seeking comment.
Rockstar Cheer’s name is on more than a dozen gyms in South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Arizona.
Ten of the gyms said in a statement this week that they had no connection with Foster and would be dropping the Rockstar brand name.
Foster opened his Greenville gym in 2007, according to his website.
___
Follow Jeffrey Collins on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national/ap-cheerleaders-sexually-abused-by-coaches-in-sc-lawsuit-says/ | 2022-09-02T16:15:23Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national/ap-cheerleaders-sexually-abused-by-coaches-in-sc-lawsuit-says/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The best products to lower your electric bill
The cost of living is at an all-time high, especially in major metropolitan cities. There’s no need to pay more for things than you need to — including electricity. If your electric bill is alarmingly high every month, there are a few ways you can keep costs down.
Energy-saving products can help lower your electric bill. While some are expensive, they’re worth it in the long run. They range in functionality, but they can all help you monitor your monthly energy usage.
What are the best energy-saving products?
Air filters
A clean air filter can help lower your electric bill because it improves airflow in your heating, ventilation and air conditioning unit. Dirty filters make it difficult for air to circulate efficiently. You might feel more inclined to leave the heater or air conditioner on for extended periods.
Weatherstripping
Weatherstripping gap seals are excellent for keeping warm or cool air within a room. Some windows and doors have spaces where drafts can flow in and out. This means the cool or warm air you’ve worked hard to contain escapes easily. Weatherstripping is easy to attach to any door or window and works well at drowning out external noise.
LED light bulbs
LED light bulbs use less power and last longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. You don’t have to replace them as often as standard light bulbs. Because their wattage is lower, you should see a noticeable reduction in energy consumption over extended periods.
Smart power strips and plugs
Smart power strips and plugs connect to the internet and let you manage your connected appliances and devices remotely. For example, if you have a lamp plugged into a smart plug, you can program a schedule for when it powers on and off by using the corresponding app. You can also monitor how much energy each device uses.
Smart devices
Electric bills are often driven up because of unnecessary power usage. For example, there’s no need to water your lawn if it’s going to rain, but sprinkler systems are programmed to run no matter the weather. A smart sprinkler controller lets you program your sprinkler system, but it also tweaks it based on the weather and eliminates unnecessary watering.
Smart thermostats and energy monitors are the most popular smart devices for reducing energy consumption. Smart thermostats can be managed remotely, and an energy monitor provides you with reports and insights on your power usage to determine the best way to keep it down.
The 12 best energy-saving products
Best filters and weatherstripping for doors and windows
Aerostar MERV 13 Six-pack Pleated Air Filter
These air filters are easy to install and are an excellent, cost-effective way to trap lint, dust mites, pollen, pet dander, smoke and bacteria. They improve the efficiency of your HVAC unit and help keep utility costs low. Sold by Amazon
Filtrete Clean Living Basic Dust Filter
These air filters are electrostatically charged and super-effective at capturing lint, dust mite debris and household dust. They have a 300 Microparticle Performance Rating for trapping unwanted air particles through your heating and cooling system. Sold by Amazon
This weatherstripping gap sealer can help prevent heat and cold from escaping the rooms in your home in winter and summer. It sticks firmly, helps block out external noise and works on interior and exterior doors. Sold by Amazon
Cikkiio Self Adhesive Seal Strip
This weatherstripping seal is 32.8 feet long, 0.2 inches thick and versatile enough to use on windows and doors. It’s excellent for windproofing, dustproofing, weatherproofing and soundproof insulation, and you can use scissors to cut it to the desired length. Sold by Amazon
Best LED light bulbs and power strips
Philips LED Frosted Light Bulbs
These light bulbs use 80% less energy and last 10 times longer than standard 60-watt light bulbs. They deliver comfortable ambient light, fit in any E26 medium screw base and don’t contain mercury, making them eco-friendly. Sold by Amazon
TCP 60-Watt Equivalent LED Light Bulbs
These energy-efficient 9-watt light bulbs can help you save up to 85% on your light bill and last up to 18 years with moderate usage. They offer soft white light and are versatile enough for lamps and ceiling fixtures. Sold by Amazon
This power strip offers surge protection certified by the Electrical Testing Laboratories standards and has six independently controlled outlets and three built-in USB ports. You can use the Kasa smartphone app to monitor energy usage and power on and off your devices. Sold by Amazon
Bestek 2,000 Joules Surge Protector
This power strip has eight outlets and four USB ports that offer fast charging speeds and self-adjust electric currents to charge multiple devices without complications. It has an alloy plastic and flame-retardant construction with a lighted on/off switch for overload protection. Sold by Amazon
With the Amazon Smart Plug, you can use Alexa-enabled devices to control your lights and appliances. You can turn lights on and off through the Alexa app and set an energy-efficient routine for your devices. Sold by Amazon
Best smart devices and plugs
The Google Nest Thermostat is Energy-Star certified and automatically turns itself down when there’s no one home. You can program an energy-efficient schedule on the Google Home app, change the temperature from any device, and HVAC monitoring alerts you if things aren’t running optimally. Sold by Amazon
Sense Flex Home Energy Monitor
This energy monitor is expensive but can help you significantly reduce your electric bill in the long run. You can monitor your generator and up to two circuits and get real-time insights and energy usage reports. Sold by Amazon
The Rachio 3 smart sprinkler keeps tabs on the weather and automatically creates schedules, so your lawn only gets the necessary watering. You can manage your watering schedules through the Rachio smartphone app, and installation is simple, taking less than half an hour. Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/reviews/br/home-br/heating-cooling-air-quality-br/these-energy-saving-products-help-lower-your-electric-bill/ | 2022-09-02T16:16:40Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/reviews/br/home-br/heating-cooling-air-quality-br/these-energy-saving-products-help-lower-your-electric-bill/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ROME (AP) — A drug-sniffing dog led frontier police Friday at a Milan airport to some 13 kilograms (nearly 30 pounds) of cocaine stuffed into the leather upholstery of a motorized wheelchair, whose user immediately stood up and was arrested, authorities said.
The specialized canine unit was being deployed at Malpensa airport to check arriving passengers and their luggage from a flight from the Dominican Republic, since previously drug couriers had used that route, the Financial Guard police said in a statement.
When a dog drew officers’ attention to the traveler, police first checked his luggage, which yielded nothing, then slashed the wheelchair’s upholstery, discovering the cocaine.
Police said that when the cocaine was found, the chair user — a Spaniard who had requested airport personnel to help guide the wheelchair — got up, walked without assistance and was taken into custody.
The passenger was brought to a local jail, where judicial authorities upheld his detention pending investigation of the case, the statement said.
Police said the 11 packets of cocaine, weighing a total of 13.35 kilograms (nearly 30 pounds) could have yielded some 27,000 individual doses of the drug and had a street sale value of some 1.4 million euros (dollars). | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/weird-news/ap-dog-sniffs-out-cocaine-hidden-in-wheelchair-at-milan-airport/ | 2022-09-02T16:17:01Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/weird-news/ap-dog-sniffs-out-cocaine-hidden-in-wheelchair-at-milan-airport/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
HONOLULU (KITV4) - Light to moderate trades will prevail today through Saturday. Partly cloudy skies with scattered to numerous morning showers for Maui County and O'ahu. isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs 85 to 90. Trade winds around 15 mph.
Tonight, partly cloudy with scattered windward and mauka showers; isolated showers leeward. Lows 70 to 75. Trade winds around 15 mph.
Light to moderate trades will prevail today through Saturday, allowing localized land and sea breezes to develop in the more sheltered leeward areas. Drier weather will overspread the islands today, with an increase in trade wind showers then expected tonight through early Sunday as an area of enhanced moisture moves from east to west across the state. Drier conditions and moderate trades will return by Sunday afternoon and hold through the first half of Labor Day. Another round of increased showers could move through later on Labor Day and continue into early Tuesday. Drier conditions and moderate trades are then forecast Tuesday afternoon through Thursday.
Surf along south facing shores will remain small through next week with mainly background south and south-southwest swells moving through. A larger south-southwest swell is possible next weekend. Small medium-period northerly swells moving through will be enough to keep the surf from going flat along north facing shores through the weekend.
Do you have a story idea? Email news tips to news@kitv.com | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/aloha-friday-morning-showers-light-to-moderate-trade-winds/article_4603f9a8-2acd-11ed-83bb-ef941289043f.html | 2022-09-02T16:17:21Z | kitv.com | control | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/aloha-friday-morning-showers-light-to-moderate-trade-winds/article_4603f9a8-2acd-11ed-83bb-ef941289043f.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Jacob Schrader saved four lives in a year, but for him the miraculous track record was just part of the job.
Schrader had been a Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife police officer in Ferry County, a rural mountainous county in the state’s northeast corner, since 2019 when the first of the unrelated rescues happened.
“It makes me appreciate what I have,” Schrader said in an interview with the Tri-City Herald. In May 2021, he was the first to arrive on the scene to help someone who was unconscious and not breathing. As EMS support arrived, Schrader put the person on their side to open up the airways. He then inserted a Nasopharyngeal Airway Device to help the person breathe.
“Congratulations to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Police Officer Jacob Schrader who was honored yesterday with not one Life Saving Award, but FOUR!” read a DFW Facebook post on Aug. 24.
The post credited his “extensive medical training, knowledge, and decisiveness” for the rescues. Schrader also points to his training and experience, including four years as a paratrooper in the Army, and as a Search and extraction medic at the 141st Medical Group atFairchild AFB. He says at Fish and Wildlife, he values the mentoring and guidance gained from more experienced colleagues in his home region of Ferry County.
“A large part of my successes are the guys I work with here,” he said. “They are great role models. I work with a lot of great people.”
The same day in May last year, Schrader was at the scene of another near-fatality. This time it was a 1-year-old who also was unconscious and had started to turn blue from lack of oxygen.
“Schrader recognized the severity of the situation and transported the infant to the hospital himself, simultaneously holding the infant to give him CPR and driving,” notes the WDFW post about his award. The baby survived and was released from the hospital soon after.
A native son of Washington state, Schrader is a graduate of Bethel High School in Spanaway and attended Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma. He says that he relies on his skills as a professional to carry him through such precarious situations. “Once there’s a problem, I rely on my training and experience,” Schrader said.
“It’s a lot of automatic response. The department training is great.”
The other two rescues came in 2022. The first in January when Schrader and a Ferry County deputy arrived on the scene to check on a report of someone yelling for help. The remote location and time of year forced the officers to hike in through deep snow levels to help someone who had suffered a stroke. Isolated and lacking certain equipment, Schrader made an improvised stretcher from common household items. He and the deputy carried the stroke victim through the snow to a waiting ambulance. Schrader’s final rescue came in April 2022 when he gave the Heimlich Maneuver to someone who was choking at a restaurant in Republic.
“I enjoy doing it,” said Schrader, noting that stepping up to help when there’s trouble should just be the right thing to do. “It needs to be done more in this day and age.” | https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/northwest/hero-wa-fish-and-wildlife-officer-saves-4-lives-in-1-year/article_63b08e42-2ac5-11ed-bf30-a39f93089742.html | 2022-09-02T16:19:35Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/northwest/hero-wa-fish-and-wildlife-officer-saves-4-lives-in-1-year/article_63b08e42-2ac5-11ed-bf30-a39f93089742.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Selah’s Andrew Murphy plans to return for an encore three months after a dominating performance at Legends Casino in Toppenish.
The 22-year-old East Valley graduate handled Isiah Jones for eight rounds to win by unanimous decision in July, earning the vacant National Boxing Association’s Americas middleweight championship belt. Murphy’s scheduled to fight in the main event on Sept. 15 against a yet to be determined opponent.
Since beginning his professional career in March 2021, Murphy has won six straight fights with four knockouts. He trains in Pensacola, Fla., with former world champion Roy Jones Jr., whose promotions company has organized the events in Toppenish.
Wapato’s Margarito Hernandez also won his fight by unanimous decision in July and is expected to appear at Legends again in September. He’s slated to take on Marco Cardenas, a 5-foot-6 super lightweight boxer from Salem, Ore. | https://www.yakimaherald.com/sports/sports_watch/selahs-murphy-returning-to-legends-as-headliner/article_921c8a24-2980-11ed-b293-bf2c50fa20ab.html | 2022-09-02T16:19:41Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/sports/sports_watch/selahs-murphy-returning-to-legends-as-headliner/article_921c8a24-2980-11ed-b293-bf2c50fa20ab.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. – Amid the pomp and circumstance fitting 36 years of service as a U.S. Army Soldier, the Army Materiel Command bid farewell to its deputy to the commanding general.
During his retirement ceremony on the AMC Parade Field September 1, Lt. Gen. Flem “B” (Donnie) Walker Jr. focused on people, mentors, Soldiers and family.
“There are so many people to thank,” he said. “The countless Soldiers, noncommissioned officers, officers, warrant officers, and department of the Army Civilians and contractors who I have had the honor to serve for and with for the last three and half decades…You have made the difference.”
The ceremony was hosted by AMC Commander Gen. Ed Daly, who thanked Walker for his decades of selfless service during what he called a bittersweet moment to lose a phenomenal leader, who is dedicated, humble and epitomizes the Army values every single day.
“You are a master logistician, outstanding leader and have been entrusted to command five times throughout your career,” said Daly. “Your leadership, pedigree and resume speaks for itself. You have made a huge difference in our Army.”
As AMC’s deputy to the commanding general, Walker has been responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the Army's logistics enterprise for two years.
“Donnie Walker has had a massive impact on the AMC portfolio, from our response to a global pandemic, to support to Afghanistan and Ukraine, overseeing Army prepositioned stocks and the Army’s supply chain,” Daly said. “His efforts across the board have been spectacular, building capacity to get results and drive execution.”
In his final assignment, Walker also served as Redstone Arsenal’s senior commander, responsible for the arsenal’s strategic vision from its growth and development, to providing quality of life programs for Soldiers, the workforce and their families.
“For more than two years he has enabled more than 70 commands across the installation to excel in four primary competencies: Logistics Services; Space Operations and Missile Defense; Research, Development, Test and Engineering; and Intelligence and Homeland Defense,” Daly said. “His work as a senior commander has been spectacular, and it shows by the number of community leaders present here today.”
Daly and Walker both spoke about Walker’s family and how his father, retired U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Flem Bowen Donnie Walker Sr., who served two combat tours in Vietnam, was his hero.
“My parents were wonderful parents and role models,” said Walker, whose mother, Charlene Walker, retired after a career at Anniston Army Depot. “They were the rock and foundation of our entire family. They made me who I am today.”
He also thanked his wife, Hope, and children, who he said also made sacrifices as members of the Army family.
After 36 years, Walker’s career has come full circle, bringing him back home to Alabama where he was born and raised and where he was commissioned as an Army officer. Walker, a native of Lineville, Alabama, was joined by many members of his family and friends to celebrate his retirement.
“I owe the biggest thanks to our friends and family who have traveled here to support Hope and I today,” he said.
As he wrapped up his remarks, Walker reflected on a recent phone call he had with Gen. James McConville, the Chief of Staff of the Army, who asked him what he would be miss the most about the Army.
“The hardest part for me and what I will miss the most is the camaraderie and no longer being a part of a team,” said Walker. “God, how I love the Army. I love everything about it. I love the patriotism, the teamwork, the hard work, the hard play, the tough love, the good days and the bad days.”
The ceremony ended with the first annual AMC Retreat Ceremony, where the flag was lowered in a time-honored Army tradition that marks the end of the day.
Walker received several awards and recognitions, including the Distinguished Service Medal and the Gen. Brehon B. Somervell Medal of Excellence award.
This work, Army master logistician honored for leadership, impact, by Megan Gully, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/news/428585/army-master-logistician-honored-leadership-impact | 2022-09-02T16:20:52Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/news/428585/army-master-logistician-honored-leadership-impact | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Celebrating Labor Day 2022: Enjoy the day off from work
Labor Day is annually observed on the first Monday of September. The first ever Labor Day observance was on Sept. 5, 1882. Its origins stem from the desire of the Central Labor Union to create a holiday for workers. It became a federal holiday in 1894.
But not everyone benefits from this 140-year-old holiday.
Although City Cafe server Cortney Adams already has Mondays off closed, this Labor Day she'll get to spend it with her husband and children.
"We'll get to have family time hang out and go see some family," said Adams, a longtime server at City Cafe in downtown Murfreesboro. "And it's nice knowing that lot people in my family are going to be off and we'll all be able to get together."
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There are a lot of businesses that do observe the holiday. But many restaurants won't be closed for Labor Day, leaving a lot of employees in the industry without pay unless they show up to work the holiday.
"A lot of people, the reason they don't want to work in restaurants is they don't want to work without benefits," Adams said. "If your kids are sick or you have something you need to do and can't come to work, you lose money. So what do you do? Lose money that you possibly may need tomorrow for a bill or stay home and make sure your family is OK."
Over the past two years in the wake of the pandemic, a lot of restaurant workers are leaving the industry in search of benefits, family-friendly schedules, and better pay.
"It's a hard (job) to juggled because everyone's schedules are so different," Adams said.
The majority of government offices and facilities will be closed Monday in observance of Labor Day.
Many families celebrate Labor Day with picnics and outdoor gatherings. If you're looking for great grilling recipes, visit SouthernKitchen.com for tips and tricks.
Here's what to know about what's open and closed.
Murfreesboro
City Hall and all departments will be closed.
Murfreesboro Transit system will not run.
Old Fort Golf Club, V. A. Golf Course, and Bloomfield Links will be open during normal hours. To reserve a tee time, visit oldfortgolfclub.com.
Adams Tennis Complex will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
SportsCom Boro Beach pool will be open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
McFadden Community Center, Patterson Park Community Center, Wilderness Station, Cannonsburgh Village, Bradley Academy Museum and Cultural Center, the Parks and Rec office at Barfield, and the St. Clair Senior Center will be closed.
Solid Waste Department will be closed and there will be no garbage pickup on Monday. Those with Monday’s garbage pickup will be Tuesday and Tuesday’s pickup will be Wednesday.
City Hall business will resume regular hours of operation, which are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., on Tuesday.
Visit murfreesborotn.gov/ for more details on city operations and facilities.
La Vergne
All facilities, including the library, will be closed Monday.
Smyrna
All government departments will be closed, including Smyrna Outdoor Adventure Center and Smyrna Town Center. Splash Town pool and outdoor parks facilities will be open, including the Gregory Mill splash pad and Bark Springs dog park.
Eagleville
City Hall in Eagleville will be closed.
Rutherford County offices
All Rutherford County government offices, including the judicial center, will be closed.
Reach reporter Nancy DeGennaro at degennaro@dnj.com. | https://www.dnj.com/story/news/2022/09/02/labor-day-2022-murfreesboro-lavergne-smyrna-eagleville-rutherford-county-tn/7949057001/ | 2022-09-02T16:23:48Z | dnj.com | control | https://www.dnj.com/story/news/2022/09/02/labor-day-2022-murfreesboro-lavergne-smyrna-eagleville-rutherford-county-tn/7949057001/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
This kinky carjacking could have stopped traffic.
Security video shows the shocking moment an amorous couple having sex in their sedan were busted by three thieves.
The incident occurred August 17 in an unidentified city in Brazil, with the surveillance footage subsequently shared to Twitter.
Night-vision video shows the three thieves approaching the white vehicle, parked on a quiet suburban street.
The trio violently pry open three of the car’s doors in an attempt to jump in and make a quick getaway — but are startled by the not-so-autoerotic activities going on inside.
The lusty lovers were completely naked, splayed out across the backseat and partway through their steamy sex session.
However, the brazen carjackers didn’t let the couple thwart their thievery, with one of the robbers pulling the pair out of the car and pushing them onto the road.
They were left standing stark naked in the street, before the thief threw their clothing onto the road, jumped into the vehicle and sped off into the night.
The pair were subsequently seen sheepishly putting their clothes back on, appearing stunned by what had just occurred.
It’s unclear whether the carjackers were later apprehended. It’s also unclear who posted the saucy surveillance footage to Twitter before it was obtained by Jam Press.
According to the news outlet, the video attracted hundreds of comments from Brazilians, who were amused by the incident.
“That was the most exciting little f–k they’ve had,” one crudely quipped.
“At least they got their shirts back,” another joked.
Meanwhile, a third took aim at the man for romping with his girlfriend in a car, as opposed to paying for a hotel.
“Various Learnings: Cheap is expensive, it was better to pay the hotel. Never go totally naked, under any circumstances. Desire can lead you to death,” they wrote.
While the couple were hoping for some privacy inside their car, they’re not the first to be busted getting frisky in an unorthodox place.
Last month, a woman was seen performing a public sex act on a man during an Oakland A’s game at RingCentral Coliseum, with police later releasing a photo of the pervy pair in a bid to track them down.
The incident occurred just days after another kinky couple were filmed getting frisky inside a nightclub in Crimea as fellow patrons cheered them on.
Meanwhile, exhibitionists appear to have been making the most of the warmer months across Europe, with a pair of shameless shaggers busted having outdoor sex at a “Game of Thrones” filming location in Croatia back in July.
Elsewhere, two brazen Brits were seen having sex on the roof of a public parking garage as England sweltered through its hottest day in recorded history. | https://nypost.com/2022/09/02/carjackers-interrupt-couple-having-sex-leave-them-naked-in-the-streets/ | 2022-09-02T16:23:54Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/09/02/carjackers-interrupt-couple-having-sex-leave-them-naked-in-the-streets/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Trump White House lawyer arrives for Jan. 6 grand jury
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House counsel under then-President Donald Trump arrived Friday for his appearance before a federal grand jury investigating efforts to undo the 2020 presidential election.
Pat Cipollone was the top White House lawyer at the end of the Trump administration as Trump and outside allies pressed for ways to overturn the Republican’s loss to Democrat Joe Biden, culminating in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
Cipollone vigorously resisted efforts to undo the election and has said he did not believe there was sufficient fraud to have affected the outcome of the race. Trump has insisted the election was rife with fraud and was stolen from him despite the fact that numerous federal and local election officials of both parties, a long list of courts, top former campaign staffers and even his own attorney general have said there is no evidence of the fraud he alleges.
Cipollone and Patrick Philbin, a deputy White House counsel also set to appear before the grand jury, also have cooperated with a separate House committee probe into the deadly Jan. 6 attack and attempts to subvert the election.
Their scheduled appearances before the grand jury were confirmed to The Associated Press on Thursday by a person who was familiar with the matter but was not authorized to discuss it and who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Spokespeople for the Justice Department had declined to comment.
The grand jury appearances underscore how Justice Department officials examining schemes to overturn the presidential contest have been seeking the cooperation of senior Trump White House officials and advisers who opposed those efforts.
Federal prosecutors have been especially focused on a scheme by Trump allies to elevate fake electors in key battleground states won by Biden as a way to subvert the vote. They have issued subpoenas in recent weeks to multiple state Republican Party chairmen.
Portions of Cipollone’s private interview to the House Jan. 6 committee were featured prominently in hearings over the summer. Lawmakers aired video clips of him discussing a heated December 2020 meeting at the White House, during which outside aides and advisers to Trump talked about a proposed executive order calling for the seizure of voting machines.
“To have the federal government seize voting machines? That’s a terrible idea for the country. That’s not how we do things in the United States,” Cipollone testified, adding, “I don’t understand why we even have to tell you why that’s a bad idea for the country.”
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Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.witn.com/2022/09/02/trump-white-house-lawyer-arrives-jan-6-grand-jury/ | 2022-09-02T16:24:28Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/2022/09/02/trump-white-house-lawyer-arrives-jan-6-grand-jury/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(NEXSTAR) – A brutal combination of soaring gas prices, inflation and travel disruptions have many, including the team at Google Flights, looking for the best way to book a cheap flight.
Just as the price of airfare has gone up – after an 8% drop in July, it was still 30% higher than in 2021 – so has the volume of Google searches for “cheapest airline tickets.” The online query rocketed 240% from April to August, Google found.
Google Flights decided to dig into five years’ worth of data to find any reliable patterns that might help travelers find the cheapest way to fly.
The results may disappoint some who have sworn by a certain day or time believed to be the cheapest for booking.
“There isn’t much value in purchasing your tickets on a certain day of the week — sorry, Tuesday!” wrote James Byers, Google Flights group product manager in a blog post Tuesday.
Five years of price data showed that Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays wound up being only 1.9% cheaper on average than booking on a weekend day.
“So if your trip is just a couple of weeks away, don’t wait for Tuesday to roll around — book your flight now in case the price goes up,” Byers wrote.
Focusing on the departure day, not the day you buy the ticket, will save you the most money. Flights leaving on Mondays, Tuesdays or Wednesdays were 12% cheaper than weekend departures — a number that jumps to 20% when excluding international destinations.
Other ways to save money include accepting layovers. Nonstop flight prices were 20% higher on average.
Another money-saving pattern the data revealed was the number of days in advance one should book to get the best price: 21-60 days out for domestic, with an average low price of 44 days. These numbers, of course, fluctuate by route, so check early.
Planning a trip to Europe? The lowest fare was found 129 days out, but low prices ranged anywhere between 50 and 179 days in advance of the trip. For Mexico and the Caribbean, the range was 37-87 days with 59 days in advance being the sweet spot. | https://www.wspa.com/news/national/nexstar-media-wire/the-cheapest-time-to-book-flight-is-a-myth-google-flights-says-what-to-do-instead/ | 2022-09-02T16:24:54Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/national/nexstar-media-wire/the-cheapest-time-to-book-flight-is-a-myth-google-flights-says-what-to-do-instead/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Despite many industries struggling in the current trading environment, some companies have instead flourished. Specifically, aerospace & defense behemoths such as Northrop Grumman (NOC) are currently enjoying tailwinds driven by the ongoing geopolitical tensions. As a result, shares of NOC have trended higher. When considering the critical role that Northrop Grumman plays in the world, I find its shares reasonably valued despite their most recent rally. I am neutral on the stock.
What Does Northrop Grumman Do?
Northrop Grumman Corporation is among the greatest aerospace & defense contractors in the market. It has a wide footprint in supplying a comprehensive breadth of products and services to the United States forces and its partners.
The company’s vast range of operations strives to aid in accomplishing national security priorities while supplying its customers with the capabilities they require to safeguard and advance society.
Its core business comprises the supply of space designs, state-of-the-art aircraft, missile protection, a number of different weapons, and other mission-critical assets, such as A.I., cutting-edge computing, and cybersecurity.
Why Does the Market Currently Love NOC Stock?
Aerospace & defense contractors Northrop Grumman are currently receiving increased investor attention driven by the ongoing tragic war in Ukraine. As Western governments keep providing Ukraine with all sorts of weaponry and appropriate equipment, the company is enjoying phenomenal levels of demand for its products and services.
On top of that, due to Western allies eventually needing to replenish their arsenal following the endless weapons deliveries, the result will be an expanding backlog for defense goliaths like Northrop Grumman. Therefore, Northrop Grumm is well-positioned to continue producing reasonably predictable and growing revenues in the coming years.
Another tailwind arising from the ongoing global geopolitical turmoil for the company is that the DoD’s R&D budgets are expected to increase moving forward. This trend has been in place for a while, with Northrop Grumman’s company-sponsored R&D expenditures rising from $639 million in 2017 to $1.1 billion last year. Thus, the rise in investor interest in the stock is quite justifiable.
Northrop Grumman Q2 Results: Robust Backlog despite Softer Sales
Northrop Grumman closed the first half of Fiscal Year 2022 with robust operating results, despite the ostensibly weaker revenues compared to last year.
In Q2, Northrop Grumman’s sales fell 4% to $8.8 billion. Breaking this down, sales from Aeronautics Systems fell 13% to $2.5 billion compared to last year, mainly as a result of lower volumes in both Manned Aircraft and Autonomous Systems, comprising restricted programs, F-35, Global Hawk, and the NATO AGS program.
Defense Systems’ sales also fell 9% to $1.3 billion, mainly due to the completion of a Joint Services support program and the lower scope of an international training program. Sales from Mission Systems also came in weaker year-over-year, dipping 3% to $2.5 billion. The decline was primarily due to lower volumes on Navigation, Targeting, and Survivability programs.
Finally, revenues from Space Systems grew 8% to nearly $3.0 billion. Higher revenues in the segment were driven by increased sales in the Launch & Strategic Missiles business area due to the ramp-up of development programs.
Despite what initially looks like a weak quarter from a top-line development standpoint, revenue growth is barely a fitting indicator for a defense contractor. Northrop Grumman’s backlog and net income growth prospects are much more noteworthy.
Specifically, during Q2 alone, the company booked $13 billion in net awards, resulting in its total backlog reaching $80.0 billion. For context, in the previous quarter, the backlog ended at $75.8 billion. This portrays north of two years’ worth of future sales (book-to-bill) for the company. Hence, its performance over the medium term should remain potent.
Further, in Q2’s conference call, management reiterated that revenue growth should pick up next year. Therefore, the benefits (unfortunately) surfacing from the lasting war will show up from 2023 onwards.
Dividend Growth Prospects Remain Attractive for NOC Stock
Due to its sizeable backlog, Northrop’s prospective revenues should be somewhat predictable moving forward. Thus, the company’s strong dividend growth track record should remain in place.
As a reminder, Northrop has raised its dividend-per-share for 19 straight years. Specifically, its 10-year CAGR (compound annual growth rate) hovers at 12.3%. The dividend-per-share growth rate is quite remarkable, considering how ripe the company is.
In its Q2 results, Northrop restated its Fiscal Year 2022 outlook, forecasting sales to land between $36.2 billion and $36.6 billion. Adjusted EPS is also expected to land between $24.50 and $25.10.
The midpoint of Northrop’s adjusted EPS guidance ($24.8), along with the current DPS run-rate ($6.92), implies a moderately restful payout ratio of around 28%. Thus, there should be enough space for management to keep delivering double-digit dividend growth in the coming years.
Is NOC Stock a Buy?
Regarding what Wall Street analysts are expecting, Northrop Grumman Stock has a Moderate Buy consensus rating based on five Buys and three Holds assigned in the past three months. At $515.50, the average Northrop Grumman stock price forecast suggests 6.5% upside potential.
Takeaway – NOC Stock is a Reasonably Valued Mission-Critical Company
In my view, Northrop Grumman is a quality aerospace & defense giant in the sector, displaying a decades-long track record of superior shareholder value creation. With shares currently trading at 19.4x the midpoint of management’s guidance, Northrop Grumman is not cheap but reasonably valued considering its mission-critical position in the current market environment.
The upcoming benefits from the war in Ukraine should continue strengthening the stock’s investment case as well, especially considering the conflict doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon, unfortunately. | https://www.tipranks.com/news/article/heres-why-noc-stock-is-reasonably-valued-despite-recent-rally | 2022-09-02T16:25:07Z | tipranks.com | control | https://www.tipranks.com/news/article/heres-why-noc-stock-is-reasonably-valued-despite-recent-rally | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Rocket Lab USA (NASDAQ:RKLB) is up today after a successful test that proves one of the company’s main underlying investment thesis about reusable rocket engines. Back in May, the company launched one of its own Rutherford engines in a successful test. Following that launch, the company recovered and refurbished the engine. After a few months of work, the company then test-fired the reused rocket engine successfully. Thus, the company demonstrated that the whole concept works and quite well.
The move now advances the notion that Rocket Lab’s Electron vehicle can indeed be the first ever reusable small rocket for orbital functions.
The last 12 months for Rocket Lab shares have been in general decline. After a spike this time last year that sent the company up to briefly pass $20 per share, the company’s value started a long slow slide down, which briefly threatened $4 per share. Recovery followed but still holds at a hair over $5 per share.
Successful tests are certainly welcome news, and that—along with a few other factors—is why I’m bullish on Rocket Lab USA going forward.
Investor Sentiment isn’t Great for RKLB Stock
For a company that basically just proved it can do what it set out to do, Rocket Lab’s investor sentiment isn’t exactly great. Rocket Lab USA currently has a Smart Score of 6 out of 10 on TipRanks. That’s just past the midpoint of the scale, suggesting the company has a slightly better than even chance to outperform the broader market.
Despite this, the company’s insiders don’t seem especially positive. Insider trading at Rocket Lab USA turned negative in recent weeks. Company insiders sold $292,100 in shares over the last three months.
However, this downturn comes after a fairly brisk buying session. While the last three months have been mainly sell-focused—and feature the only two informative transactions in the last six months, both sells—the time before that was pretty heavily buy-focused.
In the last 12 months, there were nine buy transactions and seven sell transactions. Three of those sell transactions were in the last three months.
Rocket Labs is a Telecom Dream Come True
Granted, right now, Rocket Lab USA doesn’t have much of a use case for most people. Rutherford rocket engines will not be on most people’s regular shopping lists or even bought for special occasions. However, there’s a significant market potential here that’s hard to pass by quietly.
For that, we need only look to Elon Musk’s internet service provider (ISP) operation, Starlink. Starlink is a series of small satellites in orbit around the Earth providing internet access. Recently, T-Mobile (NASDAQ:TMUS) joined up with Starlink to offer a way to prevent cell phone dead zones by using satellite connectivity.
Such a move would be helpful in some urban areas, where buildings make transmissions difficult. However, rural areas lacking in infrastructure are the likely big winners. It also represents one of the biggest potential moves for Rocket Lab yet.
All those tiny satellites have to get in orbit somehow. While that’s easy for Starlink, thanks to its roundabout connections to SpaceX, that’s not easy for anybody else.
That’s where Rocket Lab and its reusable Rutherford engines may prove the most worthwhile investment of all. The odds that AT&T (NYSE:T) or Verizon (NYSE:VZ) would turn to Starlink to do what T-Mobile is doing are comparatively slim.
That’s where Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) might come into play. Back in June, we heard about Project Kuiper, Amazon’s plan to bring in its own broadband-based satellite system. The company has already purchased as many as 83 launches. It’s demonstrating the potential for other companies to step in and do something similar.
There’s little reason why Verizon and AT&T couldn’t finance their own such launches. That’s particularly true when the issue of reusable rockets comes into play. Rocket Lab can ultimately lead the way in such purchases. Telecom companies would have a low-cost route to the stars to set up their own satellite networks.
It’s hard to envision Verizon and AT&T quietly conceding satellite accessibility to T-Mobile. “No more dead zones anywhere” is a pile of marketing gold sufficient to make King Midas sick.
The derivatives from such a marketing push are dizzying in scope. Just try to keep anxious parents from not buying in on a smartphone plan that ensures their children are always within reach.
However, none of that is possible without low-cost access to space travel. That’s where Rocket Lab may come in and ultimately send its share price on its own rocket ride up. In fact, some analysts—like Cowen—suggest that Rocket Lab could ultimately compete with Northrup Grumman’s (NYSE:NOC) Antares system. The notion that you could buy in on the equivalent of Northrup at around $5 reeks of opportunity.
Is RKLB Stock a Buy or Sell?
Turning to Wall Street, Rocket Lab USA has a Strong Buy consensus rating. That’s based on six Buys and one Hold assigned in the past three months. The average RKLB Stock price target of $11 implies 112.8% upside potential. Analyst price targets range from a low of $5 per share to a high of $15 per share.
Conclusion: RKLB Stock is a Low-Cost Ride to the (Potential) Future
Rocket Lab shares are going for just a hair off their lowest price targets. That’s about as close to a good buy-in point as you can get. With a share of Rocket Lab, you own a piece of a company that could potentially pave the way to the stars for a wide range of telecom firms and other operations. Granted, Rocket Lab hasn’t demonstrated its fullest value yet, but “yet” is the keyword therein. Rocket Lab is already a long way toward working all the kinks out of its systems.
With the systems working properly, Rocket Lab can then turn its full attention to marketing. A proper focus on marketing opens up the best chance to make a profit for investors.
That’s when Rocket Lab shares could truly take off. For around $5, you could be right on the launch pad. That’s why I’m bullish on Rocket Lab USA going forward. | https://www.tipranks.com/news/article/heres-why-rocket-lab-usa-stock-nasdaqrklb-is-up-today | 2022-09-02T16:25:13Z | tipranks.com | control | https://www.tipranks.com/news/article/heres-why-rocket-lab-usa-stock-nasdaqrklb-is-up-today | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Nationwide, over 2,500 underserved patients received donated oral healthcare on the 12th annual day of service, which took place Saturday, August 20, 2022.
IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- This August, Pacific Dental Services® (PDS), one of the nation's leading dental support organizations, partnered with Smile Generation to partake in the 12th annual Smile Generation Serve Day, a day of service and nationwide campaign of giving that focuses on providing donated dentistry to underserved patients. The collective efforts of PDS-supported clinicians and team members reached new records this year: over $7.6 million was donated in dental services, while PDS team members provided over 55,000 hours of service to their local communities. Since its inception in 2011, more than 24,000 patients have received donated dentistry during Smile Generation Serve Day, totaling more than $46.8 million in donated oral healthcare.
On Saturday, August 20th, more than 700 PDS-supported dental practices located throughout the United States provided donated dental care to over 2,500 patients, including some life changing procedures such as CEREC® CAD/CAM same-day dental restorations, implants, root canals, oral surgery, and much-needed dental cleanings. In addition, hundreds of PDS team members and families joined community service projects such as park and beach clean-ups, blood drives, creating cards of encouragement for children undergoing cancer treatment, packing back-to-school kits with supplies, and serving in local food banks.
"Smile Generation Serve Day has become a substantial part of our organization," said Stephen E. Thorne IV, Founder and CEO of Pacific Dental Services. "The act of service changes our hearts and minds about what matters most in life. This annual event gives us the opportunity to selflessly engage with the communities we serve and help them improve their health. This year's success is evident through thousands of lives that have been positively impacted by the hearts of our team members and their gift of over 55,000 hours of service."
Patients treated during this year's event included U.S. military veterans and those affiliated with non-profit organizations, such as Special Olympics, Future Smiles, The Freedom Child Foundation, Dental Lifeline Network, Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth, Adopt-A-Vet Dental Program, The Kaufman Fund, After Innocence, and more.
After Innocence is a non-profit organization that provides free assistance to America's exonerees – people released from prison after having been incarcerated for crimes they did not commit. Since 2018, After Innocence has partnered with PDS-supported dental practices to provide more than 200 exonerees a total of over $650,000 in donated dental services on Smile Generation Serve Day, clearing the way for a lifetime of good oral health. The event preparation includes orchestrating the complex logistics of having dozens of exonerees visiting a dentist on the same day, including pre-screening patients located in all parts of the country and scheduling them for services.
"After Innocence provides free post-release support to exonerees across the country, many of whom who have serious dental problems arising from years of inadequate care while in prison, and a general lack of good, affordable care since being released," said Jon Eldan, Executive Director of After Innocence. "Smile Generation Serve Day is a game-changer for dozens of our exoneree-clients. Welcoming our exoneree clients into dental practices offices for pro bono services helps these deserving individuals take an important step in rebuilding their lives after wrongful convictions."
This year's success was also due to Smile Generation's partnership with Modivcare, a healthcare services company that provides supportive care solutions to underserved patient populations. This includes access to non-emergency medical transportation, personal care, remote patient monitoring, and meal services. For the second consecutive year, Modivcare offered transportation services to patients in Missouri, Texas, Georgia, Florida, California, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia to dental clinics free of charge on Smile Generation Serve Day.
"We were pleased to support Smile Generation's Serve Day as it aligns perfectly with our purpose to improve access to care for the underserved," said Heath Sampson, Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Modivcare. "The socioeconomic disparities of healthcare extend to dental care as well. Not all Americans are given the same opportunity when it comes to accessing basic needs. Transporting patients to their medical and dental appointments eliminates barriers to care and helps to promote health equity."
Since its founding in 1994, PDS has been committed to providing business and operational support to dental clinicians to facilitate their focused ability to provide patients with exceptional oral healthcare designed to keep them healthier and happier. This includes education on the link between oral health and overall health – what PDS and its supported practices call The Mouth-Body Connection®. Research shows that harmful bacteria and inflammation in the mouth can indicate and even cause systemic conditions throughout the body. Periodontal disease has been connected to systemic health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, cancer, pregnancy complications that result in pre-term/low-weight births, and more. Conversely, the link is often bi-directional. Many systemic diseases, conditions, and even medications can affect a patient's oral health.
Photos from this year's Smile Generation Serve Day can be found here. For more on the culture of service in PDS-supported practices, please click here.
About Pacific Dental Services
Founded in 1994, Pacific Dental Services® (PDS) is one of the country's leading dental support organizations, providing supported autonomy that enables dentists to concentrate on clinical excellence and the highest levels of cost-effective comprehensive patient care. PDS originated the Private Practice+® model to enable dentists to focus on their passion: serving patients. PDS also pioneered the concept of Modern Dentistry so that dentists are equipped to combine advances in the latest technology with the best operational practices and procedures, highly skilled support staff and a commitment to ongoing training and education. PDS continues to grow, with more than 890 supported dental offices across the United States. PDS has been on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing private companies in America 14 times. PDS-supported dentists aim to be the provider of choice in all the markets they serve and to develop Patients for Life™. For more information, visit us at pacificdentalservices.com or follow us on Facebook: @pacificdentalservices, Instagram: @pacific.dental, LinkedIn: @pacific-dental-services, Twitter: @pacificdental, and YouTube: @pacificdentaltv.
About Smile Generation
The Smile Generation connects patients to Smile Generation-trusted dentists who are dedicated to providing an exceptional patient experience and advanced clinical care. Smile Generation also provides financial choices for patients and education about the connection between oral health and overall health. The Smile Generation network spans more than 890 dental offices in 25 states. Smile Generation-trusted offices are supported by Pacific Dental Services®. For more information, visit us at smilegeneration.com or follow us on Facebook @smilegen, Instagram @smilegeneration, Twitter: @smilegen, YouTube: @smilegenerationtv.
About After Innocence
After Innocence is a non-profit organization that provides free assistance to America's exonerees - people released from prison after having been incarcerated for crimes they did not commit. Based in Oakland, California, After Innocence serves more than 800 exonerees nationwide, the majority of whom did not receive consistent re-entry help or meaningful compensation for the time they lost. For more information, visit us at after-innocence.org
About Modivcare
Modivcare Inc. ("Modivcare") is a technology-enabled healthcare services company that provides a platform of integrated supportive care solutions for public and private payors and their patients. Our value-based solutions address the social determinants of health (SDoH), enable greater access to care, reduce costs, and improve outcomes. We are a leading provider of non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT), personal care and remote patient monitoring. To learn more about Modivcare, please visit modivcare.com.
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SOURCE Pacific Dental Services | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/smile-generation-serve-day-has-record-year-over-76-million-donated-dental-services-pacific-dental-services-supported-practices/ | 2022-09-02T16:26:04Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/smile-generation-serve-day-has-record-year-over-76-million-donated-dental-services-pacific-dental-services-supported-practices/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
1 person shot in car on Kennedy Expressway
CHICAGO - One person is in a local area hospital in unknown condition after being shot in a car on Chicago's Northwest Side Thursday night.
Illinois State Police say the victim and the shooter were traveling south on the Kennedy expressway near Sacramento Avenue in the same car around 8 p.m. when the incident happened.
One person was arrested, and the incident remains under investigation.
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There is no further information available at this time.
Anyone who witnessed the shooting or has any knowledge of the shooting is asked to contact the ISP by phone at 847-294-4400, or email at ISP.CrimeTips@Illinois.gov. Witnesses can remain anonymous. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/1-person-shot-in-car-on-kennedy-expressway | 2022-09-02T16:26:51Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/1-person-shot-in-car-on-kennedy-expressway | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
CPD has long way to go to win trust of young Latino and Black men, new survey shows
CHICAGO - A follow-up report by the court-appointed monitor of the Chicago Police Department has found that many Black and Latino men still do not trust officers to treat them with "dignity and respect."
Words commonly used by the men to describe Chicago police were aggressive, racist, disrespectful, unreliable and unethical.
"I don’t trust them. They don’t care about what happens in the neighborhood," said a man who participated in the survey overseen by the monitor, Maggie Hickey, a former federal prosecutor. "When there is a shooting, I want [police officers] to do their jobs. They don’t do their jobs. Not a source of justice or beacon of hope."
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The survey provides a measurement of the police department as it continues to grapple with sweeping reforms ordered in a federal consent decree after the police killing of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.
Earlier this year, Hickey’s office found that the department was falling short in its efforts to engage and build trust among residents.
The latest report, released Thursday, found little improvement from a similar survey by the monitor in 2019. That report found Chicagoans gave the police department low ratings for trustworthiness and "procedural justice" with negative reactions strongest among Black and Latino men.
(Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
In the new survey, Black and Latino men from Chicago, ages 18 to 35, were interviewed in December 2020 through June 2021.
"Young Black and Latino men in Chicago continue to report that they do not experience procedural justice during their interactions with the [Chicago Police Department]," Hickey wrote. "Black and Latino men want to be treated with dignity and respect."
One participant said he experienced too much bad behavior by officers to counter the good that some of them do.
"There was one guy that goes to the center. He got shot, and a cop put a tourniquet on his leg, saved his life," he said. "But I saw the cops handcuff my brother to the gate and beat him, then throw him in the car."
He also recounted an officer forcing him to take off his boots and stand in snow while getting searched, comparing his treatment to a "minstrel show."
Many participants said their cars were frequently stopped by police for non-moving violations — such as hanging an air freshener on the rearview mirror or having dark-tinted windows.
The stops often led to searches of their cars while guns were pointed at them, they said.
Most participants called for more accountability and better training, pointing out the importance of de-escalation skills in police officers.
"I know they’ll show up and answer the call, but when they get there to respond without knowing the community and the area, the problem could escalate," said one participant.
"If it’s a fight or a dispute where people were shot and stuff like that, they come with little training on how to slow the bleeding down and do things like that," the participant continued. "But I don’t really trust them to make the right decisions in the moments where it could be resolved."
Another participant said he felt threatened when police officers aggressively raided his home.
"They raided my house, saying it was because they had seen something online on Facebook," he said. "Hand already on the pistol ready to pull out of the holster."
The report was filed with the U.S. District Court, which has been overseeing the police department’s compliance with the consent decree.
Attorney General Kwame Raoul — whose office was part of a lawsuit that led to the consent decree — said the lack of trust found in the latest survey "shows up daily in unsolved shootings and fearful witnesses."
"Stemming this tide of violence — not just temporarily, but sustainably —will require CPD to fundamentally reset its relationship with Black and Latino residents," he said. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/chicago-police-department-has-far-to-go-to-win-trust-of-young-latino-and-black-men-new-survey-shows | 2022-09-02T16:27:09Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/chicago-police-department-has-far-to-go-to-win-trust-of-young-latino-and-black-men-new-survey-shows | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Labor Day forecast: Scorching temperatures, rain could bring sad end to summer for millions
It was bound to happen, America. Summer is coming to a close. But not before we get one more celebration in to hold onto the dog days of summer.
Millions of people will be hitting the roads and taking to the skies to celebrate Labor Day. But for millions of Americans, scorching temperatures and the risk of rain and thunderstorms could dampen those last cookouts, clambakes and afternoons at the beach.
Here's a closer look at the Labor Day holiday forecast from the FOX Forecast center.
TRAVELING THIS LABOR DAY WEEKEND? WHETHER FLYING OR DRIVING, HERE'S WHAT TO EXPECT
Saturday
The national forecast on Saturday, Sept 3. (FOX Weather)
There will be a wide range of weather conditions across the Lower 48 on Saturday, from rain and thunderstorms along the Gulf Coast and Southeast to temperatures reaching the triple digits in parts of the Plains and western United States.
In the Southeast, the greatest chance of seeing rain and thunderstorms will be seen from Dallas and Houston, east through Louisiana, all the way through to Florida.
Temperatures will be in the 80s and 90s from Denver through Kansas City, Missouri, and into Atlanta and Miami.
In the Northeast, temperatures are expected to be in the 80s in places like New York City, Boston and Providence, with a mix of sun and clouds.
Temperatures in the West and Plains will be extremely hot.
Billings, Montana, is expected to reach a high temperate of about 101 degrees on Saturday with plenty of sunshine.
Seattle will be much cooler, with a forecast high of about 76 degrees with some clouds.
Temperatures will be in the mid- to upper 90s from Reno, Nevada, to Los Angeles, with bountiful sunshine.
HOW TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEATSTROKE
The best time to go outdoors during a hot summer day is in the early morning or late in the evening, when temperatures tend to be cooler than during the afternoon.
If you need to go outdoors during the heat of the day, experts advise you to wear loose, light-colored clothing and drink plenty of fluids.
The dangerous heat can make vehicles deadly for anyone left inside without air conditioning running. Make sure to "look before you lock" to ensure you have not left any children or pets unattended.
HURRICANE SEASON 2022 RUNNING BEHIND SCHEDULE: HERE ARE THE IMPORTANT BENCHMARKS TO WATCH FOR
The Atlantic tropical overview. (FOX Weather)
The FOX Forecast Center is also keeping an eye on several tropical disturbances that are brewing in the Atlantic Ocean, including Tropical Storm Danielle.
Tropical Storm Danielle is no threat to land, but the storm's formation is a sign that the tropical Atlantic may be coming to life after a quiet August.
HERE'S WHAT CAUSES TURBULENCE AND WHY YOU SHOULDN'T BE AFRAID OF IT
Forecasted airport delays on Saturday, Sept. 3. (FOX Weather)
The less-than-ideal weather conditions in the Southeast could also lead to some delays for those heading to the airport.
Some delays are possible in Dallas, Houston, New Orleans, Atlanta, and Orlando.
Out west, some delays are possible in San Francisco with the marine layer fog.
As always - check with your airline for the latest information on your upcoming flight before heading off to the airport.
Sunday
The national forecast on Sunday, Sept. 4. (FOX Weather)
Heading into Sunday, the threat of rain and thunderstorms will shift a bit to the east.
The threat will linger for the Lone Star State and along the Gulf Coast, but chances for showers extend north through the Mississippi and Kentucky valleys, as well as the Great Lakes and into the Northeast.
Rain chances will also be seen in the mid-Atlantic and Southeast.
Temperature-wise, the FOX Forecast Center is seeing another day of triple-digit temperatures in parts of the West and Southwest, while places around Atlanta will reach the 80s.
From the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, temperatures will also be in the mid- to upper 80s.
Seattle will again hover around the 80-degree mark as well, and Billings will be "slightly cooler" than Saturday with a forecast high of about 97 degrees.
And heads up, this has also been the summer of the shark along East Coast beaches.
Several shark attacks were reported in New Jersey and New York, putting beachgoers on edge.
And on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, at least 20 sharks were spotted in the water over the course of a week.
LIGHTNING STRIKES ON AIRPLANES CAN BE SCARY - JUST ASK MILEY CYRUS
Forecasted airport delays on Sunday, Sept. 4. (FOX Weather)
If you're going to the airport on Sunday, you may need to prepare for delays and cancelations depending on where you're catching a flight.
The FOX Forecast Center is expecting some issues at airports in Boston due to weather, and major airports in the South and Southeast are also at-risk of seeing some problems.
Dallas, Houston, New Orleans, Memphis, Atlanta and Orlando could all see some issues, so check with your airline directly for the latest information.
Monday
The national forecast on Monday, Sept. 5. (FOX Weather)
Monday – Labor Day. The unofficial end to summer.
The threat of sub-par weather will continue across the eastern half of the United States, with more chances of rain and thunderstorms across places from the Southwest, Midwest and Northeast.
There's a chance of rain from Norfolk, Virginia, north through the Big Apple and New England, but temperatures will range from the low to mid-80s across much of the region.
If you're looking for sunshine (like most people), you'll want to head west.
Denver will be very hot at 95 degrees with plenty of sun, and the heat will extend to Billings, where the area will likely see a high temperature of around 97 degrees.
Temperatures get hotter the further west you go, so places like Reno will see a high temperature of about 100 degrees on Labor Day.
Temperatures will remain on the cool side in the Seattle area, where the Emerald City will likely remain in the mid-70s.
If you've been meaning to get out to one of our country's beautiful national parks before the end of summer, you've got a lot of catching up to do if you want to be like this grandma-grandson duo.
Grandma Joy Ryan and her 41-year-old grandson have been crisscrossing the country on a mission to visit every single national park in the country, and they've only got one left to visit.
Their ambitious quest began with a road trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2015. In the past seven years, these intergenerational travelers have driven more than 50,000 miles to visit 62 out of 63 parks on their bucket lists.
7 FACTS ABOUT US NATIONAL PARKS
Forecasted airport delays on Monday, Sept. 5. (FOX Weather)
In terms of issues at the airports in the country, most of the problems will likely be in the same locations that could see delays and cancellations over the course of Labor Day weekend.
Houston, New Orleans, Memphis, Atlanta and Orlando will likely see more issues, and passengers should arrive at the airport with plenty of time to space in order to get through security and check bags.
But, again, don't waste a trip to the airport if you don't have to - reach out to the airline directly to make sure things remain on the up and up. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/labor-day-weather-forecast | 2022-09-02T16:27:21Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/labor-day-weather-forecast | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Statue of gospel icon Mahalia Jackson to be unveiled at memorial plaza in Chatham
CHICAGO - The fact that a South Side gospel singer inspired the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s "I Have A Dream" speech at the March on Washington shows her close ties to the Civil Rights Movement.
Mahalia Jackson, often hailed as the greatest gospel singer, frequently performed at King’s speeches, and before his famed address Aug. 28, 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., she gave him some crucial words of encouragement: "Tell them about the dream, Martin."
King then deviated from his written remarks. The result was his famous speech at the March on Washington.
Jackson, who died in 1972 at age 60, will now be honored with a memorial plaza being unveiled Friday in Chatham. The singer sold about 22 million records during an expansive 40-year career and was a fierce supporter of the civil rights movement.
Mahalia Jackson Court was created through a partnership between Carter Temple CME Church and the Greater Chatham Initiative. When complete, the once-vacant lot at 79th and State streets will include a 12-foot-tall monument, a small playground, a performance space and a food court.
At 3 p.m. Friday, a 3-foot-tall bronze statue of Jackson, created as a stand-in for the 12-foot monument, will be unveiled at the site. The stand-in was created by Chatham artist and gallery owner Gerald Griffin.
He’s working on a larger version for the 12-foot-high monument, expected to be installed next year, about the time the food court opens.
The memorial was funded by city grants through Chicago’s POP plaza program. The project also received a $10,000 grant from Peoples Gas.
"If there had been no Mahalia Jackson, there would be no Aretha (Franklin), because Aretha was her protege," Nedra Fears, executive director of the Greater Chatham Initiative, said. "And if there was no Aretha, there would be no Beyonce."
Jackson, Fears added, "was the greatest singer of the 20th century. Her impact on the American music scene is just huge."
As a longtime South Side resident, the gospel singer was high on community members’ list to commemorate once plans for the memorial took shape.
"We talked about some of the great folks who have emerged from the community," Fears said. "The one that they wanted to lift up the most was Mahalia Jackson. There’s a variety of people who have come out of the community. But Mahalia Jackson has a special place in their hearts. And they said, if they were going to commemorate anyone, it would be her. So it was what the community wanted."
Carter Temple is eyeing the rest of the lot as a spot to build an apartment building in the next several years, Fears said. The site also worked well for the memorial because it’s close to the 79th Street stop on the CTA’s Red Line.
Griffin titled the statue "Mahalia, Song of Greatness."
"Her songs were gospel, so they were about hope and inspiration and uplift, and kind of going inside to find stability and strength," Griffin said. "These are strong messages for the African American community and different ideas that I think should be encouraged and put in the forefront of our consciousness as a community."
In June 2020, amid Black Lives Matter protests in Chicago, Griffin had an idea for a series of sculptures that would include Jackson — "a creative social response to the reaction of people tearing down monuments, because these hurtful, romanticized monuments excluded the stories and histories and narratives of Black people and the contributions that they made to society," Griffin explained. "After the racial unrest and the death of George Floyd, people felt compelled to tear down these remembrances that served as ridicule. … So my idea was, instead of tearing down, how do we build up?"
Griffin says Jackson may be an "unknown figure" to some, so he’s determined to share her story with those who visit her monument. Visitors can scan a QR code at the monument to hear more about Jackson’s story.
"This is a big part of history," he said. "That’s Chicago history, that’s Black history that goes untold. This sculpture, ‘Mahalia, Song of Greatness,’ tries to bring light to that." | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/statue-of-gospel-icon-mahalia-jackson-to-be-unveiled-at-memorial-plaza-in-chatham | 2022-09-02T16:27:33Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/statue-of-gospel-icon-mahalia-jackson-to-be-unveiled-at-memorial-plaza-in-chatham | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
These 5 states could tax student loan forgiveness
Mississippi is the first state to confirm that residents there will be taxed on student loan forgiveness, and four other states could follow suit.
President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan would eliminate $10,000 in federal student loan debt for those with incomes below $125,000 a year, or households that earn less than $250,000. It would also cancel an additional $10,000 for those who received federal Pell Grants to attend college.
Typically, debt forgiveness is considered taxable income under IRS tax code, but the American Rescue Plan exempts student loan forgiveness as taxable income from 2021-2025. According to The Tax Foundation, a tax policy think tank, most states fall in line with IRS code, but some states don’t.
Of the states that don’t conform to federal law, at least six — New York, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Virginia, Hawaii and Idaho — have announced plans to exempt the new student loan forgiveness from taxation, Bloomberg reports.
Four others — Arkansas, Minnesota, North Carolina and Wisconsin — "still appear to be on track to tax student loan debt forgiveness," Jared Walczak, vice president of state projects at the Tax Foundation, said in a blog post.
RELATED: Broad support emerges for wiping away Minnesota tax on student loan relief
But Walczak cautions that the list could get even smaller as more states issue guidance in coming weeks and months.
Student loan forgiveness timeline
Biden’s plan will almost certainly be challenged in court. If it survives legal scrutiny, applications for student loan relief will be available in early October. It will take four-six weeks for the forgiveness to be applied.
Borrowers who want debt relief applied to their balances before the student loan payment pause expires Dec. 31 should apply by Nov. 15. Applications will still be accepted after the moratorium ends.
You can go to StudentAid.gov and sign up to be notified when the application goes live.
RELATED: What kind of student loan do I have? Your student loan relief questions answered
Not everyone who is eligible for loan forgiveness under Biden’s plan will have to fill out an application.
The Education Department already has income data for about eight million people, or roughly 20% of borrowers, officials said. If those people qualify based on the income on file, they’ll get relief automatically.
It’s unclear right now how a borrower can determine if the Department of Education has that information. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/these-states-could-tax-student-loan-forgiveness | 2022-09-02T16:27:39Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/these-states-could-tax-student-loan-forgiveness | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Trump search: Empty classified folders among items seized at Mar-a-Lago
FBI agents who searched former President Donald Trump's Florida home last month found top secret records in an office and storage room, along with empty folders with classified banners on them and more than 10,000 government records without any classification markings at all, according to a more detailed inventory of the seized material made public on Friday.
The inventory disclosed by the Justice Department reveals in general terms the contents of 33 boxes and containers taken from an office and a storage room at Mar-a-Lago during the Aug. 8 search.. Though the inventory does not describe the content of the documents, it shows the extent to which classified information — including material at the top-secret level — was stashed in boxes at the home and commingled among newspapers, magazines, clothing and other personal items.
It also makes clear for the first time the volume of unclassified government documents maintained at the home even though such records were to have been turned over to the National Archives and Records Administration, which had tried unsuccessfully for months to secure their return.
The Justice Department has said there was no secure space at Mar-a-Lago for sensitive government secrets, and has opened a criminal investigation focused on their retention there and on what it says were efforts in the last several months to obstruct that probe. It is also investigating potential violations of a separate statute that criminalizes the mutilation or concealment of government records, classified or not.
RELATED: Biden tops Trump in hypothetical election rematch, Wall Street Journal poll says
Lawyers for Trump did not immediately return an email seeking comment Friday.
The inventory was released as the Justice Department undertakes a criminal investigation, as intelligence agencies assess any potential damage caused by the apparent mishandling of the classified information and as a judge weighs whether to appoint a special master — essentially an outside legal expert — to review the records.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump leaves Trump Tower to meet with New York Attorney General Letitia James for a civil investigation on August 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by James Devaney/GC Images)
The inventory shows that 43 empty folders with classified banners were taken from a box or container at the office, along with an additional 28 empty folders labeled as "Return to Staff Secretary" or military aide. Empty folders of that nature were also found in a storage closet.
It is not clear from the inventory list why any of the folders were empty or what might have happened to any of the documents inside.
RELATED: Trump documents: Judge appears open to special master to review records seized by FBI
Separately Friday, the Justice Department said it had reviewed the records seized during the search and had segregated those with classified markings to ensure that they were being stored according to proper protocol and procedure.
"The seized materials will continue to be used to further the government's investigation, and the investigative team will continue to use and evaluate the seized materials as it takes further investigative steps, such as through additional witness interviews and grand jury practice," the department said.
RELATED: Redacted affidavit in Trump’s Mar-a-Lago search released by Justice Department
It added that "additional evidence pertaining to the seized items," including the manner in which they were stored, "will inform the government's investigation." | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/trump-search-empty-classified-folders-seized-at-mar-a-lago | 2022-09-02T16:27:45Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/trump-search-empty-classified-folders-seized-at-mar-a-lago | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Maserati reminded everyone at Monterey Car Week that the GranTurismo Folgore is still coming.
On Thursday, a video of comedian Sebastian Maniscalco being given a ride in the 2024 Maserati GranTurismo Folgore was posted to the Italian automaker’s YouTube channel.
Klaus Busse, head of design for Maserati, and Maria Conti, chief communication officer for the automaker, joined Maniscalco and revealed some key packaging details along with the EV’s 0-60-mph time.
In the video, Busse said the engineers packaged the GranTurismo Folgore’s battery pack in the center tunnel. This allowed the team to keep the car’s weight centered and low, which is appropriate for a sports car. The designer stopped short of confirming the car’s platform, though executives previously told Motor Authority the electric GranTurismo will ride on a Maserati-exclusive platform.
Execs had previously told MA the GranTurismo Folgore would do 0-60 mph in less than three seconds. In the video, howerver, Conti said it’s even faster, revealing the first Folgore (Maserati’s moniker for its electric vehicles) will sprint from 0-60 mph in 2.6 seconds and have a top speed in excess of 200 mph.
The electric powertrain will have three motors and more than 1,200 hp. It will also boast “class-leading” fast-charging times, according to Maserati, enabled by an 800-volt electrical system featuring inverters from Formula E. Conti noted the GranTurismo Folgore will be able to regain 100 miles of range in 10 minutes of charging.
The interior hasn’t been revealed and was blurred in the video, but the exterior is clearly visible. The electric GranTurismo will sport an evolutionary design compared to the gas model, with slimmer taillights and familiar shape that’s been refined to be slipperier and more defined. It will be instantly recognizable as a Maserati GranTurismo.
Busse confirmed Maserati has designed a signature sound for its first EV, but stopped short of noting how it will be made.
Look for more information on Maserati’s first electric car as it nears production.
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- Toyota commits additional $2.5B for new US battery plant | https://www.wwlp.com/automotive/internet-brands/2024-maserati-granturismo-folgore-partially-revealed-does-0-60-mph-in-2-6-seconds/ | 2022-09-02T16:30:23Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/automotive/internet-brands/2024-maserati-granturismo-folgore-partially-revealed-does-0-60-mph-in-2-6-seconds/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Dogs With Preexisting Joint Problems: These are the 10 breeds of adorable dog most prone to hip dysplasia - including the loving Labrador Retriever 🐶
Prospective dog owners should be aware their beloved pup may be genetically predisposed to a painful and incurable condition.
A huge number of us decided to welcome new puppies into our homes over the last three years – according to Kennel Club figures dog ownership soared and demand for four-legged friends remains high.
There are a whopping 221 different breeds of pedigree dog to choose from, alongside numerous crossbreeds, so there’s plenty of thinking to do before you select your family’s latest addition.
There’s even academic guidance to seek out, with Psychologist Stanley Coren’s book ‘The Intelligence of Dogs’ ranking breeds by instincts, obedience, and the ability to adapt.
Another thing to take into consideration is that some breeds are prone to particular health issues.
One common canine disorder is hip dysplasia – when the dog’s hip ball and socket joint doesn’t fit or develop properly, causing it to rub and grind instead of sliding smoothly.
The condition results in the deterioration of the hip over time, causing pain and drastically reduce a dog’s quality of life.
Here are the 10 least breeds of dog genetically predisposed to suffering hip dysplasia, according to the American Kennel Club, along with more information about the condition.
Read more: | https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/family-and-parenting/dogs-with-preexisting-joint-problems-these-are-the-10-breeds-of-adorable-dog-most-prone-to-hip-dysplasia-including-the-loving-labrador-retriever-3399133 | 2022-09-02T16:30:56Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/family-and-parenting/dogs-with-preexisting-joint-problems-these-are-the-10-breeds-of-adorable-dog-most-prone-to-hip-dysplasia-including-the-loving-labrador-retriever-3399133 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Raging inflation has so scrambled the economy that it’s come to this: If Friday’s jobs report for August were to show a significant hiring slowdown, the Federal Reserve — and even the White House — would likely welcome it.
The government is expected to report that employers added 300,000 jobs last month, according to a survey of economists by the data provider FactSet. That would be down from a blockbuster gain of 528,000 in July and an average of about 440,000 over the past three months. The unemployment rate is expected to remain at 3.5%, FactSet says, matching a half-century low.
A weaker pace of hiring should help moderate wage increases and lift hopes that inflation pressures are starting to ease. That, in turn, would help the Fed make progress toward its goal of conquering high inflation, which is near a four-decade high.
Many companies pass along their higher labor costs to customers through price increases. Conversely, when wages rise more slowly, businesses have less need to raise prices.
Chair Jerome Powell and other Fed officials have increasingly stressed their determination to tame inflation even at the cost of damaging the economy. In a major speech in Jackson Hole, Wyoming last week, Powell underscored the Fed’s tight focus on curbing inflation and said he was prepared to continue raising short-term interest rates and keep them elevated to achieve that goal. He warned that the Fed’s inflation fight would likely cause pain for Americans in the form of a weaker economy and job losses.
The stock market has fallen every day since that speech as fears that the Fed may cause a recession have escalated.
Powell also said the job market is “clearly out of balance,” with demand for workers “substantially exceeding” the available supply. Indeed, the government reported this week that the number of available jobs rose in July to a near-record high, after three months of declines. There are roughly two open jobs for every unemployed worker, a sign that many companies are still desperate to hire and may keep raising wages to do so.
“I don’t think the Fed is rooting for a poor jobs report, but they are certainly not rooting for a repeat of July,” when hiring accelerated and wage increases were strong, said Gregory Daco, chief economist at Parthenon-EY. “They are going to want to see some moderation.”
The central bank has raised its short-term rate to a range of 2.25% to 2.5% this year, after the fastest series of increases since it began using its short-term rate to influence the economy in the early 1990s. It has projected that its key rate will reach a range of 3.25% to 3.5% by year’s end. Those rate hikes have made borrowing and spending steadily more expensive for individuals and businesses. The housing market, in particular, has been weakened by higher loan rates.
If Friday’s jobs report is another strong one, with substantial hiring and rapid wage growth, the Fed could opt to announce another sizable three-quarter-point hike when it meets later this month, after similar rate increases in June and July.
The jobs figures will also help fill out the economic backdrop as this fall’s congressional elections intensify. Republicans have pointed to high inflation to try to pummel Democrats in midterm campaigns. The Biden administration has pushed back and claimed credit for a robust pace of job growth.
Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, told reporters this week that “we’re expecting job numbers to cool off a bit.” The administration has been saying for months that it expects the economy to move to slower but still-steady growth after a swift economic rebound from the pandemic that came with a burst of inflation.
Wages are rising at the fastest pace in decades as employers scramble to fill jobs at a time when fewer Americans are working or seeking work in the aftermath of the pandemic. Average hourly pay jumped 5.2% in July from a year earlier. Still, that was less than the 5.6% year-over-year in March, which was the largest annual increase in 15 years of records outside of the spring of 2020, when the pandemic struck.
Higher wages aren’t necessarily inflationary if they are accompanied by greater efficiencies — if, for example, workers use machines or technology to produce more output. But worker efficiency, or productivity, has tumbled in the past year.
Loretta Mester, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, said Wednesday that “current wage increases are not consistent with inflation returning to our 2% goal” and that she thought with worker productivity so low, wage growth would have to slow to 3.5% or so to reduce inflation.
Yet some skeptics warn that the Fed may be focusing excessively on the strength of the job market when other indicators indicate that the economy is noticeably weakening. Consumer spending, for example, and manufacturing have slowed. The central bank might raise rates too far as a result, to the point where it causes a deeper recession than might be needed to conquer inflation.
“They run a risk of not realizing how much those rate hikes are restraining economic growth, if they’re just looking at the really strong employment gains,” said Jonathan Pingle, chief U.S. economist at Swiss bank UBS. “You could end up risking over tightening or moving too fast, too soon.”
The economic picture is highly uncertain, with the healthy pace of hiring and low unemployment at odds with the government’s estimate that the economy shrank in the first six months of this year, which is one informal definition of a recession.
Yet a related measure of the economy’s growth, which focuses on incomes, shows that it is still expanding, if at a weak pace.
So far, the Fed’s rate hikes have severely dented the housing market. With the average rate on a thirty-year mortgage reaching 5.66% last week — double the level of a year ago — sales of existing homes have fallen for six straight months.
Consumers have moderated their spending in the face of much higher prices, though they spent more in July even after adjusting for inflation. But companies’ investment in new equipment has slowed, indicating they have an increasingly cautious outlook on the economy.
____
AP Writer Josh Boak contributed to this report. | https://www.wwlp.com/business/ap-business/ap-fed-is-hoping-august-hiring-report-will-show-slowdown/ | 2022-09-02T16:31:21Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/business/ap-business/ap-fed-is-hoping-august-hiring-report-will-show-slowdown/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea called the U.N.’s top expert on the country’s human rights “a puppet” of the United States, warning Friday that it won’t tolerate an American-led plot to use the rights issue to overthrow its political system.
North Korea’s government is extremely sensitive to any outside criticism of its rights record, viewing it as an attempt to slander and rattle its authoritarian rule of its 26 million people, most of whom have little access to foreign news.
Its comments come as Elizabeth Salmón, the U.N. special rapporteur on the North’s human rights, is making her first visit to South Korea this week to meet officials, activists and North Korean defectors since her appointment last month.
North Korea’s Foreign Ministry accused Salmón of displaying “ignorance and biased vision” on the North. It also accused Washington of being behind Salmón’s mandate as part of an anti-North Korea scheme.
“The ‘human rights’ racket of the U.S. and other hostile forces … is nothing but the most politicized hostile means for tarnishing the dignified image of (North Korea),” it said in a statement. “(North Korea) will never pardon the U.S. and its vassal forces’ ‘human rights’ racket … which is aimed at overthrowing its social system.”
It repeated its earlier position that it will never recognize or deal with any U.N. special rapporteur on its human rights. Salmón’s predecessors were denied access to North Korea, which observers say has made it difficult for them to gather independent and credible information on rights abuses.
During a news conference in Seoul on Friday, Salmón said she was “fully aware that the lack of cooperation in that country is a challenge, no doubts about it.”
“But at the same time, you know, I have been reading a lot, studying a lot during this time and there has been 18 years of work. I am new but the mandate is not new,” she said.
Salmón said she will keep trying to engage with North Korea and expressed worries about its economic, food and other hardships amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We should not give up on engagement with (North Korea) because what is at stake are the lives of the North Korean people and their human rights,” she said.
In a new report circulated Thursday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said North Korea has increased the repression of the rights and freedoms of its people and the U.N. Security Council should consider referring it to the International Criminal Court for possible crimes against humanity.
Salmón said her first report on North Korea’s rights issue will be presented to the U.N. General Assembly in late October.
North Korea remains under multiple rounds of U.N. sanctions over its nuclear and missile programs. During a meeting in Hawaii on Thursday, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and his South Korean and Japanese counterparts condemned North Korea’s continued development of ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction, while the U.S. reaffirmed its “ironclad alliance commitments” to its two key Asian allies, according to a U.S. statement.
___
Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report. | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-international-news/ap-n-korea-calls-un-monitor-on-its-rights-issue-puppet-of-us/ | 2022-09-02T16:31:58Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-international-news/ap-n-korea-calls-un-monitor-on-its-rights-issue-puppet-of-us/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Teachers told by EIS union to reject 'insulting' pay offer
Teachers have been told to reject an "insulting pay offer" as Scotland's largest teaching union opens a ballot on industrial action.
A 5% pay offer from local authority body Cosla was rejected by the Educational Institute of Scotland's (EIS) executive committee last week.
A consultative ballot has now been launched to determine whether teachers want to take strike action over the "wholly unacceptable" offer.
Teachers will have until September 16 to vote in the online ballot.
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If teachers decide to walk out of the classroom, they will be the latest in a series of public sector workers taking industrial action over pay.
Refuse workers have returned from a strike across the country, but threaten to walkout again next week if a fresh pay offer in not made.
Workers in schools and early years learning, including janitors, will also take part in a three-day strike next week.
EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley urged members to reject the offer and vote Yes to "potential strike action in pursuit of an improved pay settlement".
She said: "Teachers are increasingly angry that their pay is not keeping pace with the soaring cost of living, as inflation reaches unprecedented levels, and are impatient for the union to take action on their behalf.
"The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) confirm that the RPI rate of inflation in August was 12.3%, while the CPI rate was 10.1%
"ONS figures also indicate a 96% rise in gas prices, a 54% increase in electricity prices, and an average 20% increase in the cost of many basic foodstuffs.
"This is the context in which local authorities are offering a 5% pay settlement - far below the rising cost of living and, effectively, a deep and painful real-terms pay cut for Scotland's hard-working teachers, some of whom are already experiencing in-work poverty."
She said Cosla, local authorities and the Scottish Government have "dragged their feet" while offering a series of "pitiful" pay offers.
The union is demanding a 10% pay increase.
Ms Bradley added: "It is time for Cosla and the Scottish Government to stop playing political games and to work constructively to deliver a fair pay settlement for Scotland's teachers.
"EIS members can collectively increase the pressure on employers and Government by using their vote in this important ballot, rejecting the totally inadequate pay offer and delivering an overwhelming vote in favour of strike action."
Teachers' union NASUWT has also confirmed it will reject the pay offer tabled by Cosla after 83% of respondents said it was "inadequate".
Some 582 teachers responded to the snapshot survey conducted in late August.
Patrick Roach, NASUWT general secretary, has urged Cosla to come back with a "vastly improved offer".
He added: "If they fail to do so we remain committed to balloting members this term for industrial action."
A strike would come after industrial action among local authority staff threatens to cripple council services across Scotland.
The initial strike in Edinburgh by refuse staff saw rubbish pile up on the streets of the Capital during the Fringe.
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article. | https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/teachers-told-by-eis-union-to-reject-insulting-pay-offer-3829629 | 2022-09-02T16:32:39Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/teachers-told-by-eis-union-to-reject-insulting-pay-offer-3829629 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Cost of living crisis: Nicola Sturgeon and next Prime Minister must unite to wage war on poverty – Susan Dalgety
Poverty destroys lives. It eats at your soul. Diminishes your ambitions. Damages your health. Ultimately it kills.
Figures released by the Scottish Government earlier this week reveal a depressing picture of Scotland in 2022. Nearly a quarter of children are living in poverty, but that rises to 55 per cent of children whose mother is under 25.
Stop and think about that for a moment. More than half of Scottish children whose mother is under 25 are living in poverty, their chances of a fulfilling life reduced before they even start primary school.
More figures spilled out. In the Registrar General’s Review of Scotland’s Population 2021, Julie Ramsay, head of vital events, revealed that mortality rates are “about two times as high in the most deprived areas compared to the least deprived areas”.
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She goes on: “But for some specific causes of death, we see much larger inequalities. For example, people in the most deprived areas of Scotland are more than 15 times as likely to die of drug misuse than those in the least deprived areas.” And she adds: “In recent years life expectancy improvements have stalled and started to reverse.”
Strip her sentences of the statistical language and what she was telling us is that Scots living in poverty are much more likely to die sooner than their better-off neighbours.
It doesn’t matter what the cause, street drugs, booze, malnourishment, hopelessness, one of Scotland’s senior civil servants has just told us – in no uncertain terms – that being poor kills people, and she has the evidence to prove it.
And if that wasn’t a bleak enough picture of modern Scotland, things are about to get a whole lot worse.
We have all read the warnings about energy prices going up by 80 per cent from October 1, but I am not quite sure the reality of what this will mean for most Scots has truly sunk in yet.
I had to read a report about the Shetland Islands three times this week before I grasped its import for the 23,000 people living there. Council leader Emma Macdonald told the BBC that research by the council shows that households face energy bills of £10,000 year, pushing 96 per cent of the population into poverty.
And my stomach churned when I read the Resolution Foundation's warning that Britain faces the biggest squeeze in living standards for a century, a timeline that includes the depression of the 1920s and 30s.
The think tank said that people will see a ten per cent fall in disposable income this year and next – around £3,000 for a typical household and it predicted that three million extra people across the UK could fall into absolute poverty.
“No responsible government could accept such an outlook, so radical policy action is required to address it,” said Lalitha Try, a researcher at the foundation, adding that Britain needs a “longer-term outlook, which can only be achieved by a new economic strategy that delivers higher productivity and strong growth”.
And therein lies the problem. Britain does need a plan for the future. A strategy that will bring down inflation, fix the broken energy market, invest in education and the National Health Service, and support business to grow a sustainable economy, one built on stronger foundations than the City of London.
Even more urgently, we need immediate action to stop energy bills spiralling out of control and to protect households from the worst effects of rampant inflation.
But that plan needs every part of government in the UK to work together, from the new Prime Minister to the mayors of England’s big city regions and, of course, the First Minsters of Scotland and Wales, and whoever is in charge of Northern Ireland.
Barring a miracle, Liz Truss will be Prime Minister in a few day’s time. She can choose to indulge the SNP government by engaging in their phoney war on the constitution, or she can show real leadership by inviting Nicola Sturgeon and the other devolved leaders to help her tackle the cost-of-living crisis that is going to engulf us all, and which many will not survive.
I don’t mean she should set up a pointless two-hour summit round the Cabinet table, which would be nothing more than a gratuitous photo opportunity. Sturgeon for one would take great delight in turning down that invitation.
Truss should convene a high-level conference, lasting as long as it takes, to hammer out practical actions that will help every household in the United Kingdom survive the winter and to lay the foundations for a more secure future in every corner of our country.
It doesn’t matter that Truss and Sturgeon don’t like each other. It doesn’t matter that Sturgeon would use such a conference to push her separatist agenda, or that the mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, would use the national stage to (gently) promote his Labour leadership ambitions.
Nor does it matter that it was the Tories’ austerity policies that made the current situation so much worse for many households. All that matters now is that we are a country in crisis.
At a time of war, we expect our politicians to work together to defeat the enemy and to save as many lives as possible. We are at war now, against the prospect of hyperinflation, of people dying of despair, of a generation of children whose lives will be stunted before they can even walk.
We need our political leaders to ditch the pointless posturing to their own party supporters and put the people first.
Truss could start by picking up the phone to Bute House on Tuesday after her audience with the Queen, and inviting Sturgeon to Number 10. And if the First Minister really loves Scotland, and its people, she would be on the first train south.
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article. | https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/cost-of-living-crisis-nicola-sturgeon-and-next-prime-minister-must-unite-to-wage-war-on-poverty-susan-dalgety-3828801 | 2022-09-02T16:33:05Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/cost-of-living-crisis-nicola-sturgeon-and-next-prime-minister-must-unite-to-wage-war-on-poverty-susan-dalgety-3828801 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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