text string | url string | crawl_date timestamp[ns, tz=UTC] | source_domain string | group string | id string | in_blocksbin int64 | in_noblocksbin int64 | tag string | minhash_count string |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A judge on Friday slashed nearly four years off the prison sentence of a star witness in the plot to kidnap Michigan’s governor, assuring he’ll be free in 2023.
Ty Garbin’s sentence of 6 1/4 years was reduced to 2 1/2 years, a reward even greater than prosecutors had sought.
U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker cited Garbin’s “substantial assistance” to the government and his own assessment of the 26-year-old airplane mechanic, who cooperated soon after his arrest, pleaded guilty and testified at two trials.
Prosecutors had requested a 36-month reduction while Garbin’s attorney asked for 51 months. Jonker settled on a 45-month break.
Garbin has been in custody since he and five other men were arrested in October 2020.
He testified at two trials. The first, last spring, ended with acquittals for Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta and no verdicts for Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr.
Fox and Croft were convicted at a second trial that ended on Aug. 23 in federal court in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Garbin said the goal was to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer from her vacation home and spark a civil war, known among right-wing extremists as the “boogaloo.” The FBI, which had agents and informants inside the group, stopped the plot.
Defense attorney Mark Satawa said Garbin will likely testify for prosecutors in separate but related cases filed against others in state court.
Kaleb Franks, 28, also pleaded guilty and assisted the government. He has not been sentenced yet.
___
White reported from Detroit. Follow him at http://twitter.com/edwritez | https://www.wspa.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-key-insider-in-gov-whitmer-kidnap-plot-gets-sentence-break/ | 2022-09-17T16:48:26Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-key-insider-in-gov-whitmer-kidnap-plot-gets-sentence-break/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ATLANTA (AP) — Sensitive voting system passwords posted online. Copies of confidential voting software available for download. Ballot-counting machines inspected by people not supposed to have access.
The list of suspected security breaches at local election offices since the 2020 election keeps growing, with investigations underway in at least three states — Colorado, Georgia and Michigan. The stakes appeared to rise this week when the existence of a federal probe came to light involving a prominent loyalist to former President Donald Trump who has been promoting voting machine conspiracy theories across the country.
While much remains unknown about the investigations, one of the most pressing questions is what it all could mean for security of voting machines with the midterm elections less than two months away.
Election security experts say the breaches by themselves have not necessarily increased threats to the November voting. Election officials already assume hostile foreign governments might have the sensitive data, and so they take precautions to protect their voting systems.
The more immediate concern is the possibility that rogue election workers, including those sympathetic to lies about the 2020 presidential election, might use their access to election equipment and the knowledge gained through the breaches to launch an attack from within. That could be intended to gain an advantage for their desired candidate or party, or to introduce system problems that would sow further distrust in the election results.
In some of the suspected security breaches, authorities are investigating whether local officials provided unauthorized access to people who copied software and hard drive data, and in several cases shared it publicly.
After the Georgia breach, a group of election security experts said the unauthorized copying and sharing of election data from rural Coffee County presented “serious threats” to the November election. They urged the state election board to replace the touchscreen devices used throughout the state and use only hand-marked paper ballots.
Harri Hursti, a leading expert in voting security, said he is concerned about another use of the breached data. Access to the voting equipment data or software can be used to develop a realistic looking video in which someone claims to have manipulated a voting system, he said.
Such a fake video posted online or to social media on or after Election Day could create chaos for an election office and cause voters to challenge the accuracy of the results.
“If you have those rogue images, now you can start manufacturing false, compelling evidence — false evidence of wrongdoing that never happened,” Hursti said. “You can start creating very compelling imaginary evidence.”
There has been no evidence that voting machines have been manipulated, either during the 2020 election or in this year’s primaries. But conspiracy theories widely promoted among some conservatives have led to calls for replacing the machines with hand-marked and hand-counted ballots and raised concerns that they could be targeted by people working inside election offices or at polling places.
The suspected breaches appear to be orchestrated or encouraged by people who falsely claim the 2020 election was stolen from Trump. In several of the cases, employees of local election offices or election boards gave access to voting systems to people who were not authorized to have it. The incidents emerged into public view after the voting system passwords for Mesa County, Colorado, were posted online, prompting a local investigationand a successful effort to replace the county clerk from overseeing elections.
MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, who has organized or attended forums around the U.S. peddling conspiracy theories about voting machines, said this week that he had received a subpoena from a federal grand jury investigating the breach in Colorado and was ordered to hand over his cellphone to FBI agents who approached him at a fast-food restaurant in Minnesota.
“And they told me not to tell anybody,” Lindell said in a video afterward. “OK, I won’t. But I am.”
Lindell and others have been traveling the country over the past year, holding events where attendees are told that voting machines have been corrupted, that officials are “selected” rather than elected and that widespread fraud cost Trump the 2020 election.
In an interview with the Star Tribune of Minneapolis, Lindell said FBI agents questioned him about the Colorado breach and Dominion Voting Systems. The company provides voting equipment used in about 30 states and has had its machines targeted in the Colorado, Georgia and Michigan breaches.
When agents asked him why he flies between different states, Linden told them, “I’m going to attorney generals and politicians, and I’m trying to get them to get rid of these voting machines in our country.”
The Justice Department did not respond when asked for details about its investigation.
Dominion has sued Lindell and others, accusing them of defamation. In a statement this week, the company said it would not comment about ongoing investigations but said its systems are secure. It noted that no credible evidence has been provided to show that its machines “did anything other than count votes accurately and reliably in all states.”
The scope of the federal grand jury probe in Colorado isn’t known, but local authorities have charged Mesa County clerk Tina Peters in what they described as a “deceptive scheme which was designed to influence public servants, breach security protocols, exceed permissible access to voting equipment and set in motion the eventual distribution of confidential information to unauthorized people.”
Peters has pleaded not guilty and said she had the authority to investigate concerns that the voting equipment had been manipulated. She has appeared at numerous events with Lindell over the past year, including Lindell’s “cybersymposium” last August in which a digital copy of Mesa County’s election management system was distributed.
David Becker, a former U.S. Justice Department attorney who now leads the Center for Election Innovation & Research, notes the irony of those who raise alarms about voting equipment being involved in allegations of breaches of the same systems.
“The people who have been attacking the integrity of elections are destroying the actual integrity of elections,” he said.
___
Associated Press writer Michael Balsamo contributed to this report.
___
Follow the AP’s voting coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/voting | https://www.wspa.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-breaches-of-voting-machine-data-raise-worries-for-midterms/ | 2022-09-17T16:49:01Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-breaches-of-voting-machine-data-raise-worries-for-midterms/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON (AP) — A Michigan man was sentenced on Friday to five years in federal prison for his role in the U.S. Capitol attack by a mob that disrupted Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral victory.
Chief Judge Beryl Howell also sentenced Anthony Robert Williams, 47, of Southgate, Michigan, to three years of supervised release after his prison term and ordered him to pay $2,000 in restitution and a $5,000 fine, according to a U.S. Justice Department news release.
In June, a jury convicted Williams of a felony count of obstructing the Jan. 6, 2021, joint session of Congress for certifying the Electoral College vote. Jurors also convicted him of four related misdemeanor offenses.
Prosecutors had recommended a prison sentence of five years and four months for Williams, who was arrested in Detroit in March 2021.
In a Facebook post three days after the riot, Williams called himself an “Operation Swamp Storm veteran” and referred to Jan. 6 as the “proudest day of my life.” He added that it “felt like the founding fathers were smiling down on us in that room, and I guarantee my dad and gramps, both vets, would be proud.”
“Williams’ participation in the riot was purposeful, extensive, enthusiastic, and remorseless,” prosecutors wrote in a court filing.
Outside the Capitol, Williams stole water bottles that police intended to use for decontaminating themselves from chemical spray, according to prosecutors. They said Williams entered the Capitol through the Senate Wing doors and joined other rioters in overwhelming police officers in the Crypt area.
“Williams advanced to the Rotunda where he celebrated with other rioters and smoked marijuana,” prosecutors wrote. “When the police tried to force Williams out of the Rotunda, he joined with other rioters and actively resisted and mocked the police.”
Williams’ attorneys requested a sentence of 15 months of incarceration.
“Mr. Williams has learned from his experience and from listening to the testimony at trial and during jury selection. He will not become involved in something like this ever again,” they wrote.
More than 870 people have been charged with federal crimes for the conduct on Jan. 6. More 260 of them have been sentenced, with roughly half of them receiving a term of imprisonment ranging from seven days to 10 years. Only five other Capitol riot defendants have been sentenced to a longer prison term than Williams. | https://www.wspa.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-michigan-man-gets-5-years-in-prison-for-role-in-capitol-riot/ | 2022-09-17T16:49:15Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-michigan-man-gets-5-years-in-prison-for-role-in-capitol-riot/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department asked a federal appeals court Friday to lift a judge’s order that temporarily barred it from reviewing a batch of classified documents seized during an FBI search of former President Donald Trump’s Florida home last month.
The department told the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Atlanta that the judge’s hold, imposed last week, had impeded the “government’s efforts to protect the nation’s security” and interfered with its investigation into the presence of top-secret information at Mar-a-Lago. It asked the court to remove that order so work could resume, and to halt a judge’s directive forcing the department to provide the seized classified documents to an independent arbiter for his review.
“The government and the public would suffer irreparable harm absent a stay” of the order, department lawyers wrote in their brief to the appeals court.
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon’s appointment of a so-called special master to review the documents, and the resulting legal tussle it has caused, appear certain to slow by weeks the department’s investigation into the holding of classified documents at the Florida property after Trump left office. The Justice Department has been investigating possible violations of multiple statutes, including under the Espionage Act, but it remains unclear whether Trump — who has been laying the groundwork for a potential presidential run — or anyone else might be charged.
The FBI says it took about 11,000 documents, including roughly 100 with classification markings found in a storage room and an office, while serving a court-authorized search warrant at the home on Aug. 8. Weeks after the search, Trump lawyers asked a judge to appoint a special master to conduct an independent review of the records.
Cannon granted the request last week, assigning a special master to review the records and weed out any that may be covered by claims of attorney-client or executive privilege. She directed the department to halt its use of the classified documents for investigative purposes until further court order, or until the completion of the special master’s work.
On Thursday night, she assigned Raymond Dearie, the former chief judge of the federal court based in Brooklyn, to serve in the role. She also declined to lift her earlier order, citing ongoing disputes about the nature of the documents that she said merited a neutral review by an outside arbiter.
“The Court does not find it appropriate to accept the Government’s conclusions on these important and disputed issues without further review by a neutral third party in an expedited and orderly fashion,” she wrote.
The Justice Department on Friday night told the appeals court that Cannon’s injunction “unduly interferes with the criminal investigation,” prohibiting investigators from “accessing the seized records to evaluate whether charges are appropriate.” It also prevents the FBI from using the seized records in its criminal investigation to determine which documents, if any, were disclosed and to whom, the department said.
Though Cannon has said investigators are free to do other investigative work that did not involve a review of the documents, the department said Friday that that was largely impractical. Noting the discovery of dozens of empty folders at Mar-a-Lago marked classified, it said the judge’s hold appeared to bar it from “further reviewing the records to discern any patterns in the types of records that were retained, which could lead to identification of other records still missing.”
The department also asked the appeals court to reject Cannon’s order that it provide the newly appointed special master with the classified documents, suggesting there was no reason for the arbiter to review highly sensitive records that did not involve questions of legal privilege.
“Plaintiff has no claim for the return of those records, which belong to the government and were seized in a court-authorized search,” department lawyers wrote. “The records are not subject to any possible claim of personal attorney-client privilege. And neither Plaintiff nor the court has cited any authority suggesting that a former President could successfully invoke executive privilege to prevent the Executive Branch from reviewing its own records.”
Cannon has directed Dearie to complete his work by Nov. 30 and to prioritize the review of the classified documents. She directed the Justice Department to permit the Trump legal team to inspect the seized classified records with “controlled access conditions” — something government lawyers said Friday was needless and harmful.
On Friday, Dearie, a former federal prosecutor, scheduled a preliminary conference with Trump lawyers and Justice Department lawyers for Tuesday afternoon.
_____
Associated Press writer Jill Colvin in New York contributed to this report.
Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP | https://www.wspa.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-us-asks-appeals-court-to-lift-judges-mar-a-lago-probe-hold/ | 2022-09-17T16:49:29Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-us-asks-appeals-court-to-lift-judges-mar-a-lago-probe-hold/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — The Southernmost Point marker in Key West, Florida, a landmark delineating the continental United States’ southernmost spot of land, became a memorial to Queen Elizabeth II on Friday when city workers installed a British flag and royal purple banner at the much-photographed site beside the Atlantic Ocean.
The tribute was particularly fitting because the long-reigning monarch, who died Sept. 8 at age 96, visited the Florida Keys in 1991.
“We do have a connection with the queen; we had the privilege of actually having her visit us,” Key West Mayor Teri Johnston said.
“We join the world today in mourning the loss of such an incredible human being,” Johnston said.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip stopped at Dry Tortugas National Park and Fort Jefferson, 70 miles (113 kilometers) west of Key West in the Gulf of Mexico, on the royal yacht. They were welcomed by then-Florida Keys Mayor Wilhelmina Harvey, who presented them with a conch shell, an enduring symbol of the island chain.
The red, yellow, black and white Southernmost Point marker, a 20-ton concrete monument that resembles a giant marine navigational buoy, was installed in 1983 and has become a popular photo stop for travelers.
Plans call for the memorial to Queen Elizabeth to stay in place through her funeral on Monday,. | https://www.wspa.com/news/weird-news/ap-key-west-honors-queen-elizabeth-at-southernmost-point-marker/ | 2022-09-17T16:49:36Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/weird-news/ap-key-west-honors-queen-elizabeth-at-southernmost-point-marker/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Organizers of European LGBTQ events in Belgrade this week said Friday they will hold a planned Pride march on the streets of the Serbian capital despite a police ban and threats from anti-gay groups.
Serbian police have banned Saturday’s parade, citing a risk of clashes with far-right activists who said they will gather to protest the march. Several legal appeals against the ban have been rejected by Serbia’s authorities.
“’We have been put in a situation where we have no choice,” said Goran Miletic, one of the organizers of the largest annual Pride event in Europe. “’Despite the ban, we will gather. This is a completely different Pride than the usual ones we have had.”
Earlier Friday, organizers submitted another formal request to Serbia’s interior ministry with a proposed shorter route for the walk. This was supported by 27,000 signatures. But Serbia’s interior minister said the ban stands.
“The Ministry of Internal Affairs did not give in to the pressures of the great powers of the West,” minister Aleksandar Vulin said.
Members of the European Pride Organizers Association chose Serbia’s capital three years ago to host the annual event, hoping it would represent a major breakthrough for a Slavic country that is traditionally conservative and strongly influenced by the Orthodox Church.
EU and other Western officials, as well as domestic and international rights groups, have urged the populist Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to allow the holding of the Pride march. But has said police can’t cope with possible riots by right-wing groups amid the energy crisis and other events that have hit the Balkan country.
Those right-wing groups, which are considered close to Vucic’s conservative government, were also banned from gathering on Saturday, but they also said they will ignore the ruling.
“I will not deal with that topic (of Pride week), it is imposed on the Serbian people with evil intensions,” Vucic said Friday. “All those who are in favor, but also those who are extremely against the walk, are all participating in a hybrid war against their country.”
Amnesty International said the ban on the Euro Pride march “for purported security reasons is shameful.”
“Instead of giving in to hateful rhetoric towards and threats against LGBTI people, authorities must take all necessary measures to provide adequate protection for the participants and enable them to enjoy their rights without fear of harassment, intimidation or violence,” said Eve Geddie, Amnesty International’s Director at the European Institutions Office | https://www.wspa.com/news/world-news/ap-international/ap-organizers-say-pride-march-will-go-on-in-serbia-despite-ban/ | 2022-09-17T16:50:11Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/world-news/ap-international/ap-organizers-say-pride-march-will-go-on-in-serbia-despite-ban/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Albert Pujols hit his 698th home run, a two-run drive that pulled the St Louis Cardinals into a sixth-inning tie with the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night.
Pujols hit a first-pitch slider Raynel Espinal 427 feet into the left-field stands for his 19th home run of the season, tying the score 4-4. Pujols trails only Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714) on the career list.
With 2,203 RBIs, Pujols moved within 11 of Ruth for second, behind Aaron’s 2,297.
Pujols has hit 15 home runs in 47 games since July 10 in his 22nd major league season. He intends to retire at the end of the season.
St. Louis has 17 games remaining.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wspa.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-albert-pujols-hits-698th-home-run-ties-game-for-cardinals/ | 2022-09-17T16:50:26Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-albert-pujols-hits-698th-home-run-ties-game-for-cardinals/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NAPA, Calif. (AP) — Max Homa moved into position to defend his title at the Fortinet Championship, shooting a 5-under 67 on Friday to share the 36-hole lead with Danny Willett at the PGA Tour’s season opener.
Homa, a two-time winner last season and a captain’s pick for next week’s Presidents Cup, had an eagle, four birdies and a bogey — his first of the week — for a two-day total of 12-under 132 at Silverado Resort & Spa.
“The course fits my eyes,” Homa said. “I hit a lot of wedges today and I’ve been hitting the wedges really well, so when I get a lot of wedges from fairways like these, I feel like I can attack the pins.”
The four-time PGA Tour winner played collegiately at California.
“I’ve got a great support system here,” said Homa, who won the 2013 NCAA individual title. “I’ve got friends and family up here and a bunch of, you know, people who appreciate I went to school up here.”
Willett, winless in the United States since his triumph at the Masters in 2016, shot a bogey-free 64. The English player kept his PGA Tour card for this season because of players defecting to the Saudi-funded LIV Golf series.
“Yeah, we kind of got handed a lifeline with the guys leaving, which was nice,” Willett said. “We kind of had to reassess things and decided we’d press on and play a little bit more this fall over here and really try to get some points up early.”
Willett has eight titles on the European tour, most recently last October at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.
He had eight birdies in his second round and is bogey-free for the week.
“You know, the rough is hit and miss and with the greens being firm as they are. To go bogey-free is really good,” said Willett, who has only six top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour since winning his lone major. “The field game is pretty sharp, the short game’s pretty sharp.”
First-round leader Justin Lower and Byeong Hun An were two shots back. Lower had a 71. His best finish in 28 previous PGA Tour events dating to 2013 was a tie for eighth. An birdied the 18th and shot 68.
“It’s always hard to follow up a very low round with another good round or even lower,” Lower said. “But I will take one under today. Could it have been better? Yes, but it definitely could have been worse as well.”
Taylor Moore (68), Matt Kuchar (68) and Sahith Theegala (69) were four shots off the lead.
Jason Day, Harris English, Charley Hoffman and Webb Simpson were among the players who missed the cut.
___
More AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wspa.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-defending-champ-max-homa-danny-willett-share-lead-in-napa/ | 2022-09-17T16:50:53Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-defending-champ-max-homa-danny-willett-share-lead-in-napa/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ANDERSON COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – A Pendleton man died Friday after he was hit by a falling tree.
The Anderson County Coroner’s Office responded to Olden Porter Road around 2:30 p.m. in reference to a person injured by a falling tree.
Investigators learned a man was clearing out trees and brush with a tractor when the incident occurred.
The victim was airlifted to Prisma Health in Greenville for severe head trauma according to the coroner.
He later succumbed to his injuries around 6:50 p.m.
The coroner’s office identified the victim as 67-year-old Wallace Terry Anthony.
The incident is being investigated by the coroner’s office. | https://www.wspa.com/news/anderson-co-man-dies-after-being-hit-by-falling-tree/ | 2022-09-17T16:51:14Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/anderson-co-man-dies-after-being-hit-by-falling-tree/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Morrisons says it is planning to open thousands of Morrisons Daily stores across the country. Despite dropping down to the fifth spot in the list of top UK supermarkets this week, Morrisons said is on track to open its 500th supermarket by 2023.
The supermarket, founded in 1899 in Bradford, currently has 486 stores. But wholesale director Paul Dobson said in Grocery Gazette that the firm plans to open more of its convenience and forecourt sites, The Mirror reports.
He said: “Ultimately our ambition is to have store numbers in the thousands, not the hundreds, in the future and by adding more high-quality retailers, we will build those numbers. Across Great Britain, 35% of the population are now within a 10-minute drive from a Morrisons Daily, which we think is good progress since starting off in 2017.”
Read more: Full details of Queen's funeral have been released
In May, Morrisons bought convenience store chain McColl’s for £190.1million - saving the firm from administration. McColl's has more than 1,100 outlets across England, Scotland and Wales.
The firm employs around 16,000 staff or roughly 6,000 full-time. The supermarket won a shootout after battling against Asda owner EG Group to rescue the convenience chain, taking it out of pre-pack administration on Monday 9 May.
Morrisons will also protect the pensions of all McColl's workers.The supermarket chain already runs hundreds of McColl's stores, which are branded as Morrisons Daily.
It's also a major supplier to McColl's, and provides products under the Safeway brand. Over 200 McColl stores had been converted to Morrison’s Daily stores by July of this year, with the retailer aiming to hit 450 by November.
Read next:
Check out all of the latest Kent traffic and travel news here
Nourish food bank in Tunbridge Wells to stay open on day of Queen's funeral
King Charles's cheeky reaction when man in crowd asks him out for a beer
Sophie Countess of Wessex set to be given 'several royal patronages' after Queen's death
Maidstone mourners brought to tears as they say goodbye to Queen at Westminster Hall | https://www.kentlive.news/news/uk-world-news/morrisons-plans-open-thousands-smaller-7598276 | 2022-09-17T16:56:04Z | kentlive.news | control | https://www.kentlive.news/news/uk-world-news/morrisons-plans-open-thousands-smaller-7598276 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A native of Ernakulam district has alleged police inaction over her complaint of dowry harassment. The complainant, Dhanya Nalinakshan, told mediapersons on Saturday that she has filed complaints with the chief minister and the women's commission.
Kerala was rocked by a series of dowry-related harassment and even deaths in recent times.
Dhanya, a native of South Vazhakulam near Aluva had married Midhun, also hailing from the locality, in 2016. She told mediapersons at the Ernakulam Press Club that following repeated harassments from Midhun's family over dowry, she accompanied him to Canada a year after the marriage.
However, the harassment allegedly continued, and in October 2021 she moved through the NRI cell to file a complaint. But the Thadiyittaparamb Police refused to accept her online petition, she said.
Dhanya said her requests were repeatedly turned down. “But eventually they agreed to take my statement. However, they refused to note down whatever I was saying and kept asking questions. I spoke for about 1.5-2 hours, after which they said we will continue later and left,” Dhanya said.
She has alleged that the cops abused them for pointing out that her statements were not properly recorded. "When I raised my objection, they said oh you know the law so why don't you go to the Perumbavoor or Edathala CI? When I told them to give in writing that they can't proceed they refused,” she added. | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2022/09/17/kerala-dowry-harassment-aluva-police-inaction-womens-commission.html | 2022-09-17T17:09:16Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2022/09/17/kerala-dowry-harassment-aluva-police-inaction-womens-commission.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(The Conversation) – The public’s trust in nonprofits declined from 59% in 2020 to 56% in 2022, according to Independent Sector, a coalition of nonprofits, foundations and corporate giving programs that tracks trends in philanthropy.
One likely explanation for this erosion of confidence in organizations that are supposed to do good works: news of nonprofit leaders and fundraisers who improperly pocket funds.
On Sept. 8, 2022, for example, New York state authorities charged former Trump administration aide Steve Bannon and others involved in a group called We Build the Wall with allegedly committing money laundering, fraud and conspiracy for deceiving donors and misusing their funds.
And reports surfaced in August that whistleblowers are accusing a nonprofit based in Oklahoma of allegedly diverting money meant to aid Native American women and lining its leaders’ pockets.
As an expert on nonprofit accounting, I can see why you might be hesitant to donate to charities these days. But I’m confident that taking certain steps before making donations makes it less likely your money will be squandered.
Online tools
While the overwhelming majority of charities are legitimate, looking into a charity before supporting it can help you avoid supporting scams and make better-informed decisions.
Often you can quickly do this by visiting a watchdog website that assesses nonprofits. Good options include Guidestar, Charity Watch, Charity Navigator and the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance.
Some of these monitoring organizations assign ratings or grades to nonprofits. Others, such as the Better Business Bureau, report on national nonprofits as well as receive complaints about charities acting inappropriately.
You can review what a charity monitor says about a group you want to support to get a sense of its trustworthiness.
If you search those sites for a nonprofit without finding the group you’re looking for, it can be a red flag. But rather than jumping to the conclusion that it isn’t a legitimate charity, consider a few other factors.
It is possible that the group is too new or too small to be monitored.
For example, Charity Navigator only monitors charities with two or more years of at least $1 million in revenue, that amass public support of at least $500,000 annually and have been operating for a minimum of seven years, among other requirements. But when you can’t find a charity on a watchdog database, I believe it’s worth taking the time required to check it out in other ways.
Charities don’t pay income taxes, but most of them do file annual paperwork, a Form 990 with the Internal Revenue Service, in which they have to disclose financial details and information about their leaders. Often it is easy to find those forms with simple search engines because nonprofits are required to make 990 forms available for public inspection. The 990 form will disclose how much is being spent to fulfill the charitable purpose of the organization.
Before you donate to a small nonprofit or a group in your local community, you can contact the charity directly to ask about fundraising goals and day-to-day operations. You can also ask people you know for information.
Additional efforts may include conducting news searches and reading media coverage in a trusted outlet. Charities that have changed their name or have moved to a new state may warrant particular scrutiny.
Common pitfalls
One thing to watch out for is organizations with names chosen to deceive donors. These groups have branding that can make you mistakenly believe that you’re giving money to more established and legitimate charities. In some cases, these groups don’t do much of what they claim to do
It’s also best to avoid donating directly to an individual unless it is someone you know personally and can trust to spend your money wisely.
And you should exercise a great deal of caution if someone asking you to donate to a charity behaves in an aggressive manner and is making you feel pressured into giving cash.
How a nonprofit spends its funds, which is something the charity monitoring groups follow, can offer insight into whether you would like to donate to their cause.
There is debate over how much or what share of its budget a nonprofit should spend on its mission versus fundraising and other kinds of overhead costs. If a nonprofit isn’t devoting most of its funds to advance its mission – such as a homeless shelter’s work with the homeless – it’s probably a reason for concern.
Downsides to donations through new channels
Charitable fundraisers conducted through social media are appealing due to their speed and immediacy. For example, country singer Maren Morris sold T-shirts in early September 2022 that raised over $100,000 in one day to support transgender youth.
But you should resist the urge to respond in an instant when you see an appeal to donate to an urgent cause via any social media platform; first do some independent research of the charity or cause. One strategy is to do a reverse image search because scammers often steal photos from other events and individuals that have emotional appeal.
When disaster strikes, there will, unfortunately, be some unscrupulous people who take advantage of the public’s concerns. This problem isn’t new, but it’s become easier to launch scams due to technology and the spread of information on social media.
For example, when Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, a fraudster illegally obtained local residents’ information and filed for relief with the American Red Cross on their behalf. The problem has grown so pervasive that the Justice Department has established a National Center for Disaster Fraud.
Crowdfunding has also become a popular fundraising tool for causes ranging from unexpected personal medical expenses to established nonprofits.
GoFundMe, a popular crowdfunding platform, is a private company and will take a percentage of funds raised. Sometimes the people who set up GoFundMe accounts are surprised to find that the company takes 2.9% of all donations made, plus a 30-cent fee per transaction.
If your goal is to provide maximum funds to someone in need, giving them money directly instead of through GoFundMe or a similar platform would increase the amount they receive from you. Unless the GoFundMe is for a registered charity, there’s no way to get a tax deduction for the donation even if you would otherwise be eligible.
Donors must always be on their toes to avoid charity scams. If you identify a suspicious charity, you should report it to local law enforcement and the FBI. If you have been a victim of a charitable scam, you should also report it to your state consumer office, as well as to the Federal Trade Commission. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/donor-beware-pause-before-you-give-to-any-cause/ | 2022-09-17T17:24:09Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/donor-beware-pause-before-you-give-to-any-cause/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Teona McGhaw-Boure of St. Louis was elected president of the Missouri Women’s Political Caucus at its state convention in Columbia, Missouri. McGhaw-Boure is the first woman of color to lead this statewide group. McGhaw-Boure has been a member of the National Women’s Political Caucus-St. Louis chapter since 2010. She was nominated to serve on the NWPC- St. Louis Policy Council by the late Honorable Cora Faith Walker. She worked on various committees including chairing the By-Law committee that added transgender language to the St. Louis chapter By-Laws and started a Young Professionals group. In 2018 under the leadership of the prior president, Margo McNeil, she was appointed VP of Diversity for the MOWPC.
featured
People on the Move
Teona McGhaw-Boure elected president of Missouri Women’s Political Caucus
- St. Louis American Staff
- 0
Tags
Post a comment as anonymous
Report
Watch this discussion. Stop watching this discussion.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article.
News
Most Popular
Articles
- Tiffany Haddish, Aries Spears face alarming sexual allegations in suit
- College loan forgiveness applications due by Nov. 15
- Developer’s ambitious plan would bring marina, resort to north St. Louis riverfront
- Mayor Jones wants Hyundai, Kia to get in gear
- “You” singer Jesse Powell died Tuesday night in his Los Angeles home
- HSSU President Dr. LaTonia Collins Smith named 2022 Stellar Performer
- Mayor Jones' Office makes history by establishing the first LGBTQIA + Advisory Board in St. Louis
- Megan Green pulls ahead in primary election for aldermanic president
- Social media mocks Mowry twins’ personal life decisions
- Dr. Keshia Elder Becomes Nation’s First Black Female Optometry School Dean at UMSL | https://www.stlamerican.com/business/people_on_the_move/teona-mcghaw-boure-elected-president-of-missouri-women-s-political-caucus/article_3748d160-3679-11ed-92a5-e77ecf96e5eb.html | 2022-09-17T17:26:41Z | stlamerican.com | control | https://www.stlamerican.com/business/people_on_the_move/teona-mcghaw-boure-elected-president-of-missouri-women-s-political-caucus/article_3748d160-3679-11ed-92a5-e77ecf96e5eb.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Maybe you knew, maybe you didn’t, but we had an election on Tuesday. If you didn’t vote, you didn’t miss much this time -- there was only one contest on the ballot, and that was for the nonpartisan primary between aldermanic board president candidates Alderwoman Megan Green and Alderman Jack Coatar. Both candidates move on to the November 8 general election.
Tuesday’s election was “redundant,” meaning that it did not serve to narrow down the number of candidates. Due to a glitch in the drafting of 2020’s Proposition D (enshrined in the City Charter through the 2022 passage of Proposition R), no further guidance was provided for special elections when only two candidates collect enough signatures to run.
Rather, the election this week was a taxpayer-funded poll to see where Green and Coatar stand in the race for Board President. Typically, polling is not done by aldermanic president campaigns, so both candidates have been given the opportunity to see where their platforms land with voters before the November general.
Absentee results showed Green ahead of Coatar by 8 points, and Green was able to maintain that same margin by the time the final, full results were released. A little less than 900 votes gave Green her edge at the end of the night. However, with slightly more than 6% of registered voters turning out, Green will need to widen that lead significantly if she wants to win in November.
Voter turnout perhaps spoke more volumes than the candidates’ performance, and voters overwhelmingly seemed unenthused by both candidates to fill the vacant President role of the Board of Aldermen. Maybe we could chalk up the abysmal voter turnout to the low-stakes nature of this particular race, or even voter fatigue - after all, we will have 9 elections across the City in 2022, with half of them being citywide. Of course, with a contested Senate race between (absentee) Republican Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Democrat billionairess-slash-nurse-by-training Trudy Bush Valentine, on top of a bad recreational cannabis bill that still somehow manages to further criminalize cannabis, Green may have an advantage if voter turnout improves beyond this week’s nonpartisan primary.
While political insiders may have bet on Coatar prevailing in this (insignificant) primary, what cannot go unnoticed are Coatar’s connections to numerous local unsavory players and cartoonish villains and how the continued media exposure of those dubious connections has caused voters to turn their backs on Jack.
Coatar dumps some campaign coffers after criticism of shady donors
For the last few months, the EYE has been researching campaign contribution records, aldermanic board bill resolutions, and other media coverage related to Ald.Coatar (D-Ward 7), and we have delivered several of those reports to you, our readers. These reports have included naming Coatar’s connections to the efforts to privatize Lambert Airport, which weren’t shared until a lawsuit forced the disclosure; recounting the alderman’s relationship with the Kelley Group and its most notorious clients; and even tracking down campaign donations made by shell corporations to line Coatar’s coffers. Some have dismissed our findings as unfounded political gossip. They have disregarded the details pulled from our surgically-extracted open public records requests and waved us off as disgruntled pundits.
This week, however, we report some of the very real consequences of our public record-supported coverage that cannot be brushed off:
Ald. Coatar has returned at least $12,500 in campaign contributions, according to his MEC report filed last week. These particular donations came from none other than Lux Living-owned real estate development projects with dubious names such as “Vinson One LLC,” “Vinson One MM LLC,” and “SOHO-EL Capitan One LLC.” Coatar then tried to claim that he returned Lux Living’s campaign contributions after a recent report on the mismanagement of the Ely Walker Lofts, but to believe this line of reasoning would also require our readers to be born yesterday.
Believing Coatar would also mean believing that the hundreds of residents at Lux Living properties have not been raising the alarm about the abusive slumlords for years. We know this to not be the case, because this column previously has uplifted the tenants suffering under Lux Living management. We also recognize that Lux Living - regardless of what name it uses - has deliberately harmed its tenants since at least 2016 - but Coatar doesn’t want you to know that part.
We at the EYE do not believe that Ald. Coatar returned the campaign contributions because of one news report, two weeks ago.
Rather, we believe that the walls may be closing in around Coatar.
Exhibit 1: in emails obtained by the St. Louis Observer, an online local news publication, Coatar seems to ask for special treatment for a client at his law firm, Spencer Fane, from the previous deputy mayor for development, then Linda Martinez. In the email, sent from his law firm account, Coatar says, “My firm represents Cullinan Properties, the developer of the Iron Hill site at Grand and Chouteau. I know you’ve previously met with Cullinan and members of their development team. We’ve been working closing with SLDC and are preparing our TIF application. In advance of submitting our application, Brad and I are hoping for a few minutes of your time by phone to give you an update on the project, anticipated incentive requests, timing, etc.”
Setting aside (1) the blatant conflict of interest of an alderman leveraging his government relationships to advance a $60.6 million tax incentive package and (2) the likely Sunshine Law violation between two City officials (Coatar and Martinez) discussing official City business and not making a record of said meeting -- legal experts believe that Coatar’s solicitation may violate the Missouri ethical code of conduct for attorneys.
Specifically, the rule states “[a] lawyer who also holds public office, whether full or part-time, shall not engage in activities in which his or her personal or professional interests are or foreseeably could be in conflict with his or her official duties or responsibilities.”
Coatar’s email exchange with Martinez shows a pattern of disregard for the aldermanic ethics reform voted into law by St. Louis City residents. He has even launched a legal challenge against the implementation of Proposition R, which requires aldermen like Coatar to disclose conflicts of interest to the Board of Aldermen’s attorney.
Clearly, readers, Coatar does not like transparency or accountability or any of the other responsibilities required by a leader.
The shameful Schmitt Show in Cedar County
Last week, we discussed some pretty despicable allegations out of Stockton, Missouri, involving a Christian boarding school for “troubled youth” that had been accused of, among other things, abusing schoolchildren in every conceivable manner. In our reporting, we shared that a(nother) Sunshine Law request had revealed Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s knowledge of slavery, child labor, and sex trafficking allegations at the school that were made in February 2021, and how Schmitt’s office failed to act once they had received this tip.
A Cedar County judge had ordered the school to be closed last Wednesday, but later decided to “stay” the order to determine whether an Agape staff member on the child abuse registry was still employed at the school. However, because the employee was no longer at Agape, the Cedar County judge nevertheless found it appropriate to keep the school open. The Attorney General’s office feebly pledged to “continue to fight for the children at Agape.”
But by Monday, the Attorney General’s office appeared in court, wholly unprepared and apparently unwilling to protect vulnerable children. Despite the Missouri Department of Social Services substantiating 100% of the child abuse reports that have been submitted against Agape, the assistant attorneys general fumbled through the State’s and DSS’s request for an injunction to close the school because of the repeated abuse occuring there. Needless to say, things didn’t go well for the state’s “top” lawyers.
Agape’s lawyer later bragged about the state failing to present witnesses for procedural reasons, while the Attorney General’s spokesman weakly suggested that Schmitt’s office “did everything possible to present evidence and witness testimony, including that of victims of alleged abuse, to prove the pattern of abuse at Agape Boarding School.” The state’s arguments imploded and little-to-no evidence of the ongoing abuse was presented to the court because of avoidable mistakes made.
If the Attorney General’s performance was “everything possible,” the EYE truly feels sad for the children living in Missouri, all of whom deserve a better advocate in their corner. In all likelihood, given the missteps taken by the Schmitt’s office, the Agape Boarding School will not be closed under the current legal action initiated by the state.
Once again, the Missouri Attorney General’s office has expected kid-glove, special treatment from the courts and their attorneys were treated like everyone else. The consequences for the Attorney General’s entitled behavior, however, is that more children are at serious risk for physical, mental, emotional, and sexual abuse because of that lapse in judgment.
And instead of demonstrating a semblance of leadership, Schmitt skipped off to Washington, D.C., for the week, to canoodle with Republican extremists who introduced an anti-abortion bill. “Absent Eric,” as he has come to be known as in St. Louis, has yet to make a statement on the allegations against the boarding school.
As of today, Agape Boarding School - despite the increasing number of lawsuits and criminal charges being filed against its ownership and staff - remains open. | https://www.stlamerican.com/news/political_eye/takeaways-from-tuesday-s-aldermanic-toe-to-toe/article_f8435f56-3670-11ed-9a27-87eac3347942.html | 2022-09-17T17:26:47Z | stlamerican.com | control | https://www.stlamerican.com/news/political_eye/takeaways-from-tuesday-s-aldermanic-toe-to-toe/article_f8435f56-3670-11ed-9a27-87eac3347942.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Updated September 17, 2022 at 11:54 AM ET
HAVANA — Tropical Storm Fiona was expected to become a hurricane as it neared Puerto Rico on Saturday, threatening to dump up to 20 inches (51 centimeters) of rain as people braced for potential landslides, severe flooding and power outages.
The storm previously battered various eastern Caribbean islands, with one death reported in the French territory of Guadeloupe. Regional prefect Alexandre Rochatte told reporters Saturday that the body was found on the side of a road after floods washed away a home in the capital of Basse-Terre. More than 20 other people were rescued amid heavy wind and rain that left 13,000 customers without power.
Fiona was located 130 miles (210 kilometers) southeast of St. Croix Saturday morning with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 kph). It was moving west at 8 mph (13 kph) on a path forecast to pass near or over Puerto Rico on Sunday night. Fiona was expected to become a hurricane while moving near Puerto Rico.
"We are already starting to feel its effects," said Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi. "We should not underestimate this storm."
He said the heavy rains anticipated are dangerous because the island's soil is already saturated. Meanwhile, many Puerto Ricans worried about serious power outages since the reconstruction of the island's power grid razed by Hurricane Maria in 2017 only recently began. The grid remains fragile and power outages occur daily.
Fiona is expected to swipe past the Dominican Republic on Sunday as a potential hurricane and Haiti and the Turks and Caicos Islands on Monday and Tuesday with the threat of extreme rain.
Forecaster issued a hurricane watch for the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as the southern coast of the Dominican Republic from Cabo Engaño westward to Cabo Caucedo and for the northern coast from Cabo Engaño westward to Puerto Plata.
In Puerto Rico, authorities opened shelters and closed public beaches, casinos, theaters and museums as they urged people to remain indoors. Officials also transferred hundreds of endangered Puerto Rican parrots to their shelter.
"It's time to activate your emergency plan and contact and help your relatives, especially elderly adults who live alone," said Dr. Gloria Amador, who runs a nonprofit health organization in central Puerto Rico.
Pierluisi said $550 million in emergency funds are available to deal with the storm's aftermath along with enough food to feed 200,000 people for 20 days three times a day.
At least one cruise ship visit and several flights to the island were canceled, while authorities in the eastern Caribbean islands canceled school and prohibited people from practicing aquatic sports as Fiona battered the region.
In the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, authorities said they recorded wind gusts of up to 74 mph (120 kph), which would be considered a Category 1 hurricane. They also said 9 inches (23 centimeters) of rain fell in three hours in the Gros Morne area.
Fiona is the Atlantic hurricane season's sixth named storm
Fiona, which is the Atlantic hurricane season's sixth named storm, was predicted to bring 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters) of rain in eastern and southern Puerto Rico, with as much as 20 inches (51 centimeters) in isolated spots. Rains of 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters) were forecast for the Dominican Republic, with up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) in places. Life-threatening surf also was possible from Fiona's winds, forecasters said.
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Lester in the eastern Pacific was on a projected path that could bring landfall near the Acapulco area on Mexico's southwestern coast Saturday night.
Lester was expected to remain a tropical storm until hitting the Mexican coast. Forecasters warned of potential dangers from heavy rains.
The storm had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph) late Friday. It was centered 85 miles (140 kilometers) southeast of Acapulco and moving moving northwest at 10 mph (17 kph).
A tropical storm warning was up from Puerto Escondido to Zihuatanejo. The hurricane center said Lester could drop from 3 to 6 inches (8 to 15 centimeters) of rain on the coasts of upper Guerrero state and Michoacan state, with isolated areas getting 12 inches (30 centimeters).
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/npr-top-stories/2022-09-17/puerto-rico-is-under-a-hurricane-warning-as-tropical-storm-fiona-approaches | 2022-09-17T17:26:51Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/npr-top-stories/2022-09-17/puerto-rico-is-under-a-hurricane-warning-as-tropical-storm-fiona-approaches | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Yeshiva University says it's pausing all student clubs on campus just days after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to block a lower court ruling that ordered the school to recognize an LGBTQ group.
In an unsigned email to students, the New York City school said that, considering upcoming Jewish holidays, "the university will hold off on all undergraduate club activities while it immediately takes steps to follow the roadmap provided by the US Supreme Court to protect YU's religious freedom. Warm wishes for a Shannah Tovah."
Earlier this week the Supreme Court told Yeshiva to go back to New York state court to continue its legal battle with the YU Pride Alliance, an LGBTQ student group that wants to be officially recognized by the university.
The YU Pride Alliance sued the school last year after Yeshiva refused to officially recognize it, claiming that it conflicted with the school's interpretation of the Torah.
A New York state court ruled that the university had to recognize the club, and the Supreme Court has left that ruling in place for now.
Pride group lawyer calls Yeshiva's decision "shameful"
Katie Rosenfeld, an attorney for the YU Pride Alliance, said the decision to cancel all club activities "rather than accept one LGBTQ peer support group on campus is a throwback to 50 years ago when the city of Jackson, Mississippi closed all public swimming pools rather than comply with court orders to desegregate."
"We are confident that YU students will see through this shameful tactic and stand together in community," Rosenfeld added in a statement.
Yeshiva University did not immediately respond to NPR's request for comment.
Earlier in the week, Yeshiva University President Rabbi Ari Berman said in a statement that the school would continue to press its case in court.
"Every faith-based university in the country has the right to work with its students, including its LGBTQ students, to establish the clubs, places and spaces that fit within its faith tradition. Yeshiva University simply seeks that same right of self-determination," Berman said.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/npr-top-stories/2022-09-17/yeshiva-university-cancels-all-clubs-after-it-was-ordered-to-allow-an-lgbtq-group | 2022-09-17T17:26:57Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/npr-top-stories/2022-09-17/yeshiva-university-cancels-all-clubs-after-it-was-ordered-to-allow-an-lgbtq-group | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A group of British and Dutch musicians march for a parade during the anniversary of Operation Market Garden at the Robert Frost Bridge, Arnhem, Netherlands., Sep. 16, 2022. These European citizen remember the sacrifice from the 1st British Parachute Regiment and honor the ones who lost their lives liberating the Netherlands during World War II. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Sgt. 1st Class Austin Berner)
This work, EXERCISE FALCON LEAP [Image 43 of 43], by SFC Austin Berner, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7422121/exercise-falcon-leap | 2022-09-17T17:29:59Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7422121/exercise-falcon-leap | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A group of British and Dutch musicians march for a parade during the anniversary of Operation Market Garden at the Robert Frost Bridge, Arnhem, Netherlands., Sep. 16, 2022. These European citizen remember the sacrifice from the 1st British Parachute Regiment and honor the ones who lost their lives liberating the Netherlands during World War II. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Sgt. 1st Class Austin Berner)
This work, EXERCISE FALCON LEAP [Image 43 of 43], by SFC Austin Berner, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7422123/exercise-falcon-leap | 2022-09-17T17:30:11Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7422123/exercise-falcon-leap | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A group of British Army Veterans observe a ceremony during the anniversary of Operation Market Garden at the Robert Frost Bridge, Arnhem, Netherlands., Sep. 16, 2022. These European citizen remember the sacrifice from the 1st British Parachue RegimentRegiment and honor the ones who lost their lives liberating the Netherlands during World War II. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Sgt. 1st Class Austin Berner)
This work, EXERCISE FALCON LEAP [Image 43 of 43], by SFC Austin Berner, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7422126/exercise-falcon-leap | 2022-09-17T17:30:30Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7422126/exercise-falcon-leap | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PUKALANI, Maui (KITV4) - According to the National Weather Service in Honolulu, light trade winds will allow sea breezes to develop starting later this morning, which will produce clouds and showers over most interior and leeward sections this afternoon.
Moderate trade winds are expected to return across the state starting Sunday. An increase in trade showers is forecasted for Sunday, especially along windward facing slopes and coasts.
Expect a more typical pattern of brief trade showers along windward sections during the late night and early morning hours from Monday through Wednesday.
The trade winds are expected to weaken again starting late Thursday.
Saturday, our temperatures are likely to climb into the upper 80's.
Winds will be east with a southerly element to them and variable where that flow isn't strong enough to battle the local land/sea breeze pattern that is likely to set up for leeward and interior sections.
SURF -
A small, short-period southeast swell will linger through Sunday.
A series of small, mid to long period south swells will move across the area through Monday night with a slightly larger long period south swell expected Tuesday through Thursday.
A slightly larger short-period north swell is expected today and tomorrow, with a longer period northwest swell filling in late Monday through Tuesday. Expecting that swell to then lower gradually Wednesday and Thursday with the period becoming rather short.
Short period choppy surf will remain rather small through the forecast period as trade winds over and upwind of the state remain on the lighter side.
North: 4-6'
West: 2-4' (except 0-2' for the Big Island)
South: 3-5' (except 0-2' for Maui)
East: 2-4'
There are no weather alerts or marine watches posted at this time.
There are two areas we are watching in the East Pacific when it comes to tropical activity both are far out and currently not likely to impact the state. We will keep watching just in case.
Do you have a story idea? Email news tips to news@kitv.com
Weekend Meteorologist and Maui County correspondent
Malika has been at KITV since July 2020. She graduated from the University of Hawaii and attended Mississippi State University for her certification in Broadcast Meteorology. Malika started her career in the Hawaii news industry in 2007. | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/afternoon-clouds-and-showers-possible-today-with-humid-conditions/article_ff38abf6-369b-11ed-8dba-bb4be567b781.html | 2022-09-17T17:30:54Z | kitv.com | control | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/afternoon-clouds-and-showers-possible-today-with-humid-conditions/article_ff38abf6-369b-11ed-8dba-bb4be567b781.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ANAHEIM, Calif. (KTLA) – Police in Anaheim, California, say they’re looking to speak with a man who was filmed punching and kicking a dog in the hallway of an apartment complex this past week.
The video, which was captured on a doorbell security camera, has been shared hundreds of times on social media. Police believe it happened in recent days at the large Gateway apartment complex next to Angel Stadium.
“As a dog owner, I would never kick my dog in the face, no matter how bad she did something. So, yeah, it’s not easy to look at,” said Alex Cannas, a dog owner who spoke with KTLA after watching the video.
WARNING: Video contains graphic footage. Viewer discretion is advised.
It seems that the more people see the video, the more outrage continues to grow.
Sgt. Shane Carringer of the Anaheim Police Department said they’ve been made aware of the viral video and are now trying to find the abuser.
“We started getting tagged and videos in our inboxes on a variety of social media platforms that showed this video,” Carringer said. “I knew immediately that it would be something that the Anaheim Police Department would investigate.”
Carringer agreed that the video appeared to show an extreme reaction by the man in question, but said it would be up to police detectives to get the full picture and determine whether or not criminal charges are warranted.
As of Friday, police were still trying to identify the man in the video.
Anyone with information about the man in the video is asked to contact the Anaheim Police Department at 714-765-1900. | https://www.wspa.com/news/national/nexstar-media-wire/dog-kicking-video-has-california-police-searching-for-abuser/ | 2022-09-17T17:34:04Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/national/nexstar-media-wire/dog-kicking-video-has-california-police-searching-for-abuser/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(NEXSTAR) – Judging from how the flu has roared back in Australia and other countries south of the Equator, experts are predicting a particularly nasty season for the U.S. this winter. At the same time, many Americans are also making plans to strengthen their defenses against COVID-19 with the omicron-specific booster, but should they be taken at the same time?
Experts say there’s no danger in taking them simultaneously. With COVID already spreading and peak flu season still months away, some people may choose to wait on the flu vaccine.
“It depends on how reliable you find yourself to be,” Dr. Jeffrey Kopin, Chief Medical Officer for Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, told Nexstar’s WGN Radio. “What do I mean by that? If one does want to put off getting the influenza vaccine and wait towards the latter part of October [or] first part of November, that’s a good strategy for people [as] we’re not seeing that much influenza yet … but you’ve got to be able to rely on yourself, you got to to remember to go in and actually get the influenza vaccine.”
Kopin emphasized that everyone who qualifies to get the bivalent COVID-19 vaccine should go ahead and get it to protect against the omicron strains that are already circulating across the country. So if you know there’s a chance you’ll forget to go back for the flu vaccine, Kopin recommends getting them together.
So too, does the White House.
“The good news is you can get both your flu shot and COVID shot at the same time. It’s actually a good idea,” Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House’s COVID response coordinator said during recent press conference. “I really believe this is why God gave us two arms — one for the flu shot and the other one for the COVID shot.”
Some people, however, wonder if rushing out to get the flu shot in September might leave them with their vaccine-boost fading during late winter months. If you aren’t worried about forgetting to get the shot entirely and don’t mind making a second trip, experts agree there is some benefit to delaying the flu shot.
“If you get it too early, there’s clear evidence that it wanes off by the end of the season,” Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, told The Hill. “Traditionally, it peaked around February. So if you’re getting a flu shot now in early September, you can’t expect it to be that effective at the tail end of the flu season. So I’ve always recommended people get their flu vaccine sometime in late October.”
Experts are encouraging people to get the flu vaccine as the upcoming season is expected to be rough. Flu cases plummeted during the pandemic thanks to masks, social distancing and other precautions, leading to less exposure and less natural immunity.
Judging from this year’s case counts from the Southern Hemisphere – where summer in the U.S. is winter – it looks like the experts might be right.
Australia had 600 cases of influenza recorded by laboratories in 2021, a number that jumped to over 217,000 this year, which is closer to a normal flu season. Public health officials told Bloomberg late last month they expect the final tally could be similar to to that of 2019, which brought a record number of infections. | https://www.wspa.com/news/should-i-space-out-my-flu-and-covid-booster-shots/ | 2022-09-17T17:34:24Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/should-i-space-out-my-flu-and-covid-booster-shots/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The San Francisco 49ers open Levi's Stadium for the 2022 season with an important divisional matchup against the rival Seattle Seahawks. The 49ers dropped their opening game 19-10 against the Chicago Bears, and the Seahawks upset Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos 17-16 on Monday night. Sunday turns into what might be a must-win with the risk of dropping to 0-2 a possibility.
These are the three matchups to watch as the 49ers hope to avoid their first 0-2 start since 2017:
CB Emmanuel Moseley vs. WR DK Metcalf
DK Metcalf has been a thorn in the 49ers' side since Seattle drafted the receiver during the 2019 NFL Draft. In his six career games against the 49ers, Metcalf has 36 receptions on 62 targets for 458 yards and four touchdowns. Metcalf benefited from having Russell Wilson as his quarterback in those games, but now he enters Sunday with Geno Smith. Metcalf was Smith's most targeted receiver in their Week 1 win against Denver with seven, but all but one of those targets were within ten yards of the line of scrimmage.
Metcalf played 25 of his 38 wide snaps on the left side of the offense during Week 1, according to PFF. If that holds true on Sunday he will match up against Emmanuel Moseley who played all 44 of his wide snaps on the right side of the defense. Sunday will mark the sixth time Metcalf faces off against Moseley who has been targeted 30 times while covering Metcalf allowing 16 receptions for 244 yards and two touchdowns with five pass breakups.
DE Samson Ebukam and DE Nick Bosa vs. LT Charles Cross and RT Abraham Lucas
Just like the 49ers, the Seahawks have a rebuilt offensive line with three new starters including first-round pick Charles Cross and third-round pick Abraham Lucas. Cross and Lucas were in for a tough Week 1 against a Denver pass rush that featured Bradley Chubb and Randy Gregory. The two rookie tackles combined to allow seven pressures and five quarterback hurries on 35 pass-blocking plays with Cross allowing the only two sacks of the night.
It won't get much easier for the duo of tackles on Sunday with Samson Ebukam and Nick Bosa on deck. The 49ers pass rushing duo combined for seven pressures and a sack each against the Bears in Week 1. Ebukam alone was just as impressive in the run game, finishing with a 43 percent run stop win rate which was third-highest in the league last week. Another benefit for the 49ers' pass rush is no more Russell Wilson avoiding sacks with his mobility as his replacement Geno Smith isn't nearly as mobile.
49ers rush offense vs. Seahawks rush defense
The 49ers' rotation of running backs should be able to run against this Seattle defensive line. The Seahawks allowed 103 yards on 20 Broncos rushing attempts and were two goal-line fumbles away from a pair of rushing touchdowns as well. While Denver ran the ball on 31 percent of their snaps Monday night, Kyle Shanahan is likely to stay closer to the 55 percent of run plays he called against the Bears. Even with an injured Elijah Mitchell, Shanahan will have a deep running back room that includes Jeff Wilson and Deebo Samuel but will also use Lance as a runner. | https://www.ninersnation.com/2022/9/17/23357581/49ers-seahawks-3-matchups | 2022-09-17T17:35:13Z | ninersnation.com | control | https://www.ninersnation.com/2022/9/17/23357581/49ers-seahawks-3-matchups | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Week 1 in the NFL is the most unpredictable week of the year. Super Bowl contenders fall to bottom five teams, last place teams begin a turnaround into playoff teams, and overall sloppy football. The 49ers know this better than anyone after losing to the Bears.
Enter the Seattle Seahawks minus Russell Wilson, for once. Led by Geno Smith, Seattle is absolute world-beaters after knocking off Russ and the Broncos on MNF. Not so fast. What if I told you the 49ers and Seahawks played in near mirror image games? The result is flipped, but the similarities in game flow, stat lines, and miscues are clear.
The team with the better roster committed tons of penalties, turned the ball over, and outgained the opponent on the way to defeat. Sound familiar? Denver looked at what the 49ers did against the Bears and duplicated it. Toss in a clock management blunder at the end of the game, and Seattle gets revenge on Russ.
No matter the roster discrepancy, you can’t have mistake after mistake and expect to win. Denver outgained Seattle 433-253, outrushed Seattle 103-76, and had seven more penalties. One hundred six penalty yards is hard enough to overcome, but two fumbles at the goal-line make it impossible. Denver blanked Seattle in the second half and still couldn’t come away with the win.
There’s an overall anxiousness with 49ers fans when Seattle comes to town, but it’s heightened after losing in week one. The 49ers are the superior team. Sure, there is some rain in the forecast. But, it will pale in comparison to the Chicago monsoon. I find it very hard to believe this team will come out undisciplined again.
In conclusion, if this team is what many believe them to be, they will handle business. I’ve detailed the week one struggles for Kyle Shanahan-coached teams. It’s a literal about-face in week two for his teams. Expect the 49ers to come out sharp and ready to go in front of the home crowd. The NFL is a week-to-week league, and after week one, both teams were involved in the same game. This is a bigger game for the 49ers, who will roll into Denver in week three.
Execute and stay disciplined, and the 49ers should roll. | https://www.ninersnation.com/2022/9/17/23357804/49ers-seahawks-week-1 | 2022-09-17T17:35:19Z | ninersnation.com | control | https://www.ninersnation.com/2022/9/17/23357804/49ers-seahawks-week-1 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Zamfara State Police Command has arrested a 39-year-old notorious armed bandit popularly called Umar NaMaro and recovered one AK47, a Lar rifle and 174 rounds of live ammunition in the state.
Also, the Command has arrested eight informants who supply arms/ammunition, foodstuff, motorcycles, military uniforms and deliver ransom to bandits in the state.
Parading the suspect at the Police headquarters in Gusau on Saturday, the Command Public Relations Officer, SP Mohammed Shehu, said Commissioner of Police, CP Kolo Yusuf, has reiterated the determination to keep on doing everything within the ambit of the law to end the lingering insecurity bedevilling state.
He disclosed that CP Kolo in his untiring commitment to rid Zamfara State of criminal activities ranging from armed banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling and other related crimes was in line with the mission and vision of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba.
“On 12th September 2022, the suspects arrested are members of a notorious syndicate of informants who collaborate with bandits to terrorize peace-loving people of Gusau, K/Namoda, Tsafe, Bungudu LGAs and environs.
“The nefarious activities of this syndicate group were given information to bandits to make it easier for them to attack communities and kidnap people for ransom.
“It was equally part of their activities to collect millions of Naira to source for arms/ammunition and military camouflage uniforms for the bandits.”
He revealed that their recent dirty business was when one of the suspects Abubakar Mainasara A.K.A Major in his statement to the police confessed to collecting N850,000 from the bandits to source military camouflage uniforms for them.
He said Babangida A.K.A Major, connived with one of their collaborators, a tailor, one Jamilu Lawali ‘M’ of Gusau to source and sew the uniforms which in the end was delivered to the bandits.
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
- Day My Husband Grabbed A Pistol And Threatened To Shoot Me —22-Year-Old Mother Of Five Nabbed For Robbery
- SOS-SAM: Buhari’s Lamentation In Owerri
“The same suspect further confessed to collecting the sum of Two Million Naira (N2,000,000) from bandits to supply arms and ammunition for them, even though, two of his accomplices Lawal Ibrahim ‘M’ and Surajo Idris ‘M’ confirmed to the Police that the money given to the suspect was Six Million Naira (N6,000,000) for the arms deal consignment and not N2,000,000 naira.
“The sum of One Million Naira (N1,000,000) was given to same Babangida Soja ‘M’, who in turn gave only Sixty Thousand Naira (N60,000) to Jamilu Lawali ‘M’, (Tailor) for the supply of the ammunition who at the end supplied Ten (10) rounds of AK-47 live ammunition which was handed over to Bandits through Babangida Soja and Abubakar Mainasara.”
Also “On 16th September 2022 at about 1400hrs, Police Tactical Operatives of the Command while on surveillance patrol along Gusau – Kotor Koshi – Mada axis, intercepted the notorious armed bandit Umar NaMaro.
“In the course of interrogation, the suspect confessed to being one of the notorious bandits terrorizing Mada and Kotor Koshi with banditry attacks, kidnapping, cattle rustling and other heinous crimes.”
During an on-the-spot search, one AK-49 and one Lar rifle and 174 round of live ammunition was recovered in his possession.
He said the suspect had made important revelations that would assist the Police in their investigation.
According to him, eight suspects were arrested by the Police Tactical Operatives during intelligence-led operations conducted in some criminal hideouts in Gusau and Tsafe Local Government Area respectively.
He maintained that all the suspects will be charged to court for prosecution as soon as the investigation is completed. | https://tribuneonlineng.com/police-arrest-notorious-bandit-namaro-eight-informants-in-zamfara/ | 2022-09-17T17:50:00Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/police-arrest-notorious-bandit-namaro-eight-informants-in-zamfara/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – Shelby Jordan, an offensive lineman who played for the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Raiders, died earlier this month, the Patriots announced Friday.
Jordan, 70, died on Sept. 9, according to the announcement.
Jordan played in 95 games with 87 starts at right tackle during his eight seasons with the Patriots. With the Raiders, Jordan was able to win a ring as a member of the Super Bowl XVIII Championship team in 1983.
Prior to his NFL career, Jordan led Washington University’s Division III Bears in tackles for three consecutive seasons before being named a Kodak first-team All-American during his senior year.
The 1972 team captain and Bears MVP is considered the greatest defensive player in the history of the school, and in 1973, he was the first football player in university’s 150 year history to be drafted in the NFL.
He was initially a 7th-round draft pick by the Houston Oilers in 1973, but was dropped during training. He signed with the New England Patriots, eventually becoming a six-year starter at offensive tackle.
After retiring from the NFL in 1988, Jordan launched and directed a Los Angeles-based nonprofit economic-development corporation that provides affordable urban housing to help families and seniors.
In 2013, Jordan was also inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. | https://www.wwlp.com/news/national/shelby-jordan-former-offensive-lineman-for-raiders-patriots-passes-away-at-70/ | 2022-09-17T17:56:53Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/national/shelby-jordan-former-offensive-lineman-for-raiders-patriots-passes-away-at-70/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(NEXSTAR) — It turns out there’s not only best market times to buy a new house, there is apparently one specific week prospective homebuyers should look out for. Reator.com calls it “the very best time of the year” for buyers.
Mark it on your calendar: Sept. 25 through Oct. 1. Realtor says there are typically about 8.4% more homes for sale nationally during these dates — even better, they’re typically priced $20,000 lower than usual.
“The best time to purchase a home is the last week of September, because that’s historically when the market is most hospitable to buyers,” said Realtor.com economic data analyst Hannah Jones. “Typically, the early fall is when there are fewer buyers. There are also more homes on the market, and the housing market is generally calming down from the summer rush.”
Realtor says it used a number of criteria to determine the “best” week, including home list prices, the number of homes for sale, and days homes stayed on the market. Data from 2018-19 and 2021 were used. Analysts skipped 2020 due to the unusual market conditions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
While 2020 was a great time for buyers, so far, 2022 has been a rough time to find a new home. A national streak of rising inflation through the spring and summer, in addition to decreased demand for homes, resulted in record home listing prices.
Realtor says the median list price for a home as of August 2022 was $435,000 — that’s about 14% higher than August 2021. In July, the median listing price was $449,000, which is 16.6% higher than last July, Realtor reports.
Back in June, Redfin reported the median sale price for a home was $428,400, an 11.2% increase since the same time last year. While summer prices may not look great for prospective buyers, Redfin market analyst Tim Ellis said June’s numbers were the smallest year-over-year increase “in nearly two years.”
Market cooling is also affirmed by Realtor economic data manager Sabrina Speianu and chief economist Danielle Hale. In an August report, the pair wrote: “August housing data reveals that listing prices decelerated for the third month in a row, as more sellers hit pause on listing homes and homes for sale spent more time on the market than last August. While fewer new listings are entering the market, overall inventory continues to grow, providing more choice to buyers who are still shopping for a home.” | https://www.wwlp.com/news/national/whats-the-best-week-of-the-year-to-buy-a-new-house/ | 2022-09-17T17:57:05Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/national/whats-the-best-week-of-the-year-to-buy-a-new-house/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(The Conversation) – The public’s trust in nonprofits declined from 59% in 2020 to 56% in 2022, according to Independent Sector, a coalition of nonprofits, foundations and corporate giving programs that tracks trends in philanthropy.
One likely explanation for this erosion of confidence in organizations that are supposed to do good works: news of nonprofit leaders and fundraisers who improperly pocket funds.
On Sept. 8, 2022, for example, New York state authorities charged former Trump administration aide Steve Bannon and others involved in a group called We Build the Wall with allegedly committing money laundering, fraud and conspiracy for deceiving donors and misusing their funds.
And reports surfaced in August that whistleblowers are accusing a nonprofit based in Oklahoma of allegedly diverting money meant to aid Native American women and lining its leaders’ pockets.
As an expert on nonprofit accounting, I can see why you might be hesitant to donate to charities these days. But I’m confident that taking certain steps before making donations makes it less likely your money will be squandered.
Online tools
While the overwhelming majority of charities are legitimate, looking into a charity before supporting it can help you avoid supporting scams and make better-informed decisions.
Often you can quickly do this by visiting a watchdog website that assesses nonprofits. Good options include Guidestar, Charity Watch, Charity Navigator and the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance.
Some of these monitoring organizations assign ratings or grades to nonprofits. Others, such as the Better Business Bureau, report on national nonprofits as well as receive complaints about charities acting inappropriately.
You can review what a charity monitor says about a group you want to support to get a sense of its trustworthiness.
If you search those sites for a nonprofit without finding the group you’re looking for, it can be a red flag. But rather than jumping to the conclusion that it isn’t a legitimate charity, consider a few other factors.
It is possible that the group is too new or too small to be monitored.
For example, Charity Navigator only monitors charities with two or more years of at least $1 million in revenue, that amass public support of at least $500,000 annually and have been operating for a minimum of seven years, among other requirements. But when you can’t find a charity on a watchdog database, I believe it’s worth taking the time required to check it out in other ways.
Charities don’t pay income taxes, but most of them do file annual paperwork, a Form 990 with the Internal Revenue Service, in which they have to disclose financial details and information about their leaders. Often it is easy to find those forms with simple search engines because nonprofits are required to make 990 forms available for public inspection. The 990 form will disclose how much is being spent to fulfill the charitable purpose of the organization.
Before you donate to a small nonprofit or a group in your local community, you can contact the charity directly to ask about fundraising goals and day-to-day operations. You can also ask people you know for information.
Additional efforts may include conducting news searches and reading media coverage in a trusted outlet. Charities that have changed their name or have moved to a new state may warrant particular scrutiny.
Common pitfalls
One thing to watch out for is organizations with names chosen to deceive donors. These groups have branding that can make you mistakenly believe that you’re giving money to more established and legitimate charities. In some cases, these groups don’t do much of what they claim to do
It’s also best to avoid donating directly to an individual unless it is someone you know personally and can trust to spend your money wisely.
And you should exercise a great deal of caution if someone asking you to donate to a charity behaves in an aggressive manner and is making you feel pressured into giving cash.
How a nonprofit spends its funds, which is something the charity monitoring groups follow, can offer insight into whether you would like to donate to their cause.
There is debate over how much or what share of its budget a nonprofit should spend on its mission versus fundraising and other kinds of overhead costs. If a nonprofit isn’t devoting most of its funds to advance its mission – such as a homeless shelter’s work with the homeless – it’s probably a reason for concern.
Downsides to donations through new channels
Charitable fundraisers conducted through social media are appealing due to their speed and immediacy. For example, country singer Maren Morris sold T-shirts in early September 2022 that raised over $100,000 in one day to support transgender youth.
But you should resist the urge to respond in an instant when you see an appeal to donate to an urgent cause via any social media platform; first do some independent research of the charity or cause. One strategy is to do a reverse image search because scammers often steal photos from other events and individuals that have emotional appeal.
When disaster strikes, there will, unfortunately, be some unscrupulous people who take advantage of the public’s concerns. This problem isn’t new, but it’s become easier to launch scams due to technology and the spread of information on social media.
For example, when Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, a fraudster illegally obtained local residents’ information and filed for relief with the American Red Cross on their behalf. The problem has grown so pervasive that the Justice Department has established a National Center for Disaster Fraud.
Crowdfunding has also become a popular fundraising tool for causes ranging from unexpected personal medical expenses to established nonprofits.
GoFundMe, a popular crowdfunding platform, is a private company and will take a percentage of funds raised. Sometimes the people who set up GoFundMe accounts are surprised to find that the company takes 2.9% of all donations made, plus a 30-cent fee per transaction.
If your goal is to provide maximum funds to someone in need, giving them money directly instead of through GoFundMe or a similar platform would increase the amount they receive from you. Unless the GoFundMe is for a registered charity, there’s no way to get a tax deduction for the donation even if you would otherwise be eligible.
Donors must always be on their toes to avoid charity scams. If you identify a suspicious charity, you should report it to local law enforcement and the FBI. If you have been a victim of a charitable scam, you should also report it to your state consumer office, as well as to the Federal Trade Commission. | https://www.wpri.com/news/national/donor-beware-pause-before-you-give-to-any-cause/ | 2022-09-17T18:01:04Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/national/donor-beware-pause-before-you-give-to-any-cause/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(NEXSTAR) – Judging from how the flu has roared back in Australia and other countries south of the Equator, experts are predicting a particularly nasty season for the U.S. this winter. At the same time, many Americans are also making plans to strengthen their defenses against COVID-19 with the omicron-specific booster, but should they be taken at the same time?
Experts say there’s no danger in taking them simultaneously. With COVID already spreading and peak flu season still months away, some people may choose to wait on the flu vaccine.
“It depends on how reliable you find yourself to be,” Dr. Jeffrey Kopin, Chief Medical Officer for Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, told Nexstar’s WGN Radio. “What do I mean by that? If one does want to put off getting the influenza vaccine and wait towards the latter part of October [or] first part of November, that’s a good strategy for people [as] we’re not seeing that much influenza yet … but you’ve got to be able to rely on yourself, you got to to remember to go in and actually get the influenza vaccine.”
Kopin emphasized that everyone who qualifies to get the bivalent COVID-19 vaccine should go ahead and get it to protect against the omicron strains that are already circulating across the country. So if you know there’s a chance you’ll forget to go back for the flu vaccine, Kopin recommends getting them together.
So too, does the White House.
“The good news is you can get both your flu shot and COVID shot at the same time. It’s actually a good idea,” Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House’s COVID response coordinator said during recent press conference. “I really believe this is why God gave us two arms — one for the flu shot and the other one for the COVID shot.”
Some people, however, wonder if rushing out to get the flu shot in September might leave them with their vaccine-boost fading during late winter months. If you aren’t worried about forgetting to get the shot entirely and don’t mind making a second trip, experts agree there is some benefit to delaying the flu shot.
“If you get it too early, there’s clear evidence that it wanes off by the end of the season,” Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, told The Hill. “Traditionally, it peaked around February. So if you’re getting a flu shot now in early September, you can’t expect it to be that effective at the tail end of the flu season. So I’ve always recommended people get their flu vaccine sometime in late October.”
Experts are encouraging people to get the flu vaccine as the upcoming season is expected to be rough. Flu cases plummeted during the pandemic thanks to masks, social distancing and other precautions, leading to less exposure and less natural immunity.
Judging from this year’s case counts from the Southern Hemisphere – where summer in the U.S. is winter – it looks like the experts might be right.
Australia had 600 cases of influenza recorded by laboratories in 2021, a number that jumped to over 217,000 this year, which is closer to a normal flu season. Public health officials told Bloomberg late last month they expect the final tally could be similar to to that of 2019, which brought a record number of infections. | https://www.wpri.com/news/national/should-i-space-out-my-flu-and-covid-booster-shots/ | 2022-09-17T18:01:38Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/national/should-i-space-out-my-flu-and-covid-booster-shots/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(NEXSTAR) — It turns out there’s not only best market times to buy a new house, there is apparently one specific week prospective homebuyers should look out for. Reator.com calls it “the very best time of the year” for buyers.
Mark it on your calendar: Sept. 25 through Oct. 1. Realtor says there are typically about 8.4% more homes for sale nationally during these dates — even better, they’re typically priced $20,000 lower than usual.
“The best time to purchase a home is the last week of September, because that’s historically when the market is most hospitable to buyers,” said Realtor.com economic data analyst Hannah Jones. “Typically, the early fall is when there are fewer buyers. There are also more homes on the market, and the housing market is generally calming down from the summer rush.”
Realtor says it used a number of criteria to determine the “best” week, including home list prices, the number of homes for sale, and days homes stayed on the market. Data from 2018-19 and 2021 were used. Analysts skipped 2020 due to the unusual market conditions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
While 2020 was a great time for buyers, so far, 2022 has been a rough time to find a new home. A national streak of rising inflation through the spring and summer, in addition to decreased demand for homes, resulted in record home listing prices.
Realtor says the median list price for a home as of August 2022 was $435,000 — that’s about 14% higher than August 2021. In July, the median listing price was $449,000, which is 16.6% higher than last July, Realtor reports.
Back in June, Redfin reported the median sale price for a home was $428,400, an 11.2% increase since the same time last year. While summer prices may not look great for prospective buyers, Redfin market analyst Tim Ellis said June’s numbers were the smallest year-over-year increase “in nearly two years.”
Market cooling is also affirmed by Realtor economic data manager Sabrina Speianu and chief economist Danielle Hale. In an August report, the pair wrote: “August housing data reveals that listing prices decelerated for the third month in a row, as more sellers hit pause on listing homes and homes for sale spent more time on the market than last August. While fewer new listings are entering the market, overall inventory continues to grow, providing more choice to buyers who are still shopping for a home.” | https://www.wpri.com/news/national/whats-the-best-week-of-the-year-to-buy-a-new-house/ | 2022-09-17T18:01:45Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/national/whats-the-best-week-of-the-year-to-buy-a-new-house/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A Chinese national identified as Mr Geng on Friday night allegedly killed his ex-lover, Ummukulsum Buhari at Kuntau residence, Janbullo general area of Kano metropolis.
The finding revealed that Mrs Buhari, a graduate of Agriculture Science from Kampala University, Uganda, is currently on one-year compulsory service of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Sokoto.
An eyewitness, who preferred anonymity disclosed that Mr Geng had a sizzling relationship with the young lady for two years before she settled for another man within the city.
It was however learnt that Buhari’s marriage never lasted, and was said to have returned to her family house to continue her normal life.
The eyewitness further disclosed that Mr Geng, who felt jilted by Buhari, never let go until last night when he allegedly scaled the perimeter fence, sneaked into her room and murdered her in a cold blood.
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
However, the family members and well-wishers who had responded to save her life took her to the nearby health facility where she reportedly gave up the ghost.
Geng was subsequently arrested by a mob who were set to deliver jungle justice when a combined team of the Police and the Immigration official arrived to restore normalcy.
As of the time of filling this report, the Kano State Police Command is yet to comment on the incident but a reliable source from the security command stated that Geng has been taken into custody. | https://tribuneonlineng.com/chinese-national-allegedly-kills-ex-lover-in-kano/ | 2022-09-17T18:03:04Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/chinese-national-allegedly-kills-ex-lover-in-kano/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Obadiah Mailafiya: One year after, we are still in shock, says widow
Launches Obadiah Mailafia Foundation
The Widow of Dr Obadiah Mailafiya, Margaret has said that one year after his death, the family is still in shock on how to mourn him.
Mailafia was the former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the 2019 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The widow who stated this on Saturday at the inaugural lecture series and announcement of the Obadiah Mailafia Foundation and forthcoming memorial service said the foundation is commencing after seeking advice from elder statesmen, Edwin Clarke and Dan Suleiman.
“This time last year, I was not like this, and even one year after the demise of my husband who was my pillar, brother, colleague, adviser and the best father to our children, we are still in shock and still do not know how to mourn him. His legacies live on and are worthy of emulation,” she said.
In the inaugural lecture titled “Dr Mailafiya’s life, legacy and lessons to Nigerians” a sibling of the deceased, Luka Mailafia, said his late brother has planned a seed in the hearts of several people and the seeds will germinate into many Mailafiya.
He said the one-time apex bank employee was prophetic in most of his statements and several of them happened and are still evolving.
“He was a voice for the masses. He was prophetic in most of his statements. Most of the things he said actually happened. So I believe it’s a situation that I believe we actually as citizens of this country should be concerned about.
“I believe he lives on because he has set a vision and his spirit lives. By what has happened, so many Mailafiya will spring up it’s just a situation where a seed is been planted and that seed will germinate” he said.
Also speaking, the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha, said documentation of the lectures and speeches of Mailafiya will empower all, especially the nation’s teeming youthful population.
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
- Day My Husband Grabbed A Pistol And Threatened To Shoot Me —22-Year-Old Mother Of Five Nabbed For Robbery
- SOS-SAM: Buhari’s Lamentation In Owerri
Mustapha who was represented by the permanent secretary, Jeff Sule, said the good works of the deceased are an honour and a huge step in the right direction.
“We celebrate the deceased as a shining star in the history of this nation. Surely, we cannot allow all these good works to end because Dr Obadiah is not here with us anymore, so launching this foundation in his honour today is a huge step in the right direction.
“As you are aware, foundations all over the world are known to help in advancing causes organisations and programmes which are laudable initiatives, a vision the departed would love to be remembered for.
“I am particularly excited that the Dr Obadiah Foundation has been conceived by the family to document his public lecture notes, and promote and propagate the vision, ideas, views and values that the deceased held most dear to his heart.
“I believe the foundation will empower all, especially our teeming youth to maximize the opportunity of inculcating the values of good governance through our collective efforts to enable them succeed in a global economy and for citizenship in a complex world.” | https://tribuneonlineng.com/obadiah-mailafiya-one-year-after-we-are-still-in-shock-says-widow/ | 2022-09-17T18:03:11Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/obadiah-mailafiya-one-year-after-we-are-still-in-shock-says-widow/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The organised labour led by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said that its position regarding the removal of subsidy on the most widely used crude oil product, fuel, has not changed, rather it is only being amplified.
NLC in a press statement signed by its President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, and made available to journalists in Abuja on Saturday, also hinted the Labour Party and organized labour in Nigeria adopted and mainstreamed the Workers Charter of Demands into the manifesto of the Labour Party and therefore has a unified position regarding the removal of fuel subsidy.
The statement was a direct response to the Minister of State for Labour and Employment and the Spokesperson of the Presidential Campaign of All Progressive Congress (APC), Festus Keyamo, who had asked the organised labour to tell Nigerians their position on the removal of fuel subsidy considering their support to Mr Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate.
“The attention of the Nigeria Labour Congress has been drawn to a media statement by Olorogun Festus Keyamo, the Honourable Minister of State for Labour and Employment and the Campaign Spokesperson of the Presidential Campaign of All Progressive Congress (APC). In the statement, the APC challenged the Nigeria Labour Congress over its seemingly support for the position of the Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Mr. Peter Obi on the heated issue of the removal of petrol subsidies.
“First, we wish to commend the Honourable Minister of State for responding positively to earlier calls by the Nigeria Labour Congress that political parties must focus their engagement on the current electoral cycle campaigns on issues-based politics. We believe that an issues-based campaign will help sieve the facts from fiction, address burning national issues, review the performance of those in government at all levels especially on the delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals, improve Nigeria’s public accountability frameworks, prepare voters’ behaviour on Election Day away from the destructive lines of ethnoreligious divide and defuse the looming political tension.
“Second, in furtherance of the avowed position of the Nigeria Labour Congress on issues-based campaign in the run-up to the 2023 general election, we wish to state that Nigerian workers through a number of painstaking processes have been able to articulate a Nigerian Workers’ Charter of Demands which the NLC and TUC are using to engage the political process.
“A major demand in the Nigerian Workers Charter of Demands is that our local public refineries must work. We have also demanded that we must stop 100% importation of refined petroleum products. The NLC and indeed the Labour movement in Nigeria has over many decades been vehemently consistent that the only way to address the issue of the so-called petrol subsidies is to get our refineries to work. The logic is very simple: it is atrocious to buy from abroad at very expensive prices a product that a country like ours can easily produce at home.
“At the heart of our demand on the management of Nigeria’s mineral resources especially our downstream petroleum sub-sector is the issue of Production Economy. We believe that the rescue of Nigeria from the current ruinous path of Consumption Economy to Production Economy is the only way to resolve Nigeria’s economic nightmares of massive depletion of scarce foreign exchange reserve; continuous devaluation of the Naira; significant jobs haemorrhage and destruction, deepening of poverty and downturn in the living standards of our people.
“In a determined effort to popularise the positions in the Nigerian Workers Charter of Demands, the NLC and TUC at the behest of the Labour Party on September 12 – 13, 2022 hosted a National Retreat of the leadership cadres in our movement.
“At the retreat, the Labour Party and organized labour in Nigeria adopted and mainstreamed the Workers Charter of Demands into the manifesto of the Labour Party. This is in line with our persuasion that issue-based campaigns anchored on the manifesto of political parties should drive Nigeria’s political process.
“If any political party goes around saying that they plan to sell our refineries, remove subsidies, and further oppress long-suffering Nigerians, they should be ready to defend such stance to Nigerians at the campaigns. The NLC, Organized Labour, and Labour Party position has not changed. It only got amplified!” NLC president said.
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
- Day My Husband Grabbed A Pistol And Threatened To Shoot Me —22-Year-Old Mother Of Five Nabbed For Robbery
- SOS-SAM: Buhari’s Lamentation In Owerri
Also speaking on the organised labour position on fuel subsidy, the National President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Dr Tommy Etim Okon, said; “What we are against is not providing the enabling environment that is conducive for the removal of fuel subsidy. Also, we are not sure there is a subsidy. We need to be convinced that fuel subsidy is not a scam. This APC that is talking now once told us there was nothing like subsidy until they got into power and they played us. If you say there is subsidy and you are removing it, what mechanism are you putting in place to cushion the effect of the removal on workers and Nigerians at large.
“Again, the government must come out and tell us what exactly is the fuel subsidy. When the government in clear terms tell Nigerians what the subsidy really is, then we first talk about creating an enabling environment before the issue of removing the said subsidy. It is not going to be a one-man show, we the stakeholders must sit at a table to agree on what will favour the citizens.
“We have been deceived for so long on this issue of subsidy, especially by the current government. So until we interrogate and ascertain the truth concerning the so-called fuel subsidy, we will not agree for anybody to wake up one day and said he had removed what we are not sure exists in the first place. So government must come clean on this.”
On his part, the Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Political Commission, Comrade (Dr.) Ayo Olorunfemi, said; “What the organised labour is saying is that we don’t need subsidy when we start producing fuel and other crude products in Nigeria. What Peter Obi is saying is to start a production process that will not require anything else called fuel subsidy. When you produce fuel in our country, do we need a subsidy?
“In any case whatever the so called fuel subsidy is, Labour Party government will examine holistically whatever the situation is and tell Nigerians the truth about it.
“Under this government, have they not removed the said subsidy three times? Why are they seeking the position of organised labour now when they have unilaterally removed it first, second and third time under different names?
“Because the APC government failed to fulfil their promise of making Nigerian refineries work, that is why we are suffering the fuel price hike today. Because we are not refining our crude here in our country, that is why they are engaging in the fraud called fuel subsidy.
“Vessels carrying our crude are disappearing every day and are being found in many parts of the world and this same government has refused to name those that own the companies and vessels, yet they are busy looking for ways to put Nigerians in perpetual hardship. They should not be asking us that question because we don’t believe in anything called subsidy in the first place. It is a scam.” | https://tribuneonlineng.com/our-position-on-fuel-subsidy-removal-has-not-changed-nlc-replies-keyamo/ | 2022-09-17T18:03:18Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/our-position-on-fuel-subsidy-removal-has-not-changed-nlc-replies-keyamo/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) has said that this year’s Arbaeen procession is the first peaceful celebration without harassment from security agencies since 2015.
Arbaeen is an annual religious practice being conducted on the 20th day of Safar, the second month of the Islamic calendar, marking the 40th day of the murder of Imam Hussein (AS), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (SAWA).
A statement Dr Dauda Nalado on behalf of the Islamic movement under the leadership of his Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky said Imam Hussein was killed on the day of Ashura, the 10th of Muharram, the first month, 61 AH which corresponds to October 10, 680 at Karbala, Iraq.
It said one of the purposes of Arbaeen is to recall and commemorate the trials and tribulations faced by the household of the Holy Prophet (SAWA), who was chained and dragged barefoot from Karbala to Damascus in the scorching heat of the Arabian desert. It was a sad event which clearly depicts a mark of the injustice perpetrated against Prophet Muhammad (SAWA).
Arbaeen mourners have since started trekking from different places in Iraq to the tomb of Imam Husain at Karbala, famous among which is Najaf to Karbala, approximately 100 km.
Muslims and non-Muslims from all walks of life and from all corners of the globe participate in the trek. Along the road to Karbala, volunteers distribute food and drinks for free to those partaking in the trek as well as offering places for relaxation, personal hygiene and sleep. Droves of mourners head to Karbala.
“Arbaeen gathering is now the largest in the world, and it is always on the increase year in year out. Millions of people across the planet Earth, Nigeria inclusive, are presently at Karbala in response to the call of the Imam, expressing their love, sympathy and solidarity to Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) and his household over this tragedy which occurred 1,383 years ago.
“The love being expressed to the Imam by the mourners and the sacrifice rendered by the people of Iraq to them are indicative of what humanity is in dire need of, but badly and sadly lacks. Love and sacrifice will bring about peaceful coexistence and provide lasting peace Justice and fairness everywhere in the world.
“Imam Husain (AS) sacrificed his life and challenged the tyrant ruler Yazid son of Mu’awiya. He, together with his family members and tens of supporters (seventy-two males), were surrounded by thousands of well-armed soldiers and massacred in the plain of Karbala. They were subjected to psychological torture and denied drinking water for days,” the statement said.
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
- Day My Husband Grabbed A Pistol And Threatened To Shoot Me —22-Year-Old Mother Of Five Nabbed For Robbery
- SOS-SAM: Buhari’s Lamentation In Owerri
“He fought the stooges of the tyrant bravely and valiantly. Just before his martyrdom, he had witnessed the maltreatment of the female members of his family, the family of the greatest of all the Prophets. He made all these sacrifices to protect humanity from tyrants, tyranny, injustice and oppression!
“The valiant resistance of this great historical personality is exemplary and worthy of emulation. Humanity should be able to draw some inspiration from his honourable struggle. For, Islam owes its continued existence to the struggle of Imam Husain (AS). Had the Imam submitted to the tyrant, Islam would have long been something else.
“Thus, his struggle is not only an inspiration to the Muslims, but also an inspiration to the whole world. On such grounds, great leaders like the honourable Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi declared that they were inspired by the sacrifice and steadfastness of Imam Husain (AS).
“It Is worth mentioning here that the steadfastness together with sacrifice displayed by the Imam in rebellion against tyranny and oppression is the root of all revolutionary uprisings in the history of Islam. It is also the root of the struggle of our revered leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Ya’qoub El-Zakzaky (H) against the tyrannical system in our society.
Abdullahi Musa of the Academic Forum of IMN further explained that Arbaeen “is symbolic tracking started since Thursday at various States in the North, today’s own was the Conclusion which always take place in Abuja. This is the first time we started and ended it peacefully without harassment from the Security forces since 2015, and this make it clear to all and sundry that they were the cause of all violent with regard to our programmes”. | https://tribuneonlineng.com/shiites-celebrate-first-peaceful-arbaeen-since-2015/ | 2022-09-17T18:03:44Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/shiites-celebrate-first-peaceful-arbaeen-since-2015/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
FALCONS (0-1) AT RAMS (0-1)
When: 1:05 p.m. Sunday
Where: SoFi Stadium
TV/Radio: Fox (Ch. 11); 710 AM; 93.1 FM; 1330 AM (Spanish); Sirius 85, 225
Line: Rams by 10
Notable injury designations: Rams: WR Van Jefferson (out; knee), OLB Leonard Floyd (questionable; knee), LT Joe Noteboom (questionable; knee), C Brian Allen (out; knee), LS Matt Orzech (calf; questionable)
Falcons: RB Damien Williams (out; ribs)
What’s at stake? The first win of the season. The Rams were embarrassed by the Bills and the Falcons blew a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter before losing to the Saints last week. The Falcons have a reputation for losing double-digit leads, but not many expected them to be competitive against a talented Saints squad. The way the Rams lost to the Bills was a surprising start to the season and they might be feeling the pressure as reigning champions to avoid an 0-2 start for the first time since 2011.
Who’s better? The Rams are clearly the better team and the 10-point betting line supports that, but they’re hurting on the offensive line after their starting unit allowed seven sacks versus the Bills. Center Brian Allen was ruled out with a knee injury, forcing right guard Coleman Shelton to fill Allen’s void. Tremayne Anchrum will make his first career start at Shelton’s guard position. To make matters worse, left tackle Joe Noteboom is questionable to play because of a knee injury. Falcons edge rusher Grady Jarrett could make life difficult for Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford with a short-handed offensive line. The Falcons are underdogs, but they have plenty of talent on offense with a mobile quarterback in Marcus Mariota and big-body weapons in tight end Kyle Pitts and rookie receiver Drake London, the USC product from Moorpark.
Matchup to watch: Rams’ interior defensive line versus Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson, the do-it-all playmaker with experience at wide receiver and kick returner. Rams star defensive lineman Aaron Donald noticed a more comfortable Patterson in the backfield last week. Patterson, who made the full-time position transition last season, had 22 carries for 120 yards versus the Saints. The Rams allowed 121 rushing yards to the Bills in Week 1. “From a guy that was a return guy, to wide receiver, to now, (he) looks more like a running back,” Donald said. “He’s running hard, downhill, making guys miss, so we have to try and find ways to slow him down and not let him get himself going.”
Rams win if: … They get a second wide receiver involved after Cooper Kupp, who will have his hands full against Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell. The Rams are considering moving wide receiver Allen Robinson to different spots on the field with hopes of helping him find a rhythm early against the Falcons. Robinson had a subpar debut with the Rams after recording only one reception for 12 yards against the Bills. The Rams also have plans to give second-year wide receiver Tutu Atwell a variety of intermediate routes to not have him solely be a downfield option.
Fantasy sleeper: If you’re hurting at running back, consider Darrell Henderson as an option. The Rams will look to establish the run after last week’s poor rushing attack and they probably can’t afford to have Stafford attempt 40 dropbacks with the injury-depleted offensive line. Don’t expect “wow” numbers from Henderson, but he might be good enough for a goal-line touchdown and about 80 rushing yards. The team will also look to get Cam Akers involved, but he’s a risky play after the drama that unfolded in the past week.
Prediction: There’s plenty to like about the pesky Falcons with an abundance of young playmakers with London and Pitts, and Mariota’s mobility might give the Rams’ defense fits. But the upset won’t come to fruition versus a motivated Rams squad itching to get back on the field after a season-opening letdown versus the Bills. The Rams will prevail 24-20 over the Falcons to capture their first win of the season.
Join the Conversation
We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. We reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/09/17/atlanta-falcons-at-rams-who-has-the-edge/ | 2022-09-17T18:08:25Z | pasadenastarnews.com | control | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/09/17/atlanta-falcons-at-rams-who-has-the-edge/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Tonight is a red-on-red night. Tomato soup from a like-colored mug. It’s a little quirk I have when I am working. I like to sip a liquid that matches the color of its container. Pairings change according to my mood but I never mix. No red soup in a lavender mug.
Since writers are reputed to be quirky, it makes me feel connected to other writers when I strain my neck to see the computer screen because my kitty muse is curled up in front of it, using my cell phone as a pillow, with her body covering my words. I wouldn’t dream of moving her. It’s like I’m an intruder in her space, so I just make it work. If she looks like she’s about to leave I panic and serve her treats on a tiny tray.
This week, I am celebrating having had 24 extra years to be a quirky writer. Twenty-four years as a cancer survivor. Quirk-wise, I used these years well, developing new affinities like appointing the crepe myrtle tree as overseer of the courtyard. For example, my lavender-blossomed buddy will notify me if the pale pink hibiscus is cheating and not closing up at night, making it a rival to the beauty of the night-blooming jasmine. Usually, I hold court on my front porch swing to get everyone back on track.
Not to be outdone, the backyard beckons with its own brand of possibility. The lemon tree, an ever-present reminder of my age, since it was a gift for my 50th birthday, has become a role model as we age gently together.
On summer evenings, it releases large round mini-moons that form a yellow bright road to the kitchen steps where I sit to commune with them. Do the lemons fall in families, or duos of lovers who wind up unexpectedly on the ground, stems nuzzling leaves?
If they look happy, I leave them on the ground to enjoy each other until morning. It’s just a little quirk of mine.
Email patriciabunin@sbcglobal.net and follow her on Twitter @patriciabunin
Join the Conversation
We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. We reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/09/17/surviving-cancer-and-embracing-the-quirks-of-fate-and-the-backyard/ | 2022-09-17T18:08:31Z | pasadenastarnews.com | control | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/09/17/surviving-cancer-and-embracing-the-quirks-of-fate-and-the-backyard/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A 21-year-old man was charged this week with killing a man by setting him on fire near a residential street in Pasadena on New Year’s Day 2021, authorities said.
Jeovani Pluma has been in custody since July 22, according to inmate records. At that time, he was arrested on suspicion of hitting and killing a bicyclist and injuring another with his Jeep Cherokee in Los Angeles in April, Pasadena police Lt. Keith Gomez said.
He faces two counts of murder, arson, torture and two counts of hit-and-run driving, according to court records.
How detectives linked Pluma to the killing of Ulises Nieto-Cabrera, 30, in the 700 block of Rockwood Road, near La Loma Bridge, was not disclosed by police.
The residential street backs up to the Arroyo Seco Trail.
Officers arrived at the scene around 8 a.m. to find Nieto-Cabrera, a Los Angeles resident and Salvadoran national, suffering from severe burns, Gomez said. He died at a hospital.
Detectives from the Robbery/Homicide Unit worked hundreds of hours investigating Nieto-Cabrera’s killing, Gomez said.
In May, detectives asked for the public’s help identifying the suspect and said Nieto-Cabrera was intentionally targeted and attacked.
“Their unwavering tenacity to solving this grim murder resulted in the identification of a suspect,” Gomez said.
Detectives in Los Angeles identified Pluma as the driver in the hit-and-run, though details on that case were not disclosed by Pasadena police.
Pluma was being held in jail on $4 million bail, according to inmate records. The two cases have been combined, and a court date to enter a plea has not yet been set.
Join the Conversation
We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. We reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/09/17/suspect-accused-of-lighting-man-on-fire-on-new-years-day-2021-in-pasadena-is-charged/ | 2022-09-17T18:08:37Z | pasadenastarnews.com | control | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/09/17/suspect-accused-of-lighting-man-on-fire-on-new-years-day-2021-in-pasadena-is-charged/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The UCLA Bruins host South Alabama on Saturday at the Rose Bowl. Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Zach Charbonnet lead the Bruins offense while defensive back Stephan Blaylock leads the defense.
Follow along for live updates from our reporters covering the game in Pasadena.
UCLA vs. South Alabama
When: Saturday, 11 a.m.
Where: Rose Bowl, Pasadena
TV/radio: Pac-12 Networks; 570 AM
Line: UCLA by 15½
Viewing on a mobile device? Click here.
FIRST QUARTER
UCLA won the coin toss and deferred for the second half.
South Alabama starts with the football.
South Alabama was moving the ball nicely on the opening drive but UCLA linebacker Jon Jon Vaughns intercepts Carter Bradley.
Join the Conversation
We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. We reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/09/17/ucla-football-vs-south-alabama-live-updates-from-rose-bowl/ | 2022-09-17T18:08:43Z | pasadenastarnews.com | control | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/09/17/ucla-football-vs-south-alabama-live-updates-from-rose-bowl/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Wolverhampton: Jack Grealish scored inside the first minute and Erling Haaland netted his 11th Premier League goal of the season as Manchester City eased to a 3-0 victory over 10-man Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux on Saturday.
Phil Foden added a third in the second half as City moved to the top of the table with 17 points from seven games, while Wolves are in 16th place having won only once this season.
The home side were reduced to 10 men on 33 minutes after a horrendous challenge from defender Nathan Collins, who launched himself studs-first into the midriff of Grealish and could have no complaints about the straight red card.
There was a minute's silence ahead of kickoff following the death of Queen Elizabeth and the majority of fans kept a respectful silence, while there was warm applause on 70 minutes from all around the ground to mark the number of years the monarch was on the throne.
The opening goal after 55 seconds was a first of the season for Grealish, who has come under criticism this week for his failure to both score and provide assists since his 100 million pound ($114 million) move from Aston Villa last year.
"It was nice to get off the mark this season and get the three points at a difficult place to come against a top team," Grealish told BT Sport.
"This Wolves team is so underrated and they showed that in the second half, so it is a great result for us.
"I should be scoring goals and getting more assists. I’m always going to have people talking about me with the amount I was bought for.
"But even at Aston Villa I did not score as much as I should have. It is something I want to add to my game."
The champions took the lead when Kevin De Bruyne’s inviting cross into the six-yard box was turned home by Grealish, before Haaland scored his 14th goal in all competitions with a scuffed shot from the edge of the box after Wolves defender Max Kilman stood off him.
The Norwegian striker became the first player in Premier League history to net in his first four away games, and the points were sealed when De Bruyne was again the architect with another low cross into the six-yard box which was turned home by Foden.
The win sees City unbeaten in their last 22 away Premier League games, a club record, and was achieved despite a lethargic second-half display in which they were not at their sizzling best. | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/football/2022/09/17/premier-league-manchester-city-beat-wolves-haaland-scores.amp.html | 2022-09-17T18:19:03Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/football/2022/09/17/premier-league-manchester-city-beat-wolves-haaland-scores.amp.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
It was 1954 when the Supreme Court ruled unanimously in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka that the racial segregation of children in public schools was unconstitutional. Even still, by the 1960s, not much had changed in San Bernardino, California, where I grew up. The powers that be in our school system had no interest in moving forward, but the Black parents in my community decided it was time to integrate the schools—after all, legislation was supposed to be on their side. They decided to send two Black kids to each of the four white schools—one in K-3 and one in grades 4-6. I was considered to be one of the brightest Black girls, and it was thought I'd be most likely to succeed in a newly integrated school system, so I was one of the kids chosen. I was in the third grade at the time, just 8 years old.
My parents were civil rights activists (though this wasn’t the language used back then), involved in the NAACP and Urban League Guild, and they hoped this would make things better for everyone in our community. But, no one was prepared for this change. Not students, teachers, or bus drivers. I didn’t know that the first day I stepped onto the school bus and took a seat, the bubbly girl I had been would pop and disappear. I felt like I no longer existed.
No one spoke to me—a deliberate choice that isolated me. Psychologically, I felt like I didn’t exist. I ate lunch and spent recess alone. I never questioned how I was being treated or brought this to the attention of my parents. Back in those days, people weren’t very concerned about how it was for kids. It didn’t occur to me to question it or to even think I had a right to happiness. That wasn’t part of the deal. At that time, I understood that everyone made sacrifices, and this was mine. My parents were trying to make it better for our whole community. Looking back on what they did, sending their 8-year-old off to a foreign territory in hopes that it would make a difference for those that come after her, was a tremendous act of courage.
I went about my days as the invisible girl until one day, I was finally seen. When we returned from winter break, a new student with wild, fiery red hair named Jill had joined our class. The teacher assigned her a seat next to me. I had been sitting alone for three months. Jill was Jewish, but I didn’t know that’s why no one talked to her, either. She was observant and soon realized that we were both outsiders. One day, she said to me, “Hi, do you want to be friends?” For the first time since going to that school, I felt three-dimensional again. Life had color, texture, and I was real and seen. To go from completely invisible to having not only been seen by Jill, but her wanting to be my friend, had a profound impact on me. That was the moment I said, “I'm not ever going to make anyone feel invisible.”
Jill seeing me allowed the other kids to see me. Instead of being this invisible human, I had a friend. We played with one another on the playground and ate lunch together, which meant that now we sat at a table with other kids. That led to us all becoming friends, playing hopscotch and jump rope at recess. It was as if Jill’s kindness broke a spell. I became three dimensional to myself and other kids.
The impact of Jill’s kindness still lives with me today, and because of that, I’ve dedicated my purpose to keeping communities whole. Almost all the jobs I’ve held have been service-oriented. I chose these roles because I want to feel like I am contributing to something meaningful. I say that everyone is welcome at the human table.
One of my first rewarding jobs was with the Special Olympics, where I worked with the student athletes. One boy in particular and I had a special bond. He was a ball of sunshine who lit up my days with his antics. One afternoon, just before it was his turn to run a race, he vanished. I charged off searching for him and found him nestled between two huge gym mats, tucked in a V shape. He giggled when he saw me. I couldn’t bring myself to do anything else but laugh, too. Soon, everyone else joined in, and sounds of happiness filled the air. All that mattered was that children were being who they naturally were, and the adults were supportive.
As much as I plan and teach, one-on-one unexpected acts of kindness are just as important for me to enact and everyone can partake in them to spark a revolution of joy. Every little interaction, as insignificant as it may seem at the time, can make a big difference in someone’s day.
Recently, I was on a trip to Toronto enjoying a moment sitting outside on one of the city’s plentiful Adirondack chairs. A Latina woman approached me for help. She didn't speak English very well, but I understood that she was asking me for directions. My Spanish is minimal, and at that moment, I could have told her I don’t speak her language and that I’m not from the area. Instead, I pulled up a map, pieced together a few sentences in Spanish, and set her in the right direction. I felt wonderful to have been able to ease someone else’s worry.
It’s little moments like this and the one that Jill extended to me that can make a lasting impact on the world. So many people are overlooked, just as I was as a young girl. Committing to see someone is a gift. By refusing to look away, even if it’s hard, we are living a life of service. The root of kindness means “kin,” and we are all related.
Now, at age 66, I’ve built a career based on joy and kindness and am dedicated to elevating the effectiveness of leadership and collaboration in the nonprofit and social benefit sectors. My vision for our global community includes infusing a sense of purpose, delight, and wonder into everything I do. I have a lifelong commitment to working for a fair and equitable society, and believe that together we can transform the world. I’ve even co-authored a book, Leading With Joy: Practices for Uncertain Times, to complement my work as a coach.
We can all create feelings of abundance, enhance our collective well-being, embrace joy, and create transformation through service. It doesn’t matter if your career is centered on it like mine is—all that matters is that kindness is at the core of your heart.
Akaya Windwood advises, trains, and consults on how change happens individually, organizationally, and societally. She is on the faculty for the RSF Social Finance Integrated Capital Fellowship and is the founder of the New Universal, which centers human wisdom in the wisdom of Brown women. She was the president of Rockwood Leadership Institute for many years and directed the Mycelium Fund. For more on Akaya Windwood, click here. | https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/health/a41245955/integration-and-the-importance-of-feeling-seen/ | 2022-09-17T18:19:35Z | oprahdaily.com | control | https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/health/a41245955/integration-and-the-importance-of-feeling-seen/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
It almost started in calamity when AJ Allmendinger would check the field up on the green flag with his car stuck in gear and not able to get it going. By the time the field gathered it back up Nicholas Sanchez would cut a tire and might slight contact with the wall to bring out the first caution of the night. Sanchez would make it back to pit road get the tires changed and back out without losing a lap.
However, when the green would come out it wouldn’t be long as both Herbst and Creed would make contact wither each other sending Herbst spinning through turn three and four causing the field to scramble to avoid the spinning No. 98 machine.
The race would start looking like a Bristol race of old when two more quick cautions would go up on the board when Sanchez would spin in turn four but avoid hitting anything then Brandon Brown running in the top-20 would lose it to back the car into the wall for the fourth caution of the night.
Brown would last a few more laps after attempting to fix the car but ultimately NASCAR would send him to the garage ending his night.
With the first stage would come to and end Ty Gibbs would lead all 85 laps with ease to take home the first stage win of the night.
As stage two would get underway Sheldon Creed and Justin Allgaier would go to battle for the lead trading inches and the nose of the car with one another lap after lap just as Allgaier would get lose and have to bail out. Allgaier would once again chase down Creed taking the lead away on lap 125.
But it wouldn’t end there for Creed who was battling to stay above the cut line and stay in the championship within laps as Creed and Gibbs did battle Gragson would swoop in and get into the rear of Gibbs sending him up the track and into Creed. After trying to get the car re-fired Creed would exit the car and end his night and his chances to run for the Xfinity Series championship.
Gibbs would take his car to pit road attempting to fix the car but like Creed would get pushed to the garage to end his night.
Just as stage two was coming to an end both Mayer and Yeley would get together spinning in turn two which would also bring an end to stage two.
With the stage points accumulated throughout the race AJ Allmendinger would be crowned the 2022 Xfinity Series regular season champion.
As laps began winding down Allgaier while working heavy traffic and Gragson closing quick caution out once again come out for the eighth time when Allgaier would make contact with Yeley sending him spinning down the back to make heavy contact with the wall to end his night.
Allgaier while exiting pit road would get hit with a speeding penalty that would sending him to the rear of the field as Gragson would once again lead the field back to green setting up a 20 lap sprint to the end.
Once the green flag went back it the air Gragson in the lead and Jones would go at it for the lead. Jones would make a couple attempts to get around but unsuccessfully considering a couple opportunities to get into the bumper of Gragson and move him out of the way.
Gragson would lead the final 20 laps enroute to his third win in a row and sixth Xfinity Series win of the season.
Heading into next week to start the Xfinity Series playoffs points will realign with Gragson leading the way over Gibbs, Allgaier, AJ Dinger, Berry, Hill, Jones, Clements, Mayer, Hemric, Herbst and Sieg.
Sieg would make the playoffs barely when Cassill had a mechanical failure earlier in the race which would put him 112 laps down to finish 35th.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series will return next weekend at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 24 at 3:30 p.m. ET. | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/xfinity-series-news/73058-nxs-gragson-grabs-third-victory-in-a-row-as-aj-allmendinger-takes-regular-season-championship | 2022-09-17T18:39:36Z | speedwaydigest.com | control | https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/xfinity-series-news/73058-nxs-gragson-grabs-third-victory-in-a-row-as-aj-allmendinger-takes-regular-season-championship | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Attorney General Eric Schmitt, who last week accused Democrat Trudy Busch Valentine of dodging debates, refused to show up for the first debate of Missouri’s U.S. Senate campaign on Friday.
Organized by the Missouri Press Association as part of its annual convention in Lake Ozark, Valentine, Libertarian Party candidate Jonathan Dine and Constitution Party candidate Paul Venable shared the stage with an empty lectern that was reserved for Schmitt. Mark Maassen, executive director of the Missouri Press Association, said this is only the second time since 1988 that a major-party candidate has refused to attend one of the organization’s debates.
The first slate of questions focused on the state of American democracy, which Valentine said was in “crisis.”
She decried the idea of the independent state legislature theory, which argues the federal government and state courts have no role in setting up rules for elections, saying “we need rules that are the same all over America regarding our ability to vote.”
Dine said during previous runs for office he was routinely left out of debates, leaving him to believe that America doesn’t have a true democracy but rather “a club where only two teams get to participate.”
Venable focused on former President Donald Trump’s lie of a stolen presidential election, saying he doesn’t believe Joe Biden was legitimately elected president in 2020.
“On January 6, there was an insurrection,” he said, “but he did not come from outside the Capitol.”
Asked about banning foreign ownership of farmland, both Dine and Venable say they would oppose the idea.
Valentine highlighted Schmitt’s 2013 vote in the state Senate to allow Missouri farmland to be owned by a foreign entity.
Before that vote, foreign ownership of Missouri farmland was banned. Soon after the ban was lifted, a Chinese company purchased Smithfield Foods and its 40,000 acres of Missouri farmland.
China was a key flashpoint in the GOP U.S. Senate primary, with all six major candidates jockeying for position in a party that has adopted former President Donald Trump’s hard line against China as gospel.
Valentine echoed the criticism of Schmitt on Friday.
“Eric Schmitt allowed thousands of acres of farmland to be sold to Communist China,” Valentine said. “And that’s just plain wrong.”
With Congress considering legislation legalizing same-sex marriage, the candidates were asked whether they would support prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
“All people should have the right to live the authentic life they want to live,” Valentine said.
Dine agreed that LGBTQ Americans should be able to live freely without fear of persecution.
“If you’re in the public marketplace and you’re selling goods or services,” he said, “you have no right to discriminate against somebody based on their race, color, gender or sexual orientation.”
Venable said Congress doesn’t have the constitutional authority to prohibit anti-LGBTQ discrimination. That, he said, is the job of states.
Asked about the proposed constitutional amendment legalizing recreational marijuana that will appear on the Missouri ballot in November, both Valentine and Venable said they would oppose the federal government legalizing marijuana.
Valentine said she supports the amendment legalizing marijuana in Missouri because it keeps cannabis out of the hands of anyone under 21.
“This is an important issue for me,” Valentine said. “I had a son who died of an opioid overdose.”
Dine said he was once sentenced to three years in prison for possession of marijuana. Now, he said, he’s a licensed cannabis cultivator.
“I find it ironic that they had one sent me to jail for something and now they let me do it if I pay them their extortion,” he said, adding that he supports both the amendment in Missouri but also any moves towards legalization at the federal level.
Valentine said the greatest threat facing the country is climate change.
“We all need to start getting off fossil fuels,” he said.
Venable said the biggest threat is Joe Biden’s administration.
“Congress has the power to fix this,” he said. “And they had the power to do it on Jan. 6.”
The national debt is the nation’s biggest threat, Dine said.
“The problem is we’re running out of money,” he said.
In an emailed statement about Schmitt’s refusal to participate in Friday’s event, his spokesman said the attorney general only wants to participate in debates that are televised statewide during prime time. He said Schmitt has agreed to participate in a debate hosted by Nexstar, which operates stations in the state’s three largest media markets, Kansas City, St. Louis and Springfield.
Valentine’s spokesman said after Friday’s event that she has agreed to a televised debate last month and “will continue to review any and all invitations we have.”
This story was originally published on the Missouri Independent. | https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2022-09-17/trudy-busch-valentine-warns-democracy-is-in-crisis-while-eric-schmitt-skips-u-s-senate-debate | 2022-09-17T18:46:40Z | kcur.org | control | https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2022-09-17/trudy-busch-valentine-warns-democracy-is-in-crisis-while-eric-schmitt-skips-u-s-senate-debate | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration on Friday night released policies that roll back LGBTQ students’ rights in Virginia schools.
The “2022 Model Policies” will require that students use facilities and programs that “match the sex they were assigned at birth,” and require parental permission to change their names and genders at school.
The Virginia Department of Education reviewed the previous “model policies” adopted during former Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam’s administration, and alleged that the policies promoted a “specific viewpoint aimed at achieving cultural and social transformation in schools” and disregarded parents’ rights, as well as “legal and constitutional principles.”
“With the publication of these 2022 Model Policies on the Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for All Students and Parents in Virginia’s Public Schools (the ‘2022 Model Policies’), the Department hereby withdraws the 2021 Model Policies, which shall have no further force and effect,” the Department of Education document said.
One of the hot-button issues involved restrooms, locker rooms and changing facilities that transgender students are allowed to use. The previous 2021 model policies said that transgender students should be allowed to use facilities that matched their gender identities and required that school districts and teachers accept and use students’ gender pronouns and identities.
In the 2022 Model Policies, the word “sex” is defined as biological sex, and the phrase “transgender students” means “a public school student whose parent has requested in writing, due to their child’s persistent and sincere belief that his or her gender differs with his or her sex, that their child be so identified while at school.”
That means that schools are supposed to defer to parents on what names, nicknames and pronouns teachers and staff should use when referring to the student; whether the student can get counseling; or whether the student expresses a different gender at school.
The 2022 Model Policies included sample policies and guidelines that Virginia school systems can use. In one of the samples provided, it said that schools cannot make staff refer to transgender students by their names or genders if it goes against the staff member’s “constitutionally protected rights” of free speech.
Last year, Loudoun County teacher Tanner Cross filed a lawsuit after he was suspended, claiming a violation of his free speech during a school board discussion over transgender policies.
Another guideline also said that teachers cannot conceal from parents any material information about a student related to gender.
Democratic lawmakers criticized the new policies saying that they amounted to outing children.
U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly called the policies a “despicable display of bigotry and ignorance” and a “false promise of protecting Virginia students.”
Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers expressed praise for the new policies.
Virginia Senate candidate James Bergida said the new policies regarding transgender students indicate, “That parents matter comes through loud and clear.”
Del. David LaRock thanked Youngkin for his work to “protect kids and defend parental rights.”
Each school board must adopt policies consistent with the 2022 Model Policies. Public comment on the draft model policies will open later this month on the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall’s website.
WTOP has reached out to Youngkin’s office for comment. | https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/virginia-issues-new-guidelines-that-roll-back-transgender-student-rights/article_acc4aa50-36a0-11ed-b81a-4f8defb83cee.html | 2022-09-17T19:03:41Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/virginia-issues-new-guidelines-that-roll-back-transgender-student-rights/article_acc4aa50-36a0-11ed-b81a-4f8defb83cee.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Arlington County police on Sept. 12 arrested a 57-year-old Arlington man in connection with two assaults that occurred that evening.
On Sept. 12 at 10:47 p.m., a woman was inside a business in the 4800 block of Langston Boulevard when she entered the women’s restroom. According to police, the suspect followed, requested sex, grabbed the victim, attempted to remove her clothing and pushed her into a stall, police said.
The victim called out to a friend, who entered the restroom and pulled the suspect away. The suspect then fled.
According to police, the suspect then left the business and was walking in the 4700 block of Langston Boulevard when he approached a man and woman, unrelated to the previous incident, and struck the man while walking toward the woman.
The woman ran into a business for assistance, and police were contacted. Arriving officers located the suspect and took him into custody, police said.
The suspect – 57-year-old Vincent Moody – was arrested and charged with attempted rape, abduction with the intent to defile and assault-and-battery. He was held without bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility.
[https://sungazette.news provides content to, but otherwise is unaffiliated with, InsideNoVa or Rappahannock Media LLC.] | https://www.insidenova.com/news/arlington/police-arrest-made-in-attempted-rape-assault-in-arlington/article_5aaa7e82-36a7-11ed-b8ca-dbb6896bbd04.html | 2022-09-17T19:03:47Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/news/arlington/police-arrest-made-in-attempted-rape-assault-in-arlington/article_5aaa7e82-36a7-11ed-b8ca-dbb6896bbd04.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
When the Mega Millions jackpot started climbing recently, it was easy to find people dreaming about what they would do if they won $1.337 billion. Plans ranged from paying off debt to buying a new home or donating to important causes.
While you may never win a record jackpot, you could inherit a significant amount of money (or an asset or investment) during your lifetime. Before dreaming of a new sports car or the lifestyles of the rich and famous, consider these strategies to help manage your windfall:
1 – Share your news with as few people as possible.
Speaking openly about a large inflow of money may bring unwanted attention from salespeople, scammers, relatives, and friends. Within families, those who didn’t inherit money may contest the inheritance of those who did. If you do share your news with a trusted loved one, ask them to keep it to themselves.
2 – Don’t rush to spend the money.
Many people make emotional decisions after coming into a large sum. If you inherit money from a loved one who passed away, you may also be grieving. Wait to make any spending decisions until you’ve had an opportunity to process the situation. Depending on your benefactor’s estate plan, you may inherit funds, but may not receive them right away. Don’t be tempted to spend what you don’t have.
3 – Ask yourself how having the money fits in with your financial and life goals.
If your “ideal future” includes starting a business, retiring early, or making a significant gift to a favorite charity, spend some time prioritizing your goals to understand how you might balance your long-term and short-term desires.
4 – Consider the tax implications.
You may need to make some tax-related decisions if you inherit a large amount of money. Your tax bracket, who you inherited the money from, and the amount are among the many factors that could affect how much and when you’ll owe taxes.
If you receive a large cash inheritance, park it somewhere safe – like a federally insured bank account – and seek help from a fiduciary financial professional right away. Doing so can help give you much-needed time to process your emotions, consider your goals, and create a plan to manage your inheritance wisely.
John Frisch, CPA/PFS, CFP®, AIF®, PPCTM, is a financial advisor and the managing director of Savant Wealth Management’s Manassas, VA office.
Savant Wealth Management is a Registered Investment Adviser. You should not assume that any discussion or information provided serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Savant. Please consult your investment and financial professional(s) regarding your unique situation. | https://www.insidenova.com/news/business/your-money-what-to-do-if-you-receive-a-large-sum-of-money/article_7ee9e40a-36a1-11ed-b049-27e02a1d3957.html | 2022-09-17T19:03:53Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/news/business/your-money-what-to-do-if-you-receive-a-large-sum-of-money/article_7ee9e40a-36a1-11ed-b049-27e02a1d3957.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Two juveniles, from Falls Church and Annandale, took merchandise without paying on Sept. 5 at 3:40 p.m. at the Nordstrom store in Tysons Corner Center, Fairfax County police said.
When confronted by a store employee, one juvenile allegedly assaulted the victim, police said.
Officers arrested both juveniles and found the stolen goods along with a previously stolen handgun and narcotics, police said. Authorities are obtaining petitions against the youths.
No injuries were reported.
[https://sungazette.news provides content to, but otherwise is unaffiliated with, InsideNoVa or Rappahannock Media LLC.] | https://www.insidenova.com/news/fairfax/police-youths-arrested-for-shoplifting-assault-at-nordstom-in-tysons/article_25c52654-36a7-11ed-9e29-679e9c6c2dbd.html | 2022-09-17T19:03:59Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/news/fairfax/police-youths-arrested-for-shoplifting-assault-at-nordstom-in-tysons/article_25c52654-36a7-11ed-9e29-679e9c6c2dbd.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The 16th Air Force command team visited with the 688th Cyberspace Wing for the first unit immersion on their battlefield circulation tour, Sept. 8, 2022 at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas.
U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Kevin Kennedy, 16th Air Force Commander and U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt., 16th Air Force Command Chief opened with breakfast with Airmen, received a 688th Cyberspace Wing mission brief, visited all local Squadrons and held a Wing-wide town hall question and answer center at the culmination of their visit.
The command team highlighted the 688th Cyberspace Wing as one of the most important missions in the Air Force, responsible for directly enabling every Airman across the Air Force to connect to a secure network and carry out their duty.
The 688th Cyberspace Wing is America's First Cyberspace Wing with a mission to securely connect the Air Force to fly, fight and win.
The 688th Cyberspace Wing, headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, is aligned under Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber), Air Combat Command. The wing is the Air Force's premier cyberspace warfighting organization dedicated to delivering actionable intelligence and tactics, techniques, and procedures, deployable warfighter communications, engineering and installation capabilities, defensive cyber operations, and network security operations across the Air Force Information Network enterprise.
This work, Sixteenth Air Force command team visits the 688th Cyberspace Wing [Image 13 of 13], by Nadine Wiley De Moura, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7422163/sixteenth-air-force-command-team-visits-688th-cyberspace-wing | 2022-09-17T19:14:53Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7422163/sixteenth-air-force-command-team-visits-688th-cyberspace-wing | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
How the Hibs players rated against Aberdeen – with three 8s
Marks out of 10 for every Hibs player who featured in the 3-1 Premiership victory over Aberdeen at Easter Road.
GK DAVID MARSHALL 6/10
Beaten after three and a half minutes but untroubled in the first half thereafter. Not much to do in the second either.
RD CHRIS CADDEN 8
Most Popular
Instrumental in both of Campbell’s goals with a superb through ball and pinpoint cross. He is Mr Consistency.
LD MARIJAN CABRAJA 7
Got stuck in and kept pushing forward when Aberdeen went down to ten men to keep Hibs on the front foot.
RCD RYAN PORTEOUS 7
At the centre of controversy over the penalty award just before the break, but defended strongly. Scotland call-up has certainly done him no harm.
LCD PAUL HANLON 7
Composed and effective on the ball while carrying out his defensive duties with diligence.
CM NOHAN KENNEH 6
One of the teenage midfielder’s quieter games and he was withdrawn early in the second half for Jake-Doyle-Hayes.
CM JOE NEWELL 6
Opted for the safe pass sideways or backwards too often in the first half, but improved when afforded more space as the game went on.
AMR MARTIN BOYLE 7
Always looked like the player in green who could unlock the door and took his penalty very well.
AMC JOSH CAMPBELL 8
Took his two goals superbly after a poor decision to shoot rather than pass early in the second half. Got himself into good attacking areas.
AML ELIE YOUAN 5
Looks like he really needs a goal to boost his confidence. One of those days where it just didn’t happen for the Frenchman on either flank.
ST MYKOLA KUKHAREVYCH 8
Showed that he has good feet for a big man in a promising debut. Held up it well and knock-down header for Campbell’s second goal gave Ukrainian an assist.
SUB JAKE DOYLE-HAYES 6
For Kenneh 60mins. Kept the ball moving to make the most of Hibs’ one-man advantage.
SUB JAIR TAVARES 5
For Youan 72 mins. Flattered to deceive on the left wing when he came on.
SUB EWAN HENDERSON N/A
For Campbell 85mins. Late introduction.
SUB BOJANG N/A
For Kukharevych 85mins. Little time to make an impact. | https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/how-the-hibs-players-rated-against-aberdeen-with-three-8s-3847158 | 2022-09-17T19:15:00Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/how-the-hibs-players-rated-against-aberdeen-with-three-8s-3847158 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
6. Cutting health care's carbon footprint
Health systems are increasingly responding to the threat of climate change with commitments to cut back their own carbon footprint.
Why it matters: Health care is a massive global industry, and shrinking its carbon footprint could go a long way toward reducing carbon emissions. | https://www.axios.com/2022/09/17/health-care-climate-change-carbon-footprint | 2022-09-17T19:15:02Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/2022/09/17/health-care-climate-change-carbon-footprint | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Yeshiva University suspends activities after SCOTUS ruling on LGBTQ club
Yeshiva University suspended all student club activities this week after the U.S. Supreme Court denied its request to overturn a lower court ruling requiring the New York college to recognize an LGBTQ student group.
Driving the news: An attorney for the student group, the YU Pride Alliance, called the university’s response to the ruling “shameful," while Yeshiva's president said the school's legal fight is not over.
What they’re saying: YU Pride Alliance’s attorney Katie Rosenfeld said in a statement the school’s course of action "rather than accept one LGBTQ peer support group on campus is a throwback to 50 years ago when the city of Jackson, Mississippi closed all public swimming pools rather than comply with court orders to desegregate."
- "We are confident that YU students will see through this shameful tactic and stand together in community," Rosenfeld added in a statement.
Catch up quick: The YU Pride Alliance sued the Modern Orthodox Jewish college last year after it refused to officially recognize the club.
- A New York judge declared that the university is not a religious institution and must recognize the group. After the New York Court of Appeals refused the school’s request to review the denial of a stay, the school asked the Supreme Court to intervene.
- The high court told Yeshiva to go back to New York state court to pursue the legal outcome it is seeking. Opposing the 5-4 ruling were four of the court's conservative justices.
State of play: The school informed students in an email that "the university will hold off on all undergraduate club activities while it immediately takes steps to follow the roadmap provided by the US Supreme Court to protect YU's religious freedom,” NPR reports.
The other side: Yeshiva University President Rabbi Ari Berman said in a statement that the school would continue its legal battle.
- "Every faith-based university in the country has the right to work with its students, including its LGBTQ students, to establish the clubs, places and spaces that fit within its faith tradition," Berman said. "Yeshiva University simply seeks that same right of self-determination." | https://www.axios.com/2022/09/17/yeshiva-university-lgbtq-group-supreme-court | 2022-09-17T19:15:21Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/2022/09/17/yeshiva-university-lgbtq-group-supreme-court | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(The Conversation) – Inflation in the U.S. is surging to near a 40-year high, with prices on food, fuel and pretty much everything seeming to rise more every month.
Smartphones may be an exception.
Apple, for example, recently announced its new versions of the iPhone and other gadgets, and turned a lot of heads when it said it wouldn’t charge more despite higher costs to make the devices.
This is puzzling because companies typically raise prices in line with inflation – or at least enough to cover the increased costs of making their products.
Consumer price data tells an even more befuddling story. The latest consumer price index data suggests smartphone prices are actually down 20.4% in August from a year ago, according to an index released on Sept. 13, 2022. That’s the biggest drop of any detailed expenditure item the Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks, and contrasts with the overall 8.3% increase in prices.
What’s going on?
As an economist teaching business school students, I enjoy exploring and explaining these economic puzzles. I believe there are two basic explanations – one for the data and another for Apple.
Why consumer prices on smartphones fell
The story behind the consumer price index data is easier to explain, if a bit technical.
The 20% drop over the past year isn’t unusual for smartphones. In fact, according to the index, they almost always go down from month to month. Since the end of 2019, smartphone prices have come down a whopping 40%.
And though smartphones are showing the biggest drop in the index, tech gear more broadly – from computers to smartwatches – also tend to fall over time. In the previous 12 months, televisions are down 19% and what the government calls information technology commodities are down 8.8%.
Part of the reason for their steady decline is found buried in the Bureau of Labor Statistics website. The consumer price index tries to measure a constant quality of goods and services in the economy. This means it seeks to track the price changes of the exact same set of goods and services each month. It’s comparing the price today with the price of the exact same thing a month or year ago.
For most goods, it’s not really an issue because their quality doesn’t change much over relatively small periods of time. For example, an apple you bite into today is pretty much the same as an apple you ate a year ago.
Smartphones and other technology-heavy gadgets are different. Because smartphones are constantly improving in quality – with the latest updates of an iPhone or Samsung Galaxy awaited breathlessly every year – it is more difficult to ensure you’re comparing prices of products of the exact same quality.
For rapidly improving items, the Bureau of Labor Statistics uses what are called “hedonic regression models” to estimate these changes in quality over time. Hedonic models measure the same amount of satisfaction. While this sounds complicated, the goal is simple: to figure out how much each new smartphone feature changes the price.
As a consumer, you are essentially doing this whenever you decide whether it is worth paying the extra money for that marginally better camera or extended battery life when buying a new phone.
And so, the 20.4% drop doesn’t mean you’re going to pay less for a new smartphone. But it does suggest you’re getting 20% more bang for your buck versus the same phone a year earlier. Whether it’s worth it is another question.
Why Apple kept prices flat
That brings us to why Apple didn’t change its prices, even as the quality of the iPhone improved and supply chain costs went up.
Beyond the quality issues, one of the main ways supply chain problems are affecting phones is in the shortage of computer chips. If there is any product dependent on computer chips, it is smartphones. The shortage has resulted in delays to produce cars, trucks and many other consumer items.
The shortage has also increased the price of semiconductor parts. The U.S. government’s producer price index shows the price of semiconductor parts like chips and wafers steadily rising since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, after falling for years. Chip prices are likely going up 20% in the next year.
For these and other reasons, analysts were expecting Apple to increase its prices.
Instead, Apple released its latest iPhone models at the same prices as the last two models, or US$799 for the iPhone 14 and $999 for the pro version. Keeping prices constant during inflationary times means iPhones are getting relatively cheaper.
So why isn’t Apple increasing prices? Is it just being kind to its customers, who have fueled tremendous profits for the company over the past decade?
Probably not.
With a gross profit margin of over 40% – meaning that’s how much it makes over the cost of producing all its products and services – Apple can probably afford to absorb increased chip and other component costs.
My best guess, since the smartphone market is fairly competitive, is that Apple is keeping prices the same to build market share in the U.S. – beyond the record 50% it recently hit – so the iPhone remains one of the best-selling smartphones.
So while the cost of almost everything we buy is rising, you can take some comfort in knowing at least one item is getting both better over time and not succumbing to an inflationary price spiral. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/why-apple-can-hold-the-line-on-iphone-prices-as-smartphones-defy-soaring-inflation-and-keep-getting-relatively-cheaper/ | 2022-09-17T19:18:33Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/why-apple-can-hold-the-line-on-iphone-prices-as-smartphones-defy-soaring-inflation-and-keep-getting-relatively-cheaper/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem faced a Friday deadline to appeal a state ethics board’s finding that there was evidence she improperly intervened in her daughter’s application for a real estate appraiser license.
The Government Accountability Board voted unanimously last month that there was enough evidence to believe the Republican governor had committed malfeasance and engaged in a conflict of interest.
Noem has maintained she did nothing wrong, but so far the process has been conducted in private. Neither her office nor her reelection campaign answered questions Friday on whether she would proceed to a contested case hearing that would give her a chance to make her case publicly.
The board took unspecified “action” against the governor, and board member Gene Kean said last month that Friday would be the deadline for Noem to respond.
If there is no public hearing, it’s not clear whether the board will release details of the action it took. The board closed the complaint last month but suggested it could be reopened.
A lawyer who has represented the governor before the board also did not respond to questions.
The Associated Press first reported that shortly after a state agency moved in July 2020 to deny Noem’s daughter, Kassidy Peters, an appraiser license, the governor held a meeting with Peters and key decision-makers in her licensure. Days after the meeting, Peters signed an agreement that gave her another opportunity to meet the licensing requirements. The South Dakota Legislature’s audit committee, controlled by Republicans, unanimously approved a report in May that found Noem’s daughter got preferential treatment.
Noem previously requested the ethics complaint be dismissed without a hearing by arguing that the person who brought it, former Republican Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg, was out for revenge after she successfully pushed for his impeachment and removal from office for his conduct in a 2020 fatal car crash.
In that April motion to the board, Noem’s attorneys also said she could counter the accusations against her. Her campaign spokesman, Ian Fury, on Friday referred a reporter to an August statement that branded the board’s action as “illegal.”
But declining to fight the evidence in a contested case hearing would allow the board’s “action” against her while potentially avoiding further public scrutiny.
The Government Accountability Board, which has never handled such a high-profile case since its inception in 2017, has not publicly said what action it has taken. It has deliberated over the complaints for nearly a year in a series of closed-door meetings, navigating untested laws.
Board member David Gienapp, at the board’s August meeting, verbally moved to invoke a statute — SDCL 3-24-7 — that states the board “shall” hold a contested case hearing “to afford the accused person the opportunity to respond to the allegation.” But the board’s draft minutes, posted two days later, make no mention of that statute. Instead, the draft minutes state that the board acted to “make an initial determination” that the complaint “alleges facts” that the governor engaged in misconduct.
The board’s minutes state that it took “appropriate action,” but the board has kept that action a secret so far. The board is allowed under state law to issue a private reprimand. But the statute says it may take that action at the conclusion of a contested case hearing and after it has determined, by a majority vote, that there has been misconduct.
“Their official actions, whatever they may be, should be a public record,” said David Bordewyk, who directs the South Dakota Newspaper Association and advocates for open records and meeting laws.
“Given the nature of this board, which is to hold public officials accountable, the public has a right to know what those accountability measures are, regardless of the official.”
Board members this week either declined to comment or did not return a request for comment. An attorney hired by the board, Mark Haigh, has previously said it “fully complied” with all the requirements in the laws governing it. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/south-dakota-news/gov-kristi-noem-silent-on-possible-appeal-to-ethics-board/ | 2022-09-17T19:18:52Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/south-dakota-news/gov-kristi-noem-silent-on-possible-appeal-to-ethics-board/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Ghost Rider Engine of Vengeance Gets the HasLab Vehicle Treatment
The toy market is now officially such that a 6-inch-scale vehicle for collector-targeted figures costs too much for big-box retailers, and must be crowdfunded to the tune of $350. (This is why there aren’t so many Fast and Furious toys.) That’s just the reality now, but at least it also allows for added value features like flickering LEDs and bonus figures. The latest vehicle to get the HasLab treatment? The Ghost Rider Engine of Vengeance. That hot ride belonging to Robbie Reyes appeared in live-action on Agents of SHIELD, and while this toy is based on the comics version, it’s pretty close to the TV incarnation as well.
Ghost Rider‘s Engine of Vengeance includes alternate flaming wheels and engine, as well as additional flame parts to transform it from ordinary car to hell ride. The trunk opens, the back seat fits one figure, and two can sit upfront. LEDs light up the flame effects, and the included Ghost Rider figure wields a real metal chain. If the campaign hits 9,000 backers by Sept 23 — it’s at just over 3,300 as of this writing — a human Robbie Reyes figure also gets thrown in.
RELATED: Marvel Legends Ghost Rider Figure Gets Retro-Carded
Additional stretch goals will likely happen. Similar to the G.I. Joe HISS Tank, it’ll probably come with four figures before everything’s said and done. That makes the price tag slightly less devastating, looked at as $100 for four $25 figures, and $250 for the car.
Appropriately, funding closes at the end of the day on Halloween, Oct 31. Take a look through the gallery below for more product details. Will you chip in to fund this beast? Let us know in comments.
Recommended Purchase: Ghost Rider Epic Collection: Hell On Wheels
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/geek-culture/519293-ghost-rider-engine-of-vengeance-gets-the-haslab-vehicle-treatment | 2022-09-17T19:22:46Z | superherohype.com | control | https://www.superherohype.com/geek-culture/519293-ghost-rider-engine-of-vengeance-gets-the-haslab-vehicle-treatment | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
“Tech platforms are notoriously opaque,” the White House complained last week, saying Americans deserve to know more about how online forums decide “when and how to remove content from their sites.” Yet the Biden administration, which routinely pressures social media companies to suppress speech it does not like, is hardly a model of transparency in this area.
In a lawsuit they filed last May, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry and Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt argue that the administration’s “Orwellian” crusade against “misinformation” violates the First Amendment. They are trying to find out more about this “vast ‘Censorship Enterprise’ across a multitude of federal agencies,” and the administration is fighting them every step of the way.
So far, Landry and Schmitt have identified 45 federal officials who “communicate with social media platforms” about curtailing “misinformation.” Emails obtained during discovery show those platforms are desperate to comply with the government’s demands for speech restrictions, including the removal of specific messages and accounts.
On July 16, 2021, President Joe Biden accused Facebook of “killing people” by failing to suppress misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines. That same day, a senior executive at the platform’s parent company emailed Surgeon General Vivek Murthy in an effort to assuage the president’s anger.
“Reaching out after what has transpired over the past few days following the publication of the misinformation advisory, and culminating today in the President’s remarks about us,” the Meta executive wrote. “I know our teams met today to better understand the scope of what the White House expects from us on misinformation going forward.”
Murthy had just published an advisory in which he urged a “whole-of-society” effort, possibly including “legal and regulatory measures,” to combat the “urgent threat to public health” posed by “health misinformation.” Biden’s homicide charge came the next day, and Meta was keen to address the president’s concerns by cracking down on speech that offended him.
Shortly afterward, Landry and Schmitt report, the same executive sent Murthy a text message. “It’s not great to be accused of killing people,” he said, adding that he was “keen to find a way to deescalate and work together collaboratively.”
And so he did. “Thanks again for taking the time to meet earlier today,” the Meta executive said in a July 23, 2021, email to the Department of Health and Human Services. “I wanted to make sure you saw the steps we took just this past week to adjust policies on what we are removing with respect to misinformation.”
The executive bragged that Meta had deleted objectionable pages, groups and Instagram accounts, taken steps to make several pages and profiles “more difficult to find on our platform” and “expanded the group of false claims that we remove.” Other messages show that Twitter was equally eager to fall in line.
Social media companies have a First Amendment right to exercise editorial discretion. But that’s not what is really happening when their decisions are shaped by implicit or explicit threats from the government.
The White House mentioned a few of those threats last week: “antitrust legislation,” privacy regulation and “fundamental reforms” to the law that shields platforms from liability for content posted by users. Given the broad powers that the federal government has to make life difficult for social media companies, the administration’s “asks” for stricter moderation are tantamount to commands.
Federal officials expect obsequious compliance, and that is what they get. This largely surreptitious exercise in censorship by proxy, practiced by an administration that preaches transparency while practicing opacity, is especially troubling because it targets not only demonstrably false claims but also speech that the government considers “misleading” or contrary to the prevailing “consensus.”
Whether the subject is the origins of COVID-19, the effectiveness of face masks or the newsworthiness of Hunter Biden’s laptop, that consensus often proves to be wrong. Both publicly and behind the scenes, federal officials are subverting the free inquiry and open debate required to reveal those errors.
Jacob Sullum is a senior editor at Reason magazine. Follow him on Twitter: @JacobSullum.
Join the Conversation
We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. We reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/09/17/bidens-sneaky-censors-work-to-silence-free-speech/ | 2022-09-17T19:40:06Z | pasadenastarnews.com | control | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/09/17/bidens-sneaky-censors-work-to-silence-free-speech/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The seven official US visits that Queen Elizabeth II made during her reign were tightly controlled and choreographed down to the smallest detail, giving few ordinary Americans a chance to interact with her. Yet on every tour, the monarch managed to make a powerful impression on those she encountered. Here, three of those people reminisce about their brushes with royalty.
2010 stop at 9/11 Memorial, Manhattan
Paula Grant Berry was one of thirteen jurors who selected the design for the 9/11 Memorial in Manhattan. Her husband, financial analyst David Berry, was killed on Sept. 11, 2001, at the World Trade Center.
My boys and I were privileged to meet Queen Elizabeth when she came to commemorate the 9/11 Memorial construction site in 2010.
We were a small group of family members. Most remarkable was her capacity to engage in our loss, one-on-one, in meaningful and substantive conversation.
“She really seemed to care about us and about our experience,” my son Nile, then 17, said at the time. “She asked us what we went through and what happened, and what we learned from it and how we got through it. And I think that she understood, you know?”
I had told my boys, over and over, that 9/11 was a global event, and that it had affected the entire world. Nine years after the fact, I didn’t know to what degree that had filtered in.
But having the Queen of England actually come and visit with them was an extraordinary moment. It reinforced what I’d been trying to say to them all their lives. Her presence and her desire to meet us drove home how significant the event was to the world.
2007 visit to Jamestown, Virginia
Fred Scholpp is a historical interpreter in Jamestown Settlement’s re-created 1610-14 fort, where he’s worked for nearly 40 years. Among his specialties is interpreting 17th-century armor.
When I met the Queen, we were modeling our interpretive methods – teaching history using hands-on and questioning strategies. I had given a young visitor an opportunity to handle reproduction armor when I thought that I should offer it to the Queen, but she declined.
I mentioned that it was a reproduction, knowing that she had the real thing, but that didn’t phase her. When she realized that I had made it, her demeanor changed and she showed great interest and proclaimed it – “Right good!”
She wasn’t necessarily interested in the object but took a great interest that it was my work. I was quite charmed. It was clearly the pinnacle of my career.
1991 stay in Washington, DC
Benedicte Valentiner was the General Manager of Blair House, the official US guest house in Washington, DC, for four presidents. She is the author of “Bedtime and Other Stories from The President’s Guest House.”
During the May 1991 state visit of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip to the White House of President George H.W. Bush, they stayed four days at Blair House, which I managed for more than 13 years.
I was surprised that the Queen was much younger looking than in her photos, with beautiful and flawless skin; throughout the visit, she was dressed charmingly in lovely colors and prints. The Duke of Edinburgh, less imposing, shorter, and much older looking than expected, after arrival, wandered around, hands clasped behind him, inspecting the drawing rooms, turning off lights, and muttering: “What a waste.”
During a strenuous schedule in sweltering, hot, and humid weather I often found the Queen quietly waiting in the Front Hall for her next event. I recall how she seemed to rest in herself, totally detached, but exuding confidence and most of all calm.
Returning after their engagements they always headed for our hospitality table in the Blair Dining Room. Once the Queen, to the delight of my staff, exclaimed: “This is the only place in North America where I can get a bloody good cup of coffee.”
I made 64 flower arrangements, but my large bowl of sweet peas placed in the Queen’s bedroom was removed. “We have no flowers ever in the bedroom,” her dresser said.
Her deputy private secretary gave me the following instructions: “The Queen does not eat shellfish; Prince Philip likes to fish for breakfast; they like afternoon tea: Earl Grey with milk (Chef’s tomato and cheese tea sandwiches became her favorite); they like a dry martini; the Queen also likes a two parts Dubonnet and one part Gin mixed with lemon and ice; no teabags at any time. Never address The Queen or Prince Philip – wait for them to address you. Never touch them.”
Her delegation was fun and appreciative. I was told that being with us was like being “in the lap of luxury” and that Buckingham Palace was rather a “cabbage and potatoes” sort of place.
I shall always wonder how Queen Elizabeth could separate the person from the institution of the monarchy, and how anyone so selflessly could have worked so hard in the interest of her realm. | https://nypost.com/2022/09/17/three-americans-recall-their-visits-with-queen-elizabeth/ | 2022-09-17T19:40:12Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/09/17/three-americans-recall-their-visits-with-queen-elizabeth/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Man wanted for robbery, pushing victim onto CTA Green Line tracks
CHICAGO - Officials are looking for a man who beat and robbed someone at a CTA Green Line station in East Garfield Park Thursday.
Mass Transit Detectives say they're looking for a Black man about 25-35-year-old.
The man pictured above beat and robbed the victim before pushing them onto the train tracks at the Green Line Conservatory/Central Park stop, according to officials.
Police say the incident occurred around 11:51 p.m.
Contact the Bureau of Detectives – Area Central at (312) 745-4706 with any information. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/man-wanted-for-robbery-pushing-victim-onto-cta-green-line-tracks | 2022-09-17T19:49:56Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/man-wanted-for-robbery-pushing-victim-onto-cta-green-line-tracks | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
2 Nurses and Tour Guide Die After Jeep Plunges Off Road Through Colorado’s San Juan Mountains
A narrow path through Colorado’s San Juan mountains is known as one of the most dangerous roads in America. Diana Robles and her aunt Ofelia Figueroa Perez died while in a jeep with a tour guide driver.
Disaster on a terrifying stretch of road popular among tourists.
With sheer cliffs, hair pin turns and no guardrail, a narrow path through Colorado’s San Juan mountains is known as one of the most dangerous roads in America.
Two nurses and their tour guide driver died after their jeep plunged off the road and over a cliff.
A haunting photo of a jubilant Diana Robles was the last taken, shortly before the deadly accident.
The 28-year-old and her aunt Ofelia Figueroa Perez, both hard-working nurses from Yuma, Arizona, were on a vacation in Colorado when they died in what was the second deadly crash in the treacherous area in just a week.
Sister-in-law Diana Figueroa, who was devastated by her family’s loss, spoke to Inside Edition about what happened.
More on our interview with Figueroa can be seen above.
Related Stories
Trending on Inside Edition
Investigation For Descendants of 1921 Tulsa Massacre Continues
NewsQueen Elizabeth II Dead at 96: Everything to Know About the Death of Britain's Longest-Reigning Monarch
RoyalsInside Edition Sets Up a Bait Car in Portland to Catch Smash and Grab Thieves in the Act
Investigative7-Year-Old Drowned With Siblings at Coney Island Beach Allegedly by Mom Found Joy in Football, Coach Says
CrimeSex Trafficking Victim Sentenced to Probation and Ordered to Pay Restitution After Stabbing Rapist to Death
Human Interest | https://www.insideedition.com/2-nurses-and-tour-guide-die-after-jeep-plunges-off-road-through-colorados-san-juan-mountains-76958 | 2022-09-17T19:50:12Z | insideedition.com | control | https://www.insideedition.com/2-nurses-and-tour-guide-die-after-jeep-plunges-off-road-through-colorados-san-juan-mountains-76958 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
One City Offering Cash for Rats in Order to Curb Disease Spread
“Rat to Cash” hopes to curb the spread of disease during the rainy season in Marikina City, a suburb of Manila.
A city in the Philippines has instituted a “Rat to Cash” program,’ offering money in exchange for rodents.
“Rat to Cash” hopes to curb the spread of disease during the rainy season in Marikina City, a suburb of Manila.
Rats can carry a bacteria known as Leptospirosis. It causes a water-borne disease that can be spread through rat urine.
According to the CDC, symptoms of Leptospirosis include fever, headache, and intestinal problems. And it can lead to liver and kidney failure, as well as meningitis.
The program doesn’t necessarily account for the possibility of people getting infected while handling rats, and nor can it prevent people from breeding rats to trade in for money.
But it’s proving popular. At a recent trade-in event, plenty of people showed up with cages and bags of the critters. The going rate for rats is about $3.50.
Related Stories
Trending on Inside Edition
Investigation For Descendants of 1921 Tulsa Massacre Continues
NewsQueen Elizabeth II Dead at 96: Everything to Know About the Death of Britain's Longest-Reigning Monarch
RoyalsInside Edition Sets Up a Bait Car in Portland to Catch Smash and Grab Thieves in the Act
Investigative7-Year-Old Drowned With Siblings at Coney Island Beach Allegedly by Mom Found Joy in Football, Coach Says
CrimeSex Trafficking Victim Sentenced to Probation and Ordered to Pay Restitution After Stabbing Rapist to Death
Human Interest | https://www.insideedition.com/one-city-offering-cash-for-rats-in-order-to-curb-disease-spread-76957 | 2022-09-17T19:50:18Z | insideedition.com | control | https://www.insideedition.com/one-city-offering-cash-for-rats-in-order-to-curb-disease-spread-76957 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Women Who Survived Acid Attacks Now Modeling in New Photo Shoot
Acid attacks are a painful and disfiguring form of violence against women and girls. Perpetrators mean to permanently scar the survivor, reportedly to cause shame, make it hard for the woman to find work, or even enter a loving relationship.
Iranian women who have hidden their faces for far too long are now showing off more than their beauty — they are also exposing the scars left by acid attacks they have survived.
The woman are modeling in a new photo shoot for fashion designer Amen Hadem, who says that she believes women “have beauty beyond exterior looks,” and is using her platform to bring attention to a horrific crime.
Acid attacks are a painful and disfiguring form of violence against women and girls. Perpetrators mean to permanently scar the survivor, reportedly to cause shame, make it hard for the woman to find work, or enter a loving relationship.
One woman, Masumi Attaie, was scarred after having a corrosive substance thrown on her by her father-in-law for divorcing his son. She is now an artist and sculptor.
Another model, Leyla Karibpur, doesn’t know why she was attacked outside of her workplace four years ago. She believes “the public has yet to accept my face.”
But that may change now that Masumi and Leyla were picked by Amen Hadem to model her latest clothing line.
Hadem said “We employ completely different female models to prove that the mere existence of women is beautiful enough.”
According to charity Action Aid, there are about 1,500 acid attacks per year, though many go unreported.
Related Stories
Trending on Inside Edition
Investigation For Descendants of 1921 Tulsa Massacre Continues
NewsQueen Elizabeth II Dead at 96: Everything to Know About the Death of Britain's Longest-Reigning Monarch
RoyalsInside Edition Sets Up a Bait Car in Portland to Catch Smash and Grab Thieves in the Act
Investigative7-Year-Old Drowned With Siblings at Coney Island Beach Allegedly by Mom Found Joy in Football, Coach Says
CrimeSex Trafficking Victim Sentenced to Probation and Ordered to Pay Restitution After Stabbing Rapist to Death
Human Interest | https://www.insideedition.com/women-who-survived-acid-attacks-now-modeling-in-new-photo-shoot-76956 | 2022-09-17T19:50:24Z | insideedition.com | control | https://www.insideedition.com/women-who-survived-acid-attacks-now-modeling-in-new-photo-shoot-76956 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(The Conversation) – Inflation in the U.S. is surging to near a 40-year high, with prices on food, fuel and pretty much everything seeming to rise more every month.
Smartphones may be an exception.
Apple, for example, recently announced its new versions of the iPhone and other gadgets, and turned a lot of heads when it said it wouldn’t charge more despite higher costs to make the devices.
This is puzzling because companies typically raise prices in line with inflation – or at least enough to cover the increased costs of making their products.
Consumer price data tells an even more befuddling story. The latest consumer price index data suggests smartphone prices are actually down 20.4% in August from a year ago, according to an index released on Sept. 13, 2022. That’s the biggest drop of any detailed expenditure item the Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks, and contrasts with the overall 8.3% increase in prices.
What’s going on?
As an economist teaching business school students, I enjoy exploring and explaining these economic puzzles. I believe there are two basic explanations – one for the data and another for Apple.
Why consumer prices on smartphones fell
The story behind the consumer price index data is easier to explain, if a bit technical.
The 20% drop over the past year isn’t unusual for smartphones. In fact, according to the index, they almost always go down from month to month. Since the end of 2019, smartphone prices have come down a whopping 40%.
And though smartphones are showing the biggest drop in the index, tech gear more broadly – from computers to smartwatches – also tend to fall over time. In the previous 12 months, televisions are down 19% and what the government calls information technology commodities are down 8.8%.
Part of the reason for their steady decline is found buried in the Bureau of Labor Statistics website. The consumer price index tries to measure a constant quality of goods and services in the economy. This means it seeks to track the price changes of the exact same set of goods and services each month. It’s comparing the price today with the price of the exact same thing a month or year ago.
For most goods, it’s not really an issue because their quality doesn’t change much over relatively small periods of time. For example, an apple you bite into today is pretty much the same as an apple you ate a year ago.
Smartphones and other technology-heavy gadgets are different. Because smartphones are constantly improving in quality – with the latest updates of an iPhone or Samsung Galaxy awaited breathlessly every year – it is more difficult to ensure you’re comparing prices of products of the exact same quality.
For rapidly improving items, the Bureau of Labor Statistics uses what are called “hedonic regression models” to estimate these changes in quality over time. Hedonic models measure the same amount of satisfaction. While this sounds complicated, the goal is simple: to figure out how much each new smartphone feature changes the price.
As a consumer, you are essentially doing this whenever you decide whether it is worth paying the extra money for that marginally better camera or extended battery life when buying a new phone.
And so, the 20.4% drop doesn’t mean you’re going to pay less for a new smartphone. But it does suggest you’re getting 20% more bang for your buck versus the same phone a year earlier. Whether it’s worth it is another question.
Why Apple kept prices flat
That brings us to why Apple didn’t change its prices, even as the quality of the iPhone improved and supply chain costs went up.
Beyond the quality issues, one of the main ways supply chain problems are affecting phones is in the shortage of computer chips. If there is any product dependent on computer chips, it is smartphones. The shortage has resulted in delays to produce cars, trucks and many other consumer items.
The shortage has also increased the price of semiconductor parts. The U.S. government’s producer price index shows the price of semiconductor parts like chips and wafers steadily rising since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, after falling for years. Chip prices are likely going up 20% in the next year.
For these and other reasons, analysts were expecting Apple to increase its prices.
Instead, Apple released its latest iPhone models at the same prices as the last two models, or US$799 for the iPhone 14 and $999 for the pro version. Keeping prices constant during inflationary times means iPhones are getting relatively cheaper.
So why isn’t Apple increasing prices? Is it just being kind to its customers, who have fueled tremendous profits for the company over the past decade?
Probably not.
With a gross profit margin of over 40% – meaning that’s how much it makes over the cost of producing all its products and services – Apple can probably afford to absorb increased chip and other component costs.
My best guess, since the smartphone market is fairly competitive, is that Apple is keeping prices the same to build market share in the U.S. – beyond the record 50% it recently hit – so the iPhone remains one of the best-selling smartphones.
So while the cost of almost everything we buy is rising, you can take some comfort in knowing at least one item is getting both better over time and not succumbing to an inflationary price spiral. | https://www.wspa.com/news/why-apple-can-hold-the-line-on-iphone-prices-as-smartphones-defy-soaring-inflation-and-keep-getting-relatively-cheaper/ | 2022-09-17T19:53:15Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/why-apple-can-hold-the-line-on-iphone-prices-as-smartphones-defy-soaring-inflation-and-keep-getting-relatively-cheaper/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Petunia was complaining to Bunkey about how boring the flowerbeds were looking. The mums hadn’t started blooming, the phlox were done, some of the lilies hadn’t had their spent blooms cut off and the only thing showing much color were the annuals scattered here and there. She was right, he decided, it did look not only boring but messy. How are yours looking?
If your flowers are looking a bit dull, messy and tired, this is the perfect time to do something about it. Is that phlox taking over its corner? Or maybe you decide you just aren’t in love with it anymore. Dig it out, thin it out, move it to a better spot or just get it out of the garden altogether. Maybe another gardening friend would like a clump for their garden. If you have a wildflower garden, put a chunk in that. Bunkey’s neighbor down the street did that and there are now bits of the phlox popping up in small clumps all over it. Looks quite striking.
Now about those irises that have just outgrown their spots. The garden police won’t come after you if you just thin them and put the rest in the trash. Now is the time to move them around to improve the color combinations. They do better and bloom larger if they are thinned about every three to five years.
If you are lacking color, hie thee to the nearest nursery. They have blooming perennials now. Spring is a nice time to plant as the temperatures are usually cooler but – In fall, the perennials are in full bloom. You can see which plant it the best color for your taste. And as they are fully grown, you can see how tall and generally, how wide they are. Do pay attention to the labels on the pot. If it says “easy to grow” it may mean the stinker grows like Topsy and out grows its spot in two years. Ask questions. The people who grow these plants know their bad habits if they have any. Some, like the purple coneflower, loves family so much she throws her seeds all over the garden and soon you have dozens of her babies popping up in the middle of an iris clump, under a lily, in the grass; she is not a good neighbor.
If your soil is not the best, when you plant a new plant, you may need to amend the soil for best results. Bags of garden soil and compost are usually cheaper this time of year. Mix them half and half in the planting hole, pop in the new plant and water well.
Do water at least an inch a week in the garden, on the lawn and around your mature trees. The hot dry winds can wreak havoc on any growing tree or plant if we don’t get rain each week. Yes, big trees need to be watered too. Hot dry winds pull moisture from the leaves, the more leaves the more moisture loss. The roots of a tree are only about 18 inches deep and a third wider than the drip line so don’t just water around the trunk.
Don’t be in a hurry to deadhead annuals you like. Let a few of them go to seed. You will get free plants next summer. If you don’t particularly like that idea, deadhead like mad as this will keep the annuals in full bloom till frost. Do deadhead perennials as leaving seed heads reduce the flowers next year. The plant wants to set seeds, you want flowers. You are bigger, deadhead! Plant now, enjoy now and next year.
Discuss the news on NABUR, a place to have local conversations The Neighborhood Alliance for Better Understanding and Respect ✔ A site just for our local community ✔ Focused on facts, not misinformation ✔ Free for everyone | https://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/lifestyle/garden-update/article_0e87867a-35e5-11ed-8e05-63dfba01bcf3.html | 2022-09-17T19:57:23Z | fergusfallsjournal.com | control | https://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/lifestyle/garden-update/article_0e87867a-35e5-11ed-8e05-63dfba01bcf3.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Elections have always been divisive. But in more recent times, the rancor has increased.
Years ago we used to see mostly just candidates going after each other, but now it seems that everyone and everything is politically charged.
Granted, there are a lot of issues to be concerned about going into the next two years.
While it’s not a presidential election this year, a lot seems to be at stake with the U.S. Congress, state and local offices.
I always remember growing up and seeing the few vocal people that were politically active being loud and boisterous, but now it seems like wherever you go, it pops up. At stores, restaurants, churches, weddings and funerals.
There used to be something called decorum. Webster’s Dictionary defines this as “behavior in keeping with good taste and propriety.”
It was always drilled into me growing up and in my early youth that there were two things you were never supposed to bring up in public, so as not to create a scene or awkward moment. Politics and religion.
I guess I recall this changing around the late 1990’s, or maybe it was earlier. Politics was always something people knew not to bring up – unless they wanted a reaction. Religion was definitely not something you brought up.
Both of the two don’ts of conversation now seem to be right up in our faces and with no warning sometimes.
Whether it be one issue or another it seems like everything is front and center with no sign of tapering off. The hot-button issues change frequently as well, depending on current circumstances.
Maybe the pandemic brought it to the level it is now. There is no doubt in my mind that it most certainly had an impact. A lot of the government’s reaction, policies and mandates in the beginning were questionable to say the least. We had never been through anything like that in any of our lifetimes.
It made most people question what our core beliefs really were.
The economy the last few years certainly didn’t help either, with record prices, product shortages, supply chain issues and the like.
But the biggest loss has been that of our civility. Our ability to respect other people’s opinions and beliefs. I’ve always thought that once civility goes out the window, a society is then in danger of collapsing,
Are we there yet, or is there hope it will change? Once the door is opened, can it be closed again?
Mark Twain had a very interesting quote from the beginning of the 20th Century, “Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to reform (or pause and reflect).” — from Mark Twain’s Clemens’ Notebook, circa 1904.
Maybe it is time to just pause and reflect and make sure that we are going down the right road. | https://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/opinion/civility/article_2e4049d0-3445-11ed-8662-a3156b190bcb.html | 2022-09-17T19:57:29Z | fergusfallsjournal.com | control | https://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/opinion/civility/article_2e4049d0-3445-11ed-8662-a3156b190bcb.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
So I finally made it. Man, how I’ve waited for this stage in life.
After years of being pregnant, breastfeeding, snuggling little ones in the middle of the night and cleaning up LEGOs off the floor day and night (after first stepping on them) I’m finally here.
Free at last. Free at last. Free. At. Last.
By free, I mean a stage in life where chaos no longer rings supreme. As much as I indulged and relished that stage, I celebrate (to an extent) its end.
I can put pillows on the bed (neatly) in the morning and know they will still be in place when I go to bed at night. I can put the cat food or water in a dish on the floor and rest assured that no one will touch it, turn it upside down or try to drink or eat it.
I clean the windows and mirrors and they stay spotless. Same goes for the kitchen floor and countertops.
For a person who self-actualizers over order, it is a piece of heaven on earth. Except for one tiny factor (or two): grandchildren.
They came to visit last weekend and I was reminded of the beauty of chaos. I was reminded of the loneliness a beautifully-made, pillow-filled — albeit empty — bed can create.
After a weekend with my grands I’ve come to a couple of conclusions. Pillows be damned. A clean kitchen can check itself at the door for all I care. Give me those grand babies — those messy, sticky, sweet and lovable grand babies — chaos and all.
They’ve visited me a few times this summer. We went into town to the candy store. We rode on the pontoon to the sand bar. We stayed up late, way past our bedtimes, putting together puzzles and crafting at the kitchen table. We picked veggies from the garden and tasted them right there. We found apples that had fallen from the apple tree and make homemade apple crisp. We watched the eagle’s nest, caught fish, witnessed loons with babies on their back and saw snapping turtles hatch. It’s been a magical time. Nothing short of it. At least for me. I can’t speak for my grands; I hope they feel the same way.
After their first visit in June, I noticed the hallway mirror. It’s a full-length type, reaching from the floor to near the ceiling. At the bottom were numerous handprints, of the childhood variety. They’d obviously found themselves in the mirror and couldn’t help touching and leaving a visible reminder of their presence.
I remember a similar instance with our dog, Daisy, years ago, except instead of fingerprints on the mirror, she left nose prints on the window. After Daisy passed over her rainbow bridge, I noticed the nose prints, and for the longest time couldn’t bring myself to wash them away. It was like washing her away.
I feel the same about the handprints on the mirror. I know they are fleeting. I know these days of magic are short lived in the big scheme of things.
So, despite my orderly nature, I walk by those fingerprints every day and smile. I think maybe I should clean them, but I know I won’t. At least not for a while.
They are too close to precious memories. They serve as a representation of the squeals and giggles and marshmallows and freezies eaten this summer. They are a reminder that childhood is ephemeral. Handprints start out low on the mirror and rise higher and higher each year until they gradually disappear along with the stickiness and innocence of childhood.
So for now — for beyond now — I celebrate sticky. I celebrate the simple beauty of a visit to the candy store or picking tomatoes, pulling carrots, plucking zinnias from the garden or finding magic apples on the ground as seen through a child’s eyes.
It is nothing short of magic — much more for me than for them. I am the winner in this equation.
So I celebrate visits to the lake. Chaos and all. Fingerprints and all. Especially the fingerprints, the lessons they teach and the perspective they bring. I wouldn’t give them up for the world. And if you visit me next summer, they might well still be here.
And you’ll know why.
Jill Pertler is an award-winning syndicated columnist, published playwright and author. Don’t miss a slice; follow the Slices of Life page on Facebook. | https://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/opinion/fingerprints-on-the-mirror/article_8b04597c-35ee-11ed-9fb6-b7164a7b1156.html | 2022-09-17T19:57:35Z | fergusfallsjournal.com | control | https://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/opinion/fingerprints-on-the-mirror/article_8b04597c-35ee-11ed-9fb6-b7164a7b1156.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Many people from Fergus Falls and throughout Otter Tail County love Itasca State Park and the headwaters of the Mississippi River. It’s likely that nobody loved this park more than the late Ken Berg who worked in the art department at Otter Tail Power Company.
Ken’s love for Itasca Park rubbed off on his wife, Ruth and their four children, Tim, Deb, Paul and Lisa. The family took their camper to Itasca Park many times over the years.
“My dad used to say, ‘This is my park, but I let everyone use it,’ an indication of how much he loved Itasca State Park,” said daughter Deb Berg Nelson.
“We started camping in 1967,” Deb said. “With a rented travel trailer only to begin our Itasca camping experiences in earnest later that year in a bus. It was a converted Flexible passenger bus which we called the Bergs Blunderbus. Dad lettered that in the front on the panel where the destination is normally displayed.”
All of their bikes were loaded on a rack on the top of the bus which caused many to wonder if the Berg family was traveling with a circus.
“What a crew we were,” Deb said. “Our favorite campsite was A1 in the lower Bear Paw Campground.”
Ken and Ruth would walk along Lake Itasca from the campground to Douglas Lodge for breakfast during the summer months. Ken referred friends to the one-room log cabins for overnight lodging at the Bear Paw Campground.
Because Ken did all of the artwork for Otter Tail Power Company free hand (no computers at that time, only overhead projectors and slide shows), he often brought work along that he could do at the Itasca Park picnic tables.
“My three siblings and I were willing participants and often he assigned us artwork that we could do to help,” Deb said. “We loved those work weekends and I guess you could say we were pioneers in working remotely.”
Preachers Grove at Itasca State Park was Ken’s favorite outdoors location and Lawrence Welk was one of his favorite TV shows.
“Dad passed away in the fall of 1996 and the following summer all our family was together as we traveled to Itasca to scatter some of his ashes,” Deb said.
“We went to Preachers Grove, with bottles of bubble blowing solution, and as we scattered his ashes we channeled our inner Lawrence Welk and sang the ‘Goodnight’ song and filled the Grove with bubbles. It was a loving tribute to my Dad who so much loved Itasca State Park.”
The CCC and Itasca State Park
Those of us who admire Itasca State Park owe a lot to the young men who labored during the 1930s as part of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC).
The program was initiated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt with the goal to provide jobs related to the conservation and development of federal and state rural lands.
At Itasca Park the CCC crews hauled 40,000 cubic yards of fill to create a 44-foot dam topped with stepping stones across the headwaters of the Mississippi River.
The Old Timers Cabin, a short hiking distance along Lake Itasca from Douglas Lodge, became one of the first CCC-built state park structures. The cabin was constructed of logs so large that just four of them made an entire wall.
By June 1933, CCC projects at Itasca State Park were off and running, along with projects at other locations across Minnesota. Men also were at work at various places in Otter Tail County. The CCC was in operation until 1942.
Each CCC camp was located in the area of conservation work to be performed. Up to 200 civilian enrollees comprised a company unit.
Be sure to visit this fabulous state park, only 20 miles north of Park Rapids. | https://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/opinion/ken-berg-loved-itasca-state-park/article_c1e3b24e-354e-11ed-bf7d-5ba55c29f49b.html | 2022-09-17T19:57:42Z | fergusfallsjournal.com | control | https://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/opinion/ken-berg-loved-itasca-state-park/article_c1e3b24e-354e-11ed-bf7d-5ba55c29f49b.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
When I found out that I would be the author of a column, I was so excited. Writing a column is something I have wanted to do since I was old enough to read a newspaper. I loved the idea of sharing observations, perspectives and experiences with the community. So, when I got the message that I would be writing this column, I wanted to spread the news. I wanted to post it on Facebook and send a text to everyone in my address book. I wanted the world to know. In the end, I was able to restrain myself. I only told my family and a few close friends. The idiom – don’t count your chickens before they hatch – came to mind. As I thought about sharing my exciting news that morning, I realized that the person I most wanted to tell was my dad. He has been gone for almost 13 years now and there are still times I miss him very much. This was one of those times.
I recall another day a few years ago when I missed him almost as much. I decided to rent a space at the Chief Wenonga Days craft fair in Battle Lake. I make, among other things, beaded Legend of the Christmas Spider ornaments and jewelry. In preparation for the day, I bought a canopy to protect myself and my treasures from the weather. I thought it would be a good idea to set up the canopy at least once before I needed it, so I could get it up quickly and efficiently the morning of the craft show.
The evening before the big event I went out to my backyard to practice. As I worked with the canopy, I became frustrated. It was not going well at all. I needed help. I needed my dad. I knew he would have found a solution. He always did when it came to those kinds of things.
The next day, I arrived in Battle Lake with my dad still on my mind. It was a struggle, but I got the canopy up. I set up my jewelry in the shade on one side of the space and my spiders on the other side where the sunlight caught the sparkle of the beads.
Later that morning, I noticed that a dragonfly had joined the display of spiders. It would land on one spider for a while and then choose another and then another. I called out to the woman in the neighboring space, “Look at this dragonfly.” She watched it for a bit and said, “You know what they would say?” Yes, I did know what they would say. They would say that a dragonfly carries the spirit of a loved one to you. Moments after she said that the dragonfly flew over to where I was sitting and landed on my hand. I was astonished. It rested on my hand for a while then flew away. That was the last I saw of it.
You may be wondering if I believe the spirit of my father came to visit me on the wings of a dragonfly that day. No, not really. But it did somehow make me feel closer to him. So much so, that as many times as I have retold this story, I still tear up.
Now all this may sound silly coming from a 59-year-old woman. But I would guess that most of us who have lost a loved one have moments when we want nothing more than to pick up the phone and talk with them. That, mom or dad, husband or wife, or anyone we were in relationship with, shared years or maybe even decades with us. They were an integral part of our lives. Perhaps they were the one who knew you best. Maybe, they were the ones who could be trusted to always keep confidence. It could be that they always made you laugh. Regardless of the trait, the desire for that relationship doesn’t die with the individual. It will likely be with us for the rest of our lives.
I now know my dad is always with me. He shares my joys and my sorrows. He celebrates with me. He commiserates with me. I might even hear his wisdom now and then. All of this happens from deep within my heart where I carry him. The dragonfly reminded me of that.
My wish for you is to have some sort of experience like I did with the dragonfly. It is a little reminder that your loved one is safely tucked away in your heart. Through good times and bad, they are always with you, just like my dad is with me.
Discuss the news on NABUR, a place to have local conversations The Neighborhood Alliance for Better Understanding and Respect ✔ A site just for our local community ✔ Focused on facts, not misinformation ✔ Free for everyone | https://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/opinion/on-the-wings-of-a-dragonfly/article_fa170a5a-35e7-11ed-9d09-77fb407c6e05.html | 2022-09-17T19:57:48Z | fergusfallsjournal.com | control | https://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/opinion/on-the-wings-of-a-dragonfly/article_fa170a5a-35e7-11ed-9d09-77fb407c6e05.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
It was time, past time, to clean out the she shed. “What is a she shed?” Well, in this case it’s a storage shed containing all my supplies for canning, painting and Christmas decorations, as well as our camping gear. It’s a she shed because I have control over what goes in and what does not. It is also my sole responsibility to keep it organized, tidy and to know what’s inside. While It’s pretty on the outside, the inside was getting so crowded there was hardly room to pass gas.
Three tubs of mom’s stuff have resided in the shed since we moved in 2009. She’s been with Jesus since 2013 and the awareness of my need to dive into those tubs worked on me like a toothache. It was time. I’ve only been accused of procrastination once in my life. Typically, I’m a roll up your sleeves and get it done kind of gal … but this is different. Eric and I moved mom out of three different residences and I needed a break. Ok, so the break has gone on far too long, and the toothache was starting to get annoying. I dutifully carried three tubs and two boxes into the house preparing for the agonizing task of wading through old pictures and junk.
Where do you start on such a project? The boxes and tubs sat in a corner of the living room until a day when it was too hot to be outside. We all know there is plenty to do outdoors, so I could procrastinate a few more days. With a hot spell in mid-August, I decided to take the plunge. The first three tubs were indeed mom’s. The two cardboard boxes were mine! Oops! I found lovely glass dishes I forgot I had, which now reside at the Salvation Army Thrift Store. I also discovered a heavy glass cake plate with a domed cover that I couldn’t part with, although I can’t remember having it! I know, right? Does that ever happen to you? The treasure presides on the serving counter of my kitchen. I made muffins to put in it to justify its importance. OK, I confess, most of the time it sits empty, but no one is challenging its right to be there.
The next box held my metal orthotics from when I was 12! I wore them until my teen years when foot pain was preferred over unfashionable shoes. It also was home to my head-gear, which I was supposed to wear 24 hours a day. That lasted for two school days until I decided I’d rather die than to be seen with such a contraption. Underneath those treasures I found three scrapbooks. Whose are these? As I paged through them, I realized they were mine! Having no recollection of being a scrapbooker, I paged through the first book finding programs from high school plays, newspaper clippings of basketball games and ribbons from every track meet I ever participated in. Continuing through the books I found graduation pictures of my friends and jewels that only I would cherish. I decided to keep the scrapbooks indoors until after my next class reunion. Then I’ll decide what to do with all the memories. It occurred to me that some of these things could be saved for my funeral. Oh dear, let’s not go there. Lastly, I found my journal. I kept a journal? As I wandered through the boxes, memories washed over me. I began to recall spending quiet weekends painstakingly taping school memorabilia into the scrapbooks. Reading the journal brought back even more memories. I noticed by the middle of my senior year mementoes were simply stuffed into my book, but never organized and certainly not taped. I must have gotten a life!
As I continued, my living room became littered with memories dating back to 1965. In spite of the mess, I decided to put off making decisions of what to keep until I opened every container. Procrastination? Happily, I found items belonging to my children. No decision there, they get them back. I quickly packed them up for prompt delivery. Then it was time to attack mom’s three tubs. (At least I hoped they were hers) Yes indeed! The first tub held pictures organized by year in plastic storage bags. Wow, amazing organization. The next held obituaries and mementoes of family members. A letter fell on the floor and I reached down to pick it up and started to read. It was something I wrote to my dad in 2008. Why did they save that? As I read, I realized how important it is to write to the people we love. Reading it brought tears as I thought of dad reading my memories of being “daddy’s girl”. As I sifted through the containers I became emotionally and physically exhausted. However, with all I had thrown or given away, the remaining items fit into three smallish tubs. I decided they were too precious to keep in the she shed. They now reside in a closet. I’ll deal with them another time.
Have you ever moved or cleaned out closets or spaces where you were forced to travel down memory lane? Did you find treasures you forgot you had? How did you deal with them? Do you also suffer from undiagnosed procrastination? | https://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/opinion/procrastination/article_9715c58a-3552-11ed-b245-3b8090ff27a5.html | 2022-09-17T19:57:54Z | fergusfallsjournal.com | control | https://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/opinion/procrastination/article_9715c58a-3552-11ed-b245-3b8090ff27a5.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
After not receiving an invitation to the Queen’s funeral at Westminster Abbey, former President Donald Trump was invited to a memorial service for the late monarch in Washington, D.C.
Only President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden were sent invitations to the funeral in London on Monday. According to The Independent, Trump, as well as all other living former U.S. presidents, received invitations to the service, which will be held on Wednesday, September 21, at the Washington National Cathedral.
As of Saturday morning, none of the former presidents, Trump, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, George Bush, nor Jimmy Carter, have confirmed their attendance at the Washington memorial service.
The Bidens are flying to the United Kingdom on Saturday. On Sunday, President Biden plans to meet the U.K.’s new prime minister, Liz Truss, before attending the Queen’s funeral.
The invitations to the Queen’s funeral sparked controversy overseas since her death, as it was unclear if only the sitting president would receive an invite, or whether the invitation would also extend to former presidents—including one involved in numerous investigations.
There was some speculation that President Biden would have to make the call to invite his predecessor. Jake Tapper said on “The Lead,” that he thought it was “fascinating” that “it’s going to basically be left up to President Biden as to whether or not he brings other presidents with him to the Queen’s funeral.”
Twitter content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Earlier this week, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre put an end to such speculation: “The invitation was extended to the US government for the President and the First Lady only.”
On top of this royal drama, transportation to the Queen’s funeral has come under scrutiny, as foreign dignitaries have been asked to travel by commercial planes and share buses to travel to the service; helicopters and private state cars have been banned. Biden is one of a few exceptions, who is allowed to travel in his protected limo, known as “The Beast.”
“Can you imagine Joe Biden on the bus?” one foreign ambassador said in a WhatsApp message last weekend. Other foreign leaders are now requesting the Biden treatment.
More Great Stories From Vanity Fair
Where to Watch This Year’s Emmy-Winning Shows
Prince William Wants to “Keep Things as Normal as Possible” After Queen Elizabeth’s Death
How Donald Trump Follows in the Footsteps of a Notorious Con Artist
The Biggest Films to Come Out of the Toronto International Film Festival
At Home With LeBron James and His Family
Is TikTok Turning Fashion Week Into Pure Chaos?
Lindsey Graham, World-Renowned Hypocrite, Says He Looks Forward to Passing Nationwide Abortion Ban
Lily Tomlin Says Jane Fonda Is “Indomitable” Following Cancer Diagnosis
How a Modernist Building in Hitchcock’s North by Northwest Changed Cinema Forever
Cover Story: Olivia Wilde on Don’t Worry Darling, “Baseless Rumors”—And Everything Else
From the Archive: The Dynastic Struggle That Rocked Queen Elizabeth’s Marriage
Listen to VF’s Still Watching Podcast for Ongoing Analysis of House of the Dragon | https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/09/former-president-donald-trump-gets-invite-to-memorial-service-for-the-queen | 2022-09-17T19:58:47Z | vanityfair.com | control | https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/09/former-president-donald-trump-gets-invite-to-memorial-service-for-the-queen | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
We live in an instant age, where we get and expect things at the click of our fingers. We want youngsters to become champions instantly and when they do, we are ready to bring them down just as quickly.
But there’s a famous quote that goes, “Slowly is the fastest way to get to where you want to be”. And 17-year-old Linda Fruhvirtova seems very well aware of that as she takes a long-term view when it comes to her tennis career.
Ever since she won Les Petits As in 2020, the elder of the two Fruhvirtova sisters - yes there is a younger one, Brenda, and yes, she’s a pretty darn good player herself - has had the label of a potential Grand Slam winner and top player thrust on her.
“Since I was really young, we always had a lot of attention, even if it was the national u-10 tournament," Fruhvirtova said. "I’m kind of used to people watching how I am going to do.
"However, in tennis, as soon as you lose two matches, people say, 'Oh, she’s going down' and then you win two matches and they go 'She’s a star.' You can’t really focus on what other people are saying. That’s not where my focus is going.”
Get to know the new wave of Czech teens ready for impact
This week, the Fruhvirtova sisters took another step towards their dream of competing side-by-side on the global stage. On Saturday, Linda defeated 2020 French Open semifinalist Nadia Podoroska in Chennai to reach her first Hologic WTA Tour final. She will face Poland's Magda Linette on Sunday.
Halfway across the world, Brenda won her 24th match in a row on the ITF Circuit to make a final in Santa Margherita di Pula, Italy. Her recent run puts her on course to make the cut for the Australian Open qualifying draw.
Linda, who described her fighting spirit and her giving it her all attitude as her biggest strength, does a pretty good job of tuning out the noise. She insists she hasn’t set any specific ranking goals for the year ahead. She would rather focus on continuous improvement.
“I don’t think I’m in the position yet to think that I have to be Top 50 or Top 60 by end of the season or by the end of the summer," Fruhvirtova said. "I would really like to be in the position where I can play the main draws of the big tournaments and the Grand Slams."
A self-confessed Serena Williams and Roger Federer fan, Fruhvirtova has been fortunate enough to meet both the icons and says she has nothing but respect for the two. And even as she is sad to see both hang up their racquets over these past few weeks, she says it is a sign of a changing of the guard.
"This day had to come although we wish it didn’t," she said. "It’s like the end of an era. And now the generations are changing. New players are coming, like Alcaraz. I think now is the time of a generation change.”
With younger sister Brenda already ranked inside the Top 200 before her 16th birthday, the Fruhvirtovas are among the leading candidates to fill in some of the void left by the departure of the GOATs. Linda is in no rush.
“We can see that it (winning a Grand Slam as a teenager) is possible but I don’t think it is possible to dominate and win many Slams at age of 15 or 16 like it was in the past," Fruhvirtova said. "Of course, you want to win the Grand Slams as soon as possible but I don’t care whether I win one when I’m in 19 or 20. I am just going to try my best and we will see.”
Like the Williams sisters, the Fruhvirtova sisters are also super close and Linda can’t wait to travel alongside her fast-rising sister to the same tournaments.
“It looks like we are going to go together to Australia which is really exciting," she said. "She has been playing unbelievably well. She’s a very tough opponent for any player and I think she will be fine even at the bigger tournaments.”
And although they have dreamed of playing Grand Slam finals between themselves, Linda was a bit stumped when I asked her if she would prefer beating her younger sister in a first Grand Slam final for both or another player.
"It has two sides but I wouldn't reject it," Fruhvirtova said, laughing. "If we both get to the final together and it's our first time, if one would win, I believe the other would have a chance to win another one for sure.
"It would be pretty unbelievable. Especially for our parents, they wouldn't care who wins."
While the tennis world can’t wait for its next Sister Act at the top of the game, the Fruhvirtovas are in no hurry. But rest assured that when they do get there, they will be ready. | https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2795057/linda-fruhvirtova-in-no-rush-to-become-tennis-next-teenage-star | 2022-09-17T19:58:47Z | wtatennis.com | control | https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2795057/linda-fruhvirtova-in-no-rush-to-become-tennis-next-teenage-star | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
After Judge Aileen Cannon appointed Trump’s special master pick, Judge Raymond Dearie, and continued to block the Justice Department's review of classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday, the DOJ asked a federal appeals court on Friday to stay the judge’s order and permit the review.
“The district court has entered an unprecedented order enjoining the Executive Branch’s use of its own highly classified records in a criminal investigation with direct implications for national security,” the Friday filing said, “The government and the public would suffer irreparable harm absent a stay” of the order.
For background, on September 5, Judge Cannon granted Trump’s request to temporarily prohibit the Justice Department from continuing to review the classified materials, while still allowing the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to continue its examination. Days later on September 8, the Justice Department said it would appeal Cannon’s ruling, saying that it will “seek relief from the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit if the court didn’t grant a stay by September 15.” So it did. (In the Eleventh Circuit, six of the 11 justices were nominated by Trump, according to The Hill.)
On Thursday, Cannon denied the DOJ’s motion, writing: “The Court does not find it appropriate to accept the Government’s conclusions on these important and disputed issues without further review by a neutral third party in an expedited and orderly fashion.”
In Thursday’s ruling, Judge Cannon also selected one of former President Donald Trump’s nominees—Judge Dearie—for special master to conduct the review of the documents seized in the August 8 search of Mar-a-Lago. Judge Dearie was the former chief judge of the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York and served as a former judge of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. Legal experts predicted Dearie would be chosen for the job.
Judge Cannon was appointed by Trump in 2020. Legal experts have repeatedly questioned Cannon’s rulings. John Dean, the former White House counsel for President Nixon, tweeted: “Judge Cannon is treating Trump like a King temporarily out of power. It is disgusting!”
Twitter content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Former Mueller prosecutor Andrew Weissmann said on MSNBC on Friday that he thought Judge Cannon is giving Trump preferential treatment, which "is a violation of a judge's oath of office to treat every individual the same. The fact that he is the former president doesn't mean he get treated worse, but it does not mean, as she did, that he's treated better."
Dearie has already requested all of the lawyers to meet at the Brooklyn federal courthouse on Tuesday to discuss the document review. Dearie will be tasked with reviewing the 11,000 records to determine whether they belong to the former president, and whether they are protected by executive privilege or attorney-client privilege.
More Great Stories From Vanity Fair
Where to Watch This Year’s Emmy-Winning Shows
Prince William Wants to “Keep Things as Normal as Possible” After Queen Elizabeth’s Death
How Donald Trump Follows in the Footsteps of a Notorious Con Artist
The Biggest Films to Come Out of the Toronto International Film Festival
At Home With LeBron James and His Family
Is TikTok Turning Fashion Week Into Pure Chaos?
Lindsey Graham, World-Renowned Hypocrite, Says He Looks Forward to Passing Nationwide Abortion Ban
Lily Tomlin Says Jane Fonda Is “Indomitable” Following Cancer Diagnosis
How a Modernist Building in Hitchcock’s North by Northwest Changed Cinema Forever
Cover Story: Olivia Wilde on Don’t Worry Darling, “Baseless Rumors”—And Everything Else
From the Archive: The Dynastic Struggle That Rocked Queen Elizabeth’s Marriage
Listen to VF’s Still Watching Podcast for Ongoing Analysis of House of the Dragon | https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/09/judge-raymond-dearie-appointed-special-master-to-review-mar-a-lago-documents | 2022-09-17T19:58:47Z | vanityfair.com | control | https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/09/judge-raymond-dearie-appointed-special-master-to-review-mar-a-lago-documents | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
He has yet to be crowned, but it seems the public has already made up their minds. King Charles III is already The People’s King if today’s walkabout at Lambeth Bridge in London and the past week is anything to go by.
This morning, after conducting official audiences at Buckingham Palace and ahead of tomorrow’s State Reception for visiting Heads of State ahead of Monday’s funeral, the new King was driven to Lambeth Bridge to meet with some of the hundreds of thousands of people who were queuing to see the late Queen Elizabeth II lying in state at Westminster Hall.
Joined by his eldest son Prince William, now heir apparent and Prince of Wales, father and son conducted an impromptu walkabout which lifted the spirits of those who had queued overnight (the longest wait was 24 hours) in the cold, so that they could pay their respects to the late monarch.
Charles and William worked different lengths of the crowd, and it was clear they were both amazed by the turnout (the queue stretches back to Tower Bridge) and deeply touched by the warm words of support from those they met.
Charles was keen to know where the people had come from and how long they had been waiting, assuring them “it isn’t long now.”
William told the crowds they were “doing incredibly well” before checking to see if they could still feel their fingers and toes and apologizing for the long wait.
Charles, who famously hates selfies and can’t bear mobile phones, used the occasion to implement a new request. Those greeting the king were politely asked by his bodyguards to “please put your phones down and enjoy the moment.”
The sea of mobile phones at every moment of this national grieving has been ubiquitous. It has also resulted in a sometimes strange atmosphere of half-clapping as people cheer on the king, whilst trying hard not to drop their smartphones.
One hopes this might become part of the protocol when it comes to meeting Charles III but given people want to record the moment for posterity, one suspects smartphones will continue to annoy Charles as much as his leaky ink pens.
Since his mother’s death, the King has visited all four kingdoms of Great Britain with a common purpose for each fleeting trip; to honor the memory of his beloved mother, the Queen, and to meet as many people as he can.
In the past week, he has met hundreds of people and shaken thousands of hands, appearing to draw as much comfort from the public as they have from seeing their new king.
At a time when the nation is mourning its queen of seventy years, the fact that we had a new king the moment the queen’s heart stopped beating is a soothing balm to a nation during this time of transition and great flux.
While plans for this moment – known as London Bridge – have been in place for many years, the reaction to the Queen’s death and the reception of the new King could not be planned for.
Fortunately for Charles, he has been embraced. “You are doing a great job,” one person in the crowd shouted out to him, and there were cries of “Long Live the King.”
That will, no doubt, give Charles strength over the coming days.
More Great Royal Stories From Vanity Fair
Remembering the Life and Legacy of Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth’s Incredible Pop-Culture Impact
Inside Queen Elizabeth II’s Lifetime of Diplomacy
The Queen With Her Family Over the Years
Inside Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s First Meeting
How Meghan and Harry’s Royal Exit Affected the Queen and Crown
From the Archive: The Dynastic Struggle That Rocked Queen Elizabeth’s Marriage
Listen to DYNASTY, Your Guide to the Unimaginable Secrets and Unyielding Power of the Royal Family | https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2022/09/king-charles-iii-and-prince-william-make-surprise-visit | 2022-09-17T19:58:48Z | vanityfair.com | control | https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2022/09/king-charles-iii-and-prince-william-make-surprise-visit | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
By day and night, the vigil continues. “The Queue”—as it is now known as an entity in its own right—snakes in the darkness along the River Thames past London’s famous bridges and up to the grand 900-year-old Hall of Westminster, where Queen Elizabeth II lies in state.
It is Friday night, darkness has crept in, and it’s getting chilly. Along with the hundreds and thousands of people who have come to pay respects are volunteers in high visibility jackets lining the route and handing out blue fleece blankets to keep people warm. We Brits like a queue, but this really is a queue like no other. You might see a celebrity (David Beckham and TV presenter Susannah Reid have been seen waiting in line with members of the public handing out doughnuts and trying to stay incognito) You might get served pizza by the Archbishop of York who ordered a takeaway and sung hymns with royal fans in the queue to keep spirits up.
At one point during the day, when officials stopped people from joining the queue as waiting times doubled from 12 to 24 hours, another queue formed to join The Queue. It really could only happen in Britain.
Even when the temperature dropped, feet were sore from standing, and all the snacks had run out, spirits were not dampened. People had traveled to Westminster from around the country and from around the world. One man I spoke with had come all the way from India. Some were with parents and grandparents, others wanted to bring their children, and by the end of “The Queue,” everyone had made new friends.
“It’s an amazing atmosphere here, and we just had to come to say we have been a part of it and to pay our respects,” Karen Burton, a mother of three (the youngest being just six), told V.F. Carrying her youngest in her arms she added: “Yes, it’s been a long wait, and there’s been a fair amount of sugar bribes to keep the children happy, but I know it will be worth it.” It is a sentiment echoed by everyone in front and behind her. Richard Van Ness, a Londoner whose Order of Chivalry for voluntary work was pinned to his overcoat, said it was a moment in time he will remember forever. “I came alone, but I have made friends these past 14 hours. I came to see the Queen Mother lie in state in 2002, and the queue was an hour long. This is unlike anything I have ever seen.”
Indeed it was. Upon entering the Great Hall, where Charles I was tried in 1649 at the end of the Civil War, you are immediately struck by the silence, scale, and overwhelming sense that history is being made within these hallowed historic halls. Two hours before I visited, King Charles III and his siblings, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward, stood vigil alongside the coffin, which sits on a grand and imposing catafalque draped in purple silk and the Royal Standard adorned with the Imperial State Crown the Sceptre and the Orb.
The coffin atop the catafalque is a sight to behold, and I felt the hairs on my neck stand on end as I passed it to access the press viewing gallery. The Imperial State Crown gleams beneath the spotlights placed high up in the incredible hammer-beam ceiling adorned with angels. The roof is breathtaking and as large and cavernous as the bowels of a ship.
It is so silent you can hear a pin drop. The sound of shoes and boots is muffled by the carpeted walkway. The soldiers standing guard are statue-still.
Every twenty minutes, you are jolted back to reality with the rapping of the duty officer’s staff upon the marble floor for the changing of the guard. | https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2022/09/thousands-of-mourners-pay-homage-to-queen-elizabeth-ii | 2022-09-17T19:58:48Z | vanityfair.com | control | https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2022/09/thousands-of-mourners-pay-homage-to-queen-elizabeth-ii | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
“Tales From The Queue” is lining up to be the great unforeseen story emerging from London following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Loyal British subjects and international well-wishers have arrived in droves to pay last respects at Westminster Hall, where the late queen's coffin is lying in state. The longest reported time spent standing alongside the Thames River is a full 24 hours, and on Saturday, King George III and Prince William walked among the people to boost spirits as they waited. A wristband system has been deployed to allow people to step out for brief periods to get food or answer the call of nature.
It’s not the typical setting for celebrities who are more accustomed to having things hand-delivered to them, but some have suffered through it for the sake of being a part of history. Tilda Swinton, recently at the Venice Film Festival for the premiere of Joanna Hogg’s The Eternal Daughter (and still in theaters, starring opposite Idris Elba in George Miller’s Three Thousand Years of Longing), was spotted in the general public queue. Swinton, who was friendly with Princess Diana at the West Heath Girls’ School in Kent, was noticed on the official live stream and shouted out on social media with the #RespectTheQueue hashtag.
Twitter content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
It's unclear just how long Swinton waited, but legendary English soccer player David Beckham, in a suit, newsboy cap, and using an umbrella as a walking stick, was among the many who slowly crept their way forward for 13 hours, according to CNN. A BBC reporter approached him for a quick interview, knowing he couldn’t exactly leave lest he lose his place to pay his respects.
“We all want to be here together, we all want to experience something where we celebrate the amazing life of our Queen,” he said. He also described what he and his comrades had been snacking on since the wee hours.
Twitter content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Sharon Osbourne, who recently declared that she and husband Ozzy Osbourne would soon be leaving Los Angeles and making Britain their primary residence again, also queued up, saying, “I love the Queen, and I came over for this because I’m a royalist and I love the royal family.”
Also, Good Morning Britain’s Susanna Reid shared tips in awaiting her turn to view the Queen's coffin before Monday's state funeral.
Twitter content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from. | https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2022/09/tilda-swinton-david-beckham-sharon-osbourne-and-other-celebs-honor-queen-elizabeth-ii | 2022-09-17T19:58:49Z | vanityfair.com | control | https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2022/09/tilda-swinton-david-beckham-sharon-osbourne-and-other-celebs-honor-queen-elizabeth-ii | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Cruise Hive is here with another cruise news update with all the major stories from the past week. There is plenty of new cruise ship news from Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and Disney, along with some other news from Virgin Voyages and Royal Caribbean.
Cruise News Update
We’ve got you covered with all the latest developments, and this past week has been busy when it comes to new cruise ships. Princess Cruises finally unveiled its largest ever cruise ship Sun Princess, which will arrive in early 2024, Carnival’s new Carnival Celebration successfully completed sea trials, and the name was revealed for Disney’s next new vessel.
There’s also coverage on a Virgin Voyages rescue, a couple on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship charges nearly 100k for dinner, and a popular breakfast program returning to Carnival cruise ships.
In This Article…
Sun Princess Unveiled
Announced in a live presentation broadcast directly from the pier at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the new ship, first of the Sphere class, will be named Sun Princess.
The new ship will be the largest vessel ever constructed for Princess Cruises, expected to weigh approximately 175,500 gross tons.
Sun Princess will measure 1,133 feet in length, with 21 decks filled with innovations for more than 4,300 guests to enjoy on each sailing. The vessel will have 2,157 staterooms 1,500 of them with balconies, including 50 suites and 100 connecting rooms to make multi-generational travel even easier.
It isn’t just the size of a ship that makes for an amazing experience, however. Sun Princess is expected to offer phenomenal new features for guests to enjoy, including a 9-story sphere integrated into its design with breathtaking views and an incredible sense of light and space.
Sun Princess will also feature the first-ever glass geodesic dome at sea, enclosing an indoor/outdoor pool that will transform to a brand new entertainment venue in the evening.
The ship will include the cruise line’s iconic, heart-of-the-ship Princess Piazza, which on Sun Princess will be three stories. An impressive LED screen is also showcased in the center of the Piazza, and can be moved and configured for live entertainment performances.
That era will be a bright one if Sun Princess is any indication, and the new ship is sure to generate great excitement among cruise travelers leading up its anticipated debut on January 31, 2024.
New Carnival Cruise Ship Completes Sea Trials
Carnival Celebration set sail on her sea trials Monday, September 5, from Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland. The initial trials took several days, testing the ship’s engines, thrusters, and technical systems, including maneuverability, speed, and stopping abilities.
Onboard was the ship’s master, Captain Vincenzo Alcaras, as well as the engineering team and many crew members, not only overseeing the testing but also gaining familiarity with the ship’s systems for smooth and efficient operation.
Depending on an individual vessel’s size, systems, and performance, as well as weather and marine traffic in the test area, sea trials typically take just a few days or as long as 10 days to complete.
Carnival Celebration completed her trials in the Baltic Sea, in the complicated archipelago around Turku, Finland, on the country’s southwestern tip.
The ship’s maiden voyage is planned for November 6, 2022, sailing from Southampton. The 14-night one-way, transatlantic itinerary will bring Carnival Celebration to her new homeport in Miami, Florida, calling on ports in Spain, Portugal, and the Canary Islands along the way.
The second Excel-class vessel in Carnival Cruise Line’s fleet and sister ship to the award-winning flagship Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration is sure to be celebrated when she reaches Miami, with fanfare from fireboats and shoreside facilities as she makes her way into the port for the first time.
Virgin Voyages Rescue
Scarlet Lady, the first vessel of the young Virgin Voyages cruise line, has rescued a small group of refugees from a makeshift raft north of Cuba, according to reports from passengers on board.
The ship, which was enjoying a day at sea, spotted the small, unsteady craft north of Cuba. The refugees appeared to be aboard a makeshift raft built from water barrels and inner tubes, with a blue plastic tarp or similar plastic sheet for a sail.
Eight individuals were aboard the raft, and while their condition was not known, the raft was obviously not seaworthy for the Straits of Florida, the occasionally rough waters between Cuba and the Florida Keys.
The refugees were brought aboard the cruise ship with what belongings they could carry, though photos and video show that some materials remained aboard the raft. The small craft was left adrift after it was abandoned.
The incident occurred just before 7 p.m. on Wednesday, September 14, 2022.
After the rescue, tracking data showed Scarlet Lady turning north toward Key West, where it is likely the refugees will be turned over to the United States Coast Guard, the authorities overseeing such rescues.
After releasing the refugees to the proper authorities, Scarlet Lady resumed her voyage with a planned visit to Bimini in The Bahamas on Thursday before returning back to Miami on Friday, September 16.
Popular Dining Event Returns to Carnival
For the first time since restarting cruise operations in July 2021, Carnival Cruise Line is bringing back its whimsical “Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast” event featuring The Cat in The Hat and Friends. The once-per-cruise offering will again be available fleetwide from October 1, 2022.
The restart of the colorful and whimsical breakfast event follows shortly after Carnival Cruise Line has resumed other popular dining options that were either closed due to pandemic conditions or staffing shortages that have plagued the cruise industry since the restart.
Along with a fun and memorable menu, guests at the Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast will also be able to make fun memories by meeting popular Dr. Seuss characters, including The Cat in the Hat, Sam I Am, Thing 1 and Thing 2, and more.
Earlier this month, the behind-the-scenes galley tour returned as part of the Chef’s Table dining experience, which had itself been on temporary hiatus from mid-May through late June. Similarly, the afternoon tea event – a popular socializing interlude for many guests – returned to all Carnival ships as of September 6, 2022.
Couple Charged Nearly 100k on Cruise Ship
After enjoying dinner at Jamie’s Italian – crispy calamari and garlic bread appetizers, followed by penne pomodoro, arugula and parmesan salad, and finished with decadent lemon meringue cheesecake and hot chocolate with vanilla ice cream – Alex and his wife, Alicia, were shocked to discover a charge for $98,638.93 added to their shipboard account.
The couple had already purchased the ship’s “Unlimited Dining Package” which includes multiple entrees and multiple specialty restaurants every night of a sailing, and can be a savings of up to 40% off depending on the venues.
Jamie’s Italian is a favorite restaurant of the couple’s, who are both big Italian food fans, and this wasn’t even the first time they’d dined at the restaurant on this cruise.
After their meal, the couple – thrilled with the excellent service and delicious dining – authorized an additional gratuity to their account, but never expected the charge to be listed as nearly $100,000.
The incident happened on September 5, while the couple was enjoying a 7-night roundtrip Eastern Caribbean sailing aboard the Oasis-class Symphony of the Seas.
The ship had departed from Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, September 3, and spent both Sunday and Monday at sea before the startling charge appeared.
Disney Treasure to be Sixth Ship in the Fleet
At this year’s Disney’s D23 event in California, it was announced by Disney Parks chair D’Amaro, that Disney Cruise Line’s next new vessel will be named Disney Treasure. The new ship will become the sister ship to the current Disney Wish at 144,000 gross tons and a guest capacity of 4,000.
D’Amarao teased the Disney Treasure’s main atrium, named the Grand Hall. The cruise line says on its new dedicated ship page, “This magical gathering space draws from the enchanting influences of Asia and Africa, and is graced by the statues of Aladdin and Jasmine.”
The new vessel is being constructed at the popular Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany and once completed in 2024, it will become the new flagship.
Another identical class Disney ship is also scheduled to join the fleet in 2025. When Disney Treasure arrives, it will increase the Disney fleet to six ships.
As we get closer to the arrival of the Disney Treasure, the cruise line will release further details, including itineraries and onboard features. there are also some major construction milestones, such as the keel laying ceremony and floating out onto the water for the very first time.
More Cruise Headlines
Those were just a handful of the cruise stories from the past week in what was just another busy week in the cruise industry. We’ve got even more coverage, including Holland America Line testing biofuels, MSC cruise ship itinerary change due to Tropical Storm Fiona, new high-tech entertainment revealed for MSC World Europa, cruise lines canceling calls to Bermuda, Carnival Horizon assists a drifting boat in the Caribbean, Virgin Voyages updates its protocols and so much more. | https://www.cruisehive.com/cruise-news-update-september-17-2022/81772 | 2022-09-17T20:05:54Z | cruisehive.com | control | https://www.cruisehive.com/cruise-news-update-september-17-2022/81772 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Internet issues persist for Carnival Cruise Line ships sailing along the North-Eastern Seaboard of the United States. This week, the cruise line issues a new letter to guests booked onboard two Carnival cruise ships sailing from New York and Baltimore, saying internet connections would be limited.
This is the second time in a month that Carnival has informed guests of internet access issues onboard. The problem seems to only seriously affect ships sailing in this area. It is particularly painful as Carnival recently announced it would be increasing prices for internet connections onboard its vessels.
Guests Informed of Limited Wi-Fi Access
Guests sailing onboard Carnival Magic today, September 17, from New York City, and guests sailing onboard Carnival Legend from Baltimore, Maryland, today and September 25, have been informed that their cruises will have limited internet access during the voyage.
The email, sent to guests booked on any of the three voyages, said the following: “Due to challenges with some of the ship’s satellites, there will be limited Wi-Fi access during your cruise.”
“We will automatically refund all pre-purchased Wi-Fi packages as onboard credit to your Sail & Sign® account. The social and value plans will still be available for purchase at the discounted pre-cruise price, should you decide to purchase on board on a daily basis. The premium plan will not be available.”
Carnival Magic’s cruise departs today, September 17, from New York City, and will be heading to Saint John, New Brunswick; Halifax, Nova Scotia; and Sydney, Nova Scotia, and is due to return to New York on September 24. The following cruise will be a six-night Bermuda cruise, which seems unaffected now.
Carnival Legend
Carnival Legend will sail from Baltimore today on an eight-night Eastern Caribbean cruise. With calls to Turks and Caicos on September 21, and Amber Cove, Dominican Republic, on September 22, this voyage is also affected by the Wifi problems.
However, there could be even more bad news for guests booked on this voyage. The cruise is scheduled to be in the exact area where tropical storm Fiona will pass in the coming days.
Carnival already issued a different letter to guests onboard Carnival Legend, stating the following:
“Together with our Fleet Operation Center in Miami, we have been actively monitoring Tropical Storm Fiona, which is located in the Caribbean. Since the safety of our guests and crew is our number one priority, we will remain a safe distance from the storm at all times. We will continue to monitor the weather and provide you with timely updates should our itinerary be impacted.”
The second voyage affected by Wifi issues is a six-night Bermuda cruise from Baltimore, departing September 25 and returning to Baltimore on October 1.
Carnival Raises Prices for WiFi
Carnival Cruise Line issuing statements that the Wifi will not be strong enough to offer the premium package onboard comes at a painful moment for the cruise line.
The premium plan is the highest-rated Wifi package onboard Carnival’s ships and is supposed to enable guests to make video calls and perform other high-bandwidth activities on their devices.
Carnival said recently it would be implementing a price hike for its internet packages from October 1. The base package costs $8.50 per day if guests purchase the package before sailing. This price will increase to $10.20 per day.
The value package is increasing to $14.45 per day, an increase of $3.40 per day from the old rate of $11.05. The Premium package will increase with $2.55 to $17.00 per day. These are the pre-purchase prices, if guests decide to purchase onboard, these prices go up by an additional 15%.
The issues with internet connections have persisted for some time now onboard the Carnival Cruise Line ships, pointing to a much bigger problem that seems to be plaguing the IT systems onboard the vessel. It begs the question of why Carnival is not moving to Starlink Maritime, a move that Royal Caribbean made a few weeks ago. | https://www.cruisehive.com/internet-limitations-continue-onboard-carnival-cruise-line-ships/81856 | 2022-09-17T20:06:00Z | cruisehive.com | control | https://www.cruisehive.com/internet-limitations-continue-onboard-carnival-cruise-line-ships/81856 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Cruise Lines are scrambling to find suitable replacement ports as Tropical Storm Fiona looks set to develop into a full-blown hurricane as she passes over the Caribbean islands of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
As a result of the arrival of Tropical Storm Fiona, Royal Caribbean has announced several changes to the Harmony of the Seas itinerary for the sailing departing tomorrow, September 18. While the call to Perfect Day at Cococay will go ahead, the rest of the original itinerary has been changed entirely.
Fiona Forces Changes to Harmony of the Seas Itinerary
With safety at the forefront of any decision that cruise companies make, Royal Caribbean has decided to make several changes to the itinerary for Harmony of the Seas sailing tomorrow, September 18.
Originally scheduled to sail from Port Canaveral to the Eastern Caribbean, Harmony of the Seas will be switching to the Western Caribbean instead. The choice was made due to the imminent approach of Tropical Storm Fiona in the Eastern Caribbean, where Harmony of the Seas was scheduled to be operating in the coming days.
Guests will be disappointed that their cruise will not sail to Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, and Philipsburg, St. Maarten. But, the ship will sail toward Costa Maya and Cozumel in Mexico, two ports that have always proven popular.
The itinerary changes are not surprising, as Royal Caribbean’s Chief Meteorologist, James Van Fleet, issued a statement that itinerary modifications should be expected with the arrival of Fiona.
Royal Caribbean issued a statement to guests booked on September 18 that clarifies the need to change the itinerary for Harmony of the Seas:
“Along with our Chief Meteorologist, James Van Fleet, we’ve been monitoring adverse weather along our planned route due to Tropical Storm Fiona. As a result, we’ve replaced our visits to Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, and Philipsburg, St. Maarten.”
“Instead, we’ll visit two beautiful Mexican ports, Costa Maya and Cozumel. We are sorry for the weather’s impact on our itinerary. While not the ports originally planned, we know you’ll have a wonderful time. And know, being onboard a ship is one of the safest places because we are faster and can move out of the way of any inclement weather.”
Harmony of the Seas itinerary has CocoCay in the Bahamas on September 19, St Thomas, US Virgin Islands on September 21 has been replaced by a day at sea. The following day, September 22, would have been a call to St. Maarten, but this has been replaced by Costa Maya.
Instead of a day at sea, The 226,963 gross tons Oasis-class Harmony of the Seas will be in Cozumel on September 23, followed by a day at seas and returning to Port Canaveral, Florida, on September 25.
Guests who have shore excursions pre-booked for St. Thomas and St. Maarten will be automatically refunded.
Fiona Expected to Become Hurricane Strength But Misses Florida
Currently tracking over the Eastern outer Leeward islands of St. Maarten, Barbuda, Antigua, and Guadeloupe, Fiona will strengthen as it moves near the US and UK Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic later this weekend. The storm will likely develop into a Category 1 hurricane as it approaches.
“Fiona could be near hurricane strength when it moves near Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic this weekend, and it could reach hurricane status itself before reaching the Dominican Republic early Monday,” the National Hurricane Center (NOAA) said.
Although the storm will develop into a hurricane, its path has also changed compared to expectations yesterday, September 16. Forecasts now state that the storm will track over Puerto Rico, the eastern side of Hispaniola, and Turks and Caicos but is expected to head back to the Atlantic Ocean later next week.
If this does happen, it would spell good news for the cruise ships sailing from and to Florida and the Bahamas, as the effects will likely be relatively minor compared to what the people in the Eastern Caribbean are currently experiencing. As always, Cruise Hive will closely monitor the situation, while you can also help those affected. | https://www.cruisehive.com/royal-caribbean-cruise-ship-switches-ports-due-to-tropical-storm-fiona/81837 | 2022-09-17T20:06:06Z | cruisehive.com | control | https://www.cruisehive.com/royal-caribbean-cruise-ship-switches-ports-due-to-tropical-storm-fiona/81837 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Teton Valley Food Pantry board chair Anne Fortier accepts a Youth Philanthropy grant award from Teton High seniors Kinley Brown and Gus Prissel in 2021.
The application period for the Community Foundation of Teton Valley’s Youth Philanthropy Program, in partnership with Dual Enrollment Government classes at Teton High School, opens on Monday, September 26, 2022, at 9:00AM. Applications are due on Friday, October 14th at 5PM.
Now in its 12th year, the Youth Philanthropy Program is an excellent opportunity for introducing the concept of philanthropy to the next generation while helping them to better understand the significant and impactful roles that nonprofits play in our own community. Students gain a keen understanding of the granting process as they thoughtfully review grant applications, interview select nonprofit leaders from applying organizations, and award grant funds to local charities. Not only does the program help develop a deeper understanding of the granting process, but students also get a firsthand look at the many roles that nonprofits play in our community and in meeting the needs of their fellow citizens.
According to one of last year’s student philanthropists, “I will be more likely to donate. I have a clearer understanding of the needs in our valley and how much money is needed to try to fulfill those needs. If I have extra money or time, I will definitely be investing it into our community through our local nonprofits.”
The Youth Philanthropy Program is made possible through the generosity of Tin Cup Challengers and other private donors who partner with the Community Foundation of Teton Valley to elevate lives through the power of generosity. The Challenger Fund provides $5,000 to award to nonprofits. Additionally, Richard Grundler, who deeply believes in this program, has added an additional donation. Youth Philanthropists will be awarding a total of $7,000 to local nonprofits serving Teton Valley.
Local organizations interested in applying as part of the 2022 Youth Philanthropy Grant Program may visit www.cftetonvalley.org for an application and more detailed grant information. For further questions or requests, please call 208-354-0230. | https://www.tetonvalleynews.net/freeaccess/youth-philanthropy-grant-application-opens-sept-26/article_550025e0-35d0-11ed-b6eb-6b6493e34d04.html | 2022-09-17T20:06:24Z | tetonvalleynews.net | control | https://www.tetonvalleynews.net/freeaccess/youth-philanthropy-grant-application-opens-sept-26/article_550025e0-35d0-11ed-b6eb-6b6493e34d04.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries Ltd had darshan at Guruvayur Temple on Saturday.
His son Anant's fiancee Radhika Merchant and Reliance Retail director, Manoj Modi accompanied him to the famous Hindu temple in Thrissur district.
Ambani donated a cheque of Rs 1.51 crore to the annadanam fund. He was felicitated by Devaswom Chairman Dr VK Vijayan.
Ambani said that it had been quite some time since he visited the temple and expressed gratitude for the reception.
He reportedly agreed to consider providing financial assistance for a multi-specialty hospital project of the Devaswom. A request for the same was made by the Devaswom chairman. | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2022/09/17/mukesh-ambani-guruvayur-temple.amp.html | 2022-09-17T20:10:45Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2022/09/17/mukesh-ambani-guruvayur-temple.amp.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Federal investigators and Yakima police seized firearms and drugs in a series of raids earlier this month targeting a drug cartel.
Detectives from Homeland Security Investigations, agents from U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and Yakima police executed two federal search warrants Sept. 9, seizing 27 high-powered rifles, two shotguns and nine handguns, according to a YPD news release.
Investigators also found U.S. currency, methamphetamine and fentanyl, the release said.
The raids were targeting the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, the release said, which is trying to operate in Yakima. The cartel is stealing high-end, late-model vehicles for use in drug smuggling throughout the United States.
Investigators have identified suspects, the release said, and prosecutors are expected to seek indictments. | https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/crime_and_courts/yakima-police-federal-agents-seize-guns-drugs-in-raids/article_e8b27f16-361d-11ed-87b4-e7680f974c6d.html | 2022-09-17T20:19:18Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/crime_and_courts/yakima-police-federal-agents-seize-guns-drugs-in-raids/article_e8b27f16-361d-11ed-87b4-e7680f974c6d.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Washington: The mainstream American media on Friday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for telling Russian President Vladimir Putin that this is not the time for war in Ukraine.
The Modi-Putin conversation was on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit on Friday in Samarkand, Uzbekistan and it was widely carried by the mainstream American media.
"Modi rebukes Putin over war in Ukraine, The Washington Post reported in a headline. In a stunning public rebuke, Modi told Putin: Today's era is not an era of war, and I have spoken to you on the phone about this," the daily reported.
"The rare reproach showed the 69-year-old Russian strongman coming under extraordinary pressure from all sides, the Post said.
Responding to Modi, Putin said, "I know your position on the conflict in Ukraine, about your concerns that you constantly express. We will do our best to stop this as soon as possible. Only, unfortunately, the opposing side, the leadership of Ukraine, announced its abandonment of the negotiation process, declared that it wants to achieve its goals by military means, as they say, on the battlefield.' Nevertheless, we will always keep you informed of what is happening there."
It was the lead story on the webpage of both The Washington Post and The New York Times.
"India's Leader Tells Putin That Now Is Not an Era for War, The New York Times said in its headline. The tone of the meeting was friendly, with both leaders referring to their long shared history. Before Mr. Modi made his comments, Mr. Putin said he understood India's concerns about the war in Ukraine, the daily said.
"Mr. Modi's comments came a day after President Xi Jinping of China -- in his first face-to-face meeting with Mr. Putin since the invasion began -- struck a far more subdued tone than the Russian president, and steered clear in his public comments of any mention of Ukraine, reported the New York Times. | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/world/2022/09/17/us-media-praises-modi-putin-war.amp.html | 2022-09-17T20:19:27Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/world/2022/09/17/us-media-praises-modi-putin-war.amp.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LAS VEGAS, Sept. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®), the U.S. Concealed Carry Association (USSCA), the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and Bass Pro Shops distributed firearm safety and suicide prevention resources, including free gun locks, at a special Fall Outdoor Sports and Firearm Safety Event today to help prevent firearm accidents, thefts and misuse, and to bolster suicide prevention efforts across the city.
"Secure storage is the number one way to help prevent unauthorized access to firearms," said Joe Bartozzi, President and CEO of NSSF, The Firearm Industry Trade Association. "Since September is also Suicide Prevention Month, this is a great opportunity to talk about preventing access by at-risk individuals. We are grateful to USSCA, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Bass Pro Shops and all our local partners for joining us in this effort to save lives."
NSSF has provided resources to support the local effort through its nationwide Project ChildSafe® initiative. Project ChildSafe encourages gun owners to secure their firearms when they're not in use with a gun lock, lock box or other device, to store ammunition separately, and to talk with their kids about gun safety. The program has also partnered with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department to make thousands of free gun locks available to residents.
"These locks and materials are available to everyone – no questions asked," said Sheriff Joseph Lombardo of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. "We want to encourage anyone who has a gun in their home to take the steps to store it securely and responsibly when not in use. It really can make our community safer and help save lives."
To support suicide prevention efforts, the local effort also offers a free resource for parents focused on teen mental health and firearm storage, developed through a partnership between NSSF and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Today's event was organized largely by representatives of USCCA, as part of a larger "Project ChildSafe Las Vegas" community campaign, with support from several local vendors, including Homeland Personal Protection, At the Ready, The Gun Store, Sheepdog Armory, Las Vegas Office of Suicide Prevention, Clark County Fire Department, Intermountain Healthcare, Movinque BBQ and Kona Ice.
"When it comes to our children and people in our homes, we want to prevent any type of firearm, especially those that are loaded, from being accessible, stolen or misused. If these firearms are left unsecured and available, that's a tragedy waiting to happen, and it's so easily preventable," said Paul Martinez with USCCA.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE National Shooting Sports Foundation | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/09/17/nssfs-project-childsafe-las-vegas-metropolitan-pd-uscca-bass-pro-shops-local-leaders-address-firearm-safety-suicide-prevention-las-vegas/ | 2022-09-17T20:20:48Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/09/17/nssfs-project-childsafe-las-vegas-metropolitan-pd-uscca-bass-pro-shops-local-leaders-address-firearm-safety-suicide-prevention-las-vegas/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
What we know: Another bear spotted in Fort Collins north of Old Town
For the second time in as many days, a bear is reportedly on the loose in Fort Collins.
One day after Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials safely removed a subadult bear from the Colorado State University campus, another bear was spotted Saturday north of Old Town Fort Collins along the Josh Ames Ditch.
CPW area wildlife manager Jason Surface confirmed officials were aware of the bear, tracking it and working to safely remove it.
"We don't have a whole lot of information yet," Surface said around noon Saturday. "Sounds like it's moving quite a bit."
Initial sightings on Saturday morning, including one from a Coloradoan reader, placed the bear across the street from Flash Portable Welding (207 E. Vine Drive) but the bear has since moved, mostly along the ditch, a few hundred feet north, according to Surface.
Residents in the area also confirmed seeing the bear, though CPW officials said they didn't have the bear's exact location as of 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
"It's up in that area," Surface said. "Fortunately, it's just kind of sticking to the irrigation ditch.
"We're going to try to get a (tranquilizer) on it. When these bears are moving like this, it's really hard to get a tranquilizer on it unless you get them in a decent tree. You hope for what happened at CSU (Friday), where he was just in a good tree. When they're moving, it's tough."
Surface also requested that people don't attempt to seek out the bear, as that could make CPW's reloaction efforts more difficult by driving the bear away from the immediate search zone.
Four bears have been spotted around Fort Collins during the past month. Two bears have been seen on CSU's campus since the fall semester began. A bear was also seen at Beattie Elementary School in August, forcing the school to go onlockdown.
Bears are more likely to be found in cities along the foothills this time of year as they get ready for hyperphagia by spending up to 20 hours a day trying to eat more than 20,000 calories to fatten up for winter, according to the state wildlife agency.
Last year, Fort Collins and the northern half of Larimer County had 68 reports of bears, which was a 56% decline from 2020, according to the CPW bear report.
This story is developing and will be updated. Return to coloradoan.com for more.
Bearproofing your home
- Keep garbage in a well-secured location.
- Only put out garbage on the morning of pickup.
- Clean garbage cans regularly to keep them free of food odors: ammonia is effective.
- Use a bear-resistant trash can or bin.
- Don't leave pet food or stock feed outside.
- If you have fruit trees, make sure to pick up any fruit that falls to the ground.
- Bird feeders are a major source of bear/human conflicts. Do not hang bird feeders from April 15 to Nov. 15.
- Do not attract other wildlife by feeding them, such as deer, turkeys or small mammals.
- Don’t allow bears to become comfortable around your house. If you see one, yell at it, throw things at it, make noise to scare it off.
- Secure compost piles. Bears are attracted to the scent of rotting food.
- Clean the grill after each use.
- If you keep small livestock, keep animals in a fully covered enclosure. Construct electric fencing if possible. Don’t store livestock food outside, keep enclosures clean to minimize odors, hang rags soaked in ammonia and/or Pine-Sol around the enclosure.
- If you have beehives, install electric fencing where allowed.
- Talk to your neighbors and kids about being bear aware.
- Keep garage doors closed.
Source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife | https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2022/09/17/another-bear-spotted-in-fort-collins-north-of-old-town/69501065007/ | 2022-09-17T20:23:48Z | coloradoan.com | control | https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2022/09/17/another-bear-spotted-in-fort-collins-north-of-old-town/69501065007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Fort Collins police investigate early Saturday morning shooting in Old Town
Fort Collins police are investigating a reported shooting they say happened near South College Avenue and East Oak Street in Old Town early Saturday morning.
Police say one person was shot multiple times around 1:30 a.m. and was transported to a hospital with serious injuries.
The shooting stemmed from a disturbance earlier in the night that involved two people, according to a news release. Detectives have identified and contacted those involved in the shooting and an investigation is underway. According to Fort Collins Police Services, there is no ongoing threat to the community related to the shooting.
“There is no place for violence anywhere in our city but it's especially problematic in a busy location that puts so many innocent people at risk," Fort Collins Police Chief Jeff Swoboda said in the release. "I’m grateful to our District One officers who responded towards the danger and rendered aid to the victim and to our detectives who diligently worked this case to identify and contact those involved.”
No additional information about the shooting or disturbance has been released.
Anyone with information about this incident can contact Detective Stuart Music at 970-416-2575 or share any information anonymously by contacting Larimer County Crime Stoppers at 970-221-6868. | https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2022/09/17/fort-collins-police-investigate-reported-shooting-in-old-town/69501115007/ | 2022-09-17T20:23:54Z | coloradoan.com | control | https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2022/09/17/fort-collins-police-investigate-reported-shooting-in-old-town/69501115007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Several people gathered at Rhode Island College Saturday for the 13th Annual Fara 5K Race for Matt and Grace.
The event began 12 years ago in honor of Grace Hopkins, who was diagnosed with Friedrichs Axatia Disease (also known as FA), a rare, debilitating neurological condition.
12 News Anchor, Mike Montecalvo hosted the race, which as of Saturday afternoon, raised over $52,000.
The money will go towards helping find a cure for FA.
You can learn more about Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance, the annual Race for Matt & Grace, and ways to help on their website. | https://www.wpri.com/news/local-news/providence/13th-annual-fara-5k-race-for-matt-and-grace-raises-money-for-rare-disease/ | 2022-09-17T20:32:26Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/local-news/providence/13th-annual-fara-5k-race-for-matt-and-grace-raises-money-for-rare-disease/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(NerdWallet) – Beth Bourdon, an assistant public defender at the Orange County Public Defender’s Office in Orlando, Florida, was used to her student loans not qualifying for relief that other federal loans did.
She had Family Federal Education Loan Program, or FFEL, loans. They’re an older type of federal student loan that may be owned by the federal government or a private company. This type of loan generally doesn’t qualify for the benefits that come with federal direct loans. Those benefits include income-driven repayment, loan forgiveness or, most recently, the federal student loan payment pause.
“When everyone else’s student loan payments were paused for COVID, mine weren’t paused. I paid every month,” says Bourdon. “When everyone else’s interest rate dropped down to zero, mine didn’t drop down.”
She finally caught a break with the help of a temporary waiver for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. The waiver, which includes FFEL loans, counts past payments toward the total needed for debt discharge that otherwise would have been ineligible.
Through the waiver, Bourdon saw her remaining $57,000 in law school debt wiped away.
A debt discharge program with a dismal success rate
For years, most borrowers who applied for Public Service Loan Forgiveness were rejected. The approval rate since the program’s inception in 2007 hovered around 2.4%.
Full debt discharge requires 120 qualifying payments made while working full time for an eligible employer such as a public school, public hospital, qualified nonprofit or the government. But most borrowers had floundered, sometimes for years, in their attempts to advocate for payments to be counted toward forgiveness.
As a result of public criticism, the Biden administration made temporary changes to rectify some of the flaws in the program’s execution. Hence, the PSLF waiver, which offers borrowers the opportunity to receive credit for past payments that didn’t meet the program’s stringent rules. Since the waiver was implemented in October 2021, federal data shows PSLF approvals through June 2022 have climbed to nearly 10%.
A short window of forgiveness
Bourdon had about $75,000 in student loans, including $20,000 in undergraduate debt she used to attend the University of Central Florida. She’d already repaid her undergraduate debt when she learned about the PSLF waiver. That left only her law school debt — originally about $55,000 — which she had held since 2004 when she earned her Juris Doctor degree at Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida.
Bourdon says she posted on Twitter last fall about how she didn’t qualify for forgiveness due to the type of federal loans she carried. In response, she received a direct message about the waiver from a member of the Debt Collective, a membership-based debtors’ union and advocacy nonprofit. Finding out that she might see her debt erased prompted her to apply, though not without some apprehension.
“I was really scared that I was going to screw something up,” says Bourdon. “But I told myself ‘This is the only chance I have and it’s only an open window for a year.’ I didn’t know how long the process was going to take.”
She doesn’t recommend applying for PSLF while also working a first-degree murder trial in a different county, as she did. But, the more typical aspect of her application process went like this:
First, Bourdon used the federal government’s employer search tool for PSLF, a database of all employers that qualify for the benefit. But the PSLF help tool proved to be finicky and less user-friendly to Bourdon, so she abandoned it.
Next, Bourdon applied for consolidation, a necessary step for borrowers who don’t have direct loans. However, she says she was afraid of consolidating her debt due to the stringent rules of Public Service Loan Forgiveness and income-driven repayment forgiveness — if you consolidate, your countdown to forgiveness resets as zero.
Bourdon took the plunge in good faith. In the process, she chose to have her loans serviced by the only student loan servicer that manages debt for borrowers seeking PSLF (at the time, it was FedLoan Servicing, but those loans are in the process of moving to MOHELA by year’s end).
Finally, she submitted the combined PSLF/Employer Certification Form. She initially had two separate waiver forms because of a break in employment. But the human resources department at her employer sent back a single form and told her even if she had split periods of work, the federal student aid office would process it on one form.
This turned out to be a mistake.
Bourdon submitted the single application in November 2021. However, by early January 2022, she received a letter that stated she only had one qualifying payment according to the waiver and still had to make 119 more payments.
“I started freaking out,” Bourdon says. She received advice from the Debt Collective to submit two forms to certify her employment that accurately showed the separate periods of public service employment in her history.
Then, she waited and checked her account every single day.
“Nothing seemed to be changing. I was getting antsy,” says Bourdon. Then she saw an anticlimactic $1,000 decline in her total balance. “It was like, ‘Oh, thanks a lot,'” she says.
On Feb. 15, Bourdon logged in to her account and saw her debt was at zero. But, instead of instant relief, she says she was filled with doubt.
“For a second, I was like, ‘this is a trick,'” says Bourdon.
But two days later, she had a message in her account, a letter from her servicer confirming the discharge of her debt.
How to get the PSLF waiver
More than 146,000 borrowers have seen a collective $9 billion in loan debt forgiven through the temporary waiver, federal data from June shows. The average balance discharged through the waiver is $61,408. If your employer qualifies you for PSLF, you should apply even if past payments have been denied.
The PSLF waiver counts past payments that previously didn’t qualify including:
- Late payments.
- Payments equaling less than the full amount due.
- Payments made on the incorrect repayment plan.
- Payments made on loans that previously did not qualify, such as FFEL loans or Perkins loans.
- Payments not made during forbearance periods of 12 consecutive months or greater.
- Months spent in deferment, other than in-school deferment, before 2013.
Use the PSLF Help Tool to search for a qualifying employer and generate a form. It has been updated to align with the waiver.
To qualify, borrowers must already have direct loans or consolidate their federal debt into a new direct loan. The consolidation step is critical: Borrowers can submit a combined PSLF/Employer Certification form before consolidating, but they must consolidate to be eligible for forgiveness.
To find out if you qualify for additional payments and learn more about the waiver, log in to the federal student aid website. Make sure to submit it before the waiver expires on Oct. 31. | https://www.wpri.com/news/national/how-i-got-my-student-loans-forgiven-public-defender-in-florida/ | 2022-09-17T20:32:32Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/national/how-i-got-my-student-loans-forgiven-public-defender-in-florida/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
49ers run game coordinator, and offensive line coach Chris forester spoke to the media to review Week 1 and preview the division rival Seattle Seahawks.
Q: How do you feel your younger guys did on the line?
“Well, it’s always hard after you lose, because when you lose everything’s tainted by your loss. There’s a lot of things that could have been done better. But overall, I think it was a solid first outing. That’s the best way to say it. If we had have done a little bit better, maybe we could have won the game. But the guys really worked well together, they performed well together in spurts and gave us a chance to have some success. We didn’t quite get it done, but I was not disappointed by any stretch. They played okay.”
Forester is backing his guys.
This was shocking to me, I thought Aaron Banks struggled a bit. Spencer Burford did have a strong game. The light will be shining on the younger offensive linemen along with Trey Lance. Continuity and offensive line go hand in hand. They are still ironing things out and will continue to get comfortable at the next level.
Q: T Mike McGlinchey did some coaching during the offseason just about getting his mental state correct after he had a bad play. Did you see progress from him after the one sack he gave up, that he played more consistently?
“One hundred percent, yeah. Mike’s really worked hard at that. He’s known that’s a problem that he just has to bounce back from a bad play. Everybody’s going to have a bad play. How you bounce back from it, how you progress through the rest of the game, I think that was real positive for him. He had a negative play early and we talked about it on the sideline and he corrected it and was able to, he had a real similar play, it came up like in the fourth quarter, I think identical protection call and he set it much differently. He approached it much differently and corrected it, which is all you’re asking for. Everybody’s going to have ups and downs in the game, but it’s being able to battle through them and he did a nice job.”
McGlinchey is serviceable
McGlinchey correcting things after a tragic sack is uplifting. Winning the war and not the battle is Forester’s theme. It applies to all of us, we see a player get beat badly and then we say we need something else, needs to be cut, etc. In reality, the Niners have no one else to turn to, plus McGlinchey is brute in the run game. Let’s just hope he is not beaten as quickly on the sack next time.
Q: Can you tell that QB Trey Lance has an impact on the run game, just from being on the field? Can you see that, like just the threat of him?
“Oh, definitely, because just how the defensive ends have to play. In the last game for example, when you’re in certain formations, pistol formation, shotgun formations, the ends have to, the defense has to make a decision on how they’re going to play and that’s different than they have to play when you’re always under center when you don’t have the threat of a running quarterback. So it does. Now, it’s not a huge deal because they have a call and our defense has as well as to who’s got quarterback, blah, blah, blah. But it is different than just lining up every snap and doing the same thing over. Now all of a sudden you have this other call and then all the compliments that can come with it, play-action passes and those things can cause a little more. It adds a layer for them to have to work on, that’s really the best way to say it. And everybody’s got an answer for it and everybody’s seen it enough now, but you can tell that the effects and it lets other plays occur because the threat of the running quarterback, you play off of how they’re going to play your running quarterback when that time comes.”
San Francisco’s offense may surpass Week 1’s rush total/Lance will be sharper in Week 2
The monsoon at Soldier Field last week forced the Niners to earn their living on the ground. However, the rush total of 176 yards is in jeopardy with a pissed of 49er offense. The Seahawk defense is missing their best player in Jamal Adams and watched Bobby Wagner join the Rams in the offseason. Surpassing 176 yards is wishful thinking and Shanahan’s offense should win comfortably with 120 on the ground.
I took this question several ways, but my gut feeling tells me Lance will pick it up in Week 2. He led the NFL in Big Time Throws in Week 1 in uncharacteristic conditions. We could see more zone-read plays ran, then again, I’m banking on the talented 49er wide receivers to make it easy on him. Shanahan can only give Lance more opportunities at explosive plays with better conditions.
When you turn on the tape of the Seahawks, is it strange not to see their classic eight-man box and not to see the cover-three thing that they’ve been doing?
“You know, for me, I just see really, really big guys. When you look at 97, 90 and 99, I just see big, big guys in the middle. And I see good edge setters that can rush the passer. And whether the eighth guy is down there or not, those big guys in there are still a pain in the rear, man. They are good players. They’re really hard to block. They do a good job at defending and defeating blocks. They’ve been coaching them really well up there for a long time. And even though the scheme has changed slightly, those big suckers are still in there, man. And they do a heck of a job. And it’s always a challenge. When I turn on the film, I keep wishing that they’d be gone somewhere else, but they just take up the whole space on the film and my guys, we have to get out there, guys have to get out there and compete and do a good job against them. They’re an impressive group and they’re always a challenge.”
“It Doesn’t Matter” about the scheme
Forester is aligned with the other 49er coaches in being locked in on the task at hand. The scheme plays a part in every game, but Forester reiterates that everyone has to do their job. Seattle’s defensive linemen tend to eat up double-team blocks while linebacker Jordyn Brooks finishes for the tackle. Shanahan is looking for a stronger game from Mike McGlinchey and Trent Williams so Lance can stand strong in the pocket. | https://www.ninersnation.com/2022/9/17/23356763/49ers-offensive-line-foerster | 2022-09-17T20:46:38Z | ninersnation.com | control | https://www.ninersnation.com/2022/9/17/23356763/49ers-offensive-line-foerster | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Hibs chiefs demand answers from Aberdeen after Jim Goodwin accuses Ryan Porteous of 'blatant cheating'
Hibs chiefs have demanded answers from their Aberdeen counterparts following comments made by manager Jim Goodwin about Ryan Porteous in the wake of his side’s 3-1 defeat at Easter Road.
Officials from the Capital club are believed to have communicated their displeasure at the remarks made by the Dons boss as he gave his view on the penalty awarded to Hibs shortly before half-time.
Goodwin accused Porteous of ‘blatant cheating’ to win the spot-kick, saying: “I don’t know how many times the boy Porteous can get away with that kind of stuff.
“We showed our players a number of instances when Porteous has won penalties like that in the past. People will say he’s good at it and he’s clever.
Most Popular
-
1
Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin accuses Hibs defender Ryan Porteous of “blatant cheating” and calls for full-time referees
-
2
Hibs chiefs demand answers from Aberdeen after Jim Goodwin accuses Ryan Porteous of 'blatant cheating'
-
3
Exclusive: Hearts European hero Alan Forrest reveals career landmark after goal in Riga
"But it’s blatant cheating as far as I’m concerned and it’s cost my team points. We’re telling our players to be careful with him in the box, be careful with him at set-plays and don’t touch him as he will go over.
"I actually had a laugh and a joke with the referee prior to the game to make him aware of it. Unfortunately just before half-time he was sucked in hook, line and sinker. Bought it.”
The Evening News understands Hibs took a dim view of the remarks and contacted the Dons hierarchy to express their anger and disappointment at the comments made, particularly the accusation of ‘blatant cheating’, suggesting that it amounts to defamation of Porteous’ character.
Easter Road chiefs feel strongly that video of the incident, which resulted in Aberdeen defender Liam Scales receiving a second yellow card and subsequent red for fouling Porteous inside the penalty box as the pair contested a corner, proves that the Hibs centre-back did not dive or con match referee David Dickinson into awarding the spot-kick.
Goodwin revealed he had spoken to Porteous at the final whistle, saying: “I told him to his face after the game what I thought of him.
"I don’t care what he reads in the paper on Sunday and Monday. He knows. He’s laughing about it. He celebrates winning penalty-kicks like he’s scored a goal.
“He’s a good player. He got his international recognition last week, but I just don’t know how people can be fooled by it continuously.” | https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/hibs-chiefs-demand-answers-from-aberdeen-after-jim-goodwin-accuses-ryan-porteous-of-blatant-cheating-3847165 | 2022-09-17T20:53:54Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/hibs-chiefs-demand-answers-from-aberdeen-after-jim-goodwin-accuses-ryan-porteous-of-blatant-cheating-3847165 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Protecting the lives of marine animals is a prime goal of the Coast Guard’s maritime law enforcement mission. Here scientists abroad a 23-foot response boat and in protective clothing issued by the service release a sea turtle into waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean. After disentangling the turtle, the Coast Guard will gather the drifting debris for disposal. The service is the lead federal maritime law enforcement agency and the only agency with both the authority and capability to enforce national and international law. US Coast Guard Art Program 2018 Collection, Ob ID# 201807, "Protecting the vulnerable," Kathryn Cross, watercolor and pen and ink, 14 x 18
This work, US Coast Guard Art Program 2018 Collection, Ob ID# 201807, "Protecting the vulnerable," Kathryn Cross (7 of 28), by Maryann Bader, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7422255/us-coast-guard-art-program-2018-collection-ob-id-201807-protecting-vulnerable-kathryn-cross-7-28 | 2022-09-17T20:54:06Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7422255/us-coast-guard-art-program-2018-collection-ob-id-201807-protecting-vulnerable-kathryn-cross-7-28 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
1 hour ago - World
King Charles heckled, told "not my king" during visit to Wales
While greeting people mourning the death of Queen Elizabeth II in Wales on Friday, newly ascended King Charles III was met with condemnation from one man in the crowd.
Driving the news: “While we struggle to heat our homes, we have to pay for your parade,” the man said in a clip that has circulated widely on social media.
- “The taxpayer pays $100 million for you. And what for?” the man said. He added: “Not my king!”
- A bodyguard stepped in to shield the monarch, who did not appear to respond to the man in the clip.
State of play: The 73-year-old king will not have to pay taxes on the fortune he inherited after his mother's death at a time when millions across the UK are struggling to pay for basic needs amid a sharp rise in the cost of living, Yahoo reports.
Go deeper... Queen Elizabeth's death: What's next for Commonwealth countries | https://www.axios.com/2022/09/17/king-charles-heckler-not-my-king | 2022-09-17T20:55:16Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/2022/09/17/king-charles-heckler-not-my-king | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Online shopping is king, so it’s time for the independent fashion boutique to capitalize on the craze for locally sourced products.
Cheyenne has its share of boutiques throughout downtown, the majority of which sell women’s apparel. They’re relatively spread out and difficult to find – unless a person takes the time to wander the streets on a given afternoon.
In essence, the Cheyenne Downtown Business Association events committee decided to pull seven of the shops together and bring them – and their models – to the streets.
On Sept. 22, head to the back parking lot behind the Paramount Cafe for The Fashion Experience: A Downtown Fashion Show and Boutique Crawl, featuring a full-length runway.
Stacy Koch, a member of the CDBA events committee, said the event was created to expose local businesses to residents that might not devote much time to downtown.
“The organization is looking at ways to bring the community downtown,” Koch said. “But my personal belief is that if you get out of your car and walk around downtown, you find the beauty that exists down here already.
“So getting people out of their car and finding a good reason to be downtown will help grow our downtown community and people spending money downtown will support all of our businesses.”
The back patio of the Paramount, referred to as “The Garden,” is usually dressed up in vegetation, outdoor tables on woven rugs and dim mood lighting. This space will be restructured for the fashion show, broken down and organized into a sea of chairs surrounding a catwalk stretching out into the parking lot.
On the catwalk, models who are selected and dressed by the different boutiques in town, will strut the runway showing off the offerings of local fashion outlets. After a 30-minute show, boutiques will return to their storefronts and offer special deals on their clothing until 9 p.m.
Alexis Drake, Little Moon Boutique, Luxury Lane Boutique, The One & Only Boutique, Legacy Brand Collective, The Emporium and Indigo Buffalo Turquoise will be featured in the show.
Koch’s hope is that this will bring some exposure to the participating businesses, and display what downtown has to offer. The business association plans to continue this series and promote downtown Cheyenne through varied community events.
The series wouldn’t just be limited to clothing.
“The goal is to turn this event into a series we do once a quarter,” Koch said. “We’ll feature a different industry each quarter. Some of the ideas we’ve tossed around are doing ‘a taste of Cheyenne,’ where we have all of our restaurants giving out know small bites to taste, getting people walking around downtown.”
The Downtown Fashion Show is free. Attendees can reserve a a four-person table for $100, which includes a bottle of wine.
Will Carpenter is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle’s Arts and Entertainment/Features Reporter. He can be reached by email at wcarpenter@wyomingnews.com or by phone at 307-633-3135. Follow him on Twitter @will_carp_. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/todo/fashion-show-coming-to-downtown-cheyenne/article_43b78194-36ba-11ed-a682-77953293089b.html | 2022-09-17T20:55:22Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/todo/fashion-show-coming-to-downtown-cheyenne/article_43b78194-36ba-11ed-a682-77953293089b.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Suddenly, Seymour is taking the stage at the Historic Atlas Theatre.
It’s been a long time coming, but the main character of the cult-favorite musical Little Shop of Horrors is hardly the star of the show. That title would go to the 10-foot-tall, foul mouthed, carnivorous plant – a big, mean mother from outer space.
Little Shop of Horrors enjoys an odd history, first appearing as a comedy film of the same name in 1960. This variation of the story was largely ignored, though well received, and only regained prevalence when it was adapted into an off-Broadway production in 1982. The show, which featured a small cast and small musical accompaniment, played to equally small audiences.
The show’s popularity grew rapidly from being a community theater production to occupying some of the bigger stages in the U.S. and London – a place it, really, was never meant to be.
The 1986 film, which starred Rick Moranis; Ellen Greene, who played the lead role of Audrey in the original production; and Steve Martin, only increased its presence.
Little Shop is a worthy example of a diamond in the rough. Even today, replicating the original off-Broadway version of the stage play is the most intimate, and effective, way to present the off-kilter story.
Director and longtime Cheyenne Little Theater Players member Rory Mack is keeping this at the forefront of the cast and crew’s preparation for Sept. 23’s opening night. Those who expect a re-creation of the popular movie adaptation will be, hopefully, pleasantly surprised.
“People that are only familiar with the movie have a lot of surprises, because the ending is different,” Mack told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle at Thursday night’s rehearsal. “Some of the music is different. It’s a different experience.”
The Little Theatre production is an attempt to present the musical how it was originally intended.
“This is the 40th anniversary year of Little Shop of Horrors being off-Broadway,” Mack said. “It was off-off-Broadway – way off – and it played in a theater that seated about 100 people. That was their regular. They just they started selling it out and selling it out, so they moved it to a bigger theater that was about at 350 capacity and then kept selling that out.
“This is not designed to play to 1,000 people. This is designed to be an intimate, close show because the audience should feel claustrophobic.”
Simple stage
The stage is simple.
It features the storefront of the small, failing plant shop where the socially awkward Seymour works and lives in the skid row of an unnamed city. Mr. Mushnik, played by Jacob Smith, and co-lead Audrey, played by Kristen Kasper, are typically seen there with him.
More often, he’s caring for Audrey II, a mysterious plant that begins to draw business to the store.
Characters step through the single doorway of the shop, singing doo-wop inspired show tunes in the street, while background singers perform and interact with characters throughout the play. Graffitied brick walls stretch out into the audience, and sometimes characters maneuver between tables during numbers.
It’s an elevated performance. The cast manages not to dip into being silly – a difficult balance to strike.
“Even in the introduction to the script, it says, ‘These characters need to be sincere,’” Mack said. “It’s not a heavy handed parody or anything like that. These people need to live in a real world that they live in, yet they need to emulate the movies of the 1950s and ‘60s.”
Audrey
This is especially true when it comes to Audrey. It takes a big personality and a bigger voice to recreate the original character played by Greene, a difficult task for any actor.
After a stint in Washington, D.C., Cheyenne native Kristen Kasper returned not only to her hometown, but to the Little Theater. She landed the lead role of Audrey in her first production since she moved away in 2015.
“It’s hard to separate myself from her, because a lot of Audrey really is Ellen Greene,” Kasper said. “It’s kind of like bringing my own light and perspective to the role, but maintaining her innocence and her persona.”
The actors of Little Shop seem to share a perspective on this production – they’re all stepping into a bucket-list role. This applies to both Kasper and Marshall Brown, who will remain on-stage almost constantly as protagonist Seymour, as well as the inhuman star of the show.
Trevor Warren carries the same excitement as his co-leads. The funny part is, the audience won’t see his face, except for one scene in the performance. But he voices arguably the most important character in the show – Audrey II.
Audrey II
Audrey II is a strange role to play, and one of the only aspects of the CLTP production that will borrow more heavily from the movie than the original stage play. Warren, a resident of Fort Collins, Colorado, has been making the hour-long commute up to Cheyenne nearly every day for the past several weeks to lend his sonorous voice to the plant’s imposing presence.
“I’ve done theater for years and years and done nothing even close to this,” Warren said. “I warm up, generally, for about two, two and a half hours before the show. It’s a combination because (his voice) has to sit very, very low, but then he has to do the same thing when he’s on the other end and go way higher.”
Since Warren is voicing Audrey II, he’s tucked behind the curtains the entire time while puppeteers, Amanda Byzewski and William Blansfield, are controlling the increasingly large variations of the plant.
To prepare, Warren and the puppeteers would sit next to one another, repeating lines and sticking to one vocal inflection that the puppeteers simply have to trust Warren will hit the mark during every single show.
Though they’re still a week out from opening day, the pairs have rehearsed enough to be well in sync.
“It takes time to get used to it, but when the show comes and you start talking, you start seeing it come together,” Warren said. “It’s a lot. It’s very challenging. It’s a lot of work, but in the end it’s it’s incredibly rewarding.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/todo/little-shop-comes-to-little-theatre/article_b018b9f8-36b9-11ed-a93f-57278c3fb364.html | 2022-09-17T20:55:28Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/todo/little-shop-comes-to-little-theatre/article_b018b9f8-36b9-11ed-a93f-57278c3fb364.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden headed to the United Kingdom on Saturday to pay his respects to Queen Elizabeth II at a time of transition in US-UK relations, as both a new royal and a new prime minister are settling in.
The hawkish approach of Prime Minister Liz Truss to Russia and China puts her on the same page as Biden. But the rise of Truss, 47, who once called the US-UK relationship “special but not exclusive,” could mark a decidedly new chapter in the trans-Atlantic partnership on trade and more.
Of high concern for Biden officials in the early going of Truss's premiership is her backing of legislation that would shred parts of the post-Brexit trading arrangements in Northern Ireland. Analysts say the move could cause deep strain between the UK and the European Union, and undermine peace in Northern Ireland. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the move “would not create a conducive environment” for crafting a long-awaited U.S.-UK trade deal coveted by Truss and her Conservative Party.
“She’s signaled that she's willing to go to the mattresses on this and that’s going to cause a rift not just between the UK and EU, but the UK and the U.S.,” said Max Bergmann, director of the Europe program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington and a former senior State Department official in the Obama administration. “It’s one that’s going to keep the White House up at night.”
Biden and Truss had been set to meet Sunday, but the prime minister’s office said Saturday they would skip the weekend hello, opting instead for a meeting at the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday, though Truss still planned to gather with other world leaders converging on London for the royal funeral. The White House confirmed the U.N. meeting just as the president boarded Air Force One.
The two close allies now find themselves in a period of political uncertainty on both sides of the Atlantic. Not unlike his fellow septuagenarian Biden, King Charles III faces questions from the public about whether his age will limit his ability to faithfully carry out the duties of the monarch.
Charles, 73, and Biden, 79, discussed global cooperation on the climate crisis last year while both attended a summit in Glasgow, Scotland. They also met at Buckingham Palace in June 2021 at a reception the queen hosted before a world leaders’ summit in Cornwall.
Truss finds herself, as Biden does, facing questions about whether she has what it takes to lift a country battered by stubborn inflation borne out of the coronavirus pandemic and exacerbated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine unleashing chaos on the global energy market.
All the while, Britain — and the rest of Europe — is carefully watching to see what the upcoming U.S. midterm elections will bring for the Democratic American president after he vowed upon taking office that “America is back” to being a full partner in the international community after four years of Republican Donald Trump pushing his “America First” worldview.
“It certainly is a time of change and transformation in the UK,” said Barbara A. Perry, presidential studies director at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center. She added, “We don’t know what will happen in our midterms. We don’t know what will happen in 2024.”
Truss, a former accountant who was first elected to Parliament in 2010, hasn't had much interaction with Biden. The U.S. president called her earlier this month to congratulate her. Truss, as foreign secretary, accompanied her predecessor, Boris Johnson, on a White House visit last year.
It's been more than 75 years since Winston Churchill declared there was a “special relationship” between the two nations, a notion that leaders on both sides have repeatedly affirmed. Still, there have been bumps along the way.
Tony Blair was derisively branded by the British tabloids as George W. Bush's “poodle” for backing the 2003 American-led invasion of Iraq. David Cameron and Barack Obama had a “bromance," but Obama also had his frustrations with the Brits over defense spending and the UK's handling of Libya following the 2011 ouster of Muammar Gaddafi.
Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan forged a close alliance in the midst of the Cold War, with the prime minister once telling students that the Republican president's “really good sense of humor” helped their relationship. But there were difficulties too, such as when Thatcher and members of her Cabinet bristled at the Reagan administration's initial neutrality in the Falklands War.
The White House wasn't expecting Truss’s announcement in May, when she was foreign secretary, that the government would move forward with legislation that would rewrite parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol. The agreement was part of the UK’s 2020 Brexit withdrawal from the EU that was designed to avoid a hard north-south border with Ireland that might upset Northern Ireland’s fragile peace.
Now, in the first weeks of Truss's premiership, Biden administration officials are carefully taking the measure of the new British leader. Analysts say there is some trepidation in the administration that undercutting the Northern Ireland protoco l could plunge Europe into trade turmoil at a moment when Biden is working mightily to keep the West unified in confronting Russia over its aggression against Ukraine.
“Brexit could once again become the issue -- the issue that can make it difficult for all of Europe to work together at a time when it is critical for Europe to work together," Bergmann said. "If you're the Biden administration, this is not the time for the two of your closest partners getting into fights.”
To be certain, there were areas of friction between Biden and Johnson, who had a warm rapport with former President Donald Trump.
Biden staunchly opposed Brexit as a candidate and had expressed great concern over the future of Northern Ireland. Biden once even derided Johnson as a “physical and emotional clone” of Trump.
Johnson worked hard to overcome that impression, stressing his common ground with Biden on climate change, support for international institutions and most notably by making certain Britain was an early and generous member of the U.S.-led alliance providing economic and military assistance to Ukraine in the aftermath of the Russian invasion.
The former prime minister also unsuccessfully pressed Biden starting days into his administration to begin negotiations on a new U.S.-UK trade deal just as the U.K. regained control over its national trade policy weeks before Biden took office and following the end of a post-Brexit transition period.
But Biden largely kept focus on his domestic to-do list in the early going of his presidency—passing trillions in spending on coronavirus relief, infrastructure, and more—and put negotiations on trade deals on the back burner.
Elliot Abrams, chairman of the conservative foreign policy group Vandenberg Coalition, said that Truss needs Biden to make a new U.S.-UK trade deal a priority. Queen Elizabeth's funeral won't be the setting for tough bilateral conversations, but it still marks a moment for the two leaders' to begin taking stock of each other.
Truss, who succeeded Johnson after he was forced to resign in the face of a string of scandals, has lagged in the opinion polls. She also won her election with a smaller margin than her recent predecessors and is looking for an early win.
“I think if I were (Truss), I want recognition of the leading role Britain's played, far more than any other country outside the United States in supporting Ukraine,” said Abrams, who served in senior national security and foreign policy roles in the Trump, George W. Bush and Reagan administrations. “And I think I’d want some positive economic message to give the British people, which could be that the free trade agreement negotiations are starting.” | https://www.krem.com/article/news/nation-world/biden-united-kingdom/507-226202a5-090d-4eb1-8766-9fa7717b2957 | 2022-09-17T20:58:35Z | krem.com | control | https://www.krem.com/article/news/nation-world/biden-united-kingdom/507-226202a5-090d-4eb1-8766-9fa7717b2957 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — A train derailment impacted drivers by causing an intersection to close for railroad repairs on Friday.
Sioux City’s intersection at 28th Street and Floyd Boulevard has reopened after a train derailment occurred at 4:40 a.m.
No injuries resulting from the incident were reported, and the cause of the derailment is still underinvestigation. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/local-news/intersection-reopens-after-floyd-boulevard-train-derailment/ | 2022-09-17T21:01:00Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/local-news/intersection-reopens-after-floyd-boulevard-train-derailment/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(NEXSTAR) – Family Dollar is asking locations in 11 states to stop selling certain varieties of Colgate toothpaste that had been “stored outside of labeled temperature requirements,” according to a voluntary Family Dollar recall notice shared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
News of the recall follows similar notices issued by Family Dollar in July and August, which also concerned products that were improperly stored before being shipped to stores.
The latest recall, which affects Colgate Optic White toothpaste and mouthwash, concerns products shipped between May and June 21 to stores in Arizona, California, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas and Utah.
The recalled products include six different varieties of Colgate Optic White:
- Colgate Optic White Stain Prevention Toothpaste, 2.1 ounces
- Colgate Optic White Charcoal Toothpaste, 4.2 ounces
- Colgate Optic White Mouthwash, 16 fluid ounces
- Colgate Optic White High Impact Toothpaste, 3 ounces
- Colgate Optic White Toothpaste Icy Fresh, 3 ounces
- Colgate Optic White Stain Fighter Toothpaste Clean Mint, 4.2 ounces
Any customer who may have purchased the recalled products can return their items to the place of purchase for a refund “without a receipt,” according to the recall notice. Those with questions can contact Family Dollar Customer Service at 844-636-7687 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST.
There have been no reports of adverse reactions as a result of using the products. The FDA, however, urges those who may have experienced problems to contact a doctor and report their issue to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Program.
In July, Family Dollar recalled 425 over-the-counter products, which included toothpastes, lip balms, deodorants, lotions, sleep aids and more, that were inadvertently shipped to stores between May and mid-June, saying they had been stored at improper temperatures.
Family Dollar expanded the recall August, due to additional products having been stored outside of required temperatures. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/family-dollar-recalls-toothpaste-mouthwash-sold-in-11-states/ | 2022-09-17T21:01:13Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/family-dollar-recalls-toothpaste-mouthwash-sold-in-11-states/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NEW YORK (WPIX) — “The Phantom of the Opera,” the longest-running show in Broadway history, will stage its last performance on Broadway in February 2023.
The musical has scheduled its final performance at Broadway’s Majestic Theatre on Feb. 18, just a few weeks after the show celebrates its 35th anniversary on Broadway on Jan. 26, a spokesperson said.
“The Phantom of the Opera” had been the largest single-generator of income and jobs on Broadway, employing more than 6,000 people over the years, including 450 actors.
“Phantom” originally opened in London in 1986, and has since been seen by more than 145 million people in 183 cities (and 17 languages) over 70,000 performances.
Based on a novel by Gaston Leroux, “The Phantom of the Opera” tells the story of a deformed composer who haunts the Paris Opera House and falls madly in love with Christine, a young soprano. Webber’s celebrated songs from the musical include “Masquerade,” ″Angel of Music,” ″All I Ask of You” and “The Music of the Night.”
Enjoying a successful run in NYC since 1988, the production of “Phantom” — along with the rest of Broadway’s productions — had paused amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The musical reopened last October after 18 months to much fanfare and excitement from fans. However, the weakened tourist climate sounded its death knell.
‘Phantom’ phenomenon
On Broadway alone, the musical has been performed more than 13,500 times and played to more than 19 million people at The Majestic Theatre.
With lyrics written by musical theatre giant Andrew Lloyd Webber, ‘Phantom’ has also enjoyed long life off-Broadway. The show was adapted for the big screen in 2004 with a film of the same name. Directed by Joel Schumacher (“Batman Forever,” “Flatliners”) it starred Gerard Butler and Emmy Rossum, as the Phantom and Christine, respectively. The adaptation included a brand-new song written by Webber called “Learn to Be Lonely,” which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Despite its critical acclaim, the song was never added to the stage production, however.
The Venetian resort in Las Vegas opened “Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular,” in 2006, which featured elaborate special effects and technology, including a giant chandelier that was able to reassemble in midair. The Venetian built the theatre specifically for the show, at a cost of around $40 million. While it was generally successful — playing to “millions” of people over six years — the show closed in 2012 after 2,691 performances.
In 2010, Webber’s ‘Phantom’ sequel, “Love Never Dies,” opened in London’s West End, though it was never well-received and has yet to debut on Broadway. The show, loosely based on Frederick Forsyth’s 1999 novel “The Phantom of Manhattan,” picks up a decade later and reunites Christine and the Phantom in New York’s Coney Island. The polarizing show was slated to tour in several countries as recently as 2020, though the outing was derailed by COVID-19-related closures.
A live recording of “Love Never Dies” is widely available to stream, if you can’t get enough ‘Phantom,” however. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/phantom-of-the-opera-the-longest-running-broadway-show-to-close-in-2023/ | 2022-09-17T21:01:26Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/phantom-of-the-opera-the-longest-running-broadway-show-to-close-in-2023/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Antonio Colak slams disrespectful Dundee United fans as Tannadice club release statement
A motivated Antonio Colak scored a match-winning double on his 29th birthday to ensure Rangers returned to winning ways with a narrow win over Dundee United at Ibrox.
But the victory was overshadowed when some away fans disrupted the minute’s silence held in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II.
Dundee United later released a two paragraph statement and refused to let caretaker manager Liam Fox answer questions about the pre-match scenes. There was fury inside Ibrox as a section of the United supporters booed, shouted and chanted throughout the intended silence. But the Tannadice club opted only to acknowledge the disruption had happened in a short response afterwards.
“Dundee United are aware of the actions of a small section of the crowd who chose to not respect the minute's silence before this afternoon's match at Ibrox,” the statement said.
“As a club, ahead of the game we reached out to advise our supporters of the pre-match arrangements with the expectation that the minute silence would be observed.”
Colak ran to the United fans after opening the scoring in the eighth minute and put a finger to his lips. The Croatian striker said he was disappointed by the lack of respect from those United fans who had chosen to disrupt the silence.
“We were standing silently before the start of the game - everyone knows why,” he said. “It’s all about respect.
“For me, when I scored, it was just my emotions. There was over 50,000 in the stadium and everybody had respect. But some people hadn’t had that.
“I think in that moment everybody should understand that. Afterwards everybody showed the right way of showing respect.”
Colak has now scored nine goals in 13 appearances for Rangers this season. He responded impressively to being dropped to the bench for the midweek Champions League defeat to Napoli. Alfredo Morelos, who replaced Colak on Wednesday night, remained on the bench throughout against United.
Van Bronckhorst gave starts to teenage centre-half Leon King and 20-year-old midfielder Charlie McCann. The manager later charged others to take the pressure off Colak, who is the only player scoring regularly for the side at present. He acknowledged Ryan Kent must start scoring more goals than is the case at present. The winger was a peripheral figure again against United.
“Before the three defeats we had players scoring from midfield,” noted Van Bronckhorst. “Tom Lawrence is one of the players who has started the season really well as well. Unfortunately, we don’t have him.
“Hopefully we will have him back after the break. We have to have more players to be able to score. Ryan Kent is a player who is very dangerous, but also needs to improve his scoring. He knows that he needs to improve that.
“Rabbi (Matondo) is a player who can deliver that. He is one of the players I didn’t pick today because I had to go from 23 to 20, which is always difficult for a manager to do so.”
Meanwhile, United caretaker manager Fox believes his own future will be confirmed “in the next couple of days”. Fox is in the running to be handed the job on a permanent basis amid reports also linking the Tannadice club with Kevin Thomson and former Bristol City manager Dean Holden. | https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/rangers/antonio-colak-slams-disrespectful-dundee-united-fans-as-tannadice-club-release-statement-3847147 | 2022-09-17T21:07:29Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/rangers/antonio-colak-slams-disrespectful-dundee-united-fans-as-tannadice-club-release-statement-3847147 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ST. LOUIS (AP)Albert Pujols hit his 698th home run, a tying two-run drive in the sixth inning that sparked the St. Louis Cardinals over the Cincinnati Reds 6-5 on Friday night.
Pujols hit a first-pitch slider from Raynel Espinal 427 feet into the left-field stands for his 19th home run this season, tying the score 4-4. Pujols trails only Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714) on the career list.
”It’s just being out there and contributing to this ballclub and this organization,” Pujols said. ”I think just getting every opportunity that I’ve been getting, especially lately, and just trying to help this ballclub to win.”
With 2,203 RBIs, the 42-year-old Pujols moved within 11 of Ruth for second, behind Aaron’s 2,297.
Ryan Helsley struck out Kyle Farmer, Jake Fraley and Donovan Solano on nine pitches for his 18th save in 22 chances, the third immaculate inning in Cardinals history after Bob Gibson in 1969 and Jason Isringhausen in 2002.
”That’s pretty cool history to be a part of,” Cardinals catcher Andrew Knizner said. ”I could tell from his first pitch, Helsley, I was like, `OK, he’s ready to go.”’
Pujols is hitting .324 (45 for 139) with 15 homers and 35 RBIs in 47 games since July 10. Five of his last six home runs have come in the sixth inning or later, and his last five homers have tied the game or put St. Louis ahead.
”He continues to do it in meaningful situations,” ”That was a big swing,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. ”It’d be one thing if he was just chasing it, but the thing is he’s taking an unbelievable approach and delivering when we need it most.”
Pujols hit a drive to T.J. Friedl at the left-field wall in the seventh. He is in his 22nd major league season and intends to retire at the end of the season.
”This feels like a playoff atmosphere with the fans and the last year of myself and Yadi,” Pujols said, referring to catcher Yadier Molina. ”I think everybody’s really excited about it, and I think for us we just try to go out there, play the game, and just enjoy it.”
St. Louis (85-60), which maintained a 7 1/2-game lead over second-place Milwaukee in the NL Central, has 17 games remaining.
After Farmer homered off JoJo Romero to give Cincinnati a 5-4 lead in the seventh, Brandon Donovan walked against Ian Gibaut (1-2) leading off the bottom half, and Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado followed with consecutive RBI doubles.
”These games are fun to play in,” Reds manager David Bell said. ”Our team literally gave everything they had to win that game. Obviously, when you do that it’s disappointing, but there’s no question that that’s how you play this game and that pays off.”
Chris Stratton (9-4) got the final out of the seventh. Cardinals starter Jack Flaherty allowed four runs, six hits, two walks and two hit batters in five innings.
Goldschmidt doubled twice and got his 111th RBI.
Reds starter Fernando Cruz, wearing No. 21 to honor Roberto Clemente, retired his first five batters as an opener before hitting Pujols with a pitch and coming out of the game.
ARMS OF CHAMPIONS
Pitcher Jason Motte of the 2011 champion Cardinals and goaltender Jordan Binnington of the 2019 Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues threw out ceremonial first pitches.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Reds: RHP Hunter Greene (right shoulder strain) will be activated off the injured list to start the night game of Saturday’s doubleheader, his first start since Aug. 1 at Miami.
Cardinals: OF Dylan Carlson (sprained left thumb) started in center field for Triple-A Memphis Friday night at Iowa and hit a pair of doubles in three at bats. He is expected to start for Memphis Saturday and Sunday and could rejoin the big league club Tuesday.
UP NEXT
RHP Dakota Hudson (7-7, 4.43 ERA) will be recalled from Triple-A Memphis to start Saturday’s day game against LHP Mike Minor (4-11, 5.78 ERA) who has not won a start against St. Louis since Aug. 25, 2013 while pitching for Atlanta. LHP Jose Quintana (5-6, 3.34 ERA), who starts the night game, is 2-1 with a 2.93 ERA in nine starts sincehe was acquired from Pittsburgh on Aug. 1.
—
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/mlb/albert-pujols-hits-698th-homer-helps-cards-beat-reds-6-5/ | 2022-09-17T21:10:09Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/mlb/albert-pujols-hits-698th-homer-helps-cards-beat-reds-6-5/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
After winning the opener with a bullpen game, the Toronto Blue Jays will start right-hander Jose Berrios for the middle game of their series against the visiting Baltimore Orioles on Saturday afternoon.
The Blue Jays (82-63) used seven pitchers on Friday night in their 6-3 victory over the Orioles (75-68) that opened a three-game set. Struggling lefty Yusei Kikuchi (5-7) blew a fifth-inning lead and allowed two runs in two innings but still picked up the win.
Matt Chapman had two home runs and three RBIs while going 3-for-4 and George Springer added a three-run homer for the Blue Jays.
The Orioles, who got home runs from Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson, did not lose ground as they hold flickering hopes for an American League wild-card spot. While they fell six games behind the Blue Jays, who sit in the top wild-card position, they remain 4 1/2 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays (80-64), who hold the third and final wild-card spot.
The Orioles and Blue Jays are even at 7-7 in their season series that has five games remaining, including a three-game set that ends the season Oct. 3-5 in Baltimore.
Berrios (10-5, 5.07 ERA) is a stellar 7-0 with a 3.05 ERA in 10 career starts against Baltimore. He is 1-0 with a 3.46 ERA in two starts vs. the Orioles this year. The win came on Sept. 5, when he tossed six-plus innings and gave up three runs, two earned.
The Orioles will start right-hander Kyle Bradish (3-6, 5.01 ERA), who is 0-1 with a 7.27 ERA in his four starts against the Blue Jays, all this season.
“They’re a good opponent on that side, and I think us coming in, we have some guys immediately saying, ‘Let it go, we’ll get them tomorrow,'” said Cedric Mullins, who tripled for the Orioles on Friday. “I think that mindset of not giving in to anything or any obstacles will come across as huge.”
Baltimore right-hander Jordan Lyles, who allowed four runs in five innings on Friday, added, “We’ve got what we want in front of us. This is just one loss. The end of the season’s upon us, and each game means just that much more, but we have a chance to win the series.”
While the Orioles are trying to catch a wild-card spot in a last desperate attempt, the Blue Jays are one game in front of the Seattle Mariners (80-63) and 1 1/2 games up on the Rays.
Blue Jays interim manager John Schneider said that he is not concerned about the strength of schedule that each contender has down the stretch. The Mariners appear to be facing the easiest slate among the wild-card contenders.
“If you’re going to be where you want to be, you have to beat good teams eventually, whether it’s in September or October,” Schneider said. “The schedule has been out for a long time, so we know what’s coming. And I think it’s good to keep the intensity, the adrenaline, kind of that feeling that every game is important.”
Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 1-or-4 Friday to extend his hitting streak to 10 games in which he has gone 13-for-44 (.295) with four doubles, a homer and three RBIs.
Toronto shortstop Bo Bichette, who finished 1-for-4 on Friday, has reached base safely in all 16 games this month, batting .471 (32-for-68) with nine doubles, a triple, seven homers and 22 RBIs.
Chapman socked his 25th and 26th home runs of the season on Friday, his first since Aug. 20, ending a season-worst, 25-game homer drought.
–Field Level Media | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/mlb/blue-jays-aim-to-seal-series-win-against-orioles/ | 2022-09-17T21:10:42Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/mlb/blue-jays-aim-to-seal-series-win-against-orioles/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Bad Bunny is doing good for a Uvalde shooting survivor.
The Puerto Rican rapper, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, is helping fund a new home for 10-year-old Mayah Nicole Zamora, who was wounded in the shooting at Robb Elementary School, according to San Antonio Express News.
During her 66-day hospital stay, Mayah learned that the shooter, Salvador Ramos, who killed 19 students and two teachers, lived just a few blocks away from her home and found it too difficult to return there, according to CNN.
The 28-year-old megastar and his nonprofit the Good Bunny Foundation, gave a “generous donation” to the Correa Family Foundation, a nonprofit started by former Astros — and current Twins — shortstop Carlos Correa and his family, to assist with the payment.
On Aug. 23, Mayah was honored as the August Hero of the Month at the Houston Astros baseball game and threw out the first pitch. That day, she met Correa, and found out that CFF is funding the abode, as per NBCDFW.
“We have secured the funding to build Mayah and her family a new home in a location where she feels safe and comfortable,” the Correa Family Foundation wrote on Instagram. “We hope this will be an opportunity for Mayah and her family to rebuild their lives, make new memories, and look towards a bright future.”
Bad Bunny also hosted Mayah and her family at his concert in Dallas on Sept. 9 and a heartwarming photo of the girl posing with the “No Me Conoce” singer was posted on Instagram.
Mayah, who was the last victim to be released from the hospital, nine weeks after the massacre, underwent 20 surgeries after suffering gunshot wounds to her arms, chest, hands and back.
Her family created a GoFundMe page, which raised $119,789, that detailed the girl’s “very long road to recovery” which includes future surgeries and mental health treatment.
When she finally was discharged, Mayah showed her appreciation to the staff at University Hospital by distributing roses while they clapped and chanted, “Mayah! Mayah!” according to a video tweeted by the hospital. | https://nypost.com/2022/09/17/bad-bunny-donates-for-uvalde-shooting-survivors-new-home/ | 2022-09-17T21:11:03Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/09/17/bad-bunny-donates-for-uvalde-shooting-survivors-new-home/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Resolute mourners continued joining the five-mile-long line to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II in London Saturday — despite official warnings that they could face a wait of as long as 24 hours in chilly temperatures before catching a glimpse of the monarch’s casket in Westminster Hall.
“It felt like the right thing to do,” Jane O’Kane, 52, told the Sunday Times of London. “The Queen has been there all our lives.”
It took 12 hours, but O’Kane finally made it into the grand marble hall to salute the Queen one last time.
“I curtseyed,” she said. “It was so emotional.”
The eye-popping queue, which snakes along the south bank of the Thames River before crossing Lambeth Bridge, could be a record-breaker.
“As much as the British enjoy a queue, I don’t think we’ve ever seen the likes of this on our shores before, at least not in a couple of generations,” said Craig Glenday, editor-in-chief at Guinness World Records.
Nearly 306,000 people lined up in February 1952 to pay tribute to George VI, Queen Elizabeth II’s father, at his lying-in-state at Westminster Hall.
Guinness World Records has already announced that the flight that carried the queen’s casket to London this week was the most tracked flight in history, with 4.79 million users following its progress on the website Flightradar24.
The lengthy London line included celebrities like David Beckham, who waited for 12 hours Friday to pay his tearful respects, and visitors from as far away as Peru.
“It was seeing that image of the Queen alone at Prince Philip’s funeral that made me want to come,” explained Sam Record, 30, a healthcare assistant from Derby. “That showed how she stood by us, particularly when we learnt the prime minister was having parties and ignoring the rules.”
King Charles III and Prince William surprised mourners Saturday morning, walking among the crowd to thank those waiting so patiently to pay their respects.
Wristbands given to to those who endured the queue in recent days are already going up for sale on Ebay, the BBC reported — not for purposes of skipping the line, but as souvenirs.
An “accessible queue” to accommodate those with disabilities had to be shuttered Saturday evening, after wristbands for all its available time slots were distributed.
Meanwhile, rehearsals continued for the thousands of British troops set to participate in Monday’s state funeral.
British soldiers from the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards Queen’s Company, which traditionally guards the deceased monarch’s body, were recalled from duty in Iraq this week to march in the ceremony, the Telegraph reported.
A bearer party of 12 soldiers from the unit joined a moonlit rehearsal early Saturday as hundreds of troops escorted an empty hearse up Windsor’s Long Walk.
The escorts from the Grenadier Guards — the soldiers with the tall black hats who stand sentry outside Buckingham Palace — will accompany the queen’s final journey to Windsor Castle, where she will be laid to rest Monday afternoon. | https://nypost.com/2022/09/17/mourners-flock-to-record-breaking-london-queue-to-salute-queen-elizabeth/ | 2022-09-17T21:11:21Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/09/17/mourners-flock-to-record-breaking-london-queue-to-salute-queen-elizabeth/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz was heckled on a flight Thursday over gun control and school safety policies, prompting the senator to call the heckler “a partisan.”
The senator, along with his fellow passengers, was preparing to exit the plane landing in Texas when a passenger filmed Cruz and began pressing him with questions.
“We’re in Houston? I thought we were going to Cancun,” the male voice said in a video posted to Twitter. It was an apparent reference to a family vacation Cruz took last year amid statewide power outages.
The man then got the senator’s attention by saying, “Senator, thank you for everything you’ve done since Uvalde. All those podcast episodes must have raised a lot of money for you.”
The heckler criticized Cruz for voting against a gun legislation bill that passed through the House and Senate with bipartisan support and was signed by President Biden in June.
Cruz responded by pointing to his proposed school safety bill that was blocked Wednesday by Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who accused Cruz of conducting “theater.”
Cruz asked the Senate for unanimous consent to pass his legislation that would have provided $15 billion to double the number of school resource officers, $10 billion to hire 15,000 mental health professionals for middle and high schools and $2.56 billion in security improvements for school campuses.
The heckler then asked Cruz whether he knew any of the names of the Uvalde victims, which included 19 students and two teachers in May.
“I do. And ask why Chris Murphy objected and stopped the biggest school safety bill that’s ever passed yesterday,” Cruz responded.
The man then began to talk over Cruz as one passenger told the heckler to let Cruz “fly in peace.”
“You don’t care about the facts. You’re a partisan, that’s OK,” Cruz said before turning away. | https://nypost.com/2022/09/17/ted-cruz-heckled-on-plane-over-school-shootings-texas-senator-says-youre-a-partisan/ | 2022-09-17T21:11:49Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/09/17/ted-cruz-heckled-on-plane-over-school-shootings-texas-senator-says-youre-a-partisan/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.