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Player Retirements | https://www.wtatennis.com/videos/2791428/watch-this-podoroska-covers-the-whole-court-to-get-past-maria-twice | 2022-09-15T22:08:18Z | wtatennis.com | control | https://www.wtatennis.com/videos/2791428/watch-this-podoroska-covers-the-whole-court-to-get-past-maria-twice | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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Player Retirements | https://www.wtatennis.com/videos/2791433/chennai-podoroska-wins-three-set-thriller-over-maria-to-reach-qf | 2022-09-15T22:08:24Z | wtatennis.com | control | https://www.wtatennis.com/videos/2791433/chennai-podoroska-wins-three-set-thriller-over-maria-to-reach-qf | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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Player Retirements | https://www.wtatennis.com/videos/2791495/portoroz-defending-champ-paolini-edges-juvan-in-3rd-set-tiebreak | 2022-09-15T22:08:30Z | wtatennis.com | control | https://www.wtatennis.com/videos/2791495/portoroz-defending-champ-paolini-edges-juvan-in-3rd-set-tiebreak | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Energy theft, vandalism bane of electricity distribution ― ANED
The Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) has called for an end to the menace of energy theft and vandalism as they impact the performance of Distribution Companies as well as the amount of energy distributed to electricity consumers.
The Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, ANED, Sunday Oduntan, made the call during an interaction session with electricity consumers within the network of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) on Thursday, September 15, 2022, at Jogor Event Centre, Liberty Road, Ibadan.
The session, which had as its theme, ‘Building Consumer Awareness and Strengthening the Customer Service Capacity of Electricity Distribution Companies’ is supported by the MacArthur Foundation.
Oduntan maintained that energy theft and vandalism of properties can be tackled through collaboration between communities and DisCos. He called on communities to guard their properties against vandals and to report energy theft through by-passing, to DisCos.
He said: “The amount of energy that is stolen in this country is so much that it has impacted our ability to deliver service. I told the customers here that in a community, transformers are not put inside the bush or by the corner. People need to secure their transformers to enable us to provide the service that they need.
“The way forward is more collaboration and cooperation between the service providers and the communities and more communication. Sometimes, there is a disconnect in terms of awareness. We need to let our customers know what we are doing and what we need to do.
“Electricity supply has improved in recent weeks all over the country but we are not there yet; we are not where we need to be.”
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
He noted that electricity consumers should get rid of the notion that power supply is a social service to be provided by the government while adding that the electricity business should be treated like every other business that incurs costs and needs money to be effectively run.
While making a presentation on metering, Sodiq Raheed, a metering engineer, noted that IBEDC, through the introduction of prepaid meters, aims to eradicate the challenge faced by consumers as a result of estimated billing.
Rasheed said this informed the introduction of the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP) and when this became insufficient to meet demand, the Meter Asset Providers Scheme (MAPS) was launched to enable customers to get prepaid meters within 24 hours.
The Head, Customer Service, IBEDC, Funmilayo Adeshoga, who was represented by the Assistant Manager, Customer Service, IBEDC, Olukemi Olaleye, said the company’s customer service unit was poised to attend to all its customers’ complaints.
“Your feedback to us is a complaint and complaint is a good thing because that would give us the idea of where we are lagging and how we can brace up. For IBEDC, we have different channels for laying complaints,” Olaleye said.
In her opening remarks, the Head, Branding and Corporate Communications, IBEDC, Angela Olanrewaju, said the session was organised to feel the pulse of customers and communicate the company’s efforts toward service delivery.
Regional Head, Ibadan, IBEDC, Olumide Akinmusire, while speaking on ‘IBEDC’s effort at improving service delivery and new initiatives,’ noted that the company is improving its services through the creation of a customer service desk across its service centres, a 12-hour operational call centre, whistleblower policy and multiple payment channels.
Other presentations were delivered by Regional Head, Oyo, IBEDC, Gboyega Agunlejika on ‘How to identify your tariff band as a customer’ and Regulatory Standard Officer, IBEDC, Ayodeji Ajayi on ‘Community-related issues, procedures for connecting communities to the national grid,’ among others.
Also in attendance at the interactive session were the Baale of Olomiland, Baale (Dr) S.O Oyewale; Regulatory Manager, ANED, Adetunji Adeyeye; James Oguntoyinbo, an electrical contractor; among other community leaders.
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Energy theft, vandalism bane of electricity distribution ― ANED
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Energy theft, vandalism bane of electricity distribution ― ANED
Energy theft, vandalism bane of electricity distribution ― ANED | https://tribuneonlineng.com/energy-theft-vandalism-bane-of-electricity-distribution-%E2%80%95-aned/ | 2022-09-15T22:10:05Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/energy-theft-vandalism-bane-of-electricity-distribution-%E2%80%95-aned/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Michigan-based startup Our Next Energy (ONE) this week unveiled a prismatic anode-free battery cell it claims will lay the foundation for 600-mile EVs.
The prototype cell will be integrated into a BMW iX prototype later this year as part of a dual-chemistry battery pack. ONE said in a press release that it’s aiming for a volume-produced version of the dual-chemistry setup, called Gemini, in 2026 that will enable 600 miles of range “in a wide range of vehicle platforms” including trucks and SUVs.
ONE revealed its 600-mile test iX earlier this year but hadn’t yet detailed the chemistries. The startup now says it will pair the anode-free chemistry with lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) similar to the kind popularized by Chinese automakers, and now used by Tesla in certain vehicles.
The 1007-wh/l anode-free cells eliminate the need for graphite and manufacturing equipment associated with anodes, enabling cell costs of $50 per kwh at scale, or about half the cost of current lithium-ion cells, ONE claims.
Anode-free cells typically have a lower life cycle than conventional lithium-ion cells, which would normally make them unsuitable for automotive use. But ONE claims its Gemini dual-chemistry packs solve that problem with a 90% reduction in cycle and peak power requirements, adding that a proprietary DC-DC converter allows the anode-free and LFP chemistries to be integrated into one pack.
Each chemistry is used for a specific function—LFP for daily driving, and anode-free for long-distance trips. With this arrangement, ONE anticipates a 250,000-mile service life.
LFP cells allow consistent charging and reduced demand for difficult-to-source ingredients, but they’re a bit heavier and need a boost in cold weather—likely all remedied with this dual-chemistry approach.
ONE appears to be the only entity trying to take dual-chemistry battery packs mainstream, although it’s certainly not the only company thinking about it. For instance, Nissan has been working on its own solid-state cells, and within that project it hasn’t ruled out combining chemistries within packs.
Drivers of long-range electric vehicles tend rarely to tap into the full range and battery capacity of their EV. So while many startups are betting on faster-charging cells, this approach might prove not only better for automakers but the end user as well.
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- How Lucid leaps past Tesla with smaller motors | https://www.wpri.com/automotive/internet-brands/battery-firm-one-reveals-cell-tech-for-600-mile-evs-including-trucks-and-suvs/ | 2022-09-15T22:25:49Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/automotive/internet-brands/battery-firm-one-reveals-cell-tech-for-600-mile-evs-including-trucks-and-suvs/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Boeing officials said Thursday they will find new buyers for some Boeing 737 Max jets that were built for Chinese airlines but can’t be delivered because China’s aviation regulator has not cleared the plane to fly after two deadly crashes.
Boeing hopes the move will reduce its inventory of undelivered Max jets, which built up while the planes were grounded around the world.
However, the decision risks adding to tension between the aircraft manufacturer and China, which was once Boeing’s biggest market for the Max.
Arlington, Virginia-based Boeing had 290 undelivered 737s in inventory as of June 30, with about half of them earmarked for China, company officials said. The company did not disclose how many might be resold to new buyers.
Boeing’s hopes were raised last December, when China’s aviation regulator took a major step toward letting airlines resume using the Max. In February, Chinese airlines ran flight tests. But the Civil Aviation Administration of China has not taken the final steps to allow Max flights and deliveries to resume, which Boeing officials blame on COVID-19 lockdowns.
Meanwhile, the company was running out patience.
“We have deferred decisions on those planes for a long time. We can’t defer that decision forever,” Boeing Chief Financial Officer Brian West said Thursday. “So we will begin to re-market some of those airplanes that were otherwise earmarked for our Chinese customers.”
China “is an important market,” and Boeing did not make the decision lightly, West said during a Morgan Stanley investor conference. But he expressed confidence that Boeing can find new buyers for the planes, which list at $100 million and up — although airlines routinely get deep discounts.
China is the last major market where the Max is still awaiting approval to fly. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration approved changes Boeing made to the plane in late 2020, and regulators in Europe, Canada and Brazil have followed suit.
The importance of the Chinese market to Boeing was underscored in July, when China’s three largest airlines ordered nearly 300 planes from its European rival Airbus.
U.S. relations with China were strained during the administration of former President Donald Trump, who waged a trade war with China. On Thursday, Boeing CEO David Calhoun said free trade with China has helped the company but that recent “geopolitical events” will “slow us down.”
“I think we will get back there some day,” Calhoun said at a U.S. Chamber of Commerce event. “I just don’t think it’s a day soon.” | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-boeing-will-re-sell-max-jets-ordered-by-chinese-airlines/ | 2022-09-15T22:27:24Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-boeing-will-re-sell-max-jets-ordered-by-chinese-airlines/ | 0 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | 31 |
Boeing officials said Thursday they will find new buyers for some Boeing 737 Max jets that were built for Chinese airlines but can’t be delivered because China’s aviation regulator has not cleared the plane to fly after two deadly crashes.
Boeing hopes the move will reduce its inventory of undelivered Max jets, which built up while the planes were grounded around the world.
However, the decision risks adding to tension between the aircraft manufacturer and China, which was once Boeing’s biggest market for the Max.
Arlington, Virginia-based Boeing had 290 undelivered 737s in inventory as of June 30, with about half of them earmarked for China, company officials said. The company did not disclose how many might be resold to new buyers.
Boeing’s hopes were raised last December, when China’s aviation regulator took a major step toward letting airlines resume using the Max. In February, Chinese airlines ran flight tests. But the Civil Aviation Administration of China has not taken the final steps to allow Max flights and deliveries to resume, which Boeing officials blame on COVID-19 lockdowns.
Meanwhile, the company was running out patience.
“We have deferred decisions on those planes for a long time. We can’t defer that decision forever,” Boeing Chief Financial Officer Brian West said Thursday. “So we will begin to re-market some of those airplanes that were otherwise earmarked for our Chinese customers.”
China “is an important market,” and Boeing did not make the decision lightly, West said during a Morgan Stanley investor conference. But he expressed confidence that Boeing can find new buyers for the planes, which list at $100 million and up — although airlines routinely get deep discounts.
China is the last major market where the Max is still awaiting approval to fly. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration approved changes Boeing made to the plane in late 2020, and regulators in Europe, Canada and Brazil have followed suit.
The importance of the Chinese market to Boeing was underscored in July, when China’s three largest airlines ordered nearly 300 planes from its European rival Airbus.
U.S. relations with China were strained during the administration of former President Donald Trump, who waged a trade war with China. On Thursday, Boeing CEO David Calhoun said free trade with China has helped the company but that recent “geopolitical events” will “slow us down.”
“I think we will get back there some day,” Calhoun said at a U.S. Chamber of Commerce event. “I just don’t think it’s a day soon.” | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-boeing-will-re-sell-max-jets-ordered-by-chinese-airlines/ | 2022-09-15T22:27:24Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-boeing-will-re-sell-max-jets-ordered-by-chinese-airlines/ | 1 | 0 | green-iguana-35 | 31 |
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — CSX has hired an auto industry executive to lead the railroad after its current CEO retires.
Jacksonville, Florida-based CSX Corp. said Thursday that Joe Hinrichs will take over from Jim Foote at the end of this month. Hinrichs previously served as president of Ford Motor Co.’s global auto business.
Hinrichs said in an interview with The Associated Press he’s very excited that CSX and the other major railroads were able to reach a tentative contract agreement Thursday with unions to prevent a potentially devastating national strike.
“Our employees are going to get a well-deserved raise after working so hard the last couple years through the pandemic,” Hinrichs said. “We’re excited about moving from here. Now we can move our conversation into how do we work together to grow the business and better serve our customers.”
The railroads have been plagued with delivery delays that prompted shippers to complain loudly this year about poor service. Federal regulators got involved and ordered the railroads to address the problems.
But improvement has come slowly. CSX and the other major railroads each needed to hire and train hundreds of additional workers, and that has been difficult amid the ongoing nationwide labor shortage.
Hinrichs said he hopes the new union contracts will help CSX attract and retain more employees.
He said he knows the railroad business as a customer, but not the details of its operations. He has been studying up on the Precision Scheduled Railroading model that CSX has used to slash its costs in recent years and will plan to lean on the expertise of CSX’s managers.
“Fortunately, we have a very strong operating team here at CSX that has implemented Precision Scheduled Railroading in the last couple years,” Hinrichs said. “The results have been outstanding. Many people believe CSX is a leader in that regard.”
Hinrichs said he has “read all the books that Hunter Harrison put out” and has been talking to people in the industry to learn more. Harrison originated the Precision Scheduled Railroading model when he led the Canadian railroads and implemented it at CSX before his death.
The model relies on using fewer, longer trains with a mix of freight on them, so railroads can operate with fewer locomotives and employees. Since CSX put it in place, the model has been widely adopted by other U.S. railroads. Collectively, the major U.S. railroads have used the model to cut nearly one-third of their workforce over the past six years.
Foote agreed to remain on as an advisor through March to help with the transition.
CSX is one of the nation’s largest railroads, and it operates more than 20,000 miles (32,000 kilometers) of track in 26 Eastern states and two Canadian provinces after acquiring Pam-Am Railways in the northeastern United States earlier this year. | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-csx-railroad-hires-ford-executive-to-replace-retiring-ceo/ | 2022-09-15T22:27:38Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-csx-railroad-hires-ford-executive-to-replace-retiring-ceo/ | 0 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | 31 |
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — CSX has hired an auto industry executive to lead the railroad after its current CEO retires.
Jacksonville, Florida-based CSX Corp. said Thursday that Joe Hinrichs will take over from Jim Foote at the end of this month. Hinrichs previously served as president of Ford Motor Co.’s global auto business.
Hinrichs said in an interview with The Associated Press he’s very excited that CSX and the other major railroads were able to reach a tentative contract agreement Thursday with unions to prevent a potentially devastating national strike.
“Our employees are going to get a well-deserved raise after working so hard the last couple years through the pandemic,” Hinrichs said. “We’re excited about moving from here. Now we can move our conversation into how do we work together to grow the business and better serve our customers.”
The railroads have been plagued with delivery delays that prompted shippers to complain loudly this year about poor service. Federal regulators got involved and ordered the railroads to address the problems.
But improvement has come slowly. CSX and the other major railroads each needed to hire and train hundreds of additional workers, and that has been difficult amid the ongoing nationwide labor shortage.
Hinrichs said he hopes the new union contracts will help CSX attract and retain more employees.
He said he knows the railroad business as a customer, but not the details of its operations. He has been studying up on the Precision Scheduled Railroading model that CSX has used to slash its costs in recent years and will plan to lean on the expertise of CSX’s managers.
“Fortunately, we have a very strong operating team here at CSX that has implemented Precision Scheduled Railroading in the last couple years,” Hinrichs said. “The results have been outstanding. Many people believe CSX is a leader in that regard.”
Hinrichs said he has “read all the books that Hunter Harrison put out” and has been talking to people in the industry to learn more. Harrison originated the Precision Scheduled Railroading model when he led the Canadian railroads and implemented it at CSX before his death.
The model relies on using fewer, longer trains with a mix of freight on them, so railroads can operate with fewer locomotives and employees. Since CSX put it in place, the model has been widely adopted by other U.S. railroads. Collectively, the major U.S. railroads have used the model to cut nearly one-third of their workforce over the past six years.
Foote agreed to remain on as an advisor through March to help with the transition.
CSX is one of the nation’s largest railroads, and it operates more than 20,000 miles (32,000 kilometers) of track in 26 Eastern states and two Canadian provinces after acquiring Pam-Am Railways in the northeastern United States earlier this year. | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-csx-railroad-hires-ford-executive-to-replace-retiring-ceo/ | 2022-09-15T22:27:38Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-csx-railroad-hires-ford-executive-to-replace-retiring-ceo/ | 1 | 0 | green-iguana-35 | 31 |
NEW YORK (AP) — Americans picked up their spending a bit in August from July even as surging inflation on household necessities like rent and food took a toll on family budgets.
U.S. retail sales rose an unexpected 0.3% last month after falling 0.4% in July, the Commerce Department said Thursday. Excluding business at gas stations, sales rose 0.8%.
The sales figures for August were largely boosted by higher spending on vehicles. Sales of purchases at motor vehicles and parts dealers rose 2.8% last month. Excluding vehicle sales, spending slipped 0.3%. Excluding both vehicle and gas spending, retail sales rose 0.3%.
While the report showed shoppers’ resilience, the figures also are not adjusted for inflation unlike many other government reports. In fact, sales at grocery stores rose 0.5% , helped by rising prices in food.
There was, however, weakening in some areas of discretionary spending with Americans fully aware of inflation’s bite. Business at restaurants ticked up 1.1%, but the pace has slowed. Sales at furniture stores fell 1.3%. Online sales fell 0.7% last month after Amazon’s Prime Day boosted e-commerce sales in July.
“Retailers would probably like to be growing more, especially relative to inflation, but I’m not sure they could realistically hope for much more,” said Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst at Bankrate.com. “Consumer spending habits are changing as the pandemic continues to recede and inflation remains high.”
Consumer spending accounts for nearly 70% of U.S. economic activity and Americans have remained mostly resilient even with inflation near four-decade highs. Yet surging prices for everything from mortgages to milk have upped the anxiety level. Overall spending has slowed and shifted increasingly toward necessities like food, while spending on electronics, furniture, new clothes and other non-necessities has faded.
On Thursday, it appeared that the U.S. dodged a national freight rail strike, which could have sent retail prices higher.
Still, inflation remains stubbornly high. Lower gas costs slowed U.S. inflation for a second straight month in August, but most other prices across the economy kept going up — evidence that inflation remains a heavy load for American households.
Consumer prices rose 8.3% from a year earlier and 0.1% from July. But the jump in “core” prices, which exclude volatile food and energy costs, was especially worrisome. It outpaced expectations and sparked fear that the Federal Reserve will increase interest rates more aggressively and raise the risk of a recession.
Retailers are wrapping up what has turned out to be a decent back-to-school shopping season. But many retail executives say that customers are being more selective when they buy, a trend that could hold through the only shopping period that tops back to school in sales, the weeks leading up to winter holidays.
Jill Renslow, executive vice president of business development and marketing at Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, said that mall is faring well with families generously spending for the back-to-school season. But she said the lower income Americans are tightening their belts and waiting for sales.
“They’re being more selective in where they are shopping and what they are purchasing, what they’re spending their time on,” she said.
Shoe Carnival, which has stores located in strip malls rather than enclosed malls, did well during the pandemic as Americans avoided being indoors as much as possible. CEO Mark Worden said the chain is now getting another bump as people trade down to lower price footwear amid soaring inflation.
Shoppers are buying fewer shoes this year compared with the last year when business was boosted by the government stimulus checks. But customers are still buying more shoes than in the pre-pandemic 2019.
The government’s monthly report on retail sales covers about a third of all consumer purchases and doesn’t include spending on most services, ranging from plane fares and apartment rents to movie tickets and doctor visits. In recent months, Americans have been shifting their purchases away from physical goods and more toward travel, hotel stays and plane trips as the threat of the virus fades.
_____
Follow Anne D’Innocenzio: http://twitter.com/ADInnocenzio | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-retail-sales-up-0-3-in-aug-from-july-amid-inflation/ | 2022-09-15T22:28:29Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-retail-sales-up-0-3-in-aug-from-july-amid-inflation/ | 0 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | 28 |
NEW YORK (AP) — Americans picked up their spending a bit in August from July even as surging inflation on household necessities like rent and food took a toll on family budgets.
U.S. retail sales rose an unexpected 0.3% last month after falling 0.4% in July, the Commerce Department said Thursday. Excluding business at gas stations, sales rose 0.8%.
The sales figures for August were largely boosted by higher spending on vehicles. Sales of purchases at motor vehicles and parts dealers rose 2.8% last month. Excluding vehicle sales, spending slipped 0.3%. Excluding both vehicle and gas spending, retail sales rose 0.3%.
While the report showed shoppers’ resilience, the figures also are not adjusted for inflation unlike many other government reports. In fact, sales at grocery stores rose 0.5% , helped by rising prices in food.
There was, however, weakening in some areas of discretionary spending with Americans fully aware of inflation’s bite. Business at restaurants ticked up 1.1%, but the pace has slowed. Sales at furniture stores fell 1.3%. Online sales fell 0.7% last month after Amazon’s Prime Day boosted e-commerce sales in July.
“Retailers would probably like to be growing more, especially relative to inflation, but I’m not sure they could realistically hope for much more,” said Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst at Bankrate.com. “Consumer spending habits are changing as the pandemic continues to recede and inflation remains high.”
Consumer spending accounts for nearly 70% of U.S. economic activity and Americans have remained mostly resilient even with inflation near four-decade highs. Yet surging prices for everything from mortgages to milk have upped the anxiety level. Overall spending has slowed and shifted increasingly toward necessities like food, while spending on electronics, furniture, new clothes and other non-necessities has faded.
On Thursday, it appeared that the U.S. dodged a national freight rail strike, which could have sent retail prices higher.
Still, inflation remains stubbornly high. Lower gas costs slowed U.S. inflation for a second straight month in August, but most other prices across the economy kept going up — evidence that inflation remains a heavy load for American households.
Consumer prices rose 8.3% from a year earlier and 0.1% from July. But the jump in “core” prices, which exclude volatile food and energy costs, was especially worrisome. It outpaced expectations and sparked fear that the Federal Reserve will increase interest rates more aggressively and raise the risk of a recession.
Retailers are wrapping up what has turned out to be a decent back-to-school shopping season. But many retail executives say that customers are being more selective when they buy, a trend that could hold through the only shopping period that tops back to school in sales, the weeks leading up to winter holidays.
Jill Renslow, executive vice president of business development and marketing at Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, said that mall is faring well with families generously spending for the back-to-school season. But she said the lower income Americans are tightening their belts and waiting for sales.
“They’re being more selective in where they are shopping and what they are purchasing, what they’re spending their time on,” she said.
Shoe Carnival, which has stores located in strip malls rather than enclosed malls, did well during the pandemic as Americans avoided being indoors as much as possible. CEO Mark Worden said the chain is now getting another bump as people trade down to lower price footwear amid soaring inflation.
Shoppers are buying fewer shoes this year compared with the last year when business was boosted by the government stimulus checks. But customers are still buying more shoes than in the pre-pandemic 2019.
The government’s monthly report on retail sales covers about a third of all consumer purchases and doesn’t include spending on most services, ranging from plane fares and apartment rents to movie tickets and doctor visits. In recent months, Americans have been shifting their purchases away from physical goods and more toward travel, hotel stays and plane trips as the threat of the virus fades.
_____
Follow Anne D’Innocenzio: http://twitter.com/ADInnocenzio | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-retail-sales-up-0-3-in-aug-from-july-amid-inflation/ | 2022-09-15T22:28:29Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-retail-sales-up-0-3-in-aug-from-july-amid-inflation/ | 1 | 0 | green-iguana-35 | 28 |
During the first two years of the pandemic, the number of people working from home in the United States tripled, home values grew and the percentage of people who spent more than a third of their income on rent went up, according to survey results released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Providing the most detailed data to date on how life changed in the U.S. under COVID-19, the bureau’s American Community Survey 1-year estimates for 2021 showed that the share of unmarried couples living together rose, Americans became more wired and the percentage of people who identify as multiracial grew significantly. And in changes that seemed to directly reflect how the pandemic upended people’s choices, fewer people moved, preschool enrollment dropped and commuters using public transportation was cut in half.
The data release offers the first reliable glimpse of life in the U.S. during the COVID-19 era, as the 1-year estimates from the 2020 survey were deemed unusable because of problems getting people to answer during the early months of the pandemic. That left a one-year data gap during a time when the pandemic forced major changes in the way people live their lives.
The survey typically relies on responses from 3.5 million households to provide 11 billion estimates each year about commuting times, internet access, family life, income, education levels, disabilities, military service and employment. The estimates help inform how to distribute hundreds of billions of dollars in federal spending.
Response rates significantly improved from 2020 to 2021, “so we are confident about the data for this year,” said Mark Asiala, the survey’s chief of statistical design.
While the percentage of married-couple households stayed stable over the two years at around 47%, the percent of households with unwed couples cohabiting rose to 7.2% in 2021 from 6.6% in 2019. Contrary to pop culture images of multigenerational family members moving in together during the pandemic, the average household size actually contracted from 2.6 to 2.5 people.
People also stayed put. More than 87% of those surveyed were living in their same house a year ago in 2021, compared to 86% in 2019. America became more wired as people became more reliant on remote learning and working from home. Households with a computer rose, from 92.9% in 2019 to 95% in 2021, and internet subscription services grew from 86% to 90% of households.
The jump in people who identify as multiracial — from 3.4% in 2019 to 12.6% in 2021 — and a decline in people identifying as white alone — from 72% to 61.2% — coincided with Census Bureau changes in coding race and Hispanic origin responses. Those adjustments were intended to capture more detailed write-in answers from participants. The period between surveys also overlapped with social justice protests following the killing of George Floyd, who was Black, by a white Minneapolis police officer in 2020 as well as attacks against Asian Americans. Experts say this likely lead some multiracial people who previously might have identified as a single race to instead embrace all of their background.
“The pattern is strong evidence of shifting self-identity. This is not new,” said Paul Ong, a professor emeritus of urban planning and Asian American Studies at UCLA. “Other research has shown that racial or ethnic identity can change even over a short time period. For many, it is contextual and situational. This is particularly true for individuals with multiracial background.”
The estimates show the pandemic-related impact of closed theaters, shuttered theme parks and restaurants with limited seating on workers in arts, entertainment and accommodation businesses. Their numbers declined from 9.7% to 8.2% of the workforce, while other industries stayed comparatively stable. Those who were self-employed inched up to 6.1% from 5.8%.
Housing demand grew over the two years, as the percent of vacant homes dropped from 12.1% to 10.3%. The median value of homes rose from $240,500 to $281,400. The percent of people whose gross rent exceeded more than 30% of their income went from 48.5% to 51%. Historically, renters are considered rent-burdened if they pay more than that.
“Lack of housing that folks can afford relative to the wages they are paid is a continually growing crisis,” said Allison Plyer, chief demographer at The Data Center in New Orleans.
Commutes to work dropped from 27.6 minutes to 25.6 minutes, as the percent of people working from home during a period of return-to-office starts and stops went from 5.7% in 2019 to almost 18% in 2021. Almost half of workers in the District of Columbia worked from home, the highest rate in the nation, while Mississippi had the lowest rate at 6.3% Over the two years, the percent of workers nationwide using public transportation to get to work went from 5% to 2.5%, as fears rose of catching the virus on buses and subways.
“Work and commuting are central to American life, so the widespread adoption of working from home is a defining feature of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Michael Burrows, a Census Bureau statistician. “With the number of people who primarily work from home tripling over just a two-year period, the pandemic has very strongly impacted the commuting landscape in the United States.”
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Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MikeSchneiderAP | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-unwed-couples-grew-us-was-more-wired-in-covids-1st-years/ | 2022-09-15T22:28:52Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-unwed-couples-grew-us-was-more-wired-in-covids-1st-years/ | 0 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | 44 |
During the first two years of the pandemic, the number of people working from home in the United States tripled, home values grew and the percentage of people who spent more than a third of their income on rent went up, according to survey results released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Providing the most detailed data to date on how life changed in the U.S. under COVID-19, the bureau’s American Community Survey 1-year estimates for 2021 showed that the share of unmarried couples living together rose, Americans became more wired and the percentage of people who identify as multiracial grew significantly. And in changes that seemed to directly reflect how the pandemic upended people’s choices, fewer people moved, preschool enrollment dropped and commuters using public transportation was cut in half.
The data release offers the first reliable glimpse of life in the U.S. during the COVID-19 era, as the 1-year estimates from the 2020 survey were deemed unusable because of problems getting people to answer during the early months of the pandemic. That left a one-year data gap during a time when the pandemic forced major changes in the way people live their lives.
The survey typically relies on responses from 3.5 million households to provide 11 billion estimates each year about commuting times, internet access, family life, income, education levels, disabilities, military service and employment. The estimates help inform how to distribute hundreds of billions of dollars in federal spending.
Response rates significantly improved from 2020 to 2021, “so we are confident about the data for this year,” said Mark Asiala, the survey’s chief of statistical design.
While the percentage of married-couple households stayed stable over the two years at around 47%, the percent of households with unwed couples cohabiting rose to 7.2% in 2021 from 6.6% in 2019. Contrary to pop culture images of multigenerational family members moving in together during the pandemic, the average household size actually contracted from 2.6 to 2.5 people.
People also stayed put. More than 87% of those surveyed were living in their same house a year ago in 2021, compared to 86% in 2019. America became more wired as people became more reliant on remote learning and working from home. Households with a computer rose, from 92.9% in 2019 to 95% in 2021, and internet subscription services grew from 86% to 90% of households.
The jump in people who identify as multiracial — from 3.4% in 2019 to 12.6% in 2021 — and a decline in people identifying as white alone — from 72% to 61.2% — coincided with Census Bureau changes in coding race and Hispanic origin responses. Those adjustments were intended to capture more detailed write-in answers from participants. The period between surveys also overlapped with social justice protests following the killing of George Floyd, who was Black, by a white Minneapolis police officer in 2020 as well as attacks against Asian Americans. Experts say this likely lead some multiracial people who previously might have identified as a single race to instead embrace all of their background.
“The pattern is strong evidence of shifting self-identity. This is not new,” said Paul Ong, a professor emeritus of urban planning and Asian American Studies at UCLA. “Other research has shown that racial or ethnic identity can change even over a short time period. For many, it is contextual and situational. This is particularly true for individuals with multiracial background.”
The estimates show the pandemic-related impact of closed theaters, shuttered theme parks and restaurants with limited seating on workers in arts, entertainment and accommodation businesses. Their numbers declined from 9.7% to 8.2% of the workforce, while other industries stayed comparatively stable. Those who were self-employed inched up to 6.1% from 5.8%.
Housing demand grew over the two years, as the percent of vacant homes dropped from 12.1% to 10.3%. The median value of homes rose from $240,500 to $281,400. The percent of people whose gross rent exceeded more than 30% of their income went from 48.5% to 51%. Historically, renters are considered rent-burdened if they pay more than that.
“Lack of housing that folks can afford relative to the wages they are paid is a continually growing crisis,” said Allison Plyer, chief demographer at The Data Center in New Orleans.
Commutes to work dropped from 27.6 minutes to 25.6 minutes, as the percent of people working from home during a period of return-to-office starts and stops went from 5.7% in 2019 to almost 18% in 2021. Almost half of workers in the District of Columbia worked from home, the highest rate in the nation, while Mississippi had the lowest rate at 6.3% Over the two years, the percent of workers nationwide using public transportation to get to work went from 5% to 2.5%, as fears rose of catching the virus on buses and subways.
“Work and commuting are central to American life, so the widespread adoption of working from home is a defining feature of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Michael Burrows, a Census Bureau statistician. “With the number of people who primarily work from home tripling over just a two-year period, the pandemic has very strongly impacted the commuting landscape in the United States.”
___
Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MikeSchneiderAP | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-unwed-couples-grew-us-was-more-wired-in-covids-1st-years/ | 2022-09-15T22:28:52Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-unwed-couples-grew-us-was-more-wired-in-covids-1st-years/ | 1 | 0 | green-iguana-35 | 44 |
Free of charge resource My Special Aflac Duck® helps comfort 50 pediatric cancer and sickle cell patients in Louisiana
COLUMBUS, Ga., Sept. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac, the No. 1 provider of supplemental health insurance products in the U.S.1 and proud supporter of families dealing with childhood cancer and blood disorders like sickle cell, delivered 50 of their award winning My Special Aflac Ducks for children with cancer and sickle cell disease at Children's Hospital New Orleans. The duck delivery event occurred during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and National Sickle Cell Awareness Month, an annual effort Aflac participates in to raise awareness and funding for these two important causes.
"The My Special Aflac Duck program has done an incredible job providing comfort to children with cancer and to kids with sickle cell disease during a time they need it the most," said Aflac Louisiana Market Director Eddie Martina II. "At Aflac's core, we are committed to helping children and their families impacted by these diseases and are grateful to work with our partners in Louisiana to provide this resource free of charge, helping make a difference in the lives of these families."
The award-winning, social robot uses medical play, lifelike movement and mimics emotions to engage and help comfort kids during their cancer or sickle cell disease journey. It was developed after more than 18 months of research with children, families and health care providers to help children cope with their treatments. Features of My Special Aflac Duck include an interactive mobile app that allows children to virtually bathe and feed their duck, customizable soundscapes that provide soothing visuals and sounds, smart sensors that enable touch and awareness of light and sounds, and a calming heartbeat and breathing vibrations. To help children express themselves, the duck also comes with seven feelings emoji discs that, when tapped to a sensor on the duck's chest, prompt My Special Aflac Duck to emulate each emotion.
"Care plans for children with cancer or blood disorders, such as sickle cell disease, can involve frequent procedures, clinic or infusion visits, and hospitalizations, which can lead to stress and anxiety for these patients," said Dr. Dana LeBlanc, hematologist/oncologist at Children's Hospital New Orleans' Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. "We are grateful for the potential positive impact that this innovative resource offers for our children with sickle cell."
Aflac, along with Sproutel, debuted My Special Aflac Duck in 2018 as part of its 27-year, $161-plus million commitment to childhood cancer and blood disorders, including sickle cell disease. Since the program's inception, Aflac has delivered more than 17,000 My Special Aflac Ducks in 450 hospitals and disease-focused organizations, free of charge to patients ages 3 and above.
"We are grateful to Aflac for not only tailoring My Special Aflac Duck to help meet the specific needs of sickle cell patients, but also delivering them to our clients in south Louisiana," said Erin Fullbright, executive director of Sickle Cell Association of South Louisiana. "Sickle cell patients are often forgotten and not given the same resources as other chronic diseases. Knowing our patients suffer just as much and seeing Aflac's support for the sickle cell community firsthand means everything. Going to the hospital for a pain crisis or even for their monthly visit can be a lot for children. Having their own duck during these tough times will be comforting for the families."
Recipients at the Louisiana event participated in a My Special Aflac Duck demonstration before beginning an exciting scavenger hunt to meet their very own robotic companion. Following the hunt, patients and their families celebrated the new friendship through various activities like creating a birth certificate and beaded necklace for their duck, coloring and more.
Health care providers, support organizations and families can order My Special Aflac Duck for their children or patients 3 years or older who have been diagnosed with cancer or sickle cell disease at https://myduck.sproutel.com/family/request.
Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL) is a Fortune 500 company helping provide protection to more than 50 million people through its subsidiaries in Japan and the U.S., paying cash fast when policyholders get sick or injured. For more than six decades, insurance policies of Aflac Incorporated's subsidiaries have given policyholders the opportunity to focus on recovery, not financial stress. In the U.S., Aflac is the number one provider of supplemental health insurance products.1 Aflac Life Insurance Japan is the leading provider of medical and cancer insurance in Japan, where it insures 1 in 4 households. In 2021, Aflac Incorporated was proud to be included as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for the 16th consecutive year. Also in 2021, the company was included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index and became a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). In 2022, Aflac Incorporated was included on Fortune's list of World's Most Admired Companies for the 21st time and Bloomberg's Gender-Equality Index for the third consecutive year. To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover, get to know us at aflac.com or aflac.com/español. Investors may learn more about Aflac Incorporated and its commitment to ESG and social responsibility at investors.aflac.com under "Sustainability."
Children's Hospital is a 257-bed, non-profit academic pediatric medical center that offers comprehensive healthcare services, including over 40 pediatric specialties, delivered just for children. With more than 600 pediatric providers, Children's offers a comprehensive array of pediatric healthcare services in Louisiana and the Gulf South. In addition to its main campus located in New Orleans, the hospital operates a network of specialty clinics across Louisiana, including in Covington, Baton Rouge, Alexandria, Lafayette, and Bay St. Louis, MS. Children's offers primary care services at 12 convenient locations and remotely via its Virtual Care for Kids program. Children's is a proud member of LCMC Health, a Louisiana-based, not-for-profit hospital system which also includes New Orleans East Hospital, Touro, University Medical Center New Orleans, West Jefferson Medical Center, and East Jefferson General Hospital. Learn more at chnola.org.
Sickle Cell is a painful genetic blood disorder impacting more than 100,000 people in the United States. With 2.5 million carrying the trait, it is the most commonly inherited blood disorder in the country. Newborns can be tested at birth, but others can be tested through a blood test. Last year marked 45 YEARS of the Association's service in several parishes in the state of Louisiana. SCASL is the only organization whose mission is to provide supportive medical and social services to people living with sickle cell disease in these areas.
1 LIMRA 2021 US Supplemental Health Insurance Total Market Report
Media contact: Jon Sullivan, 706-763-4813 or jsullivan@aflac.com
Analyst and investor contact: David A. Young, 706-596-3264, 800-235-2667 or dyoung@aflac.com
# # #
Aflac | WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999
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SOURCE Aflac Inc. | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/09/15/award-winning-robotic-duck-flocks-big-easy-delivering-joy-during-national-awareness-month-childhood-cancer-sickle-cell/ | 2022-09-15T22:29:03Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/09/15/award-winning-robotic-duck-flocks-big-easy-delivering-joy-during-national-awareness-month-childhood-cancer-sickle-cell/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Despite great success last year, the 49ers' defense lacked an actual number one cornerback they felt confident matching up against the opponent's number one wide receiver consistently. The 49ers made their only big splash in free agency to address that weakness and signed Charvarius "Mooney" Ward from Kansas City. On today's Gold Standard podcast, we discussed how he faces his first real test this week against the Seattle Seahawks.
Being a number one cornerback in the NFC West is hard. Like, really hard. Six of your games every year come against some of the best wide receivers in the sport. This week, DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are on the docket.
DK Metcalf has mostly had his way with the 49ers in his young career. In six career games against San Francisco, Metcalf has 36 catches for 458 yards and four touchdowns. Out of those six games, he's had at least 60 yards in all but one of them. So if the 49ers are going to slow down the Seahawks' passing game, limiting DK's damage is priority number one.
Last week against Chicago, Ward was hardly tested. He allowed two catches on five targets and had one tackle in the game. He was one of the few 49ers whose jersey didn't look like it had been sitting in mud for four hours (as evidenced by the picture above).
Some people may have a distorted view of how the secondary performed last week because of JustFields'ds’ escapability and a couple of big throws. Before the long touchdown pass to Dante Pettis, Fields first had to scramble for 30.6 yards, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Geno Smith might have some mobility, bhe'se’s not doing that.
Last week, it took until the third quarter for the opposing offense to complete a pass to a wide receiver. If Ward and company can do anything close to that again this week, the 49ers should be winless no longer.
Other topics today'sy’s show
- Why it makes sense that some players favor Jimmy G. (3:52)
- The coverage of Lance is illogical and weird (9:31)
- Does Trey Lance look at the rush too quickly? (13:40)
- Why the offensive liwasn'tn’t as good as their grades last week (15:37)
- Kyle Shanahan needs to leaTrey'sy’s gimmie plays (19:52)
- The 49ers need to giLance'se’s brain a chance to learn (25:0We're’re too worried about how many hits Trey takes (27:30)
- How much would Kittle being out make a difference? (34:54)
- Will we see a change in red zone play-calling? (39:43)
- Does Deebo being a RB make it easier to double team someone else? (41:34)
- The Seahawks might suffer an emotional letdown (50:05)
- The rawon'tn’t be an excuse two straight weeks (52:03)
- Final score predictions (1:00:29) | https://www.ninersnation.com/2022/9/15/23354870/49ers-gold-standard-mooney-challenge | 2022-09-15T22:29:39Z | ninersnation.com | control | https://www.ninersnation.com/2022/9/15/23354870/49ers-gold-standard-mooney-challenge | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Last week, we asked if the 49ers would score 30 points for the Bears for the second time in a row. The road team fell short by 20 points. This time around, against a worse defense, the hope is the home team bounces back in better elements.
All times below are Pacific Standard time:
Tampa Bay @ New Orleans - Sunday, September 18, 10:00 AM
New England @ Pittsburgh - Sunday, September 18, 10:00 AM
Washington @ Detroit - Sunday, September 18, 10:00 AM
Carolina @ New York (Giants) - Sunday, September 18, 10:00 AM
Seattle @ San Francisco - Sunday, September 18, 1:05 PM
Minnesota @ Philadelphia - Monday, September 19, 5:30 PM
Visiting Team @ Home Team: Visiting Team score - Home Team score
Using the Seahawks @ 49ers game as an example. If you think San Francisco will win 24-13, the required format is:
Seahawks @ 49ers 13-24
If you think Seattle will win 14-13, the required format is:
Seahawks @ 49ers, 14-13.
If provided, a bold highlight of the winning team will override a conflicting score format. A bold highlight of the intended winning team is not necessary but helps clarify the winning team in case of an error in the scoring format, for example:
Seahawks @ 49ers 24-13 would be scored as San Francisco winning 24-13 based on the bold highlight of the Niners as the intended winning team. Likewise, Seahawks @ 49ers 13-28 would be scored as Seattle winning based on the bold highlight of the Seahawks.
A bold highlight of the team’s individual score is unnecessary (and could complicate things anyway) and won’t be considered in the scoring, such as Seahawks @ 49ers 13-24 (no need to bold the score).
You can post scoring predictions at any time up until the start of the official game time. You can even change your scoring predictions multiple times if needed. If you make a mistake in the formatting, we’ll try to reply to your score, reminding you to correct it or clarify. Changes must be made as a reply to your original post. Scores must post by the start of the official game time or will be considered late and not counted in the scoring totals.
In case scores are posted past the scheduled game start time, we will resolve any disputes using ESPN’s game summary. The box score summary will have the actual and official game start times. | https://www.ninersnation.com/2022/9/15/23355184/nn-prediction-contest-week-2-just-win | 2022-09-15T22:29:45Z | ninersnation.com | control | https://www.ninersnation.com/2022/9/15/23355184/nn-prediction-contest-week-2-just-win | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Ignore No More: ACTe Now! Campaign to address vast health disparities by seeking more inclusive approach to recruiting Black American patients for clinical trials and research
CHICAGO, Sept. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) is proud to announce the launch of the Ignore No More: ACTe Now! (Advance Clinical Trials for Equity in Sarcoidosis) campaign. The goals of this campaign are to increase representation of Black American sarcoidosis patients in clinical trials, raise awareness of disparities that exist in sarcoidosis, identify the challenges and barriers that contribute to lower participation by Black Americans in clinical trials, and to provide recommendations that foster a more inclusive approach to recruiting patients for clinical trials and research.
To ensure Black American sarcoidosis patients are at the forefront of this discussion, FSR collaborated with sarcoidosis experts and patients, known as Patient and Clinical Advisory Committees, to create a survey to provide a platform for Black Americans to share their experiences and insights. Black Americans at least 18 years of age and older, who live in the U.S., are encouraged to take the survey at www.stopsarcoidosis.org/ACTNow to help inform recommendations for improving care and increasing representation in clinical trials. The survey is available now through November 30, 2022, and will culminate in a Congressional Briefing in April of 2023, Sarcoidosis Awareness Month.
Black Americans are 2.5 times more likely to have sarcoidosis and are 12 times more likely to die from sarcoidosis than White Americans. While Black Americans are disproportionately impacted by chronic illnesses and diseases across the spectrum, they are significantly underrepresented in clinical trials and research. According to the FDA, only 7% of clinical trial participants, globally, and 16% domestically, are Black, while White participants represent 76% and 78% respectively.
"It is imperative to increase representation of Black Americans in clinical trials and research efforts in order to close the gap in care and improve patient outcomes for Black Americans with sarcoidosis," said Mary McGowan, Chief Executive Officer for FSR. "Ignore No More: ACTe Now! will focus on identifying the barriers and growing representation of Black Americans in clinical trials to provide more comprehensive data on their experiences, leading to more effective protocols, treatments, and equitable outcomes. We believe the learnings from this survey will lead to increased enrollment of Black Americans in clinical trials for sarcoidosis, as well as other chronic illnesses more broadly."
In 2021, FSR launched Phase I of the Ignore No More Campaign to raise awareness of the disproportionate impact sarcoidosis has on Black American women reaching over 500,000 individuals through awareness events, media, and an educational public service announcement video featuring celebrity spokesperson, Jeryl Prescott Gallien. The campaign was featured in media outlets such as The Roland Martin Show, The Tavis Smiley Show, USA Today and Yahoo! News. Phase II, ACTe Now!, sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim, Kinevant Sciences, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, and Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, is the next step in addressing health disparities in the sarcoidosis community, including Black American men.
We are calling on all patients, caregivers, clinicians, researchers, and the wider community to support this campaign and raise awareness of the survey. The FSR ACTe Now! Social Media Toolkit and educational infographic are located on the campaign website to make sharing messaging easy. FSR is also calling all providers, researchers, and clinicians to commit to having discussions with your patients about clinical trials and research participation.
There are more sarcoidosis clinical trials than ever before, so the time to ACTe is Now! Learn what you can do to support at www.stopsarcoidosis.org/ACTNow.
About Sarcoidosis
Sarcoidosis is a rare inflammatory disease characterized by the formation of granulomas—tiny clumps of inflammatory cells—in one or more organs of the body. Despite increasing advances in research, sarcoidosis remains difficult to diagnose with limited treatment options and no known cure. Approximately 175,000 people live with sarcoidosis in the United States.
While Black American women experience the worse outcomes, as a group, Black Americans in general have a higher incidence of sarcoidosis and have poorer outcomes and experiences compared to other groups, have a hospitalization rate nine times higher than White Americans, and are twelve times more likely to die from sarcoidosis and at a younger age than White Americans.
About the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research
The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) is the leading international organization dedicated to finding a cure for sarcoidosis and to improving care for sarcoidosis patients through research, education, and support. Since its establishment in 2000, FSR has fostered over $6 million in sarcoidosis-specific research efforts. For more information about FSR and to join our community, visit: stopsarcoidosis.org.
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SOURCE Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/09/15/foundation-sarcoidosis-research-launches-its-first-ever-clinical-trial-equity-initiative-black-african-americans/ | 2022-09-15T22:29:50Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/09/15/foundation-sarcoidosis-research-launches-its-first-ever-clinical-trial-equity-initiative-black-african-americans/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
For the second day in a row, the 49ers were without star tight end George Kittle at practice. Generally speaking, if you don’t practice on Thursday, you’re not going to play on Sunday. Kittle, who missed last week, continues to sit out with a groin injury.
Kittle’s status remains up in the air. A better question would be, what week do we believe he returns? San Francisco travels to Denver in Week 3 before returning home for a Monday night game on October 3 against the Rams. Given the extra day of rest, Week 4 against Los Angeles feels like the safest bet for Kittle’s return to the lineup.
Per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, cornerback Samuel Womack walked to the weight room just before the start of practice. We’ll see whether or not Womack is listed on the injury report. It would make sense considering the 49ers worked out four defensive backs Wednesday and signed Kary Vincent to the practice squad.
Swing lineman Daniel Brunskill missed practice as well with a hamstring injury. Left tackle Trent Williams returned after a day off Thursday.
Speaking of Williams, Bears rookie edge rusher Dominique Robinson said Williams had a tell on passing plays where he’d wiggle his heel. Robinson isn’t the first player to say this:
@packers & packer nation. Let’s make sure the refs catch Trent Williams moving his hill in his set stance. Influencing the Dline offsides. #GBvsSF pic.twitter.com/o0q2D4vO62
— Datone Jones (@DAT_ONE500) January 22, 2022
Geoff Schwartz said he believes Williams does it to set pass rushers up, so that might be an overreaction. It could mean something. It might mean nothing. Just something to keep an eye on. | https://www.ninersnation.com/2022/9/15/23355459/49ers-injury-news-kittle-williams | 2022-09-15T22:29:51Z | ninersnation.com | control | https://www.ninersnation.com/2022/9/15/23355459/49ers-injury-news-kittle-williams | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
TORONTO, Sept. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Intact Financial Corporation (TSX: IFC) ("Intact" or the "Company") announced today that it has successfully priced a private offering of U.S.$500 million aggregate principal amount of its 5.459% senior unsecured notes due 2032 (the "Notes"). The Notes will be senior unsecured obligations of Intact and will rank equally in right of payment to all of Intact's existing and future senior unsecured indebtedness.
The offering is expected to close on September 22, 2022, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
Intact intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to repay at maturity the entire outstanding aggregate principal amount of Intact U.S. Holdings, Inc.'s (formerly OneBeacon U.S. Holdings, Inc.) 4.60% senior notes due 2022. Any remaining net proceeds may be used for debt repayment and general corporate purposes.
The Notes have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction, including Canada, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or Canada absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. The Notes will be offered in the United States only to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers in reliance on the exemption from registration set forth in Rule 144A under the Securities Act and outside the United States, including on a private placement basis in Canada to "accredited investors" who are not individuals and are "permitted clients" under applicable Canadian securities laws, in reliance on the exemption from registration set forth in Regulation S under the Securities Act.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.
Intact is the largest provider of property and casualty (P&C) insurance in Canada, a leading provider of global specialty insurance, and, with RSA, a leader in the U.K. and Ireland. Intact's business has grown organically and through acquisitions to over $20 billion of total annual premiums.
This press release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation, including the "safe harbor" provisions of Canadian provincial securities legislation. The words "may," "will," "would," "should," "could," "expects," "plans," "intends," "trends," "indications," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "likely," "potential" or the negative or other variations of these words or other similar or comparable words or phrases, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In particular, these statements include, without limitation, statements about the anticipated closing date of the offering of the Notes and Intact's intended use of proceeds from the offering.
Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by management based on management's experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that management believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, Intact disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking information in this release is based on information available as of the date of the release.
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SOURCE Intact Financial Corporation | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/09/15/intact-financial-corporation-prices-us500-million-private-offering-senior-unsecured-notes/ | 2022-09-15T22:30:13Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/09/15/intact-financial-corporation-prices-us500-million-private-offering-senior-unsecured-notes/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NEW YORK, Sept. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lument Finance Trust, Inc. (NYSE: LFT) ("LFT" or the "Company") announced the declaration of a cash dividend of $0.06 per share of common stock with respect to the third quarter of 2022. The dividend is payable on October 17, 2022, to common stockholders of record as of the close of business on September 30, 2022.
The Company also announced the declaration of a cash dividend of $0.4921875 per share of 7.875% Cumulative Redeemable Series A Preferred Stock. The dividend is payable on October 17, 2022, to preferred stockholders of record as of the close of business on October 3, 2022.
LFT is a Maryland corporation focused on investing in, financing and managing a portfolio of commercial real estate debt investments. The Company primarily invests in transitional floating rate commercial mortgage loans with an emphasis on middle-market multi-family assets. LFT is externally managed and advised by OREC Investment Management, LLC d/b/a Lument Investment Management, a Delaware limited liability company.
Certain statements included in this press release constitute forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the safe harbor contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act, as amended. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. You can identify forward-looking statements by use of words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project," "estimate," "plan," "continue," "intend," "should," "may," "will," "seek," "would," "could," or similar expressions or other comparable terms, or by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions. Forward-looking statements are based on the Company's beliefs, assumptions and expectations of its future performance, taking into account all information currently available to the Company on the date of this press release or the date on which such statements are first made. Actual results may differ from expectations, estimates and projections. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements in this press release and should consider carefully the factors described in Part I, Item IA "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, which is available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov, and in other current or periodic filings with the SEC, when evaluating these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond the Company's control. Except as required by applicable law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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NEW YORK (AP) — New York City’s latest celebrity visitor is stopping traffic even in this jaded, larger-than-life town.
Little Amal, a 12-foot puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee, is on a 17-day blitz through every corner of the Big Apple as part of a theater project hoping to raise awareness about immigration.
“When we talk about migration and refugees, we tend to forget that more than half of the people we’re talking about are children,” said playwright and director Amir Nizar Zuabi, the artistic director of Little Amal Walks NYC. “The reality is they’re children and all children are beautiful in their own special way. And I think that’s what Amal brings to the table.”
She will visit tourists meccas — Times Square, Grand Central Station, the American Museum of Natural History and Central Park, among them — and also communities far from the glitz of Manhattan, like Corona in the Queens borough and Bedford–Stuyvesant in Brooklyn.
“The role of the project is to talk about displacement, to talk about immigration, to talk about vulnerability in different contexts and, of course, each locality,” said Zuabi.
At each of the 55 planned stops, organizers have reached out to community artists and leaders to create a special event anchored by the place visited. So Amal will join kids her age to hear a reading of the inclusive picture book “Julián Is a Mermaid” at the Brooklyn Public Library. And when she goes to Harlem she will listen to a drum circle performed by students from the Harlem School of the Arts and be accompanied by a stilt walker from Kotchenga Dance Company.
Yazmany Arboleda, a Colombian American artist who is creative producer of the New York visit, calls it one of the largest scale theatrical experiences ever built in the city: “This is the biggest stage on Earth and it comes from all the pluralism, of all the stories, of all the people who live here.”
The puppet comes to the city after completing a 5,000-mile trek across Europe, from the Syrian-Turkish border to Manchester in northwest England. She has traveled through 12 countries — including greeting refuges from Ukraine at a Polish train station and stopping at refugee camps in Greece — and met with Pope Francis.
“New York is interesting because it is a city built from displacement, forced migration and migration. These are the elements that created the city. And the city looms tall and has a very, very interesting engine of creativity, of innovation, of audaciousness. So bringing this project here is very interesting for us,” said Zuabi.
During a recent rehearsal at the performing arts institution and project co-producer St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn, Zuabi stressed the core idea with his 10 puppeteers, four of which are needed to manipulate the puppet at any one time.
“She is a 10-year-old lost in the city. Whenever you are in doubt, go back to that,” he told them as they stretched in a circle. “She’s never safe in this city. If we understand that, I think we can make real magic.”
Some other stops for the puppet — designed and built by Handspring Puppet Company — include salsa dancing in Washington Heights, walking along the Coney Island boardwalk and listening to drummers in Jackson Heights. At Grand Central Station on Thursday, she loomed over admiring pedestrians, who gazed up and took pictures.
“We often focus on the plight of the immigrant or the refugee, and I think what this work does is really bring our attention to the promise and the beauty,” said Arboleda. “As she walks through New York, we’re all going to be learning along.”
One of Amal’s stops will be Liberty Island, where she’ll come face-to-toe with the Statue of Liberty, who welcomes the “huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”
“The core of this project is empathy, is to fight indifference, because indifference is like a stone. You can’t turn it. It’s what it is. The minute you start cracking indifference, something happens,” said Zuabi.
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Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits | https://www.wpri.com/entertainment-news/ap-entertainment/ap-meet-little-amal-a-puppet-celebrating-new-york-citys-roots/ | 2022-09-15T22:30:47Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/entertainment-news/ap-entertainment/ap-meet-little-amal-a-puppet-celebrating-new-york-citys-roots/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - mCloud Technologies Corp. (Nasdaq: MCLD) (TSXV: MCLD), ("mCloud" or the "Company") a leading provider of AI-powered asset management and Environmental, Social, and Governance ("ESG") solutions today provided an update on an interest payment related to its outstanding unsecured convertible debentures (the "Debentures").
On August 29, 2022, mCloud announced it had delivered to TSX Trust Company ("TSX Trust") the funds to cover accrued interest for the Debentures up to August 31, 2022. In subsequent consultation with TSX Trust, mCloud has been advised that given the current event of default under the indenture governing the Debentures, there is not a mechanism under the indenture to provide for the payment of post-maturity interest payments to Debenture holders. As a result, mCloud has confirmed with TSX Trust that upon receipt of written instructions from mCloud TSX Trust will return the post-maturity interest amount in full to mCloud. The Company intends to include this amount at the time the principal amount of the Debentures is repaid.
The Company is awaiting regulatory approval of its pending F-1 registration statement filed in connection with its previously announced preferred share offering and will use a portion of the offering proceeds to repay in full the outstanding principal and accrued interest under the Debentures.
mCloud is unlocking the untapped potential of energy intensive assets with AI and analytics, curbing energy waste, maximizing energy production, and getting the most out of critical energy infrastructure. Through mCloud's AI-powered AssetCare™ platform, mCloud offers complete asset management solutions for commercial buildings, renewable energy, healthcare, heavy industry, and connected workers. IoT sensors bring data from connected assets into the cloud, where AI and analytics are applied to maximize their performance.
With a worldwide presence and offices in San Francisco, Vancouver, Calgary, London, Perth, Singapore, and Beijing, the mCloud family includes an ecosystem of operating subsidiaries that deliver high-performance IoT, AI, 3D, and mobile capabilities to customers, all integrated into AssetCare. With over 100 blue-chip customers and more than 67,000 assets connected in thousands of locations worldwide, mCloud is changing the way energy assets are managed.
mCloud's common shares trade in the United States on the Nasdaq and in Canada on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol MCLD. For more information, visit www.mcloudcorp.com.
This press release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only the Company's beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company's control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved". The forward-looking information contained herein may include information related to the repayment of the outstanding principal and interest under the Debentures.
By identifying such information and statements in this manner, the Company is alerting the reader that such information and statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information and statements.
A more complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company appears in the prospectus supplement, the base shelf prospectus and the registration statement and in the Company's Annual Information Form and other continuous disclosure filings, which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and EDGAR at www.sec.gov. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended.
In connection with the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release, the Company has made certain assumptions. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking information and statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
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SOURCE mCloud Technologies Corp. | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/09/15/mcloud-provides-update-interest-payment-related-outstanding-unsecured-convertible-debentures/ | 2022-09-15T22:30:46Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/09/15/mcloud-provides-update-interest-payment-related-outstanding-unsecured-convertible-debentures/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Benefit for The Children's Inn at NIH
BETHESDA, Md., Sept. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Children's Inn at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) "Staches to Lashes" a benefit for The Children's Inn at The National Institutes of Health (NIH), to be held on October 20, 2022 at The Cliff House Resort in Cape Neddick, Maine.
Maine local and The Front Porch owner Scott Vogel founded the local celebrity drag event. "I initiated this event in 2017 during my first summer as the owner of The Front Porch. Over the first three years of this event, we went from raising $32,000 in 2017 to $137,000 in 2019," said Vogel. "My expectation for this year is to raise over $200,000 for a cause very near and dear to my heart."
Diagnosed with Chronic Granulomatous Disease, a rare immune deficiency, at six-months old Mr. Vogel received care at the NIH the world's leading research hospital and stayed at The Children's Inn located in Bethesda MD. "Throughout my life I received care at the NIH for this life-threatening illness and underwent two stem cell transplants. The first transplant in fifth grade unsuccessful, and the second in 2014, at the age of 24, was luckily successful in curing my disease. I now sit on the board of The Children's Inn where my family and I have spent over 250 nights while I underwent treatment at NIH."
"Giving back is a part of my DNA," said Vogel. "I have supported many philanthropic efforts personally and through my restaurants. 'Staches to Lashes' is a very special one; for which I have been humbled to receive so much support."
Funds raised through donations, tickets sales, sponsorship opportunities, and night-of silent and live auctions.
The Children's Inn at NIH is a private, nonprofit "Place Like Home" for children and their families participating in pediatric research at the Clinical Center at NIH. The Inn reduces the burden of illness through therapeutic, educational, and recreational programming – all at no cost to the families. Since opening in 1990, more than 15,500 families from across the world, and many from New England, have considered The Inn their home. As a partner in discovery and care with the NIH, The Inn strives for the day when no family endures the heartbreak of a seriously ill child.
For more information about The Children's Inn at NIH, please visit childrensinn.org or call 240-988-4259. For more information about Staches to Lashes, please call 207-646-4005 or visit thefrontporch.com.
Media Contact: samuel.angell@nih.gov
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SOURCE The Children's Inn at NIH | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/09/15/staches-lashes/ | 2022-09-15T22:32:07Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/09/15/staches-lashes/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The innovative Property Experiences Management System (PXMS), which helps hotels manage and monetize non-room inventory, needed quick access to PMS data with smaller integration costs.
LAS VEGAS and MIAMI, Sept. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hapi, the hospitality industry's leading platform for fast and cost-effective connectivity between technology systems, has announced an integration with UrVenue, a unique non-room inventory booking engine and operations platform for hotels. Through the integration, UrVenue can push and pull data from the industry's leading Property Management Systems by writing to a single Hapi API.
As more consumers look to book all parts of their travel experience online, hotel operators are introducing creative ways to sell assets beyond the room. Leveraging Hapi's ability to connect UrVenue's PXMS with PMS systems, hotels will have unified booking and itinerary building capabilities. After booking a hotel room, guests are empowered to book additional experiences across multiple categories - activities, recreation, dining, entertainment, amenities, daylife, nightlife, and curated packages.
Meanwhile, Hapi is exposing event streams and transactional APIs at scale, helping hotel companies innovate faster by removing integration, development and deployment challenges. The secure integration between the two companies will allow hoteliers to access critical data in a short amount of time with little to no development work on their end.
"The digital guest experience is critical today, and UrVenue is providing a unique solution to non-room inventory management that also includes a powerful booking engine," said Luis Segredo, CEO of Hapi. "We're excited to help broaden the number of hotel companies and technology solutions they can connect to. Hapi has become the de facto API standard for connectivity and we're proud to be helping hoteliers at both property and corporate levels access and action their data."
UrVenue is the latest hotel technology solutions provider to turn to Hapi for Property Management System connectivity rather than building 1:1 integrations with each provider.
"Hapi and UrVenue are 100% aligned on our goal to create a more modern digital guest experience, while overcoming the biggest pain point in the hospitality industry – the fractured booking journey," said Deron Pearson, Chief Executive Officer at UrVenue. "This partnership is a great example of how innovation comes from collaboration between organizations that share a passion for challenging the status quo."
Hapi is a disruptive Cloud Data Hub that exposes event streams and transactional APIs from hotel systems at scale, designed to solve the hospitality industry's data management challenges while addressing high integration costs. Developed by hotel technology innovators, the secure, scalable, cloud-based data streaming platform is based on an open model, to which multiple layers of encryption, authentication and governance are added. Hapi now serves 6,000 hotels globally, including IHG Hotels & Resorts, Sonesta Hotels, Accor, Hyatt Hotels, Rosewood Hotels, Margaritaville and Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts. In 2021, the company achieved Hotel Tech Report's Global Customer Support Certification, a stamp of approval on its dedication to customer success. Visit Hapi at www.hapicloud.io
UrVenue is a hospitality technology company that introduced the industry's first Property Experience Management System (PXMS). As a full-stack technology solution, UrVenue Enterprise enables commerce, operations, data insights and knowledge management for venue and resort experiences and bridges the fractured booking journey with its unified booking capabilities. UrVenue was built specifically for hospitality venues including nightclubs, dayclubs, restaurants, lounges, pools, resort beaches, sportsbooks, special events/shows, recreation, and more. Since 2011, UrVenue's technology has been the trusted solution for clients ranging from independent venue operators to global organizations including Caesars Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Wynn Resorts, Club Med, Circa Resort & Casino, Tao Group, Resorts World, The Venetian, Mohegan Sun, Paris Society, and Zouk Group. For more information, visit urvenue.com. Follow us on social: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
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BLUE BELL, Pa. (AP) — In a community college gymnasium in an affluent Philadelphia suburb, John Fetterman strode on to a makeshift stage to cheers and stood at a podium beneath a massive “Women for Fetterman” banner.
As the crowd of mostly women looked on, Fetterman unfurled a pink T-shirt emblazoned with his Democratic Senate campaign’s familiar industrial-style lettering.
“My name is John —” he shouted, craning his neck to read the front of the shirt — “Fetterwoman!” The crowd roared in appreciation.
With the fall campaign election season kicking into high gear, Fetterman and his Republican rival, Dr. Mehmet Oz, are making a beeline for Philadelphia’s heavily populated suburbs. The candidates in one of the nation’s premier Senate races are holding rallies, bringing in surrogates and launching hard-edged TV ads aimed at wooing influential swing voters, particularly women.
For decades, Philadelphia’s suburbs have been an important indicator of success for statewide candidates in the presidential battleground state, with the large number of swing voters there.
In the 2020 presidential election, the onetime Republican stronghold was decisive in President Joe Biden’s victory in Pennsylvania, with moderate GOP voters joining with Democrats to produce an insurmountable deficit for Donald Trump.
For Oz, a celebrity heart surgeon and the former host of the daytime TV show “The Dr. Oz Show,” turning around Trump’s suburban slump and gaining ground with moderates is critical: Polls show he is not just trailing Fetterman, but also other down-ballot Republican candidates, campaign strategists say.
Fetterman has made abortion rights a prominent theme in the suburbs to invigorate female voters after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June. Oz, meanwhile, avoids mention of Trump or abortion in the suburbs but paints Fetterman as soft on crime and unfit to serve because of a stroke he suffered in May.
A few days after rallying with Trump in northeastern Pennsylvania, Oz appeared with former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, a potential 2024 Republican presidential candidate, at a “Dose of Reality” town hall in Delaware County.
Besides airing a laundry list of grievances with national Democrats and Biden, Haley, Oz and other speakers at the Springfield banquet hall warned the crowd that Fetterman wanted to make their communities less safe.
“He’s out trying to release people who’ve been convicted by a jury and sentenced by a judge for murder,” Oz said.
Fetterman, as lieutenant governor and chair of the state Board of Pardons, has pushed for more commutations of life sentences for people convicted decades ago of murder or as accessories to murder.
They lampooned Fetterman’s typical choice of dress — shorts and a hoodie — and suggested that Fetterman is avoiding reporters and debates because he is lying about the severity of the stroke’s effects.
“If he can’t live up to 110% of the job, he should have the courage to step out and say, ‘I can’t do it,’” Haley said. “But let me tell you someone who can do it,” she said, calling Oz a “pro-family, pro-child, pro-parent, pro-education, pro-business freedom fighter.”
Fetterman’s campaign maintains that he is expected to make a full recovery — he still speaks haltingly and struggles to quickly respond to words he hears — and that Oz is desperately trying to find anything to help him make up ground in polls.
Meanwhile, as Oz tries to shift the focus of the campaign away from abortion rights, the issue shows no sign of waning from voter’s minds. On Tuesday, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina proposed a federal 15-week abortion ban bill, which Democrats seized on as an example of the extreme policies that Republicans will pursue if they win control of Congress in November.
In a statement issued after Graham’s proposal, Oz — who has said he opposes abortion from conception, but with exceptions to protect the life of the mother and in cases of rape and incest —sidestepped a direct answer on what he thought of the bill.
“As a senator, he’d want to make sure that the federal government is not involved in interfering with the state’s decisions on the topic,” Oz’s campaign said in the statement.
Noting Oz avoided saying whether he would support Graham’s bill, Fetterman suggested that Oz’s position of leaving the issue up to the states would result in far stricter bans in some places.
Fetterman’s campaign says the abortion issue will be decisive in November — helping counter inflation and national political headwinds for Democrats — and featured it at Sunday’s “Women for Fetterman” event in the gymnasium of Montgomery County Community College.
“Women are the reason we can win,” Fetterman told the cheering crowd. “Let me say that again. Women are the reason we win. … Don’t piss women off!”
In interviews in suburban Philadelphia, voters who support abortion rights said they would vote for Fetterman.
For Sheila Dougherty, 50, a registered Democrat from Clifton Heights, Oz’s position on abortion is a nonstarter.
“I’ll always vote for the candidate who is for women’s rights, so I won’t be voting for a Republican,” Dougherty said.
Donna McMenamin, 66, a Republican from Folsom who supports abortion rights, said she was worried by one attack ad she saw on TV that claims Fetterman wants to release state prison inmates who are hardened criminals — which Fetterman’s campaign has called a lie. He has endorsed recommendations by prison reformers that the state can release more geriatric or rehabilitated prisoners without harming public safety.
Still, she said the most important factor in her vote was rejecting any candidate aligned with Trump, whom she detests. Instead, she will vote for Fetterman this year “because he’s not a Republican.”
For Oz supporters in the suburbs, his stance on crime and abortion — and whether they agree with it — is less important than other issues.
Steve Erfle, 51, a Republican from Blue Bell, said he will vote for Oz and other Republicans on the ballot — regardless of any other disagreements he has with them — because he wants smaller government and worries that “things have gone a little far left.”
“They’re not my best friends, I just want their policies,” he said.
Diane Wysocki, 50, leaving Oz’s event in Springfield with an Oz lawn sign under her arm, said she agrees with Oz’s stance on abortion. But more than that, she appreciated Trump’s endorsement of Oz and sees Oz as savvy and genuine.
Still, she worried about whether her fellow suburbanites will embrace Oz, noting that many of her neighbors are Democrats and that even some Republicans she knows think that Oz — a recent New Jersey transplant — is just running because he’s wealthy.
“If I put this out on my lawn,” Wysocki said, motioning to her Oz sign, “this is very scary to people.”
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Follow Marc Levy on Twitter at https://twitter.com/timelywriter.
___
Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter, https://twitter.com/ap_politics. | https://www.wpri.com/news/breaking-news/ap-top-news/ap-oz-fetterman-both-target-suburbs-in-key-pa-senate-race/ | 2022-09-15T22:32:59Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/breaking-news/ap-top-news/ap-oz-fetterman-both-target-suburbs-in-key-pa-senate-race/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PEACH SPRINGS, Ariz. (AP) — Garnett Querta slips on his work gloves as he shifts the big rig he’s driving into park. Within seconds, he unrolls a fire hose and opens a hydrant, sending water flowing into one of the plastic tanks on the truck’s flat bed.
His timer is set for 5 minutes, 20 seconds — when the tank will be full and he’ll turn to the second one.
The water pulled from the ground here will be piped dozens of miles across rugged landscape to serve the roughly 700,000 tourists a year who visit the Grand Canyon on the Hualapai reservation in northwestern Arizona — an operation that is the tribe’s main source of revenue.
Despite the Colorado River bordering more than 100 miles of Hualapai land in the canyon, the tribe can’t draw from it. Native American tribes in the Colorado River basin have inherent rights to the water, but the amount and access for a dozen tribes hasn’t been fully resolved, not for decades.
The 1922 Colorado River Compact that divided the water among states didn’t include a share for tribes. Now that the river is shrinking because of overuse, drought and human-caused climate change, tribes want the federal government to ensure their interests are protected.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part of a collaborative series on the Colorado River as the 100th anniversary of the historic Colorado River Compact approaches. The Associated Press, The Colorado Sun, The Albuquerque Journal, The Salt Lake Tribune, The Arizona Daily Star and The Nevada Independent are working together to explore the pressures on the river in 2022.
A water settlement pending in Congress would give the Hualapai Tribe the right to draw river water, plus $180 million to pipe it to tribal communities and the main tourist center at Grand Canyon West.
“It was the best of a bad deal,” said Phil Wisely, the tribe’s public services director. “And the thing is, I don’t think we could get a better deal, especially now.”
The Colorado River can no longer can meet the needs of the 40 million people and $15 billion agriculture industry that depend on it. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation recently announced that Arizona, Nevada and Mexico would see deeper cuts to their water supply in 2023. The agency also is asking seven Western states to find a way to conserve more.
LONG-STANDING RIGHTS
The 29 tribes in the Colorado River basin are in fact among the river’s most senior water rights holders, a determination often tied to the date the federal government established a reservation. Tribal water rights — once they’re fully resolved — could add up to about one-quarter of the river’s historic flow, according to the Water & Tribes Initiative.
Unlike other water users, tribes don’t lose access to water when they don’t use it. A 1908 U.S. Supreme Court decision known as the Winters Doctrine says tribes have the right to enough water to establish a permanent homeland. Often, tribes give up potentially huge water claims in exchange for an assured supply and federal funding to deliver it.
To the northeast of Hualapai, the Ute Indian Tribe has Colorado River tributaries flowing on its reservation east of Salt Lake City. While the tribe has secured some rights, not everyone agrees on how much more it should receive, delaying a settlement for decades.
Ute Indian Tribe leaders say they’re tired of reiterating that the federal government needs to protect tribal interests, a duty laid out in treaties and other acts.
“Until you start to deal with the inequities or the injustice, you can never really have any momentum going forward,” said Shaun Chapoose, chairman of the Ute Business Committee.
“You’re not resolving that. And they are in a position to do that, they are the federal government.”
The situation of both the Hualapai and Ute Indian Tribe highlights the frustration of Native American leaders across the basin that although their rights may not be quantified, they are real.
Other tribes that have secured water rights have pitched in to help their neighbors amid the prolonged drought by conserving water in key reservoirs along the Colorado River. Some lease or exchange water, and use it to sustain the environment, sometimes creating revenue for themselves.
But Jay Weiner, who represents tribes in water settlements, said it would be unjust to continue to rely heavily on tribes when they haven’t had access to the water as long as states in the basin.
“The tribes have already front-loaded and sacrificed by the fact that the basin has been able to use huge amounts of water that tribes have rights to over the past 100 years,” Weiner said.
In a statement to The Associated Press, the Interior Department did not say how tribal water rights, which are federal rights, would be protected as the river’s flow decreases. It said it is working with tribes that are affected by drought.
HAULING WATER ON HUALAPAI LAND
Querta’s job is a grind but he’s well-suited for it — analytical, quick and goal-oriented. He takes meticulous notes on water levels and quality as he fills the tanks that ensure tourists at Grand Canyon West have water.
The truck takes a beating on the gravel and dirt road on multiple round trips of more than 30 miles most days. The side mirrors and back windows that rattled loose are held together by red duct tape. Querta keeps tools on hand for minor repairs. Major ones or illness can put him out of commission.
He was out for two weeks because of COVID-19 last year and had no replacement.
“I didn’t mind because I didn’t want anybody to mess up my truck or my tanks,” said Querta. “I take care of this truck like it’s mine.”
Once he’s filled the tanks on the truck bed, the water is sent through a pipeline from just outside of Peach Springs to Grand Canyon West. The tourist center is crucial. Revenue from it funds tribal programs for the elderly, public works, the cultural center, scholarships and other social services. The main attraction is the Grand Canyon Skywalk — a horseshoe-shaped glass bridge that gives tourists a view of the Colorado River 4,000 feet below.
There is not a drop to spare at Grand Canyon West. A restaurant that overlooks the Grand Canyon has waterless urinals in the restrooms and faucets with sensors. Customers are served bottled water and food in disposable containers with plastic utensils, cutting out most of dish washing.
Even if the Hualapai eventually get water from the Colorado River, those practices will stay in place, said operations manager Alvaro Cobia-Ruesga.
“We see what’s going on, we have to conserve water for our future,” he said.
The tribe has long planned to expand Grand Canyon West with a store, fire and police station, housing and elementary school to serve tribal members who ride a shuttle up to five hours round trip daily from Peach Springs and surrounding communities to their jobs there.
But without a secure source of water for Grand Canyon West, it won’t happen, said tribal Chairman Damon Clarke. Under the settlement pending in Congress, the tribe would be responsible for building out the infrastructure to deliver water.
“One of the biggest things with our settlement is hope for the future and getting this not for us at this time but for the generations ahead,” Clarke said.
Part of the reason the Hualapai Tribe did not prioritize discussions on water rights long ago is because tribal members believed that water came with their land, said Rory Majenty, board chairman of the Grand Canyon Resort Corp. that oversees Grand Canyon West.
“We took things for granted,” he said. “Like you knew you were going to eat, you knew the sun was going to come up. Tomorrow is another day.”
The settlement has its critics, including Hualapai rancher Clay Bravo. He said the tribe should wait, negotiate a better deal and develop groundwater resources at the same time. He’s not satisfied with a lower priority water right that he equates to crumbs, given the Hualapai Tribe has been on the land since time immemorial.
“How can we run a race and come in first and get the fourth-place trophy?” Bravo said, leaning against a pickup truck on a rocky road overlooking an old water well that was contaminated with radium.
Even with secure water rights, tribes can’t always fully put the water to use because they lack infrastructure. A pipeline eventually will reach the southwestern portion of the Jicarilla Apache Nation in New Mexico through another tribe’s water settlement to boost economic development in the region. Jicarilla Apache has leased water it already has access to for energy production, recreation and conservation, and to benefit threatened and endangered fish. Tribes in the Phoenix area have leased water to nearby cities.
The Colorado River Indian Tribes, whose reservation sits along the river bordering Arizona and California, doesn’t have the legal authority to lease its water, though a bill is pending in Congress to authorize it.
“It’s our sovereignty and beneficial rights of our water — the full beneficial rights of our water,” said tribal Chairwoman Amelia Flores. “We want to lease, we don’t want to sell our water, and that’s the difference.”
WHAT IS JUST?
The Ute Indian Tribe wants that same ability. The tribe asserts rights to 550,000 acre-feet. (An acre-foot is enough water to serve two to three U.S. households annually). A settlement negotiated 30 years ago recognizes about half of that.
“Utah’s position is that’s the number we’re comfortable with, and we think that does more than enough to satisfy the claims of the Utes,” said Utah deputy state engineer Jared Manning.
But the tribe hasn’t ratified the settlement. The Utes have sued in federal court over access to water. A judge ruled in one case last year that the tribe waited too long to bring its claims against the federal government and Utah.
Daniel McCool, professor emeritus at the University of Utah, said the larger question is whether the Ute Indian Tribe has been treated justly and whether funding for water diversions have been on par with non-Native American interests.
“There’s a reason why the tribe doesn’t have much water and why almost all the water in the region is being used by white people,” said McCool, who studies tribal water rights. “Look at who got the money, the Central Utah Project. Who got the water? Ask yourself that and ask, ‘does this look fair to you?’”
It’s a question tribal members have posed for decades, whether the first inhabitants of what’s now the U.S. should have anything but the oldest, most secure water rights. Inevitably, others will lose water they’ve grown accustomed to using as tribes gain access to it.
“People have been taking our water. Are they taking it legally or illegally?” Majenty said.
“The argument from the other side is it’s capitalism, free enterprise. That’s where they got us. Ownership is where it’s at. Until you have a piece of paper, it’s not yours.”
___ Fonseca covers Indigenous communities on the AP’s Race and Ethnicity team. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/FonsecaAP
___
The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP’s environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment | https://www.wpri.com/news/breaking-news/ap-top-news/ap-state-of-unease-colorado-basin-tribes-without-water-rights-2/ | 2022-09-15T22:33:20Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/breaking-news/ap-top-news/ap-state-of-unease-colorado-basin-tribes-without-water-rights-2/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — A cease-fire between Armenia and Azerbaijan held Thursday following two days of fighting that killed 176 soldiers from both sides.
Armen Grigoryan, the secretary of Armenia’s Security Council, said the truce brokered thanks to international mediation took effect at 8 p.m. Wednesday. A previous cease-fire that Russia brokered Tuesday had quickly failed.
Armenia’s Defense Ministry said late Thursday that the situation on the border with Azerbaijan has been quiet since the cease-fire started and no violations were reported. There was no immediate comment from Azerbaijan.
In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price welcomed the parties’ “continued adherence to the ceasefire.”
“We continue to engage and encourage the work needed to reach a lasting peace again, there can be no military solution to this,” he said.
The cease-fire declaration followed two days of heavy fighting that marked the largest outbreak of hostilities in nearly two years.
Armenia and Azerbaijan traded blame for the shelling, with Armenian authorities accusing Baku of unprovoked aggression and Azerbaijani officials saying their country was responding to Armenian attacks.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Wednesday that 105 of his country’s soldiers had been killed since fighting erupted early Tuesday, while Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry said Thursday it had lost 71.
The ex-Soviet countries have been locked in a decades-old conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, which is part of Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994.
Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council that Moscow expects Armenia and Azerbaijan to abide by all the agreements of the cease-fire.
“We are in close contact with both countries so as to arrive at a sustainable cease-fire and the return of Azerbaijani and Armenian military to their positions of origin,” the Russian ambassador said.
He said that ways of lowering tensions were discussed in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s call with Pashinyan and conversations between top diplomats of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the defense ministers of Russia and Armenia.
Putin is also scheduled to meet with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Friday on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in the Uzbekistan city of Samarkand.
At the council meeting, Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other of starting the latest fighting.
During a six-week war in 2020, Azerbaijan reclaimed broad swaths of Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent territories held by Armenian forces. More than 6,700 people died in the fighting, which ended with a Russia-brokered peace agreement. Moscow deployed about 2,000 troops to the region to serve as peacekeepers under the deal.
Pashinyan said his government has asked Russia for military support amid the latest fighting under a friendship treaty and also requested assistance from the Moscow-dominated Collective Security Treaty Organization.
Yerevan’s plea for help has put the Kremlin in a precarious position as it has sought to maintain close relations with Armenia, which hosts a Russian military base, and also develop warm ties with energy-rich Azerbaijan.
On Wednesday, Pashinyan told lawmakers that Armenia is ready to recognize Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity in a future peace treaty, provided that it relinquishes control of areas in Armenia its forces have seized.
“We want to sign a document, for which many people will criticize and denounce us and call us traitors, and they may even decide to remove us from office, but we would be grateful if Armenia gets a lasting peace and security as a result of it,” Pashinyan said.
Some in the opposition saw the statement as a sign of Pashinyan’s readiness to cave in to Azerbaijani demands and recognize Azerbaijan’s sovereignty over Nagorno-Karabakh. Crowds of angry protesters quickly descended on the government’s headquarters, accusing Pashinyan of treason. Protests were also held in other Armenian cities.
Thousands of opposition supporters rallied again late Thursday in front of the country’s parliament, calling for Pashinyan to be impeached. One opposition leader, Karin Tonoyan, urged protesters to start blockading government buildings on Friday and also issued a call for a nationwide strike.
___
Aida Sultanova in London, Matthew Lee in Washington and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report. | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-cease-fire-holds-between-armenia-and-azerbaijan/ | 2022-09-15T22:34:10Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-cease-fire-holds-between-armenia-and-azerbaijan/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
BANGKOK (AP) — China’s Foreign Ministry accused the United States of violating its commitment to the “One China” principle and interfering in internal Chinese affairs Thursday, after the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations committee approved a new bill that could significantly increase American defense support for the island of Taiwan.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters in Beijing that China had “lodged serious complaints” with Washington over the legislation, which still needs U.S. House and President Joe Biden’s approval to become law.
“The one-China principle is the political foundation of China-U.S. relations,” she said. “If the bill continues to be deliberated, pushed forward or even signed into law, it will greatly shake the political foundation of China-U.S. relations and cause extremely serious consequences to China-U.S. relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”
China claims the self-governing democracy of Taiwan as its own territory, and has not ruled out retaking the island by force if necessary. The sides split after a civil war in 1949 and have no official relations, with China cutting off even informal contacts following the election of independence-leaning Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in 2016.
Under its “One China” policy, the United States recognizes the government in Beijing while allowing for informal relations and defense ties with Taipei.
It takes a stance of “strategic ambiguity” toward the defense of Taiwan — leaving it open whether it would respond militarily were the island attacked.
The Taiwan Policy Act of 2022, approved by the committee on Wednesday, sets out to “support the security of Taiwan and its right of self determination,” providing billions of dollars in defense funding to enhance its “counter intervention capabilities.”
Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, who coauthored the bipartisan bill with Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, stressed that its focus is on deterrence and that China should not see it as a threat.
“The bill we are approving today makes clear the United States does not seek war or increased tensions with Beijing. Just the opposite,” he said in a statement. “We are carefully and strategically lowering the existential threats facing Taiwan by raising the cost of taking the island by force so that it becomes too high a risk and unachievable.”
The committee’s approval of the bill comes at a time when tensions between Beijing and Washington were already high over Taiwan following the visit of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taipei last month.
That prompted China to fire missiles into the Taiwan Strait and mobilize large numbers of ships and warplanes for exercises around the island.
China sees high-level foreign visits to the island as interference in its affairs and de facto recognition of Taiwanese sovereignty, and there has been a steady stream of high-level U.S. visitors since Pelosi’s visit.
The Biden administration has insisted that the United States’ “One China” policy has not changed.
Despite a lack of formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, the U.S. is its strongest political backer and source of defensive arms, and during her visit Pelosi said she wants to help the island defend itself.
In a statement, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it would continue to maintain close communication with the U.S. government on the bill, with the hope “it could become law and make further progress in deepening U.S-Taiwan’s friendly relationship, and ensure the freedom, peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific area.”
___
Associated Press writer Huizhong Wu contributed from Taipei. | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-china-slams-us-senate-bill-supporting-taiwans-defense/ | 2022-09-15T22:34:25Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-china-slams-us-senate-bill-supporting-taiwans-defense/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
About 50 migrants arrived by plane on Martha's Vineyard Wednesday night, marking a new tactic in the political fight over border security. They were flown from Texas by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Copyright 2022 NPR
About 50 migrants arrived by plane on Martha's Vineyard Wednesday night, marking a new tactic in the political fight over border security. They were flown from Texas by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.klcc.org/npr-politics/npr-politics/2022-09-15/50-migrants-arrive-at-marthas-vineyard-airport-sent-from-texas-by-desantis | 2022-09-15T22:34:41Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-politics/npr-politics/2022-09-15/50-migrants-arrive-at-marthas-vineyard-airport-sent-from-texas-by-desantis | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NPR's Juana Summers and Washington Post national baseball writer Chelsea Janes talk about the New York Yankees' star player Aaron Judge. The outfielder leads the major league in homeruns this season.
Copyright 2022 NPR
NPR's Juana Summers and Washington Post national baseball writer Chelsea Janes talk about the New York Yankees' star player Aaron Judge. The outfielder leads the major league in homeruns this season.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.klcc.org/npr-sports/npr-sports/2022-09-15/home-runs-come-easy-to-yankees-star-aaron-judge | 2022-09-15T22:34:53Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-sports/npr-sports/2022-09-15/home-runs-come-easy-to-yankees-star-aaron-judge | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
BERLIN (AP) — Authorities in Austria said Thursday that a police firearms instructor is being investigated for accidentally shooting dead a fellow officer during a training exercise.
Prosecutors in the southern city of Graz said the 39-year-old instructor had handed practice weapons to the officers, but forgotten that he was still carrying his own service firearm.
Intending to show the group that one them was standing in a dangerous position, the instructor drew his gun and shot the 27-year-old officer in the back at close range, wounding him fatally.
Christian Kroschl, a spokesman for the prosecutors office, said there was no doubt the incident Wednesday had been an accident.
The instructor is now being investigated on suspicion of grossly negligent killing, he said. | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-firearms-instructor-accidentally-shoots-dead-fellow-officer/ | 2022-09-15T22:35:02Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-firearms-instructor-accidentally-shoots-dead-fellow-officer/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Freight rail carriers and the unions representing rail workers have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract. The deal includes wages increases and medical exemptions from attendance policies.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Freight rail carriers and the unions representing rail workers have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract. The deal includes wages increases and medical exemptions from attendance policies.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/npr-top-stories/2022-09-15/a-look-at-the-tentative-deal-between-freight-railroads-and-rail-workers-unions | 2022-09-15T22:35:06Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/npr-top-stories/2022-09-15/a-look-at-the-tentative-deal-between-freight-railroads-and-rail-workers-unions | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Many of the workers in Maine's lobster processing industry are people of color, but lobstermen are almost all white. A new program is aiming to diversify the state's lobster fleet.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Many of the workers in Maine's lobster processing industry are people of color, but lobstermen are almost all white. A new program is aiming to diversify the state's lobster fleet.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/npr-top-stories/2022-09-15/bringing-diversity-to-maines-nearly-all-white-lobster-fleet | 2022-09-15T22:35:12Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/npr-top-stories/2022-09-15/bringing-diversity-to-maines-nearly-all-white-lobster-fleet | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian operators of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station won't restart the plant until its occupying Russian forces leave the facility, the head of Ukraine's nuclear agency, Petro Kotin, tells NPR.
Ukrainian workers powered down the war-damaged plant last weekend for safety reasons amid continued shelling. On Tuesday, workers finished restoring all three backup power lines — a sliver of good news at the plant that officials and energy experts have warned could face a catastrophe as fighting continues around it.
Still, the situation remains tense and unpredictable at Zaporizhzhia — Europe's largest nuclear plant, which has been occupied by Russian troops since early March but is operated mostly by Ukrainian staff — and concerns about the risk of a nuclear disaster are still looming as fighting picked up in that part of southern Ukraine.
After a recent inspection, the International Atomic Energy Agency said it found troubling evidence of destruction and workers operating under conditions causing them extreme distress.
"It is just awful," says Petro Kotin, president of Ukraine's atomic energy agency, Energoatom, which operates the plant. "Because the staff cannot operate freely, thinking about nuclear safety of the plant. Instead of that, they are thinking about what will happen next with them, with their families — will they be captured or tortured — or killed, even?"
Although Ukrainian workers still operate the plant, Russia has brought in some of its own nuclear engineers and experts. But according to nuclear experts, the Ukrainian systems are different from Russia's, meaning only trained staff know how to use them safely and effectively.
Kotin says he is in regular contact from his base in Kyiv with managers at the Zaporizhzhia plant, which is southeast of the capital in the city of Enerhodar. But the Russians will only allow him to talk to them by phone, not by video, as he does with managers at the other Ukrainian facilities he oversees.
"I can tell by evaluating their voices that they are on the edge of psychological disaster. These people are very exhausted," he says.
There have been reports of physical abuse of the Ukrainian staff, and though NPR has not independently verified specific incidents, the IAEA has raised concerns for months about the well-being of staff working under extremely stressful conditions.
Kotin lists instances of violence against his employees he says he knows about: Dozens were detained and tortured for days, he says. One died after Russian soldiers beat him. Another was shot five times in his apartment in front of his family.
Last week, the final reactor was taken offline, or put into "cold shutdown" mode, creating a safer situation if power were to be lost at the plant again — and taking some stress off staff since fewer people are required to operate the plant. In this mode, the reactor doesn't produce electricity, but still requires power to keep its cooling systems working, which is why the restoration of the power lines is critical.
Taking the country's largest nuclear power plant offline is a big loss for energy production in Ukraine. The Zaporizhzia Nuclear Power Plant has six of Ukraine's 15 nuclear reactors, and before the turmoil at Zaporizhzhia caused a disruption, nuclear power usually provides slightly over half of the country's energy.
Right now, coal is helping to make up the difference, but many of the coal plants are in the east, surrounded by heavy fighting or even destroyed. As some stability returns in other parts of the country, more people go back home and winter approaches, energy needs will no doubt increase. The country could be looking at a shortage.
While the IAEA and other international organizations have been pressing for a demilitarized zone around the plant, efforts haven't gone far.
But Kotin remains hopeful that Ukraine will regain control of the complex soon.
"I hope that the Russians finally understand that they are not in a place that they should be. So what is the best that they can do? Just take off from the plant and go back to Russia," he says.
That kind of optimism mirrors how many Ukrainians are feeling now after the massive success of the counteroffensive in the east: a renewed sense of possibility for a Russian retreat.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.klcc.org/npr-world-news/npr-world-news/2022-09-15/zaporizhzhia-nuclear-reactors-wont-restart-until-russians-leave-its-operator-says | 2022-09-15T22:35:36Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-world-news/npr-world-news/2022-09-15/zaporizhzhia-nuclear-reactors-wont-restart-until-russians-leave-its-operator-says | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican authorities have arrested a general and two other members of the army for alleged connection to the disappearance of 43 students in southern Mexico in 2014, the government announced Thursday.
Assistant Public Safety Secretary Ricardo Mejia said that among those arrested was the commander of the army base in Iguala, Guerrero in September 2014, when the students from a radical teacher’s college were abducted. Mejía said a fourth arrest was expected soon.
Mejía did not give names of those arrested, but the commander of the Iguala base at that time was José Rodríguez Pérez, then a colonel. Barely a year after the students’ disappearances and with the missing students’ families already raising suspicions about military involvement and demanding access to the base, Rodríguez was promoted to brigadier general.
Last month, a government truth commission re-investigating the case issued a report that named Rodríguez as being allegedly responsible for the disappearance of six of the students.
Interior Undersecretary Alejandro Encinas, who led the commission, said last month that six of the missing students were allegedly kept alive in a warehouse for days then turned over to Rodríguez who ordered them killed.
The report had called the disappearances a “state crime,” emphasizing that authorities had been closely monitoring the students from the teachers’ college at Ayotzinapa from the time they left their campus through their abduction by local police in the town of Iguala that night. A soldier who had infiltrated the school was among the abducted students, and Encinas asserted the army did not follow its own protocols and try to rescue him.
“There is also information corroborated with emergency 089 telephone calls where allegedly six of the 43 disappeared students were held during several days and alive in what they call the old warehouse and from there were turned over to the colonel,” Encinas said. “Allegedly the six students were alive for as many as four days after the events and were killed and disappeared on orders of the colonel, allegedly the then Col. José Rodríguez Pérez.”
Numerous government and independent investigations have failed to reach a single conclusive narrative about what happened to the 43 students, but it appears that local police pulled the students off several buses in Iguala that night and turned them over to a drug gang. The motive remains unclear. Their bodies have never been found, though fragments of burned bone have been matched to three of the students.
The role of the army in the students’ disappearance has long been a source of tension between the families and the government. From the beginning, there were questions about the military’s knowledge of what happened and its possible involvement. The students’ parents demanded for years that they be allowed to search the army base in Iguala. It was not until 2019 that they were given access along with Encinas and the Truth Commission.
Shortly after the truth commission report, the Attorney General’s Office announced 83 arrest orders, 20 for members of the military. Then federal agents arrested Jesús Murillo Karam, who was attorney general at the time.
Doubts had been growing in the weeks since the arrest orders were announced because no arrests had been announced. The administration of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has also formed a closer public bond with the military than any in recent memory.
The president pushed to shift the newly created National Guard under full military authority and his allies in congress are trying to extend the time for the military to continue a policing role in the streets to 2028.
On Thursday, Mejía also dismissed any suggestion that José Luis Abarca, who was mayor of Iguala at the time, would be released from prison after a judge absolved him of responsibility for the student’s abduction based on a lack of evidence. Even without the aggravated kidnapping charge, Abarca still faces other charges for organized crime and money laundering, and Mejía said the judge’s latest decision would be challenged. The judge similarly absolved 19 others, including the man who was Iguala’s police at the time.
The Miguel Agustin Pro Human Rights Center and other nongovernmental organizations that have supported the families of the students said in a joint statement Thursday that the government had so far not notified the families of the case against Rodríguez nor the charges he would face.
They said that if the prosecution of Rodríguez did advance on “solid evidence” it could be very relevant for holding the military accountable. The statement noted that there was “abundant” evidence about the collusion of soldiers from the Iguala base with organized crime.
The organizations also called on authorities to appeal the judge’s decision absolving Abarca and others. They said the ruling was the result of poor work by the Attorney General’s Office that originally brought the charges, including the extensive use of torture which led much of the evidence to be excluded. | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-mexico-arrests-3-soldiers-for-ties-to-missing-students-case/ | 2022-09-15T22:35:46Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-mexico-arrests-3-soldiers-for-ties-to-missing-students-case/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s National Police said it is investigating the recent slaying of three officers that it blamed on gang members.
The agency said Wednesday that a gang called “Ti Makak,” which means Little Macaques, killed the officers on Tuesday in Laboule, a largely gated community located just south of Port-au-Prince.
It is also the site of recent turf wars between gangs that have led to other killings in the area, including two journalists who were fatally shot and set on fire in January and a former senator who worked for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor and his nephew who were killed in August in the same fashion.
Police said they have opened an investigation into what it called an “odious and repugnant” act.
A video circulating on social media appears to show the slain officers sprawled on the ground, stripped of their shirts, with various guns and automatic weapons lying on their bodies.
“Here they are, here they are,” a man says as the camera pans across the bodies.
Gangs have grown more powerful since the July 7, 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse and have overpowered police, who are understaffed and have limited resources.
The international community has tried to help boost Haiti’s National Police by providing training and resources in recent months. | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-police-in-haiti-blame-gang-for-killing-3-officers/ | 2022-09-15T22:36:23Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-police-in-haiti-blame-gang-for-killing-3-officers/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) — The Vatican plans to keep open paths of dialogue with Russia, even if doing so “smells,” Pope Francis said Thursday, reaffirming Ukraine’s right to defend itself.
Francis spoke at length about Russia’s war in Ukraine and the need for peace during a press conference while traveling home from Kazakhstan. Francis had visited the former Soviet republic to participate in an interfaith peace conference that, in its final communique, called on all political leaders to stop conflict and bloodshed “in all corners of our world.”
Francis has long touted the need for dialogue, even with antagonists and countries that are hostile to the Catholic Church. He reaffirmed that policy in comments about Russia, China and even Nicaragua, where the government has been cracking down on the church.
“I don’t exclude dialogue with any power that is in war, even if it’s the aggressor,” Francis said. “It smells, but you have to do it. Always take a step forward, with the hand outstretched, because the alternative is to close the only reasonable door to peace.”
In that vein, Francis had hoped his trip to Nur-Sultan in Kazakhstan would provide a chance to meet with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, who has justified the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine on spiritual and ideological grounds. Patriarch Kirill bowed out of the conference last month, but his envoy who attended said another meeting was possible between the two world religious leaders but must be prepared well in advance.
At the same time, though, Francis affirmed that it was “morally acceptable” for Ukraine to receive weapons to defend itself against Moscow’s invasion. He said such a defense is not only right but “also an expression of love for your country.” But he said the motivation behind such fighting is key.
“It can be immoral if it’s done with the intention of provoking more war or selling weapons or getting rid of the weapons that you don’t need anymore,” he said.
Lamenting that wars are raging around the planet, he recalled that when he was 9 years old, in 1945, he learned the value of peace as word spread in Buenos Aires that World War II had ended.
“Even today, I can see my mother and the neighbor weeping with joy because the war had ended. We were in a South American country, far away. But these people, these women, knew that peace was bigger than all wars. And they wept with joy when peace was made.”
“I won’t ever forget that,” he said.
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Follow all AP stories about the war in Ukraine at https;//apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine.
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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-pope-keeps-moscow-dialogue-open-even-if-its-uncomfortable/ | 2022-09-15T22:36:29Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-pope-keeps-moscow-dialogue-open-even-if-its-uncomfortable/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. General Assembly will vote Friday on whether to make an exception to its in-person meeting of world leaders next week and allow Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to deliver a pre-recorded address.
The proposed document to be voted on would have the 193-member world body express concern that leaders of “peace-loving“ U.N. sovereign nations can’t participate in person “for reasons beyond their control owing to ongoing foreign invasion, aggression, military hostilities that do not allow safe departure from and return to their countries, or the need to discharge their national defense and security duties and functions.”
The document, which has about 50 co-sponsors, would then permit Zelenskyy to submit a pre-recorded statement to be played in the General Assembly hall, stressing that this would not set a precedent for future high-level assembly meetings.
The draft document refers to the General Assembly resolution adopted at an emergency special session on March 2 — six days after Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine — demanding an immediate halt to Moscow’s offensive and withdrawal of all Russian troops. The vote on the resolution, titled “Aggression against Ukraine,” was 141 to 5 with 35 abstentions.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual meeting of world leaders at the General Assembly was all virtual in 2020 and hybrid in 2021. But this year the assembly decided that all speeches must be in person.
The proposal to let Zelenskyy pre-record his statement requires a majority vote in the assembly and diplomats say it is virtually certain to be approved. If so, his address will be delivered on the afternoon of Sept. 21, according to the latest schedule. | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-un-to-vote-on-allowing-ukraines-leaders-virtual-address/ | 2022-09-15T22:38:01Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-un-to-vote-on-allowing-ukraines-leaders-virtual-address/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — After nearly seven weeks of being forced to boil their water before drinking it or using it to brush teeth, people in Mississippi’s largest city were told Thursday that water from the tap is safe to consume — but Jackson’s water system still needs big repairs that the mayor says the cash-strapped city cannot afford on its own.
Gov. Tate Reeves and Jackson officials said in separate announcements that the state health department lifted a boil-water notice that had been in place since July 29 in the city of 150,000.
“We have restored clean water to the city of Jackson,” Reeves said during a news conference.
However, a state health department official, Jim Craig, said households with pregnant women or young children should take precautions because of lead levels previously found in some homes on the Jackson water system. Craig said although recent testing showed “no lead or lead below the action levels” set by the EPA, people should continue to avoid using city water to prepare baby formula.
Emergency repairs are still underway after problems at Jackson’s main water treatment plant caused most customers to lose service for several days in late August and early September.
Reeves said the water system remains “imperfect.”
“It is possible, although I pray not inevitable, that there will be further interruptions,” Reeves said. “We cannot perfectly predict what may go wrong with such a broken system in the future.”
Problems started days after torrential rain fell in central Mississippi, altering the quality of the raw water entering Jackson’s treatment plants. That slowed the treatment process, depleted supplies in water tanks and caused a precipitous drop in pressure.
When water pressure drops, there’s a possibility that untreated groundwater can enter the water system through cracked pipes, so customers are told to boil water to kill potentially harmful bacteria.
Even before the rainfall, officials said some water pumps had failed and a treatment plant was using backup pumps. The state health department had set the boil-water notice because of cloudy water that could make people ill.
The National Guard and volunteer groups have distributed millions of bottles of drinking water in Jackson since late August.
During a community meeting Tuesday, Jackson resident Evelyn Ford said she could only pick up water for herself and her older neighbors on weekends because of her weekday work schedule. Ford told Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba that workers at one distribution site criticized her for getting multiple cases of water and a state trooper told her to leave.
“I felt humiliated,” Ford said.
Lumumba told Ford: “You’re not begging for water. You deserve it. And nobody should make you feel like you’re begging. Nobody should make you feel as if you’re simply trying to take advantage.”
Jackson is the largest city in one of the poorest states in the U.S. The city has a shrinking tax base that resulted from white flight, which began about a decade after public schools were integrated in 1970. Jackson’s population is more than 80% Black, and about 25% of its residents live in poverty.
Like many American cities, Jackson struggles with aging infrastructure with water lines that crack or collapse. Lumumba, a Democrat in a Republican-led state, said the city’s water problems come from decades of deferred maintenance.
Some equipment froze at Jackson’s main water treatment plant during a cold snap in early 2020, leaving thousands of customers with dangerously low water pressure or no water at all. The National Guard helped distribute drinking water. People gathered water in buckets to flush toilets. Similar problems happened on a smaller scale earlier this year.
Jackson frequently has boil-water notices because of loss of pressure or other problems that can contaminate the water. Some of the mandates are in place for only a few days, while others last weeks.
In 2016, the state health department found an inadequate application of water treatment chemicals because of a failing corrosion control system at the Curtis plant. The EPA required the city to correct this problem. In 2017, the city began installation of corrosion control treatment.
A water quality notice published in July said the majority of tested samples showed lead levels “below the action level set by the EPA.” But it also listed precautions from the state Health Department, including that baby formula should be made only with filtered or bottled water and that children younger than 5 should have lead screening and blood testing. | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-weeks-long-boil-water-notice-lifted-in-mississippi-capital/ | 2022-09-15T22:38:15Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-weeks-long-boil-water-notice-lifted-in-mississippi-capital/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Gel nail polish removal techniques
Gel nail polish is perfect for those times when you need your nail polish to last. It chips far less easily than traditional polish and provides a glossy finish that looks great for weeks.
But the same factors that make gel polish so durable also make it tricky to remove. Standard nail polish remover won’t work on gel nails and picking it off can damage your nails. Knowing how to remove it correctly can save your nails and allow you to wear gel nails more often.
Why it’s important to remove gel nail polish correctly
Gel polish is made with gel-based ingredients and chemicals that, when dried under a UV lamp, bond tightly to the surface of the nail. That’s why gel nail polish lasts far longer than traditional polish and doesn’t chip as easily.
However, it also makes it far more difficult to remove than traditional polish. Standard nail polish remover won’t work on gel polish. Instead, you need to use harsher chemicals to dissolve and remove the gel.
It can be tempting to pick or peel off gel nail polish. But doing so can damage the surface of your nails and your nail beds. This can make your nails more brittle and prone to breakages.
Steps for removing gel nail polish
Gel manicures can be removed at home without having to perform a return visit to the salon. All you need to do the job properly is:
- Some cotton balls
- A bottle of acetone
- A nail groomer
- Some aluminum foil
This, combined with following a few simple steps, will ensure that your nails stay in great shape.
Step 1: Prep your tools
First, grab a cotton ball, and break it into 10 small pieces, one for each finger. Next, pour some acetone into a small bowl and grab some aluminum foil.
Cut the foil with scissors to make 10 finger-length strips that are long and broad enough to fit around each finger. Finally, fetch your nail groomer and have it on standby for the final step of the process.
Step 2: Apply acetone to your nails
You first need to dip the smallest cotton ball piece you prepped in the step before into your bowl of acetone. Once it’s completely saturated and rung out, you’re going to craft the cotton onto the nail of your pinkie finger.
Don’t wrap the cotton ball around your finger — acetone can dehydrate your nails and cuticles.
Step 3: Wrap your nails with foil
Take a piece of aluminum foil and wrap it around your finger to seal the cotton ball onto the nail. The foil will act like a heat conductor, ensuring that the acetone goes entirely through the gel on top of your nail. At this point, you will repeat steps one and two for your other nine fingers.
If your gel nails have been on for one week or less, leave the foil on for no more than five minutes. However, if you’ve had your gel manicure done in the last seven days, leave it for 10 minutes. You’ll know that you are ready to move on to the next step when you take off the foil and see the polish peeling up over your nail.
Step 4: Remove the gel polish
When you are ready to push off your gel, grab the nail groomer and start to push off the gel polish very gently. For optimal results, start at the cuticles and end at the tip. If you do this backward, you risk damaging your nail and defeating the purpose of the process.
Once you are done, take a quick look over your fingers and if your cuticles or skin is dry after the process, apply some moisturizer, and you’re good to go.
What you need to buy to remove gel nail polish
Sterling Beauty Tools Professional Cuticle Pusher
This multipurpose dual-sided nail groomer can not only push gel nail polish off the top of the nail but can clean under your nail too. This groomer is crafted with precise edges and has a comfortable handle.
Sold by Amazon
This 100% pure acetone will help remove gel nail polish from your nails. The formula works fast and provides a tough clean on even the most stubborn polish, so your nails will be ready for your next manicure in no time.
Sold by Amazon
Cliganic Super Jumbo Cotton Balls
This cotton ball set is jumbo, so you’ll find it no problem to break one piece into 10 to fit each finger. What’s more, they are designed for makeup removal and are hypoallergenic.
Sold by Amazon
Treamlyn Nail Soaking Bowl Acetone Proof
This set of two acetone-proof soaking bowls is great for saturating cotton balls for gel nail polish removal and sealing the acetone to use later. They’re also designed for warm water acetone mixes, which can work great for traditional nail polish removal.
Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wpri.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/nail-color-care-br/how-to-remove-gel-nail-polish/ | 2022-09-15T22:38:36Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/nail-color-care-br/how-to-remove-gel-nail-polish/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Which outdoor dining chairs are best?
Outdoor dining chairs are a great addition to any outside space, from the front porch to the back deck. Whether you want to entertain guests or enjoy lounging outside, outside seating can let you expand your living space and liven up the area.
The best wooden dining chairs for outdoor use are the Christopher Knight Teague Outdoor Acacia Wood Dining Chairs. They’re durable, aesthetically pleasing and versatile enough for any space.
What to know before you buy outdoor dining chairs
Location and terrain
Before setting up an outside living space, consider the environment and terrain. This can affect the style, aesthetic, setup and type of furniture you get.
You can set up outdoor dining chairs and other furniture in many places, such as:
- On the porch.
- Beneath a large tree.
- On the patio or deck.
- Near a swimming pool.
- In a lounge area.
- Near a garden or greenhouse.
- By a firepit or outdoor portable campfire.
Wherever you put it, check the terrain. If the ground is uneven, it could make placing furniture tricky. Chairs, in particular, can more easily tip over or wobble when placed on rocky ground. The same goes for wet or slippery areas, such as by the pool or in a dip in the land.
It’s possible to place chairs and other dining furniture outside on uneven terrain, but this could require leveling out the area or adding support to the furniture’s feet or base.
Available space
Outdoor furniture takes up space, even smaller pieces such as dining chairs, so it’s a good idea to know how much room you have before filling it up. Measure the area to determine a few things, such as:
- How many chairs and other pieces of furniture you can easily fit.
- The ideal placement of the outdoor furniture.
- Any potential obstacles, such as a post or potted plants, which could limit the space.
- How many people you can realistically accommodate in the given space.
- How far back the chairs can go when pushed back or otherwise moved.
Once you have a rough idea of the available space, you can set up the furniture. Make adjustments as you go.
Weather and care
Outdoor dining chairs are usually made to handle general environmental conditions, such as rain or direct sunlight. That doesn’t mean they’re immune to damage, though. Common issues with outside furniture include:
- Sun damage from when ultraviolet rays hit the furniture. This could cause discoloration and fading. If the furniture is cheaply made, the sun and high heat could also melt or otherwise damage it. An outdoor umbrella could help prevent sun damage.
- Rust or rot when certain materials, such as wood, are exposed to frequent moisture. If you live in a rainy area or a place that hails or snows a lot, consider keeping the furniture covered.
- Mildew, a type of mold, is commonly found on outdoor furniture and can slowly ruin it.
- High temperatures can, among other things, cause furniture to expand, shrink or warp.
It’s often a good idea to store patio furniture in a covered space, such as a shed or in the garage, when not in use for long periods. This can extend its longevity and keep it in good condition for when you want to bring it back out. Additionally, clean the furniture regularly to prevent such issues as mildew or moisture damage.
What to look for in quality outdoor dining chairs
Style
Outdoor dining chairs come in different styles. Some have arms, and a few swivel. Many come with a cushioned seat and back for additional comfort. This cushion is often removable, making it easy to clean and replace if needed.
The designs and themes are limitless and include:
- Rattan garden furniture with woven patterns.
- Single or solid material and color.
- Minimalistic print or pattern (for example: geometric, floral and stripes).
- Rustic or vintage design or color.
- Contrasting frame and cushion colors or patterns.
- Different shapes for the cushion or seat.
Material
The material used in constructing the chairs is important because it affects everything from their durability to how comfortable they are. Common materials for the frame include:
- Wood: Teak, cypress and cedar are popular, and they are sometimes mixed with resin for a more natural appearance. Resin is used, especially in wicker furniture, because it is lightweight and resists environmental damage.
- Rattan: Popular in wicker weaves, rattan is durable but not water-resistant.
- Metal: Strong and long-lasting, common metals are stainless steel and aluminum. Metal can corrode or rust over time when it gets and stays wet. It can also heat up easily, making it uncomfortable to touch.
- Plastic: Although less durable in harsh weather, plastic chairs are often inexpensive. Some consist of high-density polyethylene, which is stronger.
The cushions often consist of synthetic materials somewhat resistant to weather damage. They include:
- Polyester.
- Acrylic.
- Polypropylene.
- Olefin.
Comfort
How comfortable the chairs are is especially important if you plan to sit in them for long periods. While some have cushions for extra support, not all do. Some use mesh that tailors itself to the way you sit. Others, such as metal or plastic chairs that don’t have cushions or mesh, can be uncomfortable to sit on. There are also ergonomic chairs, which can handle different postures and support the spine, arms, hips and legs.
Sets
It’s possible to buy individual outdoor dining chairs, but most come in sets of two to four.
Additional pieces
If you’re interested in sprucing up your outdoor space even more, here are some other pieces to add to your setup:
- Dining table.
- Footrests or ottomans.
- Benches.
- Standing umbrellas.
- Patio beds.
- Sofas.
- Side tables.
Many of these pieces serve two or more functions. Ottomans, for example, offer extra storage space. Umbrellas, meanwhile, can shield you and the furniture from the sun.
How much you can expect to spend on outdoor dining chairs
This depends on how many chairs are in the set, the materials and the build quality. A small set of outdoor dining chairs usually costs $100-$200. An individual chair could cost closer to $40-$60. Larger or more intricate sets go up to around $400.
Outdoor dining chairs FAQ
Can indoor dining chairs go outside?
A. Most indoor furniture is not designed for outdoor use. Their fabrics and other materials generally don’t resist things such as mold or sun damage. Placing inside chairs and other furniture outside could also lead to discoloration or deterioration.
Can I leave outdoor dining chairs outside all year?
A. Typically, yes. Be sure to cover the furniture during heavy rainfall, snow and hail. Winterizing outdoor furniture can also help preserve it much longer.
What are the best outdoor dining chairs to buy?
Top outdoor dining chairs
Christopher Knight Outdoor Acacia Wood Dining Chairs
What you need to know: These beautifully designed chairs are minimalistic and versatile enough for any outdoor space.
What you’ll love: This set’s two acacia chairs have a rich texture and are easy to assemble. They are also sturdy and can be positioned on uneven terrain.
What you should consider: The finish doesn’t resist heavy rainfall, snow or hail.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top outdoor dining chair for the money
Flash Furniture Black Rattan Indoor-Outdoor Stack Chairs
What you need to know: These rattan chairs are large enough for adults and go well with any outdoor dining table or furniture set.
What you’ll love: Available in four colors, including black and beige, these reliable chairs are lightweight and easy to position. They have a powder-coated metal frame that resists environmental damage. They come in sets of one, two and four.
What you should consider: The legs aren’t sturdy enough for rocky ground.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Kurz Stacking Patio Dining Armchair
What you need to know: This set of five stackable armchairs is perfect for entertaining guests outside.
What you’ll love: Constructed with powder-coated steel, these chairs are durable and can support up to 300 pounds. They have comfortable armrests and a breathable fabric back that keeps you from overheating during hot days.
What you should consider: They could start to rust if left outside in the rain for long.
Where to buy: Sold by Wayfair
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Angela Watson writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wpri.com/reviews/br/camping-outdoors-br/seating-br/best-outdoor-dining-chairs/ | 2022-09-15T22:38:42Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/reviews/br/camping-outdoors-br/seating-br/best-outdoor-dining-chairs/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s not just rocket fuel propelling America’s first moonshot after a half-century lull. Strategic rivalry with China’s ambitious space program is helping drive NASA’s effort to get back into space in a bigger way, as both nations push to put people back on the moon and establish the first lunar bases.
American intelligence, military and political leaders make clear they see a host of strategic challenges to the U.S. in China’s space program, in an echo of the U.S.-Soviet rivalry that prompted the 1960s’ race to the moon. That’s as China is quickly matching U.S. civil and military space accomplishments and notching new ones of its own.
On the military side, the U.S. and China trade accusations of weaponizing space. Senior U.S. defense officials warn that China and Russia are building capabilities to take out the satellite systems that underpin U.S. intelligence, military communications and early warning networks.
There’s also a civilian side to the space race. The U.S. is wary of China taking the lead in space exploration and commercial exploitation, and pioneering the technological and scientific advances that would put China ahead in power in space and in prestige down on Earth.
“In a decade, the United States has gone from the unquestioned leader in space to merely one of two peers in a competition,” Sen. Jim Inhofe, an Oklahoma Republican, declared this week at a Senate Armed Services hearing. “Everything our military does relies on space.”
At another hearing last year, NASA administrator Bill Nelson brandished an image transmitted by a Chinese rover that had just plunked down on Mars. “The Chinese government … they’re going to be landing humans on the moon” soon, he said. “That should tell us something about our need to get off our duff.”
NASA, the U.S. civilian space agency, is awaiting a new launch date this month or in October for its Artemis 1 uncrewed test moonshot. Technical problems scrubbed the first two launch attempts in recent weeks.
China likewise aims to send astronauts to the moon this decade, as well as establish a robotic research station there. Both the U.S. and China intend to establish bases for intermittent crews on the moon’s south pole after that.
Russia has aligned with China’s moon program, while 21 nations have joined a U.S.-initiated effort meant to bring guidelines and order to the civil exploration and development of space.
The parallel efforts come 50 years after U.S. astronauts last pulled shut the doors on an Apollo module and blasted away from the moon, in December 1972.
Some space policy experts bat down talk of a new space race, seeing big differences from John F. Kennedy’s Cold War drive to outdo the Soviet Union’s Sputnik and be the first to get people on the moon. This time, both the U.S. and China see moon programs as a stepping stone in phased programs toward exploring, settling and potentially exploiting the resources and other untapped economic and strategic opportunities offered by the moon, Mars and space at large.
Beyond the gains in technology, science and jobs that accompany space programs, Artemis promoters point to the potential of mining minerals and frozen water on the moon, or using the moon as a base to go prospecting on asteroids — the Trump administration in particular emphasized the mining prospects. There’s potential in tourism and other commercial efforts.
And for space more broadly, Americans alone have tens of thousands of satellites overhead in what the Space Force says is a half-trillion dollar global space economy. Satellites guide GPS, process credit card purchases, help keep TV, radio and cell phone feeds going, and predict weather. They ensure the military and intelligence community’s ability to keep track of perceived threats.
And in a world where China and Russia are collaborating to try to surpass the U.S. in space, and where some point to private space efforts led by U.S. billionaires as rendering costly NASA rocket launches unnecessary, the U.S. would regret leaving the glory and strategic advantages from developing the moon and space solely to the likes of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Tesla magnate Elon Musk, Artemis proponents say.
The moon programs signal that “space is going to be an arena of competition on the prestige front, demonstrating advanced technical expertise and know-how, and then also on the military front as well,” said Aaron Bateman, a professor of history and international affairs at George Washington University and a member of the Space Policy Institute.
“People who are supportive of Artemis and people who see it as a tool of competition, they want the United States to be at the table in shaping the future of exploration on other celestial bodies,” Bateman said.
There’s no shortage of such warnings as the Artemis program moves toward lift-off. “Beijing is working to match or exceed U.S. capabilities in space to gain the military, economic, and prestige benefits that Washington has accrued from space leadership,” the U.S. intelligence community warned this year in its annual threat assessment.
A Pentagon-commissioned study group contended last month that “China appears to be on track to surpass the U.S. as the dominant space power by 2045.” It called that part of a Chinese plan to promote authoritarianism and communism down here on Earth.
It’s sparked occasional heated words between Chinese and U.S. officials.
China’s space program was guided by peaceable principles, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said in July. “Some U.S. officials are constantly smearing China’s normal and reasonable outer space undertakings,” Zhao said.
Flying on the mightiest rocket ever built by NASA, Artemis 1 aims for a five-week demo flight that would put test dummies into lunar orbit.
If all goes well with that, U.S. astronauts could fly around the moon in 2024 and land on it in 2025, culminating a program that will have cost $93 billion over more than a decade of work.
NASA intends that a woman and a person of color will be on the first U.S. crew touching foot on the moon again.
Lessons learned in getting back to the moon will aid in the next step in crewed flights, to Mars, the space agency says.
China’s ambitious space program, meanwhile, is a generation behind that of the United States. But its secretive, military-linked program is developing fast and creating distinctive missions that could put Beijing on the leading edge of space flight.
Already, China has that rover on Mars, joining U.S. ones already there. China carved out a first with its landing on the far side of the moon.
Chinese astronauts are overhead now, putting the finishing touches on a permanent orbiting space station.
A 1967 U.N. space treaty meant to start shaping the guardrails for space exploration bans anyone from claiming sovereignty over a celestial body, putting a military base on it, or putting weapons of mass destruction into space.
“I don’t think it’s at all by coincidence or happenstance that it is now in this period of what people are claiming is renewed great-power competition that the United States is actually investing the resources to go back,” said Bateman, the scholar on space and national security. “Time will tell if this turns into a sustained program.”
Competition isn’t necessarily a bad thing, said Sen. Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat and member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Does rivalry with the Chinese “ensure greater sustained interest in our space program? Sure,” Coons said. “But I don’t think that’s necessarily a competition that leads to conflict.
“I think it can be a competition — like the Olympics — that simply means that each team and each side is going to push higher and faster. And as a result, humanity is likely to benefit,” he said. | https://www.wpri.com/science/ap-science/ap-a-new-space-race-china-adds-urgency-to-us-return-to-moon/ | 2022-09-15T22:39:16Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/science/ap-science/ap-a-new-space-race-china-adds-urgency-to-us-return-to-moon/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Climate change likely juiced rainfall by up to 50% late last month in two southern Pakistan provinces, but global warming wasn’t the biggest cause of the country’s catastrophic flooding that has killed more than 1,500 people, a new scientific analysis finds.
Pakistan’s overall vulnerability, including people living in harm’s way, is the chief factor in the disaster that at one point submerged one-third of the country under water, but human-caused “climate change also plays a really important role here,” said study senior author Friederike Otto, a climate scientist at Imperial College of London.
There are many ingredients to the still ongoing humanitarian crisis — some meteorological, some economic, some societal, some historic and construction oriented. Add to that weather records that don’t go back far enough in time.
With such complications and limitations, the team of international scientists looking at the disaster couldn’t quantify how much climate change had increased the likelihood and frequency of the flooding, said authors of the study. It was released Thursday but not yet peer reviewed.
What happened “would have been a disastrously high rainfall event without climate change, but it’s worse because of climate change,” Otto said. “And especially in this highly vulnerable region, small changes matter a lot.”
But other human factors that put people in harm’s way and weren’t adequate to control the water were even bigger influences.
“This disaster was the result of vulnerability that was constructed over many, many years,” said study team member Ayesha Siddiqi of the University of Cambridge.
August rainfall in the Sindh and Balochistan provinces — together nearly the size of Spain — was eight and nearly seven times normal amounts, while the country as a whole had three-and-a-half times its normal rainfall, according to the report by World Weather Attribution, a collection of mostly volunteer scientists from around the world who do real-time studies of extreme weather to look for the fingerprints of climate change.
The team looked at just the two provinces over five days and saw an increase of up to 50% in the intensity of rainfall that was likely due to climate change. They also looked at the entire Indus region over two months and saw up to a 30% increase in rainfall there.
The scientists not only examined records of past rains, which only go back to 1961, but they used computer simulations to compare what happened last month to what would have happened in a world without heat-trapping gases from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas — and that difference is what they could attribute to climate change. This is a scientifically valid technique, according to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.
Study co-author Fahad Saeed, a climate scientist at Climate Analytics and the Center for Climate Change and Sustainable Development in Islamabad, Pakistan, said numerous factors made this monsoon season much wetter than normal, including a La Nina, the natural cooling of part of the Pacific that alters weather worldwide.
But other factors had the signature of climate change, Saeed said. A nasty heat wave in the region earlier in the summer — which was made 30 times more likely because of climate change — increased the differential between land and water temperatures. That differential determines how much moisture goes from the ocean to the monsoon and means more of it drops.
And climate change seemed to slightly change the jet stream, storm tracks and where low pressure sits, bringing more rainfall for southern provinces than they usually get, Saeed said.
“Pakistan has not contributed much in terms of causing global climate change, but sure is having to deal with a massive amount of climate change consequences,” said University of Michigan environment dean Jonathan Overpeck, who wasn’t part of the study.
Overpeck and three other outside climate scientists said the study makes sense and is nuanced properly to bring in all risk factors.
The nuances help “avoid overinterpretation,’’ said Stanford University climate scientist Chris Field. “But we also want to avoid missing the main message — human-caused climate change is increasing the risks of extreme events around the world, including the devastating 2022 Pakistan flooding.”
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Follow AP’s climate and environment coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment
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Follow Seth Borenstein on Twitter at @borenbears
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Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | https://www.wpri.com/science/ap-science/ap-warming-other-factors-worsened-pakistan-floods-study-finds/ | 2022-09-15T22:39:45Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/science/ap-science/ap-warming-other-factors-worsened-pakistan-floods-study-finds/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Let Rihanna, Anne Hathaway, and Kylie Jenner Convince You to Get Bangs
The weather is slowly dropping, which means you’ve probably been wearing more pants and layers on top in order to protect yourself from the slight breeze that has started to enter the atmosphere. But what about your forehead? How is one supposed to protect that from the declining temps? Yes, the obvious answer is a hat, but a more permanent solution, one that has been adopted by many celebrities as of late, is a fresh new cut. Yup, we’re talking bangs.
Every day it seems like a new star is rocking the hairstyle, meaning every day, I’m forced to consider the look, and convince myself that it’s probably not for me. It’s getting harder, though, as more and more celebs step out after getting the chop. The first person to recently embrace the hairstyle was probably Rihanna, who popped up with bangs at the beginning of the month. They seem to be permanent, as two weeks have passed and the fringe is still there, constantly skimming the tops of her designer shades.
The next star to convincingly pull of the style was Anne Hathaway, though for her, bangs are less of a risk, considering we already knew she looked great in them as Andy Sachs in The Devil Wears Prada. In fact, the trim seemed to make Hathaway a bit nostalgic for the role, and she dressed up in what can only be described as Andy Sachs cosplay when debuting her new hair at the Michael Kors show on Wednesday. The actress wore a look that Andy (and likely Nigel) would have no doubt approved of, and we can’t help but wonder if she was wearing the Chanel boots (OK, she was in heels, but the question remains).
Emily Ratajkowski also used Fashion Week to debut her bangs, giving us a sneak peak at the Tory Burch show before going full-on fringe for an event at the Union Square Barnes & Noble to promote her book, My Body. For the newly-single model, the cut could have been a post-breakup move, but it also worked in making her look extra professional for her bookish event.
And while three makes a trend, four solidifies it. So, when Kylie Jenner stepped out in Calabasas with newly cut bangs on Wednesday, it became clear that this was something we could no longer ignore. With Jenner, though, you can never know for sure and it could be a wig or a clip in, and tomorrow we could be faced with a bare forehead. Considering she was rocking side bangs last month, though, going full frontal doesn’t seem like an outrageous step. Either way, it has now become clear that bangs are officially back in a big way, and it seems like they may just be the hairstyle of the fall. They’re a big commitment, yes, but these four women prove they work with an array of face shapes and aesthetics, from streetwear to office wear. And worst case, hair will always grow back. | https://www.wmagazine.com/beauty/bangs-hair-trend-rihanna-kylie-jenner-anne-hathaway | 2022-09-15T22:40:41Z | wmagazine.com | control | https://www.wmagazine.com/beauty/bangs-hair-trend-rihanna-kylie-jenner-anne-hathaway | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
TORONTO (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays made major league history on Thursday by starting nine Latin American players against the Toronto Blue Jays.
It happened as baseball celebrated Roberto Clemente Day, honoring the late Hall of Fame outfielder from Puerto Rico.
Third baseman Yandy Díaz and right fielder Randy Arozarena, who are both from Cuba, topped the lineup, followed by shortstop Wander Franco, who is from the Dominican Republic, and first baseman Harold Ramírez, who is from Colombia.
The designated hitter was Manual Margot, who is from the Dominican Republic, followed by left fielder David Peralta, who is from Venezuela.
The second baseman was Isaac Paredes of Mexico, the catcher was René Pinto of Venezuela and center fielder Jose Siri of the Dominican Republic rounded out the batting order.
All nine players, as well as base coaches Chris Prieto at first and Rodney Linares at third, wore No. 21 to honor Clemente, who played 18 seasons with Pittsburgh. Clemente won four NL batting titles and helped the Pirates win the World Series in 1960 and 1971. He won the NL MVP award in 1966.
Left-hander Shane McClanahan, an American, was activated off the 15-day injured list before the game to start for the Rays.
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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wpri.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-rays-make-mlb-history-with-all-latin-lineup-on-clemente-day/ | 2022-09-15T22:40:42Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-rays-make-mlb-history-with-all-latin-lineup-on-clemente-day/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Blake Lively Reveals She’s Pregnant With Her Fourth Child
Blake Lively is pregnant, expecting her fourth child with Ryan Reynolds. The actress, who has been known to debut her pregnancies on red carpets, revealed the news at the Forbes Power Women's Summit on Thursday, dressing up her bump in a sparkling dress worthy of the exciting announcement.
Lively arrived to the step and repeat at Lincoln Center in a gold, sequin-covered long sleeved Valentino mini dress, with a white ribbon tied around her neck, white platform heels, a headband, and hoops. The actress placed her hands under her stomach as she smiled brightly, clearly excited to share the news.
Lively and Reynolds, who married in 2012, already have three daughters together, James, 7, Inez, 5, and Betty, 2. The couple actually let their good friend, Taylor Swift, reveal the name of their youngest to the world, when she included it, along with the other two kids’ names, in her song “Betty” off Folklore. Who knows, maybe Lively and Reynolds have similar plans when it comes to baby number four. We could get more info out of Swift when she releases her album Midnights next month. It seems like that might be a little too early for Lively’s timeline, however. We don’t know exactly how far along the actress is at this point. Late last month she posted a rare bikini photo on Instagram, with no signs of a bump, but it could have been an old pic, used to throw fans and media off.
The actress and Betty Buzz owner spoke about motherhood while at the event on Thursday, though she didn’t acknowledge the extreme relevance given the pregnancy reveal. “My family is the most important thing to me and they always has been,” she said. Lively continued, explaining she watched her own mother “be everything” growing up. “So, it’s important for me, for my kids, to see that you don’t have to choose one or the other. I don’t need them to choose to be a businesswoman or a mom. They can be both or neither, but just for them to see that anything is possible.” | https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/blake-likely-pregnant-fourth-child | 2022-09-15T22:40:47Z | wmagazine.com | control | https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/blake-likely-pregnant-fourth-child | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Nope Star Brandon Perea Has Had Enough of Mid Culture
The Hollywood newcomer talks lessons learned from Daniel Kaluuya and his first New York Fashion Week, where he sat front row at Coach.
Brandon Perea has experienced several pinch-me moments since being cast in Nope, Jordan Peele’s runaway hit thriller. Perhaps chief among them was when he found himself alongside his co-stars on Late Night With Seth Meyers. “I’m sitting on the couch, and Jordan Peele taps my shoulder and looks at me like, check this out,” Perea, standing backstage at Coach’s spring 2023 show during New York Fashion Week on September 12, tells me. “I just looked at him in his eyes and I was like, That’s Jordan Peele. And then I looked to my left, and I was like, That’s Keke Palmer. On the other couch, I see Daniel Kaluuya, one of my favorite actors of all time. I had my fan-out moment right there on the show.”
In the film, Perea stars as Angel Torres—a role that Peele himself rewrote specifically for the 27-year-old Chicago native after meeting the actor. Since the film’s release in late July, Perea has traveled the world with his castmates and, most recently, headed to New York City to attend Coach’s runway presentation, where Lil Nas X made his runway debut. But being in the fashion space still feels entirely new to him. Take, for instance, his fitting for the Coach show look he and his stylist Shareef Grady chose: a baseball cap, sunglasses, and a massive leather jack with outsized shoulders. Days before, Perea was in the showroom, rifling through racks of clothing. Being the polite Midwesterner he is, Perea began cleaning up the pieces he’d tried on, placing them back on hangers while apologizing profusely. “They were like, ‘What are you doing?’” he recalls. “‘Just leave it, we’ll take care of it!’ I’m like, ‘No, this is what I have to do! I don’t know what else to do here!’”
What is your personal history with Coach?
They did a collaboration with Basquiat and there was a red bag that I loved at the time—but I couldn’t afford it. I got lucky and was able to get it on sale somehow, a year and a half later. To be here now, sitting in the front row, just showcases the hard work I’ve been putting in throughout the years as a working actor. A few years ago, I couldn’t buy a Coach bag. And now, they’re handing me bags.
This is your first time doing a massive press run for Nope. What has that been like?
It was great to do it with those actors, those incredible humans: Daniel, Keke, Steven [Yeun], Jordan. It was eye-opening, and I learned a lot. I learned that it’s actually very tiring. I didn’t expect a press tour to be tiring! I’m like, what is everyone talking about, telling me, ‘Oh, you’re gonna be gassed’? Like, what do you mean? It’s fun. We just talk and do interviews. And then I realized it’s harder than filming the movie.
You think so?
Yeah! But it's been the biggest blessing to be a part of it all, and to learn from the best. They were so gracious with notes and what I needed to do.
What were some of those notes or pieces of advice?
In the case of Daniel, growing up in this industry, I was always watching a lot of his interviews—seeing how he moved, what mistakes that he made, and what he learned from. Back then, I was just watching his press tours as a fan. But seeing him do it as a coworker was crazy. Daniel was always saying, ‘You get what you need, make sure that you’re comfortable. Film is forever, you’re the one in front of it.’ And then Keke’s just the master, keeping that energy up all the time. It’s crazy when you’re doing press with Keke, because you could just let her do the thing—that energy’s always there, camera or not. And she’s so quick, both in interviews, and as an actor. Jordan ran the greatest set ever. He was so gracious and kind. That was beautiful to see.
Let's get into the Social Qs questions. Is there anything that you would never post on social media?
I actually don’t like posting me talking, being like, ‘Hey guys, it’s Brandon, I'm eating breakfast!’ I have no interest in that. I like having a bit of a mystique. I don’t want everyone to get an inside look on my everyday life. I am an actor, and I consider myself to be more of a character actor anyway, so I want people to be able to be surprised by characters I portray. On social media, you’ve really gotta dig to find me.
How do you unplug?
Through my hobbies. I break dance—sometimes on roller skates, too. I BMX, so going to the skate park and putting together lines of tricks is fun. Rock climbing, which I love—that’s a new one. And training as well. If I’m frustrated, I’ll go and kick or punch a bag. I do boxing, Muay Thai, MMA training, that’s so freeing. It’s an art form as well, and it brings me peace. I love being in tune with my body. That’s my thing. That’s my instrument.
Describe yourself using three emojis.
The sleeping emoji, because I love sleeping, it’s always a good time. And then the upside-down smiley face, because I’m always doing head spins and tricks. The roller skate is a good one, too. That’s a part of me.
What are your social media pet peeves?
I don’t like mid culture. I think it tarnishes a lot of people’s art. What really got to me is when people were calling Kendrick Lamar’s latest album, “Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers” mid. I was baffled. Every song on there is incredible; it’s storytelling at the highest level. But mid culture really puts people off of things, and that’s a shame. I don’t like that type of culture of attacking other people’s art before it’s even out, then no one gives it a shot. I can't get on board with that.
Do you respond to DMS?
Not really, because I’m not on my phone too much, especially these days. I see the love people give me, and it’s definitely appreciated. But I just can’t respond to everybody because I think when you start crafting a bond, there’s a responsibility to give back constantly. Sometimes I can’t do that, because there are people in my everyday life who I need to give that energy to.
How do you block out the haters online?
To be fair, I don’t really have a lot of haters online. There are a lot of people that are very gracious toward me and I’m grateful for that. But if I were to deal with any hate, in any sense, I’d brush it off. I know there are people around me who love me. And I’ll always continue to be myself, as long as I’m being a good person. I don’t really care what people think. Having a good heart will get me through the world and that's the mark I’ll leave. | https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/brandon-perea-nope-coach-interview | 2022-09-15T22:40:53Z | wmagazine.com | control | https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/brandon-perea-nope-coach-interview | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
If You Want to Date Kim Kardashian, You Might Have to Get Your Doctorate First
There comes a time in many celebrities’ lives when, after a string of failed relationships with fellow stars, they take a step back and say, “I’m ready to date a normy.” Reese Witherspoon moved on from Ryan Phillipe to talent agent Jim Toth. After trying things out with Kiefer Sutherland and Liam Neeson, Julia Roberts ended up with Daniel Moder, a cinematographer. And Katie Holmes seems to be having a great time with her normy at the moment, musician Bobby Wooten III. There’s enough stress around being a celebrity, but when you multiple it by two, it can be overwhelming—just ask Jennifer and Ben. So, it makes sense that now, following her split from Pete Davidson, Kim Kardashian has had enough yucks and she’s ready to date just some guy.
To be fair, Kardashian isn’t actively looking for a relationship right now. “I just want to chill for a minute,” she said when James Corden asked about her dating life on The Late Late Show on Wednesday. “I think I need some time to myself, to focus, finish school, all that.” Always the planner, though, Kardashian is already strategizing for the future, and she has an idea of how she wants to find her next match. “Clearly, it’s not working, whatever I’m doing,” she admitted. So, like a single NYC resident who hangs out in the Financial District trying to “organically” meet a Goldman Sachs banker during his lunch break, Kardashian is ready to work for her next man, go to the locations necessary, really scout him out.
The reality star surmised that maybe she needs to go to a hospital to meet a doctor, or head to a law firm to find an attorney. Kris, if I were you, I wouldn’t eat any food Kim serves you in the near future, because just a sprinkle of laxatives can result in a harmless hospital visit, a possible cute doc, and maybe even a love match.
In fact, Kardashian—who, again, began this conversation by saying she’s not yet ready to date again—has a list of professions she would consider when it comes to her future boyfriend. “It’s going to be like a scientist, neuroscientist, biochemist, doctor, attorney,” she said, like she’s a Jewish mother, listing the only acceptable career paths for her son to pursue. “That’s maybe what I envision in the future.”
It’s unclear where neuroscientists hang out in their free time, and if any of them have the interest or time required to date someone like Kardashian. More realistically, Kardashian should find a nice banker through her new private equity firm. That seems like it could be a bit more of her speed. Or, she should take a note from the other successful celeb/normy relationships, stay inside the industry, but behind the camera. Who knows, maybe someone on the Hulu show has the hots for Kardashian. | https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/kim-kardashian-new-boyfriend-doctor-biochemist-neuroscientist | 2022-09-15T22:40:59Z | wmagazine.com | control | https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/kim-kardashian-new-boyfriend-doctor-biochemist-neuroscientist | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
All the Answers to Your Questions About Queen Elizabeth II’s Funeral
The British monarchy has always had a rather formal attitude towards death. As the core members of the family are all well aware, the highly detailed plans for what happens after their passing even have code names. It’s no surprise, then, that upon the passing of Queen Elizabeth II last Thursday, members of The Firm immediately shelved their grief and got to work on the logistics of the funeral portion of what’s known as Operation London Bridge. Here, all the answers to your questions about the UK’s first state funeral since the death of Winston Churchill, taking place on September 19.
When does the funeral start?
American royal watchers, you better rest up this weekend. The September 19 ceremony and accompanying events kick off at 11 a.m. BST, which means bright and early 3 a.m. PST and 6 a.m. EST. The ceremony will last less than an hour and be followed by a two-minute national silence.
Where will it take place?
Westminster Abbey, which has a capacity of around 2,200. And given the number of those who wish to pay their respects to the Queen, it’s a shame it doesn’t seat more.
Who will attend?
For starters, all of the Queen’s children: Princes Andrew and Edward, Princess Anne, and King Charles III, likely all in the company of their spouses. (While Andrew has been somewhat banished from the royal family, we can’t imagine that he’d be excluded from honoring his late mom.) Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are also sure to be there, having traveled across the pond upon learning of the Queen’s rapidly declining health. Roughly 500 foreign dignitaries and heads of state have been asked to attend—and to do so via commercial flights and what will no doubt be a highly protected bus. U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden have been excused from that last part, and there’s no word yet as to whether the former will invite his predecessor, Donald Trump, to join the national delegation. The Obamas will likely attend separately, as private invitees, and poor former president Jimmy Carter has confirmed that he’s been excluded.
So far, the kings and queens of Spain, Norway, Denmark, Monaco, Sweden, Belgium, India, South Korea, France, Turkey, and the Netherlands have all been confirmed. The Prime Ministers of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and reportedly Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will also show face. Chinese President Xi Jinping is reportedly “considering sending a high-level delegation.”
Meanwhile, Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako are also said to plan to attend, breaking somewhat with tradition. According to Japanese media, an Emperor of Japan has only traveled to attend the funeral of another monarch once before in recorded history. Japan’s Prime Minister may also attend separately.
What will they wear?
King Charles II, Princess Anne, and Princes Edward and Andrew will all be in military dress. (For whatever reason, the latter has been granted an exception to do so despite being stripped of his military titles.) Harry, who spent a decade in the British Army, will not be joining them; he lost the right to do so when he stepped back from his royal duties in 2020. As for the non-military royals, they’ll be in black, and we wouldn’t be surprised if big-name attendees like Kate Middleton continue to pay homage to the Queen by wearing some of her old jewelry.
Who didn’t get an invite?
Namely, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un. (Though the palace has permitted South Korean ambassadors, as is the case with Nicaragua.) Syria, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Belarus, and Myanmar have all been left out.
What happens to the Queen’s coffin?
It’ll be on view at Westminster Hall from next Wednesday until the day of the funeral, and the BBC estimates that hundreds of thousands of mourners will drop by what’s known as the lying-in-state. Post-funeral, the Queen will be laid to rest in the Royal Vault of St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
How can I watch it all?
Via the BBC, of course. American viewers will be able to find live coverage on CNN, ABC, NBC, and Fox News. | https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/queen-elizabeth-ii-funeral-date-time | 2022-09-15T22:41:05Z | wmagazine.com | control | https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/queen-elizabeth-ii-funeral-date-time | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Timothée Chalamet Will Likely Never Play a Superhero (Thanks to Leonardo DiCaprio)
At this point in his career, you may be wondering if Leonardo DiCaprio has a secret to success. The 47-year-old actor’s accolades include an Academy Award, and he’s long been considered robbed of so many more. And while Leo is notoriously press-shy, Timothée Chalamet is here to tell you how the Hollywood heavyweight has come this far. In a new interview with British Vogue (which just anointed him the magazine’s first solo male cover star), the 26-year-old Bones and All star revealed that DiCaprio once gave him some sage advice about making it in Hollywood.
The guidance consists of just seven words: “No hard drugs and no superhero movies.” And since it doesn’t seem like Chalamet has ever taken after his addict character in Beautiful Boy, the actor has so far followed Leo’s advice since he doled it out in 2018. DiCaprio has also stayed true to his words: He’s never flirted with entering the DC and Marvel universes, and according to an interview he gave circa The Wolf of Wall Street—in which his character memorably dabbled in taking Quaaludes—he’s never touched drugs in his life. “I’d go to parties and it was there and, yeah, there’s that temptation,” he told the Los Angeles Times. “Hollywood is a very volatile place where artists come in and they essentially say they want to belong. It’s incredibly vulnerable to be an actor and also get criticism at a young age when you’re formulating who you are. We’ve seen a lot of people fall victim to that, and it’s very unfortunate.”
In an accompanying video interview with British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful, Chalamet looked ahead to where he hopes to be in the next 10 years. “Anywhere good,” he said with a shrug. “Hopefully life takes me where, you know, god sees fit.” He went on to share some advice of his own: “A wise man once said, ‘If you want god to laugh at your plan[s], say them aloud.’” Though for what it’s worth, we do know a few of his current plans: reprising his role in Dune and promoting his portrayal of a young Willy Wonka. And especially in the case of the latter, neither remotely fall into the superhero category. | https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/timothee-chalamet-leonardo-dicaprio-advice | 2022-09-15T22:41:11Z | wmagazine.com | control | https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/timothee-chalamet-leonardo-dicaprio-advice | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Inside Foo and Foo’s First NYFW Show With Elizabeth Hilfiger and Bella Hadid
From the very start of planning her label Foo and Foo’s first runway show, Elizabeth Hilfiger knew she had to do something big. She started with the location—and it certainly isn’t one showgoers are going to forget any time soon. The Los Angeles-based designer took over the sprawling Master Kitchen Supplies store on New York City’s Lower East Side, sending models down aisles lined with industrial cooking supplies and pots and pans. “I wanted something utilitarian because the clothes are very relatable,” Hilfiger says of her logo-heavy workwear, which this season features Techniche materials typically worn by Olympians and construction workers to ward off heat. (“I hate being hot—I just become a raging bitch,” the designer quips of what prompted the collab.) Attendees included Daphne Guinness and Tommy Hilfiger (who, as you may have guessed, happens to be her father). Jordan Barrett and Stella Maxwell also came through, but the most notable model by far was Bella Hadid, who gave a sneak peek at the collection by showing up to the venue dressed in Foo and Foo from head to toe. Here, Hilfiger takes us behind the scenes with models like Georgia May Jagger and Aaron Philip—in her own words.
Aaron dressing in Ash's store. She loved the tie and really wanted to wear it. It made the look so much better. I loved letting the models pick pieces to wear together.
I made gifts for all the models that say “I walked in the Foo and Foo show and all I got was this lousy garment.” I chose a bunch of pieces back in L.A. and Anton and I sewed these labels in random places.
I captured this moment before the show when we were getting some BTS. I love Donta so much, we were having so much fun and he was the vibe master. This is him dancing on the street.
Simona in the lineup being hilarious as usual. I forget what was going on, but this is one of many photos of her looking cute as heck in the little bunny ears.
In the makeup tests, I tried all the Simihaze products; I couldn’t wait to get my makeup done by Tracy. Here, I’m trying to take a selfie while wearing Sun Flush. It’s my fave shade and makes me look like I’ve just had a successful day at the beach tanning.
Bella after the show. I’m so excited she made it. We pulled this look from the show and sent it to her that morning. She looks so awesome—huge slay. All blue is actually my favorite thing to wear. I’ve only had one bad day wearing all blue.
Georgia May and my boyfriend with our dogs after the show, wearing my favorite looks.
Me and the skater boys after the show. I’m so happy they all came out to the Big Ash pop-up we had after.
Quen and Aaron vibing. We had some post-show celebratory drinks with everyone alongside our pop-up at Big Ash.
Me and the Foo team. None of this would be possible without these people. I’m so happy with what we pulled off. And we’re all very tired.
After a short nap break, we had a dinner at The Standard Grill. It was nice to continue the vibe and keep celebrating.
Georgia May at the after party looking like an angel, which she is. She’s such a great friend and has been so supportive since I first launched the brand.
Brett and Fernando looking chic at the after party, taking a break from the dance floor. They had the view of the skyline at the table, but I had an even better view of them. | https://www.wmagazine.com/fashion/foo-and-foo-new-york-fashion-week-bella-hadid | 2022-09-15T22:41:17Z | wmagazine.com | control | https://www.wmagazine.com/fashion/foo-and-foo-new-york-fashion-week-bella-hadid | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Gigi and Bella Hadid Do Big Pants Two Ways
Gigi and Bella Hadid have been showing off numerous show-stopping looks on the New York Fashion Week runways over the past few days, but their off-duty ensembles are not to be ignored. Both sisters proved that their street style can be just as eye-catching when they wore looks out in the city on Wednesday, which represented each of their respective personal styles, while simultaneously creating a lot more symmetry than they probably intended.
The Hadids have pretty distinct style from one another, a fact that was never on display more than when the sisters attended the US Open together last month. On Wednesday, though, they seemed to have a similar aesthetic in mind as they headed out for the day to prep for the fashion show. Per usual, Gigi looked effortlessly cool, stepping out in oversized cargo pants that hung low on her hips, allowing for an exposed stomach thanks to the gray Guest in Residence shirt she wore mostly unbuttoned. On top, the model placed a long, leather Zadig & Voltaire coat, before finishing off the ensemble with lug sole loafers, a gold chain choker, and a structured leather top-handle bag.
Her sister, Bella, also embraced the big pants trend for the afternoon, though in a different way, adapting it to include big shorts. The model, who has proven her affinity for large shorts in the past, wore an oversized white pair, which she belted, seemingly to keep from falling right off her. On top, Bella wore a black cotton shirt, also mostly unbuttoned, but she opted to layer it over a white ribbed tank so as not to show off her stomach like Gigi. Leather knee-high, square-toed boots on her feet skimmed the hem of the shorts as she walked, and a black headband and shoulder bag finished off the look.
The sisters eventually converged at the Tom Ford show, where they ditched their effortless, NYC looks for big hair, bigger accesories, and sequin-covered dresses. After walking to runway, though, it was back to their original digs, the only remnants of the runway seen in the tight curls still covering their heads. | https://www.wmagazine.com/fashion/gigi-hadid-bella-hadid-off-duty-street-style-big-pants | 2022-09-15T22:41:23Z | wmagazine.com | control | https://www.wmagazine.com/fashion/gigi-hadid-bella-hadid-off-duty-street-style-big-pants | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Hailey Bieber Plans to One Day Do Maternity Style Like Rihanna
Hailey Bieber may have moved into the beauty sphere, but fashion remains her no. 1. The 25-year-old model has always been obsessed with getting dressed up, typically in clothes she buys while scrolling on her phone in bed. Her new collaboration with the DTC luxury essentials concept Wardrobe.NYC, then, was a natural fit. Bieber worked with its cofounders, Christine Centenera and Josh Goot, on a capsule collection comprised of fresh takes on her wardrobe staples: big pants and blazers, and itty-bitty dresses and miniskirts. And if you buy one of the four- or eight-piece sets, it’s basically like Bieber styled you herself. Fresh from returning from the Bahamas, where she was celebrating her fourth wedding anniversary with her husband Justin, Bieber shares her online shopping strategies and hopes for her wedding dress’s future.
It feels like there are endless options for online shopping. What do you think makes Wardrobe.NYC stand apart?
I think the concept of releasing each drop as a wardrobe is really interesting. You can buy the whole thing together, or you can buy the pieces separately. You can find things to add into your current wardrobe, you can start over with one of their wardrobes. To me, it feels fresh and new.
With online shopping in general, a search for even a specific item can give you dozens of pages of results. What’s your strategy for sifting through?
It’s so overwhelming. One way I do it is if there’s something new coming out that I’ve had my eye on, I want to just get it as soon as I can; I’m intentional about what the item is. And then I’m somebody who just late-night scrolls and probably buys a lot of shit that I don’t actually want and end up returning it. Usually, I’m looking to see what’s available on sites like Net-a-Porter, Farfetch, and SSENSE. Honestly, I just love the convenience. I’m not the biggest fan of going to stores at all, so the best option is to order online. And I love receiving packages—opening up a new purse is just so satisfying.
What’s the last thing that you bought online?
I bought these leather Versace platform boots from the new season. They’re so dope.
Do you ever buy things you see when you’re scrolling on Instagram?
I actually buy a lot of things through TikTok. I’m into all the TikTok things.
Getting into the Style Notes questions, what are you wearing right now and why did you decide to wear it?
I was just on the plane, so I’m wearing a vintage white t-shirt, little cozy white pajama shorts, white socks, and Adidas speakers. Nothing too special. Tonight I’ll probably wear a little black dress with a cool leather jacket and some loafers.
You wear a lot of short hemlines and have been known to just not wear any pants.
I like the illusion of not wearing shorts or pants under a big t-shirt or a big sweatshirt. I’ll wear tiny shorts underneath so that if it rises up, there would be something there, but I like the appearance of it looking like there’s nothing underneath. It’s funny because I very much love everything baggy and oversized—slouchy pants, big tees, big coats—but I also love the polar opposite, a tiny mini skirt paired with a big jacket or a really tiny dress with a big blazer. I’ve always been drawn to mixing those two ends of the spectrum. They’re really my go-to, and I think that shows in the Wardrobe.NYC collection. There are little tanks, baggy pants, big blazers, and minidresses—all of my essentials.
What was your style like as a teen?
I’ve always loved to style myself, get dressed up, and put my outfits together. What was trendy when I was 16 was very different from what it is now. I had a younger sense of style because I hadn’t developed my taste yet. I was very influenced by dancer and ballet culture, with the buns and baggy pants to wear over your leotard and tights. I was a dancer, so my style was influenced through that world. In some ways, I think it still is.
What was your first major fashion purchase?
I’m pretty sure it was a pair of shoes from YSL or a bag. YSL was the first major designer I ever splurged on.
If you could have only picked one piece to bring with you on this trip to New York, what would it have been?
Probably a big leather jacket. The problem with me is that I’ll wear a leather jacket even when it’s 90 degrees out. But if somebody told me I had five items to pack, I’d be like, “Okay, I’m packing a white tank, a big boxy jacket, flashy pants, and a pair of sneakers.” I can live off that.
The Off-White wedding gown that Virgil Abloh designed for you was pretty iconic. Have you hung onto it?
I have. I actually put it into a special storage facility where they get it specially cleaned and they preserve it for you. Eventually, if there’s ever something to be done with it, I would be happy to do it. It’s the most special thing in my possessions, and just in life in general. One day, if I ever have a daughter and she for some reason wants to wear it, that would be super special.
Who would you say is your ultimate style icon?
The big ones for me have always been Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Rihanna. I think back to when I was a little bit younger and I was looking at people’s fashion on Tumblr to see what I wanted to emulate, and those two really stood out to me.
What are your favorite vintage stores?
Tokyo definitely has the craziest vintage I’ve ever purchased and seen. I also find a lot of really cool vintage online, through Etsy and Depop.
How much does a stylist play a role in the type of looks you tend to post on Instagram?
When I’m working with a stylist, I’m like, “All right, I have a bunch of stuff coming up and I want to put together some looks.” From there, it's really, really collaborative. A lot of the time, I send mood boards and photos of things I’m feeling and that have the vibes I want to create. I want to be involved in how the outfit comes together and how it comes to life. A lot of the time, I’m just putting stuff together totally on my own. On a day-to-day basis, I’m doing appointments or going to the office or running errands and I don’t need styling for that.
Do you have a biggest fashion regret?
I’ve had many, for sure. When I was younger and started going to red carpets and events, I was still learning and figuring out what photographs well and what works for my body shape. I think I wore certain things that were so ill-fitting and just not great.
What's your favorite fashion moment from pop culture?
The thing that jumps to mind, in part because you mentioned the Met Gala, is when Rihanna went in that long, long yellow [Guo Pei] cape that went down the whole staircase. And also, the sheer, see-through Swarovski dress she wore with a thong. That slayed me in so many ways.
She had such great maternity style, and since you just mentioned a future daughter, I’m wondering if you plan to take her lead in not shopping in the maternity aisle.
She was the most gorgeous, hottest pregnant woman I’ve ever seen. And I think I’ll only know when that time comes, but yeah—I definitely don’t want to feel like I have to sacrifice my style when being pregnant. My style is something that’s really important to me. | https://www.wmagazine.com/fashion/hailey-bieber-wardrobe-nyc-style-interview | 2022-09-15T22:41:29Z | wmagazine.com | control | https://www.wmagazine.com/fashion/hailey-bieber-wardrobe-nyc-style-interview | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Dressing for the office can feel daunting, especially when most of us are just getting back into the swing of an everyday commute. Whether you are starting a new job, returning to the office post-lockdown, or just need a little closet refresh, here are some work-appropriate (and still chic) looks to consider for Monday through Friday. | https://www.wmagazine.com/fashion/office-dressing-ideas-shopping | 2022-09-15T22:41:35Z | wmagazine.com | control | https://www.wmagazine.com/fashion/office-dressing-ideas-shopping | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Everything to Know About Tom Ford’s Spring 2023 NYFW Show
It’s been a week full of celebratory shows, emerging designer showcases, and glitzy parties, as New York Fashion Week truly feels like it’s back to pre-pandemic times. Tom Ford closed out the spring 2023 collections in New York with a hotly anticipated show downtown. Here are five things you need to know about the runway, its models, and, of course, the star-studded front row:
The Collection Felt Like a Swan Song
In July, it was reported that Tom Ford hired Goldman Sachs to explore a potential sale. Since then, the industry has been speculating that spring 2023 may be the last Tom Ford runway show with the man behind the brand at the helm. That may be true—if the music was any indication. Freddie Mercury’s “time waits for nobody” lyrics wailed over the speakers as glitzy ’80s-inspired pieces that embodied Ford’s aesthetic throughout the years were on view.
As for the grand finale, there was no final walk. Instead, just one model closed the show wearing a floor-length gold and silver turtleneck gown, her hair braided into an intricate crown-like style. As she walked down the runway, she held a small bouquet of gilded roses. Additionally, according to the brand, there were purposely no show notes at all this season. As the last official show of New York Fashion Week—and perhaps a final chapter of an iconic American brand—there was a feeling of emotion and closure in the air. But it also felt a message: if Tom Ford is leaving, he’s going out with a party.
The ‘80s Influence Was Effervescent
There were sequins and ‘80s music–and lots of both. The show opened up with a silver metallic blazer thrown over a sheer bikini top with glitter stars on it. On the bottom, there were baggy knee-length shorts covered in glittering star and heart motifs. Next came fishnet tops encrusted with chunky crystal jewels paired with low-slung metallic pants. From sporty hot shorts to shiny tracksuits and pastel Western fringe jackets and quilted leather jackets for men, the rich ‘80s aesthetic was palpable in every single piece. Robert Palmer’s “Addicted to Love” played while Liberace-like hot pants and crystal cascaded jackets made their debut.
House (and Fordian) Codes Ruled
Of course, Ford also showed the more demure side of the brand, with softly tailored suits for men here, and a silky set there. A few grabby moments felt particularly referential not just to the Tom Ford brand, but to the overall body of work from Ford, when he worked at Gucci–take, for example, the lacy lingerie and thongs paired with croc-like oversized leather jackets.
(Gucci G-string, anyone?) The look was one that could have been ripped directly from one of the Ford’s (for his namesake brand, or Gucci) iconically sleazy early 2000s campaigns, too.
The Front Was Star-Studded…and Intriguing
Madonna, Erykah Badu, Ciara, Lila Moss, and Nicola and Brooklyn Peltz-Beckham all sat front row at the show. Evan Mock, Dove Cameron, Chris Rock, Katie Holmes, Russell Westbrook, Lourdes Leon, Shalom Harlow, Karlie Kloss, Nicole Ritchie, and Taylor Hill were also there. As Tom Ford is up for sale, the show felt like an intimate celebration. Of course, there were also a few new faces in the audience—perhaps a hint at what is to come. According to the Wall Street Journal, as of just last month, Estée Lauder Companies is in talks to buy Tom Ford, in a deal for at least $3 billion. And sitting front row next to one of the industry’s most well-known fashion critics was also Estée Lauder Companies president and chief executive officer Fabrizio Freda.
Bella and Gigi Hadid Closed the Show
An all-star cast walked the runway, including Gigi and Bella Hadid, who each were adorned with glittering, sequin disco ball dresses and matching ginormous hoop earrings. Liya Kebede and Joan Smalls wore a black sarong-style dress with knee-high metallic leather boots. Mariacarla Boscono donned one of the finale looks—she dripped in lilac sequins as she strutted down the runway. The cast of models was clearly as bright and bold as the collection, and represented a slice of the fashion house’s favorites over the years. | https://www.wmagazine.com/fashion/tom-ford-spring-2023-nyfw-show-review | 2022-09-15T22:41:41Z | wmagazine.com | control | https://www.wmagazine.com/fashion/tom-ford-spring-2023-nyfw-show-review | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A Calcasieu Parish employee was booked on malfeasance charges.
Dani R. Bailey, 39, of Lake Charles, was booked on a warrant accusing her of malfeasance.
Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's detectives began an investigation in November 2020 about a parish employee, alleging she was improperly using equipment that belongs to the district. The complainant also stated Bailey, who had access to district funds, was making personal purchases with the funds. When detectives spoke with Bailey she confirmed she used the district’s equipment, such as lawn mowers, a chainsaw, and a floor jack, for personal use.
CPSO detectives completed the investigation and it was turned over to the Calcasieu Parish District Attorney’s Office. The CPDAO accepted charges and on September 9, a warrant was issued for Bailey’s arrest. On September 14 Bailey turned herself in and was arrested and booked into the Calcasieu Correctional Center and charged with malfeasance in office. She was released later the same day on a $25,000 bond set by Judge Tony Fazzio.
Bailey has paid back restitution to the district in reference to several personal items that were purchased using an account in the district’s name.
CPSO Detective Shelli Fontenot is the lead investigator on this case. | https://www.katc.com/news/calcasieu-parish/calcasieu-parish-employee-arrested-on-malfeasance-charges | 2022-09-15T22:49:29Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/calcasieu-parish/calcasieu-parish-employee-arrested-on-malfeasance-charges | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Lafayette Utilities System (LUS) has extended the suspension of late payment charges for all LUS customers to October 31, 2022.
As Lafayette’s local utility, LUS has options for making payments such as online at www.lus.org, payment by mail (P.O. Box 4024-C, Lafayette, LA 70502), or by telephone at (337) 291-8280.
LUS Customer Service locations at 1875 W. Pinhook Road and 2701 Moss Street are available to walk-in customers Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a drop-box available for check or money order payments. The Moss Street location has a drive-thru available for customers Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Evening News Headlines, Latest COVID-19 Headlines, Morning News Headlines, Special Offers | https://www.katc.com/news/lafayette-parish/lus-suspends-late-payment-charges-until-oct-31 | 2022-09-15T22:49:41Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/lafayette-parish/lus-suspends-late-payment-charges-until-oct-31 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
GLENDALE, Ariz. — A Glendale, Arizona, husky is quickly becoming the talk of the town, gaining massive attention online and from onlookers.
“A lot of people love her, honestly,” says Nala's owner Jason Camarena. “They want to take pictures of her every time they see her.”
Camarena says he believes Nala is their family’s watchdog.
“One person actually came and knocked on our door and thought she was a statue. Because she just stood there. She did not move at all.”
Nala scales her backyard balcony to her roof and enjoys running up and down the top of her home.
“She jumped on our HVAC system too,” laughs Camarena.
When other family members couldn’t provide the space and backyard Nala needed, Camarena and his mom offered their home two years ago — and Nala liberally took that freedom, says Camarena.
“Now she’s very happy and outgoing,” Camarena laughs.
She’s become so popular that her owners have to post on social media that she’s not stuck on the shingles — she wants to be there — but that doesn’t stop the gawkers or even law enforcement from showing up.
“At the end of the day, she’s just enjoying the view up there,” Camarena smiles.
Nala’s neighbors gave her the nickname Pigeon.
“They even have a security camera, but I think that’s better than a security camera," neighbor Mark Hunt said.
Camarena said the dog is allowed on the roof for 20 minutes in the middle of the day and grabs some shade underneath the roof’s HVAC system.
She also has a pool in her backyard where she loves to take swimming breaks. | https://www.katc.com/news/national/arizona-husky-becomes-neighborhood-roof-watchdog | 2022-09-15T22:49:47Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/national/arizona-husky-becomes-neighborhood-roof-watchdog | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Florida Commission on Ethics announced Wednesday that they found probable cause to believe that Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony provided false information before he was appointed sheriff.
According to the Associated Press, Tony, who Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed in 2019, may not have disclosed during the hiring process that he fatally shot an 18-year-old neighbor when he was 14 during a fight at his family’s Philadelphia home in 1993.
The commission also stated in the news release that they found probable cause that Tony provided false information or failed to disclose information before he was hired as an officer for the Coral Springs Police Department; when completing a notarized Florida Department of Law Enforcement form while serving as sheriff; when applying to renew his driver's license while serving in law enforcement.
"The commission rejected the recommendation of its advocate and found probable cause to believe Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony misused his public position," the commission said in a press release.
According to the Associated Press, Tony also did not disclose that he had used LSD.
The news outlet reported that he could either be fined by the ethics committee or face a public hearing.
Another possibility is that he could also be removed by DeSantis, the news outlet reported. | https://www.katc.com/news/national/board-florida-sheriff-maybe-lied-about-killing-teenager-when-he-was-14 | 2022-09-15T22:49:54Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/national/board-florida-sheriff-maybe-lied-about-killing-teenager-when-he-was-14 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Whether new or used, buying a car is tough these days. If you do find one, chances are the cost is sky-high.
"The price of a used car was the price of a new car, pretty much," potential car buyer Yesenia Maura said.
A new report shows consumers paid an average of $44,559 for a new, non-luxury car in August. And the average used car went for just under $32,000 in July.
Stubborn inflation coupled with supply chain issues made the auto market impossible for consumers.
Now, many are holding on to the cars they already have for longer.
"It used to be people would keep their cars eight years. Then it was 10 years. Now, it's 12-14 years the average person is keeping their car for," Ron Katz with Midas said.
But it's not just a problem for your average car buyer. Even police departments are having a hard time.
"This past Monday, we were notified that Ford canceled all of our orders for 2022 police interceptors," said Robert L. Ruxer III, law enforcement services division commander for the Colonial Heights, Virginia, police department.
The department was then given the chance to buy 2023 models instead. But that came at an extra cost of $7,500 per vehicle, which the city government ended up covering.
It's the latest example of automakers prioritizing their more expensive models at a time when potential buyers have fewer options. For example, Cadillac will soon debut a $300,000 electric vehicle.
It's a move that's paying off for luxury car makers. Porsche, which is expected to go public by the end of the year, is expecting to see $39 billion in sales for 2022, up 20% from 2021.
Meanwhile, consumers are left with fewer and more costly options.
Newsy is the nation’s only free 24/7 national news network. You can find Newsy using your TV’s digital antenna or stream for free. See all the ways you can watch Newsy here. | https://www.katc.com/news/national/car-buyers-left-with-few-options-as-difficult-auto-market-persists | 2022-09-15T22:50:00Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/national/car-buyers-left-with-few-options-as-difficult-auto-market-persists | 0 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | 11 |
Whether new or used, buying a car is tough these days. If you do find one, chances are the cost is sky-high.
"The price of a used car was the price of a new car, pretty much," potential car buyer Yesenia Maura said.
A new report shows consumers paid an average of $44,559 for a new, non-luxury car in August. And the average used car went for just under $32,000 in July.
Stubborn inflation coupled with supply chain issues made the auto market impossible for consumers.
Now, many are holding on to the cars they already have for longer.
"It used to be people would keep their cars eight years. Then it was 10 years. Now, it's 12-14 years the average person is keeping their car for," Ron Katz with Midas said.
But it's not just a problem for your average car buyer. Even police departments are having a hard time.
"This past Monday, we were notified that Ford canceled all of our orders for 2022 police interceptors," said Robert L. Ruxer III, law enforcement services division commander for the Colonial Heights, Virginia, police department.
The department was then given the chance to buy 2023 models instead. But that came at an extra cost of $7,500 per vehicle, which the city government ended up covering.
It's the latest example of automakers prioritizing their more expensive models at a time when potential buyers have fewer options. For example, Cadillac will soon debut a $300,000 electric vehicle.
It's a move that's paying off for luxury car makers. Porsche, which is expected to go public by the end of the year, is expecting to see $39 billion in sales for 2022, up 20% from 2021.
Meanwhile, consumers are left with fewer and more costly options.
Newsy is the nation’s only free 24/7 national news network. You can find Newsy using your TV’s digital antenna or stream for free. See all the ways you can watch Newsy here. | https://www.katc.com/news/national/car-buyers-left-with-few-options-as-difficult-auto-market-persists | 2022-09-15T22:50:00Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/national/car-buyers-left-with-few-options-as-difficult-auto-market-persists | 1 | 0 | green-iguana-35 | 11 |
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. — Unretirement. It’s a concept most have probably not considered, but it’s a reality for many in the current economy. Some retirees are watching inflation rise while the stock market sinks and are reconsidering the plans they made just a short time ago.
Gesher Human Services held a “Returning Retiree Boot Camp” Wednesday in Southfield. Bob Rubin, 81, was one of the attendees.
“I found myself where I once had a great pile of gold, that the gold wasn’t there anymore, and the goose that laid the egg, he left town,” explained Rubin.
Rubin said he’s an expert in the mortgage business and did tremendously well until the mortgage crisis. Now, he is looking for new ways to find gainful employment. He said he showed up at the "Returning Retiree Boot Camp" for insight into how his skills can be best used.
“Are there niches? Are there areas in these desperate times that I can do well?” asked Rubin.
He said he was looking for help reaching out and connecting with those in need of his specialty. He admits, that common online resources just haven’t cut it for him.
“I found that using Indeed and that other such source does not work for me. People are looking for specific skills. I never worked for anyone. I was an entrepreneur, I had my own business,” Rubin explained.
Tim Parsons, 61, also showed up for the boot camp.
“I recently accepted an early retirement package and haven’t decided if I’m truly going to retire or if I’m going to continue to look for work,” explained Parsons.
He said he has been looking at the stock market and the possibility of a recession and wondering if he would be able to find a job again.
He explained the questions he had been thinking about.
“Whether I could financially afford to officially retire. It’s about two years before my normal plan. Even though my financial advisor says I could, you’re always worried about money,” admitted Parsons
It doesn’t matter if it’s part-time work or full-time work.
“I’m open to either one. You know you got to bridge health care coverage until you’re 65. So, if a part-time job came along with healthcare coverage, I would consider that,” Parsons explained.
The "Returning Retiree Boot Camp" hosted by Gesher Human Services aims to help people like Rubin and Parsons get some of the answers they are looking for right now. The program is about offering people options and helping them recreate themselves for the 21st-century workplace.
Take resumes, for instance. Most people are used to presenting chronological resumes, year-by-year, to establish their history of experience. However, Gerard Baltersaitis, internship employment specialist with Gesher Human Services, who was conducting Wednesday’s boot camp, said that could work against older individuals. Instead, he said they should create a functional resume that highlights the skills the employer is looking for.
Jason Charnas, the director of business and career services at Gesher Human Services, said the goal of the program is to help people get to the next step of their careers. He believes the retired workforce could be a great solution for the tight labor market.
“I think this is a great moment for us to really help people to find that match. The match of retirees looking for something, something meaningful, something to keep themselves busy, something and a way to earn a paycheck. And, the general community saying, ‘We have a different need. We have a need, we have job openings,’” said Charnas.
He said everyone could benefit.
“It’s really a great way for all those factors to come together and to help some of our local employers that have openings and for us to help retirees find what that can look like for them,” Charnas said.
There will be two more free in-person workshops held at Gesher human services on October 19 and November 16. More information can be found at https://jvshumanservices.org/
Mike Duffy and Brian Schwartz at WXYZ first reported this story. | https://www.katc.com/news/national/some-people-considering-un-retiring-amid-inflation-stock-market-drop | 2022-09-15T22:50:12Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/national/some-people-considering-un-retiring-amid-inflation-stock-market-drop | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
California Gov. Newsom signs children's online protection bill
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Thursday signed bipartisan legislation that in part requires online platforms and services, including social media companies, to implement digital safeguards to protect users under 18.
Why it matters: California is the first state to pass such legislation, which is sure to be used as a template for laws passed by other states, Axios' Ashley Gold reports.
- The California law was modeled after rules that went into effect in the United Kingdom last year and that govern how tech firms can target kids with push notifications, require messaging controls and provide other features intended to keep minors safe online.
- Tech companies — including Google, Amazon, TikTok, Snap and Twitter — and other groups lobbied against it before it passed the California legislature.
What they're saying: “We’re taking aggressive action in California to protect the health and wellbeing of our kids,” Newsom said in a statement.
- “As a father of four, I’m familiar with the real issues our children are experiencing online," he added.
The big picture: The law prohibits companies that provide online services likely to be used by children from using children's personal information — like names or addresses — collecting and selling their geolocation or encouraging children to disclose personal data.
- It requires the companies to turn on the most stringent privacy and safety settings, like messaging control, for children by default to help protect them and their mental health.
- It surpasses protections required by the 1998 Children’s Privacy Protection Act, which only protects the privacy of users under the age of 13 when they use online service clearly directed at kids.
Zoom out: Members of Congress have introduced legislation to federally expand online protections for children, while some have also urged companies to extend the protections they guarantee to kids in the U.K. to kids in the U.S., Axios' Margaret Harding McGill and Sara Fischer report.
- Congress confirmed former cybersecurity CEO Nate Fick on Thursday as the country's first ever cyber ambassador, a new position within the Department of State meant to help develop global digital standards and best practices.
Go deeper: California AG accuses Amazon of blocking price competition in new lawsuit | https://www.axios.com/2022/09/15/california-newsom-children-online-protection-bill | 2022-09-15T22:52:41Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/2022/09/15/california-newsom-children-online-protection-bill | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Fast-fashion giant Shein is about to get faster
Fast-fashion is about to get faster.
Driving the news: Shein, the privately held online retailer based in China, plans to build three large distribution centers in the U.S. in an effort to put products in the hands of customers much faster in its largest market, WSJ reports.
Why it matters: Shein is one of the most-visited fashion websites in the world, powered by people who want cheap versions of new styles.
- U.S. customers currently have to wait 10 to 15 days for orders to be delivered from China, weeks longer than competitors including Amazon, Zara and H&M.
- The expansion could eventually cut shipping times by three to four days, George Chiao, president of Shein’s U.S. operations, told the Journal.
The big picture: Shein is the third-most valuable startup in the world. Total annual sales for the company reached at least $16 billion last year, up from $10 billion in 2020, according to Bloomberg.
- Retailers across the board have been investing in their warehouse and distribution footprint, ranging from Zara to Walmart, amid inventory gluts and increased demand.
What they're saying: As Shein tries to expand into higher priced products, long delivery times have to come down, Credit Suisse analyst Simon Irwin noted to the Journal.
Be smart: What makes fast-fashion fast has a lot to do with compressing the time between market research and customer orders.
- Shein’s product cycle reportedly takes just a few days compared to competitors’ cycle of weeks.
- Manual laborers reportedly sew hundreds of pieces a day on tabletop sewing machines.
Our thought bubble: Shorter wait times for items already being cranked out quickly could drive even greater demand for a category criticized for exacerbating overconsumption, carbon emissions and landfill waste. | https://www.axios.com/2022/09/15/shein-fast-fashion-delivery-distribution-center | 2022-09-15T22:52:59Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/2022/09/15/shein-fast-fashion-delivery-distribution-center | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Maurice L. Williams, command chief, Air National Guard, is presented with a memento by Chief Master Sgt. Trey McKinney, command chief, 136th Airlift Wing, Texas Military Department, during a visit June 26, 2022, at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas. The 136th AW is the 45th wing Williams has visited out of 90 total, marking the halfway point just over a year and a half into the position. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Charissa Menken)
This work, ANG Command Chief visits 136th Airlift Wing [Image 8 of 8], by SrA Charissa Menken, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7419192/ang-command-chief-visits-136th-airlift-wing | 2022-09-15T22:53:24Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7419192/ang-command-chief-visits-136th-airlift-wing | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Families of mass shooting victims knock on lawmakers’ doors to call for an assault weapons ban
Families from shootings in Texas, Florida, Connecticut, and Colorado came together as they call on lawmakers to do more to reform gun laws.
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Inside the halls of Congress, a group of people gather.
The group likely would have never met, if it were not for the gun violence that rocked their lives and killed their family members.
“I said before I don’t want to be sharing her story. I want her here to create her own story,” said Kimberly Rubio, who is here in the offices of Senators to advocate for 10-year-old Lexi Rubio who died in the Uvalde school shooting.
Beside her stands the families of other victims from Parkland, Florida, Aurora, Colorado, and Newtown, Connecticut.
“I want to see to see their reaction face-to-face and unfortunately yesterday, we saw one of the faces. It’s a telling story on what he thinks about it all,” said Felix Rubio as Kimberly Rubio chimed in “it’s Ted Cruz.”
Cruz is calling for the passage of a Secure Our Schools Act that would use leftover COVID funds to put more police officers and mental health counselors in schools.
But the Rubio’s don’t think it’s enough. They want to see an assault weapons ban passed.
“That’s not enough,” said Kimberly Rubio about Cruz’s call to action. “That did nothing for students and the two teachers of Uvalde and even at that why do you want our schools to look like prisons? You know that’s not how our children should be growing up. And, that’s a reactive approach and we’re looking at a proactive stance which is the federal ban of assault weapons.”
Also joining the families of mass shooting victims is Connecticut mother Kristin Song, whose name has become well known on Capitol Hill. For years she has been advocating for a national safe storage law after her son Ethan was killed in an accidental shooting with an unsecured gun in 2018. Ethan’s Law has passed the House but remains stalled in the Senate.
“We are lobbying the senators to try to get onboard with Ethan’s Law. Also, we are discussing the assault weapons freeze,” said Song, who later added, “76% of all school shooters get their guns from home or a relatives home and those guns are unsecured.”
It’s a message that puts her mission, side-by-side with families like Felix and Kimberly Rubio.
President Joe Biden said he supports an assault weapons ban. Meanwhile Congress passed bipartisan gun reform earlier this year which expanded things like background checks.
Song said that action has helped lawmakers become more interested in considering proposals like hers for safe storage reform.
“They’re much more interested. From the time I started lobbying four years ago to the time now, there’s a lot more interest,” said Song.
The group also visited lawmaker such as Senators Tammy Duckworth and Joe Manchin.
The families hope to see more gun reform legislation move forward next year.
Copyright 2022 Gray DC. All rights reserved. | https://www.wave3.com/2022/09/15/families-mass-shooting-victims-knock-lawmakers-doors-call-an-assault-weapons-ban/ | 2022-09-15T22:53:36Z | wave3.com | control | https://www.wave3.com/2022/09/15/families-mass-shooting-victims-knock-lawmakers-doors-call-an-assault-weapons-ban/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
U.S. Army Spc. William J. Doyle, left, 104th Brigade Engineer Battalion, receives an urn containing the cremains of a veteran while Sgt. Bless E. Sherrill, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 44th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, both with the New Jersey Army National Guard, is presented an American flag during the 38th New Jersey Mission of Honor (NJMOH) ceremony at the Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery at Wrightstown, New Jersey, Sept. 15, 2022. The cremains of World War I U.S. Army veterans Verna W. Hanway and Hans Lauritson; World War II U.S. Army veterans’ John Countryman, Robert L. Mabee, Albert T Whiteside, Jr., Elmer A. Willis and World War II U.S. Marine Corps veteran Peter Truszkowski, were honored during the ceremony. Some of these cremains had gone unclaimed for as long as 59 years. NJMOH’s mission is to identify, retrieve, and intern the veterans’ cremains. (New Jersey National Guard photo by Mark C. Olsen)
This work, Mission of Honor holds 38th ceremony [Image 6 of 6], by Mark Olsen, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7419246/mission-honor-holds-38th-ceremony | 2022-09-15T22:53:48Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7419246/mission-honor-holds-38th-ceremony | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Goodfellow Air Force Base Joint Service Color Guard presents the colors to begin the 312th Training Squadron’s 9/11 memorial ceremony at the Louis F. Garland Department of Defense Fire Academy high bay, Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, Sept. 9, 2022. The 312th TRS placed 56 uniforms and helmets across the floor to signify the 56 fallen DoD firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice, Sept. 11, 2001. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Ethan Sherwood)
This work, Goodfellow Remembers 9/11 [Image 5 of 5], by SrA Ethan Sherwood, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7419262/goodfellow-remembers-9-11 | 2022-09-15T22:54:33Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7419262/goodfellow-remembers-9-11 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- LEADx, the leading behavioral change platform for leadership development, announced the launch of LEADx TeamView for Managers today.
This new feature gives managers one-tap access to team members' personalities, strengths, and work styles and advice on precisely individualizing their leadership behaviors to coach, grow and engage each direct report.
Whether you are trying to reduce turnover, battle "quiet quitting," or just want to maximize performance–managers are the key. In fact, according to Gallup 70% of the variance in employee engagement is tied back to the manager's behaviors.
But too often, managers take a "one size fits all" approach to leading their team. Even if a team undergoes a behavioral assessment, managers often forget their teammates' unique profiles, so they fail to individualize their leadership.
With LEADx TeamView and LEADx iNudge, organizations can turn all of their managers into legacy leaders.
"There's the old saying, average managers play checkers while great leaders play chess," said Kevin Kruse, CEO of LEADx. "Instead of moving all the pieces the same way, we need to learn how each piece moves. Individualizing our approach to leadership–knowing how to engage each unique team member–that's the only way to win the culture game."
The LEADx platform combines behavioral science, smart algorithms, and expert insights to dramatically improve leadership behaviors, employee engagement, and productivity. LEADx TeamView joins a suite of other powerful features including:
- LEADx iNudge: delivers hyper-personalized behavioral nudges that drive employee engagement
- LEADx Big 5: the most widely used and validated personality model in the world unlocks deeper levels of self-awareness
- LEADx CAT Scan (Culture Analysis Teams): manager effectiveness survey measuring 12 key engagement-driving behaviors
To learn more about how to put the power of personality and individualized leadership literally into your managers' hands, visit LEADx.org.
Founded in 2017, LEADx is the only mobile-first leadership development platform that scales training and sustains habits with a unique combination of nudges, micro-coaching, micro-learning, and assessments. The LEADx platform is designed for today's busy professionals: anywhere, anytime, on-demand. LEADx is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and helps emerging and experienced leaders at organizations like Estes Trucking, Northwestern Mutual, Biohaven, Deltek, and IAT Insurance Group. To learn more, visit www.leadx.org.
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SOURCE LEADx, Inc. | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/09/15/leadx-launches-teamview-managers-help-them-personalize-their-approach-leadership/ | 2022-09-15T22:54:36Z | wave3.com | control | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/09/15/leadx-launches-teamview-managers-help-them-personalize-their-approach-leadership/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Roger Federer broke the news fans across the world have long been fearing when he announced on Thursday he will retire from competitive tennis after next week's Laver Cup in London.
The 41-year-old Swiss, who has won 20 Grand Slam titles and is regarded by many as the best player ever to wield a racket, has not played a match since last year's Wimbledon.
"As many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries," Federer said in a post on Instagram.
"I've worked hard to return to full competitive form. But I also know my body's capacities and limits, and its message to me lately has been clear. I am 41 years old."
"I have played more than 1,500 matches over 24 years. Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt, and now I must recognize when it's time to end my competitive career. The Laver Cup next week in London will be my final ATP event. I will play more tennis in the future, of course, but just not in Grand Slams or on the tour."
Federer, who dominated men's tennis after winning his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2003, has been troubled by injuries in recent years.
He has undergone three knee operations in the last two years and his last competitive match was a quarter-final defeat against Poland's Hubert Hurkacz at the 2021 Wimbledon.
Federer had announced he planned to return to the tour when he teams up with long-time rival and friend Rafa Nadal to play doubles at the Laver Cup in London.
He had also planned to play at the Swiss indoors tournament at home in Basel. | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/tennis/2022/09/15/roger-federer-announces-retirement.amp.html | 2022-09-15T22:56:13Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/tennis/2022/09/15/roger-federer-announces-retirement.amp.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A Lake Ridge Middle School teacher was injured Tuesday taking a knife away from a 12-year-old girl who held it to another girl's throat in class.
The school resource officer was called just before 9:30 a.m. for a student who assaulted another student with a knife while on school property, Prince William County police Master Officer Renee Carr said.
Police say two 12-year-old girls made arrangements to bring a knife to school that day. The student brought the knife and gave it to the other girl, who then then entered a classroom, brandished the knife and held to another 12-year-old girl's neck.
The teacher quickly intervened and was eventually able to take possession of the knife but suffered multiple cuts to her hands, Carr said.
Staff detained the student who had the knife and contacted the school resource officers. The victim reported minor injuries.
Police charged the girl in the classroom attack with aggravated malicious wounding, malicious wounding and possession of a weapon on school grounds, Carr said. She was held at the Prince William Juvenile Detention Center.
The girl who brought the knife was charged with possession of a weapon on school grounds and also held at the juvenile detention center. | https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/teacher-injured-two-girls-charged-after-knife-incident-at-lake-ridge-middle-school/article_13a40826-3537-11ed-8de1-137cde84a5fb.html | 2022-09-15T22:58:02Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/teacher-injured-two-girls-charged-after-knife-incident-at-lake-ridge-middle-school/article_13a40826-3537-11ed-8de1-137cde84a5fb.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Over 200 players are scheduled to participate Friday through Sunday in the Yakima Applefest Pickleball tournament at Franklin Park.
The largest pickleball tournament ever held here, Friday’s competition features men’s singles and women’s doubles. Mixed doubles take over on Saturday, and Sunday concludes with men’s doubles and women’s singles.
Matches run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.
MEETINGS Athletic directors at Monday QBsAthletic directors Bob Stanley of Davis and Paul Stephens of Eisenhower will be featured guests at next week’s Monday Morning Quarterback Club luncheon.
The meeting starts at 11:45 a.m. Monday in the Players Club Lounge at Suntides Golf Course. Lunch service is available, and the public is invited. | https://www.yakimaherald.com/local-report-three-day-pickleball-tournament-starts-friday-at-franklin-park/article_608b0c8e-352d-11ed-a33b-33ab828e6ae9.html | 2022-09-15T22:58:13Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/local-report-three-day-pickleball-tournament-starts-friday-at-franklin-park/article_608b0c8e-352d-11ed-a33b-33ab828e6ae9.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Plenty of dynamic offensive talent tested defenders on both sides when East Valley traveled across town to face West Valley on Tuesday night.
Junior Shannah Mellick scored a hat trick for the Red Devils and Kendall Moore’s return from injury energized a Rams attack off to something of a slow start this season with first-team all-CBBN forward Jes Lizotte still sidelined by a broken collarbone. Coaches agreed to let the match end in a 3-3 draw, but both teams nearly scored several more times.
West Valley especially missed some great chances, mostly in the second half when they kept the ball on East Valley’s side of midfield for large periods of time. Moore scored the game’s final goal in the 48th minute and several of her teammates found open shots inside the penalty box.
“We’re creating the opportunities, which is good, but you need to finish,” WV coach Jason Timm said. “We’re getting better every game and that’s what we’re looking to do.”
The Rams beat Selah 2-1 last Saturday, four days after a season-opening 3-1 loss at Ellensburg. On Tuesday, like in their loss to the Bulldogs, the Rams jumped ahead early when Kaitlyn Rudick scored a third-minute goal against unbeaten East Valley.
Ariana Lopez hit the crossbar on a long shot a minute later, then Mellick’s equalizer started a flurry of four goals in six minutes midway through the first half. The talented midfielder put away a rebound off another hard shot from Lopez and then converted a penalty kick to give East Valley a 3-2 lead.
Mellick expects Tuesday’s draw to boost the Red Devils’ confidence heading into their CWAC opener Saturday at Grandview.
Timm said his team’s three CWAC opponents gave them good tests against three different styles heading into Saturday’s first league match against Davis.
— Luke Thompson
First half: 1, WV, Kaitlyn Rudick (Tiffany Stratton), 3:00; 2, EV, Shannah Mellick (Eveyanna Townsend), 17:00; 3, WV, Gigi Doucette (Laiken Hill); 4, EV, Mellick, 18:00; 5, EV, Mellick (PK), 23:00.
Second half: 6, WV, Kendall Moore, 48:00.
Saves: Giselle Uristegui (EV) 4, Kate Ketcham (EV) 3; Taylor Poor (WV) 6.
CBBN
DAVIS 6, SUNNYSIDE 0: At Davis, junior Nataly Pacheco scored two goals and senior goalkeeper Alexis Torres made two saves in the shutout for the Pirates, who are 1-1-1 overall.
First half: 1, Davis, Nataly Pacheco (Vanessa Lugo), 8:00; 2, Davis, Arlene Mendez, 10:00; 3, America Zavala (Seri Nugent), 38:00.
Second half: 4, Pacheco, 71:00; 5, Davis, Ilse Velasquez, 79:00; 6, Davis, Emily Garcia, 80:00.
Saves: Sunnyside 10, Alexis Torres (D) 2.
MOSES LAKE 2, EISENHOWER 1: At Moses Lake, Esperanza Haro delivered the equalizer for the Cadets in the 20th minute and it held up until seven minutes left in the regulation. Eisenhower travels to Eastmont next Tuesday.
First half: 1, ML, Anna Ribellia, 12:00; 2, Ike, Esperanza Haro (Alexia Lee), 20:00.
Second half: 3, ML, Bella Huberdeau, 73:00.
EWAC
HIGHLAND 10, WHITE SWAN 0: At Highland, Rachael Keller produced two goals and three assists and Aylin Aguilera had four assists for the Scotties (1-0, 2-1), who picked up a league forfeit win over Burbank on Thursday and will play at Granger on Sept. 20.
First half: 1, Highland, Aylin Aguilera (Rachael Keller), 3:00; 2, Highland, Keller (Gaby Paniagua), 5:00; 3, Highland, Melany Meza (Anahi Lamas), 10:00; 4, Highland, Frida Paniagua (Keller), 15:00; 5, Highland, G. Paniagua (Keller), 18:00; 6, Highland, Maricza Mendoza (Anahi Garcia), 28:00; 7, Highland, Meza (Aguilera), 34:00.
Second half: 8, Highland, Keller (Aguilera), 41:00; 9, Highland, Maddie Ceja (Aguilera), 47:00; 10, Highland, Garcia (Aguilera), 56:00.
Saves: Ashlee McIlrath (H) 0, Rachael Keller (H) 0, Estrella Valencia (WS) 20.
GOLDENDALE 1, GRANGER 0 (SO): At Granger, the Timberwolves hit their first three PKs in the shootout. Goalkeeper Erikah Cuevas made six saves for Granger, which travels to Cle Elum on Thursday. Cle Elum was a forfeit winner over Burbank on Tuesday.
NONLEAGUE
TOPPENISH 3, COLLEGE PLACE 1: At Toppenish, Jasmine Gonzalez’s tally in the 30th minute broke a 1-1 tie for the Wildcats (1-1-1).
First half: 1, Miranda Maravilla, 15:00; 2, College Place, 20:00; 3, Toppenish, Jasmine Gonzalez, 30:00.
Second half: 4, Toppenish, Jewels Landa, 70:00.
TUESDAY POSTPONEMENTS: Due to poor air quality, the following matches were postponed: Selah at Othello (to Friday); Grandview at Ephrata; Warden at Mabton; Naches Valley at Kiona-Benton; La Salle at Connell.
VOLLEYBALL
NONLEAGUE
WEST VALLEY 3, ELLENSBURG 1: At West Valley, after outlasting Selah in five last week, the Rams beat the Bulldogs 25-18, 25-20, 17-25, 25-21 on Tuesday. WV got 22 kills and 24 digs combined from Lily Kinloch and Kennedy Webb.
Abby Harrell put away 20 kills and added 13 digs and 11 perfect passes for Ellensburg.
West Valley, Ellensburg and Selah will play in the SunDome Volleyball Festival on Saturday.
WV highlights: Lily Kinloch 12 kills, 14 digs, 1 ace; Kennedy Webb 10 kills, 10 digs; Kaitlyn Leaverton 9 kills, 2 aces; Ella Ferguson 4 kills, 2 aces; Lexi Barbee 30 assists, 2 kills, 8 digs; Emily Strong 18 digs.
Ellensburg highlights: Abby Harrell 20 kills, 13 digs, 11 perfect passes; Leah Drexler 18 digs, 2 aces; Parker Lyyski 5 kills, 4 blocks; Hazel Murphy 4 kills, 3 blocks; Lilly Button 17 assists, 8 digs’ Kacey Mayo 10 assists, 3 aces, 9 digs.
LA SALLE 3, CONNELL 1: At Connell, Kaylee Wheeler and Tatum Marang had 22 and 20 kills, respectively, to help the Lightning prevail 25-17, 25-20, 15-25, 25-17.
La Salle highlights: Tatum Marang 20 kills, 5 blocks, 10 digs, 2 aces; Kaylee Wheeler 22 kills, 1 block, 3 aces, 13 digs; Malia Wheeler 46 assists, 9 digs, 1 ace; Anelisa Ramirez 3 kills, 6 digs; Natalia Valladares 1 ace, 1 kill; Angeles Torres 8 digs, 2 aces; Jocelyn McCoy 2 blocks, 1 kill.
COLLEGE PLACE 3, TOPPENISH 2: At Toppenish, Anika Ramos put up a double-double of 13 kills and 11 digs for the Wildcats against College Place, which prevailed 18-25, 22-25, 25-14, 25-10, 15-6.
Toppenish highlights: Alyssa Cuevas 26 digs, 1 ace; Anika Ramos 13 kills, 11 digs, 2 aces; Naylanee Strom 29 assists, 17 digs; Reese Meninick 8 kills, 9 digs, 5 aces; Tatiana Camacho 10 kills, 4 blocks, 2 aces.
CASHMERE 3, ZILLAH 1: At Cashmere, the Bulldogs won 25-20, 14-25, 25-23, 25-16. Both teams are entered in Friday’s SunDome Festival small-school tournament.
Zillah highlights: Emily Greene 13-13 serving, 2 aces, 4 digs; Emma Flood 18-19 serving, 16 digs, 9 perfect passes; Jacelyn Yearout 10-10 serving, 5 digs, 13 assists; Kya Gonzales 18-18 serving, 3 aces, 5 kills, 6 digs; Liz Walle 12-14 serving; Marissa Magana 5 digs; Mia Hicks 9-9 serving, 6 kills, 8 digs.
WHITE SWAN 3, MABTON 0: At White Swan, Elva Gomez served four aces to help the Cougars sweep 25-21, 25-13, 25-16.
WS highlights: Keegan Wolfsberger 12 service points, 4 kills; Elva Gomez 4 aces, 2 kills; Tyanna Ryan 10 service points.
GRANGER 3, SUNNYSIDE CHRISTIAN 0: At Granger, the Spartans improved to 4-0 with a 25-19, 25-8, 25-15 sweep.
Granger highlights: Jaylin Golob 13-16 serving, 2 aces, 4 kills, 21 assists; Eliana Rios 12 digs, 16 perfect passes; Alyssa Roman 9-11 serving, 3 kills; Jasmin Vasquez 18-19 serving, 6 aces, 2 kills, 6 digs, 9 pp; Marian Alaniz 9-12 serving, 3 aces, 6 kills, 3 digs, 3 pp; Amy Torres 10-11, 3 aces, 11 kills, 4 digs, 3 pp; Stacey Cruz 2 pp.
CBBN
DAVIS 3, SUNNYSIDE 2: At Sunnyside, Kailey Willsey’s 13 kills and Sally Gargus’ 24 perfect passes lifted the Pirates to a 22-25, 25-17, 25-20, 14-25, 15-8 victory and pushed their record to 4-0.
Davis highlights: Shaela Allen-Greggs 23-24 serving, 3 aces, 10 kills, 3 pp, 4 digs; Kailey Willsey 9-12 serving, 1 ace, 13 kills, 3 blocks; Litzy Carillo 12-16 serving, 3 aces, 4 kills, 3 pp, 2 digs; Camryn Birch 12-13 serving, 5 aces, 3 kills, 2 digs, 1 block; Kathleen Velasquez 10-12 serving, 1 ace, 4 kills, 20 assists; Nathaly Hernandez 1 kill, 6 assists; Sally Gargus 9-13 serving, 1 kill, 24 pp, 7 digs; Vennesy Martinez 1 dig; Leslie Suarez 2 digs.
Sunnyside highlights: Jansyn Carrizales 22 assists, 12 digs, 5 kills, 1 ace; Emily Anderson 21 digs, 5 kills; Mya Morales 12 digs; Emma Heeringa 4 digs, 3 kills, 3 aces; Rilee Murray 4 kills, 2 aces; Ellie Palomares 6 digs, 2 aces, 1 kill.
MOSES LAKE 3, EISENHOWER 0: At Eisenhower, Alivia Colbert put together nine kills and 21 digs for the Cadets in the league opener against Moses Lake, which won 25-17, 25-17, 25-22.
Eisenhower highlights: Alivia Colbert 9 kills, 21 digs; Evelin Rodriguez 19 assists.
EWAC WEST
KITTITAS 3, HIGHLAND 1: At Highland, Courtney Patteson put away 13 kills to spark the Coyotes to a 22-25, 25-17, 25-19, 25-21 win.
Kittitas highlights: Courtney Patteson 13 kills, .5 blocks, 1 ace, 15 digs; Paige Danielle 1 kill, 6 aces, 12 digs; Dakota Rivera 3 kills, 2 aces, 9 digs; Dixie Best 3 kills, .5 blocks, 1 ace, 14 digs; Carly Schaenherr 8 digs; Gilena Provaznik 5 kills, 1 block, 5 aces, 9 digs; Taylor Roberts 1 kill, 1 ace, 12 digs, 5 aces; Gabby Santos 5 kills, 4 digs, 13 assists.
Highland highlights: Lanessa Jones 11 kills; Autumn Hamett 19 hits; Diana Avelar 15 serves.
GOLDENDALE 3, CLE ELUM 0: At Cle Elum, sophomore Brylee Mulrony was 17-for-17 serving with thee aces and added 10 perfect passes, five digs and three kills for the Timberwolves, who won 25-12, 25-11, 25-10.
Goldendale highlights: Gwen Gilliam 7 digs, 3 kills; Taryn Rising 3 aces, 6 perfect passes, 9 digs, 11 kills; Emily Tindall 5 aces, 6 digs, 25 assists; Brook Blain 9 kills, 3 blocks; Lexi Molnar 2 aces, 3 digs; Ada 2 aces, 3 kills; Brylee Mulrony 17-17 serving, 3 aces, 3 kills, 10 pp, 5 digs;
GIRLS SWIMMING
CBBN
At Wenatchee
Team scores: Wenatchee 123, West Valley 44; West Valley 90, Sunnyside 42; Wenatchee 127, Sunnyside 29.
Local highlights — 200 medley relay: West Valley 2:17.84. 200 free: Sarah French (WV) 2:57.61. 200 IM: Leah Stapleton (WV) 2:50.65. 50 free: Isabelle Stephens (WV) 31.66. 100 fly: Hannah Tran (WV) 1:19.83. 100 free: Piper Tweedy (WV) 1:07.67. 500 free: Ashlynn Mendez (WV) 8:05.45. 200 free relay: West Valley 2:06.54. 100 back: Piper Tweedy (WV) 1:18.64. 100 breast: Leah Stapleton (WV) 1:27.00. 400 free relay: West Valley 5:21.01. | https://www.yakimaherald.com/valley-review-for-friday-print/article_69bd4bb0-34a0-11ed-ae34-bfb5a8916c0c.html | 2022-09-15T22:58:31Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/valley-review-for-friday-print/article_69bd4bb0-34a0-11ed-ae34-bfb5a8916c0c.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ANDALUSIA, Ala. (CN) — Does a recently enacted law in Alabama give universities the authority to limit where and when political speech can occur on campus?
That was the question before the Alabama Supreme Court on Thursday as it convened on the campus of Lurleen B. Wallace Community College in Andalusia to hear oral arguments coinciding with Constitution Day – coincidentally, a question about the fundamental right to free speech.
A student group claims the University of Alabama in Huntsville’s 2020 policy for the use of outdoor areas of campus runs afoul of the 2019 Campus Free Speech Act by requiring students to obtain permission to speak at least three days in advance and by limiting the areas of campus where such speech may occur.
The state law provides that students may engage in “spontaneously and contemporaneously assemble, speak, and distribute literature,” but the school limits the content of such spontaneous speech to recent events, or simply for the distribution of literature without verbal speech.
The underlying complaint was filed in July 2021 on behalf of the Young Americans for Liberty at UAH and Joshua Greer, a UAH student and the organization’s chapter president. The plaintiffs sought to strike down UAH’s prior approval requirement, the spontaneous speech exception and related speech zones, while also enjoining the university from enforcing such restrictions.
A circuit court judge in Madison County dismissed the case prior to discovery in February 2022, setting the stage for Thursday’s appeal before Alabama's top court.
“[The Act] provides that the university ‘may maintain and enforce constitutional time, place, and manner restrictions’ as long as they ‘are narrowly tailored to serve a significant institutional interest and when the restrictions employ clear, published, content-neutral, and viewpoint-neutral criteria, and provide for ample alternative means of expression,’” Judge Alison S. Austin determined in February.
She added, “In other words, the legislature adopted a requirement that the university enact procedures to protect ‘the discovery, improvement, transmission, and dissemination of knowledge by means of research, teaching, discussion, and debate’ on campus, but also mandated that those time, place, and manner restrictions are narrowly tailored and content and viewpoint neutral.”
In dismissing the case, Austin indeed determined UAH’s policy was narrowly tailored and content and viewpoint neutral.
“The university’s policy does not prevent plaintiffs’ expression,” she wrote. “It merely regulates, in a viewpoint- and content-neutral manner, when and where plaintiffs may speak on the university’s property. Such time, place, and manner restrictions are permissible under Alabama’s Constitution.”
On Thursday, the students' attorney Mathew Hoffmann of the Alliance Defending Freedom argued the Campus Free Speech Act’s specific prohibition against “free speech zones” fit the UAH policy “like a glove.”
“The UAH policy is not narrowly tailored because it applies even to individuals,” Hoffmann said, adding its limitations on spontaneous speech to recent events “grants unbridled discretion” to school administrators, who may “pick and choose acceptable speech” under the policy. The state law, he argued, promotes free expression on public campuses “to the fullest extent possible.”
On the contrary, 13 of the 20 free speech zones on the UAH campus exclusively border parking lots, roads or water features, areas of the campus people are not likely to congregate to hear and share ideas.
Justice Jay Mitchell asked for an example of a compliant policy and Hoffmann said to look no further than the host campus for Thursday's hearing: Lurleen B. Wallace Community College allows spontaneous speech in all areas of the campus, so long as it does not interfere with public safety, educational instruction or physical movement.
The plaintiffs did not argue the policy was used against them, rather, they claim it prevents them from promoting “free speech as a fundamental constitutional right.” The harm, according to their brief, is the students have “refrained from speaking freely in the outdoor areas of campus because they credibly fear discipline for violating the policy … This self-censorship has prevented plaintiffs from recruiting as effectively for [Young Americans for Liberty.]”
In a separate argument, the students claimed the state law does not comply with the Alabama Constitution because it prevents the university’s board of trustees from meeting its obligation of “managing and controlling” the institution.
On behalf of the university, attorney Jay M. Ezelle told the court the UAH policy does comply with state law, and its intent is to preserve the institution’s primary mission of education and research. Free expression of speech, he acknowledged, has become “a big problem” in the country, where individuals are often “shouted down by the mob.”
According to the Campus Free Speech Act, although free speech zones are impermissible, “time, place and manner restrictions” are allowable. The areas UAH has identified as appropriate for speech cannot be defined as “free speech zones” because they were not created with the intent of limiting or prohibiting speech, Ezelle said. Notably, the UAH policy does allow speech in other areas of campus, but it still requires administrative permission.
“You have to allow free expression in outdoor areas and you have to allow spontaneous assembly,” Ezelle said. The UAH policy does both, he argued. Yet Ezelle did agree — although it is only a question if the case is remanded — that the state law may be unconstitutional.
“It’s unconstitutional because it removes management and control from the board of trustees,” he said.
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NEW YORK (AP) — Grammy-winning rapper Cardi B resolved a yearslong criminal case stemming from a pair of brawls at New York City strip clubs by pleading guilty Thursday in a deal that requires her to perform 15 days of community service.
The 29-year-old “WAP” singer agreed to a conditional discharge just as her case was about to go to trial, saying in a statement: “Part of growing up and maturing is being accountable for your actions.”
Cardi B, a New York City native whose real name is Belcalis Almanzar, pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges stemming from the August 2018 fights. Ten other counts, including two felonies, were dismissed. Two co-defendants also pleaded guilty.
According to prosecutors, Cardi B and her entourage were targeting employees of Angels Strip Club in Flushing, Queens, over an apparent personal dispute.
In one fight, chairs, bottles and hookah pipes were thrown as the group argued with a bartender. She and another employee had minor injuries.
“No one is above the law,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a statement. “In pleading guilty today, Ms. Belcalis Almanzar and two co-defendants have accepted responsibility for their actions. This Office is satisfied with the resolution, which includes appropriate community service.”
In 2019, Cardi B rejected a plea deal that would have given her a conditional discharge. Prosecutors then presented the case to a grand jury and obtained an indictment that included the two felony charges.
“I’ve made some bad decisions in my past that I am not afraid to face and own up to,” said Cardi B, adding that she wanted to set a good example for her two children.
“These moments don’t define me and they are not reflective of who I am now,” she added. “I’m looking forward to moving past this situation with my family and friends and getting back to the things I love the most—the music and my fans.”
Cardi B’s chart-topping hits include “I Like It” and the Maroon 5 collaboration “Girls Like You.”
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WASHINGTON (CN) — Attorney General Merrick Garland on Thursday announced that the Department of Justice is expanding its hate crime reporting efforts and that it will not hold back when it comes to holding perpetrators accountable.
Speaking at a panel discussion during the White House Hate Crimes Summit, Garland said the department is expanding its United Against Hate program into all 94 U.S. attorney's offices nationwide within the next year. The outreach training program aims to help people identify and prevent hate crimes while bolstering relationships with law enforcement.
In announcing the move, Garland said the DOJ does not investigate or prosecute people because of their ideology or “the views they hold.”
“But in our democracy, people are not entitled to commit violent acts or make unlawful violent threats motivated by bias or hate,” Garland said.
He continued, “The Justice Department will not hesitate to hold accountable people who do so.”
Garland, who was appointed by President Joe Biden and has led the department since March 2021, brought up securing the convictions earlier this year of three men who killed Ahmaud Arbery, which he said happened “just because he was a Black man jogging on a public street.”
He also highlighted the conviction of Jose Gomez of Texas, who pleaded guilty to charges for attacking an Asian family, and Raymond Fehring of New York, who mailed more than 60 letters to LGBTQ-affiliated people and organizations “many of which contain threats to kill, shoot and bomb the recipients.”
“And we also obtained the conviction of a man in Tennessee for a series of arsons targeting Catholic, Methodist and Baptist churches in the state,” Garland said.
Department of Justice statistics show more than 40 people have been charged with bias-motivated crimes between January 2021 and May 2022, resulting in more than 35 convictions.
“But we also recognize that prosecutions alone are not enough,” Garland said, which is why the department is adding the United Against Hate program to every federal prosecutor's office.
Pilot programs have already been successfully completed at the U.S. attorney's offices for Massachusetts, New Jersey and the Eastern District of Washington, he said.
The New Jersey office describes its participation in the program as deepening connections with local community members, advocacy groups and other federal and state agencies “to protect civil rights.”
One month before New Jersey was selected in August as one of the three districts for the pilot program, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced the creation of a civil rights division within the office. The newly minted division was put in charge of implementing the United Against Hate initiative, according to the offices website.
Garland said Thursday that the DOJ's civil rights division and FBI play an important role in the initiative.
Over the last year, the FBI has launched a National Anti-Hate Crimes campaign with billboards, radio and social media advertisements. Civil rights violations and hate crimes enforcement have been elevated in priority across all 56 of its field offices, according to the Department of Justice website, and at least one assistant U.S. attorney has been assigned to serve as a civil rights coordinator in each of the 94 federal prosecutor offices.
In closing his remarks on Thursday, Garland said that “confronting unlawful acts of hate is complex and difficult work.”
“All people in this country should be able to live without fear of being attacked or harassed because of where they are from, what they look like, who they love, how they worship, or what they believe,” he said.
The Justice Department “will never stop working toward that end,” he added.
Susan Rice, Biden's domestic policy adviser, moderated Thursday’s panel, which also included Homeland Security Secretary Alexander Mayorkas, Shelly Lowe, chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities, and Michael Smith, CEO of AmeriCorps.
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JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — After nearly two months of being forced to boil their water before drinking it or using it to brush teeth, people in Mississippi’s largest city were told Thursday that water from the tap is safe to consume — but Jackson's water system still needs big repairs that the mayor says the cash-strapped city cannot afford on its own.
Gov. Tate Reeves and Jackson officials said in separate announcements that the state health department lifted a boil-water notice that had been in place for nearly seven weeks in the city of 150,000.
“We have restored clean water to the city of Jackson,” Reeves said during a news conference.
But a state health department official, Jim Craig, said households with pregnant women or young children should take precautions because of lead levels previously found in some homes on the Jackson water system. Craig said although recent testing showed “no lead or lead below the action levels” set by the EPA, people should continue to avoid using city water to prepare baby formula.
Emergency repairs are still underway after problems at Jackson’s main water treatment plant caused most customers to lose service for several days in late August and early September.
Reeves said the water system remains “imperfect.”
“It is possible, although I pray not inevitable, that there will be further interruptions,” Reeves said. “We cannot perfectly predict what may go wrong with such a broken system in the future."
Problems started days after torrential rain fell in central Mississippi, altering the quality of the raw water entering Jackson’s treatment plants. That slowed the treatment process, depleted supplies in water tanks and caused a precipitous drop in pressure.
When water pressure drops, there’s a possibility that untreated groundwater can enter the water system through cracked pipes, so customers are told to boil water to kill potentially harmful bacteria.
But even before the rainfall, officials said some water pumps had failed and a treatment plant was using backup pumps. Jackson had already been under a boil-water notice for a month because the state health department had found cloudy water that could make people ill.
The National Guard and volunteer groups have distributed millions of bottles of drinking water in Jackson since late August.
Jackson is the largest city in one of the poorest states in the U.S. The city has a shrinking tax base that resulted from white flight, which began about a decade after public schools were integrated in 1970. Jackson’s population is more than 80% Black, and about 25% of its residents live in poverty.
Like many American cities, Jackson struggles with aging infrastructure with water lines that crack or collapse. Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, a Democrat in a Republican-led state, said the city’s water problems come from decades of deferred maintenance.
Some equipment froze at Jackson’s main water treatment plant during a cold snap in early 2020, leaving thousands of customers with dangerously low water pressure or no water at all. The National Guard helped distribute drinking water. People gathered water in buckets to flush toilets. Similar problems happened on a smaller scale earlier this year.
Jackson frequently has boil-water notices because of loss of pressure or other problems that can contaminate the water. Some of the mandates are in place for only a few days, while others last weeks. Some only affect specific neighborhoods, usually because of broken pipes in the area. Others affect all customers on the water system.
In 2016, the state health department found an inadequate application of water treatment chemicals because of a failing corrosion control system at the Curtis plant. The EPA required the city to correct this problem. In 2017, the city began installation of corrosion control treatment.
A water quality notice published in July said the majority of tested samples showed lead levels “below the action level set by the EPA.” But it also listed precautions from the state Health Department, including that baby formula should be made only with filtered or bottled water and that children younger than 5 should have lead screening and blood testing.
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By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS Associated Press
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The pandemic has disrupted the housing market during the last two years.
During the pandemic, home buyers were willing to waive appraisals, waive inspections, and take homes as they were, but that is not the case anymore.
Aubrey LaRue with Trimble Homes team at Keller Williams said there are currently more buyers than sellers in the housing market.
“Right now, we have about 17-hundred homes on the market. That is for the whole Chattanooga Metro area, also counting parts of North Georgia, and all of the suburbs of course,” LaRue said.
Pre-Pandemic, Keller Williams had more than three-thousand homes on the market and at the height of Covid that number dropped down into the five and six hundreds.
Now, that more homes are available, LaRue believes people are pricing homes too high.
“When things were flying off of the shelves within hours, you could kind of put what kind of price you wanted on it because there were not many options. Now, you have people being a little picky, they have more options, still not a ton,” LaRue said.
Frank Trimble leads the Trimble Homes team at Keller Williams.
He says things have slowed down over the late month.
“If you look back 90-days ago. The system we had would list your house on a Thursday, hold an open house over the weekend and by Monday afternoon you are in a contact. Now, it is a more relaxed environment and there are not multiple offers on every single deal. A house may stay on the market a little bit longer, but two weeks that the average day on the market,” Trimble said.
On Tuesday, the Dow tumbled more than 12-hundred points and even though it was the worst day since June of 2020, Trimble said he does not think it will impact the housing market.
“If they have to buy or sell a home, they have to buy or sell a home. There is always going to be a motivation, but if they are swinging for the fences trying to get the highest price it is going to affect that. It has also affected consumer confidence. The more negative information out there. the world is not imploding, but people feel like it is because of the information they are receiving,” Trimble said. | https://www.local3news.com/chattanooga-area-housing-market-continues-to-see-changes/article_ce6d39b2-353b-11ed-936d-87a1a71d7f29.html | 2022-09-15T23:00:28Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/chattanooga-area-housing-market-continues-to-see-changes/article_ce6d39b2-353b-11ed-936d-87a1a71d7f29.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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Voters in East Chattanooga are choosing their new city council member.
They're choosing between incumbent Councilwoman Marvene Noel and local activist Marie Mott.
They're looking to be elected to their own term after former Councilman Anthony Byrd resigned from the seat to become a city court clerk. Noel was appointed to that seat last year.
"What I want to do is put power back to into the hands of the people," said Mott. "And now rubber stamp agendas for the mayor."
Both candidates are running on more affordable housing and curbing crime.
They also said they want to bring the work they've done in the community to city council.
"I have been there, I have done it," said Noel. "And I have delivered, not just spew the rhetoric."
The candidates have very different approaches. Mott calls herself a reform candidate ready to take on the so-called "establishment."
"Change is controversial," Mott said. "If everybody advocated for change, then we would see it."
Noel, on the other hand, boasts her experience on city council, though short in length so far.
"I've been on the council for a short period of time, and have gotten a lot of things done, even in that short length of time," Noel said.
Mott has a long and complicated reputation in Chattanooga. In the summer of 2020, she was one of the leaders of the Black Lives Matter protests. She still faces several charges for her alleged actions.
Over the weekend, Mott was also involved in a traffic stop where she accused officers of racial profiling. Officers said they pulled her over because her headlight was out, but Mott claimed it was because she was a black woman.
She refused to elaborate further about what happened when Local 3 News asked her about the incident Thursday.
"How is is that the black community is 29% of the population, but we make up almost half of the arrests in the city?" said Mott. "That is over-policing. That is racial profiling."
When we asked her about her opponent's history, Noel said she prefers to focus on building relationships to accomplish her goals.
"You can catch more bees with home than you can with vinegar," she said. "You have to be able to work with whomever and you have to be able to agree to disagree in order to get done what you need done for your district."
Both candidates are pushing to set the agenda for East Chattanooga and become the face for the area.
"I'm here to represent a reverence of the past, but a respect for the future," Mott said. "To show everybody that we're going to be the wave of the future for district 8."
Polls close at 7 p.m. You can find your polling location here. | https://www.local3news.com/local-news/marvene-noel-marie-mott-face-off-in-run-off-to-represent-east-chattanooga-on-city/article_d8f27abe-3536-11ed-b8ee-2fe271676459.html | 2022-09-15T23:00:40Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/local-news/marvene-noel-marie-mott-face-off-in-run-off-to-represent-east-chattanooga-on-city/article_d8f27abe-3536-11ed-b8ee-2fe271676459.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MEXICO CITY (CN) — A general of the Mexican army is among the latest round of arrests in the case of the 43 disappeared students from the Ayotzinapa teachers’ college in 2014.
Public Security Undersecretary Ricardo Mejía Berdeja announced the arrest of General José Rodríguez Pérez during the weekly “Zero Impunity” segment of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s daily morning press conference Thursday. The arrest was announced less than two weeks before tragedy’s eighth anniversary.
Authorities arrested two other members of the military, Mejía said. One other warrant for an official remains to be executed.
Rodríguez, who was a colonel at the time of the massacre, is now the highest ranking military official to be detained in the case. His arrest came just weeks after that of former Attorney General Jesús Murillo Karam in August.
Uncovering the truth of what happened in Iguala, Guerrero — where the massacre took place — on Sept. 26, 2014, and securing justice for the victims’ families has been a central pillar of López Obrador’s agenda.
The high-profile arrests are the results of investigations conducted by the Commission for the Truth and Access to Justice of the Ayotzinapa Case, the creation of which was the president’s first act in office.
Rodríguez’s arrest is a “huge advance” in the case, according to security analyst David Saucedo.
“For decades there was an agreement in the country that the military was untouchable,” Saucedo said in a phone interview. “Military officials have been involved in bloody acts, massacres, extrajudicial killings and even corruption, but we’ve never seen them take measures to arrest such a high-ranking official.”
In August, Human Rights Undersecretary and Ayotzinapa Commission President Alejandro Encinas identified General Rodríguez as one of the people responsible in the case.
“Six of the students were held alive for four days after the events [of Sept. 26 and 27, 2014], and they were killed and disappeared on the colonel’s orders,” said Encinas, who attributed the information to emergency phone call records.
Rodríguez’s arrest came on the heels of the dismissal of charges against another major player in the massacre.
A federal judge in Tamaulipas Wednesday acquitted former Iguala mayor José Luis Abarca of charges of kidnapping, along with 19 others, due to lack of evidence.
Public Security Undersecretary Mejía denounced the exonerations on Thursday.
“This will be challenged by the federal attorney general so that José Luis Abarca and these 19 collaborators will not leave prison,” said Mejía.
Mejía announced Rodríguez's arrest the day before Mexico’s annual Independence Day military parade and at the height of López Obrador’s contentious expansion of the country’s military power.
Saucedo, the security analyst, noted this timing and attributed Rodríguez’s arrest to López Obrador’s campaign, saying it will “definitely” benefit the president’s cause.
Last week, the Senate approved the president’s controversial reform to transfer the National Guard to the Secretariat of National Defense, turning the civil force over to military control.
Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies approved a bill Wednesday to extend the military’s involvement in affairs of public safety until 2028.
“The president is doing the right thing, even if it’s for the wrong reasons,” said Saucedo. “This arrest should have come at the beginning of his term. We had to wait three years and go through an intense debate over the militarization of the country to finally see results. The colonel’s arrest serves to somewhat dilute the criticism against the president.”
Courthouse News correspondent Cody Copeland is based in Mexico City.
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OAKLAND, Calif. (CN) — Kaiser Permanente mental health care workers say they are no closer to reaching a bargain with the hospital giant despite an open-ended strike in Northern California that's entered a second month.
National Union of Healthcare Workers spokesperson Matt Artz said bargaining talks broke down Wednesday, and Kaiser officials refused to consider proposals the union pitched to increase staffing, improve equitable access to care and stem the exodus of therapists due to workloads they say are unsustainable.
The union said the declined proposal is designed to give therapists more time to see returning patients, and cap caseloads when therapists can’t provide return appointments at a frequency required under state law. Kaiser also declined to schedule additional bargaining sessions.
Kaiser spokesperson Marc Brown said on Sept. 6 that Kaiser offered the union a proposal with “competitive annual wage increases,” a lump-sum cash payment and a retroactive cash payment of up to $6,300.
“Our proposal also addresses the union’s demands to increase the amount of time clinicians spend on tasks other than seeing patients, increasing from the current 15% to 18% of their time,” Brown said. “We also told the union we will waive the response deadline on our last offer so that it is still available for the union to bring it to therapists.”
But the union plans to continue the strike. Artz said mental health care workers face unrelenting caseloads, with patients waiting at least one month between therapy appointments in violation of a state law mandating follow-up appointments within 10 business days.
NUHW also said Kaiser has been canceling thousands of appointments — sharing emails from Bay Area counties where doctors refused to book patients, canceled appointments or said they could not check in on existing clients during the strike.
"We had two bargaining sessions last week and it was maddening," Kaiser Santa Clara therapist Chelsea Wise-Diangson said in a phone interview Wednesday. "Listening to the Kaiser officials dance around the most important issues was upsetting."
She said that currently in her field of child psychiatry, many workers are actively interviewing for other positions elsewhere intending to leave Kaiser, or have left for other jobs or clinics.
"It's.a really weird feeling to be on strike, because the loss of income definitely hurts," Wise-Diangson said.
“It’s so frustrating to be on the frontlines of a mental health crisis only to have your employer be in complete denial about it,” said Matt Hannon, a psychologist for Kaiser in South San Francisco. “Kaiser officials showed once again that they have no interest in providing timely mental health care that complies with state law or meets the needs of patients.”
Kimberly Hollingsworth-Horner, a therapist for Kaiser Fresno, blasted what she called years of shoddy care at Kaiser.
“It’s been a hard month, but going without a paycheck is nothing compared to what our patients have endured for years at Kaiser waiting months between therapy sessions," she said. “We are going to keep striking until Kaiser stops gambling with patient lives and works with therapists to create a system that provides patients the care they need to get better.”
Kaiser has been fined by state regulators for denying members timely access to care. At a state Senate committee hearing last month, the California Department of Managed Health Care’s head said Kaiser is legally required to maintain all these mental health services, including during the strike.
Deb Catsavas, Kaiser’s senior vice president of human resources, has said the hospital chain is still bargaining with NUHW and claimed the strike is part of “harmful tactics” by the union affecting negotiations. Catsavas said Kaiser has hired nearly 200 clinicians since January 2021, embedded mental health care services into primary care and launched a $500,000 initiative to recruit new clinicians.
Other political support for the union strike has come from lawmakers like Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis, state Senate President Toni Atkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon.
State Controller Betty Yee — who sits on the board of directors for Kaiser's largest insurance purchaser, California Public Employees' Retirement System — issued a statement saying "there is no excuse for any health plan to break the law."
She added: "The clinicians on strike at Kaiser Permanente are standing up for their patients. I join others in calling on Kaiser Permanente to resolve this strike and to match the state's commitment and investment in timely, accessible mental health care.”
But workers say they are unsure if the state's fines on Kaiser, which could go into effect in 2023, are enough. The union claims Kaiser reported an $8.1 billion net profit last year with $54 billion in reserves.
"I hope they'll make Kaiser face some actual consequences," Wise-Diangson said. "These fines are chump change to them — we want to see much bigger fines, we want to see sanctions. If all they have to do is write a check to make this go away, they're more than happy to do that."
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The boil water advisory in Jackson, Mississippi, has been lifted for all those who rely on the water system, Gov. Tate Reeves said at a Thursday news conference.
"On Tuesday, the Mississippi State Department of Health began officially conducting tests of the water quality. They collected 120 samples for two consecutive days. We can now announce that we have restored clean water to the city of Jackson," Reeves said.
It's been more than 40 days since the Mississippi Department of Health put the state's capital under a boil water notice in July, contributing to Jackson's ongoing water crisis that was compounded by heavy rain in August. The weather and consistent issues at a failing water plant in the city ultimately led to residents being unable to use or drink water for weeks.
"While we have restored water quality, the system is still imperfect and we're going to address issues throughout the duration of the state's response, " he said.
Reeves said it is possible that there will be further interruptions to the city's water system.
The EPA is investigating Jackson's water crisis
The boil-water advisory issued in late July meant tap water must be boiled before being used to drink, cook, make ice, wash dishes or brush teeth.
It was issued after cloudy water at the O.B. Curtis plant was blamed on high levels of the mineral manganese, "combined with the use of lime," the city said.
The acute crisis began when heavy rain caused the Pearl River to flood, affecting treatment processes after pumps at the main water treatment facility were already damaged. Residents had to line up for hours to get cases of water for drinking, cooking and even flushing their toilets.
The US Environmental Protection Agency has said they are investigating the crisis.
"I can confirm that the EPA Office of Inspector General began sending personnel to Jackson to collect data and conduct interviews," Jennifer Kaplan, a spokesperson for the office, told CNN Sunday. Similar investigations into the tainted water crisis in Flint, Michigan, led to criminal charges and a slew of lawsuits.
Jackson's issues with water go back years, with boil-water advisories becoming almost a fact of life in Mississippi's capital. In early 2020, the system failed an EPA inspection, which found the drinking water had the potential to be host to harmful bacteria or parasites.
The city's water problems are largely systemic and have included old and leaky pipes, malfunctions at treatment plants and insufficient money to fix the problems, according to a report by the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting that the Clarion Ledger newspaper published in January.
Staffing at the plant also has been a problem. EPA staff found during a March visit that the city did not have adequate staffing for the system, leading to routine and preventative maintenance not being carried out.
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(AP) — When a water crisis forced schools back online in Jackson, Mississippi, fifth-grade teacher Ryan Johnson saw reminders everywhere of pandemic times.
Two and a half years after schools switched to remote learning for Covid-19, he once again logged into online learning to see kids lying in bed at home while tuning in for his classes.
This time, Johnson also had to assist his young daughter, who was stuck at home trying to keep up with second grade. She asked repeatedly when she could go back to school.
The stint in remote learning was short-lived for the 20,000-student school system in Jackson. But it highlighted an alarming reality: Schools are relying on online classes when communities face their most trying times — disasters like wildfires, storms or a lack of water. And experts say it’s not a sustainable solution.
When Jackson's troubled water system left the city with dry taps and unflushable toilets for several days, school went online for a week. Enough water pressure was restored last week for children to go back in person, and the boil-water notice was lifted Thursday after nearly seven weeks.
Still, online learning compounded the disruption for children and teachers. Families waited in lines for hours to get water to drink or wash. Back at home, children slogged through internet classes, often with the whole family in the house once again.
Johnson said he did his best to juggle it all and keep his students engaged, drawing on his extended experience from the pandemic, but it was far from perfect.
“You try to look at the glass half full as much as possible,” he said.
There was a time, early in the pandemic, when hopes were high for remote learning. It made snow days obsolete, and some schools experimented with online learning in place of substitute teachers. The potential seemed endless.
But remote learning's shortcomings have become more clear. The shift to remote learning for Covid-19 left many students behind where they should be academically and added to strains on their mental health.
At the same time, it led to increased access to technology and skills that make remote instruction doable on a large scale — an impossibility just four years ago.
In 2018, two hurricanes — Florence and Michael — struck the same regions in North Carolina, causing schools to close. Some students were out of school for weeks. There were attempts at remote learning, but many lacked access to laptops and other technology. Most schools tried to redistribute students to other in-person facilities, said Gary Henry, dean of the University of Delaware’s College of Education and Human Development, who has been part of a long-term research effort studying the impact.
Now, Henry thinks districts will reach first for remote learning. In the short term — a few weeks, perhaps — he thinks it could be a way to keep students on track, but the pandemic showed it’s not a sustainable model.
“I think it will be an automatic response in most places to short-term disruptions in schooling,” he said. “It’s going to be the first reaction, whereas, back during the hurricanes, it was: Where can we get these students in another physical location where they can resume their school experience? Now I think it’s going to be: How can we get organized to provide remote learning?”
Schools in Mora, New Mexico, switched to remote learning last April when the town was evacuated due to a wildfire.
It was a rocky start, Superintendent Marvin MacAuley said. Some of the displaced students and teachers were in evacuation centers, without access to their technology. As time went on, people were able to access computers or tablets and the internet.
In mid-August, students went back to school, in person, for the first time since the fire. The year started with an emphasis on social-emotional learning, to address the difficulties students have faced. Even with social workers reaching out, MacAuley said it was difficult gauging how students were doing during remote learning.
“When there’s a lot of stuff that has happened, it’s better to have the kids in person so you can see how they are, take note of their behaviors and provide the support to them,” he said.
In Cresskill, New Jersey, after Hurricane Ida hit in 2021, the building housing the high school and middle school was left underwater. The school system had no choice but to start the school year virtually.
“That’s rough,” Superintendent Michael Burke said. “That’s rough for kids for mental health issues. It’s rough for kids for socialization. And it’s hard for parents who have to arrange for someone to be home. You know, and that’s the most frustrating part, is that it came on the heels of Covid. And people were at a breaking point.”
Eventually, Cresskill offered hybrid learning, working with a local church, and utilizing its 14 classrooms. Later, in February, the school moved into a neighboring town’s church building, which allowed students to go back every day.
Sarah Barrs’ daughter, who is now a seventh grader, was scheduled to go to orientation the week the storm decimated the school. She said some considered remote learning an adequate solution because they had done it before out of necessity.
“It’s not school,” she said. “It’s a last resort and it shouldn’t be a crutch that we rely on for school.”
In Jackson, Johnson used his experience from the pandemic to help new teachers at his school when the district moved online during the water crisis. For one, he tried to ensure students had their laptop cameras on, in hopes of keeping them focused. Teachers worked hard last year to help students catch up, he said, and he worried about the potential effects of another extended closure.
As the water pressure came back, the school system bused some students and teachers to alternate sites to bring them back to in-person instruction as quickly as possible.
“It’s certainly not our first option,” said Sherwin Johnson, a spokesman for Jackson Public Schools. “Having them not learning at all, which would be the other option, is unacceptable.”
___
Associated Press writer Jeff Amy contributed to this report from Atlanta.
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National
Garland pledges to hold perpetrators of hate crimes accountable
Attorney General Merrick Garland on Thursday announced that the Department of Justice is expanding its hate crime reporting efforts and that it will not hold back when it comes to holding perpetrators accountable.
Regional
Alabama Supreme Court hears challenge to campus free speech rules
Does a recently enacted law in Alabama give universities the authority to limit where and when political speech can occur on campus? That was the question before the Alabama Supreme Court on Thursday.
No end in sight for Kaiser mental health worker strike
Kaiser Permanente mental health care workers say they are no closer to reaching a bargain with the hospital giant despite an open-ended strike in Northern California that's entered a second month.
International
Ukraine war escalation speeds up after Kyiv’s successful counteroffensive
Following a NATO-backed counteroffensive that allowed Kyiv's troops to retake the northeastern Kharkiv region, the war in Ukraine is quickly escalating and openly talked about as a proxy war between Russia and the United States and its allies.
Risk of poverty and social exclusion on the rise among Europeans
A report released Thursday by the European Union’s statistics agency found that the number of Europeans at risk of living in poverty or being deprived of material goods and social connections grew slightly from 2020 to 2021.
Adviser to top EU court says OnlyFans owes more tax
OnlyFans should be paying value-added tax on the entire amount paid by subscribers, not just on the amount it collects for itself, an adviser to the EU's highest court said Thursday.
Science
Long lost moon may explain Saturn’s tilt and young rings
Researchers say a moon drifted too close to Saturn, knocking the planet off its axis before breaking apart into ice and debris that orbit the planet in a ring shape.
Researchers discover new species of extinct reptile related to New Zealand tuatara
Smithsonian researchers have discovered a new species of extinct reptile in the Jurassic Morrison Formation of Wyoming.
Read the Top 8
Sign up for the Top 8, a roundup of the day's top stories delivered directly to your inbox Monday through Friday. | https://www.courthousenews.com/top-8-today-9-15-2022/ | 2022-09-15T23:01:02Z | courthousenews.com | control | https://www.courthousenews.com/top-8-today-9-15-2022/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A former University of Southern California coach who was convicted earlier this year of taking part in the college admissions scandal that rocked elite US schools has been granted a new trial.
Jovan Vavic, a famed water polo coach at USC for 25 years, was convicted by a jury in April of soliciting and accepting over $220,000 in bribes in exchange for helping secure admissions for students. He was convicted of conspiracy to commit honest services mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery and honest services wire fraud.
Prosecutors alleged he created a "side door" for students to become athletic recruits by designating them as water polo recruits regardless of whether they played the sport. They also alleged he used fake athletic resumes in the process.
On Thursday, US District Judge Indira Talwani granted Vavic's motion for a new trial but denied his request for a judgment of acquittal.
CNN has reached out to prosecutors and Vavic's attorneys for comment.
Vavic's lawyers argued that evidence presented at trial was "insufficient" as it relates to the conspiracy counts he faced, and that it "resulted in prejudicial spillover" to the honest services mail and wire fraud count.
The defense team also argued that a prosecutor made misstatements during closing arguments, including when the prosecutor said Vavic agreed to recruit a student for $100,000.
"The government's argument that he was agreeing to recruit a student for money to his water polo program was supported by this evidence. But the assertion that the agreement was for $100,000 was not supported by any evidence," Talwani said in her decision.
The misstatements alone were not enough to warrant a new trial, Talwani wrote, but the situation was compounded by the fact that prosecutors introduced statements from the scheme's mastermind, Rick Singer, that were false.
"The government presumably introduced Singer's statements to show how Singer solicited parents as part of the scheme," Talwani wrote. "But where the government made no disclaimer or acknowledgment to the jury that it was not offering Singer's statements about Vavic for their truth, there is a substantial risk that the jury reached a decision based on false evidence."
Singer, prosecutors have said, ran two general scams: First, to cheat on standardized tests for students whose parents paid; and second, to use Singer's connections with college sports coaches and use bribes to get paying parents' kids into school with fake athletic credentials.
Vavic, a 15-time national coach of the year, was fired in March 2019 after allegations of his involvement in the scam were made public. His men's teams at USC won 10 national titles and he guided the women to six crowns.
The vast majority of those charged in the admissions scandal have pleaded guilty and served out their sentences, generally measured in weeks or months.
Among the more high-profile parents charged in the test-taking portion of the scheme was actress Felicity Huffman, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud for paying $15,000 to Singer to boost her older daughter's test scores. Huffman spent 11 days in jail in 2019.
Another actress, Lori Loughlin, spent two months in prison and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, spent five months in prison for paying $500,000 to get their two daughters into USC as recruited athletes.
Singer, who pleaded guilty to several conspiracy charges in 2019, is scheduled to be sentenced in November, according to the Justice Department.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/judge-orders-new-trial-for-former-usc-water-polo-coach-convicted-in-college-admissions-case/article_b7c797d7-4a88-5bdf-8264-872032758b3f.html | 2022-09-15T23:01:41Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/judge-orders-new-trial-for-former-usc-water-polo-coach-convicted-in-college-admissions-case/article_b7c797d7-4a88-5bdf-8264-872032758b3f.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Zoom was hit by a brief outage Thursday morning, potentially disrupting some of the many users who have come to rely on it for meetings during the pandemic.
There were tens of thousands of user reports of issues with Zoom starting a little bit before 11 a.m. ET, according to data from outage-tracking site Down Detector. By 11:30 a.m., however, the reports of issues had declined significantly.
“We are aware of issues currently impacting Zoom,” the company tweeted Thursday morning. “Our engineering team is investigating this matter.”
According to the company’s status page, the issue was identified at 11:30 a.m. ET and resolved at 11:37 a.m ET.
By noon ET, the company tweeted that the short-lived outage had been resolved. “Everything should be working properly now! We are continuing to monitor the situation. Thank you all for your patience and our sincere apologies for the disruption,” Zoom said. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/zoom-hit-by-brief-outage-thursday/article_3ad32936-3537-11ed-aa49-db5763ea95bf.html | 2022-09-15T23:01:54Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/zoom-hit-by-brief-outage-thursday/article_3ad32936-3537-11ed-aa49-db5763ea95bf.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
HAWAII COUNTY, Hawaii (KITV4) -- A homicide investigation is underway following an incident in Hawaiian Beaches, in the Pahoa area, on the Big Island, according to police officials.
According to investigators, officers responded to a possible burglary at a home currently under renovation on Kahakai Boulevard, near South Nenue Street, just before 6:30 a.m.
Once on scene, officers found a woman’s body in the backyard. According to police, the victim had several blunt force-type injuries to the head and body. She was taken to Hilo Medical Center where she was pronounced dead just before 11 a.m. She has not been identified.
An autopsy is scheduled for Friday to determine the exact cause of death.
Police say a man has been arrested on a burglary complaint. It is unclear if that person is also connected to the homicide case.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Detective John Balberde of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section, at 808-961-2386 or email him at John.Balberde@hawaiicounty.gov.
Hawaii Island police officers shut down on Kahakai Boulevard in Hawaiian Beaches, between South Nenue Street and Niuhi Street due to the investigation. The road was re-opened around 10:45 a.m.
This is a developing story. Check back with KITV4 for more information.
Matthew has been the digital content manager for KITV4 since September 2021. Matthew is a prolific writer, editor, and self-described "newsie" who's worked in television markets in Oklahoma, California, and Hawaii. | https://www.kitv.com/news/crime/homicide-investigation-opened-after-woman-s-body-found-in-backyard-of-hawaiian-beaches-home/article_4b6f8490-352f-11ed-a0bc-bb678ab0147c.html | 2022-09-15T23:05:41Z | kitv.com | control | https://www.kitv.com/news/crime/homicide-investigation-opened-after-woman-s-body-found-in-backyard-of-hawaiian-beaches-home/article_4b6f8490-352f-11ed-a0bc-bb678ab0147c.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
HONOLULU (KITV4) -- Federal prosecutors charged Honolulu businessman Milton Choy with one count of bribery in connection to an investigation in Maui County.
According to charge documents, Choy – the owner and manager of H2O Process Systems, LLC – offered bribes to Stewart Stant, an agent for Maui County’s Department of Environmental Management, in exchange for business and contracts for Choy’s company with Maui County.
The alleged bribes took place between October 2012 and December 2018.
H20 Process Systems provides wastewater services, including distributing, installing, and consulting on various wastewater equipment and parts.
Stant served as the Director of the Department of Environmental management from December 2015 to December 2018. He has been charged elsewhere in relation to this case.
This is not the first bribery case involving Choy. In February 2022, Choy was identified as “Person A” in the bribery scandal involving former Hawaii Sen. J. Kalani English and for State Rep. Ty Cullen.
This is a developing story. Check back with KITV4 for more information.
Matthew has been the digital content manager for KITV4 since September 2021. Matthew is a prolific writer, editor, and self-described "newsie" who's worked in television markets in Oklahoma, California, and Hawaii. | https://www.kitv.com/news/crime/honolulu-businessman-milton-choy-charged-in-connection-to-maui-county-bribery-case/article_00f9803c-3539-11ed-9f9b-a73ce1493143.html | 2022-09-15T23:05:47Z | kitv.com | control | https://www.kitv.com/news/crime/honolulu-businessman-milton-choy-charged-in-connection-to-maui-county-bribery-case/article_00f9803c-3539-11ed-9f9b-a73ce1493143.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Lockport Main Street Inc.'s last Family Fun on Canal Street event of the season will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at 57 Canal St.
Lock City Books is conducting a free book fair, ELSA from Emmalee's Memories will read, sing and dance with children and Cat By Cat Inc. will have table top kennels and a special reading of "If You Give A Cat A Cupcake." In addition, a bookmark craft station will be open.
Family Fun on Canal Street is sponsored by GM Lockport Operations. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/community/family-fun-at-57-canal-st-on-sunday/article_2c1ee8f0-353a-11ed-a79b-6f411f2ba8c1.html | 2022-09-15T23:06:27Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/community/family-fun-at-57-canal-st-on-sunday/article_2c1ee8f0-353a-11ed-a79b-6f411f2ba8c1.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON — It’s not just rocket fuel propelling America’s first moonshot after a half-century lull. Strategic rivalry with China’s ambitious space program is helping drive NASA’s effort to get back into space in a bigger way, as both nations push to put people back on the moon and establish the first lunar bases.
American intelligence, military and political leaders make clear they see a host of strategic challenges to the U.S. in China’s space program, in an echo of the U.S.-Soviet rivalry that prompted the 1960s’ race to the moon. That’s as China is quickly matching U.S. civil and military space accomplishments and notching new ones of its own.
On the military side, the U.S. and China trade accusations of weaponizing space. Senior U.S. defense officials warn that China and Russia are building capabilities to take out the satellite systems that underpin U.S. intelligence, military communications and early warning networks.
There’s also a civilian side to the space race. The U.S. is wary of China taking the lead in space exploration and commercial exploitation, and pioneering the technological and scientific advances that would put China ahead in power in space and in prestige down on Earth.
“In a decade, the United States has gone from the unquestioned leader in space to merely one of two peers in a competition,” Sen. Jim Inhofe, an Oklahoma Republican, declared this week at a Senate Armed Services hearing. “Everything our military does relies on space.”
At another hearing last year, NASA administrator Bill Nelson brandished an image transmitted by a Chinese rover that had just plunked down on Mars. “The Chinese government ... they’re going to be landing humans on the moon” soon, he said. “That should tell us something about our need to get off our duff.”
NASA, the U.S. civilian space agency, is awaiting a new launch date this month or in October for its Artemis 1 uncrewed test moonshot. Technical problems scrubbed the first two launch attempts in recent weeks.
China likewise aims to send astronauts to the moon this decade, as well as establish a robotic research station there. Both the U.S. and China intend to establish bases for intermittent crews on the moon’s south pole after that.
Russia has aligned with China’s moon program, while 21 nations have joined a U.S.-initiated effort meant to bring guidelines and order to the civil exploration and development of space.
The parallel efforts come 50 years after U.S. astronauts last pulled shut the doors on an Apollo module and blasted away from the moon, in December 1972.
Some space policy experts bat down talk of a new space race, seeing big differences from John F. Kennedy’s Cold War drive to outdo the Soviet Union’s Sputnik and be the first to get people on the moon.
This time, both the U.S. and China see moon programs as a stepping stone in phased programs toward exploring, settling and potentially exploiting the resources and other untapped economic and strategic opportunities offered by the moon, Mars and space at large.
Beyond the gains in technology, science and jobs that accompany space programs, Artemis promoters point to the potential of mining minerals and frozen water on the moon, or using the moon as a base to go prospecting on asteroids — the Trump administration in particular emphasized the mining prospects. There’s potential in tourism and other commercial efforts.
And for space more broadly, Americans alone have tens of thousands of satellites overhead in what the Space Force says is a half-trillion dollar global space economy. Satellites guide GPS, process credit card purchases, help keep TV, radio and cell phone feeds going, and predict weather.
They ensure the military and intelligence community’s ability to keep track of perceived threats.
And in a world where China and Russia are collaborating to try to surpass the U.S. in space, and where some point to private space efforts led by U.S. billionaires as rendering costly NASA rocket launches unnecessary, the U.S. would regret leaving the glory and strategic advantages from developing the moon and space solely to the likes of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Tesla magnate Elon Musk, Artemis proponents say.
The moon programs signal that “space is going to be an arena of competition on the prestige front, demonstrating advanced technical expertise and know-how, and then also on the military front as well,” said Aaron Bateman, a professor of history and international affairs at George Washington University and a member of the Space Policy Institute.
“People who are supportive of Artemis and people who see it as a tool of competition, they want the United States to be at the table in shaping the future of exploration on other celestial bodies,” Bateman said.
There’s no shortage of such warnings as the Artemis program moves toward lift-off. “Beijing is working to match or exceed U.S. capabilities in space to gain the military, economic, and prestige benefits that Washington has accrued from space leadership,” the U.S. intelligence community warned this year in its annual threat assessment.
A Pentagon-commissioned study group contended last month that “China appears to be on track to surpass the U.S. as the dominant space power by 2045.” It called that part of a Chinese plan to promote authoritarianism and communism down here on Earth.
It’s sparked occasional heated words between Chinese and U.S. officials.
China’s space program was guided by peaceable principles, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said in July. “Some U.S. officials are constantly smearing China’s normal and reasonable outer space undertakings,” Zhao said.
Flying on the mightiest rocket ever built by NASA, Artemis 1 aims for a five-week demo flight that would put test dummies into lunar orbit.
If all goes well with that, U.S. astronauts could fly around the moon in 2024 and land on it in 2025, culminating a program that will have cost $93 billion over more than a decade of work.
NASA intends that a woman and a person of color will be on the first U.S. crew touching foot on the moon again.
Lessons learned in getting back to the moon will aid in the next step in crewed flights, to Mars, the space agency says.
China’s ambitious space program, meanwhile, is a generation behind that of the United States. But its secretive, military-linked program is developing fast and creating distinctive missions that could put Beijing on the leading edge of space flight.
Already, China has that rover on Mars, joining U.S. ones already there. China carved out a first with its landing on the far side of the moon.
Chinese astronauts are overhead now, putting the finishing touches on a permanent orbiting space station.
A 1967 U.N. space treaty meant to start shaping the guardrails for space exploration bans anyone from claiming sovereignty over a celestial body, putting a military base on it, or putting weapons of mass destruction into space.
“I don’t think it’s at all by coincidence or happenstance that it is now in this period of what people are claiming is renewed great-power competition that the United States is actually investing the resources to go back,” said Bateman, the scholar on space and national security. “Time will tell if this turns into a sustained program.”
Competition isn’t necessarily a bad thing, said Sen. Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat and member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Does rivalry with the Chinese “ensure greater sustained interest in our space program? Sure,” Coons said. “But I don’t think that’s necessarily a competition that leads to conflict.
“I think it can be a competition — like the Olympics — that simply means that each team and each side is going to push higher and faster. and as a result, humanity is likely to benefit,” he said. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/a-new-space-race-china-adds-urgency-to-us-return-to-moon/article_1bc42efc-3535-11ed-a86c-bb0e708fe804.html | 2022-09-15T23:06:33Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/a-new-space-race-china-adds-urgency-to-us-return-to-moon/article_1bc42efc-3535-11ed-a86c-bb0e708fe804.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
EDGARTOWN, Mass. — Republican governors are escalating their practice of sending migrants without advance warning to Democratic strongholds, including a wealthy summer enclave in Massachusetts and the home of Vice President Kamala Harris, to taunt leaders of immigrant-friendly "sanctuary" cities and highlight their opposition to Biden administration border policies.
The governors of Texas and Arizona have sent thousands of migrants on buses to New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C., in recent months, but the latest surprise moves — which included two flights to Martha's Vineyard Wednesday paid for by Florida — were derided by critics as inhumane political theater.
Upon their arrival in Martha's Vineyard, where former President Barack Obama has a home, the migrants who were predominantly from Venezuela were provided with meals, shelter, healthcare and information about where to find work.
"We are a community that comes together to support immigrants," said State Rep. Dylan Fernandes, who represents the vacation island south of Boston whose year-round residents include many blue-collar workers.
Lawyers for Civil Rights, based in Boston, said it was providing free legal services — and investigating whether Florida's governor may have violated human trafficking laws if it turns out any migrants were sent against their will or duped into taking the flights.
Domingo Garcia, the president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, said that some of the migrants sent on buses from Texas to Washington, D.C. on Thursday were "tricked" — an allegation that AP has not confirmed and that officials in Texas and Arizona have denied.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday flew two planes to Martha's Vineyard in what his office said was part of an effort to "transport illegal immigrants to sanctuary destinations." The Florida Legislature has earmarked $12 million to transport "unauthorized aliens" out of state.
While DeSantis' office didn't elaborate on their legal status, many who cross the border illegally are temporarily shielded from deportation after being freed by U.S. authorities to pursue asylum in immigration court — as allowed under U.S law and international treaty — or released on humanitarian parole.
DeSantis' office didn't answer questions about where migrants boarded planes and how they were coaxed into making the trip.
Massachusetts state Sen. Julian Cyr told The Vineyard Gazette that one plane originated in San Antonio, raising questions about whether migrants ever set foot in Florida. Flight tracking data shows a flight originated in San Antonio, stopped in Crestview, Florida, and Charlotte, North Carolina, before landing in Martha's Vineyard.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced the arrival of two buses of migrants from Texas early Thursday outside Harris' residence at the United States Naval Observatory. They carried more than 100 migrants from the Colombia, Cuba, Guyana, Nicaragua, Panama and Venezuela.
"The Biden-Harris administration continues ignoring and denying the historic crisis at our southern border, which has endangered and overwhelmed Texas communities for almost two years," said Abbott, who has poured billions of taxpayer dollars into making border security a signature issue.
Abbott has bused 7,900 migrants to Washington since April, later sending 2,200 to New York and 300 to Chicago. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has bused more than 1,800 migrants to Washington since May. Passengers must sign waivers that the free trips are voluntary.
DeSantis appears to be taking the strategy to a new level by using planes and choosing Martha's Vineyard, whose harbor towns that are home to about 15,000 people are far less prepared than New York or Washington for large influxes of migrants.
Texas and Florida have infuriated officials in destination cities by failing to provide passenger rosters, estimated times of arrival and other information that would make it easier to prepare. In contrast, Arizona has coordinated with officials in other cities.
President Joe Biden is facing the same challenges that dogged his predecessor, former President Donald Trump: a dysfunctional asylum system in the United States, and economic and social conditions that are prompting people from dozens of countries to flee.
U.S. authorities stopped migrants crossing from Mexico about 2 million times from October through July, up nearly 50% from the same period a year earlier. A rule in effect since March 2020 that suspends rights to seek asylum on grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19 applies to all nationalities in theory but has been largely limited to migrants from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador because those are the only ones accepted by Mexico.
In July, less than 4 of every 10 stops at the Mexican border were subject to expulsion under the pandemic rule, known as Title 42. Many from Venezuela, Colombia, Cuba, Nicaragua and elsewhere were released in the United States to pursue their immigration cases. U.S. authorities have struggled to expel them to their countries because of costs, strained diplomatic relations or other considerations.
Some Republicans celebrated the latest delivery of migrants from border states to sanctuary cities.
"Welcome to being a state on the Southern border, Massachusetts," tweeted DeSantis spokesman Jeremy Redfern.
Stephen Miller, a chief architect of Trump's immigration policies, said bringing "a few million" migrants to Martha's Vineyard should transform the island of about 15,000 people into "a modern Eden."
Florida Democratic gubernatorial nominee Charlie Crist said DeSantis is treating the migrants inhumanely. "It's amazing to me what he's willing to do for sheer political gain," Crist said. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/florida-texas-escalate-flights-buses-to-move-migrants/article_47dd279c-3539-11ed-873d-a7e914759fa9.html | 2022-09-15T23:06:40Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/florida-texas-escalate-flights-buses-to-move-migrants/article_47dd279c-3539-11ed-873d-a7e914759fa9.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON — The House passed legislation Thursday intended to make it harder for future presidents to interfere with the once-a-decade census that determines political power and federal funding, a move that comes in response to the Trump's administration's failed effort to make a citizenship question part of the 2020 headcount.
The legislation was approved 220-208 with only Democratic lawmakers voting for it. The bill requires the Commerce secretary to certify to Congress that any new question sought on a future census be adequately studied and tested, and that the Government Accountability Office conduct a review of the certification.
It also seeks to limit political influence by mandating that a U.S. Census Bureau director can be fired only in cases of neglect of duty or malfeasance in office. It vests the director with all technical, operational and statistical decisions and says a deputy director has to be a career staffer with experience in demographics, statistics or related fields.
"Partisan manipulation of the census is simply wrong," said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., who chairs the Committee on Oversight and Reform, which investigated the Trump administration's efforts to add the citizenship question. "My bill would protect the census and ensure this cannot happen again regardless of which party is in power."
Republicans unanimously opposed the bill, saying it places more power in the hands of unelected bureaucrats, reducing accountability.
Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., said that the changes are designed to make it easier for future census results to favor Democratic-leaning states over Republican-leaning states by making it harder to overrule the director even when the president or Congress is concerned about decisions they believe will yield an unfair or inaccurate count.
The bill faces an uphill climb in the evenly divided Senate given the party-line vote in the House. But Sen. Gary Peters, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said "clearly we will take a very serious look at it."
The census determines how many congressional seats each state gets and the distribution of $1.5 trillion in federal spending each year. Its results are used for redrawing political districts. The 2020 census was one of the most challenging in recent memory because of the attempts at political interference, the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters.
In the years leading up to the 2020 census, the Trump administration unsuccessfully tried to add a citizenship question to the census questionnaire, a move that advocates feared would scare off Hispanics and immigrants from participating, whether they were in the country legally or not. The Supreme Court blocked the question.
The Trump administration also unsuccessfully tried to get the Census Bureau to exclude people in the country illegally from population figures used for divvying up congressional seats among the states, also called the apportionment numbers. The Trump administration tried to end data collection and processing earlier than the revised schedule put out by the Census Bureau in response to the pandemic, a move critics saw as an attempt by the administration to release the apportionment numbers while President Donald Trump was still in office.
The apportionment numbers were released in April 2021, four months after President Joe Biden took office and Trump left.
Critics claimed the citizenship question was inspired by a Republican redistricting expert who believed using citizen voting-age population instead of the total population for the purpose of redrawing of congressional and legislative districts could be advantageous to Republicans and non-Hispanic whites.
Even though many of the Trump administration's political efforts failed, some advocates believe they did have an impact, with significantly larger undercounts of most racial and ethnic minorities in the 2020 census compared to the 2010 census.
The Black population in the 2020 census had a net undercount of 3.3%, while it was almost 5% for Hispanics and 5.6% for American Indians and Native Alaskans living on reservations. Those identifying as some other race had a net undercount of 4.3%.
With the legislation, "we are reaffirming our commitment that every person in every community is counted," Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., and chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/house-oks-bill-to-curb-political-interference-with-census/article_7742a224-3538-11ed-89b6-1feb9ea697a1.html | 2022-09-15T23:06:46Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/house-oks-bill-to-curb-political-interference-with-census/article_7742a224-3538-11ed-89b6-1feb9ea697a1.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Niagara County Sheriff’s Office this week issued a warning to county residents about increased vehicle thefts.
“We want people to be aware that it’s going on to try to prevent some of our future thefts,” Sheriff Michael J. Filicetti said.
Between Jan. 1 and Sept. 14, the sheriff's office fielded 39 reports of stolen vehicles.
Generally, Filicetti said, the rate of vehicle theft rises every summer, and since warm weather kicked in this year most of the thefts occurred in towns on the southern end of the county: Niagara, Wheatfield, Pendleton and Lockport. Filicetti said many of those vehicles were later recovered in Erie County.
“We have suspects who are in Erie County, and they’re looking for areas that are closer to the county line,” he said.
The sheriff believes many of the stolen vehicles were taken by "joy riders" and that the thefts were spontaneous, not organized.
“There are some exceptions where there’s damage, or there’s things missing from the vehicles, but for the most part the perpetrators are stealing and using the cars, and then we recover them,” Filicetti said.
NCSO took 55 stolen vehicle reports in all of 2021.
To help prevent additional thefts this year, the sheriff's office shared these tips:
— Lock your vehicle. "We know from some of the evidence that we've reviewed that the car thieves look for easy targets by checking door handles," Filicetti said.
— Don't leave key fobs inside your vehicle.
— Don't leave valuables in plain sight inside your vehicle.
— Park your vehicle in a well-lit place whenever possible.
“A lot of these thefts take place overnight. If you have a well lit driveway or a well lit parking lot that you can park in, use that," Filicetti said. "If you have the means for some type of cameras for evidentiary value in our investigations that would be great too.” | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/local_news/vehicle-thefts-on-the-rise/article_f9edda1a-353b-11ed-83aa-6f6c9cd7fbc5.html | 2022-09-15T23:06:52Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/local_news/vehicle-thefts-on-the-rise/article_f9edda1a-353b-11ed-83aa-6f6c9cd7fbc5.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Crews at the John Day Lock & Dam, Ore. work to restore operations at the navigation lock, due to a guidewheel coming loose from the track.
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Asset contains copyrighted material Portions of the asset are subject to restrictions under U.S. copyright law and are not licensed for distribution. Please contact us for details. | https://www.dvidshub.net/video/857504/us-army-corps-engineers-portland-district-crew-quickly-restore-navigation-lock-operations-john-day-lock-dam-25-july-2022 | 2022-09-15T23:06:52Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/video/857504/us-army-corps-engineers-portland-district-crew-quickly-restore-navigation-lock-operations-john-day-lock-dam-25-july-2022 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON — A bay-breasted warbler weighs about the same as four pennies, but twice a year makes an extraordinary journey. The tiny songbird flies nearly 4,000 miles between Canada’s spruce forests and its wintering grounds in northern South America.
“Migratory birds are these little globetrotters,” said Jill Deppe, the senior director of the migratory bird initiative at the National Audubon Society.
A new online atlas of bird migration, published on Thursday, draws from an unprecedented number of scientific and community data sources to illustrate the routes of about 450 bird species in the Americas, including the warblers.
The Bird Migration Explorer mapping tool, available free to the public, is an ongoing collaboration between 11 groups that collect and analyze data on bird movements, including the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, the U.S. Geological Survey, Georgetown University, Colorado State University, and the National Audubon Society.
For the first time, the site will bring together online data from hundreds of scientific studies that use GPS tags to track bird movements, as well as more than 100 years of bird-banding data collected by USGS, community science observations entered into Cornell’s eBird platform, genomic analysis of feathers to pinpoint bird origins, and other data.
“The past twenty years have seen a true renaissance in different technologies to track bird migrations around the world at scales that haven’t been possible before,” said Peter Marra, a bird migration expert at Georgetown University who collaborated on the project.
The site allows a user to enter a species — for instance, osprey — and watch movements over the course of a year. For example, data from 378 tracked ospreys show up as yellow dots that move between coastal North America and South America as a calendar bar scrolls through the months of the year.
Or users can enter the city where they live and click elsewhere on the map for a partial list of birds that migrate between the two locations. For example, ospreys, bobolinks and at least 12 other species migrate between Washington, D.C. and Fonte Boa, Brazil.
As new tracking data becomes available, the site will continue to expand. Melanie Smith, program director for the site, said the next phase of expansion will add more data about seabirds.
Washington, D.C. resident Michael Herrera started birdwatching about four months ago and was quickly hooked. “It’s almost like this hidden world that’s right in front of your eyes,” he said. “Once you start paying attention, all these details that were like background noise suddenly have meaning.”
Herrera said he’s eager to learn more about the migratory routes of waterbirds in the mid-Atlantic region, such as great blue herons and great egrets.
Georgetown’s Marra hopes that engaging the public will help spotlight some of the conservation challenges facing birds, including loss of habitat and climate change.
In the past 50 years, the population of birds in the U.S. and Canada has dropped nearly 30%, with migratory species facing some of the steepest declines. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/new-atlas-of-bird-migration-shows-extraordinary-journeys/article_d29fa2e6-3535-11ed-90a3-4bd1fb4e1a5e.html | 2022-09-15T23:06:58Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/new-atlas-of-bird-migration-shows-extraordinary-journeys/article_d29fa2e6-3535-11ed-90a3-4bd1fb4e1a5e.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
IRONWOOD FOREST NATIONAL MONUMENT, Arizona — After strapping on knee-high snake guards and bowing his head to invoke God's protection, Óscar Andrade marched off into a remote desert at dawn on a recent Sunday to look for a Honduran migrant missing since late July.
The Tucson-based Pentecostal pastor bushwhacked for three hours in heat that rose above 100 degrees, detouring around a mountain lion, two rattlesnakes and at least one scorpion, before taking a break to call the aunt of another missing man. Andrade believed he found the young man's skull the previous day.
"Much strength, my dear sister," Andrade told her. "Sometimes we don't understand, but there is a reason that God allowed this."
On the fourth search for that 25-year-old man from the Mexican state of Guerrero, the pastor and his Capellanes del Desierto (Desert Chaplains) rescue and recovery group had found his ID card in a wallet 40 feet away from a skull and other bones, picked clean by animals and the relentless sun.
Since March, Andrade has received more than 400 calls from families in Mexico and Central America whose relatives — sick, injured or exhausted — were left behind by smugglers in the borderlands.
Forensic experts estimate 80% of bodies in the desert are never found, identified or recovered. But those that are, added to massive casualties like 53 migrants trapped in an abandoned trailer in San Antonio, Texas, in June and nine migrants swept away in the Rio Grande this month, point to one of the deadliest seasons on record on the always dangerous Southwest border.
Fragile economies pummeled by the pandemic in Latin America, ruthless trafficking networks that control virtually all illegal crossings, and shifting U.S. asylum policies that affect migrants of different nationality and family status in drastically different ways all contribute to the toll — as does the Southwest's extreme heat.
Andrade, his group, and an Associated Press journalist accompanying them on the six-hour search quickly came across evidence of distress on this popular smuggling route — abandoned backpacks and half-full water jugs, several days' walk from the closest towns.
"To be out in the desert is more difficult than to be in a church," said the 44-year-old pastor and father of three teens. "Our commitment is firstly with God, and with the families."
The group didn't find the missing 45-year-old Honduran, but planned to look again; it usually takes several trips to locate remains in this desert.
It's one of the deadliest corridors, according to aid groups and the U.S. Border Patrol, for migrants who, fearing being rejected under a pandemic provision called Title 42, try to evade authorities instead of turning themselves in right after crossing or applying for protection legally.
From staging camps guarded by cartel scouts in areas where the border has no fencing or bollard barriers, the migrants walk north for more than a week. They have to cross dozens of miles of desert mountains and dry washes before reaching major highways where smugglers' vehicles will take them to destinations across the United States.
"Once a person told me, 'How can I believe, look where my brother is, who always did praise and worship,'" Andrade recalled during the recent search. "For God, there are no mistakes. Yes, there are painful things, like the young man from yesterday, who died because of some blisters."
Faith often motivates volunteer organizations providing aid along the border. The Capellanes, who search for the missing at least once a week, pray with the grieving families and don't charge them for the searches. They work closely with law enforcement, notifying the Border Patrol of every search and then local authorities if they find human remains, as they have nearly 50 times.
Even then, the migrant's body still has a long journey home. It takes time for authorities to retrieve the remains, which are then subject to forensic analysis to determine the cause of death and identification.
The medical examiner office for Pima County, covering migrant deaths also in two adjacent border counties in southern Arizona, received 30 migrant bodies found in July alone, about half of them dead less than three weeks, said Mike Kreyche of Humane Borders, an aid group that maps border deaths.
That puts 2022 on track to match the last two years, when cases were almost double other years in the last decade recorded by the office. Along the entire US-Mexican border, since last fall Customs and Border Protection agents stopped migrants for crossing the border illegally more than 1.8 million times, historically an extraordinarily high number. The agency recorded 557 Southwest border deaths the previous year, the highest since it began tracking them in 1998.
Given how quickly a body decomposes in the desert, unless it's found within a day of dying, identification might require expensive DNA analysis, said Dr. Greg Hess, chief medical examiner for Pima County.
"The desert does a good job covering up crimes," said Mirza Monterroso, the missing migrant program director for the Colibrí Center, a Tucson-based group that has recorded 4,000 missing migrants — 1,300 in Pima County alone — from reports from 14 countries and 43 U.S. states.
Unless there's a lucky break, like dental records, it might take up to a year to confirm if the remains Andrade found are indeed the young Mexican man's, Monterroso said.
His aunt, who asked the AP not to use their names because his parents haven't been told yet of Andrade's discovery, said she still hopes for a miracle. But otherwise, "we fought to the end to recover what little is left."
"My nephew's dream died at the border, but a person shouldn't end up like this," she said. "They left him in the desert because he had injured his feet."
A 38-year-old father of two from Mexico City nearly died the same way last week after he developed debilitating foot blisters near the Baboquivari Peak, just 14 miles north of the border in Pima County.
Without food or water, he called 911 and was helped down the mountain by Daniel Bolin, an agent with the Border Patrol's search, trauma and rescue team who said this was his fifth rescue this year in the same spot.
Facing almost certain expulsion to Mexico, the man, who gave his name as Leonardo, said he came to the United States after losing his business during the pandemic.
"But now I don't think I'll come back here. I'm too old to walk," he said.
Asked about his future, he murmured "I don't know" and burst into sobs. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/pastor-led-group-seeks-missing-migrants-in-border-desert/article_b4f813c6-3536-11ed-aed0-ff09d3a30848.html | 2022-09-15T23:07:04Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/pastor-led-group-seeks-missing-migrants-in-border-desert/article_b4f813c6-3536-11ed-aed0-ff09d3a30848.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Happy Birthday United States Air Force. We reflect of the airmen who came before us that paved the way so we can innovate, accelerate and thrive for another 75 years.
(U.S. Air Force video by Airman 1st Class Joshua M. Carroll)
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Asset contains copyrighted material Portions of the asset are subject to restrictions under U.S. copyright law and are not licensed for distribution. Please contact us for details. | https://www.dvidshub.net/video/857507/air-force-75th-anniversary | 2022-09-15T23:07:10Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/video/857507/air-force-75th-anniversary | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
This political season listening is power. While a lot is at stake in these 2022 midterm elections — control of the House and Senate and dozens of governorships — add another to your list: preserving the nation.
Over 160 years ago, President Lincoln, on his way to his 1861 Inauguration, appealed to the American people to “constantly bear in mind that with YOU, and not with politicians, not with Presidents, not with office-seekers, but with YOU, is the question Shall the Union and shall the liberties of this country be preserved to the latest generations?”
It’s time we put our whole selves into remembering Lincoln’s words and set to the task of preserving the nation. Stop wringing our hands and roll up our sleeves, this is serious.
I was elected to Congress in the wake of Watergate. That assault on democracy by Richard Nixon and his henchmen looks like a middle school lunchroom fight compared to what we are now living through.
Back then, there were many tensions around impeaching a President who won 49 of the 50 states. The Vietnam war had divided many friends, families and ultimately the country. There were demonstrations, the Weather Underground, civil rights marches and violent backlash. Still, we all tried to talk to each other and get through it. Even with deep divisions and violence, there was an impulse for debate, even when it was heated. The institutions of our democracy were the places where arguments took place. And really, isn’t "argument" what engages minds and causes change? Differences worked for us, or rather we found a way to make them work for us. Our basic instinct for curiosity about the other led to conflict, but the conflicts were functional, rooted in an impulse to find solutions, to reach for common ground.
Now hate and humiliation seem to rule. Many have asked "what binds us together?"
Invoking appeals to unity requires work and opening our minds. Argument, protest, organizing on behalf one’s beliefs and political demands was — and is — the currency of a vibrant democracy.
When I ran for Congress in 1972, political polling was not the driving force it is in politics today. In fact, in my 24 years in office, polls never dictated my campaigns or how I served the people of Denver, Colorado. Binary thinking, that is yes or no, right direction/wrong direction, for or against thinking that polls measure began to squeeze out the free exchange of competing ideas. Ideas, the heart of democracy, had to take a back seat to temperature taking.
Our public and political life became more about generating blame for problems than working together for solutions. There are no more competing ideas but more competing narratives about blame. “Messaging” has replaced problem solving and action for common sense solutions. We live in permanent campaign mode, fueled by division and wedge issues. Heated debate and argument are quite different than the politics of rage, anger, grievance and humiliation that dominate our politics today.
I was in Congress when Newt Gingrich became Speaker of the House and turned up the volume on this scorched earth politics. Newt believed they should not debate on the issues but rather hurl names at the other person, labeling them as a radical or worse. He worked with pollsters like Frank Luntz to create a hostile vocabulary to hurl at other members across the aisle. I would often ask the parliamentarian if I had to refer to the gentleman as a gentleman if he wasn’t acting as one. The name calling is the symbol of a politics that seeks to assign blame, inflame and anger the base and hope it leads to voter turnout. Defining problems and debating solutions is non-existent.
We have come to the point where thought itself, much less common sense, is reserved for an increasingly small part of the electorate. This politics and its “leaders” include the political class and the elected officials and the national media who follows them with their sportscasting approach that focuses on what they think the strategy or thinking might be about an issue, rather than the relevant facts and choices to consider.
We have two ears and one mouth and yet we talk way more than we listen. No wonder we can’t hear our common humanity. Can we learn to listen more, think again and use our curiosity, our desire to solve problems to protect our families, our communities and preserve “the liberties of this country”?
I am up for meeting Lincoln’s challenge, are you? | https://www.lockportjournal.com/opinion/whos-up-for-meeting-lincolns-challenge/article_d84b84ea-346c-11ed-91ad-bf87c728ece9.html | 2022-09-15T23:07:10Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/opinion/whos-up-for-meeting-lincolns-challenge/article_d84b84ea-346c-11ed-91ad-bf87c728ece9.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Scott Bakula Says He Won’t Return For the Quantum Leap Revival
Nearly three decades ago, Scott Bakula’s character, Sam Beckett, made the choice to continue traveling through time in the series finale of Quantum Leap. Later this month, NBC is launching a revival series that shares continuity with the original show. The new lead character, Dr. Ben Seong (Raymond Lee), was one of the scientists that were hired to find out what happened to Sam. However it doesn’t sound like we’ll get a definitive answer on this show. In a new post on his Instagram page, Bakula has revealed that will not return for the revival series.
“To Quantum Leap fans around the world, in an effort to quiet the rumors and move on,” wrote Bakula. “First of all, thanks for hanging around through the decades! Here’s the simple version of what’s going on with the Quantum Leap reboot and me: I have no connection with the new show, either in front of the camera or behind it. In January, the pilot was sold and a script was sent to me because the character of Sam Beckett was in it, which makes sense, right? As so many of you have been asking me the last several months, ‘How could you do QL without Sam?’ (or Al, for that matter) Well, I guess we’re about to find out.
“That’s the story. As the show has always been near and dear to my heart, it was a very difficult decision to pass on the project, a decision that has upset and confused so many fans of the original series.”
RELATED: New Quantum Leap Trailer Reveals Ben’s Link To Addison
Regardless, Bakula extended his best wishes for the cast and creators of the new revival series.
“However, the idea of anyone ‘leaping’ around in time and walking a mile in someone else’s shoes, remains a very appealing concept and so worthy of exploration, especially given the current state of mankind. In that spirit, I am crossing my fingers that this new cast and crew are lucky enough to tap into the magic that propelled the original Quantum Leap into the hearts and minds of generations past and present. I wish them good luck and happy leaping!”
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Quantum Leap will premiere on NBC on Monday, September 19.
Are you disappointed to hear that Bakula won’t be back as Sam? Let us know in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: The Complete Quantum Leap Book
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. This affiliate advertising program also provides a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. | https://www.superherohype.com/tv/519219-scott-bakula-says-he-wont-return-for-the-quantum-leap-revival | 2022-09-15T23:15:10Z | superherohype.com | control | https://www.superherohype.com/tv/519219-scott-bakula-says-he-wont-return-for-the-quantum-leap-revival | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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